Dolly Parton Music Cares Person of the Year tribute: It started very badly, with Kacey Musgraves off and Katy Perry just patently horrible on Here You Come Again. Even Parton was weak on her own Jolene. Its saying something that Miley Cyrus singing Jolene was the best to that point. But it recovered strongly when Parton an Maren Morris did Neil Youngs After the Gold Rush, and Little Big Town with Parton on the new Red Shoes. The whole group on 9 to 5 was Partons best. Victor: I would say 90 percent of our chronic pain patients say, I want to come off my opiates, I want to reduce my opiates or I never want to go on opiates. That was the biggest thing that we didnt expect. Id like to see cannabis move into that arena a little bit more as a replacement or tapering mechanism for chronic care management. We cant advise in the opiate tapering because of the risk of withdrawal, but we can recommend patients consult with their physicians, and its just really encouraging to see them come in here and realize they have another option. Following the passage of intense tropical cyclone Gelena, Plaine Corail airport in Rodrigues has been reopened and declared safe for operations. Air Mauritius will resume flights to and from Rodrigues as follows: Normal scheduled flights for tomorrow, Monday 11 February will operate as planned. The Air Mauritius Contact Centre is calling stranded passengers individually to inform them of their re-scheduled departures. They are therefore urged not to come to the airport until notified of their flight timings. All stranded passengers will beoffered travel solutions by 11 February 2019. Air Mauritius regrets inconveniences caused. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 4 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn We are working hard with governments to improve transparency, governance, accountability and project delivery across the continent. Corruption does not invest in the future, it kills the future, Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank said at the World Peace Summit of Global Leaders. According to the World Economic Forum, an estimated $116 billion a year would be required to feed the world and end hunger. It would also take $8.5 billion a year to eliminate malaria. Thats only 0.28% of whats lost to corruption globally every year, said Adesina. It would take $26 billion per year to send all kids in the world to school. The International Atomic Agency estimates that $31 billion per year would provide energy for all in the world. Thats just 1% of whats lost annually to corruption globally, he added. The African Development Banks 2019 African Economic Outlook notes that Africas impressive economic growth is expected to be maintained at 4% in 2019, and 4.1% in 2020, with 40% of African countries projected to see even higher growth rates. Pitching Africa investment opportunities to government and business leaders during his visit to Seoul, Adesina said, There is no better time to invest in Africa than now. The Africa Continental Free Trade Area is projected to make Africa the largest free trade zone in the world, with an estimated combined GDP of over $3.3 trillion. With an eye on a future that is just around the corner, Adesina says the Bank is working to set up a joint Korea-Africa Tech Corps program designed to bring young and talented tech entrepreneurs in Korea and Africa into wealth creating partnerships, and position Africa to be part of the mainstream of the 4th Industrial Revolution. The Busan Techno Park, the Busan Metropolitan City, the African Development Bank and the Government of Tunisia, are currently collaborating on a pilot Agricultural Drone project to help assess and monitor soil degradation, and provide real time data to improve productivity. The Bank intends to scale up the project across Africa, and develop other cutting edge uses of industrial drones across the continent. With a backdrop of an improving regional economy and a move toward creating a new generation of jobs for young Africans, Adesina says, Today, millions of unemployed young Africans have no jobs and many take enormous risks to cross the Mediterranean to seek a brighter future in Europe. The fact is, theres no pride in seeing thousands of young men and women drown in the turbulent waters of the Mediterranean. The future of Africas youth doesnt lie in Europe. The future of our youth must lie in a thriving, prosperous and secure Africa. At the Peace Summit for Global Leaders, the President of the African Development Bank highlighted key achievements in 2018, including, 5 million people with new or improved electricity connections; 19 million people who have benefitted from improved agricultural technologies; 1.1 million people who have benefitted from private sector investment projects; 14 million people who received access to better transport services and 8 million with improved access to water and sanitation. Adesina said the Bank could do more with the support of its 80-member countries who are currently discussing options for the institutions general capital increase. With a General Capital Increase scenario, if approved by the Banks shareholders, we would provide an additional 105 million people with access to electricity,137 million people with access to improvements in agriculture, 22 million people who would benefit from private sector investment projects,151 million people with improved access to transport, and 110 million people with improved water and sanitation. Adesina urged the Banks shareholders to make generous contributions in order to maintain momentum, create jobs for millions of African youth, position Africa in global value chains, and accelerate the African Unions push towards Agenda 2063, The Africa we want. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 1 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn What did Chinese people in third- and lower-tier cities do during the seven-day Spring Festival holiday? It seems that traditional activities such as playing mahjong and snacking on sunflower seeds lost appeal. Instead, shooting funny videos via short-video platforms and grabbing digital red envelopes gained vogue. Quietly and steadily, the internet economy conquered China's smaller cities during Lunar New Year in 2019. Industry observers noted that the ongoing trend illustrated how booming digital consumption in third- and fourth-tier cities could expand this year and even surpass that of big cities to feed China's astronomic economic drivers. Liu Guoxin, a 40-something resident in Ningde, a small city in East China's Fujian Province, became addicted to short-video platform Douyin during the Spring Festival holiday, which started on February 4. He abandoned his favorite game of mahjong and filmed a few hundred short videos within the one-week holiday. Some were about the reunion dinner at New Year's Eve, while others featured him dancing with his family members to cheerful music. Liu spent about an hour watching online short videos every day, and bought a floor-mopping robot, a dish-washing machine and some local specialties after watching short video ads on Douyin. Those items cost him more than 3,000 yuan ($445). "[Shooting and watching short videos via the app] is interesting, novel, trendy and simple," Liu told the Global Times over the weekend. "I also want to keep myself updated with technology." Like Liu, more people in smaller cities also moved the traditional ways of celebration online during this year's holiday. A report by technology company Baidu showed that East China's Shandong and Jiangsu provinces, as well as South China's Guangdong Province, ranked the top three in terms of the number of active users who grabbed digital red envelopes on New Year's Eve. Central China's Henan Province was fourth and East China's Zhejiang Province was fifth. Online sales in smaller cities also had an auspicious start in 2019. On e-commerce platform JD.com, sales in fourth-tier and sixth-tier cities shot up over 60 percent during the holiday, ranking the fastest among all Chinese cities, according to a post on JD.com's WeChat account. Market potential It is hard to imagine that Liu, who can shoot and watch videos with a few clicks, only downloaded the app on February 3, after his niece, a white-collar worker in Shanghai, visited him. His niece, who prefers to use her working English name Sally, introduced the Douyin app to him and taught him how to play with it. Sally told the Global Times that during the Spring Festival, she also introduced other internet apps such as social e-commerce platform Xiaohongshu and cross-border e-commerce platform Netease Kola to relatives in the coastal city. As disposable incomes rise, "people in my hometown have the desire to purchase they look for a better life, and the internet economy could help identify and meet their needs," she said. Hundreds of millions of urban workers like Sally who returned home at the holiday taught people in smaller cities about the internet economy, and this fueled China's booming online economy during the Spring Festival. Although the spending power in major Chinese cities has eclipsed that of third- or lower-tier cities, "the sheer size of the internet population as well as the stunning growth rate in those smaller cities bodes well for their potential in the internet economy," said Liu Dingding, a Beijing-based industry analyst. He predicted that as the nation's infrastructure network improves, total online spending from lower-tier cities could catch up with and outstrip that of major cities. This booming internet economy in lower-tier cities could also rise to be an engine of growth amid economic downward pressure, analysts said. As of June 2018, users in third-tier and smaller cities accounted for 54.5 percent of China's total mobile internet users, while those in the first- and second-tier cities represented 45.5 percent of the population, according to a report issued by QuestMobile, a data analytical platform. Mankato, MN (56001) Today Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. New Delhi : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu began a day-long fast here on Monday, demanding that the Centre grant special status to the state and fulfil all promises made before its bifurcation in 2014. A number of Opposition party leaders - including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal - are expected to extend their support to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief's fast at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan. Before beginning the fast, Naidu offered tributes to Matama Gandhi at Raj Ghat and to B R Ambedkar at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan. A TDP delegation led by Naidu will submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday. Naidu has been trying to unite the opposition parties to take on the BJP in the general elections. Over the last three months, he has held a number of meetings with the opposition party leaders on forming an anti-BJP front. In March last year, the TDP had pulled out of the NDA government over its refusal to grant a special status to Andhra Pradesh. PTI Idukki : Devikulam Sub-Collector Renu Raj on Monday filed a report to the Advocate General demanding an action against the contempt of court against Devikulam MLA S Rajendran. In the report, the sub collector pointed that the MLA backed the unauthorized construction and his actions were clear case of contempt of court. Even after a memo was issued, the illegal construction continued. When the revenue team had reached on Friday to stop construction of a shopping complex by Munnar panchayat. They were blocked and sent back. More over, the MLA verbally abused the sub collector,. Malibu, CA (90265) Today Mostly clear. Low 58F. WNW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 58F. WNW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Nominations are welcomed for awards presented by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. Download Image: Web Lycoming College students honored Martin Luther King Jr.s contributions to social change during Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Week. Commencing with activities on Saturday, Jan. 19, students from Lycoming College, students from Pennsylvania College of Technology, and Williamsport community members commemorated King through service, celebration, and academic discourse throughout the week. The festivities began with a Peace Walk Saturday morning. The Peace Walk, like many of the other Dream Week activities, is part of an annual initiative led by Lycoming College, Pennsylvania College of Technology, the Beloved Community Council, and StepAmericorps. This event was open to both college campuses, as well as the Williamsport community. Beginning at the First United Methodist Church, participants marched down Third Street, Fourth Street, and Market Street toting banners and chanting. Following the Peace Walk, the church held a celebration featuring musical performances and a routine performed by Lycoming Colleges Pom and Dance team. Raphael Mnkandhla, the lead pastor at City Church, closed the celebration with a discussion about social justice and community in memory of King. The week continued with a service event held at Lycoming Colleges Keiper Recreational Center. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is also recognized by Congress as a national Day of Service, 300 students and community members gathered to pack food for impoverished families in the Williamsport area. Attendees participated in a Hunger 101 Session, which educated people on what hunger looks like in Central Pennsylvania, as well as in packing meals, backpacks, and apples for local families. The three-hour event generated over 1,000 meals packed, as well as many backpacks for the Backpack Program. Other activities included a round table discussion held on Tuesday, Jan. 22, at City Alliance Church, and a panel discussion with Damon Young on Thursday, Jan. 24, in Clarke Chapel. The moderated panel, led by Young and Mallory Weymer, director of civic engagement and personal development at Lycoming College, focused on understanding how the effects of news media influences day-to-day lives related to race and culture in our society, helping the audience gain a broader view of the struggles marginalized communities face, and helping them gather insights on social change that will expand on subjects from race relations to cultural divides. Prior to the discussion, Black Student Union (BSU) members, including political science major Rochelle Adjei 20 (Frederick, Md.) and English major Naheem Height 19 (Newark, N.J.) dined with Young, which allowed them to have one-on-one conversations outside of the panel event. Height, who currently serves as the president of BSU, introduced Young at the discussion. Motoring / Yachts Feb 11, 2019 | By John Higginson Italys CRN has presented a range of new megayacht designs including the 70m She concept by Vallicelli Design, the 75m Begallta designed with Lobanov Design and Pulina DNA, plus the AlfaRosso explorer yachts by Francesco Paszkowski, available in 45m, 50m and 55m models. She has been developed by CRNs Technical Office and Vallicelli Design, the Italian architecture and design studio helmed by Andrea Vallicelli and Alessandro Nazareth. The five-deck superyacht has a slender profile and linear styling, with a horizontal line inscribed from the bow all along the hull and around the transom. Vallicelli said: Working with CRN is always an exciting challenge and this project is no exception. As the yachts name suggests, the softness and delicacy of feminine forms have strongly inspired this design and its fluid, elegant lines. Stefano De Vivo, CRNs Chief Commercial Officer, added: She is a new design of considerable potential, defined by her flexibility, sophistication of line, and generous interior and exterior spaces devised by Vallicelli Design in what is proving a highly satisfactory partnership. CRN, part of Italys Ferretti Group, has also been collaborating with Lobanov Design, which was founded in 2007 by Russian Igor Lobanov and his wife Yulia. Spread across offices in Moscow and Barcelona, Lobanov Design created the exterior lines and spatial layout of Begallta, while Pulina DNA handled the interiors of a yacht designed for extended cruises. Begalltas silhouette features a tapered bow and line that slants along the hull and superstructure like a ribbon, while the yachts futuristic look reaches the stern, where the cut on the corners is another distinctive trait. Creating iconic yachts that etch themselves into the imagination at first sight is what our design approach is all about, said Igor Lobanov, the studios Creative Director. The constant quest for dynamic, ingenious, original solutions that instantly express a precise idea through the use of different styles is integral to our way of working. We are pleased to have worked with CRN on what has proved a fascinating intellectual challenge for our studio. CRN also unveiled the AlfaRosso concept by Paszkowski Design, headed by Milan-born Francesco Paszkowski. Starting with a 45m model with a gross tonnage of 499, the AlfaRosso displacement yachts are designed for long voyages with the ability to explore remote destinations. The yachts have a crisply defined hull profile, sharp, clean lines and large outdoor spaces. Areas often reserved on explorer yachts for technical areas are instead used for guest areas, who can enjoy a flush-deck pool on the main deck and extensive terraces. All the toys are stowed in the bow area to keep the decks clean. Steel handrails are used instead of the classic gunwales, while interior features include large windows some from floor to ceiling and open-step stairs linking the decks. Power on the water and a sensation of merging with the surrounding space are the keys to this design, Paszkowski said. AlfaRossos sharply defined architectural geometries embrace large indoor guest areas with generous windows that give a strong sense of continuity between inside and outside. De Vivo was full of praise for CRNs collaborations with Paszkowski and with Lobanov. We are excited to continue our collaboration with a dynamic industry leader like Francesco Paszkowski Design. Solidity on the water and a sense of being at one with the surrounding space were the principles underpinning the AlfaRosso design, in perfect harmony with the crisp styling by Francesco Paszkowski, De Vivo said. Begallta is an absolutely unique, unparalleled design, where the Lobanov studios signature style shines through. We love challenges, and this collaboration with Lobanov Design has yielded a stunningly innovative project that harmoniously blends sophisticated modern style and intimate contact with the elements of nature to exhilarating effect. www.crn-yacht.com Motoring / Yachts Built in China since 2012, Aquila power catamarans are growing in popularity outside the US, with the Singapore Yacht Show set to host an Asia premiere Feb 11, 2019 | By John Higginson The remarkable rise of Aquila power catamarans continues with Februarys world premiere of the new 30 the Chinese shipyards smallest model before the popular 36 makes its Singapore Yacht Show debut in April alongside the 48. Sino Eagle Yachts has built Aquila powercats at a purpose-built facility in Hangzhou, southwest of Shanghai, since 2012 and proudly completed its 100th hull in 2017. However, following rapid expansion in the last two years, the shipyard now expects to build over 90 units in just 12 months (fiscal year 2018-19) according to Hong Kong-based Yvan Eymieu, Aquilas International Sales and Distribution Manager since 2017. Along with increasing sales, Aquila has also notably expanded its reach outside of the US, its core market, in the last 18 months. In Aquilas first five years of production, about 95 per cent of units were sold to the US, where the brand is represented on the east coast by MarineMax one of the worlds largest boat dealers and on the west coast by Alexander Marine. The only units not sold to the US were to Singapore, Canada, France and Australia. However, over the last two years, Aquila has increasingly focused on a worldwide distribution policy that included Eymieus appointment to oversee all markets outside of the US even including Mexico, south of the border. The announcement of Simpson Marine as its dealer in Greater China and much of Southeast Asia in early 2018 was a statement of intent, while Yacht World was appointed for Korea at the end of the year. While Multihull Central (Australia) has represented Aquila since 2014, new dealers around the world include Master Yachting (central Europe), Yacht Cancun (Mexico) and more recently Tez Marine (Turkey) and Estupenda (Spain). Aquila also increased its presence at major shows outside of the USA, exhibiting in Brisbane, Sanctuary Cove and Sydney in Australia, Phuket and Singapore in Asia, and Cannes, Genoa, Barcelona and Zagreb in Europe. The expansion policy looks to be working as Eymieu and his growing network of dealers help make Aquila an increasingly global brand. During the first five years, markets outside the US accounted for less than five per cent of Aquila sales. However, in the fiscal year 2017-18, this new international distribution network accounted for around 25 per cent of sales worldwide, said Eymieu. This was even while the US market kept increasing. In 2017-18, we nearly doubled our annual production. Further growth is expected following the recent appointment of multihull specialist Anna Nowotarska as Europe Sales Manager. Nowotarska has over a decade of experience in the yacht industry as a sales manager and broker, most notably with Polish catamaran builder Sunreef. With her extensive experience and relationships, Anna will make a wonderful addition to our team and take our sales in Europe to the next level, said Eymieu, whos also looking to expand the brands presence in South America this year. Eymieu expects Aquila to return to most of the shows it took part in last year and also make appearances at the Eurasia Boat Show in Turkey, International Multihull Boat Show at La Grande Motte and the Palma International Boat Show in the coming months. The current range comprises the 30, the fast-selling 36, the popular 44 one featured at Januarys Thailand Yacht Show and RendezVous and the flagship 48. The 36 set to display at Singapore in April has been sold into Phuket and is one of the latest hulls in a series that has already sold well over 60 units, although the 44 unveiled at Miami in 2014 remains Aquilas best seller, with almost 90 units. Now, all eyes are on the yards smallest powercat and whats coming next. Weve already received several deposits for the 30 and weve also got a new 36 Excursions taxi/patrol boat in production, with several hulls ordered, Eymieu said. But there are more new models to come this year. www.aquilaboats.com Photo taken on Feb. 9, 2019 shows the damaged speedboat (L) at sea area near the Phuket Island, Thailand. A total of 11 Chinese tourists and two crew members were injured after a tourist speedboat crashed with an oil barge near Thailand's southern Phuket Island on Saturday afternoon, the Chinese Consulate-General in the southern province of Songkhla confirmed on Sunday. (Xinhua) BANGKOK, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- A total of 11 Chinese tourists and two crew members were injured after a tourist speedboat crashed with an oil barge near Thailand's southern Phuket Island on Saturday afternoon, the Chinese Consulate-General in the southern province of Songkhla confirmed on Sunday. The 11 tourists are two families from China's eastern city Hang Zhou, six of whom having already left hospital while the remaining five still being treated. The speedboat carrying Chinese tourists was on the way back from a day trip to Koh Phi Phi island to Phuket when it hit the oil barge at about 2:50 p.m. local time. An official of the Phuket Consular Office of the Chinese Consulate-General in Songkhla visited the injured tourists at the hospital in time and called on local authority to treat them and investigate into the accident. Today A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Some passing clouds. Low 74F. Winds light and variable. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Some passing clouds. Low 74F. Winds light and variable. Tomorrow Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours. Thunderstorms likely in the afternoon. High 89F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Find not too frequent updates from the Livesay family here Mayors take election wish-list to Canberra Mayors from across Far North Queensland will prioritise road safety when they meet with senior Ministers and Shadow Ministers in Canberra this week. The delegation is seeking a commitment of $800 million towards a total $1 billion to fund safety and reliability improvements to the Kennedy Highway (Kuranda Range Road). Cook Shire Mayor and Far North Queensland Region of Councils (FNQROC) Deputy Chairman, Peter Scott, said, The Kennedy Highway is travelled by nearly 9000 vehicles a day, including more than 1000 commercial and heavy vehicles. Its an incredibly important transport link from both an economic and a social perspective. Yet we have, on average, 1.3 unplanned closures of the road every week and one person injured every four days while travelling on the Kuranda Range. These incidents are costing the broader community more than $870,000 a week in health services and property damage, on top of lost productivity. We need all levels of government to work together toward a solution. Cairns Regional Council Mayor, Bob Manning, one of eight other Mayors travelling to Canberra, said, This delegation provides an opportunity for all Far North Queensland councils to work together for the good of the broader region. A shared approached holds greater weight and demonstrates the level of cooperation and coordination we have up here. Other commitments being sought include expansion of HMAS Cairns navy base, a review of existing management of the Great Barrier Reef, remote housing projects for Indigenous communities, and relationship-building with Papua New Guinea that would enable the establishment of a joint NRL venture with Cairns. Walls facing the streets still bear faded slogans extolling former President Hugo Chavez, whose arched eyebrows peer from images stenciled outside rundown apartment blocks and barren shops, ghostly hints that someone is still watching. But the allure of Chavismo, the late presidents socialist policies aimed at vanquishing inequality and spreading prosperity, has waned even here in La Vega an urban expanse of narrow alleys and ramshackle dwellings gouged into verdant hills in the western edges of this capital city. La Vega, like other impoverished zones, has been a bastion of support for the ruling socialist party and of the late Chavezs chosen successor, President Nicolas Maduro. Both Maduro and Comandante Chavez, as he is still affectionately known by many, long denounced the opposition as the product of bourgeois backlash against the socialist revolution launched in the name of long-marginalized masses like the people of La Vega. Advertisement Before Venezuelas economy began to crumble a few years back, generous government allocations of subsidized food and housing, cash payouts and other amenities helped build and maintain a sturdy citadel for Chavez in La Vega and other government strongholds. On Jan. 23, however, as opposition lawmaker Juan Guaido publicly declared Maduro a usurper and proclaimed himself acting president, some La Vega residents descended to the streets in solidarity. A fearsome elite police squad, the Special Action Force, known as FAES, after its Spanish acronyms, violently broke up the anti-government demonstration, residents say. But the fact that poor people here and elsewhere took to the streets in protest is seen by some as a sign of a grass-roots political shift in this long-polarized South American nation of 32 million. This whole barrio used to be Chavista, but not anymore, said Karina Monterola, 44, who has lived in La Vega since she was a child. Why? Because there is hunger, a lack of water, all kinds of shortages. The minimum wage isnt enough to afford to eat much less to buy clothing, or even an ice cream for my daughter. After the clashes in late January, discontent is still mostly whispered in La Vega, where government loyalists act as informants and enforcers in Cuban-style block associations, according to the opposition. Police in white pickups rumble through the neighborhoods potholed avenues. Today, as Venezuela endures the latest and possibly decisive stage of its protracted economic and political crisis, the poor and working-class core of Chavista support appears to be eroding amid mounting hardships. The Chavistas are suffering a lot, they are the poorest sector and now they are even poorer, political analyst Jesus Seguias said. They were the backbone of [government] support, and now they feel like they are being laughed at by the government, abandoned. There has been an immense collapse in support in the bases of Chavismo. The government crackdown on incipient protests following Guaidos declaration of an interim government shook not only La Vega, but also other traditionally pro-government zones, including the sprawling Petare district in eastern Caracas. Rioting, looting and clashes between police and demonstrators roiled many poor neighborhoods. Advertisement Riot police clash with opposition demonstrators during a protest against the government of President Nicolas Maduro on the anniversary of the 1958 uprising that overthrew the military dictatorship, in Caracas Jan. 23. (Yuri Cortez / AFP/ Getty Images) An estimated 40 people were killed nationwide and some 850 detained during late Januarys anti-government protests, according to the United Nations, which alleges at least 26 were shot to death by pro-government forces. After the clashes, came the repression, said Monterola, who spoke as she sat in a car meandering through the winding streets of La Vega, pointing out its far-flung settlements with names like the Towers, the Blocs, the Magicians, the Cement Factory. We know there were deaths, but not how many. They took away a lot of young men who havent been seen again. Their families dont know where they are. Advertisement The government has been mostly silent on the violence. But Maduro has traditionally attributed protest casualties to armed and paid opposition provocateurs. Dont come to us with stories about what is happening in los barrios, Maduro told reporters on Friday. A group of delinquents was hired, and theyre [now] all prisoners, did you know that? They paid them $100 a day to make violence and the people rejected them. Whoever goes out to make violence will face justice. That Maduro blames the countrys economic breakdown on external forces U.S. sanctions and other moves by Washington that he labels an economic war and blockade doesnt seem to have quelled dissent within the once-solid ranks of Chavismo. Maduros critics say corruption and mismanagement are behind the countrys economic woes. Advertisement Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro arrives at the Fort Tiuna military base in Caracas, Venezuela, on Jan. 30. (Marcelo Garcia / Miraflores Presidential Press Office) Chavez, a career military officer from humble origins, was elected president in 1998 on a left-wing, anti-establishment platform, vowing to clean up corruption and make the oil-rich nation a more equitable society. His approach appealed to poor and working-class Venezuelans alienated from the previous two-party system that many viewed as favoring a long-entrenched oligarchy and U.S. oil giants. With his trademark red beret and rants against U.S. imperialism, Chavez soon became a hero of much of the global left and a confidant of Fidel Castro, the late Cuban revolutionary icon. His first decade in office benefited from a hike in oil prices, providing revenues for a stream of social programs. He died in 2013 and a year later, under acolyte Maduro, oil prices plummeted, presenting a major ongoing challenge. The Trump administrations decision to slap sanctions on Venezuelan oil sales the countrys major source of revenue was designed to hasten the fall of Maduro and of Chavismo. Advertisement Yet the frustration evident in La Vega and elsewhere in poor districts appears less a repudiation of the egalitarian principles that Chavez expounded than an expression of desperation about the countrys ever-declining quality of life. A visitor to La Vega and other struggling enclaves inevitably confronts an all-encompassing weariness fatigue with chronic shortages, queues for food and medicines, a generalized breakdown of basic services. Under a blazing sun, residents with haggard faces and tattered clothing trudge up and down the steep hills of La Vega, home to more than 150,000. Public transport is irregular at best; many lack cash to pay for plodding cabs and moto-taxis. Maduro lacks both his mentors charisma and the abundance of oil revenues that helped Chavez spend lavishly to boost living standards. Some prominent ex-Chavez functionaries have publicly broken with the Maduro administration. Advertisement Guaidos ascendance, meantime, has, for now, unified a long-fragmented opposition, but it unclear how long that unity will last.. Even the opposition concedes that Maduro retains a core of popular support at least 17% of voters, analysts say who remain loyal to his rule, and to the ideals of Chavez. His free-spending 1999-2013 administration, buoyed by the high oil prices, oversaw a drop in national poverty rates, unemployment and illiteracy. One has to recognize that the government, both of Comandante Chavez and that of Nicolas Maduro, have done good things, said Maria Coromoto Blanco, 42, a La Vega resident and mother of two who runs a small cleaning-supply business and remains a loyal Chavista. We have access to affordable food. medical care, cash grants for families. And the government has built homes for the poor. We can go to university and study. Pro-government counterprotest brigades inevitably materialize on days of big opposition mobilizations. Some are organized groups of militiamen or motorcycle-riding colectivos, ready to confront what they view as opposition incitement. The opposition dismisses them as mercenaries, but many seem to express genuine loyalty to the government and a determination that what they view as a U.S.-designed coup, or possible invasion, will not succeed. Advertisement Im here to fight for the revolution, Morelia Marquez, 48, a teacher, said as she stood with a group of pro-government demonstrators recently outside the heavily guarded Miraflores presidential compound. We are prepared to fight, to defend the country. Karina Monterola, the longtime La Vega resident, says she has broken with support for Maduro and Chavismo, even though her household is among the millions receiving monthly boxes of subsidized food from the government. She fears her daughter, 18, might soon join the mass exodus of Venezuelans emigrating from the country. Like others, she says the daily grind is wearing her down. I work day and night and the money hardly leaves me enough to live, said Monterola, who does a day shift as a cashier in a produce shop and works nights as a nurse. My daughter has no future. She wants to leave. If she does, I would have to go with her. I dont have anyone else. I cant afford to lose the one thing, my daughter, that I have in life. Advertisement Mogollon is a special correspondent. Times staff writer Patrick J. McDonnell contributed to this report. HOUSTON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Policymakers, business people and scholars from the United States and China should work together to build a stronger relationship, a U.S. public policy expert said. Attending a reception on Saturday evening celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year, David Firestein, inaugural executive director of the China Public Policy Center in the University of Texas at Austin, said, "This is exactly the moment when all of us need to do everything that we can to build stronger ties between the United States and China." According to Firestein, who also serves as president and CEO of George H.W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations, there are opportunities ahead for community leaders of both countries to promote a healthier U.S.-China relationship. "We face challenges that are in some way unprecedented, but we also have opportunities that are unprecedented. With the leadership of the organizations that are here today, we can make a positive difference in this relationship," he continued. Neil Bush, son of former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, told Xinhua that he believed people-to-people exchanges between the two countries can make a change. "Cultural exchanges, student exchanges ... Anytime that an American can know on personal basis of Chinese culture and Chinese individual or friends, their attitude of China immediately changes. So it's very crucial," he said. The celebration was cohosted by George H.W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations, US China Innovation Alliance (UCIA) and local marketing company Z LAB Global. Professionals from various industries and global markets celebrated with an evening of festivities, networking and traditional Chinese performance. Its been 40 years since Iranians came together to topple the Shah. Stirrings of opposition became apparent in 1975. The Shah, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, who had been reinstalled in 1953 after the CIA helped overthrow democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, used tough and sometimes brutal measures to clamp down on dissent. He replaced Irans two-party political system with a single political organization, downplayed the role of Islam in public life and used his internal security organization, SAVAK, to jail and sometimes torture opponents. Street protests finally began in September 1978, when Iranians from all walks of life clashed with armed forces in Tehran, the capital. Advertisement Hundreds of lives were lost that day. By late January 1979, after a series of bloody demonstrations, the Shah fled to Egypt. And on Feb. 1, hard-line Islamist cleric Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Tehran from exile. On Oct. 9, 1978, Iranian protesters demonstrate against Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi in Tehran. (Associated Press) Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi and Empress Farah Pahlavi walk on the tarmac at Mehrabad Airport in Tehran to board a plane to leave the country on Jan. 16, 1979. (Associated Press) While leftists joined forces with conservative Shiites to dismantle the monarchy, Khomeinis influence ultimately prevailed. By June 1979, the secular, pro-American monarchy had been replaced with the Islamic Republic. While several reformist and moderate politicians have been elected to govern Iran over the last four decades, in recent years, tough hard-line political and religious conservatives have become increasingly paranoid of Western influence and as a result have cracked down on people they perceive to be enemies of the state. Advertisement Heres a look at how Iran has and hasnt changed since Feb. 11, 1979, the date commemorated as the start of the revolution. Social freedoms Beginning in its early days, the Islamic Republic was opposed to anything it perceived as Western. Women lost the right to divorce their husbands and were required to wear headscarves in public. In many ways, freedom of expression has hardly improved over the last four decades. Advertisement In 2018, more than 7,000 political activists and others critical of the Islamic Republic were arrested, according to an Amnesty International study released last week. More than half of those arrested had participated in antigovernment protests that swept Iran in 2017 and 2018. The scale of the arrests, imprisonment and flogging sentences reveal the extreme lengths the authorities have gone to in order to suppress peaceful protesters, said Philip Luther, Amnesty Internationals director of research and advocacy for the Middle East and North Africa. Population Irans population is aging. Today, there are far fewer young people than before the revolution. Thats because economic instability and high unemployment rates have led to many young people holding off on starting families. Advertisement A rapidly aging population threatens to strain Irans welfare system. As a result, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been urging women to have more children and says he wants the population to grow from 82 million to 150 million people. Without a change, Irans median age is expected to rise from 27 to 40 by 2030, according to the United Nations. To put it into perspective, in 1977 two years before Irans Islamic Revolution 44.5% of the population was 25 or younger. That trend continued after the revolution when officials began encouraging people to have more children. As a result, the population doubled in almost a decade to 55 million, up from 27 million in 1968, according to data from the United Nations. Advertisement Then the Islamic Republic reversed course and implemented one of the most effective population control policies in the world. The policy that led to a quick drop in fertility coupled with the strained economy makes the future look grim: As Irans working-class population continues to grow older, the countrys outdated public pension programs could face increasing strains. Economy In the 1970s, the unequal distribution of oil wealth hurt the Iranian middle class and rural poor while the elite reaped its benefits. To reach out to the poor and dispossessed, including leftist elements, the revolution sought to limit the role of the private sector and distribute wealth more equally. Advertisement But things didnt get much easier after 1979. A Tehran exchange shop displays currency rates in October 2018. (Vahid Salemi / Associated Press) The revolution significantly disrupted Irans pattern of trade and investment as banks and insurance companies were nationalized. Problems were exacerbated in the 1980s due to the high costs of the Iran-Iraq war. Fast-forward to 2018, economic mismanagement and corruption under Ayatollah Khamenei continues to plague Iran. Advertisement The unemployment rate now soars above 12%, according to official figures from Irans Statistical Center. For those who hold college degrees, the situation is also dire. In 2018, more than 25% of people with bachelors degrees or beyond were jobless, according to several semiofficial news agencies in Iran. Education Education and literacy rates improved dramatically in the last four decades. As of 2012, the literacy rate for both men and women in Iran was 98%, according to the United Nations. In 1978, more than 60% of women were illiterate. Advertisement Women also attend college at a higher rate than before the revolution. Now more than 60% of university students in Iran are female, according to that Statistics Center. But that doesnt mean that womens participation in the labor force has improved. According to the World Bank, 17% of Irans labor force is female. The skyline of Tehran is blurred by pollution in January 2013. (Atta Kenare / AFP/Getty Images) Environment In the four decades since the revolution, lakes have dried up, lagoons have disappeared and wildlife has been threatened. Advertisement Although water mismanagement dates back before the 1979 revolution, when industries began to rely heavily on water and built a large number of dams, the situation worsened when the population doubled in size in the decade following the revolution. Government officials quest in the last 40 years to achieve food self-sufficiency without reforming the countrys inefficient agricultural sector particularly wheat kicked the water crisis into overdrive. Environmental issues have become politicized in recent years following the arrest of several environmentalists in 2018 who had questioned the governments agricultural policies. Water scarcity, dwindling natural resources and government mismanagement sparked protests in western Iran in 2017. Advertisement Irans minister of agriculture, Mahmoud Hojjati, continues to boast about Irans agriculture production. Before the revolution, in 1979, the total agricultural crop was 26 million tons. Now its 122 million tons. Air pollution in Iran is also a growing concern. According to a 2016 World Bank report, air quality in Iran ranks among the worst in the world. While officials debate Irans environmental policies, the populace reels over the effects. Advertisement Saltwater Lake Urmia is drying up, and air pollution in the provincial capital of Ahvaz has led people to be hospitalized with breathing problems. Mohammad Darvish, an environmental analyst based in Tehran, said some cities in Iran are actually sinking every year because theres less water in the soil. Times staff writer Etehad reported from Los Angeles and special correspondent Mostaghim from Tehran. The Pentagons top official made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Monday to meet with U.S. commanders and Afghan leaders amid a push for peace with the Taliban. Pat Shanahan, the recently installed acting secretary of Defense, said he has no orders to reduce the U.S. troop presence, although officials say that is at the top of the Talibans list of demands in exploratory peace negotiations. Shanahan said he is encouraged that President Trumps administration is exploring all possibilities for ending a 17-year war, the longest in American history. But he stressed that peace terms are for the Afghans to decide. Thus far the Taliban have refused to negotiate with the government of President Ashraf Ghani, calling it illegitimate. Washington is trying to break that impasse. Advertisement The Afghans have to decide what Afghanistan looks like. Its not about the U.S., its about Afghanistan, Shanahan told reporters traveling with him from Washington. Later, Shanahan flew to a military base ringed by snow-capped hills, where he met Afghan army commandos, who are regarded as the most capable element of the Afghan military. He told reporters the U.S.-trained commandos are increasingly on the offensive against the Taliban. Zalmay Khalilzad, the administrations special envoy for Afghan peace talks, said Friday that although talks are in an early stage, he hopes a deal can be made by July. That is when Afghanistan is scheduled to hold a presidential election. Shanahan, a former Boeing executive who had never been in Afghanistan until Monday, was scheduled to meet with Ghani and other top government officials. Shanahan took over as acting secretary of Defense on Jan. 1 after James N. Mattis submitted his resignation in December. Shanahan had been Mattis No. 2. Shanahans views on the Afghan war are not widely known. He said he would use this weeks visit to inform his thinking and to report back to Trump. A little more than an hour before Sundays $200,000 San Vicente Stakes for 3-year-old horses at Santa Anita, the Kentucky Derby Future Pool 2 was closed to bettors. You could have put down a wager on Coliseum and gotten 15-1 odds. Those who decided to wait to see how the highly regarded son of Tapit did in the San Vicente might have been the smart ones. Sent off at odds of 3-5, Coliseum flopped for the second consecutive race as the odds-on favorite. Sparky Ville, a son of Candy Ride whos not nominated to the Derby, rallied for a nose victory over the Bob Baffert-trained Dessman on a track surface listed as sloppy. Coliseum was 6 1/2 lengths behind in third place in the seven-furlong race. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, who replaced Joe Talamo in riding Coliseum for the first time, tried to explain to Baffert what he thought happened. Advertisement He was just doing this, Smith said waiving his hands up and down. Said Baffert: He broke better. He was struggling in the mud. He never looked comfortable. Coliseum always works fast in the morning, but Baffert has been trying to get him to relax in the afternoon. Coliseum won his debut Nov. 17 by 6 3/4 lengths at Del Mar, creating a buzz. Then he finished sixth in the Sham Stakes at one mile Jan. 5 after breaking poorly. Now its back to the drawing board, but Baffert isnt giving up on Coliseums potential. Were still getting there, he said. Theyre like little kids. You have to learn their routes. As for Sparky Ville, the combination of trainer Jeff Bonde and jockey Joel Rosario celebrated the way the race turned out. Savagery went to the lead in the five-horse field. Coliseum rushed up after the start to be second. Going into the far turn, the two Baffert horses took off as a tandem. Rosario bided his time along the rail in fourth position, then moved Sparky Ville to the outside and ran down Dessman and jockey Flavien Prat in the stretch. I was trying to be patient, Rosario said. Said Bonde: We are very happy with the way our horse had trained for this race, but its always scary when you get a look at those Baffert Maseratis. Rosario is also the rider of the Derby Future Book horse with the lowest individual odds, Game Winner. He wont need to worry about choosing between Sparky Ville and Game Winner, since seven furlongs or less might be Sparky Villes best distances. Advertisement In the $100,000 Sweet Life Stakes that was changed from turf to dirt, Apache Princess rallied for a 3 1/4-length victory under Kent Desormeaux, who accidentally dropped his whip in the stretch. Thriving finished second and Splashy Kisses was third in the race for 3-year-old fillies. Sign up for our daily sports newsletter eric.sondheimer@latimes.com Twitter: @latsondheimer County and city officials gathered in Costa Mesas Estancia Park on Saturday to unveil a plaque commemorating the history and significance of the Diego Sepulveda Adobe. The event presented by the Orange County Board of Supervisors and county Historical Commission in cooperation with the city included a dedication ceremony and tours of the adobe at 1900 Adams Ave. The adobe, which is maintained by the Costa Mesa Historical Society, was built as a station of Mission San Juan Capistrano roughly 200 years ago and is believed to be Costa Mesas oldest building. It now houses a museum containing artifacts from and information about four periods of California history Indian, Mission, Spanish and Victorian. For more information, visit costamesahistory.org/visit/adobe. Across California, a blessing has become a curse for patients who dwell in overwhelmingly white communities: their ready access to opioid pain relievers. A new study of prescribing practices across all of Californias 1,760 ZIP codes helps explain why opiates, some of medicines most addictive drugs, have wreaked more havoc on white communities than on communities of color. The answer, at least in part, appears to lie in unconscious physician biases about race, ethnicity and pain that more typically leave minority patients underserved and undermedicated, authors of the new study said. The resulting disparity in care may have briefly shielded minority communities from harm, said study leader Joseph Friedman, a medical student at UCLA. But for far longer and in many more instances, he said, systematic racism within the healthcare system has led to insufficient treatment of minority patients physical and psychic pain. Advertisement The findings from California were published Monday in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. They appeared alongside a report chronicling the changing racial mix of opioid fatalities in New York City and an analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing that while doctors cut their rate of opioid prescribing by 20% between 2015 and 2017, current levels remain almost three times higher than they were in 1999. The California study reveals that, between 2011 and 2015, residents of neighborhoods with the highest proportions of white people were more than twice as likely to be prescribed an opioid pain reliever than were residents of neighborhoods where whites were most scarce. In ZIP codes dominated by whites who were not of Latino or Asian heritage, opioid prescriptions flowed freely during the study period. And they were by far most generously offered in low-income white communities. However, in ZIP codes with the highest proportion of minority residents, not even high income levels could close a yawning race and ethnicity gap in opioid prescribing. The result is now all too familiar: an epidemic that has cut a swath of death and destruction through poor, rural white communities while largely sparing minorities. (That has begun to change in recent years as the opioid street drugs heroin and fentanyl have become cheaper and more widely available, ensnaring more minority users. Between 2016 and 2017, the biggest increase in opioid-related drug overdose deaths 56% was seen among African Americans, according to the CDC.) The new research offers a revealing glimpse of how addiction to opioids may have gained a foothold first in Californias rural white communities while largely bypassing black, Latino and Asian neighborhoods. Combing through the anonymous prescription records of close to 30 million Californians, the researchers found that in each of the five years they studied, roughly 24% of Californians left a doctors office at least once with a prescription for an opioid narcotic. These maps show the overlap of opioid prescriptions and the affluence of neighborhoods in Los Angeles County. (JAMA Internal Medicine) Advertisement But the geographic distribution of those prescriptions was far from random. In ZIP codes where incomes were lowest and minorities were fewest, 44.2% of all residents ages 15 and older received a prescription for an opioid medication in each year of the study. Meanwhile, in ZIP codes where incomes were lowest and the population skewed most toward blacks, Latinos or Asian Americans, just 20.3% received such a prescription each year. Even in Californias most affluent minority neighborhoods, the volume of opioid prescriptions didnt come close to the blizzard of prescriptions issued to those in overwhelmingly white neighborhoods. Across the state, 16.1% of residents there took home an opioid prescription in each of the studys five years. In the wealthiest ZIP codes where minorities were least prevalent, a quarter of residents received an opioid prescription in all five years. But as the income of these very white communities declined, opioid prescribing increased steeply. Advertisement Getting a prescription for opioids is certainly not an automatic gateway to abuse, addiction or death. But a recent report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found that, among people prescribed opioid pain relievers, at least 8% develop opioid use disorder and 15% to 26% engage in problematic behaviors that suggest they have become dependent. The report also noted that 600,000 Americans were using heroin in 2015, and a majority said they had started as prescription opiate users. So leaving a doctors office with a prescription for opioids is at least a key marker of a persons risk for addiction and death, Friedman said. The higher the proportion of white residents in a neighborhood the higher the rate of opioid overdose deaths. The trend was similar for opioid prescription rates. (JAMA Internal Medicine) Friedman and his coauthors underscored that the disparities they saw in opioid prescribing were by no means a fluke. Indeed, they uncovered a larger pattern of unequal medication prescribing that puts minorities at a stark disadvantage relative to white people. Advertisement Compared to Californians living in mostly minority communities, residents of the states whitest ZIP codes were roughly three times more likely to have been prescribed other controlled substances, including anxiety-reducing benzodiazepines and stimulants used in treating attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, they found. Collectively, findings like these suggest that something more subtle is at work than just money, insurance coverage and access to healthcare, experts said. Like all Americans, medical professionals bring what psychologists call implicit biases with them to work. While discrimination, hopelessness and poorer health are widely believed to make chronic pain a more common condition among minorities than among white patients, this bias leads doctors to mistrust or minimize a minority patients reporting of physical and mental distress. Their skepticism may be unconscious, but many studies have documented it. And theyve linked such attitudes to less aggressive treatment of minority patients pain. In study after study, doctors in primary care, emergency rooms and orthopedic care have been found to prescribe less medication and less potent medication to minority patients who describe the same symptoms and intensity of pain as do white patients. Among the motivations cited: concern that pain reports reflect drug-seeking behavior, or that minorities are more likely to fall prey to addiction. Advertisement Other drivers include more subtle beliefs about the pain thresholds. A 2016 study by psychologists at the University of Virginia found that in a group of 222 white medical students, half felt that at least one of 11 false beliefs about racial differences was possibly, probably or definitely true. For example, asked whether they believed that the nerve endings of African Americans are less sensitive than those of whites, 8% of the first-year medical students and 14% of the second-year students said that claim was possibly, probably or definitely true. Medicine has a long, unsavory history of expecting people of color to tolerate larger levels of pain, said Dr. Steven Woolf of Virginia Commonwealth University, who was not involved in the new study. For the opioid epidemic it had a silver lining, but the discrimination is fatal when the denied treatment is lifesaving, such as cancer screening. This is why African Americans have higher mortality rates from cancer they are less likely to get screened, their cancers are more likely to grow before being detected, and survival rates once diagnosed are often shorter. Bridget J. Goosby, who studies racial disparities at the University of Texas and was not involved in Friedmans work, called it a tragic and appalling irony that African Americans have been protected by the assumption that they cannot be believed when reporting their pain. Advertisement But she cautioned that not far down the road, the same inequities that afforded this brief advantage are likely to work against the interests of people of color. As governments and medical groups crack down on opioid prescribing, African Americans will find it harder to convince doctors to prescribe needed pain relief, despite their often greater need. Meanwhile, she added, cheaper, more dangerous street drugs are already flooding their communities as the flow of prescription opioids is shut down. Does this exacerbate the already poor quality of treatment they receive? Goosby said. Thats a risk here. melissa.healy@latimes.com @LATMelissaHealy Advertisement MORE IN SCIENCE The scary word every Sacramento politician wants to avoid is bailout as in bailing out unpopular Pacific Gas & Electric Co. Its a dilemma because PG&E is universally, if quietly, seen as too big to fail. Its too important and vital. It provides natural gas and electricity for 16 million people 40% of the state throughout northern and central California. But the utilitys laxly maintained equipment has caused many devastating wildfires. So facing what it estimates to be $30 billion in potential liabilities for fire losses, PG&E has filed for bankruptcy. The utility didnt help its public image recently by asking the bankruptcy judge for permission to spend $130 million on employee bonuses and other perks. Meanwhile, burned out victims of the Camp fire are struggling to find shelter. Advertisement The state certainly doesnt want to take over PG&E and go into the business of supplying gas and electricity. And local governments probably arent capable of scooping up the utility and assuming its role. The danger is that local government would take all the good parts and whats left would be the fire-threatened areas, says Assemblyman Chris Holden (D-Pasadena), chairman of the Utilities and Energy Committee. The state, in taking over PG&E, would have to buy all the infrastructure. The costs would be pretty significant. And the fire risk would still be there. It would be just changing jerseys. Instead of the [fire] liability falling on the utility, it would fall on taxpayers. Thats not a very attractive deal. So whatever its called a bailout, corporate welfare or just common sense Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature need to do things to help the utility stay afloat after it goes through its second bankruptcy in two decades. Ive been through this dance before, says Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys), who was Assembly speaker when PG&E filed for bankruptcy the last time in 2001. That was during a horrendous energy crisis, caused by out-of-state power pirates capitalizing on a disastrous energy deregulation scheme passed unanimously by the Legislature. More from George Skelton I learned youve got to have a financial system for all utilities that works, Hertzberg says. That [1996] deal didnt work. It caused the utilities to go upside down. Nobody wants to bail out PG&E, Hertzberg adds. Everyone wants to talk about how bad PG&E is, but its only the tip of the iceberg. Advertisement Climate change with its volatile shifts in weather drought and downpours, dry vegetation and high winds is creating bigger, deadlier wildfires, experts say. Former Gov. Jerry Brown called it the new normal. The consensus in the Capitol is that wildfires can only be minimized, not stopped. My big message is: Fix it now, Hertzberg says. I dont want this issue to derail us [on other legislation]. Lets get it done immediately. If bailout is a word the Legislature fears, immediately is one it doesnt understand. Advertisement The new governor, however, wants the issue out of the way as quickly as possible. The bankruptcy was sprung on him just as he was starting to roll on pet projects such as early childhood education and affordable housing. His attention has been diverted. Coverage of California politics The five-member Commission on Catastrophic Wildfire Cost and Recovery has a July 1 deadline to recommend solutions. Newsom has told them he wants their suggestions sooner. Advertisement The governor and legislators express similar goals: ensure that theres safe, reliable and affordable energy service; that fire victims get fair settlements; and that the state continues to make progress on switching to 100% clean electricity by 2045. The Legislature actually did a lot last year, passing a measure allowing utilities to raise customers electricity rates to help cover 2017 wildfire liabilities, but not 2018s. It may do that this year. The legislation also greatly increased the states fire prevention efforts, particularly removing dead trees and other combustible fuel from woodlands. This year, Assemblyman Jim Frazier (D-Oakley) has introduced a bill requiring utilities to remove their equipment and transmission lines from fire-prone woodlands, bury it or fireproof it. But experts say that burying transmission lines, while a popular notion, is very expensive and not always practical, especially around earthquake faults. Advertisement Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa), whose wine country district was charred in 2017, has introduced a bill to create a state wildfire warning center. Another Dodd bill would strengthen enforcement of required vegetation-free buffers around vulnerable homes. How about not allowing homes to be built in vulnerable areas in the first place? Very difficult, Dodd says. It doesnt mean we cant require defensible space and stricter building standards with non-inflammatory materials. Sen. Benjamin Allen (D-Santa Monica), chairman of the Environmental Quality Committee, is proposing a bond issue to finance protections against all types of natural calamities wildfires, floods, drought, sea rise. He hasnt decided on an amount. Advertisement How about including money to help PG&E with its fire prevention tasks? A tiny bailout? This is a tricky political and policy balance, Allen says. It would hurt our chances of getting the bond passed. The most probable outcome is requiring much better PG&E maintenance and a lot more independent inspections. Homeowners in risky areas might be required to buy wildfire insurance like earthquake or flood coverage. But no politically unpopular bailout. Advertisement One way or another, however, the state needs to help PG&E survive. And the utility needs to reorganize. It can start by chucking those crazy bonuses. george.skelton@latimes.com Follow @LATimesSkelton on Twitter Gov. Gavin Newsom announced plans to hire Californias first surgeon general hours after he took office last month. The next day he announced a new senior advisor for emergency management. Then on his third day, he created a strike team to reinvent the troubled Department of Motor Vehicles. And on Day 4, Newsom unveiled a new state budget, requesting 41 additional staffers and a total of $24.6 million for the governors office more spending than many of his predecessors. Californias 40th governor is beginning his tenure with a flurry of ideas and enough cushion in the state budget to afford a large inner circle of advisors and aides to help carry out big promises, such as creating a single-payer healthcare system, universal preschool and addressing the states housing crisis. The truth about the governors office is that things move fast and you drink from a fire hose every day, said Dana Williamson, a former top advisor to then-Gov. Jerry Brown. He also has a big agenda. Advertisement Brown had a lean crew of confidants. Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger had a more expansive operation, with a $21.9-million budget and a staff of 202 employees at its peak during his final full year in office. Chief executives before him also oversaw large offices, but because some of their employees were paid from the budgets of different departments, it is unclear just how many staff members worked for them. Facing a $27-billion budget deficit, Brown whittled the size of the governors office down to as few as 81 employees and a low of $12.7 million to cover salaries, benefits and administrative overhead. He also closed the administrations field offices around the state, eliminated the first ladys office and forced appointees to take a 5% pay cut in keeping with campaign promises to limit government spending. Williamson said that Browns first stint in the governors office eased his return to the job more than three decades later, allowing him to operate with a small staff. Newsom has taken a different approach. Building a 132-person staff will allow Newsom to reopen five field offices focused on constituent affairs and hire representatives for each region of the state, said Nathan Click, a spokesman for the governor. The outposts will hold public office hours to bring the governors office closer to the communities it serves, Click said. Newsoms hiring spree will also bulk up his Cabinet, a team of senior advisors and high-ranking heads of state agencies. Click said that focus affords this administration the capacity to make state government work better for the people it serves from taking aggressive actions to combat the cost crisis families face to more quickly and effectively reacting in times of crisis and disaster. In another reversal of course from the Brown administration, Newsom is establishing the Office of the First Partner, his wife Jennifer Siebel Newsoms preferred title, with seven new positions and a $791,000 budget. The governors office has touted its work to hire a diverse staff by geography, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, experience and disability status. Advertisement Its not a shock that a new activist governor would try to bulk up the staff as much as possible, said Jack Pitney, a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College. But Pitney also warned about the potential for bureaucratic infarction. That is, you have so many people sending so many memos to one another that nothing gets done, he said. Building a larger office means the 51-year-old governor will probably be more visible than his predecessor a key component of remaining connected to the Californians who elected him last year. But Newsoms penchant for launching so-called strike teams to tackle key issues and strategically announcing several hires at once is uncommon compared to past governors, said Susan Kennedy, who was Cabinet secretary to former Gov. Gray Davis and chief of staff to Schwarzenegger. Advertisement Last month, Newsom formed a panel to help his administration navigate the bankruptcy of Pacific Gas & Electric. He appointed his chief of staff, Ann OLeary, to head the group with representatives from the California Independent System Operator, California Public Utilities Commission, California Department of Insurance and California Department of Finance. He also formed a DMV strike team, led by California Government Operations Agency Secretary Marybel Batjer, to guide a reinvention of the troubled DMV and recommend new leadership. In December and again in January, Newsom rolled out several key positions at the same time, with titles such as senior policy advisor for cradle to career and senior policy advisor for early childhood. Forming teams early on shows the governor is putting boots on the ground to move quickly and tackle important issues, said Kennedy, who commended Newsoms hiring of top aides from previous administrations. Hes clearly using all the positions he has to make sure he has special teams who are able to bring the people into the process, Kennedy said. You exponentially increase your power when you have the ability to get the public, the constituency groups, behind you. Advertisement Newsom has also said he might appoint czars to oversee policy on housing, mental health and homelessness, or some combination of the issues. Ive talked a big game about czars, but I havent done a czar yet, Newsom said at a recent news conference. Though some suggest that selecting independent-minded leaders and new top advisors might allow Newsom to distance himself from any failed policies, others say the governor wont be able to avoid blame or praise. The principal owns the problems and the principal owns the solutions, said Eric Jaye, a former political advisor to Newsom. If you succeed, you get the credit, and if you fail, you get the credit. Advertisement Get the latest California politics news taryn.luna@latimes.com Follow @tarynluna on Twitter and sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter. As a second partial government shutdown looms in Washington over border discussions, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed an order to withdraw and redeploy roughly 360 National Guard members from Californias southern boundary with Mexico, repudiating President Trumps characterization of a recent influx of Central American refugees and migrants as a national security crisis. Speaking to reporters Monday, Newsom said he was giving the National Guard a new mission so that troops would not take part in the White Houses political theater in perpetuation of what he once more called a manufactured border crisis. This whole thing is the theater of the absurd, and California has had enough, and we will not perpetuate it, he said. We are, however, interested in doing the right thing and supporting efforts that are real, not manufactured. Newsoms general order reassigns more than 200 troops to support wildfire prevention efforts and expand operations to counter drugs and cartels across California, with a group of forces trained in spotting narcotics to be stationed at the states international points of entry. Advertisement A separate letter signed by the governor Monday requests funding from the federal government to add at least 150 troops to the California National Guards Counterdrug Task Force, which helps local law enforcement agencies identify and seize illegal marijuana farms that the governor said harm the environment and create fire hazards. The announcement comes just one day before the governor delivers his first State of the State address Tuesday, setting the stage for Newsom to counter Trumps State of the Union address from last week. Released excerpts of his speech echoed his remarks Monday to reporters. The Border emergency is a manufactured crisis, Newsom is expected to say Tuesday, according to prepared remarks provided by the governors office. This is our answer to the White House: No more division, xenophobia or nativism. Newsoms move is an escalation of a long-running battle over immigration between California and the federal government, with the states Democratic majorities pledging to serve as a buffer to Trumps hard-line rhetoric and policies. Gov. Gavin Newsom touts proposed $25 million in California aid to asylum seekers The president has threatened to invoke emergency powers to fund construction of a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border, a key promise of his 2016 campaign. A budget standoff between Trump and congressional Democrats over the proposal led to a 35-day government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history. Parts of the government could close again if Congress and the White House do not reach a spending deal by Friday. In his address to the nation last week, Trump showed little willingness to compromise, doubling down on calls for a wall and describing illegal immigration as a source of crime and a costly burden on taxpayers. Tolerance for illegal immigration is not compassionate it is cruel, he said. Advertisement Newsom is the second governor this month to pull National Guard troops assigned to the southern border. Last week, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered the removal of most her states troops just hours before the presidents address, saying she rejected the federal contention that there exists an overwhelming national security crisis at the southern border. New Mexico will not take part in the presidents charade of border fear-mongering by misusing our diligent National Guard troops, she said. Democratic state legislators and civil rights groups applauded Newsoms order. Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) said he and other members of the California Latino Caucus had long wanted the state to take an aggressive stance against the administrations anti-immigrant and inhumane crusade. Advertisement The only way to beat a bully is to push him back and let him fall, he said. Patricia Gandara, co-director of the Civil Rights Project at UCLA, commended the governors decision, pointing to the states own battles over immigration and its treatment of immigrants including 1994s fight over Proposition 187, which sought to cut off schooling and health services for immigrants here illegally. I think we grew up and we realized that immigrants were not a threat, Gandara said. Were the fifth-largest economy in the world. And we have the largest percentage of immigrants in our state. How do you reconcile that if you think immigrants are taking our jobs and bringing down the economy? California becomes sanctuary state in rebuke of Trump immigration policy Advertisement Newsoms approach is a departure from that of former Gov. Jerry Brown, who in April granted Trumps request to send 400 National Guard troops to the border as other Democratic and Republican governors recalled some troops and equipment or refused to send any personnel. Brown said he agreed to the mission after persuading the federal government to commit to paying for it and kept the guard members under the direction of the state. He ordered that they not enforce immigration laws or participate in building a new border barrier. But the then-governor faced criticism from state Democrats and immigrant rights groups, who said providing support to the federal government could free up U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers to increase detentions and deportations. Counter efforts against Trumps immigration policies intensified last summer after his administration began separating migrant families at the border under a policy that required all adults who enter the country illegally to be prosecuted. At least five governors recalled troops or withheld resources. Then-California Senate leader Kevin De Leon and 26 state legislators urged Brown to end the National Guard agreement. Advertisement California leaders rebuke Sessions as going to war over state immigration policy Now, the Trump Administration is using the California National Guard to free up federal resources to pursue and lock up women and children fleeing violence, instead of focusing on serious drug cartel and human trafficking cases at the border, De Leon wrote in a June 2018 letter to Brown. The troops have remained at the border for 10 months. Trump later dispatched more than 5,200 active-duty military troops to the border in October before the 2018 midterm election as a caravan of migrants arrived in the U.S. from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. The federal government that month also stopped helping asylum-seeking families connect with their U.S. sponsors after being processed and registered at the border. Thousands of families have since been released into the San Diego area with nowhere to go, forcing nonprofits in the region to step up and offer temporary shelter. Advertisement Newsom, who visited one of those shelters a month before he was sworn into office, and other California state leaders have described what Trump has called a crisis at the border as self-induced by the president. In State of the Union response, Becerra warns legal action if Trump seeks national emergency for border wall In his Spanish-language response to the presidents State of the Union address Tuesday, California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra warned that he is prepared to take Trump to court if he declares a national emergency to fund a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border while cutting federal funds to fire-damaged communities in the state. Newsom said Trumps plans to deploy another 3,750 U.S. military troops to the border was yet another reason to realign the priorities of the National Guard. Advertisement Newsoms general order Monday will assign 110 personnel to support the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in preparing for wildfire season. Another 100 members will be devoted to intelligence operations against drug cartels, with a small group of those stationed at points of entry. The governors office said the troops will be pulled back no later than March 31. California National Guard Major General David Baldwin told reporters Monday that Newsoms order went further than Browns to make it clear that troops are not to enforce immigration laws. We have not been involved in the detention of immigrants. However, there is a gray area, Baldwin said. Camera operators and dispatchers report any illegal border crossing without knowing a persons intent or whether they are a criminal or a person in search of a better life, Baldwin said. Under Newsoms directive, he said, Guard members would stay away from those areas and not participate in border surveillance. Newsom has sharply contrasted the differences between state and federal immigration policy, describing California in his inaugural address as a place that provides shelter to all who need it and sanctuary to all who seek it where opportunity abounds for all who will work for it. Advertisement Gov. Jerry Brown agrees to National Guard border efforts, but not a mission to round up women and children Holding his 2-year-old son, Dutch, in his arms, Newsom said children shouldnt be ripped away from their parents at the border and nor should they be left hungry while politicians seek to pour billions into a wall that should never be built. He has pledged $25 million in his budget proposal to aid local nonprofits and community groups providing services to asylum seekers. And he has embraced other efforts to help immigrants, including an expansion of eligibility for Medi-Cal to young adults who are in the U.S. illegally at a cost some have pegged at about $250 million per year. In excerpts of his State of the State address released Sunday, Newsom says he plans to offer a contrast to the presidents vision of America, calling it fundamentally at odds with California values. Advertisement We suffered enough from that in the [1980s and 1990s] with Props 187 and 227, the excerpts read. But then we repealed and healed. A quarter of a century later, were more united than ever, and were not going back. jazmine.ulloa@latimes.com Follow @jazmineulloa on Twitter, sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter and listen to the weekly California Politics Podcast BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Criminal cases involving illegally taking public deposits or fund-raising have been increasing in China from 2016 to 2018, according to the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP). Prosecutors charged 17,264 people for illegally taking public deposits or fund-raising fraud across the country in 2018. The number was higher than the 17,144 in 2017 and 16,406 in 2016, figures from an SPP report show. Procuratorates across China intensified the crackdown on such crimes in recent years because an increasing number of cases of illegal fund-raising involving extremely large sums of money had been reported. The crimes are being committed in more deceptive and complicated ways, such as in the disguise of so-called financial innovation, and online illegal fund-raising has also become common, according to the SPP. The centerpiece of last weeks State of the Union was the lengthy defense by President Trump of his approach on border security as justified by an urgent national crisis. On Tuesday, in his State of the State speech in Sacramento, Gov. Gavin Newsom will do nothing short of calling the president a liar. The border emergency is a manufactured crisis, Newsom will say, according to prepared remarks released by his office. And California will not be part of this political theater. NEWSOM: CALLING THE GUARD HOME Advertisement And to prove his point, Newsom has decided to cancel the states National Guard deployment made to provide border assistance. Its an action that could further burnish the new Democratic governors credentials as a key challenger to the Republican president. On Monday, Newsom used his power as commander-in-chief of the state militia to recall the roughly 360 guard members from the mission on which they embarked last April under former Gov. Jerry Brown. The troops will no longer perform duties along the U.S.-Mexico border and instead be redirected to efforts combating drug trafficking and preparing for the coming wildfire season. We are currently experiencing the lowest number of border crossings since 1971, Newsom will say in Tuesdays statewide speech, according to excerpts released on Monday. In California, like our nation, our undocumented population is at its lowest level in more than a decade. Some 550,000 fewer in our state alone. Sign up for the Essential Politics newsletter The decision comes on the heels of a new statewide poll that suggests Newsom is channeling his fellow Californians. The nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California reported last week that just 27% of those it surveyed see a crisis on the border. Sixty-nine percent opposed the construction of a new border wall. Last week, state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra warned that California is ready to go to court should Trump try to pay for a border wall through a declaration of a national emergency. Well see what else Newsom has to say in his first State of the State speech. The event is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the chamber of the state Assembly. (If tradition holds, hell be introduced by Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis a big moment in her new job too.) Advertisement THE MEDICARE FOR ALL CONUNDRUM Its the rallying cry of the early 2020 presidential jockeying among Democrats: Medicare for all. But what does it mean? That depends. When youre hearing a politician speak, youve got to know the politician to know what they mean by Medicare for all, said Michael Lighty, a fellow at the Sanders Institute, a think tank founded by the wife of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Advertisement Dont be surprised if some version of the goal of universal healthcare coverage becomes a key litmus test for the partys presidential hopefuls. NATIONAL POLITICS RIGHT NOW -- Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar joined the race for president Sunday with a different promise: credibility with Midwesterners who soured on the Democratic Party in 2016. -- Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren made her own bid for the presidency official Saturday with a populist call to fight economic inequality and build an America that works for everyone. Advertisement -- Sen. Kamala Harris used the vibrant, multiracial city of Oakland as a launch pad for her presidential ambitions. But some dont see her as part of the community because she grew up in Berkeley and pursued a political career in San Francisco. -- The 2020 presidential race is the first since the #MeToo movement changed the nations cultural and political climate. Democrats are already struggling to control the damage from their own shortcomings. -- With congressional negotiators nearing a deadline for a deal to keep government agencies open and talks seemingly stalled, the White House chief of staff is warning that another government shutdown cant be ruled out. THE ONE DAY DELAY THAT (SORT OF) SAVES $1 BILLION Advertisement Newsoms state budget proposal, which is starting to get a close look by the Legislature in Sacramento, proposes to under a decades worth of fiscal sleight of hand: the payroll gimmick enacted in 2009. In my Sunday column, we took a look back at how state leaders chose to delay paychecks of government workers by 24 hours and consider it saving money all because the two days were in different budget years. Newsom wants to finally eliminate the gimmick, even though doing so means having to add $1 billion in expenses. ESSENTIAL POLITICS TODAY Advertisement -- Newsom has requested $24.6 million and 41 new staff position in the governors office next year to bulk up his inner circle of advisors and reopen the administrations field offices all over California. -- California lawmakers met last week with former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, gravely wounded in a 2011 mass shooting, and agreed to form a working group to pass gun control laws that can serve as a model for other states. -- California lawmakers will try once again to make it easier to prosecute police officers for killing civilians. -- California lawmakers will need a $3-billion effort to grant nurse practitioners more autonomy, increase opportunities to study medicine and expand doctor training programs in order to avoid a looming healthcare crisis, according to a report released last week. Advertisement -- In 1950, Californians voted to put a provision in the state Constitution that makes it harder for poor people to find a place to live. That law remains on the books. -- Former First Lady Michelle Obama kicked off the Grammy Awards with a bang, making a surprise appearance alongside Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith and Jennifer Lopez during host Alicia Keys opening remarks. Los Angeles Times -- Reluctantly sporting a Tom Brady New England Patriots jersey, Newsom paid off a Super Bowl bet with Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker. LOGISTICS Advertisement Essential Politics is published Monday and Friday. Next week, well take a brief hiatus for Presidents Day. You can keep up with breaking news on our politics page throughout the day. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics? Miss Fridays newsletter? Here you go. Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com. Advertisement Did someone forward you this? Sign up here to get Essential Politics in your inbox. Democratic Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax said he will not step down and will preside over the Virginia Senate on Monday regardless of any attempts to remove him from office amid allegations that he sexually assaulted two women. In a telephone interview with the Washington Post on Sunday night as fellow Democrats considered beginning impeachment proceedings against him, Fairfax repeated his claim that he did not sexually assault his two accusers or anyone else. The two women deserve to be heard, but at the same time, he deserves due process, Fairfax said. Even in the most difficult times, including ones like these, thats when its most important to adhere to our highest values as Americans, he said. And due process is at the heart of our constitutional democracy in order to get to the truth and be true to what we are as Americans. Everyone deserves to be heard. Even when faced with those allegations, I am still standing up for everyones right to be heard. But Im also standing up for due process. Advertisement House Democrats held a conference call later Sunday night and decided to slow down the impeachment effort amid questions about the proper procedure and viability of such a plan, given that the alleged offenses -- which Fairfax describes as consensual -- did not take place during his tenure as lieutenant governor. Fairfax sounded upbeat and relaxed during the interview. Asked whether he was going to resign, he said flatly, No. He spent the weekend in Northern Virginia with his family. He and his wife went to services at Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria on Sunday morning, where he said they were well received. Their pastor recognized the couple was in attendance but made no reference to the scandal, Fairfax said. It was a really moving and uplifting celebration, he said. Its a place of comfort. And then my wife and I were recognized in the church we were overwhelmed with emotion and the outpouring of support, and all the words of support. He said he and his wife, a dentist whom he married years after the two alleged assaults, continue to be strong and lean on our faith. Fairfax has previously suggested that he was the victim of a smear campaign. Asked in the interview who might be behind such an effort and why the two accusers might make false allegations, he said only that he was laser focused on doing his job as lieutenant governor and getting the truth out. Tyson, a California professor, says Fairfax forced her to perform oral sex on him after they met at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. Watson, who lives in Maryland, says Fairfax sexually assaulted her when they were undergraduate students at Duke University. Neither reported the alleged assaults to law enforcement. Tyson and Watson, who have separate legal representation, have both said through their lawyers that they would be willing to publicly testify during impeachment proceedings. Advertisement Asked why these women would come forward if they are lying, Fairfax said, I would just say right now, the paramount issue is having the truth come out. In a follow-up text Monday morning, a Fairfax staff member stressed that the lieutenant governor would like to see due process on both sides for everyone involved and that there needs to be space for both sides to tell their side of the story. In the interview, Fairfax reiterated his call for the FBI or some other independent law enforcement entity to investigate. Tysons attorney has said the FBI would have no jurisdiction in either case because the alleged crimes are not federal in nature. Asked whether he or his team had taken any steps to initiate an investigation, Fairfax said that he has met with his attorneys but that he cannot talk about those discussions. Advertisement The now-paused attempt to impeach Fairfax would have been unprecedented; Virginia political observers can recall no attempt to impeach an elected official in the state in modern times. Some high-profile Virginia Democrats, including Gov. Ralph Northam, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner and Rep. Robert C. Scott, say Fairfax should step down if the allegations are proven true, stopping short of an outright call for resignation. Northam and Democratic Virginia Atty. Gen. Mark R. Herring are embroiled in separate controversies over the use of blackface in the 1980s, but neither is threatened with impeachment. That has created another uncomfortable dynamic for Democrats as they ponder whether to force out Fairfax, a rising African American star in the party, while white men accused of racism stay in office. As the part-time lieutenant governor, Fairfax presides over the closely divided state Senate during the legislative session and can break ties on certain votes. Advertisement Laura Vozzella writes for the Washington Post. Mention the words womens health, and Alzheimers disease may not immediately come to mind. It should. The greatest emerging risk to womens health can be summed up in this stark statistic: Every 65 seconds in the United States a new brain develops Alzheimers. Two-thirds of them belong to women, and no one knows why that is. For a woman over 60, the risk of developing Alzheimers at some point in her lifetime is twice as great as that of developing breast cancer. People of color are also at a greater risk for the disease, with African Americans twice as likely and Latinos 1.5 times as likely to develop the disease as whites. Every 65 seconds in the United States a new brain develops Alzheimers. Two-thirds of them belong to women, and no one knows why that is. Advertisement In California, we have more people living with Alzheimers than in any other state. We also have the highest number of family caregivers. We talk a lot about preparing for the next huge earthquake, but Alzheimers is another Big One facing California, and we just arent sufficiently prepared. In his 2019-2020 budget, Gov. Gavin Newsom has allocated $3 million in state funds to support research that will help us better understand the greater prevalence of Alzheimers among women and people of color. He is also establishing a task force on Alzheimers prevention and preparedness, which will report to him how California can ready itself for the increase in cases and what government can do to help families who are facing this insidious disease. These are excellent steps, but more is needed. Projections from the Department of Finance estimate that by 2060 more than one in four Californians will be 65 or older nearly double the percentage of residents in that age cohort today. And according to a recent poll conducted by the Womens Alzheimers Movement and Genworth, the majority of Americans say they arent prepared financially for aging or caregiving and they want the government to step up and help. While the challenges presented by this demographic shift are many, arguably none is more severe than the implications for a spike in the number of Californians stricken with Alzheimers. About one in 10 Americans over age 65 and about one in three over age 85 are living with the disease. In California, the number of people with Alzheimers is projected to soar by nearly a third in just the next six years. Alzheimers is a nonpartisan issue, which should make it easy for the Legislature to embrace Newsoms proposal to strengthen Californias preparation for the demographic challenges ahead. Ive testified twice before Congress for increased national funding. Now I want to see my home state step up on this issue and lead the country forward. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute California is home to 10 Alzheimers Disease Centers, the most in any state. It has a university system that is second to none. And now, we also have a bold new governor who watched his father grapple with dementia in his final months. During his tenure as San Francisco mayor, Gov. Newsom contributed to the 2010 Shriver Report: A Womans Nation Takes on Alzheimers, which reported for the first time that women are at an increased risk for the disease. I am excited for California to lead the way on this issue. Im excited that so many people want to come together and figure out why women and people of color are at higher risk. Im excited that smart individuals want to put their heads together and figure out how to prepare our state for this disease and how to better care for our aging population. Advertisement In doing so, California can help chart a course for the nation, as it has already done on so many other issues. Maria Shriver is an NBC journalist and author who founded the Womens Alzheimers Movement. She served as first lady of California from 2003 to 2011. In his State of the Union address, President Trump called for Democrats and Republicans to embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise and the common good. But that appeal came with a catch: Democrats who now control the House must not conduct ridiculous partisan investigations of his administration. If there is going to be peace and legislation, Trump said, there cannot be war and investigation. The presidents demand is not only unreasonable, given the lingering questions about possible Russian influence over his campaign and his administration, its also hypocritical. Trump didnt object when Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare) and other Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee essentially operated the panel as a public-relations arm of the White House. But now that the committee is headed by Democrat Adam Schiff, who has reopened and expanded the committees Russia investigation, Trump is crying foul. That ambitious agenda is justified and overdue, but its also potentially explosive politically. Advertisement On Thursday he tweeted: So now Congressman Adam Schiff announces, after having found zero Russian Collusion, that he is going to be looking at every aspect of my life, both financial and personal, even though there is no reason to be doing so. Never happened before! Unlimited Presidential Harassment. Actually, the committee isnt planning to examine every aspect of Trumps life. But Schiff has made it clear that it will explore a variety of questions, including some related to the presidents finances (a subject Trump once declared to be a red line that investigators must not cross). That ambitious agenda is justified and overdue, but its also potentially explosive politically. For that reason, its important that the committee under Democratic control not be perceived as being simply the mirror image of Nunes partisan operation, dedicated to discrediting the president instead of defending him. Nor should its investigation be framed as a dry run for impeachment. Schiff has said the committees investigation would focus principally on five interconnected lines of inquiry: what the Russian government has done to influence U.S. elections and how the U.S. government has responded; the extent of any links or coordination between Russia and figures in Trumps orbit; whether any foreign actor has sought or holds any kind of leverage over Trump or his associates; whether Trump or his associates are or were vulnerable to foreign manipulation, or ever sought to shape U.S. policy to advance foreign interests; and whether anyone has tried to obstruct investigations into these matters. This suggests a dramatically more aggressive inquiry than the Republican-led House investigation, which reported last year that it had found no evidence that the Trump campaign colluded, coordinated, or conspired with the Russian government. (In a dissenting report, Democrats claimed that the majority failed to call key witnesses and request pertinent documents, omissions the new majority presumably will seek to rectify.) Perhaps the two most significant themes are the emphasis on Trumps business affairs and the focus on Trumps presidency, not just his campaign. Schiff persuasively argues that these lines of inquiry fall squarely within the committees counterintelligence mandate and that pursuing them is justified by evidence in the public record. That includes information about Trumps financial interest in Russia. For example, discussions over a possible Trump Tower in Moscow apparently went on well past the time when former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen told the committee that they had ended. (Cohen pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about that issue.) Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute Advertisement The publics interest in these issues is clear. A president shouldnt be influenced in his policy decisions by his financial pursuits; its legitimate for Congress to ask if that is the case with Trump. The challenge for Schiff and the Democrats is to pursue their inquiry in a way that makes it hard for Trump or his supporters to dismiss it as partisan presidential harassment. Schiff says that it appears that Republicans on the panel will rejoin the investigation, though he says hes not sure whether they would be doing so in good faith. He should do his best to conduct the investigation in a way that will win the cooperation of some Republicans and restore the bipartisanship that used to prevail on the committee. The questions that Schiff has teed up for the committee are serious. Republicans as well as Democrats should be interested in the answers. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. Its Monday, Feb. 11, and heres whats happening across California: TOP STORIES On a March morning four years ago, Staff Sgt. Jennifer Pineda of the California Air National Guard was about to dress into a uniform she had stored overnight in a stall in the womens bathroom when she made a foul discovery. Someone had urinated in her boots. The defiling of Pinedas boots has led to allegations that high-ranking officers tried to bury the incident, including by destroying evidence that could have potentially identified a suspect through DNA, and retaliated against a male pilot who supported her efforts to find the perpetrator, according to interviews and records obtained by The Times. Some in the wing have begun calling the ongoing saga Pissgate. Los Angeles Times Pain in Paradise Advertisement Experts say the incineration of Paradise, a sleepy town of 27,000 nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, is a case study in what can go wrong when a landscape thats prone to wildfire is disproportionately populated by those who are least likely to escape. Like the women who died in Ridgewood Mobile Home Park, most of the 86 people who died in the fire were seniors. Of the 69 bodies that have been positively identified, 53 were over the age of 65 or 77%. This grim fact comes as no surprise to those who study the effects of wildfire. Los Angeles Times History at the Grammys It was a night of women shining at the Grammy Awards as Alicia Keys hosted and welcomed a slew of special guests at the start of the show, including former First Lady Michelle Obama. Kacey Musgraves and Childish Gambino were among the nights big winners, while Cardi B became the first solo woman to win best rap album. Los Angeles Times -- The full list of winners and nominees. Los Angeles Times -- Jennifer Lopezs tribute to Motown at the 61st Grammy Awards has not gone over too well. Los Angeles Times -- Dolly Partons take on her all-star MusiCares tribute? Its sort of like watching porn. Los Angeles Times -- From the red carpet: best and worst dressed. Los Angeles Times Oakland claps back Advertisement Sen. Kamala Harris used the vibrant, multiracial city as a launch pad for her 2020 Democratic presidential candidacy. But even though Harris was born in Oakland, many there dont see her as part of the community because she grew up in Berkeley and pursued a political career in San Francisco. Los Angeles Times Get the Essential California newsletter L.A. STORIES Wee-hooo, wee-hooo: Is there room in L.A. for an Orthodox Jewish ambulance service? The Los Angeles Fire Department and its firefighters union have said no. Los Angeles Times Advertisement Aharon Sabbagh, an emergency medical technician with Hatzolah, a Jewish volunteer ambulance service that primarily services the Jewish community of Pico-Robertson, waits for a medical call last month in the Beverly Hills area. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Smoked squid, silky gowns and social media: The Tet Festival in Orange County blends the old and new. Los Angeles Times A wonderful history: How the Chateau Marmont became Hollywoods glorious, decadent hideaway. Vanity Fair IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER Advertisement Pushing back: In a sharp break with the record of his predecessor and the position of the Trump administration, Gov. Gavin Newsom will announce members of the California National Guard will be pulled from their duties along the U.S.-Mexico border. Los Angeles Times Pit of infection: A border towns crisis has nothing to do with migrants. New York Times POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT Hey, big spender: Gov. Newsom has requested $24.6 million and 41 new staff positions in the governors office next year to bulk up his Cabinet and reopen the administrations field offices all over California. Los Angeles Times Advertisement Scary: A deputy city attorney describes contracting typhus. Los Angeles Times Wonky talk: The one-day, $1-billion budget gimmick that has lasted for almost a decade in Sacramento. Los Angeles Times A changing skyline: With Google slated to build a massive campus in San Jose in the coming years and a development boom downtown, a fight is brewing over the possibility of allowing taller buildings near the airport. Mercury News CRIME AND COURTS Advertisement A dark side: An investigation into pepper spray use has offered a rare glimpse into the secrets of the nations largest juvenile detention system, a place where the jailed and jailers alike sometimes struggle with the rules and where policymakers continue seeking reform. Los Angeles Times In Sacramento: California lawmakers try once again to make it easier to prosecute police officers for killing civilians. Los Angeles Times THE ENVIRONMENT Saving the lake: Arizona and California are making great strides toward reaching an accord on the future of Lake Mead, but Mother Nature will have the last word. Los Angeles Times Advertisement CALIFORNIA CULTURE Throwback: Years after giving up singing, Linda Ronstadt is back on the charts with Live in Hollywood. Los Angeles Times Great writing: His leap from the Golden Gate Bridge left Kyle Gamboas family grief-stricken and confused. But in trying to understand his death, they found a way to help others. San Francisco Chronicle RIP: Ron Miller, whose visionary yet turbulent tenure in charge of the legendary Walt Disney Co. led to the creation of Touchstone Pictures, the Disney Channel, the Epcot theme park and a slew of Disney movie classics, has died. He was 85. Hollywood Reporter Advertisement On a city: If San Francisco is so great, why is everyone I love leaving? Curbed SF Great interview: Fat City, 50 years later: an interview with Leonard Gardner. Paris Review A storied legacy: Allensworth, the only African American town of its kind, is still a symbol for what we can become. Fresno Bee Uncharted territory: A look inside Paradises post office post-Camp fire. Paradise Post Advertisement CALIFORNIA ALMANAC Los Angeles area: Partly cloudy, 61, Monday. Cloudy, 66, Tuesday. San Diego: Sunny, 61, Monday. Cloudy, 64, Tuesday. San Francisco area: Partly cloudy, 53, Monday. Showers, 54, Tuesday. San Jose: Partly cloudy, 56, Monday. Showers, 56, Tuesday. Sacramento: Partly cloudy, 55, Monday. Cloudy, 51, Tuesday. More weather is here. AND FINALLY This weeks birthdays for those who made a mark in California: Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger (Feb. 10, 1951) and actress Jennifer Aniston (Feb. 11, 1969). Advertisement If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.) Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad. A Virginia lawmaker on Monday backed off his plans to swiftly introduce an impeachment bill seeking the ouster of the states leading black elected official as Democrats struggled to address revelations of past racist behavior and allegations of sexual assault roiling its highest levels of office. The effort to impeach Democratic Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax was prompted by the emergence of two women who accused him of sexual assault in the 2000s. Fairfax has vehemently denied the claims and called for authorities, including the FBI, to investigate. Democratic Del. Patrick Hope tweeted early Monday that he got an enormous amount of sincere and thoughtful feedback from colleagues after circulating a draft of his impeachment bill, and that he sees that additional conversations ... need to take place before anything is filed. Theres been little sign of broad appetite for impeachment, with lawmakers set to finish this years session by the months end. But the Legislature is swirling with questions about lines of succession and the political fallout for Democrats should their governor, lieutenant governor or attorney general leave office, willingly or not. Advertisement Gov. Ralph Northam and Atty. Gen. Mark Herring are still trying to regain their political standing after awkwardly acknowledging that they each once wore blackface as young men in the 1980s. Calls for Northams resignation raised the prospect of Fairfax taking over, which prompted his accusers to come forward. All three scandals involve events that happened long before these leaders took office, but theyve become a full-blown crisis for Democrats. The party counts on the support of black voters and has taken an almost zero-tolerance approach to sexual misconduct in the #MeToo era. A housecleaning could be costly: If all three Democrats resign, Republican state House Speaker Kirk Cox would become Virginias governor. Northam, a pediatric neurologist, said that he considered quitting, but has decided hes not going anywhere because the state needs someone that can heal it. Northam said on CBS Face the Nation that its been a difficult week since a photo in his 1984 medical school yearbook surfaced, showing a person wearing blackface next to another person in a Ku Klux Klan hood and robe. Northam initially said he was in the photo, then denied it the next day, while acknowledging he did wear blackface to a dance party that same year. Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam considered resigning amid a scandal that he once wore blackface, but the pediatric neurologist said Sunday that hes not going anywhere because the state needs someone that can heal it. Northam said on CBS Face the Nation that its been a difficult week since a racist photo in his 1984 medical school yearbook surfaced, showing a person wearing blackface next to a second person wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood and robe. Northam initially said he had appeared in the photo although he didnt say which costume he was wearing and apologized. The next day, however, he denied being in the photo, while acknowledging that he had worn blackface to a dance party that same year. Virginia needs someone that can heal. Theres no better person to do that than a doctor, Northam said. Virginia also needs someone who is strong, who has empathy, who has courage and who has a moral compass. And thats why Im not going anywhere. Advertisement Northams political turmoil comes as the two other top Democrats in the state face their own potentially career-ending scandals, with allegations of sexual assault against Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax Northams successor if the governor were to resign and Attorney General Mark Herring acknowledging that he wore blackface at a party in 1980. Herring would become governor if both Northam and Fairfax resigned. The scandals have become a full-blown crisis for Virginia Democrats. Although the party has taken an almost zero-tolerance approach to misconduct among its members in this #MeToo era, a housecleaning in Virginia could be costly: If all three Democrats resigned, Republican state House Speaker Kirk Cox would become governor. The scandals also could hurt the Democrats chances of flipping control of the General Assembly. All 140 legislative seats will be up for grabs in November, and Democrats had previously been hopeful that voter antipathy toward President Trump would help them cement Virginias status as a blue state. Now, many fret their crisis in leadership will not only cost them chances of winning GOP-held seats but also several seats held by Democrats. Two women allege Fairfax sexually assaulted them, and both have offered to testify if an impeachment hearing were called against him. The lieutenant governor issued a statement Saturday again denying he ever sexually assaulted anyone and making clear he does not intend to immediately step down. Instead, he urged authorities to investigate the allegations against him. Herring has apologized for appearing in blackface but has not indicated he would resign either, despite his initially forceful call for Northam to step down. The admission came after rumors began circulating at the Capitol. Asked Sunday for his opinion on his subordinates, Northam said in the CBS interview that its up to Fairfax and Herring to decide whether they want to remain in office. He said he supports Fairfaxs call for an investigation into the sexual assault allegations. Of Herring, he said that just like me, he has grown. Democratic Del. Patrick Hope said he wants to introduce articles of impeachment against Fairfax on Monday, but Hope is not a powerful figure in the House and theres little sign theres a broad appetite for impeachment with lawmakers set to finish this years legislative session by the end of the month. Advertisement If a hearing did occur, attorneys for both of Fairfaxs accusers Meredith Watson and Vanessa Tyson say they would be willing to testify. The Associated Press does not generally name those who say they are victims of sexual assault, but both women have come forward voluntarily. Watson alleges that Fairfax raped her while they were students at Duke University in 2000, her attorney said in a statement. Tyson, a California college professor, accused Fairfax of forcing her to perform oral sex on him at a Boston hotel in 2004. Michael R. Pompeo, U.S. secretary of State, said Monday that America might be forced to scale back certain operations in Europe and elsewhere if countries continue to do business with the Chinese telecommunications company Huawei. Pompeo made the comments in Budapest on the first leg of a five-nation European tour during which he said he would raise American concerns about China and Russias growing influence in Central Europe. He said he also would discuss concerns about the rule of law, democracy and human rights in the region, particularly in Hungary, where nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been criticized for increasingly authoritarian rule. On Huawei, which is a major player in Hungary, Pompeo said he would make the case to Orban and other officials that doing business with the company comes with significant risks for information security and privacy that could imperil cooperation with the United States. U.S. officials are deeply troubled by Huaweis expansion in Europe, especially in NATO members including Hungary, where they believe it poses significant threats. They are a sovereign nation. They get to make their own decisions with respect to these things, Pompeo told reporters at an impromptu news conference at the U.S. Embassy in Budapest. What is imperative is that we share with them the things we know about the risks that Huaweis presence in their networks present actual risks to their people, to the loss of privacy protections for their own people, to the risk that China will use this in a way that is not in the best interest of Hungary. Advertisement We have an obligation to share this with them, and we will do so, Pompeo said. But second, we have seen this all around the world. It also makes it more difficult for America to be present. That is, if that equipment is co-located where we have important American systems, it makes it more difficult for us to partner alongside them. We want to make sure we identify [to] them the opportunities and the risks with using that equipment. And then they will get to make their decisions. The U.S. has repeatedly accused China of using technology to pilfer trade secrets. China recently has said that its totally unreasonable to make some of these accusations and that the U.S. is just trying to suppress a rising competitor. Pompeo will take the same message to his next stop, Slovakia, on Tuesday, before heading to Poland, where he will participate in a conference on the future of the Middle East expected to focus on Iran. He will wrap up the tour with brief stops in Belgium and Iceland. Ahead of his visits to Budapest and Bratislava, U.S. officials said Pompeo hoped to reverse what they called a decade of U.S. disengagement in Central Europe that created a vacuum Russia and China have exploited. Over the course of the last 10 years, the officials said, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leaders have become much more aggressive in the region and made inroads. President Trumps administration has made a point of reaching out to Orban, who shares Trumps strong stance on limiting migration and has adopted increasingly authoritarian measures, including cracking down on the opposition, labor unions, independent media and academia. The administration of Trumps predecessor, Barack Obama, had largely steered clear of Orban, who won a third consecutive term last year in a campaign based on anti-immigration policies and whose policies have been met with street protests and deepening concern within the EU. Pompeo put the blame for much of the backsliding on a lack of U.S. engagement. I think for a long time we shunned them in a way that drove them to fill the vacuum with folks who didnt share our values, he said. The Russians and the Chinese ended up getting more influence here, they do not remotely share the American ideals that we care so deeply about. Advertisement So many of the concerns that are voiced are things that have happened in the absence of America being engaged, so I think its centrally important that were here, he said. Well certainly make the case about the things that we see that we wish were different here. Pompeo was given a list of concerns in a meeting with Hungarian civic leaders. Some of their groups have been targeted by legislation making their work more difficult, like a tax on funds received from abroad and possible jail time for those convicted of aiding asylum seekers. Three groups that took part said they believed Pompeo would bring the concerns to Orban. The meeting and the openness to the opinion of the civic groups again demonstrated that the American leadership is committed to the defense of the values of the rule of law and the role of civil society, the groups said in a statement. Last month, Orban said he wanted anti-immigration forces to become a majority in all European Union institutions, including its Parliament and the EUs executive Commission, and predicted that there would soon be two civilizations in Europe one that builds its future on a mixed Islamic and Christian coexistence and another in Central Europe that would be only Christian. Advertisement Orbans government has been targeted for criticism, including from the U.S., for forcing a Budapest-based university founded by billionaire philanthropist George Soros to move most of its programs to Vienna. His fiery rhetoric against migrants and refusal to join a new European Union public prosecutors office focusing on fraud and corruption have also raised concerns. Californias wet winter is getting wilder. Over the weekend, it snowed in parts of coastal Humboldt, creating white winter conditions in Eureka and Arcata. Snow closed major roads in the Sierra as well as the Tejon Pass in Southern California, jamming Interstate 5 traffic Sunday. And another powerful storm is going to barrel into California beginning Tuesday. Heres what to expect: Advertisement Southern California Here are preliminary rainfall totals expected between Tuesday evening through Thursday night. Overall 1-2.5" Coast/Valleys 2.5 to 4" for the foothills/Mountains. #CAwx #LArain #Socal pic.twitter.com/Qjo2UGMyij NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) February 11, 2019 A potent wet, windy storm system will impact the area from late Tuesday into early Thursday. These images show a general idea of what to expect and when at a number of sites across the San Francisco and Monterey Bay areas. Flood/wind watches will be considered today. #cawx pic.twitter.com/p0m0rSmanL NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) February 11, 2019 Below-normal temperatures are expected through next week throughout Southern California. Another storm is predicted to hit the region Wednesday and continue through Thursday, and resume late Friday night and into Saturday, forecasters said. We are still in a storming pattern where every few days we get some rain, said Kathy Hoxsi, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Oxnard. And because each storm brings in a fresh round of cold air, we are going to be chilly for a while. Sundays storm brought so much snow that the Grapevine was closed for hours. Northern California It is going to be a wet week across the state of CA. Heaviest rain for #NorCal is expected on Wednesday. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/MdzR8CW0yP NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) February 11, 2019 Travel plans to the mountains this week? Here are the latest thoughts on the forecast for the next few days. Snow levels are expected to rise considerably during the winter storm on Wednesday. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/N18uNIrIuL NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) February 11, 2019 More heavy snow is headed to the mountains this week! Several feet of snow are possible at pass levels. #cawx pic.twitter.com/tz8vJdyxTb NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) February 11, 2019 Advertisement The atmospheric river, which has brought a lot of rain and snow to the region this year, will return Tuesday and Wednesday. Strong winds and heavy rain meaning power outages and flooding, with a chance of landslides, the National Weather Service said in a statement. A flood watch is in effect through Thursday in large swaths of the Central Valley. The biggest concerns are moderate rises in small streams and urban flooding with the potential for ponding on roads, the weather service said. Heavy snow is expected in the Sierras Wednesday. Advertisement Many parts of Northern California are already far ahead of average rainfall totals for the year. And the latest storm will boost those numbers. Snowing on the coast And before we go, here are some images of the coastal snow over the weekend in Eureka and Arcata. Officials said it was the first time it snowed this much along the beach area since 2002. Being one of the last smartphone virgins, I have to show somebody else's visual record of last night's extremely rare snowfall here in Arcata (not to be confused with Arcadia!), California.https://t.co/GWg9mmMjm4 Brian Dixon (@HeTweetsAtLast) February 10, 2019 A former Cypress police officer was arrested Saturday after authorities said he shot a shoplifting suspect in the parking lot of a Home Depot in Riverside. The former officer, identified as Michael Munoz, 61, was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. Munoz retired from the Cypress Police Department in Orange County in the mid-1990s but maintained a concealed carry permit for a firearm, said Officer Ryan Railsback, a spokesman for the Riverside Police Department. Police said the shooting occurred after a man left the Home Depot at 3323 Madison St. carrying several items he had not purchased. Security guards ordered the man to stop, but he continued to walk out of the store into the parking lot. Munoz identified himself as a police officer and told the man to stop, but he refused and got into a car with the items, Railsback said. Riverside police said Munoz pulled out a handgun and shot at the vehicle twice. A bullet grazed the mans neck. Advertisement Authorities were called to the parking lot about 4:30 p.m. Munoz cooperated with the investigation and officers determined the shooting was not justified, Railsback said. If its a theft suspect and theres no danger to the public or the officer, its probably not the best time to use a firearm, Railsback said. The injured man drove himself to a clinic for treatment, and staff called police. The man, whom police declined to identify, was issued a citation for misdemeanor theft. Munoz was released from jail Sunday after posting $25,000 bond. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @Hannahnfry Vice-Premier Liu He will hold a new round of high-level China-US economic and trade consultations with United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in Beijing from Thursday to Friday. Analysts said the two sides are likely to propose weightier measures to address economic and trade differences and to broaden overall cooperation. According to the Ministry of Commerce, based on recent talks in Washington, China and the US will engage in further discussions on issues of common concern. The US delegation arrives in Beijing on Monday. China and the US have been embroiled in trade frictions for several months. The two sides are now in the midst of a 90-day tariff truce, which began on Dec 1, when President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Buenos Aires. Wei Jianguo, vice-chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, said China-US trade consultations have made "a big stride forward". "In the next stage, the two sides will still be subject to various global pressures. However, I believe that the two sides will be able to propose more weighty measures to solve differences in their further consultations," Wei said. Zhou Mi, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said companies in the two countries definitely do not want to end their cooperation. Calling for a stable environment, Zhou said more and more achievements may be made through cooperation at different levels. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-US diplomatic ties. In 2018, trade volume between China and the US exceeded $630 billion, and two-way investment surpassed $240 billion, according to the Ministry of Commerce. Nicholas Burns, former US undersecretary of state, said the Sino-US relationship is "the most important relationship that both of our countries have." The US and China, though facing certain challenges in bilateral relations, should learn how to compete with each other as well as how to work together, the official Xinhua News Agency cited him as saying. Zhang Yansheng, a senior CCIEE researcher, said the two countries can properly handle trade conflicts and foster cooperation despite some headwinds, adding that cooperation is the best and only choice for the two sides. Xue Rongjiu, deputy director of the Beijing-based China Society for WTO Studies, stressed that the US should not consider China as an economic threat. A country shouldn't be measured by the size of its economy, but by its development level, pointing out that in terms of per capita GDP, China still ranks as a developing country, Xue said. The global community should give China more room for gradual reform including offering more access to foreign companies and supporting investment in industrial upgrading, infrastructure, environmental protection and urbanization, which will further stimulate economic growth, he said. Dalmatians might be the best known firehouse mascot, but a tortoise-shell cat named Edna has purred her way into the hearts of firefighters at a San Francisco station. Edna began visiting Fire Station 49 as a feral kitten four years ago and since then has made the station her home. Now, firefighters are reportedly being told to get rid of her. We slowly started to show her love and care, and she [became] our family, station employees wrote in an email to SF Gate, adding that the cat helps relieve employees stress. Now she is always there, and is the most docile, loving baby. We take her to the vet now, give her treats and she calls our station home. Advertisement KGO-TV reported that firefighters suspect an anonymous caller complained about Edna being around firefighting equipment. In response, Fire Department officials have asked the station to remove the cat, according to the news station. An employee who answered the phone at Station 49 on Monday declined to comment on the situation and referred The Times to a department spokesman. He did not immediately respond to a phone call seeking comment. Photos on Ednas Instagram account show firefighters and staff cuddling and petting the feline. Using the hashtag #ednastays, the group is asking the public to send emails to department leaders to convince them to allow Edna to remain at the station. Employees referred to Edna as the station angel in an Instagram post celebrating National Cat Day in October. The photo captured a sleeping Edna curled on a blanket. Youre purrfect, they wrote. Late Monday afternoon, the Fire Department said Edna has been adopted by a member of its ambulance staff. The department added that it has had a policy prohibiting animals on its property for more than 20 years and that the removal order was for Ednas own safety. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Advertisement hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @Hannahnfry Former state Sen. Kevin de Leon is looking to shift his political base of operations to Los Angeles City Hall, by seeking the Eastside council seat being vacated by Councilman Jose Huizar. De Leon, who waged an unsuccessful bid to unseat Sen. Dianne Feinstein in November, said Monday he intends to continue on his path of public service by running to replace Huizar, who is being forced out by term limits. With Mondays campaign announcement, De Leon instantly becomes the most high-profile person to run in Huizars district, which stretches from downtown and Boyle Heights to Eagle Rock. The campaign has already picked up endorsements from nearly two dozen elected officials in the L.A. area, including three on the council: Curren Price, Paul Koretz and Mitch OFarrell. De Leon, 52, served in the Legislature first in the Assembly, then in the Senate, where he was president from 2006 until last year. During that period, he represented all or a portion of Huizars district, securing funding for parks, environmental cleanup initiatives and housing for homeless Angelenos. It would be an absolute honor to continue that work at the local level, he said. Advertisement Several other people have already filed paperwork indicating they plan to run for Huizars seat. Richelle Huizar, wife of the councilman, launched a campaign in September but abandoned the effort two months later, after FBI agents raided their home. Investigators removed an array of materials from the Huizars Boyle Heights home, including a cardboard box labeled fundraising. FBI agents also have sought evidence involving other City Hall figures, including Price and aides to Mayor Eric Garcetti and Council President Herb Wesson. No arrests have been made and no charges have been filed. De Leon said in an interview that he does not expect the investigation to be part of his campaign message. This election isnt about Jose Huizar, he said. The election is scheduled for March 2020, with a runoff planned for November if no candidate secures a majority of the vote. De Leon recently moved to Eagle Rock from Mount Washington, which is a short distance outside Huizars district. He recently took a job with the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, working as a distinguished policymaker-in-residence and senior analyst, and will teach his first class in April. De Leon secured more than 5 million votes in his November race against Feinstein, falling short by 8 percentage points. Although he prevailed in 40 out of 58 counties, he trailed Feinstein in his own L.A.-area Senate district by more than 6,000 votes, according to an analysis of the results by The Times. Others mentioned as possible candidates in next years council race are Los Angeles Unified School District board member Monica Garcia and attorney Sara Hernandez, both former aides to Huizar. Garcia, reached by The Times earlier this month, declined to comment, saying she would discuss the topic at another time. Hernandez, who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2017 and now works for the law firm DLA Piper, said she has not ruled out the idea of a council bid next year. Advertisement Hernandez met recently with residents in Eagle Rock who asked her about running for the seat, an overture she described as incredibly flattering. I care really deeply about this district and plan to raise a family here, she said. But I would probably only take that step if I was confident about my ability to run a strong grass-roots campaign. De Leon, for his part, has also been discussed as a possible mayoral candidate in 2022, when Garcettis final term ends. Asked whether he intends to serve a full four years on the council, or until 2024, De Leon declined to answer directly. Im 100% focused on the path ahead, and thats winning this council election, he said. Advertisement The issue of whether the seat is being used as a steppingstone could come up on the campaign trail. Eagle Rock resident Hans Johnson, president of the East Area Progressive Democrats, said some in the district have bad memories of the 2003 council race, when Antonio Villaraigosa then a former state assemblyman ran for the seat and told voters he would serve a full four years. Two years later, Villaraigosa broke that promise, running for and winning his race for mayor. Theres a lot of resentment still in our part of the 14th District over that, Johnson said. Advertisement Times staff writer Ben Welsh contributed to this report. david.zahniser@latimes.com Twitter: @DavidZahniser In a major victory for coastal advocates, a Santa Barbara judge has refused to approve a deal that would have allowed access to Hollister Ranchs coastline only to landowners, their guests, visitors with guides, and those who could boat or paddle in from two miles away. The settlement agreement, struck between the ranch and coastal officials behind closed doors, sparked public outrage last year after The Times published terms of the deal. The outcry became a flashpoint in the mounting pressure on state officials to ensure that Californias beaches are open to everyone not just to those fortunate enough to own oceanfront property. Hundreds of people have since lambasted the deal, calling on officials to fight harder against the ranch to open some of Californias most coveted beaches and surf breaks still behind private gates after decades of legal battles and stalemates. The backlash culminated in a coalition of advocates challenging the deal in a court intervention stepping in, they said, to speak up for the public where the state had faltered. Advertisement Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Colleen Sterne, in her ruling Friday, agreed that the publics interest was not fully represented. Plaintiffs [Hollister Ranch] have not met their burden to show that the Class Settlement is fair and reasonable, she said. In a careful ruling, Sterne did not reject the settlement outright. Citing the unusual situation with the public intervention, she instead established a legal path forward for advocates to make the case that the deal should be thrown out completely. Next steps include suing the state for failing to hold a public process before making the deal with Hollister landowners. The coalition, the Gaviota Coastal Trail Alliance, said the ruling was a step forward in an almost 40-year battle that has pitted beachgoers against ranch owners, who long have contended that unfettered access would undo years of careful work to protect the land. Hollister threw everything that they could at the last hearing, and they did not prevail, Susan Jordan of the California Coastal Protection Network said. Now we can move forward and restate all the ways that we think this settlement is a bad deal for the public and frankly, illegal. Read more: Coastal advocates challenge deal that bars public from reaching Hollister Ranch by land The Hollister Ranch gatehouse guard allows only owners and designated guests to enter the secluded oceanfront property. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Beth Collins, one of the attorneys representing Hollister Ranch, declined to comment on the ruling while the litigation is ongoing. Advertisement During her arguments in a packed courtroom last month, Collins made the case for ending the legal battle and questioned whether the advocates could represent the general public more than state agencies like the California Coastal Commission and the Coastal Conservancy. This has been a long, expensive, contentious and hard-fought litigation, Collins said. The opinion of one special interest group simply cannot undermine final approval. Coastal officials said Monday that they were reviewing the court decision to determine next steps. In a statement to The Times, Coastal Commission Executive Director Jack Ainsworth said they were looking forward to resolving this issue in a manner thats in the best interest of the public. Sam Schuchat, executive director of the Coastal Conservancy, said that throughout this process, the Conservancy has sought the best outcome for the people of California, both in terms of public access and balancing the risks and costs of continued litigation. If, through this ruling, the court believes the outcome of the case could be more favorable to the public, we are happy to pursue that. Advertisement Whatever the outcome of the lawsuit, he said, the Conservancy and the Commission are committed to working to develop broader public access to Hollister Ranch. There are now two separate but high-profile efforts underway to open Hollisters beaches to the general public: The settlement, now in limbo, and a new push by the state, responding to the public outcry, to implement a comprehensive access program to the ranchs 8.5 miles of coastline. Fighting for access on both fronts, advocates say, is not only strategic but also a matter of principle. In court, the battle centers on a decades-old dispute over a rugged road that the YMCA had offered in 1982 as a public access way as a condition of approval for a recreation center. Advertisement Ranch owners successfully sued in 1982 to halt the YMCAs construction and obtained the property as the result of a settlement. Attorneys since have argued that the proposed access way should be canceled because the YMCA never had the authority to grant it to the state. In the deal last year, officials agreed to give up any claim to this public route. In return, the public was granted a roughly three-quarter-mile section of beach, accessible only by ocean via surfboard, paddleboard, kayak or soft-bottom boat. The beach is about two miles from Gaviota State Park beach. Landowners also agreed to expand the Hollister Ranch Managed Access Program. This includes inviting disabled veterans and other underserved groups on guided trips, and providing at least 24 opportunities a year for K-12 groups of at least 20 students to learn about tide pools and marine ecosystems. Advertisement These programs would have been funded by Coastal Conservancy money, according to the settlement terms. Critics said this was an insult to the original intent of public access and further hampered the states ability to fight for more access in the future. The public backlash over the deal was fierce. Hundreds of beachgoers emailed the state, worried that coastal officials were giving up the access fight at Hollister in favor of landowners. Officials in response had said that after so many years of dispute, the deal at least would have provided the first opening of any public access at the ranch. The route itself also involves walking through a drainage tunnel that can open into a steep and sudden drop, depending on the amount of sand. Making this trail safe for the general public, officials said, would be challenging and costly. Advertisement The public access by land, which coastal officials gave up under the settlement deal, would require people to walk through a drainage tunnel to get to the beach. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Read more: California beaches are supposed to be public. So why is the Hollister Ranch coast an exception? Jamee Jordan Patterson, deputy state attorney general representing the Coastal Commission and Coastal Conservancy, said that they did not drop the ball on fighting for access. Public access is their job. Theyre not pushovers, Patterson said in a packed courtroom last month. Do we want more access out there? Yes. ... Is this the right way to get it? My clients dont think so. There are other avenues that could be pursued. Advertisement Some at Hollister have also expressed their desire to end this specific court battle, acknowledging that other efforts are now underway to establish access to the ranchs coastline which they hope will balance environmental protection, property rights and public access. Dozens of owners and ranch supporters, in detailed emails and public testimonies, have pleaded their case to the commission. They point to the temporary access they already grant to scientists, academics, historical societies, environmental groups and schoolchildren, and question how someone unfamiliar with the rugged terrain could safely navigate the steep canyons, unpaved roads and high tides without cellphone service. Read more: Amid backlash, Coastal Commission asks state to explore all potential options to open Hollister Ranch to the public Public anger over the settlement pushed officials last year to dig through old records and uncover other ways to obtain access at the ranch. Their latest strategy now relies on updating a ranch-wide access program that the state had adopted in 1982 after a complicated legislative history which had faded from institutional memory. Advertisement The program includes a walking trail and bicycle lane that would run parallel to the ranchs main private road. To minimize the number of cars, a van would run from nearby Gaviota State Park to six Hollister beaches, where there would be picnic areas and bathrooms. (California Coastal Commission) The Coastal Commission, along with the Coastal Conservancy, the State Lands Commission and State Parks, is working quickly to update the plan. The publics demand for more access was a wake-up call, officials said. A state email account has been established to collect ideas and public input on what an access plan today should include, and a public workshop will take place in the coming months. Advertisement Another strategy in recent months appears to be blocking new development permits coming in from Hollister owners. The commission last year challenged a ranch owner seeking to build a new house, guesthouse and footbridge citing for the first time in decades that a condition of any permit, under the California Coastal Act, is providing public access in a timely manner. Another owners permit for a new swimming pool was appealed this month by commissioners on similar grounds. Weve advanced and broadened the conversation way beyond where we were a year ago, said Coastal Commissioner Mark Vargas, who has been pushing to open the ranch beyond the YMCA parcel and trail since the terms of the settlement were laid out to the public. The uproar has sparked a debate and awareness of a much larger issue, which is access to the entire Hollister Ranch coastline. Now we need to keep this momentum going, he said, and follow through on what needs to be done. Advertisement rosanna.xia@latimes.com Interested in coastal issues? Follow @RosannaXia on Twitter. The man authorities say was behind a series of attacks in which bleach was poured into California supermarket freezers in Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, West Los Angeles, West Hollywood and Sunnyvale has been arrested and charged with tampering with consumer products, the FBI and the U.S. attorneys office in Los Angeles said Monday. David Clare Lohr was taken into custody last week in Santa Clara by sheriffs deputies. He later was identified as the man seen on video entering South Bay supermarkets, taking bleach from store shelves and then pouring it into freezers, according to Paul Delacourt, the assistant director in charge of the FBIs Los Angeles field office. Lohr, 48, was charged in a federal criminal complaint in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles with tampering and attempting to tamper with consumer products. The FBI had been looking for Lohr until his arrest in Northern California, where officials say he was living as a transient. He is charged with similar attacks in Orange County and Arizona. Santa Clara County sheriffs deputies arrested Lohr in Sunnyvale after receiving a report about a man dumping a white powder and hydrogen peroxide on a public bus. That powder was later determined to be salt. Advertisement The deputies detained Lohr at a bus stop in Los Altos and then found the FBI warrant for him. They connected him to an earlier incident in which he is accused of pouring hydrogen peroxide on or near rotisserie chickens at a Sunnyvale supermarket. Lohr was seen on surveillance videos in December and January pouring bleach into supermarket refrigerators and freezers containing ice, alcoholic beverages and packaged frozen seafood in multiple cities in Southern California, the charges state. The attacks began in Manhattan Beach on Dec. 14, when Lohr reportedly grabbed a bottle of bleach off a supermarket shelf and poured it onto ice bags inside a freezer. According to an FBI special agents affidavit, customers on Dec. 16 in a Redondo Beach supermarket noticed an odor of bleach coming from ice bags in the freezer. One of the bags was being carried by a child when a store employee took the bag. The childs black shirt was discolored by the bleach. The staff member went to the freezer and immediately smelled the fumes, while another worker found a bottle of bleach in the aisle. A man resembling Lohr was captured on security video pouring the bleach at the Redondo Beach market owned by Kroger. A day later he allegedly struck again, targeting a Westwood supermarket with a similar bleach attack and damaging as many as 40 bags of ice. A month later, Lohr allegedly targeted a West Hollywood supermarket and poured bleach onto frozen shrimp packages. Prosecutors said Lohr carried out the attacks during regular supermarket hours. Lohr was arrested in October after a series of bleach attacks at six Target stores in the Phoenix area. No one was harmed in the incidents. After being released from custody, Lohr failed to show up to court and became a fugitive. To date, there have been no known reports of individuals sickened by Lohrs actions; however, further investigation has determined that Lohr has done this in a variety of stores, and the extent of his actions are currently under investigation, FBI officials said. Arrest records show Lohr has previously been arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor assault in Portland, Ore., in 2012 and had spent a month in a Florida jail three years earlier on suspicion of grand theft auto. Advertisement Lohr is being held in Santa Clara County. Anyone with additional information is asked to call the FBI at (800) 225-5324. richard.winton@latimes.com Twitter: @lacrimes Life inside Los Angeles Countys juvenile detention centers can be menacing for the hundreds of young people locked up there and for the guards who oversee them. Overwhelmed and fearful detention officers use profanity and taunts in an effort to maintain control. The detainees endure threats to their families and disrespect of their neighborhoods, and are often doused with pepper spray. Sometimes, the detainees say they are even denied basic human dignity forced to use trash cans and other containers instead of toilets and sinks. Its an environment that fuels conflict, according to insider accounts in a new county report. Advertisement There are children in these camps who have suffered traumas like many people who commit crimes do and the staff feels ill-equipped to handle it, said Saul Sarabia, a consultant hired by Los Angeles County who leads a committee studying better oversight of the system. Theres a lot of volatility. The situation was brought to light last week in a report by the countys Office of Inspector General that was prompted by a sharp rise in pepper-spray use against detainees. In addition to raising concerns about the practice, leading the countys Board of Supervisors to consider a ban on pepper spray, their review offered a rare glimpse into the nations largest juvenile probation operation. Juvenile detention facilities (Los Angeles Times) The report describes a system in which, despite the often best intentions of thousands of county employees and a $400 million annual budget, the jailed and the jailers alike sometimes struggle to follow the rules. And policymakers continue to grapple with longstanding attempts at reform. On an average day, the Probation Department oversees more than 7,000 juveniles involved in criminal cases. Most are supervised in at-home settings. But about 750 of them are held in county-run detention facilities. Those include juvenile halls the hardened jail-like facilities where detainees are sent to await trial and sentencing and camps, residential-style facilities geared toward rehabilitation where youths are held for up to six months post-adjudication. What happens at these halls and camps is largely unknown to outsiders because of laws protecting the privacy of the children in custody. Advertisement Internal reports about individual incidents involving the use-of-force by guards or violence between detainees generally arent made public under Californias open records laws, for example. Similarly, the disciplinary histories of detention officers, who are licensed peace officers, remain confidential in most cases. A state law mandating more transparency from law enforcement agencies went into effect Jan. 1, but police unions are seeking to block it. Still, the report presented to the Board of Supervisors last week offered some insight, describing dysfunction that complicates operations and calls into question the departments fulfillment of its mission to rehabilitate, not punish, juveniles, who get into trouble. Youth at two different facilities stated that staff told them that if they did not behave, they would join their dead homies. Office of Inspector General report Advertisement Some of the young detainees interviewed by investigators described incidents of frequent disrespect and verbal mistreatment by staff, behavior they said creates a tense environment fueling aggression. The report included descriptions of regular profanity, taunts and criticism by staff incidents that sometimes even escalated to threats, some of the people interviewed alleged. Youth at two different facilities stated that staff told them that if they did not behave, they would join their dead homies, according to the report. Juveniles also alleged significant concerns about a culture of staff retaliation in which they were sometimes denied access to church and other programs and were sometimes punished as a group for the acts of others. Advertisement The investigators heard stories about detainees being denied access to bathrooms for an extended period, either because their rooms didnt have them or because staff couldnt escort them. Some incidents reviewed involve clear misconduct, county investigators wrote. While some inappropriate conduct identified might be prevented through effective policy revision and training, the most problematic incidents are symptoms [of] larger systemic and cultural issues that require immediate and extensive analysis and reform. In testimony before the supervisors and an interview last week, Chief Probation Officer Terri McDonald defended her staff, saying they are committed to proper care of locked-up youth. Advertisement The vast majority of employees work really well with kids and care deeply about the kids, she said. People should be assured that were not going to tolerate any abuse of children, and were not going to tolerate what I call abusive indifference. That commitment is put to the test daily, though, in a system filled with an increasing number of juveniles who require mental-health services, gang intervention and substance-abuse treatment. The kids have profound needs, McDonald said. We have people who are really in crisis. At the same time, guards and staff at juvenile camps and halls report feeling outnumbered and overpowered by the young detainees and sometimes working in fear. Advertisement That reality, among other factors, has prompted an increased reliance on pepper spray, allowing guards to defuse violent situations without the kind of physical intervention that might cause injuries or disciplinary inquiries. County investigators found that detention staff use the spray too often, and sometimes in avoidable situations, instead of as a last resort as department policy dictates. The report describes incidents of guards shaking canisters to gain control in nonviolent situations and issuing blanket warnings about deploying it at the beginning of their shifts. Perhaps most troubling, the report found, were lapses in effective decontamination of the youths who had been sprayed, exacerbating the severe irritation to the skin and eyes that it causes. In one case, a detainee was captured on video washing his face in a toilet. Guards and staff told investigators that they feel unsupported by superiors. Many also believe they lack the training to deal with the mental-health needs or difficult behavioral challenges among the detainees. Advertisement Staff consistently identified a lack of effective policies and training that would prepare them to attempt to de-escalate tense situations, according to the report. Theyre also confused about the procedures in some cases. The countys report included an image of a slide used in training guards and staff on how to write reports on physical altercations. It asks: Did you really mean what you wrote? A training slide for Los Angeles County juvenile detention trainees encourages them to consider how they describe physical interactions with youths. (Los Angeles County, Office of Inspector General) The training suggests avoiding specific words, such as tackled or dragged, which can lead to trouble and unintentionally evoke suspicion. That could have the effect of motivating false reporting, the county report suggests. Advertisement These revelations are the latest controversy for the Probation Department, which has for years been forced to comply with a monitoring agreement with the U.S. Justice Department related to excessive pepper-spray use. In recent years, the Board of Supervisors has sought to implement lasting reforms, commissioning a comprehensive report and changing policy, including new juvenile facilities with a softer approach focusing on programming and rehabilitation. A committee created last summer, the Probation Reform and Implementation Team, aims to synthesize past recommendations into a comprehensive action plan and form a new oversight body, similar to the one now involved in setting policy at the Sheriffs Department. Such reforms could include better training in de-escalation tactics, an improved camera system in halls and camps to ensure accountability, and more resources for mental-health needs. Advertisement The beginning is for the staff to come with a different understanding, said Phal Sok, a former juvenile detainee and now an organizer with Youth Justice Coalition, a local group that works to reduce incarceration. He suggested the department include more mental-health staffers and teachers rather than employees trained in law enforcement. Bring in a different pool of people who come with a different attitude. Another change on the horizon for the department is a new use-of-force policy, which could set new guidelines for guards in navigating confrontations with juvenile detainees. The countys probation reform team is ultimately expected to recommend a structure for the oversight panel and a report charting a strategy to tackle the departments challenges in phases this year. Advertisement As the reform effort continues, the supervisors plan to discuss this month whether to phase out pepper spray in juvenile facilities altogether an idea that is likely to involve negotiating with labor unions representing detention staff and additional training on how to maintain order before it becomes a reality. Still, some advocates are skeptical about the prospects for change. It will take a big culture shift to reduce these instances, Dominique Nong, a senior policy associate at the Childrens Defense Fund of California. The hard part is this thinking that fights and things that require the use of force are inevitable. For her fall and winter 2019 collection, Tory Burch found inspiration in Black Mountain College, an experimental and influential college that opened in rural North Carolina in 1933, shuttered in 1957 and counted among its faculty and students Robert Rauschenberg, Cy Twombley, Buckminster Fuller, Merce Cunningham and John Cage. (L.A.-area museum-goers might be familiar with the legendary school and its impressive list of faculty and students from the 2016 exhibition Leap Before You Look at the UCLA Hammer Museum.) For the record: This post misspells the name of artist Cy Twombly. It was so interesting, Burch told The Times backstage before the Sunday show here, because it was founded in 1933 and what I found amazing for back then was the inclusivity. It was so progressive and I love that the professors came from [the] Bauhaus [school] in Germany. It was extraordinary when you think about the fact that it was in North Carolina the Deep South and that it informed the trajectory of modern art in America. Looks from the fall and winter 20198 Tory Burch runway collection. (Slaven Vlasic / Getty Images for Tory Burch (left and right), Angela Weiss AFP / Getty Images (center)) Advertisement The former art history major who often turns to the field for inspiration (her pre-fall collection was inspired by Georgia OKeeffe) said the inspirational starting point was less about the specific artists affiliated with the school and more about their interaction and collaboration. Thats [the reason behind] the manipulation of fabrics, Burch explained, the knife pleats and the ruffles but then also a little bit of a sportier vibe. The result was a collection heavy on the mixing and matching and slicing and dicing of Tory Burch classics; florals, bold stripes and paisleys cavorted in the same garment or layered one over another. Herringbones and checks lived peacefully side by side. Solid, structured coats with chunky metal hardware and crisp blazers played off billowy trousers (wide-legged and particularly flared pant leg is having a serious runway moment this week). A detail photo from the February 10, 2019, runway show at Pier 17. (Angela Weiss / AFP/Getty Images) The juxtaposition of disparate elements was underscored even further by a collage print that melded archival photos with whimsical illustrations. It was also reflected in the footwear sneakers married to platforms, loafers that combined velvet with leather and finished off with brass hardware and knee-high leather boots with patchwork stripe patterns. The collection felt like a departure from recent seasons but, at the same time, served up the Tory Burch DNA by way of references to archival prints and patterns a little of the familiar combined with a little of the new, different and unknown. With a little art history thrown in for good measure. Whats not to like? adam.tschorn@latimes.com Advertisement For more musings on all things fashion and style, follow me at @ARTschorn Modern red-carpet watchers can almost play a drinking game to the tropes often displayed during each awards season, year after year (outlandish meat or safety pin or credit card dresses or an overt political statement check). And thats why the Grammy Awards typically provide a sartorial reprieve from the monotony, giving observers the opportunity to witness the ahead-of-the-curve creativity and unflinching spirit that can only be served by a musician. Although the style Sunday felt slightly safer than years past (with a few notable exceptions Cardi B), it also kind of worked as a somewhat inoffensive safe haven set against the worlds current mood. And, in a contrast to last years #MeToo launch setting a more somber sartorial tone, this Grammys red carpet showed off a new brand of sophisticated, flaunting-it femininity that felt perfectly right on time. There was trusty and comforting nostalgia that ran deep in a variety of ways from the smooth, sherbet-hued blazers worn by a yacht-rock-ready Weezer (which nearly matched the album art on its new collection of mostly 80s covers); the circa-1990 Pretty Woman-appropriate clavicle-skimming diamond necklaces seen on host Alicia Keys, Ella Mai, Dua Lipa (in Bulgari) and Lady Gaga (in Tiffany & Co.); and the profusion of sequins, strong shoulders and ruffles that remind of (or, perhaps, celebrate) the Reagan eras end. From left: Dua Lipa, Cardi B and Lady Gaga. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Advertisement Grammys 2019 red carpet: Showstopping looks and jaw-dropping attires Festive beading and sequins, which were spotted on Camila Cabello (in custom magenta Armani Prive), again on Lady Gaga (in custom Celine) and Lipa, with tones ranging from something that could have fit into Casinos costume department to a modern update on a mother-of-the-bride ensemble at a black-tie hotel ballroom wedding. However, the biggest moment of the night belonged to Michelle Obama, who helped open the show in a custom unstructured Sachin & Babi sequin suit. Standing next to Keys, Jada Pinkett Smith, J.Lo and Gaga, the former first lady and bestselling author talked about the commonality of music before Keys, in her second outfit which included a Pucci headscarf seemed awestruck of her assembled girl group. (Who runs the world? Keys asked, referring to the iconic Beyonce lyric.) Instead of last years more demure and conservative showing of suits and slightly less-structured frocks, this season brought sexy back in a way that felt powerful, strong, modern and in step with the times. Not every look served a plunging V or an up-to-there side slit though there was no shortage of either, with Tori Kelly opting for a black Paule Ka gown that put her left leg on par with Angelina Jolies right one. Janelle Monae stayed true to her brand of style with a sculptural Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture dress that showed skin but with two razor-sharp shoulders rising like talons. From left: Miley Cyrus, Margo Price and Janelle Monae (Los Angeles Times (left and right); AP (center)) Country music darling Margo Price, who has come under fire within her fan base for her left-leaning viewpoints, walked the carpet pregnant. She, too, proudly displayed her gams while wearing a romantic red gown by Los Angeles-based designer Kimberly Parker. Sexy came out in ways other than skin with Miley Cyrus providing the first exciting update to the femme tuxedo in ages with a satin-paneled Mugler pre-fall 19 piece that created a strong and sexy silhouette through an unlikely combo an oversize jacket and cropped flared trousers. Most of the women of country opted for soft, sophisticated ensembles that felt very Old Hollywood especially Kacey Musgraves in a blush and red tulle Valentino couture confection. Her look felt about as far away from the stereotypes of Nashville as could be. Advertisement There was a sea of strong red dresses from Keys; Bebe Rexha, who made headlines after posting a video saying that no one would dress her size 8 figure for the event (she ended up in Monsoori); and tribute recipient Dolly Parton. But an unlikely color story emerged pink. From left: Kylie Jenner, Bebe Rexha and Katy Perry (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) This light pink felt interesting in this time of gender fluidity. This pink also felt strong with Kylie Jenners futuristic Balmain suit; Katy Perrys couture metallic bubble skirt number also by the French house; and the evenings theatrical piece de resistance Cardi B emerging from a pink and black 1995-era Mugler shell a la Venus. The thematic takeaway? Were in such a fun time of everyone accepting and appreciating each other for what they are and who they are, said stylist M.E. Clark, who, along with her styling partner Ryann Redman, dressed Margo Price for the evening. People are wearing things that they want. That empowerment is comfort in itself. Advertisement image@latimes.com For fashion news, follow us at @latimesimage on Twitter. What is Trumpism? asked Jerrod Carmichael, executive producer of the upcoming Hulu comedy Ramy. The question arose when Carmichael faced a question at the Television Critics Assn. presentations about whether the new show created by Muslim comic Ramy Youssef would reckon with the president. He went on to say he genuinely wanted to know and had never heard the term before. While the Trump administrations 2017 Muslim ban on travel to the U.S. remains an elephant in the room for a series that centers on Youssef as a young comic navigating New York City as a first-generation Muslim immigrant, Ramy is determined to not be defined by that. Im not negating the reality of it . . . you can assume already that [the characters] talk about it. What we want to do is show you the things you couldnt assume about our family, Youssef said. Were not defined by the shadow of Trump and I do not want to be, so thats really our approach. Advertisement In a trailer shared before the shows panel at TCA, Ramy shows Youssef questioning and not always living up to the ideals of his religion, and he finds himself at odds with his family as a result. That conflict is what first forged a friendship between Carmichael and Youssef, who came together not as fellow comics but as two people of faith in Hollywood. Ramy cares about what his parents think, Carmichael said, explaining one of the core conflicts on the show that stems from personal experience. I personally dont [care] about what my parents think about anything I make, and thats fun. Its fun to not care and put out the things you want to put out without any fear. As Youssef started to explain himself further, Carmichael grinned and added, Hulu doesnt want your mom to write a script. Youssefs conflicted feelings about his faith serve as a key element of the show, but he clarified that Ramy is not a guide for how to be devout. This is someone struggling and not being a good Muslim, he said. It was almost called Bad Muslim if it wasnt for the Bad Santa movies. Ramy battles with that a lot. Hell call me about certain things on the show [that] clash with the faith, Carmichael said. Ill tell him, you love God, but God wants you to get this money. But the line I would never cross because theres enough people doing it we never attack the religion, Youssef added. We just question our own intentions within the religion and the culture. chris.barton@latimes.com Follow me over here @chrisbarton. BRUSSELS, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Belgium on Sunday dismissed recent local media report about alleged Chinese espionage in Brussels as an outright fabrication. Responding to the news report by some local media alleging that "there are about 250 Chinese spies active in Brussels," a spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Belgium said the report "is an outright fabrication without any evidence." "China and Belgium now enjoy a steadily growing relationship and fruitful cooperation across all fields. China is committed to developing sound relations and cooperation with Belgium and all other countries on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefits," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Some specific irresponsible remarks aimed to maliciously discredit China, mislead and deceive the public, impair and disrupt China's relations with Belgium and Europe will never succeed," said the spokesperson. The limited series Miracle Workers, which begins Tuesday on TBS, adapts creator Simon Richs 2012 comic novel of Heaven and Earth (but mostly Heaven), What in Gods Name? Rich, whose short story collection The Last Girlfriend on Earth was the basis of the surreal FXX rom-com Man Seeking Woman, was also a famously young staff writer on Saturday Night Live, president of the Harvard Lampoon and one of Forbes 30 under 30" in 2013 and 2014. What in Gods Name? was well-reviewed as a novel everywhere you would want a novel to be well-reviewed. Yet its television translation though it comes with Lorne Michaels attached as an executive producer and stars Steve Buscemi as God and Daniel Radcliffe as a low-level angel is lightweight and fluffy, energetic, easy to watch and even like, but as ephemeral as a soap bubble and perhaps less meaningful. A workplace and romantic comedy whose potential outcome is the annihilation of humankind, it regularly clouds over with death and destruction, but only for a laugh. It is not really a satire, any more than Alf was, or The Beverly Hillbillies, though at times it seems about to become one. There is no particular consistency or depth to its picture of Heaven or Heaven, Inc. as a giant factory in which the formerly living labor into eternity maintaining the world they have left. Advertisement It is more a matter of cute ideas, albeit sometimes grim ones, strung together with a love-in-a-race-against-time plot whose strategies and payoffs are largely conventional and predictable. That is not necessarily a criticism. People do enjoy this sort of thing. As a staff writer at Pixar, Rich contributed to the popular animated feature Inside Out, in which people are operated, like machinery, by their emotions; there is a little of that in Miracle Workers. Steve Buscemi, as God, holds a model of the world he made in the TBS comedy Miracle Workers. (Curtis Baker) REVIEW: Never mind the joke title, PEN15' may be the years best new show Heaven, Inc. is not a place of pearly gates and pillowy clouds, but something more corporate, industrial and bureaucratic. There is a Department of Animals (and a joke about species going extinct because of budget cuts); a Department of Volcano Safety, where a needle on a gauge goes to Erupting while workers drink coffee and check their cellphones); one for Body Odor, another for Genitals, and so on. Eliza (Geraldine Viswanathan) is looking for a transfer out of the Department of Dirt, pitching her case to an angelic resources person played by Angela Kinsey, from The Office, a series that has a thing or two in common with this one. It has been a really rewarding experience, making millions of tiny dirt clumps, and wetting them, drying them, watching blow away, says Eliza. But I think I might be ready for a little more responsibility. The plot takes her down to the basement, to the Department of Answered Prayers practically speaking, the name is ironic where Craig (Radcliffe), labors alone in the dark helping people find their keys by nudging aside thousands of snowflakes, and other such minor miracles, at the rate of a few a day, as countless other prayers go unanswered. Most are branded impossible and sent routinely upstairs to God (Buscemi, in a long gray wig, in a style favored by reclusive penthouse-dwelling billionaires), where they fill his inbox, ignored. Not by authorial accident, Craig and God are both lonely figures, though Craig is still grateful for small victories and God, an unfocused nincompoop who never gets out of sweatpants and drinks a lot of beer, is tired of everything but His idea for a restaurant combining the concepts of a Lazy Susan the most complicated technology He is capable of operating, and therefore one of which He is inordinately fond and a lazy river. Though He made the world and can destroy it, He is almost completely dependent on his assistants Sanjay (Karan Soni), who is desperately accommodating, and Rosie (Lolly Adefope), who is the opposite of that. Advertisement REVIEW: Russian Doll, a beautiful puzzle of a series so good youll watch it twice Plot happens. God decides to end the Earth and Eliza manages to stall him with a bet: If she and Craig can answer a supposedly impossible prayer, He will spare the Earth. (If she loses, the Earth goes, and she has to eat a worm, in front of everyone, and you have to act like you like it.) The challenge: to engineer a kiss between two very shy people, Laura (Sasha Compere) and Sam (Jon Bass). Craig, again not by authorial accident, is also shy, and timid, and falling in love with Eliza will his natural restraint prove as valuable to their project as her impulsiveness? At seven episodes, it doesnt require a great investment of time, reckoned either as the three or so hours it takes to watch in a lump sum or as the couple of months over which its weekly airings will be spread. Even when it isnt particularly funny, or when the humor is unpleasant, it is generally cheerful and always nicely acted. Buscemi as a slacker God is almost typecasting; Radcliffe, whom I think of (in a good way) as the British Elijah Wood, long ago left Harry Potter buried on the grounds of Hogwarts, playing off-kilter roles in oddball projects. Cameos by Tituss Burgess, Tim Meadows and the omnipresent Chris Parnell reward sticking around, and you may well watch to the end just to see how it all works out and how you were probably right about it all from the beginning. Miracle Workers Advertisement Where: TBS When: 10:30 p.m. Tuesdays Rating: TV-14-DLV (may be unsuitable for children under the age of 14 with advisories for suggestive dialogue, coarse language and violence) robert.lloyd@latimes.com Advertisement Follow Robert Lloyd on Twitter @LATimesTVLloyd Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, and his collaborators took home Grammys for song of the year, record of the year and music video for This Is America, a sing-songy rap tune that now boasts over 480 million views on YouTube. Long before Sundays wins, the project was one of the most heavily debated music videos in 2018 due to the images shown and messages presented about violence in America and the conditioned response to that violence. The video, as much as the song, was the spark for much of that conversation. Directed by Hiro Murai, the video depicts large numbers of kids dancing with Glover as violence plays out in the background. The moves, explained by choreographer Sherrie Silver, were meant to be joyful movements a stark contrast to the images presented. The imagery was a product of Glovers imagination, but she infused his vision with dances based on her African choreography. With names like the gwara gwara and the nezza, the moves quickly became popular enough that the choreographer launched two videos meant to introduce them to the world and plans to launch a U.S. dance tour in the near future. Advertisement Its just one small part of Silvers mission to take African dance to world, she told The Times last year in the middle of a busy travel schedule. But that tour may just be the beginning. Silver says shes seen her popularity grow exponentially in the wake of the video premiere for This Is America. She was the subject of a Vogue dance profile and numerous commercials. She was also named 2018s choreographer of the year at the MTV Video Music Awards. Below, Silver talks with The Times about how she first met Glover, their collaborative process, how she came up with the names for some of the videos key dance moves, and more. 2019 Grammys: FULL COVERAGE How did you join up with Donald Glover, or how did he find you? One of his management team members, or a niece of one, saw one of my videos or a few of my videos, and was a fan of them. She showed them to her uncle and he loved it. Then he showed them to Donald and Donald was like Yeah! Whats the collaborative process with Donald Glover? And how did you come up with dances to convey the videos concept? It was very collaborative because Donald knows exactly what he wants and was very much in charge. Hed offer one particular move, and then the rest was for me to build around it. Hed come up with suggestions, was very easy to teach and eager to learn. Honestly, it was amazing to work with him because a lot of artists dont push themselves to get better moves, but I can tell you, he got it very quickly -- and he rehearsed hard. Director Hiro Murai, center, holds the Grammy for best music video for This Is America backstage at the Grammys. Neither choreographer Sherrie Silver nor artist Donald Glover attended the Grammys. (Taylor Arthur / Los Angeles Times) Advertisement Donald Glover wins song of the year but skips Grammys and does Google ad instead How much of Donalds dancing was freestyled? There was a lot of freestyle, because Donalds an actor, you know? I dont think this video was purely about music. It took a lot of acting. Sometimes I just call it a movie because there was so much going on -- just felt like I was watching a movie. Where are the kids/dancers from? All the kids just came from casting, so they all auditioned and I went to their second audition and taught them some stuff to see who can get into that groove. Its not just about picking dancers that can dance, its also about picking dancers that can express the message that I was trying to put out. For the Saturday Night Live performance, two of them I had basically brought myself from previous things. You cant just have any dancers do these. In YouTube videos of yours, it seems like kids are drawn to you in your native Rwanda. Yes. We hold big parties, and the government lets us shut down the streets. Despite what may be going on, there is so much dancing and fun and laughter there. Advertisement Grammys make strides with hip-hop representation but is it too late? You just dropped a couple of videos showing off some of the moves in the music video, including some interesting dance names. Yeah. The first that just dropped is just kind of move-based, then the second [is] the choreography. Yeah, [the dances] have names. Theres the gwara gwara. Another is the nezza. And theres American dances like the shoot. Theres the shaku shaku from Nigeria. Theres the shocky. I didnt just want to put dances from one nationality in there so I picked from around the continent to represent Africa. Advertisement You had to choreograph in the midst of violence going on around you (on-screen). For example, you choreographed the choir as they fell from Glovers mock gunfire. How was the mood on set? The choir members were great. They were funny people and there was a lot of laughing. It wasnt as sad as people may have thought it was. It wasnt depressing choreographing that. Its acting. Im an actor, they are actors. Have you ever had this much of a reaction to something youve done? Not this much. This one is a lot. People trying to decode and all of that. Trying to explain the dances, which is great -- it means were doing something right. jevon.phillips@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter: @Storiz Jennifer Lopezs tribute to Motown at the 61st Grammy Awards has not gone over too well. Viewers at least those airing their grievances on social media seem puzzled that out of all of the musicians (theoretically) available, the organizers of the telecast chose J. Lo to pay tribute to the iconic record label. The online criticism during the telecast echoed that raised when Lopezs involvement in the tribute was first revealed. Some viewers took offense that Lopez was known more for her skills as a dancer than for her music (even though Lopez has released eight studio albums between 1999 and 2014). Advertisement GRAMMYS 2019: Full Coverage Others thought a tribute to Motowns legacy would have been more appropriate from a black performer. Motowns own Smokey Robinson joined Grammy host Alicia Keys to introduce the performance, before joining in for a portion of the medley Lopez led. Robinson addressed critics prior to the event by pointing out that Motown was music for everybody. Some reactions to the tribute below. Anyone else confused why J.Lo is doing a Motown tribute or nah? #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/hWrAbGKAwZ MadameNoire (@MadameNoire) February 11, 2019 I still don't understand why J-Lo is paying tribute to Motown. #Grammys pic.twitter.com/Ejb6YGssXC Britni Danielle (@BritniDWrites) February 11, 2019 Bruh. Nothing about that performance screamed Motown. WHO HIRED HER????? #Grammys pic.twitter.com/iFMLyQQsXG Christina Watkins (@CWatkinsWDSU) February 11, 2019 Advertisement I LOVE Motown's music. Being from Detroit I literally grew up on it. I just don't understand this J.Lo choice #GRAMMYs Mariel Turner (@mariel_turner) February 11, 2019 Message of 2019: If J.Lo can do a Motown tribute, dont let ANYONE tell you that you cant do anything. #Grammys pic.twitter.com/sYGbyOTFmx Dr. Jon Paul (@DoctorJonPaul) February 11, 2019 Ill never understand why they didnt choose someone Black for a MOTOWN tribute. #Grammys pic.twitter.com/MmiGvIZRam philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 11, 2019 Advertisement Can you imagine Fantasia doing this Motown tribute? While thing would have been CHURCH. #Grammys Britni Danielle (@BritniDWrites) February 11, 2019 Motown, but in like Panama Kazeem Famuyide (@RealLifeKaz) February 11, 2019 tracy.brown@latimes.com Twitter: @tracycbrown Michelle Obama kicked off the 2019 Grammy Awards with a bang. The former first lady made a surprise appearance on the telecast, appearing alongside Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith and Jennifer Lopez during host Alicia Keys opening remarks. Obama barely got three words into her speech celebrating the power of music before the audience erupted into an applause, greeting her with a standing ovation. GRAMMYS 2019: Full Coverage Advertisement From the Motown records I wore out on the southside to the Who Run the World songs that fueled me through the last decade, music has always helped me tell my story, and I know thats true for everybody here, said Obama once the audience calmed down. Whether we like country or rap or rock, music helps us share ourselves: Our dignity and sorrows, our hopes and joys. It allows us to hear one another, to invite each other in, she continued. Music shows us that all of us matters. Every story within every voice, every note within every song. Is that right, ladies? Lady Gaga, left, Jada Pinkett Smith, Alicia Keys, Michelle Obama and Jennifer Lopez at the 61st Grammy Awards (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Viewers on social media also cheered Obamas appearance. See some reactions below. Michelle Obama better take home a Grammy. #GRAMMYs amber ruffin (@ambermruffin) February 11, 2019 There are world famous pop stars in the audience hyperventilating over Michelle Obama. That really says it all.#GRAMMYs Charlotte Clymer (@cmclymer) February 11, 2019 Okay. Michelle Obama spoke and I legit teared up. Obama was not perfect but the Obama era feels so far away. #GRAMMYs Jenny Yang stands w the WGA (@jennyyangtv) February 11, 2019 Advertisement When Michelle Obama walks on to the #Grammys stage... pic.twitter.com/syuoNlv8qJ Brittany Bailey (@BrittBaileyTV) February 11, 2019 tracy.brown@latimes.com Twitter: @tracycbrown During one of the Grammy Awards earliest performances of the night, rapper Post Malone took the stage to perform his hit Rockstar, a song that was also nominated for the coveted record of the year award for rap/sung performance. But notably absent was the songs co-star, rapper 21 Savage. Instead of taking the stage to perform or being recognized for his two Grammy nominations, Savage is currently being held in a detention facility in Georgia. He was arrested last week for allegedly overstaying a visa that expired in July 2006. Born Sheyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, the 26-year-old rapper faces possible deportation. Savage has lived in the U.S. since he was about 12 but according to ICE officials, he is a UK citizen. Although this years ceremony has been lauded for recognizing work by women and artists of color and using the Grammys as a platform to discuss issues in the industry, the music community was largely silent about Savage during the ceremony. Advertisement However one organization, the #Free21Savage Coalition, hoped to bring awareness to the rappers situation and the plight of black undocumented immigrants in the U.S. on musics biggest night. As the Grammy Awards are underway in Los Angeles, 21 Savage is still being held in an immigration detention center. Kacey Musgraves, Ashanti, CeeLo Green, Margo Price and more speak out to support him. FULL COVERAGE: 2019 Grammy Awards news and features Before the telecast began, about 15 demonstrators from the coalition gathered outside the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live as those in formal wear filed into the Staples Center. Standing in a line, they held large letters that spelled out Free 21 Savage. This is a huge accomplishment for a black musician and instead he is in detention, Black Lives Matter movement co-founder Patrisse Cullors told The Times. According to Nana Gyamfi, executive director of the Black Alliance for Just Immigration, there are more than 600,000 black and undocumented people living in the U.S. Many feel that the unique experiences of black immigrants are not included in larger conversations around immigration. while some are walking the grammys red carpet, another small group is protesting in front of the grammy museum on behalf of 21 savage. #free21savage pic.twitter.com/V8iiGsA70m makeda easter (@makedaeaster) February 10, 2019 This is a situation of 21 Savage ... that really speaks to exactly what is happening with black immigrants in this country, Gyamfi said. Advertisement The organization plans to continue raising awareness after the Grammys. Shortly after the rappers arrest, Black Lives Matter drafted a #Free21Savage petition to stop his deportation, which currently has more than 400,000 signatures. makeda.easter@latimes.com @makedaeaster Fresh on the heels of her Grammy win for new artist, British artist Dua Lipa had choice words for Recording Academy president Neil Portnow, who suggested last year that female artists need to step up in order to deserve nominations. Women in their hearts and souls, who want to be musicians, who want to be engineers, producers and want to be part of the industry on an executive level, they need to step up because I think theyd be welcome, he told Variety last January immediately following the 2018 Grammy Awards. Portnow quickly came under fire for the remarks and expressed his regret days later. More than a year later, Lipa took direct aim at Portnows comments during her acceptance speech on Sunday. After saying she was honored to be nominated alongside so many incredible female artists this year, Lipa added, I guess this year we really stepped up. 2019 Grammys: See the full list of winners Advertisement Backstage in the press room she expounded on her comment. Being in the new artist category and having so many female artists nominated is a big change, she said. And its the change that we hope to see for many years to come. Its a big difference from the previous years, and I feel so grateful to have been a part of the nominations when they came out and to see so many women on it. This year, 15 women were nominated in the four major categories a sharp rise from six the year prior. Portnow took the stage shortly after Lipas speech to thank the artists who performed, including some of the most thrilling new and legendary female voices of our times. To me, that only feels right because this past year Ive been reminded that if coming face to face with an issue opens your eyes wide enough, it makes you more committed than ever to help address those issues, he continued in his final Grammys address as president of the Recording Academy. FULL COVERAGE: 2019 Grammys Backstage, Dua Lipa also commented briefly on rapper 21 Savages absence from the awards following an ICE arrest last Sunday. I think its quite upsetting given that he hasnt actually done anything and hes also given so much to American culture even being a Brit, she said. Advertisement sonaiya.kelley@latimes.com follow me on twitter @sonaiyak After 39 years in the industry, Willem Dafoe has probably seen it all. But when asked how he ended up playing Vincent van Gogh in his old friend Julian Schnabels quasi-experimental At Eternitys Gate, for which he recently received his first lead actor Oscar nomination (after three previous supporting nods), Dafoe noted it was, Not your usual industry offering. First came informal conversations, then a request from Schnabel for Dafoe to pore over some of Van Goghs letters, then the painter-turned-director invited Dafoe, a founding member of the anything-goes theater ensemble the Wooster Group, to his home for his version of a screen test. He put a lousy, cheap fake beard on me and shot some pictures just to imagine how Id look, says Dafoe, 63. Then came fine arts boot camp, where Schnabel taught Dafoe about the world of oil paints, brushes and easels. When the film was released in September, critics hailed Dafoes immersive portrayal of the Dutch impressionist painters final days in the south of France as one of his finest performances since playing Jesus in Martin Scorseses The Last Temptation of Christ. Recently, Dafoe spoke with The Envelope by phone to talk about painting, awards and the grab-bag quality of his career. Willem Dafoe as Vincent Van Gogh in Julian Schnabels At Eternitys Gate. (Lily Gavin/Elevation Pictures) Advertisement Theres been a slew of other Van Gogh films and documentaries. What appealed to you about this one? I feel like Julian really broke the back of the traditional biopic as well as the cliche of Van Gogh as this deranged, misunderstood, closed person. The truth is that in his letters and paintings, there was evidence that he wanted to connect. He was probably happiest when he was painting and alone in nature, but he did want to share his vision with people. In beating back that cliche, it attacks the bourgeois notion about what makes people happy in life. While he had lots of challenges, you can also imagine that he was a very awake, very turned-on person. He was so productive and his paintings are evidence of that. You can feel the strength of all those paintings; thats why they endured not just because an art critic decided that he did something special. They really have a magic. What was it like to shoot in Arles, Bouches-du-Rhone and Auvers-sur-Oise, places familiar to Van Gogh? Fantastic, moving. Sometimes you could even recognize the landscapes from his work. The truth is that land management in that part of Provence is such that some of those fields and the contours havent changed that much. The landscape isnt dotted with McDonalds. Its preserved in a way that its easy to imagine that youre looking at what he was looking at. So that really becomes a connection. You can feel the presence of him in that landscape. Share some of Schnabels key lessons when it came to a painters relationship to art. He was a freak about how I held the brushes in my hand, how to hold multiple brushes. How I arranged my palette, how I touched the brush to the canvas. Once I started painting and organized materials, had the proper look and physical technique, then he started talking to me about ways of seeing. Id look at a cypress tree, and Id rush to make a good likeness. Hed say, No, no. Its not just deconstruction. Look at the way the light hits it. Paint what youre seeing, not what you think it is. I was so actively painting and looking at trees and landscapes and line and color in a different way that it was all really a swirl for me. Vincent often rapturously communes with nature. Were those scenes scripted or improvised? [laughs] It wasnt like, Willem, go clomping off into the field. It was, Find something beautiful that you want to paint. Now set up your paints. Now paint. There lots of structure, but we also invented things. Julian doesnt do a lot of [camera] coverage, and hes very decisive, so wed often finish very early and take the rest of the day to walk around, sometimes with cameras, sometimes not. How did you hear about your Oscar nomination? Im a little embarrassed to say that I really wanted it to happen. Im working on Togo, a film for Disney in Nordegg, a remote place in Alberta, Canada. So I woke up early, went to my little computer and in the darkness of my modest motel room, I found out. It was surreal. This movie was a great experience for me, and Im so happy because [the nomination] raises its profile. Willem Dafoe as Vulko in Aquaman. (Jasin Boland / DC Comics) In the same year, you appeared as Van Gogh in a small drama as well as Vulko, advisor to King Orm in DCs highest-grossing film ever, Aquaman. Is this all part of a grand plan or do you just love saying yes? When you say that, thats music to my ears. Not because I have an ambition to show off that I can do all these things but that Im not trapped or tired, that Im still open to the challenges specific to each movie. Im not interested in accumulating these experiences so I can walk around with a charm bracelet of achievements. Im interested in surprising myself and surprising people. After years of working, its fresh each time. I dont always have that classic beginners flexibility, but thats what Im interested in cultivating. Dick Cheney may be one of the most unpopular political figures in recent American history a CBS News/New York Times poll had him leaving office in 2009 with a staggeringly low 13% approval rating but the current movie about his life has been an awards-season darling. The honors for Vice have included Golden Globes and Critics Choice wins for Christian Bale, nearly unrecognizable as the secretive vice president. Last month, the film received eight Oscar nominations, including three for writer-director-producer Adam McKay, and an editing nod for Hank Corwin. Last week, McKay and Corwin sat down with the Los Angeles Times Glenn Whipp for a Q&A at an Envelope Live screening at the Montalban in Hollywood, to discuss exploring such a shadowy figure. Ultimately, I think its a movie about addiction. Its a love story wrapped in addiction to power, McKay said. We did a lot of research and we read a lot of interviews and had our own journalists go around I could find no operating ideology. It shifted constantly I think this addiction to power cracks open really animalistic, dark, dark stuff. Advertisement GENRE BENDING McKay talks about the movie being considered a comedy and how its the ludicrous situations within something very serious that causes laughter. The film explores some disturbing chapters of recent American history, yet generates laughs in part because of its deadpan reading of their inherent absurdity. The film was nominated as a comedy by the Golden Globes. We took out the laugh track at the last second, McKay cracked. The example I gave them was like, If you were on the Titanic, and the ship was about to sink, and you had just heard for three or four months how its the most unsinkable ship ever built, do you laugh or cry? I told the Hollywood Foreign Press [Assn.], Id laugh. Id just go, This is crazy, this is happening. He went on to recall President Trump visiting Butte County in California after the devastating Camp fire that killed 86 and burned 153,000 acres: And he says, We need to rake the forest more. We need to rake them more. And I said, This is the craziest I have ever seen in my entire life. Is that funny or is it horrifying? and I honestly cant answer it. So, sure. Comedys great. STORY ALWAYS WINS McKay and Corwin reveal there was an entire musical number cut from the film. Advertisement Corwin revealed they had shot a wonderful musical number; it was surreal, it was fun. You had [Steve Carell as Donald Rumsfeld] and Bale walking through a congressional cafeteria and the place just breaks out into song and dance. You had Brittany Howard from the Alabama Shakes singing. You had the choreographer from Hamilton [Andy Blankenbuehler] It was great, by itself. It was great, said McKay, but it didnt work Despite all the amazing footage we shot, the scene where Rumsfeld told him about the bombing of Cambodia did what that scene was supposed to do, but better. You could really taste the power in your mouth. TEST SCREENING ENERGY McKay and Corwin talk about how they handle test screenings and what they take away from them. Advertisement The filmmakers said there was an early cut of the film that they liked that came in at 2 hours, 40 minutes, but they felt test audiences energy waning while watching it. Corwin said, In a test screening, you dont need to see the scores, you just need to experience the film the way an audience is experiencing it. Adam is remarkable in that he can see it through other peoples eyes. McKay clarified that he didnt intend to chase every peak and valley in an audiences response. But they wanted to find that compromise between the sweep of what we were trying to tell and the energy of the viewing experience. Because we werent making this movie to be some obscure experience for the audience; we wanted people to see this movie and respond to it. THE ENDING Advertisement McKay and Corwin talk about the ending and how Bale played a big part of crafting that scene. The films ending features a glimpse into how McKay and Bale saw who Cheney really is, what he really believes. It sprung from an actual interview Cheney did with ABCs Martha Raddatz, in which he infamously responded to her comment that public opinion had turned against the Iraq war with a dismissive So? The way Christian approaches any character is that he becomes that character, said McKay, and he really felt like Cheney needed to have his say. What would he say in that moment? So McKay wrote something and Bale, based on his research, came up with something as well, that represented what Cheney might have said if he had elaborated on that So? Bale delivered the combined material in direct address to camera. Advertisement The second he did it, I was like, That is terrifying. Christian goes, Then Ive failed. I wanted to make him sympathetic. I said, Im just telling you my reaction. That felt like the Gorgon turned to me and looked at me. But it was never meant to be at the end of the movie I didnt see that until our friend here, Hank Corwin, decided to end the movie with it. YOUNG DICK AND LYNNE McKay talks about cutting the back story of Dick and Lynne Cheneys teen years from the film. Advertisement McKay says Cheneys story mirrors the progression of America. Hes a normal kid from a town in Wyoming who just wants to make the girl he loves proud. That moment when he calls her when hes in the White House and says, Youll never guess where Im calling from weve all had moments like that in our lives. But somehow in the arc of America, that kind of local boy makes good, makes his wife proud kind of thing became something much darker. Became a quest for power and control, a desire to cover up the parts of ourselves we dont want the world to see, and led us to this place of borderline madness that were in right now. Vice director Adam McKay talks about cutting the story of Dick and Lynne Cheneys teen years from the film. For more information on future Envelope Live screenings and events, click here. Advertisement FULL COVERAGE: Get the latest on awards season from The Envelope Pop the champagne. After a series of price cuts, Pawn Stars celebrity Chumlee has sold his Las Vegas party pad for $1.375 million. Its found about five miles off the Vegas Strip, but the desert dwelling has still seen its fair share of action. Three years ago, police searched the home and found guns, drugs and what authorities described as a Chum Chum Room with Dance Pole. Spanning two acres, the compound holds a 6,200-square-foot home, a guesthouse and an entertainers backyard with a rock-lined swimming pool. Advertisement Dark colors and bold accents fill the dramatic interior, with living spaces splashed with shades of black, brown and burgundy. Theres a center-island kitchen, a formal dining room and an expansive living room with a massive stone fireplace. A wrought-iron staircase leads to the second story, which holds most of the homes five bedrooms and 4.75 bathrooms. The master suite opens to a private balcony. Elsewhere, amenities include a billiards room, movie theater and den with a wet bar. Palm trees top the landscaped backyard complete with a patio, cabana, street lights and a spa. Kyle Gluhm of Realty ONE Group handled both ends of the deal. Chumlee, whose real name is Austin Lee Russell, has starred in all 15 seasons of Pawn Stars, which showcases the day-to-day operations of the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas. He was charged with 20 felony counts in 2016 and, in a plea deal, agreed to three years of probation. jack.flemming@latimes.com | Twitter: @jflem94 Following a turbulent three-year tenure as the head of Tribune Publishing, Justin Dearborn is pulling up stakes in Chicago and heading to Hollywood, joining the talent agency ICM Partners in the newly created role of chief operating officer. Dearborn, whose new position officially begins Monday, will oversee the agencys internal day-to-day operations. He will report to managing director Chris Silbermann. ICMs hire comes less than a month after Dearborn stepped down as Tribunes chairman and chief executive officer in January. He joins another former Tribune executive who is now at ICM, Cindy Ballard, who was hired by the talent agency last year as head of human resources after serving in a similar role at Tribune. Dearborns tenure at the Chicago-based Tribune, formerly known as Tronc, was a rocky one that culminated last year in the $500-million sale of the Los Angeles Times to Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, following a dramatic series of clashes between staff at the Southern California newspaper and Tribune management. Advertisement The sale also included the San Diego Union-Tribune, as well as other publications in the California News Group. In an interview, Dearborn, 49, declined to discuss the tumultuous period leading up to the sale of the L.A. Times. But he said, I think things were left on a positive note. He added, Theres always going to be complexities. The team at Tribune respects the work Patrick is doing... I wish everyone the best at the L.A. Times. Dearborn joined what was then Tronc in 2016 at a time when the companys newspapers were facing a dire financial outlook, having already experienced wave after wave of layoffs. He previously served as CEO of Merge Healthcare, a healthcare technology provider. Dearborn said that his joining ICM came through his connection with Ballard. I was looking for something exciting that had a little more growth to it in a dynamic space, he said. Dearborn said the job involves business functions and support something he said he did at Tribune on a much bigger scale. Advertisement ICM, which is based in Century City, has approximately 600 employees worldwide, though most of them are in the L.A. area. Among the areas that Dearborn will help to oversee in his new job are finance, technology and mergers and acquisitions. Silbermann said in a statement, We just completed our best year ever and Justin will be a vital part of managing what we see as a clear path for sustainable internal growth, while helping us identify and close strategic partnerships and acquisitions. Dearborn said that he is in the process of moving with his wife from the Chicago area to the L.A. area. The couple has a daughter attending USC. Advertisement david.ng@latimes.com @DavidNgLAT Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday sent a congratulatory message on the holding of the 32nd African Union (AU) summit in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. Calling the AU a banner of unity and strength, Xi said that since last year, under the leadership of AU, African integration process has made significant progress, African countries have continued to speak in one voice on major international and regional issues and Africa's global influence has increasingly grown. "I warmly congratulate the AU on the progress and sincerely wish that it will continue to unite and lead African countries towards new and greater achievements," Xi said. Xi stressed that in September last year, the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was a huge success, during which he joined hands with leaders of the African countries and the AU to draw a blueprint for the development of China-Africa relations. China is willing to work with Africa to implement the FOCAC Beijing Summit outcomes, promoting the alignment of the joint construction of the Belt and Road with the implementation of the AU Agenda 2063, the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda as well as other development strategies of African countries, Xi said. By doing so, the two sides will build a closer China-Africa community to contribute more to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi added. The spotlight was on musicians at Sundays Grammy Awards presentation, but the Recording Academy found time to honor some writers as well. Former president Jimmy Carter took home the Grammy for spoken word album, a category that includes poetry, audiobooks and storytelling. Carter won for the audiobook version of his Faith: A Journey for All. It was the third time Carter has taken home the prize; he also won the award in 2007 and 2016. Three of the other nominees in the category were also writers who narrated their own audiobooks, including David Sedaris for Calypso, Questlove for Creative Quest and Tiffany Haddish for The Last Black Uniform. Actor Courtney B. Vance was nominated for his narration of the audiobook Accessory to War, by Neil de Grasse Tyson and Avis Lang. Previous winners of the award have run the gamut from comedians to politicians. Last year, Carrie Fisher won the prize for the audiobook version of her memoir, The Princess Diarist; others who have taken home the award include Martin Luther King Jr., Joan Rivers, Betty White, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, who won in the category twice. Advertisement In the album notes category, which is given to a writer or editor, the winner was David Evans for Voices of Mississippi: Artists and Musicians Documented by William Ferris, a box set of blues and gospel songs from the 1960s and 70s. It was the second Grammy win for Evans, who took home the album notes prize in 2003 for the notes to Screamin and Hollerin the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton. Voices of Mississippi also won the Grammy for historical album. Evans beat out five other nominees, including James P. Leary for Alpine Dreaming: The Helvetia Records Story, 1920-1924"; Richard Martin and Ted Olson for Charles A. Asburys 4 Banjo Songs,1891-1897: Foundational Recordings of Americas Iconic Instrument; Ben Ratliff for the Sonny Clark Trios The 1960 Time Sessions; David Gilbert for The Product of Our Souls: The Sound and Sway of James Reese Europes Society Orchestra and Amanda Petrusich for Bob Dylans Trouble No More: The Bootleg Series Vol. 13/1979-1981. Past notable winners in the album notes category include Glenn Gould, Pete Hamill, Walter Mosley and Joni Mitchell. Forewords, prefaces and afterwords rank squarely among literatures stepchildren above marginalia and non-David Foster Wallace footnotes perhaps but below prologues and postscripts. For many readers theyre makeweight puffery, eminently skippable, a lot of throat-clearing and flapdoodle. A collection of such squibs might be a tough sell even if its author is acclaimed litterateur Michael Chabon. Chabon concedes as much in his meta-introduction to Bookends: Collected Intros and Outros. The proportion of readers prepared to waylay themselves with an introduction approximates the proportion of consumers willing to futz with user manuals before powering up the widget, he suspects. And spare a thought for the humble afterword literatures caboose. Who sticks around for that? For a hint of what those of us outside the golden circle of overachievement are missing, Chabon obligingly taxonomizes the merits of felicitous forewords. They may be transitive: acts of seduction that are at the same time documents of earlier seductions, or, in a good way, parasitical, upstaging their hosts. The finest prefaces and afterwords, meanwhile, are restorative. They unstopper the vial that contains, like some volatile oil, the fragrance of the time in which the prefaced work was engendered, conceived, or written, summoning for writer and reader alike a sensuous jolt of things past. But does uncoupling such hurrahs, homages, raves and rhapsodies from the works they accessorize and cobbling them together yield a volume that satisfies on its own? Most readers will likely never have heard of much of the arcana eulogized in Bookends. Chabon has long channeled his inner fanboy, flaunting obscure passions and inspirations in his novels. And aficionados will find familiar preoccupations comic books, superheroes, sci-fi, fantasy. But non-heads may blank on Swedish author Frans G. Bengtsson. Stated otherwise: Is Bookends strictly for the Chabon completist? Id recommend it for the Chabon greenhorn on up. Chabon has never been precious or stingy with his talent; hes unspooled it from a single skein, whether in essays, columns, even for DJ-producer Mark Ronson liner notes (a species of foreword and reproduced in Bookends) or novels. The primary motivation for writing introductions, he explains, is of a piece with everything I write: a hope of bringing pleasure to the reader. The strongest entries in this compilation emphatically afford this ignorance of their subjects no object. Bookends reveals in full measure the avid fandom flickering around the edges of much of Chabons fiction. Eschewing hermetic analysis, he recounts the sensation of encountering a work of art. Advertisement Here, he recollects the feeling of reading Greek myths after millennia of moralizers, preceptors, dramatists, hypocrites and scolds have had their way in mediating them for our consumption: The original darkness was still there, and it was still very dark indeed. But it had been engineered, like a fetid swamp by the Army Corps, rationalized, bricked up, rechanneled, given a dazzling white coat of cement. It had been turned to the advantage of people trying to make a point to recalcitrant listeners. And he makes short work of evoking for the uninitiated the aesthetic of the Ben Katchor comic strip, Julius Knipl, Real Estate Photographer a dyspeptic, masculine world the color of the stained lining of a hat. Elsewhere, he compares ghost-story master M.R. James in his unwitting use of recondite post-modern devices in service of the workaday task of frightening the wits out of his readers to a casual, gentleman tinkerer yoking a homemade anti-gravity drive to the derailleurs of his bicycle because he is tired of being late to church every Sunday. And prefacing shards from an abandoned early novel, Chabon describes exhuming it from his computer and beholding a strangely intact record of my life during the time I was writing the book, a bubble of ancient air trapped in the caulked hull of the sunken novel, before giving up the ghost: the great brined and barnacled hulk sank back to the silence and dark. Then theres the preface to his novel Summerland that detours into a meditation on his sense, as a nostalgia fiend ( who cannot make it from one end of a street to another without being momentarily upended by some fragment of outmoded typography, curve of chrome fender, or whiff of lavender hair oil from the pate of a semi-retired neighbor , he writes elsewhere), of belatedness perhaps an artifact or hangover of the evolution of consciousness itself, of the descent of homo sapiens from the smooth, continuous flow of animal time into human time, discontinuous and pulsing like a watch-works with the awareness of mortality. Perhaps a child or grandchild of the first hominid to abandon the forest canopy for the forest floor looked up, one ancient African evening, at the sunlight that was fading in the treetops overhead, and felt just the way I felt Michael Chabons Bookends: Collected Intros and Outros. (Harper Perennial) Besides such numinous musing is dead-eyed observation for instance, a beloved literary mentor shod in the kind of tan hybrid of sneaker and Oxford shoe favored by elder-hostlers. Advertisement Corralled between covers for the first time a thread runs through these pieces: In their paeans to formative influences, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young [Nerd] meets Jonathan Lethems Ecstasy of Influence refracted through Henry Millers The Books in My Life. Bookends wobbles and sags in places. Chabon can frustrate as well as beguile. A disquisition on superhero outfits is logorrheic Thus, while claiming, on the one hand, a dubiously ahistorical, archetypal source for the superhero idea in the Jungian vastness of legend, we dissolve its true universality in a foaming bath of periodized explanations, and render the superhero and his costume a time-fixed idea that is always already going out of fashion. Still, in an age of algorithmic based on your viewing history recommendation engines, it offers with all the serendipity, and redundancy, this entails the gleanings of an idiosyncratic, omnivorous human mind: a destination unto itself but also a gateway to the work of others. :: Advertisement Bookends: Collected Intros and Outros Michael Chabon Harper Perennial, 192 pp., $16.99 Phillips has written for the Atlantic, Smithsonian Magazine, NPR, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Financial Times, Times Higher Education and other outlets. DTLAIt may turn out to be nothing, just remarks by a politician in a city replete with remarks by politicians. Then again, Councilman Joe Buscainos brief broadside directed at Los Angeles second-highest elected official may go down as a first, very early strike in what will ultimately be DTLA - These days one hears occasional warnings that the long-running bull market is coming to a close, that the national economy could shift into recession and sky-high prices will fall. That may in fact happen, but right now there are absolutely zero indicators of it occurring in the Downt Federation of Korean Industries Tower on Yeouido, Seoul / Yonhap By Nam Hyun-woo GS Group Chairman Huh Chang-soo By Jung Min-ho A Seoul appellate court has allowed the import of life-size sex dolls into Korea, saying it does not violate the customs law that prohibits "morally degrading" items. The decision is expected to affect the sex doll industry here because it opens the door to overseas manufacturers. The Seoul High Court overturned a lower court's ruling on Monday, and ordered Incheon Main Customs to permit a Korean company to import silicone sex dolls. After Customs confiscated the dolls in 2017, the company brought the issue to the court. The lower court ruled in favor of Customs, saying the dolls would "degrade the dignity of human beings." But the appellate court said the dolls although they seemed vulgar would not violate the law that bans the import of morally degrading products. "State interference in private matters should be minimized to protect the freedom and dignity of individuals," the court said. "Sexual devices should not be treated the same as other obscene materials." However, there is no law in Korea that regulates local makers of sex dolls. Team4U at Guri in Gyeonggi Province is the only known Korean manufacturer. From left, boy group BTS members Suga, Jin and V, pose by a Hyundai Motor Palisade SUV at the InterContinental in Los Angeles before they attend the 61st Grammy Awards at The Staples Center, Monday. Hyundai Motor presented four Palisades to transport the K-pop sensation to the awards. BTS is the brand ambassador for the Palisade. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Domestic carmakers struggling with falling productivity, soaring wages, militant unions By Nam Hyun-woo Korean automakers have been falling behind their overseas rivals in recent years as they grapple with confrontational labor-management relations, falling productivity and soaring wages amid the global market slump, according to industry analysts and company officials Monday. Confrontational labor-management relations, an inefficient manufacturing structure and ill-timed strategies are attributable to the backpedaling, they said. They noted that struggling carmakers have contributed to the country's falling exports, the main growth engine for Asia's fourth-largest economy. According to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA), Korea produced 4.03 million vehicles last year, down 2.1 percent from a year earlier. It was the third consecutive year of decline, and Korea was the only country to have such a downturn among the top 10 nations. Following the decline, Korea became the seventh-largest car manufacturing country in the world, down one notch from 2017, and allowed Mexico to sit at No. 6. Korea had been the world's No. 5 car-making nation from 2005 to 2015, but let India edge it out in 2016. The share of Korea-made cars globally also declined to 4.1 percent, down 0.1 percentage point from a year earlier. The decline is not a concern for car brands only. Parts suppliers, logistics firms and other related industries are also sending out distress calls. Of 90 listed auto parts suppliers in Korea, 31 posted losses in the third quarter of last year, up from six in 2015, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Their average operating margin also plunged to 1.8 percent from 3.6 percent during the same period. "As carmakers' manufacturing volume drops, our workload is also dropping," a logistics firm official said. "Many of our workforce are worrying about job security." Experts said the industry-wide suffering is first attributable to the carmakers' belated response to the emergence of electric vehicles. "The Korean auto industry is at the bottom of its valley," Korean Academy of Motor Industry Chairman Kim Yong-jin said. "The industry has moved onto EVs and SUVs, but domestic carmakers were slow in responding to the trend. Rather than EVs, the Korean industry chose hydrogen cars, but it seems time is required for that to lead to an actual outcome, while its profitability is faltering quickly." The number of cars manufactured across the world stood at 98.5 million last year, down 0.3 percent from 98.75 million a year earlier. While the global car market is declining, the market for EVs is showing fast growth every year, with the U.S. market alone growing 81 percent from 2017 to 2018, according to market tracker Inside EVs. Other factors that dragged down Korean carmakers are the inefficient manufacturing structure and combative labor-management relations. According to KAMA, Hyundai Motor's domestic plants took 26.8 hours to produce one vehicle, which was far longer than Toyota with 24.1 hours, General Motors with 23.4 hours and Ford with 21.3 hours. Given those companies produce millions of cars a year, the one or two hours makes a huge difference, Kim said. Though their manufacturing process is slow, Korean automakers pay the best salaries. The average annual salary of five domestic manufacturers was 92.13 million won, far higher than Volkswagen's 80.4 million won and Toyota's 91.04 million won. This is possible because of militant unions, which oftentimes stage disputes with company strategies. Experts criticize them saying their domain for disputes should cover working conditions and job security only, not the company's management strategies. "Global carmakers have been reorganizing their workforces for more than five years, but Korean firms still have to consult with unions over making a new manufacturing line or giving workers new assignments," Kim said. "To survive in the global competition, companies have to retrain employees and rotate them, but those efforts are frustrated due to unions." "Korea's auto industry is stuck in the combative labor-management relations, bringing the structure of high cost but low efficiency," a KAMA official said. "This led companies to lose their competitiveness in productivity and let other countries edge out Korea." SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in will consult with U.S. President Donald Trump in the near future on the second summit between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States, South Korea's presidential Blue House said Sunday. Kim Eui-keum, Blue House spokesman, told a press briefing that the leaders of South Korea and the United States will make a discussion on the second DPRK-U.S. summit in the near future, saying the exact schedule will be unveiled as soon as preparations are made. Moon and Trump would reportedly have a phone conversation in the foreseeable future. The Moon-Trump dialogue would come after top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un and Trump agreed to meet again later this month in Hanoi, Vietnam. Kim and Trump held their first summit in Singapore in June last year. Stephen Biegun, U.S. special representative for DPRK affairs, visited Pyongyang earlier this week to consult with his DPRK counterparts on the planned second Kim-Trump summit. The Blue House spokesman said he heard that Pyongyang and Washington had agreed to continue negotiations at a third country in Asia in the week beginning Feb. 17. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will have talks in the near future, while Chung Eui-yong, top Blue House national security advisor, will closely exchange information with White House National Security Advisor John Bolton, the spokesman added. By Jun Ji-hye Pharmaceutical and biotech companies have emerged as growth engines that will fuel the economy in the coming years. But they are struggling to secure qualified employees to conduct R&D and other work, according to company officials, who demand the government do more to nurture talented workers. The firms have been facing difficulties in securing necessary manpower due to a lack of experienced applicants, especially for R&D positions, cited as core manpower for companies. According to the Korea Biotechnology Industry Organization (KoreaBio), Thursday, pharmaceutical and biotech firms failed to fill most of the job vacancies in 2018. Among others, companies filled only 77.2 percent of the R&D positions with new hires. The rate of filled vacancies for sales and management positions stood only at 86.4 percent, and that for quality control positions at 86.8 percent. KoreaBio said it had surveyed 200 companies from Aug. 17 to Sept. 7 last year. Notable is the fact that companies failed to fill the job vacancies not because of a lack of applicants, but because of them lacking the skills and professional knowledge required. In the survey, 75.2 percent of companies cited knowledge in the relevant fields as a major requirement for research jobs, while 69.7 percent cited a hands-on background. Officials from pharmaceutical and biotech firms said a shortage in professional manpower will not be resolved in a short time, calling on the government to come up with support measures to promote the industries. "As pharmaceutical and biotech industries have received attention as new growth engines to drive the nation's future, the government needs to be more active in establishing infrastructure to cultivate talented workers," an official from a biotech firm in Seoul said. "In reality, the R&D department prefers those who hold Master's degrees or more. The government needs to work to help those with bachelor's degrees improve their capabilities to fulfill the requirements of companies." He added that the government needs to encourage universities to offer consistent education programs designed to train professional personnel needed for companies. An official from a pharmaceutical firm based in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, noted that not only those who work for the R&D department but also those working for assistance units such as the PR department need to possess professional knowledge as pharmaceutical and biotech firms deal with a lot of expert knowledge. She said an increasing number of incumbent workers are applying for graduate schools to develop their abilities further, with some of them studying at their own expense. "I hope companies will come up with more diverse programs to help incumbent workers improve their skills and expert knowledge," she said. "For that, government support will be necessary." King Gojong, circa 1883-84. By Robert Neff On the cold, pale morning of February 10, 1896, Seoul was filled with excitement. A large procession of more than 100 Russian soldiers armed and fully provisioned with 22 ponies and a machine gun, marched through the streets to the Russian legation. Their presence excited suspicion among the foreign diplomats particularly the British and Japanese. When questioned, the Russian authorities insisted the soldiers were there as protection for the Russian residents of the city, as well as other nationals, due to unrest in the country. Since the murder/assassination of the Korean queen the previous October, the Korean monarch and the crown prince were kept as virtual prisoners within the palace carefully monitored and controlled by the Japanese-friendly government. Many people were displeased and the scent of rebellion was constantly in the air. The explanation was accepted perhaps because of the diplomatic party held at the British legation that evening. The American Minister to Korea's wife described the party as "very pleasant" and added, "everyone seemed jolly and in good spirits, especially the Russians." In the morning, she and most of the residents of Seoul were surprised to hear the cry, "The King is in the Russian legation." One American claimed that the news came "like a clap of thunder from a clear sky." The elderly mother of Clarence Greathouse an American adviser to the Korean government jotted down in her diary: "Now at 10 o'clock, news has just been received that the King and the Crown Prince & wife have gone to the Russian legation for protection, up to this writing we don't know just how he got off from the palace or when" A Korean palanquin, circa 1900-1910s. Lillias Underwood, an American missionary, claimed to know. According to her, the previous evening there was a birthday celebration at the palace and the two female minders of the king were invited "to celebrate with the king, and to partake of a great feast, with plenty of wine and prolonged amusements." "All night the king's watchers reveled, both falling into a heavy sleep before dawn when everyone in the palace was off guard, supposing the king and crown prince asleep, they entered a couple of women's chairs which were waiting. "The bearers of these chairs had been specially selected and paid with a view to their carrying two, and thought nothing of it, as the palace women went out to their homes in this way. "So in each chair a woman sat in front of its royal occupant, screening him from view should anyone glance in. "The sentinels at the gate had been provided with hot refreshments and plenty of strong drink, and were so fully occupied that the chairs with their valuable burden passed out unnoticed and unhindered." A lady on an outing, circa 1900-1910s. Yun Chi-ho, a Korean activist and later government official, also described the incident in his diary. Much of his information echoed Mrs. Underwood's and added to it identifying the two women minders: one was the wife and the other the concubine of the king's father, Heungseon Daewongun. "The two old ladies kept watches by turn in the night. His Majesty had failed once before in his attempt to escape. But in the early part of the night of the 10th inst., he, having made all necessary arrangements, made the two old ladies tired and sleepy by talking about old times etc. etc. The ladies, sure enough, went to sound sleep about 2 this morning. "The King and the Prince pretended to go to bed. Then, with the help of the na-ins [palace ladies], they went to one of the women's rooms to wait for the opening of the gate. "As soon as the day began to dawn, the parties got into the box chairs. The King had to fit behind a 'na-in,' and so did the Prince. This however excited no suspicion as 'na-ins' often ride two in a chair. "In order to get out, the sentinels of the gates, through which the chairs had to pass, were invited to drink some 'sul' [alcohol] and soup of unusual flavor in some retired corner. "While they were at it, the chairs got out unmolested through different gates." Safely in the Russian legation (where he remained for a little over the year), the Korean monarch reasserted his rule over the country. The Russian legation, circa 1900. By David Tizzard International society is, historically at least, a rather British concept. It was first put forward by the scholar Martin Wight during a series of lectures at the London School of Economics in the 1950s. The basic premise being that when states interact with each other over time, there evolves a series of behaviors and practices. These are socialized effects in that they are produced by states who react to their own domestic conditions as well as being directed by leaders and statesmen with personalities and moral codes. Other states then observe these particular actions and react accordingly to their own idiosyncratic situations. As these behaviors continue over time, rules and codes are produced. Adherence to these practices and traditions generally results in acceptance to the society while failure to do so results in either refusal or expulsion. International society is said by the proponents of the English School of IR Theory to have evolved from Christendom in Europe. As it slowly became secularized so as to have survived the various religious and ideological schisms, it began manifesting itself in different ways such as international law, diplomacy, and the balance of power. Following the end of the Second World War and the advent of the nuclear age, the great powers began to seemingly understand that armed conflict was not likely to be able to produce breakthroughs in friction. It is for that reason that diplomacy began to take on even more importance. Moreover, with the end of the age of imperialism and a host of former colonies granted independence, it was necessary for the European states to engage with these states in a horizontal and non-hierarchical manner that guaranteed recognition and respected their sovereignty. This particular view of the world, that states compose a society just as Aristotelian man needs a polis in which to exist because he is by nature a political being, was widely rejected by American theorists and foreign policy advisors. People such as Kenneth Waltz and Robert McNamara advocated a more positivist approach that was promulgated by the rise of behaviorism and a desire to merge the natural sciences with the social sciences. America therefore adopted a more realist approach, steeped in the traditions of Kautilya, Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbes. It did so because it suited its temporal and spatial conditions rather than containing any inherent truth. Truth be told, realism and idealism stand in stark contrast to each other. They both claim everything while refuting the other and these two incompatible non-communicating paradigms result in a theoretical and pragmatic deadlock. This is perhaps what we are seeing with the Republican Party under Donald Trump and the rise of idealists such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the opposite side. The English School eschews such polarity. Imagine you have a devil in one ear telling you about the barbaric nature of the world, an angel in the other telling you about human sacredness. How do you resolve the conflict between these two? You use the thing in between them, your head, and approach the problem rationality. International society is a rationalist approach to the world and the relations between nations. It hides neither in the world or war or peace, but sits between the two and embraces the nature of humans to be able to control and affect the world to a certain degree and do so that it might produce the two important values of justice and order. While the DPRK has been a part of the international state system since 1948 when its de facto existence was acknowledged as well as part of wider de jure recognition following its acceptance to the United Nations in 1991, for America, South Korea, and Japan it remains outside of international society. These countries have refused to diplomatically recognize the country and neither welcome ambassadors to have permanent residences in their capitals nor place them in Pyongyang. There could be a multitude of reasons for this but ultimately it comes down to the fact that they have chosen to exclude the DPRK from a society of which they are a member a society which with the end of the Cold War is now essentially the only international society. Acceptance to international society requires members to adhere to certain codes or behavior, to champion various norms, to recognize the important of process and a particular way of doing things. The DPRK has often shown little desire to do so, charging them with being an extension of Western imperialism. Interestingly, following the enactment of diplomatic relations between the UK and the DPRK on December 12th 2000, the DPRK removed Britain from much of its anti-imperialist domestic propaganda. Perhaps then there is a lesson for both President Trump and Chairman Kim as they prepare to meet in Vietnam. For the American President it will be that the DPRK may well adjust its behavior accordingly if it is given diplomatic concessions. For Chairman Kim, he must surely recognize that international society requires one to adhere to rules and norms International society has a very long tradition and it has evolved over time. It now helps keep peace between countries in an ever globalized nuclear ace through the use of institutions such as diplomacy and international law. Not every country always fully adheres to it and, as is often the case, it is those most powerful that will break the rules more often than others; however, there must be a degree of acceptance and adherence. Personally, I hope those in Pyongyang will put forth their intent to embrace international society and the practices that are entailed therein. The world is not a perfect one but neither is it purely Machiavellian. Rationalism has produced a global culture that allows nations to coexist and seek peace and prosperity. I shan't hold my breath following the summit in Vietnam but I feel a peace treaty and diplomatic relations would likely be possible for the DPRK. Providing, of course, that they play by the rules. David Tizzard (datizzard@swu.ac.kr) is an assistant professor at Seoul Women's University. By Deauwand Myers "White folks be a miracle of affliction" From Alice Walker's "The Color Purple" If I were to judge white folks by my own experiences, I wouldn't have very many negative things to say. Surrounded by them in my childhood, throughout college and graduate school, and from the southern United States, no less, there are very few instances of racism I can point to that would leave some indelibly negative mark on my psyche. Even "micro-aggressions" have been few and far between. The police, from the few instances I've encountered them, have always been kind to me. In fact, I've only experienced overt forms of racism overseas; more on that later. Yet, my own life does not a history make. The overwhelming evidence is in, and white people have a lot of explaining to do. Mind you, Europeans, and their descendants,don't have a patent on evil, cruelty, or malice; (these are invariably part of the human condition), but for the last 600 years or so, they've done a bang-up job on deploying said ills in their pursuit of empire. Imperialism is a gateway drug, for it requires so many malefactions to successfully pursue it. In sheer number, from the genocidal land theft of indigenous populations throughout the Americas and beyond; or the Atlantic Slave Trade, or Jim Crow, or the Holocaust, or the various secret wars of regime change the world over, Anglo-American and European powers have dispensed death and misery on a scale unheard of, Genghis Khan notwithstanding. Moreover, the rise of far right populist movements, particularly in the United States and Europe, presages perilous times for advanced democracies, and more generally, the globe. White supremacy has always been part of American society. Only landed, white men are included in the Constitution. This is why the so-called rise of Trump is a natural distillation of America's bloody, nasty history, whitewashed for your reading pleasure in all of secondary education and beyond. The difference between Trump and Bush Senior, Bush II, or even Reagan, is that there's no polish to his rough rhetoric. His racism and xenophobia is served straight up, no chaser, whilst the satanic sheen of his Republican predecessors' inherent racism was exquisitely genteel. But murder with diaphanous words preceding it is still murder, and the dead do not appreciate the difference. The new racism of the last few generations has now morphed into a mix of the good, bad old days, and the modern, subtle racism of the white gentry. The results are the same: injustice, and blood in the streets. Trump's election, like that of racist, sexist, homophobic JairBolsonaro, is not as much economic anxiety as it is a cultural reflex to changing times. The more racial minorities, sexual minorities, religious minorities and women acquire incremental steps toward equality, the more the powerbase already in place rages against it. For the privileged, equality feels like oppression. In the United States, poor and working white folks have been voting against their economic interests for ages. The poorest, whitest states have been in Republican hands for decades, and they are still poor. In fact, all racial demographics in America have increased life expectancy, while these impoverished and working class white folks have seen a decline in theirs. The symbolic crack pipe of white supremacy is a difficult habit to quit, and psychologically, the notion of being better than people of color trumps access to clean water, healthcare, and living wages. Sadly, I have an impression no amount of empirical evidence will dissuade conservatives or Trump's hardcore base to re-evaluate their views. The GOP simply doesn't appreciate science, data, or facts. Climate change, something the American right embraced not a decade ago, they now believe is a hoax, even though 99 percent of the scientific community confirms that burning fossil fuels is causing the warming of the planet. What changed? Nothing, really, except the fossil fuel lobby and the right's recalcitrance against Obama, Democrats and the left in general. Earlier, I said I experienced overt forms of racism in Asia (particularly Korea). The job listings asking for only white teachers, or the commentary from passersby, was an interesting, and surprising development. My surprise was that, from the Western news and media consumed by the locals, some Koreans developed a negative view of people of color: that they are uneducated, unwashed, violent and ensconced in criminality; the exact opposite was true for whites. In other words, white supremacy touched me 10,000 miles away from home. Those job listings have slowly disappeared, and I don't encounter Koreans saying outlandish things as I did in years past. Welcome to the 21st century of white supremacy. Honestly, the remix isn't much improvement from the original. Sinisterly, if you listen long enough to it, you may find the tune catchy. Deauwand Myers (deauwand@hotmail.com) holds a master's degree in English literature and literary theory, and is an English professor outside Seoul. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un celebrated the founding anniversary of the state's army with military meeting and concert, the North's state media reported on Saturday (February 9). In the video aired by North Korea's state-run television KRT, Kim was seen visiting Ministry of People's Armed Forces and making speech marking the 71st anniversary of Korean People's Army, which falls on Friday (February 8). At his speech, KRT quoted Kim as saying that the determination and will to shape a new roadmap of building a powerful socialist country is firm. The footage also showed Kim watching concert of the State Merited Chorus with his wife Ri Sol Ju and attending banquet with high-profile officials. Earlier in the day, U.S. President Donald Trump said his meeting with Kim later this month will be held in Hanoi. Just weeks ahead of the summit, the two sides have appeared far from narrowing differences over U.S. demands for North Korea to give up a nuclear weapons program that threatens the United States. (Reuters) Rep. Hong Young-pyo, second from left, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) speaks at the National Assembly, Monday, after agreeing to work with the Bareunmirae Party, the Party for Democracy and Peace and the Justice Party to resolve a controversy over defamatory remarks made by Liberty Korea Party lawmakers against the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement. / Yonhap By Park Ji-won Four political parties have agreed to work together to deprive three Liberty Korea Party (LKP) lawmakers of their seats over defamatory remarks they made against victims of the brutal military crackdown on the May 18 Gwangju Uprising in 1980. Floor leaders of the four parties Rep. Hong Young-pyo of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), Rep. Kim Kwan-young of the Bareunmirae Party, Rep. Chang Byoung-wan of the Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP) and Rep. Youn So-ha of the Justice Party agreed Monday to push for the expulsion of the three from the legislature. They agreed to refer Kim Jin-tae, Lee Jong-myeong and Kim Soon-rye to the National Assembly Ethics Committee. During a forum they jointly hosted Feb. 8, The three lawmakers made slanderous remarks against the May 18 Gwangju Uprising and victims of the deadly military crackdown, echoing the views of far-right researcher Jee Man-won, who claims the popular uprising was orchestrated by North Korean Special Forces. During the forum, Kim jin-tae said, "North Korea followers became popular here. Thanks to them, the May 18 victims are acting like monsters. We waste taxes on them." Lee added, "History should remember the uprising as a riot because North Korean soldiers were part of it." "It is deplorable to pay attention to the victims and waste taxes," Kim Soon-rye said, citing the state subsidies they receive. DPK Chairman Rep. Lee Hae-chan, said in a statement Monday, "I express deep regret and anger over the reckless remarks made during a fact-finding hearing on the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement hosted by LKP lawmakers. I hope the LKP will make a public apology and every effort to expel those who made the defamatory remarks." Floor leader Hong also hinted at possibly filing a lawsuit against them. "The DPK will push for filing a defamation suit against them for calling participants of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement a group of monsters," he said. Chang added, "The PDP's Rep. Choi Gyung-hwan will file criminal charges against those LKP lawmakers on Thursday with the DPK's Rep. Sul Hoon." Hong Joon-pyo, former chairman of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, speaks during an interview with Hankook Ilbo, the sister paper of The Korea Times, in Seoul, Feb. 4. / Korea Times file By Park Ji-won Hong Joon-pyo, former chairman of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), dropped out of the LKP leadership race, Monday, after the party rejected his request to delay the national convention. "I am sorry for not being able to work through to the end. It is my fault. I will reflect on myself and listen to the people with a more humble attitude to continue to revive our country with people and party members," Hong said in a statement Monday. "The upcoming national convention should become an opportunity to make a new party based on fair competition." His withdrawal came after the LKP's election committee reiterated its position Monday that the national convention will be held as scheduled. Six of eight candidates, including Hong, pledged earlier to withdraw from the race if their demand for a delay of the election was not met. They hoped to avoid overlapping with the second summit between North Korea and the United States. They claimed if the convention is held as scheduled, it will be favorable for leading contender, former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn. "Whether they will boycott the election is their business, not ours," Park Kwan-yong, chief of the party's election preparatory panel, told reporters after an emergency meeting with panel members. The LKP plans to elect its leader and Supreme Council members on Feb. 27. The leadership seat remained empty after former LKP leader Hong resigned from the post to take responsibility for the party's large defeat in local elections last June. Chang Won-sam, Korea's top negotiator in defense cost sharing negotiations signs an agreement with his U.S. counterpart Timothy Betts, a deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of State, after reaching a provisional consensus on the renewal of the Seoul-Washington Special Measures Agreement this year, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sunday. / Yonhap By Lee Min-hyung South Korea will face growing pressure to bear more of the cost for the upkeep of the United States Forces Korea (USFK), as the recent Seoul-Washington Special Measures Agreement (SMA) is only valid for a year. Seoul wanted to renew the contract at longer intervals in consideration of intensifying U.S. pressure for it to pay more in defense cost sharing for the 28,500 U.S. troops here However, this did not happen with Seoul and Washington signing a provisional one-year agreement Sunday on the renewal of the defense sharing contract. Under the 2019 SMA, the South will pay 1.04 trillion won ($923.13 million) and will have to renegotiate the deal next year. Last year, Seoul contributed 960.2 billion won to the SMA. Given that the U.S. urged the South to pay more than 1.44 trillion won as its initial demand for this year, critics say the cost for 2019 is quite reasonable. But under the new one-year accord, Washington is likely to continue pressing Seoul to increase its payment next year. This is the first time Seoul has signed a one-year defense cost sharing agreement. Both sides had renewed the SMA every two to five years since they started sharing cost sharing for USFK maintenance in 1991. Due to the one-year timeframe, Seoul and Washington will soon begin negotiations to discuss next year's cost sharing SMA. Taking into account the months of discord before signing the latest agreement, the two are likely to follow a similar pattern in negotiations which will begin in the next few months. Experts argue that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is in charge of negotiations for the SMA, should take various factors into account to tighten the cooperative relationship with the U.S. "First and foremost, the government needs to do its best to resolve the ongoing affairs on denuclearization of North Korea in a peaceful way," Shin Beom-chul, a senior director of the research division at Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said Monday. This will help South Korea reduce defense costs for things such as the unscheduled deployment of U.S. strategic weapons due to possible military provocations by the North, he said. The two Koreas have been in a state of rapid reconciliation for about a year, with the North expressing gestures for peace and nuclear disarmament on the Korean Peninsula. Against the rare peace mood on the peninsula, Seoul and Washington are on track to suspend or reduce the scale of their joint military exercises. Shin went on to say the South should approach the defense cost sharing negotiations in a way to build a win-win relationship with the U.S. "Seoul should adopt a long-term perspective when negotiating with Washington." For example, trade friction between Korea and the U.S. can have a negative impact when they hold talks on renewing the defense cost sharing deal. "South Korea should seek to build a virtuous cycle in relations with the U.S. If Seoul makes concessions in some parts of negotiations, this will bring positive impacts on others." As both defense and economic ties are important for the two countries, they need to continue finding the middle ground that benefits both sides, he said. "It is important for the South to seek to reduce the cost burden in the upcoming negotiations, but much more crucial is not to aggravate the overall Seoul-Washington relationship," he concluded. By Kim Bo-eun Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono on Sunday cautioned against National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang's call for the Japanese Emperor to apologize for sexual slavery victims. Kono told reporters the Assembly speaker should be careful in his remarks, and that the issue was "completely and finally" resolved through a bilateral deal on sex slaves between Tokyo and Seoul in 2015, according to the Asahi Shimbun, Monday. Moon made the remarks in an interview with Bloomberg last week. In the interview, he referred to the Japanese Emperor Akihito as "the son of the main culprit of war crimes." Akihito's late father Hirohito was the emperor during Japan's colonization of South Korea from 1910 to 1945, when Japan committed atrocities including sexually enslaving Korean women for its military. The Assembly speaker said the current emperor offering an apology, holding hands with surviving sex slave victims, would resolve the decades-long conflict over the issue. Moon expressed his hopes that Akihito would do this before he steps down in May. There are now 23 surviving victims, after former sex slave and activist Kim Bok-dong passed away last week. President Moon Jae-in vowed to "set history right" for the remaining victims. From left are former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae, Ko Young-han and Park Byong-dae, who were former justices. / Yonhap By Kang Seung-woo Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae was indicted Monday on 47 charges stemming from his alleged involvement in a massive judiciary power abuse scandal. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's decision to put Yang on trial came as it announced the interim results of its investigation into the nation-rattling allegations. The 71-year-old was detained Jan. 24, eight months after prosecutors launched their investigation. Yang, who headed the top court from 2011 to 2017, is the first-ever former top court chief in the Korean judiciary's 71-year history to face an indictment on criminal charges. He is accused of using high-profile trials as bargaining chips in dealings with the 2013-17 Park Geun-hye administration for the establishment of a de facto Second Supreme Court. Prosecutors allege he had officials at the National Court Administration (NCA) come up with detailed plans to influence trials that potentially had high political significance for the former president. The NCA is the top court's administrative body. According to the prosecution, the 47 charges against Yang include delaying a definitive court ruling on wartime labor conscripts' compensation suits filed against Japanese firms. Prosecutors accuse Yang and his officials of exerting influence to put off the deliberation on purpose in order to curry favor with the former president, who was seeking better relations with the Japanese government. However, since the 2017 inauguration of the Moon Jae-in government, the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the victims in two cases. In addition, he is also faced with charges of unfair treatment of judges put on a "blacklist" for having differing political views; interference in the dissolution of the leftist Unified Progressive Party; the illegal collection of confidential documents from the Constitutional Court; and attempting to cover up a former senior judge's corruption. Yang has strongly denied the accusations during questioning, claiming he did not know about his working-level staff's wrongdoings and arguing that some of the charges were not an abuse of power but an exercise of his proper right as head of the top court. Also on Monday, prosecutors indicted two other retired top court justices Park Byong-dae and Ko Young-han for their alleged involvement in the case. Both led the NCA when Yang was at the helm. They will stand trial without physical detention, as a local court earlier turned down the prosecution's request for arrest warrants. Park and Ko, along with Lim Jong-hun, a former NCA deputy head who is already in detention and facing about 30 charges, are suspected of playing important roles in pushing ahead with Yang's plans. The prosecution said it will soon decide whether to press charges against other judges allegedly involved in the scandal. * The Thai Raksa Chart (Thais protect country) Party on February 9 accepted the remarks by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who said involving the princess in politics is "inappropriate." * The Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-in will consult with US President Donald Trump in the near future on the second summit between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States, RoK's presidential Blue House said Sunday (February 10). The Moon-Trump dialogue would come after top DPRK leader Kim Jong-un and Trump agreed to meet again later this month in Hanoi, Vietnam. * Chinese Vice Premier Liu He will hold a new round of high-level China-US economic and trade consultation with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in Beijing from Feb. 14 to 15. * Thousands of "Yellow Vest" protesters marched through Paris and other French cities on February 9 for the 13th consecutive weekend in a row, although their number was lower than those of previous weeks. * German exports rose by 3 percent to an all-time record of nearly EUR1.32 trillion (US$1.49 trillion) in 2018, preliminary results published by the German Federal Statistical Office (destatis) on February 8 show. * A cold snap hit the Japanese capital of Tokyo and some neighboring areas on February 9, resulting in cancellations of more than 100 flights to and from Tokyo. * The RoK and the United States on Sunday signed a deal to share defense costs for US forces stationed in the RoK, according to local media reports. * Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez on February 9 called on opposition leader and self-proclaimed "interim president" Juan Guaido to reconsider his course of action and stop "the madness of calling for an invasion." * German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she wanted to work very hard to preserve and develop multilateral structures at the Munich Security Conference next week. * Bangladesh exporters have received spot orders worth around BDT2 billion (US$23.8 million) from international buyers at the the 24th edition of the country's largest Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) that ended Saturday. * The death toll due to consumption of illicit liquor in northern India has risen to 72, officials has said. * Thousands of people turned out in the Italian capital on February 9 for a joint mobilization called by Italy's "big three" trade union federations to demonstrate against some of the economic policies of Italy's rightwing-populist government. * The presidential elections in Macedonia will be held on April 21, Macedonian Speaker of Parliament Talat Xhaferi said on late Friday. If a second round is needed, the elections will be held on May 5. * Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi on February 9 met with visiting French Minister of Defense Florence Parly in Baghdad to discuss means of cooperation between the two countries. * The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) started on February 9 the final attacks against the Islamic State (IS) militant group in eastern Syria, Kurdish activists reported. * Up to 40 people including nine security personnel have been killed in Afghanistan over the past two days as both government forces and the Taliban outfit have intensified operations against each other, officials said Saturday. A former chief justice of the Supreme Court was indicted Monday on more than 40 counts relating to an alleged massive abuse of judicial power under his leadership. The indictment of Yang Sung-tae comes almost three weeks after the court approved a warrant to place him under pre-indictment detention. It also marks an end to the prosecution's eight-month investigation into the nation-rocking allegations. Prosecutors also indicted two other retired top court justices Park Byong-dae and Ko Young-han for their alleged involvement in the case. They will stand trial without physical detention. Yang stands accused of using or seeking to use trials as political leverage to lobby the previous Park Geun-hye government, so that he can get presidential approval for the establishment of a separate court of appeals, his pet project. He headed the top court from 2011-2017. Yang is the first judge ever in South Korea's judicial history to have been arrested as a suspect and now to face a criminal trial. Prosecutors believe that he had his officials at the National Court Administration (NCA), the top court's governing body, devise detailed plans to influence trials that potentially had high political significance for the former president. Yang has categorically denied the charges. The scandal involving justices at the top court has rattled the country, placing the judiciary under unprecedented scrutiny. Among the trials in question include the controversial delay in the deliberation of a damages suit filed by Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor. Prosecutors accuse Yang and his officials of exerting influence to put off the deliberation on purpose, to curry favor with the former president who was seeking amicable relations with Tokyo. The Supreme Court, now under new Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su, finalized the rulings in the victims' favor in the two landmark rulings in October and November last year. Park Byong-dae and Ko, along with then deputy NCA head Lim Jong-hun, are among the many other judges suspected of playing key roles in carrying out Yang's schemes, including pressuring presiding judges in the cases to deliver rulings in favor of the Park government. Prosecutors on Monday added more charges against Lim, who's already been indicted and detained, for his role in unfair demotions or personnel transfers of judges who stood up against Yang's orders. The prosecution will soon decide whether to press charges on other judges alleged to have been involved in the power abuse, it said. (Yonhap) European Union Ambassador to Korea Michael Reiterer speaks during a recent roundtable meeting with the press in Seoul. / Delegation of EU Envoy underscores multilateralism amid escalating global trade war By Yi Whan-woo The United Kingdom's planned departure from the European Union (EU) on March 29 may push both sides into a "lose-lose" situation, European Union Ambassador to Korea Michael Reiterer has warned. Speaking at a recent roundtable meeting with the press in Seoul, the top EU envoy to Korea also expressed concern about a global trade war, saying the EU would make every effort to prevent it. "You will not be surprised that Brexit is an issue we're dealing with. The situation is changing every day ... and what is clear to my mind is, unfortunately, this is not what we would like to call a win-win situation but a typical lose-lose situation," he said. His comment came after the U.K. Parliament voted 432 to 202 against Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal in January, pushing her to seek an alternative plan to avoid a "no-deal" Brexit. Favored by ardent supporters of Brexit, a hard Brexit arrangement would likely see the U.K. give up full access to the single market and full access of the customs union along with the EU. Ambassador Reiterer said the package deal between the EU and the U.K. would not be renegotiated, underscoring that it was negotiated in "a very concise and united manner." May is seeking changes to her deal with Brussels after the U.K. Parliament rejected it by a record majority. She has promised that, if she does not bring a revised deal by Feb. 13, lawmakers will debate Brexit on Feb. 14. Commenting on a global trade war, notably between the United States and China, Ambassador Reiterer said, "The EU is a very strong supporter of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and multilateralism, and we would like to do everything to prevent trade wars." "Trade wars are indeed not in the interests of anybody, and therefore, we stay focused on the WTO system and multilateralism," he added. He speculated that Brexit and a slowing global economy would affect trade and investment between the EU and Korea. "According to most forecasts, the global economy, including the Chinese economy, will not grow strongly in 2019, which will reflect on the bilateral relationship," he said. "Following Britain's departure, or Brexit, the EU will lose one member state, and this will be reflected in all statistics, including trade and investment." EU exports to Korea grew by an average of 9 percent annually while Korea's exports to the EU increased by 3 percent annually, after a bilateral free trade agreement took effect in 2011. In 2017, EU exports to Korea stood at 49.69 billion euros and Korean exports to the EU totaled 41.94 billion euros. The EU is Korea's third-largest market after China and the U.S. Korea is the eighth-biggest market for the economic bloc. The roundtable discussion involved other officials from the Delegation of the EU to Korea. They gave a presentation on the EU's activities last year, such as the EU-Korea summit in Brussels and the 55 years of diplomatic relations between EU and Korea, as well as its 2019 goals on security, the refugee crisis, human rights, North Korea and climate change. Indian Ambassador to Korea Sripriya Ranganathan, center in first row, poses with guests at a recent reception in Seoul to mark 70th anniversary of India's Republic Day. / Embassy of India By Yi Whan-woo She also says more Korean companies will tap into the Indian market after the two countries adopted "A Vision for People, Prosperity, Peace and Our Future" statement when President Moon Jae-in visited New Delhi July 2018. The statement was aimed at strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries in many areas, including security, the economy and culture. "We want Indians and Koreans alike to be able to travel easily and enjoy each other's rich culture and heritage," Ambassador Ranganathan said during a recent anniversary reception in Seoul. "I hope the visa-on-arrival facility extended by India to Korean nationals will help our Korean friends travel to India frequently and experience incredible India. We look forward to fruitful interaction and exchanges in the coming weeks." Introduced in October 2018, the visa-on-arrival program allows Koreans to receive a visa to visit India when they arrive at international airports in Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai. Korea is the second country after Japan to which India grants visas on arrival. A visa holder can stay for up to 60 days. Previously, Koreans had to obtain visas in Seoul before traveling to India. President Moon and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to simplify visa procedures during Moon's 2018 visit to India. The countries also agreed to work together to bolster mutual economic growth and contribute to global economic development. "We have a robust trade and investment partnership and I am confident that the Korean business people will capitalize on the huge opportunities offered by the Indian economy," the envoy said. She noted that the two countries had laid a foundation stone November 2018 for a first century queen, Heo Hwang-ok, in the northern temple town of Ayodhya. Ayodhya, known as the birthplace of the Hindu god Ram, holds special significance for both nations. It is believed that Indian princess Suriratna, also known as Heo Hwang-ok, traveled to Korea in 48 A.D. and married Kim Suro, the legendary founder of the Gaya Kingdom (A.D. 42-A.D. 562) in southeastern Korea. India adopted its Constitution on Jan. 26, 1950, and has celebrated its anniversary since then. This was the second major milestone in India's building process, the first being the independence on Aug. 15, 1947. "With the framing and adoption of the Constitution and the birth of the Indian Republic, we embraced the spirit of liberty, equality and fraternity among all citizens, irrespective of religion, region or community," Ambassador Ranganathan said. Under his New Southern Policy, President Moon has sought to strengthen Korea's relationship with India and 10 ASEAN countries to the same level as the four stakeholders of the Korean Peninsula the United States, China, Japan and Russia. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov speaks in this undated photo. / Embassy of Azerbaijan The following is the Q&A with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea and Azerbaijan's foreign policy this year. - ED. Q. What are the results of the ongoing negotiations on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict? How do you see their prospects, especially against the background of recent encouraging statements? The position of my country regarding the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been repeatedly stated at the highest level within all platforms. The conflict must be resolved on the basis of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders. Coming to the legal basis of the settlement, it is necessary to recall that this basis consists primarily of the four resolutions of the U.N. Security Council, a body responsible for ensuring peace and security worldwide, adopted in 1993, numerous resolutions and decisions of other international organizations, including the OSCE, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Non-Aligned Movement, NATO, the European Parliament and etc, as well as joint documents adopted in bilateral and multilateral formats. Unfortunately, negotiations held over the years haven't yielded any results. But the recent developments taking place in Armenia, the conversations that took place between the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, as well as four meetings with my Armenian counterpart create certain grounds for advancing the negotiation process. The press statement by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs released on the latest meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Paris on Jan. 16, 2019 expressed appreciation for the ongoing efforts of the sides to maintain an environment conducive to intensive results-oriented negotiations. It stated the agreement of both sides upon the necessity of taking concrete measures to prepare the populations for peace. The statement also outlines that the sides considered next steps toward a possible summit between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in order to give a strong impulse to the dynamic of negotiations. Here I would like to be clear that Azerbaijan stands for tangible results of the negotiations, not talks for the sake of talks and this is our principled position. In general, I would like to note that the current leadership of Armenia should demonstrate the political will to resolve the conflict and, in accordance with good-neighborly philosophy, act in the name of achieving peace, stability and sustainable development in the region. We hope that this year certain progress will be achieved in terms of withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and the normalization of relations between the two countries. Progress in the conflict resolution, creating conditions for peace, security and stability in the entire region, opens up opportunities primarily for economic growth in Armenia itself. Our country, in the same way as it ensures the safety of its citizens of different ethnic groups, in accordance with its international obligations is ready to do so with respect to its citizens of the Armenian origin in Nagorno-Karabakh and to grant them the right of high-level self-rule within the internationally recognized borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani Community of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of our country is ready to return to their homes, and this issue was again stressed in the recently released statement of the Community. Some time ago there were contacts between the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, but, unfortunately, due to the "efforts" of the previous leadership of Armenia, these contacts were interrupted. You know, it is impossible to take the land and move with it to another place. After the settlement of the conflict, of course, these two communities will have to live together. That is why it is important to promote and restore contacts between the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh. Q. What are the prospects opened by the agreement on the legal status of the Caspian Sea signed this year by the Caspian countries from the point of view of development of new oil and gas fields and the construction of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline? The Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, signed by the leaders of the "Caspian Five" in August of this year, opened up new, unique opportunities for cooperation among states. The Convention regulates the rights and obligations of the parties regarding the use of the Caspian Sea and its rich natural resources. It defines the delimitation parameters in the Caspian Sea. The signing of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea was a truly historic event that marked the goodwill of the five littoral states. The main significance of this document for our country is that it defines the sovereign and exclusive rights of coastal states to use the rich natural resources of the sea. Thus, the Convention ensures the consistency and safety of the implementation of various projects in the field of oil and gas industry, as well as the implementation of other economic activities at sea. It creates conditions for freedom and safety of navigation, which plays an important role in terms of development of trade in the Caspian Sea and growth of the economies of our countries. In general, the implementation of the Convention's provisions will ensure the achievement of its announced goal - the transformation of the Caspian Sea into a zone of peace, good neighborliness, friendship and cooperation. Azerbaijan, as a country that has historically been a pioneer in the implementation of large projects in the Caspian Sea, plans to continue and expand cooperation with coastal states here. Due to a successful energy policy, Azerbaijan has managed to guarantee its economic security, as well as to gain the image of a reliable partner, producer and transit state, contributing to the energy security of Europe. Currently, by the initiative and with the participation of Azerbaijan, the construction of the largest infrastructure and energy projects like, for instance, the Southern Gas Corridor is going on. This project plays a great role in terms of transporting natural gas from the Caspian Sea region to Europe, and we are always ready to provide our capabilities to neighboring, friendly countries wishing to use transit routes through Azerbaijan. Q. What are the priorities of Azerbaijan's foreign policy for 2019? As in the current year our country will continue its independent, diversified, balanced and active foreign policy based on the national interests of our country and will defend our national interests in the international arena during the upcoming year under the direct leadership of the President Ilham Aliyev. Today, Azerbaijan is the initiator and participant of large-scale projects promoting regional cooperation and an influential state in the international arena. Today, the foreign policy achievements of our country, which is regarded as a reliable partner, are of course based on establishing balanced relations with neighboring countries and other countries of the world, as well as implementing equal dialogue and cooperation based on mutual interests. Of course, our foreign policy priorities in 2019 will include the strengthening of sovereignty and independence of our country, elimination of consequences of military aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan and restoration of territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders, as well as, the continuation of large-scale infrastructure projects implemented with the initiative and participation of Azerbaijan, further development of mutually beneficial cooperation with all international actors, including states, associations and international organizations. An aerial photo of the Greenland International Medical Center on Jeju Island / Courtesy of the Greenland International Medical Center By Kim Hyun-bin The nation's first for-profit hospital is on the verge of shutting down even before its grand opening, as it has no doctors to provide medical services amid a controversy over the scope of its service recipients. Amid the controversy, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial government may face tens of billions of won in damages from the hospital's investor. On Dec. 5, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Government conditionally approved an operating license for the Greenland International Medical Center, under the condition it only cater for foreign patients. Under the country's Medical Services Law, the hospital is obliged to open before March 4, 90 days after gaining approval from the local government. If the hospital fails to start providing medical services by that date, its license can be revoked after a public hearing. Initially, the hospital hired 134 staff including nine doctors, 28 nurses, 10 nursing assistants and 18 international coordinators as of August 2017, when it first applied for the license approval. However, the approval was delayed for more than a year and all nine doctors in the fields of plastic surgery, dermatology, internal medicine and family medicine resigned. With other staffers also leaving, only 70 remain. But the hospital has not been recruiting new staff, officials from the local government said. If the center fails to hire doctors and submit their licenses by the end of February, it will become nearly impossible to open the medical center by the March deadline. It is said the inaction comes from discontent from the medical center's Chinese investor, the Shanghai-based Greenland Group, over the local government's ban on treating Korean patients. "We will look into all legal procedures regarding the administrative measures," the Greenland International Medical Center said in a statement in December immediately after the Jeju government gave its conditional approval. The Korean Medical Association also said earlier that there is no law that justifies the ban on Korean patients. If the hospital files a lawsuit and the court rules the ban violates the Medical Services Law, the ban would be lifted, it said. But the local government said it received an authoritative interpretation from the Ministry of Health and Welfare that it is possible to ban services for Korean patients if such a condition is stated in the license approval. Experts say there is a high possibility the Chinese investor may file a compensation suit for around 80 billion won ($72 million) against the provincial government for not allowing the hospital to provide services for Koreans. By Jung Da-min North Korea's Songun (military-first) policy has been less highlighted with the country's policy undergoing a major shift to focus more on economic development since last April, as the country's leader Kim Jong-un declared completion of nuclear weapons development. The de-emphasis, however, does not mean the importance of military forces has been lowered, as shown in reports on Kim Jong-un's celebrating the 71st founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army with military officials. According to North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Saturday, Kim made a congratulatory visit to the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces on the anniversary, inspected an honor guard and made a speech. He also attended a celebratory performance given by the State Merited Chorus at an annex to the headquarters of the Party Central Committee, together with his wife Ri Sol-ju and the commanders of the KPA. During the performance, Kim requested an encore for "Our National Flag" and gave the thumbs up as the song was re-performed by a female trio and male chorus. This video footage shows a scene from the 22nd Kimjongilia Festival in Pyongyang last year. Screenshot from DPRK Today's YouTube channel By Jung Da-min The poster for the 23rd Kimjongilia Festival to be held from Feb. 14-21 in Pyongyang, released by North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Sunday. KCNA-Yonhap The 23rd Kimjongilia Festival from Feb. 14 to 21 in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang is expected to display the flower named after the current leader's late father and celebrate his Feb. 16 birthday, known locally as the Day of the Shining Star. But that is excessive even by some North Koreans' standards, according to Radio Free Asia (RFA), a U.S.-funded multi-language media outlet. "Unlike ordinary plants, Kimjongilia needs more than 15 hours of light and is a particularly sensitive plant in terms of temperature, so even if we succeed in making it bloom in cold weather like now, it easily falls off in a day or two," a source in the North's South Pyongan Province told RFA last week, on condition of anonymity. According to the source, the cultivators struggled to raise the temperature inside the greenhouse, using LED lights and briquettes to ensure the conditions needed for the flower. This 2016 video footage shows a North Korean family cultivating Kimjongilia inside a greenhouse. Screenshot from DPRK Today's YouTube channel Residents in each province had also been forced to provide supplies for the Kimilsungia-Kimjongilia Greenhouses across the nation, so their regions could meet the assigned quota for the festival. "Residents visited the Kimongilia Greenhouse on the (lunar) New Year's day to deliver the support materials and were surprised to see the large greenhouse was built with special glass and expensive imported equipment from abroad was installed inside it," the source said. "Residents strongly criticized the central party for spending that much foreign currency just to cultivate the flowers for the festival." Although the North Korean government has been claiming the residents were voluntarily striving to cultivate Kimjongilia, residents and cultivators were disgusted by the statements, the source said. Meanwhile, a large ice sculpture festival began on Sunday in Samjiyon, Ryanggang Province, near Mount Paektu, which North Korea promotes as Kim Jong-il's birthplace. According to state media DPRK Today, Monday, officers and soldiers of the regiment of the Ministry of People's Security have spent 40 days and nights bringing in about 2,000 pieces of ice and snow weighing thousands of tons. When U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un first met in Singapore last year, there was pomp, there was circumstance, but there wasn't much substance. Before they meet again in Vietnam on Feb. 27-28, there's growing pressure that they forge a deal that puts them closer to ending the North Korean nuclear weapons threat. But what could that look like? Kim may be willing to dismantle his main nuclear complex. The U.S. may be willing to cough up concessions, maybe remove some sanctions. The question, however, is whether what's on offer will be enough for the other side. Here's a look at what each side could be looking for as Trump and Kim try to settle a problem that has bedeviled generations of policymakers. DESTROYING A NUKE COMPLEX The North's Yongbyon (sometimes spelled Nyongbyon) nuclear complex, located about 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Pyongyang, has facilities that produce both plutonium and uranium, two key ingredients in nuclear weapons. North Korea's state media have called the complex of a reported 390 buildings ''the heart of our nuclear program.'' After a September meeting with Kim, South Korean President Moon Jae-in told reporters that Kim promised to dismantle the complex if the United States takes unspecified corresponding steps. Stephen Biegun, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, recently said that Kim also committed to the dismantlement and destruction of North Korea's plutonium and uranium enrichment facilities when he met visiting Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last October. Since fresh diplomatic efforts began last year, the North has suspended nuclear and missile tests and dismantled its nuclear testing site and parts of its long-range rocket launch facility. But destroying the Yonbgyon complex would be Kim's biggest disarmament step yet and would signal his resolve to move forward in negotiations with Trump. There is worry among some, however, that the complex's destruction won't completely dispel widespread skepticism about North Korea denuclearization commitments. It would still have an estimated arsenal of as many as 70 nuclear weapons and more than 1,000 ballistic missiles. North Korea is also believed to be running multiple undisclosed uranium-enrichment facilities. ''We could call (Yongbyon's destruction) a half-deal or a small-deal,'' said Nam Sung-wook, a professor at Korea University and a former president of the Institute for National Security Strategy, a think tank affiliated with South Korea's main spy agency. ''It's really an incomplete denuclearization step'' that matches past tactics meant to slow disarmament steps so it can win a series of concessions. U.S. REWARDS To get the North to commit to destroying the Yongbyon complex, some experts say Trump needs to make important concessions. Those would likely need to include jointly declaring an end of the 1950-53 Korean War, opening a liaison office in Pyongyang, allowing North Korea to restart some economic projects with South Korea and possibly easing some sanctions on the North. By Lee Kyung-min KB Kookmin Bank CEO Hur Yin will be taking an eight-day trip to South East Asian countries to check on moves for the bank's overseas expansion, KB said Friday. Hur will leave for Indonesia Feb. 14, and will then visit India and Vietnam before returning home Feb. 21. "The primary focus of the visit is to make sure our business plans in the key areas are proceeding without any problems," a KB official said. His trip comes about six months after KB acquired a 22 percent stake in Bank Bukopin in Indonesia and became its second-largest shareholder. KB signed an agreement in June 2018 to purchase new shares issued by the Indonesian bank, which was approved by the country's financial authorities. "A number of visiting senior officials are seeking various ways to boost cooperation with local officials. We will set up a mid- to long-term strategy for effective management there," the official added. The expansion in Indonesia will help the bank establish a stronger presence in other Southeast Asian countries nations, including Cambodia and Myanmar. "It is our mission to maintain stable profit generation which will require strengthened capability through systemic and well-organized management," the official said. "We will continue our efforts to identify new, sustainable growth engines overseas by finding business models that can maximize synergy with our partners in the respective countries our businesses are based in." Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki, right, offers words of support to workers at a factory in Namdong Industrial Complex in Incheon, Feb. 4. He visited the complex, housing many small exporters, to express his gratitude to employees working during the Lunar New Year holiday. Yonhap On the afternoon of February 9 (the fifth day of the first lunar month this year), thousands of Lang Son people and tourists flocked to the "Long Tong" (going to the field) festival in Pac Moong, Quang Trung I village, Mai Pha commune, Lang Son city, signaling the start of the cultivation season of the new year. Attendees enjoyed typical Lang Son cuisine, cherry and plum blossoms and folk games at the festival. In Dong Trieu town (Quang Ninh province), along with activities during the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival, local people are ready to harvest Atlantic potatoes during the 10 days after Tet. Dong Trieu cultivated on 218 ha of potatoes in this years crop, an increase of 48 ha compared to the previous year. After the Tet holiday, local farmers in Thua Thien - Hue province went to the fields to start their new year production. On the morning of February 9, fishing boats in Quynh Phuong ward, Hoang Mai town, Nghe An province, earned good catch after their first fishing trips at the beginning of the new year, collecting fish worth hundreds of million VND per ship. According to the Quynh Phuong ward authorities, the whole locale has more than 600 fishing vessels and the total catch in 2019 is expected to reach 20,000 tonnes. Positive fishing results have also been recorded in Ly Son Island in Quang Ngai province and in Phuoc Hai town, Dat Do district of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province. On February 9, the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PVN) said that the group and its member units have arranged for over 15,000 officials and employees to work through the Tet holidays at offshore rigs and other key oil and gas projects nationwide. The PVN leaders have also regularly visited and inspected oil and gas exploitation activities while conveying their Tet wishes to those working on offshore platforms without a Tet holiday. In 2019, PVN is striving for total revenue of VND612.2 trillion, contributing VND87.5 trillion to the State budget. Vicem Song Thao Cement Company officially began exporting its first order for customers in the new year on Saturday morning. The unit arranged three-shift production continuously during the Tet holiday. In 2018, Vicem Song Thao completed the planned targets, in which the total consumption reached nearly 1.2 million tonnes, up 14% over the same period, and pre-tax profit reached over VND20 billion, up VND19, 77 billion compared to 2017. Dung Quat oil refinery has ensured continuous and stable operation during Tet, reaching 108% of its design capacity, equivalent to 1,100 m3 per hour. During the three official days of Tet holiday, Dung Quat processed about 65,340 tonnes of crude oil to generate 64,833 tonnes of various products. The Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) has said the group and its member units will return to work on February 11. In 2018, Vinatex's export turnover reached more than US$3 billion, up 10.9% and total revenue reached over VND48.6 trillion, up 6.6%. In 2019, the group is striving to increase its export turnover by about 6-8%, total revenue up by 5-7% and profit by 12% compared to 2018. RTHK: Toxic alcohol kills at least 99 in northern India At least 99 people have died and scores have been hospitalised in northern India after drinking toxic alcohol, triggering a crackdown against bootleggers, officials said on Monday. News of the deaths in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand has trickled in over the past three days, with police suspecting the moonshine had been cut with methanol. Authorities said many victims had complained of dizziness and were taken to hospital writhing in pain after consuming the illicit alcohol. Cheap, locally-made liquor is common in parts of rural India and bootleggers often add methanol - a highly toxic form of alcohol sometimes used as an anti-freeze - to their product to increase its strength. If ingested in large quantities, methanol can cause blindness, liver damage and death. In one district of Uttar Pradesh, 59 people had died after consuming toxic alcohol, police spokesman Shailendra Kumar Sharma told the AFP news agency. In a neighbouring district a senior police officer said nine had died, adding that 66 suspected bootleggers had been arrested in the state and samples of the liquor sent to a laboratory for testing. Police said at least 31 people died in neighbouring Uttarakhand state and that two had been arrested on suspicion of supplying the liquor. Four suspects have been arrested in the state. "We are trying to find out the main source of this illicit liquor. We will soon nab the main culprit behind this tragedy," Janmejay Khanduri, senior Uttarakhand police official told AFP. Newspaper reports said around 3,000 people linked with the illegal trade were arrested across Uttar Pradesh in the aftermath of the tragedy. Hundreds of poor people die every year in India due to alcohol poisoning, mostly from consuming cheap alcohol. In 2015, more than 100 people died in a Mumbai slum after drinking illegal moonshine. Of the estimated five billion litres of alcohol drunk every year in India, around 40 percent is illegally produced, according to the International Spirits and Wine Association of India. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2019-02-11. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Ahn Jae-wook. Yonhap By Lee Min-young Actor Ahn Jae-wook has been caught driving under the influence. A police source told a local news outlet on Sunday that he was pulled over with a blood alcohol level over the legal limit under which his license will be suspended. Ahn, 48, was on his way back to Seoul from Jeonju on Sunday morning after completing his schedule in Jeonju late on Saturday. He admitted drinking alcohol with his friend at a restaurant near his hotel that night. His agency told the newspaper that Ahn was deeply conscious of his responsibility and apologized for his behavior. "We will swiftly discuss what will be done with his already set schedules and come up with ways that will not inconvenience his co-workers," the agency said. Ahn Jae-wook debuted with broadcaster MBC in 1994. He rose to stardom with the 1997 TV drama "Star in My Heart." He has also released albums and held numerous concerts across Asia. The United States is likely just weeks away from starting the withdrawal of ground troops from Syria ordered by President Donald Trump, the top US commander overseeing American forces in the Middle East said on Sunday. US Army General Joseph Votel, head of the US Central Command, cautioned that the exact timing would depend on the situation in Syria, where US-backed fighters have launched a final assault against Islamic State enclaves near the Iraqi border. The US military has already started withdrawing equipment from Syria. Asked whether the withdrawal of America`s more than 2,000 troops would begin in days or weeks, Votel said: "Probably weeks. But again, it will all be driven by the situation on the ground." "In terms of the withdrawal ... I think we`re right on track with where we wanted to be," Votel told reporters traveling with him during a trip to the Middle East. "Moving people is easier than moving equipment and so what we`re trying to do right now is again (to) kind of clear out those materials, that equipment, that we do not need." Trump`s surprise announcement in December that he was withdrawing American troops from Syria helped trigger the resignation of his defense secretary, Jim Mattis, and sent US military officials scrambling to construct a withdrawal plan that preserves as many gains as possible. Hundreds of additional troops have been sent to Syria to facilitate the withdrawal. US officials have long estimated that the Syria pullout could take until sometime in March or April to execute fully, but have been reluctant to set an exact timeline given hard-to-predict battlefield conditions. Votel did not speculate about when the drawdown would be completed. IRAQ TROOPS STEADY One big question has been whether some US forces in Syria might move to neighboring Iraq, where the United States has more than 5,000 troops helping Baghdad fight Islamic State and prevent the group`s resurgence. Votel said he did not believe the United States would broadly increase overall troop numbers in Iraq. He did leave open the possibility of changing the composition of forces to help the United States keep pressure on the militant group. Referring to future US troop levels in Iraq, Votel said: "I think it`s going to remain more or less steady." "This isn`t just wholesale -- `Everybody in Syria move over to Iraq.` That doesn`t make sense," Votel said. Votel is one of many current and former US officials who have warned of the risk of a resurgence by Islamic State unless the United States and its allies can keep pressure on the group following the US withdrawal. They say Islamic State still has enough leaders, fighters, facilitators and financial resources to fuel a menacing insurgency. But a clear US plan on how to keep up the pressure has yet to be articulated. It is also unclear whether the United States will be able to satisfy the security concerns in Syria of its NATO ally Turkey without sacrificing the interests of US-backed Kurdish fighters there. Ankara sees the Kurdish militia as terrorists. Washington views the Kurdish militia as loyal partners in the fight against Islamic State, whose help will likely continue to be needed to prevent the group`s resurgence. The Pentagon`s own internal watchdog released a report last week warning about the risks still posed by Islamic State. It cautioned that, absent sustained pressure, the group would likely resurge in Syria within six to 12 months and retake some limited territory. A United Nations report seen by Reuters last week estimated there are up to 18,000 Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, including up to 3,000 foreign fighters. It warned the group was interested in attacking aviation and using chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials. Washington: Saudi Arabia does not know where murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi`s body is, the Kingdom`s Foreign Affairs Minister Adel al-Jubeir has said, despite having in custody the Saudi team that killed him. In an interview to US CBS "Face the Nation" show that was broadcast on Sunday, Al-Jubeir said: "The death of Jamal Khashoggi was a mass-massive tragedy. It was a mistake.... committed by officials of the Saudi government acting outside their scope of authority." He said that 11 individuals have been charged with the crime and the trials have begun. "We have said we will investigate. We will hold those accountable- those responsible accountable and we will punish them." Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and a supporter-turned-critic of Saudi Prince Mohammad bin Salman, was murdered inside the Kingdom`s consulate in Turkey`s Istanbul on October 2 and his body was reportedly dismembered with a bone saw. His remains are yet to be found. Al-Jubeir told the US programme that "we don`t know" where is Khashoggi`s body and that the public prosecutor responsible for the case had sought evidence from Turkey but had received no response. "We are still waiting to receive any evidence they (Turkey) may have." On being asked why those in detention can`t reveal where Khashoggi`s body was, Al-Jubeir said: "We are still investigating. We have now a number of possibilities and we`re asking them what they did with the body. "... I think this investigation is ongoing, and I would expect that eventually we will find the truth." The minister again denied the Crown Prince`s involvement in the murder. "Nobody in Saudi Arabia knew about the murder except the people who did it." He also dismissed the New York Times` report detailing how US intelligence intercepted communications of Bin Salman telling a top aide in 2017 that he would "use a bullet" on the journalist if he did not return to the Kingdom. "This was not a government sanctioned operation. We have an investigation and we have a trial. And many things have been put out that turned out to be incorrect." The US` Central Intelligence Agency has, however, concluded the Saudi operation was likely directed by the Crown Prince. Dubai: Saudi Arabia had "absolutely nothing to do" with the National Enquirer`s reporting on an extramarital relationship involving Amazon.com Inc Chief Executive Jeff Bezos, the kingdom`s minister of state for foreign affairs said. Bezos on Thursday accused American Media Inc (AMI), the Enquirer`s owner, of trying to blackmail him with the threat of publishing "intimate photos" he allegedly sent to his girlfriend unless he said in public that the US tabloid`s reporting on him was not politically motivated. In a blog post, he alluded to Saudi Arabia`s displeasure at the Bezos-owned Washington Post`s coverage of the murder of its columnist and Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He also referenced media reports about alleged links between AMI and Saudi Arabia. "This is something between the two parties, we have nothing to do with it," Adel al-Jubeir told CBS` "Face the Nation" when asked if the Saudi government was involved in the Enquirer leaks. "It sounds to me like a soap opera," he said in an interview to be aired on Sunday, excerpts of which were posted on CBS` website. Jubeir said he was not aware of any links between the Saudi government and AMI or its CEO David Pecker. AMI said on Friday its reporting on Bezos was lawful and it would investigate his claims. The killing of Khashoggi at the kingdom`s Istanbul consulate last October strained Saudi Arabia`s ties with Western allies, exposed the kingdom to possible sanctions and tarnished the image of de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Bangkok: Malaysia`s former Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is set to go on trial on Tuesday, faces years in prison if he is convicted on charges relating to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state fund scandal. Najib has been charged with 42 counts of corruption and he, along with his associates, are accused of diverting $4.5 billion from the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund. His trial is due to begin on Tuesday and is expected to last till the end of March, the first in a series of legal proceedings against the former Prime Minister, Efe news reported. If found guilty, Najib could be sentenced to between 15 and 20 years in prison. The scandal was a major factor that contributed to Najib`s historic defeat in the May 2018 elections, when his party, the powerful United Malays National Organisation, suffered its first loss since the country`s independence from Britain. The 65-year-old, who served as Prime Minister from 2009 to 2018, is accused of diverting 2.6 billion ringgit ($681 million at the time) to private accounts, an undercover investigation by the Wall Street Journal and the Sarawak Report found in 2015. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) formally charged Najib with criminal breach of trust and abuse of power last year, shortly after the polls. He denies the allegations, claiming the embezzled funds were a donation from a Saudi prince, an explanation that was initially accepted by 1MDB, the MACC and the then-Attorney General, who initially exonerated him. The case was reopened following his defeat in the election. In the weeks leading up to the trial, Najib has been in combative mood, publicly campaigning against his mentor Mahathir Mohamad`s government, claiming he is a victim of political persecution. Investigators reopened the case after Najib lost the elections, with Mahathir banning his predecessor and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, from leaving the country. More than 12,000 pieces of jewellery, including 1,400 necklaces, 2,200 rings, 2,100 bangles, 2,800 pairs of earrings, 1,600 brooches and 14 tiaras, as well as cash in 26 currencies worth around 116 million ringgit ($28.5 million), were found at Najib`s home during the investigation. The alleged embezzlement and laundering of funds diverted from 1MDB were being investigated in half a dozen countries, including the US, Switzerland and Singapore. According to the US Department of Justice, about $4.5 billion was diverted from the 1MDB, $1 billion of which may have been laundered in the country with the purchase of real estate, yachts, jewellery and works of art among other goods. Najib set up 1MDB in 2009 as a state investment fund to attract investment projects and other developments to the southeast Asian country. The fund ended up accumulating losses of 42 billion ringgit. BRUSSELS: The European Union started an 18-month process on Monday that could lead to the suspension of Cambodia`s duty-free trade access over its record on human rights and democracy. The European Commission, which coordinates trade policy for the 28-member EU, said that its decision to start the process would be published in the EU official journal on February 12, triggering a countdown that could run until August 2020. Cambodia benefits from the EU`s "Everything but Arms" (EBA) trade regime, which allows the world`s poorest countries to sell any goods, except weapons, tariff-free into the bloc. The EU warned Cambodia last July that it could lose this special status, after elections maintained Prime Minister Hun Sen in power and gave his party all parliamentary seats. He has led the country since 1985. The EU is Cambodia`s largest trading partner, accounting for 45 percent of its exports in 2018. Clothing factories there employ around 700,000 workers, and garments are a large share of exports to the bloc worth some 4.9 billion euros. Cambodia is the second largest user of EBA preferences, behind only Bangladesh. Businesses and unions there last month urged the European Union not to withdraw the preferences, saying such a decision would harm millions of workers and their families. The European Commission said that its goal was to ensure Cambodia improved the situation for its people, with withdrawal of preferences only a last resort. "It should be clear that today`s move is neither a final decision nor the end of the process. But the clock is now officially ticking and we need to see real action soon," EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said in a statement. EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said the EU recognised Cambodian authorities had taken positive steps in recent months, such as releasing political figures and addressing some restrictions on civil society and trade union activities. "However, without more conclusive action from the government, the situation on the ground calls Cambodia`s participation in the EBA scheme into question," she said. The process consists of six months of monitoring and talks with the Cambodian authorities followed by another half-year period for the Commission to produce a report and take a decision on whether or not to withdraw the trade preferences. Any withdrawal would take effect after a further six months. LONDON - The British parliament is set to hold a debate on Brexit on Feb. 14 but this is not a re-run of a vote last month on whether to approve the exit deal Prime Minister Theresa May`s negotiated with the European Union. May is seeking changes to her deal with Brussels after it was rejected by a record majority in parliament on Jan. 15. She has said she wants to bring a revised deal back to parliament for a vote "as soon as possible" but has not yet set a date for doing so. She will make a statement to parliament on Tuesday setting out what progress she has made in talks with Brussels. Lawmakers will then debate the subject on Thursday. Below is what will happen on that day: WHAT WILL THEY DEBATE? May will make a statement to parliament on February 12 updating lawmakers on her progress so far in seeking changes to her deal. She is expected to ask parliament to reaffirm its support for her plan to try and renegotiate the part of the deal relating to the future of the Ireland-Northern Ireland border. The debate on February 14 will be on a motion - a proposal put forward for debate - about Brexit more generally. The previous similar debate on Jan. 29 was on a motion which simply asked lawmakers to agree that they had considered May`s latest statement on the Brexit negotiations. CAN LAWMAKERS PROPOSE CHANGES? Yes. As with the January 29 debate, lawmakers will be able to propose changes, known as amendments. It is likely that many amendments similar to those debated on January 29 will be proposed, including attempts to shift control of the process away from government and give parliament a chance to define Brexit. As with January 29, if these are successful they could have a profound effect, giving lawmakers who want to block, delay or renegotiate Brexit a possible legal route to do so. With the EU saying so far that they are not willing to reopen talks on the Withdrawal Agreement, other lawmakers are likely to propose alternatives to May`s deal to gauge support for them and persuade the prime minister to change course by seeking closer EU ties or holding a second referendum. An attempt by Labour lawmaker Yvette Cooper and Conservative Nick Boles to give parliament the power to request a delay to Britain`s March 29 exit was defeated by lawmakers on Jan. 29, but Boles said he would renew that effort on Feb. 14 if a deal has not been passed by then. The government persuaded many lawmakers not to support that previous attempt by promising them that it would not be their last chance to seek to stop a `no-deal` departure from the EU as they would get to debate Brexit again on Feb. 14. Last week, a Conservative lawmaker involved in discussions with the government about changes to the deal said that if May could demonstrate that the EU was willing to renegotiate, she would buy herself some more time and avoid a potential flashpoint in parliament on Feb. 14. WILL THERE BE VOTES? The Speaker, John Bercow, will decide whether to select any of the amendments for a vote. Lawmakers will vote on each of the selected amendments one by one, before voting to give final approval to the wording of the motion itself. Before the debate begins, lawmakers will have to agree to the proposed timetable for the debate - currently just one day. If lawmakers believe that more than one day is needed, the votes could in theory be pushed into the following week. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT? The next steps will depend on whether parliament approves an alternative course of action, or whether May`s strategy is endorsed by lawmakers. Conservative lawmakers are likely to give May more time to negotiate, meaning that nothing changes after Thursday`s vote, and the government keeps pursuing its plan to change the exit agreement and put a deal to parliament as soon as possible. The impact of any rival amendments which are passed will depend on how they are worded, which will not be known until after Tuesday`s statement. The government has promised that it will give parliament another chance to debate the issue by Feb. 27 using the same format described above, if a deal has not been agreed before then. NEW DELHI: In a setback for the ruling BJP, the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed its petition challenging the West Bengal government order banning the use of mikes and loudspeakers near the residential areas in the state, saying exams are more important than political rallies. According to ANI, the top court dismissed the West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) petition seeking setting aside the West Bengal High Court order which had put a ban on the use of mikes and loudspeakers in the residential areas in the state. Supreme Court has dismissed the West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) petition seeking setting aside the West Bengal High Court order which had put a ban on use of mikes and loudspeakers in the residential areas in the state. ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2019 The State Pollution Control Board of West Bengal had first issued the order banning the use of mikes and loudspeakers in the residential areas, which was challenged by the state unit of BJP in the top court. "You are challenging an order of 2013?", asked Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi at the outset, reported LiveLaw.com "Yes, but it is applied every year. Your Lordships had passed an order disposing of the appeal with the direction that we procure the requisite permission...", senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi had submitted before the top court. "We are not saying that you are coming late...but the children are writing their exams around this time...", the Chief Justice said in his reply. "Yes, that is an important issue, but so is this. This is also the time when I have to do my rallies and public meetings (the general elections being in May)...if we do it in a 'maidan', there would be no problem...there must be some balance under 19(1)(a)...", Rohatgi argued. However, as the CJI proceeded to dismiss the plea, the senior advocate quickly expressed his desire to withdraw the petition leaving it to the High Court "to do some balancing" in the issue. NEW DELHI: Swedish Youtuber PewDiePie has mocked the popular Indian music label T-Series as the subscriber gap between the two came as close as ever on Sunday. It may be recalled that the two are currently locked in an intense online battle to become YouTube's most subscribed channel. ''No video today, just to give T-Series a feeling of hope," the embattled Swedish vlogger tweeted on Sunday. no video today, just to give tseries a feeling of hope (@pewdiepie) February 9, 2019 Popular YouTuber, MrBeast, who has launched a campaign in his hometown to promote PewDiePie and advertised him at the Super Bowl, was quick to reply:"Excellent strategy my king". Excellent strategy my king. MrBeast (@MrBeastYT) February 9, 2019 Leon Lush too joined the Twitter conversation, saying, ''Then we strike at midnight while they are resting on their laurels". Then we strike at midnight while they are resting on their laurels Leon Lush (@LeonLush) February 9, 2019 Some even made a desperate call for another internet celebrity, billionaire Elon Musk, to throw his weight behind the Swedish YouTuber. Swedish gamer Felix 'PewDiePie' Kjellberg has so far been able to maintain a comfortable lead in its online battle against Indian music brand T-Series, which is trying to dislodge the former as YouTube's the most subscribed channel. 'PewDiePie' has been able to do so mainly due to immense support from popular American YouTuber Mr Beast. On Sunday, the Swedish Youtuber had 80,550,258 subscribers against 80,002,655 followers of its Indian rival. This never-ending battle for the most subscribed YouTube channel spot between PewDiePie and T-Series has been going on for more than 10 months now. PewDiePie, the one-man army known for his gaming commentary and controversial views, held the most subscribed channel for years now. With the T Series fast narrowing the gap with the Swedish YouTuber, video marketing firms like Tubular Labs had predicted in advance that the Indian music brand was well "on course to surpass" PewDiePie's 83,353,773 subscribers within a short span of time. Interestingly, T-Series is already number one on another metric - the Most-Watched YouTube channel. Its videos have already garnered 60 billion views, which is three times the number of views on Justin Bieber or Katy Perry's YouTube channel. Analysts had earlier predicted that the Indian music brand will overtake the one-man Swedish content creator Felix Kjellberg's channel in early January 2019. But due to YouTube's cleansing of spam accounts on its platform, T Series' subscriber count came crashing drastically in December 2018. A household name in India since the 1980s, the company is lead by Bhushan Kumar - son of T Series founder Gulshan Kumar who was assassinated by the underworld mafia D Company in 1997. It has 29 TV channels in several Indian languages and hosts some of the biggest Indian artists, drawing millions of views. At the beginning of 2018, T Series had about 30 million subscribers on its YouTube channel. With the introduction of landmark changes in Indian mobile and data service, the subscriber list sky-rocketed to over 70 million in just six months. The online video channel also accounts for nearly 25 percent of its sales, which is about $100 million. PewDiePie, game commentary and comic-oriented YouTube channel, held the mantle of most subscribed for almost six years now. Despite the highest number of subscribers, PewDiePie failed to make it to YouTube Rewinds two years in a row over his controversial comments. In January 2019, both the YouTube channels crossed the major milestone of passing 80 million-subscribers number. The war saw many of PewDiePie fans indulge in massive online campaigns to get more subscribers. Some even hacked worldwide printers, Google Chromecasts, smart TVs and even defaced Wall Street Journal. PewDiePie also saw many of his contemporaries and direct competitors, including Mr Beast, Logan Paul, Shane Dawson, come out in support. Latest to support PewDiePie is Elon Musk - the founder of SpaceX, Tesla, Hyperloop, The Boring Company, and Neuralink. Kokomo, IN (46901) Today Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low near 60F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low near 60F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. MOSCOW: A state of emergency has been declared in a remote Russian region after the mass invasion of polar bears in human settlements of the region. Guardian reported that a team of specialists have been deployed by Russian environmental authorities to the islands located in a remote Arctic region to sedate these polar bears. The specialists will remove these polar bears from the human settlements after sedating them. The government decided to send specialists on the islands after officials in the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, with a population of about 3,000 people, sought help. Theres never been such a mass invasion of polar bears. They have literally been chasing people, Zhigansha Musin, the head of the local administration, told Guardian. Alexander Minayev, the regions deputy head, added: People are scared, and afraid to leave their homes. Parents are unwilling to let their children go to school or nursery. Some video footage from the islands show the polar bears feeding on rubbish at a local dump. The residents of the island tried to scare off the polar bears using car horns and dogs, but in vain. Polar bears are classified as an endangered species in Russia and shooting them is prohibited by law. But government officials said that they may have to cull these polar bears to ensure the safety of the local population. The officials, however, added that this would be done only after all attempts to remove the animals from island fail to yield positive results. It may be recalled that polar bears had besieged five Russian scientists for nearly two weeks at a remote weather station on Troynoy Island in 2016. The island is located in east of Novaya Zemlya. JAKARTA: In a shocking incident, Indonesian police used a live snake to torture a theft suspect during a police interrogation. In the video of the alleged incident, which has now gone viral, the man can be seen with the snake draped around his neck as officers kept on questioning him in connection with the theft of mobile phones. Ternyata penggunaan ular untuk interogasi orang Papua yang ditangkap cukup marak. Terakhir yang diketahui adalah terhadap Sam Lokon anggota KNPB. Video ini kabarnya di Wamena. Snakes are reported being used against West Papuans for interrogation. pic.twitter.com/Rf72r9oJMO Veronica Koman (@VeronicaKoman) February 8, 2019 The hands of the suspect can be seen tied behind his back and he is screaming as an officer pushed a snake towards his face. One policeman can be heard ordering the man to open his eyes as another threatens to put the snake into his mouth. During the interrogation, an officer asks: "How many times have you stolen mobile phones?" The suspect can be heard admitting: "Only two times." Jayawijaya police chief Tonny Ananda Swadaya tried to justify the bizarre interrogation technique saying the snake was non-venomous and tame. He, however, accepted that the policeman was not professional in discharging his duties. Swadaya also stressed that the suspect was not physically attacked by the policemen. He added that stern action has been taken against the officers involved in this matter. Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Veronica Koman, who first posted the video, claimed that this is not an isolated incident. She said that last month also the police had used snake during the interrogation of one of her. It is to be noted that reports of human rights abuses are common from Papua. Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the hooch tragedy in the state. Consumption of spurious illegal liquor has, so far, left at least 97 dead in UP and neighbouring Uttarakhand. The SIT team will be headed by Additional Director General of Police (Railways) Sanjay Singhal. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked the investigating team to submit a report within 10 working days, officials told IANS. The other members in the SIT team include Gorakhpur division Commissioner Amit Gupta, Inspector General of Police, Gorakhpur, Jai Narayan Singh, Saharanpur Commissioner Chandra Prakash Tripathi, and Inspector General of Police, Saharanpur zone, Principal Secretary, Home, Arvind Kumar said. Apart from finding out the reason leading to the tragedy, the SIT has been asked to explore possibilities of a deep-rooted conspiracy behind the incident, fix responsibility on police and excise department officials, recommend action against the guilty officials and also submit recommendations to ensure that there is no repetition of such incidents in future. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister earlier announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of those who died after consuming spurious liquor and Rs 50,000 each to those who are undergoing treatment. On Sunday, Congress Eastern Uttar Pradesh General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed grief over the deaths in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh due to illicit liquor consumption. Demanding that the Yogi government should take strict action against the culprits in the hooch tragedy, she said that it should also provide compensation and state government jobs to the families of the deceased. Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav too slammed the ruling BJP government in the state over the deaths. Meanwhile, the hooch tragedy has forced the government officials to launch a major crackdown to nab those responsible for the distribution of illicit liquor in the states and its neighbouring regions. (With inputs from ANI and IANS) Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday visited Vrindavan and unveiled the plaque to mark the serving of 3rd billionth meal by Akshaya Patra Foundation at Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir. He then served meal to underprivileged school children and had lunch with them at the special programme organised by the NGO. The Prime Minister also addressed a gathering on the occasion. Had the honour of serving food to children in Vrindavan today. pic.twitter.com/Fs7esScQZA Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 11, 2019 PM Modi had earlier praised the efforts of the NGO towards eradicating hunger from the country and tweeted, "I will be in Vrindavan today for a unique programme- to mark the serving of the 3rd billionth meal by the Akshaya Patra Foundation. Congratulations to all those associated with this mission. Their efforts towards eradicating hunger are exemplary." Funded by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Akshaya Patra is a not-for-profit organisation that works with the government on mid-day meal schemes. The foundation has a state-of-the-art kitchen in Vrindavan and PM Modi served food to children near the facility. Notably, this was the Prime Minister's 'first visit to the Chadrodaya Mandir campus'. The event was also attended by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, HRD minister Prakash Javadekar, BJP's Mathura MP Hema Malini. CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Monday rejected a plea filed by the Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Ltd which sought an interim stay on the proceedings of the single-member Justice A Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry, which is probing the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. According to news agency ANI, the Madras High Court rejected the petition filed by Apollo hospital seeking a stay on the Arumughaswamy Commission's proceedings until a medical board is formed. The high court also posted the matter for hearing on February 15. Former Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa death probe: Madras High Court rejects the petition of Apollo hospital seeking stay on the Arumughaswamy Commission proceedings until a medical board is formed. Next date of hearing is February 15. ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2019 In its petition, the hospital had alleged that the Jayalalithaa death probe panel is going beyond its brief. The hospital urged the Madras High Court to restrain the Justice A Arumugaswamy Commission from probing into the adequacy or correctness of the treatment given to late Tamil Nadu chief minister while she was admitted to its Chennai hospital. Jayalalithaa was in Apollo Hospitals here for 75 days in 2016 before she died there due to cardiac arrest on December 5, 2016. The Apollo Group has also filed a petition in the high court to appoint an independent medical board if the Commission's terms of reference also cover an inquiry into the treatment given to Jayalalithaa. "We feel the Commission is going beyond its terms of reference. The terms of reference for the Commission does not intend to go into the adequacy of the treatment given to Jayalalithaa. The inquiry is now changing towards a case of medical negligence," a person close to Apollo Hospitals was quoted as saying by IANS. The Apollo Hospitals had filed the petition on Tuesday and the matter is coming up for hearing on February 11. The Commission had earlier turned down the request of Apollo to set up a medical board. In an order issued detailing the terms of reference of the inquiry commission, the Tamil Nadu government had said it would "inquire into the circumstances and situation leading to the hospitalisation" of Jayalalithaa on September 22, 2016, and "subsequent treatment provided till her unfortunate demise" on December 5 that year. Ever since Jayalalithaa died, the former AIDMK leader's death is mired in a controversy with allegations of foul play flying thick. (With IANS inputs) New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government may give big bonanza for home buyers before elections by fast-tracking the disbursal of interest subsidy to home buyers under Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS), sources told Zee Media. Sources added that the government has asked National Housing Bank (NHB) and other commercial banks to also ensure that there is no delay in the process of disbursal of interest subsidy to home buyers. Currently, home buyers under CLSS have to wait for nearly 3 to 4 months for disbursal of subsidy. And till the home buyers get the said subsidy, they have to bear the entire interest on the EMI. Sources said that government wants banks to initiate the disbursal process immediately after getting details of requisition from home-buyers. Sources also added that the government will provide additional Rs 7000 crore to NHB to help them speed up the process. In 2016, PM Modi had announced the credit linked subsidy scheme for middle income groups under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY). Under the scheme, an interest subsidy of four percent on housing loans of up to Rs nine lakh for those with an income of Rs 12 lakh per year and of three percent on housing loans of up to Rs 12 lakh for those having an income of Rs 18 lakh per year was to be given. KARAULI: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday said that his government was ready to hold discussions with Gujjars after violence broke out in clashes between protestors and police earlier in the day. Stating that sitting on railway tracks as a part of the protest was unethical, Gehlot said: "the government is ready to open discussions with the agitating community." Gehlot said the government would look into the issue and probe the violence that erupted in Dholpur. The Gujjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (GASS) launched their agitation on Friday over their demand for five per cent reservation in government jobs and education institutions. Since Friday, the protestors have been blocking highways and traffic on the Delhi-Mumbai rail route. Security has been beefed in view of the threat that the agitation will intensify on Monday. "We have deputed additional forces in the violence-prone areas to tackle any untoward incident," Mohan Lal Lather, Director General of Police said. The agitation had turned violent as protesters clashed with the police personnel near Dholpur. The police had to fire tear gas shells to disperse the protesters when they began pelting stones. Three police vehicles were also set on fire. Five policemen were injured in the stone pelting. Three separate cases have been registered and investigations are on but no arrests have been made so far. However, Gujjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti chief Col. Kirori Singh Bainsla, who is spearheading the protest, blamed anti-social elements who have become a part of the protest for the violence. Rajasthan Tourism Minister Vishwendra Singh and IAS officer Neeraj K. Pawan had visited the GASS chief on Saturday near Malarna Dungar in the Sawai Madhopur district to hold negotiations but the talks had failed to make any headway. Meanwhile, the Rajasthan government pasted a notice at Bainsla's residence warning him against violation of court directives on agitation. In the notice pasted by the Karauli district administration at Bainsla's Hindaun residence, it has been stated that Supreme Court and different high courts have on several occasions directed that no public or private property be damaged and rail or railway traffic be disrupted during any agitation. "If the Supreme Court and high court directives are not followed, you will be held responsible for contempt of court," the notice said. The Zee TV Canada Vancouver office on January 30th, 2019 was adorned with the presence of Premier of British Columbia, Mr John Horgan. John Horgan is serving as the 36th & current Premier of British Columbia since July 2017. The premier of British Columbia is the first minister, an equivalent of a governor or Chief Minister, head of government, and de facto chief executive for British Columbia Province/State of Canada. John Horgan paid a visit for an exclusive interview for Zee TV Canada's successful locally produced show, BC Round-Up. During the interview, he addressed a lot of ongoing issues in the Canadian province of British Columbia. On being queried upon on how the collected tax money will be utilized to reduce the housing crisis, he answered, "It's a small, focused tax on those who are speculating. If you don't own two or three homes, it doesn't affect you. It will bring down cost and money will be utilized to build more housing for people." Speaking on the issue of non-availability of ride-hailing services like Lyft & Uber, he confirmed that, "Ride-Hailing services will soon enter & be available in British Columbia." Stepping in the new year John Horgan was asked on what the British Columbians can expect from BCNDP (The New Democratic Party of British Columbia) in 2019, he replied, "We would continue to our best with the British Columbians We are working with the private sectors to create more jobs. We are replacing the Pattullo Bridge, and hopefully, we get more transit in Surrey. Concluding the interview, John Horgan lauded Zee TV Canada for consistently supporting the community British Columbia through Out Reach community events & other mediums as well. He quoted, "All the best to Zee TV on many years of community programs. May 2019 be your best year to date." Before departing he wished all the viewers of Zee TV Canada a very Happy 2019 & asked people to e-mail him directly if any concerns with the government. Guwahati: Bollywood actor and cancer survivor Manisha Koirala has said a good health care support system was needed to create awareness about the disease and people should prioritise their health. The key to surviving cancer was early detection and screening and people must maintain a healthy lifestyle, Koirala said on Sunday at the Brahmaputra Literary Festival to discuss her recently released book 'Healed'. "In developing countries, people are dying more than in developed countries and this is primarily due to lack of awareness. Ninety per cent of the cases, if detected early is curable and people must go for periodic checkups and maintain a healthy lifestyle," she added. 'Healed', which deals with Koirala's journey through cancer, the intricacies of the disease and the treatment involved, was written so that people "can learn from the mistakes I made and prioritise one's health by eating well, doing exercise, being active and above all by being a happy person", she said. Koirala, who returned to films with 'Dear Maya', said she did a lot of introspection while she was ill and realised whether "we want to be a victim or a victor is in our hands". "I am an ambitious working woman and I have a second chance to life. I am looking forward to do more films but now my priorities are different with more focus on my health, family and on creative fulfilment", she added. The actress said her main drive for selecting a film now will be the script and she would love to do a female- centric role. "Times are changing, different stories are being told and audience are accepting different roles. I want to do films that give me enjoyment and at the same time is appreciated by the audience", she added. Asked about her recent film 'Sanju' where she portrayed the role of Nargis Dutt who died of cancer, Koirala said she was "initially apprehensive as Nargis ji was a super talented actress but I did it and it went off very well". The actress will be soon working on a yet to be titled film with actor Adil Hussain, who hails from Assam, whom she described as a "brilliant actor". Koirala said she also plans to start work on her second book by the end of this year though she did not reveal the details. "I have always wanted to write since childhood and I have many stories to tell which I now plan to do", she added. New Delhi: Every year, filmmaker Anurag Basu hosts Saraswati Puja on the occasion of Basant Panchami. Likewise, this time too he played the perfect host to a bevy of stars who came to seek the blessings of goddess Saraswati. Katrina Kaif dressed in traditional yellow colour gharara dress and she looked like a ray of shining sunlight. Actor Abhishek Bachchan also visited Basu's residence and took the divine blessings of the goddess of knowledge and wisdom. In fact, he also turned up wearing a light mustard-yellowish tint kurta pyjama. This time he sported a clean-shaven look. Check out the pictures: (Pic Courtesy: Yogen Shah) Other B-Towners such as Sumona Chakravarti, Patralekhaa, Bhushan Kumar with wife Divya Kumar Khosla among various others TV celebs were spotted at the Saraswati Puja. Bengalis across the globe, celebrate Saraswati Puja with much gusto and fervour. And Basu hosts the puja ceremony every year at his residence. On the work front, Katrina is busy with 'Bharat' co-starring Salman Khan in the lead opposite her. The film is helmed by Ali Abbas Zafar and will hit the screens on Eid, June 5, 2019. The movie brings back the fantastic trio of actor-actress and director. The expectations are high from this actioner. MUMBAI: BJP's estranged NDA ally Shiv Sena has once again attacked the saffron party over its doublespeak on its alliance with the Maharashtra-based party and its over-confidence that it can win maximum seats in the state in the upcoming Lok Sabha election 2019. The Uddha Thackeray-led party also attacked the Centre and the state government in Maharashtra over a wide range of issues including the farmers' distress, the ongoing Rafale row, faulty EVMs and irresponsible statements being made by the saffron leaders these days. The Maharashtra-based party also took a swipe at an 'over-confident' BJP for its repeated claims of winning at least 43 out of 48 seats in the state. In a strongly worded article in its mouthpiece Saamana, the party said, ''With EVM and this kind of shallow confidence, lotus can blossom even in London and America.'' The party also asked why the ruling party failed to deliver on its promise to build a Ram temple in Ayodhya. ''Why did not the lotus blossom in Ayodhya,'' the Sena article asked. Uddhav Thackeray-led party also attacked Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for recently claiming that the BJP was not ''helpless'' but seriously wanted to save its alliance with the Shiv Sena. ''At a rally, Fadnavis said that his party will win one seat more - 43- in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra. Fadnavis should be praised for his self-confidence and for saying last week in presence of BJP chief Amit Shah that his party will win 43 seats this time. The party had won 42 seats in Maharashtra in the last elections. Fadnavis even boasted of defeating NCP chief Sharad Pawar in his party bastion Baramati. With this kind of confidence, the party can easily win no less than 548 seats on its own,'' the Saamana article said taking a dig at the ruling party. The Sena article also gave a piece of advice to the saffron leaders, asking them to conduct themselves responsibly and refrain from making acerbic statements to whip up communal sentiments. Shiv Sena said that instead of finding a solution to the problems facing the common man, BJP leaders are filled with arrogance and talk about settling scores with their political rivals. On the issue of his party's shaky alliance with BJP, Shiv Sena blamed the ruling party for it and accused it of not taking its NDA allies seriously. Seeking answers from the Maharashtra government, Sena article accused it of failing to address the farmers' distress, extremely low returns to onion farmers, the GST being levied on milk and the death of over 4,000 children in the state-run orphanages. Over 24,000 posts of teachers are currently vacant in Maharashtra, the farmers are staging protests everywhere, but the ruling party in the state is only concerned about winning the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. ''They (BJP) should know that power comes and vanishes with time. But these people are so power-drunk that they have no answers for most of the burning issues of the country. It seems, the arrogance has seeped deep in these people and this ''political diarrhoea'' is responsible for the decline of politics in the country,'' the Sena article said. The Shiv Sena further alleged that the definitions of nationalism and patriotism stood "changed" under the current BJP-led regime. "Those who sing paeans of Rafale deal are patriots, while those raising questions about its pricing are being labelled as traitors now," it claimed. It is to be noted that Uddhav Thackeray's party had on Sunday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought to know from him whether the Rafale deal was meant to strengthen the Air Force or a financially-troubled industrialist. Shiv Sena's remarks came in the backdrop of a report which claimed that the Defence Ministry had raised strong objections to "parallel discussions" conducted by the PMO during the negotiations over the Rs. 59,000 crore Rafale deal between India and France in 2015. The Shiv Sena, in an editorial in 'Saamana', said PM Modi gave a speech on "patriotism" in Parliament and defended the deal. "But the very next day, the 'black page' (document) came out, which silenced those raising patriotic slogans and thumping benches in the House," it said. Without naming anyone, the Shiv Sena said that PM Modi was expected to answer if the deal was finalised to strengthen the Air Force or a financially-troubled industrialist. Referring to Congress president Rahul Gandhi's constant criticism of the government on the Rafale issue, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party also asked why the opposition should be blamed for it. "The opponents may perish (politically), but the truth will stay alive," it said. "The prime minister made the oft-repeated allegation (in Parliament) that the Congress does not want the strengthening of the defence services. And the next day, documents surface, showing how extreme Modi's personal interest in the deal was. What to make out of it?" the Shiv Sena asked. Bengaluru: The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka has alleged that the audio tape released by chief minister HD Kumaraswamy last week was a conspiracy hatched by him against BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa. "The audio tape having Yeddyurappa's alleged conversation with the son of a JD-S legislator is part of a conspiracy hatched by Kumaraswamy who is facing severe trust deficit from legislators of his party (JD-S) and its coalition partner, the Congress," said state BJP general secretary N Ravi Kumar in a statement here on Monday. The purported audio tape in Kannada is said to be a conversation recorded on February 7 between Yeddyurappa and Gurumitkal JD-S legislator Naganagouda Kandakur's son Sharanagouda at a guest house at Devadurga in the Raichur district, about 480 km northeast of the state capital. According to the contents of the audio tape, Yeddyurappa attempted to lure Kandakur to join the BJP by 'paying' an unspecified amount to Sharanagouda and allegedly bribing Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar to prevent him from invoking the anti-defection law against the JD-S member (Kandakur). Yeddyurappa on Sunday again claimed that the audio tape was fabricated and its content doctored. "The making of the audio clip and releasing it in Bengaluru on February 8 by Kumaraswamy in the presence of Sharanagouda is a well-planned plot to tarnish the reputation of Yeddyurappa and the BJP," Kumar, who is also a member of the state legislative council, said in the statement. On Sunday night, a BJP supporter, M.B. Maramkal filed a criminal complaint with the state secretariat police station against Kumaraswamy and his associates, accusing them of committing offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 65 of the Information Technology Act. "We hope the police will investigate the conspiracy and press criminal charges against Kumaraswamy and his associates, and bring them to justice," Kumar said. Assembly speaker Kumar has also urged the chief minister to constitute a special investigation team to probe the audio tape and submit its report in 15 days. JAMMU: Continuing her tirade against the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre, PDP chief and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir had slammed the ruling party for its 'Hindutva' politics. Attacking the Centre, Mehbooba said that the BJP government is only interested in changing the names of monuments and old cities bearing Muslim names. She further alleged that the ruling party is only concerned with building a temple in Ayodhya. ''Monuments and old cities with Muslim names are being given Hindu names. There's a race to build the temple. Muslims are killed in the name of cow vigilantism, instead of taking action, the central government puts them in jails under NSA like in MP. Politics is being done in name of Hindutva,'' Mehbooba said. Mehbooba Mufti: Monuments&old cities with Muslim names are being given Hindu names. There's a race to build the temple. Muslims are killed in the name of cow vigilantism, instead of taking action govt puts them in jails under NSA like in MP. olitics being done in name of Hindutva pic.twitter.com/Vy7iwvlKBy ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2019 The PDP chief also heaped praise on Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for his government's good will gesture towards the Kartarpur Corridor. ''In Pakistan, they formed an Act to save temples and want to name a forest reserve and a university after Guru Nanak ji. If you compare, you'll feel that there is some kind of exchange between our nation formed on the foundation of secularism and Pakistan formed on basis of religion,'' she said. Shifting his focus to other issues, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister slammed BJP MP Harish Dwivedi for his sexist remark against Priyanka Gandhi. Mufti also took to Twitter to express her displeasure. Sadly even in todays modern world, patriarchy plus brazen sexism always raises its ugly head and is normalised. What a woman chooses to wear is none of anybodys business. Anyone who indulges in such talk clearly needs therapy so I hope he gets well soon, she tweeted. Dwivedi had reportedly said that when Priyanka Gandhi is in Delhi, she wears jeans and top but when she comes to the area given to her she wears sari and sindoor. Priyanka was made in-charge of Uttar Pradesh east as Congress partys general secretary on January 23. PUNE: Senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari, who has earned praise for his commendable job as Union Transport Minister from UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, has warned that he will thrash those who talk about caste. "We dont believe in caste. I dont know how many castes are there at your place but at our place, there is no caste because I have told everyone that I will thrash those who will talk about caste," Gadkari said on Sunday evening. The Union Minister made these remarks while addressing a gathering at a programme in Pimpri-Chinchwad in Pune. During his address, Gadkari opined that society should be free from casteism and communalism, and rather should be based on unity. "We have to make a society which is free of caste and communalism. In the society there should be no discrimination among poor and rich, no one should be of upper or lower caste," Gadkari was quoted as saying. He also said that poor and downtrodden are like God and they should be served. "We should provide the poor and humble with food, cloth and house. Serving the poor is like serving God," he said. Just a few days back, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi led the Congress party MPs in Lok Sabha in appreciating Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari for the "wonderful" work he has been doing in improving the country's infrastructure. During the Question Hour on Thursday, the House took up two questions related to Gadkari's ministry in which he gave a detailed description of the works being executed and works being undertaken for expanding the country's network. As Gadkari completed the answers amidst thumping of desks by ruling BJP members, saffron party member from Madhya Pradesh Ganesh Singh stood up and told Speaker Sumitra Mahajan that the House should appreciate the "wonderful" works being carried out by the Union Road Transport Minister. At this, Sonia Gandhi, who all through was patiently listening to Gadkari and often seen nodding in response to his replies, smiled and started thumping the desk as a sign of appreciation. Seeing this, Congress MPs, including party leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, too started thumping the desks appreciating Gadkari's work. There were reports in August last year that Sonia Gandhi had written to Gadkari thanking him for his "positive response" to road issues she had raised relating to her constituency Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh. Sonia Gandhi's son and Congress president Rahul Gandhi too recently had complimented Gadkari for his remarks that "one who cannot take care of home, cannot manage the country", saying he has guts and should also comment on the Rafale deal, "farmers distress and destruction of institutions". "Gadkari Ji, compliments. You are the only one in the BJP with some guts. Please also comment on: The Rafale scam and Anil Ambani, farmers' distress and destruction of institutions," he tweeted and tagged with it the report on Gadkari's comments. The Union minister had made the remarks last week while addressing former workers of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the BJP's student wing, in Nagpur. (With Agency inputs) New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday warned the Centre and said that if the Modi government does not pay heed to their special category status demand, they know the ways to get their demand fulfilled. Naidu added that the matter is now about the self-respect of the people of Andhra Pradesh. He went on warning the Central government and also Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking him to stop attacking an individual. "If you won't fulfil our demands, we know how to get them fulfilled. This is about the self-respect of people of Andhra Pradesh. Whenever there is an attack on our self-respect, we won't tolerate it. I am warning this government and particularly the Prime Minister to stop attacking an individual," the TDP president said. Slamming PM Modi's Andhra visit on Sunday, Naidu said, "Today we came here all the way to protest against the central government. Yesterday the Prime Minister visited Andhra Pradesh, Guntur one day before the dharna. What is the need, I am asking." Chandrababu Naidu began his day-long fast, earlier in the day, at the Andhra Bhawan demanding special status for his state. Ahead of that, the TDP chief paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. Naidu arrived at the Rajghat along with TDP MPs and party workers and then proceeded to the Andhra Bhawan to observe a day-long fast there. Media reports suggest that Naidu would stage the 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice) at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan from 8 am to 8 pm. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister is on the hunger strike along with his ministers, party MLAs, MLCs, and MPs. As per an official statement, Naidu will also submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday. NEW DELHI: A team of Twitter India representatives on Monday arrived at Parliament to appear before Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology. The development is significant because earlier Twitter had refused to appear before the Committee citing 'short notice' of the hearing. The Committee had called Twitter via a letter on February 1, ANI reported. Government sources, however, told ANI that a unanimous resolution has been passed by the Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology that they will not meet any Twitter officials until senior members or CEO of the Twitter Global team depose before the Committee. The Committe has given a 15 days deadline to US-based company. On Saturday, the government had hinted that action may be taken against micro-blogging platform Twitter after its CEO and other top officials refused to appear before a parliamentary committee that had summoned them over the issue of safeguarding citizens' rights on social media platforms. ''The Chairman of Rajya Sabha and Speaker of Lok Sabha will decide on what will be the action in such cases when somebody refuses to submit before the parliamentary committee,'' Finance Minister Piyush Goyal was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Goyal, however, added that ''the government doesnt take decisions on such things.'' The remarks from the Finance Minister came after Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and other top executives of the company declined to appear before the parliamentary panel citing "short notice" period. The Twitter officials had been asked to appear before the panel for alleged bias against "nationalist" accounts. Twitter's letter was not well received by the panel members in what was perceived as "lack of seriousness". The BJP had also warned Twitter of repercussions for their refusal. "In any country, no agency has the right to disrespect the institutions of that country. In this situation, if Twitter is disrespecting the established institution of Parliament, then there are repercussions," BJP New Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi told reporters. "There are repercussions because, in any democratic country, institutions need to be respected by the world powers. If there is any violation of any sort, then there are repercussions to those violations...The institutions need to be respected," she said. (with ANI inputs) Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government on Monday announced special assistance of Rs 2,000 each to about 60 lakh below poverty line families across the state, keeping in mind the impact of Gaja cyclone as well as the prevailing drought. Making a statement under Rule 110 in the assembly, Chief Minister E K Palaniswami said the proposal was part of the state government's efforts to ensure inclusive growth. "Considering the impact of Gaja cyclone in many districts as well as the drought, the special assistance was being provided," he said. The beneficiaries would include urban and rural poor, including farm labourers, workers in the fireworks industry, power loom and handloom sector, salt pans and construction workers among others, he added. A total of 60 lakh BPL families will benefit from the move, for which a sum of Rs 1,200 crore will be allocated, the chief minister said. Gaja cyclone had hit the coast near Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district in November last year, leaving a trail of destruction in over 10 districts in the southern parts of the state. JAMMU: The security forces on Monday foiled a major terror attack on Army Artillery Unit at Rajarwani in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri border town. According to reports, the security personnel deployed at the Army Artillery Unit noted some suspicious activity around the camp late in the night and opened fire to thwart any possible attack. J&K: Last night the security personnel of Army Artillery unit at Rajarwani, Uri detected some suspicious movement around the camp and opened fire. The area has been cordoned off and is being searched jointly by Police & Army. Two people are being examined. pic.twitter.com/yL2e4l3h5Y ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2019 Unconfirmed reports said that at least two terrorists have been killed in the firing by the security personnel. The entire area has been cordoned off and a major combing and search operation is underway. The search is being conducted jointly by the J&K Police and the Army. A J&K Police spokesman said, "During night hours, the guards at Army Artillery Unit at Rajarwani in Uri detected some suspicious movement around the camp and opened fire. The area has been cordoned off and is being searched jointly by the police and Army," All local units of Army and the central paramilitary force deployed in the area have been alerted. Meanwhile, two people have been detained and are being interrogated in connection with the incident, said ANI. The security around the Army camp has also been tightened. The attack comes a day after five terrorists belonging to Pakistan-backed terror outfits Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district. The gunbattle broke out after terrorists opened fire on a search party of the security forces in Kulgam's Kellem village on Sunday morning. A top Army official later confirmed that five terrorists were killed in the encounter and weapons and warlike stores were recovered from the spot. The slain terrorists were identified as Waseem Ahmad Rather, Aqib Nazir Mir, Parvaiz Ahmad Bhat, Idrees Ahmad Bhat and Zahid Ahmad Parray, the official said. "As per police records, it was a combined group of proscribed terror outfits HM and LeT and their (terrorists) exact affiliations are being ascertained. They were wanted by the law for their complicity in a series of terror crimes, including attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities," a police spokesperson said. Waseem, Aqib and Parvaiz were involved in killings of a civilian, Mohd Iqbal Kawa, and local Army jawan, Mukhtar Ahmad, he said. He said this group of terrorists was also involved in various grenade attacks across Anantnag and Kulgam districts. (With Agency inputs) Hyderabad: Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi, the BJP has said that the Congress president suffers from ''Rafale phobia'' and accused him of using disgraceful language in the most shameless manner while referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at various platforms. "Rahul Gandhi has "Rafale phobia". The kind of language he uses against the Prime Minister is wrong. How many corruption charges are against his father (former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi) in Bofors case? What has been the corruption record of Indira ji (Rahul`s grandmother and former prime minister)? But we have never used the kind of language he uses against Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in Hyderabad on Sunday. "Since 1985, the Indian Air Force had not been given fighter aircraft as there is a demand for many years. The then Vajpayee government had initiated the process in 2001 but it was not fulfilled even after 10 years as we lost the power. The Rafale deal was finalized after coming to power by the Narendra Modi government," he added. The Union Minister reiterated that the price of Rafale jet is nine percent cheaper as compared to UPA`s price. "As per the Army Defence Purchase Manual, the Head of the government will purchase directly. Therefore it is decided to purchase 36 Rafale Aircrafts. The Rafale price is 9 per cent cheaper and with weapon loaded is 20 per cent less as compared to UPA`s price, he said. Prasad also accused Rahul of playing with national security by raking up the Rafale controversy despite clarifications from the government and a clean chit from the Supreme Court.. Prasad was in Hyderabad to participate in a meeting with the CEOs of the IT sector. Praising the controversial Rafale deal, he said the fighter jet deal made at the time of the BJP government is one of India`s historical achievements. Talking about the achievements made by the Modi government in past 4 years, the Union Minister said, "India is not only emerging as a superpower but also the fastest eco growing country with 7.3-7.5 as highest FDI." He said that the increase in power supplies to villages, aid for farmers, pensions to an unorganized sector and rural toilets construction are one of the great achievements of the NDA-led BJP government in the Centre. "Initiatives by Prime Minister Modi like Digital India, Startup India, and Make in India are playing a great role in changing the profile of the country," he said. "India is also the sixth biggest economy of the world and surpassed France. By this year-end, India may surpass the British economy and emerge as the fifth economy. Indian economy was in the 11th position when the Congress-led UPA government was at the Centre," Prasad added. (With ANI inputs) LUCKNOW: While the mood is upbeat among the Congress workers in Lucknow over Priyanka Gandhi's first mega roadshow in Lucknow, the BJP on Monday termed it as a 'chor show' (show of thieves). Hitting out at the main opposition party, BJP leader Siddhartha Nath Singh said, ''They're calling this roadshow but BJP sees this as 'chor machaye shor'. The Gandhi-Vadra family is out on bail. They can't hold a roadshow but a 'chor show'. People of Uttar Pradesh, especially Lucknow, will come to see corrupt faces of those who looted Rs 12 lakh crore of this nation.'' UP Min SN Singh: They're calling this road show but BJP sees this as 'Chor machaye shor'. Gandhi-Vardra family is out on bail. They can't hold road show but a 'Chor show'. Ppl of UP,especially Lucknow,will come to see corrupt faces of those who looted Rs 12 Lakh Cr of this nation pic.twitter.com/4GBYjNJ6eD ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 11, 2019 The extremely hard-hitting remarks from the BJP leader came even as hundreds of Congress workers waited for newly-appointed Congress party general secretary and in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi's arrival in state capital Lucknow. Priyanka will be accompanied by his brother and Congress president Rahul Gandhi and another senior party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia as she makes her first public appearance in the state after her new assignment. Enthused by her appointment ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha election 2019, Congress workers have planned a grand welcome for Priyanka and several others when they arrive in the state capital on Monday. Congress workers, led by Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) chief Raj Babbar, have made elaborate arrangements to welcome their top leaders. According to reports, Rahul, Priyanka and Scindia will arrive at the Lucknow airport and then pass through the main areas of the state capital to reach the Nehru Bhawan office of the UPCC. They will be welcomed by party workers and leaders at nearly 37 points in the city between the airport and the UPCC office, Congress spokesman Anshu Awasthi said. Before reaching the Congress office, the Congress leaders are expected to garland the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi on the route. Hoardings of Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra, have been put up along the route they are proposed to take. Banners on the route read, "Waqt Hai Badlav Ka". Banner seen in Lucknow ahead of Congress General Secretary for UP East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, UP West Jyotiraditya Scindia and party President Rahul Gandhi's visit to the city today. pic.twitter.com/i7Fojhb49m ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 11, 2019 Workers of Congress and its grassroots organisation Sewa Dal have been giving a final touch to the preparations since Sunday. UPCC chief Raj Babbar held a meeting of Congress workers on Saturday evening to review the preparations for the roadshow, which will also be attended by All India Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev and general secretary Anupama Rawat. Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the visit. Special Protection Group personnel, who provide security to the Gandhis, had visited the UPCC office earlier to review arrangements, the party sources said. The Congress is expecting the visit to become a virtual launch of its campaign in Uttar Pradesh, ahead of Lok Sabha elections due by May. Priyanka will meet leaders and office-bearers from 42 constituencies of Uttar Pradesh (East) during her visit till February 14. New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday asked the CBI and the ED to provide documents to the accused in IRCTC scam cases on February 14 and 25 respectively. Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj fixed February 14 as the date for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to provide the documents to the accused and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) will have to submit them on February 25 at 2 pm. The cases relates to alleged money laundering in grant of the operational contract of two IRCTC hotels to a private firm. Both the CBI and the ED had registered cases against former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav and others over it. The Indian Air Force's (IAF) light combat aircraft Tejas will fly high showcasing its multi-role capability at the Vayushakti 2019 exercise on 16 February. The HAL Tejas is an Indian single-seat, single-jet engine, a multirole light fighter designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy. The light combat aircraft integrates technologies such as relaxed static stability, fly-by-wire flight control system, advanced avionics, multi-mode radar and modern weapons. #Vayushakti2019: The HAL built Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, is a light weight multirole fighter developed indigenously. It integrates technologies such as relaxed static stability, fly-by-wire flight control system, advanced avionics, multi-mode radar & modern weapons. pic.twitter.com/k5vcs2O40T Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) February 11, 2019 Tejas together with its variants, is the smallest and lightest multirole supersonic fighter aircraft of its class. It is designed to carry a veritable plethora of air to air, air to surface, precision-guided and standoff weaponry. In the air to air arena, the Tejas carries long range beyond visual range weapons, with highly agile high off-boresight missiles to tackle any close combat threat. As per its specifications mentioned on its website, a wide variety of air to ground munitions and an extremely accurate navigation and attack system allow Tejas to prosecute surface targets over land or at sea with unparalleled accuracy. Tejas will take to the skies along with Jaguar, Mi-17 V5 medium-lift attack helicopter and Asia's top fighter jet Sukhoi Su-30MKI during the IAF exercise. #Vayushakti2019: Jaguar--The Jaguar is a ground attack deep penetration fighter aircraft. With over-wing missile pylons, multi-purpose nose radar, anti-shipping weapons, night sensors, photo reconnaissance & laser range finder, the aircraft is a mean fighting machine. pic.twitter.com/D4GjJ9Ge9l Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) February 10, 2019 IAF's Vayushakti 2019 is scheduled to be held on February 16 at Pokhran Air to Ground Armament range near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. At the exercise, there will be a firepower demonstration to showcase the ever-increasing potential of IAF's combat platforms and to assure the citizens its ability to safeguard Indias national interests. ''Many Air Forces around the world display their might and aerial firepower through such demonstrations. Indian Air Force also conducts the demonstration to showcase the ever-increasing potential of its combat platforms over the years and to assure the citizens, its ability to safeguard Indias national interests,'' the IAF said in the Facebook post. The IAF post further stated, ''These exercises are also vital for operators, planners, and the leadership. It provides an opportunity for forces to operate in near realistic scenarios.'' ''Aerial displays, formation flypasts and Fire Power Demonstrations are various facets of training in Indian Air Force. They are also a great source of morale-boosting for participants and an assurance for viewers,'' the post said. NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force's (IAF) MiG-27 will showcase its ground attack capabilities at the Vayushakti 2019 exercise on February 16. The MiG-27 upgrade is a very potent air to ground strike aircraft, which is capable of carrying a variety of armament loads comprising of bombs, rockets & front guns. This aircraft can operate over a wide range of speeds due to its swing-wing design. #Vayushakti2019 : MiG-27 UPG MiG-27 upgrade is a very potent air to ground strike aircraft which can carry a variety of armament loads comprising of bombs, rockets & front guns. Its swing-wing design permits it to operate over a wide range of speeds. pic.twitter.com/cQPSxKhwuz Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) February 11, 2019 The MiG-27 was originally built by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union but is now produced in India by Hindustan Aeronautics as the Bahadur ("Valiant"). Though this aircraft is based on the MiG-23 fighter aircraft, it is optimized for air-to-ground attack. The MiG-27 is currently used by Indian, Kazakh and Sri Lankan Air Forces in the ground attack role. IAF's Vayushakti 2019 is scheduled to be held on February 16 at Pokhran Air to Ground Armament range near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. The exercise will be used by the IAF for the demonstration of its firepower and showcase the ever-increasing potential of IAF's combat platforms. ''Many Air Forces around the world display their might and aerial firepower through such demonstrations. Indian Air Force also conducts the demonstration to showcase the ever-increasing potential of its combat platforms over the years and to assure the citizens, its ability to safeguard Indias national interests,'' the IAF said in the Facebook post. The IAF post further stated, ''These exercises are also vital for operators, planners, and the leadership. It provides an opportunity for forces to operate in near realistic scenarios.'' LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that those responsible for the deaths in the hooch tragedy will be awarded exemplary punishment by the government. Replying to the debate in State Assembly on the motion of thanks to the governor for his address to the joint sitting of the state legislature, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said that 'some people' were conspiring to vitiate the atmosphere in the state, PTI reported. "Some people are trying to vitiate the atmosphere of the state. The incident (hooch deaths) is unfortunate. Whosoever will be found guilty, he will get such a punishment that it will set an example for conspirators," Yogi was quoted as saying by PTI. The chief minister said that some Samajwadi Party men were found involved in the past four cases of deaths due to consumption of spurious liquor. "The accused in similar cases in Azamgarh, Hardoi, Barabanki and Kanpur were of the SP," he said. Yogi Adityanath also talked about the Ram temple issue and said that it was necessary that faith of the people should be honoured and the Supreme Court must take cognisance of the faith of millions of people. "This dispute should not take even an hour more than 24 hours to resolve," he said. Referring to the stray cattle issue, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said: "Earlier these cattle were sent to illegal slaughterhouses. Our government has stopped them from slaughtering so the cattle is in the fields or the roads. We are making arrangements for them and making shelter homes." In a direct attack on SP and Bahujan Samaj Party, the CM said that these parties had made corridor of corruption and anarchy when they were in power. "All hooligans, mafias and anti-social elements are their sympathisers," he said. (with PTI inputs) NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Monday said that the Full Dress Rehearsal of Fire Power Demonstration (FPD) of the IAF, which was earlier planned for February 13, is now postponed to February 14. The final event named Vayushakti 2019 will take place on February 16. The Indian Air Force's (IAF) MiG-27 will showcase its ground attack capabilities at the Vayushakti 2019 exercise on February 16. The MiG-27 upgrade is a very potent air to ground strike aircraft, which is capable of carrying a variety of armament loads comprising of bombs, rockets & front guns. This aircraft can operate over a wide range of speeds due to its swing-wing design. The Jaguar ground attack deep penetration fighter aircraft will also take part in Vayushakti 2019 on February 16. With over-wing missile pylons, multi-purpose nose radar, anti-shipping weapons, night sensors, photo reconnaissance, laser range finder, the aircraft is a mean fighting machine. IAF's Vayushakti 2019 is scheduled to be held on February 16 at Pokhran Air to Ground Armament range near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. The exercise will be used by the IAF for the demonstration of its firepower and showcase the ever-increasing potential of IAF's combat platforms. ''Many Air Forces around the world display their might and aerial firepower through such demonstrations. Indian Air Force also conducts the demonstration to showcase the ever-increasing potential of its combat platforms over the years and to assure the citizens, its ability to safeguard Indias national interests,'' the IAF said in the Facebook post. Imphal: Six women sustained injuries when the police fired tear gas shells and smoke bombs at a marketplace here to disperse protesters, who had enforced a road blockade demanding withdrawal of the citizenship bill, according to a vendors' association at the market. There was, however, no immediate official confirmation about the incident. Shantidevi, the president of an association of women vendors at Khwairamband market here, claimed that the police on Sunday used force on the agitators, who had been protesting peacefully. The women vendors at the market here had put up posters and banners and set up tents, blocking roads, to press for their demand, she said. Prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPc have been imposed in the area in the wake of agitations against the contentious bill. Shantidevi said the police tried to pull down the tents and tear apart the posters and banners that sought the unconditional revocation of the bill. The women, however, refused to cow down, following which a clash broke out between the two sides, she said. "The security officers fired tear gas shells and smoke bombs, which left six women injured. The situation turned uglier when they tried to take one of the injured women into custody and the agitators had to thwart the attempt," Shantidevi claimed. The injured women were then taken to Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIIMS), she added. Criticising the use of "excessive force", Y Dillipkumar, the convenor of Manipur Peoples Against Citizenship Amendment Bill (MANPAC), said the women were "protesting in a democratic manner"."The assault on the women vendors indicates that the state government is acting under the command of the Union government," he said. MANPAC is an umbrella body of civil societies and organisations that had been protesting against the passage of the legislation. Dillipkumar asserted that the agitation against the bill will intensify in the days to come."The members of MANPAC, along with common people, will hit the streets seeking withdrawal of the bill and implementation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in the state to weed out illegal immigrants," he added. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had earlier said that the BJP-led government in the state would not support the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill unless there was a provision to protect the people of the Northeast. Meanwhile, security has been beefed up across Imphal on Monday in the wake of the agitation. A large number of security personnel belonging to the state and paramilitary forces have been deployed in Imphal to avoid any untoward situation. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, passed by Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks to grant nationality to non-Muslims who fled religious persecution from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan and entered India before December 31, 2014. Protests against the bill have rocked the entire Northeast over the past six weeks, with several organizations and political parties claiming that the bill threatens the identity, language and culture of indigenous people. NEW DELHI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday began his day-long fast at the Andhra Bhawan on Monday demanding special status for his state. Ahead of that, TDP chief paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. Naidu arrived at the Rajghat along with TDP MPs and party workers and then proceeded to the Andhra Bhawan to observe a day-long fast there. Delhi: Andhra Pradesh CM and Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu pays tribute at Rajghat. He is observing a daylong hunger strike here today against the central govt over the issue of special status to Andhra Pradesh. pic.twitter.com/jqlvtwYStn ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2019 The TDP chief had arrived in the national capital on Sunday evening. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu arrives in Delhi. He will sit on a strike at AP Bhawan tomorrow demanding special status for his state. pic.twitter.com/23YqGWJt5f ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2019 According to reports, Naidu will stage the 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice) at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in the national capital from 8 AM to 8 PM. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister will sit on a hunger strike along with his ministers, party MLAs, MLCs, and MPs. As per an official statement, Naidu will also submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday. Shortly after arriving in the national capital, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister dubbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "bad ruler". Naidu also wrote a letter to the Prime Minister in which he said, ''A person holding the chair of Prime Minister should possess 'Raj Dharma'. No Prime Minister in the past had faced protests like you. Wherever you go, you faced protests. That is the evidence for your bad rule. Sharpening his attack on PM Modi, Naidu added that it is basic etiquette to consult the Chief Minister before visiting a state When Prime Minister comes to a state, it is basic etiquette to consult the Chief Minister of that state, mention his name in invitations. But your tour exposed your bad culture and bad manners of ill-treating the regional leader. And you speaking of culture and manners is the finishing touch, Naidu added. Earlier in October 2013, Naidu had staged an indefinite fast at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan demanding that if a separate state is carved out of the then unified Andhra Pradesh, both should get equal rights. On the fifth day of his protest, Naidu was forcibly shifted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. Later, on his birthday on April 20, 2018, the TDP chief had observed fast in Vijayawada demanding special status for the state. Naidu's Telugu Desam Party had pulled out of the BJP-led NDA last year over the Centres refusal to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh. On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on Naidu, calling him a political opportunist and a master in backstabbing and destroying the dreams of people. Delhi: The portrait of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be unveiled on Tuesday, at a function in the Central Hall of Parliament House. The life-size portrait of Vajpayee will be unveiled by President Ram Nath Kovind. Vajpayee, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was the 10th prime minister of India. He breathed his last on August 16, 2018. Born on December 25, 1924, in Gwalior, the veteran BJP leader served three terms as the prime minister. First, for a period of 13 days in 1996, the second time for 13 months from 1998 to 1999 and the third and final time for a full term from 1999 to 2004. He was conferred on India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, by then President Pranab Mukherjee in 2015. New Delhi: Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "world famous liar", Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday accused him of behaving like a Pakistani Prime Minister to subvert India's federal structure. Extending support to his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu in his demand for special category status to the southern state, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief also said PM Modi cannot be trusted. "It is unfortunate that the Chief Minister and thousands of people from Andhra have to demonstrate here for special status for the state. This poses a big question on the country`s federal structure," said Kejriwal at the Andhra Bhavan here where the Telugu Desam Party President is on fast asking the Centre to give special category status and fulfil other commitments made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. "The PM at least thrice publicly declared he would give special status to Andhra. He is world famous for lying. Whatever he says, he never fulfills. Even (BJP chief) Amit Shah says that whatever they say is nothing but `jumla` (fake promise)," he said. Claiming that PM Modi had pledged to give special status to Andhra Pradesh at the Tirupati temple, he said: "A person who backs out on his word given in front of god cannot be trusted." Attacking PM Modi over the CBI`s showdown with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Kejriwal accused him of behaving like a Pakistani Prime Minister. "I want to tell Modi that he is not the Prime Minister of his BJP alone but of the entire India. The way he treats state governments run by non-BJP parties looks as if he is the Prime Minister of Pakistan. The AAP leader pointed out how PM Modi had the Anti-Corruption Branch of the Delhi government seized by paramilitary forces. "Now he sent 40 CBI officers to arrest Kolkata`s Police Commissioner to send a message to the police and bureaucracy in all states that they should not be loyal to state governments but to the Centre," he alleged. Calling it a conspiracy, he said: "Had he succeeded, the federal structure of the country would have collapsed. I salute Mamata didi for the way she drove out those 40 CBI officers." Kejriwal called upon the people to defeat the Modi-Shah pair in the Lok Sabha elections. "This is an important election. If Modi and Shah come back again, the nation won`t survive." Kohima: Normal life was affected in Nagaland on Monday during a 10-hour bandh called by civil society organisations in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. Schools and markets remained closed, vehicles were off the roads and people stayed indoors during the bandh which began at 6 AM. The BJP is a constituent of the National Democratic Peoples Party-led Peoples Democratic Alliance (PDA) government in the state. The bandh has been called by the Nagaland Gaon Burhas Federation (NGBF). To implement the bandh, a Joint Coordination Committee of civil organizations, tribal bodies and indigenous citizens was formed on February 6. The shutdown has been called in pursuance of a resolution adopted at a consultative meeting, called by the NGBF, at Dimapur on February 6. The meeting had unanimously resolved to oppose the bill. The opposition Naga Peoples Front (NPF) has extended its support to the bandh. The Nagaland Cabinet has also rejected the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which was passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8. "This mass agitation is necessary as the bill will have adverse impacts on the people of the state," the committee said in a release. The bill 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. The mass agitation has also been called against the "lackadaisical attitude" of the Centre on the seven-decade-old Naga issue, the release said. "The government of India is expected to be more honest with its citizens rather than giving false hope," it said. New Delhi: 'Street Dancer' co-stars Varun Dhawan and Shraddha Kapoor were clicked at Mumbai airport as they left for London for the next schedule of the film. The team recently wrapped up the first schedule of the dance film in Punjab and now they are all set to kickstart the next schedule in London. Both Varun and Shraddha caught everyone's attention with their appearance on the runway. Varun looked uber cool in a blingy jacket which he wore with a military print track and a stylish cap. He completed his look with a silver chain, which gave him a 'rockstar' look. Shraddha, on the other hand, matched with Varun and looked gorgeous in a black track pant which she wore with a white tee and a black jacket. Take a look at their pictures below: (Photo courtesy: Yogen Shah) The London schedule is expected to wrap-up by March 20. 'ABCD 3' will be directed by Remo D'Souza, who has helmed both 'ABCD' films and also directed critically-lambasted 'Race 3' starring Salman Khan. The film stars Shraddha Kapoor, Nora Fatehi, Sonam Bajwa, Shakti Mohan, Vartika Jha, Dharmesh Yelande, Punit Pathak and Raghav Juyal in key roles. The film will also feature Prabhu Deva. It is co-produced by T-Series honcho Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar and Lizelle DSouza and will be shot in 3D and converted to 4DX later. Actress Katrina Kaif was initially roped in for the film. However, she walked out of the project last minute citing date issues. 'Street Dancer' hits the screens on November 8, 2019. London: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards, the UK's top movie honors, were presented at a ceremony in London on Sunday. Here is a list of the winners of key awards: BEST FILM: "Roma" DIRECTOR: Alfonso Cuaron, "Roma" OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM: "The Favourite" LEADING ACTOR: Rami Malek, "Bohemian Rhapsody" LEADING ACTRESS: Olivia Colman, "The Favourite" SUPPORTING ACTOR: Mahershala Ali, "Green Book" SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Rachel Weisz, "The Favourite" ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: "The Favourite" ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: "BlacKkKlansman" New Delhi: The government on Monday said it will bring an ordinance if the Supreme Court rejects its review petition on reservation mechanism for faculties in universities. Responding to a supplementary during Question Hour, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said in Lok Sabha that the government can "bring an ordinance if its review petition filed in the top court is rejected". He said after the special leave petition was rejected by the Supreme Court, the government will now file a review petition on faculty reservation mechanism for universities. The University Grants Commission (UGC) had announced in March last year that an individual department should be considered as the base unit to calculate the number of teaching posts to be reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates following an order by the Allahabad High Court in April in 2017. New Delhi: As on February 2, 2019, more than 1.03 crore LPG consumers have voluntarily surrendered their LPG subsidy under 'GiveItUp' campaign, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in a written reply to the Lok Sabha said on Monday. Domestic LPG prices are revised every month in line with international price of LPG with corresponding revision in monthly LPG subsidy under PAHAL scheme. In the current month (February, 2019), the price of domestic non-subsidized LPG cylinder (14.2 kg) in Delhi market is Rs 659. The effective cost to the consumer is Rs 493.53. The per cylinder subsidy borne by government for the current month is Rs 165.47. All India average LPG refill consumption for PMUY beneficiaries during FY 2017-18 is 3.4. All India LPG average consumption during FY 2017-18 is 6.77. PM Modi had in 2015 officially launched the Give-it-Up campaign, urging the well-off to surrender their LPG subsidy so that it can be targeted for the needy. The aim is also to bring down the countrys dependence on energy imports by 10 percent by 2022. LPG subsidy is transferred to beneficiaries directly in their bank accounts in advance. New Delhi: Japanese carmaker Honda has stopped production of its entry-level hatchback Brio in India, cutting short the vehicle's over 7-year long stint in the country. Honda Cars India, the company's wholly-owned subsidiary, plans to maximise sales and visibility of its compact sedan Amaze which would now be its entry-level offering in the Indian market. "Our entry car is now Amaze. We have stopped production of Brio and as of now we do not intend to bring next generation Brio into India," Honda Cars India Senior Vice President and Director (Sales and Marketing) Rajesh Goel told PTI. Customer preference has started to shift towards comparatively bigger models, a trend similar to other global markets. "A sedan was the top seller in India last year. It is a typical motorisation cycle followed in every country and it's just that in India the upgradation pace is much slower than other countries," Goyal said. Theoretically, this change should have happened 6-7 years earlier, he added. When asked if the company would like to bring in any new entry-level model in Brio's place, Goyal said: "Amaze is gong to be our entry model in the Indian market." Jazz and WR-V are other two models which would cater to the small car requirements, he added. Honda had launched Brio in September 2011 and has sold around 97,000 units till date. In 2017, the auto maker had stopped selling its multi purpose vehicle (MPV) Mobilio in the country due to poor demand. Launched in July 2014 in India, Honda had sold a total of 40,789 units of Mobilio in the country. Guys, Im going to make a bold statement: I love winter. Unashamedly. I enjoy the changing landscapes and the snow-capped mountains. I love the different light, and the drama of shorter days and long nights. I love being stuck inside on a snow day, cozied up wearing thick wooly socks and chunky sweater. I would infinitely prefer being cold to hot. I feel more creative in winter, and I love being in the snow. Echoing memories of being a kid, snow invokes a great sense of nostalgia for me. Does that make me a total weirdo? Wait, dont answer that. This means that I often seek out places that are exceptionally beautiful come wintertime, and combined with my love of snowboarding, that means cold places with big mountains. This means that I often seek out winter destinations on my travels, like reindeer sledding in Finnish Lapland to snowboarding in the Swiss Alps. As much as its a total pain to pack for winter trips, especially now that I bring all my snowboarding gear along too, I really think its a special way to travel. While Ive been to many of the mountainous areas of Europe, in all seasons, there was one place that had been on my mind for years that I hadnt been able to make it to yet: the famous Dolomites in northern Italy. A land of fairytale villages and craggy distinct mountains lording over lush valleys, the Dolomites seems mysterious and not quite real to non-Europeans like myself. And finally this year, 2019, I have the chance to really get to know an incredible part of the Dolomites: the Agordino. To one side, over the past few years the neighboring Trentino-Alto Adige region has garnered quite a bit of love on social media, with popular locations quickly becoming Insta-famous online; and on the other side you have the well-known area of Cortina, home of the 1956 Olympic. However, there are plenty of other quieter parts of the Dolomites smack in the middle that have flown under the radar. My good friend Emma, who Ive known since my very first group blog trip to Brindisi a la summer 2013, runs innovative digital marketing campaigns in Italy, and has worked her ass off helping to create the Heart of the Dolomites, a project to develop and inspire tourism to this unspoiled region of the Dolomites and to share their incredible nature and local community with the world. And guess what? Im here to help! Im working with them for a year to spread the word about the Medio Alto Agordino. Made up of seven areas of Rocca Pietore, Alleghe, Cencenighe, Colle Santa Lucia, Livinallongo del Col di Lana, San Tomaso Agordino and Taibon Agordino, this is an area of the Dolomites that has been overlooked by international tourists for a long time. I made a handy Google Map here for you guys. As about authentic as you can get, the Agordino area is an absolute treasure. You want classic Italian nonnas stuffing you with homemade pasta and grappa? This is the place for you. You want to apres ski with local mountaineers who talk with their hands emphatically and dont speak a lick of English? Come here. You want to experience the real Italy and some incredible nature without the hordes of tourists dominating places like Florence and Rome? Remember the name Medio Alto Agordino AAA. And if you love winter, this part of the Dolomites is for you. Definitely book a winter trip here if you love to ski. With multiple resorts across the region, and part of the Dolomiti Superski, with just one ski pass you can access 12 resorts across the Dolomites, ride 450 chairlifts and ski 1,200 kilometers of slopes. Holy shit. The closest airports are Treviso and Venice. Even if you dont ski, Agordino is a perfect winter wonderland, an incredible landscape of snowy mountains and picturesque forests, of classic wooden chalets and cozy villages. Here are some of my favorite photos to introduce one of my new favorite corners of the world enjoy! Rocca Pietore One of the municipalities making up the Agordino, Rocca Pietore is home to some beautiful hidden gems, picturesque villages and epic nature. Lorded over by the queen of the mountains, the Marmolada, sitting pretty at 3,343 meters, in winter, its a true winter wonderland in this part of the Dolomites. Snowshoeing around the mountains beneath the Marmolada from the local camp/caravan grounds, the perfect base for outdoor adventures in winter and summer The little church of Sottoguda is quaint and charming Sottoguda was named one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, and is home to classic woodcarving and ironworks studios, as well as this incredible cabin on a rock straight from a Wes Anderson film Sunrise from the top of the Marmolada, accessible by cable cars The ski run from the top of the Marmolada is 12 kilometers long and requires good legs Cencenighe I stayed in a cozy apartment in the tiny village of Chenet (ok, just a few houses) above Cencenighe, one of the many charming villages in the Agordino region. Nestled in a stunning valley surrounded by mountains, I woke up my second day in the Agordino to the snow falling softly around me. Silent and pure, it was the most perfect welcome to the Dolomites. Colle Santa Lucia The area around Colle Santa Lucia is one of my favorite parts of the Agordino in the Dolomites. Perched high above the two valleys Val Fiorentina and Val Cordevole below, and surrounded by the iconic mountains of the area, Civetta, Pelmo and Marmolada, Colle Santa Lucia is the perfect base for those who want to play high up in the mountains. Its also the gateway to the Giau Pass, and if youre lucky you might even hear the locals around here chatting in Ladin, their own dialect. Snowshoeing around the Passo Giau The top of the Gaiu Pass, which connects Cortina dAmpezzo with Colle Santa Lucia and Selva di Cadore San Tomaso Agordino San Tomaso was one of my favorite quirky little corners of the Dolomites. Accessed by some stunning, winding mountain roads, the views are incredible. And its home to a charming local planetarium along with my favorite pizzeria in the area: Pizzeria Offline. Livinallongo del Col di Lana Livinallongo del Col di Lana is home to one of my favorite places I was lucky enough to visit Arabba. Hidden away high up in the Fodom Valley, youre surrounded by mountains, including the famous Sella and Cima Portavescovo. A popular ski resort with heaps of terrain, its also the base for completing the epic Sella Ronda, one of the most popular ski circuits in the Dolomites. A 40 kilometer loop that circles the iconic Sella mountain, its connected by four mountain passes and is on the bucketlist of many. The Andraz Castle near Arabba is beautiful in wintertime Arabba was one of my favorite towns in the Agordino The top of the Passo Pordoi is stunning and worth driving up to and exploring Taibon Agordino The first place I visited on my trip to the Agordino was in Taibon, the San Lucano Valley. While Ive never been to Yosemite, I was immediately reminder of those enormous mountain walls jutting straight up from the valley floor that Ive seen in photos over the years, or of Lauterbrunnen in Switzerland. The only difference is that this is a local secret. Alleghe For the second half of my trip in Agordino I based myself around Alleghe, a stunning mountain town, overlooked by the enormous Monte Civetta next to a frozen lake. An oasis of winter activities, I did everything from snowboarding to nighttime snowmobiling around Alleghe, and its one of the bigger hubs in the Agordino to base yourself, especially in winter. Picturesque to a tee and with plenty to do, I could have easily spent a month here taking it all in. I cant wait to come back this summer! Have you heard of the Agordino before? Are the Dolomites on your bucketlist? Share! Many thanks to the Heart of the Dolomites for hosting me in the Medio Alto Agordino like always Im keeping it real all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me! Night life in Ghana is a big deal because people step out to have fun even when it is not a weekend. Some celebrities however have veered into the nightclub and pub business. Here, YEN.com.gh brings to you celebrities who own nightclubs and pubs in Ghana. READ ALSO: Fella Makafui flaunts new blonde hairstyle with Medikals name? 1. Reggie Rockstone Popularly called the Grandpapa of Hiplife music, Reggie Rockstone is the owner of Django bar and night club. Reggie Rockstone is a rapper and a member of the music group VVIP. Located at Cantonments, Django is one of the most lively places in Accra during weekdays and weekends. Due to his popularity, celebrities and other fun-loving people love to hang out, eat and jam at Django. The Django waakye which is sold in the evening is one of the catchy items that people go to Django for. Also, a time at Django means one will mingle with a lot of celebrities since they love to party with their fellow celeb. 2. D-Black Real name Desmond Blackmore, D-Black is the owner of Club Onyx and Oasis Lounge. D-Black who is a rapper and business man is also the boss of Black Avenue Music record label. Located at Labone, Club Onyx is one of the most jamming night clubs in Ghana. Almost every weekend, the club is packed with a lot of celebrities who come there to have fun, eat and jam. 3. Tracey Boakye Just recently, Ghanaian actress, Tracey Boakye opened a pub in Patasi, Kumasi called Short Code. Tracey who often stars in Kumawood movies, runs a pub that a lot of celebrities love to eat and jam at. Even though the pub has not been in existence for a long time, the pub is often packed with people almost on all weekends. READ ALSO: Five young under 25 female celebrities making strides 4. Lucky Lawson Luckie's Place is one of the top pubs in the capital. Located at East Legon, Luckie's Place is often thronged by celebrities. For few years now, Lucky Lawson, an actress, has been focused on making Luckie's Place become the most favorite pub i Accra. Just recently, Lucky invited some actors and musicians to serve patrons of the pub so as to raise money for a charity foundation. 5. Nhyiraba Kojo Nhyiraba Kojo is a Ghanaian rapper who runs a pub and night club called Nhyiraba Kojo City. Located at Spintex, Nhyiraba Kojo City is one of the places that people in Spintex and Tema love to hangout. At night, the pub comes alive as patrons throng there to eat their favorite banku and tilapia. READ ALSO: Sandra Ankobiah is the most slaying Ghanaian lawyer with these 15 beautiful photos I Don't Consider Myself A Star: Kidi - Star Gist | #Yencomgh Click here to get the latest exciting English Premier League news. Get match highlights, reports, photos & videos all in one place. Source: Yen The President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, will on Tuesday give legal backing to the six newly created regions. The exercise will be undertaken through the public presentation of Constitutional Instruments backing the creation of the regions. According to a statement issued by the Minister for Information on Saturday, February 9, 2019, chiefs and people of the newly created regions will be coming to the Jubilee House in Accra for the official ceremony. READ ALSO: Gov't to reduce the duration of University education The statement revealed that, the North East and Savannah regions will have their constitutional instruments presented first on Tuesday, February 12, 2019. On Wednesday, February 13, 2019, the Bono East and Ahafo Regions will also have their constitutional instruments presented. Lastly will be Western North and Oti regions who will receive theirs on Friday, 15th February 2019. In December 2018, a referendum was held after the President proposed the creation of additional six regions. The President argued that out of the 10 existing regions, some are lacking development due to their size and topography. He noted that for development to reach those areas, it was necessary that six new regions be created. A referendum held by the Electoral Commission saw a massive positive vote for the creation of the regions. Tuesday will therefore be the official commencement of the six new regions making Ghana have 16 regions in all. READ ALSO: NDC skeptical about the seriousness of Emile Short Commission After voting massively in favor of the new regions, inhabitants of those regions are however divided over capital towns. However, many experts have advised that the capital towns to be chosen should be towns that already have the necessary infrastructure. They said infrastructure such as a vibrant market, good road network, stable power among others should be available in the capital towns. While the Savannah Region inhabitants are divided over Salaga and Damongo, the people of Oti are routing for Jasikan as their capital. In Bono East, Techiman is receiving massive support to become the regional capital while in the Ahafo Region, Goaso, Duayaw-Nkwanta, Bechem and Kenyasi are being considered. READ ALSO: Validity of Ghana passport now 10 years Richie Mensah and I are Just Besties: Veana Negasi - Star Gist| #Yencomgh Click here to get the latest exciting English Premier League news. Get match highlights, reports, photos & videos all in one place. Source: Yen MANSFIELD -- A female college student was abducted at gunpoint Monday and authorities are seeking her and the alleged abductor, according to a public safety notice for the Mansfield campus posted on The Ohio State University website. The school posted that student Skylar Williams, 20, was standing in an OSU-Mansfield campus parking lot at approximately 11:45 a.m. Monday when she was approached by a male suspect known to her, Ty'rell D. Pounds, 23. In an update at 2:05 p.m., the school posted on its website that authorities believe Pounds stole a vehicle at gunpoint. The public is advised to be on the lookout for a 2019 Dodge Caravan, dark in color, with the license plate FMZ-9621. According to Mansfield police, Pounds is accused of rape in a September 2018 incident. The report was filed Jan. 18, 2019. No charges have been filed in that case, according to police. Ontario police and the Ohio State Highway Patrol confirmed their departments are investigating Monday's incident, but declined to comment. "Reports indicate the suspect displayed a handgun and forced the female student into his vehicle. He then fled the area with the victim," the school's website states. According to the website, a vehicle has been located by law enforcement, but the whereabouts of the victim and suspect are unknown as of 2:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11. Anyone with information in the case is encouraged to call the Mansfield Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol at 419-756-2222. The school website states the public is advised the suspect in the case is considered armed and dangerous. The website also asked students and those on campus to be cautious. Today Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 79F. Winds light and variable. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 79F. Winds light and variable. Tomorrow A mainly sunny sky. High near 105F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - Thursday, Governor Doug Ducey joined elected officials and water leaders in Yuma to commemorate the passage of the Arizona Drought Contingency Plan. Alongside State Senators Lisa Otondo and Sine Kerr, State Representative Tim Dunn, Yuma water leaders Mark Smith and Wade Noble, members of the Yuma agricultural community and other stakeholders, Governor Ducey spoke about the historic legislation and the need to continue working together to secure Arizonas water future. The Drought Contingency Plan is a historic, bipartisan achievement. This is the biggest thing to happen for water in the state of Arizona in the last forty years, Governor Ducey said at the ceremonial signing. The road wasnt easy. The people that got this done put the state of Arizona first. I want to thank all the leaders in the Yuma community for their partnership. Weve proved that working together with a common goal in mind, theres no limit to what we can achieve. Following the signing, Governor Ducey delivered the Yuma State of the State address at Arizona Western College. Latest News Washington, DC - NASA invites media to its headquarters in Washington Thursday, February 14, to learn more about agency partnership opportunities with American companies to develop reusable systems that can land astronauts on the Moon. Events will begin with a media roundtable at 12:30 p.m. EST with NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator of the agencys Human Exploration and Operations Missions Directorate, and Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASAs Science Mission Directorate. The roundtable will be streamed live at www.nasa.gov/live. At 1:30 p.m., Bridenstine will kick off an industry forum with remarks, followed by Gerstenmaier, who will provide an overview of the agencys lunar human architecture solicitation requests. These remarks will air live on NASA Television and the agencys Media who would like to participate in the roundtable in person or by phone must send a request with their name, affiliation and phone number by 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13, to Cheryl Warner at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The full agenda and registration details for industry representatives are available online. As the next step under Space Policy Directive-1, NASA will work with industry to study and refine the agencys approachto landing on the Moon. This includes using a system of three separate elements that will provide astronauts transportation, landing and safe return. A key aspect of this proposed approach is to use the Gatewayin lunar orbit for journeys to and from the surface of the Moon. The agency published a solicitation Thursday inviting American companies to discuss specific opportunities within these activities and submit proposals. The first phase of proposals are due March 25, and the agency anticipates making initial partnership selections in May. NASA will lead an innovative and sustainable program of exploration with commercial and international partners to enable human expansion across the solar system and to bring back to Earth new knowledge and opportunities. To learn more about the agencys Moon to Mars exploration plans, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/moontomars Arizona News Phoenix, Arizona - Clayton Begay, 43, of Kayenta, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John Tuchi to 14 years imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. Begay had previously pleaded guilty to one count of second degree murder on August 2018. In November 8, 2015, Begay who had a history of DUI convictions drove his vehicle with a BAC level between .384 and .401. As a result, Begay caused his vehicle to roll over and crash, killing two passengers and seriously injuring a third passenger. Begay is a member of the Navajo Nation. The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Navajo Nation Department of Law Enforcement and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The prosecution was handled by Sharon K. Sexton, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona. Arizona News Phoenix, Arizona - On February 4, 2019, Jayson Lee Yazzie, 40, of Tuba City, Arizona, a member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 216 months in prison, followed by a term of three years of supervised release. Yazzie had previously pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. On June 14, 2014, Yazzie was driving while intoxicated and traveling at a speed in excess of 75 miles per hour when he struck another vehicle. Two victims in the other vehicle were ejected due to the collision, including a minor passenger who sustained fatal injuries, and the driver, who sustained serious bodily injuries. Two additional victims who were passengers in Yazzies vehicle also sustained serious bodily injuries. Yazzies blood was drawn more than three hours after the crash and his blood alcohol content was higher than .20%. Yazzie had previously been convicted of driving under the influence. The victims are members of the Navajo Nation and the collision happened on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation. The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Navajo Nation Department of Law Enforcement, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The prosecution was handled by Christina J. Reid-Moore, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix. Arizona News Tempe, Arizona - Governor Doug Ducey attended the grand opening of Benchmark Electronics new corporate headquarters in Tempe. The global engineering and electronics manufacturing company will bring 500 new jobs to the state with the relocation of its headquarters from Texas to Arizona. Benchmark Electronics is leading the way on manufacturing and providing technology solutions for customers around the world, said Governor Ducey at the grand opening. With todays grand opening, were proud that their Global Headquarters is no longer in Texasbut right here in Tempeand theyre bringing 500 new jobs with them. Were proud to have you right here in Arizona. At the grand opening, Governor Ducey joined Benchmark President and CEO Paul Tafuano and Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Solutions Teresa Snyder-Lamberger for a ribbon cutting ceremony and time capsule presentation. Arizona News Phoenix, Arizona - Governor Doug Ducey Wednesday issued an executive order directing the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and the Department of Economic Security (DES) to strengthen protections for people with disabilities. The Executive Order requires AHCCCS, ADHS and DES to develop protocols on preventing, recognizing and reporting abuse and neglect for both care providers and parents or guardians of individuals with disabilities. The order also requires staff with direct contact to patients with disabilities to undergo annual training in abuse prevention. Additionally, AHCCCS, DHS, and DES will convene a working group to consider further actions to improve care for Arizonas most vulnerable populations. All Arizonans deserve to be safe and we have a special responsibility to protect those with disabilities, said Governor Ducey. This executive order provides increased accountability and stricter oversight, ensuring our most vulnerable are safe and protected. Theres more that needs to be done to ensure Arizona is guarding against abuse and neglect. We will continue working with all stakeholders to take additional action, and hold bad actors accountable, to guarantee the highest quality of care and protection for Arizonans with disabilities. Yesterday, Governor Ducey sent a letter to Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich requesting the Attorney General look into potential criminal actions at Hacienda HealthCare. *** WHEREAS all Arizonans deserve to be safe wherever they reside; WHEREAS vulnerable populations including individuals with disabilities are at increased risk of abuse and exploitation; WHEREAS the Bureau of Justice Statistics National Crime Victimization Survey found that individuals with disabilities are three times more likely to be victims of violent crime; WHEREAS individuals with intellectual disabilities are seven times more likely to be sexually assaulted; WHEREAS these statistics underscore the need for heightened protections for individuals with disabilities living in group homes, intermediate care facilities, and other residential settings. NOW, THEREFORE, I, Douglas A. Ducey, Governor of the State of Arizona, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Arizona hereby order as follows: The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), and the Department of Economic Security (DES), in conjunction with disability advocates, shall review current protocols and jointly develop training on preventing abuse and neglect, recognizing the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect, and reporting abuse and neglect for both providers for people with disabilities and for parents and guardians. AHCCCS, DHS, and DES shall ensure that all state contracts related to the care of individuals with disabilities include a requirement that all staff, contractors, and vendors who have direct interaction with members with disabilities shall annually undergo training in preventing, recognizing, and reporting abuse and neglect. AHCCCS, DHS, and DES shall ensure that all state contracts for residential, group homes and day programs for individuals with disabilities include a requirement for the prominent posting of signage which includes department approved language on how to report abuse and neglect. AHCCCS, DHS, and DES shall ensure that all state contracts related to the care of individuals with disabilities include a requirement that a check of the Adult Protective Services Registry before someone is hired. AHCCCS, DHS, and DES shall convene a working group that includes individuals with disabilities, disability advocacy organizations, providers, and family members. This workgroup shall consider additional steps that can be taken to protect and improve care for individuals with disabilities and shall make recommendations and submit a report to the Governors office by November 1, 2019. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Arizona. GOVERNOR DONE at the Capitol in Phoenix on this 6th day of February in the year Two Thousand and Nineteen and of the Independence of the United States of America the Two Hundred and Forty-Third. ATTEST: SECRETARY OF STATE News Tempe, Arizona - Governor Ducey Friday joined Benchmark Electronics, a global engineering and electronics manufacturing company, for the grand opening of the its new corporate headquarters in Tempe, Arizona. Benchmark will bring 500 new jobs to the state. Today concludes the companys nearly two year relocation from Texas. Benchmarks move to Arizona expands its engineering capability through a partnership with Arizona State University and positions the company near its growing aerospace and defense customers. Benchmarks relocation is the latest expansion in Arizonas drive to become a jobs juggernaut. Read more on Arizonas booming job growth Arizona added 280,200 new private sector jobs since 2015, bringing private sector job growth to nearly 13 percent. Arizona had the fourth largest increase in total jobs and ranked third among states for growth in total labor force size during 2018. Forbes ranked Arizona as a top five state for growth prospects in 2018, and Robert Half Technology projects the Phoenix area to be top threein the U.S. for tech hiring in 2019. Arizonas technology sector directly contributes an estimated $28.5 billion to the states economy and supports over 237,000 jobs. Arizona is home to over 8,500 technology companies with top technology sectors including technology manufacturing, IT and custom software services and telecommunications and internet services. SOURCE: Arizona Commerce Authority, Computing Technology Industry Association, Cyberstates 2018. News Washington, DC - President Trump has exposed the dirty secret of drug pricing: There is a shadowy third player in the transaction between patients and their pharmacists: middlemen who have taken a big kickback from the drug manufacturer, which may or may not be reflected in patients out-of-pocket costs. As Americans heard Tuesday in the State of the Union Address, the president is committed to improving fairness and transparency in health care. These back-door deals in health care undermine his vision for drug pricing and are completely unacceptable. We have already gotten started. Last week, the Trump administration proposed what could be the single biggest change to the way Americans drugs are priced at the pharmacy counter, ever. Under the presidents plan, the current system of kickbacks to middlemen would be replaced with transparent, up-front discounts, delivered directly to patients. There are other benefits to bringing this new transparency to drug markets. As it is, drug companies regularly raise prices on many medications, because the higher prices allow them to make larger kickback payments, in the form of rebates, to the drug plans that decide which drugs are covered by insurance. Without these kickbacks, the single biggest incentive to raise prices every year will be eliminated, and prices can come down. Eliminating todays kickbacks will also open up more choice and competition for patients. Today, kickbacks are used by drug companies to ward off competition, depriving patients of options they may have never known about. More broadly, Americans ought to know the price of a health care service, and what theyre going to owe out-of-pocket, before they get that service. The president has required hospitals, for the first time ever, to post their standard set of charges online. The president is going to keep charging ahead with delivering better care at more transparent, lower prices. Thats what it looks like to put American patients first, and thats what he will deliver. Read the full op-ed here. Venice, FL (34285) Today Scattered thunderstorms in the morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. High 88F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms in the evening. Cloudy skies overnight. Low 73F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Landlords in Western Australia who fail to lodge tenancy bonds that were provided through a rental assistance program are currently being tracked down by both Consumer Protection and the Department of Communities. The two state government agencies have joined forces to address malpractice after their data revealed that a concerning number of landlords or real estate agencies have violated the law. Under the Bond Assistance Loan Scheme offered by the Department of Communities, eligible Western Australians can apply for a no-interest and fee-free loan to cover ongoing property costs (including all or part of the bond and up to two weeks rent in advance) to aid them in securing accommodation in the private rental market. Under the Residential Tenancies Act administered by Consumer Protection, landlords must register tenancy bonds to the bond administrator within 14 days. Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard said that those who did not comply with the law will be contacted. The data matching has allowed us to more easily identify bonds that are not being held by the bond administrator and will allow us to take action against landlords or property managers who have failed to comply with the law, both past and present, Hillyard said. Bond money is held securely in trust by the bond administrator, and any delay in depositing these funds may put landlords at risk. Those who are found guilty may face a $2,000 infringement notice or, if the matter goes to court, they could face a fine of up to $20,000 for every breach. There is absolutely no reason why bond money cannot be lodged within the 14-day period or sooner, especially since the new Bonds Online eTransactions system has become available to all agents. I urge all landlords and property managers to check their records and ensure that any bond monies being held are transferred to the Bond Administrator immediately. Tenants should get a notification that their bond has been lodged, so if they havent received this, they should contact Consumer Protection and let us know, Hillyard said. Expert Interviews with Kevin Turner. A lot of concern has been expressed about the safety of high-rise buildings given the horrific events that occurred at the Grenfell Tower in London and the recent failure of the Opal Tower in Sydney. Sahil Bhasin from Roscon has been looking at the state of high-rise buildings in Australia. This will shock you especially if you are looking at buying an apartment. Listen to the interview now: Transcript: Kevin: Well, rightfully so, a lot of concern has been expressed about the safety of high-rise buildings given the horrific events that occurred at the Grenfell Tower in London with combustible cladding, and the recent failure of the Opal Tower in Sydney. This would be alarming for many current owners, but also for purchasers of property. Kevin: Sahil Bhasin is from Roscon and joins me as my guest to discuss the state of high-rise buildings in Australia. Roscon, by the way, conducts over 5,000 inspections a year for building defects and cladding related issues, and was recently invited by the CEO of the Victorian Cladding Taskforce to provide expert advice and recommendations. So no one better to speak to about this. Sahil, thank you very much for your time. Sahil: No problems at all, Kevin. Thanks for having me. Kevin: Lets deal firstly with the cladding specifically. How widespread has this faulty cladding, that was similar to the one used in Grenfell Tower.. Has that been used in Australia? Sahil: It sure has. So Kevin, just to clarify things firstly. Cladding is not the right word to be used because cladding is anything thats on a building facade; bricks, concrete, windows, glass. So the right word to use are the two types of cladding that are being used. One is aluminium composite panels, which is the one that was used at Grenfell Tower. The other is expanded polystyrene. When consumers hear about it, they get a letter from the councils or the fire brigade, it will be relating to ACP, aluminium composite panels, or EPS, expanded polystyrene. Yes, it has been widely used throughout Australia. Kevin: Which is the bad one? Or are they both bad? Sahil: Theyre both bad types of products that are used on building facades. So expanded polystyrene has some good values with being thermal values, sound property values, so its great for keeping heat and cold in. Thats why its used for eskies. Its great along tram and train lines, thats why they use them around those precincts. Its lightweight, its quick to install, the foundations dont have to be as deep. However, once it does have a naked flame to it, it catches on fire very, very quickly. Sahil: The other one being aluminium composite panels. Three types of them available; one being and these are marketing terms, just to let you know. One is called a polyethylene product, which is essentially what it is, polyethylene which is 100% flammable which was what was used on Grenfell Tower. Then theres another product called fire-retardant they call it, FR. Which isa 70% mineral mix, 30% polyethylene. Then theres a non-combustible which is a 90% mineral mix and 10% polyethylene. Sahil: However, they all fail the Australian standards, and their words are just made up for marketing terms from the actual suppliers themselves. Kevin: Pretty scandalous if they call it non-combustible that it doesnt even meet the Australian standards? Sahil: Well it combusts in around 10 seconds. The Australian standard requires it to have a piece of the material in a furnace at around 700 degrees for about 30 or 60 minutes, and it lasts about 10 seconds when it goes in there. So weve got a problem on our hands, yeah. Kevin: Okay, well why was this cladding allowed in if it doesnt even meet the Australian standards? Sahil: Well, the Australian standard 1530 Part One has been around since 1994. However what happens in Australia is that weve changed the National Construction Code its called to be a more performance-based specification, so its a performance-based code now when it used to be a specific code where it used to tell you you have to use x, y, and z. Now it says, if it relates to this performance If it can meet its performance, then you can utilise the product. Sahil: So essentially whats resulted from that is all products having an international code mark certification. Now, some of the code mark certifications dont meet the Australian standards. Some of the products, what happens is some of the suppliers say that the products meet the standards, however they dont when individually tested in the testing requirements or under the regime. Kevin: If they give that sort of undertaking that it does actually meet the standards and then something goes wrong, like heaven forbid what happened in London, whos responsible for that? Sahil: Well in Australia to start we have a far better system for fire engineering than what was allowed at Grenfell. So Grenfell fire spread due to an existing building and the actual cladding being put on top of an existing structure. Where in Melbourne, that wouldnt have even achieved a building permit. So in Melbourne we have Australia we have far greater fire engineering standards. Sahil: But to answer your question, all building defects and cladding all these aluminium composite panels fall under the building defect category are responsible by the builder in Australia under Section 6 of the Domestic Building Contracts Act. Kevin: Has there been an estimate done of the number of buildings that are likely to be impacted? Sahil: There has. That is also very light on with the government trying to keep the Australian community less concerned, if I can say it that way. But to give an example of, say, Victoria Ill use Victoria then well go to Queensland. Victoria as an example, there was 1,400 buildings identified originally. However that was a marketing scheme in itself, because there was only certain classes of buildings, so residential buildings and nursing homes and hospitals that were looked at. We havent even started looking at commercial buildings, we havent even That was only with building permit data that was available from the Victorian building authority. So now, as an example when were doing our audits, from one council itself Ive got over 300 building orders on our desk. What Im trying to say is that there is far greater than the 1,400 Its in the, I would say at least 10,000 or so just in Victoria. Because half the buildings havent been audited and they havent got the information available for half the buildings. Sahil: So now whats happening is that Victorian Cladding Taskforce and the Municipal Building Surveyors are employing individual surveyors to literally walk around the neighbourhoods and streets and identify suspect buildings. Kevin: Incredible. Sahil: Yeah- Kevin: What about Body Corporates here? If they find or suspect maybe that some of this And Ill call it cladding because I cant use those other words you used- Sahil: Yeah, sure. Kevin: Has been used on their building, what can they or what should they do? Sahil: Sure. So they need to go through a testing regime to find out whats on the building. Now, a lot of consultants that arent fire engineers will tell you to test the product. Now Ive just told you every single product fails, of the two varieties that Ive mentioned before. So testing, theres a specific way to do testing and its not through the Well, I wont say the big body, but essentially theres a specific way to do the testing. We can assist in that, but what they essentially have to do is find out the composite of the panel, the three that I mentioned before, and what that will do is allow a fire engineer to come up with a design or a fire engineering brief and a fire engineering report to allow the cladding to either stay or come up with remedial actions that need to be taken to remove some of the cladding. That includes things like fire breaks, extending sprinklers, removing it around exits, things like that. Kevin: I guess there would be a lot of Body Corporates, they might not realise that their responsibility is to ensure the safety of all those residents. How seriously in your experience do you think these Body Corporates are actually taking that responsibility? Sahil: I would say the Body Corporate managers themselves are taking it quite seriously. However the committees themselves and the Body Corporates in terms of a building arent being as serious about it. There are a lot of ramifications that come from this, and cost being one of them, fire safety being the other, and theres a handful that I can name off. But the residents themselves or the owners need to take it a lot more seriously because if you do not follow an emergency order or a building order there are serious ramifications of that. Yeah. Kevin: Sahil, thank you very much. Theres a wealth of information on this topic on Roscons website. It is roscon.com.au, check it out for yourself. Sahil, thank you very much for your time. Sahil: Thanks, Kevin. ................................................................................................................................................... US congresswoman Ilhan Omar tweeted out an apology on Monday, after posts she had written a day earlier were condemned as anti-Semitic. Listening and learning, but standing strong, Omar wrote on a post. "Anti-Semitism is real and I am grateful to Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the powerful history of anti-Semitic tropes. My intention is never to offend my constituents or Jewish Americans as a whole," Omar wrote. We have to always be willing to step back and think through criticism, just as I expected people to hear me when others attack me for my identity. This is why I unequivocally apologize. However, Omar added that she remains critical about the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and believs it unduly influences US politics. I reaffirm the problematic role of lobbyists in our politics, whether it be AIPAC, the NRA or the fossil fuel industry. Its gone on too long and we must be willing to address it, Omar said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday evening he wont form a government with the Israel Resilience Party, headed by former IDF chief Benny Gantz, for the first time since Gantz joined the race. Ill form a Likud- led national government, a rightists government, the PM said during a meeting with religious groups in Jerusalem. He then called upon all the small rightists parties to unite forces ahead of the April elections, in order to prevent losing right-leaning votes to parties who wont win seats in the next Knesset. The Israel Resilience Party responded: We will form a Zionist government that will replace Netanyahu. Syrian state media said Monday evening that Israel attacked targets in the Quneitra Province by the Syrian border with Israel. According to reports, only material damage was caused. The Justice Ministry on Monday said the government has asked a Dutch court to dismiss war crimes allegations against Benny Gantz, an ex-military chief who is challenging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in April elections. A Dutch-Palestinian man originally from the Gaza Strip is suing Gantz and Israel's former air force chief, Amir Eshel, for their roles in an airstrike on his family's home that killed six relatives. The dead included a 72-year-old woman and a 12-year-old child. The airstrike on the Zeyada family home took place during Operation Protective Edge in 2014. The ministry said Monday an internal Israeli military investigation determined the airstrike had killed four militants, including three family members, hiding in the house. It said the attack was permissible under international law, and argued the Dutch court does not have jurisdiction. Gaza's Hamas rulers themselves have said that two militants were in the building. "Israel has several mechanisms in place and a robust legal system available to address allegations such as those raised by the plaintiff," the ministry said. Lebanon will not take part in a conference that Poland is holding this week on the situation in the Middle East and Iran. Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil made the announcement Monday during a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif. The two-day Warsaw conference begins Wednesday and will be co-hosted by the US Some 80 countries have been invited, including Israel. The conference is widely seen as aimed at isolating Iran, which was not invited. Lebanon has been following a policy of disassociation from regional conflicts. Iran enjoys wide influence in the country through the Hezbollah militant group, which along with allied parties holds a majority in parliament. Israels security policy regarding the Gaza Strip is a farce, and it has to end. The IDF, Shin Bet and all of our defense institutions are mired in a make-believe status quo that paralyses state officials who are somehow certain they are indeed giving Israelis living on the Gaza border a genuine sense of security. But the truth is that Israel is dancing to Hamas' tune and time and again allows itself to be fooled, depending on the terror organizations moods and concerns, and this has to end immediately. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Just last weekend, Gazans started rioting once again at the border fence, and current assessments state that the situation will only deteriorate further. The time out from riots that Hamas gave us for our good behavior after the latest tranche of Qatari funds came through is over. Hamas is no longer reining in the protests at the border fence, nor is stopping Gazans from breaching the barrier. Incendiary balloons are also back on the menu, and even rockets made a comeback last week. Riots at the Gaza border during the weekly protest (Photo: EPA) Hamas is currently pushing for a gradual escalation, not as a response to some Israeli political move or another an intolerable situation in itself but just because theyre angry at the Egyptians and their policies. Just two weeks ago, Hamas felt like it had made some major gains. The United Nations and Egypt were assumed to be taking charge of the rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip, with the help of the money from Qatar, and independent of the Palestinian Authority and Israels interests. But the joy was premature, for Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel soon made it clear that Hamas was mistaken. Nothing was going to change the Rafah crossing at the Gaza-Egypt border wasnt going to be a free trade zone, nor would there be free passage in and out of the Strip without the knowledge of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who also heads the PA. In other words, Egypt was not about to acknowledge the Hamas regime in Gaza as an entity independent of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. The Egyptians also said they weren't about to allow Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh to leave Gaza for Moscow, where he would attend a summit of Palestinian leaders from both the West Bank and Gaza, to discuss reconciliation. Russia has been trying to bypass Egyptian-American mediation in regards to this internecine Palestinian conflict, but Cairo is quite clear that it will not be going along with that plan. So who ends up bearing the brunt of Hamas' wrath? Why Israel, of course. The terror group's rage has already cost Gaza two lives and several wounded in the riots unleashed at the border fence last weekend, but this has not stopped the organization from promising an even more disruptive show next weekend. Ismail Haniyeh celebrates the Hamas anniversary in Gaza (: AFP) A sovereign state that sees itself as a regional power cant keep living according to the whims of a hostile entity like Hamas, which in reality is actually dependent on Israel. The Israeli security establishment must stop scaring the public with terrible predictions of Somalia-style chaos and turmoil in Gaza should Hamas fall. Its time to stop protecting Hamas. Perhaps the kind of chaos predicted by Israeli officials is actually needed to jolt the Arab world into taking action to help their Gaza cousins. As long as Israel allows Hamas to stay in power, and allows Gazans to keep living in such dire conditions, it allows the world to ignore the humanitarian crisis in the Strip and absorbs all the global criticism over the situation there. Another option is deciding to open the Strips gates, and allow thousands of Gazans to work in the nearby Israeli communities. Its unlikely that the Gazans who depend on this labour would then set those same fields alight. But our defense officials oppose this, most of all the Shin Bet. Everyone is busy explaining the moves Israel can't make, and claiming that the so-called status quo is a worthy cause to fight for, even as this approach leads us again and again into a state of war with terms and timetable decided by Hamas. A senior Revolutionary Guards commander said on Monday that Iran would demolish cities in Israel to the ground if the United States attacked the Islamic Republic. "The United States does not have the courage to shoot a single bullet at us despite all its defensive and military assets. But if they attack us, we will raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground," Yadollah Javani, the Guards' deputy head for political affairs was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA. He was speaking at a rally celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Islamic revolution. In a bid to persuade the members of the United Nations Security Council to dub Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, senior officers from Israel's Military Intelligence Directorate are expected to brief the members of the international body on the Iran-backed group's activity in Lebanon. They will voice their concerns over its further strengthening in the country and the establishment of extensive terror infrastructures, and also raise the need to prevent further Iranian entrenchment in Syria. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Although Hezbollah is already considered a terrorist organization by multiple countries, including Israel, the US and members of the Arab League, its members serve in the Lebanese government. Over the past few months, the Israeli mission to the UN headed by Ambassador Danny Danon has been waging a campaign to get the UN Security Council to declare the Shiite organization as a terrorist group. UN ambassadors tour terror tunnels (Photo: Avihu Shapiro) As a result, the Security Council held a meeting in December to discuss the Hezbollah attack tunnels dug from Lebanon into Israel, which were uncovered by the IDF during Operation Northern Shield in December. The tunnels, of which Israel uncovered six, are believed to have been dug by Hezbollah fighters in order to carry out attacks on civilians in the Galilee. The meeting, called by the US at Israel's request, also dealt with Hezbollahs alleged violations of UN Resolution 1701. The resolution, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War, calls for the disarmament of the Iranian-backed organization and its activities in southern Lebanon. Last week, dozens of UN ambassadors visiting Israel toured a site near Metula where the army discovered the cross-border tunnels. Engineering troops gave the diplomats a tour of a tunnel using a robotic camera. The tour was organized by Danon. "The struggle we are waging against Hezbollah is both military and diplomatic. Its definition as a terrorist organization is imperative to harm the global terror apparatus, which is based in Tehran," Danon said. The diplomats met with President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before flying in a seven-helicopter convoy from Jerusalem to the north of the country. During their meeting, Netanyahu stressed Iran's chokehold on Lebanon via its proxy Hezbollah. As the tour ended, several UN ambassadors said they would support Israel's attempts to convince the Security Council to declare Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. The Panamanian Ambassador Meliton Arrocha Ruiz said that he came to see firsthand the hostile activities against Israel. We will pass on what we saw and convey how Israel is thriving, open and democratic and that we all certainly share similar rule of law values, he said. South Sudan Ambassador Akuei Bona Malwal noted the importance of coming to see the facts on the ground: For those of us who work in NY and hear all sorts of things, the best way is to come and see and feel exactly what is happening. We came to Israel to see the challenges and how they are being handled. The ambassador also pointed out the absurdity of the tunnels being dug under the nose of UN peacekeepers stationed in south Lebanon. When mysterious operatives lured two cybersecurity researchers to meetings at luxury hotels over the past two months, it was an apparent bid to discredit their research about an Israeli company that makes smartphone hacking technology used by some governments to spy on their citizens. The Associated Press has now learned of similar undercover efforts targeting at least four other individuals who have raised questions about the use of the Israeli firms spyware. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The four others targeted by operatives include three lawyers involved in related lawsuits in Israel and Cyprus alleging that the company, the NSO Group, sold its spyware to governments with questionable human rights records. The fourth is a London-based journalist who has covered the litigation. Two of them the journalist and a Cyprus-based lawyer were secretly recorded meeting the undercover operatives; footage of them was broadcast on Israeli television just as the AP was preparing to publish this story. NSO (Photo: Orel Cohen) All six of the people who were targeted said they believe the operatives were part of a coordinated effort to discredit them. Theres somebody whos really interested in sabotaging the case, said one of the targets, Mazen Masri, who teaches at City University, London and is advising the plaintiffs attorney in the case in Israel. Masri said the operatives were looking for dirt and irrelevant information about people involved. From our pages Weaving a cyber web Ronen Bergman It helped bring down drug lords, thwart terror attacks and stop pedophiles, but despite its determination to paint itself as the enemy of 'bad guys' everywhere, Israeli tech company NSO Group is facing some unsavory claims, not least over the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. CEO Shalev Hulio talks for the first time about his life, his work and what he really wants to achieve with the one of the most sophisticated spyware in the world. Weaving a cyber web NSO has previously said it has nothing to do with the undercover efforts either directly or indirectly. It did not return repeated messages asking about the new targets identified by the AP. American private equity firm Francisco Partners, which owns NSO, did not return a message from the AP seeking comment. The undercover operatives activities might never have been made public had it not been for two researchers who work at Citizen Lab, an internet watchdog group that is based out of the University of Torontos Munk School. In December, one of the researchers, John Scott-Railton, realized that a colleague had been tricked into meeting an operative at a Toronto hotel, then questioned about his work on NSO. When a second operative calling himself Michel Lambert approached Scott-Railton to arrange a similar meeting at the Peninsula Hotel in New York, Scott-Railton devised a sting operation, inviting AP journalists to interrupt the lunch and videotape the encounter. The story drew wide attention in Israel. Within days, Israeli investigative television show Uvda and The New York Times identified Lambert as Aharon Almog-Assouline, a former Israeli security official living in the plush Tel Aviv suburb of Ramat Hasharon. By then, Scott-Railton and the AP had determined the undercover efforts went well beyond Citizen Lab. Within hours of the storys publication, Masri wrote to the AP to say that he and Alaa Mahajna, who is pursuing the lawsuit against NSO in Israel, had spent weeks parrying offers from two wealthy-sounding executives who had contacted them with lucrative offers of work and insistent requests to meet in London. We were on our guard and did not take the bait, Masri wrote. Masris revelation prompted a flurry of messages to others tied to litigation involving NSO. Masri and Scott-Railton say they discovered that Christiana Markou, a lawyer representing plaintiffs in a related lawsuit against NSO-affiliated companies in Cyprus, had been flown to London for a strange meeting with someone who claimed to be a Hong Kong-based investor. Around the same time, Masri found out that a journalist who had written about NSO was also invited to a London hotel twice and questioned about his reporting. Things are getting more interesting, Masri wrote as the episodes emerged. Like Almog-Assouline, the undercover operative the AP exposed in New York, the covert agents who pursued the lawyers made a string of operational errors. Operative calling himself Michel Lambert (Photo: AP) The attempt to ensnare Alaa Mahajna, the lead lawyer in the Israeli suit, was a case in point. On November 26 he heard from a man who said his name was Marwan Al Haj and described himself as a partner at a Swedish wealth management firm called Lyndon Partners. Al Haj offered Mahajna an intriguing proposition. Al Haj said one of his clients, an ultra-rich individual with family ties to the Middle East, needed legal assistance recovering family land seized by Jewish settlers following the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. I believe you may be a good fit for this challenging task, Al Haj wrote. The request made sense. As a human rights lawyer based in Jerusalem, Mahajna has defended Palestinian activists and others at the receiving end of the Israeli governments ire. But Mahajna became suspicious as he tried to learn more about the case. Al Haj was cagey about his client and seemed unwilling to provide any paperwork, Mahajna told the AP. Not even the basic stuff, Mahajna said. Usually people flood you with documents and stories. Mahajna said he was unsettled when Al Haj suddenly offered him an all-expenses-paid trip to London; no one had even asked him whether the case had any hope of success. At some point it was abundantly clear that this is not a bona fide approach, Mahajna said. Ten days later, Masri, the legal adviser in the Israeli lawsuit, received an email offering him a place on the advisory board of a Zurich-based company called APOL Consulting. Masri became skeptical after he checked out the companys website. Consulting firms typically trade on their employees intelligence and skill, so Masri expected the companys site to prominently display the names, headshots and qualifications of its staff. Here there wasnt even a name of one human, he said. When Masri turned down the position on APOLs board, the representative whod contacted him a man who called himself Cristian Ortega pressed Masri to see him in London anyway. I would consider it a privilege to have a chance to meet you in person for a friendly chat, Ortega said in a January 7 email. No strings attached of course. Masri said that by then he and Mahajna had come to believe that Ortega and Al Haj were fictions and that their companies were imaginary. But they didnt yet know how widespread the covert operations were. The undercover agents got a little further with Christiana Markou, the lawyer who is pursuing the Cypriot case against NSO-affiliated entities. Her lawsuit, like Mahajnas, draws heavily on reports by Citizen Lab that found that NSO spyware had been used to break into the phones of the Mexican activists and journalists who are the plaintiffs in both cases. Markou told the AP she was approached over email December 21 by a man who presented himself as Olivier Duffet, a partner at Hong Kong-based ENE Investments. Duffet was ostensibly interested in inviting Markou a leading data protection and privacy lawyer in Cyprus to give a lecture at a conference. Markou said she proposed discussing the lecture over Skype, but he insisted on an in-person meeting in London, eventually flying her out, putting her up in a fancy hotel and chatting for a little more than an hour. NSO headquaters in Herzliya (Photo: Orel Cohen) Most of the discussion revolved around the proposed lecture but then Duffet suddenly pivoted to the NSO case, asking her whether she felt the lawsuit was winnable and who was funding it. Markou said she gave either incorrect answers or expressly refused to answer because she found his questions suspicious. Yet another target, Eyad Hamid, a London-based journalist who wrote a story about NSO, said he was also invited to a London hotel on two separate occasions to discuss his coverage of the Israeli company. The purported company used in the operation targeting him was Mertens-Giraud Partners Management, which was described as a Brussels-based wealth management firm. Neither MGP nor any of the other companies truly existed. The APs searches of the Orbis database of some 300 million companies, local corporate registries and trademark repositories turned up no trace of a Swiss firm called APOL, a Swedish company called Lyndon partners, a Belgian company called Mertens-Giraud or a Hong Kong-based firm named ENE Investments. Local phone books didnt carry listings for a Zurich-based man named Cristian Ortega, a Hong Kong-based man named Olivier Duffet or anyone in Sweden bearing the name Marwan Al Haj. There was no hint of APOL when the AP visited its supposed office not far from Zurichs central train station; tenants said theyd never heard of the company. It was the same story in Hong Kong; a management representative at the Central Building, where ENE Investments was supposedly located, said he didnt know anything about the company. An AP journalist wasnt able to speak to anyone at Mertens-Girauds alleged office on Brussels Rue des Poissoniers; the entire building was boarded up for renovations. At the modern office block in downtown Stockholm where Lyndon Partners claimed to have its headquarters, service manager Elias Broberger said he could find no trace of the wealth management firm. It says they are located here, Broberger said as he examined Lyndon Partners professional-looking website. But we dont have them in any of our systems: not the booking system; not the member system. We dont bill them; they dont bill us. I cant find them. Who hired the undercover agents remains unclear, but their operational and digital fingerprints suggest they are linked. The six operatives all began approaching their targets around the same time with individually tailored pitches. Their bogus websites followed the same patterns; all of them were hosted on Namecheap and many were bought at auction from GoDaddy and used the Israeli web design platform Wix. The formatting of the websites was similar; in at least two instances MGP and Lyndon Partners it was identical. Even the operatives email signatures were the same consisting of three neatly packed, colorful lines consisting of a phone number, web address and email. The operatives LinkedIn pages were similar, too, featuring men in sunglasses shot from a distance, facing away from the camera, or at unusual angles a tactic sometimes use to frustrate facial recognition algorithms. Despite the indications that the undercover agents are all linked, there is no conclusive evidence who they might work for. An Israeli television channel, Channel 12, broadcast a report on Saturday claiming that an Israeli private investigation firm, Black Cube, had been investigating issues around the lawsuits against NSO. The TV channel showed secretly shot footage of the Cypriot lawyer, Markou, and the London journalist, Hamid, which matched the pairs description of their encounters with undercover agents. The TV segment was critical of the lawyers suing NSO, and quoted NSO founder Shalev Hulio in an interview accusing Markou and her colleagues of pursuing the lawsuits as a PR exercise. NSO founder Shalev Hulio (Photo: Avital Peleg) NSO has previously denied hiring Black Cube, and Black Cube in a letter sent last month to the AP said it was not involved in the effort to ensnare researchers at Citizen Lab. Black Cube had nothing to do with these alleged events, the letter said, adding that no one acting on the companys behalf did either. Black Cube does have a possible tie to Almog-Assouline, the man who held the hotel meeting about NSO in New York. During a long-running Canadian legal battle between two private equity firms Catalyst Capital and West Face Capital one man caught up in the litigation said he recognized Almog-Assouline because hed been approached by the same operative under a different identity several years ago. I recognized the individual, down to the accent and the anecdotes, said the man, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. In court filings, Black Cube has acknowledged dispatching agents to meet with various individuals involved in the private equity firms feud. But its unclear if other investigations firms might also have done work connected to the two companies legal battle. Black Cube did not respond to repeated questions about whether it had ever employed Almog-Assouline. The firm previously drew international opprobrium for its unrelated work protecting the reputation of disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. Almog-Assouline himself denied working for Black Cube when two AP reporters confronted him in New York last month. He has refused to answer any questions since. When an AP reporter rang the door at his penthouse in Tel Aviv suburb of Ramat Hasharon a week ago, a woman who identified herself as his wife said he wasnt home. When the reporter followed up with a phone call to Almog-Assouline, he said: I have no interest in speaking to you. We have always been told that for as long as Israeli occupation continues, Palestinian terror will not end. Although the terrorists were not born murderers, the harsh reality of life made them this way, say the claimants. In order to uproot it, however, one has to give the Palestinians hope, and remove all cause for them to resort to terrorist activity. This thesis of "terrorism caused by occupation" is supported by many too many, one might say. Not all of them are even anti-Semites or anti-Zionists; some are good people, who actually believe this nonsense. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Sometimes, there is indeed a connection between terror and a struggle for liberation. This is not the case when it comes to Palestinian terrorism, which in recent decades has practically evolved into jihadist terrorism. They indeed were not born murderers, but the brainwashing, the incitement and the overall environment turned them into them. During the week in which Ori Ansbacher was murdered, some 186 people were killed by jihadists elsewhere in the world. Since the start of 2019, 712 people have been murdered, while 2018 saw some 11,769 jihadist killings. The majority of these terror acts did not actually make international headlines, because they occurred in Asia and Africa, so who cares? In Congo, Chad, Somalia, Nigeria, Kenya, and many other places. Thats in addition to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Syria, where jihadist murders are carried out on a daily basis. The majority of the victims in these attacks are Muslims and their sins unclear. Ori Ansbacher (Photo: Courtesy of family) Terror is also rampant in Sweden, Belgium, London, and New York. Is there an occupation in those places too? The main reason for terrorism is incitement and brainwashing in mosques and on social networks. Some brave, prominent imams, such as the Paris-based Hassen Chalghoumi or Mohammad Tawhidi from Australia, as well as many others, are fighting this cancerous ideology. Although they reveal the mechanisms of brainwashing, they usually are given a cold shoulder, because the progressive elites would rather hear the post-colonial and anti-Zionist attribution for this horrific phenomenon. Ansbacher was killed because her murderer originates from a community where many sanctify death and hatred. She was killed because the highest religious official in the Palestinian Authority, Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, regularly calls for the murder of Jews. She was killed because the environment that encourages murder is sustained by PAs monthly salary payments to terrorists. Arafat Irfaiya, Ori Ansbachers cold-blooded murderer, knew that not only nothing would happen to him and his family following this horrific attack, but that they would actually benefit from it. And the moment Irfaiya was arrested, the PA opened its wallet. The rewards are already on the way. Even if his house or his room is destroyed, it will be rebuilt within days by volunteers who support him, using the funds received by the family. We must strive for peace and reconciliation, and against settlement expansion. But this is not the ambition of the jihadists. They are not looking for a two-state solution, which was presented to them again and again: in 1937, 1949, 2000, 2008 and in 2014. They always rejected it. Irfaiya didnt set out to murder because he supported some kind of peace plan or wanted an end to the occupation, just as those who killed 130 people at the Bataclan concert hall in Paris in 2015 for instance, didnt need a pretext of the occupation to murder. It is worth emphasizing that one day we will be able to reach some sort of agreement, with or without the consent of the Palestinians, that will either entirely or partly end the occupation. We shouldn't, however, fool ourselves into believing that it will end jihad or terrorism. Not in Paris, not in Jerusalem, not in Nigeria. It is doubtful whether the level of terrorism will even decline. And while we should never stop striving for a peace agreement, we must understand that this will never stop the terror because the terror was never meant to stop the occupation anyway. A Likud member who secured a realistic spot on the party's Knesset list this week condemned the gay pride parades held every year in Israel, saying such events promote an unnatural lifestyle. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Shlomo Karhi, who secured the 27th spot reserved for the Negev region, called the pride parades "inappropriate," and said they serve to "legitimize something that is contrary to the natural family unit." Shlomo Karhi Karhi, who is a married father of five, lives on the religious moshav of Zimrat, close to the Gaza Strip border. He has 17 siblings, who are all Likud members, and is a lecturer at Bar Ilan University, which "fuse(s) a reverence for Jewish legacy and heritage with the rigors of academic study." "In my opinion holding Gay Pride parades is completely wrong," Karhi told the radio. "Everyone has the freedom to choose (how to live their life). But I don't think it's appropriate to publicly display this behavior." Chen Arieli, chair of the Association for LGBTQ Equality in Israel, said that Karhi had already shamed his party and made a fool of himself before even entering the Knesset. "It is a disgrace for the Likud Party that Shlomo Karhi, a candidate who has yet to be elected to the Knesset, has become the sad joke of the next parliamentary session. It is interesting that the new advisor to Knesset Member Yoav Kish (who proposed legislation against LGBT discrimination) failed to express his stance about the LGBT community when Kish joined the Knesset LGBT Lobby," she said. Gay Pride Parade in Jerusalem in 2018 (Photo: EPA) "It is also interesting whether Karhi shares his primitive and benighted opinions with MK Amir Ohana, who secured the 26th spot on the Likud's Knesset list," she said, referring to the fact Ohana is openly gay. "The members of the LGBT community who vote for Likud should know this is the man they will help get elected to the Knesset," Arieli said. Shosh Tuchfeld, Karhi's aunt and the mother of two gay men, said she "is not surprised by her nephew's remarks. But I view these remarks as a challenge, and I'll continue fighting against people who speak and think like in this way." Shosh Tuchfeld Tuchfeld, 59, lives on Moshav Maor in the center of the country, and volunteers at the Nir Katz Center, part of Israel's LGBT Task Force. She fights homophobia on social media and regularly takes part in Israel's Gay Pride Parades. "My answer to Shlomo is that the Pride Parades are a way of protest. It is a struggle for equal LGBT rights, for eradicating bullying, humiliations and shaming of the LGBT community," she said. "There are members of the LGBT community who are religious, and their situation is far worse because of this sort of reaction." Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon said that the law meant to deduct terrorists' salaries from the Palestinian Authoritys funds is correct, just and moral. "The Ministry of Finance is prepared to make the cutbacks in accordance with the law," Kahlon wrote on his official Twitter account. Improving the lives of patients Every day, the study group on the immune cells in cancer treatment of the Gene-Protein Research Centre of Hanoi Medical University regularly receive phone calls from cancer patients registering for new treatment based on the mechanism of the two scientists who have just won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Medicine. From the beginning of the year, at Hanoi Medical Universitys Hospital, 20 patients have been undergoing this pilot therapy. Do Tien H, 30, from Hanoi, discovered pharyngeal cancer in the third stage in 2015. He repeatedly followed radiation therapy at Bach Mai Hospital. In the middle of 2017, the disease recurred and the tumor spread into the spine, forcing him to have spinal surgery and continuous radiation therapy. In September 2018, Hai was introduced to Hanoi Medical Universitys Hospital for treatment under immune therapy, inhibiting cancer cells within three months through six courses. His condition has been significantly improved. Hai said, in the past, his resistance was low, and he always got colds, cough, fever, and pains when facing unfavoured weather, but now he feels very well. Currently, the pain is no longer the same as before but only numbness. I felt that healthy cells when being infused into the body have proved their effectiveness, and the resistance has increased markedly. Hopefully, the next three transmissions will not only help reduce pains but also decrease my diseases severity, Hai said. When it comes to cancer, many people immediately think about the mental and physical depletion of patients, the side effects caused by chemotherapy and radiation therapy and especially the terrible pains at the final stage of cancers. But the therapy being applied experimentally at Hanoi Medical Universitys Hospital has helped patients and their families overcome these obsessions. A breakthrough in cancer treatment Immunotherapy is considered the 21st centurys approach in the treatment of cancer around the world. It is to enhance the resistance of the patients themselves to the exotic and abnormal agents, including cancer or other types of diseases. "Every day, in a normal body, there are around 3,000 abnormal cells produced. When the resistance is good, the immune system recognises these cells and destroys them. But for some reason, if the immune system does not recognise them, from only one abnormal cell, it will develop into tumors over a few years, said Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Huy Thinh, Deputy Head of Department of Chemistry - Biology and Vice Director of the Gene-Protein Research Centre - Hanoi Medical University. When carrying out biopsy on slices of cancer cells, it is found that the cancer cell is located next to the immune one without being destroyed. There exists an "underground" mechanism for these two types of cells to "shake hands" with each other. Therefore, it is necessary to "lock" this cooperation. This is also the mechanism of the immune therapy. Prof., Dr. Ta Thanh Van, Rector of Hanoi Medical University cum Director of the Gene-Protein Research Centre, is an excellent Vietnamese student of Prof. Tasuku Honjo in Japan. Prof. Van is also the first to bring Prof. Honjo's breakthrough cancer treatment application to Vietnam. He had three years (from April 2003) working at Prof. Honjo's lab as a scientist and a post-doctoral research student at Kyoto University. At that time, Prof. Honjo has been a big name in the field of molecular biology, owning four breakthrough inventions equivalent to four Nobel Prizes. Prof. Ta Thanh Van (R) and Prof. Tasuku Honjo in Japan. Because Honjo's research team often engages in spearhead and hot fields in the world, such as immunology and cancer, the work intensity is extremely stressful. The whole lab is like a factory, and lights are never turned off. Everyone enjoys canned meals and just take public baths. Every month the lab produces research that is posted in the worlds famous scientific journals, recalled Prof. Van. In Honjo's lab, Prof. Van pursued the research topic on the mechanism of the enzyme encoding gene involved in the synthesis and transformation of antibodies in humans. It is activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) that has important applications in cancer pathology, immunodeficiency and autoimmune disease. This work was published in the worlds famous journal Nature Immunology in 2003 and has been highly regarded by the scientific community. Having had a huge opportunity to stay abroad to work, Prof. Van still decided to return to Vietnam and set up the Hanoi Medical Universitys Gene-Protein Research Centre following his teachers advice. Here, the research team by Van and his colleagues applied Prof. Honjo's immune therapy but followed a different approach. It is self-treatment in cancer treatment. Two 2018 Nobel Prize winners followed the principle of activating cellular immune activators right in the tumor on the body. And the therapy at Hanoi Medical University is that we take the immune cells from in the body of the patients, then multiply and activate them outside the body. From the initial number of several million, the cells are then activated into billions before being put back inside the patient's body, Prof. Van analyzed. This is a new therapy that is only available in scientific works but no one has thought of implementing it. Responsible for expertise and technology transfer to Vietnam, Prof. Van has spent a lot of effort persuading and explaining to gain the consent from the relevant scientists, professors and the professional council members. Along with that are the infinite issues regarding facilities, human resources and funding for research. But as the person to bring this therapy to Vietnam, along with great benefits for patients, Prof. Van has had to remove bottlenecks step by step, like sending staff to join training abroad, building a standard laboratory, and receiving technology transferred from Japan. He introduced Assoc. Prof., Dr. Tran Huy Thinh to go study in Prof. Honjo's lab and Thinh then followed his path to become another of Honjo's excellent students, with two works published in international leading scientific magazines. In 2017, the new therapy was approved by the Ministry of Health for a clinical trial at Hanoi Medical Universitys Hospital, for patients with lung, breast, liver, stomach and colon cancers at the stages 3B and 4. Each procedure consists of six infusions in three months, with each infusion separated by two weeks. Initial results were quite positive. Final stage cancer patients are almost painless and witness their resistance increasing significantly. Many of them who were having a fever have seen it cut off, or have seen their infections swept away, even though they had tried taking antibiotics and the use had proved ineffective. It is expected that at least 75 patients will be tested for this therapy. A world-leading medical achievement applied in Vietnam has affirmed the constant efforts of medical staff for the happiness of patients. Vietnam now has more than 126,000 new cases each year and nearly 110,000 people die from cancer. Hopefully, with the new treatment, these numbers will gradually decrease. The Netherlands will allow Palestinians born after the establishment of the State of Israel to list their official birthplace as the West Bank, Gaza Strip or East Jerusalem, Dutch State Secretary Raymond Knops said Saturday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter While the Netherlands doesn't recognize Palestine as a state, the Dutch civil registry will now recognize the West Bank and Gaza as the birthplace for those born there after May 15, 1948the day the British Mandate officially ended and the State of Israel was established. So far, Palestinians living in the Netherlands were only able to list "Israel" or "unknown" as their their official birthplace, with the latter option only added in 2014 following protests from the Palestinians. Gazans protest along the border with Israel (Photo: AFP) According to a statement by the Dutch Interior Ministry, the move was in line with "the Dutch viewpoint that Israel has no sovereignty over these areas," as well as the Netherlands commitment not to recognize Palestine as a sovereign state. The statement notes that the move reflects the terms agreed upon in the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in the 1990s, as well as in several UN Security Council resolutions that followed. According to Dutch media, the decision comes after a Dutch national of Palestinian descent sued the state in the European Court of Human Rights and demanded to be recognized as a Palestinian and not as an Israeli. As the Labor Party, which founded the State of Israel and governed it for decades, faces one of the greatest crises in its history, its 58,000 registered voters head to the polls on Monday to determine its Knesset list ahead of the April 9 general elections. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Forty-four candidates will be competing for the top spots on the list in the hopes of making it into the 21st Knesset, while the party continues to drop in the polls. With voter turnout expected to be low, political deals struck in recent days and lists of recommended candidates will likely play a big role in the primaries. Primaries at the Labor Party (Photo: Motti Kimchi) Different groups, such as the Histadrut Labor Federation and prominent kibbutzim activists, have distributed lists of recommended candidates for their voters, though most of these lists already include senior members of the party who are already serving in the Knesset. MKs Itzik Shmuli, Shelly Yachimovich, Amir Peretz, Stav Shaffir and Omer Bar-Lev are all favorites to make the top five on the list, while MKs Revital Swid and Merav Michaeli are close behind and also expected to do well. Labor's top 10 only has seven available spots. The first spot is reserved for party chairman Avi Gabbay, while Gabbay also has the second and tenth spot reserved for candidates of his choosing. Gabbay himself has decided not to publicly release his own list of recommended candidates, but privately he has recommended six candidates: Shmuli, Yachimovich, Peretz, Shaffir, Bar-Lev and Michaeli. He is waiting for the results of the primaries to decide whether to use his two reserved spots, with Labor officials estimating Gabbay won't use his reserved spots unless he could recruit a prominent figure to join the party. Labor Chairman Avi Gabbay (Photo: Motti Kimchi) Despite the pessimistic polls, some of the new candidates in the Labor race have launched an intensive campaign, though their chances of securing a realistic spot on the list are still very low. Among the new candidates are some prominent figures and close associates of senior party members, including TV presenter Emilie Moatti, who has close ties to Gabbay, and Yair Fink, who shared his campaign with Yachimovich. Other new candidates include Rabbi Gilad Kariv, who heads the Reform Movement in Israel; journalist Henrique Cymerman; Gil Beilin, who is the son of former minister Yossi Beilin; and Michal Chernovitzky, who formed the ultra-Orthodox faction in Labor. Henrique Cymerman and Emilie Moatti (Photos: Yael Kehat, Dan Haimovich) Within the party there are several interesting political struggles. MKs Yachimovich and Peretz, both former leaders of the party, were once allied but have recently become bitter rivals. Each hopes to rank higher than the other in a battle for status and prestige, which might also indicate whether they can run for the party's chairmanship again in the future. Meanwhile, MK Eitan Cabel is fighting for his place in the party, claiming he is paying a political price for his campaign to replace Labor chairman Gabbay. MKs Shmuli and Shaffir, both leaders of the 2011 social protest, are secret rivals, even though they don't give public expression to this rivalry. Shmuli is considered very popular and strong within the party and is aiming for the top spot on the list. MKs Swid and Michaeli, meanwhile, are also fighting for the spot of the third most powerful woman in the party, after Yachimovich and Shaffir. Israel saw a substantial surge in the number of cases of homophobia in 2018, with a 54% increase on the year before, according to a new report by an LBGT watchdog. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter According to the report by the Nir Katz Center in Tel Aviv, there were 1,577 instances of homophobia in Israel in 2018, but a complaint was made to police in just 3% of the cases. The data shows that 25% of the incidents took place in public areas, 22% on social networks, and 15% carried out by family members. Pride parade in Jerusalem in 2018 (Photo: EPA) In addition, 13% of the homophobic incidents reportedly happened at the complainant's workplace, whereas 8% of the cases were described as homophobic remarks made by public officials such as rabbis and Knesset members. Seven percent of the discriminatory incidents were noted in the education system and higher education institutions, 5% in the defense establishment, and 5% of the racist incidents were said to take place in government offices. Thirty-six percent of the complainants were homosexual and bisexual men, 20% lesbian and bisexual women, and 14% transgender men and women. The sexual inclination of 30% of the complainants is unknown. The report also shows that the number of lesbian and bisexual women who reported a homophobic incident has doubled in comparison to 2017. Forty-nine percent of the complainants reside in the central of the country, 24% live in Jerusalem and its surroundings, 14% in Haifa and the north of the country, and 13% in Be'er Sheva and the south. Cities with the largest amount of homophobic incidents reported in 2018 were Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Be'er Sheva, Rishon LeZion, Holon, and Ashkelon. In 2018, Holon's Deputy Mayor Yoel Yeshurun, who is also the dean of the Ashkelon Academic College, published homophobic posts on his Facebook page, decrying the annual Gay Pride Parade and calling members of the LGBT community "monsters," and "two-legged animals." In response, the members of the LGBT community staged a protest in front of Holon's City Hall. Furthermore, some 180 youths left their homes in the past year after being victims of homophobia. Seventy-five percent of homophobic incidents in the defense establishment reportedly took place in the army. Among the reported incidents are a soldier that was outed in front of her platoon and troops who tore up pride parade postcards on the desk of a homosexual soldier. In addition, soldiers who are members of the LGBT community reported being denied promotion and experiencing sexual harassment. The army also reportedly failed to handle public humiliation of homosexual soldiers. Seventy-eight percent of the homophobic incidents in the education system took place in high schools and 20% in higher education institutions. Some 28% of the discriminatory acts were said to be carried out by principals, teachers and the Education Ministry staff who posting homophobic content on their private Facebook pages. The homophobic incidents reported in the education system included kindergarten teachers who refused to hold explanatory classes on the LGBT community, despite the fact some of the parents were lesbians, which led the children to be teased on a daily basis. Moreover, teachers were reported to mistreat a PR team that arrived at their school to lecture about the LGBT community, while a transgender man suffered discrimination in the dormitory of an Israeli university. It was also reported that every four minutes on average a homophobic post is published on social media, with half of the posts targeting gay men, 24% are directed against transgender men and women, 3% against lesbians, and 23% target the general LGBT community. Sixty-nine percent of those who published hateful posts were men. Chen Arieli (Photo: Motti Kimchi) Chen Arieli, chair of the Association for LGBTQ Equality in Israel stressed that the biggest problem was the need to raise consciousness about the need to report. The number of reported incidents has gone up, but it is still a drop in the ocean compared to the real number of events. Only by raising consciousness and by dealing with incidents professionally can we improve our society. "The inciters and those who spread hatred while holding a position of power should be removed from that position. We will continue struggling for a better future and for changing the policy that shapes the current reality. We won't be erased from the public sphere, protect our personal space and security and continue working tirelessly to promote equality," she said. This is the sixth report of its kind, and the first presented to President Reuven Rivlin. Yankton, SD (57078) Today Mainly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies in the evening, then becoming cloudy overnight. Low near 65F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. More than just veterans day On the 11th of each month, the Yakima Herald-Republic will bring you stories from area veterans about their experiences, in the service and back home, as part of our series Valley Vets Read the stories HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is being treated in India for a minor ailment, a government deputy minister has said, days after a local news website reported that the retired general had gone to that country due to failing health. The health of Chiwenga, 62, is closely followed in Zimbabwe because he is widely seen as the power behind President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the front-runner to succeed him. He led the coup that ousted long-time ruler Robert Mugabe in 2017. A gaunt-looking Chiwenga was last seen in public last Tuesday, when he told state television he was not dying but gave no details about his condition. Since last year, Chiwenga's hands have been visibly swollen with discolored skin patches. Information deputy minister Energy Mutodi said on Twitter Chiwenga "is recovering well from some minor abdominal ailment in Delhi, India." He declined to make further comment. His tweet was ridiculed by citizens in a country where government officials routinely seek medical help abroad while the public health system has collapsed and hospitals struggle to provide medicines to patients. ZimLive.com, an online news agency, reported last Thursday that Chiwenga had been flown to India for treatment but did not say what he was suffering from. Days earlier, a private daily newspaper had reported that Chiwenga had traveled to Cape Town, South Africa, for treatment, his second visit in four months. Mnangagwa has dismissed rumors of a rift with Chiwenga. These gathered momentum after Mnangagawa promised action in response to a brutal security crackdown carried out against protesters last month while the president was abroad. Chiwenga was acting president at that time. (Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe) Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax calls on FBI to investigate sexual assault claims as pressure mounts to resign originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Virginia's lieutenant governor called on the FBI to investigate two claims by women who say he sexually assaulted them, defying pressure to resign from most leading state and national Democrats. In a statement issued Saturday night Justin Fairfax restated that he would not resign and again denied both allegations. On Friday, a woman named Meredith Watson claimed Fairfax had raped her. Days earlier another woman, Vanessa Tyson, said Fairfax had sexually assaulted her. Fairfax said the claims -- separate incidents in the early 2000s -- should be investigated. "I am asking that no one rush to judgment and I am asking for there to be space in this moment for due process," Fairfax said in the statement. "Consequently, I call on all appropriate and impartial investigatory authorities, including the FBI, to investigate fully and thoroughly the allegations against me by Ms. Watson and Dr. Tyson. "I say again without reservation: I did not sexually assault or rape Meredith Watson, Vanessa Tyson or anyone else," Fairfax said. "The one thing I want to make abundantly clear is that in both situations I knew at the time, and I know today, that the interactions were consensual. I heard from Dr. Tyson after the 2004 Convention, and she never said or otherwise indicated that our interaction was not consensual or caused her any discomfort." "Regarding Ms. Watson, I knew Ms. Watson in college both before and after the encounter, and she never said to me that our interaction was not consensual or caused her any discomfort." By Saturday evening, Watson's attorney, Nancy Erika Smith, issued a new statement saying there was "nothing consensual" about her client's interactions with Fairfax. Watson said Fairfax raped her while the two were students at Duke University, Smith said, adding that Watson would be willing to testify at any future impeachment hearing. Story continues My client may contact North Carolina authorities about a possible criminal prosecution, Smith added. Smith volunteered to produce two witnesses whom she said Watson told of the assault the day after Fairfax raped her as well as "documentary evidence of Ms. Watson revealing to others the fact that Fairfax raped her. Fairfax, 39, has experienced a dizzying reversal of fortune in his career in the last week -- from rising star and potential governor-in-waiting to fighting for his political survival after the accusations of rape and of sexual assault. Last weekend, Fairfax seemed poised to be the next governor of Virginia after photos of Gov. Ralph Northam's medical school yearbook page emerged showing two men in a racist photo: one in blackface, one in a Ku Klux Klan robe. After initially apologizing for appearing in the photo, Northam then said it was not him in the yearbook photo but admitted he had worn blackface in the past. With Fairfax poised to lead Virginia, Vanessa Tyson, a political science professor came forward to claim that Fairfax had forced her to perform oral sex in his hotel room at the Democratic National Convention in Boston in 2004. Fairfax denied the allegation. U.S. Rep. Robert C. Bobby Scott, a revered elder statesman in Virginia Democratic politics, weighed in to say Fairfax should resign if guilty. The recent allegations against Lieutenant Governor Fairfax are disturbing and extremely serious. Both allegations must be investigated immediately. If either is found to be true and there appears to be significant corroborating evidence then the Lieutenant Governor should resign immediately, Scott said in a statement. Aides to Congressman Scott confirmed to ABC News that he knew of Tyson's allegations against Fairfax a year ago. The staffers said they did not know what the congressman did with that information, but that he told Tyson that he agreed to speak with The Washington Post. Tyson had already given her account to The Post. (MORE: Woman accuses elected Virginia official of sexual assault) Early Saturday, the Virginia Democratic party issued a statement calling for Fairfax to resign, echoing the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus' call on Friday to step down. "Given the credible nature of the sexual assault claims against Lieutenant Governor Fairfax, it has become clear he can no longer fulfill the duties and responsibilities of his post," the state party said in a statement. "It is in the best interest of the Commonwealth that he goes through this process as a private citizen. PHOTO: Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax speaks during an interview in his office at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., Feb. 2, 2019. (Steve Helber/AP, FILE) (MORE: 2nd woman accuses Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault, as calls for his resignation grow) On Friday, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat, had also urged Fairfax to step down. The allegations against him detail atrocious crimes, and he can no longer effectively serve the Commonwealth. We cannot ever ignore or tolerate sexual assault, Kaine said in a statement. By Saturday, most of the presumptive Democratic nominees for president in 2020 had issued strongly-worded statements calling for Fairfax to resign, including Kirsten Gillibrand, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, and Cory Booker. Former Vice President Joe Biden, who last week called for Northam's resignation and for Fairfax to lead Virginia, has not weighed in publicly. Virginia House Delegate Patrick Hope said he will introduce articles of impeachment on Monday if Fairfax does not resign over the weekend. I believe these women, Hope said. He needs to resign immediately. ABC News' Desiree Adib, Justin Weaver and Katherine Faulders contributed to this report. HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam's foreign minister, Pham Binh Minh, will visit North Korea ahead of this month's planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi, a spokeswoman said on Monday. Trump said last week he would hold his second meeting with Kim in the Vietnamese capital on Feb. 27 and 28. The Vietnamese foreign minister plans to visit North Korea from Feb. 12 to 14, the spokeswoman said in a statement posted to social network Twitter, without giving further details. As Vietnam prepares for the summit, its reform model is being widely touted as the economic path for impoverished and isolated North Korea to follow. (Reporting by James Pearson; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Washington (AFP) - Ilhan Omar, one of the first two Muslim women in the US Congress, drew stern rebukes from Republicans and fellow Democrats Monday after suggesting US support for Israel is fueled by money from the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC. The Minnesota freshman has faced criticism for weeks over her positions on the Jewish state, but it boiled over late Sunday after she reacted to a Republican critic in a tweet. "It's all about the Benjamins baby," Omar replied, referring to American $100 bills featuring the likeness of Benjamin Franklin. When a user asked who Omar believes is paying US politicians to support Israel, the former Somali refugee tweeted a one-word response: "AIPAC!" The exchanges triggered an uproar. Democrat Eliot Engel, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee of which Omar is a member, said: "Anti-Semitism in any form is unacceptable, and it's shocking to hear a Member of Congress invoke the anti-Semitic trope of 'Jewish money.'" Liz Cheney, a top Republican leader in the House of Representatives, urged Democratic leaders to "condemn this anti-Semitism" and remove Omar from the committee. Two Democratic lawmakers circulated a letter addressed to Democratic leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, urging them to take "swift action" against anti-Semitic language by members. The letter's authors, representatives Josh Gottheimer and Elaine Luria, who are both Jewish, did not mention Omar by name, but the target of their anger was clear. "We must speak out when any Member -- Democrat or Republican - uses harmful tropes and stereotypes, levels accusations of dual loyalty, or makes reckless statements like those yesterday," they wrote. Omar has been critical of Israel's government over its treatment of Palestinians. She has supported the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement which aims to put economic and political pressure on Israel. Story continues Omar and fellow Muslim congressional freshman Rashida Tlaib's support for the boycott has opened a breach in the Democratic Party and threatens to create a fissure in the ironclad US-Israeli alliance. At least a dozen lawmakers have openly criticized Omar, including Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the first Jewish congresswoman elected from Florida. Omar's "tweets implying that American support for Israel is driven by money, rather than shared interests and values, are alarming, offensive and disturbing," Wasserman Schultz said. Last month Omar expressed regret for saying in a 2012 tweet that Israel "has hypnotized the world" while carrying out "evil." Sebastien Roblin Security, What were merely three DDG-1000s good for, despite their nifty stealth features and propulsion? The advanced destroyers lacked ammunition for their guns, anti-ship missiles, anti-submarine torpedoes, and long-range area-air defense missiles. The U.S. Navy's New Stealth Destroyer Is Super Expensive and Has No Clear Mission The Zumwalt needed a new missioneven if that meant tweaking its capabilities at an additional cost. Finally, in December 2017 the Navy announced the class would specialize in surface strike, i.e. hunting down other ships. In January 2019, the Navy will commission its second hi-tech Zumwalt-class stealth destroyer, the USS Michael Monsoor. The third and last, USS Lyndon B. Johnson was launched this December 2018 and will be commissioned in 2022. (This first appeared several months ago.) Traditionally, warships are tailored to perform specific missions. But the cutting-edge Zumwalt has been a ship in search of a mission, especially since procurement of hyper-expensive ammunition for its primary weapon system was canceled. Years and billions of dollars later, the Navy may finally have found one. In the post-Cold War 1990s, the U.S Navy lacked peer competitors on the high seas, so it conceived its next-generation surface combatants for engaging coastal targets. As the Navy phased out its last battleship, it decided its next destroyer should mount long-range guns that could to provide more cost-efficient naval gunfire support than launching million-dollar Tomahawk cruise missiles. In the 2000s, development proceeded for a DDG-1000 destroyer integrating every next-generation technology then conceivable. The Navy promised Congress a larger destroyer requiring only 95 crew instead of 300 thanks to automation, with adequate space and power-generation capacity to deploy railguns and laser weapons. The new warships would be stealthier to avoid enemy attacks and pack rapid-firing 6-inch guns with a range of 115 miles for the sustained bombardment of land targets. Thirty-two DDG-1000s were to succeed the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. Story continues The lead ship USS Zumwalt took shape sporting a futuristic-looking tumblehome hullwider below the waterline than abovehelping reduce the 190-meter long vessels radar cross-section to that of a small fishing boat. The ships induction motors generated a whopping 58 megawatts of electricity while cruising, enough to power the entire 17,630-ton ship thanks to an Integrated Power System. The electrically-driven motors and chilled exhaust also reduce the destroyers infrared and acoustic signature. The vessels new Total Ship Computing Environment networked all the destroyers systems, making them accessible from any console throughout the vessel. In addition to rapid-firing 6 guns, the Zumwalt had eighty Mark 57 missile vertical-launch cells dispersed across her bow and stern to minimize secondary explosions. These could target and launch Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles, ASROC anti-submarine rockets, or quad-packs of Evolved Sea Sparrow medium-range air-defense missiles. The Zumwalts spacious landing pad and hangar could accommodate up to three MQ-8B helicopter drones or two MH-60R helicopters, which can carry Hellfire anti-tank missiles or torpedoes. The destroyers also boast a capable dual-bandwidth sonar for hunting submarines, but lack the torpedo armament found in Arleigh Burkes. The destroyers crew of one-hundred-and-fiftyplus a twenty-eight-person air detachmentexceeded by over 50 percent the originally promised number, but remained half that of an Arleigh-Burke destroyer. However, some analysts fear the super-trim crew complement leaves too little redundancy should the vessels sustain battle damage. Indeed, by 2008, the Navy was no longer highly concerned with bombarding militarily weaker countries. Rather, it contemplated the challenge posed by Chinas rapidly expanding surface and submarine fleets, and the proliferation of deadly anti-ship ballistic and cruise missiles. Worse, the Zumwalts Advanced Gun System didnt even work that well, with two-thirds the forecast range (around 70 miles). Furthermore, its rocket-boosted LRLAP GPS-guided shells cost $800,000 dollars eachnearly as expensive as more precise, longer-range and harder-hitting cruise missiles. The Navy finally canceled the insanely expensive munitions, leaving the Zumwalt with two huge guns it cant fire. Downsizing and Downgrades: Despite the well-known difficulties of developing next-generation military systems, the Zumwalt had been sold to Congress based on unrealistic minimum-cost estimates. Eventually, program costs exceeded the budget by 50 percent, triggering an automatic cancelation according to the NunnMcCurdy Act. Already by 2008, the Navy sought to ditch building more than two Zumwalts in favor of procuring Arleigh Burke Flight III destroyers with ballistic-missile defense capabilities. Maine Senator Susan Collins nonetheless wrangled a third destroyer to keep her states Bath Iron Works shipyard in business. Each Zumwalt now costs $4.5 billionin addition to the $10 billion spent on development. Like the troubled F-35 and Littoral Combat Ship, the Zumwalts spiraling costs were due to the Navys ambition to integrate completely new technologies still being concurrently developed. The final design was not even stabilized by the time construction began in 2009. The hybrid electrical system has proven especially challenging to integrate, leading the Zumwalt to break down while crossing the Panama Canal in November 2016. Nearly decade after she was laid down, a 2018 Government Accountability Office report stated only five of the Zumwalts twelve key technologies was mature. Farcically, the ships were even officially delivered without combat systems. The lead ship, commissioned in 2012, wont be ready for operational deployment until 2021. The need to curb runaway costs led to crippling downgrades. Instead of fitting combining a powerful SPY-4 volume search radar with a SPY-3 hi-resolution targeting radar, the Navy ditched the former and rejigged the SPY-3 to handle volume-search as well. This saved $80 million per ship but significantly degraded air-search capabilities. However, the Zumwalt currently only has Evolved Sea Sparrow air defense missiles with a range of thirty milesadequate only for local coverage at best. Though the Zumwalts missile cells are compatible with longer-range Standard Missiles, those depend on the Aegis Combat System for guidance, which the Zumwalt lacks. And the Zumwalts last-ditch Close-In Weapon Systems were downgraded from 57-millimeter to much less capable 30-millimeter cannons. Even the destroyers radar cross-section has been degraded to cut costs, with the adoption of cheaper steel for the deckhouse and the incorporation of non-flush sensor and communication masts. Ship-Hunting Stealth Destroyers?: What were merely three DDG-1000s good for, despite their nifty stealth features and propulsion? The advanced destroyers lacked ammunition for their guns, anti-ship missiles, anti-submarine torpedoes, and long-range area-air defense missiles. Furthermore, the Zumwalt had fewer cells to pack land-attack missiles than Arleigh-Burke destroyers (96), Ticonderoga-class cruisers (122), or Ohio-class cruise-missile submarines (144)all of which were cheaper, and the last of which is stealthier. Even the destroyers stealthy hull did not offer a clear advantage if it had to escortor required an escort fromun-stealthy warships. And keeping a class of just three vessels operational meant very high overheads expenses in training and sustainment per individual ship. Thus, many analysts speculate the Zumwalts operational career could prove short-lived. The Zumwalt needed a new missioneven if that meant tweaking its capabilities at an additional cost. Finally, in December 2017 the Navy announced the class would specialize in surface strike, i.e. hunting down other ships. The destroyers will be modified to fire new Maritime Tomahawk Block IV subsonic anti-ship missiles and SM-6 active-radar-homing missile. The latter can provide longer-range air defense missile (up to 150 miles) and has a secondary ground or naval attack capability. Compared to the Tomahawk, the SM-6 has a much smaller 140-pound warhead, but its maximum speed of Mach 3.5 makes it much harder to intercept. Eventually, cheaper ammunition may be developed for the presently-useless guns, or they may be swapped out for additional missile launch cells or even future railguns or directed-energy weapons. This surface warfare role may best leverage the Zumwalts stealth capabilities, allowing it to range ahead of the fleet and penetrate anti-access zones threatened by long-range anti-ship missiles. It could creep closer to enemy warships before launching its own missiles, giving adversaries little time to react. The Navy is also working on networking sensors between its submarines, surface warships, helicopters, patrol planes and attack jets through Cooperative Engagement technology. Thus one strategy could see distant spotter generating targeting data using active radar, then transmitting it to a sensor-ghosting Zumwalt to perform the strike. The cost of the current upgrades is reportedly $90 milliona sum which may prove worthwhile if it helps recoup some value after the $22 billion sunk into the ambitious but failed ship concept. Sebastien Roblin holds a masters degree in conflict resolution from Georgetown University and served as a university instructor for the Peace Corps in China. He has also worked in education, editing, and refugee resettlement in France and the United States. He currently writes on security and military history for War Is Boring. Read full article Bangkok (AFP) - Thai Princess Ubolratana was on Monday formally disqualified for running for prime minister, ending her brief and ill-fated political union with a party allied to the powerful Shinawatra clan, just days after a stern royal command rebuking her candidacy was issued by her brother, the king. Uncertainty and conjecture have coursed through Thailand since Friday when the Thai Raksa Chart party made the explosive announcement of Princess Ubolratana, King Maha Vajiralongkorn's elder sister, as their candidate for premier after the March 24 election. Her tilt appeared to some to be a masterstroke of back-room dealings by Thaksin Shinawatra, the billionaire self-exiled ex-premier, just weeks before the poll. But just hours later it fell apart. A royal command from the king put a pin in her unprecedented political aspirations, insisting the monarchy was above politics and describing his sister's candidacy as "highly inappropriate". Thailand's incredibly wealthy and powerful monarchy is revered by Thais and protected by a draconian lese majeste law. The king's word is seen as final. On Monday the Election Commission formally scratched her candidacy. "The EC today has announced the name of candidates excluding Princess Ubolratana proposed by the Thai Raksa Chart party," it said in a statement, explaining "all royal family members are above politics." Despite its brevity, the princess's foray into politics has electrified the political landscape of the country, as speculation over who wins and loses from her tilt ricochets across the kingdom. - Coups and plots - Chatter of an impending coup against the ruling junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha and a major change in army top brass has billowed out, with the hashtag #coup trending in the top 10 on Thai Twitter. On Monday junta chief Prayut on Monday was forced to dismiss rumours of an impending coup as "fake news". "Rumours...? We're investigating. Fake news," he told reporters at Government House. Story continues The gruff former general, masterminded a putsch against the government of Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin's sister, in 2014. Meanwhile, a chastened Thai Raksa Chart, a key pillar in Thaksin's election strategy, agreed to comply with the royal command. It may face censure by election authorities that could ultimately see it dissolved, although it was not clear if any ban could be in place before the election takes place. Thailand's generals have a penchant for coups, backroom plotting and factional struggles. They have grabbed power 12 times since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932, including against existing juntas seen to have over-stepped their mark. Prayut has agreed to stand for premier after the election and is aided by an army-scripted constitution. But critics say he has personalised power and outstayed his welcome with a public wearied by his finger-jabbing style. The king appointed a new army chief, Apirat Kongsompong, last year from a rival faction of the army to Prayut and his junta allies. Recent days have seeded unease, with the first election in eight years now seemingly dependent on behind-the-scenes power plays by the elite. Meanwhile, the fate of Thai Raksa Chart hangs in the balance. The party, a second to the Thaksin political powerhouse Pheu Thai, was expected to help the Shinawatra machine secure a majority in the 350-seat lower house. But it is under intense pressure following its bid to bring in the princess. "I think the party leader and board should take a responsibility by resigning," said Srisuwan Janya of the Association for the Protection of the Constitution, a royalist activist group, who submitted a petition to election authorities Monday calling for the party's censure. burs-apj/je By Ginger Gibson LAWRENCE, Mass. (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, struggling to move past criticism over her claims of Native American heritage, aimed for a fresh start on Saturday with the formal launch of her 2020 presidential campaign, saying that she is fighting for all Americans. The Massachusetts Democrat, a leader of the party's progressive wing, made her announcement from a historic site in Lawrence - a city northwest of Boston that was once the hub of textile mills and which launched the U.S. organized labor movement. Warren, 69, has made workers' rights, fair wages and access to healthcare central to her campaign. "This is the fight of our lives. The fight to build an America where dreams are possible, an America that works for everyone," Warren said. "And that is why I stand here today: to declare that I am a candidate for president of the United States of America." Warren is part of an increasingly crowded and diverse field of Democrats vying for the chance to challenge President Donald Trump, the likely Republican nominee. A year before any ballots are cast in a Democratic primary, many of those candidates are spending this weekend talking to voters in the early-nominating states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. From Lawrence, Warren went north to New Hampshire, where she held a town hall meeting in the town of Dover and repeated her call for Democrats to eschew corporate political money. "We gotta walk the walk; if we actually believe that money has too much damn influence in Washington, then change starts right here in the Democratic presidential primary," she said. Warren's announcement will be followed on Sunday by U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, 58, who has said she will reveal her presidential plans in her home state of Minnesota. Warren picked up the endorsement of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee simultaneously with her launch. The group could pump millions of dollars behind her candidacy and provide an outside attack dog against her Democratic opponents. "We believe that Elizabeth Warren is the most electable Democrat and the best person to be president," said Adam Green, the committee's co-founder. Warren's heritage claims have dogged her since her first Senate campaign in 2012, and Trump mockingly refers to her as "Pocahontas." "Will she run as our first Native American presidential candidate, or has she decided that after 32 years, this is not playing so well anymore?" the president tweeted on Saturday. "See you on the campaign TRAIL, Liz!" Warren's ancestry drew fresh scrutiny earlier this week with the discovery that she described her race as American Indian on a form to join the Texas legal bar in the 1980s. Warren has repeatedly apologized, saying the claim was based on "family lore," and she now understands tribal sovereignty dictates membership. In a statement, Trump's campaign described her as a "fraud" and said the American people will reject her "dishonest campaign." Warren is one of four women so far seeking the Democratic nomination - an unprecedented number of female candidates vying to lead a country that has never elected a woman as president. Warren and the other women running so far, including Senators Kamala Harris of California and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, are hoping to build on the success of women candidates who played a significant role in Democrats regaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives in November's congressional elections. Lesley Thompson, 43, of Grantham, New Hampshire, had her support for Warren cemented after seeing her hold a town hall meeting, but knows many of her neighbors are still on the fence. "She's a fighter and I'm a fighter," Thompson said. (Reporting by Ginger Gibson; additional reporting by Amanda Becker in Waterloo, Iowa; editing by Colleen Jenkins, Leslie Adler and Jonathan Oatis) Budapest (AFP) - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo voiced hope Monday that renewed American engagement with Hungary's Viktor Orban would help steer the increasingly authoritarian leader away from Russian and Chinese influence. But Hungary's foreign minister retorted that Budapest was tired of the West's "enormous hypocrisy". Hungary, Russia's closest friend within the European Union, agreed with Pompeo to seek closer defence ties and cast itself as a natural ally for President Donald Trump's brand of nationalist politics. Pompeo had dinner with Orban on the first visit in seven years by a US secretary of state to Budapest, the first leg of his Central European tour. The US top diplomat opened his trip by meeting representatives of Hungarian civil society groups, who praised Pompeo for the show of support as their ability to promote human rights and transparency is steadily curtailed. Pompeo later told Orban's government that he would be upfront about concerns with Hungary and voiced worries about inroads of influence by both Russian President Vladimir Putin and China. "We must not let Putin drive wedges between friends in NATO," Pompeo said. "An authoritarian Russia will never be a friend to the freedom and sovereignty of smaller nations." Alluding to former president Barack Obama's cold shoulder to Orban, Pompeo said the United States had pushed Hungary into the arms of "folks who didn't share our values" and vowed to "compete for positive influence in the region". Pompeo, standing next to Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto at a joint news conference, said the US was "increasing support to help Hungary in its fight against corruption" and highlighted US help to train an independent media -- under fire from Orban. - 'Patriotic worldview' - The two countries said that they had concluded negotiations on a defence cooperation agreement -- which would let the US military operate more freely in Hungary, already a NATO ally. Story continues Szijjarto said the deal would be presented next week to a committee of the Hungarian parliament and also promised without specifics to increase Hungary's purchases of US arms. Closer defence ties are likely to irritate Putin, who visited Hungary twice last year. But Szijjarto also denounced criticism of Hungary's diplomacy, saying that the country of fewer than 10 million people was not in a position to reshape world politics. "When it comes to Russia, I told the Secretary as well, there is an enormous hypocrisy and political correctness in the European political arena," he said. He said that Hungary relied on Russia for 85 percent of its energy needs -- and noted that French President Emmanuel Macron took part in a major economic forum in Saint Petersburg last year. "We are fed up in a legitimate way that you usually portray us as having a tight relationship with Russia," he said. But Szijjarto said he was hopeful for closer relations under Trump, saying that Orban shared the US leader's "patriotic" worldview that includes curbs on migration, an emphasis on Christian identity and hostility to multilateral organisations. Just days before Pompeo's visit, Orban's office issued a statement assailing Hungarian-born US philanthropist George Soros, also a bete noire for the US right-wing, as it accused him of trying to turn Hungary into an "immigrant country". Trump has also voiced admiration for Putin, although his stance is largely rejected by the US establishment. - Concerns over Huawei - Regarding China, Szijjarto said that British and German contractors were involved in Hungary's agreement with Chinese telecom giant Huawei to build a fifth-generation mobile network. Pompeo said he had raised concerns about Huawei, whose senior officers have been arrested in US allies Canada and Poland. "If that equipment is co-located where we have important American systems, it makes it more difficult for us to partner alongside them," Pompeo said. "We want to make sure we identify (to) them the opportunities and the risks with using that equipment. And then they will get to make their decisions," he said. The United States warns that China could come to dominate the next wave of technology, with grave repercussions for the protection of individual data and the safety of infrastructure. Critics say that the United States is equally concerned about maintaining its commercial edge in technology. After Hungary, Pompeo will proceed to Slovakia, another NATO ally that has seen few recent senior US visitors. WASHINGTON (AP) The Trump administration pushed back Monday against allegations that it was trying to cover up the killing of Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi when it failed to send Congress a report determining who was responsible for his death. "America is not covering up for a murder," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters at the U.S. Embassy in Budapest. Late last year, 22 bipartisan members of the Senate called for an investigation into Khashoggi's Oct. 2 death and specifically whether Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was responsible. The investigation was requested under provisions of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. The act required the president to report back by Feb. 8 to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on whether the crown prince was responsible. In a Feb. 8 letter to Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, the ranking Democrat on the committee, Pompeo said President Donald Trump had called for a prompt and open investigation into the death of Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post who had been critical of the royal family. In the letter, obtained by The Associated Press, Pompeo wrote that in multiple meetings with Saudi officials and in numerous public statements, he had "emphasized the importance of a thorough, transparent and timely investigation, including accountability for those responsible for the killing." Pompeo also noted that the U.S. sanctioned 17 Saudi individuals for their involvement in the killing, but the letter did not assess whether the crown prince was responsible. "This amounts to the Trump administration aiding in the cover-up of a murder," said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., where Khashoggi lived. "America should never descend to this level of moral bankruptcy. Congress will not relent in its efforts to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for this heinous crime." "The Trump administration has blatantly turned a blind eye to this crime, and is now refusing to provide a required report about who is responsible for his murder, despite the fact that the CIA concluded that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally ordered Khashoggi's killing," Kaine said in a statement Sunday. Story continues Pompeo defended the administration's response to the death of Khashoggi, who entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to get a document he needed for his upcoming marriage and was never seen again. "America has taken more action in response to the tragic murder of Jamal Khashoggi and will continue to take more action, continue our investigation," Pompeo told reporters in the Hungarian capital. "We are working diligently on that. The president has been very clear couldn't be more clear as we get additional information, we will continue to hold all of those responsible accountable." A senior administration official told the AP that the State Department regularly updates Congress on the status of the case and that the U.S. government will continue to work to hold accountable those responsible for the death. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss the issue and spoke only on condition of anonymity. Some Democrats and Republicans, however, maintain the sanctions, including a ban on travel to the U.S., are insufficient. Lawmakers, including Menendez and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., introduced legislation Friday that would prohibit certain arms sales to Saudi Arabia in response to the killing of Khashoggi and the Saudis' role in Yemen. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday that by law, when the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee asks the president to make a finding as to a human rights violation overseas, the president has to respond. "That's what the law says. So he doesn't have an option here." Murphy said lawmakers could go to court to try to make the president comply, or they can move forward with their own list of sanctions. "Congress doesn't have to wait for the president to fulfill his duty," Murphy said. "We can just make a determination ourselves." Late last week, Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, told reporters in Washington that people should await the results of the trial of the suspects as well as the end of an ongoing investigation before drawing any conclusions about the case. He insisted the crown prince had no role in the slaying that it was a "rogue operation" with no official backing. ___ AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee in Budapest contributed to this report. Paris (AFP) - A tree planted in a Paris suburb in memory of a young Jewish man who was tortured to death in 2006 has been chopped down, authorities said Monday, confirming the latest in a series of anti-Semitic acts in France. Ilan Halimi was kidnapped by a gang that demanded huge sums of money from his family, believing them to be rich because he was Jewish. After being tortured for three weeks, the 23-year-old cellphone salesman was found dumped next to a railway in the southern suburb of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois. He died while being brought to hospital. On Monday, municipal workers sent to prepare a memorial site for a annual remembrance ceremony this week discovered that a tree planted in his honour had been chopped down and a second one partly sawn through, local officials told AFP. The police are investigating the incident, which the French government's special representative on racism, anti-Semitism and discrimination, Frederic Potier, described as "ignominious". It is the latest in a series of anti-Semitic acts and attacks that have raised fears of a new wave of anti-Jewish violence in a country that is home to Europe's biggest Jewish population. In two separate incidents in the past two days, swastikas were drawn on Paris postboxes containing portraits of late Holocaust survivor Simone Veil and the word Juden (German for Jews) was sprayed on the window of a bagel bakery in the capital. The incident involving the postboxes was reported by artist Christian Guemy, who painted the portraits of Veil on the boxes in the city's 13th district to mark her burial last year at the Pantheon, final resting place of France's most illustrious figures. A former justice minister, Veil was a hugely respected figure whose death in 2017 caused a national outpouring of emotion. "Shame on the despicable person that disfigured my tribute to Simeon Veil, Holocaust survivor," Guemy tweeted Monday along with pictures of the boxes. Story continues Reacting to the tweet, European Affairs Minister Nathalie Loiseau expressed consternation over the "desecration". - Anti-Semitic acts rise - Meanwhile on Sunday, one of the founders of French bagel bakery chain Bagelstein said vandals had sprayed the word "Juden" in yellow paint on the window of an outlet in the Ile Saint-Louis island in central Paris. Government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux drew a line between the graffiti and an arson attack last week on the home of parliament speaker Richard Ferrand, over which the "yellow vest" protest movement has come under suspicion. But Gilles Abecassis, co-founder of Bagelstein, said he did not believe that anti-government demonstrators, some of whom have shown support for a comedian convicted of anti-Semitism, were responsible. "They wrote it in yellow but that could be for the Star of David," he said, adding that he had received thousands of messages of solidarity from around the world. Anti-Semitic acts rose by 69 percent in the first nine months of 2018, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said in November, warning that France, whose pro-Nazi regime deported Jews during World War II, was "very far from being finished with anti-Semitism." In recent years, French jihadists have targeted Jews in a number of attacks. In 2011, an Islamist gunman shot dead a rabbi and three children at a Jewish school in Toulouse and in 2015 an extremist claiming allegiance to the Islamic State group killed four people at a kosher supermarket in Paris. By Stephanie Kelly NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices edged lower on Monday as worries surrounding the resumption of U.S.-China trade talks overshadowed support from OPEC-led supply restraint. Brent crude futures lost 59 cents, or 0.95 percent, to settle at $61.51 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 31 cents, or 0.59 percent, to settle at $52.41 a barrel. Trade talks between the United States and China resumed with working-level discussions before high-level discussions later in the week. Beijing, however, expressed anger at a U.S. Navy mission through the disputed South China Sea. This cast a shadow as the two countries try to reach a deal before the March 1 deadline when U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports are scheduled to increase to 25 percent from 10 percent. On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he did not plan to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping before the March 1 deadline, dampening hopes of a quick trade pact. Escalating U.S.-China trade tensions have cost both countries billions of dollars and disrupted global trade and business flows, roiling financial markets. "There's a lot of uncertainty about what's going on with this trade war, whether they're going to get anything done," said Phil Flynn, oil analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago. "You've got concerns about slowing growth." A rising U.S. dollar also weighed on oil futures. A stronger dollar makes greenback-denominated commodities more expensive for holders of other currencies. "Until some dollar weakness begins to develop, the complex could have difficulty advancing much this week even allowing for some supportive elements out of an upcoming slew of energy releases," Jim Ritterbusch, president of Ritterbusch and Associates, said in a note. Still, oil prices have been buoyed this year by output curbs from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, including Russia, a group known as OPEC+. Story continues The deal, effective from January, aims to cut 1.2 million barrels per day until the end of June to forestall a supply overhang. Suhail Al Mazrouei, the energy minister of the United Arab Emirates, said on Monday the oil market should achieve this balance in the first quarter of 2019. OPEC and its allies meet on April 17 and 18 in Vienna to review the agreement, but a draft cooperation charter seen by Reuters fell short of a new formal alliance among the producers. U.S. sanctions on Venezuela, along with older sanctions on fellow OPEC member Iran, have also prevented crude prices from falling further. Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro has sought OPEC support against the sanctions, citing their impact on oil prices and potential risks for other members of the producer group. The country also wants to double its oil sales to India and is open to barter payment arrangements with the world's third-biggest crude consumer, Venezuelan Oil Minister Manuel Quevedo said on Monday. (Reporting by Stephanie Kelly; Additional reporting by Noah Browning in London and Henning Gloystein in Singapore; Editing by Andrea Ricci and Lisa Shumaker) Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Thunderstorms with locally heavy downpours. A few storms may be severe. Low 71F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Thunderstorms with locally heavy downpours. A few storms may be severe. Low 71F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. BEIRUT (AP) Lebanon said Monday it will not take part in a Middle East conference in Poland this week that is widely seen as an effort to isolate Iran. Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil made the announcement during a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, who is on a two-day visit to the Mediterranean country. The two-day Warsaw conference begins Wednesday and will be co-hosted by the U.S. Some 80 countries have been invited, including Israel. Iran, which was not invited, has denounced the conference as a U.S.-led anti-Iran "circus." Lebanon has been following a policy of disassociation from regional conflicts. Iran enjoys wide influence in the country through the Hezbollah militant group, which along with allied parties holds a majority in parliament. Lebanon is technically at war with Israel, and Lebanese officials avoid conferences where Israelis are present. Later Monday, Zarif met Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and discussed the latest developments in Lebanon and the region, the group's Al-Manar TV said. Zarif reiterated during his news conference with Bassil his country's readiness to offer Iranian military assistance to the U.S.-backed Lebanese army, adding that it is up to the Lebanese to choose what they want. Some Lebanese politicians have expressed reservations over the offer from Iran, which is under U.S. sanctions. They fear Western nations may punish Lebanon if it accepts arms from Tehran. Iran has also offered to help improve Lebanon's crumbling power sector. "I want to confirm again that the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to cooperate with the Lebanese government and the Lebanese army in any field they see suitable," Zarif said. "We don't want to embarrass anyone in Lebanon through the cooperation with the Islamic Republic," he said, adding that there is no international law that bans Iran from cooperating with any country. Zarif also said Iran would also help Lebanon with its refugee crisis. Some 1 million Syrian refugees have fled to neighboring Lebanon since the civil war broke out eight years ago. Iran has been one of the main backers of Syrian President Bashar Assad, who appears to be winning the war thanks to huge support from Tehran and Russia. Jerusalem (AFP) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran on Monday that this year could be the last time it celebrates the anniversary of its Islamic revolution if it attacks Israel. "I do not ignore the threats of the Iranian regime but neither am I intimidated by them," Netanyahu said in a statement and video issued by his office as Iran celebrated the 40th anniversary of its revolution. "If this regime makes the awful mistake of trying to destroy Tel Aviv and Haifa, it will not succeed," the Israeli leader said. "However, this would be the last anniversary of the revolution that they celebrate. They should take this into account," Netanyahu said in a warning to his country's archfoe. Celebrations culminated in Iran on Monday for the February 1-11 period in 1979 when the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned from exile and ousted the pro-Western shah. Jerusalem (AFP) - An Israeli court Monday extended by 10 days the detention of a Palestinian over the brutal murder of an Israeli woman that has gripped the country, Shin Bet security services said. The body of 19-year-old Ori Ansbacher was found on Thursday south of Jerusalem and her suspected murderer Arafat Irfaiya, 29, was arrested on Saturday. The Israeli intelligence service Shin Bet has labelled it a "nationalist" attack, a phrase used to refer to violence related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Despite a court gag order, Israeli social media was abuzz over the weekend with what Yediot Aharonot newspaper called "graphic descriptions about the alleged nature of the murder". His hands and feet in shackles, Irfaiya was escorted by Israeli policemen into a Jerusalem court packed with photographers on Monday, an AFP journalist said. The room was cleared before the start of the closed door hearing. A Shin Bet spokesman said the court decided "to extend his detention by 10 days" but gave no further details. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Ansbacher's parents on Sunday at the Israeli settlement of Tekoa in the West Bank, a territory occupied by Israel for more than 50 years. In response to the murder, which shocked and angered Israelis, Netanyahu, who is campaigning for re-election in April, vowed to block some funds to the Palestinian Authority. Israel collects around $127 million a month in customs duties levied on goods destined for Palestinian markets that transit through Israeli ports and then transfers it to the PA. Netanyahu said he would implement within days legislation passed by the Israeli parliament to withhold some funds in response to PA payments to families of Palestinians jailed by Israel for attacks against Israelis. Tehran (AFP) - Iran's president on Monday insisted "enemy" plots against the country would fail as vast crowds marked 40 years since the Islamic revolution at a time of heightened tensions with the United States. "The presence of people today on the streets all over Islamic Iran... means that the enemy will never reach its evil objectives," a defiant President Hassan Rouhani told those thronging Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) Square, decrying a "conspiracy" involving Washington. Chador-clad women, militia members in camouflage fatigues and ordinary citizens marched through the capital in freezing rain to commemorate the day in February 1979 that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ended millennia of royal rule. The routes leading up to the square were packed with people as loudspeakers blared revolutionary anthems and slogans. Life-size replicas of Iranian-made cruise and ballistic missiles stood in a statement of defiance after the US last year reimposed sanctions following its withdrawal from a deal on Tehran's nuclear programme. Rouhani lambasted calls from the United States and Europe for a fresh agreement to curb Iran's missile programme. "We have not, and will not, request permission from anyone for increasing our defensive power and for building all kinds of... missiles," he told the crowd. Speaking from a flower-festooned stage overlooking the square, the president warned that Iran was now far stronger than when it faced off against Saddam Hussein's Iraq in a devastating 1980-1988 war. "Today the whole world should know that the Islamic Republic of Iran is considerably more powerful than the days of the war," Rouhani said. Seemingly reaching out to his political critics within the country, the president added: "The more we allow different ideas, beliefs and (political) factions the stronger our system will be." A pre-prepared resolution was read out ahead of his speech that proclaimed "unquestioning obedience to the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei" and called US President Donald Trump an "idiot". Story continues In a tweet written on the anniversary that he also sent out in Farsi, Trump said the revolution had been a complete failure. "40 years of corruption. 40 years of repression. 40 years of terror. The regime in Iran has produced only #40YearsofFailure," he wrote. "The long-suffering Iranian people deserve a much brighter future," the American president added. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran that this year could be the last time it celebrates the anniversary if it attacks his country. "If this regime makes the awful mistake of trying to destroy Tel Aviv and Haifa, it will not succeed," he said. "However, this would be the last anniversary of the revolution that they celebrate." The events Monday were the culmination of official celebrations called the "10 Day Dawn" that marks the period between February 1, 1979 and February 11 when Shiite cleric Khomeini retuned from exile and ousted the shah's last government. The state has played up this year's anniversary as 40 is symbolic of maturity in the Islamic tradition and the age at which Prophet Mohammed received revelations from God. But despite the official festivities today's Islamic republic faces acute economic challenges as it struggles with a mix of domestic hardships and US sanctions. - 'Support the revolution' - State television offered blanket coverage of the commemorations, showing marches in cities ranging from Abadan in southwestern Iran to Mashhad in the northeast. Banners held by marchers or hung along the streets bore slogans including "Death to America", "Death to Israel", "we will trample on America", "forty yeas of challenge, forty years of US defeats". A number of Israeli and American flags were set on fire by the crowds. An anchor on state television warned of hostile foreign media trying to downsize the participation of Iranians in the march but expressed confidence that "they would be confounded by the unprecedented level of attendance". Those who took to the streets were bullish despite the economic problems in the country, made worse by Washington's punitive measures. Former public servant Saaghi insisted that it remained paramount for Iranians to stick by the revolution. "We are here to support the revolution," the 57-year-old pensioner, who refused to give his first name, told AFP at the event in Tehran. He compared the US sanctions and economic hardships to "riding a bicycle when someone puts a stick in the wheels" but pointed to advances in other fields as more than making up for them. "On the revolution's 40th anniversary we are at the top for scientific achievements like nanotechnology or accurate missiles," he said. Cleric Hossein Firouzi told AFP Iran's revolution had achieved everything it set out to in terms of military power, political identity and scientific achievements. "Iran has changed from a backwards nation to a world power," said the 50-year-old. BEIRUT (AP) Iran's foreign minister extended an offer for Iranian military assistance to the U.S.-backed Lebanese army on Sunday, saying Iran is ready to assist in all sectors should the Lebanese government want it. Mohammad Javad Zarif spoke to reporters Sunday at Beirut's airport shortly after his arrival in the Lebanese capital for a two-day official visit. "We are always ready (to support Lebanon militarily) and we have announced that on many occasions. This tendency does exist in Iran, but we are waiting for this desire to be there on the Lebanese side," he said. The comments came a few days after the leader of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group urged Lebanon's government to accept anti-aircraft weapons from Iran to confront Israeli warplanes. He also said Iran was ready to provide Lebanon with electricity and medicine. "Will the Lebanese government be brave enough to accept an Iranian offer? Why should Lebanon be afraid to cooperate with Iran?" Nasrallah asked during a speech marking the 40th anniversary of Iran's Islamic Revolution this week. The United States, which lists Hezbollah as an armed terrorist group, backs the Lebanese army through a program that aims to strengthen the military as the sole military force defending the country. Lebanon's Western-backed Prime Minister Saad Hariri formed a government late last month, after a nine-month vacuum that exacerbated the country's economic woes. Hezbollah has three ministers in the new cabinet, reflecting the gains made by the powerful group in parliament elections held in May last year. The group named the health minister, marking the first time it controls a ministry with a large budget. Zarif is the first senior official from the region to visit Lebanon since the new government was formed. He was met at the airport by a minister from Hezbollah and other officials from the Shiite group, which is deeply ingrained in Lebanese politics in addition to its role as an anti-Israel armed group. Story continues In his comments, Zarif congratulated Lebanese politicians and said Iran is ready to support the government in any way possible. Mahmoud Qomati, a Hezbollah member and state minister for parliamentary affairs, said later that his group appreciates there is international pressure on Lebanon but that shouldn't stand in the way of accepting Iran's offer to help the country's struggling economy. He urged the government to take a "brave" stand and accept the offer extended to it. Zarif is scheduled to meet with the Lebanese president, prime minister and foreign minister on Monday. SRINAGAR, India (AP) India's prime minster paid a daylong visit to disputed Kashmir on Sunday to review development work as separatists fighting Indian rule called for a shutdown in the Himalayan region. Shops and businesses were closed while thousands of armed government forces and commandos in flak jackets spread out across Kashmir and closed off roads with razor wire and iron barricades to prevent protests and rebel attacks during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit. India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim it in its entirety. Rebels have been fighting Indian rule since 1989, demanding Indian-controlled Kashmir be united either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country. During his visit, Modi inaugurated some infrastructure projects and started foundation work on several others related to health care, hydropower generation and education at three places in the region. Traffic was sparse, with public transport staying off the roads and few cars venturing out in Srinagar, the main city and the center of urban dissent against Indian rule. Modi reviewed developmental projects in the city amid a massive security blanket around a lakeside convention center. "We will fight terrorism forcefully. We will break its back," Modi said at the Srinagar venue in an address to officials. Authorities detained dozens of activists overnight and put separatist leaders under house arrest to stop them from staging any anti-India protest. They also shut internet on mobile phones and suspended train services in the Kashmir Valley, a common tactic to make organizing protests difficult and discourage dissemination of protest videos. Government forces also enforced a security lockdown in downtown Srinagar, the urban heart of anti-India protests, as they warned residents to stay home to foil demonstrations. Modi visited the remote mountainous Ladakh region bordering China and Pakistan on Sunday morning, where he inaugurated a university. Story continues Later in a Hindu-dominated area in Jammu, Modi addressed a public rally. His speech had clear political overtones as he eyed India's upcoming national election due in few months. Modi invoked the Hindu nationalist theme of "Mother India," which nationalists say included present day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. "There are many children of Mother India who have faced persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh," he said. "We will stand with those who were part of India at one time," he added. Three Kashmiri leaders, known as the Joint Resistance Leadership, called for the strike to protest Modi's visit. "A person who in his pursuit to crush Kashmiri resistance ordered killings and damaging properties, hurting Kashmiri economy and other oppressive measures deserves only a protest from those he has oppressed," the leaders said in a statement. Anti-India sentiment runs deep in Kashmir, which in recent years has seen renewed rebel attacks and repeated public protests. Nearly 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown. 4 men convicted of 2002 murder claim DNA ties a child sex offender to the crime originally appeared on abcnews.go.com A convicted child sex offender who has allegedly been tied by DNA evidence to the brutal, 2002 murder of a young West Virginia woman got away with the crime while four men were wrongly convicted, according to a team of defense attorneys who say they submitted their evidence to state prosecutors more than a year ago without response. Later this month, the convicted child sex offender will be released from prison after serving two years, according to a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (DRC). Court records indicate that he was charged with raping and impregnating a 12-year old girl. Since the individual has not been charged with any crime connected to the 2002 murder, ABC News is withholding the mans name. But defense attorneys and some of the four convicted men fear the sex offender will flee after his prison release or worse, come after them. PHOTO: Justin Black is seen, April 23, 2018. (West Virginia Department of Corrections) Look, Im not out for blood, said defense attorney Joshua Tepfer. But this is a guy who has gotten away with murder from my and our perspective, and thats a concern. The legal team representing the four men -- which includes The Innocence Project senior attorney Karen Thompson and Tepfer from the Exoneration Project at the University of Chicago Law School -- contend that their DNA proof of his guilt is virtually incontrovertible. The child sex offenders DNA was found not only on semen taken from the victims pants which theoretically could have been there before the murder but also on a cigarette butt near the body, according to the motion. The still-incarcerated sex offender denied to state police investigators ever meeting the woman or ever being in the area where her body was found, despite the DNA evidence, according to court records and an audiotape of the interview. PHOTO: Justin Black, left, is seen in this undated photo. (Justin Black) When confronted with this evidence by the West Virginia State Police, [the inmate] had no explanation for it, defense attorneys argue in their most recent filing. Story continues In the year that the State has known about this exculpatory evidence, it has offered no explanation as to how [the inmates] DNA could be found on these two items of evidence in this remote area yet still be innocent of this crime, defense attorneys argue in the motion filed last fall. Neither the state police nor the prosecutor on the case responded to emails and phone messages from ABC News. Efforts to reach a representative or relative of the sex offender, who could speak on his behalf, were not immediately successful. An attorney who previously represented the sex offender told ABC News that he no longer represents him and had no contact information to provide for any family of current counsel. PHOTO: Philip Barnett, left, and brother Nathan Barnett are seen in this undated photo. (Philip Barnett) A second attorney who previously represented him said he no longer represents the man, but would try and contact him to convey ABC News request for comment. The Ohio DRC spokeswoman accepted an ABC News request for an interview with the inmate, but could not immediately provide a response to the request. The lengthy silence from the Calleb County Prosecutors Office has infuriated two brothers who were convicted in the case. One has served his sentence and the other was released on bond in light of the DNA evidence. The brothers -- Philip and Nathaniel Barnett -- said in an interview with the Richmond Herald-Dispatch this week that they were convicted solely on the word of Dement, without any physical evidence introduced at trial. "They convicted us and sent us to prison over something they made up themselves Phillip Barnett told the newspaper. No evidence. No nothing. Now they have all the evidence enough to bury this guy, and they don't want nothing to do with it." PHOTO: Philip Barnett is seen in this undated photo. (Innocence Project/Kyle Jenkins) A veteran specialist in wrongful conviction cases, Tepfer said that the Crawford murder is unique. Ive been doing this for ten years, and Ive been involved in, honestly, dozens of exonerations, and theres not a single case where I have seen where theres more powerful post-conviction forensic evidence DNA evidence that proves the innocence of these four men. This is the type of evidence that wrongful conviction lawyers dream of getting. Confessions, Recantations In August, 2002, two men were walking along a remote roadway in the woods in the tiny town of Salt Rock, West Virginia, just south of Huntington, when they came across the partially-nude body of 21-year-old Deanna Crawford. She had been strangled and beaten to death and may have been sexually assaulted, authorities said at the time. There was no visible movement in the case until 2007, when a young local man named Brian Emerson Dement claimed that he and three other men killed Crawford, though he later recanted, according to his attorneys. Despite recantations of two allegedly false confessions among the quartet, all four men went to prison for the Crawford murder and between them served a total of more than 40 years in prison. Dement initially implicated Justin Keith Black, who according to his attorney made a false confession after hours of interrogation just so he could go home. After Black gave police his statement, Dement cut a deal to testify against Black and the Barnett brothers. At trial, prosecutors told jurors that Crawford was last seen at a party in a two-bedroom trailer home where Black lived, and that the Barnett brothers were in attendance, according to court records. The Barnett brothers said the trailer home was an enclosed space, and that had she been at the party they would have seen her. Black also denied that Crawford was at his home that night. Based on Dements testimony, all three men were convicted. Philip Barnett and Black received 40-year sentences, while Nathaniel Barnett received a 36-year sentence. Dement remains imprisoned, according to court records and interviews with defense attorneys. Then, in 2016, a group of defense lawyers from two non-profit legal organizations, the Innocence Project and the Exoneration Project at the University of Chicago Law School, got involved in the cases. They convinced a court to approve new DNA tests using more modern technology unavailable at the time of the initial investigation. When the DNA was entered into the FBIs DNA CODIS database and came back as a match for the sex offender, the defense lawyers sought out two of man's ex-wives and his current wife, and submitted their statements to the court. Thompson said the DNA evidence is virtually incontrovertible. Its not like this is touch DNA,' which is basically just skin cells, she said. We found a very strong semen sample, so its not like it was leftover a mixture of males. It was one man on her pants and that one male was matched to the cigarette butt in this very, very remote area. Its not like someone threw the cigarette out the window on the expressway. 'I'll kill you, like I did with that girl' A woman who was his wife in 2002 told investigators that around the time that Crawford went missing, the sex offender came home one night with blood on his clothes and bloody money that he hadnt had when he left the house, according to the most recent defense motion. She told investigators that he claimed to have been in a bar fight. She also said that he had once boasted of killing someone, and that another time she overheard a friend of her ex-husband threaten him by saying he would reveal what her ex had done to that girl. Attempts by ABC News to reach woman were not immediately successful. A second ex-wife told defense investigators in May, 2018 that the inmate confessed to a murder to her, without naming Crawford directly. She said she didn't believe he knew the woman's name when he killed her. In an interview with ABC News this week, the second ex-wife reiterated what she had told police last summer that her ex-husband had abused her and her young daughter, and that he once claimed to her that he had killed a woman before they were married. Listen life with [the inmate] was no picnic, she said. He raped my 5-year-old daughter and he abused me. I threatened to leave him a couple of times and the last time, he said go ahead and Ill kill you, like I did with that girl before you and me go marriedand he told me how he done it. She said that she knew about the Crawford murder like almost everyone else in the area, but that it wasnt until years later -- when defense attorneys for the four men contacted her with the DNA test results allegedly tying her ex-husband to the case -- that she realized he must have been talking about Crawford. "I started putting the pieces together and I was like, 'Oh, my God!'" she said. Two months later, state police investigators contacted her about the case, she said. When the officer called my home, he asked if I was married to [the inmate] and I said, yes, she told ABC News. He asked if I knew anything about the [Crawford] murder and I said, How about a confession from [him] -- to me? And he said, How soon can I come over? He came over the next day and we sat in his car and talked for 20 or 30 minutesI told him everything. The woman said she told police and defense investigators that her ex-husband had confessed to her to murdering a woman before they were married. She said her ex-husband told me he had hit her in the head with a rock and thats what killed her, and he drug her up into the woods over in West Virginia, the woman said. He didnt tell me where in West Virginia. He said that he went home bloody and that his wife at the time asked what the blood was all about and he told her he was in a bar fight. In separate interviews, the second ex-wife also told defense investigators that her ex-husband once told her, Ive killed somebody before, what makes you think I wont do it again? and told her to ask his cousin, who she said confirmed to her that her ex-husband had killed a woman two years before they were married, according to the defense motion. Crawford was killed in 2002, and the couple got married in 2004, according to the motion. The inmates current wife told state investigators that he once told her about a time when a girl had made him mad and he dealt with it, according to court records. With the mans imminent release and the alleged DNA match, his second ex-wife told ABC News that given her experience with him that she wishes he wasnt getting out of jail. Im not happy about that, she said. Im not happy about that at all. By Corina Pons and Marianna Parraga CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's state-run oil company PDVSA is telling customers of its oil joint ventures to deposit sales proceeds at an account it recently opened at Russia's Gazprombank AO, according to sources and an internal document seen by Reuters on Saturday. PDVSA's move follows tough, new U.S. financial sanctions imposed on Jan. 28 and aimed at blocking leftist President Nicolas Maduro's access to the country's oil revenue. The United States and dozens of other nations have refused to recognize Maduro, characterizing his election last year to another six-year term as fraudulent. Since then, PDVSA has been pressing its foreign partners at joint ventures in its Orinoco Belt producing area to formally decide whether they will continue in the projects, according to two sources with knowledge of the talks. The joint ventures' partners include Norway's Equinor ASA, U.S.-based Chevron Corp and France's Total SA. PDVSA also ordered its Petrocedeno joint venture with Equinor and Total to halt extra-heavy oil output and upgrading due to a lack of naphtha needed to dilute production, as sanctions prohibited U.S. suppliers of the fuel from exporting it to Venezuela. "We would like to make formal your knowledge of new banking instructions to make payments in U.S. dollars or euros," said PDVSA's finance vice president, Fernando De Quintal, in a letter dated Feb. 8 to the PDVSA unit that supervises its joint ventures. Even after a first round of financial sanctions in 2017, PDVSA's joint ventures managed to keep bank accounts in the United States and Europe to receive oil-sales proceeds. They also used correspondent banks in the United States and some European nations to move money to PDVSA's own collecting accounts in China. PDVSA several weeks ago informed customers of the new bank directions and has begun moving the accounts of its joint ventures, which can export crude separately. The decision was made amid tension with some of its partners, which have withdrawn staff from Caracas since sanctions were imposed. (Reporting by Marianna Parraga in Mexico City and Corina Pons in Caracas; editing by Jonathan Oatis) Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin. The Hague (AFP) - Dutch airline managers have warned Air France-KLM of possible strikes if KLM chief executive Pieter Elbers is not reappointed, reports said on Monday. The Dutch government also gave its support to Elbers getting a fresh term amid suggestions he could be removed at a board meeting of the French-Dutch group on February 19. In a letter, senior KLM managers said there could be industrial action if Elbers was forced to leave, the Dutch news agency ANP reported. The letter from the KLM managers also criticised the management style of Air France-KLM's new Canadian CEO Ben Smith, who took the helm at the troubled airline in September. Dutchman Elbers was named head of Air France-KLM's Dutch wing in 2018 after the rapid exit of the group's CEO Jean-Marc Janaillac in a bitter dispute over salaries in the French arm. The company kept Elbers in the role after naming Smith as its first non-French chief executive, but ANP reported that he was seen as "difficult" and standing in the way of Smith's plans to merge the two arms more closely. The Dutch government stepped into the fray last week when it officially backed Elbers' reappointment. Dutch Finance Minister Wopke Hoekstra raised the subject with his French counterpart Bruno Le Maire at a meeting of eurozone ministers in Brussels on Monday. Hoekstra said he had been clear in a letter to KLM last week "in which I said that I thought Elbers had done good work and that I support his reappointment". Hoekstra said he would not give details of his talks with the Frenchman but said that "Mr Le Maire and I have a lot of contact on Air France-KLM, on which we can guarantee the interests of the two countries will be respected." Air France and KLM merged in 2004 but still continue to operate largely separately, while the French arm has in particular struggled with industrial action in recent years. David Axe Security, Thanks to some new engines. How the Deadly (But Really Old) B-52 Bomber Could Wage War for Nearly 100 Years Sixty-seven years after the U.S. Air Force received its last B-52 from Boeing, the flying branch finally has firmed up plans to fit the heavy bomber with new engines. Air Force magazine in its January 2019 issue took a deep dive into the re-engining effort. "If Air Force plans hold up, the B-52 will be approaching nearly a century of service by 2050," reporter John Tirpak wrote. "To keep the airplane flying, the service plans to equip each B-52 with new engines, which are expected to be so much more maintainer-friendly and efficient that theyll pay for themselves in just 10 years." In addition to new motors, the 76 B-52s in Air Force service also could get upgraded avionics, defensive gear, sensors and ejection seats, War Zone reporter Joe Trevithick revealed . The re-engined, enhanced bombers could receive the new designation B-52J. In 2018, the Air Force announced it would retire its 62 1980s-vintage B-1Bs bombers and 20 newer B-2 stealth bombers no later than the 2040s, while the updated B-52s would continue to operate alongside at least 100 new B-21 stealth bombers. Despite their age, the B-52s have high mission-capable rates, can carry a huge diversity of weapons, and can perform effectivelyas long as the enemy lacks elaborate air defenses, Tirpak wrote. Even in a higher-end fight, the B-52 can still launch missiles from well outside enemy air defenses. It is the only U.S. bomber that can launch nuclear cruise missiles, and it will be the initial platform for the new Long-Range Stand-Off missile. It took two decades of debate for the B-52 upgrade plan to reach this point. Since 1996 the Air Force has conducted no fewer than 13 studies examining options for new motors for the 240-ton bomber. As of early 2019 the B-52H still flies with the same Pratt & Whitney-made TF-33 engines that have powered the type since 1962. Story continues A 2018 Air Force briefing cited the TF-33's "inefficient and limited capability relative to modern commercially-available engines." The Pratt & Whitney motors are "costly and manpower-intensive to maintain [while] facing obsolescence of parts." "Modern engines are so much more reliable than the TF-33s that were once installed, the new engines will probably never have to be removed," Tirpak wrote. "The meantime between overhauls for that class of engines is typically around 30,000 hoursgreater than the number of hours the service plans to fly the bombers for the rest of their service lives." The goal in replacing the engines is to improve the B-52's fuel-efficiency by at least 20 percent while maintaining its ceiling and take-off performance. A B-52H with TF-33 engines can carry 35 tons of bombs and missiles as far as 4,500 miles without aerial refueling at a top speed of 650 miles per hour. "Despite rumors to the contrary, Isabelle said the Air Force is not looking for substantially better physical performance from the new enginesfor example, in time-to-climb or top speedalthough that may turn out to be a welcome by-product," Tirpak explained. The Air Force in 2018 estimated the cost of B-52 service-life extensionincluding the re-engining other capability improvementsat around $32 billion, according to Tirpak. Between 2011 and 2016 it cost the Air Force around $1.2 billion annually to operate 76 B-52s, the Government Accountability Office reported in 2018. More efficient engines could save $10 billion in fuel and maintenance costs through the 2040s, Tirpak reported, citing Air Force documents. The service wants 608 engines -- eight for each B-52. The Air Force has not yet found all the money for the B-52 upgrade program. We are working through our leadership to develop a strategy on how to approach the acquisition, James Hunsicker, the services deputy chief of bomber requirements, told Tirpak. The Air Force tapped Boeing to integrate the new motors. Pratt & Whitney, General Electric and Rolls-Royce all have proposed engine types for the B-52 effort. The Air Force in 2017 stated it would test new engines on two B-52s as early as 2022, select a contractor before 2026 and complete the re-engining project before 2034. David Axe serves as Defense Editor of the National Interest. He is the author of the graphic novels War Fix, War Is Boring and Machete Squad. Read full article Talks to avert a new government shutdown over funding for border security funding broke down late on Saturday, according to lawmakers and aides. Republicans and Democrats are not communicating for now, imperiling the prospects for a deal as time runs short. Negotiations could still get back on track, but the prospect of getting a deal by Fridays deadline seem to have derailed just as lawmakers thought they were on track to reach a compromise. The sticking point is over the number and purpose of immigration detention beds, an issue that would typically be regarded as a side-note to the broader talks about the amount of funding for border security. President Donald Trump said on Twitter that Democrats were trying to create a distraction after a very bad week of news. Without a funding deal, nine federal departments and related agencies would shut down again, just weeks after a record 35-day closing. Negotiators had hoped to unveil a deal Monday to set up votes in the House and Senate before the deadline. Ill say 50/50 well get a deal, Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby said on Fox News Sunday. Weve got some problems with the Democrats over funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. Shifting Goalposts As long as the goalposts continue moving, theres really no way we can lock in on an agreement, said Republican Representative Tom Graves of Georgia, who serves on the conference committee, said on ABCs This Week. And Senator Jon Tester, Democrat of Montana, said on Fox News that he was not positive well get to a deal. Lawmakers could resort to a stopgap resolution with funding through Sept. 30 if they cant get a deal, but acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said on Fox News Sunday that Trump cannot sign everything they put in front of him. Therell be some things that simply we couldnt agree to. Mulvaney said a shutdown isnt the most likely option but that he absolutely cannot rule it out. Trump has also threatened declaring a national emergency to get funding for a border wall. Story continues Hes going to do whatever he legally can to secure the border, Mulvaney said on NBCs Meet the Press, one of two scheduled appearances on Sunday talk shows. You cannot take a shutdown off the table, and you cannot take $5.7 (billion) off the table, he said, referring to the level of funds Trump has been demanding for a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border. All Over the Map Mulvaney spoke as Congressional negotiators continue talks on a security plan that includes some sort of barrier, whether wall, fence or other, on the border, hoping to complete a deal. Mulvaney called the level of proposed border wall funding all over the map. As of Saturday, it seemed that negotiators were focused on a proposal with border barrier funding of between $1.3 billion and $2 billion, said a person familiar with the talks. Details about where the fencing would go and a Democratic request to eliminate previously funded fencing in the National Butterfly Center, a conservation area close to the border in Mission, Texas, were still being negotiated. Trump Weighs In Trump on Saturday suggested that if Democrats didnt give him all the wall money hes demanded, he may use executive action to build it. Democrats have warned such action would face court challenges, and some Republicans have also suggested its an option best avoided. Congressional negotiators traded offers throughout the day on Saturday until a breakdown last night, said the people familiar. While the two sides are now said to be close to a dollar amount for border barriers, Democrats are making a higher level of funding for barriers contingent on the new cap for detention beds something Republicans are resisting. There are currently 40,520 ICE immigration detention beds funded by Congress. Heading into the talks, the White House sought to increase the number to 52,000, while Democrats wanted a reduction to 35,520. Democrats have proposed a 16,500 cap on beds to be used for interior enforcement, with the rest to be used for those captured at the border, according to people familiar with the talks. No Cap A senior Republican aide said Shelby wont accept an interior cap, and Democrats told Republicans they wont proceed without one. The aide said that lawmakers now need to talk directly to resolve the impasse because staff cannot move forward with offers. Calls on the topic are expected today. The Democrats want to use the cap to force ICE to detain criminals rather than ordinary undocumented immigrants with no criminal history, a Democratic person familiar with the discussions said. The cap level matches an informal one used during the Obama administration. Republicans have said violent criminals caught inside the U.S. shouldnt count toward the cap, and that ICE should have discretion about whom to detain. Trump said on Twitter Sunday that he doesnt think Democrats on the committee are being allowed by their leaders to make a deal with border wall money and now, out of the blue, want a cap on convicted violent felons to be held in detention! I actually believe they want a Shutdown, Trump said in a separate tweet, suggesting it was a bad week for Democrats with the controversy in Virginia and good economic news for the U.S. economy, and they want to change the subject. Reducing bed space for violent offenders is an incentive for illegal immigration, Senator Lindsey Graham said on Fox Newss Sunday Morning Futures. The South Carolina Republican, a confidant of the president, said he would advise Trump to take as much money as he can get [from Congress] and find the rest on his own. Democrats are also demanding language in the bill aimed at blocking Trump from shifting funds into an account to build the wall, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. The language could stymie executive actions to build the barriers and has become another problem in the talks, the source said. Trumps campaign sent out a fundraising email on Sunday noting that hes scheduled to hold a rally on Monday in El Paso, Texas, to show Democrats how much Americans demand The WALL. Democrats have chosen petty games over the safety of Americans, the campaign said in the email. Representative Mark Meadows of North Carolina, another Republican whos close to Trump, echoed the president on Sunday on CBS: this President is going to build a wall one way or another, he said. I do expect the President to take some kind of executive action a national emergency is certainly part of that, Meadows said. There are a few other things in his toolbox that he could use. But I do expect him to do that if we dont reach a compromise. BEIJING (Reuters) - China struck an upbeat note on Monday as trade talks resumed with the United States, but also expressed anger at a U.S. Navy mission through the disputed South China Sea, casting a shadow over the prospect for improved Beijing-Washington ties. White House senior counselor Kellyanne Conway on Monday also expressed confidence in a possible deal. Asked if the two countries were getting close to a trade agreement, she told Fox News in an interview, "It looks that way, absolutely." The United States is expected to keep pressing China on longstanding demands that it reform how it treats American companies' intellectual property in order to seal a trade deal that could prevent tariffs from rising on Chinese imports. The latest talks kick off with working level discussions on Monday before high-level discussions later in the week. Negotiations in Washington last month ended without a deal and with the top U.S. negotiator declaring work was needed. "We, of course, hope, and the people of the world want to see, a good result," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a news briefing in Beijing. The two sides are trying to hammer out a deal before the March 1 deadline when U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports are scheduled to increase to 25 percent from 10 percent. Trump said last week he did not plan to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping before that deadline, dampening hopes that a trade pact could be reached quickly. But the White House's Conway said a meeting was still possible soon. Escalating tensions between the United States and China have cost both countries billions of dollars and disrupted global trade and business flows, roiling financial markets. The same day the latest talks began, two U.S. warships sailed near islands claimed by China in the disputed South China Sea, a U.S. official told Reuters. Asked if the ships' passage would impact trade talks, Hua said that "a series of U.S. tricks" showed what Washington was thinking. But Hua added that China believed resolving trade frictions through dialogue was in the interests of both countries' people, and of global economic growth. China claims a large part of the South China Sea, and has built artificial islands and air bases there, prompting concern around the region and in Washington. (Reporting by Michael Martina and Ben Blanchard in Beijing, and additional reporting by Susan Heavey in Washington; Editing by Kim Coghill and Nick Zieminski) CANBERRA, Australia (AP) Australia's prime minister on Monday described his government as stronger on national security than the opposition after signing an agreement with the French government to deliver a fleet of submarines and ahead of federal elections expected to be held in May. Prime Minister Scott Morrison used a speech to Australia's National Press Club on the eve of Parliament's first sitting day of the year to detail his conservative coalition's record on a diverse range of security issues including military spending, stripping extremists of Australian citizenship, asylum seekers, contentious laws to prevent criminals from using encrypted communications, and domestic violence. Earlier, Morrison and French Defense Minister Florence Parly signed a new agreement to deliver the first of a fleet of 12 submarines to Australia in the early 2030s. French state majority-owned shipbuilder DCNS won the 56 billion Australian dollar ($40 billion) contract in 2016 to build the world's largest diesel-electric submarines. The partnering agreement was reached after months of heated negotiation. The agreement spells out details such as warranties for defects and how much Australia must pay if it cancels the contract. U.S. defense company Lockheed Martin Corp. has been contracted to design and fit the submarines' weapon systems. Parly hit out at critics of how long the negotiations had taken. "When I heard at some point ... whining about the length of negotiations, I thought: 'open your eyes. This is the deal of the century. This is a partnership for the century,'" Parly said. Morrison said his government was on track to boost defense spending to 2 percent of gross domestic product a level demanded by President Donald Trump of U.S. allies by 2020-21. When the center-left opposition Labor Party was last in office from 2007 to 2013, defense spending fell to 1.56 percent of GDP Australia's lowest level since 1938. Story continues "Our government has demonstrated that we have the mettle to make the right calls on our nation's security," Morrison said. He said Labor's strength on border security could be tested this week when the opposition considers changing laws to allow doctors rather than bureaucrats to decide which asylum seekers held in Pacific island camps on Nauru and Papua New Guinea can fly to Australia for medical treatment. The conservative government has all but stopped asylum seekers from Asia, Africa and the Middle East coming by boat from Southeast Asian ports by insisting that no boat arrivals will ever be allowed to settle in Australia. The asylum seekers are banished to island camps where they face uncertain futures. But those allowed into Australia for hospital treatment typically get court injunctions that prevent their return to the islands. The government argues that if the law were changed, more than 1,000 asylum seekers, mostly males, would come to Australia from the islands within weeks, which would encourage thousands of new asylum seekers to head to Australia by boat from Indonesia. The change to legislation on medical evacuations was passed by the Senate with Labor's support in December. Morrison's government has lost its majority in the House of Representatives, where the change could become law as early as Tuesday. Morrison ruled out reaching any compromise with Labor on the change. "I know what compromise and poorly thought through changes can do to the borders," Morrison said. Eli Shakiba, an Iranian refugee on Nauru who will soon start a new life in the United States, urged lawmakers to change the system in which medical evacuation decisions are often argued in court. Shakiba is relocating after five years on Nauru under a 2016 bilateral deal for the United States to resettle up to 1,250 refugees rejected by Australia. "Please, I would like to ask you: Will you vote for this bill tomorrow in Parliament to bring sick people to Australia for treatment, or more of us will die here because of the Australian government ignoring doctors?" she told Australian Broadcasting Corp. in an appeal to lawmakers. Twelve asylum seekers have died on Nauru in the past five years. Senior opposition lawmaker Mark Dreyfus said Labor had decided late Monday to negotiate with independent lawmakers to amend the bill it had passed in the Senate to ensure the government has discretion to refuse medical transfers on security grounds. If the independents accept Labor's amendments, the government would become the first in 90 years to have a law passed against its wishes. Some in Labor fear the change would be perceived as a weakening of border security and result in a repeat of the 2001 election, in which a tough policy against asylum seekers helped the conservatives retain power. The conservatives were behind Labor in opinion polls in 2001 before Norwegian freighter MV Tampa rescued 433 Afghan asylum seekers from a sinking Indonesian fishing boat and attempted to deliver them to the nearest port, Australia's Christmas Island. Australia sent soldiers to stop the ship, which was diverted with its human cargo to Nauru under a new refugee policy. The conservative government was re-elected weeks later after a campaign that focused on a tough stance on asylum seekers. Bangkok (AFP) - Opponents of the Shinawatra political clan campaigned triumphantly in the Thai capital on Sunday, after a weekend of high political drama when a Thai princess' bid to be premier provoked a rare royal rebuke. Thai Princess Ubolratana's unprecedented attempt to become prime minister of Thailand was scuttled after her party agreed to comply with a command from her brother King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Friday, opposing her move to contest the upcoming election. The Thai Raksa Chart party, affiliated with the powerful Shinawatra political clan, had announced the princess as their candidate Friday morning -- a move which rattled the status quo and threatened the ambitions of the generals in power. The much-anticipated election is set for March 24 and will be the first since a 2014 coup. Members of the Phalang Pracharat party -- which is aligned with the military -- were jubilant following the weekend's upheaval and its party leaders took to the streets, campaigning in a 60-vehicle convoy, to tout their tradition-abiding credentials. "We won't work with a party that is not like us: respecting the laws... traditions and Thai customs -- something that Thai people are very strict about," party leader Uttama Savanayana told reporters Sunday, in a reference to the Thai Raksa Chart party. Perched on top of a truck driving in central Bangkok, Phalang Pracharat party leaders waved and yelled into mostly empty streets, peppered by occasional shop vendors. "We take this seriously! This isn't a play!" said Buddhipongse Punnakanta, a party member who recently left his position as spokesman for junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha. Prayut announced his interest in staying on as prime minister on Friday, submitting his candidacy under Phalang Pracharat -- but the move was overshadowed by Thai Raksa Chart's unorthodox candidate pick. The Election Commission will meet on Monday morning and is expected to discuss the future of Thai Raksa Chart, following the strong condemnation from the king. Story continues The Association for the Protection of the Constitution plans to file a petition to the commission to "investigate if Thai Raksa Chart Party's nomination of Princess Ubolratana is lawful and constitutional", said chairman Srisuwan Janya. "If (the commission) finds it to be unconstitutional, they should submit a case to the constitutional court to dissolve the party," he told AFP. A day after the party's swift response saying it "complies with the royal command" to retract the princess' candidacy, Thai Raksa Chart issued a statement Sunday saying their party policies remain unchanged. "We will keep moving forward in the election so that we can solve the problems for the people and country," the party said in a statement posted on Facebook. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) announced that she is joining the 2020 presidential race, telling a crowd gathered in frigid and snowy weather in Minneapolis that she will focus on getting things done. We are tired of the shutdowns and the showdowns, of the gridlock and the grandstanding, Klobuchar told the crowd gathered at Boom Island Park on the Mississippi River, as snow gathered on her hair and shoulders. Related stories Kamala Harris Headlines First 2020 Fundraisers Before L.A., Showbiz Crowds Cory Booker Announces 2020 Presidential Bid Universal's Jeff Shell to Host Kamala Harris for 2020 Campaign Fundraiser Today, on this snowy day, on this island, we say, enough is enough. Klobuchar, 58, is the fifth Senate Democrat to join the race, and the fifth woman serving in Congress to announce a bid. But as most of the announced candidates so far have emphasized progressive policy positions, she was expected to talk extensively about her reputation as a pragmatist and ability to work across the aisle. In her three elections to the U.S. Senate, she has won handily. For too long, leaders in Washington have sat on the sidelines while others try to figure out what to do about the changing economy and its impact on our lives, what to do about the disruptive nature of new technologies, income inequality, the political and geographical divides, the changing climate, the tumult in our world, she said. For a moment, lets stop seeing those obstacles as obstacles in our path. Though Klobuchar does not have the name recognition of some of her rivals for the nomination, shes well known within L.A. donor circles, having raised money for her Senate campaigns in the city and because of her position on the Senate Judiciary Committee. She is the ranking member of the antitrust subcommittee, which has scrutinized recent media and telecom mergers. When it comes to tech policy, she called for net neutrality standards and improved cybersecurity, as well as internet access in every home by 2022. Story continues In her announcement, Klobuchar recalled how her grandfather worked 1,500 feet underground in the mines of northern Minnesotas Iron Range. He never graduated from high school. He saved money in a coffee can in the basement to send my dad to college, she said. Her father, Jim Klobuchar, now 90, was present at her announcement. He is a retired journalist and columnist for the Minneapolis StarTribune. Klobuchar said that freedom of the press wasnt some abstract idea to my Dad. He embraced it. He lived it. Like other Democratic candidates, she has laid the groundwork for a presidential run in recent months by stepping up her appearances on national outlets, including The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where she was a guest in November, just before the midterm election. In recent days, however, some media outlets have reported on complaints from former staff members of angry outbursts and high staff turnover, a contrast to her publicly low-key and good-humored image entirely in keeping with Minnesota Nice. Other staffers, however, have defended her as someone who has high expectations and helped improve their work performance. According to CNN, she told reporters after her announcement that she can be tough and push people, but there are so many great stories of our staff that have been with me for years and have gone on to do incredible things. Her kickoff event drew a healthy number of supporters even though it was just 14 degrees chilly, but certainly not the coldest its been in Minneapolis this season. She is the first Democrat from the state to announce a presidential run since former Walter Mondale got in the race in February, 1983. He made his announcement inside. Subscribe to Variety Newsletters and Email Alerts! KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) At an extraordinary moment in Pentagon history, a former business executive with little political stature and without military experience is making his international debut as the acting U.S. secretary of defense. After conferring Monday with Afghan leaders and American military commanders and diplomats in Kabul, Pat Shanahan was scheduled to attend a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels and an international security conference in Munich, Germany. It was Shanahan's first-ever visit to Afghanistan, where American troops have been at war for 17 years and the Trump administration is pushing for a peace deal with the Taliban. Shanahan's performance on the global stage could influence whether President Donald Trump elevates the longtime Boeing executive from his uncertain status as interim Pentagon leader to be the administration's nominee to replace Jim Mattis. The retired Marine general quit in late December in protest of Trump's policies. In his resignation letter, Mattis offered to stay on until after this week's NATO meeting to ensure that the Pentagon's interests were "properly articulated and protected." But three days after Mattis gave Trump that letter, the president on Dec. 23 told Mattis to leave the Cabinet on Dec. 31. This unusually sudden transition came at sensitive junctures in Syria, where Trump has ordered a U.S. troop withdrawal, and Afghanistan, where a potential troop pullout looms amid continued Taliban violence. The status of U.S. forces in Iraq also has been put in question as Iraqi leaders responded with anger to Trump's statement in early February that he would keep American troops in Iraq in order to watch neighboring Iran. Trump had earlier angered Iraqis by saying he would use Iraq as a base to strike Islamic State targets inside Syria. It is extraordinary for the Pentagon to be run by an interim leader and even rarer that the leader is a career defense industry executive. Shanahan is only the third person to serve as acting defense secretary and the first in 30 years. The last was William H. Taft, who served for two months in 1989 after President George H.W. Bush's first choice to be defense secretary, John Tower, became mired in controversy and ultimately failed to be confirmed by the Senate. Dick Cheney, the future vice president under President George W. Bush, then was nominated and confirmed. Story continues Shanahan is the first to undertake an international trip while serving as acting secretary, according to Pentagon spokesman Chris Sherwood. No one has been nominated to succeed Mattis. Nor has anyone been nominated to succeed Shanahan in his previous role as deputy defense secretary. The Pentagon's budget chief, David L. Norquist, has been "performing the duties" of the deputy secretary since Jan. 1. Presidents typically take pains to ensure the Pentagon is being run by a Senate-confirmed official, given the grave responsibilities that include sending young Americans into battle, ensuring the military is ready for extreme emergencies like nuclear war and managing overseas alliances that are central to U.S. security. Trump, however, seems in no hurry to end Shanahan's limbo status. "I like acting," the president said Jan. 6. "It gives me more flexibility." He did not explain what he meant, but the implication was that he can keep Shanahan on a string and not immediately seek the advice and consent of the Senate. Mattis sought a certain independence from the White House, which seemed to irritate Trump. Shanahan told reporters on Jan. 29 he isn't thinking about how long he might keep his "acting" status, jokingly adding that his mother each morning sends him a "pray" emoticon. Trump has publicly praised Shanahan several times, suggesting he favors keeping him on. "Patrick has a long list of accomplishments" during his tenure as deputy defense secretary, Trump tweeted on Dec. 23. Mattis' resignation from three days earlier had implicitly criticized Trump's unwillingness to stand up to Russia and his inclination to disrespect America's longtime allies. "We have a wonderful man in there now," Trump said on Dec. 25 during a visit to Iraq when a reporter asked if he had a timeline for nominating someone to succeed Mattis. Trump praised Shanahan profusely, noting his reputation at Boeing for managing costs and rescuing a troubled Dreamliner 787 program. "He could be there for a long time," Trump said, adding, "I'm in no rush." Although Trump cites Shanahan's Boeing experience, Shanahan's link to one of the nation's biggest defense contractors is not universally praised. During Shanahan's confirmation hearing in 2017, Sen. John McCain, then chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sternly cautioned him about what McCain and others saw as the danger of an overly cozy connection between the Pentagon and its defense contractors. "I am concerned that 90 percent of defense spending is in the hands of five corporations, of which you represent one," McCain said. "I have to have confidence that the fox is not going to be put back into the hen house." Shanahan won confirmation by a vote of 92-7. One senator, McCain, did not vote. Trump has scrapped a key nuclear arms treaty with Russia and The Fifth Columns Justin King explained why it was a gift to Vladimir Putin. To understand how much of a gift, you have to understand what the treaty really was, he stated. Putin has indicated for the last decade that he wanted out of this treaty and Trump just opened the door for him. The treaty was negotiated back in 1987. It banned short and intermediate-range missiles that were land-based. Our intermediate-range missiles are seaborne. Theyre in sibs or theyre launched from the sky. The Soviet Union then and Russia today dont have that kind of infrastructure, King said. So we dont need land-based missiles. We have no use for them whatsoever. Russia does, because as NATO expands and picks up more and more former Warsaw Pact countries, their opposition gets closer and closer to their borders. In pulling out of the INF Missiles Treaty, Trump has given Russia the opportunity to develop weapons systems that could threaten the U.S. European allies. Russia pulled out of the treaty one day after Trumps announcement. This was a mistake on a grand scale and its going to have repercussions for a very, very long time, King said. This video, "Trump Pulling Out Of INF Missiles Treaty Is A Gift To Putin And Russia", first appeared on nowthisnews.com. Photo credit: Jeff Kravitz - Getty Images From Cosmopolitan If you didn't know who pianist Chloe Flower was before last night's Grammy Awards, well, now you know. And you probably can't stop talking about her. (Same.) Chloe stole the show during Cardi Bs epic stage performance of "Money." In between the ceremony and after-parties, I caught up with Chloe over the phone. (For the record, although theres plenty to pop bottles over, Chloe says shes so not a partier: I work a lot. Im always working. Like, I hate not working.) The classical musician and composer, whos been playing piano since she was a toddler, got her start in the music industry about a decade ago. And after last night's performance, her career is undoubtedly about to blow TF up. For starters, she just signed a deal with Sony Music Masterworks. Like JUST signed it. In fact, right after the award show, she was headed to a meeting with her label. Today, shes on her way back to New York City to get right back to work. During our post-show convo, we chatted about the career (and incredibly luxurious style) Chloe's been destined (and working her ass off) for all her life. Oh, and what it's like to play a piano when Cardi is dancing on top of it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. You've been in the industry since you first signed with Babyface in 2010-when did you first start playing piano? I started when I was two, like, sitting on a telephone book. (Back then, we had telephone books!) I did my first concert at a nursing home. When I finished, I just remember like, I got up to bow and everyone was asleep. So I feel like now I can take any audience. How did this performance with Cardi B at the Grammy Awards happen? It was kind of amazing. A very good friend of mine introduced me to someone on Cardis team. They showed the tean's creative director and Cardi my stuff and they were like, We want her to play with Cardi at the Grammys, and I was like, Okay! This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Last thing on your mind right before taking the stage? Story continues Just to have fun. Actually, its funny. We had a soundcheck on Friday, and Jack Sussman, the Executive Vice President of Specials, Music and Live Events at CBS, came up to me and he was like, That was amazing. And on Sunday, have so much fun. And so, I remembered that when I left. I just wanted to have fun. What was it like to actually perform at the Grammys? Oh my gosh. Ive never played in front of an audience that big and televised. So I was really nervous. But because of just the energy of the team-like Cardi is just, now that Ive worked with her and actually know her, she is so gracious and so smart and so amazing. In all of the rehearsals, she provided an amazing energy, and we were all like a family. Before we got on stage we were all hugging each other like, Good luck! Youre amazing! Ive never met these people before and it was like being up there with my friends. Photo credit: Jeff Kravitz - Getty Images Okay, and that PIANO?! The piano I was playing was Liberaces actual piano. He played with that. I really appreciate them because I feel like being on that crystal piano with those lights and Cardi on top that got a lot of attention. I have his glass piano in my apartment. The crystal one I really, really wanted that one. The Liberace Foundation has loaned it to me. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. What was the buzz like afterwards? When I walked off stage I just asked everyone, Was it okay? Like honestly, I hadnt performed that kind of music. Im classical. When I found out people were loving it, I was so happy. As an instrumentalist, its amazing to see so many people who dont follow classical music be excited about a pianist. People are excited about the piano! People are excited about an instrument thats not singing. Thats really important to me. Anything I do in my career is to promote music education and to make classical music more accessible, so that was the most exciting thing. Let's talk about that lewk you wore on stage. Brookelyn Styles styled me. Shes amazing. I was actually supposed to wear something else. It was like a short trench coat type thing, and then Cardi actually had the vision. She was like, "No, I want Chloe to be wearing something more extravagant and I want her to not blend in with the piano. I want her to stand out." Photo credit: Kevork Djansezian - Getty Images So, she was really the mastermind behind the image and the whole aesthetic with her creative director, Tanisha Scott. Cardi was very active in making decisions in what I wore and making the whole vibe. How long was that process for you? We picked the dress yesterday, basically. I was supposed to wear something else, and then that didnt work out, and then we were wearing something else, and that didnt work out, so up until the minute I was on stage, my stylist was on the ground fixing things. Its amazing what they did in such a short period of time. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Describe your own aesthetic. I like to say that I like to be, "Luxury. So luxury." I love fashion. I work with a lot of new upcoming designers. It doesnt have to just be the mainstream high end designers, if I like the outfit, if I like the material, Ill wear it and Ill love it. What inspires your style? Ive been following fashion since I was literally born. My mom used to take me shopping with her everywhere. I read every fashion magazine. I basically only look at fashion stuff. I love 90s fashion. When they told me what Cardi was wearing, I was like Oh my god, can I wear that, too? Most of my regular, everyday clothes are vintage. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. I love Thierry Mugler, obviously, and I love old Jean Paul Gaultier from the 90s and early 2000s. I love the early 2000s Christian Dior. 70s Gucci. Im really loving Balmains new collection. Anything edgy. What's the trick to dressing up for the piano? Its only constraining if my arms feel too tight. People always think its hard to play in heels, but its really the same thing. Playing in heels is easy. ('You Might Also Like',) Rep. Walter Jones Jr. (R-N.C.), a 13-term congressman who initially supported the Iraq War but later came to vehemently oppose it, died Sunday on his 76th birthday. His death was confirmed by staff. Jones was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1994 as a member of the Republican Party after a failed bid two years earlier as a conservative Democrat. He quickly became a reliable conservative vote in Congress and was an ardent supporter of President George W. Bushs effort to invade Iraq in 2002. But he came to regret his vote, calling it a mistake that helped lead to thousands of American casualties. Congressman Jones was a man of the people, his office said in a statement. With a kind heart and the courage of his convictions, he dedicated his life to serving his Savior and to standing up for Americans who needed a voice. He was a champion for our men and women in uniform and their families, always mindful of their service and sacrifice. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Jones entered hospice care last month, his health in decline after he broke his hip, according to The Associated Press. Jones had experienced a series of illnesses over the past year and took a leave of absence from Congress at the end of 2018. The lawmaker was initially as outspoken in his support for the Iraq invasion as he would eventually be in his opposition to it. At the outset of the conflict, Jones led a campaign to rechristen french fries freedom fries after France objected to U.S. intervention in the Middle East. As Ive watched these men and women wave goodbye to their loved ones, I am reminded of the deep love they have for the freedom of this nation and their desire to fight for the freedom of those who are oppressed overseas, Jones told CNN in 2003. Watching Frances self-serving politics of passive aggression in this effort has discouraged me more than I can say. The invasion ultimately led to the deaths of more than 4,000 Americans and some 100,000 Iraqis, facts that reportedly deeply affected Jones. Between 2003 and 2017, he signed about 12,000 letters to the families of dead troops, an act he described as penance for his vote in a 2017 interview. Story continues I will never forget my mistake because people died because of my mistake, Jones told The Associated Press. I bought into believing that President Bush didnt really want to go to war. Thats how naive I was at the time... I could have voted no, and I didnt. His House office also featured photographs of people who died after being deployed from Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps base in Jones congressional district. The News & Observer noted that some 580 photos were on the wall by 2018. Later in his career, Jones sometimes broke with his party during key votes, voicing his opposition to President Donald Trumps tax bill in 2017 since it would increase the federal deficit. He also supported efforts for campaign finance reform and to increase the minimum wage, according to The Washington Post. Congressman Jones will long be remembered for his honesty, faith and integrity, his office said Sunday. He was never afraid to take a principled stand. He was known for his independence, and widely admired across the political spectrum. Some may not have agreed with him, but all recognized that he did what he thought was right. Jones is survived by his wife, Joe Ann, and his daughter, Ashley. Also on HuffPost Herman Wouk Herman Wouk, whose taut shipboard drama The Caine Mutiny lifted him to the top of the best-seller lists, where he remained for most of a career that extended past his 100th year thanks to page-turners like Marjorie Morningstar, Youngblood Hawke and the World War II epics The Winds of War and War and Remembrance, died on May 18, 2019. He was 103. I.M. Pei I.M. Pei, the Chinese American architect who designed the Louvre Pyramid in Paris, the East Building of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the JFK Library in Boston, died on May 16, 2019 at 102. Tim Conway Tim Conway, the comedians comedian best known for his work on The Carol Burnett Show, died on May 14, 2019. He was 85. Doris Day Doris Day, a singer and actress who personified wholesome American womanhood in the 1950s and 1960s, died on May 13, 2019. She was 97. Jim Fowler Jim Fowler, who co-hosted Mutual of Omaha's "Wild Kingdom" with Marlin Perkins and was a frequent guest on "The Tonight Show," died on May 8, 2019. He was 89. Peter Mayhew Actor Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca in the "Star Wars" series, died April 30, 2019 at the age of 74. John Singleton John Singleton, 51, whose powerful debut film, Boyz N the Hood, earned him an Oscar nomination for best director, the first for an African-American, died on April 29, 2019. Richard G. Lugar Richard G. Lugar, a six-term senator from Indiana who became one of the foremost voices on U.S. foreign policy, died on April 28, 2019. He was 87. Nipsey Hussle Grammy-nominated rapper Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed on March 31, 2019. He was 33. Birch Bayh Former Sen. Birch Bayh (D-Ind.), who pushed for the landmark 1972 federal law banning discrimination against women in college admissions and athletics, died on March 14, 2019. He was 91. Hal Blaine Drummer Hal Blaine, who propelled dozens of major hit records during the 60s and 70s as a member of the Wrecking Crew, Hollywoods elite, ubiquitous cadre of first-call studio musicians, died on March 11, 2019. He was 90. Luke Perry, Luke Perry, who burst onto the TV scene and countless fan-magazine covers in 1990 as one of the core cast members of the hit show Beverly Hills, 90210, then went on to a busy career in television and film that included, most recently, the CW series Riverdale, died on March 4, 2019 at the age of 52. Andre Previn Andre Previn, 89, a composer of Oscar-winning film music, conductor, pianist and music director of major orchestras, died on February 28, 2019. Katherine Helmond Katherine Helmond, who received seven Emmy Award nominations for her varied roles in television comedies, including Soap and Whos the Boss?, died Feb. 23, 2019 at her home in Los Angeles. She was 89. Peter Tork Peter Tork of the Monkees died Feb. 21 at the age of 77. Don Newcombe Former MLB MVP Don Newcombe died on Feb. 19, 2019. He was 92. Lyndon LaRouche Jr. Lyndon LaRouche Jr., the political extremist who ran for president in every election from 1976 to 2004, including a campaign waged from federal prison, died on Feb. 12, 2019. He was 96. Albert Finney British actor Albert Finney, 82, who carved an independent path in the theater and in films, portraying Agatha Christies detective Hercule Poirot, a Southern lawyer in Erin Brockovich and an Irish mob boss in Millers Crossing, died on Feb. 7, 2019. John Dingell Jr. Former Rep. John Dingell Jr. (D-Mich.), the longest-serving member of Congress in history, died on Feb. 7, 2018 at age 92. Frank Robinson Frank Robinson, 83, the first and only player to win the MVP award in both the National and American leagues and the MLB's first African-American manager, died on Feb. 7, 2019. Rosamunde Pilcher Bestselling novelist Rosamunde Pilcher, 94, who sold more than 60 million books around the world, died on Feb. 6, 2019. Kristoff St. John Actor Kristoff St. John, a longtime cast member of CBS Young and the Restless, was found dead at his San Fernando Valley home in California on Feb. 3. He was 52. Michel Legrand French composer Michel Legrand, 86, who wrote over 200 film and TV scores and won three Academy Awards, died on January 26, 2019. James Ingram James Ingram, one of the biggest stars in R&B music in the 1980s and 90s, and a double Grammy winner and two-time Oscar nominee, died on Jan. 29, 2019 at age 66. Russell Baker Russell Baker, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, essayist and biographer who hosted the series Masterpiece Theatre on PBS and had a long-running column in The New York Times, died on Jan. 21, 2019. He was 93. Carol Channing Actress Carol Channing, whose incandescent performances as the gold-digging Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and the matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi in Hello, Dolly! made her a Broadway legend, died on Jan. 15, 2019. She was 97. Mean Gene Okerlund World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame announcer Mean Gene Okerlund died on Jan. 2, 2019 at the age of 76. Daryl Dragon Singer and pianist Daryl Dragon, left, who was best known as The Captain of 1970s soft rock duo Captain and Tennille, died on Jan. 2, 2019 at 76. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Negotiators hope to salvage border security talks ahead of Friday shutdown deadline originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Facing a Friday midnight deadline before another government shutdown, House and Senate negotiators were meeting Monday in a last-ditch effort to revive border security talks that stalled over the weekend. While negotiators had strived to finalize an agreement and sign a conference report by Monday, Democrats and Republicans remained at loggerheads not just on a dollar amount for physical barriers, but also over a cap to the number of beds to accommodate immigrant detainees being held at ICE facilities. (MORE: El Paso officials denounce Trump's border comments ahead of his 1st 2019 campaign rally) Time is running short. The four top appropriators Sens. Richard Shelby. an Alabama Republican, and Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, as well as Reps. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., and Kay Granger, R-Texas, were scheduled to meet behind closed doors in the Capitol Monday afternoon, aiming to end the impasse with a deal that not only addresses border security but averts a partial government shutdown. Over the weekend, Republicans balked at Democratic proposal to cap the number of beds at immigration facilities working instead to increase the number of beds as they negotiate limits on funding for physical barriers at the southern border. Democrats argue this cap would force the Trump administration to prioritize arresting and deporting serious criminals, while Republicans contend ICE would be also limited in the number of convicts they could detain because Democrats want to count anyone convicted of or charged with any felony or a misdemeanor involving drugs, crimes against the person, or gang activity against the cap. Without a deal that passes through both chambers of Congress and is signed by the president, funding runs dry at midnight Friday. The House of Representatives is expected to debate and vote on the prospective conference report first, and Democrats could waive their 72-hour rule that requires a bill to be posted online for parts of three days in order to speed up the legislative process and give the Senate enough time to traverse its own procedural obstacles. Story continues The House of Representatives is not holding votes on Tuesday in order to allow members to travel to Michigan to attend funeral services for former Rep. John Dingell. (MORE: Pelosi rules out money for border wall, Trump says no deal without it) While there are some reports that Democrats could sign off on as much as $2 billion for physical barriers, one Democratic aide close to the negotiations predicts Democrats would reject a sum that high. PHOTO: White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP, FILE) Absent a deal that meets the presidents $5.7 billion request, the White House has signaled the president will either declare a national emergency to access funds to cover the expense, or he would pinch from other unspecified pots of money. There are certain sums of money that are available to the president, to any president, acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said on NBCs "Meet The Press" on Sunday. There's pots of money where presidents, all presidents, have access to without a national emergency. And there's ones that he will not have access to without that declaration. Without an appropriations deal, Democrats are keenly aware that a continue resolution would still produce $1.3 billion in physical border wall money, so theyre eyeing a figure closer to $1.6 billion as a reasonable compromise. Everything that weve talked about and covered continues to be an issue until its not and once everythings agreed to, then well move it, Rep. Pete Aguilar, a Democratic conferee from California, told ABC on Friday before talks devolved over the weekend. We want to avoid a shutdown on the 15th, so were just hustling to meet that deadline. Republican conferee Rep. Chuck Fleischmann told ABC he thinks the semantic debate attached to the terminology of whatever obstruction is built to prevent the free flow of immigrants across the border is in the past. I hope we have all moved passed the semantic games that are out there. A barriers a barrier, Fleischmann said. You never know what youre going to get when an artist primarily known for their musical talents hosts Saturday Night Live. For every Bruno Mars and Ariana Grande (incredible surprises) you get a Blake Shelton or Justin Bieber (expected train wrecks). Halsey ended up somewhere squarely in the middle: You could see glimpses of what could have been throughout the episode, but she rarely got a chance to either impress or fall flat on her face. She started off the show with what had to have been one of the shortest monologues in the shows history. Thats not necessarily a bad thing, especially if the show had possessed a deep arsenal of sketches that simply couldnt be cut for time. But by curtailing that segment, barely featuring her in the post-monologue sketch and then leaving her out of certain segments altogether, one was left feeling that the musical guest got to be in a few sketches rather than a double-threat artist who got to own a Saturday night in New York City. Luckily, a few segments from this so-so episode still stood out. Only one of the three segments below feature Halsey in a large role, but all will have people talking until Don Cheadle hosts next week. State Meeting After a tepid political cold open, the show dug deeper with its focus on recent political scandals in Virginia involving high-ranking officials wearing blackface. Kenan Thompsons ethics officer tries to get at the root of any other potential skeletons in the closets of Virginia Democrats, and finds enough bones to populate the army of a Sam Raimi film. What makes the sketch work is its pacing: After slowly drawing out the first confession, the floodgates open, with people offering up incriminating evidence with a guilelessness that would be funny were it not crude and racist. Its not that these people are overtly hiding something they are ashamed of, but rather never considered what they did was anything about which they should be ashamed. Cecily Strongs character even solicits advice about the next time she wears blackface, which is one hell of a statement about how whats happening in Virginia isnt part of a distant past but still one applicable present in the here and now. Story continues Parents Call One of the cliches about writing is that by making things specific, you have a greater chance of actually making them universal. I pray that none of you have ever had your parents experience the series of tragedies depicted in this sketch, but I imagine that most of you can relate to the type of passive-aggressive conversation that unfolded. Mikey Days architect gets a call at work from his parents that transforms his client meeting into an increasingly horrific vortex of neediness. A simple question about the status of a grill turns into a labyrinthian dissection of decades of simmering tension. The way each call ends with an oh by the way, heres something incredibly terrible that will guilt you into calling back struck home with many in the audience, which makes it the kind of sketch that should resonate with many at home. It has great structural similarity to Decembers sketch The War in Words, this time with phone calls instead of handwritten missives supplying the endless stream of shocking cliffhangers. It was a highlight then, and its a highlight now. Weekend Update: Melissa Villasenor as Lady Gaga This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The history of Saturday Night Live is littered with performers that for one reason or another never made it, for lack of a better term. Whether for just a single season or over multiple ones, these comedians could never break through the clutter and make themselves indelible. Melissa Villasenor has been on the show for two and a half seasons, and has been looking for that signature moment to go from solid (if underutilized) performer to look at me, Im a damn star. And this week, she might have finally gotten it. Yes, there will be some that will penalize her for achieving that with a solid if completely overt Lady Gaga homage. But its the rare homage that goes in so deeply that it actually wins over the audience with its own skill. Shallow is one of those songs that will be associated with late 2018/2019, and weve all done our own version of that vocal bridge when we think no ones looking. But Villasenor did it live in front of America, and straight up slew it. The laughter that came from seeing her mimic some of Gagas vocal mannerisms turned into genuine cheers as she nailed part after part of the song. Michael Ches concern over having to follow it tells you all you need to know: It wasnt necessarily a funny moment, but it was a thrilling live moment. In a season of SNL with few of those, this was something special. Post Malone teamed up with the Red Hot Chili Peppers for a fiery renditions of some of their hits for a medley at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles Sunday night. First up was Post Malones Stay and Rockstar. They finished with the Chilis Dark Necessities, a single off their 2016 LP The Getaway. Malone kicked off the performance solo, playing an acoustic guitar and sitting on a stool as he sang Stay into a gold-tipped mic. Then the stage went dark, and he emerged again from a smokey tunnel singing Rockstar. Then the Chilis kicked things off with a chill version of Dark Necessities with Malone chipping in on vocals and guitar. During the song, Malone rushed Chad Smiths drum riser and mugged at Flea who wiggled his way in the rappers direction. Kiedis ditched his shirt and flung himself about the stage during Josh Klinghoffers feedbacky guitar solo, eventually giving a hug to Malone at the end. Post Malone recently teamed with another veteran rock crew when he performed Toys in the Attic and Dream On with Aerosmith at last years MTV VMAs. The rapper was up for four awards this year. His track Rockstar is up for both Record of the Year and Best Rap/Sung Performance, Beerbongs & Bentleys is up for Album of the Year and his song Better Now is up for Best Pop Solo Performance. Prior to the broadcast, though, Better Now lost to Lady Gaga and Mark Ronsons (Joanne) Where Do You Think Youre Goin? and Rockstar lost the Best Rap/Sung Performance trophy to Childish Gambino for This Is America. Post Malone was also slated to perform with 21 Savage at the Grammys, in a separate performance from the one with the Chilis, but the Savage was arrested by ICE. Post Malones most recent release was a video for Sunflower, his collaboration with Swae Lee for the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack. Story continues Red Hot Chili Peppers have been nominated 12 times for Grammys and won three over the course of their career. In 1992, they took home the trophy for Best Hard Rock Performance With Vocal for Give It Away. In 2006, they won Grammys for their album Stadium Arcadium (Best Rock Album and for the song Dani California (Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal). The groups last album, The Getaway, came out in 2016. Last month, the band performed at a special benefit show in Los Angeles to raise money for victims of the fire that overtook Malibu last year. Red Hot Chili Peppers put on a no-nonsense show of material mostly culled from their last five albums, complete with wild psych solos from Josh Klinghoffer and drummer Chad Smith bursting with fireworks, Rolling Stone wrote in a review. Though the band relies heavily on gentler hits like By the Way and Scar Tissue, there were some true moments of adrenaline. Lukasz Zal has won the American Society of Cinematographers Award for theatrical motion pictures for Pawel Pawlikowskis black-and-white drama Cold War, scoring an upset victory over Alfonso Cuaron and Roma.If he had won, Cuaron would have become the first person to win the ASC Award for a movie he also directed, and the first to win the top prizes from the ASC and the Directors Guild of America.It is the second ASC Award for Zal, who won the Spotlight Award for Pawlikowskis last film, 2013s Ida. He came onto that film after original cinematographer Ryszard Lenczewski dropped out, and shared the award with Lenczewski. He shot Cold War, which spans a dozen years in post World War II Europe, by himself.Also Read: 'Cold War' Film Review: Romance in Postwar Europe Is Ravishing and HauntedOver the 32 previous years of the ASC Awards, the winner has gone on to receive the Oscar for Best Cinematography less than half the time. The ASC is often more adventurous than the Oscars. It recognized Roger Deakins more than 20 years before he finally won an Oscar and gave Lubezki two awards before Academy voters gave him his first.In four of the last five years, though, the ASC winner has also won the Oscar.Zal and Cuaron are both nominated for this years Oscars, along with Robbie Ryan for The Favourite, Matthew Libatique for A Star Is Born and Caleb Deschanel for Never Look Away.In other awards, Giorgi Shvelidze won this years Spotlight Award, which goes to the cinematographer of a film that has not received wide release, for Namme. The film was Georgias entry in this years Oscar foreign-language race, but it was not nominated or shortlisted.Television awards went to The Crown for the second year in a row, and also to Beyond and Patrick Melrose.The ceremony paid tribute to the ASCs 100th anniversary. Honorary awards went to cinematographers Robert Richardson and Jeffrey Jur and actor Jeff Bridges.Also Read: 'Green Book' Wins Producers Guild Award, Becomes Oscars FrontrunnerThe ASC winners:Theatrical Release: ukasz Zal, PSC for Cold War Spotlight Award: Giorgi Shvelidze for Namme Episode of a Series for Non-Commercial Television: Adriano Goldman, ASC, ABC for The Crown: Beryl Episode of a Series for Commercial Television: Jon Joffin, ASC for Beyond: Two Zero One Motion Picture, Miniseries, or Pilot Made for Television: James Friend, BSC for Patrick Melrose: Bad NewsASC Student Heritage Awards Gerald Hirschfeld Undergraduate Award: Matthew Hayward, The Latent Image Sol Negrin Graduate Award: Steven Breckon, A Place to Stay Haskell Wexler Documentary Award: Alejandro Cortes Sanchez, AdriftLifetime Achievement Award: Robert Richardson, ASC Career Achievement in Television Award: Jeffrey Jur, ASC Board of Governors Award: Jeff BridgesRead original story Cold War Wins American Society of Cinematographers Award At TheWrap Lukasz Zal has won the American Society of Cinematographers Award for theatrical motion pictures for Pawel Pawlikowskis black-and-white drama Cold War, scoring an upset victory over Alfonso Cuaron and Roma. If he had won, Cuaron would have become the first person to win the ASC Award for a movie he also directed, and the first to win the top prizes from the ASC and the Directors Guild of America. It is the second ASC Award for Zal, who won the Spotlight Award for Pawlikowskis last film, 2013s Ida. He came onto that film after original cinematographer Ryszard Lenczewski dropped out, and shared the award with Lenczewski. He shot Cold War, which spans a dozen years in post World War II Europe, by himself. Also Read: 'Cold War' Film Review: Romance in Postwar Europe Is Ravishing and Haunted Over the 32 previous years of the ASC Awards, the winner has gone on to receive the Oscar for Best Cinematography less than half the time. The ASC is often more adventurous than the Oscars. It recognized Roger Deakins more than 20 years before he finally won an Oscar and gave Lubezki two awards before Academy voters gave him his first. In four of the last five years, though, the ASC winner has also won the Oscar. Zal and Cuaron are both nominated for this years Oscars, along with Robbie Ryan for The Favourite, Matthew Libatique for A Star Is Born and Caleb Deschanel for Never Look Away. In other awards, Giorgi Shvelidze won this years Spotlight Award, which goes to the cinematographer of a film that has not received wide release, for Namme. The film was Georgias entry in this years Oscar foreign-language race, but it was not nominated or shortlisted. Television awards went to The Crown for the second year in a row, and also to Beyond and Patrick Melrose. The ceremony paid tribute to the ASCs 100th anniversary. Honorary awards went to cinematographers Robert Richardson and Jeffrey Jur and actor Jeff Bridges. Story continues Also Read: 'Green Book' Wins Producers Guild Award, Becomes Oscars Frontrunner The ASC winners: Theatrical Release: ukasz Zal, PSC for Cold War Spotlight Award: Giorgi Shvelidze for Namme Episode of a Series for Non-Commercial Television: Adriano Goldman, ASC, ABC for The Crown: Beryl Episode of a Series for Commercial Television: Jon Joffin, ASC for Beyond: Two Zero One Motion Picture, Miniseries, or Pilot Made for Television: James Friend, BSC for Patrick Melrose: Bad News ASC Student Heritage Awards Gerald Hirschfeld Undergraduate Award: Matthew Hayward, The Latent Image Sol Negrin Graduate Award: Steven Breckon, A Place to Stay Haskell Wexler Documentary Award: Alejandro Cortes Sanchez, Adrift Lifetime Achievement Award: Robert Richardson, ASC Career Achievement in Television Award: Jeffrey Jur, ASC Board of Governors Award: Jeff Bridges Read original story Cold War Wins American Society of Cinematographers Award At TheWrap Like most great adventures with humble beginnings, Bill & Teds Excellent Adventure is the story of two young men attempting to pass their history class. These days, when you think of the names Bill and Ted together, in that order, you think of air guitar solos, offbeat history lessons, a pleasant wave of hyper-saturated neon colors, and the beginning of an A-list movie stars career. But in February 1989, when Excellent Adventure debuted in theaters, Bill and Ted werent yet the standard to which all well-meaning slackers aspire, and neither of its stars had become the successes they one day would. They were just two guys, incapable of pronouncing Socrates and fixated on getting the Wyld Stallyns off the ground, who had to nail a final oral presentation to avoid being shipped off to Alaskan military school. We all start small. For audiences who may not recall the time, Bill & Teds Excellent Adventure is as potent an illustration of late-80s pop culture as any existing today. Like an episode of The Magic School Bus filtered through the stoned drawl of suburban California culture, Excellent Adventure is washed in the milieu of the time in which it was made. Its square adults are snapshots of an aging boomer culture that wouldnt seem so sweet a few years later, its goofy earnestness a predecessor of the post-ironic cynicism that would take over so much of the following decade. Its a world built from packed bowling alleys, tacky-yet-bustling shopping malls, and quirky burnouts triumphing over their repressive teachers and parents. It exists at a strange nexus after Reagan and before grunge, at the end of the Cold War and before the modern conflicts with the Middle East. Much like Bill and Ted themselves, Bill & Ted seems out of place in the time it was made, and yet in the same breath, the film fits it like a glove. That sense of anachronism extends to the movie itself, which remains as charming as ever these days. Unlike so many comedies of the era, Excellent Adventure lacks the mean streak that tended to simmer under even the nicest-seeming protagonists. For William S. Preston Esq. (Alex Winter) and Ted Theodore Logan (Keanu Reeves), life follows a simple pair of rules, rules which will eventually go on to dictate the ideals of future society: be excellent to each other, and party on, dudes! However, in the present, this mostly means arguments about whether a righteous music video or the recruitment of Eddie Van Halen to play in the Wyld Stallyns will be their fastest ticket to fame, fortune, and babes. Theyre good dudes in desperate need of direction, and so when theyre threatened with failing history for not having learned anything in an entire school year, Rufus (George Carlin) is sent back through time to encourage them. This encouragement involves a time-traveling phone booth (unlike the TARDIS, its no bigger on the inside), a list of historical prompts for the final class presentation, and two young mens newfound willpower to succeed. Or, at least, to not fail. Story continues As they meet everybody from Billy the Kid to Genghis Khan to So-crates, Bill and Ted never stop being exactly who they are, which undoubtedly has as great a role as any in explaining the films continued appeal. Its in the two of them that the film finds its heart and soul (its otherwise an ensemble fish-out-of-water comedy at feature length), and its in their performances that Excellent Adventure distinguishes itself from so many other paeans to suburban teen culture of the time. Winter plays the relative straight man to perfection as Bill, whose hyper-enunciated word deliveries (they get so much comic mileage out of refusing to use contractions) and half-lucid logic forms so much of the films sense of humor. And as Ted, Reeves gives the turn that would make his breakout performance in Speed five years later an even greater sense of surprise. While theres certainly a bit of swagger behind Teds dorky open-minded optimism, in its way, theres nothing about him that says he knows it, and thats arguably the quality thats made him such a star. Excellent Adventure does right by its unassuming boys, situating them in a movie that follows their lead instead of encouraging audiences to laugh at them. Bill and Ted approach the world (and its history) in ways from which we could all stand to learn a little something. At no point are they especially mean to anybody they encounter, however confusing their various destinations might be, and theres even a little bit of genuine poignance in the way that their ideologies and that of Abraham Lincoln end up being sympathetic. Be excellent to each other is a funny thing to say to the San Dimas citizenry of 2688, sure, but its also the kind of ethos to which we should all aspire, the kind of open-minded, one-size-fits-all ethic that generally makes for better people. Nobody else but them seems to get it, but hey. Nobody else needs to. One of the key aspects of being good is not looking for approval for it. And approval is the last thing on either young mans mind. They just want to pass the class, get Teds stern father off both their backs, and get back to what really counts: the Wyld Stallyns. At a brisk, constantly moving 91 minutes, Bill & Teds Excellent Adventure does just as much in its short runtime as the boys do in their overnight adventure. It teaches a little history, imparts some lessons about the value of excellence, finds a wealth of laughs in the razor-sharp line readings of its two leads, and offers a snapshot of a moment in American culture that came and went pretty quickly. Most importantly, though, it teaches us that intelligence is relative, and that even the unlikeliest heroes can rise to the occasion with time. After all, consider what became of them after thirty years. Bill is now the director of several well-regarded documentaries, and Ted is John fucking Wick. Believe in the brilliant minds around you, even if the way they express themselves doesnt always make sense. You can never tell what potential theyre hiding from you. Trailer: As the government plans a radical overhaul of the structure of scientific research, a historian critical of the government calls for a concerted protest against those plans, while his pro-government colleague accuses him of harbouring anti-democratic intentions. 168 ora and HVG have published a document according to which Technology and Innovation Minister Laszlo Palkovics plans to leave the Academy of Sciences (MTA) as a society of prestigious researchers, as is customary in the West, without being in charge of a vast network of research institutions as it has been for decades. The paper published by the two opposition media is a report by an unnamed academician on his meeting with Mr Palkovics and quotes the latter as saying that he plans to integrate most social science research institutes into universities while the rest would be annexed to existing research centres which get funding from the government. Gergely Gulyas, the Cabinet Minister in charge of the Prime Ministers office told the press on Thursday that Mr Palkovics had not submitted any proposal to the government recently. In an interview with Valasz.hu, Hungarian-Italian historian Stefano Bottoni quotes legal experts within the newly founded Forum of Academic Workers who accuse the government of acting illegally by withholding the bulk of the budget of the research institutes as well as planning to reorganise the existing network of 15 scientific institutes. He suggests that the government wants to lay its hands on billions of EU funds for scientific research from 2020, and get rid of critics for ideological reasons. He acknowledges that Hungarys universities are not ranked among the first few hundred of the world because the most quoted and best ranking scientists dont teach there, but says the universities are underfunded and therefore cannot sustain research. The system outlined by Mr Palkovics partly resembles the German Max Planck Institute that coordinates and funds research there, he acknowledges, but without the independence which in the German case is guaranteed by a public endowment, while the Hungarian system would depend on annual funding decisions by the government. (Mr Bottoni also tells Valasz.hu that he will teach history at Florence University from the next academic year.) On Mandiner, historian Marton Bekes calls Bottonis attitude a textbook case of a conceited intellectual living outside and above Hungarian society. He quotes a statement by his Hungarian-Italian colleague on ATV about the researchers at MTA who represent a significant portion of Hungarys scientific elite and who will mobilise half of the world against the planned reshuffle of the institutional framework of scientific research in Hungary. He believes there is a contradiction between liberalism and democracy, or at least (as Ortega y Gasset wrote), one can be very liberal and not at all democratic and vice versa. The liberal elite, he explains, now wants to break the popular will (which keeps Fidesz in government) by mobilising outside forces. Thats why he believes the liberal elite is anti-democratic in its endeavours. In a short reply, Bottoni writes that he has no time for such bullshit and tells Bekes, in Latin, Potes meos suaviari clunes, the translation of which can be found in the dictionary of Latin profanities. This opinion does not necessarily represent the views of XpatLoop.com or the publisher. Your opinions are welcome too - for editorial review before possible publication online. Click here to Share Your Story Michael Ignatieff, the Canadian president and rector of the Central European University (CEU), has been named co-winner of the 2019 Dan David Prize in the "Present" dimension, in the field of "Defending Democracy," says a press release. Ignatieff shares the prize with Reporters Without Borders, an international organization helping to sustain freedom of the press across national boundaries. The Dan David Prize awards three prizes of USD 1 million each to figures and organizations delivering outstanding humanistic, scientific and technological accomplishments, representing notable achievement in fields within the three dimensions of time: past, present, and future. In 2019, the awarded fields are "Macro History," "Defending Democracy," and "Combating Climate Change." "Michael Ignatieff has advocated for democracy around the world as a reporter, is a champion of human rights, and was one of the first to warn against the rise of ethnic nationalism," said the board of the Dan David Prize. The board acknowledged Ignatieff "for his leadership as the president and rector of CEU in Budapest, standing in the front lines against the campaign to stifle academic freedom, free expression and pluralism in the country." "My first reaction was utter astonishment, followed by gratitude and then, since this is recognition for work done in defense of democracy, the feeling that I still have lots to do," responded Ignatieff. "I am especially delighted to be honored in Israel, and by a great Israeli university," he added, in reference to Tel Aviv University, which presents the prize along with the Dan David Foundation. The press release also noted how Reporters Without Borders (RWB) has emerged as the major international organization helping to sustain journalists assigned to areas subjected to attacks on the free press since its founding in 1985, assisting more than 500 journalists, sometimes helping to free them from arrest and imprisonment. RWB also monitors government policies regarding press and other media, as well as providing support for journalists and newspapers discriminated against and persecuted by authorities. "The liberal democratic order faces a rising tide of new authoritarianism and populism; the very values that have sustained freedom and democracy are called into question," said Ariel David, a member of the Dan David Prize board and son of the prize founder. "Professor Michael Ignatieff and Reporters Without Borders are being recognized for their leadership in the daily struggle to protect freedom of academia and freedom of the press. These basic liberties are pillars of democracy and it is no coincidence that the media and universities are often the primary targets of the populist and authoritarian regimes that have risen to power." Ignatieff and RWB will be honored alongside three other laureates at the 2019 Dan David Prize award ceremony in Tel Aviv in May by members of the Dan David Foundation and the Tel Aviv University leadership team. The laureates of the prize donate 10% of their award money to scholarships for graduate or postgraduate researchers in their respective fields. MTI Photo: Balogh Zoltan Business Editor Conor Griffith can be reached by at 304-395-3168 or by email at cgriffith@statejournal.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 Max Boot, a Post columnist, is the Jeane J. Kirkpatrick senior fellow for national security studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and a global affairs analyst for CNN. He is the author of The Corrosion of Conservatism: Why I Left the Right. 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. A: Most of my astronomical adventures have been in this country. I visited the McDonald Observatory in west Texas when I was an undergraduate, and Ive camped or visited various dark sky spots in Wisconsin, Nebraska and Utah. When I last visited Mexico, I made it a point to look for Alpha Centauri, which is mostly not visible from the continental United States. Of historical interest, Ive visited the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, where the prime meridian is defined. I hope someday to visit some of the great observatories in Hawaii, the Canary Islands and Chile. Q: What is the most awesome thing you have seen in the night sky? A: Two things come to mind, even though they are relatively commonplace: the lunar eclipse of two weeks ago (January 20-21), and the crossing of the International Space Station during an astronomy class I taught last summer. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) -- A man who got his start right here in Terre Haute came back to share his inspiring story Sunday. Doctor Tom Catena finished his residency at Union Hospital in Terre Haute. That was right before he started his mission of healing, working at a hospital south Sudan. Doctor catena spoke with students at Rose Hulman about his career serving in a war-torn country and how these students can help others, too. "Living a life of service I think is the highest calling and that's open to anybody and you don't have to come to Sudan to do that. You can do it in Terre Haute. You can do it in Dugger Indiana. You can do it in Sullivan County," he said. "Doesn't matter where you are just that concept of living life in service really dedicate yourself to that. Terre Haute was catena's last stop in the United States. He's now going back to Africa to continue his work in South Sudan. Teachers and other school workers in all 55 West Virginia counties voted last week to call a work action against a reactionary omnibus education bill moving through the legislature. Union leaders tallied the votes Saturday, February 9, announcing overwhelming approval for a strike or other unspecified protest. American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia (AFT-WV) President Fred Albert said that the work action could mean anything from picketing at schools to work stoppages. He also refused to give a deadline. The West Virginia Education Association (WVEA), AFT-WV and the West Virginia School Service Personnel Association called the statewide vote in a desperate maneuver to get out in front of the anger of teachers and keep the union apparatus in control. This was made particularly clear when, in their remarks to news media Saturday, Albert, WVEA President Dale Lee, and service personnel head Joe White characterized the vote to authorize action not as a mandate to mobilize the broadest possible strike action, but as a big vote of confidence in the unions. Lee echoed the sentiment, declaring, We have an overwhelming vote of confidence to the leadership to do what we have to do. The threat of renewed strike action comes nearly a year after the nine-day strike which was sparked by the determined wildcat action of teachers and school workers in the southern coal counties. The wildcats, in defiance of the unions, spread the strike statewide and galvanized subsequent teacher walkouts across the US. It took nearly two weeks for the unions to regain control of the West Virginia strike, even with the intervention of the national AFT and National Education Association (NEA) leaderships. The unions eventually forced a return to work on terms which failed all of the teachers essential demands. Increasingly angry over the failure of the legislature to fully fund their healthcare or provide adequate funding for classrooms and with many disillusioned with the unions, teachers in the state are now livid over Senate Bill 451. The pro-privatization bill ties promised raises and insurance changes to charter schools, vouchers and anti-strike measures. Some local boards of education have also registered their opposition to the measures and signaled they would support a teacher strike. There is strength in numbers, said Allan Stiltner, Wyoming County board of education vice president Saturday. Whatever you guys decide to do, were behind you 100 percent. Wyoming is one of the southern coal counties where independent teacher walkouts began last years walkout. SB 451 was approved by the House Education Committee with a 15-10 margin Friday evening, including some changes from previous iterations. Among them was the removal of the education savings accounts that would hive money off from public districts into vouchers for private and religious schools. The Education Committee also recommended placing a limit on the number of charter schools that could open in the statebut still introduces the scourge of unregulated, for-profit schools into West Virginia. Union leaders continue to preach writing and calling state legislators, subordinating the demands of teachers and students to the big business Democrats and Republicans and the Wall Street interest they represent. WVEA head Lee claimed progress was being made, suggesting SB 451 was now a better bill, but many things could still happen to it. A teachers aide told the World Socialist Web Site she was most concerned about the bills provision for the creation of charter schools to be set up by just anyone and staffed with teachers without educational qualifications. I dont want the bill to be passed. We dont have any charter schools here in West Virginia, she said, adding that she would not want her children going to a charter school. She said it was encouraging to hear about teachers in other states and other countries fighting back. As a teachers aide, she works with students in wheelchairs and some with severe disabilities, often unable to communicate what hurts them or why they are upset. That can be kind of stressful [but] I love my students. Another of the bills provisions is the elimination of job seniority. Ive been full-time for three years, but they can take my job and give it to somebody who just came in, she said. I dont think they should take seniority away. Also speaking the WSWS, a Kanawha County school bus driver said shes concerned about losing seniority and the untenable cost of health insurance. I make less than $27,000 a year, she said. I have children. She was adamant that elected officials needed to keep their promises. We are going to do what we have to do to get them to do what they said they were going to do, she said. We are going to make sure they give us what they said they would give us. The charter gets to cherry pick which students they want, Fairmont Senior High School Choral Director Greg DeVito told the WV News. Of course, theyre going to pick the kids with the highest GPAs and the highest test scores. If youre not picking up a subject very well, on top of having a teacher who is knowledgeable and certified, you rely on your peers who get it Now, take those kids who get it and remove them from the equation. Those public schools that are left are going to perform even worse, because their best students who helped them get a boost are gone and there are no students in the room who are able to lean over and help a buddy. The nepotism that could be involved when you dont take into consideration someones seniority could be catastrophic, said Wendy Dillon, a teacher at Farmington Middle School, also speaking to the WV News. I couldnt imagine that being public law. 25 years ago: NATO sets bombing ultimatum in Bosnia This week in 1994, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) began a 10-day countdown to carry out airstrikes against Bosnian Serb forces, demanding they withdraw weapons and artillery from around the city of Sarajevo, capital of the former Yugoslav state of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The decision marked the first-ever foreign intervention by NATO and an escalation of the civil war into a full-scale war involving the major imperialist powers. The pretext for the intervention was the February 4 attack on the Markale market, a popular open-air location in Sarajevo, when 68 people were killed and another 144 injured in the open-air market by a mortar shell. The United Nations admitted at the time that it was not clear whether the mortar was fired by Bosnian Serb forces or by loyalists of the Muslim-led government. Regardless of who was actually responsible for the attack, UN and NATO forces were determined to bomb Serb forces in Bosnianot because of humanitarian concerns but based on the strategic interests of the imperialist powers and in restoring NATO credibility. The week prior to the attack, prime ministers from Turkey and Pakistan visited Sarajevo to call for international support for the Bosnian regime. Russian officials including then President Boris Yeltsin warned against outside military intervention. Two days prior to the decision, European Union forces were deadlocked over the issue. France, Germany and Belgium called for supporting the ultimatum, with Spain, Portugal, Greece and Britain against. The Canadian government initially resisted until the day of the vote, ultimately yielding to pressure by American imperialism. The British government only voted for the decision when Washington threatened to pull out of NATO altogether. The US, Germany and other European powers had been pushing for the ethnic partitioning of Yugoslavia since 1991. Russian foreign minister Andrei Kozyrev issued a statement warning of the danger of foreign intervention: Already once in 1914 a provocation was staged in Sarajevo when a similar horrible act of terror became the cause of a global tragedy, referring to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand which led to the First World War. 50 years ago: Police attack student demonstrations in US and Canada Police and troops were mobilized this week across North America to attack protests against racism on college campuses. The protests were held across several US states and in Canada, and including building occupations and other attempts to disrupt campus functioning in order to draw attention to pervasive discrimination against minority students. On February 12, the governor of Wisconsin ordered 900 National Guard troops to the campus of the state university in Madison to break up a four-day-long protest by black and white students. The troops were called in after 1,500 students blockaded buildings. Using fixed bayonets, the guardsmen helped police break up one large gathering of students. The demonstrators were tear gassed and clubbed. The attack served to swell the ranks of the protesters. That evening more than 5,000 students marched from the campus to the state capitol. In response the governor sent in 1,000 more National Guard troops. There were similar actions at other campuses. Students and police clashed at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. The protest began when black students took over the administration building. They were supported by about 1,000 white students who surrounded the building. Later that day Duke students voted for a three-day campus wide general strike to protest the police beating of demonstrators. In another action, black and Puerto Rican students occupied the administrative offices of City College of New York. On February 11, officials at Sir George Williams University (now Concordia) in Montreal, Canada, ordered police to attack students who had been conducting an occupation of the University computer center for several weeks in protest against racism on the campus. Until this point the occupation had been peaceful and there had been no damage to any university property. But now under threat of arrest the Canadian students barricaded themselves into the lab and began throwing paper computer punch cards out of the windows. After a fire started in the building, students were forced to leave. The students believed the police had set the fire to force them out. A right-wing crowd had gathered outside the computer lab and chanted let the n***s burn. Ninety-seven people were arrested as the occupation ended. The wave of demonstrations and occupations centered around the question of discrimination against minority students. These protests were, however, dominated politically by black nationalists and middle-class protest organizations. Most of their demands were of a separatist character, emphasizing the establishment of independent programs and facilities for minority students, rather than expanded opportunities for all students. 75 years ago: Stalin orders deportation of Caucasus nationalities On February 11, 1944, the Politburo of the Soviet Union met to discuss the fate of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. On the fraudulent pretext that the Chechen and Ingushi people had sided with the Nazis, it was decided to liquidate the autonomous republic and deport the Chechen and Ingush nationalities to Siberia and Kazakhstan. On February 23, the NKVD, the Soviet secret police, acting under the direction of Lavrenti Beria, began rounding up Chechen and Ingush peoples. In an operation that lasted eight days, 350,000 to 400,000 Chechens and 91,250 Ingush were deported. They packed into railroad cars where thousands perished during the long trip eastward. Greater numbers died when they were dumped in the inhospitable regions of Siberia and Kazakhstan. On March 3 the autonomous republic was abolished. Hitler had made the Caucasus region a major strategic goal of World War II due to its rich oil resources. He ordered that the Caucasian regions be spared the genocidal treatment that was carried out in other Nazi-occupied parts of the Soviet Union, that the Nazis maintain model conduct towards these Moslem areas in order to split them off from the USSR. The German armies had barely penetrated into the Chechen-Ingush ASSR when the Red Army counteroffensive drove them out of the Caucasus. Because some of the Moslem leaders had fraternized with the Nazis, Stalin ordered whole populations to be collectively punished. Even though the Red Army units of these same nationalities played a heroic role in driving the German armies out, highly decorated Red Army soldiers from these units were discharged and deported as well. Stalin sought to ensure the Soviet bureaucracys control over the oil of the Baku region, which was then the principal supply source for Soviet industry. The mass deportations were not reversed until after his death, with Nikita Khrushchev permitting the return of the Chechen and Ingush peoples and reestablishing the autonomous republic in 1957. 100 years ago: Ebert chosen as first president of German republic On February 11, 1919, the National Assembly meeting in Weimar chose right-wing Social Democrat Friedrich Ebert as the first president of the newly formed German republic. The assembly, composed of 163 so-called Majority Socialist deputies, 88 Center deputies, 75 Democrats, 42 Nationalists, 22 Independent Socialists and 31 others, was elected in a January 19 national election. The opening session of the Weimar republics parliament convened under conditions of civil war throughout Germany. Following the partial uprising by the Berlin proletariat and the January 15 murder of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, the principal leaders of the newly formed Communist Party, the forces of counterrevolution seized the initiative. Between January and May 1919 thousands of workers and socialists died at the hands of the regular army and the fascistic Freikorps, directed by the regime of the social-democrats Ebert, Philipp Scheidemann and Gustav Noske. One of the tasks of the new government was the elimination of the remains of the system of workers councils established by the revolution of November 1918. The Central Council of the Workers and Soldiers Councils, elected in Berlin by the National Congress of Councils, was theoretically the highest revolutionary organ of the state. It was packed with right-wing Social Democrats, who offered no resistance to Ebert. Nevertheless, when they offered to transfer their power to the national assembly, Ebert would not allow it. He declared that the council had nothing left to transfer and should simply shut down and disappear. Noske made clear the governments position on January 21 when he threatened a group of soldiers protesting the reintroduction of insignia of rank and recruiting for the volunteer Freikorps: You do not seem to have a clear idea of the powers of your Soldiers Council; that is something we shall teach you in the next few days. There is going to be a big change! The government is not going to put up with your measures and is going to intervene as it has already intervened elsewhere. The last remark was a thinly veiled reference to the murder of Luxemburg and Liebknecht. As rains subside, parts of northern Queensland remain flooded. The region, which has experienced severe droughts over the past decade and bushfires late last year, is now contending with the effects of widespread flooding this month. So far, the deluge has claimed at least two lives. There are grave fears for another man who went missing after his boat crashed in flood waters near Ayr last Friday. Last Tuesday, the bodies of Troy Mathieson and Hughie Morton were discovered in a stormwater drain near Aitkenvale Park in Townsville. The men, aged 23 and 21, were reported missing on Monday. Police claimed they were wanted in connection with a break-in at a Dan Murphys bottle shop. They were alleged to have run into flood waters after fleeing the scene. The tragic fatalities are being investigated by the Office of the State Coroner as deaths in custody. Queensland Police Ethical Standards Command has also launched an internal inquiry. Like every other investigation of deaths in custody over the past three decades, the inquiries will undoubtedly attempt to whitewash the role of the police. While the full extent of the damage to the city of Townsville and northern Queensland remains unknown, initial reports point to a major catastrophe. An estimated 82,000 homes in Townsville have been affected by the flood. Some 1,500 homes have been assessed, with 738 found to be severely damaged and 252 uninhabitable. According to the Insurance Council, 11,800 claims totalling $147 million in losses have already been lodged. Some 16,000 people have already applied for personal hardship payments. Relief payments from the federal government are capped at a minuscule $1,000 per person, well below what is needed to address the widespread damage caused by the flood. Many residents who do not have home and contents insurance have lost everything they own. More than half of those living in the state do not have such insurance. Cattle graziers have been particularly hit hard by the flooding. Up to 300,000 cattle may have been killed as a result of the flooding and its aftermath, with financial losses expected to approach $300 million. Some graziers have lost all of their livestock. The devastation is not merely the result of a natural disaster. It is also a product of inadequate urban planning, a lack of disaster management resources, and questionable management of water storage. The impact of the flooding has again revealed the failure of successive Labor and Liberal-National Party Queensland governments to plan for natural disasters. Anger among Townsville residents has continued to grow about a decision to delay the opening of the Ross River Dam flood gates until the night of February 3. The decision not to open the gates sooner was based on a 2012 study which indicated that only 90 properties would be affected during a one-in-100-year flood event. The study, however, also stated that if flood levels were greater than anticipated, then waiting to open the dam gates would result in a far greater number of flooded properties. Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill stated last week: It is clear the flood levels in the Ross River were greater than a one in 500 years event. She added that the rainfall totals over the Ross River dam catchment were in excess of a one in 2,000 years rainfall event. Such catastrophic events, however, are taking place with increasing frequency. There are parallels with the 2011 floods, during which the south east Queensland cities of Brisbane and Ipswich were flooded after the Wivenhoe Dam was opened. A royal commission into the flood found that South East Queensland Water Corporation (SEQW) flood engineers had breached protocol in failing to reduce the level of the dam in preparation for forecast rainfall. In an effort at damage control, the Queensland Labor government has announced an inquiry into key preparedness and response elements. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has attempted to place blame for the disaster on the Townsville City Council. Labor governments, however, like their Liberal-National Party counterparts, have gutted funding for disaster and emergency services and have opposed any measures that could impact on the profits of the major corporations. For their part, the Townsville authorities, including Hill, have attempted to divert mounting anger into hostility against alleged looters. Hill last week denounced alleged looters as scumbags. She promoted vigilantism, warning those who had committed crimes to turn themselves in before the community come looking for you. Hills comments were part of a broader law and order campaign surrounding the floods. Many of the flood relief operations have been conducted by the military. Last Wednesday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison toured Townsville in a military camouflage jacket. He travelled in an amphibious military vehicle. The visit provided an opportunity for Morrison to feign sympathy for the victims of the flood while avoiding all serious questions about the causes of the devastation. When questioned about whether he believed the recent spate of extreme weather events were related to climate change, Morrison responded, Im not engaging in broader policy debates today. Multiple climate change studies, however, including the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisations State of the Climate 2018 have warned that man-made climate change is leading to an increase in intense heavy rainfall throughout Australia. Morrisons government has close ties to the major coal companies and other sections of industry responsible for substantial carbon emissions. Previous federal Labor governments have also done nothing to address the growing threat of climate change. Under the former Gillard Labor governments carbon tax, for instance, carbon emissions were actually forecast to increase. The failure of all governments to mitigate and prepare for flooding and other disasters is an indictment of the capitalist system, under which all areas of social life, including the safety of ordinary people, are subordinated to the profit dictates of the banks and big business. As in previous disasters, the burden of the recent flooding will fall on workers and the poor. New York federal bankruptcy judge Robert Drain has agreed to sell Sears Holding Corporations remaining assets to current Sears Chairman and notorious asset stripper, Edward Lampert, for $5.2 billion. The deal to sell Sears to Lamperts hedge fund, ESL investments, was made on Thursday, January 7. The offer includes an $885 million cash payment. ESL will also assume $1.3 billion worth of liabilities, which include customers warranties and $621 million in senior debt. The billionaire grifter Lampert sold his plan to Judge Drain as an opportunity to save jobs. Not all of the details of the sale have been released. Prior to approving the sale, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) had objected to Lamperts offer. The PBGC is the US government agency that insures roughly 37 million workers pensions. In a statement filed in court before the sale, the PBGC stated that it could be liable for the pension plans of up to 90,000 Kmart and Sears employees, which have been underfunded by $1.4 billion. The PBGC was created to protect the pension benefits of Americans in private-sector plans. The agency is not taxpayer-funded; instead it derives funding from insurance premiums and, in Sears case, it negotiated deals in which the PBGC would receive royalty payments from sales generated from Kenmore appliance and DieHard battery brands. These two former Sears exclusive brands have already been split off by Lampert from Sears. Lampert, who roomed with current US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin while they were both at Yale, acquired Kmart through his hedge fund, ESL Investments, in 2003. Following the acquisition of Kmart, Lampert purchased Sears, and formed Sears Holding Corp. in 2005. By the time Sears filed for bankruptcy in October 2018, Lampert personally owned a 31 percent stake in Sears and his hedge fund owned another 18 percent stake. Under Lamperts 13-year vampiric reign, Sears Holding Corp. has tumbled from $53 billion in operating revenue in 2006 to less than $17 billion in 2017. Over 4,000 stores have been closed, and approximately 200,000 have been left jobless as Lampert has sold off Kmart and Sears most valuable brands and real estate, siphoning stolen assets for his benefit. As the retail apocalypse has left millions of workers without jobs or a reliable pension, Lampert has enriched himself fabulously. He owns multimillion-dollar homes in Florida, Connecticut, and Colorado, in addition to a 288-foot-long $130 million yacht, named The Fountainhead after the Ayn Rand novel. One example of financial chicanery that Lampert has engaged in while leading Sears involved loading up the retailer with debt, then charging interest payments. In order to keep the retailer operating as Lampert stripped away its value, Lampert and his connected hedge funds lent the company millions of dollars. Lampert, through ESL and a related hedge fund called JPP, own approximately $2.66 billion in Sears debt. By having Judge Drain approve the sale of Sears to ESL, Lampert will still be able to collect interest payments on this debt, which is estimated to be between $200 to $225 million per year. While Lampert stands to gain more from the sale compared to any of Sears remaining creditors, (Lampert is the largest creditor), Lamperts lawyers positioned their offer to Judge Drain as an opportunity to save up to 50,000 jobs and keep up to 450 stores open. If the sale had not been approved, Sears could have been forced to liquidate altogether. Even before the sale was complete, the 50,000 jobs figure has already been walked back to 45,000. Whatever number is touted by Lampert or ESL of jobs that will allegedly be saved is a lie. As part of the sale, ESL investments will continue to close stores, with many industry analysts projecting that at the most, 250 stores will remain operating after the first post-bankruptcy cuts, with other analysts suggesting only 200 stores would remain open. However, even if all of the 425 stores were to remain open, the math to reach 45,000 jobs still does not add up. Sears headquarters, located in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, once employed between 3,000 and 4,000 people. Forbes reports now that less than 1,000 work at the complex. Even if another 4,000 employees were scattered throughout the country in various warehouses, IT departments or off-site logistic operations, that would still leave about 40,000 employees in 450 stores, or nearly 90 employees per store. While Sears stores are often physically larger than other big box retailers, such as Walmart or Shopko, anyone who has worked in or visited a Sears recently can attest that it would be a stretch to assume that even 50 employees work at each store, much less 75 or even 90. Despite Lamperts lies and his years of deliberate enrichment of himself above all other concerns, Judge Drain justified his decision to hand what remains of the company back to ESL, writing that the execution risk for this transaction, when one considers the alternative...is reasonable to take. There is nothing reasonable about what has been allowed to transpire for the last 13 years. Sears employees, similar to autoworkers, Amazon employees, or teachers, have been left at the mercy of parasitic financial robber barons. Their fate and ability to survive is decided in faraway courtrooms by impartial judges serving capitalist interests. However, as courageous workers in Matamoros and in Detroit have shown by taking the first steps in forming rank-and-file committees to coordinate a fight back, the working class is going to make itself heard. On Sunday, February 3, 26-year-old Sheyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, better known by his stage name 21 Savage, was detained in a targeted operation by agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for overstaying a temporary visa. Abraham-Joseph, a Grammy-nominated entertainer, now faces imminent deportation to the United Kingdom, where he holds citizenship. The rappers detention comes only days after the release of A Lot, a single from the album I Am>I Was, in which he directly criticizes the Trump administrations and ICEs policy of separating families detained crossing the US-Mexico border, along with other injustices in the US. Went through some things, but couldnt imagine my kids stuck at the border/Flint still need water he raps. On January 28, 21 Savage appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on NBC, a nationally televised, late-night program with an average audience of several million people, where he sang against Donald Trumps immigration policies. The arrest appears to be at least in part a punishment for the rappers speaking out. According to comments given to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution by ICE spokesperson Brian Cox, Abraham-Joseph was facing removal proceedings before the federal immigration courts. The UK citizen and longtime Atlanta resident originally came with family from the United Kingdom when he was seven years old, spending the majority of his life in Decatur, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. In 2005, Abraham-Joseph was issued a temporary visa which expired a year later, when he was only 13 years of age. Abraham-Josephs legal team released a statement which explained that the future rapper arrived legally in the United states at the age of 7. He remained in the United States until 2005, when he departed for approximately one month to visit the United Kingdom. He returned to the United States under a valid H-4 visa on July 22, 2005. Mr. Abraham-Joseph has been continuously physically present in the United States for almost 20 years, except for a brief visit abroad. Unfortunately, in 2006 Mr. Abraham-Josephs legal status expired through no fault of his own. Mr. Abraham-Joseph, like almost two million of his immigrant child peers, was left without immigration status as a young child with no way to fix his immigration status. Mr. Abraham-Joseph has three US Citizen children, a lawful permanent resident mother and four siblings that are either US Citizens or lawful permanent residents. He has exceptionally strong ties in the United States, having lived here since he was in the first grade. Because of his length of residence in the United States and his immediate relatives, Mr. Abraham-Joseph is eligible to seek Cancellation of Removal from an Immigration Judge. ICEs Cox falsely asserted that [21 Savages] whole public persona is false. He actually came to the U.S. from the U.K. as a teen and overstayed his Visa. A since-deleted tweet from Abraham-Josephs manager, Stone Mound Meezy, relayed that the rapper was being held in lockdown for 23hrs of the day no tv or any communication besides our 10 min phone calls. In addition to being nominated for two awards, Abraham-Joseph was originally scheduled to perform at Sundays Grammy awards ceremony. On Sunday, it was reported that the shows organizers were refusing to release tickets to Abraham-Josephs mother, who sought to attend the ceremony on her sons behalf and raise awareness about his situation. Everyone want us to be quiet [a]bout] s- that aint right man ... its crazy, wrote the rappers manager on Twitter. According to the New York Times, Abraham-Joseph grew up in some of Atlantas poorest communities, [and] had a troubled childhood. Hes said that he dropped out of school to sell drugs, and has spoken in interviews of a youth marked by violence and crime. But after losing a close friend and a brother to gun violence, he turned to rapping. The rapper faced drug-related felony charges in 2014, the results of which have been expunged from his record due to Georgias first offender law. His legal representatives assert he has no criminal history. ICE officials have stated they failed to identify Abraham-Joseph as a noncitizen at the time. In 2017, Abraham-Joseph applied for a U Visa, which is designed to give resident status to an individual who has been victimized by crime (a shooting in 2013 in this case) while in the US. His lawyers point out that, when granted, the U visa will afford him lawful status in the United States. Generally, ICE has recognized a pending facially valid U visa as a basis to delay removal proceedings and release individuals from custody. A number of high-profile celebrities have spoken out against Abraham-Josephs outrageous detention. Hip hop entrepreneur Shawn Jay-Z Carter has reportedly hired immigration lawyer Alex Spiro to get him out and figure out what happened. Writing from his personal social media account, Carter has called the detention an absolute travesty. Over the weekend, Abraham-Josephs family members posted social media images of dozens of handwritten letters from Atlanta-area school children calling on immigration officials not to deport the rapper. Despite his persona and troubled beginnings, 21 Savage has sought to provide support to impoverished communities in Atlanta, including organizing supply drives for school children and other charitable acts. In an interview with the Constitution-Journal last year, Abraham-Joseph said, I might rap about a lot of stuff, but thats just a reflection of what Ive been through In real life, everything I do, I want to bring everybody together. I want to give back to the community, help the kids, get them uniforms, books, book bags, everything they need just do better. Thats where it starts, the kids. Karnes wasnt always so confident. In fact, she said she had wrestled with long bouts of depression and anxiety that, up until a year ago, she would not have been able to reveal. Depression and anxiety is something I have been working through and dealing with for a majority of my life, she said. I didnt seek help for a very long time. But it was a month before the end of the summer last year that her issues with confidence and longing to get up and live life caught up with her. Her older sister, Emma, who she is very close with, was going back to college, and it triggered something. I think, at that point, I had so much build up from years past, I couldnt take her leaving, Karnes said. I had a breakdown. I was crying, and the anxiety attacks came uncontrollably. It was then that she realized she needed help. She summoned the strength to tell her parents and her sister that she couldnt keep suppressing what was eating her up inside. Though her world was turned upside down, her family was so supportive, finding me the best help I could possibly have. World-acclaimed musician and song-writer Roger Waters has sent the following endorsement of the demonstrations that the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) in Australia has called in March to demand that the Australian government immediately act to secure the freedom of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange. The rally in Sydney will be addressed by respected journalist and documentary filmmaker John Pilger. Roger Waters was a founding member of the band Pink Floyd in 1965 and has maintained a successful solo career since 1985. He is an outspoken opponent of injustice, defending Julian Assange, condemning the mistreatment of the Palestinian people and opposing US-led imperialist wars and interventions. Over recent weeks, he has opposed the attempted US-backed coup in Venezuela. The ICFI and SEP urges all artistic, media and academic figures who defend democratic rights to follow the example of John Pilger and Roger Waters. The WSWS will publish statements that appeal to workers and young people in Australia and around the world to join the fight to free Julian Assange. Statements should be sent to sep@sep.org.au. *** Roger Waters, 9th February 2019 Switzerland Julian Assange is a national Australian treasure. He is a brilliant, brave, honest, humane, relevant, genuine, journalist and publisher of immense influence and significance on the world stage. He has shown himself to be an enormous power for good in a world that is sadly, with some notable exceptions, (Yes John Pilger, I mean you among others,) starved of his ilk. What Julian Assange is, as a publisher of real news, is a real hero. What he is not is a criminal. His initiative, WikiLeaks, helped expose to the world the hidden machinations of the real criminals in our society: the oligarchs, who in their insatiable quest for more and more wealth, would destroy the fragile planet we call home. Julian, like all truth seekers scares the sh*t out of them. The truth is their enemy, that is why they and their agents, the governments of the western world, are determined to destroy him. We, the citizens of the world, have an absolute duty to protect Julian Assange from their unwarranted and illegal attacks. I unreservedly support and applaud the demonstrations called by the Socialist Equality Party in Australia to demand that the Australian government takes immediate action to secure the freedom of their citizen, Julian Assange, from his near seven-year house imprisonment in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. At least until recently the Ecuadorian presidency was solid in its promise of asylum, but the new president of Ecuador is showing himself to be more susceptible to insidious US pressure. Julians situation is dire. BRING HIM HOME NOW!!! RESIST!!!!!!!!! DEMONSTRATE on MARCH 3rd in SYDNEY and MARCH 10th in MELBOURNE AROUND THE WORLD, RAISE YOUR VOICE EVERYWHERE DEMAND A SAFE HAVEN FOR JULIAN ASSANGE IN HIS HOME AUSTRALIA. Love, R *** See also: Rally to demand the Australian government acts to free Julian Assange! Sydney Martin Place Amphitheatre, March 3! Melbourne State Library, March 10! John Pilger to speak at March 3 Sydney rally to defend Julian Assange Rail workers across the West Midlands Trains (WMT) franchise in the UK have alerted the World Socialist Web Site to a struggle they have initiated to defend a well-respected colleague dismissed on trumped-up charges because he has waged a struggle against the introduction of Driver Only Operated trains (DOO). DOO threaten s the jobs of 500 conductors at WMT, imposing door operation on drivers. Under advisement, the name of the victimised worker , who is appealing against his dismissal, is not published in this article . A January 13 aggregate meeting of the Rail, Maritime and Transport workers union (RMT) Bletchley & Northampton branch unanimously passed a resolution demanding strike action to force the reinstatement of ***, a conductor and well-known opponent of plans to introduce Driver Only Operated trains (DOO). After months of struggle by the rank and file and in the face of growing unrest, the RMTs national executive has agreed to the resolution and committed to being in dispute with the company until *** is reinstated. According to conductors, *** has been a target by local and senior managers with various trumped up charges put up against him, which conductors saw as calculating attacks as the charges were fought and came to nothing in the end. However, they led to the dismissal of *** in December 2018, a goal which many staff indicated was carried out in order to get rid of him before the DOO/DCO (Driver Controlled Operation) implementation starts. Rail workers across the West Midlands Trains (WMT) rail franchise are opposed to a Framework Agreement signed last June between the RMT and WMT agreeing to private talks to remove door operations from the conductor. Conductors at several other franchises are striking against DOO. WMT is run by the European transport giant Abellio, the privatised arm of the Dutch state railways Nederlande Spoorwegen. It has just removed door operations from conductors and imposed it on drivers at Greater Angliaone of its three joint franchises in the UK. The January 13 resolution states that the Bletchley and Northampton branch of the RMT demands the immediate reinstatement of our brother *** suspended since the 8 June 2018 and then dismissed on the 29th December 2018 subject to an appeal hearing It states the belief of RMT members that management have conspired to discipline *** and have had an ongoing conspiracy against him due to him being a well-known opponent of DOO/DCO [Driver Controlled Operation] and as a former company council rep and trade union activist, of which we believe he has been victimised for his principled stand. An attack on one member is an attack and injury to all. We therefore request W.M.Trains Snr Conductors be balloted for industrial action for the reinstatement of brother ***. The victimized conductor is most known for an RMT-sponsored public petition to oppose DOO, which secured thousands of signatures. He played a leading role in opposing the introduction of low-paid security staff by the previous franchise, London Midland, to take over many of the conductors on-train duties, which was forced back under the threat of industrial action. He also stood alongside other colleagues in other grades to oppose bullying tactics and threatening and intimidating behaviour by managers. The Framework Agreement between the RMT and West Midlands Trains was agreed on June 7, 2018 and *** was suspended the next day. New trains being built at factories in Spain and the UK, to be deployed in 2020 at WMT, are DOO enabled and are said to have at present no facility for the conductor to operate the doors from inside the train. The January 13 resolution is only the latest effort by rank-and-file members to mount their own defence of *** and to demand the RMT withdraw from all negotiations. At a previous special RMT branch meeting at Northampton & Bletchley on November 2018, a resolution was passed unanimously demanding ***s reinstatement and an end to the Framework negotiations and appealed over the heads of the RMT company council officials for a unified fight of drivers, conductors and station staff against DOO trains being brought in. The resolution was thrown out at the next official meeting on November 19 by the company council union officials, amid accusations of personal attacks on them and claims that the special meeting was unconstitutional. However, workers had distributed the resolution galvanising opposition across the WMT franchise. At the RMTs Coventry No.1 branch, a similar resolution was passed last December, stating, You may or may not be aware that there has been a case against Brother *** of Bletchley & Northampton branch in which he was suspended from duty on the 8th June 2018. Brother *** is currently still suspended. His treatment was an attempt to silence an opposition to the negotiations as he stood up when it counted over the years as local representative and company council. Both previous resolutions urged an end to negotiations and a turn to a unified struggle to resist the assault on all jobs via DOO. The resolution from Coventry No. 1 branch said that RMT members were extremely unhappy at what has been so far agreed as a framework document between West Midlands Trains management, the Senior Conductors Company Council and lead officer as part of the future role of the guards at West Midlands Trains. Our brothers and sisters at Merseyrail, South West Railway and Northern are all bravely taking strike action in defence of the role of the guard. However, the framework agreement that RMT has signed up to states the intention of door controls being taken from guards and being given to drivers. This is clearly against RMT policy which is to oppose DOO and DCO. Instead of surrendering the doors without a shot being fired we should instead be fighting like RMT members at the above mentioned TOCs [Train Operating Companies] to defend the role of the guard. If negotiations at WMT result in the RMT volunteering to hand over control of the doors then this will potentially pull the rug from underneath our brothers and sisters at other companies fighting to defend the role of the guard This branch also appeals to drivers and station guards for their support through this principled stand. In summary we demand: *These negotiations are immediately suspended until a new framework agreement is created which fully complies with RMT policy. *The Senior Conductors company council and RMT maintain an independent position from WMT management and from now onwards issue their own bulletins and statements to members. RMT members at Crewe No. 1 branch then passed a resolution demanding mass meetings across the network to determine the memberships position on the Framework negotiations. The Socialist Equality Party and the WSWS warn rail workers that the RMT bureaucracy cannot be trusted to defend ***, any more than they can to oppose DOO. They are imposing DOO piecemeal across the country, in alliance with big transport companies and the Conservative government which is hell bent on imposing a vast new assault on rail workers jobs, wages and democratic rights. Last week, the RMT suspended strikes on Northern Rail against DOO, after 47 days of action citing substantial progress after the franchise agreed to put a conductor on all trains. This was as Northern Rail cited continuing talks about what the future role of the conductor looks like and operational models moving ahead. The strivings expressed by conductors for a unified struggle against the transport conglomerates can only be realised through the formation of rank-and-file committees, independent of the trade union apparatus. Any conductors, drivers or station staff wishing to organise such an offensive should contact the SEP. According to a new study published in Health Affairs last week, Purdue Pharmas switch to a new abuse-deterrent formulation of OxyContin in 2010 led to a rise in hepatitis C infections as addicts switched to injecting heroin. While prior research has established the connection between the introduction of the abuse-deterrent formulation of OxyContin and a spike in heroin overdoses, the Health Affairs article, written by researchers from the Rand Corporation and the Wharton School, examined the relationship between the introduction of the reformulation and hepatitis C infection rates. The researchers noted that while opioid overdoses and addiction steadily rose in the 2000s, the rate of hepatitis C infections declined or remained stagnantuntil 2010, the year that the abuse-deterrent formulation of OxyContin became available. Hepatitis C infections began to steadily increase shortly afterwards. The study drew on data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to measure the nonmedical use of OxyContin in different US states, and then computed the rate of OxyContin misuse in each state before the reformulation. The researchers then divided US states into two groups based upon whether they were above or below the median rates of Oxycontin misuse, and tested whether the growth rate of hepatitis C infections between the two groups differed, controlling for variables such as the unemployment rate and demographic composition. Their results found that while OxyContin misuse declined after 2010, both hepatitis C infections and heroin deaths increased. Moreover, the researchers found that states with above-median misuse rates saw an increase in hepatitis C infections three times greater than those states with below-median rates (a 222 percent increase compared to a 75 percent increase). As a falsification test, the researchers replicated their analysis looking at pain reliever misuse, but excluded OxyContin. In both groups, the hepatitis C infections grew at similar rates, demonstrating that the rise in hepatitis C rates was uniquely linked to the OxyContin reformulation. Thus, the rise in hepatitis C infections was primarily concentrated in states most affected by the reformulation, and this differential increase began in the year after the reformulation, the researchers wrote. The timing of the differential increase strongly suggests that other differences across states (for example, differential changes in economic conditions due to the Great Recession or state-level opioid policy adoption) were not driving the results. They note that this case underscores the potential unintended consequences of interventions addressing the abuse of prescription opioids when carried out without policies and resources necessary to address substance abuse and addiction. They warn that the transition to an abuse-deterrent formulation may lead to rising rates of other infectious diseases, such as HIV. Purdue Pharma and the opioid epidemic Evidence continues to build that Purdue Pharmas aggressive marketing of OxyContinalong with the criminally negligent actions of other drug manufacturers and drug distributors was a key factor in the emergence of the opioid epidemic in the United States starting in the late 1990s. Since 1999, overdose deaths have nearly quadrupled in the United States, rising from 6.1 per 100,000 deaths to 21.7 in 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2017, 47,600 people died from overdoses associated with opioids. According to the National Safety Council, Americans are now more likely to die from an opioid overdose (1 in 96) than die in a car accident (1 in 103) or as the result of an accidental fall (1 in 114). Following the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) approval of Purdue Pharmas opioid painkiller OxyContin at the very end of 1995, the company immediately began a marketing blitz of the drug, claiming that it stopped pain for a full 12 hoursdespite mounting evidence showing otherwisewhile downplaying the drugs addictive risks. The manufacturer targeted physicians who prescribed OxyContin frequently, paid its sales representatives large bonuses as an incentive to increase OxyContin sales, and issued coupons entitling new patients to free samples at participating pharmacies, noted a 2011 article in the British Medical Journal . The marketing strategy transformed OxyContin into a blockbuster drug, generating an estimated $35 billion in sales and enriching the owners of the company, the Sackler family, whose wealth is estimated at $14 billion. The Sackler family is widely known for its philanthropic activities and has sought to distance themselves from the unethical behavior of the company they own. However, a recent court filing by the attorney general of Massachusetts cites internal company documents that highlight the Sacklers intimate and ongoing involvement in the companys efforts to market OxyContin and shift the blame of addiction onto addicts rather than the drug. Health researchers have drawn a strong connection between the companys marketing activities and the opioid epidemic For example, a study published last month in JAMA Network Open, drawing upon county-level data, found an association between doctor payments for non-research-based opioid marketing between 2013 and 2015 and an increase in mortality rates from prescription opioid overdoses in the period between 2014 and 2016. Patients, physicians and industry critics recognized Purdues role in the epidemic in the early 2000s, but the company was largely successful in fending off lawsuits until 2007, when a settlement was reached in which the company paid over $600 million in fines and top executives pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges. In response to this pressure, the company introduced an abuse-deterrent formulation of OxyContin in 2010 that could no longer be crushed and snorted or dissolved and injected. OxyContin was the most widely-abused drug at the time, but no public health measures were in place to help abusers address their addiction. As the Health Affairs study shows, this led opioid addicts to increasingly turn to injecting heroin, resulting in the spread of Hepatitis C infections. The hepatitis C virus and drug prices The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common blood-borne virus in the United States. It attacks the liver and can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure. According to the CDC, an estimated 2.4 million individuals are living with chronic cases of HCV. In 2016, 18,153 death certificates listed HCV as a cause, although research indicates that this figure greatly underestimates the real number. The most common mode of HCV transmission is through injectable drug use. Infection rates are particularly high among US prisoners. According to a 2014 article in Public Health Reports, the infection rate of HCV is 1 to 2 percent among the general population, but over 17 percent among the prison population. While there are effective cures for HCV, efforts to address the disease have been hampered by the high prices of HCV drugs. Since the disease was first identified in 1989, medical science has made enormous strides in the treatment of HCV. The approval by the FDA of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) drugs starting in 2011in particular, the drugs Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) approved in 2013 and Harvoni (a combination of sofosbuvir and ledispavir) approved in 2015represented a major advance, as these drugs significantly reduced the treatment time and side effects. In most cases, Sovaldi and Harvoni could actually cure the disease in a single course of treatment. These medical breakthroughs, however, immediately came into conflict with the profit system under which new drugs are researched, developed and sold. When the California-based biotech company Gilead Sciences gained approval for the drugs Sovaldi and Harvoni it priced a course of treatment at $84,000 and $94,500, respectively. Gilead Sciences acquired Sovaldi after it purchased the Georgia-based biotech company Pharmasset in 2012 for $11.2 billion. Pharmasset itself was founded in 1998 by researchers at Emory University who signed licensing agreements to acquire drug candidates discovered by university scientists. According to a Senate report released in 2015, Pharmasset had initially planned on selling Sovaldi for $36,000 for a course of treatment. While Gilead believed that their acquisition of Pharmasset would be profitable if they priced Sovaldi at $65,000 per course of treatment, it ultimately settled on a price $20,000 higher. As a result of the exorbitant drug prices, spending on HCV treatments has placed a significant strain on medical providers and insurers, limited patient access, and resulted in the rationing of HCV treatments, especially among vulnerable populations such as prison inmates. The author also recommends: Boston jury hears testimony of how Insys Therapeutics pushed opioid painkiller and killed hundreds [5 February 2019] Dopesick by Beth Macy [25 September 2018] On Sunday, tens of thousands of people joined a protest called by Spains main right-wing parties in Madrids Plaza de Colon. The Popular Party (PP), Citizens, and the far-right Vox party had chartered hundreds of buses to bring right-wing supporters from across Spain, calling to throw out social-democratic Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez over his talks with the Catalan nationalists. Between 20,000 and 45,000 people attended the protest, listening to speeches from right-wing politicians. Also participating were groups like the neo-Nazi Hogar Social (Social Home); the Spanish Falange; Espana 2000; and Spains main police union, the United Police Union. The role of this last organisation underscores the critical role of the state machine in promoting the protest and the broader rise of neo-fascistic, anti-Catalan agitation. The protest took place days before 12 Catalan secessionist leaders go to trial tomorrow, facing up to 25 years in prison on charges of rebellion and misuse of public funds for organizing the 2017 Catalan independence referendum. However, Sanchezs minority Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) government relies on Podemos and the Catalan nationalists support in parliament to try to pass its budget this week. Earlier in the week, PP and Citizens backed by right-wing media started to agitate in support of the demonstration andas polls show the PP and Citizens placed to do well if elections proceedof potentially bringing down the PSOE government over the budget. PP leader Pablo Casado accused Sanchez of high treason for discussing the budget with Catalan separatists. He said Sanchez is committing a criminal act, he is a criminal [acting] against the very democratic continuity of Spanish democracy, comparing Sanchez to a drug trafficker. Citizens leader Albert Rivera called for defending the Constitution beyond ideologies or acronyms. He added, We must stop Sanchez in the streets. The pretext for the protest was the PSOE governments decision to include a mediator in planned cross-party talks aimed at creating a dialogue with the Catalan nationalists. The PSOEs decision was part of its attempt to gain the nationalists support in the upcoming budget vote, after pro-independence lawmakers earlier this week announced they could block Spains 2019 budget. The mediator was a longstanding demand of the Catalan nationalists. Soon after, Casado told Spains EFE news agency that appointing a mediator was Spains gravest event since the failed coup attempt of February 23, 1981when more than 200 Civil Guards armed with submachine guns held parliament and the cabinet hostage for 18 hours. Casado called Sanchez the greatest traitor to the historical continuity of Spanish democracy and a felon, while calling his government illegitimate. Casados comments prompted PSOE Finance Minister Maria Jesus Montero, who said his language was reminiscent of the [Spanish] Civil War. PSOE politicians also attacked Sanchez over the issue, however. Castilla-La Mancha regional premier Emiliano Garcia-Page said Sanchez has to play his role, defending the Constitution, while Aragon regional premier Javier Lamban said approving a budget does not justify concessions that put the Constitution, the unity of Spain, the Rule of Law or decency in question. The holding of such a far-right protest in Spain, which still had a fascist government barely four decades ago, well in living memory, is a warning to the working class. The right-wing and neo-fascistic parties do not have mass support and depend on backing directly from the state machine. However, events are confirming the assessment made by the World Socialist Web Site that the Spanish ruling elite is seizing on the 2017 Catalan referendum to drastically restructure political life and move towards authoritarian forms of rule. All Spains major capitalist parties fear the growing opposition and strike activity in the working class and youth, internationally and across Europe. As the largely working class yellow vest movement brings President Emmanuel Macrons government to its knees in neighbouring France, and hundreds of thousands protest the far-right government in Italy, strike activity is surging in the Spanish working class. In January alone, there were 49 strikes according to Spains business federation (CEOE), which caused 2.9 million working hours lost. According to the CEOEs calculations, as compared to the same month last year, the number of workers participating in strikes increased by 622 percent and the amount of hours lost by strikes increased by 575 percent. This was due in large part to a nationwide taxi strike. No political organisation in Spain speaks for the growing opposition to the PSOE government in the working class, however. What predominates in what passes for the left are the pseudo-left politics of Podemos and its various petty-bourgeois allies, and Catalan and Basque nationalist parties. They are state parties largely oriented to the PSOE, however, and all fear rising social opposition in the working class far more than they fear the rising influence of far-right and authoritarian forces. These forces, like the PSOE itself in government, are all adapting to and helping oversee the drive to austerity and police-state rule. Yesterday, Sanchez said he respected the demonstration but demanded loyalty from PP and Citizens. Sanchez then recalled that the PSOE loyally supported the PP government of Mariano Rajoy when it sent in the paramilitary police against the Catalan independence referendumto smash polling stations, suspend Catalan self-government, and jail Catalan politicians as political prisoners on charges of sedition and rebellion. Before the demonstration, Deputy PM Carmen Calvo had tried to placate the right wing, lamely claiming that what the PSOE calls a rapporteur is not a mediator. She added that the person would be someone who can take notes, who can call us to the meetings, who can coordinate. By Friday, the PSOE government announced it was backing down. Calvo said talks with Catalan separatist parties over the budget were off, and that Madrid would make no more proposals. This government made a firm decision to build as many bridges as possible, but right now the framework we have created is not being accepted by the pro-independence parties, said Calvo. Without a budget, the political term gets cut short, she added, warning that if on Wednesday the Catalan nationalist vetoed the budget in parliament, this could trigger early elections. Podemos has also only emboldened the right. It was the chief architect in the installation of the PSOE in government last year, adapting itself to Sanchezs continued threats against the Catalan nationalists. Now, as the PSOE debates whether or not to call snap elections, Podemos is desperately clinging to its budget agreement with the PSOE, Publico wrote, to show it can influence the PSOE to the left. Events are also yet again exposing the bankruptcy of the Catalan nationalists, who also helped install the PSOE minority government. Catalan President Quim Torra asked Sanchez on Sunday to reconsider dialogue with the Catalan nationalists. We wait for him at the table to talk, Torra offered. The Catalan nationalists reportedly only threatened to veto the budget in an attempt to strengthen their negotiating position and did not expect the PSOE to break talks. The daily La Vanguardia noted that the Catalan nationalists had calculated that there was time until Monday or Tuesday to continue negotiating, since the budget is on Wednesday. Now it appears that the PSOE is staking the survival of its government on an attempt to compel the Catalan nationalists to support its austerity budget even as the PSOE continues to jail Catalan nationalist political prisoners. More than 100 autoworkers and supporters from across the Midwest marched Saturday in Detroit to oppose General Motors plans for plant closings and layoffs in the US and Canada. The demonstration was organized by the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter and the Steering Committee of the Coalition of Rank and File Committees. GM announced plans late last year to close five plants, including major assembly plants in Detroit-Hamtramck, Lordstown, Ohio and Oshawa, Ontario and destroy the jobs of 14,000 production and salaried workers. The first layoffs came last week, as GM began dismissing 4,250 white-collar workers. Saturdays demonstrationthe first and only organized opposition to the closures and layoffswas called on the basis of the fight to unify the working class internationally, independently of the unions, through the formation of rank-and-file factory committees. The pro-company unions, the UAW in the US and Unifor in Canada, are doing nothing to stop the closures, instead pushing the poison of nationalism by blaming workers in Mexico. The rally and subsequent meeting at Second Baptist Church of Detroit were followed by workers all over the world on social media. The protest received powerful statements of support from representatives of framed-up Maruti Suzuki workers in India, tea plantation workers in Sri Lanka, and striking auto parts workers in Matamoros, Mexico. Greetings were also sent from workers in Turkey, Germany, the UK and Australia. Workers and young people from across Michigan, Illinois, Iowa and upstate New York marched for an hour in front of the GM world headquarters at the Renaissance Center on the riverfront in downtown Detroit. Delegations of students were mobilized by branches of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality at Wayne State in Detroit and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The demonstrators chanted slogans, including: Same struggle, same fight! Workers of the world, unite!; Detroit, Oshawa, Lordstown, we wont let them shut you down!; and Wage cuts and job losses! The unions working with the bosses! Demonstrators held signs which read No layoffs! No concessions! Fight GM plant closings, called for the abolition of the hated two-tier wage and benefits and for the formation of rank-and-file committees in every plant. Others held signs that read No more givebacks! This is where concessions stop, Fight against the corporate-controlled UAW, Fight for workers control over the factories, and Fight for socialism! Social need, not private profit. The rally was addressed from the steps of the Renaissance Center by Lawrence Porter, a former Chrysler worker and the assistant national secretary of the Socialist Equality Party, and Jerry White, the editor of the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter. This demonstration has shown that the working class has taken a stand, Porter told the crowd. A stand against the plans of General Motors. A stand against low wages. A stand against attempts to divide workers from their brothers and sisters all over the world. And a stand against the unions, which have joined hands with management. This demonstration is saying the time for givebacks and concessions is over. Working people are looking for a way to fight! White denounced GMs decision to close the plants and devastate the working-class communities that rely on them. We are gathered here today to say that we do not accept this illegitimate decision. We will not sit idly by for another criminal attack by corporations to throw workers out on the streets who have produced billions and billions in profits for these corporations! Since the first bailout of Chrysler in 1979, White declared, the United Auto Workers has told autoworkers year after year after year that they must accept wage and benefit cuts to save their jobs. And what has that produced? Six hundred thousand workers have lost their jobs, older workers have been pushed out and a new generation of young autoworkers is coming in at poverty wages, at part time labor with no rights whatsoever, even though they continue to pay dues to the UAW. No organization that takes bribes from corporations and owns 100 million shares in General Motors is going to do anything to defend autoworkers. White explained that the Steering Committee of the Coalition of Rank and File Committees was formed by autoworkers, Amazon workers and teachers at a meeting on December 9 to take the struggle out of the hands of the corporate-controlled unions and mobilize the working class against the capitalist system. After listening to the speeches, the protesters then marched through downtown Detroit to the Second Baptist Church, which served as a stop on the Underground Railroad for escaped slaves prior to the US Civil War. The meeting was addressed by White, WSWS International Editorial Board Chairman and SEP National Chairman David North, SEP National Secretary Joseph Kishore and WSWS writer Eric London. North began by remarking on the historical resonance of the demonstration with the history of the church. You can only imagine how those who came to this church in the 1850s saw conditions. Who could have imagined in 1855 that within a decade the slave power would no longer exist? Speaking of the rally, North said, This is where the opposition was organized. He explained that the demonstration gave conscious expression to the aspirations of a class, a class whose social consciousness and understanding of the world in which it lives is developing. The demonstration was an anticipation of things to come, he said. The slogans which we articulated today are slogans which will be taken up by millions and tens of millions in the period ahead, North declared. We are fighting to bring the working class into active political life, to provide the masses with a political orientation. White followed North, explaining, We are fighting for emancipation, to put an end to modern day slavery, wage slavery, and put an end to capitalism which has created levels of social inequality which would make the pharaohs blush. He also brought greetings to the meeting from Jitender Dhankar, a member of the provisional committee of the Maruti Suzuki Workers Union in India. After workers rebelled against the company union to form their own independent organization, thirteen leaders of the new union were framed up and sentenced to life in prison for the death of a manager in a violent confrontation staged by the company. It is necessary that we build our unity and base our struggle not on one company or on one nation, but by mobilizing the workers of the world, Dhankar said in his letter. (The greetings will be published in full on the WSWS.) London spoke of the immense significance of the ongoing struggles of workers in Mexico, who, London noted to applause, have come down with an old-fashioned case of strike fever. The strikes have been organized in opposition to the trade unions. Workers in different countries may not speak the same language, may have different skin colors, but they all belong to the same working class The fight for the international unity of the working class is not a holiday phrase, it is a strategic necessity. London brought messages of support from workers in Mexico and immigrant workers in the United States who have been persecuted by the Trump administration. One of those workers, Griselda, a leader of the rank-and-file committee at Fisher Dynamics in Matamoros, gave her support to the call for a general strike in Canada, the US and Mexico to put an end to layoffs, abuses and to win fair salaries. We must be united. There are no borders in our fight. We stand firm here. Kishore, the final speaker, said that the demonstration had laid down a strategythat the working class must be organized independently of the trade unions, that it must be based on the unity of all workers, and that it cannot be subordinated to the profits of the corporate and financial elite. Kishore spoke about the significance of Donald Trumps declaration in his State of the Union address that America will never be a socialist country. The ruling class is terrified, Kishore said, of the growth of working-class opposition, not just in the United States but around the world. He explained that both parties, Democrat and Republican, are united in their opposition to the working class. The actions of GM, Kishore said, exemplify the nature of capitalism. If you want to know what capitalism is, it is GM shutting down five plants and then handing over billions of dollars to its Wall Street investors. The ruling class is afraid of the working class, Kishore said. This idea, the idea of the class struggle, the idea of social revolution, the idea of a society that is run on the basis of the interests of the working class, that is based on equality rather than profit, this idea, once it has gripped the massesand it is gripping the massesis the most powerful force on the planet. Nick, an auto worker who had been fired for defending female employees who were being sexually harassed by union officials, reviewed the experience of autoworkers over the past several years, explaining the significance and role of the WSWS in providing workers with information and a voice. He told the audience, We scare them, and they have right to be scared. We will take action, but we won't do it as individuals, we will do it through the Socialist Equality Party. North concluded the meeting by saying that the leadership of the ruling class is rotting on its feet. It is not the Donald Trumps, let alone the pathetic groups of collaborators in the unions, its allies in the Democratic Party, who speak for the most profound processes of historical developments. It is this party, the Socialist Equality Party. He called on those participating to join the SEP and build a socialist leadership in the working class. HUMPHREYS COUNTY, TN (WSMV) - The Humphreys County Sheriff's Office needs your help finding 37-year-old Christopher Chad Wiles. Wiles is described as 6 feet tall weighing 190 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a white shirt. Sheriff's deputies are going door to door with a flyer trying to see if anyone has seen Wiles. "Right now, every effort that we've got is just trying to make sure this young man is okay," Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said. The sheriff said Christopher Wiles' car broke down on Old Highway 13 on Thursday. He called someone at a friend's house then left and hasn't been seen since then. "It's horrible not knowing because obviously we hope and pray for the best, but with the weather we're having, the temperatures, you can't but think in the back of your mind the worst," Ann Wiles Burcham, Wiles' aunt said. The bad weather just a few days ago brought flooding and cold temperatures. That has Wiles' family and the sheriff concerned. "If there's somebody out there that knows his whereabouts, knows that he's at least alive and somewhere, please contact us," Sheriff Davis said. The search hasn't stayed in one place. It's spanned 10 miles, but so far no sign of Wiles. He hasn't shown up for work either or picked up his paycheck. "He's made mistakes in his past. Who hasn't? He's a good person. He is loved by so many. There are so many people looking for him right now. We just want to know that he's okay," Burcham said. Right now, the sheriff doesn't believe anyone is behind Wiles' disappearance. He and the family are staying positive Wiles is alive. "We can only hope. That's what our hope is," Sheriff Davis said. The sheriff said he's going to go over all the information he has for this case and decide what to do next. That could mean using drones or bringing in THP's helicopter. If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Wiles, you're asked to contact the Humphreys County Sheriff's Office at (931) 296-2301. The circular was developed by the ministry in the spirit of urgently building legal documents in order to implement the commitments in the CPTPP. Compared to the free trade agreements (FTAs) that Vietnam has signed and participated in, the C/O rules in the CPTPP have several new points, such as the rules of origin of goods sets, rules of origin of refurbished and re-manufactured goods, formula for calculating Regional Value Content (RVC) (the threshold calculated by the proportion of goods that must be sufficient to be considered as origin, commonly at 40%), and the product-specific rules (PSR). The percentage of materials that do not meet the De Minimis rule set out in CPTPP is allowed at the highest level of 10% of the value of goods. The form of certification of C/O rules in the CPTPP issued to Vietnamese exports, which includes the minimum information required by the CPTPP, is also issued with the circular. Regarding the mechanism for certification of origin, the C/O mechanism will be applied to goods exported from Vietnam by agencies and organisations authorised by the ministry. The transition time to implement the mechanism of exporters eligible for self-certification of goods origin will be carried out from five to 10 years under the ministrys guidance. The mechanism of Vietnamese importers certifying their origin will be implemented after five years from the effective date of the CPTPP. For Vietnamese goods exported before the effective date of the circular, C/O-granting agencies and organisations shall consider granting C/O forms to enjoy tariff preferences under the agreement and regulations of the importing member countries. The last person who asked me that is still missing. If you need me, I'll be underwater. It's a dry heat. You call this hot? Bring it on. Vote View Results M-Sport Ford World Rally Team driver Pontus Tidemand is gearing up for a big push at his home Rally Sweden this week (14 17 February) as he battles to secure his WRC future. The 28-year-old has just two WRC rounds confirmed this year, and after joining the British squad at Rallye Monte-Carlo he is out to impress on his second appearance in a Ford Fiesta. The 2017 WRC 2 champion is the only local driver on this year's Sweden entry list with a new-generation World Rally Car. After a 20th place finish in Monte-Carlo, and the status of M-Sport's third car undecided from Rally Guanajuato Mexico onwards, he is eager to show he deserves more outings. "Rally Sweden is the highlight of my year the big one that I always look forward to and I feel one hundred percent ready to take on the challenge of my home event," Tidemand said. I'm starting to feel very comfortable with the car and I already feel at home in the team. When we came to Monte-Carlo last month, more or less everything was new and it was all about learning. "It was an extremely important experience for both me and [my co-driver] Ola [Flene] and it gave us a chance to get used to it all. I've said all along that Rally Sweden is where I want to be competitive and on top performance. This is my home event, I know it very well and I have a great feeling about it this year. "It will still be very demanding and challenging, and we will have to step up our game and quickly find a good rhythm that we can hopefully keep throughout the weekend." Tidemand will again line up alongside team-mates Elfyn Evans and Teemu Suninen in Sweden and team boss Richard Millener, was keen to play down expectations. "Pontus is the local hero who grew up on these roads," he said. "Its important not to put too much pressure on his shoulders as this is still only his second event with a new-generation World Rally Car. "But we know his potential and he has already learned a lot so I wouldnt be surprised to see some good times from him." Head to WRC+ to watch All Live from Rally Sweden, including every stage broadcast live, breaking service park news and expert studio analysis. Video More News Turkish scientist conducts studies to understand Mars Materials collected on earths coldest continent Antarctica could shed light on conditions on red planet's surface The Republic of Turkey is a transcontinental nation situated in both the continents of Europe and Asia. The larger portion of Turkey (97%) lies in Anatolia, West Asia while the remaining part lies on the Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe. Istanbul is a renowned city in the northwestern side of Turkey close to the Marmara area. The city serves as a historic, cultural and economic central point in Turkey. The city is divided by the Bosphorus Strait. The historic and commercial central point of Istanbul is positioned on the European side with a third of its population being estimated to be living on the Asian side. Geography The city covers a total area of 2,063 square miles. The waterway that connects the Black City to the Marmara Sea separates the city into a European and Asian side. In addition, Istanbul is further split by a natural harbor named Golden Horn which connects to the peninsula. The converging point of the Sea of Marmara, the Golden Horn, and the Bosporus Strait are conspicuous features that form the unique landscape of the city. Demographics Istanbul has been ranked among the worlds large cities since ancient times. Currently, Istanbul city is estimated to have a population of over 15 million people which makes it one of the most densely populated cities on the planet. The city is thus identified as the 4th biggest city globally and the biggest city in Europe. As a cosmopolitan city, Istanbul is home to numerous ethnic communities with the Kurdish forming the largest ethnic group. The vast majority of residents are Muslims but orthodox Christians form a substantial population. Istanbuls Administration Istanbul is governed by the metropolitan municipality of Istanbul whose mandate is to supervise the 39 city province districts. The municipal government is in charge of the overall city matters which include, managing the budget, upholding civic infrastructure and supervising significant cultural centers. The government functions under the control of a powerful mayor who has the capacity to make swift decisions which are often not transparent. The Metropolitan Executive Committee is responsible for advising the municipal council though it has restrictions in making own decisions. The district councils mainly deal with the control of waste and building projects in their district. Members of the municipal council together with those of the district council and the Metropolitan mayor are subjected to a term that comprises of five years. In addition, the provincial government operating at the same level as the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality has the duty to oversee the construction and maintenance of roads, schools, government buildings, and residential homes. Istanbuls Economy Istanbul has an estimated GDP of 301.1 billion dollars. Its economy has been growing rapidly since the mid-1990s. Istanbul accounts for 27 percent of the total GDP in Turkey. The city accommodates 20% of the total population working in industries across Turkey. The dense population and high contribution to the economy account for two-fifths of the national tax revenue of the country. Istanbul has an all-around economy that majors in the production of products like tobacco, olive oil, electronics, and vehicles. The city focuses on work that is of high-value addition. Production companies located in Istanbul produce exports that amount to 41.4 billion dollars while imports amount to a total of 69.9 billion dollars. Istanbul is significantly becoming a popular tourist destination with an estimate of 12.6 million tourists annually. A museum is a place where a collection of artifacts and other objects of historical and scientific significance are conserved. Museums can either be private or public. Private museums are individually owned while public museums are mainly owned by the state and open to the public. There are different types of museums around the world including fine arts, archaeology, cultural history, military history, and living history museums among other types. A living history museum, commonly known as a living museum, is a type of museum that has recreated historical settings and events to provide visitors with an experiential interpretation of history. This type of museum fully recreates natural environment, culture, and historical periods. There are 34 living museums in Canada. While most of these museums still retain their original structures and appearance, some have been refurbished and facelifted with minor changes. The largest living history museum in Canada by area is the Fort Edmonton Park in Alberta. Canadas Largest Living History Museum Fort Edmonton Park includes both the original and rebuilt historical structures that represent the history of the Edmonton area. Fort Edmonton Park always has a high number of costumed historians during the summer to assist a large number of people who visit the area. Costumed historians are the people who conduct tours, portray historical figures, interpret a space, and also conduct researches that assist in site interpretation. Fort Edmonton Park has four sections with each section representing an era. The sections are spread over 0.64 square kilometers. The fort of 1846 represents the first era while 1885, 1905, and 1920 Streets represents the second to fourth eras respectively. Visitors may access the Fort Edmonton Park using a steam train, horse-drawn carriages, or automobiles appropriate for each of the eras. Location The Fort Edmonton Park is nestled in the scenic river valley of Edmonton, Alberta. Edmonton is the capital of Alberta. The city is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the center of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. It is the second-largest city in Alberta with a population of about 932,500 people. Edmonton is a governmental, educational, and cultural center. It hosts a number of festivals throughout the year and has been nicknamed Canadas Festival City. It is home to the largest mall in North America (West Edmonton Mall). Fort Edmonton was established in 1795 on the north bank of Saskatchewan River. Fort Edmonton Park is situated in the river valley southwest of the city center. Conception of the Fort Edmonton Park The history of the establishment of the living museum in Edmonton dates back to 1915 when the remains of the old fort were torn down. However, the citizens of Edmonton who wished to see the old structures relocated elsewhere for their heritage values opposed the move to bring down the old fort. The construction of the park began in 1969 following the direction of the Fort Edmonton Foundation. The park was designed to present a cross-section of the history of the Edmonton area from its distant geological past to the then status, and even prophesy the future of the area. The fort became the first part of the park to open in 1974. Subscribe to our podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you get podcasts. I think most people who use them are young and because of that they grow to really crave the feeling. So, I feel like they know what theyre getting themselves into and wont take studies like these seriously. A family is trying to get their heirlooms back after they were stolen right out of their driveway. Now theyre asking people across the state to help them track down a trailer full of irreplaceable items. (THE CONVERSATION) Suicide now ranks in the top 10 leading causes of death in the U.S. In 2015, 44,193 Americans died by their own hand. That was more than the number killed in motor vehicle accidents (37,757) and over twice the number who died through homicide (17,793). The number of suicides per 100,000 Americans rose 30.4 percent between 1999 and 2015. The increase has not been uniform across all demographic groups. Those in midlife had the largest uptick in suicide. For example, for those ages 45 to 54, the rate increased from 13.9 persons that age to 20.3, or 46 percent, during that period. However, suicide rates in other developed nations have generally fallen. According to the World Health Organization, suicide rates fell in 12 of 13 Western European between 2000 and 2012. Generally, this drop was 20 percent or more. For example, in Austria the suicide rate dropped from 16.4 to 11.5, or a decline of 29.7 percent. There has been little systematic research explaining the rise in American suicide compared to declining European rates. In my view as a researcher who studies the social risk of suicide, two social factors have contributed: the weakening of the social safety net and increasing income inequality. The safety net There is evidence that rising suicide rates are associated with a weakening of the social norms regarding mutual aid and support. In one study on suicide in the U.S., the rising rates were closely linked with reductions in social welfare spending between 1960 and 1995. Social welfare expenditures include Medicaid, a medical assistance program for low income persons; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, which replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children; the Supplemental Security Income program for the blind, disabled and elderly; childrens services including adoption, foster care and day care; shelters; and funding of public hospitals for medical assistance other than Medicaid. Later studies found a similar relationship between suicide and social welfare for the U.S. in the 1980s and between 1990 and 2000, as well as for nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Economic Development. When it comes to spending on social welfare, the U.S. is at the low end of the spectrum relative to Western Europe. For example, only 18.8 percent of the U.S. GDP is spent on social welfare, while most of the OECD nations spend at least 25 percent of their GDP. Our rates of suicide are increasing while their rates fall. While their suicide rates are on the decline, three European nations still have rates above that of the U.S.: Belgium, Finland and France. Income inequality The degree of the gap between the rich and the poor in the U.S. also differs from that of Europe. Research has generally found that the higher the level of income inequality in the U.S. states, the higher the probability of death by suicide. According to social strain theory, when theres a large gap between the rich and poor, those at or near the bottom struggle more, making them more susceptible to addiction, criminality and mental illness than those at the top. Take the GINI index, a standard measure that varies between zero, or no inequality, and one, or a scenario where one household receives all the income. Most European nations fall between a GINI of 0.271 and 0.305, while the U.S. gap between its rich and poor measures at 0.410. That means that, for example, the U.S. has 34.4 percent more income inequality than Austria. This represents a relatively high amount of financial strain faced by U.S. families. Income inequality in the U.S. has been increasing for several decades. This wasnt always the case. Between 1928 and 1979, the share of the top 1 percent declined in every state but Alaska. But then, over the next three decades, the average income of the top 1 percent of U.S. families increased by 200.5 percent, fully 10 times the increase seen by the rest of U.S. families. By 2013, the average income of the top 1 percent was $1,153,293, more than 25 times greater than the average income of the rest of U.S. families. The ensuing economic strain is a risk factor for suicide. As U.S. income inequality has been increasing, one study found an increasing percentage of midlife suicides reportedly associated with financial problems. Its important to note that work on suicides relationship to both income inequality and social welfare is scant. Rigorous research is needed to update what we know about the present American context. LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) An Illinois man was sentenced Friday after an attempted burglary that ended in a police pursuit. Calvin Lowe was sentenced to 9 years, with 7 years in Indiana Department of Corrections and 2 years probation. On Aug. 10, 2018, Lafayette police responded to an alarm at La Zacatecana on Old US 231. Police said officers arrived and saw Lowe crouched down in front of the grocery store. Lowe allegedly placed objects in a car and drove off, according to police. When LPD tried to pull him over, police said he allegedly began to speed up. A pursuit lasted into Clinton County, where officers were able to stop his car. ROME, N.Y. -- Senator Joe Griffo's father has died he was 95. Griffo Sr. passed away last Thursday at the Rome Memorial Hospital Residential Healthcare Facility. A mass of Christian burial will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Church. Interment will take place in St. Johns cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Joes memory may be made to the Rome Memorial Hospital Foundation for the activities fund of the residential healthcare facility. Joe retired in 1985 after working for 40 years for the city of Rome. He was a former head usher and member of the Holy Name Society at St. John the Baptist Church. Griffo also belonged to the Nocturnal Adoration Society. UTICA- The Red Cross is helping one person in Utica after a fire rips through a home on Miller Street. Just before 3 a.m. on Sunday, crews responded to a home at 1109 Miller Street in Utica. The Red Cross is providing financial assistance for shelter, food, and clothing for one person. NEWSChannel 2 is working with the Utica Fire Department to get more information. UTICA, N.Y. - Former Oneida County Legislator Dave Gordon wants to become the next Oneida County executive, and Monday morning he announced during a press conference that he believes current Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente should be removed from office now. Gordon alleges Picente abused his power relating to a personal relationship. Gordon is also saying the same thing about current Oneida County Legislature Chairperson Gerald Fiorini, saying that Fiorini abused his power relating to a personal relationship, and Gordon says both should be removed from office. NewsChannel 2 is choosing not to share the details of the alleged relationships that Gordon revealed at his press conference because they are accusations that we have not been able to confirm. Gordon does say he has proof of the relationships and how the two officials abused their power, but would not reveal what that proof is. WKTV reached out for a comment from both Anthony Picente and Gerald Fiorini. Picente released the following statement Monday afternoon, "Today, Mr. Gordon made unfounded and slanderous allegations that I will not dignify with a response." Fiorini released this statement, Dave Gordon made allegations against several Oneida County officials on Monday. I will not dignify his unsubstantiated comments with a response. Gordon is also calling for Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara to be removed from office. Gordon says McNamara abused his power by talking to a reporter from WIBX radio this past Friday about a police report filed by Utica police officers in 2017, involving an alleged domestic incident between Gordon and his fiancee. That case was never prosecuted. "I'm also calling for the resignation of Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara for his discussion of this sealed and dismissed case which was arbitrary and capricious on his behalf. He has abused his position of power in trying to defame, slander, and libel my character, which goes against the fundamentals of the office which he holds, Gordon said. McNamara released the following statement to News Channel 2, in response to Gordons allegations: "I did NOT release any sealed reports or documents to the media on the case my office prosecuted regarding a domestic violence case in which Gordon was the defendant. As for any discussions I have with the media, the public that elects me and who I represent, and most importantly the victims and witnesses in our cases; I have the right and authority as a publicly elected official to defend my office and explain our actions as to why we would not fully prosecute a domestic violence case. That is what I did in this case. I find it interesting that Gordon is running to be a county executive and one of the first things he does in his campaign is to make false and misleading claims against the District Attorney. In my humble opinion this speaks volumes on his competency and stability to hold such an important office in our county." Gordon says he will be presenting his cases against all three officials to the New York State Attorney General's Office, as well as federal investigators to look into the allegations that he has made. PUERTO RICO -- The Boilermakers race director was honored at the Running USA Conference over the weekend in Puerto Rico Jim Stasaitis was celebrated as one of several deserving people and organizations at the kick off of the 2019 Industry Conference Sunday. He has been in the race director position for a decade now, and was inducted into the Running USA Hall of Champions. The organization described him as a passionate advocate for continuing education and advancement in the sport, clean athlete performance, and exceptional customer service to runners. Conference officials say the hall is reserved for wonderful people with a devotion, vision, and commitment to running. Additionally to his accomplishments with the Boilermaker, Stasaitis was recognized for the 17 years as director of Americas Greatest Heart Run & Walk, where he quadrupled the fundraising total during his tenure. This years Boilermaker Road Race will be run Sunday, July 14. Entergy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production and distribution of electricity in the United States. The company generates electricity through gas/oil, nuclear, coal, hydro, and solar power sources. It operates in two segments, Utility and Entergy Wholesale Commodities. The company's Utility segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric power in portions of Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas, and Louisiana, including the City of New Orleans; and distributes natural gas. Its Entergy Wholesale Commodities segment engages in the ownership, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear power plants located in the northern United States; sale of electric power to wholesale customers; provision of services to other nuclear power plant owners; and owning interests in non-nuclear power plants that sell electric power to wholesale customers. It sells energy to retail power providers, utilities, electric power co-operatives, power trading organizations, and other power generation companies. The company's power plants have approximately 30,000 megawatts (MW) of electric generating capacity, which include 8,000 MW of nuclear power. The company delivers electricity to 3.0 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Entergy Corporation was incorporated in 1949 and is based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Read More Wall Street analysts have given Pimco Total Return 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 Pimco Total Return ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Philip Morris International Inc., through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells cigarettes, other nicotine-containing products, smoke-free products, and related electronic devices and accessories. The company offers IQOS smoke-free products, including heated tobacco and nicotine-containing vapor products under the HEETS, HEETS Creations, HEETS Dimensions, HEETS Marlboro, HEETS FROM MARLBORO, Marlboro Dimensions, Marlboro HeatSticks, and Parliament HeatSticks brands, as well as under the Fiit and Miix licensed brands. It also sells its products under the Marlboro, Parliament, Bond Street, Chesterfield, L&M, Lark, and Philip Morris brands. In addition, the company owns various cigarette brands, such as Dji Sam Soe, Sampoerna A, and Sampoerna U in Indonesia; and Fortune and Jackpot in the Philippines. It markets and sells its products in the European Union, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, South and Southeast Asia, East Asia, Australia, Latin America, and Canada. Philip Morris International Inc. was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in New York, New York. Read More Melrose Industries PLC engages in the aerospace, automotive, powder metallurgy, air management, and other industrial businesses in the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, North America, and internationally. Its Aerospace segment provides airframe and engine structures, and electrical interconnection systems for the aerospace industry in civil airframe and defense platforms. The company's Automotive segment designs, develops, manufactures, and integrates driveline technologies; and epowertrains and intelligent all-wheel drive systems. Its Powder Metallurgy segment offers precision automotive components and components for industrial and consumer applications; metal powder for powder metallurgy; and additive manufacturing parts for prototypes. The company's Nortek Air Management segment manufactures and sells ventilation products for the professional remodeling and replacement, residential new construction, and consumer DIY markets. This segment also manufactures and sells split-system and packaged air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, air handlers, and parts for the residential replacement and new construction markets; and custom designed and engineered products and systems for non-residential applications. Its Other Industrial segment provides turbo generators, transformers, and switchgears; develops and manufactures security, home automation, and access control technologies for the residential and commercial markets; and designs, manufactures, and distributes ergonomic products for use in a various working, learning, and healthcare environments. The company was formerly known as New Melrose Industries PLC and changed its name to Melrose Industries PLC in November 2015. Melrose Industries PLC was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Read More At Landsec, we strive to connect communities, realise potential and deliver sustainable places. As one of the largest real estate companies in Europe, our A11.8 billion portfolio spans 24 million sq ft (as at 30 September 2020) of well-connected retail, leisure, workspace and residential hubs. From the iconic Piccadilly Lights in the West End and the regeneration of London's Victoria, to the creation of retail destinations at Westgate Oxford and Trinity Leeds, we own and manage some of the most successful and memorable real estate in the UK. We aim to lead our industry in critical long-term issues A- from diversity and community employment, to carbon reduction and climate resilience. We deliver value for our shareholders, great experiences for our customers and positive change for our communities. Read More 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 HDFC Bank Limited provides various banking and financial services to individuals and businesses in India, Bahrain, Hong Kong, and Dubai. It operates in Treasury, Retail Banking, Wholesale Banking, Other Banking Business, and Unallocated segments. The company accepts savings, salary, current, and Demat accounts; fixed and recurring deposits; and safe deposit lockers, and rural and pension accounts, as well as offshore accounts and deposits, overdrafts against fixed deposits and salaries, and sweep-in facilities. It also provides personal, home, car, two wheeler, three wheeler, business, educational, gold, rural, and term loans; loans against properties, assets, and securities; loans for professionals; government sponsored programs; and loans on credit card, as well as working capital and commercial/construction equipment finance, term and professional loans, healthcare/medical equipment and commercial vehicle finance, and dealer finance. In addition, the company offers credit, debit, prepaid, and forex cards; payment and collection, export, import, remittance, bank guarantee, letter of credit, trade, hedging, loan syndication, and merchant and cash management services; and insurance and investment products. Further, it provides short term finance, bill discounting, structured finance, export credit, documents collection, Internet and wholesale banking, mobile banking, real time gross settlement, channel financing, vendor financing, reimbursement account, money market, derivatives, employee trusts, cash surplus corporates, tax payment, and bankers to rights/public issue services, as well as financial solutions for supply chain partners and agricultural customers. As of March 31, 2020, it had 5,416 branches and 13,640 automated teller machines in 2,803 cities/towns. HDFC Bank Limited was founded in 1994 and is based in Mumbai, India. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of American International Group: AGC Life Insurance Company, AIG APAC HOLDINGS PTE. LTD., AIG Advisors S.r.l., AIG Aerospace Insurance Services Inc., AIG Asia Pacific Insurance Pte. Ltd., AIG Asset Management (Europe) Limited, AIG Asset Management (U.S.) LLC, AIG Assurance Company, AIG Australia Limited, AIG Brazil Holding I LLC, AIG CIS Investments LLC, AIG Canada Holdings Inc., AIG Capital Corporation, AIG Capital Services Inc., AIG Claims Inc., AIG Egypt Insurance Company S.A.E., AIG Employee Services Inc., AIG Europe (Services) Limited, AIG Europe Holdings S.a.rl., AIG Europe S.A., AIG Federal Savings Bank, AIG Financial Products Corp., AIG General Insurance Co. Ltd., AIG Global Asset Management Holdings Corp., AIG Global Real Estate Investment Corp., AIG Global Reinsurance Operations, AIG Holdings Europe Limited, AIG Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited, AIG Insurance Company China Limited, AIG Insurance Company JSC, AIG Insurance Company of Canada, AIG Insurance Company-Puerto Rico, AIG Insurance Hong Kong Limited, AIG Insurance Limited, AIG Insurance Management Services Inc., AIG Insurance New Zealand Limited, AIG International Holdings GmbH, AIG Investments UK Limited, AIG Israel Insurance Company Ltd, AIG Japan Holdings Kabushiki Kaisha, AIG Kenya Insurance Company Limited, AIG Korea Inc., AIG Latin America I.I., AIG Latin America Investments S.L., AIG Lebanon SAL, AIG Life Holdings Inc., AIG Life Insurance Company (Switzerland) Ltd, AIG Life Limited, AIG Life South Africa Limited, AIG Life of Bermuda Ltd., AIG MEA Holdings Limited, AIG MEA Limited, AIG Malaysia Insurance Berhad, AIG Markets Inc., AIG Matched Funding Corp., AIG PC Global Services Inc., AIG Philippines Insurance Inc., AIG Property Casualty Company, AIG Property Casualty Inc., AIG Property Casualty International LLC, AIG Property Casualty U.S. Inc., AIG Re-Takaful (L) Berhad, AIG Resseguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Mexico S.A. de C.V., AIG Shared Services Corporation, AIG South Africa Limited, AIG Specialty Insurance Company, AIG Technologies Inc., AIG Travel Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., AIG Travel Assist Inc., AIG Travel Assist Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., AIG Travel EMEA Limited, AIG Travel Inc., AIG Uganda Limited, AIG Vietnam Insurance Company Limited, AIG WarrantyGuard Inc., AIG-FP Pinestead Holdings Corp., AIG-Metropolitana Cia. de Seguros y Reaseguros S.A., AIGGRE EOLA LLC, AIGGRE Europe Real Estate Fund I GP S.a r.l., AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund I GP LLC, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund I LP, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund II GP LLC, AIU Insurance Company, AM Holdings LLC, Ageas Protect, AlphaCat Managers Ltd., American General Corporation, American General Life Insurance Company, American Home Assurance Co. Ltd., American Home Assurance Company, American Home Assurance Company Escritorio de Representacao no Brasil Ltda., American International Group Inc., American International Group UK Limited, American International Overseas Association, American International Overseas Limited, American International Realty Corp., American International Reinsurance Company Ltd., American International Underwriters del Ecuador-Holding S.A., American Security Life Insurance Company Limited, Arthur J. Glatfelter Agency Inc., Avondhu Limited, Blackboard Customer Care Insurance Services LLC, Blackboard Insurance Company, Blackboard Services LLC, Blackboard Specialty Insurance Company, Blackboard U.S. Holdings Inc., Chartis Takaful Enaya B.S.C. (c), Commerce and Industry Insurance Company, Crop Risk Services Inc., Eaglestone Reinsurance Company, Ellipse, Fortitude Group Holdings LLC, Fortitude Life & Annuity Solutions Inc., Fortitude Reinsurance Company Ltd., Franklin Life Insurance Company, Fuji Fire and Marine, Glatfelter Insurance Group, Globe and Rutgers Insurance Group, Grand Isle SAC Limited, Granite State Insurance Company, Group Risk Services Limited, Group Risk Technologies Limited, Illinois National Insurance Co., Jefferson Eola Venture LLC, Johannesburg Insurance Holdings (Proprietary) Limited, Laya Healthcare Limited, Lexington Insurance Company, MG Reinsurance Limited, Mt. Mansfield Company Inc., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh Pa., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Vermont, New Hampshire Insurance Company, PT AIG Insurance Indonesia, Pine Street Real Estate Holdings Corp., Private Joint-Stock Company AIG Ukraine Insurance Company, Risk Specialists Companies Insurance Agency Inc., SA Affordable Housing LLC, SAFG Retirement Services Inc., Service Net Warranty LLC, Stratford Insurance Company, SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners Inc., SunAmerica Asset Management LLC, Talbot Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Ltd., Thai CIT Holding Company Limited, The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania, The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York, The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company, Travel Guard, Travel Guard Group Canada Inc./Groupe Garde Voyage du Canada Inc., Travel Guard Group Inc., Tudor Insurance Company, VALIC Financial Advisors Inc., Valic Retirement Services Company, Validus Holdings, Validus Holdings (UK) Ltd., Validus Holdings Ltd., Validus Reinsurance (Switzerland) Ltd, Validus Reinsurance Ltd., Validus Ventures Ltd., Volunteer Firemen's Insurance Services Inc., Western World Insurance Company, and Western World Insurance Group Inc.. 20 hours ago | June 23rd | 2021 5:00 AM You Quit Your Job Good for You! But How Does that Impact Your Investments? As companies make plans to return employees back to the office, millions of workers have made a decision not to go back at all. In fact, the number of people who quit their jobs increased to four million in April and increased 2.7%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The largest increases in employees leaving their jobs occurred in retail trade and professional and business services. Oshkosh Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets specialty vehicles and vehicle bodies worldwide. The company's Access Equipment segment provides aerial work platforms and telehandlers for use in various construction, industrial, institutional, and general maintenance applications. This segment also offers rental fleet loans and leases, and floor plan and retail financing through third-party funding arrangements; towing and recovery equipment; carriers and wreckers; equipment installation services; and chassis and service parts sales. Its Defense segment provides heavy, medium, and light tactical wheeled vehicles and related services for the department of defense. The company's Fire & Emergency segment offers custom and commercial firefighting vehicles and equipment; and commercial fire apparatus and emergency vehicles, such as pumpers, aerial platform, ladder and tiller trucks, tankers, rescue vehicles, wild land rough terrain response vehicles, mobile command and control centers, bomb squad vehicles, hazardous materials control vehicles, and other emergency response vehicles. This segment also provides aircraft rescue and firefighting, snow removal, and broadcast vehicles, as well as command trucks, and military simulator shelters and trailers. Its Commercial segment offers front-and rear-discharge concrete mixers for the concrete ready-mix industry; refuse collection vehicles and related components to commercial and municipal waste haulers; and field service vehicles and truck-mounted cranes for the construction, equipment dealer, building supply, utility, tire service, railroad, and mining industries. Oshkosh Corporation provides its products through direct sales representatives, dealers, and distributors. The company was formerly known as Oshkosh Truck Corporation and changed its name to Oshkosh Corporation in February 2008. Oshkosh Corporation was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Read More The Charles Schwab Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services. The Investor Services segment provides retail brokerage and banking services, retirement plan services, and other corporate brokerage services; equity compensation plan sponsors full-service recordkeeping for stock plans, stock options, restricted stock, performance shares, and stock appreciation rights; and retail investor, retirement plan, and mutual fund clearing services. The Advisor Services segment offers custodial, trading, banking, and support services; and retirement business and corporate brokerage retirement services. This segment provides brokerage accounts with cash management capabilities; third-party mutual funds, as well as proprietary mutual funds, plus mutual fund trading, and clearing services to broker-dealers; and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), including proprietary and third-party ETFs. It also offers advice solutions, such as managed portfolios of proprietary and third-party mutual funds and ETFs, separately managed accounts, customized personal advice for tailored portfolios, and specialized planning and portfolio management. In addition, this segment provides banking products and services, including checking and savings accounts, first lien residential real estate mortgage loans, home equity lines of credit, and pledged asset lines; and trust services comprising trust custody services, personal trust reporting services, and administrative trustee services. The company serves individuals and institutional clients in the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The Charles Schwab Corporation was incorporated in 1971 and is headquartered in Westlake, Texas. Read More Wall Street analysts have given SPDR Gold 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 SPDR Gold Shares wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Social Welfare & Bait ul Maal Department Jobs 2019 Latest Social Welfare & Bait ul Maal Management Posts Multan 2021 Government of The Punjab Social Welfare & Bait ul Maal Department required medical, health and experienced personnel for the posts of Nurse, Driver, Naib Qasid, Chowkidar, Watchman, Sweeper, Assistant, Accountant, Computer Operator, Clerk, Warden, Attendant, Aya, Mali, Cook, Dhobi, Cleaner, Marketing Organizer, Storekeeper, Supervisor, Teacher & Dispenser in Lahore, Multan, Nankana Sahib, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Rawalpindi, Sahiwal. How to Apply on Social Welfare & Bait ul Maal 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. General Electric Company operates as a high-tech industrial company worldwide. The company's Power segment offers heavy-duty and aeroderivative gas turbines for utilities, independent power producers, and industrial applications; maintenance, service, and upgrade solutions to plant assets and their operational lifecycle; steam power technology for fossil and nuclear applications, including boilers, generators, steam turbines, and air quality control systems; and advanced reactor technologies solutions comprising reactors, fuels, and support services for boiling water reactors. This segment also applies the science and systems of power conversion to provide motors, generators, automation, and control equipment; and drives for energy intensive industries, such as marine, oil and gas, mining, rail, metals, test systems, and water. Its Renewable Energy segment provides various solutions for its customers through combining onshore and offshore wind, blades, hydro, storage, solar, and grid solutions, as well as hybrid renewables and digital services offerings. The company's Aviation segment designs and produces commercial and military aircraft engines, integrated engine components, electric power, and mechanical aircraft systems; and provides aftermarket services. Its Healthcare segment develops, manufactures, markets, and services magnetic resonance, computed tomography, molecular imaging, x-ray and high-frequency soundwave systems, clinical monitoring and acute care systems, enterprise digital, artificial intelligence applications, consulting and command center, and complementary software and services; and researches, manufactures, and markets imaging agents. The company's Capital segment offers aviation leasing and financing, and working capital services; financial solutions and underwriting capabilities; and insurance and reinsurance for life and health risks, as well as annuity products. The company was founded in 1878 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Read More JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, production, and marketing of photovoltaic products. The company offers solar modules, silicon wafers, solar cells, recovered silicon materials, and silicon ingots. It also provides solar system integration services; and develops commercial solar power projects. The company sells its products to distributors, project developers, and system integrators; and utility, commercial, and residential customers under the JinkoSolar brand, as well as on an original equipment manufacturer basis. As of December 31, 2020, it had an integrated annual capacity of 22 gigawatt (GW) for mono wafers; 11 GW for solar cells; and 31 GW for solar modules. The company has operations in the People's Republic of China, the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, Chile, South Africa, India, Mexico, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, and internationally. JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. was founded in 2006 and is based in Shangrao, the People's Republic of China. Read More Invesco Ltd. is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm provides its services to retail clients, institutional clients, high-net worth clients, public entities, corporations, unions, non-profit organizations, endowments, foundations, pension funds, financial institutions, and sovereign wealth funds. It manages separate client-focused equity and fixed income portfolios. The firm also launches equity, fixed income, commodity, multi-asset, and balanced mutual funds for its clients. It launches equity, fixed income, multi-asset, and balanced exchange-traded funds. The firm also launches and manages private funds. It invests in the public equity and fixed income markets across the globe. The firm also invests in alternative markets, such as commodities and currencies. For the equity portion of its portfolio, it invests in growth and value stocks of large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap companies. For the fixed income portion of its portfolio, the firm invests in convertibles, government bonds, municipal bonds, treasury securities, and cash. It also invests in short term and intermediate term bonds, investment grade and high yield bonds, taxable and tax-free bonds, senior secured loans, and structured securities such as asset-backed securities, mortgage-backed securities, and commercial mortgage-backed securities. The firm employs absolute return, global macro, and long/short strategies. It employs quantitative analysis to make its investments. The firm was formerly known as Invesco Plc, AMVESCAP plc, Amvesco plc, Invesco PLC, Invesco MIM, and H. Lotery & Co. Ltd. Invesco Ltd. was founded in December 1935 and is based in Atlanta, Georgia with an additional office in Hamilton, Bermuda. Read More Seattle companys cannabis candies could fuel boom in stock shares (Ad) A popular Seattle cannabis manufacturer recently announced the roll-out of an all-new line of premium infused edibles, marketed under the brand name Goodies. Hand-crafted, gluten-free, and using all-natural ingredients, the candies and caramels contain micro-dose servings of just 5-mg THC for a controlled, measured experience. Get a FREE report on new pot stock blockbuster Radiant School Faculty Jobs 2019 in Rawalpindi Latest Radiant School Education Posts Rawalpindi 2021 Qualified, experienced and well educated female candidates for the posts of Math Teacher, Physics Teacher, Chemistry Teacher, Biology Teacher, Computer Science Teacher, Pakistan Studies Teacher, Islamiat Teacher required for Radiant School in Rawalpindi. How to Apply on Radiant School 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. Telephone: 051-4911112 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. People watch Tai Chi performance during a gala celebrating the Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year, in Frankfurt, Germany, on Feb. 10, 2019. (Xinhua/Lu Yang) 5 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] New Poverty Guidelines Shed Light on Health Care Debates House Democrats and HR 1: Voting rights expansion or federal power grab? Wolf Stops Mariner East 2, Other Energy Transfer Projects Luka Sabbat and Milk Team Up with NRDC on Provocative Climate Change Exhibition EWG News Roundup (2/8): Kardashian Stands Up for #BeautyMadeBetter, Babies Born Pre-Polluted with Teflon Chemicals and More Why an All of the Above Energy Policy Is Wrong for Fighting Climate Change New ExxonMobil Climate Risk Report Parrots Much of Last Report Dems Accuse Trump Admin of "State-Sponsored Child Abuse" as Separated Migrant Children Scandal Grows Ocasio-Cortez & Markey Unveil Sweeping "Green New Deal" to Radically Shift U.S. Off Fossil Fuels A womans death after her car fell into the Baraboo River has prompted authorities to pursue construction of guardrails along a risky stretch of road. Columbia County Sheriffs Office Sgt. Todd Horn suggested during Fridays Traffic Safety Commission meeting that the group send an advisory letter of construction of safety guardrails to the town of Caledonias leadership. The commission collectively agreed to send a letter of advisory. Horn said building guardrails along Cascade Mountain Road near the intersection with Fox Glen Road could help prevent other fatal crashes. It is a little sharp curve, and it would be well served to put something in there, Horn said. The idea would be to have a guardrail or a guard cable or something there. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Commission member Chuck Miller said he drove through the area after the fatal accident and felt there should be some sort of barrier along the river bank to stop vehicles from falling in. He said another vehicle had previously fallen into the same stretch of river in a March 2016 accident. Miller said the the woman who died in January was likely lost in the area. The Beaver Dam Community Hospitals Foundation Inc. would like to thank sponsors Ziegler Capital Management, Infinity Healthcare, Countryside GM Auto, Benvenutos Italian Grille and Recheks Food Pride, as well as everyone who attended the Feb. 2 performances of Junes Got the Cash, the Midwests most popular Johnny Cash and June Carter Tribute at the Beaver Dam High School Auditorium. The great success of this fundraising event would not have been possible without all of you. All in all, its great to see the work we have been doing in writing and to know that we are all in the business of working together to improve together, said Bobbie Boettcher, the chambers outgoing executive director. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Responding to merchants uncertainty over what might become of their businesses once they retire, the chamber focused part of its Professional Development on the Go series on business retention and succession planning. Weve made some progress, Bingle said. Its going to be an ongoing project. Downtown Baraboo Inc. President Deirdre Marshall said her organization addressed the business walks findings as well. DBI welcomes the feedback provided in the report, and has already been working on signage, marketing, extended downtown business hours and more events all areas that were seen as needing improvement, she said. Even struggling businesses reported that they wanted to stay and continue to do business here, and we are committed to helping them do that. To see all of the partners who facilitated the walk be involved in responding is heartening, Boettcher said. Oh, what a beautiful evening for live entertainment I t was indeed a totally theatrical experience as nearly 40 performers answered the call of the Winterset Stage and utilized their acting, vocal and dancing talents to work their way into the hearts of... Great Iowa Tractor Ride stops for lunch in Truro I f the question was posed, How do you get a farm girl to like you?, the simple answer might be a tractor. Many farm girls would have been delighted to see the various makes... Iowa storyteller presents new book about local history As a group of about a dozen people gathered to listen, author Darcy Maulsby presented her new book on Madison County Thursday, June 3, at the Winterset Public Library. Published in March, Madison County, part... Summer Classics and New Favorites at the Iowa Theater A switch got flipped Memorial Day weekend I feel like I almost heard it click into place. Hugging family, smiling at people you meet on the street, and the pastimes weve missed going... Andrew Guzzo, Merchants Bank president, stopped by Washington-Kosciusko School with Shelley Milek, Foundation for WAPS Executive Director, on Feb. 4. Guzzo was impressed with the school and enjoyed the visit to the kindergarten learning through playroom. Many of the items in the area were purchased with proceeds the school received from the Foundations annual fundraising event. Merchants Bank has served as a Lead Sponsor for each of the nine years that the fundraising event has been held. Speaking with kindergarten teacher, Kelly Allington, Guzzo learned of the value of the learning play space and of how its important components would not be possible without event proceeds. She was appreciative of Merchants Banks support; and Guzzo inserted that the private sector is called to serve the community and its learners this way; and Merchants Bank is honored to do so. The sold out A Night to Shine event will be held Feb. 23. Andrew and his wife, Dawn, are looking forward to sharing a table with Merchants Bank employees and enjoying another great Foundation event for a great cause. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Racism isnt new and will not go away. What is new is the interest in pointing it out and calling out its perpetrators through both mainstream and social media. Especially white racists. What explains the need to do this? And why do incidents go viral so quickly? Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/2/2019 (863 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion Racism isnt new and will not go away. What is new is the interest in pointing it out and calling out its perpetrators through both mainstream and social media. Especially white racists. What explains the need to do this? And why do incidents go viral so quickly? Take for instance the case of Nick Sandmann, a white teenager from Kentucky whose picture and video many will have now seen. In a video, Sandmann is standing across from Native American demonstrator, Nathan Phillips, who is holding a rawhide drum. Sandmann is smiling or smirking at Phillips. From the videos, we dont know which it is. What we do know is that Sandmann has been widely condemned for disrespecting Phillips. Sandmann was wearing a Make America Great Again (MAGA) cap. And many people believe wearing the MAGA cap proves that Sandmann is a racist. Maybe, as everyone seems loathe to do, instead of asking whether Sandmann is a racist or not, we might ask another question: why is there so much interest in this story? Why are so many people interested in pointing out and shaming individual white racists? There have been dozens of these events highlighted on social and mainstream media this year. Here are a few of the incidents that went viral and sparked outrage: a video of Fort McMurray teens mocking Indigenous dance, another of a North Carolina womans racist rant and the racist tirade against a Muslim family at the Toronto Ferry Terminal. Why are people less interested in calling out the systems that prime them to act in racist ways and foster lifelong inequities? Easy targets We think the reason lies in the fact that by pointing out other individual racists, people can feel good about themselves without actually doing very much. In this way, individuals do not need to question how they must change their lives to create the more just society they say they want. White people can feel good about themselves because, unlike what is claimed about Sandmann, they probably arent overtly racist. These days most people are not overtly or publicly racist. And being labelled a racist can lead to social stigma. The individual (who may or may not be white) racist and their story, however, provides easy answers and easy targets. Structural racism and colonization are not seen as the problem. It also allows people to ignore broader trends, such as the recent rise of hate crimes. Instead the focus is often on the spectacle of the incident and the problem is pinned on just one individual or a group of individuals. In the Sandmann case, many see the problem as the individual racist, not the context that created the MAGA movement. Ignored in the process of labelling people racists and shaming them is that the shaming fails to condemn actions. Instead, it focuses on a single person. Condemning people gives them little room to change, grow or learn from their mistakes. Humility is needed on all sides. The move to innocence Pointing out and condemning individuals for their racism is popular because it exemplifies what scholars Eve Tuck and Wayne Yang would call a "move to innocence." Moves to innocence are the rhetorical moves that people use to distance themselves from genocide and colonization. Those who have privilege and power can just tell themselves that they are one of the "good ones" because they arent racist like the people in the videos. In pointing out others as racist, people dont then have to ask themselves difficult questions about their own privilege or do the work of fostering social humility. Those of the dominant society dont have to think about the ways that they benefit from slavery, colonialism and land theft. They dont have to think about pipelines and stolen land. They dont have to think. They can just point. If we want to move forward, we need to stop taking an aggressive punitive approach to individual racism. This only divides the right and the left. No side is "innocent" when it comes to discrimination or colonization. Rima Wilkes is a professor of sociology at the University of British Columbia; Howard Ramos is a professor of sociology at Dalhousie University. This article was first published at The Conversation Canada: theconversation.com/ca. I hate to say it, but Canada and the United States are headed for a major bilateral dust-up in 45 days. And with U.S. President Donald Trump wandering around the White House, it is not the type of Canada-U.S. dispute that lends itself to easy resolution. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/2/2019 (863 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion I hate to say it, but Canada and the United States are headed for a major bilateral dust-up in 45 days. And with U.S. President Donald Trump wandering around the White House, it is not the type of Canada-U.S. dispute that lends itself to easy resolution. It revolves around the sticky issue of Title III lawsuits against Canadian companies operating on allegedly stolen property in Cuba under the badly outdated Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act (or what is popularly referred to as the Helms-Burton Law) of 1996. Recent pronouncements by the Trump administration that it is not going to sign off on the presidential waiver of the Title III provisions will leave the Canadian government with no choice but to protest firmly and loudly in official Washington. Let me see: firmly and loudly against Donald Trump. Hmm. Now that ought to go well for Justin Trudeau and Canada. Indeed, what could possibly go wrong? How about everything and then some? Remember, we have a NAFTA 2.0 still pending and a U.S. president who claimed it was the worst trade deal ever negotiated. Do we risk jeopardizing that by calling Trumps Cuba policy to task? The interesting thing about all of this is that weve actually been here before, battling over the implications of Helms-Burton. And the bilateral temperature was only lowered when former U.S. president Bill Clinton relented and chose to invoke the executive waiver of the Title III clause. But before the waiver was triggered, Canada launched an all-out diplomatic assault on the anti-Cuba law. The central focus then (and it will be again) of Ottawas efforts was on the "extraterritorial" application of U.S. law to Canadian corporate entities. There was just no way Canada (and many other countries) could permit the U.S. to "internationalize" its economic embargo against Cuba and compel Canadian companies to essentially disengage from the island under threat of legal jeopardy. The diplomatic strategy for Canada at that time was multi-pronged. First, it involved co-ordinating our pressure tactics with those of the similarly aggrieved Mexicans and Europeans. Ottawa then sought to thwart the law through invocation of the NAFTA dispute-resolution process. It also brought a legal challenge, in concert with our friends and allies, to the World Trade Organization. Moreover, the Canadian government introduced legislation to amend the 1985 Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act (FEMA) to counter the offending law. It contained so-called "blocking orders" that would ensure that legal judgments handed down by U.S. federal courts would not be enforceable in Canada. More importantly, the amended FEMA also permitted Canadians "to recover in Canadian courts any amounts awarded under those foreign rulings, along with their court costs in Canada and the foreign country." The reasons why Canada responded so forcefully 20-plus years ago are basically the same today. Significantly, there are dozens of Canadian companies operating in Cuba some doubtlessly on allegedly confiscated property that made their feelings very clear to the political leadership in Ottawa. To be sure, they expressed deep concern about the huge risks that Helms-Burton posed to Canadian investments in both Cuba and the United States. Furthermore, there were obvious domestic political-electoral considerations for why Ottawa needed to be perceived by voters as pushing back hard against Washington. The valuable "Cuba card," in which we highlight our autonomous and notably different approach to Cuba from that of the Americans, is viewed favourably by a large majority of Canadians. And the federal government understands well that almost 1.5 million Canadians travel to Cuba annually to enjoy sun and sand and, indirectly, to express solidarity with Cubans. But what is different this time around is the unpredictability, norm-breaking conduct and impulsiveness of Trump. The other complicating factor is the October 2019 federal election in Canada. Trudeau can ill afford to embolden the opposition parties and undermine his re-election chances by not talking tough with Trump. Given Trumps unpopularity in Canada, to say nothing of the ongoing imbroglio with the Chinese, the Trudeau Liberals dont want to be labelled as wimps or stooges. The problem with that strategy is that Trump loves to have a punching bag and someone to pick on. He also likes to think that he can win trade wars and thats the last thing that Canada needs. Did someone say automobiles and border congestion? I suppose you might say that Trudeau will have to pick his poison. But Im guessing that standing up to Trump on Helms-Burton is the most likely approach. And if that is the case, we should all get ready for one bumpy bilateral roller-coaster ride. Peter McKenna is professor and chair of political science at the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown. Nurse Job 2019 For House In Islamabad Latest House Medical Posts Islamabad 2021 Medical, health, experienced and technical female candidate for the position of Nurse required urgently for a large and established House in Islamabad Pakistan 2019. How to Apply on House 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. Telephone: 0315-5003695 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. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/2/2019 (863 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion It began with a mysterious noise. "KA-WONK! KA-WONK!" is how it sounded to me. "KA-WONK! KA-CHING!" Marty Westman / Detroit Free Press The suspicious sound surfaced a few weeks back as I was driving my car to the office over frozen, rutted roads. Fortunately, being something of an automotive expert, I knew precisely what to do I ignored it. The noise apparently did not appreciate being snubbed, so it stepped up the volume, forcing me to take more drastic action in the form of cranking up the car radio, which allowed me to drown out the cars death rattles by joining Meat Loaf for a soaring duet of Paradise by the Dashboard Light. So the noise and I were rolling along happily together until the other weekend when my wife, She Who Must Not Be Named, joined me in the car for a trip to the local mall. "Whats that noise?" my spouse demanded to know a few minutes into the drive. I shrugged my shoulders, because I am a person not unlike Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger with an impressive emotional range. "What noise would that be, dear?" I replied. "Are you kidding?" she asked, zapping me with a laser-beam look. "Your car is making a weird KA-WONK! KA-WONK! KA-CHING! noise." I tried to explain to her that modern cars are supposed to make noises like that and its nothing to worry about, but you will be shocked to hear she did not buy that explanation. When we got home, my wife insisted I needed to investigate this troubling noise, so in an effort to restore peace to our relationship, I implemented the following three-stage car-repair strategy: I opened the hood of the car after my wife showed me how to do that and stared at the engine; After a minute or two roughly the time it takes a standard man to read a Valentines Day card I made a frowny face at the engine and began scratching my chin; I suggested to my wife that everything looked OK to me, but if she really wanted I could (a) poke the engine with a stick, or (b) wrap something, perhaps the muffler, in duct tape. Again, this did not impress my wife, who owns an impressive collection of power tools, wrenches and pliers and takes great pride in the fact she can field-strip a standard toilet in under two minutes. When she was unable to determine the source of the noise, she insisted we contact a higher authority, namely our son, who was born wearing a pair of Italian leather driving gloves and can tell you the specs of any engine based solely on the colour of the vehicle. So we called my son and put him on speakerphone so I could do an impression of the noise the car had been making. "Its sort of KA-WONK! KA-WONK!" I explained over the phone. This wasnt enough for my wife. "Theres also a KA-CHING! KA-CHING! RATTLE! THUMP!" she chimed in. My son paused briefly as his auto-friendly young brain processed this information. "Well," he finally said, "I suppose its possible theres a mouse running around in the engine block, but you might have a loose rocker arm. Could be carbon in the combustion chamber. Or youre using fuel with the wrong octane rating? I think Id check for a mouse first." After banging on the engine with a broom, I decided it was most likely mouse-free, which is when my wife decided we had no choice but to call our friendly, neighbourhood mechanic, who she believes is more trustworthy than the Pope and/or the entire Canadian Senate. So we called the garage and got the mechanic on the line. He put us on speakerphone because he thought it would be fun for all the guys in the shop to listen as we did our impressions of the mysterious car noises. "KA-WONK! KA-WONK!" I bellowed. "KA-CHING! KA-CHING!" my wife added. After a brief pause, wherein we could literally hear him scratching his head, the mechanic finally offered this thought: "Hmmm." For those of you who are not experts in the ins and outs of automotive repair or who did not attend medical school it is never a good sign when your mechanic or doctor says "hmmm." "It sounds like your gargulator might be frazzled," is what I think he told us, although it might just as easily have been: "It sounds like your frazzler might be gargulated." But thats not the point. The point is that all signs pointed to this being an extremely expensive noise. "Just how much do you think it will cost to fix a noise like that?" is what I wanted to know, feeling a cold, clammy sweat trickling down my back and into my wallet. The mechanic heaved a sigh to convey the notion that, sadly, gargulators and frazzlers do not come cheap in todays high-pressure automotive marketplace. So we dropped the car off at the garage for a sleepover and, as it warmed up, it developed a leak in the water pump to go along with broken springs and battered axles and other assorted auto ailments that added up to roughly what you would expect to pay for a winter getaway on a tropical island where they serve rum-intensive beverages in pineapples decorated with tiny paper umbrellas. When we got home with my repaired car, and an itemized bill, I felt the need to unwind, so I went to the refrigerator, pulled out a cold beer and slammed the fridge door. "KA-WONK! KA-WONK!" screeched the fridge. "Whats that noise?" my wife hollered from the den. "Nothing," I replied. "Just me opening a beer." doug.speirs@freepress.mb.ca A quarry to extract silica sand from land near Hollow Water has yet to be approved, but 200 people have already submitted job applications, the First Nation's chief said. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/2/2019 (863 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A quarry to extract silica sand from land near Hollow Water has yet to be approved, but 200 people have already submitted job applications, the First Nation's chief said. People are hungry for work, especially with the Bissett gold mine closed and the Tembec pulp and paper mill in Pine Falls gone. "I'm very excited for my community and to see business increase," Hollow Water Chief Larry Barker said. Canadian Premium Sand wants to build a $110-million operation near Hollow Water, about 200 kilometres north of Winnipeg on the east side of Lake Winnipeg, that would create 100 jobs at the site, and an additional 50 jobs in trucking. If an environmental licence is approved, it could begin quarrying by the end of this year. The operation would have a payroll of $4.5 million per year. It would pay $10 million annually in direct taxes to the government, but that figure could multiply by as much as six from taxes on things such as salaries and supply purchases, company spokeswoman Bronwyn Weaver said. The company has promised Hollow Water first crack at those jobs, along with the Metis communities of Manigotagan and Seymourville, and would run training programs for new employees. Experienced managers would initially run the operation and then give way to local people. "They're going to train our people, and eventually we're going to be running it," Barker said. Barker said the proposed project has been unfairly criticized. Extra truck traffic and health concerns about fine silica sand are two major concerns. Hollow Water is not unfamiliar with silica sand operations. A quarry was operated off its shores on Black Island until the late 1980s. Barker worked there along with many elders in the community, and he said he has been assured health and safety measures would be vastly improved. Barker said there would be spinoff business opportunities such as catering the company's facility, and additional workers would be needed to build the seven-kilometre road from the facility to Highway 304. Hollow Water Chief Larry Barker said his community is excited about the proposed project and the jobs it would provide. (Wayne Glowacki / Winnipeg Free Press files) Canadian Premium Sand hopes it can help start some local businesses such as a tire-fixing shop and grocery store, by contracting them out or providing seed money. Barker said the company has consulted with the First Nation for two years and has set up three committees, including one comprised of elders and a monitoring committee to ensure the quarry is run properly. It applied for an environmental licence in late December. There are 2,600 active sand and gravel quarries in Manitoba. The largest quarry operation is near Stonewall, but there are a series of large quarries off Highway 59 on Garven Road. The sand at Hollow Water is about two feet below a surface of soil and vegetation. The company would run a restoration program after areas are quarried. Canadian Premium Sand would occupy 37 acres. Twelve acres would be quarried while the next site is prepared for quarrying and the previous quarried site is regenerated using the same overburden that was removed, and reforestation. The company is willing to look at developing some food production in the regeneration area such as blueberries or wild rice production, Weaver said. RM of Alexander Reeve Jack Brisco wants to relay concerns to the environmental review about the portion of Highway 304 west of Highway 11. "It's a windy road," he said. "There's usually a death along that highway every year." Brisco acknowledged the mine could bring many benefits. "If they look after concerns on the highway and the silica dust, it's going to be a huge economic boost to the whole area," he said. Ray Garand, who runs trucking operation Ray-Ann Transport Ltd. in Powerview-Pine Falls, said the sand quarry is the biggest thing to hit the area in perhaps decades. Mines, such as the Bissett gold mine, "are up and down like a yo-yo," but the CPS quarry has the potential to be a steady employer for 50 years, he said. That's how long Canadian Premium Sand estimates the resource it staked can support mining. bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau welcomed Monday an investigation by the federal ethics commissioner into an allegation that his office pressured former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould to help SNC-Lavalin avoid criminal prosecution. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/2/2019 (863 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau welcomed Monday an investigation by the federal ethics commissioner into an allegation that his office pressured former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould to help SNC-Lavalin avoid criminal prosecution. And while she has fuelled the controversy by refusing to comment on the allegation, Trudeau said he continues to have "full confidence" in Wilson-Raybould, whom he moved to the veterans affairs portfolio in January. Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti responds to a question during Question Period in the House of Commons Thursday February 7, 2019 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld Moreover, he appeared to suggest she would have resigned from cabinet had she felt she'd been improperly pressured. "In our system of government, of course, her presence in cabinet should actually speak for itself," he said following a housing announcement in Vancouver. The issue has been dogging Trudeau since last Thursday, when the Globe and Mail, citing anonymous sources, said the Prime Minister's Office leaned heavily on Wilson-Raybould to instruct the director of public prosecutions, as allowed by law, to negotiate a remediation agreement with SNC-Lavalin. That would have allowed the Quebec-based engineering giant to pay reparations but avoid a criminal trial on charges of corruption and bribery in relation to its efforts to win government contracts in Libya. On Monday, ethics commissioner Mario Dion announced that he has launched an investigation into the allegation, saying he has "reason to believe" there may have been a possible violation of Section 9 of the Conflict of Interest Act. Section 9 prohibits a public-office holder from seeking to influence a decision so as to improperly further another person's private interests. "We welcome the ethics commissioner's investigation," Trudeau said. "This is an issue that has been much talked about over the last few days and I think it's extremely important that Canadians can continue to have confidence in our system." Wilson-Raybould was not among the British Columbia Liberal MPs who attended multiple events with Trudeau in the Vancouver area. But the prime minister said he'd met with her a couple of times since arriving in her hometown on Sunday and said he continues to have "full confidence" in her. Trudeau said he respects Wilson-Raybould's view that she can't comment on the controversy due to solicitor-client privilege an issue he said is complicated and on which he's asked David Lametti, Wilson-Raybould's replacement as justice minister and attorney general, for advice. In the meantime, he said Wilson-Raybould "confirmed for me a conversation we had this fall where I told her directly that any decisions on matters involving the director of public prosecutions were hers alone." But Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said it's "imperative" that Trudeau waive solicitor-client privilege and let Wilson-Raybould speak freely. "I think it's time for Justin Trudeau to stop speaking for Jody Wilson-Raybould and let her speak for herself," Scheer told a news conference in Fredericton, N.B. "If he's innocent, if he has nothing to hide, he should waive this immediately." Notwithstanding the ethics commissioner's probe, Scheer said the House of Commons justice committee also needs to launch an investigation. The Conservatives and NDP have joined forces to get a committee meeting Wednesday to consider a motion calling on nine high-ranking government officials to testify on the controversy. The list includes Wilson-Raybould herself, Lametti, the prime minister's chief of staff Katie Telford, and his principal secretary Gerald Butts. "This is more than just an issue of ethics," said Scheer. "There's potential criminality at play and there must be multiple investigations in order to get answers." NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh echoed that sentiment. "There's something deeply troubling about the fact that we've got a government that essentially has put forward a loophole that benefits this corporation and fired an attorney general who tried to resist pressure to go along with dropping this case," said Singh at his campaign office in Burnaby, B.C., where he's running in a byelection. Singh said Trudeau is talking about his conversations with Wilson-Raybould and should waive privilege so that she, too, "can talk about what really happened." And it wasn't just opposition MPs calling for a parliamentary investigation. New Brunswick Liberal MP Wayne Long said in a statement posted to social media that he was "extremely troubled" when the allegation surfaced last week and nothing he has heard since has made him feel more settled. "How the law treats individuals or corporations in our society is not, and should never be, incumbent upon the political pressure they can exert upon politicians," he said. Long stressed he's not rushing to any judgment but believes "a full and transparent investigation" by the House of Commons justice committee is necessary to provide answers in the affair. For that reason, he said he supports the opposition motion to launch an inquiry. Government officials have confirmed that Wilson-Raybould was involved in intensive internal discussions last fall about whether to instruct the director of public prosecutions to drop her insistence on a trial and negotiate a remediation agreement with SNC-Lavalin. Lametti echoed that message after speaking to a Canadian Bar Association meeting Monday. While he declined to say much about a case that is before the courts, he did say there was nothing wrong with Wilson-Raybould's being involved in internal discussions about whether to let SNC-Lavalin avoid a criminal trial. "It is important to remember that while the attorney general sits at a certain distance from his cabinet colleagues, in Canada unlike in other countries he does not work in isolation from them, or the important experiences or considerations that those colleagues bring to the table. These discussions can improve the quality of decision-making," Lametti said, speaking of the duties he now had. "But there is a line that cannot be crossed telling the attorney general what a decision ought to be. That would be interference. And at the end of the day, I abide by the long-standing principle that when acting as attorney general, I will apply my judicial mind to a decision, and not my political mind." with files from Jim Bronskill, Laura Kane in Vancouver and Kevin Bissett in Fredericton. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/2/2019 (863 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. BOARDS Skal Winnipeg Skal is a professional organization of tourism leaders from around the world, promoting global tourism and friendship, and is the only international group uniting all branches of the travel and tourism industry. Skal Winnipeg will host the North American Skal Congress from April 30 to May 2, 2020. Skal Winnipeg announced its 2019 executive committee: president David Chizda, director, sales & business development, RBC Convention Centre; vice-president Laurie Barkman, general manager, Alt Hotels Winnipeg; executive secretary/treasurer Lorne Perrin; Skal Canada representative Trevor Clearwater, senior director, business development & sales, Assiniboine Park Conservancy; past president John van Houdt, owner, Amazing Cruises & Safaris. Directors: Tammy MacIntosh, travel consultant, Ixtapa Travel; Dale Bruzell, senior sales manager, Fairfield Inns & Suites; Dan Carlson, general manager, Norwood Hotel; and Annie Henry, business development manager, Tourism Winnipeg. Manitoba Real Estate Association has announced its 2019 board of directors: president David Powell; president-elect Glen Tosh, Royal LePage Martin-Liberty Realty; immediate past-president Shirley Przybyl, Century 21 Bachman & Associates; treasurer Stewart Elston, ACT Realty; director at large Julie Friesen, Delta Real Estate; director at large (individual member) Brad Walker, Gill & Schmall Agencies; Canadian Real Estate Association regional director Michael Barrett, Century 21 Westman.com Ltd.; Manitoba Political Action Committee chairman Lorne Weiss, Century 21 Bachman & Associates; education chairwoman Roberta Weiss, Century 21 Bachman & Associates; WinnipegREALTORS president Ken Clark, ACT Realty; WinnipegREALTORS president-elect Catherine Schellenberg, Re/Max professionals; and Brandon-area REALTORS president Darla Helena, Century 21 Westman Realty Ltd. AWARDS Brenda LaRose, partner with Leaders International Executive Search, was the recipient of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the Aboriginal Business Hall of Fame. Brenda started a boutique search firm in 1999, and it is internationally recognized for its expertise in placing Indigenous executives and board members. In the spring of 2017, Higgins Executive Search merged with Leaders International Executive Search, the largest Canadian-owned search firm and part of an international network of 47 offices globally. Got a promotion or a new contract? Email your submission to: bizlistings@freepress.mb.ca SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - A judge has refused to approve an agreement between coastal officials and the owners of a stretch of Southern California coastline that would allow very limited access to beaches. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/2/2019 (863 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - A judge has refused to approve an agreement between coastal officials and the owners of a stretch of Southern California coastline that would allow very limited access to beaches. Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Colleen Sterne ruled last week that the public's interest was not fully represented in the agreement over access to the 22-square mile (57-square-kilometre) Hollister Ranch, where wealthy homeowners live on houses on a limited number of large lots with stunning ocean views, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday. The settlement was signed last year by the California State Coastal Conservancy and the state Coastal Commission on one side and the Hollister Ranch Owners Association on the other. It would limit access to those who could boat or paddle 2 miles (3.2 kilometres) to reach it, to visitors with guides, the ranch's landowners and their guests. The ruling does not reject the settlement, but establishes a path for opponents to have it thrown out. Next steps could include a lawsuit against the state for failing to include a public process prior to making this deal with Hollister. The agreement was reached behind closed doors and generated public outrage last year after the Times published the terms. The outcry became a flashpoint in the mounting pressure on state officials to ensure that California's beaches are open to everyone. The judge's decision is a major victory for coastal advocates who are calling on officials to fight harder against ranch homeowners and give greater public access to some of California's most coveted beaches and surf breaks. Sterne, in her ruling Friday, acknowledged "substantial opposition on behalf of the absent but affected public interest." Hollister Ranch has 8.5 miles (13.6 kilometres) of beaches, a 2.2-mile-long (3.5-kilometre) shoreline preserve and 136 privately owned parcels. Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com/ BERLIN - Swiss Federal Railways and Bombardier Inc. say that new train deliveries may not resume for some time, apologizing to passengers as the vehicles fail to live up to expectations. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/2/2019 (863 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A Bombardier logo is shown at a Bombardier assembly plant in Mirabel, Que., Friday, October 26, 2018. Swiss Federal Railways and Bombardier Inc. say that new train deliveries may not resume for some time, and are apologizing to passengers as the vehicles fail to live up to expectations. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes BERLIN - Swiss Federal Railways and Bombardier Inc. say that new train deliveries may not resume for some time, apologizing to passengers as the vehicles fail to live up to expectations. Following a joint presentation to Swiss parliament, executives said in a statement that "it will still be a while before the train can satisfy all aspects" of Switzerlands customer standards. Swiss Railways halted deliveries of the intercity, double-deck trains on Jan. 22, citing doors that don't close properly as well as motor and software problems. So far, the railway has received 12 of the 62 vehicles slated for delivery under a US$1.9-billion contract. A spokesman for Bombardier's transportation division, based in Berlin, says it could incur financial penalties from the delays. Swiss Railways was one of three public transit customers that opted to stop taking trains from Bombardier last month until it fixes the ones already in service. Companies in this story: (TSX:BBD.B) WASHINGTON - Private investigators working for Jeff Bezos have concluded that the brother of the Amazon CEO's mistress leaked the couple's intimate text messages to the National Enquirer, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Monday. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/2/2019 (863 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE- In this Sept. 13, 2018, file photo Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and CEO, speaks at The Economic Club of Washington's Milestone Celebration in Washington. Jeff Bezos, the worldAos richest man and CEO of Amazon, is publicly accusing The National Enquirer in a blog post of trying to blackmail him by threatening to release more intimate photos of him unless he calls off an investigation into how that information was obtained in the first place. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File) WASHINGTON - Private investigators working for Jeff Bezos have concluded that the brother of the Amazon CEO's mistress leaked the couple's intimate text messages to the National Enquirer, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Monday. The person wasn't authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. The findings add to the intrigue surrounding the clash between the pro-Trump tabloid and the world's richest man. Bezos' investigators have suggested the Enquirer's coverage of his affair was driven by dirty politics. Trump has been highly critical of Bezos over his ownership of The Washington Post and Amazon, and the Post's coverage of the White House. The brother, Michael Sanchez, is a supporter of President Donald Trump and an acquaintance of Trump allies Roger Stone and Carter Page. He is also the manager of his sister, Lauren Sanchez, a former TV anchor. The investigators have not said how they believe Michael Sanchez came into possession of his sister's intimate messages. Michael Sanchez did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on Monday. In a Jan. 31 tweet, he said without evidence that Bezos' longtime security consultant, Gavin de Becker, who is leading the private investigation, "spreads fake, unhinged conservative conspiracy theories." An attorney for the tabloid's parent company did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. On Sunday, an attorney for the head of American Media, which owns the Enquirer, said that the information for the story had been provided by a "reliable source" well-known to Bezos and Lauren Sanchez. The source had provided information to the company for at least seven years, Elkan Abramowitz, an attorney for American Media Inc. chief executive David Pecker, said on ABC's "This Week." He was asked if Sanchez was the source and he said: "I'm not permitted to tell you or confirm or deny who the source is." But the Daily Beast, citing people inside American Media, Inc., reported that Sanchez was the Enquirer's source. Bezos ordered the investigation after the Enquirer published a story about the affair last month. The investigators have since turned over the results of their probe to attorney Richard Ben-Veniste for review and possible referral to law enforcement. Ben-Veniste had served as special prosecutor during the Watergate scandal. Bezos has said AMI threatened to publish explicit photos of him unless he stopped investigating how the Enquirer obtained his private exchanges, and publicly declared that the Enquirer's coverage of him was not politically motivated. Federal prosecutors are also looking into whether the Enquirer violated a co-operation and non-prosecution agreement that recently spared the tabloid and top executives from charges for paying hush money to a Playboy model who claimed she had an affair with Trump, two people familiar with the matter told the AP. The people weren't authorized to discuss the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity. Associated Press writers Michael R. Sisak and Jim Mustian in New York contributed to this report. This story corrects the spelling of the last name of the attorney representing American Media's CEO. Viewed of Take Five - This is your final free article during this 30 day period.Stay in touch with all of the news from Winchester, Frederick and Clarke. Sign up today for complete digital access to The Winchester Star. Kinnaird College Lahore Jobs 2019 for Managers & Directors Latest Kinnaird College Education Posts Lahore 2021 Kinnaird College for Women Lahore, Pakistan seek candidates for the posts of Program Manager, Assistant Manager Purchase, HR Officer, Project Coordinator, IT Support Engineer, Laboratories Coordinator, Assistant, Cleaner, Helper Plumber, Mali, Editor, Security Guard. How to Apply on Kinnaird College 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. Company Address: The Principal Kinnaird College of Women 93- Jail Road Lahore Telephone: 042-99203781-84 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. Willmar, MN (56201) Today Partly to mostly cloudy. High 88F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds from time to time. Low 61F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Information from: Jefferson City News Tribune, http://www.newstribune.com Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. This baby seal was located and secured by New London ACO Kelly Duso. (New London Police Department) At stop lights or freeway on and off ramps, youve probably seen people holding signs and asking for money. It can be tempting to hand over your spare change, but next time you may want to think twice. WESTPORT A local man alleged to have harrassed women for years at area stores has once again been arrested. Resident James Lawrence, 53, was arrested on charges of second-degree harassment after a victim told the Westport police on Sept. 18 that she was repeatedly harassed by Lawrence. The victim said she made multiple requests to Lawrence that he stop contacting her, but he continued to contact her through email, police said. Police submitted a warranted for Lawrences arrest, and on Feb. 6 he was taken into custody after an officer spotted him at a local gas station. Lawrence was brought to police headquarters and released after posting a $25,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in state Superior Court of Norwalk on Feb. 7. Lawrence was also arrested in March after he allegedly followed a woman around Westports Fresh Market grocery store and then to her car in November 2017. After Lawrences arrest report was released in March, several woman came forward claiming they had experienced similar harassment from Lawrence at local shops. Since 2002, Lawrence was logged by Westport police in 10 incidents where women felt harassed by him, but in each case, they felt afraid to pursue charges against him for fear of retaliation, according to court documents. Lawrence has a record of arrests outside of Connecticut, including resisting arrest and fleeing/eluding police in Florida. In California, he was charged with petty theft, theft of personal property, stalking, inflicting corporal injury to spouse and battery of a spouse. In court documents, officer James Sullivan, who was charged with investigating Lawrence in preparation for his March arrest, detailed the 10 incidents in which women reported Lawrence to the Westport police. In all of these complaints, Lawrence was seen following the complainants around a store or coffee shop and then following them out to their cars, where he would either stare at them or get right into their personal space. In most of these cases, Lawrence was told his actions scared the complainants to the point of them calling the police, Sullivan wrote. In the Fresh Market case, the complainant would not provide a sworn statement for fear that Lawrence would find her and retaliate, Sullivan wrote. I also learned that in all the nine other cases that the complainants all felt the same way. That they all feared for their safety and because of this were reluctant to provide statements, he added. svaughan@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2638; @SophieCVaughan1 WESTON A $2 million home at 103 Good Hill Road caught fire Sunday night. The Weston Volunteer Fire Department responded to a structure fire at the residence around 9:15 p.m. Neighbors and residents were warned through social media to avoid the area while firefighters worked to extinguished the flames. Upon arrival, firefighters found the blaze had extended to the attic near the garage of the home, an updated post to the fire departments Facebook page read on Monday. Flames could also be seen shooting through the roof. In addition to the 26 Weston firefighters who tackled the blaze, multiple fire departments helped put out the fire, including the Georgetown and Wilton fire departments. Westport Fire Department provided coverage during the incident, while Weston Volunteer EMS assisted with rehab and firefighter monitoring. The family was home at the time but no one was injured, according to reports. The Weston Fire Marshal is investigating the incident, which has been deemed not suspicious. According to Zillow.com, the 7,745-square-foot house has been listed for sale since October, and estimated to be worth around $2 million. Giving his name as Dr. Jerome William Gorman, a fashionably dressed youth, was arrested in New Haven by the New Haven police last night, charged with the theft of clothing from a Yale fraternity house last fall. A search of an expensive roadster, in which he travels about the country, revealed two fur coats. The coats were found to be those stolen from the Presbyterian Church last Friday night. They are the property of Roswell Van Loan and his brother who reside at 223 Shippan Point. Detective Sergeant Daniel Hanrahan went to New Haven this morning and recovered the coats. New Haven police are holding Gorman for the thefts of the fraternity house. He will be brought here when the charge against him in New Haven is finished. Police do not believe he is a doctor. 55 years ago Petitioners ask new school for North Stamford The Riverbank Parent Teacher Association has obtained the signatures of 766 residents on petitions urging immediate construction of another elementary school in North Stamford. The petitions, as previously announced, will be submitted for consideration of the Planning Board before its public hearing at 8 p.m. Thursday, on the Planning Boards 1964 to 1965 capital projects recommendations. The Planning Board has included funds for construction of another North Stamford elementary school, in its 1964 to 1965 recommendations. However, this recommendation must be accepted also by the mayor; the Finance Board and the Board of Representatives before becoming effective. 25 years ago State: Teachers must get raises Whats the cost of disregarding Donald Sherers free advice? Maybe $1 million to Stamford taxpayers. City representatives thought they had rejected $1 million in raises for Stamford teachers and school administrators last month, but a procedural error that City Rep. Sherer R-19, tried to stop has led the state Education Department to put the raises into effect anyway. When the board voted Jan. 20 on rejecting the arbitrators decisions that led to the raises, they voted no by more than two-thirds on motions to accept the contracts. But the teachers union claimed, successfully, that people opposed to the contract should have been voting yes on a motion to reject it. erin.kayata@stamfordadvocate.com; (203) 964-2265; @erin_kayata STAMFORD - John Mallozzi, former chief of the Democratic City Committee, was arraigned Monday in state Superior Court on charges he submitted fraudulent absentee ballots to the town clerks office in the 2015 municipal election. Mallozzi stood with his attorney, Stephan Seeger, as Judge Bruce Hudock moved the case to the Part A docket, where more serious matters are heard, at the request of States Attorney Richard Colangelo Jr. The arraignment in the Hoyt Street courthouse took less than a minute. Mallozzis next court date will be March 20. Seeger has said his client will plead not guilty. Mallozzi is charged with two Class D felonies - 14 counts of filing false statements on absentee ballots and 14 counts of second-degree forgery. Investigators in Colangelos office allege that Mallozzi falsely signed 14 ballots in the names of relatives and Albanian-American Stamford residents. Each count is punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $5,000. Mallozzi was arrested Jan. 30 and released on $50,000 bail. Since news of Colangelos investigation came to light two years ago, Seeger has said that all the is were not dotted and the ts were not crossed in procedures for handling absentee ballots in the town clerks office at the time of the 2015 election. The stringency of the rules had eroded to such a degree that irregularities became acceptable, Seeger has said. His client is not the only person to whom irregularities can be attributed, Seeger has said. Donna Loglisci, the town clerk at the time, is a witness in the Mallozzi case, according to his arrest warrant affidavit. She has not been charged, but admitted in the affidavit that she gave Mallozzi blank absentee ballots and accepted completed ones from him, even though state law requires they be given directly to the voters who request them. Loglisci, a Republican who was town clerk for 16 years, ran for re-election in 2017 but was defeated by Democrat Lyda Ruijter. Longtime Democratic Party volunteer Robert Figueroa also was allowed to pick up blank ballots, which he delivered to Mallozzi and Willy Giraldo, then a District 4 Democrat on the Board of Representatives and a member of the Democratic City Committee, according to the affidavit. Neither Figueroa nor Giraldo has been charged in the case. Figueroa is married to Anabel Figueroa, a District 8 Democrat on the Board of Representatives and a member of the Democratic City Committee. The 2015 election decided seats on the Board of Representatives, Board of Finance and Board of Education. Turnout was low, so the weight of each vote was amplified. The race for a seat in Board of Representatives District 17, for example, was won by one vote. Absentee ballots in the election accounted for 6 percent of the total vote count. Mallozzi, who led the citys Democratic Party from 2012 to 2016, played a key role in the 2013 election of Mayor David Martin, now in his second term. Colangelo has said his office investigated only the 2015 election after the citys registrars of voters that year reported a suspicious case involving an absentee ballot for a voter in the Cove. Expanding the probe to previous elections was not possible because there were no records, Colangelo has said. State law requires that town clerks keep absentee ballots from municipal elections for 22 months. After Mallozzis arrest, Martin acknowledged their 35-year friendship and said he hoped the charges were not true. Shortly after Martin was elected in 2013, he named Robert Figueroa to the Stamford Police Commission, where Figueroa continues to serve. According to Mallozzis arrest affidavit, a state forensic science analyst determined that the signatures on 14 absentee ballots matched handwriting samples he submitted. None of those voters had requested an absentee ballot, the affidavit states. acarella@stamfordadvocate.com; 203-964-2296. DANBURY Police and mall security were already on their way to help 16-year-old Hailey Nailor before she committed suicide Saturday at the Danbury Fair mall. Police received a call to check on the Danbury High School student and were told she was at the malls parking garage, Detective Lt. Mark Williams said. But Williams said when officers arrived at 1:20 p.m., Nailor had already jumped to her death from the garages fifth level. Police said Nailor was alone and her family was notified. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to all those affected by this tragic incident, Williams said in a statement, declining to comment further about the incident. Police are investigating the case and school officials will review whether bullying played in a role in Nailors death, although her family said they do not believe she was bullied. The state Office of the Child Advocate, which monitors programs that serve children, is reviewing the death to determine if a full investigation is warranted. After conducting preliminary review a determination may be reached to conduct a more comprehensive review of the child fatality, said Faith Vos Winkel, assistant child advocate. On Monday morning, barricades and police tape blocked the entrance to the fifth level of the garage. A spokeswoman for the Danbury Fair mall directed questions to the police. We are deeply saddened by the events on Saturday, the spokeswoman said. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the family. Moments before she died, Nailor posted a video to Snapchat, saying she planned to commit suicide. From atop the garage, the wind whipped through her hair. She recorded herself contemplating if she should go through with it, her friend Luis Lopez, 18, said. She sadly did go through with it. Screenshots of insensitive comments made by another teenage girl about what happened were shared on social media over the weekend, sparking outrage among those who knew Nailor, as well as those who didnt. More Information Suicide prevention lifeline If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or needs emotional support, help is available 24/7 through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The lifeline is free, confidential and available any time by calling 1-800-273-8255 or by visiting www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org. See More Collapse Lopez said he notified Danbury High School Principal Dan Donovan on Saturday after finding out what happened. I emailed him and let him know the situation, Lopez said. He responded within seconds and said something will be done about it. In a post on the school districts Facebook page Sunday evening, Superintendent Sal Pascarella referred to inappropriate information posted about the student online and said the schools principal was working with authorities to have it removed. He recommended parents have a discussion with their children if they had seen the post. In addition if at any point you feel your child may be having difficulties, please contact their school principal, counselor or social worker for support, Pascarella said in the post. District leaders declined to comment on Monday, but issued a short statement, calling the incident a terrible tragedy. We are mindful of hurtful comments that continue to circulate on social media that are directed at our schools and other members of our community, and we continue to cooperate with administrators and local authorities to investigate all of the surrounding circumstances, the statement read. Students at Danbury High described a somber, but supportive mood in school on Monday. Announcements at the start and end of the school day informed students that counselors were available and encouraged them to seek help if they needed it. Many students wore black, an effort organized over social media. Even though I didnt know her, its a hurt in the community, said Asiyah McClain, a 17-year-old senior. Police were also at the school on Monday, while counselors at local districts, including New Milford and Easton, Redding and Region 9, were on call to assist at Danbury High School. Since Sandy Hook, that has been a very powerful measure that weve implemented in terms of all us in the region working together, said Laura Olson, New Milfords director of pupil personnel and special services. Danbury officials expect the incident and the social media conversations that have followed will put bullying and cyberbullying back in the spotlight, regardless of whether it was related to what happened Saturday. I think this is going to cause us to drill down, whether or not it was a part of this, school board chairman Pat Johnston said. Anything like this that opens up the conversation, theres nothing bad that comes from re-examining it. One of the upsetting factors of being a parent is that rapid nature of social media, he continued. It flies off in a hundred different directions. Nobody knows whats true and whats not. Teachers and parents must continue to emphasize the importance of compassion for other students as part of the learning experience across Danbury, school board member Emanuela Palmares said. Every time there is a tragic, horrific incident like this it should open for conversation for us to see what were doing, check if the systems we have in place are the best things we could be doing, she said. We should have a conversation, we should talk about this. I think as a community, all of us play a part in this conversation. Staff reporters Kendra Baker, Lisa Backus, Amanda Cuda and Rob Ryser contributed to this report. The public portion of the 2020 presidential election cycle in Connecticut started Sunday in a low-key way as U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, a Colorado Democrat, stood in an obscure recital hall, deep in the Yale campus. Bennet, just in from a morning appearance on NBCs Meet the Press, hasnt declared hes running. He danced around the issue, as he did on NBC. But he looks and sounds like a presidential candidate. He later told me hes talking with his family about a run. To say the least, Bennet a former private business executive and big-city school superintendent from a Mountain West state with an elite East Coast pedigree and strong Connecticut ties is hard to place in a box. Hes been called a pragmatic progressive. I call him a moderate idealist. On issue after issue, Bennet spoke in lofty tones about how average Americans are losing ground, not being heard, facing a future muddied by economic inequality and greenhouse gases. Ah, the liberal discourse we know and love here in the bluest state, where Bennet went to college and law school. But wait. When it comes to solutions, Bennet, 54, sounds more like the former member of the gang of eight senators that he was four GOP and four Democrats who proposed a compromise on immigration reform in 2013. That was right before the issue exploded in the torrent of right-wing fanaticism that gave us President Donald Trump. Theres enough polarization. We have too much polarization. We shouldnt give up on our ideals, but at some point we have to get the work done, Bennet told students, many from the Yale University chapter of Every Vote Counts, the election reform group that invited him. He was talking in that moment about ranked choice, in which voters rank candidates in their order of preference rather than picking one a change that would bring us more moderate candidates. But he might as well have been talking about any issue because thats Bennets way of being: High ideals, mostly left-leaning, offset by a calm voice and a never-ending faith in bipartisan negotiations. As you can tell, Im not a good bumper sticker candidate, he said toward the end of an 80-minute town meeting, during which he struck some animated physical poses, alone on the stage with no microphone. Bennets Jan. 24 rant against Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, about the partial government shutdown, went viral and boosted talk of his presidential possibilities. Thats ironic, as his typically even-keeled style, with few sound bites, stands in contrast to Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. and the It-Woman of U.S. politics Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York. AOCs Green New Deal has divided the Democratic Party since she and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., rolled it out on Thursday. For my money, the take-no-prisoners, AOC-Warren-Sanders wing of the party is a gift to the Republicans and will doom the very liberal ideals it hopes to advance. I asked Bennet about that Green Manifesto, which advances lofty energy and environmental goals but no practical way to get there. Bennet, not a co-sponsor, said he hadnt had a chance to study the document. But he said, in his sharpest tone of the afternoon, every single thing that Barack Obama put in place in respect to climate is gone. Methane rules, fuel efficiency standards and more, all undone by climate change deniers led by Trump. What we have to decide is not just what were going to propose on climate, but what will be a durable solution, Bennet said, again with the pragmatic bent. Connecticuts two U.S. senators, Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal, both Democrats, are among the Green New Deal co-sponsors. I think its absolutely realistic and I frankly think we need to set our sights high, Murphy said on CNN with Jake Tapper Sunday. The Center for Responsive Politics, documenting contributions from environmental groups to the Green New deal co-sponsors, pointed out that Bennet isnt among the backers even though hes one of the biggest recipients of environmental cash. Hard to peg, again. At Sundays talk, I didnt see any Connecticut elected pols among the few dozen folks there. Students introduced Bennet. Bennet spoke on the day before teachers in the Denver schools which he ran from 2005 to 2009 were set to walk out over pay and benefits, the latest teacher strike in a flurry over the last year. We need to pay them a lot more, and we need to do it differently, he said, alluding to seniority, regionalism and the anti-tax, anti-government movement he abhors. We need to have a revolution in technology in the way we run education in this country. Im completely unqualified to say what that will look like. ... But we dont need to teach like were living in the 16th century any more, or learn that way. This is a bit of the aw, shucks school of politics that we see in Gov. Ned Lamont, only Bennet is a two-term senator on the national stage. He was raised in Washington, D.C. and graduated from Wesleyan University in Middletown in 1987, then Yale Law School. His maternal grandparents were Holocaust survivors. His brother, James, is the editorial page editor of the New York Times. His father, Douglas, whom I knew as an active Wesleyan alum myself was reared in Lyme and also graduated from Wesleyan; worked for Chester Bowles, the former Connecticut governor, congressman and U.S. Ambassador to India (where Michael Bennet was born); eventually headed National Public Radio and later was president of Wesleyan. He died last June at his home in Essex. The senator, wearing a dress shirt under a Patagonia zip-up on Sunday, combines that old-line East Coast liberalism with an ethic of the Great West. Speaking at the exact moment when another non-coastal Democrat, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., was declaring her candidacy for president in Minneapolis, Bennet talked about visiting cattle ranchers in counties he could never hope to win. He repeated the word pluralism often. We have no idea what we want yet as a party and were going to figure it out during this campaign, Bennet said. What I hope is that whoever decides to run ... levels with the American people. And thus Connecticut entered the electoral fray of 2020. dhaar@hearstmediact.com A Bloomberg report details the experience of working at one of Apples black site. The report cites experiences of employees working at one such black site located six miles away from Apple Park on Hammerwood Avenue in Sunnyvale. The plain jane office is used by Apex Systems to hire contract workers to work on Apple Maps. Unlike Apple Park, employees at this satellite office are told to use the backdoor to enter and exit the office. Managers have even told the workers to hail cabs after walking several blocks away from the office building. The working conditions inside the office building are not pleasing as well. The vending machines are almost always understocked and theres always a queue to use the mens washroom. Plus, employees always worked under the fear of getting fired anytime. Most workers usually left after 12-15 months, though it is common for many people to leave earlier than that. Complaints about the bathrooms were common. Lines formed outside the mens rooms, especially around lunchtime, according to former employees. (Because the workforce was predominantly male, the womens rooms had ample capacity.) Anonymous complaints about inadequate facilities were scrawled on white boards around the office. Twice in 2017, Hammerwood workers filed complaints against Apple with the states Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Cal/OSHA. Apple told Cal/OSHA it had examined the situation and determined it was in compliance with the law. It was made pretty plain to us that we were at-will employees and they would fire us at any time, says one former Hammerwood contractor, who, like most of the workers interviewed for this story, spoke on condition of anonymity because he signed a nondisclosure agreement with Apex. There was a culture of fear among the contractors which I got infected by and probably spread. Despite the site being used for Apple Maps work, it is managed by Apple contractor Apex Systems. When contacted by Bloomberg, Apple conducted a surprise audit at the office building and found the work environment consistent with its other locations. Like we do with other suppliers, we will work with Apex to review their management systems, including recruiting and termination protocols, to ensure the terms and conditions of employment are transparent and clearly communicated to workers in advance, an Apple spokesperson says in a statement. Apex Systems aggressively approaches people via LinkedIn to hire them. In messages, it would say that they are getting hired by Apple but the reality is different. Many people took jobs at Apex Systems hoping they would eventually get hired by Apple only to realize that the chances are almost non-existent. Others took the job to put in their resume that they have worked at Apple via Apex Systems. Sadly, in 2018, Apex Systems told its employees that they could not use the word Apple in their resume and instead describe the company as A Major Tech Company via Apex Systems. Unlike full-time Apple employees, these contract workers are offered a different badge with a sad grey Apple logo. Plus, they are not offered the same benefits as them as well. This includes not able to access the gym, a high health insurance premium, ever-changing working conditions and rules, and more. The companys hiring tactics are also shady at best. It would hire people nationwide which would lead to many shifting to California and signing expensive leases only to be terminated from their job within weeks. Once, the company informed its workers that it was reducing the paid sick time from 48 hours to 24 hours, with the policy going into effect within 2 days. This led to a bunch of employees taking a sick leave the very next day citing sudden illness. Most of these employees are paid wages of $25 per hour. Most employees who left Apex Systems ended up as a contract worker for Uber, Facebook, or Google. The working conditions there were better, with Google paying contract workers the most and even gives them access to the gym. The report highlights how the environment among workers at Apex Systems is gloomy and depressing. They are unsure of their jobs, the skill they are learning is of little use in other companies, and the pay is poor despite them working for Apple. Our Take The report definitely paints a very depressing picture for contract workers hired by Apples partners. While the site mentioned here is in Sunnyvale, Apple has contract workers in satellite offices across the world. While Facebook, Google, Uber, and other tech giants also have thousands of contract workers, they dont treat them as badly as Apple does. Heres hoping that the company takes a look into how its contract workers are treated after this report. [Via Bloomberg Transformational leadership can harm employee's health Transformational leaders and managers inspire employees to achieve unexpected or remarkable results. Transformational leadership has previously been associated with positive employee wellbeing, better sleep quality, less depressive symptoms and reduced rates in absenteeism over a short run. While there has been much attention on the impact of transformational leaders on employee health and well-being, there is less research which focusses on the relationships between transformational leaders and employee absenteeism due to sickness. However, more vulnerable workers such as those who come into work even when they are sick take longer to exhibit the adverse effects. Researchers from the University of East Anglia (UEA) looked at the relationship between presenteeism (when employees frequently show up for work while ill), transformational leadership and sickness absence rates in a three-year longitudinal study of postal workers and their managers in Denmark. In total there were 155 participants from 22 workgroups. Employees rated their manager at the beginning of the study and they also gave information about their sickness absence and presenteeism for the previous year. The researchers assessed absence due to sickness again in years two and three. The researchers found that workers working in a group with transformational leaders exhibited increased sickness absence when postal workers showed up for work even when they were ill for 14 more days than their colleagues. Transformational leadership in year one was related to sickness absence in year two, but not in year three. The study also found that employees who worked in a group with a transformational leader and who had high levels of presenteeism reported the highest levels of sickness absenteeism in the third year but not in the second. The findings suggest that the immediate adverse effects of transformational leadership can be found among workers. However, more vulnerable workers such as those who come into work even when they are sick take longer to exhibit the adverse effects. This could also happen due to a longer recovery time, where these workers can no longer ignore the symptoms related to their illness and have to eventually take time off work. The study suggests that constant pressure from transformational leaders to perform exceptionally at work, and that leadership may promote self-sacrifice of vulnerable employees by leading them to go to work while ill, may increase sickness absence levels among employees in the long term. Source: Work & Stress Reporter I cover a range of stories for WDRB, but really enjoy tracking what's going on at our State Capitol. I grew up on military bases all over the world, but am a Kentuckian at heart. I'm an EKU alum, and have lived in Louisville for 30 years. In July of 2017, Qualcomm officially filed a patent infringement case against Apple. At the time, the company was seeking a sales/import ban in the United States. Since then, the landscape of the situation has changed quite a bit. Apple released a software update to address patent complaints in China. However, in Germany, Apple was hit with a sales ban of select models. Apple may already be working to address those issues, even on the hardware level. But the original complaint by Qualcomm against Apple is on even weaker footing in 2019. FOSSpatents has a detailed write-up of whats going on with that complaint, and it shows that Apple has already started to come out on top. Specifically, with the release of iOS 12.1, Apple says that it has implemented a workaround to a key patent complaint. The company says a specific patent covers power saving techniques in computing devices, and that it has implemented workarounds to avoid infringing that patent. (Apple does also attest that the original implementation didnt infringe on Qualcomms patent, either, but the changes were made anyway.) Apple is currently asking the court for six months. That way it can be fully determined that it is no longer infringing on the patents in devices running iOS 12.1 or newer. Apple asks the ITC for six months just so theres enough time for an official determination of non-infringement in all iOS versions since 12.1. Otherwise there would be a risk of customs officers mistakenly seizing non-infringing iPhones at the border. Theres no way that Qualcomm could credibly dispute Apples workaround theory: Qualcomms own CTO blessed this approach beforehand. Now its too late. No government agency or judge is going to be persuaded by an after-the-fact about-face on Qualcomms part. The workaround is in place, so even if Qualcomm obtained an import ban, it would be absolutely ineffectual. At this point, Qualcomm has already dropped three patents from the initial six in its complaint. A court has ruled that Apple does not infringe on another two. And it appears that the workaround Apple implemented in iOS 12.1 covers the last one. So even if Qualcomm does win this initial court battle, which will kick off in April, it does not look like it will cover 12.1+ iPhones. Thats a big win for Apple. [via FOSSpatents Articles Sorry, there are no recent results for popular articles. Images Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images. Opinion Policies Editorials are longer opinion pieces that are written by a group of community members recruited across campus who address relevant issues on a local, national and international level. Editorials are research-based. The purpose of the Editorial Board is to promote discussion concerning relevant issues in the community while advising on possible solutions. Topics are chosen via relevancy and interests of the members, which are then discussed by the Editorial Board in order to reach a general consensus concerning the topic or issue. Feedback policy If you have a grievance concerning the content or argument of the Editorial Board, please contact either Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or the Editorial Board as a whole (editorialboard@iowastatedaily.com). Those wanting to respond to editorials can also submit a letter to the editor through the Iowa State Daily website or by emailing the letter to Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or Editor-in-Chief Sage Smith (sage.smith@iowastatedaily.com). Column Policy Columns are hyper-specific to opinion and are written by only columnists employed by the Iowa State Daily. Columnists are unique because they have a specific writing day and only publish on those writing days. Each column undergoes a thorough editing process ensuring the integrity of the writer, and their claim is maintained while remaining research-based and respectful. Columns may be submitted from community members. These are labelled as Guest Columns. These contain similar research-based content and need to be at least 400 words in length. The following requirements should be met: first and last name, email and relation or position to Iowa State. Emails must be tied to the submitted guest column or it will not be accepted or published. Pseudonyms are prohibited and the writer will be banned from submissions. Read our full Opinion Policies here. Updated on 10/7/2020 Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai speaks at a dialogue on the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the U.S. in Grand Rapids, the United States, on Feb. 8, 2019. It is destructive to hold "zero-sum game" mindset in China-U.S. ties and the two sides need to develop even stronger relationship in the future, said Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai here on Friday. (Xinhua/Wang Ping) GRAND RAPIDS, United States, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- It is destructive to hold "zero-sum game" mindset in China-U.S. ties and the two sides need to develop even stronger relationship in the future, said Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai here on Friday. COMPETITION OVEREMPHASIZED On Friday, Cui addressed an audience of over 400 people at a public event held by a non-profit organization in the Midwestern state of Michigan, discussing current China-U.S. ties. The Chinese ambassador noted that some people see competition between the two countries as a "zero-sum" and "winner-takes-all" game, which is "very negative, very destructive" to bilateral ties. Pointing out that "competition" originally was a good word instead of a bad one in both Chinese and English languages, Cui said the problem today is that "too much emphasis" has been added to it. We should have competition and at the same time cooperate with each other, the ambassador said. "We should have a win-win result." Cui also noted that the Chinese and U.S. companies should compete as well as cooperate with each other. "The real story in business is not that black-and-white," he said. STRONGER TIES NEEDED Addressing the luncheon held by the World Affairs Council of Western Michigan, Cui also noted that China and the United States need to develop even stronger ties on the basis of "coordination, cooperation and stability." Noting that China and the United States are "two very different countries" in terms of history and culture among other areas, he said it is important for the two sides to "have much better mutual understanding" for each other's intention and policy and identify common ground to stabilize the relationship. "We have so many global issues that we have to work together on," including climate change, terrorism, poverty, pandemics and natural disaster, the veteran diplomat noted. "No country can handle it all by itself," he added. EDUCATION, A MAIN PILLAR Education is one of the main pillars in the China-U.S. ties and we should continue to encourage students to study in each other's country, Cui said. It is encouraging to see that there is a growing number of Chinese and American students studying in each other's country, the ambassador said. Hopefully things will continue to be like that, he said. Cui's remarks were echoed by former U.S. Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns, who was also present at the event. "It's terribly important that we continue to have Chinese students," Burns said. Burns rebuked certain "calls" in Washington to prevent Chinese students from studying some subjects for "national security" reason, calling that a "dangerous" move. "We do live in a global society and we have to work together" to tackle our problems, Burns added. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the China-U.S. diplomatic relations. Bilateral trade grew from less than 2.5 billion U.S. dollars from 40 years ago to over 580 billion dollars in 2017. Over the same period, the stock of two-way investment rose from practically nil to more than 230 billion dollars. Statistics show that as many as 1 million international students came to the United States for study in 2017, and Chinese students accounted for roughly 30 percent. [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Richmond, Virginia: Virginia's embattled Democratic governor, Ralph Northam, vowed in an interview on Monday not to resign over revelations that he wore blackface at a 1980s party, as a web of scandals enveloped three top state Democratic officials. A Democratic state politician, meanwhile, said on Twitter that he would not move immediately on his call over the weekend for impeachment proceedings against Virginia's lieutenant governor, Justin Fairfax, who has been accused of sexually assaulting two women, charges he has denied. The accusations of racist behaviour or sexual assault - hot button issues in a party that has embraced diversity as one of its key messages - targeting the three men have rattled party leadership in a swing state that likely will play a pivotal role in the 2020 US presidential election. In the unlikely event all three men were to step down, the governorship would pass to the Republican speaker of the state house, which would be a stunning reversal in a state where Democrats have been gaining power in the last few election cycles. The later version of the Labor proposal applies the same section of the Migration Act but adds the condition that the minister must reasonably believe the person would expose the Australian community to a serious risk of criminal conduct. This change is intended to protect refugees who need medical help but might have been convicted of minor offences or perhaps crimes of freedom of expression in their home countries. Greens MP Adam Bandt and independent MP Kerryn Phelps negotiate during Question Time. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Labor is understood to be comfortable with the latest version of its amendments after the negotiations with the Greens and the crossbench, believing the terms give security agencies enough leeway to stop transfer that might present a security risk. The decision to give the minister 72 hours to make an assessment on character grounds is seen as a "solid" outcome for Labor. Earlier, Labor was warned against amending a crossbench bill to allow refugee medical transfers from Manus Island and Nauru amid signs the Senate could drag out debate on any changes until the election. The Morrison government is prepared to use delaying tactics in the Senate to slow or halt the passage of the divisive bill, turning this into a key factor for crossbench MPs in their negotiations with Labor on Tuesday. Dr Phelps said the bill needed to be passed swiftly to allow medical treatment for asylum seekers. I dont want to see the politics get in the way of a good solution here, Dr Phelps said. What weve been seeing is a lot of discussion about the politics. And what we need to bring this back to is that this is about the lives of real human beings. We have a detention system that is inhumane, its cruel, it lacks accountability and its enormously expensive. Loading Dr Phelps and other crossbench MPs are negotiating the wording of any amendments ahead of a vote in the House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon on the bill passed by the Senate last December. The bill would become law without another vote if it is approved by the House on Tuesday. If amended, however, it would have to go back to the Senate for approval. While an alliance of Labor, the Greens and independent Senators could secure a majority in the upper house to force the medical transfer bill through, the Greens are concerned about any delaying tactics from the government. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, the governments leader in the upper house, signalled a hard-line approach to the bill if it goes back to the Senate. We are doing whatever it takes to prevent this bill from becoming law and you will of course see how these processes are going to evolve over the next 24 to 48 hours, he said. I know as is always the case in this place many people have made judgements about what they apparently know will happen, all I will say is watch this space. The government is unequivocally committed to protecting our borders. As we did before Christmas we will do everything we can to stop Bill Shorten from undermining our national security and our strong border protection arrangements. The Labor caucus agreed on Monday night to authorise negotiations on the crossbench bill to widen the definition of security in the bill to allow refugees to be rejected if they have a criminal history, to give the Immigration Minister more than 24 hours to decide transfers and to limit the rules to about 1,000 individuals currently on Nauru and Manus Island. The bill is expected to come to a vote in the House after matters of public importance are debated after Question Time. The supporters of the bill will not need an absolute majority that is, 76 of the 150 members of the lower house to win the debate. Labor has 69 members and is negotiating support for its changes from Greens MP Adam Bandt and independents Julia Banks, Cathy McGowan, Rebekha Sharkie and Andrew Wilkie as well as Dr Phelps. If it is not decided on Tuesday, the crossbench may need to suspend standing orders on another day a move that would require 76 votes and may be impossible. The Greens are concerned about Senate delays and about the way the amendments give the Immigration Minister more discretion, which could force applications for medical transfers to go through the courts as they are today. Its an alarming world out there, and if you hadnt noticed, Prime Minister Scott Morrison is here to remind you. Why, hes pumping himself up to scare hell out of all of us. Prime Minister Scott Morrison during his address at the National Press Club in Canberra on Monday. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer If its not radical Islamic extremism, its the scourge of ice. Or organised crime. Or fire. Or flood. Women and children terrorised in their own homes. Sexual predators and bullies. Cyber attack. Criminals who need deporting; thousands of them. An Indo-Pacific neighbourhood that needs propping up to protect our sovereignty. A defence force that needs hundreds of billions of dollars to protect us. Oh, yes. And borders. The Australian government gave over $1 million to research projects involving Chinese technology giant Huawei and contributed funds to student trips to Huawei's facilities in China even as it has barred the company from building next-generation 5G mobile infrastructure for security reasons. The Australian Research Council (ARC), a top government research funding body, paid out the $1 million in grants over the last four years to projects involving several Australian universities and Huawei for work on subjects from wireless communications to road infrastructure. Under fire: Huawei still has partnerships with the Australian government despite being banned from working on some projects. Credit:AP Huawei has also been supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's New Colombo Plan (NCP) in an ongoing project called "Seeds for the Future" to send students to China for a cultural and computer science exchange, including a visit to Huawei facilities. The company is also still listed as a member of the Australian government's advisory 5G working group. A Supreme Court judge has raised concerns over the length of time a 21-year-old Perth woman accused of murder will spend in custody awaiting trial. Aya Hishmeh faced the WA Supreme Court on Monday via video link from Bandyup prison; she stands charged with murdering Jacob Cummins and attempting to kill teenagers Robert Bell, Augustine Janga, Mark Kickett and Anwre Ige. Aya Hishmeh's murder trial is not expected to go ahead in the WA Supreme Court until November. Credit:9 News Perth Jacob Cummins, 17, was killed after Ms Hishmeh allegedly ran him down with her car, while four of his friends were seriously injured. The alleged incident followed a brawl at a McDonalds involving rival groups of youths in Canning Vale on December 7, 2017. Tony Mokbel will always be known as the crim in the wig. Tony Mokbel shortly after his arrest in Greece in June 2007. Like Ringo Starr on a bad hair day, Mokbel's ill-fitting black toupee is as famous as the crimes that led to him becoming Melbourne's biggest drug lord. Before that mug shot was taken after his arrest at an Athens cafe in 2007, Mokbel had spent 15 months on the run after hatching an escape plot to skip bail on cocaine trafficking charges. His time on the lam included a six-week journey in the 17-metre yacht Edwena, from Fremantle via the Maldives and the Suez Canal, after a period hiding out at a property in Bonnie Doon, in central Victoria. A supposed public notice circulating under council letterhead that "advises" residents that sharia law is being introduced locally has been uncovered as an offensive hoax. The racist letters, which are mocked up to appear as though they come from the City of Dandenong, have been dropped into the mailboxes of residents in Melbourne's south-east in the past few days. Under the council's logo, the sham letters falsely claim that a series of new "bylaws" are being introduced on April 1 due to the increased number of Muslims in the area. Part of the hoax letter sent to residents in Melbourne's south-east. The bogus bylaws include outlawing the consumption of pork and alcohol products in public and forcing girls and women over nine to cover their hair, arms and legs. There are few things as honorable as the philanthropic pursuit of ocean research, and for that we salute Fortescue Metals chairman Andrew Forrest. But we couldnt help but wonder exactly what type of ocean science was being conducted on his 56-metre Pangaea Ocean Explorer deepwater marine research vessel, launched at great fanfare six months ago as part of the billionaires $100 million research announcement. Andrew Forrest's deepwater research vessel sported a major slide late last month. Credit:Illustration: Matt Golding Twiggys luxury research craft was last month spotted off the coast of Dunsborough, in Geographe Bay south of Perth, fully equipped with a very scientific four-storey slide. Was it, as one Sydney-based funds manager asked, in aid of an important study into the velocity of extremely wealthy mining magnates descending into shark-infested waters? CATO: Only five out of 43 governors received As for fiscal policies cutting spending, taxes amidst record economic growth Up for debate: Live legislation tracker Check out the latest developments on bills pending before state lawmakers in four key topics. Trusted local news has never been more important, but providing the information you need, information that can change sometimes minute-by-minute, requires a partnership with you, our readers. Please consider making a contribution today to support this vital resource that you and countless others depend on. Come join us in the remembrance of Timothy Alvin Hill who passed away Dec. 20, 2020. The Celebration of Life will be held June 26 at Eastside Park Kiwanis Cabin in Washington at 3 p.m. Consider the opposite circumstance a Christian person who is told that, during the final moments of his life, he can have only the services of an imam, Ali wrote in an email. It is hard to imagine the court reaching the same result as it did here. And thats a real problem because the very purpose of the Establishment Clause is to prevent this sort of religious preference. When Americas absent, that wont be in Americas best interest, Pompeo said in a news conference with his Hungarian counterpart, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. So weve taken a fundamentally different approach in the Trump administration. Weve now had 14 senior-level U.S. visits to central Europe in just the first two years of this administration. I wont tell you how many there were in the previous administration, but it starts with a Z. The price for Scotland right now not being independent is that things are being imposed on us that we have no control over and that are going to do real potential damage to our economy and our society, our very reputation in the world, Sturgeon said. PETERBOROUGH, ON (February 10, 2019)- Anticipation continues to build as motorsports fans look forward to the 52nd consecutive schedule of action at Peterborough Speedway. The tight, tricky bullring on Mount Pleasant Road is Central Ontarios Saturday night site for short track racing excitement. Once again this year, several touring series will join the home track fan favourites for another season. Track owner and promoter J.P. Josiasse says its part of the commitment to give the crowds what they want. We hear from people through our social media platforms and talk to the fans at the pre-season events were part of, Josiasse said. The crowds who come through the main gates week-after-week help our promotional team put together a winning schedule. Our regular runners are some of the best in the business and adding the travelling series to the mix provides some extra pieces for the puzzle. Peterborough Speedway puts out the welcome mat for special guests right off the bat; starting with the first of this years seven events for the Trailers Plus Eastern Ontario Legends to kick-off the 2019 season on Saturday, May 18. A week after this years Country 105 opener, the Ontario Modifieds, OSCAAR Pro Sprints and Ontario Pro Challenge Series will make their debut. OMRS has six dates on the schedule at the venue known as Canadas Toughest 1/3-Mile Paved Oval, while Pro Sprint and Pro Challenge teams will be part of a pair of shows. The Can-AM TQ Midgets are booked for a Saturday, June 22 date, with the OSCAAR Hot Rod Series making its Peterborough Speedway debut on July 6. The always popular Canadian Concrete Expo Ontario Outlaw Super Late Models are on the schedule for Saturday, July 20. OSCAAR Modifieds have a regular season show on August 3, while this years Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup Series 100 lapper will join the Saturday, August 10 agenda. In addition to their regular season appearances, all three OSCAAR divisions will be part of the 27th annual running of the Autumn Colours Classic on Thanksgiving weekend, said J.P. Josiasse. The Trailers Plus Eastern Ontario Legends Series will also crown its 2019 tour champion during our year-end spectacular. The complete track schedule will be released during the Motorama Custom Car and Motorsports Expo March 8 to 10 at the International Centre in Toronto. Fans can find the latest off-season headlines and information by visiting www.peterboroughspeedway.com or checking the tracks Facebook and Twitter social media platforms. Prepared by: Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , www.facebook.com/clarkemotorsports 613.968.6410 But his stalwart resistance when combined with an exodus of young workers and low birthrates has created a demographic nightmare. Hungarys population is shrinking, a trend that poses long-term risks for the economy. It has also caused short-term political trouble for Orban, who has had to enact unpopular labor laws to try to wring more hours from a declining workforce. For Kanakadurga, the decision to make history has come at a cost. When she returned home, her mother-in-law beat her, Kanakadurga says, sending her to the hospital. Her family locked her out of the house and refused to let her talk to her sons. All but one of Kanakadurgas five siblings stopped speaking to her. Police now shadow her everywhere for her protection. The move is meant to make it easier for voters to participate in the process, even if they have to work and cant make it to their local precinct on caucus night. Although party officials dont have estimates, the move could significantly increase the number of voters involved and bring more moderates into a process that has long been dominated by liberal activists willing to show up for several hours on a winters night. A U.S. proposal for a peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians, two years in the making, is likely to be released by the summer. Palestinians have boycotted meetings with Kushner and his team for more than a year in protest of Trumps decision to declare contested Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. And Republicans, led by President Trump, have pounced on efforts in New York and Virginia to expand access to late-term abortion, which remains hugely unpopular with most voters. In his State of the Union address, Trump contrasted his call for paid-family leave to let parents bond with their newborn child with the abortion legislation, which passed in New York, saying it would allow a baby to be ripped from the mothers womb moments before birth. Following the news making round that Nigeria music legend, Tuface Idibia, simply known as Tubaba and his Wife, Annie Macaulay Idibia, are currently having issues, Nigerians have been on social media reacting. The news broke out after Tubaba took to his Instagram page early this morning seeking for his wifes forgiveness and also conceding that he has not been a good role model. While we are yet to ascertain what really happened, may be its another publicity stunt as recently done by Popular comedian, Seyi Law, We already have what Nigerians have been saying. Their reactions: Heard from an unreliable source 2baba is just lowkey promoting his new single with that tweet unable god (@theskinnygod) February 11, 2019 So you people think if 2baba fucked up, he'll run to Twitter to apologize to Annie? SMH See as dem dey use una dey catch trips. #ENDSARSNOW (@Osujiekene) February 11, 2019 This Annie and 2baba gist better be joke ooo.this is a marriage we love promise beatus (@pgent1) February 11, 2019 Parents and students supported the teachers in the Los Angeles strike because they wanted to win on matters such as class size. But they also supported the strike because it articulated some basic truths: Students arent getting what they need. In the richest country in the world, the issue is not a lack of money but a lack of political will. If neither political party is capable of leading on reinvestment, teachers and parents and students will continue taking to the streets to defend the essential civic institution of public education. Is cluelessness an excuse? Is it more forgivable to wear blackface at age 19 than at age 25? Might someone have believed they were paying tribute to, rather than mocking, Michael Jackson or Kurtis Blow and if they did believe that, does it matter? If it felt like attempted rape to a teenage girl, does it matter whether the teenage boy thought he was just horsing around? Is some cluelessness believing, in 1984, that any representation of the Klan could be acceptable too clueless, too racist, to forgive? I dont see any way, realistically, that anyone can force them to leave, at least not yet. Under the state constitution, elected leaders can be impeached for malfeasance in office, corruption, neglect of duty, or other high crime or misdemeanor. But the officials are in trouble for things that transpired or, in Fairfaxs case, allegedly did long before taking office. And no one has any idea what the burden of proof would be in a trial before the state Senate. Last summer, NYCHA estimated that $32 billion would be needed over five years to fix its buildings, which are on average more than 60 years old, according to the New York Times. The city could never afford to spend that much on these essential repairs. Federal funding will be required if the public-health crisis is going to be effectively addressed and HUD is going to fulfill its duty to provide safe and decent housing. HUD provides $2 billion of NYCHAs $3.2 billion annual operating budget. Michael F. Bennet is a 54-year-old senator from Colorado who has represented that purple state for 10 years. On paper, Bennets biography is far too conventional for todays left-leaning Democratic Party. Hes a graduate of Washington, D.C.s tony symbol of prep school education (St. Albans), as well as of Wesleyan University and Yale Law School. His grandfather worked for FDR, his father was a Washington fixture for decades, and his brother, James, runs the New York Times editorial page. Bennet spent his formative years as a creature of the Beltways black lagoon, a legacy and history that put him wildly out of step with the zeitgeist of the progressive anti-establishmentarianism energizing his party right now. INDIA At least 76 die in cases tied to illegal alcohol At least 76 people have died in northern India after drinking bootleg liquor, the latest in a string of tragedies linked to illegal alcohol that proved to be poisonous. The deaths were in two neighboring states, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Tainted liquor has killed at least 36 people since Thursday in the Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, said Alok Kumar Pandey, the local administrator. The district is about 130 miles from New Delhi. Autopsies are not yet complete, Pandey said, and the death toll will probably rise. In a neighboring district in Uttarakhand, 32 people died after drinking illegal liquor served during a mourning ritual. Authorities say they think the two incidents are linked, with mourners probably having traveled from Uttar Pradesh to Uttarakhand, bringing back liquor to sell. Separately, eight people died in a village in the district of Kushinagar, in eastern Uttar Pradesh, where residents drank tainted liquor at a fair, officials said. Such deaths are common in India, where illegally brewed alcohol is often consumed for a variety of reasons, including poverty and geographic isolation. Joanna Slater AFRICA Egypt's Sissi to lead continental group Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi has been elected chairman of the African Union at the continental bodys summit in Ethiopia. Sissi told the summit he would focus on security on the African continent. Counterterrorism requires the identification of those who support and finance it and combating them collectively, he said. While we are aware of the difficulty and complexity of the struggle, this remains the only appropriate way to uproot terrorism and eradicate it. The rights group Amnesty International warned that Sissis chairmanship might undermine the African Unions human rights mechanisms. During his tenure, Sissi has demonstrated a shocking contempt for human rights, said Najia Bounaim, Amnestys director of campaigns for North Africa. Under his leadership the country has undergone a catastrophic decline in rights and freedoms. Associated Press Taliban rejects Ghani's offer of local office: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani offered the Taliban the possibility of opening an office in Afghanistan but the proposal was swiftly spurned by the group. Ghani has expressed alarm at the Taliban shutting his administration out of accelerating peace negotiations with the United States as well as recent Moscow talks with Afghan opposition politicians, and he repeated earlier offers to give the group a secure official address "in Kabul, Nangahar or Kandahar by tomorrow" to aid future diplomacy between the two sides. A Taliban spokesman said the group's focus was on international recognition of its office in Doha, Qatar. Bulgaria to probe third suspect in U.K. ex-spy poisoning: Bulgaria plans to investigate reports that a third suspect in the nerve-agent poisoning of Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England last year was allegedly involved in a 2015 poisoning in Bulgaria, a Bulgarian party official said. The investigative group Bellingcat has reported that a Russian agent traveling under the alias Sergei Vyacheslavovich Fedotov arrived in Bulgaria in April 2015, a few days before Bulgarian businessman Emilian Gebrev was poisoned by an unidentified substance. Gebrev, an arms industry executive, survived. Right-wing rally draws large crowd in Madrid: Tens of thousands of people joined a right-wing rally in Spain's capital to demand that Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez step down for his handling of the Catalonia region's secession crisis. Many in the crowd in Madrid's Plaza de Colon waved the national flag and chanted support for Spain's security forces along with calling for the Socialist premier's resignation. The tensions come ahead of a trial starting in Spain's Supreme Court on Tuesday for 12 Catalan separatists facing charges for their roles in a secession attempt in 2017. Hungary offers incentives for having more children: Hungary's anti-immigration prime minister, Viktor Orban, said the government is greatly increasing financial aid and subsidies for families with several children, in what he said was a bid to reverse population decline. The measures include a lifetime income-tax exemption for women who give birth to at least four children. Orban said policies like these, "not immigration," are "Hungary's answer" to downward demographic trends. Syrian girls reportedly attacked in Berlin: Berlin police were investigating the reported assaults of two Syrian teenagers in the German capital. Germany's DPA news agency reported that an unidentified man punched the girls, ages 15 and 16, multiple times in the face after yelling anti-foreigner slurs at them Friday night. Germany took in more than 1 million asylum seekers in 2015-16. Women's protest broken up in Sudan: Sudanese security forces used tear gas to break up a crowd of hundreds of people, mostly young women, demonstrating in Omdurman, Sudan's second-largest city, against the detention of women arrested at previous demonstrations, witnesses said. The protests that have spread across Sudan were triggered by a worsening economic crisis and have built into the most sustained period of unrest since President Omar al-Bashir came to power three decades ago. Ailing Algerian leader confirms bid for fifth term: Algeria's ailing president announced that he will seek a fifth five-year term in April's election in the gas-rich North African nation. President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, 82, suffered a stroke in 2013 and has been seen in public only a few times a year throughout his fourth term. Indonesian police use snake to terrorize suspect: Indonesian police acknowledged that officers terrorized a Papuan man with a live snake after a video of the incident circulated online showing the man screaming in fear and his interrogator laughing. Police in Indonesia's easternmost Papua region apologized but also asserted that the snake was not venomous and that officers hadn't beaten the man, who was suspected of theft. From news services The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole, was on Monday booed at the partys Presidential candidate rally in Abeokuta, Ogun state. The former Edo state governor earned the wrath of the crowd, when while addressing them, mentioned Dapo Abiodun as the APC governorship candidate in Ogun state. As soon as the APC Chairman voiced out Dapo Abioduns name, hell was let loose as the crowd started throwing object at him and booing him. This stirred out-going governor, Ibikunle Amosun, to pacify the crowd, asking them to respect President Muhammadu Buharis presence. However the crowd was unpleased with the call for calm and as such, president Buhari was quickly called up the stage to speak. It will be recalled that Amosun had serious issues with the NWC of the party over the emergence of Dapo Abiodun as the APC governorship candidate for the state, because he wanted Adekunle Akinlade, who later decamped to APM to succeed him. It is common knowledge that though Amosun has stayed in APC, where he is also contesting for senate Akinlade of APM has his(Amosun) support in the governorship election. More details later. CALIFORNIA Newsom to withdraw troops from border California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) plans Monday to withdraw several hundred National Guard troops from the states southern border with Mexico in defiance of the Trump administrations request for support from border states. About 100 of the 360 troops will remain deployed under Californias agreement with the federal government to focus on combating transnational crime such as drug and gun smuggling, Newsom spokesman Nathan Click said. They will be tasked with providing intelligence on transnational crime and assist with cargo dock operations and searches of commercial trucks for contraband. Newsoms move comes on the heels of New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, also a Democrat, pulling back her states troops from the U.S.-Mexico border. Former governors of the states agreed to send troops to the border in April at the Trump administrations request. Associated Press COLORADO Denver teachers planning to strike Denver teachers are planning to strike Monday for the first time in 25 years after failed negotiations with the school district over base pay. The teachers union and Denver Public Schools met Saturday in an attempt to reach a new contract after more than a year of negotiations, but both sides left disappointed. The Denver Classroom Teachers Association released a statement after the meeting saying the districts proposal lacks transparency and pushes for failed incentives for some over meaningful base salary for all. We will strike Monday for our students and for our profession, and perhaps then DPS will get the message and return to the bargaining table with a serious proposal aimed at solving the teacher turnover crisis in Denver, said Henry Roman, president of the teachers union. Meanwhile, schools Superintendent Susana Cordova said she was extremely disappointed that the union walked away from the table instead of continuing to work toward an agreement. Teachers plan to picket around the city beginning Monday as the district tries to keep schools open by staffing them with administrators and substitutes. The district has canceled classes for about 5,000 preschoolers. Associated Press South Carolina deputy fatally shoots man: A police call that began with a complaint about a possible poisoning ended with a sheriff's deputy fatally shooting a man in South Carolina early Sunday, authorities said. A statement from the Greenville County Sheriff's Office said a man called 911 about 1:30 a.m. saying he was being poisoned. Deputies arriving at a home heard a man inside claiming to have a gun and then a gunshot. A man came outside and began shooting and pointing the gun at officers, the statement said. At least one deputy returned fire, killing a man identified by the coroner as Willie Jermaine Robinson, 34, of Greenville. Deputies later found a woman inside the house who had been shot by the man, authorities said. Her injuries were not considered life-threatening. A department spokesman told the Greenville News that "several deputies" have been placed on administrative leave. Man charged in fatal shooting of Milwaukee officer: A man who was charged Sunday with killing a Milwaukee officer during a drug raid on his home told investigators that he didn't realize it was police trying to break down his door, authorities said. Jordan P. Fricke, 26, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide and other counts in the fatal shooting of officer Matthew Rittner, 35, who was part of a tactical unit trying to serve a warrant to search the home for illegal drugs and weapons on Wednesday morning. Utah man dies in avalanche: A man from central Utah is dead after an avalanche buried him while he was snowmobiling about 45 miles northwest of Salt Lake City, authorities said. Summit County sheriff's officials said the slide triggered Saturday afternoon near Coalville trapped the man in deep snow. The Deseret News reported that two fellow riders were able to dig the victim out after about half an hour. They administered lifesaving efforts for more than 40 minutes until emergency personnel arrived. A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter flew the 49-year-old man to a hospital, but he was declared dead. His name was being withheld until family members are notified. From news services Vanguard Northern Stakeholders Forum, NSF, has given reasons why it dumped President Muhammadu Buhari and chose Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for Saturdays presidential election. The Sun Operatives of the Enugu State Police Command have arrested a 56-year-old woman, one Edith Ewulu, for the alleged abduction of a five-year-old girl, Felicia Godwin, in Emene, Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State. Daily Times President Muhammadu Buhari has despatched a team to Jalingo, Taraba State, to condole with the government and people of the state over loss of lives that attended the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential rally last week. Leadership The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita has said that the federal civil service under her watch will create more innovative approaches towards improved service delivery in 2019. Daily Trust Kaduna State Governor Nasiru Ahmad El-Rufais statement last week, that foreigners who come into Nigeria to intervene in our election affairs will go back in body bags was unguarded, uncalled for and open to dangerous interpretation. The Nation All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole yesterday warned state chairmen, secretaries and governorship candidates of the party against complacency in the coming elections. Tribune The President of the Senate and Director General of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council(PDPPCO), Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, said on Sunday that Nigerians who have collected their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) must turn out encased to vote on Saturday, February 16. Edwards and Checketts said that CMS officials said they would consider a partial expansion if Utah combined it with an even more unorthodox idea setting per-person caps for Medicaid spending an idea that has long been popular with conservatives and represents a fundamental shift in the program from an entitlement available to anyone who is eligible, to a grant with a per capita dollar limit. This idea was part of the ACA-repeal legislation that failed in Congress the year before last. When we saw it, it just really spoke to us, especially to my husband, said Johnson, whose tech entrepreneur spouse, Terry, purchased the life-size sculpture on the Colorado couples trip to Florence in 2001. Its beautiful and peaceful so very, very peaceful. When you look at it, it goes right through you and just touches you. THE DISTRICT 5 injured this weekend in shooting incidents Five people were shot and wounded in incidents Friday night and Saturday in the city. They included a 6-year-old boy who was hit on Alabama Avenue SE on Friday, and two men who were hit in the 2300 block of Green Street SE, one on Friday and one on Saturday, according to police. Martin Weil MARYLAND 3 die in one-car crash in Seat Pleasant Three people died and another was seriously injured early Sunday morning in a single-vehicle wreck in Seat Pleasant, according to Prince Georges County police. A car ran off the road, hit an embankment and flipped over just before 4 a.m. in the vicinity of Martin Luther King Jr. Highway and Glen Willow Drive. Police did not identify what road the car was traveling on when the accident occurred, nor did they release the make and model of the vehicle. In addition to investigating the cause of the crash, police said they were also working to identify the victims. Michael Rosenwald Motorist killed in Beltway ramp crash A motorist was killed in Montgomery County on Saturday night in a crash on a ramp leading from the Capital Beltway, the Maryland state police said. The collision occurred about 8:40 p.m. on a ramp from the Inner Loop of the Beltway to the southbound lanes of Rockville Pike, said Pete Piringer, the spokesman for the county fire and rescue service. One of the drivers was trapped and required extrication from the wreckage after the collision, Piringer said. State police Sgt. Todd Newill later reported that he had died. The man was not identified immediately. Martin Weil Infant dies after being hurt in car crash A 3-month-old girl died Saturday, two days after being injured in a car crash in Southern Maryland, authorities said. According to the St. Marys County sheriffs office, Emma Leigh Clarke, was injured Thursday in a crash on Three Notch Road in the Lexington Park area. She had been in a car driven by Alexa Taylor Smith, 23, of Owings, Md., the sheriffs office said. After Smith tried to make a U-turn in the area of King James Parkway, the sheriffs office said, her vehicle was struck by two others. Martin Weil Read more: Local newsletters: Local headlines (8 a.m.) | Afternoon Buzz (4 p.m.) Like PostLocal on Facebook | Follow @postlocal on Twitter | Latest local news The terminology used to describe the first Africans who arrived on Virginia shores has been the subject of debate because they preceded formal slave laws and some may have had a path to freedom. Museums and government commissions often refer to 1619 as the arrival of the first Africans in Virginia. But theres broad agreement that these Africans were captured and taken from their homes in Angola, transported on a slave ship and forced into labor. Equity looks like taking a long and hard look at policies that we are passing and how it impacts all Virginians. Equity does not look like the deal before us, Del. Marcia S. Cia Price (D-Newport News) said in a floor speech when the tax bill came up for a vote. And there will be space for reconciliation talks, maybe even some kumbaya moments. . . . [But] right now our first step that we can take towards true racial and economic equity is to vote no on this bill. Private contractors are required to follow the same rules and procedures as their TSA counterparts but are given some leeway to determine how they staff checkpoints. The workers wear different uniforms, but their training, salary and benefits are about the same. The starting salary for a TSA officer is $37,455 but can be higher in some parts of the country depending on staffing needs and the cost of living. We look forward to defeating their arguments in court, Dennis A. Corkery, one of the civil rights attorneys representing the officers, said of the countys latest filing. Lawyers for the officers say they plan to ask the judge to issue a preliminary injunction in the case that would bar the department from taking additional actions against the officers. Corkery said the group also is working with the county on the recent retaliation claims, with many of them already resolved. Senate president and director general of the Peoples Democratic Pary, PDP presidential campaign council, Bukola Saraki has said that coming out to vote en masse, will answer the question whether Nigeria can get better. Saraki said this in a statement signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu, his aide on media and publicity on Sunday. Speaking further the senate president urged Nigerians to vote Security over insecurity, economic growth over poverty and competent leadership over one that is outdated. The senate president also called on Nigerians to vote PDP in the general elections, because they are ready to make Nigeria work again. We have all seen how the last four years have gone. It is time for Nigerians across the nation to choose economic growth over poverty; choose security over the growing and fast spreading insecurity; and choose competent leadership over leadership that is outdated, he said. If you have ever questioned if Nigeria can be better, coming out to vote with your friends and relatives who have PVCs next Saturday will be your answer. It is not enough to tweet about this government or share WhatsApp broadcasts, the time has come for all Nigerians to take their future in their hands and vote for visionary leaders, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and the PDP slate of candidates who are promising a Better Nigeria and are ready to make Nigeria work again. Eventually, Adeleye removes the nipple and lid from the bottle and appears to pour the milk into the babys mouth as the baby squirms. The 8-ounce bottle, which was nearly full, was drained in less than half a minute, testimony showed. The baby continued to wriggle in Adeleyes arms the video showed, before she falls to the ground. Adeleye picks up the child and attempts to give her more liquid from a second bottle, according to the video. According to trial testimony, on the day that Bashir shot Laboy, the then-27-year-old was intent on raping a young woman and was stalking her at an Old Town design shop where she worked. When the store owner alerted a police officer to Bashirs strange behavior, Bashir took off in his cab. Laboy responded to a radio call for help and followed on his motorcycle. He stopped Bashir but was shot in the head. Bashir was caught several miles away after crashing into another vehicle, according to trial testimony. 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 In the misdemeanor case, the mother of Simmonss child told police that during an argument Jan. 5, Simmons threatened to kill her, arrest information shows. The two argued after Simmons brought the child to her home on Clay Street NE because he blamed her for running out of diapers and clean clothes and found her dressed to go out to a function, court documents show. Much like the surfers of popular imagination, Dr. Munk found a home on the beaches of California, where he had fled to avoid a life on Wall Street. Born in Vienna to an affluent banking family, he had come to the United States in the early 1930s to attend a boarding school in New York and to carry on the family profession. But he soon discovered that he despised banking, bought a convertible and set out for the West Coast. When Mr. Ungerer appeared at an American Library Association conference that year, according to one account in the New Yorker, he was inundated with questions from angry librarians, who asked how an illustrator of whimsical childrens books could also depict graphic sex acts. Recalling the incident, Mr. Ungerer said he replied with an expletive, saying, If people didnt [have sex], you wouldnt have any children, and without children, you would be out of work. Members of We Are Dixie, a group formed to keep the name, say they dont believe the name is harmful and that people in the community got along before this issue was raised. They have pushed an effort to recall Glickman from the school board. The We Are Dixie members interviewed for this article spoke on the condition of anonymity, saying they would be targeted as racist for wanting the name to stay. At first, the teachers taught those new students using the same techniques they used for everyone else. Now classroom teachers are learning how to incorporate information in their lessons that can benefit those whose native tongue isnt English. This school year, teachers are adding pictures, graphs and charts to their lessons to provide students with information they can grasp without a lot of English vocabulary. Christina Connolly, Bedfords principal, said the school is still working through the challenges associated with teaching immigrants, but she believes it has begun to make progress. After my meeting with Oleson, it was getting close to the start of evening rush hour, so I decided to zip through the area of Howard County within the 3rd District, which includes parts of Columbia, and then, staying within the district, head south to Silver Spring. Anthony had recommended that I go to the Trader Joes grocery store on Route 29, which is at the border of the district. I ended up deciding, instead, to go to a nearby Starbucks because it was close to a weird little nook of the 8th District that is carved into the 3rd. When I got there, I consulted a printed-out map I had brought along but at that point, I wasnt entirely sure that I was even still in the 3rd. (Later, I figured out that I had barely stayed in bounds.) Ahead of the February 16th presidential election, the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP has urged it members and supporters to be at their polling centres very early on election day inches order to monitor all activities. The opposition party made the call after it said it request to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to publish the list of its staff including ad hoc staffs, participating in the 2019 general elections, was denied. The PDP accused the ruling All Progressives Congress ,APC and President Muhammadu Buhari of rigging the February 16th election, in collaboration with INEC. In a statement by the opposition party on Sunday, also accused the APC of importing mercenaries from neighbouring Chad and Niger Republic. See part of statement below The world is already aware of how INEC has continued to allow the foisting of a relation of President Buhari, Mrs. Amina Zakari, as the head of the INEC collation center, where she is being positioned to alter results and allocate figures to President Buhari This is in addition to how the Buhari presidency has been importing mercenaries from Chad and Niger Republic to vote for President Buhari and to unleash violence in our country upon his eventual defeat. In this regard, the PDP charges all its members and supporters, in their millions, to politically occupy and become extra vigilant by closely monitoring all electoral activities around their polling centers Our members and supporters are hereby directed to get prepared to arrive at their polling centers very early on the day of election; monitor the activities of electoral officers, note all strange faces and resist any attempt by any alien or unregistered person to vote. Those negotiators had made steady progress but ran into trouble over the weekend. The White House had largely signaled to Republicans that it would soften its demand for wall money, convinced it could use other legal maneuvers to redirect existing funds. Instead, discussions bogged down over disagreements about how many undocumented immigrants could be detained at once. Republicans wanted flexibility in detention rules, arguing they needed to be able to adjust to account for violent criminals and others. Democrats countered that the changes Republicans sought would give the White House almost limitless powers to detain as many people as it wanted. The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar weighed in on a statement attributed to President Muhammadu Buhari, wherein he was said to have preached violence in at a campaign rally in Zamfara state last weekend. According to Atiku, while speaking in Port Harcourt on Monday, during the PDPs presidential campaign rally in Rivers state said it wouldnt be the first time clearly stating that Nigerians will no longer tolerate a leader that instigate them against one another. Do you know what the president said yesterday in Zamfara when he went there? He said Zamfara people, let us pray for rainfall, let us pray we grow food, let us pray we eat bellefull, and then we can make trouble, Atiku said. Is that what a president should say? Buhari, I am addressing you. This is a president who is preaching violence, and this is not the first time he has done so in this country. We are not going to allow any person to knock our heads and make us fight; we want peace, we want prosperity, we want development, we want jobs that is what we want for this country. We are not ready to fight each other again; so any leader who has come to instigate us to fight against each other, we will use our ballot papers to throw him out. So Buhari must go, Buhari must go, Buhari must go I love you all, I swear to God. Tourists visit Pingyao, a tourist attraction in north China's Shanxi Province, Feb. 10, 2019. China's domestic tourism revenue gained 513.9 billion yuan (about 76.21 billion U.S. dollars) during the week-long Spring Festival holiday that ends Sunday, an annual increase of 8.2 percent, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. A total of 415 million trips were made across the country during the holiday, rising by 7.6 percent year on year, according to the ministry. Traditional culture was one of the travelers' favorites during the holiday, as a survey by an institution under the ministry showed that about 40 percent of the travelers had visited museums on their trips. During the Spring Festival holiday last year, 386 million trips were made domestically, contributing to an increase of 475 billion yuan in China's travel revenue. (Xinhua/Liang Shengren) BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- China's domestic tourism revenue gained 513.9 billion yuan (about 76.21 billion U.S. dollars) during the week-long Spring Festival holiday that ends Sunday, an annual increase of 8.2 percent, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. A total of 415 million trips were made across the country during the holiday, rising by 7.6 percent year on year, according to the ministry. Traditional culture was one of the travelers' favorites during the holiday, as a survey by an institution under the ministry showed that about 40 percent of the travelers had visited museums on their trips. During the Spring Festival holiday last year, 386 million trips were made domestically, contributing to an increase of 475 billion yuan in China's travel revenue. 8 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Decatur, IL (62521) Today Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. High 82F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. Low 72F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%. WAHOO This months Saunders County Veteran of the Month is a Yutan man who is still very active in his community. Each month, the Saunders County Board of Supervisors recognizes a county veteran. Clarence Hank Sauer of Yutan was nominated for the month of February and received his recognition during the Feb. 5 meeting of the Saunders County Supervisors. Sauer joined the Navy in March 1955 as an engine mechanic on Submarines. In 1985, Sauer retired from the Navy as a master chief engineman. While in the Navy, he served as the battle diving officer and officer of the deck, in charge of the submarine reporting to the skipper. Since retiring from the Navy, Sauer has been an active member in the Yutan community. He has been a member of VFW Post 9844 for 50 years, serving as the quartermaster for 24 years and as a past district commander for five years. During last weeks meeting, he received a certificate of appreciation for service in the Armed Forces of the United States of America. Throughout our Nations history, it is the efforts of men and women such as yourself that have provided the freedoms we, as Americans, dearly enjoy today, the certificate reads. Please accept our deepest gratitude and appreciation. Let us never forget your demonstrated sacrifice, service, love and commitment to your county. Maybe its the giant gold lips on the restroom wall, the Snoop Dogg book between candles on the coffee table or the monster Tomahawk Steak, but theres definitely something deliciously different about Taste by Kissing Tree in downtown Waco. The book, From Crook to Cook, is legit, co-owner Chris Grider explained. At first, I thought it was a joke, but I saw some good stuff in it that reminded me of my younger days in Oak Cliff, making something out of whatevers in the cupboard. Then I learned he did a cooking special with Martha Stewart and that she wrote the foreword. Now everyone picks it up when they come in. Customers have a choice of over 120 wines and a wide selection of other drinks ranging from coffee and espresso, soft drinks and $6 ciders to $18-a-glass Chardonel. On the culinary list, selections go from an $8.95 grilled Caesar salad to the $71 Tomahawk, too large for a plate but served on a cutting board. Although not meant for one, some hardy souls have managed to get it down with the steak frites (thrice-cooked fries with a house chimichurri sauce on the side) all by themselves. Going the meal solo is not recommended, however. The Tomahawk comes from Wagyu (Japanese beef thats illegal to export), Grider said. Some enterprising Americans crossed it with Angus to withstand the Texas heat and marbled it to make it one of the best beef steaks available anywhere. We happen to buy ours from a ranch outside Flatonia, Texas. The brunch menu combines typical breakfast favorites like brioche French toast, pork tacos, chicken and waffles and Eggs Benedict with lamb burgers and even shrimp and grits topped off with banana pudding, apple pie cheesecake and chocolate terrine. If thats not enough to whet the appetite with calamari, mussels and chicken wings appetizers, the dinner choices add sausage-stuffed quail and scallops for a one-of-a-kind dining experience. Putting it Together The 38-year-old Missouri native admits hes not responsible for cooking up these delights, but is more the one to recognize what tastes good with what, plan the menu and let the head chef, Kenny Muchalski, take it from there. Ive always loved to eat and enjoyed watching The Frugal Gourme daily while I was home-schooled, he said. Then I attended The Taste of Addison, where I had sushi and lamb for the first time, and that helped spark my interest in fancier foods. I really enjoy the late chef Anthony Bourdains shows A Cooks Tour and No Reservations and reading magazines like Bon Appetit and Food and Wine. They all help me with menu ideas. More recently, Griders desire to make wine came after he worked part-time at a winery while attending Dallas Baptist University and because he and his wife Crystal arent beer lovers. We met at Trinity Christian School in Cedar Hill and married 17 years ago, he said. Not long afterward, we visited a Fredericksburg winery with a line of 16 vintages that were so good we were hooked on the concept of one day making our own. Theres nothing like winemaking. I feel like an alchemist in the old days, taking grapes and yeast and coming out with something different altogether. Vineyard Crystals mother, Dorothy Wuebker Johnson, made that possible by letting the two use her 130-acre farm 10 minutes southeast of Eddy. This spread also provided the famous tree where the Griders shared their first kiss (thus the Kissing Tree name for the Eddy location and the Waco site). Johnson visits Eddy regularly from her Oak Cliff home to pitch in as greeter for the business and even when manual labor is required. Ive dug holes, planted vines and hauled 5-gallon buckets of grapes, even running circles around two employees, recent high school grads who got their cellphones out after finishing one job instead of moving on to the next one, she said with a laugh. I am proud of my daughter and Chris because they had a dream, we prayed about it, and it fell into place. Keeping up with two businesses and three young boys (12-year-old Austin, 8-year-old Houston, and 1-year-old Travis) has proved both a challenge and a blessing to the family. Planting, pruning and harvesting grapes means not only long hours and much sweat but also a flourishing vineyard and delicious wines. Another of the blessings is giving a toddler the run of the place at Eddy. Travis seems to think hes on the payroll, often grabbing a broom or dumping the bucket on himself when he tries to help mop. He also knows how to slay ladies hearts and take apart a lighted table candle with predictable results, beads all over the place. To cut production time, the Griders have added more equipment along with expanding their operation from a 400-square-feet building to one with more than 4,000 on the farm. They hope to add a tasting room for visitors there soon along with changes to their menus to draw more customers. Some people wont come in to the Waco cafe because they think its too fancy or that their kids wont like it, so I want to make it more approachable for all and try to include everyone in the menu choices, said Grider, who taught art at Connally ISD before going all in with the winemaking and restaurant business. To do that, I want to keep the high-end, casual fine-dining experience while featuring cheaper wines, bringing in more tables and adding options -- more soups, sandwiches and sliders with crab cake appetizers and moving Eggs Benedict to lunch. We also have an awesome Happy Hour from 4 to 6. Valentine Special A special addition is geared for south McLennan County as well. For Valentines Day in Eddy, were serving a five-course aphrodisiac meal -- probably including a Cornish game hen, sweet potato, mushroom ragu, lobster, ravioli in shrimp sauce, asparagus soup, pomegranate salad and dark chocolate cheesecake with chocolate-covered strawberries, Crystal said. All this comes with a complimentary rose and two glasses of wine with soft music for a truly romantic setting; all for $140 per couple or $65 for a single. Like her husband, she wants to keep the cozy, quiet atmosphere near Baylor as a contrast to the more musical one 20 miles south in the old Eddy bank building. The historic building seats around 100 for weddings and over 50 for dinner. This location has a dog-friendly Tuscan patio, a gift shop/bar for wine tasting, a live-music hall seating 50 and another 40 in the quieter lounge in between. Families can rest on a variety of padded couches and chairs, or just sit at regular straight-back chair tables to enjoy the music and paintings adorning the walls. Many are for sale by local artists Charles Wallis and Hailey Herrera, while others were left for display by the owners from their Austrian collection. The gift shop boasts various knick-knacks and signs with catchy sayings like Wine does not make you fat. It makes you lean against walls, chair, and funny people. Entertaining dinner guests in Eddy is a diverse group of live musicians. I choose the ones Ive seen at Farmers Market and know, like our UPS man, who told us he was an Elvis impersonator and bugged us for five months, Crystal said. I finally gave him an audition, and he floored us, becoming a performer whose appearances we had to turn away people from for months. Weve had Holly Tucker, Brett Hendrix, and many others sing as we try to mix up the music from Americana and country to bluegrass and jazz. Guitarist Pat McKee and bassist Trammell Kelly are probably our most popular Waco artists. They bring their own following, like others. Crystal said its important to her and Chris that the customers enjoy their experience. Were service- and customer-oriented, she said. If some want to stay past closing, we let them, and we do substitutions. If they want something not on the menu, we do our best to give it to them. We arent running a business to change customers, but changing it for them, and as my mother would say, We try to bottle romance along the way. Taste by Kissing Tree Vineyards 804 S. Seventh St. in Waco 254-235-1068 Mon-Thu, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fri, 7 a.m. to midnight Sat, 10 a.m. to midnight Sun, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Kissing Tree Vineyards 109 W. Third St. in Bruceville-Eddy 254-859-8039 Mon-Thu, noon to 5 p.m. Fri-Sat, noon to 10 p.m. Sun, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Miles said he is wholly supportive of newly hired City Manager Bo Thomas. Simply put, I believe Hewitt voters deserve better than what they have had, Miles said. And, yes. I am critical of some sitting members of the Hewitt City Council, but I also believe this applies to me. I have always been truthful with the Council about my personal relationship with a city employee and I have always taken responsibility for my actions. Now, I believe others need to take responsibility for their own actions so that Hewitt can heal and move forward. Miles said there would be no issue with him serving as a council member while his girlfriend, Belinda Kay Katie Allgood, continued to work as the citys managing director of administration. Council members do not have authority over employees except for the city manager position, Miles said. Miles said Mayor Ed Passalugo violated that rule while in office, and that is part of the complaint filed against him by Allgood, Miles said. Jury selection is set to start Monday in Wacos 19th State District Court in the capital murder trial of Todric Deon McDonald. McDonald, 32, is charged in the May 2014 shooting deaths of cousins Justin Javier Gonzalez and Ulysses Gonzalez at the Pecan Tree Apartments, 2600 Grimm Ave. Testimony is set to start Tuesday morning. Prosecutors Hilary LaBorde, Robert Moody and Evan ODonnell are not seeking the death penalty in the case. If McDonald is convicted of capital murder, he faces an automatic life sentence with no parole. State prosecutors initially announced they would seek the death penalty against McDonald. However, in August, they told Judge Ralph Strother they changed their minds, which will shorten the length and expense of McDonalds trial significantly. McDonald is represented by John Donahue and Jon Evans. The All Progressives Congress. APC had a very embarrassing outing today in Ogun state, following the outcome of its presidential campaign rally in the state. President Muhammadu Buhari was in the Southwestern state to canvass for votes for his reelection bid, but but things obviously didnt go as planned as angry youths stoned the national chairman of the party. The campaign rally was going peacefully until Oshiohmole, made the mistake of calling Dapo Abiodun, the partys gubernatorial candidate in the state This stirred party supporters to anger, as they started to boo and throw object at him. Although, Governor Ibikunle Amosun tried to sue for peace by begging for calm, the already angry crowd refused to be soothed. Even President Buhari wasnt spared as DSS personnel quickly rushed to cover the president from being stoned. A Twitter user with the handle, @iamsammyfox, even shared a video of the embarrassing scene. Buhari, Oshiomhole, and top APC leaders booed at Presidential Rally in Ogun State. Gov. Amosun's supporters are reportedly responsible for the trouble and the stoning of the President. DSS officials shielded Buhari though. pic.twitter.com/4GsDYMQSXW Sam (@iamSammyfox) February 11, 2019 See some reactions from other Nigerians https://twitter.com/IAm_ChukwuEmeka/status/1095048270894821376?s=19 "Stone us if we fail after two years" #APC in April 2016 Ogun State #APC youths redeemed the pledge today by stoning: President Buhari VeePee Yemi Osinbajo Adams Oshiomhole Jagaban Tinubu Gov Amosun #APC Stalwarts#AtikuWillWin#PMBinOgun#NigeriaDecides2019 pic.twitter.com/p0vPFGHroZ Dadiyata The Jonathanian (@The_Jonathanian) February 11, 2019 #APC said in 2015 "Stone us if we fail"#Today in Abeokuta: Buhari, Tinubu, Oshiomhole were stoned. Is that not a victory for democracy? The Nigerian Wailers (@NGRWailers) February 11, 2019 The mess of a presidential rally APC is having in Ogun Syate is being broadcast live to the world right now on ChannelsTV. The crowd booing Oshiomhole, someone is begging in the name of God for them to be calm, just an absolute mess. APC is a shame of a party. Gosh. Demola Olarewaju (@DemolaRewaju) February 11, 2019 https://twitter.com/PDPNYF/status/1095024670779289601?s=19 https://twitter.com/JackObinyan/status/1095010413459193857?s=19 EL PASO, Texas (AP) - In his State of the Union, President Donald Trump said a "powerful barrier" had cut crime rates and turned El Paso from one of the nation's most dangerous cities into one of its safest. He's holding a rally in the West Texas city on Monday, and signed a 2017 executive order expanding a wall blocking its border with neighboring Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. But many residents bristle at the prospect of the home becoming a poster child of sorts for the president's pet policy. They say the city was among the nation's safest per capita long before there were reinforced border walls, and that it embodies a binational spirit that transcends walls - rather than prove they work. (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) TROY, Ala. (AP) - An apparent case of mistaken identity has left a hunter dead in southeastern Alabama. Troy police tell news outlets that a 61-year-old man died after being shot once in the chest with a high-powered rifle on Saturday evening. An initial investigation shows that the victim was hunting with another man who mistakenly thought he was a deer and opened fire. Authorities haven't released the name of either man, and no charges have been filed. Troy police and Pike County officials are conducting a death investigation. (CNN) -- A new Pentagon report on threats in space warns that China and Russia are both developing capabilities to threaten the US' pre-eminent position, including lasers that could target and destroy US satellites. "China and Russia, in particular, are developing a variety of means to exploit perceived US reliance on space-based systems and challenge the US position in space," the Defense Intelligence Agency report said. The report, which was published Monday, is titled "Challenges to Security in Space," and examines Russian, Chinese, Iranian and North Korean space capabilities. US satellites play a critical role in everything from navigation, weapons targeting and intelligence gathering, including keeping tabs on North Korea's nuclear weapons program and monitoring Russian and Chinese military activity. They also house sensors involved in detecting enemy missile launches. The need to help safeguard US satellites has been cited by the Trump administration as a reason why the US needs a Space Force. The report details Russian and Chinese anti-satellite weapons, including electronic warfare systems, directed-energy weapons and "kinetic" anti-satellite missiles. It says both Beijing and Moscow are "likely" pursuing "laser weapons to disrupt, degrade, or damage satellites and their sensors." "China likely will field a ground-based laser weapon that can counter low-orbit space-based sensors by 2020, and by the mid-to-late 2020s, it may field higher power systems that extend the threat to the structures of non-optical satellites," the report says It adds that China "possibly already has a limited capability to employ laser systems against satellite sensors." The reports says that Russia had already delivered a laser weapon to its Aerospace Forces prior to July 2018, which is likely intended for an anti-satellite mission. "Russia is also developing an airborne (anti-satellite) laser weapon system to use against space-based missile defense sensors," the report says. The Trump administration is actively considering placing advanced sensors in space as part of its recent Missile Defense Review, which was unveiled last month. In addition to directed-energy lasers, the report warns that China has an operational missile capable of hitting satellites in low-earth orbit while Russia is in the process of developing one. The Chinese military "has an operational ground-based (anti-satellite) missile intended to target (low earth orbit) satellites," the report said, adding that "China has also formed military units that have begun training with (anti-satellite) missiles." The report says Russia is "likely" developing "a ground-based, mobile missile system capable of destroying space targets" in low earth orbit in addition to ballistic missiles. "This weapon system is likely to be operational within the next several years," the report adds. The report says Russia and China are also developing "inspection and servicing" satellites that could also be used to conduct attacks on satellites in orbit. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - A federal judge says Alabama has been "deliberately indifferent" about adequately checking on the mental health of state inmates placed in the isolation of segregation cells. U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson issued the ruling Monday. The decision comes days after attorneys for inmates said the suicide rate in state prisons has reached an emergency level. Thompson ruled the Alabama prison system has failed to "provide adequate periodic mental health assessments of prisoners in segregation." He said that creates a "substantial risk of serious harm for those prisoners." Thompson did not issue an immediate remedy. Attorneys for inmates said Friday that there have been 13 inmate suicides in the last 14 months. The prison system responded that it was working to address a recent spike in suicides. Florence police have arrested a man on a charge of second-degree statutory rape. Juan Gerado Trejo, 20, was arrested Saturday night, according to a press release from the department. Sgt. Gregory Cobb, Florence Police Department spokesman, said the agency wont be releasing details on the case because it involves a minor. The rape charge includes minors between the ages of 12 and 16, according to the police department. Scientists are helping patients fight flu, diabetes and other maladies with the help of a smart watch that monitors body chemistry for blood sugar, sweat and other data. Researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas say it can also help couples get pregnant by tracking the stress. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. With less than a week to go before Nigerians head to the polls, Reuters bureau chief in Nigeria, Alexis Akwagyiram, takes a look at whats at stake. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday told reporters that Africa was a continent of hope and opportunity despite the problems it faces. The U.N. chief was speaking at the African Union (AU) Summit, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Guterres said Africa now signals that conflicts can be resolved and avoided. "Many see Africa as a continent with problems. We see Africa is a continent of hope and opportunity. Of course there are many problems of the African continent there are many unsolved situations there are many conflicts we have as it was said this morning a very serious problem of the refugees and displaced persons but it is also true that is in Africa that there are now signals that conflicts can be resolved and that conflict can be avoided," said Guterres. African leaders are meeting at the summit that brings together 55 members states. Guterres thanked the AU Commission and African member states for supporting peace operations in the continent. The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR says that Sub-Saharan Africa hosts more than 26 percent of the world's refugee population, with conflicts and ongoing crises in the Central African Republic (CAR), Nigeria and South Sudan, as well as Burundi and Yemen, driving large increases in the numbers of refugees and displaced people. The U.N. Secretary-General also noted earlier that reconciliation between Ethiopia and Eritrea; the establishment of peace agreements in South Sudan; and recent elections in Democratic Republic of Congo, are some of the events producing results in conflict resolution and the prevention of conflicts, and that Africa is seeing a "wind of hope" that can be extended to other parts of the world. The U.N. chief warned however that peace cannot exist without development. Guterres has urged the international community to show more political will, particularly in climate action, and show support for mitigation, adaptation, and finance. "Taking into account that one of the key components of the challenges that we face today in development is climate change that is why I once again sad that climate change is going faster than we are that time and change is the defining issue of our time is the biggest threat for humankind and for the planet and that it's absolutely essential to increase ambition in mitigation of the emissions and in adaptations of Countries to the consequences already inevitable but also in financing especially in financing in the developing world and in innovation in order to be able to contain this monster that is growing and threatening us all." The two-day summit which opened on Sunday will focus on the issue of refugees and internally displaced persons this year. (Reuters) Staying at a hotel on the Thai island of Koh Samui in 2015, Meghan Kerrigan noticed the four bottles of water she was given every day were clogging her bin with plastic. Outside her door, Chaweng beach was smothered in rubbish. It was then that she and Kohler brothers, Ryan and Matthew, had a "light-bulb moment." "Instead of trying to solve the problem by cleaning the beaches every day, let's go to what the source of the problem is, and take the plastic bottle away," said Kerrigan, now 31. In 2016, the trio founded startup company Generation Water, based on the Thai resort island of Phuket. They partnered with Marriott, the world's largest hotel brand, in January 2017 to come up with a sustainable alternative to plastic bottles that would be commercially competitive and meet the needs of resorts and authorities. Two years on, the South African-born entrepreneurs explained the workings of a pilot water plant at the JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa on Mai Khao beach, next to slogans saying "Save Water Drink Air" and "Made 100% from the air." Here, in the sweltering heat, two water generators suck in vapor from the air, which then condenses into water when it hits cold coils. The water drips into tanks, making 4,000 liters a day. It is filtered, minerals are added, and it is put into reusable glass bottles. These are placed into 445 guestrooms at the JW Marriott Phuket and neighboring Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa. FILE - A volunteer rows his kayak as he collects t FILE - A volunteer rows his kayak as he collects trash in the Chao Praya river to raise public awareness on the damage single-use plastic has on the environment in Bangkok, Thailand, Dec. 21, 2018. FILE - A volunteer rows his kayak as he collects trash in the Chao Praya river to raise public awareness on the damage single-use plastic has on the environment in Bangkok, Thailand, Dec. 21, 2018. The bottled water is also being trialed at two Marriott vacation clubs nearby. The move is part of a wider effort on the holiday island to cut down on plastic bottles, rife in the hospitality industry, and a major problem in Asia and its travel hotspots. Sustainable shift In many parts of Asia, tap water is unsafe to drink, so hotel guests get complimentary water, mostly in plastic bottles. As much as 60 percent of the plastic found in the ocean comes from five Asian nations, including Thailand, according to U.S.-based nonprofit group Ocean Conservancy. In 2017, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific organized a forum to encourage sustainable water management on resort islands. On Phuket, which is half the size of Hong Kong, more hotels are being built, and water is already in short supply. Trucks navigate crowded roads as resorts without their own catchment area bring in water from reservoirs. Phuket was the world's 11th top city destination in 2017, with 11.6 million international arrivals, according to global research company Euromonitor International. To cope with the environmental impacts of this influx, nearly 70 hotels from the Phuket Hotels Association have pledged to cut plastic bottles and straws by the end of 2019. Since Marriott started producing its own water four months ago, it has stopped more than 100,000 plastic bottles from entering landfill or oceans, the chain says. It plans to expand the scheme to all Marriott resorts in southern Thailand, handing out 4 million glass bottles. Carsten Siebert, Marriott International's director of operations for Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar, said the company understood it had "a greater obligation to operate responsibly given our expanding global footprint." The chain has a goal to reduce water consumption per occupied room by 20 percent between 2007 and 2020. 'Climate-positive' The "water from air" technology uses 78 percent less energy than producing standard bottled water, has a lower carbon footprint, and is about a third cheaper, Generation Water says. "The good thing is that it starts to become financially affordable," said Matthias Y. Sutter, general manager at JW Marriott Phuket. Nor does the system rely on pulling water from the ground, rivers or lakes. "We don't have to invest in land to secure our own water," said Kanokwan Homcha-aim, corporate social responsibility manager for the same Marriott hotel. Guests here have reacted positively since the bottled water was introduced in September, happy that "finally a big brand made a move," she said. They also like the taste. Michael Lawson, a lawyer from Sydney sitting at the Sala Sawasdee lobby bar, said his children were "quite picky" about water. "But it's very refreshing and they are fighting over it in the room," he said. Downstairs in the Siam Deli, teenage student Jeremy Frydman from Melbourne said it was better than tap water at home. One challenge for Generation Water is explaining the science behind the technology. Many guests ask about air pollution, for example. But the water collected is clean to start with, and the technology still works if the air is polluted as only water condenses, not the air or its contaminants, said Ryan Kohler. And with human activities emitting more greenhouse gases, the atmosphere is warming up, causing more water to evaporate, which further heats the air in "a vicious circle," he added. The water-from-air system helps reduce this vapor, said Kerrigan, adding that it has no impact on rainfall levels. Thailand's food and drug administration approved Generation Water last August, and the company is now expanding. It is building a plant in Phuket, which will use solar energy to make "climate-positive" water, producing more than 20,000 liters of water per day by the end of the year. Nine Marriott resorts on Phuket are in the process of signing up, along with 30 other hotels. Generation Water is now eyeing the rest of Thailand, and is talking to hotels in Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Maldives, Kohler said. It also sells smaller water production units that can be used in homes, offices, classrooms and yachts. The company's goal is to stop 1 billion 500 ml plastic bottles from entering landfills and the oceans every year by the end of 2021 equal to supplying 3,000 hotels of 250 rooms. As for Marriott staff on Phuket, they have "no excuse now," said Homcha-aim. Their birthday gift from the company will be a reusable tumbler, which they can fill up with "water from the air." MOSCOW/LONDON - Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro has sought OPEC support against U.S. sanctions imposed on his country's oil industry, citing their impact on oil prices and potential risks for other members of the producer group. But a source familiar with the matter said the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, of which Venezuela is a founding member, had declined to make any formal statement. OPEC says it is concerned with oil policy, not politics. More than 40 nations including the United States, European powers and most of Latin America have recognized Maduro's rival, Juan Guaido, as the country's rightful head of state, following disputed elections last year. The request was made in a letter sent to OPEC Secretary-General Mohammad Barkindo dated Jan. 29 and seen by Reuters, a day after the United States imposed sanctions on Venezuelan state oil firm PDVSA. "Our country hopes to receive the solidarity and full support of the member countries of OPEC and its ministerial Conference, in the fight we are currently having against the illegal and arbitrary intrusion of the United States in the internal affairs of Venezuela," Maduro wrote. I seek "your firm support and collaboration to jointly denounce and face this shameless dispossession of ... important assets of one of the members of OPEC." the letter said. He wrote that OPEC should help to determine potential solutions based on "the impact that this action has on the global energy market, and the risk it represents for the other countries ... of this organization." The sanctions on Venezuela have boosted global oil prices, which were trading at around $62 a barrel on Monday. The move has disrupted shipments as more than 20 tankers loaded with Venezuelan oil have been anchored off the U.S. Gulf Coast. Still, analysts say there is ample spare capacity in other oil producers such as Saudi Arabia plus strategic reserves in consuming nations to compensate for a loss of Venezuela's exports. OPEC tends to avoid political disputes involving individual members. Last year, it declined a request from Iran for a discussion of U.S. sanctions against Tehran at a policy-setting meeting. Venezuela was once a top-three OPEC oil producer but production has been in decline for years following the collapse of the country's economy. Energy research and consulting firm Rystad sees Venezuelan production plummeting to 680,000 barrels per day (bpd) next year, from 1.34 million bpd at the end of 2018. Venezuela pumped 3 million bpd at the turn of the century. Together with Libya and Iran, Venezuela is exempt from the latest OPEC-led supply cut due to the involuntary decline in production. U.S.-backed forces are making significant progress against Islamic State fighters in the last sliver of its self-proclaimed caliphate, despite poor weather conditions that have played to the terror groups advantage. I think the characterization of progress within Syria has been that they have been decimated and that we're making significant progress," acting U.S. Defense chief Pat Shanahan told reporters Monday, while on his way to Afghanistan. The advance by Syrian Democratic Forces against IS in the Syrian town of Baghuz began just days after U.S. President Donald Trump told members of the global coalition to defeat IS that he expected to formally announce the collapse of the caliphate this week. SDF officials claimed progress against IS positions in a four-square-kilometer area that extends from Baghuz to the Iraqi border. #SDF have advanced on northern and western axis into Baghuz since 19:00 yesterday evening, capturing 41 positions of ISIS and destroying fortifications. IS counterattack was foiled at 4 am this morning. Heavy fighting is going on inside the last village at the moment. Mustafa Bali (@mustefabali) February 10, 2019 Yet both SDF and U.S. officials admit the fighting has not been easy. Many of the remaining IS fighters are thought to be among the most committed and battle-hardened the group has to offer. The Syrian Democratic Forces continue to slowly and methodically advance, despite poor weather conditions against an entrenched enemy, coalition spokesman Col. Sean Ryan told VOA via email Monday. ISIS fighters continue to conduct counterattacks, he added, using an acronym for the terror group. Despite the poor weather, Ryan said airstrikes are being called in to target IS positions whenever available. Still, there are questions as to how many IS fighters are left. SDF officials and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimate there are about 3,000 battle-hardened IS jihadists, mostly foreigners, in the region. But previous coalition estimates have put the number of fighters holed up in the Baghuz area at about half that. But Ryan said progress against IS should not be measured in numbers. It is more about downgrading their military and logistical capabilities and not allow them the ability to mass forces, he said. WATCH: Syrian refugees Further complicating efforts to rout IS out of its remaining territory, the SDF has encountered thousands of civilians trying to flee the fighting. More than 23,000 Syrian civilians and foreign nationals are believed to have fled eastern Syria in the past week, according to local officials and activists. The displaced residents, mostly women and children, have been placed in the Kurdish al-Hol camp in al-Hasakah governorate, in northeast Syria. The administrator of the camp, Nabil Hassan, told VOA that many of the women and children from the new wave of displacement this week were foreign nationals and family members of IS. In a possible attempt to drum up sympathy, ISs Amaq news agency Monday claimed coalition shelling and airstrikes had killed almost 100 people in the village of Baghuz. According to a translation by the SITE Intelligence Group, most of them women and children. VOA has not been able to verify such claims, and coalition officials have long accused IS of using women and children as human shields. The latest progress in the effort to destroy the last remnant of the IS caliphate comes as the U.S. continues to prepare to pull some 2,000 troops out of Syria. Senior U.S. military officials have told U.S. lawmakers the withdrawal could hamper efforts to prevent a resurgence. And last week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sought to reassure allies that despite the anticipated pullout, the U.S. would not abandon efforts to destroy the terror group as a whole. Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan cautioned Monday that IS retains capabilities ranging from "residual pockets to sleeper cells." He said that he plans to discuss the situation later this week with NATO allies, including the need for support and security operations as the military battle to destroy the terror group in Syria winds down. Rikar Hussein contributed to this report. More people around the world worry about the threat posed by the United States' use of power and influence than they do about similar threats from Russia or China. The finding, part of Pew Research Center's Spring 2018 Global Attitudes Survey, found a median of 45 percent of more than 27,000 respondents in 26 countries view U.S. power and influence as a threat, compared to 37 percent for Russia and 35 percent for China. The list of countries most likely to view the U.S. as a threat is topped by two key allies in the Asia-Pacific: South Korea and Japan. FILE - A man reads a newspaper reporting on the su FILE - A man reads a newspaper reporting on the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, at a newspaper stand in Seoul, South Korea, June 12, 2018. FILE - A man reads a newspaper reporting on the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, at a newspaper stand in Seoul, South Korea, June 12, 2018. In South Korea, 67 percent of respondents listed the U.S. as a threat. In Japan, it was 66 percent. Mexico was third, with 64 percent of respondents calling U.S. power and influence a major threat. Previous Pew surveys found views of the U.S. in Mexico nose-dived following the election of U.S. President Donald Trump in 2016. Data published by Pew in October 2018 found 6 percent of Mexicans expressed confidence in Trump's leadership, due in part to strong opposition to his plans to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. In another four countries Tunisia, Argentina, Brazil and Indonesia more than half of the respondents viewed U.S. power and influence as a threat. And 49 percent of respondents in France and Germany saw the U.S. as a threat. Pew researchers call the increased wariness of the U.S. the biggest change in sentiment of all the threats tracked by the survey. In 2013, about 25 percent of survey respondents from 22 countries saw U.S. power and influence as a threat. But by 2017, following Trump's election, that had risen to 38 percent. U.S. security policy under Trump has emphasized what officials have described as a new era of great power competition, labeling Russia and China top threats to the U.S. and the world. Trump Hails New Era of Global Competition, Says 'America is Going to Win' U.S. U.S. During his first day on the job, acting U.S. Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan said his top concern was, "China, China, China." New Pentagon Leader Shanahan Makes Clear His Focus Is China On his first working day as acting defense secretary, Pat Shanahan made clear that his focus is on China.The former Boeing executive, who moved up from the No. 2 job after Pentagon chief Jim Mattis left Monday, gathered civilian leaders of the military services and other top civilian officials at the Defense Department on Wednesday before going to the White House for a Cabinet meeting.A defense official said Shanahan told the Pentagon gathering that he is focused on the strategy as developed and put On his first working day as acting defense secretary, Pat Shanahan made clear that his focus is on China.The former Boeing executive, who moved up from the No. 2 job after Pentagon chief Jim Mattis left Monday, gathered civilian leaders of the military services and other top civilian officials at the Defense Department on Wednesday before going to the White House for a Cabinet meeting.A defense official said Shanahan told the Pentagon gathering that he is focused on the strategy as developed and put But based on the results of the survey, many people around the world are not convinced. Poland was the only country where more than half of the respondents saw Russian influence and power a major threat. Respondents seem to be more worried about China, though only in four countries did more than half of the respondents see China as a danger. A median of 82 percent of South Koreans surveyed viewed Chinese influence and power as a major threat, followed by 69 percent in Japan, 56 percent in the Philippines, and 51 percent in Australia. In the U.S., 50 percent of the respondents viewed Russian influence and power as a threat, compared to 48 percent who felt the same about China. Late last month, the U.S. intelligence community's annual Worldwide Threat Assessment report warned of waning U.S. influence across the globe, even among allies, with Russia and China seeking to fill the void. US Intel Chiefs Warn Washington Risks Losing Friends, Influence U.S. intelligence chiefs are sounding alarms about an ever more perilous future for the United States, one in which the country is in danger of seeing its influence wane, its allies waiver and key adversaries team up to erode norms that once kept the country safe and the world more stable.Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, along with the leaders of five other top intelligence agencies, delivered the grim assessment Tuesday, unveiling their annual worldwide threats report for lawmakers on the U.S. intelligence chiefs are sounding alarms about an ever more perilous future for the United States, one in which the country is in danger of seeing its influence wane, its allies waiver and key adversaries team up to erode norms that once kept the country safe and the world more stable.Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, along with the leaders of five other top intelligence agencies, delivered the grim assessment Tuesday, unveiling their annual worldwide threats report for lawmakers on the ?Many U.S. allies, the report said, are "seeking greater independence from Washington in response to their perceptions of changing U.S. policies on security and trade." The Pew survey of 27,612 people in 26 countries was conducted between May 14 and Aug. 12, 2018. It listed the top perceived threats as climate change, the Islamic State terror group, cyberattacks and North Korea's nuclear program. WASHINGTON - A new U.S. congresswoman who is a Somali Muslim refugee apologized Monday after drawing widespread condemnation from both Republicans and her fellow Democrats for comments deemed anti-Semitic. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a Democrat who has represented a district in the midwestern state of Minnesota for five weeks, had contended that a pro-Israel lobbying group in the United States, the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee, is buying off lawmakers to support the Jewish state. She claimed in a string of Twitter comments on Sunday that the lawmakers' support for Israel was being driven because of financial support from AIPAC, even though the nonprofit organization does not directly make campaign donations to U.S. politicians although its members can make contributions. "It's all about the Benjamins, baby," Omar tweeted during an interview with a journalist, using slang jargon for $100 bills with the picture of a U.S. founding father, Benjamin Franklin, on the currency. Omar then tweeted "AIPAC!" when another user asked who she thinks is paying U.S. politicians to be pro-Israel. It%27s all about the Benjamins baby https://t.co/KatcXJnZLV Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) February 10, 2019 After extensive criticism of her remarks, Omar said Monday, "Anti-Semitism is real, and I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes. My intention is never to offend my constituents or Jewish Americans as a whole. We have to always be willing to step back and think through criticism, just as I expect people to hear me when others attack me for my identity. This is why I unequivocally apologize." She added that "at the same time, I reaffirm the problematic role of lobbyists in our politics," whether it is AIPAC, the National Rifle Association or the fossil fuel industry. "It's gone on too long and we must be willing to address it." Omar is a proponent of the BDS movement - Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions - to pressure Israel over its treatment of Palestinians. AIPAC, however, is a non-profit organization that does not directly make campaign donations to U.S. politicians. The American Jewish Committee called her comments about AIPAC "demonstrably false and stunningly anti-Semitic." On his way to El Paso, Texas, late Monday aboard Air Force One, U.S. President Donald Trump commented on Omar's comments and apology. "I think she should be ashamed of herself," he told reporters. "I don't think her apology was adequate." Before Omar apologized, the Democratic leadership in the House of Representatives, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said Omar's "use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israels supporters is deeply offensive. We condemn these remarks and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologize for these hurtful comments." Pelosi tweeted that she spoke with Omar and that the two "agreed that we must use this moment to move forward as we reject anti-Semitism in all forms." In our conversation today, Congresswoman Omar and I agreed that we must use this moment to move forward as we reject anti-Semitism in all forms. https://t.co/UpZA3DNgQs pic.twitter.com/1Z6rH65e3M Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) February 11, 2019 There was no immediate response to the criticism from Omar. House Republican minority leader Kevin McCarthy and other Republican lawmakers have called on Democratic leaders to "take action" against Omar and a second Muslim congresswoman, Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, for their criticism of Israel. Congressman Peter King, a New York Republican, called Omar's claims alleging AIPAC funding of U.S. lawmakers "absolutely shameful. It's immoral to be suggesting that somehow members of Congress are being paid off by Jews, by AIPAC. That goes right into the anti-Semitic bias, which has plagued the world for too long." Several Democratic lawmakers also swiftly rebuked Omar. Congressman Sean Patrick Mahoney of New York said, "My support for Israel is based on shared values and US nat'l security, not money." He said he was "disappointed" that Omar "is again tweeting dangerous and hurtful tropes." Another New York Democratic congressman, Jerrold Nadler, called the comments by the 37-year-old Omar "deeply disappointing` and disturbing." He said U.S. officials are free to debate the relative influence of any group, but must be "extremely careful not to tread into the waters of anti-Semitism or any other form of prejudice or hate. Rep. Omar failed that test of leadership with these comments." Congresswoman Donna Shalala of Florida said, "There is no place in our country for anti-Semitic comments. I condemn them whatever the source. To suggest members of Congress are 'bought off' to support Israel is offensive and wrong." But Democratic Congressman Dan Kildee of Michigan said he did not view Omar's comments as anti-Semitic. "We ought to be careful not to construe in that anything other than a concern about the fact that money has an undue influence on political decision-making," Kildee told CNN. Another Democrat, Congressman Jim Himes of Connecticut, said, "It's perfectly legitimate to criticize Israel or the pro-Israeli lobby. Just please be careful to do it in a way that can't be interpreted as being anti-Semitic." In an interview with VOA, the new chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and international Organizations, said, attention needs to be focused on what is causing Africans to become refugees and internally displaced people. Conflict is, of course, one of the reasons, California Democratic Congresswoman Karen Bass told VOA correspondent James Butty. "So resolving those conflicts, so populations would not feel that they need to flee" is one of the answers, Bass said. "Climate-related crisis," Bass said, also contributes to people fleeing their homes. Bass, who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, said she is also concerned about the treatment of African refugees in the United States. A number of Africans from Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Liberia have received Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED), allowing them to live and work in the U.S. The Congresswoman said, however, she is afraid their status may be in jeopardy under the Trump administration. "The whole world has watched this administration administer very racist immigration policies," Bass said. "I'm very concerned about that." Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said he has not received orders from President Donald Trump to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan. I have not been directed to step down our forces in Afghanistan," Shanahan told reporters before an unannounced visit Monday to Kabul. "The direction... in close coordination with Secretary [of State Mike] Pompeo and [National Security Advisor John] Bolton is to support Ambassador [Zalmay] Khalilzad in these peace negotiations." Trump Speech Stokes Allies Fears Over US Troop Withdrawal U.S. U.S. Last week during the State of the Union Address, Trump once again slammed prolonged conflicts from Syria to Afghanistan, saying that "great nations do not fight endless wars." He told the crowd that as American diplomats made progress in Afghan peace negotiations, "we will be able to reduce our troop presence and focus on counter-terrorism." Shanahan said Monday the size of the U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan would be determined in a "coordinated and disciplined manner." "I think the presence we want in Afghanistan is what assures our homeland defense and supports regional stability," he said. The acting defense secretary met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Afghanistan's chief executive, Abdullah Abdullah, and defense minister Asadullah Khalid while in Kabul. He also visited a base outside of Kabul where U.S. special forces train their Afghan counterparts and spoke with U.S. Army Gen. Austin "Scott" Miler, who commands international forces in Afghanistan. US Negotiator: Afghan Peace Possible Before July Elections The top U.S. negotiator in peace talks with Afghanistans Taliban leaders says he hopes a peace agreement can be achieved before Afghanistans next set of elections just five months away.Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. The top U.S. negotiator in peace talks with Afghanistans Taliban leaders says he hopes a peace agreement can be achieved before Afghanistans next set of elections just five months away.Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. The trip comes as the United States is working to negotiate a peace deal between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Shanahan stressed the importance of Afghan government involvement in peace talks. "The U.S. has significant, significant investment in ensuring security, but the Afghans decide their future," he said. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's government has not been part of ongoing talks between U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and the Taliban. Khalilzad said last week he believes a peace agreement could be achieved before Afghanistan's presidential election in July. He and his team are due to meet with the Taliban again on February 25 in Qatar. China has rejected Turkeys criticism of Beijing's treatment of Uighurs and also denied that Uighur poet and musician has died. China Radio International's Turkish language service released a 26-second video online late Sunday, showing a man said to be Abdurehim Heyit stating that he was in good health. "Today is February 10, 2019," the man said. "I am in the process of being investigated for allegedly violating the national laws. I'm now in good health and have never been abused." The authenticity of the video has not been independently confirmed. On Saturday, Turkey called on China to close facilities it called 'concentration camps' for a reported one million ethnic Uighurs, declaring them a "great shame for humanity". Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a statement, "It is no longer a secret that more than one million Uighur Turks incurring arbitrary arrests are subjected to torture and political brainwashing in internment camps and prisons." The Turkish statement followed reports of the alleged death of Uighur poet and musician Abdurehim Heyit who was held in one of the camps in China's Xinjiang province. Sixteen leading global human rights organizations have called for an international investigation into China's mass incarceration of the Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang province. The groups urged the United Nations Human Rights Council to adopt a resolution establishing an international fact-finding mission to Xinjiang. Kumi Naidoo, the secretary general of Amnesty International, called Xinjiang an outdoor prison. He said it is a place of high-tech surveillance, political indoctrination, forced cultural assimilation, arbitrary arrests and disappearances. So large is the number of people detained, that the government had to open up orphanages to take in the children of families whose parents were being re-educated," Naidoo said. "Yet, China continues to obfuscate and deny access to the region to independent observers, despite repeated requests by the United Nations and others. Naidoo said China must be held accountable for its repressive actions. He said member states must act by mandating the U.N. to investigate the situation. Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, said he agrees. Given the scale of the atrocities being committed by China, Roth said the muted global outcry is deeply regrettable. People worldwide were rightly outraged by (U.S. President Donald) Trumps Muslim travel ban," Roth said, "but when China forces one million Muslims to renounce Islam on pain of endless detention, the response has largely been ho-hum. WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump blamed opposition Democrats on Monday for the stalled talks over immigration policies as the White House as lawmakers struggle to avert another partial government shutdown. "The Democrats do not want us to detain, or send back, criminal aliens!" Trump said on Twitter. "This is a brand new demand. Crazy!" The Democrats do not want us to detain, or send back, criminal aliens! This is a brand new demand. Crazy! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2019 While the dispute initially centered on Trump's demand for $5.7 billion to build a wall along part of the U.S.-Mexican border, the negotiations have foundered on a Democratic effort to limit the number of undocumented immigrants apprehended within the United States, not at the border, who can be detained by U.S. immigration authorities. Democrats are trying to curb the Trump administration's aggressive detention tactics. They want to cap the number of detainees at 16,500, about the number who were held in the last years of the administration of Trump's predecessor, former president Barack Obama, although the number has risen under Trump. Republicans are hoping to exclude several types of undocumented immigrants from the cap, including people charged or convicted of violent crimes as well as those committing misdemeanor drug offenses. Migrants traveling with children walk up a hill t FILE - Migrants traveling with children walk up a hill to a waiting U.S. Border Patrol agent just inside San Ysidro, California, after climbing over the border wall from Playas de Tijuana, Mexico, Dec. 3, 2018. FILE - Migrants traveling with children walk up a hill to a waiting U.S. Border Patrol agent just inside San Ysidro, California, after climbing over the border wall from Playas de Tijuana, Mexico, Dec. 3, 2018. A cap on the number of beds available for detained immigrants would force the Trump administration "to prioritize deportations for criminals and people who pose real security threats, not law-abiding citizens who are contributing to our country," said Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, a California Democrat who is among the 17 lawmakers on a negotiating panel trying to reach agreement on border security funding. The White House and lawmakers are facing a Friday deadline, when funding runs out again for about a quarter of government operations, to avert a new closure three weeks after a record 35-day shutdown was ended Jan. 25. Democrats have offered some funding - perhaps about $2 billion - for Trump's border wall, far less than he wants. The stalled talks come as Trump is set to travel to the border at El Paso, Texas, for a rally Monday to focus on the wall he says would thwart people from illegally entering the United States from Mexico. El Paso's former congressman, Beto O'Rourke, who is considering a possible run for the Democratic nomination in the 2020 presidential race, will be among those leading a march in opposition to Trump's wall demand. In this Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019, photo, a new barri FILE - A new barrier is built along the Texas-Mexico border near downtown El Paso, Jan. 22, 2019. Such barriers have been a part of El Paso for decades and are currently being expanded. FILE - A new barrier is built along the Texas-Mexico border near downtown El Paso, Jan. 22, 2019. Such barriers have been a part of El Paso for decades and are currently being expanded. Several lawmakers said late last week they were close to reaching a deal, even as it remained unclear what Trump would agree to, but over the weekend they said the talks have reached an impasse. On Sunday, Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, the lead Republican on the 17-member congressional border security panel, told Fox News, "I think the talks are stalled right now. I'm not confident we're going to get there." Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney told NBC News another shutdown "absolutely cannot" be ruled out. He said whether lawmakers are close to reaching a deal on border security funding "depends on who you listen to." Mulvaney added, "The president really does believe that there is a national security crisis and a humanitarian crisis at the border and he will do something about it. He is going to do whatever he legally can to secure that border." He said if Trump does not win approval for as much money as he wants, he is likely to say, "I'll go find the money someplace else," by tapping other government funds, a move sure to draw a legal challenge from Democrats. When the five-week closure ended last month, the bipartisan border security group was created to hammer out details of what border security operations would be funded and how much money would go toward Trump's demand for a wall, perhaps his most popular pledge from his successful 2016 campaign for the White House. Democrats initially offered no funding for a wall, but now lawmakers familiar with the negotiations say Trump's opponents appear ready to agree to some border barrier funding, along with provisions for heightened controls at ports of entry to thwart drug smuggling and increased use of drones and other technology to try to halt illegal entry into the country. Lawmakers have often said since the shutdown ended that a second closure would be prevented, but Trump has refused to rule it out if he does not like the border security agreement they present him. He has not publicly stated what level of funding he would accept as a compromise to build a barrier along a relatively small portion of the 3,200-kilometer U.S.-Mexican border. Thailand's Election Commission Monday formally disqualified Princess Ubolratana Mahidol from running for prime minister for a party-linked to ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. "The EC today has announced the name of candidates excluding Princess Ubolratana proposed by the Thai Raksa Chart party," it said in a statement, adding "because all royal family members are above politics." The statement follows Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn move last week to crush the plans of his older sister, Princess Ubolratana, 67, to become a candidate for the country's prime minister. The Thai Raksa Chart party had announced Friday that Ubolratana, 67, would be the party's prime minister nominee for the March 24 election. The political hopes of Ubolratana were dashed almost immediately when Maha issued a terse statement saying his sister's candidacy was "highly inappropriate" and went against tradition and national culture. On Saturday, the Thai Raksa Chart party swore loyalty to the king, saying in a statement that it "complies with the royal command." In an Instagram post Saturday, the princess, without mentioning her brother or her dashed political plans, thanked her supporters for their "love and kindness" and expressed a desire to see the country expand rights and opportunities for citizens. Thailand will hold elections on March 24, the first since a 2014 military coup. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the general who led the coup is a candidate to retain his post and is the preferred choice of the military. Thailand has been a constitutional monarchy since 1932. Dont Listen to Billionaires Who Complain About Taxes When the U.S. last had a top tax rate of over 70 percent, it was a period of unparalleled prosperity. By Jim Hightower February 10, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - Once upon a time, there was a place where the prevailing ethic of the very richest people was that monetary self-indulgence was tacky. Wealth, they believed, was a matter of good fortune, carrying with it an obligation to the Common Good. Believe it or not, that place was the United States. Where did it go? The prevailing ethic of todays billionaires club is one of entitlement, superiority, and grandiosity including flaunting their wealth like the robber barons of old. For example, a ludicrously large house is under construction in Florida for one of our modern-day barons, boasting 11 kitchens, five swimming pools, and a 30 car garage. Worse, the billionaire class is asserting its sense of plutocratic privilege by weaponizing their huge fortunes. Theyve been spending massively (and often secretly) to build a culture of inequality across our land. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter To their dismay, however, Americas workaday majority is rebelling, with newly elected democratic populists like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez proposing a 70 percent tax rate on incomes above $10 million. Oh, the horror, shrieked billionaires like computer magnate Michael Dell: Name a country where thats worked, he demanded dismissively. Okay, Michael: How about the United States? Yes, between the end of World War II in 1945 and Ronald Reagans coddle-the-rich government in 1981, the top tax rate never fell below 70 percent and that was a period of unparalleled growth and prosperity for Americas middle class. Dell, who lives in a sprawling 33,000-square-foot house with all the charm of a shopping mall, confuses value with money and has no grasp of the essential richness of American egalitarianism. We shouldnt be listening to people like him (much less being governed by them) just because they are rich. Jim Hightower is a radio commentator, writer, and public speaker. Distributed by OtherWords.org. Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here ==See Also== Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. Peace and joy BUDAPEST - When Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visits Hungary, Slovakia and Poland this week he wants to make up for a lack of U.S. engagement that opened the door to more Chinese and Russian influence in central Europe, administration officials say. On a tour that includes a conference on the Middle East where Washington hopes to build a coalition against Iran, Pompeo begins on Monday in Budapest, the Hungarian capital that last saw a secretary of state in 2011 when Hillary Clinton visited. On Tuesday he will be in Bratislava, Slovakia, for the first such high-level visit in 20 years. "This is overdue and needed," a senior U.S. administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Our message is we have to show up or expect to lose. "Our efforts at diplomatic engagement are aimed at competing for positive influence and giving allies in the region an indication of U.S. support and interest in order to have alternatives to China and Russia. Washington is concerned about China's growing presence, in particular the expansion of Huawei Technologies, the world's biggest telecom gear maker, in Hungary and Poland. The United States and its Western allies believe Huawei's equipment could be used for espionage and see its expansion into central Europe as a way to gain a foothold in the EU market. Huawei denies engaging in intelligence work for any government. Pompeo will also voice concerns about energy ties with Moscow, and urge Hungary to not support the TurkStream pipeline, part of the Kremlin's plans to bypass Ukraine, the main transit route for Russian gas to Europe. Hungary gets most of its gas from Russia and its main domestic source of electricity is the Paks nuclear power plant where Russia's Rosatom is involved in a 12.5 billion-euro ($14 billion) expansion. It is also one of the EU states that benefit most from Chinese investment. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said this month the United States could help Hungary diversify away from Russian energy by encouraging ExxonMobil to proceed with long-stalled plans to develop a gas field in the Black Sea. The administration official said there had been progress toward sealing bilateral defense accords with Hungary and Slovakia, which is looking to buy F-16 fighter jets. Missing out Daniel Fried, a former U.S. ambassador to Poland, said U.S. engagement with the region fell after EU and NATO enlargement to central Europe, and as Washington's attention moved to Asia and conflict in the Middle East. "A lot of Americans thought our work in the region was done, and yet it was not so," said Fried, now at the Atlantic Council think-tank in Washington. "There was a sense in the last administration that eastern and central Europe was a finished place. The bulk of Pompeo's Poland visit will focus on a U.S. conference on the "Future of Peace and Security in the Middle East". Vice President Mike Pence will also attend the two-day event that starts on Feb. 13. Washington hopes to win support to increase pressure on Iran to end what the it says is its malign behavior in the Middle East and to end its nuclear and missile programs. President Donald Trump withdrew from a 2015 deal on limiting Iran's nuclear work last year but the European Union is determined to stick with it. It is unclear what delegations European capitals will send to what Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has called a "desperate anti-Iran circus". "We think anybody who doesn't participate is going to be missing out," a second administration official said. White House adviser Jared Kushner, Trump's son in law, will discuss a U.S. plan for peace between the Israelis and Palestinians, although he is not likely to give details. The United States will continue investigating the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, asserting that "America is not covering up for a murder". Speaking from the U.S. embassy in Budapest, Hungary, Pompeo said that Washington will "continue to take more action" in response to the "tragic" murder of Khashoggi, despite having missed a February 8 deadline set by Congress to determine who was responsible for the killing inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in October. "America has taken more action in response to the tragic murder of Jamal Khashoggi and will continue to take more action, continue our investigation. We are working diligently on that. The president has been very clear -- couldn't be more clear -- as we get additional information, we will continue to hold all of those responsible accountable," Pompeo said. Khashoggi was a Washington Post columnist who wrote critically about Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. His remains have still not been found. FILE - A protester holds a poster with a picture o FILE - A protester holds a poster with a picture of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, outside Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, Oct. 25, 2018. FILE - A protester holds a poster with a picture of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, outside Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, Oct. 25, 2018. After denying for several weeks that Khashoggi had been killed in the Saudi Consulate, Saudi Arabia later admitted the journalist had been killed by what it called "rogue" Saudi agents, and it indicted 11 people in his death. The New York Times reported last week that the Saudi crown prince said in 2017 that he would use "a bullet" on Khashoggi if the journalist did not return home and stop writing critically about the Saudi government. Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir declined to comment on the Times story last Friday, but told reporters in Washington that the crown prince did not order Khashoggi's killing. OSLO - Norway will expel a Polish diplomat who had clashed with local officials after Warsaw declined to recall him, the Norwegian foreign ministry said on Monday. Poland said it would expel a Norwegian diplomat in exchange, in a rare spat between the two countries which have strong economic links. Norway had decided to expel Polish consul Slawomir Kowalski because his behavior was not compatible with his diplomatic status, the Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman said. She said the ministry had received numerous complaints from officials that the consul has obstructed their work. Norwegian media said Kowalski had been involved in several cases where Polish citizens were disputing decisions by Norwegian child protection services. "This is an extremely unjustified decision," Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek said on Twitter. "The only possible decision in this situation is mutual action, which will be carried out immediately," he added. Poland's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that a Norwegian diplomat had been declared "persona non grata" in Poland, following Norway's decision. Norway's Foreign Ministry was not immediately available for comment. Poles account for the largest immigrant group in the Nordic country of 5.3 million people, estimated at around 98,000 in 2018, according to Statistics Norway. Poland is also the top export market for Norwegian seafood and an important buyer of Norwegian defense-related products. ABUJA, NIGERIA - According to one estimate, more than 70 million people in Nigeria use skin-lightening products regularly, making Africa's most populous country the capital for skin bleaching. Some women reject the trend, saying their natural dark skin is beautiful. But, Nigeria remains a huge market for skin-whitening products. Twenty-five-year-old Nigerian model and actress Goodness Ben visits a cosmetic shop in Abuja. She wants to be famous and says bleaching her skin could increase her chances at getting more movie roles. "Yes this is Nigeria, a fair skin is business. In the movie industry most times the director wants you to like glow, in fact you should be camera friendly. You know most times dark people tend to...will I say resist? But they are more beautiful and catchy when they come in contact with camera, Ben. According to a 2011 estimate from the World Health Organization, 76 million Nigerians, mostly women, use skin-lightening products regularly. Some darker-skinned Nigerians are pushing back against the idea that lighter is better. They say black is beautiful with the so-called Melanin Movement. Tina Ohanu says she doesn't need to bleach her skin. "My confidence really doesn't come from my skin, it comes from within... and I still get as much attention from the male folks as every other lady should, so I don't think it has anything to do with my confidence, Ohanu said. Bleaching products usually contain hydroquinone, corticosteroids or mercury as key ingredients. These chemicals could have a range of side effects when used regularly, according to skin experts. "You can have stretch marks, the skin becomes fragile, doesn't heal properly, sometimes you can have...some of them can give you abnormal skin odor, abnormal odor, excessive sweating, poor wound healing...so, and then it ages faster, Haroun said. The beauty industry in Africa is worth several billion dollars and increases by 8 to 10 percent every year. Nigeria is one of the prime destinations for many beauty agents produced abroad. Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Rwanda banned all whitening products while Nigeria joined South Africa in barring those with harmful chemicals. While these moves help promote natural and healthy skin tone, however, the Melanin Movement is still dwarfed by Africans' demand for skin-lightening products. The faraway space snowman visited by NASA last month has a flat not round behind. New photos from the New Horizons spacecraft offer a new perspective on the small cosmic body 4 billion miles (6.4 billion kilometers) away. Scientists say the two-lobed object, nicknamed Ultima Thule, is actually flatter on the backside than originally thought. Pictures released late last week taken shortly after closest approach on New Year's Day provide an outline of the side not illuminated by the sun. When viewed from the front, Ultima Thule still resembles a two-ball snowman. But from the side, the snowman looks squashed, sort of like a lemon and pie stuck together, end to end. Ultima Thule is the most distant world ever explored. DUBAI - Hundreds of thousands of Iranians marched and some burned U.S. flags to mark the revolution's 40th anniversary on Monday as Tehran showed off ballistic missiles in defiance of U.S. efforts to curb its military power. Soldiers, students, clerics and black-clad women holding small children thronged streets across Iran, many with portraits of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Shi'ite cleric who toppled the Shah in an Islamic uprising that still haunts the West. On Feb. 11, 1979 Iran's army declared its neutrality, paving the way for the fall of U.S.-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. State television showed crowds defying cold rainy weather and carrying Iranian flags while shouting "Death to Israel, Death to America" trademark chants of the revolution. Iran 'Has the Formula' for Nuclear Bombs, Says Hardline Cleric The Friday Prayer Imam of Tehran and influential conservative cleric Ahmad Khatami has said that Iran has the formula for building a nuclear bomb. IRNA reports that during a mourning ceremony in Mashhad on February 9 Khatami has announced, Iran never had the intention to build an atomic bomb. Of course we have the formula but we do not want to use weapons of mass destruction. Iranian officials have always denied any move toward building nuclear weapons. The Friday Prayer Imam of Tehran and influential conservative cleric Ahmad Khatami has said that Iran has the formula for building a nuclear bomb. IRNA reports that during a mourning ceremony in Mashhad on February 9 Khatami has announced, Iran never had the intention to build an atomic bomb. Of course we have the formula but we do not want to use weapons of mass destruction. Iranian officials have always denied any move toward building nuclear weapons. After decades of hostility with the United States, the Islamic Republic vowed to increase its military strength despite mounting pressure from Western countries. Ballistic missile capabilities were on display during the main march, including the Qadr F, a ground-to-ground missile with a 1,950-km (1,220-mile) range, Tasnim news agency said. "We have not asked and will not ask for permission to develop different types of ... missiles and will continue our path and our military power," President Hassan Rouhani said in a speech at Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) square. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani speaks during a ce Iran's President Hassan Rouhani speaks during a ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 11, 2019. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani speaks during a ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 11, 2019. Economic hardships and grievances U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted on Monday that the Iranian government had let down its people. "40 years of corruption. 40 years of repression. 40 years of terror. The regime in Iran has produced only #40YearsofFailure. The long-suffering Iranian people deserve a much brighter future," he posted in both English and Farsi. 40 years of corruption. 40 years of repression. 40 years of terror. The regime in Iran has produced only #40YearsofFailure. The long-suffering Iranian people deserve a much brighter future. pic.twitter.com/bA8YGsw9LA Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2019 The large turnout in state-sponsored rallies, in which U.S. and Israeli flags were burned, came as Iranians face mounting economic hardships many blame on the country's clerical leaders. Pictures on social media showed some people also demonstrating against corruption, unemployment and high prices. "Our presence in the 40th anniversary of the revolution is to show our support for the Islamic Republic," said one sign held by a protester. "But it does not mean we support corruption of some officials and their betrayal of the oppressed people." Reuters could not independently verify the pictures. Last year, Iran cracked down on protests over poor living standards that posed the most serious challenge to its clerical elite since a 2009 uprising over disputed elections. Prices of basic foodstuffs have soared since President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from world powers' 2015 nuclear deal with Iran last year and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. "I bow in admiration to Iran's resilient people who despite hardships and grievances today poured into streets by the millions to mark 40th anniversary of their Islamic Revolution, which some in the US wished would never come," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted. "US should take note: REAL Iranians never succumb to diktats." Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif atte Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attends a meeting on forming a constitutional committee in Syria at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Dec. 18, 2018. Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attends a meeting on forming a constitutional committee in Syria at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Dec. 18, 2018. In January, Rouhani said Iran was dealing with its worst economic crisis since the Shah was toppled. But he remained defiant on Monday as Iranians recalled the end of a monarch who catered to the rich. "The Iranian people have and will have some economic difficulties but we will overcome the problems by helping each other," he said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks a Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the Israeli Air Force pilots' graduation ceremony at Hatzerim air base in southern Israel, Dec. 26, 2018. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the Israeli Air Force pilots' graduation ceremony at Hatzerim air base in southern Israel, Dec. 26, 2018. U.S. and Israeli threats Yadollah Javani, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' deputy head for political affairs, said Iran would demolish cities in Israel if the United States attacked. "The United States does not have the courage to fire a single bullet at us despite all its defensive and military assets. But if they attack us, we will raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground," Javani told the state news agency IRNA. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the threat. "I am not ignoring the threats of the Iranian regime, but nor I am impressed by them," he said. "Were this regime to make the terrible mistake of trying to destroy Tel Aviv and Haifa, it would not succeed, but it would mean that they had celebrated their last Revolution Day. They would do well to take that into account." Washington and the Arab world have viewed Iran with great suspicion since the Islamic Revolution, fearing Khomeini's radical ideology would inspire militants across the Middle East. Today, the United States, its Arab allies and Israel are trying to counter Tehran's growing influence in the Middle East, where it has proxies in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. Iran also has vast clout in Iraq, where Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the overseas arm of the Revolutionary Guards, was frequently photographed guiding Shi'ite militias in the war against Sunni Islamic State militants. CAIRO - Forty years have passed since the Iranian Revolution in which the U.S.-backed government of Shah Mohammad Reza Pavlavi collapsed and the Islamic Republic was born. The events also saw the return to Iran of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini after 14 years in exile in France. Now, Iran's first elected president, who was later ousted by Khomeini, tells VOA that he and many of his fellow revolutionaries felt betrayed by the ayatollah, whom they never realized intended to set up a new dictatorship. For those who remember Iran's 1979 revolution, the moment that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's plane arrived in Tehran from Paris was the moment when the old monarchic regime of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi collapsed, giving way to the new Islamic Republic. FILE - Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, center, is gre FILE - Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, center, is greeted by supporters in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 2, 1979. FILE - Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, center, is greeted by supporters in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 2, 1979. Abolhassan Bani Sadr, who became Iran's first elected president shortly thereafter, was on board that historic flight from Paris to Tehran, and recalls for VOA how he felt when the plane landed at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport. He says that we were full of hope and almost completely convinced that the objectives and principles of the revolution, which were put forward by (Ayatollah Khomeini) would be achieved, and that (Khomeini) would be a barrier to all those forces seeking to return the country to the past. When asked if he was surprised by the turn of events when Khomeini began to show his inclination for a new authoritarian regime based on Shi'ite Islam, Bani Sadr says it was unthinkable that a religious leader would lie to the people. Bani Sadr says he was nearly certain that religious leaders don't lie and have no desire to seek power for themselves, since the role of religious figures in Iran, historically, has been to take the lead in criticizing those in power, especially dictators. So, he says he could not imagine a new dictatorship, as was the case in France or Russia, where dictatorships were restored after revolutions. Bani Sadr recalls how he was elected president by a massive majority of the people, following the revolution, but says Khomeini told his entourage that, "Even if 35 million people [out of a 1979 population of 38 million people] said 'yes' to something, he would say 'no.'" FILE - Then-Iranian President Abolhassen Bani-Sadr FILE - Then-Iranian President Abolhassen Bani-Sadr seen during a press conference, Dec. 1980 in Tehran. FILE - Then-Iranian President Abolhassen Bani-Sadr seen during a press conference, Dec. 1980 in Tehran. Months into the revolution, after Iran's new draft constitution was approved, Bani Sadr says he and his supporters finally realized that Khomeini was not interested in handing power over to the people, but rather sought to wield power himself, after setting up the new "Council of Experts" to ratify decisions by elected officials. Bani Sadr argues that Ayatollah Khomeini would never have been able to seize power and oust him as president had it not been for the disastrous eight-year war against Saddam Hussein's Iraq from 1980 to 1988. Mehrdad Khonsari, who was press attache at the Iranian embassy in London when the shah was ousted, tells VOA that he "never imagined that a revolution would succeed in toppling the shah." "I didn't see the collapse of the regime or even a scenario in which the shah would leave the country... I [also] didn't envision that [the new Islamic Republic] would last for 40 years before some kind of relief or freedom would come upon us... which [still hasn't happened] so far." In his view, the effects of Iran's 1979 revolution can be explained simply by a recent law by the current Iranian parliament, "removing four decimal points from the Iranian currency, one for each decade of the Islamic Republic." "The U.S. dollar today is worth 2,000 times more than it was 40 years ago. And that, in short, is the story of the Iranian people and the suffering they have endured as a consequence of submitting [to a new political order] which they did not [understand]," he said. Khonsari argues that the negative effects of the last revolution make the Iranian people "apprehensive at this time in terms of wanting to opt for something new." Iran's President Hassan Rouhani speaks during a ce Iran's President Hassan Rouhani speaks during a ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Feb. 11, 2019. (H. Zohrevand/Tasnim News Agency/via Reuters) Iran's President Hassan Rouhani speaks during a ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Feb. 11, 2019. (H. Zohrevand/Tasnim News Agency/via Reuters) On Monday's anniversary, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told a rally in Tehran that the country's enemies will not achieve what he called their evil goals. Crowds also chanted, "Death to America" and "Death to Israel." Last year, the United States withdrew from a nuclear deal on limiting Iran's nuclear work and reimposed tough sanctions. Indonesia's landmark sexual violence bill, which advocates say would be the first legal basis for cases of sexual abuse in the country, is facing opposition from conservative groups, putting its passage in doubt. The opposition is mostly based on Islamic religious grounds. According to a petition circulated by a university lecturer, Maimon Herawati, on change.org (which has garnered almost 150,000 signatures), the sexual violence bill negates the violation of Indonesias social norms and encourages, for example, premarital (albeit consensual) sex and prostitution. There is a gap purposefully made so that stowaways could come in, Herawati wrote in the petition, referring to those whose deviant crimes involve homosexual sex and abortion. No rules against sexual crimes, which are those that violate social and religious norms. One faction in the House of Representatives, the Islamic-oriented Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), has also rejected the bill under similar grounds, running counter to factions from two of the biggest parties in the legislative body, The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggles (PDIP) and Gerindra, which support the bill. In a statement obtained by VOA, Ledia Hanifa Amaliah, an Indonesian politician from the PKS, said that the party does not fully object to the bill, but that some wording needs to be changed and it should be more in line with Islamic views. The PKS faction is of the opinion that religiosity should be one of the perspectives needed to prevent sexual crimes, she wrote. Ratna Batara Munti, a lawyer and a coordinator of a civil group that is pushing for the bill, accused opponents of spreading hoaxes as soon as the bill gained traction in recent months. This is a deliberate duping, she said, referring to the allegations that the law would encourage premarital sex, homosexual sex or prostitution. She said the misinformation could be detrimental to the bills prospects for passage. Indonesian Police Intensify Crackdown on Fake News In the span of two months, from October to November, Indonesia's National Police have arrested more than a dozen civilians who spread false information on social media, particularly on Facebook. In the span of two months, from October to November, Indonesia's National Police have arrested more than a dozen civilians who spread false information on social media, particularly on Facebook. Sexual violence bill The sexual violence bill is considered to be a legal breakthrough for Indonesian women over the current law in Indonesias criminal code. According to Mariana Amiruddin, commissioner at The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan), the main difference between the bill and the existing law is that the former is predicated on preventive and rehabilitative measures. The sexual violence bill includes the protection of the victims, and the handling of cases of sexual violence, she told VOA. Whereas the criminal code traffics in norms and general decency. In the criminal code, there are no ways, for instance, for rape victims to access rehabilitative measuressomething that the bill would provide. Available on the House of Representatives website, the bill, proposed since 2017, ensures the rights of victims and the rights of the victims families. Moreover, the bill presides over more specific cases, such as forced abortion, marriage or contraception. The bill also lays out the punishment for the perpetrators, which includes imprisonment and rehabilitation. The bill is also in keeping with a number of commitments to end discrimination against women, including Indonesias ratification of The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) by the United Nations. Though the initiative has gained traction in recent months among the leading political factions, the government is still slated to discuss the bill at length with the House of Representatives later this year before it could be passed, according to the lawyer Munti. They have expressed their commitment to pass it this year, but theres no guarantee that it will be carried [over to] the next administration, Amiruddin said, referring to the presidential and legislative elections in April. Indonesian Campus Rape Victims Seek Justice Agni had never dreamed of taking her rapist to court, all she wanted when she came forward about her experience was for the perpetrator to receive administrative sanctions. Agni, a student at Gajah Mada University in Yogyakarta, says she was sexually assaulted by a fellow student during an internship in Maluku in July 2017.Sukiratnasari, Agnis legal representative, said her client only wanted the case to be resolved within the university and demanded the alleged rapist apologize in a statement. Agni had never dreamed of taking her rapist to court, all she wanted when she came forward about her experience was for the perpetrator to receive administrative sanctions. Agni, a student at Gajah Mada University in Yogyakarta, says she was sexually assaulted by a fellow student during an internship in Maluku in July 2017.Sukiratnasari, Agnis legal representative, said her client only wanted the case to be resolved within the university and demanded the alleged rapist apologize in a statement. Sexual abuse cases in Indonesia In a 2018 report by Komnas Perempuan, the commission noted that the total number of reported violence cases in 2017 ballooned from the previous year, reaching 348,446. Most of the tally came from cases of domestic violence. But the most recent high-profile case was a rape of a university student at the Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta. Drawing a backlash from the public, the university announced last week that the case has been settled with no legal repercussions for the perpetrator, who has admitted to the crime. WASHINGTON - In Algeria, it was banned from bidding for public contracts after one of its executives was convicted of bribery. In Zambia, it was probed over allegations of bribery involving a multi-million-dollar contract to build cell towers in rural areas. In the Solomon Islands, it was accused of offering millions of dollars to the ruling party in exchange for an undersea fiber optic cable contract. In all three cases and half a dozen others in recent years the alleged perpetrator was Huawei Technologies, the Chinese telecom behemoth facing scrutiny from Western nations over allegations of intellectual property theft and espionage. Saying it poses a national security threat, the U.S., Australia and New Zealand have banned the company from building new, state of the art 5G telecom networks. Other Western countries are debating over a similar ban. Security concerns about Huawei and other Chinese telecom equipment providers are mounting after U.S. prosecutors last month charged the company founded by a former Peoples Liberation Army officer with violating U.S. sanctions on Iran, purloining trade secrets from T-Mobile and encouraging its employees to steal intellectual property. The focus on national security concerns about Huawei has eclipsed a little reported aspect of the companys operations: Huaweis involvement in corrupt business dealings. The company has denied the allegations of corruption and said it has strong safeguards against corporate graft. In a statement on its website, Huawei says it has a zero-tolerance policy on graft. Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can download this video to view it offline. Download File 360p | 3 MB 480p | 5 MB 540p | 6 MB 1080p | 20 MB Original | 17 MB Copy Download Audio Huawei believes that corruption severely damages fair market competition and is a threat to the development of our society, economy and enterprises, the statement said. But experts who have studied Huaweis business practices say the companys statements are contradicted by its conduct. The unfortunate reality of Huaweis activities on the (African) continent is that they have a proven track record of engaging in corruption and other dodgy business dealings, said Joshua Meservey, an Africa expert at the Heritage Foundation and author of a recent report on Chinese corporate corruption. With business operations in more than 170 countries and annual revenues of $108 billion, Huawei is the worlds largest supplier of telecom equipment. Last year, the multinational company beat Apple to become the No. 2 manufacturer of smartphones and tablets in the world. In December, Huaweis chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, was arrested by Canadian authorities and she is being held for possible extradition to the U.S. for violation of U.S. sanctions on Iran. FILE - Huawei Technologies Chief Financial Office FILE - Huawei Technologies Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou is seen as she exits the court registry following a bail hearing at British Columbia Superior Courts in Vancouver, British Columbia, Dec. 11, 2018. FILE - Huawei Technologies Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou is seen as she exits the court registry following a bail hearing at British Columbia Superior Courts in Vancouver, British Columbia, Dec. 11, 2018. Huawei has rejected the charges. In a recent letter to the UK Parliament made public last week, Huawei refuted allegations of espionage, saying if the company engaged in malicious behavior, it would not go unnoticed and it would certainly destroy our business. In developing countries in Asia and Africa, the companys corrupt business practices are a matter of great concern among industry officials and civil society activists. In the last 12 years, Huawei and its smaller Chinese rival ZTE have been investigated or found guilty of corruption in as many as 21 countries, according to Andy Keiser, a former House Intelligence Committee professional staffer. These include a dozen African countries such as Algeria and Ghana as well as the Philippines, Malaysia, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Mongolia, the Solomon Islands and China itself, according to Keiser. ZTE and Huawei have developed dubious reputations around the world, Keiser testified before Congress last June. The transaction cost of Huaweis corrupt business deals runs in the billions. RWR Advisory Group, a consulting firm that tracks Chinese investments around the world, estimates that Huawei has entered into more than $5 billion worth of business deals involving allegations of bribery and corruption. The charges against Huawei range from outright bribery to making illegal donations to political parties in exchange for contracts and other business advantages. vA worker takes a Huawei mobile Internet device ne FILE - A Huawei mobile device is seen next to one by its competitor, ZTE Corp, left, at a mall in Beijing, China, July 4, 2018. FILE - A Huawei mobile device is seen next to one by its competitor, ZTE Corp, left, at a mall in Beijing, China, July 4, 2018. The Algerian case involved an elaborate scheme in which Huawei and ZTE executives allegedly paid $10 million in bribes to a former state telecom operator executive and a businessman in exchange for winning contracts. In 2012, an Algerian court convicted the former executive and another businessman of receiving bribes. The two Algerians were sentenced to 18 years in prison. Three executives of the Chinese firms also were tried in absentia and sentenced to 10 years in prison for their role in the scheme. The government fined Huawei and ZTE and banned them from bidding on public contracts for two years. In Ghana, Huawei has confronted accusations of illegally funding the ruling party, a charge Huawei and other Chinese companies have faced in other countries. In 2012, an opposition group disclosed what it claimed was evidence that Huawei had made illegal campaign contributions to the ruling National Democratic Congress in exchange for a $43 million tax exemption. Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) produced invoices and other documents showing the Chinese telecom company had paid for millions of dollars worth of campaign paraphernalia for the ruling partys 2012 election campaign. In return, the group alleged, the government awarded one of the juiciest contracts to be doled out by the government a $150 million contract to build an e-government platform. Huawei and the government denied the charges. Visitors look at a display for 5G wireless technol FILE - Visitors look at a display for 5G wireless technology from Chinese technology firm Huawei at the PT Expo in Beijing, China, Sept. 26, 2018. FILE - Visitors look at a display for 5G wireless technology from Chinese technology firm Huawei at the PT Expo in Beijing, China, Sept. 26, 2018. In the Solomon Islands, Huawei has faced similar accusations. In 2017, a Parliamentary committee accused the government of awarding Huawei a contract to build a submarine fiber optic link to Australia after Huawei offered a $5.25 million campaign donation to the ruling party. The committee is of the view that this is the main reason for the government to bypass procurement requirements in favor of the company Huawei, a parliamentary report said. Huawei dismissed the allegations. As a global business entity, Huawei does not involve itself in politics. Huawei forbids all of its global subsidiaries from making any form of political donation, including in places where this practice is legal, the company said in a statement. Bribery allegations have also plagued Huawei projects in South Africa, Nigeria, and Pakistan. But the company appears to have weathered the allegations, positioning itself as a major player in building 5G networks around the world. As of last February, Huawei had signed 25 memorandums of understanding with telecom operators around the world to trial 5G equipment, according to a Reuters survey of public announcements. In recent years, Huawei has also found itself at the receiving end of a Chinese government crackdown on domestic corruption. In 2017, the head of Huaweis consumer business group for China was detained on suspicion of taking bribes. To root out corruption among its employees, Huawei says it has implemented policies including requiring executives to take a loyalty oath. But the safeguards are of limited value if the material incentives for employees dont reflect those priorities, said Alexandra Wrage, president of anti-bribery business organization TRACE International. This danger can be compounded when an enterprise maintains financial and political backing from the government, which is often seen as fostering a greater tolerance for risk in pursuit of growth, Wrage said. The Friday Prayer Imam of Tehran and influential conservative cleric Ahmad Khatami has said that Iran has the formula for building a nuclear bomb. IRNA reports that during a mourning ceremony in Mashhad on February 9 Khatami has announced, Iran never had the intention to build an atomic bomb. Of course we have the formula but we do not want to use weapons of mass destruction. Iranian officials have always denied any move toward building nuclear weapons. On this occasion, Khatami did not elaborate about Tehran having the formula. Khatami is seen in Iran as a staunch supporter of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who usually repeats or echoes his hardline positions. Three years ago, the International Atomic Energy Agency head Yukiya Amano reported that prior to 2003 and until 2009 Iran did engage in activities toward developing the know-how for nuclear explosions. Iran has been able to enrich uranium to 20 percent, which is relatively easy to enrich further to more than the 90 percent needed for a nuclear bomb. On Sunday, Khatami continued to speak about nuclear and military power, saying that the U.S. was able to contain the development of Irans nuclear power and now ballistic missiles are the only thing left for Iran. Khatami also admitted that U.S. sanctions have led to hardship for the people and tried to argue that Khameneis initiatives to deal with the economic crisis has helped prevent a much worse outcome. Why I Hope Maduro Wins And North Korea Keeps Its Nukes By Caitlin Johnstone February 10, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - A second summit meeting for the US and North Korea is reportedly scheduled to take place in Vietnam at the end of the month. Expert opinions on where these negotiations are headed range from the insightful to the incredibly naive, with mainstream media consumers consistently finding themselves in the latter category. Trump supporters believe their president is going to pull off some Art of the Deal wizardry and convince Pyongyang to completely denuclearize, and mainstream Democrats believe Trump is being foolish, facilitating the nefarious agendas of an evil dictator. As happens with pretty much all US foreign policy issues these days, the picture is completely obscured by the mass medias obsessive fixation on Trump. People who are well-informed tend to say that North Korea will never denuclearize, mainly because its government has no meaningful incentive to do so in a world where Muammar Gaddafi was murdered in the streets as a direct result of US regime change interventionism shortly after relinquishing Libyas nuclear program . As bad as western sanctions are, theyre nothing compared to what happened to Libya. I agree that Pyongyang as we have known it will never denuclearize, no matter how charming or threatening Moon and Trump get. There can certainly be peace between the Koreas, but the notion that Pyongyang as we know it will just give up the DPRKs nuclear weapons is a fairy tale for children and mental midgets. Those words Pyongyang as we know it are key, though. There are circumstances under which North Korea could voluntarily give up its nukes, be relieved of sanctions, and be treated like a normal nation by the unipolar world order in the near term. Theyre just not circumstances any of us should want. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter North Korea isn't going to denuclearize, and it shouldn't have to. The DPRK having nukes is just the natural consequence of US imperialism. The only way it'll denuke is if it allows itself to be bullied into joining the blob of the empire, and nobody should want that. Caitlin Johnstone (@caitoz) February 8, 2019 The way I see it there are only three possibilities: North Korea keeps its nukes as an effective deterrent against regime change interventionism, North Korea relinquishes its nukes because the US and all rivals have relinquished their nukes, or North Korea relinquishes its nukes because it entered into the US-centralized power alliance. The only way North Korea will be treated normally by the unipolar world order is if it joins that unipolar world order. If it allows itself to be absorbed into the blob of the US-centralized empire. If North Korea denuclearizes, that is what will have happened, and that has always been the ultimate goal of the pressures that have been stacked upon it. If Kim Jong-Un is sufficiently different from his predecessors, and if he is presented with the right combination of carrots and sticks, who knows? North Korea has $10 trillion worth of natural resources that it cant access or sell due to sanctions, and you may be sure there are powerful people in both the east and the west courting Pyongyang to get that wealth into their pockets. Maybe Kims power base could be persuaded to consent to relinquishing the DPRKs sovereignty like so many nations before ( including my own ) and join the blob to relieve the pressure. But what would that mean, exactly? It would mean that one more nation which tried to insist on its national sovereignty was bullied and starved into joining the US-centralized empire to survive. The empire would be one nation more, and the remaining unabsorbed multipolarist governments would be one nation less. The reality is that it is impossible to be truly anti-war without opposing the unipolar global dominance of the United States and its tight network of allies which operates functionally as an empire. It is impossible for this empire to remain dominant without the threat and enforcement of military violence; the carrot of military alliance and the stick of military assault are the glue which holds the empire together. The world can never know peace while this is happening. If you support the continued world dominance of the United States, you can perhaps claim to be against some wars on a case-by-case basis, but you cannot claim to be anti-war or anti-interventionist. probably the dumbest headline ever on venezuela. pretty sure any leader of any country would threaten to kill soldiers of an invading force. https://t.co/XRFXVntfBB Whitney Webb (@_whitneywebb) February 8, 2019 With Venezuela its the same as with North Korea: the US-centralized power alliance is bullying a noncompliant nation in a key strategic region into allowing itself to be absorbed into the blob of an empire that is held in place with endless violence. Of course I fully support the sovereign right of the people of Venezuela to shape their nation in accordance with their will, but the Trump administrations regime change interventionism there has nothing whatsoever to do with the will of the Venezuelan people. The Guaido pretend government that the US is working to install has been built by the engineers of imperialism from the ground up to ensure a Venezuela that is loyal to US interests, which John Bolton himself acknowledges have a lot to do with oil. If the US succeeds in disrupting the lives of Venezuelans so much that the military shifts alignment and ousts Maduro in desperation, sure the sanctions will end, and maybe things will be better for some (mostly white, wealthier ) Venezuelans, but ultimately what will have happened is the empire succeeded in bullying another sovereign nation into relinquishing its sovereignty. Same with Iran. If Boltons crew succeeds in securing regime change in Tehran, the mainstream narrative is that it will mean freedom and democracy and the wind in womens hair, but what it will primarily mean in reality is that the US-centralized empire succeeded in toppling yet another government of yet another oil-rich nation and installing a puppet regime to complement its Israeli and Gulf state allies, thereby shoring up regional dominance in the Middle East. From there we may be certain that Syria will suffer the same fate. Anyone who sees that war is wrong should oppose this tooth and claw. The continued growth of the unipolar blob is a movement away from a world of peace and national sovereignty and towards a world of endless military violence enforcing the depraved will of the same thugs who inflicted unforgivable horrors on Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Libya, Syria, and so many other nations. Generals who served there now admit the War in Afghanistan has been lost and the entire effort was pointless https://t.co/cORKlJHCfH pic.twitter.com/hB4LvBht05 Michael Tracey (@mtracey) February 8, 2019 The way to prevent nuclear war with North Korea is to leave North Korea alone, stop sanctioning them and stop threatening them. The way to help the people of Venezuela is to end the sanctions which are starving them. The way to help the people of Iran is to end the CIA covert ops and starvation sanctions and stay the hell out of their country. The way to help Syrians is to stop arming and protecting the extremist militias who tried to topple Damascus, end the sanctions, end the illegal occupation, and respect the nations sovereignty. The way to advance peace is to oppose the institution that has done more to undermine peace than anyone else in the world, namely the US empire. Of course we should want everyone to be free from oppression, and of course we should want the world to be free of nuclear weapons. But we shouldnt support the toppling of foreign governments by a power whose consistent record of disastrous regime change interventionism is established beyond a doubt, and we shouldnt support that power in bullying sovereign nations into relinquishing their sovereignty to escape brutalization. That is not the kind of world were trying to create here. The bigger the warmongering imperial blob grows, the more powerful it gets. If you want a world full of peace and harmony, put your emphasis on opposing the toxic activities of the power most responsible for preventing it. Caitlin's articles are entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, liking her on Facebook , following her antics on Twitter , checking out her podcast , throwing some money into her hat on Patreon or Paypal , or buying her book Woke: A Field Guide for Utopia Preppers . https://caitlinjohnstone.com The music world hit the red carpet Sunday for the Grammys, with hip-hop royalty and a bevy of talented women leading the pack -- and early awards going to top nominees Brandi Carlile and Lady Gaga. In the pre-gala ceremony in Los Angeles, at which most of the more than 80 prizes are handed out, folk rocker Carlile -- this year's most nominated woman -- won her first three Grammys ever, in the Americana and American Roots categories. Pop royalty Gaga meanwhile won an award in the visual media group for her heart-pounding hit "Shallow" of the blockbuster film "A Star Is Born," and another for best pop solo performance for "Joanne." "I'm not gonna be able to wear any makeup tonight," Gaga tweeted. "I'm in tears with honor and gratitude." Genre-bending experimental artist Beck scored the prize for Best Alternative Music Album. The early wins by women offered a positive sign that change may be afoot at the Recording Academy, which has faced intense backlash over its apparent struggle to embrace diversity. For the second consecutive year, black hip-hop artists are leading the pack -- but observers are still wondering if nominations success can translate into big wins. Rapper Kendrick Lamar -- who won a Pulitzer Prize for his album "DAMN." but has yet to snare a Grammy for Album of the Year -- earned eight nods while Canadian rapper Drake snagged seven. Female artists take front seat Women artists scored nominations in all of the top categories, after being largely muted a year ago: Gaga, Carlile, rapper Cardi B and pop futurist Janelle Monae are among the frontrunners. This year, five of the eight Album of the Year nominations went to female artists: Cardi B, Carlile, Monae, R&B prodigy H.E.R. and country star Kacey Musgraves. In the Best New Artist category, six of the eight nominees are women. FILE - Lady Gaga arrives at the Los Angeles premie FILE - Lady Gaga arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of "A Star Is Born," at the Shrine Auditorium, Sept. 24, 2018. Lady Gaga was nominated for several Grammy Awards, including one for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. FILE - Lady Gaga arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of "A Star Is Born," at the Shrine Auditorium, Sept. 24, 2018. Lady Gaga was nominated for several Grammy Awards, including one for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. A thrilled Carlile beamed as she accepted three consecutive trophies. "Americana music is the island of the misfit toys. I am such a misfit," Carlile said, speaking about the difficulties of coming out as a lesbian in her teen years and never attending school dances. "To be embraced by this enduring and loving community has been the dance of a lifetime. Thank you for being my island," she said. In a charming twist, U.S. president Jimmy Carter won his third Grammy in the Spoken World Album category for the audio version of his best-selling book "Faith: A Journey For All." Backstage drama But industry drama was threatening the evening gals, with a number of superstars declining to take part in the glitzy concert portion at the Staples Center. Pop mega-star Ariana Grande -- who dropped her highly anticipated album "Thank U, Next" just before the Grammys -- slammed producer Ken Ehrlich over her decision not to perform, suggesting he was "lying" about her readiness. Grande won for best pop vocal album for "Sweetener." Drake, Lamar and Childish Gambino -- the rap alter-ego of actor Donald Glover -- have also all turned down performance offers, and it was not clear if they would even attend. Childish Gambino won the coveted prize for best music video for his politically provocative "This Is America." Gaga, Carlile, Monae, Cardi B and Musgraves are all due to take the stage. Praise for women 'overdue' Hopes that women would get their due comes after the head of the Recording Academy -- which includes more than 13,000 music professionals -- told them last year to "step up" if they wanted to do better on Grammys night. The brazen comment drew outrage and prompted the executive, Neil Portnow, to say he would resign when his contract expires this summer. Gaga's initial two wins were out of five nominations, including for both Record and Song of the Year for "Shallow," which she performed with co-star Bradley Cooper. Songstress Alicia Keys, a 15-time Grammy winner, is set to host Sunday's televised ceremony -- the first woman to do so in 14 years. She vowed this year's performances would be the "sickest" yet, with icons like Parton and disco diva Diana Ross also set to take the stage. A performance honoring the legacy of the late "Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin is also expected. Keys told CBS news this year's greater representation from women was "far overdue." She hailed the importance "particularly for women to have our seat at the table, to represent the fact that we are so here and so incredible and we are the creators of our music." PARIS - They wont go away. Week after week, Frances yellow vests are out on the streets, in one of the biggest and longest popular uprisings the country has seen in years; a political crisis with no easy exit. On Saturday, roughly 51,000 protesters took to the streets for the thirteenth consecutive weekend but the numbers were down from January. Once again, the demonstrations were marked by violence, with one protester severely wounded in the hand. Now heading into its fourth month, the unrest has cost the French economy billions of dollars in lost tourism and commerce, and morphed from anger over a fuel tax hike to include broader social and economic grievances. Jerome Partage believes the yellow vest protests a Jerome Partage believes the yellow vest protests are shaping a new revolution in France. Jerome Partage believes the yellow vest protests are shaping a new revolution in France. Named after the trademark yellow security vests French citizens keep in their cars, the gilets jaunes or yellow vest movement is igniting similar protests elsewhere in Europeeven as some French unions and parties are eager to co-opt it. Last week It even helped to turn long-simmering tensions between France and Italy into a full-blown spat with Paris withdrawing its ambassador to Rome for consultations, following a meeting between Italys deputy prime minister and yellow vests. Student Pierre-Antoine Charpentier wants French Pr Student Pierre-Antoine Charpentier wants French President Emmanuel Macron to go. Student Pierre-Antoine Charpentier wants French President Emmanuel Macron to go. Some protesters claim they are driving a new French revolutionover old grievances, but also more recent reforms pushed by the government of President Emmanuel Macron. But their movement risks being splintered by its myriad demands, lack of clear leadership, and infighting within its ranks. Upcoming European Parliament elections may deepen the divisions, with purists maintaining the movement should stay out of politics. I think it will be very hard for the gilets jaunes to translate their success in French society into electoral success, said Emmanuel Lafont Rapnouil, head of the Paris office of the European Council on Foreign Relations. Its not clear what they want, or whether they can organize quickly to make choices and compromises to have a proper platform. Yellow vest protester Sabrina Drljevic-Pierre (R) Yellow vest protester Sabrina Drljevic-Pierre (R) wants greater social and environmental justice. Yellow vest protester Sabrina Drljevic-Pierre (R) wants greater social and environmental justice. For the first time last week, yellow vests joined forces with leftist trade unionists in a nationwide strike for higher salaries and a fairer tax system. They packed central Paris on a sunny afternoon, marching to Place de la Concorde, known for its many executions during the French Revolution. For many the symbolism was potent. We want the government to be fired, said student Pierre-Antoine Charpentier, sporting orange hair and his fluorescent jacket. This is too muchtoo many laws against the people, too much money for rich people, too many taxes for poor people. Nearby, protester Jerome Partage agreed the French president and his government must go. Macron is a big part of the problem, he said. Hes not the only problem, but hes the best representative of politics weve had for 40 years, and hes not going to negotiate anything. A yellow vest protester calls for less violence bu A yellow vest protester calls for less violence but for demonstrations to continue. A yellow vest protester calls for less violence but for demonstrations to continue. For the 41-year-old Macron, the ongoing protests easily amount to the biggest crisis facing his two-year-old presidency, and risk derailing a series of ambitious reforms. With his approval rating hitting record lows, the president did a U-turn late last year, repealing an unpopular fuel tax hike, and announcing pay rises and tax cuts for the most vulnerable. Macron also acknowledged he was partly to blame for what he described as an insufficient government response to yellow vest frustrations, a startling break for a president critics routinely describe as arrogant. And he sketched a partial blueprint for unwinding the crisis: three months of national debates, aimed to get citizen input on themes ranging from taxes and public services, to climate change and democracy. Macrons popularity has since inched up. But there does not appear to be a clear objective behind the raft of town hall meetings scheduled through mid-March that could potentially include millions of French. Among other outcomes, the president is mulling a referendum, possibly piggybacking on the European parliament vote in May. The yellow vests encompass all ages and many backg The yellow vests encompass all ages and many backgrounds. The yellow vests encompass all ages and many backgrounds. But that option is risky. The last referendum saw voters delivering one of Macrons predecessors, Jacques Chirac, a massive setback in 2005, by rejecting a European Union constitution. And on the streets, there appears to be little support for either a referendum or Macron. I think for Macron, this great debate is just a game, said yellow vest protester Sabrina Drljevic-Pierre, an unemployed local development worker. Hes spending taxpayers money to do publicity and its really pathetic. Still, the yellow vests face their own challenges. Several are eyeing a run for European parliament. Initial polls suggest they could score well. But so far, the movement has produced no unified list of candidates, and some members believe it should stay out of politics altogether. Its a really bad idea, said protester Monique Pedron. Maybe theyre people who need recognition, but Im against it. Retired school teacher Jean-Francois Wolff is also underwhelmed by prospects of a yellow vest party. But as he prepared to join yet another protest, he was at loss to predict how the uprising would end. The government hopes this will peter out, but were still here, Wolff said. The yellow vests are determined. So is public opinion. ISTANBUL - The European Court of Human Rights has dealt Turkish human rights activists a significant blow in its refusal to hear a pivotal case stemming from a Turkish military operation that left more than 100 civilians dead. The military campaign took place in Turkey's predominantly Kurdish southeast between December 2015 and February 2016 as the security forces sought to oust PKK separatist fighters from towns and cities across the region. The European Court cases focused on Cizre, the scene of some of the heaviest fighting. U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said Turkish security forces "deliberately and unjustifiably killed about 130 people among whom were unarmed civilians and injured combatants trapped in the basements." Ankara strongly condemned the allegations, maintaining that civilians were not deliberately killed. Two civilians, Orhan Tunc and Omer Elci, were among the casualties in Cizre. Last Thursday, the court ruled that their cases were inadmissible because all "domestic remedies" had not been exhausted. That means lawyers had not taken their case to Turkey's Constitutional Court. The decision is a crucial legal victory for Ankara, but casts a shadow in the minds of many in Turkey over the integrity of the European court. Town centers turned to ruins During the military campaign in southeastern Turkey, the military, using tanks and artillery, turned many city and town centers to ruins, killing thousands and leaving hundreds of thousands more homeless. More than 600 members of the Turkish security forces were also killed. "Human rights groups documented unlawful and mass killings, destruction of property and displacement, and so far there has been no effective criminal investigation into any aspect of what occurred," said Turkey senior researcher Emma Sinclair-Webb of Human Rights Watch. A woman looks at a building, which was damaged dur FILE - A woman looks at a building, which was damaged during the security operations and clashes between Turkish security forces and Kurdish militants, in the southeastern town of Cizre in Sirnak province, Turkey, March 2, 2016. FILE - A woman looks at a building, which was damaged during the security operations and clashes between Turkish security forces and Kurdish militants, in the southeastern town of Cizre in Sirnak province, Turkey, March 2, 2016. Lawyer Ramazan Demir, representing Orhan Tunc, whose burned remains were found with his brother Mehmet in Cizre, said the case was the last hope for legal redress. "They (families of the killed) were hoping that the (European) Court would rule on the facts of mass crimes committed by security forces. They are abandoned to Turkish judiciary once again by the court." The court's rejection of the cases validates Ankara's argument the Turkish judiciary remains independent and functioning, according to analysts who say the ruling will also likely end hopes of dozens more similar pending cases. "The European Court of Human Rights has become an apologist for the Turkish Constitutional Court, claiming that the Turkish Court provides an effective remedy," tweeted law professor Yaman Akdeniz and freedom of speech activists. 'Demise of judiciary independence' International human rights organizations and the European Union have sharply criticized Ankara for undermining the independence of the judiciary. Since a 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, 4,400 judges and prosecutors have been jailed or arrested. Two constitutional court judges are also languishing behind bars. "In the history of the republic, it has never witnessed such demise of the judiciary independence," said political scientist Cengiz Aktar. "The judiciary was always under the heavy influence of the executive, but never at the level, we are witnessing now. The regime is installing a new concept of law in Turkey." Ankara defends the purge, saying those behind the attempted coup have an extensive network of followers within the judiciary and security forces. The mass arrests and dismissals within the judiciary and the Turkish presidency's greater powers to appoint high-level judges, including to the constitutional court, are adding to growing pressure on the European Human Rights Court to accept cases without going through the Turkish legal process. This is a power the European court has seldomly used. Court has limitations Analysts warn such a move threatens to bring the court to a standstill. "There are so many violations (in Turkey) of the European Convention of Human Rights, if the courts accepted all those cases it would be overwhelmed," said Aktar, adding, "It would stop the work of the court. This is why the court is so careful in accepting cases." Aktar points out it's essential to understand the court's limitations. "The European Court of Human rights is not a tribunal to ensure the change of non-democratic countries into democratic ones," said Aktar. "The court is conceived to redress of small deviations from the rule of law. In Turkey, Azerbaijan and Russia, these are non-democratic countries. The court can't help there." Demir said he fears the door is closing on the last hope of legal redress for victims of injustice in Turkey. "The court has always been final hope for the victims," said Demir. "However, they (Court) prefer not to disappoint the (member) states nowadays..." MADRID/BARCELONA - Twelve Catalan politicians go on trial on Tuesday for their role in Catalonia's failed 2017 independence bid, putting the spotlight back on Spain's biggest political crisis in decades which could make it flare once again. To the dismay of much of the rest of Spain, Catalonia defied a judicial ban by carrying out a referendum and subsequently unilaterally declaring independence in October 2017. There was shock at home and abroad when police used batons and rubber bullets on protesters on the day of the vote. Some of the Catalan separatist leaders were later arrested or fled the country. Spain Rules Catalonia Referendum Illegal Spain's top court ruled Catalonia's independence referendum illegal Tuesday, saying that the regional law backing it violated Spain's constitution. The Catalan government had passed the "self-determination referendum law" on September 6. Spain's top court ruled Catalonia's independence referendum illegal Tuesday, saying that the regional law backing it violated Spain's constitution. The Catalan government had passed the "self-determination referendum law" on September 6. The start on Tuesday of the trial will refocus attention on the region's push for secession which so rattles Spain's political and cultural identity. The trial will decide if Catalan nationalist leaders stay in jail. The public prosecutor is seeking prison terms of up to 25 years on charges of rebellion and misuse of public funds. At stake are Spain's stability, the future of Catalonia's independence movement as well as the region's and the central government's image abroad. "It's the most important trial we have had in democracy," Supreme Court president Carlos Lesmes told reporters on Feb. 1, referring to the return to democracy in Spain after dictator Francisco Franco's death in 1975. Raul Romeva, one of nine defendants jailed without bail since late 2017 facing the charge of rebellion, has made clear his view that it should end only with an acquittal. "A [prison] sentence would weigh forever on history and on Spain's future," Romeva told Reuters in an interview conducted by email from jail. At the time of his arrest, Romeva was foreign minister in Catalonia's regional government and a member of the European Parliament. Fellow defendants include veteran Catalan politicians Oriol Junqueras and Carme Forcadell. Notably absent from the list is former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, who is in self-imposed exile in Belgium and thus cannot be tried in Spain. Fugitive Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont addresse FILE - Fugitive Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont addresses the media in Brussels, Belgium, Jan. 24, 2018. FILE - Fugitive Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont addresses the media in Brussels, Belgium, Jan. 24, 2018. The dozen's fate has been a rallying cry for separatists ever since 2017, said Federico Santi, analyst at political risk consultancy Eurasia, adding that he expected, like other observers, that the trial will re-ignite tensions. Pro-Catalan independence protests had quieted down over the past months but separatist groups have called a series of protests in Catalonia and in Madrid to coincide with the trial. Their supporters say they are political prisoners, while Madrid accuses them of breaking the law. Among the many witnesses will be Mariano Rajoy, who was Spanish prime minister at the time of the independence vote and its aftermath. Rift Lluis Orriols, a political science professor at Universidad Carlos III in Madrid, thinks the trial will reinvigorate the separatist debate ahead of end-May local and regional elections. "The Catalan question is activating a nationalistic and identitarian confrontation not only in Catalonia but also in all of Spain," Orriols said. The trial starts as the Socialist government, which controls less than a quarter of seats in parliament, faces a key vote on the 2019 budget on Wednesday. A failure to approve the budget proposal could prompt a snap parliamentary election this year. Spanish PM May Call Spring Ballot as Election Talk Swirls Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is considering calling a snap election for mid-April, news agency EFE said on Monday, as the government scrambles to find the support it needs to get a pivotal vote on the 2019 budget through parliament. Sanchez's ruling Socialists hold less than a quarter of the seats in the lower house, and speculation about whether it will serve a full term has swirled since it took office last summer when the conservative People's Party lost a confidence vote. He is Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is considering calling a snap election for mid-April, news agency EFE said on Monday, as the government scrambles to find the support it needs to get a pivotal vote on the 2019 budget through parliament. Sanchez's ruling Socialists hold less than a quarter of the seats in the lower house, and speculation about whether it will serve a full term has swirled since it took office last summer when the conservative People's Party lost a confidence vote. He is Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez relies on smaller parties, and in particular Catalan nationalists, to get the budget adopted. These have said they would block the bill, citing their dissatisfaction with Sanchez's policy towards the region, despite his efforts for dialog. On the other hand, Spain's right-wing parties accuse Sanchez of being too soft with Catalan separatists. On Sunday, thousands gathered in Madrid to protest Sanchez' Catalan policies. Right-Wingers Rally in Madrid, Demand Socialist PM Resign Thousands of Spaniards joined a right-wing rally in Madrid on Sunday to demand that Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez step down. Many in the crowd gathered in the capital's Plaza de Colon, waving Spanish flags. They chanted slogans in favor of the nation's security forces and for Sanchez to resign. The conservative opposition Popular Party and the center-right Citizens party organized the rally, which was also backed by the upstart far-right Vox and other marginal far-right parties. Thousands of Spaniards joined a right-wing rally in Madrid on Sunday to demand that Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez step down. Many in the crowd gathered in the capital's Plaza de Colon, waving Spanish flags. They chanted slogans in favor of the nation's security forces and for Sanchez to resign. The conservative opposition Popular Party and the center-right Citizens party organized the rally, which was also backed by the upstart far-right Vox and other marginal far-right parties. In Catalonia, support for the twelve is not unanimous. The population is largely split in two between those who favor remaining part of Spain and those wanting to secede. After imposing direct rule on Catalonia in October 2017, Madrid called fresh regional elections that December in a bid to curb the independence movement. But the move backfired and the secessionists retained a slim majority in the Catalan assembly. The last time a trial for rebellion was held in Spain was in 1982 after a failed military coup attempt. Its leader, found guilty of rebellion by a military court, was sentenced to 30 years of prison. California Governor Gavin Newsom said on Monday that he is ready to withdraw hundreds of the state's National Guard troops from the U.S.-Mexico border, a rebuke of President Donald Trump's stance that a national security crisis is unfolding there. In his State of the State address on Tuesday, the newly elected Democratic governor will say that border crossings had fallen to their lowest since 1971 and California's undocumented population had dropped to a more than 10-year low, spokesman Brian Ferguson said. "The border 'emergency' is nothing more than a manufactured crisis -- and CA's National Guard will not be part of this political theater," Newsom said on Twitter. As a result, the governor would reassign about 360 California National Guard troops at the border to address the "real threats" faced by the state, including drug trafficking and wildfires, the spokesman said in an email. Newsom's office did not provide a timeline for the redeployments. Newsom's predecessor, Governor Jerry Brown, agreed to send the troops to the border last April after reaching agreement with the Trump administration that they would focus on fighting criminal gangs and smugglers, but not enforcing immigration laws. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham last week ordered most National Guard troops deployed at the state's border with Mexico to withdraw, also rejecting the Republican president's contention of a crisis. Grisham, a Democrat, called Trump's frequent declarations of an immigration crisis at the border a "charade." The troops were deployed by her Republican predecessor, Susana Martinez, last year at Trump's request. Trump has deployed an extra 3,750 U.S. troops on the border this month. Constantly pointing to threats from illegal immigrants, Trump has made building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border a priority of his presidency. But Democrats are seeking to thwart that, saying it is unnecessary and a waste of money. Trump's demand for $5.7 billion to help build a wall led to a 35-day partial U.S. government shutdown that ended last month without the president getting wall funding. He agreed to reopen the government for three weeks to allow lawmakers time to find a compromise and avert another shutdown on Feb. 15. SYDNEY - Australia is installing renewable energy facilities at a faster rate than any other country. Research shows Australia is on track to meet its Paris climate commitments five years earlier than expected in 2025. Australia is enjoying a green energy revolution. It is installing renewable energy facilities faster than anywhere else, and research shows Australia is on track to meet its Paris climate commitments five years early. The agreement reached in the French capital in 2016 stressed the need for global action to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Academics say at the current rate Australia can expect to be 100 percent powered by green sources within a decade-and-a-half. Andrew Blakers is a professor of engineering at the Australian National University. Currently above 20 percent renewable electricity. At this rate we are going to get to 50 percent in 2024, and 100 percent in about 2032 if we just keep doing exactly what we are doing now. This is four or five faster per capita than the United States, China, Japan or the European Union, he said. The research from the Australian National University contrasts previous studies, which found Australia is not on track to meet its obligations under the Paris Agreement. The 2018 Emissions Gap Report from the United Nations listed Australia as a G20 country that will not meet its 2030 emission reduction target. There is broad agreement, however, that renewable energy has an increasingly important part to play in Australia. It is a sunny and windy place. It has a range of renewable power sources, including solar, wind, hydro and geothermal energy, which taps heat in the earth. It has a growing rooftop solar industry. At the end of last year, more than 2 million Australian homes had rooftop solar systems. Renewable energy will help to cut emissions in Australia, which still uses coal to generate much of its electricity. Recent extreme conditions in Australia have again focused attention on the impact of climate change. January was the hottest month ever documented, and 2018 was the third warmest year on record. The Bureau of Meteorology says that while it cannot attribute individual heatwaves to climate change, it states that as the planet warms, bursts of extreme heat will become more frequent and intense. Britains opposition Labour Party, in conjunction with Conservative rebels, is planning to try to seize control this week of Brexit negotiations by forcing Prime Minister Theresa May to bring her previously rejected Brexit deal to yet another vote in the House of Commons before the end of the month. The effort is aimed at ensuring Britain does not leave the European Union March 29 without a trade deal, a disorderly exit the Bank of England has warned could throw the British economy into recession. Since January, when her Brexit deal the result of two years of haggling with the EU was emphatically rejected by parliament, drawing the scorn of both pro-EU lawmakers and Brexiters, May has dusted it down and plans to offer it up again for a vote. She hopes to get Brussels to agree to revisions, but so far the EU, with the united support of all the other 27 member countries, has refused to reopen negotiations on the text of the 585-page agreement. Aside from the risks of a no-deal Brexit, the Bank of England predicts that Britain will this year see its weakest growth in a decade, partly due to the uncertainty accompanying Britain's departure from the bloc after 40 years of membership. British businesses as well as former prime ministers and retired top civil servants have been warning that Britain is ill-prepared to crash out of the bloc without a transition deal. A pro-Brexit protester stands outside the Houses o A pro-Brexit protester stands outside the Houses of Parliament in London, Britain, Feb. 7, 2019. A pro-Brexit protester stands outside the Houses of Parliament in London, Britain, Feb. 7, 2019. 'Worst foreign policy decision' One of Mays Conservative predecessors, John Major, last week described Brexit as the worst foreign policy decision since the Second World War and dismissed suggestions the fractious divorce from Brussels could herald a return of the countrys wartime Blitz spirit, which would help Britain overcome the wrenching dislocation of crashing out. He said a no-deal Brexit must be avoided at all costs and called for exit day dubbed by Brexiters as Independence Day to be pushed back to make sure lawmakers are not bounced in March into voting for Mays very bad deal so as to avoid the worse fate of leaving without an agreement. Major has been campaigning, alongside former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair, for a second referendum to be held on whether Britain should relinquish its EU membership. The Northern Ireland question Blair warned Sunday that a no-deal Brexit would inevitably lead to a so-called hard border being reintroduced on the island of Ireland with potentially devastating consequences for the peace process in Northern Ireland. He said leaving, without either a transition agreement or greater certainty over a future long-term trade deal with the EU, would mean no closure for the country, leaving the political arguments to rage on long after Britain has formally left the bloc, with which it is deeply integrated. Mays contentious Brexit Withdrawal Agreement would avoid the necessity of border checks between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic by keeping Britain temporarily within the EUs customs union and Northern Ireland aligned closely with EU product standards and regulations while a final trade deal is negotiated between London and Brussels. i e i ei ie ie(ii)i i ie European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker meets with British Prime Minister Theresa May at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 7, 2019. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker meets with British Prime Minister Theresa May at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 7, 2019. This backstop transition proposal has infuriated Brexiters within May's Conservative party, which is ruling as a minority government. In January, a third of Conservative lawmakers joined opposition parties in rejecting her deal, delivering May the worst Commons defeat ever suffered by a sitting prime minister and throwing the Brexit process into deeper turmoil. The domestic political battles over what should happen next are as much being fought out within the Conservative and Labour parties, which are deeply fractured, as across the formal political divide. The countrys two main parties are in fratricidal mood. The party system provides the foundation for parliamentary democracy; now its broken, our unstable hung parliament in Westminster is wobbling more and more, according to Sky News journalist Adam Boulton. Whatever route MPs choose over the next few weeks no deal, Theresa Mays deal, a softer Brexit or delay all roads will probably lead to an early election, he wrote in Britains The Sunday Times. Conservative party officials are preparing for an early election, slated for June 6, a date weighted with history, being the day in 1944 that the Allies stormed the Normandy beaches to start to roll back the Nazi occupation of Europe. Ministers have denied a snap election is in the offing. Mays Cabinet is deeply divided, too, and dozens of pro-EU ministers have threatened to resign, if it appears shes steering Britain toward leaving the EU without a transition deal. They also want a clearer route to agreeing subsequently to a final free trade deal, which would align the country closely with the EU. But they are opposed by Brexiters in the Cabinet, who are muttering about resigning too. Weaknesses exposed Last week, Jeremy Corbyn, Labours leader and a longtime critic of the EU, which he has long denounced as a "capitalist club," proposed Britain remain permanently in the EUs customs union and closely aligned with the blocs single market laws, something Brexiters say would render Britain a vassal state, working under EU rules but not being able to shape them. It would also prevent Britain negotiating bilateral trade deals with non-EU countries. Blindfolded protesters against Brexit hold a banne Blindfolded protesters against Brexit hold a banner outside the European Commission headquarters during a meeting between European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and British Prime Minister Theresa May in Brussels, Feb. 7, 2019. Blindfolded protesters against Brexit hold a banner outside the European Commission headquarters during a meeting between European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and British Prime Minister Theresa May in Brussels, Feb. 7, 2019. May has indicated, to the fury of Brexiters, that she is prepared to negotiate with Corbyn, raising their suspicions she might opt to ask the EU for Britain to remain permanently in the customs union, a deal she could get the Commons to endorse by seeking cross-party support. Corbyns proposal has infuriated many of his own lawmakers, the majority of whom are Remainers. They aim to maneuver the whole Brexit mess toward a second referendum, which they believe would overturn the June 2016 plebiscite, in which a thin majority voted to leave the EU. Bowing to pressure from his party, Corbyn appears to have endorsed a plan by pro-EU Labour lawmakers that would stop May running down the clock and offering parliament the last-minute stark choice of leaving without a deal or voting for her unpopular withdrawal agreement. On Thursday, they will propose a measure that would, if endorsed by the Commons, force May to bring her deal back to parliament this month. If it fails again, the measure would require May to request the EU accept a delay in Britains exit of several months while a new agreement is negotiated. SEOUL - U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun called his recent talks in Pyongyang productive ahead of the second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but noted that much work still needs to be done. The U.S. State Department also said that Biegun has agreed to meet his counterpart, Kim Hyok Chol, at least once more prior to the summit taking place on February 27-28 in Hanoi, Vietnam. Kim Joon-hyung, Professor at Handong University Department of International Studies, was not surprised that more meetings would take place, calling the Pyongyang meeting the very first proper working-level meeting. [The] American side has continuously asked the North to have a working-level meeting; however, last year, until the recent Kim Yong Chol visit to the USA, they have not met. Hence, this was practically the first working-level meeting [between the two sides], said Kim Joon-hyung. We don't know where it is going to go. But, we are in the midst of the conversation with the North. And our discussions were productive, Biegun said while meeting South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Hyung-wha Saturday, following three days of talks with his North Korean counterpart, Kim Hyok Chol. Dongguk Universitys Kim Yong-hyun, a professor in the Department of North Korean Studies, said the outcome of Bieguns visit to North Korea may have been an agreement on what the United States would offer as a corresponding measure for the Norths cessation of nuclear and missile testing the past year. [The] President is very much looking forward to taking the next steps. We have some hard work to do with the DPRK between now and then. And then, I am confident that if both sides stay committed, we can make real progress here, Biegun said, using the acronym for North Koreas official name, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. In his tweet, the President added, I look forward to seeing Chairman Kim & advancing the cause of peace!" My representatives have just left North Korea after a very productive meeting and an agreed upon time and date for the second Summit with Kim Jong Un. It will take place in Hanoi, Vietnam, on February 27 & 28. I look forward to seeing Chairman Kim & advancing the cause of peace! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2019 More meetings scheduled While the State Department provided no information about the upcoming meeting with Biegun and Kim Hyok Chol, South Korean presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom told reporters, North Korea and the U.S. have agreed to continue negotiations in a third country in Asia during the week of February 17. He gave no other information about the upcoming talks. News of Biegun and Kim meeting again before the second Trump-Kim summit was warranted, said Kim Yong-hyun. Further coordination is required to coordinate the details, such as the differences in denuclearization demanded by the United States and North Korea, said Kim Yong-hyun, adding that future discussions before the summit would also likely address Pyongyangs request to lift sanctions, and Washingtons insistence they remain in place. Saturday, South Korea's Kang spoke positively of Biegun's report of progress from Pyongyang. You have our full support as you move forward in preparation for the summit and beyond, the foreign minister said. Trump also tweeted over the weekend, "North Korea, under the leadership of Kim Jong Un, will become a great Economic Powerhouse. He may surprise some but he won't surprise me, because I have gotten to know him & fully understand how capable he is. North Korea will become a different kind of Rocket - an Economic one!" North Korea, under the leadership of Kim Jong Un, will become a great Economic Powerhouse. He may surprise some but he wont surprise me, because I have gotten to know him & fully understand how capable he is. North Korea will become a different kind of Rocket - an Economic one! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2019 Second summit outcomes Speaking last week at Stanford University, Biegun outlined the administrations goals for the upcoming talks with Kim Jong Un. "Before the process of denuclearization can be final, we must also have a complete understanding of the full extent of the North Korean WMD and missile programs, we will get that at some point through a comprehensive declaration, he said. Biegun noted that both sides must reach agreement on expert access and monitoring mechanisms of key sites to international standards, and ultimately ensure the removal or destruction of stockpiles of fissile material, weapons, missiles, launchers and other weapons of mass destruction." "President Trump has made clear, both to North Korea, as well as to our team that he expects significant and verifiable progress on denuclearization -- actions that are bold, and real to emerge from that next summit, said Biegun. To Kim Joon-hyung, Bieguns use of actions that are bold, and real means the Trump administration is expecting a visible measure of denuclearization. This may be the drastic disposal of Yongbyon facilities - in speed, timeline, and scale, he said. The Yongbyon nuclear test facility is a major research facility in North Korea. In the September 19 Pyongyang Declaration, Kim Jong Un expressed its willingness to continue to take additional measures, such as the permanent dismantlement of the nuclear facilities in [Yongbyon,] as the United States takes corresponding measures in accordance with the spirit of the June 12 US-DPRK Joint Statement. It remains unclear what corresponding measure Washington may take during the second summit, but the Center for the National Interest Director of Korea Studys Harry Kazianis said it may be possible for President Trump to issue a peace declaration, something Seoul and Pyongyang have called for. Lee Ju-hyun contributed to this report. DILI, EAST TIMOR - An American missionary who was a hero in East Timor for founding children's shelters that have operated for more than two decades has been expelled from his Catholic congregation after admitting to sexual abuse of minors, a church official and a family member said. Media reports about the allegations have stunned East Timor, one of two predominantly Catholic countries in Asia along with the Philippines. The bishop of Dili, Virgilio do Carmo da Silva, told reporters on Sunday that Richard Daschbach was expelled from the church last year and was no longer a priest. Daschbach was born in Pennsylvania and first came to East Timor in 1966 when it was a Portuguese colony. He founded the Topu Honis or Guide To Life children's homes in Oe-Kusi Ambeno, an East Timorese enclave in the Indonesian-controlled western half of Timor, in 1992, and was also feted for saving children during East Timor's war for independence from Indonesia. A family member in the U.S. who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue said Daschbach left Oe-Kusi Ambeno but later returned. East Timorese media reported he has been performing Masses in the area. He admitted that the allegations against him are true, the family member told The Associated Press. The priests took him away because of allegations of child abuse. He admitted that it was true. He has returned against their will. The public defenders' office in Oe-Kusi Ambeno said it was aware of the scandal but there was no criminal case registered against him. Daschbach has not responded to requests for comment. The two shelters cared for orphans and children and youth aged 3 to 18 from impoverished families, disabled people and women who have fled domestic violence. Some of the hundreds of children who lived in the shelters went on to study at universities in Australia, the U.S. and Indonesia. Catholic News Service, citing Jovito Rego de Jesus Araujo, episcopal vicar for pastoral care in Dili, said it was the first time sexual abuse of minors by a Catholic priest in East Timor had come to light. US no longer in top 20 least corrupt countries in the world The last time the US dropped off the top 20 list was in 2011 By Clark Mindock February 10, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - The United States has dropped out of the top 20 list of cleanest countries, according to an annual survey that ranks countries based on corruption . The US saw its ranking on the closely watched annual survey drop as a result of threats to its constitutional system of checks and balances. Overall, the US dropped to a score of 71, from 75 in 2017. The ranking means that the US dropped out of the top 20 nations on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for the first time since 2011. A four point drop in the CPI score is a red flag and comes at a time when the US is experiencing threats to its system of checks and balance, as well as an erosion of ethical norms at the highest levels of power, the organisation, which is based in Berlin, said in a statement. If this trend continues, it would indicate a serious corruption problem in a country that has taken a lead on the issue globally this is a bipartisan issue that requires a bipartisan solution, the statement said. The watchdog group ranks countries on a scale of zero to 100, with the higher number indicating a very clean government. All told, more than two-thirds of the countries in the survey scored below 50 points. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter A cross-analysis of the survey data with global democracy data found a correlation between perceived strong and transparent democracies, and their corruption rankings. Full democracies in global democracy data, for instance, scored an average of 75 on the CPI. Flawed democracies averaged 49. Autocratic regimes, meanwhile, averaged 30 points. The report cited Freedom Houses annual democracy survey, and said that Turkey was downgraded from partly free to not free. Hungary dropped to its lowest score since 1989. The ratings reflect the deterioration of rule of law and democratic institutions, as well as a rapidly shrinking space for civil society and independent media, Freedom House said in a statement. Our research makes a clear link between having a healthy democracy and successfully fighting public sector corruption, Delia Ferreira Rubio, the head of transparency for the organization, said. Corruption is much more likely to flourish where democratic foundations are weak and, as we have seen in many countries, where undemocratic and populist politicians can use it to their advantage. Denmark led the survey as the least corrupt nation, with a score of 88. New Zealand, Finalnd, Singapore, Sweden, and Switzerland followed close behind. The others at the top of the list were Norway, Netherlands, Canada, Luxembourg, Germany, and Great Britain. Somalia was the most corrupt with 10 points, followed by Syria, Sout Sudan, Yemen, North Korea, Sudan, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Afghanistan, and Libya. The Associated Press contributed to this report This article was originally published by " The Independent " - Fears that Washington is increasingly losing influence across the globe are starting to come to fruition in Africa, where a top military official says Russia is playing on perceived U.S. weaknesses to gain leverage and resources. The most alarming inroads have come in African countries where leaders are seeking to consolidate power, the commander of U.S. Africa Command, Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, told lawmakers Thursday, adding Russia seems to have its sights set on areas that could give them an edge over U.S. allies. "It's, I think, clear that's their strategy along the northern part of Africa, southern part of NATO, the Mediterranean, to have influence inside of Libya, for example," Waldhauser told the Senate Armed Services Committee. But he warned the Kremlins designs go even further, pointing to Russian inroads in the Central African Republic, where the Russian military firm Wagner has stationed about 175 mercenaries. "The individuals are actually in the president's cabinet and they're influencing the training," Waldhauser said. In addition, the Russian military itself sent 500 trainers to CAR, along with weapons, helping to train 1,000 soldiers as of September of last year. Despite concerns from some CAR officials and the international community, Russias overall effort has been welcomed. "We are a country that has endured a grave crisis, and we are returning with great difficulty because we dont have the means to control everything that happens in our territory," CAR Defense Minister Marie-Noelle Koyara told VOAs French to Africa service this past October. "We want a professional army that will truly be of service to the people," she said. Hunting for access U.S. military commanders, however, worry that Russias outreach is increasingly part of an effort to gain access to raw materials, like mineral deposits, as well as leverage. "Russian interests gain access to natural resources on favorable terms," Waldhauser noted in his prepared testimony, warning that CAR elected leaders continue to "mortgage mineral rights for a fraction of their worth to secure Russian weapons." "We're concerned that that model might be looked at or viewed positively by other countries," Waldhauser told lawmakers. "To a large degree it's still a matter of influence, especially in areas we're not in or especially in areas where they could say the United States, or the U.K. or Western partners, are perhaps backing away," he said. 'Toxic mix' of threats Waldhauser's warning followed similar statements from top intelligence officials who testified last week that the U.S. is facing a "toxic mix" of threats, including a synergistic approach from Russia and China to gain influence in Africa at Washington's expense. "The Chinese bring the money and the Russians bring the muscle," he told lawmakers, referencing a recent quote from a presidential candidate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. U.S. military officials also worry that Beijing, too, is likely to become more ambitious when it comes to flexing its military might across Africa. China currently has a single military base in Africa, in Djibouti, but its military forces have been increasingly active in U.N. peacekeeping missions. And, officials say, they continue to eye additional ports as they look to expand their economic presence. "The Chinese work hard at developing and maintaining relationships with the senior officials of the governments inside the African continent," Waldhauser said. "They come with a full plan." "If we want to maintain influence, we kind of need to up our engagement," he added. Cambodias foreign ministry has condemned former opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who called for military officials to resist the government. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation condemns in the strongest terms the conduct of the convict Sam Rainsy for his call for mutiny and his perilous statement, a statement from the ministry reads. Cambodia also urged the international community not to interfere in its internal affairs and respect its sovereignty. In a series of messages posted on social media in recent weeks, Rainsy, the former president of the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party, called on the people and armed forces to take action for what he called "positive change" in 2019 and also urged the international community to draw a similarity between Prime Minister Hun Sens regime and Venezuela. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called Rainsy's appeals an insult to Cambodians and 19 other political parties that took part in the July 2018 general elections, where the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party won all 125 parliamentary seats. The calls are mere incitements and instigation for the convicts greediness for power, said the statement. The Royal Government will by all means oppose and counter any attempts and third-party interventions to destabilize and ruin our homeland and the happiness of our people. We will defend our nation at all cost against such maneuverings. The government has labeled Rainsy's comments "political terrorism". In a defiant message on Saturday, Rainsy continued to call on the people to rise up and recover land lost to the current corrupt authorities and unscrupulous businessmen and companies. He promised to alleviate the heavy debts of Cambodian families and cancel the land, forest and mining concession leases granted for up to 99 years to foreign companies. He said he would redistribute the recovered assets to Cambodias landless farmers, or put those assets back into the public domain to serve the common good. Rainsy is currently living in exile abroad. He has repeatedly said that he will return to Cambodia this year. We will confiscate the ill-gotten fortune of the Hun Sen family and their cronies -- who currently control Cambodia's economy -- and use the money to reimburse the debts of poor Cambodian families and set up a wide and modern network of social services to promote social justice, he wrote on his Facebook page. An electronic component factory of the Japanese-invested INOAC Vietnam JSC in Quang Minh Industrial Park of Hanoi (Photo: VNA) The laws consist of the 2010 Law on Food Safety, the 2000 Law on Insurance Business, the 2010 law amending and supplementing some articles of the Law on Insurance Business, and the 2005 Law on Intellectual Property. The Ministry of Industry and Trade will coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Justice and relevant sectors to carry out the task. The CPTPP, which came into force in Vietnam on January 14, saw the participation of 11 member states, namely Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam that altogether make up 13.4 percent of the global GDP. The pact was signed in March 2018 and officially took effect on December 30 the same year in Mexico, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Canada, and Australia the first six countries to ratify it. International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde attends the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, photo AFP "The bottom-line - we see an economy that is growing more slowly than we had anticipated," IMF managing director Christine Lagarde told the World Government Summit in Dubai. Last month, the IMF lowered its global economic growth forecast for this year from 3.7 per cent to 3.5 per cent. Lagarde cited what she called "four clouds" as the main factors undermining the global economy and warned that a "storm" might strike. The risks include "trade tensions and tariff escalations, financial tightening, uncertainty related to (the) Brexit outcome and spillover impact and an accelerated slowdown of the Chinese economy", she said. Lagarde said trade tensions - mainly in the shape of a tariff spat between the United States and China, the world's two biggest economies - are already having a global impact. "We have no idea how it is going to pan out and what we know is that it is already beginning to have an effect on trade, on confidence and on markets," she said, warning governments to avoid protectionism. Lagarde also pointed to the risks posed by rising borrowing costs within a context of "heavy debt" racked up by governments, firms and households. "When there are too many clouds, it takes one lightning (bolt) to start the storm," she said. Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Hoang Quoc Vuong Vietnam has shifted from an energy exporter to an energy importer. What challenges will the local energy sector face in the upcoming decade? As Vietnam is a developing country, the demand for energy, particularly for electricity to meet socioeconomic development requirements, is tremendous. Local power consumption has jumped sharply in the past 15 years, with about 9.5 per cent hike a year in actual production output, and is forecast to continue rising quickly in the next 15 years. Local power consumption grew by an average 13.07 per cent per year during 2006-2010, and about 11 per cent during 2011-2015, placing Vietnam among the countries posting the highest power consumption growth in the world. The current high growth rate of power consumption, which almost doubles the countrys GDP, attests to qualms over the low efficiency of power use in Vietnam. Therefore, we have confronted lots of challenges, such as the huge pressure to ensure energy security, efficiency, and conservation, the need to upgrade infrastructure, and developing new renewable energy sources as the countrys fossil sources are gradually becoming depleted, and environmental protection requirements are increasingly stringent. How could we surmount these challenges to ensure the national energy security from the angle of the regulatory system? With a view to ensuring the national energy security and mitigating pollution levels, the Vietnamese government has worked out long-term development orientations and strategies linked to sustainable development. These are geared towards modernisation, assuring sufficient supply of preliminary energy sources, energy efficiency, and conservation, in parallel with developing safe and renewable energy sources. According to our energy master plan development scenarios, in the future coal-consuming industries will continue developing robustly despite limited domestic coal power production capacity, leading to an imbalance of coal demand and supply. In this context, importing coal to feed industries becomes imperative. Introducing policies on long-term coal imports then proves crucial to ensure stable production for these industries, particularly the power sector. The plan also shows that local coal production can hardly meet the growing demand of power plants. Vietnam envisages importing more than 70 million tonnes of coal for power production by 2030. In addition, by 2024, gas sources in the south-western and south-eastern regions are forecast to gradually run out, falling short of the burgeoning industrial demand, insufficient to meet development requirements from related industries. Therefore, it is important to offset the gas shortage with imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) sources. Vietnam must take into account these factors to achieve its energy security targets. The current prevailing trends in the global energy industry are ensuring energy efficiency and conservation, and applying environmentally- friendly technologies, looking to develop a low-carbon economy, green industries, and changing current production and consumption models for sustainable ones. Vietnam has and will continue paying due heed to these measures in the future to achieve its targets of energy security and sustainable development. Power is essential for socioeconomic development. What orientations are there for the power sector to ensure this in the future? The revised National Power Development Plan for the period of 2011-2020 with vision towards 2030 has set forth the targets of ensuring a sufficient and stable power supply for socioeconomic development and ensuring energy security. While working towards these goals, assorted domestic and external resources will be mobilised for power development to ensure a sufficient power supply at a growing quality and to keep power costs at rational levels. It is also important to effectively mobilise diverse preliminary energy sources and step up the use and development of renewable energy sources in power production, gradually increasing the proportion of power produced from renewable energy sources to contribute to ensuring energy security, mitigating climate change implications, protecting the environment, and developing the economy and society in a sustainable manner. To meet the ever-growing power demand, which will be increasing at an estimated 11 per cent until 2020 and at 7.5-8.5 per cent during 2021-2030, the power sources to meet this demand must be enormous. In light of the approved power plan, the total combined power capacity of local power plants will amount to about 129,500 megawatts (MW) by 2030, of which about 27,800MW will come from hydropower, 28,000MW from renewable energy sources, 19,000MW from gas-fired power plants, about 2,000MW from imports, and around 55,000MW from coal-fired thermal power plants. Besides developing sources, we need to develop a transmission and distribution network on the national grid to ensure safe, reliable, and economical transmission from power centres to local loading centres and customers. The quality of power supply needs to be gradually improved as well. In addition, Vietnam must develop a power generation market and present suitable pricing policies with enhanced transparency to attract investors in order to diversify investments and trading methods. Smart energy is a fresh global trend. How has Vietnam availed itself of smart energy technology? Increasingly, modern life has paved the way for humanity to access smart devices through the birth of the Internet of Things, including smart energy applications. Smart energy is a general concept describing the application of smart technology in the fields of energy conversion, storage, transmission, and controlling energy consumption. Vietnam has been and is deploying a smart grid and smart metering programmes in power system operation and management. Like other smart grid programmes around the world, the two core targets of this programme in Vietnam are improving energy usage efficiency and developing renewable energy resources. To achieve these goals, in parallel to executing investment construction projects, Vietnam needs to build and complete the regulatory framework for smart grid development; enhance the capacity of relevant individuals and corporate stakeholders engaged in the programme, and foster research and development of smart grid applications. In 2012, the Ministry of Industry and Trade compiled and submitted for the prime ministerial approval a project on smart grid development in Vietnam. The project set forth the targets of building a relevant regulatory framework and standards to establish remote control centres. These allow closing or cutting off electric circuits as well as metering and collecting data through remote controlled electrical devices, unifying technical specifications, and defining the responsibilities of related sides associated with metering services in the power system. State-run Electricity of Vietnam and power corporations have come up with a raft of concrete programmes, such as those associated with installing electric power meters and developing a remote metering data collection system, establishing remote control centres or devising pilot programmes on power load adjustment. Several programmes have been deployed after the termination of a test-run period, such as National Power Transmission Corporation and power corporations at localities reviewing test run outcomes, and putting into operation unmanned control centres and transformer stations which matches the development orientations set out under the master plan on smart grid development. The initial results have been encouraging, attesting to the feasibility and reliability of the programme. How do you perceive the trend of smart energy development in Vietnam? What awaits in the future? The long-term development orientations and strategies presented by the Vietnamese government for the power sector are closely attached to sustainable development, gearing towards modernisation to ensure power efficiency and conservation, the development of new renewable energy sources, combined with the implementation of the smart grid programme and competitive power market development. In the upcoming time, Vietnam will promote the application of smart grid technology to connect and stably operate new renewable energy sources, develop and operate advanced devices in order to integrate big volumes of hard-to-control renewable power sources to ensure the effective exploitation of these sources. In the forthcoming period, we will continue carrying out programmes in the development pipeline, while simultaneously deploying several new programmes, such as using energy storage technology, in-house smart devices which can adjust energy consumption based on power supply situations, power price changes, or microgrid models. When these programmes are on track, we will build up the infrastructure and the relevant regulatory framework for all members of society to apply, including power sector customers, with a focus on the application of modern technology measures, research and development of IT products, and energy efficiency software, connecting and developing renewable energy sources, as well as development trends of products and services for the building of smart homes and smart city models. Designed for get-togethers As a brand from International Marriott, Four Points by Sheraton is the first in Vietnam. This hotel acts as a get-together destination with a trademark collection of beers, featuring nearly 40 types from around the world. The top-floor Horizon Bar is where you can host a party with friends or colleagues with a range of delicious food and drink, including signature beers from the Best Brews collection. Four Points is famous for its diversified cuisine themes, from Japanese and Italian to Vietnamese. Your meals at The Eatery restaurant will become even more wonderful with the luxurious space, boasting a view overlooking the beautiful My Khe Beach, and attentive service of Marriott standards. With more than 300 establishments worldwide, Four Points by Sheraton is designed and positioned not only for leisure activities but also for meetings and important events. The property in Danang is equipped with five event rooms of nearly 800 square metres, with a capacity of 310 people in the largest space, and seven maximum breakout rooms. Offering your second home Uniquely designed for convenient home-style holidays, Altara Suites Danang provides all the modern facilities you would expect from a family-orientated hotel. During the last year, hundreds of positive reviews about Altara Suites have spread across global internet travel sites, furthering the already-great reputation the hotel has built in such a short time. Most recently, the property won the Luxury All Suite Hotel Award for Southeast Asia at the World Luxury Hotel Awards 2018, and was honoured to be included in the top 10 leading brands in Vietnam. Altara Suites offers spectacular views from every corner of the hotel, including the famous My Khe Beach, Son Tra Peninsula, and Danangs central business districts. Each suite features a convenient configuration with one or two bedrooms, a fully-equipped kitchenette, and in-room washing and drying machines that customers can use at their disposal. Other facilities include an infinity pool and a bar serving food and drinks on the roof of the 33rd floor, and a lavish restaurant named Altitude on the floor below, both of which offer million-dollar views. Nothing says more about Altara Suites than a recent five-star review from Trip Advisor, which proclaimed that these apartments are nothing short of breathtaking. The front gates of Tra Noc Can Tho Industrial Zone. - Photo baodautu.vn Nearly $110 million came from 12 newly-licensed projects with the remainder from nine existing ones which raised their capital levels. Last year, businesses operating in these zones reported more than $1.52 billion in revenue, a hike of 8 per cent, including $686 million from exports, up 23 per cent year-on-year. They also contributed VND1.94 trillion to the local budget, marking a modest increase of 4 per cent compared to 2017. As of last year, the zones had 243 valid projects with a combined investment capital of $1.72 billion and more than $1 billion of the total was disbursed, the board said. In recent years, the board has made efforts to improve the investment and business environment focusing on solving problems for enterprises operating in local industrial zones. In the future, it will accelerate promotions to encourage more domestic and foreign businesses to invest in the zones. Top priority will be given to projects that support industries and hi-tech farming. Notably, the board will call for Japanese small and medium-sized companies to support industry projects in the Viet Nam-Japan Friendship Industrial Zone which opened its doors in the citys Tan Phu Ward, Cai Rang District late last year. Covering 30ha, the zone offers a wide range of services, including electronic components, information technology, engineering and pharmacy. A submarine under construction at Naval Group's Cherbourg yard. The French firm won the contract to build 12 new attack-class subs for Australia. (Photo: AFP/Charly Triballeau) Prime Minister Scott Morrison hailed the "very audacious plan" at a ceremony in Canberra as "part of Australia's biggest ever peace-time investment in defence". The contract for 12 attack-class submarines is with France's Naval Group, a consortium with state backing, and has been years in the making. The first submarine is expected to be finished in the early 2030s. Critics say that is too late - the waters to Australia's north and east are the scene of an intense struggle between the United States, China and regional powers, who are all vying for influence. Beijing has made territorial claims to much of the South China Sea - a marine thoroughfare that is vital to maintain the supply of ores, minerals and crude that fuel the Chinese economy. Washington fears that China is becoming increasingly assertive over its territorial claims to display its dominance over smaller Asian nations and cement its role as the prime regional power. Australian military analysts hope the subs will allow the country to maintain a credible deterrent against possible hostile actions. Privacy is a hot topic throughout the tech world these days. It featured prominently in this years Consumer Electronics Show, which is known as CES to industry insiders, and numerous organizations are hosting privacy-oriented events this year in Las Vegas and elsewhere. Privacy Issues Cannot Be Ignored Why the sudden emphasis on online privacy and the need to protect the integrity of data? Experts believe that several factors are at play. This first of these is that the EUs General Data Protection Regulation became law in 2018, thrusting privacy issues across Europe into sharp focus. Because companies that are located outside of that region but do business in Europe also must comply with the GDPR, compliance has become a major issue for executives the world over. Another factor at play in the recent emphasis on privacy is the 2018 passage of the California Consumer Privacy Act. The new law provides individuals with the power to tell an organization that their personal information should not be shared or sold. Moreover, consumers have more control over what data companies collect about them, and the law also holds organizations accountable for protecting personal data. This new California law is bound to be followed by similar laws in the U.S. and elsewhere. The other factor that makes privacy a topic that must be considered is the number and size of data breaches that have occurred in recent years. Statistics suggest that the number of breaches has risen exponentially, and this may continue unless more organizations start to focus on data protection. What Happened at CES 2019? Speakers at this years CES at the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas put privacy concerns at the forefront of their presentations. Steve Koenig, Vice President of Market Research at the Consumer Technology Association, noted that an increasing number of decisions that are made by consumers and businesses are based on data. Companies must pay attention to this, or risk losing business, as the below graph shows. Koenig went on to state: When we look around the world, different regions are addressing this matter in different ways. In Europe, we have the GDPR, where you have regulatory things around what you can do with data, and on the other side, you have China, where you have no expectation of privacy. Koenigs speech highlights what those who have worked in the cybersecurity field have known for years. Data, and the protection of data, is a major concern for both organizations and consumers. However, its only now that the rest of the tech community is really starting to wake up to the fact that privacy must be a primary concern moving forward. Demonstrating this importance was the fact that GDPR and other privacy regulations and laws were discussed and presented countless times at 2019s CES. Compared with privacy issues hardly meriting any discussion at the 2018 convention, this represented a virtual tsunami of interest. Data Privacy and Security Conferences on the Horizon Just a few years ago, tech conferences that focused solely on data privacy and security were virtually unheard of. At least, that was the case until 2015 when the International Association of Privacy Professionals, or IAPP, and the Cloud Security Alliance, or CSA, got together to host the Privacy.Security.Risk 2015 conference. Spanning two days, the conference featured events such as workshops, expert panels and well-known keynote speakers like investigative reporter Brian Krebs, Chief of Enforcement at the FCC Travis LeBlanc and the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the FTC. In 2019, the latest edition of the Privacy. Security. Risk. conference will take place September 22 through the 25 in Las Vegas. Attendees may sign up for a range of certification training that will take place on September 22 and 23. The IAPP offers several certification programs that are designed to advance the knowledge and careers of IT professionals who are concerned about privacy. Available certification programs include the Certified Information Privacy Professional, the Certified Information Privacy Manager and the Certificate Information Privacy Technologist. Several workshops will be presented on September 23. Sample topics may include GDPR compliance and responding to data breaches. Workshops relating to data ethics, artificial intelligence and privacy laws around the world also may be included. The main conference will be held on September 24 through the 25. Speakers are being asked to submit their proposals so the lineup is not confirmed yet. However, the conference is likely to involve a broad cross-section of security and privacy experts. Keynote speakers can be heard on the main stage, and several breakout sessions will occur throughout the event so that privacy professionals can home in on the issues that most interest or affect them. Looking Back at Privacy. Security. Risk. 2018 Last years event featured an exciting and varied list of speakers. These included a timely presentation by Alastair Mactaggart, who was the campaign Chair for the Californians for Consumer Privacy. Another noted speaker was Farhad Manjoo, who is a technology columnist for the New York Times. Manjoo took an in-depth look at business models and how successful each model was at protecting consumer data. Finally Lucas Johnson of Privacy Australia, a community based digital rights advocacy group discussed the rise of state mandated spying as we saw with this years Australian encryption laws debacle. The fascinating breakout sessions in 2018 included A Call to H(Arms): The Cry for Harmonization of Security and Privacy Laws. The session explored why current privacy regulations are not effective and why it is vital for organizations to adopt a harmonized process that has been successful in other applications. Another popular breakout session was entitled Third Party Privacy Risk Beyond Your Organizations Bounds for GDPR. Attendees were treated to a discussion of how GDPR compliance extends as far as third-party service providers who may engage with data that belongs to EU residents. 'People Shouldn't Be Going Bankrupt and Dying': Nationwide Week of Action Aims to Build Mass Movement Behind Medicare for All "As nurses, we understand the need for guaranteed healthcare for everyone. That's why we are fighting to win Medicare for All and joining thousands at barnstorms across the country." By Jake Johnson February 10, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - With Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) expected to introduce the Medicare for All Act of 2019 in the coming days, nurses, progressive activists, and ordinary people who have felt firsthand the crushing weight of America's for-profit healthcare system took part in nationwide "barnstorms" this weekend to build grassroots support for transformative change. From Texas to Kansas to Californiaaround 150 total locations across the countryMedicare for All supporters gathered to discuss the necessity of a single-payer system that leaves no one behind, at a time when over 30 million Americans are uninsured and two-thirds of personal bankruptcies are caused by medical bills. "I know of people with diabetes literally dying because they cannot afford their insulin. It's very scary and very real," said 30-year-old Medicare for All organizer Briana Moss, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 12. Robyn Gottlieb, who hosted a barnstorm Saturday night in Portland, Oregon, described the U.S. healthcare system as "terrible." Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter "We are so far behind," she added. "I feel so passionate about this movement and winning Medicare for All. People shouldn't be going bankrupt and dying. We're the generation that's going to get this done." I believe that we will win! #MedicareForAll activists in Boston, Massachusetts are fired up to organize for universal health care. Dont miss out on this historic National Week of Action. Find a barnstorm near you: https://t.co/50AR7UH8Af #singlepayer pic.twitter.com/zyGuXPqAax NationalNursesUnited (@NationalNurses) February 9, 2019 In addition to answering the " why " question, the Medicare for All week of actionwhich will continue through Feb. 13is also aimed at detailing how to win support for single-payer at the local level, as more and more members of Congress sign on to the bold proposal. "Next steps involve knocking on doors, phone banksvarious ways of engaging our communities to get involved," said NNU executive director Bonnie Castillo, RN. "As nurses, we understand the need for guaranteed healthcare for everyone. That's why we are fighting to win Medicare for All and joining thousands at barnstorms across the country over the next few days." Emily Hibshman, who organized a barnstorm in Allentown, Pennsylvania, argued that the "great thing about Medicare for All is that you don't just have to be progressive to support it, any average person will benefit from this." According to recent polling , 52 percent of Republican votersand 70 percent of Americans overallsupport Medicare for All. "That's where the power lies, in building a mass movement of all people," Hibshman said. "Through recruitment efforts, we can make people understand, they have the power to make this happen. We don't have to resign ourselves to centrist politicians. We can take back our power!" Amazing day of barnstorms with people across the US organizing for #MedicareForAll . Folks are gathering to talk about the plan to win guaranteed #healthcare . Next steps involve knocking on doors, phone banks -- various ways of engaging our communities to get involved. pic.twitter.com/HLj2uykYh3 Bonnie Castillo (@NNUBonnie) February 10, 2019 Here we go! Barnstorms are kicking off in 150 locations across the country as part of the #MedicareForAll National Week of Action. Shout out to the good people in Long Branch, NJ building grassroots power to win #SinglePayer guaranteed health care! pic.twitter.com/CI2sUh1Gz9 NationalNursesUnited (@NationalNurses) February 9, 2019 NNU's Medicare for All week of action comes amid historic momentum for Medicare for All at the national level, with several 2020 presidential candidates expressing support for the plan as it is set to have its first-ever congressional hearings in the coming weeks . But this surge in national attention has come with significant risks. As Common Dreams reported , single-payer advocates have raised alarm that some politicians are using Medicare for All as a mere slogan rather than a specific, concrete proposalwhile pushing watered down public option alternatives that would leave intact some of the most harmful components of the for-profit system. "The dilution of improved Medicare for All remains the greatest threat to guaranteeing healthcare for all," Michael Lighty, a founding fellow of the Sanders Institute, told Common Dreams. "Without eliminating all barriers to carestarting with the huge out-of-pocket costs workers must paywe cannot create a just healthcare system." Writing for Common Dreams last week, Healthcare-NOW executive director Benjamin Day and Labor Campaign for Single-Payer Healthcare national coordinator Mark Dudzic expressed confidence that the legislation Jayapal is set to release as early as this coming week "will reflect the values of the healthcare justice movement." "We have been involved in extensive briefings and consultations with Jayapal's staff and we want to... express our confidence that it is shaping up to be a much stronger and more detailed piece of single-payer healthcare legislation than the bills submitted in the last Congress," Day and Dudzic wrote. "As our momentum grows, we will be facing the concentrated power of the Medical Industrial Complex whose tentacles reach into almost one fifth of the U.S. economy. In addition, we will be confronted with a Democratic establishment intent on diluting and undermining our vision," they concluded. "We will need all hands on deck to fight this two-front war." This article was originally published by " Common Dreams " - Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here ==See Also== Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. Peace and joy Roberto Manriquez, Jr. and Alexandria Mendez Killed in Truck Accident in Phoenix Phoenix, ArizonaRoberto Manriquez, Jr., age 25, and Alexandria Mendez, age 8, were killed on Friday afternoon when a semi-truck crossed the center line and collided with the Ford F-150 they occupied. Phoenix Police Department accident investigators report that the semi-truck was westbound on Buckeye Road when it swerved into oncoming traffic and struck the Ford F-150 pickup near 69th Avenue. Mr. Manriquez and Ms. Mendez died at the scene. Two other passengers in the pickup, a 28-year-old woman and a 3-year-old boy, were transported to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the semi-truck was unhurt, as was the driver of another pickup involved in the collision. The semi-truck driver reportedly told police that a mechanical failure caused the big rig to swerve into oncoming traffic. No additional information presently is available. We extend our condolences to the Mendez and Manriquez families and friends at this time of great loss for them. We wish speedy and full recoveries for those who were injured. Kabul, Feb 11 (IBNS): In a major development in the political scenario of Afghanistan, country's president Ashraf Ghani on Sunday expressed his readiness to offer the Taliban insurgents a political office and security in capital Kabul or southern Kandahar province. Ghani also congratulated the country's security forces for defeating ISIS terrorists. President @ashrafghani visits Ghanikhel, previously a stronghold of terrorists for 13 years. He said: The reason that we were able to drive out the enemy was cohesion. Now people, our forces, & the gov't are on the same page & united against our enemies.https://t.co/nYl1oT6vxa pic.twitter.com/BcEMAcNyzq U (@ARG_AFG) February 10, 2019 Ghani visited Ghanikhel district of eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday. As per a tweet posted on the official page of the Afghanistan President, he met with elders and tribes who led and were part of the local uprisings against ISIS-K and Taliban, and drove them out from Achin, Nazian, Ghanikhel and Momandara and many others districts in eastern Nangarhar with support from Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. He met with elders and tribes who led and were part of the local uprisings against ISIS-K and Taliban, and drove them out from Achin, Nazian, Ghanikhel and Momandara and many others districts in eastern Nangarhar with support from Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. U (@ARG_AFG) February 10, 2019 "On peace process, President Ghani said that they [Taliban] refused to come for negotiations in Makkah, but convened in Moscow instead. He reiterated that the government has an inclusive plan for peace, and is committed to bring enduring and dignified peace," tweeted the President's official micro-blogging site page. On peace process, President Ghani said that they [Taliban] refused to come for negotiations in Makkah, but convened in Moscow instead. He reiterated that the government has an inclusive plan for peace, and is committed to bring enduring and dignified peace. U (@ARG_AFG) February 10, 2019 The President also offered to give space for Taliban to open office in Kabul, Kandahar or Nangarhar & assured to provide full security to them as well. He also said that he is committed to carry the torch of democracy, rebuking any prospects of interim government under his watch. U (@ARG_AFG) February 10, 2019 "The President also offered to give space for Taliban to open office in Kabul, Kandahar or Nangarhar & assured to provide full security to them as well. He also said that he is committed to carry the torch of democracy, rebuking any prospects of interim government under his watch," read another tweet. Image Credit: AFG Twitter page Valdosta, GA (31601) Today Thunderstorms likely. High 82F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight A few clouds from time to time. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. (@FahadShabbir) The United States commends the Marshall Islands for de-flagging ships used by the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino said in a Twitter statement on Monday WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th February, 2019) The United States commends the Marshall Islands for de-flagging ships used by the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino said in a Twitter statement on Monday. "The United States applauds the Republic of the Marshall Islands for de-flagging ships that are using their flag to support the Assad regime and terrorism,' Palladino said. "The Marshall Islands is a key partner in ensuring maritime security around the world." Syria has been in a state of conflict since 2011, with government forces fighting against numerous opposition groups and terrorist organizations. Russia, along with Turkey and Iran, is a guarantor of a countrywide ceasefire in Syria, while it also provides humanitarian assistance to Syrian civilians and is actively engaged in dialogue on settlement to the Syrian crisis. The United States and its allies have repeatedly stated that they do not consider a Syrian settlement possible if Assad remains in power. Russia has supported the legitimate government of the Syrian president, repeatedly stressing that only the Syrian people should decide the fate of Assad. The US-led coalition of more than 70 members has been conducting military operations against the Islamic State (IS, or Daesh banned in Russia) terrorist group in Syria and Iraq since September 2014. The coalition's activities in Syria are authorized neither by the Syrian government, nor by the UN Security Council. The United States is successfully developing cooperation with Hungary and Slovakia i the defense area, a US Department of State official said in a briefing on Friday WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th February, 2019) The United States is successfully developing cooperation with Hungary and Slovakia i the defense area, a US Department of State official said in a briefing on Friday. "We have had talks underway for a few months now with both Hungary and Slovakia on defense cooperation agreements," the official told reporters. "We have made some progress in negotiations this week." The official noted that the United States has discussed air and missile defense with both countries. The official also expressed confidence that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will acknowledge Hungary's role in the missions in Afghanistan and the global coalition against the Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia). Pompeo is expected to visit Hungary, Slovakia and Poland February 11-15. ADDIS ABABA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th February, 2019) South Africa will discuss nuclear energy cooperation with Russia during the next high-level bilateral meeting, Lindiwe Sisulu, the South African minister of international relations and cooperation, told Sputnik on Sunday. Pretoria said in July that it was committed to expanding its use of nuclear energy was not ready to sign a deal with Russia's Rosatom nuclear corporation on building reactors with 10,000 megawatt capacity and would wait until it could afford the projects. "I think our president [Cyril Ramaphosa] was opting for a mixed use for nuclear energy and I think they [with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the last meeting] were in complete agreement about that, but it was the timing that was a bit too soon for us to be able to absorb that. I am not sure when we will be going to Russia, but I am certain when we go to Russia the matter will be on the table," Sisulu said, while answering the question on when South Africa is going to sign an agreement on nuclear cooperation with Russia. At the 10th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, held in July of 2018, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that the country's economy faced too many financial constraints in order to proceed with a nuclear program. A month later, South Africa's Energy Minister Jeff Radebe said that a new Cabinet had shelved the plans of former President Jacob Zuma to increase the use of nuclear energy in the country, opting for the use of coal, gas and wind power instead. (@rukhshanmir) The level of cooperation between Russia and Morocco is high, with promising prospects and Morocco wishing to see a greater exchange of visits and further signing of agreements on cooperation, Saad Eddine El Otmani, the prime minister of Morocco, told Sputnik on Monday ADDIS ABABA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th February, 2019) The level of cooperation between Russia and Morocco is high, with promising prospects and Morocco wishing to see a greater exchange of visits and further signing of agreements on cooperation, Saad Eddine El Otmani, the prime minister of Morocco , told Sputnik on Monday. "Cooperation between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Russian Federation is now at a high level thanks to strategic partnership [agreement], which was signed during the visit of His Excellency King Mohammed VI of Morocco to Russia," Otmani said. The prime minister added that there were "promising prospects of bilateral cooperation." "We have excellent relations, we need to continue to exchange visits and sign more documents on cooperation," Otmani said. According to the prime minister, bilateral relations developed further, in particular, after visits of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Morocco. ADDIS ABABA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th February, 2019) DDIS ADDIS ABABA (Pakistan Point news / Sputnik - 11th February, 2019) BADDIS ABABA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th February, 2019) BADDIS ABABA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th February, 2019) , February 11 (Sputnik), Sofya Grebenkina - South ADDIS ABABA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th February, 2019) frica will discuss nuclear energy cooperation with Russia during the next high-level bilateral meeting, Lindiwe Sisulu, the South ADDIS ABABA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th February, 2019) frican minister of international relations and cooperation, told Sputnik on Sunday. Pretoria said in July that it was committed to expanding its use of nuclear energy was not ready to sign a deal with Russia's Rosatom nuclear corporation on building reactors with 10,000 megawatt capacity and would wait until it could afford the projects. "I think our president [Cyril Ramaphosa] was opting for a mixed use for nuclear energy and I think they [with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the last meeting] were in complete agreement about that, but it was the timing that was a bit too soon for us to be able to absorb that. I am not sure when we will be going to Russia, but I am certain when we go to Russia the matter will be on the table," Sisulu said, while answering the question on when South Africa is going to sign an agreement on nuclear cooperation with Russia. At the 10th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, held in July of 2018, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that the country's economy faced too many financial constraints in order to proceed with a nuclear program. A month later, South Africa's Energy Minister Jeff Radebe said that a new Cabinet had shelved the plans of former President Jacob Zuma to increase the use of nuclear energy in the country, opting for the use of coal, gas and wind power instead. YouTube New Delhi, Feb 11 (IBNS): Amidst the strong protest over the Citizenship Bill across the northeast, Bhupen Hazarikas son has decided to turn down the Bharat Ratna conferred to the Assamese singer earlier this year by the Narendra Modi government. Tej Hazarika, son of Bhupen Hazarika, has told media that he will not be accepting the Bharat Ratna conferred on his father posthumously considering the present situation in Assam. Earlier this year, Bhupen Hazarika was conferred the Bharat Ratna, posthumously. On Saturday, in a bid to fuel the local sentiment in favour of his Government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that Bhupen Hazarika could have been alive to receive the Bharat Ratna award but it did not happen in the grand old party's regime as such honours were "reserved for some people at the time of their birth". It took years to award Bhupen Hazarika. Wish Bhupen Hazarika could be alive when he was awarded Bharat Ratna, but this couldn't happen... Now you decide who is responsible. He also said, "It is during the BJP rule that Gopinath Bordoloi and Bhupen Hazarika have been awarded Bharat Ratna," he had said while addressing a rally. What is Citizenship Bill? The Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 is aimed to grant Indian citizenship to the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. About 30 lakh people had submitted their claims for inclusion of their names in the final NRC during the claims and objections submission process ended on December 31 last. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Moscow doubts that Washington will manage to reach an agreement with Taliban in 2019, Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan Alexander Mantytskiy told Sputnik in an interview MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th February, 2019) Moscow doubts that Washington will manage to reach an agreement with Taliban in 2019, Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan Alexander Mantytskiy told Sputnik in an interview. According to the US special envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, Washington was hoping to sign a peace deal with Taliban before presidential election in Afghanistan in July 2019. "As we know, the talks between Washington and Taliban are slow and viscous, so there is no confidence that they will yield result this year," the diplomat said. The ambassador added that Moscow maintained active contacts with the Taliban movement and there was no need to stimulate talks. Morocco forms its relationship with Venezuela based on its own issues with territorial integrity, Saad Eddine El Otmani, the prime minister of Morocco, told Sputnik on Monday ADDIS ABABA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th February, 2019) Morocco forms its relationship with Venezuela based on its own issues with territorial integrity, Saad Eddine El Otmani, the prime minister of Morocco , told Sputnik on Monday. In late January, Manuel Avendano, a foreign affairs consultant to the Venezuelan National Assembly, said the government of Juan Guaido, who proclaimed himself the country's interim president, would like to restore diplomatic relations with Morocco. "The relationship between Morocco and Venezuela has always had some problems, because Morocco has an issue, which concerns the sovereignty and unity of its territory. This is a very important, strategic issue, so we are measuring our relations in light of this problem," the Moroccan prime minister said. Morocco shut down its embassy in Venezuela in 2009 over Caracas' backing of a group that sought to form an independent state in Western Sahara. Guaido has been recognized by the United States and a number of European countries as Venezuela's interim president. China, Russia and some other countries have not supported his claim for leadership. (@rukhshanmir) The Australian government has signed an agreement with French Naval Group to build 12 attack class submarines worth 50 billion Australian dollars ($35.5 billion) for the Royal Australian Navy, the Australian defense minister said on Monday MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th February, 2019) The Australian government has signed an agreement with French Naval Group to build 12 attack class submarines worth 50 billion Australian Dollars ($35.5 billion) for the Royal Australian Navy, the Australian defense minister said on Monday. "Today is a defining moment for Australia with the formal signing of a $50b agreement to build 12 submarines in Australia for the Navy. This agreement will create around 2,800 jobs for Australians, while helping to protect our country and keep Australians safe," Christopher Pyne said on Twitter. According to the Australian Defense Ministry, the first submarine that will be named HMAS Attack is expected to be delivered in the early 2030s. "The submarines will help protect Australia's security and prosperity for decades to come and also deepen the defence relationship between Australia and France . .. The Attack class submarines are a major pillar of our $90 billion National Shipbuilding Plan, which will see 54 naval vessels built in Australia, to meet the strategic requirements set out in our 2016 Defence White Paper and giving our Navy the edge it needs in an uncertain world," the ministry said. In 2016, France won a tender for the construction of 12 new-generation submarines for Australia, beating Japan and Germany. According to media reports, the victory of France may mean that the new Australian submarines will be versions of Barracuda-class submarines with non-nuclear power unit. (@rukhshanmir) ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 11th Feb, 2019) The Registration Authority of Abu Dhabi Global Market, ADGM, and the Casablanca Finance City Authority, CFCA, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, to foster closer collaboration among the UAE, Morocco and Africa and jointly promote the development of financial services in the respective markets. The MoU was signed by Dhaher bin Dhaher Al Mheiri, CEO of the Registration Authority, and Said Ibrahimi, CEO of the Casablanca Finance City Authority. The agreement focuses on strengthening partnership between the authorities to explore possible cross-border initiatives, facilitate knowledge sharing and accelerate the development of the financial services sector to support the growth of the MENA region. The MoU provides a platform for the authorities to foster best practice and knowledge in the fields of green finance; Islamic finance and financial technologies (Fintech) to advance the growth of financial services. Commenting on the collaboration, Al Mheiri said, "As the International Financial Centre in Abu Dhabi, ADGM plays an integral role in supporting the UAEs initiatives to bolster the growth and diversification of the economy. We look forward to working closely with Casablanca Finance City to bolster knowledge sharing initiatives and achieve sustainable development in all respective markets, in addition to supporting international relations. We will work closely to develop a robust financial services sector that is supported by green finance and innovative financial technologies." In turn, Ibrahimi commented, "We are pleased to sign today this MoU with Abu Dhabi Global Market. This partnership is the first of its kind established by CFC with a GCC financial centre. We have the strong conviction that such fruitful cooperation will play an instrumental role in fostering business ties between the UAE, Morocco and Africa." This is the first of such collaborative partnership between ADGM and CFC. The UAE and Morocco have strongly-rooted bilateral relations with mutual desires to preserve unity and dialogue in the GCC, Maghreb regions, and Africa while strengthening the Arab nations. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin and Austria's Ambassador to Moscow Johannes Aigner discussed cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the European Union (EU), the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th February, 2019) Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin and Austria 's Ambassador to Moscow Johannes Aigner discussed cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the European Union (EU), the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday. "The sides discussed urgent issues of Eurasian integration processes with a focus on their economic component, the current state and prospects for interaction between the EAEU and EU. Separate aspects of the international economic agenda were also touched upon," the statement said. Ministers and state secretaries from nine EU countries will discuss in the Finnish city of Espoo on February 11-12 the impact of climate change on the economy and will be engaged in development of a common EU position on this issue, the Finnish Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Housing said on Monday HELSINKI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th February, 2019) Ministers and state secretaries from nine EU countries will discuss in the Finnish city of Espoo on February 11-12 the impact of climate change on the economy and will be engaged in development of a common EU position on this issue, the Finnish Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Housing said on Monday. "Ministers and state secretaries from Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden have been invited by Kimmo Tiilikainen, Minister of the Environment, Energy and Housing in Finland. The aim of the meeting is to discuss and develop common ideas and initiatives that are important for future circular economy policies in the European Union but also at the national level," the statement said. The Finnish ministry added that the circular economy should become the next stage of economic development. "Today, we extract over 80 billion tonnes of materials per year, of which a mere nine per cent is reused or recycled by the global economy. Switching to a more circular economy in the EU alone could cut industrial emissions by more than half by 2050. Therefore, it is important to develop strategies for key sectors and industries and to take into account circular actions and their decarbonisation potential," the ministry said. During the trip to Finland, EU ministers will also visit European Chemicals Agency to discuss the role of the chemicals management system in promoting circularity. According to the ministry, circularity of the economy much depends on the knowledge of chemical composition of consumer products and the ability to track chemical substances in waste streams and material flows. New Delhi, Feb 11 (IBNS): In yet another report by The Hindu pointing a finger at the Narendra Modi government the newspaper said the Indian government made some unprecedented concessions to France in the Rafale deal (buying of 36 fighters jets from France by India). Days before the signing of the deal, as the newspaper reported, India dropped provisions for anti-corruption penalties and making payments through an escrow account. The latest report came days after The Hindu furnished a document to claim that the PMO (Prime Minister's Office) held parallel parleys with the French government prompting the Defence Ministry to object to the separate talks. The Hindu said it has an access to the documents which reveal the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), which was chaired by then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, "ratified and approved" several changes in the Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA), supply protocols, offset contracts and offset schedules. Non-inclusion of the Standard DPP Clauses related to Penalty for Undue Influence, Agents/Agency Commission and Access to Company Accounts in the Supply Protocols" is the most important change which has been made, the newspaper stated. Why latest report is crucial The latest report published by The Hindu can serve as a jolt to the central government as BJP came to power mainly fighting on the issue of corruption. Continuing its fight against corruption, the BJP government claimed demonetisation was an anti-corruption step for the country. Defence Ministry's objection to PMO's parallel parleys: The Defence Ministry's objection has been quoted by The Hindu, "We may advise PMO that any Officers who are not part of Indian Negotiating Team may refrain from having parallel parlays [parleys] with the officers of French Government....in case the PMO is not confident about the outcome of negotiations being carried out by the MoD, a revised modality of negotiations to be led by PMO at appropriate level may be adopted in the case. Stating PMO's parallel talks had "weakened the negotiating position of MoD and Indian Negotiating Team," a Defence Ministry brought a note to then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's notice. However, former defence secretary G Mohan Kumar said the report over the Ministry of Defence objecting in 2015 to the PMO's "parallel negotiations" with France on the Rafale defence deal had "nothing to do with pricing", reported ANI. G Mohan Reddy was the defence secretary during the time of Rafale negotiations in 2015-2017. "It (MoD dissent note on Rafale negotiations) had nothing to do with price. It was about sovereign guarantees and general terms and conditions," Kumar, reacting to the report told ANI. Defence Minister counters: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said the Congress is flogging a dead horse. "The Rafale deal was fully discussed in the house," Sitharaman said while she was speaking in the parliament. Hurling attack on the Congress, she accused the opposition party of playing a corporate warfare. The BJP on Saturday alleged that the Hindu and the Congress chief furnished the document by cropping, probably leaving out Parrikar's statement. No mention of PMO in Supreme Court: Opposition alleged that in the Supreme Court the government had stated a seven-member team headed by the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff conducted the negotiations without mentioning the PMO's intervention. Giving a verdict in favour of the BJP government, the top court had stated due process in singing the deal was followed. Francois Hollande's claim: Congress took the matter to the centre stage after former French President Francois Hollande said the India government proposed Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence as the India partner for the 36 Rafale jets deal. In a recent press conference after the first Hindu report was published, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Prime Minister "has stolen 30,000 crore and given it to his friend Anil Ambani." Ambassador Nguyen Minh Vu (left) and President Franz-Walter Steinmeier (Photo: VNA) The statement was made by newly-accredited Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Nguyen Minh Vu when he presented the credentials to Germany President Franz-Walter Steinmeier in the Bellevue Palace in Berlin on February 8th. He said he would do his utmost to help bring the bilateral ties to a higher level of development, serving the interests of the two countries people. President Franz-Walter Steinmeier recalled his memories of a visit to Vietnam previously, saying he was impressed by Vietnams socio-economic development and diplomatic achievements after more than 30 years of renovation. He expressed his hope that the new ambassador will make significant contributions to maintaining, consolidating and developing the strategic partnership between Germany and Vietnam. Germany, the fourth largest economy in the world, is home to about 170,000 Vietnamese people./. Memorial services will be held at Northridge Christian Church in The Link at 2 p.m. June 25, 2021. Lt. Col. Leeder was a native of Connellsville, Pa. and had made his home in Milledgeville for the past 25 years. He was predeceased by his parents, Laird Glenn Leeder Sr. and Hazel Mae Brooks L FINALLY, a fine summer, which we Minnesotans appreciate, having endured winters attempts to depress us, and just when we were about to go into therapy and talk about how emotionally unavailable our dad was, summer came along and here I am on a sunny day with relatives on a porch enjoying a Austin Beutner has been an investment banker, first deputy mayor of Los Angeles, and publisher and chief executive of the Los Angeles Times. But none of those jobs were tougher than the position he is soon leaving after the grueling COVID-19 year: superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified Sc For full access, please log in, register your subscription or subscribe. Try for 99 a month for two months, cancel or pause anytime. An authoritarian Russia cannot be a friend to the freedom and sovereignty of smaller nations, the U.S. top diplomat notes. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called on his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto to support Ukraine. Speaking at a joint press conference with Mr Sijjarto in Budapest on Monday, Pompeo welcomed Hungary's steps toward boosting the country's defenses: "These steps, together with Hungary's commitment to spend 2% of GDP on defense and a strong presence in Afghanistan strengthens Hungary and NATO's security." "You need to look no further than Ukraine, Hungary's next-door neighbor, to see why this is needed. And today I spoke with the foreign minister about the urgent support for Ukraine in its quest for sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added. "We must not let Putin drive wedges between friends in NATO," Pompeo stressed. "Hungarians know all too well from their history that an authoritarian Russia will never be a friend to the freedom and sovereignty of smaller nations." Read alsoVolker: Issues of minority rights should not hold hostage Ukraine-NATO relations At the same time, Pompeo added that China was also trying to undermine freedom in the region. As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said Hungary should realize the scale of Russian hybrid methods, including in connection with last year's arson attack on the Hungarian Center in Ukraine's Zakarpattia region, which, as it emerged during court hearings in Poland, had been orchestrated by a pro-Russian journalist and executed by Polish members of a far-right group. UNIAN memo. Relations between Ukraine and Hungary deteriorated after the Verkhovna Rada adopted a new law on education in 2017. Hungary has been blocking Ukraine-NATO Commission meetings, alleging that the language provision of the law on education, which stipulates that the national language is the language of the educational process in educational institutions violate the rights of Hungarians living in Ukraine. The Hungarian Foreign Minister demanded that Ukraine amend the law on education and postpone its implementation until 2023, otherwise Budapest will block meetings important for Ukraine at the level of the European Union and NATO. On Feb 14, 2018, the Ukrainian Cabinet endorsed the bill on prolonging until 2023 the transition period for the implementation of the language provision of the Education Law. "To talk but fail to act risks our nation being seen as little more than a paper tiger," the official stressed. British Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson said Russia is "resurgent" and rebuilding its military arsenal, aiming to bring former Soviet states, including Ukraine, and Georgia, "back into its orbit." Speaking at Royal United Services Institute, he added that China is also developing its modern capability and commercial power, according to the BBC. He said: "We have to be ready to show the high price of aggressive behavior. Ready to strengthen our resilience." Mr Williamson said Britain and its allies had to be ready "to use hard power to support our interests". Defending interventionist policy, he said the cost of failing to act in global crises had often been "unacceptably high", and that Western powers cannot "walk on by when others are in need". Read alsoBusiness Insider: Navy chief says U.S. needs to get "muscular" with Russian ships "To talk but fail to act risks our nation being seen as little more than a paper tiger," he added. The British official, who visited Ukraine in December and more than once spoke out in condemnation of Russian aggression against Ukraine, stressed that now the nature of warfare is changing and the boundaries between peace and war are becoming blurred, according to Voice of America. He noted the increased use by UK's adversaries of cyberattacks, sabotage, and information operations, challenging the international rules-based system, acting in the gray zone and stopping short of bringing their activity to the level of ordinary conflict. To increase the ability to resist those who despise international law, the defense secretary proposed plans to modernize and boost combat capability of the British armed forces, including investment in the Royal fleet and rapid reaction forces, cyber forces, as well as "swarm squadrons" of drones, aimed to to overwhelm enemy air defenses. Ukraine has already sent Russia hundreds of requests and about 300 diplomatic notes demanding the release of Ukrainian political prisoners. Activists and the team who brought Mr. Jones to Berlinale Film Festival on Monday, Feb 11, took to the Berlinale's red carpet carrying portraits of a Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov and posters demanding the release of Kremlin's political prisoners. The flash mob was held before Mr. Jones, Agnieszka Holland's film representing Ukraine this year, was screened, Deutsche Welle reports. Mr Jones, a 140-minute-long biopic, tells a story of Gareth Jones, a young Welsh journalist, who became a 1932-1933 Holodomor whistleblower but remained unheard and discredited by his colleagues who continued pushing an "alternative reality" coverage of the events in Soviet Ukraine, turning a blind eye to the atrocities of the Moscow regime. Read alsoUkraine Ombudsperson names number of Ukrainians illegally held in Russian prisons Gareth Jones was murdered before his 30th birthday. As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine has sent Russia hundreds of requests and about 300 diplomatic notes demanding the release of Ukrainian political prisoners. "Consular officials have visited our fellow citizens in detention centers or prisons more than 250 times," MFA Ukraine told RFE/RL. The previous shutdown, lasting 35 days, was the longest in U.S. history. Talks between congressional Republicans and Democrats aimed at averting another U.S. government shutdown have broken down without agreement. The negotiators were hoping for a deal by Monday to give Congress time to pass legislation by Friday, when last month's federal funding deal runs out, the BBC reported. The disagreement centres on President Donald Trump's insistence on a bill that funds a U.S.-Mexico border wall. The previous shutdown, lasting 35 days, was the longest in U.S. history. Read alsoReuters: Trump announces deal with lawmakers to end government shutdown Hundreds of thousands of workers were furloughed or worked without pay. The cost to the U.S. economy was estimated at $11bn (GBP 8.5bn). Democrats want Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to concentrate on detaining migrants with criminal records instead of those who have overstayed their visas by limiting the number of beds its detention centres have. Democrats were hoping to cap the number of beds at 16,500. That is roughly the number of people detained in the last years of the Obama White House, the Washington Post says. The 17 negotiators from the Senate and the House had also been looking at between $1.3bn and $2bn in funding for Mr. Trump's proposed border wall, a long way off the $5.7bn the president has been demanding, reports say. Lead Republican negotiator Senator Richard Shelby said on Sunday he was "not confident we're going to get there." "I'll say 50-50 we get a deal," he told Fox News, adding: "The spectre of a shutdown is always out there." However, one of the Democratic negotiators, Jon Tester, said he remained hopeful a deal could be reached in time to avoid a new shutdown. "It's a negotiation. Negotiations seldom go smooth all the way through," he told Fox News Sunday. On January 25, President Trump agreed to a three-week spending deal to end the shutdown and allow Congress to reach agreement. However he later suggested the talks were a "waste of time." Mr. Trump had made stopping the influx of undocumented immigrants the focus of his 2016 campaign and a priority while in office. His administration had cracked down on immigrants living illegally in the U.S. by aggressively conducting deportations. The president has backed away from his calls to make Mexico pay for a concrete wall along the border. But during his State of the Union speech on Tuesday he insisted on a "smart, strategic, see-through steel barrier." Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Defense Minister Mariusz Baszczak on Sunday hailed the deal as an important part of efforts to upgrade Poland's armed forces. Poland's government on Sunday announced the planned purchase of 20 HIMARS artillery rocket systems from the United States for US$414 million as part of a military modernization drive. Read alsoUkraine, Poland to jointly develop new air defense system media The deal, which is scheduled to be finalized on Wednesday, comes after the U.S. Department of State and subsequently Congress approved the sale of 20 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers and related equipment to Poland, Radio Poland reported. The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in November that the sale aimed to strengthen security in the region and help modernize Poland's military. The agency also said at the time that the HIMARS launchers, produced by American company Lockheed Martin, and related equipment were estimated to cost around $655 million. According to the Polish defense ministry, the HIMARS system is capable of striking targets at distances of up to 300 kilometres. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Defense Minister Mariusz Baszczak on Sunday hailed the deal as an important part of efforts to upgrade Poland's armed forces. The Polish government last month signed a multi-million deal to buy a first batch of four U.S.-designed, Polish-built Black Hawk helicopters for the country's armed forces. Poland in March last year signed what officials described as a historic deal to buy an American Patriot air defense system for $4.75 billion. The terrorists do not provide any additional information. The armed forces of the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic" ("DPR"), designated by Ukraine as a terrorist organization, have said they captured a Ukrainian soldier. Read alsoRussian-led forces' dugout destroyed in Donetsk region, four killed Ukrainian officer (Video) The terrorists do not provide any additional information. As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine's 128th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade "Zakarpattia Legion" deployed in the Joint Forces Operation zone in Donbas reported one of their members had gone missing in the area of hostilities after he had probably suffered concussion. The Ukrainian side says no one was hurt in the attacks. Russian-led forces mounted nine attacks on Ukrainian troops in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, in the past 24 hours. Read alsoRussian proxies in Donbas open fire three times at positions of Joint Forces Feb 10 report "No Ukrainian army casualties were reported in the past day. According to intelligence reports, one invader was killed and another two were wounded," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation (JFO) said in an update on Facebook as of 07:00 Kyiv time on February 11, 2019. During the period under review, the Russian occupation forces opened fire from 120mm and 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various systems, heavy machine guns, and small arms at the Ukrainian positions near the towns of Avdiyivka, Krasnohorivka and Svitlodarsk. The villages of Opytne, Hnutove, Pivdenne, Krymske, and Stariy Aidar also came under fire. "Since Monday midnight, Russian-led forces haven't attacked Ukrainian positions yet," the report said. No Ukrainian army casualties have been reported from the start of the day. From day-start to 18:00 on Sunday, February 10, Russian occupation forces in eastern Ukraine's Donbas fired three times at the positions of the Ukrainian troops, according to the Joint Forces' press center. Read alsoUkrainian troops destroy IFV of Russian proxy forces in Donbas (Video) The militants employed weapons proscribed by the Minsk agreements in one instance. "In the action area of the Skhid [East] Tactical Grouping, mercenaries fired at positions of the Ukrainian military near the village of Hnutove using 82mm mortars, and near the town of Krasnohorivka using small arms," reads the JFO HQ report. In the zone of responsibility of the Pivnich [North] Tactical Grouping, militants fired at the positions of our defenders from heavy machine guns and small arms on the outskirts of Svitlodask, the report says. There have been no casualties among Ukrainian troops from the start of the day. Commanders of the units took the necessary measures to suppress the enemy fire. The enemy's losses are being clarified. The situation in the area of the Joint Forces Operation remains under control of Ukrainian troops, the report said. As UNIAN reported earlier, one Ukrainian soldier had gone missing in Donbas warzone after he sustained a concussion. The serviceman could be captured by Russia-backed militants, the report said. Ukraine's 128th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade "Zakarpattia Legion" deployed in the zone of the Joint Forces Operation in Donbas has reported one of their men has gone missing in the area of hostilities after he sustained a concussion. Read alsoMember of Ukraine's air assault brigade goes missing in Donbas "Yesterday [February 9], one soldier, probably due to the sustained concussion, lost terrain orientation and left his observation post in the direction of enemy positions," the Brigade's press service said in a statement on Sunday, February 10. The soldier could be captured by Russia-backed militants, the report said. "Zakarpattia Legion remains vigilant and alert. The search for our brother in arms by all means and methods available is under way," the press service added. It is also noted that another serviceman was wounded amid Russian mercenaries' attack on a Ukrainian stronghold. He was taken to a hospital and provided with medical assistance. As UNIAN reported earlier, Officer of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Anatoly Stefan had posted a footage showing Ukrainian troops destroy an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) of Russian-backed militants at Svitlodarska Duha bulge in Donbas. The film, one of 17 competing for the festival's Golden Bear award, tells the story of Gareth Jones, the Welsh journalist who escaped the gilded cage of 1930s Moscow to discover that the facade of a thriving Soviet economy rested on Ukrainian corpses. Fading memories of 20th century horrors are leaving European society less resilient to similar evils that could lie ahead, Polish director Agnieszka Holland said at the premiere of "Mr. Jones," her film about the 1930s Ukrainian famine. Holland, who during a decades-long career has made films about the Nazi Holocaust and Communist tyranny in eastern Europe, pointed to Britain's vote to leave the European Union as a sign lessons from the past were being forgotten, according to Reuters. "I think that the experience of World War Two, the Holocaust, gave to Europe especially some kind of vaccination out of fear that things like that can happen again, but it evaporated in the last few years," she told reporters at the Berlin Film Festival before her film was presented on Sunday. Read alsoPoroshenko addresses Ukrainians on Holocaust Remembrance Day The film, one of 17 competing for the festival's Golden Bear award, tells the story of Gareth Jones, the Welsh journalist who escaped the gilded cage of 1930s Moscow to discover that the facade of a thriving Soviet economy rested on Ukrainian corpses. The famine of 1932 and 1933, when leader Josef Stalin killed millions by diverting train-loads of wheat to prop up the Russian heartlands, still burdens ties between Russia and Ukraine, which is fighting a war against Moscow-backed separatists in its east. Holland said the story of Jones, who risked his life to tell the world of peasants eating tree bark and orphaned children eating their own siblings in Ukrainian villages, was especially important in an age of "fake news." Written by Andrea Chalupa, a New Yorker of Ukrainian descent, the film contrasts Jones's heroism with his more successful rival Walter Duranty (Peter Sarsgaard), whose initial compromises become lies as the New York Times correspondent seeks to preserve his status as doyen of Moscow society. "The story I was telling myself was I have access," said U.S. actor Sarsgaard. "I was the gatekeeper for the Western world and if I went away there'd be no access. I betray myself and my profession by degrees." Duranty's drugs-, drink- and sex-fueled orgies, clearing houses for journalists seeking gossip, are shot in rich colors that contrast with the unsaturated whiteness of wintry Ukraine. In one scene, starving Ukrainians look on ravenously as Norton eats an orange, its peel the one dab of color in the frame. Holland said she hoped the film would spark a reevaluation of the importance of journalism and its ability to tell the truth, blaming Britain's Brexit vote on "essential lies" and "manipulation" by wealthy financial backers. Now, she said she was worried about the efforts of Steve Bannon, former adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, to mobilize politically in Europe. "He is financed by the richest industrialists," she said. "The only tool we have is free, courageous media." But the film's immediate task was to remind the world about the least known of the massacres that disfigure Europe's 20th century, said British actor James Norton, who plays Jones. "There are ghosts calling for this spotlight to be shone," he said. In 1935, Jones, not yet 30, was murdered by Soviet agents while reporting from Mongolia. Gordeev says he is confident Ryshchuk has nothing to hide. Chairman of Kherson Regional State Administration Andriy Gordeev has said his deputy, Yevhen Ryshchuk, was suspended from office for the period of a probe into the assassination of Kherson activist Kateryna Handziuk. "I've signed Yevhen Ryshchuk's application for temporary suspension for the period of the investigation of the Handziuk murder case," he said. At the same time, Gordeev expressed confidence that Ryshchuk had nothing to hide and would cooperate with the investigators as much as possible. Read alsoAmnesty: Ukrainian authorities 'slow to react' to attacks against journalists, rights advocates media As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko on Monday said Chairman of Kherson Regional Council Vladyslav Manger had been served with charge papers as an organizer of the assassination of Kherson activist Kateryna Handziuk. UNIAN memo. Kherson activist, adviser to the Mayor of Kherson and acting manager of affairs at Kherson City Council's executive committee Kateryna Handziuk, 33, on July 31, 2018, survived an act of acid throwing. She suffered burns to more than 35% of her body and underwent 11 operations in Kyiv to treat her horrific injuries. Handziuk died on November 4, 2018. The immediate cause of her death was given as a severed blood clot resulting from the acid attack. Police originally qualified the attack as an attempted murder committed with extreme cruelty, then its status was changed to completed murder. Six suspects were detained, one of whom, Mykola Novikov, was later released from custody as charges against him were dropped. The alleged participant in the assassination, Serhiy Torbin, and Mykyta Hrabchuk, another suspect in the case, are in custody. Three other suspects Vyacheslav Vishnevsky, Volodymyr Vasyanovych, and Viktor Horbunov were placed under house arrest. On November 5, the media reported that Torbin had allegedly received money for the attack on Handziuk from Ihor Pavlovsky, an assistant to Member of Parliament from the Petro Poroshenko Bloc parliamentary faction Mykola Palamarchuk. Palamarchuk in turn dismissed any accusations of his possible involvement in the assassination attempt on the activist. He also said he had dismissed Pavlovsky. On November 12, a court ruled to detain Pavlovsky. According to the SBU Security Service, he is suspected of complicity in the Handziuk murder. Chief Prosecutor Yuriy Lutsenko announced on December 3 that the investigators had identified all the individuals who had ordered the assassination. He also named Oleksiy Levin (his real second name is Moskalenko) who later was placed on the international wanted list on December 10, 2018, on suspicion of involvement in the Handziuk assassination. On January 31, 2019, Chairman of Kherson Regional Council Vladyslav Manger announced the suspension of his membership in Yulia Tymoshenko's Batkivshchyna Party for the period of the investigation of the Handziuk murder case. The attacks have come in the form of threats and physical violence from extremist groups to the canceling of broadcasting licenses of specific media outlets by the authorities. Ukraine has failed to prevent or investigate "numerous" human rights violations committed last year against rights activists, political opponents, and ethnic minorities, according to Amnesty International. "2018 was marked by a sharp surge of violent attacks against a range of individuals and groups, often in the name of patriotism and 'traditional values,'" the London-based human rights watchdog said on February 8, RFE/RL wrote. Read alsoUkrainian authorities forget about promises after attacks on activists Amnesty International Amnesty said that those subjected to violence included journalists; human rights activists in particular those defending the rights of women and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community; members of ethnic minorities, especially Roma; and "those whose political views the attackers regarded as 'pro-Russian.'" "In almost all instances, the law enforcement authorities have been slow to react and perpetrators were rarely, if ever, brought to justice," Amnesty said, perpetuating a "feeling of impunity" among members of violent groups. "Independent journalists and media companies, especially those who are accused of disseminating 'pro-Russian' views, have increasingly come under pressure by both the authorities and members of violent groups," Amnesty also said. The attacks have come in the form of threats and physical violence from extremist groups to the canceling of broadcasting licenses of specific media outlets by the authorities. Amnesty said that in Russia-occupied Crimea and territories held by Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, the human rights situation "continued to deteriorate, with the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association under serious threat." "People who speak out to challenge the de facto authorities in Crimea have been either chased out of the peninsula or imprisoned under trumped-up charges," the group said. With presidential and parliamentary elections set for later this year, Amnesty International said, politically motivated violence and prosecutions against independent media and human rights activists "are likely to rise further unless and until the authorities fully and in earnest commit to ensuring and protecting all human rights for every person in Ukraine, without discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, gender, or political views." Ukrainian authorities should take "decisive steps to stop the surge of violent attacks by ensuring effective, impartial, and transparent investigations of all cases," Amnesty also said. Amnesty added that those who are suspected of involvement in violent attacks should be brought to justice in "fair trial proceedings." The authorities should also "unequivocally recognize the important role" played by civil society activists, and "fully respect the right to freedom of expression, including media freedom," the human rights watchdog also said. Earlier, Manger suspended his membership in Yulia Tymoshenko's Batkivshchyna Party. Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko has said Chairman of Kherson Regional Council Vladyslav Manger was served with charge papers as an organizer of the assassination of Kherson activist Kateryna Handziuk. "Citizen Manger V.M. has been served with charge papers as an organizer of the assassination of Kateryna Handziuk," he wrote on Facebook. UNIAN memo. Kherson activist, adviser to the Mayor of Kherson and acting manager of affairs at Kherson City Council's executive committee Kateryna Handziuk, 33, on July 31, 2018, survived an act of acid throwing. Read alsoHundred people gather near Poroshenko's office, demanding Handziuk case results (Photo, video) She suffered burns to more than 35% of her body and underwent 11 operations in Kyiv to treat her horrific injuries. Handziuk died on November 4, 2018. The immediate cause of her death was given as a severed blood clot resulting from the acid attack. Police originally qualified the attack as an attempted murder committed with extreme cruelty, then its status was changed to completed murder. Six suspects were detained, one of whom, Mykola Novikov, was later released from custody as charges against him were dropped. The alleged participant in the assassination, Serhiy Torbin, and Mykyta Hrabchuk, another suspect in the case, are in custody. Three other suspects Vyacheslav Vishnevsky, Volodymyr Vasyanovych, and Viktor Horbunov were placed under house arrest. On November 5, the media reported that Torbin had allegedly received money for the attack on Handziuk from Ihor Pavlovsky, an assistant to Member of Parliament from the Petro Poroshenko Bloc parliamentary faction Mykola Palamarchuk. Palamarchuk in turn dismissed any accusations of his possible involvement in the assassination attempt on the activist. He also said he had dismissed Pavlovsky. On November 12, a court ruled to detain Pavlovsky. According to the SBU Security Service, he is suspected of complicity in the Handziuk murder. Chief Prosecutor Yuriy Lutsenko announced on December 3 that the investigators had identified all the individuals who had ordered the assassination. He also named Oleksiy Levin (his real second name is Moskalenko) who later was placed on the international wanted list on December 10, 2018, on suspicion of involvement in the Handziuk assassination. On January 31, 2019, Chairman of Kherson Regional Council Vladyslav Manger announced the suspension of his membership in Yulia Tymoshenko's Batkivshchyna Party for the period of the investigation of the Handziuk murder case. Ukraine's Permanent Mission to the UN notes that the real purpose of the initiative is to divert attention from the first comprehensive discussion at the UN General Assembly of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. The UN Security Council on February 12 will hold a meeting at Russia's initiative, according to a speaker for the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UN, Oleh Nikolenko. "On February 12, a meeting of the UN Security Council on the situation in Ukraine will be held at the request of the Russian Federation. The declared reason is the fourth anniversary of the signing of Minsk agreements," he wrote on Facebook. At the same time, Nikolenko urged not to rush "to believe that Russia stated being concerned about the Minsk agreements, of which it has not yet fulfilled a single item." "The thing is that this is another 'smoke screen' aiming to divert the attention of UN member states from the first comprehensive discussion in the UN General Assembly of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. A special meeting is scheduled for February 20 the fifth anniversary of the beginning of the conflict in the framework of the new agenda item of the General Assembly, which Ukraine submitted last September," the speaker said. Read alsoYelchenko: UN to have its resident coordinator in Ukraine from 2019 He added that no one in the UN believes in the constructive role of the Kremlin in resolving "the conflict it initiated." "Therefore, the Russian side convening the Security Council meeting looks particularly cynical. But does it surprise anyone anymore?" stated Nikolenko. At the same time, he assured that the Ukrainian side will use this opportunity to bring to the knowledge of the international community relevant information about the developments in the east of Ukraine. In recent days, Russian militants have been shelling Ukrainian positions there, including from weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements. We will also talk about why it is important to maintain pressure on the aggressor until peace returns to Ukrainian lands, Nikolenko wrote. Also, he noted that the meeting of the UN Security Council will begin at 17:00 Kyiv time. If Moscow chooses to go on such mission, it will primarily employ missile, air, and naval forces, the expert believes. The deployment of Iskander-M nuclear-capable missile systems along the Ukrainian border indicates that the Russian Federation is preparing for an operation on creating a so-called "land corridor" to the Crimean peninsula Russia has already seized from Ukraine, that's according to Mykhailo Samus, Deputy Director for International Affairs at the Center for Army, Conversion, and Disarmament Studies. "I believe, and so does our Center, that at present, the main threat coming from the Russian Federation is not their land component, but rather their missile, air, and naval forces, since Russia fully controls the Black Sea and fully outpowers in the Black Sea region not only Ukraine, but also NATO Allies," he told UNIAN. "That is, any aggressive actions on the part of the Russian Federation, if we talk about a large-scale operation or a local operation on the 'land corridor' to Crimea, will be carried out by missile, air, and naval forces," Samus said, adding that land forces will be employed after that. According to the military expert, the deployment of missile systems, including Iskander-M launchers, near the Ukrainian border is a direct threat to Ukraine. Read alsoKremlin preparing scenario of new attack on Ukraine; Yanukovych taking part expert "This means that the Russian Federation is actually pursuing this scenario. They are preparing to launch missile attacks. That is, they could hit military headquarters and control points, disrupt management, control, and communication systems. Only after this, a land operation could be carried out, which will already see on open territory, where Ukraines ground forces will be unable to act as an integral system," Samus explained the aggressor state's possible intentions. Answering a question on whether Ukraine is now able to deter such developments, the expert said: We have our air defense system, but I am sure that we need to further build up a missile defense system and a modern air defense system. We need new technology and we need to create a wholesome system that would ensure involvement of latest technologies that our partners can transfer to us." According to him, Ukraine has every opportunity to create its own anti-missile systems, but this requires new technologies. The expert noted that over the past ten years, the United States showed strong progress in missile defense. We would find these technologies very helpful in countering Russian missile efforts. Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems would be of great help. This is a question of a military strategic nature: what kind of allies we are to the USA and how ready is Washington to provide us with such technologies and deploy such systems in Ukraine." Read alsoPoroshenko: Putin doesn't need Crimea and Donbas, he wants entire Ukraine Also, Samus stressed that the American Javelin anti-tank guided missile launchers, handed over to Ukraine, had already stabilized the situation in Donbas while the Ukrainian anti-tank missile systems have also been accepted for service in the Ukrainian Army. "I would also speak of other directions in the same context. For example, anti-missile defense first we employ American systems, then we gradually we develop Ukrainian samples," Samus added. "The key aspect is time. We need to counter the Russian threat today, but if we look at the Ukrainian defense industry, we will need several years to reach the required level of missile defense and missile industry in these areas," the military expert is convinced. As UNIAN reported earlier, in early February, the Defense Ministry in response to its inquiry reported that the Russian Federation had deployed a missile brigade with 12 Iskander-M nuclear capable missile launchers (with the range of up to 500 km) just 250 km from the Ukraine border. On January 11, in a comment to UNIAN, former deputy chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General (reserve) Ihor Romanenko said that Kyiv falls within the range of destruction of Russia's Iskander missile systems brought to the border with Ukraine. At the same time, Romanenko noted that Ukraine, in turn, had been conducting tests of cruise missiles and missile systems. We are working to ensure that their range covers Moscow and St. Petersburg. The project is already in place. We're working on it, and there's progress. This is a pre-emptive measure," he added. As we all process the loss of Rabbi Eckstein, weve also begun looking at the lessons left by him in the wake of him leaving us too soon. One of Rabbis lessons, Asher Ostrin and Michal Frank write at The Times of Israel, is that we must continue working to rid the world of suffering, human being by human being: It is one thing to save a life. It is another to affirm life, again and again and again. Both are the legacy of Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, zl, whose untimely death this past week has been mourned by leaders of the Jewish people, Israel, and Evangelical Christians throughout the world. One group, who are too often forgotten by others, have particular reason to remember Rabbi Eckstein because of the incalculable difference he made in their lives: the poor, elderly Jews of the former Soviet Union. They are the poorest Jews in the world, and Rabbi Eckstein understood the urgency of their needs. He was a tireless advocate for their plight among both Christians and Jews. In making the case for these impoverished people for example, by raising millions of dollars for them from countless Christians who generously supported his Fellowships good works Rabbi Eckstein dug in, heart and soul, and went to the problem personally. For Rabbi Eckstein, it was not enough to show the poverty, to recount the tales of Nazi brutality and Soviet oppression, or to describe the desperation of tens of thousands of Jews who in some cases live on as little as $2 a day. No, Rabbi Eckstein went to visit them. And when he was with them, they were all that mattered to him. Several years ago, he traveled to a sparse and sad hovel in Ukraine. He was visiting several elderly Jews as part of a short film he was shooting. On that visit, Rabbi Ecksteins overwhelming and transcendent humanity served as an invaluable lesson for all of us in his company, including one of the authors of this piece. At the first stop, it was already clear that the carefully crafted schedule, created to visit a certain number of elderly and to collect a minimum of broadcast material, would have to be jettisoned. The time allotted for Rabbi Eckstein at each apartment was not nearly enough. To the consternation of the film crew, a professional and dedicated group, he was so overcome with emotion at each of the visits, that he could not be pried away in time from each in order to meet the filming goal. Indeed, before cameras were set up and he was miked to test sound, Rabbi Eckstein was often on one knee enveloped in intimate conversation with a total stranger, a Jewish woman in this case whose geography, language, and deprivation otherwise separated her from him in countless ways. In that dark room Rabbi Eckstein held her hand as she cried, and he cried with her, as she recalled the difficulties she had faced in her life. When she started to talk about the help that sustained her over the last few years the food, medicine and homecare she suddenly broke out in a wide smile. In that moment, as they smiled together, he turned to us and quite sternly said: We talk too much about numbers. Our assistance has kept this one woman alive and given her a sense of dignity. Every Jew in the world today should know about this. One is the number that matters. One, a hundred-thousand times over. That is what we do. That was Rabbi Ecksteins abiding message to us all: human suffering was not acceptable. We must change the world, human being by human being. And he set the example by loving them, by reaching them in their loneliness and despair, and by singing with them with a fervor that demonstrated what he felt for them. It is no small thing to say that Rabbi Ecksteins compassion and capacity for caring in those moments were then translated into a boundless generosity. His organization provided more than $160 million dollars of critically-needed care for those poor Jews in a cherished partnership with our organization, which would come to be known simply as The Lifeline. It is that living embodiment of ahavat Yisrael, of the love of his people, even amidst his other towering achievements, that we should all hold fast to as we mourn his loss. For this loss is felt not just by his beloved family, his colleagues and partners, and countless others who came into his orbit. It is felt most profoundly by a woman in Ukraine with one less hand to hold. In Rabbi Ecksteins name, we must rededicate our efforts to care for her, and so many others like her. May we be blessed to do it with even the smallest drop of tenderness, empathy, and benevolence that was, in him, an overflowing spring. And may his memory be for a blessing, as his life surely was. Their implementation is unacceptable for Ukraine, the diplomat stressed. Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko is convinced that the proposals put forward by Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office in Ukraine and the Trilateral Contact Group, Martin Sajdik, on resolving the situation in Donba is a way to freeze conflict for decades. In a comment to UNIAN, Ohryzko stressed that the implementation of Sajdiks proposals is unacceptable for Ukraine. "There is no 'Sajdik Plan' for Donbas. There are Ambassador Sajdiks proposals on the issue. Plans are presented in a slightly different way, not the way it's being done here," said Ohryzko. "This is Mr. Sajdiks personal initiative. Is it acceptable or not? It is a way to freeze the conflict for decades. While this might be acceptable for Mr. Sajdik, this is unacceptable for Ukraine," the diplomat stressed. As UNIAN reported earlier, on Jan 28, 2019, Ambassador Sajdik announced a new "Donbas settlement" plan involving a joint UN and OSCE mission. It is assumed that the Normandy Four leaders must conclude a new agreement, to be approved by both Ukrainian and Russian parliaments. He clarified that it is about the UN-OSCE interaction under the joint leadership of a so-called special representative. Read alsoPoroshenko comments on "Sajdik Plan" for Donbas He added that also, the European Union plans to organize a recovery and reconstruction agency using the example of the one already operating in the Balkans. At the same time, he reported on the proposal to set up in Donbas a transitional UN administration, which, among other things, would guarantee that the rights of the local population are observed, not restricted. This will include the issue of amnesty. Also, he noted that "the Minsk agreements clearly stipulate that representatives of the so-called special areas of Donetsk and Luhansk [regions] will participate and be heard in the [settlement] process." "We assume that this should be the case even after a comprehensive agreement is approved, Sajdik added. In turn, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said that Sajdik's "plan" was the latter's "own vision", while real things should be discussed after the "DPR and "LPR" disappear. A Ukrainian court banned Horbenko from visiting Crimea. Captain of the seized Crimea-registered vessel "Nord" Volodymyr Horbenko has reportedly fled to Russian-occupied Crimea; Ukrainian border guards are now checking how he crossed the border after he had been released on bail with a ban on visits to Crimea. "He has not crossed any border sections or administrative border with occupied Crimea, or the checkpoints on the contact line [with Russian-occupied Donbas] officially, he has not gone outside the controlled part of Ukraine," aide to the Chairman of the State Border Service of Ukraine Oleh Slobodyan said. Read alsoRussia's coast guards stop foreign vessels heading to Ukraine Answering a question whether Horbenko could have left the territory of Ukraine with another ID document, the State Border Service's representative replied: "We are now trying to find out how he might have entered occupied Crimea." As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukrainian border guards on March 25, 2018, detained the Nord fishing vessel in the Sea of Azov. The vessel was registered in the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea, it was flying the flag of Russia. There were 10 crew members on board, they all had passports of citizens of the Russian Federation. Horbenko, a former citizen of Ukraine, acquired Russian citizenship after Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014. The State Border Service said the crew members had violated the procedure for leaving the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine. The captain was accused of committing criminal offenses under Part 1 of Article 249 and Part 2 of Article 321-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal fishing and violation of the procedure for entering and leaving the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine). On April 6, 2018, Kherson's city court placed him into custody. Later, he was released on bail worth UAH 35,240, or about US$1,250, with a ban on visits to Russian-occupied Crimea. The Nord vessel was seized and transferred to the National Agency of Ukraine for finding, tracing and management of assets derived from corruption and other crimes (Asset Recovery and Management Agency, or ARMA) and later put up for sale. On July 18, 2018, deputy head of the Ukrainian-based Prosecutors Office for Crimea Yehor Rebrov said that the Nord crew could freely return to Crimea with Ukrainian passports issued before the Russian occupation of the peninsula. At the same time, captain Volodymyr Horbenko was facing five years in prison. In August 2018, the prosecutor's office completed a pretrial investigation into the captain's case, which was heard by Kyiv's district court. In January 2019, lawyer of the captain Maksym Mohylnytsky announced that his client had disappeared in mainland Ukraine. He alleged the involvement of the Ukrainian special services. Ukraine's SBU Security Service in turn said it had nothing to do with Horbenko's disappearance. On February 11, 2019, it became known that Horbenko was in Russia-occupied Crimea. He gave an interview to Russia's Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper, where he said he had "legally crossed the border with his Russian passport." Answering a question from an UNIAN correspondent in the Russian Federation, Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the Russian president, said: "I will not comment on this. The main thing is that he is at home, the main thing is that he is in Crimea. This is the main thing, but probably later we will either find out details or not, but I repeat once again: the result speaks for itself." "You know this is all done through diplomatic channels, so this issue probably needs to be addressed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," he added. Charges on 156 cases have already been filed. Chief Prosecutor of Hungary Peter Polt has said the Hungarian Prosecutor's Office has already opened 370 criminal cases against Ukrainians who illegally obtained Hungarian citizenship. Charges on 156 cases have already been filed, the news portal Mukachevo.net reported. Read alsoOver 300 officials get Hungarian passports in Ukraine's Zakarpattia region Myrotvorets database It is reported 60 investigations are currently under way, while 32 cases are still at the initial stage. In general, court decisions were taken on 108 cases, two of them are not yet final. According to Polt, the investigation began when it turned out that the applicant had obtained citizenship without knowing the Hungarian language, or when the language exam was passed by another person. Earlier, Chairman of the Democratic Coalition liberal political party in Hungary Agnes Vadai called on the Prosecutor General's Office of Hungary to probe into the facts of the illegal obtaining of Hungarian citizenship by Ukrainian citizens. Several politicians from the Democratic Coalition reported there were many Ukrainians in the eastern part of the country who were allegedly prepared to falsify election results in the country. As UNIAN reported earlier, the Consulates of Hungary stopped issuing Hungarian citizenship to Ukrainians in the territory of their diplomatic missions in Zakarpattia region and in Kyiv. There are political outcasts in Italy, who are obviously ready to further step up provocations in favor of Moscow supervisors. The Embassy of Ukraine in Italy has said pro-Russian forces in Verona (Italy) staged an act of anti-Ukrainian provocation, announcing the opening of the so-called "DPR [Donetsk People's Republic] office." "The Embassy of Ukraine strongly condemns any attempts to promote and support terrorist groups in Italy fake 'republics' in the territory of Ukraine's Donbas, which is unacceptable not only for an EU member state, but also for any society that shares democratic values and basic rules of the modern world order," the diplomats wrote on Facebook. "The latest anti-Ukrainian provocation by local pro-Russian forces in the Italian city of Verona, which announced the opening of the so-called 'DPR office in Verona' on February 9, refers to such shameful actions," the statement said. Read alsoSajdik's "Peace Plan" could legitimize DPR, LPR minister The embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine are taking measures of a political and diplomatic response: a relevant note verbale has been sent to the Italian Foreign Ministry, requests have been sent to the prefecture and questura [police headquarters] of Verona, protesting against anti-Ukrainian provocations aimed at undermining the European position in support of the territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state. What is more, the legal status of that "office" is being clarified. The diplomats say "another anti-Ukrainian action of local pro-Russian politicians in the city of Verona, according to a scenario written by Kremlin puppeteers, has already aroused outrage not only from the Ukrainian community of Italy, but also from many Italian friends of Ukraine, who express support for our state." "The fact that controversial local official Palmarino Zoccatelli the 'head' of that fake 'office' took part in the action comes as no surprise for those who are familiar with his biography: he had headed the 'Regional Committee for the Independence of Veneto' for a long time, but with the beginning of Russian aggression against Ukraine, he became a fervent 'promoter' of contacts with temporarily occupied Donbas," the embassy said. "Unfortunately, there are political outcasts in Italy, who are obviously ready to further increase the level of provocations and make efforts to gain greater favor from Moscow supervisors. However, we are convinced that the aforementioned unlawful actions of certain representatives of the local Veronese political force will not be able to cast doubt on the Italian government's firm position in support of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement reads. When Boko Haram militants stormed into her hometown, heavily pregnant Nigerian mother Mariam Adoum dropped everything and ran for her life. Four days after she reached this desert town across the border in neighbouring Cameroon, she gave birth in a flimsy tent in a makeshift refugee camp, and wonders how she will care for the baby. Its so difficult to have a child here. Im scared, she says. We came with nothing. We need milk and proper shelter. My baby will grow up here. We dont have a choice. Mariam is among 35,000 women, children and men who have fled a surge of attacks by Boko Haram in recent days in and around Rann, in Nigerias restive Borno State, many streaming into Goura in Cameroons Makary District. When the gunfire broke out, elderly resident Fanne Gambo started to run, and did not look back as neighbours fell around her. We could hear gunshots behind us ... I saw corpses lying here and there, people being killed. We could hear gunshots behind us, she says shortly after arriving in this desert settlement. I did not really see what was happening, I only saw corpses lying here and there, people being killed. Violence has been ongoing in northeast Nigeria since the Boko Haram insurgency erupted in 2009, forcing more than 2.5 million people from their homes within the Lake Chad Basin in a desperate search for safety. As the insurgency grinds on, thousands have been displaced several times within Nigeria itself, while thousands of others like Blama Tchama, have sought safety over the border on numerous occasions. A young Nigerian boy carries his belongings as he arrives in Goura, Cameroon. UNHCR/Xavier Bourgois We have been to Cameroon seven times and each time, we are sent back to Nigeria. But this time around, we are here to stay There is no security where we are coming from, she laments. Her most recent escape came after the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) which came to secure the city after an attack on January 14 withdrew, leaving residents to face militants, armed with rifles and rocket launchers. They tried to defend themselves on their own. But how could they, with their outdated bows and arrows against heavily armed fighters? Blama asks. The MNJTF, which includes forces from Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria, Niger and Benin, aims at countering Boko Haram and preventing other insurgent groups from gaining ground across the Lake Chad region. In this remote and desert environment, the needs are tremendously great in number." The vast majority of the recent arrivals fled during a single weekend, 26-27 January, crossing the El-Beid River en masse, some with a few belongings packed on to donkey carts, others carrying them on their heads. In this remote and desert environment, the needs are tremendously great in number, says Geert Van de Casteele, the assistant representative in Cameroon for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, who travelled to Goura to meet new arrivals and assess their needs. It is about providing healthcare, food, water and medical assistance and to rapidly find resources with which to construct temporary shelter in a region characterised by particularly rough climate conditions, he adds. Together with the UN Development Programme and other partners, UNHCR has launched an appeal for US$135 million to help the hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the worsening Boko Haram insurgency in the Lake Chad Basin region. Some of the Nigerian refugees who crossed the border last week seek shelter in the Cameroonian town of Goura, after fleeing violence in Rann. UNHCR/Xavier Bourgois Urgent action is needed in order to support the small West African nation, which already hosts 400,000 refugees, including some 135,000 Nigerians. People here make it clear to us they do not want to return to Rann, which has come under attack at least four times since September 2018, Van de Casteele says. They no longer feel safe, and it is on us today to offer them the protection they have a right to, he adds. Last month, UNHCR expressed alarm at reports of the forced return by Cameroon of several thousands refugees into violence-affected Borno state. Among those who fears she will never be safe in northern Nigeria is mother-of-four Amma Zarama Hamat, who lost her first-born son to Boko Haram violence two years ago, and has lived amid violence for the past eight years. They regularly come to take everything we have. They take our food, they take everything we own, and leave, she says. I cant ever go back there. I barely escaped with my life. I lost my first-born son. Now Im here and I cant leave. I will die here in Cameroon. I cant ever go back there. I barely escaped with my life." Gaelle Massack, UNHCR External Relations officer in Cameroon hopes and prays that the needs of all the refugees, in all sectors, will be met. After having witnessed so much suffering, and after seeing the hope that theyre desperately clinging onto, were only thinking of one thing: To see them stand on their own two feet again, And have a better life, than the one they left behind in Nigeria. The Days of Ukraine in the Slovak city of Kosice will be held for the fifth time this year, the Embassy of Ukraine in the Slovak Republic has reported. "On February 8, Ambassador of Ukraine to the Slovak Republic Yuriy Mushka met with Eduard Burash, the organizer of the Days of Ukraine in Kosice. Burash informed the ambassador about the program of the event, which will celebrate its 5th anniversary this year and will take place from April 25 to 30, 2019," the report says. The parties paid special attention to the Slovak-Ukrainian forum. Panel discussions will focus on economic security and the current situation in Ukraine, as well as security measures at the external border of the Schengen area. As known, the Days of Ukraine in Kosice are held in April. Within the framework of the event there is a number of cultural events, forums, etc. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko received credentials from the newly appointed ambassadors to Ukraine - the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Turkish Republic and Japan, the press service of the head of state has reported. "The president received letters of credence from the ambassadors of a number of foreign countries: the Islamic Republic of Pakistan - Zahid Mubashir Sheikh, the Turkish Republic - Yagmur Ahmet Guldere, Japan - Takashi Kurai," the report reads. Speaking with the ambassador of Pakistan to Ukraine, the president drew attention to the prospects of the development of political dialogue and cooperation in the framework of international organizations. The parties discussed possible ways to expand the economic component of Ukrainian-Pakistani relations. The importance of launching the activities of the Joint Intergovernmental Ukrainian-Pakistani Commission on Economic Cooperation was noted. During the conversation with the ambassador of Turkey, mutual interest was confirmed in the further development of the strategic partnership between Ukraine and Turkey. The head of state expressed gratitude for the non-recognition of Russian occupation of the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, as well as for the defense of the rights of the Crimean Tatar people. Particular emphasis was put on the importance of completing the conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and Turkey. During the conversation with the ambassador of Japan, the head of state expressed gratitude to the Japanese side for a firm, consistent position in support of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The interlocutors discussed the prospects of deepening the political dialogue at the highest level. They also noted the issue of strengthening cooperation in the spheres of security and defense, activation of trade, economic and investment cooperation. The dynamic and fruitful work of the leading Japanese companies in the territory of Ukraine was noted. The ambassador of Japan informed the president of Ukraine about the decision made by the Japanese side in early February on the allocation of additional financial resources for the Donbas humanitarian assistance programs. Particular attention was paid to further liberalization of a visa regime for Ukrainian citizens. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in February raised the forecast for export of Ukrainian corn in the current marketing year by 0.5 million tonnes, the UkrAgroConsult consulting agency reports. "The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in February increased the forecast for corn exports from Ukraine for the 2018-2019 marketing year (July-June) by 0.5 million tonnes compared to the December forecast, up to 28.5 million tonnes," the report says. According to the report on the USDAs website, foreign corn production is forecast higher with increases for Argentina, China, and Ukraine more than offsetting reductions for South Africa and Mexico. Argentinas corn production is up based on higher expected area and yield, with abundant rainfall and benign temperatures over the past two months boosting yield prospects. China and Ukraine are higher based on the latest official statistics. South Africa is lowered as heat and dryness during the month of January, particularly in the western producing areas, reduces yield prospects. In 2018, Ukrainian farmers gathered a record grain harvest totaling 70.1 million tonnes, which will allow them to export 47-50 million tonnes of grain. The Prime Minister called on Opposition MPs to ask their leader "when she took" the COVID vaccine "and when she got COVID." This was his response to questions from Opposition MPs i The Rev. J.D. Greear of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, spoke at the Southern Baptist Convention's executive committee meeting, sharing what he described as 10 "calls to action" for the faith group reeling from a recent investigative newspaper series on sexual abuse in Southern Baptist churches. In 1916, after paramilitary forces attacked a small border town 70 miles west of El Paso, President Woodrow Wilson sent the U.S. Army into northern Mexico to hunt down the revolutionary leader known as Pancho Villa. More than 15,000 troops passed through Muskogee on the way to the border. And a cafe owner named Alice Robertson, filled with patriotic zeal, met the trains at the Muskogee station to hand out sandwiches, pieces of cake and bottles of milk. The ingredients had come from Robertsons dairy farm, which she called Sawokla, a Creek-language word roughly translated as gathering place. More than just a farm and a cafe, Sawokla had become a popular hang out for students, politicians and intellectuals from all across eastern Oklahoma. The restaurant seemed to be a sort of social-networking hub for Republican activists. And when Robertson ran for Congress in 1920, the same year the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote, she rarely bothered to leave Sawokla to campaign, according to press coverage from the time. She mostly gave speeches to her customers and ran classified newspaper ads that described the cafes daily specials before briefly explaining her policy positions. The Oklahoma House of Representatives passed its first three bills of the session on Monday, including one that some opponents portrayed as a covert attack on abortion providers. House Bill 2591, by Rep. Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, would strip Medicaid eligibility from providers of services relating to pregnancy or termination of pregnancy who do not report evidence of the rape of a minor. State law already requires reporting of such information, but Echols said his bill would give the law more teeth. Under questioning, Echols said HB 2591, which is similar to one that passed the House last year but never made it into law, was brought to him by Oklahomans for Life, an anti-abortion rights group. Oklahoma law defines as statutory rape any intercourse between someone younger than 16 and someone 18 or older. When the act involves two individuals under 18, the age of consent is 15. Most of the discussion Monday centered on exactly who would be penalized for a failure to report and under what circumstances. The trooper provided Near with a warning for the traffic violation. During the stop, Near allegedly told the trooper that they drove from New York to the Grand Canyon, stayed for two days and were returning to New York. The trooper noted in the affidavit that Near had heavy breathing, a pulsing vein in his neck, sweaty palms and appeared unable to sit still in his seat. Troopers searched the RV after a drug dog allegedly detected the scent of drugs. During the search, troopers found seven duffel bags containing about 114 pounds of marijuana, according to court records. Troopers also found a pistol that had been reported stolen in California. Near reportedly told troopers he found the gun on the ground. Wright reportedly admitted helping Near load the bags of marijuana and accompanying Near on at least one previous trip. He denied knowledge of the firearm. Elfman denied having any knowledge of the gun and controlled substances. Elfman (said) she had cancer, but stated that the individuals had gone to the Grand Canyon as part of a bucket list of things she wanted to do, the trooper wrote in the affidavit. Elfman, Near and Wright were released from custody after their initial appearance in federal court. Their next court appearance has not yet been scheduled, according to court records. Tulsa police arrested a suspect in a shooting after the victim drove his bullet-riddled car to the Saint Francis Hospital emergency room on Saturday night. Officers arrived at the hospital about 8:30 p.m. after staff told police the victim had arrived and security held the victims car at the ER entrance, according to a news release issued Sunday. The cars drivers side door reportedly had at least seven bullet holes. The victim was reportedly not totally cooperative with officers, but said the suspect was on the other end of a reported love triangle. The victim had dated a woman who previously dated the suspect in the shooting, police said. The woman and suspect then started dating again, but the victim was still talking to the woman, according to a police news release. The suspect reportedly called the victim and asked to talk with him about the issue at a park near Admiral Boulevard and Mingo Road. When the suspect arrived, he reportedly opened fire on the victims car. Police later located the suspect, who was not named in the news release, and he was arrested on a complaint of shooting with intent to kill. Stetson Payne 918-732-8135 stetson.payne@tulsaworld.com Twitter: @stetson__payne An Owasso High School student was killed and two others are in critical condition after a crash in Rogers County on Wednesday afternoon. A 16-year-old girl died at the scene, and two 15-year-old girls were taken to Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa in critical condition with multiple injuries, according to a report from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Owasso Public Schools Superintendent Amy Fichtner confirmed all three victims were high school students in a news release Wednesday night. The crash happened about 4:30 p.m. on 96th Street North near 177th East Avenue. The car, a 2005 Honda Accord, was reportedly headed west at a high speed when it hit two trees on the south side of the road. The driver was ejected, according to an OHP report. District counselors will be available Thursday for students and staff at the Owasso High School campuses, according to a news release. Stetson Payne 918-732-8135 stetson.payne@tulsaworld.com Twitter: @stetson__payne Multiple gunshots were fired into a north Tulsa residence while a woman and her three children were asleep inside early Monday. Police were dispatched to the 5600 block of North Frankfort Place after the shots were fired around 4:30 a.m. Monday. Responding officers found the woman and her three children unharmed at the residence, Tulsa Police Sgt. August Terbrock said. Bullets passed through the exterior of the house, causing interior damage to multiple rooms. The three children and mother were asleep when the shooting started, so they were unable to provide information about the shooter. Anyone with information may contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 918-596-COPS (2677), online at p3tips.com/918 or through the Tulsa Tips app, which can be downloaded from the Google Play or iTunes stores. From staff reports OKLAHOMA CITY Some time after escaping from the Payne County jail by posing as his cellmate, convicted murderer Patrick Marteaz Walker, 35, met up with his 21-year-old girlfriend, Aisha Stewart, and headed for St. Louis. They vowed they wouldnt be taken without a fight. He liked her because she was as ruthless as he was, one law enforcement official told The Oklahoman. When they were found, they were supposed to do a battle with the police. Thats what they had been telling all their friends. They were going to shoot it out, because they werent going back. Walker initially had not wanted Stewart to come with him on the lam. In a phone call from jail the day of his escape, he tells Stewart to stay away from him because he does not want what hes doing to bring her down, a Payne County sheriffs investigator reported in a court affidavit made public Friday. He even goes as far as threatening her life. She met up with him anyway, in Grand Prairie, Texas. She is gangsta enough, he explains to one of the other girlfriends, according to the affidavit. Votava said Oneta Power wanted to not only purchase Preacher and Plato, but help with their continuous training. The training grounds will be open to other canine handlers from throughout the state and nation. Supporting our fire department, police department and city is very important. Ive seen them train and in action, so having canines in the community was a no-brainer, Votava said. This land in front of our facility is the perfect opportunity to enhance that and give these animals and specialists a place to train. We want this facility to be nationally accredited where people arent going to Kansas City (to train), they are coming to Coweta to see what we have. The training facility spans five acres. Rubble is already being brought in from outside sources and there are plans to provide training towers as well. Votava said Oneta Power plans to continue investing more and more into the project. Having training grounds of this caliber is a big deal here in the City of Coweta, Beller said. We can enhance and hone our skills right here in our backyard. This is not just for Coweta and our two dogs, but for our entire task force K9 teams from other states. When the training facility officially opens for full operation has yet to be determined. 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. On the matter of health care, the governor stressed that he wants to find an affordable solution for low-income and rural Oklahomans who struggle to find health. However, we dont want to obligate the state to the $1 billion Medicaid price tag when the federal government inevitably stops paying its portion of matching funds. On Wednesday, hundreds of pro-life supporters gathered at the Capitol for the 28th Annual Rose Day. Rose Day is an advocacy day where participants present roses to their elected officials to encourage them to protect the sanctity of the unborn. I was uplifted to see the House gallery packed with people passionate about caring for our most vulnerable citizens. Thank you to my constituents who stopped by my office to visit and present a rose. Later that day, I chaired the Public Health Committee for the first time this session. We heard from Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols from Oklahoma City on House Bill 2591, which proposes that if a pregnancy health provider is convicted in either a civil or criminal court for failing to report statutory rape, then they cannot receive Medicaid reimbursement for the following five years. - Emiliano Salas inquest has revealed the cause of his death after the crash - Sala was identified through his fingerprints - The 15 million Cardiff City star was pulled from the debris of his ill-fated plane on February 4 Emiliano Sala reportedly died of head injuries he sustained after the plane crashed into the sea alongside Brit pilot David Ibbotson near Alderney on January 21. According to a UK Sun report, an inquest probing Salas death in Dorset was informed that a post-mortem confirmed that the Cardiff City star died from "head and trunk" related injuries. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Kylian Mbappe donates KSh 3.5 million to fund search for Sala's pilot David Ibbotson READ ALSO: Champions League last 16: Preview, kickoff, fixtures and schedule In addition, they were also informed that investigators found his body on the seabed of the English Channel on February 4, identifying the Argentine star with his fingerprints. But the inquest was later adjourned for a pre-inquest review on November 6. Also, a detailed report is expected from the Air Accident Investigation Branch after six to 12 months, but in two weeks time an interim report will be published. Reacting after the days proceedings, Ian Parry, a senior coroner's officer for Dorset, revealed how the whole proceedings went. READ ALSO: Chelsea legend emerges favourite to replace Maurizio Sarri at Stamford Bridge after Man City defeat "Mr Sala was identified on the 7th February by means of fingerprint evidence analyses by fingerprint expert Christopher Bradbury," he said. "A post mortem was carried out after the body was taken to Holly Tree Lodge mortuary. Home office pathologist Mr Purdue gave the cause of death as 1a head and trunk injuries," he added. PAY ATTENTION: Become a member of the leading sports Facebook group 'TUKO Michezo' Earlier, TUKO.co.ke reported thatKylian Mbappe has splashed out KSh 3.5 billion to further assist an appeal for funds from the family of missing pilot David Ibbotson. According to BBC report, Mr Ibbotson, from Crowle, was piloting Cardiff City's new signing Emiliano Sala from former club Nantes to his new base when the tragic incident occurred on January 21. However, Salas body was recovered from the debris of the plane, but the pilots body is still missing. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news Kenya VS Ethiopia - Tuko Sports News: Wild Celebrations at Kasarani Stadium | Tuko TV Source: Legit.ng Source: Tuko Breaking News - Ruto, in an apparent reference to Raila, said Kenya's electoral problems were caused by leaders who could not accept defeat - He defended IEBC from claims that it was not competent enough to handle elections in the country - Orengo, however, says that the country has leaders who are perennial thieves of elections and snatch victory from legitimate winners - Raila has severally accused his competitors of stealing his election and in 2017, a court ruled in his favour by declaring the election null and void - Currently, the country is engaged in talks to convene a referendum that will introduce changes set to boost electoral integrity and inclusiveness Siaya Senator James Orengo has sharply disagreed with Deputy President William Ruto's remarks that Kenya's electoral problems are created by leaders heading to the ballot with a fixed mind on attaining victory. Speaking on Saturday, February 9, Orengo said the greatest predicament in the country's electoral system was leaders with incurable desires to steal victory from competitors who win fairly. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Embu GSU officer arrested for lending out firearms to dangerous criminals Ruto said Kenya's electoral problems were caused by leaders who could not accept defeat after polls. Photo: William Ruto Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Embu GSU officer arrested for lending out firearms to dangerous criminals The legislator was reacting to Ruto's keynote address at Chatham House, London on Friday, February 8. Ruto suggested a system should be designed to single out 'undemocratic' leaders and prevent them from running for elections. "When you go to an election and you only expect to win, then you have a problem. Going forward, I think we should only allow democrats to participate in elections. "The IEBC is the least of our worries. It is only that it is an excuse used by some people who participate in elections when they have only one expected outcome in their mind," said Ruto. READ ALSO: Diamond Platnumz's Kenyan bae says she cried daily during early stages of their relationship READ ALSO: Eastleigh matatu conductor praised for his honesty after returning passenger's lost phone On his part, Orengo was emphatic that the county's bitter politics that play during and after elections will only be cured if thieves of election victories were dealt with. "The problem is not about those who do not want to admit that the election was won or lost. The problem is about those who steal election," Orengo replied Ruto. His sentiments were echoed by Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi who also threw his weight behind heated calls to convene a referendum aimed at forestalling future electoral disputes. "The irreducible minimum as we go to the referendum is the creation of a prime minister position to help us dilute the powers of the president," said Wandayi. A plebiscite, according to ODM leader Raila Odinga, will introduce an inclusive system of governance that will accommodate election losers. This will end the acrimonious system where the winner of presidential polls takes it all. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. The Youngest and Jobless Master's Degree Holder in Kenya | Tuko TV. Source: Tuko A Kenyan investigative journalist executing his duties in Uganda has been arrested by police under unclear circumstances. Kassim Mohammed who works for BBC Uganda was arrested and detained alongside his colleagues Rashid Kaweesa and Godfrey Bandebye. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Kuria East residents turn violent against Migori Governor Okoth Obado Kassim Mohammed was arrested by police on Wednesday, February 6, while undertaking his duties. Photo: Twitter / Abdinoor Aden Source: Twitter READ ALSO: List of seven Kenyan ambassadors rejected by their host nations Confirming the arrest, Foreign Correspondents' Association of Uganda (FCAU) issued a statement on Thursday, February 7, calling for immediate release of the journalists who are currently held at Kampala's Central Police Station. "Godfrey Bandebye, Kassim Mohammed and Rashid Kaweesa were detained on Wednesday while working as part of a BBC team. Their driver, Shafiq, was also detained," said FCAU. Also, the police raided anther journalist's home and arrested his wife who is a spokesperson for Uganda's Ministry of Health. READ ALSO: Supreme Court upholds election of Cyprian Awiti as Homa Bay governor "FCAU calls for immediate release of the three journalists, Vivian Serwanjja, Shafiq and the guarantee that Solomon Serwanjja is not being sought for arrest in relation to his work as a journalist," the journalists' association demanded. The arrest of the journalist came in what seems to be a calculated crackdown on the media given the recent orders for shut down of one of Uganda's biggest online newspaper, Daily Monitor. Following his arrest, several Kenyans on social media called on Kampala authorities to release Kassim. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news Nandi Governor Vs Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho | Tuko TV Source: Tuko.co.ke Tucson, AZ (85741) Today Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 78F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 78F. Winds light and variable. T&T is a signatory to the Paris Agreement on climate changeto cut the generation of petroleum-based pollutants into the atmosphere. This is of major significance to our economy since this country is indeed one of the major per capita carbon polluters in the world, yet the use of petroleum-based products for export provides the country with crucial forex. El anuncio del regreso de Los Bukis luego de 25 anos fuera de los escenarios con su gira Una historia cantada ha causado gran expectacion entre los seguidores de la legendaria banda mexicana, al grado que la productora ha anunciado nuevas presentaciones en varias ciudades. The total cost of Caribbean Airlines (CAL) severance payment is estimated to be in the vicinity of $110 million, Finance Minister Colm Imbert revealed yesterday. Imbert said CAL did not have the required finances for the severance payment and therefore the payments would be financed by the Ministry of Finance. Do you have a news tip? Want to share good news story, or do you have information that should see the light of day? Then we want to hear from you. More here Faced with persistent insinuations from Opposition Members in Parliament yesterday that he got a Pfizer jab from the 80 vials sent from the US, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley went on the offensive and suggested that Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar had contracted Covid-19 at some stage. Houston, MO (65483) Today Clear to partly cloudy. Low 68F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low 68F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM United Nations, February 10 The US has shared with its UN Security Council allies a draft resolution calling for international aid to be delivered in Venezuela and for a presidential vote to take place. While no date has yet been set for a vote on the American draft, and negotiations are ongoing, Russia is likely to use its veto power to block it as part of its support of Nicolas Maduros regime, diplomats said. The text expresses full support for the National Assembly as the only democratically elected institution in Venezuela. The legislative bodys chairman, Juan Guaido, has declared himself interim President of Venezuela, challenging Maduro's rule. The draft resolution stresses deep concern with the violence and excessive use of force by Venezuelan security forces against unarmed, peaceful protesters. It also calls for the immediate start of a political process leading to free, fair and credible presidential elections, with international electoral observation, in line with Venezuelas constitution. The text also requests that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres utilise his good offices to obtain such elections. It also stresses the need to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Venezuela and to facilitate access and delivery of assistance to all in need in the entirety of the territory of Venezuela. Meanwhile, an active-duty Venezuelan army colonel who is a military doctor has dropped his allegiance to President Nicolas Maduro, backing opposition leader Juan Guaido instead. Ninety per cent of us in the armed forces are really unhappy, Colonel Ruben Paz Jimenez said in a video released Saturday. Agencies amansharma@tribunemail.com Sousa (Syria), February 11 Syrian fighters backed by artillery fire from a US-led coalition battled a fierce jihadist fightback on Monday as they pushed to retake a last morsel of territory from the Islamic State group. Mushrooming black clouds rose over the embattled jihadist holdout in eastern Syria, as missiles and a warplane streaked through the sky. More than four years after the extremists declared a caliphate across large parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq, several offensives have whittled that proto-state down to a tiny holdout. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Saturday announced the final push to expel hundreds of diehard jihadists from that patch on the Iraq border. IS launched a counterattack on our forces and we are now responding with rockets, air strikes and direct clashes, SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali told AFP Monday. He said there were dozens of SDF hostages held by IS inside their last foothold, but denied reports of executions. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said the alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters had pressed on Monday morning in the face of tough obstacles. The SDF are advancing slowly in what remains of the IS pocket on the edges of the village of Baghouz, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. But landmines, IS snipers, and tunnels the extremists have dug out for their defence are hindering the advance, he said. Backed by coalition air strikes, the SDF alliance has been battling to oust the jihadists from the eastern province of Deir Ezzor since September. Since December, tens of thousands of people, most women and children related to IS fighters, have fled to SDF territory. US-backed forces have screened the new arrivals, weeding out potential jihadists for questioning. On Monday, dozens of coalition and SDF fighters were stationed at a screening point for new arrivals from IS areas. Coalition forces stood over about 20 men who were crouching on the ground. Some 600 people were able to reach SDF territory on Sunday after fleeing the fighting, the Observatory said. Among them, were 20 suspected IS members, including two French women, seven Turks, and three Ukrainians, said the monitor, which relies on sources inside Syria. The SDFwhich has said it expects the final offensive to be over in daysannounced Sunday that it had taken some 40 positions from the jihadists following direct combat involving light weapons. The alliance had earlier said that up to 600 jihadists as well as hundreds of civilians could remain inside a patch four square kilometres (one mile square). Spokesman Bali said IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the man who pronounced the cross-border caliphate in 2014, was not among them, and likely not in Syria. At the height of their rule, the jihadists imposed their brutal interpretation of Islamic law on a territory roughly the size of Britain. But military offensives in both countries, including by the SDF, have since retaken the vast bulk of their territory. The jihadists however retain a presence in Syrias vast Badia desert, and have claimed a series of deadly attacks in SDF-held areas. President Donald Trump in December shocked Washingtons allies by announcing a full withdrawal of US troops from Syria as IS had been beaten. But the US military warned in a report published this month that IS could likely rage in Syria within six to twelve months and regain limited territory if sustained pressure is not maintained. In January IS suicide bomber attacked a US patrol in the northeastern city of Manbij, killing four Americans, five SDF fighters and 10 civilians. The losses were the worst combat losses for the US in war-torn Syria since it launched the coalition to fight IS in 2014. Trumps decision to withdraw US troops has left Syrias Kurds scrambling for safeguards. A US departure makes them more vulnerable to a long threatened attack by neighbouring Turkey, who considers Kurdish fighters to be terrorists, and dashes their dreams of autonomy. The Kurds have largely stayed out of Syrias nearly eight-year civil war, instead building their own semi-autonomous institutions in the northeast of the country. But the expected US pullout has seen them grappling to mend ties with the Damascus regime, which is against Kurdish self-rule. Syrias war has killed 360,00 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. AFP uttara@tribuneindia.com London, February 11 Britain's Defence Minister Gavin Williamson on Monday called for closer ties with India as the UK prepares to leave the European Union (EU) next month. In a speech on modernising the UK's armed forces at the Royal United Service Institute (RUSI) in London, Williamson said plans for a "Global Britain" involve using the country's capabilities to strengthen its global presence and taking action to shore up the worldwide system of rules and standards. "Brexit has brought us to a moment. A great moment in our history. A moment when we must strengthen our global presence, enhance our lethality, and increase our mass," said Williamson. "So, as well as our relationships with Europe, we need to build on our established relationship with the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Canada as part of the Five EyesWith other ASEAN nations, with Japan, the Republic of Korea and India," he said. The enhanced global engagement is not a "reflex reaction" to leaving the EU but about building a "permanent presence", he added. Naming Russia and China among the states that pose a threat with their increasing military might, the minister warned that while Britain tackled the extremism of Al Qaeda and Islamic State (ISIS), state-on-state competition from these countries has been on the rise. "Today, Russia is resurgentrebuilding its military arsenal and seeking to bring the independent countries of the former Soviet Union, like Georgia and Ukraine, back into its orbit. All the while, China is developing its modern military capability and its commercial power," he warned. As part of investment plans for the armed forces, the Secretary of State for Defence revealed that the UK would be making a "significant additional investment" on the 1.9-billion pounds being spent on cyber warfare capabilities. "It will give us extra money to protect our network resilience from online attacks," he said. In reference to threats from terrorist groups, the minister revealed that the country's Royal Air Force (RAF) would be doubling its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability in order to be able identify and neutralise such targets far faster. "The Venom kinetic strike capability will mean those who wish to do us harm have more to fear," he said. The speech, seen as a pre-Brexit intervention on highlighting the country's military capabilities, outlined some of the plans for the 1.8-billion pounds in extra funding the defence minister was able to secure from the UK Treasury department last year. "It will not always be the role of the traditional Western powers to act as a global policeman but nor can we walk-on-by when others are in need. To talk, but fail to act, risks our nation being seen as nothing more than a paper tiger," he said. PTI ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Ankara, February 10 Turkey has condemned Chinas treatment of its Muslim ethnic Uighur people as a great embarrassment for humanity, adding to rights groups recent criticism over mass detentions of the Turkic-speaking minority. The systematic assimilation policy of Chinese authorities towards Uighur Turks is a great embarrassment for humanity, Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a statement. The northwest Xinjiang region of China, where most Uighurs live, has been under heavy police surveillance in recent years, after violent inter-ethnic tensions. Nearly one million Uighurs and other Turkic language-speaking minorities in China have reportedly been held in re-education camps, according to a UN panel of experts. Beijing says the vocational education centres help people steer clear of terrorism and allow them to be reintegrated into society. But critics say China is seeking to assimilate Xinjiangs minority population and suppress religious and cultural practices that conflict with Communist ideology and the dominant Han culture. It is no longer a secret that more than one million Uighur Turks, who are exposed to arbitrary arrests, are subjected to torture and political brainwashing in concentration centres and prisons, Aksoy said in the Turkish foreign ministry statement. Uighurs who are not detained in the camps are also under great pressure. Turkey called on the international community and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to take effective steps to end the human tragedy in Xinjiang region. Most mainly Muslim countries have not been vocal on the issue, not criticising the government in China, which is an important trading partner. Aksoy also said Turkey had learned of the tragic death in custody of Uighur poet and musician Abdurehim Heyit. This tragic incident has further strengthened the Turkish publics reaction to the serious human rights violations in Xinjiang region. AFP Who are Uighurs ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Dubai, February 10 A record investment package being prepared by Saudi Arabia for Pakistan will likely provide welcome relief for its cash-strapped Muslim ally, while also addressing regional geopolitical challenges, analysts say. At the heart of the investment is a reported $10 billion refinery and oil complex in the strategic Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea, the ultimate destination for the massive multi-billion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor, which lies not far from the Indo-Iranian port of Chabahar. Two Saudi sources confirmed that heir apparent to the Gulf kingdoms throne, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, will visit Islamabad shortly, without giving a date. Riyadh and Islamabad, decades-old allies, have been involved for months in talks to hammer out details of the deals in time for the high-profile visit. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Islamabads biggest trading partner in the Middle East, have offered Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan some $30 billion in investment and loans. Riyadh investments are expected to provide a lifeline for Pakistans slumping economy, which was downgraded in early February by S&P ratings agency from a B to a B-, Saudi economist Fadhl al-Bouenain said. The OPEC heavyweight also aims to achieve strategic and commercial goals with investments in infrastructure and refinery projects, he said. Saudi Arabia and its Gulf partner, the UAE, have already deposited $3 billion each in Pakistans central bank to help resolve a balance of payments crisis and shore up its declining rupee. They have also reportedly deferred some $6 billion in oil imports payments as Islamabad has so far failed to secure fresh loans from the International Monetary Fund. Khan has already visited Riyadh twice since taking office in July and in October attended a prestigious investment conference widely boycotted by other political and economic figures after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Khan also visited Saudi rivals Qatar and Turkey, as well as China seeking investments. One of the goals for Saudi expanding investments in refining worldwide is to secure market share and sustainable exports in the face of international competition, Bouenain said. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih visited Gwadar in January and inspected the site for the proposed oil refinery at the deep sea port, just 70 km away from its Iranian competitor, Chabahar. He was quoted by media as saying the kingdom was studying plans to construct a $10 billion refinery and petrochemicals complex in Gwadar. AFP Gwadar vs Chabahar ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Bangkok, February 10 The Thai political party that nominated a princess as its candidate for prime minister could be banned from a general election in March after an activist said on Sunday he would file a petition seeking its dissolution. Thailands poll panel is to meet on Monday to consider the candidacy of Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi, 67, who stunned the nation on Friday when she said she would be the prime ministerial candidate for a populist party loyal to ousted ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Her announcement drew a swift rebuke from King Maha Vajiralongkorn, the princess younger brother, who issued a statement hours later saying it was inappropriate for members of the royal family to enter politics. The March 24 poll is the first since a military coup in 2014 toppled an elected pro-Thaksin government. The current junta leader, Prayuth Chan-ocha, is also in the race for PM, as the candidate of a pro-military party. The nomination of the Kings sister, who has starred in soap operas and gave up her royal titles after marrying an American, was a shocking move by forces loyal to Thaksin. Reuters monicakchauhan@gmail.com Dubai, February 11 Pakistan has the Mecca and Medina for the Sikhs and the country is opening up those sites for the minority community, Prime Minister Imran Khan has said. Prime Minister Khan in November last year laid the foundation stone for the corridor linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur - the final resting place of Sikh faith's founder Guru Nanak Dev - to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Gurdaspur district to facilitate visa-free movement of Indian Sikh pilgrims. Khan was in the UAE on a day-long trip to take part in the 7th edition of the World Government Summit on the invitation of Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum. "We have the Mecca and Medina of the Sikhs... and we are just opening up those sites for Sikhs," Khan said on Sunday. Mecca and Medina are the two holiest sites in Islam. "We have opened our visa regime. For the first time in Pakistan, we have 70 countries from where people can come and get visas at the airport," the prime minister said. Khan said Pakistan has the best tourist potential even though at the moment it hardly has any tourism. "Half the world's highest peaks are in Pakistan," he said, adding that the country has 1,000 kilometers of coastline. Khan also said that Pakistan has the oldest historical monuments, probably as old as anywhere in the world. "We have Indus Valley Civilisation, which is 5,000 years old. We have Peshawar, the oldest living city in the world, 2,500 years old. Lahore and Multan are ancient cities. "We have the Gandhara civilisation, which was the cradle of Buddhist civilisation, in the north of Islamabad. The biggest sleeping Buddha, 40 feet, is in Haripur. We have some of the greatest and highest number of Sufi shrines all over Pakistan," he said. Khan said they are opening up the country for tourism. Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan is located across the river Ravi, about four kilometres from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine. It was established by the Sikh Guru in 1522. The first Gurdwara, Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib, was built here, where Guru Nanak is said to have died. The Kartarpur Corridor, which will facilitate the visa-free travel of Indian Sikh pilgrims to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, is expected to be completed soon. Thousands of Sikh devotees from India visit Pakistan every year to celebrate the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. India had proposed the corridor to Pakistan around 20 years back. PTI ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM London, February 10 British Prime Minister Theresa May will pledge this week to give Parliament another chance to voice their opinions on Brexit by February 27 as she tries to buy more time to negotiate a new deal with the European Union. As the clock ticks to Britains scheduled exit on March 29, May is trying to persuade the EU to change a deal that was agreed between London and Brussels late last year but overwhelmingly rejected by Parliament in January. May wants to win over lawmakers in her Conservative Party with changes relating to the Northern Irish border, but the EU has refused to reopen that part of the deal and instead wants May to pursue a compromise with the main opposition Labour Party by agreeing closer UK-EU ties. The impasse has left the worlds fifth largest economy facing an uncertain future. Housing minster James Brokenshire on Sunday said May would commit to giving Parliament another debate on Brexit with the chance to vote on alternative options, if a deal had not yet been agreed and voted upon by then. May is already due to update Parliament on her progress towards a deal on Wednesday and then on Thursday to give parliament a chance to express their opinion. The new pledge would be for a repeat of this process by February 27. That gives that sense of timetable, clarity, and purpose on what were doing with the EU taking that work forward and our determination to get a deal but equally knowing that role that parliament very firmly has," Brokenshire said. Reuters Eyes on Feb 14 debate pardeepdhull@gmail.com Kabul, February 11 Acting US defence secretary Patrick Shanahan arrived in Afghanistan on Monday on his first trip in the role and said it was important the Afghan government is involved in talks, from which it has so far been excluded, to end the 17-year-old war. Shanahan, who will meet US troops and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, said he had so far not received any direction to reduce the nearly 14,000 US troops in Afghanistan. He also said the United States has important security interests in the region. Ghanis government has been shut out of the evolving peace talks between Taliban negotiators and US envoys, with the hardline Islamist movement branding his government a US puppet. Kabul is also concerned that a sharp drawdown of US forces could lead to chaos in the region. It is important that the Afghan government is involved in discussions regarding Afghanistan, Shanahan told a small group of reporters travelling with him on the unannounced trip. The Afghans have to decide what Afghanistan looks like in the future. Its not about the US, it is about Afghanistan, he said. Shanahan took over from Jim Mattis, who quit in December over policy differences with US President Donald Trump. He said he could not make any guarantees because US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was leading the talks. The US military has strong security interests in the region. (The) presence will evolve out of those discussions, Shanahan said. He also said his goal on the trip was to get an understanding of the situation on the ground from commanders and then to brief Trump on his findings. US officials have held several rounds of talks with the Taliban in Qatar since last year in what is widely seen as the most serious bid yet for peace in Afghanistan since the Taliban were ousted by US-backed Afghan forces in late 2001. Both sides hailed progress after the latest round last month, although significant obstacles remain. Those include the involvement of the Afghan government, which the Taliban refuse to acknowledge. The next round of talks is due in Qatar on February 25. Michael Kugelman, a South Asia specialist at the Woodrow Wilson Center, said Shanahans main priority in Kabul should be to address Afghan government concerns. The top priority of Shanahan has to be to impress upon the government that were going to do everything we can to get you into this conversation, Kugelman said. Reuters editorial@tribune.com Amritsar: The Indian Embassy in Azerbaijans capital Baku organised a special programme dedicated to the 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak, which was attended by SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal on Sunday. Longowal said with the support of the local government and devotees, efforts would be made to build a gurdwara dedicated to Guru Nanak at Baku. He said embassy officials had assured to take up the matter with the officials concerned to pave the way for providing requisite land for the gurdwara. TNS Pakistani boat found near border Ferozepur: The BSF on Sunday recovered another Pakistani wooden boat (berra) from the Sutlej near the Old Mohhamadiwala border outpost in this sector. As per sources, jawans of the 136 battalion of the BSF deputed near the border outpost observed some suspicious movement in the Sutlej during the wee hours of Sunday. Later, they found a wooden vessel coming from the Pakistan side. The vessel is around 12-15 feet long and is in a bad shape. Last year, two similar Pakistani vessels were recovered. OC WB-funded water project sanctioned Fatehgarh Sahib: To ensure the supply of safe drinking water to residents of 92 villages of the district, a World Bank-funded canal-based drinking water project worth Rs 111.53 crore has been sanctioned and the work will start soon, said Jaspreet Singh, ADC while presiding over a meeting of officials here on Sunday. He said various other projects to solve problems related to the water supply in the district would also be launched soon. OC Three booked for Rs 43-lakh fraud Muktsar: The Muktsar police have booked three persons for allegedly duping a local doctors wife of Rs 43 lakh. The accused have been identified as Rachhpal Singh, Jagsir Singh and Raghbir Singh. The FIR stated that the accused had showed a piece of land to Usha Rani. The Trio transferred the ownership of land located somewhere else. TNS One held with 400 habit-forming tablets Sangrur: The Cheema police have confiscated 400 habit-forming tablets and arrested a person. Acting on a tip-off, we have arrested Balvir Singh from Beer Kalan to Jharo road. We recovered 400 habit-forming tablets from the possession of the accused, said ASI Sukhwinder Singh. TNS Two booked for rice theft Sangrur: The police have registered a case against two persons after 29 quintals of rice went missing from a godown located at Meerheri village. On the complaint of Vinod Mittal, we have registered a case against Subeg Singh and Ram kumar related to the theft of 29 quintals of rice, said Assitant Sub-Inspector Sanjeev Kumar. TNS Bassi Pathana gets passport seva kendra Fatehgarh Sahib: MP Harinder Singh Khalsa, along with Bassi Pathana MLA Gurpreet Singh GP, inaugurated a Passport Seva Kendra at the post office Bassi Pathana yesterday. As a result, residents of the district and nearby areas would no longer need to travel to Chandigarh. OC editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 10 Relatives of Bhagat Singh joined members of the Jabar Virudh Action and Welfare Committee at a dharna being staged at Jantar Mantar here on Sunday to demand martyr status for him and fellow freedom fighters Rajguru, Sukhdev and Udham Singh. Bhagat Singhs nephews Kiranjeet Singh and Abhay Singh Sandhu and Sandhus wife Tejwinder Kaur came here to support the demand which has been taken up by several NGOs over the years. President of the Jabar Virudh Action and Welfare Committee Jaswant Singh Bharta said the Modi government must declare Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev and Udham Singh as martyrs. Recently several groups, led by the National Akali Dal, had held a similar protest demanding martyr status for these freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the country. These groups have also been demanding that Chandra Shekhar Azad be also declared a martyr. These activists lamented that Members of Parliament, legislators etc, received various benefits from the government while families of the freedom fighters had not been given any support or benefits over the years even after 72 years of freedom. editorial@tribune.com Sanjeev Singh Bariana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 10 All the 34 schools caught allowing students of Class X and XII to use unfair means during the annual examination of the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB), last year stand to lose their affiliation in case they fail to deposit 50 per cent of the fine till March-end. As many as 4,839 students were caught cheating at different centres in Tarn Taran district last year. The fine has been calculated at a rate of Rs 25,000 per dummy student caught. The message from Chairman of the PSEB Manohar Kant Kalohia comes after the board has decided to dismiss the appeal for a fine waiver from the schools. We have decided that 50 per cent of the fine will be paid in the first instalment by March end. The remaining 50 per cent can be paid in two instalments, the chairman said. The chairman said, We have given time to the schools, so that study of the currently enrolled students is not affected. At the same time we cannot allow the concession of waiving the fine completely and set any wrong example for others. Shaheed Baba Deep Singh Senior Secondary School, Patti, has been fined Rs 1.59 crore for allowing as many as 637 students use unfair means. Other schools that have been fined more than Rs 50 lakh each for wrongly helping more than 200 students included Sri Guru Hargobind Public School (Manochahal), Surat Singh Teja Singh Memorial Sant Farid Senior Secondary School (Toot), Balaji Senior Secondary Senior Secondary School (Khemkaran), Sahibzada Ajit Singh Public Senior Secondary School (Varnala), Sant Baba Suba Singh Sardar Hari Singh Senior Secondary School (Nanadpur) and Sant Sipahi Public Senior Secondary School (Ghariala). The Majha College for Women has been fined Rs 25,000 for allowing copying to just one student. Patti SDM Surinder Singh had filed a report after his inquiry on incidents of mass copying that came to light after raids by senior officials of the department. The report had pointed out that the practice of allowing cheating in these schools of the area had been going on for the past few decades. In clear violation of rules, open school students from other districts appeared in schools of Tarn Taran district. Students who appear through open school are supposed to take exams in their respective districts. But they got fake residential certificates from sarpanches and appeared in the border district, the report had indicated. The report had also named a senior principal of a government school for facilitating mass copying. Patti school to pay Rs 1.59 cr uttara@tribuneindia.com Jaswant Shetra Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 11 A 21-year-old college girl was allegedly gangraped near Issewal village, 9 km from Ludhiana, on the intervening night of February 9 and February 10. She approached the police on Sunday evening following which a case was filed and 10 'unidentified' persons were booked. The girl and her male friend were going towards Issewal village in a Hyundai car when they were stopped by three youths riding a bike. Two of them forced their way inside the vehicle, smashing the windscreen with a brick. They called some more persons and took the girl to a vacant plot nearby, confining her friend in the car whose cellphone one of them used to call up his friend, Jaspreet, for a ransom of Rs 1 lakh. However, they set the two free at 2 am and fled. Doctors at the Sudhar Civil Hospital medically examined the girl on Monday. Top officials, including DIG Ranbir Singh Khattra and SSP-Jagraon Varinder Singh Brar inspected the crime site while a team of forensic experts collected evidence. SSP Brar said a case had been filed with the Dakha police under Sections 376-D, 384 and 342 of the IPC. Teams have been formed to trace the suspects and their sketches made," he said, adding that ASI Vidya Rattan, posted in Dakha, had been placed under suspension for dereliction of duty. It is learnt that Jaspreet, on receiving the ransom call, alerted the Dakha police, which did nothing. editorial@tribune.com Karam Prakash Tribune News Service Patiala, February 10 A peaceful protest turned violent when thousands of contractual teachers clashed with the police here today. In fact, 25 people, including 10 police officials, got injured after thousands of teachers triedto march towards the residence of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh. The police resorted to lathicharge and used water cannons to disperse the protesting teachers when they tried to scale the barricades near the junior wing of Budha Dal Public School hundreds of metres away from the CMs residence. The protest march was a part of the ongoing agitation against the various arm-twisting tactics used by the state government to force the teachers to join at a monthly salary of Rs 15,300. Teachers claimed that despite the releasing of the funds by the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD), the government slashed the salaries of teachers who didnt accept the offer at their (government) terms. During the clash, police officials, including Superintendent of Police (SP) Harwinder Virk, also sustained injuries. Following the violence, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mandeep Singh Sidhu and Deputy Commissioner Kumar Amit immediately rushed to the spot. Leading the protesters, co-convener of the Sanjha Adhyapak Morcha Davinder Punia, said, The government has become very insensitive towards the demands of the teachers. We have been protesting since long, but Capt Amarinder has not met us even once. More than 10 times, the CM has cancelled the scheduled meeting with teachers. Parties flay government Different political parties have condemned the government for lathicharge on protesting teachers at Patiala. Aam Aadmi Party MLA and Leader of Opposition Harpal Cheema and MP Bhagwant Mann said the protesting teachers who were struggling for their legitimate right were brutally beaten up by the police. The AAP leaders said it was the same government which before the election was claiming to provide ghar-ghar rozgaar. They said if the CM did not stop behaving like an emperor, the masses would give a befitting reply in the coming elections. Punjabi Ekta Partys Sukhpal Khair and Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali) leader Ranjit Singh Brahampura also condemned the use of force against teachers in separate reactions. Khaira said they support legitimate demand of the teachers. Brahmpura said the Congress government had been trying to suppress the voice of the common man with the power of lathicharge and water cannons attack. The peaceful protest was a democratic right of the people but the Punjab government has lost its sensitivity, he added. MP Dharamvira Gandhi condemned the police action on the protesting teachers. Gandhi said, I strongly condemn the police action on teachers. The state governments employment fair is out in open and Captains Har Ghar Naukri promise has turned out to be a cruel joke for the youth of Punjab. Gandhi demanded that the government should immediately regularise the services of protesting teachers without reducing their pay. Agitation route changed Earlier, the teachers had planned to carry out the protest from the Veer Haqiat ground to the YPS roundabout in Patiala. However, they changed the route near Fountain Chowk, evidently to circumvent the police barricades. Subsequently, thousands of cops, who were stationed on the way, had to rush to the junior wing of Budha Dal School to stop the protesters. The water-cannon vans and anti-riot vehicles were also shifted to the new spot. Call off strike on Capts assurance editorial@tribune.com By Satya Prakash Detention of CBI officials probing chit fund scams by West Bengal Police officials has raised serious questions about federal polity in India, particularly in view of the belligerent stand taken by Mamata Banerjee government and the support extended to it by various Opposition parties. Was the state police justified in manhandling and detaining the CBI probe team? Did it amount to contempt of Supreme Court that had assigned the case to the CBI in May 2014? Did the CBI violate any procedural norms in reaching Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar's residence? For the time being, all these questions have taken a back seat in view of the Supreme Court's order to Kumar to appear and make himself available before the CBI and to "faithfully cooperate with the investigating agency at all times". A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, however, protected him from arrest. Kumar has since been interrogated by the probe agency in Shillong. The top court has also issued notices to the West Bengal Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and Kumar, asking them to explain why contempt proceedings be not initiated against them. Going by the allegations levelled by the CBI against West Bengal Police officials, it appears to be a very serious matter. Attorney General KK Venugopal and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta accused Kumar of doctoring electronic evidence in the case he once handled as functional head of the state police SIT. The Centre's top law officers also accused the state police of intimidating the CBI investigators by foisting false cases on them. Highlighting the magnitude of the problem, the Attorney General requested the top court give an authoritative pronouncement on the issue to prevent any such unwarranted situation in future. The CBI can take over a criminal case registered by a state police only in three situations-the state government concerned makes a request to that effect and the Centre agrees to it (Central Government generally seeks comment of the CBI before deciding upon the request of the state); the state government issues a notification of consent under Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act and the Central Government issues a notification under Section 5 of the DSPE Act; or the Supreme Court or a high court orders the CBI to take up such an investigation. In the last couple of months, many state governments, including those of Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh, have withdrawn the general consent given to the CBI to investigate cases in those states. It means the CBI would require permission of the state government concerned to conduct raids and investigations in those states. The scheme of the DSPE Act is very clear. Section 5 extends the powers and jurisdiction of the CBI to states, but it's circumscribed by Section 6 that says Section 5 shall not be deemed to enable the CBI to exercise powers and jurisdiction in a state without the consent of the state government concerned. Does the CBI need prior sanction or consent of a state government in all cases? What's the nature of sanction needed from a state government for the CBI to probe a cases in that state. It was with these questions that the CBI went to the top court last year and requested it to clarify the nature of consent needed from state governments. The agency has challenged a limited portion of the Delhi High Court's March 31, 2017, order in former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's case that the consent issue will be decided at the time of trial. The Kolkata incident has suddenly aggravated the situation and made things difficult for India's premier investigating agency, forcing it to approach the top court. There may be some substance in the allegation of misuse of the CBI by the Centre and the counter-allegation of misuse of the state police against CBI investigators. Whatever may be the contentions of the warring parties (i.e. CBI and West Bengal Government), one is clear is that the consent clause can't override an order of the Supreme Court to the central agency to investigate a case. Know when CBI can take over criminal case rchopra@tribunemail.com New Delhi/Jaipur, February 11 Robert Vadra is expected to make a fresh appearance before the Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday in Jaipur in connection with a probe into an alleged land scam in Rajasthans border town of Bikaner, officials said on Monday. Vadras mother Maureen is also likely to appear before the central probe agency at about 10 am at its zonal office on Bhawani Singh Road in Jaipur on Tuesday. The duo landed at Jaipur airport on Monday noon. This will be the fourth time that Vadra appears before the agency. On last three occasions he appeared before the ED in Delhi in connection with a money laundering probe against him for his alleged role in procuring assets abroad in an alleged illegal manner. Tuesdays appearance before the ED in Jaipur is directed by the Rajasthan High Court which asked Vadra and his mother to cooperate with the agency after they approached it seeking directions that no coercive action is taken against them by the agency. Officials said the investigating officer (IO) of the case would record the statement of Vadra and his mother under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency has grilled Vadra for about 24 hours over three sessions last week in the national capital. In the Bikaner case, the agency had summoned Vadra thrice but he failed to appear and later approached the court. The ED had registered a criminal case in connection with the deal in 2015, taking cognisance of a clutch of FIRs and chargesheets filed by Rajasthan Police after the tehsildar of Bikaner complained about alleged forgery in the allotment of land in the area, considered sensitive due to its proximity to the Indo-Pak border. The ED, it is understood, wants to question Vadra about the operations of a firm--Ms Skylight Hospitality Private Limited--allegedly linked to him, which had purchased land in the area. It also wants to confront Vadra with the statements of those said to be linked to him. The agency was also probing the role of a big steel firm that gave loans to a company that bought the land from firms linked to Vadra at a very inflated price, official sources said. The agency, in the past, had also raided the premises of people linked to Vadra, like Mahesh Nagar and a few others. In December 2017, the ED had arrested Ashok Kumar, a close associate of Nagar, and another person, Jaiprakash Bagarwa. Nagar is said to be associated with Ms Skylight Hospitality Private Limited, the firm with alleged links to Vadra. The ED had searched the premises of both Kumar and Nagar in April 2017. Nagar was the authorised representative in four cases of land purchase in Bikaner. Kumar, the agency alleged, had purchased land in the same area, using the power of attorney of others. The ED probe in the case is related to the purchase of a land measuring 275 bighas allegedly by the company in Bikaners Kolayat area a few years ago. The agency has also attached assets worth Rs 1.18 crore of government officials and others in connection with the case under the provisions of the PMLA. The ED, in the past, had also issued notices to the firm and obtained certain documents from it. The agency, however, has not mentioned Vadras name in its FIR filed under the PMLA. The FIR names some Rajasthan government officials and the land mafia. Vadra had earlier denied any wrongdoing in connection with the land deal and the Congress had claimed that the case was a result of political vendetta. The Rajasthan government had, in January 2015, cancelled the mutations (transfer of land) of 374.44 hectares of land, after the land department claimed to have found that the allotments were made in the names of illegal private persons. The tehsildar had said in his complaint that the government land in 34 villages of Bikaner, to be used for expanding the Armys firing range in the area, was grabbed by the land mafia with the help of forged and fabricated documents, in connivance with government officials. The ED suspects that a huge amount of money was laundered in the case as people bought land at cheap rates through forged documents. The state government, while cancelling the mutations, had said those were not issued by the Commissioner, Colonisation, Bikaner. PTI pardeepdhull@gmail.com Mumbai, February 11 The Shiv Sena on Monday mocked the BJPs claim that it would win 43 out of the total 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in the upcoming General Election, dubbing it far-fetched and bereft of reality. The Sena claimed the situation was grim in the state and wondered how could the BJP think of winning so many seats when the party-ruled state was staring at a slew of problems and the alliance talks with the Uddhav Thackeray-led party were still hanging fire. On Saturday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP chief Raosaheb Danve had claimed that their party would win 43 seats, one more than in 2014, in the Lok Sabha polls in the state. Maharashtra accounts for the second highest number of 48 Lok Sabha seats in the country after Uttar Pradesh, which has 80. The Shiv Sena, which is currently a constituent of the NDA at the Centre and the BJP-led government in Maharashtra, had last year announced to go solo in all future elections. However, the BJP has time and again expressed confidence of stitching up a pre-poll alliance with the Sena. The Sena, in an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana on Monday, claimed that several issues were plaguing the state at present. The BJP-led government tried to crush the agitation of farmers daughters in Ahmednagar. There are no good returns for onion growers and milk producers. Teachers are agitating over their demand for filling 24,000 vacant posts in government-run schools, while over 1,000 children have died in state-run shelter homes in last four years, it claimed. The government has no solution to these issues, but it was sure of winning 43 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the Marathi publication said. Politics is given more importance than peoples issues. The way dew sometimes turns into frost because of cold conditions, the minds of rulers have also frozen, it said. The Sena admitted that the issue of tie-up between the two parties ahead of the Lok Sabha polls was hanging fire. But, such a situation has not been created by us. The BJP has sown the seeds of such a sin, the editorial said. It was referring to the BJP parting ways with the Sena ahead of the 2014 state Assembly elections. The Sena once again raised its demand for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and lashed out at the BJP over it. If the BJP has electronic voting machines (EVMs) and over-confidence on its side, it can win all 48 seats in Maharashtra, the Marathi daily taunted. The BJPs lotus can bloom even in London and the US, but it should tell why the Ram temple has not been constructed so far, it said. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com Ravi S Singh Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 11 Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm on Monday due to ruckus created by the opposition parties. While the Congress and TMC members protested on the Rafale issue, the BSP snd Samajwadi Party expressed concern on the hooch tragedy in Uttar Pradesh in which illicit liquor had taken a toll of many lives. The protest erupted while External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was introdcing the Registration of Marriage of Non-Resident Indian Bill, 2019. Preceding it, the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Third Amendment) Bill, 2019, was introduced amid din. The members were heard objecting to introductions of the bills. The reasoning by Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu that they were being only introduced, and not discussed, did not assuage them. However, the ministers concerned rushed through the introduction proceedings amidst cacophony of protest voices. The TDP members entered the Well of the House with placards raising slogans to save Andhra Pradesh. They demanded special category status for the state. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 10 Congress general secretary for eastern Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra today urged the people of Uttar Pradesh to stand with her and build a new future and new kind of politics in the state. In an audio message to the electorate of Lucknow, Priyanka today said she was coming to the city tomorrow to meet the people there and was carrying in her heart the hope of a new kind of inclusive politics in the state. Priyanka and her colleague AICC general secretary for western UP Jyotiraditya Scindia will hold a road show in Lucknow tomorrow to announce their arrival on the political landscape of UP, where BSP and SP recently snubbed the Congress to form a unilateral alliance. Priyanka and Scindia have their task cut outbring BSP and SP to the negotiating table with the Congress; create a fertile ground for a solo Congress fight if a broad anti-BJP alliance does not work out. Priyanka said in her audio message, This is Priyanka Gandhi Vadra speaking. I am coming to Lucknow tomorrow to meet all of you. And I have hopes in my heart that we will together start a new kind of politics in the state, a kind of politics in which all of you will be stakeholders...my young friends, my sisters and the weakest people. In this politics, everyones voice will be heard. Come with me and let us build a new future, a new politics. The Congress was recently forced to spring a surprise in UP after the BSP and SP entering pact for Lok Sabha poll in the state leaving just two seats Amethi and Rae Bareli for the Congress first family. gspannu7@gmail.com New Delhi, February 11 The parliamentary panel on Information Technology has summoned the head of microblogging website Twitter to appear before it on February 25, the committees chairman Anurag Thakur said on Monday. Committee members took a serious note about Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey not appearing before it on Monday. While representatives from Twitters India office reached the meeting venue here, they were not called in for deliberations by the panel, according to sources. The panel decided to call Twitter officials against the backdrop of growing concerns about safeguarding citizens data privacy and possibility that social media could be used to interfere in elections. Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the government has been warning social media platforms of strong action if any attempt was made to influence the countrys electoral process through undesirable means. On Saturday, Twitter in a statement had cited short notice of the hearing for its CEO Dorsey not being able to attend the Monday meeting. The committees chairman and BJP MP Thakur on Monday said Twitter head and other representatives have been summoned to appear before the panel on February 25. There was no immediate comment from Twitter. The panel was scheduled to hear the views of the representatives of Ministry of Electronics and IT and Twitter on Safeguarding citizens rights on social/ online news media platforms. Senior officials from the IT Ministry were present at the meeting here on Monday. Earlier scheduled for February 7, the meeting was postponed to Monday to give more time to Twitter CEO and other senior officials to make themselves available, sources said last week. On Monday, sources said the panel would be meeting next on February 26. The heads of social media platforms like Facebook might also be asked to appear before it on February 26 but a final call is yet to be taken, they added. Facing heat over allegations of political bias in the country, Twitter last week said it was committed to remain unbiased and that its product as well as policies is never based on political ideology. The government has been taking a strong view of misuse of social media platforms and is also proposing to amend IT rules to curb fake news and increase accountability of such apps. Over the last few months, Facebook, Twitter and Google have promised to infuse more transparency into political advertisements on their platform, and have since announced a slew of measures as part of election integrity efforts. PTI gspannu7@gmail.com Ananya Panda Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 11 The BJP-led Centre has admitted that it is not granting any relaxation in age and attempts in competitive exams under the newly introduced quota for the economically weaker sections (EWS) of the general category leaving lakhs of job aspirants in dismay. The supposed EWS beneficiaries, who see it as nothing more than a stunt and design of the Narendra Modi government ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, have initiated a social media campaign #EWSJUMLA demanding the upper age bar be raised to 35 years and nine attempts be provided in Central Government exams, including the UPSC civil service, at par with the Other Backward Castes (OBCs). Ever since the 10 per cent reservation for financially disadvantaged of the general category was announced last month followed by the Constitution (103rd Amendment) Act coming into effect on January 14, the beneficiaries concerned had been apprehensive. Their concerns got credence on February 6 with the Department of Personnel and Trainings reply to a civil service aspirants grievance seeking clarification on the benefits under the EWS, clearly stating that it is not considering giving relaxation in age and number of attempts to EWS candidates under the new reservation policy. On February 1, a notification of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) the first one after the new quota system became effective for recruitment of Group B Junior Engineers in various Central Government departments and services spelt out no relaxation in age for EWS candidates unlike for the OBCs and other reserved categories. The said notification allows a relaxation of five years to the candidates of SC/ST and those under the OBC are entitled to three years beyond the upper prescribed age ranging from 27 to 32 years for various government departments. Nevertheless, the EWS candidates will be offered relaxation in qualifying cut off score 25 per cent as that fixed for their OBC counterparts. The SSC has kept 30 per cent as the minimum qualifying marks for the unreserved section while 20 per cent for other categories, including Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) and specially-abled, etc. With varying set of eligibility parameters, the EWS quota move has left lakhs of job aspirants in the general category feeling hoodwinked. A disappointed Saurabh Singh, an IAS aspirant from Kanpur, described the 10 per cent quota a political trap. With the new EWS step all the people belonging to general category had started favouring the BJP. The government had said that EWS will be treated as OBCs simply, Saurabh told The Tribune. Echoing the sentiment, MS Ram from Andhra Pradesh said not providing relaxation in age and attempts to EWS has come as a rude shock to lakhs of job aspirants who had pinned much hopes on the new provision and now feel cheated. Poverty, late schooling and completion of higher education owing to financial and other compulsions deprive many, like me, from taking the exams at the right age. I too coming from a village started school late and lost crucial time, noted Ram, who couldnt utilise three attempts of the total six available to general category till 32 years in UPSC civil service exams, Ram told The Tribune. They viewed that the government brought out the new policy in haste without considering all dimensions and the demands of the actual beneficiaries. Going by governments premise for introducing the 10 per cent EWS quota, they must be treated equally and the government should make amends before the UPSC civil services notification slated for February 22, they asserted. To express their resentment, EWS candidates from across the country are running an online campaign demanding parity in benefits granted to OBCs in age relaxation and attempts in public job exams. Soon they will be approaching the courts against the discriminatory set of parameters for EWS. The UPSC provides nine attempts to OBCs till 35 years and no bar or about 16 attempts from minimum allowed 22 years to 37 years to SC/ST candidates in civil service exams. editorial@tribune.com Ravi S Singh Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 10 Opposition parties will take another shot to demonstrate their unity against Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Monday by joining Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidus one-day dharna to press for special category status for his state ahead of the General Election. Less than a month ago, leaders of various political parties participated in a well-attended United India rally in Kolkata, which was organised by West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC president Mamata Banerjee in which they pledged to oust Modi. TDP parliamentary party leader and Rajya Sabha member YS Chowdary said on Monday that Naidu will sit on dharna along with his party MPs, ministers, MLAs and students and employees, among others, from Andhra Pradesh. The CM would observe fast. The Chief Minister has been fighting with the Centre for a special category status, said Chowdary, who was a minister in the Modi Cabinet before the TDP walked out of the NDA. Andhra Pradesh Chief Ministers media adviser T Srinivas said Naidu would lead a delegation to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday over the special status issue. uttara@tribuneindia.com Shahira Naim Tribune News Service Lucknow, February 11 It appeared to be a political spring for the Congress party in the state on Monday. The rousing reception made Congress President Rahul Gandhi to declare that the party without hesitation would fight on the front foot in every state. Thanking the city of Lucknow for the love-filled grand reception to the two newly appointed general secretariesPriyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jyotiraditya ScindiaGandhi said that they have been appointed to end the injustice of the current government and establish a just government. Announcing the new responsibilities of Priyanka, Scindia and the Uttar Pradesh Congress team, Gandhi said that he wanted them to ensure a better performance during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls but guarantee a Congress government in the Vidhan Sabha polls. The unprecedented crowds lined the 15 km route from the Chaudhary Charan Singh airport to the UPCC headquartersa journey that took close to 5 hours. The entire route was decked up with posters, hoardings and slogans comparing Priyanka with her iconic former prime minister grandmother Indira Gandhi. Priyanka nahi yeh Aandhi hai, doosri Indira Gandhi hai (This is not Priyanka but a storm, a second Indira Gandhi). Even the bus which had been refurbished as a rath had a poster showing Indira Gandhi with the slogan In mein tum dikhti ho (You remind us of her). The Congress entourage stopped at the Hazratganj crossing, where the Gandhis and Scindia garlanded the statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Bhimrao Ambedkar and Sardar Patel. The rath, a bus with a barricaded top, had to be abandoned near Hussainganj crossing when the bus got stuck in the low lying overhead wires. The leaders moved to an SUV till Hazratganj crossing from where they returned to the rath till the UPCC headquarters. Priyanka kept waving and accepting the stirring welcome of the Congress leaders and cadres with folded hands. She was seen interacting with some of them who had approached her for selfies, giving her security a tough time. However, those who had come to hear her had to return disappointedneither she nor Scindia addressed the crowds, either on the way or at the UPCC headquarters. Cut outs of the Rafale jet was displayed by Rahul Gandhi as well as many members of the crowd during the road show. A set of youngsters with alphabets painted on their stomach that together read Chowkidar chor hai accompanied the rath and fascinated Rahul enough to take their photograph on his mobile phone. After addressing the gathering, Congress president Rahul Gandhi left the UPCC headquarters along with Priyanka, who has reportedly left for Jaipur to be with husband Robert Vadra, who is likely to be questioned by the ED in the Bikaner land case. She is expected to return on Monday and remain at the Nehru Bhawan till February 14 talking to party leaders. Both the general secretaries are expected to remain in the city for the next three days interacting with ground level leaders of the constituencies assigned to them. Priyanka, whos the AICC general secretary in charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, will meet leaders of the 42 constituencies of Purvanchal to review the ground situation. Jyotiraditya Scindia, in charge of the 38 constituencies of western Uttar Pradesh will meet leaders from these areas around the same time. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Shahira Naim Tribune News Service Lucknow, February 11 Congress president Rahul Gandhi has already set his sights on 2022 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. Even as his party heads into general elections on its own in the state, Gandhi has made his intentions for the party's Uttar Pradesh unit clearto revive the Congress in the state in time for the next assembly elections and to reclaim the partys former glory in the countrys most populous state. During the two brief addresses on Monday, one during the road show at Lalbagh and the other at the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters, he made it clear that although Priyanka Gandhi and Scindiaboth recently made AICC general secretaries in charge of Uttar Pradeshwould work for Lok Sabha elections, their mandate was Congresss revival in Uttar Pradesh in time for assembly elections 2022. Congress leaders RPN Singh, PL Punua, Pramod Tiwari, and Sanjay Singh will work toward this end, he said. "It's a battle of ideologies, between one that breaks people up and another that binds them together," Gandhi said, referring to rivals Bharatiya Janata Party. About the coalition between once arch-rivals Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, he said "There is a gathbandhan (coalition) in UP. We respect Mayawati ji and Akhilesh ji but will fight in UP with all our strength. Congress will fight on its front foot." Gandhi invoked the Rafale deal controversy at both rallies, quoting a national daily report as saying that Prine Minister Narendra Modi had waived an anti-corruption clause in Rafale deal to help Anil Ambani steal away Rs 30,000 crore from the Indian Air Force. He wondered what the Modi-government had done in its five-year term. Where are the promised 2 crore jobs for the youth? He has only written off the debts of his corporate friends and not the poor farmers. There is no dearth of issues (against the BJP-led central government). Different sections including youth, farmers, dalits, OBC, minority and the poor were feeling cheated by the false promises," he said, adding that the Prime Minister's language had changed over the yearsfrom his confident 56 inch ki chaati" quote to now being defensive. Throughout his 15-km roadshow, Gandhi was heard repeating his slogan Chowkidar chor hai (gatekeepers a thief)a phrase he frequently uses for the prime ministerwith the crowds repeating after him in sync chor hai, chor hai. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly called himself the countrys chowkidar. The Congress leaders arrived at Lucknow airport on Monday to a rousing welcome. Their roadshow began their Uttar Pradesh campaign amid chants of Lahar nahi hai aandhi hai naam Priyanka Gandhi hai (She isn't a wave, she's a storm. She's Priyanka Gandhi). Addressing crowds of supporters gathered at Lal Bagh, Gandhi said that his party would not rest until there was a Congress government in Uttar Pradesh in 2022. Among topics that found mention in the Congress presidents rally speech was the Rafale deal and allegations of crony capitalism involved. The Congress has been mounting attacks on the Bharatiya Janata Party government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the controversial deal. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhis sister whose foray into active politics began with taking the partys cudgels in eastern Uttar Pradesh, did not speak at the rally, neither did Scindia. Priyanka Gandhi is in charge of Uttar Pradesh east, and Scindia will oversee Uttar Pradesh west. General elections are due in April-May this year. harinder@tribunemail.com Vishav Bharti Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 10 The 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar was not an isolated incident or the outcome of a brutal mindset, but a calculated move to strike terror among the masses, says a new book by a British historian. To be released on Tuesday, Jallianwala Bagh: An Empire of Fear and The Making of A Massacre by Kim A Wagner argues that demonstrations of violence were intrinsic to the colonial encounter not just in British India, but also Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The book is based on a range of material from diaries and letters to court testimonies. Wagner observes that the story of Jallianwala Bagh is also the story of a particular colonial mindset haunted by the spectre of the Mutiny or the First War of Independence. After 1857, the British in India did not respond to local unrest as much as to what they imagined that unrest was or could become hence the consistent disproportionality of violence on the part of the colonial regime. The Amritsar massacre was accordingly both retributive and pre-emptive: Dyer took revenge for the attacks on Europeans, including Miss Sherwood [a missionary teacher attacked in Amritsar], during the riots three days earlier, but he also acted to prevent a much bigger outbreak that he believed to be imminent. He writes that at Amritsar, Dyer had simply followed the example of so many colonial officials before him, including Frederick Henry Cooper, Amritsar DC during the 1857 rebellion, or L Cowan, who ordered Kukas to be blown from guns in 1872. Both had resorted to exemplary and indiscriminate violence when faced with rebellion and anti-colonial unrest. Wagner says that rather than an exceptional episode, in singular and sinister isolation, the Amritsar massacre revealed the inner workings, and the imagined vulnerability, of the British colonial rule in India. Colonial punishment, Wagner observes, had little to do with justice, and that the suppression of the unrest in Punjab in 1919 exposes the fundamental lie about the pre-eminence of the rule of law in British India in the most glaring fashion. A week after the massacre at Jallianwala Bagh, on 21 April 1919, Lieutenant Governor Michael ODwyer made a remarkable statement when defending Dyers actions to Viceroy Chelmsford: The Amritsar business cleared the air, and if there was to be a holocaust anywhere, and one regrets that there should be, it was best at Amritsar. ODwyer was here using the word holocaust in its literal sense of a burnt offering as a sacrifice. The crowd at Jallianwala Bagh, in other words, had to be sacrificed to produce the necessary effect, clearing the air, and preventing a second Mutiny. The book finds that Amritsar massacre was just in continuity of what the British were doing to the local populations, variously described as tribal, savage or fanatic, on the North-West Frontier in Afghanistan, in Sudan or throughout parts of Africa and elsewhere. They routinely massacred locals with machine guns, drove off cattle and burned villages in demonstrative displays of power. What became known as savage warfare was not simply shaped by the tactical necessities of asymmetric fighting against irregular enemies, but was based on deeply encoded assumptions concerning the inherent difference of local opponents. harinder@tribunemail.com London, February 10 UK-based Indian doctors and healthcare professionals are campaigning against what they describe as an unfair doubling of a health surcharge imposed on professionals from outside European Union (EU) living and working in Britain. The Immigration Health Surcharge was introduced in April 2015 and from December last year it was hiked from 200 pounds to 400 pounds per year. It is imposed on anyone in the UK on a work, study or family visa for longer than six months in order to raise additional funds for the countrys state-funded National Health Service (NHS). The British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO), the UKs largest representative body for Indian-origin doctors, is lobbying the UK Home Office for a rethink over the charge, arguing that it would have an adverse impact on their attempt to recruit more healthcare professionals from India to meet staff shortages in the NHS. Clinicians wishing to work in the UK are already facing burdensome processes relating to regulation and immigration, and this surcharge is only going to see UK losing out on quality healthcare professionals from non-EU countries, reads a letter from BAPIO president Ramesh Mehta and secretary Parag Singhal, sent to UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid last week. According to the organisation, one in 11 NHS clinical posts are currently unfilled, rising to one in eight for nursing vacancies, and the shortage is likely to grow to 2.5 lakh by 2030. These professionals are paying their taxes, including insurance contributions, in addition to providing quality health services in over-stretched hospitals. Such an extra burden will make them feel demoralised and discriminated, said Prof Singhal. Most people who do move here will work and they will pay tax. So doubling this charge is a form of double taxation, said Satbir Singh, chief executive of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Migrants. PTI uttara@tribuneindia.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 11 The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh Police on a petition filed by the son of Qasimvictim in Hapur lynching caseseeking a direction to set up an SIT to probe the case under an officer from another state. A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said the matter will be taken up with other pending petitions relating to the matter. The incident occurred on June 18a day after SC issued guidelines to check lynchingswhen one of the survivors65-year-old Samaydeen was with 45-year-old meat trader Qasim Qureishi. An alleged mob of gau-rakshaks attacked them for allegedly killing a cow. Video-recording of the incident showed that both Qureishi and the petitioner were beaten up and the petitioners beard was pulled. Qureishi died in the incident. A three-judge Bench headed by the then CJI Dipak Misra asked Inspector General of Police (IGP), Meerut Range, to file a report on the issue in two weeks. It had ordered the IGP to arrange recording of statements of the three petitioners under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code before a Judicial Magistrate. The Bench had also directed the Superintendent of Police concerned to provide security to the injured survivorsnow witnesses in the caseafter senior counsel KV Viswanathan submitted that it was necessary to instill a sense of security in them. It had refused to allow the accused to intervene in the case. The Supreme Court had on August 13 last year issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh Government on a petition filed by three survivors of Hapur lynching case seeking a court-monitored probe by a special investigation team (SIT) into the incident. The police FIR named one Yudhishthir Singh Sisodiabas the main accused. For people were arrested but Sisodiat off on bail a few days later. He had claimed he was not present at the spot. But a sting conducted by a TV news channel showed him talking about the crime. monicakchauhan@gmail.com New Delhi, February 11 Former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Monday extended support to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's day-long fast for special status to the state and said the central government should fulfil the promise without any further delay. Singh, who headed the UPA government at the Centre when Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated, said, This demand had support of all parties when it was discussed in Parliament. I stand in solidarity with Naidu. He said the special category status promise must be implemented without any further delay and that he had always stood by the people of the state. Congress leader Anand Sharma said at the time of Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation, it was clearly announced that the residual state will be given special status to make up for the loss. He attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over "the language used by him against Naidu" at a rally in Guntur in the state on Sunday. Its unbecoming of the prime minister. He has dragged the political discourse to such a low level. Therefore, we decided to unite against him. Standing together need is the hour, he said. Party leader Ahmed Patel alleged that the prime minister betrayed Andhra Pradesh and that its people should expect not anything from this government as it is a dispensation of cheaters and "tod-jod" (patchwork). We are solidly supporting Andhra. We are standing with Naidu," he said. PTI pardeepdhull@gmail.com New Delhi, February 11 Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidus daylong fast demanding special status for his state on Monday became a rallying point for various Opposition leaders who visited the protest venue to back him and attack the Central government. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Congress chairperson Farooq Abdullah, NCPs Majeed Memon, Trinamool Congress Derek O Brien, DMKs Tiruchi Siva and Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav were among those who met the TDP chief to express their support. The TDP president is demanding that the Centre fulfil promises made during Andhra Pradeshs bifurcation in 2014 and alleges that Modi was not following Raj Dharma by denying the state special status. The Prime Minister has stolen from the people from Andhra Pradesh and he has given that money to Anil Ambani. That is the fact of the matter, Gandhi alleged at the protest venue Andhra Bhavan in an apparent reference to the Rafale fighter jet deal with France. The government and Ambani have rejected Gandhis allegations of corruption in the deal. OBrien recalled Modis speech in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday and said he didnt talk about development or special category status but started a personal attack. Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others, he said. The PM said in his rally that Naidu was indeed a senior, but only in losing elections, switching alliances and ditching his father-in-law N T Rama Rao. Lashing out at the Prime Minister, Abdullah said, Modi has stooped so low, hes making personal attacks against Naidu, who is doing a great service to the country. The Jammu-Srinagar highway is closed for six days. They cannot clear the 30-km road, but they want to rule the country, he added. Adding his voice to the chorus of criticism, Memon alleged that the Central Government was meting out step motherly treatment to the state and the BJP was attacking Naidu because he has taken the lead in uniting rival parties against it. We will show the BJP its place in the elections. I assure you on behalf of Sharad Pawar ji, Memon stated. Mulayam Yadav said he was not well but had come to show endorse Naidus stand. Naidu is fighting the battle for the poor, the farmers and all those who are oppressed, he added. Stating that Naidu was fighting for a just cause, DMK leader Siva said the Modi government would be ousted in three months. The powers of the state are being encroached upon...the rights of the minorities are being violated. The TDP had walked out the BJP-led NDA last year protesting the injustice done to Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation. The Constitution is being systematically destroyed, added former Arunachal Pradesh CMief minister Gegong Apang, who gave the BJP its first government in the Northeast 16 years ago. Congress leaders Anand Sharma, Ahmed Patel and Jairam Ramesh were also at the venue to express their support. Naidus Dharma Porata Deeksha (a day-long protest for justice), which began at 8 am, is likely to end at around 8 pm. He will also submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on February 12. Naidu paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the Raj Ghat and also to the Ambedkar statue at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan before sitting on the hunger strike. PTI monicakchauhan@gmail.com Ravi S Singh Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 11 Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu launched a tirade against the BJP-led Central Government, alleging Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not following Raj Dharma by denying the state special status. Naidu, who began a day-long fast at the Andhra Bhavan demanding that the Centre fulfil all promises made during APs bifurcation in 2014, warned that Modi would be given a befitting answer if he made personal attacks against the people of his state. (Former PM) Atal Bihari Vajpayee said Raj Dharma was not followed in Gujarat (during the 2002 riots). Now, Raj Dharma is not being followed in the case of Andhra Pradesh. We have been denied what is rightfully ours, Naidu said. Naidu's Cabinet colleagues, MLAs, MPs accompanied him on the occasion. He alleged the Central Government did grave injustice to Andhra and it would have repercussions on national unity. On behalf of 5 crore people, Im warning this government... I came here to remind you of the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act, Naidu said. I am warning you. Dont make personal attacks against me and my people. Its unwarranted. I am just doing my duty as the head of my state. We are only demanding what we were promised, he said, adding if somebody attacks our self-respect, we will not tolerate it. The TDP chief said the party was denied permission to stage a protest on the Parliament premises. So, we came here. A number of Opposition party leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Conferences Farooq Abdullah and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, are expected to extend their support to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chiefs fast. Before beginning the fast, Naidu offered tributes to Matama Gandhi at Raj Ghat and to B R Ambedkar at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan. A TDP delegation led by Naidu will submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday, party sources said. Naidu has been trying to unite Opposition parties to take on the BJP in the General Election. Over the last three months, he has held a number of meetings with Opposition party leaders on forming an anti-BJP front. The TDP had in March last year pulled out of the NDA government over its refusal to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh. The party has been accusing the Modi government of not releasing enough funds for the Polavaram irrigation project, the Kadapa steel plant and Amravati, the under-construction ultra-modern state capital. With PTI inputs editorial@tribune.com Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 10 Amid the likelihood of the CAG report on Rafale deal being tabled in Parliament before the conclusion of the ongoing session, the Congress today levelled fresh allegations on the issue, this time attacking the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). Moments after Congress MP and former minister Kapil Sibal alleged that CAG Rajiv Mehrishi was ineligible to conduct the Rafale audit due to conflict of interest since he was the Finance Secretary when the 36-jet deal was announced and also when the UPAs previous 126-aircraft deal was cancelled, the Centre trashed the allegations as false. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, in a counter-attack on the Congress, said, After 10 years in the government, former UPA ministers still dont know that the Finance Secretary is only a designation given to the senior-most secretary in the Finance MinistryDefence ministry files are dealt with by the Secretary (Expenditure). The Secretary (Economic affairs) has no role in expenditure files of the Defence ministry Another attack on the institution of CAG by the institution wreckers based on falsehoods. It is about time India and its institutions are protected from these institution wreckers. History will record that Pt Jawaharlal Nehrus great grandson has singularly damaged Indias Parliament as an institution more than anyone else, Jaitley said. The Congress, meanwhile, submitted a memorandum to Mehrishi asking him to recuse himself from the audit and publicly accept the gross impropriety in initiating the audit despite knowing about his conflict of interest. It is reliably learnt that CAG will submit the Rafale audit report to President Ram Nath Kovid tomorrow and that it was likely be tabled in House before the last session of the BJP-led NDA government concludes on February 13. FS when pact inked "Mehrishi was FS when deal for 36 Rafales was announced in 2015 and later when the NDA govt scrapped the UPAs previous deal of 126 jets on June 26, 2016. He is ineligible to conduct the Rafale audit due to conflict of interest." Kapil Sibal, former Law Minister Saving institutions "It is time India and its institutions are protected from these institution wreckers. History will record that Pt Jawaharlal Nehrus great grandson has singularly damaged Indias Parliament as an institution more than anyone else." Arun Jaitley, Union Minister monicakchauhan@gmail.com Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 11 Major Nishant Dogra of the Indian Army was killed in a sudden snow slide at Yongdi in North Sikkim. Major Dogra was with his battalion at a high-altitude posting. He was inside his make-shift accommodation when the snow slide carried away the entire accommodation on February 9. The Major, who is from an armoured unit, was found very seriously injured under mounds of snow late that night. Weather conditions prevented an immediate evacuation. He died on Sunday. Army authorities in Delhi have confirmed the death. The Major's family originally hails from Jammu, and is now in Delhi. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Hyderabad, February 10 Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu today saying he made a U-turn on the promise of states development. The PM went on to say, You (Naidu) promised the sun to Andhra Pradesh, but Lokeshs father you only worked for establishing your son as your heir. You got power by stabbing your father-in-law NT Rama Rao in the back. Is this the dream that NTR saw for Andhra Pradesh where you are involved only in your own wealth creation. Naidu is upset with Modi because the Centre is asking him to give an account of the money sent for the state. The father-son government is using taxpayers money to further their personal agenda, Modi said. Naidu wore a black shirt to the office today in protest PM Modis visit despite failing to fulfil the promises made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act-2014. Replying to PMs allegations, he said at a public meeting in Vijaywada: Since you have mentioned my son, I am mentioning about your wife. People do you know Narendra Modi has a wife? Her name is Jashodaben. This was Modis first visit to Andhra Pradesh after the TDP walked out of the NDA alleging unfair deal in the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and not fulfilling the promises made in the reorganisation Act. Naidu will take a trainload of people to Delhi tomorrow in protest against alleged discrimination. Modi said: Our government gave Andhra Pradesh much more than what was mentioned in special status. The CM acknowledged the package but took a U-turn as they failed to use the funds in an appropriate way and were not able to develop the state. He was speaking at the Praja Chaitanya Sabha in Etukuru (Guntur). Modi lashed out at Naidu for aligning with the Congress, saying the former CM NT Ramarao (NTR) had launched the party to make Andhra Pradesh Congress-mukt. Naidu was indeed a senior to him, but only in losing elections, switching alliances and ditching his father-in-law NT Rama Rao, Modi said. He keeps reminding me he is senior. There is no debate on this. I have never shown any disrespect to you since you are a senior. You are a senior in changing alliances. A senior in biting the back of your own father-in-law. A senior in losing one election after the other, where as I am not, the PM said. Naidu was also senior in embracing tomorrow those whom he would abuse today, Modi said. Meanwhile, anti-Modi posters were held across Andhra Pradesh ahead of Modis visit on Sunday. The posters carried slogans: No more Modi and Modi never again. Protests were reported from 13 districts with slogans like Modi go back. Working for son-rise "You (Naidu) promised the sun to Andhra Pradesh, but Lokeshs father you only worked for establishing your son You got power by stabbing your father-in-law (NTR) in the back." Narendra Modi, Prime Minister Know about PM wife "Since you have mentioned my son, I am mentioning about your wife. People do you know Narendra Modi has a wife? Her name is Jashodaben." N Chandrababu Naidu, Andhra CM Attacks Cong in Tamil Nadu rchopra@tribunemail.com Kathmandu, February 11 Three people, including two Indians, were arrested in two separate cases for allegedly being involved in smuggling of hashish, police said on Monday. In the first case, two Indian nationals were arrested from Birgunj during a security check at the Indo-Nepal border, they said. Police recovered a total of 9 kg from Mohammad Sakil, 38, a resident of Kolkata, and Mohammad Bishal, 26, an Indian national living in Birgunj municipality of Parsa district, when they were going back to India, carrying 4 kg and 5 kg hashish, respectively. In a separate incident, a 28-year-old Nepali citizen was arrested from Lalbandi municipality of Sarlahi district for allegedly being involved in smuggling of the contraband, police said. Acting on a tip-off, police raided a house and recovered 5 kg hashish hidden there, they said, adding that all the three were arrested and the matter is being probed. PTI vinaymishra188@gmail.com Mona Squeals of delight, some bow wow, little pomp and some show, Sunday afternoon was a delight for pet lovers in Panchkula. While some disciplined dogs pulled out a flawless demo; there were naughty puppies rather happy checking out their mates. A doting pet parent making her Shih Tzu called Selfie have a sip of water on a sunny day in a bottle cap to a sturdy bully dragging two of his masters right outside the Pet Show, were sure a sight to behold! While the demos had people click and snap pretty pooches, the few stalls had decent footfall too. One had a gentle golden retriever enjoying her grooming session while taking short naps in between all that pampering. It was the bond between pets and their parents that was hard to miss whether it was an instruction conveyed in a strong, tough tone or sweet nothings whispered in the ears to help them keep calm as random strangers came clicking selfies. Jumbo, a Chow Chow, was the cynosure of all eyes. Abjinder Sangha kept handling demands for selfies and stroking this rather majestic two-year old. Jumbo was all too well behaved through it all. Proud of his pooch, this agriculturist from Gwara, Malerkotla does everything for his precious, including twice a day walk sessions. Its only with Jumbo that I realised the healing power of selfless love, he said. He takes Jumbo and another six-month-old Chow Chow, Kuku, to a school for children with special needs to ensure a good time for everyone every once a while. Even at the daily walks, my heart swells with pride as I see Jumbo meet and greet people and bring a smile on so many faces every day without fault. Lord of the field Mr Frodo was another show stealer who with his overtly affectionate ways kept winning hearts. This one-year-old husky gets the name from his parent Gauravs favourite flick Lord of the Rings. Odd dog out St. Bernards Sky and Joy had their own share of attention. Ambar handling all that with her hubby Amit shared with us how positive and happy they make her. Totally into pets, she admitted on the side that her favourite Tara, a Labrador, wasnt with them for this outing for usko nazar jaldi lag jati hai . Kiwi, the Doberman, was the prize winning one. Handling him was Nirmal Lahori who explained to curious onlookers, Doberman used to be excellent police and army dogs. One-man dogs, they are very loyal and serve as excellent guard dogs. Not as fierce as Kiwi is Sultan, a Bull Terrier who drew strange looks all day for his half rat, half pig kind of look. But gentle he was and kind to people who made several enquiries to his mentor while walking around the show. Tibetan Mastiffs, Summer and Enora, had a stream of visitors too. Jai Karan Mann, the owner, explained, I have seven of them, I only like Tibetan Mastiffs for they are so majestic. Back at his farm in the outskirts of Amritsar, each has an AC room and a sprawling pool to share! The Dog Show attracted some 40 breeds and 100 participants, says Sikander Singh, general secretary, Royal Kennel Club, Panchkula, The dog show is going to be an annual feature, he shared. editorial@tribune.com Amit Khajuria Tribune News service Jammu, February 10 Even as the Jammu airport extended its operational timings on January 1 this year, it has received a poor response for the night flights from airlines. After getting the approval of the Indian Air Force, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had extended the timings up to 9 pm at the airport. Earlier, it was up to 4.30 pm. After announcing the extension of the flying hours, the AAI invited the airlines to submit their schedule. According to sources, only one airline has submitted its schedule for the Jammu-Delhi flight for 7 pm. Only GoAir has submitted its schedule for the Jammu-Delhi evening flight. It is likely to be introduced in summer, the sources informed. Notably, the timings were extended to give relief to the passengers and to promote tourism in Jammu and Kashmir. The sources also said the airlines were not interested in extending flights to Jammu as the runway expansion work here is still pending. It is only likely to be completed by March 2020. As the airport has only 6,700-foot-long runway, the airlines are facing loss on the Jammu route as the flights landing at Jammu airport cannot fly with the full load. The short runway also forces the pilots to use emergency brakes at the time of landing in the winter capital of the state. Now, the Airports Authority of India, Jammu, has started the expansion of the runway up to 8,000 feet. Only GoAir submits schedule gspannu7@gmail.com Tribune News Service Srinagar, February 11 The Jammu and Kashmir Government has sought adjournment of the hearing in a bunch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of article 35-A before the Supreme Court. In the application filed before Registrar General of the Supreme Court by advocate Shoeb Alam, the adjournment of the hearing has been sought on account of there presently is no elected government in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and the state is under Presidents rule. The petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Article 35-A are listed before the Supreme Court between February 12 and 14. Article 35-A deals with the special rights and privileges given to permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir. editorial@tribune.com Amit Khajuria Tribune News Service Jammu, February 10 Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned about the plight of displaced Kashmiri Pandits, refugees from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have said that the Centre continued to adopt a selective approach towards victims of the Kashmir conflict. In an interview to The Tribune, Rajiv Chuni, chairman, SOS International, an organisation of displaced PoK people, said the refugees had always been ignored by the previous governments and the present dispensation at the Centre was also taking them for granted. During a rally at Vijaypur on February 3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said, India will not forget the circumstances in which Pandits had to leave their homes. But the Prime minister did not mention about the plight of PoK and West Pakistani refugees who migrated to this side of the Line of Control in 1947, 1965 and 1971, Chuni said. There are 36,819 families of PoK refugees which migrated to different parts of the Jammu region and have been demanding a rehabilitation package for the last 70 years, but even after the recommendations of the state Cabinet in October 2014 for providing Rs 9,096 crore (Rs 25 lakh per family), the Centre only announced Rs 2,000 crore for them on November 7, 2015. While the refugee leader claimed the Centre had disbursed Rs 500 crore in the last three years, official figures of the Union Home Ministry revealed that about Rs 930 crore was disbursed among PoK refugees till November 30 last year. Chuni said PoK refugees had approximately six lakh votes in the state and could play a decisive role in the Assembly or parliamentary elections. We are going to launch a door-to-door campaign against the BJP for not fulfilling the promises made to refugees. If required, we may also field our own candidates to cut the vote share of the BJP in Jammu. We want to give it a message that if you ignore the plight of people, we will never let you sit on the chair, Chuni said. The POK refugees are demanding Rs 25 lakh per family and benefits on the pattern of Kashmiri Pandit migrants, eight seats for PoK refugees in the state legislative Assembly, permission to visit religious places at PoK and return of cash deposited at the Jammu and Kashmir Bank at Mirpur with interest. editorial@tribune.com Pratibha Chauhan Tribune News Service Shimla, February 10 The rebels, who had been shown the door for working against the party in the past elections, are likely to be given entry by the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha poll. The first step in this direction has been taken as all such party men, who had been expelled or suspended, have been asked to seek re-entry by making plea before the party by February 14. The State Disciplinary Committee of the Congress, headed by AN Vidyarthi, will meet on February 15 to take a final call on all such requests. It is reliably learnt that there are about 150 applications pending before the party which have now been segregated into those who had contested the elections against the party nominee and those who had only worked against the Congress in elections. Some prominent leaders awaiting re-entry into the party include Harish Janartha, who had contested as an Independent from Shimla, Hardeep Bawa, who had contested from Baddi and Mast Ram, who had contested from Karsog. Not only will the Disciplinary Committee take a call on all pending requests, seeking re-entry, but the party has also invited requests from others, who have yet not made such a plea. All such leaders and party workers have been asked to make their submission along with the reasons and justification for action against them. In fact, one of the sore points between former Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh was the reluctance on the part of Sukhu to take back such rebels. Many supporters of Virbhadra Singh, especially those who had contested the poll against the partys official nominee in the 2017 poll, had not been taken back. It is being expected that the wait of many loyalists of Virbhadra Singh, who had faced expulsion, will end soon. Sukhu had been of the firm opinion that the rebels must not be taken back as what they had done was an act of indiscipline. However, with the change in the Congress, the new president Kuldeep Rathore is keen to take along all factions and also take back old party men who for whatever reason worked against the party during elections. It was immediately after the Assembly poll in 2012 that show-cause notices had been issued to 86 leaders, including five former MLAs. Notices of 13 were withdrawn immediately while some others were re-admitted later. In fact, Virbhadra had written to Sukhu to re-admit many such leaders even before the 2014 Lok Sabha poll. 150 awaiting HPCC nod editorial@tribune.com Pratibha Chauhan Tribune News Service Shimla, February 10 The BJP seems to be opening a pandoras box by deciding to declare beneficiaries of both state and Central Government schemes as Mera Parivaar - BJP Parivaar. The scheme, to be launched from February 12 to March 2, is primarily aimed to woo the electorate ahead of the Lok Sabha poll. The state BJP Executive met here today to chalk out the election strategy and party programmes to be launched all over the state ahead of the poll. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, state BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti, former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, ministers, party MPs Virender Kashyap from Shimla and Ramswaroop from Mandi, besides senior party functionaries, attended the meeting. Party sources said 8 lakh families had been identified who had benefited. The details of all such beneficiaries from various departments have been sought and the each BJP Mandal had been asked to reach out to each family, said sources. It is probably for the first time that such an initiative has been taken by any political party to declare beneficiaries of government schemes as their parivaar. The programme could as such rake up a controversy. State BJP president Satpal Singh Satti denied that there was anything unethical in such programme as it was Modis initiative which had helped the poor. There is no compulsion for people who have benefited to put a BJP flag atop their houses, but, yes, the BJP workers will try to convince them to do so, he said. The families, which already believe in the BJP ideology and have benefited, will put a flag while others will be convinced to do so.Among other programmes include Bharat ke Man Ki Baat, Modi ke Saath from February 5 to March 4, Panna Pramukh Sammelan of Kangra Lok Sabha seat on February 24, Kamal Jyoti Sankalp Programme from February 26 at booth level, Mera booth sabse mazboot from February 28 in which mandal level workers will have a dialogue with the PM and on March 2, there will be a bike rally of the Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha. The BJP is going into election mode in full swing to ensure that it retains its control over all four Lok Sabha seats which it had won for the first time in 2014 poll. editorial@tribune.com Our Correspondent/PTI Una/New Delhi, February 10 Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Sunday inaugurated Cremica Food Park, which is the first mega food park of Himachal, through video conferencing. The park is located at Singan village in Una. It has been set up at a cost of Rs 107.34 crore. This is the first mega food park operationalised in Himachal Pradesh. The inauguration took place in the presence of Jai Ram Thakur, Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh, and Anurag Singh Thakur, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Hamirpur. The Cremica Mega Food Park will benefit people of Una district and nearby districts of Kangra, Hamirpur and Bilaspur. The park has been set up on 52.40 acres at a cost of Rs 107.34 crore. The facilities, being created by the developer at Central Processing Centre (CPC) of this mega food park, include multi-crop pulping line with bulk aseptic packaging (24 MT/ hour), frozen storage (1,000 MT), deep freeze, dry warehouse, QC laboratory and other food processing facilities. The park also has a common administrative building for the office and other uses by the entrepreneurs. Badal said the mega food park would leverage an additional investment of about Rs 250 crore in 25-30 food processing units in the park and generate a turnover of about Rs 450-500 crore annually. It would also provide employment to 5,000 persons and benefit about 25,000 farmers. The minister said the modern infrastructure at the park would benefit farmers, growers, processors and consumers immensely and prove to be a big boost to the growth of the food processing sector. Badal also said the government was fully committed to providing an environment that was smooth, transparent and easy for investors wanting to start an enterprise in India, and in a bid to make India a resilient food economy and the food factory of the world, the government had made food processing a major thrust area of Make in India. The ministry is focusing on boosting the industry so that the agriculture sector grows exponentially and becomes a major contributor to doubling the farmers income and Make In India initiative of the government. To give a major boost to the sector by adding value and reducing food wastage at each stage of the supply chain with particular focus on perishables, the ministry is implementing mega food park scheme in the country. In his address, CM Jai Ram Thakur admitted that while Himachal Pradesh was known for its fruits and vegetables, the food processing industry was not developed here. He hoped the mega food park would not only ensure a market for the farmers produce, but also give them adequate price for their produce. MP Anurag Thakur said former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had announced a special industrial package for Himachal Pradesh and that today, 5,998 industrial units with an investment of Rs 34,653 crore were functional in the state, employing more than 4.7 lakh people. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced sops for entrepreneurs setting up units in Himachal till the year 2022. Akshay Bector, MD, Cremica Foods, appreciating the governments initiative, said, It will not only facilitate the food processing industry but also give a new lease of life to our agrarian society. He invited other entrepreneurs to take advantage of the infrastructure. Industries Minister Bikram Singh Thakur and Vice-Chairman of the State Industries Development Corporation Ram Kumar Sharma also spoke on the occasion. Rs 107.34-cr project editorial@tribune.com shil Manav Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 10 Raj Kumar Saini, rebel BJP MP from Kurukshetra and convener of the Loktantra Suraksha Party (LSP), on Sunday initiated a move to join hands with the Haryana Janchetna Party (HJP) led by former Union Minister Venod Sharma. Saini met Sharma at his residence and asked him to explore the possibilities of joining the LSP-BSP alliance for the upcoming parliamentary and Assembly elections. Saini confirmed the meeting, but refused to divulge details of their talks. He said he was trying to bring all like-minded people together on one platform. The Jind bypoll has shown that people who have been ignored by those who remained in power for more years than others after Haryana came into being are willing to come together to assert their political rights. I am working in the direction of bringing all those who work for the oppressed, he said. Sharma described the meeting as a courtesy call by Saini and maintained that politics was not discussed. Asked about his plans are for the upcoming parliamentary and Assembly elections, he said he would reveal his plans at an appropriate time. A former Congress leader, Venod Sharma was Union minister in PV Narasimha Rao Cabinet and served as Cabinet minister in Haryana when Bhupinder Singh Hooda was the Chief Minister. During his stint as Haryana minister, he was instrumental in getting 10 per cent quota for economically weaker sections among upper-caste Brahmins, Punjabis, Agarwals and Thakurs and bringing a law for vesting ownership rights to dholidaars and butimaars. Before the 2014 Assembly elections, Sharma parted ways with the Congress and launched the HJP. The party failed to win any seat in 2014. Saini had been in focus ever since his candidate Vinod Ashri polled 13,582 votes in the Jind bypoll. editorial@tribune.com Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Kurukshetra on Tuesday. He will lay foundation stones via video-conferencing. 1 War memorial to battles of Panipat The Panipat district administration has offered six acres for the Rs 44.5-crore project; a digital museum will be part of the memorial The Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) will develop the museum, which will have four special segments, DC Sumedha Kataria said 2 Shri Krishna AYUSH University, Kurukshetra It will be countrys first such university; to come up in Kurukshetras Fatuhupur village BJP MLA Subhash Sudha says the gram panchayat has given 95 acres for the project; about Rs 500 crore to be spent 3 Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyaya University of Health It will come up in Karnals Kutail village on 138 acres The first phase of the project will cost Rs 750 crore and it would have eight super specialty hospitals The proposed university will have state-of-the-art trauma centre to tackle emergency and accident cases 4 Nation Institute of Ayurveda, Panchkula The estimated cost of the project is Rs 270.5 crore; the institute will cater to over 500 students every year offering UG, PG and PhD programmes The state government and Shri Mata Mansa Devi Shrine Board have provided 19.87 acres on lease to the Ministry Of AYUSH 5 All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rewari Manethi villagers had protested for more than 120 days, demanding better healthcare earlier promised to them by the BJP government The Manethi panchayat has passed a resolution to provide 200 acres for the project Modi will inaugurate National Cancer Institute (NCI) at Badhsa village in Jhajjar district All over 16-year-old residents of reception centres are currently required to attend a course designed to familiarise them with the basics of Finnish culture and society, and sign the course certificate to express their commitment to following the rules. KAI MYKKANEN (NCP), the Minister of the Interior, has proposed that asylum seekers be required to complete a test on the culture and society in Finland. Participating in the course is not enough, but we must also make sure the contents of the course are being internalised, underlined Mykkanen. The Ministry of the Interior, he added, has consequently earmarked funds in its supplementary budget for piloting a computer-based test in state-operated reception centres. The course curriculum would also include videos about the basic rights, criminal code and penalties imposed for criminal activity produced as part of a joint project between the reception centre in Oulu, National Police Board and Police University College. The course test could make sure in the future that the applicants have paid attention in class, read the course materials and watched the videos. It has to be perfectly clear, for example, that under the law an under 16-year-old can never give consent to sexual contact with an adult, but that it is always a crime with serious consequences, said Mykkanen. All asylum seekers would have to complete the course immediately after arriving in Finland, he added. This naturally would not solve everything, but by making sure the teachings have been understood we would have a better foundation for targeting strict measures at people who do not follow the rules. Mykkanen also estimated that experiences from the pilot could be later utilised in developing the processes for granting permanent residence or Finnish citizenship. Aleksi Teivainen HT Source: Uusi Suomi editorial@tribune.com Geetanjali Gayatri Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 10 Keen on operating flights to and from Hisar, the Haryana Government will open bids for five routes under the state-run UDAAN (Uday Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme while looking for inclusion in the Centres Regional Connectivity Scheme, which aims at connecting unserved or under-served airports of the country. Sources said while the state Civil Aviation Department was all set to open bids for operations between Hisar-Delhi, Hisar-Chandigarh-Dehradun, Hisar-Chandigarh-Jammu, Hisar-Jaipur and Hisar-Chandigarh on February 21, the state is exploring the option of getting these routes included in the Centres scheme. The benefit from the inclusion will mean that the Centre will bear the burden of the 80 percent viability gap (difference between the actual fare and the fare paid by the passenger) funding for the operations for 50 per cent of the seats, while only 20 per cent of it will have to be borne by the state government. Sources in the department maintain that the Ministry of Civil Aviation is learnt to have included four of these five routes in the bids invited with an exception to the Hisar-Jaipur route. The government is hopeful these will attract private operators and the viability gap funding will be shared by the Centre and state. However, though the Centres option is open, the government does not want to rely only on that one scheme. As a back-up plan, the government is going ahead with opening these bids under the state-run UDAAN scheme patterned on the Centres scheme. We want to make these routes operational. The only difference in the state scheme is that the 80 per cent viability gap funding will not come from the Centre but will be borne by the state. The government has already given its approval for the same, a senior official associated with the entire exercise said. The state government has also invited bids from private operations for any mutually agreed routes while considering tie-ups with the Himachal Government for connectivity to tourist destinations there. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Ever since 2008 when Mayawati, then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, went on a spree of installing her own statues along with those of BSP and Dalit stalwarts as also elephants worth crores of rupees, a monumental controversy has dogged her. It became an easy tool for her rivals to encash political dividend as they played the statues-vs-development card. Unsurprisingly, the argument hit home. There was heartburn among some of her voters, too, since the promised programmes of providing jobs or the redistribution of surplus land to Dalits were pushed to the backburner. Raising the question of the misuse of public funds for her own glorification and propagating the party symbol (elephant), a petition was filed in the Supreme Court in 2009, seeking their removal and a CBI probe. And, despite the court admonishing her for wasting the taxpayers money, unfazed, Behenji went about trampling on all objections. Statues sprang up in parks and along flyways in Lucknow and Noida. When the debate gathered steam during poll time in 2012, the court ordered the Election Commission to ensure that the elephant statues were covered. Now, the court has, in a strong message, observed that Mayawati should refund the money spent on the statues to the state exchequer, even as it posted the case for a final hearing on April 2. An elephantine amount of over Rs 2,000 crore of public money was spent on these sandstone memorials, ostensibly built to rival the monuments of ancient Rome. They are a sad testimony to a monumental ego. As paytime for the jumbos stares at Maya, it is a wistful reminder of the tragic twist that the majestic elephant from Indian mythology has had to endure. In Buddhist iconography, her namesake Queen Mayas dream foretelling the birth of Gautama Buddha featured the elephant prominently. And, in Hindu iconography, the pachyderm is the mode of transport for many gods. The animal does enjoy a sacred spot, which gets sullied if it is limited to a partys poll symbol representing the leaders vanity. vinaymishra188@gmail.com By granting divisional status to Ladakh, the J&K Government has met a long-pending demand of residents of the cold desert region of the state. The people of Leh and Kargil districts, which comprise the region, have suffered for decades because of administrative disconnect and the absence of round-the-year road connectivity with the rest of the state. They were feeling the severe pinch of living in a mountain-locked area, with no access to the outside world during winter. Heavy snow closes all passes that provide it an opening to the rest of the state during summer. The resource-rich region is a disturbing picture of shortages of all kinds, from water to health services. This decision has opened a window for them to get their divisional-level administrative and revenue problems redressed within the region, relieving them of the hardships and risks of visiting Kashmir. However, what could have been an occasion for region-wide celebrations was marred by Kargil leaders protesting the stationing of divisional headquarters in Leh. It has exposed political and communal fault lines in the strategically-located region that borders China, Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In real terms, the creation of a new division is neither a substitute for the Union Territory status that the Buddhists in Ladakh were demanding nor would it take care of its connectivity deficiency in absolute terms. And, with Kashmir-centric parties supporting the demands of Kargil politicians in the Kargil versus Leh debate, and also upping the ante for a similar status for Muslim-dominated parts of Jammu region, the state is looking at more trouble ahead. This was avoidable. Had the government taken political groups on board and also rolled out a blueprint for other sub-regions with similar aspirations, things would have had a positive ring. Now, political groups with a communal orientation have got a reason to stir up the cauldron quite vigorously ahead of the Assembly polls in the state. Lt Gen Pramod Grover (retd) Lt Gen Pramod Grover (retd) Former Information Commissioner, Punjab THE Indus Waters Treaty, signed by India and Pakistan in 1960, mandates the commissions of both countries to inspect sites and works on both sides of the Indus basin in a block of five years. Honouring this obligation, a Pakistani delegation recently visited the Chenab river basin in Jammu and Kashmir for an inspection. Since the signing of the treaty, 118 such tours on both sides have been undertaken. The last tours of the commissions in Pakistan and India were conducted in July 2013 and September 2014, respectively. The current five-year block ends in March 2020. During the bilateral talks on the treaty in Lahore in August last year, India, rejecting Pakistans objections to the construction of the Pakal Dul and Lower Kalnai hydroelectric power projects (HEPs) on the Chenab river, had invited Pakistani experts to visit the sites to address their concerns regarding the impact on the flow of water into their country. The Pakul Dul project (1,000 MW, ultimately 1,500 MW) is located on the Marusadar river, a major right-bank tributary of the Chenab Main, in Doda district. The confluence of the Marusadar and Chenab is 225 km upstream of the Marala headworks and 76 km from the Baglihar HEP. A concrete-faced rock fill dam with a height of 167 metres is being constructed at a cost of Rs 8,110 crore. Pakul Dul will not only be the largest hydroelectric power project in Jammu and Kashmir, but will also have the first storage unit. Also, subsequent to its commissioning, Jammu and Kashmir will get 12 per cent free power after 10 years. The Lower Kalnai HEP is located on the left-bank tributary of the Chenab, about 19 km downstream of Dulhasti HEP and 180 km upstream of the boundary between Pakistan and India. A concrete gravity dam with a height of 34 metres is proposed to be constructed with an installed capacity of 48 MW. Pakistan has raised technical issues, alleging that the design parameters constitute a violation of the restrictions imposed as per the treaty. Pakistan has objected to the designs of the projects freeboard, pondage, spillway and intake crest elevation. India, however, has rejected such assertions, stating that the projects were being built in adherence to the parameters laid down in the treaty. As against 3.6 MAF (million acre ft) which India can store on the western rivers, the total storage capacity created so far is a mere 0.5 MAF. Pakal Dul is a storage project with a capacity of 88,000 acre ft, but this is within the permissible limit of storage of 0.6 MAF on the tributaries of the Chenab. The gross storage capacity of Lower Kalnai (1,508 acre ft) is so small that it has negligible downstream impact on Pakistan. Other design differences are small and not of much significance with respect to downstream impacts. Water is becoming an existential issue for Pakistan. The country is facing a grim situation regarding its fast-depleting fresh water resources. Pakistan has been attributing its problems of water scarcity to Indian action of constructing hydel projects on the western rivers. In Pakistans perception, the construction of dams by India could lower the quantity of water in these rivers. However, their water-related problems need to be attributed to Pakistan having drawn limited benefit of Indias benevolence, despite the fact that it has been receiving more than its authorised share. Projects being undertaken by India are in tune with the provisions of the treaty. In 1950, the water available per capita annually was 5,500 cubic metres when the population of the erstwhile West Pakistan was 33 million; at present, it is down to 850 cubic metres annually, while the population has increased to 210 million. The overall quantity of water flowing in the western rivers to Pakistan remains approximately the same. As per a recent report, Pakistan is receiving about 154 MAF of water annually against an authorisation of 136 MAF. As far as India is concerned, the Kashmir dispute and the water dispute are inextricably intertwined. Pakistans attempts over the years to annex Kashmir can be seen in the context of attempts to ensure water security. Despite Indias generosity in the sharing of the Indus river waters, Pakistan has consistently adopted an obstructionist strategy since 1977, raising issues regarding run-of-river projects under construction on the western rivers by India. Such an attitude has not only stressed the treaty itself, but also has had a considerable negative impact on the economic progress of Jammu and Kashmir. The state, even though being upper riparian, exploits merely one-seventh of its hydel power potential. India, at present, irrigates 0.8 million acres area against the limitation imposed on the extent of area to be irrigated (1.32 million acres) with the waters of the western rivers. The annual energy loss suffered by Jammu and Kashmir is 60,000 million units; evaluated at the rate of Rs 2 per unit, it is approximately Rs 12,000 crore. These restrictions have, therefore, imposed a loss in terms of development of industry, power and agriculture equal to around Rs 40,000 crore annually. The World Economic Forum rates the water crisis as the biggest risk in Pakistan, with terrorist attacks third on the list. Pakistan is facing the crisis due to poor management and anticipated reduction in intake through the nine trans-border rivers from Afghanistan and in the Indus river from China. The reduction in discharge is the result of construction of hydel power projects with storage facilities by Afghanistan and China. Shortage of water in Pakistan, thus, has very little to do with the non-adherence of the provisions of the treaty by India. As such, its allegation that India is trying to usurp its share of water by constructing hydel power plants on the western rivers is not based on facts. A recent report of the World Bank puts into perspective the massive wastage of water in Pakistan. Water worth $25 billion flows into the sea annually. As per the report, agriculture, which consumes more than 80 per cent of water, contributes less than 5 per cent of the GDP. Pakistan needs to initiate necessary action on its own to improve the water availability to overcome the crisis. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 10 A head constable of the UT traffic police had a narrow escape after a motorist drove the car for over 200 meters with the cop holding on to the bonnet today. The traffic cop had tried to challan the driver, for stopping car on the zebra crossing at the Sector 44/45/51/52 light point. Sources said the motorist, driving a white Maruti Alto bearing a Ludhiana number, stopped the car on the zebra crossing at the traffic light. Head constable Shashi Bhushan, who was on duty at the light point, asked the driver to show his driving licence. However, the driver started arguing. The traffic cop was wearing a body camera with which he clicked the picture of the car. In the meantime, the traffic light turned green and the driver accelerated. The cop, who was standing in front of the car, in a bid to save himself, jumped on the bonnet. The motorist drove for about 200 metres and then stopped the car, giving a little time to the traffic cop to get down from the bonnet. As soon the traffic cop got down, the driver accelerated again and escaped from the spot. The police were informed about the incident and the vehicle number was provided to them following which a case has been registered at the Sector 34 police station. Reminder of 2014 incident In 2014, a traffic constable was hit by a car at the Sectors 17/9 roundabout after he signalled the driver, who was on his mobile, to stop. The car dragged the constable, who jumped on the bonnet, to a distance of about a kilometer. A passerby had also made a video of the incident. Car caught on body camera Sources said the motorist, driving a white Maruti Alto bearing a Ludhiana number, stopped the car on the zebra crossing at the traffic light. Head constable Shashi Bhushan, who was on duty, asked the driver to show his driving licence. The traffic cop was wearing a body camera with which he clicked a picture of the car. In the meantime, the traffic light turned green and the driver accelerated. The cop, who was standing in front of the car, in a bid to save himself, jumped on the bonnet. The motorist drove for about 200 metres and then stopped the car, giving some time to the traffic cop to get down from the bonnet. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 10 Panic gripped Dadu Majra Colony after some youths, who had arrived in a Mahindra Bolero and two other cars, escaped after opening fire this evening. They left the Bolero at the spot, which was impounded by the police. Sources said the miscreants arrived outside a liquor vend at the colony entry gate. They thrashed two persons in full public view. Soon, a large number of people gathered at the spot following which the miscreants opened fire and escaped from the spot. The police were informed about the incident following which teams, including cops from the crime branch and the operation cell, visited the spot. UT SSP Nilambari Jagdale also reached the spot soon after the incident. Several police teams were constituted to look for the miscreants. Local residents were terrified after the incident. The two youths, who were assaulted by the miscreants, were taken by the police to Government Multi-Specialty Hospital, Sector 16. The injured were identified as Ravi Kumar and Roopi. The sources said five rounds were fired by the miscreants, but fortunately, no one received bullet injuries. The miscreants escaped towards Sector 38 (West). The police cordoned off the area and carried out a search there. The police scrutinised the footage of CCTV cameras installed in the area. Three miscreants are seen opening fire, said a police official. Meanwhile, the Bolero, bearing a Punjab number, has been impounded by the police. The police recorded the statements of eyewitnesses. A team of the CFSL lifted fingerprints from the Bolero. An investigation has been initiated. 5 rounds were fired ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Ramkrishan Upadhyay Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 10 Infighting in the city unit of the BJP turned murkier after a woman councillor of the party, Farmila, reportedly tried to assault Mayor Rajesh Kalia with a mike at a public function at Shahpur Colony near Dadu Majra today. Farmila denied the allegation and said she just snatched the mike from the Mayor as he was using insulting language in his speech. The Mayor alleged that she not only tried to hit him, but also used derogatory language for him. The Mayor and Farmila later lodged complaints against each other with city BJP president Sanjay Tandon and party incharge Dinesh Kumar. The incident occurred 10 minutes after Tandon left the venue after addressing a gathering. Local BJP leaders had organised a function in the colony and had invited Tandon, Mayor Rajesh Kalia and local councillor Farmila to raise their issues before them. The ruckus started soon after Tandon left the venue. When Kalia started his speech, Farmila stood up and started moving out of the venue. Seeing her going out, the Mayor requested her to stay and raise the issues, which reportedly angered her. Both of them engaged in a verbal duel in front of the public, which was recorded by some leaders. In the video, that was circulated on the social media, Farmila was seen snatching the mike from the Mayor and trying to hit him. However, some leaders prevented her from doing so. Farmila said how could a woman tolerate her insult in front of the public. She said when the Mayor was using insulting words for her, she snatched the mike to express her point of view. Tussles between Farmila and Kalia are not new. Farmila was also in the race for the post of Mayor, but the party chose to field Kaila. Farmila had supported another party councillor Satish Kainth, who contested against Kalia. While Kainth refused to budge, Farmila later supported Kalia under party pressure. Both submit complaints against each other Councillor Farmila denied the allegation that she attempted to hit the Mayor and said she just snatched the mike from the Mayor as he was using insulting language in his speech. The Mayor alleged that she not only tried to hit him, but also used derogatory language for him. The Mayor and Farmila later lodged complaints against each other with city BJP president Sanjay Tandon and party incharge Dinesh Kumar. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Tribune News Service Panchkula, February 10 A couple was assaulted by unidentified youths near the Sector 10-11 light point when the couple and their nine-year old son were returning home around 3 am today. Karandeep Chopra, a resident of Sector 11, received injuries as one of the assailants attacked him with a belt on the head. The victim was taken to the Civil Hospital for treatment. Chopra said they had gone to Mohali to meet one of his friends from where they went to another friends house around 12.30 am. He said they left Chandigarh around 2.45 am and reached Amartex Chowk when his wife Anu cautioned him that a car, which had boys inside, was being driving rashly and it could hit their vehicle. He asked his wife not to pay attention to them and continued to drive towards his home. When they reached near the Sector 10-11 light point, the boys stopped their Wagon R car in front of their car. He said the boys, who were taking beer, starting arguing with them on flimsy issues. He said his wife informed the Police Control Room and the police asked for their location. He said he tried to reason with the assailants that his wife and nine-year-old son was with him and they should let him go as it was already late. He said the assailants told him that other members of his family could go home, but they would not allow him to leave as they wanted to teach him a lesson. He said the one of the assailants took out a belt and attacked him on the head. He said after the assailants saw blood oozing out of his head, they fled from the spot along with their vehicle (HR 03V 3272). He said they also took away around Rs 5,000, which fell from his pocket during the scuffle. Chopras wife Anu filed a complaint with the Sector 10 police chowki after which the police registered a case against the unidentified assailants. (HedgeCo.Net) The Securities and Exchange Commission has obtained a final judgment against a New Jersey resident who was charged by the agency with stealing more than $250,000 in a Ponzi scheme in which his friends and coworkers invested. The courts final judgment follows the courts grant of summary judgment in the agencys favor. In granting summary judgment, the court found that Niket Shah and his company, Spark Trading Group LLC, falsely claimed that Spark Trading was registered with the SEC; that their investments were profitable; that investors funds were guaranteed; and that defendants received $250,000 in start-up capital, including $200,000 that Shah deposited into a binary options trading account. The final judgment, entered on December 20, 2018 by the Honorable Brian M. Cogan of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, permanently enjoins Niket Shah and his company, Spark Trading Group LLC, from violating the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and holds Shah and Spark Trading jointly and severally liable for disgorgement of $299,229 plus interest of $24,742. The judgment also orders Shah to pay a civil penalty of $370,944. Terre Haute, IN (47803) Today Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High around 85F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers later at night. Thunder possible. Low 71F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Got something you want to get off your chest? To contribute to Back Talk, call Ed at 609-358-0861 or email him at EdNote@Trentonian.com. Tourexpi, turizm haberleri, Reiseburos, tourism news, noticias de turismo, Tourismus Nachrichten, , travel tourism news, international tourism news, Urlaub, urlaub in der turkei, , holidays in Turkey, , global tourism news, dunya turizm, dunya turizm haberleri, Seyahat Acentas, This site is best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0+, at a minimum screen resolution of 1024 x 768. The BMW 1 Series is arguably one of the best hatches to drive on the market today. It has the grunt, it has the power, and it has the Bavarian DNA. The 1 Series is due for a new generation this year, however, BMW has no plans to carry the rear-wheel-drive system and the six-cylinder engine over to the next-gen. To mark the end of this journey, BMW is bidding adieu to the M140i to this unique combination with the Finale Edition model. A Drivers Car With An Asterisk Although it feels like a nice tribute, the German automaker will be offering it with without the six-speed manual transmission. When you are anyway dropping it from the next-gen, why not go all the way, BMW? The news of the rear-wheel-drive architecture being driven towards extinction surfaced the internet last year, but now, BMW has confirmed the same. Vikram Pawah, BMW Group Australias Chief Executive Officer, said, To celebrate the last six-cylinder, rear-wheel-drive 1 Series hot hatch, we are excited to present customers with the BMW M140i Finale Edition. Pawah added, Through aesthetic exterior details and key equipment highlights, the M140i Finale Edition builds on the virtues that have made the M140i our best-selling M Performance vehicle. It offers convenience and practicality with a distinctive sporting silhouette and outstanding performance. Impressive New Add-ons The BMW M140i Finale Edition will come with a host of new features, such as: Darkened Headlights and Taillights A High-gloss Black Kidney Grille Black-chrome Exhaust Tips Special-edition Badging Metallic Paintwork Choice of Three 18-inch Alloy Wheel Designs A Power-operated Sunroof Wireless Charging All these features are in addition to the standard features like: Adaptive LED headlights M Sport braking package with blue calipers Adaptive M suspension Keyless entry and start 8.8-inch iDrive6 infotainment system satellite navigation Harman/Kardon sound system Dakota leather upholstery High-beam assist Front and rear parking sensors BMW Missed Out Adding The Third Pedal The M140i Finale Edition will carry over the same 3.0-liter, six-cylinder turbocharged engine under the hood. It produces 335 horses and 368 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the rear through an eight-speed manual transmission in the standard M140i. It takes the M140i 4.6 seconds to sprint from a standstill to 62 miles per hour before losing its breath at 155 miles per hour. I honestly feel BMW should have mated this to a manual transmission for the finale edition to make it all the more special. An incomplete farewell, for sure. The Extra Amount Is Justified Do you think BMW offered these new features without making a price revision? Of course not. The Finale Edition commands a premium of Australian $3000 ($2,125), taking its price to $62,990 ($44,631) before taxes and other pocket-burning costs. The New 1 Series Will Be More Mass-Market Than An Enthusiasts Car The new BMW 1 Series will be based on the company's new FAAR platform that supports front-wheel drive and all-wheel-drive system and is a significant update of the UKL architecture that currently underpins the X1 and X2 small SUVs, among other models. Currently, the 1 Series and the 2 Series share the same underpinnings, but the new 2 Series is expected to be moved to the CLAR architecture that supports a rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configuration. This platform underpins many existing larger BMW models. The next-gen 1 Series will not be radically different from the current 1 Series in terms of aesthetics. Upfront, it will still feature the same raised bonnet and LED headlights, and it will look more in line with the current crop of BMW family cars. From the side, the hot hatch looks a little more sleeker and taller. In the rear, the next-gen 1 Series will boast a new exhaust muffler and LED taillights that look similar to the ones seen on the BMW X2. The interior will witness a lot of changes. The cabin is an upgrade in terms of space as well as technology. It is a lot more spacious, thanks to the front-wheel-drive orientation. If you are an enthusiast, this will not please you. The new M140i will borrow the X2 M35i's 2.0-liter, four-cylinder that develops 302 horses and 332 pound-feet of torque. Power will be sent to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission system. The new M140i will take 4.9 seconds to reach the 62 mph mark, making it 0.3 seconds slower than the outgoing model. If you were on the market for a fast, hot hatch, would you go for the BMW M140i Finale Edition? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below. Further reading Read our full review on the BMW 1 Series Sedan. Read our full review on the current 2018 BMW 1 Series. Read our full speculative review on the next generation, 2020 BMW 1 Series. Some Kansas City Restaurants Are Struggling After Unusually Brutal Weather The cozy dining room at the corner of 36th and Broadway was buzzing on Friday night - servers darted from kitchen to table and a pink-haired bartender attended to a full bar. The scene was a welcome change for the owners of Krokstrum Klubb & Market, who earlier in the day posted on Facebook that they were on the verge of closing for good. An interesting yet misguided appraisal of service industry harsh times already in 2019 blames the weather or global climate change or whatever., the reality is that treacherous roads and higher crime are a far greater culprit in local tourism numbers lagging. Read more: Buying your own cable modem is one of the easiest ways to lower your cable bill. However, we understand that picking the right modem requires a little homework. Today's sale, however, makes the process easier than ever. Amazon is currently taking up to 50% off select Arris modems. This is one of the best modem sales we've seen. It even beats some of the best Prime Day deals we saw last summer for these devices. As part of the sale, you can get the Arris Surfboard Cable Modem (SB6183) for $55. Traditionally priced at $80, that's $24 off its regular price the best price we could find for this cable modem. Other modems on sale include: While we haven't tested every modem in the sale, the Arris Sufboard SB6183 is our top pick among the devices we have reviewed. With internet download and upload speeds of up to 686 Mbps and 131 Mbps, respectively, this 16 x 4 cable modem delivers solid performance. Design-wise, it features a single Gigabit Ethernet port that connects to your computer or router and a coaxial-cable connector. Vertical yellow indicator lights make it easy to spot and troubleshoot connectivity issues. The Arris Surfboard supports a broad range of Internet service providers including Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum (formerly Time Warner Cable), Cox, Cablevision, and more. Moreover, it's backed by a 2-year manufacturer warranty with technical support for peace of mind. [February 11, 2019] MEDEQUITIES INVESTOR ALERT by the Former Attorney General of Louisiana: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Investigates Adequacy of Price and Process in Proposed Sale of MedEquities Realty Trust, Inc. - MRT Former Attorney General of Louisiana Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq. and the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") are investigating the proposed sale of MedEquities Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: MRT) ("MedEquities") to Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc. (NYSE: OHI) ("Omega"). Under the terms of the proposed transaction, shareholders of MedEquities will receive only $2.00 in cash and 0.235 shares of Omega for each share of MedEquities that they own. KSF is seeking to determine whether this consideration and the process that led to it are adequate, or whether the consideration undervalues the Company. If you believe that this transaction undervalues the Company and/or if you would like to discuss your legal rights regading the proposed sale, you may, without obligation or cost to you, e-mail or call KSF Managing Partner Lewis S. Kahn (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) toll free at any time at 855-768-1857, or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-mrt/ to learn more. To learn more about KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General, visit www.ksfcounsel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005793/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] HEICO Corporation Announces Regular Quarterly Conference Call On February 26, 2019 after the NYSE closing, HEICO Corporation (NYSE: HEI (News - Alert) .A) (NYSE: HEI) will release its financial results for the first quarter ended January 31, 2019. The earnings release will be available through the Internet on the Company's website at http://www.heico.com. In order to assist interested parties in scheduling their participation in HEICO teleconferences, the Company issues advance notices of conference calls. HEICO will hold a conference call on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time to discuss its first quarter results. Individuals wishing to participate in the conference call should dial: US and Canada (877) 586-4323, International (706) 679-0934, wait for the conference operator and provide the operator with the Conferenc ID 2678269. A digital replay will be available two hours after the completion of the conference for 14 days. To access, dial: (404) 537-3406, and enter the Conference ID 2678269. The Company has two classes of common stock traded on the NYSE. Both classes, the Class A Common Stock (HEI.A) and the Common Stock (HEI), are virtually identical in all economic respects. The only difference between the share classes is the voting rights. The Class A Common Stock (HEI.A) receives 1/10 vote per share and the Common Stock (HEI) receives one vote per share. The stock symbols for HEICO's two classes of common stock on most websites are HEI.A and HEI. However, some websites change HEICO's Class A Common Stock symbol (HEI.A) to HEI/A or HEIa. HEICO Corporation is engaged primarily in the design, production, servicing and distribution of products and services to certain niche segments of the aviation, defense, space, medical, telecommunications and electronics industries through its Hollywood, Florida-based Flight Support Group and its Miami, Florida-based Electronic Technologies Group. HEICO's customers include a majority of the world's airlines and overhaul shops, as well as numerous defense and space contractors and military agencies worldwide, in addition to medical, telecommunications and electronics equipment manufacturers. For more information about HEICO, please visit our website at http://www.heico.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005700/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Meet YiSi, a machine translation teacher who cracks down (nicely) on errors in meaning Open-source software developed by computer scientists at the NRC wins international contest OTTAWA, Feb. 11, 2019 /CNW/ - Most Canadians have seen bad machine translations based on word-for-word equivalents that can lead to confusion and can sometimes be quite funny. But how do you tell a machine it might not be getting 100 per cent on its latest translation assignment, and what it needs to improve? Meet YiSi, a new machine translation teacher developed by the National Research Council of Canada. YiSi is an open-source software that examines sentences produced by machine translation and compares them against the original text or a human reference translation. YiSi assigns an accuracy score from 0 to 100 to each translated sentence, pinpointing problems in translation for developers to improve in the translation system. Research officer Jackie Lo came up with the idea behind YiSiusing databases that map out the relationships between words to score machine translationand developed YiSi's prototype code in 2017. She then worked closely with software development specialist Darlene Stewart, who made sure YiSi tells the user nicely how to launch evaluation tasks, does not quit when the user provides the wrong database for a particular task, and warns them gracefully when they make a mistake. You might be wondering who checks YiSi's work and how we know its scores are accurate. YiSi competes against other automatic translation teachers at international competitions, such as the Metric Shared Task in the Third Conference on Machine Translation (known as WMT). I 2018, after grading over 400,000 translated sentences, which humans also graded for reference, YiSi came first in evaluating meaning for Turkish-to-English, English-to-Russian, and English-to-Turkish sentence outputs, and was also the best overall performer across all 14 language pairs. What's next for Jackie, Darlene, and YiSi? In 2019, the trio plans to apply YiSi to collaborative projects with NRC clients, integrate YiSi into machine translation system development toolkits to further promote its use, and enter the WMT 2019 metrics competition. In the meantime, machine translation developers interested in giving YiSi a try can contact the NRC's Digital Technologies Research Centre. Quick Facts Named after the Cantonese word for meaning , YiSi is powered by a massive database of word embeddings: sequences of numbers that map out the 'distance' or relationships of meaning between words, taking into account the nature of words and how they work in sentences. , YiSi is powered by a massive database of word embeddings: sequences of numbers that map out the 'distance' or relationships of meaning between words, taking into account the nature of words and how they work in sentences. To generate the 400,000 sentences that YiSi scores during contests, several systems developed by other research teams translate about 3,000 original sentences to and from English: Czech, German, Estonian, Finnish, Russian, Turkish and Chinese. The National Research Council of Canada's Digital Technologies Research Centre conducts research that makes sense of data and creates value from information. Its experts specialize in advanced analytics, computer vision, natural language processing, and artificial intelligence. Quotes "Since joining the National Research Council of Canada in 2015, I've enjoyed the creativity and freedom of working on projects like YiSi. I hope developers of machine translation systems will discover this new tool and share their feedback with our team." Jackie Lo, Research Officer in Multilingual Text Processing, National Research Council of Canada "On February 11, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the National Research Council of Canada is honoured to recognize the accomplishments of its women researchers, such as Jackie and Darlene's outstanding work on YiSi. Through transformative policy and action, we can contribute to women and girls achieving full and equal access to, and participation in, all areas of science, including computer science." Genevieve Tanguay, Vice-President of Emerging Technologies, National Research Council of Canada Associated Links National Research Council of Canada Digital Technologies Research Centre Twitter: @nrc_cnrc Instagram: @nrc_cnrc SOURCE National Research Council Canada [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] WGS 2019: Urban Areas Can Become World's Food Basket, Dubai's Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan Says Urban areas can become the world's food basket. So said the Crown Prince of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, in a holographic address at the seventh World Government Summit (WGS 2019) in Dubai today. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005673/en/ Vision of the Future. Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum appears in holographic form to show the world what cities of the future will look like (Photo: AETOSWire) Also known as "Fazza" by his 7.2 million Instagram followers, Sheikh Hamdan's futuristic speech was a spectacular isplay capturing the futuristic ambitions of the emirate in a theatrical setting worthy of a Prince for the future. Sheikh Hamdan said future cities should provide 80 percent of all services within 20 minutes of their residents, and horizontal farms will feed the world's growing population. The seventh WGS also learned that Dubai aims to become a driverless city in 50 years. Speaking of which, the Roads and Transport Authority's (RTA) latest driverless transport was on display. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai jumped aboard to review the futuristic Sky Pods with his son Sheikh Hamdan. The Pods use 5 times less power than existing systems and can travel at 150km/h. Costa Rica's Minister of National Planning, Maria del Pilar Garrido Gonzalo, also revealed the Latin American state aims to become the world's first carbon neutral country by 2021. In the era of "fake news" Nathaniel Barling, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of the disruptive news startup Knowhere claimed: "If news is the chief architect of our social and political reality, it is impossible to rely on humans to provide news that is less biased and less partisan - that is what AI is for." Meanwhile, the rise of China and the impact of Brexit are developments now challenging western economic supremacy, a roundtable on global trade was told. The three-day World Government Summit 2019 runs until February 12 at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai. The landmark event has convened more than 4,000 participants from 140 countries, including heads of state and governments, as well as top-tier representatives of 30 international organizations. * Source (News - Alert) : AETOSWire View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005673/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] News Updates Would you like to receive an email newsletter alerting you to the top news stories and sports stories from The Ouachita Citizen, The Franklin Sun and the Concordia Sentinel each week? Sign up today! [February 11, 2019] Ohio Virtual Academy Now Accepting Enrollments for 2019-2020 School Year Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA), an accredited, full-time online public school, welcomes students in K through 12 to enroll for the 2019-2020 school year. With over fifteen years as a trusted education program, OHVA is tuition-free to all students who reside in Ohio. Authorized by the Ohio Council of Community Schools, and delivered entirely online, OHVA offers a personalized approach to learning, delivering rich, engaging curriculum designed to assist students who seek alternative pathways to education. While working towards their high school diplomas, OHVA students can participate in the Destinations Career Program and discover exciting options for their future in career fields like Business and Information Technology. They can also earn college credits through partnerships with local colleges and universities and prepare to take industry-recognized certification exams upon graduation. "Some kids know exactly what they want to do with their lives, and some don't just yet. Our career program lets students try new things and get a sense for what they may want to do," says Head of School Dr. Kris Stewart. "By giving them early exposure to a variety of career options, we empower our students to shape their wn future." Overall, OHVA offers challenging academic curriculum focused on college preparation. Students take a full course load in the core subjects of math, science, English language arts, history, art and music. Electives include world languages, as well as high school honors courses. OHVA also offers student clubs, in-person field trips, and social gatherings to foster a sense of school community. Virtual classes are taught by Ohio-licensed teachers who provide instruction during live online class sessions, and are available to students via phone, email and one-to-one meetings. Students choose online school for a variety of reasons including advanced learning, a bullying-free environment, and the ability to support extracurricular pursuits or medical needs. OHVA's online platform gives students the opportunity to pursue their academic goals in a supportive environment and at an appropriate pace for their learning style. OHVA is now accepting enrollments for the 2019-2020 school year. Families are encouraged to attend an online or in-person information session hosted by the school. More information on OHVA, how to enroll, and a schedule of upcoming events can be found at ohva.k12.com. About Ohio Virtual Academy Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA) is an accredited, full-time online public charter school authorized by the Ohio Council of Community Schools (OCCS) that serves students in grades K through 12. As part of the Ohio public school system, OHVA is tuition-free, giving parents and families the choice to access the engaging curriculum and tools provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's leading provider of proprietary K-12 curriculum and online education programs. For more information about OHVA, visit ohva.k12.com and follow on Facebook. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005036/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Applied Value Q1 2019 Steel Report Overview The Steel Report is a quarterly publication that the Applied Value Group provides for existing and prospective clients. The Applied Value Group is not a market analysis firm, but rather a top management consultancy with extensive experience assisting clients in raw-material consuming industries achieve cost and capital efficiency through strategy and operations projects implementing significant ROI. The Steel Report is a consolidation of market analysis and our viewpoints based on work we are doing with our global clients across many industries from construction to automotive to white goods. Its contents include in-depth analysis and insights on the development of the US, European and Chinese steel markets as well as forward-looking market drivers and a six-month forecast. The report focuses on Flat Steel, but also covers Plate, Stainless, Bar, Wire Rod and Tin Plate market trends. Each report also contains a special section, which deep dives a different key topic each quarter and a stock market section, providing insight into financials of global steel mills. Q1 2019 Steel Report Overview NA steel prices continued to plunge in Q4 2018 and have now reached pre-tariff levels, correcting from the inflated run-up during 2018. Chinese and European prices have also seen downward movement, posting 15% and 6% Q4 reductions, rspectively. Overall expectations are for a weak Q1 2019 as global demand & economic uncertainty are continuing to drag prices down. As section 232 tariffs continue in the US, the European Commission has formally ratified (as of January 2019) a 25% safe guard tariff on steel products that exceed import quotas established in the investigation process. US Flat prices plummeted 13% in Q4 and have now reached pre-232 price levels as the market continues to correct. US prices are projected to see additional decreases going into 2019 as prices re-align globally and economic uncertainty hits demand. EU Flat prices decreased 6% in Q4 2018 as inventories increased and buyers awaited decisions on newly announced safeguard tariffs. Economic driven demand factors will keep EU prices lower in H1 '19 but supply consolidation and safeguard measures will maintain a floor. China Flat prices saw a major decline of over 11% in Q4 2018 before leveling off slightly in December. Trade uncertainty coupled with falling demand will likely put pressure on lower Chinese prices in H1 2019. Q4 saw an increase for most raw material prices, largely on account of growing uncertainty around Chinese production. 2019 US HR production costs are projected to increase by $13/MT for mini-mills and by $1/MT for integrated mills in the US. EU HR steel integrated production costs are projected to decrease by 18/MT in 2019 due to falling coking coal and iron ore prices. Despite the sweeping 25% tariffs imposed by section 232, US total steel imports in 2018 only reduced by 8%, impacting non-EU European countries (mostly Russia) and Asia (mostly Korea). Steel cost increases for buyers in 2018/2019 are a significant impact to company EBIT performance, and these margin swings have forced buyers to react & re-evaluate supply chain flexibility, optimization and buying practices. About The Applied Value Group The Applied Value Group combines Management Consulting, Investments, and Social Entrepreneurship. Founded on a combination of entrepreneurship and cost and capital efficiency in 1997 by Bruce Grant and Jan Stenbeck, Applied Value operates out of offices in New York, Stockholm, and Shanghai. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005658/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Nav Secures $44 Million in Series C Funding SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Nav , the leading business financial management app that helps small business find the best financing by giving them free access to business and personal credit reports from major commercial and consumer credit bureaus, announced it has raised $44.8 million in Series C equity capital. Goldman Sachs Principal Strategic Investments led Nav's Series C round with participation from Point72 Ventures, Experian Ventures, Aries, and CreditEase Fintech Investment Fund. Nav will use the funding to expand enterprise partnerships, introduce more small business owners to its platform and drive additional data insights for its customers. "Imagine a single platform that uses data to anticipate and deliver all of a small business owner's financial needs," said Levi King, Co-Founder and CEO of Nav. "Because we can see the pattern of everything from who gets approved for financing to who has strong cash flow, we can solve for the myriad financial considerations for small businesses. This also means we're doing legwork for lenders by matching them to the most appropriate candidates." As part of Goldman Sacs' investment, Rana Yared, Managing Director in the Goldman Sachs Principal Strategic Investment group, moved from an observer on Nav's board to a voting director. "We are pleased Goldman Sachs led this round of funding," said Yared. "We look forward to continuing to support Nav's efforts to scale their platform as they make financial options more readily accessible for millions of small business owners." In 2018, Nav had two industry-first announcements: An integrated, multi-year partnership with Clover to deliver U.S.-based Clover users access to their free business credit scores, as well as custom-tailored business financing and credit card options. to deliver U.S.-based Clover users access to their free business credit scores, as well as custom-tailored business financing and credit card options. A collaboration with Equifax , making Nav the first and only provider of free small business credit data from all three major business credit bureausEquifax, Experian and Dun & Bradstreet. To date, more than 1 million small business owners have access to their credit data and insights powered by Nav. Other investors include Silicon Valley staple Kleiner Perkins and Tencent Holdings, a Chinese multinational investment holding conglomerate. About Nav Nav is the leading Business Financial Management app offering free access to personal and business credit reports from major consumer and commercial credit bureaus including Experian, Dun & Bradstreet, Equifax and TransUnion. The Nav platform also helps small business owners make informed business credit decisions and hosts a robust marketplace with more than 110 business financing products including loans and credit cards. The marketplace uses a unique, lender-neutral approach to help business owners find the best financing options for their needs. Nav's solution is also leveraged by other business service providers to enhance their customer experience. The company has offices in Silicon Valley and Salt Lake City. More information about Nav is available at Nav.com . View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nav-secures-44-million-in-series-c-funding-300793189.html SOURCE Nav [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] LeanTaaS to Share Customer Insight on Creating a Data-Driven Culture in Healthcare at HIMSS 2019 LeanTaaS, Inc., a Silicon Valley predictive analytics and machine learning company that specializes in improving healthcare operations, will showcase its cloud-based platform to increase patient access, decrease wait times, reduce healthcare delivery costs, and improve revenue at the 2019 HIMSS Global Conference and Exhibition. The event is being held through Feb. 15 at the Orange (News - Alert) County Convention Center in Orlando. At HIMSS, LeanTaaS will illustrate how leading healthcare providers have created a data-driven culture that dramatically improves operational efficiency through advanced data science. The company will demonstrate its solution in Booth 8051 and present real-world results in two presentations: Feb. 12, 10:30 a.m.: Dr. Jordan Tannenbaum, VP/CIO/CMIO at Saint Peter's University Health System, and LeanTaaS President Sanjeev Agrawal will present "Leveraging EHR Data to Improve OR Operations - A University Hospital Case Study." Feb. 14, 1:00 p.m.: Dr. Michael Meyer, a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon and physician executive with MultiCare Health in Tacoma, Washington, and Mr. Agrawal will present "Adopting Innovation in the OR: Leading and Managing Change." The session will detail - from a surgeon's perspective - the keys to successfully implementing innovation and driving change at MultiCare Health System and the results MultiCare Health has achieved. "Improving OR utilization and surgeon access to OR time can significantly improve financial results for hospitals and health systems, increase patient access, and facilitate surgeon recruitment and retention," sai Agrawal. "But it's not always easy to adopt innovation and change. As a surgeon and executive, Dr. Meyer's unique perspective will be insightful for this audience." Both MultiCare Health and Saint Peter's University Hospital have deployed the LeanTaaS iQueue for Operating Rooms solution to effect data-driven changes to each system's approach to capacity management. iQueue for Operating Rooms is a lightweight, cloud-based SaaS (News - Alert) solution that digitally transforms core operational processes in ORs. The solution unlocks OR capacity so more cases can be performed in the same number of ORs without extending business hours. On average, health systems deploying the solution have seen an increase of $300,000 per OR per year. "I'm looking forward to sharing how Saint Peter's University Hospital leveraged EHR data to improve OR access using mobile and web technologies, increased accountability with surgeon-centric metrics and reporting, and helped surgeons better understand the "why" behind OR metrics," said Dr. Tannenbaum. Agrawal concluded, "There is a lot of exciting and positive momentum at LeanTaaS right now, and our goal for HIMSS is to share that message with the rest of the industry." For more information, visit https://leantaas.com/, and connect on Twitter/LeanTaaS, Facebook/LeanTaaS and LinkedIn/LeanTaaS. About HIMSS HIMSS is a global advisor and thought leader supporting the transformation of health through the application of information and technology. As a mission driven non-profit, HIMSS provides thought leadership, community building, public policy, professional/workforce development and engaging events to bring forward the voice of our members. HIMSS encompasses more than 70,000 global individual members, 630 corporate members, and over 450 non-profit organizations. Thousands of volunteers work through HIMSS to leverage the innovation of digital health to improve both the health of individuals and populations as well as the quality, cost-effectiveness and access of healthcare. About LeanTaaS LeanTaaS provides software solutions that combine lean principles, predictive analytics, and machine learning to transform hospital and infusion center operations. More than 50 providers across the nation rely on the company's iQueue cloud-based platform to increase patient access, decrease wait times, reduce healthcare delivery costs, and improve revenues. LeanTaaS is based in Santa Clara, California, and Charlotte, North Carolina. For more information about LeanTaaS, please visit https://leantaas.com/, and connect on Twitter/LeanTaaS, Facebook/LeanTaaS and LinkedIn/LeanTaaS. LeanTaaS and iQueue are trademarks of LeanTaaS. All other brand names and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Tags: LeanTaaS, HIMSS, iQueue, hospitals, operating rooms, healthcare, infusion centers, cancer centers, predictive analytics, machine learning, Saint Peter's University Hospital, MultiCare Health View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005619/en/ [February 11, 2019] Annual LATAM Fraud Forum Poised for Expansion in 2019, Relaunching as LATAM-Iberian Fraud Forum The LATAM-Iberian Fraud Forum announces its annual conference, which will take place alongside the RSA (News - Alert) Conference in San Francisco on Tuesday, March 5, 2019. The Forum's primary objective is to assemble a group of fraud prevention and authentication experts for an intimate, half-day discussion dedicated to disseminating knowledge on effective ways to combat financial fraud in Latin America, Spain and Portugal. Latin America is experiencing some of the fastest growth in Internet adoption worldwide and, as such, becoming increasingly vulnerable to cybercrime. The Iberian region is facing similar vulnerabilities, with Portugal recently reported to have the third-highest number of cybercrime victims in the European Union. Attacks in both geographies are characterized by high rates of ATM fraud, phishing and overlay malware. These similarities are why experts in Latin America and Iberia must collaborate - sharing information and developing initiatives to identify and address the proliferation of attacks. This year's event will feature a roster of distinguished speakers that cut across the industry spectrum, from leading regional banks, analyst firms and technology leaders. The agenda includes presentations from Michael Fox, Group CIO of Falabella; Guillermo Kopp, Worldwide Financial Services Industry Director at Microsot; Uri Rivner, Chief Cyber Officer at BioCatch and many more. Attendees must be approved by the steering committee in order to attend; a short application form is available on the event website. Eligible participants manage the following disciplines in their respective financial services organizations: fraud prevention, compliance, KYC/identity proofing, authentication, digital banking and related areas. The event is also supported by various corporate partners, including BioCatch, Microsoft, FacePhi, Transmit Security and Telefonica, all of which have active clients in the regions and will be able to provide their first-hand experience and subject matter expertise in helping to resolve some of the most challenging issues facing Latin American and Iberian banks today. To encourage open discussion, the LATAM-Iberian Fraud Forum will be held under Chatham House rules and will be closed to the press. About the LATAM-Iberian Fraud Forum The primary objective of the LATAM-Iberian Fraud Forum is to assemble a group of fraud prevention and authentication experts for a half-day discussion dedicated to disseminating knowledge on effective ways of combating financial fraud in Latin America and Iberia. The hope of the organizers is that following this event the participants will continue to share information and new collaborative fraud initiatives will emerge. The second-annual event will be held on Tuesday, March 5, 2019 in San Francisco, California on the sidelines of the RSA Conference. For more information, visit www.latamfraudforum.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005589/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] AIG Individual Retirement Receives Multiple DALBAR Awards for Annuity Service Excellence AIG Life & Retirement, an industry leader in helping people achieve financial and retirement security, today announced that its Individual Retirement business has received multiple customer service awards for annuity excellence from DALBAR, an expert in the financial community for evaluating, auditing and rating business practices, customer performance, product quality and service. AIG's Individual Retirement business is this year's only recipient of the DALBAR Communications Seal of Excellence for superior annuity policyholder communications. Additionally, for the 17th year in a row, AIG received the #1 ranking for its variable annuity statements. Also, for the 12th consecutive year, DALBAR has awarded AIG its Annuity Service Award, recognizing the consistent delivery of best-in-class customer service through its contact center. "At AIG Life & Retirement, we work hard every day to understand and meet the needs of our policyholders and our distribution partners," said Gabriel Lopez, Chief Operations Officer, Individual Retirement. "To receive recognition from DALBAR for our quality of service year after year demonstrates the strength of our customer-centric culture. At every level of our organization, we are focused on consistently providing a high level of service to our customers." "It is impressive when a firm consistently ranks as a leader in annuities client service; the fact that AIG Life & Retirement does so across so many client touchpoints is extraordinary," said Brendan Yeager, Managing Director, DALBAR. "DALBAR is pleased to once again name AIG best in class and to honor AIG as this year's only winner in annuities for our Communications Seal of Excellence." "We work closely with our partners and with DALBAR to ensure strong customer communications," said Tina Haley, Senior Vice Pesident, Individual Retirement Products, Individual Retirement. "The top ranking for our variable annuity statements reflects an ongoing commitment to providing contract owners with reporting and content that is useful as they manage their investments." American International Group, Inc. (AIG) is a leading global insurance organization. Building on 100 years of experience, today AIG member companies provide a wide range of property casualty insurance, life insurance, retirement solutions, and other financial services to customers in more than 80 countries and jurisdictions. These diverse offerings include products and services that help businesses and individuals protect their assets, manage risks and provide for retirement security. AIG common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Additional information about AIG can be found at www.aig.com | YouTube (News - Alert) : www.youtube.com/aig | Twitter (News - Alert) : @AIGinsurance www.twitter.com/AIGinsurance | LinkedIn (News - Alert) : www.linkedin.com/company/aig. These references with additional information about AIG have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release. AIG is the marketing name for the worldwide property-casualty, life and retirement, and general insurance operations of American International Group, Inc. For additional information, please visit our website at www.aig.com. All products and services are written or provided by subsidiaries or affiliates of American International Group, Inc. Products or services may not be available in all countries, and coverage is subject to actual policy language. Non-insurance products and services may be provided by independent third parties. Certain property-casualty coverages may be provided by a surplus lines insurer. Surplus lines insurers do not generally participate in state guaranty funds, and insureds are therefore not protected by such funds. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005543/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Pax8 Executives Walsh and Heddy Recognized as 2019 CRN Channel Chiefs DENVER, Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pax8 , the leader in cloud distribution, today announced that CRN , a brand of The Channel Company , has named Ryan Walsh, chief channel officer, and Nick Heddy, chief revenue officer, to its prestigious list of 2019 Channel Chiefs. The top IT channel leaders included on this list continually strive to drive growth and revenue in their organization through their channel partners. This well-deserved award reflects Ryan and Nicks ability to excel at driving growth and innovation for Pax8 and our partners, said John Street, CEO at Pax8. Their focus on the Wingman experience and driving that into our culture has disrupted our industry. Each of the 2019 Channel Chiefs has demonstrated exceptional leadership, vision, and commitment to their channel partner programs. Channel Chief honorees are selected by CRNs editorial staff as a result of their professional achievements, standing in the industry, dedication to the channel partner community, and strategies for driving future growth and innovation. The individuals on CRNs 2019 Channel Chiefs list deserve special recognition for their contribution and support in the development of robust partner programs, innovative business strategies, and significant influence to the ovrall health of the IT channel, said Bob Skelley, CEO at The Channel Company. We applaud each Channel Chiefs remarkable record of accomplishments and look forward to following their continued success. To learn more about Pax8, please visit www.pax8.com . About Pax8 Pax8 is the leader in cloud distribution. As a born in the cloud company, Pax8 empowers managed service providers (MSPs) to achieve more with cloud technology. Through billing, provisioning, automation, industry-leading PSA integrations, and pre-and-post sales support, Pax8 simplifies cloud buying, improves operational efficiency, and lowers customer acquisition cost. Pax8 is a proven, award-winning disruptor in the market, earning accolades like NexGens Best in Show, Best Places to Work in IT by ComputerWorld, Biggest Buzz at IT Nation, CRNs Coolest Cloud Vendor, Best in Show at XChange, HTGs Best Partner Program, and more. If you want to be successful with cloud, you want to work with Pax8. Get started today at www.pax8.com . Follow Pax8 on Facebook , LinkedIn , and Twitter . About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. Learn more at www.thechannelco.com . Media Contact Amanda Lee ARL Strategic Communications for Pax8 (727) 272-0781 Amanda.Lee@arlpr.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Media Glance Launches New Website to Increase Offerings in Digital Marketing Media Glance, a renowned digital marketing provider in Toronto, Ontario, has recently launched a new website to increase the offerings for its customers. TORONTO, Feb. 11, 2019 /CNW/ - Leading pioneers in the field of digital marketing and advertising, Media Glance, have recently announced the release and launch of their new website. The website can be reached at https://www.mediaglance.com/, and it is a one-stop solution to access all of their services. Media Glance is a team of certified experts at search engine optimization (SEO), digital advertising, social media marketing (SMM), pay-per-click (PPC) marketing, web design and development and other digital marketing services. They offer exemplary solutions centered on increasing the revenue generation of businesses online. Their digital marketing strategy is focused on making an online presence for clients and ensuring a sustainable growth pattern for them. The completely revamped website for Media Glance now features an amazing and interactive home page that sheds light on their talents in website creation and design. The aesthetics of the home page is top notch and ensures that all clients are made to see the work they are capable of achieving. The scrollable home page is further accentuated through the use of moving graphics under the header. The graphics entails a minor description of the different services offered by Media Glance to its customers. You can scroll down the home page to see a brief of their packages and what they have to offer you. The interface is extremely simple, and the content is easy to comprehend. Besides the interactive home page, the website has different menu options for information on the company, a list of their services, a "contact us" page, and a digital marketing blog. The list of services contains details and solutions concerning each one of them. Media Glance has multiple digital marketing services made for local small business owners looking for a presence online. For instance, their local search engine optimization services help small businesses rank well on Google and get the prominence they desire at this stage in time. The website also contains information on the company's ne endeavors in their blog section. The blogs also consist of tips and tricks that anybody should know. Speaking at the launch of the website, the Business Development Manager at Media Glance was upbeat about the opportunities this new website would open for Media Glance. He mentioned, "We are extremely excited at the launch of our new website for customers. We have been planning this website since some time now and are glad that it is finally live for customers to test and try. What's even more interesting is that the website contains all relevant info for customers to see how we can benefit them. The interactive design ensures that all our customers can get a taste of what we have to offer and can easily scroll to the services they feel are relevant to them." When asked about digital marketing and the growth potential for Media Glance in Toronto, the manager replied, "Digital marketing is the future. Traditional means of marketing are outdated and don't present the kind of benefits that are up for grab through something like, SEO or pay-per-click advertising. Media Glance is a part of this industry through their amazing industry offerings. Small businesses native to Toronto have a lot to gain from digital marketing, as competition is stiff and every innovation is bound to get them the due dividends. We pride ourselves in our ability to generate the best digital campaigns for our customers, and would stick by this commitment for the time to come." The world of digital marketing is expanding at a breakneck pace, and Media Glance is one of the many companies that help small local businesses benefit from the opportunities. The website by Media Glance will be regularly updated with all the latest happenings in the field of digital marketing and accomplishments by Media Glance. The website will also contain news and updates relevant to the industry so that clients can find a resource that helps them update their knowledge on the subject matter. The list of clients for Media Glance includes a sizable number of local businesses looking to penetrate into their respective markets. Media Glance further aims to use this website as a stepping stone to achieve better digital marketing campaigns for all clients. About the Company Media Glance is a results-oriented search engine optimization and digital marketing company based in Toronto. They have been operating since 2006 and have facilitated a wide range of businesses all around the world in improving their digital presence. Media Glance is a passionate group of thinkers, creative visionaries and qualified strategists who strive to provide high impact digital marketing strategies that are tailored to suit the demands and budgets of any business. Being a full-service digital marketing agency, Media Glance provides search engine optimization (SEO), local SEO, social media marketing (SMM), content marketing, email marketing, video marketing, pay per click (PPC) management, display advertising (traditional, reach-media, native, video, etc.), programmatic media buying, remarketing, branding, web design, web development and other digital marketing services, all designed to increase customers' brand awareness, drive targeted traffic, generate quality leads and boost sales. Digital Marketing Services by Media Glance: International SEO Local SEO Social Media Marketing PPC Management Display Advertising Content Marketing Web Design Email Marketing Get Free SEO Quote Contact SEO Toronto Expert Follow Media Glance: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest YouTube Instagram SOURCE Media Glance [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] OPAQ VP Tricia Bonora Recognized as Top Channel Chief by CRN OPAQ, the network security cloud company, today announced that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Tricia Bonora, its Vice President of Channels, one of the top Channel Chiefs for 2019. This prestigious annual list recognizes IT channel executives who demonstrate exceptional leadership, vision and commitment to driving growth and revenue through channel partners. This is the second consecutive year that Tricia has been named a CRN Channel Chief. "There's a significant market shift underway among midsize enterprises who are turning to managed service providers for their security needs," said Tricia. "As a 100% channel business and strategic partner of Palo Alto Networks, OPAQ purpose-built a fully automated and orchestrated cloud platform that makes it easy for service providers to deliver managed security. We provide our partners a complete cloud-delivered security infrastructure and set of onboarding, provisioning and other tools that helps them increase recurring revenue margins, differentiate their business, and service more customers with fewer resources." "The individuals on CRN's 2019 Channel Chiefs list deserve special recognition for their contribution and suport in the development of robust partner programs, innovative business strategies, and significant influence to the overall health of the IT channel," said Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company. "We applaud each Channel Chief's remarkable record of accomplishments and look forward to following their continued success." The 2019 CRN Channel Chiefs list is featured online at www.crn.com/channelchiefs and will appear in the February 2019 issue of CRN. About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelco.com. Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook About OPAQ OPAQ is the premier network security cloud company. OPAQ's platform-as-a-service enables partners to deliver Fortune 100-grade security-as-a-service to midsize enterprises on a fully encrypted software-defined network optimized for speed and performance. With OPAQ, service providers are equipped with a simplified ability to centrally monitor security performance and compliance maturity, generate reports, manage security infrastructure, and enforce policies - all through a single interface. This empowers OPAQ partners to grow revenue and margins, eliminate complexity and costs, and establish a competitive advantage that helps them attract and retain customers. Based in Northern Virginia, OPAQ is privately held and is funded by Greenspring Associates, Columbia Capital, Harmony Partners, and Zero-G, Inc. To learn more, visit www.opaq.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005030/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] HealthSteps & AMA Form Data Model Collaboration to Support Integrated Health Model Initiative HealthSteps, an emerging mobile health company offering innovative digital solutions to improve health services delivery and clinical research, announced today a collaboration with the American Medical Association's Integrated Health Model Initiative (IHMI) at the annual Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Conference being held in Orlando, Florida. IHMI brings together experts from the health and technology sectors to develop new data models and tools for collecting, exchanging and presenting meaningful health data that provide insights for better health. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005462/en/ "IHMI is a collaborative effort that works with highly motivated organizations at the intersection of health care, technology, and data science," said IHMI Chief Medical Information Officer Tom Giannulli, M.D., M.S. "We are fortunate to have HealthSteps contribute their valuable expertise to setting a clear path for developing modern data models that keep pace with the speed of health care innovation." Data models developed through the IHMI collaboration serve as a clinically validated data portability standard used by devices to define what data to collect, select how to represent the collected data, and determine how to encode the data for easy transmission, exchange and retrieval. HealthSteps is among the first technology companies to integrate content from IHMI's newly announced Self-Measured Blood Pressure (SMBP) data model, which improves the ability to distinguish clinically valid blood pressure readings from inaccurate measures, for improved identification of patients at risk of hypertension. IHMI's SMBP data model is the first release from the initiative and will ofer Software Development Kits (SDKs) and Application Program Interfaces (APIs) for easy integration directly into solutions. IHMI will also offer freely available SMBP FHIR profiles. Visit the AMA's IHMI at HIMSS Booth #6891 to request a demo of the SMBP module on the HealthSteps platform. "Development of a common data structure with AMA's IHMI data models is a giant leap forward for healthcare," says HealthSteps CEO Benjamin King. "We are excited to work with the AMA IHMI and its collaborator community to advance this first release, and further the deployment of this technology to improve care for millions of patients." HealthSteps is an emerging, mobile health company that has developed a unique mobile application that places patients at the center of their own care. The synchronized care plan provides patients simple, detailed instructions with activity reminders and the ability to report their symptoms, all while connecting the medical team, family members and other caregivers to help patients stay on track and improve health outcomes. The HealthSteps platform allows physicians to follow a patient's progress and capture key health data from wearables and bio-sensing devices. This gives physicians access to the data in real-time so they can adjust care plan activities as needed without having to wait for the patient's next clinic visit. HealthSteps is a resident company of UF Innovate | The Hub, part of the University of Florida innovation ecosystem, and is an excellent example of UF Innovate's mission to build business on innovation. The Hub is a mixed-use business incubator that offers an entrepreneurial and mentoring community with programs to create a supportive environment for entrepreneurial innovation. "The progress of HealthSteps illustrates how UF Innovate | The Hub helps our resident companies accelerate their business trajectory to meet important milestones, including expansive collaborations that result in mutual growth and success," said Mark Long, Director of Incubation Services at UF Innovate | The Hub. For more information, please visit HealthSteps. About HealthSteps Formed in 2016, mobile health company HealthSteps seeks to complement health care delivery by more effectively connecting patients with their caregivers and healthcare providers. The company has developed a patient-centered mobile platform that tracks a patient's care plan success, helps to prevent medical errors and enhances compliance through care plan synchronization. The HealthSteps' mobile platform provides patients and their caregivers a better communications method for improving health outcomes. Located at the University of Florida's (UF) Innovation Hub, HealthSteps has successfully piloted its mobile platform at UF Health with Dr. William Slayton within the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology. The company is working within other clinical areas to provide mobile care coordination as well as electronic capture of patient-reported outcomes (ePRO) data to support clinical research. HealthSteps plans to provide its mobile platform to other academic institutions, contract research organizations and clinical trial sponsors to improve subject compliance, a key factor in achieving success in clinical trials. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005462/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Paul Brodie, Vice President of Global Channel Sales at Virtual Instruments, Recognized as 2019 CRN Channel Chief SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Virtual Instruments , the leader in hybrid infrastructure management, announced today that CRN , a brand of The Channel Company , has named Paul Brodie, Virtual Instruments Vice President of Global Channel Sales, to CRNs prestigious list of 2019 Channel Chiefs. The top IT channel leaders included on this list continually strive to drive growth and revenue in their organization through their channel partners. Paul Brodie was selected as a 2019 Channel Chief primarily for his leadership role in the significant refresh of the Virtual Instruments VIP Program. Each of the 2019 Channel Chiefs has demonstrated exceptional leadership, vision, and commitment to their channel partner programs. Channel Chief honorees are selected by CRNs editorial staff as a result of their professional achievements, standing in the industry, dedication to the channel partner community, and strategies for driving future growth and innovation. Paul Brodie was selected as a 2019 Channel Chief primarily for his leadership role in the significant refresh of the Virtual Instruments VIP Program . The innovative partner program offers partners the opportunity for profitable growth while providing solutions that meet customers requirements for application-centric infrastructure performance management of their physical, virtual and cloud infrastructures. The VIP Program has resulted in a tenfold increase in the number of deal registrations and an equally significant uptick in partner derived revenue on a year-over-year basis. The individuals on CRNs 2019 Channel Chiefs list deserve special recognition for their contribution and support in the development of robust partner programs, innovative business strategies, and significant influence to the overall health of the IT channel, said Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company. We applaud each Channel Chiefs remarkable record of accomplishments and look forward to following their continued success. Paul is a visionary sales leader who is passionate about empowering our partner ecosystem. His ability to manage multiple routes to market, combined with his track record of developing and expanding partnerships and rapidly scaling new solutions for the global market, has proven invaluable to our organization, said Sheen Khoury, Executive Vice President of Global Field Operations at Virtual Instruments. Under Pauls leadership, weve increased our partner qualified pipeline opportunities by nearly 400 percent, and the Virtual instruments partner community has grown in average revenue per partner by more than 20 percent. The 2019 CRN Channel Chiefs list, including the 50 Most Influential Channel Chiefs, is featured online at www.crn.com/channelchiefs and will appear in the February 2019 issue of CRN. About Virtual Instruments Virtual Instruments is the leader in application-centric hybrid infrastructure management. It provides comprehensive infrastructure instrumentation and performance analytics for enterprise data centers. The companys solutions give IT teams deep workload visibility and actionable insights into their end-to-end systems across the hybrid data center. Virtual Instruments empowers companies to maximize the performance, availability and utilization of their production IT infrastructure from the data center to the cloud. The privately held company is headquartered in San Jose, Calif. For more information, visit www.virtualinstruments.com . About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelco.com Follow The Channel Company: Twitter , LinkedIn and Facebook Copyright 2019. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved. Virtual Instruments Contact Anne Stanley 10Fold for Virtual Instruments virtualinstruments@10fold.com +1 707-332-6337 The Channel Company Contact: Jennifer Hogan The Channel Company jhogan@thechannelco.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7661001f-be2a-4f10-b221-a63a3bb39041 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] HIVE Blockchain Announces DTC Eligibility and Commencement of Trading on the OTCQX Best Market ZUG, SWITZERLAND and VANCOUVER, Feb. 11, 2019 /CNW/ - HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd. (TSX.V:HIVE) (OTCQX:HVBTF) (the "Company" or "HIVE") is pleased to announce it has qualified for trading on the OTCQX Best Market ("OTCQX") and will begin trading on the OTCQX under the symbol "HVBTF," effective February 11, 2019. "Upgrading to the OTCQX is an important event for the Company." said Frank Holmes, Interim Executive Chairman. "The OTCQX equips HIVE with better liquidity and exposure for existing and future U.S. investors as we continue our long-term strategy to enhance shareholder value. HIVE is an industry leader among publicly traded blockchain infrastructure companies and trading on OTCQX in the U.S. provides investors with an opportunity to participate in the long-term potential of blockchain and to invest in a stock that is highly correlated to the price movements of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum." The OTCQX Market is reserved for established, investor-focused U.S. and global companies that meet high financial standards, provide timely news and disclosure to investors, and are sponsored by a professional third-party advisor. "We are pleased to welcome HIVE Blockchain Technologies to our OTCQX Best Market," said Jason Paltrowitz, Director, OTC Markets Group International Ltd. and EVP, Corporate Services, OTC Markets Group. "HIVE Blockchain joins a robust roster of Canadian companies that benefit from cross-trading their shares and providing a premium market for accessing U.S. investors. We look forward to supporting HIVE Blockchain as the company builds long-term shareholder value." The Company will continue to trade on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V) under its existing symbol "HIVE". U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the Company on www.otcmarkets.com. HIVE is also pleased to announce that it has secured eligibility by The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") for its common shares which trade on the OTCQX in the United States. DTC is a subsidiary of the Dpository Trust & Clearing Corporation, a U.S. company that manages the electronic clearing and settlement of publicly traded companies. DTC eligibility permits shares of HIVE to be distributed, settled and serviced through DTC's automated processes, leveraging the efficiencies created through the electronic clearing and settlement of securities. DTC services provide cost benefits for investors and brokers trading Canadian securities in the United States. About HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd. HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd. is a growth oriented, TSX.V-listed company building a bridge from the blockchain sector to traditional capital markets. HIVE is strategically partnered with Genesis Mining Ltd. to build the next generation of blockchain infrastructure. HIVE owns state-of-the-art GPU-based digital currency mining facilities in Iceland and Sweden, which produce newly minted digital currencies like Ethereum continuously as well as cloud-based ASIC-based capacity which produces newly minted digital currencies like Bitcoin. Our deployments provide shareholders with exposure to the operating margins of digital currency mining as well as a growing portfolio of crypto-coins. For more information and to register to HIVE's mailing list, please visit www.HIVEblockchain.com . Follow @HIVEblockchain on Twitter and subscribe to HIVE's YouTube channel . On Behalf of HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd. "Frank Holmes" Interim Executive Chairman Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Forward-Looking Information Except for the statements of historical fact, this news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. "Forward-looking information" in this news release includes information about better liquidity, increased exposure and improved access for existing and future U.S. and international investors; the correlation of the Company's stock with price movements of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum; long term growth of the Company; the business goals and objectives of the Company, and other forward-looking information includes but is not limited to information concerning the intentions, plans and future actions of the parties to the transactions described herein and the terms thereon. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, trading of the Company's stock on OTCQX may have no positive impact on the Company or its investors; the digital currency market; the Company's ability to successfully mine digital currency; the Company may not be able to profitably liquidate its current digital currency inventory, or at all; a decline in digital currency prices may have a significant negative impact on the Company's operations; the volatility of digital currency prices; and other related risks as more fully set out in the Filing Statement of the Company dated September 13, 2017 and other documents disclosed under the Company's filings at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking information in this news release reflects the current expectations, assumptions and/or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. In connection with the forward-looking information contained in this news release, the Company has made assumptions about trading of the Company's stock on OTCQX; the correlation of the Company's stock with price movements of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum; the Company will be able to profitably liquidate its digital currency inventory as required; the Company's ongoing partnership with Genesis; historical prices of digital currencies and the ability of the Company to mine digital currencies will be consistent with historical prices; and there will be no regulation or law that will prevent the Company from operating its business. The Company has also assumed that no significant events occur outside of the Company's normal course of business. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such information due to the inherent uncertainty therein. SOURCE HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Launch of IIFL India Equity Opportunities Fund (UCITS Fund Based in Luxembourg) IIFL Asset Management (IIFL AMC) is pleased to announce the launch of its first Luxembourg domiciled UCITS Fund, IIFL India Equity Opportunities Fund ('IIFL Fund') by virtue of merger of Ashburton India Equity Opportunities Fund into IIFL Fund. Pursuant to this, IIFL Fund has commenced its operations with $75mn in assets under management, effective January 29, 2019, with IIFL Capital Pte. Ltd., Singapore being its Investment Manager. Anup Maheshwari, Joint-CEO and CIO, IIFL Asset Management, said, "I am confident that Jonathan's investment style of investing in high conviction stocks with a strong focus on quality will continue to resonate with International Investors. It is very complementary to the overall investment philosophy at IIFL AMC as well." Jonathan Schiessl, Fund Manager, said, "I am very excited to continue managing the merged IIFL Fund under IIFL AMC. With IIFL AMC and its deep understanding of the Indian market, I am confident that clients of the IIFL Fund will benefit immensely." The IIFL Fund is registeredfor sale in UK, Switzerland, Finland, Norway, Luxembourg, Singapore and South Africa. Further information can be found on https://www.iiflamc.com/international About IIFL Asset Management Business IIFL Asset Management (IIFL AMC) is part of IIFL Investment Managers. IIFL Asset Management refers to licensed asset management activity carried out by IIFL Investment Managers through its group companies based in Singapore, India and Mauritius. IIFL AMC is an asset management firm, launched with an objective of providing differentiated investment products suited for the market environment. The AMC's differentiated suite includes mutual funds, Portfolio Management Services, advisory, alternative investment funds spanning across public and private equities, fixed income securities and real estate. Its distinctive products bring out the entrepreneurial edge, agility and speed of execution of a boutique asset management firm. About IIFL India Equity Opportunities Fund IIFL India Equity Opportunities Fund, is a sub-fund of IIFL Fund, a UCITS in the form of an open-ended investment company (societe d'investissement a capital variable) incorporated as a societe anonyme, domiciled in Luxembourg, structured as an umbrella fund comprising multiple sub-funds. IIFL Capital Pte. Ltd. (an asset management company based in Singapore) is the Investment Manager to IIFL India Equity Opportunities Fund. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005425/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] AM Best to Participate in Panel Sessions at 2019 Emerging Leaders Conference AM Best executives will be participating in the 2019 Emerging Leaders Conference, taking place Feb. 24-26, 2019, at the Confidante Hotel in Miami, FL. Matthew C. Mosher, executive vice president and chief operating officer, and Andrea Keenan, senior managing director - industry relations, are participating in the event, which recognizes high-performing individuals and provides professional training to develop the next generation of insurance industry leaders. The conference is hosted by the Insurance Careers Movement, the American Property Casualty Insurers Association of America and AM Best, and is part of the industry's efforts to support the development of new and talented insurance industry professionals. Details of Mosher's and Keenan's appearances are as follows: Mosher will join a panel discussion on Monday, Feb. 25, at 10:45 am (EST), titled, "How to Surge Innovation in Your Company and the Industry." The session will focus on how innovation in the insurance industry has become critical as the market is rapidly changing, and how emerging leaders can help facilitate necessary initiatives. Mosher and other innovation and technology expert panelists will share insights on technology advancements, resolving legacy issues and opportunities and hurdles in the industry. Keenan will moderate a session, titled "You have Mad Skills: Developing Your Talents, Making an Impact and Leading a Team," on Monday, Feb. 25, at 3:45 pm (EST). In this session, influential leadership experts will share the critical attributes and behavioral talents needed to further develop skills and make a ignificant impact on organizations amid heavy industry disruption. Insurance Careers Movement is an industrywide initiative designed to raise awareness of the diverse career options that risk management and insurance offers. Click here for more information and background about the organization, or visit the official event agenda. AMBestTV also will provide video coverage at the conference. For exclusive interviews with insurance industry executives and emerging leader attendees, please visit www.ambest.tv during the conference and look for the playlist under the "Conferences 2019" tab. In addition, follow the event on Twitter (News - Alert) at @AMBestRatings and use the hashtag #ELC2019. AM Best is a trusted source of insurance market insight and data, and the only global credit rating agency with a unique focus on the insurance industry. Best's Credit Ratings are a recognized indicator of insurer financial strength and creditworthiness. Visit www.ambest.com for more information. Copyright 2019 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005403/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Staples, Inc. Signs Agreement to Acquire Leading Document Imaging Technology Dealer DEX Imaging Staples, Inc. the world's largest office solutions provider, announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire DEX Imaging, a leading independent document imaging technology dealer in the United States. Dan Doyle, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer of DEX Imaging, Dan Doyle, Sr., Chairman of DEX Imaging, and their existing executive team will continue to lead the business going forward. Customers will continue to receive the same industry leading service they've come to expect from DEX Imaging while gaining access to the many benefits that come from joining forces with Staples (News - Alert) . "Staples will continue to strategically invest in companies that can bring added value to our customers in the form of enhanced products and services," said Sandy Douglas, Chief Executive Officer, Staples, Inc. "DEX Imaging has created strong relationships with their customers through exemplary service and tremendous inustry knowledge in office technology." "Over the past 16 years, DEX Imaging has taken great pride in our ability to continually offer quality products and services, and most of all, provide a superior customer experience," said Doyle, Jr. "Being a part of Staples will allow us greater access to industry leading technology, and a world class supply chain to accelerate our position as the premier North American print management provider." Terms of the deal were not disclosed. About Staples, Inc. Staples helps the world work better with work solutions that deliver industry-leading products, services and expertise across office supplies, facilities, breakroom, furniture, technology, promotional products, and print and marketing services. The company supports businesses of all sizes, with fast delivery capabilities, across multiple channels, including direct sales, e-commerce and mobile. Headquartered near Boston, Mass., Staples operates in North America. More information about Staples is available at www.staples.com. About DEX Imaging DEX is a leading independent provider of office technology in the U.S. Their full-spectrum solutions are operational in thousands of small businesses as well as enterprise, Fortune 1,000 companies. With a nationwide network of support specialists, DEX chooses the best, most reliable models from the nation's top imaging equipment manufacturers, tested in-house for reliability, and pairs them with the unique business requirements. Digital intelligence, in house R&D, environmental consciousness and local stewardship are the hallmarks of DEX. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005091/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] HealthSpace Signs Tennessee Department of Health as Pilot Partner for "My Health Department.com" VANCOUVER, Feb. 11, 2019 /CNW/ - HealthSpace Data Systems Ltd. (the "Company" or "HealthSpace") (CSE:HS) (Frankfurt:38H) (OTC:HDSLF) is pleased to announce it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tennessee Department of Health (the "Department" or "Tennessee") to pilot the initial launch of the My Health Department platform. Once development is completed, this arrangement allows for business owners across the entire state to register an account on the platform in order to track their business' information and pay for all fees issued by the Department. The My Health Department platform will be a useful resource for businesses to effectively address regulatory and permitting issues. Business owners, especially those with multiple outlets, have for years experienced frustration with not being able to efficiently track inspection data on all of their locations. The My Health Department platform also will provide owners with more payment options, such as making online payments for all of their locations in one simple process. In addition to signing on Tennessee, HealthSpace has entered into an agreement with a Fortune 500 payments provider to integrate their products and features into the My Health Department platform. This arrangement provides HealthSpace the ability to share in the revenue that comes from online payments, thus, adding an additional line of revenue fo the Company. Further, working with one of the world's largest providers of online payments means these tools will be streamlined providing significant value-add to both government agencies and private businesses. HealthSpace CEO, Silas Garrison noted "These two agreements greatly propel our efforts forward. We are excited to begin working with the regulators in Tennessee to guide the platform's initial features to ensure that, long term, this turns into a national success. This platform will disrupt the issues that have become status-quo by streamlining communication, removing barriers to transparency and providing a digital bridge between government agencies and the private businesses they regulate." My Health Department platform will change the way businesses look at and interact with regulatory data collected by environmental health departments. In providing simple, free-to-use tools and features, businesses can have a better handle on how to approach regulatory issues. By launching this pilot, HealthSpace is creating a marketplace that sets up a direct relationship with individual businesses across the country to be able to provide additional products and services in the future, while simultaneously creating more accretive revenue streams. HealthSpace Data Systems Ltd. HealthSpace is an industry leading technology company currently providing inspection, information, communication and data management systems for federal, state, county and municipal governments. Over the last decade, HealthSpace has successfully developed both enterprise and mobile internet-based applications currently serving over 300 state and local government organizations across North America. HealthSpace currently offers the only integrated inspection, administration and analytics product suite across all platforms in North America. Further, HealthSpace now delivers its government grade technologies to private businesses enabling them to gain visibility and predictability into their own organizations and move from a reactive to a proactive operational status. HealthSpace continues to deliver focused service and innovative solutions to government organizations, while expanding into commercial enterprise verticals to enable new customers with proactive environmental health best practices and policies. Forward-Looking Statements This release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although HealthSpace believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. HealthSpace expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE HealthSpace Data [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] D.A. Davidson Announces Acquisition Agreement with Wells Nelson & Associates D.A. Davidson & Co. today announced that it has agreed to acquire Wells Nelson & Associates, an Oklahoma-based public finance and wealth management firm. The deal strengthens D.A. Davidson's fixed income presence in Oklahoma and Texas and unites two firms whose expertise and market leadership are aligned. Under the agreement, the Wells Nelson group will continue to use its brand in order to leverage the firm's strong name recognition in the region where it operates. The team will become a part of D.A. Davidson's Fixed Income Capital Markets group, operating under the direction of Sam Doyle, President. "Wells Nelson has a great reputation, deep expertise and solid relationships throughout the region and we look forward to adding their professionals to our team," Doyle said. "Their work will complement D.A. Davidson's broad expertise in fixed income and is well-aligned with our client-first focus." With the acquisition, it is expected that 15 Wells Nelson professionals will join D.A. Davidson, working from their existing three offices in Oklahoma and Texas. They join a team of approximately 160 Fixed Income Capital Markets employees who work from offices across the United States. "We very much look forward to joining with D.A. Davidson in a move that will ensure we continue adding new resources for our team," said andy Nelson, President of Wells Nelson. "Most importantly, this is the right move for our clients, given D.A. Davidson's tradition of excellent client service and giving back to local communities." D.A. Davidson & Co.'s Fixed Income Capital Markets group is a national leader in raising capital through fixed income banking, distribution and depository strategy. D.A. Davidson was the No. 1 ranked underwriter of negotiated transactions in Oklahoma for 2018, according to Thomson (News - Alert) Reuters. Consistently ranked among the top advisory firms in the country, with 26 locations in 18 states, the group serves clients including banks, credit unions, insurance companies, bond managers, money managers and trust companies. About D.A. Davidson Companies D.A. Davidson Companies is an employee-owned financial services firm offering a range of financial services and advice to individuals, corporations, institutions and municipalities nationwide. Founded in Montana in 1935, with regional headquarters in Great Falls, Denver, Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle, the company has approximately 1,370 employees and offices in 26 states coast to coast. Subsidiaries include: D.A. Davidson & Co., the largest full-service investment firm headquartered in the Northwest, providing wealth management, investment banking, equity and fixed income capital markets services and advice; Davidson Investment Advisors, a professional asset management firm; D.A. Davidson Trust Company, a trust and wealth management company; and Davidson Fixed Income Management, a registered investment adviser providing fixed income portfolio and advisory services. For more information, visit dadavidson.com, or on Twitter (News - Alert) , @DADavidsonCo or LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005150/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Media Alert: A10 Networks to Share 5G Security Insights and Strategy at MWC Barcelona 2019 A10 Networks (NYSE: ATEN (News - Alert) ) is attending MWC Barcelona 2019, the world's largest mobile event in the world, to share the company's insights and strategy to support service providers' transition to 5G. The company will discuss insights into 5G cyber security and share how mobile carriers can future-proof and scale their networks for 5G to enable new services for subscribers. A10 Networks (News - Alert) has proven production and pilot 5G deployments with tier-one carriers worldwide and is working with many others to fortify their existing networks and plan for future 5G initiatives. The company addresses critical 4G and 5G requirements for improved security, reliability and performance, through consolidated carrier firewall solutions at the core and edge of mobile networks. These solutions result in lower latency, high reliability and lower TCO-all of which are paramount to the success of services delivered over 5G networks, yet also provide major benefits in today's networks, as well. A10 Networks recently announced five major 5G security design wins in the second half of 2018. The five mobile operators are deploying A10 Networks' 5G Gi-LAN solution in a variety of form factors, including high-performance appliances, virtualized solutions, and bare-metal servers. All five operators are planning to launch their first commercial 5G services in the first quarter of 2019. MWC Barcelona (formerly Mobile World Congress (News - Alert) ) will be taking place from 25 February through 28 February at Fira Gran Via. The event brings together the latest innovations and leading-edge technology from more than 2,400 companies, with a highly-rated conference program assembling visionaries to explore the hottest topics influencing the industry. At MWC Barcelona 2019, A10 Networks executives will be discussing lessons learned from some of the largest mobile service providers in the world: Lee Chen (News - Alert) , CEO Tom Constantino, CFO Chris White, EVP, WW Sales Gunter Reiss, VP, WW Marketing Yasir Liaqatullah, VP of Product Management Tony Webb, VP of EMEA Sales For more information and to schedule a meeting with A10 Networks at MWC Barcelona, please visit https://events.a10networks.com/mwc-2019/ About A10 Networks A10 Networks (NYSE: ATEN) is a Reliable Security Always company, providing a range of high-performance application networking solutions that help organizations ensure that their data center applications and networks remain highly available, accelerated and secure. Founded in 2004, A10 Networks is based in San Jose, Calif., and serves customers globally with offices worldwide. For more information, visit: www.a10networks.com and @A10Networks. The A10 logo, A10 Networks, A10 Harmony, Thunder, SSL Insight and Reliable Security Always are trademarks or registered trademarks of A10 Networks, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005234/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Secure. Versatile. Mobile. RF IDeas to Showcase Leading Healthcare Authentication Solutions at HIMSS19. RF IDeas, Inc., a leading innovator and manufacturer of employee credential readers for applications such as single sign-on, secure pull print, and attendance management will showcase leading authentication solution partners in healthcare at HIMSS 2019. Together with its showcase and technology partners, RF IDeas will demonstrate products and solutions that advance authentication to achieve higher security, more versatility and greater mobility in today's most challenging healthcare environments. From the workstation to the bedside, RF IDeas and its showcase partners will demonstrate authentication solutions that enable advanced identity management in healthcare. HP - Tap in, tap out, get work done. With the HP single sign-on (SSO) healthcare application solution, authenticate access to HIPAA-protected information with the tap of a credential. Identity Automation / HealthCast - Overcome productivity challenges like desktop security and access management issues with the Identity Automation / HealthCast QwickAccess proximity badge. KSI - Secure your desktop inside and out with self-cleaning keyboards from KSI featuring embedded readers from RF IDeas for authentication. Micro Focus - Security shouldn't just protect you - it also should save you time. With Tap and Go Authentication with SSO from Micro Fous, simplified authentication becomes a reality. PrinterLogic - Change the way IT manages and deploys printer drivers within healthcare with the PrinterLogic Printer Install, designed to work as a self-service portal. Sharp - In healthcare, printing security is a must. With Sharp (News - Alert) multi-function printers (MFP) built-in, leading-edge security meets EHR-compatible healthcare solutions. Google featuring how to mobilize healthcare workers securely, as well as Safetrust, Certify and Amico Corporation. "For nearly 25 years, RF IDeas has been a leader in delivering authentication to the world of healthcare," said David Cottingham, President of RF IDeas. "This year, our solutions will build upon that mission by advancing authentication through strategic partnerships. Our booth will highlight applications that turn the page on authentication, bringing versatility and mobility that enables simplified and strategic security in healthcare." The RF IDeas solution partner pavilion is booth #3169. Find the presentation schedule and booth information here. HIMSS19 is the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society's annual conference and exhibition held in Orlando, Fla. Feb. 11-15. About RF IDeas RF IDeas, Inc. is a leader in the employee badge and mobile credential reader space for healthcare, manufacturing, government and enterprise. Partnering with leading technology companies, RF IDeas readers enable innovative solutions for single sign-on, secure printing, attendance tracking and other applications that require authentication. RF IDeas is a subsidiary of Roper Technologies. For more information about RF IDeas solutions, visit the Knowledge Center at https://www.rfideas.com/knowledge-center. RF IDeas and pcProx are registered trademarks of RF IDeas, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks and product or service names are property of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005013/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] CLS Holdings USA Inc. Included in LD Micro Index Rebalance LAS VEGAS, Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CLS Holdings USA Inc. (OTCQB:CLSH) (CSE:CLSH.U) CLS, a diversified cannabis company operating as Cannabis Life Sciences, is pleased to announce that it has been included in the LD Micro Index, effective February 1st, 2019. The LD Micro Index is designed to give the most accurate representation of the intraday activity of micro-cap stocks in North America. The index is market cap weighted and is currently comprised of 996 stocks in the U.S. and Canada with market capitalizations between $50 million and $300 million. https://www.ldmicro.com/the-index About LD Micro LD Micro was founded in 2006 with the sole purpose of being an independent resource in the microcap space. We are investors, first and foremost. What started out as a newsletter highlighting unique companies has transformed into several influential conferences annually (Invitational, Summit, and Main Event). In 2015, LD Micro launched ldmicro.com as a portal to provide exclusive intraday information on the entire sector, including the first pure microcap index (LDMi) which covers stocks in North America with market capitalizations between $50-$300m. About CLS Holdings USA, Inc. CLS Holdings USA, Inc. (CLSH) is a diversified cannabis company that acts as an integrated cannabis producer and retailer through its Oasis Cannabis subsidiaries in Nevada, and plans to expand to other states. CLS stands for "Cannabis Life Sciences," in recognition of the Company's patented proprietary method of extracting various cannabinoids from the marijuana plant and converting them into products with a higher level of quality and consistency. The Company's business model includes licensing operations, processing operations, processing facilities, sale of products, brand creation and consulting services. http://www.clsholdingsinc.com About Oasis Cannabis Oasis Cannabis has operated a cannabis dispensary in the Las Vegas market since dispensaries first opened in Nevada in 2015 and has been recognized as one of the top marijuana retailers in the state. Its location within walking distance to the Las Vegas Strip and Downtown Las Vegas in combination with its delivery service to residents allows it to efficiently serve both locals and tourists in the Las Vegas area. In February 2019, it was named Best Dispensary for Pot Pros by Desert Companion Magazine. In August 2017, the company commenced wholesale offerings of cannabis in Nevada with the launch of its City Trees brand of cannabis concentrates and cannabis-infused products. http://oasiscannabis.com About City Trees Founded in 2017, City Trees is a Nevada based cannabis cultivation, production and distribution company. Offering a wide variety of products with consistent results, City Trees is one the fastest growing wholesale companies in the industry. Its products are now available at 33 dispensaries. https://citytrees.com Forward Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, the forward-looking statements). These statements relate to anticipated future events, future results of operations or future financial performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "intends," "expects," "plans," "goals," "projects," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential," or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements are only predictions, are uncertain and involve substantial known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, levels of activity or performance to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity or performance expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity or performance and we cannot guaranty that the proposed transactions described in this press release will occur. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date that they were made. These cautionary statements should be considered together with any written or oral forward-looking statements that we may issue in the future. Except as required by applicable law, we do not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements to conform these statements to reflect actual results, later events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. See CLS Holdings USA filings with the SEC and on its SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com for additional details. Contact Information Corporate: Chairman and CEO Jeff Binder jeff@clsholdingsinc.com 888-438-9132 Investors: Adelaide Capital Markets Jackie Kelly Jackie@adelaidecapital.ca 416-301-2949 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] R&D at the Navy Yard officially opens today. Photo: Melissa Hom The babka is as good a place to start as any. Russ & Daughters, the store on East Houston Street that is one of the last remaining great sources of Lower East Sidestyle Jewish food, sells its babkas for $14 each. They are rolled out by hand, often by a longtime employee named Kaoutar Benabdelkader, who folds and slices and braids the dough with extremely sure fingers on a long, stainless-steel table. She and two other women make about 1,000 babkas per week. Chocolate or cinnamon, take your pick. I know this because I recently watched her at work as I stood in front of a glass wall at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. (And, later that day, I cut myself a very large slice of one of those excellent babkas. Im a chocolate guy, myself.) The bakery where she works is on the ground floor of the Navy Yards Building 77, freshly renovated to accommodate light manufacturing, offices, and a ground-floor array of food and drink. The two most familiar names in the retail array are Russ & Daughters and Transmitter Brewing. In between lies a palette (and palate) of deep-rooted New York flavors: Caribbean at The Food Sermon, Korean barbecue at We Rub You. The Navy Yard folks tend to avoid the words food hall, but it seems to me like a pretty killer food hall, and the first thing you see when you enter is the spacious, spotless, white-tile-and-stainless-steel storefront of the new Russ & Daughters. Its has been doing partial business most weekdays since December, and the full-time, seven-days-a-week official opening is today. The apricot rugelach hit the counter warm from the oven, and the chopped liver is fresh and isnt overloaded with onion. I ate some of both of those, too, while I was at the new store, and if there turns out to be another place with better versions of them, well, Ill be surprised. Its the second full-on Russ & Daughters store in town, and you could call this expansion a very slow rollout, because Joel Russ opened the first one in 1914. Six years later, he moved into a storefront at 179 East Houston Street, where he sold smoked fish and dried mushrooms and a few other products. Its still there, of course. (Its an appetizing shop, in the peculiar Yiddish-English usage whereby appetizing is both a noun and a verb.) You may know Russ & Daughters even if you dont care about food, because its hard to miss the neon as you cross Houston Street. The sign, displaying a pair of fish, is relatively new to the business, having been installed a mere 60 or so years ago. Theres one company left in Manhattan that fixes it. As of 2014, the Houston Street building was Russ & Daughters. The business had, in its first century, gone from local and unremarkable to established to a well-loved holdout to a New York treasure. Calvin Trillin wrote paeans to it in The New Yorker, and Nora Ephron, in Heartburn, name-checked the sablefish. (Some of which, by the way, I ate on a bagel before I got into the chopped liver.) And although the original store is doing fine its often crowded, and the family owns the building so theres no landlord trying to drive them out there eventually comes a question for any moderately successful family business about how to pursue growth. Since 2010, two cousins, Niki Russ Federman (great-granddaughter of Joel) and her cousin Joshua Russ Tupper (great-grandson) have run the business. They have been approached over and over I can say, with no exaggeration, weekly, says Tupper with good schemes and iffy ones for franchises and spinoffs and injections of VC money and what-have-you. They say no to almost all of it, preferring to pursue very measured and controlled growth. Which is not to say that they are standing still. In the past couple of decades, the business has begun to shift more toward prepared foods, like matzo ball soup. Around the holidays, it had gotten to the point where customers needed to place their order weeks and weeks in advance, because the back of an old grocery, used as a kitchen, is only so large. If you have orders for, say, 300 latkes, you can make them in batches in a couple of skillets. If you want to make 2,000, you really cant. Owing to 100-plus years of accumulated affection for this store, whose products are so intimately associated with the disappearing Lower East Side Jewish experience, there were always more orders around the holidays than there were burners on the stove to accommodate them. Not to mention the cold-packed shipments of herring and challah that go to Florida, to L.A., to Tel Aviv. Some of the route to expansion came with the opening of a restaurant, Russ & Daughters Cafe, a couple of blocks below Houston Street, and a satellite at the Jewish Museum that also has a retail counter. The restaurants have been reviewed glowingly and do well. But the restaurant business, though it is reproducible, is not especially high-margin in New York, because rent and labor eat up nearly everything that comes in. Also, there is competition in the form of a couple of other places that have knocked off the R&D aesthetic, mimicking details like the distinctive stainless-steel-and-white backlit signs behind the counter. (Federman and Tupper get a little excited when talking about those businesses, saying, Its not the copying its what cant be replicated.) All of the baking happens in-house. Melissa Hom. All of the baking happens in-house. Melissa Hom. Russ & Daughters circa 2014 was principally a retailer, not a maker. (The world-class smoked fish, for example, comes from four suppliers, including Acme, in Brooklyn.) If it grew quickly, the company would have to make its supply lines extremely robust and high-capacity, and work with big national suppliers instead of its smaller, familiar ones. (A squishy and sweet Russ & Daughters bagel sold in the Safeway frozen-foods case, or perhaps a stand-alone Russ & Daughters Cafe in Vegas, with bikinid LED fish on the sign, is the nightmare scenario here.) Adding restaurants in a hurry would add a similar risk of quality-control slippage. Instead, Federman and Tupper decided to bring most of the cooking and baking, apart from the fish-smoking, in-house. Russ & Daughters had been a little store; it would have to become a less-little factory. And you cant really fit one of those into the back room of a 25-by-100-foot tenement storefront. A few years ago, the company took some manufacturing space in Bushwick, and that was okay as a proof-of-concept, but a bigger future lay ahead. The Brooklyn Navy Yard has pretty nearly the opposite problem. It sprawls over about 300 acres, and for a long time it was dramatically underfilled. Seventy thousand people worked there during the second World War. After the Navy left in 1966, it was nearly a ghost town, and a series of nonprofit entities operated the yard as manufacturing and office space, at first not so effectively, then better. By 1998, its rentable space was fully occupied again with a few thousand workers but there were a lot of ghost-town structures as well. They included Building 77, a big structure on Flushing Avenue. Did I say big? Its immense. Built in a hurry in 1941 to store war materiel, it has 1.1 million square feet of space across its 16 floors, about as much floor area as the Chrysler Building. The rumor was that it was full of stored explosives. Although that may not be true, you can see why people thought it was, because the place looks like a fortress. There are rails embedded in the lobby subfloor, where the Navy used to run trains through to load them up. The structure is mostly solid concrete, and when I remarked on its solidity, the Navy Yards president and CEO, David Ehrenberg, told me that his engineers had described the load rating of those floors as basically infinite. Building 77 has mostly been in disuse since the Navy left in 1966, principally because because the lower three-quarters of the building was windowless and thus hard to adapt. To make it into rentable space required sawing holes into those formidable walls and adding a lot of glass. That renovation started eight years ago, and is now nearly complete, with 85 percent of the floors leased. A lot of interesting small-scale stuff gets made here, from jewelry (Catbird) to spacecraft components bound for Mars (Honeybee Robotics). A chocolate babka taking shape. Photo: Melissa Hom Building 77, although it is within the gates of the Yard, fronts on Flushing Avenue. Anyone can walk in. That, in turn, makes successful retail space on the ground floor a real possibility, and Russ & Daughters, with frontage nearly double the 25 feet it has on Houston Street, is front and center. While you eat, you can stop in front of the glassed-in bakery next door and watch the bagels dance around in their boiling vats. The big exception, as mentioned above, is the fish-smoking. Tupper explains that its just too specialized and environmentally complex I joke that if I could take three years off and spend $5 million and figure out a smoking operation, I would, but thats what it would take, and its not gonna happen. Backstage, the Russ folks have rented a vast amount of space for baking and cooking and cold storage and mail-order fulfillment and the managing offices. (Their needs are slightly complicated because they also run the Jewish Museums restaurant, and thus the bakery needs to be kept kosher, which the old Houston Street store is not. The rabbinically okayed activity has to take place far away from the chopped-liver chopping.) Because of the nature of the business, the back rooms seem slightly underpopulated right now, but they will be crammed when Passover and Hanukkah approach. And one thing about the Navy Yard is that the space, like the floor capacity, asymptotically approaches the infinite. Ehrenberg says that we love it when companies come to us five years in and say, We need more space. Conversely, though, he adds that hes been willing (and able) to take back space from new tenants who have overestimated their needs. The Navy Yard does a kind of boot-camp business program for companies that need a hand, getting them up to speed on accounting and growth-planning in exchange for a rent rebate. Federman, without going into detail, says that during construction, the company found itself in a little bit of a bind it sounds like a cash-flow situation and went back to the Yard asking for a little flexibility, which it received. R&D has decently sized offices, which allow Tupper and Federman to go somewhere when they have to argue something out in private. At the old store, they say, they would hold their most heated discussions in the walk-in fridge. The great bet, of course, is on the dont-call-it-a-food-hall that if you build it, rugelach buyers will come. Building 77 is a 20-minute walk from any subway stop. You have to cross under the BQE to get there, and that does feel, to a degree, like a psychic barrier. But there, too, the future seems to hint at success. Fort Greene lies just across (under) the highway, and it is a decent shot that its residents will treat the ground floor the way midtowners treat the lower level of Grand Central Terminal, or as those in the Meatpacking District treat Chelsea Market. If you live near Fort Greene Park or at Pratt Institute, its five blocks away, a pretty modest Sunday-morning walk. And, this being Not-Manhattan, people do drive. One suspects that a trip from Long Island to the store on Houston Street would put off suburbanites jonesing for the perfect bialy, whereas theyd at least have a passing chance of finding a parking place in Fort Greene. The huge Wegmans supermarket that will soon open down the street may also help create a food-shopping hub, a little like the end-to-end twinning of Fairway and Costco on 125th Street. Niki Russ Federman and Joshua Russ Tupper, the fourth generation of Russes to run the business. Photo: Melissa Hom The real growth of the business, though, lies in shipping out those chilled cartons of food. In the past five years, the business has roughly tripled in size, from about 20 employees to 130. By 2024, the plan, according to Tupper and Federman, is to quintuple from its current size, at a level that is sustainable by the fifth generation of Russes. Most of that growth will be in e-commerce. Which brings a third challenge, and its the one the Russes talk about a lot, which is keeping that growth entirely under tight, tight control. When you make more of everything, it gets tempting to take shortcuts. Bagels come out faster and sweeter if you sugar up the dough to soften it, but then they get swollen and more bready and less bagel-like. If you take money from investors, or franchise operators, you have to go stand on the sidelines. But we have a certain obligation to three generations of the family, Federman explains. Tupper jumps in: You lose something immediate: look, feel, haimishness. Federman: Youre scaling up recipes, maybe cutting the cost of ingredients. Tupper: Inevitably, as you grow and you see it with all these companies that grow, although I dont want to name names the quality diminishes, because its not four places where one person can run around and ask, Is it happening like this? Well, theyve kept it to four the old store, the downtown restaurant, the Jewish Museum outpost, and now this one and it sounds like there wont be a fifth for a while. Step back and look at the neon sign over the storefront in the Navy Yard. Its a copy of the one that glows over Houston Street, with white fish (are they also whitefish?) on either end. Its crisp and new where the old one is a little weathered. What you realize, when you stand under it and pay attention, its that its more than twice as big. But you can barely tell. [February 11, 2019] MPOWER Financing Marks International Day of Women and Girls in Science WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MPOWER Financing is excited to launch its Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Scholarship Program today, and honor the United Nation's International Day of Women and Girls in Science. In keeping with MPOWER's commitment to empower high-potential global citizens to realize their educational aspirations and become tomorrow's leading scientists and innovators this scholarship program will focus on women who will use their STEM degree to benefit society and the planet and who have the potential to serve as role models and advocates for women in STEM. As a certified B Corporation (social enterprise) and the leading American provider of education loans to international students, MPOWER has long been focused on increasing access to higher education for women from emerging markets. MPOWER's interviews with its borrowers indicate that women in emerging markets are less likely than their male counterparts to receive financial support for higher education from their families. 45 percent of MPOWER borrowers are female, and 39 percent of these female borrowers are pursuing STEM degrees. 90 percent of these female borrowers in STEM are from Asia, Latin America, or Africa. According to the National Center for Education Statistics , in the 2015-2016 academic year (the last year for which data was available), 32 percent of STEM degrees in the U.S. were awarded to women. In addition, the Society of Women Engineers found that gender inequities are especially pronounced in engineering and computer science, with just 20 percent of bachelor's degrees in engineering and computer science held by women. For MPOWER's CEO and Co-founder Manu Smadja, these statistics represent a social challenge to addess. "It's critical for us as a society to have a meaningful representation of women shaping the science and technology of tomorrow. The world may look a lot different if we do a better job at enabling female talent to shape the technologies transforming healthcare, education, transportation, or cities for instance. By helping talented female students study and work in North America, we're helping close the gender gap in the STEM workforce. However, we'd like to do much more, and starting this new scholarship program is yet another way to level the playing field." The Women in STEM Scholarship Program is part of a broader social impact strategy supported by a generous grant from Gray Matters Capital , a social impact investment firm and current investor in MPOWER. Applying a gender lens to MPOWER's work and addressing gender inequities in financial inclusion and access to higher education is a cornerstone of this strategy. "Scholarships like this aren't just a nice luxury," said Erika Norwood, CEO of Gray Matters Capital. "Future careers will depend on them until we can shift the status quo. And shifting the status quo is critical our experience in impact investing has been that there is a key link between increasing the number of women participating in any given community or field and outcomes in terms of innovation and knowledge." More information about the program, as well as details about how to apply, can be found on MPOWER's website at https://www.mpowerfinancing.com/scholarships/ . About MPOWER Financing MPOWER Financing , headquartered in Washington, D.C. and with offices in New York City and Bangalore, India, is a mission-driven fintech company and provider of global educational loans. It is the only student lender in the world that leverages both overseas and U.S. credit data, as well as future earning potential, to serve high-promise international and DACA students. MPOWER Financing works with more than 200 top universities and colleges across the nation to provide financing to students from over 200 countries. Since 2014, it has received close to $1B in loan application volume on its platform. MPOWER Financing helps students build their credit histories and provides them with personal finance education and career support to help prepare for life after college. The team is backed by Gray Matters Capital, Breega, Potencia Ventures, Zephyr Management, Goal Structured Solutions, 1776, Village Capital, VARIV, DreamIt, Fresco, Chilango, K Street and University Ventures, as well as funds managed by Lloyd Crescendo Advisors and Community Investment Management. Media Contact: Yasmin Lalani MPOWER Financing 202-417-3800 pr@mpowerfinancing.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mpower-financing-marks-international-day-of-women-and-girls-in-science-300792575.html SOURCE MPOWER Financing [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] OTC Markets Group Welcomes HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd. to OTCQX NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for 10,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd. (TSX-V: HIVE; OTCQX: HVBTF), a growth oriented company building a bridge from the blockchain sector to traditional capital markets, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd. upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink market. HIVE Blockchain Technologies begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "HVBTF." U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com. "We are pleased to welcome HIVE Blockchain Technologies to our OTCQX Best Market," said Jason Paltrowitz, Director, OTC Markets Group International Ltd. and EVP, Corporate Services, OTC Markets Group. "HIVE Blockchain joins a robust roster of Canadian companies that benefit from cross-trading their shares and providing a premium market for accessing U.S. investors. We look forward to supporting HIVE Blockchain as the company builds long-term shaeholder value." "Upgrading to OTCQX is an important event for the Company," said Frank Holmes, Interim Executive Chairman. "The OTCQX equips HIVE with better liquidity and exposure for existing and future U.S. and international investors as we continue our long-term strategy to enhance shareholder value. HIVE is an industry leader among publicly traded blockchain infrastructure companies and trading on OTCQX in the U.S. provides investors with an opportunity to participate in the long-term potential of blockchain and to invest in a stock that is highly correlated to the price movements of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum." HIVE Blockchain Technologies was sponsored for OTCQX by SecuritiesLawUSA, PC, a qualified third-party firm responsible for providing guidance on OTCQX requirements and recommending membership. About HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd. HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd. is a growth oriented company building a bridge from the blockchain sector to traditional capital markets. HIVE is strategically partnered with Genesis Mining Ltd. to build the next generation of blockchain infrastructure. HIVE owns state-of-the-art GPU based digital currency mining facilities in Iceland and Sweden, which produce newly minted digital currencies like Ethereum continuously as well as cloud-based ASIC-based capacity which produces newly minted digital currencies like Bitcoin. HIVE's deployments provide its shareholders with exposure to the operating margins of digital currency mining as well as a growing portfolio of crypto-coins. About OTC Markets Group Inc. OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market and the Pink Open Market for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors. To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com. OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN are SEC regulated ATSs, operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed Media Contact: OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, media@otcmarkets.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/otc-markets-group-welcomes-hive-blockchain-technologies-ltd-to-otcqx-300792492.html SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Leidos Awarded Marquee Contract to Provide NASA IT Services RESTON, Va., Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos (NYSE: LDOS), a FORTUNE 500 science and technology leader, has been awarded a contract by NASA to provide information technology (IT) end-user services to support the agency's mission. The single award, firm-fixed-price, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract has a two-year, three-month base period followed by a two-year option, a one-year option, and five one-year award term options for a total potential value of $2.9B if all options are exercised. Work will be performed at 10 NASA centers nationwide. Under the NASA End-User Services & Technologies (NEST) contract, Leidos will provide, manage, secure, and maintain essential IT services that support the agency's core business, scientific, research, and computational activities. The NEST contract establishes a long-term outsourcing arrangement with the commercial sector to provide and manage most of NASA's personal computing hardware, supporting infrastructure, agency standard software, mobile IT services, help-desk support, and other associated end-user services. Leidos' highly-skilled team of technical experts will leverage their knowledge of NASA and U.S. government policies, processes, and technology to maximize automation and end user support management. This will ensure all systems are secure, whether for routine IT maintenance or new priority requirements for NASA's nationwide employees. The company will evaluate and analyze data using predictive and descriptive analytics to implement data-driven practices that reduce call volumes, enhance self-service tasks, and ultimately improve customer satisfaction and experience. "With its size, scope, and scale, the NEST contract is a marquee win for us," said Angie Heise, Leidos Civil Group President. "Our ultimate goal is to provide intuitive, easy-to-use services that efficiently prevent or resolve problems for the NASA Community, enabling them to have seamless IT services for their critical missions." About Leidos Leidos is a Fortune 500 information technology, engineering, and science solutions and services leader working to solve the world's toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, homeland security, civil, and health markets. The company's 32,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $10.17 billion for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2017. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com. Statements in this announcement, other than historical data and information, constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be very different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 29, 2017, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Contact: Melissa Koskovich Erin Tindell (571) 526-6850 (571) 526-6996 Koskovichm@Leidos.com Tindelle@leidos.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leidos-awarded-marquee-contract-to-provide-nasa-it-services-300792899.html SOURCE Leidos [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Chalice Financial Network Acquires Succession Link And Forms Strategic Alliance With Oak Street Funding To Launch Comprehensive Support Platform For Independent Financial Advisor M&A Deals And Advisor Loans SAN DIEGO, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Chalice Financial Network ("Chalice," "CFN" or "the firm"), the leading member benefits organization for Independent Financial Advisors and RIAs, today announced that it has dramatically enhanced its offering with the introduction of Chalice Advisor Lending Solutions by providing comprehensive M&A support for advisors who seek to buy and sell books of business. This new service strengthens CFN's offering, which already includes discounted pricing on technology and tools, marketing and complimentary lead generating websites, corporate services and support including HR, IT, payroll, and group health benefits. As part of the launch of this new platform, Chalice also announced the acquisition of Succession Link, the nation's top online matching service for independent financial advisor M&A deals, as well as a strategic alliance with Oak Street Funding, a leading provider of conventional non-SBA loans for advisors seeking to buy or sell an independent practice. Chalice's preferred vendor relationship with Oak Street Funding also makes capital and M&A support available to advisors who are among Succession Link's 43,000-plus users. Succession Link members get 50% off membership to Chalice if they join by March 31. Keith Gregg, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Chalice, said, "From identifying potential transactions, to obtaining deal financing, to expertise on transaction execution and business integration, we now offer the entire continuum of solutions that independent advisors need to buy or sell a business. Just as the wealth management industry is experiencing a wave of Baby Boomer clients transferring trillions of dollars in assets to Millennial heirs, thousands of financial advisors are preparing to retire in the coming years. The number of potential practice acquirers and sellers will continue to surge, and streamlined access to M&A guidance and competitive financing will mark the difference between success or failure for these advisors." ENHANCED SERVICE Chalice Advisor Lending Solutions recognizes the increased advisor demand for succession planning and desired growth by providing Chalice Financial Network members with: A members-only model including expedited loan processing and lower rates Simplified underwriting and expedited approval process Merger & Acquisition support and structure More broadly, as the equivalent of "Amazon Prime for advisors," Chalice Financial Network provides its members with a robust, single sign-in shared services FinTech Platform and digital marketplace called the Chalice Advisor Exchange (CAEx). Through CAEx, Chalice's members can access best-in-class, third-party technology and business enterprise solutions that include portfolio management software, alternative investments, asset and wealth management platforms, as well as back-office needs ranging from group health insurance, human resources, CFO finance and accounting, complimentary lead generating websites and marketing support, furniture, equipment and office space all at steeply discounted rates. ENHANCED LEADERSHIP In a related development, Derek Bruton has been promoted from COO of Chalice Financial Network to President of the entire firm, a newly-created role reporting directlyto Founder, Chairman and CEO Keith Gregg, to oversee the next phase of the company's strategic growth plans. Additionally, Succession Link Chief Technology Officer Tim Horton has been named Chief Technology Officer of Chalice Financial Network. Mr. Horton has spent his career in startups. Before Succession Link, he was the CTO of Airbitz (now rebranded as Edge) a cryptocurrency wallet and authentication provider. Mr. Bruton, the newly appointed President of Chalice, who has served in strategic and executive roles in the financial service industry for nearly 30 years, said, "Connecting the advisors we serve at Chalice with Succession Link on a discounted basis is a natural outgrowth of our mission, and our alliance with Oak Street Funding provides a powerful capital solution for our constantly expanding base of members across the independent financial advice space. We've created the equivalent of a credit union for independent financial advisor businesses, regardless of their existing broker-dealer or RIA affiliations, in less than one month after the launch of our digital marketplace platform. We have a strong tailwind on our side as we continue to build out Chalice's offerings and resources for our members." Mr. Horton said, "It was obvious to me early on that not only could Chalice's advisors benefit from Succession Link, but that our clients could benefit from a closer relationship with Chalice and the solutions they provide to the independent financial advisor space. We're excited about joining Chalice, and the added value it will provide to both advisors who are already on our respective platforms and those advisors who will soon become members." Rick Dennen, Founder, President and CEO of Oak Street Funding, said, "We are honored to be partnering with Chalice to serve their advisors looking for capital for M&A or succession planning. Chalice has a great name and reputation and is making things happen in this industry. We at Oak Street Funding believe in helping independent advisors at every stage of the business life cycle. Chalice members are a particularly entrepreneurial and driven group of professionals, making them the ideal audience for our services." About Chalice Financial Network Chalice Financial Network ("Chalice") is a San Diego-based, leading provider of third-party technology, asset management, wealth management and business enterprise solutions for independent financial advisors across the country, delivered through an exclusive membership structure. Chalice is the Holy Grail for Wealth Advisors due to its ability to aggregate and integrate all the tools and technology, products and services a wealth advisor needs throughout the lifecycle of a successful independent business, by accessing Chalice Advisor Exchange, its single sign-on shared services digital marketplace and fintech platform. For more information, please visit www.chalicefn.com. About Succession Link Succession Link is the premier online communication and networking platform dedicated to connecting financial professionals who seek to buy, sell or merge their businesses in the U.S. or Canada. The platform enhances the ability of its members to build trusted partnerships with local professionals. The industry-leading community helps its members with cutting edge tools, expert know-how and data to expand their businesses. The industry-leading peer-to-peer marketplace is backed by more than 43,000 members. For more information, please visit www.successionlink.com About Oak Street Funding Indianapolis-based Oak Street Funding ( www.oakstreetfunding.com ), a First Financial Bank company, provides commercial financing for financial service businesses, restaurant franchises through the First Franchise Capital ( www.firstfranchisecapital.com ) brand and third-party loan servicing for financial institutions. Oak Street Funding and First Franchise Capital utilize industry knowledge, proprietary technology and passion to deliver top-quality service and capital products to finance services professionals and franchise owners nationwide. * Loans and lines of credit subject to certain terms and conditions and approval. Potential borrowers are responsible for their own due diligence on acquisitions. CA residents: Loans made pursuant to California Department of Business Oversight, Finance Lenders License (#6039839). Media Contacts Joseph Kuo / Chris Latham Haven Tower Group 424 652 6520 ext 101 or ext 105 jkuo@haventower.com or clatham@haventower.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chalice-financial-network-acquires-succession-link-and-forms-strategic-alliance-with-oak-street-funding-to-launch-comprehensive-support-platform-for-independent-financial-advisor-ma-deals-and-advisor-loans-300792188.html SOURCE Chalice Financial Network [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Francisco Partners Acquires Qualcomm Life SAN FRANCISCO and SAN DIEGO, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Francisco Partners ("FP"), a leading technology-focused private equity firm, today announced it has acquired Qualcomm Life, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated that offers end-to-end medical device connectivity across the continuum of care. Qualcomm Life will be separated from Qualcomm, be renamed as Capsule Technologies, Inc. ("CapsuleTech"), and continue operating its two distinct business segments: Capsule (a leading provider of medical device connectivity solutions for hospitals) and 2net (a medical grade mobile connectivity platform). "Francisco Partners' deep experience in healthcare technology and proven track record in nurturing and growing technology businesses will enable CapsuleTech's loyal base of employees to continue delivering innovation," said Duane Nelles, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Qualcomm Incorporated. "We look forward to our partnership with the FP team as they grow CapsuleTech as an independent entity." "FP's acquisition will help Qualcomm Life (now CapsuleTech) continue to deliver market leading products and services to its world class customer base," said Rick Valencia, former President of Qualcomm Life, who will support CapsuleTech as an advisor in its transition to a standalone company. Capsule is a leading medical device connectivity platform that connects medical devices to clinical information systems in over 2,000 hospitals in approximately 40 countries. Through Capsule's connected devices, networking solutions, and intelligent software applications, hospitals can capture and visualize clinical data to monitor patient health and improve patient care. "Capsule is a key enabler of the digital hospital and is a trusted choice among hospital clinicians, IT administrators, and healthcare IT vendors," said Chris Adams, Partner with Francisco Partners. "As hospitals continue to adopt data-driven approaches to managing patient care, Capsule stands to benefit by serving as a centralzed connectivity hub for clinical information. We are excited to partner with Capsule and to help the team capitalize on new innovations in device technology and software applications." 2net provides wireless mobile device connectivity via cloud-based solutions so biometric information is easily accessible by device users, health care providers, and payors. 2net's customers include leading health insurance payors, pharmaceutical companies, and medical device manufacturers. "Capsule and 2net will continue to drive increased focus on their respective customers, deliver mission critical solutions and provide exceptional service," said Justin Chen, Vice President with Francisco Partners. "We look forward to supporting the talented employees and management team going forward." Centerview Partners served as financial advisor and DLA Piper LLP served as legal advisor to Qualcomm Incorporated. Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal advisor to Francisco Partners. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. About Capsule Capsule is the leading global provider of medical device connectivity solutions for hospitals. Through its medical device technology and software, Capsule integrates with clinical information systems to capture more data, reduce manual efforts and cost, and improve patient care. Capsule's medical grade solution is device and IT system agnostic, which enables it to meet the needs of any hospital or health system worldwide. Founded in 1997, Capsule has established strategic partnerships with leading medical device manufacturers and is installed in over 2,000 hospitals in 40 countries. For more information, please visit www.capsuletech.com. About 2net Founded in 2011, 2net is a medical grade mobile connectivity platform for third party application and device manufacturers focused on home and ambulatory use cases. 2net Platform and Hub unlock vital health and therapy data for integration with virtually any system, application or portal. The products interconnect wireless medical devices via cloud-based solutions so that biometric information is easily accessible by device users, health care providers and payors, and caregivers. 2net has over 40 customers and collaborators across health insurance payers, pharmaceutical companies, and medical device manufacturers. For more information, please visit www.2net.com. About Francisco Partners Francisco Partners is a leading global private equity firm that specializes in investments in technology and technology-enabled businesses. Since its launch over 19 years ago, Francisco Partners has raised over $14 billion in capital and invested in more than 200 technology companies, making it one of the most active and longstanding investors in the technology industry. The firm invests in opportunities where its deep knowledge and operational expertise can help companies realize their full potential. For more information on Francisco Partners, please visit www.franciscopartners.com. Press Contacts: Dave Levy, 617-334-5389, capsuletechnologies@thinkrevivehealth.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/francisco-partners-acquires-qualcomm-life-300792826.html SOURCE Capsule Technologies, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Corcentric, Inc. To Acquire Determine, Inc. CHERRY HILL, N.J., Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Corcentric, Inc. (Corcentric), a leading provider of procurement and financial process automation solutions , announced today that it signed a definitive purchase agreement with Determine, Inc. (OTCQB: DTRM) a leader in global Source-to-Pay and Enterprise Contract Lifecycle Management Cloud Platform solutions to acquire substantially all the assets of Determine for cash of approximately $32 million. This transaction is expected to close within the second calendar quarter of 2019. Corcentric is a leading provider of procurement and finance solutions that transform how companies purchase, pay, and get paid. Its procurement, accounts payable, and accounts receivable solutions empower companies to spend smarter, optimize cash flow, and drive profitability. Corcentric currently serves more than 6,000 customers representing multiple industries including manufacturing, transportation, wholesale/distribution, retail, healthcare, and financial services. Corcentric was recently named a leader in the IDC MarketScape Worldwide SaaS and Cloud-Enabled Accounts Payable Applications. Determine is recognized as a leading global provider of SaaS Source-to-Pay and Enterprise Contract Lifecycle Management solutions. Determines mission is to provide industry-leading cloud solutions to maximize its customers visibility and financial return from their spend, supplier and contractual data. Determines flagship offering, the Determine Cloud Platform (DCP), provides procurement, legal, and finance professionals with analytics for their supplier, contract, and financial performance. Determines applications empower customers to drive new revenue, identify savings, improve compliance, and mitigate risk. The Determine Cloud Platform seamlessly integrates with major ERP or third-party systems such as SAP, Oracle, Sage, QAD, and Microsoft features full DocuSign integration and is an integrated Application and on the AppExchange with Salesforce.com. Determine delivers a modular now and later platform approach that solves immediate challenges and enables growth as business needs dictate over time. Determine currently serves more than 244 global customers spanning a wide spectrum of industries including: financial services, insurance, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, retail, transportation, and manufacturing. The parties believe this transaction will bring significant value and opportunity to the combined business and its collective customers and prospects. The key benefits include: Revenue growth opportunities including the up-selling of new products and services across the new combined companys customer base. Creation of a one-stop shop providing access to the full spectrum of Procure-to-Pay (P2P) of solutions and combining this leading technology with great service to deliver the best outcome for both customers and prospects. Opportunity to add robust incremental service offerings on to the Determine Cloud Platform. The purchase agreement, which has been approved by the Board of Directors of both companies, is conditioned upon, among other things, the approval of Determines stockholders, and other customary closing conditions. In order to accommodate French labor law, the closing is also contingent upon the required prior consultation with Determines works council. Subject to the satisfaction of these conditions, the transaction is expected to close in the second calendar quarter of 2019. Matt Clark, President and COO of Corcentric said, The cquisition of Determine is both synergistic and transformative for Corcentric. Weve followed the Determine Cloud Platform development for some time and are excited by the prospect of adding its robust capabilities, along with the collective Determine teams business experience, to the Corcentric family. We believe blending Determine with Corcentric gives the newly-combined company an opportunity to deliver more value to our customers and prospects, and it increases our global market footprint so we will have the opportunity serve an expanded base." Patrick Stakenas, President and Chief Executive Officer of Determine said, We are very excited about the opportunity to elevate the Determine Cloud Platform and consolidate the Determine team, technology and know-how with Corcentric. There is tremendous value that this new relationship will unlock for our customers, prospects and employees. We have worked very hard over the last few years to develop our innovative platform and we are eager to bring this robust solution to Corcentrics customers as well as to a wider market though broader distribution opportunities. MidMarket Capital Advisors is acting as an advisor and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is acting as legal advisor to Corcentric in this transaction. Needham & Company, LLC is acting as financial advisor and OMelveny & Meyers LLP is acting as legal advisor to Determine in this matter. About Determine, Inc. Determine, Inc. (OTCQB: DTRM) is a leading global provider of SaaS Source-to-Pay and Enterprise Contract Lifecycle Management (ECLM) solutions. The Determine Cloud Platform provides procurement, legal and finance professionals analytics of their supplier, contract, and financial performance. Our technologies empower customers to drive new revenue, identify savings, improve compliance, and mitigate risk. The Determine Cloud Platform seamlessly integrates with major ERP or third-party systems such as SAP, Oracle, Sage, QAD, and Microsoft. Modular solutions can be configured to add more as needed to provide additional value beyond spend management. Our unified master database and business process approach empower users at every level to make more informed and smarter decisions. www.determine.com. About Corcentric Corcentric is a leading provider of procurement and finance solutions that transform how companies purchase, pay, and get paid. Corcentrics procurement, accounts payable, and accounts receivable solutions empower companies to spend smarter, optimize cash flow, and drive profitability. Since 1996, more than 6,000 customers from the middle market to the Fortune 1000 have used Corcentric to reduce costs and improve working capital. Learn more at corcentric.com, or follow Corcentric on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/corcentric. Additional Information and Where to Find It In connection with the proposed sale of substantially all assets of Determine to Corcentric pursuant to the terms of the purchase agreement, Determine will file with the SEC a proxy statement, which will be mailed or otherwise disseminated to Determines stockholders when it becomes available. Investors are urged to read the proxy statement (including all amendments and supplements) because they will contain important information. Investors may obtain free copies of the proxy statement when it becomes available, as well as other filings containing information about Determine, without charge, at the SECs Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). Copies of these documents may also be obtained for free from Determines web site at www.determine.com. Participants in Solicitation Determine and its officers and directors may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of Determine in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about Determines executive officers and directors is set forth in its Annual Report on Form 10-K, which was filed with the SEC on June 29, 2018, as amended. Investors may obtain more detailed information regarding the direct and indirect interests of Determine and its executive officers and directors in the acquisition by reading the preliminary and definitive proxy statement regarding the transactions contemplated by the purchase agreement, which will be filed with the SEC. Forward Looking Statements This written communication contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties concerning Corcentrics proposed acquisition of substantially all of Determines assets, Determines expected financial performance, as well as Determines strategic and operational plans. Actual events or results may differ materially from those described in this written communication due to a number of risks and uncertainties. The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, the possibility that Determine may be unable to obtain required stockholder approval or that other conditions to closing the transaction may not be satisfied, such that the transaction will not close or that the closing may be delayed; the reaction of customers to the transaction; general economic conditions; the transaction may involve unexpected costs, liabilities or delays; risks that the transaction disrupts current plans and operations of the parties to the transaction; the ability to recognize the benefits of the transaction; the amount of the costs, fees, expenses and charges related to the transaction and the actual terms of any financings that will be obtained for the transaction; the outcome of any legal proceedings related to the transaction; and the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the transaction agreement. In addition, please refer to the documents that Determine files with the SEC on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. The filings by Determine identify and address other important factors that could cause its financial and operational results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements set forth in this written communication. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this written communication or, in the case of any document incorporated by reference, the date of that document. Determine is under no duty to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this written communication to conform to actual results. Contact: Michael Mitchell Phone Number: +1 650-532-1590 Email: pr@determine.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Technology Leader in Optical and Ophthalmology Cloud Solutions, KIDE Systems, Becomes Topcon Healthcare Solutions EMEA Following the Topcon Healthcare Solutions' acquisition of KIDE Systems in April 2018, KIDE Systems announces that the company will take on the branding of its parent company Topcon Healthcare Solutions Ltd, part of Topcon Corporation. The brand change includes the change of the corporate name to Topcon Healthcare Solutions EMEA (THS EMEA). In addition to continuing the development of innovative solutions for the global eye care market, the company will take on the responsibility of distributing and supporting the complete suite of Topcon Healthcare Solutions' software within Europe, Middle-East and Africa (EMEA). "The brand change is a natural step towards becoming a true member of the Topcon family and our employees are very excited to become Topconians," discloses Mr. Anssi Ylimaula, CEO of KIDE Systems and new Managing Director of THS EMEA. "The brand change to the known and recognized Topcon brand will also open up new doors for us within the global eye care market and allow us to provide our customers with even better solutions and services," Mr. Ylimaula continues. "We are very excited to have KIDE Systems as an official part of the Topcon family," expresses Mr. Akifumi Baba, President of Topcon Healthcare Solutions. "By combining modern software solutions with strong hardware, we can provide advanced solutions to all eye care professionls and strengthen our position within the eye care industry." THS EMEA will start showcasing its new brand at exhibitions around Europe and the Middle East in February 2019. KIDE Systems, now THS EMEA, is a Finland-based company founded in 2015 that specializes in providing modern web-based clinical data management and telemedicine solutions for eye care. The company's software solutions are aimed to solve existing data management and communication challenges that Optical retailers, Ophthalmology clinics and hospitals experience. To learn more, visit the product webpage or request a demonstration: topconhealth.eu About Topcon Based in Tokyo, Japan, Topcon is a comprehensive ophthalmic device manufacturer within the worldwide ophthalmic community. It introduced the world's first commercial back-of-the-eye Spectral Domain (SD) and Swept Source (News - Alert) (SS) optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems, which have driven innovation in eye care. More recently, Topcon started to enhance not only its hardware but also its software solutions. To become the leader in diagnostic software, Topcon has developed a new strategic division, Topcon Healthcare Solutions, whose primary objective is to create world-class software solutions for the eye care industry and beyond. The company's products enable the collection and visualization of a wide range of imaging and clinical data while providing quantitative and clinical analysis capabilities. Topcon's software gives clinicians access to patient exam data captured from OCTs, Visual Fields, Fundus Cameras, and other Topcon and third-party devices. Topcon leverages its new communication and data management systems called Optoflow and Harmony, where practitioners gain access to DICOM and non-DICOM information stored in a central, cloud-based environment. Additionally, Topcon now provides integrated services that connects practitioners to an extensive network of reading services to assist in the management of sight-threatening eye diseases. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005047/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Coconics Unveils its First Range of Laptops at the Electronics Manufacturing Summit 2019 in Delhi NEW DELHI, February 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Coconics is a unique public-private Laptop and Server manufacturing company from the State of Kerala Launched three laptop models aimed at Government, Enterprise and Educational institutions Coconics, a recently launched unique public-private Laptop and Server manufacturing company, today unveiled its first range of laptops. The range includes three models. The laptop range is aimed at Government, Enterprise and Educational institutions and will be customized to cater to the varied requirements across sectors. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/820067/Coconics_Logo.jpg ) The three laptop models introduced by Coconics include CC11B, CC11A and C314A. CC11B is an 11 inch tablet cum notebook, with a sleek body, metallic casing and trendy look. This model is easy to carry around and specifically designed for frequent travelers. CC11A is an 11 inch lightweight laptop, designed specifically for the student's community. C314A is a drop and water resistant, 14 inches laptop specifically designed for businesses. All the laptop models have a long battery back-up of 8 hours. Coconics is India's newest local OEM (original equipment manufacturer)/ODM (original design manufacturer), incubated by UST Global, Keltron, KSIDC and Acceleron labs (an Intel India Maker Lab accelerated startup) backed by Government of Kerala, through its business-friendly industrial policy. The company is formed with the guidance and support of Intel to manufacture IT products in India. Coconics expects its products to be available for distribution by Q2 2019. The laptops will be priced competitively. p>Shri. M Sivasankar IAS, Secretary IT, Chairman (EC), KSITM, said, "Our vision of Coconics is to create a vibrant hardware manufacturing ecosystem in the state of Kerala. This includes collaboration between the innovative start-up companies, and small and medium IT enterprises both in the Government and Private sector. This manufacturing ecosystem would over a period of time cater to the needs of Kerala, our country, and also to the global demand by producing hardware products of remarkable quality." Alexander Varghese, Chief Administrative Officer & Country Head, UST Global, said, "We are excited about Coconics, India's latest OEM/ODM, built in line with Government of India's 'Make in India' initiative. With the larger vision of creating a hardware ecosystem in the State of Kerala, we intend to leverage our relationship with Intel to take this venture to the next level. We aim to utilize the unique partnership model with the government and the strong ESDM partners already available in the state to bring in more manufacturing to the country." NOTE TO THE EDITORS: Here are the laptop models and its specifications: Model Specifications Products Highlights CC11B - Intel Celeron N3350 - Yoga - Tab cum Notebook - 11" FHD IPS Display - Touch Screen - 4GB DDR4 - Sleek - 64GB eMMC - Metallic Casing - Windows 10 - Trendy - Type C - Long Battery Back-up (up to 8 hrs) - Designed for frequent travelers CC11A - Intel Celeron N4000 - Slim - 11" HD Display - Lightweight - 2GB DDR3 - Trendy - 64GB eMMC - Long Battery back-up (up to 8 hours) - Windows 10 - Designed for students C314A - Intel i3 7I00U - 14" HD Display - Rigged Model (drop resistant) - 4GB DDR3 - Water/spill resistant - 500 GB HDD - Commanding performance - Windows 10 - Designed for businesses About Coconics: The Coconics story is that of a unique partnership, innovative thinking and of entering a product segment very few in India have found a way into. India's latest OEM/ODM company is a public-private technology partnership backed by the Government of Kerala and its business friendly industrial policy. The four constituents (UST Global, KELTRON, KSIDC, Acceleron) of this Joint Venture company got together with the guidance and support of Intel to manufacture IT products in India under the Make in India initiative. Coconics' state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Monvila on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram has a capacity to manufacture 250,000 laptops in 2019. With a phased localization plan already in place, Coconics will focus on leveraging the Indian ESDM ecosystem to localize critical BOM including the motherboard, battery, adaptors and packaging. This will be in addition to local assembly and testing for its product range. The initial range of products from Coconics is aimed at Government, Enterprise and Education markets with features customized to the Indian users. For more information on Coconics, please email the team at info@coconics.com, or visit http://coconics.com/ Media Contact: Divya Singh divya.singh@ust-global.com +91-8552944004 UST Global [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] CapBridge Offers Investors Access to Private Equity Investments At Smaller Ticket Sizes; Partners Wholesale Investor To Launch "Preferred Access" And Expand Regional Network Individual accredited and expert investors can now invest in private co-investment opportunities led by professional investors at a smaller ticket size CapBridge has partnered Australasia's leading Investment Platform Wholesale Investor to launch "Preferred Access" SINGAPORE, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore-based global private syndication platform, CapBridge Pte Ltd ("CapBridge") announced on Feb. 8 an innovative investment product that will enable individual accredited and expert investors to access private equity investment opportunities at a smaller ticket size. Named "Preferred Access", this investment product is designed for investors looking at investing in unlisted private companies for potential above-market returns. Johnson Chen - Founder and CEO of CapBridge said, "In recent years, we have seen demand from individual accredited investors for private investment opportunities. However, these private equity investments are typically exclusive and only available for investing at a large quantum. With Preferred Access, we want to bring such opportunities to the discerning individual accredited investor, at a ticket size that suit individual allocation preferences." The partnership with Wholesale Investor Pty Ltd ("Wholesale Investor") significantly boosts the global scalability of "Preferred Access", providing instant access to key markets across Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Australia. Steve Torso, Co-founder and Managing Director of Wholesale Investor, said, "Wholesale Investor and CapBridge share the similar goal of creating a simple, efficient and convenient ecosystem that empowers investors, innovators and entrepreneurs alike. We are pleased to partner CapBridge and introduce more private market opportunities to our network." The Wholesale Investor platform has over 21,500 investors in its global network. As launch partner, Wholesale Investor will collaborate with CapBridge on marketing, distribution, and outreach, as well as identify opportunities to further expand the private markets eco-system togeter. More about "Preferred Access" Through CapBridge's "Preferred Access", individual accredited investors are now able to directly discover and access private equity opportunities. The "Preferred Access" product gives investors the ability to invest in multiple private deals at smaller ticket sizes, which has the added effect of diversifying their investment portfolios. Available to accredited investors, all investment opportunities in the "Preferred Access" programme are led by experienced professional investors who are committing their own funds and performing due diligence on the investment. "Preferred Access" participants will be able to view all available investment deals on the CapBridge platform. These deals have been negotiated and invested in by professional investors. Participants can select the opportunity in which they wish to co-invest and pledge their desired investment amount. When the target interest amount as set by the company raising capital is achieved, the investment in the company will be executed. Investors receive returns directly upon a liquidity event such as an Initial Public Offering ("IPO"). Private companies can also use the "Preferred Access" programme as part of their capital raising exercise. With the CapBridge platform, growth companies can access global private capital in an intelligent and cost-efficient manner, while remaining privately-held. One of the first few companies to participate in the "Preferred Access" programme is a highly innovative healthcare equipment company based in the US. About CapBridge Pte Ltd CapBridge is a global investment syndication platform for private opportunities. The CapBridge co-investment syndication platform serves mid-to-late stage growth companies and the funds that focus on them. Our co-investment model is built with investors in mind. We first bring opportunities to lead investors, who leverage their specific industry knowledge to conduct due diligence, negotiate value adding investment structures, and manage their portfolio positions to the desired exit. We then open up the same opportunities to co-investors as they leverage on the lead investors' expertise in specific industry fields and diligence work. Co-investors sign with the same terms as the lead investors and realize better risk-adjusted returns and a more likely exit. Companies benefit from working with lead investors who understand their sector well and can directly value-add, as well as broadening the shareholder base with co-investors who can add network connectivity and assist towards a more successful listing further down the road. The co-investment process is conducted electronically on our intelligent platform, which works ceaselessly to match deals with investors and facilitate the deal process. CapBridge has a Capital Markets Services License and is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Singapore Exchange (SGX) is a strategic partner and shareholder. For more information on the CapBridge co-investment platform, visit www.capbridge.sg. CapBridge's associate entity 1exchange ("1X") is a regulated private securities exchange that provides investors with a unique trading platform to buy and sell private securities in a regulated, centralized and transparent manner. 1X has a Recognised Market Operator License and is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, with SGX as a strategic partner and shareholder. For more information on 1X, visit www.1x.exchange About Wholesale Investor Since its inception in 2008, Wholesale Investor has held the idea of connecting Australian and Asian markets, close to its foundations. The platform has grown rapidly in the last 18 months, adding 5000+ professional and high net worth investors to its global and active network of 21,500+ investors since June 2018. The platform is comprised of all corners of the investment ecosystem including: High Net Worth, Professional and Sophisticated investors, Angel Investors, Private Equity, Venture Capital, Funds, Crypto and Blockchain Funds, Family Offices, Institutional Investors and Investment Banks. For more information, visit https://wholesaleinvestor.com.au SOURCE CapBridge Pte Ltd [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 10, 2019] WELBILT 24 HOUR DEADLINE ALERT: Approximately 24 Hours Remain; ClaimsFiler Reminds Investors With Losses in Excess of $100,000 of Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit Against Welbilt, Inc. - WBT ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have only until February 11, 2019 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Welbilt, Inc. (NYSE: WBT). Investor losses must relate to purchases of the Company's shares between February 24, 2017 and November 2, 2018. This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Get Help Welbilt investors should visit us at https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/view-welbilt-inc-securities-litigation or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options. About the Lawsuit On November 5, 2018, Welbilt disclosed a restatement to its YE December 31, 2016 financial statements and likely revision to its December 31, 2015 and 2017 statements citing "errors in the tax basis of a foreign subsidiary and incorrect amortization of the intangible assets held by the same entity" and "certain intercompany transactions [that] were not recorded on a timely basis." On this news, the price of Welbilt's shares plummeted. The case is Schlimm v. Welbilt, Inc et al, 18-cv-3007. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190210005017/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Artichoke lasagna. Photo: Melissa Hom You wont find many new dining rooms in the recent star-crossed annals of New York fine dining (not to mention the annals of that perpetually star-crossed culinary region of the city known as the Upper West Side) as elegant or classically inviting as the one at Leonti. If youre coming in from the blustery cold on a dark winter evening, the ambitious Italian restaurant, which opened several months back in the 77th Street space formerly occupied by the Michelin-starred restaurant Dovetail, can look a little like an executive dining salon in one of the venerable fashion houses in Milan. The foyer is patterned with dark, polished marble. There are tastefully glinting gold chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and plush carpeting covers the floors. The lighting in the room is soft and flattering in that golden, mid-20th-century Mad Men kind of way, and the tables are set with gently flickering candle lamps and covered with white linen. The pedigree of the co-owner and chef Adam Leonti inspires a general sense of confidence and well-being, too, as does his short, focused one-page menu, which is filled with cold-weather northerly Italian specialties like Tuscan white-bean soup, wheels of stuffed rabbit, and helpings of housemade fettuccine folded with spoonfuls of hand-chopped-wild-boar ragu. Leonti is a disciple of one of the countrys great interpreters of the Italian canon, Marc Vetri, for whom he served as chef de cuisine at Vetri Cucina, in Philadelphia, for many years. His road to New York has been a circuitous one, involving lawsuits (he was forced to honor a noncompete agreement that he signed with a hotel restaurant in Williamsburg) and a stint working in Germany, so for fans of upmarket Italian cuisine around the city, this opening has all the trappings of a long-awaited debut. Leonti. Photo: Jemma Hinkly/New York Magazine Certainly the service at Leonti has all the trappings of a fancy theatrical production, complete with wait staff attired in dark jackets and vests (a few here worked at Dovetail), dishes portaged to the table under domed silver warmers, and sets of filigreed silverware and gold-rimmed porcelain plates that are changed after every course. The first thing we tasted was a rich, concentrated spoonful or two of beef brodo served in a cup with a little cherub on top as a warming amuse-bouche. After that came a refined blizzard of antipasti, which are served separately on little silver dishes, instead of all together on a single plate. There were bits of cold lobster en gelee in this swarm of dishes, anchovies laid out on slivers of Parmesan cracker, and tastes of foie gras and chicken liver on toast, although my suggestion would be to get just one order for the table, because at $30 per person, the costs can add up. The relatively extravagant price of dinner is a recurring theme at Leonti, where only two of the early appetizer and primi dishes cost under $22: a chicory salad and a kale-and-bean-rich ribollita soup. The less-than-transcendent lobster ravioli I ordered one evening cost $38, which translated into a relatively whopping $9.50 per dumpling, a price that includes a scattering of buttery bread crumbs, for the record, and an opulent pool of lobster bisque that was tinged with a barely noticeable touch of coffee. Similar showy flourishes turn up in other pastas like the aforementioned fettuccine, which Leonti and his cooks flavor with hints of cinnamon, and the house lasagna, which is layered with a mash of Roman-style artichokes and plenty of bechamel and decorated with a slice of artichoke on top. Lobster ravioli. Photo: Melissa Hom Salt-baked branzino. Photo: Melissa Hom. Salt-baked branzino. Photo: Melissa Hom. We seem to be in the midst of another rapturous pasta-boom moment in New York, but with a few exceptions (the lasagna, some very good malfatti dumplings molded with Swiss chard), these creations were received by the pasta loons at my table with a tepid smattering of polite applause. The same was true of the entree portion of dinner, which, like many of the appetizers, didnt seem to quite add up to the sum of its glittering (and, yes, not inexpensive) parts. These included a piece of slightly tough turbot drowned in a savory zabaglione, a serving of $55 squab dressed with a strangely bitter pomegranate sauce, and a decorative savory pastry stuffed with a bland mix of pasta and what appeared to be Grandmas leftover meatballs. The tempura-light fried chicken in pastella was my favorite dish by quite a long way (the crumbs in the pastella are sourdough), and if youre in a festive, seafood kind of mood, call for the whole branzino, which is presented, before filleting, in its mummy casing of salt on a long silver tray. Leonti was filled with the usual denizens of the Upper West Side fine-dining bubble on the chilly evenings I dropped in: graybeard psychiatrists dressed in their muted holiday sweaters; dignified matrons sporting glittering, oversize brooches; intense young couples wearing horn-rimmed glasses animatedly discussing the merits of the various RBG movies theyve just binge-watched. As is often the case in this part of town, they seemed grateful just to be in the presence of an ambitious chef and his buzzy new restaurant, and why not? Its not every day that you find focaccia like this in the neighborhood (Leonti is an accomplished baker who mills his own flour) or classic Italian desserts (the generous, boozy tiramisu, the chocolate budino, the smoothly delicious marsala pot), although veteran Italian gourmands, be warned: You wont find much here that you havent seen before, and if you plan to make the long trek uptown, remember to save up your pennies, because dinner doesnt come cheap. Clockwise from top: Antipasti, stuffed rabbit, and chicken in pastella. Photo: Melissa Hom. Clockwise from top: Antipasti, stuffed rabbit, and chicken in pastella. Photo: Melissa Hom. Tiramisu. Photo: Melissa Hom Chocolate budino. Photo: Melissa Hom Leonti | 78 (out of 100)* | Solid 103 W. 77th St., nr. Columbus Ave.; 212-362-3800; leontinyc.com Open: Dinner nightly. Prices: Appetizers, $18 to $30; pasta, $24 to $38; entrees, $30 to $65. Ideal Meal: Ribollita and/or fettuccine with wild-boar ragu, chicken in pastella or salt-baked branzino, tiramisu or chocolate budino. Note: A healthy portion of Dovetails wine cellar survives here (that restaurants owner, Lewis Pell, is a partner in Leonti), but many of the 1,200 bottles will cost you. Scratchpad: Multiple points for the setting, the service, and the best of the menu, with several points deducted for the uneven execution and extravagant prices, adding up to a solid 78. *The rating scale of 0 to 100 reflects our editors appraisals of all the tangible and intangible factors that make a restaurant or bar great or terrible regardless of price. See The Thousand Best for 999 more great places to eat and drink. *This article appears in the January 21, 2019, issue of New York Magazine. Subscribe Now! [February 10, 2019] TENARIS 24 HOUR DEADLINE ALERT: Approximately 24 Hours Remain; ClaimsFiler Reminds Investors with Losses in Excess of $100,000 of Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit against Tenaris S.A. - TS ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have only until February 11, 2019 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Tenaris S.A. (NYSE: TS). Investor losses must relate to purchases of the securities between May 1, 2014 and November 27, 2018. This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Get Help Tenaris investors should visit us at https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/view-tenaris-sa-securities-litigation or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LL are available to discuss your legal options. About the Lawsuit On November 27, 2018, Bloomberg (News - Alert) reported that Tenaris' Chairman and CEO Paolo Rocca was indicted for his role in a widespread bribery scandal in Argentina involving payments made to government officials from 2009 to 2012 to facilitate a $1.9B payment from Venezuela relating to its seizure of a related unit, Sidor, which was transformed into a Venezuelan state-owned enterprise. On this news, the price of Tenaris' shares plummeted. The case is Atanasio v. Tenaris S.A. et al, 18-cv-7059. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190210005016/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Smart Thermostat Market 2018 Global Analysis, Key Findings, Recent Trends, Regional Study, Top Key Players Profiles and Future Prospects Smart Thermostat Market Overview: The Smart Thermostat market is growing swiftly. The retailers working with energy utility system plays a vital role in promoting these systems. The services offered by these products are used in various household activity or are utilized for home management system. Additionally, the proliferation of smartphones and its coverage with thermostats has made these products popular among the end-users. Raising per unit energy cost and necessity of effective energy solutions are expected to propel the market of smart thermostat by the end of the forecasted period. The study indicates that the increasing demand for home automation devices and near field communication is further expected to exhibit the growth of smart thermostat market by 2022. By the usage of these thermostat devices the consumers are benefited in terms of saving money in their electric bills. Moreover, it also supports the various utilities utilized in home automation to meet the energy efficient criteria. Increasing demand of connected devices and various government initiatives for promoting smart homes and smart cities acts as a major driving factors for the growth of the smart thermostat market by the end of the forecasted period. Whereas, the high installation cost and lack of wireless infrastructure are the restraining factors for the Smart Thermostat Market. The advancement in technologies due to various research and developments has provided various new opportunities in the field of smart thermostats market. Whereas, the growing demand of Wifi and its services is expected to dominate the market of smart thermostat by the end of the forecasted period. Recently, the government of New Jersey has passed a law, which encourages all the homeowners to use smart thermostats that allows the user to adjust the heating and cooling of their air-conditioners by the use of a mobile app. The Smart Thermostat Market is growing rapidly over 23.4% of CAGR and is expected to reach at USD ~3.5 Billion by the end of forecast period. Access Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/smart-thermostat-market-2521 Major Key Players: Nest Labs, Inc.(U.S.) Emerson Electric (U.S.) Schneider Electric (France) Honeywell International Inc.(U.S.) Carrier Corporation (U.S.) Tado (Germany) Ingersoll Rand (Ireland) Nortek, Inc. (France) Ecobee (Canada) Control4 Corporation (U.S.) Smart Thermostat Market Regional Analysis: The global Smart Thermostat (BIM) market is estimated to grow at a promising rate in upcoming years. North America has dominated the Smart Thermostat market in 2016 due to increasing demand for energy management solutions and development in wide distribution network in the region. Followed by Europe, which is expected to be growing market in the coming years. Government in Europe has started taking initiatives to reduce energy consumption and support funding improvements for household energy consumption thereby driving the market of smart thermostat in the region. Smart Thermostat Market Competitive Analysis: Smart Thermostat market appears to be competitive in the coming years owning to the presence of numerous large players active in regional market. Nest Labs, Inc., Emerson Electric, Schneider Electric, and Honeywell International Inc. are some of the companies leading the Smart Thermostat market globally. The key strategies traced from the analysis of recent developments of the key players include Product Launch, Agreement & Partnership, Acquisition and expansion. Strategic partnerships between Key players support the growth and expansion plans of the key players during the forecast period. On the product and sales side, companies are investing in innovation/R&D, brand building, and fostering strong relationships with customers to support their competitive position. Access PR Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/press-release/smart-thermostat-industry Industry News: January 2018 Honeywell Technologies announced a partnership with Whirlpool to integrate Honeywell thermostats into Whirlpool smart appliances. This partnership would expected to bring new innovative solutions for the consumer market. November 2017 Siemens Building Technologies division introduced new smart thermostat for residential heating control application. The new smart thermostat can also be controlled via integrated navigation assistant and via mobile phone apps. November 2017 TXU Energy, a leading retail electronic providers in Texas, launched two innovative products for the customers, one to pay bills via Amazon alexa and second one to adjust smart thermostat with according to their need. The TXU iThermostat would help customers to change setting of their smart home anytime and form anywhere. Access More Details @ https://www.openpr.com/news/1095788/Smart-Thermostat-Market-2018-2022-Top-Key-Leaders-Nest-Labs-Inc-Emerson-Electric-Schneider-Electric-Honeywell-International-Inc-Ecobee.html Access More Info @ http://heraldkeeper.com/market/smart-thermostat-market-2018-company-profiles-global-trends-industry-segments-growth-landscape-demand-forecast-2022-188144.html About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions. Contact Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune - 411028 Maharashtra, India +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com As a community-building service, TMCnet allows user submitted content which is not always proofed by TMCnet editors. If you feel this entry is of inferior quality or wish to report it for some reason, please forward the URL to "webedit [AT] tmcnet [DOT] com" with your comments. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Michelle Accardi, President and Chief Revenue Officer of Star2Star Communications, Recognized as 2019 CRN Channel Chief 5 Years In A Row SARASOTA, Fla., Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Star2Star Communications, provider of the Worlds Only Full Spectrum Communications Solution, announced today that CRN , a brand of The Channel Company , has named Michelle Accardi, President and Chief Revenue Officer of Star2Star, to its prestigious list of 2019 Channel Chiefs. The top IT channel leaders included on this list continually strive to drive growth and revenue in their organization through their channel partners. Each of the 2019 Channel Chiefs has demonstrated exceptional leadership, vision, and commitment to their channel partner programs. Channel Chief honorees are selected by CRNs editorial staff as a result of their professional achievements, standing in the industry, dedication to the channel partner community, and strategies for driving future growth and innovation. Michelle Accardi has received this distinction for five consecutive years due to her unwavering dedication to the channel. She has continuously striven for better solutions, processes, and overall improved experiences for partners and customers alike. Over the last year, Michelle led the charge toward a more engaged channel with improvements to quoting and billing tools, enhanced pricing strategies, and more comprehensive training opportunities. She was also at the forefront of introducing Full Spectrum Communications, merging with pan-European company Blueface, and several new products including Star2Star SD-WAN powered by Bigleaf and 4G LTE Failover. The individuals on CRNs 2019 Channel Chiefs list deserve special recognition for their contribution and support in the development of robust partner programs, innovative business strategies, and significant influence to the overall health of the IT channel, said Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company. We applaud each Channel Chiefs remarkable record of accomplishments and look forwrd to following their continued success. I am immensely honored to be named a 2019 Channel Chief, and grateful to my Partners, our Customers, and my Star2Star team, said Michelle, regarding her award. 2018 was a wonderful, exciting year for us as a company, and I am very eager to offer our Partners and Customers even more in the year ahead. We are primed and ready for our best year yet. Working with Michelle has been a wonderful experience since day one, added Alan Foy, CEO of Star2Star Communications and Blueface. She has always been an enthusiastic supporter of our Channel Partners, customers, and the team and her leadership is focused on bringing the most value to Star2Star. I wholeheartedly congratulate her for this achievement; it is well-deserved! The 2019 CRN Channel Chiefs list, including the 50 Most Influential Channel Chiefs, is featured online at www.crn.com/channelchiefs and will appear in the February 2019 issue of CRN. About Star2Star Communications Founded in 2006 in Sarasota, Florida, Star2Star Communications empowers global business success with a Full Spectrum Communications Solution. With options ranging from pure to on-premises cloud, Star2Star offers unparalleled value, reliability, quality, and scalability. Star2Star unifies business communications including voice, video, fax, mobile, chat, and presence management. Merged with Blueface, the leading pan-European UCaaS provider, Star2Star possesses a global influence and customer base. Blueface's proprietary cloud voice platform supports businesses of all sizes, ranging from small-to-medium to large enterprises and strategic wholesale customers. Star2Star's award-winning, patented Constellation Network overcomes the reliability and quality limitations of other communications technologies and enables companies to choose the deployment methodology that aligns best with their needs. For businesses who require high-quality voice, redundant networks for continuity, and ultra-reliable communications, Star2Star's unique cloud architecture with the StarCloud + platform offers the highest guaranteed SLAs in the industry at an affordable price. Businesses with less complexity, who seek the best communications capabilities for their employees and customers, can consider the StarCloud platform the optimal choice. With a customer retention rate of 99.85%, Star2Star has been recognized by a multitude of leading analysts. In the past eight years, Star2Star was named to the Forbes Most Promising Companies list, the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 five times, and the Inc. 500|5000 seven times. The company was also named by IHS as a Top 10 Hosted Business VoIP/UC Provider and has been in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for UCaaS, Worldwide for the last five years. About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelco.com Follow The Channel Company: Twitter , LinkedIn and Facebook Copyright 2019. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved. The Channel Company Contact: Jennifer Hogan The Channel Company jhogan@thechannelco.com Casey OLoughlin coloughlin@star2star.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Investcorp Acquires Controlling Stake in Revature NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Investcorp, a leading global provider and manager of alternative investment products, today announced its acquisition of a controlling stake in Revature, a leading technology talent development company. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Revature, one of the largest employers of university graduates in the US, offers no-cost coding immersion programs that are the first in the industry to address the growing technology skills gap. Revature's unique model provides turn-key talent acquisition services for its Fortune 500 and consulting clients. For customers, Revature recruits, develops and deploys enterprise-ready technology talent that enables these corporates to succeed. For university graduates, Revature provides coding immersion programs that offer pathways to building careers as technology professionals. Software engineers trained by Revature go on to work at leading companies across the globe. The company is based in Reston, Virginia, but serves clients and candidates across the country. Revature has also built academic partnerships with top universities including Arizona State University, the City University of New York, the University of South Florida, the University of Texas at Arlington, George Mason University, and West Virginia University. "Given our expertise in the education as well as IT staffing sectors through our prior investments in the US, we see an incredible partnership opportunity with Revature," said Rishi Kapoor, Co-CEO of Investcorp. "This investment also underscores our continued focus on services driven businesses using innovative approaches and business models to better serve core industry verticals across the US." "Through Revature's mission of empowering the next generation of technology professionals, it has completely redefined the way companies find, train and retain technology talent," said Maud Brown, Managing Director in Private Equity at Investcorp. "With the race for computer science talent continuing to gather pace, we are excited to help Revature accelerate its remarkable growth and further expand its Fortune 500 client base." Revature's CEO Ashwin Bharath will stay on to continue to help oversee the growth and direction of the company as part of the transaction. "For us, there is nothing more important than our mission of creating pathways for university graduates to reach their full potential as technology professionals," said Bharath. "With Investcorp, we're excited and confident that this partnership will enable us to better serve our clients and maximize our growth in the coming years." Ryan Craig, Managing Director of University Ventures, which exited its investment, added, "It has been an honor to support the development and rapid growth of Revature's pioneering Employer-Pay model for Last-Mile Training. By eliminating education friction for candidates and hiring friction for employers, Revature demonstrates the revolutionary potential for frictionless pathways to employment to close America's skills gap." Investcorp has a strong history of investing in the education and information technology staffing industries, through past investments such as Nobel Learning Communities and PRO Unlimited. More broadly, Investcorp's past and present portfolio includes more than 150 investments totaling over $36 billion in transaction value. Jefferies LLC served as exclusive financial advisor to Revature. About Investcorp Investcorp is a leading global manager of alternative investments. Led by a new vision, Investcorp has embarked on an ambitious, albeit prudent, growth strategy. The Firm continues to focus on generating value through a disciplined investment approach in four lines of business: private equity, real estate, absolute return investments and credit management. As at December 31, 2018, the Investcorp Group had US$22.5 billion in total AUM, including assets managed by third party managers and assets subject to a non-discretionary advisory mandate where Investcorp receives fees calculated on the basis of AUM. Since its inception in 1982, Investcorp has made over 185 Private Equity deals in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and North Africa region and Asia, across a range of sectors including retail and consumer products, technology, business services and industrials, and more than 600 commercial and residential real estate investments in the US and Europe, for in excess of US $59 billion in transaction value. Investcorp employs approximately 400 people across its offices in Bahrain, New York, London, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Doha, Mumbai and Singapore. For further information, including our most recent periodic financial statements, which details our assets under management, please refer to: www.investcorp.com www.twitter.com/Investcorp @investcorp www.linkedin.com/company/Investcorp About Revature Revature is a technology talent development company providing a turn-key talent acquisition solution for corporate and government partners and no-cost coding immersion programs for university graduates. Revature recruits, develops and deploys enterprise-ready technology talent, enabling its corporate partners to succeed and grow. Through in-person, online and on-campus coding immersion programs, Revature creates a pathway for university graduates with diverse backgrounds to build the knowledge, skills and abilities to reach their potential as technology professionals. With its unique talent development strategy, Revature successfully serves a wide range of Fortune 500 enterprises, government organizations and top systems integrators. Learn more at https://revature.com. Media Contacts: Investcorp Investcorp Firas El Amine +973 3998 7838 felamine@investcorp.com Prosek Partners Catherine Johnson +1 212 279 3115 cjohnson@prosek.com Revature Ashwin Bharath +1 703 372 0306 ashwin@revature.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/investcorp-acquires-controlling-stake-in-revature-300792894.html SOURCE Investcorp [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] FCA US Quality Engineer Earns 2019 Black Engineer of the Year Gerald Johnson Legacy Award AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Award recognizes "high merit, impact on people and value to the community and society" Three additional FCA US engineers recognized as Modern Day Technology Leaders Awardees join a growing list of diverse Company leaders recognized for their technical achievements, management skill, leadership and community service U.S. Black Engineer & Information Technology magazine awarded its 2019 Black Engineer of the Year (BEYA) Gerald Johnson Legacy Award to Tanya Foutch, Quality Engineering Supervisor, FCA US LLC. Foutch joins a growing list of diverse FCA US leaders recognized over the years for their technical achievements, management skills, leadership and community service. Foutch received her award at the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Engineering Deans Power Breakfast on February 9 in Washington, D.C. This annual awards event is attended by distinguished HBCU engineers, deans and other prominent leaders from industry, academia and the military. The breakfast was part of BEYA's 33rd Global Competitiveness Conference that took place February 7-9. "I am very pleased Tanya received this prestigious award earned through her ongoing commitment to FCA US as an engineering leader and her passion for engaging youth about the promise and career opportunities of the STEM fields," said Mark Champine, Head of Quality - North America, FCA North America. "Tanya's commitment to the Company and to her community are an inspiration to her colleagues and to me personally." Foutch was named Resident Engineering Supervisor at FCA US transmission plants in Kokomo and Tipton, Indiana, in 2016. In this role, she leads a team focused on identifying quality issues for the Company's current and future portfolio of products. Foutch graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1995 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. She earned a master's degree in business administration in 2000 from Anderson University in Indiana. Fotch is an enthusiastic advocate of STEM education for youth in her community and actively engages and mentors young women interested in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and math. Since 2017, Foutch has been the energy and passion behind a successful annual STEM summer camp for youth in the Kokomo area. "It is a tremendous honor to receive recognition for my accomplishments," Foutch said. "I thank God for blessing me with the gifts, abilities and life lessons that have allowed me to be a help and an encouragement to others. My family, friends and peers have been a vital part of my growth and success. It is my honor and responsibility to share my life lessons with the community and the next generation of women leaders." U.S. Black Engineer & Information Technology magazine also honored Modern Day Technology Leaders at the conference, defined as "bright, high-performing women and men shaping the future of engineering, science, and technology who demonstrate superior technical skills and leadership capability." The following FCA US employees earned recognition from BEYA as Modern Day Technology Leaders for 2019: Mesgana Asmelash - ADAS Verification & Validation Engineer, Product Development (Electrical Engineering) - ADAS Verification & Validation Engineer, Product Development (Electrical Engineering) BranDee Tatum - Maintenance Area Supervisor, Manufacturing (Trenton South Engine Plant) - Maintenance Area Supervisor, Manufacturing (Trenton South Engine Plant) Jasmine Tompkins - Value Optimization Lead, Product Development (Interior) FCA US has a longstanding commitment to recruiting diverse talent and supporting STEM education initiatives for minorities, including supporting organizations such as BEYA, National Society of Black Engineers, Society of Professional Hispanic Engineers and others. The Company also supports various organizations that advance the careers of women in STEM professions, including Michigan Council of Women in Technology, the Society of Woman Engineers and Inforum's AutomotiveNEXT. About U.S. Black Engineer and Information Technology Magazine U.S. Black Engineer and Information Technology magazine provides news and information about black engineers, technologists and entrepreneurs, as well as information on programs such as the Black Engineer of the Year Awards and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The Gerald Johnson Legacy Award is named for the 2014 BEYA Career Achievement in Industry Award winner, Vice President of North America Manufacturing and Labor Relations, General Motors. About FCA US LLC FCA US LLC is a North American automaker based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It designs, manufactures, and sells or distributes vehicles under the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, FIAT and Alfa Romeo brands, as well as the SRT performance designation. The Company also distributes Mopar and Alfa Romeo parts and accessories. FCA US is building upon the historic foundations of Chrysler Corp., established in 1925 by industry visionary Walter P. Chrysler and Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (F.I.A.T.), founded in Italy in 1899 by pioneering entrepreneurs, including Giovanni Agnelli. FCA US is a member of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) family of companies. (NYSE: FCAU/ MTA: FCA). FCA is an international automotive group listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FCAU" and on the Mercato Telematico Azionario under the symbol "FCA." Follow FCA US news and video on: Company blog: blog.fcanorthamerica.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FiatChrysler.NorthAmerica/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/FiatChrysler_NA Twitter: www.twitter.com/FiatChrysler_NA Twitter (Spanish): www.twitter.com/fcausespanol YouTube: www.youtube.com/fcanorthamerica Media website: media.fcanorthamerica.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fca-us-quality-engineer-earns-2019-black-engineer-of-the-year-gerald-johnson-legacy-award-300792119.html SOURCE FCA US LLC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] C&K Strengthens Focus on Business Expansion With Appointment of Industry Veteran as CRO NEWTON, Massachusetts, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- C&K, one of the world's most trusted and popular brands of high-quality electromechanical switches, has appointed Scott Smith as the company's first Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), John Boucher. This new management appointment bolsters C&K during a robust phase of global expansion, as the company plans to broaden its offering and customer base. In his role as CRO, Mr. Smith will spearhead the revenue growth strategy across C&K's sales operations in key markets including automotive, medical, industrial, aerospace, high-end consumer and the Internet of Things (IoT). Based in the company's head office in Newton, Massachusetts, Mr. Smith will lead global sales, marketing, channel and customer success teams to win new business and build on existing accounts. He will direct new promotional and digital marketing activities, combined with efforts to increase revenue through direct sales, and improve indirect sales through C&K's extensive network of manufacturer representatives and channel partners. With over 30 years of experience developing business for leading global companies within the hi-tech electronics manufacturing and services sectors, Mr. Smith joins C&K having served as Chief Executive Officer of Beyonics International Pte Ltd., a precision engineering and manufacturing company headquarered in Singapore. Mr. Smith has held several executive positions, including Chief Commercial Officer at Moduslink Global Solutions, headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. Prior to this, he held the post of Managing Director for European Operations and Global SVP of Sales for Celestica Corporation, a $7bn electronics manufacturing services (EMS) company. Previously, Mr. Smith also served as President of Lenovo Americas, where he led the transformation of the company following the successful acquisition of the IBM Personal Computing Division. During 22 years at IBM, he held leadership positions in North America, South America, and Asia. "We are delighted to welcome Scott to our company's leadership team to help boost C&K's market share across key segments and deliver further revenue growth," said John Boucher, CEO of C&K. "Drawing from his experience of executing similar programs at category-leading companies, Scott is the ideal candidate to advance our market leadership position." "This is an ideal time to join C&K, given the exceptional service we offer to our customers alongside the scale of the market opportunity and growth potential for the company," said Mr. Smith. "As C&K's high-quality portfolio of products continues to evolve, there are huge growth opportunities worldwide to take advantage of. With a strong global team, our competitive manufacturing in Europe and Asia, and many more innovative products soon to launch, I am very optimistic about being able to drive revenue growth." About C&K Founded in 1928, C&K is one of the world's most trusted brands of high-quality electromechanical switches. The company's unmatched custom design capabilities are recognized globally by design engineers who demand reliable switch performance. C&K offers more than 55,000 standard products and 8.5 million switch combinations to companies that design, manufacture and distribute electronics products. Used in automotive, industrial, IoT, wearables, medical, telecom, consumer products, aerospace and POS terminals, C&K products include tactile, pushbutton, snap-acting, toggle, rocker, detect, DIP, keyswitch, navigation, rotary, slide, switchlock, thumbwheel, smart card readers, high-rel connectors and custom assemblies. C&K is headquartered in Newton, Mass. with global design centers in Newton Mass., Dole France and Huizhou China. For more information, please visit www.ckswitches.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ck-strengthens-focus-on-business-expansion-with-appointment-of-industry-veteran-as-cro-300793028.html SOURCE C&K [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Canada Invests in Sault Ste. Marie's Electric Grid to Lower Costs for Homes and Businesses SAULT STE. MARIE, ON, Feb. 11, 2019 /CNW/ - Canada is investing to make our infrastructure smarter. Increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the electricity network through the use of new and smart grid technology creates jobs and helps build the green economy. Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, on behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, today announced an $11.8-million investment for PUC Distribution Inc.'s smart grid project in Sault Ste. Marie. This project will create 140 good, middle-class jobs and lower the cost of generating and distributing power to customers. PUC Distribution Inc., the local power distribution utility, has formed a private-public financing partnership that will use federal funding to improve the Sault Ste. Marie electric network system. Smarter electric networks mean lower electricity costs for Canadian homes and businesses. Customers will benefit from better reliability, efficiency and resiliency of their local electric network, at no increased cost. Further, this project will help utilities broaden their service offerings to clients, reduce outages and provide more information to enable customers to make smarter electricity use choices. Improvements in network quality will also produce new economic opportunities for the city, as it could attract the interest of a range of industries associated with Canada's clean energy sector. This includes manufacturing, e-commerce, telecommunications services and data centres. This project supports the greater use of clean power by improving the community's electric network in rder to accommodate new energy sources, including rooftop solar. This will allow more Canadians to produce their own clean power and reduce pollution. Funding for the project comes from the Smart Grid Program, which is part of the Government of Canada's more than $180-billion Investing in Canada infrastructure plan. This project reflects what we heard through Generation Energy, the largest conversation about energy in our history. Canadians were clear about the need for a thriving, low-carbon economy. The Generation Energy Council outlined four key pillars to Canada's energy future, one of which was switching to clean power. Quotes "This smart grid project offers a glimpse into our clean energy future and represents a new wave of economic activity for the region. Along with job creation, new industries will be attracted to a modern grid, all while helping the environment." Terry Sheehan Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie "This is an innovative project that makes Sault Ste. Marie a leader. We will be the first city in our country to implement a community-wide smart grid, and I thank the Government of Canada for its support. Once it is complete, the smart grid will make our energy infrastructure more reliable, reduce energy loss and lead to a more innovative economy for our community." Christian Provenzano Mayor of Sault Ste. Marie "I would like to thank our partners in the federal government for this sizable investment. As a community-focused utility, we are always looking for innovative ways to help our customers save money and reduce their carbon footprint. The investment this government has made in our community will not only help modernize our city's electrical distribution system once the project is complete, Sault Ste. Marie will have access to an electricity grid that can handle the growing demands of a city in the 21st century." Rob Brewer President and CEO, PUC Distribution Quick Facts Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes and Canada's rural and northern communities. Associated Links: Smart Grid Program Investing in Canada: Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure Plan Investing in Canada Plan Project Map Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan (http://twitter.com/nrcan) SOURCE Natural Resources Canada [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] Canada Announces Expanded Public EV Network in British Columbia VICTORIA, Feb. 11, 2019 /CNW/ - Electric and alternative fuel vehicles play a key role in reducing pollution. As Canadians continue to make greener choices, the Government of Canada is delivering more options for them to drive where they need to go while reducing pollution. The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada, on behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, today announced a $1.15-million investment to build 23 electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers across B.C. The stations are being deployed by British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority, with partial funding from Natural Resources Canada's Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Deployment Initiative (EVAFIDI). The Government of British Columbia is also contributing $575,000 toward the fast chargers through its Clean Energy Vehicle Public Fast Charging Program. The funding is part of the Government's $182.5-million investment to develop a coast-to-coast fast-charging network for EVs and establish natural gas stations along key freight corridors and hydrogen stations in metropolitan centres. This investment will also ensure CanadaU.S. alignment of standards for low-carbon vehicles and refuelling infrastructure. The EVAFIDI program is part of the Government of Canada's $180+ billion Investing in Canada infrastructure plan. Through Canada's national energy dialogue, Generation Energy, Canadians made it clear electric vehicles are a necessity for Canada's low-carbon future. The Government of Canada continues to support green infrastructure projects that will create good jobs, advance Canada' green future and help us reach our domestic and international climate targets. Quick Facts Through the Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Deployment Initiative, the Government of Canada is investing $96.4 million to support the establishment of a coast-to-coast charging network for electric vehicles, natural gas stations along key freight corridors and stations for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles in metropolitan centres. The Government is also investing $76.1 million to support the demonstration of next-generation charging technologies and $10 million for the development of binational ( Canada and the United States ) codes and standards for low-carbon vehicles and infrastructure. is investing to support the establishment of a coast-to-coast charging network for electric vehicles, natural gas stations along key freight corridors and stations for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles in metropolitan centres. The Government is also investing to support the demonstration of next-generation charging technologies and for the development of binational ( and ) codes and standards for low-carbon vehicles and infrastructure. Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes and Canada's rural and northern communities. Quotes "Investments in green infrastructure will make our communities more accessible and healthier for everyone. By making it easier for British Columbians to switch to an electric vehicle, more Canadians can be part of the solution to take action against climate change. More electric vehicles travelling on our streets and highways reduce pollution and create good, middle-class jobs." Catherine McKenna Minister of Environment and Climate Change "To make it easier for British Columbians interested in driving an electric vehicle, we're expanding our fast-charging station network across the province. Electric vehicles are a great option for those looking to reduce their driving costs and their impact on the environment because BC Hydro generates 98 percent clean electricity." Keith Anderson, VP of Customer Service, BC Hydro "Through our CleanBC plan, we're building a better British Columbia one with a low-carbon economy that creates opportunities for everyone. British Columbians have told us they want to make the switch to cleaner transportation alternatives. We are moving forward on infrastructure improvements such as electric vehicle fast chargers, as well as making clean energy vehicles more affordable to more people in our province." George Heyman B.C. Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy Related Links EVAFIDI Successful Applicants Go Green With Electric Vehicles Electric Charging and Alternative Fuelling Stations Locator Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Demonstrations Investing in Canada Plan Project Map Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan (http://twitter.com/nrcan) NRCan's news releases and backgrounders are available at www.news.gc.ca. SOURCE Natural Resources Canada [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 11, 2019] California DWC Offers Statewide Access of ReedGroup's Evidence-Based Guidelines to Providers Who Care For Injured Workers ReedGroup, a leading publisher of evidence-based medical treatment guidelines and formularies, announced that its practice guidelines from the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) are now available complimentary to providers who handle California workers' compensation cases. California's Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Workers' Compensation, secured a state-wide license of ReedGroup's ACOEM guidelines which are incorporated into the State's Medical Treatment Utilization Schedule (MTUS). The MTUS is the primary source of guidance for physicians treating workers' compensation patients, helping to ensure patient care is safe, effective and medically-sound. The recommendations found in MTUS provide a pathway for the most effective diagnostic interventions and treatment for work-related conditions. As part of the agreement, ReedGroup developed a custom version of its industry-leading MDGuidelines website, MDGuidelines: CA (News - Alert) MTUS-ACOEM Edition, that allows providers in California easy access to the latest evidence-based medical and drug guidance. "ReedGroup is pleased to offer our ACOEM content and tools to providers who treat California workers' compensation cases," said Joe Guerriero, Senior Vice President of MDGuidelines at ReedGroup. "California is revolutionizing the use of evidence-based medicine by making these guidelines fully accessible at no cost to providers across the state. This directly benefits California's population of injured workers who will have access to higher quality care that is backed by scientific rigor." The MDGuidelines: CA MTUS-ACOEM Edition website provides a full set of benefits to providers who care for injured workers: Improves Health Outcomes by empowering providers with easily accessible content and tools that support evidence-based medical treatment. Ensures Safety and Compliance by enabling physician adherence to MTUS and ACOEM guidelines that are scientifically-based. Improves Patient Satisfaction by allowing providers to share diagnosis and treatment information with patients, helping patients take a more active role in their return to health. Controls Costs by encouraging provision of high quality care tha improves recovery and return to work, thereby reducing treatment disputes that cause administrative costs within the workers' compensation system. MDGuidelines: CA MTUS-ACOEM Edition website at www.mdguidelines.com/MTUS . About ReedGroup ReedGroup, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, is a leading leave of absence management organization providing outsourcing, software and compliance services to nearly half of the Fortune 100 companies. With 2,000 employees, ReedGroup has operations across the United States, Canada, and India. To learn more follow ReedGroup on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. You can also subscribe to blogs, compliance webinars and events. ReedGroup's product, MDGuidelines, is the industry's leading solution for total health management and workplace productivity. MDGuidelines features the world's most trusted disability duration tables, predictive modeling, analytic services, drug formulary, and evidence-based practice guidelines from ACOEM. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005153/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Andrew "Andy" J. Martin, 78, of Gastonia, NC formerly of Fairmont, passed away peacefully in the presence of his family on Tuesday, June 15, 2021. He was born on May 14, 1943 in Fairmont son of the late John and Mary Coughlin Martin. He is survived by his children: Vickie Lynn (John Raymond) Gil de Ferran is not confirming that Fernando Alonso will test for McLaren in the forthcoming Barcelona tests. In the past hours, the recently retired-from-F1 Spaniard has been spotted at McLaren's Woking factory. It invigorated speculation Alonso may test the British team's 2019 car next week, following an invitation by McLaren boss Zak Brown. When asked if Alonso will test, sporting boss de Ferran answered: "We don't know yet, we'll see." But he said that Alonso's recent Daytona win only underscored his talent. "I have always said that for me Fernando is one of the best drivers in history," the Brazilian told Spain's AS newspaper. De Ferran also cleared up some uncertainty about his ongoing McLaren role, as it has emerged that he will also be CEO of the new offroad series Extreme E. "I will not have a day to day role in Extreme E, but obviously I would love to see that it is successful," he said. "I support Alejandro (Agag) and his team with the best of my abilities." And whether Alonso is in Barcelona or not, de Ferran said McLaren's goal is to improve compared to 2018. "Obviously, to know how competitive the car is going to be with the new rules, we have to wait and see it in the Barcelona tests," he said. ALBANY - Residents of Richmond, Virginia, we feel your pain. These disorienting early phases of distress you are experiencing - shock, anger and despondency - while hurtling through a still-unfolding maelstrom of political scandal in Virginia are familiar to us in Albany. After all, we live in the capital of the "most dysfunctional state government in the nation," as commentators dubbed us, and the label stuck. It stung. At least at first. But you, like us, will come through your dark night of the soul and learn to develop a thick scab over the wound. You will summon the courage to rip the bandage off quickly, put these fresh political scandals behind you and, eventually, rise above your political rogues. Take comfort that there are more scandalous examples of political chicanery in Albany's past than the shameful racist specter raised by Gov. Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring wearing blackface as young men and the sexual assault allegation against Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax; all are Democrats. For instance, disgraced former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, better known as Client 9, had resigned in 2008 after it was revealed that the Democrat paid for the services of a high-price prostitution ring. Spitzer was replaced by Democrat David Paterson, and on his first full day as governor, Paterson held a bizarre news conference to acknowledge that he had several extramarital affairs, including one with a state employee. His wife, Michelle Paige Paterson, chimed in at the presser that she, too, had been unfaithful. Our heads were spinning, which was akin to the sense of vertigo you surely felt when former GOP Gov. Robert McDonnell - whose sordid corruption scandal also engulfed his soon-to-be-ex-wife Maureen - hit new levels of sleaze. Oh, but wait. We can go lower. Last year, former State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Democrat who was one of New York state's most powerful politicians, was sentenced to seven years in prison after a jury found him guilty in a retrial of taking nearly $4 million in a kickback scheme that exposed Albany's pay-to-play culture. Former Republican state Senate majority leader Dean Skelos was convicted on bribery and extortion charges brought in 2015. Joseph Percoco, a former top aide to Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was found guilty last year of taking more than $300,000 in bribes from executives of two companies with state business. In fact, your nadir can lead to a path of better governance. We'd recommend finding a crusader such as former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who helped scrape away the ethical rot in state government with a litany of corruption charges against New York state officials who epitomized what he called the "rancid culture" of Albany. Take heart, Richmonders: Time heals all wounds, and years from now you may turn a pessimistic view of politics into economic opportunity. That's the ultimate karmic payback for elected officials who so sadly forfeited the public trust. We make the most of Albany's only major league sport: politics. We invite tourists to see where Democrat William "Boss" Tweed and his Tammany Hall cronies openly passed bags of cash to bribe legislators in the late 1800s and where a young Democratic reformer named Theodore Roosevelt "rose like a rocket" bent on cleaning up Albany. Roosevelt wrote this in his diary in 1882, as a 23-year-old freshman assemblyman newly arrived in Albany: "A number of Republicans, including most of their leaders, are bad enough, but over half the Democrats, including almost all the City Irish, are vicious, stupid-looking scoundrels with apparently not a redeeming trait." Perhaps Richmond entrepreneurs will band together to try to establish a Museum of Political Corruption in your capital city, as a group of political junkies in Albany have spent the past several years doing. They are motivated by a description by John Gunther in his 1947 book "Inside U.S.A." that described Albany as "a kind of political cloaca maxima, beside which Kansas City seemed almost pure." Feel free to borrow an idea bandied about in the Times Union newsroom: a deck of novelty playing cards featuring Albany's political scoundrels. Between 2000 and 2015, 28 state legislators left office due to criminal or ethical issues, and several more in the past four years have left under clouds of scandal ranging from allegations of sexual harassment to bribery. Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist William Kennedy, an Albany native, subtitled his history of the city, "O Albany!" thus: "Improbable City of Political Wizards, Fearless Ethnics, Spectacular Aristocrats, Splendid Nobodies, and Underrated Scoundrels." That might be an apropos subtitle for a history of Richmond as well. We tend to think our political scandals are unique. They are not. Finally, dear Virginians, we are happy to loan you our state motto: Excelsior. It means "ever upward." We say it with a heavy dose of irony. You will learn to do so, too. - - - Grondahl is the director of the New York State Writers Institute at the University at Albany and the author of political biographies of Theodore Roosevelt and Albany Mayor Erastus Corning 2nd. Employers are seeking people from various occupational backgrounds on Glassdoor's 23 companies 'hiring like crazy' for February. At least nine of those companies are looking to hire in north, east and central Texas. COHOES Assemblyman John T. McDonald III said he has obtained a $500,000 state grant to help an organization buy the closed Cohoes Community Center and reopen it to serve city residents. McDonald, D-Cohoes, said in a posting on his Times Union blog Sunday that there were "a few interested parties," but that "the due diligence is important and that has been underway the last two months. I am hopeful we will find a new owner. The Cohoes Community Center at 22-40 Remsen St. closed abruptly in late October 2018, just before the public learned it was carrying a debt of more than $450,000 and could not meet operating expenses. Stunned parents escorted toddlers from the community center when it closed after a half-century of providing services, including a popular daycare program. McDonald said that plans for the Cohoes City School District to take over the building were deemed to be too expensive when it was discovered it would take $5 million to upgrade the facilities to meet educational standards. The assemblyman said that he has spoken to Mayor Shawn Morse and the Common Council about the city playing a role. McDonald wrote that "there have been several meetings with the CCC board and interested parties all focused on the same goal to reopen and to settle any outstanding debts or issues." With the state grant, a municipal entity could take over the building (and) they could use some of the funds to help with the CCC financial cleanup and use the cushion to further reorganize the finances and start anew, McDonald said. McDonald said he is attempting to obtain more state funding. The Albany County District Attorney's Office said they would investigate the situation surrounding the CCC's financial issues. Monday, a spokeswoman said there were no updates to report. New York As Democrats in New York last month celebrated Gov. Andrew Cuomo's signing of a law expanding abortion rights in the state, anti-abortion campaigners predicted it would eliminate criminal penalties for violence that ends women's pregnancies. The debate resurfaced over the weekend after Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown cited the Reproductive Health Act as the reason for dropping an abortion charge against a man who police say fatally stabbed his former girlfriend when she was 14 weeks pregnant. The man, Anthony Hobson, 48, was arrested and charged Friday with second-degree murder for the Feb. 3 attack on Jennifer Irigoyen, 35. Meris Campbell, a spokeswoman for the district attorney, said prosecutors dropped a second-degree abortion charge after learning that the Reproductive Health Act, which was signed Jan. 22, had stripped the crime from the state penal code. The New York Post's article about the decision roused many who are against abortion. "Thanks to the #RHA, it's open season on pregnant women in New York," Dennis Poust, a spokesman for the New York State Catholic Conference, wrote on Twitter. But supporters of the law, which decriminalizes abortion and places it in public health codes with other medical procedures, say such fear is driven by misinformation. The debate reflected a mostly partisan divide over abortion, which may be a key issue in the 2020 election. In a joint editorial published Friday in the Times Union, state Sens. Liz Krueger, D-Manhattan, the law's chief sponsor in the upper chamber, and Anna Kaplan, D-Long Island, wrote that physical attacks that end pregnancies can be prosecuted as first-degree assault, which carries a prison sentence of up to 25 years, "far more than the previous sentence for 'unlawful abortion.'" "Furthermore, judges have discretion to increase the penalty in cases where the crime was particularly violent," the editorial states. "The RHA does not prevent appropriate charging and sentencing of violent perpetrators." Daniel R. Alonso, the former chief assistant prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, said Sunday that charging Hobson with abortion would not have affected his potential sentence for murder, which supersedes an assault charge. "The basic thing is, because the killing of the fetus is the same act as the killing of the mother, even though they were separate charges under the old law, you couldn't get more than 25 to life," he said. (TNS) After amendments were made on Wednesday to a bill that would provide infrastructure funding to non-oil-producing governments in eastern North Dakota, city officials from Grand Forks say one update will limit the positive impact such funding could have locally.Changes made to House Bill 1066, so-dubbed the "Prairie Dog bill" by legislators, include a provision to prohibit local governments from using the proposal's funding for the installation of fiber-optic infrastructure.Blake Crosby, executive director of the North Dakota League of Cities, said during a conference call with cities on Friday he didn't know who made that change.If it was an industry request Internet and cable companies offer fiber-optic services to consumers across North Dakota City Administrator Todd Feland said on Friday Grand Forks is not trying to steal anyone's customers."It's really just connecting our systems, whether they're public works or safety," Feland said. "We're not using it as a competitive fiber-optic system. ... Really, it's more of an internal way for us to better wire our systems together and communicate among all the different assets that we have."Feland said more than a majority of the city's facilities are connected via fiber-optic infrastructure by now, although the city has not completely transitioned all of its communication infrastructure yet."What we've found is with fiber-optic, it's just more reliable and faster and [there's] less downtime" compared to wireless service, Feland said.The city currently funds fiber-optic projects depending on the facilities they connect."If it was relating to street signals, it would be our street infrastructure funds," Feland said. "If it would be water-related facilities, it would be water fund, so it depends on what we were hooking up."The city of Grand Forks and other cities the League represents have spent the session lauding the positive impact HB 1066 would on essential infrastructure needs across the eastern side of the state.With Grand Forks using more fiber-optic services than ever, Feland said the bill will have less of a positive local impact if it excludes that category of infrastructure.The bill was still sitting in the House Appropriations Committee on Friday, where it was referred after the amendments were adopted on Wednesday."I do not anticipate the bill being passed over to the Senate until just one or two days before the crossover," Crosby told the cities, referring to the time period when the House sends all of its approved bills to the Senate for approval and vice versa. Richmond, Va. Virginia lawmakers on Monday will reluctantly face the unprecedented prospect of impeaching the state's second most powerful leader as they struggle to address revelations of past racist behavior and allegations of sexual assault roiling its highest levels of office. At least one lawmaker said he will try to pursue impeachment of Democratic Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax after two women accused Fairfax of sexual assault in the 2000s, a move that experts believe would be a first in Virginia. Fairfax has vehemently denied the claims and called for authorities, including the FBI, to investigate. There's little sign of broad appetite for impeachment, with lawmakers set to finish this year's session by the month's end. But the Legislature is swirling with questions about lines of succession and the political fallout for Democrats should the governor, lieutenant governor or attorney general leave office, willingly or not. Gov. Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring, both Democrats, are embroiled in their own scandal after acknowledging they wore blackface in the 1980s. Northam, a pediatric neurologist, said Sunday that he considered resigning but that he's "not going anywhere" because the state "needs someone that can heal" it. Northam said on CBS' "Face the Nation" that it's been a difficult week since a racist photo in his 1984 medical school yearbook surfaced, showing a person wearing blackface next to another person in a Ku Klux Klan hood and robe. "Virginia needs someone that can heal. There's no better person to do that than a doctor," Northam said. "Virginia also needs someone who is strong, who has empathy, who has courage and who has a moral compass. And that's why I'm not going anywhere." Democratic Del. Patrick Hope said he wants to introduce articles of impeachment Monday against Fairfax, who is black. Meredith Watson and Vanessa Tyson have accused him of sexual assault and offered to testify at any impeachment hearing. Asked Sunday for his opinion on his subordinates, Northam told CBS that it's up to them to decide whether they want to stay in office. He said he supports Fairfax's call for an investigation into the sexual assault allegations. Of Herring, he said that "just like me, he has grown." ALBANY - The hunt for the suspected killer of a Vermont woman is being renewed with the U.S. marshals asking the public to be on the lookout for the man whose car was found in Albany last year. Leroy Headley is wanted for the killing of his longtime partner, Anako "Anette" Lumumba, Lumumba, who had two children with Headley, died on May 3. The marshals on Monday shared a wanted poster for Headley that was prepared for billboards. The Burlington Free Press reports that Lumumba was killed in the apartment she and Headley shared in South Burlington. Headley is also accused of having sexual contact with a minor. Headley's Nissan Pathfinder was found on May 18 on Sherman Street in Albany. The Free Press said local police held off on releasing information about the discovery in the hope they could find Headley in Albany. He has no known connection to the Albany. The marshals say Headley's whereabouts are unknown. Headley has ties to the U.S., Jamaica and Canada, the marshals said. Federal authorities said they believe he is living under a fake name and may have befriended people under that alias. Marshals said Headley might have shaved his head to made other changes to alter his appearance. He should be considered armed and dangerous, authorities said. For further information please contact the marshal at (202) 307-9100. Tip information may also be called in to the U.S. Marshals at 1-877-Wanted-2 (1-877-926-8332) or email usms.wanted@usdoj.gov. The marshals are offering a reward of up tip $5,000 for information that leads to HEADLEY'S arrest. BRIAN KEET JAY, Vt. (AP) Vermont State Police say a skier died of injuries at the Jay Peak Ski Resort after he reportedly lost a ski and struck some trees. Police said 68-year-old Bruce Charron, of West Montreal, Quebec, was injured Sunday afternoon. COLONIE Gov. Andrew Cuomo's favorability rating has fallen to its lowest number since he took office eight years ago down to 43 percent from 51 percent the month before, according to a Siena College Research Institute poll released Monday. "Now, for the first time ever, half of New Yorkers view Andrew Cuomo unfavorably. It's his lowest favorability rating ever and his lowest-ever job performance as governor," said Siena spokesman Steven Greenberg. "And it is a dramatic drop in both ratings from last month." Politically, Cuomo's ratings dropped across the board. Geographically, the most significant drop was downstate, in New York City and the suburbs; upstate, his favorability is traditionally lower. The poll was conducted Feb. 4-7 by calls conducted in English to 778 New York registered voters. It's Cuomo's first ratings test in his third term after he won an easy re-election in November. The poll showed ratings for U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand as well as the state Senate and Assembly also dropped. Richard Azzopardi, Cuomo's spokesman, responded to the poll results in a statement that began by stating, "Siena doesn't always get it right ... color us skeptical." He said that the poll's lower rankings for Cuomo as well as the two senators and both legislative houses "leads us to believe this poll is an outlier and much like the Siena poll three days before the November election doesn't reflect the sentiment of New Yorkers." A 2018 poll before Cuomo's landslide re-election victory suggested the race would be closer than it turned out to be. The poll reported that most New Yorkers are in favor of recent laws passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Cuomo. By an overwhelming margin, New Yorkers say the Child Victims Act will be good for New York. By wide margins, they say the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA), the Dream Act and recently passed election reform and gun control laws will be good for the state. Respondents said the same about the polarizing Reproductive Health Act by a narrower 47 to 32 percent margin. Cuomo's ratings have trended downward monthly since January 2018. His highest favorability rating was eight years ago, in February 2011. Schumer and Gillibrand also experienced drops in ratings this past month. Greenberg explained that just before Schumer became U.S. Senate Minority leader in 2016, he had a 67 percent favorability rating and was the most popular New York politician by far. Even a majority of Republicans viewed him favorably. Now, the tables have turned: 84 percent of Republicans view him unfavorably, while 63 percent of Democrats view him favorably. Gillibrand also saw her favorability rating drop to 44 percent, but that fall was less than those of Schumer or Cuomo. The senator hasn't gained more home state support since she announced she was running for president in January. On national politics, nearly three-quarters of Democrats in New York say their party in Congress should not give President Donald J. Trump the border wall funding he's called for to avoid another government shutdown. More than three-quarters of Republicans think Democrats should provide the funding. Independents are closely divided but lean slightly toward the Republican position. On the question of whether Trump should not declare a national emergency to fund the wall, 83 percent of Democrats said no, in league with 70 percent of independents and even 45 percent of Republicans. "New Yorkers say 'no' to funding a border wall and they scream 'no' to Trump declaring a national emergency to fund the wall," Greenberg said. Warren County Sheriff's Office QUEENSBURY - A 26-year-old Glens Falls man faces a felony charge after, deputies said, he drove away from the scene after a one-car crash on Pine Street. The wreck happened at 3:45 a.m. Friday. Deputies said Kyle W. Elder drove away after the pick-up truck he was driving crashed into a utility pole and a chain-link fence. ALBANY - Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's proposal to lower campaign contribution limits and create a fundraising program with state money has the potential to increase the influence of small-dollar donors and decrease the sway of big contributors, according to a new analysis from the Campaign Finance Institute and the University at Albany. The likelihood of success, though, could hinge on relaxing the threshold for participation in the voluntary system, which would have the state paying $6 to a campaign for every $1 that a candidate raises from private contributors. Researchers found that more than 70 percent of state candidates last year wouldn't qualify for public funding under the governor's plan. "I do believe that a well designed system can get citizens engaged and connect (elected officials) more fully with their constituents, making them less dependent on donors who have an axe to grind," said Michael Malbin, the report's co-author and executive director of the Campaign Finance Institute. The state's match would be limited to the first $175 per contributor. There would also be a cap on the amount of matching funds candidates could access. At the same time, New York's individual contribution limits - which are the highest among states that regulate individual contributors - would drop significantly, with an even steeper decline for candidates participating in the matching program. For the primary and general elections combined, the limit on Assembly candidates in the system would drop 54 percent to $4,000, decrease 55 percent to $8,000 for state Senate candidates and dip at least 76 percent to $12,000 for statewide candidates. The two proposals would have the effect of amplifying the importance of donors contributing up to $175. If contributions were unchanged from the past election cycle, small donors would jump from 10 percent of Assembly candidate funding to 32 percent, and the portion would grow from 5 percent to 24 percent for Senate candidates. But Malbin doesn't expect the number of contributions would remain static, and he said it's possible three times as many contributors could get involved because small donations would carry extra heft. If the threshold was reached, small contributors would make up a plurality of the funding to legislative and gubernatorial candidates. The analysis also found that the proposed changes, if implemented for last year's elections, would have resulted in additional campaign funds for nearly 93 percent of legislative candidates and 72 percent of the statewide candidates. The biggest loser from the system would have been Cuomo, while former Senate Majority Leader John J. Flanagan and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie would have also fared poorly. Because of the adoption of a new law last month restricting contributions from limited liability companies, the report hypothesizes that some of the candidates might end up benefiting from the system. In order to participate in the program, candidates would have to hit a threshold of small-dollar contributors and total fundraising, which the report determined would be too onerous for the majority of candidates. Even with relaxed requirements, they found that many candidates would have to focus more on attracting local contributions to qualify. "The goal must be within reach for the candidates to bother trying. If they do not, the system will have failed," reads the report. "At the same time, the potential risk from setting the threshold too low seems minimal." Reinvent Albany, a good government group, also believes the matching system could be beneficial for New York, but wants the governor's proposal tweaked, including creating an enforcement agency separate from the state Board of Elections to oversee campaign finance. "An independent enforcement entity is critical, and the governor's bill has modified the enforcement entity to ensure it is more customer friendly to candidates," the group wrote. A recurring critique of public matching programs is the price tag, which became a more prescient issue last week when the governor acknowledged an unexpected $2.3 billion revenue shortfall. Annual estimates for the program, including $20.9 million in administrative costs, range from $51.9 million to $59.5 million, depending on an increase of donors. In a proposed $177 billion state budget, Malbin contends the expense isn't too burdensome. While Cuomo has advanced these proposals in past budgets - only to see them stripped out by the Legislature - this is the first year where both legislative leaders have voice support for a matching program in the past. The full report will be released on Monday. David.Lombardo@timesunion.com - 518.454.5427 - @poozer87 ALBANY - Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy and Albany County Sheriff Craig D. Apple Sr. announced their third term re-election campaigns Sunday at the headquarters of a local union. Other county elected officials Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, Colonie Supervisor Paula Mahan and Green Island Mayor Ellen McNulty-Ryan, as well as Congressman Paul Tonko and former Congressman Mike McNulty spoke at the event at Carpenters Local #291. Since 2011, the two Democrats have worked together to fight the opioid epidemic, provide opportunities for youth and seniors, and deliver essential services to residents and businesses. They've both been outspoken about immigration issues. Apple has been vocal about welcoming immigrant detainees being held in Albany County Jail after the facility received more than 300 transferred from the southern U.S. border last summer. In December, McCoy and Apple partnered to use $170,000 from the nearly $5 million they received for housing detainees to hire an attorney to give free legal help. Recently, Apple highlighted the story of Kinimo Ngoran, a Capital City Rescue Mission chef who was arrested and detained by federal immigration authorities in January. Ngoran got a temporary stay of deportation and an approved petition that will allow him to eventually get a green card through his American wife last week. But he's still detained near Buffalo. On Sunday, Apple tweeted at President Donald Trump to bring attention to Ngoran's case, saying the West African immigrant was "being held unjustly." Apple gave his own phone number for the president to contact him directly. COLONIE - A 92-year-old woman rear-ended a Colonie police car stopped at a red light on Sunday, causing only minor injuries, police said. The crash happened at the intersection of Sand Creek Road and Sunset Drive at 12:05 p.m. The police officer in the car, Officer Eric Montijo, complained of neck pain and was treated and released from a local hospital. The 92-year-old Colonie woman who hit his car complained of leg pain. She was taken to Albany Medical Center by Colonie EMS, where she is in stable condition. Both vehicles were damaged and Sand Creek Road was shut down to one lane for about an hour while officers investigated the crash. The incident is still being investigated as a non-criminal event by the Colonie Police Traffic Safety Unit. A Colonie police cruiser was involved in another crash in November. Anna Paquin wants equal screen time for equally bad behavior. While there have been female antiheroes in series like "Homeland" and "Damages," "I could name probably 15 male protagonists that make god-awful, morally ambiguous decisions but are still considered the heroes of their shows," she said. "And you would never go, Oh my God, I can't watch 'Breaking Bad,' he deals meth! Or, Dexter's a serial killer!" Which is not traditionally how women have been portrayed. "It's boring," she added. But her latest character Robyn, an American publicist living in London in Pop TV's "Flack," starting Feb. 21 is anything but. Whip-smart and freakishly controlling, Robyn maintains a tight leash on her celebrity troublemakers while her own life rocks and rolls with drugs, adultery and deceit. "She just happens to have this job where there's two very different sides of the coin," said Paquin, who has had the same publicist since she was 12. "There's the face you present, and then there's the reality of who people actually are inside." Paquin and her husband, Stephen Moyer, who met as the supernatural lovers Sookie and Bill on HBO's "True Blood," have found their sweet spot as collaborators. Together they executive-produced the London-based "Flack," though he was mostly shooting Fox's "The Gifted" in Atlanta. Moyer also directed Paquin who won a best-supporting actress Oscar at 11 for her turn in "The Piano" in his feature debut "The Parting Glass," currently making the festival circuit. In a phone interview from the Venice section of Los Angeles, where the couple live with Charlie and Poppy, their 6-year-old twins, Paquin, 36, spoke about growing up in the industry while keeping her own life out of the public glare. Here are edited excerpts from the conversation. Q: I watched "Flack" with fascination. Does this stuff really happen? I can't wait to grill the publicists I know. A: I 100 percent believe that there are publicists that have to clean up spectacularly horrific messes on behalf of their clients. I am not personally that client. And let's face it if I was, do you really think I'd tell you? Q: I was just about to ask what's the worst thing you've ever done. A: I've been doing this for 27 years. There's not much you can find out about my life that a quick Google search wouldn't tell you. I've spent most of life being kind of not interesting in that tabloidy way. I work, I now have a family, I'm married, I work, I do CrossFit like, yay. My publicist doesn't really have to spin that. I mean, maybe someone could try to make me sound more exciting by creating a scandal for me but I am pretty good without the drama. I like the drama to stay onscreen. Q: What's it like for you and Stephen to work together again after "True Blood?" A: We love working together. It's our happy place. That's how we met, how we found love. There's a shorthand and a trust thing that's just hard to replicate with other people. Q: How was it being directed by him in "The Parting Glass?" A: I had a very small role as far as screen time. I was predominantly producing, and a large amount of my job was putting out the fires before he had to know about them so that he could focus on steering the ship. It was Toronto in the middle of winter and at the time, I want to say Ed Asner who has an enormous role in the film and is mentally sharper than a razor blade and amazing was 87. And it sounds horrible, but also kind of funny: Every day we'd get to the end of the day and go, "Oh my God, we're so relieved we're not the ones who killed Ed Asner." Like, he didn't slip on black ice today. Literally. Q: Let's move on to Martin Scorsese's "The Irishman." That's an impressive cast. A: I have a very tiny part in it I play Robert De Niro's daughter, one of them, and he's the Irishman (the labor union leader and alleged hit man Frank Sheeran). But it is an absolutely extraordinary experience, just getting to be around those great sort of gods of my craft. There's a sequence that takes place at a large celebration that had every single cast member and I mean, like, everybody there that shot for a couple of weeks. You're kind of looking and going, I can't quite believe I got invited to this party. (Laughs) It was amazing. Q: So interacting with De Niro is no big deal, right? A: Yeah, and with Al Pacino (who plays Jimmy Hoffa). It was exactly as cool as it sounds. I'm not going to lie. Q: In 2017, you wrote on Twitter, "I've been in this victim grooming industry since before I hit puberty." Have you seen concrete changes or is it just lip service? A: I think there's a lot of good intentions. I know that HBO and now Showtime voluntarily have employees that they call intimacy coordinators for anyone having any kind of sexual anything. I mean, 71/2 years (of nude sex scenes) on "True Blood" pretty much made me immune. But I'm glad that that's a thing. And I'm really hopeful that we will put in place structures so that some of the things that have happened to a lot of us don't happen to the next generation of young, voiceless, scared people who don't feel like they can speak up for themselves for fear of not just getting fired, but of never being hired ever again. ALBANY After a successful launch last fall that brought together 5,000 authors and readers, the second Albany Book Festival will be held Saturday, Sept. 14, on the uptown campus of the University at Albany. Sponsored by the New York State Writers Institute, which is based at UAlbany, the festival will be an all-day event featuring bestselling authors, panel discussions, book-signing sessions, workshops for aspiring writers and areas dedicated to young-adult and children's books. Plagiarism can cause challenges in all sectors of society, including government organizations. To combat plagiarism in government documents such as grants, reports, reviews and legal documents, government organizations will find iThenticate to be an effective yet easy-to-use tool in their arsenal. A Los Angeles-based personal finance website recently chose to do a story on where best to buy a home in each state and the town of Bethlehem won. GoBankingRates.com released a survey ranking the best city or town for home buyers in each of the 50 states. The website, which partners with MSN Money, CBS News and others to showcase its content, crunched data to reveal that the town is the most affordable in New York, while delivering the largest return on resale. Photos: Bethlehem through the years "Buying in Bethlehem is projected to give you one of the best one-year returns on your money at 9.6 percent," the survey reads. "And if you're younger and looking in the Empire State, you might need alternatives to the Big Apple, one of the worst cities for millennials looking to buy homes." Of course, the two-and-half-hour commute might make buying in Bethlehem over Manhattan untenable. But the website's goal was simply to find the best place not necessarily the most convenient one for the New York City employment market. The website is filled with articles that "rate" or provide lists for experiences. For example, another article that appeared next to the state-ranking story was titled "What You Can Get Around the World for the Price of a California Home." The survey said Bethlehem's median listing price is $299,900, and median home value is $272,100. GoBankingRates named Bennington as the best place to buy a home in Vermont, with a median listing price of just under $170,000. The survey used Zillow and AreaVibes for data focused on five metrics: livability (measuring amenities, employment and education); median home listing price; median home value; home value forecast assessing the return that can be expected on the purchase; and buyer-seller index (scoring whether conditions favor the buyer or seller). Bethlehem's livability score is 63, earned for its schools and library, and access to cultural events and walkability. Town Supervisor David VanLuven's response to the survey results was: "Not news to any of us, but it's nice to be recognized," he wrote the Times Union via email. Graveside services for Amanda Walker Hall will be held Friday June 25, 2021 at 6PM in Laurel Hill Cemetery. Amanda passed away on July 25, 2020 in Roswell. She was the daughter of the late Margaret and Donnie Walker. Amanda was a graduate of Thomasville High School. She is survived by her da 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. (TNS) - After the Camp fire destroyed their home in Paradise, Calif., last November, Anastasia Skinner, 26, her husband and their three young children left their community and moved in with a relative in Nevada. But the schools there didnt offer two of her special-needs children the care they required.So it was welcome news when Skinner, who was pregnant when she fled the fire, heard that officials were allowing residents to move back and live on their fire-scarred properties in temporary dwellings. With the insurance money they collected, Skinner and her husband purchased a used RV for $10,000 and headed back to Paradise.For about a month, they made a home of their small RV. Money was tight, and they spent more on water, propane and gas than what they paid for the monthly mortgage on their now-destroyed house of six years. But, unlike thousands of others, at least the Skinners had a home.Then Paradise and Butte County officials changed their minds.After the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced last month that $1.7 billion in federal aid was in jeopardy if the city and county continued to allow residents to live on blackened and toxic land, officials passed an ordinance that reversed their initial decision to allow people to move back to burn areas. That meant at least 130 people with so-called utility pull permits, which allow for a utility hookup, would be displaced once again.Skinner is one of potentially hundreds of more residents who are uncounted because they do not have such permits.Were in a lot of trouble, Skinner said after hearing the news. Were worried about losing our children at this point. Our family is what we have left. It feels like were losing everything.The Camp fire, which began Nov. 8, destroyed nearly 19,000 structures, killed 85 people and leveled much of Paradise, a sleepy town of 27,000 nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. The fire is the deadliest on record in California.Some argue that displacing residents a second time from their community was entirely preventable and that the decision was the result of poor governance by local, state and federal leaders. Poor communication continues to plague the town, exasperating those who are now being asked to leave.Many residents spent thousands of dollars purchasing RVs and mobile homes so they could return, leaving them short on cash to spend on moving out. The housing shortage caused by the Camp fire also continues to be a major obstacle for some, and many RV parks are full.Nov. 11, three days after the Camp fire broke out, a county public health official issued an advisory warning people that the debris left from the fire may contain high levels of lead, mercury, dioxin, arsenic and other carcinogens or radioactive materials.Skinner said she knows of the risks but, like many others, had no other options. Butte County and Paradise knew it too, but in a state of desperation after the fire, officials decided it would be best to give residents the chance to gain their livelihoods again. It was a decision made with the best of intentions, officials said.In December, Paradise and Butte County each passed ordinances allowing residents to move back to their burned properties. The county required residents to have a 1-acre property and station themselves at least 100 feet away from fire debris. They also had to leave the property if cleaning crews were on site.FEMA and the California Office of Emergency Services were aware of the ordinances and the public health officials advisory. They did not protest or threaten to cut funding at that time, so Butte County and Paradise began issuing utility pull permits, said Casey Hatcher, a spokeswoman for Butte County.Skinner and her husband, Daniel Skinner, who works from home as a county employee, spend the day with their children. Zayde, 7, has autism and gets urges to run suddenly, requiring keen supervision. Zeth, 8, has a brain tumor and ADHD. Their youngest, 2-month-old Zoel, was named after a paramedic that helped Anastasia Skinner evacuate as the wildfire roared through the town.Every morning, Skinner, accompanied by her other three children, drives Zayde to school in Chico. She stops by a water filling machine to fill up four or five gallons of water and purchase propane and gasoline when needed. After breakfast, Skinner and her children spend the day studying, watching movies or visiting a park nearby. In the afternoon, they get ready to pick up Zayde from school.It is a difficult and uncomfortable life compared with what the family enjoyed before. Skinner was an active mother. She was a frequent volunteer and was attentive to the needs of her children.We were self-sufficient, she said. They were well taken care of.In late January, the Paradise City Council was scheduled to discuss amendments to its first ordinance allowing residents back, because some complained that the rules were confusing. An RV wasnt allowed to be within 100 feet of debris on a burned property, but standing homes were OK being 10 feet away.Then FEMA suddenly asked local officials to pull the agenda item.At the time, a FEMA representative was in town. But Jan. 24, FEMA coordinating officer David Samaniego wrote a letter to the California Office of Emergency Services expressing concern about the RVs. It referenced the health advisory issued in November.Butte County and Paradise allowing its residents to re-occupy their property prior to fire debris and hazardous materials being removed is in contrast to Dr. Millers warning, Samaniego wrote. This action may impact the justification for disaster relief and federal reimbursement of those costs.The town of Paradise called an emergency meeting Feb. 4, an emotional 1-hour session that fueled residents disappointment. But it was clear there was nothing to be done.This meeting tore at me and Im still pissed about it by far the most emotional, Councilman Michael Zuccolillo wrote in a Facebook post. I felt as if we had a financial gun to our heads.Local leaders and residents were left to wonder, why didnt FEMA step in sooner and avoid the ensuing crisis?Wheres the FEMA boss? one resident asked during the Feb. 4 meeting. Where is he? Hes not at this meeting.In an interview with the Chico Enterprise-Record, Butte County Supervisor Doug Teeter said a FEMA representative was consulted when the decision was made to let residents return to their properties, and he was fine with it.Its pretty rotten that we worked with one representative, he said, and another comes and changes the action.Ken Higginbotham, spokesman for FEMA, said the agencys job is to simply pay the bill, not act as police for local officials failing to enforce rules.The people that are maneuvering this or administering this program are from the county of Butte and the town of Paradise, he said. We just pick up the tab. But in order to provide federal funding they have to adhere to federal regulation. We are here to protect taxpayer dollars. Your taxpayer dollars.Higginbotham initially cited violations in federal requirements as the reason FEMA officials stepped in. He later conceded that actions taken by federal, local and state officials in good faith possibly went a little too far.But we cant dwell on that, Higginbotham said. There is no one to blame.Since last week, Skinner and her family have searched desperately for a place to go. They have traveled near the Oregon border several times hunting for properties. They have searched all RV parks in the area, most of which they cannot afford. And their 50 pound golden retriever-Labrador therapy dog, Hunny, isnt welcomed everywhere.No matter where they go, Skinner laments, they have to leave the town their family has lived in for six generations.Butte County has distributed a list of housing alternatives and worked with property owners and churches to establish temporary RV parks.FEMA had already been working to find RV parks for Paradise and Magalia residents before the ordinance reversal. The Chico City Council met last week to discuss a proposal that would allow FEMA to sign a one-year lease for the Hegan Lane Business Park.Skinner learned Friday that the owner of a dance studio her daughter attends is lending the lot to displaced RV residents. Shes working to secure a spot there. But theres no guarantee, given the demand.Dejected, Skinner said she blames local officials for letting the disaster happen.They made this situation that was already bad a million times worse, she said, with no solutions.2019 the Los Angeles TimesVisit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This subscription will allow current subscribers of The Tillamook Headlight Herald 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-(503) 842-7535 or email admin@countrymedia.net. This Shocking Industry Set to Become a Massive $400 Billion Market (Ad) It's worth next to nothing today But soon, this burgeoning industry could blossom into a massive $400 billion market. That's the kind of ground floor opportunity that only comes along once in a generation. Discover the company well positioned to capitalize Invesco Dynamic Credit Opportunities Fund is a close-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Invesco Ltd. The fund is co-managed by Invesco Advisers, Inc., Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH, Invesco Asset Management Limited, Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Invesco Hong Kong Limited, Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc., and Invesco Canada Ltd. It invests in the fixed income markets across the globe with a focus on the United States. The fund invests in securities of companies that operate across diversified sectors. It invests in fixed income securities such as senior secured floating rate loans, fixed rate loans, and collateralized debt. The fund employs fundamental analysis with a bottom-up security selection process to create its portfolio. It conducts in-house research to make its investments. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Credit Suisse Leveraged Loan Index. It was formerly known as Invesco Van Kampen Dynamic Credit Opportunities Fund. Invesco Dynamic Credit Opportunities Fund was formed on June 26, 2007 and is domiciled in the United States. Read More Ooma, Inc. creates connected experiences for businesses and consumers in the United States, Canada, and internationally. The company's smart software-as-a-service and unified-communications-as-a-service (UCaaS) platforms serve as a communications hub, which offers cloud-based communications solutions, smart security, and other connected services. Its business and residential solutions deliver PureVoice high-definition voice quality, advanced functionality, and integration with mobile devices; and platform helps to create smart workplace and homes by offering communications, monitoring, security, automation, productivity, and networking infrastructure applications. The company's products and services include Ooma Office, a cloud-based multi-user communications system for small and medium-sized businesses; Ooma Office Pro that offers services, including HD video meetings, call recording, enhanced call blocking, and voicemail transcription; Ooma Connect, which delivers fixed wireless internet connectivity and Ooma Office phone services; Ooma Managed Wi-Fi, a plug-and-play enterprise-grade Wi-Fi solution; and Ooma Enterprise, an UCaaS solution. It also provides Ooma Mobile HD app that allows users to make and receive phone calls and access Ooma features and settings; Ooma Premier, a suite of advanced calling features; Ooma Telo, a home communications solution designed to serve as the primary phone line in the home; Ooma Telo 4G, an Ooma Telo with back-up internet service; and Ooma Telo Air, an Ooma Telo that connects to the internet wirelessly using the home's Wi-Fi network and can be paired with mobile phones to answer incoming mobile calls from any phone in the home. In addition, the company offers Ooma Smart Security, a security and monitoring platform; and Talkatone mobile app. It offers its products through direct sales, distributors, retailers, and resellers, as well as online. Ooma, Inc. was incorporated in 2003 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. Read More The likes of Monzo and Starling Bank have soaked up plenty of attention in the fintech space, but there's a new player that appears to be taking the business banking sector by storm. Tide, which is not technically a bank, recently revealed growth of 10 per cent in January as it gained more than 5,000 new business account members - equivalent to capturing 0.1 per cent of the UK market. The firm now has 60,000 customers and is rapidly approaching the scale of traditional challengers such as TSB and the Co-op which boast 100,000 and 90,000 business current accounts respectively. Tide will soon be operating under a banking licence, it says - presently, it has an e-money licence. Tide is a purely digital banking app which claims to allow customers to open an account in less than five minutes using their mobile phones According to the Department of Business Innovation and Skills, there are a total of 5.7million UK SMEs, which means Tide now has 1.1 per cent of the UK market, after launching operations a little more than two years ago. Now the digital challenger has set an ambitious target to up its market share to between 10 and 16 per cent, bringing its business current account numbers beyond 600,000. It would mark staggering growth for a company which only launched in 2015. It aims to achieve it by securing a slice of the 775million RBS Alternative Remedies Package - a government initiative set up to bolster competition in the business current account market after the state-backed bank scrapped plans to sell off its 300-strong Williams & Glyn branch network. Non-banking institutions can't bid for the grant but Tide has found a workaround by striking a partnership with ClearBank, a clearing bank, which has applied for a 120million grant from the package. Tide would provide the customer facing proposition in the tie-up. Oliver Prill, Tide's chief executive, said: 'Additional funding would mean we can transform the market even more quickly and create a genuine scale alternative to the traditional banks. 'With the infrastructure and customer proposition in place, we can focus the funding on driving awareness of the Tide brand, overcoming switching friction, and creating extremely powerful reasons for customers not to default to the big four Oligopoly that has served them so poorly.' Tide raised over $22million (17million) from venture capitalists and plans to launch another fundraising round later this year. What's the RBS Alternative Remedies Package? The RBS Alternative Remedies Package is a result of the Government bailing out the bank during the 2008 financial crisis. One of the conditions of the support was RBS had to reduce its share of the small and medium enterprise banking market. It is comprised of two funds: the Capability and Innovation Fund and the Incentivised Switching Scheme. Both are managed by Banking Competition Remedies. Challengers banks can pitch for a share of the former to improve their financial products and their capability to compete with RBS. Meanwhile, the Incentivised Switching Scheme will be used to fund incentives to encourage eligible RBS SME customers to switch to other banks. Is Tide any good? Tide is a purely digital banking app which claims to allow customers to open an account in less than five minutes using their mobile phones. It doesn't charge a monthly, weekly or annual fee and boasts integrations with accountancy solution firms Xero and FreeAgent. The app also allows users to automatically tag all income and expenditure with labels of their choice. Tide customers can also get access to up to 150,000 from online lender Iwoca through the account by answering three questions. Oliver says a payroll function and the ability for users with multiple Tide accounts for their different businesses to toggle between the accounts are among a wider suite of features that will be making its way onto the app this year. The company doesn't have a banking licence and is not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme which protects consumers when financial services firms fail. But funds held in a Tide account will soon fall under the FSCS safety net once the firm completes its transition to ClearBank's - which is already a subscriber to the scheme - licence. For now, account balances are kept in a protected 'safeguarding' account - meaning that they can never be loaned out to other customers. Some may be nervy about the lack of FSCS protection. Tide says its e-money licence prevents funds from being loaned out or invested. Like rival digital firm Starling Bank (which has a banking licence), Tide doesn't have any branches but you can open an account through its website or smartphone app. Users can add funds to their account by transferring cash from another - say their personal bank account - or deposit the money at a Post Office or Paypoint. The account charges 20p to send and receive cash from a non-Tide account and 1 for cash withdrawals at ATMs. Cash deposits made at a Post Office and a Paypoint are cost 1 and 3 per cent respectively. In comparison, cash deposits can only be made through a Post Office with Starling's business current account - and it costs 3 for deposits up to 1,000 and 0.3 per for larger sums. But there isn't a charge electronic payments, domestic transfers, or ATM withdrawals. Oliver Prill, Tide's chief executive, says the firm will be adding more features, including a payroll function, to the app this year Starling's account is also free of a monthly, weekly or annual charge and boast integrations with accountancy solution firms. But you can only apply for the account if you're a sole trader or an individual owner of a limited company and have significant control over it. It is also worth considering traditional high street business account. Although many levy a monthly charge, they also offer services that digital players can't provide, like a network of bank branches. Account holders of Metro Bank's business current account are appointed a manager as a key point of contact and are able to go into their local Metro Bank branch to discuss their account seven days a week. The bank doesn't apply a monthly fee if your account balance stays above 5,000 a day. The fee is 5 for balances below 5,000. The best business bank account for you will depend entirely on individual factors such as the way you like to bank and the number of invoices you issue and pay. For a more detailed a read our round-up of some of the different current account in market. Cost-effective plan More work ahead (TNS) As the city of Akron repairs its computer system after last month's cyberattack, some city council members are turning their attention to a more robust if not perfect long-term approach to cyberprotection.Russel Neal, Ward 4 councilman, said the city should consider a cloud-based system in partnership with a company that specializes in cybersecurity. He said such an agreement would enable the city's system to keep up with ever-emerging threats. It would also reduce the risk presented by a ransomware attack."This is only going to continue," Neal said. "Cyberwarfare is a thing of the present and will be in the future."The city responded quickly to the Jan. 22 attack, limiting damage to its servers and system. But the damage was severe enough to knock out public-facing components of the system most notably, online 311 at the end of a dayslong snowstorm for nearly two weeks. The city's response included a direct appeal from Mayor Dan Horrigan to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine for National Guard assistance. The FBI joined the Guard's cyber team and the city in an investigation that will take weeks or months.After an earlier cyberattack on Akron's computer system, Neal was appointed to an ad hoc committee to investigate solutions. At the time, Neal recalls, council was considering how to best get its legislation online. He became convinced that a cloud-based approach was the way to go."The reality of it is 85 percent of cities use ... cloud-based systems to keep their information online," the councilman said. By contracting with a cyber-savvy corporation, Akron and its IT department would gain access to continual improvements in cyberprotection and improve security for its data."They have the wherewithal to keep their systems at par if not ahead of all the different ways people are trying to infiltrate systems," Neal said about cloud-operating behemoths like IBM. He cites the example of Seat Pleasant, Maryland, which contracted with IBM for a cloud-based computer system that includes access to cyberprotection tools unavailable to the city of 4,000 residents before its agreement.John Nicholas, a professor in the University of Akron's computer information systems program, said a cloud-based system like the one Neal envisions could be a viable option for Akron."The biggest benefit is the financial side of it," Nicholas said. "There are multiple approaches, but that one's more cost-effective."The focused expertise, too, would be a benefit the city could not otherwise easily afford, Nicholas said."These companies are at the forefront, and they have the machinery and cutting-edge experts who would be too expensive to hire," Nicholas said.Neal expects Akron's cyber susceptibility will come up in March during discussions of the operating budget. But he hopes the administration will update council at its meeting Monday on remediation efforts and the investigation into the most recent cyberattack. Although public-facing aspects of the system are functioning, internal remediation is ongoing.Ward 8 Councilwoman Marilyn Keith said she expects council to take action when it has the final report on the cyberattack investigation."We are aware now that we get targeted a lot," Keith said. Although she's been satisfied with the cyberprotection efforts of the city, the latest attack was a wake-up call. "What this told us, is we need to up our game," she said. "Up until this point, I have been very satisfied."The online 311 capability of the system is functioning, online bill-paying is back in service and council's email system is working again. City spokeswoman Ellen Lander Nischt said last week that some computers were being replaced and new software tools were being added to the system.Despite the successes, Councilwoman Keith knows there's still plenty of internal work and evaluation to come."There are still computers down and not working," Keith said. "Until we are complete and up and running, we can't do a full diagnosis."When that time comes, she said, council will need to examine new solutions. As threats emerge, the city's approach to cybersecurity will have to evolve, too."As hackers get more sophisticated," Keith said, "we need to get more sophisticated."Keith declined to discuss specifics of what the city will do differently. She said she'll wait for the completed analysis to decide how she thinks the city's cyber approach should change."We'll wait on the report to see what the experts say," she said.Nicholas believes intensified cyberprotection efforts are necessary not only for the city, but all organizations."A lot of these threats are being developed by AI and machine learning," he said. "The next few years are going to be very rough." Apple boss Tim Cook paid an unscheduled call on Frances president Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in October. But only now, four months later, has the true purpose of that meeting become clear. The head of the worlds biggest company which has a market value of more than 700billion was finally willing to resolve a long-standing confrontation between the French government and his Californian digital behemoth over tax avoidance. Tax chat: Apple boss Tim Cook paid an unscheduled call on Frances president Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in October The Paris government has long been an outspoken critic of the failure of Silicon Valley companies to pay their proper share of taxes, and was one of the main supporters of the Brussels efforts to impose a turnover tax on the digital giants. In August 2016 the European Commission alleged that Ireland had granted undue tax benefits of up to 13billion to Apple and said that Ireland must recover the illegal aid. The money is currently in an escrow account and the ruling is being appealed by both Ireland and Apple. To stop the digital giants avoiding tax on income in this way, France has been a major advocate of an EU plan to impose a 3 per cent tax on the turnover of the European operations of the FAANGS: Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google and Spotify. This proposal has, however, met with resistance from low-tax EU countries such as Ireland and Luxembourg. Apple insists it pays all that we owe according to tax laws in the countries where it operates. They have prospered on the back of the tech giants, which use them to maximise their profits. In the meantime, France has been particularly outspoken about the iniquitous behaviour of Apple and co. Cook no doubt met Macron with a view to persuading France to turn down the volume of its complaints about tax avoidance, and to try to slow the EU march towards a tax based on company turnover. The end result was a victory for France, with Apple agreeing to pay back taxes of some 500million (440million) in return for closing the book on a dispute dating back ten years. The tough-minded approach by the French could not be in greater contrast to the velvet glove treatment the FAANGS have received in Britain. Apple, however, says that the tax bill paid to France and that agreed with Britain are not strictly comparable. The tax settlement in the UK covered the years 2011 to 2015, whereas the settlement in France covered the years 2008 to 2017, a spokesman noted. But Silicon Valley was aggressively courted by the Cameron government. Google, among others, was granted open access to Downing Street. The fact is that in their efforts to woo the tech giants to Britain, our own politicians turned a blind eye to tax avoidance. Indeed, the digital giants were so impressed with the Governments forbearance that Facebook decided that former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg was just the person to hire as communications director last year to deflect critics of the companys misuse of data and exploitation of tax loopholes. Apple finally acknowledged it had a back-taxes problem in the UK and entered into negotiations with Her Majestys Revenue and Customs. The companys accounts, published in January 2018, record that HMRC reached a settlement under which Apple UK would pay 81million in unpaid taxes and Apple Europe Ltd 137million. The settlement followed a five-year period when the company handed over just 22.6million in tax to the Exchequer, in spite of making profits of 289.5million. What is particularly galling about Apples low tax burden in the UK is that it comes during a period when HMRC has become far more aggressive in clamping down on tax wrongdoing. Philip Hammonds October 2018 Budget revealed that by taking action against tax avoidance, tax evasion, aggressive tax planning and non-compliance, the Exchequer had secured an astonishing 185billion of revenues which would otherwise have gone unpaid. But it is not just in the UK that Apple has lived a charmed tax life. Before the arrival of Donald Trump in the White House, the US had some of the highest corporation taxes in the Western world, at up to 37 per cent. To avoid paying its fair whack Apple acknowledges that it has held earnings from foreign operations in tax shelters outside the United States. It was only after Trump slashed the corporate tax rate to 21 per cent in his first year in office that Apple announced it would be repatriating up to $200billion from these tax havens. Britain is fearful of coming down too hard on Apple. It employs 6,500 staff here directly, but it is estimated that Apples iOS or iPhone Operating System is responsible overall for as many as 242,000 jobs in the UK, the highest of any European country. Because of its cult-like status among users, Apple is regarded with awe by politicians. And until the European Commission challenged Apple over its Irish tax arrangements, the company looked untouchable. The raids on Apple, led by the EC and France, demonstrate that doggedness and willpower can eventually frighten Silicon Valleys juggernauts into submission. Warning signs posted along shoreline roads in Watch Hill and Misquamicut warn residents of the presence of coyotes. Police and state environmental officials said this week that a multifaceted approach has helped to curb coyote attacks to the point where no documented attacks have been reported in 13 months. Sun file photo Mizoram theology students apprise their state Guv of issues Kottayam (Ker),Feb 11 (PTI): A group of theology students from Mizoram, studying in various Christian seminaries here, Monday visited their state Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan and appraised him of various issues in the home state. The students, B Kohmangaiha, Lalbiakhlira, Vanlalmuanawma and Vanlalliana, had a 30 minute discussion with Rajasekharan at a state run guest house, mainly on the Citizenship Bill issue, infiltration bids and exorbitant flight charges. The students, who would return to Mizoram next month after completing their studies, also said the people of Kerala were very much cooperative, sources in the Governor's office said. Rajasekharan, who is on a week-long visit to Kerala, assured them that he would appraise the union government about their issues. The Mizoram Governor also invited them to visit the Raj Bhavan, his official residence, they added. PTI COR LGK APR APR TRK TRK Jaya probe panel: HC refuses to pass interim orders on Apollo Hospitals' plea Chennai, Feb 11 (PTI) The Madras High Court Monday declined to pass interim orders on a plea by Apollo Hospitals seeking to restrain the Commission of Inquiry from looking into the correctness and adequacy of the medical treatment given to former chief minister J Jayalalithaa before her death in 2016. When the plea came up for hearing before a division bench of justices R Subbiah and Krishnan Ramasamy, the hospital's counsel said they were not challenge the Tamil Nadu-government appointed inquiry commission but only saying it should "not conduct trial". The government has every right to know the circumstances that led to the Jayalalithaa's death, the counsel said. But he opposed the commission headed by Justice Arumughaswamy looking into the adequacy and correctness of the medical treatment provided to Jayalalithaa during her hospitalisation in September-December 2016. The petitioner said the panel does not have such a mandate. The government should clarify if it had a mandate to look into accuracy and correctness of the treatment, he added. He urged the court to direct the commission to not call doctors till orders are passed in this regard by this court. To this, the court said "no". Senior counsel ARL Sundaresan, who appeared for the panel, submitted that the commission at every stage had given opportunity to the hospital's counsel to respond. The bench then directed the commission to file a counter and posted the matter for further hearing on February 15. A counsel for the panel has alleged that Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan conspired with the hospital and "inappropriate treatment" was provided to Jayalalithaa during her hospitalisation in September-December 2016. Both have denied the allegations. Apollo Hospitals too has accused the panel of being biased against it. The Commission was set up in 2017 to "inquire into the circumstances leading to Jayalalithaa's hospitalisation on September 22, 2016 and subsequent treatment provided to the leader till her demise on December 5, 2016." PTI COR SS ABH ABH TRK TRK Irani takes jibe at Rahul, asks how those who "looted poor" can target PM Hyderabad, Feb 11 (PTI) Taking a jibe at Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Union Minister Smriti Irani on Monday sought to know how those who "looted the poor" could criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She also asked how those who indulged in "corruption" and "filled the coffers of Congress" target the "pradhan sevak"?. Irani's comments came in the backdrop of Gandhi's attack on Modi over the Rafale deal. In a veiled reference to Gandhi's brother-in-law Robert Vadra's alleged acquisition of properties in London, she said, "Those who lived amidst the rich and looted the poor for years.. whose brother-in-law purchases assets in London, have the temerity to cast aspersions on the Prime Minister." Irani was addressing a party meeting at Mahabubnagar, in Hindi. The meeting was organised as part of BJP's preparations for the coming Lok Sabha elections. Modi had announced the procurement of a batch of 36 Rafale jets after holding talks with then French president Francois Hollande on April 10, 2015 in Paris. Opposition Congress has accused the Centre of choosing Reliance Defence over state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) as offset partner to benefit the private firm though it did not have any experience in the aerospace sector. PTI SJR ROH ROH New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Two witnesses Monday recorded their statements in a Delhi court in support of a defamation plea by NSA Ajit Doval's son Vivek Doval against 'The Caravan' magazine for an alleged defamatory article and senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh for using that content. Vivek's friend Nikhil Kapur and business partner Amit Sharma recorded their statements in support of the criminal defamation complaint. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal posted the matter for further hearing on February 22. On January 30, Vivek had recorded his statement before the court, saying all the allegations levelled by the magazine and later repeated by Ramesh at a press conference were "baseless" and "false" and damaged his reputation in the eyes of family members and professional colleagues. PTI LLP URD AAR Ben Miller is the associate editor of data and business for Government Technology. His reporting experience includes breaking news, business, community features and technical subjects. He holds a Bachelors degree in journalism from the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno, and lives in Sacramento, Calif. Lucknow, Feb 11 (PTI) In a major relief to the Uttar Pradesh government, a division bench of the Allahabad High Court Monday quashed a single-judge bench order for a CBI probe into the process of appointment of 68,500 assistant basic teachers in the state. Earlier, the division bench passed an interim order on December 11, 2018, staying the single judge order of November 1. Allowing the special appeal filed by the state government against the single judge order, the division bench of Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Manish Mathur of the Lucknow bench observed that there was no material before the single judge to pass the order for a CBI inquiry into the matter. The division bench was of the view that it was improper on the part of the single judge to record finding of corruption without any inquiry into the recruitment process. Arguing for the state government, Advocate General Raghvendra Singh had submitted that there was no aspect of criminality in the appointment process and the single judge committed serious error in recording finding that there was element of corruption. In a major setback to the Yogi Adityanath government in its first major appointments in basic education department in Uttar Pradesh, Justice Irshad Ali had on November 1 directed the CBI to make investigation into the entire process of selection initiated for the recruitment of 68,500 assistant teachers in primary schools. PTI COR SMI SMN New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) The Supreme Court Monday took on record the steps taken by six states -- Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Manipur, Mizoram, West Bengal and Nagaland -- for appointing anti-graft ombudsman, Lokayukta. All the six states apprised a bench headed by the Chief Justice through affidavits about the progress made by them. Nagaland Government, which on October 31 last gave an undertaking before the apex court that it would appoint the state Lokayukta within three months, said former high court judge, Justice Uma Nath Singh has already started functioning as the state's Lokayukta. Taking on record the submission, the bench, also comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna, asked Nagaland Government to inform it within three months about the action taken by the Lokayukta. The apex court, which was hearing a petition filed by BJP leader and lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay for appointment of Lokayukta in every state, granted search committee for Tamil Nadu government three months to complete shortlisting of the persons for appointment of ombudsman. The Odisha government informed the bench that the Lokayukta will take charge in the state on April 8 this year. Odisha Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi was present in the court. Its counsel submitted that the selection process of Lokayukta will be completed by March 31 and it will start functioning from April 8. West Bengal Government told the bench that it has already appointed former high court judge, Justice Ashim Kumar Roy as the Lokayukta of the state. Manipur government sought two months more to complete the exercise of asppointing the ombudsman. Mizoram Government also said it neededa little more time in this regard. The petitioner, through advocate Gopal Sankarnarayan has also sought a direction to states to provide adequate budgetary allocation and essential infrastructure for effective functioning of the Lokayuktas. According to the PIL, the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act 2013 had received presidential assent on January 1, 2014, and came into force from January 16, 2014, but the executive has not established a Lokpal yet. The petitioner has alleged that many state governments were "deliberately weakening" the Lokayukta by not providing adequate infrastructure, sufficient budget and workforce. The apex court has been dealing with the issue of appointment of Lokayuktas or the anti-graft ombudsmen in several states. PTI RKS SA New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Monday sought response of the AAP government on a PIL challenging its launch of bike-ambulance services for east Delhi on a pilot basis. A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao issued notice to the Delhi government and the Centralised Accident and Trauma Services (CATS) and sought their stand on the plea by a lawyer who has contended that the project was not being manned by qualified paramedics. The court directed the Delhi government and CATS to file affidavits indicating the complete details of the scheme which was launched with the aim of providing quick pre-hospital medical aid in congested areas. The petitioner, Satakashi Verma, has contended in her plea that the decision to launch the First Responder Vehicles (FRVs) or bike ambulances was taken without carrying out proper research. Advocate Kamlesh Kumar, appearing for the petitioner, told the court that if trained paramedics are not deployed on the FRVs then the very purpose behind the project, which was launched on February 7, would be defeated. In her petition filed through Kumar, the petitioner has sought that "trained, young and energetic paramedics who have the requisite medical qualification and a valid license to drive a two-wheeler" be deployed to man the FRVs as against the proposal to use the existing cadre of Assistant Ambulance Officers (AAOs). Verma has contended in her plea that the existing cadre of AAOs do not have the requisite qualification that a paramedic ought to have. According to the petition, the FRV scheme of the Delhi government allegedly does not match international parameters and was not going to meet the requirement of patients in distress. Under the proposed scheme, the FRVs are to be operated by trained paramedics who will carry a basic first aid kit, medicines and other requisite items. "It is anticipated that portable oxygen cylinder, glucometer, LED torch, fingertip pulse oximeter, nebulizer, digital blood pressure apparatus, laryngoscope, adult and paediatric ambu bags, masks, bandages, gauze and cotton rolls are among the medical equipment that the bikes will carry. In total the rider would be carrying around 25 to 30 kgs on the ambulance bike," the petition has said adding that it would also be equipped with a GPS device. When the pilot project was launched, the Delhi government in a statement had said that CATS has purchased 16 bikes which are fabricated and medically equipped. It had also said that against the sanctioned funds of Rs 40 lakh, the project was completed in just Rs 23 lakh. PTI HMP RCJ (Eds: Adds details from witness statements ) New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Two witnesses, who gave court statements in support of the defamation complaint filed by NSA Ajit Doval's son Vivek against 'The Caravan' alleged that the published article, and subsequent use of its content by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, resulted in huge unrest among investors of Vivek's firm. Nikhil Kapur, Vivek's friend and his business partner Amit Sharma recorded their statements before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal, who has posted the matter for further hearing on February 22. They said allegations levelled in the article were false, including the one which said that Vivek's business was linked to his elder brother Shaurya Doval. Sharma said there was no financial interest between Vivek's and Shaurya's companies and that the magazine's allegations of Vivek's overseas ventures being linked to that of his elder brother was "absolutely incorrect" and "mala fide". "Even Vivek's brother Shaurya runs his business of investment but there is no financial interest between our companies. The statement by The Caravan that say that 'Vivek Doval's overseas ventures are inexplicably linked to businesses run by his elder brother Shaurya Doval in Asia' is absolutely incorrect and mala fide," Sharma said. The magazine had in its January 16 article written that the "Documents accessed by The Caravan also show that Vivek Dovals overseas ventures are inextricably linked to businesses run by his elder brother, Shaurya Doval, in Asia". Sharma, in his statement said that there was a "huge unrest" among investors after the article was published and that the investors have been insistent that Vivek should step down as they apprehend that he will be a "continued target" due to his family background. "The fund has suffered gravely due to this incident. A number of prospective investors have backed out or have shown reluctance to make investments in the fund. People in London, Singapore and Cayman Islands are closely following the story. "There was a huge unrest among and I was getting repeated calls with investors showing their anguish. Investors even till today are of the view that irrespective of allegations being true or false Vivek should not continue as fund manager. He should step down and somebody else should take charge as they apprehend that he would be a continued target due to his family background in India," said Sharma. He said that ever since the article was published, internet search results on their company shows news of money laundering and such an accusation can have an irreparable damage on their reputation. "Investors carry out a thorough due diligence (Google searches, they check our backgrounds, they check our criminal records and others). So now if a potential investor searches our background, these allegations such as money laundering will show up in our records. I would like to highlight that money laundering in the West or in big financial centres is a very serious crime. Even an accusation of such nature whether true or not causes irreparable damage. Any impression of being involved in illegal activities has disastrous consequences," said Sharma. He also stated that he didn't know about Vivek's father when they both associated as business partners. "I didn't know of Vivek's father when Vivek and I associated as business partners in London in 2013. Vivek made it very clear from the beginning that his father or his family contacts or background will not be used for any business purposes. "In his business dealings he always maintained distance from his family. As far as I am aware, he never had any political ambitions and did not concern himself with professional affairs of his family members," said Sharma, who is one of the co-founders of the fund and heads its research wing. He further said that though he is not mentioned in the article but it was his defamation as well. "It is my defamation as well. So I am Vivek's partner. The fund is implicated. I was the main luncher, co--founder of the fund. My reputation is directly impacted as well by association with fund (co-founder and head of research) with Vivek. I had to answer to service providers, other fellow professionals in London and friends and family" said Sharma Kapur, a Pune-based businessman and Vivek's classmate said in his statement that the article was a "copy paste" job and there was no merit in what was published. "Without doubt, Vivek is not involved in any of the things that has been published, Kapur said. Vivek in his complaint had said that the magazine and Ramesh had attempted to "deliberately malign and defame" him to "settle scores with his father". The Caravan in its January 16 online write-up titled 'The D Companies' had said that Vivek Doval, "runs a hedge fund in the Cayman Islands" which is "an established tax haven" and was "registered merely 13 days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government demonetised all existing Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, in 2016". According to the complaint, Ramesh had held a press conference on January 17 reiterating the "baseless and unfounded facts" as narrated in the article. PTI LLP SA (Eds: Adding details from court proceedings) New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Monday sought a response from controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi, accused in a cheating and corruption case, on CBI's plea to enhance from Rs 2 crore to Rs 6 crore the security amount he has to furnish to travel to the UAE and Pakistan. Justice Chander Shekhar issued a notice to Qureshi seeking his reply on the plea of the probe agency which has contended that the trial court ought to have mandated higher amount as was done by the high court for a co-accused in the case. The CBI argued the lower court order was perverse as it did not take into account the sensitivity of the case and the stringent conditions imposed on the co-accused, Pradeep Koneru, by the high court. The agency's lawyer sought that the matter be heard on February 13 as Qureshi was scheduled to leave the country on the night of February 14-15. The high court allowed the CBI lawyer's oral request and listed the matter for February 13. The judge, however, disapproved of the manner in which the lawyer had repeatedly urged the court for an early date of hearing. "Just because you are counsel for CBI does not mean you will keep arguing. I asked you to stop. You are first an officer of the court and then a lawyer for CBI," the judge said to advocate Sanjeev Bhandari, who appeared for the agency. The high court also said that amount to be furnished as security was a discretion of the lower court and there was "no perversity" in its decision allowing Qureshi to travel abroad. The high court further said that the lower court was "not incompetent" and the CBI ought to have come earlier with its plea. Qureshi, on February 1, was allowed by a trial court to travel to the UAE from February 15-23 for attending the Gulf Food Festival and from March 6-20 to Pakistan to attend his niece's wedding. The trial court had directed Qureshi to furnish an additional security of Rs two crore in the form of bank guarantee and warned that in case of violation of any of the conditions imposed, the amount would be forfeited. He was also asked to surrender his passport within 24 hours of his arrival in the country. While the CBI sought enhancement of the amount, Qureshi moved an application in the trial court to reduce the security to Rs 50 lakh, the agency told the high court during the brief hearing. The ED and the CBI had opposed before the lower court Qureshi's plea to travel abroad on the apprehension that he may not return to face the trial. The CBI had urged the trial court that stringent security conditions be put on him as was done in the case of the co-accused by the high court. Qureshi had sought permission of the trial court to travel to the UAE from February 9-24 to meet buyers and attend the Gulf Food Festival for purposes of promoting and growing his business and to Lahore and Karachi in March to attend a relative's wedding and to permit him to retain his passport between the trips to obtain visa for Pakistan. The court had in 2017 granted him bail in a case in which the ED had alleged that Qureshi was involved in hawala transactions through Delhi-based hawala operators Parvez Ali of Turkman Gate and M/s South Delhi Money Changer (DAMINI) in Greater Kailash-1. The ED has challenged the bail order in the high court which is pending. The CBI had lodged a case against him after the ED and Income Tax department's probe into money laundering allegations against Qureshi, in which ongoing investigations have allegedly revealed involvement of senior public servants. The probe agency had earlier alleged that money has been sent abroad by the accused from one of the witnesses in the investigation through hawala channels in exchange for help provided to him in a CBI case. PTI HMP HMP TIR TIR Ludhiana, Feb 11 (PTI) A 21-year-old woman was allegedly raped by 10 men near Issewal village on the banks of Sidwan canal, about 15 km from here, after the car she was travelling in with her friend was stopped and she was dragged out, police said Monday. The woman was travelling with a man from Ludhiana to Issewal village on Saturday night when their car was stopped in Jagraon by men in three bikes, who were following them, Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Tarun Rattan told reporters. As soon as they stopped, the car was attacked by the men with stones and bricks, he said. The assailants then dragged them out of the car and took them to a vacant spot on the banks of the canal, where they called six to seven more persons and raped the woman, police said. Both the woman and her friend were held there till Sunday, police said. Medical test of the survivor at the Civil Hospital has confirmed the gang rape, officials said. A case under relevant sections of the IPC has been registered and police have launched a hunt to nab the accused. PTI COR CHS VSD SOM SOM Shimla, Feb 11 (PTI) The economic policies of the BJP government are pushing Himachal Pradesh towards bankruptcy, Leader of Opposition (LoP) Mukesh Agnihotri said in the state assembly on Monday. Starting the discussion on the state budget, which was presented in the House on Saturday, Agnihotri said instead of making economic policies to increase the revenue, the government planned to borrow Rs 5,069 in the next financial year, even when there was already a debt of Rs 5,000 in 2018-19. Defending his government, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said borrowing money was a compulsion. "Your (Congress) government also used to take loans. We are also compelled to borrow money but we have borrowed less than your government," he said. Agnihotri in turn accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of not providing adequate funds to the erstwhile Congress government. "The Virbhadra Singh-led Congress government was forced to borrow money as the Centre was not providing adequate funds to it. But now the BJP is in power from the Shimla Corporation to the Centre. Why is the state government borrowing money now?" he asked. "We are scared to think if such economic policies continue, the financial condition of the state will further worsen by the time the tenure of this government ends in 2022," Agnihotri said. The BJP government's policies are pushing the state towards bankruptcy, he added. The LoP alleged that Rawat was concentrating more on his Mandi district. The government has failed to generate jobs and the tourism industry, which is a major contributor to the state economy, has also suffered under the BJP-led dispensation, Agnihotri claimed. PTI DJI DIV DIV New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) A Chinese man was apprehended at the Delhi airport Monday for allegedly carrying gold bars worth Rs 12 lakh in his baggage in violation of rules, officials said. They identified the man as Jian Zhang and said he was intercepted by the CISF personnel at about 3 am at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) when he arrived at the facility to take a flight to Paro in Bhutan. Four gold bars, each weighing 100gm, were recovered from his hand bag and he was handed over to Customs department officials as he could not produce required valid documents for carrying the yellow metal, they said. The estimated value of the gold bars is about Rs 12 lakh, they added. PTI NES DPB New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Two men have been arrested from West Bengal and Jharkhand for allegedly taking out money from bank accounts of several persons in the national capital after obtaining the One Time Passwords or OTPs, officials said Monday. The accused used to initiate transactions, then call the victims and seek the OTPs sent to them by the banks and transfer the money to different e-wallets, they said. The accused have been identified as Binod Kumar Modi (26), a resident of Durgapur in West Bengal and Rikki Kumar (23), a resident of Dumka district in Jharkhand. According to the police, on June 8, 2017, one Jagdish Chander filed a complaint at Kirti Nagar police station in which he stated that Rs 2,42,949 had been withdrawn from his bank account although no transaction was done by him. After investigation, it was revealed that the money was transferred to different e-wallets. When the verification of the addresses of the beneficiaries, who hailed from Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal were conducted, they were found to be fake, a senior police officer said. During investigation, it was also revealed that a part of the cheated amount was transferred through PayTM, which was linked with an account belonging to Binod, who is based at Durgapur, Monika Bhardwaj, Deputy Commissioner of Police (west), said. On February 2, the police arrested Binod from Durgapur. During interrogation, he disclosed that his cousin Ajeet Kumar Modi was the kingpin of the gang and till now they had cheated several people, the officer said. Some of the amount was also transferred to an Ola wallet linked with an account, which was in the name of Rikki Kumar. On February 6, Rikki was arrested from Dumka in Jharkhand, she said. Further investigation revealed that one Ajeet Kumar Modi is the gang leader and Pritam Kumar and Vicky Kumar were his associates. The gang members used to call the bank account holders and ask them for their account details along with the OTPs, Bhardwaj added. The victims were mainly from Delhi and NCR. Binod has seven accounts in different banks, while Rikki has three bank accounts. The Cyber Cell of Rachakonda (Telengana) was also searching Binod, she said. The other accused are still at large and efforts are being made to nab them, police said. PTI NIT TDS TDS SOM SOM Dehradun, Feb 11 (PTI) Opposition Congress in Uttarakhand Monday demanded the dismissal of the Trivendra Singh Rawat government, accusing it of being insensitive to the plight of families which had lost their kin in the hooch tragedy. Claiming that number of deaths due to the hooch tragedy in the state and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh had already climbed to 130, state Congress chief Pritam Singh said those who were behind the tragedy were yet to be brought to books. "Despite such a large number of people killed in both Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh after drinking spurious liquor not a single minister has gone to see the victims or commiserate with their families. It shows the state government's insensitivity," Singh told reporters outside the state Assembly, which saw a walkout by party MLAs over the issue. "This is the biggest ever hooch tragedy in the state after its creation but the government is yet to wake up from its sleep," he added. Earlier, Singh led a protest by opposition MLAs in the Assembly over the issue during the Governor's address, staging a walkout in support of their demand for dismissal of the state government. Leader of Opposition Indira Hridayesh also slammed the state government, saying people will give a fitting reply to the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha polls. PTI ALM SOM SOM Description GIS 11 February, 2019: A new Hydrographic chart of Rodrigues Island and the first one of Le Morne were handed over, on Friday 8 January 2019, to the Minister Mentor, Minister of Defence, Minister for Rodrigues, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, by the High Commissioner of the Republic of India to Mauritius, Mr Tanmaya Lal, during a ceremony held at the New Treasury Building in Port Louis. The Minister of Ocean Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping, Mr Premdut Koonjoo, the Minister of Housing and Lands, Mr Purmanund Jhugroo, the Commanding Officer of Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sarvekshak, Captain Peush Pawsey, and other personalities were also present. In his address, the Minister Mentor highlighted that the event marks the completion of nautical surveys carried out by INS Sarvekshak since December 2018. He expressed gratitude towards the Indian Government for its continued support in the conduct of hydrographic surveys in the Mauritian maritime zone as well as for the assistance extended to set up a Mauritian Hydrographic Unit. Since 2009, recalled Sir Anerood Jugnauth, Indian Navy vessels have also been carrying out surveillance and joint patrolling of the Mauritian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as deterrence to piracy and illegal fishing. The Minister Mentor observed that the last hydrographic survey for Rodrigues was undertaken more than 150 years ago. Hence, he stated, the nautical charts that have been handed over will be of significant importance in charting out the development of Rodrigues. Mauritius, he emphasised, is determined to make of the ocean economy a new pillar of wealth creation, and in this endeavour, hydrographic data will help Government to make the best decisions for the sustainable development of coastal and marine resources. For his part, the Indian High Commissioner underlined that India is proud to be a partner in the efforts of Mauritius to develop hydrographic charts. These charts will ensure safety with regards to maritime navigation in Mauritian waters and the EEZ, he pointed out. According to Mr Lal, during, updated hydrographic surveys are critical for the development of various aspects for the sustainable development of the Mauritian economy. A total of eight navigational charts and 10 electronic charts have been prepared to cover Mauritius and its islands since the start of Indo-Mauritian collaboration in this sector, he indicated. The updated navigational charts will further contribute to the safety of stakeholders navigating in the region, he added. Srinagar, Feb 11 (PTI) The town of Kargil and adjoining areas observed a shutdown Monday to protest against the decision of the Jammu and Kashmir government to set up the permanent headquarters of the newly-created Ladakh division in Leh. "Shops and business establishments are closed, while roads are deserted due to the shutdown called by local leaders in Kargil," officials said. Cutting across party lines, residents of Kargil marched in thousands on Sunday against the administration's decision to permanently post the divisional commissioner and Inspector General of Police (IGP) offices for the newly created Ladakh division in Leh town. The people of Kargil are demanding that divisional commissioner and IGP offices function on rotational basis -- in Kargil during summers and in Leh during winters. The elected leaders of Kargil in panchayats, municipal committees and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (Kargil) have threatened to resign en masse if the government does not modify its order. The government decision to create Ladakh division has led to resentment from other regions of the state like Pir Panjal and the Chenab valley, where leaders have threatened to launch an agitation if similar administrative units for their regions were not created. The National Conference has already made it an election issue, with its leader Omar Abdullah promising to create new divisions for Pir Panjal and Chenab valley if his party is voted to power in the assembly elections likely to be held later this year. PTI MIJ IJT New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) A parliamentary panel has recommended a law to penalise those found spitting, urinating and throwing garbage in public places, a move aimed at providing a "legal backing" to the government's ambitious Swachh Bharat Mission. The panel has also advocated introducing a chapter on SBM programme in the school syllabus up to primary standard to cultivate cleanliness habits in students. The committee's report on subordinate legislation on rules/regulations governing the implementation of SBM, a flagship programme of the Modi government, in urban and rural areas, was presented to Lok Sabha on Monday. In its report, the committee said it was of the firm opinion that merely bringing in behavioural change and self-regulation may not be sufficient and a central law to enforce the cleanliness drive will help the purpose. It stated the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, which is mandated to implement the mission in urban areas of the country, agree that there is a necessity to make a nationwide legislation on SBM to ensure and enforce the desired level of cleanliness. "The committee, therefore, recommends that the government should bring a comprehensive model legislation covering all objectives of SBM and providing a legal backing to the SBM under which municipalities can punish those found spitting, urinating and throwing garbage in public places," the panel said in the report. Apart from this, it has also recommended inclusion of Swachh Bharat Mission in school curriculum. "It is essential that there should be a chapter in the school curriculum up to 8th standard to educate children about the need of a clean and neat environment and how to prevent spreading of pollution and the affects of diseases...," it stated. Schoolchildren can be educated through chapters in their books, power-point presentation and practical demonstration by teachers. PTI BUN BUN ABH ABH New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) The chief ministers of two northeast states, Arunachal Pradesh's Pema Khandu and Manipur's N Biren Dingh, Monday voiced their opposition to the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill and urged Home Minister Rajnath Singh to ensure it was not passed in Rajya Sabha, officials said. During a 30-minute meeting, the two BJP CMs apprised the home minister about the prevailing situation in the Northeast, which has been witnessing continuous protests against the Bill, that seeks to provide Indian nationality to non-Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The two chief minister requested the home minister not to pass the Citizenship Amendment Bill before convincing the people of the Northeast and sought protection of their cultural and linguistic identity, an official said. The home minister asked the chief ministers not to worry and assured that the rights of the indigenous people of the Northeast would not be diluted, the official said. The bill provides for according Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after seven years of residence in India instead of 12 years, which is the norm currently, even if they do not possess any document. The legislation was passed by the Lok Sabha during the Winter Session on January 8 and has been awaiting Rajya Sabha nod. There has been strong opposition in Assam and other Northeastern states against the bill. Political parties have been protesting on the grounds that the bill seeks to grant nationality to non-Muslims who have come up to December 31, 2014, thereby, increasing the deadline from 1971 as per the Assam Accord. Also, according to the Assam Accord, all illegal immigrants who have come after 1971, irrespective of their religion, have to be deported and this bill violates that. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that the bill is an "atonement of the wrong that was done during India's Partition. India will safeguard all who had been victims of the Partition". On Saturday, addressing a rally in Assam, Modi said the citizenship bill won't harm the interests of the people of the region but will provide succour to those who have "embraced the idea and ethos of Mother India". PTI ACB ACB TIR TIR New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) The Home Ministry Monday designated Dera Baba Nanak land post, which will be the exit and entry point for visiting Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan, as an authorised immigration check point. In a notification, the Home Ministry said anyone with valid travel documents can exit or enter through the post in Punjab's Gurdaspur district. "In pursuance of sub-rule (b) of rule 3 of the Passport (Entry into India) Rules, 1950, the central government hereby designates Dera Baba Nanak Land Check Post of District Gurdaspur, Punjab State as an authorised Immigration Check Post for entry into/exit from India with valid travel documents for all classes of passengers," said the home ministry notification. PTI ACB ACB TIR TIR New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Former prime minister Manmohan Singh Monday extended support to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's day-long fast for special status to the state and said the central government should fulfil the promise without any further delay. Singh, who headed the UPA government at the Centre when Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated, said, "This demand had support of all parties when it was discussed in Parliament. I stand in solidarity with Naidu." He said the special category status promise must be implemented without any further delay and that he had always stood by the people of the state. Congress leader Anand Sharma said at the time of Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation, it was clearly announced that the residual state will be given special status to make up for the loss. He attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over "the language used by him against Naidu" at a rally in Guntur in the state on Sunday. "It's unbecoming of the prime minister. He has dragged the political discourse to such a low level. Therefore, we decided to unite against him. Standing together need is the hour," he said. Party leader Ahmed Patel alleged that the prime minister betrayed Andhra Pradesh and that its people should expect not anything from this government as it is a dispensation of cheaters and "tod-jod" (patchwork). "We are solidly supporting Andhra. We are standing with Naidu," he said. PTI GVS AAR New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Congress president Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday over a media report which claimed the government waived anti-corruption clauses in the Rafale deal, alleging he "opened the door" to allow Anil Ambani to "steal" Rs 30,000 crore from the Air Force. Gandhi's scathing attack came after a report in The Hindu claimed the Rafale deal between India and France involved "major and unprecedented" concessions from the Indian government, with critical provisions for anti-corruption penalties and making payments through an escrow account dropped days before the signing of the inter-governmental agreement (IGA). "NoMo anti corruption clause. The Chowkidar himself opened the door to allow Anil Ambani to steal 30,000 Cr. from the IAF," Gandhi tweeted tagging the report. The government, as well as Ambani, have strongly refuted allegations of any wrongdoing in the fighter jet agreement with France. Last week, the Congress president had demanded answers to questions raised by another report in the newspaper that the PMO conducted parallel negotiations on the Rafale deal. Repeating the "chowkidar" epithet, he ramped up his attack on the prime minister and said it was clear "crystal clear" that the "watchman" is the "thief". PTI ASK MIN MIN New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Pitching for "purity" in poll funding, BJP president Amit Shah on Monday said the party must run with contributions from its workers and not on donations of "money bags, builders, contractors and those with black money". Addressing a party event to mark the 51st death anniversary of its ideological guide Deen Dayal Upadhyay, Shah said the BJP should take up the responsibility of guiding other parties on the path of probity. Two workers from each booth in the country should contribute Rs 1,000 through the NaMo app, he said. "BJP workers should say with pride that we run this party from our money and no industrialist, contractor, money bag or builder can run it," Shah said. He, however, added that as party president he cannot say the BJP can fund all its organisational and election expenses from its workers' contributions. "This is not possible today," he said. "If means are not pure, then our goals cannot be attained in a good way. If the party has to be kept pure... If the party starts running from the money of money bags, builders, contractors, those with black money, then it will malign our means to realise our goals," he said. There should be a public discussion on how election expenses can be brought down and how to bring probity in poll funding, he said, expressing confidence that such an exercise will begin under the BJP's leadership. The Modi government, he asserted, has taken steps to clamp down on the influence of black money in politics by limiting cash donations to Rs 2,000. Laws against corruption have been made so stringent that those breaking it will be caught and that those who were involved in scams are sweating even in this Delhi winter, he said. Fugitive businessmen Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi had escaped the country because the Modi government started putting accused like them behind bars, he claimed. PTI AMP KR MIN MIN \R New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Following are top stories at 2200 hours: TOP STORIES: DEL99 LDALL PRIYANKA Priyanka's road show in UP; Rahul says time for Cong to win UP, form govt Lucknow: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her debut in Uttar Pradesh's political arena as Congress general secretary with a grand road show on Monday, raising hopes of a turnaround in the party's fortunes, as her brother and party president Rahul Gandhi asserted that it was the time to uproot the BJP and form the government in the state. DEL27 BIZ-PETROTECH-LD PM Modi pitches for responsible oil pricing for affordable energy Greater Noida: With volatile oil prices in the past playing havoc on economies of importing nations like India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday made a strong case for a responsible pricing of crude oil that balances interests of both producers and consumers, saying people must have universal assess to clean, affordable and equitable supply of energy. DEL94 POL-LDALL NAIDU Naidu's daylong fast for special status for AP becomes rallying point for opposition unity New Delhi: Bringing his battle for special status for his state to the national capital, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu Monday went on a daylong fast that became a rallying point for opposition unity for the second time in less than a month to fight the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. DEL90 LDALL RAFALE Rafale: Opposition steps up attack; Congress says Modi would be 'Accused No.1' New Delhi/Lucknow: Stepping up its attack on the government over the Rafale deal, Congress on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have been the "number one accused" if the long-awaited anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal had been in place and even his "broad shoulders" cannot bear the "bullets of corruption". DEL88 UP-LD RAHUL Cong to play on 'front foot' in UP, aim is to form govt in state: Rahul Lucknow: Asserting that the Congress would "play on the front foot" in Uttar Pradesh, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said on Monday he and his party would not sit idle till it forms government in the state and that Priyanka Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia had been given that mandate. DEL70 VANDE-BHARAT-LDFARE Train 18's Delhi-Varanasi AC chair car ticket to cost Rs 1,850, executive class Rs 3,520 New Delhi: Travelling between Delhi and Varanasi on board India's fastest train, the Vande Bharat Express or Train 18, will cost passengers Rs 1,850 in the chair car class while it will be Rs 3,520 in the executive class, including the catering charges, a senior railway official said Monday. NATION: CAL8 WB-CONG-CHIT FUND Leader of Oppn, 59 Congress activists arrested in Kolkata during protest on chit fund scam Kolkata: Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Abdul Mannan was arrested Monday along with 59 Congress activists for staging a protest against "delay in action" in chit fund scam cases at Metro Channel here, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had recently held a sit-in over CBI's attempt to grill Kolkata Police chief. BOM2 GJ-MEVANI-COLLEGE College trust cancels Mevani event; principal quits in protest Ahmedabad: A local college cancelled its annual day function Monday, after its trustees got protest calls against Dalit leader and Independent MLA Jignesh Mevani being made the chief guest. LEGAL LGB2 MH-HC-TELTUMBDE Elgar Parishad case: Bombay HC extends Teltumbde's interim protection from arrest till Feb 22 Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Monday extended Dalit scholar Anand Teltumbde's interim protection from arrest till February 22 and directed the Pune Police to release him on a personal bond and surety in case he is arrested before the next hearing. BUSINESS: DEL101 BIZ-FINMIN-MEHRISHI Mehrishi never dealt with defence ministry proposals: FinMin New Delhi: Amid allegations of conflict of interest in Rafale deal, the Finance Ministry Monday said that Rajiv Mehrishi, who joined the ministry as Economic Affairs Secretary, has never dealt with expenditure proposals from the Defence Ministry. DEL72 BIZ-LD TWITTER Par panel summons Twitter head on Feb 25 New Delhi: The Parliamentary panel on Information Technology has summoned the head of microblogging site Twitter to appear before it on February 25, the committee's chairman Anurag Thakur said on Monday. FOREIGN FGN29 UK-BREXIT-INDIA UK calls for closer post-Brexit defence ties with India London: Britain's Defence Minister Gavin Williamson on Monday called for closer ties with India as the UK prepares to leave the European Union (EU) next month. SPORTS SPD15 SPO-DDCA-SELECTOR-3RD LD ASSAULT DDCA Mess: Delhi U-23 aspirant assaults former India pacer Bhandari New Delhi: Former India pacer Amit Bhandari, who is chairman of the DDCA senior selection committee, was on Monday assaulted by a group of unidentified men, led by a disgruntled Under-23 player, during the Delhi senior team's practice game at the St Stephen's ground. PTI TIR DIV DIV Citizenship bill stir: Six women injured in clash with cops Imphal, Feb 11 (PTI) Six women sustained injuries when the police fired tear gas shells and smoke bombs at a marketplace here to disperse protesters, who had enforced a road blockade in the city demanding immediate withdrawal of the citizenship bill. The women, all vendors of Khwairamband market, had put up posters and banners and set up tents, blocking roads, to press for their demand, despite imposition of section 144 of CrPc in the area in the wake of agitations against the contentious bill. Shantidevi, the president of a women's association at Khwairamband market, said police used force to disperse the agitators, who had been protesting peacefully. On Sunday, they tried to destroy the tents and pull down the banners that sought the unconditional revocation of the bill, she said. The women, however, refused to cow down, following which a clash broke out between the two sides. "The security officers fired tear gas shells and smoke bombs, which left six women injured. The situation turned uglier when they tried to take one of the injured women into custody and the agitators had to thwart the attempt," Shantidevi explained. The injured women were then taken to Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIIMS), she added. Criticising the use of "excessive force", Y Dillipkumar, the convenor of Manipur Peoples Against Citizenship Amendment Bill (MANPAC), said the women were "protesting in a democratic manner". "The assault on the women vendors indicates that the state government is acting under the command of the Union government," he said. MANPAC is an umbrella body of civil societies and organisations that had been protesting against the passage of the legislation. Dillipkumar asserted that protests against the bill will intensify in the days to come. "The members of MANPAC, along with common people, will hit the streets seeking withdrawal of the bill and implementation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in the state to weed out illegal immigrants," he added. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had earlier said that the BJP-led government in the state would not support the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill unless there was a provision to protect the people of the northeast. Meanwhile, security has been beefed up across Imphal Monday in the wake of agitation. A large number of security personnel belonging to state and paramilitary forces have been deployed in Imphal to avoid any untoward situation. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, passed by Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks to grant nationality to non-Muslims who fled religious persecution from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and entered India before December 31, 2014. Protests against the bill have rocked the entire northeast over the past six weeks, with several organisations and political parties claiming that the bill threatens the identity, language and culture of indigenous people. PTI COR RMS RMS Kolkata, Feb 11 (PTI) Following are PTI's top stories from the eastern region at 9 pm. STORIES ON THE WIRE: CAL 9 WB-ABHISHEK-LD MLA Those involved in TMC MLA's killing will not be spared: Abhishek Banerjee Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee Monday said those involved in the killing of party MLA Satyajit Biswas will not be spared and they "will be pulled by the collar and brought back to Kolkata" even if they flee the city. CAL 6 BH-KISHOR-PRIYANKA Priyanka unlikely to make big impact in LS polls, could do so in future: Prashant Kishor Patna: Poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor on Monday said Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra might not be able to "turn things around" for her party in the few months left for the Lok Sabha polls. CAL 7 BH-KISHOR-NITISH Modi to return as PM, 'not fair' to view Nitish as claimant for top post: Prashant Kishor Patna: JD(U) national vice president Prashant Kishor said on Monday that Narendra Modi would return as the Prime Minister after Lok Sabha polls and though Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was "a big leader in the NDA" it was "unfair" to view him as a claimant for the top post, even in the event of the BJP not getting a clear mandate. CAL 8 WB-CONG-CHIT FUND Leader of Oppn, 59 Congress activists arrested in Kolkata during protest on chit fund scam Kolkata: Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Abdul Mannan was arrested Monday along with 59 Congress activists for staging a protest against "delay in action" in chit fund scam cases at Metro Channel here, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had recently held a sit-in over CBI's attempt to grill Kolkata Police chief. CES 12 BH-ASSEMBLY-LD GROWTH Bihar registered fastest economic growth in 2017-18: Governor Patna: Governor Lalji Tandon Monday said Bihar has registered the highest economic growth of 11.3 per cent in the country during 2017-18 and curbed crime to a great extent, thereby providing a better society for its citizens. PTI RG RG Description GIS - 11 February, 2019: Government will disburse Rs 35 million for repair works to be carried out in the context of the destruction caused by cyclone Gelena in Rodrigues. The amount will be injected in the Chief Commissioner's Relief Fund of Rodrigues. Government will disburse Rs 35 million for repair works to be carried out in the context of the destruction caused by cyclone Gelena in Rodrigues. The amount will be injected in the Chief Commissioner's Relief Fund of Rodrigues. This statement was made yesterday by the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, at the New Treasury Building in Port Louis. As soon as the cyclone warning was removed in Rodrigues yesterday afternoon, Mr Jugnauth convened an emergency meeting to take stock of the situation. Following this meeting, the head of the government met the press to report on the decisions taken immediately to help Rodrigues. He underlined that cyclone Gelena has caused considerable damage in Rodrigues. Its electrical grid has been damaged at 90% as well as crops, houses roads, and telecommunication network, he pointed out. Furthermore, 142 evacuees have left their damaged homes. He added that he has spoken with the Chief Commissioner, Mr Serge Clair, to express his solidarity and extend support to the population of Rodrigues as well as to monitor the situation. The Prime Minister also announced that he will be heading to Rodrigues next week in the context of the pre-budget consultations. His visit, he said, will also allow him to assess in depth the extent of the damage caused by the cyclone on the island. Mr Pravind Jugnauth added that once flight services are resumed with Rodrigues, a team from the Central Electricity Board and the Special Mobile Force will be deployed on the island for reparation of the electricity grid and other emergency works which need to be carried out. Speaking about the mini tornado that occurred in Sebastopol on 8 February 2019, he underlined that several houses and other infrastructures have been damaged adding that Government will extend support to those who have been affected by this calamity. Bihar registered fastest economic growth in 2017-18: Governor Patna, Feb 11 (PTI) Governor Lalji Tandon Monday said Bihar has registered the highest economic growth of 11.3 per cent in the country during 2017-18 and curbed crime to a great extent, thereby providing a better society for its citizens. Addressing the Budget session of both Houses of Bihar Legislature, the governor quoted Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) figures to say that Bihar registered the highest economic growth rate of 11.3 per cent among the states in 2017-18 against the national growth rate of 7 per cent. With a focus on development of infrastructure and ensuring better implementation of various schemes, the size of the state's budget has increased to Rs 1.77 lakh crore in 2018-19, which is 18 per cent more than the previous year, he said. The states own tax revenue collections is expected to be around Rs 31,000 crore in 2018-19 against Rs 23,136 crore in 2017-18. The governor also highlighted the governments priority on womens empowerment, "seven resolves" and prohibition -- the schemes and policies which have left a positive impact on peoples life. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, Leader of opposition in the Council Rabri Devi were present during the joint sitting held at the newly inaugurated central hall in the annexe building of the state legislature. The governor was flanked by Speaker of Legislative Assembly Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Acting Chairman of Legislative Council Haroon Rashid. Monday was the first day of the 10-day Budget session. Tjhe governor also referred to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data to show that Bihar is better placed among states in maintaining law and order situation. As per the NCRB data, the number of cases relating to cognizable offences in Bihar is 157.4 against the national average of 233.6 per one lakh population. Tandon said Bihar ranked 22nd among all states and union territories in terms of crime rate. Police have been able to crack the cases lodged in major categories besides being able to ensure conviction in 3,650 cases that took place in 2018, he said and added that the state government is working to achieve population-police ratio as per national standard for which it has been filling posts and making fresh recruitments. Tandon said the government has adopted "zero tolerance policy" towards corruption and it has also attached top priority to establish rule of law and create a society free of fear. He said the governments decision to reserve 50 per cent seats in panchayats, urban local bodies and teachers appointment for women is a step in the right direction. The state government has also implemented 35 per cent quota for women in government jobs and in the recruitment of constables and sub-inspectors in police department. Tandon said that the government has introduced Mukhya Mantri Kanya Uthan Yojana for making girls self-reliant by providing them protection, education and health care facilities. The scheme takes care of a girl child right from her birth to graduation level by providing financial support. The government has initiated "seven resolves" under good governance programme (Sushashan Ke Karyakrram) for the states development. The governor said power supply reached 5,139 MW in September 2018 against a meagre 700-800 MW in 2005. He said the government successfully implemented prohibition which has become a "social movement". PTI AR JM JM BJP seeks police permission for sit-in at Mamata's dharna spot Kolkata, Feb 11 (PTI) The BJP's West Bengal unit has sought permission from the Kolkata Police to conduct a dharna later this month at the same spot in the city where West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had organised a sit-in demonstration last week. The party has already sent a letter to the city police seeking permission for the dharna at the Metro Channel in the heart of the city between February 21 and 23, BJP state general secretary Sayantan Basu told PTI Monday. An email would also be sent to the police on this matter, he said. The "Save Democracy" dharna will raise demand of "restoring democracy in the state", he said. Basu said, "Whenever in the past we had asked for permission to organise a sit-in demonstration at the Metro Channel, the police denied us permission citing traffic rules. But if the Trinamool Congress was allowed to organise a dharna there, why can't we do it?" Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, was on dharna from February 3 to 5 at the Metro channel in Esplanade area to "save the Constitution" after the CBI's failed bid to question Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with chit fund cases. "We hope that we will also get the permission. We will not use loudspeakers as it is examination time," the BJP leader said. When contacted, officials of the Kolkata Police said they were yet to receive any such application from the BJP. "If we receive it, we will take a call," a Kolkata police official said. The Metro Channel is the same spot where Banerjee had held a 26-day fast against the acquisition of farm land for the Tata Motors small car unit at Singur in 2006. PTI PNT NN NN Minorities can't be "fooled" by BJP, says Goa Congress Panaji, Feb 11 (PTI) Goa Congress chief Girish Chodankar has claimed that BJP president Amit Shah's call to party leaders to reach out to minorities is nothing but an attempt to fool them. However, the minorities cannot be "fooled", Chodankar said, and reminded about BJP's criticism in the past of their eating and dressing habits. Shah last week asked the party leaders to reach out to minority communities to stress the "all-inclusive" character of the saffron party, Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik claimed on Sunday. Naik also said that Shah was not specific about Goa when he spoke about minority communities during a closed door interaction with BJP functionaries from the state on Saturday. Reacting to it, Chodankar, in a statement issued on Sunday, said, "Minorities cannot be fooled and will not forget BJP's silence despite protests, when the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) had called them (minorities) 'rahu-ketu' in Goa on October 07, 2004." "The BJP was further exposed when it started attacking the lifestyle of minorities by suppressing their dressing and eating habits," he said. Chodankar also claimed that the BJP and the RSS ignored then deputy chief minister Francis D'Souza for Goa chief minister's post when Manohar Parrikar was appointed the defence minister in 2014. The charge of the top post in Goa was then handed over to BJP MLA Laxmikant Parsekar. PTI RPS GK GK (Eds: Updating with details and merging related series) Budapest, Feb 11 (AFP) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo voiced hope Monday that renewed American engagement with Hungary's Viktor Orban would help steer the increasingly authoritarian leader away from Russian and Chinese influence. But Hungary's foreign minister retorted that Budapest was tired of the West's "enormous hypocrisy". Hungary, Russia's closest friend within the European Union, agreed with Pompeo to seek closer defence ties and cast itself as a natural ally for President Donald Trump's brand of nationalist politics. Pompeo held talks with Orban on a one-day visit to Budapest, the first leg of a Central European tour. The US top official opened his trip by meeting representatives of civil society groups, whose criticism of Orban and legal work to promote human rights have gradually been curtailed. Pompeo later told Orban's government that he would be upfront about concerns with Hungary and voiced worries about inroads of influence by both Russian President Vladimir Putin and China. "We must not let Putin drive wedges between friends in NATO," Pompeo said. "An authoritarian Russia will never be a friend to the freedom and sovereignty of smaller nations." Alluding to former president Barack Obama's cold shoulder to Orban, Pompeo said that the United States had pushed Hungary into the arms of "folks who didn't share our values" and vowed to "compete for positive influence in the region". Pompeo, standing next to Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto at a joint news conference, said the US was "increasing support to help Hungary in its fight against corruption" and highlighted US help to train an independent media -- under fire from Orban. The two countries said that they had concluded negotiations on a defence cooperation agreement -- which would let the US military operate more freely in Hungary, already a NATO ally. Szijjarto said the deal would be presented next week to a committee of the Hungarian parliament. Closer defence ties are likely to irritate Putin, who visited Hungary twice last year. But Szijjarto also denounced criticism of Hungary's diplomacy, saying that the country of fewer than 10 million people was not in a position to reshape world politics. "When it comes to Russia, I told the Secretary as well, there is an enormous hypocrisy and political correctness in the European political arena," he said. He said that Hungary relied on Russia for 85 percent of its energy needs -- and noted that French President Emmanuel Macron took part in a major economic forum in Saint Petersburg last year. "We are fed up in a legitimate way that you usually portray us as having a tight relationship with Russia," he said. But Szijjarto said he was hopeful for closer relations under Trump, saying that Orban shared the US leader's "patriotic" worldview that includes curbs on migration, an emphasis on Christian identity and hostility to multilateral organisations. Trump has also voiced admiration for Putin, although his stance is largely rejected by the US establishment who see the Russian leader as a nemesis. In telling symbolism, Pompeo started his visit by posing for pictures in front of a statue of former president Ronald Reagan that faces the last Soviet monument in Budapest. Szijjarto also said that British and German contractors were involved in Hungary's agreement with Chinese telecom giant Huawei to build a fifth-generation mobile network. Pompeo said he had raised concerns about Huawei, whose senior officers have been arrested in US allies Canada and Poland. "If that equipment is co-located where we have important American systems, it makes it more difficult for us to partner alongside them," Pompeo said. "We want to make sure we identify (to) them the opportunities and the risks with using that equipment. And then they will get to make their decisions," he said. The United States warns that China could come to dominate the next wave of technology, with grave repercussions for the protection of individual data and the safety of infrastructure. Critics say that the United States is equally concerned about maintaining its commercial edge in technology. After Hungary, Pompeo will proceed to Slovakia, another NATO ally that has seen few recent senior US visitors. (AFP) SCY SCY Budapest, Feb 11 (AFP) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Hungary on Monday that Russia was seeking to divide the West, while his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto slammed criticism of Budapest's ties with Moscow as "enormous hypocrisy". Pompeo, on a visit to the most pro-Russia member of the European Union, said Hungary's dependence on Moscow's gas and its friendship with President Vladimir Putin amounted to a national security risk. "We must not let Putin drive wedges between friends in NATO," Pompeo told a joint news conference with Szijjarto. But the Hungarian foreign minister said Western criticism of Hungary's diplomacy was misguided as other European nations were also engaged in energy deals with Russia. "There is an enormous hypocrisy and political correctness in the European political arena," he said. (AFP) SCY SCY London, Feb 11 (PTI) The UK needs a bolder and stronger armed forces prepared to use "hard power" or risk being seen as a "paper tiger", Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson warned on Monday, amidst China flexing its muscles in the Indo-Pacific region. Speaking at the Royal United Services Institute, he said Britain must stand up to those who "flout international law". He also said the country's planned exit from the European Union on March 29 had brought the UK its "greatest opportunity" to strengthen its global presence. Williamson detailed plans to modernise the armed forces, and said it must increase its "mass and lethality". He revealed plans for two military ships that could be deployed for crisis support as well as military operations, the BBC reported. He said they would be able to respond "at a moment's notice" to support the Royal Marines. He also confirmed the Royal Navy's new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is being deployed to the Pacific region, where China has been involved in a dispute over territorial claims in the South China Sea. The carrier will take part in the mission along with F-35 jets from the UK and US. China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Over the last five years China has rapidly built artificial islands housing significant military infrastructure on what had been low-lying reefs. Williamson also said the country's cyber forces will be reinforced to defend and launch attacks. With the boundaries between peace and war becoming "blurred", particularly by Russia and China, Williamson said Britain and its allies had to be ready "to use hard power to support our interests". He told those gathered for his speech that "state-on-state competition was reviving". The defence secretary said Russia is "resurgent" and rebuilding its military arsenal, adding that China is also developing its modern capability and commercial power. "We have to be ready to show the high price of aggressive behaviour. Ready to strengthen our resilience," he said. Defending interventionist policy, he said the cost of failing to act in global crises had often been "unacceptably high", and that Western powers cannot "walk on by when others are in need". "To talk but fail to act risks our nation being seen as little more than a paper tiger," he added. Williamson said Brexit brought an "unparalleled opportunity" to consider how the UK could maximise its influence around the world. He said the UK would build new alliances and rekindle old ones, and shared his belief that Britain "should be the nation that people turn to when the world needs leadership". But shadow defence secretary Nia Griffith said the UK's ability to play such a role had been "completely undermined by eight years of Tory defence cuts". "The Conservatives have slashed the defence budget by over 9 billion pounds in real terms since 2010 and they are cutting armed forces numbers year after year. "Instead of simply engaging in yet more sabre-rattling, Gavin Williamson should get to grips with the crisis in defence funding that is happening on his watch," she said. PTI AKJ AKJ \R New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Following are the top foreign stories at 1700 hours: FGN7 PAK-IMRAN-SIKHS Pak has Mecca, Medina for Sikhs: Imran in Dubai Dubai: Pakistan has the Mecca and Medina for the Sikhs and the country is opening up those sites for the minority community, Prime Minister Imran Khan has said. FGN17 US-SAUDI-KHASHOGGI-2NDLD BODY Saudi Arabia don't know where slain Khashoggi's body is: senior official Washington: The Saudi authorities does not know what happened to the corpse of Jamal Khashoggi, a senior minister has said, amid reports that the dismembered body of the dissident journalist was "dissolved" after his brutal murder inside the Kingdom's consulate in Turkey. FGN12 CHINA-US-LDTRADETALKS US team in Beijing for trade talks after IMF 'storm' warning Beijing: US negotiators were in Beijing Monday for a new round of high-stakes trade talks, hoping to reach a deal before the March 1 deadline set by Donald Trump as the IMF warned of a possible global economic "storm". (AFP) FGN2 US-AFGHANISTAN-CONFLICT-DIPLOMACY US envoy heads 6-nation tour for 'intra-Afghan' talks: official Washington: A senior US diplomat is set to lead a large delegation on a six-nation tour, including Afghanistan, to boost that country's peace process and bring "all Afghan parties together in an intra-Afghan dialogue," the State Department has said. (AFP) FGN16 THAI-LD PRINCESS Thai princess disqualified from list of candidates for PM Bangkok: Thai Princess Ubolratana was on Monday formally disqualified for running for prime minister, ending her brief and ill-fated political union with a party allied to the powerful Shinawatra clan, just days after a stern royal command rebuking her candidacy was issued by her brother, the king. (AFP) FGN15 CHINA-TURKEY-LD UIGHURS China rejects Turkey criticism on Uighurs, denies poet died Beijing: China hit back on Monday at Turkish criticism over its treatment of Uighurs and denied Ankara's claim that a renowned poet from the Muslim minority had died in custody, calling it an "absurd lie". (AFP) RUP RUP RUP Bangkok, Feb 11 (AFP) Thai Princess Ubolratana was formally disqualified for running for prime minister for a party-linked to ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, the Election Commission (EC) said Monday, days after a stern royal command issued by her brother, the king, rebuked her candidacy. "The EC today has announced the name of candidates excluding Princess Ubolratana proposed by the Thai Raksa Chart party," it said in a statement, adding "because all royal family members are above politics." (AFP) PMS PMS Beijing, Feb 11 (AFP) China hit back on Monday against Turkish criticism over its treatment of ethnic Uighurs and denied Ankara's claim that a renowned poet from the Muslim minority had died in custody. "China has already made solemn representations toward Turkey. We hope the relevant Turkish persons can distinguish between right and wrong and correct their mistakes," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said during a daily press briefing. (AFP) RUP RUP Dubai, Feb 11 (PTI) A Pakistani national was sentenced to seven years in jail by a Dubai court for stabbing his Indian roommate to death in 2018 over an argument on leaving the lights on, a media report said. The Dubai Court of First Instance on Sunday convicted the 37-year-old Pakistani man and ordered his deportation after the end of jail-term, the Khaleej Times reported. The convict, who was staying with the victim and others in a room at a workers' accommodation in Jebel Ali on the southern outskirts of Dubai, was intoxicated and unruly at the time of the incident on October 1, 2018, an Indian foreman told the prosecutor. He recalled that the accused went to his room and turned the lights on. "The man disturbed his roommates as he was also talking on his mobile phone and they were sleeping," the 46-year-old supervisor said. A verbal brawl ensued. The foreman then left the room and the victim told the accused, who was on a visit visa, to pack up and leave the room as he was not on a resident visa, the paper said. The defendant did leave the room but then the victim assaulted him as the latter threatened to beat the workers up when he would come back to the accommodation. "This prompted the defendant to take a knife out of his baggage and stab the victim. The accused then fled the scene," the foreman said. According to a forensic expert, who examined the victim's body, the cause of death was a deep stab wound in the chest. "The victim was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time he was stabbed," the expert said in his report. The Pakistani defendant, who is in detention, admitted he had consumed alcohol prior to the incident. He claimed he did not intend to kill the victim. The defendant can appeal the conviction ruling within 15 days. PTI ZH ZH The Governors Official Program is comprised of a wide range of constitutional and legal duties and ceremonial and community engagements. Each year, the Governor hosts thousands of visitors to Government House to take part in investiture and award ceremonies, Open Days, receptions and meetings, and travels widely throughout Queensland to support the activities of Patron groups. View a chronological record of the Governors daily program below. On Friday, in the afternoon, at Government House, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC and Mrs Kaye de Jersey hosted a luncheon for Chancellors of the Anglican and Catholic Dioceses, and the Governor addressed guests. Following, at Graceville, His Excellency attended the official launch of the centenary of the Graceville Bowls Club, and the Governor addressed guests. In the evening, at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, South Bank, His Excellency and Mrs de Jersey attended a performance of Jersey Boys. Colombo, Feb 11 (PTI) Sri Lanka's department of prisons on Monday said that applications have been sought to recruit two hangmen, days after President Maithripala Sirisena vowed to end a 42-year moratorium on death penalty within two months. Prisons Commissioner PNM Dhanasinghe said that notice has been issued and the applications will be accepted from Monday. Sri Lanka's last hanging took place in June 1976. Since then successive presidents have refused to sign death warrants to hang convicts. Sirisena last week said that execution of drug convicts is a necessity in view of the fast spreading drug menace in the island nation. "I will implement the death penalty during the next 2-3 months," he said while addressing the parliament. Sirisena took the decision despite Sri Lanka becoming party to a UN moratorium on death penalty in 2016. Dhanasinghe said the new positions were announced as previously recruited hangmen had left the job. While Lanka's last execution was in 1976, an executioner was in post until his retirement in 2014. Three replacements since have quit after short stints. Justice Minister Thalatha Atukorale recently said that her ministry had forwarded details of the drug convicts to Sirisena's office last September. She said there were 48 drug convicts on death row currently while 30 of them had appealed against sentencing and 18 of them could be hanged if the president so wished. PTI CORR ZH ZH (Eds: Disclaimer: The following press release comes to you under an arrangement with NewsVoir. PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.) Delhi, India(NewsVoir) As Brexit inches ever closer, UK food and drinks companies are looking past the uncertainty and out to new and growing international markets. This prompted seven leading and innovative food and drink companies to head out to Delhi and Mumbai last week on a UK India Business Council (UKIBC) Trade Mission lead by the Chief Executive of the UKs Food and Drink Federation, Ian Wright. Why India? To put it one way, the food and drink industry in India was estimated to be worth 193 billion in 2017. By 2020, this industry will be worth 325 billion. Putting this into context, the UK food and drink manufacturing industry has a turnover of 97.3 billion accounting for 19% of total UK manufacturing. With strong domestic demand attributed to a burgeoning young middle class with growing disposable income and a willingness to spend it on higher-cost preferences, Indias potential market is quite simply enormous. All the while, UK brands carry more weight in India than almost anywhere else. As the UK Government transitions from an international trade campaign titled GREAT Britain to one titled Global Britain after Brexit, the UKs food and drink offer is steadfastly associated with provenance, quality, and innovation. Though ease of doing business barriers still exist, this means there is a clear competitive advantage for UK companies looking outwards to one of the largest, most UK-receptive and fastest growing food and drinks markets in the world. It was this market and its remaining barriers to business that UKIBCs Trade Mission went to get to grips with. Delegates from Ramsden International, Booker Wholesale, MangaJo Drinks, Worsley Gin, Greene King, Farmison& Co., and Matugga Rum, supported by the Department for International Trade, proudly showcased their high-quality products at the two-day 2019 India Food Forum in Delhi attended by thousands of global visitors. Following the Forum, UKIBC hosted numerous meetings between UK delegates and officials from key Indian Government departments including the national Food Safety and Standards Authority, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, the national investment organisation, INVEST India, as well as a reception with the UK Director of Trade & Innovation for South Asia. This Mission comes at a time when UK food and drink companies are looking outwards with new impetus and there is ample opportunity for Indias emerging food and drink regulatory landscape to adopt global best practice. Currently UK-India food and drink trade is under-developed. With a smooth Brexit and focused ease of doing business reform at both the State and Union levels in India, there is a unique opportunity for UK businesses and Indian authorities to work towards market innovation and investment. For UK firms this could open new revenue streams safeguarding against an uncertain Brexit, for India this opportunity means increasing both government revenues and consumer choice. As the Food and Drink Federation Chief Executive, Ian Wright, shared: For UK food and drink companies looking to succeed globally, India is a market that simply cannot be ignored. So I am delighted to lead the UK India Business Councils Trade Mission of dynamic, outward-looking UK food and drink companies to the India Food Forum 2019. Our visit could not come at better time. Its imperative to step-up advocacy for UK food and drink in key markets across the world and India is one of the most exciting opportunities. For the seven initial participating UK companies, their exploratory Mission may well just be the start of a journey many more UK food and drinks companies will follow as Brexit draws closer. Notes to Editors About the UKIBC The UK India Business Council (UKIBC) is the premier membership-led organisation supporting the promotion of trade, business and investment between the two countries. UKIBC plays an influential role in creating and sustaining an environment in which free-trade and investment flourishes. Through its insights, networks, policy advocacy, services and facilities, the UK India Business Council supports UK businesses to achieve success. Find out more by visiting www.ukibc.com and following @UKIBC on Twitter. About the Food and Drink Federation The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is the voice of the food and drink manufacturing industry the UK's largest manufacturing sector. For more information about FDF and the industry we represent visit: www.fdf.org.uk To read the full account of the Trade Mission visit the dedicated blog updated daily at UKIBCs website here: www.ukibc.com/ukibc-2019-food-and-drink-trade-mission-to-india/. PWR PWR (Eds: Disclaimer: The following press release comes to you under an arrangement with NewsVoir. PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.) New Delhi, Delhi, India(NewsVoir) ShivOmDayal Energies (P) Ltd., is setting up two biofuel projects worth Rs 800 Crore. The two biofuel plants will be set up in the districts of Saharanpur and Bijnor. The UP government in its cabinet meeting held on 7th February 2019, approved the two second-generation ethanol plants which will incur an investment of INR 400 crore each. The state government will also offer the company with facilities including stamp duty waiver, capital subsidy as well as SGST rebate. Each of the sanctioned biofuel facility is expected to utilise about 200 tonnes of agro-waste per day for the production of 50,000 litres of second-generation ethanol. The plants will be set up under technical collaboration with the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER), Taiwan. The facilities will be utilizing agro-waste including rice straw, wheat straw and bagasse as raw materials to produce second-generation ethanol. The benefits of the project include additional income for farmers, reduction in stubble burning, socio-economic upliftment of farmers, saving on foreign currency and lowering bills of crude. The two plants are also expected to reduce carbon footprint and increase employment generation. The sanctioning of the mega-plants also strengthens our core mission of becoming the largest cellulosic ethanol producer in India and offer support to rural development and agricultural sectors. Going forward we will strive to contribute towards our honourable Prime Ministers vision of 10% ethanol blending in petrol by the year 2022, said Ms. Bainu Anand Ahuja, Director, ShivOmDayal Energies. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard was signed during the two day UP investors Summit 2018 held on 21-22 February 2018. A high-level committee headed by the state chief secretary had recently approved the project. Further Ernst & Young has been appointed as the transaction advisors of the company. Image: Left to Right: Dr. Chao - Director - Chemical Division, INER Taiwan, Dr. Henry Chen - Director - Science and Technology Division, Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre, New Delhi, Mr. S K Mishra - Director - Project Implementation, ShivOmDayal Energies, Dr. Anup Chandra Pandey - Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Ashish Ahuja - Chief Executive Officer, ShivOmDayal Energies, Ms. Bainu Anand Ahuja - Director, ShivOmDayal Energies, Dr. Wang - Senior Scientist, INER Taiwan, Dr. Guo - Senior Biotechnologist, INER Taiwan PWR PWR Chandigarh, Feb 11 (PTI) The 15th Finance Commission has notified the committee to examine and resolve the food account of Rs 31,000 crore which the Congress government inherited from previous SAD-BJP regime. Commission chairman N K Singh gave approval to the issuance of the notification for the constitution of the committee on Monday, an official release of Punjab government said. The Chief Minister Amarinder Singh while welcoming the move, expressed the hope that it would lead to early resolution of the issue related to the legacy debt of Rs 30,584 crore, which was threatening to cascade into a major fiscal crisis for the state. The committee, to be led by Member 15th Finance Commission and Member NITI Aayog Ramesh Chand, has been asked to submit its report within six weeks. The Committee has been mandated to look into all aspects of the food account legacy debt of Punjab government arising out of accumulated CCL (Cash Credit Limit) gap with reference to Food Corporation of India/Department of Food and Public Distribution. On current accumulation of CCL gap, the Committee has been asked to examine the current issues related to the CCL Gap in order to ascertain the root causes for such gap. It would also recommend appropriate measures to overcome the causes identified, so as to ensure the CCL gap does not exist in the successive procurement seasons. On January 30, the 15th Finance Commission, during Punjab visit, had announced the formation of a committee to find ways to settle the food account of Rs 31,000 crore. During the Commission's recent visit to Punjab, the Chief Minister had brought to its notice the seriousness of the potential outcome of the legacy debt, triggered by accumulated CCL gap in a span of more than a decade related to procurement of food grains for the Central pool in Punjab. The legacy debt was created by the erstwhile SAD-BJP government which, in the last leg of its tenure, had persuaded the Centre to convert the CCL gap into a clean long term loan for the state. This inflated the state's fiscal deficit to 12.34 per cent of GSDP in 2016-17, and the debt servicing of this amount would alone amount to Rs 3,240 crore per annum till September 2034. This will result in total outflow of Rs 57,358 crore during the repayment tenure of the loan. The food account arose because of the mismatch between cash credit availed for procuring wheat and paddy and foodgrain stocks in the account books of the state procurement agencies since 2004. The Rs 31,000 crore included Rs 12,000 crore principal and Rs 19,000 crore interest and Punjab has been paying Rs 3,240 crore interest per annum on it which it has to pay for 20 years. PTI CHS MR MR Islamabad, Feb 11 (PTI) Cash-strapped Pakistan's Finance Minister Asad Umar said on Monday said that Islamabad was close to striking a deal to secure financial support from the IMF following Prime Minister Imran Khan's meeting with the global lender's chief Christine Lagarde in Dubai. Pakistan's close ally the UAE has offered USD 3 billion to support its fragile economy. Saudi Arabia committed USD 6 billion to Pakistan as part of a bailout package to help shore up Islamabad's dwindling foreign currency reserves. Pakistan also reportedly received financial assistance from China. Addressing the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industries in Peshawar, Umar said a deal with the IMF looks imminent and that there was a convergence of views between the two parties on the need to implement structural reforms in the country, reiterating Khan's remarks in the aftermath of the meeting Sunday, Geo TV reported. "There has been a decrease in the difference we had with the IMF. The IMF has changed its position... It seems we have come closer to an agreement with the IMF. Insha'Allah (God willing) this will be the last agreement. This will happen when businesses grow," he was quoted as saying by the channel. He stressed that Pakistan's economy would be lifted by its people, not by anyone coming from the outside. "If we take the right decisions the economy would rise. It is the responsibility of the business and trading community to put Pakistan on the path towards progress." "Prime Minister Khan told the IMF that 'we want to sign on the package'," Umar added. Khan met Lagarde in Dubai on Sunday on the sidelines of the 7th edition of the World Government Summit and discussed the conditions of the bailout package for his cash-strapped country. After the meeting, Lagarde said that the global lender stands ready to support Pakistan. Khan also tweeted about his meeting with Lagarde. "There was a convergence of our views on the need to carry out deep structural reforms to put the country on the path of sustainable development in which the most vulnerable segments of society are protected," he said. Although the government has secured a breathing space from Saudi Arabian and the UAE loans, an IMF programme is essential to unlock access to resources from other multilateral lenders like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, as well as the global capital markets. Officials have said that Pakistan would seek around USD 8 billion from the IMF which would be the biggest package by the Fund for Islamabad. A team from the IMF visited Pakistan in November to discuss the bailout with officials, though the talks ended without agreement, but since then the government official said talks were still ongoing on a possible bailout. PTI ZH ZH Chandigarh, Feb 11 (PTI) The Budget Session of the Punjab Assembly, commencing Tuesday, is likely to be a stormy affair with opposition parties deciding to corner the Congress government over issues such as "pending DA and arrears of employees, regularization of teachers, lack of development and farmers' suicides". The Amarinder Singh-led state government, however, will be patting itself on the back in the House for the implementation of farm debt waiver, firm action against drug smugglers and peddlers to check drug problem, doling out funds for development, attracting industrial investments and among others. The Session will begin February 12 with Punjab Governor's address while the Budget estimates for the year 2019-20 would be presented before the House on February 18. The session will conclude on February 21. It will be interesting to see whether Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal presents a populist budget, despite little fiscal space, with the Lok Sabha elections nearing. Significantly, the financial position of the state continues to remain "poor" in view of low revenue mobilisations and rising committed liabilities. The total debt of the state has been pegged at Rs 2.10 lakh crore. The 15th Finance Commission, which visited Chandigarh last month, had expressed concern over Punjab's rising outstanding debt to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) ratio, declining tax revenues, and also noted that the state was in a situation where its gross borrowings were "not even enough" to meet its expenditure on repayment of principal and interest payment, leaving little scope for spending on developmental works. Opposition parties Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are likely to take on the state government in the House over its "failure" of honouring its poll promises. "The party will be raising several issues such as farmers' suicides, pending dearness allowance and arrears of government employees, regularisation of teachers, lack of development, farm debt waiver," SAD Spokesperson and former minister Daljit Singh Cheema said. An Akali leader asked the Congress government why it was not releasing four installments of DA amounting to Rs 4,000 crore. Cheema further said the party will also raise the issue of "cane-charging of teachers by police in Patiala that left several teachers injured". Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly and AAP MLA Harpal Singh Cheema said his party MLAs will be raising issues such as "high power tariff in the state, unemployment and incomplete farm loan waiver". The AAP has already launched 'Bijli Andolan' in the state, claiming that exorbitant electricity rates were not only pinching the poor but also other sections of society. PTI CHS VSD CK New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) Monday allowed 22 companies of crisis-hit IL&FS group, which were classified in green category based on their financial health, to service their debt obligations. Besides, a two-member bench headed by Justice S J Mukhopadhaya approved appointment of former Supreme Court judge Justice D K Jain to supervise resolution process of crisis-hit IL&FS and its group companies. The appellate tribunal also lifted moratorium and allowed 133 IL&FS firms incorporated outside India to continue with the resolution process. "We allow the boards (of the green companies) to permit them to service debt obligations as per schedule," said NCLAT. The NCLAT's direction came during the hearing over government's plan for the resolution of IL&FS group companies. IL&FS group companies are classified into three groups -- Green, Amber and Red, based on their respective financial positions. The companies falling under green categories will continue to meet their payment obligation. While, the companies which can not meet their obligations but can meet only operational payment obligations to senior secured financial creditors are classified as the amber category. And in the red category are those entities which can not meet their payment obligations towards even senior secured financial creditors. In an affidavit filed before the NCLAT, the government informed former Supreme Court judge Justice D K Jain has agreed to supervise the resolution process of the IL&FS group companies. As per the terms and agreement, Justice Jain will get a monthly remuneration of Rs 10 lakh per month and Rs 2.5 lakh per sitting, besides other expenses, which would be paid by IL&FS. During the hearing, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta appearing for the Ministry of Corporate Affairs submitted a list of 302 subsidiaries of IL&FS, which are jointly controlled entities, group companies and associates forming part of IL&FS group companies. Out of 302 companies, 169 companies are incorporated in India and the remaining 133 are incorporated outside India, he added. He further informed the NCLAT that out of 169 domestic companies, classification process under Green, Amber and Red categories has been completed for 69 firms as on February 9, 2019. Out of 69, the government has marked 22 companies under Green, 10 in Amber and rest 38 in Red category. Mehta sought permission from the appellate tribunal to allow the 'Green entities' to service their debt obligations as per scheduled repayment, to which the NCLAT agreed. However, over Amber and Red category, the appellate tribunal said that it would pass any order after hearing them in next hearing on March 12. "We want to know from the government and IL&FS as how they intend to resolve all entities particularly in 'amber' and 'red' group entities. Whether they would form a Committee of Creditor as normally done in the company insolvency resolution process," said the tribunal. It also said that moratorium against them "can not continue for an indefinite period". During the hearing, senior lenders such as Indusind Bank, L&T Finance and Aditya Birla & Capital Fund opposed the government's plea to make the Amber and Red companies to make payment necessary only to maintain and preserve their going concern status. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Indusind Bank submitted that any such payment would have a great cascading effect on the NPAs of the top five lenders of the group companies. The major group companies which are in green list include - IL&FS Investment Manager, IL&FS Security service, IL&FS Paradip Refinery Water, Tamil Nadu Water Investnent, IL&FS Asian Infrastructure Manager, IL&FS Urban Infrastructure Manager, IL&FS Infra Asset Management, North Karnataka Expressway, IL&FS Solar Power, Tadas Wind Energy, Khadke Wind Energy, Etesian Urja,Kaze Energy, Wind Urza India, Maytas Logiparks, Lalpur Wind Energy, Jharkhand Infrastructure Invest Company, IIML Asset Advisors, and IISL Settlement & Transmission Services. Still over 100 IL&FS group companies are remained under the assessment of the resolution consultants for classifications, the affidavit further informed. The government will file another affidavit in next two weeks, classifying these remaining 100 companies, it added. On February 5, the NCLAT had asked the government to provide a list of IL&FS group companies along with their categorisation based on their respective financial positions. The entire resolution process will be based on the principles enunciated in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. In its debt resolution plan, the corporate affairs ministry has fixed September 30, 2018 as the cut-off date for entertaining the claims submitted by the lenders. On October 1 last year, a newly appointed board took over the reins of IL&FS. PTI KRH BAL BAL He will next be seen in The Big Bull As a second partial government shutdown looms in Washington over border discussions, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday will order the removal of roughly 360 National Guard members from California's southern boundary with Mexico, repudiating President Trump's characterization of a recent influx of Central American refugees and migrants as a national security crisis.The announcement comes just one day before the governor delivers his first State of the State address Tuesday, setting the stage for Newsom to counter Trump's State of the Union address from last week.In released excerpts of his speech, Newsom says he is giving the National Guard a new mission so that troops would not take part in the White House's "political theater" and instead "refocus on the real threats facing our state." The governor said he would sign a general order to redeploy the troops to support wildfire prevention efforts and expand operations to counter drugs and cartels across California, with a group of forces trained in spotting narcotics to be stationed at the state's international points of entry."The Border 'emergency' is a manufactured crisis," Newsom is expected to say Tuesday, according to prepared remarks provided by the governor's office. "This is our answer to the White House: No more division, xenophobia or nativism."Newsom's move is an escalation of a long-running battle over immigration between California and the federal government, with the state's Democratic majorities pledging to serve as a buffer to Trump's hard-line rhetoric and policies.The president has threatened to invoke emergency powers to fund construction of a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border, a key promise of his 2016 campaign. A budget standoff between Trump and congressional Democrats over the proposal led to a 35-day government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history. Parts of the government could close again if Congress and the White House do not reach a spending deal by Friday.In his address to the nation last week, Trump showed little willingness to compromise, doubling down on calls for a wall and describing illegal immigration as a source of crime and a costly burden on taxpayers."Tolerance for illegal immigration is not compassionate -- it is cruel," he said.Newsom is the second governor this month to pull National Guard troops assigned to the southern border.Last week, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered the removal of most her state's troops just hours before the president's address, saying she rejected "the federal contention that there exists an overwhelming national security crisis at the southern border.""New Mexico will not take part in the president's charade of border fear-mongering by misusing our diligent National Guard troops," she said.Democratic state legislators and civil rights groups applauded Newsom's order. Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) said he and other members of the California Latino Caucus had long wanted the state to take an aggressive stance against "the administration's anti-immigrant and inhumane crusade.""The only way to beat a bully is to push him back and let him fall," he said.Patricia Gandara, co-director of the Civil Rights Project at UCLA, commended the governor's decision, pointing to the state's own battles over immigration and its treatment of immigrants -- including 1994's fight over Proposition 187, which sought to cut off schooling and health services for immigrants here illegally."I think we grew up and we realized that immigrants were not a threat," Gandara said. "We're the fifth-largest economy in the world. And we have the largest percentage of immigrants in our state. How do you reconcile that if you think immigrants are taking our jobs and bringing down the economy?"Newsom's approach is a departure from that of former Gov. Jerry Brown, who in April granted Trump's request to send 400 National Guard troops to the border as other Democratic and Republican governors recalled some troops and equipment or refused to send any personnel.Brown said he agreed to the mission after persuading the federal government to commit to paying for it and kept the guard members under the direction of the state. He ordered that they not enforce immigration laws or participate in building a new border barrier. But the then-governor faced criticism from state Democrats and immigrant rights groups, who said providing support to the federal government could free up U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers to increase detentions and deportations.Counter efforts against Trump's immigration policies intensified last summer after his administration began separating migrant families at the border under a policy that required all adults who enter the country illegally to be prosecuted. At least five governors recalled troops or withheld resources.Then-California Senate leader Kevin De Leon and 26 state legislators urged Brown to end the National Guard agreement."Now, the Trump Administration is using the California National Guard to free up federal resources to pursue and lock up women and children fleeing violence, instead of focusing on serious drug cartel and human trafficking cases at the border," De Leon wrote in a June 2018 letter to Brown. The troops have remained at the border for 10 months.Trump later dispatched more than 5,200 active-duty military troops to the border in October before the 2018 midterm election as a caravan of migrants arrived in the U.S. from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. The federal government that month also stopped helping asylum-seeking families connect with their U.S. sponsors after being processed and registered at the border.Thousands of families have since been released into the San Diego area with nowhere to go, forcing nonprofits in the region to step up and offer temporary shelter.Newsom, who visited one of those shelters a month before he was sworn into office, and other California state leaders have described what Trump has called a crisis at the border as "self-induced" by the president.In his Spanish-language response to the president's State of the Union address Tuesday, California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra warned that he is prepared to take Trump to court if he declares a national emergency to fund a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border while cutting federal funds to fire-damaged communities in the state.Newsom said Trump's plans to deploy another 3,750 U.S. military troops to the border was yet another reason to realign the priorities of the National Guard.Newsom's general order Monday will assign 110 personnel to support the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in preparing for wildfire season. Another 100 members will be devoted to intelligence operations against drug cartels, with a small group of those stationed at points of entry. The governor's office is separately requesting funding from the federal government to add at least 150 troops with the California National Guard's Counterdrug Task Force, according to Nathan Click, a spokesman for the governor. The governor's office said the troops will be pulled back no later than March 31.Newsom has sharply contrasted the differences between state and federal immigration policy, describing California in his inaugural address as a place that "provides shelter to all who need it and sanctuary to all who seek it -- where opportunity abounds for all who will work for it."Holding his 2-year-old son, Dutch, in his arms, Newsom said children "shouldn't be ripped away from their parents at the border and nor should they be left hungry while politicians seek to pour billions into a wall that should never be built."He has pledged $25 million in his budget proposal to aid local nonprofits and community groups providing services to asylum seekers. And he has embraced other efforts to help immigrants, including an expansion of eligibility for Medi-Cal to young adults who are in the U.S. illegally -- at a cost some have pegged at about $250 million per year.In excerpts of his State of the State address released Sunday, Newsom says he plans to offer a contrast to the president's vision of America, calling it "fundamentally at odds with California values.""We suffered enough from that in the [1980s and 1990s] with Props 187 and 227," the excerpts read. "But then we repealed and healed. A quarter of a century later, we're more united than ever, and we're not going back." The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has declared Hindi as its third official language to be used in courts, alongside Arabic and English. The move is an acknowledgement of the large number of Indians who live and work in the desert nation. There are over 26 lakh Indians in the UAE, making up to 30 per cent of the population and forming the largest expatriate community. The Abu Dhabi judicial department said that the move was aimed to ensure Hindi speakers learned the litigation procedures, and their rights and duties without a language barrier, in addition to facilitating registration procedures via unified forms. The move is ostensibly a step taken to further bilateral ties that have strengthened in recent years. During Narendra Modi's visit to the UAE in 2018, a ground-breaking ceremony for a Hindu temple was held. Crown prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed granted 13.7 acres of land for its construction, and it is reported that an additional 13 acres have been allowed for parking. The foundation stone is likely to be laid in April. Construction is likely to commence this year. However, interestingly, many of the Indians living and working in the UAE are not native Hindi speakers. Almost half of them are from Kerala, where Malayalam is the language spoken. Tamils rank second. The remaining are from various other parts of the country. The lawmakers in Abu Dhabi may not have gone into the details of India's language mix. The move, though, is a strong show of cementing ties. In recent weeks, India had good help from the UAE government in extraditing people wanted by investigating authorities in india. These include Christian Michel, one of the middle men wanted in connection with the Agusta-Westland chopper deal case, as well as Rajiv Saxena, a co-accused in the scam. Most recently, it also extradited Prabhjot Singh, wanted for murder by the Punjab police. It is said that the extraditions were facilitated in a swap, with India sending back the UAE Princess Latifa, who was intercepted by the Indian Coast Guard while attempting to flee her plush but inhibited life. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu began a day-long fast in New Delhi on Monday, demanding that the Narendra Modi government at the Centre grant special status to the state and fulfil all promises made before its bifurcation in 2014. A number of opposition party leadersincluding Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwalare expected to extend their support to the fast of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan. Before beginning the fast, Naidu offered tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat and to B.R. Ambedkar at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan. A TDP delegation led by Naidu will submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday. Naidu has been trying to unite the opposition parties to take on the BJP in the general elections. Over the last three months, he has held a number of meetings with the opposition party leaders on forming an anti-BJP front. In March last year, the TDP had pulled out of the Modi government over its refusal to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh. The TDP has been accusing the Modi government of not releasing enough funds for the Polavaram irrigation project, the Kadapa steel plant and Amravati, the under-construction ultra-modern state capital. On June 2, 2014, Andhra Pradesh was split into two, and Hyderabad became the capital of the new state of Telangana. In a move to further regulate the medical devices industry, the Centre has notified eight new devices as drugs. According to a notification issued on February 8 by the Union ministry of health and family welfare, eight devices have been notified as drugsall implantable medical devices, CT scan equipment, MRI equipment, defibrillators, dialysis machine, PET equipment, X-ray machine, and bone marrow cell separator. With this notification, their import, manufacture and distribution is now regulated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. Until last year, 27 categories of devices were notified as drugs, including blood pressure monitoring devices, digital thermometers and glucometers that were notified in December 2018. The eight new categories of devices in the latest notification are used to make a diagnosis. The main issue is of quality, and the safety of the patient. If the diagnosis is incorrect, then the patient could be exposed to unneccesary treatment, a senior official from the union health ministry told THE WEEK. "When it comes to smaller private establishments the issue of quality becomes even more important. We know that in a large number of establishments, the imported diagnostic equipment is second hand, machines that have been cast away after being replaced with the latest versions in other countries, he said. The official also added that the move had support of the medical device industry. Though these devices are classified as drugs, and will be regulated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, the parameters of regulation will be defined by the Medical Device Rules under the Act, he said. The latest decision to notify these drugs comes after a proposal to regulate high-end medical devices such as implantable medical devices, CT scan equipment and X-ray machines was cleared by the Drugs Technical Advisory Board in May 2018. With this notification, these devices will also fall under the ambit of price control by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authorityalbeit only by next year when the notification comes into effect. The majority of medical devices are completed unregulated in India. With this move, all implantable devices and some diagnostic equipment will be brought into the regulatory framework. This is important from a patient safety perspective and we welcome this step, said Malini Aisola, co-convenor, All India Drug Action Network. However, we are disappointed about the delay with which the notification takes effect. It also sends mixed messages because the government is deliberating a roadmap for bringing new and separate regulatory framework for devices, said Aisola. Mahesh Zagade, former FDA commissioner, Mumbai, said that though the step was necessary, merely having a law was not enough. Zagade, who had filed an FIR in the against Johnson and Johnson in hip implant row and has voiced his support for patient rights, said that it was the implementation of the law that was at stake. In the J&J case, for instance, the drug controller could not stop the import the faulty implant [hip implants were already classified as drugs] and failed to take action against the company. Besides, people also need to be made aware of the fact that a robust law [Drugs and Cosmetics Act] exists in the country, said Zagade. What works against him are the below average dialogues and a sloppy script Bronx city council member Ruben Diaz Sr. refused to apologize Saturday despite mounting outrage over his comments that the chamber is controlled by the "homosexual community.""What I said is not homophobic, it's the truth," Diaz told the Daily News.City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, who is gay, and others have called on Diaz to apologize after the conservative, cowboy hat-wearing councilman told a Spanish-language radio program the city government is "controlled by the homosexual community."Diaz, a Pentecostal minister who has repeatedly ruffled feathers with his right-leaning stances on city and state issues, said during the interview with radio show "El Desahogo" earlier in the week that he felt unwelcome when he first joined his fellow electeds at City Hall because of his less-than-progressive views.Now he fears he'll be booted from his spot atop the Committee on For-Hire Vehicles."This proves my point," he told The News. "I'm worried about them taking away the committee. If they put pressure on Johnson to take it away, he might do it."Diaz has repeatedly earned the ire of his fellow Dems by vehemently opposing access to abortion and gay marriage, while supporting measures such as stop-and-frisk. In 2011, he was the sole Democrat in the state Senate to vote against the legislature's successful marriage equality bill."The disgraceful and homophobic comments made by Ruben Diaz Sr. don't reflect this city's values," Mayor de Blasio tweeted Saturday. "The council member owes an apology to @NYCSpeakerCoJo and 8.6 million New Yorkers."The 75-year-old lawmaker's own son, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., also joined the chorus of voices condemning his father."NYC is a place where we celebrate our diversity and inclusivity," Diaz Jr. tweeted. "The LGBTQ community is unequivocally an essential voice in our City."He went on to call his father's sentiments "antagonistic, quarrelsome and wholly unnecessary."The elder Diaz refused to back down from his words, asserting that the backlash only added to his argument."You see the list of elected officials that are calling on me to apologize. That shows how much power they have," he said. "I'm the victim here." The city of Genesee issued a drinking water warning Monday for infants younger than 6 months old after the city was forced to switch to a well that historically has high nitrate levels. The Procurement Specialist will support theProject Manager of the Grid Expansion and Reinforcement Project, in planning,co-ordination and control of the procurement activities from its start to thetime it is completed. He/ She will be responsible for ensuring that therequirements of the Project in line with the Procurement Manual are fulfilled.He /She will also support the project monitoring function to ensure that theproject is concluded successfully. The National SocialSecurity Fund (NSSF) is a Provident Fund mandated to provide social security toits members as prescribed by law under CAP 222 (Laws of Uganda) throughefficient management of members contributions. The NSSF asset base iscurrently over Ugx. 9.8 trillion, making the Fund one of the largestplayers in Ugandas economy. Brenda Darlene (Burnett, Witt, Bollmer) Curtin, 52, of Cincinnati, Ohio passed away June 21, 2021. She was born November 13, 1968, in Cincinnati, Ohio to the late Gladys (Jones) Napier and the late Wilburn Burnett. Brenda was preceded in death by a daughter, Jennifer Witt and sisters Alta Ru ST. PAUL, Minn. - Alissa Harrington took an audible breath as she slid open a closet door deep in her home office. This is where she displays what's too painful, too raw to keep out in the open. Framed photos of her younger brother, Justin Miller, a 33-year-old Marine Corps trumpet player and Iraq veteran. Blood-spattered safety glasses recovered from the snow-covered Nissan Frontier truck where his body was found. A phone filled with the last text messages from his father: "We love you. We miss you. Come home." Miller was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal thoughts when he checked into the Minneapolis Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in February 2018. After spending four days in the mental-health unit, Miller walked to his truck in VA's parking lot and shot himself in the very place he went to find help. "The fact that my brother, Justin, never left the VA parking lot - it's infuriating," said Harrington, 37. "He did the right thing; he went in for help. I just can't get my head around it." A federal investigation into Miller's death found that the Minneapolis VA made multiple errors: not scheduling a follow-up appointment, failing to communicate with his family about the treatment plan and inadequately assessing his access to firearms. Several days after his death, Miller's parents received a package from the Department of Veterans Affairs - bottles of antidepressants and sleep aids prescribed to Miller. His death is among 19 suicides that occurred on VA campuses from October 2017 to November 2018, seven of them in parking lots, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. While studies show that every suicide is highly complex - influenced by genetics, financial uncertainty, relationship loss and other factors - mental-health experts worry that veterans taking their lives on VA property has become a desperate form of protest against a system that some veterans feel hasn't helped them. The most recent parking lot suicide occurred weeks before Christmas in St. Petersburg, Florida. Marine Col. Jim Turner, 55, dressed in his uniform blues and medals, sat on top of his military and VA records and killed himself with a rifle outside the Bay Pines Department of Veterans Affairs. "I bet if you look at the 22 suicides a day you will see VA screwed up in 90%," Turner wrote in a note investigators found near his body. VA declined to comment on individual cases, citing privacy concerns. But relatives say Turner had told them that he was infuriated that he wasn't able to get a mental-health appointment that he wanted. Veterans are 1.5 times as likely as civilians to die by suicide, after adjusting for age and gender. In 2016, the veteran suicide rate was 26.1 per 100,000, compared with 17.4 per 100,000 for non-veteran adults, according to a recent federal report. Before 2017, VA did not separately track on-campus suicides, said spokesman Curt Cashour. The Trump administration has said that preventing suicide is its top clinical priority for veterans. In January 2018, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to allow all veterans - including those otherwise ineligible for VA care - to receive mental-health services during the first year after military service, a period marked by a high risk for suicide, VA officials say. And VA points out that it stopped 233 suicide attempts between October 2017 and November 2018, when staff intervened to help veterans harming themselves on hospital grounds. Sixty-two percent of veterans, or 9 million people, depend on VA's vast hospital system, but accessing it can require navigating a frustrating bureaucracy. Veterans sometimes must prove that their injuries are connected to their service, which can require a lot of paperwork and appeals. Veterans who take their own lives on VA grounds often intend to send a message, said Eric Caine, director of the Injury Control Research Center for Suicide Prevention at the University of Rochester. "These suicides are sentinel events," Caine said. "It's very important for the VA to recognize that the place of a suicide can have great meaning. There is a real moral imperative and invitation here to take a close inspection of the quality of services at the facility level." Keita Franklin, who became VA's executive director for suicide prevention in April, said the agency now trains parking lot attendants and patrols on suicide intervention. The agency also has launched a pilot program that expands its suicide prevention efforts, including peer mentoring, to civilian workplaces and state governments. "We're shifting from a model that says, 'Let's sit in our hospitals and wait for people to come to us,' and take it to them," she said during a congressional staff briefing in January. For some veterans, the problem is not only interventions but also the care and conditions inside some VA mental-health programs. John Toombs, a 32-year-old former Army sergeant and Afghanistan veteran, hanged himself on the grounds of the Alvin C. York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, the morning before Thanksgiving 2016. He had enrolled in an inpatient treatment program for PTSD, substance abuse, depression and anxiety, said his father, David Toombs. "John went in pledging that this is where I change my life; this is where I get better," he said. But he was kicked out of the program for not following instructions, including being late to collect his medications, according to medical records. A few hours before he took his life, Toombs wrote in a Facebook post from the Murfreesboro VA that he was "feeling empty," with a distressed emoji. "I dared to dream again. Then you showed me the door faster than last night's garbage," he wrote. "To the streets, homeless, right before the holidays." --- Miller was recruited as a high school trumpet player into the prestigious 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Band based in Cherry Point, North Carolina. In Iraq, he was posted at the final checkpoint before U.S. troops entered the safe zone at al-Asad Air Base. Hour after hour, day after day, his gun was aimed at each driver's head. He carefully watched the bomb-sniffing dogs for signs that they had found something nefarious. After he came home, Miller's family noticed right away that he was different: incredibly tense, easily agitated and overreacting to criticism. He eventually told his sister that he suffered from severe PTSD after being ordered to shoot dead a man who was approaching the base and was believed to have a bomb. Miller called the Veterans Crisis Line last February to report suicidal thoughts, according to the VA inspector general's investigation. The responder told him to arrange for someone to keep his guns and to go to the VA emergency department. Miller stayed at the hospital for four days. In the discharge note, a nurse wrote that Miller asked to be released and that the "patient does not currently meet dangerousness criteria for a 72-hour hold." He was designated as "intermediate/moderate risk" for suicide. Although Miller had told the crisis hotline responder that he had access to firearms, several clinicians recorded that he did not have guns or that it was unknown whether he had guns. There was no documentation of clinicians discussing with Miller or his family how to secure weapons, according to the inspector general's report, a fact that baffles his father. "My son served his country well," said Greg Miller, his voice breaking. "But they didn't serve him well. He had a gun in his truck the whole time." Franklin, head of VA's suicide prevention program, called the suicide rate "beyond frustrating and heartbreaking," adding that it's essential that "local facilities develop a good relationship with the veteran, ask to bring their families into the fold - during the process and discharge - and make sure we know if they have access to firearms." She said VA is looking at ways to create a buddy system during the discharge process, pairing veterans who can support each other's recoveries. During the week of Miller's birthday in December, his family joined his high school band leader to donate Miller's trumpet to a local low-income high school. "He was a blue-chip, solid kid," said Richard Hahn, his high school band leader. "He does this honorable thing and goes into the Marines. Then we have this tragic ending." He sat with Miller's mother, Drinda, as she closed her eyes in grief, rocking gently. Hahn and Harrington recalled their memories of Justin, playing the trumpet at Harrington's wedding and taps at his grandfather's funeral. After the investigation into Miller's suicide, VA's mistakes were the subject of a September hearing in front of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, but it was overshadowed by Brett Kavanaugh's testimony during his Supreme Court confirmation hearing. Listening to the conversation about her son, Drinda broke down and left the room. She sat in the lobby, shaky and crying. Her daughter knelt in her skirt to hold her mother's hand. --- A Rand Corp. study published in April showed that, while VA mental-health care is generally as good or better than care delivered by private health plans, there is high variation across facilities. "There are some VAs that are out of date. They are depressing," said Craig Bryan, a former Air Force psychologist and a University of Utah professor who studies veteran suicides, referring to problems with short staffing and resources. "Others are stunning and new, and if you walk into one that's awe-inspiring, it gives you hope." The Murfreesboro VA hospital, where Toombs took his life, was ranked among the worst in the nation for mental health, according to the agency's 2016 internal ratings. It has since improved to two out of a possible five stars. The program, "while nurturing in some ways, also has strict rules for picking up medications on time and attending group therapy," said Rosalinde Burch, a nurse who worked closely with Toombs in the VA program. She believes she was transferred and later fired from the program for being outspoken that "his death was totally preventable." Toombs was 20 minutes late to pick up medications the day he was kicked out, Burch said. He had been late several other times and occasionally left group sessions early, because he was suffering from anxiety. "But those shouldn't have been reasons for kicking him out," she said. "He was making real progress." Toombs' substance abuse screenings were clear, and he was starting to counsel other veterans, she said. Burch wrote an email to the hospital's program director, saying, "We all have the blood of this veteran on our hands." Since Toombs' death, the program has a new leadership team, including a new program chief and nurse manager, the hospital spokeswoman said. Burch has filed a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel, an independent federal agency that investigates whistleblower claims, to get her job back. For Miller's family, their son's death has motivated them to speak out about how VA can improve. "The VA didn't cause his suicide," Harrington said. "But they could have done more to prevent that, and that's just so maddening." On the snowy burial grounds behind St. Joseph of the Lakes Catholic Church in a quiet suburb of the Twin Cities, she huddled with her parents around his grave. Nearby stood the special in-ground trumpet stand that his father designed. The family sipped from a tiny bottle of Grand Marnier, a drink that Miller liked. His mother shook her head in despair as she recalled the sounds of her son's music. "Justin used to play his trumpet for all of the funerals," his father said. "But he wasn't here to play for his own." --- The Washington Post's Julie Tate contributed to this report. EDWARDSVILLE Rebranding and a concentrated effort at promoting foreign tourism should bring attention and dollars to the Madison County area, according to Brett Stawar, president of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau. Stawar made a short presentation to the Madison County Boards Governmental Relations Committee on Monday. He stressed a unified vision of tourism promotion in Madison County, although there was no effort to convince board members to change its policy on supporting tourism. The Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau includes the northern half of the county, and Calhoun, Macoupin and Jersey counties. ILLINOISouth covers 22 counties from the Mississippi to the Wabash rivers, including the southern portion of Madison County. Each receive equal financial support from the county. However, Stawars business, formerly the Alton Convention and Visitors Bureau, recently took over promotion of Edwardsville, Glen Carbon and Collinsville areas and rebranded itself as the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau, and has pushed to be the sole tourism agency in Madison County. At Mondays meeting, he said the bureau is in talks with several communities, including Maryville, St. Jacob and Troy. While the tax revenues, totaling about $5,400 and split evenly between the two groups, is not a large amount, there are grants and advertising revenues that would also be affected. According to data provided by the tourism bureau, the tourism industry within its service area has an economic impact of $538.8 million, provides 3,950 tourism-related jobs, and generates $15.7 million in local taxes. Representatives of ILLINOISouth had requested time for a presentation, but had been unable to make Mondays meeting, and are expected to discuss their efforts at a later meeting. Stawar said the expansion of the tourism bureau has allowed it to market both the Mississippi River Corridor and Route 66. Were the only place in America where the two roads intersect, he said. He also said they have made a serious effort to promote foreign tourism, citing a recent trade trip to China, and upcoming trips to the West Coast. Reach reporter Scott Cousins at 618-208-6447. The small north-central Ohio city of Sandusky, on the shore of Lake Erie, has unwillingly thrust itself into a contentious nationwide debate over increasing voter turnout: officially swapping Columbus Day for Election Day as a paid holiday."Some of it was just dumb luck as to the timing of the national conversation," City Manager Eric Wobser told CNN on Saturday.The new rule, which takes effect this year, coincides with sweeping Democratic legislation that would make Election Day a federal holiday, prohibit the purging of voter rolls and require presidential candidates to release their tax returns, among other changes.Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell last week drew backlash from Democrats for calling the House bill a "power grab," mocking it as the "Democratic Politician Protection Act" and arguing that it rewrites the "the rules of Americans politics for the exclusive benefit of the Democratic Party. The Alberta election hasnt been called yet but the campaigning is well underway. And its clear that if the NDP is to hold onto the reins of government its all up to Rachel. Rachel Notley, premier, NDP leader, daughter of another revered NDP leader, is by far the partys most valuable asset. All political leaders have to be considered an asset if they are to succeed. But without Rachel Notley theres no question the NDP in Alberta would be wiped off the map. Her sunny disposition, bravado and smarts led the NDP to victory in 2015 and party stalwarts are praying that she can pull it off again. They are depending on her so much that its hard to spot the NDP logo on campaign literature and signs. Instead its Rachel Notley Fighting for You. In 2015 it was Rachel Notleys NDP. And just like Ralph Klein was known throughout the province as simply Ralph no other explanation necessary so it is with Rachel. And just as riding on Ralphs coat tails brought many unknown PC candidates to victory, most NDP candidates are counting on Rachels coat tails this time around. NDP insiders are quick to credit Notley for the 2015 win, writes Melanee Thomas a political science professor at the University of Calgary in Orange Chinook: Politics in the New Alberta, a recently published book that focuses on the NDPs election win and first term in office. (Full disclosure: I wrote a chapter in this book). it is plausible in Alberta in 2015 when (PC) partisanship might have been somewhat unsettled, establishing (these) positive evaluations of Notleys character may have been the most important part of the campaign, Thomas argues. In another chapter, Mount Royal University political scientist Lori Williams argues that as a female politician Notley hit just the right notes with many Albertans during the 2015 campaign. She was nice but not too nice. She continues to be unpretentious, down to earth, and the antithesis of elitist. For example, at a cabinet retreat in Banff she declined, unlike previous premiers, to occupy the only deluxe room available, Williams writes. Notley has performed well on social issues usually considered soft or feminine, but has defied expectations for women (and NDP leaders) with her support for business, the oil industry, and pipelines, Williams adds. But a lot has changed since that election of 2015 when Notley defeated Jim Prentice and ended the 44-year Progressive Conservative dynasty. Most importantly the rival conservative parties that split the vote in 2015 are now one party the United Conservative Party led by former federal cabinet minister Jason Kenney. Oil pipelines werent much of an issue in the last election. But Notley has had to bear the unexpected fate of three proposed oil pipelines during her tenure Northern Gateway, Energy East and Trans Mountain. Trans Mountain is still alive but theres no chance construction will resume before the provincial election, which will likely be called in March. No doubt, when she was elected Notley never anticipated that the greatest threat to her success would come from British Columbia in the form of fellow NDP premier John Horgan and his opposition to the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline that would ship diluted bitumen from Alberta to B.Cs coastal waters. Throw in the stagnant price of oil, which Notley can do nothing about, and the carbon tax she imposed early in her tenure and its anything but an optimistic scenario for the NDP. Credible polls put the UCP about 15 points ahead of the NDP among committed voters. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... But polls also show that Notley is more popular than her party and Kenney is less popular than his party. Federal Conservative politicians are already stumping for Kenney. But Notley has isolated herself from both the federal NDP and the Trudeau Liberals so dont expect any of them to be at her side. It was her personal popularity that pulled the party through in 2015. And since running as an underdog seems to suit Notley, whether shes a would-be premier or a premier, its not surprising that this time around the NDP faithful are hoping and praying she can do it again. Read more about: Ottawa wrong to support opposition in Venezuela, Feb. 6 A big thank you to Thomas Walkom for his insight into the Ottawas erroneous position on Venezuela. Canada should not be supporting U.S. interference in what clearly was the democratic election of Nicolas Maduro. I am shocked and ashamed at Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freedlands role and wonder what is truly behind this unusual role for Canada. Canada should instead raise its voice to criticize the U.S. administration for creating the crisis in Venezuela, and supporting an indefensible coup. Elizabeth Hill, Toronto The fact that Venezuela has such huge oil reserves should give anyone pause. This is a complicated situation with many desperate people involved, and treating it as a simple matter of changing one head of government for one chosen by outsiders is not appropriate. Canada should act with more discretion and defend the democratic process by diplomatic means. Martha Gould, North Bay To our everlasting shame, our government has chosen to hold the bullys coat, rather than to speak up against an obvious orchestrated regime change in a nation whose petroleum industry is not under American influence. Patrick McDonald, Toronto Read more about: The fact that vaping among teenagers increased by a whopping 78 per cent over the past year in the United States is shocking, but not surprising. Nor is it any surprise that health experts say the trend in Canada is very similar. After all, tobacco companies have long known that the secret to getting kids hooked on tobacco for life is to catch them before they turn 19 by adding candy and fruit flavours to nicotine products and spending a fortune on cool advertising. So when they turned their marketing guns on vaping, they only had to put into play the same formula that has allowed them to rake in billions around the globe. Thats why two measures put forward last week by Health Canada to curb youth vaping are so needed, and so welcome. And why its important that they become law as quickly as possible. First are proposals to restrict the advertising of vaping products and require manufactures to put health warnings on the packaging of nicotine-laced e-cigarettes. The second will come in March, when the government plans to introduce a discussion proposal that could target flavours and designs (such as inhaling devices that look like USB sticks) that attract kids. It would also limit nicotine concentrations in the products, which are inching upwards. The key now is to ensure that these sensible ideas dont get bogged down in endless consultations. Restrictions should be put in place as quickly as possible before tobacco giants, who own e-cigarette companies, can lure more kids with their candy. Time is of the essence. A new study published in the journal JAMA Network Open found that young people who used e-cigarettes are four times more likely to start smoking traditional cigarettes compared with those who didnt vape. If the government doesnt find a way to put the new regulations into effect soon, an election could get in the way and cause a delay of up to two years, warns Neil Collishaw, research director at Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada. In the meantime, Ontario could join forces with seven other provinces that have banned the promotion of vaping products in convenience stores, as the United States has done, by requiring retailers to store e-cigarettes out of sight in cabinets. The head-slapping irony of it all is that this province was set to do exactly that last July under regulations passed by the former Liberal government. But in a remarkably regressive step, the Ford government put all that on hold. It postponed implementation of the restrictive regulations so it could re-examine the evidence related to vaping as a smoking-cessation tool. The facts are clear on this. Vaping is an effective smoking-cessation tool for adults who already smoke. But putting e-cigarettes out of sight in cabinets doesnt prevent adults from accessing them, anymore than putting cigarettes there stops smokers from buying a pack. The good news is this: Once the federal changes are in place, the advertisements currently permitted in convenience stores in Ontario will be banned even if the Ford government doesnt step up to protect youths. Still, precious time will have been lost. And indeed, the biggest surprise is how long it took for governments to listen to health experts who sounded the alarm about the impending danger of e-cigarettes as a gateway to smoking years ago. After all, governments around the world have spent a fortune on court cases over the last few decades to establish their right to restrict tobacco advertising. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... They need only have followed suit when it became clear the tobacco companies were now aiming their marketing guns on e-cigarettes. Instead, they dithered. The result? Big Tobacco is not only hooking a new generation on a highly addictive drug nicotine with e-cigarettes, but it is once again introducing them to tobacco. It should not have come to this. All the more reason for the federal government to move as quickly as possible to protect young people. During last years provincial election, the PCs blasted the Liberal governments plan for autism as being ill-advised and poorly managed. Doug Ford proposed $100 million in additional funding to the Ontario Autism Program, which was $38 million more than the Liberals were promising. Ford won the election, and his PC government just announced its long-term plan to tackle autism. Did it succeed or fail in meeting its original objective? Children, Community and Social Services minister Lisa MacLeod announced the massive waiting list of 23,000 children will be eliminated in 18 months. Ontario families will receive up to $140,000 for an autistic child from the ages of two to 18 to use as they see fit for therapy and treatment. An annual cap of up to $20,000 will be in place until the child turns six, which will decrease to $5,000 from therein. Many parents expressed either disappointment or shock at this announcement. They said the plan fell flat, and wouldnt help their children get the tools and resources they need to succeed in school and in life. Im in a unique position to discuss this issue. While my conservative views and activities are fairly well known, my son is also on the autism spectrum. I rarely discuss Andrews condition in public. Its his personal story to tell, and not mine. But Im going to make an exception. My wife and I noticed that Andrew wasnt developing at a normal rate at around 18 months. He was ultimately diagnosed with a triplicate in Chromosome 7, which was related to a severe delay in speech. He was placed, quickly removed, and eventually placed again on the autism spectrum with a moderate diagnosis. Andrew receives applied behaviour analysis (ABA) therapy. He has a speech language pathologist, two tutors for academics and a full-time aid for school, among other things. The intensive treatments have worked well, and he continues to grow, develop and improve. Virtually everything has been paid for with private money. Were lucky we can handle it. Others havent been nearly so fortunate. To be sure, the forthcoming removal of the waiting list deserves praise. The Liberals handled this situation abysmally, and allowed the problem to grow and fester to a point where many autistic children in Ontario didnt receive treatment for years, if at all. Thats unacceptable, and MacLeod and Ford did the right thing in eliminating it. The problem is the financial component. The cost of private ABA therapy can range between $50,000-$75,000 annually. When you factor in additional components such as speech language pathology, occupational therapy, tutoring and a part-time or full-time aid for school, work or daily living, the yearly costs can potentially exceed $100,000-$125,000. In milder cases of autism, the capped amount of funding could help in a supplemental fashion. To the vast majority of children who suffer from either moderate or extreme cases of autism, its not even a drop in the bucket. Most Ontario families will remain frustrated, worried, heavily in debt and unable to give their children the help they desperately need to properly function in society. As noted by Autism Speaks Canada, autism is now the fastest growing and most commonly diagnosed neurological disorder in our country. An astonishing 1 in 68 children are currently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, and the prevalence has increased over 100% in the last 10 years. The Ford government plan for autism, as it currently stands, is a mixed bag and wont help de-escalate this unfortunate situation. Fortunately, theres time for re-examination. The PCs must ensure more provincial funding is earmarked to families of autistic children struggling to make ends meet. The removal/readjustment of the annual cap would be wise. Tax breaks and/or tax incentives for private therapy and treatment would help. New provincially funded programs for autism should be introduced, and existing programs should be enhanced. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... I, like most Conservatives, believe in smaller government, lower taxes, fiscal prudence and more individual rights and freedoms. But were also compassionate when it comes to protecting the less fortunate. This is one of those moments, and they need our help. Please help them, Premier Ford and Minister MacLeod. Michael Taube, a longtime newspaper columnist and political commentator, was a speech writer for former prime minister Stephen Harper. Read more about: FAIRBANKS, Alaska - A former champion of the Yukon Quest reached the final checkpoint Sunday and was expected in Fairbanks on Monday afternoon. The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports Brent Sass of Eureka is leading the 1,000-mile (1600-kilometre) race that started in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Sass won the race in 2015. He pulled into the Two Rivers checkpoint at about 7 p.m. Sunday with 14 dogs, the most a team can have. Sass and 2018 champion Allen Moore were leading the race. Moore reached Two Rivers about 90 minutes after Sass. After a mandatory eight-hour rest, they faced a 70-mile run to the finish line in downtown Fairbanks. ___ Information from: Fairbanks (Alaska) Daily News-Miner, http://www.newsminer.com SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The SASB Foundation, an independent non-profit responsible for the funding and oversight of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), today announced the election of Else Bos to its board of directors. Ms. Bos will serve a three-year term starting January 1, 2019. Bos currently serves as the executive director and chair of Prudential Supervision at De Nederlandsche Bank, the central bank of the Netherlands, a part of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB). Bos election comes at a critical time for SASBs standards, which were recently codified in October 2018. The globally applicable standards now covering 77 industries are already being used by leading companies and investors, and align with and complement other sustainability reporting frameworks. Else brings extensive global experience and expertise in asset management and sustainable investing to the Foundation. Her deep knowledge of the industry and capital markets will be of great value to SASB as we accelerate our initiatives to promote adoption of our newly codified standards and to expand our presence globally, especially in Europe, said Bob Steel, Chair of the SASB Foundation Board of Directors. Bos joined De Nederlandsche Bank in July 2018 after serving, since 2013, as CEO of PGGM, the pension provider for PFZW, the second largest pension fund in the Netherlands. She also held various board positions at PGGM, such as Chief Institutional Business (2010-2013), Chief Executive Officer Investments (2005-2009) and COO Investments (2002-2005). Prior to this, she worked for NIB Capital Asset Management and ABN AMRO. She also serves on several boards, including those of the International Centre for Pension Management (ICPM) and the Supervisory Board of NOB (National Opera and Ballet). Since 2017, she has been a Trustee of the IFRS Foundation. Bos is also a strategy advisor to the board of FCLT Global, a non-profit organization working to encourage sustainable practices in business and investment decision-making, where she was a board member until the end of 2018. In addition, she has served on other boards, including those of the United Nations PRI, and the board of the Pacific Pension & Investment Institute (PPI). She was also a member of the Dutch Monitoring Committee for Corporate Governance. Bos said, I am delighted to be joining the SASB Foundations board at this crucial time. SASBs newly codified standards are the worlds first set of industry-specific sustainability accounting reporting standards. They will have a significant impact on global sustainability reporting, corporate disclosure and performance in the European and global capital markets in the years to come. The SASB Foundation board of directors appoints the members of the SASB Standards Board and oversees the standards-setting process. For more information on the SASB Foundations board, click here. To read more on the SASBs standards, click here. About SASB The Sustainability Accounting Standards Board Foundation (SASB) is an independent, nonprofit standard-setting organization that develops and maintains robust reporting standards that enable businesses around the world to identify, manage and communicate financially material sustainability information to their investors. SASB standards are evidence based, developed with broad market participation, and are designed to be cost-effective for companies and decision-useful for investors. To download any of the 77 industry-specific standards, or learn more about SASB, please visit www.SASB.org. Follow SASB on LinkedIn and Twitter. ST. PAUL, Minn. - Heres a warm thought for Minnesotans shivering in the cold and snow the annual Governors Fishing Opener is only three months away. Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan will host their inaugural Minnesota Governors Fishing Opener since winning election in November. This years event will be held in the Albert Lea area of southern Minnesota from May 9-12. Its the first time in the openers history that the event will be held in Albert Lea. Albert Lea is known as The Land Between the Lakes. The city is set between Fountain and Albert Lea lakes, and the area has 13 lakes. This will be the 72nd annual Governors Fishing Opener, which helps kick off Minnesotas summer travel season. Fishing is a $2.4 billion business in Minnesota. WASHINGTON - Leaders are speaking far more simply and with more confidence than they did four score and seven years ago. Donald Trumps speech has accelerated that trend. A new study says Trump talks less analytically, and more confidently, than all past U.S. presidents. Psychologists at the University of Texas and Princeton University used a computer language program to study nearly 3 million texts going back to 1789, using speeches by leaders in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia, along with general stories in books and newspapers, movie subtitles and cable news transcripts. Trumps speeches, debates and documents scored the highest among presidents on a scale that tries to measure confidence in language, more than twice that of low man William Henry Harrison. He ranks last in speaking analytically, scoring less than half of leader John Quincy Adams and substantially below recent presidents such as George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Kayla Jordan, a psychology researcher at the University of Texas and lead author of the study, said the nature of leaders communication began to change around the time of Woodrow Wilson, when radio and then other mass media began to emerge and when the voting population expanded to women, minorities and young people. Theres nothing wrong with being simple, she said: You want everyone to understand what youre saying. The study is in Mondays Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Jordan said the team looked at how leaders spoke, not at what they said. The study looked at all sorts of utterances but not tweets including presidential debates in part to try to minimize the effects of professional speechwriters and get more off the cuff speech, Jordan said. They examined articles and prepositions such as the and of as signs of more analytical thinking, because often those words signal a phrase that explains things. Personal pronouns and adjectives I and beautiful are rated less analytical. Words like we and you, are rated more confident, while tentative and negative words, like not, would or should, are rated as less confident, Jordan said. A computerized system developed by one of the studys authors called Linguistic Inquiry Word Count spits out a score for analytics and complexity. We understand that Trump is very different in a lot of other metrics. Were focused on these two and in these two hes not outside of the norm, Jordan said. This isnt capturing his intelligence or other traits. Trump so far has averaged a 44 on a 1 to 100 scale for analytical thinking. The average presidential score was 90. Every president but Trump and Barack Obama scored over 70. John Quincy Adams topped the chart just a shade under 99. Trump hit an all-time low of 16 for analytic speech in a December 2015 debate. Before Wilson, a former president of Princeton, the average presidential analytical score was 97.7. Since then its has been 79.5. Obamas 69 was almost 13 points below George W. Bush. When it comes to speaking with confidence, or what the researchers also call clout, Trump tops all the presidents with an 89 rating, far above the average of 64. Only four presidents averaged more than 80 on clout and they are all relatively recent: Trumps 89, Lyndon Johnson and Obamas 81 and George W. Bushs 80. The more simple a message is, the easier it is to be clear and certain about it. Complex messages dont lend themselves to high levels of certainty, said Pennsylvania State University communications professor Mary Stuckey, who wsasnt part of the study. So as messages simplify certainty will go up. Stuckey, who is editor of the Quarterly Journal of Speech, said the study was consistent with other, similar research, but that style of speech is only one component of political language. It does a good job of measuring what it does, she said. Jennifer Mercieca, a professor of political rhetoric at Texas A&M University who wasnt part of the study was skeptical of the way that system scored. She doesnt think the studys system takes into account seemingly contradictory and even ironic statements Trump makes. ___ Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter: @borenbears . ___ The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump is trying to turn the debate over a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border back to his political advantage as his signature pledge to American voters threatens to become a model of unfulfilled promises. Trump will hold his first campaign rally since Novembers midterm elections in El Paso, Texas, on Monday as he faces a defining week for his push on the wall and for his presidency and his 2020 prospects. Weakened by the disastrous government shutdown and facing a fresh deadline Friday, Trump is trying to convince people that that hell continue to push to build his long-promised wall, even though theres no way it would be anywhere near complete by the time voters have to decide whether to give him another term. A bipartisan group of lawmakers was negotiating ahead of Fridays deadline, but on Sunday people familiar with the talks said the mood among the bargainers had grown sour amid an impasse over migrant detention policies. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private talks. Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said during news show appearances Sunday that another shutdown remained on the table, although he also said Trump probably would be willing to compromise over how much of the $5.7 billion for wall construction hes demanded would be allocated. Someplace in the middle, Mulvaney said on NBCs Meet the Press. Even Trumps full demand is a fraction of the money he needs to complete the barrier he wants. His vision for the wall already has been substantially scaled down since the 2016 campaign, when it was to be built of concrete and span the length of the border and be paid for by Mexico. Now, hes looking to build steel slats along much of the 1,900-mile stretch, relying on natural barriers for the rest. The amount of federal funding hes seeking would pay for fewer than 200 miles of new barrier. The president, who feared a backlash from his most loyal supporters last year if he didnt use the last gasp of unified Republican control in Washington to fight for the wall, isnt expected to provoke another standoff with Congress. West Wing aides have acknowledged there is insufficient support among Republicans to sustain another shutdown fight. Still, Trump has publicly dismissed the work of congressional negotiators as a waste of time and on Sunday said he thinks Democrats want a shutdown to turn attention from the economy and other positive news for his administration. Trump also continued to threaten to flex his executive powers by trying to unilaterally tap into existing federal dollars to build the wall through a declaration of a national emergency or another presidential action. Any independent moves would face almost immediate legal challenges that even Trumps aides fear will be successful. Still, they reckon it will show Trump as determined to fight for the wall, and figure that voters will blame the courts and Congress rather the president. For some supporters, thats not enough. California-based conservative leader Mark Meckler, who helped found the tea party movement, said Trumps base voters are done waiting for him to deliver on the wall. He warned that the president risks alienating his strongest supporters unless he goes to war with Democrats. A political crusade is not enough, Meckler said. Politicians say stuff. Hes either doing it or hes not doing it. The border debate has also proven to be a drag on the presidents support among Republican lawmakers, many of whom dont share the presidents zeal for the wall. Last month Trump was forced to surrender the shutdown fight after senators in his party broke ranks amid the increasingly painful impacts of the stoppage. It coincided with mounting intraparty disagreements over the presidents policies for Afghanistan and Syria that led to a striking rebuke of them earlier this month led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. For all of that, though, Trump advisers on the campaign and inside the White House insist, that fulfilled or not, the promise of a wall is a winning issue for Trump. The president has already sought to rewrite the Build the Wall chants that were a staple of his 2016 campaign to Finish the Wall, and will use his rally in Texas to go in-depth on the issue, aides said. Highlighting their differing view of the electorate, Democrats are likewise adamant that Trumps struggles for the wall are a political boon to them, believing their 2018 midterm election gains in the House proved that voters want to block Trumps agenda. An AP-NORC poll conducted during last months shutdown found that more Americans opposed than favoured building a wall along the Mexican border, 49 per cent to 36 per cent. Eight in 10 Democrats opposed building the wall and only about 1 in 10 were in favour. Nearly 8 in 10 Republicans favoured the wall, while only about 1 in 10 were opposed. A Trump campaign adviser said the Trump team sees the El Paso rally as less about winning over voters ahead of the 2020 election and more an opportunity to reshape the debate around the wall. The campaign views the rally, which is to take place just a few hundred yards from El Pasos border fence, as an opportunity for Trump to make the case that border barriers work, said the adviser, who was not authorized to discuss campaign strategy by name and requested anonymity. Trump has repeatedly exaggerated the impact of El Pasos fencing on the citys crime rate, as well as statistics about crime committed by people who have entered the U.S. illegally. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... El Paso is home to one potential Democratic challenger to Trump, former Rep. Beto ORourke, who unsuccessfully challenged Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018 and maintains an army of small-dollar donors and a large social media following. The campaign adviser, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal thinking, insisted the venue had nothing to do with ORourke. But there was nothing subtle about ORourkes response: Hell be joining a march though his hometown to protest a border wall at the same time as Trumps rally. ___ Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Catherine Lucey contributed to this report. DEARBORN, Mich. - The Latest on the public visitation for former Rep. John Dingell, the longest-serving member of Congress, who died last week in Michigan (all times local): 11:35 a.m. Dozens of people are lined up to honour the late John Dingell, the longest-serving member of Congress, whose flag-covered casket is at a performing arts centre in suburban Detroit. Dingell died last Thursday at age 92. His wife, Rep. Debbie Dingell, greeted mourners Monday as they viewed the casket in Dearborn. Before the public viewing, Debbie Dingell spent time in the room with former Rep. Candice Miller and Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel. Funerals will be held Tuesday in Dearborn and Thursday in Washington before Dingell is laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. Dingell was in Congress for 59 years before he retired in 2014. His father was also a House member, and Dingells wife succeeded him in Congress. ___ 12:01 a.m. A public visitation will be held in Michigan to honour John Dingell, the longest-serving member of Congress in history, who died last week at age 92. The visitation will be Monday at Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in his hometown of Dearborn, a Detroit suburb. A funeral will be held Tuesday at a local church. His wife, Rep. Debbie Dingell, says another funeral will be held in Washington and that her husband will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery. Her office says former Vice-President Joe Biden, Rep. John Lewis of Georgia and Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan will speak at the Tuesday service in Michigan. It says former President Bill Clinton, Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland and former House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio will speak at the Washington service Thursday. Dingell represented parts of southeastern Michigan in Congress for nearly 60 years before retiring in 2014. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... ___ See APs complete coverage of John Dingell here: https://apnews.com/JohnDingell BEIJING - Asian stocks rose Tuesday following a listless day on Wall Street as investors looked ahead to U.S.-Chinese trade talks. KEEPING SCORE: Tokyos Nikkei 225 rose 2 per cent to 20,745.28 and the Shanghai Composite Exchange added 0.3 per cent to 2,661.89. Hong Kongs Hang Seng was 1.5 points higher at 28,122.41 and Seouls Kospi gained 0.3 per cent to 2,188.32. Sydneys S&P-ASX 200 advanced 0.2 per cent to 6,073.60 and New Zealand, Taiwan and Malaysia also rose. Manila and Jakarta declined. WALL STREET: Gains for industrial companies, banks and energy stocks outweighed losses elsewhere. Small-company stocks fared better as investors shifted focus away from the tail end of a strong corporate earnings season to U.S.-Chinese trade talks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.2 per cent to 25,053.11. The Standard & Poors 500 index rose 0.1 per cent to 2,709.80. The Nasdaq composite added 0.1 per cent to 7,307.90. U.S.-CHINA TALKS: Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin leads a delegation to Beijing on Thursday for talks aimed at resolving a tariff war over American complaints about Chinese technology ambitions. The dispute threatens to chill global economic growth. The talks are the last scheduled high-level meeting before an agreement by both sides to suspend further punitive action against each others goods expires March 1. U.S. GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN: Traders were watching negotiations in Washington aimed at averting another government shutdown. Democrats and the GOP disagree over how much to spend on President Donald Trumps promised border wall. A Friday midnight deadline is looming to prevent a second partial government shutdown. ANALYSTS TAKE: U.S. equities struggled to establish clear direction as concerns about progress of trade talk and U.S. government shutdown looms in the background, said Zhu Huani of Mizuho Bank in a report. Investor sentiment remains cautious despite report suggesting that President Trumps advisers are discussing a potential summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping next month. GLOBAL ECONOMY: Fears of a global slowdown were given additional fuel from a report showing Britains economy had its slowest economic growth since the aftermath of the global financial crisis. Both Europe overall and China are contending with slower growth. ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude gained 40 cents to $52.81 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract lost 31 cents on Monday to close at $52.41. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 49 cents in London to $62.00. It shed 59 cents the previous session to $61.51. CURRENCY: The dollar gained to 110.47 yen from Mondays 110.36 yen. The euro edged up to $1.1283 from $1.1279. COLUMBIA, Mo. - Authorities say theyre investigating a suspicious fire at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Missouri that is seeking to regain its ability to offer abortions. Columbia police said officers responded to an alarm at the clinic on Sunday around 4 a.m. A small fire had started inside the structure and the buildings sprinkler system extinguished it. Firefighters told police the blaze was suspicious in nature, according to a statement from the police department. Police spokesman Jeff Pitts said Monday that the investigation was ongoing and that he couldnt discuss the cause of the blaze or whether it might be related to the abortion issue. The police department on Monday asked the FBI to help with the investigation. No clinic staff or patients were present when the fire started, and there were no injuries, Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Emily Miller said. The clinic was closed Monday amid the investigation, but the organization said the facility would reopen as soon as possible. We are working with law enforcement, as the source of the fire is suspicious and the incident is currently under investigation, Miller said in a statement released Sunday. Planned Parenthood was required to stop providing abortions at the clinic last year after new regulations went into effect requiring abortion doctors to have certain privileges with a nearby hospital. The Columbia Planned Parenthood clinic has been unable to secure physician privileges or find a doctor with those privileges after a panel of medical staff at University of Missouri Health Care voted to stop offering those privileges altogether in 2015. The vote came amid a Republican-led legislative investigation on abortion in the state. Missouri is down to one clinic offering abortions. That clinic is in St. Louis. WASHINGTON - The Trump administration pushed back Monday against allegations that it was trying to cover up the killing of Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi when it failed to send Congress a report determining who was responsible for his death. America is not covering up for a murder, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters at the U.S. Embassy in Budapest. Late last year, 22 bipartisan members of the Senate called for an investigation into Khashoggis Oct. 2 death and specifically whether Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was responsible. The investigation was requested under provisions of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. The act required the president to report back by Feb. 8 to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on whether the crown prince was responsible. In a Feb. 8 letter to Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, the ranking Democrat on the committee, Pompeo said President Donald Trump had called for a prompt and open investigation into the death of Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post who had been critical of the royal family. In the letter, obtained by The Associated Press, Pompeo wrote that in multiple meetings with Saudi officials and in numerous public statements, he had emphasized the importance of a thorough, transparent and timely investigation, including accountability for those responsible for the killing. Pompeo also noted that the U.S. sanctioned 17 Saudi individuals for their involvement in the killing, but the letter did not assess whether the crown prince was responsible. This amounts to the Trump administration aiding in the coverup of a murder, said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., where Khashoggi lived. America should never descend to this level of moral bankruptcy. Congress will not relent in its efforts to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for this heinous crime. The Trump administration has blatantly turned a blind eye to this crime, and is now refusing to provide a required report about who is responsible for his murder, despite the fact that the CIA concluded that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally ordered Khashoggis killing, Kaine said in a statement Sunday. Pompeo defended the administrations response to the death of Khashoggi, who entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to get a document he needed for his upcoming marriage and was never seen again. America has taken more action in response to the tragic murder of Jamal Khashoggi and will continue to take more action, continue our investigation, Pompeo told reporters in the Hungarian capital. We are working diligently on that. The president has been very clear couldnt be more clear as we get additional information, we will continue to hold all of those responsible accountable. A senior administration official told the AP that the State Department regularly updates Congress on the status of the case and that the U.S. government will continue to work to hold accountable those responsible for the death. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss the issue and spoke only on condition of anonymity. Some Democrats and Republicans, however, maintain the sanctions, including a ban on travel to the U.S., are insufficient. Lawmakers, including Menendez and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., introduced legislation Friday that would prohibit certain arms sales to Saudi Arabia in response to the killing of Khashoggi and the Saudis role in Yemen. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told CNNs State of the Union on Sunday that by law, when the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee asks the president to make a finding as to a human rights violation overseas, the president has to respond. Thats what the law says. So he doesnt have an option here. Murphy said lawmakers could go to court to try to make the president comply, or they can move forward with their own list of sanctions. Congress doesnt have to wait for the president to fulfil his duty, Murphy said. We can just make a determination ourselves. Late last week, Saudi Arabias Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, told reporters in Washington that people should await the results of the trial of the suspects as well as the end of an ongoing investigation before drawing any conclusions about the case. He insisted the crown prince had no role in the slaying that it was a rogue operation with no official backing. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... ___ AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee in Budapest contributed to this report. ALBANY, N.Y. - New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will travel to Washington, D.C., this week for a meeting with President Donald Trump to discuss how recent federal tax changes are hurting the states bottom line. The Democratic governor told reporters on Monday that hell urge the president to reconsider a provision in the recent tax overhaul that sharply limits a federal deduction for state and local taxes. Cuomo has blamed that change for a recent dip in state tax receipts, saying it has put New York at a disadvantage when it comes to attracting and retaining wealthy residents. State officials announced last week that income tax receipts have dipped more than $2 billion below projections for the fiscal year ending next month. This is not an academic discussion, my friends. This is real life, Cuomo told reporters on Monday. This changes the economic trajectory of the state. People are mobile. And they will go to a better tax environment. While Trump has praised the tax overhaul, he has signalled a willingness to consider changes. There are some people from New York who have been speaking to me about doing something about that, about changing things. Its been severe on them, he told a group of journalists last week. While getting the Republican-led U.S. Senate to agree will be challenging, Cuomo said he hopes the deduction limit could be eliminated now that Democrats control the U.S. House. Trump signed the tax reforms into law in late 2017. Cuomo plans to travel to Washington on Tuesday and return to New York later in the day, a spokesman said. SANTA FE, N.M. - Reies Lopez Tijerina, a Pentecostal preacher turned activist who led a violent raid of a northern New Mexico courthouse more than 50 years ago and helped sparked the Chicano Movement, is the subject of a new Spanish-language documentary. Mexican director Angel Estrada Soto is showing his film, They Called Me King Tiger, around the U.S. and it will make its debut in New Mexico on Friday, the Santa New Mexican reports . Tijerina died in El Paso, Texas in 2015 at age 88. The documentary attempts to offer a balanced view of Tijerina, detailing his Texas upbringing as the child of poor ranchers, the religious commune he founded in the 1950s in the southern Arizona desert, and his eventual adoption of the struggle of New Mexicans to reclaim ancestral land grants that had been usurped by the U.S. government and white settlers. Estrada Soto said was fascinated by the way Tijerina described divine inspiration for his activism, detailing religious visions and a near-death experience at age five. That was the hook for me to tell this story more than his political activity, more than land grants, Estrada Soto said. When you want to understand why someone goes so far in his beliefs and struggle, you will find that someone like him has to have this other motivation, this divine motivation. Estrada Soto said he wanted the film to address all possible aspects of Tijerinas story, especially his troubled relationship with his family. Tijerina and his group wanted local officials to start honouring Spanish land grants outlined in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo the treaty that ended the U.S.-Mexican War of 1848 and give land back to the descendants of Hispanic pioneering families they say had been illegally seized by whites. Tijerina and his followers in 1967 raided the courthouse in the small community of Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico, to try to make a citizens arrest of the local district attorney. The group shot and wounded a state police officer and jailer, beat a sheriffs deputy, and took the sheriff and a reporter hostage. Tijerina and his followers then escaped to the Kit Carson National Forest. Tijerina was arrested but ultimately acquitted of charges related to the raid. He eventually spent about two years in prison for federal destruction of property. The armed attack outraged some, but inspired Mexican-American college students of the late 1960s and early 1970s Chicano Movement that stressed ethnic pride, ethnic studies and opposition to police brutality. It came amid urban race riots, the emerging Black Panther Party and the militant American Indian Movement. NEWARK, N.J. - Victims of sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy in New Jersey will soon be able to apply for compensation from a fund representing all five of the states dioceses, one of the funds administrators announced Monday. Camille Biros, who also is overseeing similar compensation funds in Pennsylvania and New York, said New Jerseys will be different because all five of the states dioceses will follow the same protocols. Those will be posted on a website by early next week followed by a 30-day public comment period before they are finalized. The first phase will last at least six months, Biros said, and will focus on alleged victims who have made previous claims. A second phase will focus on new claims. We are looking forward to working with the dioceses and are pleased about the fact this is a common protocol for the entire state, Biros said. A fund Biros oversees in New York has paid out more than $210 million to more than 1,100 victims in five dioceses, she said. Five months ago, New Jerseys attorney general announced a criminal investigation into clergy sexual abuse on the heels of a grand jury investigation in Pennsylvania that found more than 1,000 children had been abused by about 300 priests over a span of decades. Victims who accept compensation in New Jersey will give up their right to sue, which could be of particular importance because state lawmakers have proposed a bill that could eliminate the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse victims to file civil actions. Currently, adults have two years to sue from the time they first realize the abuse damaged them. The fund also wont cover abuses by religious order priests, such as Jesuits, who may serve in parishes or schools but are not ordained by the diocese. Gregory Gianforcaro, an attorney who has won civil settlements for numerous victims of clergy sexual abuse in New Jersey, said while compensation can be a welcome development for victims, it could preclude other redress they might seek. Many of the victims want information, he said. Theyre looking for the records, the personnel files to be disclosed, as well as other non-monetary relief, such as an apology. It would seem to me that this compensation package is the churchs way to get around having to disclose information about their priests. Biros said there isnt a cap on the amount of compensation per individual victim, but said the highest amount paid out in New York has been $500,000. She also said a recently established fund in the Philadelphia archdiocese has paid out more than $7 million to 85 victims to date. NORFOLK, Va. - Historians say they were shocked and mystified when Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam wrongly used the term indentured servants Sunday in reference to the first Africans to arrive in English North America 400 years ago. Most historians abandoned use of the term in the 1990s after historical records left little room for doubt that the Africans were enslaved, the scholars said. The indentured servitude thing is really bizarre, said Davidson College professor Michael Guasco, who wrote the book Slaves and Englishmen: Human Bondage in the Early Modern Atlantic World. He doesnt come across as being particularly informed. The embattled Democratic governor used the term on CBSs Face the Nation while discussing Virginias painful history of race relations. Northam said the first indentured servants from Africa arrived in what is now Virginia in 1619. Interviewer Gayle King interjected to say also known as slavery. Northam replied yes. The Africans had come on two ships that had raided whats believed to have been a Spanish slave vessel in the Gulf of Mexico. Sailing into the Chesapeake Bay to what is now Hampton, the ships traded more than 30 Africans for food and supplies. English colonists took the Africans, who came from what is now Angola, to properties along the James River. Northam released a statement Monday to explain his use of the term. He said he spoke at a recent event about the arrival of the Africans and referred to them in my remarks as enslaved. A historian advised me that the use of indentured was more historically accurate_the fact is, Im still learning and committed to getting it right, Northam said. Guasco, the Davidson College professor, said some historians did use the term from the 1970s to 1990s. Thats because a very small number of the first Africans became free decades later. But he said historians have since confirmed through records, including censuses, that most remained enslaved. The indentured servant remark is the governors latest misstep in a blackface scandal that has shaken Virginia to its foundation. A racist photo recently surfaced from Northams 1984 medical school year book. He denies being in the photo, but acknowledged wearing blackface at a dance party that same year. New York University history professor Rebecca Goetz was among those who chastised Northam on Twitter. She said in a phone interview that Northams indentured servant remark is shocking in light of his current political difficulties. CHICAGO - A judge has overturned the drug convictions of 10 more men who were framed by a disgraced former Chicago police sergeant, bringing the number of people cleared in the scandal to 63. A Cook County judge granted motions Monday filed by prosecutors to vacate the mens convictions. Dozens of others have already been exonerated after alleging they had drugs planted on them or were otherwise framed after refusing to pay former Sgt. Ronald Watts or his tactical team. Sean Starr, an attorney for the Chicago Law Schools Exoneration Project, tells the Chicago Sun-Times that 63 defendants have now been exonerated after being charged with crimes in cases tainted by Watts. Watts was sentenced to 22 months in prison in 2013 after pleading guilty to stealing money from an FBI informant. WASHINGTON - Michael Cohens closed-door testimony before the Senate intelligence committee has been postponed due to post-surgery medical needs, his attorney said Monday. Cohen, President Donald Trumps former personal lawyer, is under subpoena from the committee and was scheduled to talk to the panel Tuesday. Cohens attorney, Lanny Davis, said in a statement that the interview had been postponed for medical reasons. Cohen was recently seen with his arm in a sling. Davis said last month that he had undergone minor shoulder surgery. This is the third time Cohen has postponed congressional testimony. He pulled out of a public hearing in the House Oversight and Reform Committee that was scheduled for Feb. 7, citing threats from Trump and the presidents attorney-spokesman, Rudy Giuliani. Last week, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said a closed-door interview with Cohen had been postponed to later in the month in the interests of the investigation. Schiff wouldnt say if he was talking about his own committees investigation or special counsel Robert Muellers Russia probe, with which Cohen has co-operated. Cohen will now talk to the House intelligence panel on Feb. 28. It is unclear if he has scheduled a new date to speak to the Senate investigators, who subpoenaed him to appear. Aides to Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., and the top Democrat on the panel, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, declined to comment. Cohen talked to both committees in 2017 and has since pleaded guilty for lying to them about his role in a Trump business proposal in Moscow. Cohen acknowledged that he misled lawmakers by saying he had abandoned the project in January 2016 when he actually continued pursuing it for months after that. Hes set to begin a three-year prison sentence in March. He has also pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations for his involvement in payments to a former Playboy model and porn actress who had alleged affairs with Trump. Trump has denied the allegations. ___ Associated Press writer Jim Mustian reported from New York. CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Former Vice-President Joe Biden will headline his first public event in about three weeks on Saturday in Munich, Germany, nearly 5,000 miles from Iowa, site of the 2020 presidential campaigns first contest. As he weighs whether to jump into the race, Biden has been conspicuously absent from early voting states, making him an outlier among Democrats eyeing the White House. Nine Democrats have announced full-fledged campaigns, two have launched exploratory committees and several others are blanketing Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina as they decide whether to launch a campaign. A half-dozen made the rounds this past weekend alone. In a wide-open race, Bidens take-it-slow approach has given other candidates a head-start in fundraising, scooping up top-tier staff and perfecting their pitch to voters. Its also given them a chance to chip away at what would be a central argument of a Biden campaign: that he is the only candidate who can defeat President Donald Trump in 2020. Biden has said hell only run if he doesnt believe Democrats have other viable options, and hes privately raised doubts about the electability of some of his potential rivals, according to a person with knowledge of those conversations who spoke on condition of anonymity to talk about private discussions. But some voters who have seen those candidates up close in recent weeks disagree. I like Joe. Hes a good man, and I like his character, said Audrey Wolf, a 72-year-old retired teacher and devout Democratic caucusgoer from Mason City. But I will say, Im just really open to the new faces out there. Nick Maybanks, a 42-year-old Democratic voter from Cedar Rapids, said Bidens wavering on whether to launch a campaign puts him a couple of paces back. While these others are here, Im wondering if he would be committed to it, Maybanks, a county prosecutor, said of Biden as he and his family gathered to hear New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker address Iowa voters. The former vice-president initially expected to make his decision by now. But he blew through a self-imposed January deadline without a campaign announcement, and some longtime allies say they simply dont know when, or if, hell enter the race. Hes prepared, but hes also doing his due diligence, said Louisiana Rep. Cedric Richmond, the former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus who has spoken to Biden in the past two weeks. But for now, he doesnt have plans to visit any of the early states. He heads to Michigan on Tuesday to deliver a eulogy at a funeral for Democratic Rep. John Dingell, the longest-serving member of Congress. On Saturday, hell speak at a high-profile national security summit in Germany. Biden advisers say he can afford to get a later start. After eight years as vice-president, hes well-known to most voters and has deep ties to Democratic activists in the early primary states. His tight-knit group of senior advisers is ready to swiftly stand up a campaign operation if Biden gives them the go-ahead. The former vice-president would also bring a more moderate track record to a campaign that is so far being defined by liberal candidates pushing big government programs, like a Green New Deal to tackle climate change and Medicare-for-all. Biden hasnt endorsed either concept. Biden may also be the closest thing Democrats have to a front-runner in 2020, given his long history in politics. A recent CNN poll found about 6 in 10 Democrats said Biden should run, and 44 per cent said they would be very likely to support him if he did more than said this for any other potential Democratic candidate. But the prospect of a Biden candidacy has not scared off other candidates. California Sen. Kamala Harris has set the pace for the field, drawing an eye-popping 20,000 people to her campaign launch last month. Her early start has also helped her campaign bank crucial information on voters, including boosting its email list by 20 per cent on Harris first day as a candidate, according to a campaign aide. Lesser-known candidates are using the winter to start making introductions to voters. New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrands team sought to maximize media attention by announcing an exploratory committee during a week in mid-January when no other major campaign announcements were planned. She followed that up with quick trips to each of the early voting states, including a three-day swing through South Carolina that wrapped up Sunday. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Although shes only formed an exploratory committee at this point, Gillibrand has already hired 40 staffers. Some Democratic strategists say the former vice-president is letting valuable time slip away. You cant get time back, said Dan Pfeiffer, who advised Barack Obamas two successful presidential campaigns. The Iowa caucus, which is the most complicated election in the country, is a year away, and the candidates that wait very well may regret it. Obama is said to have made similar points to the many prospective candidates hes met with so far, according to people with knowledge of the conversations. While the former president hasnt recommended a specific timetable to candidates, he has emphasized the importance of investing early in the kind of ground operations in Iowa and elsewhere that helped catapult him to the nomination in 2008. While most Democratic White House hopefuls have made their intentions clear by now, a handful of others share Bidens slower strategy. Beto ORourke, who shot to Democratic stardom with his narrow defeat in last years Texas Senate race, says hell make a decision before the end of the month. ORourke will headline a march in his hometown of El Paso on Monday night, about a mile away from where Trump will be holding a re-election campaign rally. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg also plans to make a decision in February. The billionaire made a campaign-style stop in New Hampshire last month and headlined a climate change event last week in Florida, another crucial primary state. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders hasnt said when hell decide whether to launch a second presidential campaign. But hes kept making high-profile appearances, including delivering a rebuttal to Trumps State of the Union address last week. ___ Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa. Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC and Tom Beaumont at http://twitter.com/tombeaumont BISMARCK, N.D. - A Phoenix woman who has publicly admitted to vandalism along the route of the Dakota Access oil pipeline in two states is asking a judge to dismiss her as a defendant in a $1 billion federal racketeering lawsuit filed by the pipeline developer. Ruby Montoya was one of millions of people around the world who shared a common purpose of stopping the $3.8 billion pipeline built to move North Dakota oil to Illinois, and Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners has failed to show any link between her and a criminal enterprise, said defence attorney Lauren Regan with the Civil Liberties Defence Center. Advocating for the protection of the climate through a reduction in fossil fuel infrastructure is on its face constitutionally protected, and not a basis for a RICO claim, Regan wrote in a recent court filing. ETP sued Earth First, BankTrack and Greenpeace in August 2017, alleging they worked to undermine the pipeline project and the company. A judge later dismissed both Earth First and BankTrack as defendants and criticized the lawsuit for being vague. The company added five individuals as defendants in August 2018 , including Montoya and Jessica Reznicek. The two women in July 2017 released a public statement admitted to damaging valves and setting fire to construction equipment along the pipeline route in Iowa and South Dakota. Regan notes that neither woman has been criminally charged. She also refutes ETP allegations that Montoya was a spokeswoman for the anti-pipeline group Mississippi Stand and was trained in eco-terrorist techniques through Earth First. U.S. District Judge Billy Roy Wilson ruled last year that ETP had failed to make a case that Earth First is an entity that can be sued. The Center for constitutional Rights had argued that Earth First is a philosophy or movement similar to Black Lives Matter, and thus cant be sued. Plaintiffs cannot seem to grasp the fact that (Earth First) is not an organization and does not have members, Regan wrote, maintaining that Mississippi Stand is similarly an entity with no structure or leadership. Montoya has no connection with any other defendants in the lawsuit other than Reznicek, who has not yet been served with the lawsuit, Regan wrote. Plaintiffs have failed to adequately allege Montoyas membership in or association with plaintiffs paranoid, farcical and manufactured conspiracy theory, she said. ETPs lawsuit under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act alleges that the defendants disseminated false and misleading information about the project and interfered with its construction through violent and criminal means, damaging the companys reputation and finances. Opposition by groups and American Indian tribes who feared environmental harm inspired large protests in southern North Dakota and resulted in 761 arrests over a six-month span beginning in late 2016. The pipeline has been operating since June 2017. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... ___ Follow Blake Nicholson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NicholsonBlake Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke fatally shot Laquan McDonald in 2014. He was convicted in October of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery one for each bullet the white officer fired at the black 17-year-old. Judge Vincent Gaughan sentenced Van Dyke in January to six years and nine months in prison. Some key moments in the case: 2014 Oct. 20: Van Dyke fatally shoots McDonald after responding to a call about a teenager breaking into vehicles in a trucking yard. Other officers back Van Dykes claim that McDonald, who had a small knife with its blade folded, posed a threat to Van Dykes life. 2015 April 15: The Chicago City Council approves a $5 million settlement with McDonalds family. Nov. 24: Cook County States Attorney Anita Alvarez announces that she is charging Van Dyke with first-degree murder. Hours later, the city responds to a judges order and releases dashcam video of the shooting that shows McDonald veering away from officers. The footage contradicts the accounts of Van Dyke and other officers on the scene that he lunged at them with the knife. The videos release sparks days of protests. Dec. 1: Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel fires police Superintendent Garry McCarthy after a public outcry over the handling of the McDonald case. Dec. 7: The U.S. Department of Justice announces that its civil rights division will investigate the police force, looking for patterns of racial disparity in its use of force. Dec. 9: Emanuel apologizes for McDonalds killing in a speech before the City Council. He says Chicagos police force needs complete and total reform. Dec. 16: A grand jury indicts Van Dyke on charges of first-degree murder and official misconduct. 2016 Feb. 16: The city of Chicago says it will release videos of police shootings and in-custody deaths within 60 days, after being criticized for refusing to release the McDonald shooting video for more than a year. March 16: Alvarez loses the Democratic primary to challenger Kim Foxx , who goes on to become the first African-American woman to lead the Cook County states attorneys office. April 12: A task force established by Emanuel to look into police practices in the wake of the McDonald shooting says the department must acknowledge its racist past and overhaul its handling of excessive force allegations. It also recommends abolishing the Independent Police Review Authority, which investigates officer misconduct. April 21: Emanuel announces changes to how police shootings and misconduct cases are handled but draws criticism for stopping short of abolishing the Independent Police Review Authority. May 13: Emanuel announces that he is abolishing the Independent Police Review Authority and replacing it with the Civilian Police Investigative Agency, which will have more independence and resources. June 3: Chicago releases hundreds of videos that offer startling glimpses into violent encounters involving police, including the fatal shooting of a robbery suspect speeding toward officers in a van and an incident in which an officer slammed his night stick against a mans head at a party. Aug. 18: Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson says seven Chicago police officers should be fired for filing false reports in the McDonald shooting. Oct. 7: Johnson releases details of a proposed new policy that would require officers to use the least amount of force necessary and emphasizes the sanctity of life. Nov. 16: A special prosecutor says a grand jury has been impaneled to hear evidence into a possible coverup by Chicago police officers in the McDonald shooting. 2017 Jan. 13: The Justice Department announces the findings of its civil rights investigation. It says the Chicago Police Department has violated the constitutional rights of residents for years permitting racial bias against blacks, using excessive force and killing people who didnt pose a threat. It concludes that the pattern was attributable to systemic deficiencies within the department and the city, including insufficient training and a failure to hold bad officers accountable for misconduct. March 23: A grand jury adds 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm to the first-degree murder charges against Van Dyke in the McDonald shooting. May 17: The Police Department releases a new use of force policy that requires its officers to undergo de-escalation training and imposes stricter rules on when they can fire their weapons at fleeing suspects. June 3: Media reports say the city of Chicago and the Justice Department have negotiated a draft agreement that calls for an independent monitor to oversee changes for the police force, which is the nations second largest. But it is unclear whether there will be court oversight at some stage in the future. June 14: Leading community groups, including a Black Lives Matter organization, file a class-action lawsuit against Chicago in a bid to bypass or scuttle a draft agreement between the city and the Justice Department that seeks to reform the police without federal court oversight. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... June 27: Three Chicago police officers are indicted on felony charges that they conspired to cover up Van Dykes actions in the killing of McDonald. Aug. 28: The city changes course and says it wants to carry out far-reaching reforms of its police under strict federal court supervision, abandoning a draft deal on reforms with President Donald Trumps administration that envisioned no court role. Nov. 14: The grand jury that indicted three Chicago police officers on charges that they conspired to cover up what happened when Van Dyke fatally shot McDonald disbands without indicting anyone else in the department. Dec. 11: The Chicago Police Department says all patrol officers are now equipped with body cameras. 2018 March 20: The American Civil Liberties Union and several community organizations say that they have reached an agreement to provide input into changes being proposed for the Chicago Police Department. Sept. 13: Lawyers finish choosing 12 jurors and five alternates for Van Dykes murder trial. Emanuel and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, meanwhile, unveil an updated plan to reform the citys police, saying it will ensure permanent, far-reaching changes within a 12,000-officer department that has a long history of committing serious civil rights abuses. The more than 200-page document is submitted to U.S. District Judge Robert Dow for his consideration. Sept. 17: Testimony begins in Van Dykes trial. He is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery and official misconduct. Oct. 4: Jury begins deliberations after being told that they also can consider the lesser charge of second-degree murder . Oct. 5: Van Dyke is found guilty of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery. Nov. 27: The bench trial of ex-Officer Joseph Walsh, former Detective David March and Officer Thomas Gaffney begins. They are charged with lying to protect Van Dyke from criminal prosecution after he fatally shot McDonald. Dec. 6: After hearing a weeks worth of testimony, Cook County Judge Domenica Stephenson says she will analyze the evidence before delivering her verdict to the three. Jan. 17: Stephenson acquits Walsh, March and Gaffney of trying to cover up the shooting death of McDonald. Jan. 18: Van Dyke is sentenced to six years and nine months in prison for the shooting death of McDonald. Feb. 11: Prosecutors ask the Illinois Supreme Court to review Van Dykes sentence. March 19: The Illinois Supreme Court lets Van Dykes sentence stand. ___ Check out the APs complete coverage of the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald. JERUSALEM - The Israeli Justice Ministry on Monday said the government has asked a Dutch court to dismiss war crimes allegations against Benny Gantz, an ex-military chief who is challenging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in April elections. A Dutch-Palestinian man originally from the Gaza Strip is suing Gantz and Israels former air force chief, Amir Eshel, for their roles in an airstrike on his familys home that killed six relatives. The dead included a 72-year-old woman and a 12-year-old child. The airstrike on the Zeyada family home took place during a 2014 war between Israel and Gaza militants. The ministry said Monday an internal Israeli military investigation determined the airstrike had killed four militants, including three family members, hiding in the house. It said the attack was permissible under international law, and argued the Dutch court does not have jurisdiction. Gazas Hamas rulers themselves have said that two militants were in the building. Israel has several mechanisms in place and a robust legal system available to address allegations such as those raised by the plaintiff, the ministry said. Litigating the lawsuit before a Dutch court would circumvent fundamental and long-recognized principles of state immunity. Accordingly, a motion to summarily dismiss the case has been filed in the Netherlands on behalf of the two former Israeli officials, it added. Hassan Zeyada, a Gaza psychologist, said his family had turned to the Dutch court because it does not believe the Israeli military is capable of investigating itself. His brother Ismail, who lives in the Hague, filed the lawsuit. The objective is accountability, Zeyada said. Its possible that our case will be a model for all bereaved families to achieve justice and accountability. On the campaign trail, Gantz has touted his leadership of the 2014 war as a reason to vote for him. In a campaign ad, he boasted of killing 1,364 terrorists in the fighting. If Gantz claims he enjoyed immunity because he was acting on behalf of the state, why he is bragging about destroying Gaza for his personal election campaign? Zeyada said. A U.N. report has concluded that over 1,400 Palestinian civilians were killed in the fighting and said war crimes may have been committed by both sides. Israel has blamed Hamas for the civilian casualties, saying the group hid fighters and launched attacks from residential neighbourhoods. Gantz, who left the military in 2015, has burst onto the Israeli political scene and quickly emerged as the top challenger to Netanyahu in the April vote. Liesbeth Zegveld, the Dutch lawyer handling the case, said it was filed last year and is still in the procedural phase as the court decides whether it has jurisdiction. The family is arguing that they do not have access to an Israeli court, that is highly discriminatory against them, that there are so many obstacles that they never get a ruling, she said. So we are arguing that they should be given permission to plead their case before a Dutch court. Zegveld said there is no precedent for such a case, but she hopes the Dutch court will agree to take it. In a separate case, the International Criminal Court has been conducting a preliminary inquiry in the Palestinian territories that, among other things, is looking into possible crimes committed by Israel and Hamas in the 2014 war. The court said recently that it hopes to wrap up the long-running investigation as soon as possible. Israel is not a member of the court and doesnt accept ICC jurisdiction. But Israeli forces could face charges if they are suspected of committing crimes in the Palestinian territories. The court has accepted the State of Palestine as a member. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... ___ Fares Akram in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, and Michael Corder in the Hague, Netherlands contributed reporting. WARSAW, Poland - The Polish government has joined forces with the United States to co-host an international conference on the Middle East, hoping to strengthen its ties with Washington as its seeks greater protection from Russia. But other longstanding relationships are being tested. Irans government, which views the conference as a hostile act, warns there will be consequences for Poland. Some political observers also fear the Polish government is risking greater isolation in Europe by aligning itself with Washington on an issue where the key European powers strongly oppose U.S. President Donald Trumps policies. What worries me is that the Polish government is putting its eggs almost completely in Trumps basket. Not even the U.S. basket, but Trumps basket. The bet on Trump goes quite far, said Piotr Buras, the director of the Warsaw office of the European Council on Foreign Relations. All of this is at the expense of relations with EU partners, and even at the expense of NATO unity. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and the foreign ministers of key European powers, including Russia, are staying away from the Ministerial to Promote a Future of Peace and Security in the Middle East on Wednesday and Thursday in Warsaw. The hosts are U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz. Other high-ranking attendees are U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The event comes as Poland is lobbying the United States for a U.S. base on its territory. That would follow rotational deployments to NATOs eastern flank and more exercises in the region following Russias annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Polish leaders ideally would like a permanent U.S. base and have said it could be called Fort Trump, though other options, including beefing up the already existing rotations, are seen as more realistic. The Pentagon is expected to reveal its assessment in March. Approval of any new deployment falls to Congress. Czaputowicz said last week that Poland agreed to host the conference because it wants to show the world that we are active in ensuring peace and stability. He added: I hope that this will translate into an increase in trust between our countries, as well as a stronger involvement of the United States in Poland. Polands government has for some time said it would like to take on the role of mediator between the United States and the EU on the issue of Iran. Polish officials were reportedly taken off guard when Pompeo announced during a visit to Cairo in January that the conference would take place in Warsaw and would include an important element of making sure that Iran is not a destabilizing influence. Before that, Poland had informed Iran of plans to host the meeting and Tehran did not protest, not considering it a threat, according to a report Friday in the Rzeczpospolita daily. Pompeo ruined everything, the Iranian ambassador to Poland, Masoud Edrisi Kermanshahi, was quoted as saying in the report. It would not be the first time Poland has suffered fallout from helping the United States. When Poland and other Central European countries supported the administration of George W. Bush in 2003 during the buildup to the war in Iraq, a huge gulf opened up between them and nations in Western Europe that opposed the war. Polish leaders also faced criticism and controversy when it emerged years later that they had agreed to host a CIA black site where terror suspects were held and abused from 2002-03. Radek Sikorski, a former Polish foreign minister who has been critical of what he sees as Polish subservience to the U.S., says the conference could strengthen the Polish-American alliance but also leave Poland diplomatically isolated in the EU. He said he believes Trump wants to use Poland to break up the EU because he sees it as the main economic threat to the U.S. In this sense, American policies are a bit like Russian policies, Sikorski said. That is not a position all experts agree on. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... That might be the effect, but I dont necessarily think its the intent, said Wojciech Przybylski, the editor of Visegrad Insight magazine, which focuses on Central Europe. He said the Polish ruling party has since 2016 sought to use its close ties to Washington to become a mediator between the U.S. and the EU in solving conflicts in the Middle East. But so far that hasnt happened, in part because Polands standing has suffered over rule-of-law issues, and also because Donald Trumps confrontational approach made it even more difficult for European leaders to accept, he said. LONDON - British Prime Minister Theresa May sought a compromise Monday with opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn in hopes of securing his backing for a divorce deal with the European Union. The political manoeuvring comes amid strong signs that uncertainty over Brexit is already clamping down on Britains economic growth. Taking a cordial tone, May suggested further talks with the Labour Party leadership even as she said she did not see the advantage of permanent membership in the EUs customs union, a key demand Corbyn is seeking in exchange for backing her troubled Brexit bill in Parliament. Justice Minister Rory Stewart told the BBC that differences between the two parties arent as great as some suggest, but said the Conservative government cant accept Corbyns customs union demand because it would prevent Britain from negotiating trade deals with other countries. He said Mays agreement would achieve most of Corbyns goals without preventing independent trade deals. I agree that the longer this goes on, the more risky it gets, obviously, Stewart said. But, the solution to this has to be to get Jeremy Corbyn, or the Labour Party, or indeed Parliament as a whole, to come behind a deal. Time pressure is mounting. Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29, but lawmakers in Parliament have emphatically rejected Mays divorce deal, raising the prospect of a no-deal exit from the bloc unless more parliamentary support is found. EU leaders have turned down Mays plea to renegotiate parts of the legally binding Brexit withdrawal bill, making the no-deal outcome more likely even though both sides believe it would harm their economies. May is to give a statement to Parliament on Tuesday, a day earlier than planned. Downing Street said that would give Parliament a few days to consider her remarks. Lawmakers may be unnerved by the latest round of financial data, which showed Monday that Britains economy slowed last year to its weakest growth rate since the global financial crisis. The Office for National Statistics said the British economy grew by a quarterly rate of only 0.2 per cent during the fourth quarter, down from the 0.6 per cent uptick recorded in the previous three-month period. In the fourth quarter, British business investment fell 1.4 per cent for the fourth straight quarterly decline the first time that has happened since the 2008 financial crisis. With less than 50 days to go to Brexit day on March 29, British firms still have no idea what the countrys new trading relationship with the EU will look like, so theyre taking a safety-first approach. Although Britains Treasury chief Philip Hammond argued the British economy remains fundamentally strong and is enjoying the longest unbroken quarterly growth streak among the Group of Seven industrialized countries, he conceded that Brexit unease was taking its toll. There is no doubt that our economy is being overshadowed by the uncertainty created by the Brexit process, he told Sky News. Im afraid this has gone on longer than we would have liked. ___ Pan Pylas contributed from London. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... ___ Follow APs full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit KIEV, Ukraine - Ukraines top prosecutor says the chief of a regional council is suspected of ordering an acid attack on an activist. Kateryna Handziuk, an anti-corruption activist who was also an aide to the mayor of the city of Kherson, died in November, three months after being doused with sulfuric acid in the city in southern Ukraine. Ukrainian human rights activists, as well as the European Union and United States, have called on Kyiv to bring the attackers to justice. Ukraines Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko said Monday that Vladislav Manger, head of Kherson regional council, is suspected of ordering the attack on Handziuk. He said the suspicion was based on witnesses testimony. Manger has denied the allegations. BUDAPEST, Hungary - The United States may be forced to scale back certain operations in Europe and elsewhere if countries continue to do business with the Chinese telecommunications company Huawei, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday in a new warning that underscores U.S. concerns about the firm. In Budapest on the first leg of a five-nation European tour during which he is raising American concerns about China and Russias growing influence in Central Europe, Pompeo said nations would have to consider choosing between Huawei and the United States. The warning was broad but pointedly delivered in Hungary, a NATO ally and European Union member where Huawei is a major player. They are a sovereign nation, Pompeo said of Hungary. They get to make their own decisions. What is imperative is that we share with them the things we know about the risks that Huaweis presence in their networks present actual risks to their people, to the loss of privacy protections for their own people, to the risk that China will use this in a way that is not in the best interest of Hungary. The U.S. has been warning countries about the risks of Chinese telecom technology as governments choose providers for the rollout of 5G wireless Internet, which will enable faster download speeds but also greater connectivity among devices. Pompeo says the presence of Chinese telecom infrastructure could drive a technological wedge between the U.S. and some allies. It also makes it more difficult for America to be present, Pompeo said. That is, if that equipment is co-located where we have important American systems, it makes it more difficult for us to partner alongside them. Pompeo said he had raised the concerns with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and would also do so with nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has been criticized for seeking closer ties with Russia and China and for increasingly authoritarian rule at home. We want to make sure we identify (to) them the opportunities and the risks with using that equipment. And then they will get to make their decisions, Pompeo said. The U.S. has repeatedly accused China of using technology to pilfer trade secrets. China recently has said that its totally unreasonable to make some of these accusations and that the U.S. is just trying to suppress a rising competitor. At a news conference with Pompeo, Szijjarto acknowledged that Huawei is present in Hungary but played down its position in the market. He also made the point repeatedly that Hungary accounts for only 1.2 per cent of European Union trade with China. This does not endanger us from being an ally, Szijjarto said. Pompeo will take the same message about Huawei to his next stop, Slovakia, on Tuesday, before heading to Poland, where he will participate in a conference on the future of the Middle East expected to focus on Iran. He will wrap up the tour with brief stops in Belgium and Iceland. Pompeo said he hoped to reverse what he called a decade of U.S. disengagement in Central Europe that created a vacuum Russia and China have exploited. Over the course of the past 10 years, he said, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leaders have become much more aggressive in the region and made inroads. We must not let Putin drive wedges between friends in NATO, he said, adding that he had also warned of the dangers of allowing China to gain a bridgehead in Hungary. Russia and China are authoritarian powers who do not share our joint aspirations of freedom. President Donald Trumps administration has made a point of reaching out to Orban, who shares Trumps strong stance on limiting migration and has adopted increasingly authoritarian measures, including cracking down on the opposition, labour unions, independent media and academia. The administration of Trumps predecessor, Barack Obama, had largely steered clear of Orban, who won a third consecutive term last year in a campaign based on anti-immigration policies and whose policies have been met with street protests and deepening concern within the EU. Pompeo put the blame for much of the backsliding on a lack of U.S. engagement. I think for a long time we shunned them in a way that drove them to fill the vacuum with folks who didnt share our values, he said. The Russians and the Chinese ended up getting more influence here, they do not remotely share the American ideals that we care so deeply about. Pompeo was given a list of concerns in a meeting with Hungarian civic leaders. Some of their groups have been targeted by legislation making their work more difficult, like a tax on funds received from abroad and the possible jail time for those convicted of aiding asylum seekers. Three groups that took part said they believed Pompeo would bring them to Orban. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... The meeting and the openness to the opinion of the civic groups again demonstrated that the American leadership is committed to the defence of the values of the rule of law and the role of civil society, the groups said in a statement. Last month, Orban said he wanted anti-immigration forces to become a majority in all European Union institutions, including its Parliament and the EUs executive Commission, and predicted that there would soon be two civilizations in Europe one that builds its future on a mixed Islamic and Christian coexistence and another in Central Europe that would be only Christian. Orbans government has been targeted for criticism, including from the U.S., for forcing a Budapest-based university founded by billionaire philanthropist George Soros to move most of its programs to Vienna. His fiery rhetoric against migrants and refusal to join a new European Union public prosecutors office focusing on fraud and corruption have also raised concerns. SOFIA, Bulgaria - Bulgaria and Britain said Monday they will jointly investigate possible connections between a poison attack on a Russian ex-spy in England that has been blamed on Russian military intelligence and the poisoning of the Bulgarian owner of an arms factory in 2015. Britains ambassador to Sofia, Emma Hopkins, said after a meeting with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and law enforcement officials that information about the possible poisoning of Emilian Gebrev had been discussed. We are working in a joint team and a close partnership, and we are going to find out the facts in this case, Hopkins told reporters. All questions about the national security of the U.K. and Bulgaria are of paramount importance to us, and we will continue this investigation even after Brexit, she said. Bulgarian Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov said that a Russian citizen, Sergei Fedotov, made three trips to Bulgaria in 2015, one of them in April, when Gebrev was poisoned. Gebrev survived. According to investigative group Bellingcat, Fedotov also was suspected of being involved in the Novichok nerve-agent poisoning of Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in the English city of Salisbury. He arrived in Britain two days before the March 2018 attack, on the same day as the two suspected attackers. Tsatsarov said prosecutors had compiled significant data on Fedotovs trips to Bulgaria as part of an investigation into the poisoning that was reopened in October. We are establishing all moments while he was on Bulgarian territory, the hotels, the vehicles he used, contacts with Bulgarian citizens, Tsatsarov said. Since then, we have been working in full co-operation and co-ordination with the British services. They have full access to all documents and all the materials in the case and the results of all investigative actions, Tsatsarov said. Tsatsarov said Gebrev had written to him in October saying that he had reason to suspect he might have been poisoned by a substance from the same family as Novichok, the nerve agent used in the British attack. He acknowledged there was no scientific evidence, however. Gebrev had requested and paid for blood and urine tests at Finlands Verifin institute. They confirmed the presence of organophosphorus compounds, which are used in some pesticides, but the exact pesticide was not identified. The tested samples were not found to contain any substances figuring on the list of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The use of Novichok in the British attack has been confirmed by laboratories. Both Skripals survived after weeks in the hospital, and after their release they were taken to an undisclosed location for their safety, the British government has said. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... British officials have blamed the attack on the Russian military intelligence agency GRU and charged two Russian suspects. The men travelled under the names Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov. Russian authorities have denied involvement and Moscow refused to extradite the men to Britain. LONDON - When mysterious operatives lured two cybersecurity researchers to meetings at luxury hotels over the past two months, it was an apparent bid to discredit their research about an Israeli company that makes smartphone hacking technology used by some governments to spy on their citizens. The Associated Press has now learned of similar undercover efforts targeting at least four other individuals who have raised questions about the use of the Israeli firms spyware. The four others targeted by operatives include three lawyers involved in related lawsuits in Israel and Cyprus alleging that the company, the NSO Group, sold its spyware to governments with questionable human rights records. The fourth is a London-based journalist who has covered the litigation. Two of them the journalist and a Cyprus-based lawyer were secretly recorded meeting the undercover operatives; footage of them was broadcast on Israeli television just as the AP was preparing to publish this story. All six of the people who were targeted said they believe the operatives were part of a co-ordinated effort to discredit them. Theres somebody whos really interested in sabotaging the case, said one of the targets, Mazen Masri, who teaches at City University, London and is advising the plaintiffs attorney in the case in Israel. Masri said the operatives were looking for dirt and irrelevant information about people involved. The details of these covert efforts offer a glimpse into the sometimes shadowy world of private investigators, which includes some operatives who go beyond gathering information and instead act as provocateurs. The targets told the AP that the covert agents tried to goad them into making racist and anti-Israel remarks or revealing sensitive information about their work in connection with the lawsuits. NSO has previously said it has nothing to do with the undercover efforts either directly or indirectly. It did not return repeated messages asking about the new targets identified by the AP. American private equity firm Francisco Partners, which owns NSO, did not return a message from the AP seeking comment. The undercover operatives activities might never have been made public had it not been for two researchers who work at Citizen Lab, an internet watchdog group that is based out of the University of Torontos Munk School. In December, one of the researchers, John Scott-Railton, realized that a colleague had been tricked into meeting an operative at a Toronto hotel, then questioned about his work on NSO. When a second operative calling himself Michel Lambert approached Scott-Railton to arrange a similar meeting at the Peninsula Hotel in New York, Scott-Railton devised a sting operation, inviting AP journalists to interrupt the lunch and videotape the encounter. The story drew wide attention in Israel. Within days, Israeli investigative television show Uvda and The New York Times identified Lambert as Aharon Almog-Assouline, a former Israeli security official living in the plush Tel Aviv suburb of Ramat Hasharon. By then, Scott-Railton and the AP had determined the undercover efforts went well beyond Citizen Lab. Within hours of the storys publication, Masri wrote to the AP to say that he and Alaa Mahajna, who is pursuing the lawsuit against NSO in Israel, had spent weeks parrying offers from two wealthy-sounding executives who had contacted them with lucrative offers of work and insistent requests to meet in London. We were on our guard and did not take the bait, Masri wrote. Masris revelation prompted a flurry of messages to others tied to litigation involving NSO. Masri and Scott-Railton say they discovered that Christiana Markou, a lawyer representing plaintiffs in a related lawsuit against NSO-affiliated companies in Cyprus, had been flown to London for a strange meeting with someone who claimed to be a Hong Kong-based investor. Around the same time, Masri found out that a journalist who had written about NSO was also invited to a London hotel twice and questioned about his reporting. Things are getting more interesting, Masri wrote as the episodes emerged. ___ Like Almog-Assouline, the undercover operative the AP exposed in New York, the covert agents who pursued the lawyers made a string of operational errors. The attempt to ensnare Alaa Mahajna, the lead lawyer in the Israeli suit, was a case in point. On Nov. 26 he heard from a man who said his name was Marwan Al Haj and described himself as a partner at a Swedish wealth management firm called Lyndon Partners. Al Haj offered Mahajna an intriguing proposition. Al Haj said one of his clients, an ultra-rich individual with family ties to the Middle East, needed legal assistance recovering family land seized by Jewish settlers following the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. I believe you may be a good fit for this challenging task, Al Haj wrote. The request made sense. As a human rights lawyer based in Jerusalem, Mahajna has defended Palestinian activists and others at the receiving end of the Israeli governments ire. But Mahajna became suspicious as he tried to learn more about the case. Al Haj was cagey about his client and seemed unwilling to provide any paperwork, Mahajna told the AP. Not even the basic stuff, Mahajna said. Usually people flood you with documents and stories. Mahajna said he was unsettled when Al Haj suddenly offered him an all-expenses-paid trip to London; no one had even asked him whether the case had any hope of success. At some point it was abundantly clear that this is not a bona fide approach, Mahajna said. Ten days later, Masri, the legal adviser in the Israeli lawsuit, received an email offering him a place on the advisory board of a Zurich-based company called APOL Consulting. Masri became skeptical after he checked out the companys website. Consulting firms typically trade on their employees intelligence and skill, so Masri expected the companys site to prominently display the names, headshots and qualifications of its staff. Here there wasnt even a name of one human, he said. When Masri turned down the position on APOLs board, the representative whod contacted him a man who called himself Cristian Ortega pressed Masri to see him in London anyway. I would consider it a privilege to have a chance to meet you in person for a friendly chat, Ortega said in a Jan. 7 email. No strings attached of course. Masri said that by then he and Mahajna had come to believe that Ortega and Al Haj were fictions and that their companies were imaginary. But they didnt yet know how widespread the covert operations were. ___ The undercover agents got a little further with Christiana Markou, the lawyer who is pursuing the Cypriot case against NSO-affiliated entities. Her lawsuit, like Mahajnas, draws heavily on reports by Citizen Lab that found that NSO spyware had been used to break into the phones of the Mexican activists and journalists who are the plaintiffs in both cases. Markou told the AP she was approached over email Dec. 21 by a man who presented himself as Olivier Duffet, a partner at Hong Kong-based ENE Investments. Duffet was ostensibly interested in inviting Markou a leading data protection and privacy lawyer in Cyprus to give a lecture at a conference. Markou said she proposed discussing the lecture over Skype, but he insisted on an in-person meeting in London, eventually flying her out, putting her up in a fancy hotel and chatting for a little more than an hour. Most of the discussion revolved around the proposed lecture but then Duffet suddenly pivoted to the NSO case, asking her whether she felt the lawsuit was winnable and who was funding it. Markou said she gave either incorrect answers or expressly refused to answer because she found his questions suspicious. Yet another target, Eyad Hamid, a London-based journalist who wrote a story about NSO, said he was also invited to a London hotel on two separate occasions to discuss his coverage of the Israeli company. The purported company used in the operation targeting him was Mertens-Giraud Partners Management, which was described as a Brussels-based wealth management firm. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Neither MGP nor any of the other companies truly existed. The APs searches of the Orbis database of some 300 million companies, local corporate registries and trademark repositories turned up no trace of a Swiss firm called APOL, a Swedish company called Lyndon partners, a Belgian company called Mertens-Giraud or a Hong Kong-based firm named ENE Investments. Local phone books didnt carry listings for a Zurich-based man named Cristian Ortega, a Hong Kong-based man named Olivier Duffet or anyone in Sweden bearing the name Marwan Al Haj. There was no hint of APOL when the AP visited its supposed office not far from Zurichs central train station; tenants said theyd never heard of the company. It was the same story in Hong Kong; a management representative at the Central Building, where ENE Investments was supposedly located, said he didnt know anything about the company. An AP journalist wasnt able to speak to anyone at Mertens-Girauds alleged office on Brussels Rue des Poissoniers; the entire building was boarded up for renovations. At the modern office block in downtown Stockholm where Lyndon Partners claimed to have its headquarters, service manager Elias Broberger said he could find no trace of the wealth management firm. It says they are located here, Broberger said as he examined Lyndon Partners professional-looking website. But we dont have them in any of our systems: not the booking system; not the member system. We dont bill them; they dont bill us. I cant find them. ___ Who hired the undercover agents remains unclear, but their operational and digital fingerprints suggest they are linked. The six operatives all began approaching their targets around the same time with individually tailored pitches. Their bogus websites followed the same patterns; all of them were hosted on Namecheap and many were bought at auction from GoDaddy and used the Israeli web design platform Wix. The formatting of the websites was similar; in at least two instances MGP and Lyndon Partners it was identical. Even the operatives email signatures were the same consisting of three neatly packed, colorful lines consisting of a phone number, web address and email. The operatives LinkedIn pages were similar, too, featuring men in sunglasses shot from a distance, facing away from the camera, or at unusual angles a tactic sometimes used to frustrate facial recognition algorithms. Despite the indications that the undercover agents are all linked, there is no conclusive evidence who they might work for. An Israeli television channel, Channel 12, broadcast a report on Saturday claiming that an Israeli private investigation firm, Black Cube, had been investigating issues around the lawsuits against NSO. The TV channel showed secretly shot footage of the Cypriot lawyer, Markou, and the London journalist, Hamid, which matched the pairs description of their encounters with undercover agents. The TV segment was critical of the lawyers suing NSO, and quoted company cofounder Shalev Hulio accusing Markou and her colleagues of pursuing the lawsuits as a PR exercise. NSO has previously denied hiring Black Cube, and Black Cube in a letter sent last month to the AP said it was not involved in the effort to ensnare researchers at Citizen Lab. Black Cube had nothing to do with these alleged events, the letter said, adding that no one acting on the companys behalf did either. Black Cube does have a possible tie to Almog-Assouline, the man who held the hotel meeting about NSO in New York. During a long-running Canadian legal battle between two private equity firms Catalyst Capital and West Face Capital one man caught up in the litigation said he recognized Almog-Assouline because hed been approached by the same operative under a different identity several years ago. I recognized the individual, down to the accent and the anecdotes, said the man, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. In court filings, Black Cube has acknowledged dispatching agents to meet with various individuals involved in the private equity firms feud. But its unclear if other investigations firms might also have done work connected to the two companies legal battle. Black Cube did not respond to repeated questions about whether it had ever employed Almog-Assouline. The firm previously drew international opprobrium for its unrelated work protecting the reputation of disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. Almog-Assouline himself denied working for Black Cube when two AP reporters confronted him in New York last month. He has refused to answer any questions since. When an AP reporter rang the door at his penthouse in Ramat Hasharon a week ago, a woman who identified herself as his wife said he wasnt home. When the reporter followed up with a phone call to Almog-Assouline, he said: I have no interest in speaking to you. ___ Aron Heller in Ramat Hasharon, Israel, David Keyton in Stockholm, Sweden, Jamey Keaten in Zurich, Vincent Yu in Hong Kong, Sylvain Plazy in Brussels, Josef Federman in Jerusalem and Menelaos Hadjicostis in Nicosia, Cyprus, contributed to this report. ___ Online: Documents related to the undercover operation: https://www.documentcloud.org/search/projectid:42174-Citizen-Lab-Undercover-Op ___ Raphael Satter can be reached on: http://raphaelsatter.com SINGAPORE - World markets mostly rose Monday as traders looked ahead to a new round of trade talks between U.S. and Chinese officials in Beijing this week. KEEPING SCORE: In Europe, Frances CAC 40 rose 0.9 per cent to 5,004.68 and Germanys DAX was up 0.9 per cent at 11,002.65. Britains FTSE 100 index gained 0.6 per cent to 7,106.46 after government figures showed the British economy slowed last year to its weakest growth rate since the aftermath of the global financial crisis. The data weakened the pound, which tends to boost the shares of the many multinationals listed on the FTSE. Wall Street was headed for small gains on the open. Dow futures added 0.2 per cent to 25,142. The broader S&P 500 futures gained 0.3 per cent to 2,713. U.S-CHINA TALKS: Officials from the U.S. and China are to meet in Beijing for talks on Thursday and Friday. U.S. Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin and trade representative Robert Lighthizer will lead the American delegation at the talks, which are aimed at bringing the two sides closer to resolving deep-seated issues such as disagreements over Beijings technology policy. Lower-level negotiations were set to begin Monday, but a resolution isnt expected before a truce on tariffs expires in early March. An agreement before then, or a simple extension of the truce, will be viewed as positive for markets. If not, the U.S. is expected to more than double import taxes on $200 billion in Chinese goods. ANALYSTS TAKE: After the worst December and best January in years, it appears that we are back at inflection point across various asset classes, waiting for direction yet again, Jingyi Pan of IG said in a market commentary. THE DAY IN ASIA: Markets in China and Taiwan, reopening after a weeklong Lunar New Year break, posted broad gains. The Shanghai Composite index jumped 1.4 per cent to 2,653.90. The Kospi in South Korea advanced 0.2 per cent to 2,180.73 and Hong Kongs Hang Seng rose 0.7 per cent to 28,143.84. Australias S&P ASX 200 was 0.2 per cent lower at 6,060.80. Stocks rose in Taiwan but fell in Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia. Japanese markets were closed for a holiday. ENERGY: U.S. crude lost 48 cents to $52.24 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It gained 8 cents to settle at $52.72 per barrel in New York on Friday. Brent crude, used to price international oils, shed 18 cents to $61.92 per barrel. It added 47 cents to close at $62.10 per barrel in London on Friday. CURRENCIES: The dollar rose to 110.20 yen from 109.73 yen late Friday. The euro eased to $1.1307 from $1.1324. The pound was at $1.2897, from $1.2942. ___ Matt Ott in Madrid contributed to this report. DILI, East Timor - An American missionary who was a hero in East Timor for founding childrens shelters that have operated for more than two decades has been expelled from his Catholic congregation after admitting to sexual abuse of minors, a church official and a family member said. Media reports about the allegations have stunned East Timor, one of two predominantly Catholic countries in Asia along with the Philippines. The bishop of Dili, Virgilio do Carmo da Silva, told reporters on Sunday that Richard Daschbach was expelled from the church last year and was no longer a priest. Daschbach was born in Pennsylvania and first came to East Timor in 1966 when it was a Portuguese colony. He founded the Topu Honis or Guide To Life childrens homes in Oe-Kusi Ambeno, an East Timorese enclave in the Indonesian-controlled western half of Timor, in 1992, and was also feted for saving children during East Timors war for independence from Indonesia. A family member in the U.S. who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue said Daschbach left Oe-Kusi Ambeno but later returned. East Timorese media reported he has been performing Masses in the area. He admitted that the allegations against him are true, the family member told The Associated Press. The priests took him away because of allegations of child abuse. He admitted that it was true. He has returned against their will. The public defenders office in Oe-Kusi Ambeno said it was aware of the scandal but there was no criminal case registered against him. Daschbach has not responded to requests for comment. The two shelters cared for orphans and children and youth aged 3 to 18 from impoverished families, disabled people and women who have fled domestic violence. Some of the hundreds of children who lived in the shelters went on to study at universities in Australia, the U.S. and Indonesia. Catholic News Service, citing Jovito Rego de Jesus Araujo, episcopal vicar for pastoral care in Dili, said it was the first time sexual abuse of minors by a Catholic priest in East Timor had come to light. KABUL - The Pentagons top official made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Monday to meet with U.S. commanders and Afghan leaders amid a push for peace with the Taliban. Pat Shanahan, the recently installed acting secretary of defence, said he has no orders to reduce the U.S. troop presence, although officials say that is at the top of the Talibans list of demands in exploratory peace negotiations. Shanahan said he is encouraged that President Donald Trumps administration is exploring all possibilities for ending a 17-year war, the longest in American history. But he stressed that peace terms are for the Afghans to decide. Thus far the Taliban have refused to negotiate with the government of President Ashraf Ghani, calling it illegitimate. Washington is trying to break that impasse. The Afghans have to decide what Afghanistan looks like. Its not about the U.S., its about Afghanistan, Shanahan told reporters travelling with him from Washington. Later, Shanahan flew to a military base ringed by snow-capped hills where he met Afghan army commandos, who are regarded as the most capable element of the Afghan military. He told reporters the U.S.-trained commandos are increasingly on the offensive against the Taliban. Zalmay Khalilzad, the administrations special envoy for Afghan peace talks, said Friday that although talks are in an early stage, he hopes a deal can be made by July. That is when Afghanistan is scheduled to hold a presidential election. Shanahan, a former Boeing executive who had never been in Afghanistan until Monday, was scheduled to meet with Ghani and other top government officials. Shanahan took over as acting secretary of defence on Jan. 1 after Jim Mattis submitted his resignation in December. Shanahan had been Mattis No. 2. Shanahans views on the Afghan war are not widely known. He said he would use this weeks visit to inform his thinking and to report back to Trump. In testimony before Congress last week, Gen. Joseph Votel, the commander of U.S. Central Command, offered a largely optimistic view of Afghanistan, saying the current manoeuvring between U.S. and Taliban negotiators is our first real opportunity for peace and reconciliation since the war began. Votel noted that the Taliban are still capable of inflicting significant casualties on Afghan government forces. Just last week the insurgents killed some two dozen Afghan troops in an attack on an army base in northern Kunduz province. In addition to battling the Taliban, U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan are focused on an Islamic State affiliate known as ISIS-Khorasan, comprised of foreign fighters largely from Pakistan. Left unchecked, Votel said in his report to Congress, ISIS-Khorasan will continue to grow as a threat to our homeland. In his remarks to reporters during his flight to Kabul, Shanahan said that although the Islamic State presence in Syria has been decimated, local Syrian security forces are needed to ensure stability. He said IS still has a global presence. If something hasnt been completely eradicated, there is a risk of it returning, he said. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Trump has taken an ambivalent approach to Afghanistan, saying his instinct upon entering office in 2017 was to withdraw. Yet he chose instead to add about 3,500 troops in 2017-2018 to bolster the U.S. effort to train and advise Afghan forces. After Mattis resigned in December, Trump insisted that he had been unhappy with how Mattis handled Afghanistan. Since then, the administration has said it achieved a tentative framework for fuller peace negotiations with the Taliban. We do not know whether we will achieve an agreement, Trump said in his State of the Union address to Congress last week, but we do know that after two decades of war, the hour has come to at least try for peace. MEXICO CITY - Mexicos state-run electric company is looking to renegotiate generous natural gas contracts it has with private sector firms that stipulate payments even when gas isnt being delivered. Federal Electricity Commission director Manuel Bartlett said Monday the company runs the risk of bankruptcy if it doesnt reach new terms with the companies. He said that since 2015, it has paid private sector companies 62 billion pesos ($3.2 billion) under contracts for gas delivered via pipeline to generate electricity, even when the gas isnt flowing. Several projects have been blocked by community protesters. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador expressed optimism that the contracts could be revised voluntarily, while lambasting their existence in the first place. Several of the companies involved have ties with former government officials in Mexico. They have done juicy business under the protection of public power; they have inked unfair contracts, contracts that favour individuals, Lopez Obrador said. Lopez Obrador compared the private sector investment to a conquest, a loaded word in Latin America that alludes to the Spanish conquistadors who laid stake to the region. Mexico is no longer a land of conquest, this is over, he said, adding later that the private sector incursions into the energy sector were facilitated by influence peddling and government compliance. There were no borders, he said. Bartlett listed three companies that he said enjoy payments from the company, known as the CFE, despite stalled gas lines. One of those companies, IEnova, said in a statement: All of IEnovas natural gas transport pipelines with CFE were awarded through open, transparent, international public bid processes, according to international industry standards. The company, a unit of San Diego-based Sempra Energy, said that an IEnova pipeline that began serving CFE in May 2017 went offline the following August due to acts of sabotage that were reported to local and federal officials. IEnova also defended its chairman, Carlos Ruiz Sacristan, after Bartlett named him as one of several former government officials who benefited from private deals with CFE. Bartlett and Lopez Obrador blame past administrations for letting CFE infrastructure fall into disrepair while outsourcing services. Ruiz Sacristan served as communications and transport minister for six years through 2000, under President Ernesto Zedillo. In his professional career in both the public and private sectors, he has conducted himself ethically, honestly, and transparently, IEnova said of Ruiz Sacristan. During an interview with Mexican TV station Milenio, former President Felipe Calderon defended the contracts, calling them common in the energy industry. Otherwise very complicated projects couldnt be financed, he said. Such understandings protect the contractor in the case of community opposition or decisions on behalf of the client to, say, produce electricity by burning coal rather than natural gas. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Luis Tellez, who was energy minister under Zedillo and communications and transport minister under Calderon, also issued a statement after Bartlett questioned his work in the energy sector, saying that he complied with Mexican law stating that public servants must refrain from working in a sector they regulated while in government for at least a year after leaving public sector positions. Currently, I have responsibilities with companies in the sector, nearly 20 years after having been energy minister, Tellez said, adding that he has always been conscious of the need to avoid conflicts of interest. WASHINGTONU.S. President Donald Trump sought Sunday to pre-emptively cast blame on Democrats if an impasse over his demand for a border wall leads to a second partial government shutdown this week. Stopgap funding for about one-third of the government is due to expire at midnight Friday, and congressional negotiations over border security and other immigration-related issues have stalled, according to participants. The snag, if it lasts, could presage another shutdown, although a degree of posturing by both sides is not unusual under such circumstances, as neither side wishes to appear too willing to make major concessions. Trump in December publicly said he would be proud to shut down the government. That remark dogged him throughout the 35-day closing that followed until he was forced to temporarily abandon his demand for $5.7 billion (U.S.) for his desired border wall. Sunday, he took to Twitter to paint Democrats as the responsible party this time. I actually believe they want a Shutdown, he wrote. He suggested that Democrats wanted to deflect attention from issues like the messy fight in Virginia over whether Gov. Ralph Northam and Lt.-Gov. Justin Fairfax, both Democrats, should resign over scandals involving racist behaviour and accusations of sexual misconduct. Read more: Under Trump, EPA inspections fall to a ten-year low A guide to Trump and Kim Jong Uns upcoming summit Ivanka Trump has zero concern about Mueller probe, plays down pursuit of Trump Tower in Moscow They want a new subject! wrote Trump, whose own week was marked by a widely derided congressional appearance by his acting attorney general, Matthew Whitaker, who evaded questions about whether Trump attempted to quash some of the multiple investigations surrounding him. Also this past week, the president delivered a combative State of the Union speech during which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi greeted his seemingly incongruous call for compromise and the common good with sarcastic clapping. Trumps acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, said on NBCs Meet the Press Sunday that another shutdown absolutely cannot be ruled out, although many of Trumps Republican allies in Congress have made it clear that they hope to avoid such a scenario. On Fox News Sunday, Mulvaney suggested another way out, saying the president would take whatever money Congress agrees to allocate for border barriers and then go off and find the money someplace else, legally. Trumps promised border wall is going to get built, with or without Congress, he said. One of the leading Republican congressional negotiators, Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, described the talks as stalled right now. Im hoping we can get off the dime, because time is ticking away, he said, also on Fox. Negotiators have said that given the time required under House and Senate rules to pass legislation, they need to have an agreement finished by Monday to guarantee passage by Friday. The president has remained insistent in his demand for $5.7 billion for border barriers, while Democrats, who now control the House, have said they will not offer more than $2 billion. The two sides also disagree over the number of beds at immigrant detention centres. Republicans are contesting a Democratic effort to reduce the number of detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Sen. Jon Tester, another member of the conference committee, said he remained very hopeful that negotiators could arrive at a common sense agreement. Its a negotiation negotiations seldom go smooth all the way through, he said on Fox. Its give and take, its compromise, its the way government is supposed to work. On Twitter, the president implied that Democratic congressional negotiators were being prevented by their leadership, Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York, from making concessions on what he called a desperately needed Border Wall. I dont think the Dems on the Border Committee are being allowed by their leaders to make a deal, Trump wrote. Before the previous shutdown, the two parties did have an agreement, only to have it scuttled by Trump. Democrats taking part in the negotiations are saying aloud what their Republican counterparts cannot: that Trumps fealty to the notion of a wall, which he made a central campaign issue, remains the principal wild card in the talks. Underscoring that, Trump was to travel Monday to El Paso for a rally expected to focus on his demand for a border barrier. Rep. John Yarmuth said on ABCs This Week that he believed talks convened by Mulvaney at the presidential retreat of Camp David could have reached agreement in less than a day if the acting chief of staff were president. I think the big problem here is this has become pretty much an ego negotiation, Yarmuth said. This really isnt over substance. Republicans also continued to suggest that Trump might move to circumvent Congress with an emergency declaration on the wall, a step that would be certain to face a strong legal challenge. Rep. Tom Graves said on ABC that Trump was right to have contingency plans for moving ahead in the event of a continued stalemate. Hes going to have some plans in place, Graves said. Read more about: Forty-three foreign workers who were allegedly exploited by human traffickers now have housing and employment after police rescued them during raids in Barrie and Wasaga Beach last week. During a news conference in Barrie Monday, police revealed a very disturbing operation that brought men from Mexico with promises of work visas, education or permanent residency. Instead, the men were housed in squalid conditions and allegedly forced to work as cleaners in Collingwood, Innisfil, Oro-Medonte and Cornwall, and charged fees for accommodation and food. These workers were sometimes left with less than $50 a month, deputy OPP commissioner Rick Barnum told reporters. One of the victims told us Last night, I went to bed a slave. This morning I am a free man. The joint-investigation involving the OPP, Barrie police, and Canada Border Services Agency, used 250 front-line officers to execute 12 search warrants in Barrie and Wasaga Beach on Feb. 5 to rescue the workers, ranging in age from 20 to 46. Barrie Police Chief Kimberly Greenwood said the operation took a victims-first approach, focusing on the safety of the workers before criminal charges against suspects. Read more: Foreign workers rescued in human-trafficking raids in Simcoe County They were given showers, food and medical assessments before any police interviews, she said. Greenwood credited Mapleview Community Church in Barrie for immediately taking in victims after the raids and a Simcoe County resort for providing housing and employment. To me, this is what it means to be Canadian stepping up when you are needed. They are now free from the people who (allegedly) wished to exploit them for personal gain. A hotel operator who had hired some of the workers through a temporary employment agency has now freed up some of his rooms to house them. We paid directly to a temp agency and had no idea how they were treated, he told the Stars Nicholas Keung. We just feel so shocked and sad from a moral and humanitarian point of view, and wanted to do something to support them. Police say the foreign workers were allegedly under the control of two people who operate a cleaning company out of Barrie. The company had contracts with three businesses in Collingwood as well as businesses in Oro-Medonte, Innisfil and Cornwall. Police say those companies were not aware of the alleged human trafficking operation. Barnum told reporters the investigation continues as officers focus on who is behind the operation. Featured stories: Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... They were once Toronto societys power duo. Instagram tells the tale of their breakup Never mind the Russians. Democracys real social-media threat could be homegrown Opinion | Susan Delacourt: Can Jody Wilson-Raybould continue to serve in Trudeaus cabinet? This is modern-day slavery. We are not taking away from the criminal act, he said. We hope to discover where every dollar went. Barnum said investigators know the whereabouts of the two cleaning company operators and are looking for other possible suspects. We dont know if there are more. These are difficult investigations. We dont want to rush this. Police say the workers were recruited in Mexico, where they allegedly paid traffickers large sums of money to leave their homes to work in Canada. They were coached on what to say when they entered Canada, Barnum said. They were not here illegally. Andrew Robert, chief of Simcoe County paramedics, told simcoe.com the workers showed no signs of illness when they were assessed. Robert praised the entire operation saying it was quite moving to see how the workers were treated as victims first by front-line responders. Police are encouraging victims of alleged labour human trafficking to come forward. Whether it involves forced labour or the sex trade, human trafficking is not welcome and has no place in the community, Greenwood said. The year is 1980 and Tino Berlingieri is 21 years old. He looks relaxed and happy, grinning through a neatly trimmed beard. Its how Joanne Crivellaro likes to remember the brother she never met. For most of the three decades on his trail, shes felt like she was chasing a whisper. And although the journey hasnt taken her where she expected, shes finally managed to bring Tino home all while finding a new family on top of her own loving one and a deeper connection with her past. I was right behind him all the time, she says. But I could never grasp onto him. Crivellaro was just a few months old when she was adopted in 1959, growing up in a large and loving Italian family in Toronto. Her mother ran the household while her father, who spoke little English, held a steady if gruelling job at the Southam printing press on Weston Rd. When he was breathing at night, mom could smell the ink, Crivellaro recalls. We got the fruits of his labour. He was a wonderful, quiet, gentle man. He died in 1997. Crivellaro says the only thing driving her search for her birth family was innate curiosity. At 19, she secretly drove herself to the Catholic Childrens Aid Society on Maitland St. She remembers feeling excited to learn more about her background, but not anxious: whatever happened, she already had an adoring family. She listened politely to the case worker rattle off nonidentifying information about her birth mother that she had been Catholic, of Irish and Ukrainian heritage, and liked dancing. As she got up to leave, the case worker stopped her. One more thing, she said. You have a brother. I just sat back down, Crivellaro says. That was the biggest shocker. Tino, she would later learn from their birth mother, found out about her existence at almost exactly the same time. I want to find her really bad, he wrote in a 1979 letter to their birth mother. And I wont stop until I do. But it wasnt until 1995 that the childrens aid society connected Crivellaro to her birth mother, Janet, who had given birth to Tino at 17 and to Crivellaro 16 months later. By then, a tumultuous relationship with Tino and Crivellaros father was collapsing. While pregnant, she decided to give Crivellaro up for adoption. Before she did, she named her Tina hoping it might provide her daughter a clue to one day find her brother. Crivellaros family later named her Joanne. Tino remained with his birth family, first with his uncle and later with his father, who declined to speak to the Star when reached by phone. Tinos childhood, according to family and an ex-wife tracked down by Crivellaro, was an unhappy and difficult one. He had always said, why did I get this life, Crivellaro says they told her. At 21, Crivellaro learned, Tino left home for the United States and from there, his life moved increasingly off grid. The only trail Crivellaro could follow was a sprinkling of arrest warrants for minor offences. A search of U.S. public records places Tino in Texas and Florida; in a homeless shelter in Utah; a trailer park in Las Vegas; of no fixed address in North Carolina. That knowledge changed nothing for Crivellaro. So what if he was a drifter, she says. He was a human being. As she searched, she pieced together a picture of a wonderful, kind person who went to church regularly and loved helping the elderly. One of the few traces of Tino is a 2005 USA Today article that describes him as a thin but muscular man with a bushy moustache and calloused palms who hitchhiked for nine days to do construction work in storm-swept Louisiana, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Crivellaro tracked down the contractor who hired him. He came, he helped, and he left, the contractor told her. Let me tell you, he was a hell of a guy. He was honest, he just wanted to get work. Around the same time, Crivellaro also found some Berlingieris on Facebook, leading her to Tinos uncle Enzo, who had briefly taken care of him as a child. The family had strained relations with Crivellaros birth father, but had never given up looking for Tino or their long-lost niece. He was at the end of the street in his scooter waiting for me to come around the corner, says Crivellaro of the first time she met Enzo. The family just wanted crumbs, whatever we could have, of Tino, Crivellaro says. Enzo and his family saw Tino in 1995, when he had briefly returned to Canada to get dental work done. On the trip, he gave his Aunt Nina a gold bracelet with his name engraved on it and asked her to keep it for him until he came home again. He never did. In 2013, Tinos arrest records suddenly vanished online and a scant obituary popped up on a website in Nevada. Unsure the information was accurate, his uncles family went looking for his death certificate. The documents they found showed Tino died a ward of the state in Pittsfield, Mass., that year on May 27 of respiratory arrest and renal failure. He was 55. Crivellaro called the funeral home, desperate for anything her brother may have left behind. They said, he was just a street guy, she recalls. I said, you know what, he had a loving family in Canada. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... I just felt heartbroken because I never got to meet him. The family didnt tell Enzo, who died in 2014, about Tinos death. It would have just broke his heart, says Crivellaro. An adopted childs search for their birth family can be a can of worms, Crivellaro says, a journey that can be many times diverted and cut short by dead ends. Her own journey has left her marvelling at her good fortune at being placed in a warm and stable home. I got really lucky. Tino not so much, she says. I had more guidance. I had a lot more love. She finds herself wondering what the scanty details shes learned about Tino mean, like the barbed wire he had tattooed around his wrists. Was he in prison, or was he in prison, she says. Is that how he felt? But the ties forged with Tinos family have also been a joyful novelty. I look at my husband and he has five sisters and a brother, Crivellaro says. I always say, look at you guys, your feet are all the same. Its so interesting to me because Ive never had that. Until now. When we get together and start talking, we start saying the same things, she says of the Berlingieris. She keeps in regular contact with her salt of the earth four cousins and aunt, who gave her Tinos gold bracelet to remember him by. Just the other night I was over and Im staring at (my cousin) saying, you have the same teeth as me! Crivellaro also stays in touch with Janet, who she says has always been wonderful to her and supportive of her adoptive family. Shes always said, your mother is your mother. For years, Crivellaro kept this new layer of her life from her parents, not wanting them to feel that she loved them any less by doing this. But when her mother died earlier this year, the time seemed right for a more public homage to Tino. Crivellaros birth family called the funeral home in Pittsfield and found that, by chance, his ashes were still there even though they are usually only kept for a year when unclaimed by loved ones. This fall, the family repatriated them to Canada and buried them in the same plot as Tinos uncle Enzo at Bathurst St. and Finch Ave. We got a beautiful urn, Crivellaro says. Theres a beautiful picture of him when he was 21, the year he started looking for me. Its the same photo used in Tinos full obituary, finally published this year to pay tribute to a kind and spiritual man. Tino, you talked about one day finding your sister Joanne and although you never got to meet her, she found us and so began a beautiful connection, the obituary reads. Life came around full circle. The board of the agency that safeguards Torontos watershed elected a new chairperson after unusual behind-the-scenes lobbying that included calls from a developer and a Progressive Conservative MPP, the Star has learned. The agency, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), helps protect the Green Belt, Oak Ridges Moraine and valleys of the Humber, Don and Rouge rivers from flooding, erosion, development that could harm water quality and flow toward Lake Ontario, and other threats. The lobbying happened as the development industry told Premier Doug Fords government that its coming housing supply action plan should end mandate creep overstepping authority and stifling homebuilding by TRCA and Ontarios 35 other conservation authorities. Ford was captured on tape during the 2018 election campaign promising developers he would open a big chunk of the Green Belt to development but later vowed to safeguard the protected land. More recently critics said part of Bill 66 introduced in December would allow municipalities to open the Green Belt. After a backlash the Ford government promised to drop that section. Jennifer Innis, the Caledon regional councillor who joined the TRCA board in 2014, became the new chairperson on Jan. 25 in an 11-10 vote over the incumbent, former Toronto city councillor Maria Augimeri, who led the board for four years after decades on it. Innis, a PC political staffer in the early 2000s for ex-premier Ernie Eves and two cabinet ministers, said in an email to the Star she does not know why people urged fellow board members to support her candidacy and that as a board, we will continue to advocate to protect and restore our watersheds. Read more: Ford government backs down on plan that could have opened up the Greenbelt to development NDP Leader Andrea Horwath blasts Premier Doug Ford for cronyism in appointments Opinion | Martin Regg Cohn: Doug Ford rewrote the rules, now he wants to redraw Ontarios borders Augimeri, defeated as a councillor in last falls election, remains on the board at least until Toronto council picks new appointees. She said developers constantly pressure the TRCA to quickly issue permits for construction that could impact wetlands, ravines and other sensitive green space. We have people sitting around the (board) table there now who are there for development interests, not for the interests of the drinking water for future generations, Augimeri said in an interview, adding builders will seek any advantage. That should not only worry people, that should frighten people. The TRCA has 28 members half from Toronto including four citizen appointees, and half local or regional councillors representing the regional municipalities of Peel, Durham, and York, the Township of Adjala-Tosorontio, and the Town of Mono. The agency says its purpose is to protect, conserve and restore natural resources and develop resilient communities through education, the application of science, community engagement, service excellence and collaboration with our partners. A rare time the TRCA made news was in 2012 when it refused to let then-Toronto mayor Rob Ford buy parkland behind his house. Augimeri, a left-leaning councillor who often crossed swords with the mayor and his then-councillor brother Doug, spoke against allowing the purchase. Innis announced not long before the Jan. 25 annual election for chair and vice-chair that she would challenge Augimeri. She says she did so because protection of our watersheds is paramount and climate change effects mean our community partners are facing extreme budget pressures and complex challenges. I feel strongly that we must have a chair that has an understanding of the differing needs across our watersheds and who can be a strong advocate to ensure the preservation of our natural heritage, she said in an email. Innis said nobody outside the TRCA encouraged her to run. She said she was contacted by one development company that was looking to confirm rumours she was running. She refused to name the developer. The Star tried to contact all TRCA board members. Interviews with 20 of them reveal that at least three were lobbied by non-TRCA people, all to vote for Innis. Several members said they could not recall lobbying by non-TRCA members regarding the chairs position in the past. Jim Karygiannis, a Toronto councillor, said he was surprised to get a call from his provincial counterpart, Scarborough-Agincourt PC MPP Aris Babikian, wanting me to vote for Innis. Ive been lobbied on this from everybody but the kitchen sink, Karygiannis said, adding a taxi driver who has helped him put up election signs in the past called to ask about the vote and, sounding unclear about the TRCA, relayed a request Dont vote for the Italian woman. I think the developers are looking at the TRCA and thats why they wanted to get rid of Maria Augimeri, said Karygiannis, who supports Augimeri but missed the vote because he had to visit schools over road safety measures. Maria would stand in their way. Probably this was a play by the province and they wanted Maria out of the way. They probably want to attack the Green Belt. Babikian has not responded to the Stars requests for comment for this article. A spokesperson for Ontario Environment Minister Rod Phillips dismissed Karygianniss comments. Jim Karygiannis is an elected Toronto city councillor and former Liberal MP who speaks and votes for himself not the Ontario government or the PC Caucus, Andrew Brander said in an email. Minister Philips thinks highly of Councillor Innis, and has congratulated her on her election as chair. Brander did not answer a question from the Star about whether the minister took any action that could have influenced the TRCA election. The Ford governments commitment to conservation authorities is outlined in the Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan released last fall, he said. It details that we will work in collaboration with municipalities and stakeholders to ensure that conservation authorities focus and deliver on their core mandate of protecting people and property from natural hazards, and conserving natural resources. Kevin Ashe, a Pickering regional councillor and TRCA member who voted for Innis, told the Star he was contacted by a government relations consultant, whose clients he does not know, and a principal of a development company suggesting he back the Caledon councillor for chair. He refused to name them, saying they were private conversations. While I know both on a professional/business basis I cant speak to motive, Ashe said, calling such lobbying a bit unusual but not important to his choice. Developers have a vested interest in the TRCA and how the province impacts their investments. Thats a valid observation of it, said Ashe who ran unsuccessfully for the Ontario PC party when now-Toronto Mayor John Tory was PC leader, and is the son of 1980s PC cabinet minster George Ashe. Toronto Councillor Anthony Perruzza said he was called by a labour representative involved in the construction industry. I think the rationale was something like one person loves developers, one person hates developers and you should vote for Jennifer Innis, said Perruzza, who refused to identify the caller and said the conversation ended quickly when he said he would vote for Augimeri. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Innis said as chair she will not weaken the TRCA approach to development. We have a strong policy framework to protect our watersheds and a clear mandate under the Conservations Authorities Act, she said. I am confident that, as a board, we will continue to advocate to protect and restore our watersheds. Former Toronto councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker, who voted for Augimeri, said he has full confidence in Inniss ability to safeguard the GTAs watershed. He suspects developers feel more comfortable with a 905-belt councillor as chair than a left-leaning Toronto politician. I think a part of the development industry wants to destroy the TRCA, De Baeremaeker said. If a developer wants to build right up to a stream and the TRCA says no, thats 10 houses and an extra $10 million in revenue the developer is losing, and they freak out. I think the provincial government is going to try to weaken all the conservation areas across the province ... but I worked by Jennifer Inniss side for four years and I have absolutely no concerns. De Baeremaeker said Vic Gupta, a Progressive Conservative who recently left a position in the Toronto mayors office, raised the issue in a phone chat, asking who would get his vote as TRCA chair, but did not lobby him. Gupta, at the moment happily unemployed, told the Star that Innis called him before the election and asked for his thoughts about the Toronto TRCA members, but did not ask him to do anything. Gupta said he spoke with no other TRCA members. He did talk about the election, however, with Luke Robertson, Torys chief of staff, in a separate conversation. Luke raised it, he said he was getting calls from folks about it and asked if I knew Jennifer, Gupta said. The mayors office didnt seem all that interested, to be honest. Robertson did not respond to a request for comment from the Star. Answering on behalf of Robertson and Tory, Don Peat, the mayors executive director of communications, said: When people reached out to the mayors office about the TRCA chair election, we indicated our preference, Peat said, noting Augimeri lost her city council seat. The mayor knows Jennifer Innis and had confidence she would do a good job. Jennifer McKelvie, a rookie city councillor, was among the half of Toronto representatives absent from the TRCA annual general meeting. She said a family emergency kept her from the vote and she was not lobbied. Jack Heath, regional councillor for the City of Markham, was re-elected TRCA vice-chair. He voted for Augimeri, was not lobbied by any outsiders and said he has full confidence in Innis to resist developer pressures and protect the watershed. Heath, on the TRCA board since 2007, said he shelved thoughts of running for chair himself when Augimeri, first elected chair in 2014, sought re-election despite losing her council seat. There is a loose tradition of the chairmanship alternating between the councillors for the 416 and 905 regions after the incumbent decides to step down, he said. I have no concerns whatsoever with the new board or with the new Ford government for that matter, Heath said. Taking care of the environment is very high in the publics mind, along with the value of the Green Belt and Oak Ridges Moraine, he said, and that would act as a check on any efforts to weaken environmental protections. Heath said there are many people who think the TRCA permitting process could be accelerated, and he is not opposed to doing so but that requires we ensure the standards are kept high. David Wilkes, president of the Building Industry and Land Development Association, voice of the development industry in the Toronto region, said his members are worried that conservation authorities are exceeding their legislated powers and that is intensifying the regions housing crisis. That mandate is to protect watersheds, natural hazards such as flooding, erosion ... Thats important work but when they overstep that prime core important responsibility, what we call mandate creep, it lengthens the development application review process unnecessarily, Wilkes said, adding he has expressed that view to the provincial government and municipalities. While population is booming, it can take 10 to 20 years from land purchase to construction of homes or employment buildings, Wilkes said, adding BILD is telling the Ford government and municipalities they must streamline the approval processes. Also, conservation authorities must start requiring permits only for true watershed areas, said Wilkes, who said he couldnt speak to specifics about the TRCA because he was not familiar with them. Meanwhile the Vaughan-based TRCA itself is in the midst of a reorganization that coincides with the departure of Carolyn Woodland, the agencys longtime and highly respected senior director of planning, green space and communications. The planner and landscape architect had since 2002, according to her biography with the Ontario Professional Planners Institute, overseen the TRCAs environmental planning, development review, policy and environmental assessment functions. Through a board member, she declined to comment for this article. In a recent memo to TRCA staff obtained by the Star, chief executive John MacKenzie said a corporate review launched in 2018 has triggered changes to improve client satisfaction and service delivery and reflect the strong interest of our board and partners in responding to changing legislation and continued growth pressures in our jurisdiction through continuous improvement. The Stars request for an interview with MacKenzie was denied by TRCA communications staff. David Rider is the Stars City Hall bureau chief and a reporter covering Toronto politics. Follow him on Twitter: @dmrider Read more about: PORT AUX BASQUES, N.L.Snow and high winds lashing western Newfoundland have closed schools, suspended ferry service and restricted travel on major highways. Marine Atlantic crossings from Port aux Basques to North Sydney, N.S., were cancelled this morning due to stiff winds and sea conditions. The winds are causing blowing snow and reduced visibility, forcing the closure of the Trans-Canada Highway between exits 14 and 15 and diverting traffic through Deer Lake. Schools are closed in Deer Lake, Corner Brook and Pasadena, along with some on the Burin peninsula and the southern Avalon on the provinces east coast. Read more: Get ready Halifax as a mid-week storm is headed our way Environment Canada has also issued blizzard warnings for Labrador, where winds were gusting to 110 kilometres an hour and about 15 centimetres of snow was expected around Nain. Extreme cold was also being forecast for Labrador City and Wabush, with temperatures expected to dip to -45 Celsius. Potent winds settled in on Friday, gusting to over 100 km/h in the eastern part of the island and blowing a tractor-trailer off the road on the Burin Peninsula Highway on Sunday. (VOCM, The Canadian Press) A Toronto pastor says its time to begin the journey of healing in the wake of the sentencing of a serial killer who terrorized the citys gay community. Rev. Jeff Rock told attendees at a vigil for eight men murdered by Bruce McArthur that we will not let hate win. McArthur was sentenced on Friday to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years, meaning he will be 91 before he can apply for any form of release. McArthur, a self-employed landscaper, pleaded guilty last month to eight counts of first-degree murder for men he killed between 2010 and 2017. His victims were all men from the citys gay village: Andrew Kinsman, Selim Esen, Majeed Kayhan, Dean Lisowick, Soroush Mahmudi, Skandaraj Navaratnam, Abdulbasir Faizi and Kirushna Kanagaratnam. At the vigil Sunday evening, Rock said McArthurs crimes along with those of Alexandre Bissonnette, who was sentenced on Friday for the Quebec City mosque shooting were done out of hate. Read more: How six Toronto lives were fractured by serial killer Bruce McArthur Read Justice McMahons decision to sentence Bruce McArthur to life with no chance at parole for 25 years Bissonnette judges unusual sentencing decision likely to be appealed, experts say LAC LA BICHE, ALTA.Indigenous supporters of Canadas oil and gas industry turned out here in force Sunday to make the point that the sector plays a vital role in their lives. It doesnt matter if youre a business owner or a worker or an Aboriginal community. Were all in this together, Lee Thom, a councillor from Kikino Metis Settlement, told a crowd gathered in a recreation centre in Lac La Biche, Alta. Rene Houle from Whitefish Lake First Nation said the energy industry generates spinoff businesses that employ hundreds of people in his community with the money thats earned spent at car dealerships, movie theatres and other businesses in neighbouring towns. The bottom line, he said, is the oil and gas sector helps keep people from becoming burdens on the social-welfare and justice systems. We would not have a proper living. We would not have a meaningful way of life, a healthy way of life, Houle said. Alone, our First Nation would not be able to generate that. Sundays rally was organized by the Region One Aboriginal Business Association, which represents northern Alberta Indigenous businesses, and was supported by Rally 4 Resources and Canada Action, which have organized other recent pro-oil rallies and convoys in Western Canada. Organizers stressed the event was non-partisan and not affiliated with yellow vest events, where participants wear yellow, high-visibility vests similar to recent protests in France, but which often have an anti-United Nations message. Attendees were instead asked to wear blue fire-retardant coveralls and hard hats. The event began with performances by Indigenous drummers, singers and dancers, as well as Metis jiggers from Amisk Community School on Beaver Lake Cree Nation. Bill C-69, the federal legislation which critics argue will make it more difficult for new pipelines and energy projects to get approval, was mentioned during the rally. While organizers and speakers said they werent completely opposed to the bill, they argued it needs to be amended to better balance economic development and the need to protect the environment, traditional Indigenous lands and harvesting rights. The way it is right now, in its current state, is devastating for oil and gas, Shawn McDonald, president of the Region One Aboriginal Business Association, told the rally. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Lac La Biche Mayor Omer Moghrabi, meanwhile, said Canadians need to resist critics from south of the border who believe the country isnt doing enough to protect the environment while developing its oil and gas sector. We have 150 bodies of water in our town, Moghrabi told participants. We are environmental stewards and so are our producers. Read more about: CALGARYA narrow, snow-covered gravel road winds its way to a hidden gate that opens to a parcel of land on the southern tip of Calgary. But its not a typical ranch property. Behind large, wire fences live a Przewalski wild horse native to Mongolia, Vancouver Island marmots, burrowing owls, greater sage grouse and whooping cranes. The Devonian Wildlife Conservation Centre, which opened in 1984 and is operated by the Calgary Zoo, is dedicated to saving endangered species. Often we are the last resort for many endangered species that have struggled in the wild, explains Dr. Axel Moehrenschlager, the zoos director of conservation and science. Staff aim to give the animals the best possible care and make them suitable to release back into the wild. These are species that are destined for the wild, or their offspring are, and so we need to make sure that they are kept as wild as possible. These are extremely sensitive species. We dont want people to randomly climb fences and being noisy and disturbing the animals. Read more: Even the penguins are staying inside as the deep freeze hangs on in Alberta Pandemonium: Calgary zoo reports record attendance thanks to panda family In latest Calgary Zoo calamity, peacock dies after flying into golf cart windshield The programs reputation has grown over the years to the point where it is getting requests to take on more species from around the world, Moehrenschlager says. The centre is also planning to relocate to a more private location east of Calgary within the next couple of years. The citys urban spread has started encroaching on the property, he says. It used to be in the middle of nowhere, but weve got developments happening so we need to transition that and move it. Some of the animals arent bothered by outside stimuli. Well come on over. How you doing? says Calgary Zoo general curator Colleen Baird after calling to two Asiatic horses kept separate from the main herd. The whooping cranes, however, are a different matter. Their loud, single-note bugle calls can be heard clearly inside the burrowing owl sanctuary. They always wake up the neighbours, Baird says with a laugh. A visit to see the cranes wasnt possible because anything upsetting to them could reduce the need to breed. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... They will get cautious and often will shut down and not breed, as the environment and outward cues are telling them that conditions are not ideal or safe to expend all the energy it takes to raise a chick, Baird says. Any changes the cranes will pick up on right away, as they are defending territories and males wanting to have a safe place to do their mating dance to the females. The centre is the only facility in Canada that helps breed whooping cranes and its program has been a big success, Baird says. Their global population had dropped to 14 in the 1990s but has since grown to more than 400. The burrowing owls habitat is also a busy place. Zookeeper Joan Gellatly has been on the job for 30 years and is responsible for their care and feeding. We make sure everybodys healthy and happy, fed and watered. Just like when youve got pets at home, its kind of our job. The burrowing owl program is in its third year. Research teams also grab owlets from the wild in the spring and bring them into captivity for 10 months because they often dont survive. At the end of the 10 months, researchers match up predetermined males and females, tag them and release them. Then researchers will follow the birds through the summer time. And, if they pair-bond for the season, they nest and the eggs and the owlets hatch out, said Gellatly. We have had success with that. Moehrenschlager describes the centre as doing amazing things to help animals and ecosystems. All were trying to do is prevent extinction so we need to make sure that these programs do their part to help the species. Read more about: Apples new campus in Cupertino, California, is a symbol of how the company views itself as an employer: simultaneously inspiring its workers with its magnificent scale while coddling them with its four-story cafe and 100,000-square-foot fitness centre. But one group of Apple contractors finds another building, six miles away on Hammerwood Avenue in Sunnyvale, to be a more apt symbol. This building is as bland as the main Apple campus is striking. From the outside, there appears to be a reception area, but its unstaffed, which makes sense given that people working in this satellite office- mostly employees of Apple contractors working on Apple Maps- use the back door. Workers say managers instructed them to walk several blocks away before calling for a ride home. Several people who worked here say its widely referred to within Apple as a black site, as in a covert ops facility. Inside the building, say former workers, they came to expect the vending machines to be understocked, and to have to wait in line to use the mens bathrooms. Architectural surprise and delight wasnt a priority here; after all, the contract workers at Hammerwood almost all leave after their assignments of 12 to 15 months are up. Its not uncommon for workers not to make it that long. According to 14 current and former contractors employed by Apex Systems, a firm that staffs the building as well as other Apple mapping offices, they operated under the constant threat of termination. It was made pretty plain to us that we were at-will employees and they would fire us at any time, says one former Hammerwood contractor, who, like most of the workers interviewed for this story, spoke on condition of anonymity because he signed a nondisclosure agreement with Apex. There was a culture of fear among the contractors which I got infected by and probably spread. Apex, not Apple, manages the workers it hires. Apple says it requires contracting firms to treat workers with dignity and respect. Following an inquiry from Bloomberg News, the company says, it conducted a surprise audit of the Hammerwood facility and found a work environment consistent with other Apple locations. Like we do with other suppliers, we will work with Apex to review their management systems, including recruiting and termination protocols, to ensure the terms and conditions of employment are transparent and clearly communicated to workers in advance, an Apple spokesperson says in a statement. Buddy Omohundro, Apexs chief services officer and general counsel, says in an email that his company strives to ensure its creating the best possible work experience. Apex provides multiple avenues for employees to raise concerns, both directly and anonymously, and to have those concerns addressed, he wrote. Apex is one tiny part of a sprawling global network of staffing firms working with Apple; it is not even the only firm staffing the facility at Hammerwood Avenue. For Apple Maps alone, workers are spread across several locations in Silicon Valley, as well as in Austin, Texas; London; the Czech Republic; and India, according to people who worked on the project. The operation involves thousands of contractors. At Hammerwood, the population has exceeded 250 at times, although the number fluctuates and Apple declined to give a current count. Places like Hammerwood undermine the mythology of Silicon Valley as a kind of industrial utopia where talented people work themselves to the bone in exchange for outsize salaries and stock options. A common perception in the Bay Area is that its only serious tech-labor issue is the high cost of living driven by the industrys obscene salaries. But many of those poorer residents work in tech, too. For decades, contractors and other contingent workers have served meals, driven buses, and cleaned toilets at tech campuses. Theyve also built circuit boards and written and tested software, all in exchange for hourly wages and little or no job security. In different forms, temporary labour as an alternative to full-time employment has grown across the U.S. economy. Companies in many industries now use staffing firms to handle work once done by full-time workers. The technology industry offers one of the starkest examples of how the groups fortunes have diverged. While companies arent required to disclose the sizes of their contingent workforces, theres ample evidence that tech companies use large numbers of contractors and temps. Last year, Bloomberg News reported that direct employees at Alphabet Inc.s Google accounted for less than half its workforce. The treatment of these workers is emerging alongside sexual harassment and military contracting as a principal target of the wave of tech worker activism thats been building over the past two years. When Google employees staged a walkout last November, many contingent workers didnt learn about it in advance because they dont have access to internal mailing lists. A month later, Googlers sent an open letter to the companys management demanding better working conditions for temporary workers, vendors, and contractors. The Apple Maps operations staffed by Apex provide a dim view of contract work, according to current and former Apex workers. Some took jobs there with the hope of landing full-time work at Apple-a possibility they said Apex played up-only to find the chances were small. As Apple has faced headwinds in recent months, it has further reduced the practice of converting any contract workers to full-time positions, according to a person familiar with Apples operations. Other Apex workers took the job just to put Apple on their resume. Even that benefit was tenuous. Apex managers initially distributed specific wording they could include on their LinkedIn profiles referring to their employer as Apple, via Apex Systems. Last summer, Apex said they had to remove the word Apple, describing their employer only as A Major Tech Company Via Apex Systems, according to two former employees. The restrictions were just one of many reminders of the contractors inferior status, right down to the apple design on their ID badges. For direct employees, the apples were multi-colored; contractors got what one described as sad grey. Its common for companies to distribute different badges to contractors, a practice that discontented workers across the industry have seized on as evidence of a caste system. Amber Lutsko, who worked for Apple through Apex in 2017 and 2018, described an opening-day pep talk that aimed to make her feel both honoured and excluded. You work at Apple now! You have made it! she recalls being told. Youre not allowed to use the gym. The companies of Silicon Valley have created vast fortunes with far fewer employees than the corporate behemoths that came before them. In part, this is because you can replicate software infinitely in a way you cant with, say, a Model T. But the tech industry was also an early adopter of off-loading core functions to contract workers. Tech was quick to embrace contractors because of rapid advancements requiring constant adjustments in the composition of the workforce, according to Louis Hyman, author of the 2018 book Temp. All those changes helped nurture Silicon Valleys ideology of flexibility and speed, first in hardware, then in software and business operations. Hyman quotes a 1993 issue of Apples internal magazine that describes the transition away from direct employees to contractors and outsourcing firms as both a predictable evolution and the future. Conflict is inevitable in a two-tiered workforce. As far back as the 1990s, Microsoft Corp. contractors challenged their employment status in court and attempted to unionize. In 2014 a group of Microsoft bug-testers won the right to bargain with their employer, a staffing agency called Lionbridge Technologies Inc. Within a few years, Lionsbridge had eliminated all their jobs. Apple, which has about 130,000 full-time employees, also accepts workers from about three dozen staffing firms, according to OnContracting, a website providing market information to staffing companies. Contracting firms work on iTunes and server infrastructure, handle customer support, and select articles for Apple News. Apex, the largest division of ASGN, a staffing company based in suburban Los Angeles, has provided Apple with a steady stream of mapping technicians, whose jobs consist of checking to make sure that Apples software is drawing roads in the right places, or responding to reports of inaccuracies in existing maps. Theyre largely in their early- to mid-20s, and have often just graduated from college. Wages are generally about $25 (U.S.) an hour, which some workers consider generous and others see as stingy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2017 median hourly wage for mapping technicians nationwide was $20.84, while the median per-hour rate for the same jobs in California was $30.61. Apex employees have access to health insurance, although the premiums are high enough that some people opt not to take it. Because the workforce is young, Apex workers often stay on their parents health insurance rather than figure things out on their own. Apex has also changed aspects of employment suddenly. In November, it cut the maximum amount of paid sick time employees could take annually from 48 hours to 24 hours, saying the policy would go into effect in two days, according to two current employees and an internal email viewed by Bloomberg. The email, which Apex workers received on a Thursday afternoon, inspired a rare moment of collective action. A group of over a dozen workers said they had suddenly fallen ill, and left, according to one current Apex employee who participated in the protest. At all times, Apex has provided as much paid sick leave as required by applicable law, says Omohundro, adding that the company worked to find exceptions in individual cases. Many Apex employees first heard about the company through LinkedIn. The company trawls the website for people with proficiency in skills for map-making like geographic information systems or geography, then messages them repeatedly. Lutsko had worked as an archeologist and was in between jobs in 2017 when, as she describes it, she basically gave in. Theyre pretty aggressive, so it was easy to take the job, she says. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... At the beginning of the interview process, Apex doesnt mention the company where people will work. But the revelation can tip wavering candidates over the edge. They said it was with Apple-they were super hush-hush originally-and I was like, Oh my God! says a former Apex worker who started in 2017. That will be on my resume? Bang! The secrecy just made the job seem sexier. Many Apex workers assumed discretion was required because Hammerwood had some connection to self-driving cars. Their own work turned out to be drudgery. Still, they gossiped about the mysterious group of direct Apple employees who also worked on the site. They never knew for sure what those people were up to, since they say managers at Apex kept them from communicating with Apple employees unless it was necessary to do their immediate jobs. One former Apex worker says the contractors werent allowed to use the bathrooms on the direct employees side of the building. Complaints about the bathrooms were common. Lines formed outside the mens rooms, especially around lunchtime, according to former employees. (Because the workforce was predominantly male, the womens rooms had ample capacity.) Anonymous complaints about inadequate facilities were scrawled on white boards around the office. Twice in 2017, Hammerwood workers filed complaints against Apple with the states Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Cal/OSHA. Apple told Cal/OSHA it had examined the situation and determined it was in compliance with the law. There was no mention of Apex workers being discouraged from using certain bathrooms, according to records obtained by Bloomberg News through a public records request. The agency did not pursue the issue. The working environment was uncomfortable in other ways, according to current and former contractors. Apex managers sometimes broke up unauthorized water-cooler socializing. Several workers say their managers would get notifications if their workstations were idle for too long. Being monitored like that is super dehumanizing and terrifying, says one former Apex mapping technician. If Apex seemed not to trust its workers, the feeling was mutual. They described a hiring process that was misleading in several ways. For one, Apex failed to explain the one-year assignments started with several weeks of training followed by a test, many say. Anyone who didnt pass was terminated immediately. The company recruited nationwide, so some workers showed up in California, signed leases in one of the most expensive housing markets in the country, and lost their only source of income within a matter of weeks. There are no reliable numbers on how common such firings were; Omohundro says the vast majority of employees complete their assignments. But they loomed large even for those who passed the test. Lutsko says watching colleagues suddenly lose their jobs soured her on her new employer. I couldnt handle the arbitrariness of everything, she says. The starry-eyed kids straight off the bus from Iowa thinking theyd made it in Silicon Valley straight out of college. The bait-and-switch. The, Oh you didnt make it through training, please give us your badge now. Lutsko quit before her contract was up. The LinkedIn messages from Apex recruiters persisted. This was common. Two people who Apex had fired said the company periodically pitches them on jobs. You got rid of me because of my quote-unquote performance, and every three months I get these emails, says one of them. Its insulting, honestly. Like any group of people in shared circumstance, workers at Hammerwood bonded. Several former contractors say it was fun to be around with people their own age, and say the odd atmosphere only made them closer. Because many of them were young, new to the area, and not making enough money to live on their own, they ended up pooling resources to rent apartments or houses nearby. Many people simply moved to similar contracting jobs with other tech firms once their positions at Apple end, so their homes ended up having a mixture of Facebook, Google, and Uber contractors. Several people described the geographic information systems contracting workforce almost as if it were a resource the big tech companies shared. People who left Apple would join the GIS staff at another company and find it was staffed primarily by Apex veterans. Those who left Apple often say their lives improved. Facebooks management put signs up around campus reading Contractors Are People Too, and contingent workers participated in on-campus arts and crafts activities. Google paid more than competitors and let everyone use the gym, says Nick Wilson, who worked at Apple through Apex, then worked at Facebook, and is now a contractor doing mapping work at Google. Moving between companies didnt feel like advancement, says Wilson. None of the skills I learned at Apple could be carried over, he says, adding that his managers were indifferent to any attempts by employees to distinguish themselves. There were many people who took initiative and made things, increased the efficiency. They werent rewarded in any way, he says. There were people who had abandoned any hope. Theyd come in late, leave early, and just do nothing all day. They were treated the same as everyone else. (Both Lutsko and Wilson declined to discuss the exact nature of their jobs or the building at which they worked, citing their nondisclosure agreements.) The mood at Hammerwood dimmed late last year, after the changes in benefits and after Apex suddenly fired about two dozen people, according to two current Apex employees. One described the workplace as depressing and quiet, with everyone on edge. Im afraid of being too social because they might see that as not working hard enough, he says. Apex handles all terminations in a sensitive and confidential manner, says Omohundro. The company does not share the details of employee terminations, regardless of whether they are for cause or not for cause. Activists associated with the burgeoning labour movement in the tech industry say the contracting workforce is ripe for organization, but acknowledge its been challenging to organize white-collar workers. Its a new concept, says Yana Calou, an organizer at Coworker.org. Information workers have been more reticent than security guards and cafeteria workers to confront tech companies because theyre angling for full-time work, says Calou. I think theres the tiny idea of, Ill be the exception that squeezes through. That feeling eventually wears off. One former Apex worker, a 32-year-old who lives in the maids quarters of a house with eight roommates, says years of uncertainty have left him worn out. How are you supposed to plan for your future if your job has an expiration date? he says. Hes a California native who moved to San Francisco over a decade ago, got a masters degree, and internalized Silicon Valleys brand of optimism. But that evaporated at Apples so-called black site. It sounds good when you say you work at Apple, but when youre not being paid the same amount, and youre not treated the same way, it gets old quickly, he says. I dont see why they dont just hire someone and give them a stake in the company. Read more about: There were mixed reviews when Alberta demanded in December that its oil producers sharply reduce consumption to ease a supply glut and boost prices. There were complaints in many quarters that Premier Rachel Notley was departing from free-market principles in telling the oilpatch how much it can produce. Those concerns have since escalated to outrage, notably from the CEOs of oilpatch titans Suncor Energy Inc. and Imperial Oil Ltd. Suncor has been ramping up its production capacity over the past two years. And Imperial, in its anger over the production cuts, is threatening to cancel its planned $2.6-billion Aspen oilsands project. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trumps Jan. 28 embargo on imported Venezuelan heavy oil has seen demand soar for Athabasca oil to replace it. Many U.S. Gulf Coast refineries can only take heavy oil. But supply constraints mean theres been little relief from the Great White North. So, watch for pressure from Trump and certain U.S. federal lawmakers on Nebraska to reach a compromise allowing completion of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. Meanwhile, the Big Four U.S. railroads are scrambling to increase their oil-tanker capacity. Stock in CN and CP have gained on their increased oil-transport revenue. Now, stock in leading U.S. railroads Union Pacific, Norfolk Western and CSX are poised to do the same. (BNSF is privately owned by Warren Buffett.) Notley appears to have miscalculated, failing to grasp that companies with enormous fixed assets are compelled to run them at full capacity, or something approaching it, even when prices are weak. Theyll accept diminished prices, and cash flow, rather than go without revenue to cover those fixed costs. Bombardiers friendly-skies bid Bombardier is trying to pull off a textbook case of milking an aging cash cow. The Montreal firm is revamping its 27-year-old CRJ family in a bid to boost sales, create a new market, and lower production costs of the vintage jetliner. To start, Bombardier has reconfigured its CRJ700 as a smaller, 50-seat plane with three service classes, more legroom and on-board carry-on storage, and a self-serve snack bar. This is hugely appealing to the likes of United Continental (UC), revealed last week as the launch airline for the cosmetically new CRJ550. UC can profitably fly the plane on lightly travelled routes it just unveiled a Chicago-Bentonville, Ark. run to serve suppliers of Bentonville-based Walmart Inc. And UC can exploit a new market of quasi-luxury commuter runs among mid-size destinations. The hope for Bombardier is that other carriers follow UC in adopting the CRJ550 for its low operating costs and lucrative fares. If the bet pays off, it will be one for the B-school case studies. The basic design of the CRJ hasnt changed since the first one entered service in 1992. Bombardier blundered in ignoring the CRJ family as it focused on its ill-fated flagship C-Series, managing to transform one of the most exciting planes of the 1990s into a CRJ family that was forgotten but not gone. The CRJ is what remains of Bombardiers aircraft business, after the sale of the C-Series (now the Airbus A220) and its turboprop operation. Dont count on Bombardier clinging to the CRJ no matter its renewed vitality. The firm has signaled that it is exploring strategic options for the CRJ family, which usually is code for dressing up an asset for sale. Banking shock Down Under Canadas banking system perhaps most closely resembles that of Australia. So, looming fines, C-suite upheaval, and a punishing regulatory crackdown on financial services firms Down Under look ominous from a Canadian perspective. Australian banking is dominated by a Big Four group, as the Canadian financial services sector is effectively run by this countrys Big Five banks. Each countrys banking sectors had a good Great Recession. Neither imbibed in the vast quantities of subprime mortgages and collateralized debt obligations that triggered the Wall Street meltdown of 2008, and the resulting severe recession in the U.S. and Europe. But an Aussie royal commission just tabled a report with 76 recommendations after a year of investigating suspected improper behaviour by Australias financial-services industry. The inquiry uncovered rampant theft, deception and abuse of customers. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... A Labour Party likely to come to power in the next election has vowed to implement the 76 recommendations. So, come May, with a new government in Canberra, watch for high-profile firings at the Big Four, mutual fund vendors and mortgage brokers; large fines imposed on the most familiar names in Australian finance; and more than a few miscreants put behind bars a step no G-7 economy took a decade ago, despite the damage wrought and the state bailouts required. A message for Canadian observers is that the Aussie system looked safe and honest, as Canadas does now, until a royal commission looked under the carpet and found vermin in abundance. Abusive practices surface often enough in Canada to suggest that an Aussie-style royal commission would reveal shocking practices here, though perhaps not sufficient to wipe out the $47.1 billion (U.S.) in stock value that investors in Australias Big Four have lost. MONTREAL - SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. has slashed its profit forecast again due to problems at a Chilean mining project, plunging its share price to a 10-year low as the beleaguered engineering giant faces obstacles at home and abroad. The Montreal-based company reduced its guidance for 2018 by more than 40 per cent Monday and halted all bidding on future mining projects. That comes two weeks after it halved its forecast from November amidst a diplomatic feud between Canada and Saudi Arabia a key source of oil and gas revenue and delays on its project with Codelco, Chiles state-owned copper mining company. SNC has agreed to settle a dispute with Codelco through a fast-tracked arbitration process. But the hit to SNCs mining and metallurgy business will be bigger than what it had said on Jan. 28 because arbitration wont be completed in time to recognize the revenue in its 2018 results, the company said. SNC said it expects significant recoveries in the future. Shares dropped more than seven per cent to close at $34 Monday their lowest since April 2009 as the companys legal and diplomatic hurdles continue to loom large. On Monday, the federal ethics commissioner launched an investigation into allegations the Prime Ministers Office put pressure on former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould to help the company avoid a criminal prosecution following heavy lobbying from the company. Trudeau has denied that the minister was ever directed by me or anyone in my office to take a decision in this matter. Federal prosecutors told SNC in October they would not invite the company to negotiate a remediation agreement over fraud and corruption charges that stemmed from alleged dealings with the Libyan regime under Moammar Gadhafi between 2001 and 2011. SNC has filed for a judicial review of the decision, which closed the door on a potential deal that would see the government set aside the criminal charges in return for fines and other penalties. A conviction on the charges filed in 2015 could prevent the company from bidding on any federal project for up to 10 years. Last month, SNC chief executive Neil Bruce said ongoing diplomatic tensions between Canada and Saudi Arabia were hurting business and forcing the company to consider a possible retreat from the oil-rich state. The feud, as well problems with the mining project and an arbitration loss in Australia, prompted the company to cut its financial guidance on Jan. 28, resulting in a drastic drop in the companys shares. Last week, SNC-Lavalin shareholder Ruediger Martin Graaf requested permission from Quebec Superior Court to bring a class action lawsuit for what he calls the companys false or misleading statements about the situation in Saudi Arabia. In its revised forecast Monday, SNC attributed the mining problems in Chile to subcontractors and factors out of its control. The challenges on this mining project are mainly due to unexpected site conditions, greater than expected environmental and safety measures and underperformance from subcontractors, the company said in a statement. SNC called the issues an isolated incident, but said it has stopped all bidding on future mining projects and launched a review of its management structure for mining and metallurgy, which brought in $433 million out of $2.92 billion in revenues in 2017. The company has also deployed Ian Edwards, its new chief operating officer, to personally work on strengthening the local project team. SNC did not name Codelco in its revised guidance Monday, but analysts widely acknowledge it as the problem project. SNC said adjusted diluted earnings per share from the division of its engineering and construction business for 2018 will now be in the range of 20 to 35 cents, down from an already reduced forecast of between $1.15 and $1.30 in January from $2.60 to $2.85 in November. That translates into an expected fourth quarter loss of $350 million before taxes and interest for the mining and metallurgy segment, according to SNC. Adjusted consolidated diluted earnings per share for the company as a whole are expected to be in a range of $1.20 to $1.35, down from $2.15 to $2.30 forecast in January and 3.60 to $3.85 in November. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... The company also introduced a 2019 guidance, targeting adjusted earnings per share for engineering and construction of between $2.00 and $2.20, slightly below the consensus $2.25, according to analyst Mona Nazir of Laurentian Bank Securities. While the investment community is accustomed to losses and problem projects for E&C companies, particularly ones with higher construction exposure, we believe the recent negative news, and more specifically continued changes in the outlook in a relatively short period of time, may cause investors to pause on the story, she wrote in a report. Companies in this story: (TSX:SNC) SNC-Lavalin Group Inc., the engineering firm at the centre of a controversy thats embroiled Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, issued its second profit warning in as many weeks. The Canadian company said Monday it failed to reach an agreement with a client in a dispute over a mining project in Latin America, slashing its profit forecast by more than 40 per cent for the year and putting its shares on track for the lowest close in almost a decade. Investor disbelief is palpable, Maxim Sytchev, an analyst at National Bank Financial in Toronto, said in a note to clients. Portfolio de-risking must be a priority now, he added, suggesting that SNC cut its exposure to commodities through such means as asset sales. The cut to SNCs outlook comes as Canadas ethics watchdog said it would investigate whether Trudeau or his staff pressured his former attorney general to help the company settle corruption charges out of court. The probe follows a Globe and Mail newspaper report last week that said his office urged the attorney general to strike a deal. Trudeau and current Justice Minister David Lametti denied the report. Negotiated Settlement In October, Canadian prosecutors opted against negotiating settlement with SNC over the charges stemming from its Libyan operations about a decade ago. The lack of a deal with Canada has probably cost SNC more than $5 billion (Canadian) in lost revenue and continues to damage its reputation, chief executive officer Neil Bruce who wasnt with the company when the Libyan allegations emerged said in December. The case is in preliminary hearings though no date has yet been set for the start of any trial. SNC-Lavalin has long lobbied for a negotiated settlement, arguing it has completely overhauled management since then, instituted an ethics and compliance program and the ongoing legal issues are a drain on the company and its approximately 50,000 employees. The law allows prosecutors to stay criminal charges to protect jobs and shareholders as long as the company agrees to terms, admits wrongdoing, co-operates and pays fines. Shares Fall Lametti, appointed as justice minister last month, said he could still issue a directive asking the countrys prosecution service to reach a so-called remediation agreement with SNC. But he added in a television interview Sunday that the Public Prosecution Service is an independent service. They get to operate independently thats part of our rule-of-law system, and the director has done so in this case. While SNC on Monday didnt identify the troubled mining project in Latin America, analysts are pointing the finger at a copper mine run by Codelco, Chiles state-owned producer. SNC said the project will have up to a $350 million negative drag on the companys mining and metallurgy fourth quarter earnings before interest and taxes. SNC now sees adjusted 2018 per-share profit at $1.20 to $1.35, the company said Monday, short of the $2.15 to $2.30 range that was provided after outlining the problem on Jan. 28 when it also announced a writedown on its business with Saudi Arabia. The shares fell 7.4 per cent to $33.99 at 2:13 p.m. in Toronto, putting them on pace for the lowest close since April 2009. They plunged 28 per cent, the most in at least 27 years, on the initial warning in January. Isolated Incident SNCs $300 million of 2.689 per cent notes due 2020 were quoted Monday at about 160 basis points over Canadian benchmark government debt, compared with about 151 basis points Friday, according to bid prices at Bloomberg. The spread was at 123 basis points on Jan. 25 before the company announced its initial profit warning. SNC continues to view this as an isolated incident of a nonrecurring nature, according to Mondays statement. SNC stressed it has no other mining and metallurgy projects that have similar characteristics. To address what it called this disappointing result, SNC has stopped all bidding on future mining engineering, procurement and construction projects. Its also reviewed the management structure of the mining and metallurgy unit and asked Ian Edwards, appointed chief operating officer two weeks ago, to personally engage to immediately strengthen the local project team. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... SNC and its client in the Latin American dispute agreed to go through an accelerated arbitration process, out of which the company expects significant recoveries in the future, SNC said. Separately, SNC-Lavalins lenders agreed to increase the companys maximum leverage ratio, and will consider the issue a nonrecurring item, up to a maximum of $310 million. SNC-Lavalin reiterated, it has no plans to raise equity, as it continues to have nearly $1.8 billion drawings available under its credit facility. Read more about: Sonja Haller Watertown Public Opinion A Texas father is mad. His 4-year-old daughter, Ashanti Grinage, developed a high fever on Jan. 29. She was taken to the emergency room where she was diagnosed with the flu and sent home with medicine, according to father Martel Grinage. Two days later, she died. Grinage told Dallas news outlet WFAA that doctors failed to diagnose his daughter's persistent cough as pneumonia. "On Tuesday when she went to the doctor, she had pneumonia, and we didn't know," he said. The Garland, Texas, family said their 4-year-old didn't receive a flu shot. Her death came amid a flu season that hasn't seemed as urgent as last year's because there have been fewer deaths. Last year, flu complications claimed the lives of 180 children, according to the Centers for Disease Control. But the flu is starting to hit some communities hard. Schools are closing and administrators are struggling to find enough substitutes to replace sick teachers. MORE: Kids 6 months and older need a flu shot now, doctors warn The family took Ashanti back to the emergency room on Thursday when she was experiencing heavy fatigue and coughing up mucus. "The doctors told me when I got there that her lungs were full of pneumonia and that they did the best that they could do," Grinage said. Grinage told ABC 13 he wished he had asked doctors to check his only child for infection the first time he was in the emergency room. "I'm mad at myself. I'm mad at everyone. I'm mad at the hospital. I'm mad at God," he said. "I can't lie to you." Flu outbreak closes four schools The latest CDC weekly report shows that 28 children have died this flu season. But New York City and 24 states, such as Colorado, Indiana and Virginia, are reporting "high" activity. Flu outbreaks are responsible for closing schools in at least four states. Some of the school administrators said they are using the closure time to clean and disinfect the school of flu germs. MORE: You've probably never heard about this flu symptom Mississippi Kemper County in eastern Mississippi is calling off classes on Monday, Feb. 11, and Tuesday, Feb. 12 because of the flu. Superintendent Jackie Pollock says 100 students with flu symptoms have been absent from the elementary and high school over the last week. Pollock said closing schools will allow students to rest and visit doctors. In north Mississippi, the North Tippah School District and the South Tippah School District canceled classes Friday because of the illness. Staff used the closure to clean classrooms to remove germs that cause the flu. News outlets reported as many as 350 students absent because of the flu in the school districts last week. North Carolina A North Carolina school system canceled classes for students and staff Friday, Feb. 8 because of flu. Ashe County Public Schools superintendent Phyllis Yates said 452 students were out sick from the systems five schools and early learning center. Another 38 students who came to school were sent home. Thirty teachers were out sick and substitutes couldnt be found to replace them. Yates said work crews would disinfect the schools while classes were canceled. Alabama An elementary and middle school in northern Alabama were closed the three days last week because the district was having trouble finding substitutes because of staff absences. Lawrence County Schools Superintendent Jon Bret Smith told news outlets that families of Moulton Elementary School and Moulton Middle School should use the time to recover. Idaho Three Idaho school districts closed earlier this month, one district after a huge number of its students were absent because of the flu. Firth, Shelley and Fremont school districts in eastern Idaho have closed their schools because of a record number of absences for one or more days, the Idaho State Journal reported. The Fremont School District shut down the day after a third of its study body didn't attend because of "flu-like illnesses," the newspaper reported. "It falls out of the air and lands on a shopping cart, remote controls and doorknobs," Eastern Idaho Public Health surveillance epidemiologist Mike Taylor said of the flu virus. "Wash your hands frequently. When you leave a public area, sanitize and wash your hands." The Associated Press contributed to this report. READ MORE: This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dad rages after 4-year-old daughter dies of flu complications Dan Crisler Public Opinion Staff Writer A conundrum of how to fund South Dakotas nursing homes dominated legislative cracker barrel discussion Saturday morning at the Codington County Extension Complex sale ring. With solely District 5 legislators in Republicans Sen. Lee Schoenbeck and Reps. Nancy York and Hugh Bartels, in attendance, the debate comes as several bills work their way through the South Dakota Legislature to address a revenue shortfall for the states nursing homes. The shortfall has caused several nursing homes, primarily in rural areas, to close in recent years and threatened to close others. According to the legislators, finding the funds that total well into the eight figures to address the problem is a complex one with no clear answers. Theres no magic pot of money out there to spend, Bartels said. The legislators argued that that possible solutions there are come with drawbacks. For example, Bartels argued that expanding Medicaid to cover the expenses of more nursing home residents would be a short term solution. A member of the House Appropriations Committee, Bartels said it would take about $50 million annually for the long term. We would have federal dollars for three years and wed have to pick up 45 percent of it, Bartels said. After three years, wed have to do it (in full). Compounding the funding problem the state faces in tackling the nursing home issue is that Bartels and Schoenbeck argued there are other major projects that also seek more funds. For example, Bartels said that the Legislature will need to figure out how to generate additional revenue for the next round of major road reconstruction set to possibly occur in the next decade. In order for the state address the nursing home revenue shortfall, Bartels said taxpayers have to be willing to pay more taxes in some fashion, possibly as a ballot measure. The only way to do that is to have a bigger pocket. If thats what people want is to have a bigger pocket, well figure out how to make it work, he said. The legislators contention did not go without argument from audience members, most notably former Rep. Kent Frerichs, D-Wilmot. Frerichs believes the states commitment to fund nursing homes should be a top priority. It would seem to me health issues are just as important as roads and bridges, he said. Legislators address firearms bills With Gov. Kristi Noem having recently signed a bill in Senate Bill 47 to allow for concealed carry of firearms without a permit, legislators continued to express their opposition. York argued the permit practice didnt hinder anybody from carrying a concealed firearm except those who had been previously convicted. I think our permit process in South Dakota is very easy. The only people it eliminates are people you probably dont want to have guns anyway, she said. York, along with Bartels and Schoenbeck, noted that law enforcement organizations, including the South Dakota Sheriffs Association, and healthcare professionals opposed the bill prior to its passage. Who am I to tell a sheriff I know more about who should carry a gun than he does? she said. The signed bill does not apply to inside the Capitol building. A different bill, Senate Bill 50, to remove those Capitol restrictions was defeated in the Senate. Schoenbeck termed the entire escapade a cheap ploy to score political points. Its just stupid. Its all about a race to the bottom for who can claim to be the most pro-gun, he said. An avid gun owner, Schoenbeck expressed frustration with both sides of the gun control debate. I want people keeping their politics off my guns, he said. We dont need more laws. We dont need anyone messing with our laws. Legislators against shortening early voting period A bill, House Bill 1178, to shorten the absentee voting period from 45 days to 14 days before an election found no supporters in District 5 legislators. Currently set to be heard in committee, the legislators believe the bill wont get traction. Personally, I think 14 days is too short, Bartels said. We can shorten it a little bit. But 14 days is over the top. York, noting the attention the bill has so far received, believes the current system works as intended to help increase voter turnout. That said, she voiced a desire for voters to not vote at the earliest possible date. I wish people wouldnt vote six or seven weeks before an election. A lot of things can come out during the campaign that you might like or not like about that particular candidate. I like the voters to go to the polls as very educated as they can possibly be in who and what theyre voting for, she said. Schoenbeck also voiced hesitancy toward the bill. The only thing that would make me vote for any change is if the auditors have some concerns about how the system works. I dont think thats the case. I think weve dealt with it just fine, he said. Defining solar energy The final stages of Saturdays cracker barrel included discussion on a recent veto of a bill, Senate Bill 14, brought forth by the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission that would have defined solar energy facilities in state law. Passed overwhelming in both the Senate and House of Representatives, with all District 5 legislators voting in the majority, Gov. Kristi Noem, according to the Associated Press, vetoed the bill by questioning the need for more commission regulation of solar generating stations. Noem also said a legal review showed poor drafting of the bill would have given the PUC authority to mandate locations of solar energy projects. Noems veto was upheld in the Senate Friday by a 30-1 margin. Schoenbeck was listed as excused. Schoenbeck expressed belief that Noems veto is meant as a message. That was a nothing bill, he said. Im absolutely convinced her administration has opposed virtually all of the bills that increase some level of regulation on energy development. I think that veto was a lot more about saying that she doesnt want impediments to energy development or additional costs to energy development at the state level that its a local issue and let the counties deal with what theyre going to deal with. Thats what I think is going on. Schoenbecks comments stemmed from an audience members question on Senate Bill 64, which would require wind turbines to include aircraft detection lighting systems. The bill has been scheduled for a hearing. On another note, Schoenbeck said a summer study is likely focusing on service territory rights between municipal electric utilities and rural electric cooperatives. A bill in Senate Bill 66 had been introduced to freeze the electrical service territories of municipal electric utilities such as Watertown Municipal Utilities. No action has been taken on the bill since it had been scheduled for a hearing on Jan. 25. the Public Opinion Staff Watertown Public Opinion South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem will speak at Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown Friday, Feb. 15, at noon, and spots to see her speak are quickly filling up. Appearing on the fourth floor of the LATI Student Center on her Priorities Tour, Noem is scheduled to speak for approximately one hour to up to 150 people in an event that serves as a luncheon. Approximately 100 seats have already been spoken for. According to Noempress secretary Kristin Wileman, Noem is scheduled to speak on several topics outlined in her State of the State Address given in front of the South Dakota Legislature last month. According to Wileman, some topics Noem plans to address include tackling the methamphetamine epidemic in the state, child welfare and the nursing home revenue crisis. Time will be set aside for a question and answer session. While the event is free to attend, Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tim Sheehan said the attendees will be capped at 150 to allow lunch to be served to all. Those who wish to reserve spots may contact the Chamber either by phone at 605-886-5814 or by email at coc@watertownsd.com. Staff reports Watertown Public Opinion BROOKINGS The Horatio Alger-Denny Sanford Scholarship Program is now open for applications. The program provides $250,000 per year in scholarships for the next 10 years to Horatio Alger Scholars attending South Dakota State University. Students would receive $10,000 per year. Applications are available at application.horatioalger.org/Security/Login.aspx. The Horatio Alger Association aims to educate young people about the limitless opportunities afforded to them by the free-enterprise system. To further this goal, the organization awards scholarships to outstanding high school students committed to pursuing higher education and giving back to their communities. Like Association Members, Horatio Alger Scholars have faced great adversity and displayed unmatched resilience in overcoming them. Since the scholarship program was established in 1984, Horatio Alger Association has provided more than $125 million to students in need. Scholarships are funded solely through the generosity of Association Members and friends. Students selected through the established application process for the Horatio Alger National and State Scholarship Programs who then matriculate to SDSU or other selected universities are eligible for this award. In addition, students who apply to SDSU and are then identified by admissions counselors as meeting the Horatio Alger Scholar criteria are also eligible. T. Denny Sanford, Horatio Alger Association member and chairman of the board for United National Corporation, the holding company for First PREMIER Bank and PREMIER Bankcard, headquartered in Sioux Falls, donated $30 million to the Horatio Alger Association Endowment in January 2018. Sanford is a renowned philanthropist and was named one of Americas Top Donors by the Chronicle of Philanthropy and by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. His charitable giving focuses on health care and childrens causes and his contributions exceed $1 billion. In 2018, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans Inc. awarded more than $16 million in undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships across the United States and Canada, and also provided college support and mentoring services to its Scholars. Since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $159 million in college scholarships to more than 25,000 deserving young people. For more information, email sdsu.news@sdstate.edu or visit sdstate.edu. Phukets Best Burger 2019 Dare to Dream Everyone loves a great burger. The perfect ratio of burger to bun, the selection of choice ingredients and the overall personality of the burger maestro are all major factors in determining whether any hamburger is worthy of the label Phukets Best Burger. DiningEntertainment By Sponsored Monday 11 February 2019, 02:00PM Now in its fifth year, Phukets Best Burger has become one of Phukets most loved events. This year Phukets Best Burger will be getting all burgerlicious at Boat Lagoon Marina on Saturday, March 30. Restaurateurs and chefs will all compete to see whose burger reigns supreme to become Phukets Best Burger 2019 Dare to Dream. The event was conceptualised in 2013 by Jay Leshark while he was working with Phuket Live radio and saving the Phuket airwaves with his weekend brunch radio show. Jay was looking for an event idea that would be something different for Phuket, something to do with food and something fun. I honestly never thought it would be as big as it has got, says Jay. It was just a crazy idea I had which has grown over the past five years. It was the history of burgers that also really interested me, Jay went on, Burgers can be traced back to 1209 when Genghis Khans army needed food that could be carried on their mounts and eaten easily with one hand while they rode. Ground meat was the perfect choice, and if its good enough for Genghis Khan then who are we to argue? After a couple of years of planning, which really meant going around Phuket eating burgers, and studying burger competitions around the world, the inaugural event was held in March 2015 and the first ever winner was Xana Beach Club. In 2016 Kata Rocks were declared the winner and in 2017 it was the Thavorn Beach Village & Spa and then again in 2018. So far, The Thavorn Beach Village & Spa are the only ever two-time winner. This years event is set to be the biggest and best ever. The venue at Phuket Boat Lagoon is fabulous and there are some awesome sponsors, such as Class Act Media who have been with the event since the start. There will be live music on the stage with the likes of the Two Chef Band, famous from Jason Wilders drivetime show, as well as some great childrens activities, mixed drink shows, craft beverages and much much more. But what does the winner get? Well, not only do they get bragging rights for one year and the Phukets Best Burger trophy, they also receive a host of other prizes from the amazing sponsors. The prize fund is already over B250,000, which includes a huge B180,000 worth of advertising from Class Act Media and B25,000 worth of BBQ equipment from The BBQ Shop. The other glorious sponsors are Real Life Phuket and Image Asia, including windows magazine and where to eat guide. Saturday, March 30 at Phuket Boat Lagoon, an event for all the family. And remember, as Jimmy Buffet once sang: At night Id have these wonderful dreams Some kind of sensuous treat Not zucchini, fettuccine or Bulgar wheat But a big warm bun and a huge hunk of meat Cheeseburger in paradise Heaven on earth with an onion slice. Jet-ski trailers allowed back on Patong Beach PHUKET: The proliferation of jet-skis and trailers on Patong Beach directly contradicting an order enforced by Royal Thai Army soldiers in Phuket is allowed, Patong Municipality has confirmed. tourismpatongmarinemilitary By Waranya Prompinpiras Monday 11 February 2019, 01:00PM The jet-ski trailers are now allowed on the sand at the northern and southern ends of Patong Beach. Photo: Supplied The jet-ski trailers are now allowed on the sand at the northern and southern ends of Patong Beach. Photo: Supplied The jet-ski trailers are now allowed on the sand at the northern and southern ends of Patong Beach. Photo: Supplied Jet-ski operators now occupy areas at both the northern and southern ends of Patong Beach one area in front of the Prachanukroh Rd intersection at the southern end and another area near Loma Circle at the northern end making the areas off limits to tourists. Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup says that the jet-ski operators are occupying the sands with Patong Municipalitys permission in order to reduce traffic delays throughout the town. Under the old rule, jet-ski operators had to bring their jet-skis to the beach in the morning, then remove their trailers, and return again in the evening to collect their jet-skis at the end of each day, Mayor Chalermluck explained. This causes traffic congestion each time, she said. We allow them to park their trailers exactly only in these areas. We do not let them park anywhere else on the beach as that would make the beach look unorganised and unattractive, Mayor Chalermluck stressed. Signs will be posted so the public are aware that the two areas are designated for jet-ski operators to park their trailers to avoid any further confusion, Mayor Chalermluck added. Patong Deputy Mayor Boonma Aeapsap also pointed out that each time a jet-ski trailer is hauled up from the beach, it drags sand onto the beach road, creating yet another hazard for motorists. Dragging 50-60 jet-skis up and down onto the beach each day leaves a lot of sand on Thaweewong Rd. For the past few years, we have had to clean up that road each time. The more time we spend cleaning up just that area, the less time we have to clean up other areas in Patong, Mr Boonma said. Mayor Chalermluck told The Phuket News that the order for jet-ski operators to vacate the sand and not to breach the 10% rule was just to manage it (beach occupation by vendors) at the time. The new zones were introduced for the benefit of all people, and introduced after discussing the issue with the beach management committee, she added. The 10% rule, introduced by the Phuket provincial government in 2015 with full authority of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), mandated that beach vendors as a whole were prohibited from occupying more than 10% of sand area of any beach in Phuket. In June 2017, the Phuket Marine Office warned jet-ski operators not to occupy beach areas beyond the terms laid out in the 10% beach management policy or else face possible eviction from the sands at all Phuket beaches. (See story here.) Two weeks later, soldiers following orders from Col Santi Sakuntanark, Commander of the 25th Infantry Regiment and the highest-ranking army officer stationed in Phuket were dispatched to Patong, Kata and Karon to ramp up efforts to get jet-ski operators to abide by the beach rules and no longer occupy beach sands during the day, when the beaches are to be left clear for use by tourists. Following those raids, Col Santi said, The jet-skis on Patong Beach are allowed to be parked on the sand temporarily. that is only during the southwest monsoon season (May-October). We are allowing them to park their jet-skis at some points on Patong Beach. Dont worry, this is not permanent. (See story here.) But if you see jet-ski operators vehicles parked in any public areas, such as the beach, please let me know (Tel: 081-6425635), Col Santi added. In all instances, local municipalities have consistently identified the Phuket Marine Office as the leading authority on issues involving jet-skis, as confirmed by previous Phuket Marine Office Chief Surat Sirisaiyad in issuing a warning to jet-ski operators at Kata Beach in the 2017 crackdown. The same understanding was confirmed by Patong Deputy Mayor Mr Boonma, who told The Phuket News, We dont know which law to catch these people with. The beach belongs to the Phuket Marine Office. Everything, no matter what we do, we must ask for permission first. The Phuket Marine Office can order or catch those people because they are the people who issue jet-ski licenses. We can help only in terms of orderliness, he said. That understanding was not shared by the current Acting Chief of the Phuket Marine Office, Wiwat Chitchertwong, who told The Phuket News, According to my duty, I repeat to every jet-ski operator to not leave any trailers on beach. We were not involved with the decision made by Patong Municipality, he said. Chinese boy, 9, dies after fall from rooftop pool PHUKET: A 9-year-old Chinese boy has died after falling from a rooftop pool at a hotel in Kamala early yesterday evening (Feb 10). tourismChinesedeathaccidentspolice By Eakkapop Thongtub Monday 11 February 2019, 12:03PM The view from the rooftop showing how far the boy fell. Photo: Kamla Police Police inspect the scene where the boy slipped and fell from the pool pump cover beside the pool. Photo: Kamala Police Police inspect the scene where the boy slipped and fell from the pool pump cover beside the pool. Photo: Kamala Police The boy was staying staying on the fifth floor of the hotel with his father and sister, noted Lt Col Somnuek Damkaew of the Kamala Police in his report. The three had arrived in Phuket on Friday (Feb 8) with 17 other relatives on a week-long large family holiday from Guangdong, he added. The boy along with seven relatives were playing in the rooftop pool at about 7pm. The pool area has a glass wall that is 80 centimetres tall around its perimeter. However, the boy climbed up onto the box covering the pool pump to jump into the pool, Kamala Police Chief Somkid Boonrat explained to The Phuket News this morning. The father saw the boy climbing onto the pump covering to jump into the pool and called for him to come down, but the boy slipped and fell to the ground, Col Somnuek noted in his report. Photos from the scene show that large, flat wooden covering over pool pump has no railing along its terminal side and no railings to prevent people from easily stepping up onto it. Kamala rescue workers soon arrived to find the boy unconscious and unresponsive, and rushed him to Patong Hospital. However, doctors confirmed pronounced the boy had died from his injuries at the scene. Police officers have investigated the scene and questioned the boys father as a witness, Col Somnuek confirmed in his report. Chinese consular officials have been informed of the boys death, he added. Police are continuing their investigation into the incident, Col Somneuk noted. 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. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Less margin. If there is one element on which all the experts agree about the future of the fashion business, it is that the sector advances towards the reduction of margins, as demonstrated by the evolution of the giants of the sector. While until now the margins have been pressured by the distribution part, the evolution of the production costs in Bangladesh has an impact on the margins in the first links. The impossibility of finding a new production hub in the short term leads the industry to more than a decade of even narrower margins. There is an event that has gone almost unnoticed to the sector and may be the trigger for the new paradigm shift in fashion sourcing: the wage increase in Bangladesh. In Spain, the cradle of fast fashion, this issue bothers entrepreneurs in a sector that moves within a setting of low prices and discounts, which survives with increasingly narrow margins and which must now address the rising cost of production. Technology is the answer, but as long as innovation does not reach the system, how will the margin be managed? In Bangladesh, the tension in the factories increases. Last week, the unions in the country reported mass redundancies at the factories due to the demonstrations at the beginning of the year demanding a new wage increase. On January 1, the rise of 51% in the minimum wage in the country entered into force. But the union representatives consider that it continues to be insufficient regarding the local living standard. Nowadays, according to the same sources, proposing a transfer of production to another market is practically impossible Two factors indicate that the wage increase in Bangladesh will not only continue, but accelerate. On the one hand, H&M policies of bringing fair wages to its factories. Apart from the controversy over the scope of the concept, the Swedish group is leading the way in this direction. On the other hand, a recent report by the British Parliament that describes fast fashion as an exploitative industry. According to sources in the sector, the rise in wages in Bangladesh is making that the fashion giants, having large volumes of production concentrated in the country, put its figures under review, because, although the impact per garment is low, the volume makes it remarkable. Nowadays, according to the same sources, proposing a transfer of production to another market is practically impossible, since none exists with the same capacity as Bangladesh. Modernizing the Bengali industry is presented as the only option to reduce costs, an option for which no one is betting on due to the high investment it requires. Fifteen years will be necessary for another country to be at the current level of Bangladesh. Ethiopia and the neo-relocation Union pressure in Bangladesh along with social and political pressure in the foreign markets will hamper wage stagnation. Myanmar and Ethiopia are emerging as the new poles of fashion industry, but are still light years away from equating with Bangladesh. In fact, in the sector it is considered that both countries are today what could have been Bangladesh fifteen years ago. Beyond the production cost, the strength of the Bengali textile industry (as well as the Chinese one) lies in two aspects: on the one hand, they have created a value chain around clothing to accelerate timings and, on the other hand, the country has invested in infrastructures. In sourcing, it is not only about price, but also value in production: sustainability, materials or design, speed, agility and flexibility, explains Gabriel Farias, expert in sourcing. Ethiopia clearly stands out as the next Bangladesh. The investments it attracts are from Chinese, Bengali, Cambodian, Vietnamese or Egyptian industrialists seeking lower production costs. But the factories they are setting in the African country are not labour-intensive as they were three decades ago those of China and fifteen years ago those of Bangladesh, but they are automated factories and, in some cases, robotized. The panacea of the sector 25 years ago no longer exists and will not exist, underlines Farias. Not even in Ethiopia. In recent decades, low labour costs have slowed technological innovation in textile factories and, above all, in garment factories. But now, in front of the paradigm shift, this process is accelerating. The new factories that are launched in Ethiopia not only look for a technological basis to reduce risks or additional labour costs, but are adapting to a new reality of retail, which has stopped buying large volumes to focus on very short series. The automation and robotization of factories will allow accepting orders of 10,000 units, one thousand and even 500 units. The rotation of collections spread among the retailers that seek to find the formula to escape from the discounts and promotions and sell as much full price articles as possible. Together with this, the advance of e-commerce, which puts even more pressure on the margins of retail due to the high logistical costs involved, but that nobody can leave behind. The rotation of collections spread among the retailers that seek to find the formula to escape from the discounts and promotions The formula of fast fashion, therefore, is getting more sophisticated towards ultra fast fashion with a view to achieving maximum flexibility in search of personalization. The objective is to eradicate stocks to avoid sales and discounts. In this sense, the technological innovation in the garment industry is looking for the formula to solve this equation. This flexibility also emphasizes the approach of production to consumer markets, in the phenomenon that Farias describes as the industrial neo-relocation of textiles. For the European Union, fashion sourcing has been positioned since long ago in Turkey, Eastern Europe, Morocco and Portugal, four poles with a strong competition between them. Along them, the unbeatable Italy, which survives playing in another league, the premium and luxury markets. This new production of proximity, therefore, will not be labour-intensive, but very advanced technologically to maintain the just in time outcome and the prices that the market demands with the least effects on the margin. This new production of proximity will not be labour-intensive, but technologically advanced Concentration: natural selection based on efficiency But this change of scenery will imply a scourge to the current business structure in fashion sourcing because the pressure of retailers on their margins is transmitted to the whole supply chain. Each of the links transmits this pressure to the immediately preceding one. The efficiency demanded by this new scenario of extremely narrow margins clashes with the fragmented and undefined structure of the textile industry as a whole. Although there are large verticalized groups, the bulk of the sector is formed by medium and small companies that are very specialized in their segments and, for now, the different phases of the supply chain are still light years away from being integrated. However, industry experts observe a natural trend towards concentration in search of efficiency. The weakest players in this process of thinning the production structure are those suppliers that do not seek strategic partnerships to gain speed, agility and flexibility, as well as intermediaries. There are experts who exemplify it with the automotive industry, with very structured assembly lines and very sophisticated systems for the procurement of components. Li&Fung presented a roadmap two years ago to turn around its supply process and adapt to the new fashion business order Li&Fung presented a roadmap two years ago to turn around its supply process and adapt to the new fashion business order based on the omnichannel system, immediacy and personalization. Last year, the company partnered with American Softwear Automation to develop the first fully robotic T-shirt production chain. The rest of the operators of the fashion industry will be aligned within the next few years with the strategy that the Chinese titan of sourcing is drawing up since two years ago. From outsourcing to internalizing, the other twist of retail In an environment of increasingly narrow margins, regaining control of a part of the production is not so far-fetched. Thus, after decades of outsourcing production processes to adjust the system to the core business, in the new paradigm in which the fashion industry is entering, it is not discarded to internalize them again. Regaining control of part of the production is not so far-fetched Costs are the main advantage of the reincorporation of in-house manufacturing (as long as it is technologically advanced). In an environment that will increasingly dispense of intermediaries in search of a sourcing as seamless as possible, having control over the part of the production refreshes the margins, gives speed and flexibility. And we begin to see the first examples in this regard. Adidas launched its first speedfactory in 2017 located in the German town of Ansbach, a fully automated and robotized production centre, equipped with simulation and data analysis software, devices and 3D machinery and robotics to produce moulded and customized shoes. The group launched a second one shortly after in Atlanta (United States). A year earlier, the risk capital group Apollo teamed up with Nike to create vertical hubs that are fully automated in North America and Central America to manufacture customized products of proximity. In 2016, Fast Retailing, the owner of Uniqlo, formed a joint venture with the knitting manufacturer Shima Seiki to build a joint factory in China. Luxury has also spent several years investing in reincorporating production into its structure. The giants of this sector not only make strategic acquisitions on some of their suppliers to ensure the supply of very exclusive items, but also choose to open their own factories. For this year, the opening of two new Louis Vuitton factories in France is planned, destined to reduce delivery times to a week. Only in its country of origin, the company has 16 factories that add up more than 4,000 employees. Hermes, for its part, launched another factory this week in France to strengthen the production of leather goods. RTHK: London Zoo 'not to blame' for death of tiger London Zoo on Monday denied it was responsible for the death of an endangered Sumatran tiger mauled by a potential mate brought in as part of a breeding programme. Staff were left "entirely distraught" by the death of the tigress, called Melati, the zoo's manager said on Monday, rejecting suggestions they had not waited long enough before allowing the animals into the same enclosure. Zoo staff held Melati, 10, and Asim, 7, in adjacent enclosures for 10 days before allowing them on Friday to try and breed as part of a Europe-wide programme to help boost the numbers of the endangered animal. "Several people from outside the zoo have remarked that 10 days seems fast to introduce tigers to each other," Kathryn England, chief operating officer of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), told staff in a letter published on her blog. "It's not - it's wildly variable and depends entirely on careful observation of their behaviour. "Conversely, it can be risky to leave tigers showing an interest in each other out of contact for too long, leading to a build-up of tension and frustration," she added. The pair initially watched each other, before rearing up - "all quite a normal part of them testing their boundaries," explained England. "But in the blink of an eye, with no obvious provocation, they turned on each other. "Asim started to retreat and we were poised to close the gate when Melati lashed back out at him. He overpowered her in a split second." Staff lit flares, sounded air horns and set off fire extinguishers and hoses, but Melati, the mother of three cubs, was fatally injured. Asim had been brought in from Denmark for the breeding programme. "Even with the benefit of hindsight I am confident we'd all make the same decision again," wrote England. "Friday was one of the most difficult days of my long career working with animals. "I have known Melati since I joined ZSL in 2013 and I was as enamoured with her as everyone else at the Zoo," she added. Staff were left "numb with shock," explained the zoo boss. "Our vets ran to Melati... and even these experienced professionals...were entirely distraught." She hoped the publicity surrounding the incident would "trigger a greater understanding of the challenges faced by her species in the wild." "The coming days will be tough as we come to terms with what's happened, but we will treasure our memories of this special tigress forever." (AFP) This story has been published on: 2019-02-11. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. 19 hours ago | June 23rd | 2021 5:00 AM You Quit Your Job Good for You! But How Does that Impact Your Investments? As companies make plans to return employees back to the office, millions of workers have made a decision not to go back at all. In fact, the number of people who quit their jobs increased to four million in April and increased 2.7%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The largest increases in employees leaving their jobs occurred in retail trade and professional and business services. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 11, 2019 13:33 863 ab327006fac3d4a4e8af45a51b26221f 1 News Gadjah-Mada-University,Webometrics,Education Free Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta has topped the rankings of Indonesias best universities according to a survey by university index agency Webometrics in January. Globally, the university is ranked 845th. The agencys website named four indicators that were used for the calculation, namely presence, impact, transparency or openness and excellence or scholarship. According to UGMs official website, presence measures the number of web domains, including sub-domains, of an institution and impact counts the amount of backlinks from other websites. Read also: UGM ranks top in RI, ninth in SE Asia: Webometrics Openness is based on files that can be accessed and are connected to a university's website, while excellence calculates the number of scientific publications from a university's members indexed in reputable international journals. UGM received 150 points for presence, 435 for impact, 733 for openness and 1853 for excellence. It surpassed other prominent universities in Indonesia, including the University of Indonesia (UI) and the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). Iva Ariani, the universitys public relations and protocol head, said it was an achievement for the university, especially in spreading knowledge, information and the work from the universitys members. This can also be a challenge for us to increase the quality and quantity of our publications [and hopefully] our website can be a source of information for people, Iva said. Webometrics is an initiative of the Cybermetrics Lab research group from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). (wir/wng) Qantas Airways Ltd.s vision for the first direct flights from Sydney to London is inching closer to reality as Boeing Co. and Airbus SE finalize proposals for longer-range jets needed to span the 10,600-mile trip. Qantas is also stepping up work on making the estimated 20-hour journey to the U.K. capital and cities including New York and Paris more comfortable, Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce said in an interview. That includes picking the right number of seats and a cabin layout that may include beds in the hold. In linking spots on the opposite sides of the globe, the new flights will be the last word in distance. Only a direct London-Auckland service would be longer among routes that airlines have actively studied. A trip from Sydney or Melbourne to London would beat the longest-flight record held by Singapore Airlines Ltd.s service from its home city to New York by 1,000 miles. Planemakers will submit best and final offers on models capable of making the journey from southeast Australia to northern Europe and the northeastern U.S. in coming months, according to Joyce, who said the choice will be between derivatives of Boeings 777-8X and the ultra long range A350-900ULR and -1000ULR from its European rival. Boeing and Airbus are still working on the request for proposals, he said in London. Its not just about adding a few extra fuel tanks. The plan is to finalize everything by the year end and reach a decision on start up in 2022. Read also: Qantas confirms cancellation of Airbus order Qantas is seeking a new deal with its pilots to cover the changes in working practices required to undertake such long-endurance flights, as well as engaging with authorities on relevant regulatory changes, the CEO said. Destinations that will be reachable direct from Australias two biggest cities under the plan, code-named Project Sunrise, include London, Paris and Frankfurt in Europe and New York and Chicago in the U.S., Joyce confirmed. The CEO has described such services as the last frontier of aviation, after which all major cities will be within range of non-stop flights. Qantas has already begun opening up new routes with existing jets, adding the first direct flights from London to Perth -- which sits opposite Melbourne and Sydney on Australias west coast -- last year using a stripped back Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The carrier is looking at using the model for services from Brisbane to Chicago, Dallas and Seattle. The Perth service relies on a higher-than-usual number of business- and premium-economy class seats for its viability, something that may be necessary to support the routes envisaged by Project Sunrise. Joyce has also said that part of the cargo hold could be utilized for sleeping berths. Flying to far-flung destinations will reduce Qantass need to serve gateway hubs such as Los Angeles, helping to explain why the carrier doesnt plan to take eight Airbus A380 superjumbos on which it has options, to add to 12 in the fleet, the CEO said in London. When people are flying direct we dont need that, he said. The network is changing quite significantly and becoming much more point to point. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Singapore Mon, February 11, 2019 16:41 863 ab327006fac3d4a4e8af45a51b269094 2 SE Asia #singapore,#Myanmar,salon,manager,jailed,abuse,Myanmar,maid Free A Singaporean woman who abused her Myanmar maid by forcing her to pour hot water on herself, pulling her hair out and hitting her was jailed for three years on Monday. Singapore is home to almost 250,000 maids, mostly from other parts of Southeast Asia, who head to the tiny but wealthy city-state to earn far higher salaries. Beauty parlour manager Linda Seah, 39, was convicted last month for the abuse inflicted on Phyu Phyu Mar in 2016. The mistreatment detailed in six charges included two instances when the maid was forced to pour hot water onto her left shoulder, leaving her with burn marks and blisters. Seah also forced her to drink "water adulterated with floor cleaner", according to the charges. On one occasion she shook the maid by the hair until some of it came out, and on another, hit her repeatedly in the head with a mobile phone. The Singapore court heard that Seah was unhappy as she felt her employee was slow in completing her chores. But handing down the jail sentence, District Judge Olivia Low said that Seah's "unhappiness with the victims work should not justify any form of violence against" her. She said the victim suffered "psychological harm" and had been left with a scar on her shoulder. As well as the jail term, Seah was fined Sg$9,000 ($6,630). The judge said aggravating factors for the sentence included that the maid was denied food, leading her to become malnourished, and her salary was not paid. The woman's husband Lim Toon Leng, 44, was jailed for six weeks on one charge of punching the maid on the forehead. The abuses came to light after the maid accompanied Seah to the salon she managed, where one of the employees alerted the police. Abuse of domestic workers is not as common in tightly-regulated Singapore as other parts of Asia, but some cases have made headlines. In 2017, a Singapore couple were jailed for starving their Philippine maid until she weighed just 29 kilograms (64 pounds). Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Washington, United States Mon, February 11, 2019 16:24 863 ab327006fac3d4a4e8af45a51b26769b 2 World #USA,#China,US,destroyer,South-China-Sea,trade-dispute Free Two USwarships sailed near islands claimed by China in the South China Sea on Monday, aUSofficial told Reuters, a move likely to anger Beijing at a time of tense relations between the world's two biggest economies. Beijing and Washington are locked in a trade war and the two sides are trying to hammer out a deal ahead of a March 1 deadline when UStariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports are scheduled to increase to 25 percent from 10 percent. Escalating tensions between the United States and China have cost both countries billions of dollars and roiled global financial markets. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the two guided-missile destroyers traveled within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands. The operation was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing's efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, where Chinese, Japanese and some Southeast Asian navies operate. China claims almost all of the strategic South China Sea and frequently lambastes the United States and its allies over naval operations near Chinese-occupied islands. China and the United States have repeatedly traded barbs in the past over what Washington says is Beijings militarization of the South China Sea by building military installations on artificial islands and reefs. China defends its construction as necessary for self-defense and says it is the United States that is responsible for ratcheting up tensions in the region by sending warships and military planes close to islands Beijing claims. Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan have competing claims in the region. Fears have grown in recent months that the U.S.-China trade dispute is just one element in a bilateral relationship that is fast cooling across the board, with top USadministration officials sharply criticizing Beijing for everything from human rights abuses to cyber espionage in the United States. The two countries are also at odds over regional security, including Washingtons overtures to the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which China claims as its own. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marchio Irfan Gorbiano (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 11, 2019 12:37 863 ab327006fac3d4a4e8af45a51b2612c3 1 Business investment,aceh,Arun-Aceh,lhokseumawe,LNG,energy,special-economic-zone,SEZ Free The Arun Lhokseumawe Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Aceh, which houses one of the countrys natural gas facilities, could be the latest example of the use of underutilized assets to boost local economies, said the State Asset Management Agency (LMAN). The SEZ, located more than 250 kilometers to the southeast of provincial capital Banda Aceh, was inaugurated by President Joko Jokowi Widodo in December last year. The economic zone was designed to specialize in energy, petrochemicals and the agroindustry, among others. Around half of the 2,600 hectare economic zone was the Arun liquefied natural gas facility, which was formally decommissioned in 2014 due to dwindling natural gas reserves after being in operation for more than 30 years. LMAN director Rahayu Puspasari called on stakeholders to maximize the utilization of state assets in Arun to bring more than financial benefits to the local community. Talking about asset optimization, its not only tied to financial benefits because this [Arun LNG facility] is a state asset, which is to be used for the benefit of public welfare, Rahayu said recently after a discussion with stakeholders that included representatives from the local administration, potential investors and the Arun Lhokseumawe developer. Underutilized assets within the 666.09 ha community area in the Arun LNG complex could be optimized, such as housing areas, a hospital and education facilities, all of which were built for workers who used to work in the facilities, she said. Rahayu added that redeveloping the community area could have multiplier effects that benefitted locals. During the discussion, stakeholders shared similar views on the need to look for ways to further simplify licensing in the economic zone, she said. SEZ national council secretary Enoh Suharto Pranoto said business players who wished to invest in the Arun Lhokseumawe SEZ would be facilitated by the SEZ administrators, which have been given authority by the Coordinating Investment Board (BKPM) and ministries to issue relevant permits for the development of the SEZ. In addition, investors could also obtain licenses through the online single submission (OSS) system, official web-based business licensing services operated by the BKPM, Enoh said. On LMANs part, that meant tweaking regulations to allow the agency to periodically update the valuation of state assets in the Arun LNG facility to give investors more certainty, she added. LMAN was expected to update its valuation of state assets in the Arun LNG facility every six months in a proactive move to provide clarity for potential investors. This is a shift from previous procedures, in which LMAN appraised the value of assets after investors had expressed interest, said Rahayu. We already agreed on this issue with teams from the State Assets Directorate General, said Rahayu. Arun Lhokseumawe was among 13 areas that were granted the SEZ status by the government. Most of the SEZs are located outside Java in a bid to establish new economic activities in the regions. While saying that the development of SEZs ,such as in Arun, would be helpful in creating new economic zones outside Java, Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) economist Bhima Yudhistira Adhinegara said it was important for the government to ensure basic infrastructure was in place to lure investors. Basic infrastructure is a prerequisite to attract investor interest, said Bhima. He also called on the government to proactively engage with potential investors to determine the best fiscal incentives, adding that not all investors were eyeing corporate tax exemptions, as offered in the tax holiday scheme. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Warsaw, Poland Mon, February 11, 2019 10:30 864 ab327006fac3d4a4e8af45a51b25c45a 2 World #Poland,#military,Poland,purchase,US,rocket,system Free Poland said Sunday it will buy mobile rocket launchers worth $414 million (365 million euros) from the United States, as Warsaw seeks closer ties with Washington amid concerns over a resurgent Russia. The deal, due to be signed Wednesday, will "significantly increase the Polish army's capacities," Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak told journalists Sunday, adding that delivery was expected by 2023. Made by US weapons giant Lockheed Martin, the HIMARS system can launch six guided rockets with a range of 70 kilometers (37 miles), or a single missile with a 300-kilometer range. It is already being used by 19 countries and has been deployed in Iraq and Syria against the Islamic State group, allowing US troops a precision attack ability even in poor weather when air attacks are hindered. In March last year, Warsaw already signed a $4.75 billion contract to purchase a US-made Patriot anti-missile system. Poland's rightwing government has been pushing for the United States to open a permanent military base on its soil, where American troops are already stationed on a rotational basis as part of NATO operations. However, the head of the US Army said in September 2018 that Poland might not be ready for a permanent military base because of an apparent lack of space to fulfil the training requirements for American soldiers. Two years ago, NATO opened a counter-espionage hub in Poland aimed at expanding the alliance's intelligence-gathering capabilities following tensions with Russia over its 2014 annexation of Crimea. The US-led alliance has also bolstered its forces in eastern Europe with four international battalions acting as tripwires against possible Russian adventurism in the region. Poland this week is set to host US Vice-President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for a two-day conference on security issues in the Middle East. Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, close advisors to US President Donald Trump, are also expected to attend the event starting Tuesday, along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 11 2019 For centuries, mosques have served as places where Muslims deepen their knowledge of Islamic teachings. The influence of mosques, however, is waning as a result of social media-based preaching. A 2018 study by the Center for the Study of Religion and Culture (CSRC) at Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic State University (UIN) Jakarta has revealed that young Muslims are losing interest in studying religion in mosques. The study, which surveyed Muslims aged between 17 and 24 in 18 regencies and cities across the country, also found that social media-based sermons had reduced the influence of religious education in family, organizations or other formal educational institutions. Twenty-five-year-old Muslim Fitria Jamal, 25, said she was more likely to use YouTube to learn about Islam than go to a mosque to join a kajian (learning forum). On YouTube, I can c... Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Gisela Swaragita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 11, 2019 10:53 864 ab327006fac3d4a4e8af45a51b25c8f5 1 City street,jakarta,road-accident,traffic-congestion,traffic-law-enforcement,anger,motorcycle,motorists Free A video of an angry South Tangerang man trying to dismantle his motorcycle after being ticketed by a police officer went viral last week. Some people deem the video unsettling, while others may find it amusing. Read also: Police arrest angry man who destroyed motorbike, but not for that Whatever your reaction is, it is safe to say that violent road rage incidents are not uncommon in Greater Jakarta, which is plagued by bad traffic and sees perhaps some of the worst drivers in the world. According to 2017 INRIX traffic data, Jakarta has the 12th worst traffic on earth, with 20 percent of Jakartans driving time being spent in congestion. To make matters worse, some of the citys riders and drivers are notoriously rowdy. Thus, even the citys most law-abiding drivers could easily lose their temper. Below is a list of some of the worst road rage incidents on the mean streets of Jakarta and its satellite cities. Supreme Court staff assaults officer In December 2016, an employee of the Supreme Court named Dora Natalia Singarimbun was captured on video attacking a traffic police officer. Police officer Adj. First Insp. Sutisna, who was involved in the incident, said that Dora, who was driving home from work, complained because Sustina had stood in her way. He then took a picture of her car's license plate, using his cell phone, in order to make a report, but the action angered Dora. Dora got out of her car and tried to grab his phone. Sutisna appeared to defend himself and took Dora's car key. Dora then became even more agitated and was seen pulling at the officer's uniform. Sutisna turned his back and did not retaliate when Dora shouted at him and assaulted him on Jl. Jatinegara Barat in East Jakarta. As the incident had gone viral, Dora wrote an apology on her Facebook account. "I apologize to all Indonesian people, especially those who felt offended [by my actions]. I promise to change, to think before acting," Dora wrote on her Facebook account. Dora was then reportedly transferred outside of Java by the court. Meanwhile, Sustina received an award from Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. M. Iriawan for "demonstrating a high degree of patience" during the attack. Teenager injured after being attacked by motorist In August last year, a man identified as MA admitted to hitting a 14-year-old passenger of a car that suddenly stopped in front of his own. The boys brother, Reza Ahmad, posted a video of the incident on social media. The video shows his brothers bloody nose and the alleged perpetrators face and license plate of the latters car, which shows a military sticker. The incident occurred when Rezas family was driving along the Jagorawi toll road from Bogor in West Java to Jakarta when the car in front of them made a sudden stop. Reza, who was driving the car, and the driver of a Chevrolet Captiva behind him hit their brakes to avoid a collision. The Chevrolets driver, MA, blocked Rezas car and ordered the latter to get out of the car. He choked Reza and then hit his brother. Man holds out revolver to cut line to toll booth In March last year, a man named Teza Irawan, a member of the Indonesian Shooting and Hunting Association (Perbakin), was criminally charged after reportedly brandishing a revolver to scare other drivers while he was driving on the inner-city toll road heading for Cawang in East Jakarta. Teza was said to have been driving erratically, flashing his headlights when passing Dharmais General Hospital in West Jakarta. He then reportedly stopped and stuck what appeared to be a gun out of the window of his car to intimidate other drivers into letting him cut the line to the toll booth. Man dies after fistfight with other motorist Back in June 2015, the secretary of Bogor regency's culture and tourism agency, Zuryawan Irvandiar Zoebir, died after an altercation with another road user identified as Olive Leonardi. The police said the incident began with Zuryawan and Leonardi were battling to enter the Bogor Outer Ring Road, heading from Sentul to Bogor. Witnesses reported that the two stopped their cars and fought. During the fight, Zuryawan fell and lost consciousness. Other road users stopped to help but he died on the way to the hospital. Man ripped off motorbike after being ticketed The man, identified as Adi Saputra, 21, was driving against the traffic flow on a Honda Scoopy motorbike with his girlfriend, Yuni, near Pasar Modern Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) Market in South Tangerang. In addition to wrong-way driving, Adi was also not wearing a helmet and failed to show his drivers license, vehicle registration document and his ID card. When he was stopped, Adi yelled at the officer and proceeded to destroy the motorbike while his girlfriend pleaded for him to stop. Adi ripped off parts of the motorcycle and hit it with a big stone. His actions were captured on camera and the video went viral after being posted on Instagram by @pauull_21 and @jktinfo. The motorbike was confiscated by the police officer, who ordered Adi to walk home and retrieve the documents, which he did not have. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie and Kharishar Kahfi (The Jakarta Post) Surabaya/Jakarta Mon, February 11 2019 Press protector: President Joko Jokowi Widodo (left), accompanied by Press Council chairman Yosep Adi Prasetyo (center) and the 2019 National Press Days (HPN) organizing committee head, Margiono, shows to journalists the Press Freedom Award he received during the HPN celebration in Surabaya, East Java, on Saturday.(Antara/Zabur Karuru) In an era of rampant misinformation and fake news, President Joko Jokowi Widodo has received a Press Freedom Award for his administrations commitment to protecting the freedom of the press. Press Council chairman Yosep Adi Prasetyo presented the award to the President at the peak of an event in celebration of the 2019 National Press Day in Surabaya, East Java, on Saturday. Yosep said the award was presented to the President as a token of appreciation for his contribution to protecting the spirit of press freedom ov... Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Sausan Atika and A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 11, 2019 21:12 863 ab327006fac3d4a4e8af45a51b27083e 1 City tap-water,Palyja,Aetra-Air,PAM-Jaya,anies-baswedan,jakarta,remunipalicization,water,water-access Free Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said on Monday that Jakarta would gradually take over tap water management from private operators Aetra and Palyja despite a recent Supreme Court ruling that approved the continuation of water privatization. A potable and clean water supply is a basic right of residents and it is the city administrations priority. The Constitution mandates that earth, water and natural resources in them are controlled by the state for peoples welfare as much as possible. Thus, our standpoint here is clear: The Jakarta administration will immediately take over tap water management in Jakarta to achieve the target of tap water coverage in the city, Anies told a press conference at City Hall. The governor said the takeover was very important to correct the agreement between Indonesia and two private firms in 1997. We know after 20 years since the agreement was signed, tap water management has yet to improve according to expectations, Anies said. Anies cited numbers that showed the small improvement in tap water management such as the rise of water coverage from 44.5 percent in 1998 to only 59.4 percent today. He said he made the decision after listening to a recommendation from the Water Management Team. The team gave Anies a recommendation to terminate the contract with PT Aetra Air Jakarta and PT PAM Lyonnaise Jaya (Palyja) using a civil suit avenue. The team said the city could not immediately terminate the contract unilaterally because the compensation the city had to pay to the two companies would be exorbitant, potentially reaching more than Rp 1 trillion (US$71.4 million). Team member Nila Ardhianie said on Monday that this step would also be bad for Jakartas business climate. However, the team did not recommend the city administration allow what they called the status quo, which was to just let the contract end as agreed in 2023. The service would not be improved if we choose this option, Nila said. Nila said taking a civil suit avenue would not be easy but there were several things they could do. First, the Jakarta administration could buy Aetra and Palyjas shares, she said. Second, the administration and the two firms make a new agreement, which includes terminating the contract. The last option, she said, was taking over some of the services before 2023. Anies said the course of action the city had decided to take had a strong legal basis, including a 2015 Constitutional Court decision on water supply. God willing, we will proceed with it, he said. And I hope it can finish as soon as possible. The group who filed the citizen lawsuit against privatization in 2013, called the Coalition of Jakarta Residents Opposing Water Privatization (KMMSAJ), argued that Aetra and Palyja had failed to provide clean water for all. After a long legal battle, the Supreme Court in 2017 ruled in favor of the KMMSAJ but the Finance Ministry challenged the ruling in March 2018 and the same court ruled against KMMSAJ in a ruling in November last year. The public knew about the ruling only last month and KMMSAJ said the ruling only touched the formal material of the 2017 decision. Lawyer Alghiffari Aqsa of the KMMSAJ said the city administration still could use the substance of the 2017 ruling to take the next steps. Besides, there is also the Constitutional Court that forbids water privatization. So even though we lost in the latest Supreme Court ruling, we should refer to the [2015 ruling], Alghiffari said, referring to a Constitutional Court ruling that ordered water management be given to state-owned companies. Constitutional law expert Feri Amsari said the latest Supreme Court ruling did not nullify the substance of its own 2017 ruling that ordered to end Jakarta water privatization, and the latter could still be relied on by decision makers. He said the judicial review only argued that the 2017 ruling did not fulfill the criteria as a citizen lawsuit but did not challenge its substance. If the Jakarta governor still wants [the city] to take over water [management] it is still possible, Feri said. Aetra corporate communication and customer manager Astriena Veracia told the Post on Monday that the firm would comply with any applicable decision regarding the issue. We [Aetra] will comply with any decision put into effect, she said. Palyja spokesperson Lydia Astriningworo has yet to respond to telephone calls and text messages made by the Post seeking comments on the matter. (evi) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 11 2019 Indonesian social media activist Permadi Arya has threatened to file a Rp 1 trillion (US$71.68 million) lawsuit against Facebook after the tech giant shut down his account in a crackdown on fake news in Indonesia. Permadi, also known as Abu Janda, said Facebook had made serious allegations by accusing him of being part of fake news group Saracen and shutting down his Facebook pages and accounts. In a video posted to his Twitter account @permadiaktivis, the activist said his lawyers had sent a legal notice to Facebook demanding that the company clear his name and restore all his pages and accounts. Otherwise we will take this to the court and sue Facebook for Rp 1 trillion for immaterial damages, said Permadi, who chairs an organization called Cyber Indonesia. Permadi is known as a supporter of President Joko Jokowi Widodo, while the Saracen g... Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 11, 2019 16:46 863 ab327006fac3d4a4e8af45a51b269314 4 Business gas-prices,industry,incentives,subsidy,non-state-revenue-deduction Free An association representing four industries, namely ceramic tile, glass, glove and oleochemical, have demanded that the government fulfill its promise to lower gas prices and help them become more competitive both in the domestic and international markets. It is regrettable that the regulation has not been implemented. It has caused extended deindustrialization, said Flat Glass and Safety Glass Producers Association (AKLP) chairman Yustinus Gunawan as quoted by kontan.co.id on Monday. The government has issued Presidential Regulation No 40/ 2016 on natural gas price determination. Currently, only three industries steel, fertilizer, and petrochemical have enjoyed the gas price of US$6 per million British thermal units (mmbtu), lower than the market prices of between $8.2 and $9.2 per mmbtu. Yustinus said businesses had not received the incentive and subsequently lost the momentum to revive the industry. He stressed that the government had to fulfill its promise to lower gas prices because the glass industry consumed large amounts of gas or 40 to 45 percent of national gas production. Indonesian Diversified Ceramics Producers Association (Asaki) chairwoman Elisa Sinaga also called on the government to fulfill its promise, adding that because of the absence of incentives, the price of gas for the industry was $9.1 per mmbtu in western Java and $7.89 per mmbtu in eastern Java. He questioned the governments sluggishness in making a decision on gas prices. He pointed out that the government could have implemented the policy without waiting for the full establishment of state-owned subholding gas company PT Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN). Meanwhile, the Economic Coordinating Ministrys deputy for commerce and industry, Bambang Adi Winarso, said the ministry had not discussed the issue yet. We are about to discuss it, he said as quoted by kontan.co.id, adding that there were two possible incentives to be discussed by the government: a cut from non-tax state revenue (PNBP) or a subsidy to the four industries. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Depok Mon, February 11 2019 A man in Sukamaju Baru subdistrict in Depok, West Java, has been arrested for allegedly beating his stepdaughter to death in their house on Friday. Cimanggis Police head Comr. Suyud said the alleged incident was reported by a neighbor. Police said a witness reported seeing the man, Hari Kurniawan, 24, slamming his 2-year-old stepdaughter onto the floor of their rented house because the girl would not stop crying. A neighbor, Latifah, 57, said she witnessed the incident from outside the house while the 2-year-olds mother, Eni, 18, was at work. Not long after, Eni returned home. Police said Latifah told her right away that her daughter had just been tortured by her husband. Eni reportedly then went inside and found her daughter dead. Latifah and her husband reported the incident to the community head, who then filed a report to the Cimanggis Police. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our content on web and app No advertising, no interruption A bonus subscription to share Bookmark and night mode functions on app Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 11, 2019 15:45 863 ab327006fac3d4a4e8af45a51b265332 1 Business environment,CPO-sustainable-production,IUCN,palm-oil,#environment,sustainability Free Environmentalists have called on the government to fulfill its promise to strictly regulate crude palm oil (CPO) production to assure that the major export commodity is developed based on principals of sustainability. Palm oil can be good for Indonesia but only if there are substantial improvements in forest governance and if the sustainability in its production can be verified, said Indah Fatinaware, executive director of Sawit Watch, a member of the NGO Coalition on Palm Oil. Indah and other environmentalists responded to the government highlighting a report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) last week that said oil palm was most efficient crop in terms of land use compared to other vegetable oil crops. We do not deny that oil palm is one of the most efficient crops in terms of the land area needed. The problem is that historically, palm oil has been produced by clearing millions of hectares of natural forest and carbon-rich peatland, Indah added. M. Teguh Surya, an executive director at the Madani Foundation, called on the government to implement a palm oil moratorium, strengthen the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil System (ISPO) standard and prioritize the CPO fund to support smallholders to practice sustainable production methods. In response to the IUCN report, Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution stressed the importance of supporting CPO because palm oil production is better for wildlife and biodiversity compared to other vegetable oils as it uses less land. However, the NGO Coalition on Palm Oil called on the government to also pay attention to recommendations from the IUCN, such as the need for the government to implement stronger standardization criteria for sustainable palm oil. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 11, 2019 11:13 864 ab327006fac3d4a4e8af45a51b25db87 4 Business electric-vehicle,regulation,industry,anticipation Free Several companies have expressed their readiness to develop and operate electric vehicles although the government has not yet completed a regulation that would provide incentives for their development and adoption. PT Bakrie & Brothers has announced that it would soon launch an electric bus, produced in cooperation with Chinese automaker Build Your Dreams Auto (BYD). Bakrie and Brothers spokesman Bayu Nimpuno said in Jakarta on Sunday the company would import completely built up (CBU) vehicles from China, while the company is preparing its own electric vehicles produced domestically. We plan to sell [the buses] to provincial governments for city-based public transportation, Buyu said as reported by kontan.co.id. Meanwhile, BMW Group Indonesia vice president of corporate communication Jodie O'tania said BMW Indonesia had also expressed its readiness to develop a range of low-emission vehicles. He added that since 2014, BMW had introduced the i8 Coupe and i8 Roadster electric cars in Indonesia. We want to see the details of the regulations [on electric cars], Jodie said, adding that learning from BMWs experience in other countries, it was difficult to begin introducing fully electric vehicles and that many countries started with plug-in hybrid vehicles. If people have started to enjoy the economic value and environmental benefits, they will start to eye [fully] electric cars. PT Blue Bird head of investor relations Michael Tene also said the company was still waiting for the government to issue a regulation on electric vehicles. To use electric cars, Blue Bird, as a company that abides by the law, will wait for the governments regulation, he added. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung Mon, February 11, 2019 10:46 864 ab327006fac3d4a4e8af45a51b25c604 1 National flood,bandung,Jatiendah-flood,PVMBG,SAR Free Chandra Kristianto, 41, has never witnessed a flood like the one on Saturday night in the eight years he has lived in Jatiendah, Bandung, West Java. The housing complex where he resides with his family, Jati Endah Regency, was ravaged by a flash flood after a dam on the nearby Cipanjalu River crumbled during a downpour that night, killing three while destroying almost all the houses in the compound. Chandra said the water started to surge his house terrace at 10 p.m. and he tried to block the water by stacking potted plants at its entrance. But the current only got stronger. As the flood started to inundate the house, Chandra, his wife and his two children climbed onto the roof, like many of their neighbors. No one dared to go out of their houses because the current was too strong, Chandra said. The water eventually broke through and demolished two houses adjacent to Chandras house, leaving only its foundations and dragging a car that had been hit by falling bricks. When the flood receded and The Jakarta Post observed the location on Sunday, only one out of 11 houses at Block B, the section where Chandra lives, was still standing. The block is located at the lowest terrain of the housing complex, and the water from the river ended up flooding the area after the dam broke. Agus Budiyanto, the landslide mitigation head at the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG), said the flood was caused by a large water debit that outsized the rivers channel. The width of the river is less than 2 meters and there is a wall [from a nearby bridge] that blocks the waterway. Therefore, the water diverted intensely toward the housing complex, Alex said. He added that the large water volume carrying materials like mud and trash then continued to flood the area until it had reached its lowest point. The two houses [adjacent to Chandras house] that were completely demolished were the areas lowest point and the floods exit. So, the collision at that point must have been strong, Agus said. To avoid future burst, Agus recommended reinforcing the dam down to its bedrock and further strengthen it with triangular support that can withstand strong currents. Bandung Search and Rescue Team spokesperson Joshua Banjarnahor said eight people had been carried away during the Jatiendah flood. The three victims that were found dead were Phida, 40, who was found holding her son Raifan, 1, and Hani, 25. A similar flood also struck Bandungs Dago area, killing a resident and carrying him 3 kilometers away from his initial location to a sewer in Sidomukti, East Java. The victim was identified as an app-based motorcycle taxi driver. The SAR team has been coordinating with the local police department to acquire results from Inafis [Indonesia Automatic Fingerprint Identification System] for the victims identification," Joshua said. (mai) Untitled by Ketut Teja Astawa (Lot 555), with a pre-sale estimate of Rp 30-40 million, is just one of the 77 items that will be up for sale at the upcoming Larasati Traditional, Modern & Contemporary Art auction on Saturday, Feb. 16, at the Larasati Art Space in Ubud, Bali. Balinese contemporary artist Astawa (b.1971) has experimented with the iconography of Classical Balinese Kamasan paintings for more than 20 years. He reinterprets the imagery in his own, often humorous, innovative compositions, that evoke a strong sense of spontaneity. His signature style has become one of the most recognizable and important developments in Balinese contemporary art. The Larasati auction features an array of media spanning ink sketches on paper, watercolour, gouache and aquarelle works on paper, acrylic and oil paintings on canvas, colour prints, and a lithograph by distinguished Balinese and international artists such as Gusti Nyoman Lempad, Ida Bagus Made Poleng, Gusti Ketut Kobot, Nyoman Gunarsa, Arie Smit, Miguel Covarrubias and Donald Friend. The auction offers opportunities for seasoned connoisseurs and mid-level collectors, as well as those just starting to collect art. Two of the highlights are Outriggers Bali (Lot 513) by the renowned Australian artist and diarist Donald Friend (1914-1989), who lived in Bali from 1968 until 1980. This striking 47 cm x 63 cm pen, ink, gouache and gold leaf composition on paper features three traditional sailing boats on the ocean and carries a pre-sale estimate of Rp 85-95 million. Lot 541 (est. Rp 65-80 million) is Village Scene in Batuan (1968), a 42 cm x 82.5 cm vibrant, playful composition of acrylic on canvas with dynamic coloration by one of the most popular Batuan traditional painters, Ida Bagus Made Widja (1912-1992). For new collectors with smaller budgets, the following works are good entry points, especially if purchased within their pre-sale estimates. Dasa Muka (Lot 525; est. Rp 12-15 million) is an excellent composition by Gusti Nyoman Moleh that features Balinese mythological characters. Bima ke Suarga Loka (Lot 526; est. Rp 15-20 million) is by the renowned and unconventional painter Dewa Putu Mokoh (1913-2010), and Lot 559 (est. Rp 14-18 million) is Balinese Temple by Kartika Affandi (b. 1934), the daughter of Indonesias first modern master Affandi (1907-1990). The following works will capture the attention of connoisseurs of Balinese traditional art. Nyoman Kayun (b. 1954) is considered one of the last living masters of the Ubud school of traditional painting, his compositions often depicting traditional folktales that are transmitted orally through song. Keluarga di Desa by Kayun (Lot 520; est. Rp 35-45 million) has good provenance, while Lot 523 (est. Rp 55-75 million) is Gembala Sapi by Wayan Radjin (b.1945), the son of the celebrated Batuan artist Made Djata (1920-2001). Ida Bagus Made Poleng (1915-1999) was born in the village of Tebesaya, Ubud, and was considered the finest of all of traditional Balinese painters. His paintings, which he referred to as "his children", are in high demand. Mandi di Pancuran (Lot 524; est. Rp 130-180 million) is a 49 cm x 32 cm acrylic on canvas composition that depicts two men bathing. Lot 543 (est. Rp 30-40 million), Nonton Wayang by Ida Bagus Made Nadera (1915-1998), depicts a crowd of villagers watching a wayang kulit performance In charming, glowing reddish tones. An unusual item on offer is Lot 510 (est. Rp 10-13 million), Rice Granary, Bali, a 36 cm x 28 cm lithograph by Mexican artist Miguel Covarrubias (1904 -1957) that comes with good provenance. Covarrubias was a gifted caricaturist and illustrator who wrote the landmark 1937 cultural and social study, Island of Bali. Two other possibilities in Balinese contemporary art, aside from the aforementioned Untitled by Ketut Teja Astawa, are Mencari Orang-orang Marjinal (2003) by Made Palguna (Lot 553; est. 18-24 million) and the final lot of the auction (Lot 577; est. Rp 35-45 million), two provocative paintings by the iconic Balinese female artist IGAK Murniasih (1966-2006), Energiku Bertambah (2003), 70 cm x 70 cm, and b. Malam Bergelora (2001), 26 cm x 30 cm. Made Palguna has developed his own distinct "voice" in Balinese contemporary art, while Murniasih raises issues of sexuality, identity and gender politics in her works. The auction presents many other strong works, including two by the renowned traditional painter Gusti Ketut Kobot (1917-1999, Pengosekan, Ubud), Jatayu (Lot 531) and Scene from Rajapala Story (Lot 527), while The Witch and the Servant, an ink on paper sketch by Gusti Nyoman Lempad (Lot 528) has excellent provenance. Collectors interested in Indonesian modern art can find good works by artists Widayat, Soedarso and Soedibio. Buying art as an investment is possible with the right strategy, and this includes purchasing and holding a work for at least 10-20 years before reselling. Potential buyers bidding over the phone, absentee bidders and real-time Internet bidders unable to attend the previews or the auction are advised to contact Larasati and enquire about the accuracy of colour reproduction in the online catalog to ensure that they can realistically appraise the lots they want to bid on. The unnoted condition of a lot listed in the catalog does not imply that the artwork is free of faults or imperfections, and the summary conditions of the works are available upon request, from their current state to whether it has been repaired or overpainted. The catalog provides provenance the historical data of the work's previous owner or owners. The catalogue is available as a downloadable PDF, while the Larasati Auctioneers website provides information for prospective buyers and downloadable absentee bidder and registration forms. The buyers guide contains information on pre-auction to post-auction details, including conditions of business, the bidding process, buyer's premium and payment, storage and insurance, and shipping. Viewings run from 11 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 14, through 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 16, while the public auction opens at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, all in the Tebesaya Gallery of Larasati Art Space. Viewings: Feb. 14 (Thurs.), 11 a.m-7:30 p.m. Feb. 15 (Fri.), 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Feb. 16 (Sat.), 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Auction: Feb. 16 (Sat.), from 2:30 p.m. (asw) The Louvre Abu Dhabi, the first museum to carry the famed name outside of France, announced Sunday it will roll out works by Dutch masters Rembrandt and Vermeer this month. Works by the two artists are part of the gallery's first exhibition this year, entitled "Rembrandt, Vermeer and the Dutch Golden Age: Masterpieces from The Leiden collection and the Musee du Louvre". The exhibit, on display in the United Arab Emirates capital from February 14 to May 18, is dedicated to Rembrandt, Vermeer and the famed "fijnschilders" -- fine painters known for their detailed work -- of the Netherlands. "Rembrandt is a master of the Golden Age," museum head Manuel Rabate told AFP. "He's a universal genius, he's connected to the world." The exhibition features 95 works, including Vermeer's "Young Woman Seated at a Virginal" alongside Rembrandt's "Portrait of a Man" and "Study of the Head and Clasped Hands of a Young Man as Christ in Prayer". Read also: Find the beauty of Abu Dhabi in the Louvre and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque The museum has also acquired Rembrandt's "Head of a young man, with clasped hands: Study of the figure of Christ" as part of its permanent collection. The Louvre Abu Dhabi was inaugurated with great pomp in November 2017 -- nearly five years behind schedule -- by French President Emmanuel Macron and Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. It was marketed as "a universal museum" celebrating cultural exchange and tolerance. The museum has reportedly cost the UAE around $1 billion, including upwards of $500 million to use France's "Louvre" brand. Officials have not confirmed the price tag. Asked What Would You Do if These Crackers Were Real Pistols? Indonesian artist FX Harsono replied, I wanted to shoot my teacher. He was the director of my art school and kicked me out from the school. He was financially corrupted and also part of many scandals associated with women. The question forms the title of the artists 1977 work on display at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Arts Gwacheon branch as part of the exhibition Awakenings: Art in Society in Asia 1960s-1990s. The work was a political statement against former Indonesian President Suhartos military junta, consisting of a pile of handmade pistol crackers and a desk with a stack of answer sheets to the question. At that time, I saw a person who was carrying a pistol cracker on the back of his bicycle. I told him that I wanted to buy those pistol crackers. That was in 1977. I bought the pistol crackers and just poured them on a gallery floor. A lot of people then linked my work with militarism, the regime, Harsono recalled during an interview at the MMCA Gwacheon on Jan. 30. Artist FX Harsono speaks during an interview on Jan. 30 at the MMCAs Gwacheon branch. (MMCA/The Korea Herald/File) In the early years of his career, Harsono -- credited with leading the contemporary art scene in Indonesia -- devoted himself to creating artworks and performances in response to social and political issues in Indonesia. He does not espouse art for arts sake. When I was a high school senior, I was already participating in organizations in school and everywhere. I was interested in organizations involved with politics. At that time I realized that I did not agree with the political situation in Indonesia -- mostly about the strong military regime that brought suppression upon the people, Harsono said. My art has to make good for other people and be something that can make changes, the artist went on to say, adding that he believes the accumulation of peoples efforts can bring about changes. During Suhartos regime, there was no freedom of speech, but fortunately the military regime was ignorant of visual arts that use symbols and metaphors. The regime could not quite understand what visual arts are. Because most of the visual artworks were shown in gallery space, but not in a public space, the regime regarded visual arts (as something that) could not make any social movement. Harsanos artworks shed light on the historical and social context of that period in Indonesia. Suharto was a military leader and president of the Southeast Asian nation for more than three decades. Bringing works of site-specific historical context to an international show like the MMCAs is meaningful because it allows artworks to be viewed in a much broader scope, Harsono says. I did not know anything about the relationship between Indonesia and other Asian countries. From this exhibition, I have realized that a lot of things changed between the 1960s and the 1990s. Now I feel that our movement has certain ties with other political and cultural situations in other Asian countries. Read also: Art in the eyes of FX Harsono Exhibitions bringing Asian artists together are also a powerful means to counter the global art scene dominated by the West, according to Harsono. If Western curators or institutions want to see Southeast Asian arts, they always use their own criteria. They want to see Indonesia from their side, he said, pointing out that Indonesia is frequently viewed just as an exotic country. They still have a mindset that artists from Southeast Asia are not important in the contemporary art scene, he added. I think it is important to show the world that we have good works. Maybe the forms look the same, but the context is totally different. This is the time, I think, (to) show to the world Asia also has power in culture. Many things have changed in Indonesia since 1998 with the collapse of the Suharto regime, the artist observed. For instance, there is more freedom of speech, and people can now criticize the government more openly. Peoples interests have also changed, he said. I would shoot the guy who cheated with my girlfriend was among recent answers to his work What Would You Do if These Crackers Were Real Pistols? according to the artist. Such responses are an indication that times have changed -- and so have Harsonos interests. I started to talk about myself, my identity as a Chinese-Indonesian -- an identity that has long been discriminated against, he said. Now I will use pistols to protect myself from personal threats. The star-studded Grammys kicked off with a decidedly feminist bent Sunday, with a series of girl power performances and a surprise appearance from former first lady Michelle Obama to open music's biggest night. Hip-hop artists and a bevy of talented women were leading the pack, with early awards going to Lady Gaga, folk rocker Brandi Carlile and Childish Gambino, who scored three awards -- including his first major trophy for Song of the Year -- for the provocative hit "This Is America". Obama delighted the audience when she came on stage at the Staples Center in Los Angeles alongside Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, host Alicia Keys and actress Jada Pinkett-Smith to deliver a message of diversity and female empowerment. In the pre-gala ceremony, at which most of the more than 80 prizes are handed out, Carlile -- this year's most nominated woman -- won her first three Grammys ever, in the Americana and American Roots categories. Pop diva Gaga -- sporting an off-the-shoulder silver number with a bold ruffle and thigh-high slit -- meanwhile won an award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for her heart-pounding hit "Shallow" from the blockbuster film A Star Is Born. The song also won in the visual media group, and Gaga scored a third trophy for best pop solo performance for "Joanne". "I'm so proud to be a part of a movie that addresses mental health issues," said a tearful Gaga, who thanked her co-star and duet partner Bradley Cooper. "A lot of artists deal with that. And we got to take care of each other." Read also: Winners in key categories at the 2019 Grammy Awards Ladies' night The early wins by women offered a positive sign that change may be afoot at the Recording Academy, which has faced intense backlash over its apparent struggle to embrace diversity. For the second consecutive year, black hip-hop artists earned a slew of nominations in top categories -- but observers are still wondering if those will translate into big wins. Rapper Kendrick Lamar -- who won a Pulitzer Prize for his album DAMN. but has yet to snare a Grammy for Album of the Year -- earned eight nods while Canadian rapper Drake snagged seven. Women artists scored nominations in all of the top categories, after being largely muted a year ago: Gaga, Carlile, rapper Cardi B and pop futurist Janelle Monae are among the frontrunners. A thrilled Carlile beamed as she accepted three consecutive trophies at the early ceremony. "Americana music is the island of the misfit toys. I am such a misfit," Carlile said, speaking about the difficulties of coming out as a lesbian in her teen years and never attending school dances. "To be embraced by this enduring and loving community has been the dance of a lifetime. Thank you for being my island," she said. Vagina monologues The glitzy concert portion kicked off with a bang, as rising pop star Cabello was joined onstage by Ricky Martin, J Balvin and rapper Young Thug for a rousing bilingual performance. Monae wowed the crowd with an edgy medley of her songs backed by an entourage of female dancers, dropping the line of the night: "Let the vagina have a monologue." Pop mega-star Ariana Grande -- who released her highly anticipated album Thank U, Next just before the Grammys and then opted not to perform in a row with organizers -- won for best pop vocal album for Sweetener. Drake, Lamar and Gambino -- the rap alter-ego of actor Donald Glover -- also all turned down performance offers -- and Gambino opted to skip the event. In addition to Song of the Year, the rapper also won the coveted prize for best music video and the trophy for best rap/sung performance. Read also: Michelle Obama delights Grammy crowd with girl power message 'Nothing better than this' Hopes that women would get their due comes after the head of the Recording Academy -- which includes more than 13,000 music professionals -- told them last year to "step up" if they wanted to do better on Grammys night. The brazen comment drew outrage and prompted the executive, Neil Portnow, to say he would resign when his contract expires this summer. Gaga's initial two wins were out of five nominations, including for both Record and Song of the Year for "Shallow", which she performed with co-star Bradley Cooper. Songstress Alicia Keys, a 15-time Grammy winner, is set to host Sunday's televised ceremony -- the first woman to do so in 14 years. She vowed this year's performances would be the "sickest" yet. Country legend Dolly Parton took the stage with Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and others after being honored for her musical and philanthropic contributions. A performance honoring the legacy of the late "Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin is also expected. What is better than this, there is nothing better than this," Keys said. "Tonight we celebrate the greatness in each other, all of us, through music!" Mineral water brand Evian and American fashion designer Virgil Abloh revealed their first collaboration on Friday, featuring a glass water bottle by Soma, a company that designs eco-friendly water filtration systems. According to Highsnobiety, the bottle is made of glass, with a bamboo lid and an easy grip sleeve, similar to Somas current glass bottle design. However, the Evian by Virgil Abloh x Soma bottle is adorned with a gray Evian logo and the words Rainbow Inside on the sleeve. Read also: Frenchmen kayak down the worlds most polluted river in plastic bottle canoes The limited edition bottle is set to be released via matchesfashion.com and will be available in four colors, namely pink, purple, light blue and dark blue. Evian has yet to reveal the price and release date. Back in December, Abloh joined Evian as a creative advisor for sustainable design. The Evian by Virgil Abloh x Soma bottle is among the companys efforts to be a 100 percent circular brand by 2025. (jes/wng) Two of Bollywood's biggest stars have premiered Gully Boy, a still rare female-directed blockbuster that pokes at enduring taboos, at the Berlin film festival. Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt threw their sizeable industry clout behind the tale, unveiled Saturday, of a couple yearning to break out of their Mumbai slum and traditional Muslim families to realize their dreams. "It's got commentary on the class divide, it's got commentary on choices young people make -- whether they want to be stuck in something that gives them no fulfilment versus pursuing their passion," said Singh, whose character Murad has a meteoric rise after posting his first rap video online. "I think it's got a whole variety of stuff embedded between the lines that may just have a positive social impact." Bhatt's character Safeena wears a traditional Muslim headscarf but resists her family's attempts to arrange her marriage and wants to become a surgeon. Murad and Safeena have loved each other since childhood but have to keep their relationship secret from their parents so they meet for illicit trysts. "You can't really be so sure about who may get offended or who may not," Bhatt said of the film's touchier subjects. "My character Safeena, I don't think that she has a problem wearing her hijab and I don't think she has a problem with her culture. What she does have a problem with though is not being able to be honest with her parents." Read also: #MeToo has brought fear and respect to Bollywood, says star 'Flammable and volatile' Singh, who does the rapping in the film inspired in part by Mumbai hip-hop stars Divine and Naezy, said it took nine months before he felt camera-ready. "I've been into rap and hip-hop since I was a little kid," he said. "I started out listening to MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice and Will Smith and graduated to a little bit harder gangsta rap like Tupac and Wu-Tang Clan and NWA then Eminem." The film sees Murad honing his talent and turning the squalor and tension of his home life into poetry until a popular local rapper convinces him to try hip-hop. But soon Murad and his mother get kicked out of their home by his violent father, who forbids him to perform and has taken a much younger second wife. In a stunning scene, Murad's father tells his mother that she is useless in bed and she shouts back: "You have never learned to touch a woman properly." "To me, him getting married the second time is not as flammable and volatile to me as the fact that his first wife cannot afford to leave," director Zoya Akhtar told AFP. "Because she's not fiscally empowered to leave and there's nowhere to go. That to me is the bigger problem. "The fact is, they shouldn't be taboo subjects because they exist and it happens." Akhtar, who recently made an episode of the Netflix series Lust Stories exploring female sexuality, said she was a "huge fan of hip-hop" as a music of liberation. "When I was editing my last film, my editor showed me a video of a 21-year-old kid called Naezy and he had recorded this track on a phone and it was put up on YouTube and he was singing about his life, his socio-economic space, his family and he had an insane flow, an incredible writing style and it was legit," she said. "I just realized there's an entire movement called Gully Rap -- gully meaning street, lane. This urban youth is not represented in the mainstream at all and they're telling stories." Gully Boy culminates in a rap battle to be the opening act in Mumbai for US rapper Nas, who served as an executive producer on the film. Read also: #MeToo gathers steam in India, at last 'A revolution' Akhtar and her stars hailed a growing generation of female filmmakers in India. They also welcomed the gradual arrival in Bollywood of the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct as well as the "Time's Up" campaign against industry sexism. "It's nothing short of a revolution and I think it's amazing. It really exploded and in that explosion there was some collateral damage," Singh said. "But I think it's a very significant point in history especially for a culture that has been patriarchal for eons." Bhatt agreed but said she feared a chilling effect in the industry. "Maybe now a man will think not twice, maybe 15 times before even suggesting inappropriate conversations or inappropriate gestures," she said. "(But) I hope now people don't start looking at this as an excuse to not work with a woman or not give a woman a position." Akhtar said the debate, which has recently seen major names in the industry face accusations, was a "conversation that had to happen". "I think that the women that came out and spoke were very brave. They did suffer a backlash but they shifted the consciousness and I thank them for that." One woman is trying to make a difference for the children who live in the middle of Southeast Asias biggest landfill, Bantar Gebang in Bekasi, West Java, just two hours outside Jakarta. Resa Boenard moved with her family from West Sumatra to Bantar Gebang when she was 6 years old, a few years before 1989, when the area was turned into a landfill. Bantar Gebang was a beautiful expanse of rice fields 24 years ago, said Resa. It was beautiful around my house. The reason my parents originally bought this land is because [they] wanted me to experience living near rice fields. Today, Bantar Gebang is home to the thousands of tons of trash that Jakarta produces daily and to the around 6,000 familied who spend their days scouring the stinking piles of trash to find anything of value, from plastic bottles to mobile phones, making anywhere from Rp 20,000 (US$1.40) to Rp 100,000 a day from reselling them. This already sizeable community continues to grow as people come from places as far away as Sumatra and Bali to make a living. As Resa knows, growing up in such conditions presents a huge barrier to getting an education. Although she was highly motivated and was able to finish high school, she was constantly bullied by other children because of where she lived. Resas life changed forever when a British couple came to visit Bantar Gebang. She connected with them when they realized she could speak English and with their help, she was able to obtain a scholarship to study in the UK and earn a bachelor of information technology from Gunadarma University in Depok, West Java. However, even while she was studying at university, her peers called her "Garbage Princess" after hearing about her in the news. Inspired by her own experience, Resa returned to Bantar Gebang to create the Kingdom of Bantar Gebang Biji or BGBJ (phonetically pronounced "biji-biji"), a tongue-in-cheek reference to her old nickname and which means "seeds of Bantar Gebang". BGBJ is an informal school and hub she established in 2014 with an Australian friend, John Devlin. Children are the seeds of love, and we want them to grow in Bantar Gebang into a big tree. That is the philosophy of BGBJ, Resa explained. After they become trees, they produce fruit, and people can benefit from these 'trees'. Every Sunday, BGBJ accommodates anywhere from 30 to 70 children from the local community in a broad range of classes, including English, science, art and yoga. The classes are mainly run on a volunteer basis by visitors staying at BGBJ's hostel, who share their skills and knowledge and in turn, learn a great deal themselves. For many of the children who come to BGBJ, the classes are a welcome break from the days they spend helping their parents make a living as trash pickers. For a few others, BGBJ supplements their classes at a nearby school. The cost of schooling is a barrier for many families here, and public schools also require a student to have an identification card (KTP) for enrolment. Many residents of Bantar Gebang do not have a birth certificate and, therefore, cannot obtain a KTP or they simply do not want to go through the complicated bureaucratic process of getting one. We run this place [...] to motivate the children to go to school and study, because they are told by their families, dont go to school, dont waste your time, dont waste your money, its better to go to the landfill and earn some money', said Resa. Resa wanted the children of Bantar Gebang to know that in BGBJ, they had an opportunity to learn new skills so that one day, they could get a better education. Resa also hoped that these children would never lose hope in achieving their dreams. Resa said she could totally relate to the hopelessness that the children often felt because she, like them, grew up in Bantar Gebang, where a lot of her own dreams had been broken. People kept telling me, Dont dream too high, Resa, you will get hurt. But [this] just motivated me, so that one day I could tell people they were wrong, she said. Having witnessed the transformation of Bantar Gebang, Resa also tries to raise awareness among the children about the massive scale of Indonesias waste problem, and encourages them to do their part to address the issue. We also teach the children about the environment [and] not to use plastics, so the children bring their own [reusable] lunch boxes and water bottles every Sunday," she said. BGBJ also practices the principle that waste management begins at home. "[Here], we have a very cheap drink called es mangga, but it comes with a straw. So I asked to the seller to only serve [the children] if they brought their own water bottles. It works, but sometimes the seller complains that its too complicated. I explained that it [concerns] the mountain [of trash] in front of our homes. Hopefully, we can create a big change for the future from something so small, she said. Although BGBJ is largely run by volunteers and the money it raises through crowdfunding and selling knick-knacks it makes from upcycled materials, individual donors sometimes come on board to help fund its activities, such as a weekly lunch or a trip to the zoo. However, such donors can be hard to come by and their support is often short-term. Despite this, Resa is not afraid to keep on dreaming big. She is currently seeking a mentor to help her manage BGBJ and eventually expand the community. We are a small community, but we want to make [it] better. We want to help more people, not just here, and our dream is to open BGBJ across Bantar Gebang and then other places too, she said. (hdt) The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post. A Norwegian drama starring film veteran Stellan Skarsgard awakens nostalgia for youth and bygone landscapes, but global warming was not its intended message, according to the author of the book the film is based on. Out Stealing Horses, which premiered at the 69th Berlin Film Festival on Saturday, is based on a best-selling novel by Norwegian author Per Petterson. It tells the story of an old man's memories of a childhood summer spent in the forests of eastern Norway where he made decisions that impacted his whole life. "When I was a young boy, I lived very close to the forest ... many years later, I moved back to the forest and it was a whole new thing," Petterson said. "I immediately started writing this book". The film, directed by Hans Petter Moland, is one of 17 films competing for the Golden Bear, the top prize at the Berlin Film Festival. It follows 15-year-old Trond, who in between climbing trees, riding wild horses and helping with logging and transporting lumber through the summer, bonds with his father. He also develops strong feelings for a much older woman. The father, who loves the same woman, at one point tells Trond "we do decide for ourselves when it will hurt." Read also: 'Dune' cast to include Charlotte Rampling Trond later moves to Oslo and only returns to the region 50 years later as a lonely widower, played by Skarsgard. A snowy winter does not stop memories of that summer from flooding back in a sweet, though melancholic way. Petterson's novel was published in 2003 and has been awarded several literary prizes in Norway and in Europe. "Everyone says, if you should make a good film, you should take a very bad book and make a good film, and this is the most popular, international Norwegian book ever", said producer Turid Overseen. A Norwegian production company bought the book's film rights in 2008, but the filming did not start for another decade. "It is a fantastic book, but I thought they can't make a film out of this one ... But then Hans Petter Moland got (involved) and I knew he was the right man for it", said Skarsgard. "His relationship to Norwegian nature is unparalleled". While light on dialogue, the sounds of the forest were significant to Moland. "We are very proud of that sound mix ... It was only finished yesterday at 3 o'clock", he said. After sparking a scandal by recalling a racist episode from his distant past, actor Liam Neeson is now battling to save his career -- a task experts predict will be difficult but not impossible. More than 40 years ago, Neeson recently told The Independent of London, he was enraged to learn of a friend's rape by a man she said was black. In a candid interview he recounted how he spent days roaming city streets, a bludgeon in hand, looking for a "black bastard" he could "kill". His unvarnished words sent shockwaves across the media landscape, and while he went on to apologize -- insisting he was "not racist" -- far from everyone was satisfied. For the black director Ava DuVernay, whose films Selma and 13th explored episodes in America's racially fraught history, Neeson symbolizes a sort of "white privilege" that will tolerate actions that would not be accepted from a black man. "Imagine if this was Will Smith," she tweeted. In the flareup of reaction on social media, some posters demanded that Neeson's scenes in the upcoming film Men in Black: International be reshot with another actor. "Don't be surprised if someone doesn't want to work with you," actress Regina King told The Independent. Read also: 'I'm not a racist,' actor Liam Neeson says after revenge remarks 'Bad actions' "Bad actions tend to be more damaging than bad words," said Joseph Cabosky, a University of North Carolina professor who specializes in public relations. "Neeson's is a bit of a unique case because it wasn't just what he said, i.e. an offensive opinion, but that what he said was attached to an actual behavior: his sharing of a time when he thought of actual violent behavior toward a black male." But several crisis management specialists said the television interview Neeson gave the day after the controversy erupted was, at least, a good start. "In a world where media is instant, you need to move quicker than ever before. Today's world where social media is omnipresent, you have to be very, very, very hyper-conscious," said Ronn Torossian, founder of the 5W PR agency. "He needs to continue to apologize and outright say that he made a mistake, rather than trying to defend his words or bring in more context. That's the only way to save his image," Torossian said. "Actions speak louder than words," said Steve Jaffe of Jaffe & Company, adding that Neeson needed to "be an active participant" in dialogue about racism. But that strategy, he and other experts caution, can work only if it is perceived as sincere and not opportunistic. "It's easier to hear an apology from a good person than it is from somebody who's just trying to save their job," said Jaffe, who has worked with Bill Clinton. Read also: Fellow actors defend Liam Neeson over controversial comments Others who came back For now, none of Neeson's current projects appears threatened by the scandal. Several actors and directors have come to his defense, including black actress Whoopi Goldberg, who said on ABC's The View, "You can't be surprised that somebody whose loved one is attacked is angry and wants to go out and attack." For Mark Hass, professor of strategic communication at Arizona State University, celebrities generally enjoy a special tolerance from the public. "I assume there will be a brief media storm that will pass as quickly as it arrived. That's how I predict the Liam Neeson situation will play out," Hass said. Beyond the world of cinema, musicians and politicians often enjoy relative impunity for their remarks, experts say. "Just look at the example of Donald Trump," said Hass, while noting that the situation is very different in the corporate world. "The difference is that CEOs usually have a board of directors who can fire them. Celebrities like Liam Neeson, Mel Gibson and Kanye West do not," Hass said. Actor and director Mel Gibson is cited by many as the ultimate example of a resurrection. Gibson, who has made homophobic, racist and anti-Semitic remarks and was accused of domestic violence, was in 2006 considered persona non grata in Hollywood. But after almost a decade in the desert, he returned with a flourish in 2016 and is again accepted as part of the Hollywood family. Actor Gary Oldman and rapper Kanye West have also seen their share of controversy but remained part of the scene. Cabosky cited the case of Kevin Hart, who late last year withdrew as host of the upcoming Oscar ceremony after being caught up in controversy over earlier homophobic remarks. "His film The Upside came out a few weeks later and massively overperformed," Cabosky said. "Assessing actual damage to a star can be complicated and complex." Famous for the "bro comedies" of his early career, now actor Jonah Hill wants to challenge traditional concepts of masculinity with his directorial debut film about a group of troubled young skaters in 1990s Los Angeles. Mid90s, a coming-of-age movie presented at the Berlin Film Festival, follows 13-year-old Stevie who, beaten by his older brother, seeks solace with a group of troubled skaters hanging around a shop smoking and making crude jokes. The shy boy becomes a troublesome teenager spiraling out of control as he starts drinking and smoking, steals money from his mother, and hooks up with an older girl at a party in an attempt to fit in with his cool new friends. At one point, he tries to kill himself with the cord of a games console. Hill said he wanted to show how harmful the boys' often misogynistic and homophobic language is, and explore how their inability to express emotional pain led to bad decisions. "In America at that time in the 90s, traditional masculinity was not to show emotion, not to show sensitivity, not to show vulnerability because it's feminine or, God forbid, gay to do so," said Hill, who was born in 1983 in Los Angeles. "We're kind of not saying what we mean and we're not actually expressing what's happening here ... I just wanted to show that that's problematic," he said at a news conference. Stevie desperately wants to be like the older boys and stays up late at night practicing skateboarding techniques. He recklessly copies a stunt he has not yet mastered and ends up with a bloody head when he falls off a roof. Read also: Hollywood stars Stone, Hill turn to TV in Netflix's 'Maniac' Hill, 35, said he spent his 20s doing what he thought others wanted him to and though he loved movies like Superbad that he starred in, they depicted "bro comedy" or "bro masculinity" and he wanted to do something different now. "As I go forward as an artist, I can take all these kids that were raised the same way as I was, learning the same lessons, and help illuminate why maybe some of them weren't the best lessons in the entire world," he said, adding that he hoped Superbad fans would join him for the ride. Hill has moved on from his early days as a funnyman to play more serious roles in The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) and Moneyball (2011). With comedic elements despite underlying seriousness, his new film transports the audience back to a 90s world of video games, discmans, baggy T-Shirts and music from the likes of Nirvana and Seal. Stevie ends up in hospital after one of the drunk skaters crashes the car while driving the crew to a party. His mother had previously railed at them for being a bad influence, but is moved when they all show up to visit him in hospital. "There's tons of movies about youth that I felt depicted the rawness of growing up, but what I hope to add in this film at least was like also a real sense of hope even within ugliness," said Hill. Thirty-one-year-old Jacqueline Kirchner's hands looked stiff when she poured malam (hot liquid wax) from a canting (spouted bowl) onto a white sheet so she could draw patterns on it. Nevertheless, the German citizen seemed to enjoy learning how to make batik at the Budi Utomo Teacher Training and Education Institute (IKIP) campus, Malang, East Java. Meanwhile, Mukhtar Hassanpoor from Afghanistan and Kim Seowon from South Korea were busy coloring the batik cloth that had already been patterned. Hassanpoor said he enjoyed the making of batik tulis (hand-drawn batik), which is made by hand without the use of any machinery. "In my country, there are actually some handmade crafts such as clothes or carpets, but the process of making batik here is unique and amazing," he said. Hassanpoor said he plans to bring and introduce some batik cloths created by him to Afghanistan. Echoing him, Jacqueline, who arrived in Indonesia in December and accompanied Manuel Kirchner, her husband, said she really liked batik even though this was the first time she had studied it. "Although it is difficult because you must be thorough, it is very pleasant. This is something that does not exist in my country," she said, speaking in Indonesian. Jacqueline said previously she only knew of batik from photographs and now finally had the opportunity to make it herself. Read also: Surakarta's Kauman village, a cafe haven lined with batik boutiques Jacqueline, Hassanpoor and Kim are some of the 22 foreign students of the Darmasiswa program from the Education and Culture Ministry studying at IKIP Budi Utomo Malang in the 2018/2019 academic year . These students come from a number of countries, such as Italy, Germany, Thailand, Afghanistan, Sudan, Ukraine, Poland, Japan, South Korea, Australia and the United States. They have come to learn the Indonesian language and culture. Jacqueline admitted that at first it was rather difficult to speak Indonesian, both the grammar and pronunciation, saying it differed greatly from German. "But by studying every day, in two months I have been able to communicate in Indonesian in a number of daily conversations," said Jacqueline, who admits to enjoying a rice rendang dish, a local culinary delight consisting of meat slow-cooked in coconut milk and spices. Nurcholis Sunuyeko, Budi Utomo IKIP's rector, said that in addition to the Darmasiswa program, there were also foreign students entering the regular Indonesian Language Program for Foreign Speakers. "Batik itself is a cultural introduction program that has been going on since 2008, which is given not only in theory, but also practice," he said. Nurcholis added that the foreign students were also introduced to other types of cultural heritage, such as dance, especially the Malangan Mask Dance. "In order to expand their knowledge about Javanese culture, we plan to invite them to Yogyakarta," he said. (liz/wng) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Inforial (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta, Indonesia Mon, February 11, 2019 16:35 863 ab327006fac3d4a4e8af45a51b26847c 4 Inforial Free Sorabel has arrived in Indonesia and functions as the right e-commerce choice for fashion lovers and online shoppers. It provides various kinds of fashion and beauty products to meet the needs and desires of online shopping for Sistas, the nickname for Sorabel users. Driven by the desire of Sistas to get quality products at affordable prices and a safe experience of online shopping, Sorabel offers modern and more colorful brands of fashion with a personal approach. Titled Be Fashionable Forever, Sorabels newest campaign urges Sistas to keep looking refreshed and fun by wearing the latest and high-quality fashion. Be Fashionable Forever also means empowering Sistas to stay confident. Sorabel cofounder Jeffrey Yuwono said Sorabel emerged out of the aspiration of Sistas. We hope we can get closer, understand further and become friends with our Sistas by fulfilling their needs and desires to shop online. We provide various the latest fashion products, consisting of 29 categories for teen fashion, working women, mothers, children, maternity and breastfeeding clothes and plus-size fashion with 24-hour access, he said. Through the campaign Be Fashionable Forever, Sorabel takes a personal approach to make Sistas better and keep looking fashionable, which then improves their self-confidence. It can be supported with our newest feature, Editorial Content, which will offer style and beauty inspiration for various important moments for Sista and applicable tips for everyday life, Jeffrey said. The PPRO, a payment service company from Europe, reported that Indonesia has seen the highest growth in its e-commerce industry at 78 percent per year. And based on a survey conducted by the Katadata Insight Center, womens fashion products and accessories comprise 21.07 percent of all products sold online, the second-highest following electronic goods. Because of the sectors great potential, Sorabel chose to focus on developing e-commerce fashion in Indonesia by featuring private-label products with design concepts made by an internal team at Sorabel. Besides the variety of products offered, Sorabel also provides a variety of innovative online shopping services free of risks that can be trusted by Indonesian women. Such innovative services include Coba Dulu Baru Bayar (Try First, Pay Later), on-site payment (COD), 100 percent authentic pictures, delivery costs that are up to 70 percent lower compared to other e-commerce services with the majority of deliveries realized within three days across Indonesia, free delivery, a user-friendly site, 24-hour customer service and a guaranteed 30-day refund. Be Fashionable Forever: Jeffrey Yuwono (left), Barli Asmara (center) and Lingga Madu (right) pose for a photograph with models featuring fashion products offered by Sorabel. By launching its Be Fashionable Forever campaign, Sorabel urges sista to keep looking fresh and fun by wearing the latest and best quality clothes. Be Fashionable Forever also means empowering sista to always be confident inside and out. (./.) Sorabel sells more than 10,000 articles of clothing every month as a variety of products are adjusted to various opportunities. It also provides beauty products and has partnered with 84 popular beauty brands, including Maybelline, Wardah, LOreal and Make Over. We provide many features for the convenience of online shopping, such as authentic product photos, which are 100 percent made by our team to keep Sistas satisfied and trusting our services. One of our superior features, Coba Dulu Baru Bayar, has been even available in more than 380 cities and enables Sistas to try the products before paying them. They can return up to four products they find them unsuitable, said Lingga Madu, cofounder of Sorabel. As an online fashion e-commerce platform wanting to continually grow, Sorabel now includes a premium fashion collection from Stilo. Looking forward, it has envisioned to increase other private-label products in order to feature the best fashion products for Sistas. Were continually striving to further understand Sistas, so that we can always give them the best, Lingga said. EDWARDSVILLE Southern Illinois University Edwardsvilles Black Theatre Workshop (BTW) celebrated its 20th Anniversary with the opening of the Black in My Day production this past weekend at the Metcalf Theater on campus. In recent years, the narrative in America has shifted dramatically, said play director Greg Fenner, who received his bachelors in theater performance from SIUE in 2009. We have gone from the promise of hope, change, and, Yes We Can, to an age more reminiscent of the Jim Crow era. BLUFFS A Colorado driver had more than car trouble after police who stopped to help him on the side of the road said they found almost 12 pounds of cannabis. According to the Scott County Sheriffs Department, a deputy stopped Saturday on Interstate 72 to assist the driver of a pickup truck with Colorado plates. EDWARDSVILLE A small group of committed citizens has joined forces to create the Confluence Climate Collaborative (CCC) in the Metro East. The mission of this crew of teachers, spiritual counselors, writers and environmentalists is simple educate as many people as possible about how climate change threatens the planet and provide as many tools as possible to empower a change of course, members say. GLEN CARBON A Holistic Approach (AHA) prepares for its grand reopening Saturday as a new owner takes over the business. The event is from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at A Holistic Approach, 88 S. Main St., Glen Carbon. Throughout the day, there will be several mini-sessions about toxin-free living, tarot readings, massages and more. There will be other holistic vendors attending and there will be a raffle drawing for attendees. New owner Kendra Sweezey-Errar is a registered nurse and massage therapist and is currently working as a hospice nurse. She is motivated to continue the mission and values of previous owner Kayci Combs-Lueker. AHA provides the community and surrounding areas with methods to improve lives through stress reduction. Holistic means focusing on the client as a whole. It utilizes teamwork and taking a comprehensive look at how to support each individual through massage, oils, wellness education, yoga and meditation. The Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for the Metro East at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) has been able to assist Sweezey-Errar in managing her new business and providing guidance for all of her business needs. SBDC Director Jo Ann DiMaggio May provided no-cost, one-on-one counseling to Sweezey-Errar on registering her business as an LLC and provided an outline to efficiently complete the process. Jo Ann has been extremely helpful by answering any questions I have had, Sweezey-Errar said. She was there to ensure I did everything correctly and was able to shorten the process in a timely manner. As an entrepreneur, the dream of owning ones own business never truly goes away. When Combs-Lueker spoke about pursuing other options and her desire to get out of the ownership role, Sweezey-Errar jumped on the opportunity. With Sweezey-Errars background, she is eager to understand how both eastern and western medicine can work together as appropriate for an individuals well-being. A community health and wellness center, AHA offers services ranging from acupuncture, massage therapy, yoga and meditation to educational classes such as essential oils 101 and more. Its goal is to assist the community in incorporating more holistic options by offering services and wellness classes. Kendra is motivated and excited to pursue her entrepreneurial dream, said DiMaggio May. We will be here to support and assist A Holistic Approach every step of the way. Combs-Lueker will still be involved at AHA as a resident teacher, LMT and partner in wellness but will now have more time to pursue her radio career at SIUEs WSIE 88.7 F.M. and teach massage therapy. A Holistic Approach can be contacted through its Facebook Page. The Illinois SBDC for the Metro East assists start-up ventures like A Holistic Approach as well as existing businesses headquartered in the nine-county region of Calhoun, Jersey, Madison, Bond, Clinton, St. Clair, Washington, Monroe and Randolph. However, local governments would still have the ability to bring the levy back up and access the added revenues. But first, a special public hearing must be scheduled and advertised. Then, local boards would be required to take a recorded vote on any increased amount in tax. Taxpayers could attend the hearing and discuss their support or opposition for any increase. In opposition testimony before the Revenue Committee, representatives for some political subdivisions said this process already occurs when property-taxing boards adopt their annual budgets. These budgets designate the levy rate to be used against the years newest valuation. Their argument is that taxpayers and residents can attend these meetings now, and mostly choose not to. There is plenty of truth to this observation. Taxpayers who care about property taxes should be doing a better job staying engaged with local boards. But holding a separate, public hearing with a board vote on a potential tax increase is a great way to help taxpayers understand those stakes and to hold local officials accountable. In our view, theres more urgency to holding a meeting about a tax increase than a meeting about a budget, which may be an obscure subject for most taxpayers. Northwest Public Schools Superintendent Matt Fisher is resigning. Fisher, 55, announced his resignation Monday morning in an email to staff members. In a phone interview with The Independent, he said he was eligible for retirement at the end of last year and decided that now was the time to retire as Northwest superintendent. I came into this year with the idea that after the bond election, I would announce that I was going to retire at that point in time, Fisher said. It got to that point and I have been struggling for the last month with what I was going to do. I finally decided I am going to go ahead and do what I planned on doing all along. He added his resignation was a very tough decision to make, but after wrestling for the last couple months on whether or not he was going to retire, he decided retirement was the best decision for him and his family. I am certainly not ready to be done working, Fisher said. I will probably be looking for something else to do and try that for a while. Who knows, I may end up back in education at some point in time. Freshman year is just crucial to laying the foundation for your future, she said. It is really to get them started off so they transition and they understand the ins and outs of GISH. This school year, Mintken said, has been the most amazing year in her professional career because the Freshman Academy is transforming students and teachers. As Freshman Academy principal, she said, she is able to take on a much more focused leadership role and help teachers in the transition to the academies through Professional Learning Communities. On an A day, that is our academy PLC, so that is interdisciplinary with all subject teachers, she said. With that, I am trying to help them facilitate connecting what kids are learning across all that. The teachers are really doing it, but I am trying to help them through that process. That is also where we do student concerns. We are taking a look at their grades, behavior and attendance. That is where that connectedness with students comes in. Mintken added that on a B day, all subject teachers meet for a common planning time. She can attend these meetings, help facilitate if needed and ensure they are teaching the standards. Supermodel Anja Rubik could be a symbol of any modern, progressive European country. After joining a campaign to defend women's rights, she started tackling school sex education and published a book for teenagers that sought to counter the teachings of the Catholic Church. In her native Poland, it means she's fighting against the political tide. Indeed, Rubik's drive says less about the momentum that brought gay marriage to Spain and abortion to Ireland and more about the resurgent forces of Christian conservatism being harnessed by the nationalist government. This is a country where Jesus Christ was appointed as the official king, Muslim refugees have been accused of spreading disease and barred, and opponents talk of a return to medieval times. The narrative is that homosexuality can be cured and condoms are bad. Human Rights Watch recently attacked Poland for its treatment of women's rights groups. Rubik said all that's missing from church-based sex education classes are "dragons and witches." "Kids are told that the period is a bloody cry of a uterus missing a fetus," she said in an interview last week as she made plans to take her sex education program nationwide this summer. "We're not progressing, we're going backwards, in a sense back to the 19th century," said Rubik, 35, who started her modelling career two decades ago and has worked for some of the biggest fashion houses, including Yves Saint Laurent and Dolce & Gabbana. That's "against fundamental, constitutional rights to information and education," she said. Since coming to power in 2015, the ruling Law & Justice Party has thrown Poland's gravitation toward the liberalism of western Europe into reverse. It turned the country into a protective, nativist state clashing with the European Union over everything from the independence of its courts to what people can say about the Holocaust. The government is crusading against abortion, as well as IVF treatment opposed by the church. It's also indirectly encouraging women to stay out of the workforce by offering unprecedented family-oriented subsidies. Law & Justice sees itself as the savior of traditional Christian values in Poland as well as across Europe, claiming that the affluent continent has lost its moral compass by embracing secular, gender and feminist ideologies. Party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski has called on Poles to lead a "sick Europe" to the path of "health, to fundamental values, to true freedom and to the strengthening of our civilization based on Christianity." Opponents say it's gone too far. "Education for life in the family" classes taught at high schools tend to promote the traditional gender division, are openly homophobic and fail to address contraception methods, said Liliana Religa from the Federation for Women and Family Planning, a non-governmental group. These classes are "more ideologized than ever in the past" and schools are under pressure from the Education Ministry to keep non-governmental groups out, Religa said. "Poles are just fed up with laws and decisions that take them back to medieval times," she said. It's been two years since 100,000 women marched to defend their right to abortion and forced the government to slow down efforts to expand one of the most restrictive laws in Europe. Rubik addressed the march and realized she wanted to do more. She produced 14 short videos about sex that were seen by about 10 million people online. Then she wrote #sexedpl book, which has sold 130,000 copies so far. But when she sent 1,000 copies to schools, the backslash came. Some school directors banned them, she said. Her proposal to the education minister to discuss classes about sex with educators went unanswered and she's been labeled as an unsuitable promoter of Poland -- along with Donald Tusk, the former Polish prime minister and now European Council president -- by the state-run book institute. Late last year, the Law & Justice administration presented a draft law that sought to exclude one-time beating of a spouse from the definition of domestic violence. The proposal was withdrawn within hours amid outrage from human-rights groups. Still, the government has slashed funding for non-government groups helping battered women amid criticism of an alleged leftist bias, including one that ran an around-the-clock hotline for abuse victims. Human Rights Watch urged Poland's government to "immediately cease attacks on women's rights defenders and organizations, and investigate and condemn abusive tactics used against them," the group said in a Feb. 6 statement. Rubik said she's got plans to broaden her campaign, including bringing people together to talk more openly about how to educate young Poles about sex. "I'm dreaming about a Sexedpl bus that would bring educators and offer workshops across Poland," Rubik said. She's going to try to convince companies to sponsor it. "Even though it turns out sex education is a risky topic in Poland." - - - Bloomberg's Wojciech Moskwa contributed. NORWALK David B. Evans, a World War II veteran and the longest serving member of the American Legions Post 12 in Norwalk, died on Feb. 5. He was 98. Evans, of Wilton, was a former commander, bookkeeper and bar manager at the Legion post in Norwalk, which hed been a part of the post for almost 70 years. Those who knew Evans remember him as an unassuming and friendly man, dedicated to serving other veterans. He had a very dry sense of humor, said Jim Wrinn, house committee chairman. I dont think I ever saw Dave in a bad mood. Each month, from April through December, the Post holds a service where family members of deceased veterans can request a flag be flown for 30 days in honor their loved one. Wrinn and Norwalk Mayor Harry W. Rilling recall Evans attending these Veteran of the Month ceremonies. One thing I noticed immediately was Daves patriotism and his pride, said Rilling, a Navy veteran who met Evans while attending a flag ceremony. Although he had difficulty walking, whenever the National Anthem was played or whenever we recited the Pledge of Allegiance, not only would Dave stand up, but he would hold a salute the entire time and I know that had to be a challenge for him due to his age. About 348 World War II vets die every day, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. According to the organization, 496,777 of the 16 million Americans who served in the war were alive in 2018. Of those, 7,532 reside in Connecticut, according to the organization. Many lost their lives, they fought in conditions that were unthinkable, many of them did not return, many of them returned a shell of what they were when they left, said Rilling. No veteran wants to see a country engaged in war but every veteran would tell you that when the need arises they would definitely respond again if they were able. He said its critically important to embrace and remember vets like Evans who served in the second world war. We learn from them. We encourage them to tell their stories. Nobody wants a World War III. Evans enlisted in the Army on his 23 birthday March 30, 1942. After attending basic training in Massachusetts, he joined the 9th Infantry Regiment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. On Christmas Eve 1942, he arrived in North Africa at Casablanca. A few weeks later he found himself an escort for President Franklin D. Roosevelt as he headed to the Casablanca Conference, where he would announce that the Western Allies would accept nothing less than unconditional surrender from the Axis Powers. Following the conference, Evans fought in the Tunisian Campaign from February to May of 1943, and actively participated in the disastrous battle at Kasserine Pass, where he was injured and sent to Italy to recover. For most people, June 6, 1944, is D-Day, the beginning of the invasion of Normandy and the Western Allied effort to liberate mainland Europe from Nazi Germany. For Evans, it was the day he found out he would be sent back to the U.S. after 18 months serving overseas in World War II. He spent the rest of his service in the South, serving, much to his dismay, in Brooklyn, Miss., not Brooklyn, N.Y. He was honorably discharged as a staff sergeant. He was a true veteran, very helpful to others, one of the greatest generation and just an overall great person, said Rich Olson, post commander of the American Legion post. Every time I saw him Id shake his hand and Id be honored to shake his hand. We appreciate all he did for the American Legion region Post and we are indebted to his family for all that hes done over the years. Details of a planned service for Evans are pending. tatiana.flowers@thehour.com Advocates say 13 months is too long to wait for investigations into police-involved shootings, but legislators in Hartford are wary of setting a deadline even though they empathize with victims families. The five New Britain police officers who shot and killed 20-year-old aspiring rapper Zoe Gangstalicious Dowdell were cleared last week after an internal affairs review by the city. John Smriga the States Attorney for the Judicial District of Fairfield who was called in from his district to impartially investigate the Dec. 14, 2017 incident also declined to press charges against the officers, stating in his report that the evidence shows they were justified in using deadly force. Dowdell was shot along with two others in his vehicle as they were trying to flee from officers who had surrounded his car on a dark, snowy, secluded side street in New Britain. Dowdell and the others, a 15-year-old and an 18-year-old, were believed to be suspects in a string of violent carjackings in the city when police tried to take them into custody. Two police dash cam videos show a chaotic scene that unfolds quickly. In all, officers fired 28 shots. Dowdell was struck in the head, neck, and legs, and died later at the hospital. The two others were also shot, but not seriously injured and are being held on bond after being charged with some of the robberies. Dowdells death, and others like it, including the fatal police shooting of 15-year-old Jayson Negron in Bridgeport in 2017, have sparked protests and a handful of proposed bills in the past two years seeking to increase police transparency and limit the time frame for the investigations into fatal police-involved shootings. So far, none have passed, including a 2017 bill, HB 5922, which would have required the states Division of Criminal Justice to complete the investigations in five days at a possible cost pegged by the Office of Fiscal Analysis at $4.3 million a year. Stakeholders on both sides of the issue say they are ready to take up the discussion again. But few seemed ready to put any changes into law this session. Weve had these conversations with Division of Criminal Justice in the past and I know there is a sensitivity to releasing information as the investigations are being conducted, said Judiciary Committee Co-Chair Rep. Steven Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport. I think its in everybodys best interest to get out as much information to the public as possible. I think there are a number of proposals that are floating around and Im sure they will be discussed. This session Stafstroms committee received a proposal from Rep. Rick Lopes, D-New Britain, for a HB 6707, requiring that more money be allocated to the Division of Criminal Justice and the Judicial Branch to ensure investigations are completed in a timely manner. The current process is bad for police, its bad for the families and its bad for the community, Lopes said. I want their best strategy on what can be done to shorten the process. Rep. William Petit, R-Plainville, proposed a similar bill, HB 5757, to the Public Safety and Security Committee after New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart asked the delegation representing the city to limit the investigations to six months or less. Erin had some concerns, Petit said. We thought at least through the bill we could raise some questions. We wanted to open the conversation. Maybe the answer is providing updates along the way. Under the current law, evidence in fatal police-involved shootings is gathered by a state police Major Crime Unit and turned over to for review to a states attorney who doesnt represent the judicial district where the use of deadly force occurred. The investigations have taken seven months to four years, according to a review of use-of-force reports listed on the state Division of Criminal Justice website. In the past five years there have been more than two dozen use-of-deadly-force investigations conducted by states attorneys. In each case, officers were deemed justified in the use of deadly force. Traditionally the state police, the states attorney and the municipality involved wont release any information on the deadly shootings, including dash or body camera videos, until the investigation is complete. Dowdells parents, Shawn Dowdell, and Sherene Fagon, represented by the Connecticut American Civil Liberties Union, filed separate Freedom of Information complaints against the city and state police seeking the release of the dash cam videos and any evidence gathered in connection with their sons death. Most of the information was released with Smrigas report, which was released close to 13 months after Zoe Dowdell died. Chief States Attorney Kevin Kane agrees that the length of the investigations is a cause of concern for police and the public. But hes hoping to discuss options that are more palatable without actually changing any laws. A time limit on the investigations is risky, Chief States Attorney Kevin Kane said. In the end, they (the investigations) are very transparent. If we could find ways to do them more quickly and find ways where we could be more transparent, maybe we could do that without legislation. Any reduction in the time frame would likely require an increase in manpower for his agency, the state police, and the other agencies that process evidence such as the state crime lab, Kane said. The question is how much and whats the optimal amount of funding? Kane said. It would certainly require more funding. Im ready to have the conversation, but the thing I want to emphasize is these are thorough investigations that are very transparent when they are completed. The ACLU backed the 2017 proposal that ultimately failed to become law. This year, the ACLU is pushing for a bill, HB 5922, proposed by Rep. Robyn Porter, D-New Haven, that would close a loophole in state law by requiring state and local police to annually report use of force incidents. Currently police are only required to report the use of Tasers to state officials annually. Theres not a centralized database that has officer-involved shootings, CT ACLU Executive Director David McGuire said. There seems to be a groundswell of support on both sides of the aisle for this. McGuires organization has campaigned tirelessly to get the state to change the way police-involved shootings are investigated. Weve advocated strongly for reforms, McGuire said. The outcomes are unjust and the amount of time the victims and the families have to wait is inexcusable. We want meaningful and non-biased investigations. The Democratic majority on the committee is supportive of Porters bill to add reporting requirements for every time an officer fires their service weapon, Stafstrom said. But the Judiciary Committee co-chair stopped short of saying they would take up the cause for addressing fatal police-involved shootings. The caucus priorities this session will be on the erasure of certain misdemeanor convictions, reducing misdemeanor sentences for immigration issues, safe firearm storage in vehicles, additional reporting from states attorneys on sentencing and plea data to check for racial disparities, and the legalization of recreational marijuana, he said. Id say we have our work cut out for us, Stafstrom said. Retired New Haven Police Capt. Joann Peterson said she knew cops who drank themselves to death and committed suicide, and now devotes her time to ensuring police recruits know they have other options. Peterson, who has a masters degree in communications and human relations, served as a New Haven cop for 22 years before she retired in Aug. 2013 and joined the statewide police training academy as a full-time instructor. As a training officer at the academy Peterson educates future cops on various topics, including suicide, substance abuse and officer wellness. I think were looking at a new generation of law enforcement, she said. Theyre not coming in with the mentality that they have to tough it out because theyre going to be cops. But still, she said, its important to make sure the recruits understand what their future holds. I dont think theres anything that can prepare you for the trauma that the officers are going to see, Peterson said. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And, for the the third year in a row, police officer suicides in 2018 exceeded all line-of-duty deaths across the nation, according to Blue H.E.L.P., a nonprofit run by retired and active police officers that tracks police suicides. In 2018, the nonprofit found, at least 159 police officers died by suicide, while 144 were killed in the line of duty. The nonprofit reported 159 cop suicides in 2017 and 140 in 2016. As tragic as these duty deaths are, the single greatest cause of death for law enforcement officers each year is suicide, said Jeff McGill, one of the founders of Blue H.E.L.P., in a prepared statement. A 2017 study by the Ruderman Family Foundation, a private philanthropic foundation, found the suicide rate for the general population is 13 out of 100,000 and the rate for police officers is 17 out of 100,000. Jumping in More Information If you're thinking about suicide or worried about someone who might be, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to connect with a local crisis center. You can also text the Crisis Text Line by messaging TALK to 741741. Police officers can text the word BLUE to 741741. See More Collapse On the second day of training at the police academy, recruits undergo a six-hour simulated stress exercise that mimics some of the realities theyll face as officers. It shows them that theyre not alone, that theyre able to talk about their feelings, Peterson said. And this is on day two. So theyre learning from the simulated stress exercise and learning to start talking. She said handling stress and talking about experienced trauma is helpful to keeping suicide and divorce rates down among police officers. The whole idea of police work is having a balance, Peterson said. If you dont take care of yourself, you cant help anyone else. Police and detective work can be physically demanding, stressful, and dangerous. Officers must be alert and ready to react throughout their entire shift. Officers regularly work at crime and accident scenes and encounter suffering and the results of violence, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. Peterson was one of many leaders behind a push for peer-support at police departments in Connecticut. She said a legislation mandate came down about a year and a half ago that required all police departments statewide to develop a peer-support team. Its completely non-judgmental, she said. Its people who have gone through shootings, people with children with development struggles, people who lost a child, people going through a divorce. You had probably somebody on that team that had been through something similar to what youre dealing with. We talk about not keeping their world really small, Peterson added. We often get into this mindset that the only person that can really understand us is another cop, but thats not true. More to be done Peterson said its important that recruits know about the suicide numbers for police officers even one is too many, she said. But another founder of Blue H.E.L.P., Karen Solomon, said she wants to see more done. There is very little money being spent to reduce the numbers of officer suicides, a prepared statement from Solomon said. Addressing officer wellness which includes spiritual, mental, social, and physical health should be the number one priority for each agency head in 2019. Peterson said police officers dedicate their lives to protecting and serving only to come away with trauma, stress and post traumatic stress. Im trying to plant the seed to know they dont have to go down that road, she said. I tell them to call me call somebody and talk it out. Despite all of this, Peterson still said she wouldnt change her time as an officer and as a captain for anything. Its still a phenomenal job, she said. Its a great career. BRIDGEPORT Fairfield County-based philanthropic organization Near & Fair Aid recently awarded a $22,000 grant to The Center for Family Justice in Bridgeport, which provides shelter and other services to victims of domestic and sexual violence and child abuse in six local communities. This grant from Near & Far Aid recognizes and supports the important work we do daily to transform the lives of those impacted by violence and abuse, said Debra A. Greenwood, President & CEO of The Center for Family Justice in a news release. We have long been a beneficiary of Near & Far Aids support and are extremely grateful for the generosity its dedicated volunteers continue to show our deserving clients through this grant. Theres no question the victim in David Mamets play, Race, wore a red sequin dress the night she was attacked, but it seems something is wrong with the details of the police report. Thats part of the mystery in this controversial and provocative drama, which will be performed by TheatreWorks New Milford. Race premiered on Broadway in December of 2009. It tells the story of what happens when a rich white man is accused of raping a younger African-American woman and looks to a multicultural law firm for his defense, the theater says. Even as his lawyers one of them white, another black begin to strategize, they must confront their own biases and assumptions about race relations in America, says TheatreWorks New Milford, which will stage Race Friday, March 1 through Saturday, March 16. Mamet, a playwright, essayist and screenwriter, has said Race is meant to be an exploration of race and the lies we tell each other on the subject. Danbury resident Francis A. Daley, who will direct the show, shared more via email. We were looking for a hard-hitting drama with a small cast, he said. Race came to our attention and grabbed us because it is fast-paced, topical, salacious, with a great twist and punch line. The play is challenging because of the casting, because it is Mamet, because of the topic(s). The setting, in a law office, allows us to be flies on the wall for conversation that we would never be privy to because it is a lawyer/client privilege, therefore the topic of race is addressed frankly. Along with its controversial themes, Race has very strong language, the theater said. The play was originally set to open Friday, Feb. 22, but the date was postponed until Friday, March 1 because of inclement weather which impacted rehearsal time. However, a free performance for senior citizens is still Thursday, Feb 21, and pay-what-you-can night is still on Thursday, Feb. 28. Doors open at 7 p.m. for these two shows and seating is first-come, first-served. TheatreWorks New Milford, 5 Brookside Ave. Friday, March 1 - Saturday, March 16. Friday, Saturday, 8 p.m., plus March 10, 2 p.m. $25 reserved seats. $20 students, military personnel and veterans with ID. Senior citizens invited to free dress rehearsal Thursday, Feb. 21, 7 p.m. Pay-what-you-can-night, Thursday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m. 860-350-6863 Yuan Currencys Internationalization Hits Snag Could London lose its edge as overseas yuan trading hub? News Analysis Since the mid-2000s, Beijing has sought to internationalize its currency, the renminbi (yuan). China established the first overseas dim sum bonds in 2009, and has since done significant marketing on its currency abroad. Beijing has railed against the global business communitys adoption of the U.S. dollar as the de facto global currency, and established multiple cross-border exchange linkages. But after making substantial progress early on, overseas adoption of the offshore yuan (CNH) has plateaued since 2016. CNH is the symbol for offshore yuan available to trade by foreign investors. This is in contrast to CNY, which is the onshore yuan, the value of which is fixed by the Peoples Bank of China. Standard Chartered Banks Renminbi Globalization Index, which has tracked the internationalization of the yuan currency since 2011, recorded a value of 1,920 as of November 2018, a 45-point decline from October, and a whopping 556-pointor 22 percentdecline from its peak in September 2015. Standard Chartered, a dominant bank in Asia and across emerging markets, is thought to have the most comprehensive data on the CNH currency. The yuans lackluster foreign adoption in recent years, despite efforts by Beijing, is thought to be a product of lower cross-border payment volumes, lackluster primary CNH dim sum bond issuances, and declining trade volumes. Dim sum issuances have waned in recent years, beginning in 2015, when Beijing began devaluing its currency aggressively, an action that spooked both foreign issuers and investors. Other data confirms this trend. SWIFT, the international messaging platform used by banks and other financial institutions in cross-border money transfers, also shows global CNH adoption stagnating. CNH is ranked eighth globally for international payments, with a market share of 1.14 percent as of December 2018. That trails major currencies such as the Australian dollar, the Swiss franc, and the Canadian dollar. To be eighth globally is not bad on its own, but the results are disappointing when compared to the same SWIFT survey from December 2016. Two years ago, CNH also ranked eighth globally, with a 1.13 percent market share. Thats an increase of 0.01 percent in two years for the worlds No. 2 economy. London as Global Center for CNH Trading The trends are more interesting at a micro level, as the bulk of overseas CNH trading has been coalescing around one financial hub. London has quietly taken the lead as the biggest yuan trading center outside of China. More than 36.1 percent of all CNH transactions outside of mainland China took place there in December 2018, according to the most recent SWIFT data. That figure eclipses the 29.6 percent market share by Hong Kong. And its far from a fluke. In fact, the offshore USDCNH trading pair was the seventh most liquid, averaging daily transaction volumes of $73 billion as of October 2018, according to the most recent data from the Bank of England, which reports information twice annually in April and October. Surprisingly, the USD-CNH/CNY trading pair was more active than EURGBP (euro to British pound) and EURJPY (euro to Japanese yen) pairs. So, what to make of this? Apparently, even before the U.K. voted to remove itself from the European Union, it had been courting China to establish London as the main international CNH transaction hub. Former conservative Prime Minister David Cameron first saw establishing relations with China as a top priority. For years, the UKs enthusiasm for China was often in conflict with Washingtonsand even its owninterests. Despite well-documented struggles of Britains steel industry due to Chinas steel dumping, Downing Street blocked numerous proposals by the European Commission to increase tariffs on cheap Chinese steel imports. In terms of tax revenues for the royal family, it has paid offuntil now. The EU is Chinas top single trade partner, and much of that tradeincluding currency exchangegoes through the UK. But as the UK crashes towards a no-deal Brexit in March, its days as the main global CNH trading hub could be numbered. Chinese companies and financial institutions may need to pivot to a new European hub. A number of large banks have set up infrastructure and moved staff to Paris and Frankfurt ahead of Brexit, and if they can lure investors and companies trading with China away from London, the UK may have little left to show for its wooing of Chinese interests. Woman Drives Car Into Police Station Lobby LOS ANGELESPolice are trying to determine why a woman crashed through the lobby of a police station with an infant in her car. It happened around 4:45 a.m. Saturday at the Los Angeles Police Departments Harbor Division station in San Pedro. LAPD video shows the woman maneuvering around barriers, crashing through the glass doors and pulling into the lobby. The woman then backs out, nearly knocking over an officer who had to dodge out of the way from her open car door. The woman and the infant were taken to a hospital as a precaution. Her name has not been released. Watch Next: Hit-and-Run Assault WILMINGTON, North CarolinaPolice in Wilmington, North Carolina, said on Friday, Feb. 8, that social media photographs helped identify 22-year-old Courtnay Danielle Lawrence as the suspect in a hit-and-run assault carried out on Wednesday, Feb. 6. The male pedestrian fled the scene and did not return to provide his information. It is believed that he is familiar with the suspect driver and had a known dating relationship with Lawrence. Police said they identified Lawrence as the suspect after receiving multiple tips from the public, and investigators found a photo of Lawrence online standing next to the damaged car. The photo was posted immediately after the incident, police said. The victim told officers she was walking back from the store with an acquaintance when she heard a horn honking and saw the man with whom she was walking jump out of the way. The driver of the suspect vehicle, a black sedan, intentionally swerved off the roadway to strike the pedestrians. The suspect struck the victim on her right hip, launching her into the air several feet, before landing on her left side. The victim suffered multiple injuries to her head, shoulder, hips, and knees. WANTED: Wilmington Police are searching for Courtnay Danielle Lawrence, 22, for her involvement in a hit and run that Gepostet von Wilmington, NC Police Department am Freitag, 8. Februar 2019 Crime Stoppers of the Lower Cape Fear, in conjunction with the Wilmington Police Department, offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the woman seen on video, purposely striking a pedestrian with her car on Rutledge Drive Wednesday morning, Feb. 6, and then fleeing the scene. Storyful contributed to this report. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (C) and U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun (R) stand with North Korean Vice-Chairman Kim Yong-chol prior to a meeting in Washington on Jan. 18, 2019. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images) US Special Representative Discusses Diplomatic Strategy on North Korean Denuclearization PALO ALTO, Calif.After 70 years of tension between North Korea and the United States, and two decades in which North Korea has possessed weapons of mass destruction, the two countries are making progress toward transforming their relationship in positive ways. Eventually, the United States seeks the complete denuclearization of North Korea. This was the message delivered by Stephen Biegun, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea, in remarks at Stanford Universitys Shorenstein AsiaPacific Research Center on Jan. 31, 2018. As the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea, Biegun is responsible for overseeing and leading the broad diplomatic initiative for the denuclearization of North Korea. The last 25 years were not wasted, said Biegun, although certainly the United States and North Korea missed opportunities. Biegun began by explaining that more than two decades ago, North Korea was first found to have acquired the means of producing weapons of mass destruction. Since then, the United States has been working to resolve the issue, but has seen limited progress. After the 2016 elections and during the presidential transition, then-President Barack Obama impressed upon President Donald Trump that the top national security priority the United States faced was the North Korean nuclear missile program. Although nothing in todays circumstances necessarily guarantees that we will be successful, said Biegun, Trump is taking steps to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to end the 70 years of hostility. The Korean War ended in 1953 with an armistice, but no peace treaty formally ceasing hostilities. In April 2018, North Korea and South Korea issued the Panmunjom Declaration that promises the nations will work toward peace and unification. Meetings On Jan. 18, Ambassador Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman and adviser to Kim, visited the United States to meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. During this visit, the delegation covered several issues and set into motion plans for a second summit between Trump and Kim. Biegun added that he also had the opportunity to meet with Ambassador Kim, engaging in a results-oriented discussion that laid out a plan for future negotiations between the two countries. Through this top-down approach, the United States and North Korea are working toward transforming the relations between the countries. The New Years speech by Chairman Kim at beginning of this year reaffirmed his commitment to denuclearization and economic modernization, stated Biegun. Many senior-level officialsincluding the vice president and national security adviserhave been pressing the goals of improving diplomacy and relations with North Korea at the United Nations, APEC summit, and the G-20 summit, among others. Biegun explained that the support of global partners and allies is important in building a strong backbone in diplomatic endeavors. Last fall, we had the opportunity to lay out our strategic vision to our NATO allies at the North Atlantic Council, and our partners in the European Union at the Political Security Committee, Biegun said. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs also hosted a meeting with the United States, Britain, and Germany. Earlier this year, Sweden hosted a conference with South and North Korean participation. The Trump administration seeks to create progress and results in resolving relations with North Korea. The purpose of diplomacy is not more meetings. The purpose of the meetings is to produce outcomes and progress, stated Biegun. Through these meetings, the countries have been able to develop better communication with each other, Biegun said, though its still challenging at times. Progress Evidence of progress under the current administration is that there are no more detained U.S. citizens in North Korea as of today. The most recent case of a U.S. citizen crossing into North Korea occurred in the fall of 2018. However, the citizen was quickly interrogated and flown back to the United States with the aid of Sweden, the U.S. consular protecting power. Moreover, the official demilitarization of the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas, humanitarian programs, and the cooperation between North Korea and the United States on returning 55 sets of human remains believed to be from the Korean War are all examples of accomplishment and movement toward progress. In terms of denuclearization, during the past North-South summit, Kim allowed access for international experts to verify the dismantlement of two nuclear test sites. Although these test sites arent critical sites for the nuclear weapons programs, the act of allowing international experts into North Korea for inspection is a first in 10 years. As Biegun expressed, these mini actions are all steps toward building a better relationship between the countries, but there are many steps that still need to occur. Before the process of denuclearization is final, we must also have a complete understanding of the full extent of the North Korean weapons of mass destruction programs. We will get that at some point with a comprehensive declaration, said Biegun. The Trump administrations goal is the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea, said Biegun. Trump and Kim are expected to meet in a second summit at the end of February in Vietnam. Trump said he expects significant and verifiable progress on denuclearization. Actions that are bold and are real in that next summit, added Biegun. At the summit in Singapore, Trump described to Kim a vision of economic development driven by investment for North Korea, which could allow the country to flourish. I think its fair to say that we have more work ahead of us than we do behind us, Biegun said. With 70 years of hostility on the Korean Peninsula, Trump has made the commitment to pursue the goal of re-envisioning North Korea. Senator Chuck Schumer speaks during an inauguration ceremony for the new Attorney General of New York, Letitia James, in New York on Jan. 6, 2019. The Senate's top Democrat is introducing legislation to sanction traffickers who export fentanyl into the United States. Schumer announced the Fentanyl Sanctions Act on Feb. 10 in New York. (Seth Wenig/AP) US Senator Schumer Announces Fentanyl Sanctions Bill Before China Trade Talks WASHINGTONThe Senates top Democrat is introducing legislation to hold China accountable and sanction laboratories and other traffickers who export fentanyl to the United States. The bill, which will be introduced by Sen. Charles Schumer, of New York later this week, is likely to add to growing tension between the United States and China, days before Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will lead high-level trade talks in China. In December, Beijing agreed to label fentanyl, the deadly synthetic opioid responsible for tens of thousands of American drug deaths annually, as a controlled substance. Schumers legislationknown as the Fentanyl Sanctions Actwould direct U.S. officials to publicly identify foreign opioid traffickers, would deny the traffickers visas in the United States and would prohibit them from doing business using American banks. The bill aims to hold accountable fentanyl manufacturers in China and other countries that illegally drugs to the United States, Schumer said. It could also be used to target transnational gangs and cartels involved in fentanyl trafficking, as well as banks that help those organizations, he said. For years, Chinese laboratories have been cooking-up formulas of death and freely exporting lethal fentanyl across New York, and to many other places across America, where it is killing tens-of-thousands of people and it has to stop, Schumer said in a statement to The Associated Press. The legislation would also require the United States to create a commission to oversee synthetic opioid trafficking, which would monitor efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking from China and Mexico and issue reports on its findings. It also provides additional funding for law enforcement agencies that are trying to combat synthetic opioid trafficking. Schumer expects the bill will receive bipartisan support, according to his spokesman, Angelo Roefaro. Schumer said the bill is necessary because Congress hasnt been provided with a signed and enforceable agreement, a solid plan or genuine commitment since China has agreed to label fentanyl a controlled substance after a meeting between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping during the G-20 summit in December. U.S. officials have been pressing the Chinese regime for years to take a tougher stance against fentanyl, which is 50 times more powerful than heroin. Most U.S. supply of the drug is manufactured in China. We must present China with a tough but fair consequence when it comes to the wave of fentanyl flowing into the United States, Schumer said. Preliminary data released by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in November showed that about 49,060 people died from opioid-related overdose deaths in 2017, a rise from the reported 42,249 opioid overdose deaths in 2016. Fentanyl and other related opioids, which tend to be cheaper and much more potent than heroin, remain one of the biggest concerns for federal drug agents. A bill signed by the president in the fall requires the U.S. Postal Service to screen overseas packages for fentanyl. By Michael Balsamo A live demonstration uses artificial intelligence and facial recognition in dense crowd spatial-temporal technology at the Chinese chipmaker Horizon Robotics exhibit at the Las Vegas Convention Center during CES 2019 in Las Vegas on Jan. 10, 2019. (David McNew/AFP/Getty Images) Trump Issues Order to Lay Out National Strategy on Artificial Intelligence President Donald Trump has issued an executive order that outlines the federal governments priorities for handling artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The order promises more tax dollars for AI research and development (R&D) and more access to federal data sets for AI testing. It also calls for establishing a regulatory framework and technical standards for AI and for protecting American AI from acquisition by competitors and adversaries. Further, it asks NASA, the Defense Department, and other agencies to dedicate more of their supercomputer resources to AI and asks federal agencies to promote education in the AI field. By driving technological breakthroughs in AI, breaking barriers to AI innovation, preparing our workforce for the jobs of the future, and protecting Americas advantage in AI we are ensuring that AI technologies continue to improve the lives of our people, create jobs, reflect our Nations values, and keep Americans safe at home and abroad, the White House said in a Feb. 11 release. Continued American leadership in Artificial Intelligence is of paramount importance to maintaining the economic and national security of the United States, Trump said in the release. Research and Development Based on the order, federal agencies that conduct or fund R&D should prioritize AI R&D. That not only includes shifting the focus in 2019, but also encourages the agencies to prioritize AI work in their 2020 budget proposals. Agencies will also be required to track how much they spend on AI work. They should also partner with non-federal and private sector players, including foreign partners and allies, so all collaborators can benefit from each others investment and expertise in AI R&D, the order states. Agencies should review their data and models to see where they can increase access to AI researchers and developers while protecting safety, security, privacy, and confidentiality. The agencies should also use feedback from the AI R&D community and the public to improve access and quality of AI data and models. The order requires the secretaries of Defense, Commerce, Health and Human Services, and Energy; NASA; and the director of the National Science Foundation to prioritize the allocation of high-performance computing resources for AI-related applications. Regulations and Standards The order tasks Mick Mulvaneythe director of the Office of Management and Budget who also serves as Trumps acting chief of staffto issue a memo on AI within 180 days to federal agencies. The memo will inform the development of regulatory and nonregulatory approaches to technologies and industries either empowered or enabled by AI that advance American innovation while upholding civil liberties, privacy, and American values. The memo will also consider ways to reduce barriers to the use of AI technologies in order to promote their innovative application while protecting civil liberties, privacy, American values, and United States economic and national security. The memo will be open to public comment. Agencies involved in regulation will then have 180 days to get back to Mulvaney with plans on how to bring their regulatory regimes in line with the memo. Meanwhile, Walter Copan, director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, will have 180 days to create a plan for developing technical standards and related tools in support of reliable, robust, and trustworthy systems that use AI technologies. Education and Protection The federal fellowship and service programs are required by the order to prioritize AI areas of study for education grants. Trump also issued a national security memo on Feb. 11, that gives his national security adviser, John Bolton, 120 days to organize the development of an action plan to protect the United States advantage in AI and AI technology critical to United States economic and national security interests against strategic competitors and adversarial nations. The United States must drive technological breakthroughs in AI across the Federal Government, industry, and academia in order to promote scientific discovery, economic competitiveness, and national security, the order stated. U.S. Army from NATO and Afghan commando forces are pictured at a checkpoint during a patrol against ISIS soldiers at the Deh Bala district in the eastern province of Nangarhar Province in Afghanistan on July 7, 2018, (Wakil Kohsar/AFP/Getty Images) Top Pentagon Official Visits Afghanistan Amid Push for Peace A top Pentagon official took an unannounced trip to Afghanistan on Feb. 11 to meet with U.S. commanders and Afghan leaders amid a renewed push for peace with the Taliban as the Trump administration seeks to end the 17-year-warthe longest in the history of the United States. So far there have been no direct orders to reduce U.S. troops in Afghanistan, according to Patrick Shanahan, the recently installed acting secretary of defense who made the visit. Officials say the withdrawal of troops is at the top of the Talibans list of demands in exploratory peace negotiations. Washington is trying to break the impasse between the government of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and the Taliban, who have refused to negotiate. The Afghans have to decide what Afghanistan looks like. Its not about the U.S., its about Afghanistan, Shanahan told reporters traveling with him from Washington. President Donald Trump has long advocated for ending the costly U.S. presence in Afghanistan. In December, he announced the withdrawal of 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, citing the defeat of the ISIS terrorist group and that U.S. forces were no longer needed there. A Department of Defense spokesman confirmed Jan. 11 that the coalition had started the withdrawal process. I inherited a total mess in Syria and Afghanistan, the Endless Wars of unlimited spending and death, Trump said on Twitter on Feb. 1. During my campaign, I said, very strongly, that these wars must finally end. We spend $50 Billion a year in Afghanistan and have hit them so hard that we are now talking peace. I inherited a total mess in Syria and Afghanistan, the Endless Wars of unlimited spending and death. During my campaign I said, very strongly, that these wars must finally end. We spend $50 Billion a year in Afghanistan and have hit them so hard that we are now talking peace Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 1, 2019 During his trip, Shanahan flew to a military base where he met with Afghan army commandos, regarded as the most capable element of the Afghan military. He told reporters that the U.S.-trained commandos are increasingly on the offensive against the Taliban. The United States has spent $6 trillion on post-9/11 wars in the Middle East, according to the Watson Institute of International and Public Affairs. Zalmay Khalilzad, the administrations special envoy for Afghan peace talks, said on Feb. 8 that although talks are in an early stage, he hopes a deal can be made by July. That is when Afghanistan is scheduled to hold a presidential election. In his State of the Union address last week, Trump said he had accelerated negotiations to reach a political settlement in Afghanistan. As we make progress in these negotiations, we will be able to reduce our troop presence and focus on counter-terrorism, Trump said. We do not know whether we will achieve an agreementbut we do know that after two decades of war, the hour has come to at least try for peace. Meanwhile, ISIS fighters in eastern Syria have been forced into a tiny pocket with their families. Backed by 2,000 U.S. troops, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said they are in a final showdown against ISIS after helping to drive the group from the towns and cities that once formed its self-proclaimed caliphate in eastern Syria. The SDF said at the end of last month that the presence of the fighters wives and children meant the U.S.-backed militia could not launch an all-out storm of the enclave and instead would have to use more measured and precise tactics, which has slowed the advance. Shanahan took over as acting secretary of defense on Jan. 1 after Jim Mattis submitted his resignation in December. Shanahans views on the Afghan war are not widely known. He said he would use this weeks visit to inform his thinking and to report back to Trump. After Mattiss resignation, Trump said he had been unhappy with how Mattis handled Afghanistan. Since then, the administration has said it achieved a tentative framework for fuller peace negotiations with the Taliban. Gen. Joseph Votel, the commander of U.S. Central Command, said in testimony before Congress last week that current talks between U.S. and Taliban negotiators are our first real opportunity for peace and reconciliation since the war began. The Associated Press contributed to this report People walk up a closed off road as snow continued to fall in Olympia, Wash., on Monday, Feb. 11, 2019. (AP Photo/Rachel La Corte) Strong Storm Brings Damage and Snow to Hawaii HONOLULUA strong storm hitting Hawaii has knocked out power, brought down tree branches, flooded coastal roadsand even brought snow. Snow is not unheard of in mountainous parts of the tropical island chain, but officials say the coating at 6,200 feet at a state park on Maui could mark the lowest-elevation snowfall ever recorded in the state. The National Weather Service says gusts hit nearly 70 mph in some areas, and the agency is warning of coastal flooding. A high-surf advisory was in effect for north- and west-facing shores of several islands. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that trees were toppled on several islands along with power outages and roof damage. Two ground hornbill birds escaped from the Honolulu Zoo after the storm damaged their enclosure. Hawaii News Now reported that one man was injured when a utility pole crashed on his vehicle. Other minor injuries were reported. Winter Storm Warning For Most of Wisconsin MILWAUKEEAnother winter storm is making its way to Wisconsin. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for much of the state beginning Feb. 11 night through Feb. 12 night. Forecasters expect 6 to 9 inches of snow with gusty winds up to 30 mph with the heaviest amount of snow from south central to central Wisconsin. Snow on Sunday afternoon caused a 40-vehicle pileup on Interstate 94 in Eau Claire County, shutting down the road in both directions for about five hours. The Wisconsin State Patrol says seven people were hurt when seven semis and 33 cars piled up near Osseo. Winter Storm Leaves Icy Road Conditions Around Northern Utah SALT LAKE CITYCommuters in northern Utah are facing icy and potentially hazardous roads Feb. 11 morning after a winter snowstorm slammed the region. KSL-TV in Salt Lake City reports several areas along the Wasatch Front were very slick Monday and several traffic incidents have already been reported. They include a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 15 in Lehi. The Utah Department of Transportation has since issued an advisory that all semi-trucks heading east on Interstate 80 should be equipped with chains. The weather has not forced any school closures. But the town of Alta is under interlodge, meaning nobody can go or stay outside. All the snow is expected to wind down later this morning. Winter Mix Moving Into Illinois, Upstate Areas May See Ice CHICAGOA winter storm thats bringing a mix of snow and freezing rain to Illinois could coat northern parts of the state with icy accumulations. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Carroll and Whiteside counties in far northwestern Illinois for Feb. 11 afternoon through Feb. 12 night. Those counties are expected to see moderate snowfall and some ice accumulation. A winter weather advisory covers several other northern Illinois counties, including Cook County. Forecasters said the best chances of notable ice accumulations appear to be north of Interstate 80 and west of the Fox Valley. Lighter ice amounts are expected in the Chicago area and south due to warming temperatures Monday night. A winter weather advisory also covers a swath of central Illinois, including Springfield and Champaign. Typically Rain-soaked Washington State Slammed by Snow Again SEATTLESchools closed across Washington state and the Legislature canceled all hearings Feb. 11 as snow and ice storms pummeled the Northwest again, with more winter storms predicted for areas that typically experience very rainy winters but usually get very little snow. Seattles metro area has already been hit by three snowstorms this month and the National Weather Service reports that Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has received 14.1 inches of snow so far in February. In the state capital of Olympia, state lawmakers canceled meetings and the University of Washington in Seattle and Washington State University in Pullman called off classes. The latest storm to hit Seattle dumped 2 and 4 inches of snow and forecasters said more snow or rain was expected Monday and Tuesday for Washington state. Where changeover from snow to rain occurs, roads will likely become a slushy mess, the National Weather Service said. A tractor-trailer hauling live chickens crashed on slick Interstate 5 near Olympia. Some chickens escaped but officials said the driver was not injured. In Northern California, Humboldt County beaches that have not had snow in more than 15 years received a dusting and blizzard conditions caused whiteout conditions on mountain roads. Elsewhere around the U.S., the Midwest braced for more ice storms, heavy snow was expected for Michigans Upper Peninsula and roads in northern Utah were icy. A member of the audience holds up a placard as US Sen. Bernie Sanders, (I-Vt.), discusses Medicare for All legislation on Capitol Hill in Washington on Sept. 13, 2017. JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images So Americans Want Canadian Health Care? Think Again! Commentary At the end of January, a rather smugly proud Gov. Gavin Newsom of California and a feisty Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York appeared on U.S. national news on the same night, the former to announce free guaranteed health care for all Californians and the latter, free universal health care to all New Yorkers. The United States is talking about trying Canadian-style socialized medicine. Ive been a fairly contented user of Canadian socialized medicine my entire adult life, and I know a lot of good people in the system. But Im also a public critic of it, due to its expense, delays, and limitations, but especially because theres simply no moral justification for the forced socialization and policing of health care in a free society. Ideologically speaking, no socialized medicine scheme can succeed for long, because the very principles and deceptions by which it is justified lead to its downfall. Canadian socialized medicine is near the end of a long process of consuming itself both ideologically and financially. So, in what follows, I offer a few warnings to our U.S. friends. Lies About Free Health Insurance When it comes to government-controlled, single-payer health care, the word free is an illusion. So is the word insurance. Nothing is freealthough it may be prepaid for you by someone else. The province of Ontario, where I live, has an Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). Its a well-meaning Ponzi, or pay-go, scheme, as economists say, because there is no insurance, and never has been. Money is simply taxed from mostly younger working people and doled out for the health care of mostly older sick people. In Ontario, 10 percent of the citizenry (mostly seniors) consumes 77 percent of all health care. Socialized Medicine Is Very Expensive Canadas state-controlled system is per capita among the most expensive in the world ($6,839 for every citizen in 2018). But it rarely gets a B from international agencies ranking national health care systems. A 2017 Commonwealth Fund study of 72 metrics of health care in 11 nations ranked Canada third from the bottom. The United States ranked last, which is an irony, because the United States has the best medicine and medical science in the world, but not the best medical delivery system. A further irony, when comparing medical spending, is that there is no particular connection between national health care spending and the health of citizens. Many countries, such as Japan, spend as little as half of what Canada spends (and a third of what the United States spends), but their citizens are no less healthy, and often more so. Canada and the United States each spend about 7 percent of GDP on public health care. The rest of Canadas roughly 11 percent total, and the United States 17 percent total, is private. Canadas program is publicly administered, but privately delivered under strict state controls. The difference in the totals is because American citizens are still free to spend as much of their own money as they wish on additional private health care and insurance, whereas Canadians arent. Individual doctors and medical institutions in many provinces of Canada are subject to prosecution and serious fines for providing private care in competition with the public system. You could say Canadians are health care prisoners. Canadas Experience Canada formalized its socialized health care program with the Canada Health Care Act of 1984, which insisted on provincial compliance with certain principles of the Act, such as universality and accessibility. The federal government then offered massive cost-sharing subsidiesa form of fiscal briberyto all provinces in exchange for coast-to-coast compliance with the principles. Provinces found in breach have been docked millions of dollars. The act made Canada, along with North Korea and Cuba, one of the few countries in the history of the world to outlaw private medical care (though North Korea and Cuba have recently dropped the ban). Ontario can issue fines of up to $25,000 to individuals and hospitals found guilty of queue-jumping (although, as I shall point out, there is lots of that). This calls for a lot of inspectors and surveillance. Medical Police Canadas once-free physicians soon realized their entire profession was going to be overseen bytheres no other word for itmedical police. There would be strict state control and scrutiny of fees, fines for contraventions of the act, and queries from government inspectors about the reasonableness of additional treatments or referrals to specialists. My own general practitioner (GP), a good and caring man, has remarked to me often, when I inquire about possibly being allowed a certain additional treatment, Well, I dont suppose that would be an abuse of the system. He means that, in my case, hes decided that its justifiable to spend scarce public money on me (and that hell be able to defend his decision if questioned by the medical police). So you see, hes not just my doctor. Hes my medical master and gatekeeper. eSnooping All physicians in Canada used to swear on the Hippocratic Oath to maintain strict physicianpatient confidentiality. But administratively speaking, that has evaporated. Poof! From the start of Canadas socialized system, any citizens private medical file could be seized and reviewed by a medical officer of the stateperhaps your neighbor down the street? They have the right to open your file and inspect the private details of your reflux, your cancer, your hemorrhoids, your gall-bladder surgery, your erectile dysfunction, whatever. But it gets worse. Now we have eSnooping. With recently updated electronic patient-record systems, health inspectors can now do all their peeking into your once-private medical history electronically. To reflect a little on such unlimited invasion of intimate privacy by a government official is to feel a slow burn. Canary in the Mine Canada is the canary in the mine for the United States socialized medical future. So heres what can be expected. Socialized medicine is in competition for public funding with all other government services, such as roads, education, culture, policing, and so on. When it began in Ontario in 1968, the OHIP program accounted for about 25 percent of all expenditures. There were lots of warnings from skeptics that triage of patients and rationing of scarce resources would soon begin, and government would be unable to control spending due to unlimited demand from patients and gaming of the system by doctors, nurses, specialists, technicians, medical equipment suppliers, and drug companies. And because Canada had turned the illusory notion of free medical care into a sacred right, no one would dare limit it. Whenever they try, as a former premier of Alberta soon found out, everyones hair lights on fire. Crowding Out in Socialized Medicine By 2017, the cost for socialized medicine in Ontario had risen to 44 percent of all government expenditures, and its heading straight for 50 percent. In a disturbing report on health care spending issued in 2012, Don Drummond, chief economist of the Toronto-Dominion Bank, warned, Things will only get worse as health care eats up every other public service, like an insatiable Pac Man, and that it would rise to 80 percent by 2030. Critics thought he was exaggerating. But in terms of a provinces own-source revenue (total revenue, minus federal subsidies and debt repayment), many provinces of Canada are already very close to spending 80 percent of their own revenue on health care. As U.S. political satirist P.J. ORourke warned long ago: If you think health care is expensive now, just wait til its free! Long Waits Dr. Brian Day, a former president of the Canadian Medical Association, warned in a New York Times interview in 2006 that [Canada] is a country in which dogs can get a hip replacement in under a week and in which humans can wait two or three years. Vancouvers Fraser Institute, a highly respected think tank, published an annual survey of 12 medical specialties in 2018. It revealed that, on average, specialist physicians report a median wait time for medically necessary treatments of 19.8 weeks from referral by a GP to receipt of treatment. The wait from first consultation to orthopedic surgery is the longest, at 39 weeks10 monthsand from diagnosis to the start of oncology treatment, 3.8 weeks. For scans, its 4.3 weeks for a CT scan, 10.6 weeks for an MRI scan, and 3.9 weeks for an ordinary ultrasound. The institute reports that, typically, more than a million Canadians are wait-listed for medically necessary treatments. Waiting for care is so common that, in 2005, Canadas own Supreme Court publicly warned the nation that access to a wait list is not the same as access to health care, and that in some serious caseswhich are on the recordpatients die as a result of waiting for public health care. Citizens die because the government makes them wait for health care. What kind of country admits such a thing without shame and blushing? Torontos mayor describes the sad spectacle of patients languishing in the corridors of overcrowded hospitals, as hallway medicine. A Multi-Tiered System Socialized medical systems are never single-tier, as promised, or even two-tiered (that publicly dreaded possibility). They are, in fact, and inevitably, multi-tiered. First, there are several triage tierstiers within tierswhere patients wait differing lengths of time, according to the severity of their illness. Then, there are the professionals, or even ordinary citizens, who just happen to know someone working in the systemthe big-name athletes; the big business people; the media stars; the politicians; the police; the military brass; and, not surprisingly, doctors and nurses themselves, who get immediate care from their own hospitals. Finally, theres anyone who lives close to the best hospitals and doctors rather than hundreds of miles away. Unionized workmen get treatment for injuries in a week because the government doesnt want to get stuck with their disability payments, while an ordinary citizen may have to wait for months. When I first began investigating the questions of medical tiers in Canada, I discovered that many of Canadas members of Parliament in Ottawa were walking down the street for same-day medical care at a military hospital intended for soldiers only. That was halted once the story broke. And I almost forgot: Statistics Canada reports a huge tier of almost 2 million Canadian citizens who complain they have no doctor because Canada is short on doctors. Medical Tourism Booming Theres another very large Canadian tier engaged in medical tourism. Thousands of Canadians64,000 in 2018 that we know of, and surely thousands more who arent tellingtravel a long way to countries such as the United States, Costa Rica, the Cayman Islands, Cuba, and South Africa for services that are unavailable in Canada. People in this tier spend close to a billion dollars per year in other countries, either because they are forbidden to spend it for private care in Canada, or because the services, technology, or specialists are not available here, or the pain and the wait are just too long. Most shocking of all is that many of the people engaged in these expensive medical jaunts are the very politicians who write laws forbidding Canadians to spend their own money on private medical treatment. Among them are two former prime ministers of Canada (Joe Clark and Jean Chretien), two provincial premiers (Danny Williams and Robert Bourassa), and we suspect other government ministers and elected officials who arent telling. These people want private health care for themselves, but not for the voters. Private Clinics Most of Canadas provinces have below-the-radar private clinics that operate in contravention of the Canada Health Act. Medical police pursue them for years to shut them down. Lawsuits follow. Some are shut down. New ones open up. More medical police. And around it goes. The same Dr. Brian Day mentioned above has already spent $2 million in court fighting for the survival of his private medical clinic in Vancouver. Even though, when citizens pay his clinic for care, it reduces the governments expenditures, the government is trying to shut him down for ideological reasons. They argue that money in your pocket shouldnt determine the quality of care you get, even though the same government doesnt mind if money in your pocket determines the kind of condo, or car, or bicycle, or food you buy. And they go silent when informed that there would be a lot more money in everyones pockets if the government werent taking so much of it in the first place. The most recent private initiative in Canada was to open private hospitals on Indian reserves, where Canadas laws against private medicine dont apply. Health Canada reacted sharply: Such private hospitals might be allowed, but only if they cater solely to foreigners. Foreigners Can Pay Cash for Care If youre a foreigner, and have cashmoney from outside Canadas socialized systemimmediate health care is available to you for, say, a surgical procedure today, for which a tax-paying Canadian may have to wait a very long time. So lets see now: A full citizen who has been paying taxes for an entire working life for medical care is forbidden by law to use personal funds to purchase the same surgery offered today to a foreigner for cash? That seems very wrong. Physicians Gaming the System And, of course, many physicians learn to game the system to keep their earnings up. Good, honest folk, for sure. But only human. Lots of studies have revealed that in any government-controlled health system with scarce resources, physicians may be found engaging in time shuffling, upgrading, injury enlargement, ping-ponging, service splitting, phantom treatment, assembly-line treatment, and more. I didnt invent these terms. They are easy to find in the fevered calculations of health economists. Veterinary Medicine for Humans Surely, the most damning moral fact about any socialized medical system, however, is that it converts human medicine into veterinary medicine for humans. Think about it. The machinery, medicines, and procedures used to treat your pet dog or cat are the same as those used to treat you. In a free and open society, humans have a say as to how much and what kind of treatment they want to purchase, or to insure themselves for, or to refuse. But animals dont: Animals have medical masters. Meanwhile, in a closed society with a socialized medical regime, the quality, availability, and timing of medical services that citizens are permitted to receive are dictated by their master, the state. It follows that socialized medicine is veterinary medicine for humans. Is this what Americans want? William Gairdner is an author who lives near Toronto. His latest book is The Great Divide: Why Liberals and Conservatives Will Never, Ever Agree (2015). His website is WilliamGairdner.ca Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Snowmobiler in Utah Dies After Being Buried by an Avalanche SALT LAKE CITYAuthorities say a central Utah man is dead after an avalanche buried him while he was snowmobiling about 45 miles (72 kilometers) northwest of Salt Lake City. Summit County Sheriffs officials say the slide triggered near Coalville on the afternoon of Feb. 9, and trapped the man in deep snow. The Deseret News reports that two fellow riders were able to dig the victim out after about half an hour. They administered lifesaving efforts for more than 40 minutes until emergency personnel arrived. A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter rushed the 49-year-old man to a hospital, but he was declared dead. His name was being withheld until family members are notified. Another snowmobiler dies in Beaver Searchers on Friday found the body of a snowmobiler missing in rural southern Utah following an avalanche Thursday. The Beaver County Sheriffs Office said the avalanche occurred in the eastern Beaver Mountains near the border with Piute and Sevier counties. His mans identity was not released. Another member of a group of three snowmobilers also was caught by the avalanche and was injured but dug himself out. The searchers consisted of teams from the three counties plus other local, state and federal agencies. Avalanche Buries Car on Wyomings Teton Pass Authorities say a sheriffs deputy rescued a driver after a car was buried in an avalanche on Teton Pass in northwest Wyoming. The Jackson Hole News & Guide reports the car was caught in the slide Wednesday evening, and the pass was closed in both directions. No injuries were reported. Stephanie Harsha, a spokeswoman for the Wyoming Department of Transportation, says the slide was likely triggered naturally. It was about 4 feet (1.2 meters) deep and about 30 feet (9.1 meters) wide. Crews are preparing for avalanche mitigation on the pass, which will remain closed for the foreseeable future. Avalanches Kill 11 People in Himalayas Heavy snow caused avalanches and landslides that killed 11 people and trapped another in the Himalayan region of Kashmir, officials said Friday. Rescuers cut through mounds of snow to reach 11 peopleseven policemen, two firefighters, and two prisonerswho were trapped in a fire station in the southern Banihal area overnight, said top police officer S.P. Pani. They found the bodies of three of the policemen, the two firefighters, and the two prisoners, and three policemen were rescued alive, Pani said. He said the rescued men were hospitalized while efforts to find the missing policeman continued. Pani said the policemen had taken shelter in the fire station because it had not been damaged by past avalanches in the mountainous area, where landslides are common. Elsewhere, a man and his wife died in the southern Kokernag region when an avalanche hit their home Thursday evening, police said. Two other family members were rescued. Officials said a landslide also hit a key highway connecting the Kashmir Valley and Jammu near the southern Ramban region, killing two people. Dozens were evacuated from high-risk areas following heavy snows that disrupted power and communications as well as air traffic in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, while cutting off the Kashmir Valley from India. Authorities issued a high-danger avalanche warning in many parts of the region. Last month, 10 workers were killed when an avalanche hit a Himalayan mountain pass bordering China in the Jammu and Kashmir state of India. Rescuers took about a week to retrieve the bodies. Last year, 11 civilians died in an avalanche near the highly militarized Line of Control that marks the disputed territory between Indian and Pakistan. Avalanches also have caused some of the heaviest tolls for the Indian and Pakistani armies camped near the de facto frontier dividing their territories. In 2017, at least 20 Indian soldiers were killed in three avalanches, and in 2012, a massive avalanche in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir killed 140 people, including 129 Pakistani soldiers. Patrick Girten and his family enjoyed Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Stifel Theatre in St. Louis on Feb. 10, 2019. (Stacey Tang/The Epoch Times) ST. LOUISWhen Patrick Girten saw Shen Yun Performing Arts North American Companys matinee performance with his family on Feb. 10, at the Stifel Theatre, he found it all very artistically uniqueeverything from the colors of the costumes and backdrops, to the whole premise of story-based dance. According to Shen Yuns website, Through the universal language of music and dance, Shen Yun weaves a wondrous tapestry of heavenly realms, ancient legends, and modern heroic tales, taking you on a journey through 5,000 years of Chinese culture. Its stunning beauty and tremendous energy leave audiences uplifted and inspired. Girten, distribution manager for Bristol Myers, said he learned a lot about Chinese culture through watching the performance, and how that applied to the present day. I liked to see the history being carried forward, you know, that its continuing on and theyre trying to revive it. It was amazing, he said. Shen Yuns mission is to revitalize traditional Chinese culture through classical Chinese dance. In a Shen Yun performance, 20 or so segments feature story-based dances that depict scenes from Chinas rich history, mythology, and literature. Throughout Chinese history, moral character and virtue were important values rooted in Chinas ancient traditions. Many of these traditions have been suppressed since communists seized control of the country in 1949. Mr. Girten could see some of these traditional values coming through in the dances. He said it looked like human caring Each individual personIt was just caring for the individual, Girten said. Ancient Chinese culture is said to be divinely-inspired, and so spirituality has played an integral part of Chinas traditions for thousands of years. It was interesting that theyre trying to bring back the understanding of faith, Girten said. All of Shen Yuns artistsdancers, musicians, choreographers, composers, and the entire teamfollow the noble tradition of looking to the divine for inspiration, according to the website. It states, For them, this spiritual connection is motivation for striving to excel, is the heart behind each movement of the dancer and each note of the musician. It is why audiences can feel there is something different about Shen Yun. Their source of inspiration, rooted in traditional Chinese culture, is the spiritual discipline known as Falun Dafa. Girten added that the performance also brought awareness to an ongoing persecution he hadnt known about. The communist regime has been brutally persecuting practitioners of Falun Dafa since 1999. Falun Dafa is a peaceful meditation practice rooted in the virtues of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Mr. Girten described what he saw in the dancers as a way of expressing their souls. It didnt seem like just movements. It seemed like they were acting. It was just part of theirthe way they were as a person, he said. With reporting by Stacey Tang and Andrew Darin. 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. Democratic women of the House of Representatives, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) (C), remain seated as Senator Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) stands and applauds in front of them during President Donald Trumps State of the Union address in Washington on Feb. 5, 2019. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) Sen. Manchin Doesnt Regret Being Only Democrat Who Stood During Trumps Call to Stop Late-Term Abortions Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) said that he doesnt regret being the only Democrat who stood and clapped when President Donald Trump strongly condemned late-term abortion and infanticide during his State of the Union speech. Pictures of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) glaring at Manchin from behind as the West Virginian stood, smiling and clapping, went viral, highlighting a growing divide between old-school liberals like Manchin and freshly elected Democrats like the young Ocasio-Cortez who have increasingly tried to move the party to the far-left. In the latest effort, Virginia Democrats tried to pass a bill that would have allowed abortions up until birth if just one doctor said going through with the birth would harm the prospective mothers mental or physical health. Following up on the bills debate, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam described a hypothetical situation in which a mother gave birth but the woman and the doctor may choose to end the babys life, comments which left many shocked and prompted someone to leak pictures from Northams medical college yearbook showing two men dressed in blackface and KKK gear, igniting a scandal in the state. During his State of the Union address, President Donald Trump said, Lawmakers in New York cheered with delight upon the passage of legislation that would allow a baby to be ripped from the mothers womb moments before birth. These are living, feeling, beautiful babies who will never get the chance to share their love and dreams with the world, the president added. And then, we had the case of the Governor of Virginia where he basically stated he would execute a baby after birth. Trump said he is now going to ask Congress to pass legislation to prohibit the late-term abortion of children who can feel pain in the mothers womb. During that portion of the speech, Manchin stood and applauded along with the entire Republican side of the aisle. When asked why he did so, Manchin responded: Late-term abortions are just horrifictotally just wrong. In the following days, Manchin faced criticism from within his party, noting that it was the most controversial topic that Trump touched on that he stood up and applauded and that he could feel the daggers from fellow Democrats when he did so. Late-term abortions, my goodness. It would have to be a dire medical situation, he told the Washington Examiner in an interview published on Feb. 10, nearly a week after the speech. He said the Virginia bill Northam proposed, and a recent bill passed in New York that was championed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, is just totally unconscionable to me. My goodness. Well, I could hear the boos a little bit, you know, I didnt know if the boos were for the president or for me standing, I wasnt sure, he added. But I could sure feel the daggers. Accused Killers Abortion Charge Dropped A Queens man accused of stabbing his pregnant girlfriend to death had an additional criminal charge dropped because of a new law that was recently signed by the governor of New York. Anthony Hobson, 48, was charged with second-degree murder for allegedly slaying his partner, 35-year-old real estate agent Jennifer Irigoyen. Hobson was initially charged with second-degree abortion since Irigoyen was pregnant, but the Queens District Attorneys office told the New York Post that it had to drop the charge because of the new law. Part of the law, known as the Reproductive Health Act, removes abortion from the states criminal code and modifies the definition of homicide to no longer include the unborn. Cuomo and other Democrats celebrated the law after signing it in late January. Among other things, the law allows a mother to have an abortion if a doctor believes there is an absence of fetal vitality, the pregnancy is under 24 weeks, or endangers the womans health. Cuomos office declined a request for comment on the case by the Post. From The Epoch Times Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to the media and students regarding his government's new federally imposed carbon tax at Humber College in Toronto on Oct. 23, 2018. Saskatchewan and Ottawa will head to court over the constitutionality of a federally imposed carbon tax. (The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette) Saskatchewan, Ottawa Carbon Tax Case Monumental for Constitution: Expert REGINALegal experts, government officials, and industry leaders will all watch this week as Saskatchewan and Ottawa head to court over the constitutionality of a federally imposed carbon tax. The federal government is set to impose a carbon levy on provinces that do not have one of their own starting in April. Ottawas price on pollution starts at a minimum of $20 a tonne and rises $10 annually until 2022. The Saskatchewan Party government has always been opposed to the idea. The province says the tax would hurt the economy and feels its own plan for emissions reductions is sufficient. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised that most of the money from a national carbon price will be returned to Canadians through rebates and that its a necessary mechanism to fight climate change. The Saskatchewan government has asked the provinces Appeal Court to rule on whether a federally imposed tax is constitutional and two days of hearings are to begin Wednesday. Theres no question that its a monumental decision in the life of the Canadian Constitution, said University of Alberta law professor Eric Adams. The court hasnt yet grappled explicitly with climate change as the background context to a constitutional question. In court filings, both Canada and Saskatchewan point to the Constitution to show that neither the province nor the federal government has explicit control over the environment, but that it overlaps both jurisdictions. But Saskatchewan argues a federally imposed carbon tax is constitutionally illegitimate because it only applies to some provinces. Under our Constitution the federal government has no authority to second-guess provincial decisions with respect to matters within provincial jurisdiction, court documents filed by the province say. It also cites part of a 2017 legal opinion released by Manitoba, which last year pulled out of the federal plan. Legal expert Bryan Schwartz concluded that theres a strong chance the Supreme Court of Canada would uphold a federal carbon tax. But the law professor from the University of Manitoba said a credible yet untested argument could be made about how such a measure is applied. Schwartz wrote that a case could be made that Ottawa would be arbitrarily denying Manitoba authority to deal with emissions reductions in its own way. Ottawa argues climate change is a national concern and the federal governments power to impose a carbon tax comes from Section 91 of the Constitution, which states laws can be made for the peace, order, and good government of Canada. Adams said that branch of jurisdiction is not often cited in constitutional disputes because its difficult for courts to define the limits of a national concern. Arguments are to be heard before a panel of five judges. There are also submissions from 16 interveners representing both sides of the dispute. Applicants in support of Canadas position include the government of British Columbia, The David Suzuki Foundation, and the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation. Interveners on Saskatchewans side include anti-carbon-tax allies such as Albertas United Conservative Party and the government of Ontario, which has filed its own legal challenge. Todd Lewis, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, which also has intervener status, said he supports the provinces position because he feels a carbon tax would disproportionately affect farmers. Adams said its inevitable the dispute will not be settled in Saskatchewans highest court and will ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court. I think everybody understands that we are not in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final yet. Were in a preliminary round of the playoffs. The research document entitled The Finnish SS-volunteers and atrocities 1941 - 1943 against Jews, detailing atrocities against civilians and Prisoners of War in Ukraine and the Caucasus Region, pictured in Helsinki, Finland, on Feb. 8, 2019. (Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva via AP) Report: Finnish SS Volunteers Likely Killed Jews in WWII HELSINKIAn Israeli Holocaust historian praised authorities in Finland on Sunday, Feb. 10, for publishing a report that concluded Finnish volunteers serving with Nazi Germanys Waffen-SS very likely took part in World War II atrocities, including the mass murder of Jews. Efraim Zuroff of the Simon Wiesenthal Center lauded the determination of the National Archives of Finland to release the findings even if doing so was painful and uncomfortable for Finland. Zuroff called the decision an example of unique and exemplary civic courage. Finlands government commissioned the independent 248-page investigative report, which was made public Friday. It said 1,408 Finnish volunteers served with the SS Panzer Division Wiking during 1941-43, most of them 17 to 20-years-old. It is very likely that they (Finnish volunteers) participated in the killing of Jews, other civilians and prisoners of war as part of the German SS troops, said Jussi Nuorteva, director general of the National Archives. A significant part of the study was based on diaries kept by 76 of the Finnish SS volunteers. Eight of the Finnish SS volunteers are still alive, Nuorteva said. Finland was invaded by Moscow in November 1939. The fighting in what became known as the Finnish-Soviet Winter War lasted until March 1940, when an overwhelmed and outnumbered Finland agreed to a bitter peace treaty. The small Nordic country lost several territories but maintained its independence. Isolated from the rest of Europe and afraid of another Soviet attack, Finland entered into an alliance with Germany, receiving weapons and other material help from Berlin. As part of the pact, Nazi SS chief Heinrich Himmler insisted that Finland dispatch soldiers to the SS Wiking division, similar to the volunteers it demanded from Nazi-occupied Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and elsewhere. Reluctantly, Finland complied and covertly recruited the first group of 400 SS volunteers to be sent for training in the spring of 1941. The vast majority of them had no ideological sympathies with the Nazi regime, the report said. When Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941 under Operation Barbarossa, Finnish regular army troops fought independently alongside Wehrmacht soldiers on the northeastern front. In 1941, the Finns advanced in the Karelia region outside Leningrad. The Finnish soldiers were not under Nazi command, and the countrys leadership was mainly motivated by the desire to take back the territories lost to Moscow. At the beginning of the attack (on the Soviet Union), Finns were unaware of the Germans goal of eradicating the Jews, Nuorteva said. Finns were, above all, interested in fighting against the Soviet Union due to their brutal experiences in the Winter War and the perceived threat from Moscow. In this way, the starting point for Finns involvement was different compared to most other countries joining SS foreign volunteers, he said. Finnish SS volunteers with the SS Wiking division operated on the eastern front until 1943, entering deep into Ukraine. The leading Finnish military historians who undertook the study of the countrys wartime role wrote that the Finnish SS volunteers likely took part in killing Jews and other civilians, as well as witnessed atrocities committed by the Germans. The volunteers returned to Finland after the Finnish government sensed the tide of the war had turned against the Germans. Many of them then served in the Finnish military until the end of World War II. A copy of Fridays report was given to Paula Lehtomaki, a state secretary with the Finnish government, who said it was a valuable contribution to existing research on difficult and significant historical events during Finlands complex World War II history. We share the responsibility for ensuring that such atrocities will never be repeated, said Lehtomaki. The historical probe was launched following Zuroffs request in January 2018 to Finnish President Sauli Niinisto. Finlands move contrasts with the attitude of some eastern European nations that have sought to diminish their culpability in the Holocaust. In Poland, the current right-wing government has worked to highlight cases of Poles who acted heroically and saved Jews, as well as the large numbers of Poles who died and suffered during German occupation. By Jari Tanner Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte arrives to visit the collapsed Morandi Bridge in Genoa, Italy, on Feb. 8, 2019. (Massimo Pinca/Reuters) Reconstruction of Italian Bridge Symbol of Revival for Government GENOA, ItalyHeavy machinery began winching down a huge slab of concrete in the northern Italian city of Genoa on Feb. 8 to clear the way for a new bridge to be built after the old one collapsed six months ago, killing 43 people. Italys populist government has made the reconstruction of the roadway a priority. Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli said at a ceremony marking the start of the demolition that the project would be the image of Italys revival. A 218-yard-long section of the bridge gave way in August of last year, sending dozens of vehicles into free-fall and severing part of a motorway linking Italy with southern France. The Morandi bridge, opened in 1967, was also a vital link within the seaside city, and the activity of the busy port has been put at risk without it. The new bridge will be opened next year, Toninelli said, which would be a record-setting pace for construction in Italy, where major infrastructure projects often drag on for years, plagued by corruption and bureaucracy. This marks the relaunch of Genoa, Liguria, and Italy, said Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who spoke before demolition began. Italy sank into its third recession in a decade in the second half of last year. The reconstruction process, which is expected to cost as much as 230 million euros ($261 million), may provide a welcome economic boost. Famed Genoa-born architect Renzo Piano, who designed the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris and The Shard in London, donated a proposal for the new viaduct and has agreed to supervise the work. After the bridge collapse, the Italian government blamed operator Autostrade per lItalia, which is controlled by the Benetton family, for poor maintenance and threatened to revoke the groups concessions. Autostrade and its top managers are under judicial investigation, along with transport ministry officials, for culpable homicide. The company denies any wrongdoing. The transport ministry has also said it had no responsibility. The reconstruction contract has been awarded to Italys biggest builder Salini Impregilo and shipbuilder Fincantieri. By Paola Balsomini President Donald Trump boards Marine One upon departure from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland on Feb. 8, 2019.(Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images) President Trumps Approval Rating Hits 52 Percent, Highest Since March 2017 President Donald Trumps approval rating hit 52 percent for Feb. 11, according to a new survey. Rasmussen Reports, which carried out the daily tracking poll, said it was Trumps highest level of approval since shortly after his inauguration, which was around March 2017. Some 47 percent of respondents disapproved with the job hes doing. The latest figures include 39 percent who Strongly Approve of the job Trump is doing and 39 percent who Strongly Disapprove, said Rasmussen. According to Rasmussen, former President Barack Obamas approval rating on Feb. 11, 2011, was at 50 percent. Daily tracking results are collected via telephone surveys of 500 likely voters per night and reported on a three-day rolling average basis, the pollster stated, adding that its margin of sampling error for the full sample of 1,500 Likely Voters is +/- 2.5 percentage points with a 95 percent level of confidence. A few days ago, Trump also tweeted about having a 50 percent approval rating. It comes a week after Trump made his landmark State of the Union address, which addressed a number of topics, including the trend of socialism in the United States and comments on abortion. Right after his address, Trumps approval rating rose by several points. Here, in the United States, we are alarmed by new calls to adopt socialism in our country, Trump said, facing a number of Democratic members of Congress, some of whom have adopted socialist policies. America was founded on liberty and independencenot government coercion, domination, and control. We are born free, and we will stay free, he said, drawing a standing ovation from the Republicans. Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country. No president ever worked harder than me (cleaning up the mess I inherited)! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2019 Trump is set to visit the Texas border city of El Paso for a rally. Ahead of that, dozens of Trump supporters gathered near the southern border near Sunland Park, New Mexico, and formed a small wall, chanting build the wall. On Twitter, Trump said if necessary, Americans will have to build a human wall. Tremendous numbers of people are coming up through Mexico in the hopes of flooding our Southern Border, said the president, adding, If we had a real Wall, this would be a non-event! Tremendous numbers of people are coming up through Mexico in the hopes of flooding our Southern Border. We have sent additional military. We will build a Human Wall if necessary. If we had a real Wall, this would be a non-event! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2019 Last week, the Pentagon approved sending about 4,000 U.S. troops to the border as Congress grapples with Trumps demand for $5.7 billion to help fund the wall. The impasse led to a monthlong partial government shutdown. Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said during news show appearances on Feb. 10 that Trump might be willing to compromise on the $5.7 billion for the wall, according to The Associated Press. Someplace in the middle, Mulvaney said on NBCs Meet the Press. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrives at Liszt Ferenc International Airport in Budapest on Feb. 11, 2019. Pompeo is on an official visit to Hungary. (Marton Kovacs/KKM/MTI via AP) Pompeo Warns Europe of Risks to US Cooperation if It Continues to do Business With Huawei BUDAPESTU.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Feb. 11 that America might be forced to scale back certain operations in Europe and elsewhere if countries continue to do business with the Chinese telecommunications company Huawei. Pompeo made the comments in Budapest on the first leg of a five-nation European tour during which he said he would raise American concerns about China and Russias growing influence in Central Europe. He said he also would discuss concerns about the rule of law, democracy and human rights in the region, particularly in Hungary, where nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been criticized for increasingly authoritarian rule. On Huawei, which is a major player in Hungary, Pompeo said he would make the case to Orban and other officials that doing business with the company comes with significant risks for information security and privacy that could imperil cooperation with the United States. U.S. officials are deeply troubled by Huaweis expansion in Europe, especially in NATO members including Hungary, where they believe it poses significant threats. They are a sovereign nation. They get to make their own decisions with respect to these things, Pompeo told reporters at an impromptu news conference at the U.S. Embassy in Budapest. What is imperative is that we share with them the things we know about the risks that Huaweis presence in their networks presentactual risks to their people, to the loss of privacy protections for their own people, to the risk that China will use this in a way that is not in the best interest of Hungary. We have an obligation to share this with them, and we will do so, Pompeo said. But second, we have seen this all around the world. It also makes it more difficult for America to be present. That is, if that equipment is co-located where we have important American systems, it makes it more difficult for us to partner alongside them. We want to make sure we identify (to) them the opportunities and the risks with using that equipment. And then they will get to make their decisions. The United States has repeatedly accused the Chinese regime of using technology to pilfer trade secrets. Pompeo will take the same message to his next stop, Slovakia, on Tuesday, before heading to Poland, where he will participate in a conference on the future of the Middle East expected to focus on Iran. He will wrap up the tour with brief stops in Belgium and Iceland. Ahead of his visits to Budapest and Bratislava, U.S. officials said Pompeo hoped to reverse what they called a decade of American disengagement in Central Europe that created a vacuum Russia and China have exploited. Over the course of the past 10 years, the officials said, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leaders have become much more aggressive in the region and made inroads. President Donald Trumps administration has made a point of reaching out to Orban, who has adopted increasingly authoritarian measures, including cracking down on the opposition, labor unions, independent media and academia. The administration of Trumps predecessor, Barack Obama, had largely steered clear of Orban, who won a third consecutive term last year in a campaign based on anti-immigration policies and whose policies have been met with street protests and deepening concern within the EU. Pompeo put the blame for much of the backsliding on a lack of engagement by the United States. I think for a long time we shunned them in a way that drove them to fill the vacuum with folks who didnt share our values, he said. The Russians and the Chinese ended up getting more influence here, they do not remotely share the American ideals that we care so deeply about. So many of the concerns that are voiced are things that have happened in the absence of America being engaged, so I think its centrally important that were here, he said. Well certainly make the case about the things that we see that we wish were different here. By Matthew Lee. The Epoch Times edited this report. Police Wouldnt Arrest Wanted Man Who Lacked ID: Attorney A Louisiana man found out that turning himself in on a second-degree murder warrant in New Orleans wasnt as easy as he thought it would be. Frank Sams Jr. spent nearly an hour on Feb. 6 pleading with police to arrest him before they actually did, an attorney said. The 25-year-old hoped to start the process of fighting the murder charge but lawyer Kelly Orians said deputies refused to process Sams because he didnt have a state ID on him, The New Orleans Advocate reported. The impasse ended after Orians produced a copy of a news article that featured Sams picture and noted that he was wanted for second-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a gas station clerk in September. Farnell Jackson Jr., Frank Sams Jr. indicted for murder of Little Woods gas station clerk @NewOrleansDA Gepostet von Orleans Parish District Attorney's office am Donnerstag, 10. Januar 2019 Orians said the whole situation was nothing short of absolutely bizarre. Sams is being held on $500,000 bail. Orians accompanied Sams to the jail, but said the Orleans Public Defenders Office will handle his murder case. Orians could only laugh at the situation, despite her concern for Sams and the shooting victims family. This is all very serious to us, and yet we walked into an agency tasked with protecting our community, and it was like it was a joke, she said. The Sheriffs Offices general counsel says its unusual for someone to surrender directly to jail on a murder warrant, rather than through homicide detectives. However, our policy does not require any identification for booking. We are investigating the claims based upon the information provided by The Advocate, Blake Arcuri said. Police allege that Sams and Farnell Jackson Jr. were caught on video robbing the Fuel Express Mart early on Sept. 18. Store clerk Olah Bessid, 58, was fatally shot. Jackson has been in custody since he turned himself in to police in September. He and Sams face life imprisonment if convicted of second-degree murder, armed robbery and other charges in a Jan. 10 indictment. Frank did the right thing, Orians said. He was wanted by law enforcement, and he became aware of it. He made what is, I have to imagine, a tough decision to turn himself into police, and he did it. Hes eager to fight and have his day in court. Sams was on probation for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm by a felon. Cops Burst Out Laughing When They See Who is Crying Help Me Inside Home In certain situations, we might call the police if we hear someone scream help me! Well, thats what a UPS driver heard coming from a house while making a delivery in Clackamas, Oregon, one day. But when the police arrived, all they could do was laugh. UPS driver Lee Purdy heard someone crying help me! from inside a residence where he was delivering packages. I wasnt sure what to think at first, he told Today. Purdy decided to call his wife and explain the situation, CBS News reported. His wife then called the police for help. It was clearly weighing on him, so she thought shed better call, Brian Jensen, public information officer for the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office, said. When Deputy Hayden Sanders arrived, he didnt find a human being calling for help. Instead, it was a pet parrot named Diego. UPS delivery driver heard someone yelling for "help" inside of a residence. Deputies responded and found the culprit. We Gepostet von Clackamas County Sheriff's Office am Montag, 6. November 2017 The deputies were able to contact the owner and gain entrance into the residence, Jensen explained. And thats what they found. Sanders saw that the parrot was uninjured and was not in any need of police assistance. Were thankful. Its super funny. We were ribbing [Sanders] a little bit, Jensen said. Were just glad that no one, including the bird, actually needed any help. Though nobody was hurt, Purdy wondered why the parrot had been calling for help. Why was this bird yelling help me? he asked rhetorically. Theres got to be a reason. Meet the parrot that sparked an emergency call after squawking help me to a UPS driver. https://t.co/1nIqGgHVUF pic.twitter.com/ELJGptPfvg Inside Edition (@InsideEdition) November 11, 2017 Diegos owner, Susan Baird, said Diego is very talkative and mimics cats and dogs and people. Hes very personable, Baird said. Diego also says quite a few things, and help me is one of the things that he often says. As for why, Baird explained that Diego doesnt like to be away from his owner, and when she was away for two weeks, she left Diego in her daughters care. Baird said Diego must have called help me! when Purdy was near the home, thinking the UPS man was Baird returning. He does not like me to be gone for a long time, Baird said. He has really missed me. The Clackamas County Sheriffs Office shared the hilarious episode on their Facebook page. Epoch Times Reporter Jocelyn Neo contributed to this article Watch the video below: This undated Pennsylvania Department of Transportation photo shows Robert Bowers. Bowers, a truck driver accused of killing 11 and wounding seven during an attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue in October 2018 is expected to appear in a federal courtroom to be arraigned on additional charges, on Monday morning, Feb. 11, 2019. (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation via APJohn Altdorfer /Reuters) Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting Suspect Pleads Not Guilty PITTSBURGHThe man charged in the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre pleaded not guilty to hate crimes and dozens of other counts on Monday, Feb. 11, but his new lawyera prominent death penalty litigator who represented one of the Boston Marathon bomberssignaled he might be open to a plea deal. Robert Bowers, a truck driver who authorities say gunned down 11 people at Tree of Life Synagogue, appeared in federal court with attorney Judy Clarke, who expressed hope the case will be resolved without a trial. Clarke is known for negotiating plea deals that helped some of the nations most infamous killers avoid death row, including Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, Atlanta Olympics bomber Eric Rudolph and Arizona shooter Jared Lee Loughner, who killed six people and injured 13 others, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. A jury sentenced marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, whom Clarke represented, to death. Prosecutors in Pittsburgh have previously indicated their intent to seek the death penalty against Bowers, but a final decision rests with the U.S. attorney general. Asked if the government would consider a plea deal that spares Bowers a potential death sentence, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said in a statement Monday: The defendant is charged with crimes that carry the maximum possible penalty of death. We are committed to seeking justice for the victims and their families in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti said in court that a trial could last about three weeks, not including any potential penalty phase. Bowers, who was shackled, said little, giving yes or no answers. A grand jury on Jan. 29 added 19 counts to the 44 Bowers was already facing. The additional charges include hate crimes violations, obstruction of religious belief and the use of a firearm during crimes of violence. Bowers, 46, of Baldwin, Pennsylvania, is accused of targeting worshippers from three Jewish congregations when he attacked Saturday, Oct. 27, during Sabbath services. Seven people were wounded in the rampage, including five police officers that suffered non-fatal injuries. President Donald Trump honored Pittsburgh Police Officer Timothy Matson at the State of the Union on Tuesday, Feb. 5. #ICYMI: What a moment having Pittsburgh Police SWAT Officer Timothy Matson receive a standing ovation at the State of the Union for his brave actions at the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting.#StrongerThanHate #PittsburghProud pic.twitter.com/8XZHkFufUj Pittsburgh Police (@PghPolice) 7 februari 2019 Officer Matson was shot multiple times during the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting. Tonight at the #SOTU, President Trump honored Pittsburgh Police Officer Timothy Matson, who was shot multiple times during the the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting. We salute Officer Matson for his heroism and bravery. pic.twitter.com/dcv4JDJhT5 Fort Worth Police OA (@FWPOA) 6 februari 2019 Donna Coufal, a member of the Dor Hadash congregation that occupies space at Tree of Life, said she attended Mondays arraignment to bear witness. Its been a painful time, but we remain strong as a community. Justice Will Be Swift and Severe Investigators say Bowers posted criticism of a Jewish charity on social media before the attack, claiming the immigrant aid society likes to bring invaders that kill our people. Authorities said he raged against Jews as he gunned down his victims, and told investigators all these Jews need to die. The actions of Robert Bowers represent the worst of humanity, said Scott W. Brady, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Please know that justice, in this case, will be swift and it will be severe. Bowers has been incarcerated in the Butler County Prison, about 35 miles north of the shooting scene. If convicted of the most serious offenses, he could be sentenced to life without parole. The Epoch Times reporter Jack Phillips contributed to this report. Pit Bull Attacks, Kills 1-Year-Old Boy in Kentucky: Reports A baby died on Feb. 7 after he was mauled by the family dog in Guthrie, Kentucky. WBKO reported that they responded to a home where they found a 1-year-old child on the couch, unresponsive, but still breathing. The child had abrasions to the head, chest, and neck. Police said a pit bull mix attacked the boy, according to the report. The childs great-grandmother was also injured in the incident and had contusions on her left cheek and arm from trying to pull the animal off the baby. Police in Kentucky say a 1-year-old boy has died after being mauled by the family pit bull mix dog. WOWK 13 NEWS 201928 According to the report, the boy was attacked as he was playing with a ball on the floor. She suffered herself from some very deep cuts and bites and stuff on her cheek and on her left arm, said Chief Dean Blumel, of Guthrie Police. She was in pretty rough shape. I commend her for reacting the way she did, he added. The dog might have been scared by a thunderstorm in the area and reacted to the ball when it came inside, officials speculated. Its a family dog. The grandfather told me that it normally is playing with the kid and interacting with the kid very calmly, so we just feel that it was just an unfortunate freak accident, said Blumel. A 1-year-old boy in Guthrie has died after being mauled by the family dog. WBKO Television 201928 The boy was rushed to Tennova Medical Center but later succumbed to his injuries. The great-grandmother was treated and released from the hospital. The animal was handed over to Animal Control and euthanized. No charges were filed in the case. Hero Pit Bull A pit bull in Westchester County, New York, was described as a hero after breaking out of its home to save its owner. Sadie, a 60-pound pit bull, was found wandering around Tuckahoe, CNN Wire reported. Police first thought Sadie was a lost dog, but then they realized it was on a mission to seek help, the report said. An 11-year-old pit bull is being hailed as a hero by police and her owner after she forced her way out of her home and alerted officers to a natural gas leak inside. WETM 18 News 2019210 We got a call of a loose pit bull, Lawrence Rotta of the Tuckahoe Police Department told the network. When police tried to catch the animal at 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 6, Sadie bolted back to its owners home on Fairview Avenue. After Sadie and police arrived on the scene, officials noticed a sliding door was open. "You saved us." Fox 8 News 2019210 When they went to investigate they noticed an odor of gas emanating from the doorway, Rotta was quoted as saying by the news outlet. Rotta said there was a gas leak at the home, and police think Sadie broke out of the home to try and warn others or seek help. I dont know. I want to say bringing them here. What else could it be, Serena Costello, the dogs owner, said about what she thought the dog was doing. Costello wasnt home at the time, but she called her dog a hero. An explosion. I have no idea, Costello predicted about what might have happened. She said that Sadie probably smelled the gas, began scratching at the door, before opening the sliding door in the kitchen. Costello doesnt know how the dog got the door open, however, according to the report. Police called the local fire department and ConEd. The gas was turned off. You saved us, Costello said Most Abused Dogs on Earth Animal rights group PETA has said that pit bulls are the most abused dogs on Earth. Pit bulls are left at shelters in record numbersand since they are difficult to adopt out, reputable shelters (that dont slam the door in the dogs faces) are finding that they must euthanize more pit bulls and pit bull mixes than all other dogs combined, the group said. Karen Delise, research director for the National Canine Research Council and author of The Pitbull Placebo, has investigated hundreds of dog bite incidents. She wrote in a now-taken down article: My study of dog bite-related fatalities occurring over the past five decades has identified the poor ownership/management practices involved in the overwhelming majority of these incidents: owners obtaining dogs, and maintaining them as resident dogs outside of regular, positive human interaction, often for negative functions (i.e. guarding/protection, fighting, intimidation/status), according to a prior report from The Epoch Times. Falun Gong practitioners do their discipline's exercises on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol on June 20, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Persecution of Meditation Practice in China Continues Unabated, With Over 900 Practitioners Sentenced for Their Faith In 2018 In 2018, the Chinese regime has sentenced 933 Chinese because they practice Falun Gong, a spiritual practice banned and severely persecuted by the authorities since 1999. Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, was once promoted and praised by the Chinese Communist Party after millions of Chinese improved their physical and mental health after practicing. But, fearing that its popularity would undermine the Party authority, in July 1999, then-Party leader Jiang Zemin launched a nationwide persecution, mobilizing the countrys entire security apparatus to locate, arrest, and detain Falun Gong adherents. Hundreds of thousands have since been detained for their faith in jails, prisons, labor camps, and brainwashing centers, where they are often tortured physically and psychologically in an attempt to force adherents into giving up their faith. Although Chinas constitution guarantees the freedom of belief, Falun Gong practitioners and other minority faiths continue to be harassed and punished arbitrarily by local authorities. The most common charge placed on adherents is the vaguely worded infringing upon law enforcement. The persecution continues unabated today. Professors, teachers, scholars, businesspeople, senior engineers, doctors, judges were among the Falun Gong practitioners from 27 provinces who were sentenced by Chinese courts in 2018, with the longest sentence being 14 years, according to the latest information collected by Minghui.org, a U.S.-based website that tracks the persecution of Falun Gong in China. The practitioners were fined a total of 2.463 million yuan ($370,000) for arbitrary reasons related to their faith. Guo Zhenxiang, 82, from Zhaoyuan City of Shandong Province, was persecuted to death on Jan. 11, 2019, several hours after she was detained at a police station. Minghui.org reported on Jan. 17 that Guos family said she was very healthy in the past 20 years, and felt very well when she left home in the early morning. But at 10am on Jan. 11, the police called the family and said Guo had died of disease. The family said police refused to let them see Guos body at first, then finally told them the police station had already sent the body to a funeral home. Minghui.org reported on Feb. 3 that Guos family hired two lawyers, who finally were allowed to see Guos body. They found that Guos head has blood stasis, and challenged the polices account of her death. When the lawyers requested video of Guos interrogation process, the police refused, and said Guo fell down by herself and died. They also denied that they initially said Guo had died of a disease. At least 4,236 FLG practitioners are confirmed to have been persecuted to death in China since July 1999, according to Minghui.org, though human rights experts believe the true number is likely much higher due to the difficulty of getting sensitive information out of China. Multiple Detentions Yang Xiyuan, 83, is a resident of Wujin District in Changzhou City of eastern Chinas Jiangsu Province. He is the oldest among the adherents who were detained in 2018, according to Minghui.org. Yang is a farmer. He became healthier and more uplifted after practicing Falun Gong in the 1990s. After the Chinese regime initiated its persecution, Yang continued to practice. But in 2005, Yang was arrested and sentenced to seven years in prison, according to Minghui.org. Upon his release in 2012, Yang returned home and continued to practice. On July 9, 2017, Yang was stopped and searched by national security agents. After they found Falun Gong material in Yangs bag, he was detained once again. The agents and local police also raided Yangs house and confiscated valuable personal belongings, according to a Minghui.org report in May 2018. On Jan. 4, 2018, the Wujin district court sentenced Yang to prison for two years without notifying Yangs family. Yang is now detained at a prison in Suzhou City. High-Tech Detection Kong Jie, 63, a chemical Ph.D. and employee at Northwest Normal University, was sentenced to two years in prison and fined 3,000 yuan ($445) in May 2018 by the Fengtai district court in Beijing, Minghui.org reported on Jan. 5, 2019. Kong was arrested at the Beijing West Railway Station when she tried to take the train back to her hometown in northwest Gansu Province together with her husband on Aug. 31, 2017, According to Minghui.org. Police stopped her and scanned her ID card. The computing system showed that Kong is a Falun Gong practitioner. The police proceeded to confiscate books, a laptop, an external hard drive, and cash from her bag. Then, they raided her house, where they took away her cellphone, DVDs, and the hard drive of her computer. Kong was previously detained three times. In 2005, she was sentenced to three years in labor camp. In 2010, she was sentenced to 30 months in labor camp. Then in 2016, the police tried to abduct her from her home and broke her arm in the process. They finally released her but did not provide her with any treatment. Minghui.org interviewed Kongs family and friends, who said Kong was tortured, abused, brainwashed, and beaten during her past detentions. Border Patrol and National Guards at the horse stable area in the Tucson Sector Border Patrol headquarters in Nogales, Ariz., on May 23, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) New Democratic Governors Pulling Most Troops From Border in California, New Mexico The newly elected Democratic governors in California and New Mexico have decided to pull most National Guard troops from their deployment at the southern border. California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Feb. 11 that he will withdraw 260 of the 360 troops who were sent to assist at the border last year by his predecessor, Jerry Brown, also a Democrat. The border emergency is nothing more than a manufactured crisisand CAs National Guard will not be part of this political theater, Newsome said in a tweet. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham made a similar announcement Feb. 5, withdrawing about 100 troops deployed by her predecessor, Susana Martinez, a Republican. New Mexico will not take part in the presidents charade of border fear-mongering by misusing our diligent National Guard troops, she said in a statement. Trumps Focus Both Newsoms and Grishams moves were mostly a statementexpressing opposition to President Donald Trump, who requested the deployment in April to help stem the tide of illegal border crossings. Since April, the situation has only escalated. Southern border apprehensions by Border Patrol are up by about 84 percent in the first four months of fiscal 2019, compared to the year beforethe largest influx for this period in 12 years (pdf). Since his campaign, Trump has called the situation at the border a crisis, asking Congress to authorize construction of a wall on the border where security is inadequate. He pointed to drug smuggling, human trafficking, gang violence, and other crimes connected with illegal immigration and border trespassing, as well as the violence and other dangers faced by migrants who seek illegal entry. About 10,000 children are smuggled into the United States every year to be sold as sex slaves, according to a former Homeland Security agent who worked in the child-trafficking unit. Based on my extensive experience fighting transnational crime along the southern border, I know that we should absolutely finish building the wall, for the sake of the children, he said in a Fox News op-ed. Some 2,100 National Guard members were on duty throughout the year along the border providing engineering, communications, vehicle, and logistical support. In addition, Trump had about 5,600 regular troops deployed to the border last year2,400 in Texas, 1,800 in California, and 1,400 in Arizona. Most of them were withdrawn by the end of January. But on Feb. 3, the Pentagon announced that it will send troops to the border againsome 3,750raising the deployment to about 4,350. The military will operate mobile surveillance cameras in Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texasa mission scheduled to run through Sept. 30. Some of the additional troops will also string up 150 more miles of concertina wire, the Pentagon stated. Negotiations Trump demanded $5.7 billion to construct 234 miles of additional steel fencing along the 2,000-mile border in the 2019 budget, but Democrat lawmakers blocked the proposal. Trump refused to sign a bill without the wall money, forcing a partial government shutdown in December. After a record-breaking 35 days, Trump agreed to temporarily end the shutdown in exchange for a promise from lawmakers to negotiate on border security funding. The leading Republican negotiator, Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), said on Feb. 10 the talks had stalled over the weekend because the Democrats wanted to limit immigration authorities detention capacity. The Border Committee Democrats are behaving, all of a sudden, irrationally, Trump said in a Feb. 10 tweet. Not only are they unwilling to give dollars for the obviously needed Wall (they overrode recommendations of Border Patrol experts), but they dont even want to take [murderers] into custody! Whats going on? The Border Committee Democrats are behaving, all of a sudden, irrationally. Not only are they unwilling to give dollars for the obviously needed Wall (they overrode recommendations of Border Patrol experts), but they dont even want to take muderers into custody! Whats going on? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 10, 2019 Even if Congress reaches a workable deal on the matter, it will likely give Trump much less than the $5.7 billion he wants for the wall. Officials have mentioned figures ranging from zero to $2.6 billion. If a deal cant be reached, the partial shutdown will restart on Feb. 16. Trumps acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, said on Feb. 10 that the wall will get built with or without Congress appropriation, saying there are legal avenues for Trump to reallocate money from other parts of the federal budget for the wall, though some of those avenues only become available if Trump declares the situation at the border a national emergency. There are 31 active national emergencies already declared. If Trump does use the emergency powers for border construction, Democrats and left-leaning activists are likely to challenge the move in courts. Reuters contributed to this report. NJ Mother Beat Toddler to Death for Not Listening, Then Made Up Story: Police A New Jersey mother was charged with killing her 23-month-old child and did so because he wouldnt eat or listen to her, said officials. Nakira M. Griner, 24, of Bridgeton, was charged in with murder in the death of Daniel Griner, reported NJ.com. Griner had originally said on Feb. 8 that her son was abducted, prompting police to carry out a search. The mother originally reported Friday evening that the child had been abducted, prompting a search by police. Gepostet von NJ.com am Montag, 11. Februar 2019 Later, Daniels remains were found underneath the shed at the family home, police said. The remains were found on Feb. 9 at Griners Woodland Drive home. Griner told police she hit the boy because he wouldnt eat or listen to her, according to the criminal complaint, reported The Associated Press. The complaint said Griner admitted striking the child so hard that she left bruises on his face and also said he fell down a flight of stairs. After striking the child, she didnt call for help, but placed him in a stroller and left him alone. Police say the body of Daniel Griner Jr. was burned and dismembered. His mother, Nakira Griner has been charged in the 23-month-old's death. Gepostet von The Daily Journal am Montag, 11. Februar 2019 Griner told police responding to the abduction report that a stranger had attacked her while she was walking with her toddler in a stroller and her infant son strapped to her chest, according to the complaint. She said her assailant kicked her and she fell to the ground as the attacker continued to kick her in the head and right side. A complaint filed by Detective Veronica Cappoli said, She stated she felt someone kick her; she fell to the ground and was repeatedly kicked on her right side and head. Nakira said when she looked up the stroller with [Daniel] was missing. Nakira was not able to provide any descriptions of the accused or her route she ran after the attack, the Daily Journal reported. Before the childs remains were found, police said Griners story had changed. She then said that she left [her son], who was still alive, by himself on Devonshire Place because she wanted someone to find him and help him because no one would believe her, Cappoli stated. Also, she added, her son liked going with strangers and she did not remember if she heard him screaming during the attack, NJ.com reported. Her alleged attacker also did not take a $5,000 ring she had been wearing, she told police. DO YALL LOVE YALL BABYDADDY OR SOMEONE ELSE BABYDADDY Gepostet von Tango Smg Foe am Donnerstag, 31. Januar 2019 Griner is in the county jail. Her bond has not yet been set. In her final Facebook post before she was arrested, Griner spoke about loving her husband. In love with him thats why we have two beautiful children, she wrote. One of The Nations Most Serious Concerns According to a report published by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (pdf), around 3.5 million children in 2016 were the subjects of at least one maltreatment report to authorities. Child abuse is one of the nations most serious concerns, the authors of the report wrote. About 17 percent of those reports were substantiated, and the department said that there were an estimated 676,000 victims of child abuse and neglect. That amounts to 9.1 victims per 1,000 children. Children in their first year of life had the highest rate of victimization at 24.8 per 1,000 children, the report said. About three-fourths of the cases were neglect, and about 18 percent were physical abuse. Some children suffered from multiple forms of maltreatment, the HHS said. The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline is available at 1-800-422-4453 or at Childhelp.org. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Muslim Congresswomans Latest Israel Tweet Sparks Outrage From Democrats, Chelsea Clinton The latest antisemitic missive from Muslim Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) sparked heavy criticism from many, including Chelsea Clinton. Update: Please see an update to this story here. original story below Omar has a history of antisemitic views that have drawn widespread condemnation just weeks after taking office in January. Omar, the first female Muslim Congresswoman, said in an infamous missive posted several years ago Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel. Omar has refused to apologize for the message and instead has repeatedly attacked Israel in recent interviews and statements while largely ignoring the plight of Muslim women across much of the Middle East. On Feb. 10, Omar launched a renewed attack on Jews by perpetuating the conspiracy theory that Jews financially control American politics. Responding to an article about how House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was considering punishing Omar and another Muslim congresswoman, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) over their antisemitic comments, Omar wrote, Its all about the Benjamins [money] baby. Batya Ungar-Sargon, the opinion editor of The Forward, a Jewish newspaper, responded to Omar by saying: Would love to know who @IlhanMN thinks is paying American politicians to be pro-Israel, though I think I can guess. Bad form, Congresswoman. Thats the second anti-Semitic trope youve tweeted, she added. Instead of apologizing, Omar again doubled down, saying, AIPAC! referring to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Its all about the Benjamins baby ???? https://t.co/KatcXJnZLV Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) February 10, 2019 Omar was roundly criticized for her comments, with AIPAC among those responding. We are proud that we are engaged in the democratic process to strengthen the US-Israel relationship, AIPAC tweeted Sunday evening. Our bipartisan efforts are reflective of American values and interests. We will not be deterred in any way by ill-informed and illegitimate attacks on this important work. A number of lawmakers and public figures also condemned Omars attacks, including Chelsea Clinton, daughter of former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Her comments trouble me, Clinton wrote to a follower, noting that she wanted to meet with Omar to express her concern. She also shared a missive in which someone stated: Criticism of Israel isnt anti-semitism, just like criticism of a Muslim majority state isnt Islamophobia, by default. However racist or bigoted tropes can be intentionally or unintentionally triggered in making those critiques and yes that matters-it always matters. Congresswoman Omars statements are deeply hurtful to Jews, including myself. pic.twitter.com/u3f2JHESFA Max Rose (@MaxRose4NY) February 11, 2019 Rep. Max Rose (D-N.Y.) wrote in a statement that Omars statements are deeply hurtful to Jews, including myself. Implying that Americans support Israel because of money alone is offensive enough. But to go a step further and retweet someone declaring their pain at her sentiment is simply unacceptable. Rep. Omars tweet yesterday went too far. To suggest that pro-Israel support Is all about the Benjamins, and her follow up that she is referring to AIPAC, is not only inaccurate but conjures up the worst anti-Semitic stereotypes, added Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.). AIPAC is a not-for-profit that promotes US Israel relations and specifically does not make donations to political campaigns. My support for Israel is based upon our shared values, our national security interests, and the history of the region. Daniel Shapiro, former U.S. ambassador to Israel under former president Barack Obama, added that Omars outrageous comments equating politicians support for Israel with being bought off by American Jewish money are a vile anti-Semitic trope. They need to be condemned by all in our party. 4.Her approach indicates she doesnt want to be a consensus builder or understand others views. She wants to push her extreme view, embarrassing her Democratic colleagues who inevitably are asked to respond. Shes made herself a lightning rod. It will isolate her. And it should. Dan Shapiro (@DanielBShapiro) February 11, 2019 Shapiro said that some held off on criticizing Omar because they wanted to work with her. But these efforts have failed. Her support for BDS is apparently her essence: blaming Israel alone for the conflict, absolving Palestinians of all responsibility, delegitimizing Israels very existence, &accusing its supporters of shallow motives &manipulation by Jewish money, he said. While Democrat leadership has remained quiet about the growing antisemitism in the party, two House Democrats, Reps. Josh Gottheimer (N.J.) and Elaine Luria (Va.) are collecting signatures for a letter to send to party leaders expressing deep concern over recent rhetoric from certain members within our Caucus, including just last night, that has disparaged us and called into question our loyalty to our nation, reported Politico. We must speak out when any MemberDemocrat or Republicanuses harmful tropes and stereotypes, levels accusations of dual loyalty, or makes reckless statements like those yesterday, the representatives wrote. From NTD News PHILADELPHIAMusic teacher Stacie-Anne Hannawacker had been dying to see Shen Yun Performing Arts for the past four years, and after finally experiencing it at Philadelphia Merriam Theater on Feb. 10, she gave the performance a 10 out of 10. It was phenomenal from start to finish, Hannawacker said. Shen Yun Performing Arts is the premier classical Chinese dance company that tours the world every year to re-capture 5,000 years of Chinese culture on-stage for modern audiences. Artistic Expression Hannawacker, who has taught music in schools in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, and worked at theater and dance companies, praised the artistic expression conveyed through the entire production, such as the clever use of the 3-D backdrop and the way the costumes were incorporated into dance pieces. Having trained in dance herself, Hannwacker said the performers were well-trained, which was evident from the precise execution of the dance movements, as well as overall stage presentations. She noted that Chinese dance differed from Western dance forms in many respects, including its hand motions and positions which are not found in Western styles of dance. Classical Chinese dance is an ancient art form honed through thousands of years of evolution. Besides a rigorous physical component which includes difficult flips and tumbling techniques, classical Chinese dance requires artists to perfect their character so as to convey their inner world through the physical expressions. In addition, many of the dancers practice a Chinese spiritual discipline known as Falun Dafa. The practice includes a set of meditation exercises as well as a set of teachings which revolves around the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance, which practitioners seek to apply in their daily lives. Hannawacker was able to feel this from the dancers. You can just tell: the way they glow when they walk, and just the way they carry themselves, she said. They are very compassionate people within each other. The way they related to the audience, and just to see the dancers expressions and the looks on their face, you can tell they were trying to exude compassion and get us understand the stories. Stories Connected With Modern Audience Hannawacker also enjoyed how ancient Chinese stories were brought to life non-verbally through dance and music. As a mother, Hannawacker was particularly touched by the depiction of the classic Chinese romance known as Butterfly Lovers. In that story, a daughter who wants to study instead of getting married runs away from home and dresses up as a boy to attend school. Everybody wants something particularly for their child, but the child wants to do something much different from what the parents want for them. Its about going off and get[ing] what you want, she said. I feel a lot of about the story lines carrying through the modern day. She said even her 8-and-a-half-year-old daughter, who also watched the performance, was able to draw connections between the stories and other Western tales. Her daughter told her that one piece called The Ties of Affection, the Tao of Destiny reminded her of Romeo and Juliet It was a new story for her from a totally different land of Romeo and Juliet, but it connected to American culture. It was phenomenal, Hannawacker said. The messages conveyed by the vocalists also touched the music teacher. The lyrics sung by the classically-trained soloists spoke about the divine, compassion, and the afterlife, said Hannawacker. The songs told people what they needed to do to ensure a blessed future, she said. You stay away from the bad, you will go where you need to go. With reporting by NTD Television and Cathy He. The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006. Sharon Carillo was arrested on Feb. 27, 2018, with her husband Julio Carrillo, for the murder of 10-year-old Marissa Kennedy. In documents filed in court on Feb. 8, 2019, Sharon Carrillo's legal team said that she was also a victim of Julio Carrillo's torture and asked for a separate trial for her client. (Waldo County Jail) Mother of 10-Year-Old Accuses Husband of Torturing Child and Her The mother of a 10-year-old girl who was allegedly killed by her stepfather said that her husband tortured her along with her daughter. In new court documents filed on Feb. 8, Sharon Carrillos legal team argued that she was a victim along with Marissa Kennedy, at one point forced to strip naked with the girl and pose while her husband Julio Carrillo physically and sexually assaulted them. Marissa was abused for months before she was found dead in her familys condominium in 2018, leading to murder charges against Sharon and Julio Carrillo. Police said the couple decided to stage the death to try to make it look like an accident. Theyre both being held pending trials scheduled for August. New evidence that had not been released publicly until the court filing and another motion filed by Sharon Carrillos attorneys, including descriptions of a photograph recovered from Julio Carrillos phone that details abuse of both the child and her mother, shows that Sharon Carrillo was was experiencing extreme physical, sexual, and psychological abuse designed to cause physical and emotional agony, according to one filing. Julio Carrillo would physically force [Sharon and Marissa] to strip naked and kneel together on the floor of their home. He would force them to hold their arms in the air and threaten to beat them with his hands and other objects if they lowered their arms, the lawyers wrote. Julio Carrillo also sexually assaulted them, according to the documents. The alleged torture of Sharon and Marissa by Julio Carrillo imposed a new reality on them, Sharon Carrillos legal team said. Noting that Sharon Carrillo admitted that she was 50 percent responsible for her daughters death, the torture and reality shift calls into question the validity of the confession, her team argued. Because of that and due to Sharon Carrillos intelligence falling in the bottom 2 percent of the population, any statements she made, including her admission of guilt, should be considered voluntary and should be suppressed, her lawyers said. Lawyers: Marissa Kennedy, mother were severely tortured by Julio Carrillo https://t.co/9XKalzA70I pic.twitter.com/16DJ5gEEuS NEWS CENTER Maine (@newscentermaine) February 8, 2019 Motion to Suppress in State by on Scribd The team also said that Sharon Carrillo should have a separate trial from her husband, saying if they had a joint trial it would result in substantial prejudice from and confusion for jurors. Sharon was actually the victim of significant domestic violence at the hands of Julio Carrillo, Laura Shaw, one of the Camden Law attorneys representing Sharon Carrillo. told WGME. Every criminal defendant has the right to a fair trial and the right to participate in his or her trial, and Sharon would not be afforded those rights if she was forced to participate in a trial with Julio Carrillo. Julio Carrillos lawyer denied the new torture claims on Friday after they were filed in court. HAPPENING TODAY: Marissa Kennedys mother wants her marriage annulled. Sharon and Julio Carrillo are accused of beating the 10-year-old to death last February. The two were married back in 2015, but her lawyer says Julio is still married to another woman. @newscentermaine pic.twitter.com/9MqXiLUNiF Samantha York (@samanthayorkME) January 3, 2019 Sharon Carrillos attempts to deflect all blame onto Julio, in the end, are not going to be successful, Darrick X. Banda, Carrillos attorney, told the Bangor Daily News. He said that his client wants a joint trial. Christopher MacLean, another attorney for Sharon Carrillo, said in March 2018 that family members of his client told him she has been diagnosed with intellectual disabilities since she was a child and attended schools based on that diagnosis. The operating theory that I have is Sharon did not actually participate in the abuse of Marissa, he told the Portland Press-Herald at the time. The facts that are starting to get generated are painting a very different picture of what happened and why some things were said to police, and it has everything to do with Julio orchestrating a fiction about what really happened. Sharon Carrillo also attempted to annul her marriage to Julio Carrillo, filing a motion in January. From NTD News Meditation Group Hosts Parade to Celebrate Chinese New Year SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.Despite the cold, rainy weather, hundreds of Falun Dafa practitioners from all over the Bay Area marched in San Francisco to celebrate Chinese New Year. The Tianguo marching band led the parade starting at the Embarcadero and Ferry Building. Next was the dragon dance followed by a group of heavenly maidens, a group demonstrating Falun Dafas qigong exercises, a variety of Chinas different folk and ethnic groups, and vivid banners. They all made their way through downtown San Francisco on Feb. 9, ending up at Portsmouth Square. Kerry Huang, the event coordinator, explained that Falun Dafa practitioners were hosting this parade because they want to make sure that traditional Chinese culture is not lost overseas among the Chinese diaspora, as it has been attacked and much of it destroyed in modern China. Back in ancient times, Nian was a monster that caused destruction to humanity, she said. So lighting firecrackers and welcoming the New Year was a way to rid of the evil. Its not just a celebration, but also to get rid of evil. Over many years, a lot of people have forgotten what is traditional culture. They only remember to celebrate, but the part about exorcising evil and traditional culture is lost, she said. I was impressed by the number of colors and music and participation of the people, Stefano Bonora said while on a visit from Padua, Italy. And [it is] a rainy day, but there was a lot of people taking part of it. It was amazing. I like watching parades, Mr. Zhang, an elderly resident of San Franciscos Chinatown for over 50 years, said. Theres everything. Theres even the Monkey King and Pigsy. David Huang, a Falun Dafa practitioner who portrayed the Monkey King from a Chinese classic, Journey to the West, explained the significance of his character. He was born from a rock and later on he became a bodyguard to escort the Tang monk to go to India to get the Buddhist scriptures back to China, Huang said. He has a fire eye to help him distinguish false from truth. He also has very strong supernormal abilities. He can defeat demons, he can change his forms into 72 different forms. Hes also very loyal to Tang monk over the journey. And eventually, he finished his task and became the Buddha. Its so colorful and pretty, another visitor April Hatada said. Im glad they have things like this so that everybody can still see traditional costuming and music. Guided by age-old traditions, Huang said that the beauty of the Falun Dafa parade was a great celebration of the New Year bringing blessings to San Francisco residents. About the Practice Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, is a peaceful meditation practice that consists of five sets exercises. Based on its teachings, practitioners live by Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance in their everyday lives. Falun Dafa has benefited me personally both spiritually and honestly had a lot of physical calming benefits, Kuan-Yu Hsiao, a practitioner since she was five years old, said. The meditation exercises are calming enough that they arent tough on your body. We often, I think, try to push our bodies to the physical limit. But theres also this spiritual, kind of mindfulness part that we dont often take care of, so its beautiful that way. Dan Ngo has been a Falun Dafa practitioner for two years and said it has changed his life. His family of five are also practicing. Everything I do, we have to follow the righteous thought, the right way, and everything I do, my work, everything it just revolves around it. Its nothing but pleasure, Ngo said. The practice was first introduced in 1992 by Li Hongzhi in China. In a few years, millions across the country were practicing. However, starting 1999, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) became afraid of the growing number of Chinese who practiced Falun Dafa and started to persecute them. Many were tortured to death or have had their organs harvested while they are still alive, all because their spiritual belief was banned by the CCP. Those who have been able to flee the country have been able to freely continue with their spiritual practice overseas. They have also been the only way the outside world has come to know of the barbaric genocide is happening to Falun Dafa practitioners in communist China. But even overseas, the murderous CCP still attempts to persecute the practice in different ways. Due to pressure from the CCP, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce banned the meditation group from participating in the citys annual Chinese New Year parade in 2005. Since then, they have not been able to participate. Therefore, practitioners from around the Bay Area put on their own parade each year to celebrate with the locals and let the CCP know that Falun Dafa still thrives. Antonio Gonzalez, a parade spectator from Spain, was sad to hear that even overseas, the group is still being discriminated against due to CCP pressure. The important point is that they can do it. As they can do it, Im happy for them. They can express freely, their thoughts, he said. I think its better to have a good conscience than just to be craving for money. Michael Adams, a viewer passing by, said, People should be free to pursue higher meaning in life. Kentucky Mother Arrested After Daughter Tests Positive for Cocaine A Kentucky mother was arrested after her daughter tested positive for cocaine, police officials said. The 4-year-old girl became unresponsive at school on Feb. 7. She was taken to Clark Regional Medical Center, where Winchester police officers went after receiving a report on the situation. At the medical center, the girl tested positive for cocaine, reported WKYT. Police officers then interviewed the mother, Anniquta Wright, 31. Wright admitted that she had let a friend sell cocaine at her house while her children were there. Wright admitted that the kids would even sit at the table with the friend, according to a police citation obtained by the Lexington Herald-Leader. The friend had been at Wrights house until about 3 a.m. Thursday, the day the girl was found unresponsive at school. A subsequent test of Wrights 2-year-old son tested positive for cocaine. Wright was charged with two counts of criminal abuse. Police said she was a fugitive from another state. Wright was being held at the Clark County Detention Center on $25,000 bond. Girl, 4, tests positive for cocaine after passing out at school; mother arrested >> https://t.co/m7OK1Q5e0U WMBF News (@wmbfnews) February 10, 2019 Mother Charged After Boy Found A New Jersey woman was charged with murder on Feb. 9 after law enforcement officers found the remains of her young son in the yard just hours after she reported him missing. Nakira Griner, 24, called the Bridgeton Police Department on Feb. 8 around 6:36 p.m. and said that her child, Daniel Griner Jr., nearly 2 years old, had been abducted. Officers responded along with bloodhounds and searched for the boy. They found his remains in the yard of Griners Bridgeton house at 3 a.m. on Saturday. Griner was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, second-degree desecration of human remains, and fourth-degree tampering with evidence, according to the Cumberland County Prosecutors Office. She was booked into the Cumberland County Jail pending a detention hearing. No further information will be released at this time as the case remains under investigation, the county prosecutors office said in a statement released Saturday morning. No additional arrests are expected at this time. According to Griners Facebook page, she is married. In her final post before her arrest, she said that she had two beautiful children and that she loved her husband. In the past, she had posted several pictures showing the children. Child Abuse According to a report published by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (pdf), approximately 3.5 million children nationwide in 2016 were the subjects of at least one maltreatment report to authorities. Child abuse is one of the nations most serious concerns, the authors of the report wrote in the introduction. About 17 percent of those reports were substantiated; the department said that there were an estimated 676,000 victims of child abuse and neglect, or 9.1 victims per 1,000 children. Children in their first year of life had the highest rate of victimization at 24.8 per 1,000 children of the same age in the national population. About three-quarters of the cases were neglect while about 18 percent were physical abuse. Some children suffered from multiple forms of maltreatment. Of the perpetrators of the abuse, more than four-fifths were between the ages of 18 and 44 and more than half were women. From NTD News James OKeefe on the Power of Media, and the Publics Right to Know at Any CostAmerican Thought Leaders For James OKeefe, the American system of government depends on an informed citizenry, and its the responsibility of journalists to get out the facts. OKeefe sees much contemporary media as having deviated from that responsibility, focusing instead on providing opinion, and plenty of it, often without transparency. In his quest for truth-telling, OKeefe founded Project Veritas, which equips reporters with hidden cameras to conduct undercover investigations. His videosexposing crime and corruption inside government and government-funded organizationshave undeniably had an effect, but also have led to repeated personal attacks, lawsuits, and an arrest. In my interview with him, OKeefe tells us why he believes the publics right to know justifies his controversial methods, and why its worth the risk. Jan Jekielek: You describe yourself as both a muckraker and as an investigative reporter, and I wanted you to give us a bit of a picture of what these roles mean to you. James OKeefe: Well, muckraking, a term I believe was coined by Ida Tarbell, is about creating righteous indignation. Righteous indignation is the most motivating force in politics. We believe at Project Veritasand as my mentor, Andrew Breitbart, saidthat politics and policy are downstream from the culture. So we have to inform the people, and journalisminvestigative journalismis from our vantage point, the most powerful thing you could do to expose the truth. I was reading a book recently, and the way they put it is that investigative journalists are the custodians of conscience, that we allow the people to formulate an idea of what is and what is not moral in a society. So these sorts of things are the foundation of how people are informed. The American system of government depends upon an informed citizenry. So I would submit to you that the American people are just not informed. Its not that theyre not intelligent enough to make public-policy determinations, its just they dont have the information necessary to make informed determinations. What we need is muckrakers and investigative journalists to get this information in a raw and true form, in order to help make that happen. Thats what Im committed to doing, and my organization, Project Veritas, is the tip of the spear of this endeavor. Mr. Jekielek: Theres plenty of folks that describe themselves as investigative journalists today and I guess youre suggesting that theyre not actually providing that. I guess youre calling it moral guidance for society. How does that work? Are people misleading us in saying that theyre actually doing investigative work? Mr. OKeefe: To be clear, I think that journalists are providing too much moral guidance. I think the proper role of an investigative reporter is to really make news judgments to provide people with what is newsworthy, and not the moral opining. The custodian of conscience is your testing and affirming of what is and what isnt an outrage to people by providing them with facts. This has sort of become a cliche, but journalism today is just all about opinion. Its all making moral judgments about the news, and were not really getting any actual raw information. And in fact, arguably, journalists think that you shouldnt have the raw information, that the raw is dangerous that it creates herd instincts, it could create prejudice, and this is getting ahead of myself here in this interview. But what happens is social-media companies are starting to censor raw information, that the wrong information would lead to the wrong public-policy solution. And were getting too far ahead of ourselves. This all started happening in the 1960s and 70s in newspapers. They got away from doing reporting. Watergate happened and people viewed their positions in journalism; they wanted to become celebrities or pursued power. They viewed it as a way to get to power when back in the day, it was all about just exposing facts. This is why we choose video as the medium; its the purest and rawest and most uninhibited form that properly educates the people. Thats why we shoot video in the way we do. Mr. Jekielek: I want to tackle a few things head-on here: specifically about using video, for example. A number of people, as you well know, have basically accused you of cutting your videos in such a way as to misrepresent the context of the situation. What would you say to them? Mr. OKeefe: I would say that all journalism is edited selectively; the very nature of journalism is you have to edit the story to fit it. If you just release a torrent of gibberish and raw words, it wont make sense. You have to write the story. But the thing about video is that theres a beginning point, and theres an endpoint, and it captures reality accurately. The wordsand I have a lot of respect for the work you guys dobut newspaper reporters cant capture reality as accurately as video, because, with video, you pick up on a persons intonation, you pick up on subtleties that printed words dont pick up on. You pick up on body language and no matter if youre the best writer in the world, you cant pick up on all the nuances that a video camera can capture. You might say, well, the video is edited; so are sentences. Sentences are arranged and juxtaposed in the way that the artist or the author wants. I dont know about you, but when I read The New York Times every day, it gets worse and worse. They patronize you, they omit, and the video camera cant; I cant omit when I film you over the course of an hour. I see what I get. I would argue that we need more of these visuals, we need more of these cameras in these dark corners. And thats just the bottom line. They can say all the stuff that they want but, at the end of the day, Im not lying about what I see. I get sued, and I get deposed, and I have to swear on the Bible and raise my right hand that what I saw was real, and so help me God. The other thing Ill tell you is that they say that we edit, but they never actually give you a specific example. Its all hyperbole, just an accusation without a specific. If you have a specific example of a specific edit, please name it. And third, a lot of the people that weve filmed have admitted they said what theyve said and they resigned. So if you resigned and admitted youve said what you said, where is the veniality. Where is the example of the supposed deceptive editing? They simply cant name it. Mr. Jekielek: Do you then present longer full raw videos, in addition to the clips, that you feel encapsulate the reality? Mr. OKeefe: We sometimes have done that. The problem is, and this has become one of their logical fallacies, lets say its a two-hour encounter with a subject like the NPR investigation that we did, about seven years ago. We did a story on National Public Radio. [It] was a two- or three-hour long interview and I decided to release the entire interview. Then, various conspiracy theoriststhis is what they did with the Planned Parenthood videos as wellwill go into the raw and say, It looks like minute marker 2 hours, 11 minutes isnt exactly matched with And this is actually what happens. The conspiracy theorists come out and say [there] is some type of problem with it. So we decided we cant possibly placate these individuals. Another thing that theyll do is, if you release the full raw, theyll say, But how do we know that you didnt leave the building and then walk back in These people will never be placated. Theyll never be satisfied. And by the way, video of an encounter is above and beyond the standard that any newspaper reporter will have; you can just use anonymous sources or you just say this is what the person said. Why dont we ask The New York Times to provide unedited notebooks and videotape of all of their quotes? Its a preposterous standard. Its a standard that no journalist could possibly abide by. At Project Veritas, I could simply say Person X said this, and not provide any video at all. So, again, releasing video of quotes is a standard that goes above and beyond what any other reporter is supposed to do. And if they want to hold me to the standard of releasing raw tapes to buttress quotes, I believe thats a standard they also should hold themselves to. This is not the issue at hand; the issue is really who is a journalist, and what is a journalist? These are the more essential questions, and the more underlying reasons why they attack me in the first place. Mr. Jekielek: A lot of this work that youre describing with NPR and Planned Parenthood was undercover work, where the journalists or you were posing as someone else. And thats been described by some people as being unethical. What would you say to the people that say that? Mr. OKeefe: I would say there are two different issues. Youre correct, the proper response is that youre secretly recording these people and youre using false pretenses. Lets take these issues one at a time. First, the secret-recording matter. In each and every case where we film someone, Im always a party to the conversation. In other words, lets say Im secretly recording you and you dont know that in New York City. Mr. Jekielek: Maybe you are. Mr. OKeefe: Right. Theres tech cameras all around here. But lets say Im secretly recording you some other place: in a restaurant or something, and you dont know that. But what you do know is Im talking to you. You know that, and we know each other somewhat, but we know we dont know each other terribly well. Weve met each other two or three times, I believe, in the past. But Im kind of a stranger. What the bottom line is from an ethics perspective, is that I could be writing down everything that youre saying, and I could blast it to the whole world tomorrow. You have no expectation of privacy. So from an ethical perspective, I would argue that recording you does more justice than merely writing down what you say. From an ethical or moral perspective, the secret recording isnt a problem, so long as you know the recording is on me. In other words, where we would cross the line is if I put a recording device down and walked away. Thats zero party consent. We dont do that at Project Veritas. So the secret recording is not the moral quandary our opponents would lead you to believe. The other issue is the false-pretense issue. Thats a more tricky one. We could talk for hours about that. Ive got some things to say about the false pretenses, but we argue its necessary. We argue that deception, in some cases, is required to uncover the truth, because some issues are of vital and profound public importance. And, of course, history is replete with investigative reporters whove done this. But thats a more complicated subject and ask away if you wish. Mr. Jekielek: This is actually one of my questions. What is responsible journalism? How do you see responsible journalism? Mr. OKeefe: In terms of the deception, for example, or just generally? Mr. Jekielek: I think in general. Mr. OKeefe: I would answer that by saying journalism is defined as some people have said in history: its telling the truth and shaming the devil. Journalism is about telling the truth to the audience. You have to be truthful. You have to give them the truth. And if you look through history, usually its by any means necessary. Now, wheres the line? Well, for me, its you have to tell the truth to the audience, even if it means deceiving your subject. By the way, this is not unique to me. Journalists deceive subjects all the time. I mean that journalists bribe, seduce. Seduction doesnt only take the form of undercover. I mean New York Times reporters, you should hear how they talk to subjects on the phone. They make you think theyre your friend, your best friend in the world. And then they break the story and all. And then the subject is, Oh, how could I have possibly trusted this person. This is not unique to Project Veritas. Seduction, broadly speaking, is what most reporters do and are supposed to do to get you to trust in them. Veritas does it in a different way. We use pretense. We use undercover techniques, but the most important thing is to tell the truth to the audience. Most people are more honest when they dont know theyre talking to a reporter. So if youre a reporter and youre talking to a subject and that subject is feeding you b.s., feeding you things that they want the public to know, guess what? You may not be doing responsible journalism. You may be giving the public the thing the source wants you to give to the public. So you have to be very careful if youre a reporter and youre just relaying information. At Project Veritas, we dont have that problem as much, because the person does not know that theyre being recorded and its visual, its video. Its real: cinema verite. You are capturing this person in a real, unguarded moment. Its aesthetically true and often, in rare cases, where they are making it up, like Nick Dudek at The New York Times saying, Im Nick, Im James Comeys godson, even in the cases when he is b.s.-ing, it becomes newsworthy. Its a very interesting distinction between when the subject knows that theyre being recorded and when they dont. Mr. Jekielek: Its very, very interesting. In American Pravda, you explore the concept of fake news, which I guess is somehow the opposite of what youve been describing. But this term has actually been used by all sorts of people and all sorts of ways. Its almost a weaponized term. Can you explain what fake news means to you? Mr. OKeefe: Thats a very loaded term these days, used by both sides of the equation. I believe it was Steve Bannon who originated it, and Glenn Greenwald wrote a piece about that. Fake news, I think to me, it embodies this American Pravda, the book I wrote, it better encapsulates it this way. You look at CNN is an example of a network where its all about narrative. Theres no actual facts. Theres no actual new information. Its the way they use chyrons Mr. Jekielek: There is all sorts of breaking news? Mr. OKeefe: Yeah. Mr. Jekielek: I dont understand what you mean there is no actual original reporting. Mr. OKeefe: Theres no currency in investigative journalism. This is what I think. Theres no actual investigative journalism happening on these platforms. Its all just opinion; its all just talk. Ninety-five percent of people on the panels constantly talk in gibberish. I dont care what you think. I want to see the information. Maybe fake is too strong of a word but Im just tired of the opining, and the opinions, and the angles, and the coloring of information. I just want to see the information. Im not a hypocrite. If you look at my stories, the extent of my involvement is: Im James OKeefe, check this out. Thats it. Thats all I want you to say. I dont need to hear it, so I dont know if fake is the right adjective. These people are expressing their opinions, but their opinions have no basis in reality. We did a video last year, two years ago, on The Washington Post and there was a guyI believe his name is Adam Entous. My colleague might know his name, but he said something like, Our editorial page is wrong on the Russia story. He said that, and we caught him on hidden camera saying that, and I got so much flak, and people said, James doesnt know the difference between the editorial page and a news page. If you read Jill Abramsons new bookshes no right-winger by the wayshe says the same thing. She says theyre being merged together. So if theres no difference between your opinion page and your editorial page, then wheres the real news. If the subject-matter expert on the Russia investigation, Adam Entous of The Washington Post, says listen, theres no difference between the two, and the people on the opinion pages are wrong on their report, then what is their opinion based on? If its not based in fact or reality, and if 92 to 100 percent of what were seeing on cable news networks is opinion, with no basis in reality, then, that is fake news. Mr. Jekielek: President Trump has called out various journalists and various media at times as fake news. And some people have said that by doing so. hes undermining the credibility of the profession in its entirety. How do you see that? Mr. OKeefe: I actually think [it is] one of the greatest virtues of this president, and one of the greatest synergies with this president. What were doing is wakinggetting people woke about the media. Let me just make this clear to your audience, the media has all the power; the media is everything. Know that everything is downstream from media and by media, I dont just mean CNN and The New York Times. I mean Silicon Valley, and also the social-media companies. They are media companies because CNN, The New York Times, and NBC News circulate their messages through social media, they work together, they distribute their messaging together. In some cases, they have business arrangements together. Thats what Nick Dudek told us at The New York Times about his relationship with YouTube. He works with [them], so the media has all the power. So I think one of the greatest virtues of Trump is his ability to get people to think about whether what theyre getting is realto question that. This is what some would consider his biggest problem. I think it is his greatest virtue; of Trump, is making people question and be skeptical of what they see, the Pravda. The difference between the Soviet PravdaPravda was the Russian word for the Soviet newspaperis that everyone in the Soviet Union knew that it was a joke. They knew that they were being lied to. Mr. Jekielek: Its so ironic. Pravda is truth. Mr. OKeefe: Pravda is the word for truth in Russian. They knew that it was a lie, but they just didnt have the moral courage to do anything about it. In other words, the vast majority of people in the Soviet Union said this is a bunch of b.s., but if I protest, theyll send me to the gulag. In the United States, I would say more than 50 percent of people actually believe a lot of the lies in the media. So the greatest virtue of this president is calling attention to that and making people question that. Maybe this is not real? Of course, with the media, theyre just happy because theyre making more money than ever, just being negative and antagonistic toward this guy. So thats where we are right now. Mr. Jekielek: Youve actually said that the media has more power than the legislative branch of government: 100 percent. Can you unpackage that for me? Mr. OKeefe: Its 100 percent true. The media has more power than all three branches of government. And Im not the one who originated this. This was a man named Alexander Solzhenitsyn, who said that in his Harvard address to a bewildered commencement. All these Harvard people expected Solzhenitsyn to say what they wanted him to say. And he says the media has more power than all three branches of government combined. Think about that for a second, because thats very counterintuitive, right? But let me explain that because this is very important. When you turn on the TV, do these legislators today actually do any legislating or they spend most of the time in front of a camera on CNN? They understand that politics is downstream from an informed population and most people get their information from the media. And the media is not limited to CNN, The New York Times, NBC News. It also includes Google, Facebook, and Twitter. So you better believe that these politicians spend most of their time dealing with CNN, The New York Times, NBC, Facebook, Google, and Twitter. Trump has chosen to be antagonistic with these organizations. I think that that is an inflection point in American history right now, right here. And I believe that Solzhenitsyn is and was correct. Andrew Breitbart taught this to me. He said, James, the media is not just something to consider. He said the media is everything. Breitbart, who himself was mentored by Arianna Huffington and Matt Drudge, was editing The Drudge Report when I met him. He said, James, the media is everything. He said that you have to get out and you have to talk to The New York Times. He said, talk to these organizations; dont cower, dont be in a fetal position. Get out in front of the story. I dont think people realize this, but when they do, it changes your strategy. It affects how you conduct yourself and how you approach these issues. It actually speaks a little bit to how I got into media, frankly. Mr. Jekielek: But its really fascinating. So I guess Project Veritas could be seen as a kind of a new media, in a way; I suppose The Epoch Times is also a kind of a new media. So how does this new media contrast with, and I hesitate to say the word traditional, so lets say the mainstream media, or what we think of more conventionally as the big media in our society? Mr. OKeefe: This is a very good question. On one hand, I would say stop complaining about the media and become the media. And what does that mean? You guys started a newspaper, which is a Herculean effort. I think what I would say to you is that we dont want to create a media company like other companies create, and have their little distribution. We want to get covered by the mainstream media. In other words, our modeland this is not our model, its a vision, I suppose, for the citizensis to get in The New York Times, get on CBS. This is what Breitbart taught me: get covered by them. This is very counterintuitive to an independent-minded person who criticizes these venues, and I just did criticize them. However, as critical as I am of these organizations, I recognize their power. In other words, here in Manhattan, if its not in The New York Times, it doesnt exist to the people in Manhattan. People criticize me and say, James, youre giving them too much power. I say yes, but we can still get covered by The New York Times if the story is big enough. If this story resonates, if this story is powerful, if the content is strong enough, if The Epoch Times breaks a massive story on whatever scandal, lets say the Justice Department, you just may get The New York Times to cover the fruits of your labor. If the Justice Department scandal that The Epoch Times uncovers is so big and embroiled various executives in the Justice Department, that those folks get subpoenaed or themselves resign, The New York Times has to cover the results of your labor, so the vision, therefore, is to do journalism. The vision is to do journalism to such a degree and to such a scale that it forces the non-journalists to cover the journalism that you do. You see thats the vision that these people maintain, and, by the way, there are some good journalists out there in these mainstream publications, a few of them; maybe I can count them on one hand. In any event, if we do the journalism ourselves and we do it right, well be the change we wish to see in the world, and we set the example. We will force the mainstream media to cover our work. Thats the vision behind Project Veritas. But I would argue that its really not my vision. Im just trying to be a facilitator. Im trying to let people know that you can do this. You dont need a journalism degree. You dont need to work for an established publication. What you really need is the moral courage and the willingness to go out and just go do it. And the metrics will be how many New York Times front pages you get to force them to cover your work. This is like the Holy Grail of results: a New York Times headline above the fold, covering something that youve done. So thats my vision, in answering your question about a vision for how to interact with or replace media. Mr. Jekielek: Its very interesting that you would say that. A few weeks back, that pretty much exactly what happened for us, except the story was spun so wildly that the headline, I believe, was something to the effect that the president was under investigation for being a Russian agent. And I think I counted nine paragraphs into it [until] there was a line saying there was no evidence to support that. Mr. OKeefe: Right. Mr. Jekielek: Very interesting that you say that. I guess were on the right track to your school of journalism. Mr. OKeefe: You need to keep doing it. You need to keep going. Youre right, you are on the right track. And I would say, keep that momentum. Maybe in the next story, theyll be forced to admit there was evidence. Ill give you one or two quick examples; we did this in The New York Times. Im using The New York Times as a scapegoat here. But with the ACORN investigation; this happened in 2009. We did this investigation into ACORN. I posed as a pimp and we did all these offices. It was a long story, a big story; it put Project Veritas on the map. Both houses of Congress were Democratic-controlled, and the House and Senate voted overwhelmingly to defund ACORN because of the videos that Hannah and I did, before The New York Times even assigned a reporter to the story. The New York Times had their ombudsman print an apology to their readers, saying we tuned in too late. They apologized for not only not covering the story but said, in the future, they would assign an additional reporter to cover stories that we broke. Now that is unbelievable. And, in 2016, The New York Times printed an A section story on our story on our Democracy Partners, where I believe the headline was something to the effect of: Democratic operative caught doing dirty tricks. So, this is certainly possible. Its like one small step for man, one giant leap for citizen journalism, one step on the moon. Hopefully, therell be more steps. But the answer is that you guys are absolutely on the right track. Keep going. Keep doing it. Mr. Jekielek: Thanks, James. So you actually have a whole new crop of young undercover journalists from December and January were doing this work. I understand theres some news thats going to come out of that. Can you give us any previews? Mr. OKeefe: We were very busy during the election cycle. We broke some dozen stories on various senators and governors, some of which prompted some resignations in Florida and Missouri and elsewhere. In the last two months, weve been just very busy recruiting undercover journalists and even recruiting some people on the inside various institutions. I would say one of our big focuses right now is Silicon Valleysome of these large tech companies like Google, and Facebook, and Twitter. People on the inside are so fed up by what they are witness toand some of them are quite aligned with some of the things Ive said herethat theyve proactively reached out to me and some of those people themselves are willing to wear a camera. So you may see imminently some things happen there that were in New York state here, where Andrew Cuomo just recently passed a law regarding the issue involving late-term abortion, and some things happening on that issue, and in some matters involving some post-birth issues, where right now, a bill is being debated. Senator Ben Sasse is talking about that, so theres that issue, and I would say theres the education issue, which you guys have done a great job of covering. I loved your insert in your newspaper about the education issue I saw. And then theres the election of 2020. Theres a lot going on in this country. So my job is to findI guess you could saythe unreasonable man, who is willing to strap a camera to themselves and do the unthinkable. These are not easy people to find, and there is a lot of work training and equipping them before we send them out. So weve spent the last two months getting a whole new crop of people. Youll see, in the next 30 days, some new stories come out. Mr. Jekielek: So this part about the new people that are in this crop is fascinating. But you mentioned that theres actually people on the inside that youve connected with or theyve reached out to you and theyre wearing cameras. What compels someone to do such a thing? Mr. OKeefe: So we were, you and I, talking about this off the air recently. And I think that weve done a lot of thinking and reading and studying the characteristics of these people, and some of these things are sort of trade secrets, but I can tell you that the No. 1 commonality that the people who do this, and Im not talking about just an undercover journalist, Im talking about someone who actually blows the whistle. You guys deal with that, your colleagues find those people, and you have a unique expertise on this, as wellit seems to me they all share what I call a justice complex. Theyre so passionate; they believe so deeply. One of the people that were talking to actually said: I found what this organization was doing is so bad that I felt the public had a right to know. Its almost like their commitment to that idea is greater than whatever significant sacrifice that they themselves are making in their personal lives. Their belief in something is greater than their belief in worrying about their safetyif that makes sense. These people do exist; they are out there. I would say the vast majority of people are afraid and are so concerned with their own well-being; what Im interested in are the people who are not as concerned in their own well-being. And it takes a somewhat unreasonable person, but the most progress in human society is based upon the unreasonable person pushing the boundaries. What I realized is Project Veritas needs to find the unreasonable people who are on the inside, who believe so deeply. Now, where are these people, like actual examples? Ed Snowden is an examplesome people dont like him. But lets just take him for what he is. He was the personification of someone who just basically blew himself up to expose the National Security Agency. And he changed the world; he changed policy. Also, James Damore at Google: heres a guy who was an unwitting whistleblower; he was blown up by a memorandum. There are not very many people like this. Most people are afraid but I think we are at a point in American history. Our country seems to be on the brink, doesnt it? It seem to be like the center cannot hold? Things fall apart. Theres a brewing civil war of sorts culturally that these people exist. I cannot tell you, unfortunately in this interview, the nature of where these people are but I can tell you that Project Veritas has recruited a bunch of thema bunch of people like that. Some of them are retired, some of them are not. Some of them are on the inside. Some of them work in elections; some of them work in Silicon Valley. Its my job to create an army of them, which is what were going to do. And they all share, in common, the justice complex. Mr. Jekielek: Very interesting. So I noticed that youre actually promoting your tip line a lot, and your Twitter feed, and social media, and so forth. How many tips do you actually get a month? Mr. OKeefe: We get hundreds if not thousands; its growing. Mr. Jekielek: How many are credible? I am sure you get a lot of stuff you cant use. Mr. OKeefe: Theres different things that we get. We get people who want to be full-time journalists. For example, we get thousands of thosewe get about a thousand applications to become a journalist. We get people who have ideas; for example, one such idea would be Have you thought about going into ACORN dressed as a prostitute? I mean this is just an idea but its a good idea. And I did it. We get tips that are [from] people on the inside who are informants, who have access to something, but are not willing to film. This is like a common anonymous source. But because were a visual organization, we have to corroborate that. And then, we have what I call unicorns: people who are on the inside, who have access, who are morally courageous, and who are willing to film. These are the people that were focused on. Now, your question is how many of our total tips are the unicorns, one out of every 10,000 or something like this but we have a process and yes, in this interview, I would solicit people to go to ProjectVeritas.com. If this is you, Id like to make a call to action here, but we definitely want people to think about their purpose in life and why they were put here. Life is about more than commodities, and having a house, and getting by. This is a way for you to serve your country. Just like people who go to war, people do a lot of things, people run for office. This is a way to serve your country, to inform your fellow man. If you are witness to somethingif youre a janitor, a school teacher, a union member, a government workerand you hear us here and you see something and youre disgusted by it, I can equip you. Be brave about it. Do something. People say What can I do? You can do something; you can film it. Mr. Jekielek: You dont have to be willing to film to come to talk to you? Do you have to be ready to film? Mr. OKeefe: You dont have to be ready to film. Theres two different types of people. Theres the people who have access to this, who see it, who know it, and who can talk to us anonymously. Then, there are the people who sort of say, This rises to the standard that Im willing to film it and maybe even be known for doing so. Some of the people in the first category just need a little bit of convincing or hand-holding to become the second category. Ive already found dozens of people who are willing to actually do it. Thats my call to action. And I actually believe that once these people come out of the woodwork and actually show themselves and get up on the stageget up on the world stageI think therell be more and more and more and more. Theyve awakened a sleeping giant. They can stop one man but they cant stop a thousand people. Project Veritas will have, in the next few years, 1,000 people doing this. Mr. Jekielek: Whenever you publish one of these videos, theres probably a lot of people that are quite angry at what they see. Mr. OKeefe: Thats an understatement. Mr. Jekielek: It ends up being tough, maybe lonely, work. How do you deal with that? Mr. OKeefe: Thats a really interesting question. There was an article in The New Yorker, I believe, last week or two weeks ago about a whistleblower who did the qui tam lawsuits on the government. And I guess thats a little bit of a different situation, I suppose, because the qui tams, youre working for the FBI. Some say youre like a snitch or something like this, but you know its honorable work. Its a little bit different than this because youre going directly to the people. I cant tell you how gratifying it is because people say, Well, whats in it for me? Project Veritas will protect you. Project Veritas will pay your legal bills. Project Veritas will employ you, and pay you a full-time salary, but theres something so gratifying about breaking these stories and educating people about the atrocities. And actually if the story is good enough, if its really, really bad what I think whats going to happen isMartin Luther King says the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justicein the beginning, they might try to play games but over time, Leviathan will actually not retaliate, OK? I am a living and breathing example of this; Im a free man, Im not in jail. My headquarters is in Westchester, New York, and in 2014, Andrew Cuomo did indeed try to shut me down, and audit me, and do all these things. But, over time, he sort of backed off. In other words, I think these powerful organizations, and powerful corporations, and powerful people that we investigate will not retaliate against the whistleblowers if we create an army of people doing it. Because its in the public interest, because its the right thing to do, because its the morally courageous and the correct thing to do. What are they going to do, retaliate against innocent people who blew the whistle on something so shocking to the conscience? Were talking about things that shock the conscience. Were talking about deeds so bad and so evil that 98 percent of people think theyre wrong. Youre telling me that some mega-corporation is going to put their big thumb on and squish these people. I hope they do. Thatll only make the story bigger. Its exactly what Saul Alinsky argued: push a negative large enough and it breaks through to its counter side. So, its a long way of answering your question, but I believe that these people will get so much gratification from breaking these stories, and I believe that the public will thank them. And I believe that theres more to life than just going about your day. Theres a noble purpose. Theres serving people. Dont people want to serve? Isnt that what life is about? This is about service. This isas far as Im concerned and maybe as far as youre concernedwhy we were put on this earth: to educate people and to serve a purpose. And I think theres millions of people in the United States who agree with that. I dont need a million people. I just need about 100, and Ill find them. Mr. Jekielek: This is a wonderful place to finish up. Thank you so much, James. Mr. OKeefe: Thank you. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. American Thought Leaders is a new Epoch Times show available on Facebook and Youtube. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban leaves the stage after delivering his annual state of the nation speech in Budapest on Feb. 10, 2019. (Bernadett Szabo/Reuters) Hungary Promises No Tax for Women With 4 or More Children Hungarys Prime Minister Viktor Orban has announced that women who have four or more babies will not have to pay income tax for the rest of their lives. The move is an attempt to increase Hungarys population without relying on immigration, Orban said Feb. 10. Orban made the announcement in his annual state of the nation speech. He said if Hungarian families had more children it would be better than allowing more immigration. There are fewer and fewer children born in Europe. For the West, the answer [to that challenge] is immigration. For every missing child there should be one coming in and then the numbers will be fine, Orban said, according to Reuters. But we do not need numbers, he said. We need Hungarian children. Other measures to support larger families include loans for families with at least two children to help them buy a home; subsidies for families raising at least three children to buy a seven-seater car; and the creation of 21,000 new child care facilities over the next three years. Grandparents will also be paid to look after young children so parents can still work. When Orban was re-elected in April 2018 to a third consecutive term, he promised that major cultural and intellectual changes were in the works, saying that his landslide victory was nothing short of a mandate to build a new era. His Fidesz party was elected partly because of its anti-migration policies, which he has previously said he hoped would guide politicians in other countries. In 2015, Orban built a wall on Hungarys southern border to control migration during the refugee crisis. In his speech, he warned that Europe had come to a historic crossroads with respect to migration, which was transforming previously Christian countries into those where Christians would be in a minority. The target countries for migrants are witnessing the emergence of a ChristianMuslim world with a shrinking rate of Christians. But we, central Europeans, still have a future of our own, Orban said, according to Daily News Hungary. He called Brussels, the seat of the European Union, the citadel of new internationalism. In the speech, Orban again took aim at Hungarian-born billionaire and financier George Soros, who Orban and others say is behind a plan to destroy Europe by causing mass migration. The Hungarian governments anti-Soros campaign forced the billionaires Open Society Foundations to leave the country last year, after creating new rules on influence by foreign organizations. Hong Kong Lawsuit Challenges Chinas One Belt, One Road Ambitions in Djibouti Beijings efforts to seize control of a major port facility in Djibouti is under scrutiny after a lawsuit has been filed in Hong Kong court contesting the rights to operate the site. The Port of Doraleh, located along the Red Sea, is critical to Chinas ambitions to extend its geopolitical influence around the world under the One Belt, One Road foreign policy initiative. DP World, a global port operator headquartered in Dubai, is suing the Hong Kong-based China Merchants Port Holdings, a subsidiary of Chinas state-owned China Merchants Group, for allegedly pressuring the Djibouti government to revoke the Dubai companys executive rights to run the Doraleh Container Terminal, according to court documents recently obtained by FactWire, a Hong Kong-based investigative news agency. DP World, which filed the lawsuit at Hong Kongs Court of First Instance in August 2018, argues that the Chinese firm caused the Djibouti government to violate a 30-year concession agreement, effective since 2004, that allows it to operate the terminal, along with the option for two 10-year renewals. Under the agreement, a joint venture company named Doraleh Container Terminal S.A. (DCT) was created to develop and operate the terminal, with the Djibouti government holding 66.66 percent of DCTs shares and DP World holding the remainder, through its subsidiary Dubai International Djibouti FZE (DID). According to FactWire, Djibouti began to express dissatisfaction with DP World in 2009, saying that the concession agreement gave a foreign company the opportunity to oppose the fundamental interests of the Republic of Djibouti by hindering its economic and social development process. Djibouti authorities eventually sold 23.5 percent of its shares in DCT to China Merchants Port Holdings in 2013, according to the court documents, a violation of the terms of the concession agreement. Then, in 2014, the Djibouti government gave China Merchants Port Holdings permission to build a new Doraleh Multipurpose Portwhich is located next to Beijings recently established military base in Djibouti. This was another violation of the concession agreement, DP World alleges. The multipurpose port began operations in 2017. The Doraleh Multipurpose Port is a key part of the One Belt, One Road plan, serving as a trade gateway to Asia and the Middle East. The initiative as a whole aims to build Beijing-centered trade routes through financing infrastructure projects such as ports, railways, and bridges around the world. In February 2018, Djibouti abruptly ordered the nationalization of the Doraleh Container Terminalby placing the terminal under the control of a government-owned management company. According to Al Jazeera, Djibouti argued that the transfer of terminal control was necessary because the concession agreement with DP World contained elements that violated the countrys sovereignty. But U.S. officials were worried that the governments seizure meant control of the terminal could be transferred to Chinato which the African nation owes a significant debt. U.S. Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), said in a letter to the secretaries of state and defense in November 2018: Chinas control of Doraleh [Container Terminal] could allow it to impede U.S. military operations in the Horn of Africa, as well as those of U.S. allies, adding that these facilities are vital to ensuring the free flow of maritime commerce and the success of counterterrorism and intelligence operations against extremist groups. Djibouti hosts military bases of countries that include the United States, China, France, and Japan. In response to Djiboutis seizure, DP World filed a lawsuit against Djibouti in London. Months later, in September, the High Court of England and Wales issued an injunction prohibiting Djibouti from interfering with DP Worlds management in the DCT joint venture, according to a press release by the Dubai government. Dozens of people hold Chinese flags along Flushing's Main Street just before the start of the Lunar New Year Parade in Flushing, New York City on Feb. 9, 2019. (The Epoch Times) Flushing Lunar New Year Parade Dyed Red With Chinese Flags, Locals Upset NEW YORKThe main street in Flushing, Queens, was lined with more than 100 large Chinese flags, rising like crimson peaks above the crowds and billowing violently in the wind, as revelers welcomed the Year of the Pig at the annual Lunar New Year Parade. The annual parade, which draws thousands of spectators each year, is a celebration of Asian-American culture as well as the contribution of Asian-Americans to New York society, according to event organizers the Flushing Chinese Business Association. Parade-goers were greeted not only with dragon dancers and performers donned in traditional Chinese dress, but also the sight of more than 100 Chinese flag-bearers stationed behind police barricades along the parade route on Flushings Main Street on Feb. 9. The flag-bearers were spaced roughly six feet apart for the length of about five blocks along the main thoroughfare of the bustling Chinese enclave. Each wielded identical five-star flagsa symbol of the unification of China under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)which stood at roughly eight feet and filled Main Street with the blood-red color that signifies the Party. No American flag of comparable size could be seen along the street. Organized Effort A reporter from the Chinese-language Epoch Times at the parade observed a group of people distributing the Chinese flags outside an entrance to the Main Street subway station at roughly 10:30 am, half an hour before the parade started. After receiving their flags, the bearers then moved to designated positions along Main Street, with each person positioned at a police barricade. Reporters from The Epoch Times and sister media NTD Television, posing as bystanders, asked several flag-bearers whether they could also carry a flag. One flag-bearer told a reporter that only people who pre-registered were able to carry one and that they must stand in an area designated by the organizer. One male flag-bearer of African-American appearance told a reporter that he was paid $200 to carry the flag this year, adding that last year he was paid $20. Another male, an apparent coordinator who was giving out flags, was observed telling recipients to keep their red envelopes safe, adding that the payment was $30. Red envelopes containing cash gifts are traditionally given out during Chinese New Year. A middle-aged man wearing gray was also observed telling people around him, If people ask you whether you get money [for holding the flags], tell them theres no money. At 11 a.m. at the start of the parade, Li Huahong, the head of a CCP front group known as the Chinese Anti-Cult World Alliance (CACWA), was observed instructing flag-bearers in the area to unfurl their flags. She also was seen ordering flag-bearers to stand in their designated area. In the past, the CACWA has harassed and intimidated local adherents of Falun Gong, a spiritual group that is currently banned and heavily persecuted in mainland China. The CACWA is currently banned from participating in the Flushing Lunar New Year parade after violating the organizers rules in a previous year. The group had displayed Chinese flags during the parade, in breach of a rule stipulating that participants must only carry American flags. The group also put up banners bearing hate speech against Falun Gong on their float. The group also was behind the recent protests at Lincoln Center in New York against Shen Yun Performing Arts, a New York-based classical Chinese dance company whose mission, according to its website, is to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture. The companys portrayal of a divinely inspired civilization and the ongoing persecution of the spiritual discipline Falun Gong has drawn ire from the communist regime. Locals Upset Peter Tu, chairman of the Flushing Lunar New Year Parade and executive-director of the Flushing Chinese Business Association, said he was upset after seeing the spectacle during the Feb. 9 parade. Tu said this was the second year the flag-bearers were present in the spectator crowd, but there appeared to be even more Chinese flags this year. The local community leader said he could not stop people from bearing the Chinese flag on the sidewalks, but implored that they should also carry the American flag, as a sign of respect for the country that theyve adopted as their home. The American government [has given] us a lot of opportunity to let us have freedom, to have [the] opportunity to make business as well as we can, he said. So we cant say that we [do not] appreciate America. Tu said that this behavior hurt the image of Asian-Americans and undermined efforts to bridge the cultural gap between the community and mainstream America. Many parade-goers also expressed disappointment with the display. One middle-age woman was observed telling a flag-bearer: Youve come to America where you can enjoy freedom, but you want to convert this place to [Chinas] Shandong province. Youre digging your own grave. One parade-goer told a reporter, These people should be investigated, find out what their background is. One man told a reporter that Li had previously offered him money to stand for an hour holding the flag, and told him to escape if people took photographs. The man said he refused Lis offer. Another said: The five-star red flag is a kind of evil. It represents dictatorship, a fascist uprising. CCP Influence Overseas Experts have increasingly warned about the Chinese communist regimes efforts to co-opt overseas Chinese communities as part of its campaign to expand its influence in Western countries, including in the United States. The CCP targets diaspora communities through its United Front Work Department (UFWD), a party agency tasked with spreading Beijings agenda overseas. As detailed in his 2018 book, Silent Invasion: Chinas Influence in Australia, Clive Hamilton, professor of public ethics at Australias Charles Sturt University, explains that the UFWD seeks to infiltrate and co-opt overseas ethnic Chinese communities to both silence dissident voices and shape a sympathetic stance from Western societies towards the regime. A 2018 report by Washington think-tank the Hoover Institution also raised concerns about CCP influence on Chinese-American communities. Titled Chinese Influence and American Interests: Promoting Constructive Vigilance, the report, written by 22 top China experts, says that the CCPs focus on diaspora communities has intensified in recent years to become an important element in overall U.S.-China relations. Beijing views Chinese Americans as members of a worldwide Chinese diaspora that presumes them to retain not only an interest in the welfare of China but also a loosely defined cultural, and even political, allegiance to the so-called Motherland, the report says. Such activities not only interfere with freedom of speech within the United States but they also risk generating suspicion of Chinese Americans even though those who accept Beijings directives are a very small minority. Then-acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill on May 11, 2017. Testimonies by several FBI officials highlight McCabe's unusual role in the Carter Page FISA. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) FBI Testimonies on Carter Page FISA Reveal Broken Oversight Process Carter Page, a U.S. citizen who was a foreign policy adviser to the Trump presidential campaign in early 2016, was surveilled under Title I of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The FBI used the so-called Steele dossierwritten by former MI6 agent Christopher Steele and paid for by the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committeeto portray Page as an agent of a foreign power, specifically Russia, to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC). FISA warrants on U.S. citizens must receive formal approval from the FISC, which requires that there be probable cause to believe the proposed target is a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power. A FISA warrant allows for some of the most invasive methods of spying on an American citizen. When asked by Congress in an Oct. 3, 2018, testimony about the FISA process, James Bakerthe highest-ranking lawyer at the FBI at the time of the Page applicationdescribed a FISA warrant as allowing for a set of highly intrusive surveillance techniques that are used to provide the FBI with foreign intelligence information. Baker, while acknowledging the inherent dangers of abuse of the FISA process, told investigators that it is overseen closely by various elements of the government to make sure that it is being done for the right purposes. Several congressional testimonies reviewed for this article, however, reveal that FISA oversight may not be as robust as the American public has been led to believe. Baker said that the FBIs process of obtaining a Title I FISA warrant would typically originate from an FBI agent at a field office. That request would then be reviewed within the field office, by various supervisors within an escalating chain of command. As Baker stated in his testimony, there would also be a legal scrub at this point. From there, the request would entail interactions and approval from the Office of the General Counsel and FBI headquarters. Once approval had been granted by the FBI, the request would be moved from the bureau to the Department of Justices Office of Intelligence, where the FISA request would undergo a complete review at various levels within the department. Baker testified that once everyone agreed that they wanted the request to go forward, there would be a signature process that the agencies go through that included the director of the FBI or the deputy director. From there, the assistant attorney general for national security, the deputy attorney general, or the attorney general would sign the FISA prior to its presentation to the court. According to Baker, once the application was presented to the FISC, legal advisers assigned to the court would review the applications in order to scrub them. Only then would a FISA application be presented to an actual federal district court judge who concurrently sat on the FISC. At that point, the FISA judge would review the application and either grant or deny it. FBI Sets Its Sights on Carter Page According to Bakers testimony, it appears that the FBI began to set its sights on former Trump campaign adviser Page in the summer of 2016. When asked how he had first gained knowledge of the FBIs intention to pursue a FISA on Page, Baker testified that it came through his familiarity with the FBIs investigation: Mr. Baker: I learned of so I was aware when the FBI first started to focus on Carter Page, I was aware of that because it was part of the broader investigation that we were conducting. So I was aware that we were investigating him. And then at some point in time Mr. Meadows: But that was many years ago. That was in 2014. Or are you talking about 2016? Mr. Baker: I am talking about 2016 in the summer. Mr. Meadows: Okay. Mr. Baker: Yeah. And so I was aware of the investigation, and then at some point in time, as part of the regular briefings on the case, the briefers mentioned that they were going to pursue a FISA. FISAs Can Be Processed Orally The FISA process is generally viewed as one that takes months of preparation before an application is actually presented to the FISA court. But according to Baker, the process could move very quickly and could even be done orally, if needed: Ms. Shen: How long will it take to assemble a complete application? Mr. Baker: It depends. The cases are prioritized. And so the ones that are the most urgent so in a counterterrorism case where there is an imminent threat, the process can move extremely quickly, and it can be done all orally. Baker said the length of time varied with each application, noting, It can take days, weeks, sometimes months to move a FISA through, depending it depends on the nature of the threat and the strength of the probable cause. FISA warrants are used to obtain foreign intelligence, but as Baker testified, FISAs can have a criminal component to them as wellas long as a high-ranking national security official signs off that a significant purpose of the FISA application is to obtain foreign intelligence. The line between what is criminal and what is intelligence sometimes becomes blurred and that was a big issue before 9/11 and even after 9/11, that has been sorted out basically now. But a significant purpose of the surveillance has to be for foreign intelligence purposes, said Baker. When asked what type of evidence might be present in a FISA application, Baker noted that it could come from a wide variety of lawful sources to establish probable cause and could include witness interviews and physical surveillance. Baker listed some additional sources: [Y]ou might have, confidential source information. You might have information from a foreign partner. You could have intercepts from some other intelligence agency that may have been provided to the FBI. Notably, a primary component of the Page application was the Steele dossierwithout which, according to FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, no FISA warrant on Page would have been sought. Unusual Intervention by McCabe, Yates in FISA Application Trisha Anderson, the principal deputy general counsel for the FBI and head of the bureaus National Security and Cyber Law Branch, approved the application for a warrant to spy on Page before it went to FBI Director James Comey. During her Aug. 31 testimony, she described the FISA application process as being a linear path and noted there is a specific system called FISAMS within the Bureau that tracks in a linear fashion all the approvals on a FISA. Yet, despite the rigid description provided by Baker and Anderson, it appears the linearity process was not adhered to in the case of the Page FISA. According to Anderson, pre-approvals for the Page FISA were provided by both McCabe and Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, before the FISA application was ever presented to her for review. [M]y boss and my boss boss had already reviewed and approved this application. And, in fact, the Deputy Attorney General, who had the authority to sign the application, to be the substantive approver on the FISA application itself, had approved the application. And that typically would not have been the case before I did that, said Anderson. Anderson told investigators that the Page FISA was handled a little bit differently in that sense, in that it received very high-level review and approvals informal, oral approvals before it ever came to me for signature. The unusual preliminary review and approval from both McCabe and Yates appear to have had a substantial impact on the normal review process, leading other individuals like Anderson to believe that the Page FISA was more vetted than, perhaps, it really was. It is not known why McCabe and Yates both chose to insert themselves at an early stage into the Page FISA process. McCabe, who was fired for lying to the DOJ inspector general, is currently being investigated by a grand jury. Yates, who was fired by President Donald Trump for failing to impose the so-called travel ban, was responsible for the issuance of a July 2015 opinion that allowed the DOJ and the FBI to refuse the inspector general access to information collected under Title III of the Federal Wiretap Act. Anderson told investigators that in general, as she approved applications, she was verifying that processes had been followed and legal sufficiency existed for the FISAs, but noted that she did so with a great degree of deference to the many lawyers who have reviewed that application before me. But in the specific case of the Page FISA, Anderson viewed the situation as particularly unique, noting that I wouldnt view it as my role to second-guess that substantive approval that had already been given by the Deputy Director and by the Deputy Attorney General in this particular instance. Anderson also testified that she had not read the Page FISA prior to signing off on the application and passing it along to Comey for the final signature. 15 to 20 FISAs Signed in 20 Minutes The signing process by the FBI director appears to be more of an official act than any sort of actual review. Anderson testified that each day, the director might receive 15 to 20 FISAs to sign, with each containing large amounts of documentation. [Theyre] very thick. Its not unusual for the Director to receive a stack this tall. Im indicating about a foot and a half between my hands here, for the benefit of the reporter, she said. Anderson testified that the director was allotted 20 minutes in which to review the entirety of the days FISA applicationsnot 20 minutes per FISA. Mr. Baker (House Majority Investigative Counsel): And you said just a minute ago I thought you said that the Director has 20 minutes set aside to review all the FISAs? Ms. Anderson: Approximately, yes. No Fact Checking by Senior Staff Even during normal circumstances, Anderson noted that she did not view it as her primary responsibility to provide any verification or fact-checking of the FISA applications. According to Anderson, FISAs would typically return from DOJ inspection with a cover note that summarized the FISA, and unless an issue had been identified by the cover note, she typically wouldnt read the actual application because of the time pressures involved and the sort of very-last-stop-in-the-process nature of the review. Anderson also testified that the only way she would be aware of the legal predicate for probable cause would be through the DOJ cover note. Anderson told investigators that her direct supervisor, Baker, had personally read and reviewed the Page FISA, lending her additional confidence in the review process. However, according to Baker, he had only read the factual section relating to probable cause and had not read or reviewed any other section, including the Woods file. The Woods file, which provides facts supporting the allegations made in a FISA application, is attached to every application and is provided by the originating FBI agent in each case. Baker, during questioning as to why the FBI failed to disclose the political motivations of dossier author Steele to the FISC, testified that this fact should have been vetted during lower levels of preparation. So the people filing the FISA application and the people who checked the Woods file to verify that the way this works is that they would not have had any information that was derogatory about Source #1 at the time that this was submitted, Baker said. That there might exist in the files of the FBI or in somebodys memory some interaction that might be derogatory and that it didnt make it into the files I dont know that that happened or didnt happen. That kind of thing in theory, in theory could happen. So, but the people responsible for this FISA should have believed that that was accurate at the time and should have had documentation to support that assertion. However, Sally Moyer, who was a unit chief at the Office of General Counsel, told lawmakers that only the originating agent and the supervisory special agent in the field actually look at the Woods file during the preparation of a FISA application: Mr. Somers: So you dont do you review the Woods file? Ms. Moyer: No. Mr. Somers: Did you review the Woods file in the Carter Page application? Ms. Moyer: No. Mr. Somers: Okay. So beyond the case agent, who looks at a Woods file? Ms. Moyer: The supervisory special agent in the field. Mr. Somers: In the field. But no one else out of the field of that chain looks at a Woods file in general? Ms. Moyer: That is correct, except both of those individuals sign the Woods form indicating that the facts are true and accurate and that they have documents to support those facts. Moyer told investigators that the person thats signing the application is relying on the individuals who have signed the Woods form that they have the Woods file. Moyer stipulated that in some cases, the supervisory special agent at FBI headquarters who is signing off on an application might choose to review the Woods file, but that it was not done for the Page FISA. Mr. Somers: Do you know if that happened in the case of the Carter Page? Ms. Moyer: I dont think it did in this case. Moyer said that routine compliance audits, known as accuracy reviews, are sometimes carried out by the DOJs Office of Intelligence and entail a review of nonspecific Woods files. However, she also noted that the Woods file relating to the Page FISA had not been reviewed or audited by anyone: Mr. Somers: Previously you had mentioned, I think, that to your knowledge an audit or a Woods review has not been performed on the Carter Page FISA. Ms. Moyer: Correct. Flawed FISA Makes It Through the System Baker told investigators that he felt it would be very difficult for the FBI or the DOJ to intentionally try to trick the FISC into issuing a FISA without sufficient evidence. Such a thing wouldnt make its way through the system because somebody would ferret that out it in the process. And I seriously doubt that it would make its way to the FISA court. Because the FBI doesnt want to would not want to do that with respect to the director who is going to sign these things, nor to the Attorney General. And the Department of Justice would be very protective of the Attorney General and try to ferret out anything like that. And I think it would be kept away from the FISA court in the first instance, Baker said. The Page application was largely reliant on the Steele dossier, a series of memos that was unverified at its time of submission to the FISC and remains unverified to this day. Circular reporting, provided by Steele himself, was used as corroboration of the dossier. Additionally, Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos, whose conversation with Australian diplomat Alexander Downer was used to open the FBIs July 31, 2016, counterintelligence investigation, is referenced in the FISA, yet there is no evidence of any cooperation or conspiracy between Page and Papadopoulos, according to a House Intelligence Committee memo. Baker himself was unaware of some material facts. When he was told that high-ranking DOJ official Bruce Ohrwho had passed information from Steele and Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson to the FBIhad informed the FBI that there was the potential for bias, Baker seemed surprised, telling investigators, I dont recall ever hearing that before just right now. Notably, Baker testified that he was aware of Ohrs interactions with Steele and the FBI, but told investigators they werent something I focused on. When pressed, he stated: I was aware that Bruce Ohr had some type of relationship with the source, and that somehow through that mechanism, the details of which I did not know, information was flowing to the FBI. From the source through Bruce to the FBI. Meanwhile, Moyer testified that without the Steele dossier, the Page FISA would have had a 50/50 chance of achieving the probable cause standard before the FISA court. Notably, to this day, the Steele dossier is considered to have been largely discredited. Baker appeared to understand the sensitivity of the Page FISA, telling investigators at one point that he envisioned an interview like the one he was currently involved in: I anticipated being sitting here in rooms like this down the road, I seriously did, and I knew that it was I knew that it was sensitive. I knew that it would be controversial It was connected to a candidate this person had connections to a candidate for the office of President of the United States. That alone was enough to make me worried about it and made me focus on it. Despite this admission, when asked if he had reviewed any of the three Page FISA renewals, Baker responded that he had not done so, telling investigators, The machinery was moving and the renewals they had expiration dates and so on. No Hearings Held for Carter Page FISA There is one final check in the FISA application processthe FISC itself. A federal judge would hear the FBIs and DOJs arguments, questioning the process and the underlying evidenceexcept that never happened, and, apparently, rarely does. In response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit by Judicial Watch, the DOJ acknowledged that no hearings were held in relation to the Page FISA. The DOJ also noted that according to experts at the DOJs Office of Intelligence, this is typical in proceedings before the FISC. In a July 29, 2013, response letter to Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), presiding FISC Judge Reggie B. Walton provided a description of FISA court practices: These courses of action might include indicating to Court staff that he or she is prepared to approve the application without a hearing; indicating an inclination to impose conditions on the approval of the application; determining that additional information is needed about the application; or determining that a hearing would be appropriate before deciding whether to grant the application. Nor is the judge the only official that holds determination in this matter. According to the practices sent by Walton, the government also can request a hearing. In conjunction with its submission of a final application, the government has an opportunity to request a hearing, even if the judge did not otherwise intend to require one, Walton wrote. Its worth reminding ourselves that the Page FISA was not just another run-of-the-mill surveillance warrant placed before the court by the intelligence community. Page had been a foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign in the midst of a presidential election. Given the obvious sensitivity of this particular FISA warrant, it seems surprising that no party thought it worthwhile to ask for a hearingas provided for by FISA court practices. A FISA warrant, as noted by Baker himself, is an intrusive surveillance technique that is only to be employed under very strict circumstances and subject to rigid oversight and processes. But as can be seen from the example of the Page FISA, the intent behind the process appears to have been subsumed by the process itself, relegating the various levels of oversight to what appears to have been a series of rubber stamps. The FISC itself appears to have performed little better. Systematic Abuses in Accessing 702 Data A damning 99-page unsealed ruling from the FISC, dated April 26, 2017, and issued by presiding Judge Rosemary Collyer, provided further insight into additional FISA abuse engaged in by the Intelligence Community in relation to Section 702 data and minimization procedures. Section 702 permits the government to surveil foreign persons located outside the United States for the purpose of acquiring foreign intelligence information. Minimization procedures are intended to protect any U.S. persons information that is incidentally acquired in the course of Section 702 collection. The FISA court found that the government had been engaging in a long pattern of significant abuses that were revealed to the court by then-National Security Agency Director Adm. Mike Rogers. On October 24, 2016, the government orally apprised the Court of significant non-compliance with the NSAs minimization procedures involving queries of data acquired under Section 702 using U.S. person identifiers. The full scope of non-compliant querying practices had not been previously disclosed to the Court, the FISC ruling read. The court noted the governments failure to previously notify the court of these issues, referring to the governments actions as exhibiting an institutional lack of candor while emphasizing that this is a very serious Fourth Amendment issue. The litany of abuses described in the April 26, 2017, ruling was shocking and detailed the use of private contractors by the FBI in relation to Section 702 data. The FBI was specifically singled out by the FISC numerous times in the ruling: The improper access previously afforded the contractors has been discontinued. The Court is nonetheless concerned about the FBIs apparent disregard of minimization rules and whether the FBI may be engaging in similar disclosures of raw Section 702 information that have not been reported. The FISA process has been the target of ongoing abuse from various elements within the intelligence community, and the processes and procedures that we have been told protect us appear to be routinely compromised at will. As a result of the April 2017 FISC ruling, changes to the FISA process have been made. Nevertheless, a complete re-examination of the entire FISA system appears to be not only warranted, but perhaps necessary. Jeff Carlson is a regular contributor to The Epoch Times. He also runs the website TheMarketsWork.com and can be followed on Twitter @themarketswork. Father of 5 Dead After Gumtree Deal Turns Fatal More men remain on the run after a fatal shooting in suburban Melbourne which a court has been told is linked to a questionable Gumtree deal. A Gumtree deal turned fatal in suburban Melbourne when a would-be buyer of DJ equipment allegedly returned with a hit squad and a man was shot in the head. Four men faced court on Feb. 11, but others are still on the run, over the weekend killing of Duane Hutchings, 44. The father-of-five died in hospital after allegedly being confronted by a group of men inside an Oakleigh East home and shot with a sawn-off shotgun. Tony Panagiotou, 56, is charged with murder. He faced Melbourne Magistrates Court along with sons John, 18, George, 22, and 24-year-old Jonathan Atalalis, who are each charged with trespassing with intent to assault while carrying metal batons. The trio is also accused of intentionally and recklessly causing injury to Mr Hutchings, and assaulting him with a baton. The court was told John Panagiotou operates a sound equipment hire company called Love It LoudDj Equipment & Party Hire. Equipment was dropped to a womans home on Feb. 9, who then allegedly advertised it for sale on Gumtree. A man who went by the name Steven contacted the woman and went to her home about 5.30 a.m., saying he was happy with the equipment and would retrieve cash from his car. However, Steven allegedly returned with a group of about six or seven other men, who assaulted Mr Hutchings with a metal pole before Tony Panagiotou allegedly shot him in the back of the head. Mr Hutchings was left in critical condition and died later that day in The Alfred Hospital. Three of the men then visited Doncaster Police Station, saying they had equipment stolen valued at up to A$30,000 ($21,200). John Panagiotou was refused bail on the basis the shotgun and two or three alleged co-offenders were still at large as his very distressed mother sobbed loudly in court, comforted by her daughter. John was also visibly upset, crying in the dock as he was refused bail. The gun that was used in the homicide has yet to be recovered by police. There may be two or three more co-accused out there and I dont know whos got that gun Its troubling me, a concerned magistrate said of the missing firearm. Police have said that they need more time to investigate the roles played by the men involved in the shooting, The Age reported. The Age also reported that the woman who Steven contacted could be charged with deception offences by the court. George Panagiotou will return to court on March 7 to apply for bail. Atalalis did not apply for bail and his matter was adjourned along with those of Tony and John Panagiotou to June 3 for committal mention. By Amber Wilson The European Unions foreign ministry recently warned E.U. diplomats and military officers about the threat of about 250 Chinese and 200 Russian spies operating in Brussels, the E.U. capital. In the photo, Belgium's Prime Minister Charles Michel attends European Summit on December 14, 2018. (EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images) EU Agency: 250 Chinese Spies Active In Brussels The European Unions foreign ministry recently warned EU diplomats and military officers about the threat of about 250 Chinese and 200 Russian spies operating in Brussels, the EU capital. They go undetected while monitoring the areas near important institutions, such as a popular steakhouse and a cafe close to the European Commissions main building. German newspaper Die Welt reported on Feb. 9 that the warning was sent by European External Action Service (EEAS), an EU diplomatic organization tasked with carrying out the Unions foreign and security policies. The report said that Russian spies have been active in Brussels for decades. But a lesser-known presence are Chinese intelligence agents active in Brussels, who hide their identities by posing as employees of their embassies, or commercial representatives of companies from their own countries. The report gave an unspecified example of when a Chinese or Russian diplomat would attend an important event, the people accompanying the diplomat are often undercover agents. Spies who also work at various types of small and big businesses in Brussels, especially those located near EU buildings. By directly and indirectly contacting EU officialssometimes by pretending to do business with them, as well as monitoring the premises, these spies collect the information that their home countries are interested in. Kenneth Lasoen, a security expert from Belgian Ghent University, has previously said that the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, EU institutions, and many international agencies are based in Brussels, and all these entities are key targets of spies and hackers from other countries, including China and Russia. Highly valuable economic and political information is exchanged here. That makes Brussels a nest of espionage, Belgian media the Bulletin quoted Lasoen as saying back in Nov. 3, 2017. To obtain valuable economic, military, and political information, countries have also resorted to cyber attacks. Belgiums national intelligence and security services, the Belgian Standing Intelligence Agencies Review Committee, said in its 2016 annual report: Foreign companies were the subject of interception activities by the intelligence services in relation to espionage targeting leading politicians, governments, and international institutions. One of the latest examples is the revelation that since 2016, an arm of Chinas military, known as the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), that specializes in cyberattacks breached an European diplomatic communications network used to share details on policy-making efforts. A Dec. 19, 2018 report by Politico quoted Blake Darche, chief security officer of Area 1 Security, an American cybersecurity company, explaining how PLA hackers found the weakest links in the digital chain to attack Cypruss Ministry of Foreign Affairs, thus gaining access to the entire European Union diplomatic communications network. This network, named Correspondence Europeenne, provides a platform for officials in 28 EU countries, the European Council, the EEAS, and EU Commission to cooperate on foreign policy matters. [Im] not surprised about the fact that there is such an attack. It is just a question of time when [such a data breach] would happen, or become public, said Udo Helmbrecht to Politico. He is the executive director of the EUs cybersecurity agency, European Union Agency for Network and Information Security. The Chinese Embassy in Belgium denied the claims in the Die Welt article on Feb. 10, releasing a statement saying that the article was an outright fabrication without any evidence. Elderly Couple, 19-Year-Old Die in New York Crash After Police Chase: Reports An elderly couple and a teen were killed in a car crash following a high-speed police chase near New York City. A 17-year-old driver, Nahriek Belford, crashed into another vehicle during the chase, killing a 74-year-old man and his 71-year-old wife, reported the New York Post on Feb. 9. The incident took place at 11:50 p.m. at Route 25 and Birchwood Park Drive in Middle Island, Long Island. The 19-year-old passenger in Belfords car, Angelo, also died, officials said. Fatal car accident in Middle Island Saturday February 9, 2019. Numeroous people were reported killed in a multi-car LI Hot Shots Photography & Video Services 2019210 Suffolk County police saw the teen, Belford, run through a stop sign. The Nissan Rogue he was driving was reported stolen two days before the accident, police told the Post. When police tried to pull Belford over, he drove away and a chase ensued. They chased Belford and his two passenger to Route 25 where Bedford hit a Honda CRV driven by the elderly couple. Angelo and the elderly couple were pronounced dead at the scene. MIDDLE ISLAND MULTIPLE FATAL CAR ACCIDENT BIRCHWOOD PARK DR AND MIDDLE CTY RD THE IMPACT SPLIT SUV IN HALF .CRIME SCENE ROADWAY CLOSED FOR HOURS 2-9-19 11;52 PM pic.twitter.com/tIbb3YgFvs OnScenePhotography (@onsceneprez) February 10, 2019 Bedford and his second passenger, 16-year-old Jaquell Funderburke, sustained serious injuries and were rushed to Stony Brook University Hospital, the Post reported. As the driver, Bedford was arrested on charges of reckless endangerment. Additional charges are pending, police said. The elderly couple have been identified as Jerome and Randee Weingarten in local news reports. As a department, our heartfelt condolences go out to the Weingarten family in this tragic, tragic accident, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said, CBS NY reported. Naveen Dhaliwal 2019210 Belfords stepmother, Wyteria Belford, said she was shocked by the incident and expressed her condolences to the victims families, ABC7 reported. Anyone who may have seen the crash can contact the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6555 or anonymously via Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS. According to CBS, an investigation revealed that the plates on the stolen Nissan had been switched. Three people died when a driver fleeing police crashed into another car. The driver survived and is facing charges. Read more: http://cbsloc.al/2WPTKgW CBS New York 2019210 Other details about the crash are not clear. The investigation is continuing. Traffic Deaths Down Across US in 2018 U.S. traffic deaths fell 3.1 percent in the first six months of 2018, according to preliminary figures released in October 2018, Reuters reported. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that traffic deaths in 2017 fell by 1.8 percent to 37,133 after traffic deaths rose sharply in the previous two years, according to final figures. The U.S. traffic fatality rate fell to 1.08 deaths per 100 million miles traveled for the first half of 2018. The fatality rate in 2017 was 1.16 million deaths per 100 million miles traveledthe second highest rate since 2008. This is good news and bad news, said Deborah Hersman, CEO of the National Safety Council, CNBC reported. The total number of fatalities is not getting worse, but the situation is not getting better. Hersman cited distracted driving and higher speed limits for the number. There are a number of states that have raised speed limits, some now have stretches at 80 or 85 miles per hour, she said in the CNBC report. In Texas, for example, she estimated that traffic fatalities jumped 7 percent from 2015 to 2017, in part due to higher speed limits in the state. We know its happening even though distracted driving data is hard to come by, she said of drivers using smartphones while behind the wheel. Police reports on accidents often dont report if the driver was distracted and in many accidents, people dont self-report themselves. Stephen Kinder killed himself on Feb. 7, 2019, after being arrested and charged with animal cruelty, police departments in Tennessee and Georgia said. (Cleveland Police Department) Dog Trainer Facing Animal Cruelty Charges Kills Himself: Police A dog trainer who was recently charged with animal cruelty was found dead by suicide in Tennessee. Stephen Kinder died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Cleveland Police Department confirmed. Kinder was recently arrested after an investigation concluded he abused dozens of animals, leaving them malnourished and living in horrible conditions at his business, Kinder Dog Training, in Cleveland, and at his home in Whitfield County, Georgia. The initial arrest came after a woman told police her dog was seen vomiting and lost a significant amount of weight after spending time at the Tennessee business. Abigail Eastburn said she took her English Great Dane to the center and he was 30 pounds lighter when she picked him up several weeks later. He also had a slew of health problems. I was heartbroken, Eastburn told WSB-TV. He had diarrhea, vomiting, was lethargic. He couldnt walk. He was falling asleep standing up, and was kind of tumbling over. The bulk of the animals were found at his house, including 16 dogs. They were all 10 to 15 pounds underweight. They all had muscle mass loss and dried feces upon them, said Diane Franklin, the director of the Whitfield County Animal Shelter. Also found were two baby goats, two turtles, a snake, and nine ducks, along with several dead animals, the Dalton Police Department said. After the discovery of the animals, volunteers and veterinarians worked into the night on Thursday to care for them. NEW: Abigail Eastburn says when she dropped off Duncan, her 6 month old Great Dane to Kinder Dog Training he was 95lbs (first picture). When she picked him up 7 weeks later this past Sunday, he was only 65lbs (second picture). pic.twitter.com/7f36g0Sqvx Kiley Thomas (@KileyThomasNews) February 5, 2019 This is a picture from when rescue groups took in the dogs from Kinders home in Dalton last night. Vets say they were malnourished. pic.twitter.com/D93EqdQw54 Latricia Thomas (@LatriciaTnc9) February 8, 2019 Belgian Malinois, German shepherd and Dogo Argentino were among the breeds of the dogs, reported Fox 5. Dalton Police Department officers said they werent sure what Kinder was doing with those breeds as they are often used by law enforcement. Nonprofit Canine Pet Rescue and Happy Tails Veterinary Care in Bethlehem were among the groups and businesses working together to give the dogs health examinations and vaccinations. Besides the animal cruelty charges, Kinder also faced a lawsuit filed by a couple in Georgia saying his business didnt provide the training it promised, that the business abused their animal, and that they had to take their dog, Tank, to the vet and retrain him due to Kinders negligence. Additionally, the couples lawyer said that Kinder promised to refund the couples money and pay for vet bills but ultimately did not do so. The suit asked for $6,000. NEW: The owner of Kinder Dog Training in Cleveland is charged with 4 counts of animal cruelty. I just spoke to Stephen Kinder who says hes innocent. pic.twitter.com/SK5ZiiVcLl Kiley Thomas (@KileyThomasNews) February 5, 2019 Never Expected This The suicide was unexpected and Eastburn, whose complaint helped kick off the investigation, said she did not want Kinder to die. I never expected this to happen, she told WDEF. I never wanted this to happen. The whole point of this was to get justice for my dog. She said she didnt regret what she did. I dont feel guilty for sharing my story. We helped a lot of people, Eastburn said. I know that there was a lot going on because he told me that himself when I spoke to him, that he was receiving a lot of death threats and that he was going through a lot of shaming on social media, Cleveland Police spokeswoman Evie West said. So I dont know what was going through his mind. I dont know if it was just this specific incident, I dont know if it was what was being said, or if it was a collective something that just made him think that this was not worth it, she said. From NTD News A rescue dog owned by Lisa Topol is seen New York. on Jan. 31, 2019. Topol recently had the DNA tested on both her mixed-breed dogs. Genetic testing for dogs has grown rapidly in recent years, fueled by companies marketing kits that offer to decode dogs heritage and health as simply, or laboriously, as owners can swab a canine cheek. (Mary Altaffer/AP Photo) Dog DNATesting Takes Off, and Generates Debate NEW YORKAs people peer into DNA for clues to health and heritage, mans best friend is under the microscope, too. Genetic testing for dogs has surged in recent years, fueled by companies that echo popular at-home tests for humans, offering a deep dive into a pets genes with the swab of a canine cheek. More than a million dogs have been tested in little over a decade. The tests rise has stirred debate about standards, interpretation, and limitations. But to many dog owners, DNA is a way to get to know their companions better. It put some pieces of the puzzle together, says Lisa Topol, who recently tested her mixed-breed dogs Plop and Schmutzy. Plop was the top-scoring mixed-breed, and Schmutzy also competed, in Saturdays agility contest at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. Judging toward the coveted best in show prize began Monday. A test by Embarkwhich this fall became Westminsters first DNA-testing partnerconfirmed Topols guess that her high-octane pets are more Australian cattle dog than anything else. But Schmutzys genetic pie chart had surprise ingredients, including generous amounts of Labrador retriever and Doberman pinscher. Huh? Topol thought at first. And then: Maybe Schmutzys love of water and fetching is her inner Lab coming out. And doesnt she walk a bit like a Doberman? They are the dogs that they are Theyre unique, and theyre special, said Topol, a New York advertising executive. But the testing makes me understand them better. Canine DNA testing for certain conditions and purposes goes back over two decades, but the industry took off after scientists mapped a full set of dog genes and published the results in 2005. Wisdom Health, part of pet care and candy giant Mars Inc., launched a breed-identification test in 2007, added a health-screening option a few years later and says it has now tested over 1.1 million dogs worldwide. Numerous other brands are also available. Mass-market tests have fueled research and helped animal shelters attract adopters by providing more information about prospective pets. DNA can back up purebred dogs parentage and help breeders try to eliminate certain diseases. The technology has been used to identify dogs whose owners dont pick up their droppings, to pursue accused biters and to free a Belgian Malinois from dog death row after he was accused of killing a Pomeranian in Michigan. And some veterinarians feel DNA testing enhances care. I want to know as much about my patients as possible, says Dr. Ernie Ward, a veterinarian and TV personality in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. He recommends testing all puppies. But qualms about the dog DNA boom spilled into the prestigious science journal Nature last year. Pet genetics must be reined in, a Boston veterinarian and two other scientists wrote. Their commentary opened with a troubling story: a pug being euthanized because her owners interpreted DNA results to mean she had a rare, degenerative neurological disorder, when in fact her ailment might have been something more treatable. These (tests) should be used in a limited way until we get a lot more information, says co-author and vet Dr. Lisa Moses. One concern is that tests can show genetic mutations that are linked to disease in some breeds but have unknown effects in the breed being tested. It also may be unclear how often dogs with the mutation ultimately get sick. That means tests, in themselves, cant necessarily tell pet owners how much they should worry. Or tell breeders whether a dog shouldnt reproduce. Some in dogdom fear that DNA test results could keep animals from passing on otherwise good genes because of an ambiguous possibility of disease. The risk for overinterpretation is great, but DNA testing can be useful along with other tools, says veterinarian Dr. Diane Brown, the CEO of the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation. It has invested almost $20 million in genomic and molecular research and supports an international effort to promote standardization for dog DNA tests. The initiative, led by the nonprofit International Partnership for Dogs, provides searchable data on test labs procedures and breed-specific health test information. Test companies say their work can help researchers address the unknowns and provides immediately useful information, such as whether a dogs genes suggest bad reactions to certain medications. Companies including Embark and Wisdom have veterinarians assigned to help people understand worrisome results. Were here to help you care better for your dog, says Embark Veterinary Inc. CEO Ryan Boyko, whose company has breed-and-health-tested nearly 100,000 canines in its 3 years. The alliance with Westminsterfor which Embark is paying an amount neither would disclosestands to give the company exposure, particularly to breeders. Longtime Belgian sheepdog breeder Lorra Miller, who has had dogs compete at Westminster, was initially skeptical about consumer-oriented canine DNA tests. They struck her as a novelty for mixed-breed pets. Now she hopes they can help Belgian sheepdog fanciers build up a body of genetic data to spark more research on the protective herders. Even if I dont get immediate benefit its for the future of the breed, says Miller, who lives near Monroe, Washington. For Rennie Pasquinelli, the benefit is a new perspective on her dog, Murray. He was pegged as a border collie-Boston terrier mix when she adopted him. But an Embark test last month detected just a smidgen of border collie mixed with six other breeds, mainly American pit bull terrier. And no Boston terrier at all. Obviously, I dont love him more, or less, said Pasquinelli, a graduate student in cognitive science at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Its like when you know something new about someone. That doesnt negatively or positively change your opinion on them, but you still look at them in a different way. By Jennifer Peltz The head of the U.S. trade delegation Jeffrey Gerrish arrives at a hotel after talks with Chinese officials in Beijing, China, on Feb. 11, 2019. (Reuters/Thomas Peter) Chinese State Media Indirectly Casts Doubt on Trade Deal Deadline as Talks Resume The Chinese regime has indirectly called into question the rigidity of the March 1 deadline for Beijing and Washington to reach a trade deal, as a new round of trade talks between the two countries commences. On Feb. 10, several state-run media outlets re-published an opinion piece that said the March 1 deadline was a topic of public opinion created by the U.S. side, and that it could be pushed to a later date, such as May 1. The opinion article, not itself an official statement by the Chinese regime, was first published on a social media account called Taoran Notes on the popular messaging app WeChat on Feb. 10. Taoran Notes is operated by state-run newspaper Economic Daily. The piece was then re-posted by a number of state-run media outlets including Peoples Daily and Beijing Daily, suggesting official support for this position. The two countries are currently trying to negotiate a trade deal before March 1, when U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports are scheduled to increase to 25 percent from the current 10 percent. The deadline was negotiated between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping upon agreeing to a 90-day trade truce during a meeting at the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Argentina on Dec. 1. Everyone focuses on whether China and the United States can reach an agreement or understanding on trade by March 1, the opinion article read. But in fact, on this question, people may have fallen into an agenda-setting trap by the United States, the article continued. The idea of a March 1 deadline is actually a tool used to further SinoUS trade talks. The article continued to downplay the deadlines significance: If the talks go well, but a deal cannot be reached by March 1 due to technical issues, then there shouldnt be an issue for it to be postponed for another two monthsFor instance, it should be fine for it to be extended to May 1, the article read. The piece circulated on Chinese social media just before the two countries were scheduled to resume trade talks in Beijing. Working-level discussions between Chinese and U.S. trade officials kicked off Feb. 11, with the U.S. side led by deputy trade representative Jeffrey Gerrish. High-level discussions are scheduled for later this week, in which U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will meet with Chinas Vice-Premier Liu He. Both sides struck an optimistic beat going into this latest round of talks. White House senior counselor Kellyanne Conway, in a Fox News interview on Feb. 11, expressed confidence that the two countries were getting close to a trade agreement. The Chinese side also hoped to see a good result, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a news briefing in Beijing the same day. The Chinese regime has sought to minimize the significance of the March 1 deadline since the G-20 summit meeting occurred. In the summits immediate aftermath, official statements and reports from Chinese state media did not refer to the 90-day deadline for negotiations. Some outlets, however, started referring to the deadline later on. In contrast, the White House released a statement on Dec. 1 that said Trump and Xi had agreed to reach a deal within the next 90 days, noting explicitly that a U.S. tariff increase on Chinese imports would kick in if at the end of this period of time, the parties are unable to reach an agreement. Lighthizer clarified in December that March 1 was a hard deadline. Chinese Leader Xi Jinping (L) welcomes Cameroon President Paul Biya in Beijing on March 22, 2018. The Chinese regime wrote off $78 million in debts from Cameroon but didn't report it.. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images) Chinese Regime Quietly Forgives $78M of Cameroons Debt The Chinese regime recently wrote off $78 million of Cameroons debt while Yang Jiechi, Chinas top diplomat, visited the central African country on Jan. 18. But both governments and official media did not publish the news until five days later. Yang, who is a member of the Chinese Communist Partys powerful Politburo, visited Cameroon as a special envoy of Chinese leader Xi Jinping. On Jan. 18, he met Cameroon President Paul Biya and made a series of cooperation agreements. But in the initial official reports by both countries, there was no information about the debts that Cameroon could not pay back to China in 2018only the fact that Yang had visited the country. China is Cameroons biggest creditor, with more than half of its roughly $8.2 billion external debt owed to the Chinese regime. Then on Jan. 22, the Chinese-language version of the Wall Street Journal, citing an official statement from the Cameroon president, reported that the two sides agreed to reduce Cameroons total debts owed to China, with $78 million written off. After African media began reporting on the news, CGTN Africa, the international arm of Chinas state-run broadcaster, published a Jan. 23 English-language report that Cameroon owes China almost $5.7 billion in total, and that the $78 million was the amount it could not pay back in 2018. But no state media or official press releases made mention of this in Chinese-language reports. The Partys mouthpiece Peoples Daily even claimed in a Jan. 29 report that foreign media with Chinese-language coverage designed this fake news for Chinese readers. Chinese Debt Journal du Camerouns Jan. 19 report noted that China is the primary commercial partner and biggest investor in Cameroon in terms of development-oriented projects. Furthermore, when Biya visited Beijing in March 2018, Xi had promised Biya that he would cancel Cameroons debtsmeaning Yang had fulfilled Xis promise. In recent years, China has made significant investments in African nations under its One Belt, One Road framework for increasing geopolitical influence around the world. According to Cameroons Ministry of Economy, Planning, and Regional Development, China invests more than $400 million per year into the countrys infrastructure, telecommunications, stadiums, and housing projects. As the debt piles up, Beijing has also sought to gain access to the countrys natural resources. VOA reported on Jan. 21 that while Yang was visiting, about 60 Cameroonian miners were protesting outside a Chinese-run gold mine in a village named Ngoura. The miners told VOA that Chinese miners excavate on river beds, swampy areas, and around waterfalls that violate Cameroon environmental laws, but they bribe officials to allow them to do whatever they want. The miners pledged to bring guilty people to justice. Chinese loans to the African continent at large has increased dramatically in the past 15 years, reaching $30 billion in 2016, according to the China Africa Research Initiative based at John Hopkins University. Reasons for Keeping Quiet While Chinas foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying admitted to CNN in early February that the debt forgiveness is true, the news has largely gone under the radar in Chinese media. This could be due to past negative reactions from the Chinese public to the regimes Africa investments. In September 2018, when Chinese leader Xi announced that Beijing plans to invest $60 billion in Africa over the next three years, Chinese netizens left angry online criticism. They said that while millions of Chinese live in poverty with less than 2,300 yuan ($340) annual income and struggle to get help from Chinese authorities, Beijing is throwing money at Africa. Chinese censors went into action by deleting negative posts and utilizing its fifty cent army to post positive posts. The term refers to internet users the authorities pay off to post positive online comments about the Partys policies. Chinas New Slogan Six Stabilities Is Meant to Stabilize Bubbles News Analysis Since January, the signal released by the Chinese communist regime has been very clear: it will invest in urban rail transit construction to stimulate the economy, a repetition of the old trick used in 2009 whereby the government spent 4 trillion yuan ($594 billion) to revive the economy. All these measures are not intended to serve as the savior of the world economy, but to save the Chinese economy, and to reach the six stabilitiesthe economic growth goals set by the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee in August 2018. They represent stabilities in the areas of employment, finance, foreign trade, foreign investment, domestic investment, and development targets. Ever since Made in China 2025 became the key target of the U.S.-China trade war, in order to cope with the outflow of manufacturing orders, the continued economic decline and the increasing unemployment pressure, China has to return to the old path of expanding credit and increasing government spending. Why is Chinese Economy Still Hungry for Capital After Five Consecutive RRR cuts? The one percent bank reserve requirement ratio (RRR) cut and the release of 1.5 trillion yuan ($223 billion) worth of new loans in early January this year was quite mind-boggling. On top of that, an official of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) revealed on Jan. 16 that the new policy required that the role of government bonds be strengthened as a benchmark financial asset, and can be used as quasi-currency. These have triggered a public outcryChinas central bank is practically issuing a credit card directly to Ministry of Finance. Now the question is, after five consecutive RRR cuts, why is Chinas financial situation still tight, and it is necessary to release a large amount of government bonds to serve as quasi-currency? The answer is, Chinas massive debts have become an unresolvable problem. The enormous debts have become a such big mess that even the Chinese government has a hard time sorting them out. As the amount of debts in 2018 is still an unknown, we have to use the 2017 data to analyze and discuss the situation. According to official data from the Chinese government, at the end of 2017 total debt had exceeded 200 trillion yuan ($30 trillion), Chinas per capita debt had reached 170,000 yuan (about $25,372), and the total debt was a whopping 200 percent of Chinas GDP. Estimates by international financial institutions are much more serious. An estimate based on some verifiable data from China showed that, by the end of 2017, debt to GDP ratio is 364 percent. Bloomberg surveyed 21 economists in March last year, and according to median of their estimates, Chinas total debt will reach 260 percent of gross domestic product by the end of 2018, basically unchanged from a year ago. Corporate bonds and local government debts account for a big percentage of the total debts. Considering the borrowers ability to repay these debts, a serious debt crisis may occur at anytime. Central Banks RRR cuts are intended to avoid this crisis, and they have two purposes. One is for the repayment of the debts; the other is they hope the expanded credit funds, that is the increased release of currency, can help boost the real economy. For example, a total of 1.5 trillion yuan ($222.5 billion) were released via one percent RRR cut on Jan. 4, 2019. According to a Reuters report, 900 billion yuan ($133.5 billion) was used for investments, the remaining 600 billion yuan ($89 billion) was used to pay back maturing Medium-term Lending Facility (MLF) loans, to stabilize the financial markets. Chinas development model, to stimulate economy through investments, has long suffered diminishing marginal utility. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), investment funds must be tripled for China to maintain the same economic growth rate as before. That is why the financial market is always hungry for additional funds, despite Central Banks constant quantitative easing policies. No Way Out There are several so-called grey rhinoceroses for the Chinese economy. Among them is huge debt from government spending on the construction of railroads, roads, and airports. Now that all completed projects of high-speed rails and subways are in deep debt, why would the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) intensively approve more than 1.2 trillion yuan of urban rail projects in the recent two months, and still regard infrastructure as the key to the stable investment for governments? The losses of the high-speed rail and the subway are verifiable facts. Since the opening of Chinas first high-speed rail, China Railway Corporation has always been in debt. In 2018, the companys debts were as high as over 4 trillion yuan ($593 billion). Some may argue that the high-speed rail is not the focus of government investment this year, as its focus is on urban rail or subway instead. However, subways are constantly losing money as well. According to a research report, The Overall Development of Chinas Urban Rail Transit Industry, by the end of 2016 a total of 43 cities have been approved for the construction of subways, with a total planned mileage of about 8,600 kilometers (5,344 miles). Looking at the level of individual subway routes, except for Beijing Metro Line 4, Beijing Metro Airport Line, and Shanghai Metro Line 1, all other lines are operating at a loss. The investment behavior of the Chinese regime can never be understood from an economic perspective. It needs to be understood from a political perspective. For example, the slogan of this round of government investment is make up the weak point to achieve stable investment. However, urban rail projects should not be considered a weak point. Subways in the first and second-tier cities are seriously oversupplied. For the 50 third-tier cities, at least there is no urgent need for subway construction. The reason why local governments are vying to build subways is simply because it is a money-burning project. According to data publicized by Zhao Chenxi, a spokesperson of the NDRC, the average cost of subways is about 700 million yuan per kilometer. The main source of construction funds is government financial funds and indirect financing. The operation mainly relies on financial subsidies, so whether it makes a profit or not is not a matter of concern (at least for Chinese officials). Once the application for subway construction is approved, local government will achieve at least three stability goals: stable investment, employment, and expectations. It takes several years to build a subway, as long as these officials can achieve those three stabilities during their tenure, and ensure local economic growth, they will be able to stabilize their official titles or even get promotion. That is why Chinese local government are wearing new shoes but still taking the same old road. The government focuses on exploring underground transportations and keeps spending on infrastructure construction. Stability Depends on Whether the U.S. is Willing to Let China off the Hook The remaining two stabilities are stable foreign trade and stable foreign investment. The latter determines the former. Affected by U.S.-China trade frictions and the slowing economic growth, Chinas trade surplus in 2018 fell by 16.2 percent to a total of $ 352 billion, the lowest since 2013. The most noteworthy is that Chinas trade surplus with the United States reached $323 billion, an increase of 17 percent from the previous year, surpassing the historical record of $276 billion in 2017. These data indicate that 90 percent of Chinas trade surplus in 2018 came from the United States. This situation shows how unrealistic it is for the United States to cut off all economic ties with China, as proposed by some U.S. experts, and why China must end the trade war as soon as possible. Chinas foreign trade mainly relies on foreign capital (funded companies), especially Taiwanese capital. Taiwanese businessmen have opened about 100,000 factories and companies in mainland China. Chinas top 10 exports to the United States are all foreign-funded enterprises, eight of them are Taiwanese. Seventy percent of Chinas top 100 exports to the U.S. are foreign-funded enterprises (40 percent are Taiwanese companies), while only 30 percent are pure Chinese companies. Presently, foreign investors are very worried about the impact of an increase in tariffs, as a result of the U.S.-China trade war. Many of them are considering moving their companies out of China, which would eventually lead to global industrial restructuring. On Jan. 18, both Bloomberg and Reuters quoted information sources on major developments in U.S.-China negotiations. Bloomberg revealed that China had offered to increase its imports from the U.S. by a combined value of $1 trillion in the next six years to balance the huge trade deficit between the United States and China. Reuters reported that the United States demands regular reviews of Chinas progress on pledged trade reforms as a condition for a trade deal, and could again resort to tariffs if it deems Beijing has violated the agreement. Whether China can purchase $1 trillion worth of U.S. goods in the future involves U.S. regulations on exports to China. With existing regulations, the United States cannot provide this amount of goods. The regular review proposalstill dependent on future negotiations at this stagewill help end the trade war and will be greatly helpful for China in achieving two of its stability goals, stabilizing foreign trade and stabilizing foreign investment. The Six Stabilities are Meant to Stabilize Bubbles Chinas new slogan, the so-called six stabilities, is actually meant to stable an economic bubble, the bubble of real estate market. It has been reported that the total market value of real estate in China is as high as $65 trillion, while the total combined market value of real estate in the United States, the European Union, and Japan is only $60 trillion. Although the accuracy of this data is yet to be ascertained, there is no doubt that Chinese real estate is the biggest bubble in human history. In the past 100 years, there have been nearly one hundred economic crises of various scale. In times of peace, nine out of ten economic crises stemmed from real estate. The 1986-1991 real estate bubble in Japan was too painful to recall for the Japanese. When Japans bubble economy was at the peak of its prosperity, combined land prices of Tokyo alone was equivalent to the combined land price of the entire United States. The bursting of the real estate bubble set housing prices into a protracted decline and the Japanese economy into the lost two decades. According to some researchers, excluding all other losses real estate and stock price drops alone caused a loss of wealth of 1,500 trillion yen, equivalent to the sum of Japans nationwide personal financial assets, which is the sum of Japans GDP over three years at the time. Any country relying on credit expansion to develop its economy will eventually create a real estate bubble. According to the 2018 Global Wealth Report published by Credit Suisse Research Institute (CSRI), by mid-2018, Chinas family wealth ranked second in the world. The 2017 Hurun Wealth report claimed that one in every 940 people in China has a net worth of 10 million yuan (about $1.48 million). Domestic research revealed that real estate accounts for more than 70 percent of Chinas household assets. In recent years some property owners, fearing the loss of household wealth, launched protests against real estate developers when they offer price cuts, and it happened in many locations across China. This phenomenon is undoubtedly a Chinese characteristic. Real estate binds the government, banks, and property owners into a community of shared interests. Together, they go all-out to maintain this huge bubble for their own interests. The injection of additional currency into the markets at the beginning of 2019 has made the long-suffering and helpless local governments feel relieved. Government officials and relevant industries may think that, another round of development opportunities is now on the horizon. These short-sighted people are unwilling to think deeply. Its actually a new round of drinking poison to quench a raging thirst. Premier Li Keqiang gave a speech at a forum on Jan. 15, saying it is necessary to keep the economy growth rate within an appropriate range. We must avoid big ups and downs, and definitely cannot allow the economy to fall off a cliff. His words are by no means a declaration of further development, but a call for stable burst of the bubble. That is, the bubble should slowly deflate under the control of the government. A drastic burst must be avoided at all costs. He Qinglian is a prominent Chinese author and economist. Currently based in the United States, she authored Chinas Pitfalls, which concerns corruption in Chinas economic reform of the 1990s, and The Fog of Censorship: Media Control in China, which addresses the manipulation and restriction of the press. She regularly writes on contemporary Chinese social and economic issues. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. California Woman Dies While Trying to Save Children From Fire A California widow and mother of five died while trying to save her children and her pastor after a fire broke out inside of her house on Feb. 7, officials said. The fire started just before midnight and quickly engulfed the two-story house in Bakersfield. Kristina Stratton, 38, was outside the house but ran inside to try to save her children. The four children in the house were able to escape by jumping from the second-story window, but Stratton perished inside. The children were injured but survived. Pastor Angelo Frazier told ABC 23 that Stratton ran in to try to save her children but couldnt get out. According to a GoFundMe fundraiser started by a community member, Stratton was a widow who home-schooled three of her children, who are 8, 9, and 10 years old respectively. Strattons sister, Sarah Parks, has been given legal guardianship of the children and the proceeds of the fundraiser will go to her. She said the money is going to cover the service/burial and to take care of the kids, wrote Courtney McCorkle, the person who started the account. They are planning on adding bedrooms to their house to make more rooms for the kids. She also talked about setting up savings accounts for the 5 children to start saving for college. She is overwhelmed and very grateful for all the support. Frazier told CNN that the father of the two oldest children is alive while the father of the other three children died of cancer four years ago. There are a lot of questions now that both mom and dad have passed and how thats going to look in the next weeks and months and years, Frazier said. About Stratton, he said, She had a lot of people who loved her. She loved her kids, her family, God. She loved life. She was just that kind of person. Parks told KBAK that she will be taking care of all five children. Im going to go and me and my husband are going to file to become their legal guardians and take over. And theyre going to live with us, all five of them, with our other children, she said. Keep this family in your prayers. A widow of five children died trying to save her children in a house fire. Stratton Family https://t.co/hRbvf2WiHI J (@famtreemom) February 11, 2019 Parks thanked people who have donated and reached out to help in other ways. Thank you to everybody. My sister just did what any mom would do, protecting her children. Shes my hero. I hope I could be half the woman she is, she said. In the wake of the tragedy, Kern County Interim Fire Chief David Witt released a statement. I never want to wake up in the middle of the night to hear about someone dying because of a fire. The tragic events of last night make our community sit up and take notice, he said. House fires are somewhat common. We have to be vigilant, as families, to prepare and practice what needs to be done before, during, and even after a fire. During a fire, people can close a door to help slow the spread of heat, smoke, and fire, Witt said. A message from Interim Fire Chief David Witt: Gepostet von Kern County Fire Department am Freitag, 8. Februar 2019 The chief said that families should have a fire escape plan including knowing all possible exits and escape routes. People should have two ways out of each room and choose a meeting place a safe distance away from the house where everyone can meet after they have escaped. Once you are out, stay out! he said. People should make sure to have working fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in their house, including smoke alarms in every room where someone sleeps and on every level in the house. From NTD News Bulgaria Examines Possible Link Between Skripal and Gebrev Poisonings SOFIABulgaria is investigating a possible link between a nerve-agent attack on a former Russian spy in England in 2018 and the poisoning of an arms dealer in Sofia in 2015. Bulgarian Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov said on Feb. 11 that Sergei Fedotov, a suspect in the attempted killing of ex-spy Sergei Skripal, visited Bulgaria three times in 2015 and was there in April when local arms dealer Emilian Gebrev was poisoned. Last October, Russian news website Fontanka named Fedotov, who it said worked for the countrys GRU military intelligence service, as the third suspect in the Skripal case. Tsatsarov said prosecutors had compiled significant data on Fedotovs trips to Bulgaria and have reopened an investigation into Gebrevs poisoning. We are establishing all moments while he was on Bulgarian territory, the hotels, the vehicles he used, contacts with Bulgarian citizens, Tsatsarov said. Former double agent Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found slumped on a bench in Salisbury, England, in March 2018. Britain said they were poisoned with Novichok, an agent developed by the Soviet Union, and has accused two other men it says are also GRU officers of carrying out the attack. Moscow, which never comments on the identity of GRU staff, has repeatedly denied any involvement in the poisoning, from which both Skripals recovered. Last week, the Kremlin questioned the credibility of a report linking the incidents in Britain and Bulgaria. The investigation into Gebrevs poisoning was reopened in October after he informed prosecutors he had reason to believe the substance used on him might have been similar to Novichok, Tsatsarov said. Gebrev has not commented on why he might have been poisoned. A Finnish laboratory test failed to identify the poison but found traces of organophosphates, which are used in fertilizers, in his urine. The lab found no substances from the Chemical Weapons Conventions banned list, Tsatsarov said. By Angel Krasimirov British Woman Arrested After Misgendering on Twitter, Banned From Deadnaming A British woman was arrested after a transgender activist complained she had misgendered the individual on Twitter, and is now banned from linking to the persons former male identitysomething known as deadnamingas police investigate a malicious communications charge. The case comes a few days after another police force apologised for telephoning a 74-year-old woman to tell her to tone down her blog posts on issues of gender because they were attracting complaints. Kate Scottow, 38, was detained for seven hours at the local police station in Hertfordshire, England, after the complaint from transgender activist Stephanie Hayden. I was arrested for harassment and malicious communications because I called someone out and misgendered them on Twitter, Scottow wrote on Mumsnet, according to local media. Are we getting to the PC tipping point yet? This is insane and has to stop. Mother is arrested in front of her children after calling a transgender woman a man https://t.co/NCy5lagyB0 Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) February 10, 2019 Hertfordshire Police said they do not name suspects until they are formally charged. But they said in a written statement that there were investigating an allegation of malicious communication and had submitted a file to the Crown Prosecution Service to determine if formal charges can be brought. As part of the investigation, a lap top and mobile phone were seized for examination which has now taken place and the property has been returned to its owner. A 38 year-old woman, who was arrested in December, was released from custody and remains under police investigation. The Mail on Sunday says she is banned from referring to her accuser as a man while the case is considered. According to the Mail on Sunday, the court papers say Scottow is accused of a campaign of targeted harassment alleged to be motivated by Haydens status as a transgender woman. The court papers claim that, during a toxic debate over plans to allow people to self-ID as another gender, Scottow tweeted defamatory messages about Hayden. Scottow is alleged to have used twitter accounts to harass, defame, and publish derogatory and defamatory tweets about Hayden. According to the court document, Scottow denies the allegations and said she holds a genuine and reasonable belief that a human cannot practically speaking change sex. A judge, however, has issued an interim injunction that bans Scottow from posting any personal information about Hayden on social media, referencing her as a man or linking Haydens former male identity. Investigated For Liking a Limerick I was arrested in my home by three officers, with my autistic ten-year-old daughter and breastfed 20-month-old son present, Scottow wrote on Mumsnet, according to the Metro. I was then detained for seven hours in a cell with no sanitary products (which I said I needed) before being interviewed then later released under investigation. According to the Times, Hayden is a 45-year-old activist from Leeds, previously known as Tony Halliday and Steven Hayden, with a history of threatening Twitter users with legal action if they disagree with Haydens views on gender. A week earlier, Sussex police apologised after they asked 74-year-old former teacher and journalist Margaret Nelson to remove her tweets and posts about gender. Apology for blogger whose gender comments led to call from police https://t.co/MRKvG5IoEz Ipswich Star (@ipswichstar24) February 5, 2019 Nelson, who had not broken any law, refused to do so after receiving a phone call from a female police officer. She said that some of the things that Id written could have upset or offended transgender people, Nelson said, according to the Times. So could I please stop writing things like that and perhaps I could remove those posts and tweets? Nelson had written that gender is fashionable nonsense. She argued that it is sex, not gender, that is visible to pathologists and medics in a blog post discussing donating her body to science. In life or in death, trans women are not women, no matter how many times you say its so, she wrote. Its simply impossible to change your sex. Two weeks ago, Twitter user and limerick writer Harry Miller was contacted by local police officers after liking a limerick on twitter which was alleged to be trans-phobic. Cop said he was in possession of 30 Tweets by me, tweeted Miller. I asked if any contained criminal material. He said. No. I asked if any came close to being criminal and he read me a limerick. Honestly. A limerick. A cop read me a limerick over the phone. I said, I didnt write that. He said, Ah. But you Liked it and promoted it. I asked why he was wasting his time on a non crime. He said, Its not a crime, but it will be recorded as a hate incident.' But for Miller, the incredibly sinister part was yet to come. The cop told me that he needed to speak with me because, even though Id committed no crime whatsoever, he needed (and I quote) to check my THINKING! Seriously. Honestly. 1. Got a call from Director, saying cops wanting to speak to me. Hed had sense not to give out my number, but said hed pass on details. I rang. Harry The Owl Limerick Criminal (@HarryTheOwl) January 23, 2019 Former mayor of London and former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson criticised the police for wasting time, as the UKs violent crime rate rises. Is this really the right way to fight crime? he wrote in an op-ed for the Telegraph. Is this what our brave police officers signed up to do? Are you really telling me that it is a sensible ordering of priorities to round up Twitter-borne transphobes and chuck them in the clink, when violence on the streets would seem to be getting out of control? It should be obvious that you cant police properly if officers are endlessly filling custody suites with 38 year old mums whose crime is to have caused needless offence on Twitter. Whatever the rights and wrongs of this internet feud, we are wasting too much time and resource on cases like this. Indian police gather around containers of bootleg alcohol recovered in a raid after multiple deaths from alcohol poisoning in Azamgarh Village in Uttar Pradesh State on July 11, 2017. (STR/AFP/Getty Images) Bootleg Alcohol Batch Kills Over 100 People in India A batch of moonshine has killed more than 100 people in India, in the worst such case in years. Indias alcohol consumption is low compared to many Western nations, but with the price tag on liquor taking it beyond many peoples reach, illegal or bootleg alcohol is rife, every year causing around a thousand deaths. The death toll has been rising on the latest batch circulating in two neighboring northern states that border Tibet, since reports began to surface in local media and official reports around Feb. 9. Officials said that they believe the death toll is going to continue to rise beyond the current count of 100. Many of those who died complained of stomach pains and respiratory problems, relatives and officials said. Local reports quote officials as saying that the evidence suggested that the majority of the deaths involved drinking methyl alcohol, also called methanol. The two states affected are Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. He complained of severe stomachache, so I took him to get an injection, the wife of one victim, Hira Lal, told Reuters partner ANI. He was better then and slept after coming back home. (But) the pain resumed, so we took him to the hospital again and they admitted him. At least 69 people have died in the state of Utter Pradesh, according to newspapers The Indian Express and The Times of India. Over 30 people have been arrested, according to DW, including eight bootleggers, and regional authorities have also suspended several officials. Over a hundred gallons of the bootleg alcohol has been seized. When you manufacture or brew liquor with local ingredients using methyl alcohol this is what happens, Uttar Pradesh Excise Minister Jai Pratap Singh said, according to The Times of India. It is normally taken by tankers between different states and offloaded at places. Singh said that the authorities are invoking the Gangster Act and the Excise Act, which carry the death penalty. The district magistrate of Saharanpur District in Uttar Pradesh, Alok Kumar Pandey, said last week that doctors had concluded many victims died due to liver infections and problems in their respiratory systems. One illegal brewer told The Times of India, Normally the liquor is made from jaggery (a kind of sugar cane), which takes over 10 days for fermentation and is not harmful as such. But mafia uses OxyContin injections, urea, and other intoxicants to ensure it gives a sudden high to the consumer. These agents also speed up the fermentation process from 10 days to just three. Winter is the most dangerous time for those drinking bootleg, known locally as hooch or country liquor. The liquor which is prepared in the winter season gets more dangerous as the mixture requires excessive chemicals owing to a lack of moisture in the air, said the brewer. This latest poison batch is believed to be the most deadly since 2011 when illegal hooch killed 172 people in West Bengal. Postmortem reports suggested that the deaths were due to the addition of methyl alcoholmethanolto the hooch. Methanol itself has relatively low toxicity. However, when methanol is absorbed into the bloodstream and reaches the liver, it breaks into formaldehyde and formic acid, which is even more toxic than methyl alcohol. Symptoms include nausea, headache, blurred vision, and in extreme cases, complete loss of sight and cardiac arrest. Reuters contributed to this report. Baby Who Weighed Just 1.5 Pounds at Birth Defies Million to One Odds to Survive A baby who weighed only one and a half pounds upon birth has beaten very slim odds to survive, it has been reported. Hanna Rose, 25, of the United Kingdom, gave birth to the boy, named George, three months prematurely in July 2018, reported the Daily Mail. The child was placed on life support just minutes after his delivery. "After the doctors said he wouldnt make it five times, every day is special." Gepostet von Daily Mirror am Sonntag, 10. Februar 2019 Doctors told Rose and father Daniel Bownes that the boy would die after he contracted meningitis and contracted sepsis four times, the report said. It added that he got more than 20 blood transfusions in all. The boy is now nine months old and has made what some have described as a miraculous recovery. Rose told the Mirror: The doctors told us George had a one in a million chance of surviving and it was almost impossible that hed pull through. Each and every day we have with him is a true blessing, she said. What an incredible little fighter Gepostet von Daily Mail am Sonntag, 10. Februar 2019 I was convinced he was going to die so its truly a miracle that hes here with us, Rose said, according to the Mail. When he was born, George was sent to the intensive care unit and was put into a plastic sandwich bag-looking device inside an incubator, his mother said. Reports noted that George, upon birth, appeared no larger than a syringe. He was given immediate surgery, Rose said, according to the Daily Mail. We couldnt touch him because he was born with transparent skin. The boy underwent surgery for necrotizing enterocolitis and suffered a swollen liver, losing 40 percent of his blood in the process. As a result of his premature birth, the boy also got sepsis and meningitis. Doctors then told his parents there was nothing they could do and suggested his death was near. https://www.facebook.com/groups/771313382922906/permalink/2059003834153848 A hospital chaplain was called in to give the boy his final blessing, the Mail reported. But after he got the blessing, Georges vital signs started to improve despite staff telling the parents that he would likely die. The boy now weighs 6 pounds and 2 ounces at nine months, the report said. But George still requires a seventh heart surgery, his family said. According to a GoFundMe page for the boy, George has proved everyone wrong and gone against everything the professionals know and I believe he is going to carry on doing that. I believe with the right help George will thrive, but early intervention is key. His parents said theyre hoping to give him between 40 and 60 minutes of physiotherapy every two weeks. It said, Georges infection marker was up so high the medical staff had never seen anyone survive it. But as hours passed whilst we was waiting to get George baptised and for his nan nans to be with us he began to show slight improvement, he was still fighting !! The tiniest bit of hope gave us a whole new strength to fight with him. They added, We was overwhelmed with a lot of information which all seems like a blur. We was told that his life support was going to be switched off and we would take him into the room with us were we could be alone, we would chose him some clothes and a professional photographer would come. My baby boy hadnt even opened his eyes yet and seen his mummy or daddy, or managed to cry. A skydiver flies with the American flag prior to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series JAG Metals 350 at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 2, 2018 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Josh Hedges/Getty Images) Americans Confidence in Their Finances Hits 16-Year High, Near Record Level Americans are more optimistic about their finances than they have been in 16 years, with 69 percent expecting their financial situation to improve in the next year, according to a survey released by Gallup on Feb. 11. The optimism level is just two points off a peak reached in 1998, when 71 percent were optimistic about their finances in the year ahead. Half of Americans said they are better of now than they were a year ago, according to the survey (pdf). That number is the highest since the recession in 2007 and the first time since then that at least half of Americans said their situation had improved over the past year. During the Great Recession in 2007, only 23 percent of Americans said their financial situation improved compared to the year before. After President Donald Trump took office in 2017, unemployment numbers dipped below 1998 levels, prompting a surge of confidence among Americans about their financial well-being. During the recession in 2007, 54 percent said they were worse off. That number has now fallen by more than half to 26 percent, according to Gallup. Only once in 114 polls going back to 1977 have Americans been more optimistic about their personal finances in the coming year than they are today, Gallup stated in an article accompanying the survey results. For decades, Americans have been more optimistic about the year ahead than the one that just passed. Gallup has tracked this trend in every one of 105 polls conducted since 1977. Partisanship Partisanship appears to have a significant impact on the perception people have on how well they are doing. Members of virtually all demographic groups surveyed were more likely to say they were better offrather than worse offin 2019 compared to last year. Democrats were the only exception, with 37 percent saying they were worse off this year, compared to 32 percent saying they were better off. Even demographic groups that are more likely to vote for Democrats were more likely to say they were better off this year rather than worse off. Among Americans under the age of 30, nearly two in three said they were better off. Meanwhile, both among women and people from households with less than $40,000 in income 45 percent said they were better off, with 29 and 35 percent saying they were worse off respectively. Republicans have an entirely opposite view to Democrats, with 68 percent saying they are better off and just 10 percent saying they were worse off. Among groups that are more likely to vote for Republicans, optimism is also high. Sixty-six percent for conservatives, 57 percent of those with a household income of over $100,000, and 56 percent of men said they are better off this year compared to last. Both Republicans and Democrats changed the perception of their financial well-being around the time Trump replaced President Barack Obama. Before Trump was elected in 2016, the number of Republicans saying they were better off was the same as the number of Republicans saying they were worse off37 percent. In the polls conducted after the election, the number changed to 67 saying they were better off compared to 13 percent saying they were worse off. In an inverse trend, Democrats were much more optimistic about their finances before Trump was elected. Fifty-eight percent said they were better off in the 2015-2016 polls conducted before Trumps election. That number dropped to 35 percent in the 2018-2019 polls. The United States brought in the new year with a partial government shutdown that stretched through most of January and a growing sense of pessimism about the nations economy, Gallup stated. But in spite of the negative turn in the publics views about the national economic picture, Americans are more upbeat now about their own finances than they have been in years, it said. Economy The U.S. economy started the new year with a bang, adding 300,000 jobs in January, beating forecasts from economists by around 130,000 jobs. The unemployment rate ticked up slightly but remained healthy at 4 percent, a level considered as full employment. Economists cooled their views of the jobs market by assuming that the partial government shutdown, which started in late 2017, would affect the employment numbers. But the Bureau of Labor Statistics did not count federal employees who were furloughed during the shutdown toward the jobs report total. The healthy economy is likely contributing toward Americans view of Trump. On the morning of the Gallup survey release, Rasmussen Reports, the pollster that most accurately predicted the likelihood of a Trump victory in 2016, pegged the presidents approval rating at 52 percent, the highest since March 2017. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children said Jacsun weighs about 20 pounds, is 18 inches tall, and has brown hair and brown eyes. (NCMEC) 6-Month-Old Baby Boy Missing Since New Years Eve, Parents Uncooperative: Police Officials in Southern California are looking for six-month-old Culver City baby who hasnt been seen in more than a month. Jacsun Manson was last seen by witnesses on Dec. 31 in Culver City, reported ABC7. He was with his parents, Adam Manson and Kiana Williams, sitting in a blue 2006 PT Cruiser with a missing bumper after it was allegedly stolen by the two. MISSING INFANT: Culver City police are asking the public's help finding a missing 6-month-old boy whose parents were arrested last month and remain in custody. Gepostet von ABC7 am Donnerstag, 7. Februar 2019 Days later on Jan. 3, the couple were arrested for car theft. They were reportedly trying to break into cars, and investigators think the PT Cruiser they were in was also stolen. Both Manson and Williams were arrested by Los Angeles police but Jacsun was not with them. Since their arrest, the couple have refused to tell the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) where their baby is, KTLA reported. They are still in the custody of the county sheriffs department, the report said. DCFS decided to report the child as missing on Jan. 25. Update: Culver City police have released photos of the parents of #JacsunManson Adam Manson and Kianna Williams. They have been arrested while their infant son remains missing https://t.co/EXI9u3qCqV pic.twitter.com/K0V650KWoT KTLA (@KTLA) February 8, 2019 The family had been living at the Upward Bound House in Culver City, a family shelter for homeless and struggling families, KTLA reported. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children said Jacsun weighs about 20 pounds, is 18 inches tall, and has brown hair and brown eyes. Police told an NBC affiliate that Manson has at least two aliases, including Adam Owens and Adam Jackson. Culver City police Lt. Troy Dunlap said, We have contacted family members and friends, and they have been cooperative, CrimeOnline reported. But none of the information they have given to us has actually led to the location of Jackson, he stated. Dunlap added that he is hoping for the best in finding the boy but hes still preparing for the worst. A neighbor of the couple, who only gave the name Sandi, told CBS2 that she doesnt think they hurt the baby. A car tied to the mysterious disappearance of a 6-month-old boy whose parents are incarcerated was found. Gepostet von NBC 7 San Diego am Samstag, 9. Februar 2019 I really dont, she said. I really believe they have him somewhere and they just refuse to tell. She described Williams and Manson as loving parents. I never saw anything but that little boy being showered with love and affection, thats all I ever saw. They were always doting parents, the woman said. Those with information about the case are urged to contact Detective Raya at 310-253-6318. A watch commander can be reached at 310-253-6202 during non-business hours. Missing Children: A Major Problem in the US There were 464,324 missing children reported in the FBIs National Crime Information Center (NCIC) in 2017, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Under federal law, when a child is reported missing to law enforcement authorities, they must be entered into the database. In 2016, there were 465,676 entries. This number represents reports of missing children. That means if a child runs away multiple times in a year, each instance would be entered into NCIC separately and counted in the yearly total. Likewise, if an entry is withdrawn and amended or updated that would also be reflected in the total, the center said. In 2017, the center said it had assisted officers and families with more than 27,000 missing children. In those cases, 91 percent were endangered runaways and 5 percent were family abductions. Nancy McBride, the executive director of Florida Outreach at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said most of the runaways involve technology. [Technology] has great benefits and some potential risks, McBride told USA Today in 2017. Its important to stay plugged into their lives. Tech is utilized by online predators, McBride said, who exploit gaps when the childs relationship with their parents is not the best. About one in seven children reported missing to the center in 2017 were likely to be victims of child sex trafficking, the center said. 10-Year-Old Girl Killed by Meningitis in Indiana An Indiana family has been telling of their shock at how quickly bacterial meningitis took hold and killed their 10-year-old daughter. Abbigayle Dipietro complained of an earache on Saturday, Feb. 2, but was sent home from the ER when doctors found no sign of infection. On Sunday night, she started vomiting and on Monday she started having seizures. On Tuesday evening, her brain activity ceased and on Wednesday, Feb. 6, she died. Her distraught parents are now warning other parents to watch out for the tell-tale signs and said that they want their daughters organs to be used for donations. I wanted something good to come out of it, so we donated her organs, her mother Tasha Dipietro-Anderson told WNDU, Im hoping that they can find recipients for everything. Over the weekend their daughter complained about what they thought was an ear infection. By Wednesday their little girl Gepostet von WSBT-TV am Freitag, 8. Februar 2019 The family lives in Elkhart, a small city in Indiana with a population of 50,000, just south of Michigan. The school she attended has sought to inform other parents, and to reassure them that bacterial meningitis is not contagious. Elkhart County Health Officer Dr. Lydia Mertz told Goshen News, Its always very serious, but some bacteria are more contagious than others. The particular type of bacteria she had is not very contagious, so we dont have to worry about other students being in contact with her or sitting next to her on the bus or things like that. https://www.facebook.com/donate/378689849379216/379581389290062/ Mertz explained that the bacteria from some minor childhood infection just by chance, would have been absorbed into her bloodstream. Then it goes to the coverings of the brain, the meninges. Its just by chance. But the family said that they wish that they had known what to look out for and are encouraging other parents to educate themselves. https://www.facebook.com/donate/378689849379216/379610569287144/ I mean even if you just take five minutes to kind of look into what the symptoms are of different meningitis, just to kind of educate yourself a little bit so that when your child has any of those symptoms, you know you push to have something done, she said. If there is any of those symptoms, whether you think its just a migraine or flu, push to have as much blood work and testing done as you can, her mother, Tasha Dipietro-Anderson, told WSBT. If we would have known what it could have led to, would have probably tried to do more. https://www.facebook.com/donate/378689849379216/379611115953756/ A donation page set up on Facebook to help with medical treatment raised $12,000 as messages of supported poured in, many from locals who knew her. Your daughter was a sweetheart to my special needs son, when he went to her school, wrote one person. I never really got to talk to her, but one time. It was very brief. I am so heartbroken and sad for you, and your family. Dipietro-Anderson told donors, I just want to tell everyone about who you are helping. She loved her family and animals. She was the sweetest little girl. She wanted to be a veterinarian. She was so alive and colorful and unique. She was the purest soul I have ever met. Its been hard on everybody in the family. Its just hard losing a child at age 10, the girls father, Richard Anderson, said, reported WPDF. Pecker guided the Enquirers coverage of Trump down a very different path than The Post. Back in the summer of 2015, shortly after Trump announced his presidential bid, Trump and his personal attorney, Michael Cohen, met with Pecker to talk about how best to bury negative news stories about Trumps extramarital relationships with women. Pecker, who entered into a cooperation agreement with authorities in 2018 that granted him immunity from prosecution, has told law enforcement officials that he agreed to purchase possibly damaging stories about Trump and never publish them in the Enquirer a practice known as catch and kill. Among those stories were accounts of Trumps sexual encounters with a former Playboy model, Karen McDougal. Cohens payments to McDougal (and to another woman, a former porn star who goes by the name of Stormy Daniels) triggered a federal investigation of possible campaign finance fraud. Pecker may be sitting on years of Enquirer stories about Trump that were never published and presumably would be of interest to authorities. Its not clear if Bezoss revelations on Thursday night will complicate matters for Pecker. Whitehead took 15 years to write the book, not only carefully plotting the novel but making use of significant research, such as the many slave narratives held by the Works Progress Association. The conception for the novel first arose in the year 2000 when the author reflected on his childhood experience of being disappointed to learn there was not a real railroad involved with the complicated process of helping people escape slavery. At first, Whitehead backed away from completing the novel due to the daunting research and demanding structure. He turned instead towards other books that he wrote. Eventually, struggling with the research and structure necessary for the novel, he returned to the book in 2014 and achieved his creative goals. The Underground Railroads structural trajectory follows the progress of Cora, a 15-year-old who escapes slavery in Georgia, as she moves from state to state trying to evade the slave catchers. Whitehead has compared his novel to Jonathan Swifts Gullivers Travels because of how the book is rebooting every time the person goes through a different state. Readers are not mere tourists on a train passing through states, such as Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee; they encounter the courage and cruelty of an era of American history that haunts us all too clearly to the present day. With its well-developed characters, thorough immersion in the habits of thought and behavior of the American middle 19th century, and suspenseful plot that confronts trauma with unflinching focus and resilience, The Underground Railroad offers a powerful and fresh experience that is deeply relevant and rewarding to readers of literature. As prescription and illicit opioid overdose deaths continue to rise in the United States, lawsuits against makers and distributors of the painkillers are also growing rapidly. According to an Associated Press report, health officials estimate that nearly 48,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2017 involved some type of opioid. The drumbeat for accountability for this crisis now beating for more than a decade just got a whole lot louder. Recent court cases are starting to generate attention-grabbing headlines. Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin and one of the pharmaceutical companies accused of fueling the nations deadly opioid crisis is currently embroiled in a case brought forward by the Massachusetts attorney generals office. The suit from Massachusetts is said to be one of more than 1,000 by state and local governments pending against Purdue and a major piece in what Jan Hoffman of the New York Times recently called one of the most complicated and gargantuan legal battles in American history. Before Post 159s monthly dinner and meeting on Thursday, Hince and her husband, John, traveled to west Texas to pick up four special carvings made by a retired American Legion chaplain. Standing more than three feet tall each, these three wooden crosses and a wooden Star of David were placed prominently on stage at Post 159s dining hall, each draped in a colored sash and propping up a portrait of their respective chaplain in uniform. Hince and other Legion members read aloud the history of Fox, Goode, Poling and Washington while candles were lit in memory of the men. The room of more than 100 Brazos County veterans and their families fell silent as taps was played following biographical readings and a prayer. Post 159 finance officer Heather Humphrey served in the Navy for 10 years and was active-duty stationed aboard a ship on Sept. 11, 2001. She recalls how her Naval chaplain prayed with service members and offered words of comfort in such a chaotic time. She was apart from her daughters, who were young at the time, and she remembered that she appreciated having someone she could confide in. I find that chaplains are there as we need spiritual guidance and help, Humphrey said Thursday night. They aid us in [dealing with] our sorrows, and they give us strength when we need it most. Click the image to the left and log in to get your exclusive reader perks. JEFFERSON - Patricia VanHoesen, 88, passed away on Saturday, June 19, 2021, at Robinson Terrace in Stamford. Born on Feb. 7, 1933, in Oneonta, Patricia was the daughter of the late Maurice and Loretta (Kelly) Nichols. She was married to the love of her life, Richard E. VanHoesen of 68 year o SEE ALSO: Kroger Supermarkets To Deliver Same Day Via Nuro Robotic Trucks +"Still Cool Commentary" Nuro Raises Close to $1 Billion from the SoftBank Vision Fund to Transform Local Commerce Through Self-Driving MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Feb. 11, 2019 -- Nuro, the robotics company transforming local commerce, today announced that it has raised $940 million in financing from the SoftBank Vision Fund. To date, Nuro has raised more than $1 billion from partners including SoftBank, Greylock Partners and Gaorong Capital. Nuro is making local delivery fast and affordable with its self-driving service. The service uses Nuro's custom unmanned road vehicle to run errands of all kinds - from picking up groceries to delivering dinner. Nuro strives to create a world where everything can be delivered affordably and on-demand. Weve spent the last two and a half years building an amazing team, launching our first unmanned service, working with incredible partners and creating technology to fundamentally improve our daily lives, said Nuro co-founder, Dave Ferguson. This partnership gives us the opportunity to take the next step in realizing our vision for local commerce and the broad application of our technology. In 2018, Nuro introduced its custom unmanned vehicle, secured a national partnership with Kroger to do grocery delivery, licensed its self-driving technology to autonomous trucking company Ike, and launched the first-ever unmanned delivery service available to the general public in Arizona. Nuros world-class team has successfully scaled their self-driving technology out of the lab and into the streets, said Michael Ronen, Managing Partner, SoftBank Investment Advisers. In just two years Dave, Jiajun and team have developed Nuro from a concept into a real business using robotics to connect retailers to customers. Nuro will use this new financing to expand its delivery service to new geographies, add new partners, scale its fleet, extend and mature its general self-driving technology, and significantly grow its team. The investment is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatory approvals. About Nuro Nuro is a robotics company that combines software and hardware expertise to design and build products that accelerate the benefits of robotics for everyday life. Nuro's first product is a self-driving service for local goods transportation. The company is led by world-renowned experts in robotics, artificial intelligence and computer vision. Privately held, Nuro powers partnerships with local businesses seeking new ways to cost effectively transport goods and create new experiences for their customers. 2019 CHICAGO AUTO SHOW'S FIRST LOOK FOR CHARITY RAISES MORE THAN $2.8 MILLION FOR 18 AREA NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS CHICAGO (Feb. 11, 2019) - The Chicago Auto Show's 28th annual First Look for Charity black-tie gala raised more than $2.8 million for 18 local nonprofit organizations, boosting the total to more than $53 million since its inception. Held the evening before the nation's largest auto show opens to the public, First Look for Charity offers car buffs and socialites alike the first chance to see the industry's latest cars, trucks and SUVs while sampling fine fare and crafted cocktails from area restaurants and caterers. Two attendees also left with the keys to new vehicles. "First Look for Charity is a great instrument for the area's new-car dealers to show the positive impact they have on their community," said Ray Scarpelli Jr., chairman of the Chicago Auto Show. "All the benefiting charities are involved locally, so the money that's raised in Chicago stays in Chicago." A highlight of the evening was the drawing for the event's grand prizes, this year a 2019 Chevrolet Blazer and a 2019 Jeep Compass. Justin Salazar, of Chicago, won the former; and Winston Woodard and his wife, Janeen Naki-Woodard, both of Oak Lawn, won the latter. Regarding winning the keys to the all-new Blazer, Salazar said "I did think we had a little bit of a chance to win. On his reaction to winning, Woodard said "I'm excited. I know my two boys will be excited, too." Chevrolet and the Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana Chevy Dealers provided the Blazer, and the Compass was compliments of FCA US LLC. Wintrust Financial, the Chicago Auto Show's official bank sponsor, also bestowed $250 gift cards on both winners. This year's beneficiaries included the 100 Club of Chicago; Advocate Health Care; Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago; Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago; Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Joliet; Clearbrook; The Cradle; Franciscan Community Benefit Services; JDRF; Susan G. Komen-Chicago; Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago; Lydia Home & Safe Families for Children; March of Dimes; Misericordia; New Star; Special Olympics Illinois; Turning Pointe Autism Foundation; and Jesse White Tumbling Team. The 2019 Chicago Auto Show runs from Feb. 9-18 and is open daily 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day, except for the final day, Presidents Day, when the show closes at 8 p.m. For more details on First Look for Charity, please visit www.FirstLookforCharity.org. For more information on the 2019 Chicago Auto Show (Feb. 9-18), please visit www.ChicagoAutoShow.com, ### About the Chicago Auto Show The Chicago Auto Show is the largest auto show in North America, spanning more than 1 million square feet of production, concept and exotic vehicle exhibit space. In addition to hosting multiple world and North American vehicle debuts, the Chicago Auto Show's First Look for Charity raises more than $2.5 million annually for 18 vital Chicago organizations in a single night. The 2019 public show is Feb. 9-18. For more information, visit www.ChicagoAutoShow.com or www.Facebook.com/ChicagoAutoShow. About the Chicago Automobile Trade Association Founded in 1904, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association is one of the nation's largest metropolitan dealer organizations. It is comprised of more than 420 franchised new-car dealers and an additional 150 allied members. The group's dealer members employ about 19,000 people in the metropolitan area. The association has produced the world-famous Chicago Auto Show since 1935. For more information please visit www.CATA.info. Volkswagen Touareg Wins German Design Award Gold Top award in the Passenger Vehicles category Flagship impresses with its timeless and functional design Jury: Fantastic SUV, harmoniously designed down to the last detail. WOLFSBURG/FRANKFURT February 11, 2019: The Volkswagen Touareg won the top gold award in the Passenger Vehicles category at the German Design Awards. The prestigious prize was accepted by Klaus Bischoff, Head of Volkswagen Design, at the award ceremony in Frankfurt am Main. There was a great deal of praise from the expert jury for the SUV model, especially for the technology, the high quality and the fun factor. The Volkswagen flagship did particularly well in the evaluation thanks to its timeless and functional design. The reasons for the jurys decision read like a tribute to the Touareg: With the now third generation of the Touareg, Volkswagen offers a timelessly elegant all-rounder that leaves nothing to be desired in terms of form and technology and also perfectly embodies the classic Volkswagen virtues. A fantastic SUV, harmoniously designed down to the very last detail, with a compact design that is pleasantly solid yet of impressive quality. A perfect family car that is impressive and also fun on all occasions. Impressive top model The Touareg is Volkswagens top model and the brands technology leader. The well-engineered proportions and clear lines make the dimensions of the SUV both dynamic and elegant. The Touareg combines majestic solidity with finely tuned sophistication. The chrome slats of the eye-catching, upright grill seamlessly integrate into the headlights, which serve as the broad shoulders of its precisely structured character. The Touareg lettering confidently adorns the center of the rear. The Touareg is a friendly character that doesnt have to prove itself. Its sovereignty is based on steadfast composure it knows it can do it. We have perfected this character with the new generation, says Klaus Bischoff, Head of Volkswagen Design, when describing the design process. Acknowledged competition The German Design Award is presented by the Rat fur Formgebung (German Design Council), which is regarded as the German brand and design authority. The Council was founded as early as 1953 on the initiative of the German Bundestag and supports industry in consistently achieving brand added value through design. Since 2012, a jury of experts has also been awarding the German Design Award to ground-breaking product and communication design. Volkswagen was one of the winners in the Transportation category in 2017 with the Tiguan. Now the Touareg is following suit in the passenger car segment. Budapest: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday that America might be forced to scale back certain operations in Europe and elsewhere if countries continue to do business with the Chinese telecommunications company Huawei. Mike Pompeo, US secretary of state, speaks during a news conference with Peter Szijjarto, Hungary's foreign minister. Credit:Bloomberg The United States and its Western allies believe Huawei Technologies' apparatus could be used for espionage, and see its expansion into central Europe as a way to gain a foothold in the EU market. "We want to make sure we identify (to) them the opportunities and the risks of using that equipment," Pompeo told reporters during a visit to the Hungarian capital, Budapest. Hungary is the first stop in Pompeo's trip to central Europe that also includes Slovakia and Poland, part of an effort to make up for a lack of US engagement in the region that opened the door to more Chinese and Russian influence, administration officials say. Brussels: The European Parliament elections in May will be the most important in the legislative body's history, with anti-European parties poised to win more than a third of the assembly's seats, a new study has found. Italian Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini. Credit:ANSA/AP These groups will try to work together to derail projects supported by pro-European politicians like French President Emmanuel Macron, especially over issues on which mainstream parties in the assembly are divided, according to a report by the European Council on Foreign Relations, set to be published this week. Far-right political parties for the first time could win enough seats that would allow them - at least on paper - to disrupt the EU's legislative business. And while that would require a hodgepodge of parties to overcome fundamental policy differences, Italy's anti-immigration Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has already sought with mixed success to forge alliances with leaders including Poland's Jaroslaw Kaczynski and Hungary's Viktor Orban to usher in a "new European spring". Kabul: The Pentagon's top official made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Monday to meet with US commanders and Afghan leaders amid a push for peace with the Taliban. Pat Shanahan, the recently installed acting secretary of defence, said he has no orders to reduce the US troop presence, although officials say that is at the top of the Taliban's list of demands in exploratory peace negotiations. Shanahan said he is encouraged that President Donald Trump's administration is exploring all possibilities for ending a 17-year war, the longest in American history. The US acting Secretary for Defence Pat Shanahan is on his first visit to Afghanistan. Credit:Bloomberg But he stressed that peace terms are for the Afghans to decide. Thus far the Taliban have refused to negotiate with the government of President Ashraf Ghani, calling it illegitimate. Washington is trying to break that impasse. Bangkok: Thailand's Election Commission will consider the surprise nomination of a Thai princess as a prime ministerial candidate for March elections after her brother, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, called it "inappropriate" and unconstitutional. The commission will also consider a complaint seeking to ban the populist party that stunned the nation by nominating Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi, 67, for the role. The election on March 24 is the first since a military coup in 2014. Thailand has been a constitutional monarchy since 1932, but the royal family wields great influence and commands the devotion of millions. Jakarta: Indonesian police have acknowledged officers terrorised a Papuan man with a live snake after a video of the incident circulated online showing the man screaming in fear and his interrogator laughing. Police in Indonesia's easternmost Papua region apologised but also attempted to justify the officers' actions by saying the snake was not venomous and that they hadn't resorted to beating the man, who was suspected of theft. Indonesian police have issued a rare apology for using a snake to terrorise a suspect. Credit:AP Human rights lawyer Veronica Koman said on Sunday that the interrogation methods were torture and violated police policies as well as several laws. She said it was only the latest of several reports of police and military using snakes to terrorise Papuan detainees and symptomatic of a culture of racism against indigenous Papuans. Sam Lokon, a member of the West Papua National Committee, which advocates for independence from Indonesia, was put in a cell with a snake and also beaten after being arrested in January, Koman said. The state government has offered the company responsible for building the Perth Children's Hospital $20 million to settle a dispute over who will pay for problems, delays and variations to the problem-plagued project. Gareth Parker reported on 6PR Radio's Mornings program that Chinese-owned construction firm John Holland rejected the offer, which was made in December last year. John Holland believes it could win between $120 million and $600 million if the matter goes to trial. John Holland has rejected a $20 million offer from the government to settle a dispute over who pays for problems with the Perth Children's Hospital. Credit:AFR Treasurer Ben Wyatt accused the company of "selective media leaks to try and get the state to somehow compromise its position", but did not deny the government had made the offer. National Broadband Network chief executive Stephen Rue has hit back at calls for the government-owned company to cut its wholesale broadband prices, warning the revenue blow would jeopardise the future of the network and its economic benefit for Australia. Mr Rue issued the warning after Telstra chief executive Andy Penn said Labor, if elected in May, could slash prices as part of a "more sensible" approach for telcos accessing the network. The view that prices should go down was backed on Monday by rivals Optus, Vodafone and TPG. Stephen Rue, chief executive of NBN Co. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Labor says the likelihood of a write-down of the network's $50 billion value has increased. The development could allow for cheaper wholesale and retail internet prices but would be a major threat to the federal budget bottom line. Speaking before the parliamentary committee overseeing the NBN rollout on Monday, Mr Rue said people calling for a write-down of the network's value were actually calling for prices to fall. A former adviser to federal minister Michaelia Cash refused to answer questions in court on Monday about who told him that the offices of the Australian Workers Union were being raided by police before he tipped off sections of the media. Ms Cash will front court this week over her involvement in a donations investigation into the union and the controversial federal police raids on its offices in 2017. Federal Minister Michaelia Cash Credit:Peter Braig The union has launched civil action in the Federal Court in response to the investigation and raids, arguing they were illegal and politically motivated. The raids were carried out as part of an investigation by the Registered Organisations Commission (ROC) into donations to activist group GetUp! totalling $100,000 from two divisions of the AWU going back to 2006. Mounting public disquiet about the policy helped independent Kerryn Phelps snare the blue-ribbon Sydney harbourside electorate of Wentworth after Malcolm Turnbulls downfall. Her first act as member of the House of Representatives was to introduce a bill to allow doctors to order the transfer of people to Australia for urgent medical treatment unavailable on the two isolated, economically-challenged islands where close to 1000 refugees and people seeking asylum are still languishing. The Age has long argued mandatory offshore incarceration fails every measure of decent policy. It is inhumane, expensive and lacks public accountability. The mistreatment, in our name and financed by several billion dollars of our taxes, of thousands of children, women and men on Papua New Guineas Manus Island and on Nauru over several years breaks international refugee law. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday the Coalition governments border protection policy, a cornerstone of which is mandatory offshore detention of people seeking asylum who arrive by boat, has delivered a compassionate and fair outcome. It is an absurd proposition, the cynicism of which looks likely to be matched by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten in parliament this week. The Medivac bill was passed in the Senate with ALP and cross-bench support, an outcome that was considered likely in the lower house until Mr Shorten, wary of opening himself to a scare campaign over border protection, started prevaricating. The exit he appears to be preparing involves embracing information he was due to receive in a briefing from officials of Home Affairs Minister Peter Duttons department, which is of the view the change could unduly strip power from the executive, lead to all the refugees on the islands arriving in groups within weeks and to people smugglers resuming their nefarious trade. Should Mr Shorten indeed back down, it will be rightly seen as base politics trumping principle. The greatest disincentive to the people smugglers is the likelihood of being caught by Australias highly-effective sea operation. The bill does not usurp the executive; the initiation of proceedings requires two doctors, but their decision can be overturned by the minister. Should there be an appeal, the final call is made by a government-appointed medical board. Whats more, being medically evacuated to Australia does not guarantee residency; those who are considered a real security risk can be sent back after treatment. Border protection is crucial, and the situation complex - were it otherwise, an effective solution would have long ago been found. But facts matter; nine-in-10 people seeking asylum who arrive on boats are found to be genuine refugees. Loading It is not illegal to arrive by boat, it is a human right, but it is in contravention of international law to refuse to admit such arrivals for processing. Most people who seek asylum arrive by air and then breach their visas and apply for refugee status. The government should have long ago brought all those in detention on the islands to Australia, where they can be processed quickly and cheaply. The billions spent on inhumane treatment should be redirected to orderly regional processing. And Mr Shorten should have the courage of his convictions. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size When John "Wacka" Williams first told Barnaby Joyce he wanted to make a run for Parliament, the two were travelling between Inverell and Moree in northern New South Wales. "I remember driving in his old, second-hand Nissan Patrol," Joyce says. "I thought, 'this is just what we need in politics. Someone who has a real understanding of the world the voters live in'." Williams had been a shearer, truck driver, farmer and small business owner before he took on sitting member Sandy Macdonald to win preselection for the Nationals in 2007. He'd been a member of the party since the 1980s, but when he came to Canberra, made it clear to then-leader Warren Truss he had no desire for frontbench promotions. "I just wanted to be me." True to his word, during his eleven-year career in the Senate, Williams' name has never been suggested as a frontbench contender, despite the innumerable reshuffles in that time. His most senior parliamentary position has been as Nationals whip in the Senate. But as Joyce (who sensationally quit the Nationals leadership last year) notes, "you can be a minister and a nobody really easily. Getting yourself on to the blue carpet [of the ministerial wing] does not mean you've had great political success". Advertisement On Wednesday, Williams will give his final speech to Parliament, before his retirement on July 1. The timing of the 64-year-old's departure is poetic. As one of the driving forces for a royal commission into banking, the Nationals senator leaves just as Commissioner Kenneth Hayne's final report sends shockwaves through the financial sector. In a sign of the impact the NSW backbencher has had, Commonwealth Bank chief executive officer Matt Comyn will be in the public gallery to see Williams' valedictory, along with his children, grandchildren and good friend Kamahl. John Williams at his home in Inverell. Credit:Louie Douvis Williams, who lost his family farm in the 1980s after dud financial advice from the Commonwealth Bank, was the first parliamentary voice to call for a royal commission - years before the Coalition or Labor supported the idea. While he says he didn't enter Parliament to take on the banks, seven months into his first term, he was deeply affected by meeting a group of retirees who had lost their savings in the Storm Financial collapse. "It was just something I couldn't take," he says. "Life's about fairness." Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson, a former Wall Street banker, has worked alongside Williams on Senate inquiries into the financial sector for more than five years. Whish-Wilson had not been in Canberra long - and didn't even know who "Wacka" was - when Williams bailed him up in a parliamentary corridor and insisted he join an inquiry that would ultimately back a royal commission in 2014. (The nickname "Wacka" was earned as a young child, when he would do nude runs after bath time and his father would say, "Wacko!".) Advertisement "He said, 'I know you've got a background in banking. We're going after ASIC'," Whish-Wilson says. Whish-Wilson says the moment has stuck with him because it is unusual for colleagues in Canberra to want you involved if they think you're an expert lest you show them up. But Whish-Wilson says Williams was always more interested in the actual issues, than squabbling over territory. "I always trusted him," the Tasmanian Greens senator says. Williams' crusade against the banks has been long and often lonely. In Parliament, it has meant doing unpopular things like crossing the floor to vote with the Greens. Tellingly, it was Williams who finally took Commonwealth Bank whistleblower Jeff Morris seriously, when the former financial planner got in touch looking for action in 2013. While the royal commission is his headline achievement, Williams says his real victories have happened behind closed doors - mediating between victims and the banks. For years, the NSW senator has also been inundated with calls from victims of bad advice, looking for help. Beyond the financial sector, Williams interests have ranged far and wide. He has also been an advocate for country of origin labelling for food and speed limits for mobility scooters after his wife was hit and injured by a speeding "gopher". Nationals senator John Williams in his office at Parliament House. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Advertisement A devout Catholic, Williams was one of 12 senators to vote against same-sex marriage in in 2017. He was also one of the key voices to shoot down Tony Abbott's "signature" paid parental leave scheme after the 2013 election, threatening to cross the floor to defeat it. Since 2010, the NSW senator has sponsored a $4800 dental scholarship for regional students, based on funds from an electoral allowance increase given to all MPs. But Williams has also become involved in issues that are not so close to his heart. Whish-Wilson remembers Williams once drive nine hours in a day to get to Byron Bay to make sure the Greens senator's committee had a quorum, so a hearing into shark protection could go ahead. Williams consequently "copped it from greenies all day". "He did it for me. He knew the issue was important to me," says Whish-Wilson. Labor's Deborah O'Neill, who has sat on the Corporations and Financial Services Committee with Williams for seven years, says she will miss Williams' "colourful turn of phrase," which cuts through "pomposity" in the political world. O'Neill points to a recent committee hearing into the franchising code of conduct, when Williams was questioning former Retail Food Group executives about events leading up to a $427 million write-down in assets. Advertisement It's not often that "tits up" appears in the parliamentary Hansard. John Williams outside the local butcher shop and his electoral office in Inverell in 2014. Credit:Louie Douvis Williams laments that all most voters see of politics is TV grabs of MPs throwing "hand grenades" at each other, when often, behind-the-scenes, people are working hard at working together. As Nationals whip he insisted the party's senators meet every Wednesday afternoon for tea and lamingtons. He has maintained the same four full-time staff in his Inverell office during his entire time in politics. Last week, Williams was talking to his wife Nancy about life after politics. Over a beer at their farm in Inverell, she asked him, "come July 1, how are you going to feel about being Citizen Wacka instead of Senator Wacka?". Thinking it over, Williams insists he will just be grateful for the opportunity. "I'm not going to weep and wail in sympathy for myself," adding there is plenty on his retirement bucket list. The fence needs fixing on his farm and there is an ongoing battle to be fought against weeds. He wants to ride in a Lancaster Bomber, in honour of his father, Reg, who was a rear gunner during World War II. He also plans to travel with Nancy to Canada, the United States, Ireland and France, in search of bush, battlefields and family history. Advertisement Barnaby Joyce has defended his actions as water minister following criticism from the royal commission into the Murray Darling Basin Authority, which found he "ignored the law". The New England MP said the "politically-charged" royal commission report was unsurprising. Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "Its ridiculous to say that Im some sort of malevolent tyrant that ignores the laws of our nation," he said. "For so many of these decisions, Im at arms length the MDBA makes them. The people who say that [I broke the law] are ignorant of the actual process." Police say it was with a "fair degree of luck" no one was seriously injured during a wild carjacking and stealing rampage across Perth's east, during which a man was struck with an axe. Three teenagers are facing a laundry list of charges over the series of carjackings, robberies and assaults in Perths eastern suburbs at the weekend. A 19-year-old Forrestfield man, 18-year-old Canning Vale man and 17-year-old Mahogany Creek girl are facing almost 70 charges between them from more than half a dozen incidents being investigated by police. Police arrested the three teenagers on Sunday morning, after they allegedly tried to steal a car in Millendon. Police the 18 and 19-year-old men were arrested after trying to carjack a truck, but stalled the engine. Credit:File photo/Justin McManus The spree, during which the teens were alleged to be armed with an axe and machete, came to an end on Sunday morning, when police say a Millendon resident caught the trio trying to steal his car, managing to catch and hold the 17-year-old until police arrived while her co-accused fled. Recovering from bushfires in Victoria costs taxpayers $700 million every year, a cost which is estimated to double by 2050*. In 2014, the Productivity Commission called for federal national disaster resilience funding to increase to $200 million per year, matched by $200 million per year from states and territories. The economic case for investing in disaster prevention is compelling. The current federal budget is just $56 million per year, $20 million of which is distributed to states under the Natural Disaster Resilience Grants Scheme. Under the scheme, only $247,000 was awarded for Victorian bushfire-specific resilience projects in 2016-17 - a desperately inadequate 0.04 per cent of annual Victorian bushfire recovery costs. The economic case for investing in disaster prevention is compelling our own case studies demonstrate a cost-benefit ratio of 1:4 for historical bushfire return periods, and even greater return on investment for more frequent bushfire events due to climate change. Two men faced court over a major $1.3 billion drug bust linked to a Mexican cartel as the Bandidos bikie gang made an extraordinary statement condemning meth trafficking. Federal police revealed on Friday that they had intercepted 1.7 tonnes of methamphetamine bound for Australia the largest meth seizure ever recorded on US soil and the biggest intercepted drug haul bound for Australia. Police said the record haul demonstrated a clear link between local outlaw bikie gangs and extremely sophisticated Mexican drug cartels. But the Bandidos motorcycle gang released an unusual statement on Monday, hotly denying having any link to the major haul. Rachael Anderson's western Queensland cattle station is strewn with the bodies of thousands of cattle that died in flooded water a week after sweltering in drought. But her immediate concern after floods killed half of her herd is not the 2000 or so carcasses now rotting in swampy paddocks. It is the banks. "ONE corner in ONE paddock on ONE property": Traeger MP Robbie Katter posted this image on Facebook. Credit:Robbie Katter "I can provide for my family right now. But in six months time or when the bank comes for their repayment, I don't know what I'm going to do, none of us know what we are going to do," Ms Anderson said on Monday. "We just had no idea of the amount of rain that was going to come, we didnt have time to prepare," she said. The scale of the floods in the state's north-west. Credit:Laine Keough "Even if we did know, there would have been nothing we could have done. "Julia Creek area is essentially flat, there is no higher ground. Its a flood." Ms Curr believed she had lost 8000 cattle, half of her herd. "Most of the cattle died from exposure - because it was raining for too long they jammed themselves on top of each other trying to get warm and they just couldnt handle it any more," she said. "They are traumatised, weak and still dying even though rain is over." Ms Curr pleaded for governments at state and federal levels to help flooded regional communities. "We have to save our rural communities and families, we have to look after our own country first, priority number one," she said. "We cant play politics, we just have to get the job done. Please, no politics, just save our area." Interstate road trains carrying hay continue to arrive in north-west Queensland as aviation fuel supplies flown in by the military give a glimmer of hope to farmers. However, the promised bulk military airdrop of fodder for the surviving cattle has been put on the backburner, nearly a week after it was promised. Up to 50 road trains are heading to north-west Queensland with fodder to help struggling farmers. Most are coming from South Australia and have been organised by Rural Aid. Credit:Buy a Bale of Hay - Facebook Rachael Anderson's western Queensland cattle station is strewn with the bodies of thousands of cattle that died in floodwater a week after sweltering in drought. But her immediate concern after flood killed half her herd is not the 2000-odd carcasses now rotting in swampy paddocks. It is the banks. "I can provide for my family right now. But in six months' time or when the bank comes for their repayment, I don't know what I'm going to do, none of us know what we are going to do," Ms Anderson said. "We can't get loans because we've got nothing to borrow against, none of us have got anything left." "ONE corner in ONE paddock on ONE property": Traeger MP Robbie Katter posted this image on Facebook. Credit:Robbie Katter The federal government would provide an immediate ex gratia payment of $1 million to affected shires, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday. "This payment will be for them to use on priorities they deem most urgent - whether that be rate relief for impacted properties, infrastructure, or the disposal of cattle which have perished," he said. Meanwhile, the Insurance Council of Australia defended the behaviour of insurers in flood-ravaged Townsville amid complaints they are not paying up. Both the Queensland Labor government and LNP opposition have called on insurers to ensure they give claimants a fair go. Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said there had been 14,600 insurance claims worth $175 million lodged in Queensland following the flood. "For locals, this has been unlike anything experienced before," she said. "Almost twice London's annual rainfall was dumped on Townsville in less than two weeks." Worried Coalition rolls out the scare campaigns When a election approaches and a Coalition government fears losing office, it inevitably turns up the fear attack on the opposition. We have had the "return of the boats" scare, the "economy will be trashed" scare, the "unions will run the government" scare, the "renewal energy disaster/increased power costs" scare, and the "attack on poor retirees" scare. No doubt Scott Morrison is workshopping how to come up with a "Reds under the beds" scare, or a "Labor will nationalise the banks" scare. Wouldn't it be better for the country if the LNP put some effort into developing policies that reflect the values and desires of the community? But I imagine that is simply too hard given the irreconcilable ideological divisions within the Coalition. Danny Cole, Essendon Case of the pot calling the kettle black First Tony Abbott complains of negativity; now Parliament's shoutiest man, Christopher Pyne, complains of shouty critics. What next? Peter Dutton accusing doctors of cruelty? Nic Barnard, Fitzroy North Weak Labor only adds to refugees' misery You can always back it in that Bill Shorten and Labor will fold at the last minute on important decisions ("Labor to back down over medical bill", 11/2). By allowing Peter Dutton, the most discompassionate man in the federal government, the last word on whether ill refugees are allowed here for medical treatment, you can bet London to a brick on what Mr Dutton's decision will be. Labor has condemned the refugees to more misery on Manus Island and Nauru. If that is at all possible. John Cain, McCrae A wonder there's not more independents Independent senator Tim Storer says "voters would wonder what Labor stood for" if they backed down over the refugee medical stand-off (The Age, 11/2). I am a voter, and I don't wonder what the Labor or Liberal parties stand for. They appear to stand for themselves. The wonder is: why don't more independents win seats? Rosemary Taylor, Castlemaine THE FORUM In a weakened state It's not just "bosses" that are not up to fixing the nation's banks (The Age, 9/2). Neither are governments. The long era of the triumph of anti-government, anti-regulation and anti-taxation ideology has undermined government confidence and capability so it's become systemically ineffective in regard to the banking industry and much else besides. While by no means a failed state, Australia is now a weak state. It will take years to rebuild state capacity and it is not a challenge unique to here, it is a global challenge. Stewart Sweeney, North Adelaide Machiavelli cuts both ways Machiavelli observed that "People more quickly forget the death of their father than the loss of their inheritance" ("A Machiavellian muck-up", Tony Walker, 11/2) to explain why governments "must abstain from taking the property of others". Tony Walker invokes Machiavelli when he warns Chris Bowen about "his assault on retirees' entitlements", but the current franking credits situation already has the government taking the property of others (taxes on non-retirees' hard-earned income) to give to self-funded retirees (who aren't paying any income tax) extra money in addition to the untaxed dividends on their share portfolios. As a self-funded retiree, the removal of this rort seems entirely fair and reasonable to me. Wayne Robinson, Kingsley, WA Smash-and-grab policy Tony Walker's analysis of Chris Bowen's proposal on excess franking credits is timely. What was a quick fix is coming severely unstuck, first, because it is patently inequitable and, second, because the tide of opposition will not cease. The core of Mr Bowen's problem is not franked dividends, but the removal of taxation from Australian superannuation pension income in 2007, combined with the huge growth of SMSFs. Presumably discounting the possibility of bringing back taxation as an election loser, he chose to smash and grab. The policy is theoretically a money winner, but is a Pandora's box. As things stand, he has one obvious option, a further modification: a cap on refunds of excess franking credits of somewhere between $5000 and $20,000, if those who know are to be heard. This is still pragmatic, rather than principled, but would quell the immediate disquiet and discourage those retirees so minded from moving themselves onto a government part-pension. From the ALP's point of view, it would also take much of the sting out of the government's attacks on this issue. Ian Rutherford, Queenscliff Close scrutiny the only way The root cause of the unethical behaviour of the financial institutions of this country can be found in the fundamental drivers of the human psyche; fear and greed (both manifestations of the survival instinct). Until these traits can be bred out of the human psyche, there is no substitute for strict regulation of the sector, and I do mean strict. There must be independent, financial technocrats with impeccable credentials embedded within any organisation that sets up to operate in the sector, with frequent rotations in/out of such organisations to mitigate against corruption of these technocrats. Let them work under the auspices of APRA and report to that body on a six-monthly basis. Despite the predilection of conservative politics for "small government", it has become glaringly obvious that human-kind cannot be trusted to operate with integrity without stringent regulation; no doubt the taxpayer will foot the bill for such a process but perhaps there is a way for shareholders to be held responsible for the behaviour of the institutions carrying their investments. William King, Marshall Taxpayers foot bill Self-funded retirees claim, without a hint of irony, that they are not a burden on the taxpayer while structuring their tax-free SMSFs to receive cash refunds from the Tax Office for franking credits, at taxpayer expense. Ian Black, Essendon Inadvertent admission The Coalition has been telling us for some time now that there are adequate medical services and facilities in the detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru, whereas now they are resisting Kerryn Phelps' medical evacuation bill on the grounds that all 1000 detainees could be evacuated to the mainland within weeks. Surely this is an admission that all the detainees are much worse medically and mentally than the government has all along asserted. Such political back-pedalling is the equivalent of self-harming by way of shooting oneself in the foot. Quick, get down to your local GP to witness a bleeding politician being stitched up! If the health of the 1000 is really so poor that they must all be brought to Australia very soon, then indeed it is high time the politicians were honest about the debilitating effects of their policies, and the detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru were shut down. And is it really likely that people smugglers will have any joy selling the line that, "Well, you will initially be incarcerated offshore, but don't worry because they'll eventually take you to Australia after you have become a basket case." Elaine O'Shannessy, Buxton Asylum seeker farce I am appalled at the lengths this government will go to in order to deny medical care to asylum seekers. The latest scare is that up to 1000 sick people could come to Australia, thereby weakening our border security, if a bill passes the House of Representatives. This raises a couple of questions: is the government afraid that the public will know for sure that so many of these people are really sick, thereby exposing its cruelty? What on earth have the Border Force boats been doing, if that's all it takes to breach our borders? What a farce! Robin Lohrey, Howrah, Tas Matter of principle What a cowardly and politically outrageous moment it will be if Labor backs down on the medical evacuation bill. This bill gives the opportunity to demonstrate the highest principle on the value of a human life and, as importantly, the right of a person who has been recognised as a legitimate refugee to seek necessary medical attention in Australia. The usual fear tactics and lies (for example, Christopher Pyne suggesting 1000 refugees will rush to Australia for medical support) yet again demonstrate the abysmal incapacity of the government to understand what it is that makes a person seek asylum. The Labor and Liberal parties have for too long played roulette with human life and dignity. If Labor would support the bill, maybe it would be a first step in valuing what it means to be human. Judith Morrison, Mount Waverley Cruel and dishonest Christopher Pyne might well sound like a voice of reason in his opinions regarding the state of the LNP (11/2) but his behaviour on Insiders on Sunday showed a politician who was desperate and unhinged. The cruel and dishonest rhetoric regarding refugees, for whom the government has a duty of care, makes them human pawns in this never-ending brutality. Pamela Dempster, South Yarra Mercenaries by any name With respect, Joan Lynn (Letters 10/2), you have misquoted me. My letter read "ideological, personal or venal reasons". Your "and" changes the meaning significantly to something I certainly do not believe. Well-meaning idealists are not motivated by material reward but they do deny the adage that "the road to hell is paved with good intentions". Personal motivation by people longing to bring their kith and kin here by any means available is quite understandable, but we cannot run our immigration system on that basis. Finally, if people smugglers are not "mercenaries", I don't know who might be. Bruce Stillman, Fitzroy North No to a meek, tame ABC I'd like to see an ABC that concentrates on clear, fair, factual, objective reporting and analysis in its coverage. Unlike David Alexander ("A crucial first question for new chair of the ABC", Comment, 11/2), I believe that's exactly what the ABC aims to provide and achieves, most of the time. How it's perceived is a problem for its audience rather than for the organisation itself. No matter how rigorously the dubious notion of "balance" is enforced, there's always a risk that a large portion of its audience will see things differently. To my mind, that's a perfectly healthy position for a public broadcaster with a wide-ranging brief, as opposed to a commercial one with narrower sponsors' interests to consider. What the ABC's loyal audience does not want is a tame lackey meekly toeing the government's line, over-sensitive to some artificial perceptions of bias. Jenifer Nicholls, Armadale Bias in eye of beholders David Alexander concurs that polls show the ABC to be biased to the left but he misses the real reason for such results. Rather than springing to the ABC's defence, supporters should be aware of the community bias behind such a perception. Left-wingers are used to openness, robust debate and divergent opinions arising from their diverse roots in labour and educational pursuits. Conservatives by nature lean towards privacy, permanence and privilege, not to mention a "born to rule" disposition. Bias is not in the ABC but in the eyes of some beholders. Many in the community do not like controversial matters to be exposed, evenly discussed and fairly concluded. In their eyes the ABC's impartiality is naturally biased. Alastair Pritchard, Templestowe A bridge too far? This city is witnessing a blossoming of new infrastructure projects. Skyrails have been built, and cuttings dug to eliminate level crossings. A new Metro rail tunnel will give train travellers better service. Even traffic snarls on Hoddle Street/Punt Road are being addressed. Surely it couldn't be too hard to bulldoze half a metre of topsoil off the surface of Montague Street, so hapless motorists don't keep getting stuck. This would surely be a lot cheaper than raising what is clearly a bridge that is far too low for 21stcentury vehicles. Bruce Thomas, St Kilda East AND ANOTHER THING Tony Abbott If Tony Abbott gets beaten in Warringah then there is a newly created vacancy for him in the "Mother Country" chauffeuring Prince Philip. David Kerr, Geelong You'd think after 25 years that Tony Abbott would know it's fine to bow out gracefully. Brandon Mack, Deepdene Tony, I always knew that somewhere, deep down inside, there was a sense of humour: When I read your comment about the negativity of the independents I chuckled and my wife outrageously guffawed. Robin Martin, Coburg Taxing question If I give my grandchild $100 for Christmas, it comes out of my after-tax revenue. But she's too young to pay tax. Should I expect the ATO to top up my gift with a "refund"? Robert Saunders, Cheltenham Roiled by republic If we become a republic, will there still be "royal" commissions" and all the other "royals"? It's a "right royal problem"! Myra Fisher, Brighton East Ban cyclists too Trucks will be banned from a key part of Beach Road (The Age, 11/2). How about cyclists as well, given there is a designated bike path which runs parallel to this busy highway? John Tidey, Middle Park Pyning for irony Christopher Pyne complaining about the "shouty" state of Australian politics. Now there's irony for you! Ross Hudson, Camberwell No, I'm the other one ... I can sympathise with your pain, Bryan Fraser (Letters, 11/2,) however, I reckon I copped it more when big Mal was PM and I started university in 1976! Malcolm Fraser, Oakleigh South Stop and think how I feel, and furthermore I live in NSW, too. Ian Macdonald, Goonellabah, NSW Fifty Februaries ago former High Court Justice Michael Kirby met a dashing Dutchman called Johan van Vloten, on a hot summers night at the Bottoms Up bar of the old Rex Hotel in Kings Cross. On Monday night, half a century to the day later, the two men were married before family and close friends at their Bondi Junction home. It was a small celebration for a big love affair. Michael Kirby married his partner Johan van Vloten on the 50th anniversary of when they first met on Monday. Credit:Hadden Motion Pictures They explored the world and each other. They liked what they discovered, the celebrant Michelle Bailey told the crowd. In the private ceremony, with Justice Kirbys brother Donald, and Mr van Vlotens nephew Len acting as witnesses, those gathered heard that the marriage of these two men was proof positive of the capacity of love to prevail over obstacles, hostility, change and the passing of time. Although within weeks of their 1969 meeting, the two were introduced and accepted by their respective families, it would take 25 years for their homosexual relationship to become enshrined in federal law in 1994, and another 48 before they could marry in Australia. Theres no question Liberal franking credit crusader Tim Wilson has had the week from hell. But is Geoff Wilsons first cousin once removed on shaky ground in the Liberal bayside heartland of Goldstein? A handful of Labor diehards think so. And with such conviction theres now a crowd of three vying for the seat. Credit:Matt Golding One-time Home and Away extra turned self-proclaimed climate activist Louise Crawford has put her hat in the ring, along with Glen Eira councillor Jim McGee and Brighton-born accountant Daniel Pollock, who is 28 years old. Gaia Hypothesis. Various artists. Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen. Until March 17. Tuesday-Sunday 10am to 4pm. Anna Madeleine, Pranatamangsa AR 2018 in Gaia Hypothesis at Belconnen Arts Centre. The so-called "Gaia hypothesis" essentially argues that living organisms interact with the broader inorganic environment to create a complex, self-regulating system that enables life on earth to continue. It was advanced by the English chemist James Lovelock and the American microbiologist Lynn Margulis in the early 1970s, but popularised mainly by Lovelock, who coined the name Gaia the Greek goddess for the earth after the name was suggested to him by the novelist William Golding. The idea of the world as a self-regulating entity was hardly new, with an important precedent in the thinking of Alexander von Humboldt a couple of centuries earlier and the Russian-Soviet scientists, including Piotr Kropotkin, Vladimir Vernadsky and Vladimir Kostitzin, having earlier arrived at related concepts. Residents and emergency services across NSW are preparing for hot, windy weather that could result in bushfires and dust storms on Tuesday, with a total fire ban declared for the entire state. Most of Sydney, including the city and east, is forecast to reach a top of 37 degrees on Tuesday. In Sydney's west, Penrith is set to reach 38 degrees, Liverpool is forecast to reach 37 and Campbelltown is set for a top 36. Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Rebecca Farr said temperatures were expected to reach the high 30s in much of the state, hitting 40 degrees in the far north-west. Electricity poles and wires company Spark Infrastructure has taken a $270 million bath, writing down its South Australian electricity distribution assets and cutting dividends after a court decision that will force it to pay more tax. Spark has lost its tax battle with the Australian Tax Office over its subsidiaries, setting a potential precedent for similar industry-wide asset write-downs. Spark Infrastructure has lost its battle with the ATO and will now have to pay tax. Credit:Bloomberg The announcement is a blow for the part owner of the South Australian assets, Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-Shing's CK Group, which was knocked back by the federal government in its attempt to acquire Australia's largest gas pipeline company, APA, for $13 billion last year. The tax battle centred around issues where customers 'built' the network through fees and handed it to the network to run or a business built it themselves and then 'gifted' it to a network to operate, such as in the case of a new housing estate. A national foundation has announced that it will give New Orleans $2 million more over the next two years to support a variety of initiatives meant to reduce its jail population. The MacArthur Foundation grant was revealed as the citys long-running effort to trim the number of inmates has come under new fire from Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro, but city leaders say they are not backing down. Instead, Mayor LaToya Cantrells administration hopes to reduce the jail population by another 200 people to under 1,000 inmates sometime next year. Despite his fervid critique of the jail downsizing as an ill-conceived social experiment, Cannizzaros office stands to receive roughly $300,000 of the latest grant. An upsurge in crime or pushback from other public officials could imperil the plan. Yet Tenisha Stevens, the citys criminal justice commissioner, insisted the citys ambitious goal can be reached by 2020. We are confident we can get to that mark, she said. The latest cash infusion adds to the $1.5 million the city has received from the MacArthur Foundation since 2015. The foundation, which opposes high incarceration rates, is handing out $166 million to dozens of cities in an effort to cut local jail populations. New Orleans has used its money on a mathematical tool to gauge the risk that recent arrestees would pose upon release, follow-up bail reviews for inmates who linger in jail and a project to release more inmates on their own recognizance. The result has been a remarkable drop in the inmate ranks of a city that had more than 3,300 people behind bars in 2010. The total Orleans Parish Sheriffs Office population at all locations on Friday was 1,191 inmates a decline of almost two-thirds. City officials say that further reductions will come by targeting populations that pose little risk to public safety upon release, like people with mental health or substance abuse problems. Stevens noted that in the midst of the push last year to reduce the jail's population, the city reached its lowest homicide tally since 1971. Shootings were also down 30 percent compared to the year before, and armed robberies dropped by 12 percent. Crime is down, said Stevens. At the same time were making sure people are not being held in jail when they can safely be released. Those arguments have not swayed Cannizzaro, who took partial credit for the homicide drop while ripping into incarceration reduction efforts at a Wednesday luncheon hosted by the Metropolitan Crime Commission. Cannizzaro noted that most people in the city jail are accused of violent offenses. I absolutely want to see fewer people locked up in New Orleans and throughout our state, he said. But we must get there because fewer people are committing crimes, not because of some grand social experiment espoused by sheltered academics and naive politicians. 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 Despite the harsh words, Cannizzaro, who has long complained of budget shortfalls at his agency, will be a major benefactor of the MacArthur money. His office will receive roughly $300,000 to hire three more diversion counselors. Those counselors guide arrestees through a process where those accused of minor crimes can eventually have their record wiped clean if they stay out of trouble. A Cannizzaro spokesman did not directly address whether theres a contradiction in taking a cut of the grant while lambasting its larger goal. Our diversion program has provided second chances to more than 4,800 arrestees in the past 10 years, and we are pleased with any supplemental funding from the city to help us expand its scope, said Ken Daley. Stevens said that while she found the district attorneys stance puzzling, shes taking a pragmatic approach to relations with his office. She worked as an investigator there from 2003 to 2017. We have to engage, and we have to include all of our criminal justice partners. At the end of the day the DA is the top law enforcement (official) for the city, so he needs to be at the table with us making decisions, she said. Over the next two years, the city also plans to undertake a variety of other efforts to reduce the jail population. Another $300,000 will go toward a community advisory group and public education. Stevens' office will prod the New Orleans Police Department to write police reports more quickly, which would allow prosecutors to evaluate whether and how to charge suspects before they have sat in jail for longer than necessary. The city will also continue a pilot project in the French Quarter and Central Business District called Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion, which gives officers the discretion to send people accused of minor crimes to social workers instead of jail. The project, which was launched in November 2017, is aimed at people who cycle in and out of jail, including the homeless, the mentally ill or those with substance abuse problems. Its a small sample size, and its too early to really make statistical claims, but we have seen that frequency (of arrest) decrease, said Shelbi Flynn, a senior project manager in Stevens office. She added that the program is changing minds in agencies like the NOPD and City Attorneys Office. Its helping people rethink the way they approach jail and mental health and substance use disorders, and thats ultimately what we want, she said. All around Covington High you can find shining examples of leadership in the student body. Some Leadership students gave up their recent three-day weekend to attend the annual high school leadership conference in Sulphur. The students gathered with other Louisiana high school students to share ideas, hone their leadership skills and bring good ideas back to Covington High. The students attending were Hunter Shepard, Morgan Griggs, Emma Mentel-Andrews, Stormy Kohler, Jessika Bigner and Kelly Barre. Covington also has many leaders in the classroom, and they were honored at the school's annual Scholars Breakfast. Invitations to the breakfast are sent out each year to students who maintained only As and Bs on their report cards. Knowing what a hard task that is, the staff at Covington High puts a lot of effort into the preparation of the breakfast. School to work coordinator Mary Koepp oversees the event and chose the theme "Winter Wonderland." Students and family were treated to a breakfast prepared by Stephanie Buchholzs Pro-Start class. This years nearly 250 scholars were called up and individually presented with certificates of achievement. Attendants were also honored by guest speaker Eric Summers, a faculty member at Southeastern Louisiana University. Joy Conlin also was named Covington High's 2019 Student of the Year at the event. She has been a member of many school organizations since her freshman year. She maintains a scholars status, and has a perfect attendance record. In addition to academics, Covingtons students are talented in the arts as well. Conlin and Ella Bereziuk competed in the district level of the Poetry Out Loud competition and advanced to the state round under the direction of Covingtons talented theater director Gary Mendoza. Cleos Mediterranean Cuisine brought something different to the table when it first opened in 2013, serving well-composed, inexpensive Middle Eastern dishes 24/7 in downtown New Orleans. In a late night town, it became one of the best options for quality food after midnight. Now Cleos founder Tarek Madkour has moved the bar significantly higher with a new French Quarter restaurant with a stylish modern design, a broader menu of Arabic flavors and its own in-house pita bakery (see full menu below). Also called Cleo's, it opened at 117 Decatur St. on Monday (Feb. 11). That is the former address of Cafe Giovanni, which closed in 2017 after a 26-year run serving upscale Creole Italian cuisine. The space has been lushly re-imagined with a modern Middle Eastern motif, with arabesque patterns worked into the walls, the light displays and even the custom bar tops. It too operates 24/7. But this new Cleo's represents a fuller picture of what Madkour always hoped to bring people with his food. "With a restaurant like this," he said, waving his hand across his new, luminous dining room, "when you walk in you are in my home. I am taking care of you." Madkour attended a graduate hospitality program back home in Egypt and worked for high-end hotels. When he and his wife Aubrey Madkour moved to New Orleans, he knew he wanted to open his own restaurant, but he also knew he had a lot to learn before he could develop what he envisioned. Can't see video below? Click here. My wife always encouraged me, she is very supportive, she told me, you can do this, but you need to learn the local first," he said. The original Cleo's opened in the ground floor of the parking garage next to the Orpheum Theatre and doubled as a convenience store with a huge array of imported candy and many different soft drinks among its specialties. But even in its combination format, Madkour made it clear Cleos was striving to be a cut above the casual falafel joint standard. Cleo's relocated just a block away to 940 Canal St. in 2018, where at maintains the same standards, schedule and grocery component. The restaurant has been successful, but Madkour knew he could show people so much more. Just like home, pita bread is an essential at Cleo's, and finally Madkour can make his own. The new restaurant effectively doubles as a pita bakery, where Madkour's kitchen crew, led by his family, makes dough, forms it into pita and cooks it rapidly in a specially-designed gas-fired oven. The pita cooks in moments, billowing up and emerging piping hot and aromatic. One side is made with wheat flour, the other with white flour, combining for a distinct toasty, mild flavor and soft, pliant texture. The same oven now supplies bread to the Canal Street Cleo's, and it has clearly added to Madkour's sense of fulfillment with his new project. The food can be excellent, but you can only do so much without making your own bread," he said. "When you go to the Middle East, everyone makes their own bread. A stand that has only one thing, it only serves falafel, but that guy will make his own bread." Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Egypt is the restaurants anchor, though it also draws from what Madkour considers the best of the bigger picture for his region's food. For tabbouleh, we do what Lebanese people do. For hummus, what Syrian people do. For za'atar, what Palestinian people do. For falafel, its like the Egyptian people," he said. "Tahini we bring in from Lebanon. Olives, always from Greece." Tagines, a layered, stew-like dish combing meats or seafood and vegetables, are prepared in different ways. Hummus dishes are augmented with fried cauliflower or za'atar shrimp. Egyptian seafood soup, steak, lamb chops, koftes and house-made pastries are on the menu. Cleo's serves pita sandwiches for lunch and on a smaller late-night menu, while more plates and stews and soups are offered from lunch through dinner. This new Cleo's also doubles as a specialty food store, with Cafe Giovanni's former Bella Baci Lounge converted for retail. It its an emporium of imported candy and snacks and stocks a vast array of soft drinks. With many hotels towering nearby, it's poised to be snack central for visitors with late-night cravings. Theres no alcohol served, though BYOB is allowed with a corkage fee. Instead, the restaurant has a menu of fresh juice blends (like the hangover cure, with carrot, beet, celery and orange) and mocktails (like a virgin mojito). The standards on which Cleo's first built its following remain in play at this more ambitious expansion. Bulb-shaped falafel green with fresh herbs, hummus garnished just so with olive oil and chili sauce, and shawarma plates are specialties. Order the Egyptian breakfast, and your table fills with a multi-plate banquet of vegetarian dips, salads and falafel. This is the food of the Middle East," said Madkour. "When you eat here it is a taste of our home. This is us. Cleo's 117 Decatur St., 504-218-5874; open 24/7 940 Canal St., 504-522-4504; open 24/7 With steak, DJs, a dash of neon, Justine puts a new kind of French in the French Quarter The new French brasserie Justine is an enveloping environment, with its mix of sultry curves and smooth contours, its zinc bar and pink tile k Dim sum arrives in the French Quarter at Dian Xin Whenever you feel the need for some new flavors in your life, a drive down Williams Boulevard in Kenner usually does the trick. The strip mall What are myths, really? More than just old Greek and Roman legends for which our Mardi Gras parades often were named, myths are stories that unite past and present, universal ideas and intimate experiences or so New Orleans artist Nicole Charbonnet suggests in her new mixed-media paintings. Art review: 'Bondye: Beyond and Between' In the 1960s, Tina Girouard was part of an influential group of New York avant-garde artists from Louisiana that included Lynda Benglis, Dicki If the ideal forms of traditional Olympian deities belied their famously messy personal lives, Charbonnet cuts to the quick by mixing their iconic allure with a graphic goulash of modern grit and lurid innuendo. "Danae and the Shower of Gold" (pictured), based on Adolf Wertmuller's 1787 painting of the Greek princess ravished by the great god Zeus disguised as a golden mist, somehow unites the legends of the Roman poet Ovid with messy modern graffiti and seductive mass media imagery that blurs the boundaries between advertising and soft porn. In so doing, Charbonnet infuses the ephemeral with the eternal, and maybe a hint of the infernal. Similarly, in "After Michelangelo," the ghostly image of one of the Renaissance artist's typically beefy, linebacker-esque torsos seems to be emerging from the painting's dense texture, a surface that recalls a crumbling wall replete with splattered paint and pockmarks that amount to a record of time's indignities over the ages. In "Amor Vincit Omnia After Caravaggio," contemporary chaos sets the tone in a scene where splatters of pink paint overwhelm green figurative swatches, recalling the iconic graffiti-riddled anarchy of a St. Claude Avenue streetscape. "After Modigliani" is more demure, an imprint of a sly Sibyl etched into a sun-bleached Italian rampart, but "After Giorgione" is more frontal, a modern-day Venus as an assertive soft porn princess. If the collective chaos of these works can seem disorienting at first, the way they really do appear to integrate the wild and colorfully humanistic aspects of the past with the digitally enhanced chaos of the present fulfills visual art's role as a stimulant to the integrative processes of the imagination, processes without which there would be no resilience, and consequently no healing. Through Feb. 23. Arthur Roger Gallery, 432 Julia St., (504) 522-1999; www.arthurrogergallery.com When Keith Twitchell, then-captain of Krewe du Vieux, went to meet then-District C City Councilman Troy Carter at City Hall, he found that Carter knew all about Krewe du Vieux: You guys are the ones with the penises, Carter told him. Body and bawdy parts are a big feature of the krewes annual Mardi Gras walking parade, which first staggered through the streets on Valentines Day 1987, with musician Charmaine Neville as grand marshal and the theme Odd Couples (among them: Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee and Tina Turner). The following year, Krewe du Vieux settled in to its usual level of good taste; Chef Paul Prudhomme was grand marshal and the theme was NAwlins Eats Out. Other themes over the years have included Unnaturally New Orleans, Depraved New World, Crimes Against Nature and, in the year following Hurricane Katrina, Cest Levee. This years theme is a backhanded salute to Mayor LaToya Cantrells positivity campaign. LaToya is trying to brand us as the City of Yes, Twitchell (now the krewes Poobah of Publicity) says, so our theme this year is The City of Yes Yes Oh God Yes. Krewe du Vieux announces parade details and theme: 'City of Yes Yes Oh God Yes' Krewe du Vieux the beloved Carnival walking parade unbound by good taste or public decency will roll (or stagger) Feb. 16 with a theme tak Krewe du Vieux began as a spinoff of another popular walking krewe, the Krewe of Clones, which fell apart after the city tried to make it a bit more respectable during the year of the 1986 Super Bowl in New Orleans. Like Clones, Krewe du Vieux actually is a loosely organized group of sub-krewes, some of which Underwear, Mama Roux, Seeds of Decline and C.R.U.D.E. have been with the group since the beginning. The current membership also includes Krewe of Space Age Love, Krewe of L.E.W.D., Krewe of Drips and Discharges, Krewe of K.A.O.S., Knights of Mondu, T.O.K.I.N., Krewe Rue Bourbon, Krewe de C.R.A.P.S., Mystic Krewe of Spermes, Mystick Krewe of Comatose, Krewe of the Mystic Inane, Krewe du Mishigas and Krewe of SpanK. The parade is known for its homemade floats of various levels of sophistication, which are drawn through the streets of the Faubourg Marigny and French Quarter by mules. Most parody local officials and themes and range from PG-13 to decidedly X ratings. This years floats will include Spermes Gets Entergy Customers Turned On, Pot for Potholes and The Lyin King, a tribute to President Donald Trump. Has there ever been any pushback from city officials? Twitchell mulls the question. Maybe a little, he says, the year we did Mitch and Marlon Make a Porno. The float was a takeoff of the Seth Rogen comedy Zack and Miri Make a Porno, and featured Mayor Mitch Landrieu and Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlon Gusmans heads superimposed on a video screen that was showing a heavily censored gay porn flick. Suffice it to say: Parental guidance is suggested for Krewe du Vieux. Only the most progressive parents want to take their kids, Twitchell says. +14 Let the Space Farce be with Chewbacchus, which rolls with same puckish and inclusive attitude despite changes The din of welding and sawing filled Castillo Blanco Art Studios, almost drowning out the sounds of traffic going by on St. Claude Avenue. Mem Krewe du Vieux WHAT: The raunchy satirical parade rolls into its 32nd year WHEN: 6:30 p.m., Sat. Feb. 16 WHERE: Floats will depart from the corner of Chartres and Marigny streets and roll through the Faubourg Marigny and French Quarter before ending at 517 Toulouse St. for the annual Krewe du Vieux Doo ball. Tickets are $50 and available from krewe members, as well as at Up in Smoke, Peaches Records and the Louisiana Music Factory. THEME: City of Yes Yes Oh God Yes GRAND MARSHAL: Walter Wolfman Washington INFO: www.kreweduvieux.org The port of New Orleans was the reason that Thomas Jefferson wanted Louisiana a couple of centuries ago, and since the famous land deal of the early 19th-century America has benefited enormously. But the Port of New Orleans capital P is also a continuing and tremendous contributor to the economic health of both the state and the nation. All are aware of the immense amount of shipping of goods down the Mississippi River and importing the same from around the world. The port is also a significant contributor to tourism. The Port of New Orleans set a record for cruise ship passengers in 2018, with more than 1 million travelers. At nearly 1.2 million cruise passengers, the 2.3 percent increase from 2017 is significant. Last year was the fifth consecutive year the figure was at least 1 million. The port says it had 235 passenger ships in 2018 and is the sixth busiest cruise port in the United States. For the many businesses who benefit, the increase in passengers is very good news. Its good for hotels and restaurants, food wholesalers as well. The Ourso College of Business at LSU produced an economic impact study that found cruise passengers and ship crews spend an estimated $129.1 million in the Crescent City region each year. The 4,000-passenger Norwegian Breakaway became the port's largest occupancy cruise ship when it arrived in November. It's set to make seven-day cruises through April until its newer sister ship, the Norwegian Getaway, replaces it in November. In early 2020, Disney Cruise Line will have a homeport in Louisiana for the first time when the 2,700-passenger Disney Wonder embarks on six cruises in the Caribbean, the port said. But as Mr. Jefferson was well aware, the vital importance of New Orleans extended far above the city itself, but along the river. A growing trade in passenger riverboats docking from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, and at many communities along River Road, is a boost to tourism beyond the Crescent City, famous as it is. In 2018, there were 30,298 passengers on the five riverboats based in New Orleans. Tourists continue to want to see historic plantations and sites like Huey P. Longs State Capitol. Communities along the river are benefiting from that tourist trade as well. Some of these travelers are international visitors, particularly welcome. The international visitor tends to stay longer and spend more, says Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, the states top tourism official. We welcome this growth and encourage communities to continue to make arrangements, whether tours or other services, so that folks have a great time in Louisiana and New Orleans. Louisiana leaders remain at an impasse over how much money the state can spend in the coming year, after a House Republican leader for the fourth time in as many months -- blocked the Edwards administrations push for an improved outlook. House Speaker Taylor Barras was again the lone hold-out in rejecting a boosted projection that would help Edwards pay for his much-touted teacher pay raises when he presents his executive budget proposal later this month. My concern and my heartburn has been with the state general fund," said Barras, R-New Iberia. The four-person Revenue Estimating Conference, which relies on a team of state economists for advice, must unanimously agree to any changes in the state projection. LSU economist Jim Richardson, Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne and Senate President John Alario, R-Westwego, all agreed to the increase, which would have made nearly $150 million in additional revenue available for spending priorities in the coming 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 Planning for the budget that will take effect July 1 begins with the governors executive outline, which he will present Feb. 22. The Legislature, which starts its 2019 session on April 8, then hashes out a final spending plan before the session ends June 6. I believe we have time to come back and make that state general fund adjustment in a timely manner, Barras said. But Alario said he worried that the RECs failure to act on the new projection could threaten the teacher pay raises. I want to do all I can to support that effort, Alario said. Louisiana Legislature's budget panel meets without discussing state revenue forecast dispute Without discussion, a bipartisan and bicameral panel of Louisiana lawmakers on Thursday acknowledged that the state budget projection won't be Some have accused House Republicans, who have been frequent Edwards foes, of intentionally blocking the upgrade so he wont be able to take credit for pay raises without sacrificing cuts elsewhere in his draft. Barras has denied that hes playing politics. 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 Edwards, who is currently running for a second term against two Republican challengers, has made the pay raises his No. 1 priority heading into his years session. Hes calling for an increase of $1,000 for teachers and $500 for school support staff. +2 Funding for some pay raises delayed after Louisiana House speaker objects to budget forecast upgrade More than $43 million in budget priorities mostly law enforcement expenditures has been delayed again, after state House leadership again After tense meeting over possible rosier Louisiana financials, no update to revenue forecast Just when it seemed fights over Louisiana's state budget had become a thing of the past, tempers flared again at the State Capitol on Tuesday The state relies on two economists predictions to set the forecast one who works for the administration and one who works for the Legislature. Both have repeatedly predicted that the state will take in more revenue than the last estimate adopted in June. We looked at the numbers from top to bottom, said Manfred Dix, the administration economist. Richardson, who has been on the revenue estimating panel longer than any other member, described the proposed projected increases as very, very good. Id say its a conservative estimate that the state can live with, he said. But Barras said he is worried that the state will experience another deficit, even though its finished the past two budget cycles with a surplus. We have created these surpluses by actions weve taken, and Im certainly not convinced that its driven by economic activity at this point, he said. President Donald Trumps declaration in his recent State of the Union speech that he wants to eliminate the nations HIV/AIDS epidemic in the next decade by devoting more resources to areas of the country with high rates of the disease could boost efforts already underway in Louisiana. In recent years, we have made remarkable progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Scientific breakthroughs have brought a once-distant dream within reach, Trump said. My budget will ask Democrats and Republicans to make the needed commitment to eliminate the HIV epidemic in the United States within 10 years. Grace Notes: Donald Trump's HIV eradication proposal a national issue, but also a big local one in Louisiana Whenever a president delivers a State of the Union address, there are always some topics of particular local interest mixed in with all the na Together, we will defeat AIDS in America. And beyond." Baton Rouge and New Orleans have both been identified by U.S. Health and Human Services as among 48 priority areas that have the highest burden of HIV cases and would benefit from additional resources. But what exactly the federal push will look like remains unknown, and some advocates remain skeptical. To date, this administrations actions speak louder than words and have moved us in the wrong direction, nearly two dozen HIV/AIDS patient advocacy groups said in a joint statement shortly after the presidents address. Citing unnamed sources familiar with the administrations plans, Politico reported that the initial phase would include about $250 million in new funding next year, largely for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the federal Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. +2 Despite innovations in treatment, HIV rates still high, including in Baton Rouge and New Orleans Scientific advances for HIV/AIDS have exploded in recent years, and doctors have new ways both to treat people who already have the disease an A CDC report, citing figures from 2014, ranked Baton Rouge as having the nations highest rate of HIV and AIDS cases per capita. New Orleans was ranked third. Louisiana has about 21,000 people who have tested positive for HIV and are known to be living with the virus. Another 5,000 are believed to have HIV but dont know their status, said Dr. Alex Billioux, the Louisiana Department of Healths assistant secretary for the Office of Public Health. Were hopeful that it means a lot of support for great work we are already doing but need to expand on, he said of the Trump administrations proposal. One of the key efforts is to get people who have HIV on antiretroviral treatment. There is no known cure for HIV, but medical advances have provided options for those who have HIV or AIDS to live normal lives and for those who engage in risky behaviors to prevent transmission. 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 There have been tremendous improvements in those medications in the past 15 years, Billioux said. According to the CDC, pre-exposure prophylaxis, a daily pill that people who do not have HIV but are more at risk for contracting it, has been shown to greatly reduce the risk of contracting HIV by about 90 percent for sexual transmission and 70 percent for infected needles. And HIV antiretroviral treatments can often get a persons viral load down to a point where it is less likely to be spread. Billioux said state officials are eager to find out what the Trump administrations plan will entail. The federal government is expected to focus on three key areas: providing additional funding for existing programs, sharing data across regions and deploying task forces to help states with programming. But Billioux said the state is already aggressively working on its own ending the epidemic effort and has experts in place. We are actually at the cutting edge, he said. We know what needs to be done. Billioux said getting people on treatment that reduces their viral load and greatly reduces the likelihood of transmission is key. Frankly, thats how we are going to stop new infections from happening, he said. He said the state health department hopes that the federal effort will provide resources to boost whats already in place providing additional funding for medication and awareness efforts. Thats really what were looking for from the Trump administration, he said. We need more. Billioux said 75 percent of the people in Louisiana who have HIV are minorities, and the virus is more prevalent in among gay men and people who are transgender populations that already face additional social stigmas. Its still a virus that preys upon vulnerable populations, Billioux said. Its a perfect storm there for HIV to really rip through a community. He said the state wants to do more to make people realize that knowing if they have HIV can be empowering and they can get on medication. Were really eager to get those folks screened so they know their status and linked into a health care professional, Billioux said. A Baton Rouge judge stopped short Monday of dismissing a former state agency head's claims that she was retaliated against for blowing the whistle on illegal campaign contributions. State District Judge William Morvant said Cathy Derbonne's lawsuit, filed against the State Police Commission in January 2018, is "lacking" but he gave her attorney 30 days to amend the suit. Derbonne, once the commission's executive director, claims in the suit that she was forced to resign after exposing illegal campaign contributions made by commission members and others. Former State Police Commission head files lawsuit claiming she was retaliated against for whistleblowing The former executive director of the State Police Commission filed a lawsuit this week claiming she was retaliated against for challenging Sta He gave us a roadmap of what he wants to see in the petition, Jill Craft, who represents Derbonne, said outside the judges courtroom. State Police Commission lawyer Christine Keenan argued during a hearing Monday that Morvant should dismiss the suit because it does not allege a violation of state law by Derbonnes former employer, the commission. Derbonne, who headed the commission for eight years, claims she had no choice but to resign in January 2017 due to retaliation for calling attention to improper political contributions made by three commission members who ended up resigning. The improper donations have drawn the attention of federal investigators. Keenan argued the personal activity of some then-commission members does not involve any illegal conduct by the commission. Whats alleged in the petition does not state a violation of state law by her employer, the State Police Commission, she told the judge. Morvant said the suit, in its current form, contains no allegations of violations of state law by the commission. I agree that the petition is lacking, he said. 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 Shortly before she resigned, Derbonne has said she received an anonymous letter warning of "an emerging plot" to remove her from her post. State Police Commission director: 'Emerging plot' to remove her led to reluctant resignation The executive director of the Louisiana State Police Commission abruptly resigned Thursday, convinced the commission's board was about to fire Craft argued that the harassment of Derbonne began as soon as she reported the illegal campaign contributions in December 2015 and didnt stop. Derbonne stepped down after commissioners threatened to humiliate her at a public meeting, Craft added. That is the classic definition of constructive discharge, she told Morvant. Derbonnes suit alleges she was harassed and constructively discharged in reprisal for her attempts to shed light on wrongdoing on the commission. She also claims she fell out of favor with the Louisiana State Troopers Association after that group was accused of using a straw donor to give thousands of dollars to seven political candidates and the House Democratic Campaign Committee. The troopers association was fined $5,000 in January 2017 by the state Ethics Board. Derbonne is seeking back pay and benefits for loss of earning capacity, humiliation and embarrassment, severe emotional distress and mental anguish. The State Police Commission is the civil service board for state troopers. Jack Warner, who co-founded Walk-Ons, has repurchased the downtown location of Schlittz & Giggles and is looking at redeveloping and refreshing the pizza parlor. Jack feels that there are a lot of opportunities for Schlittz & Giggles so he took it back, said Jordan Piazza, the co-owner of Phils Oyster Bar, who is serving as a business manager for Warner. Warner had sold the location at 301 Third St. to Lava Cantina co-founder Ian Vaughn in August 2016 as part of a deal that also involved Lucy's Retired Surfers Bar and The Roux House. Vaughn quickly rebranded Lucys as a Lava Cantina and announced plans to turn Roux House into a gastropub. There was talk the downtown Schlittz & Giggles would be converted into a location for Texas-based Pink's Pizza. Deal to shake up downtown Baton Rouge restaurant scene; here's what will, won't change The downtown Baton Rouge restaurant scene is about to get a significant makeover, after the co-founder of Lava Cantina took over control of Lu Vaughns plans for the properties fell through. He was unable to install smokers in the Roux House, canceling his plans for the gastropub. In July, he closed Lava Cantina and turned it into a space for private events, saying that business was not at a level he could be proud of. The Roux House is now operating under new ownership as The Register Bar, and Lava Cantina closed its downtown location. Vaughn closed the original Lava Cantina in Perkins Rowe at the end of 2018 and has been promoting live music events locally, such as upcoming concerts at the Raising Cane's River Center featuring Nelly, Puddle of Mudd and Charlie Daniels. 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 Warner held on to the Schlittz & Giggles near the Perkins Road Overpass. The plan is to give both of the properties a new look and a new feel, Piazza said. In conversations with investors, Warner has stressed that hes open to making any changes needed to Schlittz & Giggles, outside of giving it a new name. Nothing is nonnegotiable, Piazza said. That could mean changing the menu, using different recipes and buying better ingredients. They want to offer quicker service and make the restaurant better in general, he said. Schlittz & Giggles opened its downtown location in late 2007 and the Perkins Overpass location in 2010. Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission The leaders of Central know what its like to create a new city in East Baton Rouge Parish, and they say they see the people trying to organize a new city of St. George in the southeastern part of the parish going through the same struggles. They say their own effort to incorporate 15 years ago was just as contentious, but they eventually prevailed and see no reason why St. George proponents won't as well not that the process was easy and didnt have an ugly side. "We were told we were a bunch of racist rednecks, said Russell Starns, a Central businessman who spearheaded the city's incorporation drive in 2004. The mayor at the time asked us not to do it because he was worried what it would do to the parish." It ultimately boils down to what people in a community want for themselves, he said. "It gets down to somebodys opinion of what they think, Starns said. In most cases, the people that were fighting us had never crossed that railroad track to get here." Like those in Central, those backing the St. George incorporation effort say the campaign to block it is driven largely by people who don't even live within the proposed new city's boundaries. Attorney General weighs in on St. George petition questions raised by registrar of voters The window has closed: People who signed the latest petition to place the St. George proposal on the ballot can no longer remove their names, To be sure, Central and St. George are much different communities. Central was more rural and had approximately 25,000 residents when it became its own city. The proposed city of St. George has an assumed population of more than 86,000 people and home to some of the city-parish's major commercial corridors and affluent tax base. M.E. Cormier, one of the leaders of the Better Together/Residents Against the Breakaway, say that's one reason St. George's incorporation would do more harm parishwide. "When Central incorporated, they made Baton Rouge revenue-positive," she said. "The difference is a sharp contrast. St. George will have the city-parish revenue-negative to the tune of over $50 million." Cormier said that would likely to lead to tax increases for everyone else if St. George is allowed to become a city. The first big hurdle for St. George proponents is getting a proposal on the ballot to create the new city. They are currently awaiting word from the parish's Registrar of Voters on whether they've amassed the 12,951 signatures required to bring it to voters. The petition needs valid signatures from 25 percent of the registered voters within St. George's proposed city limits. Organizers fell 71 signatures short in their previous attempt in 2015. The proponents submitted petitions containing what they said were 14,500 signatures in October and those are in the process of being validated as quickly as possible, officials say, although theres no timetable for completion. Representatives for and against creating a new city of St. George debate said they were told the verification process could be completed by the end of the month. Cormier and her group procured their own copy of the petition and are combing through it. "Every signature deserves large amount of scrutiny," she said. Starns, the Central businessman involved in that citys incorporation, said he believes St. George's first attempt failed because the boundaries were too large. For their second attempt, St. George advocates carved out nearly all the sections in the original plan where they saw the strongest opposition the first time around. Starns, whom the group consulted with early on during the first attempt, says this approach should work in their favor this time. Central's incorporation push stumbled in the beginning as well. Like St. George, it began out of the desire to create a new school district. After being told they wouldn't get the approval it took from the state Legislature to do so, Starns and others turned to a petition drive to become a city and later get the separate school district they wanted. In their pitch for incorporation in 2004, they crafted their budget around a 2 percent sales tax and various municipal fees. They promised no new city taxes, a promise theyve kept. 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 While Central collects no property taxes for city operations, it does have a separate dedicated property tax to support its school system. St. George organizers have said they'll release their plan for a new school district in the proposed city after they incorporate. Starns said Central's push to breakaway was also rooted in the community's eagerness to gain more control over how their tax dollars were spent and how their community would develop. "It gave us major control over things we didn't have control over with the city-parish, like planning and zoning," Starns said. Before they incorporated, Starns said the city-parish wasn't investing tax dollars into the community the way residents saw fit. St. George proponents have made similar arguments. To keep from raising taxes, St. George said it intends to follow the same course as Central and privatize municipal services. Centrals current mayor, David Barrow, said there are a lot more pluses than minuses to privatization. However, his predecessor, JR Shelton, said the large size of St. George means it wont be able to contract all its municipal services under one third-party vendor like Central does. Shelton also warns that not having city employees on hand to handle emergencies like the 2016 floods, which swamped most of the city, can also pose problems. "You need to have a back-up plan for when emergencies hit," Shelton said. A large portion of the St. George proposed area was also severely impacted by the widespread flooding in 2016. "We get the benefit of hindsight with St. George," said Drew Murrell, an attorney and spokesman for the St. George campaign. "I think we have a plan in place for future that involves pulling in emergency responders and resources when they are needed. Shelton's suggestion that St. George implement multiple contracts to privatize municipal services has worked well for Sandy Springs, Ga., which broke away to form its own city in north Fulton County, Georgia 14 years ago. Sandy Springs, which has a population of more than 100,000 people, was thrust in the national spotlight for its successes in the public/privatization set up for municipal services. St. George modeled much of its proposal after Sandy Springs. According to spokeswoman Sharon Kraun, the city contracted services include finance, its call center, communications, economic and community development, IT, public works and facilities, parks and recreation and municipal court. It's legal services are also handled by an outside law firm. There are only 14 administrative employees on the city's payroll, excluding fire and police protection and the city's mayor and six-member council. Sandy Springs' general fund budget is approximately $110.4 million and they've maintained a surplus at or above $20.5 million, according to their most recent fiscal budget. "Privatization has been very successful," Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul said in en emailed statement. "Every time we rebid the contracts, we've lowered the cost of services. Like any process involving humans, its not perfect." "However, it has given us a predictable cost of services over each five-year period and the flexibility to respond to changing situations that make our service delivery strategy very adaptive to evolving needs," Paul said. Like the cities of Baker, Zachary and Central, St. George would rely on the city-parish for certain services it already provides in the unincorporated area while contracting out other municipal services. Fire protection will be provided by the St. George Fire Department and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office will police streets. The proposed city's year-one budget outlines $33 million in expenditures and approximately $58 million in revenues a significant portion of which will come from sales tax revenues within the boundaries that were estimated at $53 million. Two LSU professors who analyzed the numbers for the Better Together group say St. George has overestimated revenues and underestimated expenses. Lafayette Mayor-President Joel Robideaux on Sunday evening defended his aide, Marcus Bruno, after The Advocate reported that Bruno took a private business loan funded with federal grant money. After obtaining the $35,000 loan, Bruno then helped the nonprofit that administers the loan fund, Lafayette Neighborhoods Economic Development Corp., obtain more grant money from city-parish government. He also helped recommend new members to the Lafayette Neighborhoods board and consulted on revisions to its bylaws. The loan fund is fed with U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development block grant money provided by the city-parish. City-parish employees are not allowed to personally benefit from the block grants when they are in a position to participate in decision-making or receive inside information concerning those grants, according to HUD regulations. Robideaux said in a statement he is deeply disappointed in the misleading headline and story, adding that any suggestion this is anything other than a properly issued loan is a serious distortion of the facts. Robideaux did not specify what he found misleading. His statement did not address the federal conflict-of-interest regulations. A HUD spokesman told The Advocate the agency asks loan grantees to seek a waiver, supported with a legal opinion, when faced with a possible conflict. No one in the administration sought a waiver related to Brunos loan, according to HUD officials. The Robideaux administration last month did not respond to emails, texts and verbal requests for information concerning the loan program and Brunos involvement. An administration spokeswoman, Cydra Wingerter, was informed Jan. 19 of the loan to Bruno. Wingerter said she would pass along the information, along with a request to interview Robideaux. Wingerter did not respond to follow-up requests for an interview or comment from the administration. The administration did not respond to another request Monday morning. Top stories in Acadiana in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Bruno was provided the $35,000 loan in October 2016, less than a year after Robideaux took office with Bruno joining as the mayor-presidents governmental affairs assistant. The loan fund is for small businesses, and city-parish government is responsible for ensuring the loans result in public benefits, as defined in federal guidelines. Bruno signed for the loan on behalf of his business, LA Consultants, but refused to tell The Advocate what he did with the proceeds. Lafayette Neighborhoods is federally required to provide loan documentation to the city-parish, including loan monitoring reports and forms that certify how the money would be spent and whether the borrowers created or retained jobs. However, no such documents were provided in response to a public records request. Oats and Marino, the law firm handling The Advocates public records request, said the city-parish does not possess any other records responsive to The Advocate's request, suggesting the city-parish has no files for Lafayette Neighborhoods loans including Bruno's made prior to last year. Aide to Lafayette's mayor-president used federal grant money for personal business After obtaining a federally funded loan from a nonprofit development group to help his private business, an aide to Lafayette Parish's mayor-p Robideaux's noted in his statement that Bruno and his wife are minority small business owners, and the news release containing his statement says that Bruno had obtained a minority small business loan. Loan eligibility requirements on the Lafayette Neighborhoods website do not specify the loans are only for minorities. Robideaux also noted that Bruno had secured the loan with a mortgage on his house. Brunos payments on the loan were returned for non-sufficient funds in three consecutive months late last year, according to Lafayette Neighborhoods bank statements. The Advocate obtained the statements for September, October and November via public records request. Its unclear if Brunos payments were returned in any other months, or if he had made up for the missed ones. Robideaux and Bruno say his account is current. The Lafayette Neighborhoods board of directors is responsible for deciding when to foreclose on delinquent borrowers. Bruno has a personal relationship with at least one Lafayette Neighborhood board member, Bently Senegal, who last year promised to keep Bruno apprised of the outcome of a meeting Senegal was planning with another board member, according to emails obtained through public records request. For the second year, a state audit cited the University of Louisiana at Lafayette for allowing employees to have inappropriate access to an accounting system used for payroll and student accounts. Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera released the audit Monday for the 2017-18 fiscal year, which ended June 30. Purpera, in the audit, found UL did not correct as of June 2018 a problem revealed in its 2016-17 audit in which employees had inappropriate access to the Banner accounting system. UL President E. Joseph Savoie, in a Jan. 15 letter to Purpera, described how the problem reoccurred and a corrective action plan. In November 2017, he wrote, the universitys human resources department began creating separate security groups and separated duties as appropriate, Savoie wrote. In early 2018, upon implementation of the new groups, previous ones were to be deactivated. Top stories in Acadiana in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The legislative auditor, however, found one previous security group overruled controls in the new payroll security group, allowing everyone in the old group access to all human resources and payroll functions, he wrote. That old security group was scheduled to be deactivated by Jan. 18, Savoie said. One problem discovered through the audit was that 45 employees had the ability to create a student account and modify student information such as Social Security numbers, phone numbers and addresses without a need to have access. Savoie wrote that the university was removing everyone's access to that information if their job does not require access and all requests to change general student information requires approval by the university's registrar. The university, he wrote, also removed from four cashier supervisors the ability to perform all student cashier functions, such as posting charges and payments to a student's account. Lafayette native Lauren Daigle, 27, won a 2019 Grammy Award in both categories in which she was nominated Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for "You Say," co-written with Jason Ingram and Paul Mabury, and Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for "Look Up Child." It's been quite a year for Daigle. Her album is at No. 1 on the Billboard Christian chart for the 18th consecutive week. Meanwhile, her song, "You Say", has spent more time at No. 1 on the Christian music charts than any other song in history. Fans of contemporary Christian music have long lauded Daigle as one of the best voices in the business; now, the rest of the world is starting to take notice, comparing her sound to that of Grammy winner Adele. This marks Daigles first Grammy win; she was previously nominated in 2016 and 2017. Look Up Child is her third album, following, 2015's "How Can It Be" and 2016's "Behold: A Christmas Collection." Top stories in Acadiana in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Daigle's musical success has landed her appearances on "Good Morning America," "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," where she prompted controversy by refusing to denounce homosexuality as a sin, saying there are people she loves who are homosexual. Other Acadiana artists nominated for Grammys this year were Koryn Hawthorne and Sean Ardoin. Hawthorne rose to national fame in 2015 as a 17-year-old finalist on season 8 of NBC's "The Voice." The Abbeville native was nominated for Best Gospel Performance/Song for "Won't He Do It." Sean Ardoin, originally from Lake Charles, was nominated for Best American Roots Performance for "Kick Rocks," and Best Regional Roots Music Album for "Kreole Rock and Soul." Though Ardoin has been performing for 38 years, this year was his first Grammy nomination. WASHINGTON Lawmakers of both parties, advocates and business and tech industry lobbies all say this session of Congress may be the best chance in years to pass meaningful data privacy legislation one motivated by California lawmakers' passage last year of a data privacy law, paired with a similar measure enacted by the European Union. And the fall from grace of some of Silicon Valley's biggest firms after scandals including the misuse of social media during the 2016 election has given advocates and lawmakers cover to take on tech giants. Under California's law, which takes effect next year, Web users can demand that a business tell them what personal information it is collecting about them and whether it is selling or sharing it, and if so to whom. Consumers can also demand that a company delete their information. The law will allow people to sue companies whose negligence leads to breaches of personal data. While some companies pushed for the bill, others whose business models rely on collecting and selling user data would like to see a federal law scale it back. Many businesses also want to avoid having to deal with a patchwork of state laws as well as the EU's regulations, which include obtaining people's "informed and unambiguous" consent for processing personal data, and requiring data collectors to report breaches. Privacy advocates, meanwhile, are eager to seize the moment and pass a strong bill at the federal level, setting a minimum nationwide standard that would match or exceed California's. But even with the desire across the board to come to agreement, a number of sticking points including how to deal with state laws like California's threaten to derail any effort. And when it comes to Congress, the safe bet is always on inaction. Still, lawmakers working on the project as well as lobbyists and advocates see a real opportunity. Skeptics have reason to be pessimistic, beyond Congress' perpetual difficulty in passing almost any legislation. Several years ago, as breaches of personal data became more common, Congress considered passing a bill requiring consumers and authorities to be notified of such events, as dozens of states were doing independently. In the end the effort failed, and every state passed its own law. Several state attorneys general at a recent privacy conference in Washington predicted that the same thing could happen in the data privacy arena, with California's new law ultimately serving as a model for other states. Some experts, however, see more momentum for privacy legislation in Congress because of the issue's existential nature to many companies. The handling of users' data is essential to the fabric of most companies, from the way their websites are designed to the way a business model works. Complying with different state laws would be virtually impossible for companies that operate online, the industry fears, bringing them to the table for action. Democrats and privacy advocates, though, want to ensure that the end result isn't weakening states' abilities to enact strong regulations. Proposals from groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Information Technology Industry Council would require companies to be more transparent about how they use data and collect consumers' consent. The groups also argue that some uses of data may not require consent or disclosure, depending on the circumstances. One of the major sticking points will be how to treat state laws. Republicans and industry representatives are pushing for anything Congress passes to override such measures. Democrats and privacy advocates say that's acceptable only if the federal law is as strong as California's. "I don't think that weakening a strong law should be the pathway in Congress," U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., said at a recent privacy conference. Her district includes several of the biggest companies in the tech industry. She said California's law should be the model for Congress. "There's a saying: As California goes, so goes the nation," Eshoo said. "Congress' work should not be to chip away at what California did in its consumer protection law, but rather have it be instructive to us. And I think if we come up with something that's strong, then we can avoid a 50-state patchwork of laws." Veterans of the California fight say they are not going to wait on Washington. Jim Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, an advocacy group that seeks to help families navigate media and technology, called California's privacy law a landmark bill that could be replicated in Congress. He said that lawmakers working on the issue are serious and that he has advised many of them. But he still doubts that anything can pass these days, much less strong legislation. "The question is, can Washington overcome its dysfunctionality?" Steyer said. "We are skeptical as to whether or not Congress can get its act together, and our bottom-line position is if there is federal privacy legislation, it has to be stronger than the California privacy law." If it's not, he said, then advocates will have no trouble focusing on the state level. "The entire tech industry is not going to agree with this, and some of the companies will spend hundreds of millions of dollars trying to water down the legislation, like Facebook and Google, maybe," Steyer said. San Francisco housing developer Alastair Mactaggart, who spearheaded a ballot effort that spurred the California bill, visited Washington last week to meet with key senators including privacy hawks like Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Trump administration officials. He said repeated missteps by the tech industry like the recent revelation that Facebook had created an app to collect personal data and was paying people, including teenagers, to use it couldn't offer "a better wind at my back." "The model's there: California leads, the others follow," Mactaggart said. (c)2019 the San Francisco Chronicle. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Something to look forward to: Despite its name, Mobile World Congress isn't limited to actual mobile devices as Microsoft will demonstrate in a couple of weeks with the unveiling of its second-gen HoloLens mixed reality headset. Is carbon fiber in the cards? Microsoft at its pre-Mobile World Congress press reception later this month is expected to unveil the second generation of its HoloLens mixed reality headset. Evidence supporting the devices unveiling first arrived last month with the announcement of the event. In addition to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and CVP Julia White, technical fellow Alex Kipman who created the first-gen device is also on the docket. On Monday, Kipman published a video on YouTube teasing, well something. Nothing definitive is shown in the clip (in all honesty, it looks more like a trailer for an episode of Stranger Things) although some believe it could point to a new CPU (maybe the Snapdragon 850 or the XR1) or perhaps the inclusion of carbon fiber, a lightweight and sturdy building material that would make the headset more comfortable to wear (albeit at a cost). The word Barcelona flashes quickly at the end of the video, letter by letter, as well as a sequence of numbers that may or may not be some sort of hidden message (theyre probably just the date of the event, 02-24-19). With any luck, we should learn more in less than two weeks. The big picture: A recently proposed Russian law would mandate that service providers be able to completely disconnect Russia from the internet. The government wants this ability to ensure they can protect their internet assets from foreign aggression and be able to route all traffic internally. The test is planned for sometime in the coming weeks but the exact date is unknown. The goal of the whole experiment is to gather information and provide potential amendments for the Digital Economy National Program, a piece of legislation put before the Russian parliament. In addition to being able to disconnect from the broader internet, the proposed law also requires ISPs to install equipment to reroute all Russian traffic through the Roskomnazor, the government body that is responsible for censorship and tracking the online activities of Russian citizens. They want the ability to inspect traffic and ensure it is not routed outside of Russia. This is similar to the Great Firewall of China, but with the ability to maintain independence with an isolated intranet if needed. A country-wide test like this has never been done before, so Russian telecoms are eager to see what will happen. It's not clear if this test will disrupt internet connectivity inside Russia or not but all internet providers have agreed to participate. Russia did create a local DNS backup, so theoretically, Russians should still be able to access sites hosted within Runet (the Russian internet). Russia service providers as a whole have been working towards this disconnect for several years but are still unsure of exactly how to perform the disconnect to minimize downtime. Putin is expected to sign the program into law but wants to make sure everything will happen according to plan. The government has also agreed to pay for the additional infrastructure needed to reroute traffic appropriately. Something to look forward to: Have you ever found yourself frustrated with Google Maps, walking the wrong way when the blue dot thinks youre somewhere else? If so, youll be pleased to hear that Maps augmented reality feature will soon roll out for some users, offering directions that are overlaid onto a phones camera in real time. Google first announced AR navigation for Maps back at its 2018 I/O conference but is only now preparing to push it out to select users. The Wall Street Journal reports that it will be available to Local Guides soon, and will come to everyone only when Google is satisfied that its ready. While the feature still relies on GPS to find out where you are, it uses Street View data to pinpoint your location. The app then brings up 3D arrows to show clearly which direction you should be walking. The system will also be able to point out landmarks, restaurants, and businesses in cities where its active. The feature isnt meant to be used for lengthy periods. To ensure it doesnt consume your battery and data allowanceand for safety reasonsusers will be reminded to lower their phone if its been held up too long. Ignore this warning and the screen will eventually go dark. The WSJs David Pierce notes that the feature will likely end up on the AR glasses that many companies are currently either working on or selling. As for those who often find themselves lost in a new city, the AR interface cant arrive quickly enough. B2B Lead Generation Service Reach key decision makers with sales-ready leads that shorten your sales process. Move the needle by delivering funnel qualified leads to your sales team. Learn more. The Samsung Galaxy S10, scheduled for launch on Feb. 20, likely will incorporate a cryptocurrency wallet. Samsung last month filed applications in the EU for trademarks on three terms: Blockchain Key Store Blockchain Key Box Blockchain Core Samsung also filed applications in Korea for the same three terms. Live images of the Samsung Blockchain Keystore app running on the Galaxy S10 were posted on Sammobile. The app is in the phone's "Biometrics and Security" portion of the S10 "Settings" menu. The wallet setup screen shows that users can import an existing wallet or create a new one. The wallet supports the Ethereum cryptocurrency, but it reportedly also will support Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, and ERC20 (derived from Ethereum). There will be a cold wallet for saving digital currencies and public and private keys, and for signing private keys for transactions. There also will be a crypto wallet for viewing account information, transfers, and transaction history, according to Sammobile. "Samsung has a long history of throwing everything it can think of, technology-wise, into its flagship Galaxy S series smartphones," remarked Ken Hyers, research director at Strategy Analytics. "The reviewer guide Samsung sends out with their latest releases to document all the features are often well over 50 pages long," he told the E-Commerce Times. Hyers "would not be surprised to find that Samsung adds a crypto wallet to the Galaxy S10, even if 99.9 percent of people who buy the phone never use it," he said, noting that the majority of users "never use, or are even aware of, all -- or even most -- of the capabilities of their Galaxy S smartphones." Samsung is expected to announce the three main Galaxy S10 phones and a foldable smartphone, all with 5G support, at the Unpacked press event in San Francisco on Feb. 20. The cryptocurrency applications also might be on the coming Galaxy A30 and A50, according to Dutch e-zine Galaxy Club. Size Matters More Than Pole Position Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer HTC became the first company to launch a device that supports cryptocurrency, with its Exodus 1, which hit the market last month. However, Samsung's release is likely to have more of an impact on the market. "Samsung is the segment leader," noted Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. "If they do something, every other smartphone vendor will certainly consider following," he told the E-Commerce Times. That said, "whether they actually follow will likely have a lot to do with how safe cryptocurrency looks when the decision is made." Crypto and Security Hackers have stepped up attacks on crypto sites. A record-setting number of crypto crimes took place last year, according to Chainalysis, including the following: Etherum-based scams fluctuating with crypto prices; Darknet markets, which show resilience against market trends; and Hacks carried out by professional organizations with distinct tactics and methods. Two hacker groups stole about US$1 billion last year -- at least 60 percent of all publicly reported hacks, according to Chainalysis. They took about $90 million per hack on average. Cryptomining malware took the top four places on Check Point Software's December Top 10 Most Wanted Malware list, and accounted for a fifth. Cryptocurrency-related malicious activity will increase dramatically this year, Proofpoint has predicted. Many banking Trojans and information thieves have built-in coin mining modules and wallet-stealing capabilities. Hackers already have begun targeting smartphones to mine cryptocurrencies, through a technique called "cryptojacking," which involves the installation of cryptocurrency mining malware via an infected or malicious app. Games are a favor attack vector because of their popularity. "If you put enough resources on anything you can breach it, and cryptocurrency has been a very attractive target for some time," Enderle said, "but you'd expect full encryption [from Samsung], and that it would likely use the technology they have in Knox and the technology they've licensed from BlackBerry." The large number of expected breaches may reduce the lure of Samsung's crypto support as a marketing tool. "Before the breaches, [a cryptocurrency wallet] could have been the killer app for the Samsung Galaxy line," Enderle said. "Now there's a lot of concern and fear surrounding this technology, which has undoubtedly eroded its attractiveness to the average smartphone user." Crypto and E-Commerce The impact a crypto wallet in smartphones might have on e-commerce is not yet clear. "Cryptocurrency is about what you can do with it," Enderle said. "Uses are pretty limited, but you'd think it would play well with pot stores, which likely would be the ideal retail target for this wallet." The carriers "may or may not allow Samsung to include [a crypto wallet] on the devices sold through carrier channels" in the United States, observed Strategy Analytics' Hyers. On the other hand, if Samsung includes a crypto wallet in the international version of the new Galaxy smartphones, he said, "buyers of unlocked Samsung smartphones would have access to it." Richard Adhikari has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2008. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, mobile technologies, CRM, databases, software development, mainframe and mid-range computing, and application development. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including Information Week and Computerworld. He is the author of two books on client/server technology. Email Richard. ajaycherian Newbie Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 6 Thanked: 37 Times re: 14 XUV500s, 17 owners and a grand interstate meet at Kundapura I started from North Bangalore on Saturday morning at 5.30 AM and was soon called over by Anand who stays nearby and was also joining in his XUV5OO AT. We often share the AT stories and it has been always nice to get inputs from him. Due to previous day work commitments, we didnt have a plan to start at the same time. However, as luck would have it, so happened that we were on the road at the same time. Since the sun was not up and the area was pitch dark, we just exchanged greetings with our tail lamps and headlights. We have not yet seen each other till date but the camaraderie was evident the moment the XUV5OOs hit the Bellary Road to Hebbal. The ATs paired up nicely and we stopped for our first meet at the Lanco Toll on Bengaluru Mangaluru Road. It was nice to meet him for the first time and not just restrict ourselves to messages/phone calls. We used the washroom at the Lanco toll and it was quite good. Meanwhile, we checked the remaining XUV5OO positions and decided to proceed as we had a long drive ahead. Traffic was just picking up and the XUV5OOs handled it effortlessly. Our initial thoughts were to have breakfast at Sakleshpur which we reset to the Adyar Anand Bhavan, Udayapura. I have had a few drive breakfast previously and this A2B is a good place to have a quick nice breakfast. The washrooms are sufficiently neat, though a bit congested. Sanju and family were already having breakfast when we hopped in. Soon we were joined by two other XUV5OO (Rajesh & Shreyas) joining us for the breakfast. Fundagenie(Firoze) was sharing his ride along with Rajesh and since we know each other from the past life, I requested him to switch his ride till Mangaluru. We talked about his Ladakh trip, XUV and our past lives. Soon the BM Road four-lane became dual carriageway but still could make good progress to Mangaluru as traffic was manageable. Shiradi ghats were in superb condition and I let the AT have a good time in the ghats. The last I was in this section was close to 15 years back and had to do 1st gear and 2nd gear in my old Indica V2. Now the roads were all done up and superb. By 12.30 we stopped at Scoops Cafe to refresh ourselves with a quick coffee before heading out for lunch. I had to collect Priya (my better half) from Mangaluru airport so broke off from the convoy and decided to have lunch with my colleague from Mangaluru. He readily took me to his favourite joint for local delicacies. It was sort of my first time in Mangaluru (as my previous visit to this city was in my early teens). The Kori Roti and its accompaniment. It is sort of staple food in this region. We had variants for lunch and dinner while we were around. We enjoyed our lunch and decided to head out to Pabbas for their famed ice-creams. The famous Gudbud(above) and its cousin the Parfait (below) After the Pabbas it was time to head out to the airport and take a nap. Priyas flight arrived earlier than the scheduled time of 5.20 PM and we hit the road to Kundapura. Traffic was bit heavy on NH17 and we had to patiently cross the speed barriers which was in plenty. We would be missing the Kundapura beach drive but I was happy she could make it to the remaining part. We decided to try a random beach and ended up at Bada Beach before Kaup. It was a nice empty beach. We watched the sunset and was on the way to Kundapura. NH17 traffic had eased up and the XUV5OO stock headlights were good enough. We reached by 7.20 PM and we checked into the beautiful resort. There was ample parking and the ambience was good. It was a very small detour from the NH-17 but was worth every bit of it. We soon met everyone for dinner and it was really fun to meet up everyone. The next day we had a good drive around the hills nearby and then to Mani resorvoir, spent the afternoon at Kolavara Heritage with a lavish lunch. Good to pose with loads of Cheetahs around. We enjoyed some of the sweets Suhas and Adithya managed to get for us. We headed back to Bangalore through Koppa - Jayapura - Tarikere - Hosadurga - Hiriyur - Bangalore. The roads were super good and it was fun to drive. A drive is always fun and if it is with friends/like-minded people even greater fun. It was my first XUV5OO Interstate drive and meet with my ever friendly XUV 5OO owners. Have heard lots of fun stories and was honoured to be part of the O Team. I was travelling out of the country a few times in the run-up to the meet, which led me to feel not so great at being able to contribute much to the arrangements. But I was hoping the drive would compensate for it.I started from North Bangalore on Saturday morning at 5.30 AM and was soon called over by Anand who stays nearby and was also joining in his XUV5OO AT. We often share the AT stories and it has been always nice to get inputs from him. Due to previous day work commitments, we didnt have a plan to start at the same time. However, as luck would have it, so happened that we were on the road at the same time.Since the sun was not up and the area was pitch dark, we just exchanged greetings with our tail lamps and headlights. We have not yet seen each other till date but the camaraderie was evident the moment the XUV5OOs hit the Bellary Road to Hebbal. The ATs paired up nicely and we stopped for our first meet at the Lanco Toll on Bengaluru Mangaluru Road. It was nice to meet him for the first time and not just restrict ourselves to messages/phone calls. We used the washroom at the Lanco toll and it was quite good. Meanwhile, we checked the remaining XUV5OO positions and decided to proceed as we had a long drive ahead.Traffic was just picking up and the XUV5OOs handled it effortlessly. Our initial thoughts were to have breakfast at Sakleshpur which we reset to the Adyar Anand Bhavan, Udayapura. I have had a few drive breakfast previously and this A2B is a good place to have a quick nice breakfast. The washrooms are sufficiently neat, though a bit congested. Sanju and family were already having breakfast when we hopped in. Soon we were joined by two other XUV5OO (Rajesh & Shreyas) joining us for the breakfast.Fundagenie(Firoze) was sharing his ride along with Rajesh and since we know each other from the past life, I requested him to switch his ride till Mangaluru. We talked about his Ladakh trip, XUV and our past lives.Soon the BM Road four-lane became dual carriageway but still could make good progress to Mangaluru as traffic was manageable. Shiradi ghats were in superb condition and I let the AT have a good time in the ghats. The last I was in this section was close to 15 years back and had to do 1st gear and 2nd gear in my old Indica V2. Now the roads were all done up and superb. By 12.30 we stopped at Scoops Cafe to refresh ourselves with a quick coffee before heading out for lunch.I had to collect Priya (my better half) from Mangaluru airport so broke off from the convoy and decided to have lunch with my colleague from Mangaluru. He readily took me to his favourite joint for local delicacies. It was sort of my first time in Mangaluru (as my previous visit to this city was in my early teens). The infamous Kane Chicken Ghee Roast of the Canara Coast is a delicacy in itself.The Kori Roti and its accompaniment. It is sort of staple food in this region. We had variants for lunch and dinner while we were around.We enjoyed our lunch and decided to head out to Pabbas for their famed ice-creams.The famous Gudbud(above) and its cousin the Parfait (below)After the Pabbas it was time to head out to the airport and take a nap.Priyas flight arrived earlier than the scheduled time of 5.20 PM and we hit the road to Kundapura. Traffic was bit heavy on NH17 and we had to patiently cross the speed barriers which was in plenty.We would be missing the Kundapura beach drive but I was happy she could make it to the remaining part. We decided to try a random beach and ended up at Bada Beach before Kaup.It was a nice empty beach.We watched the sunset and was on the way to Kundapura. NH17 traffic had eased up and the XUV5OO stock headlights were good enough. We reached by 7.20 PM and we checked into the beautiful resort.There was ample parking and the ambience was good. It was a very small detour from the NH-17 but was worth every bit of it.We soon met everyone for dinner and it was really fun to meet up everyone.The next day we had a good drive around the hills nearby and then to Mani resorvoir, spent the afternoon at Kolavara Heritage with a lavish lunch.Good to pose with loads of Cheetahs around.We enjoyed some of the sweets Suhas and Adithya managed to get for us.We headed back to Bangalore through Koppa - Jayapura - Tarikere - Hosadurga - Hiriyur - Bangalore. The roads were super good and it was fun to drive. Last edited by benbsb29 : 11th February 2019 at 04:34 . Reason: Edited to remove font tags from post. Upstate New York will have a busy weather week with one significant storm system and several smaller events in the forecast. The week will start off with a small disturbance passing through Monday morning. This system will bring a little light snow with a coating of accumulation possible along and south of I-90. The snow should dissipate during the morning and Monday afternoon will be mostly cloudy with some filtered sunshine working through the overcast. Temperatures on Monday will be in the low 30s across the southern portions of Upstate New York with upper teens and 20s to the north. A much larger, higher impact system will roll into Upstate New York on Tuesday. This will be the biggest weather event of the week. Precipitation will work from southwest to northeast Tuesday morning, spreading across Western New York and the Finger Lakes before dawn. Several hours of moderate to heavy snow are likely before sleet and freezing rain become the primary precipitation types. Icy conditions are likely throughout Upstate New York on Tuesday with precipitation continuing into the evening hours. Only the North Country and northern Adirondacks have a chance at staying all snow. These areas could see as much as 10 inches of snow while the rest of Upstate New York sees 2-5 inches of snow. Higher elevations have the best shot at significant ice accretion from freezing rain. A quarter-inch of ice will be possible in the Catskills and far southwestern New York. Precipitation will turn back to snow by Wednesday morning and winds will increase. Widespread snow accumulations of an inch or two are likely Wednesday with locally higher amounts near the Great Lakes. Wind gusts will approach 50 mph in Western New York and northeast of Lake Ontario. Gusts as high as 45 mph are likely over higher elevations in Central New York, the Catskills, and the Adirondacks. Temperatures Wednesday will spend most of the day in the mid and upper 20s. Some 30s are likely early on, especially for the Capital Region. Widespread snow will end Wednesday evening, but a healthy band of lake effect east of Lake Ontario will bring several more inches to the Tug Hill region into Thursday morning. The rest of Thursday should turn dry with a mix of sun and clouds as winds turn to the south. Temperatures Thursday could approach 40 degrees in the Finger Lakes with widespread 30s along and south of I-90. To the north, highs will be in the 20s. Friday will be even warmer as a south wind continues. Widespread 40s are likely in southern areas with 30s further north. Most of the day will be quiet, but some precipitation will begin to work in late. Most of this will be rain, but a little snow will be possible across the North Country before it, too, turns to rain. Here are the details day-by-day: Monday, February 11 A little light snow will be possible in the morning. No more than a coating should accumulate. The afternoon will be cloudy with a little filtered sunshine. High temperatures will be in the low 30s across southern areas with upper teens and 20s to the north. Tuesday, February 12 Precipitation will be widespread throughout the day, starting as snow and then turning to ice for all but the far northern reaches of Upstate New York. Travel will be difficult throughout the day. Temperatures will mostly be in the mid and upper 20s. Wednesday, February 13 Snow is likely throughout the day with an inch or two accumulating for most areas. Strong winds are also expected, especially over Western New York, near Lake Ontario, and over higher elevations. Temperatures will hover in the mid and upper 20s. Thursday, February 14 Heavy lake effect snow will fall early Thursday morning due east of Lake Ontario before quickly dissipating. Otherwise, expect partly cloudy skies. Temperatures will warm to 40 degrees in the Finger Lakes with 30s for other areas south of I-90. To the north, expect highs in the 20s. Friday, February 15 Cloudy skies are expected with some rain late in the day, especially for western areas. The North Country could see a little snow before the rain. Temperatures will range through the 40s across southern areas with 30s to the north. The week should end on a milder note with some rain arriving late Friday. More from NYUP Weather New York Upstate Weather The brother of Jeff Bezos girlfriend was the source who leaked the couples text messages to the National Enquirer, The Daily Beast reported over the weekend. The news site said multiple sources confirmed that Michael Sanchez, brother of Lauren Sanchez, was the one who provided the texts to the publication. The leaked texts included various private, personal exchanges between Lauren Sanchez and Bezos, Amazons CEO and owner of The Washington Post. The identity of the source of the leaked texts has been a major mystery in the saga involving Bezos, the Enquirer and the publications parent company, American Media, Inc. The tabloid published a story about Bezos affair with Sanchez last month. Speculation on the source of the texts soon focused on Michael Sanchez, a supporter of President Donald Trump. The Daily Beast said documents it reviewed showed that Sanchez believed the Enquirer was pursuing its story about Bezos with "President Trump's knowledge and appreciation." Sanchez felt the pursuit was encourage by Republican operatives "who THINK Jeff gets up every morning and has a WaPo meeting to plot its next diabolical attack on President Trump," the Beast said. Bezos and his wife announced they were divorcing after 25 years or marriage shortly before the Enquirer's story hit. Last week, Bezos went public about the incident in a blog post detailing claims of extortion and blackmail by the publication. He said he hired a time of private investigators to probe the matter. Bezos wrote that AMI threatened to publish more private information and photos unless he backed off. AMI CEO David Pecker has also been a Trump friend and supporter, although he cut an immunity deal last year with federal prosecutors investigating hush money payments to two women who said they had affairs with Trump, according to The New York Times. In the past, Pecker has admitted using AMI to buy up stories damaging to Trump and then sitting on them to keep them out of the public eye, according to the Beast. None of the sources who spoke with the Beast implied Sanchez hacked his sisters phone and he hasnt been charged with any wrongdoing. But Bezos investigators began to focus on him early on, the Beast said. Sanchez has denied being the source of the leak, according to Fox News. Elkan Abramowitz, an attorney for Pecker, denied Bezos accusations of extortion and blackmail, according to ABC News. The story was given to the National Enquirer by a reliable source that had been giving information to the National Enquirer for seven years prior to this story, Abramowitz said, according to ABC. The lawyer also noted that the source was well known to both Mr. Bezos and Miss Sanchez. Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598 Should Upstate New York become its own state? Thats what one lawmaker is proposing. WGRB reports Assemblyman Stephen Hawley (R) is asking for support from Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D) for a referendum of splitting New York into two states. The greater NYC area would be its own state, and the larger region north including cities like Buffalo, Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, Ithaca, Binghamton and Utica would become a new state. This is an idea that has been discussed for many years, and one which is especially popular throughout upstate New York, Hawley said. It has become abundantly clear in recent years that the New York City voting bloc has forgotten upstate and is imposing their radical left-wing agenda on all of us, whether we like it or not. And that is deeply troubling. Some upstate secession groups have made similar proposals in the past, including the Americans for Restoring the Constitution, Divide New York State Caucus, Tri-County Tea Party, Upstate New York Towns Association, and We the People of New York. Momentum for the idea started building over property taxes, low sales tax revenue, the SAFE Act and Gov. Andrew Cuomos decision to ban hydrofracking. The Upstate New York Towns Association previously pitched having the region or several towns leave the Empire State to become a part of Pennsylvania, while a movement in 2015 called for making Upstate New York its own state -- called New Amsterdam -- and Downstate would continue to be called New York. New Amsterdam was the original name for the New York City area settled by the Dutch before it was renamed by the English in 1664 for the Duke of York. A map posted by NewAmsterdamNY.org defined Upstate NY as everything north of Westchester and Rockland counties, with the two proposed regions operating autonomously. The site has also proposed creating three autonomous states: New Amsterdam (the Northern Region of NY), Montauk (the Southern Region of NY) and the New York (the Empire Region). Hawley, who represents parts of Genesee, Monroe, Niagara, and Orleans counties in Assembly District 139, is asking Heastie for legislation to be passed through committee and brought to a floor vote. He did not say what the potential 51st U.S. state would be called, but wants to begin debating the idea with other lawmakers. If downstate politicians really dont need upstate, as many of them claim, then theres no harm in at least asking the question if we should be divided, Hawley said. Henrietta, N.Y. A 200-person brawl broke out at a bar outside Rochester early Sunday morning and three people ended up in the hospital with stab wounds. Firefighters were called to Schramrocks Irish Pub in Henrietta at about 1 a.m. Sunday to assist with the bar being over its capacity, according to the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. When they arrived, over 200 brawling patrons had spilled out of the bar into the parking lot. Henrietta Fire District Chief Mark Strzyzynski said on Facebook that the department was called because the crowd inside was a fire hazard. The call was not unusual, he added. The department gets about three of them a year. Firefighters pulled back to their engine amid the fighting, but could not escape the scene due to the chaos in the parking lot. The firefighters felt they were in a dangerous environment and called for help from law enforcement, the D&C said. The Monroe County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene and began breaking up the brawl, the D&C said. One person was detained for criminal mischief. Strzyzynski credited deputies for their help. "Help quickly arrived and was able to secure a perimeter around our engine company and eventually disperse the violent crowd," he said on Facebook. "No firefighters were injured and the only damage to our property was blood splatter on the engine." As the crowd broke up, three people arrived at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester with stab wounds, according to WHAM in Rochester. The wounds were minor and the victims were uncooperative. No arrests were made in relation to the stabbings, the D&C said. The investigation is continuing and the sheriff's office plans to pursue charges, WHAM said. Deputies also plan to review Schramrocks' history. Workers at the bar declined to comment, according to WHAM. The promoters and establishment are ultimately responsible for ensuring the safety of their patrons, Sheriff Todd K. Baxter said in a statement, according to the station. This type of behavior will not be tolerated. Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598 This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. DeWitt, N.Y. The calls started coming a couple of weeks ago, says Joey DeCuffa. First customers, then vendors and even a few employees called or came by Joeys Classic Italian Dining and Joeys Pronto with an urgent question. Youre closing? No, DeCuffa said this morning, sitting in a booth inside one of two restaurants hes run at Carrier Circle for more than three decades. Were not closed. The confusion started after a place called Joeys Restaurant in Utica announced it was closing at the end of 2018. That place, Joeys Restaurant at 307 Mohawk St., had been around for a couple of decades. Uticas news outlets covered the closing. The owner, Michael Brown, posted a notice thanking customers for their support over the years. Somehow, those news stories and Facebook posts morphed into tales about DeCuffa shutting down his two restaurants just east of Syracuse. People are calling left and right, DeCuffa said, adding hed never even been to the one in Utica. He had talked to the former owner once, he said, about their similar names and logos. He was really nice. To be clear, DeCuffa says he has no plans to close either of his Syracuse-area restaurants, which are at 6594 Thompson Road just off Carrier Circle. In fact, he said, he had his best year ever in 2018. Ive been here 36 years, he said. Business is great. A group of the Upstate New York lawmakers have a message for Amazon: If a deal for a new headquarters in New York City falls through, the Syracuse-Rochester region would roll out the welcome mat. Seven Republican Assembly and Senate members said Monday the Syracuse-Rochester regions world-class universities and expansive landscape would provide the perfect home for Amazons second East Coast headquarters and 25,000 new jobs. Sen. Bob Antonacci, R-Onondaga, also offered Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos an incentive to make a social statement about economic inequality by moving to the region. Syracuse ranks No. 1 in concentrated poverty for African Americans and Hispanics in the nation, Antonacci wrote in a Jan. 31 letter to Bezos. Therefore, a decision to locate in Central New York would make a powerful statement as well as be transformational in helping to reduce poverty and lead to widespread change for New York state. Amazon previously ruled out a proposal from the Syracuse metropolitan area, among 238 communities that submitted bids to host the second headquarters. The region did not meet Amazons preference for a metropolitan area with a population of at least 1 million people. The renewed offer comes as Amazon considers pulling out of a deal to locate one of its two East Coast headquarters in New York City. The Washington Post quoted sources Friday as saying Amazon could exit the deal because of opposition to $3 billion in tax incentives for the company. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday accused fellow Democrats in the state Senate of governmental malpractice for threatening the deal. The GOP lawmakers who joined Antonacci in the offer to Amazon are Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, R-Canandaigua; Assemblyman Will Barclay, R-Pulaski; Assemblyman Gary Finch, R-Springport; Assemblyman Brian Manktelow, R-Lyons; and Sens. Pam Helming, R-Canandaigua and Rich Funke, R-Fairport. Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751 Gov. Andrew Cuomos rating among New York voters has dropped to a new low, despite strong public support for new laws on guns, abortion, child abuse and election reforms he pushed forward this year, according to a new poll published Monday. For the first time in his eight years as governor, half of New York voters view Cuomo unfavorably (50 percent) compared to 43 percent who view him favorably, the Siena College poll found. The poll represents a significant turn since last month, when 43 percent of voters viewed Cuomo unfavorably, compared to 51 percent favorably. Voters also gave Cuomo his lowest job performance rating since he took office: About 35 percent of voters approve of the governors work, compared to 64 percent who disapprove. The rating is down from 43 to 56 percent last month. Politically, Cuomos ratings drop is across the board, as he fell with Democrats, Republicans and independents, said Steve Greenberg, speaking for the Siena poll. Geographically, his drop was much bigger downstate -- New York City and the suburbs -- than Upstate, where his ratings were significantly lower previously, Greenberg said. Its not clear what factors affected Cuomos ratings in New York City and its suburbs. The poll did not ask voters about Cuomos handling of issues in the region such as New York Citys troubled public housing agency. Cuomo has also pushed for a controversial congestion pricing surcharge that would apply to all for-hire vehicles traveling through parts of Manhattan. The surcharge would pay for improvements to the citys subway system. The poll asked 778 registered New York voters their opinions during telephone interviews between Feb. 4 and Feb. 7, 2019. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points. New York voters overwhelmingly support several sweeping bills passed by the state Legislature in the first 60 days of the year, the poll found. Voters said the Child Victims Act (69 to 8 percent), election reforms (48 to 17 percent), additional gun controls (55 to 30 percent) and a law that prohibits discrimination based on gender identity or expression (61 to 24 percent) would be good for New York state. Voters also supported a historic expansion of abortion rights in New York, known as the Reproductive Health Act, by a 47 to 32 percent margin. New Yorkers also said they support legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, 52-42 percent, consistent with polling from last year. Cuomo has promised to sign such a bill this year. Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751 Washington Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., again faced accusations of anti-Semitism on Sunday night after she suggested in tweets, which started with a Puff Daddy rap lyric, that members of Congress support Israel because of money from the pro-Israel lobby. It's the second time this month that Omar has become entangled in a Twitter controversy replete with emoji and snarky clapbacks centered on the complex Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Omar, who supports the anti-Israel movement called BDS, for "boycott, divestment and sanctions," has persistently fought accusations of anti-Semitism by maintaining that her condemnation of the Israeli government for its treatment of Palestinians does not equate to condemnation of Jewish people. She has also claimed to be the victim of GOP attacks seeking to misrepresent her position on Israel as anti-Semitic. But on Sunday, some Democrats also joined a chorus of critics rebuking Omar for using what some described as an ugly anti-Semitic trope: that Jews control politics through money. The flap started over a tweet from Omar that said, "It's all about the Benjamins baby," and included a music-note emoji, an apparent reference to the 1997 Puff Daddy single featuring the Notorious B.I.G., Lil' Kim and The Lox. Her tweet linked to a statement by journalist Glenn Greenwald about Republicans' growing disdain for Omar's anti-Israel position. Taken together, she appeared to suggest that Republican outrage was rooted in money. A spokesman for Omar did not immediately respond to a request from The Post for comment; her spokesman told Politico earlier Thursday that the tweets "speak for themselves." It's all about the Benjamins baby https://t.co/KatcXJnZLV Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) February 10, 2019 An opinion editor at the Jewish publication The Forward sought clarification from Omar: "Would love to know who [Omar] thinks is paying American politicians to be pro-Israel," wrote Batya Ungar-Sargon, "though I think I can guess. Bad form, Congresswoman. That's the second ant-Semitic trope you've tweeted." Omar's response only caused more backlash: "AIPAC!" she told Ungar-Sargon, referring to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a powerful pro-Israel lobbying entity. Democrats including Chelsea Clinton and Rep. Max Rose, D-N.Y., and Republicans such as Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., and Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, were among those to condemn Omar's comments as anti-Semitic. Rep Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., called for her removal from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The American Jewish Committee demanded an apology, calling her suggestion that AIPAC is paying American politicians for their support "demonstrably false and stunningly anti-Semitic." The organization linked to a 2018 Gallup poll finding that 64 percent of Americans sympathize with the Israelis over the Palestinians, saying, "American politicians are pro-Israel because Americans are." "Please learn how to talk about Jews in a non-anti-Semitic way. Sincerely, American Jews," Ungar-Sargon wrote back to Omar, a statement that Clinton said she seconded. Rose, who is Jewish, wrote in a statement, "Congresswoman Omar's statements are deeply hurtful to Jews, including myself." "When someone uses hateful and offensive tropes and words against people of any faith, I will not be silent," he wrote, adding: "Implying that Americans support Israel because of money alone is offensive enough. ... At a time when anti-Semitic attacks are on the rise, our leaders should not be invoking hurtful stereotypes and caricatures of Jewish people to dismiss those who support Israel." Omar's comments come on the heels of escalating Republican ire for the positions that she and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., have put forth in Congress, joining a small group of lawmakers willing to challenge the United States's traditional support for Israeli policy. On Friday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., urged Democratic leadership to admonish Omar and Tlaib because of their backing for the BDS movement, which is intended to put economic pressure on Israel to end its occupation of the West Bank. McCarthy suggested their positions on Israel were worse than the recent remarks from Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, that were denounced as racist. As Omar pointed out, retweeting an observation by Women's March organizer Sophie Ellman-Golan, McCarthy has also been accused of anti-Semitism after sharing conspiracy theories on Twitter about Jewish billionaire philanthropist George Soros. "From scapegoating Jews to win an election to scapegoating Jews to attack his Muslim colleagues, [McCarthy] sure loves to invoke the Jewish community to further his right-wing objectives," Ellman-Golan wrote. Others have defended Omar and Tlaib, contending their positions are being "twisted" into anti-Semitism when, in fact, their condemnation is confined to the Israeli government, not Jews generally. "She's talking about the influence of Israel and this immediately gets twisted into antisemitism," one man wrote in comments retweeted by Omar. "Is she also Islamophobic for attacking Saudi's influence on American politics in the exactly the same way?" "Accurately describing how the Israel lobby works is not anti-semitism," Ashley Feinberg, a HuffPost reporter, wrote in another tweet that was shared by Omar. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which is not a political action committee, does not make campaign contributions to politicians, but its individual members can make donations, and the organization spends millions on lobbying efforts for pro-Israel legislation every year. In 2018, AIPAC spent more than $3.5 million lobbying for pro-Israel measures, according to lobbying disclosure filings maintained by the Senate's Office of Public Records. Such legislation includes financial support for Israel and measures that would ban boycotts of Israel, including the BDS movement that Omar and Tlaib support. Still, even some who agree with Omar's position on Israel argued that she could criticize the Israeli government or the pro-Israel lobbying establishment without using stereotypes that Jews find offensive. "OF COURSE it's possible to critique AIPAC et al in a non-anti-Semitic way," Ungar-Sargon wrote. "This ain't it, chief." "No, criticism of Israel isn't anti-semitism, just like criticism of a Muslim majority state isn't islamophobia, by default," wrote Hend Amry, a Libyan-American writer. "However racist or bigoted tropes can be intentionally or unintentionally triggered in making those critiques and yes that matters-it always matters." Omar has found herself responding to anti-Semitism accusations before. Last month, she acknowledged that she "unknowingly" used an anti-Semitic trope after a 2012 tweet surfaced in which she said, "Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel." Omar had initially said she didn't understand why American Jews would be offended by the statement, which critics argued evoked ugly Nazi conspiracies about Jewish people's power to "hypnotize" the world. She then backtracked and apologized after a New York Times columnist explained to her why Jews could find it offensive. And she later expressed regret while on "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah," saying she had to "take a deep breath and understand where people were coming from and what point they were trying to make." Omar made no apologies Sunday night, but she did accept an invitation from Chelsea Clinton, one of her critics, to talk about anti-Semitism. Clinton told a Twitter follower that she planned to try to talk to Omar about her comments, saying, "I also think we have to call out anti-Semitic language and tropes on all sides, particularly in our elected officials and particularly now." "Chelsea - I would be happy to talk," Omar wrote. She suggested her comments were being weaponized by the GOP: "We must call out smears from the GOP and their allies. And I believe we can do that without criticizing people for their faith. I look forward to building an inclusive movement for justice with you." She added an arm-muscle emoji. Clinton said she would contact the congresswomans office Monday. MONTAGUE, N.Y. A Monroe County man was killed Saturday in a snowmobile accident in the Tug Hill area, according to the Lewis County Sheriffs Department. Nicholas A. Kalpin, 34, of Hamlin, N.Y. in Monroe County was traveling north on the Parker Road/Trail C5A in the town of Montague when he lost control of his sled, went off the trail and then collided with a tree. Lewis County sheriffs deputies responded at 1:45 p.m. Kalpin was assessed on the scene by Lewis County Search and Rescue EMS and Life-Net where he succumbed to his injuries, deputies said. New York State Police, Montague Fire Department, NYS DEC and Turks Towing assisted deputies at the scene. It was the 11th snowmobile-related fatality in Upstate New York this winter. AUBURN, N.Y. -- Auburn Community Hospitals CEO says allegations by two of its former doctors that the hospital turned a blind eye to dangerous care are unproven. The hospital put out a prepared statement after syracuse.com/The Post-Standard reported last week on lawsuits by two doctors alleging the hospital ignored complaints about a doctor accused of needlessly admitting patients, overbilling and often providing lousy care that led to one patients death. We believe these assertions are unproven allegations made by two former employees and further, that the hospital denies any allegations of quality of care issues or wrongdoing, the statement by Scott Berlucchi says. A state inspection report uncovered by syracuse.com/The Post-Standard faulted the hospital for dragging its feet for months before investigating one of its doctors accused of sexually harassing employees and providing questionable medical care. That doctor was subsequently identified in a federal lawsuit as Dr. Jeremy Barnett, who no longer works at the hospital. Barnett has not returned phone calls and email messages. The inspection faulted the hospital for not holding medical staff accountable or maintaining oversight to make sure patients get quality care. The federal government, which contracts with the state health department to inspect hospitals, considered the problems so serious it threatened to kick the hospital out of Medicare, the federal health insurance program that covers many hospital patients. The government dropped that threat after the hospital corrected the problems. In its statement, the hospital says the inspection did not show that the quality of care was compromised. The inspection, however, says the hospitals failures may have placed patients at risk for harm and may have led to adverse patient outcomes. Read our continuing coverage In his statement, Berlucchi did not specify which of the many allegations made in the lawsuits are unproven. In a letter cited in the inspection report, the hospital said it had substantiated numerous complaints about Barnetts conduct and professionalism. In a federal lawsuit, Dr. Gregory Serfer alleges Barnett rejected advice of a surgery team that recommended a patient with a blocked artery be transferred to another hospital and the patient died as a result. Serfer resigned from the hospital in March. Dr. Karen Odrzywolski, a former Auburn hospital neurologist, filed a lawsuit last week that alleges the hospital retaliated against her for complaining about Barnett. Odrzywolski was so alarmed about Barnetts care she refused to work with him, according to the lawsuit. Berlucchis statement says the hospital provides ... compassionate quality care with a goal of improving the health of our community and every patient that comes through our doors. In response to Berlucchis comments, Serfer said in a prepared statement the hospitals administration and board of trustees put patient care at a level that many consider quite low. " ... next to no action was taken until being caught and nobody in administration has been held meaningfully accountable for these government (inspection) findings," Serfer said. If you know anything about these issues at Auburn Community Hospital, contact James T. Mulder at 315-470-2245 or jmulder@syracuse.com. Syracuse, N.Y. It is 13 degrees out. Khadijo Abdulkadir wears a T-shirt, her bare arms moving as she talks to the crowd. Her breath hangs in frozen puffs. We will offer services to refugees that we did not have when we came here, she tells them. It will be by refugees, for refugees. Abdulkadir stands next to Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh. He holds the ribbon as she slices through it with the scissors. This is the grand opening of her new business. The name is printed on her T-shirt: Empower Interpretation Services of CNY. Abdulkadir has 20 interpreters, including two of her sisters, who speak 20 languages among them. She speaks three languages: Somali, Swahili and English. Every time I see her, shes doing something different to benefit her community, Walsh says to the crowd on the sidewalk. Abdulkadirs fellow translators and family snap photos with their phones. They wear the shirts, too, but over long sleeves. The work she is doing its our vision in action, Walsh says. Albdulkadir came to the U.S. almost 10 years ago with less than a second-grade education, knowing no English. Her mother works as a janitor to support the family. At age 25, she speaks three languages, including English. Shes a few months from graduating from Syracuse University. Her business is being hailed as part of the solution to Syracuses entrenched poverty. Abdulkadir won a competitive grant of $175,000 from Onondaga Countys $50 million in anti-poverty money. Her business was one of the few start-ups the money will fund; most went to existing efforts. The translation service will attack poverty on two fronts: the employees are former refugees, many of them women. Thats a group that has faced difficulty getting good-paying jobs, despite their qualifications. Many of Abdulkadirs friends, who are college graduates, work in warehouses, she says. And the main audience for the translators is other refugees who arent yet proficient in English. The training the translators are getting, combined with the cultural knowledge they already have, will make it easier to help refugees and non-English speakers get the right services in schools and at medical and social service appointments. And this will increase their chances of finding the success that Abdulkadir, who became a U.S. citizen in 2015, has achieved. The paying customers will be schools, social service agencies, hospitals and government offices that hire translators to help non-English speakers through their appointments. Abdulkadirs office, a converted house, is on the North Side in the middle of the neighborhood where most of the refugees who come to Syracuse settle. The city has welcomed more than 10,000 refugees over the past decade. The neighborhood is also one of the citys poorest. Shes a star, says Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon. The fact that more refugees are getting employed and then they are working with members of their community Its smart and also critical. Abdulkadir will get the funding over five years, but shes certain shell be self-sufficient before then. This stuff, it is not hard, Abdulkadir says in an interview. Even when she talks about struggle, she smiles broadly, authentically. Running a business doing what shes already been doing for years speaking for people in her community -- seems easy compared with her journey to this point. Abdulkadir squeezed a lifetime of education into a few years. She became tri-lingual. She learned to bridge two cultures. And, perhaps most important all, she learned to stand up for herself. She staked out her own destiny instead of bending to what everyone else wanted for her. Now, she is working to take other refugees, and women, with her. Khadijo Abdulkadir came to Syracuse 10 years ago speaking no English, with less than a second grade education. Now she is starting her own translation business and will graduate from Syracuse University in a few months. Katrina Tulloch/Syracuse.com ***** Abdulkadir came to the U.S. in July 2009. She and her family were refugees from Somalia. She was born in the refugee camp in Kenya. She has nine sisters, including a twin, and one brother. There were two others, small children who died on the long, treacherous trek her family made to the refugee camp. Abdulkadir lived in the camp until she was 15, when her family came to the U.S. Like most girls in the refugee camp and in Somalia, her education was the bare minimum. She knew nothing of the world around her. Even the trip to Nairobi, on her way to America, was full of everyday things shed never heard of: Taking the elevator was like, Oh my God, were going to die in this thing, Abdulkadir says, sitting at the conference table in her new office, checking her phone for a moment as she talks. When they got off the plane in New York, Abdulkadir and her family briefly left one of her sisters behind. The plane attendant was following us, yelling, Hello, she recalls. He was trying to get them to turn around and come back for her, but the only word the family knew in English was Hello. And they couldnt understand why he was yelling the greeting. Then we realized she was missing, Abdulkadir says. Once in Syracuse, Abdulkadir enrolled in high school because of her age. But she had an overwhelming game of catch-up to play: her education was second-grade, at best. She knew no English. This is hard to imagine now, listening to her now. She speaks rapid-fire English, dropping idioms and an occasional well-placed swear word for emphasis. Before her English was good, or even very legible, Abdulkadir wrote, I want to go to college, in her journal. To come to school at that age, it was very hard, says Alfredo Gomez. He was Abdulkadirs teacher at Nottingham. He taught her English and caught her up on math. He also taught her sisters, including her twin. He pushed Abdulkadir and then she pushed herself, harder. She stayed after school, often into the evening, to catch up on English and math. Her parents worried about her, so Gomez spoke with them, often. He went to their house to explain that Abdulkadir wasnt getting into trouble; she was working hard to succeed. I was very motivated. It was, straight up, school, home, school, home, she says, describing her days in high school. But her family had different plans for her that nearly derailed her education. When she was 17, a junior in high school, Abdulkadirs parents wanted her to get married. In Somali culture, this is not unusual. A 30-year-old Somali man, who lived in Boston, offered a hefty dowry to marry Abdulkadir. (This is also not unusual in Somali culture, Abdulkadir says). She knew her family wanted what they thought was best for her, and that they worked hard to bring her and her sisters to America, where they would be safe. She aches for the children her parents lost on that journey and she never takes their sacrifice for granted, she says. It takes time for two cultures to figure out how to mesh. As much as she respected her parents, Abdulkadir also knew that a high school education, and a college education, could open doors she never imagined. She wanted no part of getting married. But she also wanted no part of disappointing her parents. In the background of all this were the Regents exams she needed to pass, just two years after arriving in the U.S. with barely any education. At first, Abdulkadir said shed marry the man if he waited until she finished high school. Shed never met him; her father and the elders in her community had. Youre trying to respect your parents while, at the same time, having a voice, Abdulkadir says. It is an age-old teen dilemma with a plot from another time. Eventually, the arrangement fell apart. The man was looking for a traditional Somali wife to care for his mother. Abdulkadir was not that woman. Later, she helped form a group for women and girls who are refugees to help them through the same cultural struggle. It is called NAWE, New American Women Empowerment. The fledgling nonprofit, which has discussion groups, homework help, English tutoring and other services for young women, is also run in her North Side office. There are photos of the girls on the walls. They look like her, most wearing a hijab, a traditional Muslim headscarf. Her goal is clear: She will be the help she needed at their age. ***** Jan-Juba Arway, who helps with the nonprofit girls group and works as the public relations person for the translation business, is one of those women. A Sudanese refugee, she was pushed into an arranged marriage at 16. Her husband was abusive, she says, so she left with her four children. The marriage happened in Egypt, the divorce in Arizona. Now, she is pursuing her masters degree at Syracuse University. She has a job that provides for her four children. She is unapologetic. Girls and women should get to make their own choices. That, Arway says, is how shes raising her daughters and her sons As she struggled to avoid an arranged marriage, Abdulkadir failed the math exam at first. But she retook it and passed. She graduated from Nottingham. And, in a few months, shell graduate from Syracuse University with a degree in international relations. Shed like to go to Harvard Law School. As she says this, nothing feels impossible. Later, her office is full of her family. Their pride is clear. Two of her sisters are also certified translators on her staff. Abdulkadirs 12-year-old sister is there, too, helping watch the smaller kids and putting out the food. What do you want to be when you grow up, a stranger asks her. A photographer, she says, smiling as she looks the stranger straight in the eye, and a lawyer. Marnie Eisenstadt is an enterprise reporter who writes about people, life and culture in Central New York. Have an idea or question? Contact her anytime: email | twitter | Facebook | 315-470-2246 Syracuse native Post Malone went home empty handed after being nominated for his first Grammy Awards. Malone was up for four Grammys: Album of the Year (Beerbongs & Bentleys), Record of the Year (Rockstar feat. 21 Savage), Best Pop Solo Performance (Better Now) and Best Rap/Sung Performance (Rockstar). Malone went 0 for 4, losing in those categories to Kacey Musgraves (Album of the Year) and Childish Gambino (Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Rap/Sung Performance). I know u guys hate me but this is funny Beerbongs & Bentleys (@PostMalone) February 10, 2019 Still, Malone had one of the most memorable performances of the night, singing a medley with Red Hot Chili Peppers. He sang an acoustic version of Stay," rapped a snippet of Rockstar, and played guitar and sang backup vocals for RHCP on Dark Necessities, from the bands most recent album, 2016s The Getaway. Malone faced some criticism online as some fans accused him of not supporting 21 Savage, who appeared on the Grammy-nominated Rockstar"; the UK-born rapper, whose real name is Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, was unable to attend the ceremony because he was arrested by ICE for allegedly overstaying his visa. Posty didnt mention his collaborator, but did wear a shirt that said 21 Savage underneath his jacket during the performance. Despite receiving his first Grammy nominations this year, Malone was not up for Best New Artist. The Associated Press reported he submitted for consideration and was eligible because he had never been nominated before, but an insider said he lost in a vote by music industry players because he had already had success with his 2016 debut, Stoney, as well as the hit songs Congratulations and White Iverson -- released in 2015 -- making him no longer a new artist. Post Malone was born Austin Richard Post on July 4, 1995, in Syracuse, N.Y. He lived in Central New York until he was 10, when his family moved to Texas because his father was offered a job working for the Dallas Cowboys. Hes long said he was born in Syracuse but he reps Dallas." His family still owns a home in Baldwinsville and he stopped at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Syracuse this past summer en route to a concert performance at Darien Lake. Syracuse, NY -- Dwight DeLee has waged a public battle in his attempt to be cleared of homicide. DeLee, 30, was found guilty of manslaughter as a hate crime for the 2008 shooting death of Lateisha Green, a transgender woman, after making gay slurs at her. But the same jury found him not guilty of regular manslaughter. The impossible verdict became the source of a prolonged court battle that eventually wound its way to the states highest court. The Court of Appeals ruled that juror confusion should allow for a retrial on the hate-crime charge. Since DeLee was indicted again 2016, hes turned to long-winded courtroom speeches in his defense. His premise is always the same: because he was found not guilty of manslaughter, being retried on the hate-crime charge would be unconstitutional. And three judges -- citing the top courts order -- have disagreed in the past three years. Today, DeLee ratcheted up the rhetoric in odd and extreme ways: He likened the injustice in his case to getting cheese when you ask for a cheeseburger. He demanded that a judge bar media -- notably Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard -- from covering his case following repeated stories about him. He questioned whether his assigned lawyer, Charles Keller, was actually trying to defend him. He noted that Keller recently entered the race for district attorney and appeared on Fridays 20/20 special on the Stacey Castor case. He even went after County Court Judge Stephen Doughertys law clerk He threatened to go to trial without a lawyer He demanded the indictment against him be dismissed As DeLee spoke today, lead prosecutor Joseph Coolican leaned against the jury box with an exasperated smile on his face. After DeLees speech concluded, Judge Dougherty didnt respond to any of his contentions. Thanks, Mr. DeLee, the judge said, simply announcing the next court date. March 1, 10 a.m. DeLee faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of manslaughter as a hate crime. He remains jailed. Syracuse, NY -- Three Syracuse men apologized today for their actions moments before a man was struck and killed while lying in a darkened North Salina Street in August 2017. Ernest Collins was run over by a unsuspecting motorist after lying down in the busy street. He was trying to escape a fight with three men, who had confronted him over Collins aggressive behavior, which included throwing rocks at cars. Collins had recently absconded from Hutchings Psychiatric Center, said Ed Klein, lawyer for one of the accused. Today, Collins three adversaries were sentenced to state prison. All three apologized: I send my deepest condolences to Ernest Collins family, said Keenan McGriff, a 26-year-old who had never gotten into trouble before. Due to my actions, (Collins') family is missing a piece of your family tree. I think about that night every day... think about what I could have done differently. I cant change what happened, said Robert Wilson, 29, who had also never been convicted of a serious crime. I will take this time to reflect on everything and be a better man. Next time, whether it be my fault or not, I need to learn to walk away. Im truly, truly sorry, added Andrew Thomas, 23. I never wanted this to happen to him. Im sorry. Im truly sorry. Prosecutor Chris Bednarski said it was simple what the three men could have done: It was avoidable. All they had to do was walk away. Bednarski said it was clear that none of the men intended for Collins to die. He suggested that they simply wanted to teach him a lesson. Collins had come to the United States from his native, war-torn Liberia on Africas western coast. The night of his death, he had walked away from the three men who confronted him, Bednarski said. They followed him and Collins first laid down on the sidewalk. As he left again, the three men followed him into the street. They punched and kicked Collins. Thats when he laid down again in the roadway. The three men left him there and a vehicle ran over Collins, killing him. The three men walked away after he was struck. Its a terrible, terrible tragedy, the prosecutor said. While acknowledging that Collins had his demons, Bednarski added: He didnt deserve to die the way he did. All three men had considered taking their cases to trial. After all, none of them had forced Collins to lie down in the street. But they could have faced longer prison terms if convicted after trial. They all expressed remorse in a pre-sentence investigation. Wilson and McGriff will each spend 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison for manslaughter. Thomas will spend 2 to 4 years in prison on a criminally negligent homicide. His sentence is slightly longer because he had a prior crime on his record. Syracuse, NY -- A national pizza chain is facing a lawsuit in Syracuse on accusations it illegally forced its employees to buy mandatory uniforms. Uno Pizzeria, with a location in Fayetteville, is being sued for violating state law by forcing its employees to shell out $5 to $25 each for shirts, hats and jackets that were necessary for work. One complainant, Daniel Doney, worked as a bartender at the since-closed Clay location from 2004 to 2018. He was required to shell out $20 for each Front of House shirt he needed, the lawsuit states. Because of the spills, stains and smells associated with his work, Mr. Doney had to purchase approximately 12-18 Front of House shirts per year at a cost of $20.00 each, the lawsuit continues. He would have to buy a new shirt whenever a shirt became stained because he had to appear in front of customers. That would be a total cost of $240 to $360 a year in shirts. He never wore the shirts outside of work, according to the lawsuit. Samples of Uno Pizzeria uniforms contained in a lawsuit against the national chain. Another complainant, Colin Farmer, worked as a cook and shift supervisor in Clay from May 2016 until the restaurant closed in 2018. He was required to purchase approximately three Back of House shirts ($10 each), two "Back of House hats ($5 each) and a jacket ($25), the lawsuit states. He washed the clothes separately and never wore them outside of work, the lawsuit states. The lawsuit, filed in state court by Frank Gattuso, of Fayetteville, seeks class-action status on behalf of workers at all 13 Uno locations statewide. It states that the practice of forcing Uno workers to buy uniforms continues and asks for a judge to stop it. The lawsuit also seeks reimbursement for any employees required to purchase uniforms for their jobs. The chain, with Chicago deep-dish origins, is now headquartered in Boston. A call to corporate headquarters was not immediately returned. Uno has not yet responded to the allegations in court. SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Enjoyed year-round, but particularly on Fridays in spring, fried fish is a staple food in Central New York. The fishtypically haddockis served with sides like French fries, onion rings or coleslaw. (Syracuse does sit smack-dab in the middle of the Haddock Belt, after all.) For what the plate lacks in exciting color, it more than makes up for in flavor. There are plenty of fish in the sea, but were trying to find the best. Important note: For this search, were looking only for fish fry dinners served at restaurants. Well tackle the community fish fries held at churches, fire departments and other organizations next month. For this search, well be judging all the components of a fish fry dinner: Fried fish, French fries, onion rings, coleslaw and at least one other seafood or house specialty. Nominate your favorite fish fry spot in the comment section or on our Facebook page. You can also tweet us @syracusedotcom, using the #BestOfCNY hashtag. We are not accepting nominations by email, phone, letter or Facebook message. Please be sure to include the name and location of your favorite fish fry. National chains are not eligible, but local chains are acceptable. Only restaurants in Onondaga, Oneida, Oswego, Cayuga, Seneca, Cortland, Tompkins and Madison counties are eligible to be nominated. You have until Sunday, Feb. 17 at 11:59 p.m. to nominate your favorite. The four restaurants with the most nominations advance to the finals. The winnersjudges favorite and readers choicewill be crowned later this month. Add your nominations in the comments! Do you already have a paid subscription to any of the SWNewsMedia newspapers? If so, you can Activate your Premium online account by clicking here. Activation will allow you to view unlimited online articles each month. To activate your Premium online account, the email address and phone number provided with your paid newspaper subscription needs to match the information you use in setting up your online user account. If you are having trouble or want to confirm what email address and phone number is listed on your subscription account, please call 952-345-6682 or email circulation@swpub.com and we'll be happy to assist. Recent deaths of threatened seabirds killed by a longline fishing vessel in the Bay of Plenty is highlighting the need for more to be done to avoid seabird bycatch. Five Antipodean albatrosses and one Gibsons albatross were killed when they were caught by a longline fishing vessel in the Bay of Plenty region between December 2 2018 and January 4 2019. Both species are classed as nationally critical the most serious category for threatened species. Two black petrels, which are nationally vulnerable, and one Bullers albatross were also killed. The deaths were recorded by a Fisheries New Zealand observer. Antipodean and Gibsons albatrosses are as endangered as kakapo. We must do all that we can to protect them, says Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage. In the 2016/17 year an estimated 579 seabirds were captured in surface longlines and 1846 in bottom longlines. The most commonly caught species were white chinned petrel, sooty shearwater and New Zealand white capped albatross. In November 2018, the New Zealand Government signed an arrangement with the Chilean Government, as part of efforts to reduce seabird bycatch in international waters between Chile and New Zealand, yet New Zealands fishing operations are continuing to kill our most endangered seabirds, says Eugenie. These bycatch deaths occurred even though the fisher was operating within the existing fisheries regulations for reducing bycatch. The fishing industry needs to go over and above minimum requirements, and demonstrate leadership. In surface longline fisheries this leadership could include using innovations such as hook-shielding devices to cover the point and barb of the hook when longlines are set so seabirds cannot be hooked and drowned. Existing measures to reduce the risk to seabirds include weighting lines so they sink faster, setting them at night, and using bird scaring lines. Using all three together is international best practice but is obviously not enough. Fishers can also look at ways to change their operations including by avoiding fishing in areas, or at times of the year, where theres a high risk of bycatch. Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash is concerned at the reports of seabird deaths. Its distressing to hear of the capture of highly vulnerable seabirds in this fishery over the summer period. I appreciate that the fishing vessel was operating within the rules. I acknowledge too that the skipper took further steps to mitigate risks of further captures by relocating to another area. However in this case its clear that was not enough to prevent these seabird casualties. I want to see the industry stepping up with more innovative techniques and methods, and to look at other measures to reduce bycatch. It is good to see the fishing industry has taken steps to do better, but more needs to be done. Fisheries New Zealand and Department of Conservation (DOC) officials are working on updating the National Plan of Action to reduce the incidental capture of seabirds. Public consultation will start soon. Eugenie says additional Government funding for conservation, announced as part of Budget 2018, is being used to develop tools and techniques to reduce bycatch and expand the support available to fishers to improve their fishing practices through the Conservation Services Programme. The programme is focused on the bycatch problem, is managed by DOC and is primarily funded by fishing levies. Surf Life Saving New Zealand is urging people to be extremely careful on beaches along the eastern coast of New Zealand this week, due to a large swell caused by a tropical cyclone out in the north eastern pacific. NLSNZ National Lifesaving Manager, Allan Mundy says a tropical cyclone or two deep lows near the Pacific Islands are causing large swells of up to three to four metres that are hitting the eastern coastline, mainly the Bay of Plenty for the rest of this week, followed by Gisborne and Hawkes Bay later in the week as the lows move towards the Southern Ocean. Allan urges that people should be very vigilant when selecting a beach to swim at. Choose an inner harbour or local pool to cool down at, and if you are heading down to your local beach, go around low tide, especially during the week as there are no lifeguards on duty until the weekend when the volunteer services are rostered on. He also warns that the biggest danger is from the massive sweeper waves that hit the beach and travel right up to the sand dunes with lots of power. A sweeper wave occurs when two swells, operating from different weather systems like the two in the Pacific right now, combine into a larger wave often twice the size of most other waves. Not only will they sweep all the way up the beach to the sand dunes beyond other waves, they are at least twice as powerful when they return to the sea. These waves will easily knock over an unsuspecting walker or sweep a swimmer out of their depth very quickly when the wave returns back to the ocean. These waves cause the rip currents to become extremely strong as well, he says. Another issue is the high tide, coupled with a big swell, which will catch people out while theyre walking. In most places, the combination of the swell and high tide will go right up the whole beach, right up to the sand dunes. If the dunes where you are walking are step, you could become stranded by the water, he says. While many weekday lifeguarding patrols have ended around the country, Allan says its a good time to remember that even if lifeguards are on patrol, they wont put flags up if its unsafe to do it, which was the case for many beaches yesterday. Surf lifeguards are constantly assessing the conditions and if they feel the surf is too dangerous, or there are too many risks involved, they wont put the yellow and red flags out. Instead, you may notice warning signs or red flags, which means we strongly recommend against swimming, he says. He also encouraged those going out in the water on kayaks, stand-up-paddleboards, and other small craft to avoid the eastern beaches but says if you are heading out, to make sure you are wearing a lifejacket and have two forms of waterproof communication to get help if you need it like a personal locator beacon and VHF radio. SLSNZ work closely with many other agencies including the New Zealand Police and coastguard, but we cant help you if we cant find you. So make sure if youre heading out, take those communication tools with you so that we can get to you quickly if needed, says Allen. SLSNZ has over 5,000 qualified volunteer surf lifeguards who patrol up to 90 locations during summer, with many emergency call-outs squads around New Zealand operating outside normal patrol hours who can be dispatched by police for rescues. Allan also encourages people to call 111 and ask for police if they see anyone in trouble in or near the water. Its important you dont risk you own safety. In many places, we can get surf lifeguards to people very quickly in conjunction with the police and other agencies. So calling 111 and asking for police is really important to getting the right kind of help. Click the image above to watch the video In todays weather forecast we are expecting a fine day with light winds and sea breezes. Its a one-clothing layer day today with a high of 29 and an overnight low of 16 degrees. Humidity is 73 per cent. High tide is at 12.10pm and low tide at 6.30pm (Tay St). Theres a sea swell of 2m and sea temperature is 22 degrees. Sunset tonight is at 8.16pm. If youre going fishing the next best fish bite time is between 5 and 7pm. On this day in NZ history in 1864 Charles Heaphy earned a Victoria Cross. Recommended for a Victoria Cross after rescuing a soldier under fire at Waiari, near Pirongia, Charles Heaphy was given the decoration in 1867. On this day in world history in 660 BC marks the traditional founding of Japan by Emperor Jimmu Tenno. In 1531 Henry VIII was recognized as the supreme head of the Church of England. In 1809 Robert Fulton patented the steamboat. In 1953 Walt Disneys film Peter Pan premiered. In 1954 a 75,000-watt light bulb was lit at the Rockefeller Center in New York, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Thomas Edisons first light bulb. In 1975 Mrs Margaret Thatcher became the first woman to lead the British Conservative Party. In 1990 South African political leader Nelson Mandela was released from prison in Paarl, South Africa, after serving more than 27 years of a life sentence. Today is the birthday of William Henry Fox Talbot, photography pioneer; he produced the first book with photographic illustrations. Born in 1800, he once said I do not claim to have perfected an art but to have commenced one, the limits of which it is not possible at present exactly to ascertain. To get involved in activities around the Bay of Plenty, please check out our Whats on page. Have a great day! The scholarship fund allocated by the government each year to sponsor approximately 400 to 500 students is not enough, says Minister Nirua. Photo: Jason Abel TICKERS: Source: Streetwise Reports (2/11/19) With the cobalt market expected to ramp up, one company is building North America's next primary cobalt mine. Editor's note: An earlier version of this article stated that a processing plant would not be necessary. Although eCobalt will not be building a full hydromet facility, it may still build a processing facility. We apologize for the error. Over the past few years, the cobalt market has been volatile, but demand is expected to increase as the element is a necessary component in the rechargeable battery and renewable energy sectors. Much of the world's production comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where issues such as corruption, child labor and pollution have many manufacturers looking for alternative sources. eCobalt Solutions Inc.'s (ECS:TSX; ECSIF:OTCQX; ECO:FSE) Idaho Cobalt Project (ICP) is the only near-term environmentally permitted primary cobalt project in the U.S. It's 100% owned by eCobalt's wholly owned subsidiary, Formation Capital Corporation. Located in the Idaho Cobalt Belt, "the ICP has the potential to become a reliable and transparent source of cobalt in the face of rapidly growing demand for the metal," the company declared. Michael Callahan assumed leadership of the company in late 2018 as President and CEO. "We see the sentiment around battery materials correcting in 2019 and this optimized feasibility study as a potential re-rating opportunity for the company." - Eric Zaunscherb, Canaccord Genuity "When I joined the company late last year, my main priority was to determine how to maximize the greatest value from the Idaho Cobalt Project while minimizing technical risk, and to advance the project to production as quickly as possible," Callahan stated. "Although the cobalt market has been quite volatile over the last 12-plus months, the importance of this commodity in the impending electric vehicle revolution has not waned. Prices for cobalt are still expected to strengthen beyond 2020, aligning well with when we expect our product to reach the market. Within this market context, the viability of the ICP remains strong, and so we must deliver a plan that fully maximizes the project's potential today and well into the future." "One of the things that's important to me," Callahan told Streetwise Reports, "is taking a fresh approach and making sure we design and build a project that has the best chance of surviving all the price cycles, because if you don't survive the downturn, you won't be around to benefit from the high price cycle." "We challenged ourselves to develop a production plan with less risk and lower costs," Callahan noted. "The result of this work demonstrated that the incremental cost of retrofitting the mill to process more tonnage is supported by considerably stronger economies of scale while having no expected impact on the approved Plan of Operations. This plan would allow us to produce more cobalt earlier, thereby increasing cash flows at the beginning of the mine life, improving payback and overall project economics." The company noted that the plan would increase the targeted production rate to 1,200 tons per day (tpd), a 50% increase from the earlier 800 tpd plan, producing a cobalt concentrate. "One of the advantages we have," Callahan told Streetwise Reports, "is that we will be the next cobalt company to come into production, and it's production in the United States, ethically sourced in a safe, clean jurisdiction. We have a fairly high profile right now." "We have been able to put into place a high-caliber technical team over the last three to six months with proven experience building mines and operating world-class assets," Callahan explained. "Being able to attract that kind of talent speaks to the interest in and importance of the project." "We're stepping into that next phase of development moving toward being a producing mining company," he noted. Eric Zaunscherb, an analyst with Canaccord Genuity, follows eCobalt. In a January 7 report, he wrote, "The company is working on an optimized feasibility study and has identified an opportunity to increase its targeted production rate by 50% from 800tpd to 1,200tpd. . .We consider the implied economic improvements positive. . .we see the sentiment around battery materials correcting in 2019 and this optimized feasibility study as a potential re-rating opportunity for the company. " Canaccord Genuity has a Speculative Buy rating on eCobalt and a target price of CA$0.90. Shares are currently trading at around CA$0.47. eCobalt currently has around 160 million shares outstanding, 189 million fully diluted; Dundee Corp. owns 10.3% of the shares. eCobalt has zero debt, $14.7 million in working capital, and $18.3 million in cash and equivalents, as of September 30, 2018. Disclosure: 1) Nikia Wade compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an independent contractor. 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An establishment pillar of the European order the Frankfurter Allgemeiner newspaper explicitly touches the live rail, which is to say, it ran an op-ed last month titled A Nazi EU?, speculating on whether or not the present EU, dominated by Germany, should be understood as a lineal extension of German National Socialism. This has not before been an issue at all touched upon in mainstream German discourse. That it appears at all signals something important: a recognition that the dissidence being experienced by the EU has its roots in something other than just populist grievance tantrums. It is the resurfacing of an ancient struggle for the soul of the international political order. The author, Jasper von Altenbockum, quotes the AfD (Alternative fur Deutschland) leader, Alexander Gauland, at its party conference, saying that the: Corrupt, inflated, undemocratic and latent totalitarian apparatus of the EU should have no future. Gauland traced a popular line of reasoning: Because democratic legitimacy deficits can be observed in EU supranational institutions, [one must conclude that the EU] must be a coercive regime. The radical opponents of progressive integration [however] go one step further: They compare the EU to the European ideology under National Socialism Gauland also [advanced] a recently popular argument, which [allows] Brexit to gain a historical justification: [Speaking about European Unification], Gauland in Riesa said: This goal was pursued by the French under Napoleon and, unfortunately, in a way, by the National Socialists. And, as everybody knows, England opposed them. What [that means, is that Gauland takes us beyond the mere claim of the EU being] a latent totalitarian apparatus. [Rather, it suggests that] the EU and German European politics are in continuity with the Nazi propaganda of the European Union. There can hardly be a worse reproach. It provides the AfD with the welcome side effect of being able to present itself as immune to Nazi ideology. Well, as might be expected, von Altenbockum sees little to connect the European project with earlier Nazi racial ideology, but nonetheless he does concede that it is not only Gauland and the AfD (fast becoming the German Brexit party) who see these national socialist connections, however the continuity of the European project from the National Socialist era is also considered by historians, especially since Germany has again been accused of hegemonic strivings in Europe. As early as 2002, Hitler biographer Thomas Sandkuhler called for not so much to emphasize the breaches in European politics, where there should be more talk of continuities. What did this mean? Today, it is difficult to move beyond the racial ideology aspect. But, despite the appearance of the word national in the name of the German National Socialist party, Hitler was no great advocate of nationalism. He was a harsh critic not only of the Protestant Westphalian triumph of 1648, but also of the institution of the national state in particular, which he saw as vastly inferior to the Germans historic imperial legacy. In place of the order of national states he set out to establish a Third Reich that expressly drew its inspiration from the First Reichthat is, from the German Holy Roman Empire with its universal aspirations and thousand-year reign. Hitlers Germany was thus intended as an imperial state in every sense. In short, in the centuries old politics of Europe, Western nations have been characterized by a struggle between two antithetical visions of world order: an order of free and independent nations each pursuing the political good in accordance with its own traditions and understanding, and an order of peoples united under a single regime of law, promulgated and maintained by a single supra-national authority. In other words, Germany was on the side of the ancient tradition extending from Babylon to Imperial Rome, who saw it as their task, in the words of the Babylonian king Hamurabi, to bring the four quarters of the world to obedience. That obedience, after all, was what ensured salvation from war, disease, and starvation. Von Altenbockums conclusion that the origins of the ideas underlying European integration are not so much those of Napoleon or Hitler, but derive from the Thirty Years War and Westphalia, which precisely precipitated the fall of that old (Roman) notion of a Christian Universal Empire of peace and prosperity, is more compelling. To the victors, victory and the victors set the narrative, one which remains as todays European political paradigm. The Liberal construction of the EU is premised on that famous liberal manifesto: John Lockes Second Treatise on Government, published in 1689 that asserted that there is ultimately only one principle at the base of legitimate political order: namely, individual freedom. Lockes was very much a product of the Protestant construction. It opens with the assertion that all human individuals are born perfectly free and perfectly equal, and goes on to describe them as pursuing life, liberty, and property in a world of transactions based on consent. From this premise, Locke built his model of political life and theory of government: And from Lockes framework has descended to us todays economic model in Adam Smiths transposition of John Lockes and John Humes Protestant vision of individualism and property into an economic structuring. But being Protestant, this vision also took from the Old Testament (rather than the New), sovereign authority (like Yahweh) was jealous and intolerant and unitary sovereign. One authority, one law, one gun was the organisational principal of the nation-state (rather than the overlaid call of an empire of confused sovereignties and spiritual allegiances that had preceded it). At some point, liberal political, economic theory and international law crushed the life out of other, competing accounts, becoming the virtually unquestioned framework for what an educated person needs to know about the political world. So what? What is the point? Well, firstly, it is that the AfD leader, Alexander Gauland, is saying that the EU is neither liberal, nor free, nor an order (or Empire), but is coercive in its (secularised, Judeo-Christian) desire to achieve human or social unity through reducing all to a single model (the liberal, regulated, EU order). The point here is not just that such an establishment German publication should be touching such a hot button issue (the possible influence of German national-socialism as the scaffold, on which EU politics is structured); but more substantively, through the tacit admission that that the AfD leader has a point (i.e. he is advancing the other grand vision for Europes political order). The author duly concedes this: there are many politicians in the AfD who would like to return to traditional equilibrium thinking (a concert of independent sovereign powers). But then echoing the Establishment line the author says simply that it is impossible: Too much has been invested in the EU project to permit it to be yielded-up. The retrospective after the Second World War, von Altenbockum says, led to the [EU project] being given an immovable, institutional anchorage, which inevitably involves a renunciation of sovereignty. But it is here that Brexit takes meaning for Gauland: Not simply as British resentment at Germanys domination of Europe, but because England consistently was on the other side, opposing these visions of a universalism imposed through a reduction to a single model of empire as everyone knows, England opposed them, Gauland states. Locke, it is true, sought to strengthen the nation-state paradigm and not undermine it. Nevertheless, in fashioning his theory he downplayed or entirely omitted essential aspects to human society. In the Second Treatise, Locke abstracts away the intellectual, spiritual or cultural inheritance that one receives through descent. The result is the depreciation of even the most basic bonds that had been thought to hold society together. Similarly, the government that is brought into being by the social contract of the Second Treatise is eerily without borders or boundaries. Institutions such as the national state, community, family, and the church appear to have no reason for existing at all. Without intending it, the framework provided by Lockes Treatise makes the Protestant order exceedingly difficult to explain, much less justify. He may have intended otherwise, but what he did was to give birth to a liberal construction of politics which underpins the opposite of the nation-state. What does this mean? Brexit, les gillets jaunes, la Lega, the Afd, the Visegrad group the future of Europe is in serious contention, despite the fact that University-educated political and intellectual elites in America and Europe are now mostly sequestered within the liberal frame. Yet an article such as this piece from the Frankfurter Allgemeiner newspaper and its discussion of the purported link between European integration and national socialism Wolfgang Munchau remarks, represents an explosive connection hitherto confined only to fringe discussion in Germany. It underlines that the Euro-elite are beginning to recognize the potential combustibility of this conflict. They can see that real issues ancient struggles about the very nature of politics, society, culture and how human potential is to be developed are at issue. And to understand this gives the framework to understand European foreign policy: How, even after the disaster of Libya, European leaders can, for example, ignore the long history of interventions in Venezuela, to support a new intervention. Or, wish to withhold reconstruction finance and assistance from Syria. It recalls the Babylonian kings desire to bring the four quarters of the world to obedience. That obedience, after all, being in their own best interest. Is it going too far for Gauland to have described the EU as latent totalitarian? Well, Yanis Varoufakis gives us the flavour of it: from his first visit to Brussels and Berlin as Greeces freshly elected finance minister: When Schauble welcomed me with his it is my mandate against yours doctrine, he was honouring a long EU tradition of neglecting democratic mandates in the name of respecting them. Like all dangerous hypotheses, it is founded on an obvious truth: the voters of one country cannot give their representative a mandate to impose upon other governments conditions that the latter have no mandate, from their own electorate, to accept. But, while this is a truism, its incessant repetition by Brussels functionaries and political powerbrokers, such as Angela Merkel and Schauble himself, is intended to convert it surreptitiously into a very different notion: no voters in any country can empower their government to oppose Brussels. Varoufakis adds, they never listen: My team and I worked hard to put forward proposals based on serious econometric work and sound economic analysis. Once these had been tested on some of the highest authorities in their fields, from Wall Street and the City to top-notch academics, I would take them to Greeces creditors in Brussels, Berlin and Frankfurt. Then I would sit back and observe a symphony of blank stares. It was as if I had not spoken: As if there was no document in front of them. It would be evident from their body language that they denied the very existence of the pieces of paper I had placed before them. Their responses, when they came, would be perfectly independent of anything I had said. I might as well have been singing the Swedish national anthem. It would have made no difference. The US Military Industrial Complex no longer needs neither actual wars nor the threat of war for its own survival. This factor could actually change dynamic of this institution/bureaucracy in our lifetimes and it may actually be changing as we speak. Very often something will evolve and become ubiquitous to the degree that we forget its origin. Putting a dead tree in your house on Christmas is a good example, few people think of why this is done, they just do it because it has been done for a long time and thus seems completely natural and important to do so every year. A justification for doing it is no longer needed, it is something done by default. In some ways the necessity to start questionable wars of luxury is much like that Christmas tree an odd tradition that is not of an importance or value anymore. In order to break this down we need to go back to the start. It is hard for people in our times, especially foreign people to understand the fact that the United States was not a massive military power until WWII. Today sole hyperpower was at a time not that long ago a much different nation militarily and foreign policy speaking. In 1914 at the start of the Great War in Europe the territorially massive United States had a total armed forces of around 166,000 men. From 1776 until that point the manpower of US forces was minimal by European standards. That America of those times was an isolated self-focused America that many today long for. When the US entered WWI shedding the binds of its isolationist tendencies it bulked up to nearly 3,000,000 soldiers by the end of 1918. However, directly after the Great War finally ended the military severely deflated itself back down much closer to its original size. The Good War in the 1940s was the final nail in the isolationist coffin as American forces would forever remain in the millions of men after the defeat of Germany and Japan by the Allies. The 1940s are the point the point where the permanent military industrial complex that we know of today starts to take hold. Slightly later it got the name by which we call it today thanks to a speech by President Eisenhower at the very tail end of his presidency in 1961. Sadly Mr. Eisenhower did nothing to stop the growth of the warmachine only choosing to warn us about it with nearly no time left in office. One would have expected bold action from a man known for his bravery and cunning. The ideological justification for retaining a massive US military in peacetime was Communism. A global Communist threat seemed like something grand enough to be worth throwing away a large portion of Americas traditional (and very successful) identity. As time went on wars of questionable origins in Korea and Vietnam continued to provide proof of the need for massive military spending and continued expansion. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 90s American forces could have (in theory) reduced in size as there was no longer any real geopolitical competitor to the US. This was a turning point moment when America could possibly have gone back to being the America that was and scaled down to a few hundred thousand men under the umbrella of a few thousand nuclear warheads and enough billions of dollars to make sure that the US would never fall behind from a weapons standpoint. But this was not to be. Washington chose to go with Global Hegemon America and has not looked back. But at this point massive military spending still required some sort of reason to spend hundreds of billions per year. Iraq and Afghanistan were enough justification to keep millions of men in uniforms on bases all over the world mostly doing pushups and cleaning the toilets in a global war on terror. Now there is a new Russian threat that is hard for politicians to define or prove exists but is just juicy enough for them it is still call for increasing defense spending or build system X in European country Y that they cant find on a map. As we can see since WWII, the US military has gone from dealing with direct threats (Germany, Japan) to direct threats via proxy (The Soviet Union in Korea/Vietnam) to overinflated threats (Iraq, Afghanistan) to fake threats (todays Russia). I would argue and even offer that at this point there is no political means nor will to ever go back to the isolated America. That America as a concept is dead and both the politicians and the public understand and support the US having a massive military. No threat is needed any more as having a massive military is no longer even a question. It is a default position like seeing the world as round only a tiny handful of lunatics of zero influence could argue otherwise and debating with them is pointless. Furthermore as we have seen any politician who goes against the military industrial complex (MIC) is deemed a traitor and against the troops. This current state of things is actually very good from the standpoint of peace and Americas reputation. Since war is no longer necessary to justify the MIC the US is much more free to not engage in warfare. In fact war is completely unnecessary. At some point advertisements for automobiles had to stop mentioning their superiority to horses. We are at the same point with the MIC. Politicians and the mainstream media do not need to search for/create enemies because they are no longer needed. The US military is to be forever massive and expensive and profitable and it may even become very peaceful because of this. Why work when you can make billions doing virtually nothing? Leading hotel development, management and investment firm Midas Hospitality recently added Linda Eigelberger to the leadership team as Vice President of Sales and Revenue Management. In this position, she will drive revenue across all managed hotel properties by guiding the team with long-term planning, day-to-day sales operations leadership, and talent development. Eigelberger will spearhead strategic initiatives that make Midas Hospitality hotels a preferred partner to customers, and leverage hotel marketing tools to efficiently reach more potential guests. Eigelberger previously worked for InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), an industry leader with 15 distinct hotel brands, for more than two decades in various business and leadership roles. Career highlights include directing the entire sales, marketing and revenue management performance for the Crowne Plaza brand. Prior to this position, she handled all of sales skill building and revenue retention efforts for the IHG organizations brands throughout the country. St. Louis, MO After two years in his position as Director of Client Development at Jordan Search Consultants, DJ Larson has been named Chief Operating Officer for the company, effective January 1, 2019. As COO, Larson is responsible for overseeing business development initiatives as well as directing day-to-day operations. Additional duties include leading and managing JSCs team of eight consultants and associates. During his two years as head of business development, DJ has been instrumental in JSCs growth. He has demonstrated his ability to lead, guide, and mentor the team and has earned their respect, said Kathy Jordan, CEO and Founder of Jordan Search Consultants. With DJ as COO, my capacity expands to be able to focus on long-term growth strategies for the company. In addition to company business development, Kathy Jordan will continue to be involved in day-to-day operations and maintain direct contact with clients. Im excited about this new role and the team we have in place, says Larson. I plan to ensure that the infrastructure and processes at Jordan Search Consultants are optimized to keep pace with the ongoing growth of the company, and to continue to expand and create innovative service lines for our clients, he added. We also want to significantly increase our presence in targeted geographic regions, including the New England area. In his State of the Union address, President Donald Trump lauded scientific breakthroughs that have the possibility of making HIV/AIDS a disease of the past, and proclaimed, Together, we will defeat AIDS in America and beyond." If the president is serious about fighting this worldwide scourge, he will instruct Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to support robust funding for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The Global Fund is a public/private partnership created in 2002 to bring an end to AIDS (as well as TB and malaria) as a global epidemic. Through support of local programs, it saved 27 million lives by the end of 2017. Thanks to the Global Fund, AIDS-related deaths and new infections have been cut in half, and 17.5 million people with HIV/AIDS are now on antiretroviral therapy. In 2017, 696,000 women were provided with treatment to prevent the spread of this disease to their babies. The U.S. government in past years has been a key supporter of the Global Fund. Its successes led a bipartisan group of members of the House of Representatives, including Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., to recently sign a letter to Pompeo expressing support for the Global Fund. The statement by Rep. Jason Chipman, R-Steelville, about peeing in his pants is insightful. What type of person thinks like that, then makes such a statement to the public in defense of his position on the issue? How did he get elected to office? It is hard to believe a man with his intelligence can help block the state of Missouri from getting the prescription drug monitoring program. Is this the type of people we want in Jefferson City writing the laws we have to live by? With legislators like Rep. Chipman, no wonder we are the only state in the nation without such a program. Does he not know about the opioid crisis in our country and that the number of people dying from opioid abuse is going up every year? Or is he too busy thinking about peeing in his pants? John Davis St. Charles County Vice Chancellor of Students Lori White responded in an open letter that the notion that politically conservative beliefs and/or politically conservative students are not welcome on our campus is entirely inconsistent with our community values. Fox News took notice. The president of the universitys College Republicans, Drew McPike, appeared on Fox & Friends Sunday to voice his disappointment with Lundergans piece. Conservatism, like all political ideologies, encompasses a wide range of ideas, policies and people, including both supporters and critics of Trump. Lundergans op-ed paints them with such a dangerously broad brush that even the most moderate members of the GOP would feel alienated. Washington Universitys student body probably does lean overwhelmingly liberal. Thats no excuse. Shutting out conservatives can only exacerbate misunderstanding and stifle debate. Thats what the op-ed got wrong. What Lundergan got right is that an equal voice should not be assigned at the academic or political table to those who advocate racism, sexism, homophobia or xenophobia. Crime statistics make clear that unauthorized immigrants are less likely, not more, to commit violent crime than natural-born citizens. Every time Trump and his supporters advance this argument, they perpetuate a malicious lie designed to reinforce racism and xenophobia. The most recent variation of that lie is so specific and so easily debunked that it doesnt even qualify for debate. El Paso was considered one of our nations most dangerous cities, Trump told Congress last week. Now, immediately upon its building, with a powerful barrier in place, El Paso is one of the safest cities in our country. El Paso, sitting right on the Mexican border, is in fact one of Americas safest cities just as it was long before almost 60 miles of border fencing went up there in 2008. The fencing has resulted in no appreciable change in El Pasos violent crime rate. A police officer shoots and kills a fellow officer, and the St. Louis Police Officers Association and the citys police chief just cant decide whom to support. This isnt a particularly difficult question, though. The answer is: They should support justice and truth. It is not surprising that members of the community have serious concerns about investigations into alleged police misconduct. Since the tragic shooting death of Officer Katlyn Alix, purportedly by her colleague Nathaniel Hendren during a game of Russian roulette, the police union and Chief John Hayden have conducted themselves in a way that only harms their credibility. If this is how they act when the victim is a fellow officer, the community they serve, which too often feels that it is at the mercy of law enforcement, has even more reason to be concerned. Following the killing of Officer Alix, Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner acted swiftly to seek justice and accountability. Her office conducted an investigation, obtained evidence and filed charges. This is exactly what a circuit attorney is expected to do. Yet, the police union and the chief have publicly and viciously attacked her for simply doing her job. The study outlines a series of potential changes that are likely to draw fire from the health care industry, as well as advocates who fear the state could be cutting off services to vulnerable populations. For example, the study said the state could save as much as $270 million if it were to adjust a decades-old system of reimbursing nursing homes for care. The report also notes the state could save money if it improves health care offerings in rural parts of the state, where recipients may go to hospitals for basic services instead of lower cost clinics and doctors offices. And the report notes that Missouri paid $186 million last year to reimburse care by out-of-state patients. Under one recommendation, the study says more than 15 percent of hospital costs may be associated with potentially avoidable complications, such as going to the emergency room for an asthma problem or being readmitted to a hospital when a surgical wound gets infected. (I)mproving the coordination and quality of care can significantly reduce the volume and costs of complications, the study notes. WASHINGTON Tangunikia Ward, a single mom of two who has been unemployed for the past couple of years, was shocked when her St. Louis family was kicked off Missouris Medicaid program without warning last fall. She found out only when taking her son, Mario, 10, to a doctor to be treated for ringworm. When Ward, 29, tried to contact the state to get reinstated, she said it took several weeks just to have her calls returned. Then she waited again for the state to mail her a long form to fill out attesting to her income and family size, showing that she was still eligible for the state-federal health insurance program for the poor. Mario, who is in third grade, missed much of school in December because Ward could not afford a doctor visit without Medicaid. His school would not let him return without a doctors note saying he was no longer infected. In January, with the help of lawyers from Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, she was able to get back on Medicaid, take her son to a doctor and return him to school. It was a real struggle as it seemed like everyone was giving me the runaround, Ward said. I am upset because my son was out of school, and that pushed him behind. Members of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion and facilities maintenance at Washington University placed Black lives matter flags spelling A worker was injured in a fire at a refinery in Roxana Sunday afternoon. The injured worker was able to walk to an ambulance to be taken to a hospital, according Melissa Erker, a spokeswoman for the Wood River Refinery. The worker was injured in the fire about 4:30 p.m. in the process operation unit at the refinery at 900 South Central Avenue in Roxana, about 15 miles north of downtown St. Louis. The refinery is jointly owned by Phillips 66 and Cenovus. The cause and the extent of damage weren't clear. The plant's own firefighters put out the blaze Sunday afternoon, Erker said. Area fire departments were on standby but weren't needed, she said. Videos posted to social media show a towering fire billowing black smoke. "Our community was never in any danger," Erker said. "The air quality was monitored and showed no detection of air quality issues at no time." She said the plant processes 314,000 barrels of crude oil a day. She said the plant was operating normally. Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. O'FALLON, Ill. A man asked for a job application at a Sugarfire Smoke House barbecue restaurant here Saturday night, then took off with the tip jar when the manager went to get the paperwork, police said. Now O'Fallon police officers are working to find the man. He walked into the restaurant at 1425 North Greenmount Road about 8:45 p.m. and asked for a job application at the counter, police said. When the manager left to get paperwork, the man took the tip jar and left. It wasn't clear how much was taken. Authorities released a surveillance image of the man and described him as a black male with a thin build, wearing a blue University of Kentucky hooded sweatshirt and gray sweatpants. O'Fallon police asked anyone with information to call them at 618-624-4545, Ext. 0. Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. UPDATED at 3:45 p.m. with more details from police. BELLEVILLE A high school here was locked down Monday after a student brought a loaded gun and put it in his locker, then found it had been stolen while he was in gym class, police said. Students were dismissed by classroom from Belleville West High School as police investigated the matter, according to authorities. It was not immediately clear whether the gun was recovered. "The investigation into this matter is ongoing, and BPD Detectives continue to interview several juvenile subjects involved in this incident," Belleville police said in a statement. Authorities emphasized that there no active shooter on campus at any point. ST. LOUIS A 23-year-old St. Louis man has been charged with two counts of DWI-causing death of another and two counts of armed criminal action in a 2017 accident that killed a former Army reservist and her boyfriend. The complaint also gives four alternative counts of first-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action for a jury to consider. Robert Lee Morris Jr., of the 5100 block of Page Boulevard, is accused of driving while intoxicated and speeding about 90 mph when he ran a red light and struck a car, killing Tolighta Naria Morrow and Brian Greer. His bond was set at $150,000 cash. Morrow, 30, and her boyfriend, Greer, 36, were pronounced dead at the scene after the crash, about 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 1, 2017, at Natural Bridge and Fair avenues. Morrows 6-year-old daughter, Camille, was critically injured. Morrow and Greer were on their way to drop Camille off at Morrows mothers home before they went to work at General Motors, family members said. Morris was driving a 2017 Vokswagen Jetta when he crashed into their 2017 Chevrolet Camaro. Rachel Duffell is a runner who frequently encounters boars on trails near her home in Quarry Bay, an urban district on Hong Kong Island. When she started running in Hong Kong, in 2012, she rarely encountered boars. If she did, they would retreat but now, "even if I clap and shout, they often just keep coming towards me and I'm the one to turn and run in the opposite direction," she says. "My fear is clearly greater than theirs." Are the boars dangerous? There have been only 10 recorded cases of wild boars injuring people since 2014, according to the AFCD -- but half of those incidents occurred last year. In January this year, the University of Hong Kong warned staff and students to be on their guard following two wild boar attacks near the campus, according to local media. At the end of last year, two senior citizens were rammed and bitten by boars at a housing estate in Kowloon. Boars have sharp teeth and large males are equipped with vicious tusks. Canadian pipelines have been running at capacity as a production surge in Alberta overwhelmed existing pipeline infrastructure, forcing the Alberta provincial government to order production cuts starting last month. Western Canadian heavy crude has attracted greater demand in recent days following U.S. sanctions against Venezuelas state oil company. The discount on Canadian heavy crude compared with U.S. light oil traded about $11.50 per barrel on Monday, slightly wider than Fridays level of about $11 a barrel, according to Net Energy Exchange. Excavation crews worked through the weekend, but work was hampered by inclement weather, a spokesman for Missouris Department of Natural Resources said. The total amount of oil spilled has not been determined and contractors will assess the exposed pipeline on Monday, spokesman Brian Quinn said in an email. Temperatures in the St. Louis area dropped more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit below average levels over the weekend, data from weather-forecaster AccuWeather showed. TransCanada said personnel working on the cleanup of the spill affirm that the released product is controlled and there is no threat to public safety. Romania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) welcomes the release of the second European Commission report on the implementation of EU macro-regional strategies (MRS). According to a press statement released by MAE on Monday, the four macro-regional strategies represent "real platforms for sectoral co-operation between EU member states and non-EU countries, demonstrating in time the usefulness of tools to promote transnational projects." According to MAE, the two-prong report evaluates the implementation of the four strategies in the current economic context, supporting the participating countries improving their long-term strategic co-operation, while outlining the impact of macro-regional strategies on regional development. At the same time, scenarios for developing macro-regional strategies are proposed in the document, included in the post-2020 multiannual financial programming period. The assessment by the European Commission will form the basis for the conclusions to be adopted by the EU Council on the implementation of macro-regional strategies during the period when Romania holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council and the EU Strategy for the Danube Region. The ministry shows that "Romania, as the current holder of the presidency, is looking forward to the views on this report of the European Parliament, the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee." "Creating better synergy between strategies and programmes could help our countries bridge social, economic and territorial gaps between Europe's West and the East and North and South. The macro-regional approach can only work if there is close co-operation between the regional, national and local levels in planning together and align financial resources." Discussions on the post-2020 financial framework are an opportunity for a deeper reflection on the role of EU macro-regional strategies in ensuring better implementation of the EU budget. In this respect, it is necessary to ensure a more synergistic approach between the priorities tackled by the macro-regional strategies and the financial targets set at EU level. Romania remains a strong supporter of macro-regional strategies on the EU agenda, positively assessing the added value and impact of these strategies on securing social and economic cohesion and narrowing territorial gaps in the macro-regions within the EU, the ministry shows. Since the adoption by the European Council of the EU Baltic Sea Strategy (EUSBSR) in 2009, three other EU macro-regional strategies (MRS) have been developed: the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) in 2011, the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) in 2014 and the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP) in 2016. On 16 December 2016, the European Commission adopted its first report on the implementation of the four MRSs, currently involving 19 EU member states and 8 non-EU countries. These MRSs have become an integral part of the EU's policy framework; they provide an important potential and contribute in a unique and innovative way to co-operation within the EU and with neighbouring countries. Romania's 2018 FOB/CIF foreign trade deficit widened by more than 2.17 billion euros, to 15.133 billion euros, while FOB exports amounted to 67.732 billion euros, and CIF imports standing at 82.865 billion euros, according to data with the National Institute of Statistics (INS) released on Monday. In 2018, exports grew by 8.1pct, and imports by 9.6pct from 2017. Significant shares in the composition of the exports and imports were held by machinery and transport equipment (47.3pct of exports; 38pct of imports) and other manufactured products (32.2pct, 30.5pct). The value of Romania's intra-EU 2018 trade amounted to 51.981 billion euros in exports and 61.874 billion in imports, accounting for 76.7pct of Romania's total exports and 74.7pct of its total imports. The value of Romania's extra-EU trade in 2018 was standing at 15.751 billion worth of exports and 20.991 billion euros worth of imports, accounting for 23.3pct of Romania's total exports and 25.3pct of its total imports. FOB price (free on board) represents the price at the border of the exporting country, which includes the value of the commodity, all transport expenditures to the shipping point as well as all the fees for the commodity to be loaded on board. CIF price (cost, insurance, freight) represents the price at the border of the importing country, including both components of FOB price and the cost of insurance as well as the cost of the international transport. Chairman of the PNL (National Liberal Party) Ludovic Orban on Monday announced that the Liberal MEPs are empowered by the Executive Bureau of the party to support Laura Codruta Kovesi's candidacy for chief-prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor's Office. "The Executive Bureau of the PNL decided to empower the PNL representatives to the European Parliament to support Mrs Laura Codruta Kovesi's candidacy for chief-prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor's Office, a Romanian prosecutor with high chances of winning the race to hold this very important office at European level. Basically, our MEPs are empowered to make lobby at the European Parliament level, first of all at the EPP group level, and also to try to convince the MEPs from the other groups, who could be determined to support the candidacy of Mrs Codruta Kovesi. Moreover, our lobby will also target all the representatives from the EPP and European institutions who are part of this decision-making process," stated Orban, after the meeting of the PNL leadership. According to a document recently released in the public space, Laura Codruta Kovesi has the greatest chance of becoming the next head of the European Public Prosecutor's Office, among the three candidates. The number of people who have died of influenza so far has reached 105, according to the National Center for Communicable Diseases Monitoring and Control within the National Institute of Public Health. Read also: Gov't, National Bank and banks must reach consensus on ROBOR, argues PM advisor Valcov The latest fatalities are three men from Bucharest aged 62, 63 and 41 respectively, and a 59-year-oldwoman from Bucharest, all confirmed to have had type-A influenza virus. They all had pre-existing medical conditions and had not been vaccinated against the flu. AGERPRES . The Alexander County Sheriffs Office said Monday it is investigating the shooting deaths of two men near Stony Point over the weekend as a double homicide and that detectives are looking for information about a person seen in the area Saturday. A press release on Monday identified the two victims as Chad Lee Kennedy, 38, and Mark Jefferson Furey, 57. Chief Deputy Tod Jones said the two were friends. Sheriff Chris Bowman said the two were found shortly after noon Saturday at Kennedys home on Mt. Wesley Church Road when a third man came to the home to retrieve some belongings. That man, who had previously lived in the home, called authorities after he discovered the bodies. Kennedy and Furey, of Taylorsville, both had multiple gunshot wounds, which Jones said is believed to be the cause of death. The bodies were found in different areas of the home. Four neighbors reported that around 1 a.m. Saturday a person had been knocking on their mobile home doors and the side of their homes. Deputies have begun a search to identify the person who was in the area that night. We dont have a description (of the person) at all, Jones said. We just know that several neighbors reported someone was knocking on doors. 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The conversation needs to be what we really need to do to keep H3 jobs here. Under LB 639, state colleges and universities would be incentivized to put together a funding mechanism to provide scholarships including tuition, books and fees for H3 eligible students. Stinner said he hopes the scholarships would be funded one third by the state, one third by the colleges and universities, and one third by the private sector. Over time, we want to create a big pool of funding for H3 scholarships, he said. The first year is a $10 million ask, so if the numbers work there should be $30 million available to students that score high on their ACT tests and want to go into these high-end jobs. In addition to maintaining a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, scholarship recipients would be required to complete a one-semester internship in Nebraska in their chosen field. Stinner said he hopes the funding mechanism morphs into a loan program, where students who take employment in the state after graduation can have their loans forgiven over a period of time. Ogden jazz icon Joe McQueen may be gone, but his memory and legacy live on. One physical reminder of his life, McQueen's lifelong home at 3158 Grant Ave., has now become available for sale. The house received extensive remodeling, but as investor Richard Casperson has said, "Joe's energy is T he gender imbalance in the tech industry is a well-known fact, but sometimes we can concentrate too much on the numbers and not the actual experiences of the women working in tech. A new report commissioned by security company Kaspersky Lab, and released in time for International Women in STEM Day, demonstrates what it is really like to be a woman in tech. During the research, interviews were conducted with 5,000 IT professionals across Europe, with participants reporting that the tech industry can seem daunting, and many have experienced mansplaining in their work. Mansplaining, a term that denotes when a man explains something to a woman in a patronising or condescending way, is rife in the tech industry. According to the report, 26 per cent of female IT decision makers say they have witness mansplaining in their day jobs. As PsychologyToday notes, mansplaining is an issue because it denotes social power and who is more powerful in a scenario, but as well, it reinforces gender inequality. When a man explains something to a woman in a patronising or condescending way, he reinforces gender stereotypes about womens presumed lesser knowledge and intellectual ability. This is especially true when the woman is in fact more knowledgeable on the subject, writes Dr Elizabeth Aura McClintock. Given the spread of this behaviour, its, therefore, no wonder that one in 10 female IT professionals across Europe describes a career in tech as daunting. In terms of the UK figures, more than half of UK IT professionals (56 per cent) report working in a majority male team, compared to only 9 per cent of people that say they work in a mainly female team. In addition, 37 per cent of female respondents said a lack of female professionals in the industry made them wary about pursuing a career in tech, and 53 per cent said they would be less likely to join an orgnaisation if they saw a gender imbalance. Speaking about the report, Ilijana Vavan, MD of Europe for Kaspersky Lab, said: There is continued underrepresentation of women in IT across Europe. While there is no overnight fix to balancing the gender divide in our industry, our research and debate help us to understand how we can attract more interest in tech and cyber security and make it more attractive and accessible to women. The research wasnt all negative 20 per cent of women reported that a good salary is the most attractive feature of any IT job. According to ComputerWeekly, the average tech salary in UK and Ireland is over 80,000 a year, making it an attractive career path for many people. So whats being done to get more women into the industry? As Vavan says, research such as this is necessary to understand the issues facing the industry, particularly when it comes to achieving a gender balance. It also points to the importance of initiatives like the Tech Talent Charter and Tech She Can, which focuses on improving the recruitment and retention of women in tech, as well as the Inspiring Fifty UK list which showcases female role models in the industry. Encouraging companies to think about the way they can change hiring processes, or highlighting other women in the industry can help to make tech seem a potential career option to women. Its in the interest of companies too: the industry is growing at such a rate that there will be one million tech jobs in the London alone by 2023, according to research by Tech London Advocates. M asterchef UK is back for a 15th series, complete with a new batch of foodies ready to do battle in the kitchen. This year's contestants will be cooking for survival in a bid to take home the coveted Masterchef title which has kick started the careers of previous hopefuls, many of which went on to open chains, pen cookbooks and present on TV. This seasons contestants will hope to follow in their predecessors footsteps by impressing the judges with challenging dishes and unique takes on some culinary classics. Heres everything you need to know about the new series: When does Masterchef come back on TV? Luckily, we dont have long to wait. The first episode of the new series airs on Monday, February 11 at 9pm on BBC One. In the same week, you can catch episodes on Wednesday 13 at 8pm and Friday 15 at 9pm. Proving that its impossible to have too much Masterchef, the show will air three days a week for the first four weeks and then upped to four days a week for the all-important final stages. Who are the judges? Judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode are back to put the contestants through their paces. / BBC/Shine TV Ltd It may be a new series, but its still the same old judges. Masterchef veterans Gregg Wallace and John Torode return to the show to put the contestants through their paces. Who is in the lineup? 56 amateur chefs will battle it out in the kitchen to take home the Masterchef title / BBC We do know that a total of 56 amateur chefs are in the competition and have had a glimpse of some of them in the BBC official trailer but were yet to put names to the faces. What can we expect from the new series? From jaw-dropping masterpieces to absolute disasters, any long-term fan of Masterchef will know that each series is never short of drama. The first episode will see last years finalists, David Crichton, Kenny Tutt and Nawamin Pinpathomrat, judging contestants food on presentation, texture and most importantly, taste. The nail-biting Critics Test is also back for series 15, during which the contestants will face the wrath (or praise) of some of the countrys most renowned food critics. Who won Masterchef 2018? Champion: Kenny Tutt won MasterChef 2018 (BBC/Shine TV Ltd) / BBC Kenny Tutt was the talented chef who beat his fellow contestants to the Masterchef crown in 2018. Kenny, a 35-year-old bank manager from West Sussex, said he appeared on Masterchef because he wanted to try something different, had always loved to cook and had fond memories of cooking with his mum as a child. Judges Wallace and Torrode congratulated Kenny on his crowd-pleasing menu, which featured roasted scallops to start, squab pigeon breast and a bitter chocolate dessert. Celebrity Masterchef 2018 - In pictures 1 /7 Celebrity Masterchef 2018 - In pictures top row left to right) Chizzy Akudolu, Carol Decker, Anita Harris, Stella Parton, (second row left to right) Stef Reid, Spencer Matthews, Monty Panesar, Michelle Ackerly, Martin Bayfield, (third row left to right) Lisa Maxwell, Keith Allen, Josh Cuthbert, John Partridge, Jean Johansson, (bottom row left to right) Jay Blades, Gemma Collins, Frankie Bridge, Clara Amfo and AJ Pritchard, who are all contestants in this year's BBC1 cookery show, Celebrity MasterChef PA Gemma Collins PA Josh Partridge PA Clara Amfo PA Michelle Ackerley PA Stella Parton PA Keith Allen PA On winning the show, Kenny said: It was a really special day. I have learnt so much and I couldnt appreciate it any more. Today was 100 per cent my best cooking in the entire competition everything just fell into place. I am just blown away. I have put my heart and soul into it and its been an absolute pleasure. Its up there with the happiest days of my life! Kenny is now working on developing his own menus, hosting private dining experiences and appearing at live cooking shows around the country. G emma Collins snapped at Dancing On Ice judge Ashley Banjo minutes before she was booted off of the skating competition after the judges voted unanimously to save Ryan Sidebottom. The Only Way Is Essex star burst into tears last week after a fall in a prior performance rocked her confidence. This latest outburst also comes just weeks after she had a spat with judge Jason Gardiner, who previously labelled her a "brat". Last week she received her highest score in the series with a 16.5 but on Sunday night she struggled to replicate that form and achieved 15.5, which saw her bottom of the scoreboard. Dancing On Ice: Gemma Collins confronts Ashley Banjo over low score But after seeing the low scores from the judges, Collins admitted that she was baffled by what she had to do to impress the panel. She said: The judges are confusing me right now because you did say come back this week and it doesnt matter. You said Ashley, youre better off crying than not doing and I really held onto that this week. After this, frequent critic Gardiner told her she is not anywhere near the standard she needs to be. He said: This is a competition and comparatively youre just not anywhere near. In moments where you were just standing and doing choreography, you were out of time and the choreography was lamely executed. Were week six and towards the final stretch and I need more from you. Its not enough to say to me Im having a great time. I want to see you improve. Collins, who danced to Survivor by Destiny's Child, said: Im just trying my best. The TOWIE diva was later eliminated after a skate-off with last weeks survivor Sidebottom, being forced to perform again for the judges. But, taking it all in her stride, Collins told Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield that it was "time to bow out gracefully" as the competition heads towards its final weeks. "I just want to bow out gracefully, its time to let them all go on. I wish them all the best of luck, theyre working so hard," the 38-year-old said. She added that she had "enjoyed working on her fitness" and revealed she had promised to buy partner Matt Evers a Gucci handbag for sticking by her. R ichard Madden is slipping back into his Bodyguard alter ego David Budd for a very special Comic Relief sketch next month. The Scottish actor will be suited and booted once more to protect the Red Nose for a charity special, tying in with the annual fundraising BBC bash. On Monday, the broadcaster released a photo of Madden as Budd, complete with an ear piece, as he clutched the smiley nose to his lapel. Game Of Thrones actor Madden starred opposite Keeley Hawes in the hit drama, created by Jed Mercurio, which smashed small screen records when it aired last year. Starring role: Richard Madden is back as David Budd for charity / PA The explosive drama followed Madden as police security officer Budd who was in charge of protecting the Home Secretary Julia Montague, played by Hawes. But with a massive twist at the end of the third episode, the drama suddenly lurched from what everybody expected and left viewers obsessed with knowing what happens next. Bodyguard trailer - BBC One The gripping drama proved a triumph for live TV as the ratings soared, although millions were still flocking to iPlayer to catch up (or watch again). In the wake of his standout role, Madden saw his odds to be the next James Bond slashed dramatically, putting him as favourite to take over as 007 from Daniel Craig. BBC's The Bodyguard - In pictures 1 /11 BBC's The Bodyguard - In pictures BBC/World Productions/Sophie Mutevelian A security adviser has said the depictions of the police operation surround the Home Secretary in Bodyguard are extremely accurate BBC Keely Hawes as Julia Montague with Richard Madden as David Budd in The Bodyguard BBC Keely Hawes as Julia Montague with Richard Madden as David Budd in The Bodyguard BBC Line of Dutys Gina McKee starring as Anne Sampson in The Bodyguard BBC Keely Hawes as Julia Montague with Richard Madden as David Budd in The Bodyguard BBC Julia Montague in The Bodyguard BBC BBC/World Productions/Sophie Mutevelian Richard Madden as David Budd in The Bodyguard BBC A scene from the first episode of The Bodyguard BBC Richard Madden as David Budd in The Bodyguard BBC The actor previously said he was flattered to be linked with the role but didnt want to curse anything by talking too much about it. Madden told GQ: "Im more than flattered to be mentioned, for people to consider putting me in that role. Im very flattered and thankful. Its a really brilliant thing to be in. B radley Cooper fans were left "heartbroken" as he lost out on Best Director and Best Actor at the BAFTAs. Cooper, who starred in his directorial debut A Star Is Born, was left deflated after being snubbed by the British Film Awards in the two major categories. Best Director went to Alfonso Cuaron for Netflix success Roma, while Rami Malek picked up Best Actor for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody. Cooper, who picked up a gong for Original Music, was gracious in defeat as he politely applauded the winners - but fans were outraged on his behalf, claiming that he was robbed. Director and actor: Bradley Cooper attended the BAFTA awards on Sunday night / Dave Benett One wrote: Heartbroken Bradley Cooper didnt win best director #BAFTAs. Another tweeted: How is Bradley Cooper not winning best actor or director awards? Literally puzzled #BAFTA. Bradley Cooper is getting robbed consistently both as an actor and director through awards season. It's becoming a joke now #BAFTA, scolded somebody else. Cooper received rave reviews for his role as troubled musician Jackson Maine in A Star Is Born, which saw him star opposite Lady Gaga. Bradley Cooper admits being embarrassed at Oscar's snub And, despite a host of awards for his direction across the US, Coopers fans were similarly outraged when he was snubbed for an Oscar last month. The notable omission from the nominations list, revealed ahead of The Academy hosted ceremony later this month, left social media fuming. Cooper later admitted that the snub left him embarrassed because he felt like he hadnt done his job. Alongside a photo of her with her head in her hands, she wrote: "I cant believe we just won Best Original Music @BAFTAs .I wish so much I was there but am at the Grammys to show them our love as well. "We made a film about music. This means the world to me. Thank u to all our fans we love u so much, we wouldnt be here without u #BAFTAs." A n emergency has been declared in a remote Artic region in Russia after an invasion by dozens of aggressive polar bears which have been entering homes and chasing people. Authorities in the north-eastern Novaya Zemlya archipelago, which has a population of around 3,000 people, have appealed for help to tackle a mass invasion of polar bears into inhabited areas. More than 50 bears have been visiting the archipelagos main settlement and have been confining many residents to their homes, forcing authorities to declare an emergency situation on Saturday. Shocking pictures posted on social media by residents show huge polar bears entering buildings and homes. Footage also shows them feeding on rubbish at a local dump. Authorities have so far refused to shoot polar bears, recognised as an endangered species in Russia, but officials have not ruled out a cull in light of the recent invasions. Theres never been such a mass invasion of polar bears, head of the local administration, Zhigansha Musin said. They have literally been chasing people. In the last two months, 52 polar bears have regularly visited the regions main settlement Belushya Guba, with some displaying "aggressive behaviour," local official Alexander Minayev said. Mr Minayev, the deputy chief of the local administration, said the aggressive behaviour included "attacks on people and entering residential homes and public buildings. "There are constantly 6 to 10 bears inside the settlement, he said. People are scared, they are afraid to leave their homes. Parents are frightened to let their children go to schools and kindergartens." Polar bears, which people are banned from hunting in Russia, have been affected by global warming, with melting ice in the Arctic forcing them to spend more time on land. Mr Musin called the situation unprecedented and said measures to scare off the bears, such as dog patrols, are not working as they now feel secure. A truck driver accused of killing 11 people and wounding seven others during an attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue has pleaded not guilty Robert Bowers, who authorities say gunned down 11 people at the Tree of Life Synagogue, has appeared in federal court and denied dozens of charges on Monday. Bowers, 46, of Pennsylvania, is accused of targeting worshippers from three Jewish congregations on October 27, during Sabbath services. Eight men and three women were killed in the attack, in one of the worst instances of anti-Semitic violence in American history. Investigators say Bowers posted criticism of a Jewish charity on social media before the attack, claiming the immigrant aid society "likes to bring invaders that kill our people." Authorities said he raged against Jews as he gunned down his victims, and told investigators "all these Jews need to die." Bowers, who appeared to court shackled, pleaded not guilty to the 44 counts he is facing. The additional charges include hate crimes violations, obstruction of religious belief and the use of a firearm during crimes of violence. A spokeswoman for federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh has said a decision about whether to pursue the death penalty against Bowers remains under review. A n eight-year-old girl was rescued after falling into an enclosure with three giant pandas at a research base in China. The young girl was watching the pandas in the Sichuan province on Saturday when she fell around two metres into a trench inside their enclosure, Beijing Youth Daily reported. Footage shows the tense moment a guard at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding tried to rescue the girl as pandas approached her amid screams and warning shouts from crowd members. He attempted to pull her out of the enclosure with a stick but that did not work. He was forced to reach and extend his arm beneath the bars in the fence surrounding the enclosure and managed to pull her to safety. Luckily, the pandas appeared to just be curious about the crying girl when she was in the enclosure and did not come too close to her. The terrified eight-year-old was reunited with her parents and sent to hospital for an examination. Local media suggest she had climbed the fence herself before being accidentally knocked down. According to China Daily, the close encounter with the giant pandas on Saturday prompted the research facility to issue a warning that pandas are not as meek and docile as they appear. The statement said that pandas are potentially dangerous animals and even their keepers must keep their distance once the animals turn two years old. A new government shutdown was looming after fresh talks broke down in Washington over funding for President Donald Trumps controversial border wall with Mexico. Negotiators were hoping to reach a deal today and give Congress enough time to pass a new budget by Friday, when last months stop-gap funding bill runs out. Politicians fear the new impasse will freeze the federal government for a second time this winter. The previous 35-day shutdown was the longest in US history and led to more than 800,000 federal employees being sent home or working without pay. Lead Republican negotiator Richard Shelby said last night that he was not confident that we are going to get there. Ill say 50-50 we get a deal. The spectre of a shutdown is always out there, he told Fox News. The talks reportedly ground to a halt over the weekend because of a dispute between Democrats and Republicans over the amount of money to be included in the budget to build Mr Trumps wall and the number of beds available at border detention centres. Speaker of the House and Democrat Nancy Pelosi / EPA Democrats were only prepared to consider between $1.3 billion and $2 billion for the wall, way below the White House demand for $5.7 billion. Meanwhile, Democrats want to cap the number of beds at the detention centres at 16,500 and for agents to focus on detaining illegal immigrants with criminal records rather than people who have overstayed their visas. Mr Trump was appearing at a rally in Texas today amid further speculation that he may decide to bypass Congress and announce a national emergency over immigration, allowing him to access cash to build his wall without a vote on Capitol Hill. He insisted on Saturday that the wall was going to get built one way or another. In a tweet last night, he accused Democratic negotiators of behaving, all of a sudden, irrationally. They dont even want to take muderers into custody! Whats going on? he added, misspelling murderers. M eghan Markles half-sister Samantha has branded her a narcissist after an emotional letter from the Duchess of Sussex to her estranged father was published. She also hit out at the "manufactured" lies by Mr Markle's "other daughter" Samantha, who the duchess said she "barely" knows. On a daily basis you fixated and clicked on the lies they were writing about me, especially those manufactured by your other daughter, who I barely know, she wrote. Pregnant Meghan Markle with Prince Harry last week / AFP/Getty Images The duchess hit out at her father for siding with Samantha while she "silently suffered at the hand of her vicious lies". Samantha hit out at Meghan on Twitter within hours, replying to one tweet: Some narcissits (sic) were 'only children', others wish they were." Meghan's estranged half-sister Samantha Markle / ITV She also suggested Meghan might care about her if she had more money. If I had 600 mil she would care, she wrote. In her handwritten five-page letter, which friends said Meghan wrote to her father in August last year, the duchess addressed her father as Daddy and said her heart was broken into a million pieces after he failed to attend her wedding. Possible godparents for Meghan and Harry's baby 1 /7 Possible godparents for Meghan and Harry's baby Zoe and Jake Warren DAVID HARTLEY/REX/Shutterstock Ben and Jessica Mulroney Getty Images Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian Getty Images Benita Litt Getty Images Alice and Nicholas van Cutsem Ikon Pictures/REX/Shutterstock Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra Amal and George Clooney at the royal wedding. George recently denied rumours that the couple might be godparents to Meghan and Harry's baby Getty Images She wrote that Mr Markle had caused her unwarranted pain and never tried to get in contact with her despite offering help when he suffered two heart attacks and pulled out of attending the wedding. Mr Markle, a former Hollywood lighting director who now lives in Mexico, has repeatedly told news outlets he has been shunned by his daughter and her husband. The duchess wrote: I begged you to accept help we sent someone to your homeand instead of speaking to me to accept this or any help, you stopped answering your phone and chose to only speak to tabloids. She added: If you love me, as you tell the press you do, please stop. Please allow us to live our lives in peace. In his response to his daughter, Mr Markle denied publicly attacking the royals and signed off by asking if she and Harry would pose with him for a photo. A High Court judge has expressed remorse after she "momentarily" fell asleep during a hearing. Mrs Justice Parker, who is based in the Family Division in the High Court in London momentarily dozed off and was the subject of a complaint to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office. A JCIO spokesman said the 68-year-old had been given "formal advice" as her conduct had the potential to undermine public confidence in the judiciary. It was outlined in a statement published on the JCIO website. "While concluding that this amounted to conduct which had the potential to undermine public confidence in the judiciary, the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice took into consideration that the judge fell asleep only momentarily and has expressed remorse for doing so," the statement said. No details on when the hearing took place were released. T he girlfriend of a kitesurfer who died during Storm Erik has told of her struggle to save his life in an emotional Facebook post. Ben Witts, who ran his own kitesurfing school, got into difficulty at Saunton Sands in North Devon on Saturday morning. Partner Cheylee Howson said she did "everything I could to pull him out of the water," but sadly Mr Witts passed away. Her heartbreaking post said: "It is with a broken heart that I have to write this but I have to let everyone know that Ben was in a tragic kitesurfing accident yesterday morning. "I am absolutely devasted to say that he didn't make it. "I am so sorry that some of you had to find out this way but I and his family decided this was best before his name was released in the news. "I did everything I could to pull him out of the water and help him before the paramedics arrived. "Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to the amazing people on Saunton beach who rushed to help me. Large waves crash against the seawall during Storm Erik as a train passes through Dawlish in southwest Britain. / REUTERS "Ben, I love you so very much and miss you even more. You were everything I've ever dreamed of and what we had was incredible. "Nothing will ever be the same without you here. "I miss your cheeky smile and the way you said 'I love you' to me and knowing I'm never going to be in your arms again hurts like nothing I can explain. "Sleep tight my darling Ben, my soul mate. I love you. Forever yours. Squirrel." A tree fell onto a bus in Poole, with no reported injuries, as Storm Erik brought strong winds to parts of the country. / PA On Friday morning, a man in Devon died after 70mph gale winds blew a huge tree onto his car as he was driving near the Dartbridge Inn. W ill you be Theresa Mays Valentine this Thursday night? Shed love you to come round. But shes in the middle of a bitter international divorce. Prepare less for candlelight, kisses and red roses, more for tears, howling and hunger. Yes, its the start of another hell week on Brexit skid row. Westminster is getting ready for the biggest vote since the last big vote, this one due on Thursday evening, as the country drifts like a canoe without a paddle towards the roaring waterfall of no-deal doom. Once again, MPs are asking each other how they can stop this. Once again, theres talk of decisive action. Once again, they stlll cant agree on a plan. Thats why, with just 46 days now left to March 29, when Brexit is set to happen, by law, regardless of whether there is any sort of arrangements in place or not, this week might be a good one to start stockpiling the basic foodstuffs of your choice. I hear that one city trader is buying extra cans of chickpeas every time he shops. An informed journalist on a leading newspaper is hoarding toilet rolls. Maybe next well all be given government-issue tinfoil hats. Or perhaps this will be the week sanity and order begins to return. Theres a chance but dont count on it yet. TODO: define component type apester Heres what we know so far. Tomorrow, the Prime Minister will give a statement on progress towards an alternative to the backstop on the Irish border (the backstop, remember, that until the other day she claimed was a good thing and agreed with the EU). Since she has made no progress towards an alternative, she wont have much to say about one, which means shell stick to her usual dreary flurry of let me be clear and survive, aided by Jeremy Corbyns divisive incoherence. Some of those around her are still pushing for a stronger and surprising statement, ruling out no deal now rather than having that forced on her soon but thats not in her nature. What comes after that? On Wednesday MPs will table motions to amend the so-called neutral resolution which they will debate on Thursday, Valentines Day. This will be a rerun of the vote that took place on January 29. Then, the fabled Cooper-Boles amendment the joint plan from Labours Yvette Cooper and Conservative Nick Boles to block no-deal and delay Brexit if no Government plan was in place by February 26 was expected by many to give Parliament control. But it fell short by an unexpected 23 votes, brought down by the 14 Labour MPs who didnt support it. That was a morale-sapping shock for the moderates. Dare they risk a repeat vote this week? Or should they save their ammunition for later this month? Its a tough call. Although the vast majority of MPs want to avoid no-deal and also want something better than the Governments plan, the Commons managed to mess up badly. It united Tories around the ludicrously vague Brady amendment, which called for something other than the Irish backstop and achieved nothing. But it voted down the Cooper-Boles plan to delay Brexit, which could have achieved a lot. So what now? Some argue that rather than risk Cooper-Boles again (or another amendment from others pushing for something like it), MPs should simply vote on Thursday to force the Prime Minister to bring things to a head by the end of the month. Labour is promising to back an amendment calling for this. Its like lighting the fuse wire to trigger a delayed explosion. The PM will be given a few days more to get a new offer from the EU and get it through Parliament. Shell struggle theres been far more talk than evidence of Tory rebels or pro-Brexit Labour MPs coming late to her rescue. Then the meaningful vote, which saw her crash to one of the biggest defeats in Parliamentary history in January, would be held again. Thats the moment, probably on February 27, that the fuse would burn and detonate her Government if she doesnt herself retreat, delay Brexit and seek a new route forward. As many as 40 Tory MPs are said to be ready to resign at this point as ministers and parliamentary aides, to vote for a delay to Brexit and a block on no-deal. It sounds dramatic and, in a way, reassuring a firm safety barrier just when we need one. But would it work? What if the MPs dont resign, after all? Isnt it just a way of giving the PM another fortnight in which to do nothing? It brings a no-deal disaster two weeks closer, with all the panic and economic harm that would do and the chance that by accident it might actually happen. It relies, too, on the PM finally allowing the Commons to take control of the process from the end of the month. Why would she when shes fought it so long? She might instead try to delay the meaningful vote until mid-March, by which time the only alternative to no-deal might be to pass her unloved plan in a panic? Its her best hope of survival. Theres another risk with delaying the decisive moment, too. Even if a glorious Commons rebellion in the dying days of February blocks no deal, it wont have force of law. The motion would still be trumped by the March 29 exit date, which is set in legislation. Few noticed that the Commons actually did vote against a no-deal Brexit on January 29 backing an amendment from Tory MP Caroline Spelman and nothing changed. This time, to avoid that, Parliament Lords as well as Commons would have to rush through an emergency law to enforce its will, perhaps without Government help. That might not even start until March 3 with hardly any days left in the Commons until Brexit. Is there time? The EU Council meets on March 21. If Britain is going to delay Brexit next month, that might be the deadline by which to do it. It adds up to peril: Parliament might set itself against no-deal, only to find it has done so too late. Its like the end of Romeo and Juliet. We might all die by mistake, just as rescue arrives. So today and tomorrow therell be pushback from those who want to force the choice this week. Maybe, by Thursday, MPs will find themselves voting on an amendment with teeth. Their hand would be stronger if moderate rebels in both parties werent split on something else. Some want to scrap Brexit and call a second referendum among them former attorney general Dominic Grieve, who writes on this papers comment pages today. But so far, these Remainers have not dared test the mood in the Commons, because they know that Corbyn wont back one and without his support it wont pass. That might change many Labour MPs and members are in uproar. Some MPs may quit. But its not going to happen right now. Thats why other moderates are focusing their efforts at the moment on blocking no-deal and delaying the departure date before working out what follows. Some might come around to a second referendum. Others, such as Nick Boles, say they never will. Could a letter from Jeremy Corbyn setting out his terms for Brexit last week point to an escape route? It proposed a closer relationship with the EU than May has backed, staying in the Customs Union among other things. Many Conservatives would be tempted to back this. The PM, in her reply today, is not. There probably is a majority in the Commons for something like it if it was part of a realistic plan from a Government that could carry it out leaving hardcore Brexiteers and pro-referendum Remainers disappointed. "Parliament might set itself against a no-deal, only to find its too late. Its like the end of Romeo and Juliet we might die by mistake" Some Tory centrists see the new Corbyn letter as a breakthrough. Other Labour and Tory Remainers dismiss it as empty, a stunt that would leave Britain tied to the EU on worse terms than it has now. And anyway, how to get there? If the only way to smash the Prime Ministers glassy-eyed insistence that Brexit will happen on her terms, on March 29, is for dozens of moderate ministers to quit very soon, then the ones who are left lingering in their jobs in a zombie Government are also the ones least likely to back a closer alliance with the EU. Even if the Commons voted for close ties with the EU, the Government could be heading rapidly in the other direction. All sorts of things might follow fast. A constitutional explosion, certainly. A general election, possibly. A realignment of British politics, eventually. T heresa May has accepted further talks with Jeremy Corbyn to break the Brexit deadlock as the clock continues to tick down on the UK's withdrawal from the EU. The Prime Minister penned a letter to Mr Corbyn on Sunday in which she questioned the Labour leaders key call for Britain to remain in a customs union with Brussels. But she offered concessions in other areas and said she wanted talks between Labour and Tory teams "as soon as possible". Her offer came as Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay prepared for talks with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier as the Government stepped up efforts to secure changes to the Irish backstop measure in Mrs May's deal. Jeremy Corbyn signs a letter he wrote to Theresa May laying out Labour's five Brexit demands / PA In her letter to Mr Corbyn, responding to the conditions for a Brexit deal set out by the Labour leader, the Prime Minister said she wanted the Tory and Labour teams to consider "alternative arrangements" to the Irish backstop. In response to his demand for a customs union, Mrs May insisted her deal met many of the conditions he had set. She said the existing political declaration - the part of the Brexit deal setting out the goals for the future UK-EU relationship - "explicitly provides for the benefits of a customs union - no tariffs, fees, charges or quantitative restrictions across all sectors and no checks on rules of origin". Jeremy Corbyn explains his Brexit letter delivered to Theresa May But she said it also recognises the development of the UK's independent trade policy. Mr Corbyn's demand is for a customs union that gives the UK a say on future trade deals the EU might strike, but this is something Brussels appears unlikely to accept. The Prime Minister said: "I am not clear why you believe it would be preferable to seek a say in future EU trade deals rather than the ability to strike our own deals?" TODO: define component type apester She also questioned whether the call for completely "frictionless" trade would mean reneging on Labour's commitment to end free movement by requiring single market membership. The Prime Minister has previously ruled out a customs union, which would restrict the UK's ability to strike trade deals, and could face cabinet resignations if she changed her position. Treasury chief secretary Liz Truss refused to rule out resigning if Mrs May backed a customs union. "I absolutely do not think that should be our policy," she told Sky News. Key Brexit moments of 2018: in pictures 1 /23 Key Brexit moments of 2018: in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during a Cabinet meeting at Chequers in July PA The Cabinet thrashed out a Brexit blue print PA The away day meeting PA Boris Johnson leaves Carlton House Terrace in Westminster after he resigned as Foreign Secretary PA David Davis pictured after quitting the government, resigning his post as Brexit Secretary AFP/Getty Images New role: Jeremy Hunt was appointed as Foreign Secretary in July Getty Images Dominic Raab took over the role of Brexit Secretary in July AP/Matt Dunham Exotic spresm: Liberal Democrats Leader Sir Vince Cable following his speech at the party conference PA More than half a million protesters descended on London for the People's Vote March in October Sky News Demonstrators called for a People's Vote on Brexit during a march in Liverpool earlier this year Getty Images Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, presented the red Budget Box as he revealed the government's financial plans in October Getty Images It was the last Budget before Brexit AFP/Getty Images Mr McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn listen as Chancellor Philip Hammond delivers his Budget statement AFP/Getty Images New Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay after Dominic Raab quit the post in November Getty Images Esther McVey also resigned as Work and Pensions Secretary Sir Keir Starmer opened the debate on a motion to hold the Government in contempt of Parliament on December 4 AFP/Getty Images Sir Graham Brady (centre), chairman of the 1922 Committee, announces that Theresa May has survived a confidence vote on December 12 PA Theresa May in Downing Street after winning the confidence vote Jeremy Selwyn The Prime Minister confronts Jean-Claude Juncker at an EU summit in December 'You called me nebulous' Philip Sime/Twitter Jeremy Corbyn was accused of mouthing the words "stupid woman" during the last PMQs of the year Jeremy Corbyn responds in the Commons amid the row PA Jeremy Corbyn denied reports he muttered the words "stupid woman" AFP/Getty Images Mr Corbyn called for UK standards to keep pace with evolving standards across Europe. Mrs May rejected automatically following EU rules on workers' rights and environmental protection but "in the interest of building support across the House" she said the Government is prepared to commit to asking Parliament if it wishes to follow suit if standards change. In her response to the Labour leader's letter setting out his conditions to support a Brexit deal, Mrs May added: "It is good to see that we agree that the UK should leave the European Union with a deal and that the urgent task at hand is to find a deal that honours our commitments to the people of Northern Ireland, can command support in Parliament and can be negotiated with the EU - not to seek an election or second referendum." Mr Corbyn has repeatedly said there should be an election if Mrs May cannot get a deal through Parliament and he has faced concerted pressure from some in his party to push for a second public vote. There appears little prospect of an imminent breakthrough with Brussels, and Mrs May might not bring her deal back for a decisive vote this month. Labour will use a vote expected on Thursday to attempt to force the Prime Minister to bring the deal back for a showdown by February 26 to prevent her "running down the clock" before Brexit. But the Prime Minister is expected to offer MPs a further chance to vote on non-binding amendments which could influence her Brexit strategy on February 27. The move is aimed at postponing a rebellion by ministers who are committed to removing the possibility of the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal on March 29. Pro-EU Tories Heidi Allen and Sarah Wollaston both said ministers should "step up" this week to prevent a no-deal Brexit. And shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said Mrs May could not keep delaying. "We will wait and see what the Government comes back with on Thursday, but we have got to put a hard stop to this running down of the clock," he said. A minister today sought to clear up confusion over the Governments Brexit policy by stressing that Theresa May was not preparing to agree to a customs union to win Labour backing for her plans. Prisons minister Rory Stewart was sent out on the airwaves after a letter from the Prime Minister to Jeremy Corbyn left the question dangling over whether she might shift towards supporting a customs union. She offered fresh talks to seek a cross-party agreement on Brexit and insisted that her proposals met many of his demands over a customs union. The letter sparked speculation at Westminster that the Prime Minister was paving the way to shift towards a customs union if she fails to win over Tory right-wingers and the Democratic Unionist Party to support her Brexit blueprint. However, pressed on why the letter had not explicitly rejected a customs union, Mr Stewart told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: The Prime Minister has ruled that out repeatedly. In this letter again, she makes it very clear that she is not looking at a customs union model because the problem with a customs union model is that the EU would in effect negotiate new customs agreements which the UK would follow. TODO: define component type apester He also left open that the meaningful vote on Mrs Mays Brexit plans may be delayed into March, even though this would cause growing problems for businesses, saying the timing was dependent on her being able to get a parliamentary majority. I agree that the longer this goes on the more risky it gets, he admitted. Downing Street is seeking to woo Labour MPs with offers of more guarantees on workers rights and more funding for deprived communities. Prisons minister Rory Stewart / PA However, Tory rebel leader Dominic Grieve argued that all the Brexit plans would condemn the UK to a second-rate future, compared with current arrangements, and warned MPs against an abdication of our responsibility to ensure this did not happen. Writing in the Evening Standard, the former attorney general criticised the deal struck between Mrs May and Brussels, arguing: We are leaving into a void, bound to every EU rule for the years of transition and with no certain destination as to our future trading relationship. Backing a second referendum, he added: Insisting that all will somehow be well if Brexit goes through now, rather than insisting on a pause and a measured reconsideration, is an abdication of our responsibility. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay was set to hold talks in Brussels this evening with the EUs chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier. Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson signalled he could back Mrs Mays deal if a time limit or unilateral exit mechanism for the UK on the backstop was written into the Withdrawal Agreement. However, Brussels has so far refused to reopen the divorce deal, and Mr Johnson dismissed the idea of a codicil attached to it, saying: I dont think that would be good enough. International Trade Secretary Liam Fox today signed a transitional trade agreement with Switzerland, but such deals with many other countries are not expected to be agreed before March 29. T he EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has said yet again that no changes will be made to the Prime Minister's Withdrawal Agreement. Following talks with Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay, Mr Barnier said Theresa Mays Withdrawal Agreement was not open for renegotiation. Brexit secretary Mr Barclay met Mr Barnier for dinner in Brussels on Monday night. Both sides claimed constructive talks were held, however the government is no closer to breaking the impasse. Mr Barnier told reporters afterwards: Its clear from our side we are not going to reopen the Withdrawal Agreement, but we will continue our discussions in the coming days. Mr Barnier said Theresa May should endorse a permanent customs union - as proposed by Labour - to break the impasse over their looming divorce. "I found Corbyn's letter interesting in tone and in content," Barnier said earlier in the day in Luxembourg. "Something has to give on the British side." Barnier said he understood May did not want to delay Brexit to win more negotiating time and reiterated the controversial Irish border fix - or "backstop" - in Britain's withdrawal agreement was an insurance policy the EU hoped never to use. "This time that remains is extremely short," Barnier told the joint news conference with Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel. "The withdrawal agreement which we agreed with Theresa May's government ... remains the best way to ensure an orderly withdrawal of the UK." "We are determined to organise an orderly withdrawal. This orderly withdrawal is the prerequisite that we need to build a ... future relationship," said Mr Barnier. Back in London, meanwhile, Brexiteer Cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom insisted there was no chance of Prime Minister Theresa May accepting Labour's vision for Brexit. It followed speculation Mrs May could soften her stance on customs union membership a key aspect of Jeremy Corbyns demands. But she told the Press Association: "I think she's making quite clear that what Corbyn is demanding is actually not as good as what the Prime Minister's deal is offering. TODO: define component type apester "So he wants a customs union and he is unclear as to whether that means he also wants an independent trade policy. He's unclear as to whether he also wants to stop free movement, and of course the EU's view would be well if you're in the customs union then you have free movement and you abide by the common external tariff. "I think there's no doubt that what the Prime Minister is offering is better than what Corbyn is demanding, which simply begs the question: if they like it, why don't they vote for it?" Theresa May pictured in Downing Street on Monday / Henry Nicholls/Reuters She added: The Prime Minister has been absolutely clear we're leaving the EU, we're leaving the customs union, we're leaving the single market. "We're taking back control, we won't be paying money over, free movement will end, and we will have our own independent free trade policy. So I definitely don't see the Prime Minister agreeing to Corbyn's world view." Mr Corbyn faced fresh scrunity over his Brexit stance on Monday, after more archive footage emerged of him slating the EU. It prompted leading Brexiteer Nigel Farage to remark: "I feel like a Europhile compared to Corbyn. Wow!" On the government's side, meanwhile, Chris Grayling faced fresh calls to resign in the Commons as he defended the government's decision to issue a 13.8million ferry contract to a company - Seaborne - which had no ships. T ransport secretary Chris Grayling has defended the governments decision to hand a 13.8million Brexit ferry contract to a company with no ships, saying not a penny of taxpayers money went to the firm. The under-fire transport secretarys Labour counterpart Andy McDonald said Mr Graylings performance was off the Richter scale of incompetence and demanded he resign in an exchange in the House of Commons this afternoon. Mr Grayling took to the Commons despatch box on Monday to defend awarding the contract to Seaborne Freight to run services between Ramsgate and Ostend in the event of a no deal Brexit. The contract was cancelled on Saturday after an outside company, which had promised to purchase ships for Seaborne, backed out. Chris Grayling answers questions in the House of Commons / PA Mr Grayling told the Commons: Seabornes proposition to the department was backed by Arklow Shipping, Irelands biggest and one of Europes largest shipping companies. Their support for the proposition from the outset provided confidence in the viability of this deal. Arklow confirmed to me that they intended to finance the purchase of ships and would be major shareholders in Seaborne. Mr Grayling continued: My department monitored closely the progress of Seaborne towards meeting its contractual commitments. By last week the company had secured firm options on ships to operate on the route. However, late last week, despite previous assurances, Arklow suddenly and unexpectedly withdrew their backing in Seaborne. Countdown to Brexit: 46 days until Britain leaves the EU One member of the opposition benches shouted: Im not surprised! In light of this, Mr Grayling pressed on, I took the decision to terminate this contract. As I have repeatedly clear, not a penny of taxpayers money has gone or will go to Seaborne. He added the governments similar contracts with Brittany Ferries and DFDS remained on track. Chris Grayling answers questions in the House of Commons about Seaborne Freight / PA Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald retorted: He simply cant keep blaming others for his own mistakes. This disastrous decision sits squarely with him and his office. This transports secretarys approach to transport and wider Brexit contingency planning is off the Richter scale of incompetence. For the good of the nation and the sake of some resemblance of faith being restored to this shambolic government, shouldnt he now at long last do the decent thing, and go? Mr Grayling replied to his Labour counterpart: "I have to say that he brings a new meaning to the words utter hogwash. "He clearly wasn't listening when I said we've spent no money on this contract." M ore archive footage has emerged of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn sharing strong anti-EU views. In a 2010 video unearthed by Talk Radio, Mr Corbyn calls for the EU, as well as bankers and the International Monetary Fund, to be defeated. The fresh footage, filmed at the Durham Miners' Gala, Mr Corbyn said: They the worlds bankers, International Monetary Fund, European Union they are utterly united in what they want. Utterly united in deflation, suppressing the economy and creating unemployment. Countdown to Brexit: 46 days until Britain leaves the EU We need to be equally united not just across every union in this country and every community in this country and every social demand in this country but all across Europe and internationally to show that the voice of those campaigning for peace, justice and socialism will not be silenced by these people. We will win through. We will defeat them and we will win that decency that we want in this world. Jeremy Corbyn is re-elected Labour leader 1 /10 Jeremy Corbyn is re-elected Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn celebrates his victory following the announcement of the winner in the Labour leadership contest PA Owen Smith leaves the floor following the announcement of the winner PA Jeremy Corbyn (R), is embraced by Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell REUTERS Jeremy Corbyn, reacts after the announcement of his victory REUTERS Owen Smith and Jeremy Corbyn shakes hands before the announcement of the winner PA Jeremy Corbyn during his victory speech REUTERS Jeremy Corbyn listens to the results of the Labour party leadership result REUTERS Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn celebrates his victory PA Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is congratulated by challenger Owen Smith PA Jeremy Corbyn is congratulated by his wife Laura Alvarez PA Labour told the station on Monday that Mr Corbyn was speaking out against austerity that bankers, International Monetary Fund and EU were forcing on the people of Europe at the time. The recently unearthed footage prompted leading Brexiteer Nigel Farage to say on LBC on Monday: I feel like a Europhile compared to Corbyn. Wow! This is full on. T heresa May has effectively rejected Jeremy Corbyns Brexit demands by expressing her confusion over his stance on a customs union. But the Prime Minister also outlined her desire for discussions between Conservative and Labour teams to consider "alternative arrangements" to the Irish backstop. In her response to Mr Corbyns leader's letter setting out his conditions to support a Brexit deal, Mrs May said: "It is good to see that we agree that the UK should leave the European Union with a deal and that the urgent task at hand is to find a deal that honours our commitments to the people of Northern Ireland, can command support in Parliament and can be negotiated with the EU - not to seek an election or second referendum." Following on from this, she outlined her main point of contention by stating she was "not clear" about Mr Corbyn's call for a customs union. Jeremy Corbyn signs a letter he has written to Theresa May laying out Labour's five Brexit demands / PA She said the existing Political Declaration, the part of the Brexit deal setting out the goals for the future UK-EU relationship, "explicitly provides for the benefits of a customs union Mrs May continued that it accounts for no tariffs, fees, charges or quantitative restrictions across all sectors and no checks on rules of origin". However, she said it also recognises the development of the UK's independent trade policy. Frosty: Theresa May and Donald Tusk in Brussels after further Brexit discussions / Getty Images Mr Corbyn's demand is for a customs union that gives the UK a say on future trade deals the EU might strike. This appears to be something Brussels would be unlikely to accept. The Prime Minister said: "I am not clear why you believe it would be preferable to seek a say in future EU trade deals rather than the ability to strike our own deals?" As well as this, she questioned whether the call for "frictionless" trade would mean reneging on Labour's commitment to end free movement. Theresa May with European commission President Jean-Claude Juncker ahead of a meeting on Brexit in Brussels / EPA "The fundamental negotiating challenge here is the EU's position that completely frictionless trade is only possible if the UK stays in the single market, she said. "This would mean accepting free movement, which Labour's 2017 General Election manifesto made clear you do not support." Mrs May told Mr Corbyn she looked forward to their teams meeting "as soon as possible". TODO: define component type apester Mr Corbyn has repeatedly said there should be an election if Mrs May cannot get a deal through Parliament. He has also faced concerted pressure from some in his party to push for a second public vote. The latest developments comes after details emerged that the PM is promising MPs further Brexit votes before the end of February, amid claims she is trying to run down the clock ahead of the UK's departure from the European Union. Despite this, there is no commitment to hold a binding "meaningful" vote on the deal itself by the end of the month, a minister indicated on Sunday. Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, told the Sunday Times Labour will seek to force Mrs May into a decisive second Commons showdown on her Brexit deal by February 26. A major train route into the capital will be closed for the rest of the week after a landslip in south-east London. Southeastern said no trains will operate on the Bexleyheath line until the weekend following the incident on Monday. The closed section of track runs between Dartford and Blackheath via Eltham, Welling and Bexleyheath. It comes as rail commuters faced "severe disruption" across the Southeastern network due to a number of incidents this evening, including ongoing signalling issues at Lewisham. The Bexleyheath line was suspended during rush hour this morning after heavy rain caused mud and trees to fall onto the line near Barnehurst. It was initially thought that work could be finished by Wednesday, but Southeastern said in an update on Twitter that emergency repairs will take all week. Rail replacement buses will be run between Dartford and Lewisham until Saturday, with tickets also accepted on local buses, DLR and Underground services. Additional trains will be run via the Woolwich and Sidcup lines to help reduce congestion. Meanwhile, there was widespread disruption across the rest of the network after it was blighted with signalling problems. Other services in the Lewisham area, to Grove Park and Hayes, were affected by the issue on Monday evening. Services between Ashford International and Ramsgate via Canterbury West were also delayed because of points failure. A Network Rail spokesman said in a series of tweets that the geology of the area means they will need to insert steel beams into the ground to prevent further slips. Network Rail tweeted: "We carry out regular earthworks examinations and at this particular location we had a system in place we call remote monitoring. These are sensors installed in the earth which send messages to us if the sensors move as a result of a landslip. "In this case, we were alerted at 4am this morning and a safety speed restriction was put in place. One of our engineers then visited the site and decided it was unsafe to run trains through the cutting. "Now the landslip has stopped moving, the site is now safe for us to get on site and were starting work immediately, beginning with the clearance of the trees that have slipped and others that are now unstable. Delays: Southeastern shared this photo of the landslip / Southeastern "After much consideration of a variety of engineering options, weve chosen to make the cutting safe by using H piling, where we drill holes into the earthworks and insert H-shaped steel beams into the ground to essentially build a wall that will prevent slippage. "This means we would need both lines closed to carry out the work safely and quickly, but would be able to have the work complete by the weekend. We would then need to do some more work to back-fill behind the wall, but we could do this later without impacting services. "We understand passengers will be very disappointed to hear the railway here will be closed until the weekend, however this is the safest and most effective way to allow us to complete the work properly." Commuters vented their frustration online as news of the repairs emerged. One tweeted: "A week, to move that lot?! Youve got to be kidding." A spokesman for Southeastern said: We know its frustrating when we have to close parts of the railway, but this is to enable crucial work to take place to repair the line. "This decision has been taken by Network Rail to ensures the railway can be safely returned to normal as soon as possible. T he head of London Zoo has revealed how she was left numb with shock after a female tiger was mauled to death by her prospective mate. Kathryn England shared a letter which she wrote to staff after Melati, 10, was killed on Friday. The Sumatran tigress was meeting male mate Asim, seven, for the first time when he overpowered her. CEO Ms England said her team were armed with fire extinguishers, airhorns, hoses and flaresto distract them if the encounter took a dangerous turn. Asim, seven, was introduced to Melati for the first time on Friday / PA But despite their best efforts, the tigers turned on each other and Melati was fatally injured. She wrote: They swiped at each other and reared up all quite a normal part of them testing their boundaries. But in the blink of an eye, with no obvious provocation, they turned on each other and our years of experience told us it was beyond normal. The initial skirmish lasted a few seconds and we were already reacting. Asim started to retreat and we were poised to close the gate when Melati lashed back out at him. He overpowered her in a split second. Everyone sprang into action; lighting flares, sounding airhorns and setting off fire extinguishers and hoses. Melati, pictured in 2013, died on Friday / AP Unfortunately by the time Asim retreated the second time and we could close the gate, Melati had been fatally injured. It took moments. Everyone was numb with shock, and the sheer disbelief was palpable. As soon it was safe our vets ran to Melati with every hope they might yet save her, and even these experienced professionals of the zoo world were entirely distraught to find they couldnt. Asim arrived at London Zoo from Denmark on January 29 as part of a Europe-wide breeding programme for the species. The team, who have more than 120 years of collective experience managing tigers between us, all felt confident about introducing the pair, who had been calling and chuffing to each other. Ms England also said Melati had a cruicial role generating advocacy at the zoo, and she is hoping her death will trigger a greater understanding of the challenges faced by her species in the wild. A father-to-be has hailed the countless Londoners who have offered his pregnant wife a seat during her daily commute to work on the Tube. Posting on Reddit on Friday, the unnamed man gave a sincere thanks to scores of commuters who have looked out for my wife when I wasnt there to during her hour-long journey to the office each day. His story inspired others to share stories of "extraordinarily thoughtful" people who have stood for others less able to stand on the Underground. I cant tell you how much it means to me, the man wrote. I hate that the love of my life has to commute for an hour each way five days a week, I know how tired she gets even though she makes it look easy. She tells me how all kinds of people will make a point of getting her a seat even when they themselves are standing." People have been sharing touching stories about travelling on the Tube / Nigel Howard He added: "So thank you sincerely to the countless Londoners out there who have looked out for my wife. I promise to return the favour every chance I get." Dozens of people have since shared touching tales from travelling on the Tube, with many recalling times when strangers went out of their way to offer a seat to a person who needed it more. Another Reddit user from Perth said he spent ten days in the capital with his wife and small children and said he was very impressed and grateful at the kindness of strangers on the Underground. He said: Every time we got on the Tube Londoners offered their seats to my tired daughters or to all of us when we were carrying luggage. It was extraordinarily thoughtful. "We were very impressed and grateful. This doesnt typically happen in most other cities that weve visited, Londoners should be proud. Please Offer Me a Seat badge wearer explains how it has changed her life One person also recalled a time when they became overheated during a heatwave on a packed bus in south-east London and someone noticed I was poorly and couldnt breathe. They added: Although I insisted I was fine, several people effectively forced me to sit as two different seats were vacated and offered to me. Being in a proper seat gave me a bit more air and made a huge difference. As I was becoming extremely confused, the people around me ensured I got off at the right stop even though I had no idea the name of the stop, just that it was near a station. It was amazing. Nobody can tell me Londoners are unkind, they added. One man recalled a time where he hobbled onto a rammed Tube in my crutches and was helped by a lady who was already stood up and asked if he needed to sit down. He added: Despite replying no really Im fine, she turned around and bellowed to the carriage this man is on crutches and not one of you gets up? At least five people then got up, what a lady. My mum is a little grey-haired lady now, doesnt look old to me but I guess she does to other people cause she always gets offered a seat on the tube, another said. It amazes me how quick people are to jump out their seat for her. It was really heart-warming to see at first cause I never realised how good we were at doing it until I travelled with her. And it really isn't one particular group of people who do it; locals, tourists, teenagers, middle-aged, men, women, every race. And people are very happy, very insistent, to give up their seat. Although many recalled meeting kind strangers, others said they did not share the same experience of people readily giving up their seat, with one person saying their 74-year-old mum is most often forced to stand. Another said: I was on crutches for a long time and very few people seem to care. Worst was a guy who needed a seat for his backpack. It was the last seat available. A n 11-year-old girl has died days after she was hit by a car in south-east London. Emmie Huang died from her injuries on Friday after she was struck by a car on a busy road shortly before 5pm last Tuesday, police said. Emmie was rushed to hospital by air ambulance after the collision in Westmount Road, near the junction with Elibank Road, in Eltham. A Met Police spokeswoman said: The driver of the car stopped at the scene. He has not been arrested and continues to assist police with enquiries. The force is continuing to appeal for witnesses. T he mother of a London rapper killed in a car crash on his way to a concert spoke of her pride in her sons achievements and called on people to celebrate his life. The 28-year-old musician Cadet, real name Blaine Cameron Johnson, died as he was travelling in a taxi to perform at Keele University in Staffordshire early on Saturday. Hundreds of friends, family members and fans of the rapper gathered in Hyde Park yesterday to pay tribute. Holding back tears, his mother told the crowd: I want you to be celebrating his life. I want peace and harmony. I am so proud of him because he accomplished so much in his life. I am unhappy he has gone but it is not in vain. Last night dozens of friends and relatives gathered at his family home in Clapham to pay tribute after hundreds of balloons were let off in Hyde Park to commemorate him. Arran Baptiste, a 22-year-old fan who attended the Hyde Park event, said: We have lost a great talent. His death was so sudden and from the hundreds of people there, you could see how it hit everyone hard. He will always be a big inspiration, and his death has reminded me to enjoy every moment. The death of Cadet, who was due to play at Wireless Festival this summer, sparked tributes from stars including Brit Award-winning rapper Stormzy and Cadets cousin Krept, one half of rap duo Krept and Konan. My life will never be the same again, Krept tweeted. I love you and will forever miss you. I cant believe it. A wicked husband who strangled his estranged wife and set fire to her body when she was preparing to start a new life without him has been jailed for life. Thomas Peter, 50, killed his wife of 24-years Karen in a rage at the family home in Romford before taking extreme measures to try to cover up the murder. Karen, 50, a job centre worker, had told friends she had met someone special and was moving on from her violent and abusive marriage to Peter, ditching her wedding ring and getting a series of tattoos to represent her new-found freedom. But she was murdered last August 2 by her estranged husband, who forced a cloth down her throat and then throttled her in the bedroom they used to share. Peter then set fire to the home and Karens body - targeting the tattoos that he hated and stopped the couples three daughters as they tried to save their mother from the flames. The Old Bailey heard Peter had also taken out a 310,000 life insurance policy just a month before the murder, and would be the sole beneficiary in the event of her death. Judge Richard Marks QC, the Common Serjeant of London, today jailed Peter for life with a minimum of 25 years, calling him an arrogant, egotistical, chauvinistic and controlling bully. The judge said Peter had threatened and attacked his wife, regularly called her names, and had a string of affairs, telling him: For a long time you treated Karen quite abysmally. Peters eldest daughter Imogen, 22, told the court today (mon) that even from behind bars her father has been blocked them from renovating the fire-damaged family home. What a twisted mentality you must have to want and be seeking to insist that your children now having to fend for themselves should have to continue to live in such terrible surroundings, said the judge. He added that Peter had brought devastation on your children and parents in law as a result of your wicked and cruel behaviour. Peter sat in the dock with his head bowed as a statement from Imogen was read to the court. I find it hard to describe the devastation that blew our world apart on August 2, she said. When they told us our mothers body had been found inside the house time stood still, frozen, people talked but nothing made sense. She added: We always thought of our dad as our protector, protecting us from the outside world, so it is ironic it was him we needed protecting from, and him who took mum from us. Karens mother Marjorie McDonald told the court she watched helplessly as her daughter died inside the burning home. This day will torture me forever, she said. The court heard Karen had married Peter in 1994, but he had a string of affairs since at least 2002 including with more than one woman at once. Karen applied for a divorce in February 2010, citing her husband's adultery, but they continued to live together for the sake of their children and remarried in February 2012. One of their daughters, Rhiannon, gave evidence at trial that Peter had repeatedly insulted his wife in front of their children, telling her: No one would want you. You said she was fat and a bad mother, added the judge. A bad mother what an outrageous lie that was. She was, as you well knew, an outstanding mother. The court heard Peter claimed Karen had gone for a walk after he had killed her, stopping his daughters, mother-in-law and neighbours from going to her aid. He denied the charges but a jury found him guilty of murder and arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered. Detective Sergeant Perry Benton, the Mets investigating officer, said: "Peter is an evil man and I am delighted he has been convicted and jailed and will face the consequences of his heinous crime. "This was a vicious and merciless murder carried out by Peter in the family home while his three daughters slept in nearby rooms. Peter's actions were sustained and deliberate, he meant to kill Karen. He then callously set fire to her body and the house in a bid to destroy evidence, also putting his daughters' lives at risk. "He lied again and again as to his wife's whereabouts and sought to prevent their daughters, the bin men, and the next door neighbour from intervening. A lawyer representing speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has said he may not fight his extradition to the UK and that he regrets going on the run prior to his conviction. Shepherd is in custody in Georgia after he was convicted in his absence last year of killing 24-year-old Charlotte Brown on a first date in December 2015 when the speedboat they were in overturned in the Thames. His lawyer Mariam Kublashvili told Victoria Derbyshire that he was not a serial criminal or dangerous person and that his decision to leave Britain was caused by fear and depression. She said he wants to have an honest conversation with Ms Browns family about what happened but that his extradition should be dealt with a legal basis and not influenced by peoples opinions and politicians. We fought the immediate extradition request because we believed all the extradition procedures that is Georgian and international laws should be respected and followed, she said. Its our obligation to study the case and get sufficient information about the case before extradition. We need to make sure that extradition is safe for him and we wont have any issues in a United Kingdom prison. We understand that the people and politician figures are very interested in this fact extradition but legal decision should be made by the lawyers according to the laws and that decision should not be influenced by peoples opinions and politicians. Jack Shepherd attends court hearing in Tbilisi, Georgia last month / REUTERS We will make a decisions thats right, if there is a reason to fight extradition we will fight, but if there is a reason to support extradition we will [support] it. However, she continued: We feel and we know it is not safe to come back for him. He will have problems in British prison I need the people to know who is against him, the politicians, the government is against him, making Jack seem like a criminal, serial criminal and dangerous person. He is not a criminal because he did not want that this unfortunate incident [to happen]. Charlotte Brown was killed in a speedboat crash on the River Thames whilst on a date with Jack Shepherd / Metropolitan Police/PA Wire She added that Shepherd now regrets leaving the country and considers that this is a mistake. It was a mistake. This was a decision caused by fear, depression and treatment that he received, she said. Very important details is also his mental state at this time to understand the situation really. Was he just running away or was it a man who not think properly? Ms Kublashvili described his psychological state as complex, adding that his legal team wants international experts to assess him. He was suffering from acute depression he was in shock and agony after the witch hunt from the tabloid press, from the injustice. This was the reason he was running. Speaking of his desire to talk to the family, she said: He wants to have an honest conversation with them. He wants really to tell them what he is experiencing and talk about the details of that fateful day. He wants to explain that it was not his fault and he could not prevent what has unfortunately happened. Ms Kublashvili also dismissed reports that she is receiving 50,000 from the British tax payer for defending him as an outright lie, adding the fee she has received is astronomically less. She said Shepherd is not seeking Georgian citizenship and he is spending his time in prison making a bird table, she said. Shepherd, who was convicted of manslaughter at the Old Bailey, handed himself in to Georgian authorities last month. A 32-year-old man accused of killing Moscow17 rapper Incognito has been cleared of all charges. Kenneth Umezie, 32, was cleared of murdering the young drill rapper after a trial at the Old Bailey. Father-of-one Sidique Kamara died last August after he was found fatally injured outside a block of flats in Camberwell. The 23-year-old, who was also known as Incognito, was stabbed to death on August 1. Rapper Sidique Kamara, aka Incognito, was stabbed to death in Camberwell The Old Bailey heard Mr Umezie, 32, pulled out a lock knife after his watch, a counterfeit Cartier, was taken. Mr Kamara collapsed and died at the scene in Warham Street after suffering two stab wounds. Mr Umezie told jurors the alleged victim was fatally knifed in the course of a struggle after he gave chase in a bid to retrieve his watch. Floral tributes left in Warham Street in Camberwell, south London, where Mr Kamara was stabbed to death / PA He let out a deep sigh as he was acquitted of murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter on Monday after insisting Mr Kamara was stabbed accidentally as he acted in self-defence. Mr Umezie, of Don Phelan Close, Southwark, south London, was discharged from custody after he was cleared. Following Mr Kamaras death, the Moscow17 groups music label tweeted: Today we have taken a very sad loss.. we ask for all prayers to be directed towards him and his family. A man accused of stabbing a mother of four to death in the street has appeared in court charged with murder. Ricardo Godinho, 41, is accused of fatally stabbing Aliny Mendes, 39, in Ewell, Surrey, on Friday afternoon. Godinho, of Kingston Road, Epsom, appeared at Guildford Crown Court on Monday afternoon after a magistrates' court hearing in the morning. He was charged with murder on Sunday night, along with one count of possession of a bladed article. A police statement after the alleged murder said Ms Mendes was knifed to death on London Road at about 3pm. Godinho appeared in the dock with short hair and stubble, wearing a grey custody sweater, and listened to the hearing with the help of a Portuguese interpreter. He gave his nationality as "Brazilian and Italian" and was then remanded back in custody. A plea trial and preparation hearing was set for March 15 at Guildford Crown Court, with a provisional trial date of July 15. An online fundraising campaign to help repatriate Ms Mendes's body to Brazil has topped its 40,000 target after more than 2,000 people donated. Vanessa Ferro, who started the fundraiser, described Ms Mendes as a "dear friend, colleague and mother of four adored children". "Her friends, church community, colleagues and her family in Brazil and other parts of the world are in total shock at the loss of this wonderful person," she wrote on the fundraising page. A Polish butcher arrested over the disappearance of university student Libby Squire was remanded in custody today charged with unrelated offences. Pawel Relowicz, 24, from Hull, has been charged with outraging public decency, voyeurism and burglary. He was arrested on suspicion of abduction on Wednesday night in connection with Miss Squire's disappearance and police said he "remains under investigation". On Monday, he appeared in the dock at Hull Magistrates Court charged with offences that included committing an indecent act in public and stealing sex toys, underwear, condoms, photographs and computer equipment. A prison van arrives at Hull Magistrates' Court where Pawel Relowicz, 24, appeared / PA Three counts of burglary relate to incidents reported between December 2017 and January 2019. The charge of outraging public decency relates to an incident in Hull on January 19, 2019, while the count of voyeurism relates to an incident on December 26, 2018, in the same city. Relowicz, of Raglan Street, entered not guilty pleas to all charges during a brief appearance in court. He was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Hull Crown Court on March 11. T his is the first picture of a father stabbed to death in a row over cigarettes during a weekend of bloodshed in London. Dennis Anderson, 39, was said to have been slashed across the throat by a man who confronted him in a 24-hour convenience shop in south-east London. Police were called to Pay Less Food & Wine in Lordship Lane, Dulwich, at 2.35am yesterday but Mr Anderson could not be saved and was pronounced dead at the scene half an hour later. Friends today paid tribute to the painter and decorator who had a teenage daughter. Luke Roche, 29, from Dulwich, described him as a very good man. He said: Dennis had been at a friends birthday party last night and must have been coming home. But I dont know what happened. Knife victim: Dennis Anderson was said to have been returning from a friends birthday party He loved his daughter. He was a family man and very popular, no one had a bad word to say about him. I honestly cant think of anyone hed had a fight with. He just wasnt part of that life. A man has been stabbed to death in south-east London. / Twitter / @Phil_McCrae88 A woman who asked not to be named said: He didnt have a bad bone in his body. He doted on his daughter and was very loving. He used to party in the pubs in Lordship Lane. He was best friends with a load of boys who still live around here and all went to primary school together. Theyll be devastated. Whoever did this should be put away for a long time. Detectives from the Mets Homicide and Major Crime Command were today studying CCTV footage of the attack. Staff at the shop said customers tried to restrain the attacker, described as aged in his thirties, but he fled. Local MP Helen Hayes said: Appalled to learn of a fatal stabbing on Lordship Lane during the night. Another family now devastated due to knife crime. This has to stop. A spokesman for the Met said: There have been no arrests at this early stage. Inquiries remain ongoing. A 17-year-old was fighting for life after being shot in Isleworth on Saturday night, while a 23-year-old man was in a critical condition today after being stabbed in Neasden on the same night. W hether its because the wives of Citys bankers dont like the food in Frankfurt or find the riots in Paris a little too hot, the great Brexit exodus to the Continent is not happening, for now at least. Yet another survey has shown that the fears of UK-based overseas firms relocating across the Channel have been well and truly exaggerated. So far, the number of bankers and other finance experts who have been transferred to other European capitals is tiny: 0.5% of the 400,000 people who work in the financial services sector. The latest Reuters survey is fact-based rather than a forecast: it asked 132 of the biggest and most internationally focused UK-based banks, insurers, asset managers and private equity firms what their plans were at the end of January, just as the risks of a no-deal Brexit started to heat up. The results showed that firms said about 2000 jobs are likely to have moved, or have been created in EU countries. Thats a fifth of the 10,000 jobs that were feared would be lost when its first survey was released more than a year ago. Interestingly, HSBC, which made such a public warning a while back that a 1000 jobs would be moved to Paris, has not moved any yet. In total, the bigger investment banks are thought to have moved about 890 jobs collectively, mainly to set up brass-plate offices in case of no deal and no immediate future agreement on services. It didnt get as many headlines but there was another separate Reuters survey which reported that most of the London-based top investment banks which were asked about their future plans indicated that they are looking to hire a greater number of people in London than any other EU capital. This is great news, and those of us who said the forecasts were grossly overdone would not dream of indulging in any schadenfreude. Well, maybe a little: who remembers now those dire numbers from consultants, Oliver Wyman, saying that 75,000 jobs could go, or the warning from the London Stock Exchange two years ago that job losses would be as high as 232,000? Enough said. As Nassim Taleb, former options trader and author of the brilliant The Black Swan, likes to say, forecasting is a mugs game played by economists who are looking for snowflakes and who ignore the avalanche. And that avalanche is not likely to be Brexit. Certainly not if you talk to the owners of the UKs homegrown financial businesses which make up the Citys underbelly and its capital markets. There are no Reuters surveys to go by so I have taken my own rough snapshot of that underbelly: its getting plumper. Indeed, Simon Rogerson, co-founder and chief executive of the Octopus Group, one of the Citys fastest-growing firms with 8.5 billion under management, says there has never been a better time in the UK to be an entrepreneur or investor. Started 19 years ago, Octopus turns over 500 million a year, employs 1000 staff, will hire another 200 this year and at least that many the year after. Its tentacles spread from GP surgeries to property but it has focused on two industries which Rogerson sees as ripe for disruption: financial services and energy Octopus now owns renewable solar and wind assets valued at more than 2 billion, and supplies more than 600,000 customers with renewable energy. Anthony Dalwood, boss of Gresham House, the specialist alternative asset manager with investments in timber, renewable energy and housing, is equally bullish that Brexit will not be a long-term disaster and the City will not only survive but thrive. In fact, Dalwood sees big opportunities from any dislocation in the capital markets, and is on the prowl for more acquisitions. Sam Smith, finnCaps chief executive, who recently listed her business on AIM after buying Cavendish Corporate Finance, is also more optimistic about the UKs outlook. After a few tough months, Smith says the mood among investors is much healthier. Of more interest is that finnCap itself has plans to expand into the UKs regions where many start-ups are blossoming. S trength training requires commitment. It feels intensive but that shouldnt mean being single-minded and spending every evening at the squat rack. To lift better you need to strike a balance, and for many of the capitals top trainers, this means mixing up your routine. Its all about making sure the joints are protected and balanced, says Dyl Salamon, the man behind Gymboxs Yoga for Lifting class, created to complement Londoners resistance training. The 45-minute workout is designed to boost your range of movement by targeting mobility in your shoulders, lower back and hips crucial for improving your one-rep max next time you hit the gym. Each pose has a purpose: vinyasa flow movements warm the wrists; shoulder dislocates for the chest and shoulders; crescent lunges for hip strength and range of motion. All of which is vital for lifting the barbells the next day, Salamon insists. If youre constantly fighting against stiffness or injury, youll never achieve your maximum potential. And most lifters simply need to learn to relax, move consciously and use their breath. To feel truly strong, he says, you should aim to hit the yoga studio twice a week at least. Across London, more and more lifters are striking a pose. Nike has launched a new mens yoga clothing collection for use when they are improving their strength and stability, and trainer Ben Harrison says yoga is central to his work with PT clients looking to lift more. 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}} When we move a joint through its full range we can increase the health and longevity of the joint, the strength of the associated muscles and therefore the muscle size, says Harrison. In short, we lift more, lift better and look better. The benefits of yoga are fourfold, he explains: it boosts form, preventing injury; corrects muscular unbalances, improving technique; increases core strength; and balances our nervous system, allowing for quicker and more effective recovery. Youll be able to lift sooner, and potentially heavier. Equinoxs new Pure Strength workout will be your training ground: a 45-minute circuit focusing on strength rather than cardio all with a partner or in a team. Its Equinoxs most heavyweight class yet but its all about building strength rather than muscle mass, says class creator Amy Dixon. The workout consists of pull-ups, planks, deadlifts and arm presses, all designed to keep your back healthy and improve mobility. Dixon says the class is popular with female members and insists it keeps her young. Ive known women carry a 5kg handbag daily, but they are worried about picking up a 5kg dumbbell. Theyre missing out on a whole range of benefits. Keeping your bones strong means youll walk stronger and carry yourself better. h ttps://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/esmagazine/the-importance-of-being-gillian-anderson-9930592.htmlIts a bit like the Fifty Shades effect, says psychosexual therapist Krystal Woodbridge, speaking about the new Netflix show Sex Education. Instead of promoting an interest in whips and canes, however, this show brings to the fore problems that arise around sex and the solutions provided by the sex-therapist character played by Gillian Anderson, as well as by her on-screen son (who doles them out to his peer group). Were seeing a huge amount of interest following the programme, Woodbridge continues. It is great that Sex Education is prompting people to talk about sexual issues, and to realise the value of therapy. Our clinics have been inundated. So what exactly is sex therapy, more properly known as psychosexual therapy, and who would benefit? To begin, we identify whether a problem may be physical or psychological, or a combination of both, says Marylebone-based therapist Kate Moyle. Treatment may include talking therapy to challenge negative thoughts and behaviours, and exercises for individuals or couples to do at home. While she questions some of the therapy techniques depicted, Moyle applauds the way Sex Education illustrates how sexual issues are not only the preserve of the elderly, or married couples who have lost their spark. I see Londoners of all ages, she points out, adding that millennial women 49 per cent of whom complain of a lack of sexual enjoyment, according to a survey by Public Health England are particularly willing to seek help. The younger generation are culturally more aware of therapy, more ready to use it. For millennials sex can feel less straightforward than it might have done to previous generations: there is huge anxiety in this internet age, so much pressure to look good, to live your life in a perfect way. All this pressure certainly feeds into the bedroom. Woodbridge agrees. A common problem is performance anxiety this is especially notable in men who have been exposed to pornography when they were young. It is not, she emphasises, that porn is bad, more that people whose idea of sex was informed by the highly choreographed, multi-orgasmic sex portrayed online have unrealistic expectations. Sex Education: the Netflix show has reignited a conversation about sex therapies / Sam Taylor/Netflix 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}} The good news is that there are ever more offerings in London for people wanting to seek help. As well as hosting trained therapists who report a recent increase in explicit requests for help with sexual difficulties The School of Life hosts a variety of seminars designed to promote conversation and foster knowledge around love and sex. Our Love classes [How to find love, How to make love last, Stay or leave] are the most popular classes we offer, says School of Life spokesman Imogen Truphet. Part of their power seems to be the way the audiences share their fears and complaints with one another. They see that everyone else is also struggling, that there is no such thing as Mr 100 Per Cent Right. As well as the classes, and its forthcoming Learning to Love Festival (March 16), The School of Life also runs events with superstar couples psychotherapist Esther Perel. The 2,000 tickets for last Novembers event with Perel sold out in less than a day. Her breathtakingly frank podcast, Where Should We Begin?, has been listened to more than 10 million times, as has her TED Talk, and she has two bestselling books. Perels influence may also be behind people opening up about sex and relationships, says Truphet. Certainly, Perels podcasts are addictive, rich with to-the-point advice (mincing no words, she typically encourages clients not to lean too heavily on their partner, and to take responsibility for their own arousal). There are all kinds of issue-specific sex events, such as the regular meetings held across the city by Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (slaauk.org), and then there are the educational evenings held at SH! Womens Erotic Emporium, and at Coco de Mer. We sometimes have customers at our salons who have been sent by their sex therapist, says Coco de Mer owner Lucy Litwack. We also have customers who are therapists themselves. Erotic education is a core pillar of what we do, creating a space to learn freely, without constraints or taboos, about sexual needs and desires. All the therapists I speak to bemoan the dearth of decent sex education in the UK. Sex education here is really lacking; often you get told how to use a condom and that is literally it, sighs Woodbridge. Patients arrive without basic anatomical knowledge [eg, a woman not knowing her urethra is separate from her vagina]. If we taught things like how sexuality can be fluid, about compassion, respect, communication and boundaries, then a huge number of my patients wouldnt need to come to me. As things stand, however, therapy is providing many Londoners with a transformative path, whether in a group event or one on one with a therapist. Just dont expect to find Gillian Anderson waiting for you on the couch. A grey industrial unit in Surrey, 40 minutes outside of London, is probably the last place youd expect to find the headquarters of an award-winning British charcuterie business. Still, this is where I have come to meet Dhruv Baker, chef and co-founder of Tempus Foods. At one end of the Tempus office sits a huge glass chiller cabinet stuffed with meat, which Baker laughingly calls our fun fridge - were trying out a few things. Next door theres a swanky kitchen for research and tastings and, downstairs, a production area complete with butchering, curing, ageing and storing rooms. Baker, a cookbook author, chef, TV presenter and 2010 Masterchef winner, says that he and his business partner, Tom Whitaker, accidentally started Tempus whilst sharing a kitchen in 2015. "Id be there preparing canapes and losing my mind with boredom and Tom - who had trained in charcuterie in Italy - would be there butchering an entire pig, which looked way more interesting," he remembers. "Ive always been intrigued by the alchemy of charcuterie then Tom asked me if I could write some flavour profiles. Then we began playing around with different cuts and different breeds, trying to find what the best thing was for the style of charcuterie were trying to make. Last year, officially six months into business, they decided to nominate the early products for the inaugural British Charcuterie Awards, and were surprised to win the most respected producer of the day prize. Food. Bars. Going out. 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}} Today, varieties of their nine products are stocked in shops including Selfridges, Bayley & Sage delis, and the Cannon & Cannon cured meat shop. Theyre also always developing new products, and targeting chefs to encourage them to use it as an ingredient rather than just on a board. Baker is excited about the potential for British charcuterie, by which I mean continental air-dried style products, which he says has been growing as a small grass-roots movement over the last 10-20 years. Its picked up huge amounts of momentum over the last few years, and is gathering pace constantly. Meanwhile, the name Tempus refers to the Latin for time but Baker says it also reflects the time taken to cure and to age meat, and the fact its about time that we [consumers] ask for better meat. Here is a breakdown by numbers of what goes into producing their British charcuterie. 01/18: First day of production We built this unit and started production, before discovering how little we actually knew. What followed was the steepest learning curve Ive ever encountered! 3am: Finishing times In the early days, wed immerse ourselves fully - you cant just dabble with salami as youve got the mincing and the curing and the casing and the fermentation stages. And youve got to monitor everything. There were times when we were making it that it felt like a really stupid idea - because we were hand-cutting stuff we could have had machines for. Often wed be there into the early hours, having been at it for 11 hours. 9: number of products they sell We now make a ham product, a smoked and a spiced coppa, a loin product, a jowl product, three salamis including our new hand-diced one, and a bresaola-style product. Then we do others including a lardo, a pancetta, and were experimenting with cooked hams and mortadella. 2: Number of pig farmers We get our dairy cows from Bedfordshire for our beef product. When we were finding them, it was a case of who could supply us with what were looking for, and the amount we need. Its a constant re-evaluation. Now Tom and I are experimenting with different breeds and with smaller sizes. Using dairy meat is technically a waste product. Then a lot of the pigs we use are sows so once theyre deemed commercially unviable - I hate that word - we can use the meat. Overall that makes us more more sustainable and sits better with us ethically. 240: The size of the large black pigs The animals we use tend to weigh anything up to 240kg, whereas in this country most pigs are slaughtered at 180kg. There is a huge difference in what you can make - the consistency of the back fat changes, the muscle tone changes, and the flavour profile changes. 3: Number of pigs on first day of production Those three pigs took three of us 16 hours to process. Now it takes two people six hours to process six pigs. Tempus use single breed pigs and ex-dairy cattle to make their award-winning charcuterie / Tempus 1000kg: Amount processed per week on average A good rule of thumb is that for every 3kg of raw material in, you get 1kg out. 6: Number of hours of cold smoking After butchering the animals, mincing, mixing, spicing and curing (adding salt to) the meat, then stuffing it into (natural) cases, its time for the ageing. For our smoked products, we cold smoke just before that, in three batches at six hours each, which gives us a much more uniform smoke. 14: Number of months it takes to get ham ready The salami is done in five weeks but the hams can take anything up to 14 months. Someone comes to check on the meat every day and turn the trolleys round every week. When theyve finished ageing, they go into the store room to be packed and sent out." 2: Number of staff My role has changed. Tom oversees production and I now oversee the commercial side and also work on the flavour profiles and spice blends. Occasionally I miss that cold room, but weve got more people now, chefs with great palates, and a system which tells us everything - the date and temperature of the animal, and so on - so its easier to split responsibilities. 15. The Who They might be best known by many for proving the CSI themes these days, but the Who are, without doubt, one of the best British rock bands of all time. Pete Townshend proved himself to be one of the most expressive British songwriters of the 1960s and 1970s while Roger Daltrey was one of the most commanding frontmen of the era. They were also one of the first British bands to introduce the idea of a concept album, too, with 1969s hugely successful Tommy. Whos Next is one of the great UK rock albums, too, and the band are still talking about their generation five decades on. Georgie Gillard/Daily Mail A lmost 18 million NHS patients in England are registered at GP surgeries in areas with filthy air, with Londoners at the greatest risk. Air pollution data monitoring levels of particulate matter (PM2.5) outside GP practices in the UK show nearly one in three NHS patients are attending GP surgeries where the levels of pollution breach limits set by the World Health Organisation. PM2.5 is a tiny air pollutant given off largely from car emissions and has been linked to asthma, heart disease, strokes and lung cancer. In total, 75 per cent of patients in London (7.5 million people) were found to be registered at GP surgeries with toxic air, according to the study by UK100. Patients in the West Midlands were also found to be better off than elsewhere in England, with 23 per cent attending surgeries that breach pollution limits. Although London patients are shown to have the highest percentage of at-risk patients than those in other parts of England, the results show air pollution is a national problem, according to Polly Billington, director of UK100. Billington added: Causing up to 20,200 respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admissions every year, air pollution is a grave threat to the nations health. The London boroughs posing the greatest threat to patients were Lambeth and Newham, where 100 per cent were registered at NHS GP surgeries in polluted areas. The results have prompted calls for action from central government on clean air. Sadiq Khan said: UK100s findings are a timely reminder of how many people are exposed to poor air when they are at their most vulnerable. Government must recognise that cities cant win this battle alone and we now need to be given greater powers and funding to clean up our filthy air and protect future generations. Elsewhere in England, concerns were raised about air quality by GP surgeries in Birmingham, Ipswich and Portsmouth. Simon Stevens, chair of NHS England, said: "Air pollution causes thousands of hospital admissions and early deaths every year, but while doctors, nurses and therapists are treating the health consequences, the NHS is also taking action to tackle the problem at source. I had been in New York for three weeks and thought I had finally found my dream apartment. It was a Brooklyn brownstone with a stoop on a tree-lined street, half an hour from my office. I met my potential housemate he worked in finance, was a New Yorker so naturally kinda neurotic and all was going well. We had finished discussing the deposit when he asked me if I was a smoker. Well, Im quitting, I said. The friendly atmosphere evaporated. Thats a deal-breaker for me. he said. I cant stand smokers. I pulled out of the apartment. I didnt fancy a life of spritzing perfume and swilling mouthwash whenever I returned home. But these interactions kept happening. I bumped into a pal outside a comedy club and pulled out a fag. Are you smoking a cigarette? he asked. Oh goodness, Im sorry, do you want one? I said, offering the pack. No, he replied coolly. Its 2018. There was no getting away from it: smoking was making me a pariah in the Big Apple. Youre not allowed to light up in public parks, on beaches or within 15 feet of a building here. At first this draconian attitude to my favourite habit only made me smoke more. I have never liked being told what to do. And I was not one of those fairweather, social, only-after-a-few-pints smoker. I was a dedicated, started-at-14, begin-the-day-with-a-cig-and-a-cup-of-coffee smoker. But after three months of being forced to puff away outside the office next to the bins and enduring open opprobrium from strangers on the street, I knew something had to give. So on January 4 I quit the New York way: by finding a trendy alternative. I bought a Juul vaporiser. Now I stride around the East Village in a fog of minty smoke (my favourite flavour), throwing dirty looks at nasty smokers like a proper New Yorker. We should all try to scrape the bottom Project Pan and No Buy are two trends sweeping beauty YouTubers. The idea is that you dont buy any new products and instead use up the ones you have until you can see the bottom of the pot. A new lipstick has always been a favourite treat but it is depressing to own more make-up than you will ever be able to use so I decided to give Project Pan a go. One YouTuber promises that it will creep into every aspect of your life. To my surprise, shes right. By avoiding new make-up, I have found myself steering clear of buying other things I dont need. Waste not, want not. My mum would be proud. Amusingly talented Cats out of the bag Have you ever felt squirm-inducing envy while watching someone talented perform? Thats how I felt in the East Villages Club Cumming watching comedian Cat Cohen. Cat Cohen / Instagram She belted out infectiously catchy songs about life as a young woman in New York. In Upstate, Upstate she yearns to flee the city, be among the trees but confesses she still cant stop checking her phone constantly. Another tune starts off with Cohen worrying that her hips are too wide for a coffee shop in Williamsburg but becomes a meditation on how odd it is that she once shared an apartment with a boyfriend for a year and now has no idea where he is. Throughout the set she trilled happily to the audience about her desire for male attention, therapy sessions and love of the limelight. Basically she took all the things I secretly think about myself but am too afraid to say out loud and turned them into bracing show tunes. Rumour has it shell be at this years Edinburgh festival. Shes definitely one to watch. Biebers sex life will sell any magazine I have been reading The Vanity Fair Diaries by the magazines former editor Tina Brown . She describes agonising over covers that could make or break the magazine at the newstand. Daryl Hannah blindfolded clutching two Oscars. Demi Moore seven months pregnant and starkers. A s a mountain walker, one of the most frustrating mistakes one can make in bad weather is taking the wrong route down. As the pleasant prospect of a dry and warm destination grows in ones mind, so does the dawning realisation that the route is not leading there, usually setting up a difficult conversation with ones companions as to whether to press on in the hope of correcting the mistake or retracing steps to where one started, and who is to blame. The last time this happened to me was in a winter whiteout in Scotland it was only the disappearance of our route into the near vertical chaos of a rock-filled gully which finally clinched the decision. The subsequent cursing as we struggled back up hundreds of feet of icy mountainside was, however, a price worth paying for ending the day alive. These experiences spring to mind as I contemplate the state Brexit has reached. For more than two-and-a-half years we have been following a route, led by the Prime Minister, which is intended to take us out of the EU without undermining our economy or security while honouring the referendum result. But with less than 50 days to go the signs that we have lost our way are all about us. So is the mounting evidence of present and future damage. My household insurer has relocated its corporate base to Luxembourg and Barclays has shifted 155 billion of assets to Dublin in anticipation, as it will enjoy no future certainty of operation in the EU from here. The manufacturing industry, which should be able to trade freely under the ideas in the political declaration negotiated by the Prime Minister, is looking askance at the future. Nissans decision on investment in Sunderland is just one of numerous examples of external investors marking time. Last year inward investment to our country was only about a quarter of what we were getting in 2016. The Prime Minister insists that all will be well if her deal is accepted and uncertainty removed. The problem is that it does no such thing. She has done her best, but the result is deeply unsatisfactory. We are leaving into a void, bound by every EU rule for the years of transition, with no idea of our future trading relationship. Cliff edge: there are less than 50 days to go until Britain leaves the European Union / Alamy It has become obvious that the Cabinet is deeply divided on what that relationship should be. But whatever form it takes ranging from the managed no-deal of the so-called Malthouse Compromise to a Norway- style relationship with a customs union and high levels of regulatory alignment none will be superior to what we have at present in terms of economic stability. What, one has to ask, are we going to get in return for these second- rate futures? The much-vaunted trade agreements with third countries are withering into insignificance before our eyes. We are heading towards not even being able to replicate the ones the EU already enjoys. That then leaves the ability to take back control of immigration, an assertion rather undermined by the reality that as immigration from the EU, which we cant currently control, is going down, that from outside, which we can, is rising to fill the jobs gap. As for escaping the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice a must for every Brexiteer the harsh truth is that any continuing relationship will leave it with influence over our lives while we lose the ability to influence EU law. Yet faced with these facts Brexiteers demand that we press on to a no-deal departure now. They do this against the overwhelming evidence of the deep and lasting damage it will do and the likely break up of the United Kingdom that will follow. I have received a stream of angry emails insisting that this is the peoples will and that there is no alternative. They threaten civil unrest always to be carried out by others if they dont get their way. Just as I hope I shall always do on mountainsides, these calls to rising levels of irrationality have to be resisted. The public are not fools. The evidence is that they know well and by a growing margin that Brexit is an ill-fated venture and they want a say on the outcome. They are against no-deal because they know it is a risk-laden fantasy. My duty as an MP is crystal clear in trying to make sure they get both another say on Brexit and that no deal is prevented. The next weeks are likely to be decisive in this respect. The opportunity exists for the House of Commons to rise to this crisis and show the common sense that could get us out of difficulty. But that means putting aside the shallow considerations of party political advantage and having the courage to be honest with others as to what is happening. Insisting that all will somehow be well if Brexit goes through now, rather than insisting on a pause and a measured reconsideration, is an abdication of our responsibility. We were all elected to try to improve the lives of our constituents. We may curse at the burden resulting from our mistakes as we retrace our steps, but we have a duty to get our country through this in one piece. C onstruction firm Willmott Dixon said it has won a refurbishment contract to help create a new film school in Islington. The Hertfordshire-headquartered firm will help build the London Screen Academy, opening in September at 62-66 Highbury Grove. There will be an initial intake of 300 students. Teens will learn about film-production techniques, costume design and movie marketing. The contract, understood to be worth about 20 million, was awarded by the Department for Education. Work will be done by Willmott Dixon Interiors and includes creating a three-storey film production studio, and new windows and facade repairs to the existing building. Willmott Dixon Interiors Graham Shaw said the site will help cement Londons position as a world-class destination for the film industry. He added: This is another example of the scope and complexity of work we deliver. In a January article in the French financial newspaper Les Echos, entitled Salaries: compliance can pay big, journalist Delphine Iweins reported that according to a 2019 compliance compensation study by the French firm Atorus Executive, 35 percent of the responding enterprises are now confident in legal compliance officer and compliance manager positions. According to Iweins, the Atorus survey reports that 47 percent of compliance officers, whether trained in finance or law (such as a masters degree in business law), have more than seven years experience. The survey also reports on compliance salary ranges: More than 50 percent of compliance professionals receive more than 70,000 ($80,000) gross per year. A compliance lawyer with five to ten years of professional experience can expect between 55,000 and 80,000 ($62,000 and $91,000) gross per year, up to more than 110,000 ($125,000) per year after ten years a salary similar to that of a legal director, according to the French Association of Corporate Lawyers (AFJE). A compliance manager, if he or she leads a team, will average between 120,000 and 150,000 ($136,000 and $170,000) gross per year. Iweins goes on to note that the exponential evolution of these compensations can be particularly explained by the risks borne by the compliance function, adding, Across the Atlantic, some compliance officers have been prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice in anti-corruption investigations. Readers of Iweins article should take note of its subcaption: La mise en conformite est-elle un nouvel Eldorado? (Is compliance the new El Dorado?). Lawyers or businesspeople who may be tempted by the promise of lucrative compliance positions must remember that El Dorado was a mythical place of vast wealth that led many Europeans to engage in fruitless, even fatal, searches for its treasure. Compliance work can be immensely challenging and professionally rewarding, and the indications in the Les Echos article that French companies are offering better compensation to compliance officers and specialists is an encouraging sign for the future of corporate compliance in France. But the success of any corporate compliance officer is directly dependent on the willingness of senior management to provide appropriate autonomy, resources, and support for the compliance function. Unfortunately, many companies may be offering higher salaries for compliance officers, without understanding the need for such sustained autonomy and support or even the risks inherent in their corporate cultures. A subsequent Les Echos article by Iweins pointedly asks, Lutte anti-corruption: ou en sont les entreprises? (Anti-corruption fight: Where are the companies?), and cites a 2018 global survey by White & Case that reported that 60 percent of respondents said they would use corruption to fulfill their business goals, 19 percent said their company does not have an anti-corruption policy, and 10 percent said they do not even know whether such a policy exists. No matter how lucrative the position, then, any compliance officer who attempts to perform his or her duties without sufficient senior-management support and resources, or who cuts corners or overlooks warning signs to accommodate business demands, may find that the road to El Dorado has become the road to perdition. _____ Jonathan J. Rusch, pictured above, is Principal of DTG Risk & Compliance, and former Head of Anti-Bribery & Corruption Governance at Wells Fargo. The views expressed are his own. He can be contacted here. People are advised that the system will bring heavy rainfall with flash flooding and rough seas. J ust Eat, which ousted its chief executive last month, on Monday came under fire again after an investor urged the takeaways business to start merger talks. Cat Rock, the US-based hedge fund, said in a letter to directors that Just Eat would be better off merging with an unidentified well-run industry peer rather than searching for a new boss. Cat Rock also has a stake in Dutch-listed rival Takeaway.com. The remarks come less than a month after Just Eat parted ways with boss Peter Plumb, who was previously criticised by Cat Rock alongside chairman Michael Evans, over its strategy. Just Eat has been facing increasing competition from the likes of Deliveroo and Uber Eats, themselves subjects of merger speculation, and is investing millions in its own delivery service to keep up. The activist investor, which owns a 1.7% stake, blamed Just Eats poor record of appointing bosses for a slowdown in earnings in the past. It added: Just Eat needs a world-class management team with online food-delivery experience and proven delivery capabilities. A merger is an obvious path for securing these advantages. Just Eat said last month it expects revenues and earnings to grow this year after a recent leap in profit margins. STAMFORD A woman told police she was robbed Friday afternoon in Stamfords South End. Sgt. Sean McGowan said police were called to Ludlow Street at 5:30 p.m. on a report of a robbery. When police responded to the call, the woman told them that she was approached by an unknown black man, who asked her for some money near the corner of Pacific Street at Ludlow Street. The 56-year-old Stamford woman said she wanted to help the man and put her hand in her purse to pull out her wallet, but the man grabbed the purse from her grasp. As she tried to get the purse back, the man pushed her to the ground. She showed police where she scraped one of her knees, McGowan said. McGowan said as the woman kept talking to police, she began changing the account of the robbery. She described the man having a medium to heavy build, being 5-foot 10-inches tall, wearing a brown coat, dark-colored pants, dark-colored sneakers and a light backpack. She said she last saw him heading toward Pacific Street. jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com The alleged gunman in the mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue entered a not guilty plea Monday morning on new federal charges that include 11 counts of hate crimes resulting in death. Robert Bowers, 46, of Baldwin, was arraigned by U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Mitchell on a 63-count superseding indictment that was returned two weeks ago. The superseding indictment adds 13 violations of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act to his original charges, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Bowers now faces the following charges: 11 counts of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs resulting in death 11 counts of hate crimes resulting in death 2 counts of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs involving an attempt to kill and use of a dangerous weapon and resulting in bodily injury 2 counts of hate crimes involving an attempt to kill 8 counts of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs involving an attempt to kill and use of a dangerous weapon, and resulting in bodily injury to public safety officers 4 counts of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs involving use of a dangerous weapon and resulting in bodily injury to public safety officers 25 counts of discharge of a firearm during these crimes of violence Below is the full text of the announcement made by the Justice Department on Jan. 29. A federal grand jury sitting in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania charged a Pennsylvania man with additional federal hate crimes and firearms offenses for his conduct during the Oct. 27, 2018, shootings at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady, and FBI-Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Robert Jones made the announcement. Robert Bowers, 46, of Baldwin, Pa., was charged in a 63-count superseding indictment returned today. The original indictment filed on Oct. 31, 2018, charged Bowers with 44 counts. The Superseding Indictment adds 13 violations of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, as well as corresponding counts for discharging a firearm during those crimes of violence. The Superseding Indictment specifically alleges that Bowers willfully caused bodily injury to 11 deceased and two surviving victims because of their actual and perceived religion. According to the Superseding Indictment, on Oct. 27, 2018, Bowers drove to the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where members of the Tree of Life, Dor Hadash, and New Light Jewish congregations gathered to engage in religious worship. Bowers entered the building armed with multiple firearms, including three Glock .357 handguns and a Colt AR-15 rifle. While inside the Tree of Life Synagogue, Bowers opened fire, killing and injuring members of the three congregations, as well as injuring multiple responding public safety officers as they attempted to rescue surviving victims. The Superseding Indictment further alleges that on Oct. 10, 2018, Bowers posted statements on the website gab.com that were critical of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) and affiliated congregations hosting refugee-related events. That list of congregations included the Dor Hadash Jewish congregation of Pittsburgh. In addition, a statement on his profile expressed the belief that jews are the children of satan, and other posts referred to Jewish people using anti-Semitic slurs. Before entering the Tree of Life Synagogue on Oct. 27, 2018, Bowers posted the following on the website gab.com: HIAS likes to bring invaders in that kill our people. I cant sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, Im going in. According to the Superseding Indictment, while inside the Tree of Life Synagogue, Bowers made statements indicating his desire to kill Jews. Specifically, the Superseding Indictment charges: Eleven counts of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs resulting in death; Eleven counts of hate crimes resulting in death; Two counts of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs involving an attempt to kill and use of a dangerous weapon and resulting in bodily injury; Two counts of hate crimes involving an attempt to kill; Eight counts of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs involving an attempt to kill and use of a dangerous weapon, and resulting in bodily injury to public safety officers; Four counts of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs involving use of a dangerous weapon and resulting in bodily injury to public safety officers; Twenty-five counts of discharge of a firearm during these crimes of violence. The victims include 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life Synagogue who were killed, two congregants who were critically injured by Bowers and 12 congregants who escaped unharmed. Additionally, the victims include five responding public safety officers who were injured while attempting to rescue surviving victims and apprehend Bowers. Assistant United States Attorneys Troy Rivetti and Soo C. Song, along with Department of Justice Trial Attorney Julia Gegenheimer, are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The FBI, with the valuable assistance of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Allegheny County Police, conducted the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment in this case. Dozens of federal, state and local law enforcement officers also assisted in the investigation. Twenty-two counts in the Superseding Indictment are capital-eligible offenses. Should the Attorney General of the United States determine that the circumstances of the offenses are such that a sentence of death is justified, the law requires that notice be filed with the court at a reasonable time before trial. The defendant further faces a maximum possible penalty of life without parole, followed by a consecutive sentence of 250 years imprisonment. A Superseding Indictment is a formal accusation of conduct, not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Authorities are investigating after an 11-year-old girl killed herself after she said she was being bullied. Delia Watsons family and friends, who gathered Wednesday night for a vigil, said they believe the suicide was preventable. She died on Friday. Watson reported the bullying to officials at Mount Taylor Elementary School in Grants, said Watsons friend, Malaya Martinez. Me and Delia reached out to many staff members of our school many different times about the bullying but, Delias voice was never heard, she said. KOB reports Watson complained of bullying on social media before she died. Grants-Cibola County Schools released a statement Tuesday addressing the unexpected death of Watson. The statement said community health representatives and school counselors are available to anyone who wishes to talk about the students death. Martinez said she will speak up for her best friend and will continue talking until someone listens. Im Delias voice, and Im reaching out to the community for help, Martinez said. Big, small, tall, has no hair, has hair, has a lot of hair, doesnt matter, they are still human beings. Its not right. A spokesman for the Grants Police Department confirmed the agency is investigating the death, but could not elaborate on details, citing an ongoing investigation. A GoFundMe page created in memory of Watson aims to improve awareness of bullying and suicide prevention. "Delia was looking to feel accepted by others. Delia felt her only support was her family but continued to feel rejected by her peers. Delia was bullied through text messages and social media encouraging her to end her life. Despite the negative words sent to her, she attempted to focus on her art. Delia was creative and expressed herself through her talent. Delia was caring to others and loved to give hugs. There is a saying: 'Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.' This is not true!" the page reads. "The funds will be used to assist the family with expenses and awareness to our community regarding Bullying and Suicide Prevention." Police said they are investigating social media messages that were sent to Watson. Police in Minnesota said a man dialed 911 to report killing his wife. According to WCCO, Blaine police said just before 10 p.m. Friday night, 46-year-old Matthew Jansen called 911 and told authorities he killed his wife, Mary Jo. When officers arrived at the couple's home, she was found dead inside. The couple had reportedly been married for 23 years and has two children. Tim Magnuson lived next door to the Jansen family for 10 years. When we built fences in the backyard, we put in a gate between the two yards, said Magnuson. Its hard to process that depth of grief and tragedy. He remembered the victim as a devoted mother and is worried for her children. She was just a great mom, had a special friendship with her daughter and loved her kids, said Magnuson. Mary Jo Jensen's cause of death has not been released. Matthew Jansen is being held on second-degree murder charges in the Anoka County Jail. According to the Star Tribune, second-degree murder charges expected to be filed Monday. Last year, 2018, was an exciting one for innovation -- but not because of all the futuristic technologies, gadgets and devices that hit the mainstream. In fact, while voice AI, self-driving cars and cryptocurrencies made headlines, something even bigger happened: Companies of all sizes finally began realizing that competing in todays digital economy requires more than just a blueprint for the next gadget. Related: Why You're Probably Failing at 'Innovation' Organizations from large enterprises to startups began seeing innovation as a platform for their growth and very survival. They began to view it as a mindset and attitude that must be woven into every aspect of their company culture. Personally, this was music to my ears, because my experience has taught me that innovation is about people with diverse backgrounds, ideas and opinions embracing entrepreneurship and co-innovating to bring new ideas to life. Although 60 percent of companies surveyed for KPMG and Innovation Leader's Benchmarking Innovation Impact 2018 said they are still in the early phases of innovation maturity, I expect dramatic progress in 2019. Organizations across industries are slowly but surely figuring out the ingredients of an effective innovation program. They're learning that they have to secure funding, build dedicated innovation teams and break down cross-functional silos for companywide collaboration. With this trend in mind, here are my top 10 innovation predictions for 2019: Global conglomerates that don't prioritize innovation will cease to exist ... Or else they'll become irrelevant, or at least warrant a significant restructuring in 2019. Look at the prediction of two-thirds of Fortune 500 c-suite executives in a survey: They said they believed that 40 percent of companies like theirs would not even exist in ten years, due to digital disruption. I believe this demise may come even sooner. In fact, its not too farfetched to say that at least 5 percent of Fortune 1000 companies will become irrelevant, due to a failure to innovate in the face of this year's digital disruption. Companies will appoint a chief growth (or innovation) officer. Whether a company's strategy focuses on growth or survival, its chief growth officer (a.k.a. chief innovation officer) will emerge as the driver of companywide innovation programs. While these roles have traditionally been more common in the science space, well see these executives proliferate across industries potentially constituting, I think, in more than a quarter of the Fortune 500 companies. Human resources personnel will become deeply involved in innovation. Already central to talent development, HR will be a catalyst for inspiring and encouraging all employees to tap into their "inner entrepreneur." After all, innovation is about talent and culture. In this way, HR will help promote an environment of inclusion and diversity, as the best ideas rarely arise when everyone on the team hails from the same background. Middle managers will finally be the drivers of innovation. Folks from dedicated innovation teams may sit at the helm of innovation, but middle managers will take the reins, convincing their peers and those under them to embrace innovation, while connecting them with the companys broader strategy. After all, innovation belongs to the people, not just the c-suite or the board, and middle managers are the bridge to making innovation possible. Formal partner-ecosystem programs will be commonplace in large companies. For true co-innovation to occur, collaborative relationships must be built with those outside an organization, including startups, universities, government agencies, accelerators and the local community itself. In 2019,c-suite and channel managers wont be the only ones working with external players. Employees of all ranks and roles will be increasingly involved in these partnerships. For example, well see staff at large enterprises working on-site at a local startup on a rotating or regular basis, as they share best practices and ideas to incubate new solutions. Related: 5 Ways to Create a More Innovative Business Innovation will redefine the meaning of corporate social responsibility (CSR). These two elements will become more tightly intertwined. In technology specifically, CSR will move beyond charity work and become a key performance indicator (KPI) -- as significant as net revenue growth and relative market share. innovation initiatives will focus on developing solutions to stimulate social good, as partner ecosystems co-create digital solutions that can be scaled to address global issues such as poverty, pollution, hunger and more. Companies in seemingly opposite markets will team up to co-innovate. Innovation is not a solo sport. Therefore, well see more companies joining forces to deliver new value to their customers. For some examples, look no further than recent partnerships between Hulu and Spotify and Ticketmaster and Fanatics, as well as Dominos work with municipalities and public works departments to fix potholes. More than 100 new innovation hubs will crop up in cities around the world. In these hubs or centers, local businesses, universities, researchers, governments and more will work together to co-create scalable solutions for global business, social and economic challenges. Well also see more cities establishing smart zones for piloting smart city technologies that come from these centers. At the same time, each of these initiatives will be spearheaded by a city chief innovation officer. Which cities will be most innovative? I have a hunch that Toronto, Tokyo and Sydney will emerge as innovation frontrunners in 2019. Teamwork will emerge as the key to corporate innovation. Ive always said that the lonely innovator is a myth. When it comes to innovation, execution is key and it requires cross-functional support. Teams of employees, co-innovating with partner ecosystems and customers, will be co-creating a game-changing technology, solution or business model that will be transformational for business or society. Corporate bureaucracy and turf wars will be the top threats to innovation. Now that innovation is a non-negotiable competitive differentiator, businesses will need to address these threats head-on this year. To overcome them, innovators must instill the notion of co-innovation throughout the entire company -- opening innovation programs and initiatives to all employees and staff. Related: An Innovative Culture Absolutely Requires This Unique Capability While 2019 looks bright, these predictions will come to fruition only if businesses embrace the concept of co-innovation. Gone are the days of the solo entrepreneur or lonely innovator. True innovation requires collaboration, co-development, co-creation and co-implementation if we want to solve our most pressing business challenges and even change the world while were at it. Related: Innovation? It Needs to Be Woven Into Every Aspect of Your Company's Culture What's Driving the Growth of APAC's Frozen Food Market? Staying Ahead Of The Curve In The Insurance Industry Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention have declined for more than a decade to create a list of sexual predators from affiliated churches. But the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News assembled one. The newspapers spent nearly a year building a database of church leaders and volunteers who pleaded guilty or were convicted of sex crimes in the past 20 years. Most are now in prison or are registered sex offenders. More are from Texas than from any other state. BRIDGEPORT A portrait of Margaret E. Morton was unveiled Friday in the building named in her honor as the kickoff event for the citys celebration of Black History Month. Morton, the first black woman to sit in the state legislature, was honored at the ceremony at the Margaret E. Morton Government Center that brought out dozens of community members and some of Mortons family, including her son, Robert Morton. She was a trailblazer, Robert Morton said. I just thank God that she was my mother. Morton was born in Pocahontas, Va., in 1924. She was raised in Bluefield, W.V., where she attended school which was still segregated at the time. She graduated high school Summa Cum Laude in 1941. After graduating, she married James Morton; they moved to Bridgeport in 1956 and opened Mortons Mortuary that same year. Morton was the first black woman to serve in the state House of Representatives. She was elected in 1972 at the age of 48. Eight years later, she was the first black woman to serve in the state Senate, where she rose to the rank of deputy president pro tempore. When Morton retired in 1992, she was the highest-ranking black woman in legislative history. Morton died on March 10, 2012, at the age of 87. That June, the Bridgeport government center at 999 Broad St. was renamed for her. City councilman Ernie Newton said Friday he knew Morton his whole life. Newton said Morton was the one who inspired him to get involved in politics. With Mortons advice and guidance, he said, he became the first black president of the City Council in 1981. He was not the only one who sought public office because of Morton, he said. Many others were elected because of her, he said. The portrait unveiling was a necessary step for the government center, said Ginne-Rae Clay, who serves as Bridgeports deputy director of planning and economic development and is one of the members of the citys Black History Month Planning Committee. The building is called the Margaret E. Morton Government Center, but other than that, theres no sign of her, Clay said. Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim said it was important for the city to remember Mortons legacy. I just think its such a wonderful way to begin the celebration of Black History Month, he said. It brings us all together to remember the importance of Margaret and the month. Ganim and Robert Morton pulled back the sheet covering the portrait of Morton to thunderous applause and cheers from the crowd that gathered Friday night. Clay said the portrait unveiling is just the beginning of what the city has in store this month. Black History Month, started in 1976, spans all of February and grew out of Negro History Week, which was started in 1929 by historian Carter G. Woodson. Keynote speaker The Rev. William McCullough, of Russell Temple CME Church of Bridgeport, said members of the black community continue to struggle even decades after the push for Civil Rights. Racism is still very, very much alive, McCullough said. We have a county that ... has lost its way. In a prayer, McCullough asked for the guidance to educate the future generations about Black History Month and to help everyone value diversity. He said Black History Month is a time to appreciate the culture and remember those who paved the way, including Morton. Margaret Morton gave us a platform, McCullough said. Clay said on Feb. 7, there will be a Living Legends event that honors the lives of five living members of the black community in Bridgeport. A group of poets, authors and performers from the University of Bridgeport will perform. They will be people who had a significant impact on the community, she said. And on Feb. 23, Connecticut Against Violence celebrates various black artists in A Hip Hop Expression of Black History for the fourth year in a row. The event will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Morton Government Center. New Havens Chad Dawson, world champion boxer, will be a guest speaker. Its a good way to show the kids that peace, unity and having fun is possible, not just the violence they might see, said Kingsley Osei of Connecticut Against Violence and My Brothers Keeper. It teaches the children about the culture. Ted Meekins, a retired Bridgeport police officer who helped found the Guardians, which recruited women and people of color to join the citys police force, said he was looking forward to the months celebrations. Im glad to see Bridgeport recognizing Black History Month, Meekins said. Black people in Bridgeport are doing many great things. STAMFORD For the first time southern Connecticuts Darwin Day Dinner will be hosted in Stamford. The event will include a cocktail hour, dinner, and entertaining science quiz with prizes. Dr. Mark Siddall will be giving a talk entitled Nocturnal Emissions: Bioluminescence as a survival strategy. Siddall, this years chosen speaker, is a curator for the Division of Invertebrate Zoology at American Museum of Natural History. His research focuses on evolutionary biology of charismatic microfauna from microbes to leeches. Siddall recently led expeditions to South Sudan, Cambodia and the Lower Amazon. The Darwin Day Dinner will be held on Saturday, Feb.16 starting at 6 p.m. The dinner has been growing in attendance each year, leading it to move this year to the main hall at the Italian Center in Stamford. Darwin Day is an international celebration of science and humanity held around Charles Darwins birthday on Feb. 12. It celebrates the discoveries and life of the man, and expresses gratitude for the enormous benefits that scientific knowledge has contributed to the advancement of humanity. The event is sponsored by the Bartlett Arboretum, The Norwalk Maritime Aquarium, Earthplace, the Humanists and Freethinkers of Fairfield County (HFFC), the Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, Wilton Quaker Meeting, the Unitarian Church in Westport, and the Norwalk Public Schools Science Department. The cost is $69 per person. Invitation and registration can be found here. Abilis, the non-profit organization that provides services and support for individuals with special needs and their families, has opened its application process for the Peter Bloomer Citizenship Award for graduating middle and high school students. The award is presented to a graduating student who demonstrates an outstanding level of sensitivity toward people with disabilities through leadership, involvement and participation in activities that benefit citizens with disabilities. Nominations are due to Abilis by March 4 and winners will be announced at the Abilis Annual Meeting on April 3 at the First Presbyterian Church in Greenwich, Connecticut. The application is available at the Abilis website. Applications must be mailed or delivered by March 4 to Lisa Bria, Abilis, 50 Glenville Street, Greenwich CT 06831. Questions on the Abilis Peter Bloomer Citizenship Award may be directed to Lisa Bria at Abilis at 203-531-1880 ext. 162. The Abilis Peter Bloomer Citizenship Award was established 32 years ago to recognize students who demonstrate a high level of sensitivity toward people with disabilities. Peter Bloomer was a student who received special education services in Greenwich. After he passed away, this award was created as a tribute to Peter and all those who helped him by honoring middle and senior high school students for their leadership, involvement and participation in activities with people with disabilities. Over the years, Abilis has presented more than $60,000 in scholarships and awards with the Peter Bloomer Citizenship Award. Students applying to the Abilis Peter Bloomer Citizenship Award must be graduating from a local public or private middle or high school. The student should have participated in a variety of activities benefiting people with disabilities that may include one or more of the following: a) Positively influencing the attitudes and thinking of other students through his/her actions. b) Demonstrating leadership qualities by encouraging and organizing others to participate in activities that promote accessibility and inclusion in the community. c) Working at day camp, after school and/or weekend recreation activities. d) Providing assistance to a student that receives special education services. The application requires a personal statement from the student (no more than 2 pages long) about why he or she chose to participate in volunteer activities that support students with special needs and what he or she has learned from the experience(s) and a personal statement signed by school guidance counselor, special needs organization and/or parent/legal guardian. A Selection Committee appointed by the Abilis CEO/President will review candidates and select one or more recipients of the Award. The Award will be announced at the Abilis Annual Meeting on April 3, 2019, and annual awards day sponsored by the student's school. Abilis is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that supports over 700 individuals of all ages with special needs and their families annually from birth throughout adulthood. Abilis has been a leader in serving the special needs community in Fairfield County in towns including, Greenwich, Stamford, Darien, New Canaan, Norwalk, Westport, Weston, Wilton, and Ridgefield and has a long-standing reputation for individualized, high quality care. Being in Blazing Saddles changed Burton Gilliams life. And 45 years after the release of this iconic comedy, people still crack up when they see it, and love to hear his insider stories about being on the set. Mel Brooks 1974 movie is considered the ultimate spoof of life in the Old West. Co-written by Richard Pryor, it features Cleavon Little as the first black sheriff of a frontier town set to be demolished because of a new railroad route. Gilliam plays Lyle, a guy trying to get the train project on track. The Academy Award-nominated film has gags aplenty and gas, too, especially when beans are eaten around the campfire. It also takes a satirical look at racism. Brooks must have directed it with just the right touch, because Roger Ebert gave it four stars. Blazing Saddles will be screened at The Ridgefield Playhouse on Friday, Feb. 22, followed by a Q&A with Gilliam, hosted by Ira Joe Fisher and WLADs Bart Busterna. Gilliam is among the top character actors of our time and has been featured in over 90 films, including Back to The Future Part III and Paper Moon. Hes worked with everyone from Burt Reynolds and Patty Duke to Steven Spielberg and Clint Eastwood. Gilliam, 80, hadnt had much acting experience when he did Blazing Saddles, which starred Harvey Korman, Gene Wilder, Slim Pickens and Madeline Kahn. Paper Moon was before Blazing Saddles, he said on the phone. I thought I was going to be an extra in Paper Moon. I had never even been in a grade school play. For me it was just a chance to see Ryan ONeal, thats what I was hoping, said Gilliam, who was working as a Dallas fireman when he saw the newspaper ad for extras and wound up with a co-starring role. He isnt sure what made him stand out, but he sure enjoyed it. Three months later, Brooks called the fire station looking for Gilliam. Hed seen a rough cut of his work in Paper Moon and wanted to fly him to Los Angeles to consider the role of Lyle, the comedic nemesis and bungling sidekick to Pickens character in Blazing Saddles. Gilliam had been a fireman for 14 years when he decided to leave to pursue acting. The whole fire department went crazy; they knew I was gonna fall flat on my face. But Gilliam proved them wrong. I am the best actor who ever came out of the Dallas Fire Department. When asked his secret to success, he said, I just flat got lucky. They gave me something to do without knowing much about me and I gave them more than they expected. There are some scenes in Blazing Saddles that Brooks would have liked to shoot over, if theyd had more time, Gilliam said, but he couldnt recall any major flubs the kind that are fun to look for in films. He did say there was a problem with the credits though, but if you want to know more, youll have to ask him at the Q&A. Gilliam said his greatest achievement is his ability to put smiles on peoples faces. I like to think wherever I go I leave them with a smile on their face. lkoonz@newstimes.com; Twitter: @LindaTKoonz State officials have reached out to Amazon in response to the reported foundering of its plans for a headquarters in Queens, N.Y., and city officials are also tracking the situation moves that hint Connecticut could revive its bid for an east coast hub for the e-commerce giant. The renewed contact with the company comes as Amazon purportedly reconsiders its proposal for more than 25,000 hires at a campus in Queens Long Island City section, in the wake of mounting opposition. If bidding were re-opened, Connecticut would probably again face long odds its original offer did not make the HQ2 shortlist but the inquiries from Gov. Ned Lamonts administration have garnered bipartisan support and show the growing confidence in the states economic competitiveness. Lamont tweeted last Friday that the state had made an outreach to Amazon through its in-state representation, and we are looking forward to expanding the dialogue. In an accompanying tweet, the new governor said the economic-development nonprofit Connecticut Economic Resource Centers new co-chairpersons, former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi and former Webster Bank CEO Jim Smith, would construct a path forward. Thomas Madden, Stamfords director of economic development, told Hearst Connecticut Media that we are monitoring the situation in New York. He declined to comment further on Amazon. As the Connecticut city closest to New York City, Stamford would arguably be the best-positioned among the states urban areas to take advantage of a prospective Amazon U-turn on the Long Island City complex. I absolutely think Stamford should take steps to attract Amazon here and that we, as a state, should be doing everything we can to attract and welcome innovative, high job-growth companies like Amazon to Connecticut, said state Rep. Caroline Simmons, D- Stamford, who is also co-chairwoman of the state Legislatures Commerce Committee. State Rep. Fred Camillo , R-Greenwich, another Commerce Committee member, also said that lower Fairfield County could support Amazons expansion. If Amazon wishes to keep its second headquarters in the northeast, I think Connecticut is the best choice, Camillo said. Amazon would bring thousands of high-paying jobs to our state, and, in return, they would benefit from the talented workforce we have to offer. As a member of the Commerce Committee, I look forward to discussing ways to make our state more appealing to many large businesses looking to relocate. In October 2017, the state Department of Economic and Community Development submitted a proposal for Stamford or the Hartford area to house a new headquarters to accompany Amazons main offices in Seattle. Separate from the official state application, Bridgeport and New Haven, as one applicant, and Danbury, on its own, turned in plans. No Connecticut cities, however, made the shortlist of 20 areas for HQ2 that Amazon announced in January 2018. Last November, the company unveiled not one, but two, new campus picks: Long Island City and Arlington, Va. Amazon plans to hire more than 25,000 employees at each of those sites and invest $5 billion across the two locations. But New York political leaders including U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; New York Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris; and New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson have decried the Amazon pact, which includes up to approximately $3 billion in state and local subsidies. In contrast, Amazon has faced a much more receptive climate in Virginia. Last month, the states House of Delegates approved up to $750 million in public aid for the Arlington headquarters. Challenges Any city in Connecticut would struggle to provide the space and labor supply needed to support an Amazon hub. The state had proposed Amazon occupying, in a first phase in Stamford, a total of about 1.3 million square feet, at 677 Washington Blvd., 1 Elmcroft Road and 2187 Atlantic St. Hartford offered about 560,000 square feet, in two downtown towers on the Connecticut River, for the initial stage. We received positive feedback about our proposal, Catherine Smith, the states then-economic development commissioner, said in January 2018. Connecticut fell short, in large measure, because of the size of the communities. They realized hiring 50,000 people would require a much larger metropolitan area than what Connecticut has to offer. The tight labor market compounds the predicament. Unemployment in Stamford now runs at only 3 percent, according to the state Department of Labor. Connecticut would also be hard-pressed to match the scale of the tax breaks that would support the Long Island City campus. Through the states flagship corporate-growth program, First Five Plus, no company has qualified for more than $71 million in subsidies. Amazon is already a First Five Plus participant. It is eligible for up to $20 million in tax credits for its distribution center in North Haven. The company last year employed about 2,000 in the state, according to DECD data. At the same time, Stamfords robust economy hardly depends on another Amazon bid to maintain its growth. Last December, jobs-search firm Indeed announced plans to add 500 local positions in the coming years, following a 2017 pledge to create another 500 posts at its downtown offices. Other corporate expansions in Stamford were announced last year by IT consulting and research firm Gartner, professional-services firms KPMG and PwC, reality-show producer ITV America, entertainment-startup Wheelhouse Entertainment and genomic-testing firm Sema4. Meanwhile, cable-and-Internet giant Charter Communications is building a new headquarters, next to the downtown Metro-North station. Our focus is really on the retention and expansion of local companies and making sure they have the talent and workforce theyre looking for in the area, Madden said. pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; twitter: @paulschott Contractors working from a specially fabricated platform work on cleaning the replica Saturn V rocket at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. You can now help revive the Saturn V. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama has launched a public effort to return its one-of-a-kind standing replica of the Saturn V moon rocket to its like-new condition in time for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing this summer. The real Saturn V, which was developed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, launched the mission that landed Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon in July 1969. "This Huntsville-made rocket launched Apollo 11, achieving the seemingly impossible and putting man on the moon. It inspired an entire generation to look toward the stars and imagine," said Deborah Barnhart, chief executive officer of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, in a video statement. [Building Apollo (Photos)] "Now with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing fast approaching, we are asking for your help to ensure the Saturn V replica is as vibrant as the dream that inspired it," added Homer Hickam, the chairman of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center's governing commission and author of the 1998 memoir, "Rocket Boys." The 10-week "Revive the Saturn V" campaign seeks to raise $1.3 million to clean, reseal and paint the 363-foot-tall (110 meter) rocket replica that has stood at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center since 1999. Erected for the first moon landing's 30th anniversary, the Saturn V replica has been exposed to 20 years of weathering and outdoor conditions, leaving it with peeling and missing paint, dirt and damage. The campaign is also underwriting preventive maintenance to protect the Saturn V replica for the decades to come. "You can help with a donation to help us preserve the legacy and the achievement that this rocket symbolizes. Any amount is appreciated and will go toward this $1.3 million project," said Barnhart. NASA launched 13 Saturn V rockets between 1967 and 1973, including nine that flew astronauts to the moon and one that deployed the United States' first space station, Skylab. Half a century later, the Saturn V remains the tallest, heaviest and most powerful rocket ever successfully launched. Three Saturn V rockets survive today as artifacts, including one displayed inside the Davidson Center for Space Exploration at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. The historic hardware, though, is all exhibited horizontally, on its side. The replica is the only vertical display of the Saturn V in the world. "Over the years, the Saturn V rocket has remained a symbol of human ingenuity," said Hickam. "The U.S. Space & Rocket Center's Saturn V replica stands as a symbol of what can be done when people set aside their differences to prove the impossible is possible." [10 Surprising Facts About NASA's Mighty Saturn V Moon Rocket] As part of the campaign, the rocket center will also be inviting the public to share their photos and stories about the Saturn V replica and even help out by applying the final touches to the project. A subset of the fundraising effort, dubbed "A Brush with Greatness," will provide donors who give $1,000 the opportunity to help paint the lower section of the Saturn V replica when the work reaches that point in the spring. Work has begun to clean and paint the replica Saturn V rocket at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. (Image credit: USSRC) A 300-ton crane, provided by Birmingham Steel Erectors and cleared by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), will support the skilled contractors who will prime and paint the upper sections of the sky-scraping rocket. Workers have already scaled the Saturn V to begin power washing its black and white surface. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center, which serves as the official visitor center for the Marshall Space Flight Center and is home to U.S. Space Camp, receives no funding from NASA or the federal government. While the center is a commission of Alabama, its state funding only covers three percent of its expenses. For projects like the Revive the Saturn V campaign, the center relies on donations. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center, along with the City of Huntsville, is planning an Apollo 11 50th anniversary celebration that will include a Guinness World Records attempt at the most simultaneous rocket launches and an Apollo homecoming dinner. The replica Saturn V will stand at the center of these activities, hence the desire to have it looking its best. The Revive the Saturn V campaign also falls under the center's on-going Rocket Protector campaign, which is repairing and restoring the other historic missiles and launch vehicles that are displayed near the Saturn V replica in the center's rocket and shuttle parks. "Become a part of history and help inspire future generations as mankind dreams once more to go back to the moon and on to Mars," said Barnhart. Follow collectSPACE.com on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Copyright 2017 collectSPACE.com. All rights reserved. The south polar region of the near-Earth asteroid Bennu, photographed by NASAs OSIRIS-REx probe on Dec. 17, 2018. OSIRIS-REx entered orbit around Bennu two weeks later. Despite what you may have heard, the Valentine's Day sky won't provide a glimpse of our impending doom. (Unless you're a star-crossed lover, of course.) The English tabloid Express ran a story today (Feb. 11) with the headline "NASA warn 'APOCALYPSE asteroid' Bennu WILL appear in the sky this Valentine's Day." The piece claimed that the 1,640-foot-wide (500 meters) asteroid Bennu "a doomsday asteroid which has a high probability of impacting Earth in one hundred years time" will be "visible to the naked eye" on the night of Feb. 14, slightly to the right of Mars. [Potentially Dangerous Asteroids (Images)] This is entirely wrong. First of all, Bennu is not an "apocalypse asteroid," and NASA never labeled it such. (Agency scientists aren't known for their hyperbolic and florid language.) The space rock is classified as "potentially hazardous," but that's a broad designation that applies to many asteroids of sufficient size whose orbits bring them relatively close to Earth. Here's NASA's description of the near-term impact risk from Bennu: "Asteroid experts at the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, project that Bennu will come close enough to Earth over the next century to pose a 1 in 2,700 chance of impacting it between 2175 and 2196. Put another way, those odds mean there is a 99.963 percent chance the asteroid will miss the Earth. Even so, astronomers want to know exactly where Bennu is located at all times." Mars will shine about a fist's width away from the asteroid Bennu on Feb. 14, 2019. Bennu is not visible to the naked eye, however; telescopes are required to spot it. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech) Even if Bennu did hit Earth, the damage would be far from apocalyptic. Such an impact would be devastating on a local scale, to be sure. But scientists estimate that asteroids need to be at least 0.6 miles (1 km) wide about twice Bennu's diameter to cause a global catastrophe. Then there's the visibility angle. Express may have gotten this bit from NASA's February 2019 skywatching guide, which did note that Bennu will be close to Mars in the Feb. 14 night sky just a fist's-width to the right of the Red Planet, in fact. But the NASA piece stated that Bennu "is too faint to see without a telescope." NASA highlighted Bennu here largely because the asteroid is the target of the agency's OSIRIS-REx sample-return mission. OSIRIS-REx entered orbit around the space rock on Dec. 31, setting a record for the smallest object ever circled by a spacecraft. OSIRIS-REx is scheduled to snag a sample of Bennu material in mid-2020. If all goes according to plan, this stuff will come down to Earth in a special return capsule in September 2023. Scientists around the world will then sift through the dirt and rubble, hunting for clues about the solar system's early days and the role that carbon-rich asteroids like Bennu may have played in delivering lifes building blocks to Earth. "So on the 14th, give a little wave to Bennu and OSIRIS-Rex while you're at it," NASA officials wrote in the February skywatching guide. Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate) is out now. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us @Spacedotcom or Facebook. Originally published on Space.com. A test fire of SpaceX's newest engine reached the power level necessary for the company's next round of rocket designs, CEO Elon Musk said on Twitter. "Raptor just achieved power level needed for Starship & Super Heavy," he tweeted on Feb. 7, four days after he shared a photograph of the first test of a flight-ready engine. See more The Raptor engine is designed to power the spaceship currently known as Starship as part of the rocket assembly currently known as Super Heavy (previously dubbed the BFR). The first Raptor test fire took place in September 2016, when the company was targeting an uncrewed Mars launch in 2018. Three Raptor engines like this one are built in to the Starship Hopper, which has been under construction in Texas and which SpaceX will use to begin testing the rocket technology in real life. See more Eventually, SpaceX plans to assemble 31 Raptor engines into the Super Heavy rockets, with another seven Raptors on the Starship itself. The engines are fueled by a mix of liquid methane and liquid oxygen and are about twice as powerful as those aboard the Merlin engines currently flying in the company's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy engines. Email Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com or follow her @meghanbartels. Follow us @Spacedotcom and Facebook. WASHINGTON The White House has nominated a longtime NASA center director and former acting administrator to be the next director of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). In a statement Feb. 7, the White House announced it was nominating Chris Scolese, the director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, to be the next NRO director. If confirmed by the Senate, he would succeed current director Betty Sapp. Scolese became director of Goddard in March 2012 after Rob Strain left the agency to join Ball Aerospace. Scolese had previously worked at NASA Headquarters as the agency's associate administrator and chief engineer. As associate administrator, the highest-ranking civil service position at NASA, Scolese became acting administrator in January 2009 when Mike Griffin left the agency at the end of the administration of President George W. Bush. Scolese served as acting administrator for six months, until the Senate confirmed the nomination of Charlie Bolden as administrator. Scolese worked in various positions at Goddard and NASA Headquarters earlier in his career, primarily involving Earth science missions. Prior to joining NASA in 1987 he served as an officer in the U.S. Navy working on classified programs and worked as a civilian at the Defense Department and the General Research Corporation. The selection of Scolese, who has worked in civil but not national security space positions for most of his career, represents a significant change in direction for the NRO, which is responsible for satellite reconnaissance systems for the intelligence community. Sapp, for example, was an Air Force officer who later worked for the Central Intelligence Agency and was principal deputy director of the NRO prior to becoming director of the office in 2012. Scolese, though, would not be the first NASA official to lead the NRO. Hans Mark, director of the NRO in the late 1970s, was previously the director of NASA's Ames Research Center. Mark, who later became Secretary of the Air Force, returned to NASA in the early 1980s to be deputy administrator. This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry. The Hubble Space Telescope was visited by astronauts during five space shuttle missions between 1993 and 2009. Here, two spacewalking astronauts work on Hubble during the first servicing mission, when the telescopes mirror was fixed and a new camera was installed. When it comes to telescopes, size matters. In order to keep learning new things about the universe, astronomers are constantly building bigger and better observatories to gaze at the cosmos both from Earth and from orbit. Engineers have already started developing the technology needed to build the next generation of cutting-edge space telescopes, but there's just one problem: These observatories may be too big to launch into space. Both in terms of size and weight, the telescopes astronomers and engineers are already planning for the future are quickly outgrowing the capabilities of the rockets that exist today. That's because a telescope's capabilities depend largely on its aperture, or the diameter of its main mirror. New "megarockets" like NASA's Space Launch System may be big enough for the next-generation space telescopes that NASA aims to launch in the 2030s, but if subsequent missions have to squeeze into the same-size rocket fairing, those missions may have to sacrifice some scientific potential. [Giant Space Telescopes of the Future (Infographic)] Rather than constrain a telescope's design to fit inside the payload fairing of the biggest available rocket thereby placing a limit on the amount of science its instruments can return NASA scientists are working to find new ways to get those hefty space telescopes into orbit: by launching them piece by piece and assembling them in space, either robotically or with the help of astronauts. "Large telescopes give you better angular resolution and better spectral resolution, so the future should be bringing larger telescopes," Nick Siegler, the chief technologist for NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Program, said during a presentation at the 233rd meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Seattle in January. That higher resolution will allow telescopes to see more of the universe, looking deeper and seeing clearer than ever before. It will also be particularly useful for finding and characterizing planets around other stars. "Of course, 'large' is relative, but the challenge moving forward is the same," Siegler said. "You have large structures that you're trying to fold into smaller structures, and the amount of work that goes into that is really quite tremendous." For example, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) currently scheduled to launch on an Ariane 5 heavy-lift rocket in 2021 will fold up to fit inside the rocket's payload fairing. When that telescope is ready to deploy, more than 200 moving parts must carefully unfold before the instrument can get to work observing the sky. JWST will be the largest space telescope ever launched, with its 6.5-meter (21.3 feet) mirror. The Ariane 5 that will launch JWST is a heavy-lift rocket that is typically used to launch satellites into Earth's orbit. However, those rockets have also been used to launch interplanetary missions like the European Space Agency's BepiColombo mission to Mercury that launched last October. Although the JWST has not yet launched, NASA scientists are already working on proposals for its successor. (Spoiler alert: They're even bigger than JWST!) A diagram compares the relative sizes of the Origins Space Telescope mission concept and existing space telescopes. The diagram also shows the temperatures at which the different telescopes must operate. (Image credit: NASA GSFC) NASA engineers working on the blueprints for proposed space observatories like the Large UV Optical Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR) and the Origins Space Telescope (OST) have already had to cope with the limitations of today's rockets. For each of those two telescopes, the engineers came up with two different design options: a 15-m (50 feet) version that can launch on NASA's upcoming Space Launch System (SLS) and an 8-m (26 feet) version that can launch on today's smaller and less powerful heavy-lift rockets. Those smaller versions are NASA's backup plans in case the SLS won't be ready in time; the megarocket has already faced extensive delays and cost overruns. Astronauts vs. robots Instead of waiting for someone to build a rocket big enough to support the kinds of space telescopes that scientists hope to launch in the future, a team of NASA researchers is studying the possibilities of in-space assembly. That process would not only remove the obstacles associated with rocket size, but could also reduce the cost of developing and launching new space telescopes, said a description of the "in-Space Assembled Telescope" (iSAT) study. Figuring out how to build a telescope in space is only the beginning. To make in-space telescope assembly a reality, NASA will need to prove that the process is not only possible, but also cost-efficient and not too risky. Those factors largely depend on whether the assembly will be done by astronauts, robots or some combination of the two, members of the iSAT team explained at the AAS meeting. Sending astronauts to work on a space telescope is not a new concept; NASA's iconic Hubble Space Telescope, which launched in 1990, was serviced by astronauts five times between 1993 and 2009. Although the astronauts did not originally build Hubble, they did install some new equipment and conduct some major repairs on the observatory. No other space telescopes have been visited by astronauts since the last Hubble servicing mission. While the space shuttles that flew on the Hubble servicing missions have been retired since 2011, NASA could send astronauts from the Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway. That proposed lunar space station would serve as a stepping stone for future crewed missions to Mars. But some researchers, like Siegler, think that robots would be better for building things in space. "Astronauts are expensive," he said. "We think we can do this entirely robotically." A robotic system for building in-space telescope assembly would work a lot like the robotic arms at the International Space Station, he said. This summer, the iSAT team aims to publish the latest findings of its study on different options for in-space assembly. Email Hanneke Weitering at hweitering@space.com or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. Original article on Space.com. When it came to churning out stars, the Milky Way's nearest galactic neighbors got off to a slow start. But they're picking up speed now. By making the first detailed chemical maps of a galaxy beyond our own, scientists found that star formation in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds has spiked in the recent past, after a lag. The new results not only provide insights into the most abundant type of galaxies in the universe, they also help to improve understanding of the evolution of the Milky Way. Although the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (LMC and SMC, respectively) lie only 150,000 light-years from the Milky Way right next door, astronomically speaking astronomers have had a hard time studying their composition. [Dizzying Array of Stars Dazzles in New Hubble Photo] "It's been challenging to map out their full structure," David Nidever, an astronomer at Montana State University, told reporters last month at the 233rd semiannual meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Seattle. Nidever and his colleagues used the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment 2 (APOGEE-2) survey to obtain precise observations of 5,000 stars in the Magellanic Clouds. By mapping out how heavy elements are distributed through the stars in the galaxy, the astronomers were able to model approximately when generations of stars were born. "With this new capability, we can study the Magellanic Clouds like never before," Nidever said. A slow start Visible only from the Southern Hemisphere, the LMC and SMC were named for the explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who led the first European expedition to circle the globe. The pair are dwarf galaxies, smaller collections of stars that can contain anywhere from 1,000 to 1,000,000,000 times the sun's mass in gas, dust and stars, according to Nidever's paper on the new work. The Milky Way is surrounded by dozens of known dwarf galaxies and scientists suspect there are dozens more hiding in the fringes, their small, wispy forms making them hard to detect. Although they qualify as dwarf galaxies, the LMC and SMC are unusual, building stars much slower than their counterparts. The difference has been a long-standing mystery for scientists. "There should be a relationship between the mass of the galaxy and early star formation rates," Nidever told Space.com. "The Magellanic Clouds fall way off of that trend." The Sloan Digital Sky Survey's APOGEE-1 project studied the Milky Way from the Northern Hemisphere from 2011 to 2014, providing "unprecedented insights into the dynamical structure and chemical history of the galaxy," according to Sloan's website. Based in New Mexico, the first version of APOGEE was limited to the Northern Hemisphere. In 2017, the almost-identical instrument APOGEE-2 was installed at the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. The instrument began observing the LMC and SMC the same year. The first stars formed from dense clouds of hydrogen and helium, converting a small percentage of the gas into heavier elements. When they exploded in violent supernovas, they seeded their environment with these elements, which were drawn into the next generation of stars, and the cycle continued with each generation of stars converting more matter into heavier elements. With APOGEE-2, Nidever and his colleagues were able to probe the chemical makeup of thousands of stars in the LMC and SMC. The scientists folded that makeup into simulations to determine how long it took generations of stars to form. That way, they were able to reconstruct the star-formation history of both galaxies. Unlike the Milky Way, the Magellanic Clouds got off to a slow start, building new stars about 50 times slower than our own galaxy, Nidever said. But despite this lazy start, the LMC had a recent kick that caused a six-fold jump in new stars. "It's never too late to get active," Nidever said. What caused the recent uptick, which happened about 2 billion years ago? Nidever said the most likely source is that a recent brush with the SMC fueled starbirth in the larger dwarf galaxy. "We can see features that they've interacted in their structure," Nidever said. The Clouds' slow start contrasted with other dwarf galaxies around the Milky Way. Star-formation rates in the pair are even lower than expected for their mass, Nidever said. A star-forming region of the Large Magellanic Cloud. The tug of the Milky Way's gravity causes gas clouds in the nearby dwarf galaxy to collapse into new stars, which light up the galaxies. (Image credit: NASA/ESA/Acknowledgement: Josh Lake) "That's kind of a mystery," he said. The difference likely stems from different environments. Most of the dwarf galaxies studied so far have made several trips around the Milky Way. Their gravitational interactions with our galaxy may have helped to turn their gas into stars. The LMC and SMC, however, are most likely taking their very first spin around the Milky Way, according to previous research. That means they spent about 10 billion years building stars in isolation, without a massive galaxy to boost their starbirth, the researchers said. Only in the last few billion years have the pair begun to interact more frequently with the Milky Way and with one another, boosting how quickly they build their stars. But things are just getting started for the LMC and SMC. In about 2.5 billion years, the LMC will merge with the Milky Way, kicking off a flurry of star formation. "Many of the stars [in the Magellanic Clouds] will be thrown into the halo of the Milky Way, and will dramatically affect the makeup of its halo," Nidever said. The merge will cause a burst of star formation in the residual gas and dust of the Magellanic Clouds, he added. After getting off to such a slow start, the pair will wrap up their final years in a storm of stellar fireworks. The research has been submitted to the Astrophysical Journal and is available on the preprint server arXiv. Follow Nola Taylor Redd on Twitter @NolaTRedd or Facebook. Follow us on Twitter at @Spacedotcom or on Facebook. Originally published on Space.com. SpaceX successfully launched its first Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station (ISS) on March 2 on a five-day mission that has now concluded. This flight, known as Demo-1, is uncrewed. But if all goes well, Crew Dragon will likely carry astronauts to and from the orbiting lab for the first time this summer. Launch Video| Mission Photos | Crew Dragon Tour | Dummy Astronaut Ripley Here's what you need to know about Crew Dragon, Demo-1 and the short-term future of human spaceflight. Latest News What is Crew Dragon? SpaceX's first Crew Dragon spacecraft is seen atop its Falcon 9 rocket at Launch Pad 39A of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida in February 2019. (Image credit: SpaceX) SpaceX has been developing Crew Dragon under a multibillion-dollar commercial crew contract with NASA. The agency signed a similar deal with Boeing, which is working on a capsule called the CST-100 Starliner. The goal is to return orbital human spaceflight to U.S. soil. American astronauts have been dependent on Russian Soyuz rockets and spacecraft to get to and from the ISS since July 2011, when NASA retired its space shuttle fleet. A lot of money has flowed from NASA to its Russian counterpart, Roscosmos, as a result; seats aboard the three-person Soyuz spacecraft currently sell for around $80 million apiece. Crew Dragon will launch atop SpaceX's workhorse Falcon 9 rocket, a two-stage vehicle that features a reusable first stage. Starliner, which is scheduled to make its uncrewed maiden flight to the ISS sometime in April, will be lofted by United Launch Alliance Atlas V rockets, which are not reusable. How's it different from Cargo Dragon Crew Dragon is a modified, upgraded version of SpaceX's robotic Dragon cargo capsule, which has been flying uncrewed resupply missions to the ISS under a different NASA contract since 2012. Crew Dragon has many astronaut-related features its robotic cousin lacks for example, seats (seven of them), windows, fancy touch-screen displays, a life-support system and an escape system. The escape system, which is designed to get Crew Dragon out of harm's way in case of a launch emergency, consists of eight SpaceX SuperDraco engines built into the capsule's body. There are other important differences between the two vehicles as well. For instance, Dragon has traditional deployable solar arrays, but Crew Dragon's solar panels cover the spacecraft's trunk and require no action to activate. Both Dragon variants are designed to be reusable, and SpaceX has already reflown several of the cargo craft on ISS missions. But each individual Crew Dragon will not fly multiple ISS missions for NASA, at least not initially, SpaceX representatives have said What will Demo-1 do? Demo-1 will launch from historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. SpaceX is targeting March 2 for the liftoff, though that date is far from set in stone. The mission is designed to test almost all of Crew Dragon's critical equipment, from its automated approach and docking gear to its life-support and re-entry systems. SpaceX personnel will monitor these systems' performance carefully for the duration of the roughly 2-week-long mission, which will end with a parachute-aided splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. But a successful return to Earth won't announce Crew Dragon's readiness to carry crew. SpaceX will also conduct an uncrewed "in-flight abort" test with the capsule in June, to make sure the escape system is working properly. If everything goes well with both of those flights, Demo-2 will be cleared for liftoff. That mission, which could launch as early as July, will take NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Douglas Hurley to the ISS for about a weeklong stay. Operational crew missions to the orbiting lab for NASA would follow the successful completion of Demo-2. Prelude to Starship? If SpaceX's vision holds, Crew Dragon won't fly for too long and neither will cargo Dragon or the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. SpaceX is building a new do-it-all spaceflight system, which consists of a 100-passenger spaceship called Starship and a giant rocket called Super Heavy. The reusable duo will carry people to and from Mars, the moon and other distant destinations, Musk has said, and do whatever else SpaceX needs it to, from launching satellites to cleaning up space junk. Starship and Super Heavy will also do some work closer to Earth's surface, ferrying people on superfast point-to-point trips around the globe. Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate) is out now. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or on Facebook. Lincoln Wright South Bend Tribune South Bend Tribune St. Joseph County Sheriff Bill Redman says he is strongly against arming teachers. Thats our responsibility to provide that security and safety, Redman said of law enforcement Monday. I dont believe thats the role of the school teacher. Indiana school districts would be able to seek state money to provide gun training for teachers under a bill endorsed by a legislative committee. The bill that advanced Monday joins other firearms-related Republican-backed proposals moving in the legislature. Those include eliminating fees on five-year handgun licenses and providing more immunity from lawsuits to people who shot an attacker under the states stand your ground self-defense law. The new bill would let school districts apply for grants toward 40-hour training programs for teachers who volunteer to be armed during school hours. The committee deleted the bills original proposal to repeal the states ban on non-police officers carrying guns on school property without district permission. Democrats have complained about the Republican-dominated legislature not considering their proposals to tighten gun laws. Redman, who took office at the beginning of this year, spoke out against teachers having guns at school during his campaign. He commends teachers for looking at all possible ways to keep their students safe, but arming them is not the answer, he said. Thinking back, I cant even fathom that a school teacher would be armed, Redman said about his more than 18 years as a combined DARE and school resource officer. Instead, he said, the money that could be used to train teachers could go to other safety improvements in schools. The Indiana State Teachers Association agrees with Redman, writing in a statement that lawmakers should start by arming schools with more psychologists and counselors so kids dealing with trauma get care before they become broken. Educators need to be focused on teaching our students. Together parents, educators, lawmakers, community leaders need to come up with real solutions that really save lives, ISTA President Teresa Meredith, wrote in a statement. The Tribune was told South Bend Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski was not available for an interview, but was given a statement. The South Bend Police Department works to safeguard the lives and property of the people it serves every day, Ruszkowski wrote. Should schools enact policies to allow for armed teachers, the department would work with those entities as needed to ensure safety for all. Lincoln Wright South Bend Tribune SOUTH BEND A 20-year-old triple murder case may finally come to an end. In an unexpected move Monday, longtime murder suspect Wayne Kubsch pleaded guilty just before what was to be the start of jury selection for his third trial. Kubsch, 51, pleaded guilty to two counts of murder. If the plea deal is accepted by the judge at the March 8 sentencing, Kubsch will serve a life sentence without the possibility of parole. He also can not appeal the convictions, which have been overturned twice over the past 20 years. Its important to note that life without parole means life without parole, Eric Tamashasky, St. Joseph County chief deputy prosecutor, said. Theres no chance of him going free. Theres no chance of him being released. Kubsch was accused of the 1998 murders of his wife, Beth Kubsch, her ex-husband, Rick Milewski, and Aaron Milewski, Beth and Ricks 10-year-old son. The murders took place on Sept. 18, 1998, in the Kubsch home on Prism Valley Drive in Mishawaka. Until Monday, Kubsch had consistently maintained his innocence in the murders. Kubsch pleaded guilty to two counts for the murders of Beth Kubsch and Rick Milewski. A third count, for the murder of Aaron Milewski, will be dropped. The state was partly able to come to a plea deal because it was the familys wishes for this to be resolved in this way, Chris Fronk, chief deputy prosecutor, said. The family wished to not speak to media until after the sentencing, but Fronk said they appeared to be relieved they would not have to face a third trial. While Fronk is happy Kubsch decided to enter the plea, he said, he was surprised. Fronk and Tamashasky were gearing up for what was expected to be a three week trial. Hes especially surprised because the deal gets the state the outcome it hoped for life without parole. You dont expect this to happen at the end of it, Fronk said. To get the best result without having to do a jury trial is unexpected, but its nice. As to why after all this time Kubsch decided to take a plea, Fronk declined to comment. Kubsch was first charged with three counts of murder in December 1998. He was convicted on all three counts and sentenced to death in 2000. In 2003, the Indiana Supreme Court reversed the conviction and remanded the case for a new trial, ruling that then Superior Court Judge Jerome Frese should not have allowed prosecutors to play a videotape for jurors that showed Kubsch invoking his constitutional right to silence while being questioned by police. Kubsch was retried in 2005, and again convicted and sentenced to death. But in September 2016, the U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit reversed the second conviction, saying the jury should have been allowed to see critical evidence that was withheld and might have convinced jurors that Kubsch was innocent. The court said a videotaped police interview with Amanda Buck, a neighbor of Rick and Aaron Milewski, who was 9 at the time of the killings, should have been admitted as evidence and was excluded because of Indianas trial rules. The exclusion of the videotape, which challenged prosecutors timeline of the killings, violated Kubschs constitutional right to a fair trial, the court ruled. As long as Judge Miller accepts the plea deal, Tamashasky said, there will be finality in the case. Over the years, many law enforcement officials have been involved in investigating and prosecuting Kubschs case. Many of them were in court Monday to see the outcome of the hearing. We are very happy we have a sentencing date and if the judge accepts the plea of life without parole that will be the sentence and that will be the end of this particular case for our community, Tamashasky said. Christian Sheckler South Bend Tribune SOUTH BEND On Dec. 19, Joe Donnelly, then the senior U.S. senator from Indiana, cast what he thought would be his last congressional vote joining his Senate colleagues to pass a $1.3 billion funding bill that would have avoided a federal government shutdown until at least February. Before the vote, Donnelly had packed the remnants of his office into a U-Haul truck. He hopped behind the wheel at 5:30 a.m. the next day and started driving home. He was at the Ohio-Indiana state line when he heard rumblings that President Donald Trump had soured on the funding bill. Conservative pundits were criticizing Trump for backing down on his demand for money to pay for a border wall with Mexico. Donnelly had just made it home and fixed himself a ham and cheese sandwich when the Democratic leader, Sen. Chuck Schumer, called. Trump refused to sign the bill. Donnelly would have to catch a flight back to Washington for more votes as Congress tried to strike a deal with the White House. To Donnelly, who spent his 12 years in the House and Senate walking a narrow line between his party and red-state voters before his defeat to Republican Mike Braun in November, the fight over the government shutdown was the latest example of increasing political dysfunction. What it represented to me is that decisions were being made by Rush Limbaugh, Donnelly said, as opposed to the senators of the United States of America, who had agreed 100 to nothing, together with the president and the vice president, that this made commonsense policy. Donnelly reflected on his congressional career and the state of national politics in an interview with The Tribune on Sunday, during a welcome home open house in his honor at Fiddlers Hearth pub in downtown South Bend. Among the highlights of Donnellys career, he said, were having the chance to see every American be able to get health care, through the Affordable Care Act, and seeing the U.S. economy rebound from the Great Recession. He also noted the right-to-try law signed by Trump last year, giving terminally ill people greater access to experimental medicine, and the Jacob Sexton Military Suicide Prevention Act. I look in the mirror sometimes and say, gosh, here I am, a grandson of immigrants, the first in my family to even go to college, and to have a chance to serve in the House and the Senate boy, that exceeded any dream I could ever have, he said. The former senators balancing act on divisive issues such as abortion and immigration sometimes meant he pleased neither liberal factions of his base nor the more conservative Indiana voters he had to woo. Nevertheless, he said Sunday, he remains proud of his bipartisan record. He still points out that the Lugar Center named him the fourth-most bipartisan senator to have served since 1993. In the interview, Donnelly named hyper-partisanship as the biggest problem in Washington, while he said the best thing about the nations capital was that so many of the people there care so much, including staffers who would sometimes spend time at night and on weekends trying to coordinate services for homeless veterans back in Indiana. Last week, the University of Notre Dame announced Donnelly would be teaching two courses this semester, one on political science and another at the Keough School of Global Affairs. Donnelly earned undergraduate and law degrees at Notre Dame. Aside from teaching at Notre Dame, Donnelly would not specify any other possible next steps. He said he would like to find public service opportunities related to veterans, focused on health care and homelessness. But he demurred when asked whether that work could lead him back to Washington. Right now that would be hopefully right here in our state, he said. On Sunday afternoon, while TV screens displayed photos of Donnelly walking in parades and locking arms with former President Barack Obama, the pub was packed with well-wishers, including the local Democratic Party chairman and many of the partys candidates for mayor of South Bend. In brief remarks to his supporters, Donnelly recounted trips to Iraq to see American soldiers and town hall meetings with voters in the summer of 2009, leading up to the passage of Obamas health care law. We did it for a state we love, and friends we love, Donnelly said in closing, before adding an aside: And I am not running for mayor. Caleb Bauer South Bend Tribune South Bend Tribune SOUTH BEND Four years ago, while he was working as director of research at George Washington Universitys Solar Institute, James Mueller got a phone call from a friend. That friend was Mayor Pete Buttigieg, asking Mueller to return to South Bend, the city where they both grew up. Buttigieg needed Mueller to take over as his chief of staff, as his then-chief of staff Kathryn Roos was planning to leave to attend graduate school. I knew that I needed to turn to somebody who could be trusted, Buttigieg said Monday inside the office of the former Gates Automotive downtown used-car lot, now transformed into Muellers mayoral campaign headquarters. Mueller took Buttigieg up on that offer in 2015, returning to the city to work for the friend hed known since their time as students together at Saint Joseph High School. On Monday, Buttigieg returned the favor, endorsing his former chief of staff and later director of the citys Department of Community Investment in his bid to become Buttigiegs successor. One of nine Democratic mayoral candidates, Mueller has taken a leave of absence from the Department of Community Investment to run for office. A University of Notre Dame graduate with a doctorate in ocean sciences from the University of Delaware, Mueller previously worked in Washington D.C. at the Solar Institute and in the office of U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. Mueller said his campaign is about building on momentum of Buttigiegs administration, and continuing the focus on improving the citys neighborhoods. Buttigieg, amid the early days of his own potential campaign for president, characterized Muellers campaign as a chance to continue the citys current trajectory, because we also know that our work is far from done. 1NCE makes Internet of Things affordable: More than 1 million SIM cards sold in first five months of operation Cologne, 11/02/2019 The Cologne-based IoT Carrier 1NCE GmbH has sold more than one million SIM cards since market launch 5 months ago. The secret behind the success: by offering an IoT flat rate, the technology company offers mobile communication between devices on the Internet of Things (IoT) at a much-needed affordable price point in comparison to most other providers worldwide, whilst still guaranteeing the highest quality service. The technology ? which is already available in more than 30 countries ? was developed by 1NCE exclusively for IoT applications. With its strong focus, the company clearly distinguishes itself from large network operators. \As a specialized IoT network carrier, we are creating a new industry standard that will enable significant growth in the Internet of Things and machine-to-machine communication for the first time,\ said Alexander P. Sator, CEO of 1NCE. Application scenarios already exist in large numbers, but the implementation of intelligent IoT systems often fails due to the complexity and cost of setting up wireless network connections. This is where 1NCE comes in with a revolutionary affordable-cost, high-quality solution that is ideal, especially for long-lasting B2B applications: The ?1NCE in a Lifetime?-IoT flat rate comprises a data volume of 500 megabytes and 250 SMS at a price of only 10 euros for 10 years, with no other hidden fees. \This is far more than is required for the exchange of essential information in IoT applications without speech,\ emphasized Younes Allaki, CTO at 1NCE. \Should the data volume still not be sufficient for a 10-year period, customers can top-up their initially booked volume at any time and will still remain far below the usual costs.\ In contrast to classic models with monthly fees, 1NCE ensures maximum price transparency with its pre-paid all-inclusive offering that makes IoT connectivity calculable and affordable for either start-ups or large enterprises. The 1NCE offering is even more compelling since it comes with built-in scalability as well as high availability and security. Supported by Deutsche Telekom AG, 1NCE utilizes the mobile networks of all major European network operators for its IoT radio services and is also available in China, Russia and in the USA. The service is usually supported by at least two ? quite often even by all ? network operators in a country in order to guarantee maximum availability. Another characteristic that makes the technology unique is the capability to seamlessly switch between the different mobile communications standards 2G, 3G, 4G or NB-IoT. \Since our SIM card has access to all available networks and supports all common mobile communications standards, we ensure investment security and future viability,\ explained Sator. The addressable market is huge: Experts from the GSM Association (GSMA), the worldwide industry association of GSM mobile phone providers, estimate the volume at 25 billion wireless devices by 2025. Many industries have a great need for connectivity: logistics service providers must locate their containers, energy providers want to control measuring devices directly, vehicle fleets need to be better coordinated, insurance companies want to set up telematics services. In more precise cases this means that in smart metering scenarios, electricity, gas and water meters report the meter reading to the utilities themselves. In the Smart City, streetlight luminaires signal when they need to be replaced. The waste container itself reports that it needs emptying, and in industrial production, wear parts such as drills can initiate their replacement automatically. \Soon every product developed will come with radio-capability and thus be ready to communicate,\ continued Sator. 1NCE GmbH was founded in January 2017 and started sales in August 2018. Today, the company has more than 50 staff. Delrey Acquires Vanadium Assets Posted by Publisher Internet DELREY METALS CORP. (CSE:DLRY, FSE:1OZ) (?Delrey? or the ?Company?) is pleased to announce it has entered into and closed a share purchase agreement dated December 12, 2018 (the ?Share Purchase Agreement?) with WEM Western Energy Metals Ltd., a private arm?s length corporation (?WEM?), to acquire all the issued and outstanding share capital of WEM. Pursuant to the terms of the Share Purchase Agreement, the Company issued 4,250,000 common shares of the Company (each, a ?Share?). All securities issued pursuant to the Share Purchase Agreement will be subject to a four month statutory hold period. WEM owns a 100 percent undivided, unencumbered legal and beneficial interest in both the Peneece and the Blackie Vanadium properties (the ?Properties?), located in British Columbia. The Properties cover a total area of 2,714 hectares and host vanadium mineralization within large bodies of titaniferous magnetite. Both properties are strategically located on tidewater, near to the small coastal cities of Port Hardy (Peneece ? 68km) and Prince Rupert (Blackie ? 96km). About the Peneece and Blackie Vanadium Projects: The Properties are comprised of large-scale ultramafic complexes which are intruded by gabbroic bodies hosting iron-titanium-vanadium (Fe-Ti-V) mineralization within massive titaniferous magnetite. Two of the gabbro bodies mapped on surface display lateral extents of 4.8km x 0.8km (Peneece) and 1.2km x 0.4km (Blackie). Highlights: Historic samples collected from the gabbro on the Blackie assay up to 2.14% V205.1 The Blackie property is located in a historic mining district. The adjacent past-producing Yellow Giant Mine, located less than 10km from the property and operated by Banks Island Gold as recently as 2015 initially boasted a 414% IRR, showing the economic potential that exists on Banks Island2. McDougall (1984), commented that, ?an unusually strong and extensive magnetic anomaly exists over the [Peneece Property]. It was, and still remains the largest flux gate magnetic anomaly noted by the writer during many years of work on the West Coast. The size and overall magnetic intensity of the anomaly were only exceeded at the multi-billion ton ?Klukwan pyroxenite-amphibolite? deposit in S.E. Alaska.? Magnetic concentrate from limited float samples collected distal to the magnetic anomaly on the Peneece Property assayed up to 0.59% V205.1 Both properties are easily accessible by boat or helicopter and workable year round. Historic barge-logging was completed within and near to the project areas, which has created a network of logging roads and allows for low cost exploration and development. An initial work program including a high-resolution airborne magnetic survey is planned in the near term on both Properties. Morgan Good, President and CEO of Delrey commented: ?Delrey continues to rapidly grow its portfolio of quality projects prospective for metals relative to the energy metals sector. Our team has been evaluating properties, specifically vanadium rich properties, for quite some time now. While the notable increase in the price of vanadium is still specific to steel alloys, we?re anticipating the demand to continue growing and the prevalence of vanadium redox flow batteries is clearly on the rise. The world continues to move more and more toward renewable energy sources where the need for large capacity, inexpensive and long-lasting energy storage is an absolute necessity.? About Delrey Delrey Metals Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral resource properties, specifically in the strategic energy minerals space. The Company has an option agreement to purchase a 100% interest in the highly prospective Sunset property situated in the Vancouver Mining Division and located near Pemberton, British Columbia. In addition to its acquisition of the Star, Porcher, Blackie, and Peneece Vanadium properties in BC, Delrey intends to review and acquire projects showing potential for materials used in the energy storage and electric vehicle markets. Delrey is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, and is listed on the CSE under the symbol ?DLRY? and on the FSE under the symbol ?1OZ?. About Vanadium Vanadium is one of the largest percentage gainers among the battery metals group (Li, Co, Ni, Cu) since early 2017 climbing from under $5/lb to over $29/lb where it currently trades. This ductile, malleable and corrosion resistant transition metal has a wide range of use cases and can be found in automobiles, pipelines, jet engines, redox flow batteries and as an alloy in steel production, among others. Currently 90% of global vanadium production is used as an alloy in the manufacturing of steel, with the grade of the steel proportional to its vanadium content. New regulations recently emplaced by the Standardization Administration of China (SAC) have eliminated Grade 2 steel rebar production in China, replacing it with Grades 3, 4, and 5, which each consume progressively more vanadium. Global industrial growth and increased building standards in earthquake prone areas are forecasted to keep demand for vanadium strong. The emerging market for Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (?VRBs?) is showing tremendous potential. VRBs are non-flammable, reusable over semi-infinite cycles and are shown to not degrade for more than 20 years, which make them an efficient alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries for grid power storage. The energy generated by renewable sources such as wind and solar is not constant over time and presents an excellent use case for VRBs to store excess power generated during peak production periods, which can be utilized during seasons with low wind or sun exposure. While the battery technology is in its early stages, the recent commissioning of the world?s largest ever battery, a 200MW/800MWh vanadium flow battery in Dalian, China, is proof that the fledgling technology is progressing at a fast rate. Currently VRBs account for only 2% of global vanadium demand, while many estimates are forecasting the market share for VRB?s to increase substantially as the emerging VRB space continues to grow. Qualified person Scott Dorion, P.Geo., is the designated Qualified Person of the Company as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this release. Cautionary Notes Note that these estimations precede National Instrument 43-101, are repeated for historical reference only, and are not to?be relied upon. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or reserves; and the issuer is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or reserves.? Nevertheless, the estimates were completed by competent individuals to the standard of the day, and are considered to be relevant to future exploration of the property. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF DELREY METALS CORP. ?Morgan Good? Morgan Good, President and Chief Executive Officer Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this news release, constitute ?forward-looking information? as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including, but are not limited to, general business and economic uncertainties. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause the forward-looking information in this news release to change or to be inaccurate include, but are not limited to, the risk that any of the assumptions referred to prove not to be valid or reliable, which could result in delays, or cessation in planned work, that the Company?s financial condition and development plans change, delays in regulatory approval, risks associated with the interpretation of data, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits, the possibility that results will not be consistent with the Company?s expectations, as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to mineral exploration and development activities and to the Company as set forth in the Company?s Management?s Discussion and Analysis reports filed under the Company?s profile at www.sedar.com. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information or statements, other than as required by applicable law. 1Historical information contained in this news release cannot be relied upon as the Company?s Qualified Person, as defined under NI 43-101 has not prepared nor verified the historical information. 2Adjacent Properties This news release contains information about adjacent properties on which Delrey Metals does not have the right to explore or mine. Investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on the Company\-\-s properties. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. AMCU strike faces further delays Posted by Publisher Internet Sibanye-Stillwater (Tickers JSE: SGL and NYSE: SBGL http://www.commodity-tv.net/c/search_adv/?v=298805) advises that the Labour Court (the Court) today, rejected Sibanye Stillwater?s application on technical legal grounds (point in limine on Res Judicata). Due to AMCU causing ongoing delays to the verification process ordered by the Court on 21 December 2018*, the Company had applied to the Court for the cessation of the strike, pending the outcome of the verification process. The Court however found that the previous decision of the Court was final in its effect.? ?We respect the Court?s ruling, but are disappointed that the merits of our case were not heard, and the ruling was made on a legal technicality. We remain extremely concerned about the impact the protracted strike is having on the financial wellbeing of our employees, which is being exacerbated by ongoing delays to the verification process due to AMCU?s continual legal challenges.?? We will continue to pursue various avenues, without compromising other stakeholders, to bring an end to this strike as soon as possible,? said CEO Neal Froneman. Please refer to https://soundcloud.com/user-155552468/sibanye for a media sound clip by the spokesperson, James Wellsted. *Background on the verification process On 21 December 2018 the court ruled and again confirmed on 8 January 2019, that the union affiliation verification process should be facilitated by the CCMA after the Company established that the membership of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), UASA and Solidarity at its South African gold operations have increased collectively over 50% and therefore extended the wage agreement to all employees, in terms of Section 23(1(d) of the Labour Relations Act, No 66 of 1995. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the ?safe harbour? provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this announcement may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as ?will?, ?would?, ?expect?, ?may?, ?could? ?believe?, ?anticipate?, ?target?, ?estimate? and words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements, including among others, those relating to our future business prospects, financial positions, ability to reduce debt leverage, business strategies, plans and objectives of management for future operations and the anticipated benefits and synergies of transactions, are necessarily estimates reflecting the best judgement of our senior management. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements. Forward looking statements involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Sibanye-Stillwater that could cause Sibanye-Stillwater?s actual results and outcomes to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. As a consequence, these forward-looking statements should be considered in light of various important factors, including those set forth in the Group?s Annual Integrated Report and Annual Financial Report, published on 30 March 2018, and the Group?s Annual Report on Form 20-F filed by Sibanye-Stillwater with the Securities and Exchange Commission on 2 April 2018 (SEC File no. 001-35785). These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this announcement. Sibanye-Stillwater expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise these forward-looking statements, save as required by applicable law. Ravenquest and Bonify Announce One-Year Extension of Services Agreement Posted by Publisher Internet RavenQuest BioMed Inc. (the ?Company? or ?RavenQuest? http://www.commodity-tv.net/c/search_adv/?v=298617) ? (CSE: RQB, OTCQB: RVVQF, Frankfurt: 1IT) announces that RavenQuest will continue to provide management & consulting services to Bonify Holdings Corporation (?Bonify?) under a one-year contract extension. The one-year extension will begin when the initial three-month contract expires at the end of March 2019, taking the entire term of the services agreement through March 2020. Bonify Chairman, Jeff Dyck, stated that ?the corrective action taken by RavenQuest has been very well received by the regulators.? Health Canada has acknowledged the significant progress made inside our facility with respect to Quality Management Systems.? Our recent suspension was related to past issues.? ?We?re extremely impressed with the professionalism and expertise with which the RavenQuest team has methodically handled our compliance challenges, and fully expect to resume full cannabis sales activities in the near term with RavenQuest steering our production and quality assurance? Dyck continued. About RavenQuest BioMed Inc. RavenQuest BioMed Inc. is a diversified publicly traded cannabis company with divisions focused upon cannabis production, management services & consulting and specialized research & development.? RavenQuest is a licensed producer with facilities located in Markham, Ontario and Edmonton, Alberta.? RavenQuest maintains a research partnership with Montreal?s McGill University focused upon cultivar (strain) recognition, plant stabilization and yield maximization of the cannabis plant.? The Company focuses on partnerships with Indigenous communities. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of? RAVENQUEST BIOMED INC. Neither Canadian Stock Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Stock Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are ?forward-looking information? with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements with respect to the development of licensed cannabis production facilities, the production and supply of cannabis to the BCLDB, .the launch of consumer cannabis brands and the development of partnerships with Indigenous communities.? The Company provides forward-looking statements for the purpose of conveying information about current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to those identified and reported in the Company?s public filings under the Company?s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.? Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.? The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law. PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson congratulates the management and staff of Princess Heights Hotel and Leisure Car Rental with respect to the hospitality awards that they have received from international tourism organizations. Princess Heights Hotel was awarded St. Maarten's Leading Hotel 2019 by World Travel Award! The award was presented at the Caribbean & North America Gala Ceremony 2019 which was held in Jamaica at the end of January. This is the 4th time the hotel has been awarded as St. Maarten's Leading Hotel. World Travel Awards are awarded based on the opinions of travel and tourism professionals as well as consumers worldwide. Leisure Car Rental won two globally recognized awards from the World Travel Award organization related to its business operations on the island. The two awards were: St. Maartens Leading Independent Car Rental Company; and St. Martins Leading Car Rental Company. The recognition received by our hospitality sector service businesses, demonstrates the resilience of the staff in providing the best service they can provide with a Friendly Island smile. That personal touch provided by the staff of Princess Heights Hotel and Leisure Car Rental is what our guests remember and at the end of the day reward those for the memorable experiences that they received while vacationing on the island. Keep up the good work, Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson said on Monday. World Travel Awards was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all key sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality industries. Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognized globally as the ultimate hallmark of industry excellence. PHILIPSBURG:--- The World Customs Organization (WCO) recently celebrated International Customs Day. WCO officially launched the theme of the year: SMART borders for seamless Trade, Travel, and Transport. The WCO says that we are living in a time when the number of passengers and the volume of freight crossing borders is expected to increase exponentially, and technology has transformed the economic landscape in which Customs is evolving, WCO Members were encouraged to look at how they can best ensure the swift and smooth cross-border movement of goods, people and means of transport. Minister of Justice Cornelius de Weever said on Monday that Customs perform a very important role in the Sint Maarten society where it concerns the protecting the borders of the country. I echo the words of WCO Secretary General (SG) Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, who said that todays Customs are here to ensure a secure, measurable, automated, risk-management-based and technology-driven environment with a view to creating conditions conducive to securing trade, travel and transport across borders. The messaged was also conveyed by the SG to promote the theme of SMART borders by sharing best practices amongst Customs administrations. I can say that the Ministry of Justice has been proactive where seeking and sharing best practices in this area is concerned. We can look at the Kingdom cooperation between the countries (the Netherlands, Aruba, Curacao), the current direct assistance from the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security and the cooperation that exist with our partners from French St. Martin. We will continue these forms of cooperation, assistance and working together to promote secure borders, trade, travel and transport. The cooperation has been excellent, and we must continue to build on those successes by using SMART technologies similar to what Port St. Maarten will be introducing, the Port Community System, Minister of Justice Cornelius de Weever said on Monday. The WCO shared its views recently on how best to deal with some of the current challenges faced by international Customs administrations, such as the rapidly growing trade volumes generated by, for example, e-commerce, and ever-expanding air travel; WCO also conveyed the understanding of what was implied by this years theme of SMART borders. This years theme also references the role Customs is playing in supporting the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, by creating transparent and predictable conditions for trade, and facilitating legitimate trade that will contribute to economic growth and job opportunities. The WCO pointed out that the concept of SMART borders also highlights Customs role in supporting the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. By creating a level playing field for all stakeholders through simplified, standardized and harmonized procedures, it ensures timely delivery of raw materials to industry, reduces unfair competition in local communities, and opens up opportunities for marginalized communities to access new markets. It creates transparent and predictable conditions for trade and facilitates legitimate business that will in turn contribute to economic growth and job opportunities, the WCO said. Wellington: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says a flight from New Zealand to China was turned back for administrative reasons and the incident has no bearing on the relationship between the two nations. Ardern said the issue was that all aircraft flying into China needed to be registered, and the Air New Zealand plane wasn't. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the incident had nothing to do with relations between her country and China. Credit:AP Air New Zealand said in a statement that Flight NZ289 from Auckland to Shanghai was over four hours into its journey on Sunday when it returned to Auckland after it was discovered a "technicality" meant the plane wasn't registered in China. The airline apologised for disrupting the travel plans of customers and said it knew they would be "deeply disappointed and frustrated by the situation". The airline said all customers had since arrived in Shanghai. Wellington: Passengers on board an Air New Zealand flight to Shanghai that was forced to return to Auckland over the weekend have finally landed in China. Air New Zealand flight NZ289, which departed Auckland for Shanghai about 11.45pm on Saturday, made a U-turn to New Zealand 4 hours after take-off. An Air New Zealand Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner has touched down in Shanghai carrying a load of passengers who were on an earlier flight that was turned away by Chinese authorities. Credit:Jarred Williamson/Stuff An Air New Zealand spokeswoman said that, because of a technicality, the aircraft operating the service, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, did not have regulatory authority to land in China. The rescheduled flight departed at 11pm on Sunday and landed at Shanghai's Pudong Airport about noon on Monday, New Zealand time, with a flight time of 12 hours and eight minutes, according to flight tracking website www.flightaware.com. Washington: US congressional negotiators say an "agreement in principle" has been reached on border security funding, potentially averting another round of federal shutdowns. Speaking after a meeting of negotiators, US Republican Senator Richard Shelby did not give an outline of the deal but said staff will work out the details. The negotiators had worked into the night in hopes of striking a deal on funding border security through September 30. Now they will need the support of President Donald Trump, whose signature will be needed ahead of the deadline at midnight Friday. Madrid: Tens of thousands of protesters have called for Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of Spain to be deposed, denouncing his proposal for talks to try to ease the tensions around the simmering secessionist conflict in Catalonia. The demonstration held on one of the main squares of Madrid on Sunday and convened by right-leaning parties under the slogan "For a united Spain, elections now!" was the largest against Sanchez since his minority Socialist Party government took office in June. Demonstrators hold banners and Spanish flags during a protest in Madrid, Spain, on Sunday. Credit:AP The government's proposal last Tuesday to appoint a rapporteur in talks among political parties to address the Catalan independence crisis has galvanised the opposition, which deems it a betrayal and a surrender to pressure from Catalan separatists. The protest Sunday came two days before the start of a landmark trial of 12 Catalan separatist leaders, which is also likely to stir up emotions over a territorial conflict that remains at the top of Spain's political agenda. The defendants are accused of rebellion and other crimes stemming from their declaration of their region's independence in the autumn of 2017. Months ago, to ensure the Ganges was as clean as possible for the busloads, trainloads and masses of Hindus coming for their spiritual immersion, Adityanath went after the tanneries that line the Ganges upstream from Prayagraj. Loading The tannery business is dominated by India's Muslim minority and lower-caste Hindus who do not subscribe to the same strict rules about cows that some conservative Hindus follow. But conservative Hindus are the BJP's base, and Adityanath ordered the tanneries closed for three months, the longest anyone can remember. Some tannery owners went to court to protest, but they effectively shut down. Now, as tens of millions of Hindus celebrate the Kumbh, countless Muslims and lower-caste tannery employees are out of work. "This is done purposely just to hurt one segment of society, the Muslim community," said Taj Alam, vice president of the Uttar Pradesh Leather Industry Association. Adityanath is a powerful figure in India, perhaps second only to Modi. He is the chief of India's most populous state, with 230 million people; it would be the fifth-largest country in the world. Naked ash-smeared Naga Sadhus or Hindu holy men arrive for a dip. Credit:AP Once the commander of a brawny Hindu youth brigade, Adityanath is also one of India's most divisive politicians. He is on record making derogatory statements about Muslims and saying he was ready for religious war. He is also fiercely disciplined, and so is this year's Kumbh. According to Kumbh regulars, this year's festival is much cleaner and better organised than previous festivals, and many pilgrims gave Adityanath credit. The traffic flows more smoothly. There are no beggars in sight (police officers said they had been banned). There isn't even much litter street cleaners seem to sweep up the empty water bottles and snack wrappers the instant they are dropped. There are even riverside changing rooms a first so pilgrims, especially women, can have some privacy. "This is the best Kumbh yet," said Brijlal Mishra, who sells solar panels in Mumbai, about 1200km away. Mishra did not have an issue with the government's spending spree. "They are helping us in our faith," he said. Senior seers offer a sheet of sacred cloth on the newly ordained Mahamandaleshwars of foreign origin as part of the ritual at Sangam. Credit:AP Opposition leaders, however, have cried foul, saying the state should not help one religion to the exclusion of others. "We are a secular state, and we should remain secular," said Sudhindra Bhadoria, a spokesman for the Bahujan Samaj Party, one of India's bigger second-tier political parties. "Why are they spending taxpayers' money like this?" It is not unusual for state governments to assist pilgrims. This year, the government of Madhya Pradesh, which is run by the Congress Party, a rival to the BJP, is covering nearly $US1 million in travel costs so thousands of pilgrims in that state can celebrate the Kumbh. But critics of the BJP say this is nothing compared with the spending of BJP-led governments, such as the one run by Adityanath. Officially, Adityanath's administrators have rejected accusations of misusing state resources or playing politics with the Kumbh. But privately, several called the display of largesse a waste. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public rally in Changchari, on the outskirts of Gauhati, India, on Saturday. Credit:AP Case in point is an enormous, festively painted plywood Kumbh Mela assembly hall that is closed most of the time. A peek through the door revealed a fantastically large space, home to 10,000 brand-new empty plastic chairs. The Kumbh Mela is one of the holiest events on the Hindu calendar, its date determined by astrology, its auspiciousness derived from a certain line up of Jupiter, the moon and the sun. It is celebrated in four Indian cities, each on their own 12-year Kumbh cycle, and it usually lasts several weeks. The name Kumbh Mela comes from the Sanskrit word, kumbha, for pot or water pitcher, and mela, meaning festival. In a cherished myth, a Hindu god was carrying the nectar of immortality in a khumba and spilled drops in four places the four cities where the Kumbh is held. Loading This year's festival in Prayagraj, which started in January and runs until early March, is not even a full Kumbh it is considered a half Kumbh. The half Kumbh tradition started years ago when Hindu holy men would meet every six years, halfway between the full Kumbhs, to keep their dialogue going. But a few months ago, Adityanath declared that there is nothing incomplete in Hinduism, and the word half "doesn't gel with this philosophy". So, with a stroke of his pen, he upgraded the celebration of this half Kumbh into that of a full Kumbh and went on to spend three times as much as on Prayagraj's last full Kumbh in 2013. He also recently led his Cabinet of about 25 ministers in a ritual bath in the Ganges, which, long-time Kumbh watchers said, had never happened before. Government officials throw flowers from a helicopter onto thousands of Hindu devotees in the water at Sangam, the confluence of three sacred rivers - the Yamuna, the Ganges and the mythical Saraswati. Credit:AP At the Kumbh, it's all about the dip. In Prayagraj, during this festival, Hindus believe it is auspicious to immerse themselves at a specific point where the Ganges joins two other rivers, the Sarasvati (a mystical one) and the Yamuna (a real one). But actually getting into the water is easier said than done. It is nearly impossible to strip down in a packed crowd with just a few centimetres between you and the next person, no place to put your stuff and an undulating wall of 1 million human beings at your back. But somehow people managed, and on Monday morning shortly after dawn, legions of men splashed into the Ganges in their underwear; women wrapped themselves in shawls or just stepped into the water fully clothed. They dunked themselves and chanted. Many pilgrims believe the water will wash away their sins. Just a few metres from the riverbanks, Modi appeared, again. This time, he took the form of a high quality cardboard cutout, so sharp and lifelike you could count the curly gray hairs on his forearms. For a second, it almost looked like the Prime Minister was personally watching over his fellow Indians as they plunged into the river. The noise at the riverfront (and all along the pilgrimage route) was deafening. Police officers blasted earsplitting whistles at anyone who lingered too long in the water; "Sri Ram, Sri Ram," a Hindu chant, blared from loud speakers; train horns blew in the distance, constantly. Over a public address system, authorities broadcast the cries of despondent children who had been separated from their parents in the hope that someone in that gigantic multitude would recognise their voice. ("Papa! Papa!" one pleaded.) The smell of burning popcorn and woody incense cut through the other smells of damp clothes, sweat and dust. The Ganges was cold and dark, the crowds oceanic, the din ceaseless. But no one was complaining. No matter that people had travelled for days, walked for miles, slept on the ground, and ate little, all for a few minutes in the river. They emerged with goose bumps on their arms and joy on their faces. LGBT activists are signing up Liberal branch members in the federal seat of Moore in an attempt to counteract the influence of conservative Christian churches in the electorate, according to party sources. The seat, held by businessman Ian Goodenough since 2013, has been the focus of factional tension within Liberal branches in Perth's northern suburbs, with allegations members of the Joondalup-based Globalheart Church have been signing up large numbers of people in the area. Moore MP Ian Goodenough in Federal Parliament. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen A group of about 20 LGBT activists have been organising recruits to the party to bolster branches in Moore opposed to Mr Goodenough. One Liberal source said Mr Goodenough's personal opposition to same-sex marriage was one of the reasons LGBT Liberal supporters were joining the party. Former assistant health minister Chris Davis has been awarded more than $1.4 million in damages after he was denied a job with the Metro North Hospital and Health Service following his spectacular falling-out with the Newman government. Dr Davis successfully argued to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal that he had been discriminated against when he missed out on a job in the months after he left State Parliament after falling out with then-premier Campbell Newman and his LNP government. Former Queensland assistant health minister Chris Davis has been awarded $1.4 million. Credit:Michelle Smith/YouTube Dr Davis was awarded $1,450,771.69, which Metro North Hospital and Health Service must pay within 30 days. The former LNP member for Stafford told Brisbane Times he was relieved with the decision. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has emphasised his national security credentials and set the tone for a brutal debate on border protection in a major address marking the first week of Federal Parliament for 2019. He also confirmed his government would announce new measures on climate change before the next election, acknowledging it was "a factor" in the frequency of extreme weather events Australia has experienced, such as the floods in Queensland and fires in Tasmania. Prime Minister Scott Morrison addresses the National Press Club of Australia in Canberra on Monday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "I acknowledge it's a factor. Of course it is. Australians do - the vast majority of Australians," Mr Morrison said. "But the issue is how you achieve [a solution]. We believe you need sensible, achievable targets to address climate change, and we have them and we're achieving them." Refugees who were seriously hurt in the deadly Manus Island riots of 2014 are still suffering complications from their injuries - including some that remain untreated - according to case notes compiled by charities and advocates. The Australian Council for International Development provided the list of 21 critical cases as Labor prepared to compromise on a "medivac" bill that would give doctors greater power to transfer sick refugees to Australia for treatment, with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten calling for changes to tighten ministerial discretion. An Iranian refugee hospitalised in Port Moresby. Mr Shorten received briefings from the Home Affairs Department and others on Monday, before shadow cabinet met to finalise Labor's position. Labor supported the bill in the Senate late last year, but it has not yet passed the lower house. According to a case summary released by the ACFID, one seriously ill man currently hospitalised in Port Moresby had his throat cut in the riot that took place five years ago this week. The treatment was "not successful" and he has now developed untreated psoriasis. An official government audit has slammed Peter Dutton's Home Affairs department for "long delays" in approving citizenship applications from people aspiring to become Australians. The Australian National Audit Office condemned the super-sized department for failing to use its resources efficiently and falling short of its goal of processing 80 per cent of applications within 80 days. Three hundred new Australians received their citizenship at an Australia Day ceremony at Melbourne Town Hall. Credit:Chris Hopkins The audit found that over the past four years, the number of citizenship applications stuck in the pipeline blew out by 771 per cent, with 244,765 applications on hand at 30 June 2018. The number of cases decided decreased by 47 per cent over the period to 101,422 in 2017-18. Experts believe Liberal MP Tim Wilson may have breached privacy laws by failing to tell hundreds of people who signed up to a petition that their names, addresses, phone numbers and emails would be transferred to a multibillion-dollar fund manager. The backbencher's taxpayer-funded inquiry into Labor's franking credits policy is under fire after it was used to sign up new Liberal Party members and promote fundraisers. Mr Wilson has co-ordinated protests and submissions against Labor's policy with Geoff Wilson, a distant relative and the founder of Wilson Asset Management, one of the leading campaigners against Labor's proposal to end cash refunds to more than 800,000 self-funded retirees. Geoff Wilson and Tim Wilson. Credit:SMH Labor and the Greens have called for Mr Wilson to step down as chair and some want him to be referred to Parliament's powerful privileges committee. Serious allegations made by a lawyer for war hero Ben Roberts-Smith that a war crimes inquiry was leaking against him have been found to be false and backed by "no evidence whatsoever". An exhaustive investigation has found no factual foundation in claims made by Sydney defamation specialist Mark O'Brien that an official working for a war crimes inquiry had engaged in grave and potentially unlawful misconduct. Ben Roberts-Smith. Credit:Cole Bennetts Before they were debunked, Mr OBriens leak claims, first lodged with the military inspector in mid-2018, were aired in Federal Court proceedings and in a national newspaper. The claims had the potential to derail the nations most important military investigation, an Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force inquiry into allegations that Australian special forces soldiers engaged in war crimes in Afghanistan. Liberal MP Tim Wilson has denied claims that he shared the details of voters with a fund manager as part of a concerted push against Labor's franking credit plan, declaring the accusations nothing more than a "grubby, pathetic, sad smear campaign". Mr Wilson, the chair of a taxpayer-funded government inquiry into the Labor policy, has said he was acting as any inquiry chair would. Tim Wilson in Parliament House on Monday. Credit:Dom Lorrimer "The allegation is that I actively went out, promoted people to participate in inquiries, encouraged submissions, and want people in Australia to have their say in a parliamentary process. If an inquiry chair didn't do that they should resign," he said. The prominent backbencher came under fire last week for an alleged string of misconducts involving his franking credit inquiry and was on Friday referred to the Australian Federal Police by the Labor Party over the claims, which were first reported in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Publicity in the underworld can be deadly and it is always wise to fly under the radar rather than crash into the tower. Just a day after a front-page story said Tony Mokbel was a powerful enforcer inside Barwon Prison, he was stabbed inside that very jail and left in a serious condition. It mirrors the events of April 2010 when underworld heavyweight Carl Williams was killed in the same prison the day a page one story was published saying police were paying Carls daughters private school fees. This confirmed what many already knew Carl had become a police informer. "The prisoner you are talking about has been using a third party to relay his tweets. We have expressed the view time and time again at how distasteful it is. Unfortunately there are no laws broken," she said. "He has been very cunning and as soon as the incident occured jumped on the phone in the course of the lockdown and within moments relayed that. "It's exceptionally distasteful while staff and other prisoners are trying to preserve life." Mokbel is one of a number of criminals whose conviction is in doubt after it was revealed a gangland criminal barrister, dubbed Informer 3838, acted as a police informer and shared information about her clients. Paramedics treat Tony Mokbel. Credit:Nine News Dr Cassar said Mokbel had been "very confident he would get out of jail". "I suspect it probably was [annoying other prisoners]," she said. Dr Cassar confirmed the Sunday Herald Sun article formed part of the investigation and said after it was published corrections staff had conducted security assessments but kept Mokbel in the mainstream area of the prison. "We have strict procedures in place following articles like the one that appeared on Sunday in terms of welfare checks [and] security reassessments," she said. "All those processes were done. "Some of the information [in the article] was of interest to us. Was it a surprise? No." Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Dr Cassar did not detail what sort of weapons were used to stab Mokbel, but said prisoners went to great lengths to fashion shivs from everyday objects. "We've seen instances in the past where they use tree sticks, toothbrushes, hair combs and pens. Those are the type of implements that were used," she said. Premier Daniel Andrews said changes would be made to prison security if necessary. "It doesnt matter what we might feel about a particular person; we want our prisons to operate properly and that means they need to be safe for everybody involved, particularly staff," Mr Andrews said. "If changes need to be made, of course they will be." The second victim, 31, was taken to Geelong Hospital in a serious condition. He was in a stable condition on Tuesday morning. The relationship between Mokbel and the prisoner who came to his aid is unknown. Barwon Prison remains in lockdown. After the attack, Mokbel was flown to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious condition. He was conscious when he arrived and was seen shaking the hand of a paramedic who treated him as he was being wheeled in. But his condition deteriorated, with a hospital spokeswoman saying Mokbel was in a critical condition at 6.30pm. Tony Mokbel shakes the hand of a paramedic at Royal Melbourne Hospital. Credit:Nine News Footage of the aftermath of the stabbing showed paramedics and police gathered around a shirtless Mokbel who was lying on stretcher in a pair of shorts. Tony Mokbel being stretchered out of Barwon Prison. Credit:Nine News Mokbel was sentenced in 2012 to 30 years' prison for serious drug crimes. He must serve a minimum of 22 years. He is known for skipping bail and fleeing to Greece before he was due to face trial for trafficking amphetamines in March 2006. The drug baron spent about six months hiding at an associate's country property at Bonnie Doon in Victoria before he was moved to Western Australia. He was then smuggled out of Australia on a private yacht bound for Greece. After a massive manhunt he was arrested in Athens, wearing an ill-fitting wig, in June 2007 and extradited. Parents have rallied behind a Melbourne principal accused of dragging a primary school-aged pupil through a playground. Steve Warner, the principal of Manor Lakes P-12 College in Wyndham Vale, was stood down after video footage of the incident emerged last month. Almost 15,000 people had signed a petition calling on Victorian Education Minister James Merlino to reinstate Mr Warner by midday on Monday. Parent Mark England said the school community had written to federal and state ministers but the principal's fate remained uncertain. Logging off for today - thanks for joining us. Transport network is looking quite clear, but make sure you bring your brolly to work. The temperature is set to drop to about 14C with a burst of gusty wet weather this morning. There's even a chance we'll see snow on the alps later today. Stay tuned to the website for all today's action in Parliament, updates on Tony Mokbel, and Hakeem al-Araibi's return to Melbourne. Students at a Catholic girls' school claim they were left with inflamed, irritated and swollen eyes after they were forced to pull out eyelash extensions and remove make-up with antibacterial wipes. The incident took place at Mater Christi College in Belgrave in Victoria on February 4 when Year 11 and 12 students were told to remove their fake lashes ahead of school photos. They were allegedly threatened with suspension if they did not remove the lashes, and told they would miss out on being in photos. Fake lashes strewn on a school diary, which students at Mater Christi College in Belgrave were forced to remove. The schools uniform policy states that only minimal foundation and mascara are allowed. Parks & Rec board meets today The Estherville Parks & Recreation Board will meet Mon. Feb. 11, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers of city hall. The board will discuss the municipal pool project, including reviewing the V34 site plan, discussing bathhouse revisions, discussing fundraising and reviewing the timeline. The board will also discuss plans for pool use for the summer of 2019. The board will also review its annual report, rules of procedure, and water trails memorandum of agreement. A meeting is scheduled for Feb. 18 at 1:30 p.m. between Iowa State University and the board and parks and recreation staff. The board will also have an update on the pergola at Veterans Park. Supervisors to meet Tuesday The Emmet County Board of Supervisors will meet Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 9 a.m. in the board room of the Emmet County courthouse. The supervisors will appoint a trustee for Jack Creek township at 9:30. At 9:40, the supervisors will set a public hearing date for the fiscal year 2020 Emmet County budget. At 10:30, the supervisors will present Emmet County Employee Service Awards. At 10:45 Kevin Sander of Fitzgibbons Law Office will present a request for abatement of taxes for a property in Ringsted. The meeting is accessible. For further information call 712-362-4261. At 1 p.m., the Emmet County supervisors will have a joint meeting with the Palo Alto County supervisors at River Valley Cooperative in Graettinger. A confrontation over DJ equipment sold on Gumtree led to a father-of five being shot dead when a man and his two sons stormed an Oakleigh East unit carrying a sawn-off shotgun, a court has heard. Tony Panagiotou, 56, had admitted to police he shot Duane Hutchings with a sawn-off shotgun early on Saturday morning when he and others went to the Clayton Road unit to confront those he believed had robbed his 18-year-old son, Melbourne Magistrates Court heard on Monday. Duane Hutchings with his five children. Mr Hutchings, 44, died in hospital from a gunshot wound to the head. Mr Panagiotou and sons John, 18, and George, 22, separately appeared before the court, along with Jonathon Atalalis, 24. Detective Senior Constable Megan Adams said the group went to the unit believing DJ equipment that belonged to John Panagiotou was at the property and had been advertised on sales website Gumtree. A Queensland girl was playing outside her grandmother's house in Somalia when she was called inside, unaware she was about to have her genitals painfully mutilated, a court has heard. The Australian-born girl and her sister had only been in Somalia for a few days when their genitals were allegedly cut with their mother by their side in April 2015. Seven months later, when they arrived back in Australia and their bodies had healed, they reluctantly but courageously told police about their experiences. It has led to their mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, facing a trial in Brisbane District Court on female genital mutilation charges. Neither child knew what was planned for them, the court heard, and they were conscious during the procedures. A four-year-old girl who was rushed to hospital in a critical condition on Sunday after a two-car smash in Logan has improved but her baby brother's condition has worsened. The girl was listed as stable at the Queensland Children's Hospital on Monday morning but her infant brother, who was taken to the hospital in a serious condition, was critical but stable. Their mother, 30, was driving a Honda and turning across Chambers Flat Road into School Road in Park Ridge when the car was involved in a collision with an oncoming Subaru about 2.20pm. The girl suffered head injuries and the baby boy suffered chest injuries in the crash. Their mother was not hurt. A 25-year-old female passenger of the Subaru was taken to Logan Hospital with potential spinal injuries and the male driver, also 25, was not injured. A controversial planned development in the south Brisbane suburb of Nathan for 750 units in an industrial estate is expected to be rejected by Brisbane City Council. The 53 Fairlawn Street site had been the centre of community concern since a large-scale development application was submitted to the council in June 2017 for the nearly 70,000-square-metre site. The development wanted to see a new residential area move into a current industrial complex. The applicants had requested a change of use from industrial to residential, replacing a major vehicle distribution centre and warehouses with units, houses and retirement living about 10 kilometres from the Brisbane city centre. In its submission to the council, the applicants had sought approval for a rezoning to low-medium density residential, with about 750 units and building heights of up to four storeys. It seems that Morrison got the job because he is not Peter Dutton. - Mark Porter, New Lambton Opal response a start for tighter controls At first sight the governments response to the Opal Tower issue and other building irregularities looks promising (Biggest shake-up in building laws in our history February 11). But how will the new rules deal with the building company that is liquidated after each development only to be re-birthed like a phoenix the next day, or the director of that company who declares bankruptcy when challenged with fines and remediation costs? - Lin Sinton, Killarney Heights Brian Seidler, the executive director of the Master Builders Association, would do well to listen to public concern about MBA building consultants who fail to acknowledge structural defects and lack of fire ratings in their reports when provided with the evidence. This could go a long way to ensuring defective buildings dont slip through. The problems with defective buildings is a result of so many in the chain ignoring building laws and a lack of regulation around building consultants and inspectors engaged to identify the defects. When an association such as the MBA exists to protect its members then how much faith can the public have that the MBA is on the side of compliance rather than the builder? - Diana Buttigieg, Bondi Junction NSW has by far the most anachronistic legislative controls on builder accreditation in Australia. Our nations economic engine room clings to a decades old system that offers only one class of licence for building contractors and it only applies to residential building construction work. The 1970s-style regulations mean that a person who finishes a trade qualification in bricklaying or carpentry can become licensed to construct any size residential building project by completing a Certificate IV level course in building. While this level of training may be satisfactory for a two-storey brick veneer detached cottage it is irrelevant to the proper management of a project as complex as the Opal Tower. NSW should look to more progressive legislation where every building project, not just residential, requires professional builder accreditation and where all residential licensing is linked to higher levels of formal training and qualifications. - Brett Bates, Thirroul State building ministers announced a ban on flammable high-rise cladding products on Friday. Good on them ... except these products have already been banned for years under their existing building codes. We expect serious action from our leaders to a critical and life-threatening issue, addressing the systemic problems in the building industry from architects through to subcontractors. Try harder, ministers. - Ray Thompson, Randwick Refugee health is our responsibility The governments argument that the Medical Evacuation Bill will lead to hundreds, even 1000, of refugees being evacuated to Australia is counterintuitive (Shorten set to reverse course on medical bills, February 11). People on Manus Island and Nauru have been assessed as refugees and locked up in appalling conditions for up to six years. Under the circumstances, it would not be surprising that many are suffering distress and depression requiring immediate medical attention. But the government must accept responsibility for this state of affairs in that it has done little, if anything, to transfer these refugees out of these camps to Australia or other countries. The government cannot refuse to expedite medical care to refugees for whom it is responsible for their ill health due to its inaction in remediating their plight. - Renato Sburlati, Sans Souci Whatever Labor decides, the fact remains the deaths of 12 men on Manus and Nauru, and the current medical emergency, were caused by Australian governments illegally locking up innocent people seeking our protection on remote prison islands, many of them for over five years. The only way to make amends for this gross violation of their human rights is to bring them all to Australia as soon as possible for medical treatment. - Brendan Doyle, Wentworth Falls Boats, border controls, banks and billions of dollars to be spent on the French submarines: this line up of Bs in the next federal election battles would seem to augur well for Bill if he can balance the debate be aware of tax tolerances, twists and turns in tactics and toxic Tonys turnarounds. - Dale Dengate, Glebe Point Face coal facts I thought our courts based decisions on facts not on unproven hypotheses (Miners mocked climate sideshow now its become the main event, February 11). While there are many factors in the Gloucester decision the irony is that the coal in question here is coking coal, which means the climate change zealots not only want us to pay more for electricity but we will have to do without steel in the future. As water vapour is by far the most prevalent greenhouse gas be careful the next time you boil a kettle and I hope none of the good people of Gloucester run any cattle. - Ross Smyth-Kirk, Cremorne I wonder how long it will be before this decision will be seen as just plain stupid. - Les Brown, Wauchope Hard knock life I just cant believe it (Climate change drives no kids choice, February 11). People have been saying it for years for poor pigs and cows, now we are saying it for our little Chloes and Williams. Yeah life might get a bit rough, so because Im so kind and thoughtful, Ive decided it would be better for you not to exist at all. Gee Im so relieved my parents were so thoughtless and uncaring and gave me my life, with all its roughness. - Jeff Trout, Avoca Barking up wrong tree Having been to Iran recently, I can report that attempts at preventing Westernisation are not working (More bark than bite, February 11). Yes, women wear headscarfs, but more a la Sophia Loren than an acknowledgement of state rules. And they have skinny jeans and high heels nailed. I even saw high heels for children. Dog ownership will win out. Dogs spread joy and love unconditionally. Now who would want to ban something that does that? - Genevieve Milton, Newtown End the bloodshed No, Paul Duffill, it is not the Israeli settlements that are a barrier to peace in the region. It is corruption and lack of vision by the Palestinian Authority (Middle East Policy gap is a chasm, February 11). It is the continued support for violence: the practise of awarding martrydom and financial assistance to killers of innocent Israelis. During the 2018 summer, there were several attacks against innocent people in Jerusalem. Curiously, none of these incidents were reported in the Australian media. Millions donated by various international NGOs have paid for armaments and vicious anti-Israel propaganda for greatest impact, introduced to primary school students. Palestinians have to visit hospitals in west Jerusalem no money left in the kitty for vital services after those in power have lined their pockets. It is the failure by the Palestinian Authority to show leadership, vision and courage and to lead their people to a peaceful solution. Israel is not going away and the violence against its citizens only leads to more bloodshed. It is time to stop painting the Palestinians as victims there are choices in every action. Time to choose dialogue. - Adele Abraham, Bondi Long-standing persecution, and worse, of Jewish people was one of the reasons for the creation of Israel as a safe haven. It is not anti-Semitic to request Israel end its harsh treatment of Palestinians. Many people in Israel have memories of being similarly victimised in their own relatively recent history. Asking for the recognition of the right of both Israel and Palestine, equally, to secure statehood is clearly a prerequisite to an equitable and lasting solution. It can also only be in Australias long-term interests to uphold principles of justice and international law. - Peter Geelan-Small, Glebe Rage and fury Franking credits remain small beer (Letters, February 11). Ill be impressed when a party takes on their dubious disability parking permits. Then you will see true rage and fury. - John Simpson, Tapitallee Money trail Judy Adams (Letters, February 11) overlooks the fact that mortgage brokers are paid a hefty upfront commission then take a trailing commission for the life of the loan. A car dealer does not get a trailing commission from the car manufacturer, why are mortgage brokers different? - Lindsay Somerville, Lindfield They have your number In response to Keith Russell (Letters, February 11) the NBN spam calls are criminal and originate from India. They are made using VOIP and hence difficult to prevent. A very annoying intrusion which the Minister for Communications appears unable to rectify. - Tony Simons, Balmain Having the last word... Ive been waiting for someone like Benjamin Dreyer (Proper English its an act of resistance, February 11). O captain, my captain. - Pam Connor, Mollymook Beach I nominate phenomenal for word of the year (Letters, February 11). The younger generation have switched from awesome, recently heard three times in a sentence. - Robyn Hansen, Pennant Hills Pop has to be another favourite, rife among the medical professions when they ask us to pop up on the table or Im just going to pop a needle into your arm. - Elizabeth Maher, Bangor City of Sydney councillors have backed calls for an urgent NSW drug summit and supported a pill-testing demonstration in a bid to drive down the number of young people dying at music festivals. Five young people have died from suspected drug overdoses at music festivals in Australia since September, reigniting heated debate over whether pill-testing should be trialled at the events. Lord mayor Clover Moore has backed calls for a drug summit. Credit:AAP Premier Gladys Berejiklian has welcomed an inquest into those deaths but ruled out introducing a pill-testing trial in NSW, despite mounting pressure from medical experts and some state MPs. At a meeting on Monday night, City of Sydney councillors unanimously resolved to support proposals for a NSW drug summit, and to liaise with medical professionals who had expressed interest in running a drug-testing demonstration in the area. Former Australian Tax Office deputy commissioner Michael Cranston was trying to dissuade his son from becoming involved with the "wrong kind of people" in an allegedly incriminating phone call played to a jury, his lawyer said. Mr Cranston, a 40-year veteran of the Tax Office, is on trial in the NSW District Court, accused of dishonestly acting on the wishes of his son Adam Cranston to obtain and pass on information from within the ATO, and for using his senior clout to help arrange a meeting that would benefit his son. Michael Cranston was trying to dissuade his son from becoming involved with the "wrong kind of people", a jury has heard. Credit:Peter Rae The jury previously heard Mr Cranston enlisted the help of a subordinate, assistant commissioner Scott Burrows, to find out the nature of any audits being conducted against Simon Anquetil, a business associate of Adam Cranston. In a taped phone call in early 2017, Mr Cranston told his son the data he was seeking was in a "protected area" usually associated with organised crime. A part time social worker at Queanbeyan Hospital has successfully sued NSW Health for underpaid long service leave entitlements in a case her lawyer said could have implications for thousands of workers. Because when it came to defending the claim Australia's largest public health provider said the payment made to Gwen Bartlett was "based on a calculation that has been applied equally across NSW Health". Gwen Bartlett and her husband Michael at home. Credit:Dion Georgopoulos "In other words, the payment calculation is no different to that received by anyone else in the NSW Health Service," the defence said. NSW Health lost the suit and has paid Ms Bartlett the money she is owed. It has also now denied any broader implications arising from the suit. The Estherville Lincoln Central School Board meets today, starting at 5:10 p.m. with a public hearing on the demolition of the south part of the Roosevelt school building. Plans for the demolition include removing the south building and associated secondary buildings, site structures, pavements within scope areas and foundations of all removed structures. It will also be re-graded and landscaped. Also, an underground fuel tank will be removed. The existing boiler room will be maintained with structural shoring/bracing and in-fill provided to protect utility services serving the boiler room. The school board will consider approving the demolition plans during the regular meeting, which follows the public hearing at 5:15. Also during the regular meeting, the board will consider approving the consent agenda, which includes minutes from the January board meeting, the bills and the hiring of Christina Dunlavy as district nurse. The board will also review finance reports. Daniel Dekker and Kristine Devereaux, CPAs from Williams and Company, P.C., will present the 2018 audit report. Highlight for the evening is the FFA program. School principals and other administrators will each give their monthly reports to the board. Under action items, the board will be updated on high school math curriculum by the high school math team. The board will consider setting the public hearing for the 2019-20 published budget for 5:05 p.m. at its March 11 meeting. The board also will consider setting a public hearing on the proposed 2019-20 school calendar for 5:10 p.m. The board will consider approving a budget guarantee resolution for the 2019-20 school year. Maloon said Eureka Stockade, installed in Kambri's Cultural Centre, was conservatively valued at $1.8 million. The Reserve Bank of Australia has made a gift of the mural to the ANU, it was announced on Monday during the opening of the university's new Kambri precinct, replacing Union Court. Staff from Abode Restoration and International Conservation Service install Sidney Nolan's Eureka Stockade in the Cultural Centre in ANU's new Kambri precinct. Credit:Lannon Harley/ANU That's how Australian National University Drill Hall Gallery & University Art Collection director Terence Maloon described Sidney Nolan's mural Eureka Stockade (commissioned by the Reserve Bank of Australia in 1962, completed in 1966). Eureka Stockade was commissioned during the period when H.C. "Nugget" Coombs was the RBA's governor (1960-68) and was located in the bank's main Melbourne building, which was sold in 2018. The new premises were too small to accommodate the mural. Maloon said Eureka Stockade, a depiction of the 1854 rebellion of gold miners in Ballarat, was 20 metres wide and 3.8 metres high. Nolan created it using a mosaic of nine copperplate panels nicked with nitric acid. He then applied jewellers' enamel with the help of two expert British enamellists, Robin Banks and Patrick Furse. "It does sit in a very significant way in the history of Australian art," Maloon said. The style, he said, anticipated the work of later artists such as Imants Tillers (born in 1950). ANU Director of major projects Robert Hitchcock in the new Kambri hub. Credit:Karleen Minney Before you start your day, sit down with a coffee and catch up on what's making news in Canberra today: There is a total fire ban in place across the capital today, with the temperature expected to hit 31 degrees. The total fire ban is in place as a result of the combination of gusty wind conditions and low humidity, which means if a fire starts, it may become uncontrollable and move quickly. Let's all hope it doesn't come to that. The ANU has promised to put live music back at the heart of campus life, unveiling its new cultural precinct, Kambri. The ANU pub, once home to acts from Nirvana to Nick Cave, was controversially torn down during the $260 million dollar redevelopment of Union Court to make way for three new bars, a cinema, pool and a large concert venue. But the university, which opened Kambri with a free concert, hopes to regain a reputation for being Canberra's home of live music. Sherryn Groch has all the details here. 'Great to be a part of it': Canberrans invest $1 million in solar farm Vegan dining has a gender bias, clearly. There are way more girls than boys at the all-vegan Paperbark in Waterloo. Whether that worries any blokes out there (uh oh, girly food), depends on where you park your concept of masculinity. Mine is flexible, driven by greed and self-interest. You have to have some guiding principles in your life. Besides, this is next-level vegan: balanced, punchy, crunchy and actually built on the inherent beauty of vegetables, with Indigenous ingredients adding colour, contrast and character. Cauliflower, radicchio, cabbage at Paperbark, a vegan restaurant in Waterloo's Casba precinct in Sydney. Credit:Anna Kucera A co-production of the unstoppable Grace Watson and Joe Pagliaro of plant-based restaurant group Verd, and Joey Astorga and Hellene Algie of the Alfie's Kitchen pop-ups, Paperbark landed in Waterloo's Casba precinct last June. There's an almost beach-house feel to the dog-leg space with its recycled timbers, whitewashed walls, rampant greenery, back-wall banquette, and the striking, sprawling wooden sculpture across one wall. Bread is Iggy's, and bar snacks are moreish, from a mad frizz of crisp chips poking out of a smoky eggplant and pepperberry dip to salt and vinegar churros, fashioned from mashed and roasted potato, and topped with freeze-dried sherry vinegar, aioli and sea blight. Astorga and his kitchen team, Lucy Holm, Meisha Gerrand and Victoria Scriven, build in richness through infused olive oils, and layer in umami through slow-roasting, marinating and fermenting, always pulling things back into balance with acidity. Beetroot is practically caramelised, laid over a lovely lemon aspen cream and scattered with ice plant and sea blight for a sea-salty crunch. The Insta-princess dish of organic mushrooms skewered onto twigs, charred over paperbark and served with macadamia cream, is utterly delicious. Every awards red carpet is known for a quality that can often be summed up in one word. Golden Globes? Colour. Oscars? Glamour. VMAs? Batshit crazy. Then you have the BAFTAs (bland) and the Grammys (wild), and they happen on the same night each year. Hair change ... Cate Blanchett arrived at the BAFTAs with a new dye job. Credit:EPA Interestingly, the 2019 BAFTAs, held on Sunday night, London time, were not as boring as in past years (thanks, Cate Blanchett for changing your hair to brunette). There was a proliferation of power suits (courtesy of model Irina Shaik, and actors Timothee Chalamet and Letitia Wright) and just enough frou to keep our attention for more than five minutes (Margot Robbie in Chanel was a standout). Honolulu: US officials are warning about severe surf and winds in Hawaii as a winter storm hits the state. Hawaii News Now reported that the surf was forecast to reach 18 metres (60 feet) on Sunday. Residents on Oahu's North Shore were told to be ready to evacuate. US officials are warning about severe surf and winds on Oahu's North Shore as a winter storm hits Hawaii. Credit:Shutterstock The National Weather Service said wind gusts reached 64km/h in some areas, and authorities said residents should be prepared for coastal flooding. A snowstorm has paralysed much of the US Northwest, and meteorologists have forecast another storm for early this week. It suited his audience too, who were mainly pushing towards Rice's age of 45 and not averse to the benefits of a cushioned seat and pitch-perfect acoustics. You're probably unlikely ever to be dancing at a Damien Rice gig, so the Melbourne Recital Centre seemed a good fit for his melancholic ballads. The Irish musician began his set in total darkness with the venue lights off, singing his aching song Grey Room unamplified, forcing the crowd to sit back and focus purely on his voice and music. When the lights came on there was Rice standing alone on stage with just some moody lighting and smoke. Rice had already played a matinee gig earlier in the day and he told the sold-out crowd "the aim of tonight is I'm not allowed to play any songs from the afternoon shows". The result was a free-wheeling set that included plenty of requests called out by the crowd even obscure ones like the momentous wall of sound that is Insane. "It's B sides and unreleased material tonight," he joked. "Is Melbourne a kind of music geek place? Splendid." Stevedoring company DP World's decision to sack a worker for drinking alcohol on the job was inconsistent with its decision to give another employee, who was the son of a high-ranking Maritime Union of Australia official, a second chance. A Fair Work Commission decision released on Monday found DP World was justified in sacking a Sydney worker with a previously unblemished record stretching 23 years but its decision to give the son of a union official a second chance demonstrated an "it's not what you know, but who you know" approach to its alcohol policy. A stevedore who drank tins of Wild Turkey on the job was found to be fairly sacked. Credit:Glenn Hunt The Fair Work Commission found that a stevedore was fairly sacked after he drank at least four tins of Wild Turkey bourbon in half an hour before he considered taking his own life at work on his birthday. However, the Commission found DP World "have not implemented a fair and transparent system of enforcing" its drug and alcohol policy. US equities fluctuated at the start of a week that could be pivotal for global trade, while lawmakers in Washington continue to negotiate a contentious spending bill. The dollar strengthened for an eighth day, and 10-year Treasuries fell. The S&P 500 came off session lows on Monday afternoon as a faltering communication services sector was countered by a gain in industrials driven by railroad shares. Health-care stocks - including UnitedHealth, Pfizer and Merck - weighed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The S&P 500 came off session lows on Monday afternoon. Credit:AP The S&P 500 Index was down less than 0.05 per cent as of 3.06pm New York time while the Nasdaq 100 declined 0.1 per cent and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3 per cent. Stocks are coming off a lacklustre week, with investors awaiting high-level US-China trade talks. The threat of a shutdown in Washington is also in focus, as political tensions flare between Congress and the President. Volumes have been lower than average all session, and some investors may be sitting on the sidelines waiting for more potent market catalysts to emerge. Rochelle Dryden and her husband Ben arrived at the luxury hotel they had booked in South Africa, jet-lagged but "ecstatic" to be on their honeymoon, only to discover their booking had been cancelled 18 hours earlier. "I honestly sat there crying at one stage because I was so frustrated," she said. Rochelle and Ben Dryden, who arrived at Cape Grace Hotel in South Africa to discover their booking had been cancelled by HotelQuickly. Ms Dryden had booked their December stay at the Cape Grace hotel in Cape Town through HotelQuickly, a booking website based in Hong Kong that has since ceased operating and has been subject to numerous complaints from customers in Australia and overseas. In December, the NSW Department of Fair Trading received 12 complaints about the company. House and land developer AV Jennings has blamed political uncertainty, "sensationalist" media coverage of the housing outlook and a relatively sudden slowdown in bank lending for a 90 per cent plunge in profits. The developer, which sells house and land lots in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia, reported profit of $1.421 million for the half year to December 31, down from $15.482 million in the previous corresponding period. House and land sales have slumped. Credit:Rob Homer The stock, which had risen 7.6 per cent this year, lost as much as 8 per cent in early trade - its biggest intraday percentage fall in more than six years - to 52. Shares closed down 3.54 per cent to 54. The company believes that confidence is being suppressed by a combination of political uncertainty (especially federal tax policy), sensationalist press commentary about the outlook for residential markets and the relatively sudden tapering of residential property lending appetite of banks, company directors told shareholders. DES MOINES The Estherville News placed first in Government and Politics reporting for weekly newspaper class in the Iowa Newspaper Association awards, presented Friday in Des Moines. Staff writer Amy H. Petersons coverage of the rendering plant odor, an issue that wore on for months, was the winning entry. Judges were members of the Indiana Newspaper Association. The judges comments in awarding Estherville News first place touted the graphic that tracked the location of each odor complaint that came in to the Emmet County Assessors Office. The judges said, Impressive coverage of an ongoing news story on odor caused by a rendering plant. A front-page graphic showed readers exactly where complaints were coming from. Coverage also included [citizens] voices in meeting coverage. Great example of local issues coverage. The prizes for government and politics reporting all went to area newspapers. The Dickinson County News earned second place, and the Storm Lake Pilot-Tribune earned third place in the category. The Iowa Better Newspaper Contests are sponsored by the Iowa Newspaper Foundation. Entries for the 2019 prizes covered work published between Oct. 1, 2017 and Sept. 30, 2018. Australian manufacturing giant Amcor is in "advanced discussions" with regulators in the United States, Brazil and Europe to secure approvals for a multibillion-dollar buyout of a major American rival after the original time-frame blew out due to the US government shutdown. Amcor, a $16 billion packaging manufacturer, had initially hoped to complete its $9 billion all-stock buyout of Wisconsin-based Bemis by the first quarter of 2019 a combination that would make Amcor the largest plastic packaging company in the world. But the expected date was pushed back to the second quarter of 2019 due to regulatory delays caused by the partial US government shutdown. Amcor is poised to become the world's largest flexible plastic packaging manufacturer. The shutdown, affecting nine federal departments and hundreds of thousands of employees, came amid deadlocked negotiations over funding for US President Donald Trump's proposed border wall with Mexico. Amcor on Monday told investors the process of securing required antitrust clearances and other regulatory consents in all jurisdictions had "either been completed or is progressing in line with expectations". A former Sydney trader at Deutsche Bank has been spared jail time after he created false entries in the bank's internal records which inflated his profits by millions of dollars and masked his trading losses. Andrew David Donaldson, 51, faced the NSW District Court on Monday after pleading guilty to a charge of using his position dishonestly to gain an advantage between mid-2013 and mid-2014. Judge Garry Neilson convicted him and sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment but ordered he be released under a recognisance order requiring a $10,000 security and two years of good behaviour. The court heard Donaldson, a foreign exchange spot trader at Deutsche, created a number of false internal entries which in 2013 inflated his profits by almost 10 million euros. His profit and loss account showed a profit of 21.3 million euros when his true profit was just over 11.5 million euros. Interested in back issues of Estes Park News? Check out our Virtual E-Edition Archives and enjoy some of our previous content. Take Me to the Virtual Archives To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The city has had its chance to do something about Staten Islands burgeoning deer population. But the deer vasectomy program doesnt seem to have turned the trick. Thats not stopping the city, though. City Hall recently announced that it wants to extend the deer vasectomy program for another five years, at an estimated cost of $2.5 million. I say estimated cost because the initial, three-year deer vasectomy effort, which ended this past January, was supposed to cost $3.3 million. It ended up costing $4.1 million. And just 7.6 percent of the money spent went toward the actual material needed to lure and snip the male deer. A lot of money went to pay the folks carrying out the program. Some of the scientists got six-figure salaries for their work. One took home $375,000 for less than 150 days of toil. None of which wed quibble with (much) if we thought that the program was working. But at least anecdotal evidence continues to say otherwise. Staten Islanders still regularly report seeing deer everywhere. Just the other week, an acquaintance of mine on the North Shore told me that she regularly has eight deer hanging out in her backyard. A passenger riding in my car with me recently saw a deer not too far from the roadway at the corner of Broad Street and Van Duzer Street, in a wooded area thats attached to the Serpentine Commons park. Keep your eyes peeled as you drive through the Greenbelt. Youre bound to see a deer or two (or three or four) casually feeding near the side of the road. Its not just anecdotal evidence that says the deer problem isnt improving. The NYPD said that deer-vehicle collisions continued on an upward trend last year. The city has disputed the numbers. In fairness to City Hall and to the White Buffalo firm that carried out the initial vasectomy program, people are reporting seeing a lot of tagged male deer, meaning that those deer have been snipped as part of the program. So maybe well soon see that decrease in the population. We were told from the beginning that this process would take time. I have my doubts, though. New deer are probably arriving the same way the old deer did: By swimming across the Arthur Kill. You can keep snipping. Theyre just going to keep coming. So, yes, well need a program to reduce their numbers. But the program might not work in the end because its not a stable population of male deer. And one male can impregnate any number of females. Thats why other deer population-control programs have targeted females. New York City decided to go a different way. Borough President James Oddo has had another idea: Lets talk about having a controlled hunt in order to keep the population down. Hunting of any kind is illegal in the five boroughs, but a cull carried out by professionals could theoretically be arranged if federal, state and city officials were on board. There was movement toward looking at a cull in 2015, but nothing came of it. Among the problems was how the NYPD would cordon off green space here for a hunt. On top of that, officials may not have all been on the same page. De Blasio has said he wouldnt rule out a cull if other methods fail, but City Hall is deeply vested in the vasectomy program. Its hard to see de Blasio reversing himself and supporting a hunt. The next update on the borough deer population is due this spring. The city has already declared that the numbers were down in 2018 compared to 2017, but its nearly impossible to independently verify that. We have no proof but their word. So it looks like the vasectomy program will continue. And my guess is that Islanders will continue seeing deer wherever they look. Wheres the progress? STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Residents of New York Citys Housing Authority New Lane Senior Housing in Rosebank have been without cooking gas since last Friday and NYCHA has reportedly not yet begun repairs. Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R/ Staten Island/Brooklyn) and Chuck Ayr, president of the Residents Association at New Lane Senior Housing are calling on the city to speed the process up that is leaving 28 senior citizens without a basic necessity. This New York City housing development is for senior citizens, many of whom have mobility or health issues. To leave these residents for nearly two months without gas would be outrageous and insensitive, Malliotakis said. Repairs could take six to eight weeks and residents were given hot plates for the time being, however many are either unaware of how to use them or are afraid of getting hurt. There is no reason why the repairs should take so long and to say its because it will take a while to obtain permits from another city agency is bureaucracy at its worst. These two agencies need to cut the red tape and swiftly work together to speed up the process and get the cooking gas restored as soon as possible, Malliotakis said. Seniors have also become worried of the long-term problem while using the hot plates that it will inevitably hike up their electric prices, something that is not included with their monthly rent like gas. I have seniors coming to me crying because they know they are going to be left without gas once again for more than eight weeks, as they were last year when this happened. They are afraid of using the hot plates given to them by the building's management. All of these seniors live on a fixed income and they cannot afford a high electric bill. The expenses of cooking gas are included in their monthly rent, but the electric is not. This is going to be a financial burden on them, Chuck Ayr said. Residents that spoke to the Advance last year, were without heat for 2 to 5 hours while NYCHA worked to fix the problem. A spokesperson for NYCHA commented by saying that gas service interruptions and restoration work are a matter of public safety. The gas service interruption affecting 27 apartments at New Lane Area as of Feb. 1 is related to a valve issue. The gas service restoration process includes shutting off the gas service, conducting an asbestos test (and abatement if present), making necessary repairs, and inspection by the Department of Buildings in order to safely restore service, the spokesperson said. NYCHA said that the interruption is for cooking gas only and is unrelated to heat or hot water service. Staff will provide residents with regular progress reports. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It takes patience and time to craft a race car suitable for a pinewood derby. More than 100 Cub Scouts from across Staten Island showed off their hard work, as they raced their handcrafted cars at The Boy Scouts of America Pinewood Derby on Sunday. The annual racing event for Cub Scouts, ages 5 to 10 years old, was held at the Staten Island Mall in New Springville. The event encourages scouts to partner with a parent, grandparent or adult mentor to craft their own unique race car using a kit of a block of wood, four nails and four wheels. Each car goes through a process of elimination, facing every car in their age group to ensure the race is fair. First, second and third place winners from each grade were awarded trophies and will compete at the citywide finals held in Times Square in June. It helps the scouts to take ownership of the project and to learn woodworking skills, which we think is fairly important, said Caleb Caldwell, district executive for BSA Greater New York. They learn how to cut it, sand it and get comfortable around tools. It lets them be creative, and theres a physics component too. Last year was the first year that female Cub Scouts were able to participate in the pinewood derby. Nine female Cub Scouts competed with their handcrafted race cars this year. Boy Scouts of America also welcomed Staten Islands first all-girls Scout troops this month. To ensure inclusivity, BSA made the announcement last year that it would drop the name boy from its flagship program in an effort to welcome girls into its Scouting programs. The name change from Boy Scouts to Scouts BSA, which includes kids ages 11 to 17, became official this month. The Island-wide winners are: Lion 1st Place: Michael Moreno, Pack 37 2nd Place: Louis Garone, Pack 27 3rd Place: Nicholas Franchina, Pack 8 Tiger 1st Place: Rick Berman, Pack 88 2nd Place: Louis Seggio, Pack 5 3rd Place: Evan Cappellino, Pack 132 Wolf 1st Place: Anthony Castoro, Pack 160 2nd Place: Matthew Prisco, Pack 6 3rd Place: Angelo Vento, Pack 26 Bear 1st Place: Steven Maglio, Pack 222 2nd Place: Eric Craven, Pack 27 3rd Place: Derek Koutras, Pack 2 Jr. Webelos 1st Place: Matthew Callichio, Pack 6 2nd Place: Dylan Collins, Pack 8 3rd Place: Daoud Nejumi, Pack 24 Sr. Webelos 1st Place: Nicholas Chilson, Pack 6 2nd Place: James Conroy, Pack 160 3rd Place: Bryan Chang, Pack 150 FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Decrying a felons three-decades-old criminal history, a prosecutor Monday implored a justice to sentence the defendant to the maximum of seven years for slashing a victim last Valentines Day in Stapleton. Hes been menacing the people of Staten Island for the last 29 years, Assistant District Attorney Brooke Baranoski said at Isaac Moores sentencing. (This) was an unprovoked attack. Not once has the defendant shown remorse. This defendant deserves nothing less than the maximum sentence. Justice William E. Garnett agreed. Citing Moores criminal record which, he said, includes three felony and 33 misdemeanor convictions resulting in about 12-and-a-half years of prison sentences, the judge hit Moore with the maximum. He sentenced the Stapleton resident to seven years in prison, plus five years post-release supervision for second-degree assault and to 42 months to seven years behind bars for third-degree criminal weapon possession. The sentences will run concurrently. In November, a jury in state Supreme Court, St. George, convicted the defendant of those charges stemming from the Feb. 14, 2018 attack. According to a criminal complaint and a law-enforcement source, Moore and the victim, who were acquaintances, became embroiled in a verbal disagreement at about 5:40 p.m. at Gordon and Broad streets. The dispute escalated, and Moore took out a razor blade and sliced the victims neck, the complaint said. The victim suffered lacerations which required stitches, said the complaint. It was an unprovoked attack, said Baranoski, who prosecuted the case along with Assistant District Attorney Gaetano Parrinello. Defense lawyer John Poppe asked Garnett to give Moore, deemed a second-felony offender for sentencing purposes, the minimum of three years behind bars. In any case, he said the sentence should not exceed the four years prosecutors had offered Moore to plead guilty before trial. The defendant rejected the offer. He did not testify at trial. Poppe said no new facts had emerged during the trial which would require a higher sentence. In addition, cops said Moore was high on PCP, a mind-altering drug, when the incident occurred, said the lawyer. The bespectacled defendant was garbed Monday in a brown jacket and tan pants. He declined to make a statement before Garnett imposed sentence. Afterward, Poppe declined comment outside court. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The Cargo Cafe, the popular restaurant and bar on Bay Street in St. George which just re-opened Friday after several days of renovations, was damaged in a fire early Monday morning. Our hard work has gone up in smoke, said owner Edward Gomez. We just did a whole major renovation. Gomez said it was too early to tell the extent of the damages and whether the restaurant would have to be temporarily closed. He was at the Cargo on Monday morning waiting for the FDNY fire marshals to arrive. He said that no one was in the restaurant when the fire erupted. The all-hands blaze battled by about 60 firefighters and EMS personnel and 12 units initially was called at 5:19 a.m. as a dumpster fire at the restaurant at 120 Bay St., according to a spokeswoman for the FDNY. The fire extended to the roof of the about 100-by-40-foot commercial building before it was brought under control at 5:59 a.m. without any injuries, according to the spokeswoman. Smoke and water damage could be seen inside the cafe. The back exterior of the restaurant was charred. The Cargo was closed for several days last week for renovations, as artist Scott LoBaido created a brand new look for Gomez. LoBaido has created Cargos distinctive murals for about three decades The restaurant had its grand re-opening on Friday. Gomez owns several popular eateries on Staten Island, and is not a stranger to restaurant fires. Earlier this year, his Da Noi restaurant in Fort Wadsworth was damaged in a blaze. His Manhattan Da Noi location, which was sold last year, was also damaged by fires. LoBaidos previous paint jobs at the Cargo have included a secret code, neon colors, amphibians, eerie eyeballs, aluminum foil, artist-eating birds and bugs. The artist described last weeks transformation as traditional, eccentric, surreal, bizarre Cargo makeover. Service has resumed on the S42 and S52 bus lines following a disruption due to FDNY activity on Bay Street and Slosson Terrace, according to the MTA. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Drug dealers are killers. And now, for the first time in New York City, one of them was held legally responsible for selling drugs to an addict who died from an overdose. Stephen Cummings, a 33-year-old, was accused of manslaughter and other charges for selling the drugs in a fatal overdose and was sentenced Friday, under a plea agreement, to concurrent prison terms of two to six years for second-degree manslaughter and to five years, plus two years supervised release, for third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. Justice Mario F. Mattei laced into Cummings before the sentencing: Your greed knows no bounds. They say there is no honor among thieves. You can now say theres no conscience among drug dealers." McMAHONS INITIATIVES The case is another example of the encouraging initiatives spearheaded by Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon. True, the drug-taker holds significant responsibility for the results of his or her addiction and not seeking treatment. But in this case, the dealer knew he was selling potentially deadly dope. He reportedly boasted about how powerful it was. The D.A.'s action in this case was the result of prosecutors being able to directly tie a fatal overdose to the drugs sold by Cummings. The judge explained prosecutors based the manslaughter charge on the theory that Cummings recklessly caused another persons death. Under state law, a person acts recklessly when he consciously disregards a "substantial and unjustifiable risk." Prosecutors took the groundbreaking action because Cummings, known as EZ, had warned the 52-year-old victim, Richard Zeifert, about the strength and potency of the drugs he was buying, yet still sold him the narcotics. Lab tests showed the bag contained a mixture of fentanyl, cocaine and heroin. Cummings sold him one bag and hours later Zeiferts lifeless body was found inside a Graniteville apartment on Dec. 23, 2016. A small, empty glassine bag stamped kiss me was next to him. Dealers name and stamp the various supplies of drugs and thats a key piece of evidence that helps connect an OD to a particular dealer. This case is the result of the district attorneys Overdose Response Initiative, a strategy that classifies overdoses a crime scene, allowing law enforcement to collect evidence, like cell phones, glassine envelopes that contained the drug and other items that will help prosecutors track down the dealers. The initiative has lead to a number of major drug busts and the Cummings case is a perfect example of how the D.A.s strategy can hold dealers responsible for someones death. Prosecutors said telephone wiretaps presented to the grand jury caught Cummings discussing the potency of his drugs. He said ingesting too much could cause death -- so he knew the danger ahead of time. Cummings said he initially didnt want to give him the narcotics because of its strength, but Zeifert insisted, court papers said. Like all drug dealers, the sale was more important than life itself. We hope that this ground-breaking case will have two important outcomes: One sending a blaring message to drug dealers who continue to peddle potentially fatal poison and the other resulting in more cases like this one where dealers are held responsible for the deadly commodity they peddle. Prosecutors said Cummings was the first person charged in the five boroughs with second-degree manslaughter for supplying drugs that caused a fatal overdose. Suffolk County prosecutors were the first in the state to file such charges. Today, 11th February, is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Today, like every other day at the ESRF, women participate in enabling the scientific progress that takes place in our institute. Meet Isabelle, Sandrine, Marie, Anne-Lise and Blanka, five of our women engineers. Today, their work is closely related to the Extremely Brilliant Source, or EBS, the worlds first high-energy 4th generation synchrotron under construction at the ESRF. The inside of the storage ring tunnel is unrecognisable. In the short space of time since dismantling started in January, cables and cooling circuits have been disconnected and removed, and the girders and vacuum chambers lifted out. Its a busy scene and the hundreds of different tasks involved in the dismantling is organised with almost military precision. The woman conducting the troops is Isabelle Leconte, a job she shares with colleague Pascal Renaud. Isabelle was originally trained in chemical engineering before specialising in vacuum and cryogenic techniques. She joined the ESRF vacuum group in 1991. After 20 years developing her skills in this area, she moved to the operation group to coordinate the maintenance works during shutdown periods and follow-up machine operation and reliability. Since October last year, she has been assigned 100% to the dismantling of EBS. Isabelle Leconte (left) and Sandrine Rigotti inside the original storage ring tunnel. ESRF/S.Cande Ive always worked in a predominantly masculine environment and its one that suits me well. I really enjoy the hands-on part of the job. Its a great way of learning new skills on a daily basis and, for me, its been the best way to build solid work relations and team spirit. Further inside the tunnel, we reach one of the cells that houses the radio-frequency cavities. These large copper vessels boost the energy of the electrons at each turn in the storage ring. Sandrine Rigotti, from the ESRFs Buildings and Infrastructure group, is working with external contractors to install a new waveguide network for the radio-frequency system. Sandrine studied civil engineering in Grenoble and holds a Masters in construction engineering and management. Its not a problem to be the only woman in the team. We discuss, the work gets done, simply and respectfully. Adjacent to the storage ring tunnel, the Chartreuse experimental hall is currently housing some of the girders, mounted with the different magnets, vacuum chambers and diagnostics devices that make up EBS. Marie Spitoni joined the ESRF in August 2018 after a PhD thesis on fluvial geomorphology. As a metrology engineer specialising in topography and geomatics, she spent the last couple of years studying the water flow, channel shape and underlying earth of French rivers to assess their state of health. So how does her experience relate to her new position as metrology engineer at the ESRF? Marie is involved in the ultra-precise alignment of EBS, which means each element has to be aligned to within 50 m of each other, over a distance of almost 1 km. Her work also involves anticipating future deformations of the storage ring linked to the geological environment of the ESRF and setting up protocols to counter eventual alignment issues. The ESRF brings together all the aspects that I sought when entering the field of metrology: plenty of field work, being part of a team and a wide scope of tasks. I also like having to work with the constraint of extremely low tolerances on our measurements and at the ESRF everything is very precision-sensitive. Marie Spitoni prepares the alignment tools on the pre-mounted girders for EBS. ESRF/S. Cande Anne-Lise Buisson on ID29, one of the four new flagship beamlines of EBS. ESRF/S. Cande In parallel to the construction and installation of EBS, the ESRF is also building four new flagship beamlines designed to exploit the enhanced properties of the source, which will complement the ESRFs already extensive beamline portfolio. Anne-Lise Buisson is currently working on two mechanical engineering projects for BM18 and ID29, two of the new beamlines that will be built as part of the facility upgrade related to EBS. Both projects involve the motorisation and movement of either mirrors or lenses used to focus the light beam. The two projects are different in that one beamline studies very small samples of around 0.5m, while on the other we are looking at large samples, fossils for example, that can reach sizes up to about 2 metres. There are many constraints to take into consideration, for example the high precision to which the beam must be focussed, the ultra-high vacuum environment, the heating of the motorised elements, and also the confined space available in which to fit the device. It makes for challenging and mind-stretching projects! On top of the four new beamlines being built for EBS, the ESRF is pursuing its continuous improvement of the facility by refurbishing existing beamlines to prepare them to better exploit the new performances of the source. Blanka Detlefs inside the experimental hutch of ID26. ESRF/S. Cande Blanka Detlefs trained as a scientist before turning towards beamline instrumentation as Beamline Operations Manager on ID26 and ID20. During operation, she spends most of her time working with both scientists and technical staff, making sure the experiments work and acting as local contact for the different user groups. With the 20-month shutdown, her tasks have changed. Since the shutdown, Ive had more time to work on instrumentation, and to prepare a bigger beamline project: the refurbishment of the ID26 optics for operation with EBS. We will be installing a new monochromator and we need to think through the different options of how to integrate it into the existing optics while improving the performances of the beamline. Text by Kirstin Colvin STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Police released additional photos of an individual sought for questioning in connection to a January chain grab that occurred in Mariners Harbor. An unidentified male ripped the chain off a 14-year-old boys neck near the intersection of Briarwood Road and Amador Street around 4:20 p.m. on Jan. 9, according to a written statement from the NYPD. Cops said the chain had a gold Jesus pendant, and is valued at approximately $1,000. The alleged thief fled the scene in a dark-colored, four-door sedan, and was seen wearing a black jumpsuit and a red jacket with fur trim, according to police. A police spokesman said there was no apparent altercation before the theft, describing it as a snatch-and-grab. Police could not provide an approximate age for the individual sought for questioning, but described him as a Hispanic male, approximately 5 feet 10 inches with a thin build. Police provided photos taken from surveillance footage in the area of the individual sought and the car he fled in. Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, on Twitter @NYPDTips or by texting tips to 274637(CRIMES) then entering TIP577. All calls are kept strictly confidential. Page Content The California Supreme Court recently ruled that ADPand other third-party payroll service providerscan't be held liable for claims of wage and hour violations against the employers that use their services. A woman sued her former employer for a variety of employment-related claims and later added ADP to the complaint, asserting claims for failure to pay wages and overtime premiums in a timely manner and provide accurate wage statements. The California Court of Appeal found that a payroll service provider can't be held liable under the state labor code for improper wage payments, but it allowed the employee in the case to sue ADP for breach of contract and negligence. The California Supreme Court, however, reversed the appellate court's ruling on the breach of contract and negligence claims. "There is a lot to digest in this thorough opinion, but this seems to be a complete win for the payroll companies," said Bill Nolan, an attorney with Barnes & Thornburg in Columbus, Ohio. "The California Supreme Court put a stop to the rampant expansion of claims made by plaintiffs under the California Labor Code and related statutes," said Grant Alexander, an attorney with Alston & Bird in Los Angeles. The court made it clear that while employers are expected to comply with the labor code's wage and hour requirements, a third party that is indirectly involved in issuing paychecks can't also be held liable. Employees already have a full opportunity to recover damages for alleged wage and hour violations from their employers, so expanding the pool of liability to include third-party service providers is unnecessary, Alexander noted. Breach of Contract The employer in this case entered into a contract with ADP to provide payroll services. Although the employee was not a party to the contract, a third-party beneficiary can sue for breach of contract in certain situations. [SHRM members-only resource: California Labor and Employment Law Overview] Under the California Civil Code, "a contract, made expressly for the benefit of a third person, may be enforced by him at any time before the parties thereto rescind it." The appellate court found that the employee in this case was a beneficiary of the contract and therefore could sue ADP for breach of contract related to proper wage payments and accurate earnings statements. But the state high court disagreed. Even though a contract between an employer and a payroll company will generally benefit employees with regard to the wages they receive, the purpose of the contract isn't to benefit the employees, the court said. Rather, the motivating purpose of the contract is to benefit the employer by having the service provider administer payroll. "[P]ermitting each employee to name the payroll company as an additional defendant in any wage and hour lawsuit an employee may pursue would impose considerable litigation defense costs on the payroll company that inevitably would be passed on to the employer through an increased cost of the payroll company's services," wrote Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye for the court. Negligence Claims The California Supreme Court also said that holding a third-party payroll service provider, such as ADP, liable for negligence because of the employer's alleged wage and hour violations is against public policy. "The court noted that employees are already fully protected by the rights they have against their employers under the wage and hour laws, which is a very practical point that it seems hard to dispute," Nolan said. The court also seemed to recognize that wage and hour litigation in California is already very challenging for employers, he noted. The court said that holding payroll companies liable for such claims would likely "add an unnecessary and potentially burdensome complication to California's increasing volume of wage and hour litigation." The case is Goonewardene v. ADP LLC, Cal., No. S238941 (Feb. 7, 2019). Page Content As a management-side employment lawyer, I observed firsthand the obstacles faced by job applicants with criminal pasts. Whether or not employers ask applicants to "check the box" on application forms to indicate they have a criminal history, a great many employers conduct criminal-background checks. In the era of online searches, available information about an applicant's criminal history goes well beyond felony convictions. When information surfaces that an applicant has a criminal pastregardless of how much time has elapsed since the crime, the nature of the offense or other circumstancesemployers and HR professionals tend to reject the applicant. Why? Because the employer and HR professional may be held liable if that new employee subsequently causes trouble. This risk aversion is understandable but regrettable. Employees with criminal pasts are no more likely to misbehave, perform poorly or create a liability risk than other workers. And in a tight labor market, employers can't afford to automatically eliminate from consideration the nearly 700,000 men and women who are released from prison each year. SHRM has partnered with many companies and other associations to launch the Getting Talent Back to Work initiative, pledge and toolkit. I strongly encourage you to visit the website and take the pledge to give applicants with criminal histories a second chance. Don't Jump to Conclusions In my more than 25 years of practicing employment law, I dealt daily with problematic employees. The tools of my trade were designed to prevent or resolve harassment, crime, poor performance, toxic attitudes and various other forms of workplace misconduct. Of the numerous bad actors I encountered, not a single one had a criminal record. "For years, we management attorneys have been counseling clients not to hire second-chance applicants. We owe these applicants an apology," said Corbett Gordon, who has been practicing law for 35 years. If an employer conducts a criminal-background check and "discovers information about the criminal past of an otherwise well-qualified candidate, it should closely scrutinize this information's relevance, if any, based on factors such as nature of offense, time elapsed and type of job in question," said Chai Feldblum, former commissioner of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. "The presumption should be to hire the applicant, not the other way around." Find Help to Get Started In addition to overcoming risk aversion, HR professionals can make an important contribution to both their employers and society by taking affirmative action to hire people with criminal records. Dave Dahl is the "Dave" of Dave's Killer Bread, the top-selling organic bread in the U.S. He spent 15 years in prison before getting his second chance. "We found it advantageous to hire people with a criminal past, resulting in a third of our workforce having such backgrounds. "We didn't do this simply as do-gooders. Overwhelmingly, these applicants turned out to be excellent employeeshardworking, dependable, cooperative and so forth. As an ex-con myself, I can tell you that once you decide to leave that past behind, if given a chance, you'll do everything in your power to perform well. "As a result, we were able to hire highly motivated and eager people with talents and energy that had been passed over by other employers. Essentially, we got the cream of the crop." Employers can take steps to hire the formerly incarcerated by collaborating with organizations such as Dave's Killer Bread Foundation, Hickman's Family Farms and Constructing Hope. Colleen McManus, SHRM-SCP, is chief human resources officer for the state of Arizona. The Arizona Department of Corrections places offenders with Hickman's Family Farms, based in Buckeye, Ariz. The farm owners have liked them so much, they hire them after they've served their sentences. "It's a dynamic, long-term program that offers win-win-win solutions: for an agency seeking to place offenders in work programs and reduce recidivism; for offenders seeking purpose, new job skills and steady employment following incarceration; and for Hickman's, which has a demand for great talent and a huge commitment to the community. "Hickman's has been so impressed with the offender workforce, they have hired many upon release, and now, based on the success of this program, Hickman's recently began subsidizing housing for some of its ex-offender workforce. It's a further hand up for this special workforce to reduce the potential to return to prison and to help ensure their success upon release." More details on this amazing partnership can be found here. Patricia Daniels, executive director of Constructing Hope in Portland, Ore., explains her organization's mission: "The construction industry is experiencing an acute labor shortage. Constructing Hope has responded by creating a program where the formerly incarcerated, homeless, people in recovery and others can develop long-term careers in the construction trades. "We've partnered with government agencies, employers and unions to create a rigorous process by which our clients receive job-specific training and apprenticeships that prepare them to become reliable, productive employees and good citizens. "We've had numerous success stories, including many that are incredibly heart-warming. Our clients have found gainful, meaningful employment, employers have found good employees, and individuals and their families have healed." SHRM President and Chief Executive Officer Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, encouraged HR professionals to make a real difference for their employers and the community. "We HR professionals can and must do a better job at creating second-chance employment opportunities for the formerly incarcerated. If we do, everyone wins: Employers acquire valuable employees, and people remain happily crime-free. Our profession can make a great contribution to society. Let's do it!" Taylor invites readers to send suggestions or other input to contribute to the Getting Talent Back to Work initiative to shrmceo@shrm.org. Jathan Janove, J.D., is the author of Hard-Won Wisdom: True Stories from the Management Trenches (HarperCollins/Amacom, 2017). He is president of the Oregon Organization Development Network and was named in Inc. magazine as one of the Top 100 Leadership Speakers for 2018. If you have questions or suggestions for topics for future columns, write to jathan@jathanjanove.com. You are now listening to the sounds of the New Generation. A podcast created for those who desire a new way of gaining information rather than reading a traditional newspaper. In our show we will discuss everything from sports, pop culture, politics, and local news. To stay up to date on our latest episodes every week be sure to follow us on your favorite podcast service. And dont worry, we keep it short. 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 The 2019 SOTU review: A Trump Administration triumph By Mark Alexander Last week we observed Ronald Reagan's birthday. In the years since his presidency, through the Bush (41), Clinton, Bush (43), and Obama years, analyzing State of the Union addresses has been more about endurance than inspiration. But, surprisingly, that changed last year with Donald Trump's first address, "Our New American Moment." His second address last week was even better than the first. These SOTUs did not follow the worn template of providing a wish list but instead were a running recap of administration and congressional successes over the last two years. The Trump administration's accomplishments are formidable. In both instances, President Trump's remarks strongly contrasted the difference in Republican optimism and Democrat pessimism Republican advocacy for Liberty and self-reliance versus Democrat advocacy for dependence, statism, and now unapologetic socialism based on their failed policies of the past. We concluded years ago that the Democrat Party was not one of the oppressed but of the depressed. And that deranged institutional depression has become epidemic. Again in his latest SOTU, Trump instilled pride in who we are as a nation. It was framed by unity rather than partisanship. "Victory is not winning for our party," he declared. "Victory is winning for our country." He began and ended his address with calls for unity and he highlighted numerous areas that should enlist universal agreement, largely about America's promise and historical achievements. There were several issues in the middle of his speech that should unify Americans, especially the Trump administration's strong economic record. But Democrats would have no part in a call for unity. Trump opened by saying, "Members of Congress, the state of our union is strong." Yet over his shoulder, Nancy "Sourpuss" Pelosi shook her head. Clearly, good news is bad news for Democrats, whose best political hope is to drive the nation into recession before 2020. Americans may disagree on how to achieve border security and an orderly legal immigration process, but we should all be able to agree that caravans of migrants should not be free to cross our border. Trump noted, "In the past, most of the people in this room voted for a wall but the proper wall never got built. I will get it built." He completely shifted the immigration debate to protecting American jobs and people. Trump declared, "Here, in the United States, we are alarmed by new calls to adopt socialism in our country. We are born free, and we will stay free. Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country." That shouldn't be controversial, although socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders and other socialist Democrats looked like they were suffering heart failure. Record-low unemployment especially for black and Hispanic Americans rising wages across the board, and an overall strong economy are not partisan issues; they are facts. Yet in each instance when we should all agree, many if not most Democrats sat on their hands rather than applauding. However, Trump did get almost the entire room chanting "USA! USA!" after mentioning the stats on the number of women now in the workforce. People may not see eye to eye on when abortion is appropriate there's not much common ground between "never" and "most of the time." But it should be beyond dispute to say that children should not be killed at the moment of or even after birth. "Let us work together to build a culture that cherishes innocent life," Trump said. "And let us reaffirm a fundamental truth: All children born and unborn are made in the holy image of God." Notably, Trump did receive almost unanimous approval for what we believe was the best gathering of gallery guests in any State of the Union. Trump concluded, "We must choose whether we are defined by our differences or whether we dare to transcend them. We must choose whether we squander our inheritance or whether we proudly declare that we are Americans: we do the incredible, we defy the impossible, we conquer the unknown. We must choose between greatness or gridlock, results or resistance, vision or vengeance, incredible progress or pointless destruction. Tonight, I ask you to choose greatness." I rate this high among the best modern-day SOTUs, and many who viewed it agree. The Leftmedia network CBS reluctantly reported its findings regarding public approval of Trump's State of the Union: 76% of those watching the speech approved, including a 30% approval rating among Democrats and 82% among independents. Notably, 72% approved of his immigration plan. (We hope Trump will not derail the success of this SOTU, as is his penchant, with some petulant, dis-unifying social-media post.) Of course, last year's CBS polling, also found that almost 80% of Americans who watched the SOTU address "felt he was trying to unite the country, rather than divide it. Two-thirds said the speech made them feel proud." Didn't work then either. Chief among those not approving were Pelosi and DNC Chairman Tom Perez. For her part, Pelosi concluded: "It will take days to fact-check all the misrepresentations that the president made tonight. Instead of fearmongering and manufacturing a crisis at the border, President Trump should commit to signing the bipartisan conference committee's bill to keep government open and provide strong, smart border security solutions. ... President Trump must now take concrete steps to work with Democrats to strengthen the health and economic security of families across America. After two years of the president's empty words, the American people deserve real results." Actually, this is a fine example of Pelosi's "alternate universe" perspective. The Trump administration and Republican Congress have clearly strengthened "the health and economic security of families across America" and, demonstrably, the American people are experiencing "real results." And for those who are Pelosi observers, she has a poker tell smirk when she knows Trump has succeeded where Democrats have failed, she starts doing that smirk thing, as if trying to get the spinach out of her teeth. The Demo/MSM machine was certainly consumed with what it claimed was a teenager's smirk two weeks ago but not a word on Pelosi's smirk, and all the other Demo smirks on the left side of the room. Predictably, according to Perez: "After attending Trump's State of the Union tonight, I know this for certain: The only way that we will be able to stop his outrageous, divisive agenda is by taking back the Senate and putting a Democrat in the White House in 2020. I am going to fight like hell to make sure we're building the infrastructure necessary to continue to elect Democrats up and down the ballot in the months and years ahead." The bottom line: There will be no unity in the next two years, because Democrats and their Leftmedia publicists thrive on division and partisanship, the antithesis of unity. They have reconstructed their political platform on a "Hate Trump" foundation, rejecting Rule of Law, the most basic tenets of morality, and America's First Principles. (If you are interested in our coverage of the Left's response to the SOTU, read our summary of Stacey Abrams's remarks. Suffice it to say, it was all about division, particularly racial division, but the fact is, her Democrat Party has turned MLK's dream into a nightmare.) As is my practice after SOTUs, what follows are some key excerpts from President Trump's remarks. But first, as I have done in the past with Barack Obama's SOTUs, which were inundated with references to himself, the Trump references were very different. In his 5,200-word speech, he referred to himself 39 times, versus 99 references to "our," 97 references to "we," and 15 references to "us." President Trump: Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, the First Lady of the United States and my fellow Americans. We meet tonight at a moment of unlimited potential. Millions of our fellow citizens are watching us now, gathered in this great chamber, hoping that we will govern not as two parties but as one Nation. (Trump opened his remarks, bypassing the scheduled formal introduction by Speaker Nancy Pelosi.) The agenda I will layout this evening is not a Republican agenda or a Democrat agenda, it's the agenda of the American people. Many of us campaigned on the same core promises: to defend American jobs and demand fair trade for American workers; to rebuild and revitalize our nation's infrastructure; to reduce the price of health care and prescription drugs; to create an immigration system that is safe, lawful, modern and secure; and to pursue a foreign policy that puts America's interests first. There is a new opportunity in American politics, if only we have the courage to seize it. Victory is not winning for our party. Victory is winning for our country. In the 20th century, America saved freedom, transformed science, and redefined the middle-class standard of living for the entire world to see, and when you get down to it, there's nothing anywhere in the world that can compete with America. Now, we must step boldly and bravely into the next chapter of this great American adventure, and we must create a new standard of living for the 21st century. An amazing quality of life for all of our citizens is within our reach. We can make our communities safer, our families stronger, our culture richer, our faith deeper, and our middle class bigger and more prosperous than ever before. But we must reject the politics of revenge, resistance, and retribution and embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise, and the common good. Together, we can break decades of political stalemate. We can bridge old divisions, heal old wounds, build new coalitions, forge new solutions, and unlock the extraordinary promise of America's future. The decision is ours to make. We must choose between greatness or gridlock, results or resistance, vision or vengeance, incredible progress or pointless destruction. Tonight, I ask you to choose greatness. (At this juncture, Trump summarized his administration's policy successes economic, regulatory cuts, and energy production. Notably, most Democrats did not applaud the economic achievements, including those most directly benefiting middle-income earners.) After 24 months of rapid progress, our economy is the envy of the world, our military is the most powerful on earth, and America is winning each and every day. Members of Congress: The State of our Union is strong. Our country is vibrant and our economy is thriving like never before. (Chants of "USA! USA!") The only thing that can stop it are foolish wars, politics, or ridiculous partisan investigations. If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation. It just doesn't work that way! We must be united at home to defeat our adversaries abroad. (This was a reference to the Mueller/Comey/Clinton collusion to set up Trump for a takedown.) This new era of cooperation can start with finally confirming the more than 300 highly qualified nominees who are still stuck in the Senate some after years of waiting. (There was no specific mention of Trump's successful federal judicial nominations including two Supreme Court justices there are more than 50 judicial nominations still awaiting approval.) On Immigration: Now is the time for the Congress to show the world that America is committed to ending illegal immigration and putting the ruthless coyotes, cartels, drug dealers, and human traffickers out of business. ... This is a moral issue. The lawless state of our southern border is a threat to the safety, security, and financial wellbeing of all Americans. We have a moral duty to create an immigration system that protects the lives and jobs of our citizens. This includes our obligation to the millions of immigrants living here today, who followed the rules and respected our laws. Legal immigrants enrich our nation and strengthen our society in countless ways. I want people to come into our country, but they have to come in legally. Tonight, I am asking you to defend our very dangerous southern border out of love and devotion to our fellow citizens and to our country. No issue better illustrates the divide between America's working class and America's political class than illegal immigration. Wealthy politicians and donors push for open borders while living their lives behind walls and gates and guards. Meanwhile, working class Americans are left to pay the price for mass illegal migration reduced jobs, lower wages, overburdened schools and hospitals, increased crime, and a depleted social safety net. Tolerance for illegal immigration is not compassionate it is cruel. One in three women is sexually assaulted on the long journey north. Smugglers use migrant children as human pawns to exploit our laws and gain access to our country. Human traffickers and sex traffickers take advantage of the wide-open areas between our ports of entry to smuggle thousands of young girls and women into the United States and to sell them into prostitution and modern-day slavery. Tens of thousands of innocent Americans are killed by lethal drugs that cross our border and flood into our cities including meth, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl. The savage gang, MS-13, now operates in 20 different American States, and they almost all come through our southern border. Year after year, countless Americans are murdered by criminal illegal aliens. I've gotten to know many wonderful Angel Moms, Dads, and families no one should ever have to suffer the horrible heartache they have endured. In the last 2 years, our brave ICE officers made 266,000 arrests of criminal aliens, including those charged or convicted of nearly 100,000 assaults, 30,000 sex crimes, and 4,000 killings. My Administration has sent to the Congress a commonsense proposal to end the crisis on our southern border. It includes humanitarian assistance, more law enforcement, drug detection at our ports, closing loopholes that enable child smuggling, and plans for a new physical barrier, or wall, to secure the vast areas between our ports of entry. In the past, most of the people in this room voted for a wall but the proper wall never got built. I'll get it built. ... Simply put, walls work and walls save lives. On Women in the Workforce: No one has benefitted more from our thriving economy than women, who have filled 58% of the new jobs created in the last year. All Americans can be proud that we have more women in the workforce than ever before. (Standing ovation and chants of "USA! USA!" even from many Democrats with the huge caveat that they were cheering themselves for taking over the House last November.) On Trade: We are now making it clear to China that after years of targeting our industries, and stealing our intellectual property, the theft of American jobs and wealth has come to an end. Therefore, we recently imposed tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese goods and now our Treasury is receiving billions of dollars a month from a country that never gave us a dime. But I don't blame China for taking advantage of us I blame our leaders and representatives for allowing this travesty to happen. I have great respect for President Xi, and we are now working on a new trade deal with China. But it must include real, structural change to end unfair trade practices, reduce our chronic trade deficit, and protect American jobs. Another historic trade blunder was the catastrophe known as NAFTA. I have met the men and women of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, New Hampshire, and many other states whose dreams were shattered by NAFTA. For years, politicians promised them they would negotiate for a better deal. But no one ever tried until now. Our new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement or USMCA will replace NAFTA and deliver for American workers: bringing back our manufacturing jobs, expanding American agriculture, protecting intellectual property, and ensuring that more cars are proudly stamped with four beautiful words made in the USA. Tonight, I am also asking you to pass the United States Reciprocal Trade Act. On the Rise of Socialism: We stand with the Venezuelan people in their noble quest for freedom and we condemn the brutality of the Maduro regime, whose socialist policies have turned that nation from being the wealthiest in South America into a state of abject poverty and despair. Here, in the United States, we are alarmed by new calls to adopt socialism in our country. America was founded on Liberty and independence not government coercion, domination, and control. We are born free, and we will stay free. Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country. On Syria, Afghanistan and Iran: Our brave troops have now been fighting in the Middle East for almost 19 years. In Afghanistan and Iraq, nearly 7,000 American heroes have given their lives. More than 52,000 Americans have been badly wounded. We have spent more than $7 trillion in the Middle East. As a candidate for president, I pledged a new approach. Great nations do not fight endless wars. When I took office, ISIS controlled more than 20,000 square miles in Iraq and Syria. Today, we have liberated virtually all of that territory from the grip of these bloodthirsty killers. Now, as we work with our allies to destroy the remnants of ISIS, it is time to give our brave warriors in Syria a warm welcome home. (Republicans in the Senate have broken with Trump over Syria and Afghanistan withdrawals. There is concern among military leaders that leaving Syria and Afghanistan will result in a resurgence of Islamists, as was the case when Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton decided, ahead of Obama's 2012 reelection, to abandoned Iraq.) My administration has acted decisively to confront the world's leading state sponsor of terror: the radical regime in Iran. To ensure this corrupt dictatorship never acquires nuclear weapons, I withdrew the United States from the disastrous Iran nuclear deal. And last fall, we put in place the toughest sanctions ever imposed on a country. We will not avert our eyes from a regime that chants death to America and threatens genocide against the Jewish people. (Trump turned his attention to another of his gallery guests, Judah Samet, a survivor of both the Nazi Holocaust and the Tree of Life synagogue attack in Pittsburgh. He also introduced another holocaust survivor, Joshua Kaufman, a prisoner at Dachau Concentration Camp, who was seated next to former Army Sergeant Herman Zeitchik, who was among the American soldiers who helped liberate Dachau. As Trump mentioned Samet's 81st birthday, the full House serenaded him.) Affirming Life for Children Before Birth: There could be no greater contrast to the beautiful image of a mother holding her infant child than the chilling displays our nation saw in recent days. Lawmakers in New York cheered with delight upon the passage of legislation that would allow a baby to be ripped from the mother's womb moments before birth. These are living, feeling, beautiful babies who will never get the chance to share their love and dreams with the world. And then, we had the case of the governor of Virginia where he basically stated he would execute a baby after birth. To defend the dignity of every person, I am asking the Congress to pass legislation to prohibit the late-term abortion of children who can feel pain in the mother's womb. Let us work together to build a culture that cherishes innocent life. And let us reaffirm a fundamental truth: All children born and unborn are made in the holy image of God. The final part of my agenda is to protect America's National Security. ... Under my administration, we will never apologize for advancing America's interests. In Closing: Here tonight, we have legislators from across this magnificent republic. You have come from the rocky shores of Maine and the volcanic peaks of Hawaii; from the snowy woods of Wisconsin and the red deserts of Arizona; from the green farms of Kentucky and the golden beaches of California. Together, we represent the most extraordinary nation in all of history. What will we do with this moment? How will we be remembered? ... We must choose whether we are defined by our differences or whether we dare to transcend them. We must choose whether we will squander our inheritance or whether we will proudly declare that we are Americans. We do the incredible. We defy the impossible. We conquer the unknown. This is the time to re-ignite the American imagination. This is the time to search for the tallest summit, and set our sights on the brightest star. This is the time to rekindle the bonds of love and loyalty and memory that link us together as citizens, as neighbors, as patriots. This is our future our fate and our choice to make. I am asking you to choose greatness. No matter the trials we face, no matter the challenges to come, we must go forward together. We must keep America first in our hearts. We must keep freedom alive in our souls. And we must always keep faith in America's destiny that one Nation, under God, must be the hope and the promise and the light and the glory among all the nations of the world! Thank you. God bless you, God bless America, and good night! Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post. MADRID Spain is bracing for the nations most sensitive trial in four decades of democracy this week, with a dozen Catalan separatists facing charges including rebellion over a failed secession bid in 2017. The proceedings, which begin Tuesday, will be broadcast live and all eyes will be focused on the impartiality of the Spanish Supreme Court. Catalonias separatists have attacked the courts credibility in the run-up to the trial, saying it is a puppet of the Spanish government and any ruling will be a political one that has been decided in advance. In reality, its democracy itself that will go on trial, Oriol Junqueras, one of the accused, wrote from jail in reply to questions sent by the Associated Press. We are before a trial which, through a partial investigation full of falsities and irregularities, criminalizes a political option and an ideology. But Supreme Court president Carlos Lesmes dismisses the criticism, saying the trial is the most important since Spains transition to democracy in 1977 after the death of dictator Gen. Francisco Franco. This is a trial following the highest standards set by the European Union, Lesmes recently told a group of journalists. Lesmes says the outcome of the trial will reverberate beyond the political crisis in Catalonia, while recognizing that the Supreme Courts integrity is at stake. I certainly believe that there is a huge campaign to discredit the Spanish judiciary, which forms part of a defense strategy, he said. Lesmes rejected the idea that courts operate at the whim of the government, pointing to recent guilty verdicts for members of the political and economic elite, including last years graft conviction of former members of the then-ruling party and the imprisonment, also on graft, of the kings brother-in-law. Junqueras, the former vice president of the Catalan regional government, and 11 others are being tried for their roles in holding an independence referendum on Oct. 1, 2017, after ignoring a ban by the countrys Constitutional Court, and for the subsequent declaration of independence 26 days later despite more warnings from authorities. The conflict with Catalonia has been festering ever since, with a regional election on Dec. 21, 2017, showing that the 7.5 million residents of Catalonia remain divided by the secession question. Junqueras himself faces the largest possible sentence of 25 years for rebellion. He and eight other defendants have spent over a year in pre-trial custody because they were considered to be flight risks. For Junqueras, the reasons are instead revenge and exemplary punishment. This is a warning for future generations against questioning the states status quo, he wrote, even if that diminishes its own democracy. Junqueras boss, former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, and seven associates fled Spain to other European countries and have succeeded in avoiding extradition. Aritz Parra and Joseph Wilson are Associated Press writers. KABUL The Pentagons top official made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Monday to meet with U.S. commanders and Afghan leaders amid a push for peace with the Taliban. Pat Shanahan, the recently installed acting secretary of defense, said he has no orders to reduce the U.S. troop presence, although officials say that is at the top of the Talibans list of demands in exploratory peace negotiations. Shanahan said he is encouraged that President Trumps administration is exploring all possibilities for ending a 17-year war, the longest in American history. But he stressed that peace terms are for the Afghans to decide. Thus far the Taliban have refused to negotiate with the government of President Ashraf Ghani, calling it illegitimate. Washington is trying to break that impasse. The Afghans have to decide what Afghanistan looks like. Its not about the U.S., its about Afghanistan, Shanahan told reporters traveling with him from Washington. Later, Shanahan flew to a military base ringed by snow-capped hills where he met Afghan army commandos, who are regarded as the most capable element of the Afghan military. Zalmay Khalilzad, the administrations special envoy for Afghan peace talks, said Friday that although negotiations are in an early stage, he hopes a deal can be made by July. That is when Afghanistan is scheduled to hold a presidential election. Shanahan, a former Boeing executive, took over as acting secretary of defense on Jan. 1 after Jim Mattis submitted his resignation in December. Shanahan had been Mattis No. 2. In testimony before Congress last week, Gen. Joseph Votel, the commander of U.S. Central Command, offered a largely optimistic view of Afghanistan, saying the current maneuvering between U.S. and Taliban negotiators is our first real opportunity for peace and reconciliation since the war began. Robert Burns is an Associated Press writer. WASHINGTON The Trump administration is pressuring Iraq to stop buying energy from its neighbor and sole foreign supplier, Iran, in what has become a major point of conflict between Washington and Baghdad. Iraqi leaders, fearing that a further shortfall in power would lead to mass protests and political instability in their electricity-starved country, are pushing back on the demand, which is rooted in President Trumps sanctions against Iran. Iraqs defiance further jeopardizes Trumps goal of getting all nations to comply with sanctions after withdrawing from the deal to limit Tehrans nuclear program last year. Already, European nations have set up a legal financial mechanism to do business with Iran, and China and India are resisting U.S. efforts at prodding them to cut off oil purchases. Tensions rose after Trump said Feb. 3 that he planned to have U.S. troops who have returned to Iraq watch Iran, despite Baghdads need to maintain cordial ties with its fellow Shiite neighbor. U.S. officials are seeking to cut off Iraqi purchases of natural gas and electricity, even though the country relies on those for a good portion of its energy needs. Iraqs energy production and grid capabilities have lagged since the U.S.-led invasion of 2003, and blackouts in cities are common, even with the current purchases. The energy shortfall is especially acute in the sweltering summers, which has led to large protests. Iranian natural gas is the single most critical energy import in Iraq, but U.S. officials say purchases must end now because gas falls under the U.S. sanctions. Iraqi officials said the U.S. demand acknowledges neither Iraqs energy needs nor the complex relations between Baghdad and Tehran. Edward Wong is a New York Times writer. CAIRO Egypts parliament has accelerated voting on proposed constitutional amendments that would allow President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to stay in office beyond his current term, which ends in 2022. Lawmakers will decide Wednesday on whether to send the amendments to the legislative committee, a vote that was initially scheduled for Feb. 17, said parliament spokesman Ahmed Saad el-Din. The legislative committee will have 60 days to discuss the amendments before a final vote. If approved, the amendments would be put to a national referendum. The development comes despite concerns that Egypt is slipping back into authoritarianism, eight years after a pro-democracy uprising ended autocrat Hosni Mubaraks nearly three-decade rule. El-Sissi led the 2013 military overthrow of elected but divisive Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, and was elected the following year. Since then, he has presided over an unprecedented crackdown on dissent, and was re-elected last year after all potentially serious challengers were jailed or pressured to exit the race. The assembly had given its preliminary approval to the changes last week. The motion is near-certain to be approved by the legislature, packed with el-Sissis supporters. Pro-government figures have been lobbying for months that two terms are not enough for el-Sissi to fulfill his vision of modernizing the country. Yasser Rizq, chairman of the state-owned al-Akhbar daily and a close confidant of el-Sisi, argued that the amendments were necessary to prevent Islamists from gaining power. He said he expects the referendum to take place before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. This year, Ramdan is expected to start in May. Samy Magdy is an Associated Press writer. A nondescript home for sale in a sleepy Philadelphia suburb created a furor when it landed on the market late last week. Local real estate agent Melissa Leonard took the plunge and showed off the sadomasochistic side of a $750,000 home in Maple Glen, PA. The home features a basement stocked with enough bondage implements to make Christian Grey blush. Initially, Leonard's decision was simply practical. The owner was planning to leave the basement in place with the sale of the home. The agent had to decide whether to surprise potential buyers touring the home with the kinky basement or be upfront about the home's "special" elements. According to Leonard, the basement doubles as a specialty Airbnb rental and fetches up to $2,000 a nightwhich makes for one heck of a side hustle for a buyer looking to offset a monthly mortgage payment. "I decided I was just going to put it out there," Leonard says. "I felt like this is the houseand I should just sell the house the way it is." Initially she was going to include just one or two photos of the basement, but the homeowner suggested they show off more of the space. So Leonard sent her professional photographer back down to the "sexual oasis" to shoot every inch of the space. Here's Leonard giving a video tour of the house: The decision turned out to be a stroke of genius. After the first article appeared in Philly Voice, the home went viral. Reporters from across the country (including us!) inundated Leonard's phone, hungry for details about the "50 Shades of Maple Glen" house. Even "50 Shades of Grey" author E.L. James took notice: The home received an additional boost online after the local multiple listing service decided to remove the pictures of the basement from the listing. Leonard says she was told the photos violate MLS policy. The Streisand effect soon took hold. Once the photos were banned, the hunger to see and share them reached a fever pitch. Here are the photos of the basement that were deemed over the line. If ever there were a way to design a tasteful sex dungeon, this is it, right? Basement rack Gary G Schempp, Jr. Pentagram Gary G. Schempp, Jr. Basement views Gary G. Schempp, Jr. Full view of basement Gary G. Schempp, Jr. Basement small rack Gary G Schempp, Jr. The idea of a quiet, suburban home with a secret sex dungeon was tantalizing, to say the least. And, basement aside, the home is ideal. For families looking for a picture-perfect suburban home just a short commute from downtown Philadelphia, it fits the bill. If kink isn't your bag, simply sell off the BDSM accessories, and voila, you have a great game room or man cave. Built in 1997, the charming Colonial with a red door has more than 5,000 square feet of living space, including five bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. The kitchen was remodeled in 2013 with granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances. There's also a wall of windows in the family room, three fireplaces, a billiard room, fitness room, stately office, and dining room with custom wainscoting. Hardwood flooring runs throughout the interiors. Outside, the wooded yard is private and outfitted with a custom gazebo. Front exterior realtor.com Family room realtor.com Kitchen realtor.com Master bed realtor.com Billiard room realtor.com Since the home's splashy debut on the market, Leonard has been inundated with calls from interested buyers. She adds that most folks would keep the basement as is. Although Leonard says she's gotten kudos from agents all over the country, she's also received a share of "shame on you" comments. We contacted several agents, the local MLS, and the National Association of Realtors about the listing. They all declined to comment on the home or its uproar. Still, the viral success of the listing goes head to head against the conventional wisdom that only empty spaces, beige palettes, and nondescript decor help sell homes. Leonard says her philosophy is to embrace what a home is, wrap your arms around it, and go for it. "Go with the way your client's personality is. Go with the way they live," she says. "Then leverage it. It's not bad to be different." Because the thing that makes a property weird can also make it magicaleven if it's too spicy for some folks. The post Did the Sex Dungeon Listing Photos of This Suburban Philadelphia Home Go Too Far? appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. Government (-driven) shutdowns have human consequences By Paul Driessen Many observers praised President Trumps 2019 State of the Union speech. Some said it was his best ever and even as one of the best SOTU speeches in history. It celebrated the nations progress, extolled its opportunities and sought bipartisan unity. A CBS poll found that 30% of Democrats, 82% of Independents and 97% of Republicans gave the speech positive reviews. As has become customary, the President invited several guests to join him in the House gallery, including two elderly Jews: Herman Zeitchik, who landed on Utah Beach on June 6, 1944, and Joshua Kaufman, whom Corporal Zeitchik helped liberate from the Dachau concentration camp in April 1945. Members of Congress also invited guests. Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), invited an Environmental Protection Agency scientist who had been featured in a local newspaper article about Virginia leaders and organizations that tried to help federal workers during the recent shutdown. Families like this are committed to public service and just want to serve their country. They shouldnt be held hostage by the President during a government shutdown, Mr. Connolly said. We all recognize the importance of border security, but Im disappointed to see the suffering of federal employees and their families being used for political gain, the EPA employee added. These are understandable sentiments. Government shutdowns certainly have human consequences. However, even though Mr. Trump took ownership of the recent 35-day federal shutdown, to suggest that intransigent Democrats had no responsibility for it or the consequences is disingenuous to the core. So is any suggestion that Dems and fed workers werent using the suffering for their own political gain. In the same vein, community efforts to help federal workers and families were certainly commendable. But federal employees quickly receive back pay for their missed paychecks. Yet I saw no stories about similar efforts to assist families of outside contractors who were also laid off or private sector businesses and employees affected during the shutdown none of whom will ever get any back pay. Moreover, Team Trump took many steps to minimize fallout from the shutdown. By contrast, many Obama agencies did all they could to maximize the fallout, pain and economic dislocations during the 16-day 2013 government shutdown. To cite just one of many examples, the Obama National Park Service closed its access road to Virginias privately owned Claude Moore Colonial Farm Park amid the farms normally busiest month, costing it tens of thousands in revenues and leaving employees to suffer. Many citizens also take issue with assertions that federal employees are committed to public service. Our military men and women and their families certainly are. They leave their families behind for months on end, repeatedly put their lives on the line, and too often die or return with life-altering injuries. By contrast, most other federal employees have comfortable, low-stress, high-pay jobs. Nearly 92,000 of them make more than the governor in states where they work, the watchdog group OpenTheBooks.com points out. Too many of them use their positions to devise, impose, enforce and justify heavy-handed policies and regulations that burden or even shut down private sector businesses, kill jobs, and hammer families and communities to drive Deep State agendas, often for limited or no benefits. Those government shutdowns and human consequences receive little mainstream media attention. They were especially egregious and far-reaching during the Obama years, and yet generated few or no efforts by VA-MD-DC area leaders and communities to help workers and families whose jobs were impacted or eliminated and lives upended by ill-conceived, incompetent or even deliberate Deep State actions. Winnipeg, Canadas Frontier Centre for Public Policy regularly quotes Lao Tzu, who said: Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. Do not overdo it. Sadly, urged onward by liberal activists and politicians, todays U.S. government is cooking the American fish into inedible leather. Candidate Obama promised to bankrupt coal mining and coal-fired electricity generating companies, and thus the families, businesses and communities that depended on them. His EPA made good on that promise, by issuing a pseudo-scientific finding that the plant-fertilizing carbon dioxide we exhale somehow endangers human health and the future of our planet then using that finding and equally dubious particulate (soot) rules to justify regulations that eliminated numerous jobs. Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton also promised to put a lot of coal workers and coal companies out of business. Tens of thousands of jobs were eliminated in Kentucky, West Virginia and other coal-reliant states, because of the Obama EPAs war on coal and a switch to natural gas that was driven by that war, abundant and inexpensive gas produced by fracking, and attacks on utility companies financed by Michael Bloomberg and others. Retraining programs helped a few Appalachian miners find new work raising bees and making candles, lip balm and other wax products, for much lower wages. New renewable energy jobs were also created, though generally not in areas where coal jobs were lost. And the number of jobs required to generate expensive, intermittent electricity from wind and solar facilities versus cheap, reliable power from coal and gas is simply unsustainable. In fact, producing the same amount of electricity requires one coal worker, two natural gas workers 12 wind industry employees or 79 solar workers. Major environmental impacts from wind and solar are also ignored. These same Obama era policies and external factors combined to threaten the demise of the Kayenta Coal Mine and Navajo Generating Station in that impoverished, high-unemployment area. Some 750 people, mostly Native Americans, work there when the facilities are operating at full tilt. The tribe also receives lease rental payments, royalties and revenues from selling the electricity. The Navajo and Hopi tribes are now trying to keep the operations going on their own, because closure is unacceptable. EPA officials were also in charge of the bungled operation that unleashed a toxic flashflood from Colorados Gold King Mine in 2015. EPA and its media allies quickly whitewashed the disaster. In a dress rehearsal for Bob Muellers jackbooted arrest of Roger Stone, 30 heavily armed SWAT team agents from Homeland Security and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stormed into the Gibson Guitars factory in 2011, held employees at gunpoint, intimidated and interrogated them, hauled off $500,000 worth of wood and guitars and warned the company not to touch any guitars that were left behind. All that for the crime of allegedly not having proper paperwork for an exotic endangered wood. Both incidents involved more armed federal agents than were sent to take out Osama Bin Laden! And who can forget the Russia/Ukraine-instigated FISA warrants? Or the IRS targeting, harassing, stonewalling and effectively silencing conservative political groups that might have made reelection slightly more difficult for President Obama and congressional Democrats? Not surprisingly, not an iota of accountability was ever exacted on any perpetrators of any of these or multiple other public service misdeeds or abuses of power. Far too often, it seems that federal government employees and their congressional, media and activist allies dont really care very much about people who live beyond the boundaries of that 39,000-acre plat of land along the Potomac River. Thats what sets Donald Trump apart from Washington politicians, and why he was elected. Unfortunately, many state and local officials are guilty of similar offenses. Too many government workers across the board seek to control virtually every aspect of our lives: from our energy, lives and living standards to the cars we can drive and straws we can use with our beverages. Its nice that Gerry Connolly cares deeply about Deep State workers whose votes keep him in office. But it would be better if all elected officials and unelected government employees cared more about the American workers, families, businesses and communities that their policies, laws, regulations and enforcement actions too often affect so negatively, too often for so little benefit. Lao Tzu would agree. Paul Driessen is senior policy advisor for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) and Some author of books and articles on energy, climate, environmental and human rights issues. Home Regionalism and nationalism in Canada another reassessment (Part Two) By Mark Wegierski The author will look at the role of Toronto in Canadian history. It should be remembered that Toronto has undergone a massive identity shift over the last five decades of Canadian history. In the 1950s and before, the city was considered as so conservative and British-oriented that it was nicknamed Tory Toronto. Indeed, it was snidely said of those times, that on Sunday, you could fire a cannon down Torontos main street and not hit anyone (because everybody was at church)! In the 1960s and later a vast roaring tide of change engulfed and massively transformed the city. Certainly, the city almost from the beginning had the reputation of being a very wealthy centre of commercial power, as one of its other nicknames Hogtown points to. However, it was also sometimes called Toronto the Good. Some years ago, it was also characterized as a New York City run by the Swiss. Ironically, much earlier in Canadas history, during the 1920s and 1930s, there was the opposition between Tory Toronto and the Prairie provinces, where there was the electoral insurgency of the Progressive Party. In 1942, the Conservative Party was renamed Progressive Conservative in the hopes of attracting many supporters of the former Progressives. However, it was also a highly convenient name in a society that was becoming increasingly liberal-tending. In the post-1960s period, Tory Toronto was annihilated, and the former strongholds of the Western-based Progressive Party (which had in fact existed well within the pre-1960s traditionalist-centrist consensus) mostly became bastions of small-c conservatism. Indeed, it could be argued that since the 1980s, the tide of change has increasingly overwhelmed the city of Toronto and its surrounding suburbs and environs. What is now called the City of Toronto (which is coterminous with what was formerly called Metropolitan Toronto) clearly does not represent the totality of the urban conurbation which has been termed the G.T.A. (Greater Toronto Area) whose informal boundaries are ever expanding with urban sprawl. Ontario, the most populous province in Canada, is also clearly the wealthiest. Ontario now holds around a third of the seats in the federal Parliament -- with its vast megapolitan node and power-centre for all of Canada, Greater Toronto, with all its endless suburbs and environs. It may be noted that in one of the 1987 Statistics Canada reports, Metropolitan Toronto had an unemployment rate of 3.9% -- while most economists consider a rate of 4% as full employment. During the 1980s, Ontario consistently had unemployment rates at least 2 percentage points below the national average. It may be noted that considerable parts of Ontario itself tend to hate Toronto, and that the Toronto arts cliques also loathe what is called small-town and rural Ontario. The so-called rural Ontario is seen as the main base of the Conservatives both federally and provincially the core areas where both Stephen Harper and Mike Harris have drawn their support. Indeed, at the height of the conflict between Mike Harris Tories who were frequently characterized as hard right and the larger urban centres of Ontario especially Metropolitan Toronto there were some tendencies afoot that wanted Metropolitan Toronto to secede from the province of Ontario. It was thought that the interests and needs of Ontario and Metropolitan Toronto were so divergent that only the creation of an eleventh province in Metropolitan Toronto could assuage them. Of course, it is not surprising that some of the most powerful infrastructures of the socialist New Democratic Party (and, to some extent, of the Liberal Party) exist in the municipal bureaucracies of large-urban centres most especially in the new City of Toronto (formerly Metropolitan Toronto). What is of some interest is that in the elections that brought Mike Harris to power in 1995 and 1999 the so-called suburbs of Toronto an area characterized as the 905 zone -- tended to vote for Mike Harris. (Because of increasing telephone line congestion, the former 416 area code was split in two a new 416 area embracing only Metropolitan Toronto, and the entirely new 905 area for all the suburbs, smaller cities, and rural areas beyond Metropolitan Toronto.) This certainly signified a considerable breakthrough by Mike Harris to voters who were frequently visible minorities as some of the areas in the 905 zone are easily as multicultural as in the 416 zone. (Visible minority is a term officially used in Canada at various levels of government.) Ironically, what weakened Harris the most in the 416 zone was probably powerful cadres of highly motivated and effective WASP opponents in the media, intellectual, and cultural elites who energized the vote of the various recognized minorities against him. In the 2010 municipal election, other neighbourhood cleavages appeared within the new City of Toronto -- reflecting the former divisions within the old Metropolitan Toronto. What was the former, smaller City of Toronto within Metropolitan Toronto mostly the downtown areas voted against the right-leaning Rob Ford whereas the outlying areas notably, Etobicoke, North York, and Scarborough, voted for him. Rob Ford won the municipal election. The Toronto arts cliques now directed some of their resentment at the outlying neighbourhoods of the old Metropolitan Toronto. However, in the 2014 provincial election, virtually the entire GTA elected Liberals thus giving Premier Wynne a majority of seats in the provincial parliament. In that election, it is somewhat disconcerting to see the territorial imbalance between the Liberal and Tory-held ridings in Ontario the Liberals elected virtually no one outside the GTA and Ottawa. Now that there is a Progressive Conservative majority government under Doug Ford, there is talk again of Toronto seceding from Ontario. The frequently more progressive nature of large-urban centres is also seen in the nickname of Edmonton Redmonton. In Alberta, it is usually deployed as a term of criticism. To be continued. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home Gillette and Toxic Masculinity -- Has something been lost in translation, or have we lost touch with reality? By Charlotte B. Cerminaro Like most people, I generally ignore advertisements and see them as a waste of time while waiting to get back to the movie. On the whole, they are stupid, inane, shallow attempts to get our attention and our money. They will employ almost any tactic: lying slogans, emotional manipulation, suggestive visual aids. Some weeks ago I saw the Gillette ad but didn't delve very deeply into the ignorant and discriminatory thinking thats behind such programming. I knew there was a lot of backward teaching, stereotyping and brainwashing, encouraged by our culture of victimization and blame. Then I happened upon an article by the conservative journalist and writer, Armin Brott, in which he answered someones questions about this particular ad. In Brotts answer we find conventional wisdom, e.g., There is nothing inherently toxic about masculinity or femininity and Negatively stereotyping and blaming a whole group of people, based on the bad behavior of a few, is wrong. In other words, not all men are violent and aggressive, just a small percentage. The author then turns the table to look at the other side. There are girls who torment and bully their peers, sometimes to the point of suicide. Does this mean all girls are bad? Although the topic is usually ignored or dismissed, the vast majority of physical and sexual assault on children is done by females. Does this mean femininity is toxic? Brott cites results from several large-scale studies, reported by Scientific American, the Centers for Disease Control, and Canadas Children's Rights Council, and we get a harsh reality that is far different from the generalizations and stereotypes we are led to believe. Radical feminists are largely responsible for promoting the idea that males are always the perpetrators, females the victims. It's easy to sell an idea if you selectively scour the news media, find a couple of stories supporting your claim, ignore all the others. That the media prefers to dodge most of these uncomfortable, controversial stories helps this narrative. But if we understand human nature and the tendency toward evil, we know this narrative isn't true. No one is all bad or all good, and we all have, within us, the potential for the full spectrum of behavior. So it comes as no surprise when the CDC reports deviant behavior ignored by the media, and victims that are dismissed because they don't fit the typical profile. In one national study, college students polled (anonymously) were asked if they had ever been sexually harassed or coerced (non-violent). It seems that men were just as likely to be victims as women. More surprisingly, of the men who answered yes to the above, 75% said it was by a female, 25% by a male. Of the women who said yes, 41% said the perp was female. The Bureau of Justice also reports statistics and demographics on crime. Of adults who were sexually forced or violated (anything considered rape), 79% of male victims were attacked by female(s). In CDC statistics for violence, the overwhelming majority of assaulted women reported male attackers--violent attacks on men or women are mostly perpetrated by men, but this is a very small piece of a very complex puzzle. Media attention has been drawn, lately, to a specific type of predator. Adult women who seduce and violate underage boys (statutory rape) are not uncommon, but again, the number of incidents is vastly under-reported. When it is reported, its not always taken seriously. Judges have dismissed cases with sufficient evidence to prosecute, attempting to rationalize criminal behavior. The perpetrators often defend themselves with remarks like, I didn't know he was only 15, he said he was older. And, He was physically mature and seemed to be experienced. The Canada Children's Rights Council released information recently on a case such as this, which was dismissed. I cannot help but imagine what radical feminists would say in this instance, if the victim were a teenage girl instead of a boy. The remarks about physical maturity would be broadcast over CNN the very next day. I don't want any misunderstanding about this, because it doesn't diminish the trauma of domestic violence or the unspeakable cruelty that women endure every day, especially in third-world countries. But it in no way excuses immoral, unethical and abusive behavior against perceived toxic masculinity, or the purely selfish actions of someone who should know better and recognize their own self-serving motives and impulses. If we are all sinners, bent towards evil, it is worth taking a harsh, objective look within ourselves, and see if we need to shave away that toxic refuse that's rotting our very minds and souls. Charlotte B. Cerminaro is a Juilliard-trained classical musician who, in addition to being a studio and orchestral musician, enjoys writing. 2019 Home The Ku Klux Krats By Bruce Walker The racist antics of Virginia Governor Northam ought not to surprise anyone. The Democrat Party has long been marinated in racist thinking. Today, of course, most of that racism is irrational hatred of white people and the denial of white people through such policies which the Nazis practiced - racial quotas in the name of that moronic and repulsive goal social justice, which is to say, injustice: all justice is individual. The Democrat Party was even more deeply committed to racism against blacks and the Ku Klux Klan was simply the terrorist wing of the Democrat Party which drove Republicans out of the South and compelled blacks to join the Democrat Party where they were denied the right to vote in primaries or participate in caucuses to choose the Democrat nominee for offices. Blacks who gave in to this terrorism and became Democrats were said by disgusted black women to be crossing the Jordan and were referred to as Uncle Tom, which is how that derogatory name from Uncle Toms Cabin entered American political lexicon. The Ku Klux Klan did more than just terrorize Republicans. The Klan was a strong supporter of public schools and a passionate advocate of creating a federal department of education with cabinet level status. The Ku Klux Klan also touted itself in many parts of the nation as progressive and opposed big business. The infestation of Klan members in the Democrat Party an utterly forgotten story includes not just nebbishes like Northam but Democrat icons. Woodrow Wilson, though not a Klan member himself, re-segregated the federal civil service. He showed the Klan celebratory film, The Birth of a Nation, in the White House and commented that so much of what was in the film was so true. FDR won the Democrat presidential nomination in 1932 when in the later rounds of voting all the Solid South swung to him. FDR never desegregated the military or tried to end the disenfranchisement of blacks in the South or supported the civil rights bills which conservative Republicans repeatedly introduced in Congress. Truman himself applied to join the Ku Klan Klan. Democrat presidents put several Klansmen on the Supreme Court. Justice Edward White, who had been a Klansman, was put on the Supreme Court by Grover Cleveland. FDR put Hugo Black, a leftist icon and also a Klansman, on the Supreme Court. Harry Truman put Tom Clark, father of the odious radical leftist Ramsay Clark, on the Supreme Court. Sen. Robert Byrd Is all this ancient political history? Recall that during the Presidency of George W. Bush West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd, who had been a high official in the Ku Klux Klan who used the term white nigger in a television interview. Byrd was repeatedly chosen as the Democrat Leader in the Senate. The contrast with the Republican Party is stark. Every single Republican presidential candidate since the Civil War supported equality before the law for blacks and invited blacks to join and to participate in the Republican Party at the local and national level. Even after serving terms as president men like Rutherford B. Hayes devoted the rest of their lives to working to educate blacks in the South. Thaddeus Stevens, who is attacked in most history books for supporting the impeachment of Andrew Johnson, refused to acknowledge Pennsylvania state law changes which, before the Civil War, denied blacks the vote. In his will Stevens asked to be buried in a black-only cemetery. Republican National Conventions long before there was any political gain to be had often had the invocation by black clergymen. The platforms of these conventions almost invariably called for granting blacks genuine political and civil rights. Virtually all the black leaders, up to W.E.B. Du Bois, were Republicans (and even the Marxist Du Bois, after supporting Wilson in 1912, declined to do so in 1916.) How, then, did the Ku Klux Krats come to be seen as the champions of blacks? Because, like they always do, the left the Ku Klux Klan is clearly a spawn of that left promised them unearned goodies, unmerited advantages and the appearance of power. Equality before the law became in fact inequality, forcing colleges and companies to hire relatively unqualified blacks which both destroyed the value of those institutions in many ways and also insured that interracial hostility continued and worsened. Can anything be done? Possibly, but probably not. All the Uncle Toms who crossed the Jordan to become Democrats are too addicted to those destructive narcotics which are the tools of enslavement used by the left. That is, of course, just what the left and its political vehicle, the Democrat Party, wants. Bruce Walker is the author of the recently released Pseudo-Green Leftism and True Green Conservatism and a contributing editor to Enter Stage Right. Home The Miles Davis My Funny Valentine Album, Live at Philharmonic Hall, Lincoln Center By Michael Moriarty Im 77 years-old now. I first heard this recording when I was 23 years old. It was during the worst time of my life! In short, I had returned home to Detroit, from a Fulbright Year in London, as a complete failure! The details, except for my terrifying depression, are utterly irrelevant to the theme of this article. What began to pull me out of that nightmare? This album! Why? For one, the unsurpassably combined genius of Miles Davis, George Coleman, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams and Ron Carter. Some, like myself, consider this the greatest live concert album in all of jazz history. I knew when I first heard it! It was the creation of a far higher intelligence than I had ever contemplated before. Secondly, my father, a surgeon and a shamelessly self-declared expert on all music, whose lifelong disappointment in me had been most indelibly fulfilled during my profoundly embarrassing Fulbright year in England. My father HATED this album! Even more than the album, he hated Miles Davis!! He also hated everything Miles Davis loved! The John F. Kennedy family in particular! That, of course, made me fall INSTANTLY in love with Miles Davis and everyone else on this album. From that moment on, Miles Davis and this album in particular took me to church. Davis became a kind of religious figure and this album a kind of religious ritual. Im now listening to All Blues. Ron Carter who was carrying the greatest load on this basically presto con possibile (tempo fast as possible) challenge?! It was about as fast a tempo as ANY bassist, who carries the unforgettably driving, indelible and indispensably most important figure of All Blues, as fast as any bassist could maintain. Later, after Id had the divine privilege of having Ron Carter play in my trio, for far too short a time, I sent him a copy of an album Id recorded after I had left America for Canada. On it, my trio performed Miles Davis own composition, All Blues. My tempo was hardly the, if youll excuse my saying so, BALL-BREAKING speed of the Miles Davis, Lincoln Center recording. Ron, even though my tempo was still slower than his Miles Davis version, he advised me that I must play that bass figure on the piano much slower than I had! The Wikipedia description of that Miles Davis concert quotes the critic Ian Carr as labeling All Blues as a major mistake on the album because of its excessively fast tempo. Other than that complaint, Mr. Carr gave the album, as he should, a rave. I disagree entirely with Mr. Carr about All Blues! Not only does Ron Carter and the drummer Tony Williams DRIVE the quintet into regions they perhaps had never been before! All Blues now brings tears of bliss to my eyes! Yes! Yes! Yes! The clear and separate tonguings of George Coleman on his saxophone?!?! YES! Miles Davis brief return to end All Blues carries all the fire-filled energy of all the previous solos combined! That is only one reason Miles Davis is the LEADER of four other geniuses! Now comes the heart of not only the MEANING OF MILES DAVIS in my life, but his eternal place in my soul as the major lesson I needed at that terrible time in my life. While my know-it-all father was complaining about all the clams, jazz vernacular for all the mistakes in the Davis solos, I was in awe of not only the size of the Miles Davis vision but the courage it necessitated to reach out that far for something that had yet to be realized in the entire history of jazz. Yes, Miles Davis blew more clams in this one concert than most other professional musicians had collected in their entire career. I love every one of those clams!! Why? Miles Davis is on a hunting expedition! He will, indeed, find what hes quite intensely, angrily and yes, insanely reaching out for!!!! Listen to his solo on Stella by Starlight!! The un-self-pitying agony and anger in it!! YES! YES! YES! I was hearing a virtual recording of my own soul. My own anger. My own agony. Few human beings, even your own, closest friends, can deliver such a profoundly complicated form of comfort to your soul than Miles Davis has already offered to the entire world. Following that year in England, I was the loneliest young man on Earth. Only the divine sounds of the Miles Davis trumpet on his quintets Lincoln Center, My Funny Valentine Album, sounded as alone as I had become. Because of Miles Davis, I was no longer alone. Michael Moriarty is a Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actor who starred in the landmark television series Law and Order from 1990 to 1994. His recent film and TV credits include The Yellow Wallpaper, 12 Hours to Live, Santa Baby and Deadly Skies. Contact Michael at rainbowfamily2008@yahoo.com. He can be found on Twitter at https://twitter.com/@MGMoriarty. Home SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, announced Monday he introduced a statewide bill last week aimed at protecting sex workers from being arrested when they report serious and violent crimes. According to Wiener, Senate Bill 233 ensures that sex workers who witnessed or are victims of crimes like sexual assault, human trafficking, stalking, robbery, assault, kidnapping, threats, blackmail, extortion or burglary won't be criminalized. Additionally, the bill would prohibit the possession of condoms from being used as probable cause to arrest someone for sex work. "This legislation is about protecting victims and increasing public safety. Too many sex workers are victimized, and the last thing we need is for sex workers to be further victimized by being arrested when they report a crime. If sex workers risk arrest for reporting a crime, they simply won't come forward, and violent criminals will go free," Wiener said in a statement. "We also need to make it easy and safe for workers to access condoms. Using condoms as evidence of sex work creates a huge incentive for sex workers not to carry or use them. Criminalizing possession of condoms undermines our efforts to reduce HIV prevention," he said. According to Wiener's office, a study conducted by the University of California at San Francisco and the San Francisco-based organization St. James Infirmary, 60 percent of sex workers experience some form of violence while working. Among those, 32 percent reported being physically attacked and 29 percent reported being sexually assaulted on the job. "Predators view sex workers as easy targets because the illegality of their work makes the police a natural threat; abusers know most sex workers will never go to the police, and they take advantage of that," St. James Infirmary deputy director Pike Long said in a statement. The San Francisco District Attorney's Office has already adopted the practice and committed to not use condoms as evidence when prosecuting sex workers. The San Francisco Police Department has also set guidelines to prohibit the arrest of sex workers who report crimes, according to Wiener's office. A hearing will be set for SB 233 in the coming months, Wiener's office said. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Keep fraudulent science out of our courtrooms By Paul Driessen A California jury recently awarded $289 million in damages (later reduced to $78 million) to a former groundskeeper, who claimed the weed killer glyphosate caused his non-Hodgkins lymphoma and Monsanto deliberately or negligently failed to warn him adequately about the chemicals cancer risks. The case is on appeal, and a second trial will soon begin before U.S. District Court Judge Vince Chhabria, who himself has 620 more glyphosate cases on his docket. Overall, more than 9,300 additional cases are in the works against Monsanto and its new owner, Bayer and personal injury mass-tort law firms are trolling for more alleged victims. If you were ever exposed to glyphosate and now have cancer, you may be entitled to damages. Call us now, their print, radio and television ads proclaim. If the allegations are correct, compensatory and even punitive damage awards would be justified, though what might be reasonable damages is very much open to debate. However, reputable evidence strongly suggests that there is no connection between glyphosate use and lymphomas or other cancers. In fact, the two cases and indeed the entire mega-litigation argument hinges on one study and Judge Chhabria had to decide whether it would be admissible at the upcoming trial. Unfortunately, he ruled that plaintiff lawyers could introduce that study as evidence, despite the multiple deceptions surrounding it. Many experts say the study is highly suspect, bordering on fraudulent, and should have been barred. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup weed killer. Introduced in 1974 and licensed in 130 countries, it is the worlds most widely used herbicide. Millions of homeowners use it regularly. Farmers employ it with Roundup-Ready corn, soybeans and other crops that are engineered to be resistant to it, so as to minimize weeding and tilling, preserve soil structure, and reduce erosion and water evaporation. Farmers also like it, says cancer epidemiologist Geoffrey Kabat, because it is environmentally benign and has low toxicity. In fact, he says, the acute toxicity of glyphosate is lower than that of table salt. Multiple studies by respected organizations worldwide have concluded that glyphosate is safe and non-carcinogenic. Reviewers include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, European Food Safety Authority, European Chemicals Agency, Food and Agriculture Organization, Germanys Institute for Risk Assessment, Health Canada, Australias Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, and others The U.S. Agricultural Health Study conducted by the U.S. National Cancer Institute followed the health of 54,000 farmers and commercial pesticide applicators for over two decades. It found no glyphosate-cancer link. The AHS is ongoing and is by far the most extensive such study ever done. Only one agency, the France-based International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC), says otherwise. IARC does no research of its own. It simply reviews existing research and classifies chemicals as definitely, probably or possibly a cause of cancer in humans often at extremely high doses that humans are extremely unlikely to encounter in the real world. Nor does the agency conduct risk assessments to determine exposure levels at which chemicals might actually have adverse effects on people. In fact, some chemicals may cause cancer at extremely high doses, but be completely harmless at levels encountered in our daily lives. Other substances are harmful at high doses but beneficial or vital at very low doses; not having them in our bodies at certain low levels can cause severe health problems. To date, IARC has studied over 900 substances and found only one was probably not carcinogenic. Its antiquated approach lumps bacon, sausage, sunlight and plutonium together in its definitely carcinogenic category. Its list of possible carcinogens includes pickled vegetables and caffeic acid, which is found in coffee, tea, apples, blueberries, broccoli, kale, onions and other fruits and vegetables. Glyphosate is listed as probably cancer-causing, along with creosote, inorganic lead compounds, malathion, many big-word chemicals, high-temperature frying, red meat and very hot beverages! Groundskeeper Dewayne Johnson has said he somehow got drenched twice by glophosate. But in each case he failed to take a shower or wash the chemical off, follow other standard or specific detoxification procedures that anyone should follow for chemical accidents like this, or seek immediate medical attention (likewise standard procedure). Perhaps his legal team could make a plausible argument that getting drenched twice constituted the extremely high doses that IARC often cites as carcinogenic. However, IARCs secretive, sloppy, bungled or even systematically and deliberately fraudulent handling of its glyphosate review makes even that possibility little more than pseudo-evidence that should be barred from Johnsons case, the Edwin Hardeman case, and all other glyphosate trials. IARC supposedly based its 2015 glyphosate-causes-cancer finding on evidence from rodent studies. However, subsequent reviews by Dr. Kabat, National Cancer Institute statistician Robert Tarone, investigative journalists Kate Kelland and David Zaruk, and other investigators confirmed that the IARC process was tainted beyond repair from the very beginning. IARCs glyphosate review was proposed by U.S. government statistician Christopher Portier, who also helped design the study and served as special advisor to the IARC working group that evaluated the chemical. He did so while also being paid as an advisor to the anti-chemical Environmental Defense Fund. Then, just days after IARC issued its ruling, Portier signed a contract to receive $160,000 for serving as a litigation consultant for two law firms that were preparing to sue Monsanto on behalf of glyphosate cancer victims. Portier and IARC tried to cover up these blatant conflicts of interest. Tarone discovered that, during its deliberations, the IARC panel highlighted certain positive results from rodent studies it relied on while ignoring contradictory results from the same studies. Overall, the data do not support the agencys claim that glyphosate is carcinogenic, he determined. Kelland found ten instances where a negative conclusion about glyphosate leading to tumors was either deleted or replaced with a neutral or positive one between draft and final versions of the IARC report. Portier himself admitted the animal studies subgroup report concluding limited evidence of carcinogenicity somehow got upgraded to sufficient evidence for the final report. Just as disturbing, the chair of IARCs glyphosate Working Group was also a senior investigator for the AHS pesticide and herbicide analysis. He knew the AHS results clearly exonerated glyphosate as a carcinogen. However, he did not inform the Group about those results, on the spurious ground that they had not yet been published. He later admitted that the study would likely have altered IARCs decision. Kabat says IARC had to cherry-pick the results from two mouse studies in order to make its tortured case that the animal evidence supported a conclusion of carcinogenicity. IARC also did not have access to the 2017 National Cancer Institute study and apparently ignored the 2015 AHS analysis. The 1993 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals requires that, in cases like these glyphosate cancer claims, plaintiffs must prove to the presiding judges satisfaction that the scientific evidence they intend to present is relevant and reliable. It must have been tested and/or peer-reviewed against accepted standards, must be accepted in the applicable scientific community, and must meet basic standards of honesty, integrity and credibility. IARCs claim that glyphosate is carcinogenic is such an outlier, so beneath scientific norms, so tainted by conflicts of interest and misconduct, so unrelated to actual chemical risks indeed so deceptive and borderline fraudulent that it should never have been admitted as evidence in any glyphosate trial. It is bad enough that these cancer trials are driven by emotional appeals to jurors largely misplaced fears of chemicals and minimal knowledge of chemicals, chemical risks, medicine and cancer. It is far worse when our courts let these lawsuits also be driven by the scientific misconduct of one agency, IARC. If the lower courts cannot or will not rein in these abuses, the Supreme Court will have to revisit Daubert. Paul Driessen is senior policy advisor for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) and author of many articles on energy and the environment. He has degrees in sciences and environmental law. Home VALLEJO (BCN) The Solano County coroner's office has identified a driver who died after a collision Friday night as Jorge Macaraeg Lindayen, 70, of Vallejo. The collision was reported around 8:15 p.m. on Sonoma Boulevard north of Lewis Brown Drive, police Lt. Michael Nichelini said. Lindayen was driving a 2000 Saturn SL1 north on Sonoma Boulevard when he crossed the center median into the path of a 1999 Dodge Durango in the southbound lane of Sonoma Boulevard, Nichelini said. Lindayen was taken to a hospital where he died a short time later, and the 41-year-old Vallejo woman who was driving the Dodge suffered minor injuries and complained of pain, according to Nichelini. The collision is under investigation but speed does not appear to be a factor, Nichelini said. It was the second fatal collision on city streets in Vallejo this year, Nichelini said. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN MATEO CO.: THE YEAR TASERS BECAME DEADLY Four law enforcement deaths in 2018 have ignited debate on the Peninsula on the role of Tasers in policing and how officers should respond to mental health crises. A hearing on the issue is planned for Monday. By Scott Morris Bay City News Service Chinedu Valentine Okobi, the 36-year-old son of Nigerian immigrants, was unarmed when he was stopped by a San Mateo County sheriff's deputy in Millbrae on Oct. 3. Okobi, who grew up in San Francisco, had been walking in the 1300 block of El Camino Real at about 1 p.m. that day. The interaction between Okobi and the deputy quickly turned violent and as more deputies arrived, at least one deployed a Taser stun gun. Okobi died from his injuries. Aside from that, everything about what happened to Okobi is disputed. The sheriff's office said in a statement that the deputy had been responding to reports that Okobi was "running in and out of traffic" and that he had immediately assaulted the deputy. Okobi was taken to a hospital, where he died, according to the sheriff's office. But Okobi's sister, Ebele Okobi, who has seen videos of the encounter, publicly accused the sheriff's office of lying. According to her, Chinedu Okobi was calmly walking down the street when a deputy sped alongside him, shouted at him and told him he needs to question him. Chinedu Okobi said something inaudible in the video and then walked to an intersection, looked for traffic, and crossed the street, according to his sister. The deputy then called for backup, according to Ebele Okobi. He sped across the street and cut off Chinedu Okobi as another patrol car arrived. Chinedu Okobi dropped his bags and put his arms in the air. The deputies grabbed him, ripped off his jacket as he asked, "What's wrong? What did I do?" according to his sister. Then one deputy used his Taser as Chinedu Okobi cried out in pain. At one point, Chinedu Okobi tried to get up, but a deputy hit him with a baton, and they shocked him again, his sister wrote. He tried to run again, and they chased him, used pepper spray and shocked him again. Ebele Okobi said that Sgt. David Weidner can be heard on the video saying, "Stay on top of him," repeatedly, then someone shouted, "I see blood!" After that, Chinedu Okobi lies lifeless on the sidewalk. The videos have not been publicly released. But Ebele Okobi, Facebook's public policy director for Africa, published her account on Facebook, where it was widely shared and became national news. San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe hired an independent expert to assist with his investigation into the incident and committed to publicly releasing the videos once the investigation is complete. The county Board of Supervisors has called a public hearing on Tasers, scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at the Hall of Justice at 400 County Center in Redwood City. Okobi's death was the third of four involving law enforcement and a Taser in San Mateo County in 2018. The previous two were in Redwood City and Daly City. In a news conference in October, the Okobi family's attorney, Oakland civil rights attorney John Burris, called for a moratorium on Taser use in the county. In December, a second person was killed by police in Redwood City, Kyle Hart, a teacher at Frank S. Greene Middle School in Palo Alto who was threatening to kill himself. Redwood City police officers also used a Taser on Hart before they shot him. Four deaths by law enforcement officers is highly unusual in San Mateo County, which has a population smaller than San Francisco. According to Bay City News archives as well as databases maintained by the Guardian and the Washington Post, there were three deaths by police shootings in the county in 2017 and none in either 2015 or 2016. There had not been a Taser-related death in the county since 2005, when Pacifica police officers Tased Gregory Saulsbury Jr. while he was already handcuffed, according to a Reuters database of deaths involving Tasers. Each of the four deaths in 2018 involved mental illness. Hart had reportedly already attempted suicide before officers arrived. Okobi had a history of mental illness, according to his family. Ramzi Saad, who was killed in a struggle with Redwood City police officers on Aug. 13, suffered from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, according to the district attorney's office. Warren Ragudo, who died after he was Tased by Daly City police officers on Jan. 16, had a history of mental illness and drug addiction. Law enforcement agencies have struggled in recent years with how to respond to people suffering from mental health crises without resorting to lethal force. As the county Board of Supervisors called for a hearing on Tasers at a December meeting, Supervisor Don Horsley, who was the county's sheriff from 1993 to 2007 and whose son is now a sheriff's deputy, said that the county has taken steps in recent years to avoid fatal law enforcement encounters with people suffering mental illness, including countywide crisis intervention training, hiring specially trained ambulance drivers, and adding new services. "Having been in law enforcement for 35 years, most of the cases that I ran into people had some mental health crisis," Horsley said. "Maybe these public hearings will give us some ideas about something else that we can do to avoid tragedies in the future." But civil rights advocates, including with the American Civil Liberties Union, have pointed out that Tasers are often incorrectly perceived as non-lethal weapons. Tasers are distributed with seven pages of instructions and safety warnings, including that "some individuals may be particularly susceptible to the effects of [conducted energy weapon] use" like people suffering from "excited delirium, profound agitation, severe exhaustion, drug intoxication or chronic drug abuse, and/or over-exertion from physical struggle." In these cases, Taser use "may cause or contribute to sudden death," the manufacturer warns. Alan Schlosser, an attorney with the ACLU of Northern California, called the warnings "chilling," adding, "In my view is clearly an attempt by Taser to shift a liability from the company to the city." "In many people's minds, Tasers are non-lethal weapons," Schlosser said. "They're much more dangerous than pepper spray and batons." In the past two years, officers in Redwood City have deployed Tasers 28 times, in Daly City 21 times and the sheriff's office has used Tasers seven times. In most of those incidents, the suspect was not armed. Aside from the four deaths, no one suffered serious injuries in the other deployments in the county over those two years, according to documents obtained from the three agencies through a public records request. Some Tasers are more dangerous than others. In 2014, Taser International, the company that produces Tasers and is now known as Axon, stopped selling the X26 model and recommended that agencies switch to using its X26P model, writing to the agencies that the X26P was "far superior in terms of safety features." Most of the Tasers that San Mateo County sheriff's deputies are using are still the outdated X26 model. David Silberman, the chief deputy county counsel, said that the sheriff's office has 225 X26 Tasers and about 100 X26P. He would not say which model of Taser the deputies who killed Chinedu Okobi were carrying, citing the ongoing district attorney's office investigation. Redwood City ordered 125 X26P Tasers in November, the first time the Police Department had replaced its Tasers since 2010, before the X26P was introduced and when the X26 was the most popular model of Taser, according to invoices for Taser purchases obtained through a public records request. The department did not respond to questions about whether it was aware of the higher safety risks of the X26 model. Brothers Rick and Tom Smith founded Air Taser Inc. in 1993 to develop a new electroshock weapon that would not be classified as a firearm. Previous electroshock weapons had used gunpowder as a propellant. Taser introduced its first product, the Air Taser Model 34000, the following year. In 1998, the company changed its name to Taser International and in 1999, it introduced a handgun-shaped Taser. The X26 model was first introduced in 2003. Within four years, it was used by 11,000 law enforcement agencies worldwide, according to Taser's website. Tasers work by discharging two electrical probes attached to wires and propelled via compressed air. The probes embed in skin and clothing, delivering a powerful electric charge that causes muscles to tightly contract, incapacitating the suspect. The devices also can be used in "drive stun" mode, meaning that the probes are not fired and the weapon is used in close proximity. In drive stun mode, the purpose of a Taser is not to incapacitate a suspect but to gain compliance through pain. While Tasers quickly became a standard law enforcement tool, they have remained controversial. In San Francisco, fierce opposition kept the city's Police Commission from allowing officers to use Tasers until last year, despite pleas from the department for a decade. Activists argued that Tasers were potentially lethal and used much more frequently than guns, not simply a substitute for deadly force. In San Mateo County, Tasers were in use by all but two law enforcement agencies by 2011, when the county's civil grand jury examined Taser use and policy countywide. Only East Palo Alto and Menlo Park did not use Tasers. (Menlo Park equipped officers with Tasers starting in 2013.) The civil grand jury found that almost all of the agencies using Tasers in San Mateo County had policies that were drafted by Lexipol, a private for-profit company that provides ready-made police policies. Only the sheriff's office had an independent policy, which differed from the Lexipol policies by having a series of recommended steps to escalate force. The sheriff's office's policy had changed in 2010 to make Tasers a more serious use of force -- recommending using flashlights or specialty impact munitions before Tasers. Only carotid holds -- similar to a chokehold without closing the windpipe -- or deadly force were considered more serious. Lexipol policies, on the other hand, let officers choose from a variety of force options based on the officer's judgment. The grand jury recommended that the sheriff's office adopt the Lexipol policy instead. The sheriff's office did eventually implement a Lexipol-based policy, but retained much of the language from its old policy, including the recommended steps in use of force. However, the sheriff's office did incorporate Lexipol-drafted language stating that "nothing in this policy requires an officer to retreat or be exposed to possible physical injury before applying reasonable force." In reviewing the policy for the ACLU, Schlosser said that he found that aspect of the policy antithetical to employing de-escalation techniques, which would direct officers to create space and establish communication. "Language like this comes, to me, from the 19th Century," Schlosser said. "Don't retreat, hold your ground." The events leading to the death of Warren Ragudo, a 34-year-old Daly City man, have also been disputed, particularly the extent that Ragudo struggled and whether he was handcuffed by the time the officers used a Taser. A letter from Wagstaffe, the county district attorney, says that officers had only handcuffed one of Ragudo's arms before using a Taser and reports that Ragudo's father confirmed this in an interview. But a lawsuit later filed by the family alleges that Ragudo had already been restrained by the time he was Tased. According to Wagstaffe's letter, Ragudo's sister first called 911 at about 11:20 p.m. on Jan. 16, 2018, and said that her brother was "on drugs," "tripping out" and "freaking out." She said that Ragudo was trying to jump out of a window and was being restrained by his father and uncle. While heading to the home at 964 Brunswick St., the officers were warned that Ragudo was on parole, was a drug user, and had a history of resisting police officers. The family's lawsuit states that they had hoped the officers would place him on a psychiatric hold. Ragudo's father and uncle were still holding him down on the second floor of the house when the officers arrived. Officers Corey Shoopman and Nicholas McCarthy tried to control Ragudo. Shoopman grabbed his left arm and McCarthy put his knee between Ragudo's shoulder blades. Ragudo continued kicking and twisting, and Officer Bruce Perdomo tried to grab his legs, Wagstaffe wrote in his letter. According to the family's lawsuit, Ragudo never kicked or swung his arms at the officers and Shoopman and McCarthy got him into handcuffs. But Wagstaffe's letter said that Ragudo nearly kicked Perdomo in the face and while Shoopman handcuffed Ragudo's left wrist, McCarthy lost control of Ragudo's right arm. Perdomo then Tased him using the drive stun mode in his lower back, trying to gain his compliance through pain. After the Taser deployment, Ragudo stopped struggling. At first he was still breathing, according to Wagstaffe's letter, but as Sgt. Sean Begley arrived with restraints, he put his hand on Ragudo's chest and did not feel movement. The officers attempted to revive him but he was pronounced dead a short time later. The family's lawsuit alleges that Ragudo, who was pinned facedown, was already having trouble breathing and was growing quiet before he was Tased. In addition to the allegations of wrongful death and assault, the lawsuit filed by Ragudo's family alleges that Daly City police Chief Patrick Hensley failed to adequately draft policy and train officers on how to deal with people suffering from a mental health crisis. And while the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office policies expressly forbid deputies from using a Taser on someone in handcuffs, Daly City's policies do not, so even if Ragudo was handcuffed deputies would have been permitted to Tase him, so long as they perceived the force to be reasonable. A new police transparency law, Senate Bill 1421, took effect in California this year and requires the disclosure of internal investigatory files in cases where officers' use of force leads to serious injury or death. But Daly City would not release the officers' personnel files regarding Ragudo, citing the pending litigation against the city. Kyle Hart had already cut his throat and wrists by the time police arrived on Dec. 10. His wife had just given birth to their second child three days earlier and the family had moved into a modest two-bedroom house in Redwood City with a large yard and a white picket fence in April. Hart, 33, taught social studies and English and Frank S. Greene Jr. Middle School in Palo Alto, where he was well-liked by colleagues, students and their families. His wife, Kristin Hart, called 911 at 8:47 a.m. and said that Hart was trying to kill himself. Redwood City police officers arrived at the home at 450 Lincoln Ave. and found Kristin Hart outside covered in blood. She directed them to the backyard, where Kyle Hart was holding a butcher knife and bleeding from his self-inflicted wounds. The officers, who the department says were trained in crisis intervention techniques, tried to get him to drop the knife but instead, he started running towards the officers, according to a Redwood City police news release. One officer used a Taser in an attempt to subdue him, but it didn't work, and another officer, a 20-year veteran of the department who has not been identified, shot him. Hart was taken to a hospital but died. His young family has had an outpouring of support and raised nearly $250,000 through a GoFundMe page. The district attorney's office is still investigating the case. Even Hart's exact cause of death remains undetermined, whether it was a result of the gunshot or his self-inflicted wounds. Nor is it clear why the Taser was ineffective. It's also not clear exactly how the previous person killed in an encounter with Redwood City police officers last year died. Police used a Taser on Ramzi Saad twice, but, according to the district attorney's office, he continued fighting officers, two of whom climbed on top of him and held him face-down on the ground as he struggled. Saad, 55, suffered from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. He lived at 523 Lanyard Drive with his 83-year-old mother, whom he allegedly pushed over before neighbors called police on Aug. 13. Earlier that day, Saad had been in a "bad mood," his mother told police, and had not taken his medication. His mother urged him to take it, but he refused, and at about 7 p.m., he grabbed his prescription bottles and walked out of the house. Saad went to a neighbor's house, and told him, "my mother is dead and they're killing us," according to the district attorney's office. The neighbor knew that Saad suffered from mental health problems and tried to calm him down. He walked with Saad back to his own house, where his mother was outside. Saad was shouting incoherently, then walked back into the house, put his medicine down, and said that he was never going to take his medicine again. The neighbor started walking home, but Saad followed, so the neighbor turned around and brought him back again. When they got back, Saad, still agitated, pushed over his mother, causing her to hit her head. The neighbor called 911. Redwood City police Officer Oscar Poveda was the first to arrive, and saw Saad, who is over 6 feet tall and weighed 273 pounds, angry and yelling at a group of people. Saad's mother was still on the ground and some of the onlookers were yelling that Saad had pushed her. Poveda asked Saad what was going on and Saad responded, "they're trying to kill me," according to the district attorney's office. Poveda tried to calm Saad down by using crisis intervention techniques, according to the district attorney's office, lowering his tone and asking Saad to sit down. Saad at first seemed to calm down, and said he wanted to go to the hospital, but suddenly Saad said, "You wanna pull out your gun and shoot me, don't you?" As Saad grew more agitated, Poveda pulled his Taser and hid it behind his back. He requested medical aid for Saad's mother and told his sergeant that he intended to place Saad on a mental health hold. Saad got up and swung at Poveda without warning, according to the district attorney's office. Poveda deployed his Taser, and Saad fell to the ground on his stomach. Poveda told Saad to put his hands behind his back, then activated his Taser again, its probes still stuck in Saad. Saad picked up a piece of fruit that had fallen from a nearby tree and threw it at Poveda. Poveda replaced his Taser cartridge and deployed it again. But the district attorney's office found it was unclear if the probes struck Saad this time. Saad grabbed a brick off the ground, and Poveda tried to activate the Taser again. Poveda felt a shock and dropped the Taser. Saad rolled onto his back and kicked at Poveda. After a struggle, Poveda was able to get Saad back onto his stomach and handcuff him. Officers Daniel Di Bona, Brian Simmons and Matthew Cydzik then arrived and Poveda, exhausted, walked away. Di Bona grabbed Saad's legs and put his weight on them. Cydzik put a knee between Saad's shoulder blades, but did not use his full body weight, according to the district attorney's office. Simmons got on top of Saad's midsection and tried to hold Saad's handcuffed arms steady. Saad then stopped fighting. Soon, he stopped breathing. The district attorney's office reviewed Saad's death and on Nov. 1 declined to charge the four officers. "Officer Poveda initially made use of the [crisis intervention technique] training in an effort to diffuse the situation, but the decedent's aggressive conduct, including approaching and punching at the officer, motivated the use of the Taser, which is considered a non-lethal weapon," Wagstaffe wrote in a letter to Redwood City police Chief Dan Mulholland. "Tragically, Mr. Saad went into cardiac arrest and died. This unfortunate result was not intended by the officers, nor could they have foreseen such a tragic outcome from the use of non-lethal force." Chinedu Valentine Okobi was born the day before Valentine's Day in 1982. He was the youngest of five children born to two Nigerian immigrants in San Francisco. After he died, his sister wrote on Facebook, "he had irresistibly chubby cheeks when he was a baby, which was unfortunate because he clearly found the resulting cheek pinching entirely beneath his dignity." Okobi once had a promising future. He graduated with a degree in business administration in 2003 from Morehouse College in Atlanta, the historically black college where Martin Luther King Jr., Spike Lee and Samuel L. Jackson attended. He had a daughter, whom his family said he was devoted to. But while he was studying to enter graduate school, he started having struggles with mental health. "We struggled for years to get him the right diagnosis and medications, and we were so proud of him for creating a good and kind life despite his struggles with mental health," his sister Ebele Okobi wrote. Okobi's death was surprising for many reasons. As the third death involving Tasers in San Mateo County last year, it was unprecedented. As the brother to a high-ranking Facebook employee with a broad platform, Okobi's death drew more attention than many others under similar circumstances would. The sheriff's office's use of Tasers has been infrequent in recent years, with only one incident in 2017 and six in 2018, including on Okobi. None of the deputies involved in the Okobi incident had been sued for excessive force allegations previously, though the sheriff's office paid about $2.5 million in civil rights claims between 2015 and 2017, according to public records. That total was mainly due to a $2.15 million settlement for Richard Earl May, who was bitten by a police dog while helping a friend look for her cat in a construction site in Half Moon Bay. Still, the sheriff's office has been slow to adapt to the latest technology, including its Tasers, which it has been upgrading to the newer, safer, models. In response to a public records request, the sheriff's office was unable to find any purchase invoices prior to 2018, so the rate that it has been upgrading is unclear. The sheriff's office will also be getting body cameras for the first time in June. Because the sheriff's office does not currently have body cameras, the video of Okobi's death, which Wagstaffe has committed to releasing once his investigation is complete, is a piecemeal collection of dash camera footage from patrol cars, bystander cellphone videos and surveillance video. As scrutiny mounted, Wagstaffe hired an independent expert to assist his office with the criminal investigation into Okobi's death. The consultant, Jeffrey Martin, is a former San Jose police sergeant who spent 26 years with the department. He earned a law degree in 2007 and has worked as a private consultant on training and internal affairs investigations since 2009. From 2009-2013, he also worked as a contractor for Lexipol, the company that authors policies for each law enforcement agency in San Mateo County. Regardless of the outcome of Wagstaffe's investigation, Okobi's family will likely file a civil suit against the county. And the issues his death raises, whether Tasers are a safe and effective law enforcement tool and how police can best respond to people with mental illness, will rage on. 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) Two people were injured Sunday afternoon in an apartment building fire in San Francisco's Sunnydale district, fire officials said. The blaze was first reported at about 3 p.m. Sunday at 206 Blythdale Ave., about two blocks from the Cow Palace on the extreme south edge of the city One of the two people injured required a rescue by firefighters. Both victims are being treated Sunday for what San Francisco Fire Department firefighters describe as non-life-threatening injuries. The cause of the fire was under investigation as of 4:15 p.m. Sunday, and no further information was available. 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. BART will begin offering its new Early Bird Express bus service at 4 a.m. Monday to help commuters who will be affected by the later weekday start of the transit system to accommodate the seismic retrofit of the Transbay Tube. BART trains will begin running around 5 a.m., an hour later than normal, starting Monday. The change will last for the duration of the 3.5-year-long retrofit project. As a result, the Early Bird Express will establish 15 new bus lines to run between 3:50 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. in both directions between stops. It will consist of seven transbay routes, five East Bay routes, two San Francisco/Peninsula routes and one Contra Costa County route, and serve 21 BART stations and the temporary Transbay Terminal in San Francisco. Eight Bay Area bus agencies will operate the network, and fares will be the same or less than the equivalent trip on BART, according to the transit agency. Riders can pay with either cash or a Clipper card. Clipper card payments must be made with money added as cash value to the card; riders cannot pay using a Clipper purse loaded with High Value Discount (HVD) tickets. Because BART stations won't open until 5 a.m., current parking payment methods will not be available for Early Bird Express riders. Instead, BART will offer three options for riders who wish to pay for parking between 3:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m.: using a smartphone and an app; a computer, internet connection and printer; or purchasing parking passes in advance from a customer service window. According to BART, more than 2,400 of the 2,900 riders who typically begin their trips between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. originate in the East Bay, and 64 percent disembark at downtown San Francisco stations. BART says the retrofit work will be done in small sections starting at 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and ending at 5 a.m. Monday through Friday. Starting with Monday's schedule change, the first East Bay train is scheduled to arrive at the Embarcadero Station in downtown San Francisco at 5:35 a.m. Other major BART schedule changes beginning Monday will impact Sunday and weekday night riders. For more information on the retrofit project and its effect on train schedules and BART service, go to https://www.bart.gov or call BART's Transit Information Center at 510-465-BART (2278). Operators are available from 3:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Officers shot and killed a man Saturday night after the suspect reached for a handgun while stopped in a vehicle at a Vallejo fast-food restaurant, police said. Police were called to the Taco Bell restaurant at 974 Admiral Callaghan Lane around 10:36 p.m. after a restaurant employee reported that a silver Mercedes was parked in the drive-thru lane and that the driver was slumped over in the driver's seat, acting Capt. Joe Iacono said in a news release. As officers approached the Mercedes, they saw the driver unresponsive in the car with a handgun on his lap. The car was locked and the transmission was in drive, prompting officers to try to prevent any forward movement by the vehicle and call for additional help. The driver, who was alone, suddenly began to move, according to Iacono. Officers told him to keep his hands visible, but the driver quickly reached for the handgun on his lap. Fearing for their safety, officers fired at the suspect, Iacono said, and immediately began life-saving efforts and called for medical help. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, and a loaded handgun was recovered from the car. Police have not disclosed the driver's identity because of the ongoing investigation. Anyone who may have witnessed the shooting or has additional information is asked to call Detective Scott Yates at (707) 648-4533 or Detective Craig Long at (707) 648-4514. An investigation is underway into the death of a man after he was detained by police officers and a sheriff's deputy at the Concord Homeless Shelter on Friday afternoon, according to police officials. Police said the call first came in around 4 p.m. at the shelter at 2047 Arnold Industrial Way. According to police, several staff members placed 911 calls to report a man acting erratically, yelling and being violent. As he was being detained, police said the suspect - who wasn't identified - continued to behave erratically while being taken into custody, and eventually showed signs of medical distress. Paramedics arrived to render aid, but the man was declared dead at the scene. Because the death occurred while the suspect was in custody, the Contra Costa County Law Enforcement-Involved Fatal Incident Protocol was invoked, and Concord police, the district attorney's office and the sheriff's office will jointly investigate the case. Anyone with information on the incident can contact Concord Police Department Detective Giacoletto at (925) 671-3040. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call (925) 603-5386. Fire crews rescued two kayakers who fell into the San Lorenzo River in the area of Paradise Park in Santa Cruz on Saturday evening, according to authorities. The fire department was contacted around 5:26 p.m. by a person who said he and a friend had fallen out of the kayak and his friend trapped underwater, according to a Santa Cruz Fire Department news release. The caller said he was able to free the victim and was performing CPR. Fire crews arrived in the area and began searching for the kayakers, but they were hampered because the caller's cellphone call was dropped several times. GPS technology was used to pinpoint the location and guide rescuers to the kayakers. "Extricating both patients presented multiple challenges with steep mountain sides, rapidly moving water and darkness," battalion chief Daniel Kline said in the news release. "The crews used several technical rope-rescue systems and patient-packing equipment to complete the extrication as safely as possible." The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment. No other injuries were reported. Kline said CPR may have played a significant role in "what we hope will be a positive outcome for this patient." Police have arrested a suspect in the Saturday evening stabbing death of a man at a San Jose motel. Robert Martinez, 47, has been booked into Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of murder, police Sgt. Enrique Garcia said in a news release. Police were alerted around 6:37 p.m. Saturday to a stabbing at the Palm Tree Motel at 2724 Monterey Road. Upon arrival, officers found the victim suffering from at least one stab wound. The victim was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later. The victim has not yet been identified by the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner's Office. Police say Martinez and the victim lived at the motel in separate rooms. The victim was visiting Martinez's room when Martinez allegedly attacked him and fled. Officers located Martinez nearby and arrested him. This is the city's sixth homicide of 2019. Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Jesus Mendoza or Detective Todd Jennings at (408) 277-5283. A Marin County sheriff's sergeant was injured Saturday morning during a struggle with a domestic violence suspect in Marin City, according to the sheriff's office. The sergeant was on patrol when he came across a man who had a cinch bag hanging around his neck and was wanted by San Rafael police on suspicion of a recent domestic violence incident, according to a social media post by the sheriff's office. A violent struggle resulted when the sergeant and other deputies tried to detain the suspect, and all of them rolled down a hill. The officers eventually handcuffed the man and secured the cinch bag, which contained a concealed and loaded .40-caliber firearm with no serial numbers. The sergeant was treated at a hospital for injuries sustained during the confrontation. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, firearm violations and resisting arrest. 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 Martinez police officer who helped solve a major human trafficking case and a Contra Costa County firefighter-paramedic who served on a strike team fighting a major Southern California are among 11 "Public Safety Heroes" for 2019 named by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Napa). Martinez police Cpl. Ryan Baille was honored for his work in putting Deandre Lewis behind bars. A jury in May sentenced Lewis to 180 years to life in prison for criminal conspiracy, pimping, human trafficking, pandering, torture, mayhem and other related charges. Paramedic Fire Captain Dave Woods, a paramedic-fire captain with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, was feted for his duty as a fire strike team leader fighting the Thomas Fire in Southern California. Woods now works to train wildland firefighters. Woods and Baille were Thompson's Contra Costa-based honorees. Two people from the other four counties that are part of Thompson's District 5 - Lake, Solano, Sonoma and Napa - are also being honored this year by Thompson's office. The other winners include Elona Porter, an evidence technician supervisor and lead crime scene investigator for the Lake County Sheriff's Department; Richard Lawler, a captain with CalFire's Clearlake Oaks Fire Station; Steven Lombardi, a deputy with the Napa County Sheriff's Department; Steve Becker, a captain with the Napa Fire Department; Ritzie Tolentino, a corporal with the Vallejo Police Department; Daniela Flores, with Solano EMT and Medic Ambulance; Cristina Montoya, a Cotati police dispatcher and clerk; and Don Ricci, a Santa Rosa Fire Department captain. Also honored was Celebrity Chef Guy Fieri, for helping feed first responders fighting this year's Northern California wildfires. 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) San Francisco police announced Monday they arrested two suspects last week who allegedly assaulted and robbed a merchant outside his business in the city's Excelsior neighborhood. On Jan. 19, the male business owner had arrived at his business in the 4600 block of Mission Street after having just returned from a nearby bank. Two male suspects then allegedly assaulted him and took his cash. The victim was taken to a hospital for his injuries, which were not considered life-threatening, police said. Using surveillance video from nearby businesses and from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, investigators were able to identify the suspects and arrested them on Thursday. Police identified one suspect as 18-year-old Taiepisi Gutu of San Francisco. The other suspect is a 17-year-old boy, also from San Francisco, police said. According to jail records, Gutu was arrested on suspicion of second-degree robbery, battery, conspiracy and buying or receiving stolen property. He's being held in lieu of $215,000. Police are asking anyone with further information about the case to contact their 24-hour tip line at (415) 575-4444 or to text a tip to TIP411 with "SFPD" at the beginning of the message. Tipsters can 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. BART's new Early Bird Express bus service worked for some riders but failed others during Monday's launch of buses to cover the later weekday start for trains on the transit system to accommodate an extensive seismic retrofit of the Transbay Tube. The transit agency said it is working to fix problems on the new bus service, which fills the gap created by trains starting at 5 a.m. instead of 4 a.m. for the next three and a half years. There are now 15 new bus lines between 3:50 a.m. and 5:30 a.m., serving 21 BART stations and the Transbay Temporary Terminal in San Francisco. In the East Bay, commuter Michele Boswell arrived early at BART's Pittsburg/Bay Point station at 3:50 a.m. -- 25 minutes earlier than she usually gets there -- to make sure she caught a bus. It was a good strategy since there was there was a long line. "There were not enough buses for that first run," Boswell said. Not everyone made it on the bus, she said. Her bus left at 4:18 a.m., a few minutes late, and thanks to light traffic arrived at the Transbay Temporary Terminal at 5:04 a.m. But Boswell worries if there aren't enough buses to accommodate all riders, she may be one of the unlucky commuters left standing in line. "If I can't catch that first bus, I won't be to work on time," she said. BART officials acknowledged after the bus service's debut on Monday that there were glitches and they are making adjustments. "The Pittsburg/Bay Point station was slammed by high ridership early, with 100 people lined up by 3:30 a.m., BART spokeswoman Anna Duckworth said. On Tuesday, the first two buses will leave at 4:15 a.m. instead, with a third leaving at 4:30 a.m. since most of the ridership was concentrated in the first half-hour, Duckworth said. Riders were also delayed when El Cerrito Del Norte buses, at 4:35 a.m. and 4:50 a.m., were held up because of a train crossing arm on Cutting Boulevard. On Tuesday, the buses will take a different route to the station to avoid that problem, Duckworth said. Other glitches to the new bus service occurred when the first Pleasant Hill bus was delayed by a driver who got lost, and an Antioch bus was seven minutes late, according to Duckworth. BART had staff in yellow vests and ambassadors in orange shirts at 25 stations, including all of the 21 stations served by Early Bird Express, and at the Transbay Temporary Terminal. "They were there to answer questions and guide people where they needed to go and will be back at those stations at least through Wednesday," Duckworth said. The early bus service carries riders on seven transbay routes, five East Bay routes, two San Francisco/Peninsula routes and one Contra Costa County route. Fares on the bus service are the same or less than the equivalent trip on BART, and riders can pay with either cash or a Clipper card. Because BART stations won't open until 5 a.m., current parking payment methods will not be available for Early Bird Express riders. Instead, BART will offer three options for riders who wish to pay for parking between 3:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m.: using a smartphone app; a computer, internet connection and printer; or purchasing parking passes in advance from a customer service window. BART did not have information on ridership numbers on the bus service Monday morning. The agency said last week that more than 2,400 of the 2,900 riders who typically begin their trips between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. originate in the East Bay, and 64 percent disembark at downtown San Francisco stations. The retrofit work will take place starting at 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and ending at 5 a.m. Monday through Friday. More information on the project, train and bus schedules is available at https://www.bart.gov. BART's Transit Information Center can be reached at (510) 465-BART (2278), from 3:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. 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. The pilot who died in Friday night's single-engine plane crash on Mount Diablo has been identified on a Facebook tribute page and via other sources as 49-year-old Chris de Bar of Granite Bay, near Roseville. The Facebook page for Julian Rock Memorial, which claims as its mission to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Tennessee, features a post made early Sunday morning mourning the death of de Bar, and called him a supporter of their cause and "a huge personality." de Bar's own Facebook page shows him racing motorcycles and describes him as a former skydiver. The single-engine Mooney M20 aircraft crashed sometime Friday night into a hillside two miles southwest of the peak of Mount Diablo near Summit Road. The plane, with the pilot the only person aboard, was flying from Hayward Executive Airport to Lincoln, in Placer County. On Saturday, a family member reported the aircraft as overdue after it had not landed as scheduled in Lincoln. The wreckage was spotted about 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the subsequent investigation as to why the plane crashed. 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. Because of predicted storms this week, a Caltrans contractor will begin the permanent repair work to replace the expansion joint on the I-580 Richmond-San Rafael Bridge during the week of Feb. 18, according to Caltrans officials. The work, set to start Feb. 18, will be carried out between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. each overnight shift. The work, Caltrans said, is anticipated to be finished in 10 such overnight shifts. One lane of traffic will remain open in each direction during the overnight work shifts. On Feb. 8, Caltrans engineers replaced the six-foot metal plate installed during the first emergency repairs with an eight-foot plate, ensuring a smoother ride before the permanent work is completed. "The Richmond-San Rafael Bridge remains safe and open to the public," Caltrans District 4 Director Tony Tavares said in a statement. "Out of an abundance of caution, Caltrans engineers will continue to regularly monitor the bridge until the permanent repair is made." The pilot who died in Friday night's single-engine plane crash on Mount Diablo has been identified on a Facebook tribute page and via other sources as 49-year-old Chris de Bar of Granite Bay, near Roseville. The Facebook page for Julian Rock Memorial, which claims as its mission to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Tennessee, features a post made early Sunday morning mourning the death of de Bar, and called him a supporter of their cause and "a huge personality." de Bar's own Facebook page shows him racing motorcycles and describes him as a former skydiver. The single-engine Mooney M20 aircraft crashed sometime Friday night into a hillside two miles southwest of the peak of Mount Diablo near Summit Road. The plane, with the pilot the only person aboard, was flying from Hayward Executive Airport to Lincoln, in Placer County. On Saturday, a family member reported the aircraft as overdue after it had not landed as scheduled in Lincoln. The wreckage was spotted about 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation into the crash. A Martinez police officer who helped solve a major human trafficking case and a Contra Costa County firefighter-paramedic who served on a strike team fighting a major Southern California fire are among 11 "Public Safety Heroes" for 2019 named by Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Napa. Martinez police Cpl. Ryan Baille was honored for his work in putting Deandre Lewis behind bars. A jury in May sentenced Lewis to 180 years to life in prison for criminal conspiracy, pimping, human trafficking, pandering, torture, mayhem and other related charges. Paramedic Fire Captain Dave Woods, a paramedic-fire captain with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, was honored for his duty as a fire strike team leader fighting the Thomas Fire in Southern California. Woods now works to train wildland firefighters. Woods and Baille were Thompson's Contra Costa-based honorees. Two people from the other four counties that are part of Thompson's District 5 - Lake, Solano, Sonoma and Napa - are also being honored this year by Thompson's office. The other earning recognition include Elona Porter, an evidence technician supervisor and lead crime scene investigator for the Lake County Sheriff's Department; Richard Lawler, a captain with Cal Fire's Clearlake Oaks Fire Station; Steven Lombardi, a deputy with the Napa County Sheriff's Office; Steve Becker, a captain with the Napa Fire Department; Ritzie Tolentino, a corporal with the Vallejo Police Department; Daniela Flores, with Solano EMT and Medic Ambulance; Cristina Montoya, a Cotati police dispatcher and clerk; and Don Ricci, a Santa Rosa Fire Department captain. Also honored was Celebrity Chef Guy Fieri, for helping feed first responders fighting this year's Northern California wildfires. With a "significant" storm expected along the Pacific coast in the Big Sur area sometime Tuesday, Caltrans has issued an advisory for drivers who use state Highway 1 in the Mud Creek and Paul's Slide areas in Monterey County to prepare for possible weather-related closures of the highway in those areas, Caltrans said Sunday. The possible Highway 1 closures would be at Mud Creek, 8.9 miles north of the San Luis Obispo County line, and at Paul's Slide, 21.6 miles north of the county line. Caltrans spokeswoman Susana Cruz noted that both areas suffered major mud and rock slides in the past few years, and are still "settling" following those episodes. "These slides need time to stabilize and get used to themselves, to settle," Cruz said. "This is the first winter after the big slides, and they are still settling." This 48-hour warning is primarily for residents of these areas to stock up on provisions and make alternative travel arrangements, and for travelers to find other routes around the Big Sur area. Cruz said the advisory will be reevaluated Monday, and more information about the pending Tuesday storm is available. Two people were injured Sunday afternoon in an apartment building fire in San Francisco's Sunnydale district, fire officials said. The blaze was first reported at about 3 p.m. Sunday at 206 Blythdale Ave., about two blocks from the Cow Palace on the extreme south edge of the city. One of the two people injured required a rescue by firefighters. Both victims are being treated Sunday for what San Francisco Fire Department firefighters describe as non-life-threatening injuries. One apartment unit was seriously damaged. The cause of the fire remained investigation late Sunday night. The Contra Costa Board of Supervisors is set to decide Tuesday whether to approve a selection process for a set number of commercial cannabis permits for unincorporated areas of the county. Contra Costa County's cannabis zoning ordinance allows for four storefront retailers, 10 commercial operations and two cannabis manufacturing businesses in agricultural zoning districts throughout the county. The proposed selection process being considered Tuesday requires applicants to submit letters of intent to apply for a commercial cannabis activity land use permit. County officials would then decide which applicants would move forward in the process. This process would favor applicants with a "locally-owned business" element. The process timeline, as presented to the supervisors, calls for letters of intent to be submitted by April 4. Some of those applicants would be invited to submit formal proposals for cannabis businesses by June 27. County staff would then evaluate proposals, and rank and score them. Oral interviews of applicants, and visits to proposed business sites, would follow. The Board of Supervisors would then consider county staff recommendations and determine which respondents to invite to apply for land use permits. That, a staff report says, could happen by October. Tuesday's Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. in the first-floor supervisors' meeting room at 651 Pine St. in downtown Martinez. Fremont police are asking for the public's help in locating a missing teenage boy who walked away from home Sunday evening. Police said 16-year-old Valen Chin left his residence sometime Sunday evening after an argument with his parents. According to Sgt. William Johnson, his parents took away his phone and waited 4-to-5 hours to report him as missing. Johnson said the department is using all of its resources to locate the boy. Foul play is not suspected. Chin is described as an Asian teenage boy, last seen wearing blue jeans, a tan hat and black shoes near the intersection of Walnut Avenue and Paseo Padre Parkway. Anyone who sees him or may have information on his whereabouts is asked to call 911. Contra Costa County Fire Protection District crews are at the scene of a vehicle that has crashed into an Antioch home early Monday morning, according to fire dispatch. Fire crews were first called to the scene at the two-story residence in the 4800 block of Golden Bear Drive around 11:38 p.m. Sunday, according to Fire Captain Tracie Dutter. At least one person has been transported with major injuries. No further information is immediately available. 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. RICHMOND (BCN) Four developers will make formal presentations Tuesday night to the Richmond City Council of their proposals for developing the Point Molate area, a 270-acre property north of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. Set to make presentations at this special council meeting are Orton Development, Inc., Point Molate Partners, Samuelson Schafer and SunCal. These presentations are the latest steps in what has been a long process that started in 1997. That slow progress has been speeded up recently, driven now by an accelerated schedule that emerged at the end of a court battle that was settled in April. The lawsuit was filed in 2011 by Upstream Point Molate, LLC and the Guidiville Rancheria, a Pomo tribe based in Mendocino County, after Richmond voters rejected a proposed casino at Point Molate. A federal judge said no to the casino, but required that any profits from development there be split between the city and the casino developers. The judge also dictated that development plans be approved by April 2020. The Point Molate Reuse Plan calls for 670 residential units and preservation of at least 70 percent of the 270 acres at Point Molate, a onetime U.S. Navy fuel depot sold to the city for $1 in 2003, as open space. Those numbers are still open to change. These plans, as was the now-defunct casino proposal, are opposed by the Point Molate Alliance, a citizens group that favors making most of this property into a public park. Tuesday's special Richmond City Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the Community Services Building, 440 Civic Center Plaza. 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. Meet Claire, a Hillary Clinton supporter By Rachel Alexander I have a lefty friend who sees Republicans as all the same, in a neat little box full of hateful stereotypes. He likes to dig up the most obscure article on Yahoo, about some Trump supporter who made a couple of racist comments against blacks or illegal immigrants, and send it to me to bolster his skewed view of us on the right. I dont know where Yahoo finds these unusual people, since I dont know Republicans like that. Its a very clever tactic by Yahoo. Look long and hard to find a racist who voted for Trump, then portray the person as a regular family guy just like any conservative. Build up a long story first about their conservative bona fides; talk about them going to church, their guns, their concern for the country and hardworking values. Include photos of an American flag hanging from their doorpost and a Molon Labe bumper sticker on their American-made truck. Once the guy is painted to look just like the rest of us conservatives zing! Throw in the racist remarks. The left has done better for a long time at using stories and emotion to garner support for its positions. Portraying a regular conservative as a racist something that is really quite rare is a brilliant maneuver. Most people dont even stop to think that the caricature being put forth is false. For those middle-of-the-road voters who dont identify as conservative, they have no reason to believe its not true, and so the caricature spreads. The left successfully did this with the term alt right. They used the term to associate regular conservatism with racism as if it was common. In reality, hardly any conservatives consider themselves alt right. Conservatives need to use these types of tactics back against the left. Where is the folksy story about a Hillary Clinton supporter who drops racist remarks? Meet Claire Andouille, a white woman. She worked on Hillarys 2016 campaign and is very concerned where this country is headed under President Trump. She has a Coexist bumper sticker on her car and a rainbow flag hanging in the front window of her micro-apartment. She recycles and composts, even though she had to install a composting machine since her apartment did not come with one. Andouille worries about climate change, undocumented migrants and LGBT rights. She is concerned that these important issues are being overlooked in the Trump era. She does her best to talk about these problems with her friends, and regularly posts her thoughts on Facebook. She calls in to NPR regularly, where she is a favorite of the hosts. She shows up regularly to minimum wage protests, to show her solidarity with workers. She earned street credibility participating in the Occupy Wall Street campouts. Today, Andouille spends most of her activism on a new cause. She has undertaken a mission to rid her wealthy Newton community in Massachusetts of Uncle Toms. She devotes her free time to the End Uncle Toms movement, an effort she started to block conservative black leaders like Candace Owens and Dan Bongino from giving speeches. They dont know what theyre talking about, Andouille complains. Theyre not very smart and theyre an embarrassment. I dont want those types of people in my state. Were progressives here, weve fought for years to keep those types of voices out. When pressed why she has chosen to target just black conservatives, Andouille explains, Because they are the most offensive type of conservative. They are ignorant. The rise of these new, younger black conservatives is dangerous for our country. Someone has to stand up to them. Andouille believes there are differences between blacks and whites that need to be acknowledged. Owens and Bongino would remove all the societal supports put into place to help blacks. Andouille says the country is changing and dinosaur conservatives like Owens and Bongino who cling to the past dont realize their worldview is outdated. We are heading for a civil and cultural war, Andouille warns. The race wars are just getting worse and trying to ignore them like these Uncle Toms do is naive. When asked if some of her views on this issue are a bit contradictory, Andouille ducks the question. There are always going to be haters. Andouille just keeps focusing on doing whats right, trying to make the world a better place for people to live. Rachel Alexander and her brother Andrew are co-Editors of Intellectual Conservative. She has been published in the American Spectator, Townhall.com, Fox News, NewsMax, Accuracy in Media, The Americano, ParcBench, Enter Stage Right and other publications.mericano, ParcBench, Enter Stage Right and other publications. Home Contra Costa County Fire Protection District crews are at the scene of a vehicle that has crashed into an Antioch home early Monday morning, according to fire dispatch. Fire crews were first called to the scene at the two-story residence in the 4800 block of Golden Bear Drive around 11:38 p.m. Sunday, according to Fire Captain Tracie Dutter. At least one person has been transported with major injuries. No further information is immediately available. 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) A 70-year-old woman died after she crashed her vehicle into a pole Saturday morning in San Francisco's Visitacion Valley neighborhood, police said Monday. Officers received a report regarding the solo vehicle crash around 7:20 a.m. in the 2100 block of Bayshore Boulevard. The victim was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, but she died a short while later, according to police. Further information on the case, including whether the medical examiner's office has identified the victim, was not immediately available. 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. CONCORD (BCN) An agreement to beef up cellphone coverage at the Concord Pavilion performance venue, and for a settlement payment for an existing but never approved cell antenna, will be considered Tuesday by the Concord City Council. Several companies already operate cellular communications equipment at the Concord Pavilion. But a city staff report says peak demand during a performance or event at the Pavilion can tax the current systems, and that there's room for installation of more capacity. The report says the new Verizon system would help ensure sufficient service access to maintain "a high-quality experience for Pavilion customers, partners and performers." The five-year agreement calls for a base annual rent to the city of Concord of $27,600. The rent would increase slightly each year, and the agreement could also be extended up to 15 more years, thus making total payments over 20 years more than $741,000. Also part of the agreement is city approval of an existing telecommunications rooftop repeater antenna already in operation at the Pavilion. The license settlement agreement calls for Verizon to pay the city $250,000 in compensation for that antenna, which the city believes was installed in 2005. The $250,000 is what 13 to 14 years of rent payments may reasonably have totaled had they been collected from Verizon, according to the staff report. Tuesday night's council meeting begins at 6 p.m. at Concord City Hall, 1950 Parkside Drive. 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. Why electing leftists is bad for the birth rate By Michael R Shannon Virginias unborn are discovering what can happen when leftists take over state government. Although Democrats compassion for illegals and murderers knows no bounds, the defenseless unborn take it on the chin. This wouldnt have happened if Trump had lost to Hillary. After the president threatened to drain their habitat, Swamp creatures in the Old Dominion united to elect leftists. If bears responded to the potential loss of habitat like Swampists did, park rangers would be forced to issue AR15s to Yellowstone visitors. Seventyone percent of Hillarys voters turned out in Virginias 2017 offyear election. Republicans in the House of Delegates lost an unprecedented 14 seats and 11 were incumbents. All but one of the flipped seats were either in the suburbs of Washington, DC; the government installationheavy Norfolk area, governmentcentric Richmond and isolated Communist cells in the university towns of Lynchburg, Roanoke and Blacksburg. It was a winning combination of Big Government and Big Dependency. Swampists didnt so much vote their pocketbooks as they voted to keep draining yours. But thats not all Democrats are siphoning. Turns out leftists also want to drain amniotic fluid. Del. Kathy Tran, one of Virginias newly emboldened Swamp legislators, is a fanatic regarding Democrats bedrock issues: Amnesty, Abortion and Alternate Lifestyles. She introduced an abortion bill that would allow the unborn to be executed right up until the moment of birth. And Tran isnt about to go all Talmudic concerning reasons either. Abortionupuntilbirth would be legal to save the life of the mother or the lifestyle of the mother. Tran would also dispense with bothersome second and third opinions on baby termination. Currently Virginia requires three doctors to certify the need for a thirdtrimester abortion. Tran cuts it down to one. The doctor currently occupying the governors seat, Ralph Northam another Swamp waverider has an interpretation of Trans bill that virtually guarantees him a lucrative postpolitical career as the doctor to call when a woman chooses death. Northam claims Trans bill would allow pesky babies, who somehow escape the abortionist and make it into the delivery room, to be killed AFTER birth. During a radio interview on WTOP Reassuring Ralph explained, if a mother is in labor, the infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if thats what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother. From his perch atop Mt. Morality, Northam was taken aback by the reaction to the if in his statement. He asserted criticism of his view was shameful and disgusting and really blown out of proportion. He has a point. Northam was merely suggesting everyone in the delivery room with the exception of the infant would form a miniDeath Panel to decide the childs fate. Its not like Northam was telling the abortionist to stab the baby with a pair of scissors. The governor is advocating a process which makes the fatal outcome all nice and tidy. When that failed to pacify dangerous advocates of letting the unborn live, Northam fell back on abortion mill cliches: [men] shouldn't be telling a woman what she should or shouldn't be doing with her body. What this talkingpoint spouting fool can't seem to grasp is prolife supporters don't care what the woman does with her body life advocates care about what she wants to do with baby's body. Back in the legislature, the storm caused by the bill produced much hunkering down. Tran erased her Facebook and Twitter accounts making her online presence as empty as her moral judgment. Richmond.com discovered the cosponsor of the bill, Del. Dawn Adams, another Swamp winner, sent a contrite statement to her constituents saying she hadnt read the bill before agreeing to sponsor it. That begs the issue. The real question is what kind of person sees an abortion bill favoring the mindset of convenience and death and thinks where do I sign up for that!? The Great Unifier once said elections have consequences and for the unborn the consequences can be fatal. Trans unborn execution bill was killed by the legislature for this session, but Republican control of the legislative branch is hanging by an umbilical cord. Apologists for abortion mills contend Republicans are no different from the left. When the GOP wins its legislators do what Republicans want just like Democrats do what the left wants. Still Im hopeful this November when the choice is between a party that cant help cutting taxes and a party that cant help cutting the cord of life, independent voters will opt to take the tax cut. Michael R. Shannon is a public relations and advertising consultant with corporate, government and political experience around the globe. He is a dynamic and entertaining keynote speaker. He can be reached at mandate.mmpr (at) gmail.com. He is also the author of Conservative Christian's Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now with added humor!). Home Vanuatu turns the Corner LETS USE THIS AS A SPRINGBOARD FOR THE FUTURE Emporia, KS (66801) Today Partly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 76F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 76F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 40%. This article originally appeared on KCRA.com. TRUCKEE, Calif. (KCRA) A stretch of Interstate 80 through the Sierra Nevada to Lake Tahoe reopened Sunday afternoon, Caltrans said. MORE: Freeway through Sierra Nevada closed amid snowstorm Both eastbound and westbound I-80 reopened to passenger vehicles from Colfax to the Nevada state line, Caltrans said. The roadway was closed Saturday because of whiteout conditions and vehicle spinouts. RELATED: Snow falls at sea level in Northern California, beaches in Humboldt Co. dusted in powder The roadway was closed Saturday because of whiteout conditions and vehicle spinouts. CARSON CITY, Nev. A Las Vegas-area fire chief who warned lawmakers months before a 2017 mass shooting at a music festival that Nevada should bolster its emergency management planning says he wants to bypass state lawmakers to get changes made. Six months before the Oct. 1, 2017, shooting on the Las Vegas Strip that killed 58 and left hundreds injured, Clark County Fire Department Chief Greg Cassell testified before state legislators in favor of a bill that would have required more coordination of emergency medical resources ahead of such a large event. Investigators say gunman Stephen Paddock acted alone when he fired from a high-rise suite in the Mandalay Bay casino-resort into the crowd of 22,000 at the Route 91 Harvest festival. The FBI concluded Paddock sought notoriety in the attack but said it found no single or clear motivating factor to explain why he opened fire on the concert. Cassell said that had the legislation passed, the fire department would likely have had a fire incident commander on the scene before the shooting. Having such a commander at the event could have improved communications and made for a cleaner response plan, Cassell said. Months before the event, he told lawmakers the effort would avoid delays in ordering and directing emergency help. The legislation he supported in 2017 passed the Assembly unanimously but failed to make it out of the Senate. This year, Cassell is instead pushing for Clark County to make changes requiring events of a certain size to have fire personnel on scene and in unified command with police. While police and ambulance services were on duty at the concert and event organizers obtained a required fire department permit and inspection, they were not required to and did not have any on-duty fire personnel at the concert. A report released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in August also recommended the change and revealed that some of the firefighters responding to the shooting were unaware that the festival was occurring and had to quickly set up a command when they encountered the chaotic aftermath. The chaos was something Cassell warned lawmakers about during a March 2017 hearing on the bill. If we are waiting for a battalion chief to respond to an event from their station or another location, we have to wait for calls to take place, dispatching, routing and driving through traffic, Cassell said, according to the committee minutes. It terrifies me because we are a resort community, and we have to be prepared on the front end with the right people in the right spot at the right time to mitigate these things as fast as we can. While Cassell is pushing for changes at the local level, its unclear if Nevada lawmakers will follow suit. Assemblyman Michael Sprinkle, D-Sparks, who sponsored the 2017 legislation, declined to comment about why his earlier bill failed and whether he would revive the legislation. The state Division of Emergency Management has requested a handful of bills addressing emergency resources and procedures, including a measure to quickly license out-of-state doctors to practice in the state during a disaster, something then-Gov. Brian Sandoval allowed by executive order after the shooting. Ryan Tarinelli is an Associated Press writer. WASHINGTON Lawmakers reached agreement Monday night to possibly prevent a government shutdown and finance construction of new barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border, overcoming an obstacle over immigration enforcement that had threatened to scuttle the talks. Republicans were desperate to avoid another bruising shutdown. They tentatively agreed to far less money for President Trumps border wall than the White Houses $5.7 billion wish list, settling for a figure of nearly $1.4 billion, according to congressional aides. That means 55 miles of new fencing constructed through existing designs such as metal slats instead of a concrete wall but far less than the 215 miles the White House demanded in December. The fencing would be built in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. We reached an agreement in principle, said Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala., appearing with a bipartisan group of House and Senate lawmakers who concurred. Details wont be fully released until Tuesday, but the pact came in time to possibly avoid a second partial government shutdown this weekend. Aides revealed the general terms under condition of anonymity. The agreement also includes increases for new technologies such as advanced screening at border entry points, humanitarian aid sought by Democrats, and additional customs officers. Last weekend, Shelby pulled the plug on the talks over Democratic demands to limit immigrant detentions by federal authorities, frustrating some of his fellow negotiators, but Democrats yielded ground on that issue in a fresh round of talks on Monday. Asked if Trump would back the deal, Shelby said: We believe from our dealings with them and the latitude theyve given us, they will support it. We certainly hope so. The border debate got most of the attention, but its just part of a major spending measure to fund a bevy of Cabinet departments. A collapse of the negotiations would have imperiled another upcoming round of budget talks that are required to prevent steep spending cuts to the Pentagon and domestic agencies. The negotiations hit a rough patch Sunday amid a dispute over curbing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, the federal agency that Republicans see as an emblem of tough immigration policies and Democrats accuse of often going too far. Andrew Taylor and Alan Fram are Associated Press writers. DENVER Striking teachers on Monday picketed outside of schools and marched through Denvers streets as car horns blared in support of the latest U.S. walkout amid a swell of educator activism that has affected at least a half-dozen states over the last year. Just over half of the 4,725 teachers working in district-run schools called in absent for Denvers first strike in 25 years. Some students crossed picket lines to get to class as schools remained open with administrators and substitute teachers in classrooms. In one school, students danced and chanted in the hallways as they walked out in support of their teachers. Other students joined hundreds of teachers and union members in a march past City Hall that held up traffic in downtown Denver. Science teacher Abraham Cespedes said Denver educators were empowered by recent teacher activism and strikes from Arizona to West Virginia. By us doing this we finally became united, he said, marching with fellow teachers, members of other unions and students. The strike affecting about 71,000 students in the school district comes about a year after West Virginia teachers launched the national Red4Ed movement with a nine-day strike in which they won 5 percent pay raises. There have since been walkouts in Washington state, Arizona, Kentucky and Oklahoma, as teachers protest low pay, crowded classrooms and staffing shortages. Most recently, Los Angeles teachers went on strike last month. That walkout ended when teachers received a 6 percent raise and promises of smaller class sizes and the addition of more nurses and counselors. In Denver, the dispute is over the school districts incentive-based pay system. The citys school district gives bonuses ranging from $1,500 to $3,000 a year to teachers who work in schools with students from low-income families, in schools that are designated high priority or in positions that are considered hard to staff, such as special education or speech language pathology. The union is pushing to lower or eliminate some of those bonuses to free up more money that would be added to overall teacher pay. The district sees the disputed bonuses as key to boosting the academic performance of poor and minority students. Denver teachers say the reliance on bonuses in the district leads to high turnover, which they say hurts students, and that spending money on smaller class sizes and adding support staff, like counselors, is the best way to help disadvantaged students learn. At a news conference, district Superintendent Susana Cordova said negotiations will resume on Tuesday. Colleen Slevin is an Associated Press writer. CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa Former Vice President Joe Biden will headline his first public event in about three weeks on Saturday in Munich, nearly 5,000 miles from Iowa, site of the 2020 presidential campaigns first contest. As he weighs whether to jump into the race, Biden has been conspicuously absent from early voting states, making him an outlier among Democrats eyeing the White House. Nine Democrats have announced full-fledged campaigns, two have launched exploratory committees and several others are blanketing Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina as they decide whether to open a campaign. A half-dozen made the rounds this past weekend alone. In a wide-open race, Bidens take-it-slow approach has given other candidates a head-start in fundraising, scooping up top-tier staff and perfecting their pitch to voters. Its also given them a chance to chip away at what would be a central argument of a Biden campaign: that he is the only candidate who can defeat President Trump in 2020. Biden has said hell only run if he doesnt believe Democrats have other viable options, and hes privately raised doubts about the electability of some of his potential rivals, according to a person with knowledge of those conversations who spoke on condition of anonymity. But some voters who have seen those candidates up close in recent weeks disagree. I like Joe. Hes a good man, and I like his character, said Audrey Wolf, a 72-year-old retired teacher and devout Democratic caucus-goer from Mason City. But I will say, Im just really open to the new faces out there. Nick Maybanks, a 42-year-old Democratic voter from Cedar Rapids, said Bidens wavering on whether to launch a campaign puts him a couple of paces back. While these others are here, Im wondering if he would be committed to it, Maybanks, a county prosecutor, said of Biden as he and his family gathered to hear New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker address Iowa voters. The former vice president initially expected to make his decision by now. But he blew through a self-imposed January deadline without a campaign announcement, and some longtime allies say they simply dont know when, or if, hell enter the race. Hes prepared, but hes also doing his due diligence, said Louisiana Rep. Cedric Richmond, the former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus who has spoken to Biden in the past two weeks. But for now, he doesnt have plans to visit any of the early states. He heads to Michigan on Tuesday to deliver a eulogy at a funeral for Democratic Rep. John Dingell, the longest-serving member of Congress. On Saturday, hell speak at a high-profile national security summit in Germany. Biden advisers say he can afford to get a later start. After eight years as vice president, hes well-known to most voters and has deep ties to Democratic activists in the early primary states. His tight-knit group of senior advisers is ready to swiftly erect a campaign operation if Biden gives them the go-ahead. The former vice president would also bring a more moderate track record to a campaign that is so far being defined by liberal candidates pushing big government programs, like a Green New Deal to tackle climate change and Medicare-for-all. Biden hasnt endorsed either concept. Julie Pace and Thomas Beaumont are Associated Press writers. Washington, MO (63090) Today Scattered clouds with the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm developing late. Low 67F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Scattered clouds with the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm developing late. Low 67F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%. No one enjoys finding a parking ticket on their windshield. But if you think you've been cited unfairly in San Francisco, a city with some of the highest parking fines in the nation, good luck fighting it. Your pain is just beginning. When it comes to challenging parking tickets, guilt is frequently presumed until proven otherwise. And who in San Francisco gets to decide if whatever proof you present is legitimate and compelling? The San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency, the agency that wrote you the ticket. Parking tickets represent a giant revenue stream for the city. Curbed SF reported the revenue from San Francisco parking citations generated $88,261,220 in 2015 alone. Making it easy to fight citations is not exactly in the interest of keeping that money flowing swiftly. In the majority of parking violations, the driver was in the wrong and deserving of a citation. If you get a ticket that you think is not your fault, you can first contest it online here, making sure you include exculpatory document or photo evidence. Then you get to wait six to eight weeks for MTA to respond. If they deny your appeal, you can request a hearing. But that has to be done by mail or by showing up in person at the SFMTA Customer Service Center. SFMTA chief spokesman Paul Rose said via email that nearly 30 percent of protested citations are dismissed at the first level. On average, about 30 to 50 percent of citations are dismissed at the second level (the hearing process). "We take all protests seriously. If we made a mistake we want to correct it, but the rules of the road are in place to ensure safety, parking turnover and give us the ability to keep our streets clean," Rose said. He added that drivers wanting to avoid parking tickets should refer to MTA's guide on parking legally. The entire citation process, from ticket to hearing, can be both time-consuming and maddening. And the people who take the time to leave reviews of the SFMTA are rarely generous with the stars. Overall, the agency earns a one-and-a-half star rating on Yelp. Almost all the reviews about parking tickets are given one star, the lowest rating. For the benefit of visitors especially, we have selected a sample of Yelp parking ticket horror stories edited for length and clarity that illustrate common pitfalls for people parking in San Francisco. It should be noted that these are drivers presenting their side of the story, and their version of events cannot be independently verified by SFGATE. MALFUNCTIONING METERS: DON'T EXPECT MTA TO LOOK AT YOUR VIDEO Ian P. Of Hesperia, Calif., discovered that pushing the meter's "add time" button didn't work no matter which credit card he used. So he took a video show the button being pressed but not dispensing additional meter time. He did feed the few coins he had to buy time to get more coins, but when he returned his car had been ticketed, with in minutes of expiring. When he appealed the citation, there was no option to load video as evidence, so he could only show a single-frame, which naturally did not convey the malfunctioning aspect of the device. "I even specified that I had video evidence that I could provide, but they didn't even bother, they just said there isn't enough evidence with what we provided (obviously, because it was just a screenshot from my video and it couldn't show the button being pressed)." FADED LETTERING ON A STREET-SWEEPER SIGN IS NO EXCUSE Andrew K. of Albany got a street-sweeper ticket for parking at a spot by "a completely faded, unreadable sign." When he tried to dispute the citation, he was denied with no explanation. Same thing when he requested a hearing. "Apparently the city finds it acceptable to leave warning signs for fines like this unreadable (almost completely white) and it is our fault for not somehow just knowing there should be a sign there ... Can anyone hold them accountable for things like this or do they just get away with it?" WHEN YOU DO WHAT MTA TELLS YOU, AND THEY STILL TICKET YOU Kelly L. of San Jose realized she had a problem when she got the rear bumper of her car painted and was warned not to stick anything on the new paint. What should she do with her residential permit? So she called SFMTA for advice. She claims she was told to stick it on the rear window. When she got two tickets written by the same officer for "residential overtime," despite having the correct permit (but not on her bumper), she was incensed. "I just hate SFMTA so much. It's literally bank robbery. I wish I could give them tickets on their own personal cars so they know how it feels," she wrote. NEVER PARK IN A BUS ZONE, NOT EVEN FOR A FEW SECONDS Michael M. of San Francisco and his wife made the mistake of stopping in a bus lane to a quick drop-off, driving around the block and then stopping at the same spot for pickup. He wrote they were in and out in less than 20 seconds each time, but an MTA officer was watching. Michael received his ticket in the mail. "Forget about giving us a warning that we could not stop there even for 10 seconds so I could exit the vehicle. Or even a "please wait while we write you a ticket". I just found the deliberate sneaky-ness of the process offensive and disgusting. I probably wouldn't be writing this otherwise. It's not about the money." For most people, however, the money is a big motivator. The $288 bus lane violation is one of the heaviest fines in the city. Only a handicapped-parking space violation is more expensive ($825). Uber and Lyft drivers know this well, and won't pick up people standing by the bus zones. Several people have noted that if you're caught, it's better to have been double-parking next to a bus zone than actually in the zone. The double-parking fine is only $110. BEWARE OF THE 7-MINUTE '2-HOUR ZONE' John B. Capitola, Calif., says he was parked for seven minutes in a two-hour parking zone and received an $84 ticket for "residential overtime". "SFMTA are criminals," he wrote. In 2013, the San Francisco Examiner reported that a Forest Hill resident provided time-stamped receipts that proved that she couldn't have left her car parked for about 2 -1/2 hours in a two-hour zone. Beth Chen said the ticket she received is "proof that someone just flat-out lied." WHEN YOU PAY A FINE, ALWAYS KEEP THE RECEIPTS Grace H. of Castro Valley says she got her car towed and paid about $600 to get it back and cover the parking fine. The she got a call telling her that her ticket was never paid and that she owed $500. "I tried calling back 7 different times with proof asking if I can send it over in order to prove that I had pay and each time I was told 'You need to come in person'," she wrote. "OK, I guess I'll drive an hour to SF just to prove my point?" MORE: The 10 worst blocks in San Francisco for parking tickets But when Grace showed up she was stunned to hear she would have to fight her ticket in court. Eventually she called back, and MTA finally acknowledged that she had paid. She warned people to keep proof of payment, because without it, "they probably would have tried to charge me more and make false accusations." IF SOMEONE STEALS YOUR PLATES, YOU BECOME AN MTA TARGET Al V. of San Francisco had the misfortune of having his car's license plates stolen. Who do you think was penalized for this thievery? Right, the victim, Al V. And not just once. Explains Al: "Even though you file a police report and schedule a DMV appointment to replace them, SFMTA will continue ticketing your car because they aren't smart enough to have in place some system to tell them you are following proper procedures, they have absolutely no crossover to where they don't have to continue ticketing the car." TRAPPED BY BIG RIGS? YOU'RE STILL AT FAULT Lauren S. of Emeryville works near the construction site for the new Warriors arena. "My car (along with several others) got blocked in by about 4 semi trucks that were parking in the lanes waiting to go onto the construction grounds," she wrote. "There were no drivers present to ask to move the trucks and there was absolutely no way to get out." MORE: Ways San Francisco nickels and dimes its residents Twenty minutes later she came out of her office to move my car again and found a "happy little ticket writer meter man writing tickets to ALL of the cars that are blocked in by the trucks." "How f---d and evil can you be? Understand the construction company should be held accountable for paying these tickets but still, these meter morons are RELENTLESS when it comes to ruining people's days even when it's out of their control," she said in her post. For more Yelp one-star reviews of SFMTA, click through the gallery. --- Read Mike Moffitt's latest stories and send him news tips at mmoffitt@sfchronicle.com. Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news. A newborn baby girl, estimated to be less than 10 hours old, was discovered by a newspaper carrier along the highway in Madera County early Monday morning, according to the Fresno Bee. The delivery worker, Aurelio Fuentes Jr., was reportedly distributing copies of the Fresno Bee when he happened upon the infant wrapped in a blanket and crying in front of a church on California Route 36. It was just before 4 a.m. and below 30 degrees outside, so he called 911. The operator told him to pick up the baby; when he, he discovered the baby wasn't wearing a diaper. This article, Google begins testing AR walking navigation for Maps, originally appeared on CNET.com. Augmented reality is coming to Google Maps. The search giant said Monday it's testing an update to the app's walking navigation feature, so you could use your phone's camera and arrows on the screen to help you find your way. The company first announced the feature at its I/O developer conference in May, but said Monday it's rolling the update out to a small number of the app's Local Guides, a community of Google Maps users who voluntarily contribute local information about businesses and test out new features. Google said it doesn't have a timeline for a broader release. The point of the new feature is to help you orient yourself when you're following a walking map. It also helps to solve a common annoyance in many big cities: You get out of a subway and you have no idea which way you're facing, so you wait for the little blue dot on the Maps app to point you in the right direction. "You're trying to figure out where you are relative to the world," Joanna Kim, a product manager for Google Maps, said Monday. "But that blue dot doesn't always really tell you where you are." The announcement comes as Google has been adding more capabilities to Maps, which has more than 1 billion users. Back in May, Google announced features to make the app more social, such as a "for you" tab that offers tailored recommendations and a "match score" to tell you how much you might like a restaurant or business. Google Maps has also been expanding its partnerships. In December, Google announced it was teaming up with electric scooter company Lime to show you where the nearest scooter is parked. Google Here's how the new navigation feature works: Enter an address or business into Google maps, go to the walking directions mode, and tap on a button to start the AR functions. (Augmented reality, or AR, overlays digital images onto what you'd normally see through a smartphone camera. Think Pokemon Go or dog ear filters on Instagram.) From there, if you hold your phone in front of you, you'll see a camera view at the top of the screen and a traditional map at the bottom. When you approach a turn, the phone will vibrate and there will be arrows on the screen to guide your way. The idea isn't to hold your phone in front of you the entire time -- that could be dangerous -- but at only select parts of your route: at the beginning of the trip to orient yourself, to confirm a turn, or to find the entrance of a building. In fact, if you're in AR mode for too long, a warning will pop up on your phone telling you to put it down. When you get to your destination, you'll see a big red pin on the camera screen. Google invited a group of reporters Monday to try out the feature in San Francisco. We met at Rincon Park, a small patch of grass in the city's SoMa district with sweeping views of the Bay Bridge, not far from one of Google's San Francisco offices. From there, we navigated to a Blue Bottle coffee in the Financial District, a 17-minute walk. Google The AR directions worked well, though there were some hiccups. At some turns, it took a while for the arrows to pop up on the screen. At one point during a long straightaway, the traditional map at the bottom of the screen was veering left at an angle. As an aside, Kim also noted that the feature sometimes doesn't work as accurately in darkness. For the feature to work, Google combines GPS data from cell towers and satellites with the information Google already has from its Street View maps. When Google showed a demo video of the AR directions at the I/O conference in May, the company also showed off a mode where a 3D animated fox guides your way. That feature isn't being released for testing Monday. Kim said one of the reasons for the missing feature was that the cute little fox was maybe too cute, and could be a distraction for people as they hold their phones in front of them. At the conference, the company also teased that Maps would integrate with Google Lens, the company's visual search tool, to show you information about the businesses around you, again through your phone's camera. But that product is still in prototype stages, Kim said Monday. First published Feb. 11 at 9:33 a.m. PT. Update, 12:48 a.m. PT: Adds more information from a live demo. The Smartest Stuff: Innovators are thinking up new ways to make you, and the things around you, smarter. Special Reports: CNET's in-depth features in one place. Cigarette smoking rates have stopped falling among U.S. kids, and health officials believe youth vaping is responsible. For decades, the percentage of high school and middle school students who smoked cigarettes had been declining fairly steadily. For the past three years, it has flattened, according to new numbers released Monday. There may be several reasons, but a recent boom in vaping is the most likely explanation, said Brian King of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We were making progress, and now you have the introduction of a product that is heavily popular among youth that has completely erased that progress, King said. The CDC findings come from a national survey conducted last spring of more than 20,000 middle and high school students. It asked if they had used any tobacco products in the previous month. Some of the findings had been released before, including the boom in vaping. Experts attribute the vaping increase to the exploding popularity of newer versions of e-cigarettes, like those by Juul Labs of San Francisco. The products resemble computer flash drives, can be recharged in USB ports and can be used discreetly including in school bathrooms and even in classrooms. Juul executives have said they are working to make it harder for underage teens to buy flavored Juul products. In November, under pressure from federal regulators, the company announced it would stop selling flavored nicotine pods in stores and implement new age verification protocols on its website. According to the new CDC data, about 8 percent of high schoolers said they had recently smoked cigarettes in 2018, and about 2 percent of middle schoolers did. Those findings were about the same seen in similar surveys in 2016 and 2017. It also found that about 2 in 5 high school students who used a vaping or tobacco product used more than one kind, and that the most common combination was e-cigarettes and cigarettes. Also, about 28 percent of high school e-cigarette users said they vaped 20 or more days in the previous month nearly a 40 percent jump from the previous year. Smoking, the nations leading cause of preventable illness, is responsible for more than 480,000 deaths each year. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration bans the sale of e-cigarettes and tobacco products to those under 18. E-cigarettes are generally considered better than cigarettes for adults who are already addicted to nicotine. But health officials have worried for years that electronic cigarettes could lead kids to switch to smoking traditional cigarettes. I think the writing is on the wall, with research increasingly suggesting e-cigarettes are becoming a gateway to regular cigarettes, said Megan Roberts, an Ohio State University researcher. There is, however, some split of opinion among health researchers. Some had linked e-cigarettes to an unusually large drop in teen smoking a few years ago, and they say its not clear to what extent the decline in smoking has stalled or to what degree vaping is to blame. Cigarette smoking is still declining in some states. And another large survey found that smoking has continued to drop among 12th-graders, though not in younger school kids. Its not clear yet whats going on and its best to not jump to any conclusions, said David Levy, a Georgetown University researcher. Chronicle staff writer Catherine Ho contributed to this report. Mike Stobbe is an Associated Press writer. San Francisco is one step closer to spending its $185 million windfall. In a special meeting Monday, the Budget and Finance Committee unanimously passed a spending plan that the supervisors spent months assembling behind closed doors, and finally cobbled together during a 3-hour period of public comment last week. The plan will head to the Board of Supervisors for a vote Tuesday, then to Mayor London Breed to be signed. After a tremendous amount of work, we were able to settle on a compromise that Im happy to say is unanimously cosponsored by the supervisors, said Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer, chair of the committee. The windfall comes from excess revenue in a county education fund. While the total amount is $415 million, the City Charter requires that more than half the money go to a rainy-day fund, the Municipal Transportation Agency, public libraries, tree maintenance, public schools, and child care and youth services. That left the mayor and the supervisors with $185 million to spend. While the mayor wanted to funnel all the money into homelessness and housing, the supervisors plan divided the money among homeless services, housing, energy independence and teacher salaries. The supervisors plan also pulled an extra $52 million from the rainy-day part of the total windfall to create the Teacher and Early Care Educator Unappropriated Emergency Reserve Fund for teacher and early child care worker salaries through 2021. The citys rainy-day reserves are usually saved for extreme, unexpected spending needs, such as a recession. Trisha Thadani Right to counsel: San Francisco may require that all juveniles have legal representation either in person, by phone or video conference when being interrogated by police, and also allow their parents or guardians access to them in custody, according to an ordinance passed Monday by the Board of Supervisors Rules Committee. The ordinance, sponsored by Supervisor Hillary Ronen, would expand on a state law that took effect last year, which requires those 15 and younger to consult with legal counsel when law enforcement takes them into custody. Ronens ordinance would push that age up to 17. The legislation was inspired by a 2018 incident at Balboa High School when a gun was fired inside the school. No one was seriously injured, but a number of students were detained and questioned by police without a parent present. It also comes as states and cities around the country rethink the way minors are questioned by police. The ordinance co-sponsored by Supervisors Vallie Brown, Aaron Peskin, Shamann Walton and Gordon Mar unanimously passed the committee. It will now move to the full Board of Supervisors for a vote. Trisha Thadani Email: cityinsider@sfchronicle.com, tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfcityinsider, @TrishaThadani SACRAMENTO Gov. Gavin Newsom will withdraw most of the California National Guard troops who were deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border last year, saying the state needs them to prepare for wildfires and fight drug trafficking rather than bolster President Trumps response to a manufactured immigration crisis. Newsom said he will rescind authorization Monday for the deployment of the Guard troops, which Trump requested and then-Gov. Jerry Brown approved in April. Brown extended the deployment in September, and the states 360 Guard troops were scheduled to stay on the border through March. Brown declared last year that California National Guard will not be enforcing federal immigration laws. Newsoms office, however, said the troops were operating cameras along the border, doing vehicle maintenance and performing other jobs that would normally fall to federal agencies, freeing up resources for U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Voice of San Diego, an online news outlet, reported in August that in at least two cases, Border Patrol agents apprehended immigrants crossing into the state illegally after being notified by California National Guard troops. Newsoms withdrawal order comes one day before he delivers his first State of the State address at 11 a.m. Tuesday. According to excerpts of the speech released by his office, the governor will say that the border emergency is a manufactured crisis. And California will not be part of this political theater. Which is why I have given the National Guard a new mission. They will refocus on the real threats facing our state. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Under the new order Newsom intends to sign, 110 Guard troops now at the border will be redeployed to help the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection with fire prevention efforts, and 100 troops will conduct antidrug trafficking intelligence operations, including screening cargo at points of entry. Newsom will also request funding from the U.S. Defense Department to expand the state Guards antidrug task force by at least 150 members. This is our answer to the White House: No more division, xenophobia or nativism, Newsom plans to say in his State of the State speech. Trump originally asked California and other border states to send thousands of National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in April to stop a caravan of migrants that was headed north from Central America. Brown ultimately agreed to deploy 400 troops, though he said it would be only to fight criminal gangs, human trafficking, and firearms and drug smuggling. This will not be a mission to build a new wall. It will not be a mission to round up women and children or detain people escaping violence and seeking a better life, Brown said at the time. As a candidate for governor, Newsom promised to look into pulling back California troops from what called a stunt on the presidents part. There are now more than 2,000 National Guard forces stationed along the border. There are also 2,300 active-duty troops, and Trump said this month that he will send an additional 3,750 troops to help install wire barriers and monitor border crossings. In his State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday, Trump warned of a lawless state and a tremendous onslaught of illegal immigration and other crime along the southern border as he urged lawmakers to support funding for construction of his proposed wall. Newsoms decision to withdraw most of Californias Guard troops follows a similar action by the new governor of New Mexico, Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham. Last week, she ordered the withdrawal of most of the states nearly 120 National Guard troops assigned to the southern border. New Mexico will not take part in the presidents charade of border fearmongering by misusing our diligent National Guard troops, Lujan Grisham said. Alexei Koseff is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff We recently moved to the Bay Area and rented a house in a place where we could sneak a peek at life in Silicon Valley. My fascination with the computing industry was whet by visits to the campuses of various companies. These sprawling, beautiful campuses, with free-flowing food and drink, are modeled on paradise. The gods and demigods that prowl them simply radiate I matter. Also adding to my awe were the names so casually strewn about in the neighborhood inventors of browsers, search engines, social networks, health software, mobile apps, internet and mobile technologies. The names of people who have profoundly changed life on this planet and have their finger on the fast-forward button of human societys capabilities. The Silicon Valley czars have affected (even enriched) the lives of a staggering number of humans in Planck time (the shortest period of time conceivable), when compared with the timescale of human evolution. To go about the business of affecting lives, the soldiers of innovation employed by these companies are organized into platoons, battalions, brigades. These armies prepare with countless keystrokes and then charge silently on to the virtual battlefield. Swarms of sentinels who possess the skill of making a machine do their bidding, and the managers who support these skilled beings, are rewarded with their weight in gold every day. The Silicon Valley dons the sheen of green and peacocks the aura of making impact, a term easily bandied about here. I had taken a long swig of this Kool-Aid as an outsider looking in until, having two young kids, I began to see a different side of the valley. The children of the czars and their soldiers, I found, are raised by nannies, au pairs, after-school-care workers, much-after-after-school-care aides, and in play dates, classes and camps. In short, by everyone other than parents. Each parent works out a complex matrix of plans and arrangements to keep the child tended during their impossibly long hours toiling on the digital plain. Children of a screen-devouring age are kept away from screens by nannies who ferry them to after-school classes. Most children get home after 6 p.m., see their siblings and parents for an hour before they go to bed, and return to the daily grind the next morning. Their childhood has no empty spaces, no afternoons of ad hoc play with siblings and neighbors, no reading library books obsessively over an entire day, no one to gossip with about what the mean kid in class did that day. For some, two incomes are required to pay the Bay Areas steep mortgages. For others, both parents work to be a part of the action. Given the punishing standards of productivity in the valley, these aspirations can only be achieved with uncompromising hours, often extending into nights and weekends. In the Bay Area, every job is 24/7, says a weary executive in a tech giant, who also is a mother of four. While people here accept their role as a weekend parent, the constant internal struggle between work and family creates a perceptible strain. Perhaps more frustrating is finding that ones priorities have bipolar disorder. Sometimes the chase seems worth it. Other times, the pictures of a happy toddler playing in the sandbox sent by the nanny make one feel deprived of the primal human joy of parenting. The valley can feel lush and green, or wan and sallow. Does productivity need to come at such a cost? Can we move toward sustainable productivity in technology work? Work-life balance is espoused as a cause, but progress toward it registers as but a blip. What is needed is a rewriting of the productivity-fulfillment equation. Maybe this means companies give employees an option to go on a more reasonably paced parent track. Or offer the option of working fewer hours some days of the week. Something should change though, so the children of the valley spend quality time with their parents, and not view life as a tight matrix of impersonal schedules. For life is not the matrix but what happens in the interstitial spaces. Shobha Vasudevan is a professor of computer engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a top-five school for engineering. She came to the Bay Area to spend her sabbatical at Stanford University. She has two young children. Putting a client on the witness stand is a risk most defense attorneys try to avoid at all costs. Taking the stand can leave a defendant vulnerable to a tough cross-examination and may shift the jurys focus from the prosecution proving its case to whether the witness appears to be lying. In San Francisco, however, public defenders in several recent homicide cases have taken the unusual step of calling their clients to testify in their own defense. The most recent example came Wednesday, when Richard Contreras took the stand in his double-murder trial. Hes accused of spraying bullets at a crowd of partiers at the Twin Peaks overlook on Valentines Day 2016. Two young men were killed, and one was wounded. Contreras attorney, Kleigh Hathaway, is attempting to get the same result that her boss, Public Defender Jeff Adachi, got in November when he put his client Carlos Argueta on the stand. Argueta was acquitted in the 2015 fatal stabbing of James Thomas after he testified that the Sixth Street clash was unintentional and in self-defense. Contreras said he was defending himself, too. He testified he was carrying a 9mm semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine because hed recently been jumped in his hometown of San Pablo. His assailants, he said, put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger, but the gun only clicked, leaving Contreras beat up but still alive. Since that incident, Contreras said, hed been carrying. I was just afraid, he said. I didnt know who I could trust. I was just scared, period. That was his backstory to the Valentines Day bloodbath. Contreras said a group of strangers on the overlook asked where he was from, checking him as he called it in street parlance. As the group approached, one person pulled a gun and shot at him, Contreras said. The defense, though, has not produced any physical evidence that anyone other than Contreras was armed or opened fire that night. Prosecutors alleged Contreras was the aggressor and started shooting after being rebuffed while crashing a party. Contreras testified that he was knocked to the ground and began firing into a mob he believed would kill him. I was scared. I was afraid. I wanted to get up from the floor before they got to me, he said. I thought I was dead. He then admitted to carjacking a couple and fleeing the scene. Contreras was arrested two days later in the East Bay. With little physical evidence or eyewitness testimony to back up his story, it was up to Contreras to tell his side and convince the jury hes not a premeditated killer. The strategy is similar to what Lizette Cauichs public defenders attempted a year ago, when she took the stand after being charged with murder. Cauich was accused of repeatedly stabbing Mitzi Campbell, a flagger at a construction site, on a South of Market sidewalk after being told she couldnt use a portable restroom. Campbell died at the scene in the brutal stabbing that was captured on video. Cauich testified she was scared and unleashed her attack after Campbell pulled her hair. On Valentines Day last year, Cauich was found guilty of second-degree murder not first-degree as prosecutors had sought along with other charges and enhancements. She was sentenced to 15 years in prison and is eligible for parole in 2033. Whether the strategy to take the stand pans out for Contreras wont be known until his trial wraps up this month. Rape case reversal Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosens monthlong delay in filing charges against a homeless man accused of raping a woman has raised questions about the prosecutors decision-making in such cases, according to one legal scholar and activist. A five-day manhunt for Sharwian Bobian, 43, came to an end Friday morning when San Jose police arrested him on a warrant around 9:30 a.m. near Yerba Buena Road and Highway 101. He is accused of raping a woman who was donating supplies to him Jan. 2 in San Martin. The woman reported the rape the same day, and Bobian, who is mentally ill, was taken into custody that night, authorities said. But prosecutors decided not to file charges because the woman did not physically or verbally object to the assault out of fear of being killed, according to multiple media outlets. A month passed before a judge issued the warrant for Bobians arrest Monday, after Rosen reversed course and decided to charge him with rape. Michelle Dauber, a Stanford Law School professor who led the recall of Judge Aaron Persky after he sentenced Stanford swimmer Brock Turner to just six months in jail for sexual assault, said Rosens initial hesitance reflects many district attorneys reluctance to prosecute sexual assault cases. Theres a national problem with district attorneys in some jurisdictions feeling like if the jury subscribes to rape myths, that a victim should fight back, that it could be too hard to educate the jury or persuade them that there really was an assault here, Dauber said. Even if you may not win in front of the jury, you dont need to be 100 percent sure, you just need to believe that you have a basis for pursuing that case beyond a reasonable doubt. According to San Jose Inside, an online news site, Rosen decided not to pursue charges because of whats known as the Mayberry defense, the idea that Bobian had a reasonable belief that the woman was consenting because she did not explicitly object to the sexual act. Rosen issued a statement saying his office filed the charges once he was confident he had a robust case. Sexual assault cases are challenging and require our utmost due diligence, he said. We filed this case after a comprehensive investigation when it met the necessary elements to prosecute someone for a serious crime. We encourage sexual assault victims to report crimes to law enforcement so that we can bring justice and safety to our community. Dauber called the arrest long overdue and credited the county Sheriffs Office for pressuring the district attorney to press charges. It is the job of the district attorney to make that case to the jury and help them understand how rape victims behave in ways that may initially be hard to understand, she said. Im glad that the sheriff was ultimately able to prevail and get the district attorneys office to file charges on behalf of this victim. But it should not take pressure from the sheriff to get the district attorneys office to do its job. Bobian, who was being held at the Santa Clara County Main Jail on $101,000 bail, will be arraigned Friday. He faces up to eight years in prison. Bandit suspect accused of having bigger ambitions The Teddy Bear Bandit might need a few more nicknames Clothes Boutique Crook or Vape Shop Villain are just a couple of options after authorities accused the Oakland man already charged with breaking into a flower shop with additional commercial burglaries along the Peninsula. Andre Bennie Murphy, 46, first made headlines in December, when San Leandro police arrested him for allegedly taking nearly $1,000 worth of giant teddy bears and armloads of roses from a flower shop and bringing them to a female friend. The legend of the Teddy Bear Bandit, coined by San Leandro police, was born. Murphy is now accused of breaking into 10 businesses in Half Moon Bay, Millbrae and San Carlos from September to December 2018. Authorities said he broke into Peninsula restaurants, clothing boutiques, a vape store and a surf shop. Investigators did not say what happened to the merchandise he took from the stores. The San Mateo County district attorneys office charged Murphy with 14 counts of commercial burglary, grand theft and vandalism. He pleaded not guilty to the new charges and was being held at the Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City on $275,000 bail. Biggest crime news of the past week A wife and husband who ran a Vallejo senior home were busted for allegedly making meth pills that had logos for Tesla, Kool-Aids smiling pitcher and President Trump. The family of a man who was killed by Oakland police in a hail of bullets accused the department of excessive force in a wrongful death lawsuit. A bank robbery in Pleasanton led to a chase in which four armed men shot at officers while fleeing, authorities said. An Antioch man was found guilty of trying to murder two police officers after a three-day crime spree. A suspect was arrested after a woman was found beaten to death on a Richmond churchs porch. Evan Sernoffsky, Ashley McBride and Gwendolyn Wu are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com, amcbride@sfchronicle.com, gwendolyn.wu@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky, @ashleynmcb, @gwendolynawu San Franciscos groundbreaking policy protecting sex workers is now being pitched on the state level. California Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, will introduce legislation Monday that would prevent law enforcement from arresting and charging sex workers who come forward as victims or witnesses to serious crimes. The proposed law, SB233, would also prevent officers from using condoms as probable cause to arrest a sex worker in any situation. Right now, we know there are sex workers who are victimized or witness crimes and are scared to come forward because they think they are going to be arrested, Wiener said. We want to create every incentive for sex workers to feel safe in reporting crimes. The former city supervisor will announce the legislation at a press conference Monday at St. James Infirmary, a peer-based health and safety clinic for sex workers in San Franciscos Tenderloin. The law would mirror the citys landmark policies that went into effect last year that seek to prioritize more serious crimes and protect human trafficking victims. Police Chief Bill Scott barred officers from arresting sex workers when they are victims or witnesses to sexual assaults, human trafficking, robbery, assault, kidnapping, and other violent crimes. District Attorney George Gascon similarly said his office will not prosecute sex workers for prostitution when they come forward as victims or witnesses to crime. Wiener said it was important to add a component of his legislation to stop police from arresting sex workers simply for carrying condoms a practice San Francisco abandoned long ago. There are police departments that will arrest and charge sex workers based on having, say, five condoms, he said. The last thing we should be doing is signaling to sex workers that if you carry condoms to avoid HIV, thats going to get you arrested and prosecuted. The proposed state law was welcomed by sex worker and human trafficking advocates. Carol Leigh, director of the Bay Area Sex Worker Advocacy Network and a vocal advocate for the decriminalization and legalization of sex work, called the legislation a step in the right direction. During her time as a sex worker in the early 1980s, Leigh said, she was raped but didnt come forward to report the crime out of fear she would be targeted for arrest. The person that raped me went on to rape other women, Leigh said. I think there are a lot of ways this legislation and these policies can positively impact sex workers. Its unclear whether the bill will make it through the notoriously tough legislative process. Even popular bills die in committee, and Wiener expects to see opposition to SB233 from conservative groups. He hopes Democratic supermajorities in both houses will help. Its going to take a lot of work, Wiener said. Well have to make the case that this is good policy that will improve public safety and public health. Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky Gig workers are fighting back. By their name, you might think independent contractors are a motley crew geographically scattered, with erratic paychecks and tattered safety nets. They report to faceless software subroutines rather than human bosses. Most gig workers toil alone as they ferry passengers, deliver food and perform errands. But in recent weeks, some of these app-wielding workers have joined forces to effect changes by the multibillion-dollar companies and powerful algorithms that control their working conditions. Last week, Instacart shoppers wrung payment concessions from the grocery delivery company, which had been using customer tips to subsidize what it paid them. After outcries by workers on social media, in news reports and through online petitions, San Franciscos Instacart said it had been misguided. It now adds tips on top of its base pay as most customers and shoppers thought they should be and will retroactively compensate workers who were stiffed on tips. New York this year became the first U.S. city to implement a minimum wage for Uber and Lyft, which now must pay drivers at least $17.22 an hour after expenses ($26.51 before expenses). Lyft, which sued over the requirement, last week gave in to driver pressure to implement it. For two years, drivers held rallies, released research, sent thousands of letters and calls to city officials, and gathered 16,000 petition signature among themselves. The Independent Drivers Guild, a union-affiliated group that represents New York ride-hail drivers and spearheaded the campaign, predicted per-driver pay boosts of up to $9,600 a year. That follows some other hard-fought worker crusades, such as when they persuaded Uber to finally add tipping to its app in 2017, a move triggered by several phenomena: a string of corporate scandals, the fact that rival Lyft had offered tipping from the get-go, and a class-action lawsuit seeking employment status for workers. Well probably start to see more gig workers organizing as they realize that enough negative publicity for the companies can make something change, said Alexandrea Ravenelle, an assistant sociology professor at New Yorks Mercy College and author of Hustle and Gig: Struggling and Surviving in the Sharing Economy. But companies will keep trying to push the envelope to pay workers as little as possible. The current political climate, with tech giants such as Facebook and Google on hot seats over privacy, abuse of customer data and other issues, has helped the workers quests. Were at a moment of reckoning for tech companies, said Alex Rosenblat, a technology ethnographer at New Yorks Data & Society Research Institute and author of Uberland: How Algorithms Are Rewriting the Rules of Work. Theres a techlash, a broader understanding that tech companies have to be held accountable as political institutions rather than neutral forces for good. The climate also includes more consumer awareness of labor issues in the on-demand economy. People are realizing that you dont just jump in an Uber and dont have to think about whos driving you and what they make, Ravenelle said. Theres a lot more attention to gig workers plight. Instacart customers were dismayed to discover that their tips were not going to workers on top of their pay as a reward for good service. Sage Wilson, a spokesman for Working Washington, a labor-backed group that helped with the Instacart shoppers campaign, said many more gig workers have emerged with stories of similar experiences on other apps. Pay transparency really seems to be an issue across many of these platforms, he said. I almost wonder if its part of the reason why these companies are building black box algorithmic pay models in the first place (so) you might not even know right away if you got a pay cut until you start seeing the weekly totals trending down. Cases in point: DoorDash and Amazon also rifle the tip jar to subsidize contractors base pay, as Instacart did. DoorDash defended this, saying its pay model provides transparency, consistency, and predictability and has increased both satisfaction and retention of its Dashers. But Kristen Anderson of Concord, a social worker who works part-time for DoorDash to help with student loans, said that was not her experience. Her pay dropped dramatically after DoorDash started appropriating tips in 2017, she said. Originally it was worth my time and now its not, she said. Its frustrating. Yalonda M. James / The Chronicle Instacart workers had similar feelings and turned them into concerted actions. This has been a maddening, frustrating and, at times, incredibly disheartening experience, said Debi LaBell of San Carlos, who does weekend work for Instacart on top of a full-time job. When I first started doing Instacart, I loved getting in my car to head to my first shop. These past few months, it has taken everything that I have to get motivated enough to do my shift. Interactive Vaccine Tracker: Latest developments Detailed information about the coronavirus vaccines as it becomes available. Before each shopping trip, she hand-wrote notes to all her customers explaining the tips issue. She and other shoppers congregated online both to vent and to organize. Her hope now is that Instacart will invite shoppers like her to hear their experiences and ideas. Yalonda M. James / The Chronicle Theres poetic justice in the fact that the same internet that allows gig companies to create widely dispersed marketplaces provided gig workers space to find solidarity with one another. Its like the internet taketh and giveth, said Eric Lloyd, an attorney at the law firm Seyfarth Shaw, which represents management, including some gig companies he wouldnt name, in labor cases. The internet gave rise to this whole new economy, giving businesses a way to build really innovative models, and its given workers new ways to advance their rights. For California gig workers, even more changes are on the horizon in the wake of a ground-breaking California Supreme Court decision last April that redefined when to classify workers as employees versus independent contractors. Gig companies, labor leaders and lawmakers are holding meetings in Sacramento to thrash out legislative responses to the Dynamex decision. Options could range from more workers getting employment status to gig companies offering flexible benefits. Whatever happens, its sure to upend the status quo. Rather than piecemeal enforcement through litigation, arbitration and various government agencies such as unemployment agencies, it makes sense to come up with overall standards, Rosenblat said. Theres a big need for comprehensive standards with an understanding of all the trade-offs, she said. Were at a tipping point for change. Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid Half of the PG&E Corp. board of directors will be replaced in the coming months, the bankrupt San Francisco energy company announced Monday as it provided fresh details about previously announced plans to bring in new leadership. PG&E said no more than five of its 10 current directors will stand for election at the companys annual shareholders meeting in May. The boardroom shakeup is part of an effort PG&E revealed last month before it filed for bankruptcy protection to add fresh perspectives that will provide additional expertise in safety, operations and other critical areas. PG&E did not say which of the current board members are leaving, and a spokeswoman had no additional comment beyond the companys statement that was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. At the conclusion of the shareholders meeting, which is scheduled for May 21, PG&E intends to have 11 independent directors, a majority of whom will be new to their roles, according to the companys statement. One PG&E board member already left after the company announced its intent to reorganize under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code largely because of billions of dollars in potential liability it faces from the devastating 2017 and 2018 Northern California wildfires. The departure of that former board member, Roger Kimmel, came just after the abrupt exit of CEO Geisha Williams, who also resigned from her board seat. In its statement, the PG&E board said it recognizes that the company must re-earn trust and credibility with its customers, regulators, the communities it serves and all of its stakeholders and is continuing to make changes that reinforce PG&Es commitment to safety and improvement. We recognize the importance of adding fresh perspectives to the Board to help address the serious challenges the business faces now and in the future, the statement said. We have been working diligently to identify respected professionals with relevant experience in safety, operations and other critical areas, and we have identified a number of strong candidates. The composition of PG&Es board had been publicly criticized by lawmakers including state Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, who authored key legislation that will help the company handle 2017 wildfire costs. Dodd called for systematic change in PG&Es management and board after recent allegations from state regulatory staff that the company repeatedly falsified certain internal gas-safety records for several years. Interactive Vaccine Tracker: Latest developments Detailed information about the coronavirus vaccines as it becomes available. In a statement Monday, Dodd said he supported PG&Es announcement but was critical of the timeline. While the change in the board is welcome, its still taken way too long, he said. And it doesnt make sense to wait another day on these changes with another fire season on the horizon. Time will tell if this new leadership instills the badly needed culture of safety at PG&E. The New York hedge fund BlueMountain Capital Management, which has been critical of PG&Es decision to seek bankruptcy protection, has also criticized the board composition. BlueMountain, which manages funds that own millions of PG&E shares, called on stockholders to replace the entire board and said it plans to announce its own slate of candidates by Feb. 21. J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris Moments before paramedics rushed Roxsana Hernandez out of an ICE jail in New Mexico, Charlotte consoled her dying friend. I wasnt sure if I was going to see her again, she said. So I hugged her and told her, God bless you. Take care. Well be here when you get back. Theyd known each other only a few months, but the Honduran women had formed a tight bond, traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border together last spring in a highly publicized migrant caravan and petitioning for asylum in San Ysidro (San Diego County). As openly transgender women, the pair were running from the grip of death in one of the most violent countries in the world. But only one would survive the treacherous 2,700-mile journey. Only one would have a chance at a new life. Hernandez died from cardiac arrest and complications from HIV in May, sparking outrage and renewing a debate on the treatment of transgender people in detention facilities. The mystery and controversy behind her death lingers an independent autopsy revealed signs that Hernandez was abused and neglected while in the custody of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, according to her family. The agency has contested the allegations. Nine months later, Charlotte is piecing her life back together, hoping to start over in the Bay Area. But the trauma of her journey is unrelenting, often transporting her back to dark moments she desperately wants to forget. You think youre fleeing a difficult situation only to find yourself in an even worse situation, said Charlotte, who described in Spanish her treacherous journey through Mexico in an hour-long interview last month. Being trans and traveling in a caravan is extremely difficult. You experience a lot of discrimination from the same people who are traveling alongside you, and sometimes from people in Mexico. Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle Charlotte asked that The Chronicle identify her only by first name, because she fears consequences to her pending asylum case and retribution by gangs in Honduras, which threatened her life on several occasions. Shes part of a skyrocketing number of asylum seekers who have flocked to the U.S. in recent years, even as the Trump administration looks to turn them away. Her story illustrates the plight of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender migrants in particular, who face extreme violence and discrimination in their home countries. There were 264 recorded deaths of LGBT people in Honduras from 2009 to July 2017, including 152 gay men and 86 transgender people, according to a report by Amnesty International. The journey to the U.S. can prove just as deadly. Trans women are particularly subject to harassment and threats in Mexico from police and immigration agents, drug traffickers and other migrants, according to lawyers. They have suffered pretty severe and often extreme forms of physical and sexual violence, often from a very young age, said Wes Brockway, an attorney with the Santa Fe Dreamers Project, which initially took on Charlottes case while she was detained in New Mexico. Its from family members, often its from classmates, but were seeing a lot more incidents from members of gangs, police officers and government officials themselves. Meanwhile, organizations in the Bay Area are expanding their efforts to connect LGBT asylum seekers with sponsors who can provide housing and other needs. Advocates believe they have the best chance at winning cases in San Francisco, where theres more awareness about the asylum process and understanding of transgender issues, said the Rev. Deborah Lee, executive director of the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity in Oakland. Because the risks are so high if they get deported it could mean a death sentence its really important that theyre getting the best chance to win their case, Lee said. We want them to thrive, and land in a place where theyre going to have a fighting chance. Brockway, whose organization has represented nearly 40 transgender women in asylum cases during the past year, and about 75 on requests to be released from ICE detention on bond or parole, said LGBT migrants typically have a high probability of winning asylum because of their vulnerable circumstances. Theres extremely high rates of violence against LGBTQ individuals, he said. Its very well documented. The women who are coming and are presenting their claims with legal counsel are often very successful. ICE, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Executive Office for Immigration Review said they dont specifically track the number of LGBT asylum seekers who cross the border each year. There were 111 self-identified transgender individuals in custody at 20 ICE facilities nationwide as of Feb. 4, according to the agency. Charlotte, who recently found a pro bono attorney in the Bay Area, checks in with ICE regularly and is awaiting a preliminary hearing in San Francisco Immigration Court this month. Charlotte said MS-13 gang members in Honduras had pressured her to transport drugs into the factory where she worked in San Pedro Sula, an industrial city in northern Honduras. The drugs were popular among workers who used them to stay awake during long shifts, she said. But after Charlotte refused to be a mule, the gang began to send death threats. Why did they approach me, why did they choose me? Because in Honduras, identifying or looking trans means being the focus of jokes and criticism, Charlotte said. They dont value our lives as human beings. This group uses this as an advantage for them and a disadvantage for us, because were forced to do things for them. You can run away and move, but they send you death threats and tell you theyre going to kill you, like they did with me. I decided to leave my country and flee for my life because I wanted to keep living. Like many people who flee Central America by foot and travel north, Charlottes journey is defined by a complex labyrinth of unknown cities, long bus rides, shelters and a jumble of fractured memories. She arrived in Mexico in 2016, settling in Tapachula, a city in the southeast state of Chiapas near the Guatemalan border where immigration authorities granted her asylum, she said. But when her grandfather died in Honduras that summer, Charlotte returned home to attend his funeral. It wasnt long before MS-13 members tracked her down after the ceremony, raping her in a remote area in her hometown and threatening to kill her if she didnt leave, she said. It was terrible for me because they forced me to do things that I didnt want to do, she said. But I didnt say anything to anyone because it was MS-13. Charlotte left for Mexico that night, returning to Tapachula for a few days before hopping on a bus to Mexico City, where she stayed at a shelter for about eight months. Then, she caught wind of a caravan approaching. Migrant caravans from Central America, which often include more than 1,000 people, have become a growing phenomenon in recent years and a symbol of defiance against President Trumps hard-line immigration policies. The caravans have particularly fueled Trumps demands for a $5.7 billion border wall, elevated by claims that criminals and drug traffickers travel with the groups. Charlotte went to Puebla and joined the caravan May 5. Thats where she met Roxsana Hernandez and about 30 other LGBT people. Thats where the travesty began, she said. The group faced taunts and threats throughout the journey, according to Charlotte. They were turned away at several churches and told they had to dress like men if they wanted food and other needs. At a shelter in Tijuana, neighbors yelled for the women to leave and threatened to run them over when they walked outside, she said. One night when Charlotte and her friends went out, a group of six men set the shelter on fire. All of our things burned. Our clothes, our makeup. Everything burned, she said. Charlotte soft-spoken, guarded and funny sat in the colorful offices of El/la Para TransLatinas, a nonprofit that provides health and educational resources to transgender Latinas in San Francisco. The women who run the group out of a rundown building on 16th street have become an adopted family to Charlotte, who takes BART from El Cerrito to visit. At the center of the office is a wall-to-wall altar honoring trans women who have died. Charlotte held a small photo of Hernandez, smiling in a white lace blazer, her beach-blond hair pulled to one side. Though she was cropped out of the photo, Charlottes hand remains in the frame, resting on her friends shoulder. The group crossed the border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry near San Diego on May 9. They spent several days in a holding cell dubbed la hielera or the cooler for its extremely low temperatures as they waited to be transferred to ICE detention. By then, Hernandezs health was deteriorating, according to Charlotte. The women were transferred to a unit for transgender inmates at the Cibola Correctional Facility in New Mexico on May 16, according to ICE records. Hernandez had stopped talking and eating. Her friends requested medical help. Less than two weeks later, she was dead. Other individuals detained in the same unit as Hernandez who were quoted in the independent autopsy report allege that she showed symptoms of severe dehydration while in ICE custody but didnt receive medical treatment until she was gravely ill. She and Charlotte, who experienced severe stomach pain while in detention, had briefly seen a doctor in San Diego. But Hernandez, who had previous deportations and criminal charges for prostitution in the United States, was told she couldnt be treated for HIV-related symptoms, according to Charlotte. Theres no record of the San Diego hospital visit in Hernandezs official death report. Yes, she was sick throughout the journey, but she wasnt dying. She couldve lived longer, Charlotte said. They put a human beings health as second priority. And that should never be the case. My friend lost her life because of that. Dr. Kris Sperry, the forensic pathologist who was hired by the Transgender Law Center to conduct the independent autopsy, has faced controversy in the past. Sperry stepped down in 2015 from his post as chief medical examiner for the state of Georgia after a news investigation revealed he had taken on hundreds of private cases while employed by the state. ICE said it cannot speak to the validity of the private autopsy performed on Hernandez, but that allegations she was abused in ICE custody are false. A review of Hernandezs death conducted by ICE Health Service Corps medical professionals confirmed that she suffered from a history of untreated HIV, the agency said. At no time did the medical personnel treating Ms. Hernandez at Cibola General Hospital or Lovelace Medical Center raise any issues of suspected physical abuse. Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away in Richmond, Debbie Bayer and her partner, David Reinertson, got a call from an advocacy organization asking if the couple would be willing to sponsor Hernandez and Charlotte once they were released from ICE detention. Bayer communicated with Charlotte often and filled her commissary account but had trouble reaching Hernandez. I kept calling, and everybody said, We dont know where she is, said Bayer, 69, a retired nurse. She was already dead, I think. They welcomed Charlotte into their modest two-bedroom home in August. I had never housed a stranger before, Bayer said. I didnt have any experience with trans people. When I went to the airport in Oakland I immediately thought, Shes beautiful. Charlotte is learning English and hangs out often with friends from the caravan and from El/la. Shes eagerly awaiting her work permit, which will allow her to get a job while her asylum case makes its way through the court. But on some days, her mind is with Hernandez. We were both supposed to come to this house, she said. Thats why I feel as if our story wasnt finished yet. It was supposed to continue. But God knows why he does things. Tatiana Sanchez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tatiana.sanchez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TatianaYSanchez San Franciscans appear to be warming to the idea of building denser housing around transit hubs, an issue that has proved to be divisive in the city and across the Bay Area. An annual state-of-the-city poll commissioned by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce revealed that 74 percent of the surveys 500 respondents supported a state bill that would, among other things, prevent cities from restricting apartment construction within a half mile of a transit station, like BART or Caltrain. Though it wasnt mentioned by name, the poll was asking respondents about SB50, a bill by state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco. The survey results could suggest a shift in the citys sentiment toward increasing density around transit hubs, a move that proponents have long held is essential for a city and a region tormented by traffic congestion and a punishing housing shortage. Prominent officials at the local and state levels, including Mayor London Breed and Gov. Gavin Newsom, have also struck a strong pro-housing stance, which could be helping to emphasize development. The survey framed the bills purpose as adding housing around transit stops so people could live closer to where they work. According to the chambers poll, 82 percent of respondents said traffic in the city had worsened, 69 percent said parking is harder to find, and 63 percent said it is harder to find housing for people like themselves. Critics of the bill, however, blanch at the prospect of surrendering local control to the state and express deep concerns about how new developments could distort neighborhood character. Twenty percent of respondents said they somewhat or strongly opposed the bill, and 6 percent said they either didnt know, or preferred not to state their opinion. The chamber will release the full results of the poll, which acts as a barometer of peoples attitudes on a range of city issues, including homelessness, public transportation, Tuesday morning. The legislation also raises height limits to 45 feet, about four stories, within a half-mile of the station, and 55 feet within a quarter mile. It also eliminates minimum parking requirements for new developments, which San Franciscos Board of Supervisors voted to do back in December. All the polls Ive ever seen on this show strong support, but this is strongest, said state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco. Im thrilled to see public opinion continue to shift in a pro-housing direction. At some point you reach a breaking point. Notably, support for the bill was spread out fairly evenly across the citys supervisorial districts, according to the polls results. The citys western districts populated largely by enclaves of single-family homes have long been the center of opposition to new developments in the city. Tales of the housing crisis Housing is one of the Bay Area's most troubling issues. Whether you are a buyer, seller, renter, landlord, a builder or investor, the availability and affordability of housing is an everyday concern. As part of its continuing coverage, The Chronicle wants to hear the story of your housing experience. Tell us your story: www.sfchronicle.com/housingstories See More Collapse But District Four, which includes the Sunset, had the highest percentage of respondents say they strongly or somewhat supported the bill the most of any district. SB50 represents a lighter version of legislation Wiener introduced last year. That bill, SB827, would have kept cities from rejecting four- to eight-story apartments or condos near transit hubs. The bill exposed transit-oriented housing as a major fault line in San Francisco politics, and ultimately couldnt get out of the Senate Transportation Committee, where it was killed by a 5-4 vote. It drew strong opposition from local leaders, most of whom supported transit-oriented housing, but criticized the bill for not exacting enough concessions from developers and warned that new development would lead to further gentrification and displacement of middle-class and low-income communities. San Franciscos Board of Supervisors voted 8-3 to oppose the measure. Living where you work is important to maintaining a strong economy for the entire Bay Area, said Juliana Bunim, senior vice president at the chamber, which supported Wieners SB827 and his current bill. Everyday we hear from our members how their employees cant afford to live here and are being forced to leave. Its time to talk about what real solutions are for housing and not get distracted by a couple of loud voices that can drown out what people actually want across the city. Chronicle staff writer Rachel Swan contributed to this report. Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa More than 100,000 migrants from Honduras and Nepal who were granted temporary refuge in the United States because of disasters in their homelands have sued the Trump administration in San Francisco federal court for seeking to deport them. The suit, filed late Sunday, claims the administration abruptly changed the governments long-standing policy, without explanation, for the program known as Temporary Protected Status or TPS. The migrants also contend the revocation was motivated by racism, noting that President Trump was discussing TPS at a White House meeting in January 2018 when he asked why the U.S. was admitting so many people from shole countries such as Haiti and African nations. The suit was filed in the same court where U.S. District Judge Edward Chen issued a nationwide injunction in October blocking the administrations plans to deport more than 300,000 undocumented immigrants from El Salvador, Nicaragua, Haiti and Sudan by revoking their protected status. The new suit referred to the earlier case as related, a signal that the lawyers would ask to have it assigned to Chen. Temporary Protected Status, established by a 1990 federal law, allows undocumented immigrants with no serious criminal records to live and work in the United States if a natural disaster or war in their homeland has made it unsafe to return. The status is typically renewed every 18 months. Immigrants from 10 nations currently hold TPS. About 86,000 Hondurans were first granted reprieves from deportation in 1999 because of a devastating hurricane. About 15,000 Nepalese were granted protections in 2015 after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake. U.S.-born children of the immigrants, totaling 50,000, joined the lawsuit. The administration seeks to terminate TPS for Nepalese in June and for Hondurans in January 2020. Separate litigation challenging the revocation for Hondurans is pending elsewhere, but this is the first suit for the Nepalese, lawyers said. With TPS I have been able to build a new life here with my family, and I have found a stable job, the lead plaintiff, Keshav Raj Bhattarai, 56, a Nepalese who lives with his wife in Sunnyvale, said in a statement released by his lawyers. I wish to continue working to support this country, and also continue supporting the rebuilding of Nepal, which is still recovering from the earthquake. In announcing elimination of protections for nearly all migrants in the program, Trumps Department of Homeland Security said they no longer qualified for protected status because the original emergencies no longer existed. That was a reversal of policies by previous administrations of both parties to continue protections because of ongoing hardships in the immigrants homelands, such as a hurricane and an outbreak of cholera in Haiti. The department adopted a new standard that departed from long-standing practice without any reasoned explanation, in violation of federal law, the suit said. It also noted Trumps vulgar January 2018 White House remark and his earlier references to Mexican immigrants as rapists and drug dealers, and to undocumented migrants overall as snakes. In its self-described America first approach to TPS, the suit said, the Department of Homeland Security was directly influenced by the White House and its racist immigration policies. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@BobEgelko They may be independent contractors, but gig workers are fighting back by banding together. While state representatives are considering legislation to clarify a landmark California Supreme Court ruling on who is considered an employee, some of these app-wielding workers have joined forces to make changes now, reporter Carolyn Said writes. Most recently, after outcry by Instacart workers on social media and through online petitions, the company stopped its practice of using customer tips toward pay minimums instead of an add-on for good service. But other concerted efforts often with the help of labor organizers have helped ride-share drivers and others across the country. Still, its lot on top of working gig shifts in the first place. One Instacart worker, Debi LaBell, handwrote notes to her delivery customers about where their tips were actually going. This has been a maddening, frustrating and, at times, incredibly disheartening experience, she says. Read more here. Sign up for Bay Briefing Like what you're reading? Subscribe to The Chronicle's Bay Briefing newsletter, and get the Bay Area's best journalism in your in-box every weekday. See More Collapse Top of the News Housing support: Are San Franciscans warming to the idea of denser housing around transit hubs? A new survey commissioned by the citys Chamber of Commerce shows 74 percent support for a state bill that would, among other things, prevent cities from restricting apartment construction within a half mile of a transit station. More notably, the support was evenly distributed across the city including the highest level of support in District Four. Vote with their feet: While students around the country plan to participate in walkouts to protest inaction on gun violence, students in Oakland are also using protests to support their teachers demands for a better pay. Columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. talks to the student leaders about what theyve learned from the protests and notes a fantastic trend brewing at Oakland Tech: the protests are being organized and led by teen girls. In case of 8.0: BART is beginning work on a three-year retrofit of the Transbay Tube to prevent the tunnel from flooding in the event of a major earthquake. Heres what you need to know about the project and what effect it will have on BART service. Hidden figures: Nobody reads the acknowledgments. Except Rori Rohlfs at San Francisco State did and thats how she and her fellow co-authors found dozens of women doing doctorate-level work in the field of population genetics who were not recognized as authors on the journal articles they contributed to, especially if they were computer programmers. Survivor: Two transgender women joined the migrant caravan in Mexico, becoming good friends as they fled violence in their home countries and dealt with discrimination within the the caravan itself. But only one survived, and now she has come to San Francisco in the hopes of winning her asylum bid. Reunite: Dont San Franciscos homeless have any friends or family who could help them? Columnist Heather Knight profiles a nonprofit that tries to answer that question by asking homeless people whether theres anyone with whom theyd like to reconnect and then finding them with the help of volunteer digital detectives. Theyve sparked 194 reunions so far. Tuition and tax: California may be the most populous state, but its 529 college savings plan is dwarfed by those of some smaller states in part because California has never had a state tax incentive to invest in its plan. That may be changing, columnist Kathleen Pender writes. Not dull: Covering the Warriors this season certainly hasnt been boring. For this weeks Warriors mailbag, beat writer Connor Letourneau answers your questions including whether Kevin Durant violated his contract by not talking to media for more than a week. Waiting list: The shingles vaccine is strongly recommended for people over 50, but a nationwide shortage of a new version of the vaccine is frustrating patients, doctors and pharmacists alike. A spectacle of hope: Feather Falls, a world-class waterfall with the best viewing deck in California, remains a symbol of what recent natural disasters across Northern California could not touch, Tom Stienstra writes. The Kicker Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle The artist who turned the Bay Bridge into a nightly display of constantly shifting white lights has made another span in San Francisco into an art project this time a bit smaller, but more colorful. Point Cloud, a full-color, abstract array by Leo Villareal, will run day and night inside the Moscone Center pedestrian bridge and be visible from Howard Street. As with the Bay Lights, the random patterns in the Moscone lights are dictated by software Villareal programmed. Its cloud-like, he says. It comes and goes. Bay Briefing is written by Taylor Kate Brown and sent to readers email in-boxes on weekday mornings. Sign up for the newsletter here, and contact Brown at taylor.brown@sfchronicle.com. I can't tell you how many times I've heard a coffee pro say that the single biggest upgrade a person can make at home is to buy a good-quality burr grinder. Less often have I seen other suggestions, like buying a better coffeemaker, learning the ins and outs of brewing, and developing a better sense of one's own coffee-bean preferences. The grinder recommendation is so common that it invaded my brain, eventually anchoring itself deep in the part responsible for consumerist behavior. Unable to afford the types of expensive grinders that are always recommended, I did what any scheming compulsive shopper would doI spent years saving up the unsolicited $25 Starbucks gift cards I received as Christmas stocking stuffers each December. It took about six years before the grinder was within reach, including two very sad years when I believed I had lost four of the cards followed by a bright and shiny day when I found those cards. It culminated in five euphoric minutes visiting Starbucks' online coffee gear store to order the Baratza Virtuoso I'd been saving for. I've been very happy with that grinder. It's allowed me to tinker with my coffee brews, which is something I enjoy doing, and I'm certain I make better coffee as a result. But the question has always lingered: Would every home-brewed coffee drinker really benefit from an expensive grinder? Is that advice truly as universal as so many baristas have made it seem? So I set out with two objectives for this review. The first is the obvious one: Find the best coffee grinder for the kinds of brewing methods most people do at home, like pour-over, automatic-drip, French press, and AeroPress. But I also wanted to explore whether the "best" grinder is a more relative term than pros often acknowledge. Pros know their subject better than anyone, butand I say this as someone who can be guilty of it on the cooking sideare often too deep in the details to remember that not everyone notices them or even cares to. I'll tell you now my research indicates that not every coffee drinker should splurge on the "best" grinder, and a big part of getting the right grinder is going to depend on knowing what kind of coffee drinker you are. This also means that I'm recommending an unusually large number of products, several of which overlap quite a bit in terms of what they do and how well they do it but differ in price and quality to some degree. Here, then, are my grinder recommendations, which I arrived at with the input of coffee-making professionals and coffee-drinking civilians. The team at Joe Coffee Company was invaluable in helping me run grinder taste tests and analyses, and conversations with Steve Rhinehart of Prima Coffee Equipment and Nick Cho of Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters helped deepen my understanding of this piece of coffee gear and the technical details that underpin its use. Here, too, is a guide to whether, and when, a grinder really matters. Take note, though, that one thing this review is not is a thorough exploration of grinders for espressoI'll explain why below. Our Favorites at a Glance The Best Grinder for Serious Coffee Geeks: Baratza Virtuoso Coffee Grinder Baratza's Virtuoso coffee grinder is routinely picked by pros as the home grinder to beat and for good reason: Its well-made conical burrs produce a wide range of grind sizes, the results are consistent, the machine is solidly built from both metal and plastic, and it's all backed up by good customer service. I don't love taking apart and reassembling the burr set for cleaning, as it isn't intuitive enough, but beyond that, this is the grinder to get for serious home-brewed coffee drinkers looking to maximize control over grind size. Best For: Folks who are well-acquainted with concepts like flow-rate, brew time, and extraction level; who use scales to measure everything and know their bean-to-water ratio by weight; who prefer light to medium roasts that present more of a bean's inherent flavors; who usually drink their coffee black. Baratza Virtuoso+ Conical Burr Coffee Grinder Buy on Amazon Alternate Best Pick: Breville Smart Grinder Pro Breville's Smart Grinder Pro also performed very well in our tests, and it's worth considering since it costs less than our other top pick, the Baratza Virtuoso. Its grind trends finer than the Virtuoso; even at its coarsest setting, the results were closer to the medium grind other machines produced. That potentially makes it less well-suited to making French press and cold brew, but it'll perform well for most other brewing methods and can even function as an entry-level espresso grindersomething few other home coffee grinders can do. Best For: The same people who would buy the Virtuoso but are less likely to make press pots or cold brew, and those who may want to casually play with pulling espresso shots. Breville BCG820BSS Smart Grinder Pro Coffee Bean Grinder Buy on Sur La Table The Best Budget Grinder for Coffee Geeks: Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder There's a lot to be said for Baratza's entry-level Encore grinder, which comes in a lighter-weight, all-plastic housing. It packs the same motor as the more expensive Virtuoso, and it includes a slightly less effective burr set that grinds nearly as well asand slightly more slowly thanthe Virtuoso. Also worth knowing is you can upgrade the burr set in the Encore to the one made for the Virtuoso, if you do ever end up feeling like the Encore isn't quite cutting it. Best For: Anyone considering the Virtuoso but who's not quite ready to pay the higher price tag. Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder Buy on Amazon The Best Grinder for Most People: OXO Brew Coffee Grinder Like many of OXO's products, its burr grinder's design is simple and intuitive. Even more importantly, it delivers excellent grind consistency given its price tag. This is about as inexpensive as a burr grinder gets before the grind quality really starts to fall off, making it a good starter grinder for most home-brewed coffee drinkers. Best For: Any coffee drinker who wants more control and a chance to experiment with grind sizes; who wants to begin to explore some of the more detailed coffee-brewing concepts without a huge cost of entry; who likes a good cup but maybe isn't 100% clear on what terms like TDS (total dissolved solids), acidity, and sweetness mean (at least when discussing a cup of joe). OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder Buy on Amazon The Best Grinder Under $50: Krups Burr Coffee Grinder If the price points of our favorite grinders make them an out-of-the-question proposition and if you'd like to stop using a blade grinder to chop up your beans (after all, it does kinda suck when your coffee tastes like the cumin you also blitzed in there), you can't beat the price on this Krups model. Its grind is inconsistent, and its build quality leaves a lot to be desired, but you get what you pay for. On the upside, even with the inconsistent grind, you'll still have more control over your grind size than you would using a blade grinder, and for many people, that's all that matters. Best For: Coffee drinkers who tend to buy dark roasts and/or drink their coffee with dairy or sugar; those who want to grind whole beans for fresher flavor and are sick of having to do it in the spice grinder. KRUPS Precision Coffee Grinder Buy on Amazon The Criteria: What We Look for in a Great Coffee Grinder Photograph: Liz Clayman To understand the importance of a good coffee grinder, you need to have a basic understanding of what happens when coffee is made. Generally speaking, when we brew coffee, our goal is to extract a sufficient amount of desirable soluble molecules from the beans while leaving the undesirable ones behind. If we don't extract enough of what we want from a bean, the resulting coffee will taste "underextracted." Underextracted coffee is not necessarily weak coffee; rather it's coffee in which an insufficient amount of the desirable soluble molecules have been pulled out of the beans and dissolved into the water. If you brew a high ratio of coffee beans in water, but underextract them, you could end up with coffee that is both strong and underextracted, a seemingly contradictory concept. Underextracted coffees tend to taste more sourand not in a good way. Overextracted coffees, on the other hand, have pulled too much from the beans, including unpleasant things we don't want in the cup. Those coffees often taste harsh and bitter. And just like the seemingly antithetical possibility of a strong underextracted coffee, you can have a weak overextracted coffee, say by brewing a small amount of coffee relative to the water for too long. It should go without saying that you can also have weak underextracted coffees, strong overextracted ones, and everything in between. A grinder plays a pivotal role in coffee extraction because it determines the grind size of the coffee. Grind size can affect extraction in two ways. The first is perhaps the most obvious one: Finely ground coffee has far more surface area than coarsely ground coffee, and that increased surface area makes what's in the beans more immediately accessible to the hot water, speeding up the rate of extraction. The second thing the grind size determines is the flow rate for certain methods of coffee brewing, such as pour-over, which, in turn, affects extraction levels. The smaller the coffee particles, the more slowly water can seep down through them; the larger the coffee, the faster. If you imagine two pipes, one of which is packed with sand and one that's packed with marbles, and you poured water through each, the water would pass much more quickly through the marbles than the sand, given all the empty space around them. With coffee, the water traveling more slowly through the finer grounds has more time to extract coffee molecules, while the water racing through a coarsely ground coffee will have less time. Exactly how coarse or fine to grind coffee depends on a complex set of factors, including the batch size, the brewing method, and the coffee beans themselves. It's a moving target, and therefore takes some practice to begin to understand how to use grind size to improve your coffee. As you are probably starting to see, given the ways in which grind size can determine surface area and flow rate, and thus extraction, a grinder that offers a wide range of grind sizes and produces a uniformly sized result at each grind setting is desirable. The idea is that if a grinder produces coffee grounds that have too much variance in size for any given grind setting, results become increasingly difficult to control. A setting that's meant to produce a medium grind, for example, but instead gives that medium grind littered with fine powder and strewn with too-big chunks may under- or overextract, or both. At least, that's the theory. At left, an inconsistent grind from a blade grinder, showing a mix of very large, medium, and fine coffee particles; if you were to continue to grind the sample to reduce the large grounds down more, you'd simultaneously create even more fine powder, making a uniform grind almost impossible to achieve. At right, the Baratza Virtuoso's output at a medium setting; note how much more uniform the coffee particles are. Photographs: Vicky Wasik Exactly how uniform coffee grounds need to be is open for debate, and it's something professionals in the coffee industry continue to explore. If we can say one thing with certainty, it's that we want a grinder that helps us produce a cup of coffee that we consider enjoyable and delicious. As Nick Cho of Wrecking Ball Coffee pointed out in a conversation I had with him a few years ago, the challenge is finding agreement about what that means. Cho told me he'd done a taste test some years before our conversation, and that even the coffee professionals were all over the place in terms of their preferences. "No one has to learn to like strawberries," Cho said at the time. "Whereas with coffee or beer, the things that contain bitterness, its an acquired tasteso what kind of taste you acquire is everything." Before diving into my review of coffee grinders, I decided to explore this question a little more deeply. Do You Really Need a Good Burr Grinder? My first grinder tests go back a couple years. I wanted to get some data, and my initial results left the question unresolved. In those tests, I pitted a blade grinder (technically, it's a spice grinder, but lots of people use them for coffee) against an inexpensive burr grinder (the Cuisinart DBM-8) and a higher-end burr grinder (Breville's Smart Grinder Pro). I used a Clever coffee dripper in those tests, which was a brewer that made it easier to control some key variables. All samples were tasted blind by my colleagues. In each of those tests, tasters preferred the coffee made by the higher-end grinder more than the other two, and the blade grinder came in last for most people, but we were all surprised to find that the differences weren't particularly strikingcertainly not different enough to support the common recommendation that most home-brewed coffee drinkers should pay for a really good burr grinder. Yes, there was a difference, but if we didn't have the benefit of side-by-side tastings, we weren't sure we'd have been able to easily tell them apart. Fast-forward to this year, when I finally decided to return to this question while working on this review. I headed over to the Joe Coffee Company Pro Shop, where Christopher Malarick, who also worked with us on our automatic coffee brewer review, helped me run a new round of tests. This time we assembled a tasting panel that included two professionals (Malarick and a Joe Coffee colleague) along with four civilian tasters who represented a range of coffee-drinking expertise and preferences. For this test, we used four different grinders, each representing a different class. A Krups blade spice grinder represented the type of grinder usually frowned upon by professionals; a Krups GX5000 burr grinder, which retails for about $30, represented the absolute cheapest of burr grinder options; the Baratza Virtuoso was our representative high-end home grinder; and a pro-level Mahlkonig EK-43, which is famed for its consistent grind quality and sells for nearly $3,000, acted as the creme de la creme against which all the other grinders were compared. Malarick did all the brewing on a Kalita Wave pour-over brewer, which is prized for its consistency, and we tasted all samples blind. We ran this test two times, using two different roast profiles. The first one was a Joe's blend called the Waverly, which combines Peruvian and Colombian beans with a medium roast profile. The second was a very, very dark Italian roast from Starbucks. The results shed more light on the complexity of how drinkers perceive coffee and how the grinder can affect that perception. With the medium roasted beans, the tallied results put the grinders more or less in order of quality, with the EK-43 in first place and the blade grinder in last place. But not everyone agreed. One of the pros rated the blade grinder in the middle of the pack, and the other pro, who admitted later he wasn't a huge fan of the Waverly blend, had an inverted list, with the blade grinder his favorite and the EK-43 his least favorite. In light of his opinion on the blend, this starts to make sense: the EK-43 created the truest expression of the coffee, which he didn't love, while the blade grinder produced a less clear expression of the beans, which worked for himthe less he could taste of the coffee's nuances, the better. A comparison of the higher-quality burrs on a Baratza Virtuoso compared to the much less well-made burrs on the Krups burr grinder; note the large, sharp edges on the Virtuoso burrs, compared to the dull, tiny ones on the Krups. Photograph: Vicky Wasik Among the civilian tasters, one picked the two cheapest grindersthe blade grinder and budget Krups burr grinderas his favorites, and the coffees from the higher-end grinders as his least favorite. His tasting notes seem to indicate that he wasn't the biggest fan of this coffee either, and so, perhaps like the pro, he valued the grinders that obscured the coffee's full flavor. The remaining civilians ranked the coffees as one might expect, with the better grinders tending to get higher scores. But things took an interesting twist when we switched to the dark Starbucks roast. Rankings became scattered, with no clear pattern, except that the EK-43 got consistently bad scores. A couple tasters had a hard time ranking the coffees at all, handing out ties and noting that it was difficult to tell the samples apart. Others did their best to rank the results, but all agreed afterward that the differences were incredibly difficult to notice, even in side-by-side tastings. The oft-maligned blade grinder came out toward the top on a couple tasting sheets, including in both of the professionals' assessments (they each ranked it the second-best tasting coffee of the bunch). What does this tell us? Mostly, it tells us that the preferences of the individual taster matter a lot, and that the coffee itself has a significant role in determining whether a grinder's uniformity of grind matters much or not. The darker the roast, the less the grinder's quality seems to matter. If anything, the uniformly sized grounds produced by the better grinders seemed to be a bad thing for the dark roast, bringing some of the harsher charred flavors to the fore. This makes some sense when you consider that the more deeply a coffee is roasted, the more it loses its original flavors and takes on a more generic roasty profile. A dark roast is not unlike oak in wine or hops in beerit's an equalizer of sorts, erasing some of a bean's natural flavor, covering up flaws, and pushing the product's overall flavor in one very particular direction. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it can lessen the effect that grind uniformity, and therefore the grinder itself, can have. The lesson here is that coffee drinkers need to know what their preferences are in order to make an informed decision about which grinder to buy. Do they prefer medium and lighter roasts that try to preserve the original character of the bean? Do they drink the coffee black instead of adding ingredients like milk and sugar, which can mask flavors and soften the harsh edges of darkly roasted beans? Or do they like a dark roast, maybe with a splash of cream or a bit of sweetener? Answers to these questions will determine which burr grinder is right for them or even if a blade grinder will suffice. The Testing Photograph: Liz Clayman The above taste tests were very helpful in constructing a more complex picture of just how much, and when, a grinder truly matters. With that information helping to inform us, the next step was to analyze each grinder, looking at both the range of grind sizes each machine offered as well as how uniform the grinds were. We could then see how each grinder related to the others in terms of quality and price and make recommendations. Grind Screening Photograph: Liz Clayman To determine grind uniformity and range, we ran each grinder at its coarsest, middle, and finest settings and analyzed the results. We used a Kruve sifter system to sort and analyze the grinds. Before running these tests, I called up Steve Rhinehart of Prima Coffee Equipment in Louisville, Kentucky, to get some of his wisdom on grinders. According to Rhinehart, ideal grind sizes fall roughly as follows: 1,000 microns and larger for French press; 600 to 800 microns are the most common sizes for most other home-brewing methods like pour-over; grinds for AeroPress and moka pots often fall in the 400 to 600 micron range; and espresso is usually around 300 to 400 microns. Anything ground smaller than that is referred to as "fines" and is considered undesirable, as it will overextract quickly and clog filters. This grinder was set to a medium grind, but it also blew out a large amount of "fines"undesirably powdery coffee groundswhich can be seen clumped up on the left, and make getting a delicious cup of coffee more difficult. Photograph: Liz Clayman Those numbers line up with the filter screen sizes Malarick used to separate our samples into groupings, cutting each into three groups: smaller than 400 microns (essentially an espresso grind and fines); between 400 and 1,000 microns (the range most useful for home coffee-making methods); and larger than 1,000 microns, for French press and such. Photograph: Liz Clayman Since the 400 to 1,000 microns is still quite a large range, we did a visual assessment to see roughly how consistent and how large the grinds seemed to be within that range. Taste Tests Photograph: Liz Clayman In addition to all of the rounds of taste tests described above, we also ran our finalists through more rigorous tests, grinding several varieties of beans from different roasters and brewing coffee dozens of times, using different brewing methods to get used to the machines, develop a sense of how easy they are to dial in our preferences and otherwise assess real-world results. Design Quality Assessment Throughout testing, we examined the build quality of each machine, its ease of use, loudness, and other design factors and weighed those in our final decisions of which grinders to recommend. Quick Espresso Test Photograph: Liz Clayman This review deliberately did not take a close look at espresso. As just about any professional barista will tell you, home grinders at this price point are generally not considered up to par for pulling good espresso shots, largely due to a lack of fine-tune settings to truly dial a shot in. Unfortunately, espresso is a more expensive brewing method to get into at home, and grinders that are made for it tend to cost quite a bit more, starting at several hundred dollars and climbing up into the thousands. Probably the most affordable and well-regarded espresso grinder for home use is the Sette series made by Baratza. Still, after we'd narrowed the field of grinders in this test down to the final set, I thought it'd be fun to at least try them for espresso, and the folks at Joe were kind enough to humor me. We didn't try to pull shots with any but the top performersthe Baratza Virtuoso and the Breville Smart Grinderstarting each at its finest setting just to see what would happen. What we found is that both of those grinders are capable of grinding fine enough for an espresso shotthe finest settings were, in fact, too fine, clogging the portafilter and preventing the water from flowing through properly. A clogged potafilter due to overly fine coffee barely let any liquid through. Photograph: Liz Clayman Malarick was concerned that the Virtuoso didn't have small enough steps between grind settings to allow him to adequately dial in that shot, but the Breville, which leans fine and devotes about a third of its grind settings to espresso-level fineness, stood a better chance. He adjusted the Breville's grind and pulled a second shot with it, getting it closer to his goal. He still wasn't happy with it, but I didn't think it tasted too bad. Overall, it was clear that none of these grinders could really pass muster with a professional barista for pulling espresso shots, but for a home user who's less concerned with pro-level perfection, the Breville can work. How We Chose Our Winners Our recommendations considered price as well as quality, keeping in mind the ideal user in each case. Remember, the "best" grinders aren't necessarily the best for all coffee drinkers. The Best Grinder for Coffee Aficionados: Baratza Virtuoso Coffee Grinder Photograph: Vicky Wasik Baratza's Virtuoso coffee grinder is consistently recommended by pros for home use and for good reason. It's solidly built, with a metal and plastic housing that gives it enough weight to sit solidly on the counter without jostling around. It's the grinder I've used at home for the past five years, and it's still going strong. To operate it, you rotate the bean hopper itself to select one of 40 grind settings, add the beans to the hopper, and then either press a button on the front that will activate the motor for as long as you hold the button down, or turn an analog timer-dial on the side of the machine that will run the motor until the dial returns to the start position. All of these grinders, the Virtuoso included, like to claim you can grind a set amount of beans based on the timer duration, but I don't recommend doing that. First, different beans grind at different rates depending on their size and density (bean density varies with roast level, among other things), and, second, it's simply not accurate. If you're going to bother trying to take advantage of a higher-quality burr grinder, you don't want to shortchange yourself on something basic by not measuring the beans and water for a proper ratio. Instead, get a good scale and weigh your beans (aim for roughly one gram of coffee to every 15 grams of water). The coarsest grind on the Baratza Virtuoso, divided into groups based on particle size. Photograph: Liz Clayman In the grinding tests, the Virtuoso showed an impressive level of consistency. On its coarsest setting, it produced huge boulders above the 1,000 micron threshold (bigger than anyone is likely to ever want), only a very small amount of grinds in the 400 to 1,000 micron range thatto the eyeseemed more on the coarse end of things, and so few fines that our scale couldn't register them. The Virtuoso's output on its finest setting, again divided into groups based on particle size. Photograph: Liz Clayman On the finest setting, almost the entire bulk of the grinds landed in the 400 to 1,000 grams range, and looked like it leaned on the finer end of that spectrum; it also produced the largest amount of under-400 micron particles (a mere 1.2 grams out of 20 grams total, but still, more than any of the others), marking the Virtuoso as the grinder capable of producing the finest grinds of the pack. This fits with our espresso test, where the Virtuoso's finest grind clogged the portafilter on the espresso machine. At its middle setting, the Virtuoso's grinds split into two groups, about two-thirds of which were just barely too large to make it through the 1000-micron screen, while the remaining third did, falling into the 400 to 1000 range. Taking apart the burrs for cleaning is one area where the Baratza machines fall short compared to the competition; it could definitely be a more intuitive and user-friendly process. Photograph: Vicky Wasik My biggest gripe with the Virtuoso (and it shares this flaw with the Encore) is that the hopper and conical burrs are not intuitive to assemble and disassemble. Getting it all to fit properly requires stretching a rubber gasket over a ring, setting that ring into its seating on the grinder such that small tabs are oriented properly (though what "properly" is can't easily be deduced without consulting the instruction manual), locking the hopper on top of that, and then rotating it into place. It's not difficult, but if you haven't done it in a while, you will almost definitely have to tinker with it or go find the instructions. A smaller, second gripe (and one that plagues many grinders): Coffee bean chaff can build up in the chute and then get knocked loose when you're removing the grounds basket, making a mess on your counter. The lower burr in the Virtuoso, one of many parts that the company sells separately for replacement. Being able to replace so many parts, from the motor to the burrs, increases the longevity of the machine, since it can almost always be fixed for a lot less than replacing the whole machine would cost. Photograph: Vicky Wasik One other thing worth mentioning about Baratza in general is the company has a great reputation for its customer service. Not only does the company seem to be helpful in resolving any issues that might come up with a machine, but it also sells just about every conceivable replacement part, from the motor and the circuit board to the burrs and rings and gaskets and more, including for discontinued models. This means that a Baratza grinder can be brought back from just about any malady and is unlikely to find its way into the trash for many, many years to come. If you're serious about your coffee for all brewing methods except espresso, this is the top of the line for home use. Baratza Virtuoso+ Conical Burr Coffee Grinder Buy on Amazon Alternate Best Pick: Breville Smart Grinder Pro Photograph: Vicky Wasik Breville's Smart Grinder Pro has been the Serious Eats office grinder for more than two years, grinding beans for multiple pots of coffee daily, and it's done that job admirably. While the Baratza machines in this review are all analog, Breville's offers an appealing digital control interface. A different, major kitchenware review site complained about this interface, saying it was difficult to figure out how to use. I have no idea what they're talking aboutit couldn't be more clear or easy. A large turn-dial sets the grind level, which is clearly indicated on the screen's grind chart. That chart has some useful labels on it, offering suggestions on which grind setting ranges are best for which brewing methods, a helpful starting point when trying to dial in a grind. Clear markings on the Breville make using it easy, even right out of the box without looking at the instruction manual. Photograph: Vicky Wasik The Breville also has a timer function to control how long the machine runs, and it seems to suggest it's a viable way to measure the beans, but as I wrote above, I don't endorse that method (again: use a scale!). Still, it's functional enough, allowing the machine to run unattended for the duration of the grinding time setting; if the beans are fully ground before the timer is finished, you can push the start button again to stop it. Breville's design makes removing the hopper and burrs as easy as can be. Photograph: Vicky Wasik One of the areas where Breville beats Baratza is in its hopper and burr assembly. Taking the hopper on and off, and removing the burrs for cleaning is as simple as twisting a very clearly marked spindle and lifting the upper bur by its handle. Not once did I feel the need to consult the user's manual to successfully accomplish this task. The Breville grinder's coarsest settings, sifted into fractions. Photograph: Liz Clayman As for its grind consistency and range, the Breville split evenly between the 1,000+ micron range and the 400 to 1,000 micron range at its coarsest setting, slightly finer than is probably ideal for something like French press (at the very least, one would want the option to go coarser, even if the coarsest setting can work for that method). It produced an immeasurable amount of fines at the coarsest setting. Screenings of the finest setting on the Breville. Photograph: Liz Clayman At the finest setting, the Breville sifted similarly to the Baratza Virtuoso, with almost all of the grinds falling into that middle 400 to 1,000 micron zone. That said, the Breville's output looked to the naked eye to lean on the finer end of that range (though, as noted above, the Virtuoso does produce a small amount of even finer grounds). At its middle setting, the Breville also trended toward the slightly finer grind, with most of the results remaining in that middle 400 to 1,000 range. Breville's portafilter accessory makes it possible to grind the coffee directly into the portafilter basket. Photograph: Vicky Wasik As mentioned in the espresso section above, this grinder is probably your best bet if you want to experiment with pulling shots; it even comes with a portafilter holder accessory, so the grounds can be deposited directly into it, without a clumsy transfer from grounds container to portafilter that's bound to spill them all over the place. It should be stressed, though, that not a single professional I spoke to thought it'd be able to make particularly dialed-in results. If you want a consistent and well-designed grinder that gives some room for espresso-making without breaking the bank, this one is worth considering. Breville BCG820BSS Smart Grinder Pro Coffee Bean Grinder Buy on Sur La Table The Best Grinder for Coffee Enthusiasts: Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder Photograph: Vicky Wasik I'll keep this one shortthe Encore is an excellent choice for anyone who is leaning toward the Virtuoso but doesn't want to spend quite that much money. In exchange for the savings, you get the same motor, an all-plastic body that's only slightly lighter than the Virtuoso, and burrs that are just one step down in quality from the Virtuoso's. Coarse fractions from the Baratza Encore, which performed very similarly to the Virtuoso. Photograph: Liz Clayman And, frankly, in our testing, the Encore kept pace with the Virtuoso in terms of grind ranges and consistency remarkably well. It's maybe a hair less consistent, but the chances most people will even notice the difference are small. Even better, if you start with the Encore and later want to upgrade the burrs, it's as simple as swapping them out with the ones that come with the Virtuoso (which, again, you can buy separately, as Baratza sells just about every replacement part you could dream of). Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder Buy on Amazon The Best Grinder for Most Daily Drinkers: OXO Brew Coffee Grinder Photograph: Vicky Wasik OXO has entered the coffee game with some serious contenders (its automatic coffee brewer was nearly one of our top picks), and this grinder continues that trend. Priced at the low end of what a person can hope to pay for a decent burr grinder, this is the one to get if you want to up your coffee game by playing with grind settings but don't want to shell out for our other top picks. Screenings from the coarsest setting on the OXO grinder. Photograph: Liz Clayman In the grind consistency and range analysis, OXO's grinder didn't do as well as our other top picks, but it still held its own. On its coarsest setting, it produced almost comically large boulders, with a smaller fraction of midsize grinds and an immeasurable amount of fines. Screenings from the finest setting of the OXO grinder. Photograph: Liz Clayman On its finest setting, it landed mostly in the middle range, with a small but measurable amount of grinds below the 400-micron mark. The OXO is also slender and sleek-looking, with an easy-to-read grind-setting dial, a metal grounds container that claims to resist static cling (something all the other grinders suffered from), and an easy-to-remove and easy-to-reinstall hopper and burr assembly for cleaning. OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder Buy on Amazon The Best Super-Budget Burr Grinder: Krups Burr Coffee Grinder Photograph: Vicky Wasik I'll be honest: This is not a great burr grinder by any measure. The grinds are inconsistent, online reviews are spotty, and the machine's build leaves a lot to be desired. It frankly doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in terms of longevity. That said it's as cheap as a burr grinder could ever hope to be, making it a good choice for anyone who is happy with their blade grinder, except for the fact that they also use it to grind their spices and are sick of their coffee tasting like cumin. Even on its finest setting, the Krups produced a large amount of large coffee particles, a sign of its poorer performance. Photograph: Liz Clayman The burrs in this thing look dinky compared to the higher-quality ones in our other picks, and the ground coffee they produce backs up that assessment: It's not great. Depending on what coffee you drink, though, that may not be a huge problem. As I wrote above, darker roasts tend to do better on a wider range of grinders and suffered less from inconsistent grind profiles, and the Krups never made bad coffee in our tests (that's not to say it can't make bad coffee, only that even with an inconsistent grind, most coffee drinkers probably won't be bothered by the results). This grinder did beat all the others in one very small area: The designers found a clever place to store the cleaning brush, hiding it in the hopper spindle. Amazingly, none of the other grinders managed to find a place for it, leaving the brush loose, which means it will almost definitely be misplaced. Grab this one if all the tinkering and dialing-in of coffee-grind sizes I've described in this article sound like your idea of morning hell, but you still want to grind whole beans. KRUPS Precision Coffee Grinder Buy on Amazon The Competition Here are notes on the other models we tested for this review: 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. Charles H. Woods of London, KY, passed peacefully June 18, 2021, at Baptist Hospital in Lexington after a courageous battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Charlene; his daughter Lindsay Reedy (Aaron); and grandchildren, Tanner, Arden, and Nolan. He also leaves behind his nephew, Cr A former employee of a Boston-based biotech company and a friend of the company's CEO, whom the Securities and Exchange Commission have charged with stock manipulation and with making false statements and a scheme to defraud, have pleaded guilty in a parallel criminal case to charges of securities fraud and obstructing the SEC's investigation. On September 7, 2018, Kenneth Stromsland, the former Vice President of Investor Relations for PixarBio Corporation, pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud, relating to his manipulative trading in the company's stock, and one count of obstructing an agency proceeding, relating to his false testimony to the SEC during its 2017 investigation. Stromsland's false testimony included falsely denying that he had purchased shares of PixarBio to affect the company's share price and falsely denying that he had been instructed to do so by Frank Reynolds, PixarBio's then CEO. On February 7, 2019, Jay Herod, a friend of Reynolds, pleaded guilty to the same charges relating to similar conduct, including lying to the SEC about Reynolds directing his participation in the fraud. In its civil case filed against PixarBio, Reynolds, Herod, and Stromsland, the SEC's complaint alleges, among other things, that Reynolds and Stromsland misled investors with false claims about PixarBio's progress in developing a purported method of delivering non-opiate, post-operative pain medication. The complaint also alleges that Reynolds, Stromsland, and Herod engaged in a fraudulent scheme to acquire and merge PixarBio with a publicly traded company and to secretly manipulate the sales of shares in the new entity. The SEC's litigation is pending and seeks permanent injunctions, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains with interest, penny stock bars, officer and director bars, and financial penalties. For further information, see Litigation Release Nos. 24121 and 24146, and U.S. Department of Justice press releases relating to Stromsland and Herod. "Slushmageddon" will arrive in the Puget Sound area after one more late-day blast of snow, University of Washington atmospheric sciences professor Cliff Mass predicts in a new blog post. "And Tuesday morning you will wake up to a slushy mess," Mass writes, with the caveat that forecasts could still be off. Monday will be anything but dull, particularly in the evening commute. RELATED: Snowfall breaks February records as temperatures stay well below normal "The morning will be fine, but precipitation will reach central Puget Sound between 2 and 3 p.m. (earlier to the South)," Mass added. "With cold air in place, precipitation will start as snow. But as the evening proceeds, warm air will surge in aloft, and eventually precipitation will transition to cold rain..." "At 4 p.m. (Monday), the low will be west of our north coast and a warm front will be pushing in. With shallow cold air in place, Puget Sound will get snow at that point." RELATED: Brrr! Seattle gets winter cold out of British Columbia's 'Mighty Fraser' River Snowmageddon will not end every place, particularly the Great White North. Words of explanation from Mass: "By 4 a.m. Tuesday, the low will be close to our Northwest Coast and the air will be warm enough for rain to extend over Puget Sound. "The low hardly moves during the next 12 hours, but the air will have warmed and rain will be falling over Western Washington. British Columbia is going to be hammered with snow, though." In years past, a white winter has persisted longer in the Bellingham area, thanks to winter weather out of BC's Fraser River Valley. Writers to read essays and poems about life on the North Coast Congress has attempted to pass several auto-CR mechanisms since the early 1980s, though only one short-term auto-CR for national defense was ever enacted. There are some potential positives to having an auto-CR. But there are just as many downsides. First of all, auto-CRs could cause Congress to relinquish more of its power of the purse. More than two-thirds of the federal budget is already made up of spending that is not subject to the annual appropriations process. The remaining third of the budget is determined by Congress, though some control over that portion already has been given up to federal bureaucrats through unauthorized appropriations. Having an auto-CR in place would mean that, at least for some period of time, Congress gives up control over the last piece of spending it manages from year to year. Second, auto-CRs could actually create more dysfunction in the spending process. Under current law, Congress is supposed to pass all spending bills individually and before Oct. 1 each year. That hasnt happened in 25 years. Knowing that the government wont shut down if bills arent passed could give Congress even less incentive to enact spending bills, prioritize resources and provide oversight over how money is being spent. Hunt also received the Gold Presidential Volunteer Award. Her platform for the competition was that no child should go hungry. Her mom said she found her daughter inspiring and was very, very proud of her. At Southside, Hunt is an honor student who is active in her drama class. She is a member of the Junior Beta Club and the Blue Notes Choir. Hunt will attend a summer program at the South Carolina Governors School for the Arts and Humanities with a goal of attending the school for 11th and 12th grades. Hunt has been admitted to the early college program at Wilson High School for the next school year. She also is a piano player, voiceover actress and model. She has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Theres always setbacks, Hunt said. Theres always people who tell you that you cant do it, but I just think about my main goal that I want for the rest of my life, and I try to achieve that. Hunt said she would like to be an actress. She said she drew inspiration from Zendaya. Zendaya is most noted for her role in the musical, "The Greatest Showman," a film that Hunt really likes. The Majestic International Pageant recognizes the beauty of all the worlds cultures. The goal of the pageant is to teach young ladies to be victorious as they enter the modern workforce. The pageants website lists queens from 2012-2013 to the present. FLORENCE, S.C. Nestled at the end of a row of businesses off Second Loop Road in Florence is the Blue Tides Crabspot, offering crab legs and a little something different: Jamaican ox tails and garlic neck bones. Owner Chiquita Lewis said she got the idea for her restaurant from travels back and forth to Georgia. The first place Id go was a crabspot, she said. She saw a need not being met in Florence, thought about it and prayed about it for approximately three years before the doors opened up for her in 2018. She went looking for a location where a restaurant had already been established and discovered the building she now occupies. It is my first restaurant, she said. It is going good, but it has its challenges. Lewis depended on family and friends to help her in the beginning. She now has four employees. It is a big challenge, almost like being married to the business, she said. The first three months were a lot of trials and tribulations, but things are going smoothly now. "My parents were birders, but I didn't really know anyone else my age who was into birds," she said. "But when I got to graduate school studying biology, there were birders serious birders! The grad students would meet at 7 a.m. every morning, from winter to spring, on a country road to watch and listen to the birds. We learned the birds' songs and migration patterns. After completing her Ph.D., Krebs accepted a position on the faculty at Francis Marion College in 1977. One of the reasons I took the job in Florence was because they had a symphony, Krebs said. FMU is where she met her husband, Roger Hux. Early in their relationship, it was clear that Roger enjoyed birding as much as Julia. They now travel extensively and often choose destinations with birding opportunities. Weve just gotten back from a wonderful birding trip in Israel, she said. The couple are looking forward to an upcoming trip, Birding across North America by Train, where they are hoping to see everything from prairie chickens to puffins. FLORENCE, S.C. The South Carolina Chamber Music Festival returns to Florence and the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center for its seventh season and a full week of classical chamber music beginning on Monday, Feb. 25. The South Carolina Chamber Music Festival is produced by Francis Marion University piano virtuoso Paolo Gualdi and is a unique musical event that brings world-class musicians from around the world to community. The festival is a week-long event. All of the events will be held at the PACs Black Box Theater. Seating at the Black Box is limited, and entry is not permitted once the performance has begun. Tickets are only available through the FMU Performing Arts Center ticket office. Ticket reservations can be made by calling 843-661-4444 or by visiting the ticket office in person at 201 S. Dargan St. in downtown Florence. The ticket office is open from noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets are $5 for the general public. FMU students are admitted free to all events with a valid student I.D., but they are required to reserve a ticket as well. The festival kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 25 as violinist Sinisa Ciric teams with Gualdi on piano to present Masterworks for Violin and Piano. To what extent is our personality an adaptation to our appearance or even our physique? A team of scien-tists at the University of Gottingen has investigated this question. Their results: it depends -- on our gender and on which behaviour. The study was published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior. Previous theories of a possible connection between appearance and behaviour claim, among other things, that physically stronger men tend to be more aggressive and physically more attractive women are more outgoing. For the most part, the research team from the Department of Biological Personality Psychology at the University of Gottingen found evidence to contradict these theories. Their research involved two independent groups of subjects from Gottingen in Germany and Edinburgh in the UK. For example, they could not confirm a clear connection between attractiveness and extraversion in women. "Although women who consider themselves attractive are actually more likely to be sociable and less shy, it could be their positive self-image that is the reason for this," says Christoph von Borell, first author of the study. In order to find out whether the behaviour is actually related to their outward appearance alone, the Gottingen researchers chose a study design in which physical attractiveness was assessed by other peo-ple. "When we did this, the connection can no longer be observed," explains von Borell. The influence of physical condition on the behaviour of men is different: the study showed that more mus-cular men were more extraverted and considered aggressive behaviour to be more useful. In many other behaviours, however, the results showed no clear connection with the men's appearance. In order to de-termine the strength and physique of the men and women, all test subjects were imaged using a 3D body scanner and their grip and upper body strength measured. The bottom of the Baltic Sea is home to large quantities of sunken munitions, a legacy of the Second World War -- and often very close to shore. Should we simply leave them where they are and accept the risk of their slowly releasing toxic substances, or should we instead remove them, and run the risk of their falling apart -- or even exploding? Administrators and politicians face these questions when e.g. there are plans for building a new wind park, or laying an underwater cable. In the course of the international project DAIMON, researchers prepared essential decision-making aids, which were recently presented at the Thunen Institute in Bremerhaven/Germany. The total amount of conventional munitions and chemical weapons in German waters is estimated at 300,000 metric tons. They were dumped in the water at the war's end, with little thought given to the consequences for the environment. For example, just a stone's throw from Kiel you'll find the munitions dumping area 'Kolberger Heide' -- a restricted area in which ca. 35,000 metric tons of sea mines and torpedoes lie below the (max. 12-metre-deep) water and can be seen from the beach. These munitions can still be dangerous even after decades on the seafloor, as an international team of researchers recently confirmed: the findings of the DAIMON (Decision Aid for Marine Munitions) project were presented at a conference jointly hosted by the Thunen Institute and Alfred Wegner Institute in Bremerhaven from 5 to 7 February 2019. Through painstaking efforts, the contributing researchers collected samples and analysed the chemicals being released by the munitions. Traces of the munitions could be found in fish from dumping areas; these included metabolites of TNT and chemical weapons containing arsenic. Mussels that were exposed to the conditions in 'Kolberger Heide' in small net cages accumulated TNT metabolites -- clear proof that the bombs are still releasing toxic substances, which are absorbed by local biota. The researchers also confirmed that TNT is poisonous for mussels and causes genetic damage in fish, which can produce tumours. Specimens of the common dab, a sensitive flatfish species, caught in 'Kolberger Heide' had more liver tumours than specimens from other waters, which indicates a causal relation between local TNT pollution and increased tumour rates. The metabolites of TNT are also mutagenic; as a result, marine organisms are still being affected by the munitions, even if the rapidly decomposing TNT itself is only a distant memory. The results of this and other investigations were in turn used as the basis for practically and directly applicable recommendations on environmental monitoring and how to handle dumped munitions. As such, the chief outcomes of the DAIMON project are guidelines for monitoring and assessing risks: a collection of methods from the field of environmental monitoring that can be used to assess the acute risks to the ecosystem posed by munitions (DAIMON Toolbox), as well as a web-based system (Decision Support System) to help e.g. politicians and government offices decide whether munitions e.g. in the Baltic Sea should simply be monitored, or should be removed. During the conference, there was a live demonstration of the system, which was also available for interested participants to try. The event was jointly organised by the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research and the Thunen Institute of Fisheries Ecology. More than 100 participants from the research, administrative, political and industrial communities attended. Project website: https://www.daimonproject.com/ Facial recognition technology, being trialled by two major police forces in Britain, should be subjected to more rigorous testing and transparency, according to new research from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Monash University. Facial recognition technology (FRT) involves the identification of an individual based on an analysis of the geometric features of his or her face, and a comparison between the algorithm created from the captured image and one already stored, such as from a custody image or social media account. The technology was first tested in public gatherings in 2014, when Leicestershire Police trialled a 'Neoface' facial recognition system, later using the technology to identify 'known offenders' at a music festival with 90,000 concertgoers. The Leicestershire Police and the other two forces trialling FRT -- the Metropolitan Police Service and the South Wales Police -- argue the technology is lawful and its use in surveillance operations is proportionate. But researchers from UEA and Monash University in Australia say the technology could violate human rights. They argue there has not been sufficient statistical information about the trials made publically available for scrutiny. The limited outcomes that have been shared, the researchers say, have shown high false-positive identification rates and a low number of positive matches with 'known offenders'. Furthermore, the researchers say the trials are a costly use of public funds: 200,000 for the Met Police trials and 2.6 million for those run by the South Wales Police. The research, led by Dr Joe Purshouse of the UEA School of Law, and Prof Liz Campbell of Monash University, will be published on February 8, 2019 in the journal Criminal Law Review. Dr Purshouse, a lecturer in criminal law, said: "These FRT trials have been operating in a legal vacuum. There is currently no legal framework specifically regulating the police use of FRT. advertisement "Parliament should set out rules governing the scope of the power of the police to deploy FRT surveillance in public spaces to ensure consistency across police forces. As it currently stands, police forces trialling FRT are left to come up with divergent, and sometimes troubling, policies and practices for the execution of their FRT operations." A key concern of the researchers is around the 'watch list' databases of facial images assembled from lists of wanted suspects and missing persons, but also other 'persons of interest'. There is no legal prohibition of police forces taking images from the internet or social media accounts to populate the 'watch lists'. Dr Purshouse and Prof Campbell say there is a risk that people with old or minor convictions could be targeted by FRT, as well as those with no convictions whose images are retained and used by police after an arrest that did not lead to a conviction. The accuracy of the technology has been brought into question by the researchers, leading to concerns that some individuals might be disproportionately included on 'watch lists'. The limited independent testing and research into FRT technology indicates that numerous FRT systems misidentify ethnic minorities and women at higher rates than the rest of the population. A disproportionate number of custody images are of black and minority ethnic groups, and as these images are routinely used to populate FRT databases, there is a particular risk that members of the public from black or ethnic minority backgrounds will be mistakenly identified as 'persons of interest'. Dr Purshouse said: "There appears to be a credible risk that FRT technology will undermine the legitimacy of the police in the eyes of already over-policed groups." The police forces trialling FRT say the technology has been effective in preventing crime and ensuring public safety. The researchers say that currently there is no meaningful way of measuring success, but that the technology might be deterring those who could pose a threat to the public from attending gatherings where FRT surveillance is known to be in use. The researchers say the use of FRT surveillance is on the rise without sufficient reflection on its aims and consequences. The ways in which it has the potential to interfere with citizens' privacy related rights are multifaceted and complex, and without a full understanding of this potential we cannot hope to adequately regulate this form of policing technology. Dr Purshouse added: "Rather than gradually becoming a pervasive and chilling feature of public life, FRT surveillance should only be targeted against credible and serious threats to public safety." 'Privacy, Crime Control and Police Use of Automated Facial Recognition Technology', by Joe Purshouse and Liz Campbell, is published February 8, 2019 in the journal Criminal Law Review. Kathleen Parker: The National Enquirer shows us just how sleazy it really is Beirut, Feb 11 (AP) Iran's foreign minister says his country is ready to cooperate with the new Lebanese government, offering support in all sectors. Mohammad Javad Zarif spoke to reporters Sunday at Beirut's airport shortly after his arrival in the Lebanese capital. The two-day visit comes days after the leader of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group urged Lebanon's government to accept anti-aircraft weapons from Iran, as well as electricity and medicine. Lebanon formed a new government last week after a nine-month vacuum that exacerbated the country's economic woes. Hezbollah has three ministers in the new government. Zarif congratulated Lebanese politicians and said Iran is ready to support the government in any way possible. He is scheduled to meet with the Lebanese president, prime minister and foreign minister during his visit. Dubai, Feb 11 (AP) The head of the International Monetary Fund warned Sunday that the British exit from the European Union means it "will never be as good as it is now" for the country's economy. Christine Lagarde spoke at the World Government Summit in Dubai, which also saw Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri make an own investment pitch for his small country, now struggling through a major economic crisis as one of the world's most-indebted nations. The clubby annual event brings world leaders together at a luxury hotel in Dubai for motivational talks littered with business buzzwords. But this year's summit comes amid a worldwide turn toward populism and away from globalization. Lagarde didn't hesitate to criticize Britain's upcoming departure from the EU, known as "Brexit." Britain is due to leave the European Union on March 29. UK businesses fear a possible "no-deal" Brexit with the EU will cause economic chaos by imposing tariffs, customs and other barriers between Britain and mainland Europe. "I'm certain of one thing, is that it's not going to be as good as if they had not been Brexit, that is for sure," Lagarde said. "Whether it ends well, whether there is a smooth exit given by customs unions as predicated by some, or whether it's as a result of a brutal . exit on March 29 without extension of notice, it's not going to be as good as it is now." She urged all parties to "get ready for it" as it will upend how trade is now conducted with Britain. For his part, Hariri sought to attract investment from Gulf Arab states, which long have been a major benefactor of Lebanon. His nation now faces soaring public debt of 84 billion, or 150 percent of the gross domestic product, making it one of the most-indebted nations in the world. Lebanese unemployment is believed to be around 36 percent. Political paralysis has exacerbated the crisis. Lebanon formed a government last week after nine months of deadlock. "We took the decision to bring together all the political powers because is this is the only way to save Lebanon," Hariri said. "Today in Lebanon, we don't have the time or the luxury of politics because our economy could completely collapse unless we surgically remove (politics) quickly, seriously and collectively." Gulf nations like Saudi Arabia are increasingly suspicious of Lebanon' government because of the influence of Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shiite political party and militant group. Hezbollah has three ministers in the new government. A moderator gave Hariri a 100 bill and said he could keep it if he pitched him on investing in the country. After his pitch, Hariri returned the bill and said that he wished he had 115 to offer back. Making a surprise visit to the summit was U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, who took the stage to announce a robotics competition would be held in the United Arab Emirates later this year. Perry, a former governor of Texas who twice ran for president unsuccessfully, has tended to avoid the spotlight in President Donald Trump's administration. Chandigarh : Giving a major fillip to its efforts to check stubble burning and boost the renewable energy sector, the Punjab Government led by Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Virgo Corporation for a Rs 630 crore Biofuel project, for which technology will be provided by the US giant Honeywell.Virgo will use the technology to extract bio jet fuel from rice husk to set up a Rapid Thermal Processing plant, Captain Amarinder Singh with US Ambassador Which will provide over 150 direct and 500 indirect jobs.The project would pave the way for potential future collaborations in terms of investments, technology transfer etc. between Punjab and the US, an official spokesperson said after the signing of the MoU in the presence of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and US Ambassador to India Kenneth I. Juster. Virgos MD Kanav Monga was present on the occasion. The Chief Minister said the project would go a long way in containing the environmental pollution due to stubble burning, besides supplementing the income of farmers by helping turn the unmanageable agro-waste into raw material for producing bio fuel. He pointed out that every paddy season, the state generates nearly 20 million metric tonnes of paddy straw, which would be scientifically utilized for manufacturing bio fuel. Captain Amarinder Singh with US Ambassador Captain Amarinder Singh hailed the project as a landmark that would be instrumental in generating renewable energy, besides solving the states stubble burning issue. With the shift towards renewable energy, Punjab would also augment its power generation capacity with a commitment for a cleaner future, he added. Besides incentivizing the farmers to sell their crop stubble in lieu of burning it, the project would support the governments requirements for national bio-fuel blending targets as well as important air quality initiatives, such as the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), said the Chief Minister.Reiterating his firm commitment towards environmental sustainable development goal and facilitating projects of similar nature in Punjab. The Chief Minister said that Invest Punjab had been proactively working to steer similar projects. He pointed out that German company Verbio had got initial site clearances for setting up a BioCNG facility, while GoI Navratna HPCL got land & was in process of obtaining site clearances for setting up of Bioethanol facility. Further, land has been allotted to Indian corporate giant Mahindra & Mahindra for setting up of a Bio CNG facility in the state. US Ambassador Kenneth I. Juster said that the project for which the MoU had been signed was of critical importance as it demonstrated how collaboration towards a common vision could bring sustainable solutions and positive change. When companies and governments are willing to come together, share resources and expertise, and develop new and innovative approaches, the potential benefits to the society can be truly phenomenal, he added. Notably, the MoU was the outcome of concentrated efforts from Invest Punjab, the Government of Punjab and the US Embassys Foreign Commercial Service (FCS). Matchmaking from US Embassys FCS allowed for the identification of a specific US technology to transform left-over crop stubble from Punjabs rice paddies into bio-fuel and the effective partnership from both governments connected the US and Indian business partners. Virgo Corporation and US technology partner Honeywell had signed a MoU in December 2018, to develop the project after initial introductions by the US Embassy FCS team & Invest Punjab.Prominent amongst others present on the occasion were Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, Media Advisor to CM Raveen Thukral, Chief Principal Secretary to CM Suresh Kumar, Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh, Advisor Investment Promotion Major B.S. Kohli, ACS Investment Promotion Vini Mahajan, CEO Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion Rajat Agarwal and representatives from Virgo Corporation and Honeywell, including Kanwal Monga, Mike Bannach, Col. Channa and Dharmesh Mahajan. New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will complement Congress president Rahul Gandhi's efforts in winning over young voters and the brother-sister combine will be a game changer for the party in the Lok Sabha polls as the country needs a young team, technocrat-turned-politician Sam Pitroda said Sunday. He said the Rahul-Priyanka duo will make a "great team" along with many other young leaders active in the party, including Sachin Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Milind Deora, as people who can take the country forward, rather than keeping it hung up on history and religion. Pitroda, the Indian Overseas Congress chief and a long-time friend of the Gandhi family, also said Rahul Gandhi has learnt a lot from the 2014 elections and is much more "mature, stronger, wiser", and ready to take on the job of Prime Minister. In an interview with PTI from Chicago, he said India needs a young person with a new inclusive vision of the future, focus on employment, and new opportunities for all, to lead. "India today needs somebody who believes in teamwork, collaboration and cooperation as opposed to a centralised power centre. India today really needs someone who believes in truth rather than lies, who believes in trust and not mistrust, who believes in inclusion and not exclusion. Rahul is at the right age to lead India," Pitroda said. Asked about Priyanka Gandhi's entry into active politics as AICC general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh East, he said she will be a "great asset and a good politician". "She will complement her brother's efforts. She will join him in getting young people excited, especially women. They are both young, they represent a large young team in the party, they are modern, they are tech-savvy with a healthy respect for history and new vision for the future. "I am confident that they will attract more young people in the mainstream and that is what a young India needs," Pitroda said. Pitroda, who divides his time between the US and India, is seen as a key adviser of the Gandhis. Asked if the Rahul-Priyanka team will be a game changer for the Congress in the Lok Sabha polls, expected in April-May, he said: "I think it will be. People will see the benefit of a younger team with a modern outlook. The country needs to look forward rather than backwards, and not get hung up on history and religion." "But it is not just the Rahul-Priyanka combine. The party has many other young people like Sachin Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Milind Deora, to name just a few," he said. Pitroda said he is hopeful that Priyanka Gandhi's coming into active politics will have a big impact on the polls. Priyanka Gandhi (47) and Scindia (48) took charge as AICC general secretary UP east and UP west respectively last week. Pilot, 41, was made deputy CM of Rajasthan in December 2018 after the Congress wrested power from BJP. He as well as Deora (42) and Scindia had served as Union ministers in the last UPA government at the Centre. Rahul Gandhi (48) took charge as Congress chief in December 2017. However, the party has had several presidents who took charge at a younger age, including his father Rajiv Gandhi, grandmother Indira Gandhi, and maternal great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru, as also Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. On the BJP's charge that the Congress was promoting dynastic politics, Pitroda said dynasty is in every business, but ultimately the performance matters. If you don't perform dynasty cannot help, he said. Rahul Gandhi's popularity has increased exponentially after becoming Congress president because once he took over, he has had a free hand, Pitroda said. "He could do things that he wanted to do. Earlier, he was constrained in some ways. After becoming Congress president, he had to leave his mark, bring in a young team, respect the old guards, and realise that going forward, he would need new thinking and new blood, and that is what he is trying to do," said Pitroda, who headed the Knowledge Commission during the tenure of Manmohan Singh. He said Gandhi has the qualities to make a good PM because his heart is in the right place and he is keen on working for India and its people. "He (Gandhi) is not driven by personal and vested interests. He is driven by the people at the bottom of the economic pyramid. He is driven by opportunities for the young. He is driven by the welfare of farmers. He is driven by the idea of inclusion...he believes in the idea of India that our founding fathers had," Pitroda said. Asked whether Rahul Gandhi's NRI events in foreign countries were similar to the ones PM Narendra Modi has had, he said it was not so and the idea behind the trips was not just to have big events with NRIs, but to meet local political and business leaders, interact with students, with members of the Indian Overseas Congress, and then have a big event to be able to meet them en masse. "He (Gandhi) interacts with students wherever he goes. So it's a different format." Pitroda, who has worked closely with both Rajiv Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, said they cannot be compared as there is big difference between the India 35 years back and the India now, but added they were open to new ideas. On the EVM issue, he said no one has used electronic voting technology the way India has. "It deserves a lot more attention than we are willing to give. You can't just brush it aside." Pitroda led the telecom revolution under Rajiv Gandhi when he set up the C-DOT. He worked on the Knowledge Commission and also founded National Innovation Council during the UPA rule. New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will sit on a day-long hunger strike in the national capital on Monday demanding special status for his state and fulfilment of commitments made by the Centre under the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. The Telugu Desam Party had walked out the BJP-led NDA last year protesting the "injustice" done to Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation. Naidu will stage the 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice) at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in the national capital from 8 am to 8 pm on Monday. He will also submit a memorandum to President of India Ram Nath Kovind on February 12, an official statement said. The chief minister will sit on a hunger strike along with his ministers, party MLAs, MLCs and MPs. Members of state employee associations, social organisations and student organisations will also join the fast, it said. Naidu is scheduled to pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat and also to the Ambedkar Statue at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan before sitting on the hunger strike. Leader of several opposition parties are expected to extend their solidarity to the Andhra Pradesh chief minister's protest, the statement said. It may be noted that Naidu had staged an indefinite fast at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in October 2013, demanding that if a separate state is carved out of then unified Andhra Pradesh, both should get equal justice. He was forcibly shifted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital the fifth day after his health deteriorated. Last year, the chief minister had observed fast Vijayawada on his birthday on April 20 demanding special status for the state. After quitting the NDA in March last year, the TDP had also moved a 'no-confidence motion' in the Monsoon session of Parliament in July 2018, which was defeated. What do you do when your party casts you aside, strips you of committee assignments, discounts your legislative priorities and rolls its eyes at your meek fundraising numbers? If youre Rep. Walter B. Jones, you put your head down, you vote your conscience and you find an issue youre passionate about. The 10-term North Carolina lawmaker has, for years, been near the top of the list of Republicans most likely to break with the party and he has no qualms about bucking leadership or about the steep price hes paid as a result. I believe in the independence of the heart and the soul to do whats right, Jones told CQ Roll Call this week. Most lawmakers will tell you they vote their conscience. But few have the record to back it up. Since coming to Congress in 1995, Jones has voted for 111 Democratic motions to recommit, more than twice as many as any other Republican. Four years after Congress enacted new rules barring groups that lobby from paying for House Members to take long trips, dozens of lawmakers traveled to Israel this summer with staffers and family members for seven-day tours paid for by the nonprofit arm of a pro-Israel lobbying group. The August trips, which cost about $10,000 a person and could total more than $1 million by the time the receipts are in, were all sponsored by a nonprofit organization so closely tied to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that the groups are almost indistinguishable. The biennial summer exodus to Israel is paid for by the nonprofit American Israel Education Foundation, a charity arm of AIPAC. The two organizations share leaders, employees and money. Even some of the speakers on the August excursions advertise that they interact with Members on behalf of AIPAC. The purpose of the 2007 travel restrictions was to remove these types of sponsored trips. Most of these trips tend to be nothing but an extension of lobbying, said Craig Holman of the watchdog group Public Citizen. But when it came to negotiating the travel rules regarding privately funding trips, a huge gaping loophole was written in to exempt nonprofits. I call it the AIPAC loophole. Holman was among the public interest advocates involved in helping Congress draft the travel rules. An AIPAC spokesman said the organization does not comment on Congressional travel and did not provide a contact at the AIEF who could comment. A second wave of rainfall from the same large sprawling central/eastern U.S. storm system will arrive in western Virginia this evening and continue through much of Tuesday. Also rebuilding is the cold wedge against the mountains, though it won't be quite as extensive as Monday morning, when some patchy ice on exposed objects occurred in parts of the Roanoke and New River valleys and south along the Blue Ridge. Still, a winter weather advisory has been issued for localities north of Roanoke, generally, with some spots getting up to a tenth of an inch of ice accretion on exposed objects as temperatures fall to near the freezing mark by Tuesday morning. Most other areas will see the mercury stall in the mid to upper 30s with the incoming rain, though I wouldn't rule out a few higher mountain ridges even south of Roanoke seeing some ice on Tuesday morning. (UPDATE 9AM, 2/12/2019: Indeed, Floyd and Roanoke counties were added to the winter weather advisory later, for some icing on Bent Mountain and southward along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Expires at 10 a.m.) For The Beatles, 1969 was a year of lasts. Their last live performance, a rooftop recording session for their last released album (and film of the same name), Let it Be was held on January 30 at their Apple Corps headquarters in London. On August 20, all four bandmates met in the recording studio for the last time to put the final touches on I Want You (Shes So Heavy) a love song written by John Lennon to his wife, Yoko Ono. That song appeared on Abbey Road, making the album the last the group would work on together Two days later, on August 22, was the groups final photo shoot at Lennons Tittenhurst Park estate in England. Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr looked much the same they do in the photo above: Shaggy, weary and far removed from the clean-cut Fab Four the United States first fell in love with on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. The last time the band gathered in the same room came in September for a business meeting. In the 1995 documentary series The Beatles Anthology McCartney said the four were discussing how the band might reinvent itself, perhaps by returning to their roots playing small clubs, when Lennon suddenly announced he was leaving. That was it. The band dissolved soon after in 1970. Any hopes of a reunion ended with Lennons murder outside his apartment building in New York City on Dec. 8, 1980. By then, Beatlemania had cooled. The teenagers caught up in the frenzied devotion for the band in the 1960s were now in their 30s or 40s. And Paul, George and Ringo had gone on to establish new careers of their own. But Americas love for the group, and Lennon in particular, was still strong. Time magazine wrote that the outpouring of grief, wonder and shared devastation that followed Lennons death had the same breadth and intensity as the reaction to the killing of a world figure. According to The New York Times, on Dec. 14, millions of people across the country observed a moment of silence, and more than 225,000 gathered in Central Park to mourn. Every radio station in New York City went quiet for 10 minutes. At least three suicides were attributed to his death. And today? In 2018, The Beatles sold 321,000 vinyl records the most of any artist. Their greatest hits album, 1 cracked the top 40 again, and their self-titled album, often referred to as the White Album, debuted at No. 6 after its 50th anniversary reissue last November. Do we love them? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Other Democrats notably House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are skeptical of the cost and, perhaps, the politics. (Yes, there are Democrats who worry about costs.) This wasnt an issue that Democrats ran on in the 2018 mid-terms so theres no obvious electoral mandate. Indeed, the Green New Deal was an idea that Green Party candidate Jill Stein promoted in 2016, and has now made its way into the Democratic Party. History buffs will note that many ideas begin with third parties and then work their way into the mainstream. There is a certain political brilliance to the concept. Environmental issues are often framed, rightly or wrongly, as jobs versus the environment. The Green New Deal reframes the issue by making the case that creating more renewable energy is good for the economy. Others can debate the policy aspects of how all this would work. We are more narrowly focused on just one aspect of the program: What would the Green New Deal mean for communities whose economy has been based on burning carbon which brings in not just from the coal counties of Appalachia but parts of the Roanoke Valley, as well? Norfolk Southerns office may be gone but the rail yards remain, and a lot of those trains are hauling coal. In Salem there are at least two companies Blue Ridge Diesel and Carter Machinery whose business is tied to the coal industry. In the purest form of Green New Deal economy, thered be no coal, so no coal trains or support businesses. No natural gas, so no Roanoke Gas. The non-binding resolution introduced last week by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass. is more practical; it simply calls for net-zero carbon emissions, meaning there could still be some emissions but theyd have to be balanced out by renewables. Regardless, what happens to all the people working in those industries under a Green New Deal? Details are . . . vague. The resolution simply calls for directing investments to spur economic development . . . in frontline and vulnerable communities that may otherwise struggle with the transition away from greenhouse gas intensive industries. He recalled a story he heard about Charlie Smoot and a difficult race at Belmont. He won a race in the steeplechase, but the day before he had broken his collarbone and he didnt say anything about it because he knew he had a good horse to ride and the race the next day, Trimmer said. Towards the end of the race, the horse pecked into a fence real bad and it broke his arm, snapped it, and he put the reins in his mouth and finished the race and won it. The day started early in the horse barns at Montpelier, he recalled, and Smoot would also keep an eye out for momma, which is what the staff called Scott. She was known as the First Lady of American Steeplechasing and was the first woman to ride astride at the National Horse Show. Charlie would be walking around making sure things were right and hed go outside and watch the big house, Trimmer said of the Georgian mansion built around 1760. When she came down those steps, Charlie would come in the barn, say, Mommas coming, and thats when wed start tacking the first set up she trained the horses, she told us what to do with them every day. It was fun working there. Smart and very ambitious It is not impeachment, Hope said in an email to his caucus. It is a process to investigate whether the Courts Committee would recommend impeachment. Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson the two women who have come forward with accusations against Fairfax have both said theyre willing to testify before the General Assembly. Tyson has accused Fairfax of assaulting her in a Boston hotel room in 2004. Watson, who came forward Friday, has alleged Fairfax raped her in 2000 at Duke University. Fairfax has said both encounters were consensual and has refused to step down in the face of what he has called a vicious and coordinated smear campaign. Fairfax has called for the FBI to investigate the allegations against him, though its not clear the agency would have jurisdiction to get involved. In a statement Sunday, Fairfaxs office said the lieutenant governor is still exploring options for how such an investigation could be performed and expressed skepticism about a legislative probe. He believes that an inherently political process is not the most likely path for learning the truth, said Fairfax spokeswoman Lauren Burke. The Lt. Governor is confident in the truth that will emerge from an independent impartial investigation. Northam told "CBS This Morning" that he overreacted and mistakenly took responsibility for the picture because had never seen the image before, even though it was on his yearbook page. "When you're in a state of shock like I was, we don't always think as clearly as we should," said Northam, who worked for years as a pediatric neurologist before entering politics. But "when I stepped back and looked at it, I just said I know it's not me in the Klan outfit. And I started looking in the picture of the individual with blackface. I said that's not me either," he said. His first lesson from all this, Northam said, was to understand what it means to be "born in white privilege." "I have also learned why the use of blackface is so offensive, and yes, I knew it in the past. But reality has really set in," Northam said. "I've still got a lot to learn, but this has been a week that has been very eye-opening for me." Northam also charted a path forward, saying he would dedicate the rest of his tenure to policies aimed at helping his black constituents. On Saturday, Lewis began by telling the 65 people who attended her campaign kickoff that she still opposes the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline. My number one issue, surprisingly enough to all of you, is going to be stopping the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, she said, which was greeted with cheers. Lewis said the pipeline would affect the entire 20th House District, which covers Waynesboro, Staunton, Highland County and parts of Augusta and Nelson counties. We need to make sure we are fighting with our neighbors and the counties fighting this horrible project, she said. If elected, Lewis also promised her supporters she will fight to strengthen the property rights of landowners. Lewis also talked about spending more on education. We need more money for the infrastructure upgrades that our schools need, she said. Lewis infrastructure plan also includes making broadband more accessible for those living in rural areas. I dont know if all you know, but some areas of our district dont have reliable internet at their homes, she said. That needs to change. Tyson and Watson, who have separate legal representation, have both said through their lawyers that they are willing to publicly testify during impeachment proceedings. Asked why these women would come forward if they are lying, he said, "I would just say right now, the paramount issue is having the truth come out," he said. In a follow-up text Monday morning, a Fairfax staffer stressed that the lieutenant governor would like to see "due process on both sides for everyone involved" and that "there needs to be space for both sides to tell their side of the story." In the interview, Fairfax reiterated his call for the FBI or some other independent law-enforcement entity to investigate. Tyson's attorney has said the FBI would have no jurisdiction in either case because the alleged crimes are not federal in nature. Asked if he or his team had taken any steps to initiate an investigation, Fairfax said that he has met with his attorneys but cannot talk about those discussions. The now-paused attempt to impeach Fairfax would have been unprecedented; there has been no attempt to impeach an elected official in the state in modern times that Virginia political observers could recall. Miear said he and his staff have looked at two possibilities: Raising Christiansburg Highs capacity to 1,500 or 1,300. The school district would prefer the 1,500-capacity option, Miear said. That would provide the space to address enrollment growth in the near future and would allow all high schoolers in the Christiansburg strand to remain in town, he said. The 1,300-capacity option, while likely cheaper, would handle some of the enrollment growth, but could still be insufficient and possibly create a situation where the remainder of high schoolers in the Christiansburg strand get sent to less crowded schools in the countys other communities, Miear said. The superintendent said he understands that few would favor the 1,300 option. However, at the end of the day, we want kids in schools, not trailers, he said. Board member Jamie Bond was vocal about how the Christiansburg strand has been treated. They built schools that were too small, she said, referring to the Christiansburg schools paid for by the county over the years. Now its time for them to step up to the plate and do whats right. Bond said she hopes the entire redistricting talk stirs up the public. 23 adults arrested from Cozumel drug house Cozumel, Q.R. A total of 23 people have been arrested by police after a raid on a house in Cozumel. The raid and arrests took place early Saturday when members of la Fiscalia General de la Republica (FGR) entered the home while the Mexican Navy surrounded the area outside. The home, which was located on Adolfo Rosado Salas Street, was a known drug house. Police report that during the raid, numerous drugs including crack and marijuana and a large amount of cash were found inside the house along with minors. They report that during the arrests, a total of three minors were found, one 16-year-old of Mexican nationality and two of Honduran, a boy of 11 and a girl of 12. Photo: La Fiscalia General de la Republica The raid resulted in the arrest of 23 adults, including two Honduran women who were unable to prove their legal stay in the country. Others inside included six non-Mexican foreigners along with 15 Mexican nationals, five of whom were women. The Navy of Mexico provided armed security to those carrying out the search warrant. The property and its contents were seized, while the 23 people arrested were transferred to Cancun and made available to the specialized crimes unit. The most memorable visual from the State of the Union was the most joyous. Were used to Republican members of Congress popping up from their chairs and dutifully applauding President Donald Trump and to Democrats, with rare exceptions, sitting glumly. On Tuesday night, though, dozens of Democratic women wearing suffragette white to show solidarity and to honor the legacy of the suffragette movement became a wave of celebration. The women were largely quiescent until Trump began touting the economy. No one has benefited more from our thriving economy than women, who have filled 58 percent of the new jobs created in the last year, he said. The women many of them newcomers to Congress perked up. Smiling, they looked around, stood, and applauded, pointing to themselves and each other. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi beamed. Dont sit yet. Youre going to like this, Trump said. And exactly one century after the Congress passed the constitutional amendment giving women the right to vote, we also have more women serving in the Congress than ever before, he said. For the past two years, the Richmond Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center has been under fire for being one of the last VA hospitals still performing controversial testing on dogs testing that veterans like me dont want or need. With new leadership forthcoming, the Richmond VA has an opportunity to clean up this waste and abuse. For decades, the Richmond VA has been using veterans resources to purchase dogs, cut them apart and inflict heart damage, and force them to run on treadmills. As discovered through investigations by taxpayer watchdog group White Coat Waste Project, some of the dogs are subjected to excruciating pain and distress and the VA intentionally withholds pain relief. After the tests, the dogs are killed and dissected. Some may recall the reckless Richmond VA doctor who killed dogs with sloppy surgeries, was banned from animal testing, but was subsequently awarded large salary bonuses and a raise for his performance. This is perhaps the best example to date of the VAs incompetence and accountability failures. As a Virginia resident, veteran, and veterans advocate, I believe the Richmond VAs disgraced dog-testing program should end, for three key reasons: It can be confusing and the politicians who are taking the pledge seem to like it this way but corporate PACs are small fry in the campaign finance game. There are other ways to give and to receive, and people who want to influence elections make good use of them. They can give to so-called super PACs, for instance, and there are no limits there. A rich couple can contribute more of their money to a campaign than a corporate PAC to which hundreds of employees belong. And a CEO who wants to give more can do so, through other channels. Thats why Hillary Clinton spent so much of her last run at the White House in meet-and-greets with rich people. Challengers dont get corporate PAC money anyway, for the most part. Corporate PACs invest in incumbents, which is why, over her long career in Washington, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who says she wants to clean up the system has received 40 percent of her campaign funds from PACs of one kind or another. Percentages like that are going down fast, because candidates especially challengers have found other ways to raise money and lots of it, without appearing beholden to the special interests. Theres no question that violent sexual assault clearly qualifies as a high crime, Hope said at a news conference Friday night. Hopes resolution, which he shared with Democratic colleagues Sunday afternoon, calls for the House Courts of Justice Committee to hold hearings on the Fairfax allegations and issue a report on whether he should be impeached. It is not impeachment, Hope said in an email to his caucus. It is a process to investigate whether the Courts Committee would recommend impeachment. Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson the women who have come forward with accusations against Fairfax have both said theyre willing to testify before the General Assembly. Tyson has accused Fairfax of assaulting her in a Boston hotel room in 2004. Watson, who came forward Friday, has alleged Fairfax raped her in 2000 at Duke University. Fairfax has said both encounters were consensual and has refused to step down in the face of what he has called a vicious and coordinated smear campaign. Fairfax has called for the FBI to investigate the allegations against him, though its not clear the agency would have jurisdiction to get involved. Emergency legislation to conform Virginias tax code with new federal tax law failed in the House of Delegates on Monday, leaving the state unable to process hundreds of thousands of tax returns it already has received for the 2018 tax year. It looks to me like were headed for a pretty disrupted tax season, said Secretary of Finance Aubrey Layne, who said that Virginia had received 344,000 tax returns by Monday morning. Emergency tax legislation has now failed in the House and Senate. That means there is no guidance for Virginia taxpayers who began filing returns a week ago on their taxable income from last year. Returns filed without conformity between the two tax codes will require an additional 20 questions for individual taxpayers to answer and 30 for businesses. House Bill 2355, proposed by Appropriations Committee Chairman Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, failed to receive the 80 votes necessary to pass emergency legislation. Such legislation requires the backing of 80 percent of the House and 80 percent of the Senate in order to take effect immediately upon the governors signature, rather than on July 1, two months after the May 1 tax filing deadline. Hopes reversal came after a tense phone call Sunday night with his Democratic colleagues, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the call. Other lawmakers raised concerns that Hope had announced his plan Friday without consulting them first. Some Democrats had already said publicly that they felt it would be inappropriate to begin an impeachment process based solely on allegations that Fairfax has adamantly denied. I believe it was well-intended, Del. Lamont Bagby, D-Henrico, the chairman of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, said of Hopes effort. But we need to explore other avenues to getting that investigation. Several lawmakers have raised questions about how a General Assembly probe would work procedurally and legally. The legislature is not set up as an investigative body, and its not clear if lawmakers would have the ability to compel testimony and evidence about events that didnt happen in Virginia. Fairfaxs office had voiced skepticism about a legislative investigation. A Fairfax spokeswoman said the lieutenant governor believes that an inherently political process is not the most likely path for learning the truth. Several members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, including its chairman, Del. Lamont Bagby, D-Henrico, could not immediately be reached for comment on Sunday. Northam told CBS that he had thought about resigning amid calls from Democrats and Republicans for him to step down. Virginia needs someone that can heal. Theres no better person to do that than a doctor, said Northam, a pediatric neurologist. Virginia also needs someone who is strong, who has empathy, who has courage and who has a moral compass. And thats why Im not going anywhere. The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus first called for Northam to resign on Feb. 1, the day the governor said: I am deeply sorry for the decision I made to appear as I did in a 1984 yearbook photo that featured one man in blackface and another man in Ku Klux Klan robes. The next day, after Northam walked back his statement at a news conference, saying he was not in the photo, the caucus issued a new statement, amplifying its call for Northam to resign. The latest flare-up came as Virginians continued to sort through simultaneous scandals that have made the states leaders the subject of ridicule on late night talk shows and on Saturday Night Live. Days after he called for Northam to resign, Attorney General Mark Herring admitted on Wednesday that he had worn blackface while dressing as a rapper at a college party in 1980. On Friday, a second woman came forward and accused Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault, prompting mass calls for the lieutenant governor to resign. A fourth man charged in the Aug. 12, 2017, beating of DeAndre Harris entered an Alford plea to a malicious wounding charge in Charlottesville Circuit Court on Friday. In entering the plea, Tyler Watkins Davis, 50, of Florida, did not admit guilt but acknowledged that the prosecution had enough evidence to convict him. Davis disputed that he was acting with malice when he struck Harris in the Market Street Parking Garage. Davis was the most recent of the four men to be charged and will be the last to be sentenced. According to Nina-Alice Antony, Charlottesville assistant commonwealths attorney, Davis can be seen on video evidence striking Harris once in the head with a tire thumper. Antony said the area on Harris head where it appears the thumper struck is consistent with a head wound he sustained that required stitches. Because Davis used a weapon to strike Harris in the head, Antony said the commonwealth believes he acted with malice. POWHATAN A fired Goochland County Sheriffs Office deputy pleaded guilty on Friday, Feb. 8, in Powhatan County to several charges he had an years-long relationship with a mentally disabled adult female. Jason A. Anderson, 48, of Powhatan pleaded guilty to eight total charges of sexual assault. Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Gretchen Brown gave a summary of the case she would have laid out against Anderson who has been incarcerated since his November 2018 arrest had it gone to trial. On Nov. 19, 2018, Powhatan detective Michael Wentworth was contacted by Andersons wife via text asking for help, Brown said. The wife told the detective that Anderson had admitted to her, a pastor and a family friend that he had been having an inappropriate sexual relationship with the victim for years. Through the investigation, authorities learned that Anderson was looking for an apartment to rent for himself and the victim with the intention of living there together, Brown said. She introduced into evidence a five-page letter that Anderson wrote to his wife while incarcerated that was obtained via a search warrant. Authorities say the vast majority of cases are nothing more than careless or inattentive travelers. The TSA rarely encounters someone who intentionally tries to smuggle a firearm aboard a commercial plane. In a 2016 review of court records of armed travelers arrested at RIC, the Richmond Times-Dispatch found that 10 of the 15 offenders charged in 2015 through the first eight months of 2016, or 67 percent, were concealed carry permit holders. Among the arrested travelers at RIC, the newspaper found in its review of court records, police reports and traveler statements that nearly all the offenders reported they had forgotten or just werent aware their firearm was in a bag, briefcase or backpack as they passed through security. Nearly all expressed embarrassment or remorse when TSA agents discovered the weapons. Many of the firearms had loaded magazines, and a few had chambered rounds that were ready to fire. The last traveler at RIC to be caught with a gun last year was a Stafford County man who had a .380-caliber handgun with seven bullets, including one in the chamber, in his carry-on bag, TSA officials said. The firearm was detected Dec. 7 as the mans bag passed through the X-ray machine. A diverse crowd of roughly 30 people attended the rally. Dr. Mark Ryan, a family physician in the Richmond area, braved the cold to attend the rally with his wife. As a physician who works here in Richmond, Ive witnessed institutional racism and feel its important to support grass-roots efforts on behalf of those most affected, he said. Local real estate agents Damon Harris and his wife, Tarah, said they turned out to have a unique conversation in real time. Everyone is wrapped up in this [issue] now. As residents and citizens, we need to listen to each other, Damon Harris said. He also added that as real estate agents, he and his wife see much connection with real estate and social justice. One speaker at the rally, Ravi Perry, a political science professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, said the recent events in Virginia politics represent a failure of moral leadership. Can these men lead? The answer has to be no. We have to find blackface unacceptable in any form for public office, he said. The event also sought solutions to the current political problems facing Virginia. Chesterfield County has seen explosive growth in recent years and more is on the way. The county has approved more than $1.5 billion worth of residential and commercial projects in recent years. In nearby Powhatan County, developers are eyeing land to put houses, retail shops and offices. Much of the development that has taken root in recent years or is being planned is along U.S. 60 near the Chesterfield border. The next Metro Business Live event on Tuesday, March 26 will talk about the commercial real estate hot spots mostly in Chesterfield and Powhatan counties as well as elsewhere south of the James River. The event continues the discussion from Decembers Metro Business Live forum, in which panelists discussed the commercial real estate hot spots mostly in Richmond and Henrico County. A panel will discuss the topic, Commercial real estate hot spots in Chesterfield and South of the James, at the event. The panelists will be: Join our area in celebrating the Seniors of 2021 As graduation ceremonies commence, we want to make sure high school and college seniors are recognized for their achievements. Complete this form and get your senior featured on our site. Post a Spotlight 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. The Pentagon commander in charge of U.S. forces in the Middle East says the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria will likely begin within weeks. General Joseph Votel, chief of the U.S. Central Command, tempered his comments on February 10 by saying the exact timing would depend on the situation in the country, where some 2,000 U.S. troops have been assisting a Syrian Arab and Kurdish alliance fighting against the remnants of Islamic State (IS) insurgents. When asked if the pullout would occur within days or weeks, Votel said, "Probably weeks. But again, it will all be driven by the situation on the ground." There has been conflicting information regarding the pullout, with some reports stating that the withdrawal has already begun. Votel, speaking to reporters aboard a U.S. military aircraft during a trip to the Middle East, said that "in terms of the withdrawal...I think we're right on track with where we wanted to be." "Moving people is easier than moving equipment, and so what we're trying to do right now is again [to] kind of clear out those materials, that equipment, that we do not need." The general did not speculate on how long it would take to complete the pullout. President Donald Trump surprised U.S. lawmakers and international allies in December by announcing he intends to withdraw all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria. The president said the troops were no longer needed, asserting that IS insurgents had been defeated. Trump has received criticism from Republicans, Democrats, and some foreign officials for what they have called a hastily planned withdrawal of the troops, with many saying it leaves Kurdish allies at the mercy of the Turks and hands a victory to Russia and Iran. Votel caused a stir in the United States on February 5 when he told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he had not been consulted before the announcement of the U.S. pullout from Syria. Votel also told reporters during his trip he did not believe the United States would significantly increase force numbers in neighboring Iraq, where there are some 5,000 troops helping Baghdad in its fight against IS and its efforts to prevent the terror group's resurgence. "I think it's going to remain more or less steady," he said of troop levels in Iraq. Those comments follow remarks by Trump on February 3 that it was important to keep a U.S. military presence in Iraq so that Washington can keep a close eye on Iran "because Iran is a real problem." Iraqi President Barham Salih on February 4 said that Trump did not ask Baghdad's permission for U.S. troops stationed in Iraq to "watch Iran." The Iraqi president said that "it is of fundamental interest for Iraq to have good relations with Iran" and other neighboring countries. "Don't overburden Iraq with your own issues," Salih added. Iraq has attempted to balance its relations with the United States, which provides financial and military support, and Iran, which carries significant influence with members of Iraq's Shi'ite population. With reporting by Reuters, CNN, and CBS The U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, who just returned to Washington after a series of stops in the Middle East and Europe, is journeying out again to several key countries as part of efforts to push a U.S. peace initiative for the war-torn country. The State Department on February 10 said Khalilzad, a former ambassador to Kabul, will head an interagency delegation from February 10-28 on visits to Belgium, Germany, Turkey, Qatar, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. "This trip is part of an overall effort to facilitate a peace process that protects U.S. national security interests and brings all Afghan parties together in an intra-Afghan dialogue through which they can determine a path for their country's future," the State Department said The statement did not provide his itinerary nor say whether he had already departed. Qatar is the site of an office of the Taliban insurgent group, which is battling for control of the Afghan government and has been involved in recent peace talks with Khalilzad. Turkey and Pakistan -- which is a neighbor of Afghanistan -- are seen as key players in the region. The United States has been attempting to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table with officials in Kabul. The Afghan government has been absent from the U.S.-Taliban talks, prompting anger and frustration in Kabul. The Taliban considers the Kabul government a Western puppet and has so far refused to directly negotiate with it. During recent talks in Qatar, U.S. officials and the Taliban both expressed some optimism over prospects for a deal. Speaking at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington on February 8, Khalilzad said he was "hopeful" a deal could be finalized before Afghanistans presidential election in July, but he cautioned there is still a "long way to go" before a final agreement. U.S. officials have said President Donald Trump wants to withdraw about half of the 14,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. The president has already announced that the United States will withdraw all 2,000 of its troops from Syria, saying he wants to reduce U.S. involvement in costly wars. U.S. troops have been in Afghanistan since an October 2001 invasion that brought down the Taliban government after it refused to hand over Al-Qaeda terrorists, including Osama bin Laden, blamed for launching the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. The government in Kabul has struggled to contain the resurgent Taliban after a NATO-led coalition turned over military operations to Afghan troops and took a more advisory and training role in the country. With reporting by AFP, AP, Reuters, and dpa The National Guard commander of the U.S. state of Iowa has cancelled a visit to Kosovo over Prime Minister Ramush Haradinajs refusal to cancel 100 percent tariffs on goods from Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. A spokesman at the U.S. Embassy in Pristina confirmed on February 11 that Major General Timothy Orrs visit was canceled in connection to tariffs of Serbian and Bosnian goods. The spokesman added that the embassy had no comment on further visits or scheduled training. Kosovo Security Forces commander Rahman Rama said he had been told the visit had been scrapped, and then informed Kosovo President Hasim Thaci of the decision in a letter. "This is a consequence of the fees imposed on Serbia, which prompted the decision of the U.S. government," Rama told RFE/RL. Orr was scheduled to arrive for a three-day visit on February 16, during celebrations for Kosovo's 11th birthday. The Iowa National Guard has worked with the Kosovo Security Force as part of the State Partnership Program since 2011. Rama said that cooperation with the National Guard was one of the best partnerships the country has with the United States, not only for its military benefits, but also in the areas of culture and education. Both Brussels and Washington have pressed Kosovo to repeal the tariff on imported Serbian and Bosnian goods, which has strained international efforts to broker a deal between the former foes. Kosovo imposed the import tax in November in retaliation for what it called Belgrade's attempts to undermine its statehood, such as spearheading a campaign to scupper Pristina's bid to join Interpol. Belgrade has not recognized the independence of its former province, proclaimed in 2008 after a 1998-99 guerrilla war. More than 10,000 were killed in the war, which prompted NATO to launch an air campaign in the spring of 1999 to end the conflict. The possibility that Serbia and Kosovo might end their long-running dispute through a land swap was briefly floated last year. But the proposal was immediately abandoned following a firestorm of criticism from rights groups as well as Haradinaj, who is against ceding any territory to Serbia and recently said the fate of the tax shouldn't be linked to relations with Belgrade. The U.S. Embassy in Beijing says it is following the case of a Chinese citizen of Kazakh ethnicity who has asked the international community for help to prevent his forcible return to China from Uzbekistan. A spokesman told the Associated Press news agency on February 11 that the embassy was in close contact with the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and "relevant governments" about the case of Halemubieke Xiaheman (aka Ghalymbek Shaghyman). "We urge third countries to allow UNHCR and other UN organizations and nongovernmental organizations access to these asylum seekers to assess their protection claims and provide assistance," the spokesman said in an e-mailed message to AP. Xiahemans whereabouts are unknown. The UNHCR office in Thailand declined to give any information regarding the case due to confidentiality rules, the AP report said. In several video statements shot inside the transit zone at the Tashkent airport on February 7-8, he said the Chinese Embassy in Uzbekistan wanted him sent back to China. In a statement, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said Xiaheman flew to Bangkok on February 9. That has not been independently confirmed. The ministry said that Xiaheman had earlier flown from Thailand to the southeastern Kazakh city of Almaty after transiting in Tashkent, but gave no details. Kazakhstans Serke online newspaper reported that the man was unable to enter Kazakhstan for unknown reasons and had to fly back to the Uzbek capital. Beijing faces growing international pressure over its policies toward Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and members of other Turkic-speaking mostly Muslim indigenous communities in the northwestern region of Xinjiang. A report by a UN panel of experts last year said that an estimated 1 million of them were being held in "counterextremism centers." They said millions more had been forced into reeducation camps. China says that the facilities are "vocational education centers" aimed at helping people steer clear of terrorism and allow them to be reintegrated into society. With reporting by AP, Reuters, Hurriyet, and Serke Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the United States must be more engaged in Central and Eastern Europe as Russia tries to divide the West. On the first day of a five-country European tour that will focus on opposition to the growing influence of Russia and China in Central Europe, Pompeo met with Hungary's right-wing populist prime minister, Viktor Orban, on February 11 to stress the importance of promoting democracy and the rule of law. Washington sees those issues as key to countering Russian and Chinese moves to sow discord in the European Union and NATO. "We must not let Putin drive wedges between friends in NATO," Pompeo told a joint news conference in Budapest with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. Pompeo specifically pointed to Central Europe's reliance on Russian energy as well as the presence of the Chinese telecom firm Huawei, particularly in Hungary. But Szijjarto parried any criticism of his country's energy policy, noting many European countries have deals with Moscow in the sector. "There is an enormous hypocrisy and political correctness in the European political arena," he said. U.S. officials are concerned by Huawei's expansion in Europe, especially in NATO member states where they believe the Chinese firm poses significant information-security threats. Orban, a vocal admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump, is an outspoken critic of mass immigration to Europe from areas such as the Middle East. On February 10, Orban launched a program to encourage women to have more children and reverse Hungary's population decline. He said the initiative was meant to "ensure the survival of the Hungarian nation." "This is the Hungarians' answer, not immigration," he said. His stance against migrants and refusal to join a new European Union public prosecutor's office focusing on fraud and corruption have also raised concerns. In the past, Hungary had been ranked by Freedom House as politically "free," but it was reclassified in the Freedom In The World 2019 report as "partly free" because of "sustained attacks" by Orban's Fidesz party on the media, courts, religious groups, academia, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector. Orban's government has also been targeted for criticism, including from Washington, for forcing a Budapest-based university founded by Hungarian-born U.S. billionaire philanthropist George Soros to move most of its programs out of the country. Pompeo will "express support for civil society" in Hungary and that he will meet with leaders of nongovernmental organizations, the officials said. Human rights groups and others have lamented Pompeo's plans to meet with Orban and urged him to take a strong stance against his policies. Pompeo's visit to Hungary comes as the Council of Europe's human rights commissioner said on February 11 that Hungary was facing "many interconnected human rights challenges," including legislation targeting civil society, backsliding on women's rights, and the detention of asylum seekers. Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic, who visited Hungary last week, also voiced concern about the independence of the media and the judiciary. Last year, Budapest approved legislation that provides for jail sentences for people convicted of aiding asylum seekers. Mijatovic said that "the space for the work of NGOs, human rights defenders, and journalists critical of the government has become very narrow and restricted," and called on Orban's government to "reverse its worrying course" on human rights. The State Department said that Pompeo's visit to Central Europe marked 30 years since the peoples of the region "tore down the Iron Curtain to reclaim their freedom and sovereignty, choosing the path of Western democracy denied to them for decades, and solidifying that commitment by joining NATO and the European Union." The United States was "committed to a strong, united, and capable transatlantic alliance rooted in the principles of common defense, democracy, and fundamental freedoms," a February 10 statement said. It said that Washington was also committed to increasing its "diplomatic, military, commercial, and cultural engagement with Central Europe in order to strengthen this region's ties with the West as it faces increased pressure from Russia and China." Pompeo is also due to visit Slovakia and Poland, and is set to complete his journey with stops in Brussels and Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, on February 15. In Poland, Pompeo will attend a conference on the Middle East on February 13-14 that is expected to focus on Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Jared Kushner, Trump's senior adviser on the Middle East and son-in-law, and Jason Greenblatt, the special U.S. envoy for international negotiations, are also expected to attend. With reporting by AP and AFP Ukraines presidential race is on, with a record-breaking 44 of at least 89 applicants green-lighted to run. The field is arguably the most diverse in the countrys independent history, with veteran politicians vying against a comedian, journalists, war veterans, career spies, accused criminals, and more. Each may now canvass an electorate that independent polls say is deeply divided or undecided about who can best steer Ukraine through much-needed reforms and out of a Russia-backed conflict thats been bleeding the country since Kyiv adopted a more westward path in 2014. Its a wide-open contest, although a handful of candidates appear to stand far better chances when ballots are cast in the first of two possible rounds of voting. Key Dates Campaigning can begin Nominations End of candidate registration Last day to withdraw Election day First-round results Second-round runoff (if needed) Final results Inauguration The winner will inherit a country that has made some strides in the past five years but largely failed to shake entrenched corruption and remains a target of Russian destabilization efforts. Potentially reliant on Western partners who have helped to keep Kyiv afloat through crisis and conflict, any Ukrainian president faces the difficult task of maintaining those ties while pursuing peace with Russia-backed separatists and making occasionally unpopular decisions that are sure to reflect in the polls. Just ask the incumbent, Petro Poroshenko, whose uphill battle is a testament to the fact that just one of his predecessors has won reelection since Ukrainian independence in 1991. Who Can't Vote About 12 percent of Ukraines 44 million people face major practical obstacles to voting. They include displaced persons from the war-torn Donetsk and Luhansk regions that are not under government control, as well as Russian-held Crimea. Historically, voters from those areas have backed candidates who promote closer ties to Russia. Polls show incumbent Poroshenko deeply unpopular there. Ukrainian nationals residing or working in Russia will be unable to vote there so must visit a consulate in a third country or return to Ukraine to cast their ballot. Alltech's Pearse Lyons Accelerator selects startups on "cutting edge of ag-tech" Following a record-breaking 251 startups from 53 countries which have applied to be part of Alltech's Pearse Lyons Accelerator, the programme's 2019 class has been selected to work with Alltech and Dogpatch Labs to accelerate their business development. This year's applicants have already raised over $143 million, with 135 startups disclosing funding. Now in its third year, The Pearse Lyons Accelerator was the brainchild of the late Alltech founder Dr. Pearse Lyons. "Through The Pearse Lyons Accelerator, we carry on my father's legacy, his entrepreneurial spirit and his desire to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs to contribute to a planet of plenty," said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. The participants, which hail from Canada, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, the UK and the US, will also have the opportunity to present on the mainstage at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference. Now in its 35th year, the annual international conference will be held in Lexington, Kentucky, US, on May 1921 and will welcome more than 4,000 agriculture industry leaders from over 70 countries. "Our class of 2019 startups focus on all aspects of agriculture, including animal welfare, meat quality, crop health and increased productivity," said Lyons. "The final group of startups reflect the full scope of Alltech's global operations, and we believe that their technologies can help make both Alltech and our customers more sustainable, profitable and innovative." The participants represent a wide variety of transformative agricultural innovations. "At SomaDetect, we can instantly detect every compound in raw milk with our in-line sensor," said Bethany Deshpande, CEO and co-founder of SomaDetect. "Our technology can be used to track the impact of premium nutrition on dairy cows and help detect issues like mastitis, which is a major pain point for dairy farmers. We are excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with Alltech, one of the leading animal nutrition companies in the world." DNA sequencing startup Biome Makers from the US, a winner of the AgFunder Innovation Awards, has also been selected to participate in the accelerator "We are looking forward to joining the accelerator and working with Alltech, which has a vast international network that could really help us launch our newest solution, which uses the soil microbiome as a biosensor to evaluate the real-time effect of crop inputs," said Adrian Ferraro, CEO and co-founder of Biome Makers. "Alltech has a fantastic track record in guiding young companies to success," said Benjamina Bollag, co-founder of cell-based meat startup Higher Steaks from the UK. "We are grateful to have been given such a unique opportunity to benefit from Alltech's combined experience in animal nutrition and crop science." The success of the program's alumni reflects the high quality of the startups that The Pearse Lyons Accelerator has attracted to date, Alltech said. Since completing the accelerator, the startups have collectively raised $36 million. Two startups have made acquisitions, including AgriWebb, which raised $14 million in 2018 in a series 'A' round of venture capital financing from Wheatsheaf Group, the investment fund of Hugh Grosvenor, Duke of Westminster. More recently, Allison Kopf, founder of Agrilyst, was named to the Forbes "30 Under 30" list in the Food & Drinks category. Similarly, Irish startup MagGrow raised EUR3 million (US$3.4 million) in a round of funding, and the Indonesian startup eFishery closed a $3.5 million round of funding. "Access to this global alumni network of extraordinary ag-tech entrepreneurs will be hugely beneficial for this new cohort of startups," said Patrick Walsh, founder of Dogpatch Labs. "What makes this accelerator unique is the commitment from Alltech's leadership to actively mentor the startups," said Robbie Walker, Alltech's programme director of The Pearse Lyons Accelerator. "This now includes Dr. Mark Lyons, our president and CEO, who is directly involved in the programme and sees collaboration through innovation as a key growth strategy for Alltech." - Alltech NEWS Pentagon transforms Campia Turzii unit into a NATO air hub at the Black Sea A former Soviet airbase in central Romania could become a hub for US Air Force operations in south-eastern Europe, where the Pentagon is seeking to Mai mult Nuclearelectrica shareholders approved to terminate negotiations with Chinese for building reactors 3 and 4 from Cernavoda Nuclearelectrica's Board of Directors has been mandated to initiate proceedings to terminate negotiations with China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN), as well as legal effects Mai mult Renault holds expansion of its plant in Romania, 15,000 jobs cancelled at global level "Putting capacity growth projects planned in Morocco and Romania on hold" - is one of the measures included in the draft plan of Renault Group Mai mult Romania is a net importer of electricity in 2020 as well Romania imported an amount of electricity of almost 796 GWh in the first month of this year, by more than 36% above what it exported Mai mult Shareholders of Galati steel plant promise investments of one billion euros GFG Alliance has committed to invest one billion euros to upgrade Galati steel plant in order to reduce emissions and increase production. Another EUR 1 Mai mult Top 3 reasons why young people leave Romania Lack of trust in authorities, corruption and low living standards are the main reasons why young people leave Romania. The data is part of a Mai mult IMM Invest Romania program implementing rules have been published The Ministry of Public Finance announces that it has issued the methodological norms for the implementation of the Program for supporting small and medium-sized enterprises Mai mult Pollution import and car park expansion: comparisons with the other EU states Romania is the EU country with the fewest cars in terms of the number of inhabitants, according to data recently published by Eurostat. We appear Mai mult Laura Codruta Kovesi remains alone in the race for European Chief Prosecutor French Prosecutor Jean-Francois Bohnert will be appointed as head of the European Financial Prosecutor's Office, a position for which he was heard on Thursday, 11 Mai mult Police in Bosnia-Herzegovina say they have launched a nationwide manhunt for a suspect in the killings of two people that have caused widespread panic. Authorities also called on the public to report any sightings of the suspect, 42-year-old Edin Gacic, who police say is armed and dangerous. Gacic is suspected of the murder last week of a grocery-store owner near the town of Konjic, southwest of the capital, Sarajevo, and of shooting to death a police officer on February 9 in Suhodol, a village south of the capital. Investigators haven't established a motive. Gacic was released from prison in 2017 after serving two-thirds of a 20-year term for murder. His victims were his mother and a man who served with a battalion of Muslim volunteers during the 1992-95 war in Bosnia. Local media have reported that Gacic also served in the unit, which fought alongside Bosnian Army soldiers under the country's wartime Muslim-led government. He is also thought to be armed with a gun and 30 rounds of ammunition taken from the police officer he killed in Suhodol. A total of 1,200 police officers have been deployed for the manhunt and they would ask the army to help, if necessary, authorities say. Heavy snow made the search in a mountainous region more difficult. With reporting by RFE/RL's Balkan Service and AP The chief judge of a court in western Kazakhstan has been fired after his court acquitted an opposition activist in a high-profile case. The Manghystau regional court said on February 11 that Malik Kenzhaliev was fired for violating rights of workers whom he had hired to build a private cottage along the Caspian Sea shore, but did not pay them the agreed sum of money. Kenzhaliev said his firing was politically motivated and accused the regional court, the Supreme Court, the National Security Committee, and the police of putting pressure on him and his colleagues. Kenzhaliev said in a video statement on Facebook on February 11 that he was fired right after his judge, Gulnar Baiturova, had acquitted Aigul Aqberdieva in a case that stemmed from her social-media posts. Kenzhaliev also said that police in Aqtau prevented him from holding a press conference in a local hotel on February 11 by harassing and interrogating people who gathered for the briefing. In a second February 11 video statement on Facebook, Kenzhaliev called on international human rights organizations, the European Union, the United States, and Canada to help him and his colleagues and provide them with legal protection. The 39-year-old Aqberdieva was acquitted on February 6. She was accused of posting messages on social-media accounts belonging to the banned Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK) movement to call for the "forceful overthrow the government." Aqberdieva went on trial in September, four days after her 45-year-old husband, Ablovas Zhumaev, was found guilty of the same charge and sentenced to three years in prison. Both Aqberidieva and her husband pleaded not guilty and said their cases were politically motivated. The couple has four children, the youngest of whom is 2 years old. Kazakhstan banned the DVK in March 2018, accusing it of extremism. The political movement was founded by fugitive former banker Mukhtar Ablyazov, who has been a vocal critic of President Nursultan Nazarbaev. In November, Ablyazov was sentenced in absentia to life in prison by a Kazakh court for murder. He has denied the charge and called it politically motivated. Opponents and rights groups say that Nazarbaev, in power since before the 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union, has taken systematic steps to suppress dissent and sideline potential opponents. President Hassan Rohani blasted a U.S. "conspiracy" against Iran as the country marked the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution that ended the monarchy and heralded the start of four decades of clerical rule. Addressing tens of thousands of people gathered on Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) Square on February 11, Rohani also said that Iran was determined to expand its military power and missile program despite mounting pressure from the United States and its allies. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers, militia members in camouflage fatigues, clerics, and ordinary citizens flocked to the streets of other Iranian cities and towns to commemorate February 11, 1979, when followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ousted a U.S.-backed monarch, Shah Reza Pahlavi. Banners held by marchers or hung in the streets bore slogans including "Death to America," "Death to Israel," and "40 years of challenge, 40 years of U.S. defeats." The festivities to mark the Iranian Revolution start every year on February 1, the day that Khomeini returned from exile to become supreme leader of the Islamic republic. They end on February 11, the day that the outgoing government collapsed. This year's celebrations come amid heightened tensions with the United States, which last year withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement between Tehran and world powers and reimposed tough sanctions on the Iranian economy. In a tweet that was also sent out in Persian, Trump said: "40 years of corruption. 40 years of repression. 40 years of terror. The regime in Iran has produced only #40YearsofFailure." "The long-suffering Iranian people deserve a much brighter future," he added. Earlier on February 11, Trump's national-security adviser, John Bolton, tweeted: "It's been 40 yrs of failure. Now it's up to the Iranian regime to change its behavior, & ultimately up to the Iranian people to determine the direction of their country." Iran's Islamic Revolution four decades ago inflicted "failure and broken promises" on the country, Bolton said, adding that Washington would support "the will of the Iranian people, & stand behind them to ensure their voices are heard." European signatories of the 2015 deal, under which Tehran pledged to curb its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, have been trying to save the accord. In a February 8 speech to a gathering of Iranian Army Air Force officers, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Iran will not give up the Death to America chant as long as Washington continues its hostile policies toward Tehran. In his address on Tehrans Azadi Square, Rohani said the "enemy will never reach its evil objectives," vowing that Iran will defeat U.S. sanctions. "The Iranian people have and will have some economic difficulties but we will overcome the problems by helping each other," he said. Irans president also insisted that Iranians have not asked and will not ask for permission to develop different types of missiles, Rohani said. Following reports of a second failed space launch by Iran in less than a month, the U.S. State Department last week called for tougher international restrictions to deter Irans missile program. The European Union has also criticized Iran over its "destabilizing" ballistic-missile program, its "hostile activities" in several EU member states, and its meddling in countries in the Middle East. Dismissing calls that Iranian regional influence should be curbed, the deputy commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) was quoted as saying on February 11 that "the enemy cannot ask us to leave the region. They must leave the region," Brigadier General Hossein Salami said. Ahead of the celebrations, Iranian officials announced that up to 50,000 prisoners would either be released or have their sentences reduced. According to official figures, nearly 250,000 people are incarcerated in Iran. It was not clear whether the amnesty would also apply to political prisoners. In a report coinciding with the celebrations, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said that 61,900 political prisoners had been held in Iran since the 1980s. Citing leaked Iranian Judiciary documents, the Paris-based media watchdog also said that the authorities had arrested, imprisoned, or executed at least 860 journalists in the three decades between the 1979 revolution and 2009. With reporting by Reuters and AFP The head of Ukraines Kherson regional parliament is suspected of organizing the killing of anticorruption activist Kateryna Handzyuk last year, prosecutors say. Prosecutor-General Yuriy Lutsenko wrote on Facebook on February 11 that Vladyslav Manher had been notified of the accusation against him. According to a document posted by Lutsenko, Manher felt "personal enmity" toward Handzyuk because of her efforts to reveal "illegal deforestation" in the region. Handzyuk, a 33-year-old civic activist and adviser to the mayor of the Black Sea port city of Kherson, died in November -- three months after she was severely injured in an acid attack. Five suspects, including a police officer, have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the attack on Handzyuk. Her death came amid a wave of attacks against Ukraines civic activists, with human rights activists claiming law enforcement agencies have failed to thoroughly investigate the cases and may even be complicit in some of the attacks. An Estonian court has found a former army officer and his father guilty of committing treason by spying for Russia. The court in Estonia's capital, Tallinn, ruled on February 11 that 38-year-old Deniss Metsavas -- a major with the Estonian Army -- and his father, 65-year-old Pjotr Volin, sold classified information to Russia's military intelligence service, the GRU. Estonia's State Prosecutor's Office said in a statement on February 11 the court found that Metsavas passed the information for a decade and sentenced him to 15 1/2 years in prison. Volin collaborated with the GRU for approximately half as long and was sentenced to six years in prison. Metsavas served with the Estonian armed forces in various positions including a mission with NATO troops in Afghanistan. Estonia has had several high-profile cases of alleged spying since the country declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Both Estonian and Russian citizens have been accused of providing sensitive information to Moscow. Estonia is now a member of NATO and the European Union. The British ambassador to Sofia has discussed with top Bulgarian officials possible links between the 2015 poisoning of a local businessman in Bulgaria and last years nerve-agent attack on a former Russian spy in Britain. Ambassador Emma Hopkins sat down on February 11 with Bulgarias Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, chief prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov, Interior Minister Mladen Marinov, and the director of the counterintelligence agency DANS, Dimiter Dimitrov. The meeting follows a report alleging that a third suspect in the March 2018 nerve-agent attack on Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England, may have also been involved in the poisoning of Bulgarian businessman Emilian Gebrev in April 2015. Speaking after the talks, Hopkins said that information about Gebrevs poisoning had been discussed and that London and Sofia had been closely coordinating on the case for several months. Tsatsarov said that the initial investigation into Gebrevs poisoning had found traces of the highly toxic insecticide chlorpyrifos in his coffee and food at his home -- but no substance banned by the Chemical Weapons Convention. A report published on February 7 by the British-based open-source investigation group Bellingcat said that a suspected Russian military intelligence agent, who traveled under the alias Sergei Vyacheslavovich Fedotov, arrived in Bulgaria just days before Gebrev fell into a coma with symptoms of severe poisoning. Bellingcat, along with its Russian partner The Insider, said that Fedotov had also arrived in Britain two days before the Skripals were poisoned. Gebrev, a veteran of the Bulgarian arms industry, survived the poisoning, as did his son and a company executive who were treated with similar symptoms. The Skripals also survived after weeks in critical condition, but Dawn Sturgess, a woman who authorities said came in contact with the poison after her boyfriend found a fake perfume bottle containing it, died in July 2018. British authorities have charged two Russian men identified by Bellingcat as agents of Russia's GRU intelligence services with carrying out the poisoning. Moscow has denied it had any involvement in the Skripal poisoning by the highly toxic nerve-agent Novichok, which led to a series of sanctions against Russia by the West and tit-for-tat diplomatic actions. The Kremlin has also cast doubt on the findings of the new Bellingcat investigation. Britains defense minister says the country should bolster its military capabilities after Brexit and warned that Russia should be aware that actions deemed unacceptable by the West will "come at a cost." Speaking at London's Royal United Services Institute on February 11, Gavin Williamson highlighted close military ties between Washington and London and supported U.S. President Donald Trumps call for NATO countries to increase military spending in the face of what he called Russian provocations. Relations between the West and Moscow are strained over a variety of issues, including Moscows annexation of Ukraines Crimea region, alleged meddling in the U.S. presidential election, and a nerve-agent attack on a former Russian spy in England, which the West has blamed on Russia. "Such action from Russia must come at a cost," Williamson said. Britain is scheduled to leave the European Union at the end of March, although internal political fighting has left the country without a clear road map for the departure or what will happen afterward. Williamson, in his speech, outlined plans to adopt a stronger military stance after Brexit, saying: "Since the new global great game will be played on a global playing field, we must be prepared compete for our interests and our values far, far from home." The minister announced that the first mission of Britain's HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier will include work in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and Pacific regions, and the vessel will carry British and U.S. F-35 jets. Based on reporting by Reuters KYIV -- Across social media, Ukrainian police and law enforcement officials are apologizing for one officer's slur aimed at far-right ultranationalists and making it known: They, too, are "#Banderites." Or, to be clear, supporters of militant Ukrainian nationalists who collaborated with the Nazis during World War II. National Police chief Serhiy Knyazev says he is one. So does Interior Ministry and National Police spokesman Artem Shevchenko. Interior Ministry adviser Zoryan Shkyryak is, too. From the top on down, cops and their bosses are lining up to air their admiration for Stepan Bandera, a hero to many Ukrainians whose Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and its military arm, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), fought both Soviet and Nazi forces during World War II but is also accused of carrying out murderous campaigns against Poles and Jews.* The #IamaBanderite (# in Ukrainian) hashtag appeared on February 10, a day after a riot-police officer used the derogatory play on Bandera's name during a violent confrontation with dozens of ultranationalists at a campaign event in Kyiv for presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko. The interlopers had come to the event to demand justice for an acid attack that killed civic activist Kateryna Handzyuk amid a rash of violence against activists. Carrying signs that asked, "Who ordered the attack on Handzyuk?" they called for Kherson regional-council head Vladyslav Manher, a recently suspended member of Tymoshenko's party, to be arrested for his alleged role as its organizer. On February 11, two days after the clash, Manher received an official notice of suspicion from Prosecutor-General Yuriy Lutsenko. Videos of the violence that circulated online showed police in riot gear scuffling with the group, which included members of the far-right C14 organization. Some members of the group, which is said to take its name from a 14-word phrase used by White supremacists and has openly offered its members out as paid thugs, were behind violent attacks on Romany camps in Kyiv last year. In one video, officers are seen throwing some of the far-right protesters to the ground, and one is heard shouting, "On the ground, Banderite!" Police detained but later reportedly released 18 people, citing a lack of evidence that would justify their continued detention. But prosecutors on February 11 said they had opened criminal proceedings against the far-right group for hooliganism, causing bodily harm, and the seizure of a public building. Meanwhile, an investigation was opened against police officers involved for excessive use of force. # But it wasn't the violence or the message that caught the public's attention. It was the "Banderite" slur that sparked an outpouring of criticism from Ukrainians on social media. "I personally, as the chief of police in Kyiv, want to apologize to society for the actions of this officer," Andriy Kryshchenko said in a video statement posted to the Interior Ministry Facebook account on January 10. "Out of conviction and because of my understanding of the historical situation in Ukraine, I consider it unacceptable." "Undoubtedly, this employee will be punished," the Kyiv chief of police vowed. "In addition, some obscene vocabulary was used. We have to do something about this." Within hours, the country's most senior law enforcement officials and countless police officers had embarked on a sort of social-media apology tour that saw them aligning themselves with the late Nazi collaborator. "I apologize. I am a Banderite, too! Glory to Ukraine!" wrote Knyazev, the chief of the Ukrainian National Police, in a post on his Facebook page that has been shared nearly 400 times. When asked to clarify whether the hashtag was meant in earnest or was ironic, Shevchenko, the police spokesman, told RFE/RL by phone that it was "both." He said Shkyryak, the Interior Ministry adviser, was the man behind the campaign. Shkyryak could not immediately be reached for comment. But Shkyryak posted to Facebook around the same time as Knyazev a photograph of himself sitting beneath a painting of Bandera. "I work in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. This is my office," he wrote in the caption. "I am also a Banderite and I am proud of it! Bandera, my hero!" He said invoking the derogatory version of Bandera's name by an officer in ordering a suspect to the ground was "shameful and unacceptable!" At the same time, he said he did not support "violent actions" or "attempts to seize state buildings" by groups who want to "destabilize, stoke panic and despair in society." The three officials and many more officers, as well as civilian supporters, joined in the campaign using the hashtag. But not everyone appreciated the sentiment. In a post on Facebook on February 10, Eduard Dolinsky, head of the Ukrainian Jewish Committee, a leading Jewish advocacy group, pointed out that the dust-up that spawned the hashtag occurred on the anniversary of a mass killing of Poles by Bandera's UPA. "Yesterday, February 9, was the anniversary of the first massacre of Poles by Banderites," he wrote. "In the village of Parosl, the UPA cut down more than 150 children, women, and men." He added: "Today, the police are holding an 'I am a Banderite!' flash mob. Maybe you're better off holding an 'I am a Pole!' flash mob." *This sentence has been amended to clarify the description of Stepan Bandera and the UPA. The family of jailed Chinese rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong, who is scheduled for release at the end of this month, say they fear he could still be deprived of his freedom even after leaving prison. Jiang called his family from the Xinxiang No. 2 Prison in the central province of Henan to wish them a happy Year of the Pig, his sister Jiang Jinping told RFA on Monday. She also confirmed that her brother is scheduled for release on Feb. 28, at the end of a two-year jail term for "incitement to subvert state power." "He asked me to go get him on the 28th, and wished our parents good health," she said. "That's what I discussed with the prison authorities, too." "I will go to get him on the day; I definitely need to meet him in person, because I'm afraid he will be re-detained," she said. "We will only relax when he is actually out and back home." "I'm pretty sure he will also have to get some medical check-ups when he gets out," Jiang Jinping said. Jiang's U.S.-based wife Jin Bianling said she was very happy that her husband had been allowed to phone home on Lunar New Year. "When the news came out that he called home on Lunar New Year's eve, saying that he hadn't been tortured and that he is getting out soon, it must mean that he hasn't done anything wrong, or he wouldn't have been allowed that phone call," Jin said. "But I'm still worried that it may just be [a ploy], so that the family lets down its guard," she said. Jin said there are many cases in which former political prisoners have been "released" from prison sentences, only to find themselves taken to an unknown location for several days. "They disappear somewhere for several days before being allowed home, and some are put under house arrest after being taken straight back to their hometown," Jin said. A person's hometown in China isn't always their place of work or residence as an adult, and some dissidents have been effectively isolated from their former lives by authorities in the home of their birth, and unable to take up their former employment. Others are placed under close surveillance, sometimes with cameras in their apartments, and are barred from talking to the media or traveling without police permission. Many face grinding poverty, while family members can find their jobs or schooling affected. "Of course, I'd like for him to go back to Beijing, because if they send him back to his hometown, things aren't so great there," Jin said. "I worry that he could end up like Cheng Guangcheng or Gao Zhisheng, unable to seek medical treatment for health problems." File photo of lawyer Yu Wensheng, who had taken up politically sensitive human rights cases and was taken away from his Beijing home by around a dozen police officers on Jan. 19, 2017. Photo courtesy of Yu Wensheng Call for probe Meanwhile, Xu Yan, wife of detained rights lawyer Yu Wensheng, called on Li Zhanshu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), to investigate the authorities' treatment of her husband, who has been held incommunicado for more than a year with no access to legal representation. "I sent out a request by [courier] today to Li Zhanshu and 14 other NPC delegates ... asking them to carry out supervision of Yu Wensheng's case," Xu told RFA. "[I wanted them to] challenge the illegal and unjust behavior on the part of the agencies running this case," she said. Last June, Jiang's family said he was being forced to take an "unidentified medicine" in prison. Jiang's father Jiang Lianghou reported back on "terrible" conditions after visiting his son at the jail, with Jiang only allowed to take his allotted exercise in the corridors, not in the open air. Jiang was also being prevented from buying basic necessities using funds topped up by his family for that purpose, and from receiving clothing parcels from his relatives, the family said. Amnesty International said Jiang appears to be one among hundreds of human rights lawyers detained in a nationwide crackdown since July 2015 who have been force-fed medication. Jiang's sentence was based on his setting up of a campaign group in support of rights lawyers detained in a nationwide police operation targeting the profession since July 2015, the prosecution said during his trial. Jiang had "speculated" on politically sensitive cases, "incited others to illegally gather in public places" and "stirred up" public opinion, the indictment said. He had also "seriously harmed state security and social stability" by "attacking and slandering the current political system, and attempting to overthrow the socialist system," it found. London-based rights group Amnesty International said in its 2017 annual report that the ruling Chinese Communist Party under President Xi Jinping has pursued a "ruthless campaign of arbitrary arrests, detention, imprisonment and torture and other ill-treatment of human rights lawyers and activists." Reported by Gao Feng for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wong Lok-to for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. 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. De Heus subsidiary to build compound animal feed factory in Ghana On February 6, Koudijs Ghana, a subsidiary of Royal De Heus, celebrated the start of the development of its first compound animal feed factory in Ghana and in West Africa. Koudijs further enhanced its ambitions to strengthen its position in the country with the ultra-modern new production facility, De Heus said. Located on a 500 acre-site in Tema, near Accra, the new factory will be one of the largest compound feed production plants in Ghana, with a production capacity reaching 90,000 tonnes a year. The inauguration was attended by the Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature & Food Carola Schouten, Ghanaian Minister of State in charge of Poultry Dr. Nurah Gyiele and Dutch Ambassador in Ghana Ron Strikker. Hugo Visscher, the general manager of Koudijs Ghana, said the construction of the plant underlines the strategy of De Heus to bring its local animal feed and husbandry knowledge to fast-growing, developing countries. "The combination of global knowledge and local presence is one we strongly believe in. Sharing this knowledge locally feeds the performance of our customers business but also that of the local and regional economy," Visscher added. Koen de Heus, CEO of Royal De Heus, expressed his pleasure at the new factory's ground breaking ceremony, describing it as a major addition to Koudijs. He stated: "Through our export division, Koudijs Animal Nutrition, De Heus has been an active contributor towards the development of a more robust agricultural sector in Ghana for the past decade. Today, we bolster this relationship and commit ourselves to feeding the performance of the Ghanaian agricultural sector. De Heus invests in the construction of this advanced multipurpose animal feed production plant for Koudijs Ghana Limited to demonstrate our confidence in the Ghanaian economy in general and in aqua and livestock farmers specifically." Schouten launched the ground breaking ceremony by initiating construction of the factory's foundations. In her speech, she pointed out the tremendous challenge in building a sustainable agricultural system. As she explained: "We must find multiple ways to be sustainable. Sourcing locally, minimising food loss and reusing waste. At national and international level. Koudijs Ghana supports these philosophies." "We hope this project would rekindle our resolve to achieve greater heights in the agro-industrial development. Let us embrace the project and ensure that maximum benefits are derived when the project starts to turn out output and services," Dr. Gyiele said. "I thank Koudijs Ghana Ltd and of course... De Heus on behalf of the Government of Ghana for taking this business opportunity to help provide part of the needed support for the fish and livestock sectors in Ghana." - De Heus Mary Catherine Brooks/The Wyoming County ReportThe Wyoming County Veterans Memorial in Oceana is moving forward. Organizers hope to have the memorial ready to unveil by Veterans Day. Pictured, in front, is Denzil Stewart with, in back from left, Denny Lester, Bill Elkins, and Frank Elkins. The group is conducting a variety of fundraisers to help fund the project, including selling memorial bricks, a GoFundMe page, as well as accepting donations from individuals, businesses, organizations, and corporate sponsors. U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. talks with Tom Crabtree, one of the founders of The West Virginia Great Barrel Company in Harts Run Monday. Capito attended an event at the construction site of the West Virginia Barrel Company to announce a $1.536 million award to the town of White Sulphur Springs from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to extend water service to the new industrial park that will house the West Virginia Great Barrel Company. (Jenny Harnish/The Register-Herald) US demand for bigger share of EU's beef import quota threatens Australia's exports The US' unilateral push for so-called fairer trade deals could impact Australia beef industry, with more than $100 million of annual exports under threat from this action, according to a Financial Review report. This is due to the US' plan to get a very large share of the EU's import quota for high quality grain-fed beef - a move that will drastically curtail Australia's ability to deliver beef to Europe. Such a demand is part of US President Donald Trump's efforts to fight back what he sees as unbalanced and unfair trade with some nations. Australia expressed concern that the US' desire to have some of the quota automatically set aside for US exporters would upset a level playing field as required by WTO rules. In light of the challenges Australia will face, the European Commission should "consult with Australia, as a substantial supplier," Josh Anderson, the European business manager at Meat & Livestock Australia, said. He pointed to the absence of a "formal consultation, despite "the EC indicating they're close to an agreement with the US." Anderson furthermore feared "a breach of WTO rules that would discriminate against" Australia and asked for the government to support the local beef sector. The US and Australia, as well as Argentina, Uruguay and New Zealand, currently contribute to the EU's annual quota of 45,000 tonnes of grain-fed beef quota, with the products delivered tariff-free. Only beef that are shipped outside this quota are imposed with high tariffs. Australia has its own, separate individual quota with the EU of 7,150 tonnes (which attracts a lower tariff, rather than a zero rate), but the amount Australia exports via the shared quota is typically double that, the Financial Times explained. If the US succeeds in dominating the full shared quota, Australia's $238 million of annual exports to the EU could plunge by up to two-thirds. One way to mitigate this problem is for Australia to obtain its own, bigger beef quota through its FTA with the EU, a deal that is still under negotiation, Anderson said. In the meantime, Simon Birmingham, Australia's Trade Minister, said that he will raise the issue with EU officials, while also commenting that a hindrance to Australia's market access would affect the country's FTA talks with the EU. "Australia's views are well-known on the importance we attached to the existing high-quality, hormone-free beef quota," he said in a speech at a Belgian think tank. "Substantial dilution of this access would run counter to the ambitions we claim to share for our FTA negotiations. Put simply, reducing access in a key existing market is no place to start negotiations of an FTA." Nevertheless, one key obstacle - the US' demand that the EU abrogates its requirement for hormone-free beef - appears to be stalling a potential agreement between both parties. The five-way quota imbroglio is also compounded by additional uncertainty over Australia's country-specific quota. The UK and the EU are proposing to split this between them after Brexit, which could reduce the ability of beef exporters to move flexibly between the two markets, and may make some shipping uneconomic, the Financial Times report stated. Australia has objected to this plan at the WTO, but negotiations are likely to take months if not years to resolve whereas the quota-splitting plan could come into force as soon as March 29. - Financial Times Mary Sue Hesselberg, 86, of Beckley, WV, passed away Friday, June 18, 2021. Services will be 11:00 a.m. Friday, June 25, 2021, in the Calfee Funeral Home Chapel. Friends may visit with the family from 10:00 a.m. until service time. Burial will follow in the Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Ve February 11, 2019 11:16 IST With the political slugfest between the government and opposition parties intensifying, it seems like the budget session of Parliament is headed for yet another washout. Watch all the action in both houses LIVE here. Source: February 11, 2019 14:52 IST Gujjar community members blocked National Highway-11, which connects Jaipur with Agra, in Rajasthans Dausa district on Monday, the fourth day of their agitation demanding 5 per cent reservation in government jobs and educational institutes. IMAGE: Gujjar community members block national highway 58 in support of their demand for reservation in Ajmer. Photograph: PTI Photo Their protest had turned violent on Sunday when shots were fired and police vehicles were torched in Dholpur district, forcing authorities to impose prohibitory orders under CrPc section 144 in Dholpur and Karauli districts. It still remains in force in the areas. On Monday, the agitators blocked NH-11 and continued their blockade from previous days at other places. Since the agitation began on Friday, it has affected the movement of more than 250 trains. NH-11 was blocked at Sikandara in Dausa. A state highway was blocked in Bundi districts Nainwa on Sunday and Malarna road in Sawai Madhopur and Karauli-Hindaun road at Budla village in Karauli have also been blocked, Director General of Police, Law and Order, M L Lathar said. Dausa Superintendent of Police Prahlad Singh said vehicles heading towards the blockade area on the national highway were diverted to alternate routes. The traffic is being diverted and things are under control. The blockade is peaceful, the SP said. He said efforts were being made to clear the blockade. As of now, one national highway, one state highway and two arterial roads and Delhi-Mumbai railway tracks are blocked in Rajasthan, leading to cancellation and diversion of several trains. The North Western Railway said in a bulletin four trains had to be diverted on Monday. The trains are: Hazrat Nizamuddin-Udaipur (12963), Amritsar-Mumbai Central (12904), Firozpur-Mumbai Central (19024) and Dehradun-Kochiveli (22660). Gujjar agitation leader Kirori Singh Bainsla and his supporters began their sit-in on railway tracks in Malarna Dungar of Swai Madhopur on Friday. Bainsla is demanding 5 per cent quota for Gujjar, Raika-Rebari, Gadia Luhar, Banjara and Gadaria communities in jobs and education and has refused to clear the railway tracks. We will not move from the tracks if the announcement is not made. There is only one demand and that is 5 per cent reservation, Bainslas son Vijay Singh said. A state government delegation, including Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh and IAS officer Neeraj K Pawan, held talks with the protesters on Saturday but they refused to end their agitation until their demand is met through an official announcement. Source: Last updated on: February 11, 2019 20:28 IST The Congress on Monday cited a media report claiming that the government waived anti-corruption clauses in the Rafale deal to call for a probe into 'who paid whom', with party chief Rahul Gandhi alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'opened the door' to allow industrialist Anil Ambani to 'steal' Rs 30,000 crore from the Air Force. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi and then French president Francois Hollande raise a toast at the state banquet in the Elysee Palace after signing the Rafale deal. Photograph: Reuters The all-out attack on the government came after a report in The Hindu newspaper claimed the Rafale deal between India and France involved 'major and unprecedented' concessions from the Modi dispensation, with critical provisions for anti-corruption penalties and making payments through an escrow account dropped days before the signing of the inter-governmental agreement (IGA). 'NoMo anti corruption clause. The Chowkidar himself opened the door to allow Anil Ambani to steal 30,000 Cr. from the IAF (sic),' Gandhi tweeted, tagging the report. The government, as well as Ambani, whose company is offset partner under the deal, have strongly refuted allegations of any wrongdoing in the fighter jet agreement with France. Last week, the Congress president had demanded answers to questions raised by another report in the newspaper that the Prime Ministers Office conducted parallel negotiations on the Rafale deal. Repeating the 'chowkidar' epithet, he ramped up his attack on the prime minister and said it was 'crystal clear' that the 'watchman is the thief'. Speaking at Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's day-long fast at the Andhra Bhavan in New Delhi, he alleged that Prime Minister Modi had 'stolen' from the people of the state and given the money to industrialist Ambani. "The prime minister became prime minister by saying he is going to fight corruption. Have you read The Hindu newspaper today... The prime minister has stolen from the people of Andhra Pradesh and he has given that money to Mr Anil Ambani, that is the fact of the matter," he said. Later, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari, at a press conference, said the Congress wants to raise the fundamental question why the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government waived the anti-corruption clauses in the Rafale deal. The answer is very simple because there has been corruption in the Rafale deal, he said. Tewari said the implications of the action of alleged waiving of the anti-corruption clauses in the deal meant that the French, especially the suppliers --- Dassault and missile-maker MBDA -- were indemnified. "Essentially, what it means is that those who essentially paid, through whom the transactions were routed, and the end beneficiaries, get fully indemnified...Government doesn't have the legal locus to cancel the contract," he claimed. Dassault and MBDA were in the 'driver's seat' in the Rafale deal negotiations and not the government of India, he alleged. "One thing is emerging clearly, which requires investigation, which requires a joint parliamentary committee (probe), that somebody has paid somebody in the fighter Rafale procurement," Tewari said. "We would again like to emphasise that if these very very overt acts of malfeasance... if the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report ignores it, because we believe that the CAG report is being tabled tomorrow, then that report will not be worth the paper it is written on," he said. On August 24, 2016, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved the inter-governmental agreement, while in September, 2016, the defence acquisition council overrode the cabinet committee on security and amended eight vital clauses of the fighter jet deal, Tewari alleged. "The moot question is what happened between August 24, 2016, and September 23, 2016, what transpired in those 30 days. Who paid whom in those 30 days that led to the dropping of the anti-corruption clauses from the Rafale agreement," he asked. Earlier, senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram said the Rafale deal is unravelling faster than the government thought. 'First, it was the loading of the India Specific Enhancement costs on 36 aircraft, instead of 126 aircraft, giving a bonanza to Dassault. 'Then it was the revelation that 'parallel negotiations' were being carried on by PMO undermining the efforts of the Indian Negotiating Team,' he said in a series of tweets. Now it is revealed that crucial changes were made to the clauses in the standard Defence Procurement Procedure, he said. 'No sovereign guarantee, no bank guarantee, no escrow account, yet a huge amount was paid as advance,' Chidambaram alleged. Lashing out at the Modi government, he said, "No penalty clause for undue influence, no clause against agency commission, no clause for access to suppliers' accounts, and Dassault goes laughing all the way to the bank." Citing the media report, Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, 'Modi ji, after waiving off sovereign guarantee in Rafale deal, you also waived off the 'anti-corruption measure' of a 'safeguard Escrow A/c'! What is the corruption you wanted to hide? (sic)'. The whole country is abuzz that 'chowkidar chor hai', he said. February 11, 2019 10:13 IST 'The united Opposition can definitely give the BJP a good fight.' But this remains the BJP's election to lose.' 'Modi remains the most popular politician in India; the BJP's organisational and fundraising prowess is considerable; and the Opposition, while newly collaborative, has no leader or clear economic messaging as yet.' IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi addresses a rally in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, February 10, 2019. Photograph: PTI Photo One of the biggest changes that Narendra Damodardas Modi has made in the last five years is reasserting India's role on the global scene, believes Milan Vaishnav Director, Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for Peace in Washington, DC. "Modi is more pro-business than pro-market -- that is a subtle, but important, distinction; while politically the BJP has become the new centre of gravity," Dr Vaishnav, who recently won the Ramnath Goenka Award for Journalism in the non fiction category for his book When Crime Pays: Money and Muscle in Indian Politics, tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih in the concluding segment of a two-part e-mail interview. Mr Modi remains the most popular political leader. What changes do you see in him since he assumed office? Obviously, the rhetoric has changed. The lofty talk of turning India into Gujarat, as he'd promised in the 2014 campaign, has slowly disappeared. The government has pivoted into more traditional areas like welfare and development. Modi still exudes confidence publicly, but I think he and the party have been rattled by the state of the economy, the Opposition's newfound collaboration, and the Congress victories in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. This helps explain the BJP's last-ditch attempts to shore up key constituencies ahead of the election. How has India changed in these five years? First, I think Modi has been able to reassert India's role on the global scene. He has not always lived up to the rhetoric around the notion that India will act as a 'leading power' rather than a 'balancing' one, but there is a feeling globally that India embraces its regional and global role in a way that it might have shied away from in the past. Second, Modi has spent a lot of time convincing the world that India is 'open for business' again. Here, I think the record is very mixed. We have seen serious reforms -- lifting FDI caps, GST, the new Bankruptcy Code, and so on. But we have also seen a serious bout of protectionism -- increasing tariffs, local content restrictions, the new e-commerce regulations that hurt Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart. I think the net assessment on Modi is that he is more pro-business than pro-market -- that is a subtle, but important distinction. Third, politically the BJP has become the new centre of gravity. I don't think there is any question about that. The Congress is a shell of its former self and regional parties are on the back foot in many parts of the country. The BJP controlled just five states as recently as 2014; today it is in power in 17. This is a big shift. The BJP's last campaign was about 'vikas', are you seeing the party going to go back to the Ram temple and Hindutva as it tries to win another term? In 2014, the BJP deployed Hindutva when and where it suited them. It popped up in western Uttar Pradesh in places like Muzaffarnagar. The card was played in Assam and in the border areas of West Bengal and the north east. I do not foresee it being the overarching theme, but it will be part of the layered messaging that the BJP deploys. And it is important to keep in mind that this messaging need not emanate from Modi -- it can be exploited by his surrogates. An US intelligence Report recently said there is a strong possibility of communal violence in India if the BJP stresses on Hindu nationalist themes ahead of the general election. What are your thoughts about this report? Is this an alarmist view? I do not see anything alarmist in what the US director of national intelligence has said in his report (external link). The report states that if the BJP campaigns on the back of Hindu nationalist themes, that could trigger communal strife that could, in turn, result in violence. We have seen this movie before and it is a risk factor. My own sense is that the BJP is not going to run a heavily Hindutva campaign and it does not really need to given Modi's own bonafides among the Hindu right. Of course, it will use polarisation in certain regional theatres, but I do not see it being a central, overarching, theme in the national theatre of politics. Even the Vishwa Hindu Parishad has announced that it will delay its agitation over the Ram Mandir issue for at least four months. What impact is Priyanka Gandhi's entry into politics going to have? There are two obvious benefits. First, Priyanka gives the Congress greater leverage in the party's negotiations with the BSP-SP alliance. The alliance finalised a seat-sharing arrangement that left the Congress out in the cold --the BSP-SP merely said it would not contest the Congress pocket boroughs of Amethi (Rahul Gandhi's seat) and Rae Bareli (Sonia Gandhi's seat). The Priyanka factor might help the two sides seal an unofficial tactical alliance that gives the Congress preeminence in some eastern UP seats. Second, the move enthuses the cadres. The Congress rank and file has had very little to cheer about over the last five years. The December 2018 state election results, coupled with Priyanka's entry as general secretary, has put new wind in their sails. But the most important impact -- in my view -- is that Priyanka's induction will provide free media time and marketing for the Congress. Given how significant the BJP's funding advantage is over the Congress, this helps close the gap because the Congress can be ensured of coverage whenever Priyanka speaks and wherever she goes. So I think of her entry as a kind of substitute for raising political finance. Can a united Opposition give a good fight and turn the tables? Or is the BJP now a well oiled election-winning machine, despite the setbacks in the assembly elections? The united Opposition can definitely give the BJP a good fight. But I start from the premise that this remains the BJP's election to lose. It possesses a lot of advantages. Modi remains the most popular politician in India; the BJP's organisational and fundraising prowess is considerable; and the Opposition, while newly collaborative, has no leader or clear economic messaging as of yet. There are many people confidently predicting that Modi will be a one-term prime minister; I think that is very premature. The national campaign has not yet begun in earnest and he has every incentive to presidentialise this election, as he did in 2014. One thing we know is that campaigns do have an independent, causal, impact on people's voting decisions in India. The Opposition constantly harps about the assault on public institutions under the Modi government, especially the use of the CBI. Do you feel institutions are being interfered with and are under threat? First things first, many previous governments have abused institutions due to political expediency. The CBI was not called the 'Congress Bureau of Investigation' for nothing! I think there are two new trends. First, look at how many apex institutions have appeared to face a credibility crisis in recent years -- the Election Commission, the CBI, the Reserve Bank of India, the Supreme Court, the list goes on. Second, there is a brazenness to the interference that I think is new. Look at the middle-of-the-night ouster of CBI chief Alok Verma. Or the suppression of economic data. Or the pressure placed on then RBI governor Urjit Patel by the government's handpicked members of the RBI board. I think this all raises the question: Is the BJP the 'party with a difference' or simply a different party? Defending one's actions by pointing to the Congress's past foibles is neither here nor there; there is a reason the Congress has 44 seats in Parliament today. What is the upcoming election going to be in terms of the money spent, selection of candidates and campaign rhetoric? The Centre for Media Studies estimates that the 2009 election cost around $2 billion and that parties and candidates spent around $5 billion in 2014. I expect 2019 to easily top 2014. It could well double the 2014 estimate. This is not a partisan issue -- all parties (save, perhaps, for the Communists) will be spending inordinate sums to win this election. 82 percent of Members of Parliament elected in 2014 are crorepatis and I expect this number to reach nearly 100 percent in 2019. Parties require the assistance of self-financing candidates who can cover their campaign costs, pay for party tickets, and subsidise candidates who do not have resources. All sides will decry the use of money and muscle power, but will simultaneously depend on both to win. This is one factor that unites the government and the Opposition. February 11, 2019 17:34 IST According to NSSO, more than half of Indias working-age population is out of labour force. In 2017-18, the youth unemployment rate was in the range 13.6-27.2 per cent. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com Half of Indias working-age population (15 years and above), for the first time, are not contributing to any economic activity, according to the National Sample Survey Offices (NSSOs) latest jobs survey. The labour force participation rate (LFPR) - the share of the population who are either working or available for work - stood at 49.8 per cent in 2017-18, falling sharply from 55.9 per cent in 2011-12. More than a decade ago, in 2004-05, 63.7 per cent of the population was part of the labour force. This was part of the findings of the NSSOs periodic Labour Force Survey Report for 2017-18, which has been withheld by the government and reviewed by Business Standard. Its a serious cause of worry as you are unable to utilise the demographic dividend factor - especially keeping in mind the fact that 65 per cent of the population is in the working age group, said Radhicka Kapoor, senior fellow, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations. In 2011-12, however, the decline in the LFPR was higher (by 11.5 percentage points) than what was observed in 2017-18. The proportion of the active labour force declined twice for females between 2011-12 and 2017-18 in the age group 15 years and above. Compared to 2011-12, the LFPR for females fell by around 8 percentage points to 23.3 per cent in 2017-18, whereas the LFPR for males dipped by 4 percentage points to 75.8 per cent in 2017-18. So, only about a quarter of the females in the country were either working or seeking jobs. The fall in the LFPR was far more in rural areas (from 67.7 per cent to 58.7 per cent) than in urban areas (from 49.3 per cent to 47.6 per cent), according to the 2017-18 report of the NSSO. Significantly, the gap in the LFPR has narrowed between urban and rural areas due to a big dip in the active labour force in villages. Education plays a big role in the declining size of the labour force. But case studies and field reports also suggest that lack of suitable work, especially for women, is not readily available. "Flexibility in work timings and proximity to their households are an important factor for females, said Amit Basole, head of the Centre for Sustainable Employment at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru.' Though the female LFPR in urban areas remained almost at the same level (20.4 per cent in 2017-18), it declined sharply by more than 11 percentage points in rural areas. Economists point out a falling LFPR, coupled with a high rate of unemployment in the country, is cause for worry. The unemployment rate, according to the NSSO report, stood at a 45-year high of 6.1 per cent in 2017-18. This was three times the unemployment rate witnessed in 2011-12 - the last time when the NSSO conducted a household survey on jobs. The LFPR for the youth (in the age group of 15-29 years) stood at 38.2 per cent in 2017-18, compared to 44.6 per cent in 2011-12. In this age group too, a fall in the female participation rate (by 8 percentage points) in the labour force was higher than what was seen among males (by 4.8 percentage points). Importantly, the unemployment rate for the youth also shot up two-three times, compared to 2011-12. In 2017-18, the youth unemployment rate was in the range 13.6-27.2 per cent. Kapoor said an enabling environment for productive jobs and focus on employment, rather than gross domestic product, might help address the trend of a falling LFPR. Business Standard reported last week the LFPR at the national level fell from 39.5 per cent in 2011-12 to 36.9 per cent in 2017-18. However, according to the NSSO report, this was for all age groups (five years and above). February 11, 2019 08:46 IST 'I am not surprised that hubris brought Chanda Kochhar down.' 'It would appear that as a person she thought she could do no wrong and as a leader she considered herself above what her company demanded of others in terms of financial probity and honesty,' says S Muraleedharan, former managing director, BNP Paribas. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com Things cannot be any worse for Chanda Kochhar. First, the enquiry by Justice B N Srikrishna found her guilty of violating her bank's code of conduct. The Central Bureau of Investigation jumped into the fray and commenced an investigation. Now murky details of the Kochhars's property deals have come into the public domain. Adding insult to injury, as it were, the ICICI board has retrospectively dismissed Chanda Kochhar and what must really hurt, clawed back all her stock options in what is surely the modern corporate equivalent of the medieval Judas Cradle. These developments have evoked schadenfreude and horror in equal measure. The former is felt by those who are and have been professional sceptics of human nature and who believe that given time all human beings will sin. These are the people who attribute all material success, such as the climb up corporate, social, or political ladders, and/or amassing of wealth can only be achieved through friends in high places, favours from those in power and plain old chicanery. Now, they claim, they have been vindicated. Horror is felt by those who know they could well be the next. They know what they have done -- obviously we don't, yet -- and they might still be exposed given this atmosphere of distrust and blood-letting as an act of avenging corporate sins. The FM must have deemed the atmosphere so corrosive and vengeful that he warned from his sick bed abroad, no less, against indiscriminate corporate lynching. It is interesting how, when corporate malfeasance is sought to be exposed and punished, all and sundry deem it a blow against the entrepreneurial spirit, poisoning the business climate, and warn darkly that investment will flee if we hunt down the wrong-doers. This is typically how the elite protect themselves, but that discussion is for another day. Now back to the hapless Ms Kochhar. After the initial flurry of breathless media hyperventilation regarding the good lady's alleged misdeeds, Ms Kochhar did a Trump and hunkered down, waiting for it to pass which it inevitably would, when the media found another villain. That is what Lloyd Blankfein of Goldman Sachs did when he was vilified and excoriated for his bank's role in the financial crisis of 2008. That is what Trump does on a daily basis, with the exception that he comes out swinging and invents his own facts instead of quietly keeping his head down. Sure enough, Mallya with his flamboyant lifestyle and barely-clad model friends did take the pressure somewhat. Ms Kochhar kept a low profile, avoided responding to the allegations and was generally self-effacing for an A-lister. After the board had initially (and hastily) cleared her of any wrong-doing, the public outcry forced it to conduct a second and more thorough investigation, which they did in the time honoured tradition, by outsourcing it to a retired justice who can be relied upon to take a long time to say precisely nothing in thousands of pages. Justice Srikrishna headed that investigation and has now submitted his report. When it became clear that the tsunami of adverse public opinion was not going to go away and that she had become untenable as CEO, Ms Kochhar quit. One could not escape the conclusion that she must have known a week after the scandal surfaced that her days as CEO were over. But she continued for reasons known only to herself. Some have suggested, somewhat unkindly, that she was trying to protect her stock options. Perhaps she was; perhaps not. We will never know. I see that as a character flaw in her. She was unable to judge, even in the light of NiMo, Mallya, et al (there were many others), that the public mood was unforgiving towards the elite, even for the minutest of infractions, unless, of course, one was a politician in which case one thrived on the adverse stuff. One of her former colleagues and CEO of another bank quietly went away when the RBI refused her an extension, and continues to keep a low profile -- now that is good judgement. Sometimes our own celebrity status makes us believe we can walk on water. Alas, the laws of physics, for the most part, do not support such a belief (not everyone is Lloyd Blankfein and even he had to grow a beard to hide behind). The information now in the public domain supports my conviction as to her impaired sense of judgement. She perhaps believed that she was too clever to be found out, that she was too high up to be crucified, or that this would fade away from the public's extremely fickle memory and normal business would resume thereafter. She turned out to be wrong on all counts. The convoluted deals have been unravelled and connected to her, and some form of nexus established between loans and investments in husband's firms (although a clear motive is yet to be proven for her actions). It is now clear she too has feet of clay like the rest of us and that it is extremely risky to bet on the shortness of public anger and memory; or to defy the laws of physics. Faced with the investigator's adverse report and the public's intolerance towards elites' wrong-doings, the board decided to act 'decisively' and 'firmly' and even punitively to sack her (how do you sack one who has already resigned?). The decision to 'sack retrospectively' appears to be a device to facilitate clawing back the stock options already granted. The board was protecting its own skin too, by acting quickly and in a 'draconian' manner -- the injured party can always go to court to get relief, but the board will be deemed to have acted appropriately unlike the previous one that exonerated her with undue haste. Apart from sending a message that financial misdemeanour will have consequences, there appears to be an element calculated to humiliate the former CEO. Is this a warning to others? Intended or not, I think so. What exactly were Ms Kochhar's misdemeanours? I do not have access to Justice Srikrishna's full report as it is internal to ICICI. However, the board quotes from the investigation in handing out their retrospective punishment to Ms Kochhar. The report finds three areas where Ms Kochhar went rogue: 1. 'Ineffectively dealing with conflicts of interest'. Translation: She did not disclose her husband's business connections with the Dhoots while sanctioning further loans to the Dhoots 2. Failure to recuse herself from the credit committee while it considered further loans to the Dhoots. 3. 'Lack of diligence' with respect to annual disclosures as per the bank's policies. Let me take up No 3 first. Wow. I am truly gobsmacked by this one as it had not come out until now -- what did the previous board consider while giving her a clean chit? Was its meeting just an expression of backslapping bonhomie -- 'She's a jolly good egg, old chaps, and let's issue a press note to that effect'. The so-called lack of diligence says a few things about who she was as a person and as a leader. 'Lack of diligence' is a polite way of saying that she did not care to report consistently and accurately her financial dealings as required by her bank's rules as well as laws and regulations of the land. Normally banks require key employees to disclose all their dealings in the stock market, acquisition/disposal of immovable assets etc etc, and any dealing with any of the bank's clients. Some even take an irrevocable access to the bank accounts of key employees. It is safe to read between the lines and conclude that she did not apprise the bank of her direct/indirect dealings with the Dhoots. As a result, the investigator concludes, 'The bank's processes were rendered ineffective by her approach to such disclosures and avoidance of conflict'. Her lack of diligence in setting a good example with meticulous and stringent compliance with internal codes of conduct and external rules and regulations seems to be not an act of forgetfulness, but rather a habit. In other words, she did not forget, but did not want others to know! What was it that she did not want others to know? We now have the answer: It appears that her home was purchased through a circuitous route involving the by now tiresomely familiar name, Dhoot. In the light of this, even the bumbling incompetent ignoramuses in the CBI should have a walk in the park with this case. Points 1 and 2 above appear to indicate that she considered herself above the codes of conduct and rules and regulations and that these were meant for lesser mortals. The investigators's findings in 3 above would appear to confirm this. I am not surprised that hubris brought her down. It would appear that as a person she thought she could do no wrong and as a leader she considered herself above what her company demanded of others in terms of financial probity and honesty. That, my friends, is NOT a good way for a leader to feel. What of that guardian of public probity and honesty and slayer of corruption, the much feared but equally reviled CBI? It has been said that the CBI can manage to overlook a whole pumpkin in a small plate of rice. Given that this case does not have a political angle -- the loony left and the dynasts are yet to weigh in -- it should be within the CBI's ability to close out easily. They have thrown everything and the kitchen sink in their FIR. They have accused the entire board -- the first one, they of the backslapping bonhomie and midnight exculpatory press note. Alas, some familiar and hitherto respectable names figure there, some genuinely nice ones too. But as a group they patently failed to take care of the interests of the stakeholders. Is that a crime? I don't think so, but I'm no lawyer. Will it get them barred from holding other directorships? I don't know, but think it should. In a land where boards are filled with pet poodles who wait at the feet of the Lalajis and fetch at his call, all for a few bones, those who have that privilege must be made accountable. So what happens now to Ms Kochhar? The wheels of law will grind, but slowly. She appears to have got hold of some capable lawyers. Will she get her billions back? Possibly. Can she get her reputation back? Not very likely. What will she do then? She can always join politics. What lessons can we learn from this sordid story? That the mere existence of codes of conduct and rules and regulations do not ensure compliance with their letter and spirit. The leader must go beyond law and be just and fair and hold herself/himself to a far higher standard than what the law prescribes or rules and regulations demand. S Muraleedharan retired as managing director, BNP Paribas, after serving the bank for 20 years. You do what you have to do to make them get along. Cobb Europe announces expansion of technical team New appointments to Cobb's Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) technical team have positioned the company for a great year in the region, Cobb said. Cobb announced two new appointments, including a grandparent and broiler specialist. Gary Millar, one of the appointees, joins Cobb with 25 years of experience in the poultry industry. He most recently served as international business development manager at Hubbard Breeders. Prior to this, Millar worked at Aviagen where he held several senior operational roles in the pedigree, great grandparent and grandparent departments in the UK, India and Australia. Millar earned a Bachelor of Science with honors in agriculture and an MBA at the University of Edinburgh. He has a broad knowledge of technical management of breeding stock in all generations. The next appointee, Brendan Graaf, joins Cobb's EMEA team from Cobb South Africa where he worked in broiler technical services for South Africa and Namibia. Before joining the Cobb family, Brendan served as a management trainee at RCL Foods. "These new appointments are key to better serve our customers and to support the region's strategic growth plans," said Tore Mercan, director of sales and technical service for Cobb EMEA. "I am very pleased to welcome Gary Millar and Brendan Graaf to the Cobb Europe family. We welcome the vast experience and passion they have already brought to our team." Millar and Graaf join a team of 13 technical advisers who provide support and expertise to customers across the region. In total, the technical team now has well over 375 years of experience in the industry, according to Cobb. - Cobb Valentine's Day is coming up and we saved you the trouble of hunting down the best date spots in town. Here are nine Valentine's Day activities for couples including jazz, cocktails, karaoke and more. Every week, we select the best police reports from Athens and the University of Georgia for our website and newspaper. Today, were selecting the best of this year so far. From alien abductions to a nude dude, here are our favorite blotters from January to now. Riverside County, and the rest of the state, reopened June 15 with capacity limits and physical distancing requirements removed for most businesses and events. However, other safety measures may be needed based on the type of business or event. Traverse City, MI (49684) Today Showers early then scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day. High 78F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms. Low 68F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Japan allows beef imports from Marfrig, Minerva's Uruguayan plants Japan has allowed the import of fresh beef from all seven Uruguay-based plants of Marfrig Global Foods SA and Minerva SA, the Brazilian food processors said. The approval is the result of an agreement signed between Uruguay and Japan in December last year, putting to end the nearly two decades of hiatus in fresh beef trade between both countries. In a statement, Miguel Gularte, chief executive of Marfirg's South American operation, described the latest development as "a great opportunity for the company." Now that its Uruguayan plants are able to access Japan - currently the third biggest beef importer in the world according to the USDA - Marfrig could leverage the knowledge and experience of its commercial teams in Chicago, US, and Tokyo to push the business. The company is the top beef supplier in Uruguay, with capacity to slaughter 700,000 head of cattle per year, Marfrig said. Minerva revealed that its three plants in Uruguay have the capacity to process 3,200 head per day. - Reuters , We're sorry, this article is not currently available Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! 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: 2.1 ACRES California City, CA KERN COUNTY NO MINIMUM / NO RESERVE --- HIGH BID OWNS THE LOT This property is located north-east of Mojave this land lies along 58 Hwy near North Edwards, south of Aerial Acres in Kern County. A really growing community. Enjoy the Wonderful 4 Seasons Weather, all in the growth in The Heart of This City! Just across State Route 14, north of State Hwy 58 Barstow-Bakersfield and 395 Fwy. Aerial Acres is a fly-in unincorporated community in Kern County, California. It ... Price: $ 1,000 State/Province: California Seller State of Residence: California Location: 928**, Orange, California You will be redirected to eBay Nearby California Both parties have adopted a mantra of protecting federal employees during the recent government shutdown and ongoing showdown over immigration. Last month, all House Democrats and 29 Republicans voted to increase federal pay by 2.6 percent. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said the effort was about treating federal employees with the respect they deserve and compensating them for the financial stress the Trump-McConnell shutdown has inflicted on them. But the reality is federal employees are hardly victims. While its true that many are hard-working patriots who could earn significantly more in the private sector, many are not. Still, politicians reflexively defend the status quo out of fear of a political backlash. Their goal is not to protect federal employees or taxpayers, but themselves. Setting priorities and making smart cuts to lower-priority positions, particularly during a shutdown or crisis, is far more compassionate and responsible than collectively punishing not only all federal employees, but the country and generations that follow. At OpenTheBooks.com, weve documented the bloat in the federal workforce. Today, there are more than 1.3 million federal employees in administrative agencies who cost taxpayers $114 billion in cash compensation alone. There are more than 91,000 federal employees who out-earn the governor of the state in which they are based. Compensation is so out-of-control that painters, mechanics, electricians, and welders employed by federal agencies now out-earn governors. This is hardly the portrait of suffering that Hoyer and other Washington politicians invoke. In 78 large federal agencies, the average salary now exceeds $100,000. Providing an average of 8 weeks of holiday, vacation and sick day benefits for federal employees itself costs over $18 billion annually. While President Trump cant unilaterally end or defund wasteful programs, federal personnel rules do allow him to permanently eliminate positions for employees who have been furloughed for 30 days. He had this opportunity and missed it during the shutdown, but he could still incorporate smart downsizing demands in his ongoing negotiations with Congress. Trump has led by example in this area and needs to apply his leadership to the broader federal workforce. The president cut White House staff by 100 employees, a 20 percent reduction that will save taxpayers more than $22 million over four years. Our oversight of the Department of Education found Secretary Betsy DeVos eliminated 800 lower-priority positions in her department, an 18 percent reduction. In 2012, the department employed 4,600 staffers. Today, there are 3,800, with average pay of $110,000. Savings can be estimated at more than $80 million annually. Politicians may consider this approach to be draconian but the private sector considers it good management. General Electric CEO Jack Welch famously fired the bottom 10 percent of his workforce every year while rewarding the top 20 percent and nurturing the other 70 percent. Rather than punishing the president, taxpayers would applaud him for reforming a federal bureaucracy thats looking more and more like Frances. The president must recognize that Republican unity on the border wall fight is a mile wide and inch deep. Republicans are torn between not wanting to undermine the president on a policy they support and the knowledge that their negotiating stance lacks popular support and real leverage. Having served during the government shutdown of 1995-1996, I have no doubt that the vast of majority of Republicans are looking for a way to fold and Democrats know this. President Trump should not take federal employees off the table in his negotiations with Congress and should increase his ask rather than lowering it. Investing all of his political capital on a physical barrier on the border has lowered the fiscal barrier around the Treasury. The American people care about both. Making hard decision on the fiscal front makes all of his priorities easier to execute. Individual federal employees arent the problem per se. The problem is previous Congresses and administrations that have failed to respect and protect taxpayers by setting priorities. Making hard decisions that put the countys long-term interests first will generate far more benefits than pain. Tom Coburn, M.D., is a former United States senator from Oklahoma and honorary chairman of OpenTheBooks.com. The Green New Deal congressional resolution from Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was introduced with such fanfare you might think it represented the Democratic Partys official position on climate change. Its backers certainly wanted to give the impression the proposal has attracted enormous support within the party; Ocasio-Cortez swatted at critics by posting on Twitter, When your #GreenNewDeal legislation is so strong that the GOP has to resort to circulating false versions, but the real one nets 70 House cosponsors on Day 1 and all Dem presidential candidates sign on anyway. She padded her numbers a bit. As of Feb. 9, the resolution has 65 co-sponsors from the House (not counting two non-voting representatives), as well as 11 from the Senate. Most of the announced presidential candidates, several of whom are in the Senate, have signed on, but some of the lesser known aspirantsincluding Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, former Rep. John Delaney, and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieghave not as of yet. Nor have two senators considering a run, Ohios Sherrod Brown and Colorados Michael Bennet. Regardless of these quibbles, do the actual sponsorship numbers prove how strong support is for the Green New Deal resolution? Actually, they prove the opposite. They reflect how the resolution has divided the Democratic Party, only garnering support from some on the left flank, while giving Republicans easy targets. Only 28 percent of the House Democratic caucus and 23 percent of the Senate Democratic caucus are presently on board. Only 44 percent of the Congressional Progressive Caucus rushed to sign on. And of the newly elected House Democrats hailing from districts that Donald Trump won, the number backing the GND is precisely zero. The fact the several presidential candidates are initially supportive doesnt mean the plan is destined to be in the party platform; its only a reminder they are currently hustling for primary voters among the partys progressive base, and not yet focused on the general election. The sponsorship numbers may continue to grow, but considering the polarized reception the Green New Deal has received, you shouldn't expect many new backers from red and purple districts. Its no wonder that Speaker Nancy Pelosi has kept her distance from the resolution, telling Politico it was merely one of several or maybe many suggestions that we receive, and chiding those who have jumped on the bandwagon based on the title alone: The green dream or whatever they call it, nobody knows what it is, but theyre for it, right? Even after the introduction, nobody knows exactly what it is. What has been put forth is only a resolution calling on Congress to draft Green New Deal legislation, not detailed legislation itself. The resolution calls for meeting 100 percent of the power demand in the United States through clean, renewable, and zero-emission energy sources, to be accomplished through a 10-year national mobilization, but it doesnt offer much of a plan to accomplish it, let alone grapple with all of the obstacles and ramifications of a radical transformation of the American economy over a breakneck timeline. On top of its energy goals, the resolution would require providing all Americans with high-quality health care, affordable, safe, and adequate housing and economic security, but makes no attempt to explain how to accomplish any of that. Further adding to the confusion, and handing political ammunition to Republicans, was an amateurish fact sheet briefly posted on Ocasio-Cortezs website that suggested the proposal would include additional ambitious measures, such as a universal basic income for all Americans. The document was taken down from the site, and dismissed by the congresswoman as a draft not intended for distribution. Some have suggested the sheer audacity of the plan is more important than the policy details or its immediate legislative prospects, because it will move the so-called Overton Window: By expanding the bounds of political discourse, the Green New Deal will make other climate proposals appear more moderate than they do today and improve their prospects for passage. But at least one of the chief policy architects of the resolution isnt looking to make other proposals look good; hes trying to make other Democrats look bad. Sean McElwee of Data for Progress told Vox that the Green New Deal is intended to be a new litmus test: The Green New Deal is what it means to be progressive. By definition that means politicians who dont support those goals arent progressive. We need to hold that line. Get on the GND train or choo-choo, motherf-----, were going to go right past you. In other words, the fact that the Green New Deal divides the Democratic Party is a feature, not a bug. It is designed smoke out anyone who isnt progressive by the standards set by McElwee and his allies. That may be useful if your project is the ideological purification of the Democratic Party. But if your primary goal is to pass legislation that would help solve the climate crisis, you shouldnt be trying to shrink your own party. You should be working on building a broad coalition that can get legislation through Congress and on a presidents desk. Green New Deal supporters arent reaching across the aisle because they dont believe broad coalitions are possible. Bipartisanship is assumed to be a lost cause, and Democratic moderates are considered as useless as Republicans. Once Democrats take back the Senate, they want the legislative filibuster abolished, so the GND can get passed with a slim majority. Green New Deal will never happen while the filibuster lives, said Ezra Levin of the progressive activist group Indivisible. This is dangerously defeatist logic. Set aside the fact that it is far from a given that Democrats would junk the filibuster upon claiming the Senate, as there are still plenty of moderates and institutionalists in the Senate Democratic caucus. Even if they did, and passed a Green New Deal package thereafter, it probably wouldnt last long, because eventually the political pendulum would swing and Republicans would repeal it at their first opportunity. Look at a country without a filibuster: Australia. In 2012, the progressive Labor Party government implemented a carbon tax to tackle climate change. But backlash was so fierce that the conservative Liberal Party was swept into a power in 2013, and the tax was easily repealed in 2014. Building a broad coalition behind a politically sustainable climate protection policy is tough enough. Piling on a populist-socialist wish list, including the end of the legislative filibuster, makes it impossible. Pelosi and many other Democrats in Congress appear to grasp that political reality, which is why the initial level of support for the Green New Deal in Congress was not strong. But for the planets sake, lets hope the resolutions rocky rollout will make future Democratic climate proposals appear more moderate, and open the possibility of a bipartisan breakthrough. First Lady Michelle Obama told the 2012 Democratic Party Convention that being president does not change who you are, it reveals who you are. Ever since his entry into politics, Donald J. Trump certainly has revealed who he is, but even more importantly he simultaneously reveals the often-uncomfortable reality of who his opponents actually are. In fact, the ruling classes of media and politics revile his unorthodox and pugnacious approach largely because of his uncanny ability to unmask their underlying motivations and philosophies. Trumps role as the Great Revealer began as he faced Republican primary rivals in 2015 and 2016. He exposed elitist establishment figures like Jeb Bush for their stale policies and attitudes that alienated working-class voters. Candidate Trump uncovered the harsh reality of frequent GOP complicity in crony political class maneuvers that served the interests of connected globalists -- to the detriment of Middle America. He skillfully skewered Washington as essentially a one-party town regarding issues such as unfair trade deals, punitive multilateral climate accords, and endless overseas military interventions. His success in office pursuing economic nationalism and a restrained foreign policy proves the efficacy of a course that diverges from the strictures of the bipartisan Beltway Brahmins. More recently, Trump unmasked his Democratic critics and revealed the radicals they truly are as leaders of a party increasingly slouching toward death and socialism. Trumps performance as the most pro-life president ever especially concerning judicial appointments compelled extremist Govs. Andrew Cuomo and Ralph Northam to fully embrace third-trimester abortion all the way up to the moment of birth (and perhaps even beyond, in Northams case). In a ghastly spectacle, Cuomo illuminated the New York City skyline in pink to celebrate the legal termination of late-term unborn babies, a position supported by only 13 percent of Americans (and just 18 percent of Democrats), per a 2018 Gallup poll. Trumps pro-life advocacy aligns with his overall governance as the most conservative president since Ronald Reagan, and perhaps even since Calvin Coolidge. In response, Democratic power brokers and presidential aspirants stake out ever more radical -- even socialist -- positions on the economy. For example, Sen. Bernie Sanders calls for a top confiscatory tax rate of 77 percent. Sen. Elizabeth Warren suggests we tax not just income but also assets of those she deems too wealthy an unprecedented policy in American history. Sen. Kamala Harris told CNN she supports the elimination of all private health insurance, a policy that would move America to a nationalized single-payer model. It might seem strange for anyone to advocate such radical policies as the Trump Boom finally lifts the prosperity of the economic underdogs. For example, overall wage growth just registered the first 3 percent yearly income increase in a decade, with blue-collar wage growth actually exceeding white-collar gains. Manufacturing drives much of this broader prosperity -- in 2018 that sector saw the best year for job growth since the 1990s. But despite these incredible advances, the Democrats insist on outdoing each other in the resistance Olympics of anti-Trumpism. In contrast to their fanciful Green New Deal, which seeks, among myriad inane proposals, to not just eliminate greenhouse gas emissions but also to ensure prosperity for all people of the United States, Trump instead produces a New Green Deal that puts new green money into the pockets of enterprising American workers. On life issues and on the economy, Trump reveals who his opponents actually are. In the case of 2019s Democrats, he unveils a party fixated on cruelty and socialism. While death and taxes may indeed be the only sureties in this life, they certainly do not comprise a winning ethos for a political party. Just as he did in 2016, Trump rips the masks off of his opponents to reveal unsettling truths and, in doing so, protects the prosperity and security of our nation. The success of the State of the Union address is usually measured in standing ovations, but President Trumps 2019 speech is best measured by how often Democrats stayed planted in their seats. The president challenged Americans to choose greatness, but the dour Democrats continued to choose resistance, forgetting that cameras documented every instance when they felt it inappropriate to celebrate the successes not just of this president but of the American people he serves. The effect was perhaps exaggerated by the decision of the Democratic women of Congress to dress in white in honor of the womens suffrage movement, which succeeded in winning women the vote 100 years ago. They were certainly the most visible faction in the audience, and drew the attention they no doubt wanted, but may live to regret. President Trump began his speech on a note of accommodation. We meet tonight at a moment of unlimited potential hoping we will govern not as two parties but as one nation. Victory is not winning for our party; victory is winning for our country. The gauntlet was thrown down, and now it would be seen whether Democrats could live up to their rhetoric of working together or would instead adopt the partisan path of resistance. Vice President Mike Pence stood to honor national unity, as did the Republican half of the Congress, but Democrats seemed reluctant. Eventually, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi begrudgingly rose and applauded, as did some of the Democrats in the chamber, but many of the women in white remain seated, setting the precedent for much of the evening. The Democrats did seem to agree with the president that [t]heres nothing in the world that can compete with America, but when he got to the specifics, there was a huge enthusiasm gap between the Republican vision and the Democratic response. We must reject the politics of revenge, resistance and retribution and embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise and the common good, the president said. Here, Pelosi stood enthusiastically and did her reputedly fake applause of the presidents suggestion, but the new spiritual leader of the Democrats Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez sat sternly in continued resistance to the call for common good, flanked on either side by loyal foot soldiers who looked ready to take a bullet for their young general. Trump continued: We must choose between greatness or gridlock, results or resistance, vision or vengeance, incredible progress or pointless destruction. Tonight I ask you to choose greatness. It was a well-written exhortation to work together for the American people that was embraced by the Republicans in the room and, if the polls are to be believed, by the vast majority of Americans watching on TV, but that meant nothing to most of the Democrats. Nothing. Especially from the white coats. No reaction. How it must have aggravated them to have rogue Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia seated directly in front of them, where he frequently popped up and applauded the concept of getting things done to better our country. But since the white coats supposedly spoke for the average American, surely they must have applauded when the president told the success story of the American economy. No. You would be wrong to think so. As the president recounted the historic lows in unemployment for blacks, Latinos and Asian-Americans, the Democrats could not be bothered to stand or even applaud politely. There they sat. When the president announced that [u]nemployment for Americans with disabilities has also reached an all-time low, the camera panned across the white-coated exemplars of compassion and empathy to find them scratching their noses or pulling their ear lobes, looking for all the world like they could not care less. It was understandable why the Democrats did not stand to applaud when President Trump celebrated the death of the individual mandate in Obamacare, but what reason did they have for not joining him in celebrating the new Right to Try legislation that opened the door for the terminally ill to use experimental medications? Presidential hopeful Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand stood, but where were her colleagues? Energy independence? When Trump announced that the United States is now the No. 1 producer of oil and natural gas anywhere in the world, you would have expected a bipartisan standing ovation, right? This, after all, has been a goal of American economic and foreign policy for decades! But the white coats of surrender were having none of it. Again, only lonely Joe Manchin stood and applauded, winking at the president for good measure. Fifteen minutes into the speech, Trump weaved in the obligatory The state of our union is strong, and you might have been forgiven for thinking that the Democrats were pawns of Putin for how disappointed they seemed by the good news. When did a strong country become a partisan applause line? Not sure, but it must give Russian oligarchs some comfort to know that Americas leaders cant even agree on something as fundamental as that. Perhaps it was no accident that President Trump timed his one reference to the Russia Hoax investigation immediately after he trapped the Democrats into doing Russias bidding. An economic miracle has taken place in the United States, Trump said, and the only things that can stop it are foolish wars, politics or ridiculous partisan investigations. If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation. It just doesnt work that way. We must be united at home to defeat our adversaries abroad. Those words no doubt aggravated his political enemies, but there is also no doubt of their truth. Every day spent trying to take down this president is a day wasted in governing. No better example of that can be found than in border security. Everyone acknowledges that Democrats were for a border wall before they were against it. The only thing different now is that Trump was elected president by promising that he would actually build that wall instead of just talking about it. Democrats surmise that if they give him the wall, they will also be giving him an open road to re-election. Therefore, the presidents clear and forceful enunciation of the importance of a border wall was probably the most terrifying aspect of the night for the opposition party. Republicans and Democrats must join forces again to confront an urgent national crisis. Congress has 10 days left to pass a bill that will fund our government, protect our homeland and secure our very dangerous southern border. Now is the time for Congress to show the world that America is committed to ending illegal immigration and putting the ruthless coyotes, cartels, drug dealers and human traffickers out of business. Wild applause by Republicans and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Head-shaking by Democratic presidential hopeful Kamala Harris. Scowls from white-coated suffragettes. The president described the dangers of illegal immigration, both to those who seek a better life in America and to those Americans put at risk by immigrants who come with less than honorable intentions. Yet the Democrats didnt appear to get it. To whom are they beholden? Why did they sour when the president declared, I want people to come into our country in the largest numbers ever, but they have to come in legally? Can anyone explain when it became OK for Americas lawmakers to provide cover for lawbreakers? Perhaps the highlight of the evening was the presidents vow that America will never be a socialist country. As he correctly declared, America was founded on liberty and independence and not government coercion, domination and control. We are born free and we will stay free. To shouts of U-S-A, the camera lingered on the face of democratic socialist Bernie Sanders, who looked like he would rather be anyplace in the world at that time, maybe even in oppressive Venezuela. For the rest of us, it was a refreshing confirmation of the principles that made America great in the first place, and which should keep us safe, strong and secure in the future as long as we do indeed choose greatness. This story does seem to have some facts to back it up but there are more questions than answers, such as; if this thing really has been f... Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York Democrat, has released her Green New Deal plan to the nation and to great applause from the Democratic Party. Among the ways to be destroyed in the arms business, intellectual property does not usually come to mind. Yet that is the prospect that one small company, XTech Tactical, faces today. A few months ago, the Arizona-based distributor of rifle accessories was hit with an IP infringement lawsuit brought by Century International Arms, one of the largest rifle importers in the country. The trademark IP that XTech allegedly stole? An ordinary crisscross pattern, similar in appearance to a waffle, embossed on the sides of a standard AK-47 magazine. At a high level, it is difficult to find merit in Century's lawsuit: Centurys supposedly exclusive "waffle" design has existed since the 1950s and is easily found across competing products. But the dubious merits may be of little help to XTech. A representative of the company, Jeremy Deadman, explained to me that the cost of the lawsuit alone could put XTech out of business. With attorney fees for IP litigation regularly reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars, he very well could be right. Intellectual property laws, which include such things as trademarks, patents and copyrights, are powerful government-created exceptions to ordinary free-market competition. They give rightsholders partial monopolies on brand designs, inventions or creative works, along with an ability to sue competitors whose products or services tread too closely to those monopolies. In theory, intellectual property monopolies are important protections against unfair competition for all companies, big and small. But any right to sue invites well-paid lawyers especially those working for deep-pocketed firms to exploit it. That is why XTech's story is far from unique. In 2012, a small online glasses startup known as Ditto.com found itself at the business end of a patent lawsuit filed by a $900 million competitor. And in 2005, a manufacturing giant filed for patents on the inventions of a small engineering startup in order to stop the startup from using its own work. Scholars have reported further instances of intellectual property "predation" and found that small businesses have indeed shuttered their doors as a result. It is David versus Goliath IP litigation, except Goliath holds the sling. Of course, small businesses use IP to protect themselves from theft of inventions or misuse of trademarks. But a simple, restrained IP law system suffices for that purpose. A massive and massively complicated IP law system, with tentacles that can strangle competitors in unexpected ways, almost exclusively helps the wealthy and powerful at the expense of everyone else. Jeremy Deadman asked how the law could prevent other small businesses from having to deal with situations like his. Three improvements come to mind. The first, as many have called for in the past, is reforming IP lawsuits. Big companies exploit the cost of complex litigation against the little guys. Measures that level the playing field help to ensure that both meritorious cases and meritorious defenses have their day in court. The second improvement is shoring up the scope of IP. The reason that Century can somewhat plausibly claim unique rights in a standard-issue magazine is that trademark law is fuzzy, and fuzziness lets lawyers make creative arguments. Patent law also suffers from a fuzzy-boundary problem, as does copyright law as the "Blurred Lines" music case demonstrated recently. Clear limits on what sorts of IP allegations will not make it past the opening gate would greatly prevent the use of questionable IP claims to harass small businesses. The third improvement is a change not in law but in rhetoric. Too often, discussions of IP focus on small creators' needs for IP rights to ward off big firms who steal their ideas, leading to strong lobbying to push for stronger rights. No doubt some creators do rely on IP extensively. But by and large, that is not the main concern of small businesses a 2008 survey found that IP ranks only between "slightly important" and "moderately important" to entrepreneurs. Most small businesses do not bet their successes on lobbying the government for greater IP benefits. Instead, they strive to succeed by winning in the market: making products better, faster and cheaper than the competition. To them, IP can be a distraction and a drag on their productivity. Lawmakers need to recognize the double-edged sword that IP can be. Small companies like XTech have to deal with many problems already if they want to succeed; dealing with an unnecessary and costly IP legal battle should not be one of them. Charles Duan is the Director of Technology and Innovation Policy at the R Street Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank based in Washington, D.C. Despite the average state salary in Cuba working out to $24/month, its people increasingly have opportunities to earn much greater sums. With property rights more and more recognized in concert with growing foreign tourism (including all-important American tourism), the people are able to rent out their houses and apartments to the well-heeled. So while the people take home roughly $300/year in salary, This Is Cuba author David Ariosto notes that Cubans with house/apartment space to rent out earn an average of $2,700/year from the tourist trade. Imagine that for a moment! People long used to desperate poverty are now earning many multiples of their annual salary hosting people eager to see what was, and what will be. Notable here is that over half of the hosts (58%) are women, thus empowering a new and emerging crop of female entrepreneurs, according to Ariosto. So what enabled this life-enhancing monetization of previously dormant wealth for desperately poor Cubans? Look no further than San Francisco, CA-based Airbnb. Cuba is proving a brilliant market for Airbnbs business model. And while Forbes estimates the net worth of Airbnbs three founders at $3.7 billion each, Cubas thousandaires are hardly angry. Thanks to the Airbnb portal connecting Cubas property owners to the rest of the world, its people are earning at levels they never imagined. In consideration of what the billionaire founders of Airbnb have meant for Cubas people, shouldnt we be cheering? Shouldnt we be falling all over ourselves to hand the billionaires countless humanitarian awards for helping the formerly helpless? One would think so, unless of course one were New York Times columnist Farhad Manjoo. As he obnoxiously sees it, the technology industry belches up a murder of new billionaires annually, so hes more and of the view that government must step in since, At some level of extreme wealth, money inevitably corrupts. Wow! So great wealth is apparently a corrupting influence, if Manjoo is to be believed. Naturally he offers up no evidence supporting such a dubious claim. With Manjoo, feeling trumps reality. Always. Back in 2017, the endlessly emotional columnist confidently predicted (the column was laughably titled Without Neutrality, Say So Long to the Internet) that property rights in the internet space would result in its disappearance. When it comes to billionaires, what exactly is Manjoo thinking? Better yet, who are the monetarily corrupted? Is there a level one must cross to become corrupt? Are the founders of Airbnb not awful simply because their individual wealth positions of $3.7 billion each merely place them in the middle of the billionaire pack? What about Google, for instance? The wealth of the two co-founders works out to around $51 billion each, but have Sergey Brin and Larry Page been rendered crooked by their wealth? Its hard to see how. On the other hand its easy to see what their achievements have meant for people beyond the basic truth that few of us (including, likely, Manjoo) could long maintain our sanity without Googles search engine. For instance, Google Maps has made navigating a city all alone something that the blind can increasingly do. Google is also a major player in a driverless car revolution that has the potential to transform the lives of billions. Imagine a world in which people get around exceedingly cheaply, and in concert with plummeting rates of death thanks to fewer car accidents? Speaking of transportation, Forbes estimates Uber founder Travis Kalanicks wealth to be in the $5.9 billion range, which could have some wondering if relative to Brian Chesky (one of the Airbnb founders), hes crossed the line of corruption that Manjoo confidently believes exists. Ok, but if so, it seems tens of millions the world over would lustily cheer the rise of many more Kalanicks in consideration of what his innovation has meant for convenient transportation, safe transportation, and overall piece of mind in the knowledge that theres always a ride when we need one. Considering death, Patrick Soon-Shiong is worth $7 billion. Interesting there is that the primary source of his wealth is a cancer drug he invented by the name of Abraxane. As most readers know well, a pancreatic cancer diagnosis has long been the equivalent of a death sentence. Soon-Shiongs drug has given hope to those who historically had none. Notable about Soon-Shiong is that hes one of a growing number of billionaires who has made it his mission to rejuvenate a struggling print media space. Indeed, last year Soon-Shiong purchased the ailing Los Angeles Times with an eye on fixing what limped. And as previously mentioned, Soon Shiong is hardly the first billionaire to do just that. Carlos Slim saved the gold standard of newspapers with his investment in the New York Times, which employs Manjoo, despite a net worth of $63 billion. The Washington Post? The worlds richest man in Jeff Bezos purchased the then struggling newspaper in 2013, only to revitalize it. Outside of print, Manjoo might have consulted his Times colleague Thomas Erdbrink. Erdbrink is the Teheran bureau chief for the Times, and in a recent column he happily noted how Instagram (owned by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerbergs net worth: $61B) has been a major driver of change in a country where everything was hidden. Translated, Instagram has enabled gradual liberalization in a part of the world thats rather repressed, much as Facebook has served as a communication device for repressed people seeking escape from repression that Manjoo is luckily free from in the United States. So if earned wealth doesnt corrupt the makers of same, what does? Is it inherited money? Is Laurene Powell Jobs the problem since shes got a net worth of $18.5 billion after the death of Steve Jobs? The previous question rates asking mainly because Manjoo cant seriously have thought Jobs somehow made us worse off. Goodness, for under $1,000 he put supercomputers in our pockets that would have cost many millions if someone had attempted to create same when the 21st century began. Powell Jobs has notably revived The Atlantic in the media space, among others. Manjoo whines that weve been in a devastating national love affair with billionaires for the last twenty years, but leaves out why: they make our lives infinitely better, including Manjoos. Which speaks to the downside of the billionaire class. While we couldnt live without their accomplishments, we also have to suffer the droolings of Manjoo. He would never admit it, but hes an unfortunate creation of the billionaires he despises. Tradeoffs can be brutal. The U.S military has stepped up its targeting of Shabaab, al Qaedas branch in Somalia and East Africa. Since the New Year, U.S Africa Command (AFRICOM) has hit Shabaab 14 times. AFRICOM acknowledges that the air campaign is not sufficient to defeat Shabaab, but can only support the Somali governments efforts. AFRICOM announced today that it targeted Shabaab twice over the past 48 hours. A strike on Feb 6. in Gandarshe killed 11 fighters. Another on Feb. 7 in Bariire, which took place as Somali forces were attempting to disrupt al-Shabaab efforts to illegally tax and intimidate civilians in the area, killed four more fighters. There were three more offensives against Shabaab over the past week. On Feb. 5, AFRICOM launched an airstrike near Leego that targeted a financial center used by terrorists to fund their operations, killing two fighters. AFRICOM killed 14 Shabaab fighters in two operations in Gandarshe, a terrorist hotbed, on Feb. 1 and again on Feb. 3. The pace of strikes against Shabaabs network in Somalia has intensified despite reports that the U.S military is seeking to disengage from the war-torn country. The U.S has launched five assaults against Shabaab in Feb. 2019, nine in Jan. 2019, 10 in Dec. 2018, and nine more in Nov. 2018, according to data compiled by FDDs Long War Journal. The U.S and neighboring African countries have been battling Shabaab for more than a decade. Despite the U.S strikes, Shabaab maintains an effective insurgency. Shabaab controls large rural areas in southern and central Somalia, and continues to threaten Somali cities and towns. AFRICOM is acutely aware that the strikes against Shabaab will not defeat the group. In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this week, outgoing AFRICOM Commander Marine Gen. Thomas Waldhauser said the strikes were designed to support the Somalia government, which is struggling to battle Shabaab and regain control of the country. At the end of the day these strikes are not going to defeat al Shabaab, but they are going to provide the opportunity for the Federal Government and the Somali National Army to grow and assume the security of that country, Waldhauser told the Senate Armed Services Committtee. We know that [strikes against Shabaab] are causing problems, we know that they are deterring. It is an open question as to how much, he continued. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. The mission is the poster child of the new UN peacekeeping concept, as it operates in the context of a political process, namely the Bamako Agreement. More importantly, it collaborates with the French Operation Barkhane and the G5 Sahel countries to counter local peace spoilers such as smugglers, terrorists, and Islamic militias. However, the mission has encountered some significant challenges. From the outset, the governments corruption and predatory behaviour has meant little progress in bringing good governance to the countrys north. The re-entry of the Malian government in the self-declared Azawad Independent State was only accepted by the separatists in exchange for institutional reform and decentralization.[18] This situation has deeply affected operations for the United Nations mission in Mali. In theory, the UNs collaboration with the central government shouldnt be perceived as partial, because the agreement between parties defines the Malian government as the prime enactor of a country-wide consensus.[19] Unfortunately, the agreements are virtually unimplemented in multiple ways. Some groups were excluded from negotiation altogether, for example, and there has been little effort to deliver on peace dividends in the North.[20] Ultimately, without the Malian government upholding its side of the deal, there is little incentive for the insurgents to comply to the agreement. Since 2013, numerous groupsincluding the so-called Group for the Support of Islam and Muslimshave been filling the ungoverned spaces left by the government, resuming attacks on Malian and UN troops. The governments leniency towards allied militias has only worsened its reputation with locals, pushing them into supporting forms of justice administered by jihadist groups...fairer than those of the state.[21] Regardless of the blue helmets best intentions, they are perceived as the governments agents. If Bamakos legitimacy decreases, so will the Missions. For a force already perceived as an instrument of global powers, this can only spell trouble.[22] Politically, the UNs role as a neutral implementer of the accords constrains its ability to act even-handedly and pressure the government into action.[23] Perceived impartiality on the ground has been steadily eroding because of the inability to pressure the government to change its attitude. Wishful Thinking? The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali itself has shown little propensity to force a new peace process among the parties.[24] The UN has employed an auxiliary, technical approach when possible, and this is reflected in the military capabilities of the contingents. The Mission can count on counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency capabilities deemed necessary as a self-defense tool.[25] However, this approach hides the highly political and partial nature of these instruments. Terrorism in the Sahel is often a seasonal activity, or at least a result of lacking economic alternatives. Nevertheless, the terrorist label inherently implies perceived lack of legitimacy for the insurgents demandsunderstandable in the detestable cases such as Al Qaeda, but politically naive when it comes to single members or Tuareg separatists.[26] Associating the Mission with counter-terrorism operations entails a marginalization of groups that could be integrated in the peace process. Whats more, uneven and slow demobilization efforts may actually push many parties on the ground to embrace activities that would exclude them from the peace process altogether, thus rendering the label of terrorist even more politically disingenuous.[27] Enabling G5 or French airstrikes by providing target information effectively contributes to an act of war, transforming the UN into a party to the conflict.[28] More broadly, what difference can it make to the population and insurgents if the UN is only financing African troops, or just pointing at targets to strike, without undertaking these actions directly?[29] For better and for worse, the UN will still be perceived as co-responsible. In Mali, impartiality seems to always be the first doctrine thrown overboard in the face of operational difficulties. The incapacity of the UN to guide the political process has led to a steady erosion of perceived impartiality in the eyes of the local population. With Bamako finally restarting the political process, the questions is whether the distribution of peace dividends will also restore the UNs legitimacy in the region.[30] Political leadership has been considered the best means to achieve operational impartiality, and only time will tell whether warring parties will respond positively or judge it as a smokescreen for a very partial fight against terrorism. Broader questions also remain. Does the UN really want to pursue more partisan policies in its deployments? If so, can it really continue to profess impartiality despite the tools it employs? It is questionable whether the UN can really afford to shift political responsibility to local actors while renouncing to vigorous political initiatives as a mediator. To leverage its global legitimacy, the UN will need to take into account the inherently partiality of military tools and to work around its implications, insisting that politics need to come first. Author and / or Article Point of View: This article is written from the point of view of the UK National Security Adviser personally briefing 10, Downing Street on potential courses of action. Background: The Venezuelan state has collapsed, leaving the country in the grip of growing civil strife. The recent death of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro in last months crash of a Cessna Citation registration number YV2030, frequently used by the Maduro family[1] failed to leave a clear successor. As such, the Bolivarian armed forces, affiliated militias (colectivos) and even government-aligned criminal networks (pranes[2]) are clashing for control of the socialist regime. Mounting violence has seen the abduction-and-murder of opposition leader Juan Guaido by regime intelligence on February 29, 2019[3], followed by last weeks shoot-down of a Puerto Rico Air National Guard C-130J, tail registration 64-0008. C-130J / 64-0008 was supporting in Operation DELIVER COMFORT the ongoing U.S. effort to airdrop aid over Venezuela. UK Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood now confirms that, late yesterday evening, the Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela (BNV) attacked the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Agrippa. Agrippa, a maritime support ship, was in-region to conduct Atlantic Patrol Tasking North the UKs standing patrol to support Caribbean Commonwealth partners and British Overseas Territories (BOTs). While departing Grenada for Monserrat, a single anti-ship missile (AShM) was fired against Agrippa, which successfully destroyed the missile with its Phalanx Close-In-Weapons-System. The BNV patrol boat most likely Constitucion-class, ironically built in the UK during the 1970s[4] withdrew immediately after firing. It remains unclear why the Agrippa was attacked. Even despite recent aggressiveness by the BNV towards U.S. shipping[5], this represents a grave escalation. Significance: Without a leadership figure in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, the Agrippa incident and the loss of 64-0008 to a Man-Portable-Air-Defence-System (MANPADS) demonstrate a probable loss of control over state arsenals. Despite limited professionalism among the armed forces[6], the availability of such sophisticated weapon-systems is a major threat to regional stability. The risk of proliferation of MANPADS on the black-market is a particular concern. Uproar over the loss of 64-0008 has also made intervention all but certain: repeated[7] warnings[8] to avert an intervention in Venezuela have lost weight in Washington and Brasilia[9]. U.S. enthusiasm in particular is buoyed in direct proportion to the likely share of effort which will be borne by Brazilian troops[10]. Although the UK faces no direct risk, Commonwealth partners and already-vulnerable BOTs stand to suffer if the violence continues to spill-over. A regional Notice to Mariners has been issued, complementing last weeks Notice to Airmen after the loss of 64-0008. The resultant increase of shipping insurance is further disrupting vital supply chains to isolated BOTs such as Monserrat. The UK is obliged to protect these territories. Option #1: The UK provides aerial support to the probable U.S.-Brazilian joint humanitarian intervention. Risk: Between Brazilian forces and the U.S. Global Response Force[11], the Venezuelan military will be rapidly overrun[12]. It is illustrative to note the Venezuelan Air Force is grounded by flight-safety issues[13] and defections[14] to the point where DELIVER COMFORT remains unchallenged by any Venezuelan military aircraft. The primary challenge will be the U.S./Brazilian occupation of major urban centres such as Caracas or Maracaibo. These cities include neighbourhoods dominated by loyalists to the socialist regime, and will pose considerable counter-insurgency challenges. Improvised explosive devices have already been employed by the opposition[15] and it can only be assumed regime loyalists will use similar techniques following an invasion. UK sealift capacity is largely tied down supporting EXERCISE SAIF SAIREEA 6 in Oman. This conveniently precludes the prospect of large-scale UK ground contribution in Venezuela. The Royal Air Force (RAF) can nevertheless offer FGR4 Typhoons and Voyager aerial tankers to stage out of Puerto Rico, drawing on experience in long-range deployments[16]. Gain: The UK will win favour in Washington while avoiding the more substantial risks of a ground deployment. By helping to crush the vying armed groups within Venezuela, Caribbean BOTs and Commonwealth partners will be reassured of ongoing UK support to their security. Option #2: The UK coordinates the acquisition or sabotage of Venezuelan MANPADS & AShM systems. Risk: By targeting sophisticated weapon-systems, we can not only neutralise a key threat to our U.S. & Brazilian allies, but also the main source of disruption to regional Commonwealth partners and BOTs. Bribery or staged purchases can be used to render these weapons harmless, or to have them delivered to UK hands for safekeeping. A similar activity was pursued by the Secret Intelligence Service during the 1982 Falklands War, targeting stocks of the Exocet AShM[17]. This route, however, cannot guarantee complete success especially where MANPADS may be held by regime loyalists, for instance. The risk to UK contacts inside Venezuela will be severe, besides the public-relations risk of UK taxpayer money being used in the illicit trade of arms. As a covert activity, it will also fail to publicly reassure local Commonwealth partners and the BOTs of a diminishing threat. Gain: This averts the expense of a full RAF deployment, while delivering results which can speed the U.S./Brazilian occupation of Venezuela and ultimately assuring improved Caribbean stability. By not directly involving ourselves in the invasion, we also avoid inadvertent attacks against Russian mercenary forces in-country[18], or Russian civilians engaged in arms deliveries to the regime[19]. Option #3: The UK enhances Royal Navy (RN) patrols in the Caribbean. Risk: The RN is currently thinly stretched. Besides ongoing North Atlantic Treaty Organization deployments and ships based at Bahrain, significant resources are tied up in the HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH Maritime Task Group to Singapore. A Type 45 Destroyer, HMS Dido, can nevertheless be made available. With a significant anti-missile capability[20], Dido can intercept any further AShM attacks and better protect local shipping than the Agrippa. This will, however, fail to address the wider issue of MANPADS proliferation within Venezuela itself. The presence of a single additional air-defence warship will also do little to assist the U.S./Brazilian invasion: Washington may perceive the deployment as a token gesture. Gain: This option again averts the potential costs of an RAF engagement in the upcoming invasion of Venezuela, while offering highly visible reassurance to Caribbean Commonwealth partners and BOTs. Shipping insurance may be induced to return to pre-crisis levels, alleviating local supply chain disruptions. Other comments: The Venezuelan crisis poses an increasing destabilization risk to already-vulnerable BOTs and Commonwealth friends in the Caribbean. We must take action to assure their safety and prosperity. Recommendation: None. Endnotes: [1] Bellingcat, (2018, Dec 22)Identifying Aircraft in the Comina Operation in Venezuela https://www.bellingcat.com/news/americas/2018/12/22/identifying-aircraft-in-the-canaima-operation-in-venezuela/ [2] Centre for Strategic & International Studies, (2019, Jan 23) The Struggle for Control of Occupied Venezuela https://www.csis.org/analysis/struggle-control-occupied-venezuela [3] The New York Times, (2019, Jan 13) Venezuela Opposition Leader is Arrested After Proposing to Take Power https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/13/world/americas/venezeula-juan-guaido-arrest.html [4] Hazegray.org, (2001, Oct 26) World Navies Today: Venezuela https://www.hazegray.org/worldnav/americas/venez.htm [5] Navaltoday.com, (2018, Dec 25) Venezuelan Navy stops ExxonMobil ship in Guyana Dispute https://navaltoday.com/2018/12/25/venezuelan-navy-stops-exxonmob%E2%80%8Eil-ship-in-guyana-dispute/ [6] Bellingcat, (2018, May 13) We are going to surrender! Stop shooting!: Reconstructing Oscar Perezs Last Hours https://www.bellingcat.com/news/americas/2018/05/13/we-are-going-to-surrender-stop-shooting-reconstructing-oscar-perezs-last-hours/ [7] Foreign Affairs, (2017, Nov 8) What Would a U.S. Intervention in Venezuela Look Like? https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/venezuela/2017-11-08/what-would-us-intervention-venezuela-look [8] TIME, (2019, Jan 31) I Commanded the U.S. Military in South America. Deploying Soldiers to Venezuela Would Only Make Things Worse http://time.com/5516698/nicolas-maduro-juan-guaido-venezuela-trump-military/ [9] The Guardian, (2018, Dec 14) Rightwing Venezuelan exiles hope Bolsonaro will help rid them of Maduro https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/13/brazil-bolsonaro-maduro-venezuela-dissidents-rightwing [10] Twitter, (2019. Feb 2) https://twitter.com/saveriovivas/status/1091733430151364610 [11] RAND, (2016) Enabling the Global Response Force, Access Strategies for the 82nd Airborne Division https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR1161.html [12] Military Review: The Professional Journal of the US Army, (January 2019) Venezuela, A Black Swan Hot Spot https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Journals/Military-Review/English-Edition-Archives/Jan-Feb-2019/Delgado-Venezuela/ [13] The Aviationist,(2012, Nov 28) Photo shows pilots ejecting from their jet moments before it crashed into the ground https://theaviationist.com/2012/11/28/k8-crash/ [14] Daily Sabah, (2019, Feb 2) Venezuela air force general defects in rebellion against President Maduro https://www.dailysabah.com/americas/2019/02/02/venezuela-air-force-general-defects-in-rebellion-against-president-maduro [15] Bellingcat, (2017, Sept 2) The Bombs of Caracas https://www.bellingcat.com/news/americas/2017/09/02/the-bombs-of-caracas/ [16] Forces Network, (2016, Sept 29) RAF Typhoons Head to Far East Amid Heightened Tensions https://www.forces.net/services/raf/raf-typhoons-head-far-east-amid-heightened-tensions [17] The Telegraph (2002, Mar 13) How France helped us win Falklands War, by John Nott https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1387576/How-France-helped-us-win-Falklands-war-by-John-Nott.html [18] The Guardian (2019, Jan 13) Russian mercenaries reportedly in Venezuela to protect Maduro https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/25/venezuela-maduro-russia-private-security-contractors [19] TASS, (2018, Apr 4) Kalashnikov plant in Venezuela to start production in 2019 http://tass.com/defense/997625 [20] Savetheroyalnavy.com (2015, Sep 28) UK and NATO navies take further small steps in developing ballistic missile defence https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/uk-and-nato-navies-take-further-small-steps-in-developing-ballistic-missile-defence/ Upon entering service in 2017 the Chengdu J-20 became the first active fifth generation fighter jet in the world developed outside the United States providing the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) with an analogue to the U.S. Air Force's F-22 Raptor air superiority fighter. The J-20 was designed with a radar evading stealth profile to maximize its survivability both in air-to-air combat against enemy fighters and against enemy air defenses. The fighter's air superiority airframe provides it with a high thrust/weight ratio, a high speed, high operational altitude, and the long range needed to dominate airspace both over Chinese territory and beyond across the South and East China Seas. Recent reports from Chinese state media outlet CCTV however indicate that the J-20 airframe could potentially be modified to fulfil different roles for the PLAAF namely that of an electronic attack and a strike aircraft. Subscription video-on-demand leader Netflix is celebrating its first success at the prestigious BAFTAs in the UK after Alfonso Cuaron won awards for best film, director, cinematography and film not in the English Language for its film Roma. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts ( BAFTA ) is a world-leading independent arts charity that aims to bring the very best work in film, games and television to public attention and supports the growth of creative talent in the UK and internationally.Described as the most personal project to date from the Academy Award-winning director and writer (Gravity, Children of Men, Y Tu Mama Tambien), Roma follows Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a young domestic worker for a family in the middle-class neighbourhood of Roma in Mexico City. Said to be delivering an artful love letter to the women who raised him, Cuaron draws on his own childhood to create portrait of domestic strife and social hierarchy amidst political turmoil of the 1970s. Netflix film Rom a is Cuarons first project since the ground-breaking Gravity in 2013. Pierre Branco is to oversee Turners broadcast business in the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey and Cyprus in addition to his existing role as SVP and GM for Northern Europe. Brancos focus will be to maximise all-platform growth opportunities in MENAT and expand Turners local content strategy. He will continue to report to Turner EMEA president, Giorgio Stock, as a member of his EMEA executive leadership team.The appointment is effective from 1 April, when outgoing Turner MENAT chief Tarek Mounir joins music streaming company Deezer as its MENA CEO.Branco assumed the Northern Europe remit in July 2017 and under his leadership Turner has reinvigorated Cartoon Network, now the UKs top pay-TV kids channel, overseen the launch of Toonix, Turners first SVOD kids OTT service in the Nordic region , and negotiated a flagship deal with Channel 4 to launch and build Adult Swim in the UK. In previous roles at Turner he oversaw its business in France and Africa, with both markets delivering record commercial and ratings performances while he was at the helm.Pierres ability to bring fresh impetus and new thinking to our business has been proven across hugely diverse markets. Together with our talented regional management team, he will now help further our vision for Turner in MENAT to deliver outstanding branded destinations to our fans across the region, said Giorgio Stock, president, Turner EMEA.Turner International's MENAT portfolio comprises Cartoon Network and Boomerang English, Turkish and Arabic services, TCM and the distribution of CNNI. Just after his first week of official practice, new transfer Jesse Miritello persuaded sever ALL ELITE WRESTLING SELLS OUT ALL PRE-SALE TICKETS FOR DEBUT EVENT, AEW TO PARTNER WITH JERICHO CRUISE The 5/25 All Elite Wrestling "Double or Nothing" pre-sale this afternoon sold out almost immediately. AEW's remaining tickets will go on sale and immediately sell out later this week: If you did not get your ticket for #AEW #DoubleOrNothing in the pre-sale, General on sale happens Wed, Feb 13th at 9am Pst / 12pm Esthttps://t.co/BVyw1bPbla pic.twitter.com/ke6CmWA2Zz All Elite Wrestling (@AEWrestling) February 11, 2019 We have heard from readers who were unable to purchase tickets and/or did not receive pre-sale passwords in advance, which are both likely signs of how huge the pre-sale interest was. Meanwhile, Chris Jericho has announced his second annual Jericho Cruise will take place in January 2020 with AEW being involved and partnering with his Cruise from Florida to the Bahamas. The following press release was issued: Former WWE superstar and current All Elite Wrestling producer, Billy Gunn, is hosting his very own WrestleMania party in New York City on Friday, April 5th, 2019. The event will be held at Legend's Bar in Manhattan from 10p-2a EST, and tickets go on sale this Sunday night at Midnight EST, immediately following the Elimination Chamber pay per view. Guests confirmed for the party: - Billy Gunn - Bully Ray - The Beautiful People (Velvet Sky and Angelina Love) - "Cowboy" James Storm - Bull Dempsey (formerly of NXT) - Austin Gunn - More to be announced... Tickets are VERY LIMITED and are likely to go quickly, so visit http://www.maniaparty.com to secure yours this Sunday after Elimination Chamber. You can also RSVP the event on Facebook (already over 140 people have RSVP'd the event so far!) for details, updates and future guest announcements (https://www.facebook.com/events/1736351286471606/). Email bigeventscompany@yahoo.com with any questions about the event. If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here! If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here. Submit Philadelphia labor, employment, and workers compensation law firm Willig, Williams & Davidson is pleased to announce that attorney Joseph D. Richardson has joined the firm. He focuses his practice on labor law. Before joining the firm, Richardson spent seven years as a field attorney with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in San Francisco and Philadelphia. As an NLRB attorney, he investigated unfair labor practice charges and represented the board in administrative hearings and injunction proceedings in U.S. District Court. He also represented his co-workers as an NLRB union local president and served as a pro bono arbitrator for denials of service at homeless shelters in San Francisco. Richardson graduated magna cum laude from American Universitys Washington College of Law, where he was an editor on the Administrative Law Review. He is a member of the Order of the Coif and a recipient of the Mussey Prize and the Wallace L. Duncan Award for Outstanding Scholarship in the Field of Administrative Law. As a law student, he defended low-income tenants facing eviction proceedings in Washington D.C. Superior Court. Before attending law school, Richardson served five years in the Marine Corps, where he learned Arabic and was selected for an elite Marine reconnaissance unit. He participated in the Iraq invasion in 2003 and deployed to Afghanistan as a civilian in 2004 and 2007. About Willig, Williams & Davidson Willig, Williams & Davidson (http://www.wwdlaw.com) is one of the largest and most respected union-side labor law firms in the United States. The firm has offices in Philadelphia, Jenkintown and Harrisburg, Pa., as well as Haddonfield, N.J., and Chicago, Ill. Founded in 1979, Willig, Williams & Davidson focuses on representing labor unions, employee benefit funds and individual working people and their families on a variety of legal fronts, including national, regional and local contract negotiations; dispute resolution through mediation, arbitration and litigation; tax and benefit law compliance issues; discrimination and other employment matters; prepaid legal services for union members; and workers compensation matters in Philadelphia and beyond. The Presidential Leadership Scholars (PLS) program announced that Adeeti Gupta, MD, FACOG has been selected as one of the 60 Scholars chosen for the programs fifth annual class. Presidential Leadership Scholars are a diverse group of mid-career professionals beginning a journey to hone their leadership abilities through interactions with former presidents, key administration officials, leading academics, and business and civic leaders. The program is a collaboration among the presidential centers of George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Lyndon B. Johnson. Womens health has been on the forefront of the minds of politicians, health practitioners and consumers for as long as we can remember. Dr. Gupta has spent over a decade investigating why women evade the gynecologist, STD rates are rising at an alarming rate, and fatal diseases are going undetected until they are no longer treatable. Her sleuthing determined that fear, apprehension, logistics, financials, and inefficient wait times, for appointments and in the office, were the culprits. Opening the first Walk In GYN Care in Manhattan in 2014 proved to be a game-changer in gynecological care. For the first time, women could see a board-certified gynecologist when it fit into their schedule, not vice versa. More women were the healthiest they had been in years due to this new concept. In 2017, Dr. Gupta expanded to Queens with a location in the popular area, Astoria. Over 1,500 women per year are treated at Walk In GYN Care, and Dr. Gupta helped 20% of them avoid emergency room visits, which is typically a massive financial burden. The prestigious Presidential Leadership Scholars is a 6-month program where Dr. Gupta will refine her current award-winning leadership skills while developing a network and tactics that span traditional geographic, professional, political, and economic boundaries. The guidance Dr. Gupta will receive at the Presidential Leadership Scholars program will provide her with the impetus for global growth of Walk In GYN Care. This significant recognition of Walk In GYN Care has the ability to significantly change the way women receive gynecological care across the nation, even the world. When women are still treated as cattle and usually herded in and out of offices or hospitals in todays day and age, we know change must happen now. My goal is to create a system of facilities across the entire nation that have the common goal of caring for women with compassion and high standards, so women can feel safe going to any of those centers, said Dr. Adeeti Gupta, founder of Walk In GYN Care. As a woman in medicine who has seen prejudice against women all over the world, The Presidential Leadership Scholars program is allowing me to take the independent, empowering and authoritative values my loving father instilled in me to help a conglomerate of women feel valued, heard and cared for. Walk In GYN Care is the only walk-in center in the country dedicated solely to women health. And theres no appointment necessary. Both Manhattan and Astoria locations offer traditional gynecological care, STD and pregnancy testing, birth control and emergency contraception evaluation, on-site sonograms and more. Dr. Gupta developed a Well Woman Package to ensure even those without insurance, had access to quality care. Each location has weekend and pre and post-work hours to accommodate the modern-day superwoman. For more information on Walk In GYN Care and Dr. Adeeti Gupta, please visit http://www.walkingyn.com. For more information on the Presidential Leadership Scholars, please visit http://www.presidentialleadershipscholars.org. ValvTechnologies ITC ValvTechnologies, Inc., the global leader in the design and manufacturing of zero-leakage high-performance isolation valve solutions, is pleased to announce that its International Technical Conference and Users Group (ITC Middle East) will take place March 12-13, 2019 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. ITC Middle East is a rare opportunity to bring together the best and most experienced valve industry professionals and application experts in an intimate setting to collaborate, share solutions and discover new technologies from other users, engineers and industry professionals. Abu Dhabi will mark the first time the conference has been hosted in the UAE. Open to all ValvTechnologies customers, distributors and representatives from around the world, ITC Middle East will focus specifically on unique market opportunities, challenges and needs of power and oil and gas customers in the Middle East region. Designed to address regional markets challenges, ITC Middle East will provide useful information for practical application. From group and breakout sessions as well as interactive forums, attendees will leave the conference highly motivated and better equipped with the knowledge to improve business operations. For additional information or to register, visit: http://www.cvent.com/d/7bqyyh For questions, email: marketing@valv.com ValvTechnologies invites all industry experts to submit their original and innovative topics for presentation at ITC Middle East. Experience reports, case studies and other types of studies that provide interesting and compelling solutions are well suited for this conference. The deadline to submit abstracts for review is February 8, 2019. To begin the submission process, visit: http://info.valv.com/itc-me-2019-presentations-0 About ValvTechnologies Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Houston, Texas, ValvTechnologies is the leading manufacturer of zero-leakage, high-performance isolation valve solutions providing an unsurpassed level of severe service isolation services and reliability to customers in the fossil power, nuclear generation, upstream oil and gas, downstream and chemical processing, mining and minerals, pulp and paper and other specialized industries. Employing more than 500 people worldwide, ValvTechnologies has offices in Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, India, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Malaysia, Peru, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States. In addition, ValvTechnologies partners with stocking distributors, independent representatives and authorized repair centers to service customers around the world. To find out more about the products and services offered or to locate a representative, visit our website at http://www.valv.com. Connect with ValvTechnologies on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Insurance companies offer a wide range of discounts. But only a few are really valuable and can save you a lot of money, said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. Cheapquotesautoinsurance.com has launched a new blog post that presents the most valuable discounts which will make drivers get cheaper car insurance. Clients should profit on all the discounts they are eligible for. Insurance companies are known for providing multiple discounts. Drivers are recommended to request their insurer to provide a list of discounts and their respective requirements. Bundling discount. Since car and home are the most expensive to insure, combining coverage with the same company can provide a discount that will save the client a lot of money. Multi-vehicle plans can also provide significant savings. The value of the discounts varies a lot, depending on the insurer, the number of combined policies and the value of the insured belongings. Some companies are willing to offer discounts as high as 20 percent for these bundled packages. Good driver discount. Keeping a clean driving record for a specific number of years will be rewarded with a discount. Some insurance companies will offer this discount after three years of safe driving, while others will require 5 years. Another advantage of this discount is that its usually applied per each driver in the household. Low-mileage discount. The less a person drives, the lower are the chances to be involved in accidents. Retired persons, those who work from home or have a short commute should ask about this discount. Ask more about the annual mileage that will make the driver eligible. Good student discount. This is probably the best way is which teens can save auto insurance money. In order to qualify, the driver must have at least 3.0 GPA or meet additional requirements (like being on the Deans Honorary List). Report cards or other documents are required in order to qualify. Good credit score discount. Depending on his credit score, a driver can pay less or more on insurance premium. Studies done by the insurance companies show that drivers with bad credit score have higher chances to file for a claim or miss payments. For more car insurance info, money-saving tips and free online quotes, please visit https://cheapquotesautoinsurance.com Cheapquotesautoinsurance.com is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. SERVER BOOK is known for it's popular order pad holders, which feature bright designs, including this new pattern, which features a summer picnic theme of watermelon slices and pineapple on a blue ba ServerBooks.com announces the launch of two line extensions of the popular SERVER BOOK brand server organizers and a new website, powered by Shopify, to better serve customers in the first quarter of 2019. SERVER BOOK is best known for their line of colorful server organizers and order pad holders for restaurant waitstaff, but has recently expanded their offerings, with new seasonal patterns and a collection of metallic and glitter server books. Cute server books featuring everything from hearts and paw prints to sugar skulls and even winter foxes wearing glasses have become best sellers for the brand, which launched in 2018 on Amazon.com. New seasonal patterns for the first quarter of 2019 include a summer picnic-themed SERVER BOOK with pineapples and watermelon slices, a pastel paisley pattern that is great for spring, and a new rainbow stripe metallic pattern with hints of glitter that has been a viral hit on social media. Restaurant servers have long been crafting do-it-yourself order pad holders that express their personal style by adding brightly colored duct tape and stickers to the exterior of plain black check presenters provided by the credit card companies and using them to hold their order pad and signed credit card slips, but they look cheap and fall apart after a few weeks of daily use, said Alex Curavo, founder of ServerBooks.com and the SERVER BOOK brand. We saw an opportunity to create a new type of server organizer that not only holds an order pad and a few receipts, but also has added pockets for a waitress tips, point-of-sale swipe card, and section map or notes about the daily specials. We made it out of a high quality, durable PU material that is waterproof, easily cleanable, and wont split at the binding like the cheap plastic check presenters. To make them appeal to restaurant servers and management alike, we sought to offer a variety of colors and printed patterns that would have a professional, yet fun appearance that a check presenter covered in beer stickers or duct tape lacks. With the introduction of four new metallic and glitter fabrics and six new printed patterns this month, the number of Cute server books now available under the SERVER BOOK brand now totals 23. We look forward to adding 10 to 12 new patterns a quarter to keep the brand fresh, added Curavo. With increasing demand and a broader selection of SERVER BOOK patterns available, the company recently partnered with Canadian e-commerce platform Shopify to launch ServerBooks.com, the brands official e-commerce website. In the first 10 days, sales of SERVER BOOK brand server organizers and order pad holders have increased more than 500%, including an 81% increase on Amazon.com. While currently only available in the United States, the company is looking at options to ship to Canada and the United Kingdom by late 2019. For additional information, visit http://www.serverbooks.com/. Convento de Sao Francisco Church SouthAmerica.travel flies their clients from any Brazilian airport to Morro by connecting them at the Salvador airport to charter planes that connect you seamlessly with the island no matter where you are coming from. You never heard of Morro de Sao Paulo? You should have! Morro de Sao Paulo is a tropical paradise, with its pristine beaches and laid back style. Morro de Sao Paulo, or Morro as the locals call it, is located just a few miles off the coast from Salvador da Bahia, the first capital of Brazil and a showcase for colonial baroque art! However, getting to Morro is time-consuming and challenging. The traditional route is notably difficult for international tourists on a tight time budget. It involves taking the one-time daily boat from Salvador. Rough waters of the All Saints Bay included. Then travelers must trek from the pier to chosen Posada, on an island without cars. Almost inevitably, staying one night in Salvador is necessary before transfering to the island. Hence, practically no international tourists or anyone outside of Brazil speak of Morro. Now, SouthAmerica.travel has changed that scenario for their clients: SouthAmerica.travel flies their clients from any Brazilian airport to Morro by connecting them at the Salvador airport to charter planes that connect you seamlessly with the island no matter where you are coming from. Also, should you travel with heavy luggage SouthAmerica.travel offers a land/boat transfer just for your luggage straight to the posada on the island. This new and easy route to the beach is especially interesting for those that come to Brazil for its Baroque jewels like Ouro Preto, Tiradentes, and Salvador and as of recently -again- Rio de Janeiro. Thats right! Rio de Janeiro is not only Corcovado and Sugar Loaf. Rio also stands out for its colonial heritage! Now that the waterfront viaduct is down - Bostonians and Seattleites know what I am talking about - suddenly Rios palaces along the waterfront complete with the new Museum of Tomorrow and Rio Art Museum are shining again and invite you for a stroll along the water with incredible vistas of the surrounding landscape. About Us: SouthAmerica.travel is a tour operator specialized in custom South America tour planning for travelers worldwide from its offices in Seattle, Lima, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Stuttgart. The website offers hundreds of sample itineraries as well as local phone numbers in 88 countries. SouthAmerica.travel offers 4-star & 5-star South America Tours to Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, and more. Licensed and bonded in the U.S., SouthAmerica.travel has been sharing its love of travel to South America since 1999 and is proud of its A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau and ASTA affiliation. SouthAmerica.travel - Our name is our passion Follow SouthAmerica.travel: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthAmericaDotTravel Twitter: https://twitter.com/SouthAmTravel Blog: https://news.SouthAmerica.travel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/southamerica-travel Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southamericadottravel/?hl=en School Bus Logistics, LLC, the leader in logistics consulting and support to school districts across North America, has added a new route logistics manager who will specialize in Route Management Services. Established in 2010, School Bus Logistics (SBL) has helped school districts optimize routing to aid in budgetary efficiencies and safe transportation of school children. The new hire, Melissa Western, brings vast experience and expertise to the already knowledgeable staff. She will help SBL to continue growing their client base and provide the personalized route management SBL is known for. With more than 11 years of experience in the pupil transportation industry, Western has in-depth industry knowledge as well as an understanding of day-to-day operations. Her career was primarily with Douglas County School District (DCSD) in Castle Rock, Colorado, the third largest district in the state. At the time she left DCSD, Western held the title of Lead Transportation Scheduling Coordinator and was responsible for assigning, coordinating, and overseeing all transportation operation services including special education, general education, and activity/field trips and routes. During her career, she has worked in the evaluation and reporting of metrics for bus safety, bus capacity, utilization, and on-time service for 250+ routes. She has also served as a liaison to the terminals, schools, and communities to provide positive customer service regarding bus routes including schedules and stops. Western has provided mentoring and training of transportation and district staff for new software programs and ensured that route schedules complied with union contracts. Western holds an official Routefinder Pro Certificate from Transfinder and is proficient in the software. According to the Transfinder site, Certification is an extensive exam that challenges users knowledge of Routefinder Pro, Transfinders flagship product used to create school districts bus routes. About 50% of SBL projects utilize Transfinder which is also their preferred platform for districts who do not currently have a software in place. Bringing Melissa onto our team will continue to elevate our offerings. Her working knowledge of the industry, and one of the top routing softwares, aligns with the level of understanding and service that we are always striving for. says Robert Jacobus, CEO and founder of SBL. SBL plans to attend several trade shows this year including the April CASTO Conference in Anaheim, CA. During these events, they will showcase Route Management Services which provide districts with complete turn-key routing with a focus on improving customer service to schools and families. For additional information about SBL, email sales(at)schoolbuslogistics(dot)com. School Bus Logistics (http://www.schoolbuslogistics.com) was created in 2010 to provide logistics consulting and support to school district officials and school bus contracting companies. With more than 60 years of combined routing software experience and routing operations, their focus is solely on pupil transportation routing and the challenges it brings to school districts and the communities they serve. R Systems Inc, a global leader in technology and AI/analytics services, announced that it has completed an acquisition of 100% interest in Innovizant LLC. Innovizant, a Chicago (USA) based Company engaged in Digital Transformation Services including Advanced Analytics, Data Engineering, and Digital Connected Systems, through its wholly-owned subsidiary namely R Systems, Inc., USA. Ramneet Rekhi, Vice President, R Systems, said "Innovizant acquisition has strengthened our digital practice with niche data analytics competencies and marque customer base in financial services industry. Innovizant facilities in Chicago would be used as R System's Center of Excellence (CoE) to strengthen our on-shore/near-shore delivery capabilities, to serve our US Central and East Coast clients and our commitment to build a US-based technical resource pool. The CoE's focus shall be on to develop and support potential new business models and capabilities, offering solutions utilizing technologies like IoT, Al, Data Science, Big Data, AR/VR, Machine Learning, Robotics etc. We will be hiring talented resources in these niche technologies and would be investing further to promote this Center of excellence". He added, "I welcome Innovizant employees into the R Systems family and we will work with Innovizant's management team to integrate Innovizant with R Systems to optimize several synergies". Raj Gupta, Principal Partner at Innovizant, will now serve as President of R Systems' Digital Business Unit. Raj said "the whole Innovizant team is excited with this strategic acquisition which will provide Innovizant a global platform to scale its offerings and competencies and serve our customers with wider range of services". R Systems had last made an acquisition in 2012, when its subsidiary ECnet Ltd. had acquired the ERP business of Singapore-based systems integration company Nikko Computer Systems (S) Pte Ltd. for an undisclosed amount. In 2014, R Systems had sold its entire stake in two overseas subsidiaries to Netherlands-based Customer Contact Management Group BV. GDPR For Edtech Startups The Ed Tech companies that will be the most successful over the next ten years won't just comply with GDPR, but embed GDPR's core principles into their business practices. A record number of 1,500 session ideas were entered via PanelPicker for this years SXSW EDU Conference, held in Austin, Texas. Voters have selected and confirmed a joint session consisting of representatives from Proctorio, Instructure, and Future Privacy Forum. The panel is moderated by Mallory Dyer, Director of Product Development at Proctorio, and will address Why GDPR Matters for Ed Tech Startups. Mike Olsen, Founder & CEO of Proctorio, will join Chris Takemori, Associate General Counsel, Privacy and Product at Instructure, and Sara Collins, Policy Counsel for the Education Privacy Project at the Future of Privacy Forum to discuss the importance of new definitions and regulations that have developed regarding personal data since the growing significance of GDPR in recent years. Mike Olsen stated, Digital natives are in a position where they have little choice but to engage in a marketplace that has moved online. That includes where a lot of their education is happening. Theres no reason why they shouldnt be entitled to basic privacy rights and data protection. Especially when startups have access to all the tools they need to ensure compliance with GDPR. Now, more than ever, it is extremely crucial for startups to set precedence by proving their commitment to protecting user data. Looking forward, Sara Collins stated, The Ed Tech companies that will be the most successful over the next ten years won't just comply with GDPR, but embed GDPR's core principles into their business practices." A companys commitment to GDPR represents the foundation of trust between the consumer and the business. According to Chris Takemori, "Protecting the privacy of our users, whether they be students, teachers, or administrators, is essential to our mission at Instructure. We believe this enables deeper learning and fosters innovation in education because users feel fully protected when utilizing our solutions." The 2019 SXSW EDU Conference will take place in Austin, Texas from March 4-7. The annual educational conference will include the four-day exhibition, informational sessions, networking opportunities, competitions and more. SXSW EDU focuses on innovation in education and discussions will touch on nearly every educational topic. The panel discussion Why GDPR Matters for Ed Tech Startups will take place on March 7th from 11am to 12pm in room 16AB at SXSW EDU in Austin, Texas. About Proctorio: Proctorio is a fully automated, remote proctoring service that provides a scalable, cost-effective solution to validating test-taker identities, activities, and originality during online exams. Proctorio ensures the integrity of distance learning and online certifications while protecting institutional accreditation, increasing the value of online degrees & credentials, and helping institutions grow their programs. Proctorios customizable, secure exam settings, recording options and live ID verification allow institutions to set-up unscheduled, on-demand proctoring specific to their assessment needs. Proctorio ensures fairness for test-takers by increasing accountability, securing exam content, deterring cheating, and promoting a culture of academic integrity while improving learning outcomes. proctorio.com About Future of Privacy Forum: FPF brings together industry, academics, consumer advocates, and other thought leaders to explore the challenges posed by technological innovation and develop privacy protections, ethical norms, and workable business practices. FPF helps fill the void in the space not occupied by law which exists due to the speed of technology development. As data optimists, we believe that the power of data for good is a net benefit to society, and that it can be well-managed to control risks and offer the best protections and empowerment to consumers and individuals. About Instructure: Instructure, Inc. is the leading software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology company that helps people learn and develop, from their first day of school to their last day of work. Its software solutions include Canvas, the learning platform that simplifies teaching and elevates learning, and Bridge, the employee development and engagement solution for people-focused companies. To date, Instructure has connected millions of educators and learners at more than 4,000 educational institutions and corporations throughout the world. Learn more about Canvas for higher ed and K12, and Bridge for the corporate market at http://www.instructure.com. ...dentCHECK's new Blend-Out Assistant makes remaining thickness objective, accurate and fast. Portugalia Airlines, Portugals leading regional carrier operating under the TAP-Express brand has selected 8trees dentCHECK tool to enhance the efficiency and quality of dent- and bump-mapping on its fleet of aircraft. dentCHECK is the world's only handheld-portable, completely wireless 3D scanner tool with integrated AR that is purpose-built for the aviation maintenance industry. It is now used by the worlds leading commercial, cargo and defense MROs. Delivering real-time go/no-go answers at the push of a single-button, the tool significantly reduces damage-mapping and reporting times, compared to traditional manual methods that use depth-gauges and straight-edges. We look forward to deriving the benefits of dentCHECK on our Embraer E-Jet maintenance line, said Valter Fernandes, CEO, Portugalia Airlines. 8tree has created a robust point-and-click inspection tool designed for all skill-levels, that addresses a chronic need within the aviation industry. dentCHECK allows our maintenance teams to assess and report more types of damage much more efficiently than what was ever possible before. In addition to the tool itself, Portugalia has been particularly impressed with 8trees commitment to delivering new feature enhancements to pre-existing customers via software updates this bodes very well for Portugalia in the future, as dentCHECK capabilities continue to expand. We plan to support Embraers certification activities so that dentCHECK is officially recognized in Embraer maintenance tool manuals. "We warmly welcome Portugalia our first customer with an all-Embraer fleet to the rapidly growing community of dentCHECK users, which now exceeds two dozen airlines, MROs and OEMs, spanning more than three dozen installations worldwide", said Arun Chhabra, CEO, 8tree. "We are thankful that Portugalia 8trees first Portuguese customer has placed their trust in dentCHECK. We look forward to supporting Portugalias maintenance operations and having them experience 8trees exceptional customer service. At next weeks MRO Middle East in Dubai, we will announce some exciting new dentCHECK features including multi-dent reports for high-density damage areas and blend-out assistant to expedite blend-out remaining thickness measurements. Traditional blend-out assessment is a painstaking and time-consuming process subject to a lot of human error our new Blend-Out Assistant makes it objective, accurate and fast. As always, existing dentCHECK users will have access to these new capabilities via software updates, ensuring that your dentCHECK purchase always remains up-to-date., said Chhabra dentCHECK has been recognized by multiple aircraft OEMs. It is approved and published in Airbus Tool Equipment Manuals (TEMs) for dent-mapping on metallic aero-structures and composite cabin floor-boards on all Airbus aircraft. In addition, the criteria outlined in Boeings Service Letter, applicable to all Boeing commercial aircraft, recognizes dentCHECKs performance and the rigor of 8trees measurement validation process. Similar recognition of dentCHECK performance can be found in the Q400/Dash-8 NDTM from Bombardier. OEM-acceptance has led to widespread adoption of dentCHECK amongst airlines/MROs. Detailed case-studies from easyJet, Delta TechOps and TAP-M&E, as well as news from Aeromexico, Airbus Flightline, DHL-Express and Zeppelin, demonstrate that dentCHECK drastically reduces inspection and reporting times by up to 90%. This shortens aircraft Turn-around-Time (TaT), which further reduces lost revenues and very directly improves operational efficiency for airlines. dentCHECK enhances safety through an improved understanding of airframe reliability. For more information and to see dentCHECK in action, visit http://www.8-tree.com. About 8tree 8tree makes 3D optical surface inspection tools that solve chronic problems for multiple industries. 8trees products empower every operator from mechanics on the floor, to engineers in the lab with precision measurement, portability and performance. With its patented user-centric product design, instant go/no-go answers and zero-learning curve, 8tree is committed to making precision 3D scanning more broadly accessible technically and commercially. About Portugalia Portugalia Airlines, Portugals leading regional carrier, is a subsidiary of TAP Air Portugal and operates scheduled international and domestic services from its bases in Lisbon Airport and Porto Airport, under the TAP-Express brand. Las Vegas Day of Giving Volunteers "I'm a disabled, senior veteran on a budget. This afforded me relief and satisfaction." Perfect Smile Dental partnered with the Smiles for Everyone Foundation to open its Las Vegas office to provide free dental services for nearly 100 underinsured, low-income individuals on February 2, 2019. Volunteers from Smile Brands Inc.'s affiliated offices in Las Vegas arrived on a rainy Saturday morning ready to cast rays of sunshine over all those who stepped into the Perfect Smile Dental office. The Team, comprised of nine doctors and over 30 support staff, worked together to deliver pro bono care to underserved patients. Members of the Las Vegas community were informed about the event through our Foundation's partnerships with local nonprofit organizations, such as Street Teens, an organization that gives guidance to homeless youth; Helping Hands of Las Vegas Valley, a support program for low-income senior citizens; and The Cupcake Girls, a resource center for victims of sex trafficking. Services included cleanings, fillings, extractions and more. Volunteer dentists included Dr. Karla Gutierrez, Dr. Gordon Murray, Dr. Sara Parasido, Dr. Kostika Polena, Dr. Cortnie Sanchez, Dr. Andrew Schneider, Dr. Joel Stokes, Dr. Kathleen Uy, and Dr. Matthew Welebir. The patients were extremely vocal about how grateful they were for the level of compassion shown to them by the Team. "They were smiling through, even though they were tired," said Hollie S., who learned about the event from the local news. "I would just like to tell them thank you, and not to worry about the long wait. Linda C., from the Jewish Family Service Agency wrote to us saying, "The staff is the bomb and humor filled, but also extremely patient, caring, and knowledgeable. I'm a disabled, senior veteran on a budget. This afforded me relief and satisfaction. You're a blessing to the community! Keep up the good work, and God bless." The Smiles for Everyone Foundation would like to give a warm thank you to the Team who volunteered their time on their day off to deliver Smiles to those in need. Their hard work truly paid off, as patient Hector M. said, "You made my 2019!" Please visit http://www.smilesforeveryone.org for a list of upcoming events. About P3 Dental Group P3 Dental Group is a rapidly growing group dental practice affiliated with Smile Brands Inc. Founded by Dr. Matthew Welebir in 2003, P3 Dental has been delivering quality care to Las Vegas area residents. With five convenient general dentistry locations and two co-located specialty centers, P3 Dental Group provides state-of-the-art general and specialty care, including: preventative care, periodontal care, restorative care, cosmetic care, Invisalign, dental implants, oral surgery, and sedation dentistry. Their mission is to create long-term patient relationships by making dental visits convenient, affordable and stress-free. P3 relies on Smile Brands to provide world-class business support services so they can focus on delivering highly personalized patient care. About the Smiles For Everyone Foundation The Smiles for Everyone Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission of delivering smiles for everyone by providing free dental care for those in need, both at home in the U.S. and around the world. Since 2011, the Smiles for Everyone Foundation has delivered over 19,000 smiles and $14.5 million in donated dentistry. The foundation currently supports programs which provide free dental care to those in need in Cambodia, Ghana, Laos, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Thailand, and the United States. For more information or to make a donation, visit http://www.smilesforeveryone.org. Contacts: Perfect Smile Dental Jody Martin PR(at)smilebrands.com 714.427.1299 Smiles for Everyone Foundation Crystal Strait crystal.strait(at)smilesforeveryone.org 714.824.5037 Mueller Milk Silo As more dairy farmers are consolidating, their need for on-farm storage is growing and the time they have to maintain that storage equipment is shrinking. Paul Mueller Company announces plans to unveil its new dairy silo at the World Ag Expo held February 12-14, 2019, in Tulare, California. Visitors are invited to view the 10,000-gallon Mueller silo on display, the first of its kind for the industry. As more dairy farmers are consolidating, their need for on-farm storage is growing and the time they have to maintain that storage equipment is shrinking, said Mike Mills, General Manager of Dairy Farm Equipment at Paul Mueller Company. Thats why we created this all-stainless steel base, aluminum-jacketed silo for easier maintenance. The new silos all-stainless steel, bullseye-bottom base protects against fatigue and prevents rust. The inner tank incorporates a patented inflated-type Temp-Plate heat transfer surface. The surface removes more heat from milk in the same amount of time. The silo not only maintains temperature but allows farmers increased cooling capacity and more on-farm storage than ever before, with five sizes ranging from 10,000 to 40,000 gallons. Dairy producers are encouraged to come by Muellers booths, DS79 and DS80, at World Ag Expo to see and feel this new silo for themselves. Paul Mueller Company is headquartered in Springfield, Missouri with manufacturing and sales operations in Iowa, The Netherlands, and Vietnam. Paul Mueller Company employees build innovative processing equipment for dairy farms and a wide variety of other applications in food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and chemical facilities worldwide. For more information about Paul Mueller Company products, visit paulmueller.com. Florida Medical Cannabis Conference More than 30 industry, legal and government professionals will be hosting panels and break out sessions and QA's with audience. The Florida Medical Cannabis Conference (FMCC), will take place February 22-24 at the Marriott Orlando World Center in Orlando, FL, for the purpose of educating doctors and patients, medical, legal and business professionals, as well as the general public on medical cannabis. The Patient and Student Cannabis Education Session on Friday, February 22nd, from 3-6 p.m., will include a discussion with a panel of licensed physicians and medical cannabis users with Crohn's disease, epilepsy, PTSD, autism, diabetes and other special conditions. Children are welcome. Pre-registration is preferred. Patient consultations for Medical Cannabis Identification Cards are available to early registrants. Patients must book an appointment prior to the conference by calling 239-298-3544. Talk titles such as Cannabis and the Senior Adult and The Role of Cannabinoids in Influencing Human Performance at an Elite Level will speak to those curious about the benefits of medical cannabis. Featured speakers include physicians and other industry professionals such as legislators, attorneys, nurses, lab techs, and dispensary managers addressing cannabis and hemp laws, pediatrics, dosing, careers, PTSD, lab reports and pain management. CMEs and CEUs are available to physicians and physician assistants. Legislative, Veterans, Business and Regulation, Marketing and Branding, and Cultivation panels will also address common questions and give attendees an opportunity to interact with a panel of knowledgeable and experienced professionals. The Expo Hall will be open each day and allow industry professionals to showcase services and products. The February 22-24 event will be held at Marriott Orlando World Center, 8701 World Center Drive, Orlando, FL 32821. Tickets can be purchased online at flmedicannabis.com or at the conference registration desk. Patient and Student Cannabis Education Session tickets cost $15 (Friday only). Weekend General Admission tickets cost $159. About Florida Medical Cannabis Conference Co-founders, Jill Giles and Dawn Yarnell of Naples, FL, own and operate Green Palms Health and Wellness in Naples and founded FMCC in 2017. According to Ms. Yarnell, The mission of the conference is to educate the community, change stigmas, and help patients and physicians productively converse about cannabis. About Celsius Marketing Interactive Celsius Marketing Interactive is a full-service national marketing firm based in Fort Myers, FL. For more information, press only: Denis Shchipov 239-322-2117 dshchipov(at)celsiusmarketing.com For more information or to register: http://www.flmedicannabis.com 239-298-3544 Pacific West Bank (OTCBB: PWBO) continues executing on their recently announced Portland expansion plans by hiring seven highly skilled local commercial bankers. In the next thirty days we hope to announce the location of our downtown Portland office location, said Terry Peterson, CEO. This seven member team along with Executive Management will be moving into the new downtown Portland office location, he continued. Hiring this team of seasoned bankers brings additional depth to an already strong group of local bankers in Lake Oswego and West Linn. Further, it solidifies our position in Portland as a bank committed to keeping a local focus, said Lisa Faust, Senior Vice President. This Bank has been serving the Portland-Metro Area since 2004. With our recent capital raise and additional bankers, we will provide a strong alternative to doing business with the big box bank, said Alex Gosline, Senior Vice President. This team of experienced bankers have spent their entire careers in Portland. We are excited to share a high quality, consistent, and tailored commercial banking experience across our entire footprint, he continued. Lisa Faust joins the team as SVP, Commercial Relationship Team Leader. With over 25 years of commercial banking experience, her expertise spans from client management and treasury consultation, to business development. Lisas clients include local businesses, professional service providers and non-profit organizations. Her passion for serving nonprofits led to her most recent role overseeing the strategic growth of the nonprofit niche for a regional community bank. Lisas expertise in non-profit management is sought after as a board member, workshop leader and speaker. Lisa is the Portland City Councils appointed Board President of Open Signal, a Portland Community Media Center, board member of Ride Connection and board member of Friends of the Children Portland. Alex Gosline joins the team as SVP, Commercial Lending Team Leader and has been in the Portland commercial banking market since 2012. Most recently, he was a senior commercial lender with a regional community bank. His specialties are centered in commercial and industrial lending with substantial experience in lending to non-profits and other specialized industries. Alex currently chairs the Presidents Council of the Portland Business Alliance and is an active board member with the Portland RMA, and the University of Oregon EMBA Alumni. Carol Warneke joins the Bank as SVP, Business Development Officer. She has been in the Portland commercial banking market for over 30 years with most of that time spent working for community banks. Carol thrives on finding the right solutions for each client while serving them with integrity and delivering exceptional client service. Carol works with many local businesses with a focus on women professionals and nonprofit organizations. She looks forward to continuing her business development efforts in the Portland-Metro area with an expanded focus on working with businesses in Lake Oswego, Tualatin and West Linn. Carol has served on numerous nonprofit boards and committees and as a volunteer. Kyle Baisch joins the team as VP, Commercial Relationship Officer. Kyle has been in the commercial banking business for over 10 years specializing in depository and cash management products and services. Most recently, he has been the go-to specialist for all professional services companies for a regional community bank. Kyles experience spans across many industries including medical/dental, CPAs and contractors. He is a 2015 graduate of Leadership Portland and enjoys volunteering with numerous nonprofit organizations throughout the community. Josephine Davis joins the team as VP, Client Experience Officer. Josephine has more than 15 years in the financial services industry with expertise in the areas of branch operations, team management and treasury services for commercial clients. In addition to managing a portfolio of business clients, Josephine will focus on optimizing bank processes and policies to ensure clients are receiving an exceptional experience. She is a passionate advocate for social justice, diversity and equity matters, and has volunteered and served on various nonprofit advisory boards and committees in Portland and Eugene. Cori Doll joins the team as a Commercial Relationship Associate and will be an active manager of the downtown Portland office. Cori has been in commercial banking for 5 years with expertise in bank operations and servicing business accounts. Evan Peterson joins the team as a Credit Analyst. He has worked in commercial banking for 4 years and has experience in bank and loan operations. Evan will be supporting the commercial lending team in downtown Portland. About Pacific West Bank: Pacific West Bank, a community business bank, is headquartered in West Linn, Oregon, with a second branch in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Pacific West Bank provides not only highly personalized deposit and loan services to individuals and small-to-medium sized businesses but also financial and volunteer support to a variety of community, civic and charitable organizations. For more information about Pacific West Bank, please call 503-905-2222 or visit http://www.bankpacificwest.com. Information about the Bank's stock may be obtained through the OTC Markets at http://www.otcmarkets.com. Pacific West Bank's stock symbol is PWBO. Forward-looking Statements: Certain statements in this release may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current plans, estimates and projections, and therefore you should not place undue reliance on them. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update publicly any of them in light of new information or future events. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. We caution you that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. For many of our customers, key lime will serve as the vital missing component for combining fruit flavors, allowing them to add a hit of brightness and achieve the desired flavor profile. -- Chris Hodge, director of sales for fermentation, Oregon Fruit Products Oregon Fruit Products LLC today released its latest limited-edition Fruit for Fermentation puree: Key Lime. Fruit for Fermentation adds flavor, aroma and texture of real fruit to a variety of fermented beverages such as beer, cider, mead, spirits, wine, and kombucha. Key limes are prized in the culinary world for their intense aroma and tart flavor. Oregon Fruit Key Lime Puree is pale green in hue and smooth in consistency, with soft undertones and an intensely bright and tangy flavor. Key Lime is a natural line extension for the company, building on the success of other citrus limited release flavors such as grapefruit, tangerine and blood orange. Anyone who has juiced a key lime knows the small fruit yields surprisingly substantial rewards, says Chris Hodge, director of sales for fermentation at Oregon Fruit Products. For this fruit in particular, our brewers see a big advantage in having a puree that their disposal that is flavorful, consistent, and ready to go without arduous prep work. Oregon Fruit Key Lime Puree is perfect for blending into a wide variety of beverages that benefit from a citrusy tropical kick, such as Mexican style lagers, hazy IPAs or lighter summertime brews. The puree also provides acidic contrast to darker, more robustly flavored fruits like cherry, boysenberry, and blackberry. For many of our customers, key lime will serve as the vital missing component for combining fruit flavors, allowing them to add a hit of brightness and achieve the desired flavor profile, says Hodge. Like all Fruit for Fermentation purees, key lime has no added sugar or preservatives, and is packaged aseptically for shelf-stability and ease of use. Oregon Fruit for Fermentation is minimally processed to ensure the best fresh fruit flavor and color. Most of the purees have a shelf life of 18 months in ambient temperature. More tips for brewing with Oregon Fruit Products Fruit for Fermentation is available here. Oregon Fruits Key Lime puree is now available in 42 lb. bag-in-box. The product is certified kosher, made in the U.S.A., non-GMO, gluten-free and vegetarian. Oregon Fruit Products does not use, nor does it allow, any of the eight major allergens (milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat) in the products or processing areas. Oregon Fruit Products LLC Founded in 1935, Oregon Fruit Products offers a complete line of canned, frozen and shelf-stable premium fruit for consumers, foodservice operators and ingredient sales. The company is located in Salem, Oregon and can be found on the web at http://www.oregonfruit.com and shop.fruitforbrewing.com. Take Five - This is your final free article during this 30 day period. Stay in touch with all of the news. Sign up today for complete digital access to The Daily News-Record. Gaw | Poe LLP logo Our clients are grateful for the Ninth Circuits implicit recognition that antitrust disputes, like any others, are to be decided by juries of ones peers." -- Mark Poe The San Francisco law firm Gaw | Poe LLP today announced that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ordered reinstatement of a $44.4 million jury verdict that the firm had won against Swisher International, Inc., the worlds largest cigar manufacturer. Two months after the jury delivered its verdict in March 2016, however, the trial court vacated a large portion of the award, reducing it to slightly more than $9 million. We were delighted that the Ninth Circuit gave proper deference to what the jury saw through our trial presentation, which is that Swisher took deliberate steps to get our client under its thumb, and then squashed it, said Randolph Gaw, a partner and co-founder of the firm. The firms client, Trendsettah Inc., is a start-up manufacturer of the small cigars known as cigarillos. When it initially launched its brand, Swisher International had offered to manufacture its cigarillos, with Trendsettah selling them under its own label and branding. Trendsettah alleged in its court filings that as its Splitarillos brand cigarillos exploded in popularity, they started to eat into Swishers mammoth share of the market, prompting Swisher to sabotage the production of Splitarillos in a variety of anticompetitive ways. Following a two-week jury trial in Orange County, California, the jury agreed with Trendsettah, finding that Swisher had caused it to lose $14.8 million in profits. That amount is automatically trebled pursuant to the federal antitrust laws. Mark Poe, the other named partner in Gaw | Poe, served as both lead trial and appellate counsel in the case on behalf of Trendsettah. Our clients are grateful for the Ninth Circuits implicit recognition that antitrust disputes, like any others, are to be decided by juries of ones peers, Mr. Poe said. He added, The federal antitrust laws were created by Congress for a reason, and the reason was to protect small businesses against the depredations of corporate giants. Swisher was represented on appeal by the renowned appellate attorney, Ted Boutrous, of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher. Serving as co-counsel for Trendsettah on its appeal was Eric Citron of the leading Supreme Court boutique law firm Goldstein & Russell. Additional trial counsel of record for Trendsettah were Gaw | Poe partners Victor Meng and Sam Song. The case is Trendsettah USA, Inc., et al. v. Swisher International, Inc., No. 16-56823 and was heard before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. This case is also the fourth, successive, unqualified appellate victory for Gaw | Poe in the last eight months, and the firm has never lost an appeal. Previously, Gaw | Poe succeeded in confirming an $11.3 million arbitration award before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals (Barranco v. 3D Systems Corp.), and in upholding a defense judgment following a bench trial over contractual option rights to real estate worth over $10 million (Tierney v. Javaid). Gaw | Poe had also succeeded before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in upholding a jury verdict in favor of its real estate investor client on claims and counterclaims worth over $7 million (Okada v. Whitehead). About Gaw | Poe LLP Gaw | Poe LLP is a boutique law firm with offices in San Francisco and Orange County. Focusing on business and antitrust litigation, among the firms achievements is a $44.4 million jury verdict against a cigar manufacturer, which was the 37th largest verdict in the United States for 2016, and which was affirmed by the Ninth Circuit. Those interested in learning more about this action or Gaw | Poe LLPs services may visit http://www.gawpoe.com. Michael Montalvo, Eastern Region President, North American Title Co. He is well-suited to lead our extensive operations in the eastern region and to execute strategies that drive customer delight! CONCORD, CALIFORNIA Feb. 11, 2019 North American Title Co. (NATC) has named Michael A. Montalvo president of its eastern region, following the sale of the company to States Title, Inc. in January. He will oversee operations for the more than 50 branch offices in many of the regions premier real estate markets. With nearly three decades of experience in the title industry, Mike brings a wealth of operational expertise and a proven track record of delivering robust results, said NATC President Dia Demmon. His rise through the ranks at North American Title over the past few years is a testament to his considerable skill, as well as his visionary and approachable management style. He is well-suited to lead our extensive operations in the eastern region and to execute strategies that drive customer delight! Montalvo most recently served as central region president, managing NATCs operations in Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and Texas. Prior to that, he was Illinois division president. His career in the title industry began in 1991 as a scheduling clerk with the Professional National Title Network. During his 14 years there, he gained experience in title and escrow, eventually managing several different departments and finishing his time there in sales and marketing. He then worked for nearly six years as vice president, operations manager Chicago residential for a major title company before joining NATC. These are exciting times at North American Title as we work with States Title to carve a new pathway for the industry as a whole, Montalvo said. The opportunity to be on the forefront of revolutionary changes in the industry and to work with an amazing staff of dedicated associates to implement more streamlined methods for serving our customers is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for which I am honored and grateful. A graduate of Purdue University Calumet, Montalvo is located at the North American Title office at 120 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60602, telephone number (312) 658-1008. About North American Title With close to 1,000 associates and a network of branches from coast to coast, North American Title Company (NATC) is among the largest real estate settlement service providers in the United States. Through its relationship with an expanding affiliate network, NATC provides or is able to coordinate real estate settlement services in all 50 states. With more than 100 offices across the country, NATC offers a depth and breadth of local expertise and knowledge in many of the premier real estate markets. NATCs parent company is States Title Holding Inc., headquartered in San Francisco, California. Founded by Max Simkoff and backed by a significant financial investment from Lennar and leading venture capitalists in Silicon Valley, States Title uses cutting-edge technology to deliver a modern title and escrow platform. Today at the Internet Advertising Bureaus Annual Leadership Meeting (#IABALM), Media.net COO Namit Merchant introduced an important new feature of The Media.net Programmatic Platform that embraces IAB Content Taxonomy 2.0 and OpenRTB 3.0. This new feature helps publishers and marketers rediscover the power of content by making Media.nets best-in-class contextual targeting engine available for third party use for the first time. Media.net is now offering page-level content segments to both publishers and buyers that use its Programmatic Platform. Currently this feature is in Closed Beta, but will soon be available to all Media.net Partners. Media.net is using the new standard created and launched last year by the IAB: IAB Content Taxonomy 2.0. One of the many ways this page-level content targeting is available is through OpenRTB 3.0 Bid Requests sent to compatible demand partners. Media.net Marketplace is one of the first programmatic platforms to upgrade to OpenRTB 3.0 in hopes of moving the industry forward on true transparency and the next phase of programmatic. There was a time when publishers differentiated themselves through the quality of their contentand marketers targeted their messages to the context of their ad placement, said Namit Merchant, COO of Media.net. Content was king. However, throughout the rise of digital, the top players have not owned or created content, continued Merchant. Instead, they managed platforms that attracted users and gleaned insights into their intent by what they searched, what they shared, who their friends were, and what they bought. Its no surprise then, that content took a back seat. Now, not only are publishers finding it hard to stand out from the pack, but privacy concerns are also mounting, governments are tightening regulations, and some of the software that powers the web is making it increasingly difficult to target audiences. Media.net is trying to move the industry forward in a challenging time by not only bringing this valuable product to their partners but also leading the conversation on the value of context. Today at the IAB All Leadership Meeting, Doug Lauretano, SVP at Media.net co-moderated a Town Hall with Meredith Corp. Chief Marketing and Data Officer Alysia Borsa where they jointly led a discussion around the uses and importance of contextual data. Among the specific attributes of the new feature of The Media.net Programmatic Platform: Advantages for publishers All tiers of IAB Content Taxonomy 2.0 segments surfaced on page level for any use Leverage a decade of innovation in contextual targeting to sell inventory, structure your site and manage revenue Offer programmatic guaranteed, private marketplace, and even non-programmatic packages Deeper content segmentation, custom categories, and custom segments offered in the advanced platform Advantages for advertisers IAB Content Taxonomy 2.0 available on all Media.net Marketplace requests OpenRTB 3.0 compliant marketplace sends context data to compatible platforms Content targeting bundled with brand safety controls at no extra cost increases the working media reaching the publishers ultimate auction High quality reach in cookie deficient environments About Media.net Media.net has one of the most comprehensive portfolios of advertising technology in the industry across search, native, display, mobile, local, products and video. Its platform and products are licensed by some of the largest publishers, ad networks and other ad tech companies worldwide. By market cap, Media.net is one of the Top 5 largest ad tech companies worldwide. By revenue, Media.net is the second largest contextual advertising business worldwide. Media.net has 1300-plus employees in key operation centers acrossNorth America, Europe and Asia. Media.nets US HQ is based in New York, and Global HQ in Dubai. For more on Media.net, visit http://www.media.net. uild ### Media Contact: Andy Morris Code Morris for Media.net andy.morris@codemorris.com 917-710-1802 The RLTS system is an integral component to ensure the best possible care for Veterans while increasing productivity and safety within the VAMCs/VISNs. Liberty IT Solutions, LLC, that specializes in Health Information Technology, has been awarded a $3.9 million task order by the Department of Veterans Affairs to sustain the existing RTLS platform. RTLS is a system of systems designed to electronically track medical equipment, supplies and instruments. It also has the ability to locate staff or patients inside VA hospitals. RTLS works by integrating independent systems such as Asset Tracking, Cardiac Catheterization Lab Supply Tracking, Sterile Processing Workflow, and Temperature monitoring. This interconnectivity increases VA efficiency, reduces costs, and improves patient care outcomes. The Liberty Team has had a productive start on the Real-Time Location Systems task order. We are excited to be sustaining this key initiative and to once again be working alongside VA and our partner Perspecta on another important program, says CEO Bill Greene of Libertys most recent award. The RLTS system is an integral component to ensure the best possible care for Veterans while increasing productivity and safety within the VAMCs/VISNs. Liberty and partner, Perspecta, will maintain the efficiency and integrity of the current RTLS platform while making updates and patches to maintain RTLS as a secure and reliable platform for use across the VA. About Liberty IT Solutions Liberty IT Solutions is a mission-centric Veteran-owned business that supports multiple government agencies across a diverse portfolio of Health IT projects. Our team believes that lines of code can change lives and is driven to enable that to happen more often, more securely and more efficiently. If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Liberty IT Solutions at 571.356.9627 or email at contact@libertyits.com Lee Wilson, a devoted husband and father, has completed his new book Exploits of a State Trooper: a soul-baring description of what it means to devote one's life to serve and protect. According to Wilson, "(I) was born in South Carolina and, upon completing high school, joined the US Air Force where (I) was an aviator. After (my) time in the service, (I) went into police work serving as a city police officer, a deputy sheriff, and a state trooper. (I) was exposed to and participated in most areas of being a peace officer. This book speaks of many different situations in which (I) was involved. Published by New York City-based Page Publishing, Lee Wilson's informative work begins more than fifty years ago and was a different time. This country was emerging from what is now called a third world country. There were very few paved roads and none of the enmities currently associated with modern life. Wilson grew up in the south in humble beginnings and this book starts there. He describes his military service and how he became involved in law enforcement. Wilson's love of his country and family have led him to a life well-lived with invaluable advice for those following the same path. Readers who wish to experience this inspiring work can purchase Exploits of a State Trooper at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708. About Page Publishing: Page Publishing is a traditional New York based full-service publishing house that handles all of the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not bogged down with complicated business issues like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes and the like. Its roster of authors can leave behind these tedious, complex and time consuming issues, and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com. Kinetech - Transforming Business Potential into Dynamic Performance The successful adoption and rollout of the City of San Antonio - Department of Human Services (DHS) solution further validates that the Kinetech Digital Execution Strategy is an effective blueprint regardless of organization size if leadership teams are serious about digital transformation. Kinetech, a business solutions firm offering agile custom software as a service and systems integration services, announces record breaking results with revenue up 25% over Q4 2017 and 18% for the full year. In Q4 we finalized a five-year license agreement with the City of San Antonio (COSA) to leverage our Government Technology (GovTech) Cloud solution for their Department of Human Services (DHS). The successful adoption and rollout further validates that the Kinetech Digital Execution Strategy is an effective blueprint regardless of organization size if leadership teams are serious about digital transformation, says Michael Guido, CEO of Kinetech. "We also see growth opportunities as American manufacturers embrace the Digital Factory and our outcome-based approach to unlock operational and financial performance that drives return on investment. In healthcare our clients are leveraging Kinetech to integrate disparate systems, automate document creation, and replace legacy CRM solutions. For 2019 we see growth accelerating between 40 - 60% and remain committed to our mission of serving as a transformative catalyst for good to our clients through our people and work. Since the formal go-live, COSA has reported nearly 90% of all applications received are digital (vs. paper), with over 3400 applications submitted in less than three months. The city also touts the GovTech solutions assistance in eliminating error prone data entry, enhancing communication with applicants via automated notifications, and reducing processing times by nearly 50% (from 45 minutes to 25 minutes). A direct integration to the Citys case management system is expected to reduce processing times by an additional 20 minutes. These enhancements are significant as the DHS program provides utility credits to the city's most vulnerable residents - those living within 125% of the federal poverty line. Kinetech is a cloud-native company combining full-service business consulting, agile software development, and enterprise support. The company was founded by former Strategy & IT consultants Michael Guido (CEO) and Ricky Volz (COO), who are fed up with the traditional consulting model. We empathize with our clients who have been burned in the past by failed technology implementations where teams of consultants try to configure off-the-shelf solutions. The financial incentives are not aligned when billable hours are these firms primary source of revenue. As a result, the projects drag on and cost clients and taxpayers substantial sums of money. By using agile methodologies, cloud technology, and as-a-Service contracts, we eliminate this misalignment of incentives and drive real results. According to Gartner (an independent research firm), the demand for agile, quick-to-market, cloud-based web and mobile applications is growing significantly faster than the capacity of internal IT organizations to deliver them. In contrast, the DHS application for the City of San Antonio went from design to deployment in 16-weeks using the Kinetech Digital Execution Strategy. Highlights of Kinetechs Q4 and full year results include: Record revenue in 2018 with impressive quarter over quarter growth of 25%: Kinetech completed its second largest quarter ever with bookings up 25% over Q4 2017, and record year end revenue with strong bookings in healthcare, manufacturing, and government technology. Completion of the City of San Antonios DHS Emergency Service Application: General public availability began in November with further enhancements coming in Q2 2019. Recognized as Best of San Antonio for Software Publicly recognized as a leader in Amazon Web Services (AWS) consulting: Kinetech is ranked a top 15 AWS Consultant. The ranking was compiled by Clutch.co an online ratings and review firm who dedicates themselves to identifying firms that deliver via independently verified customer reviews. Onboarded Aja Emmanuel as new Director of Sales: Kinetech appointed Mr. Emmanuel as its new Director of Sales. Opened new office in Nashville bringing total office count to five: San Antonio (HQ), Houston, Nashville, Charlotte, and London. For information on how to leverage Kinetechs expertise to unlock your organization's potential using cloud technology, please contact us here. About Kinetech: Kinetech is a US based technology consulting firm that designs, delivers, and supports custom cloud software, turning potential into performance while driving meaningful return on investment (ROI) for our clients. Through disciplined strategy, agile software-delivery, rapid application development (RAD), and global support - we deliver sustainable digital innovation to our customers. We believe technology has the potential to unlock value for every organization and that the best solutions augment and enhance human intelligence, rather than replace it. Kinetech enables organizations to: West Dundee, IL Divorce Attorney Benedict Schwarz, II Super Lawyers is a nationally recognized rating service that annually selects the top attorneys in each state based on independent research and evaluation by a peer panel. Attorneys who make the Super Lawyers list are among the top five percent of nominated attorneys in their state. The Law Offices of Benedict Schwarz, II P.C., is proud to announce that firm founder Benedict Schwarz, II has been named to Super Lawyers list of outstanding attorneys in Illinois for 2019. This is the 14th consecutive year that he has received this honor. Super Lawyers is a nationally recognized rating service that annually selects the top attorneys in each state based on independent research and evaluation by a peer panel. Attorneys who make the Super Lawyers list are among the top five percent of nominated attorneys in their state. Kane County attorney Benedict Schwarz, II, has practiced matrimonial and family law for more than 40 years. He is a trained divorce mediator and has experience in real estate, wills and estate planning law. Schwarz is an active member of several bar associations, including the Kane County Bar Association, McHenry County Bar Association, DuPage County Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association. He has served on the Family Law Section Council, Child Support Sub-Committee, and Domestic Violence Task Force. Schwarz has been a leader in the field of family law for decades. Accomplishments include: Being appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court as Chairperson of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission; Serving as a past director of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers; Serving on the Board of Directors of the Lawyers Assistance Program; Sitting on the Review Board of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission; and Chairing the Kane County States Attorney Task Force on Domestic Violence and the Kane County Batterers Task Force. Schwarz received his juris doctor from the John Marshall Law School in 1971 and was admitted into the Illinois State Bar in the same year. About the Law Offices of Benedict Schwarz, II P.C.: The attorneys at the Law Offices of Benedict Schwarz, II P.C., have more than 50 years of combined experience serving individuals and families in the areas of divorce, family law, real estate, and estate planning. With offices in West Dundee and St. Charles, Illinois, they represent clients in Kane, McHenry, DuPage, and Cook counties. Founding attorney Benedict Schwarz, II, is a trained mediator who can help clients reach an amicable solution to their divorce. For more information or to schedule a free initial consultation, call 847-428-7725 or visit https://www.divorcelawfamily.com. Karla Jo Helms, CEO of JoTo PR, stresses the value of InfoBionic's MoMe Kardia technology that obtains medical data in real-time to assist cardiologists in diagnosing and treating patients. InfoBionics technology gives them that power by enabling analysis and diagnosis within the practice; without working through a third-party company. About 610,000 people die of heart disease in the U.S. every year and 47% of sudden cardiac deaths occur outside a hospital.[1] Per Stuart Long, CEO of new JoTo PR client InfoBionic, a leading digital health company, new developments in remote cardiac monitoring permit cardiologists to see a complete readout of cardiac data in present time while saving valuable days off of the time-to-diagnosis. Without a continuous 24-hour capability, doctors often miss the critical minutes before the patient activates the device.[2] Thanks to advances in data storage, transmission and machine learning, a new generation of remote cardiac monitors enables 24/7 monitoring, combined with sophisticated data analysis to help physicians cut through large amounts of data. Thus, increased personalization and optimization of AI-powered medical technology will result in improved outcomes for patients and healthcare systems as the CAGR for artificial intelligence in the healthcare market is forecasted to hit 62.2% by 2022.[3] In addition, remote cardiac monitors can track heartbeats regularly over extended periods and identify arrhythmias as they happen via a HIPAA-compliant access through any internet connected device such as a PC or mobile device. The MoMe Kardia monitoring system from InfoBionic features algorithms that give doctors the opportunity to quickly sort through essential patient data to address important cardiac events and diagnose long-term heart conditions faster and more accurately. InfoBionic is a digital health company transforming the efficiency and economics of ambulatory remote patient monitoring processes by optimizing clinical and real-world utility for the users that need it most physicians and their patients. The Massachusetts-based team of seasoned entrepreneurs have had successful careers in healthcare, IT, medical devices and mobile technology, and bring specific expertise in remote monitoring and cardiology. Frost & Sullivan bestowed the 2019 North American Remote Cardiac Monitoring Technology Leadership Award upon InfoBionic. Cardiologists must have full disclosure of the heart in real-time to serve the medical needs of their patients and their families. Karla Jo Helms, CEO for JoTo PR said. InfoBionics technology gives them that power by enabling analysis and diagnosis within the practice; without working through a third-party company. JoTo PR has a history of innovative PR services that demonstrates their ability in gaining consistent news traction within the media for national and international organizationshelping provide front-line information to the media about industry disruptions and technological solutions aimed at making markets better for consumers. The firm is a trailblazer in the PR industry, blending traditional PR expertise with disruptive digital media to harness the advantages of the current media landscape. JoTo PR specializes in the healthcare, finance and technology sectors, but has worked for a variety of industries and non-profits, using a proprietary process to consistently identify, communicate and distribute to the press the newest news thats most valuable to its readers, viewers and listenership. About JoTo PR: After doing marketing research on a cross-section majority of 5,000 CEOs of fast-growth trajectory companies and finding out exactly how they used PR, how they measure it and how they wanted the PR industry to be different, PR veteran and innovator Karla Jo Helms created JoTo PR and established its entire business model on those research findings. Astute in recognizing industry changes since its launch in 2009, JoTo PRs team utilizes newly established patterns to create timely PR campaigns comprising both traditional and the latest proven media methods. This unique skill enables JoTo PR to continue to increase the market share and improve return on investment (ROI) for its clients, year after yearbeating usual industry standards. Based in Tampa Bay, Florida, JoTo PR is an established international public relations agency. Today, all of JoTo PRs processes are streamlined PR services that have become the hallmark of the JoTo PR name. For more information, visit JoTo PR online at http://www.jotopr.com. About Karla Jo Helms: Karla Jo Helms is the Chief Evangelist and Anti-PR Strategist for JoTo PR. Karla Jo learned firsthand how unforgiving business can be when millions of dollars are on the lineand how the control of public opinion often determines whether one company is happily chosen or another is brutally rejected. Being an alumna of crisis management, Karla Jo has worked with litigation attorneys, private investigators and the media to help restore companies of goodwill back into the good graces of public opinionKarla Jo operates on the ethic of getting it right the first time, not relying on second chances, and doing what it takes to excel. Karla Jo has patterned her agency on the perfect balance of crisis management, entrepreneurial insight and proven public relations experience. Helms speaks globally on public relations, how the PR industry itself has lost its way and how, in the right hands, corporations can harness the power of PR to drive markets and impact market perception. 1. Staff writer. Heart Disease Facts. Centers for Disease Control. 2018. Web. 2. Barrett, P., et al. Comparison of 24 Hour Holter Monitoring Versus 14 Day Novel Adhesive Patch Electrocardiographic Monitoring. American Journal of Medicine, 2014. 3. Staff, Writer; Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Market Outlook, Demand Supply, Drivers, Strategy and 2022 Forecasts Analysis, Crypto News, 2019. Web. Jasper Contractors, Inc. today recognized Joseph Palladino as the companys most recent top-performing revenue earner, awarding Palladino a 2019 Jasper-red Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. Palladino will be honored at the Stingrays unveiling at 11 AM on Tuesday, February 12 in Booth 645 at the International Roofing Expo in Nashville, Tennessee. Earning a Corvette is one aspect of an ongoing incentive program available to every single account manager at Jasper Contractors whose cumulative sales increase the companys revenue by 5 million dollars or more. Account managers have the opportunity to earn other incentives as they achieve successive tiers of cumulative revenue. Prior to joining the Jasper Contractors sales team, Palladino appeared on chef Gordon Ramsays culinary television series, MasterChef, and was named one of the top 100 amateur cooks in America. As a member of the Jasper team, Palladino reached the five million dollar milestone in less than two years. Joes hard work and commitment to his customers earned him this award, said Brian Wedding, CEO and founder of Jasper Contractors, Inc. We choose to honor Joe at this years International Roofing Expo in order to elevate these values to the highest level of recognition our industry can provide. We feel the accomplishments of successful roofing contractors should be promoted much more aggressively. A long-term presence at the IRE, Jasper Contractors actively promotes the roofing industry across the various markets served by the company. The company recently completed the acquisition of One Source Roofing, a provider of commercial roof management and related services, and will meet with additional parties during the expo. Revenue numbers for Jasper Contractors, Inc. and its account managers are calculated using GAAP accounting procedures. About Jasper Contractors Jasper Contractors, a high volume roofing company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, has offered roofing services since 2004. Company offices are located in Atlanta, Fort Myers, FL, Lake Mary, FL, Lakeland, FL, Melbourne, FL, Orlando, FL, Sanford, FL, Tampa, FL, and are in the process of opening branches in Naples FL, Tallahassee, FL and Panama City FL. Jasper Contractors is an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor. Jasper Contractors, Inc. is a subsidiary of EX Capital, LLC. For additional information about Jasper Contractors or the services provided, visit JasperRoof.com. January started where December left off with robust results for our international passenger traffic Interjet Airlines announced January 2019 traffic results including these highlights: Interjet Airlines total traffic for January 2019 grew YOY by 5.2 percent transporting 1,135,335 total passengers for the month. International traffic increased to 374,871 passengers Domestic passenger traffic included 760,464 passengers Available Seat Kilometers (ASKs) increased by 12.1% Revenue Passenger Kilometers grew by 15% January started where December left off with robust results for our international passenger traffic, said Julio Gamero, Interjets Chief Commercial Officer. Our value proposition of competitive prices with free checked bags on select fares, more legroom between seats and great service continues to resonate with our customers into 2019, he added. For more information regarding Interjets results or to make a reservation, visit http://www.interjet.com or in the U.S. call (866) 285-9525. About Interjet Interjet is an international airline based in Mexico City carrying more than 13 million passengers annually within Mexico and between Mexico, the United States, Canada, Central and South America. In all, it provides air service to 53 destinations in nine countries offering its passengers greater connections and travel options through agreements with major airlines such as Alitalia, All Nippon Airways (ANA), American Airlines, British Airways, LATAM Group, EVA Air, Iberia, Lufthansa, Hainan Airlines and Japan Airlines. Interjet was recently honored with Skytraxs World Airline Award as the Best Low-Cost Airline in Mexico and Best Cabin Crew in Mexico. In 2017, Interjet was awarded the Travelers' Choice Trip Advisor Award as the best Mexico airline. Media Contact Julieta Pena Flores Tel. +52 (55) 9178 5500 x5833 Email: julieta.pena(at)interjet(dot)com.mx Obtaining cheaper car insurance for teenagers can be difficult. However, there are some smart ways that will help teen drivers pay less on their premiums, said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. Carinsuranceplan.org has launched a new blog post that explains why is important for teen drivers to get online car insurance quotes before purchasing any policy. Insurance companies place teen drivers in the high-risk category. Their lack of driving experience and statistics that show teen drivers get involved in more car accidents than any other age group, make the teen drivers be more expensive to be insured. However, there are some ways that will help teen drivers pay less on their insurance premiums: Take advantage of the good student discount. Teen drivers that have at least a 3.0 GPA are eligible for this discount at most insurance companies. The value of the discount varies from one insurance company to another, but it can go as high as 35%. Teen drivers have only to provide the insurance company with the required documents that prove they are good students. Teen drivers should consider enrolling in a defensive driving course. Defensive driving courses will improve the driving skills of a teen driver. Not only that, but by taking a defensive driving course, teen drivers will find out more about their state's law, the risks they are exposed when driving, and the consequences of DUI or reckless driving. Teen drivers that successfully graduate a defensive driving course are eligible for discounts that vary from 5% to 15%. Remember that not all insurance companies treat teen drivers the same. Many insurance companies are willing to collaborate with teen drivers and provide them with better insurance policies. Some insurance companies will require the teen drivers to sign a driving contract where they accept to always drive carefully and obey the laws, wear their seatbelts, never drive while being drunk or under drugs influence, never use their cell phones while behind the wheels, promise to contribute to the car's maintenance, and many other important responsibilities. Get on a family plan. Teen drivers should consider joining the familys policy in order to take advantage of several discounts and perks. Discounts like multi-car discount, good driver discount, no claim discount extend to the whole plan and the overall policy cost might be lower than the price paid on two separate policies. Check car insurance quotes before signing any insurance contracts. Teen drivers should look for insurance companies that offer good prices. Also, teen drivers can find out how the familys plan can change if they are added to the policy. For additional info, money-saving tips and free car insurance quotes, visit https://carinsuranceplan.org Carinsuranceplan.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. With Hitachi Solutions Asia Pacific and Microsoft Dynamics 365, organizations can digitally transform into a business that has up-to-date tools and simplified yet unified applications. Hitachi Solutions Asia Pacific, a leading enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions provider, will be conducting an ERP Modernization Event which discusses the importance of having an updated and simplified cloud-based system at the Singapore Marriott Tang Hotel, on the 26th of February 2019. The event will focus on the different ways of improving business processes through ERP modernization and how shifting to Cloud ERP can be of great use for organizations who want to establish a consistent and seamless system especially in todays industry landscape where it is necessary for them to meet and match the demands of consumers. Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, powered by the Microsoft Cloud, provides a subscription service to an ERP system wherein a user pays on a subscription basis to have access in the system it can be accessed anywhere through any device that is connected to the internet. The Microsoft Cloud offers a single software solution that allows users to keep different business processes in sync without worrying about duplicating data. The Microsoft Cloud is formed to help organizations enhance security and improve performance which also let users have a platform they can easily adapt to. With Hitachi Solutions Asia Pacific and Microsoft Dynamics 365, organizations can digitally transform into a business that has up-to-date tools and simplified yet unified applications which establishes long-term customer trust and satisfaction, and also increase employees productivity driving them to be a cooperative team. The ERP Modernization Event will also showcase Hitachi Solutions Exclusive Migration Methodology which aims to: Educate and envision Analyze technical hindrances to migration Assess solution fit gap with 1-3 example processes Showcase upgrade benefits ERP Modernization Event Date: Tuesday, February 26th, 2019 Time: 11:00 am to 1:00 pm SGT Location: Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, 320 Orchard Road, Singapore 238865 LEARN MORE HERE If you have any questions about the event, please email info(at)hitachisolutions(dot)com. About Hitachi Solutions Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. Hitachi Solutions Asia Pacific helps its customers with industry specific solutions built on Microsoft Dynamics 365 enhanced with world class Business Analytics, and Portals and Collaboration. Recognized as worldwide Microsoft Dynamics Cloud Partner in 2017, Microsoft ERP Partner of year for Philippines in 2015 and 2016, Microsoft Dynamics Partner of the Year in Asia Pacific in 2015, Microsoft CRM Global Partner of the Year in 2014, and the 2014 Dynamics Global Outstanding Reseller of the Year, Hitachi Solutions Group provides global capabilities with regional offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, India, Japan, China, and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit: http://apac.hitachi-solutions.com/. About Hitachi Solutions, Ltd. Hitachi Solutions, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the core IT Companies of Hitachi Group and a recognized leader in delivering proven business and IT strategies and solutions to companies across many industries. The company provides value-driven services throughout the IT life cycle from systems planning to systems integration, operation and maintenance. Hitachi Solutions delivers products and services of superior value to customers worldwide through key subsidiaries in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, India, China, and Asia Pacific. For more information on Hitachi Solutions, please visit: http://www.hitachi-solutions.com. About Hitachi, Ltd. Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer societys challenges with our talented team and proven experience in global markets. The companys consolidated revenues for fiscal 2017 (ended March 31, 2018) totaled 9,368.6 billion yen ($88.3 billion). Hitachi is focusing more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes power & infrastructure systems, information & telecommunication systems, construction machinery, high functional materials & components, automotive systems, healthcare and others. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the companys website at http://www.hitachi.com/. United Capital Funding ushered in the New Year appearing across the southeast United States, sharing expert advice for entrepreneurs and building relationships with local businesses. Heres where we were in December 2018 and January 2019. December 12, 2018 / Ocala/Marion County Chamber & Economic Partnership Tim Johnson, a representative of the St. Petersburg-based factoring firm, spoke to a group of small business owners and innovators at a lunch and learn event, hosted by the firm. Johnson shared key insight into achieving success as a new business and how various capital options can affect a growing startup. January 10, 2019 / FAU Tech Runway Mark Mandula, chief marketing officer, presented to an audience of entrepreneurs about capital options for entrepreneurs. Mandula offered practical advice on how a young business can become a good candidate to take advantage of the variety of capital options that are available to B2B and B2G businesses. January 24, 2019 / Fort Stewart 29th National B2G Conference & Expo Mandula and Johnson attended the national conference in Georgia, which reached a record number of government contractors. Mandula headlined two sessions at the conference and was a panelist during its well-attended lunch session. Mandula will be a speaker at the upcoming conference hosted by TTExpo in Baltimore, Maryland in late March. January 24, 2019 / Nashville Business Incubation Center (NBIC) Annual Awards & Graduation Luncheon Matt Perkins, senior business development officer at United Capital Funding and board chairman of NBIC, honored recent graduate and client Ken Thomas, CEO and president of ARCHANGEL Protective Services, and presented awards to other hard-working entrepreneurs including Cherelle Lans, Vision Strategy Management, with the Volunteer of the Year award, and Jimmie Johnson of Landon Development, with the Chairmans Award. The primary goal of United Capital Funding is to make an impact in businesses across the nation by providing award-winning accounts receivable factoring services and to educate entrepreneurs in the most efficient resources for their business. For updated information on our events, visit our website, ucfunding.com. About United Capital Funding Group, LLC. United Capital Funding Group LLC (UCF) is one of the nations leading providers of working capital finance, having successfully provided collateral from most Fortune 500 companies. For more than 20 years, UCF has offered professional B2B and B2G funding through accounts receivable financing, credit insurance coverage and efficient accounts receivable management. UCF has headquarters in Florida with offices in Tennessee and Illinois. UCF is a subsidiary of Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Company, an FDIC-insured commercial bank. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.ucfunding.com. "Were providing programming in the career fields students want to pursue that will ultimately help lead them to sustainable, wage-earning careers." Dave Curry, MHS Director of Career and Technical Education This February, Milton Hershey School celebrates its roots in career and technical education (CTE) and the continued evolution of its CTE program to meet the changing needs of todays 21st century workforce. In 1909, career and technical education looked very different at Milton Hershey School, a cost-free residential school for children from disadvantaged backgrounds founded by chocolate maker Milton Hershey. Nestled in central Pennsylvanias countryside, early 20th century CTE programming at the school provided hands-on instruction primarily focused on agricultural and mechanical trades. Over the years, the schools CTE program has adapted to match industry trends and meet the changing needs of todays students, developing career pathways that range from Automotive Technology to Law, Public Safety & Security. MHS recently added its 12th career pathway in Education and Human Services. After analyzing current career opportunities in Pennsylvania and the United States, along with the employment projections for the next 10 years, we designed the Education and Human Services career pathway to give our students a head start and help develop a more skilled pool of educators and social workers throughout the state, said Dave Curry, MHS Director of Career and Technical Education. While MHS students are still in high school, they benefit from specialized, hands-on instruction in the career pathway of their choice, internship and job shadow experiences, and industry-recognized certification opportunities. The schools CTE program is tailored toward students individual passions and interests, preparing them for both college and the modern workforce. Were providing programming in the career fields students want to pursue that will ultimately help lead them to sustainable, wage-earning careers, Curry added. In addition to the projections for careers in education and human services, The Bureau of Labor and Statistics predicts that construction careers, along with healthcare and personal care, will account for more than 5.3 million new jobs by 2022. To prepare students for the increased demand in the trade industry, MHS offers two pre-apprenticeship and hybrid apprenticeship programs that are the first of their kind in the state of Pennsylvania. The programs were approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and implemented within the past year. As the first state-registered pre-apprenticeship program in Pennsylvania, our goal is for our students to receive hands-on experiences while in high school and to join the world of work with the necessary training and skills to succeed, Curry said. With a renewed societal focus on the value of CTE, MHS facilitates information-sharing throughout the year to encourage collaboration among educators and industry experts. On Wednesday, Feb. 20, MHS will host a Twitter chat with leading educational organizations and contributors to generate conversation around the increasingly important topic of career and technical education, and specifically the renewed interest in apprenticeships. Participation is encouraged and the conversation can be followed by using #MHSChat #CTEMonth. Along with knowledge-sharing, MHS is committed to early exposure programmingintroducing students to CTE as early as elementary school and helping them create individualized career goals and ambitions. During the month of February and beyond, CTE continues to play a large role in the schools mission of breaking the cycle of poverty by providing the necessary skills for students to live fulfilling and productive lives. More information about Milton Hershey Schools Career and Technical Education program and upcoming Twitter chat can be found at mhskids.org. "Jay brings a level of expertise, knowledge, and respect throughout the Office Product industry that is extremely valuable. As the sustainability movements gains tremendous momentum, new laws, regulations, and consumer interest is driving demand for Emerald's tree-free and plastic free technology. Emerald Brand is announcing the on-boarding of industry Veteran Jay Mutschler as a strategic adviser to the firm's Tree Free, Made in USA Pulp co-Brand licensing division. Jay has served in a number of senior leadership roles during his 35-year career in the Office Products Industry. Jay Mutschler was President of US Office Products, Washington DC from 98-2001. He served as President Corporate Express, from 2004-2008 prior to CE being acquired by Staples. From 2011 to 2016 Mutschler was President of Staples, Australia/New Zealand. Before leaving Staples in 2018 he oversaw the divestiture of Staples international businesses in Asia, South America, Australia, and New Zealand. "Jay brings a level of expertise, knowledge, and respect throughout the Office Product industry that is extremely valuable. As the sustainability movements gains tremendous momentum, new laws, regulations, and consumer interest is driving demand for Emerald's tree-free and plastic free technology. As a strategic adviser to the firm, Jay will deliver the knowledge and expertise necessary to ensure we are choosing the right long term partnerships in this revolutionary mission and growth curve," states Ralph Bianculli Sr.\CEO. Emerald brand expects to add additional experts in multiple industry distribution silos. The added value of new sustainable material disposables is only one aspect to the emerald mission. Emeralds co-branding licensing solution compliments the unique product assortment that includes, sales and marketing support , participation in new product development offering a front row seat to our continued innovative R&D and comprehensive monthly training on material technology by our senior Eco squad team with the goal to deputize licensed sales staff to our Eco -Squad. Emerald brand has the most unique bundling platform in the industry, capable of delivering 80% of consumer demand with 20% of the stocked products. Consolidating inventory requirements and providing cost-effective sustainable consumables that are easily replacing non-sustainable equivalents, Showcasing our One brand - Total Solution. "Our platform has quickly matured to a level where demand must be met with the recruitment of sales professionals trained and tutored by our Eco squad experts As the leader in our space, choosing the right channel partners is critical to our overall mission," states Ralph Bianculli Jr., managing director. About Emerald Brand: Family owned and operated since 1997, Emerald Brand is committed to innovating through Tree-Free, sustainable and rapidly renewable solutions. Emeralds innovations in Tree-Free technology and petroleum free plastics is revolutionizing packaging and disposables worldwide. Emeralds growing suite of 300+ sustainable finished products offers the workplace a healthier and more sustainable environment. Ecoventz founder and CEO Andreas Roussos announced the company has met its minimum target funding goal of $10,000 and is now inviting new investors to invest in the company. To date, Ecoventz has raised $16,200 of its goal. A company dedicated to making a positive environmental impact, Ecoventz specializes in creating and distributing high quality filters for exhaust systems, primarily used in the industrial and commercial cooking industries. Their best-known product, the High Efficiency Mist Collector (HEMC), is able to collect 95% of all airborne mists of .3 microns & larger emitted by traditional cookers in a single stage, helping businesses stay within NFPA standards and keep fans & hoods clean & . In addition, Ecoventz products cut costs by keeping cooking exhausts running more efficiently, and are designed specifically to minimize the potential of grease-caused fires. We believe the HEMC is one product that can really be a game changer in the cooking sector, said Roussos. These filters help businesses contribute positively to the environment and cut costs at the same time, while adding an additional safety factor in these buildings. Those interested in investing in Ecoventz can visit Tru Crowd and become part of the company today, with a minimum investment of $250. For more information on the company and its commitment to environmental wellness, go to http://www.ecoventz.com. ### ABOUT ECOVENTZ A company operating primarily in the industrial and commercial cooking sectors, Ecoventz provides high quality air filters to keep cooking exhausts and fans clean and running efficiently. Based in WY, USA & Ontario, Canada, Ecoventz is committed to making a positive environmental impact by helping clients reduce emissions. Safe Harbor Investing in startups and early-stage businesses involve risks including illiquidity, lack of dividends, loss of investment and dilution. If you choose to invest in businesses displayed on this portal, you need to be aware and accept that (1) you should invest money you can afford to lose, (2) the stock purchased is restricted, that is such asset is highly illiquid, (3) even if the business is successful, you might not receive any cash return on your investment for years, (4) ordinary events in the life of the firm can cause your ownership percentage to decline, and (5) investments in early-stage companies, should be done only under a larger investment plan whereby the vast majority of the capital is placed in safer, more liquid assets. You only will be allowed to invest with truCrowd after you have registered and completed the educational requirements for more information please visit trucrowd.com Source: Andreas Roussos Contact: 647-831-1717 Neel Bhatt, a UW assistant professor of otolaryngology, specializes in treating patients with voice problems. Through his work, he began to realize people did not like the sound of their own voices. With the transition to school over Zoom, many students can relate to the discomfort of hearin "This year's Social Shake-Up Show is a peer-to-peer event that will redefine the future of social media marketing." The Social Shake-Up Show, which will take place May 6-8 in Atlanta and is the leading event for marketers who leverage social media to drive business goals, today announced another dynamic addition to the speaker lineup: digital marketing pioneer and best-selling author Ann Handley. In her keynote, Handley will share inspiring and empowering stories to help marketers and other brand leaders create campaigns that engage and wow their customers. "We are so excited to include Ann in our lineup of amazing presenters who will deliver messages that shake up prevailing notions of what social media can and can't do for your brand," said Diane Schwartz, senior vice president of The Social Shake-Up and the Media/Communications Group at Access Intelligence. "This year's Social Shake-Up Show is a peer-to-peer event that will redefine the future of social media marketing." Ann Handley is the founder of MarketingProfs and a Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content and Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business. She is consistently named one of the most influential marketers on social media and one of the most dynamic big-stage presenters. At this years Social Shake-Up Show, the nearly 1,000 marketers in attendance will hear breakthrough thinking and fresh ideas for brand management, storytelling, paid social, the customer journey, crisis management, artificial intelligence, SEO, measurement and video. Attendees will hear from social media trailblazers at brands including the NFL, Merck, The Advocate, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, The Weather Channel, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Atlanta Hawks, IBM, Oracle, Yelp, Capital One, New York University and dozens of others. Handleys keynote is just one of more than 35 sessions Social Shake-Up Show attendees will participate in. The Atlanta conference will also feature a variety of ways for marketers and brand communicators to network and build meaningful connections with one another. In addition to the valuable content at the Show, professionals can reenergize through off-site activities including a cooking class, History Pub Crawl, yoga, tours of the World of Coca-Cola and CNN as well as dinner and networking gatherings. Attendees can take advantage of a discounted room block rate of $195 per night at the Marriott Marquis Atlanta where the Shake-Up Show will take place. Register by February 28 to save $800 on passes. Discounted rates for groups and nonprofits are available. For questions regarding the conference, contact director of marketing, Laura Snitkovskiy at laura@accessintel.com. To sponsor the event, contact sales director Katie Sullivan at ksullivan@accessintel.com. Partners and sponsors include AR|PR, AMA Atlanta, AMA D.C., Business Wire, Buztubr, ChooseATL, Falcon, MMRA, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, Proofpoint, Social Media Club Atlanta, Social Media Research Association and Verizon. About The Social Shake-Up: The Social Shake-Up Show is one of North America's largest conferences for social media marketing professionals. It is produced by Access Intelligence, also publisher of PR News, Chief Marketer, Cynopsis, Folio, Admonsters, AdExchanger, Event Marketer and dozens of other leading brands for business professionals. The 2019 Show will take place May 6-8 in Atlanta and will bring together 1,000 marketers and brand communicators focused on better integrating social media into their business strategies. For more information, visit http://www.socialshakeupshow.com. David Downing Being recognized as a Top 25 Marketing Mind by such a prestigious organization like HSMAI, is truly a career highlight," said David Downing. Selected by a panel of senior industry executives, David Downing was honored by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) as a HSMAI Top 25: Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimization for 2018 during a reception and gala in New York City. Every year, 25 of the hotel and travel industrys best and brightest are selected to the HSMAI Top 25 for demonstrating innovative thinking and exceptional results in the preceding 18 months. Downing is most recognizable for leading Visit St Pete Clearwater (VSPC) into record territory as President & CEO before leaving earlier this month to assume an equity position in a private sector hospitality development enterprise. During Downings tenure at VSPC, the Tourist Development Tax ("Bed Tax") in Pinellas County grew by 78% percent, reaching nearly $60 million in 2018 - which translates to $1 billion in rooms sales - putting Pinellas among the highest grossing tourism destinations in Florida. His teams marketing and media efforts are credited with incremental visitation generating more than $52M in spending that would not have occurred without the VSPC marketing and media efforts. Being recognized as a Top 25 Marketing Mind by such a prestigious organization like HSMAI, is truly a career highlight. This incredible team has been working hard for the last twelve years to attract visitors to our vibrant destination and our efforts are paying off for all of the residents of Pinellas County, particularly the 104,000 directly employed by the local tourism industry, says Downing. Under Dowings leadership, VSPC was also honored with a separate award at the event for their campaign titled Beaches of Orlando, which highlights the proximity of Americas Best Beaches to one of the worlds top tourism destinations. For a complete list of the HSMAI Top 25, please visit https://www.hsmai.org/News/PRDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=46170. For a complete list of HSMAI Adrian Award Winners, please visit https://www.hsmai.org/News/PRDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=47305. About David Downing David Downing was the President & CEO of Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, which is the official Destination Marketing Organization for Pinellas County, the most popular destination on Americas Gulf Coast. Downing oversaw some 50 full-time in-house staff, along with international sales and PR representation in the United Kingdom, Central Europe, Latin America, and China and an annual operating budget of more than $39 million. He has helped lead Visit St. Pete/Clearwater into record-breaking Tourist Development Tax collections. He is a member of the U.S. Travel Associations Board of Directors. Before joining Visit St. Pete/Clearwater in 2007, he worked in tourism marketing and publishing in New York City for more than a decade, first with Fodors/Random House and then at Zagat Survey. He holds a Masters Degree from UNC-Chapel Hill and a Certified Destination Marketing Executive (CDME) certification from Destination Marketing Association International (now known as Destinations International). Contact: David Downing Phone: (917) 528-8956 Email: downingNYC(at)gmail(dot)com The Mentor: a potent account filled with resounding spiritual perspectives that reflect Gods benevolence in life. The Mentor is the creation of published author, Dallas Ezra Haynes, a retired consulting engineer. Haynes shares, Some of the major battles I have been pulled into through the ages by Jesus the Christ are in the following chapters of the book: I Shall Spare the Child In Your Mothers Womb Spiritual Warfare Victory Over Cancer Signs of Destruction Grasshoppers "These are chapters based on a real-life experience I endured. These were used to show the reality of spiritual warfare we may engage in our life on earth, and at the same time how God can intervene for you here on earth. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Dallas Ezra Hayness new book contains invigorating words that readers and believers can heed upon to nurture their lifestyle in faith in God. This book holds real-life circumstances that mirror an unyielding conviction on the Lords promise for deliverance and mercy despite the worlds regression and toil. View a synopsis of The Mentor on YouTube. Consumers can purchase The Mentor at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about The Mentor, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. Monica Eaton Cardone, COO of Chargebacks911, discusses how the lack of parental controls and oversight open the doors to friendly fraud. Though parents believe their children didnt realize they were spending real money on in-app purchases, the fact remains that cardholders approved the initial transaction but subsequently failed to protect their accounts with parental controls and regular oversight. A recent investigative report by Reveal alleges that Facebook knowingly allowed children to accumulate charges for in-app purchases on games. The story featured unsealed court documents showing minors spent $3.6 million from October 2010 to January 2011; of that amount, 9% was returned to cardholders who filed chargeback claims.(1) Chargebacks911, a leading dispute mitigation and loss prevention firm, suggests that many of these claims may be a form of accidental friendly fraudand asserts that merchants, cardholders and issuers have the power to end it. Monica Eaton-Cardone, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Chargebacks911, differentiates between two types of chargeback fraud, also known as friendly fraud. Intentional friendly fraud occurs when consumers falsely claim an order was never received or not as described in order to obtain an unwarranted refund. Unintentional or accidental friendly fraud happens when cardholders attempt to reverse charges made by another family member or friend who had access to their account. Eaton-Cardone says recent case studies of digital goods merchants show that 57.6% of all friendly fraud chargebacks are of the accidental varietya statistic that has increased 20% in the last 12 months. While Facebook Games has been painted as the villain in this latest controversy, industry statistics show that friendly fraud is a symptom affecting all merchantsespecially those who sell digital goods. Inconsistently applied policies and poor cardholder education is partially to blame, she explained. Though parents believe their children didnt realize they were spending real money on in-app purchases, the fact remains that cardholders approved the initial transaction but subsequently failed to protect their accounts with parental controls and regular oversight. Eaton-Cardone acknowledges that both parties hold a share of the responsibility. Merchants can implement measures to ensure that any in-app purchase requires an additional approval, while parents can be more vigilant monitoring their accounts for their childrens spending. She also believes credit card issuers should play a more active role in educating consumers on the proper use of chargebacks and ways to control minors purchase activity. As of 2016, Facebook agreed to update its terms and provide dedicated resources for refund requests related to purchases made by minors.(1) The companys Game Payments Help Center page explains how to cancel a game or app subscription, remove a payment method, and contact Facebook about games or unauthorized charges.(2) Eaton-Cardone believes the recent Facebook controversary has important takeaways for digital-goods merchants, cardholders and issuers, and she encourages them to embrace these best practices: Merchants should confirm approval for each purchase made on minors accounts, such as requiring users to enter the credit card verification code and/or click on a popup acknowledging the amount to be charged to the payment method on file. Merchants should also provide parental controls and an easy method for cardholders to contact them about disputed charges. Cardholders should use parental controls and set up automated alerts to be notified of new charges. They should also review how game and in-app purchases work (one-time vs. ongoing) before saving a payment method to their childs account. Alternately, parents can provide children with prepaid credit cards or a specified amount of game credit (such as a Prepaid Game Card) to limit spending. Issuers should educate cardholders on their responsibility for minors charges and proactively contact them when a merchant applies multiple charges in a short period. Chargebacks have costly implications for both merchants and consumers. Eaton-Cardone notes that if a merchants policies are contributing to a high level of chargebacks, a proactive strategy is the best defense. Meanwhile, consumers who resort to abuse the chargeback system could find their accounts blacklisted due to friendly fraud. The Facebook Games case offers some valuable lessons. Parents would be wise to take this opportunity to safeguard their accounts and teach their children about responsible credit card use. And by taking steps to minimize chargeback losses, merchants can ultimately help to ensure the long-term sustainability of their business, Eaton-Cardone concluded. Chargebacks911 is dedicated to educating and supporting eCommerce merchants with services designed to improve profitability, decrease chargebacks and fight fraud. To that end, Monica Eaton-Cardone and her team will be participating in a number of upcoming industry events, including the 2019 Merchant Payments Ecosystem conference in Berlin and the Merchant Advisory Group (MAG) Mid-Year Conference in Fort Lauderdale. For details on Chargebacks911s comprehensive risk management solutions, informative articles and other merchant resources, visit https://chargebacks911.com. About Chargebacks911/The Chargebacks Company Chargebacks911 empowers businesses to combat constantly evolving fraud tactics and mounting customer disputes that directly threaten profitability. Operating as The Chargeback Company in Europe, Chargebacks911 has pioneered effective, industry-leading solutions designed to reduce chargeback fraud, alleviate processing costs, mitigate risk and recover revenues. The companys unparalleled expertise and proprietary technology have earned three consecutive CNP Customer Choice Awards for Best Chargeback Management Solution, three successive AI Lions Den Awards for Best Airline Industry Solution, and Gold and Silver Stevie Awards from the American Business Awards (ABA). With innovative and highly scalable services ranging from Intelligent Source Detection (ISD) to Tactical Representment, Chargebacks911 uncovers the true source of chargebacks, battles unjustified disputes, rescues lost revenue, safeguards reputations, and defends against relentless, ever-changing cyberthreats. Discover why Chargebacks911 is a hero to the payments industry, nemesis of fraudsters and trusted protector of over 2.4 billion transactions per year, representing clients worldwidevisit https://www.chargebacks911.com. 1. Halverson, Nathan. Facebook Knowingly Duped Game-Playing Kids and Their Parents Out of Money; Reveal; January 24, 2019. 2. Facebook. Game Payments; Facebook Help Center; undated; accessed February 6, 2019. Centerfold in NY Post "Township employees protect our health, safety, and wellbeing every day of the year. So we feel obligated to give back to them by making sure that their own lives are longer, healthier, and happier, too. Celebrity fitness pro and author Jon Douglas Gallo is now offering his famous health and wellness services to New Jersey townships. Gallo, President of Now I'm Fit, created a unique Stretch and Flex Advantage (SAFA) program, which has already helped many corporations promote a safer, healthier, and more productive workplace. Gallos motto is Educate, Inspire, and Transform, and thats the overall goal of the SAFA program he now intends to offer to municipalities throughout the region. As he explains, We have been working with the townships of South Brunswick, North Brunswick, Milltown, and Old Bridge. That gave us an opportunity to refine the program and tailor it specifically to the needs of townships. SAFA benefits include improved workplace morale; reduction in injuries and absenteeism; lower health care costs; longer retention of employees, and enhanced attraction for new employee recruitment. SAFA promotes stress reduction, increased flexibility and agility, and overall fitness. Long term results typically include improved cardiovascular health and sleep, weight management, lower blood pressure, less fatigue on the job, and sharper cognition. SAFA provides added protection against diabetes, heart disease, obesity, arthritis, and other chronic and potentially life-threatening conditions. The Director of Human Resources and Co-Chair of the Mayors Health and Wellness Council for the Township of Old Bridge met with me recently, Gallo reported. We discussed the benefits that township employees could derive if SAFA was integrated into the Old Bridge Employee Wellness Initiative program. Township employees protect our health, safety, and wellbeing every day of the year. So we feel obligated to give back to them by making sure that their own lives are longer, healthier, and happier, too. Townships and their citizens rely on a healthy workforce to provide essential and critical services, 24/7. A municipal health and wellness program based on the proven effectiveness of SAFA can provide that, at an affordable price point. SAFA may quickly pay for itself through a measurable reduction in financial overhead and potential liability for townships and taxpayers. Enthusiasm for SAFA is growing and now Gallo hopes to implement it statewide, to promote greater health and wellness within New Jerseys entire public service community. For the past two years Gallo has been a public service volunteer himself, as an active member of the local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). He also joined the Middlesex County Regional Chamber of Commerce two years ago and has been invited to be panelist at the upcoming New Jersey Human Resources Summit. Gallo is a NJ Licensed Medical Massage Therapist and Nationally Certified Personal Trainer with AFAA. For more information contact Info@NowImFit.com or Call 347.926.3410 http://www.NowImFit.com SmartLinx helped streamline all our facilities on one user-friendly system that reduces manual data entry and searching. Now we can visualize scheduling-related data across all our facilities in real-time and use it to identify trends and resolve issues Caring Health Systems recently switched its workforce management capabilities to SmartLinx Solutions because the integrated suite could more effectively manage its complex environment of 1,100+ employees across seven facilities. A former Kronos Workforce Ready, Time Systems International, and Paycom client, Caring Health chose SmartLinx to automate its changing staffing needs, such as shift differentials and dynamic overtime. In addition to delivering real-time access to staffing data, SmartLinx Schedule Optimizer and Time & Attendance are helping Caring Health meet fluctuating PPD demands to ensure the proper staff are in the right places without overstaffing or running up unnecessary overtime expenses. SmartLinx helped streamline all our facilities on one user-friendly system that reduces manual data entry and searching. Now we can visualize scheduling-related data across all our facilities in real-time and use it to identify trends and resolve issues, says Caring Health Payroll Director Esti Brecher. We consider our 1,150 employees our backbone and want to support them any way we can. Our employees appreciate the ability to access their time cards and schedules from their PCs and phones, which also helps us ensure everythings up to date. SmartLinx workforce management products are helping Caring Health simplify the complex by connecting data and processes so they can visualize staffing, compliance, and expenses in real-time. Were thrilled to support Caring Healths mission of providing outstanding care to patients and are looking forward to helping them navigate various workforce challenges for years to come, says SmartLinx CEO Marina Aslanyan. SmartLinx is in the business of optimizing human potential through a single, unified workforce management suite designed to make work, work better from scheduling and time & attendance, to payroll and compliance, and so much more. About Caring Health Systems Every Caring Health facility is built upon a foundation of superior skilled nursing, revolutionary rehabilitation, employee excellence, and a culture of caring. Our Caring Health facilities are leaders in some of the newest and specialized skilled nursing services. Due to our forward thinking, determination and the extensive training, we've been able to expertly care for our clients in-house instead of having to send them to the hospital. About SmartLinx SmartLinx makes work, work better. Used in thousands of leading organizations, the SmartLinx solutions suite helps manage people and processes by harnessing the power of real-time data. Its solutions suite includes talent acquisition and onboarding, human resources, benefits and payroll, time & attendance, scheduling, compliance, and business analytics. For more information, visit SmartLinxSolutions.com, email hello (at) smartlinxsolutions (dot) com, or call 877-501-1310. Our annual Takeout, Delivery & Catering Symposium is a unique opportunity to engage with the many brands, service providers and supply chain vendors who are helping to shape the future of food beyond the four walls, said Erle Dardick, founder and CEO of Monkey Group. VANCOUVER, B.C., Feb. 6, 2019 Monkey Group, an organization whose mission is to help foodservice operators grow sales and increase profits by educating them to become experts at feeding their customers where they live, work and play, today shared details for the 5th annual Takeout, Delivery & Catering Symposium to be held June 3-4, 2019, in Nashville. Our annual Takeout, Delivery & Catering Symposium is a unique opportunity to engage with the many brands, service providers and supply chain vendors who are helping to shape the future of food beyond the four walls, said Erle Dardick, founder and CEO of Monkey Group. The goal of this event is to help foodservice operators take control of their off-premise business to better serve their on-demand customers. The agenda for the 2019 Symposium, available at offpremiseinsights.com/symposium-2019/, includes a look at the future of off-premise, a deep dive into how operators can take back control of their customer analytics, how capturing customer loyalty can improve customer sales and retention, and how a streamlined technology stack can drive efficiency from within an operation. In addition, an executive panel discussing what it takes to successfully implement a thriving takeout, catering and delivery operation will include Carl Howard, CEO of Fazolis, Frank Paci, CEO of Corner Bakery Cafe, and Bruce Schroder, president of Moes. James Walker, an industry-leading authority in the restaurant channel, will close out the event with a discussion around the future of off-premise, including the changing customer experience, what restaurant brands should be focused on in order to be successful, and the changing business model. The 2019 Symposium is being sponsored to-date by MonkeyMedia Software, Accurate Box, Whirley-Drinkworks, WNA, Dinova, Field Day, Inktel and Trabon. About the Takeout, Delivery & Catering Symposium The Takeout, Delivery & Catering Symposium is an annual gathering of over 250 restaurant and food service leaders in an intimate group setting where trends, challenges and opportunities related to off-premise are discussed. Presented by Off-Premise Insights, part of Monkey Group, the Symposium brings restaurant industry executives from top brands together with technology providers to discuss and share insights on a variety of topics relevant to the world of off-premise. The 2019 Symposium, being held this year in Nashville at the Hutton Hotel, will kick off with a keynote and cocktail reception on June 3rd, followed by a day of presentations and discussions June 4th. For more information, visit offpremiseinsights.com/symposium-2019/. About Monkey Group Monkey Group is made up of MonkeyMedia Software, The Catering Institute, and Off Premise Insights. Using The Catering Institute business framework, 5 Pillars of Successful Restaurant Takeout, Delivery, and Catering, Monkey Group works closely with each brands executive team to drive strategic alignment, provide education for team members, and deploy the MONKEY platform. With MONKEY, operators have access to a full suite of off-premise functionality, including unified multi-channel ordering (online, mobile and call center), CRM, case management, catering sales team and lead management, integrated accounting functionality to manage business-to-business accounts, catering order production management, and delivery dispatch management. Learn more about the 5 Pillars at http://www.cateringinstitute.com and for more information on Monkey Group, visit http://www.monkeygroup.com. Guidant Financial African American in Business Its exciting to see African-American business owners increasingly confident about the state of business in todays current climate, said David Nilssen, CEO of Guidant Financial. African-American small business (SMB) owners are happier, younger, and more female-led than the average of SMB owners surveyed. Theyre also showing increased confidence in the state of small business moving into 2019, according to a survey from SMB financing company Guidant Financial and leading online credit marketplace LendingClub Corporation (NYSE: LC). The 2019 Small Business Trends surveyed more than 2,700 current and aspiring owners nationwide. The 2019 Small Business Trends report gathers findings about the current state of African-American small business ownership in the United States. Key findings include: Thirty-eight percent of African-American small business owners are women a big distinction from the average small business owner, of whom only 23 percent are female. Fifty-six percent of African-American small business owners rated their happiness at nine or 10 on the rating scale (10 being the happiest), 6 percent more than the average small business owner. African-American small business owners had an increase in confidence in the state of small business with a 9 percent increase to 30 percent compared to last years survey results of 28 percent. Forty-five percent of African-American SMB owners are boomers, while the national average is 57 percent. Thirty-two percent of African-American small business owners are Gen X versus 25 percent of the overall SMB owners surveyed. African American small business owners are 23 percent millennial while the average is 18 percent. A desire to pursue my own passion was the primary reason African-American respondents went into business for themselves, at 28 percent, followed closely by ready to be my own boss (27 percent). Other top reasons to go into small business included opportunity presented itself (17 percent) and dissatisfaction with corporate America (11 percent). Forty-seven percent of African-American small business owners are running their businesses by themselves, compared to the 33 percent of average small business owners. With a 45 percent increase in industry share, African-American small business owners are opening more health, beauty, and fitness businesses than in the prior year. These categories surpassed last years most popular industry, business services for African-American small businesses. Challenges Like other SMB owners, lack of capital and cash flow is among the biggest challenge facing African-American business owners. Related to this challenge, studies show minority-owned businesses receive lower loan amounts than non-minority businesses. The 2019 Small Business Trends survey saw this demonstrated in that the majority of African-American small businesses were acquired for under $50,000 (58 percent), while the national average of businesses acquired under $50,000 is 45 percent. Forty-seven percent are running their businesses by themselves, compared to 33 percent of average SMB owners. African-American businesses have fewer employees, with 38 percent having two to five employees and only 7 percent having six to 10 employees. Contrasting this is the average small business owner, with 41 percent employing two to five employees, and 12 percent employing six to 10 workers. Financing Trends More African-American small business owners leverage cash to fund their businesses than other small business owners, 41 percent versus 32 percent respectively. Alternative forms of funding, such as Rollovers for Business Start-ups (ROBS), a form of financing that allows small businesses owners to tap into eligible retirement accounts to fund their businesses without tax penalties, grew by 21 percent in popularity year over year. Other forms of financing that increased in popularity included unsecured loans, lines of credit, and SBA loans. Meanwhile, equipment leasing and crowdfunding both saw decreases in use currently only 3 percent of African-American small business owners use equipment leasing, and only 1 percent utilize crowdfunding. Its exciting to see African-American business owners increasingly confident about the state of business in todays current climate, said David Nilssen, CEO of Guidant Financial. It takes confidence to open and maintain a small business and having a positive outlook will inevitably lead to increased growth and opportunity. Accompanying Infographics can be found at HERE. Methodology Between November 6, 2018 and November 16, 2018, Guidant Financial and LendingClub conducted an email survey of more than 2,700 male and female small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs from the continental U.S., Alaska, and Hawaii. Ages of respondents ranged from 18 to over 70. About Guidant Financial Headquartered in Bellevue, WA Guidant Financial helps business owners secure financing to start, buy or grow a business. An industry leader in business and franchise financing, Guidant works with new and existing entrepreneurs to identify, evaluate and deploy customized financing solutions. Their services include, but are not limited to, 401(k) business funding, SBA loans, unsecured credit, and portfolio loans. In total, Guidant has helped over 20,000 entrepreneurs in all 50 states to invest more than $4 billion in funds to start small businesses, resulting in more than 85,000 U.S. jobs created. Visit Guidant on the web at guidantfinancial.com. About LendingClub LendingClub was founded to transform the banking system to make credit more affordable and investing more rewarding. Today, LendingClub's online credit marketplace connects borrowers and investors to deliver more efficient and affordable access to credit. LendingClub's technology platform creates cost efficiencies, which are passed onto borrowers as savings in the form of lower rates and to investors in the form of risk-adjusted returns. LendingClub is based in San Francisco, California. Loans made by WebBank, member FDIC. Dr. Tess Kryspin Lombard - CHCQM Diplomate Achievement Award Winner Receiving the recognition of the 2019 CHCQM Diplomate Achievement Award is an honor for every patient and care team member I have worked with in my career, for it is only in partnership that we can improve. I am deeply humbled by this recognition The American Board of Quality Assurance & Utilization Review Physicians is pleased to announce the selection of Tess Kryspin Lombard, MD, MBA, CHCQM, FACP as the recipient of the 2019 CHCQM Diplomate Achievement Award. Congratulations to Dr. Lombard who demonstrated outstanding examples of effective population health management through risk stratification and a data-driven paradigm that improved outcomes for underserved patients and their providers. In her tenure as Chief Medical Officer, StayWell Health Center achieved exemplary outcomes for patients. By using risk stratification to effectively segment care to ensure care is provided at the level needed, they have improved outcomes and reduced hospital use. A data-driven approach to clinical performance has motivated and educated providers on providing quality care, while simultaneously driving other members of the care team to work at the top of their license. Using a combination of risk stratification and data-driven performance is the foundation for population health management success. These approaches have led to demonstrated value in quality-based payment arrangements. Most importantly, validating the importance of a culture of quality, driven by patient feedback and involvement in their care. StayWell Health Center uses a combination of two resources for identifying high-risk patients. The first is the risk stratification model developed by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). The second is the High Cost Members Report received from the state's Administrative Services Organization (ASO), which identifies cost of care by Medicaid patient. Patients are assigned a risk level and are segmented according to their identified risk. Higher risk patients receive enhanced nursing care and real-time hospital utilization tracking. An active process allows clinical care team members to alter the risk score as they receive new information on the patient. The highest risk patients are enrolled in PatientPing to track hospital utilization. PatientPing provides real-time notification when a high risk patient is admitted or discharged from a hospital or presents at an emergency department. Notification is sent to a Link Nurse, who identifies the patient's care team and forwards the notification to the nurse assigned to that team. The nurse then follows up with the patient to plan transitional care. Data-driven performance has led to remarkable results; transitioning from reporting data to utilizing that data to drive performance has allowed for transparent and accurate reporting. Employing data staff, validating data in the electronic health record, and utilizing a dashboard to summarize clinical performance by provider allows providers to assess their performance and better understand measures. Providing enhanced training to clinical staff gives them the opportunity to master the fundamentals of care. This approach to population health management requires highly functioning care teams; a shift in responsibility allows a higher value use of staff time allowing providers better access to managing a patients health. StayWell Health Center coordinates its improvement activities through a Process Improvement Quality Assurance Committee where patient participation is significant; including 51% participation on the Board of Directors. Patients provide active feedback, including assessing handwashing compliance during visits. In addition to earning payment incentive awards of over $100,000, accurate quality reporting and a fully engaged value-based payment model generates funds for the organization allowing cost savings to carry over into impactful quality programs. The project clearly embodies the health care quality and management and patient safety principles ABQAURP looks for in the award selection process. ABQAURPs CHCQM Award Selection Panel and association Board Members felt that Dr. Lombards project highlights the dedication to improving the quality of patients in challenging circumstances and is successfully building a culture of quality. Dr. Lombards entry demonstrated positive results on improving quality based on structures and processes focused on provider education, patient engagement, and transparency of data sharing. ABQAURP would like to extend a sincere Thank You to Dr. Lombard, her team, and all those who submitted outstanding achievements in quality and patient safety that have led to improvement, positive outcomes, and the advancement of Health Care Quality Management and Patient Safety. Join us at the 42nd Annual Health Care Quality & Patient Safety Conference to congratulate Dr. Lombard and celebrate all of our Diplomates achievements. For more event information, please visit: http://www.abqaurp.org/AnnualConference. About Tess Kryspin Lombard, MD, MBA, CHCQM, FACP, FABQAURP, FAAPL, CPE Chief Medical Officer - StayWell Health Center Dr. Tess Lombard is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician for over 20 years. Born and raised in Connecticut, she graduated from Fairfield University and attended New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York. She earned her MBA from the University of Hartford and was a member of many campus organizations and honor societies. As a fellow of several professional organizations, she has been an active ABQAURP Diplomate since 2008. She has woven experiences of her education, personal, and professional life to create a perspective of service; realizing each patient encounter has influenced the physician she has become and the perspective she sees and understands health. A proud Mom of two college students, she enjoys serving in a career of quality, reading, and traveling. About ABQAURP Celebrating the 42nd year of excellence in Health Care Quality Management and Patient Safety, ABQAURP is a premier professional association providing Health Care Quality and Management (HCQM) certification, ACCME-accredited continuing medical education, and membership to health care professionals worldwide. The HCQM Certification is the only interdisciplinary health care quality and management examination administered through the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). Learn more at: http://www.abqaurp.org. National Board of Medical Examiners and NBME are registered trademarks of the National Board of Medical Examiners. AB&R (American Barcode and RFID Inc.), a nationwide provider of proven supply chain solutions, launches new online store for supply chain professionals. The upgraded e-commerce website is guiding professionals in all industries to easily search for Barcode and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products that can improve the productivity and efficiency of the supply chain. The web store features an enriched user- experience allowing customers to create their own account and login to re-order items. AB&Rs new online store boasts a user-friendly experience, a mobile responsive design, and a secure domain making it safe for anyone to order on any device. The new online store has been in the works for some time and we couldnt be happier to be able to provide a better experience for those who prefer to shop online, said Ashley Stewart, Marketing Manager at AB&R. Our store makes ordering simple for all with an easy to use product search, a way to save favorite products for placing re-orders quickly, and a place to access shipping status 24/7. As a way to share the excitement of the new features and benefits of the online store, they are offering an AB&R Loyalty Welcome Pack when you activate or register an account. The AB&R Loyalty Welcome Pack includes an NFL certified tote bag, a t-shirt, hot/cold coffee mug, and many other bonuses. Go online and activate or register your AB&R online account at https://store.abr.com/login. The Chinese property tycoon Huang Xiangmo, whose permanent residency in Australia has been cancelled by officials, has proposed that Australian politicians return his donations to instead be given to charity. It is profoundly disappointing to be treated in such a grotesquely unfair manner, he said, calling the accusations against him baseless allegations and sheer lies. Huang, the 49-year-old Guangdong native, said he no longer held any position or shares at Yuhu Group, the company he founded in Australia after migrating in 2011. Yuhu's high profile development sites are at Circular Quay and the Gold Coast. With his wife and son still living in his Mosman mansion, Huang said he will visit Australia at the appropriate time with the suitable identification, the South China Morning Post reported. The decision of visa cancellation was made based on unfounded speculations that are prejudiced and groundless. This is not the Australia that I believe in the Australia of freedom, democracy, rule of law and fairness but I keep my faith in law and justice. The Huang case has highlighted growing suspicion in Australia of Communist Party influence on its domestic politics. Australia last year passed sweeping national security reforms via the Espionage and Foreign Interference Act, which broadens the range of activities that would be treated as spying. He donated $2.7 million to the Labor and Liberal parties, telling political parties on Friday to return his money if they believe it was given inappropriately.. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) ordered the cancellation of Huangs residency because it found he was amenable to conducting acts of foreign interference and in the past had shown a willingness to do so, the Australian Financial Review reported on Thursday. He said on Friday that scrutiny of his prolific political donations in Australia and positions at pro-Beijing organisations was prejudiced and groundless. Huang said he was now living a peaceful and happy life in Hong Kong, where he is believed to have permanent residency. He was focusing on his investments in the city and others in Thailand, the United States and Britain. Chinese language newspapers are today reporting that billionaire political donor has appealed the Australian governments decision to cancel his permanent residency visa. The newspaper, The Australian Chinese Daily, reported that Mr Huang appealed the decision last month in the Australian Administrative Appeals Tribunal via a lawyer in Hong Kong. The report was reprinted in the digital Chinese language news outlet, Sydney Today, which has previously carried columns written by Mr Huang. Huang said on Friday that his donations had been lawful and made at the request of the recipient parties. The property developer moved to Australia in 2011 before making his first political donation, $150,000 to the NSW branch of the ALP during Sam Dastyari's time as party secretary in 2012. He had stopped all political donations as of July 1, 2016. The Chinese billionaire is the chairman of the Oceanic Alliance of Promotion of the Peaceful Reunification of China (OAPPRC) and former chairman of the Australian Council for the Promotion of the Peaceful Reunification of China (ACPPRC), both of which advocate the peaceful unification of mainland China and the self-ruled island of Taiwan. In his Friday statement, he stated that both groups followed the Australian governments political position regarding the one-China policy that recognises Beijings position on Taiwan. If I am penalised for promoting the peaceful reunification of China, such penalty is against Australias own diplomatic position and international commitment as well as Australias fundamental principles of cultural diversity and freedom of speech, he said. The ABC reported the decision to ban Mr Huang from Australia was delivered months ago. Some analysts predicted that Beijing could react angrily if any of its citizens were targeted under legislation designed to crack down on foreign interference. But the Foreign Minister Marise Payne has played down the possibility. "[China] has not raised it with me and I don't expect to be the subject of a bilateral discussion. These are matters that occur from time to time," she said. Essendon champions Terry and Chris Daniher sold a Moonee Ponds investment property for $1.18 million shortly before its scheduled weekend auction. It sold to local first-home buyers who snapped it up on their wedding day, just five hours before they tied the knot in the Yarra Valley. Nelson Alexander Ascot Vale agent Milo Rasinac told the Herald Sun the couple had been the keenest of the four parties who had been interested in the four-bedroom double-fronted Victorian. The deal was sealed via the phone and emails. The unrenovated 69 Darling Street listing (above and below) had been quoted at $1.15 million to $1.25 million. The Daniher brothers had owned the property since their early 1990s playing days when they paid for $175,000. It was among the 929 capital city homes scheduled for auction, up on the first week in February when 536 auctions were held, according to CoreLogic. The nation's priciest notified result was in Manly at $2.7 million for a three bedroom, two bathroom apartment (below). The price guide had been $2.7 million for the 1990 waterfront apartment views across Little Manly Cove to North Head. The 4/8 Addison Road offering was in a tightly-held complex of six. The nation's cheapest sale was at Brunswick where a 1960s studio apartment fetched $155,000. The Brad Teal agent has suggested a $150,000 to $165,000 price guidance for the vacated 8/831 Park Street offering. It last sold at $110,000 in 2008. Melbourne was the busiest weekend auction market with 352 auctions held across the city, returning a preliminary clearance rate of 53.7 percent. "This is quite a bit lower than what we were seeing last year, when 70.7 percent of homes sold over the same week when volumes were higher (619)," CoreLogic auction analyst Kevin Brogan noted. There were 321 Sydney homes auctioned, returning a preliminary auction clearance rate of 59.2 percent. "Interestingly, Sydney was the best performing capital city auction market last week," he noted. Canberra returned a preliminary clearance rate of 56.3 percent, while Brisbanes preliminary result came in at 42.6 percent. A Teneriffe property change hands for the first time in 63 years when 10 bidders registered to buy the house at 8 Waverley Street (below). Bidding started at $900,000 and quickly rose to $1,475,000, The Courier Mail reported. Volumes were higher over the week across all auction markets with the exception of Adelaide where activity was down. The national auctions returned a 54.1 percent preliminary auction clearance rate, well up on the 42.8 percent final auction clearance rate last weekend, suggesting buyers had a returned from the break with a preparedness to ignore the negative commentary. "The early flow of auction data for 2019 is showing a subtle bounce back in the clearance rate relative to the lows recorded through December last year which is a seasonal trend similar to what has been seen over previous years," Brogan said. But Brogan anticipates the figure "will revise lower as the remaining results are collected to remain around the mid-to-low 40 percent range." Comparing results to one year ago, volumes and clearance rates are significantly lower when 1,470 capital city homes went to auction and 63.7 percent sold. Edgecliff institution A. R. Irwin Violins has found new accommodation. It has purchased 222 New South Head Road, Edgecliff. It was founded in 1987 by Allen Irwin after studying instrument making in London and Sydney. Irwin Violins has made, restored and supplied string instruments of all kinds to musicians and artistic communities all around the world, including the likes of Joshua Bell and Maxim Vengerov. After 30 years the new purchase is less than 100 metres from his former location. The deal was negotiated by Matt Pontey, of Colliers International in conjunction with David Canelas of Krulis Commercial. Allen Irwin (pictured below, right) said: "We have been a part of the local Edgecliff community for many years, and are pleased to be in a position where we can to continue to serve and do business in an area that we love." Three of the eight capital cities are now at the bottom of the retail market, with Darwin now joining Adelaide and Perth, according to valuation firm Herron Todd White's (HTW) latest retail property clock. Brisbane remains the strongest capital city market for retail, retaining its peak of market position. It has been joined this month by Dubbo and the Gold Coast. Melbourne, Newcastle and Coffs Harbour have all moved into the beginning of a retail market decline, while Sydney is approaching the peak of the market. Click to enlarge. There's not great news for Canberra, which is now in a declining market, joining Alice Springs, Echuca and Gippsland. Hobart's retail market is still nearing the bottom of the market, as is the Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, South West WA and the Iron Triangle region. Retail space in Sydney continues to approach market peak. Ballarat, Bendigo, Launceston, Burnie-Devonport, the Mid North Coast and the Sunshine coast are all classified as rising markets. Excelon has announced the opening of 25 King Collective, a shared office space in Melbournes CBD. Kelvin Taing, Director of Excelon says the Excelon team has moved into the top floor in the premises in Melbournes South West CBD area. Mixed-use spaces start from $450 per month. Private studios from $1,200 per month. Excelon engaged renowned architect Kennedy Nolan to renovate the three-level 25 King Street building, and Excelon Group moved its office to the top floor. The shared office will house around 30 workers. The shared amenities include a fully equipped shared boardroom for tenants use. The site was originally the Melbourne Steamship Company and Excelon has kept original touch points throughout, such as the staircase, glass signage of the Melbourne Steamship Company and an original safe from the 1800s. Excelon have paid further homage to the historical building by engaging Australian artist Benjamin Tankard to create nine paintings of the steamships that once belonged to the Melbourne Steamship Company. These will adorn the walls within the shared boardroom, meeting room, and within each of the office suites that are also named after the ships. Excelon Group has been active within the Melbourne property market since its inception in 2011. The boutique, family-run property business is headed by brother and sister team Kelvin and Rachel Taing. The 25 King Street project was recently completed and now is open, marking the first wave of real change in the revitalisation in the South West CBD area. Melbournes South West CBD area has been undergoing significant improvement with several office, hospitality, hotel and residential developments in both planning and construction phases. The Excelon team is proud that the 25 King Collective project has added to the pipeline of positive developments in the area. The South West CBD areas flurry of development projects is driven by developers who are committed to cleaning up the area. Other projects in the area include Geddes Lane Ballroom (formerly the adult venue Bar 20); 555 Collins Street office space project; and the newly opened State of Grace restaurant and venue. The area has also seen enormous growth in the hotel sector with projects such as St Regis Hotel, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Ritz Carlton, Hyatt Centric, and BPMs hotel project, which will be managed under Quincy hotel brand. Excelon has a fast growing portfolio of unique residential developments designed with specific lifestyles in mind. Creativity and design integrity are what sets Excelon Group apart, and by working closely alongside some of Melbournes most reputed architects, Excelon has just completed Clyde Mews in Thornbury, and has recently launched Lothian Street in North Melbourne. Patrizia Immobilien AG has completed the sale of the Itamerenkatu 5 office building in Helsinki for 41 million. The property was sold to a Finnish investment fund, Special Investment Fund eQ Finnish Real Estate. Constructed in 2001, Itamerenkatu 5 is a multi-let office building located in the po... Photos: 2015 Kuvatoimisto Kuvio Oy [] Amro Real Estate Partners has continued its expansion across Iberia. The specialist student housing, build-to-rent investment and asset management business has acquired a second development site in the country. The c.100,000 sq ft property in Seville will be developed into a new 332-bed student housi... [] Mumbai, Feb 12 : Bollywood actor Freddy Daruwala, who was last seen in the Salman Khan-starrer "Race 3", is blessed with a baby boy. Talking about his fatherhood, Freddy said in a statement, "My wife and I have been blessed with a healthy baby boy. Since he is our first child, we are really excited. We are looking forward to spending our lives with him. He is our bundle of joy." The actor is married to Crystal Variava for six years. The baby was born on February 3. Freddy has shared screen space with Bollywood superstars like Akshay Kumar, John Abraham in films like "Holiday" and "Force2". Baghdad, Feb 12 : Iraq has dismantled the biggest Islamic State (IS) cell in Iraq's western province of Anbar and captured 186 militants, who committed terrorist attacks in the country, Iraqi Ministry of Interior said. "A joint force captured the biggest IS cell in Anbar responsible for suicide attacks, planting roadside bombs and assassinating military personnel on the international highway west of the country," Saad Maan, spokesman of Baghdad Operations Command, said during a joint press conference with head of Anbar's provincial council Ahmed al-Alwani on Monday. According to Maan, the detained extremist militants signed their confessions, Xinhua news agency reported. Maan said that the extremist militants were captured following the liberation of Anbar in late 2017, and that they are responsible for killing civilians from al-Bun Nimr tribe for refusing to join the extremist group. Al-Alwani called on the Ministry of Interior and Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to support the directorate of intelligence and counter terrorism in Anbar. In December 2017, Iraq declared full liberation from the IS after the security forces and the paramilitary Hashd Shaabi units, backed by the anti-IS international coalition, recaptured all areas once seized by the extremist group. However, IS remnants have since melted in urban areas or resorted to deserts and rugged areas as safe havens, carrying out guerilla attacks from time to time against the security forces and civilians. Mumbai, Feb 12 : Capital markets regulator Sebi on Monday proposed to fix circuit filters or price bands on futures & options (F&O) scrips to curb excessive volatility. In a discussion paper on "Applicability of Individual Scrip wise Price Bands or Circuit Filters" on F&O scrips, Sebi said: "Concerns have been raised that investors' wealth is getting wiped out in a single day by recent falls in stocks on which derivative products are available, as no price bands or circuit filters are applicable on them." "In view of recent abnormal intra-day price movements, suggestions are being made to review the rules to prevent such extraordinary price movements." Derivatives markets reflect expectation of spot prices in the future, and as such price bands or circuit filters are generally not applied on them. Rome, Feb 12 : United Nations World Food Programme in Bangladesh said it welcomed a new contribution of $50,000 from Vietnam to support operations in Coxs Bazar - home to nearly one million Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar. "We are very grateful to Vietnam for stepping up to assist people living in Cox's Bazar refugee camps," said Richard Ragan, WFP Representative and Country Director, in a statement. "This remains a serious humanitarian emergency, and continued support from the international community is vital if we are to keep providing the humanitarian assistance that is so badly needed." Vietnam's new aid was announced by the Special Envoy of Prime Minister, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Nguyen Quoc Dzung, during a visit to Bangladesh, according to WPF. "Although this is a modest contribution, we are hopeful that our support will advance the response to this crisis situation," he said. Vietnam joins dozens of other states who have pledged their support to the Cox's Bazar response since the August 2017 refugee influx, said WFP, which provides food assistance to more than 870,000 refugees per month at the sprawling refugee settlement. The UN agency also provides nutritional and livelihood support to the host community at Cox's Bazaar, with the aim of helping the most vulnerable, WFP said. Sustained aid from nations is necessary to continue WFP operations in Bangladesh, the UN agency warned. Over 750,000 Rohingya refugees have fled to Cox's Bazar since August 2017 to escape persecution and violence by Myanmar's military in Northern Rakhine State. Thousands of other Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh during previous periods of repression in Myanmar. Rome, Feb 12 : Italian Culture Minister Alberto Bonisoli will on Tuesday attend a ceremony in London at which eight lots of treasures stolen from Italy in various eras will be returned to the country, the culture ministry said in a statement. Christie's auction house helped trace the stolen artefacts, which will be handed to Bonisoli by its CEO Guillaume Cerutti during the ceremony at the Italian embassy, said the statement. A press conference will be held after the ceremony, the statement added. No information on the specific artefacts was available ahead of the ceremony. New Delhi, Feb 12 : The Supreme Court has held that a consensual sexual relationship between live-in partners would not amount to rape in some cases such as when the man, due to adverse circumstances beyond his control, does not marry the woman. "The acknowledged consensual relationship between the parties would not constitute an offence under Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code," said the bench of Justice A. K. Sikri and Justice S. Abdul Nazeer in a recent judgment. "There may be a case where where the prosecutrix agrees to have sexual intercourse on account of her love and passion for the accused and not solely on account of misconception created by accused, or where an accused on account of circumstance which he could not have foreseen or which were beyond his control, was unable to marry her despite having every intention to do so. Such cases must be treated differently," the bench said. The court said this while quashing an FIR lodged against a doctor by a Maharashtra based nurse who were, for quite some time, in a live-in relationship. Pointing to clear distinction between rape and consensual sex between live-in partners, the court said, "The courts, in such cases must very carefully examine whether the complainant had actually wanted to marry the victim or had mala fide motives and had made a false promise to this effect only to satisfy his lust, as the later falls within the ambit of cheating or deception." Jaipur/Lucknow, Feb 12 : Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra landed in Jaipur on Monday night to accompany her husband Robert Vadra to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office on Tuesday after he was summoned for interrogation in connection with an alleged land scam in the state's Bikaner. Brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Robert Vadra was already in Jaipur when Priyanka Gandhi, who had carried out a road show in Lucknow with her brother and other leaders in her first visit to the state after being appointed party incharge for East UP, reached there. He had reached the Rajasthan capital in the afternoon along with his mother Maureen Vadra. Priyanka Gandhi was to address the party workers at the Congress's Mall Avenue office after Rahul Gandhi but she chose not to. An interaction with the media was also aborted last minute. She was slated to spend the night and three more days in Lucknow but flew to Jaipur. Sources privy to the development however said that she will be back again amid Congress workers on Tuesday and the remaining three days programme will be as per schedule. Robert Vadra was summoned in connection with an alleged scam concerning 275 acres of land in the Kolayat sub-division of Bikaner district. According to sources, he will have to answer 55 questions as being drafted by the Directorate. Last week in Delhi, Vadra was subjected to intense interrogation by the ED in connection with a money laundering probe against him for his alleged role in procuring assets abroad in an illegal manner. The fresh summon by the ED comes after the Rajasthan High Court directed Vadra and his mother to cooperate with the ED, as Vadra did not report to the agency even after being sent three summons in the land scam case earlier. Vadra and his mother's statements shall be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). A criminal case was registered by the ED in connection with the Bikaner land deal made in 2015 after studying FIRs and charge-sheets filed by the Rajasthan Police on complaints made by the Bikaner tehsil office about alleged forgery in the land allotment. The ED, sources said, will question Vadra about Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd, a firm allegedly connected to him, which purchased the said land in the area. New Delhi, Feb 12 : The Central government on Monday rejected allegation of "conflict of interest" levied by the Congress party against CAG Rajiv Mehrishi over the audit agency's proposed report on the Rafale deal, saying he never dealt with expenditure proposals from the Ministry of Defence as Finance Secretary. The development comes a day after the Congress party accused Mehrishi of committing "gross impropriety" by auditing the Rafale deal, saying as the Finance Secretary he was involved in the deal announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2015. The CAG report is likely to be tabled in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Mehrishi had joined the Department of Economic Affairs under the Ministry of Finance as Secretary in October 2014. As the senior-most Secretary among the five secretaries of the Ministry that time, he was designated as the Finance Secretary on November 11, 2014. He continued as Secretary (Economic Affairs) and Finance Secretary till August 2015 when he demitted office. In a statement on Monday evening, the Ministry said: "Secretary (Economic Affairs) as Finance Secretary doesn't deal with expenditure proposals from the Ministry of Defence; rather it is Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, which deals with financial sanctions relating to all the ministries of the government of India." "To claim that Secretary (Economic Affairs) as Finance Secretary would have dealt with the expenditure proposals from the Ministry of Defence is totally a figment of imagination and stretch of facts." Itanagar, Feb 12 : Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday changed his stance on the Citizenship Bill, asking Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh not to table the bill in the Rajya Sabha. He made the appeal as he and his Manipur counterpart N. Biren Singh met Rajnath Singh in New Delhi to apprise him about the prevailing situation in their respective states in particular and in the northeast following the passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in the Lok Sabha on January 8. "We have requested the Home Minister not to table the Bill in the Rajya Sabha as there is lot of hue and cry in the northeastern states," Khandu said. Khandu, who is heading a BJP government in the border state, had been so far defending the bill which is facing strong opposition from civil society groups and the opposition Congress in his state and across the northeast. Bengaluru, Feb 11 : State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) on Monday reported a standalone net profit of Rs 455 crore for the third quarter of 2018-19, a 17 per cent decline from Rs 549 crore in the same period a year ago. In a regulatory filing on the BSE after trading hours, the city-based defence major said standalone revenue from operations, however grew 3.4 per cent annually to Rs 4,425 crore for the quarter under review from Rs 4,278 crore in the like period a year ago. Sequentially, net profit zoomed 57 per cent in Q3 from Rs 289 crore and revenue shot up 69.5 per cent from Rs 3,610 crore a quarter ago. "Standalone profit before tax also declined 19 per cent annually in Q3 to Rs 684 crore from Rs 845 crore but grew 27 per cent sequentially from Rs 453 crore a quarter ago." HAL's scrip of Rs 10 face value gained Rs 7.15 at the end of Monday's trading on the BSE to close at Rs 661.55 as against Friday's closing rate of Rs 654.40 and opening price of Rs 655. Guwahati, Feb 11 : Days after the Bharat Ratna was conferred posthumously on Assamese cultural icon Bhupen Hazarika, his son Tej Hazarika on Monday said that he does not reject the country's highest civillian honour but is unhappy how the NDA government plans to pass the "painfully unpopular" Citizenship bill which was against his father's beliefs and position. The US-based Hazarika's clarification came after some local media channels in Assam flashed the news that he had declined to accept the Bharat Ratna for his father. "As the son of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, one of the most popular and loved cultural and socio-political figures for the people of Assam and it's neighbouring sister states of India's great Northeast, I believe that my father's name and words are being invoked and celebrated publicly while plans are afoot to pass a painfully unpopular bill regarding citizenship that is actually undermining his documented position," he told IANS in a social media message. "It would, in reality, be in direct opposition to what Bupenda believed in his heart of hearts," he added. "For his fans - a vast majority of people of the Northeast - and India's great diversity including all indigenous populations of India, he would never have endorsed what appears, quite transparently, to be an underhanded way of pushing a law against the will and benefit of the majority in a manner that also seems to be grossly un-constitutional, un-democratic and un-Indian. "Adopting any form of this bill at this point in the manner in which it is being proffered, now or in the future, will ultimately have the sad and undesirable effect of not only disrupting the quality of life, language, identity and power balance of the region, but that of undermining my father's position - by delivering a wrecking blow to the harmony, inner integrity and unity of the secular and democratic Republic of India," Tej Hazarika said. "Bharat Ratnas and longest bridges (the Dhala Sadiya bridge), while necessary, will not promote the peace and prosperity of the citizens of India. Only just, popular laws and foresight on the part of leadership will. Numerous journalists are now asking me whether or not I will accept the Bharat Ratna for my father. "I go on record here to anwer that A), I have not received any invitation so far there is nothing to reject, and B), how the center moves on this matter far outweighs in importance the awarding and receiving of such national recognition - a display of short lived cheap thrills," he said. Addressing a rally near Guwahati on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi blamed the Congress governments at the Centre and the state for delaying the conferring of Bharat Ratna to the legendary musician, who died in 2011. New Delhi, Feb 11 : While female voters want crimes against women be given top priority by political parties, for men it is corruption that should get precedence in the next Lok Sabha elections, according to a new survey. The survey, by Change.Org, an online platform for social change that allows people to start and support campaigns on issues concerning them, found that there was a strong wave in favour of more women candidates. The online survey was conducted among 20,000 Change.Org users across the country, which included 4,000 women and 16,000 men. Among a list of 40 issues, most likely to impact the Lok Sabha elections, female respondents ranked crimes against women on top. Men ranked it much lower (at 15th position) on the priority list. Both men and women respondents said they would vote for women candidates, if equally qualified. They felt women were grossly underrepresented in Parliament despite the public opinion that women were "more likely to hear and connect with issues." "It is not that political parties do not talk about women's safety in their manifestos. Crime against women is certainly a matter of concern and is an issue, which is raised by all parties, but the problem lies in implementing solutions on the ground," Brinda Karat, Rajya Sabha MP from CPI, told IANS. Of the 40 issues given as options, women voters felt issues, like education, freedom of choice in religion and freedom to marry out of their choice, needed to be addressed. Marital rape, female participation in workforce, menstrual hygiene, girl child education, maternal health and infant mortality were also voted by the women as issues politicians must talk about. Environmental issues, waste disposal, air pollution and forest conservation too were concerns for women going into this year's elections. But apart from seeing more female participation in politics, none of the issues highlighted by women were given priority by the men. Other than corruption, men wanted politicians to discuss issues like infrastructure, job creation and roads. As per the survey, 17 per cent of women preferred to vote for candidates based on his/her track record as opposed to 21.9 per cent men. But 56.64 per cent of the respondents said they would vote for an equally-qualified female candidate over her male counterpart. The survey also showed people wanted to play a bigger role in the democracy that goes beyond just casting vote. Around 57.53 per cent of the respondents wanted to be able to provide public inputs in policy-making via public consultations and meetings, while 55.76 per cent wanted to participate through digital petitions. However, women were less likely to go for personal meetings with elected representatives and preferred digital petitions for public decision-making. "Change.org's #SheVotes survey finds that women want to directly engage with politicians but are still uncomfortable with face-to-face meetings. They prefer digital petitions as a significant way of connecting with their elected representatives. The survey also shows gender issues will play an important role in the upcoming general elections," said Nida Hasan, Country Director, Change.org India. Jaipur, Feb 11 : Priyanka Gandhi Vadra landed in Jaipur on Monday night to accompany her husband Robert Vadra to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office here on Tuesday. He has been summoned for interrogation in connection with an alleged land scam in Bikaner of Rajasthan. Brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Robert Vadra was already in Jaipur when she landed here. He had reached Jaipur in the afternoon along with his mother Maureen Vadra. The alleged scam relates to 275 acres of land in the Kolayat sub-division of Bikaner district. According to sources, he will have to answer 55 questions as being drafted by the Directorate. Last week in Delhi, Vadra was subjected to intense interrogation by the ED in connection with a money laundering probe against him for his alleged role in procuring assets abroad in an illegal manner. The fresh summon by the ED comes after the Rajasthan High Court directed Vadra and his mother to cooperate with the ED, as Vadra did not report to the agency even after being sent three summons in the land scam case earlier. Vadra and his mother's statements shall be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). A criminal case was registered by the ED in connection with the Bikaner land deal made in 2015 after studying FIRs and charge-sheets filed by the Rajasthan Police on complaints made by the Bikaner tehsil office about alleged forgery in the land allotment. The ED, sources said, shall question Vadra about Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd, a firm allegedly connected to him, which purchased the said land in the area. New Delhi, Feb 11 : The Narendra Modi government is keen to get parliamentary approval for the triple talaq bill but there is no certainty that it will clear the Rajya Sabha hurdle in the remaining two days of the budget session and the measure may again be implemented through an ordinance. Opposition parties and several leaders from the Muslim community are sticking to their stand against the bill, contending there is no need for it as the instant triple talaq has been banned by the Supreme Court. Most leaders IANS spoke to also opposed the criminalisation of triple talaq and the provision of three-year jail to the husband. The triple talaq ordinance was re-promulgated in January this year as the revised triple talaq bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in the last session but could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha where the government lacks majority. Communist Paty of India-Marxist leader Brinda Karat said the government should not bring a matter from civil to criminal law for a particular community. "We are in support of the striking down of triple talaq, which is instant and arbitrary, and which was duly struck down by the Supreme Court. Now the government wants to criminalise a practice that doesn't exist in law. If a man does leave the wife, it is desertion and abandonment, which falls in the purview of civil law. It is not a criminal offence. "Now the question rises: if the government want to bring a matter from civil law to the criminal law, why do it selectively for a certain community," Karat told IANS. "There are some very prominent public figures in the country who have deserted their wives. If there's to be a law it's these persons who should be first arrested and put in jail," she remarked. Kamal Farooqui, a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, termed the bill "a political gimmick" that was not needed when the practice of triple talaq itself has been struck down by the Supreme Court. "It is illogical. And it hurts the women as well as the unity of a family. How the two of them can reconcile when the husband is in the prison. May be (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi is trying to tell his followers see 'I can create problems for Muslims in this fashion'," he said. Congress MP Sushmita Dev has said the Congress would scrap the triple talaq bill if it comes to power and instead go for an alternative that emerges out of discussions within the Muslim community. "Our stand inside and outside Parliament is same. We are opposing criminalisation of triple talaq and will continue to do it. There are solid legal reasons behind it. The common man understands it," she had earlier told IANS. The Supreme Court had declared the triple talaq practice "unconstitutional" in August 2017. According to social activists, Muslim marriage is a civil contract between two adults and the procedures to be followed on its breakdown should also be of civil nature. Penal action to discourage the practice of instant triple talaq does not take into account issues of economic security of women, they add. The government should strengthen the negotiating capacities of women by providing them support and criminalising instant triple talaq was not the answer. It has also been suggested that the government should provide economic support to the affected women, children and other dependents if the husband is put behind bars. The bill allows the aggrieved woman as well as those related to her by blood to be the complainant. Jaipur, Feb 11 : The issues of farm loan waiver and reservation for the Gujjar community rocked the Rajasthan Assembly session, which began here on Monday. While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators raised slogan saying 'Karz maafi dhokha hai' (loan waiver is a deceit), Rashtriya Loktantrik Party's patron Hanuman Beniwal along with Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs raised slogans demanding 5 per cent reservation for the Gujjar community. The statewide stir launched by the Gujjar community demanding reservation in government jobs and education institutes entered its fourth day on Monday. Beniwal, along with RLP legislator Indra Devi and BSP's Rajendra Singh Guda and Joginger Singh Avana stepped into the well of the House with a few others and started raising slogans of taking the Gujjar agitation issue to Delhi to get 5 per cent reservation for the community. Other opposition MLAs also stepped into the well and raised slogans that the government has deceived farmers by making fake promises. Amid the commotion, Speaker CP Joshi adjourned the proceedings for an hour. Earlier, before the zero hour, Leader of the Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria raised the demand of complete loan waiver to farmers. Let the government clarify as to how many farmers shall benefit with how much amount under its loan waiver scheme, Kataria said. On this, Minister for Urban Development Shanti Dhariwal said the BJP government had failed to give exact figures when they provided farm loan waiver of up to Rs 50,000 in 2017. Following this, the entire opposition rushed into the well and started raising slogans like "Kisaano ka poora jarja maaf karo" (Waive the entire loan of farmers). Kataria said even after 54 days of the formation of the new government, its policies were not clear. "Now, a 'love letter' has been written to the Prime Minister by the Chief Minister, asking him to give farm loan waiver to farmers," he said. This flouted the promise made to farmers that they will get complete loan waiver within 10 days, Kataria said. Bengaluru, Feb 11 : The Congress on Monday asked Karnataka Assembly Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar to disqualify its four rebel legislators for absenting themselves from the house in the ongoing Budget session in defiance of the party whip. "(Deputy Chief Minister) G. Parameshwara, (state Congress president) Dinesh Gundu Rao & I have petitioned the Hon'ble Speaker, to disqualify MLAs Ramesh Jarkiholi, Mahesh Kumathalli, B. Nagendra and Umesh Jadhav under the rules of the anti-defection law due to continued absence in spite of repeated notices & issuing of whip," Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah said in a tweet. The four legislators were issued notice by Siddaramaiah for skipping the legislators' meet held here on January 18 and for being absent since the Budget session began February 6. Though the four rebels had responded to Siddaramaiah's notice, the former chief minister earlier said the unanimous opinion of the CLP was for legal action against them under the anti-defection law, as sufficient opportunity had been given to them to fall in line. "All the four legislators have written to me informing their inability to attend the ongoing (Budget) session till February 15. Jharkiholi replied that he had a wedding to attend, Kumathalli said he was unwell, Jadhav explained he was preoccupied and Nagendra said that he was held up with personal work," Siddaramaiah had said. In the 225-member Assembly, which included one nominated Anglo-Indian member, the Congress has 80, including the Speaker, the Janata Dal-Secular 37, and the Bharatiya Janata Party 104. The remaining three comprise one each from the Bahujan Samaj Party and regional outfit KPJP and an Independent. New Delhi, Feb 11 : BJP President Amit Shah on Monday hit out at Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and accused him of indulging in theatrics as he has lost credibility among the people of Andhra Pradesh. In an open letter to the people of Andhra Pradesh, Shah said: "The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader N. Chandrababu Naidu is back to theatrics and histrionics. His desperation for grabbing headlines is understandable as he is aware that his political fortunes are declining rapidly." Shah claimed Naidu knew that he has lost 'complete credibility' among the people of the state and was announcing a series of sops to woo different sections. "Sensing defeat in the coming elections, he has made multiple U-turns and is carrying on a malicious propaganda against the Centre and the BJP leadership to divert people's attention from his failures," Shah said. The BJP President said Naidu was going too far by personally attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and even did not have the courtesy to receive Modi when he came to the state. "The enlightened and politically conscious people will see through his desperation to retain power. They will teach a befitting lesson to him in the coming elections for having joined hands with the Congress, which bifurcated the state in a unilateral, hasty and unscientific manner, ignoring the interests of the state," he said. Shah also said people will always remember that the Congress had removed former Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao, in a most undemocratic manner in 1984. "In his lust for power, the TDP leader has destroyed the very anti-Congress foundation on which the party was built by NTR, its founder," he said, adding the Congress betrayed the people of the state while dividing it and now the TDP leader wants to work for bringing the Congress back to power. "His actions smack of political opportunism," the BJP chief said. Shah's remarks came on the same day when Naidu sat on a day-long fast in the national capital, demanding the Centre to accord special category status to Andhra Pradesh and fulfil commitments made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. Naidu's protest was supported by a host of opposition leaders, including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The BJP leader hailed the special packages announced by the NDA government on the floor of the Assembly, in party meetings, public forums and press conferences, and even declared that special status was not a panacea and did not help states develop. "At a time when other parties demanded special status, Naidu called them names and arrested many people agitating for such status. But he made a U-turn and is today raising this issue himself," Shah said. "It should be noted that Congress never bothered about the aspirations of the people of Telangana, coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh state," he said. New Delhi: Former Prime Minister and Congress leader Manmohan Singh with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who began a 12-hour long fast demanding the Centre to accord special category status and fulfill other commitments made in An Image Source: IANS News New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien and DMK MP Tiruchi Siva with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who began a 12-hour long fast demanding the Centre to accord special category status Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's fast to demand special status for the state, here on Monday, turned into a show of strength for the opposition parties, which attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for subverting India's democracy and federal structure. Prominent opposition leaders, including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visited the venue of fast at the Andhra Bhavan here and endorsed the special status demand. While Shiv Sena, a BJP ally, sent Sanjay Raut (MP), Shatrughan Sinha (BJP MP) and former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha also visited the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief. Leading his party's charge, Gandhi accused Modi of lying about granting special status to Andhra Pradesh and said the Prime Minister was left with no credibility. "Modi lies wherever he goes. He went to Andhra Pradesh and lied about special status. He has absolutely no credibility left," said Gandhi and also raked up the Rafale deal. "The Prime Minister has stolen from the people from Andhra Pradesh and given that money to his crony," he alleged. Speaking on the occasion, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanded the Modi government fulfil the promise of special status to Andhra without any further loss of time. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Kejriwal called Modi a "world famous liar" and accused him of behaving like a Pakistani Prime Minister to subvert India's federal structure. "The Prime Minister at least thrice declared he would give special status to Andhra. He is world famous for lying. Whatever he says, he never fulfils," Kejriwal said. Attacking Modi over the CBI's showdown with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Kejriwal accused him of behaving like a Pakistani Prime Minister. "The way he treats state governments run by non-BJP parties looks as if he is the Prime Minister of Pakistan," he said, and noted out how Modi had Delhi's Anti-Corruption Branch seized by paramilitary forces. Batting for opposition unity, Naidu accused the Centre of betrayal on the special status and claimed there is a threat to democracy and the country under the Modi regime. "Modi is threatening everybody -- opposition, bureaucracy, corporates and even the media. He is using the CBI, the ED and the IT Department to crush the opposition and dissent," said Naidu. "We want to save democracy. Today there is a democratic compulsion for all political parties to join together to save the country," he said and blamed Modi for the falling standard of public discourse. On the request of former Prime Minister and Janata Dal-Secular leader H.D. Deve Gowda, Naidu broke his fast later. Sena Rajya Sabha member Raut also endorsed Naidu's demands saying "commitment should be fulfilled first, politics later". Yashwant Sinha said the TDP will play an important role in government formation at the Centre after the Lok Sabha polls. "It is unfortunate that the central government talks about cooperative federalism but does not believe in it. That's why they keep doing injustice to states. We are confident in 3-4 months, the new government will come, which will give justice to Andhra," he said. Shatrughan Sinha also hit out Modi over the Rafale issue. "There are unanswered questions and if they remained unanswered, people will say 'chowkidar hi chor hai'," said the actor-turned politician. He also questioned Modi's silence on the issue despite persistent attack by the opposition. National Conference Farooq Abdullah called upon the opposition parties to remain united and steadfast and asserted the first thing the new government at the Centre will do is granting special status to Andhra. Deve Gowda said the promises regarding Andhra's reorganisation made by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the floor of the House cannot be prevented by anyone. "It is the responsibility of the incoming governments to carry out decisions taken by the previous government... I anticipate future government, whoever heads it, is certainly going to fulfil the promise made by Manmohan Singh," he said. Nationalist Congress Party's Majeed Memon, Trinamool Congress' Derek O' Brien, DMK's Tiruchi Siva, and Loktantrik Janata Dal's Sharad Yadav also visited Naidu. This is the second time that the opposition have came together to present a united front against the Modi-led BJP. On January 19, leaders of 23 national and regional parties descended on Kolkata for a rally and pledged to work together to prevent the BJP retaining power. New Delhi, Feb 11 : The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on Monday lifted the debt-repayment moratorium imposed on all 133 off-shore entities and some 22 domestic firms belonging to the Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) Group. Earlier, the NCLAT had imposed a 90 day moratorium on loan recovery from the subsidiaries of the debt ridden group. The Group with a consolidated long-term debt of around Rs 91,000 crore has 133 entities which have been incorporated or located outside the country's jurisdiction including IL&FS Africa Infrastructure Development Company, IL&FS Global Finance Services (UK) Limited and IIML Fund Managers (Singapore) PTE Ltd. Accordingly, some of these companies would either have to service their obligation as per agreed terms with lenders. However, many of these entities are said to be deep in the red and these could face liquidation. In addition to the foreign entities, 22 firms out of the 169 subsidiaries which have been incorporated in India have also been taken out of the moratorium. Further, NCLAT has appointed former Supreme Court Judge Justice D.K. Jain to supervise the 'Resolution Process' of the IL&FS Group and its subsidiaries. At present, only 22 group firms have been categorised under the green category. The companies under this category include IL&FS Investment Managers, IL&FS Securities Services and IL&FS Paradip Refinery Water amongst others. Subsequently, a classification of entities into "Green", "Amber" and "Red" has been done by the resolution consultant appointed by the new Board based on the 12-month cash flow based solvency test. Till now out of 169 companies of the group that have been incorporated in India, only 69 have been classified into the three categories. As per the classification norms, "Green" entities are those companies which can service their debt obligations, while firm in "Amber" group can partly meet their obligations and "Red" are those which can not make any payment obligations Last year, the Central government superseded the management of the beleaguered company via a NCLT order and appointed a six-member board led by Uday Kotak, MD & CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank, to restore its financial solvency. Key public sector lenders and undertakings such as LIC and SBI have a 25.34 per cent and 6.42 per cent stake, respectively, in the firm which has around Rs 91,000 crore in long-term debt. The credit crunch has led a few of the company's subsidiaries to default in servicing some of the inter-corporate deposits. Chandigarh, Feb 11 : All accused in the gang rape of a 20-year-old woman in Punjab's Ludhiana district continued to be at large on Monday, two days after the horrific incident. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Ranbir Singh Khatra admitted that there were lapses by the local police in dealing with the matter due to which such a gruesome crime took place on Saturday night. "Our main priority at this stage is to arrest the accused. There have been other incidents in the area by some gangs," Khatra said. Khatra said that Assistant Sub-Inspector Vijay Rattan had been suspended for dereliction of duty as he had failed to investigate the matter seriously and did not inform his seniors about it after the victims complained about the incident. The Punjab Police on Monday conducted raids at various places in Ludhiana district after a young woman alleged she was gang-raped by around 10 men at a farmhouse near Jagraon town after she and her male friend were attacked and abducted. No arrests have been made so far. The victim, aged around 20 years, told the police that she and her friend were going in a car from South City area of Ludhiana city towards Issewal village on Saturday night when their car was attacked with bricks by two men on a motorcycle. "The car was moving along a canal when the couple were attacked. We have registered a case of rape and under other sections (of Indian Penal Code) against 9-10 persons. They have not been identified yet and their sketches are being prepared," Khatra told the media. The attackers, who were joined by three others, then got into the car and beat up the man (male friend) and took the car to a farmhouse near Jagraon town, around 170 km from here. They also called up a friend of the man from his mobile phone and demanded a ransom of Rs 2 lakh. The friend approached the police following the call but the police did not take immediate action. The couple, who were abducted, were allegedly beaten up at the farmhouse and the woman was gang-raped by around 10 men. The couple were set free on Sunday following which they complained to the police regarding the gang-rape and the abduction. Vrindavan, Feb 11 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that no one in the country can repay the debt of the cow's milk, saying the bovine has been an important part of India's tradition and culture. Addressing a public gathering here, the Prime Minister also said that cows were a vital element of India's rural economy. The cow, with its milk, curd and buttermilk, has nourished the children of the country. "We cannot repay the debt of cow's milk. Cow is an important element of India's tradition and culture," Modi said. For the welfare of the animal, Modi said his government had taken several steps, including the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, to improve the health of cows. He said his government had also decided to establish a 'Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog' with an allocation of Rs 500 crore in the last Interim Budget. Just like farmers, cattle rearers can also avail loans through Kisan Credit Card worth Rs 3 lakh. "This loan has helped cattle rearers a lot. This will be a crucial step in boosting the dairy industry in the country." The Prime Minister was in Uttar Pradesh's Vrindavan to serve food to school children to mark the three billionth meal of the Akshaya Patra Foundation. Bangkok, Feb 11 : Thailand's political landscape was gripped by uncertainty on Monday after King Maha Vajiralongkorn intervened in his elder sister Princess Ubolratana Mahidol's bid to run for Prime Minister, leading the Election Commission to reject her candidacy. The Commission said on Monday that it had accepted 45 prime ministerial candidates nominated by different parties, but had not yet decided whether to dissolve the party that nominated the King's sister, Efe news reported. Princess Ubolratana has been excluded from the list because "members of the royal family should hold themselves above politics", the Commission said in a statement. "They should remain politically neutral and should not hold any political office". The statement followed a late night announcement by the King on February 8, in which he called her bid to run in the election on March 24 "inappropriate", saying it would "defy the culture of the nation". The Thai Raksa Chart party could also be dissolved or banned for filing the nomination of the Princess as its sole candidate, as the Election Commission studied a petition that was filed on Monday to ban the party. Meanwhile, a member of the Thai Raksa Chart retaliated with another petition to the poll body to reject the candidacy of current Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha, the head of the military junta who led a coup in 2014 to overthrow the democratically-elected government. His nomination was accepted by the Commission on Monday. Princess Ubolratana's nomination last week as a candidate for Prime Minister caused a huge stir in Thailand, a country where the monarch is revered but whose members traditionally have stayed out of politics. After the King called her candidacy "extremely inappropriate", the Thai Raksa Chart party announced that it would adhere to the royal order and withdrew the Princess' nomination, leaving them without a prime ministerial candidate for the elections scheduled for next month. Ubolratana's candidacy had initially been accepted by the Commission because she had formally relinquished her royal titles in 1972 following her marriage to an American, technically leaving her free to run in the election. The events of the last few days generated such political uncertainty that social media in Thailand on Sunday were rife with rumours of an imminent coup after several tanks were reportedly seen in a province to the north of Bangkok. However, military officials said the tanks were being moved amid preparations for the Asia-Pacific "Cobra Gold" defence exercises that are held annually in Thailand. Rungrueng Pittayasiri, an executive member of the Thai Raksa Chart party, on Monday submitted his resignation to the Election Commission, claiming he had nothing to do with the nomination of the Princess. Thai Raksa Chart party is linked to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose Puea Thai party has won every election that has been held since 2001. Shinawatra's sister Yingluck was Prime Minister when the government was overthrown in a coup in 2014. Jammu, Feb 11 : The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Monday arranged special sorties to airlift 707 stranded passengers from winter capital Jammu to the Valley. Defence Ministry spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand said here: "The relief effort in J&K has been undertaken jointly by the Indian Air Force and the civil administration. "For the 1st time, two C-17 aircraft airlifted 707 stranded students and civil passengers simultaneously from Air Force Station, Jammu. "In the 1st sortie, a total of 301 and in 2nd sortie 406 passengers, including students, were airlifted from Jammu to Srinagar." Jammu Air Commodore S.K. Mishra personally supervised the entire airlift operation at Jammu airbase, he said. "All the passengers were also provided with food packets by the Tiger Division. "The passengers were extremely thankful to the civil administration and the armed forces for a great humanitarian relief in the time of dire necessity," added Anand. Chandigarh, Feb 11 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stones of five projects, including three of the health and Ayush ministries, during his visit to Haryana's Kurukshetra town on Tuesday. He will also address a public rally in the pilgrimage town, around 100 km from here, on this occasion. Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij said on Monday that the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of three major projects of health and Ayush departments and inaugurate the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at Badhsa village in Jhajjar district from Kurukshetra itself. The cancer institute, constructed at a cost of about Rs 2,035 crore, has 710 beds and would provide treatment of all stages of cancer, he said, adding that apart from doctors' rooms, about 800 rooms have been constructed for the attendants of patients. Prime Minister Modi would also lay the foundation stone of Shri Krishna Ayush University, Kurukshetra, which is first of its kind in the world, he said, adding that it would provide education and treatment through ayurveda, yoga, unani, siddha and homeopathic medical systems. The varsity would come on about 94.5 acres at an estimated cost of about Rs 475 crore. "Similarly, he (Modi) would also lay the foundation stone of Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya University of Health, Karnal and National Institute of Ayurveda, Panchkula," Vij said. The university in Karnal's Kutail village will provide graduate and post-doctoral courses, and also have a super-specialty hospital with a trauma centre. This university would be developed over 144 acres at an estimated cost of about Rs 750 crore, he added. Vij also said that the ayurveda institute would come up in Panchkula, at the cost of Rs 270.50 crore, to provide medical facilities in the ancient Indian health system. New Delhi, Feb 11 : The Supreme Court on Monday said that the criminal justice delivery system can't be allowed to veer exclusively to the benefit of the offender, thereby making it an unidirectional exercise and proper course of balancing the rights of the accused and that of the prosecution. "Individual rights of accused are undoubtedly important. But equally important is societal interest for bringing the offender to book and for the system to send right message to all in the society -- be it the law abiding citizen or the potential offender," Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Navin Sinha and Justice K.M. Joseph said in a judgment. Speaking for the bench, Justice Sinha said: "Human rights are not only of the accused but, extent apart, also of the victim, the symbolic member of the society as the potential victim and the society as a whole." "Law has to carter to wide variety of situations as appear in the society. Law being dynamic, the certainty of the legislation appears rigid at times whenever a circumstance (set of facts) appears which is not carried for explicitly. Expediency then dictates that the higher judiciary, while interpreting the law, considers such exception(s) as are called for without disturbing the pith and substance and the original intention of the legislature," the judgment said, reminding the higher judiciary of its responsibility in interpreting the law. This is required "primarily" for the reason to "strike a balance between competing forces -- justice being the end -- and also because the process of fresh legislation could taker a long time, which would mean a failure of Justice and with it erosion of public confidence and the trust in the justice delivery system." The court further said that a proper administration of criminal justice system requires the balancing of the rights of the accused and that of the prosecution. "We therefore, hold that all pending criminal prosecutions, trials and appeals shall continue to be governed by the individual facts of the case," the court said. The court said this while dismissing an appeal by one Varinder Kumar, a resident of Himachal Pradesh, assailing the order reversing his acquittal and convicting him under Section 20(ii)(c) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act B and sentencing him to 20 years in jail. Kumar was apprehended on March 31, 1995 for carrying 'charas' in two gunny bags with varying quantities. He was acquitted by the trial court on the grounds of non-compliance of Section 100(4) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, relating to independent witnesses. However, it was reversed by the High Court. Mumbai, Feb 11 : The Bombay High Court on Monday granted further protection against arrest to accused academic Prof Anand Teltumbde and posted his application seeking an anticipatory bail for February 22. Teltumbde is among those being probed for the past 13 months by Pune police for their role in the January 1, 2018 caste riots that erupted in Koregaon-Bhima in the district. At Monday's hearing, Justice Nitin Sambre also directed the Goa-based professor to appear before the Pune police for investigations on February 14 and 18 in the matter. The high court further said that if Teltumbde is arrested by the police, he must be released on a bail of Rs 100,000 with one or more sureties. The development comes 10 days after his plea for anticipatory bail was rejected by a Pune Special Court, and the following day, February 2, he was arrested from Mumbai Airport and taken to Pune. However, Special Judge K.D. Vadane of the same court ordered his immediate release, barely 12 hours after his arrest. The Special Court also came down heavily on the Pune Anti Terrorist Squad for making the "illegal arrest" which amounted to a contempt of the Supreme Court which had earlier granted him protection against arrest till February 11, Monday. However, a well-known Dalit intellectual, Teltumbde has rejected all the charges against him and termed the Pune ATS case as one of "the vilest plot in post-Independence India". A professor in a Goa institution, he also accused the Pune police of making up the term "Urban Maoist" and said there is no such thing. Among other things, Teltumbde has been charged of harbouring links with the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) and also with the Elgaar Parishad, which allegedly triggered the January 2018 riots in Koregaon-Bhima during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Anglo-Maratha War. As part of its probe, the Pune police have provided evidences to the court alleging he is an "Urban Maoist" against whom the law enforcers have launched a massive nationwide offensive for the past over one year. Ramallah, Feb 11 : Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki on Monday said that the US was exerting pressure on Arab states to stop financial aid to Palestine. In a statement released by the official Palestinian radio station Voice of Palestine, Al-Maliki said the Palestinians were looking into ways to legally pursue the cases against the US' "illegal steps to impose a financial blockade on the Palestinian people". "The Palestinians are seeking alternative financial sources in order to respond to the US government's punitive measures," he was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency. He said that the Palestinians were considering resorting to the UN General Assembly and international legal organizations against Israel's intention to deduct money allocated to families of Palestinian prisoners and those slain by Israeli forces out of Palestine's tax revenues collected by Israeli authorities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that his government was going to approve a law next week to deduct Palestine's financial allocations out of its tax revenues, according to the Israeli public radio. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party accused Israel and the US of "tightening the financial blockade" against his country, after Palestine rejected the US-proposed Middle East peace plan. The Palestinians declared a boycott of the US government since it recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moved its Embassy in Israel to the holy city. Going to the beach Visiting family/friends out of town Camping/hiking Other (let us know!) Vote View Results New Delhi, Feb 11 : Finance Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday said the NDA government's efforts have helped to improve farmers' economic condition and refuted the criticism that the Rs 6,000 annual income support to them was meagre. The Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted an honest budget. So the fiscal deficit target was marginally raised to 3.4 per cent though the target could have mentioned as 3.3 per cent. Replying to the discussions on the Interim Budget which was later passed by voice vote, he said the amount allocated for farmers in the 2019 Budget was not small and provided constant annual income support. "About 12 crore farmers getting Rs 6,000 each year which translates into Rs 7.5 lakh crore in a span of 10 years is not small by any means," he said, adding that the government had provided earlier higher MSP for 22 crops and that there had been marked a improvement in the condition of farmers with steps like Ayushman Bharat. Goyal also refuted the criticism that the government had presented a full Budget in an election year. "We have not announced any new scheme for next year's Budget. Rather, in 2014, the then UPA Finance Minister, without waiting for a regular Budget, had cut the duty on SUVs and big luxury cars for the rich while tinkering with the tax rates which is unusual in the Interim Budget." He asked whether an SUV was purchased by the middle class and farmers. The Minister took another dig at the UPA government saying no benefits were given to the farmers in Budget 2009 but loans to the farmers doubled in the NDA government's rule. He said the Congress only brought one announcement in their 10 years from 2004-14 pertaining to farmers -- a farm loan waiver of Rs 60,000 crore. According to Goyal, even that was not provided in the Budget and the actual number was brought down to Rs 52,000 crore a year later. The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Interim Budget for 2019-20 after a day-long discussion. Goyal introduced the Appropriation Bill and the Finance Bill in the House amid din. The Bills were passed by voice vote after the Minister's reply. He said the government had worked for all sections of the society and had taken care of them in this budget. "The poor, farmers and the middle class are the government's priorities. Our government was the first to increase minimum support price (MSP) for farmers," Goyal said. New Delhi, Feb 11 : Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday cancelled his meeting with Chief Ministers of Northeastern states to discuss the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which is likely to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha member Javed Ali Khan has assured the North East Students Organisation (NESO) that his party will vote against the Bill. Rajnath Singh was supposed to meet the Chief Ministers at 4.30 p.m. at his North Block office. The sudden cancellation of the meeting assumes significance in the wake of the ongoing widespread protests against the Bill in the northeastern states. Various civil society groups and political parties are opposing the Bill saying it will have a detrimental effect on the ethnic communities if it becomes a law. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to the people of the northeastern states that the Bill will in no way cause harm to their interests. Normal life was derailed in Nagaland and Manipur on Monday as civil society groups sponsored a shutdown in protest against the Bill which seeks to give Indian citizenship to six minority groups from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. "The Samajwadi Party has assured us that his party will vote against the Bill if tabled in the Rajya Sabha," NESO Chairman Samuel Jyrwa said. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, who reached New Delhi on Sunday, has made it clear that his National People's Party (NPP) will snap ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance if the Bill is passed in the Rajya Sabha. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on January 8. On January 7, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) snapped its ties with the BJP and pulled out of Sarbananda Sonowal-led Assam government over the Bill. New Delhi, Feb 11 : The government is not implementing the Lokpal Bill only to protect Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who "perhaps" would be the "number one accused" in Rafale fighter jets deal, the Congress said on Monday. During the discussion on Interim Budget 2019-20, Congress leader Veerappa Moily said the government's defence allocation is only one-fifth of China's allocation. "Of this, 20 per cent will go to Rafale and the deal has exposed the chinks in their armour. That is why, I was just thinking as to why this government is not implementing the Lokpal Bill. Now it is crystal clear because if that was to be implemented, perhaps, the present PM would have been the No. 1 accused in that case. That is why, he is afraid. That is why, there is also no JPC," Moily said. He said the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is an investigating agency and that "no other committees, commissions or even Vigilance Commission cannot get into this". "The Prime Minister can escape today, but not tomorrow," Moily said. Moily alleged that Modi is trying to slap the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) cases against everyone. Moily, however, clarified: "We are not against purchase of Rafale or any other gun but the question is this. "You cannot deprive the public sector like the HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd), which has a 70-year expertise. This government's own Law Ministry says that there should be a sovereign guarantee." Now, Moily said, "we find today that the government of the day waived anti-corruption clauses in the Rafale deal". "Even the Financial Adviser's recommendation that there should be an escrow account after PMO forced a waiver of sovereign or bank guarantee was overruled. If anybody has to be held guilty in this Rafale deal, it is PM and PM alone. It is crystal clear," he added. The Congress MP said the budget allocation for defence sector is less as compared to last year's budget. Because of demonetisation, the industrial output and the MSME sector suffered a loss and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rate also declined, Moily said. He said the unemployment rate is growing under the present government and is a matter of concern. Moily also questioned, on what basis the government is claiming GDP is growing despite the rate of the unemployment rate is high in the country. Dubai, Feb 11 : A 37-year-old Pakistani citizen has been sentenced to seven years in prison, to would be followed by his deportation for stabbing his Indian roommate to death in October 2018 over an argument on leaving the lights on, the media reported. The defendant was staying with the victim and others in a room at a workers' accommodation in Jebel Ali, on the southern outskirts of Dubai. On that day, the accused disturbed his sleeping Indian roommate and others by switching on lights and speaking loudly on phone, the Khaleej Times reported. The unidentified victim and other roommates asked the defendant to switch off the lights. It led to a verbal brawl. The victim attacked the Pakistani man, who then stabbed the former with a 20-cm knife, according to the report. The defendent admitted that he had consumed alcohol before the incident but did not intend to kill the victim. The Dubai Court of First Instance on Sunday convicted the accused and ordered his deportation after the end of jail-term. A 46-year-old Indian supervisor testified that the defendant was a visitor and staying in the room for two days. The defendant can appeal conviction within 15 days. Kolkata, Feb 11 : Two days after a Trinamool Congress MLA was shot dead, the body of another leader of West Bengal's ruling party was found in Hooghly district on Monday, police said. Ritesh Roy, 45, a cooperative society chairman from East Midnapore district's Marishda village, was found dead near Hooghly's Dadpur village. He was missing since February 7. Police said Roy's body was recovered from a bush beside the highway, two kilometres from Dadpur. He was taken to Chuchura Imambara hospital, where he was declared brought dead. "There are two external injury marks on Roy's throat and eye. Post mortem report said he was killed by strangulation," police said. They said they are investigating what he was doing in Hoogly and who killed him. The Trinamool termed the murder as a "political killing" and alleged that the BJP was involved. "He was a young leader and an active member of our party. He certainly had political enemies. The miscreants, who used to torture people here during the Left Front regime, have now joined the BJP. Police should thoroughly investigate the matter," state Transport Minister Subhendu Adhikari alleged. "We have full faith in police. The family members have already lodged an FIR. His death is a loss for our party," he said. Family members said they last heard from Roy on February 7 when he informed that he was in Hooghly district for some personal work. "After we got the news from police in Hooghly, I went there and identified his body. We want strong action against the murderers," Roy's son said. His death comes on the back of political blame game between Trinamool Congress and BJP over the brutal killing of MLA Satyajit Biswas, who was shot dead from point blank range by a group of unidentified assailants in Nadia district's Krishnagunj on Saturday night. While the Trinamool accused BJP leader Mukul Roy and his associates of masterminding the killing, the saffron party refuted the charges and claimed that the leader was killed due to Trinamool's infighting. Lucknow, Feb 11 (IANS) On her first public outing after making the political debut as Congress General Secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday may have succeeded in drawing enough eye balls in the roadshow here but the road ahead may be arduous and bumpy. After seeing the response of the moribund party workers during the 17-km-long event, political observers say it would take much more than a mere show on streets to revive the Congress fortunes in 44 Lok Sabha seats of eastern Uttar Pradesh which Priyanka Gandhi will oversee. While a team of party veterans and young leaders is working overtime to brief Priyanka Gandhi on what lies ahead, she has the task cut out that is daunting, keeping in mind the organisational structure which is in shambles and the beaten morale of the grassroot workers. The party has been out of power in Uttar Pradesh for more than three decades. As the Modi juggernaut rolled in 2014, its woes only worsened. A weak organisation seems to be her biggest challenge. And so while the district units of Congress remain on paper, their existence and efficiency beyond that stands in serious doubt. Barring the big names in the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) that jostled to find a place next to the Gandhis on the flower-decked bus during the roadshow, the party has a huge paucity of good faces at district level. "There are no 'karyakartas' (workers)... only netas (leaders) at the state level," rues a party activist at the Mall Avenue office of the Congress in Lucknow. Leaders like former UPCC chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi, the one-day-Chief Minister Jagdambika Pal have migrated to greener or rather saffron pastures -- the former is the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Minister while Pal is a Lok Sabha member of the BJP. Forget, other parts of the state, the party is having chinks in the armour even in pocket boroughs like Amethi and Rae Bareli, where old loyalists like legislators Rakesh Prakash Singh and MLC Dinesh Pratap Singh have bid adieu to the party, jolting its prospects even in party strongholds, hitherto considered invincible. Eastern UP, a task assigned to Priyanka Gandhi by her brother and Congress President Rahul Gandhi, is the toughest region to win over, even the most overzealous party men admit. There are 44 seats in all if the eastern UP (Poorvanchal) and Avadh region in which Lucknow and Amethi fall under are taken together. And it is from here that Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Varanasi) and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath (Gorakhpur) come from. The party is not cadre based and had once the support, largely from a cocktail of communities and castes, which have now slipped out of its hands, barring Muslims and upper castes cut up with the BJP. Putting back the caste matrix which worked in its favour for decades in an uphill task for the 47-year-old Priyanka Gandhi. The SP-BSP alliance and the 10 per cent jobs and educational quota for the upper caste poor decided by the Modi government have put a spanner in the Congress works. While Priyanka Gandhi may carry an aura around her, the party is still facing a dearth of "winnable candidates" in almost all parliamentary constituencies. If it has to win back its core Dalit, Pasi and Muslim vote, it will have to convince them about its winning chances. "Floating voters and minorities vote tactically and would throw in their lot with Congress if it puts up winnable faces but the truth is there aren't many," says Asif Qureshi, a party sympathiser from Chowk in old Lucknow. The party had put up 105 candidates in the 2017 Assembly elections when it tied up with the Samajwadi Party and won just 7 seats. It contested all the Lok Sabha seats in 2014 but won just two. The BJP onslaught on her husband Robert Vadra -- his clouded land deals and continued questioning by central agencies -- could put the Gandhi scion in an uncomfortable position as and when the issue crops up from the electorate. Kolkata, Feb 11 : Two days after a Trinamool Congress MLA was shot dead, the body of another leader of West Bengal's ruling party was found in Hooghly district on Monday, police said. Ritesh Roy, 45, a cooperative society chairman from East Midnapore district's Marishda village, was found dead near Hooghly's Dadpur village. He was missing since February 7. Police said Roy's body was recovered from a bush beside the highway, two kilometres from Dadpur. He was taken to Chuchura Imambara hospital, where he was declared brought dead. "There are two external injury marks on Roy's throat and eye. Post mortem report said he was killed by strangulation," police said. They said they are investigating what he was doing in Hoogly and who killed him. The Trinamool termed the murder as a "political killing" and alleged that the BJP was involved. "He was a young leader and an active member of our party. He certainly had political enemies. The miscreants, who used to torture people here during the Left Front regime, have now joined the BJP. Police should thoroughly investigate the matter," state Transport Minister Subhendu Adhikari alleged. "We have full faith in police. The family members have already lodged an FIR. His death is a loss for our party," he said. Family members said they last heard from Roy on February 7 when he informed that he was in Hooghly district for some personal work. "After we got the news from police in Hooghly, I went there and identified his body. We want strong action against the murderers," Roy's son said. His death comes on the back of political blame game between Trinamool Congress and BJP over the brutal killing of MLA Satyajit Biswas, who was shot dead from point blank range by a group of unidentified assailants in Hooghly's Krishnagunj on Saturday night. While the Trinamool accused BJP leader Mukul Roy and his associates of masterminding the killing, the saffron party refuted the charges and claimed that the leader was killed due to Trinamool's infighting. Tehran, Feb 11 : The daughter of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on Monday called for a separation of religion and politics in Iran and criticized a lack of freedom and repression under the current regime. Rafsanjani (1934- 2017) was one of the founding fathers of the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979 and served as the fourth President of the country between 1989-97. "For several years now I have believed that religion and politics do not work together, because religion is a personal thing for each individual," Faezeh Rafsanjani told Efe news in an interview conducted at the Rafsanjani museum, which was inaugurated a few months ago to memorialize the late statesman. Faezeh Rafsanjani, who was a member of Parliament between 1996 and 2000, added that this separation would benefit religion itself. The founder of the Islamic system in Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, rejected such a separation describing it as "American Islam". The second and current Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei has also dismissed the idea. Faezeh Rafsanjani, however, has publicly expressed her criticism of the Iranian judicial and political systems for years and was even imprisoned for six months after being charged for promoting propaganda against Iran during the Iranian Green Movement in 2009, a pro-democracy protest. She said that the Islamic revolution, led by Khomeini alongside her father, had not completed its objectives but it had rather limited people's freedom. Faezeh Rafsanjani said the motto of the revolution was independence, freedom as well as the establishment of an Islamic state, stressing that it had not called for an "Islamic Republic". She also lamented compulsory hijab laws in Iran. Iran recently hit the global media spotlight after US President Donald Trump decided to withdraw from the 2015 international nuclear deal, which had seen the Iranian regime swap its nuclear programme for a partial lifting of sanctions. The remaining signatories, which included Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, Germany and the EU, criticized the Trump administration for the move as international monitors had consistently found Tehran was abiding by the pact. Dharamsala : , Feb 11 (IANS) Former US President Barak Obama promised to Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama that after him, he would carry forward the promotion of world peace and non-violence, said the elderly Buddhist monk on Monday. "I told him 'After me, you should carry forward the promotion of world peace and non-violence, and he (Obama) promised," the Dalai Lama, who would be meeting Obama again this year in India, told a delegation led by American-Indian author Deepak Chopra at his residence here. He further said that his plan is to hold a meeting with Indian Nobel peace laureate Kailash Satyarthi in Delhi this year, which will eventually finalise a Nobel laureates' gathering. "Obama will definitely come to the meeting," he said. The Nobel Peace Laureate also remembered his friend, former US President George Bush, with whom he would connect instantly as friends. About the relevance of ancient Indian tradition, he said: "India is the one country that has the potential to combine its ancient knowledge with modern education for the wider benefit of the world at large." He drew attention to the elimination of nuclear weapons throughout the world. "We should not only rely on the United Nations, on a public level, there should also be some movement calling for denuclearisation. "India particularly should lead these efforts in this and also in promoting religious harmony," he said, adding that it should be more active in the promotion of religious harmony, "ahimsa" (non-violence) and demilitarisation. About the world leaders whom he admires most, the Dalai Lama named leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, India's first president Rajendra Prasad and former German Chancellor Willy Brandt. The Dalai Lama has been holding his teachings most of the time in nearby McLeodganj, where the government-in-exile is based. McLeodganj is a quaint town in Himachal Pradesh about 500 km from New Delhi. It is home to thousands of Tibetans who found a second abode to preserve their unique faith, culture and identity. New Delhi, Feb 11 : The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Monday said that the Interim Budget 2019-20 was an attempt to woo the voters and an indication that the Central government was afraid of not coming back to power. "There has been a lot of confusion in the budget. There has been a tradition of presenting an account budget. But when they spoke about it, they said it is an interim budget. And when they presented the budget, it came out as a full-fledged budget," TDP MP Rammohan Naidu said during the discussion on the Interim Budget in the Lok Sabha. "What is the confusion? What has compelled them to present a full-fledged budget?" The government presented its Interim Budget in the Lok Sabha on February 1. Naidu said the government introduced so many schemes to woo the farmers and others, which was a sign that it was afraid of not coming back to power again. In that sense, he said, the government presented a budget for "votes and nothing else". Naidu added that his party's main demand was special status for Andhra Pradesh. "We are only asking for the rights that have been promised to Andhra Pradesh. We are not asking for anything more. We are just asking for the things which were promised by the current Central government, the previous Prime Minister. The present Prime Minister had assured us before becoming the PM that a special status will be given to Andhra Pradesh, not only for five years but for a term of 10 years," Naidu said. But the Prime Minister has taken a u-turn after 2014, he said. "Every time, we asked for special status for Andhra Pradesh. Had we been given the special status in 2014, we would not have been protesting," Naidu said. He said that Narendra Modi, during his recent visit to Guntur, made personal remarks against Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. "This is the kind of thing the Prime Minister is promoting in this country," he said. "Anyone who questions him, anyone who demands something, anyone who asks for justice, Modi sends CBI, ED or the Income Tax Department after them. He uses the institutions undemocratically. I don't think the country is going to tolerate this kind of leadership," Naidu said. The country will teach the BJP a lesson by voting against such a "dictatorship", he said. The Centre has not done anything for Andhra Pradesh and not a single assurance has been fulfilled, Naidu alleged. "The same thing has happened with West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. That is why we want to stand united in terms of opposition because we have been cheated and insulted. Together we want to find justice," Naidu said. On farmers issues, he said the Central government is afraid of releasing the farmer's suicide data prepared by the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB). New Delhi, Feb 11 : Logging into the social media with a Twitter profile on Monday, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi has amassed over 1 lakh followers and the count is increasing every second. Priyanka's Twitter debut came on a day when she and her brother and Congress president Rahul Gandhi held a road show in Lucknow to sound their party's poll bugle in Uttar Pradesh, the state that sends 80 members to the Lok Sabha. Yet to post her first tweet, Priyanka is following only seven people -- all from her party -- on Twitter. These include the Congress official handle, her brother Rahul Gandhi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, his deputy Sachin Pilot, party chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, Rajya Sabha member Ahmed Patel and fellow general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia. Among her prominent followers are former Jammu & Kashmir chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, among the first Indian politicians to join the Twitter bandwagon, welcomed Priyanka Gandhi to the microblogging site. "Pleased to welcome @priyankagandhi to @twitter. It was once a lonely furrow for a Congressman to plough -- glad to see @INCIndia stalwarts now all take to it with enthusiasm," tweeted Tharoor who incidentally is yet to be followed by Priyanka. Realising the importance of social media in shaping narratives and sensitising the populace, politicians cutting across party lines have been using the platform to reach out to the people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a following of 45.4 million, tops the list of Indian leaders who use Twitter. Rahul Gandhi with 8.47 million followers is way behind Modi. Tasked with reviving the party's fortunes in eastern UP, the turf of Chief Minister and BJP's Hindutva posterboy Yogi Adityanath, Priyanka will be interacting with party leaders and workers in Lucknow for three days, starting February 12, along with Jyotiraditya Scindia, the general secretary in charge of western UP. New Delhi, Feb 11 : The Supreme Court on Monday asked the National Commission of Minorities (NCM) to consider a PIL by a BJP leader seeking to define minorities and lay down the guidelines for their identification. Directing the NCM to consider the PIL, the bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna said: "The court would expect the NCM to take a decision on the matter as early as possible, preferably within a period of three months from today (Monday)." Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay approached the top court since his representation of November 17, 2018 was not addressed by the Commission. Upadhyaya had approached the NCM after he was asked by the top court to do so by its order dated November 10, 2018. The court asked the Commission to consider the representation of November 17, 2018 of the BJP leader which had sought direction to the Centre to define minorities and lay down guidelines for their identification. Referring to October 23, 1992 notification, which identified Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Paris as minorities, the BJP leader said that Muslims are in majority in Lakshdweep and J&K, and form a significant population in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and yet they are enjoying minority status. The communities, Upadhyaya's PIL says, which are real minorities in the states are not getting their legitimate share because of non-identification of minorities at the state level. The BJP has lamanted that the Hindus are real minotities in eight states - Lakshdweep, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, J&K, Arunachal Pradesh and Punjab, but their rights as minotities are being siphoned off illegally and arbitrarily by the majority population in these states, as the Central government has not notified them as minorities in these states. Beijing, Feb 11 : China on Monday trashed Turkey's allegations that nearly one million Uighur Muslims were subjected to torture and political brainwashing at concentration camps and prisons in the Xinjiang region. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Beijing respected freedom of religious belief and asked Ankara to stop making such accusations in the interests of bilateral ties, according to Efe news. The statement came after the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Saturday more than one million Uighur Muslims had been detained in concentration camps and "the systematic assimilation policy of Chinese authorities against the Uighur Turks was a great embarrassment for humanity". Denying the allegation, Hua said lives of people in Xinjiang had "significantly improved" with China's intensified "anti-terrorist measures". "The accusations made by the Turkish side are obviously based on lies," Hua told reporters, asking Turkey to withdraw the remarks "to uphold the relations between our two countries". The spokesperson said population in the western region of the country -- near Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan border -- "enjoys freedom of religious belief" and had the right to use their own language and their "culture was self-guarded." "Turkey is also a multi-ethnic country and faces terrorist threats. Adopting double-standard in anti-terrorism issue will be self-defeating in the end," Hua said. "We hope the Turkish side will correctly look at China's policy and efforts and use actions to enhance mutual trust and cooperation," he said. China's Xinjiang region is home to around 10 million Uighurs. Muslims, which make up around 45 per cent of Xinjiang's population, have long accused Chinese authorities of cultural, religious and economic discrimination. According to international human rights organisations, Uighurs, Kazakhs and other Muslim minorities were being detained in camps on frivolous charges like refusing to give a DNA samples, using minority language or arguing with government officials. The Amnesty International in September 2018 reported deaths and torture of Muslims in these so-called re-education camps, alleging the mass detention centres were places of "brainwashing, torture and punishment" and people who would commit a simple act of messaging family abroad were being detained. The Chinese government justifies these camps as part of its counter-extremism and counter-terrorism efforts. Lucknow, Feb 11 : Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday virtually shut the doors on the BSP and Samajwadi Party and said that while he respected their leaders Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav, there should be no doubt that his party will fight the coming Lok Sabha polls with "its full might and ability" in Uttar Pradesh. Addressing Congress workers at the party office, the Gandhi scion said that the time had come when the ideology of the Congress should be resurrected in the state and added, while gesturing towards party General Secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jyotiraditya Scindia, that these people had been sent to Uttar Pradesh not just for the Lok Sabha polls but to also ensure that the Congress "forms the next state government". "We will yield not an inch on our ideology. The people of the state have suffered a lot, they have tried and tested every party and the Congress will have to form the next government for the sake of progress and prosperity of Uttar Pradesh," he declared as the workers applauded amid slogans of "Rahul Bhaiyya, Rahul Bhaiyya". Exhorting party activists to work hard for the electoral battle that lies ahead, he pointed out that it was a "fight between an ideology and unity and brotherhood on one side and the RSS, BJP and Narendra Modi's divisive and hate-centred politics on the other". He assured the party workers that leaders will not be "air-dropped any more" and that the grassroot workers would be encouraged. He again trained his guns on Prime Minister Modi for alleged corruption. Gandhi said that there was no dearth of issues to put the Modi government on the mat -- be it farm loan waiver, promised jobs and even corruption. Modi had let down the people of all sections of the society, the Congress leader said at the end of a roadshow of his sister Priyanka Gandhi and Scindia. "Loans of no farmer has been waived but his industrialist friends have got benefits from the Prime Minister. Two crore jobs were promised every year but nothing has happened." Taking a dig at the Prime Minister, he imitated Modi's style of speech and said that while earlier he used to speak with his head held high and his 56-inch chest pumped up, now he spoke with his head down. "He is on the defensive, his hollowness has been exposed before the whole country," Gandhi said. New Delhi, Feb 11 : The government on Monday said the Ministry of Home Affairs has designated Dera Baba Nanak land checkpost in Punjab's Gurdaspur as an authorised immigration point to facilitate pilgrims passing through the proposed Kartarpur corridor in Pakistan. In an official notification, the MHA said: "In pursuance of sub-rule (b) of 3 of the Passport (Entry into India) Rules, 1950, the government designates Dera Baba Nanak land checkpost in Gurdaspur, Punjab, as an authorised immigration check point for entry into/exit from India with valid documents for all classes of passengers." According to the Home Ministry, the checkpost is expected to facilitate pilgrims passing through the proposed Kartarpur corridor. Shimla, Feb 11 : There has been no cullinbg of monkey after the primate was declared a vermin in Himachal Pradesh, Forest Minister Gobind Thakur informed the Assembly on Monday. However, farmers have shot dead five monkeys, Thakur said in a written reply to Rakesh Singha of the CPM. The affected people have the liberty to kill such wild animals in identified areas, he added. Permission for hunting is granted by the divisional forest officer in case of damage to crops or threat to human life, Thakur said. According to officials, the estimated population of monkey in the state is over two lakh. Of the 75 tehsils in 10 of the 12 districts, 39 have been identified by the department as monkey hotspots. A hotspot identifies a place of human-monkey conflict. Marauding monkey gangs prowl Shimla's streets, creating panic among residents and tourists. They cause havoc by biting passersby and snatching food. Over 60 monkey bite cases are reported every month by the state-run Rippon Hospital alone. In localities like Jakhu, Tutikandi, Nabha, Phagli, Kaithu, Summer Hill, Tutu, Boileauganj, Chotta Shimla and Sanjauli, residents have been forced to literally convert their houses into jails by erecting iron grills on doors and windows to block the monkey intrusions. The minister said allowing export of monkeys was not within the purview of the state government. The Central government banned the export in 1978. Wildlife officials say a decade ago monkeys were trapped from Shimla and released in jungles. It was the best method for tackling the monkey menace. Ghaziabad, Feb 11 : Three unidentified bike borne robbers looted Rs 6.58 lakh from an accountant of a real estate company here on Monday. The incident took place in Avantika residential area under the Kavi Nagar police station. The police said Rupendra Singh, the accountant of Yatharth Promoters & Developers owned by Adesh Sharma, came to office in his car at about 9.30 a.m. As he opened the rear door of his car to pick up the bag containing the cash, three men came on a Royal Enfield bike, wearing helmets, snatched the bag and fled. One of the robbers put a pistol to Singh's head and his accomplice snatched the bag containing the cash while the third man remained on the bike. During the short scuffle, the helmet of one of the robbers fell, uncovering his face. But they opened fire in the air, forcing the people nearby to run for safety. After the incident, Singh rushed inside his office and informed the owner of the firm. The police reached the spot after an SOS call was sent to the police control room. "We have assigned a team to solve the case and have found clues in a CCTV footage. We hope to solve the case soon," said Shlok Kumar, Superintendent of Police (City). Chennai, Feb 11 : The Madras High Court on Monday declined to restrain Justice A. Arumugaswamy Commission from probing the adequacy or correctness of the treatment given to late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa at the hospital. The court was hearing the petition filed by Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Ltd to restrain the probe panel from investigating the adequacy or correctness of the treatment given to Jayalalithaa. The Apollo Hospitals contended that the probe panel is going beyond its terms of reference. Jayalalithaa was in Apollo Hospitals here for 75 days in 2016 before she died there due to cardiac arrest on December 5, 2016. The Apollo Hospitals has also filed a petition in the high court to appoint an independent medical board, if the Commission's terms of reference also cover an inquiry into the treatment given to Jayalalithaa. In an order issued detailing the terms of reference of the inquiry commission, the Tamil Nadu government had said it would "inquire into the circumstances and situation leading to the hospitalisation" of Jayalalithaa on September 22, 2016 and "subsequent treatment provided till her unfortunate demise" on December 5 that year. Ever since Jayalalithaa's death, there have been allegations of foul play. New Delhi, Feb 11 : The Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology (IT) on Monday yet again summoned Twitter's Global CEO to appear before it on February 25 over allegations of the social media site discriminating against "nationalist" posts on its platform. The parliamentary panel headed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha MP Anurag Thakur had summoned the Twitter CEO to appear before it on Monday, but the Twitter sent a team of its officials led by its India and South Asia Policy Director Mahima Kaul. The panel refused to hear the officials and they were kept waiting outside the meeting room. "All the members took such disregard for the Committee by Twitter very seriously. What was the point in hearing those officials who have no authority?" an informed source told IANS. "We want to give them (Twitter) another chance. The CEO will be summoned to appear before the panel on February 25," he said. The panel also discussed widening the scope of its enquiry and may also summon the top brass of other social media and messaging sites including Facebook, WhatsApp and others, sources said. The panel is mulling to hold a meeting on February 26 too in which it may call other social media players. Kuala Lumpur, Feb 11 : A Malaysian court on Monday postponed the first trial of former Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is facing multiples charges of corruption involving state development fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). Najib has been charged with a total of 42 counts of corruption and he, along with his associates, are accused of diverting $4.5 billion from the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund. The Kuala Lumpur High Court was set to start hearings on Tuesday on the seven counts of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering that Najib is facing in connection of 42 million ringgit ($10.5 million) from SRC International, a former unit of state fund 1MDB, allegedly transferred into his personal account. But an appeal court on Monday approved an application by Najib's lawyers to postpone the hearings, Xinhua news agency reported. The scandal was a major factor that contributed to Najib's historic defeat in the May 2018 elections, when his party, the powerful United Malays National Organisation, suffered its first loss since the country's independence from Britain. The 65-year-old, who served as Prime Minister from 2009 to 2018, is accused of diverting 2.6 billion ringgit ($681 million at the time) to private accounts, an undercover investigation by the Wall Street Journal and the Sarawak Report found in 2015. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) formally charged Najib with criminal breach of trust and abuse of power last year, shortly after the polls. He denies the allegations, claiming the embezzled funds were a donation from a Saudi prince, an explanation that was initially accepted by 1MDB, the MACC and the then-Attorney General, who initially exonerated him. The case was reopened following his defeat in the election. Najib says he is a victim of political persecution by his mentor Mahathir Mohamad's government. Investigators reopened the case after Najib lost the elections, with Mahathir banning his predecessor and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, from leaving the country. More than 12,000 pieces of jewellery, including 1,400 necklaces, 2,200 rings, 2,100 bangles, 2,800 pairs of earrings, 1,600 brooches and 14 tiaras, as well as cash in 26 currencies worth around 116 million ringgit ($28.5 million), were found at Najib's home during the investigation. The alleged embezzlement and laundering of funds diverted from 1MDB were being investigated in half a dozen countries, including the US, Switzerland and Singapore. According to the US Department of Justice, about $4.5 billion was diverted from the 1MDB, $1 billion of which may have been laundered in the country with the purchase of real estate, yachts, jewellery and works of art among other goods. Najib set up 1MDB in 2009 as a state investment fund to attract investment projects and other developments to the southeast Asian country. Kochi : Writer and social commentator Paul Zacharia has lamented that the word renaissance has been reduced to a joke in the wake of the present brouhaha over the entry of women of child-bearing age into the Sabarimala temple. Speaking at a seminar on Monday in connection with the Krithi international book fest currently on in Kochi, the writer opined that much of the current discourse on renaissance in the backdrop of the Sabarimala issue was superficial. Now the term renaissance is being used like a brand name. The term has been reduced to a joke what with virtually anything and everything being described as renaissance, Mr. Zacharia said. Weighing in on the Sabarimala issue, he opined that he did not view women hitting the streets in protest against the Sabarimala verdict allowing women of menstrual age entry into the hill shrine as a sign of the ascendancy of right-wing forces like the BJP. He also came down on the media in Kerala, saying that the media played up the Sabarimala issue in a bid to garner eyeballs. The Sabarimala issue would die down only if the media stopped viewing it as a means of reaping profit, he charged. Lamenting the erosion of renaissance values in the state, Mr. Zacharia said that it was futile to criticise just the political parties for this situation, adding that the media was just as culpable in the state losing the gains of renaissance. To buttress his point, he cited as example the role played by the media in the rise of self-styled god-men and -women. He also bemoaned the degeneration that has allegedly crept into political parties such as the CPI(M) and the Congress. Saying that the CPI(M)-led LDF government prevaricated on the Sabarimala issue even more than the Congress, he opined that no CPI(M) leader except Pinarayi Vijayan was able to explicitly declare support in favour of entry of young women into the Sabarimala temple. Coming down on Congress leader and leader of the opposition Ramesh Chennithala, the writer said that the Congress leaders stance on the Sabarimala issue was even more extreme than that of the BJP. New Delhi, Feb 11 : The Central government on Monday told the Delhi High Court that Young Indian company, in which Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi are shareholders, was formed with an intention to take over Herald House. The court was hearing the Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) -- which publishes National Herald newspaper -- appeal challenging the December 21 order of a single judge dismissing its plea against the Urban Development Ministry's October 30 direction that AJL's 56-year-old lease on Herald House was over and that it should vacate. The single judge in its order on December 21 had noted that by transfer of AJL's 99 per cent shares to Young Indian company, the beneficial interest of AJL's property worth Rs 413.40 crore stands clandestinely transferred to Young Indian company. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a division bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V. Kameswar Rao that AJL "clandestinely" transferred its majority shares to Young Indian and requested the court to dismiss AJL's appeal. He also told the court that AJL has violated the lease agreement and asked the court to lift the corporate veil. He also said that the Gandhis are directly liable for the defaults in the company. However, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi defended AJL and denied the allegations. He also told the court that the digital version of the newspaper was started on November 14, 2016, while the publication of weekly "National Herald on Sunday" was resumed on September 24, 2017. The government has said that National Herald was revived only after the Centre sent a notice for inspection of the property in September 2016. The court listed the matter for further arguments on February 18. New Delhi: Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who began a 12-hour long fast demanding the Centre to accord special category status and fulfill other commitments made in Andhra Prades Image Source: IANS News New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi and National Conference President Farooq Abdullah with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who began a 12-hour long fast demanding the Centre to accord special category status and fulfill oth Image Source: IANS News New Delhi: Former Prime Minister and Congress leader Manmohan Singh with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who began a 12-hour long fast demanding the Centre to accord special category status and fulfill other commitments made in An Image Source: IANS News New Delhi: Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who began a 12-hour long fast demanding the Centre to accord special category status and fulfill other commitments made in Andhra Prades Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, Feb 11 : Charging the Centre with betrayal by not granting special status to Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday claimed there is a threat to democracy and the country under the Narendra Modi-led BJP regime. With a host of opposition leaders, including Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal extending their support, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President sat on the fast in the national capital demanding the Centre to accord Special Category Status and fulfil other commitments made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. A day after Modi addressed a rally in Andhra Pradesh and made a bitter attack on Naidu, a number of opposition leaders turned up at the Andhra Bhavan here and launched a scathing attack on the Prime Minister. Pointing to the issue being repeatedly raised in Parliament by the TDP, Naidu said his agitation was a way to communicate to the nation "the betrayal by the Modi government of Andhra Pradesh". "Modi is threatening everybody -- the opposition, bureaucracy, corporates and even the media. He is using the CBI, ED and the IT Department to crush the opposition and dissent," said Naidu claiming democracy and the nation was "under threat" under Modi. "We want to save democracy. Today there is a democratic compulsion for all political parties to join together to save the country," he said. Calling upon the opposition parties to unite, Naidu said: "We need to keep this in mind. Modi was given absolute majority. What did he do? Nothing. The BJP and Modi were playing games to divide the opposition by asking who's their leader. "He is responsible for the falling standard of public discourse. PM must stop first hitting below the belt. Then everyone will stop and then we will maintain dignity and discourse of politics." Naidu said his protest was against the injustice done to the state, to remind the Centre of its promises and to demonstrate the strength of Andhra Pradesh. Warning the Prime Minister to stop the attacks, Naidu said he should act immediately to fulfil the commitments as only "two days were left" to the ongoing Parliament session, which could be the last session before the Lok Sabha elections. "If you don't fulfil the promises you have made, we know how to get it done," he said, adding that the Centre failed to implement the provisions of Bifurcation Act, including funds to bridge the revenue deficit, railway zone in Visakhapatnam, steel plant in Kadapa and a petrochemical corridor. Bengaluru, Feb 11 : The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka has alleged that the audio tape released by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy last week was a conspiracy hatched by him against BJP leader B.S. Yeddyurappa. "The audio tape having Yeddyurappa's alleged conversation with the son of a JD-S legislator is part of a conspiracy hatched by Kumaraswamy who is facing severe trust deficit from legislators of his party (JD-S) and its coalition partner, the Congress," said state BJP general secretary N. Ravi Kumar in a statement here on Monday. The purported audio tape in Kannada is said to be a conversation recorded on February 7 between Yeddyurappa and Gurumitkal JD-S legislator Naganagouda Kandakur's son Sharanagouda at a guest house at Devadurga in the Raichur district, about 480km northeast of the state capital. According to the contents of the audio tape, Yeddyurappa attempted to lure Kandakur to join the BJP by "paying" an unspecified amount to Sharanagouda and allegedly bribing Assembly Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar to prevent him from invoking the anti-defection law against the JD-S member (Kandakur). Yeddyurappa on Sunday again claimed that the audio tape was fabricated and its content doctored. "The making of the audio clip and releasing it in Bengaluru on February 8 by Kumaraswamy in the presence of Sharanagouda is a well-planned plot to tarnish the reputation of Yeddyurappa and the BJP," Kumar, who is also a member of the state legislative council, said in the statement. On Sunday night, a BJP supporter, M.B. Maramkal filed a criminal complaint with the state secretariat police station against Kumaraswamy and his associates, accusing them of committing offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 65 of the Information Technology Act. "We hope the police will investigate the conspiracy and press criminal charges against Kumaraswamy and his associates, and bring them to justice," Kumar said. Assembly speaker Kumar has also urged the Chief Minister to constitute a special investigation team to probe the audio tape and submit its report in 15 days. New Delhi, Feb 11 : City lawyers will take part in a protest march from Patiala House Court to Jantar Mantar on Tuesday demanding budgetary allocations for the welfare of advocates, a statement said on Monday. According to the Bar Council of India, 1.7 million lawyers across the country are showing solidarity to the protest march. "The legal fraternity is urging the Union government to provide budgetary allocations at all-India level to ensure that the welfare scheme for lawyers as stated above is implemented uniformly at the national level," said K.C. Mittal, Chairman, Bar Council of Delhi. He said the peaceful protest march will start from Patiala House Court at 12.30 p.m. on Tuesday and proceed to Jantar Mantar. The office bearers of the Bar Council of India, Bar Council of Delhi, Supreme Court Bar Association and Delhi High Court Bar Association, among others, will participate in the protest march. According to the Bar Council of Delhi, "The said protest is being undertaken to press for various demands, as the Union government has done nothing for the legal fraternity despite the fact that advocates are the pillars of the democratic fabric of the country." The demands raised by the lawyers include providing medical facility, insurance, housing schemes, financial assistance to young lawyers, pension schemes, not scrapping the Bar Council of India and State Bar Council like the Medical Council of India, to amend the Legal Service Authority Act to enable the lawyers to discharge the functions under the Act and to amend all the acts for the appointment of retired judges as presiding officers in various tribunals and commissions. Lucknow: Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his sitser Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during a road show in Lucknow on Feb 11, 2019. (Photo: IANS/AICC) Image Source: IANS News Lucknow: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jyotiraditya Scindia during a road show in Lucknow on Feb 11, 2019. (Photo: IANS/AICC) Image Source: IANS News Lucknow: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jyotiraditya Scindia during a road show in Lucknow on Feb 11, 2019. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News Lucknow, Feb 11 : Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was cheered by thousands as she rode in an open truck here on Monday along with her brother and Congress President Rahul Gandhi on her first visit to Uttar Pradesh after becoming the Congress General Secretary East UP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Security personnel had a tough time holding back enthusiastic crowds as the convoy, which included other party leaders including state unit President Raj Babbar and General Secretary West Uttar Pradesh Jyotiraditya Scindia, wound its way amid full-throated slogans hailing Priyanka Gandhi and lampooning Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At one point at Burlington crossing, Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Scindia and the other leaders had to lower their heads and eventually dismount from the truck to escape dangerously low hanging electric wires. They shifted to a car before returning to the truck. "Aa gayi badlaav ki aandhi, Rahul sung Priyanka Gandhi" (The storm is coming, Rahul along with Priyanka Gandhi), was a favourite slogan among the supporters, many of whom wore caps and T-shirts with Priyanka's picture embossed on them. Many hurled flower garlands at Priyanka Gandhi, who, constantly waving at the crowds, occasionally threw back the flowers to the crowds. Hundreds of activists carried the Congress party flags. The winding route from the Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport to the Congress office at Mall Avenue, almost 25 km long, was replete with hoardings and banners. Posters of Priyanka, a few comparing her with Hindu goddess Durga, were plastered everywhere. The Congress office had been painted afresh and decorated with hundreds of kilos of marigold and other flowers. On Monday, Priyanka Gandhi's husband Robert Vadra, now embroiled in investigation by the Enforcement Directorate, urged people to ensure her safety. Priyanka Gandhi, who opened her Twitter account on Monday, said a day earlier that she wanted to "build a new future, new politics". "I have hope that together we will start a new kind of politics, a politics in which all of you will be stakeholders. Come, let's build a new future, new politics with me." Bengaluru, Feb 11 : The Karnataka Assembly Speaker on Monday ordered an inquiry into an audio clip released by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy last week to expose the BJP's alleged attempts to lure a JD-S MLA, that mentioned his name. In the clip, former Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader B.S. Yeddyurappa allegedly mentioned Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar's name while in conversation with Naganagouda Kandakur's son, Sharanagouda, on February 7. Playing the clip to the media here on February 8, Kumaraswamy and Sharanagouda alleged that Yeddyurappa agreed to pay an unspecified amount if Kandakur left the Janata Dal-Secular and joined the BJP. "I have asked the Chief Minister to form a Special Committee to inquire into the contents of the audio tape in which my name was mentioned," Kumar told the members, after Congress Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Krishna Byre Gowda raised it in the Lower House of the Assembly. Kumar also said the Committee must submit its report in the next 15 days. Sharanagouda also claimed Yeddyurappa told him that the Speaker could be booked by paying Rs 50 crore for not invoking the anti-defection law against Kandakur in the event of his defecting to the BJP from the JD-S. Terming the reference to him in the audio tape as disrespectful to the post of Speaker, Kumar said he was pained by his name being mentioned in the episode. "Whichever MLA took my name in the audio tape must step out of politics or I should be out of politics," Kumar told the legislators as the issue rocked the proceedings of the Budget Session. The mention of the Speaker's name in the audio clip was in contempt of the House, alleged Congress leader Byre Gowda, who sought a probe into the issue. Meanwhile, BJP legislator J.C. Madhuswamy said his party cannot trust the state government to hold a fair probe. "There should be an independent committee or judicial probe into the issue instead of an inquiry by state government agencies, which are under the control of Kumaraswamy," he said. The purported audio tape in Kannada was said to have been recorded on February 7 at a guest house at Devadurga in Raichur district, about 480 km from here. Yeddyurappa, however, on Sunday claimed that the audio tape was fabricated and its contents doctored though it was in his voice and accused Kumaraswamy of blackmailing him. "I met Sharanagouda at Devadurga on February 7 and discussed many things. But the content in the audio tape is fabricated and its voice doctored," Yeddyurappa told the media at Hubballi. Recalling what transpired between him and Sharanagouda, Yeddyurappa said he would retire from politics if Kumaraswamy would prove that he told Sharanagouda money (Rs 50 crore) would be given to Kumar for not invoking the anti-defection law if Kandakur joined the BJP. Kolkata, Feb 11 : A massive fire broke out at a factory outlet in West Bengal's Sodepur town in North 24 Parganas district - around 17 km from Kolkata - on Monday, and five fire engines have been deployed to fight the blaze, an official said. "The fire broke out at 12.02 p.m. and 25 engines are at the spot. It is still not clear if some workers are stuck inside as the firefighting is still in process," the official said. He mentioned that explosive materials inside the factory outlet of chairs are making the situation challenging. Sources suspect that some of the workers are still stuck inside. West Bengal Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose also reached the spot to inquire about the situation. Bangkok, Feb 11 : Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is set to go on trial on Tuesday, faces years in prison if he is convicted on charges relating to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state fund scandal. Najib has been charged with 42 counts of corruption and he, along with his associates, are accused of diverting $4.5 billion from the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund. His trial is due to begin on Tuesday and is expected to last till the end of March, the first in a series of legal proceedings against the former Prime Minister, Efe news reported. If found guilty, Najib could be sentenced to between 15 and 20 years in prison. The scandal was a major factor that contributed to Najib's historic defeat in the May 2018 elections, when his party, the powerful United Malays National Organisation, suffered its first loss since the country's independence from Britain. The 65-year-old, who served as Prime Minister from 2009 to 2018, is accused of diverting 2.6 billion ringgit ($681 million at the time) to private accounts, an undercover investigation by the Wall Street Journal and the Sarawak Report found in 2015. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) formally charged Najib with criminal breach of trust and abuse of power last year, shortly after the polls. He denies the allegations, claiming the embezzled funds were a donation from a Saudi prince, an explanation that was initially accepted by 1MDB, the MACC and the then-Attorney General, who initially exonerated him. The case was reopened following his defeat in the election. In the weeks leading up to the trial, Najib has been in combative mood, publicly campaigning against his mentor Mahathir Mohamad's government, claiming he is a victim of political persecution. Investigators reopened the case after Najib lost the elections, with Mahathir banning his predecessor and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, from leaving the country. More than 12,000 pieces of jewellery, including 1,400 necklaces, 2,200 rings, 2,100 bangles, 2,800 pairs of earrings, 1,600 brooches and 14 tiaras, as well as cash in 26 currencies worth around 116 million ringgit ($28.5 million), were found at Najib's home during the investigation. The alleged embezzlement and laundering of funds diverted from 1MDB were being investigated in half a dozen countries, including the US, Switzerland and Singapore. According to the US Department of Justice, about $4.5 billion was diverted from the 1MDB, $1 billion of which may have been laundered in the country with the purchase of real estate, yachts, jewellery and works of art among other goods. Najib set up 1MDB in 2009 as a state investment fund to attract investment projects and other developments to the southeast Asian country. The fund ended up accumulating losses of 42 billion ringgit. New Delhi, Feb 11 : Accusing Narendra Modi of lying about the Special Category Status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the Prime Minister is left with no credibility. Extending support to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who is on a 12-hour-long fast here, Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanded fulfillment of the commitment of granting special status to that state. "If the Prime Minister makes a commitment to somebody in this country should he fulfil that commitment or not? What sort of Prime Minister is he that he has not fulfilled that commitment? Are the people of Andhra not part of India?" said Gandhi at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan here. "Modi lies wherever he goes. He went to Andhra Pradesh and lied about special status. I want to make it clear that whatever promises he makes, the Prime Minister has to fulfil," said Gandhi adding, "I stand with the people of Andhra." Speaking on the occasion, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also asked the Modi government to fulfil the promise of special status to the state. "We demand that the promises made by the government of India at the time of reorganisation of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, particularly special status to Andhra must be given. "It is fair that these demands are implemented without any further loss of time," said Singh. Prominent opposition leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien were also present at the Ashoka Road venue, where the Telugu Desam Party President is on a fast demanding the Centre to accord SCS and fulfil other commitments made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. Washington, Feb 11 : Saudi Arabia does not know where murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi's body is, the Kingdom's Foreign Affairs Minister Adel al-Jubeir has said, despite having in custody the Saudi team that killed him. In an interview to US' CBS' "Face the Nation" show that was broadcast on Sunday, Al-Jubeir said: "The death of Jamal Khashoggi was a mass-massive tragedy. It was a mistake.... committed by officials of the Saudi government acting outside their scope of authority." He said that 11 individuals have been charged with the crime and the trials have begun. "We have said we will investigate. We will hold those accountable- those responsible accountable and we will punish them." Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and a supporter-turned-critic of Saudi Prince Mohammad bin Salman, was murdered inside the Kingdom's consulate in Turkey's Istanbul on October 2 and his body was reportedly dismembered with a bone saw. His remains are yet to be found. Al-Jubeir told the US programme that "we don't know" where is Khashoggi's body and that the public prosecutor responsible for the case had sought evidence from Turkey but had received no response. "We are still waiting to receive any evidence they (Turkey) may have." On being asked why those in detention can't reveal where Khashoggi's body was, Al-Jubeir said: "We are still investigating. We have now a number of possibilities and we're asking them what they did with the body. "... I think this investigation is ongoing, and I would expect that eventually we will find the truth." The minister again denied the Crown Prince's involvement in the murder. "Nobody in Saudi Arabia knew about the murder except the people who did it." He also dismissed the New York Times' report detailing how US intelligence intercepted communications of Bin Salman telling a top aide in 2017 that he would "use a bullet" on the journalist if he did not return to the Kingdom. "This was not a government sanctioned operation. We have an investigation and we have a trial. And many things have been put out that turned out to be incorrect." The US' Central Intelligence Agency has, however, concluded the Saudi operation was likely directed by the Crown Prince. Greater Noida, Feb 11 : India has taken a lead in energy accessibility and will achieve 100 per cent household electrification by the end of this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday. Addressing the Petrotech 2019 global energy conference here, Modi also noted the country's progress in moving to a gas-based economy by bringing clean cooking fuel to poor households. "Electricity has already reached all rural areas. This year, the 100 per cent electrification of households will be achieved through the Saubhagya scheme," he said. "Over 6.4 crore households were given LPG connections in just three years under the Ujjwala Scheme. A 'Blue Flame' revolution is underway and LPG coverage has reached more than 90 per cent of the population," said Modi. Noting that "energy justice" is a priority for his government, the Prime Minister said: "India's World Bank Ease of Getting Electricity ranking had improved from 111 in 2014 to 29 in 2018." Turning to the global energy situation, Modi said a "historic transition" is underway and the world needs to move towards more responsible pricing for oil and gas. "Energy supply, energy sources and energy consumption patterns are changing, perhaps, this could be a historic transition. There is a shift in energy consumption from West to East," he said. He emphasised the need to move towards transparent and flexible markets for both oil and gas. "For far too long the world has seen crude prices on a roller coaster and called for responsible pricing of crude oil and natural gas, which balances the interests of both the producer and consumer," he said. Yangon, Feb 11 : The Myanmar Army has bombed villages and are blocking civilians from accessing food and humanitarian assistance amid a crackdown targeting rebels in the troubled Rakhine State, the Amnesty International said on Monday. The non-profit, in its latest report, said soldiers were also using "vague and repressive laws" to detain civilians as part of the offensive that began on January 4 when Arakan Army rebels raided police stations and killed 13 officers, reports Efe news. At least 5,200 people, according to the UN, have been displaced by the fighting after the Army launched the operation to annihilate insurgents, described as terrorists by the government. "These latest operations are yet another reminder that the Myanmar military operates without any regard for human rights. Shelling inhabited villages and withholding food supplies are unjustifiable under any circumstances," said Tirana Hassan, Director of Crisis Response at Amnesty International. Hassan accused the Myanmar authorities of "deliberately playing with the lives and livelihoods of civilians". Authorities have established restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid from international agencies, except the Red Cross and the UN's World Food Programme, to five districts where clashes are ongoing, according to the rights group. A witness told Amnesty that the Army was also imposing restrictions on the purchase and sale of essential commodities such as rice. Amnesty said at least 26 people have been arrested for illegal association with the Arakan Army, a crime punishable by harsh prison sentences. The Arakan Army was formed in 2009 to achieve greater autonomy for the Buddhist minority in Rakhine State. Rakhine State is home to the Rohingya, a Muslim-majority community, who have been denied citizenship as the government calls them illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. More than 723,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since August 2017 following an Army offensive. Rakhine State, which occupies a long coastal strip in western Myanmar, is an area with rich natural resources and a key geostrategic location, but with also one of the highest rates of poverty in the country. Jammu, Feb 11 : Indian and Pakistani armies on Monday traded fire on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. Defence Ministry sources said the firing exchanges started around 10.30 a.m. after the Pakistanis resorted to unprovoked firing targeting Indian positions. "Our troops retaliated strongly and effectively after the Pakistan Army used small arms and automatics to target Indian positions in Kerni and some other sectors," an official said. "Intermittent firing exchanges were going on between the two sides," the official said. Gurugram, Feb 11 : Google and OnePlus were the only brands which shipped all their smartphones with the latest version of Android OS in 2018, a new report said on Monday. The biggest highlight of this shipment is that - while all other smartphone brand owners launched the Android 8.1 (Oreo) version, it was only OnePlus and Google- who made sure the world got the latest Android update and that is the Android 9.0 (Pie) version in 2018. According to market research techARC, 32 models of smartphones were launched by various original equipment manufacturers last year. Overall, Vivo led the number of launches with 7 models having the latest Android OS version shipped out of the factory. The second spot was taken by Nokia which launched four models, followed by Tecno (3), the report said. "With stock Android becoming the preference of users, the OEMs are able to reduce the upgrade turnaround time for OS as it requires minimal integration from their end after Google releases one," said Faisal Kawoosa, Founder and Chief Analyst, techARC. Nearly 80 per cent of the launches with latest OS version had Android 8.1 (Oreo) pre-loaded when shipped for sale. The remaining 20 per cent had Android 9.0 (Pie) version. "The good news is that even for the entry level (sub-Rs 5,000), users could get a smartphone with the latest Android version, which were sold by Nokia and Lava," the findings showed. -- With inputs from IANS Kabul, Feb 11 : Acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan arrived in Afghanistan on Monday on an unannounced visit. According to Defence Ministry officials, Shanahan will meet US troops and is likely to also hold talks with Afghan leaders and military officials, reports Xinhua news agency. The visit came as US Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, who held talks with Taliban representatives lately, started a trip to Belgium, Germany, Turkey, Qatar, Afghanistan and Pakistan on Sunday. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has publicly questioned the benefits of a continued military presence in Afghanistan and ordered the military to pull out of Syria in December. An official told CNN that Trump at the same time also decided to withdraw about half of the 14,000 troops deployed in Afghanistan. Shanahan said before departing that he had no orders to "step down our forces in Afghanistan", but was tasked with supporting the ongoing peace talks between Washington and the Taliban. New Delhi, Feb 11 : Demanding justice for Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday began a 12-hour-long fast here with an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi dubbing him "totally imbalanced". A day after Modi addressed a rally in Andhra Pradesh and made a bitter attack on Naidu, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President sat on the fast in the national capital demanding the Centre to accord Special Category Status (SCS) and fulfil other commitments made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. Clad in a black shirt to protest the raw deal meted out to the state, Naidu began the 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan here. "Modi came to Guntur yesterday. He spent so much of time and so much energy to attack and criticise me but not to solve any problem. This is where you are totally imbalanced," he said. Naidu said his protest was against the injustice done to the state, to remind the Centre of its promises and to demonstrate the strength of Andhra Pradesh. Warning the Prime Minister to stop attacks, Naidu said he should act immediately to fulfil the commitments as only "two days were left". He was apparently referring to ongoing Parliament session, which could be the last session before the Lok Sabha elections. "If you don't fulfil the promises you have made, we know how to get it done. This is a matter of self-respect of Andhra. We know how to earn money but whenever somebody hits our self-respect we don't tolerate. This has been proven in the past." He also warned that if the government failed to fulfil the promises, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would face a permanent boycott in Andhra Pradesh. Naidu recalled that when then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced the SCS for five years, then BJP leaders in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitely and Venkaiah Naidu had insisted for a period of 10 years. He said Modi at every election rally promised to accord the SCS and claimed that based on this promise TDP had an alliance with the BJP. The Chief Minister said the Centre had failed to implement the provisions of Bifurcation Act, including funds to bridge the revenue deficit, railway zone in Visakhapatnam, steel plant in Kadapa and petrochemical corridor. He said the Centre provided only Rs 1,500 crore for development of state capital Amaravati while it was estimated that Rs 5 lakh crore were required over 20 years to build a capital at par with Hyderabad. Earlier, Naidu along with other TDP leaders paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and garlanded the statue of B.R. Ambedkar before launching the protest. Naidu's cabinet colleagues, MPs, state legislators and leaders of student and employees groups and mass organisations were sitting with him on the fast. A large number of protesters have also joined Naidu. They reached the national capital by two special trains hired by the state government. Leaders of several non-BJP parties were expected to meet Naidu and express their solidarity. Sydney, Feb 11 : Australian security agencies are reportedly probing the role of China-sponsored cyber criminals behind last week's security breach of Parliament's computing network. According to a report in ABC News on Sunday, it took less than an hour after the the first report of the cyber attack for suspicion to fall on China. The Chinese Embassy in Canberra was yet to comment. "Analysts say it will take time to forensically identify exactly where the attack originated, even though it bears the hallmarks of a state-sponsored attack," said the report. Australia's Parliament had to reset all the passwords on its computer network after an unknown attacker tried to hack into the system last week. Local media said a foreign government could be behind the hack, but a Parliament statement said that "relevant agencies" were investigating it. In 2015, Beijing was blamed for attacking Australia's Bureau of Meteorology. "Early reports suggest nothing was accessed or stolen from parliament's servers, but hackers could have been targeting the emails of Australia's MPs, their staffers and advisors," the ABC News report said. The parliamentary network is used by all MPs and their staff, including to store databases and emails. In December, the Australian government called on China to shut down a global plot by an intelligence service-backed hacking group to steal intellectual property from companies in the US. Speaking to ABC radio, the head of Australian Cyber Security Centre, Alastair MacGibbon, said it was an audacious global campaign run by a group that worked on behalf of the Ministry of State Security for the Chinese government. Srinagar, Feb 11 : A separatist-called shutdown on Monday in the Kashmir Valley to mark the 35th death anniversary of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) founder, Maqbool Bhat, has paralysed life across the region. Bhat was executed in the Tihar Jail on this day in 1984. He was buried inside the prison premises. The shutdown was called by the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), a separatist conglomerate headed by Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik, reiterating their demand to handover Bhat's remains to his family. Shops and business establishments remained shut in Srinagar and other major cities and towns of the valley. Public transportation was suspended. Authorities made heavy security deployment in law and other order sensitive places including Trehgam, Bhat's hometown in Kupwara district. Washington, Feb 11 : Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, who has officially launched her 2020 presidential campaign, said that President Donald Trump might be unable to finish his term by the time Election Day comes next year. "By the time we get to 2020, Donald Trump may not be President... In fact, he may not even be a free person," Warren told an audience at a campaign event on Sunday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Warren elaborated the remarks to the media later at another event in Iowa City, pointing to the ongoing investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, reports CNN. "Well come on. How many investigations are there now? It's no longer just the Mueller investigation," Warren said. "They're everywhere and these are serious investigations, so we'll see what happens." Asked whether she believes Trump should be impeached, the Senator said it was important to first see Mueller's findings. Warren formally kicked off her bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination before a crowd of about 3,500 supporters in Massachusetts on Saturday. She is part of a rapidly expanding Democratic White House field that includes Senators Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand and Amy Klobuchar, who announced her bid on Sunday. Also expected to join the race is Vermont Senator and former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. At the event in Cedar Rapids earlier on Sunday, Warren lamented that the country is in a "dangerous moment", and that, "what happens in 2020 is going to determine the direction of our nation, the direction of our people". "Every day, there's a racist tweet, a hateful tweet, something really dark and ugly," Warren said of Trump. "And what are we, as candidates, as activists, the press, going to do about it? Are we going to let him use those to divide us?" Warren's remark comes as Trump's legal woes mount and as Mueller's investigation on Russian election interference has closed in on several key members of the President's circle, reports The Washington Post. With last month's indictment of Roger Stone, Trump's longtime friend and adviser, 34 people have been charged in the Mueller investigation, and six Trump associates have pleaded guilty. Canberra, Feb 11 : Nearly 300 women gathered on a global platform Australia are promotg a "big bang" of women science, to motivate more girls to take an terest the field and strive for equality and visibility. On the occasion of ternational Day of Women and Girls Science on Monday, a UN data revealed that despite 15 years of ternational effortto promote women science, they contue to face barriers, Efe news said. "At present, less than 30 per cent of researchers worldwide are women," the UN said. "When I was pregnant my temporary contract was not renewed, and many potential employers told me that I was not suitable for fieldwork. "Some even said because I had to take care of my family I would not meet the deadles," said Australian Beth Stra after returng from a trip to Antarctica under the women's leadership program Homeward Bound, which Efe also participated. "I submitted hundreds of job applications and spent approximately two years lookg for work as a researcher," added the mare biologist, who was currently a lecturer at the University of Melbourne and a drivg force for green development her country. Stra's experience was shared by many of the 300 engeers, doctors, astronomers, biologists and mathematicians the global Homeward Bound program, who nonetheless see it possible to overcome obstacles with three objectives: becomg visible, workg together and impactg the world. "I still remember the first conference I attended: I almost ran out, seeg only old men the same dark suits," says Danish Mette Hoe, a leader the transition to electric transport her country. "But, on closer spection, I discovered that the key to them was networkg. I focused on it, I made mistakes like almost everyone else, but I improved, and today strategic networkg is a central skill my leadership role," the 45-year-old expert said. The ma objective of the Homeward Bound program is to create a network of 1,000 women across nationalities with 10 years to address their low representation leadership positions and science. Accordg to Unesco data (2014-2016), only around 30 per cent of all female students select STEM-related (Science, Technology, Engeerg and Mathematics) fields higher education. "I've never doubted the potential of women science, but we've been losg that potential side a leakg pipele, where the higher the academic level, the fewer women we fd," says Daisy Hessenberger, a 29-year-old Austrian geneticist and passionate member of the ternational Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). That dropout, accordg to engeers Kristen Howard and Kelsie Clarke, can be attributed to factors such as job bias, which a man is more likely to be hired than a woman. What also contributes to that is the gender pay gap which creases with age, race or disability is the difficulty of beg both a scientist and a mother. le with the goals of Homeward Bound, which already cludes scientists from some thirty nationalities, cludg Spanish and Lat American, the UN is promotg this year's campaign "vestment Women and Girls Science for clusive Green Growth". The theme is part of the ternational Day of Women and Girls Science, which it has been stressed that future work will be driven by technology and novation and if equality the field of STEM is mataed, the overall gender gap is likely to widen. Homeward Bound, a 12-month program created by Australian Fabian Dattner and whose annual endg has taken place Antarctica with the support of Spanish firm Acciona, provides participants with tools to improve their leadership style. Lucknow/Dehradun, Feb 10 : The death toll in the moonshine tragedy in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand rose to 97 on Sunday even as 215 people were arrested in a sweeping police crackdown on illicit liquor in Uttar Pradesh, officials said. Simultaneously, as the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) blamed the ruling BJP in both states for the mass deaths, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said he smelt "a conspiracy" in which the SP may be involved. He said in Gorakhpur that a probe had been ordered. "Such incidents have happened in the past too where many times SP workers were involved. The guilty will not be spared." The death toll in Saharanpur district in Uttar Pradesh remained unchanged at 36, but 18 deaths were reported from the Meerut Medical College where many had been brought after consuming the illicit liquor on Thursday. Meerut's Superintendent of Police Ranvijay Singh confirmed the hospital deaths and said 14 others were still undergoing treatment at the medical facility and were in critical condition. A hospital doctor told IANS that 17-18 of the 22-24 people brought after taking the moonshine had died. Saharanpur District Magistrate Alok Kumar Pandey told IANS that post-mortem had confirmed 36 deaths due to consumption of spurious liquor. Eleven persons also died in Kushinagar district. A total of 32 people died in Roorkie and Haridwar in Uttarakhand. All the deceased had crossed over to Balupur ie in the neighbouring hill state on Thursday for an after-death ritual where they were apparently served the spurious liquor. In the crackdown following the deaths, a total of 9,269 litres of moonshine was seized in Uttar Pradesh and 1,066 litres in Uttarakhand. A total of 215 persons were arrested in Uttar Pradesh while cases against 297 others have been filed. In Uttarakhand, 49 cases have been registered. The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a magisterial enquiry into the tragedy and many police and excise department officials have been suspended. Police raided many places in Banda, Gorakhpur, Hamirpur, Chitrakoot, Basti, Deoband, Maharajganj, Mathura, Bulandshahr, Ghaziabad and Meerut. In a joint raid conducted by the police and excise department, in Nagla Madhya village of Etah district, 50 litres of spurious liquor was seized on Sunday and three persons arrested. The deaths ignited a blame game. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments in both the states ruled by it and said the BJP has to own up the responsibility for the tragedy. "BJP is in power in both these states. If anyone is responsible, it is the BJP," he said, and asked the state governments to hike the compensation announced to the bereaved families from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 20 lakh. He charged that so much trade in illicit liquor could not have been "done without government protection and patronage". BSP supremo Mayawati also come down heavily on the government over the deaths. "The tragedy is not only unfortunate but heart rending and shameful. These incidents are the result of a callous and unconcerned BJP governments," she tweeted. The four-time Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh demanded that Excise Ministers of both the states should be immediately relieved of their duties and a CBI probe ordered to ensure a fair investigation. Meanwhile, a press conference called by Uttar Pradesh Excise Minister Jai Pratap Singh on Sunday noon was called off at the last minute without any explanation. Washington, Feb 11 : Democrat Amy Klobuchar has announced her presidential bid at a snowy, outdoor event, vaulting the three-term Senator from Minnesota into the crowded field of party candidates angling to take on President Donald Trump in 2020. Klobuchar, with snow piling up around her and blanketing the thousands of people before her, on Sunday cast herself as the product of working-class roots who can win bipartisan support and help Democrats win back the Midwestern cities and towns that drifted toward Trump in 2016, CNN reported. Throughout her speech in Minneapolis, she pledged to take on issues like money in politics, climate change and election reform and leaned heavily into her Minnesota roots. "On an island in the middle of the mighty Mississippi, in our nation's heartland, at a time when we must heal the heart of our democracy and renew our commitment to the common good, I stand before you as the granddaughter of an iron ore miner, the daughter of a teacher and a newspaperman, the first woman elected to the US Senate from the state of Minnesota, to announce my candidacy for President of the Us," Klobuchar said. "I'm asking you to join us on this campaign. It's a homegrown one. "I don't have a political machine. I don't come from money. But what I do have is this: I have grit." In her speech, Klobuchar also took a swipe at officials in Washington, promising that her honesty will set her apart from them. The senator also went after Trump without mentioning him by name, criticising the President's foreign policy and use of Twitter. "We need to stand strong - and consistently - with our allies. We need to be clear in our purpose. We must respect our front line troops, diplomats and intelligence officers who are out there every day risking their lives for us ... they deserve better than foreign policy by tweet." Due to freezing temperatures, Klobuchar's team handed out hot cocoa and apple cider to the audience. Volunteers handed out small American flags and packs of Little Hotties hand warmers as people entered the park, CNN reported. Klobuchar will follow her event in Minnesota with a trip to Iowa and Wisconsin next weekend and then another trip to Iowa on February 21. Born in Plymouth, Minnesota, Klobuchar returned to her home state after attending Yale University and getting her law degree at the University of Chicago. She began her career in private practice before being elected narrowly as Hennepin County attorney in 1998. She was re-elected with no competition in 2002. Klobuchar now joins prominent Democratic figures who have announced presidential bids including Indian American Kamala Harris, New Jersey's Cory Booker, New York's Kirsten Gillibrand and Massachusetts' Elizabeth Warren. Vermont Senator and former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders will announce his candidacy soon. Dubai, Feb 11 : The World Government Summit in Dubai, attended by more than 4,000 delegates from 140 countries representing the business, cultural and political sectors, featured speeches and discussions on peace, development and the present and future of the global economy. The conference, organised annually by the government of the United Arab Emirates, included key international figures such as International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde, several heads of states and assorted Nobel Prize winners, Efe news reported on Monday. In the inaugural address of the conclave on Sunday, Lagarde warned the world economy is growing more slowly than anticipated because of various factors. Key factors, Lagarde said, are trade tensions, tax hikes, financial restrictions, the uncertainty over Brexit and the deceleration of the Chinese economy. In her speech, the IMF director laid out her vision of the future of the world economy, which - she emphasized - finds itself at a moment of "transformation." Lagarde said that many jobs will change "radically" as a consequence of globalization and new technologies, noting that many jobs will be adapted to "artificial intelligence." She also took advantage of her time at the speaker's podium to issue a call to all countries to fight against corruption, emphasizing that it creates a lack of confidence and puts the brakes on economic growth. Less convinced about the positive effects of technology on the organization of labour was Nobel Prizewinner in Economics Paul Krugman. The US economist emphasized that technology has changed a great deal in the past 25 years, but that has not meant much shift in the way people work, and so - in his judgment - the tech revolution has not been a truly "revolutionary" kind of change and the expected shifts in the workplace have not been as great as had been anticipated. Pope Francis, who just wrapped up a trip to the UAE, also participated in the summit via a video message sent to the forum attendees reminding them that "one cannot speak of sustainable development without solidarity." Via a video, the pontiff asked the attendees - in taking up "basic issues" like the challenges of politics and economic development - not to simply ask themselves what the best opportunities are to take advantage of, but rather "what kind of world we want to build together." "We could also say that the good, if it is not common, is not true good. Perhaps now more than ever thinking and acting requires real dialogue with others, because without others there's no future for me," he said. Peace and conflict were also among the issues discussed at the forum. Former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, in his remarks in a panel on the issue, discussed the peace process that he led in his country emphasizing that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia guerrillas had to be treated as "adversaries, not as enemies." "The most important thing is to convince the other party, especially the commanders, that for them personally it's better to negotiate peace than to remain at war," he said. Some heads of government took advantage of the forum to call attention to their countries, with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan appealing to foreign investors to back his country at a time when his government has undertaken a series of reforms that he admitted have been "painful." It is time for investors to come to Pakistan, Khan told the audience, which included many multinational business leaders. At the plenary session, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri talked about incorporating women into the labor forces and positions of responsibility in his country. Hariri said that not involving women and not training them to work in all sectors represents a "great loss" for a country's GDP. Also speaking on Sunday at the forum were Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas and French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire. The conference, which has been held in Dubai each year since 2012, is scheduled to wrap up on Tuesday. NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Z Capital Group, L.L.C. ("Z Capital" or the "Firm"), a leading alternative asset manager of value-oriented private equity and credit funds, today announced the following hires and promotions across the Firm, which expand Z Capital's strong bench of directors. Promotions Matthew Kane , has been appointed General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. Mr. Kane has also been appointed to Z Capital's Management Committee. Mr. Kane joined Z Capital as Deputy General Counsel in 2014. He is responsible for providing legal advice on value-oriented private equity transactions in due diligence, legal oversight of portfolio companies, mergers & acquisitions and litigation. has been appointed General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. Mr. Kane has also been appointed to Z Capital's Management Committee. Mr. Kane joined Z Capital as Deputy General Counsel in 2014. He is responsible for providing legal advice on value-oriented private equity transactions in due diligence, legal oversight of portfolio companies, mergers & acquisitions and litigation. Cheryl Gioioso , has been named Director of Human Resources. Ms. Gioioso joined Z Capital in 2015 and is responsible for the oversight of human resources, including the development and implementation of human capital strategies within the firm. Additionally, Ms. Gioioso is responsible for the management of legal administration. has been named Director of Human Resources. Ms. Gioioso joined Z Capital in 2015 and is responsible for the oversight of human resources, including the development and implementation of human capital strategies within the firm. Additionally, Ms. Gioioso is responsible for the management of legal administration. Gina Scarpa , has been promoted to Director in the Legal department. Ms. Scarpa joined Z Capital in 2017 as Corporate Counsel and is responsible for assisting the Investment Team in due diligence, legal oversight of portfolio companies and compliance. She is also a member of the Investment Team of Z Capital. has been promoted to Director in the Legal department. Ms. Scarpa joined Z Capital in 2017 as Corporate Counsel and is responsible for assisting the Investment Team in due diligence, legal oversight of portfolio companies and compliance. She is also a member of the Investment Team of Z Capital. Peter Loibner , has been promoted to Director on the Private Equity Investment Team. Mr. Loibner joined Z Capital in 2017 and is responsible for research and analysis of existing and prospective portfolio company investments. He also serves on the Board of Directors for CTM Holding Inc. and Modere, Inc. has been promoted to Director on the Private Equity Investment Team. Mr. Loibner joined Z Capital in 2017 and is responsible for research and analysis of existing and prospective portfolio company investments. He also serves on the Board of Directors for CTM Holding Inc. and Modere, Inc. James Cuber , has been promoted to Director on the Credit Team. Mr. Cuber joined Z Capital in 2015 and is responsible for research and analysis of existing and prospective portfolio leveraged finance investments. He is also a member of the Investment Team for Z Capital Credit Partners. has been promoted to Director on the Credit Team. Mr. Cuber joined Z Capital in 2015 and is responsible for research and analysis of existing and prospective portfolio leveraged finance investments. He is also a member of the Investment Team for Z Capital Credit Partners. Marko Punda , has been promoted to Director on the Credit Team. Mr. Punda joined Z Capital in 2014 and is responsible for daily middle office credit operations. He is also a member of the Investment Team for Z Capital Credit Partners. has been promoted to Director on the Credit Team. Mr. Punda joined Z Capital in 2014 and is responsible for daily middle office credit operations. He is also a member of the Investment Team for Z Capital Credit Partners. Glenn Walsh , has been made an Operating Partner. Mr. Walsh joined Z Capital in 2016 and is responsible for talent acquisition on behalf of Z Capital and its portfolio companies. , has been made an Operating Partner. Mr. Walsh joined Z Capital in 2016 and is responsible for talent acquisition on behalf of Z Capital and its portfolio companies. Taylor Herron , has been made an Operating Associate. Mr. Herron joined Z Capital in 2018 and is responsible for supporting all aspects of portfolio company reporting and performance evaluation. New Hires Aakash Sharma , has been hired as a Compliance Associate. Mr. Sharma is responsible for the operation and maintenance of all aspects related to the Firm's compliance program. Prior to joining Z Capital, Mr. Sharma served as a Senior Compliance Analyst at ACA Compliance Group, a leading provider of governance, risk and compliance advisory services and technology solutions. has been hired as a Compliance Associate. Mr. Sharma is responsible for the operation and maintenance of all aspects related to the Firm's compliance program. Prior to joining Z Capital, Mr. Sharma served as a Senior Compliance Analyst at ACA Compliance Group, a leading provider of governance, risk and compliance advisory services and technology solutions. Martin Halle , CPA, CMA, has been made an Operating Director. Mr. Halle is responsible for the management of portfolio company financial matters, including oversight of portfolio company reporting, finance transformation initiatives and due diligence on new investments. Prior to joining Z Capital, Mr. Halle was engaged as a consultant providing C-Suite advisory services to middle-market companies. has been made an Operating Director. Mr. Halle is responsible for the management of portfolio company financial matters, including oversight of portfolio company reporting, finance transformation initiatives and due diligence on new investments. Prior to joining Z Capital, Mr. Halle was engaged as a consultant providing C-Suite advisory services to middle-market companies. Ryan Paskin , CPA , has been made an Operating Director. Mr. Paskin is responsible for the management of portfolio company financial matters, including oversight of portfolio company reporting, finance transformation initiatives and due diligence on new investments. Prior to joining Z Capital, Mr. Paskin was a senior manager with CohnReznick LLP, a large national accounting and advisory firm. , has been made an Operating Director. Mr. Paskin is responsible for the management of portfolio company financial matters, including oversight of portfolio company reporting, finance transformation initiatives and due diligence on new investments. Prior to joining Z Capital, Mr. Paskin was a senior manager with CohnReznick LLP, a large national accounting and advisory firm. Zaid Elouad , has been made an Operating Analyst on the Private Equity Investment/Operations Team. Mr. Elouad is responsible for supporting all aspects of portfolio company matters, including oversight of company reporting and strategic finance transformation initiatives to aid senior management teams to identify and evaluate growth opportunities. Prior to joining Z Capital, Mr. Elouad was an FP&A Analyst at Lafayette 148, a women's fashion brand, where he was responsible for the financial planning, budgeting and reporting efforts as well as firm-wide strategic growth initiatives. About Z Capital Group Z Capital is a privately held alternative asset management firm having approximately $2.3 billion of regulatory assets under management across complementary private equity and credit businesses. Z Capital manages both value-oriented private equity, and credit funds. Z Capital's investors are some of the largest and most sophisticated global institutional investors including public and corporate pension funds, university endowments, foundations, sovereign wealth funds, central banks, and insurance companies. The Z Capital investment strategies and private equity portfolio companies are described at www.zcapgroup.net. Media Contact Jonathan Keehner / Julie Oakes / Kate Clark Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher 212-355-4449 SOURCE Z Capital Group, L.L.C. Related Links http://www.zcapgroup.net In a recent industry report, Group M, the world's largest advertising media group, lowered the global advertising growth forecast for 2018 from -0.4% to -0.8%. The reason for the lower-than-expected growth rate of the industry is that apart from the impact of the global economy, advertisers' doubts about the effectiveness of delivery are contributing to reduced advertising budgets. According to statistics, "ineffective traffic" in digital advertising in the first half of 2018 accounted for 28.8%. Fast-moving consumer giant P&G has said advertising industry lacks uniform standards on how to evaluate the quality of advertising traffic, and hopes new technologies will help rekindle the industry. In this innovative model, consumers are no longer just passive recipients of advertising, but participate in its spread and circulation. By gamifying the process, the platform enables users to read, actively collect and exchange designated digital advertisements, complete preset tasks, and obtain various promotional offers and rewards provided by advertisers. Collectable AD uses blockchain technology to convert advertising on news and media websites to transferrable digital assets, shared by the users. Consumers are not only shown relevant and interactive advertisements, but are also rewarded for their participation. "The blockchain can quickly and securely confirm the ownership of digital advertising assets and ensure the transfer of ownership is transparent and unable to be tampered with," said Yuanben blockchain CTO Ganlu. "As advertising platform traffic and user bases grow, digital ads are able to be freely shared and re-shared amongst consumers much like in a card game; this in turn helps to solve the problem of inappropriate advertising. Meanwhile, the private computing and zero-knowledge proof technology may also become the key to solving the traffic fraud problem and create more value for advertisers." Yuanben blockchain is the world's leading enterprise-level blockchain service provider, providing trusted data intelligence services to enterprises. Partners and client groups include Internet courts, media organisations, advertising groups, copyright societies, logistics firms, mobile devices and more. Since its inception in 2016, the company has been committed to building a "blockchain+" trusted business infrastructure ecosystem. In 2016, the "13th Five-Year Plan" issued by the State Council of the PRC promoted the development of blockchain in China. It was during this time that the first batch of start-up tech companies such as Yuanben blockchain emerged. As of last year, Internet giants such as Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent have also entered the market and laid out their plans for blockchain integration. "As the first batch of pioneers to enter the blockchain industry, we believe the outside world's understanding of the industry is a catalyst to promote development and work towards integration and adoption. The entry of Internet giants is positive for the industry, adding reputability and recognition to this emerging technology," Wu Peng, Yuanben blockchain CEO. "But there are still too few innovative blockchain application models." Wu Peng pointed out: "Collectable AD addresses a specific pain point for the advertising industry in its current state and represents a product created after deep exploration of the advertising industry business models. We hope through this cooperation we can contribute to the innovative model of 'blockchain+,' something that is really conducive to the development of the advertising industry." SOURCE Yuanben Enable EDF to host a follow-up to their 2018 WWP-supported Impact Forum in Washington, DC , which brought together more than 50 caregivers and leaders from across the veterans space to spark a conversation regarding the effects of caregiving on military children and the need for research on this population. , which brought together more than 50 caregivers and leaders from across the veterans space to spark a conversation regarding the effects of caregiving on military children and the need for research on this population. Support follow-up research addressing proposed solutions, including: An academic study on the impact of caregiving on the children of wounded, injured, or ill veterans. Qualitative research conducted on military caregiver children's challenges and unmet needs, as well as resource gaps, by leveraging the EDF Caregiver Fellows network and NMFA's Operation Purple Healing Adventures. Disseminating research findings at a follow-up EDF & NMFA forum and across digital platforms. "When we think of supporting servicemembers returning home, we often forget about the hidden heroes: America's caregivers," said Rene Bardorf, WWP senior vice president of government and community relations. "Due to the efforts of EDF and NMFA, we now more fully understand that veterans' children often have additional stress placed on them due to their parent's injuries. Through this joint venture, we hope to better understand these impacts and how best to help them cope." "Our partners at Wounded Warrior Project have generated an unparalleled level of awareness and support for those wounded in action. Our country's appreciation for our wounded warriors would not be what it is today without their incredible work," said Steve Schwab, chief executive officer of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. "Wounded Warrior Project recognized early on the importance of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation's mission to serve the caregivers of wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers and veterans. They have been loyal partners from the very beginning and, together, we continue to make tremendous strides in strengthening the support offered to America's hidden heroes." "The youngest hidden heroes have gone unnoticed far too long," said NMFA Executive Director Joyce Wessel Raezer. "Caregiver kids are forced to grow up quickly, taking on roles and responsibilities at home that take away from the fun and carefree nature of childhood. It's an honor to work with committed organizations, like Wounded Warrior Project and Elizabeth Dole Foundation, to create a path forward that makes these young heroes a priority." Since 2012, WWP has partnered with over 120 organizations involved in the care of America's military community by providing more than $74 million in grants. To learn more about how WWP partnerships with organizations like EDF and NMFA are improving the lives of millions of warriors and their families, visit https://wwp.news/Newsroom . About Wounded Warrior Project Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers helping them achieve their highest ambition. Learn more: http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/about-us . SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project Related Links https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org LONDON, February 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Offshore Oil & Gas Decommissioning Market Forecasts 2019-2029 Capex Forecasts & Analysis by Type (Well Plugging and Abandonment, Jacket and Topsides Removal, and Others) Including Forecasts by Major Regions and Countries, Plus Profiles of Leading Companies in the Oil & Gas Decommissioning Market (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/523989/Visiongain_Logo.jpg ) Visiongain has forecasted that the global Offshore Oil & Gas Decommissioning market will see a capital expenditure (CAPEX) of $7,076mn in 2019. Read on to discover the potential business opportunities available. With such established global offshore oil and gas fields, decommissioning becomes increasingly pertinent. As global offshore oil and gas fields mature, ageing structures must be removed. With the average lifetime of an offshore oil and gas field in the region of 25 to 40 years, this leaves many global structures in need of decommissioning. The cost involved in the decommissioning varies from project to project and coast to coast. The majority of costs are associated with the jacket, topside and subsea structure removal phases and well P&A. Decommissioning projects are highly complex, lengthy and expensive; the process involves many different stages and can take more than a decade to complete. With such environmental, economic and social pressures, the offshore decommissioning market is set to drastically increase, creating substantial business opportunities along the way. Visiongain's global Offshore Oil & Gas Decommissioning market report can keep you informed and up to date with the developments in the market, across four different regions: The Gulf of Mexico and North America, the North Sea, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World With reference to this report, it details the key investments trend in the global market, subdivided by regions, capital and operational expenditure and project type. Through extensive secondary research and interviews with industry experts, Visiongain has identified a series of market trends that will impact the Offshore Oil & Gas Decommissioning market over the forecast timeframe. The report will answer questions such as: - How is the offshore oil & gas decommissioning market evolving? - What is driving and restraining the offshore oil & gas decommissioning market? - How will each offshore oil & gas decommissioning submarket segment grow over the forecast period and how much revenue will these submarkets account for in 2029? - How will the market shares for each offshore oil & gas Decommissioning submarket develop from 2019 to 2029? - What will be the main driver for the overall market from 2019 to 2029? - Will leading offshore oil & gas decommissioning markets broadly follow the macroeconomic dynamics, or will individual national markets outperform others? - How will the market shares of the national markets change by 2029 and which geographical region will lead the market in 2029? - Who are the leading players and what are their prospects over the forecast period? - What are the decommissioning projects for these leading companies? - How will the industry evolve during the period between 2019 and 2029? Five Reasons Why You Must Order and Read This Report Today: 1) The report provides forecasts for the Global Offshore Oil & Gas Decommissioning market, by TYPE, for the period 2019-2029 - Well P&A CAPEX 2019-2029 - Jackside & Topside Removal CAPEX 2019-2029 - Others CAPEX 2019-2029 2) The report also forecasts and analyses the global Offshore Oil & Gas Decommissioning market by Regions from 2019-2029 - Gulf of Mexico and North America CAPEX 2019-2029 - North Sea CAPEX 2019-2029 - Asia-Pacific CAPEX 2019-2029 - Rest of the World CAPEX 2019-2029 3) The report reveals global regulations and agreements affecting the Offshore Oil and Gas Decommissioning Industry 4) The report includes Leading Companies analysis in the Offshore Oil & Gas Decommissioning Market Companies - Companies with Offshore Assets - Decommissioning Contractors - Decommissioning Consultancies 5) The report provides detailed profiles of the leading companies operating within the Offshore Oil & Gas Decommissioning market: - BP Plc - Canadian Natural Resources - Chevron Corporation - ConocoPhillips - ExxonMobil Corporation - Total S.A. - Royal Dutch Shell Plc - ENI This independent 135-page report guarantees you will remain better informed than your competitors. With 116 tables and figures examining the Offshore Oil & Gas Decommissioning market space, the report gives you a direct, detailed breakdown of the market. PLUS, Capital expenditure by Type and by Region, as well as in-depth profiles of Companies that will keep your knowledge that one step ahead of your rivals. This report is essential reading for you or anyone in the Oil and Gas sector. Purchasing this report today will help you to recognise those important market opportunities and understand the possibilities there. I look forward to receiving your order. To request a report overview of this report please contact Sara Peerun at [email protected] or refer to our website: https://www.visiongain.com/report/offshore-oil-gas-decommissioning-market-report-forecasts-2019-2029/ Did you know that we also offer a report add-on service? Email [email protected] to discuss any customized research needs you may have. Able UK AF Gruppen Aker Solutions Allseas AP Mller Atotech Baker Hughes Bayernoil Bibby Offshore Limited BMT Cordah BP Brasil Petroleo Ltda Cal Dive International Canadian Natural Resources Chevron Corporation Chevron Brasil Oleo & Gas Ltda ConocoPhillips Cutting Underwater Solutions (CUT) Daewoo ENI Eric Faulds Associates Ltd ExxonMobil Genesis Oil and Gas Consultants Ltd Halliburton Heerema Marine Contractors (HMC) JX Nippon Oil and Gas Exploration Corporation Linch-Pin Offshore Management Solutions Maamoet Salvage Mactech Inc. Maersk Decom Mauritania Deepwater Ltd. Oceaneering (Norse Cutting and Abandonment) Optimus PB Consultants Petrofac Petronas Petrobras Perenco Pipeline Services International Proserv Ramboll Reverse Engineering Services Ltd (RESL) Royal Dutch Shell Saipem Sapura Acergy Schlumberger Stork Technical Services Subsea 7 Technip Tetra Technologies Total S.A. Total Erg TSB Offshore Versabar Weatherford International Wild Well Control Wood Group Worley Parsons Zhejiang Organisations Mentioned Asean Council on Petroleum (ASCOPE) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) Bureau Veritas Department of Commerce and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC) Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) To see a report overview please e-mail Sara Peerun on [email protected] SOURCE Visiongain Pnar Tasdelen Engin, President of UTIB (Uludag Textile Exporters' Association) stated that Turkish textile sector has a very strong image in the global market and said, "The sector comes to the forefront thanks to its machinery park with state-of-the-art technology, flexible production ability, capability of producing special products and high-quality workforce." Turkish textile sector confidently prepared for the Premiere Vision Paris Fair, out of which 174 are individual firms and Texworld Paris Fair out of which 101 are individual firms will participate in the fair. Turkish textile manufacturers, through these events, will invite business people from across the world to invest in Turkey in addition to establishing commercial networks. Pnar Tasdelen Engin, President of Uludag Textile Exporters' Association (UTIB), who will lead the Turkish business people participating in the fair, said the Turkish textile sector has a very strong image in the global market. Exports to the emerging markets increasing Engin expressed that the Turkish textile sector paves the way in producing highly admired products of quality for many years thanks to its strong infrastructure and experience of hundreds of years. She also added, "A lot of people in many countries worldwide use Turkish textiles with pleasure, especially for their upper segment needs. Our sector has been engaged in exportation to the saturated and rising markets such as Europe and North America, where competition is quite intense. We managed to become the biggest textiles manufacturer in Europe. Our sector will maintain its assertive position in the future. We will continue to make significant breakthroughs not only in design and fashion but also in technical textiles." Stating that they have the machinery park with state-of-the-art technology, flexible production ability, capability of producing special products with the high-quality workforce, Engin remarked that there are Turkish companies that received design awards on an international level and also have a highly positive image thanks to their manufacturing activities conforming to the technical and health standards. Turkish Textiles Industry is the driving force of Turkish economy Engin also stated that textile sector is one of the driving sectors of Turkish economy with the added value it produces and its performance and added that the sector is of big importance with regard to the employment opportunities it provides. She said, "There are approximately 1 million people employed in textiles and ready-made clothing sectors. This number reaches 2 million if the sectors such as retail and merchandising, which are integrated to the aforementioned sectors, are included. Therefore, our contribution to the social stability of our country is very high. I believe that Turkish textile sector has a very high potential especially in terms of value added production." Highlighting that in 2018 Turkey's textile export has increased by 4,5% to USD 8 billion 461 million compared to the previous year, Engin remarked, "In the same period, apparel export performed throughout Turkey reached USD 17 billion 642 million with 3,6% increase." Turkish Textiles Industry showcase Turkey's potential at international fairs Stating that they started opening stands and promoting Turkey at the fairs abroad under the leadership of Ministry of Trade and Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), Engin continued, "We are the showcase displaying our country's values and potential at fairs that are one of the most important media to promote our sector abroad, and our activities are highly admired. It is of big importance that the companies and their representatives engaged in trading activities with the Turkish textile sector share their positive experiences with the new generation. One of our most significant missions is to ensure that the actors of our sector all around the world embrace this positive perception. Maintaining our successes with our own brands constitutes one of our fundamental objectives with regard to our sector and we need to exert efforts in this direction. Our exporter companies now have an R&D and design awareness and we attach great importance to improving it. We carry out activities to this end and will continue to work by building on it." Turkish Textiles Industry is the sector with the highest foreign trade surplus Emphasizing that textile sector is one of the traditional branches of industries in Turkey and among the cornerstones of the success story of industry and export, Engin, President of UTIB, expressed that the Turkish textile and ready-made clothing sector as a whole is the first sector with the highest foreign trade surplus today. In addition, she said the textile sector creates employment opportunities and, thus, highly contributes to the decrease in unemployment and public welfare, and added, "Turkish textile sector has a very special place in the world thanks to its product quality, trendsetting designs and advanced technology. The sector ranks first in our country with its share in the gross domestic product (GDP) and in terms of parameters such as domestic input usage, as well as constitutes the foundation of our existence in the global market." Turkish Textiles Industry: The biggest manufacturer in Europe Engin drew attention to the fact that Turkey is the biggest textiles manufacturer in the continental Europe and stated that it achieved the status of being the seventh biggest cotton producer in the world. "The machinery park, which was established for the production of broderie and guipure for home textiles, is the biggest machinery park in the world. The biggest factory manufacturing quilt covers is located in Turkey. We are one of the top three towel suppliers in the world. In 2018, the share of Turkey in global textiles export stands at approximately 3%, 4.5% in home and interior textiles and 1.5% in technical textiles." said Engin. Turkish Textiles Industry have a big potential in the technical textiles Engin said that another advantage they have is the opportunity to reach dozens of countries on 3 continents in 3-hour flight time and added that experienced, young and dynamic workforce comes to the forefront as another strong side of the sector. She said, "The areas we believe we need to improve in the forthcoming period are technical textiles, promoting, marketing and branding. We have a big potential in terms of technical textiles. In order to turn this potential into reality, we particularly established Bursa Technology Coordination and R&D Center (BUTEKOM) and carry out a number of significant activities within this establishment for all areas in our sector." Engin pointed to the fact that many Turkish products of high-level quality deserve to become global brands and added, "As the private sector, we will continue to focus on this matter in cooperation with our state. On the other hand, our companies should be more active in e-commerce, a relatively new and important area. A foreign intermediary company can buy a high-quality product from Turkey and sell it with a 50%, or even 100% profit through e-commerce channel. We will continue our efforts with regard to this and similar issues." The Power of Turkish textiles The film "Turkish Fashion Fabrics" produced by UTIB will meet the audience at PV Paris and Texworld Paris. Worldwide famous designers, such as Atil Kutoglu, Selma Celik and Ayse-Ece Ege, creator of the brand 'Dice Kayek', have cooperated with the Uludag Textile Exporters Association with their unique designs. Following social media platforms is highly recommended. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdyw6izPqxE&feature=youtu.be TFF on Instagram TFF on Facebook TFF on Twitter www.turkishfashionfabrics.com SOURCE Uludag Textile Exporters' Association (UTIB) In his typically genteel style, Mr. Price warns against casting the first stone. I think if people are true to what they will admit, everybody has had some bigotry or racism in their life, he told The Daily Press. I think this should be looked at as an opportunity for us to do what, quite frankly, we havent done, and thats (having) an open and frank discussion about bigotry and its effects." MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Training magazine's fall TechLearn Conference (TLC) September 17-19, 2019, is heading to the Big Easy. This rebranded and reimagined version of the former Online Learning Conference will be headlined by Chief Learning Evangelist Michael Allen, founder of Allen Interactions and co-creator of "The eLearning Manifesto," which boldly proclaims, "No more boring eLearning!" Throughout the conference, Dr. Allen will guide attendees on how to design, develop, implement, and evaluate our ever-expanding training options. "This is more than just a name change," declares Training VP of Market Strategy Philip Jones. "As we've moved beyond online learning to adaptive learning, gamified learning, and learning delivered via augmented and virtual reality and artificial intelligence, we made the conscious decision to transform our fall event. We have re-engineered the format and content, and brought in recognized experts in the learning and technology industries to help attendees sort through the bells and whistles and shiny objects to identify the technologies and methods that will empower learning and deliver results." TechLearn 2019 keynoters will include: Ulrik Juul Christensen , MD, chief executive officer, Area9 Lyceum ApS, who has pioneered adaptive learning, data-driven content development, simulation, and debriefing technologies chief executive officer, Area9 Lyceum ApS, who has pioneered adaptive learning, data-driven content development, simulation, and debriefing technologies Anders Ericsson , a leading expert on performance, Conradi eminent scholar and professor of Psychology at Florida State University , and the author of "Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise"a guide to mastery and excellence at work, school, and sport that condenses three decades of research into a new way to think about practice, resilience, dedication, and achievement a leading expert on performance, Conradi eminent scholar and professor of Psychology at , and the author of "Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise"a guide to mastery and excellence at work, school, and sport that condenses three decades of research into a new way to think about practice, resilience, dedication, and achievement Lou Tedrick , vice president, Global Learning & Development, Training Top 10 Hall of Famer Verizon, which has begun using virtual reality for employee training vice president, Global Learning & Development, Training Top 10 Hall of Famer Verizon, which has begun using virtual reality for employee training Phylise Banner , a learning experience design expert with more than 25 years of vision, action, and leadership experience in transformational learning and development approaches Buttressing TechLearn on the front end will be the second annual GamiCon, an event exclusively for the design and delivery of gamified corporate training, adult learning, employee motivation and productivity, innovation, and culture change. And on the back end will be Innovations in Training (IIT), a curated expedition throughout New Orleans into the future of learning at work. For more information about TechLearn Conference 2019, GamiCon, and IIT, please visit: www.techlearnconference.com. About Training Training magazine is the leading business publication for learning and development and HR professionals. It has been the ultimate resource for innovative learning and developmentin print, in person, and onlineover the last 50-plus years. Training magazine and Training magazine Events are produced by Lakewood Media Group. Contact: Julie Groshens, VP, Conferences, Training magazine [email protected] SOURCE Training magazine ALLIANCE, Ohio, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA)the world's largest registry of pedigreed catshas recently announced their most popular cat breeds for 2018, according to the number of cats that were registered throughout the year. CFA, a not-for-profit registry, is the most well-known and influential cat registry in the world. At the top of CFA's list of the most popular cat breeds for 2018 is the Ragdoll. True to its name, this cat with big, beautiful, blue eyes and a plush coat is known for being affectionate and loves being held like a, you guessed it, "rag doll." This breed will follow their humans and curl up with them. Ragdolls are easy, sweet, and well-behaved cats that are perfect for families and owners leading busy lifestyles. Landing in second place is the Exotic. This breed is bred to resemble the Persian, with one notable exception - a short, low-maintenance coat. The Exotic's coat makes them ideal for owners who want the teddy bear look and sweet personality of the Persian, but who don't have time to meet the grooming needs of a long-haired cat. Rounding out the top three is the British Shorthair, a sturdy, dense-coated cat with large teddy bear eyes, and a calm, easygoing personality making it ideal for families. British Shorthairs are known for inspiring a natural calmness in their owners. These extremely affectionate kitties will curl up in your lap and push their nose in your face for attention. Persians are the fourth most popular cat breed. Known for their luxurious, long coats and big, expressive eyes, Persians are one of the oldest pedigreed cat breeds. Persians are talkative and you should expect them to "chat" with you. They're also playful, joyous, and never demandingoften described as that unexpected ray of sunshine. The fifth most popular cat breed is the Maine Coon. Weighing anywhere from 10 to 20 pounds, Maine Coons are considered the largest of the domestic cats, and are rugged working cats with shaggy, uneven fur. Maine Coons are exceptionally sweet cats (owners can expect a greeting every time they arrive home) and love any kind of attentionmaking grooming their long shaggy fur a breeze. CFA officially recognizes 44 pedigreed cat breeds and is considered the world's gold standard of registries only accepting those breeds that undergo a rigorous approval process. In addition to 44 pedigree breeds, CFA records the non-pedigreed, Household Pet which came in 12th place this year. These non-pedigreed cute cats are welcome at all CFA cat shows that take place every weekend across the globe. #rescueismyfavoritebreed is a hashtag that resonates with CFA. The highly respected association is devoted to all feline friends and recognizes how beloved stray, shelter and non-standard cats are to their owners. The intentional breeding of mixed-breed, stray and rescue cats is not advocated in CFA, but the furry family member population itself is welcome to be recorded and is one of the most popular and competitive exhibition classes in the cat fancy. Here's the complete order of rankings, based on CFA's registration totals during 2018: Ragdoll, Exotic Shorthair, British Shorthair, Persian, Maine Coon, American Shorthair, Devon Rex, Sphynx, Scottish Fold, Abyssinian, Oriental, Household Pets, Siamese, Norwegian Forest Cat, Cornish Rex, Bengal, Russian Blue, Siberian, Burmese, Birman, Tonkinese, Ocicat, Selkirk Rex, Ragamuffin, American Curl, Japanese Bobtail, Manx, Egyptian Mau, Somali, Balinese, Singapura, Colorpoint Shorthair, Lykoi, Chartreux, Turkish Angora, European Burmese, Bombay, Khao Manee, Burmilla, Korat, American Bobtail, Havana Brown, LaPerm, Turkish Van and American Wirehair. Cat Fanciers' Association, Inc. The Cat Fanciers' Association, Inc. was founded in 1906 as a not-for-profit association of member clubs and is the world's largest registry of pedigreed cats. CFA's mission is to preserve and promote the pedigreed breeds of cats and to enhance the well-being of ALL cats. CFA promotes education, responsible cat ownership and proper care to the owners of millions of cats worldwide. CFA and its affiliate clubs work nationally with local shelters to help humanely reduce homeless and feral cat populations and to encourage voluntary neuter/spay of pet cats. To learn more about the Cat Fanciers' Association or to find the nearest CFA cat show, visit http://www.cfa.org. Media Contact: Desiree Bobby, Director of Marketing and Communications, [email protected] SOURCE Cat Fanciers' Association, Inc. Related Links http://www.cfa.org DALLAS, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Amynta Group, an industry leading group of warranty, managing general agent and specialty risk companies, today announced that Adam Pope, President of its Warranty Solutions business, has been promoted to President of Sales across Amynta's combined automotive warranty companies. Amynta recently integrated the operations and back office platform of its automotive warranty businesses, which include Warrantech, Warranty Solutions and OwnerGuard. While each existing brand remains, the integration and planned investments will continue to have clear and measurable benefits for employees, agents, dealers and other stakeholders. Bold actions recently taken include: Centralization of operations to Dallas, TX Unification of the auto sales team Formation of a dedicated relationship management team Investments in technology, including a new marketing portal "Adam's appointment is one of many actions to support the evolution of our auto warranty businesses," said Stuart Hollander, CEO of Amynta. The work completed thus far has garnered acknowledgement from the Better Business Bureau, which has rated Warrantech as an A+ business and reconfirmed the A+ rating of Warranty Solutions. "We have three leading national auto warranty brands and are excited that the work started in 2018 to leverage their strengths is paying off. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue moving the Amynta Group's auto warranty business into the future," Adam Pope said. Adam succeeds Chris Murphy, who has accepted a leadership role at an Amynta partner in the software space. Chris will be working closely with Adam during the transition to ensure continuity for Amynta's business partners. "Chris played a key role in establishing Warrantech as a leading provider of various warranty products and in the recent integration of our auto warranty businesses. We thank Chris for his years of service and numerous contributions, and we wish him well in his future endeavors," added Hollander. About The Amynta Group The Amynta Group is an industry leading group of warranty, managing general agent and specialty risk companies. This collection of professionals and firms provides warranty and services contracts for the automotive, consumer products and specialty equipment industries, among others, and administers niche workers' compensation and contractor liability coverage in North America, Europe and Australia. The Amynta name is derived from antiquity and means "protector," which underscores the company's focus and commitment to bringing industry leading products and services to its wide range of clients and customers. Amynta plans to invest in growing and maintaining its market leading position with a focus on ensuring a high performing work culture, product innovation and market expansion. For more information, please visit amyntagroup.com. SOURCE The Amynta Group Related Links http://www.amyntagroup.com To promote the new package and share with investors Thailand's updated investment policy and incentives, BOI sets "Thailand Investment Year - What's New?" as the theme of its annual seminar scheduled for 4 March 2019. Main discussions and content will be centered around new investment measures that will be in focus this year, as well as the investment support from the government. The investment package will keep the country's high investment momentum going following the remarkable 25% increase in investment applications received by BOI against the 2018 target. The country earlier set a goal to attract 720,000 million baht investment application but ended up seeing over 900,000 million baht investment application value. This is credited mainly to the country's comprehensive ecosystem for investment, ranging from concrete progress of infrastructure development, to clear national direction and continuous government support. For 2019, BOI has set investment application target at 750,000 million baht. It is hoped that the Thailand Investment Year package and latest announced investment measures will boost investment value and enable the government to achieve its target. Thailand Investment Year: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities Realising that large investment projects which adopt advanced technology or are in knowledge-based industries are crucial to boost economic growth and transformation, BOI has initiated this Thailand Investment Year Package to attract projects with minimum investment value of 1,000 million baht in targeted activities that are entitled to 5-8 years of tax holiday and do not extend project implementation deadline. Applications will be opened until 30 December 2019 and the approved projects will receive 50% reduction of corporate income tax for three years on top of the basic package. Targeted activities are, for example, manufacture of aircraft or aircraft parts, R&D, biotechnology, manufacture of advanced technology electrical products, manufacture of high-technology medical devices, digital services, etc. Connectivity Enhanced by Rail System Development Considering rail as a strategic logistics system that plays an important part in investment ecosystem, BOI recently introduced new measure to attract investment in rail system development. The new measure focuses more on engineering activities and a comprehensive range of investments related to rail systems such as train structures, passenger cabins, system control units, bogies, braking systems, electrification systems, and signaling systems as well as rails. Rail system development related projects that apply for BOI promotion by 30 December 2021 will be eligible for 50% corporate income tax reduction for another 3-5 years, depending on designated locations, after the expiry of 100% exemption privilege for 5-8 years. This special package is also expected to help kick-start the establishment of a rail production hub in the northeastern region where there are several supporting factors such as existing automotive part and assembly industries, universities, and upcoming development of rail networks. Digital Infrastructure & Startup Ecosystem Get a Boost With the aim of attracting foreign and domestic investments in Thailand's digital industry, BOI has recently approved investment measure to support innovation and digital ecosystem, such as innovation incubation center. The requirement of which is adjusted to increase minimum facility area to 1,000 square metres and to include innovation incubation plan approved by BOI to ensure concrete development and incubation for entrepreneurs. A new investment promotion category, Maker Space or Fabrication Laboratory providing machinery and tools used for making prototype products, has been added with five years of tax holiday and import duty exemption on machinery. In addition, a new category for Co-working Space has been included to connect local developers with the global community and encourage startups and venture capitals from all over the world to invest in Thailand. Promoted projects will receive duty exemption on import machinery. BOI has also launched an investment incentive scheme for the Smart City initiative, which is designed to upgrade people's quality of life with seven intelligent platforms; namely, Smart Environment, Smart Mobility, Smart People, Smart Living, Smart Economy, Smart Governance and Smart Energy. Thailand Investment Year - What's New? To kick off the Thailand Investment Year 2019, BOI will share its perspective, new measures and key policy at its annual seminar. Themed "Thailand Investment Year - What's New?" the seminar, to be held on 4 March 2019 at Royal Jubilee Hall, Impact Muang Thong Thani. In addition to the discussions and presentations on BOI's comprehensive support measures and investment support from various government agencies, the afternoon session will be an investment clinic, where businesses will have the opportunity to discuss with BOI and related government agencies, including National Innovation Agency (NIA), Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA), Export-Import Bank of Thailand (EXIM) and Ministry of Industry (MOI). For more information, please contact: Thailand Board of Investment Email: [email protected] Tel. +66 (0) 2553 8111 Website: www.boi.go.th SOURCE Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) Related Links http://www.boi.go.th "We have some representative Chinese songs, including Spring Festival Overture and Jasmine Flower they are songs with strong Chinese ethnic characteristics," Chen said. "We've also prepared some creative songs like Dunhuang, which shows the landscape of Dunhuang." For UN diplomats, it might have been their first time listening to pieces such as Fantasy for Erhu and Orchestra and Horse Race, Chen said, adding that the orchestra would also perform some Western pieces, including Fruhlingsstimmen Waltz by Strauss, Bizet's L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2 and the 4th movement from Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4. Traditional Chinese instruments like the erhu (fiddle) blended with Western ones to enhance cultural exchange while spotlighting Chinese traditions, said Chen Guangxian, the orchestra's general manager. "They fit together extremely well," said Tavis from New York. "The sounds blended and they moved from one to the other it was completely seamless. It was done very nicely." "I thought the selection [of music] was great, very diversified," said Shireen Dodson, who works at the UN. "I especially liked the erhu soloist. I have never seen that before, and it was amazing," she said, impressed by how many sounds the two-stringed instrument could make. The orchestra invited by China's Permanent Mission to the UN to conduct the first Chinese New Year Concert at UN headquarters looked to build on the image of Suzhou as a city rich in culture and to further spread Chinese culture to the world, according to Chen. "This is the first time we performed for [diplomats of] members at the United Nations, so we feel extremely honored," said Chen. "It has very significant meaning, because if we go on tour to other countries, we can only visit one or two nations per trip, but this time we will be able to perform for delegates from tens of nations." "As a poet myself, I believe in the power of art in transcending cultures, civilizations and borders. And that is also the nature of our work here in the United Nations," said Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, president of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly, in an opening remark for the event. "We also hope the performance would broaden the influence of the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra and bring it further on the global stage," said Chen Guangxian. Chen Xieyang said he believes symphony is one of the best ways to promote cultural exchanges between the nations because "there's no language barrier in music, and everyone can understand it." Established in November 2016, the orchestra with an average age of 30 is made up of 70 musicians from more than 30 countries and regions. It has toured multiple countries in Europe and Asia. "I think the orchestra is a very special one; we can call it a mini-United Nations," said Ma Zhaoxu, China's permanent representative to the United Nations. Audience members also were treated to an exhibition by iSuzhou, a cultural exchange platform established by the city. Spring Festival-themed artworks were displayed in the exhibition, including Taohuawu Woodcut New Year Pictures, products of a distinct printing technique that dates to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the key elements of the 24 solar terms, along with antithetical couplets, red envelopes and Chinese character for "fu", meaning fortune or good luck. "As diplomats in a multilateral setting here, our goal is not so different from the expectations that each new year brings: make the world more peaceful, more secure, more prosperous and leave no one behind," Espinosa Graces said. She spoke of her "deep appreciation to China for bringing the spirit of the New Year through the Spring Festival to the heart of the United Nations." "It's tough to celebrate Spring Festival outside of China, because it's such a family festival. But anything that you can do that makes you feel it's around Spring Festival time is good," said Tavis. "It was celebratory, very light-hearted," said Dodson. "I thoroughly enjoyed the evening." SOURCE China Daily USA Related Links www.chinadailyusa.com LOS ANGELES, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California philanthropists Melanie and Richard Lundquist have donated $70 million to the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed), a gift that will transform the institution by giving it a sustainable source of unrestricted funding to recruit and retain top researchers and provide the needed support and infrastructure. In conjunction with the gift, LA BioMed will be renamed the Lundquist Institute in the near future. The Lundquists announced their gift at a joint 70 birthday dinner held on February 9 at the soon to be opened 78,000-square-foot Medical Research Laboratory building on the LA BioMed campus. That building, set to open March 30th, will contain offices, wet and dry labs and an 18,000-square-foot incubator operated by BioLabs, which will have room to house about 20 to 30 startup companies. LA BioMed has a 66-year history of innovation. It is where paramedic training protocols and the nurse practitioner profession were invented. The institute has spun off 13 startups in the last 12 years, many under the leadership of President and CEO David Meyer, PhD. Those include Emmaus Medical, which has developed a treatment for sickle cell disease that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and NovaDigm Therapeutics, which is developing vaccines for fungal and bacterial infections commonly contracted at hospitals. The institute has also licensed products to two publicly-traded companies, including Kybella, a popular injectable treatment that removes fat from under the chin. The Lundquists' $70 million gift will help the institute undertake more discoveries and launch many more companies that will meaningfully boost Southern California as a biotech center. Critically, the gift is unrestricted, providing LA BioMed maximum flexibility and dexterity in recruiting and improving its facilities. Federal grant money, which the institute relies on to fund many of its studies, cannot be used to recruit scientists, while most foundations earmark their contributions for research into specific areas. As part of their gift, the Lundquists asked that Dr. Meyer remain as President and CEO for five years to help deploy the new funding. Melanie Lundquist, who has been a board member at LA BioMed for six years, will also remain in that role. "When I first visited the institute several years ago, I was awestruck by the groundbreaking research underwayand frankly shocked it could be accomplished in their aging facilities," said Richard Lundquist. "I immediately decided to donate $1 million and get personally involved. I've spent time working directly with David Meyer over the last few years to help with the vision for LA BioMed's 11.5-acre campus and the selection of Johnson Fain as the master planning architects. Melanie and I have invested both our time and financial resources at the institute. This gift is a natural extension of our longtime engagement." "It was important for us to do an unrestricted gift to provide the fuel to attract the best and brightest," said Melanie Lundquist. "I have been a member of the board of directors for many years, which has provided an inside look at the critical work being undertaken. We do our due diligence when we are considering philanthropic giftsDavid and his team passed with flying colors. We are so excited for what he and his team will accomplish with our gift." "The Lundquists' gift gives us the ability to compete for the top-tier scientists and researchers as we take our work to the next level," said David Meyer. "Leading this institution into this exciting new phase with their support is what I've worked for my whole career." "Their $70 million gift is a natural extension of the Lundquists' philosophy of being bold with their philanthropy and finding places to contribute that are disruptive, significant and have scalable impact, such as their work improving public schools through the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools," said Dan Rosenfeld, Chair of the LA BioMed Board of Directors. "Richard and Melanie want to help accelerate discoveries locally that will save and improve lives globally through LA BioMed and we are honored by their faith and trust." The donation will make it more enticing for biotech startups to set up shop in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County. That could boost the local economy while competing with other biotech regions such as San Francisco, San Diego and Boston, where many life science companies that get their start in Los Angeles often end up. The future Lundquist Institute, with its new source of funding, can now anchor a biotech hub in the South Bay. About LA BioMed LA BioMed is an engine of innovation with a global reach and a 66-year reputation of improving and saving lives. Driven by the positive social impacts of breakthrough therapies, the Southern California-based research institute and incubator with over 100 principal investigators (PhDs, MDs and MD/PhDs) working on over 600 research studies, including therapies for multiple orphan diseases is an essential element to one of the nation's top-ten biotech clusters. Find out more at https://labiomed.org. About Melanie and Richard Lundquist Melanie and Richard Lundquist are among California's most significant philanthropists. They have made the second-largest gift to America's public schools ($85 million to the Los Angeles Unified School District) and the largest cumulative gift to a non-teaching/research hospital in the U.S. ($100 million to Torrance Memorial Medical Center). Continental Development Corporation, under the guidance of Richard Lundquist, is one of the South Bay's most significant Class-A real estate owners and developers. He is a longtime civic advocate for the region, having recently led the fundraising effort to bring the first Olympic aquatics center to the South Bay. Melanie and Richard are both Los Angeles-area natives and South Bay residents. SOURCE LA BioMed Related Links http://www.labiomed.org VANCOUVER, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Rubicon Organics Inc. (CSE:ROMJ) (OTCQX:ROMJF) ("Rubicon Organics" or the "Company"), a super-premium, organic cannabis producer with operations in Canada, Washington and California, is proud to announce the establishment of its diverse genetic library in its newly licensed, 125,000 sq. ft. facility in Delta, British Columbia. "Our extensive genetic library features unique stabilized cultivars previously developed in the medical cannabis market and will be instrumental in our breeding program where we commit to bringing new and exciting strains to the Canadian market", said Jesse McConnell, Co-Founder and CEO of Rubicon Organics. "Plant genetics critically underpin our promise of high-quality terpene rich organic cannabis, therefore our library also includes cultivars not previously available in the Canadian market including Sour Cookies and Creek Congo, both known for their outstanding flavor and terpene profiles." The extensive breadth and scope of the genetic library is a further sign of Rubicon Organics' commitment to quality through the development and stabilization of disease-free and pest-resistant cannabis cultivars for future commercial production. Rubicon Organics anticipates the first harvest at its Delta, BC facility in Q2 2019. ABOUT RUBICON ORGANICS INC. Rubicon Organics Inc. ("Rubicon Organics" or the "Company) (CSE:ROMJ) (OTCQX:ROMJF) is a Licensed Producer focused on building super-premium organic cannabis brands with operations in Canada, Washington and California. Rubicon Organics' flagship Canadian facility is a 125,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art hybrid greenhouse with industry leading LED lighting and is located on a 20-acre property in Delta, British Columbia. The Company's Washington facility is a newly constructed, 40,000 sq. ft. hybrid greenhouse and extraction facility. Rubicon Organics has commenced production in both facilities with a combined Phase I capacity of 15,500 kg per year, including 4,500 kg leased to a Washington State licensed operator applying Rubicon Organics' proprietary organic cultivation methods. The Company also owns two award-winning U.S. cannabis brands: 1964 Supply Co.TM in California and Doctor & Crook Co.TM in Washington. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, statements regarding Rubicon Organics' plan to cultivate, timing and estimates of production for its facilities, are "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans" or "is expected", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results are "to begin", "ramping up to", "imminent", "set to" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. The forward looking information in this press release is based upon certain assumptions that management considers reasonable in the circumstances, including that its capital needs will be as currently projected, that Rubicon Organics will be able to successfully obtain all necessary permits and approvals to conduct its business as currently proposed to be conducted, that Rubicon Organics will not be prosecuted in the U.S. for its involvement in the cannabis industry. Risks and uncertainties associated with the forward looking information in this press release include, among others, dependence on obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals, including acquiring and renewing state, local or other licenses and any inability to obtain all necessary governmental approvals licenses and permits to complete construction of its proposed facilities in a timely manner; engaging in activities which currently are illegal under U.S. federal law and the uncertainty of existing protection from U.S. federal or other prosecution; regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations, including U.S. state-law legalization, particularly in California, due to inconsistent public opinion, perception of the medical-use and adult-use marijuana industry, bureaucratic delays or inefficiencies or any other reasons; any other factors or developments which may hinder market growth; Rubicon Organics' limited operating history and lack of historical profits; reliance on management; and the effect of capital market conditions and other factors on capital availability; competition, including from more established or better financed competitors; and the need to secure and maintain corporate alliances and partnerships, including with customers and suppliers. These factors should be considered carefully and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Although Rubicon Organics has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other risk factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements. Rubicon Organics assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, even if new information becomes available as a result of future events, new information or for any other reason except as required by law. SOURCE Rubicon Organics TORONTO, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Roxgold Inc. ("Roxgold" or "the Company") (TSX: ROXG) (OTC: ROGFF) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Newcrest West Africa Holdings Pty Ltd ("Newcrest") to acquire a portfolio of 11 exploration permits in Cote d'Ivoire (the "Tenements"), which includes the Seguela gold project ("Seguela"), for total upfront consideration of US$20 million (the "Transaction"). All amounts in this news release are expressed in US dollars. Highlights of the Transaction Highly prospective exploration permits covering 3,298 km 2 in the attractive mining jurisdiction of Cote d'Ivoire with significant scope to build upon existing data and high-quality exploration work completed to date in the attractive mining jurisdiction of Cote d'Ivoire with significant scope to build upon existing data and high-quality exploration work completed to date Near-term development potential at the flagship Seguela project, which hosts the Antenna deposit and a number of satellite opportunities Seguela's Antenna deposit hosts a mineral resource containing an inferred resource of 5.8Mt at 2.3 g/t Au for 430koz Au 1 Acquisition cost of $20 million upon closing with a further payment of $10 million upon first gold production from the subject land package upon closing with a further payment of upon first gold production from the subject land package Addition to management team with the return of Paul Criddle to a full time executive position John Dorward, President and Chief Executive Officer of Roxgold commented, "Roxgold is excited to acquire Seguela and the related permits from Newcrest. This acquisition represents a meaningful addition to our growth pipeline, providing a key second asset, immediate additional resource upside and a large prospective land package all in an accretive transaction for Roxgold shareholders. Rarely does such a large and carefully assembled land package become available from one of the world's leading gold producers and Seguela is expected to materially increase Roxgold's overall resource inventory, particularly after we bring the deposit up to National Instrument 43-101 standards later this year. We also believe there is substantial near-term exploration upside at this deposit, and regionally, with the opportunity to significantly advance Seguela in the near term." Paul Weedon, Vice President, Exploration added, "This acquisition provides Roxgold with a very attractive exploration portfolio that includes highly prospective early stage opportunities as well as an advanced stage exploration asset in Seguela. Acquiring these assets from Newcrest allows us to build upon the high quality exploration work they have completed to date. We are eager to get to work on this portfolio to fully explore the potential upside we see at these assets." Terms of the Agreement Roxgold is acquiring the Tenements from Newcrest for upfront consideration of $20 million. Roxgold is also committing to a further payment of $10 million in cash upon production of the first gold from any of the areas covered by the Tenements. Closing of the Transaction is dependent upon, amongst other things, the renewal of certain tenements and the approval from the Minister of Mines of Cote d'Ivoire and other required regulatory approvals. About the Tenements The Tenements are located across prospective Birimian greenstone belts in the established mining jurisdiction of Cote d'Ivoire and includes highly prospective early stage projects as well as advanced stage projects throughout Cote d'Ivoire (See Figure 1). To date, approximately $21 million dollars has been invested in exploration and approximately 117,000 metres of drilling has been completed on the Tenements, allowing for significant scope to build upon existing data and exploration work completed to date. Included in the portfolio is the advanced exploration Seguela gold project that hosts the near surface Antenna gold deposit. Seguela is located approximately 240 kilometres north-west of Yamoussoukro, the political capital of Cote d'Ivoire, and approximately 480 kilometres north-west of Abidjan, the commercial capital of the country. The Antenna gold deposit consists of near-surface, potentially open pittable mineralization and is ideally located near existing infrastructure including grid power, transport and water resources. Newcrest has been operating in Cote d'Ivoire since 2010 and discovered the Antenna deposit in 2016. Roxgold intends to keep key infrastructure and personnel in place to ensure a smooth transition of activities at site. A maiden mineral resource was declared at Seguela's Antenna deposit in December 2017 in accordance with JORC 20121. Mineral Resources Antenna Deposit*1 Mineral Resources Antenna Deposit Tonnes (Mt) Grade (g/t Au) Ounces (koz) Inferred 5.8 2.3 430 (*) The mineral resources presented are as defined under the JORC Code, which is materially consistent with National Instrument 43-101. The Company is currently undertaking work to support a conversion from JORC reporting standards to National Instrument 43-101 reporting which is expected to be completed in the first half of 2019. Furthermore, Seguela presents a significant opportunity to further assess multiple priority exploration targets within 15 kilometres of the Antenna deposit. These targets have the potential to increase the resource base and enhance the potential economics of the Seguela project by adding low-cost near surface ounces (see Figure 2). In addition to Antenna, early stage drilling by Newcrest has produced results ranging from trace to 14 metres at 58.1 g/t Au from 0 metres, and including several high-grade intercepts from the nearby Agouti, Boulder, Kwenko and Ancien prospects, all of which support the potential to add additional ounces to the project. Additional notable results from the satellite targets include2: Boulder: 9 metres at 16.9 g/t Au in SGRD162 from 145 metres; and 7 metres at 9.1 g/t Au in SGRC161 from 18 metres. Agouti: 14 metres at 58.1 g/t Au in SGAC5021 from 0 metres; 5 metres at 20.4 g/t Au in SGRC152 from 44 metres; 4 metres at 16.5 g/t Au in SGRC185 from 125 metres; and 11 metres at 5.1 g/t Au in SGRC187 from 21 metres. Ancien: 16 metres at 9.3 g/t Au in SGRC172 from 37 metres. Roxgold intends to elaborate on its near-term exploration plans for Seguela prior to the end of the current quarter. In addition, significant exploration potential exists across the balance of the Tenements with large total holdings covering 3,298 km2. These early stage, prospective regional opportunities exist on the Dimbokro, Dianra North and South, Boundiali and Bouake Permits (see Figure 1). Raymond James Ltd. has acted as financial advisor and Norton Rose Fulbright has acted as legal advisor to Roxgold. Management Addition Roxgold is also pleased to announce that Mr. Paul Criddle will be returning to the Company in a full-time executive capacity as Chief Development Officer. John Dorward, President and Chief Executive Officer of Roxgold commented, "We are very pleased to have Paul returning to Roxgold in an executive function. Paul was the prime mover for the definition and development of Yaramoko which has been one of the most successful projects developed by a junior in recent years. In terms of its current stage, Seguela is of nearly identical scale to when we started with Yaramoko so I am very pleased to have Paul back in an executive capacity to lead the efforts on our second growth project." As part of his transition to an executive function, Mr. Criddle will step down from his current role as a non-executive director of Roxgold. Qualified Person Paul Weedon, MAIG, Vice President, Exploration for Roxgold Inc., is a Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101, having verified and approved the technical data disclosed in this press release. This includes the sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information. About Roxgold Roxgold is a gold mining company with its key asset, the high grade Yaramoko Gold Mine, located in the Hounde greenstone region of Burkina Faso, West Africa. Roxgold trades on the TSX under the symbol ROXG and as ROGFF on OTC. This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation: statements with respect to closing of the proposed Transaction, Mineral Resource estimates (including proposals for the potential conversion thereof from JORC to National Instrument 43-101 standards, and the anticipated timing thereof), anticipated receipt and maintenance of permits and licenses and renewal of the Tenements proposed to be acquired, future potential production, satellite opportunities and exploration and development potential of the Tenements, retention of personnel and existing infrastructure following the Transaction, future expansion and development plans, proposed exploration plans and the timing and costs thereof, the anticipated costs, timing and sufficiency of future funding. These statements are based on information currently available to the Company and the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. In certain cases, forward-looking information may be identified by such terms as "anticipates", "believes", "could", "estimates", "expects", "may", "shall", "will", or "would". Forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, satisfaction of all closing conditions to the completion of the Transaction, the estimation of Mineral Resources, the realization of resource estimates, the timing and amount of future exploration and development expenditures, the estimation of initial and sustaining capital requirements, the estimation of labour and operating costs, the availability of necessary financing and materials to continue to explore and develop the Tenements, the progress of exploration and development activities as currently proposed and anticipated, the receipt of necessary regulatory approvals and permits including renewals of the Tenements, and assumptions with respect to currency fluctuations, environmental risks, title disputes or claims, and other similar matters. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include: failure to satisfy all closing conditions to the completion of the Transaction, changes in market conditions, unsuccessful exploration results, possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, changes in the costs and timing of the development, inaccurate resource estimates, changes in the price of gold, unanticipated changes in key management personnel, failure to obtain permits or renewal of the Tenements as anticipated or at all, failure of exploration and/or development activities to progress as currently anticipated or at all, and general economic conditions. Mining exploration and development is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by the Company or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. ___________________________________ 1 Newcrest declared an inferred mineral resource of 5.8Mt at 2.3 g/t Au for 430koz Au for the Antenna Deposit in their Annual Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves Statement 31 December 2017 in accordance with JORC 2012, released to the ASX on 15 February 2018. 2 Potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to define a National Instrument 43-101 compliant mineral resource on the Tenements and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the Tenements being delineated as such a mineral resource. SOURCE Roxgold Inc. Related Links www.roxgold.com CHICAGO, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Redwood Logistics ("Redwood"), a strategically-integrated North American logistics company based in Chicago, Illinois, announced today that it is acquiring Strive Logistics ("Strive"). The combination creates a technology-focused, high growth industry leader that is both a top-15 truck broker and an emerging multimodal logistics provider with over $1 billion in freight under management. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Strive, which was founded in 1995, is a leading provider of non-asset multimodal third party logistics solutions with offices in Chicago, Illinois and Austin, Texas. Combining Strive's freight management and multimodal brokerage capabilities, proprietary LoadRunner Transportation Management System, and excellence in process automation with Redwood's scale, integrated model, enterprise sales team, and best-in-class transportation execution creates an innovative, full-service logistics offering for the transportation marketplace. "Strive has made significant investments in both its people and its proprietary technology, and we are very excited to welcome the Strive team and its technology to the Redwood family," Mark Yeager, CEO of Redwood said. "We see this as a major step in establishing Redwood as an industry leader and a transformative force in the marketplace." Redwood President Todd Berger added, "We are focused on bringing next generation, tech-driven solutions so that our customers can continue to realize cost savings and efficiencies and achieve their shipping goals. Strive's high caliber team, blue chip customer base, focus on technology, geographic reach, and the clear similarities in how we work to serve our customers make Strive the perfect merger candidate. We are thrilled to join forces with the Strive team and can't wait to see what the future holds for Redwood." The combined company will operate under the Redwood brand, and Strive CEO Ben Greene, President Jon Provus, and the rest of Strive's management team will be joining the Redwood organization. "Redwood Logistics is the ideal partner for Strive due to our compatible cultures and shared focus on addressing our customers' most critical logistics challenges through the effective combination of people and technology," Strive's Greene said. "We are excited to join the Redwood team and look forward to working together to continue growing the combined business." Joost Thesseling, Managing Director of CI Capital, said "We are excited to support the Redwood Logistics management team in their acquisition strategy as they continue to build one of the largest, technologically innovative logistics providers in North America." Paul, Weiss, Rikind, Wharton & Garrison LLP advised Redwood on the transaction, and Strive was advised by Republic Partners and Nixon Peabody LLP. ABOUT REDWOOD LOGISTICS Chicago-based Redwood Logistics is a next generation, strategically integrated logistics provider that believes every company's needs are unique. For more than 15 years, the company has been providing solutions for moving and managing freight, and sharing its knowledge across North America. Redwood Logistics is focused on making its customers more successful in their end markets by applying talented and motivated people, proven processes and cutting-edge technologies to optimize their supply chain management efforts. For more information, please visit www.redwoodlogistics.com. ABOUT STRIVE LOGISTICS Strive Logistics is a Chicago-based third party logistics provider whose proprietary TMS, LoadRunner, is powered by innovative, flexible algorithms that are fully customizable to help customers meet their needs. LoadRunner is backed by an in-house team of developers that has also structured a digital freight management model that leverages artificial intelligence and process automation to move freight more efficiently. ABOUT CI CAPITAL PARTNERS CI Capital Partners LLC is a leading North American private equity investment firm that has invested in middle-market companies since 1993. CI Capital forms partnerships with experienced management teams and entrepreneurs to build substantial businesses through add-on acquisitions, organic growth, and operational improvements. Since inception, CI Capital and its portfolio companies have made over 315 acquisitions representing approximately $10 billion in enterprise value. For more information on CI Capital Partners, please visit www.cicapllc.com. Media Contact: Daniel Yunger Kekst CNC 212.521.4800 SOURCE Redwood Logistics Thats not just my opinion but also former President Barack Obamas, who once said: I would rather us with all the safeguards and standards that we have be producing our oil and gas, rather than importing it, which is bad for our people, but is also potentially purchased from places that have much lower environmental standards than we do. NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Marriott's data breach affected nearly 400 million people in both the United States and abroad. Pierce Bainbridge joined the battle against Marriott today, filing suit on behalf of victims in the US and worldwide. The suit seeks to hold Marriott International, Inc. and its President and Chief Executive Officer, Arne Sorenson, responsible not only for the breach itself, but for failing to notify unsuspecting travelers of the flaws in the Starwood reservation system that made it a ready target for hackers, and for, then, making matters worse by failing to inform the public until years later. The suit alleges that Marriott exposed the personal and sensitive information of hundreds of millions of travelers by failing to take reasonable steps to secure it. The suit seeks damages and injunctive relief to make sure that on behalf of various plaintiffs and in connection with one of the largest data breaches in history, Marriott changes its practices. In November 2018, Marriott announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, failed to secure the personal information including passport numbers and payment information of an estimated 383 million travelers worldwide. Marriott claims that it did not discover the breach which first occurred in 2014 for four years, giving hackers plenty of time to pilfer and sell the sensitive and personal information of hundreds of millions of hotel guests. The value of this personal information including names, email addresses, recovery email accounts, telephone numbers, payment card information, and passport information on the black market is well known. Identity thieves use the information to gain access to different areas of the victim's digital life, including bank accounts, social media accounts, and credit card accounts. They also use the stolen information to harm victims through embarrassment, blackmail or harassment, in person or online, to commit other types of fraud, including obtaining ID cards or driver's licenses, fraudulently obtaining tax refunds and other government benefits. Despite heightened public awareness of the danger of identity theft, Marriott allegedly failed to institute adequate cyber-security procedures. Marriott's storage of over 5 million unencrypted passport numbers was "extremely reckless and unsafe" according to the class action complaint. And even the encryption method it used for other data was woefully inadequate, as Marriott admitted the components needed to decrypt the payment card numbers may have been taken as well. Marriott operates more than 6,700 properties in 130 countries. Any guest who made reservations or stayed at one of the Starwood brand hotels from 2014-2018 may be a victim of the data breach. The Starwood brands include: W Hotels, St. Regis, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, Westin Hotels & Resorts, Element Hotels, Aloft Hotels, The Luxury Collection, Tribute Portfolio, Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts, Four Points by Sheraton and Design Hotels. Starwood branded timeshare properties (Sheraton Vacation Club, Westin Vacation Club, The Luxury Collection Residence Club, St. Regis Residence Club, and Vistana) are also included. If you believe you made a reservation at any of these hotels, please visit our dedicated site at https://piercebainbridge.com/marriott/ in order to contact us for additional information about your legal rights and options. About Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht LLP Pierce Bainbridge has significant experience in prosecuting major class action cases and taking cases through trial across the United States. We have represented individuals, companies, funds, foundations and other entities worldwide with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Boston. Attorney Advertising Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. SOURCE Pierce Bainbridge Related Links http://www.piercebainbridge.com "At Philips, our mission is to deliver solutions that take the complexity out of healthcare through a truly integrated approach to drive better health outcomes, improved patient and staff experience and lower cost of care," said Carla Kriwet , Chief Business Leader of Connected Care at Philips. "We develop and deliver intelligent, integrated data management and analytics to bring together the full picture of the patient to help facilitate better informed decision-making and care delivery within the hospital, in post-acute care settings and in the home." Moving from reactive to proactive care Philips integrated solutions feature smart enterprise systems, devices, software and services that bring together patient population data to help drive a more proactive approach to care. Data-driven actionable insights leveraging AI help enable precision diagnosis and standardization of care across the enterprise and improve workflows. Visitors to the Philips Booth (#2101) at HIMSS will experience a full suite of integrated technology solutions ranging from advanced wireless biosensors, monitoring systems and AI enabled clinical decision support, to advanced out of hospital solutions and critical enterprise imaging data consolidated across radiology, cardiology, oncology and pathology. The Philips connected care experience highlighted at HIMSS is focused on critical solutions across key areas including: In the hospital solutions manage vast amounts of patient-generated health data, integrating information within the EHR, leveraging predictive analytics to help drive better informed care decisions. Solutions include: Philips IntelliSpace Enterprise Edition managed service informatics solution to enable data integration across the enterprise for more confident informed decisions and improve patient care and staff experience with more streamlined workflows. managed service informatics solution to enable data integration across the enterprise for more confident informed decisions and improve patient care and staff experience with more streamlined workflows. Philips eICU a scalable, centralized tele-ICU solution combining A/V technology, predictive analytics, data visualization and advanced reporting to extend critical care resources to the bedside via technology regardless of location. a scalable, centralized tele-ICU solution combining A/V technology, predictive analytics, data visualization and advanced reporting to extend critical care resources to the bedside via technology regardless of location. Philips Interoperability Solutions open standards-based interoperability software solutions for fast and flawless data flows between medical systems and information sources at departmental and enterprise levels, and Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) across health systems. open standards-based interoperability software solutions for fast and flawless data flows between medical systems and information sources at departmental and enterprise levels, and Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) across health systems. Philips PerformanceBridge vendor agnostic, integrated, scalable portfolio of services, tools, and support to empower hospital departments with real-time information to improve performance and build a program for continuous improvement. vendor agnostic, integrated, scalable portfolio of services, tools, and support to empower hospital departments with real-time information to improve performance and build a program for continuous improvement. Philips Patient Information Center iX central station that includes Data Warehouse Connect, a continuous, high-resolution data-capture and storage solution that allows organizations to leverage rich data sets to execute quality-improvement programs, boost operational efficiency and conduct cutting-edge research. Precision Diagnosis enables clinicians to access data from disparate sources in a holistic view to deliver information enhanced by AI applications for more confident diagnoses. Solutions include: Philips IntelliSpace Precision Medicine cloud-based platform brings together actionable clinical patient information from disparate data sources, intelligently organized across rich dashboards to facilitate collaborative diagnostic treatment and follow-up decisions by Multidisciplinary Tumor Boards via Dana-Farber Oncology Pathways, Genomic Bioinformatics and Interpretation, Clinical Trial Matching and Clinical Dashboards. cloud-based platform brings together actionable clinical patient information from disparate data sources, intelligently organized across rich dashboards to facilitate collaborative diagnostic treatment and follow-up decisions by Multidisciplinary Tumor Boards via Dana-Farber Oncology Pathways, Genomic Bioinformatics and Interpretation, Clinical Trial Matching and Clinical Dashboards. IntelliSite Pathology Solution highly scalable solution enhances productivity with high-resolution digital images, collaborative features and case management tools, designed to support clinical practice, improve patient care and reduce costs. highly scalable solution enhances productivity with high-resolution digital images, collaborative features and case management tools, designed to support clinical practice, improve patient care and reduce costs. Illumeo with Adaptive Intelligence - introduces a new paradigm of clinically intelligent software designed to changes how clinicians see, seek and share information by providing a tailored workflow experience which adapts to preferences and patient context. - introduces a new paradigm of clinically intelligent software designed to changes how clinicians see, seek and share information by providing a tailored workflow experience which adapts to preferences and patient context. IntelliSpace Portal comprehensive visualization platform provides advanced analysis tools particularly helpful for complex cases to enhance confident diagnosis. In the home integrated solutions enable remote monitoring and connected care for patients in their preferred setting empowering them at home with medical devices, applications and tools to help reduce costly hospital readmissions. Solutions include: Philips COPD pathway management analytics to identify at-risk populations, combined with care management programs and connected devices, applications and monitoring that help manage COPD patients at home to reduce COPD readmissions and the total cost of care. analytics to identify at-risk populations, combined with care management programs and connected devices, applications and monitoring that help manage COPD patients at home to reduce COPD readmissions and the total cost of care. Philips Aging and Caregiving - the Philips Cares digital experience exposes, organizes and connects care across a network of informal and formal caregivers, analytics and services to support those on the aging journey. Care Management advanced technology aggregates and analyzes data to bridge the gap between acute and home-based care, supporting patients with programs to deliver the right care at the right time in the most appropriate and lowest care settings. Solutions include: Philips Population Health extends care outside the hospital with collaborative health management via a connected, data-driven ecosystem to help enable virtual patient care to engage and activate patients, analyze outcomes and transform care. extends care outside the hospital with collaborative health management via a connected, data-driven ecosystem to help enable virtual patient care to engage and activate patients, analyze outcomes and transform care. Connected devices, applications and remote monitoring programs help increase patient engagement and access to care, to track progress over time. New and enhanced Philips solutions spotlight at HIMSS With a focus on lowering the cost of care and improving efficiency, Philips recently expanded its IntelliSpace Enterprise Edition next generation enterprise-wide health informatics platform to include Philips PerformanceBridge. New enhancements now include IntelliSpace Precision Medicine Oncology, IntelliSpace Genomics and interoperable clinical data sharing with IntelliSpace Exchange. Philips is also introducing its latest technology to improve patient and staff experience with the launch of Philips IntelliSpace Epidemiology. The new decision-support solution is the first to combine clinical and genomic technologies for precision infection control to efficiently and accurately identify healthcare associated infections. Philips at HIMSS Throughout the week, Philips will host PhilipsLive! Forum Sessions in its booth, featuring more than 25 short presentations and talks from Philips executives and industry leaders discussing the hottest topics in health informatics and health IT including value-based care, adaptive intelligence, interoperability, precision medicine, chronic care, cybersecurity and more. Philips thought leaders will also be speaking and presenting in various HIMSS Showcases and executive sessions including The Personalized Health Experience, The Interoperability Showcase, The Cybersecurity Command Center, the Machine Learning Forum and more. A complete list of presenters, topics, dates and times are available here. For more information on Philips' full portfolio of integrated smart enterprise systems, devices, software and services that will be spotlighted in Booth #2101 at the HIMSS Global Conference & Exhibition in Orlando, FL, Feb. 11-15, 2019, visit www.philips.com/himss and follow @PhilipsLiveFrom for #HIMSS19 updates throughout the event. For further information, please contact: Kathy O'Reilly Philips Group Press Office Tel.: +1 978 221 8919 E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: kathyoreilly Anna Hogrebe Philips Group Press Office Tel.: +1 (416) 270 6757 E-mail: [email protected] About Royal Philips Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips generated 2018 sales of EUR 18.1 billion and employs approximately 77,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter. SOURCE Royal Philips Related Links https://www.usa.philips.com The property is located within four miles of three major Los Angeles Basin Freeways-San Diego (I-405), Harbor (I-110) and the Artesia (SR-91). Situated between the Palos Verdes Peninsula and Manhattan/Hermosa/Redondo Beach, with convenient access to the major economic centers of Downtown Los Angeles and El Segundo, the property offers an ideal regional location. Additionally, the property is located in a densely populated, irreplaceable location at the intersection of Crenshaw and Sepulveda Boulevards, two of the main South Bay thoroughfares. The property has served as a key DCFS regional office since 1999 and services 27 different zip codes throughout the south bay grid. DCFS renewed its lease for this location for the second time in June 2017. The County maintains a strong investment grade tenant rating (Moody's: Aa1; S&P AA). "We are looking forward to working with the County to extend the lease beyond the current expiration date" stated Kamyar Shabani. "The tenant, the use and the property seem to be a perfect combination for each other and we look forward to serving the tenants needs for a long time" added Joseph Shabani. Optimus Properties, LLC, located in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Kamyar Shabani and K. Joseph Shabani and employs a disciplined investment approach focused on value creation in office, retail, office and medical office properties throughout Los Angeles. SOURCE Optimus Properties, LLC SOFIA, Bulgaria, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading independent technology research and analyst house Bloor Research has ranked Ontotext's signature semantic graph database GraphDB as innovator in multi-model (hybrid) environments among dozens of graph databases. In its Graph Database Market Update 2019, Bloor Research examines the latest market trends in vendor developments of graph databases. A key finding of the 2019 market update shows that the knowledge graph has become an increasingly popular way to represent and find relationships out of vast amounts of data. Apart from an overview of the latest developments, the authors of the report published briefs about vendors and used eight different metrics to score the capabilities of each vendor's graph database: analytics, ease of use, features, integration, language, operations, performance and scalability. Ontotext received the highest score among RDF databases in terms of operations capabilities and very high score for features, language and analytics. Bloor noted that Ontotext GraphDB was one of the first vendors in the global graph database market. The graph technology that Ontotext uses performs much better than relational technology and databases when users want to understand relationships in large datasets. A notable GraphDB feature is also the semantic similarity based on graph embedding. In GraphDB 8.7 , Ontotext introduced a new plugin returning similar terms, documents and entities, which added support for concept-matching in knowledge graphs. The latest release, GraphDB 8.8 , now allows users to perform semantic similarity searches based on the embedding of relationships in a graph (Subject-Predicate-Object triples or Predications) in a highly-scalable vector space model. Ontotext is focused on text, content and related areas, and many of its clients are in some way involved in publishing or media. Yet, this does not mean that Ontotext's GraphDB cannot be used in more general-purpose operational and hybrid operational/analytic use cases, Bloor added. "Nevertheless, the company offers a one-stop shop for both the database and text mining, and the strength of this offering the way that it works with enterprise knowledge graphs is a significant differentiator for the company." Also mentioned in the paper is the Ontotext Platform , which extends GraphDB with text mining capabilities, interlinking text and graphs for enriching graphs with facts extracted from the text. Download this report to learn the vendors' landscape and the new market trends in graph databases. About Ontotext Ontotext helps enterprises to identify meaning across diverse datasets and massive amounts of unstructured information since 2000. Ontotext offers technology and services for the development of big knowledge graphs, interlinking multiple structured datasets. Ontotext delivers products and content analytics solutions to enterprises like S&P, BBC, Financial Times, Elsevier, Wiley, UK Parliament, Kadastr.NL and Fujitsu. In January 2019 Ontotext AD merged into Sirma AI JSC and became the core of Sirma Group's Enterprise AI strategy. Sirma AI trades as Ontotext but extends its portfolio with computer vision and facial recognition technology. SOURCE Ontotext VANCOUVER, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (TSX: NDM; NYSE American: NAK) ("Northern Dynasty" or the "Company") announces that, further to its press release on January 15, 2019, it has completed the approval process for its base shelf prospectus (the "Base Shelf Prospectus"). The Base Shelf Prospectus was filed with the securities commissions in each of the provinces of Canada, other than Quebec, and a corresponding shelf registration statement on Form F-10 (the "US Shelf Registration Statement") was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") under the U.S./Canada Multijurisdictional Disclosure System. A final receipt for the Base Shelf Prospectus was received on January 25, 2019. The US Shelf Registration Statement was declared effective by the SEC on January 31, 2019. Further details on the Base Shelf Prospectus are provided in the January 15, 2019 press release. Following completion of the approval process, on February 8, 2019 the Company filed a Prospectus Supplement in British Columbia to qualify the issuance of 10,150,322 common shares (the "Underlying Shares") issuable upon conversion of the 10,150,322 outstanding special warrants of the Company (the "Special Warrants") that were announced in the Company's press releases of December 21, 2018 and December 28, 2018. The Special Warrants will automatically convert, and the Underlying Shares will be issued, on February 18, 2019 in accordance with the terms of the Special Warrants. The Prospectus Supplement has not been filed with the SEC and, accordingly, the issuance of the Underlying Shares has not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and such securities may only be offered or sold within the United States pursuant to applicable exemptions from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualifications under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. Copies of the Base Shelf Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement can be found on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at http://www.sec.gov or may be obtained upon request from Northern Dynasty's Investor Relations Department, Suite 1500, 1040 West Georgia St., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6E 4H1 or to [email protected]. Investors should read the Base Shelf Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, together with the documents incorporated therein by reference, for additional information regarding the Special Warrants and the Underlying Shares. About Northern Dynasty Northern Dynasty is a mineral exploration and development company based in Vancouver, Canada. Northern Dynasty's principal asset, owned through its wholly-owned Alaska-based US subsidiary Pebble Limited Partnership, is a 100% interest in a contiguous block of 2,402 mineral claims in southwest Alaska, including the Pebble deposit. The Pebble Partnership is the proponent of the Pebble Project, an initiative to develop one of the world's most important mineral resources. For further details on Northern Dynasty and the Pebble Project, please visit the Company's website at www.northerndynastyminerals.com or contact Investor services at (604) 684-6365 or within North America at 1-800-667-2114. Review Canadian public filings at www.sedar.com and US public filings at www.sec.gov. Ronald W. Thiessen President & CEO Forward Looking Information and other Cautionary Factors. This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address the qualification of the Special Warrants and, filing of the base shelf prospectus that the Company plans are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in its forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements should not be in any way construed as guarantees of the Company's future performance. In addition, any statements made by the Company, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects in relation to the Pebble Project are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in its forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements should not be in any way construed as guarantees. For more information on the Company, Investors should review the Company's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and its home jurisdiction filings that are available at www.sedar.com. SOURCE Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. Related Links www.northerndynastyminerals.com CEDAR KNOLLS, N.J., Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program (NJMEP) is awarded $600,000 from the State through the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJLWD) Growing Apprenticeships in New Sectors (GAINS) grant to start and support the Pro-Action Education Network Apprenticeship Program. NJMEP is looking forward to additional work that will allow them to top $2 million in Apprenticeship spending over the next three years. NJMEP will use NJLWD GAINS funding to scale apprenticeships in high-demand, high growth occupations, serve approximately 170 apprentices and 139 manufacturing companies over a three-year funding period. The proposed project will scale existing and grow new apprentices in two industry sectors: Advanced Manufacturing and Transportation, Logistics and Distribution (TLD). NJMEP will expand immediately into three registered apprenticeship programs approved or under final review by USDOL: Industrial Production Technician Technical Sales Certified Logistics & Control Technician They will also facilitate approval of at least two additional registered apprenticeships in Computer Numerical Control (CNC), and Food Production Safety. The apprenticeship program at NJMEP is led by Torsten Schimanksi, Apprenticeship Program Manager, and Patricia Moran, Ph.D., Director of Apprenticeships. "This will now allow us to expand apprenticeships programs within the critical Manufacturing and TLD Sectors with an initial focus on Trenton, Newark & Paterson." "We will be able to offer opportunities and up-skill those already employed in these industries to bolster the sector's competitiveness," said Patricia Moran. These apprenticeships correspond with in-demand industry occupations, and represent career pathways with connections to existing or emerging education and training offerings and pre-apprenticeship programs. "NJMEP is honored to have this opportunity and extremely thankful to the NJLWD, Bi-Partisan Legislative Manufacturing Caucus, Governor Murphy and NIST-MEP; as apprenticeships are a key element in the State's agenda to help close the skills gap, revitalize manufacturing and increase the State's supply chain competitiveness," said John W. Kennedy, Ph.D, CEO, NJMEP. NJMEP will be using the Pro-Action Education Network model relevant for scaling apprenticeships with a consortium-based approach (i.e., pool demand from multiple companies). The Pro-Action Education Network model leverages NJMEP's unique market position as an intermediary organization in the state and national manufacturing ecosystem. The model increases the robustness of NJLWD's manufacturing sector-based workforce development strategies as a result of access to NJMEP's existing customer base, reputation as a trusted advisor, market intelligence, role in facilitating NJLWD Industry Partnerships, and performance-based approach using National MEP Network metrics. The Pro-Action Education Network model is also a scalable, sustainable, and industry-responsive system. NJMEP is bridging the two critical worlds of education and work, and is fostering the foundation for individuals to evolve into successful manufacturing careers with Apprenticeship programs. "We are thrilled to be recognized as a leader in this area. The Pro-Action Education Network Apprenticeship Program will serve as a catalyst to create job opportunities and career pathways for those entering into and those seeking career advancement in manufacturing and TLD professions," said John W. Kennedy, Ph.D, CEO, NJMEP. "NJMEP has the unique ability to ensure programmatic success of this apprenticeship initiative with our strong understanding of workforce needs, labor markets, and curricula development and credentialing/certification along with our wide-reaching networks that cut across manufacturing and TLD occupations and industry," adds Kennedy. About NJMEP: NJMEP is a private, notfor-profit organization that improves the profitability and competitiveness of New Jersey's manufacturers. Backed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NJMEP enables organizations to enhance their productivity and efficiencies, reduce costs, and improve employee performance. For more than 20 years, NJMEP has used its extensive network of connections and proven track record of success to help manufacturers adapt to the latest innovative technologies and best practices to realize more than $3.8 billion in value. Our services are categorized into the following three areas: Operational Excellence, Innovation and Growth Strategies, and Workforce Development. NJMEP also has a signature philanthropic program, Manufacturing Cares, which is designed to provide a platform for manufacturers to give back to the community by pooling efforts to increase our impact. For more information about Manufacturing Day, please visit: 'Made in New Jersey' Manufacturing Day. SOURCE New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc. NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitre Media significantly increased its reach among financial advisors and individual investors through its recently announced merger of ETF Database ( ETFdb.com ) and ETF Trends ( ETF Trends ). The merger creates the largest ETF-centric, data-rich hub available to advisors, along with the company's lineup of premium digital media brands MutualFunds.com, Dividend.com, and MunicipalBonds.com. As part of the merger, Mitre Media announced the appointment of George Minett to the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He will focus on continuing the growth of audiences on MutualFunds.com, Dividend.com, and MunicipalBonds.com. Mr. Minett has nearly 15 years of experience in the investment industry and was formerly the President at Mitre Media. Former CEO Tom Hendrickson will assume operational responsibilities at ETF Flows, parent company to the newly combined ETFdb.com and ETFTrends.com brands, while remaining Chairman of the Board at Mitre Media. "More people than ever are turning to the web with investment-related questions and, on behalf of everyone on our amazing team, I want to express our enthusiasm and excitement about serving advisors and individual investors with our bulked-up capabilities. We have some exciting projects in the works and I look forward to continue driving innovation for our audiences," said George Minett, CEO of Mitre Media. "I'm thrilled that the Mitre Media family is able to partner with ETF industry luminary, Tom Lydon, and his incredible team to more acutely position our assets to aid in the next $10 trillion fund flows into the ETF wrapper. The new partnership combined with increased focus on the other Mitre Media brands will result in our ability to deliver even more value to our users," said Tom Hendrickson, Chairman of the Board for Mitre Media. Together, the Mitre Media platform reports 10 million monthly impressions and serves advisors representing $5 trillion in assets under management and millions of individual investors. "We know that the habits of advisors have evolved over the years, with many assuming a much larger online research role as they forge deeper bonds with clients in this rapidly growing space. Partnering with Tom Hendrickson and his team at ETF Database allows us to scale our digital impact by providing advisors with in-depth data and analysis customized for their needs, and a platform to help them ride this industry momentum for many years to come," said Tom Lydon, Founder & CEO of ETF Trends. About Mitre Media Mitre Media owns and operates premium financial media brands, MutualFunds.com, Dividend.com, MunicipalBonds.com and through its new partnership with Tom Lydon ETFdb.com and ETFTrends.com. Our focused brand approach allows us to connect with high-intent advisors and individual investors who engage with our properties more than the financial media industry average. Our mission is to help people invest their savings, independently and affordably. For press inquiries, please contact: James Maloney Edelman for Mitre Media 1-212-738-6103 [email protected] SOURCE Mitre Media For this particular effort, during the holiday season, Mercedes-Benz of Goldens Bridge has chosen to work closely with The Community Center of Northern Westchester in Katonah, NY. Mercedes-Benz of Goldens Bridge, had an initiative with their customers who brought in non-perishable food for families in need for the months of November- January generating over 218 pounds of food. The Community Center of Northern Westchester seeks to improve the well-being and self-sufficiency of neighbors in need in Northern Westchester by providing food, clothing, programs, and other resources. Celebrity Motor Cars CEO Mr. Maoli states: "Philanthropy is like farming. You plant seeds and an entire field grows which produces hundreds and thousands of crops." With thousands of Westchester County families in need, Mercedes-Benz of Goldens Bridge long term partnership with Community Center of Northern Westchester is sure to make an impact on the lives of others. When asked why he gives back, Maoli replied "It is biblical that what you give out comes back in spades and then you have even more to give. Not sure why more people do not see it ." Either way Maoli and Mercedes Benz of Goldens Bridge remain committed to the community. About Tom Maoli: Mr. Maoli is the President and CEO of Celebrity Motor Cars, LLC a luxury dealership group based in New Jersey and New York. These dealerships include: Lexus of Route 10, Maserati of Morris County, Alfa Romeo of Morris County, BMW of Springfield, as well as Mercedes-Benz of Goldens Bridge. In addition to his growing automotive empire; Tom is the president and CEO of Real Estate Opportunity Investments, LLC, a residential and commercial real estate company. Tom also hosts the "Go Big Or Go Home" radio show every other Sunday at 10 AM on iHeartRadio. Listeners may reach him via email him through his website at http://tommaoli.net/ Media Contact: Melanie Borden (973)319-7900 [email protected] SOURCE Tom Maoli Related Links tommaoli.net Rosenberg's FDA expose, Born with a Junk Food Deficiency ( Penguin Random House 2012), was acclaimed by Vice, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Times of London and many other outlets. Covering high-level conflicts of interest at regulatory agencies that result in overmedication of children and adults and unsafe food, "Born" was named as part of One Book One Chicago in 2016. Rosenberg won a Northern Illinois Newspaper Association award in 2018 for her work in the Evanston RoundTable. In addition to regular reporting for NewsBlaze, Rosenberg contributes to British Medical Journal (BMJ), Consumer Reports, Public Citizen, the Annenberg Center for Health Journalism at the University of Southern California at San Francisco and the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. She collaborates with physicians, editing and sometimes ghostwriting medical books, papers and book chapters on important public health topics. Rosenberg has appeared on CSPAN, National Public Radio and lectured at the medical school and university levels. Martha Rosenberg has been an important part of the NewsBlaze team since sending her first story to NewsBlaze in December 2006. Her work can be seen on the Martha Rosenberg profile page. To Connect with Martha Rosenberg, call or email NewsBlaze or connect with her on twitter @MarthRosenberg . About NewsBlaze Pty. Ltd. NewsBlaze was founded in 2004 as an independent online newspaper and information portal, forming relationships with other publishers and wire services. NewsBlaze covers broad topics of interest to readers worldwide, which has helped build a loyal, global following of readers, especially in Australia, North America and Europe. In addition, as the lead Syndicate Partner of the World City Press Network, NewsBlaze provides news, editing and content services for the dozens of publishers that make up the World City Press Network. Visit NewsBlaze.com to learn more. Contact: NewsBlaze Pty. Ltd. Address: 9 Edwards St, Murray Bridge, South Australia 5253, Australia Website: https://newsblaze.com Email: [email protected] Phone: +61-8-8531-0254 SOURCE NewsBlaze Related Links https://newsblaze.com CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- University of Virginia alumna and best-selling author Margot Lee Shetterly has joined UVA's McIntire School of Commerce and School of Engineering as a visiting scholar for 2019, with the goals of furthering her research into untold histories of African Americans and inspiring students to explore the intersections of history, technology, race, gender, work identity and social mobility. "At McIntire, we believe in important scholarship, an inclusive mindset, and the responsibility to use one's own experience and influence as a catalyst for change," says Carl Zeithaml, Dean of the McIntire School of Commerce. "Margot embodies all of these beliefs, and I am excited to see her scholarly pursuits illuminate new stories and reshape history as we know it." "Margot's work is groundbreaking because it draws attention to the importance of every person's talents, perspectives and experiences as we strive to solve humanity's biggest challenges and make the world a better place," said Pamela M. Norris, UVA Engineering's Executive Dean and co-principal investigator of UVA CHARGE, a program dedicated to increasing the participation of women in science, technology, engineering and math and social, behavioral and economic science careers. Shetterly's appointment coincides with UVA CHARGE's ongoing photo and oral history project, (Re)Imaging Women in STEM, Portrait & Narrative Exhibits. "Margot will bring further visibility to UVA's efforts," Norris said. Shetterly is best known for the #1 New York Times bestselling book Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race. The title was named a top book of 2016 by Time Magazine and Publisher's Weekly, and in 2017 it was awarded Best Nonfiction Book at the NAACP Image Awards and Best Book at the National Academies of Sciences Communication Awards. Shetterly served as an Executive Producer for the Academy Award-nominated film adaptation of Hidden Figures, and her research has been supported by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. She is a 1991 graduate of the McIntire School. Shetterly and her husband, writer Aran Shetterly, live in Charlottesville, VA. Since the success of Hidden Figures, she committed to publish two more books in a trilogy loosely shaped around charismatic mid-century African-American figures. Highlighting her appointment, on the evening of March 26, Shetterly will headline the inaugural installment of the McIntire School's Centennial Speaker Series, keynotes and conversations that celebrate McIntire's 100th anniversary in 2021. The event, an intimate conversation with Shetterly moderated by McIntire alumna Heidi Connal (McIntire '94), will be free and open to the public. Prior to the public event, UVA Engineering will host a panel discussion for first-year engineering students, who read Hidden Figures for their "Common Reading Experience" during the summer before their first semester. The panel discussion will feature Shetterly; NASA engineer Christine Darden, whose story was told in the book; UVA 1976 electrical engineering alumna Jill Tietjen, women's STEM champion and co-author of Her Story: A Timeline of the Women Who Changed America and Hollywood: Her Story, An Illustrated History of Women and the Movies. Both events will take place in Old Cabell Hall on UVA's historic grounds. About the McIntire School of Commerce The McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia proudly celebrates a nearly 100-year commitment to preparing its students to become thoughtful, innovative leaders in global business and society. McIntire's unique integrated educational experience leverages technology, welcomes corporations into the classroom, and offers unparalleled, immersive global learning opportunities. The School is home to six research centers and many highly regarded undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs. Learn more at commerce.virginia.edu. About UVA Engineering As part of the top-ranked, comprehensive University of Virginia, UVA Engineering is one of the nation's oldest and most respected engineering schools. UVA Engineering is the top public engineering school in the United States for its percentage of women graduates, among schools with at least 75 degree earners, and the top U.S. public engineering school for its four-year graduate rate of undergraduate students, including those from populations traditionally underrepresented in engineering such as African Americans and Hispanics. Our mission is to make the world a better place by creating and disseminating knowledge and by preparing future engineering leaders. Learn more at engineering.virginia.edu. Contacts: Brooke Braun, UVA McIntire Director of Communications [email protected], (o) 434-924-9559 Elizabeth Thiel Mather, UVA Engineering Director of Communications [email protected], (o) 434-924-1381 SOURCE University of Virginia, School of Engineering Related Links http://www.engineering.virginia.edu John Hamilton: I remember meeting her back at the free Daily Press Christmas concert at the Hampton Coliseum when she was a relative unknown. It would be nice if they restarted those concerts. Everyone would shake their car keys when they played Jingle Bells during the show. It sounded great! The George Polk Awards are one of the nation's most prestigious journalism honors. They focus on the reporters themselves, placing a premium on work that is intrepid, original, resourceful and thought-provoking. Previous winners include Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Christiane Amanpour, Peter Jennings, Norman Mailer, Diane Sawyer, Seymour Hersh, Glenn Greenwald, Ronan Farrow, and many more luminaries of the Fourth Estate. This year, a record 554 submissions were considered in categories honoring all forms of media and ranging from Foreign Reporting to Local Reporting. "It's a time of both crisis and triumph for responsible news media. Of vilification and vindication," says John Darnton, curator of the Polk Awards and recipient of two Polk Awards and a Pulitzer for his work with The New York Times. "They're attacked almost daily as purveyors of 'fake news' to undermine their credibility. Yet they've delivered on their promise to keep the American public informed. Without them, we wouldn't know what's going on in Myanmar or Yemen or Charlottesville or Washington. Without them, there'd be no Mueller investigation. So, like last year, the George Polk Awards will highlight the achievements of the nation's press, television and online news organizations by announcing the winners in the nation's capital." The George Polk Awards are conferred annually to honor special achievement in journalism. The awards place a premium on investigative and enterprising reporting that gains attention and achieves results. They were established in 1949 by Long Island University to commemorate George Polk, a CBS correspondent murdered in 1948 while covering the Greek civil war. The National Press Club is at 529 14th St., NW, 13th Floor; Washington, DC 20045; 202-662-7500. Doors open at 10 a.m.; winners' announcements at 11 a.m. followed by a panel discussion on "The Power of Sound: A Journalistic Renaissance," hosted by Margaret Sullivan of the Washington Post. The distinguished winners of the 70th Annual George Polk Awards will be honored at a luncheon ceremony at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan on Friday, April 5, 2019. About Long Island University (LIU) LIU, founded in 1926, is a nationally recognized teaching and research institution which continues to redefine higher education. Visit liu.edu for more information. SOURCE Long Island University Related Links http://liu.edu ALBANY, N.Y., Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Legal-Bay, the premier pre-settlement lawsuit funding source, reports that Governor Cuomo assisted in passing a legislation to extend filing deadlines for sexual abuse survivors in the state of New York (A.8401-C/S.8977). The new legislation, also known as The Sexual Assault Victim Bill of Rights, provides survivors with information regarding their care and treatment, affords them health care services at no cost, and allows them to receive updates regarding any DNA test results, evidence kits, and status of their case. Notifying victims of their legal rights will help ensure survivors receive the information they need to navigate complicated medical and criminal justice systems. Chris Janish, CEO of Legal-Bay says, "The new law in NY is long overdue and was highly contested by the Catholic Church for years. We applaud NY for finally getting this done to protect all victims of past sexual abuses and holding predators accountable both criminally and civilly." The law will take effect this summer and will enable sexual abuse victims to file criminal charges until they reach age 28 and civil cases until age 55. Because of this landmark decision, Legal-Bay predicts an influx of new filings into NY courts by the end of 2019. Legal-Bay has been a leader in assisting victims of sexual abuse get the pre settlement funding they need while they fight their cases. Legal-Bay estimates over a million adolescents have been subject to sexual abuse in the last 30 years. Legal-Bay's funding programs include car and truck accidents, slip and fall cases, medical malpractice, construction accidents, wrongful termination and discrimination cases, and all other personal injury cases. Their pre settlement programs are non-recourse, no-risk lawsuit cash advances, also known as case funding. None of the programs should be considered to be a settlement loan, settlement loans, lawsuit loan, lawsuit loans, pre-settlement loans, or a pre-settlement loan, as the money does not need to be paid back if you ultimately lose your case. To apply now for lawsuit settlement funding go to the company's website at: http://lawsuitssettlementfunding.com or call the company's toll free intake line at: 877.571.0405 where agents are standing by. SOURCE Legal-Bay LLC Related Links http://lawsuitssettlementfunding.com CALGARY, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Representatives of Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI), which owns a controlling interest in Kinder Morgan Canada Limited (KML), intend to participate in investor meetings at the Credit Suisse Annual Energy Summit on Wednesday, February 13, 2019 in Vail, Colorado to discuss the business and affairs of KMI, which may include discussion of KML's business. Interested parties will be able to view the materials to be presented on the day of the event by visiting KML's website at https://ir.kindermorgancanadalimited.com/presentations-and-webcasts or KMI's website at: https://ir.kindermorgan.com/presentations-webcasts. The live presentation for the conference will also be accessible by audio webcast (both live and on-demand) on KMI's website at the same web address. The live presentation is scheduled to begin at 8:05 a.m. MST, and an archived webcast will remain available for 90 days on KMI's website at the above address. About Kinder Morgan Canada Kinder Morgan Canada Limited (KML) focuses on stable, fee-based energy transportation and storage assets that are central to the energy infrastructure of Western Canada. We strive to promote shareholder value by increasing utilization of our existing assets while controlling costs and operating in a safe and environmentally responsible way. For more information visit kindermorgancanadalimited.com. SOURCE Kinder Morgan Canada Limited Related Links www.kindermorgancanadalimited.com PITTSBURGH, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Kennametal Inc. (NYSE: KMT) announced today that they will attend the Barclays Industrial Select Conference. Details of the conference are as follows: When: Thursday, February 21, 2019 Attendees: Patrick Watson, VP Finance and Corporate Controller Kelly Boyer, VP Investor Relations Presentation: The presentation for this event will be available on the Company's website at www.kennametal.com on Thursday, February 21, 2019. Once on the homepage, select "About Us", "Investor Relations", and then "Events". With over 80 years as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Every day approximately 10,000 employees are helping customers in more than 60 countries stay competitive. Kennametal generated nearly $2.4 billion in revenues in fiscal 2018. Learn more at www.kennametal.com. SOURCE Kennametal Inc. Related Links http://www.kennametal.com HOUSTON, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- KBR, Inc. (NYSE: KBR) announced today that its global government services business, KBRwyle, has been awarded two contract modifications to continue providing base operating support services (BOSS) to the U.S. Navy in Djibouti and the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia, awarded both contract extensions. KBRwyle won a one-year contract modification to continue providing a full spectrum of services at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti and other locations within Africa. With this extension, KBRwyle will support a base population of thousands of Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen. This work will include everything from management and administration to air operations and galley services. The contract modification is the first of a possible seven option years on a $441 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract originally won in 2017. The services will primarily be performed at the Naval Support Facility, as well as at two forward operating locations Chabelley Air Field in Djibouti and Camp Simba in Manda Bay, Kenya. KBRwyle has provided base operating support services at Camp Lemonnier, the largest U.S. base in Africa, since 2013. Its work in the region dates back to 2003. KBRwyle also received a one-year contract modification to continue support services at Naval Support Activity Bahrain. KBRwyle will provide a full range of services, including galley, security operations, and facilities, waste and utilities management. This is the first of a possible seven options years on a $91M indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract originally won in 2017. These awards follow a recent $62M BOSS contract modification awarded to the company to support Navy Support Facility Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territory. "These extensions are a testament to the confidence the U.S. military has in KBRwyle to continue providing mission critical operations services to U.S. Navy facilities around the world," said Byron Bright, KBR President Government Services U.S. "The awards highlight KBRwyle's unique ability to deliver excellent services in diverse environments." While delivering vital services at these locations, KBRwyle has remained focused on safety. Exemplifying this commitment, KBRwyle has over 20 million hours without a lost-time incident in Djibouti despite its remote and austere conditions. As a leading base operations support provider, KBRwyle serves U.S. and allied military forces, and diplomatic and civilian personnel deployed around the world. Its commitment to improving military readiness began in WWII when it provided a home away from home to troops on the front lines. Today, KBRwyle is known for its theater-opening expertise and providing safe and vital base operations support anytime, anywhere, even in the most extreme environments. About KBR, Inc. KBR is a global provider of differentiated professional services and technologies across the asset and program lifecycle within the Government Services and Hydrocarbons sectors. KBR employs approximately 34,000 people worldwide (including our joint ventures), with customers in more than 75 countries, and operations in 40 countries, across three synergistic global businesses: Government Services, serving government customers globally, including capabilities that cover the full lifecycle of defense, space, aviation and other government programs and missions from research and development, through systems engineering, test and evaluation, program management, to operations, maintenance, and field logistics Technology, including proprietary technology focused on the monetization of hydrocarbons (especially natural gas and natural gas liquids) in ethylene and petrochemicals; ammonia, nitric acid and fertilizers; oil refining and gasification Hydrocarbons Services, including onshore oil and gas; LNG (liquefaction and regasification)/GTL; oil refining; petrochemicals; chemicals; fertilizers; differentiated EPC; maintenance services (Brown & Root Industrial Services); offshore oil and gas (shallow-water, deep-water, subsea); floating solutions (FPU, FPSO, FLNG & FSRU); program management and consulting services KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, integrated EPC delivery and long term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results. At KBR, We Deliver. Visit www.kbr.com Forward Looking Statement The statements in this press release that are not historical statements, including statements regarding future financial performance, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's control that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the outcome of and the publicity surrounding audits and investigations by domestic and foreign government agencies and legislative bodies; potential adverse proceedings by such agencies and potential adverse results and consequences from such proceedings; the scope and enforceability of the company's indemnities from its former parent; changes in capital spending by the company's customers; the company's ability to obtain contracts from existing and new customers and perform under those contracts; structural changes in the industries in which the company operates; escalating costs associated with and the performance of fixed-fee projects and the company's ability to control its cost under its contracts; claims negotiations and contract disputes with the company's customers; changes in the demand for or price of oil and/or natural gas; protection of intellectual property rights; compliance with environmental laws; changes in government regulations and regulatory requirements; compliance with laws related to income taxes; unsettled political conditions, war and the effects of terrorism; foreign operations and foreign exchange rates and controls; the development and installation of financial systems; increased competition for employees; the ability to successfully complete and integrate acquisitions; and operations of joint ventures, including joint ventures that are not controlled by the company. KBR's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequent Form 10-Qs and 8-Ks, and other U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss some of the important risk factors that KBR has identified that may affect the business, results of operations and financial condition. Except as required by law, KBR undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason. SOURCE KBR, Inc. Related Links http://www.kbr.com Until 5 p.m. ET on Monday, February 18, eligible fans can enter twice per day at HGTV.com/HGTVDreamHome for a chance to win the grand prize package valued at over $2.3 million the largest giveaway in HGTV history. The winner will be announced in March. The approximately 3,650-square-foot house is situated on the edge of Glacier National Park with breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountains and Whitefish Lake in Montana's renowned Flathead Valley. Designed to cater to both an active lifestyle and big doses of fireside relaxing and entertaining, HGTV Dream Home 2019 can best be described as "mountain modern." "Imagine a place where the mountains meet the sky, where nature wild and untamed greets you at your doorstep, where every season brings a new adventure. That place is Montana, an amazing backdrop for HGTV Dream Home 2019," said Alison Victoria, host of the HGTV Dream Home 2019 Special. Constructed with the finest materials, reclaimed historical resources, and timber frame architecture characteristic to the area, the home was conceived by Timber Forge Design, built by Malmquist Construction, and designed by Brian Patrick Flynn. Packed with custom touches and local craftsmanship, the three-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath retreat boasts a great room with floor-to-ceiling accordion windows that open to an expansive outdoor living area. An upper deck and lower patio provide dining and lounging areas, grill, fireplace, and Scandinavian hot tub, all near a private entry to the Big Mountain ski slopes. Back inside, other notable features include a large mudroom essential for Montana living, a cozy pet nook, bunk room, and a "lodge" for hanging out with friends. Sponsors of HGTV Dream Home 2019 include Honda, Lumber Liquidators, Quicken Loans, Wayfair, Belgard, Cabinets To Go, Delta Faucet, CESAR Canine Cuisine, Peloton Interactive, Inc., Trex, The Sherwin-Williams Company, SimpliSafe Home Security, Sleep Number, and Cabot. To learn more about the giveaway and see the official rules, visit HGTV.com/HGTVDreamHome. ABOUT HGTV HGTV delivers the superstar experts, fascinating families, compelling renovations and stunning transformations that make all things home fun. America's favorite way to get entertaining, relatable and inspirational home and lifestyle content, HGTV offers: a top 10 cable network that is distributed to more than 90 million U.S. households; a website, HGTV.com, that attracts an average of 9.7 million people each month; a social footprint of 16.8 million; HGTV Magazine, a monthly publication that reaches more than one million readers and exclusive collections of home-oriented products through the HGTV HOME consumer products line. Viewers can become fans of HGTV and interact with other home improvement enthusiasts through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. HGTV is operated by Discovery, Inc., a global leader in real life entertainment spanning 220 countries and territories, whose portfolio also includes Discovery Channel, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. SOURCE Discovery, Inc. Knight, who joined John Muir Health in 2011, leads an organization of more than 1,000 primary care and specialty physicians, 6,300 employees and 1,600 volunteers. The independent, community-based organization includes two acute care hospitals the 554-bed Walnut Creek Medical Center and the 245-bed Concord Medical Center as well as a 73-bed behavioral health center in Concord, and numerous primary care and outpatient clinics throughout Contra Costa, Alameda and southern Solano counties. In his role as chair, Knight will work with the association's leadership to advance policies and legislation that help ensure all Californians have access to high-quality, affordable medical care. "I am honored to collaborate with colleagues across the state to advance policies that lead to better health for all Californians," Knight said. "While these are challenging times for our state's hospitals, we remain committed to offering consumers the best possible value high-quality care, delivered safely, and at an affordable price. This commitment will drive our efforts this year." CHA President & CEO Carmela Coyle called Knight a "transformative leader" who steps into the board chair role at an important moment for the health care field. "Cal brings the precise type of leadership to California's hospitals that we need during this time of rapid change and innovation in how health care is delivered," Coyle said. "Hospitals are where miracles happen every day, but the cost of care is expensive and not everyone has the coverage they need. Cal's expertise in positioning organizations for the future will be invaluable as hospitals throughout the state innovate to care not only for patients, but also for the communities they serve." Knight holds two master's degrees one in health administration and the other in business administration from the University of Iowa. He also holds both master's and bachelor's degrees from Western Washington University. Prior to joining John Muir Health, Knight spent 16 years in top leadership positions with Swedish Health Services in Seattle, becoming president and chief operating officer in 2008. Previously, Knight was a senior executive with two health care management firms SafeCare Health Services and OrNda Healthcorp where he oversaw operations and strategy for hospitals and other health care businesses across several states. He began his health administration career at National Medical Enterprises, where he served as a community hospital CEO in California and Florida. Other officers elected to the CHA Board of Trustees for 2019 are: Chair-Elect Gary K. Wilde, president & CEO of Community Memorial Health System in Ventura Secretary-Treasurer Scott Reiner , president & CEO of Adventist Health in Roseville , president & CEO of Adventist Health in Past Chair Richard F. Afable , M.D., a trustee of Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance One of the largest health care trade associations in the nation, CHA represents more than 400 hospitals and health systems in California. The association advocates for patients and hospitals, promotes public health policy and is hospitals' voice at the state and federal levels. CHA has offices in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. SOURCE California Hospital Association Related Links http://www.calhealth.org "We are honored to welcome Jason Weissman into the community," said Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, the collective that includes Forbes Real Estate Business Council. As a member of the Real Estate Council, Jason will be invited to share his expert insights in original business articles on Forbes.com, and to contribute to published Q&A panels alongside other experts. "As we continue to grow our footprint in Boston and throughout New England, I look forward to sharing my professional insight and unique perspective on multiple real estate markets and trends," said Mr. Weissman. He continued, "It's a privilege to have been invited to the Real Estate Council and I'm excited about the benefits of being part of the Forbes community." ABOUT BOSTON REALTY ADVISORS Boston Realty Advisors is a full-service commercial real estate brokerage and consulting firm with an integrated team of highly experienced and entrepreneurial professionals. Our institutional expertise combined with extensive local market experience make us the ideal partner for major private and institutional investors. We provide a 360-degree view of every deal and have the insight, resources and creativity to assist with any real estate needs. The Boston-based firm is privately held and controlled by two partners, Jason S. Weissman and William H. Catlin, Jr. Core capabilities include investment sales, tenant and landlord representation, property consulting as well as debt finance and equity placement activities. ABOUT FORBES COUNCILS Forbes Councils is a collective of invitation-only communities created in partnership with Forbes and the expert community builders who founded Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC). In Forbes Councils, exceptional business owners and leaders come together with the people and resources that can help them thrive. SOURCE Boston Realty Advisors PITTSBURGH, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- While luggage with wheels affords travelers a much easier way to transport bags than hand carrying them, it's often difficult to fit them in restricted airplane storage. Fortunately, an inventor from Stockbridge, Ga., has come up with a new design that reduces the space required to store them. He developed a prototype for LUGGAGE WHEEL COLLAPSER to save space in the overhead or below-seat storage/stowaway areas of an airplane. As such, in many cases, it eliminates the need to check carry-on luggage at the gate since it will fit more easily in the overhead compartment of the plane. At the same time, it prevents damage to the luggage wheels while it is stored. Furthermore, it eases the transport or storage of one or more pieces of wheeled luggage. Besides, saving and effort, it is also convenient, effective and affordably priced. The inventor's personal observation inspired the idea. "When I travel by air, I see so many people with large wheeled bags that take up too much space in the aircraft overhead compartment and, therefore need to be checked at the gate," he said. The original design was submitted to the Atlanta sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 18-ALL-1806, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp SOURCE InventHelp Related Links http://www.inventhelp.com NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- HSA administration company, Clarity Benefit Solutions, discusses the underutilized advantages of HSAs. Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) help employees make tax-free contributions in an account to pay for qualified medical expenses. The earnings within the account are tax free as well, along with withdrawals for all qualifying medical expenses. This makes HSAs an extremely attractive option for employees. The use of HSAs has grown dramatically over the past few years, as many people are seeing their value. However, industry research shows that users are utilizing all of the advantages of their HSAs. Many users are not contributing close to the maximum allowed. For example, in 2016, the average HSA contribution was less than $2,000. That year, the individual contribution limit was $3,350 and the family contribution was $6,750. By not contributing anywhere near the maximum, users are missing out on key benefits. First, HSA balances can be carried over from year to year, unlike Flexible Spending Accounts. Therefore, users can go into the following year with a sizeable nest egg from the year before, without worrying about wasting funds. Another underutilized feature of HSAs is the ability to invest contributed funds. If you do not anticipate using all of your HSA funds, let some of the balance grow by investing it, that way you have a sizeable fund available in case of an unplanned medical emergency down the line, or to cover Medicare or other long-term care plans. Many people do not know that investing some of their balance is an option, but this option can be extremely beneficial as part of a long-term plan. If users are in a position to do so, they should seriously consider taking full advantage of their HSA's potential. While enrollment numbers are steadily increasing, the number of people letting additional benefits go underutilized is also growing. Not only are HSAs a way for employees to meet deductibles short term, but making sure they are educated on all underutilized benefits helps them build a better retirement plan. About Clarity Benefit Solutions: Clarity Benefit Solutions HSA Administration Company provides technology that makes the health insurance plan selection process fast, easy, and straightforward. For over two decades, we have provided clients with industry-leading technology, compliance, and exceptional customer service. Our offering is designed to save time and lower the costs of managing benefits while also promoting employee self-service and automated ACA compliance. SOURCE Clarity Benefit Solutions People are finding out they are getting a good education with what kind of pet is best for them, she said. The pet is getting a forever home because (people) know what kind of pet is going to work well with their family. LOS ANGELES, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Get ready to propel your L.A. adventure to a new level as Holiday Inn Los Angeles-LAX Airport completes an extensive renovation and renewal project. With a convenient location close to Los Angeles International Airport and countless Los Angeles attractions, the property has infused a sleek new design throughout the hotel, with modern versatile meeting spaces, and expanded food and beverage areas. This extensive, multi-phase renovation is set to be completed this month, and will serve to upgrade the Holiday Inn LAX location to be one of the premiere destinations of one of the largest hotel chains in the world. "Los Angeles is a city unlike any other, so it's fitting that we are a Holiday Inn like no other; one that delivers the service and convenience we are famous for, combined with a refined style, comfort and modern aesthetic that connects us to the City of Los Angeles," said Israel Mora, General Manager. "Our Holiday Inn team of associates have been such a key part of this process for which we have an immense pride in curating a property where our guests can truly work, stay, play, and get ready for L.A. during their visit. It truly is a top to bottom, brand new take on the Holiday Inn experience, and we look forward to sharing it with our guests." Uncompromising in quality and incorporating a unique pop in design aesthetic, guests will experience a new lobby environment referred to as the Boulevard, which is inviting and sets the stage for the modernized room accommodations that await them. Reconfigured with new stylish decor, the entrance features high ceilings, expanded sightlines, striking windows, and contemporary art and decor. Designed for the modern traveler who desires socializing in open spaces, The Spot is a new e-bar lounge with laptop stations and total connectivity. Other expanded food and beverage offerings include the Sip & Savor for grab and go coffee and small bites, and Taste LA which will serve a breakfast buffet, along with lunch and dinner. Owners went above and beyond the traditional Holiday Inn guidelines, incorporating the activity and L.A. energy surrounding the hotel, all 405 guest rooms have been redesigned to create an atmosphere of a calm, comfortable retreat. Showcasing a modern color palette of blues, greys and chrome accents, each room has been outfitted with new 13" Serta mattresses, double-pane windows, and blackout drapes. Bathrooms have been refinished with a modern aesthetic, framed mirrors, upgraded fixtures, and feature Bath & Body Works branded toiletries. The Holiday Inn Los Angeles-LAX Airport creates an experience that simplifies the complexities of life and enhances every quality of your stay, whether you're on a budget or expense account. Customized and stylized, here, you are set up for success and always ready for the ultimate L.A. experience. Serving as one of the LAX prime locations to stay, at 9901 S. La Cienega Bouldevard, the Holiday Inn Los Angeles-LAX Airport will give corporate offerings superior to any other in the area. The new expanded meeting space will offer over 2,800 square feet in total, with the largest room available providing 1,537 square feet. For reservations or information, visit: www.holidayinn.com/laxia About Holiday Inn Los Angeles-LAX Airport The Holiday Inn LAX is one of the premier Holiday Inn locations in the country, located conveniently just outside of the Los Angeles International Airport it is the ideal destination for leisure and business travelers from across the country or around the world. In close proximity to Downtown L.A., The Forum event venue and many of Los Angeles' business and tourist districts, the location sets guests up for the quintessential Los Angeles visit. The Holiday Inn Los Angeles-LAX Airport hotel is operated by Interstate Hotels & Resorts, a leading global hotel management company. SOURCE Holiday Inn Los Angeles-LAX Airport Related Links http://www.holidayinn.com/laxia ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- GlobalMed announces its Microsoft Gold Partnership as well as an innovative business model, Cost Simplified, designed to help healthcare organizations easily and affordably implement evidence-based telemedicine. The announcement coincides with HIMSS19, the largest gathering of health IT professionals in the world, taking place Feb. 11-15 in Orlando, Fla. Virtual Care Delivery Platform in Microsoft Azure Marketplace GlobalMed recently announced that its virtual care platform, eNcounter , is now available in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. eNcounter is a virtual care delivery platform that enables providers to gather data and deliver evidence-based treatment anytime, anywhere, on one highly secure platform supported by robust Microsoft Azure cloud hosting capabilities. The company will showcase eNcounter in both the GlobalMed booth #5273 and the Microsoft booth #2500 during HIMSS19 and provide a "Ted Talk" at the Microsoft Health Forum and Innovation Awards at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 13. In his presentation, GlobalMed CEO Joel E. Barthelemy will share GlobalMed's journey as the telehealth provider on Air Force One to delivering virtual care at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. "This year's HIMSS conference is a true breakout for us," said Barthelemy. "We're excited to be able to share details on how telehealth works aboard Air Force One, and how our new business model can accelerate the adoption of virtual care for all providers, in all care settings. And of course, we're thrilled that Microsoft Azure customers worldwide can now gain access to GlobalMed's eNcounter platform and take advantage of the configurability, high availability, and security of Azure, with streamlined deployment and management." Cost Simplified Driven by GlobalMed's market leading hardware and clinical-to-consumer software platform, Cost Simplified allows organizations to promote responsible virtual care with evidence-based solutions for a flat fee starting at $899 a month. The model is designed to empower health delivery organizations to implement telemedicine without the traditional large capital expenditures associated with the procurement of clinically-rooted hardware and software. Unlike a symptoms-focused telephone or video call, GlobalMed's integrated hardware and software delivery systems provide a hub for a secure evidenced-based telemedicine encounter, anywhere and anytime that visit takes place: in a medical clinic or hospital, remote site, a patient's home, workplace or school. With Cost Simplified, all IT setup, training, and support are included for an affordable monthly fee. Under Cost Simplified, healthcare delivery organizations can protect their brand, drive continuity of care and preserve revenue leakage through optimized capacity management among their own providers. The GlobalMed team is especially proud that Cost Simplified makes the same telehealth technology used by the White House available to everyonewithout the heavy upfront capital expenditures that historically kept it out of reach for those providers and patients who need it most. "We've led the way as technology innovators for over 17 years," Barthelemy said. "Now we're extending that innovation to our pricing, with the goal of making telehealth affordable and operationally feasible for every type of provider, in every care environment. Becoming a Microsoft Gold Partner is a natural extension of that goal because progressive health delivery organizations around the world count on Azure to help them deliver the best care in the most forward-looking and efficient manner possible." To learn more about GlobalMed's Cost Simplified or about its Microsoft Gold Partnership, stop by their HIMSS19 booth #5273 or visit their partner stand in Microsoft booth #2500. To learn more about GlobalMed's virtual care stations, visit: https://www.globalmed.com/telemedicine-stations/ About GlobalMed GlobalMed powers the world's largest, most advanced virtual care programs and is honored to be the telehealth provider to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Defense Health Agency, and the White House. With over 15 million consults delivered in 55 countries, its virtual care platform has the Authority to Operate (ATO) on U.S. Department of Defense networks with the highest level of security and supports a patient at any point in the continuum of care. GlobalMed designs, manufactures, and deploys fully integrated software and hardware solutions that remove the barriers of technology from the business of patient care. Providers are enabled with data capturing tools to deliver evidence-based treatment and improve patient outcomes while lowering costs. Providers looking for their own technology to manage capacity, save money, and deliver responsible medicine, will get all they need from one platform. Recognizing the importance of trust and consistency in healthcare, GlobalMed also offers white-label versions of their systems so that providers can self-brand their virtual care offerings to strengthen the patient relationship with their organization. Learn more at www.globalmed.com. Founded in 2002 by a Marine Corps Reserve Veteran still serving as CEO, GlobalMed is proud to be a Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB). Media contact: Marcia Rhodes, Amendola Communications, 480.664.8412, ext. 15 [email protected] SOURCE GlobalMed Related Links http://www.globalmed.com ATLANTA, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorneys from Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC's class action group have filed a class action complaint against DoorDash, Inc. (Defendant) for breach of contract and unlawfully taking tips that were intended for their delivery drivers. DoorDash is a national food delivery service, and the case arises from their improper conversion of tips directed and intended for drivers. DoorDash is an on-demand food delivery service which delivers meals from national restaurant chains and local restaurants, as well as groceries from places like Wal-Mart. When a customer places an order with DoorDash, a customer has the ability to leave an additional gratuity, or tip, for the DoorDash delivery drivers (called "Dashers"). The default "Dasher Tip" is currently set to 10% of the order, but the customer may also leave a custom tip. In terms of compensation to its drivers, DoorDash promises each driver a guaranteed base pay for each delivery job, plus 100% of the gratuity. However, DoorDash does not remit the full amount of gratuity that a consumer leaves for a Dasher. Instead of paying this tip to the Dasher, DoorDash actually uses the gratuity to cover its costs for the guaranteed base pay promised to Dashers. For example, if DoorDash promised the Dasher $5 base pay for the delivery, and the customer tips the Dasher in an amount of $2, the Dasher still only gets $5. On its website and other marketing materials, DoorDash deceptively advertises and represents that a gratuity can be added for a delivery and that the driver would receive "100% of tips" from the customer. DoorDash does not disclose that it keeps a substantial portion of this additional charge for itself as its own additional revenue to offset the guaranteed base pay promised to Dashers. This deceptive compensation scheme is illegal and violates federal and state law. HGD attorneys Jim McDonough and Lew Garrison bring the action on behalf of the Dasher plaintiffs against DoorDash, Inc. for breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation, fraudulent inducement, conversion, unjust enrichment, and violations of consumer protection laws. The lawsuit seeks the return of tips rightfully earned by Dashers in order to remedy DoorDash's improper withholding of those tips, which resulted in Dashers not receiving 100% of the tips that were intended for them. Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC, is a national law firm and our attorneys defend valuable rights for our clients. To determine if you should file suit, consult one of our qualified lawyers as soon as possible to understand your options. We do not charge any fees upfront. In fact, we will only charge attorney's fees if we obtain a financial settlement for you. If you do not win, we get nothing. Call us today for your free case evaluation 1.800.241.9779. www.hgdlawfirm.com/doordash-class-action-suit/ Case Name: Jamie Webb and Aaron Hodge V. DoorDash, Inc. Case 1:19-cv-00665-CC Document 1 Filed 02/08/19 No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers. SOURCE Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC Related Links http://www.hgdlawfirm.com DUBLIN, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Cloud-based Language Learning Market - Global Outlook and Forecast 2019-2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global cloud-based language learning market is projected to reach values of around $8 billion by 2024, growing at a CAGR of approximately 7% during 2018-2024. This market research report also offers market size analysis in terms of the number of users (mn) during the forecast period. Large corporate organizations are investing in the efficient channelization of IT resources and expenditure to bring-in measurable improvements in workforce efficiency, thereby augmenting the growth of the global market. Cloud solutions are designed to enable the resources to learn language on-the-go at their convenience of time, place, and mode. The global cloud-based language learning market is driven by the growing requirement of technology-enabled tools that can facilitate user engagement, motivation, and collaboration. The business outsourcing activities across several countries such as India, the Philippines, Indonesia, China, and Thailand will drive the demand for language training solutions in the global market. The market research report provides in-depth market analysis and segmental analysis of the global cloud-based language learning market by language, end-user type, and geography. The report considers the present scenario of the global cloud-based language learning market and its market dynamics for the period 2019-2024. It covers a detailed overview of various market growth enablers, restraints, and trends. The study covers both the demand and supply sides of the market. It also profiles and analyzes the leading companies and various other prominent companies operating in the market. Cloud-based Language Learning Market - Dynamics The increasing number of internet users and device adoption is attracted significant private investments in digital learning solutions, thereby, propelling the growth of the global cloud-based language learning market. There are more than 350 language learning startups which are privately funded through angel investors, established venture capital, and private equity firms across the global market. The establishment of these companies will lead to innovative learning delivery solutions, tools, and content solutions in the global cloud-based language learning market.The growing demand for e-learning courses across several schools and universities will fuel the growth of the global cloud-based language learning market. The increasing emphasizes on skills pertaining to secondary language that facilitate skill development as per international standards and requirements in the primary and secondary education sector will attribute to the revenues in the market. Government departments and schools are undertaking initiatives that not only propelling the adoption of digital media but also inducing a perennial demand for digital content in the market. Mobile internet and an increasing number of social media users will positively impact the transformation of the global cloud-based language learning market. Many service providers are creating bite-sized lessons and deploying learning modules in sprints easily in order to match the user's daily routine of students in the market. Mobile platforms are designed to overcome the limitation of time and facilitate a better collaboration than static web platforms in the market. Cloud-based Language Learning Market - Segmentation English language segment dominated more than half of the total market share in 2018, growing at a CAGR of around 7% during the forecast period. The implementation of new educational policies to increase the proficiency of English across several countries is augmenting the growth of this segment in the global market. The growing dominance of China as the second largest economy in the world and an industrial powerhouse is propelling the demand for Mandarin Chinese courses in the global market. The rise in the business interactions of the other countries with China will positively impact the cloud-based language learning market. Learning Mandarin Chinese opens up more opportunities to work, live, communicate, and understand a country that will continue to play an important role in the world's future. The end-user type segment in the global cloud-based language learning market is divided into K12, higher education, vocational training, corporate training, examination number, and others. The corporate sector is the fastest growing end-user segment in the global market, at a CAGR of over 8% during the forecast period. The increasing focus on outsourcing of the e-learning resources is driving the growth of this segment in the global market. The growing investments in corporate wellness programs and training modules with packaged content, platform, and authoring tools will create lucrative opportunities for the vendors operating in the global market. The growing popularity of vocational training that are designed to enhance skills for starting careers is augmenting the growth of this segment. The government initiatives to promote vocation training for skill development will boost revenues in the cloud-based language learning market. The growing demand for foreign language courses that enable people from different fields and countries to participate in programs around the world will encourage service providers to introduce different modules. Cloud-based Language Learning Market - Geography The global cloud-based language learning market by geography is segmented into APAC, Europe, North America, Latin America, and MEA. APAC occupied the largest market share in 2018, growing at a CAGR of over 7% during the forecast period. The increasing internet penetration, rising disposable expenditure, improvement of public amenities, and progression of the pedagogy in educational institutions are the primary factors attributing to the growth of the APAC market. The growing demand for examination training, especially for GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, and IELTS will contribute to the growing revenues in the APAC market. The expansion of cloud computing services across Africa is fueling the growth of this region in the global market. The establishment of e-government strategies in the educational sector is propelling the demand in the African market. Increasing investments by tech giants such as Google, Amazon, and Microsoft across various African countries will positively impact the cloud-based language learning market. The growing need to learn languages such as English, Chinese, German, and French across various Middle Eastern countries, especially Saudi Africa will propel the development of the market in this region. Key Vendor Analysis The global cloud-based language learning market is witnessing significant growth due to the presence of various players. The vendors are focusing on expanding the business and gaining maximum market share by creating awareness about their products. The growing demand for online language courses will encourage companies to diversify their product portfolio in the global market. The players are investing in marketing activities, low or free initial pricing, and broad sampling to sustain the intense competition in the market. The vendors are leveraging freemium offerings with attractive short-term subscription pricing to attract a maximum number of consumers in the global cloud-based language learning market. Key Topics Covered: 1 Research Methodology 2 Research Objectives 3 Research Process 4 Report Coverage 4.1 Market Definition 4.2 Base Year 4.3 Scope of Study 5 Report Assumptions & Caveats 5.1 Key Caveats 5.2 Inclusions 5.3 Exclusions 5.4 Currency Conversion 5.5 Market Derivation 6 Market at a Glance 7 Introduction 7.1 Overview 7.2 Cloud-based Language Learning 7.3 Analysis of Cloud-based Applications 7.4 Benefits of Cloud-based Learning Architecture 7.4.1 Cost savings 7.4.2 Seamless connectivity 7.4.3 Ease of deployment 7.4.4 Application reliability 7.4.5 Secure environment 7.4.6 Scalable for organizations of all sizes 7.4.7 Consistent resource performance 8 Market Dynamics 8.1 Market Growth Enablers 8.1.1 High penetration of internet and internet-enabled devices 8.1.2 Importance of continuous education among global citizens 8.1.3 Global workforce and migration of skilled labor 8.1.4 Increased private investments in digital learning 8.1.5 Digitization initiatives in education and learning sector 8.2 Market Growth Restraints 8.2.1 Need for continuous product innovation 8.2.2 Variability in hardware and software 8.2.3 Limited access to closed markets and engagement with local partners 8.2.4 Optimization of internet bandwidth in developing countries 8.2.5 Lack of viable revenue and monetization model 8.3 Market Opportunities & Trends 8.3.1 Going mobile and going social 8.3.2 Gamification in language learning 8.3.3 Collaboration in local markets for content development 8.3.4 Growing popularity of blended learning in education technology 9 Stakeholder Analysis 9.1 stakeholder overview 9.2 Licensing Model 9.3 Actual Usage License (Annual or Monthly) 9.4 Named User LMS License (Annual or Monthly) 9.5 SaaS LMS License 9.6 Perpetual License 9.7 Per Location License 9.8 Unlimited Use LMS License 10 Global Cloud-based Language Learning Market 10.1 Market Overview 10.2 Market Size & Forecast 2018-2024 10.3 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 11 By Language 11.1 Market Overview 11.2 English 11.3 Chinese 11.4 Spanish 11.5 Arabic 11.6 Others 11.6.1 Market Size & Forecast 11.6.2 Portuguese 11.6.3 Germany 11.6.4 Japanese 11.6.5 Russian 12 By End-User 12.1 Market Overview 12.2 Vocational training 12.3 Corporate Training 12.4 Higher Education 12.5 K-12 12.6 Examination Training 13 By Geography Key Company Profiles Speexx Rosetta Stone Duolingo Busuu Babbel Other Prominent Vendors 50 languages Linguatronics Sanako Okpanda Livemocha Software and Network Solutions Voxy Sanoma Memrise Edusoft For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/w6dbjd/global_8_bn?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com DUBLIN, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Liquid Crystal Polymer Market by Type, by Industry, by Geography - Global Market Size, Share, Development, Growth, and Demand Forecast, 2013-2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Liquid crystal polymer (LCP) market is projected to reach $1,447.9 million by 2023, the market growth is driven by the increasing demand of LCPs in the manufacturing of consumer electronics products, medical equipment, and automotive components. Based on type, the liquid crystal polymer market is bifurcated into thermotropic and lyotropic. Thermotropic LCPs accounted for a dominant share in the market during the historical period, accounting for more than 85.0% share in terms of value in 2017. Thermotropic LCPs are processed from anisotropic phases to form liquid-crystal phases. This affects orientation and structure of these molecules. Furthermore, the end-polymer has fiber content that gives rise to high mechanical properties as a consequence of self-reinforcing properties derived from macromolecular orientation in the mesophase. The above-mentioned properties of thermotropic LCPs make them ideal for manufacturing various components in electronic devices. The high demand for the LCPs in electrotropic displays such as LCDs, temperature sensors, and selective reflecting pigments will continue to aid the growth of the liquid crystal polymer market during the forecast period. Based on industry, the liquid crystal polymer market is classified into semiconductor and electronics, automotive, medical, consumer goods, and others (power generation and heavy engineering). The demand for LCPs in semiconductor and electronics industry remained the highest during the historical period, accounting for more than 60.0% market share in terms of value in 2017. The demand for LCPs in semiconductor and electronics industry is in coherence to the perquisite trend of trimming and downsizing of electrical components. Moreover, the application of LCPs in the industry is favored due to their properties such as low dielectric constants, low power dissipation factors, and significant strength of the materials in mesophase. Industrialization and surge in purchasing power of individuals are expected to generate demand for consumer appliances and electronic accessories, which in turn, is expected to boost the liquid crystal polymer market in the coming years. Globally, APAC held the largest share in the market during the historical period. Presence of semiconductor manufacturing hubs in countries such as Taiwan, Japan, and China, along with rapidly advancing consumer electronics industry in countries such as India and Vietnam are the prime factors driving the demand for LCPs in the APAC region. The investments made by major players in research and facility expansions are the major opportunity identified in the liquid crystal polymer market. In the recent years, major companies in the market like Celanese Corporation, Toray Industries Inc., Kuraray Co. Ltd., and Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd. have been expanding their facilities and investing in projects across various countries. For instance, Toray Industries Inc. invested $140.2 million in Sri City in Andhra Pradesh, India in 2018, for the manufacturing of textiles, which will boost the growth of LCP fiber and textile market. Hence, it can be said that there is increase in opportunities due to increase in investments and facility expansions. Globally, the consolidated liquid crystal polymer market is characterized by market players having large scale operations. Celanese Corporation, Polyplastics Co. Ltd., Solvay SA, Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd., and Toray Industries Inc. are the leading players in the market. Among all the companies engaged in the production of LCPs, Polyplastics Co. Ltd. is a well-established player that commercially develops the product and is venturing into new markets in a bid to boost its business. Most of the players in the global liquid crystal polymer market are multinational corporations and have presence in more than five countries. Owing to advanced technology needed for manufacturing LCPs, the number of companies remained less during the historical period. Moreover, majority of these companies are based in technologically advanced countries including Japan, the U.S., China, and Germany. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1. Research Background Chapter 2. Research Methodology Chapter 3. Executive Summary Chapter 4. Introduction 4.1 Definition of Market Segments 4.1.1 By Type 4.1.1.1 Thermotropic 4.1.1.2 Lyotropic 4.1.2 By Industry 4.1.2.1 Semiconductor and electronics 4.1.2.2 Automotive 4.1.2.3 Medical 4.1.2.4 Consumer goods 4.1.2.5 Others 4.2 Value Chain Analysis 4.3 Patent Analysis 4.4 Technology Dynamics Analysis 4.5 Regulations 4.6 Market Dynamics 4.6.1 Trends 4.6.1.1 Technological advancements 4.6.1.2 Improvements in MRI technology 4.6.2 Drivers 4.6.2.1 Rising demand for consumer electronic devices 4.6.2.2 Growth in the automobile sector 4.6.2.3 Rising demand for organic polymers 4.6.2.4 Growth in manufacturing industries 4.6.2.5 Growing requirement of LCP in marine industry 4.6.3 Restraints 4.6.3.1 High cost of injection molding 4.6.3.2 Adoption of new technology and low level of awareness 4.6.3.3 Impact analysis of restraints on market forecast 4.6.4 Opportunities 4.6.4.1 Investments by major players 4.6.4.2 Wide range of applications Chapter 5. Pricing Analysis 5.1 Raw Materials Price Analysis 5.1.1 P-Hydroxybenzoic Acid 5.1.2 Bisphenol 5.1.3 Terephthalic Acid 5.1.4 Isophthalic Acid 5.1.5 6-Hydroxy-2-Naphthoic Acid 5.1.6 Glass Fiber 5.2 Raw Materials Sourcing - Geographical Hotspots 5.3 LCP Price Analysis, by Region 5.3.1 North America 5.3.2 Europe 5.3.3 APAC 5.3.4 LATAM 5.3.5 MEA Chapter 6. Global Market Size and Forecast 6.1 By Type 6.2 By Industry 6.3 By Region Chapter 7. North America Market Size and Forecast Chapter 8. Europe Market Size and Forecast Chapter 9. APAC Market Size and Forecast Chapter 10. LATAM Market Size and Forecast Chapter 11. MEA Market Size and Forecast Chapter 12. Competitive Landscape 12.1 Market Share Analysis of Key Players 12.2 Competitive Benchmarking of Key Players 12.3 Global Strategic Developments of Key Players Chapter 13. Company Profiles RTP Company PolyOne Corporation Polyplastics Co. Ltd. Shanghai PRET Composites Co. Ltd. Solvay SA Toray Industries Inc. Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd. Celanese Corporation Kuraray Co. Ltd. Ueno Fine Chemicals Industry Ltd. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/5pnjxp/global_1_44_bn?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Flybe, Europe's largest regional airline, has appointed Discover the World as its general sales agent in the airline's key European markets - France, Germany, Benelux, Italy and Spain. Flybe's Chief Commercial Officer Roy Kinnear said, "The appointment of Discover the World will allow us to continue developing Flybe's sales and distribution strategy in our key European markets." "There are many untapped opportunities for Flybe and we believe Discover the World is well-placed to promote our network, products and services, especially the destinations we fly to across our home UK market," he added. "We are delighted to represent Flybe and look forward to being their ambassadors on the ground in these very important European markets, which already generate a large number of customers for the airline," said George Hyde, Discover the World's Global Head of Airlines Sales. "Flybe links important commercial regional centres throughout Europe and the UK, offering a great product with quality customer service and above average on-time performance." For more information about Discover the World, visit discovertheworld.com or call (480) 707-5566 or +44 203 598 8030. About Discover the World Discover the World has earned a reputation as a leader in global travel distribution and its success in developing a worldwide network of 85 offices in more than 60 countries capable of exceptional representation performance is unmatched. With a portfolio of nearly 100 clients utilizing its sales, marketing and business process outsourcing services, Discover the World remains a dominant innovator for the travel industry. About Flybe Flybe is Europe's largest regional airline and flies more UK domestic flights than any other airline 53% of all UK flights within mainland Britain (excluding London). Flybe currently operates 190 routes serving 12 countries from 73 departure points in the UK and Europe* and is the largest scheduled airline by air traffic movements at Aberdeen, Belfast City, Birmingham, Cardiff, Doncaster Sheffield, Exeter, Glasgow, Isle of Man, Jersey, Manchester, Newquay and Southampton airports**. Flybe operates a fleet of 76 aircraft 54 Bombardier Q400, 6 Embraer E195, 11 E175 & 5 ATR 72s and was recognised as the most punctual UK-based airline (8th in Europe) in FlightGlobal's annual On-Time Performance Awards (Jan.'19) and shared top spot in the Which? 'Best and Worst Airlines 2019' report in the Short Haul Category (Jan.'19) *Flown under the Flybe brand including all routes on sale Jan 2019 Oct 2019 **Source: CAA Aug. '18 SOURCE Discover the World Related Links http://discovertheworld.com SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Flex Fleet Rental, a leading provider of medium-term truck rentals to commercial customers, announced that it has completed a strategic transaction with Waterfall Asset Management's private equity platform. TRP Capital Partners ("TRP"), a transportation-focused private equity firm, is also making a strategic investment alongside Waterfall. The transaction will position Flex Fleet Rental to augment its customer reach, technology enablement and national fleet. Flex Fleet Rental's existing management team will continue to lead the company's operations, led by CEO Michael Kraupp and Vice President Brian Goldhardt. "Since 2013 we have invested in our team and processes to build a national rental fleet of light and medium-duty trucks, and we are proud of the growth in the business and the customer relationships we have earned through exceptional service and dependability," said Michael Kraupp. "We are excited to partner with Waterfall and TRP, which share our vision of providing first-class service to our customers, and that will support our ongoing investment in tools and technology to continually augment our capabilities." "We are very excited about the opportunity to support Flex Fleet's long-term growth strategy," said Gene Weil, a Managing Director of Waterfall. "Flex Fleet has an impressive history of growth and leadership in its market, and we are excited to partner with Mike, Brian and the entire Flex Fleet team." Steve Carrel, Managing Director of TRP, also commented, "We believe that Flex Fleet's client-first approach to service and the depth of its infrastructure will continue to differentiate the Company in the marketplace." Craig Goldberg, Managing Partner at Synterra Capital Management LLC, commented, "It has been a privilege to work with Mike, Brian and the entire team at Flex Fleet. Since we invested in Flex Fleet in 2013, the team has grown the business into an industry-leading medium-term truck rental business with hundreds of satisfied customers. We believe the business is well positioned with Waterfall and TRP to enter into its next chapter of growth." Sullivan & Worcester served as legal counsel and Houlihan Lokey served as financial advisor to Flex Fleet with respect to the transaction. Kramer Levin served as legal counsel to Waterfall. Drinker Biddle served as legal counsel to TRP. About Flex Fleet Rental Flex Fleet Rental is a leading truck rental company, offering light and medium duty trucks to commercial customers. Flex Fleet Rental offers pick-up trucks, flatbed trucks and vans on a month to month basis to provide its customers the flexibility to profitably manage the demands of their projects, including dependable job site delivery and pick up anywhere in the United States. The company is headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT. For more information, visit http://www.flexfleetrental.com. About Waterfall Asset Management Based in New York, Waterfall Asset Management is an SEC-registered alternative asset manager. Waterfall is a leading private investment firm dedicated to investing in private equity, loan products and structured credit across multiple sectors of the specialty finance and financial technology industries. Waterfall had approximately $7.7 billion in assets under management, as of November 30, 2018. About TRP Capital Partners Based in Michigan, TRP is a private equity fund that invests in growth-oriented businesses in the transportation sector. TRP seeks to support existing management teams in their growth strategy, as well as capitalize on its industry expertise, strategic relationships and commercial synergies. Contact: Gene Weil Waterfall Asset Management 212-257-6415 [email protected] SOURCE Waterfall Asset Management, LLC ARDMORE, Pa., Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Fine Wine & Good Spirits Premium Collection at Ardmore Shopping Center, 62 Greenfield Ave., will host a special cocktail-making demonstration and tasting featuring Belvedere Vodka national brand ambassador Brian Stewart from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Wednesday, Feb. 13. Before joining Belvedere, Stewart served as a portfolio mixologist for the Strategic Group and worked as lead bartender and manager for some of Los Angeles' most prestigious restaurant groups. Ranked as one of the top five mixologists in L.A., Stewart won two national cocktail competitions, Bols National and the May Mix Off. Just in time for Valentine's Day, Stewart will demonstrate how to mix February's Cocktail of the Month, Berry Bubbly, and offer attendees 21 years of age and older the opportunity to sample it and the following products: Belvedere Vodka (1.75 L; Code 7876) $46.99 (save $5 ) (save ) Chandon Rose (Code 6701) $17.99 (save $2 ) (save ) Chandon Brut (Code 7878) $17.99 (save $2 ) The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates more than 600 wine and spirits stores statewide, and licenses 20,000 alcohol producers, retailers, and handlers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups, and licensees. Taxes and store profits totaling $16.5 billion since the agency's inception are returned to Pennsylvania's General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania's schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies, and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit lcb.pa.gov. MEDIA CONTACT: Shawn M. Kelly, 717.783.8864 SOURCE Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Related Links https://www.lcb.pa.gov CLEVELAND, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Demand for fiber cement siding is forecast to increase 3.6% annually to 664 million square meters in 2022. Gains will be supported by the product's lower cost relative to brick, stone, and wood, which it can mimic in appearance, and its durability and low maintenance. The largest market gains will be posted in China and the US. These and other trends are presented in Global Siding (Cladding), a new study from The Freedonia Group, a Cleveland-based industry research firm. More information about this study is here: https://www.freedoniagroup.com/industry-study/global-siding-cladding-3691.htm Fiber cement demand will also be affected by recent asbestos regulations, as the use of asbestos in fiber cement is still ongoing, especially in developing countries. The World Health Organization is working toward a worldwide asbestos ban, which if successful will boost demand for asbestos-free fiber cement siding. Brazil enacted a nationwide ban on asbestos in 2017. However, the effect of this ban is expected to limited due to existing asbestos bans at the state level. Faster growth will be restricted by rising income levels in many parts of the world, which will increase demand for competing, high-end siding products such as natural stone that offer superior aesthetics. Global demand for all types of siding is forecast to rise 2.8% annually through 2022 to 6.7 billion square meters valued at $78.6 billion. Going forward, demand for siding products will be driven by: growth in nonresidential building construction, especially in China an acceleration in the global rate of growth in new housing construction an increase in the share of new homes that use siding, especially in the developing countries of the Asia/Pacific and Africa /Mideast regions and /Mideast regions rising personal incomes, which allow for greater spending on renovation projects such as siding replacement Global Siding (Cladding) (published 01/2019, 347 pages) is available for $6500 from The Freedonia Group. Please link citations to https://www.freedoniagroup.com/World-Siding-cladding.html About The Freedonia Group, a division of MarketResearch.com The Freedonia Group is a leading international industrial research company publishing more than 100 studies annually. Since 1985, we have provided research to customers ranging in size from global conglomerates to one-person consulting firms. More than 90% of the industrial companies in the Fortune 500 use Freedonia Group research to help with their strategic planning. Additional Construction & Builidng Products can be purchased at www.freedoniagroup.com, www.marketresearch.com and www.profound.com. Press Contact: Corinne Gangloff +1 440.684.9600 [email protected] SOURCE The Freedonia Group Related Links https://www.freedoniagroup.com DUBLIN, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Europe Cleanroom Technology Market by Product, by Construction, by End User, By Geography - Market Size, Share, Development, Growth, and Demand Forecast, 2013-2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The European cleanroom technology market is forecasted to generate $1,701.8 million revenue by 2023, the market is mainly driven by increasing number of conferences, seminars, and events for cleanroom technology, growing infectious diseases, and increasing healthcare expenditure in the region. The different types of products available in the European cleanroom technology market are cleanroom consumables and equipment. The market for cleanroom consumables is expected to observe faster growth, witnessing a CAGR of more than 7.0% during the forecast period. The growth is mainly driven by the increasing adoption of these products to maintain aseptic environment in various industries, such as pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical devices; hospitals; and research laboratories. On the basis of construction, the European cleanroom technology market is categorized into standard, hardwall, softwall, and pass-through cleanrooms. Hardwall cleanrooms is expected to be the fastest growing category in this market, exhibiting a CAGR of more than 7.5% during the forecast period. This growth is mainly due to increasing research and development (R&D) of pharmaceuticals in the region, which involves the use of hardwall cleanrooms, specifically designed for research activities. Among the various end users, pharmaceutical industry is expected to register the fastest growth in the European cleanroom technology market, during the forecast period, mainly due to increasing investment in pharmaceutical research activities. According to the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), the pharmaceutical industry in the region invested $41,822.4 million (35,000 million) in R&D in 2016, which in turn boosted the market for cleanroom consumables and equipment in the region. The cleanroom technology market in France is expected to witness notable growth during the forecast period. This can be attributed to the improving healthcare infrastructure, presence of market players offering cleanroom technology solutions, increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, and rising initiatives by healthcare organizations for the use of cleanroom consumables and equipment in the country. Growing pharmaceutical and medical devices industries are also propelling the growth of the French cleanroom technology market. According to the MedTech Europe, France was the second largest medical devices market in Europe in 2015, which further increased the production of different types of medical devices. Thus, growing healthcare industry is expected to boost the demand for cleanroom consumables and equipment in the French market in the coming years. Pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical devices industries generate huge demand for cleanroom technology products. Various pharmaceutical and biotechnology products, such as vaccines, injections, biologics, and ointments, need to be prepared in an environment that is free from microbes and particulates. Cleanroom offers suitable environmental conditions by lowering the level of pollutants, such as dust, chemical vapors, microbes, and aerosol particles. According to the EFPIA, pharmaceutical production worth $337,825 (250,000) million was reported in Europe, in 2016. Increasing production and research activities in pharmaceutical industry are expected to boost the market demand for cleanroom technology to provide aseptic areas for the manufacturing and development of pharmaceutical products. With the increasing demand of cleanroom technology products from the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical devices industries, market players are coming up with new products and constructing cleanrooms with advanced cleanroom consumables and equipment. For instance, German-based players, such as ZIEHL-ABEGG SE, decontam GmbH, and FlktGroup Holding GmbH are developing new and innovative cleanroom consumables and equipment to meet the growing demand in the European cleanroom technology market. Market Dynamics Trends Rising demand for customized cleanrooms Drivers Growing prevalence of infectious diseases Increasing demand for cleanroom products in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical devices industries Increasing healthcare expenditure Increasing number of conferences, seminars, and events for cleanroom technology Impact analysis of drivers on market forecast Restraints High cost associated with building cleanrooms Impact analysis of restraints on market forecast Companies Mentioned M+W Group GmbH Ardmac Ltd. Alpiq Holding Ltd. cleanroom.de GmbH OCTANORM-Vertriebs-GmbH Monmouth Scientific Ltd. Parteco Sr Mach-Aire Ltd. Cleanroom Systems Belgium E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Kimberly-Clark Corporation Taikisha Ltd. Illinois Tool Works Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/4xwplr/europe_cleanroom?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Dave Ress Staff writer Dave Ress covers the military. He's been a reporter in Virginia since 1990 and before that for Reuters in Canada, Britain and Africa. Dave has a PhD in history from the University of New England (Australia) and is the author of 4 books on U.S. and Australian history. NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Elevated Returns (ER), a financial group focused on digitizing traditional financial assets, announced that it has selected Tezos as the blockchain on which it will offer ER's fully compliant tokenized real-estate offerings to qualified investors. ER has a pipeline of real assets in excess of USD $1B targeted for these future token issuances. Best known for its tokenization of the St. Regis Resort in Aspen, which raised USD $18 million through tokenization, ER is a leader in security token issuance. While the St. Regis offering was issued on Ethereum, the team is switching to Tezos, seeing it as a superior blockchain for asset tokenization, future-proofing ER's offering and offering a greater focus on smart contract security. Securitize, ER's compliance partner and the leading compliance platform for digitizing securities on blockchains, will add support for Tezos to ensure ER's compliance with securities laws and regulations. This will ensure that ER can continue to tokenize and issue compliant assets on the Tezos blockchain in regulated markets worldwide. "We are thrilled to select Tezos to provide investors with the highest security and compliant tokenized real estate offering experience possible. Having worked closely with regulators and local authorities around the world, we understand the need for the highest security and compliance features. There is no better solution than working on a Tezos-based token implementation," said Stephane de Baets, President of Elevated Returns. "We have a number of very high-profile deals lined up and we could not afford to compromise the technological product. With the Tezos-powered solution and its integration in the Securitize portal technology, we feel we have a total solution," added de Baets. Tezos is a self-amending blockchain and smart contracts platform that allows organizations and individuals to transact in digital assets using its native digital currency (XTZ). To assist with its switch to Tezos, Elevated Returns is working with the Tocqueville Group (TQ), an NYC based organization that works to facilitate the growth of a robust, high-functioning Tezos ecosystem by supporting individuals and companies building on Tezos. "We are extremely excited to assist Elevated Returns with the groundbreaking work they are doing to tokenize real assets," said Alison Mangiero, President of the Tocqueville Group. "Tokenized real estate is a strong use case for Tezos and a real-world example of what is possible with blockchain technology." "After successfully upgrading Elevated Returns' Aspencoin token to the Securitize DS Protocol, we are extremely proud to expand our partnership to include many more tokenized real estate projects in the future," said Carlos Domingo, Securitize CEO and Co-Founder. "The addition of Tezos and adoption of our DS Protocol as a defining standard for the Tezos blockchain is not only great news for global real estate, it also cements Securitize's leadership in the market." As a part of ER's expansion, it recently announced the 21% acquisition of Bangkok-based Seamico Securities (BKK: ZMICO) giving it access to regulatory licenses and distribution capability in Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia, a region which has been at the forefront of regulations for digital assets. In the coming months, ER will focus on educating the Thai market about ER's product suite, beginning with a large event in Bangkok on March 11th. The conference will be a convening of banks, insurance companies, asset managers and regulatory bodies and focus on the future of token standards and opportunities in Southeast Asia. Through this collaboration, ER expects to launch products in the Thai market in Q2 or Q3 of 2019 while looking at additional acquisitions in other regulated markets throughout Asia. Source: Elevated Returns, Tocqueville Group, Securitize Contact: Tocqueville Group: Jackie Zupsic, [email protected] or Anthony Lacavaro, [email protected] Elevated Returns: Jason Kirschenbau. [email protected] Securitize: Araby Patch, [email protected] SOURCE Elevated Returns; Securitize; Tocqueville Group LONDON, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Microbiome discovery platform company Eagle Genomics has been selected to join the latest cohort of the Microsoft AI Factory, based at the world-renowned Station F startup campus in Paris. The Microsoft AI Factory accelerator programme launched in 2017 in partnership with French computer science and automation institution, INRIA. It has selected and supported a community of leading AI startups to drive and accelerate innovation in the field. The community, based at the world's largest startup campus, Station F, hosts pioneering companies from a wide range of sectors applying AI to solve some of the grand challenges of our age. The Eagle Genomics platform utilizes AI to analyze complex genomic and microbiomic data at scale, delivering new insight and allowing enterprise brands to assess the viability, efficacy and safety of products. The company is particularly focused on how the microbiome, the ecosystem of bacteria, fungi and viruses present in virtually all living organisms, is linked with health and affected by the products we use and consume. CEO of Eagle Genomics, Anthony Finbow commented: "Acceptance into the Microsoft AI Factory accelerator programme comes at a good time as we expand our presence in France. It's fantastic to be recognised as a company at the forefront of AI technology and to have the opportunity to collaborate with INRIA, one of the world's leading AI research centres. The combination of our expertise with access to best-in-class Microsoft technology and pioneering AI research will no doubt propel the capabilities of our platform." He added: "We're also proud to be representing British companies at Station F in France as part of a global programme at the leading-edge of AI research and development." Eagle Genomics' selection into the AI Factory follows its participation in the European Microsoft ScaleUp programme and a recently announced partnership with Microsoft Genomics, which marked Microsoft's first venture into the microbiome. The company has also recently secured funding of $3.5M to accelerate the development of its award-winning platform. About Eagle Genomics Eagle Genomics' award-winning AI augmented knowledge discovery platform, the e[automateddatascientist], is revolutionising how scientists conduct life sciences research and is bridging the gap between data and new insights in a rapid, systematic and traceable way. It puts data science at the fingertips of biologists to drastically reduce time and cost of research, enabling customers to achieve radical productivity improvements and true data driven discovery. Find out more at www.eaglegenomics.com Press Contact Catherine Kidd UK +44 (0)1223 654481 [email protected] SOURCE Eagle Genomics Related Links http://www.eaglegenomics.com NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Castle Harlan, Inc., the New York private equity investment firm, was awarded "Deal of the Year" by the Association for Corporate Growth Houston for its acquisition of Exterran Corporation's (NYSE: EXTN) North American oil and gas production equipment assets. This operation has subsequently been renamed Titan Production Equipment. Branford Castle Partners, a leading Micro-Cap private equity investor, worked together with Castle Harlan to structure the transaction and made a substantial equity investment in the deal. The award was presented on February 5th at an evening event at the River Oaks Country Club in Houston. Castle Harlan beat out three other finalists in the Restructurings and Turnaround Transactions category to win the award. "Castle Harlan has been helping managers grow their businesses for more than 30 years and has a long history with oil and gas operations, including owning Universal Compression, which later became part of Exterran," said Chris Werner, CEO of Titan. "When Exterran determined that its production equipment business was no longer core to its long-term strategy, Castle Harlan assembled a team of former and current management to establish it as an independent company. With their unique industry expertise and relationships, Castle Harlan was our natural partner." Titan Production Equipment is a market leader in designing, engineering and manufacturing oil and gas production equipment used to separate, process and treat hydrocarbon streams at the wellhead, gathering and processing stages of production. The business specializes in custom and made-to-order products, including two- and three-phase separators, as well as glycol regeneration dehydrators. Titan operates out of a 210,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Columbus, Texas and serves customers across the major U.S. oil and gas basins. Eric Schwartz, Managing Director of Castle Harlan, said, "We are delighted that ACG Houston recognized the value that has been created by this transaction and Titan's continued success as an independent business. The Titan purchase was a successful part of Castle Harlan's strategy to acquire market-leading businesses and create value for our investors through unique deal sourcing and active oversight. Our affiliate, Branford Castle Partners, which bought a controlling interest in Titan, has been a tremendous partner in overseeing the investment with Castle Harlan." John S. Castle, President and CEO of Branford Castle Partners, said Titan is thriving. "The business is an important part of its community. It employs about 200 people today, and we plan to add more. Titan's leadership starts with its skilled and knowledgeable team in Columbus." About Castle Harlan: Castle Harlan, founded in 1987, has invested in controlling interests in and the development of middle-market companies in North America, Australia and Europe. Its team of senior investment professionals has completed over 50 acquisitions since its inception with a total value in excess of $11 billion. The firm traces its roots to the start of the institutionalized private equity business in the late 1960s. Additional information about Castle Harlan is at www.castleharlan.com. About Titan Production Equipment: As a 100% production equipment-focused company, Titan provides a high level of service, quality and capabilities to fulfill customers' equipment needs around the separation, processing and treating of oil and gas hydrocarbon streams. Titan offers deep engineering expertise and has capacity to manufacture at high volumes in an ASME-certified facility that produces both pre-designed and custom separators, heater treaters, glycol dehydration units, as well as a wide range of other production equipment products. Additional information about Titan Production Equipment can be found at www.titanpeq.com. About Branford Castle Partners: Branford Castle Partners is a private market investor focusing on Micro-Cap investments, which has more than 30 years of experience helping businesses grow. The firm typically makes control investments in companies with less than $15 million of EBITDA and a leadership position in a niche industry. Branford is particularly keen on the strong relationships it develops with its portfolio company managers. Branford has particular expertise in consumer products and services, commercial distribution, industrials/specialty manufacturing, business services and logistics. For more information see: http://www.branfordcastle.com. About ACG: Founded in 1954, ACG is a global organization with 59 chapters and over 14,500 members. Doing business is at the heart of the ACG membership experience. Chapters in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia bring dealmakers together to help them achieve their business and professional goals. To learn more visit: www.acg.org/houston. SOURCE Castle Harlan Related Links http://www.castleharlan.com The #StopTheSpill campaign was initiated after activists identified and investigated an increase in problematic activities among US parents. Key areas of concern included dramatic spikes in paper towel consumption and social media posts from parents complaining over spilled milk and juice. Additionally, the team saw a steep drop in the use of open top kiddie cups in restaurants and homes across the country. 2 "It took everything I had not to break down each time they'd knock over one of their cups," said an exacerbated Massachusetts mom of two who wishes to remain anonymous. "I know they desperately wanted to be 'big kids' and drink out of open cups, but the painstaking task of cleaning up their spills again and again was driving me crazy. #StoptheSpill and the No Knock cup saved us, and mealtime!" Parents, caretakers, and those who care about them, can visit www.stopthespill.us to learn more, join the cause, and get access to the spill-saving No Knock cup. Moms and dads also have the chance to win a $2,000 Target gift card or be one of 100 families to receive a free No Knock cup by entering the #StoptheSpill sweepstakes. About Tommee Tippee Tommee Tippee is the number one feeding brand in the UK and the fastest growing baby bottle brands in the United States2. For over 50 years, we've made award-winning, innovative products that are designed to make life a little bit easier for parents. And perhaps a little more fun. Today we're honored to be in families' homes in over 50 countries around the world. #ParentOn. 1While the struggle is real, these statistics are unverified. 2Nielsen AOD TTL USxAOC, December 29, 2018. Contact: Allison Salzberg, [email protected], (617) 585-5793 SOURCE Tommee Tippee Related Links https://www.tommeetippee.us NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Barneys New York, the luxury specialty retailer, today announced that it will open "The High End", making it the first major retailer to launch a luxury cannabis lifestyle and wellness concept shop. The High End will open in Barneys New York's Beverly Hills flagship in March, featuring an exclusive partnership with upscale cannabis company Beboe, and an extensive selection of accessories and lifestyle products. Select accessories featured in The High End will also be available on Barneys.com. Barneys New York plans to expand The High End to additional locations in the near future. "Barneys New York has always been at the forefront of shifts in culture and lifestyle, and cannabis is no exception," said Daniella Vitale, Chief Executive Officer & President, Barneys New York. "Many of our customers have made cannabis a part of their lifestyle, and The High End caters to their needs with extraordinary products and service they experience in every facet of Barneys New York." The High End will offer a unique range of elevated wellness products across home, beauty, jewelry, and more, along with an exclusive collaboration with cannabis brand Beboe. The concept shop will feature rare and exclusive items made especially for The High End, including rolling papers from Devambez, horn lighters from Lorenzi Milano, leather ashtrays and lighters from Giobagnara, ashtrays from Laboratorio Pesaro, gold rolling papers from Shine, storage boxes from Ginger Brown, and custom-made blown glass pipes from Caleb Siemmon. The shop will also feature jewelry and accessory items ranging from sterling silver pastille dispensers to grinder necklaces from Good Art HLYWD, Martine Ali, Brent Neale, Hoorsenbuhs, Carole Shashona, Sorellina, R.O.E., M. Cohen, Miansai and Barton Perriera. Additionally, The High End will offer a curation of vintage accessories including lighters, trays, cases and more. For relaxation and calming benefits, there will be a variety of CBD-infused beauty and scented products from brands like Saint Jane, Foria, Lab to Beauty, Flora and Bast, The Good Patch, Vertly, Body Vibes, Malin + Goetz, Heretic, and Boysmells. Customers can also purchase these products at Barneys.com. Barneys New York is exclusively partnering with upscale cannabis company Beboe to introduce Barneys New York Beverly Hills customers to the brand's distinct offerings, including its thoughtfully designed vaporizer pens and pastilles, and CBD products. Partnering with Beboe co-founder Scott Campbell, the collaboration includes an exclusive special edition silver Beboe vaporizer pen in celebration of the project. Beboe has also partnered with premium cannabis lifestyle brand Sherbinskis to develop a new strain of cannabis. Customers who visit The High End can speak to Beboe representatives to learn more about its products, and purchase from Beboe through the white glove delivery service, Emjay. "I'm so thrilled that cannabis culture has come so far that it can exist and feel perfectly at home in such a prestigious context as Barneys New York. Barneys has never been shy about pushing creative boundaries in retail, and it makes perfect sense that they would be the first to support and elevate cannabis to new levels," said Scott Campbell, co-founder, Beboe. The High End will be located on the fifth floor of Barneys New York Beverly Hills. Barneys New York will continue to expand the offerings of the shop and offer new collaborations in the months following its launch. ABOUT BARNEYS NEW YORK BARNEYS NEW YORK (Barneys) is a luxury specialty retailer renowned for having the most discerning edit from the world's top designers, including women's and men's ready-to-wear, accessories, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and gifts for the home. Barneys' signature sense of wit and style is manifested in its creative advertising campaigns, original holiday themes, and celebrated window displays. Founded as a men's retailer in 1923 in downtown Manhattan, it became an international arbiter of high style for both women and men in the 1970s, renowned for discovering and developing new and innovative design talent. Today, Barneys New York operates flagship stores uptown on Madison Avenue and downtown in Chelsea in New York City, as well as additional flagships in Beverly Hills, Chicago, Seattle, Boston, San Francisco, and Las Vegas, along with a preeminent luxury online store, Barneys.com, as well as 14 other stores and outlets across the United States. For more information about Barneys New York, please visit www.Barneys.com and explore its luxury content site, The Window, for an insider's look into the Barneys world: a behind-the-scenes visit with exciting designers, fashion, events, and the Barneys team. ABOUT BEBOE Beboe is the Los Angeles-based leader in luxury cannabis. Founded in 2017 by friends and cannabis growers Scott Campbell and Clement Kwan, Beboe's mission is to destigmatize legal cannabis through heightened experience and education. With sleek packaging and social dosing, Beboe offers the sophisticated cannabis consumer an experience unlike any other on the market. In 2017, Beboe launched cannabis vaporizing pens and edible pastilles, each curated with a unique blend of THC and CBD. In Fall 2018, Beboe launched a CBD-only blend. Beboe. Each product is dosed to complement individualized social settings - ranging from afternoon tea to dinner parties to weddings - so cannabis can be safely and stylishly incorporated into every aspect of a lifestyle. In addition to developing quality-driven product, Beboe remains at the forefront of the industry through education and advocacy. Beboe is the inaugural brand from For Success Holding, a portfolio of cannabis brands co-founded by Campbell and Kwan in late 2014. For Success Holding endeavors to create a conglomerate of products, brands and experiences for today's cannabis consumer. Beboe THC/CBD blend products are sold through licensed distributors and delivery services throughout California and Colorado, and CBD products are available online and through select retailers. In 2019, Beboe entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Green Thumb Industries Inc. For more information, please visit www.beboe.com. SOURCE Barneys New York Related Links https://www.barneys.com TORONTO, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Adventus Zinc Corporation ("Adventus") (TSX-V: ADZN;OTCQX: ADVZF) and Salazar Resources Limited ("Salazar") (TSX-V: SRL) (collectively the "Partners") are pleased to announce final drilling results from the 2018 infill program on the El Domo volcanogenic massive sulphide ("VMS") deposit, which is part of the approximately 22,000-hectare Curipamba project located near Las Naves, Ecuador. Highlights CURI-326 intersected 17.88 metres of 4.45% copper, 5.04 g/t gold, 2.09% zinc, 94.6 g/t silver, and 0.27% lead for 9.75% CuEq; including 4.80 metres of 12.55% copper, 15.52 g/t gold, 7.45% zinc, 324.5 g/t silver and 0.94% lead for 29.64% CuEq; CURI-336 intersected 24.02 metres of 5.41% copper, 6.40 g/t gold, 2.68% zinc, 58.6 g/t silver, and 0.15% lead for 11.45% CuEq; including 1.81 metres of 4.27% copper, 16.61 g/t gold, 13.98% zinc, 205.8 g/t silver and 1.44% lead for 23.65% CuEq, and; CURI-337 intersected 2.73 metres of 3.31% copper, 11.50 g/t gold, 22.87% zinc, 457.2 g/t silver, and 0.44% lead for 25.07% CuEq. The optimized Phase 2 infill drilling program at El Domo was successfully completed in late December 2018 on the open-pit constrained Mineral Resource, for a full year total of 12,608 metres of infill drilling between both phases of the work program. The final 2018 drilling results are detailed in this news release. Adventus has engaged Roscoe Postle and Associates Inc. ("RPA") to produce a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") for the Curipamba project that will include a Mineral Resource update with all 2018 drilling results. RPA has also been retained to conduct additional engineering work including but not limited to overseeing the ongoing metallurgical work at Base Metallurgical Laboratories Ltd. ("BML") announced in the September 19, 2018 news release. The Partners are also planning additional exploration drill holes in 2019 at the Curipamba, Pijili and Santiago projects in Ecuador after completion of a MobileMT airborne geophysical survey. The survey contractors have recently completed work at the Pijili project and are currently working at the Santiago project. When the survey is completed at the Santiago project, the airborne geophysical equipment will be moved to Curipamba for immediate use. Following the processing of acquired geophysical data, a detailed target generation initiative will commence, and diamond drills will be deployed to test newly developed exploration targets. El Domo Infill Drilling Results Drill hole CURI-324 intersected gold-rich, mineralized grainstone in the hanging wall of the massive sulphide mineralization. The grainstone occurs from 86.19 to 89.32 metres grading 0.18% copper, 1.86 g/t gold, 2.46% zinc, 31.6 g/t silver, and 0.13% lead. The massive sulphide mineralization was intersected from 89.32 to 91.11 metres grading 0.57% copper, 12.48 g/t gold, 13.87% zinc, 600.3 g/t silver, and 3.98% lead. Drill Hole From (m) To m) Thickness (m) Cu (%) Au (g/t) Zn (%) Ag (g/t) Pb (%) CuEq(1) (%) Approx. True Thickness (m) CURI-324 86.19 89.32 3.13 0.18 1.86 2.46 31.6 0.13 2.79 2.74 89.32 91.11 1.79 0.57 12.48 13.87 600.3 3.98 22.06 1.57 (1) Metal equivalency based on US$3.25/lb Cu, US$1,500/oz Au, US$1.30/lb Zn, US$23/oz Ag and US$1.10/lb Pb; noting that no adjustments were made in the metal equivalency calculation for metal recovery, as this is still an early stage project Drill hole CURI-326 intersected a section of gold-rich, mineralized grainstone from 92.39 to 105.86 metres within a much broader section of grainstone. The intercept graded 0.50% copper, 1.76 g/t gold, 1.28% zinc, 24.8 g/t silver and 0.11% lead. A subset interval of the grainstone was significantly higher grade from 96.10 to 99.62 metres grading 0.18% copper, 3.35 g/t gold, 4.06% zinc, 65.2 g/t silver, and 0.32% lead. Stratigraphically under the grainstone is a thick interval of copper-rich massive sulphide mineralization from 105.86 to 123.74 metres, grading 4.45% copper, 5.04g/t gold, 2.09% zinc, 94.6 g/t silver, and 0.27% lead. A subset interval of massive sulphide mineralization possesses significantly higher-grade from 105.86 to 110.66 metres, grading 12.55% copper, 15.52 g/t gold, 7.45% zinc, 324.5 g/t silver, and 0.94% lead. Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Thickness (m) Cu (%) Au (g/t) Zn (%) Ag (g/t) Pb (%) CuEq(1) (%) Approx. True Thickness (m) CURI-326 92.39 105.86 13.47 0.50 1.76 1.28 24.8 0.11 2.49 12.46 including 96.10 99.62 3.52 0.18 3.35 4.06 65.2 0.32 4.84 3.26 105.86 123.74 17.88 4.45 5.04 2.09 94.6 0.27 9.75 16.54 including 105.86 110.66 4.80 12.55 15.52 7.45 324.5 0.94 29.64 4.44 (1) Metal equivalency based on US$3.25/lb Cu, US$1,500/oz Au, US$1.30/lb Zn, US$23/oz Ag and US$1.10/lb Pb; noting that no adjustments were made in the metal equivalency calculation for metal recovery, as this is still an early stage project CURI-328 intersected high-grade grainstone with abundant massive sulphide clasts from 90.10 to 111.30 metres that was complicated by the injection of a basaltic sill intrusion. The best intercept occurs from 90.10 to 100.00 metres grading 6.77% copper, 5.27 g/t gold, 2.50% zinc, 93.7 g/t silver, and 0.26% lead. A subset of grainstone had higher grades from 91.30 to 93.00 metres grading 20.04% copper, 11.31 g/t gold, 4.41% zinc, 193.8 g/t silver, and 0.38% lead. Beneath the grainstone is a narrow, copper-rich massive sulphide layer that is complicated by faulting from 111.30 to 113.03 metres, grading 4.53% copper, 3.24 g/t gold, 0.11% zinc, 24.8 g/t silver, and 0.03% lead. Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Thickness (m) Cu (%) Au (g/t) Zn (%) Ag (g/t) Pb (%) CuEq(1) (%) Approx. True Thickness (m) CURI-328 90.10 100.00 9.90 6.77 5.27 2.50 93.7 0.26 12.37 8.42 including 91.30 93.00 1.70 20.04 11.31 4.41 193.8 0.38 31.55 1.45 100.00 108.32 8.32 0.90 1.03 2.41 48.0 0.42 3.19 7.07 108.32 111.30 2.98 1.20 5.87 2.79 57.3 0.16 6.91 2.53 111.30 113.03 1.73 4.53 3.24 0.11 24.8 0.03 7.02 1.47 (1) Metal equivalency based on US$3.25/lb Cu, US$1,500/oz Au, US$1.30/lb Zn, US$23/oz Ag and US$1.10/lb Pb; noting that no adjustments were made in the metal equivalency calculation for metal recovery, as this is still an early stage project Drill hole CURI-330 intersected gold-rich grainstone from 81.20 to 84.84 metres, grading 0.21% copper, 4.05 g/t gold, 3.78% zinc, 97.0 g/t silver and 0.45% lead. Beneath the grainstone is a thin, copper-rich massive sulphide interval from 89.22 to 89.95 metres, grading 6.78% copper, 0.59 g/t gold, 0.06% zinc, 20.1 g/t silver and 0.01% lead. Directly in the footwall to the massive sulphide mineralization is wide section of low-grade hydrothermal breccia in the dacite volcaniclastic rocks from 89.95 to 118.94 metres, grading 0.03% copper, 1.55 g/t gold, 0.26% zinc, 18.3 g/t silver, and 0.07% lead. Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Thickness (m) Cu (%) Au (g/t) Zn (%) Ag (g/t) Pb (%) CuEq(1) (%) Approx. True Thickness (m) CURI-330 81.20 84.84 3.64 0.21 4.05 3.78 97.0 0.45 5.60 2.73 89.22 89.95 0.73 6.78 0.59 0.06 20.1 0.01 7.41 0.55 89.95 118.94 28.99 0.03 1.55 0.26 18.3 0.07 1.39 21.74 including 89.95 92.72 2.77 0.22 1.34 2.12 25.4 0.50 2.40 2.08 (1) Metal equivalency based on US$3.25/lb Cu, US$1,500/oz Au, US$1.30/lb Zn, US$23/oz Ag and US$1.10/lb Pb; noting that no adjustments were made in the metal equivalency calculation for metal recovery, as this is still an early stage project Drill hole CURI-332 intersected a thick section of well mineralized grainstone and semi-massive to massive sulphide mineralization from 88.33 to 102.00 metres. The semi-massive sulphide mineralization occurs from 88.33 to 92.69 metres, grading 0.86% copper, 1.30 g/t gold, 0.94% zinc, 17.1 g/t silver and 0.10% lead. Stratigraphically under the semi-massive sulphide mineralization is a gold-rich grainstone interval from 92.69 to 94.90 metres, grading 0.47% copper, 3.12 g/t gold, 3.80% zinc, 40.5 g/t silver and 0.44% lead. Massive sulphide mineralization was intersected from 94.90 to 102.00 metres and is complicated by faulting, grading 4.49% copper, 2.32 g/t gold, 0.69% zinc, 16.2 g/t silver, and 0.02% lead. Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Thickness (m) Cu (%) Au (g/t) Zn (%) Ag (g/t) Pb (%) CuEq(1) (%) Approx. True Thickness (m) CURI-332 88.33 92.69 4.36 0.86 1.30 0.94 17.1 0.10 2.32 3.60 92.69 94.90 2.21 0.47 3.12 3.80 40.5 0.44 4.66 1.82 94.90 102.00 7.10 4.49 2.32 0.69 16.2 0.02 6.05 5.86 (1) Metal equivalency based on US$3.25/lb Cu, US$1,500/oz Au, US$1.30/lb Zn, US$23/oz Ag and US$1.10/lb Pb; noting that no adjustments were made in the metal equivalency calculation for metal recovery, as this is still an early stage project Drill hole CURI-333 intersected mineralized grainstone within a broader interval from 79.00 to 83.00 metres, grading 0.32% copper, 1.36 g/t gold, 0.34% zinc, 20.7 g/t silver and 0.10% lead. Pyritic massive sulphide mineralization was intersected from 83.00 to 91.00 metres, grading 0.13% copper, 1.27 g/t gold, 0.69% zinc, 12.2 g/t silver, and 0.01% lead. Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Thickness (m) Cu (%) Au (g/t) Zn (%) Ag (g/t) Pb (%) CuEq(1) (%) Approx. True Thickness (m) CURI-333 79.00 83.00 4.00 0.32 1.36 0.34 20.7 0.10 1.62 3.30 83.00 91.00 8.00 0.13 1.27 0.69 12.2 0.01 1.39 6.60 (1) Metal equivalency based on US$3.25/lb Cu, US$1,500/oz Au, US$1.30/lb Zn, US$23/oz Ag and US$1.10/lb Pb; noting that no adjustments were made in the metal equivalency calculation for metal recovery, as this is still an early stage project Drill hole CURI-334 intersected a thick section of low-grade hydrothermal breccia in dacite volcaniclastic rocks in the hanging wall of the massive sulphide mineralization from 30.00 to 44.90 metres, grading 0.15% copper, 3.59 g/t gold, 1.99% zinc, 97.9 g/t silver and 0.48% lead. A subset interval within the low-grade hydrothermal breccia possessed higher grade from 33.00 to 37.00 metres, grading 0.20% copper, 8.49 g/t gold, 2.94% zinc, 199.6 g/t silver and 0.89% lead. The drill hole then cut an epiclastic section that included both grainstone and fine-grained facies with mineralized grainstone occurring from 63.40 to 66.61 metres, grading 0.06% copper, 2.41 g/t gold, 0.13% zinc, 16.8 g/t silver and 0.05% lead. Stratigraphically beneath the epiclastic section is a zinc-rich massive sulphide section occurs from 66.61 to 67.37 metres, grading 1.92% copper, 28.20 g/t gold, 42.81% zinc, 337.0 g/t silver, and 6.75% lead. Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Thickness (m) Cu (%) Au (g/t) Zn (%) Ag g/t) Pb (%) CuEq(1) (%) Approx. True Thickness (m) CURI-334 30.00 44.90 14.90 0.15 3.59 1.99 97.9 0.48 4.54 13.41 including 33.00 37.00 4.00 0.20 8.49 2.94 199.6 0.89 9.45 3.60 44.90 48.56 3.66 1.43 0.32 1.02 20.8 0.11 2.31 3.29 63.40 66.61 3.21 0.06 2.41 0.13 16.8 0.05 1.92 2.89 66.61 67.37 0.76 1.92 28.20 42.81 337.0 6.75 43.79 0.68 67.37 69.35 1.98 0.27 0.63 2.82 20.2 0.92 2.34 1.78 (1) Metal equivalency based on US$3.25/lb Cu, US$1,500/oz Au, US$1.30/lb Zn, US$23/oz Ag and US$1.10/lb Pb; noting that no adjustments were made in the metal equivalency calculation for metal recovery, as this is still an early stage project Drill hole CURI-336 intersected a thick section of gold-rich grainstone in the hanging wall of the semi-massive to massive sulphide mineralization from 42.37 to 54.82 metres, grading 0.07% copper, 1.71 g/t gold, 0.29% zinc, 8.4 g/t silver and 0.11% lead. A subset interval within the grainstone possessed higher grade from 46.31 to 54.82 metres, grading 0.09% copper, 2.18 g/t gold, 0.32% zinc, 9.8 g/t silver and 0.12% lead. The drill hole then intersected semi-massive to massive sulphide mineralization from 54.82 to 78.84 metres, grading 5.41% copper, 6.40 g/t gold, 2.68% zinc, 58.6 g/t silver, and 0.15% lead. A zinc-rich semi-massive sulphide section occurs from 54.82 to 56.63 metres, grading 4.27% copper, 16.61 g/t gold, 13.98% zinc, 205.8 g/t silver, and 1.44% lead. This is followed by a copper-rich section from 56.63 to 71.00 metres, grading 8.37% copper, 7.83 g/t gold, 2.58% zinc, 67.5 g/t silver and 0.07% lead. The remaining massive sulphide is predominantly pyritic from 71.00 to 78.84 metres with negligible base and precious metals. Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Thickness (m) Cu (%) Au (g/t) Zn (%) Ag (g/t) Pb (%) CuEq(1) (%) Approx. True Thickness (m) CURI-336 42.37 54.82 12.45 0.07 1.71 0.29 8.4 0.11 1.46 11.83 including 46.31 54.82 8.51 0.09 2.18 0.32 9.8 0.12 1.83 8.08 54.82 78.84 24.02 5.41 6.40 2.68 58.6 0.15 11.45 22.82 including 54.82 56.63 1.81 4.27 16.61 13.98 205.8 1.44 23.65 1.72 including 56.63 71.00 14.37 8.37 7.83 2.58 67.5 0.07 15.39 1.37 including 71.00 78.84 7.84 0.25 1.41 0.27 8.2 0.01 1.40 7.45 78.84 86.70 7.86 0.02 0.94 0.03 3.9 0.02 0.71 7.47 (1) Metal equivalency based on US$3.25/lb Cu, US$1,500/oz Au, US$1.30/lb Zn, US$23/oz Ag and US$1.10/lb Pb; noting that no adjustments were made in the metal equivalency calculation for metal recovery, as this is still an early stage project CURI-337 intersected a faulted, gold-rich grainstone unit from 107.00 to 119.88 metres, grading 0.23% copper, 2.41 g/t gold, 0.97% zinc, 49.3 g/t silver, and 0.22% lead. A subset of the interval had higher grades from 108.00 to 109.70 metres, grading 0.37% copper, 6.22 g/t gold, 2.17% zinc, 161.0 g/t silver, and 0.76% lead. The drill hole was lost in a fault zone at 124.50 metres but did intersect massive sulphide mineralization from 119.88 to 122.61 metres, grading 3.31% copper, 11.50 g/t gold, 22.87% zinc, 457.2 g/t silver, and 0.44% lead. Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Thickness (m) Cu (%) Au (g/t) Zn (%) Ag (g/t) Pb (%) CuEq(1) (%) Approx. True Thickness (m) CURI-337 107.00 119.88 12.88 0.23 2.41 0.97 49.3 0.22 2.82 11.59 including 108.00 109.70 1.70 0.37 6.22 2.17 161.0 0.76 7.34 1.53 119.88 122.61 2.73 3.31 11.50 22.87 457.2 0.44 25.07 2.46 (1) Metal equivalency based on US$3.25/lb Cu, US$1,500/oz Au, US$1.30/lb Zn, US$23/oz Ag and US$1.10/lb Pb; noting that no adjustments were made in the metal equivalency calculation for metal recovery, as this is still an early stage project Drill holes CURI-325, CURI-327, CURI-329 and CURI-331 were designed to test the limits of the known massive sulphide mineralization and further assess the pit wall geology. These drill holes all intersected favourable strata; however, no semi-massive to massive sulphide mineralization was intersected, but rather narrow, sporadic low-grade hydrothermal breccia units in footwall dacite volcaniclastic rocks. CURI-335, which was also designed for the same purpose, did intersect 4.87 metres of low-grade hydrothermal breccia mineralization from 48.80 to 53.67 metres grading 0.58% copper, 0.15 g/t gold, 3.80% zinc, 12.1 g/t silver and 0.01% lead. Other Results In the Sesmo area, technical staff conducted a thorough assessment of 2018 drill holes due to the subtle nature of mineralization in order to relate their observations back to study positive assay results from CURI-254, CURI-254A, and CURI-274 (see April 30, 2018 and September 6, 2018 news releases). Several drill holes were selected for resampling including CURI-258, CURI-263, CURI- 267 and CURI-271, but except for some geochemically anomalous narrow intervals, no significant results have been returned. Subsequent drill holes CURI-307, CURI-308, CURI-313, and CURI-321 at the main showing similarly returned geochemically anomalous narrow intervals, and no significant results. Technical staff are continuing their assessment of this interesting target area through prospecting, geological mapping, and 2019 airborne geophysical survey results to further enhance future targeting. Technical Information and Quality Control & Quality Assurance ("QAQC") The Curipamba project work program is being managed and reviewed by Vice President Exploration, Jason Dunning, M.Sc., P.Geo., a Qualified Person within the meaning of NI 43-101. Salazar staff collect and process samples that are securely sealed and shipped to Bureau Veritas ("BV") in Quito for sample preparation that includes crushing and milling to prepare pulps that are then split for shipment to their facility in Lima, Peru for analysis. All assay data have undergone internal validation of QAQC; noting there is an established sampling control program with blind insertion of assay blanks, certified industry standards and sample duplicates for the Curipamba project. A QAQC program is also in place at BV and includes insertion of blanks, standards and duplicate reanalysis of selected samples. BV's quality system complies with the requirements for the International Standards ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 17025: 1999. At BV, gold is analyzed by classical fire assay techniques with an ICP-AES finish, and both silver and base metals are analyzed by a 44-element aqua regia ICP-AES technique. Overlimit protocols are in place for gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc. Infill drilling continues to yield intercepts of high-grade, copper- and gold-rich semi-massive to massive sulphide mineralization within the open-pit constrained Mineral Resource update for the El Domo VMS deposit completed by RPA. The Indicated Mineral Resource totals 8.8 million tonnes grading 1.62% copper, 2.34 g/t gold, 2.42% zinc, 48.0 g/t silver, and 0.27% lead. The Inferred Mineral Resource totals 2.6 million tonnes grading 1.29% copper, 1.09 g/t gold, 1.51% zinc, 29.0 g/t silver, and 0.14% lead (see January 31, 2018 news release). The National Instrument ("NI") 43-101 Technical Report was authored by Independent Qualified Person Dr. Lars Weiershauser, P.Geo., of RPA (based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) who is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. The locations of all drill holes referenced in this press release are shown on the Curipamba project drill plan map, which is available on the Adventus website. Drill hole collars referenced in this news release for both infill and Sesmo area exploration drilling are presented in separate Tables at the end of this news release. Qualified Person The technical information of this news release has been reviewed and verified as accurate by Mr. Jason Dunning, M.Sc., P.Geo., Vice President Exploration for Adventus, a non-Independent Qualified Person, as defined by NI 43-101. About Adventus Adventus is a well-financed exploration and project development company, focused primarily in Ecuador. Its strategic shareholders include Altius Minerals Corporation, Greenstone Resources LP, Resource Capital Funds, and Wheaton Precious Metals Corp.; as well as other highly respected investors in the mining business. The focus of Adventus is the advancement of the Curipamba copper-gold-zinc project in Ecuador as part of an earn-in agreement to obtain a 75% ownership interest. In addition, Adventus is engaged in a country-wide exploration alliance with its partners in Ecuador, incorporating two projects to date. Elsewhere globally, Adventus owns a large prospective mineral land package in Ireland totalling 1,950 km2 and, through its ownership interest in Canstar Resources Inc., is actively participating in the exploration upside of a prospective mineral land package in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada totalling 550 km2. Adventus is based in Toronto, Canada, and is listed on the TSX-V under the symbol ADZN and trades on the OTCQX under the symbol ADVZF. About Salazar Salazar is a publicly-listed mineral resource company engaged in the exploration and development of new highly prospective areas in Ecuador. Led by a senior Ecuadorian management team and most notably by its namesake Fredy Salazar, this team has been instrumental in other major discoveries throughout Ecuador, including Aurelian's Fruta Del Norte discovery, Mozo Deposit, Ex Newmont's Cangrejos Project and International Minerals Rio Blanco and Gaby Deposit. Being an Ecuadorian-based company gives the Company a strategic advantage enabling the Company to complete exploration at a rapid pace. With an excellent property portfolio (6 projects 33,383 hectares), good geopolitical positioning and a number of strategic corporate and financial partnerships, Salazar has positioned itself to be a strategic player in Ecuador. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This press release contains "forward -looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "is expected", "scheduled", "estimates", "pending", "intends", "plans", "forecasts", "targets", or "hopes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "will", "should" "might", "will be taken", or "occur" and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information herein includes, but is not limited to, statements that address activities, events or developments that Adventus and Salazar expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future. Although Adventus and Salazar have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Adventus and Salazar undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Table: Drill Collar Information for Infill Drill Holes in News Release 19-05 Hole ID EAST NORTH ELEV AZIMUTH DIP DEPTH CURI-324 695109 9855451 953.0 347 -77 177.0 CURI-325 695151 9855600 941.0 115 -65 85.0 CURI-326 695143 9855500 953.0 30 -65 186.0 CURI-327 695104 9855600 943.0 210 -80 123.0 CURI-328 695143 9855500 953.0 121 -71 162.0 CURI-329 695041 9855550 938.0 140 -71 90.5 CURI-330 695138 9855550 951.0 240 -65 148.5 CURI-331 695138 9855550 951.0 4 -74 153.0 CURI-332 695073 9855271 933.0 195 -83 135.0 CURI-333 695000 9855250 904.0 195 -65 129.0 CURI-334 695052 9855650 923.0 12 -68 81.0 CURI-335 695052 9855650 923.0 135 -65 87.0 CURI-336 694971 9855245 882.0 59 -71 111.0 CURI-337 695189 9855401 970.0 82 -77 124.5 Note: UTM Datum (Provisional South American 1956, Zone 17) Table: Drill Collar Information for Sesmo area in News Release 19-05 Hole ID EAST NORTH ELEV. AZIMUTH DIP DEPTH CURI-258 695261 9856162 811.0 325 -50 291.0 CURI-267 694541 9856939 643.4 90 -80 355.5 CURI-271 695004 9856400 817.0 270 -70 129.0 CURI-307 694683 9856504 789.2 30 -70 133.0 CURI-308 694672 9856580 786.0 30 -70 185.9 CURI-313 694755 9856532 809.0 30 -60 246.0 CURI-321 694871 9856647 770.5 325 -75 216.0 Note: UTM Datum (Provisional South American 1956, Zone 17) SOURCE Adventus Zinc Corporation Related Links www.salazarresources.com CHICAGO, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Adult beverages play a huge part in attracting customers and the on-premise channel is vital to an alcohol brand's success. Technomic's On-Premise Intelligence Report, developed with Beverage Marketing Corporation, examines trends in the on-premise market as consumers' demands for quality, variety and authenticity increase and their flavor preferences shift. This report acts as a guide for on-premise operators and adult beverage brand marketers to better understand consumer attitudes, behaviors and usage. Some highlights include: Slow to Grow: Identifying growth brands, categories and subsegments, as well as targeting key consumer groups and occasions, is crucial as alcohol sales growth continues to lag total food and beverage growth in the channel. Identifying growth brands, categories and subsegments, as well as targeting key consumer groups and occasions, is crucial as alcohol sales growth continues to lag total food and beverage growth in the channel. Margaritas Waning?: With cocktail innovation accelerating, margaritas face stiff competition for drink menu space from restaurant originals and unique specialty drinks. With cocktail innovation accelerating, margaritas face stiff competition for drink menu space from restaurant originals and unique specialty drinks. Italian Imports: Challenges remain for wine, but imports from Italy have traction, with Italian wine varietals among the fastest-growing red wines on menus last year and prosecco also gaining menu placement. Challenges remain for wine, but imports from have traction, with Italian wine varietals among the fastest-growing red wines on menus last year and prosecco also gaining menu placement. Properly Briefed Bartenders: Consumers' knowledge of drink selections and quality is expanding along with their expectations of bartenders' expertise. This report includes channel, category and brand performance metrics, consumer insights and menu trend information developed via primary research. To provide enhanced consumer insights, profiles of Technomic's Drinker Archetypes are included, using psychographic and attitudinal metrics to identify archetypes and deliver insights around motivations. Contact: Press inquiries: Donna Hood Crecca, (631) 265-3839, [email protected] Purchasing details: Patrick Noone, (312) 506-3852, [email protected] Beverage Marketing Corporation contact: Gary Hemphill, (646) 313-1958, [email protected] About Beverage Marketing Corporation New York City-based Beverage Marketing Corporation is the leading consulting, research and advisory services firm dedicated to the global beverage industry. Visit Beverage Marketing Corporation at http://www.beveragemarketing.com. About Technomic Technomic, Inc., a Winsight company, was founded as a management consulting firm in 1966. Since then, Technomic's services have grown to encompass cloud-based B2B research tools, consumer and menu trend tracking, as well as other leading strategic research and analytic capabilities, to prioritize and size business opportunities. Our clients include food manufacturers and distributors, restaurants, retailers and multiple other business verticals aligned with the food industry that are looking to make informed decisions to support their business growth. Visit Technomic at www.technomic.com. SOURCE Technomic Related Links https://www.technomic.com VALLEY COTTAGE, New York, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The 3D cell culture market revenues surpassed US$ 778 million in 2018, as per a new FMI study. The market is estimated to grow at 7.8% y-o-y in 2019; key factors responsible for the projected market growth include, A steady rise in global research and development expenditure Efforts to leverage the potential of 3D cell culture to replace animal model testing Increasing demand for biosimilar products Extensive application of stem cell research and a growing emphasis on regenerative medicine "While 2D cell culture revolutionized the research efforts in stem cells, tissue engineering and molecular biology, 3D cell culture has pushed the boundaries of traditional 2D cell culture technique with functional superiority. As the R&D efforts continue to rise in a bid to investigate the cause of different diseases and improve human health, 3D cell culture is set to remain a highly sought-after technique in the coming years," says FMI. Request a Sample Report with Table of Contents and Figures: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2843 The FMI study finds that scaffold-based 3D cell culture techniques are highly preferred over scaffold free 3D cell culture. Owing to a significant adoption of scaffold-based 3D cell culture, study finds that this techniques garnered over 81% of the global market revenues. Scaffold based 3D cell culture techniques deliver researchers with additional functional operations in terms of material natural or synthetic and different mechanical properties. The technique uses either hydrogel-based support or polymeric hard material based support. Both types of supports find equivalent penetration in terms of application, however revenues garnered from polymeric hard material based support are higher. According to the study, revenues of polymeric hard material based support held over half the scaffold-based 3D cell culture technique revenues in 2018 and the trend is expected to continue in the future. Buy this report: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/2843 Application of 3D Cell Culture in Cancer Research Prominent The FMI study estimates that 3D cell culture application in cancer research accounted for over 31% of the 3D cell culture market revenues in 2018. Cell culture is an integral part of cancer drug discovery practices. Greater strides are underway in the field to precisely characterize the diseases and develop advanced tumor cell lines using 3D cell culture techniques. 2D culture lines are considered as a standard for in vitro pre-clinical cancer treatment screening. However, more recently, the field is turning to 3D cell culture techniques to implement an ideal experimental model that mimics the human body environment to its best. Stem cell technology is another lucrative field for 3D cell culture market. According to the FMI study, application in stem cell technology accounted for over one-fourth of the 3D cell culture market revenues in 2018. While 2D cell culture posed challenges of scalability in stem cell technology, apart from few challenges, 3D cell culture has provided greater density and multi-fold expansion of the culture system in stem cell technology. Other fields that utilize 3D cell culture techniques are tissue regeneration, regenerative medicine and drug discovery. Preview Analysis of 3D Cell Culture Market is segmented by (Product type - scaffold-free 3D cell culture & scaffold-based 3D cell culture; Application - drug discovery, tissue regeneration & regenerative medicines, cancer research, stem cell technology, and others; End user - biotechnology and pharmaceuticals industries, hospital laboratories, academic research and institutes, and contract research organizations;) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2018-2028: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/3d-cell-culture-market Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industries - Prominent End-Users The study reveals that the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries were accounted for over one-fifth of the global 3D cell culture market revenues in 2018. Buoyancy in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries can be profitable for the 3D cell culture market in the coming years and over 9% growth is projected in 2019 over 2019. Academic research institutes are the second prominent end-users of 3D cell cultures wherein they accounted for over one-fourth of the global 3d cell culture revenues in 2018. Government funding in cancer research projects carried out at academic institutes and organizations has increased significantly, thereby supporting the investments in advanced technologies including 3D cell culture techniques. Revenues in North America Continue to Surge North America continued to spearhead the revenues of 3D cell culture market during the historical period and the status-quo is likely to continue in the future. In 2018, North America accounted for over two-fifth of the global 3D cell culture market revenues. The study estimates that regional revenues are expected to grow at 8% in 2019 over 2018. Funding in research and development, especially in cancer research remains higher in the United States as compared to other developed countries. Europe also presents significant funding in R&D activities. The FMI study finds that over one-fourth of the 3D cell culture market revenues were accounted for the Europe region in 2018, of which a bulk of revenues come from Western European countries such as Germany, the UK, France, Italy and Spain. The FMI report tracks the 3D cell culture market for the period 2018-2028. According to the report, the 3D cell culture market is projected to grow at 9.9% CAGR through 2028. For more insights, write in to FMI analysts at [email protected] Our advisory services are aimed at helping you with specific, customized insights that are relevant to your specific challenges. Let us know about your challenges and our trusted advisors will connect with you: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-the-analyst/rep-gb-2843 More from Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals and Medical devices Market Intelligence: About Us Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights and an aerial view of the competitive framework and future market trends. Browse More Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals and Medical devices Market Insights Contact Us 616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018, Valley Cottage, NY 10989, United States T: +1-347-918-3531 F: +1-845-579-5705 T (UK): +44(0)20-7692-8790 Sales: [email protected] Press Office: [email protected] Blog: Market Research Blog Website: https:www.futuremarketinsights.com SOURCE Future Market Insights This year's event saluted the shared core value of conservation that connects bird lovers, outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen from across the country. Hosted by notable actress and National Audubon Society board member Lili Taylor , the avian-inspired evening highlighted the beauty of birds and the natural habitats they depend on nationwide, from elegant ponds on guests' tables with Gadwall Duck decoys to projecting an aerial spectacle of realistic Ospreys, Bald Eagles and American White Pelicans flying across the ceiling of the Plaza Hotel. "Wherever Americans love birds and cherish the land, you'll find Audubon. In today's political climate, reasonable advocates for bird-friendly conservation have the opportunity to create the rarest of places and you won't find it on a topographic map or in a field guide it's called common ground," said David Yarnold, president and CEO of National Audubon Society (@david_yarnold). "Our membership is 45% moderate and conservative and 55% progressive a profile that few organizations share. And we're leaning into that very diverse base with an action fund to promote bipartisan solutions." One of Audubon's most esteemed honors in conservation, the Audubon Medal, was presented to the founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops, Johnny Morris and Family. Since 1978, Morris has worked with every Republican and Democratic presidential administration to advance significant conservation issues and inspired his four children to follow in his conservation footsteps, both in their business endeavors and philanthropy. Most recently, Morris founded the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium the largest, most immersive conservation attraction in the world in his hometown of Springfield, Missouri to allow new audiences, particularly younger generations, to discover nature and the outdoors. "To be awarded the Audubon medal is one of the proudest and most humbling experiences of my life. To be included among the other 58 conservationists to receive this high honor alongside such visionary leaders as Walt Disney, J.N. 'Ding' Darling, President Jimmy Carter and others, is a great honor. I'm very proud to share this with my family, and our extended family the many passionate, conservation-minded people in our company and the sportsmen and women we are blessed to serve," said noted conservationist and Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris. "What many people don't realize is that John James Audubon and President Theodore Roosevelt were not only heroes in conservation, they were also sportsmen and hunters. Over many hours spent in the field hunting, they gained a better appreciation for our nation's fish and wildlife and the habitats required to sustain them," added Morris. "I hope they are both looking down smiling and happy that we are all here as one united, inclusive family working with passion to carry on the important mission they outlined for us many years ago to be good stewards of God's creation and to protect the wild places so that future generations, our kids and grandkids, can have the same opportunities we have to experience the wonders of the natural world." The Dan W. Lufkin Prize for Environmental Leadership honored J. Drew Lanham, Ph.D., alumni distinguished professor of wildlife ecology, master teacher and certified wildlife biologist at Clemson University, for his lifelong dedication to on-the-ground conservation. During his twenty years at Clemson, Dr. Lanham led groundbreaking research to understand the impacts of forest management on wildlife as well as explored the relationship between humans and nature. As an acclaimed author and poet, a member of the National Audubon Society Board of Directors, and chair of the Advisory Board of Audubon South Carolina, Lanham is a trailblazer inspiring a new and diverse generation of conservationists within the Audubon and environmental communities. "Humanity and our wellbeing are inextricably linked to the wellbeing of birds. Beyond Audubon, beyond a certain set of people, I am now able to hopefully make people look at Audubon in the future and say, 'They love birds but are also thinking about the world in a larger sense,'" said J. Drew Lanham, Ph.D. "Nature is us, it's all of us. Conservation is a job for all of us and that's what I hope to see expanded, where hunters and non-hunters come together in a place that we understand conservation is central to both of us and in a way that makes all of us conservationists." In addition to raising $1.45M before the gala, an enthusiastic and heartfelt night ended with more than $2.5M raised for Audubon's conservation efforts, moving the elated audience of more than 300 guests to a room full of applause. Guests during the evening also enjoyed musical performances from distinguished country music artist John Anderson, who performed the fitting "An Occasional Eagle" and popular "Seminole Wind". Notable guests included: David Yarnold, Johnny Morris & Family, Jane Alexander, John Anderson, Coleman Burke, Sasha DiGiulian, Joe Ellis, David B. Ford, George Golumbeski, Jim Greenwood, Dan'l Lewin, Buddy Huffaker, Gary Knell, Carlotta Kohl, Adrienne Lufkin, Dan Lufkin, Grainger McKoy, Floride McKoy, Collin O'Mara, Erik Osterholm, Alan Patricof, Allison Rockefeller, Simon Roosevelt, Lili Taylor, David Walentas, Margaret Walker and more. National Audubon Society The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education and on-the-ground conservation. Audubon's state programs, nature centers, chapters and partners have an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire and unite diverse communities in conservation action. Since 1905, Audubon's vision has been a world in which people and wildlife thrive. Audubon is a nonprofit conservation organization. Learn more how to help at www.audubon.org and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @audubonsociety. SOURCE National Audubon Society Related Links http://www.audubon.org "Buyers have heard that the market has slowed, so now they're trying to get all of their 'wants,' not just their 'needs,'" said Palo Alto Redfin agent Kalena Masching. "They're waiting until they find a home that can check more boxesfor instance three bedrooms instead of two or a higher rated school. In general they are being more judicious as they think through their purchase. Meanwhile, many sellers have not yet recognized that the market has shifted." Portland, Denver and San Diego were the most competitive housing markets in January, but bidding war rates were low compared to last year. Each saw less than one out of five Redfin offers face a bidding war, down from more than half in January 2018. The least competitive housing markets in January were Miami (3%), Dallas (6%), and Houston (6%). In these markets, more than one-third of Redfin offers were facing competition a year ago. The rate of bidding wars was down dramatically in every market for which Redfin tracks this data, with the biggest percentage-point declines coming in the San Francisco Bay Area (-64 points), Los Angeles (-57 points), and Seattle (-54 points). The smallest declines were in Austin (-11 points), Raleigh (-13 points), and Chicago (-29 points). The table below is a list of bidding war rates for each of the largest metro areas Redfin agents serve: Rank Metro Area Share of Redfin Offers that Faced Competition (Jan. 2019) Share of Redfin Offers that Faced Competition (Jan. 2018) Share of Redfin Offers that Faced Competition (Dec. 2018) 1 Portland, OR 19% 53% 8% 2 Denver, CO 19% 54% 17% 3 San Diego, CA 18% 63% 16% 4 San Francisco, CA 18% 82% 20% 5 Raleigh, NC 18% 31% 0% 6 Los Angeles, CA 16% 73% 14% 7 Seattle, WA 15% 69% 14% 8 Boston, MA 14% 53% 18% 9 Phoenix, AZ 14% 43% 12% 10 Austin, TX 14% 25% 5% 11 Atlanta, GA 12% 41% 6% 12 Sacramento, CA 11% 58% 4% 13 Philadelphia, PA 10% 44% 18% 14 Washington, D.C. 10% 48% 7% 15 Chicago, IL 10% 39% 12% 16 Houston, TX 6% 40% 11% 17 Dallas, TX 6% 39% 10% 18 Miami, FL 3% 37% 9% To read the full bidding war report, complete with visualized historical data, visit: https://www.redfin.com/blog/2019/02/bidding-wars-now-uncommon.html. About Redfin Redfin ( www.redfin.com ) is the next-generation real estate brokerage, combining its own full-service agents with modern technology to redefine real estate in the consumer's favor. Founded by software engineers, Redfin has the country's #1 brokerage website and offers a host of online tools to consumers, including the Redfin Estimate , the automated home-value estimate with the industry's lowest published error rate for listed homes. Homebuyers and sellers enjoy a full-service, technology-powered experience from Redfin real estate agents, while saving thousands in commissions. Redfin serves more than 80 major metro areas across the U.S. The company has closed more than $60 billion in home sales. For more information or to contact a local Redfin real estate agent, visit www.redfin.com . To learn about housing market trends and download data, visit the Redfin Data Center . To be added to Redfin's press release distribution list, subscribe here . To view Redfin's press center, click here . SOURCE Redfin Related Links http://www.redfin.com After so many years of friendship, knowing his music so well and being so proud of him, I had to be here just for him, Falletta said. The other nominees are so talented, and you never know if youre going to win or why, but its just very exciting and very glamorous here. Winning this for Kenneths work really makes it special. NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Women Presidents' Educational Organization (WPEO) is pleased to announce that its New York and Washington, D.C. offices are the Regional Partner Organizations serving as host councils for the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) National Conference & Business Fair. A signature WBENC annual event, it is the largest conference of its kind for women business owners in the U.S. and will be held at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland, June 25 27, 2019. Attendees will include Women's Business Enterprises (WBEs); senior executives and procurement representatives from the Fortune 500 and the U.S. Government; and select partner organizations whose missions align with WBENC's vision of expanding women's business opportunities in the marketplace. The theme of this year's conference is Ecosystems: Connect. Grow. Thrive. and promises full immersion into a dynamic network of entrepreneurs and professionals, all dedicated to increasing opportunities for women-owned businesses. The 2019 WBENC National Conference & Business Fair Host Committee is co-chaired by Jennifer Collins, President & CEO of JDC Events and Lynne Marie Finn, President & CEO of Broadleaf Results, Inc. Host Committee members are WBENC-Certified Women's Business Enterprises (WBEs) from a multitude of industries representing the Host Councils. The objective of the Host Committee is to represent WBENC as the official ambassadors, providing information about the conference, its goal, mission and content. In addition, they serve as spokespeople on behalf of the 2019 WBENC National Conference & Business Fair to local, regional and national media outlets, to reach prospective constituents with interest in the development of WBEs. Host Committee Members Kathleen Benson CEO, ORI Results CEO, Loren Breslow , President, Command Marketing Innovations , President, Command Marketing Innovations Jacqueline Cleary - CEO, Atlas - CEO, Atlas Lois Gamerman President & CEO, Soft Stuff Distributors Inc. President & CEO, Soft Stuff Distributors Inc. Bev Gray President & CEO, Exhibit Edge, Inc. President & CEO, Exhibit Edge, Inc. Kay Hamilton President & CEO, The Hamilton Group President & CEO, The Hamilton Group Gia Machlin Founder & CEO, Ecoplum Inc. Founder & CEO, Ecoplum Inc. Dee C. Marshall CEO, Diverse & Engaged CEO, Diverse & Engaged Jayne Millard Chairman & CEO, Turtle & Hughes, Inc. Chairman & CEO, Turtle & Hughes, Inc. Carol Muszynski President, Eighth Day Design President, Eighth Day Design Sharon L. Olzerowicz President & CEO, Hired by Matrix President & CEO, Hired by Matrix Hetal Parikh President, Rangam Consultants Inc. President, Rangam Consultants Inc. Avis Yates Rivers CEO, Technology Concepts Group International LLC CEO, Technology Concepts Group International LLC Hallie Satz CEO, Managing Partner HighRoad Press, LLC CEO, Managing Partner HighRoad Press, LLC Jackie Smith President, New Kent Coatings, Inc. President, New Kent Coatings, Inc. Susan Wright President, Marlboro Group International LLC "We are very proud to host the 2019 WBENC National Conference & Business Fair. The Ecosystems theme is a provocative one, given the critical importance of interconnectivity and cooperation in today's business landscape. For an ecosystem to thrive, all participants need to dynamically interact with each other, through both competition and cooperation, to jointly adapt to external disruptions," said Marsha Firestone, President and Founder, Women Presidents' Educational Organization, NY and DC. Sandra Eberhard, Executive Director, WPEO DC said, "Women's Business Enterprises are stronger together than apart to address the rapidly changing business marketplace. We need to adapt and evolve as a community to continue to be a powerful force in economic growth." To learn more about the conference and to register, please go here. About WBENC WBENC is the largest third-party certifier of businesses owned, controlled, and operated by women in the United States. WBENC partners with 14 Regional Partner Organizations (RPOs) to provide its world-class standard of certification to women-owned businesses throughout the country. WBENC is also the nation's leading advocate of women-owned businesses and entrepreneurs. Throughout the year, WBENC provides business development opportunities for member corporations, government agencies and more than 15,000 certified women-owned businesses at events and other forums. Learn more about WBENC. Check us out on LinkedIn and Instagram. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. About The WPEO The Women Presidents' Educational Organization (WPEO) is a regional affiliate of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nation's premier third-party certification organization for Women's Business Enterprises (WBEs). The mission of the WPEO is to create increased access to business opportunities for WBEs. Its programs develop skills and knowledge for WBEs, advocate in the public and private sectors, foster relationships between WBEs, corporations and the government, and provide full service, third-party certification to women entrepreneurs in areas that include New York, Northern New Jersey, Southern Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. WPEO is incorporated in the state of New York and is recognized as a 501(c) (3) organization. For more information please visit www.wpeo.us or call (212) 688-4114. Follow us on Twitter @WPEONYDC. Like us on Facebook @TheWPEO Contact: Susan Johnson [email protected] 212-688-4114 Office 917-601-5778 Mobile SOURCE Women Presidents' Educational Organization Related Links http://www.wpeo.us Tru Kids Brands will be led by Richard Barry, the former global chief merchandising officer at Toys"R"Us, who will serve as President & CEO along with an experienced management team that includes Matthew Finigan as CFO, James Young as EVP of Global License Management & General Counsel, and Jean-Daniel Gatignol as SVP of Global Sourcing & Brands. The company also appointed brand management veteran Yehuda Shmidman as Vice Chairman to advise on global strategy and execution. Shmidman is the CEO of Wave Hill Partners, and the former CEO of Sequential Brands Group. For over 70 years, Toys"R"Us has celebrated the joys of childhood with kids of all ages and Babies"R"Us has been the destination for all new and expecting parents. Geoffrey the Giraffe, the beloved mascot of Toys"R"Us for more than 50 years, is adored by kids and their families all around the world. This brand power remains as Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us generated over $3 billion in global retail sales in 2018 through more than 900 stores and e-commerce businesses in 30+ countries across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. In the U.S., Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us continue to have incredibly strong brand affinity and loyalty with more than 9.5 million followers across their social media channels. "Despite unprecedented efforts to capture the U.S. market share this past holiday season, there is still a significant gap and huge consumer demand for the trusted experience that Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us delivers," said Richard Barry, President & CEO of Tru Kids Brands. "We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to write the next chapter of Toys"R"Us by launching a newly imagined omni channel retail experience for our beloved brands here in the U.S. In addition, our strong global footprint is led by experienced and passionate operating teams that are 100% focused on growth." Global partners include Al Futtaim Sons Co. LLC (UAE), Green Swan (Iberia), Keshet-Hypertoy Ltd (Israel), Lotte Shopping Co. Ltd (S. Korea), Marketing Services and Commercial Projects Operation Company (Saudi Arabia), Tablez & Toyz Private Ltd. (India), and Toys (Labuan) Holding Ltd. in partnership with Fung Retailing Ltd. (Asia). The Company will work closely with each to expand the Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us businesses in their respective markets as well as actively seek opportunities to bring the brands to new and emerging territories. Tru Kids' global partners are set to bring the joy of Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us to more customers through the opening of 70 stores this year in Asia, India and Europe and the development of new e-commerce platforms in several key markets. Tru Kids will be headquartered in New Jersey with a skilled team of returning Toys"R"Us employees. "We have an incredible team focused on bringing Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us back in a completely new and reimagined way, so the U.S. doesn't have to go through another holiday without these beloved brands," added Barry. Further updates on the U.S. business strategy to follow. Tru Kids Brands Tru KidsTM is the parent of beloved brands, including Toys"R"Us, Babies"R"Us, Geoffrey the Giraffe, Journey Girls, Fastlane, True Heroes, You & Me, Imaginarium, and Just Like Home. Established in January 2019, Tru Kids is focused on growing its family of brands through innovative partnerships that deliver kid-and-parent-focused experiences that expand beyond traditional retails concepts in the physical and digital spaces. The company delivers a wealth of services to our valued license partners around the world, in addition to design and development of over 20 additional established consumer brands. The company has offices in New Jersey, USA, Hong Kong & Shenzhen, China. Tru Kids is a new company celebrating over 70 years of heritage with an expert team focused on families, kids, and play. Learn more at trukidsbrands.com. SOURCE Tru Kids Brands Related Links http://trukidsbrands.com NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sikorsky's subsidiary Associated Aircraft Group (AAG) and Fly Blade, Inc ("BLADE"), a digitally-powered aviation company, announced an agreement today to provide a new on-demand urban mobility option in the New York City metro area. AAG is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT). Through the agreement, AAG will provide and operate a dedicated S-76C+ helicopter for BLADE, to be flown and maintained by Sikorsky pilots and maintenance technicians. BLADE also will gain access to AAG's full fleet of Sikorsky helicopters, the largest in the Northeast, as needed. Additionally, the agreement establishes a working group to explore how AAG can best leverage BLADE's consumer, cockpit and operator technology platform. "As a leader in vertical flight, Sikorsky is always looking to explore new market opportunities," said Sikorsky Vice President, Commercial Systems & Services, Audrey Brady. "Vertical lift becomes increasingly important as cities grow, and this relationship allows us to gain critical insights to emerging needs in that space." "Manhattan already is the largest short-distance aviation market in the world. The influx of record new construction coupled with unprecedented ground traffic will only serve to heighten the value proposition of helicopter travel," said Rob Wiesenthal, BLADE's CEO. "By combining Sikorsky's decades of vertical flight expertise and AAG's thousands of flight hours with BLADE's technology, dedicated lounge infrastructure and customer experience, we have created a fully integrated urban air mobility platform in the market where it is needed and valued the most." BLADE is now utilizing a Sikorsky S-76 aircraft for several northeastern routes, flying from Manhattan directly to area airports, Boston, Washington, D.C., and other business and leisure destinations in the Northeast. Flights are available today on-demand through BLADE's proprietary mobile app. Sikorsky has delivered more than 875 S-76 helicopters to customers globally since 1977, contributing daily to a growing total of more than 7.25 million flight hours. The S-76 aircraft is well known for its Head of State and VIP transportation work, and is the longest running VIP helicopter in the market. Today, it continues dependable service for these mission segments and others, including offshore oil, Search and Rescue and Helicopter Air Ambulance transportation. About Lockheed Martin Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 105,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. About AAG: Associated Aircraft Group has been the premier executive helicopter company in the northeastern United States for more than 25 years. Providing clients a range of services, including private charter, fractional ownership, aircraft management and maintenance. AAG has over 58,000 safe flying hours and operates S-76 helicopters exclusively. About BLADE: BLADE is a digitally-powered aviation company and the largest arranger of helicopter flights for civilian travel in the United States. By leveraging its technology backbone, strategic lounge network of 10 dedicated properties, and its partnerships with over 30 aviation operators, the company has expanded its offerings from one route in one state to 22 core routes in seven U.S. states. BLADE has proven to grow the size of the short distance aviation market in the areas in which it operates. Over 75 percent of BLADE's first-time helicopter passengers have never flown in a helicopter before flying BLADE. For more information, visit www.flyblade.com SOURCE Lockheed Martin Related Links http://www.lockheedmartin.com "We want our customers and industry representatives to know that we are in no way affiliated with these other entities or individuals, including Nitrotin, Inc. and its principals, Brent MacNeil, Lenard Walser, Brendan Pogue, and Eric Marciniak." Scott Martin, Chief Executive Officer of N2 Packaging. N2 Packaging remains the sole and exclusive provider of its patented nitrogen-based packaging systems, which provides a unique process of packaging controlled substances in a hermetically sealed container. This process preserves the contents and greatly extends the shelf life of the customer's products. The company warns consumers to be wary of anyone outside of N2 Packaging who may reach out to them about their packaging process. N2 Packaging has not authorized Nitrotin or its affiliates to market or sell its products, and cannot guarantee that any of the packaging systems purportedly sold by Nitrotin or others meet the rigorous quality control standards imposed at N2 Packaging. In addition, N2 Packing's CEO wants consumers to know: "We value our customers and are committed to ensuring the quality of our patented packaging process as well as protecting our intellectual property." N2 Packaging invites those wanting to learn more about the company's proprietary packaging process to reach out to its representatives. Please send inquiries to: Scott Martin, our President/CEO, at [email protected] or (866) 513-0774. Greg Bloxham, our Director of Sales, at [email protected] or (866) 513-0774. N2 Packaging welcomes and looks forward to answering questions about its packaging process. About N2 Packaging Systems, LLC N2 Packaging Systems is an Arizona-based packaging company that offers innovative packaging solutions for the cannabis industry. N2's patented process is cornerstone to their mission of collaborating with licensed, reputable businesses to provide a packaging solution that consistently delivers high quality product through a compliant, sustainable process. N2's emphasis on quality control, product preservation, and compliance provides a superior packaging option that meets the needs of cultivators, regulators and consumers. Greg Bloxham (866) 513-0774 [email protected] SOURCE N2 Packaging Systems, LLC Related Links https://www.n2pack.com This certification permits the use of both of the EnvirOganic and Envirocann logos on all of our products. The EnvirOganic certification reflects that we have met all of Envirocann standards regarding state and local environmental compliance and that we are using only organic materials and the best management practices, including regenerative land stewardship. For more information visit: www.envirocann.com "Consumers in the cannabis marketplace deserve a product they can trust from a farm dedicated to top shelf cultivation. This EnvirOganic Certification proves that we can validate our commitment to craft cannabis." Kurt Keating, Director Of Operations ABOUT LIHT CANNABIS CORP. www.lihtcannabis.com Liht Cannabis Corp. is a publicly traded company investing in the medical and recreational cannabis space, since 2014. Liht has rapidly expanded to include cultivation, production and dispensary locations in the key North American states of Washington, Nevada, and California, and are seeking expansion opportunities worldwide. SOCIAL MEDIA: twitter.com facebook.com STOCK EXCHANGES: Liht trades in Canada, ticker symbol LIHT on the CSE, in the United States, ticker symbol LIHTF on the OTCQX. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider, nor the OTCQX has approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the CSE nor the OTCQX accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. MARIJUANA INDUSTRY INVOLVEMENT: Canadian listings (CSE) will remain in good standing as long as they provide the disclosure that is rightly required by regulators and complying with applicable licensing requirements and the regulatory framework enacted by the applicable state in which they operate. Liht owns marijuana licenses in California and Nevada. Marijuana is legal in each state however marijuana remains illegal under US federal law and the approach to enforcement of US federal law against marijuana is subject to change. Shareholders and investors need to be aware that adverse enforcement actions could affect their investments and that Liht's ability to access private and public capital could be affected and or could not be available to support continuing operations. Liht's business is conducted in a manner consistent with state law and is in compliance with licensing requirements. Copies of licenses are posted on Liht's website. Liht has internal compliance procedures in place and has compliance focused attorneys engaged in jurisdictions to monitor changes in laws for compliance with US federal and state law on an ongoing basis. These law firms inform any necessary changes to our policies and procedures for compliance in Canada and the US. FORWARD - LOOKING STATEMENTS: Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements, which includes, the expected outcomes of its business, and other matters. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur. Forward-looking statement are necessarily based upon a number of factors that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performances or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performances or achievements express or implied by such statements. These assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the state of the economy in general and capital markets in particular, present and future business strategies, the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. While such estimates and assumptions are considered reasonable by the management of the Company, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive and regulatory uncertainties and risks. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual events, level of activity, performance or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: that laws and regulations may become more onerous; the ability of the Company to obtain necessary financing; the economy generally; the future growth, results of operations, performance and business prospectus and opportunities; changes in and the effect of government policies; demand for products; competition; anticipated and unanticipated costs; reliance on management; claims and legal proceedings; conflicts of interest; and market price and volatility of the Common Shares. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, the loss of key directors, employees, advisors or consultants, technology failures, failure to obtain a license from Health Canada or from other government agencies, failure to develop new and innovative products, failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations and fees charged by service providers. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include, litigation, global economic climate, loss of key employees and consultants, additional funding requirements, changes in laws, competition, and failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and, accordingly are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty of such statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, nor approved the contents of this news release. SOURCE Liht Cannabis Corporation Related Links https://lihtcannabis.com/ TSX: GPR NYSE American: GPL VANCOUVER, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - GREAT PANTHER SILVER LIMITED (TSX: GPR; NYSE American: GPL) ("Great Panther"; the "Company") is pleased to report the results of its Special Meeting of Shareholders held earlier today for the approval of the Scheme Resolution and the Name Change Resolution in connection with the Scheme Implementation Deed pursuant to which Great Panther will acquire Beadell Resources Limited ("Beadell") (the "Acquisition") and change its name to Great Panther Mining Limited. "We would like to thank our shareholders for overwhelmingly approving the Acquisition and for their continued support", stated James Bannantine, President and CEO. "The acquisition of Beadell is transformational for Great Panther, resulting in the creation of a new growth-oriented intermediate precious metals producer with a strong balance sheet and diverse asset portfolio including three producing mines, an advanced stage project, and significant exploration potential." Both the Scheme Resolution and the Name Change Resolution were approved by shareholders present or represented by proxy. The following provides the voting results for each of the resolutions: Resolution Votes for % for Votes against % against Scheme Resolution 37,738,643 96.71% 1,284,529 3.29% Name Change Resolution 37,707,315 96.63% 1,315,857 3.37% Beadell shareholders will meet later today in Perth (10:00 a.m. AWST) to vote on the Acquisition. Should Beadell shareholders vote in favour, the Acquisition is expected to close the first week of March, following satisfaction of customary closing conditions and receipt of regulatory approvals. The name change to Great Panther Mining Limited will become effective upon closing of the Acquisition. The common shares of the Company will continue to trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol GPR and NYSE American under the symbol GPL. ABOUT GREAT PANTHER Great Panther Silver Limited is a primary silver mining and exploration company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange trading under the symbol GPR, and on the NYSE American under the symbol GPL. Great Panther's current activities are focused on the mining of precious metals from its two wholly-owned operating mines in Mexico: the Guanajuato Mine Complex and the Topia Mine. The Company also expects to make a decision on whether or not to restart the Coricancha project in Peru by the end of March 2019. In addition, the Company anticipates closing of the acquisition of gold producer Beadell Resources Limited during the first week of March. James Bannantine President & CEO CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (together, "forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the timing and completion of the Acquisition, the timing of the effective date of the name change, and the timing or positive outcome of a production decision for the Coricancha project. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements to be materially different. Assumptions upon which forward looking statements relating to the Acquisition have been made include that Beadell and Great Panther will be able to satisfy the conditions of closing, that due diligence investigations of each party will not identify any materially adverse facts or circumstances, and that all required third party, regulatory and government approvals will be obtained. Such factors include, among others, risks and uncertainties relating to potential political and social risks involving Beadell and Great Panther's operations in a foreign jurisdiction, the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, fluctuations in metal prices, fluctuations in currency exchange rates, physical risks inherent in mining operations, operating or technical difficulties in mineral exploration, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in respect of Great Panther, in its annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2017 and material change reports filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators available at www.sedar.com and reports on Form 40-F and Form 6-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov. There is no assurance that such forward looking statements will prove accurate; results may vary materially from such forward-looking statements; and there is no assurance that the Company will be able to identify and acquire additional projects or that any projects acquired will be successfully developed. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. The Company has no intention to update forward looking statements except as required by law. SOURCE Great Panther Silver Limited Related Links http://www.greatpanther.com BOSTON, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (BBH), a market leading ETF custodian and administrator, in partnership with ETF.com, a leading independent authority on exchange-traded funds, today announced that global ETF investors now rank historical fund performance on par with expense ratio when selecting an ETF, according to BBH's 6th annual ETF investor survey. The survey, which measured the expectations and preferences of 300 institutional investors, financial advisers, and fund managers from around the world, also found that investors are placing greater importance on ETF issuer than they have in years past. This year, BBH combined what was previously a regional breakdown into a single global survey of ETF investors in the United States, Europe, and Greater China. "We are seeing global ETF investors giving historic returns equal consideration to cost when selecting an ETF. That's in stark contrast to last year when investors in the US and Europe stated cost was the top factor," said Shawn McNinch, Global Head of ETF Services at BBH. "While much has been said about the low-cost nature of ETFs, our survey finds that professional investors are looking beyond the lowest-cost products and seeing tactical vehicles like smart beta and active ETFs as ways to bolster returns or mitigate risk, especially in periods of heightened volatility." "We're 25 years into the ETF revolution, and investors are clearly becoming more sophisticated in their use of ETFs," said Dave Nadig, Managing Director of ETF.com . "Whether it's Smart Beta, active management or just a willingness to use brand new products, it's clear this is a robust and maturing market." Other key findings include: Smart beta ETFs are catching assets from mutual funds : Nearly 30% of respondents said they purchased a smart-beta ETF to replace an actively-managed mutual fund. : Nearly 30% of respondents said they purchased a smart-beta ETF to replace an actively-managed mutual fund. Investors are using smart beta to weather potential storms: 70% of smart beta ETF users are searching for risk mitigation or volatility control. 70% of smart beta ETF users are searching for risk mitigation or volatility control. Investors are comfortable buying ETFs with low AUM: 40% of respondents are comfortable buying a new ETF with AUM under $25 million , suggesting an openness to newer products. 40% of respondents are comfortable buying a new ETF with AUM under , suggesting an openness to newer products. Global holdings in ETFs are set to rise: 61% of respondents plan to increase their ETF allocation in the next 12 months. Another 26% expect to maintain their current ETF investment level. 61% of respondents plan to increase their ETF allocation in the next 12 months. Another 26% expect to maintain their current ETF investment level. The global ETF market is maturing: 80% of respondents in Greater China hold more 10% of their AUM in ETFs. That's compared with 73% in Europe and 79% in the US. About Brown Brothers Harriman BBH is a privately held financial institution that has been a thought leader and solutions provider for over 200 years. The firm serves individuals, families, businesses and institutions in its three business lines: Private Banking, Investment Management, and Investor Services. BBH's culture of accountability fosters deep and lasting relationships built on commitment, adaptability and trust. The company is independent, selective, and specialized by design. BBH's Investor Services business provides cross-border custody, accounting, administration, execution and technology services to many of the world's leading asset managers and financial institutions. With deep ETF product expertise, BBH works with both experienced ETF managers and new, innovative market entrants to introduce and grow their ETF products. BBH helps asset managers launch, list, and cross-list ETFs across the globe. BBH operates its global business out of eighteen offices located in New York, Boston, Beijing, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Dublin, Grand Cayman, Hong Kong, Jersey City, Krakow, London, Luxembourg, Nashville, Philadelphia, Tokyo, Wilmington and Zurich. For more information, please visit www.bbh.com. BBH is a registered service mark of Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. in the United States and other countries. Contact: John Garretson Weber Shandwick [email protected] (212) 546 7819 SOURCE Brown Brothers Harriman Related Links http://www.bbh.com CHICAGO, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 450 workers at W. Diamond Corporation, makers of Hart, Schaffner & Marx men's suits in Des Plaines, IL, and Keystone Tailored Manufacturing in Cleveland, OH, will be going on an Unfair Labor Practice strike, after the company blatantly violated federal labor law. The members of Locals 39C, 61 and 272 in Des Plaines, IL and Local 168 in Brooklyn, OH, of the Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board (CMRJB) of Workers United, an SEIU affiliate, are striking in protest of the company's unlawful behavior throughout negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. On Monday, February 11, at 11:00 am (EST), Workers United members will meet outside their suit factories at 901 W. Oakton, Des Plaines, IL, and 4600 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, OH, to walk the picket line and to demand justice at their workplace. "This employer has lied to the Union, has lied about the Union, has lied to our members, and is lying to the community," said Kathy Hanshew, Manager of CMRJB and International Vice-President of Workers United. "A local at the heart of the labor movement in Chicago deserves better." Hart, Schaffner & Marx suits have been made in Cook County for over 131 years, and its workers were active during Chicago's 1910 strike. Both corporations are owned and managed by the same group of owners. W. Diamond Corporation received a tax abatement from Cook County for the next ten years, with the promise of creating and keeping jobs in Cook County. On the other hand, Keystone Tailored Manufacturing received a jobs grant for $150,000 from the city of Brooklyn. Keystone just announced that they will be closing in less than two months. About Workers United We are an American and Canadian Union with over 100 years of history. We are the Union of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, the 1910 Chicago Strike, Sidney Hillman, and Amalgamated Bank. Our history is rich with victories made possible by our loyal members. We are the sons and daughters of ACTWU, ILG, HERE and UNITE!, and now, along with SEIU, we continue to fight for the rights of the working class. SOURCE Workers United TARRYTOWN, N.Y., Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Dinner and a movie, red roses and chocolates, a romantic night for two Valentine's Day traditions as old as time. But is it a win or a yawn for women today? Summer's Eve, a trusted leader in feminine care, sought to get the inside scoop on how women are celebrating Valentine's Day in 2019 in the brand's second annual Valentine's Day survey. Cupid's holiday has long been either lauded or dreaded for the undue pressure it creates to have a "perfect night," but what does perfect really mean for today's woman? Is a fairy tale night still the gold standard or is the holiday simply overrated? Or is it both? From sex and relationships to self-care and date night details, the results of this Summer's Eve annual survey tell the story of women's attitudes toward the "love it or hate it" holiday just ahead of February 14th. Respondents dished on the do's and don'ts of celebrating Valentine's Day in 2019. Survey says: Tradition Still Wins the Day 71 percent of respondents still say that a romantic night out with their plus one is the ideal way to spend V-Day. And 45 percent of women want the traditional fanfare (dinner, movie and flowers). Still nearly a quarter (23%) of respondents would rather celebrate Valentine's Day unconventionally from going on a group date to opting to spend the day with friends. The Perfect Valentine's Day? These are the top things respondents said they'd most like included in their Valentine's Day plans. A romantic dinner: 67 percent Having sex: 49 percent Being intimate: 47 percent Receiving flowers: 47 percent Receiving chocolates: 43 percent Solo, Coupled Up or Group There are many different ways to celebrate V-Day, and although 71 percent of women still prefer to have a romantic night out, more than a quarter still opt to spend the night alone, while 22 percent think spending the day with friends is the way to go. Self-Care is the Best Care 67 percent of respondents believe self-care is especially important around Valentine's Day. And what part of their body are they pampering the most? That would be the vagina with 22 percent of the vote, beating out the face for the most self-cared for body part! The Internal Struggle is Real More than half (57%) of women surveyed said Valentine's Day is overrated. But still, 56 percent say they do feel heavy pressure to have a date for Valentine's Day! Finding a Plus One When it comes to coupling up for the big day, women take many measures to find a V-Day plus one! 24 percent have found someone in a bar or club to spend Valentine's Day with and 23 percent have found someone on a dating app. A quarter of those surveyed have even gone back to an ex to ensure they don't spend the holiday alone! Let's Get Physical When it comes to V-Day, intimacy is still high on the agenda for most women, with more than 53 percent saying it's important to be intimate on the holiday of love. Taking it one step further, 29 percent said they planned to try something sexually new and adventurous in honor of V-Day! Uncuffing Season? Three in 10 women have had a relationship end (either been broken up with/broke up with someone) right before or on Valentine's Day. No date, no problem! And when looking at older millennials, 66 percent say the reason for the breakup was to get out of making plans or buying a gift. Indecent Proposal Get up off that knee! A quarter of that same millennial audience cited being proposed to as one of the tackiest things that could happen to them on Valentine's Day. Love It or Hate It? At the end of the day, 66 percent of women agree that they actually like Valentine's Day. Cue the roses! Date Night Essentials What items are "clutch" in any date night bag? Women said they carry the following when out on a date: Cash: 61 percent Lip balm: 53 percent Makeup: 45 percent Perfume: 44 percent Gum: 42 percent Phone charger: 38 percent Feminine care products (tampons, pads, etc.): 32 percent Hair tie/bobby pins: 31 percent Feminine cleansing cloths: 27 percent Toothbrush: 24 percent Follow the brand on Facebook or Instagram for more information! Methodology The Summer's Eve 2019 Survey The survey was commissioned by Summer's Eve and conducted online by OnePoll with a panel of 2,000 American women who celebrate Valentine's Day from January 25 to February 1, 2019. The women were 18 years and older and results split women by age and region. About Summer's Eve Summer's Eve has focused on feminine freshness since 1972. As the trusted leader in feminine care, the brand is known for developing personal care products that are gynecologist and dermatologist-tested for safety and help women feel fresh every day. As the needs of women around the world change, Summer's Eve is dedicated to evolving and offering a wide range of products that fit within a woman's life. Learn more at www.summerseve.com. About Prestige Consumer Healthcare, Inc. The Company markets and distributes brand name over-the-counter products throughout the U.S. and Canada, Australia, and in certain other international markets. The Company's brands include Monistat and Summer's Eve women's health products, BC and Goody's pain relievers, Clear Eyes eye care products, DenTek specialty oral care products, Dramamine motion sickness treatments, Chloraseptic sore throat treatments, Compound W wart treatments, Little Remedies pediatric over-the-counter products, The Doctor's NightGuard dental protector, Efferdent denture care products, Luden's throat drops, Beano gas prevention, Debrox earwax remover, Gaviscon antacid in Canada, and Hydralyte rehydration products and the Fess line of nasal and sinus care products in Australia. Visit the Company's website at www.prestigebrands.com. SOURCE Summers Eve Related Links https://www.summerseve.com WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that declines in cigarette smoking remain stalled, with a slight uptick in past 30-day prevalence among high schoolers, from 7.6 percent in 2017 to 8.1 percent in 2018, and the percent of high schoolers using cigarettes and other combustible products like flavored little cigars noticeably increased to 13.9 percent from 12.9 percent in 2017. The data also find more teens are using two or more tobacco products, increasing their exposure to nicotine, with the most popular combination being e-cigarettes and cigarettes. These new numbers, combined with the astounding 78 percent increase in teen e-cigarette use over the last year, underscore data which indicate a disturbing link between youth e-cigarette use and the four-times-greater likelihood of progression to cigarettes, as reported in JAMA earlier this month. This is particularly troubling as many of these are low-risk youth who never used cigarettes. The survey released today suggests that e-cigarettes may be a factor in slowing, and perhaps even reversing, progress in the reduction of deadly combustible tobacco use among youth. Sadly, though not surprising, as the e-cigarette epidemic skyrockets and the prevalence of youth smoking remains steady, JUUL Labs, makers of the number one e-cigarette brand, have joined forces with Altria, makers of the best-selling cigarette brand, Marlboro. The deal sets the stage for more sales of both deadly cigarettes and highly addictive e-cigarettes. Today's data state that more than four million high school students and 840,000 middle schoolers now vape. This is a public health emergency that cannot be ignored, especially as the tobacco industry and its allies seem set on doing everything in their power to stop the Food and Drug Administration from doing its job and regulating these products. We call on the FDA to stand firm against industry forces and immediately use its pre-market review and approval authorities to ensure that e-cigarettes like JUUL are not allowed free access to continue to addict youth to nicotine. The FDA must also restrict e-cigarette marketing so that it does not target or appeal to youth and issue product standards eliminating flavors from all tobacco products unless they have been demonstrated to help smokers completely switch from combustible tobacco and not attract youth. Many of the millions of youth now use e-cigarettes primarily JUUL and are asking for help to quit. In response, Truth Initiative has expanded its highly successful quit-smoking resources to include "This is Quitting," a first-of-its kind e-cigarette quit program. This innovative and free text message program was created with input from teens, college students and young adults who have attempted to, or successfully, quit e-cigarettes. To access the new e-cigarette quit program, users can simply text "QUIT" to (706) 222-QUIT or can learn more at thetruth.com. About Truth Initiative: Truth Initiative is a national public health organization that is inspiring tobacco-free lives and building a culture where all youth and young adults reject tobacco. The truth about tobacco and the tobacco industry are at the heart of our proven-effective and nationally recognized truth public-education campaign, our rigorous and scientific research and policy studies, and our innovative community and youth engagement programs supporting populations at high risk of using tobacco. The Washington, D.C. -based organization, formerly known as Legacy, was established and funded through the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between attorneys general from 46 states, five U.S. territories and the tobacco industry. To learn more about how Truth Initiative speaks, seeks and spreads the truth about tobacco, visit truthinitiative.org. SOURCE Truth Initiative Related Links http://truthinitiative.org An Achievable Dream Academy, located on 16th Street, went on a modified lockdown until about 11:45 a.m. while police investigated, according to Maynard. The school is about a third of a mile away from where police met the victim. This new management appointment bolsters C&K during a robust phase of global expansion, as the company plans to broaden its offering and customer base. In his role as CRO, Mr. Smith will spearhead the revenue growth strategy across C&K's sales operations in key markets including automotive, medical, industrial, aerospace, high-end consumer and the Internet of Things (IoT). Based in the company's head office in Newton, Massachusetts, Mr. Smith will lead global sales, marketing, channel and customer success teams to win new business and build on existing accounts. He will direct new promotional and digital marketing activities, combined with efforts to increase revenue through direct sales, and improve indirect sales through C&K's extensive network of manufacturer representatives and channel partners. With over 30 years of experience developing business for leading global companies within the hi-tech electronics manufacturing and services sectors, Mr. Smith joins C&K having served as Chief Executive Officer of Beyonics International Pte Ltd., a precision engineering and manufacturing company headquartered in Singapore. Mr. Smith has held several executive positions, including Chief Commercial Officer at Moduslink Global Solutions, headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. Prior to this, he held the post of Managing Director for European Operations and Global SVP of Sales for Celestica Corporation, a $7bn electronics manufacturing services (EMS) company. Previously, Mr. Smith also served as President of Lenovo Americas, where he led the transformation of the company following the successful acquisition of the IBM Personal Computing Division. During 22 years at IBM, he held leadership positions in North America, South America, and Asia. "We are delighted to welcome Scott to our company's leadership team to help boost C&K's market share across key segments and deliver further revenue growth," said John Boucher, CEO of C&K. "Drawing from his experience of executing similar programs at category-leading companies, Scott is the ideal candidate to advance our market leadership position." "This is an ideal time to join C&K, given the exceptional service we offer to our customers alongside the scale of the market opportunity and growth potential for the company," said Mr. Smith. "As C&K's high-quality portfolio of products continues to evolve, there are huge growth opportunities worldwide to take advantage of. With a strong global team, our competitive manufacturing in Europe and Asia, and many more innovative products soon to launch, I am very optimistic about being able to drive revenue growth." About C&K Founded in 1928, C&K is one of the world's most trusted brands of high-quality electromechanical switches. The company's unmatched custom design capabilities are recognized globally by design engineers who demand reliable switch performance. C&K offers more than 55,000 standard products and 8.5 million switch combinations to companies that design, manufacture and distribute electronics products. Used in automotive, industrial, IoT, wearables, medical, telecom, consumer products, aerospace and POS terminals, C&K products include tactile, pushbutton, snap-acting, toggle, rocker, detect, DIP, keyswitch, navigation, rotary, slide, switchlock, thumbwheel, smart card readers, high-rel connectors and custom assemblies. C&K is headquartered in Newton, Mass. with global design centers in Newton Mass., Dole France and Huizhou China. For more information, please visit www.ckswitches.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter. SOURCE C&K Related Links https://www.ckswitches.com/ NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- With spring just around the corner, college-aged travelers are already planning their warm weather escapes for spring break. CheapOair, an online travel agency and leading provider of cheap flights, has compared data and analyzed trends on new, up-and-coming destinations that travelers ages 18-25 years old are heading to this year. While many are still traveling to popular spring break destinations, such as Mexico and Florida, booking data shows a significant increase in European destinations among travelers ages 18-25. England, France, Ireland, Spain, and Croatia are among the most popular destinations for international travel, while Florida, California, and Colorado are the top domestic destinations1. Top 10 Most Popular Spring Destinations for College-Aged Travelers in 20191 Domestic Destinations Average Airfare2 International Destinations Average Airfare2 Orlando, Florida $291 Cancun, Mexico $434 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida $304 London, England $841 Los Angeles, California $268 Paris, France $669 Miami, Florida $354 Dublin, Ireland $596 Las Vegas, Nevada $281 Barcelona, Spain $542 Denver, Colorado $283 Bangkok, Thailand $797 Tampa, Florida $291 Amsterdam, Netherlands $674 San Juan, Puerto Rico $369 Zagreb, Croatia $520 Fort Myers, Florida $317 Mexico City, Mexico $372 Phoenix, Arizona $328 Madrid, Spain $620 "For spring break, travelers are still spending an average of 5-6 days in popular destinations such as Florida and Mexico," said Tom Spagnola, Senior Vice President of Supplier Relations at CheapOair. "An overall trend we're seeing with this age group is that they're taking longer international trips of 10-12 days in destinations such as Spain and Netherlands, and up to 22 days in destinations such as Thailand." Exactly half of the top domestic destinations among spring breakers are within Florida as we see Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Tampa, and Fort Myers topping the charts with roundtrip airfare averaging at $311 within the Sunshine State2. The beginning of March will be the busiest travel time among 18-25-year-old travelers as nearly 70% of them will be traveling before March 15th. Additionally, CheapOair found that these travelers are booking domestic airfare an average of 88 days ahead of their trip, while lead time for international travel is an average of 112 days1. By consistently monitoring travel trends, CheapOair's mission is to educate and aid consumers and travel professionals in both planning their travel accommodations and staying current on the most popular destinations. For more information, please visit www.CheapOair.com, www.cheapoair.com/mobile, or our social media pages, www.Facebook.com/CheapOair and https://twitter.com/cheapoair. About CheapOair CheapOair is an online travel agency that specializes in providing cheap flights and great last-minute flight deals for travelers worldwide. Consumers can book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone (1-800-566-2345) or live chat. Part of Fareportal's family of travel brands, CheapOair bridges the gap between an online travel agency and a traditional agency with certified travel agents available 24/7 to help find discount flight tickets to global destinations on over 450 airlines, a million hotels, and 100s of car rental companies. Follow CheapOair on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram , and Pinterest to learn how to travel the world for less. 1 Based on passengers ages 18 25 booked for travel from 3/1/19 3/30/19. 2 Based on average roundtrip airfare for tickets booked before 1/23/18 for travel 3/1/19 3/30/19. Average airfare rounded up to the nearest dollar. SOURCE CheapOair Related Links http://www.cheapoair.com The Butterfinger TV spot will be featured across multiple cable and network channels and programming. It highlights the tastier experience of Butterfinger, and introduces an irreverent character in the Butterfinger alien, a fun and entertaining way to embody the personality of the brand. The spot also features an evolution of the brand's historic tagline " nobody lays a finger on my better Butterfinger" as a way to remind fans of the irresistibility of the one-of-a-kind bar. Butterfinger is part of the portfolio of brands by Ferrero, the confectionery company known also for Ferrero Rocher, Nutella, Tic Tac and Kinder Joy. The better Butterfinger is available now at retailers across the country. The recipe includes carefully-selected U.S. grown peanuts and a rich chocolatey coating, delivering an indulgent, craveable taste with a robust peanut flavor. It also features a double-layer, higher-quality packaging material to lock in freshness and the Butterfinger flavor that fans love. For more information about the better Butterfinger and national campaign, please visit us at www.butterfinger.com as well as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. About Butterfinger Butterfinger is a one-of-a-kind candy bar with the crispety, crunchety, peanut-buttery taste people love. No other candy bar comes close to the unique flavor and texture of a Butterfinger. Keep up with the latest news about Butterfinger at www.butterfinger.com and on all social platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Butterfinger is distributed by Ferrara Candy Company. About Ferrero Founded as a family business in Alba, Italy in 1946, Ferrero is the third-largest confectionery company in the world, with distribution in over 170 countries, and a workforce of more than 30,000 people across 55 countries. Ferrero entered the U.S. market in 1969 with Tic Tac mints, which have become an icon in the breath mint market. Ferrero subsequently introduced Ferrero Rocher fine hazelnut chocolates, Nutella The Original Hazelnut Spread and Kinder Joy to the U.S. market. Ferrero is the third-largest confectionery company in the U.S. About Ferrara Candy Company Ferrara Candy Company, a related company of The Ferrero Group, is an industry leader in U.S. confections and one of the fastest growing confections companies in the country. A passionate team of more than 4,000 employees work together to share delight in every bite through leading brands that have shaped the confections market for more than 100 years. Our diverse portfolio of nearly 35 brands includes SweeTARTS, Trolli, Brach's, Black Forest, Butterfinger, CRUNCH, Laffy Taffy and NERDS, along with iconic favorites like Lemonhead, Red Hots and Now and Later. Headquartered in Chicago, the company has an operational network of manufacturing, distribution and R&D facilities across North America. Learn more at www.ferrarausa.com. Contacts: Marissa Mavaega Canvas Blue 213-335-5662 [email protected] SOURCE Butterfinger Related Links http://www.butterfinger.com A Twenty-Year Marketing and Technology Veteran and Longtime Yext Leader, Sturgis Will Lead Yext's Business and Operations in Europe. NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Yext, Inc. (NYSE: YEXT), the leader in Digital Knowledge Management (DKM), has named Wendi Sturgis as CEO of Yext Europe, bringing her technology and marketing leadership to the company's rapidly growing European footprint. Sturgis is Yext's Chief Client Officer, and has been a leader at Yext for nearly eight years, during which she has held a variety of executive roles, including leading Sales, Partnerships, Customer Success, and Consulting. "Wendi has been a transformational leader at Yext, taking us from our early days as a small startup to our status as a global leader today," said Howard Lerman, Founder and CEO of Yext. "Yext is experiencing unprecedented growth in Europe as the world wakes up to the importance of providing brand-verified answers online, and Wendi is the perfect person to lead our business there and help us scale." As CEO, Yext Europe, Sturgis will support the company's continued growth and direct its operations across the continent. Sturgis will also retain her role as Chief Client Officer at Yext, a role in which she has built one of the most successful enterprise software customer success teams in the world. "I've believed in Yext from the very beginning, but I have never been more certain of the opportunity in front of us than I am today," said Wendi Sturgis, CEO of Yext Europe. "Technology is changing the way consumers engage with businesses every day, and brands worldwide need to provide brand-verified answers in order to take advantage. I'm energized and excited to build on our success in Europe as we continue and accelerate our momentum there." Sturgis has twenty years of experience as a technology and marketing leader at some of the world's largest tech companies. Prior to Yext, Sturgis served in executive positions at Oracle, Gartner, Right Media, and Yahoo!. Sturgis has served on multiple boards including Dailyworth.com, Student Transportation, and Step Up Women's Network. Sturgis is a graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology and an adjunct professor of business at Columbia Business School. About Yext: Yext, Inc. (NYSE: YEXT) is the leading Digital Knowledge Management (DKM) platform. Our mission is to give companies control over their brand experiences across the digital universe of maps, apps, search engines, voice assistants, and other intelligent services that drive consumer discovery, decision, and action. Today, thousands of businesses including brands like Taco Bell, Rite Aid, and Steward Health Care use the Yext Knowledge Engine to manage their digital knowledge in order to boost brand engagement, drive foot traffic, and increase sales. Yext has been named a Best Place to Work by Fortune and Great Place to Work as well as a Best Workplace for Women. Yext is headquartered in New York City with offices in Berlin, Chicago, Dallas, Geneva, London, Paris, San Francisco, Shanghai, Tokyo and the Washington, D.C. Area. For more information, visit yext.com . Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/177279/yext_logo.jpg Related Links http://www.yext.com SOURCE Yext, Inc. Havana, the Cuban capital that is celebrating its 500th Anniversary, is getting ready to host once again the XXI Habanos Festival. The biggest international event of the world's best tobacco, the Habano, will be held from 18 to 22 February. Enthusiasts of this unique product from all corners of the world will participate in a Festival that will see the San Cristobal de La Habana, Hoyo de Monterrey and Trinidad brands taking centre stage. To view the Multimedia News Release, please click: https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8493751-the-xxi-habanos-festival-kicks-off/ Attendees from more than 60 countries are expected will enjoy a comprehensive programme full of activities designed to explore some aspects of the Habanos culture: tours of plantations in Vuelta Abajo*, in the Pinar del Rio* region, as well as visits to the factories responsible for producing this year's biggest launches. Other highlights include three evenings of the best live music from renowned international artists, the finest gastronomy in Cuba, Habanos tastings and a wide range of beverages from different corners of the world. The Trade Fair and the Welcome Evening, will mark the start of the Habanos Festival. The Trade Fair is the meeting and interchange point for professionals in the tobacco industry and the Welcome Evening, held in the Antiguo Almacen de la Madera y el Tabaco at the Havana port, will pay tribute to San Cristobal de La Habana brand for its 20 years. The programme will feature master classes and keynote speeches, led by recognised experts in the world of Habanos at the International Seminar. The XXI edition of the Habanos Festival will organise, for the second year in a row, the Habanos World Challenge. The evening dedicated to Hoyo de Monterrey Gran Reserva Double Coronas Cosecha 2013 will be held at the El Laguito Reception Hall on Wednesday 20 de February, with a cocktail dinner. The Gala Evening, held on February 22, will be the grand finale to the Festival and will pay tribute to the 50th Anniversary of the Trinidad brand. The event will conclude with the Hombre Habano Awards and the traditional Humidors Auction, with all proceeds going to the Cuban Public Health System. *Protected Appellations of Origin (P.A.O.) Contact: Young & Rubicam Carla Llado Tel: +34-669-54-69-09 press.habanos@yr.com (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/819186/HABANOS_SA.jpg ) Video: https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8493751-the-xxi-habanos-festival-kicks-off/ SOURCE HABANOS SA As part of its digital transformation strategy, Sohar International has purchased a mix of automated teller machines (ATMs) and cash-recycling technology with the latest Microsoft Windows 10 operating system. This solution will enable new devices and innovative solutions to enhance consumers' experiences and improve and modernize the way consumers engage with the bank. This represents the first Windows 10 implementation on ATMs in the Middle East. Sohar International Deputy General Manager of Information Technology and Alternate Channels Mujahid Al Zadjali said, "In our journey to redefine banking, we are pleased to partner with Diebold Nixdorf to become the first bank in the Middle East region to implement Windows 10 on ATMs. We continually seek innovative solutions to build upon our existing digital infrastructure to unlock new opportunities for the bank while elevating the experience for our valued customers." By using Vynamic View software, Diebold Nixdorf and CNS, its partner in Oman, ensure the consistent management and reliable operation of the multivendor ATM network. Vynamic View makes it possible to manage devices of different manufacturers with consistent quality while optimizing uptime to ensure availability to customers. With this solution, Sohar International receives a large number of status and event messages and automatically converts them into service orders. On the basis of the detailed information provided, Vynamic View decides, for example, whether a technician is necessary or whether the fault can be rectified remotely. In addition, with its software deployment function, the solution automates the software distribution to the systems in the network and uses integrated inventory management to record the installed hardware and software. Sohar International also implemented Diebold Nixdorf's Vynamic Security software suite, which includes intrusion protection, access protection and hard-disk encryption for its new Diebold Nixdorf ATMs. Vynamic Security provides a tightly integrated, multi-layer approach in order to protect self-service terminals, operating systems and customer data against historical and newly-evolving attack vectors. "We are excited to partner with Sohar International to provide their customers with advanced solutions designed to enforce the banks digital transformation strategy," said Osama Awad, area manager, Oman, Diebold Nixdorf. "With Vynamic View, we can help the bank achieve their goals of increasing the availability of their ATM network and improving overall customer satisfaction, and by migrating their self-service network to Windows 10, they can enhance their customers' experience at the ATM even further." About Sohar International With the objective to become a world-class Omani services company that helps customers, community and people to prosper and grow, Sohar International operates with a view to help people 'win' by delivering responsive banking for their ever-changing world, complementing their growth and prosperity with international standard service delivery. The Bank seeks to redefine banking in Oman through transformational developments centered on the principles of More Velocity, making everything simple and fast; More Value, ensuring relevance and connectivity to customers' world; and More Vision, liberating stakeholders through talented leadership. About Diebold Nixdorf Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated (NYSE: DBD) is a world leader in enabling connected commerce for millions of consumers each day across the financial and retail industries. Its software-defined solutions bridge the physical and digital worlds of cash and consumer transactions conveniently, securely and efficiently. As an innovation partner for nearly all of the world's top 100 financial institutions and a majority of the top 25 global retailers, Diebold Nixdorf delivers unparalleled services and technology that are essential to evolve in an 'always on' and changing consumer landscape. The company has a presence in more than 130 countries with approximately 23,000 employees worldwide. Visit www.DieboldNixdorf.com for more information. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/547686/Diebold_Nixdorf.jpg Related Links http://www.dieboldnixdorf.com SOURCE Diebold Nixdorf HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, February 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- CRYOcheck Factor VIII Inhibitor Kit Now Cleared for Sale in Canada, EU, Australia, and New Zealand Precision BioLogic Inc., a leading developer of hemostasis diagnostic products, is pleased to announce the availability of its new CRYOcheck Factor VIII Inhibitor Kit in Canada, the European Union, Australia, and New Zealand following market authorization by Health Canada and respective in-country regulatory authorities last month. The presence of factor VIII (FVIII) inhibitors reduces therapy effectiveness and is one of the most complex and costly complications for people with hemophilia A. Because of this, it is important for clinical laboratories to have a testing system that can accurately and precisely quantify FVIII inhibitors in patient samples. Precision BioLogic developed the CRYOcheck Factor VIII Inhibitor Kit to address this challenge. It contains standardized components and a validated procedure to prepare patient samples for performing a modified Nijmegen-Bethesda assay as per the U.S.-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendation[1]. A modified Nijmegen-Bethesda assay is used to determine FVIII inhibitor levels in people with hemophilia A. Paul Empey, President & CEO of Precision BioLogic, notes that the launch of the CRYOcheck Factor VIII Inhibitor Kit is an important step forward for patient care. "Enhancing patient care is at the core of everything we do at Precision BioLogic," he says. "Our kit will standardize the preparation of patient samples for inhibitor titer measurement. This, in turn, will help labs deliver accurate results for the diagnosis and routine monitoring of FVIII inhibitors." To eliminate FVIII depleted plasma as a potential source of variant and standardize inhibitor titer measurement, the kit was developed with the following components: Imidazole Buffered Pooled Normal Plasma Imidazole Buffered Bovine Serum Albumin Negative FVIII Inhibitor Control Positive FVIII Inhibitor Control Like all of Precision BioLogic's CRYOcheck products, kit components are frozen, allowing for fast and easy preparation. Precision BioLogic has submitted the kit to the U.S. FDA for clearance and hopes to be able to offer the kit to its customers throughout the United States in Q3 2019. The company is actively pursuing other opportunities to innovate in the field of hemostasis and diagnostics. About Hemophilia A and Inhibitors Hemophilia A is an inherited bleeding disorder caused by insufficient clotting factor VIII (FVIII) in the blood. People with hemophilia A experience prolonged bleeding, which can lead to permanent joint damage and life-threatening hemorrhages. The standard treatment for people with hemophilia A without inhibitors is intravenous (IV) FVIII replacement therapy with recombinant FVIII (rFVIII) or plasma-derived FVIII (pdFVIII) concentrates. Prophylaxis, the regular infusion of clotting factor concentrates, is used to prevent bleeds thereby minimizing joint damage. Unfortunately, up to 30% of people with hemophilia A develop inhibitors, an immune response to treatment with clotting factor concentrates. Inhibitors make it more difficult to manage and treat hemophilia. In fact, according to the World Federation of Hemophilia, apart from access to care and treatment, inhibitors are the most serious challenge in hemophilia care today.[2] While routine blood tests may suggest the presence of anti-FVIII antibodies, specialized testing is important to confirm not only the presence of inhibitors but also the quantitation to effectively adjust treatment. Current methods for inhibitor testing vary from lab to lab. About Precision BioLogic Precision BioLogic Inc. is a privately-held company that develops, manufactures and markets the CRYOcheck line of frozen products used by medical professionals and researchers around the globe to diagnose coagulation disorders. Precision BioLogic also has several active initiatives with pharmaceutical partners who seek to ensure that the diagnostic implications for their novel therapeutic agents have been well characterized. In November 2018, Precision BioLogic acquired Affinity Biologicals, enabling the company to expand its clinical and research offerings to include an extensive line of coagulation-related antibodies as well as other products and services. For more information, visit http://www.precisionbiologic.com. [1] Miller CH, Platt SJ, Rice AS, Kelly F, Soucie JM, the Hemophilia Inhibitor Research Study Investigators. Validation of Nijmegen-Bethesda assay modifications to allow inhibitor measurement during replacement therapy and facilitate inhibitor surveillance. J Thromb Haemost 2012; 10: 1055-1061. [2] World Federation of Hemophilia. Current issues in inhibitors. Available at https://www.wfh.org/en/Current-issues-in-inhibitors. Accessed on January 21, 2019. Elaine Benoit, Marketing & Communications Manager, Precision BioLogic, ebenoit@precisionbiologic.com , +1-902-430-7795 SOURCE Precision BioLogic HARLOW, England, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Haag-Streit UK (HS-UK), the leading manufacturer and distributor of gold-standard optometry and ophthalmic equipment, is pleased to announce that Haag-Streit Academy will be holding some exciting on-stand CET sessions at Optrafair 2019. Haag-Streit UK will be exhibiting on stand F32 and Haag-Streit Academy will be hosting a number of clinical education seminars and workshops on the stand during the event. Session topics include; 'Wide-field, Confocal Multimodal Fundus Imaging', 'Binocular Vision' and a 'Slit Lamp Masterclass'. A successful HS-UK CET session at Optrafair 2018 'Wide-field, Confocal Multimodal Fundus Imaging' will be hosted by Grant Duncan, HS-UK Clinical Training Manager. The session will cover the definition and advantages of confocal imaging, wide-field imaging and the key clinical applications. It will be held on Saturday 30th March between 10am and 11am and Monday 1st April between 12pm and 1pm. Each delegate who attends the session will receive a FREE copy of CenterVue's 'Clinical Atlas'. The 'Clinical Atlas' is a 96 page hardcover book featuring a series of interesting clinical cases, collected by retina specialists, that show examples of the Eidon's superior imaging capabilities. 'Binocular Vision' will be hosted by Sam Laidlaw, HS-UK Product Manager. This will include understanding common binocular vision conditions and a discussion about practical clinical techniques. The session will run between 2pm and 3pm on Saturday 30th March and between 10am and 11am on Sunday 31st March. Finally, the 'Slit Lamp Masterclass' is a demonstration workshop which will be facilitated by experienced Optometrist, Kirit Patel, Radlett Opticians, and will cover effective examination of the patient and illumination & magnification techniques. It will take place between 2pm and 3pm on Sunday 31st March and between 10am and 11am on Monday 1st April. Attendees are eligible to receive 2 CET Points for each Haag-Streit Academy education session attended.* Grant Duncan, HS-UK Clinical Training Manager, said, "We look forward to welcoming delegates onto the HS-UK stand for these exciting CET sessions. Each seminar and workshop is designed to give attendees the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience with Haag-Streit UK's state-of-the-art equipment, while learning from specialists in the field." To register for any of these CET sessions, please visit https://optrafair-2019.reg.buzz/ to book your place. For further information on the sessions, please contact Haag-Streit Academy on 01279 881923, or email academy@haag-streit-uk.com. *CET application for Binocular Vision submitted and awaiting outcome. All other CET confirmed. SOURCE Haag-Streit UK Michael Snyder End of The American Dream February 11, 2019 Just days after the Pope signed the most important interfaith document in history, he had the opportunity to address global political leaders by video at the World Government Summit in Dubai. During his remarks he once again stressed the need for global unity, and he encouraged those attending to embrace sustainable development, but he also stressed that sustainable development will never succeed without solidarity. Of course most Americans dont even know that a World Government Summit even exists because the mainstream media in the U.S. doesnt really talk about it, but it is actually a very big deal. And obviously the Pope feels very strongly about what they are trying to do, because he took time out of his very busy schedule to record a video message for them World leaders are currently meeting at the World Government Summit, taking place in Dubai from 10-12 February. In his video message, Pope Francis greets those participating in the Summit, and recalls his own visit to the United Arab Emirates earlier this month. I encountered a modern country which is looking to the future without forgetting its roots, he said. I also saw how even in the desert the flowers spring up and grow. I returned home with the hope that many deserts in the world can bloom like this. The World Government Summit is an annual event, and it attracts leaders from all over the globe that are interested in a more integrated planet. Here is a little blurb about the summit that comes from Wikipedia The World Government Summit is an annual event held in Dubai, UAE.[1] It brings together leaders in government for a global dialogue about governmental process and policies with a focus on the issues of futurism, technology and innovation, as well as other topics. The summit acts as a knowledge exchangehub between government officials, thought leaders, policy makers and private sector leaders, and as an analysis platform for the future trends, issues and opportunities facing humanity.[2] The summit hosts over 90 speakers from 150 participating countries[3] along with over 4000 attendees. In general, the Popes remarks were quite similar to what we have heard before, but I thought that two buzzwords that he used were quite noteworthy The Holy Father emphasized that we cannot really speak of sustainable development without solidarity. He concluded his message with by thanking those taking part, and with the prayer that the Lord might bless their commitment for a more just and prosperous world for everyone. The phrase sustainable development has become a shorthand way of referring to the UNs Sustainable Development Goals. It is a 17 point plan, and if you read the entire thing you quickly realize that it encompasses just about every realm of human activity that you can possibly imagine. It is not just a plan to fight climate change. It is actually a comprehensive blueprint for global governance, and it envisions a much larger role for global institutions such as the UN in the years ahead. But in the context of speaking about sustainable development, the Pope once again used the term solidarity. This is a word that he has been using a lot lately, and when he uses it he is referring to the need for global unity. More specifically, he almost always uses this buzzword when speaking of the need for global religious unity. Last Monday, the Pope and the highest imam in Sunni Islam signed a covenant which boldly declares that Christians and Muslims worship the same God, and that it is Gods will that all of the various major religions in the world co-exist peacefully. For much more on this, please see my previous article entitled The Pope And Islams Most Important Imam Just Signed A Covenant That Pushes Us Much Closer To A One World Religion. In the aftermath of the signing of that document, the Pope once again stressed the need for more global unity Referencing the biblical story of Noah, the Pope suggested that, in order to safeguard peace, we too need to enter together as one family into an ark which can sail the stormy seas of the world. This means acknowledging, God is at the origin of the one human family. No violence can be justified in the name of religion, he said. Religious behavior, said Pope Francis, needs continually to be purified from the recurrent temptation to judge others as enemies and adversaries. The perspective of heaven, he said, embraces persons without privilege or discrimination. But all of this comes at a time of great controversy for Catholicism. This week, the Vatican sought to clarify what Pope Francis meant when he stated that some nuns in France had been subjected to sexual slavery The Vatican on Wednesday clarified comments by Pope Francis about a case of what he called sexual slavery within a French congregation of nuns, saying he was referring to an abuse of power that was reflected in instances of sexual abuse. Francis cited the case when responding to a question about the sexual abuse of nuns by clergy during a press conference Tuesday returning home from the United Arab Emirates. It was the popes first-ever public acknowledgment of the problem of priests and bishops sexually abusing nuns. He stressed that the Vatican had been confronting the issue for some time and vowed to do more. We live at a time when everything is being shaken, and our religious institutions are certainly not exempt. Without a doubt, this Pope is going to continue to push for global religious unity, and that has enormous implications. Our world is becoming a smaller place with each passing day, and many are deeply concerned about what this trend toward global oneness will ultimately bring. This article was posted: Monday, February 11, 2019 at 6:30 am Print this page. Infowars.com Videos: Comment on this article Daily Caller February 11, 2019 Americas sheriffs are warning Congress to stop a proposed backroom deal that would institute a ceiling on the number of illegal immigrants that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can detain. According to letters sent to House and Senate lawmakers on Friday, the National Sheriffs Association (NSA) and the Major Country Sheriffs of America claim that if ICE is forced to release detainees, over 8,300 criminal illegals will be sent to the streets and potentially lost to the administrative and judicial systems. The letters were obtained by The Daily Caller Sunday after contacting the NSA. Joint Letter on ICE Budget Senate The brokered agreement would mandate that ICE can hold no more than 16,500 people at a time. The negotiations began last December as part of the talks surrounding the partial government shutdown. Discussions resumed after the reopening of the federal government and are reportedly ongoing with another shutdown potentially looming. Capping the number of detention beds utilized by ICE not only jeopardizes the integrity of the immigration system, but would cripple ICEs ability to detain criminal aliens and other aliens who pose a risk to public safety or are a flight risk, the letters read. One letter was sent to Alabama Republican Sen. Richard Shelby, Vermont Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy, while a second identical letter was sent to Texas Republican Rep. Kay Granger and New York Democratic Rep. Nita Lowey. Read more This article was posted: Monday, February 11, 2019 at 7:56 am Print this page. Infowars.com Videos: Comment on this article Orlando anticipates customers, particularly women, will still want to touch, feel and try on apparel. The malls central location in a busy shopping corridor is an advantage, as is its ample parking and enclosed nature, which makes it easier for people to stroll and shop during the cold winter months, he said. Grabien News February 11, 2019 Democrats freshmen class of lawmakers are providing the party with a new source of passion and a lot of headaches. A series of tweets sent Sunday night from Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) are another addition for the latter category. The tweets began after a writer for the Intercept, Glenn Greenwald, posted a story about Rep. Kevin McCarthy threatening punishment of Rep. Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) over their criticisms of Israel. (As CNNs Jake Tapper noted, McCarthys comments were actually directed at what he sees as anti-Semitic rhetoric from Reps. Omar and Tlaib.) Rep. Omar responded to Greenwalds post with, Its all about the Benjamins baby: https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1094747501578633216 The apparent insinuation that Jewish interests were compelling Rep. McCarthys actions prompted some to ask Rep. Omar for clarification. When a writer for the Forward asked, Would love to know who Omar thinks is paying American politicians to be pro-Israel, Rep. Omar responded: AIPAC! Read more This article was posted: Monday, February 11, 2019 at 7:11 am Print this page. Infowars.com Videos: Comment on this article Sputnik February 11, 2019 The plan to bring an Iranian scientist with knowledge of Tehrans nuclear programme to the UK was reportedly hammered out in October 2018, five months after US President Trump announced that Washington was leaving the Iran nuclear deal, reinstating economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic. In late December, MI6, the CIA and Mossad conducted a joint operation to smuggle a defecting Iranian nuclear scientist to the UK across the English Channel using the migrant crisis as cover, the Sunday Express reported on Monday, citing informed sources as saying. The scientist reportedly possessed information about Irans nuclear programme and was involved in the assassination of Tehrans top nuclear expert, Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, in 2012. First, the 47-year-old scientist, whose name has not been revealed, had to cover about 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometres) by land to the French coast near Calais after the Israeli secret service reportedly smuggled him out of his homeland. Once in France, the question of how to get him into Britain remained. We couldnt simply fly him in. Though unusual, it was determined infiltrating him into a group of fellow migrants preparing to cross the Channel by [inflatable] boat offered one solution, one of the sources said. The source added that all this wasnt without its challenges given that the scientists absence was quickly detected and security agents were informed that a special unit of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had been dispatched. After he arrived in Lydd, Kent, with 12 other migrants on New Years Eve, the nuclear technician was interviewed by MI6 before he was flown to the US. A d v e r t i s e m e n t The plan was hammered out in October 2018 after US President Donald Trump announced in early May Washingtons withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Trump also pledged to reinstate all anti-Iranian sanctions which were scrapped after the signing of the JCPOA. The EUs JCPOA signatories, including the UK, opted to keep the Iran deal in place and develop tools that would allow Tehran to trade with them, bypassing Washingtons sanctions. This article was posted: Monday, February 11, 2019 at 8:01 am Print this page. Infowars.com Videos: Comment on this article CNBC February 11, 2019 Mexicos former president shared some choice words for President Donald Trump, describing the American leader as a machine with no compassion while at the World Government Summit in Dubai on Sunday. He doesnt seem to be a human being, he just looks like a machine, he doesnt have any compassion, Vicente Fox told CNBCs Hadley Gamble. The former leader blasted Trumps border wall plans and focused on the divide within the U.S., adding that Trump essentially has a f you approach to the rest of the world. The White House did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment. That is the big big problem of today, in the U.S., the divide. And when the leader is calling aggressive means for people, when the leader is not uniting, then you have this divide, Fox said. We dont need walls, we need bridges of understanding, bridges of sharing; that is exactly what must be done in the very immediate future. Read more This article was posted: Monday, February 11, 2019 at 6:47 am Print this page. Infowars.com Videos: Comment on this article Chris Menahan Information Liberation February 11, 2019 Theyre coming for our memes. Liberal activist Travis Akers on Friday called for Republican Rep. Steve King to be banned from office for sharing an NPC meme on Facebook after Trumps State of the Union. Rep. Steve King shared this meme on Facebook following the State of the Union address, Akers said. Removing him from all committees was not enough. He must be removed from office, immediately. Racism and bigotry shall not be tolerated! Rep. Steve King shared this meme on Facebook following the State of the Union address. Removing him from all committees was not enough. He must be removed from office, immediately. Racism and bigotry shall not be tolerated! pic.twitter.com/72NBBcYl9D Travis Akers (@travisakers) February 8, 2019 He stated plainly he has no sense of humor: For those asking about the authenticity of his post, it came directly from Rep. Kings verified campaign Facebook page. In About he says, posts may not be suitable for those without a sense of humor. I find no humor in racism, bigotry, misogyny & dehumanizing Americans. pic.twitter.com/bOTG87bPZJ Travis Akers (@travisakers) February 8, 2019 This is what an NPC short circuiting in real time looks like. And here we have an NPC being offended by an NPC meme. Very ironic. , (@man_inabox) February 8, 2019 In case you were wondering, theyre not joking: The NPC meme is a sign of sociopathy. Jeg Riva once met Pavarotti (@jegriva) February 8, 2019 Just another justification why he should not be in Congress. Linda Helm (@lshelm) February 8, 2019 Call the cops! Buzzfeed called for this boomer meme to be banned just one day before: Twitter is allowing this altered photo comparing women members of Congress who wore white to the State of the Union to the KKK to circulate on its platform despite its own policy that doesn't allow symbols historically associated with hate groups.https://t.co/60aFpx4OJl pic.twitter.com/Z4RVBsFyKa BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) February 6, 2019 As Paul Joseph Watson noted yesterday, they want to ban our memes: All opposition to the establishment must be shut down in advance of the 2020 election. Democrat 2020 favorite Kamala Harris suggested on Tuesday that memes which cause libs offense are a matter of national security which need to be deal[t] with. She is telling us what is coming. This is our future. A "matter of national security" means secret courts, review of your online data, paramilitary raids, enhanced interrogations, and black site prisons. I am trying to be as clear as I can. This is not a drill. pic.twitter.com/8QrIjfzieP Hermes (@HermesDiaktoros) February 6, 2019 This is how desperate they are. As Ann Coulter told Alex Jones last year after he was banned from the internet: Consider how strong liberals consider their arguments. Theyve got all of the mainstream media, one hundred percent. ABC, NBC, CBS, all the cable, the major newspapers, the major news magazines, theyve got Yahoo, AOL. They have the Swamp, theyve got Hollywood, they have Silicon Valley. And now theyre down to the last corners of the internet. Oh no! Conservatives can speak to one another, we must shut it off! This article was posted: Monday, February 11, 2019 at 8:00 am Print this page. Infowars.com Videos: Comment on this article American Mirror February 11, 2019 Those who violate the law to illegally enter the United States should be given special treatment at the expense of the American taxpayer. Thats the twisted logic of Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-WA, who argued on Friday that Americans owe reparations to illegal aliens. During an interview on MSNBC with host Joy Reid, Jayapal discussed Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitakers testimony before the House Judiciary Committee last week as well as the issue of family separation among illegal aliens detained in the U.S. Im proud of my passion, Mr. Whitaker. We all should show real passion and a real commitment to fixing what was done to these families and these children. This is lasting trauma for thousands of childrenwe must make reparations, Jayapal wrote in a tweet, which included a clip of the MSNBC interview. Im proud of my passion, Mr. Whitaker. We all should show real passion and a real commitment to fixing what was done to these families and these children. This is lasting trauma for thousands of childrenwe must make reparations. pic.twitter.com/hceesi4xk5 Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) February 9, 2019 Jayapal argued that detaining illegal aliens is a heinous crime that has been committed on thousands of children. A d v e r t i s e m e n t The Democratic lawmaker went to slam Whitaker for what she called a dismissive attitude during the hearing, referring to her line of questioning with him. This is an issue that I know there is a lot of passion about, Whitaker said during the hearing in response to Jayapals aggressive line of question. I appreciate your passion, its something we share together. If we all dont have real passion, real commitment to figuring out what happened and making reparations, the U.S. government should make reparations for what we have done to these families, Jayapal said. In June, Health and Human Services released a press release detailing the difference in how immigration cases are adjudicated, stating that it plays a role family separation when there are issues of child safety. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Health and Human Services (HHS) have a process established to ensure that family members know the location of their children and have regular communication after separation to ensure that those adults who are subject to removal are reunited with their children for the purposes of removal. The United States government knows the location of all children in its custody and is working to reunite them with their families. As part of the apprehension, detention and prosecution process, illegal aliens, adults and children, are initially detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) before the children are sent to HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and parents to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. Each entity plays a role in reunification. This process is well coordinated. This is the second time in a month that Jayapal has made outrageous comments about President Trump. Last month, she argued that Trumps goal is to make America pure and bizarrely claimed he wants to eliminate folks of color in the U.S. Do you think a deal can be made, or do you think this is fundamentally existential and cannot be made? MSNBC host Chris Hayes asked, referring to the previous government shutdown and striking an immigration deal. Its fundamentally existential if he continues to insist on a wall, Jayapal said. This has never been about a wall. He actually could have gotten funding a couple of years ago, or a year ago, for a wall. It was part of a deal proposed, not all of us agreed with that deal, but it was proposed to him and he turned it down because his ultimate goal is, as you said, to make America pure in the sense of not having immigrants, not having folks of color here, and shutting down every form of legal immigration. All to throw a bone to those people, she said, presumably referring to racists, who she implied were part of Trumps base. This article was posted: Monday, February 11, 2019 at 7:52 am Print this page. Infowars.com Videos: Comment on this article Free Beacon February 11, 2019 A Chinese student linked to Beijings Public Security Ministry was sentenced to prison last week for spying on sensitive communications gear at a major military base in Key West, Florida. Zhao Qianli, a Chinese national who told the FBI he was a music student visiting Florida as a tourist, was arrested by military police Sept. 26 after taking pictures and video at Naval Air Station Key West. He had waded into the surf along a beach at the base to get around a security fence, according to court papers. Once inside the fence, Zhou began taking images of communications antennas and equipment at a site called an antenna farmsensitive equipment used by the military, anti-drug, and intelligence agencies at the base. The base is the southernmost point in the United States and home to Southern Commands Joint Interagency Task Force South, a group engaged mainly in countering illicit trafficking but also charged with intelligence gathering and other military activities. The base also trains pilots from all services in air-to-air combat. A squadron of F-18 jets and the Army Special Forces Underwater Operations School are located at the base. Read more This article was posted: Monday, February 11, 2019 at 7:41 am Print this page. Infowars.com Videos: Mobile money association wants agents to close at 6 pm over attacks Mobile Money Agents Association of Ghana wants its members to close at 6 pm to Population census results to be ready in August Provisional results from the 2021 National Population and Housing Census are 23-year-old man dies from electrocution at Taifa A 23-year-old man has been electrocuted to death at Taifa Burkina, a community China tells banks to stop supporting cryptocurrency China has expanded its clampdown on cryptocurrencies, telling banks and In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Jenn Hampton was walking past boarded up buildings on Asbury Parks boardwalk when she had an idea. The curator wanted to paint murals on the panels and bring vibrancy to the damaged walkway. So she went to the boardwalks redeveloper, Madison Marquette, and eventually secured $20,000 in annual funding for her Wooden Walls project. Today, visitors snap photos of artwork that lines the 4-mile span and post their discoveries on social media, giving free, positive publicity to a city that depends on public opinion to draw visitors. A New York Times article last year proclaimed that art and grit make Asbury Park the perfect day trip. But such an undertaking might be more difficult in Atlantic City. Its a hard process all around... A larger mix of big developers along the Boardwalk and officials who feel burned by a failed, multi-million art installation make it difficult for small nonprofits to carve out space and funding for public art in Atlantic City. I realize how long it took me here, and I feel like the layers of bureaucracy seem a little more challenging there, said Hampton, who has been considering moving to an old church in Atlantic City to start an artist residency. At least one group is trying to tackle the beast: The Atlantic City Arts Foundation. With only five volunteer staff members and $50,000 from private donations, the nonprofit has painted dozens of once-empty walls throughout Atlantic City since starting its mural program in 2017, called 48 Blocks. Casinos, developers and Stockton University financially support the group. Its a heavy lift though. Each year, a handful of volunteers approach local businesses one-by-one and seek permission to paint their walls. Rather than dealing with one developer to access a large canvas, the nonprofit has conversations with dozens of separate building owners. Identifying owners is a multi-step process, said Joyce Hagen, executive director of the Atlantic City Arts Foundation. Many buildings are rented, and renters are sometimes reluctant to share who the owners are. ... Its a hard process all around. And the city and Casino Reinvestment Development Authority have not opened up their wallets to the program yet. An unsuccessful, $3 million sculpture park built with CRDA money in 2012, called Wonder, may have made the state agency reluctant to back future artistic endeavors. The seven-acre park, designed by a New York City curator, was taken apart four years after being installed following intense criticism that the expensive project didnt draw the number of tourists promised. Now, Hagen says the Arts Foundation is rebuilding trust between the arts community and city. It left a bad taste in a lot of peoples mouths. Atlantic City likes big, flashy projects, Hagen said. And were not that. Were trying to build trust with the casinos, the city and developers. A bigger canvas Jitney stops, bus shelters, and public benches. All belong to the CRDA or city, and can be beautified if officials allowed it. Last year, the state agency let the Arts Foundation paint six Boardwalk chairs to brighten up a public space. Similar agreements could be expanded across the city, said Evan Sanchez, co-founder of 48 Blocks. Thats the next step I think, Sanchez said. Working with larger property holders so we can get more blanket approval. There are funding mechanisms the city can utilize as well, such as a one percent for art ordinance. Such ordinances require one percent of the construction cost of city-funded capital improvement projects to be used for public art. Philadelphia was the first city in the U.S. to adopt the rule in 1959. The Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority did the same for private development projects. The CRDA could take advantage of similar, existing New Jersey legislation, called the Public Buildings Arts Inclusion Act. It allows up to 1.5 percent of state-financed construction projects to be set aside for public art. Pull quote Developers often want to know What does art add? through numbers ... but art is more about feeling and identity. You have to encourage developers and get them excited about art. Julia Guerrero, director of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authoritys Fine Arts program The last time it was used in Atlantic City to fund an art project was in 2004, with a commissioned interior stained-glass globe that was installed in Boardwalk Hall after a renovation. More recently, some Atlantic City officials have discussed passing similar, city-wide version in the resort. Mayor Frank Gilliam said in a statement he has discussed the possibility of proposing such an ordinance to help support art projects with the citys planning and development director. Still, there could be push back from developers, said Julia Guerrero, director of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authoritys Fine Arts program. In Atlantic City, only recently on an economic upswing, the ordinance could be perceived as unfriendly to investors. Developers often want to know What does art add? through numbers ... but art is more about feeling and identity, she said. You have to encourage developers and get them excited about art. Exploring the city through art The Art Park, with its faux pirate ship and illuminated displays, promised to draw scores of visitors and turn Atlantic City into a cultural destination. Instead, it was torn down and replaced with a parking lot. Now, the Arts Foundation hopes to market its mural project as a tourist attraction. By the summer, the group plans to launch a self-guided walking tour of its murals, with maps and directions posted on its website. The goal: have people walking around Atlantic Citys neighborhoods in search of art and stopping in shops along the way. Studies show murals can increase someones sense of attachment to the community and reduce delinquency in youth. In places such as Asbury Park and Philadelphia, its also had an economic impact. Were just at the beginning steps of being able to accomplish these things, Hagen said. I just want it to be yesterday, not tomorrow. People are talking about how to reinvent Atlantic City. Join the conversation here. UPPER TOWNSHIP An unidentified construction worker helped rescue two victims trapped inside the apartment above a hair salon after the building caught fire Sunday, according to fire officials. Marmora Volunteer Fire Chief Jay Newman said firefighters were dispatched after receiving multiple calls of a fire across the street from the Marmora Wawa on South Shore Road with possible occupants trapped on the second floor. The Marmora Volunteer Fire Company and Upper Township Division of EMS were dispatched at 2:30 p.m. Seaville Fire and Rescue, Tuckahoe Fire Company and the Ocean City Fire Department were also called for assistance. They arrived at the building, which contained both the Chop Shop hair salon and a residential apartment, to find heavy fire on both floors at the back of the building as well as fire in two cars parked there. Before firefighters arrived on the scene, Newman said, a man, who has yet to be identified, placed a construction ladder up to the home to help the two people trapped inside. The stairs that provided the only way down from the top-floor apartment had burned away. We have to thank whoever that passerby is because whoever he is, he saved lives, he said. Police in Puerto Rico said Monday a Ventnor woman shot Jan. 31 in San Juan was in an apartment in the Condado section of the capital with a group of people, not on the beach during the course of a robbery, as they had initially been led to believe. Angelis Molina, a Ventnor resident who was working as a waitress in Atlantic City, had gone to San Juan, Puerto Rico, for the first time to celebrate her 20th birthday Jan. 21 with a friend. After deciding to extend her stay, she was shot in the face Jan. 31. She is recovering from her most recent surgery, which removed one of her eyes, said Michelle Molina, her mother. The bullet, her mother said, entered her daughters mouth and exited her cheek. Once Angelis Molina is able to provide testimony, police said, they will be able to narrow their ongoing investigation. The Police Bureau continues gathering information and, as soon as the woman can provide her testimony, the authorities will have an even broader picture of the circumstances regarding the incident, said Henry Escalera, commissioner of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau. BRIDGETON A mother accused of killing her toddler son told police she struck the boy because he wouldnt eat nor listen to her, according to a criminal complaint. Nakira M. Griner, 24, of Bridgeton, was charged Saturday with murder and other counts in the death of her 23-month-old son, Daniel Griner Jr. Cumberland County prosecutors have said the Bridgeton woman initially reported that her son had been abducted Friday night. A child abduction response team began a search aided by city police and State Police, prosecutors and bloodhounds from New Jersey State Park Police. The childs remains were found about 3 a.m. Saturday in the yard of Griners home in the first block of Woodland Drive. According to the complaint, the childs burned and dismembered remains were found buried under a shed. The complaint said Griner admitted striking the child so hard that she left bruises on his face and also said he fell down a flight of stairs. After striking the child, she didnt call for help, but placed him in a stroller and left him alone. PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. Under House ethics rules, LoBiondo was not allowed to start serious job negotiations until he had left office at noon Jan. 3. Thats when his successor, Jeff Van Drew, D-2, took office. I wish him well, Van Drew said Monday. He has a lot of knowledge and experience, and Im sure he will bring it to the table. LoBiondo decided not to run for re-election in 2018, but said at the time he hoped to get a job in which he could use his experience in the House of Representatives. He had chaired subcommittees such as CIA under the House Intelligence Committee, which involved in part traveling the world visiting CIA outposts. Im not ready to retire, the 72-year-old said in December after 24 years in the House. He will serve as CEO of the new company. I will take the same philosophy to helping clients that I took in Congress, namely a bipartisan approach to find common-sense solutions, LoBiondo said. LoBiondo was a senior member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, House Armed Services Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He chaired subcommittees on aviation, Coast Guard and maritime transportation, and CIA during his time in Congress. A pilot peer training program centered on Anne Frank debuted at Stockton University this month and will soon travel to area schools. Anne Frank: A History for Today is a 32-panel exhibit developed by the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and distributed in the United States through the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect. The public exhibition at the college began Feb. 9 and runs through Feb. 22 as part of its 36th annual Holocaust Awareness Program. The Frank Center and the Holocaust & Genocide Studies program at Stockton have trained students as docents for the exhibit. The students learned how to share the story and the legacy of Frank, a victim of the Holocaust known for the diary she kept while in hiding. After its display at Stockton, the exhibit will travel to Hammonton, Middle Township and Lower Cape May Regional high schools as well as Atlantic Cape Community College, where Stockton students will train the students there as docents. +19 Remembering those with South Jersey ties who died during the Holocaust Farah Zell Burns feels fortunate her father and paternal grandmother paid for a monument tha ADVERTISEMENT Some retirees in Lagos State have pleaded with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to collect federal government bailout funds or borrow to clear their outstanding payments. They made the plea during a meeting with the governor on Monday. The governor was represented by the Head of Service, Akeem Muri-Okunola. At the meeting were permanent secretaries, officials of the Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC), Lagos State Association of Retirees, and Pension Fund Administrators. Michael Adeyemo, the chairman of the association of retirees, said the major grievance of their members is the non-payment of their pensions and gratuities since 2015. The retirees have not been receiving anything for four years, that is 48 months, little wonder many of us have become a ghost of our real self, he said. Mr Adeyemo said the non-payment of their entitlements had made many unable to pay fees of children in higher institutions and others bedridden or rendered homeless. Lamentation One of the retirees, Moses Ajiboye, described the action of the government as insensitive. I cannot imagine that a worker will retire for 3-4 years and no payment, said Mr Ajiboye, who was a level 17 principal of Ayangore Junior Grammar School, Ikorodu. How much money would a worker have stolen that will last for three to four years? If you retired as a teacher, what money would you have, were you selling the children or chalk? What do they want us to eat? I retired in March 2016, and it would be three years by next month. Since then, no single alert. When one retires for that long without an alert, one will be weak. It will get to a particular level that there will be a reaction and we will fight back, Mr Ajiboye said. Another retiree, Alabi Taofeek, urged the state government to use the federal government bailout. We heard that it is only Lagos State that has not taken bailout, said Mr Taofeek, a retired level 17 worker and former principal of Ipaja College. They should take it and pay us. Many of us are dead, many have become street beggars and many depend on distant relatives as a means of livelihood. Babatunde Alabi, the secretary of the retirees association, said their submission is for their entitlements to be paid in the next two months. Alabi Babatunde, who retired in 2016, stated that our submission is that we want our money to be paid in the next two months.. We have given the mandate, they should get bailout or borrow money to pay us. We have not offended the government by serving for 35 years, we spent the most useful of our days and our youth serving the government. They should do whatever it takes to pay us, he added. The chairman of the retirees noted that the head of service had promised the payments for 2015 would be made by March. He urged the government to pay the outstanding years within the next two months. ADVERTISEMENT Tension gripped residents of Benjamin, a popular area in Eleyele, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Monday over the discovery of a spot, alleged to be a ritualists den. The news of the location filtered into the ancient city between Sunday evening and Monday afternoon. When the news of the underground tunnel hit the city, many trooped there to catch a glimpse of the spot. This also attracted journalists to the area. Discovery The spot is near a tunnel for the control of flooding on the Dugbe/Eleyele expressway, a few metres from the state police command headquarters in Eleyele. Female underwear and items which looked like charms littered the tunnel fueling suspicion that nefarious activities were going on in the area before the discovery. Residents of the area told PREMIUM TIMES that security personnel earlier came to raid the tunnel and arrested some suspects. I have been plying this route, you can never believe something like this was here. People have been gathering here since morning. They found people there with human parts. The police came and found people inside the hole. They took the suspects away. One of them was looking like a mad man, but he was just disguising so that he can do his evil acts without suspicion, he said. Not a ritualist den But, the acting spokesman of the state police command, Akeem Adeyemo, said it was not a ritualists den. He informed journalists that he made calls to the divisional police close to the area to authenticate the claim but found out it was not true. Some mad people were seen around the area by passersby who suspected they could be ritualists. They pounced on them and started beating them, when (then) the police was alerted. On investigation, it was discovered that they were mere destitute. They (destitute) were later arrested. It is just a false alarm which should be discountenanced. No fewer than eight governorship candidates in Abia State, including Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, and two senatorial candidates on Monday signed a peace accord to ensure a violence-free general elections in the state. The event which took place in Umuahia, the state capital was organised by Hope Givers Initiative, a civil society organisation (CSO), in collaboration with Vision Africa, an Umuahia-based private radio station, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abia State. In an address of welcome, Sunday Onuoha, the President of Vision Africa, called on the political parties to remain committed to the prosperity and unity of the state in their quest to govern the state. Mr Onuoha said signing the peace accord would prove the readiness of the canditates and their supporters to accept the outcome of the elections. The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Joseph Iloh, said to sustain the prevailing peace in the state before, during and after the polls, required the full cooperation of all the candidates and their supporters. Mr Iloh charged the party supporters to emulate the friendly and peaceful disposition of their principals and embrace peace during the exercise. He gave the assurance that the commission would provide a level, playing field for all the political parties and their candidates. The Commissioner of Police, Eden Okon, said the command had put necessary measures in place to ensure adequate security during the polls. Mr Okon, represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Godwin Akoh, said, We have enough security on ground. Nobody should be afraid or feel threatened, because police are ready and prepared to protect Nigerians during the elections. The Executive Director of HGI, Onyeka Udegbunam, urged political parties and the candidates to educate their supporters on the need to shun acts capable of disrupting the peaceful conduct of the polls. We are here to ensure that candidates and their parties agree to support the conduct of the general elections in a peaceful environment, Mrs Udegbunam said. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governorship candidates included Mr Ikpeazu (PDP), Uche Ogah (APC) and Alex Otti (APGA). Others were Blessing Nwagba (SDP), Fortus Okoronkwo (PPC) and Kelenna Ogbonna (ADC). NAN also reports that two senatorial candidates, Chidi Nweke of Rebuild Nigeria and Kingsley Okoronkwo of Accord Party also took part in the peace accord. In their separate speeches, the candidates expressed their readiness to abide by the peace accord during the polls. Mr Ikpeazu said, It is my desire and sincere wish that no single blood will be spilled during this election. I have express faith in the Prof. Yakubu-led INEC and the capacity of our REC to do the needful to ensure that nobody was allowed to do away with the result sheet. Mr Ogah said he had the interest of the people of Abia at heart and would continue to contribute to the growth of the state. I am a man who stands for peace. We will ensure that the activities of my supporters are governed by peace. ADVERTISEMENT Mr Otti also, spoke in a similar vein, saying that he believed in peace and would do everything within his power to maintain peace and unity in Abia. He said, I call on my fellow candidates that have appended their signature to be honest to execute what we have signed. Messrs Nweke and Okoronkwo also pledged their commitment to the peace accord and hoped that the elections would be free, fair and peaceful in order to ensure good governance and rapid development of the state. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT A former minister of information, Edwin Clark, has revealed why a South-south group endorsed Atiku Abubakar for president. The group, the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), endorsed the candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in preparation for the forthcoming presidential election. The general election is expected to hold on February 16. While speaking on Channels TV, Sunday Politics, Mr Clark said they settled for Mr Abubakar because he is the only candidate that believes in restructuring Nigeria. He said the region had been marginalized for long and as such, necessitated the forums agreement to support a man with restructuring mantra. We in the Niger Delta produce the resources that feed this country, but we are not participants. We are neglected, dehumanised, marginalised. Instead of moving forward, we are moving backward. Buhari said he does not believe in restructuring. The NNPC is the engine room of the oil industry. Nine directors were appointed into NNPC board. Six of these members are from the North, including the Chief of Staff. On what basis? he asked. Mr Clark said Mr Abubakars endorsement scrutinised after the forum consulted with governors, traditional rulers and all stakeholders in the region, and they all agreed that restructuring is the way forward. Mr Abubakar is the major contender against Nigerias president, Muhammadu Buhari, of the All Progressive Congress (APC). Restructuring, in Nigerias context, is granting more powers to the states, with the federal government releasing part of its grip on the states and allowing them run their affairs, to a large extent. ADVERTISEMENT A former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State, Yaro Makama, has been arrested. Mr Makama was arrested by security operatives in Kaduna on Monday. A spokesperson for the PDP governorship campaign in Kaduna, Yakubu Lere, confirmed the arrest to PREMIUM TIMES. He was invited by the security agents and released before they (SSS) returned and took him away to Abuja around 2 p.m. this afternoon, Mr Lere said. Nobody told us why he was arrested and Yaro Makama is one of our major stakeholders and a former party chairman in this state. No agency has admitted arresting Mr Makama and no reason has been given for his arrest. Mr Makamas arrest comes two days after Ben Bako, the Kaduna PDP campaign spokesperson, was arrested. Mr Bako was arrested by the State Security Service, SSS, and taken to Abuja. Although the SSS is yet to state the reason for Mr Bakos arrest, he was caught on video inciting his partys supporters to violently attack persons who oppose the party in Southern Kaduna. The PDP on Sunday condemned Mr Bakos arrest and demanded his release. Details later ADVERTISEMENT The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone B has seized goods with Duty Paid Value, (DPV) of N68.3 million in the first 41 days of the year. The Comptroller in Charge of the zone, Mustafa Sarkin-Kebbi, told journalists in Kaduna on Monday, that the seizures were made between January 1 and February 10. He listed the items to include 1,412 bags of parboiled rice, 40 vehicles, including those used to convey the seized goods, and 65 cartons of spaghetti. Other seized items are 111 Jerry cans of vegetable oil, 46 bales of second hand clothes, 333 pieces of used tyres and other sundry items. News Agency of Nigeria reports that the FOU Zone B oversees Kaduna/Katsina, Kano/Jigawa, Sokoto/Kebbi/Zamfara, Niger/Kwara/Kogi states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) commands. The FOU comptroller promised to be proactive in the discharge of his duties and warned against all forms of smuggling, saying that the command has zero tolerance to smuggling in any form. He called on all and sundry to desist from all acts of economic sabotage including evasion of duty payment on goods. We will not relent in impounding all of such smuggled goods and ensure those involved are brought to book accordingly. (NAN) Potent marijuana edibles can pose a major unrecognized risk to patients with cardiovascular disease Philadelphia, February 11, 2019 - As marijuana legalization sweeps North America, use of the substance has been on the rise, and the public's attitude is shifting. An increasing number of people believe that "weed" is the safest recreational drug, one that carries health benefits that outweigh its risks. Those assumptions are challenged in an article and editorial published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology that examine the story of a patient who developed crushing chest pain and myocardial ischemia after consuming most of a marijuana lollipop. "Marijuana can be a useful tool for many patients, especially for pain and nausea relief. At the same time, like all other medications, it does carry risk and side effects. In a recent case, inappropriate dosing and oral consumption of marijuana by an older patient with stable cardiovascular disease resulted in distress that caused a cardiac event and subsequent reduced cardiac function," said Alexandra Saunders, MD, Dalhousie University, Internal Medicine Program and Horizon Health Network's Department of Cardiology, Saint John, NB, Canada. The case report describes a 70-year-old man with stable coronary artery disease, taking the appropriate cardiac medications, who ate most of a lollipop that was infused with 90 mg of THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) to relieve pain and aid sleep, which caused him to have a potentially-serious heart attack. He consumed a much larger dose than the 7 mg that is typically ingested by smoking a single joint or taking the 2.5 mg starting dose of dronabinol (Marinol), a synthetic THC marketed for nausea and appetite stimulation in AIDS and cancer patients. While the patient had smoked marijuana in his youth, he had not done so since the THC content of the substance had increased significantly from three percent to 12 percent. He was also not familiar with the time-delayed and extended effect of oral THC dosing. The patient's cardiac event was likely triggered by unexpected strain on his body from anxiety and fearful hallucinations caused by the unusually large amount of THC he ingested. His sympathetic nervous system was stimulated, causing increased cardiac output with tachycardia, hypertension, and catecholamine (stress hormone) release. After the psychotropic effects of the drug wore off, and his hallucinations ended, his chest pain stopped. A number of prior case reports, as well as epidemiological studies, have described the association between cannabis use and acute cardiovascular (CV) adverse events, including myocardial infarction, stroke, arrhythmias, and sudden death. "Most previous research on marijuana-induced myocardial ischemia focused mostly on younger patients and did not focus on its different formulations and potencies. As a result of widespread marijuana legalization, healthcare providers need to understand and manage cannabis use and its complications in older patients, particularly in those with cardiovascular disease," said Robert S. Stevenson, MD, Horizon Health Network, Department of Cardiology, Saint John, NB, Canada. CV toxicity of marijuana is described in an accompanying editorial. It can be viewed as a consequence of one or more the following: 1) inhalation of combustion products of marijuana; 2) direct CV effects of THC; and 3) indirect effects of THC related to acute anxiety, hallucination, and/or psychosis. Individuals who are THC-naive and are not used to taking mind-altering drugs can become highly distressed by impaired cognition and feelings of loss of control produced by THC. Extreme emotional responses in the context of THC psychiatric toxicity are associated with surges of catecholamines, which can have adverse acute CV effects. Important considerations with respect to cannabis toxicity are the pattern of use, dose, route of administration, and degree of tolerance. "The legalization of cannabis has considerable public support but also raises public health concerns," commented the editorial's author, Neal L. Benowitz, MD, Chief, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical Service, Departments of Medicine, and Biopharmaceutical Sciences; Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. "Some users may benefit from the social and medical effects, but others will be at risk for adverse health outcomes. Little information has been disseminated to patients or healthcare providers about cannabis use in older patients, and in particular those with cardiovascular disease. For better or worse, providing advice and care to such patients who are using cannabis is now necessary for the provision of optimal medical care to these patients." ### This story has been published on: 2019-02-11. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. ADVERTISEMENT Nine persons died while 15 others sustained injuries in a road accident at Takai Local Government Area of Kano State on Monday. The accident occurred at about 9.30 a.m. on Monday at Dinyar madiga village. The councils information officer, Nasiru Faragai, told reporters the accident involved a Volkswagen Sharon bus with registration number, BUJ 389 AA-Jigawa and Toyota Sienna (YLA 389 PK-Adamawa). He said the bus from Jos was heading to Kano on high speed. While trying to dodge a pothole, it crashed into the Toyota Sienna coming from Kano heading to Yola, Adamawa State, he added. The two vehicles had a head-on collision and the driver of the Toyota Sienna died on the spot with eight other passengers, he said. The injured persons were immediately taken to Takai General hospital for treatment, he added. A witness told journalists that there is no Federal Road Safety Commission post in the area, hence the police took over rescue operations. The police spokesman in Kano, Abdullahi Haruna, said he was yet to be notified but promised to investigate. ADVERTISEMENT The Kano State Police Command said on Monday that it arrested 28 suspected political thugs during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential rally in the state. The new Commissioner of Police in the state, Wakili Muhammad who assumed office on Monday, made the disclosure while briefing journalists in Kano. On my assumption of duty, an ugly incident happened on Sunday, February 10 during PDP presidential rally. Some people put the law in their hands; property lost and some destroyed and there was total mayhem which cannot be tolerated. he said. He said that investigation was ongoing to ensure that whoever was responsible for the mayhem would face the law, adding that no one is above the law. Nobody should use the children of the poor for political thuggery while their children are not among those carrying weapons. Enough is enough; a new sheriff is in town. I assure the good citizens of Kano state that the Nigeria Police Force and its management do not belong to any party, we are neutral. Similarly, the police boss called on religious leaders, stakeholders, parents, brothers and sisters in the state to join hands in the war against drug abuse. Drugs are flourishing and booming in Kano; they sell drugs the way they sell groundnut elsewhere. We are going after these drug dealers because they are destroying our society, children, humanity; we should not allow that to flourish. Mr Muhammad promised that the command would ensure that the state is rid of drug menace, adding that drugs destroyed the family and turn children into morons. He called on journalists, religious and community leaders to join hands with the police in the fight against drug abuse and other criminal activities. Mr Muhammad urged the people to do by offering information and prayers to the police in order to make Kano great again and free it of drugs. The police commissioner assured the people of the commands commitment toward achieving successful and peaceful general elections. He said, We will do our job with fairness, justice and fear of God; our mission, vision is to fight against drugs and insecurity. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT Justices of the Sokoto Division of the Court of Appeal on Monday disqualified themselves from hearing the case on the qualification of Zamfara All Progressives Congress (APC) to field candidates for the upcoming general election. The judges made the decision reportedly after allegations emanated they were bribed. A Zamfara High Court had recognised the primary elections held by the APC in the state and declared that INEC accept the partys candidates for the elections. On the same day the Zamafa court ruled, an Abuja court validated INECs decision to disqualify the APC from participating in elections in Zamfara. Based on the contradictory rulings, INEC said it would stand by its decision to disqualify the ruling party. INEC disqualified the APC from governorship and parliamentary elections in Ekiti after the party failed to conduct its primaries within the stipulated time. Unsatisfied with Zamfara high court decision, the appellant, Aminu Jaji, a governorship aspirant and serving lawmaker representing Kauran Namoda/ Birnin Magaji Federal Constituency approached the appeal court to set aside the judgement. The judge, Ahmad Belgore, ruled that based on circulated media allegations and issues raised by Muhammad Nuhu, counsel to a senator, Kabiru Marafa, the justices would not continue with the case. Mr Belgore said in recognition of the magnitude of allegations and present situation in judiciary as well as the nation, the judges surrendered that the President of the Court of Appeal should constitute new panel to entertain the matter. He told all parties to the case to await the constitution of a new panel that would consider the matter. At the resumed hearing, counsel to the respondents told the court that some of his clients have accused the justices of receiving three million dollars to compromise the case. Earlier, counsel to the appellant, Ishiyaku Dikko (SAN) had applied to withdraw the entire appeal, which was rejected by the court on the ground that he ought to wait until the slated date for substantive hearing. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has called on Kwara people not to vote for those who have looted the country for 16 years. Mr Oshiomhole made the call on Monday in Ilorin while addressing a crowd of APC members and supporters at the presidential campaign rally for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Mr Oshiomhole also told the people to be wary of the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. He appealed to the people of the state to vote massively for the president, saying he had changed the essence of governance in Nigeria. While President Buhari is fighting corruption and putting looters in jail, Atiku promises to give amnesty to looters. When Buhari says he will protect the naira and defend Nigerias success economically, PDP promises to pursue wholesale privatisation of Nigerias assets. When Buhari promises to protect Nigerian farmers and make Nigerians eat Nigerian food, Atiku promises wholesale, reckless liberalisation that will make Nigeria import food, Mr Oshiomhole said. He also told the crowd that the APC was in the state to celebrate the end of (Senate President) Bukola Saraki. I am here to see the actual translation of enough is enough, the era of your oppression is over, he said. Era of oppression is over, I join you in Kwara to celebrate your freedom. Mr Oshiomhole assured the people of the state that with Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq (APC governorship candidate) as the governor of the state, good governance would be delivered. The state chairman of the party, Bashir Bolarinwa said the era of godfatherism was over in the state. He said that inspite of Kwara clocking 52 years, there was nothing to show for this. Sadly, Kwara is a typical example of retardation in evolution; this has been due to the machination of a succeeding dynasty that has continue to pauperise the state, he added. Mr Bolarinwa added that Kwara was lacking in all spheres of development when compared to states created in 1976 and after. He said the collective resolve of the people of the state was to end the reign of the oligarchy that had held down the progress of the state for over 16 years. Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 elections has re-affirmed his commitment to restructuring if elected on February 16. Mr Abubakar gave the assurance while addressing thousands of party faithful at a presidential rally at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Monday. The PDP presidential candidate who was accompanied by his running mate, Peter Obi, and other leaders of the party promised to uphold the rule of law. If you (masses) elect PDP and Atiku into office; I will restructure Niger Delta and all other parts of the country. We must restructure the country. Secondly, after the Obasanjo/Atiku administration started the East West highway project; till today it has not been completed. It has not been completed because we did not vote PDP to continue in power in 2015. The project has been haunted till today. We are going to complete it, if voted into power, he assured. Mr Abubakar said his administration would complete the dredging of old Port Harcourt and Onne sea ports if he wins February 16 presidential polls. According to him, Rivers state, Niger Delta and South-South had been abandoned by the administration since 2015, notwithstanding being the economic hub of the country. Every development that the people of South-South, Niger Delta and Rivers have gotten was done by PDP-led governments. The roads, schools, hospitals and water, among others were provided by PDP. I assure you that I will protect the constitution, protect separation of powers and will not interfere with the National Assembly and Judiciary because I believe in checks and balances. My administration will uphold rule of law and will never allow the rule of law to be trampled by anybody, he promised. Also speaking, former President Goodluck Jonathan called on the people of the state to come out enmass to vote PDP at all levels. He said nepotism, divisiveness, discrimination, factionalism, favouritism, sectionalism and killings had now become prevalent in the country. All of us know that things that had never been happening in this country have been happening since 2015. Nigerians can attest if the country has gone forward, backward or static. We cannot as a nation continue to stay where we currently are. We believe the only person out of the candidates who can lead us out if this quagmire is Atiku. If your son or daughter is qualified to become Inspector-General of Police and Chief of Army Staff, he or she will be appointed. No one will be discriminated. Atiku will lead Nigeria forward, he said. Senate President and Director-General of Atiku Presidential Campaign, Bukola Saraki, said Mr Abubakar had experience to take the country to greater heights. He said poverty and unemployment had reached an all-time high never seen in the country since its independence in 1960. ADVERTISEMENT There is poverty in the land and Nigerians are tired of poverty. The people want a man who can bring economic prosperity and that man is Atiku, he said. On his part, PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus, assured the people of victory at the polls. He expressed optimism that Mr Abubakar would win the North Western states of Jigawa, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto and Zamfara. If you want a president that will work for 24 hours daily, a president with capacity and energy and a president who will be in charge and take responsibility, then vote Atiku, he appealed. Hightlight of the rally was the adoption of Governor Nyesom Wike as gubernatorial candidate by 58 political parties in the state. (NAN) Second Republic lawmaker, Junaidu Mohammed, has lampooned the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), led by former Ahmadu Bello University vice chancellor, Ango ABdullahi, over its purported endorsement of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES on Monday in Abuja, Mr Mohammed described the endorsement as fraudulent and undemocratic. He said Mr Abdullahi had no mandate from the north, and wondered how the NEF members arrived at that position. He said there was no decision taken by the NEF to go into alliance with other regional groups, or to endorse or pass vote of no confidence on anybody. He challenged those who took the position to produce any resolution indicating that. To the best of my knowledge, the resolution for unanimous endorsement was never discussed, was never tabled before any level of committee of the Northern Elders Forum. Background Mr Abdullahi last week addressed a press conference alongside leaders of the Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohaneze Ndi Igbo, the Yorubas Afenifere Renewal Group, Middle Belt Forum and Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), where they endorsed Mr Abubakar. But Mr Mohammed said though he has been an outspoken critic of President Muhammadu Buhari, he would not allow unfairness to be meted out to him through the back door. Mr Mohammed, who is a founding member of the NEF said the organisation had deviated from the principles of its formation as a non-political pressure group. He said the group is factionalised with two factions pursuing selfish agenda. What the two factions in the Northern Elders Forum are doing is nothing but politics. Some are doing it, they claim, in the name of the North, the way the defunct ACF was doing. Some are doing for their own material benefit, some are doing it because they are desperately searching for relevance. He criticised the alliance between the NEF and other similar groups, saying the alliance was not in the interest of the North. Nobody can come and say he has taken the trouble to go and take us to Ohaneze, Afenifere and PANDEF, and so on, and take instructions from leaders of those organisations as if we are errand boys. We are not their colony. They are not enemies of Buhari, their own animosity is directed at the entire North and whether Buhari is doing right or wrong; and there are a lot of things he is doing wrong, it doesnt matter to them. In fact, what Buhari does wrong is a facilitation to them, it allows them to justify their agitation and demand the impossible. For you to now follow the ebb and flow of political happenings in this country simply because you want to belong to group of people with whom you have divergent interests, in my view, is a disservice to whatever cause you stand for. That is why we are saying that this thing is unholy. He said the NEF lacked the standing to recommend anybody for any position as members have divergent political opinions. He said even when the organisation wanted to mediate among northerners eyeing the PDP ticket, it failed, alleging that issues were disregarded on the altar of money politics. ADVERTISEMENT When they went to Port Harcourt, what I expected, or what most of people expected was it was going to be matter of money; cash and carry. Whoever has the most formidable financial muscle would emerge as the candidate, and that was what exactly happened. If you ask anybody who was at the convention, what are the issues discussed in terms of platform, no such discussions took place. They went with their musicians. Danced their native songs, went round to meet people and give them money, sometimes openly. That was how they emerged. And it started first like a bazaaryou price, somebody prices higher than you, and then somebody comes higher. Mr Mohammed said there was no way a candidate could be adopted unanimously by any group. He also said their action amounts to perversion of democratic ethos. On Saturday, Shehu Sani will be seeking a re-election to represent the people of Kaduna Central in the Nigerian Senate. Unlike his 2015 outing, however, the activist will be contesting in a relatively unpopular party, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP). Ahead of the election, he discusses with PREMIUM TIMES Kemi Busari his expectations among other trending election issues. PT: The much talked about election is just around the corner. Whats your view of recent politicking and what are your expectations in terms of ambition to return to the Senate? Sani: First and foremost my kind of politics is one that is driven by my ideology, my principles, in the history of my struggled and the reality of my society i am of the political elect and I am of the progressive revolutionary class of Nigerians. I am not a politician, I am an activist, one that subscribes to the revolutionary socialist democratic ideas. The problem of my state is that we have a governor that was imposed on us by the ruling party who has no interest of the masses at heart and who is pursuing policies and programs that not only eliminate the people and marginalise them but also consistently and systematically decimate them politically and socially and economically. And in the region (Northern region), we are dealing with a situation whereby we have a government that has been in the past, unable to address their problems and in the present, has also failed to address their needs but we also have a populace that has been unable to detach themselves from an allegiance to the government and people in the government base on the fact that they come from their region. Many of the things that are happening in this country would not have been tolerated by many of our people if it was done by people who dont come from our part of our country and the frustrations we face today is that the South West that has been known to be active, agile, principled in the defence of the ideas of freedom and democracy, have chosen to tolerate or accept or keep a passive presence in terms of these infractions and transgressions and breaches of democratic principle and fundamental right because we believe that in 2023, power is going to the South Western part of Nigeria and in the North, there is still this attitude of supporting government, countering to government solidarising with government as long as it comes from the people in power. If Buhari wins the 2019 election, the power would certainly go back to the South West. What has been put in place by northern leaders and the government? What preparation has been made for what will happen after 2023? There is no doubt that if power move to the southwest part of Nigeria, the first and the major agenda for Nigeria will be restructure. Have the nineteen other stage in Nigeria prepared themselves for that restructuring? None. PT: Based on that, in the Saturdays election, are you well convinced that you will win the election and represent your people once again in the senate? Sani: Well, when we won the 2015 election, all that was said by almost many people is that people won election because they are in Buharis party. Their individual politics dont matter, their record dont matter, their commitment to the freedom and struggle of their people dont matter. But no matter what, I feel highly comfortable that if I have one to two, to three thousand people in a rally which I would organise, it is more dignified for me knowing that they come for me, and they believe in me than having hundred to two hundred thousand people that would be aligned to somebody. There is no doubt about it, most of these governors in northern Nigeria are most people who are so desperate presenting themselves as Buharist are simply doing so to win political power and i know it very well that Buhari would not know his friends would not know his enemies until he is out of power. Most of those people who are in political offices would turn their back against Buhari after they have gotten what they want from him. What do they want from him? They simply want to win the 2019 election. And I can say it clearly that since I left the APC, I have been on aggressive campaign and you can see it from the social media and the traditional media and on the ground see how people have come to me and I would be very pleased that whoever decides to vote for me, has decided to vote for me based on integrity, based on my qualities, based on my personality, based on the principles and ideas which I stand for and not based on the fact that I hide behind the shadow of somebody which they are all doing. Many of these people cannot even get ten people on their street if they are out of Buharis party. PT: The feud between you and Mr El-Rufai has been running for a while, do you see the election as supremacy battle between you two? Sani: Well, I would have preferred if it was a test of popularity between the two of us. If he can get out of Buharis party and take a party that is not Buhari. Let us now go to the public and see who the public will elect. So, you cannot hide behind Buhari and then say you want to campaign against somebody who is in a party for which he is being judged based on his personal beliefs and personal ideas. El-Rufai cannot exist outside of Buharis circle. He cannot contest election outside of Buharis circle. If he was denied a ticket in APC, he would not have had the courage to join any political party and contest. And I challenge him to go out of Buharis party and stand on his own. Let us not forget, in 2015, he couldnt win the primary election until Buhari came and rose his hand before primaries which made it possible for him to defeat his opponent. ADVERTISEMENT And again, he supported two senatorial candidates against me and I defeated them. In 2015, he was not able to stop Shehu Sani but now he is in the APC. He cannot claim that the crowd with him are his. Any vote which El-Rufai will earn will be because of Buhari. Any vote I get will be given because of myself. Why hide under somebodys shadow and then say you want to fight somebody? PT: In terms of preparation, are you confident that INEC is ready and will conduct a free and fair election? Sani: 2019 election will verify and scrutinize the integrity of President Buhari and his government because integrity is not simply about fighting corruption, it is about a leader and his leadership being able to observe and respect democratic principles and also comply with it. The INEC has no option than to conduct free and fair election. But there are areas beyond the control of INEC. The executive controls the army, the police, the machinery and apparatus of the state. Just as the apparatus of the state can be used against the masses and political opponents, it can also be used against INEC. For example, INEC cannot deliver election materials without being escorted. If the executive disallow the escort, it cannot happen. We cannot have a free, fair election simply by INEC results; the government must be responsible. If the election is credible, government will share the glory. If it is rigged, government will share the blame. PT: A lot of people have criticised you base on the back and forth that led to your defection from APC. In some quarters, they say you are pained for the ticket denial and have become a fiercer critic of the party you left. How do you react to this? Sani: Even when I was in APC, have you ever read me as a supporter? When things are right, I will say they are right. I am not in the APC today but there are some good things that the president has done. Completion of projects, payment of pensions, there are good things that has happened. The minimum wage bill is good, the disability bill is good. So is it because I criticise the president whenever I see things that are wrong that I wont state what is right. The president has done a commendable thing. Even when Im in APC, I will also say it. but if anybody expect that when Im in APC, I should be supporting government, I dont think what is right should be said and what is wrong should be hidden, I cant. And what did I do? I simply moved. And my battle with El-Rufai started two, three weeks after we assumed office and is still on. So, nothing has changed. What I said when I was in APC is still what Im saying now. I have said this in APC and Im still saying it the government anti-corruption fight is using insecticide and when Im out, I keep criticising the government. My position hasnt changed irrespective of party. PT: Theres a school of thought that says most Nigerian politicians and parties are devoid of ideologies. That they pitch their tents where their interest lie. Do you subscribe to this? Sani: I think they are not far from the truth. Most of those who are said to have destroyed Nigeria are very much alive and present in the APC and their attitude, the character has not changed. When President Buhari is criticising president Obasanjo for wasting 16 billion power project and for embarking on a failed third term project, all I said is very clear: that it is the same people who were part of the government that destroyed Nigeria and wasted 16 billion power project are also the same people who are in APC. The people who worked for third term, who were the engineers and technicians of third term are already very much among the supporters of President Buhari. It is impossible to send OBJ to jail without his fellow culprits and people who have worked in his government. If you accuse Atiku of selling off public enterprise as an auction, as the chairman of National Council of Privitasation, who is the DG of that company? It is not Nasir-El-Rufai. Ninety percent of the APC are from the PDP. The APC is party founded on grievances. Founded by people who just wanted to remove the PDP and Jonathan from power. And many people who supported not because they saw the failures of the PDP, but because they have been schemed out of the power game. PT: 2019 electioneering has witnessed some applauded developments, one of which is the emergence of underdogs who have persisted in campaigns. Do you think Nigeria is ripe for a third force option? Sani: If we dont create a third force that will be able to stand up against the two goliaths, we will continue to be the hostages and people are finding it difficult for smaller political parties because their own idea of politics is not about the pursuit of common goal for the good of the society but rather to profit from it. Nigerian political space is still being dictated and manipulated by money and monetary considerations that is why people like to listen to presidential candidates of small political parties but they dont like to join them or vote term into office. That is why I see courage, conviction and I see Nigerians defile the convention and join smaller parties founded on higher goals. That is why you see people defecting. People who defect to the APC are in three categories: some to run away from the law, some to run away from the poverty of being in the opposition and some are defecting because they cannot survive outside of the circle. I can tell you that if Buhari wins the 2019 elections, the PDP is finished. So many people will leave to join Buhari. If Buhari loses the 2019 elections, the APC is finished because many people will leave APC and join PDP. We can say that the way forward for Nigerias political space is to demonetise and reject the politics of money. PT: One of the key issues that have shaped campaign discussion is restructiuring but it has come in different strands. While some clamour for political restructuring, some other favour fiscal and geographical. How do you want Nigeria to be restructured? Sani: The government of today mentioned restructuring as part of its campaign promises I 2015 but they deceived the people and never made it a major issues until when election came closer and then in August, a funny committee was set up to be chaired by the governor of Kaduna State. We shouldnt deceive ourselves. The body language, the statement and the thinking of President Muhammadu Buhari is not for restructuring. Its never for restructuring but I believe that restructuring will be a major agenda when power shifts to the South West and as for the North, there doesnt appear to be any plan or programme in place for the region to adjust itself to the reality of restructuring. When you have a south-westerner as a president, I foresee a serious battle between the South West and the North on what restructuring should be. When the South West gets control of its executive presidency, the North will depend on the National Assembly and the judiciary for protection but unfortunately, these are the institutions now, that has been desecrated. Restructuring cannot happen under President Muhammadu Buhari. It is not possible because he is not in tune with it. All the talks about fighting corruption will remain superficial and partisan without restructuring politically, socially and economically and attacking the problem from its root and from its base. PT: In the 9th senate, what are your aspirations in terms of aspirations if elected? Sani: The 9th senate will be different from the 8th senate but theres going to be a turbulence in the beginning as it was in the 8th senate because the executive will say to have learnt their lesson with emergence of Saraki and now what the president and the presidency and the party will do, is try to impose and dictate the leadership of the national assembly. They will aspire to have a rubber stamp National Assembly. One that will approve coal-tar and submit and become subservient for the executive but from my own little experience in national assembly, no national assembly leader whether in the senate or the house of Reps, can survive if he turns himself into the tool of the executive. No senate president or speaker or any leader in the senate can survive if he doesnt have the majority of support and do the bidding of his own colleagues and not that of the executive. So, even if you have a larky or a stooge as a president or senate president or a speaker of the house of representative, he is not going to last and the image and reputation of that assembly will be tarnished. If there is something which this National Assembly will be noted for is its determination and doggedness in maintaining the independence of the national assembly and taking on the executive step by step. But president Mohammadu Buhari has in all his tenure in the office, been forced to fight the battle of others and not of himself. Saraki and Dogara were not the enemies of Buhari but were the enemies of people who are close to Buhari and now Buhari was politically forced to make the enemies of his friends as his own enemies and that was the kind of trouble, the kind of battle which he created for himself. And right now, it is the ruling APC that has given birth to the forces against it as it is now. All those in the front line today, working towards bringing down president Buhari and bringing down the APC are from the APC. From Atiku Abubakar to Saraki and many others in the front line without those who decamped from APC to PDP. PDP would have been history but PDP was given life by the internal conflict and contradiction of the APC. It was given life by the cries and defectors from APC. Kwakwanso, Atiku, Saraki, Dogara and many leaders of the APC who are now in the PDP would have been in the close cycle of president Muhammadu Buhari, but he was forced to turn them into his enemies which none of them could have been any of his enemy. PT: Do you have governorship ambition in nearest future? Sani: For now Im aspiring for the senate and I will first concentrate on that. Many years ago, I was criticising a governor he said is because I want to be a governor and now I have never filled a (governorship) form even when I was in the APC. PT: How do you react to the body bag statement? Sani: My position is very clear, if El-Rufai or the government that is supporting him, feel body bags is such a good object, they should include it in the logo of their party. The international community must sanction him, the must ban and penalise him. This is hate speech. It is an incitement against people and I have said it, this government and the ruling party is a beneficiary of the international community. Without the international community monitoring and observing the election, President Buhari would not have been in power. And it is ironic for a party and a government that rose to World Bank, IMF and other western financial institution and China to collect money, youre saying you dont want foreign interference. As far as Im concerned, if inciting the people to murder, international observers is nationalism and patriotism, I dont want to be recognised and categorised as a nationalist or as a patriot. I want to belong to the community of humanity. One whose compass and whose principles is founded on justice, freedom, democracy and global peace. ADVERTISEMENT Ahead of the presidential and governorship election this weekend, the police have issued a warning to politicians and political parties, urging them to play by the rules to achieve peaceful elections. The warning came as political parties and candidates for the coming elections in Ondo State signed a peace accord stating their commitment to peaceful elections. The deputy Inspector General of Police, in charge of Operations and the supervising DIG for the election in the South-West geo-political zone, Jubril Yakubu, gave the warning on Monday at the meeting in Akure. Mr Yakubu said that political gladiators in the state should ensure a peaceful conduct of election through their collaboration with the security agents and electoral body. According to him, police and other security agencies will ensure neutrality and impartiality. He also warned that vote-buying would be checked at the polling units, assuring that the police had developed a strategy that would check the menace at the polling units during elections. I can assure you that those involved in vote buying would be arrested during the elections, he said. We have made plans to arrest such persons. Mr Yakubu said all the security were working as one and assured that personnel would be punctual at their duty posts to make sure that the election are held as expected under peaceful atmosphere. We are not going to be partisan because we dont have anybody or any political party in mind, Mr Yakubu said. He charged the electorate to be law-abiding so that there would be no unnecessary wrangling. In his remarks, the Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Rufus Akeju, said the electoral body was fully prepared for a free, fair and credible elections. Mr Akeju assured that INEC would ensure a level playing ground for all political parties during and after the elections, calling on them to allow peace to reign. While speaking on behalf of all political parties, Gbenga Joseph of the Social Democratic Party, lauded the police for the assurance that there would be no crisis during the elections. Mr Joseph, who is the senatorial candidate of the SDP in Ondo Central, pleaded with the police to implement all their promises so that the electorate would have more confidence in the system. About 15 political parties signed the peace accord, among which are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), All Progressive Party (APC), and Social Democratic Party. ADVERTISEMENT The police in Lagos have arrested two men who allegedly killed an Uber driver and stole his Hyundai Elantra car. Peter Robert, 33, and Gideon Achibong, 36, were arrested on February 4 at about noon in Aboki Estate, Lekki, while removing the car parts for sale to a scrap metal dealer, the police said in a statement on Monday. The arrest of the suspects followed a directive from the new State Police boss, Zubairu Muazu, to the Commander of the RRS, Olatunji Disu, that the culprits should be fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law, the statement said. According to the police, Mr Robert, who is an ex-convict and a bus conductor, conspired with three others (now at large) to hijack and Uber cab (registration number EPE 676 EC), sell it, three days before his arrest. On the said day, the quartet: Emma, David, Dolapo and PeterRobert at around 11:00 p.m waved down the deceased, Sunday Obasi in Lekki. They told him they were going to Ikate and he charged them N1,000. Before getting to their destination, the suspects told the driver that they wanted to ease themselves. It was at this point they descended on the driver. They killed him and pushed him off the car into the road before driving the car to Beach Road, Lekki, where they hid it for two days while looking for buyer. The police statement quoted Mr Robert as saying that he sat at the front of the car during the operation. We seized and hit him with stones several times. He complained that he was sick. We pushed him beside the road and went away with the car, a wine colour Hyundai Elantra. At the Beach Road, Lekki, where we parked the car, we swapped the number plate of the car with a Volkswagen Passat car (FKJ 708 CA) close by. We left it for two days hoping to contact buyers for the car. The suspect said their leader, identified as Emma, had noticed that the Uber driver was operating offline before he decided they hijack the car from him. The following day when one of us visited where we hijacked the car. He noticed the guys remains was already in police body bag, said Mr Robert. We contacted Archibong to assist us in disposing off the car. The buyers we invited indicated that they can only buy the car parts. It was in the process of dismantling the car that RRS patrol vehicle spotted us and arrested two of us. Emma, Dolapo and David are on the run. The Lagos State police commissioner, Mr Muazu, said investigations were continuing on the case. He noted that the command would leave no stone unturned towards ensuring that the fleeing suspects are made to face justice. ADVERTISEMENT Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has expressed sadness over the death of former House of Representatives member and ex-President of Pan-African Parliament, Bethel Amadi. Mr Dogara made this known in a statement on Monday signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, in Abuja. The late lawmaker, who represented Mbaitoli/Ikeduru constituency for 12 years in the House also served as Chief whip during the Speakership of Patricia Etteh. He reportedly died Sunday evening in London, England. Mr Dogara, while extending his heart-felt condolences to the family of the deceased, described him as a resourceful and courageous parliamentarian. Mr Dogara said, Hon Amadi was remarkable at every venture he undertook. He distinguished himself as lawmaker and displayed high sense of patriotism while serving as a principal officer of the House of Representatives. His tenure as President of Pan-African Parliament where he represented Nigeria was faultless. He always discharged his responsibilities with competence and distinction. At this time of great grief, I join friends, family, loved ones and indeed, the House of Representatives to mourn his untimely loss. May the comfort of the Lord be with his family all through this period and may God grant his soul eternal rest. (NAN) The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has handed over some of its staff caught extorting potential voters before attending to them at registration centres. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, said this in a phone call in during the Sunrise Daily programme of Channels Television on Saturday. INEC has moved Mr Igini to Bayelsa as the new REC for the state. The general election kicks off on Saturday with the presidential and National Assembly polls. PREMIUM TIMES reported complaints from Nigerians over the difficulties they encountered in trying to collect their permanent voters cards (PVCs). INEC on Friday extended the deadline for the collection of the PVCs by three days to Monday, five days before the presidential and National Assembly elections on February 12. Mr Igini confirmed the reports from Nigerians about the conducts of some INEC officials during the registration and collection process. He said some of the staff and alleged staff had been arrested. Mr Igini said various method will be adopted to ensure the elections are free and fair. You are not expected to use any electronic device from the point where you collect your ballot paper to the cubicle, he said. He said the aim of banning the use of photographic devices is to discourage vote buying. We have to deal with vote buying which has become a major challenge in recent times, the INEC chief said He said no new polling unit was created and that voting points will be available for easy accreditation and voting. Also, he said ballot papers have not been delivered because it is at the last stage of processing that this would be done. We had to do a review about the election timetable, we cautiously followed it. He lamented the attitude of the political class in allegedly not wanting free and fair elections. A voter will only vote where he is registered, he said. Mr Igini said every patriotic Nigerian is expected to vote in the general election, describing it is an important election in the history of Nigeria. ADVERTISEMENT The Nigerian Navy (NN) says it has destroyed no fewer than 637 illegal refineries in the Niger Delta in 2018, through Operation River Sweep. The Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok-Ete Ibas, a vice admiral, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja, while briefing journalists on the scorecard of the Navy in 2018. Mr Ibas was represented by Belgory Ibe-Enwo, a rear admiral and Chief of Policy and Plans, Naval Headquarters, Abuja According to him, 104 speed boats and 340 suspects were also arrested in connection with illegal bunkering or snuggling during the period. The Operation involves air surveillance, insertion of Special Forces by gunboats, pulling down of located illegal refining sites with the use of swamp buggies and arrest/destruction of boats and barges found in such locations. The CNS said that the quantity of crude oil lost to illegal oil refining activities during the period was about 277, 040 barrels. He added that about 23.1 million litres of Automated Gas Oil (AGO) or diesel, 212, 610 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and 1.2 million litres of Domestic Producing Kerosene (DPK) were also lost. He said records indicated that the navy through its Operation Tsare Teku recorded a total of 34 pirates attacks during the period. A total of 34 pirates attacks on ships were reported, with nine successful and 25 unsuccessful. Furthermore, a total of 20 sea robbery attacks were reported in 2018, with six successful and 14 unsuccessful. Additionally, a total of 46 vessels and barges were arrested for involvement in maritime crimes during the period, Mr Ibas said. On maritime domain awareness, he said that the navy carried out round-the-clock surveillance of Nigerias maritime space, using the Regional Awareness Capability (RMAC) and Falcon Eye facilities. The navy chief said that in addition to the use of vessels and helicopters, the force had 24 Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) centres located across the Nigerian coastlines. These centres ensure effective surveillance of all vessels in our territorial waters were fitted with Automatic Identification System (AIS) or not, he said. He explained that using the MDA facilities and prompt reporting of attacks of vessels at sea led to foiling of several piracy incidents. Mr Ibas said with arrest of 46 vessels in 2018 by the navy, it is envisaged that the MDA facilities will help to present a complete, clear, detailed and updated maritime situation of Nigerias maritime domain. He added that by extension, the Gulf of Guinea will be involved when the whole proposed sites are completed. On enhancement of response capability, Mr Ibas said the capability of the navy was being enhanced through acquisition of more platforms. ADVERTISEMENT Notwithstanding these acquisitions, there is need to increase NNs operational capability by acquiring more vessels in order to enable it respond more effectively to contemporary and future threats. He said that the navy remained committed towards improving security around the nations maritime area, with the notable achievements recorded so far. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT President Muhammed Buhari was on Monday embarrassed when aggrieved party members threw objects at a podium he and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were standing during his Ogun State rally in Abeokuta with stones and sachet water. The ugly development occurred at the Moshood Abiola International Stadium, Abeokuta shortly after Governor Ibikunle Amosun handed over the microphone to the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, to address the crowd. Earlier before the arrival of Mr Buhari and the APC chieftains, a fracas had broken out between supporters of the APC and those of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM). The police arrested some of the troublemakers with various dangerous weapons and charms in their possession. Addressing the gathering, Mr Amosun reiterated his decision to work for the reelection of Mr Buhari but not to work for the partys governorship candidate, Dapo Abiodun. He directed his supporters to follow suit. Come Saturday, let us go out to vote for President Buhari and on March 2, let us look elsewhere. I hope you understand me and get my message. And let it be known to you all, after the March 2 poll, we shall all become APC again, Mr Amosun said. Mr Amosun is leading a rebellion in the state against the leadership of the APC for rejecting his nomination of Adekunle Akinlade as the APC governorship candidate. Mr Akinlade has moved over to pick the flag of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) for the election on March 2. At the rally, Mr Amosun allegedly ordered the gate to be thrown open for all party members to attend the ceremony and the 35,000 capacity stadium was filled to the brim. Oshiomhole Stoned As Mr Oshihomole commenced his speech, the thugs started hurling missiles at the podium to disrupt the programme. The event was temporarily brought to a halt, with Mr Amosun begging the unruly party members to desist from the bad behaviour. Please in the name of God, it is enough, dont disgrace me, God will not destroy your work, please dont destroy my work, the governor hollered in vain. The development forced dignitaries to flee the podium. Those who left include former governors Bola Tinubu, Olusegun Osoba and Bisi Akande; and Governors Rotimi Akeredolu, Kayode Fayemi and Akinwunmi Ambode of Ondo, Ekiti and Lagos respectively. Before the attack on party chieftains, former governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, cautioned those he described as hypocrites against staying indoor and fighting the home from outside. After a brief peace return, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo spoke about the agenda of the APC for the second term. He called on party supporters and the electorate to return the party at all levels. Mr Oshiomole handed over the partys flag to Dapo Abiodun, who is the partys governorship candidate, while President Buhari also raised the hand of Mr Abiodun before the crowd. While Mr Buhari was raising Mr Abioduns hand, the crowd shouted No, No and hurled objects at the president and the governorship candidate. It took the intervention of the security operatives who shielded the president and ensured he was not hurt by the missiles. ADVERTISEMENT The National Judicial Council says it has set up a preliminary complaints assessment committee to review the responses given to it by the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, and the Supreme Court Justice Ibrahim Muhammad who is acting in his stead. Mr Onnoghen is accused of failing to fully declare his assets, while Mr Muhammad is facing allegations of misconduct in allowing himself to be sworn in as a replacement for Mr Onnoghen, whose suspension by President Buhari critics say violated the constitution. Both men are being investigated by the NJC as required by the law. The council sat on Monday and was expected to give its verdict after hearing the responses of the two accused judges. Both had been given seven days to respond to the allegations against them. A spokesperson for the NJC, Soji Oye, said in a statement Monday that the NJC reconvened and resolved to constitute into the Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee in accordance with Regulation 17 of the National Judicial Council Judicial Discipline Regulations, 2017. The committee is to report its finding to the council on February 13 when it will reconvene. Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed. Chief Justice of Nigeria Council also received a new petition written by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Hon. Mr. Justice W.S.N. Onnoghen, GCON and forwarded it to him for his response within seven (7) working days, Mr Oje said. Council reaffirmed its confidence in Hon. Mr. Justice Umaru Abdullahi, CON and continues under his Interim Chairmanship. Petitions The petition against Mr Onnoghen was written by members of a group, Resource Centre For Civil Education, while the allegation against Mr Muhammad was written by a former Nigerian Bar Association, Olisa Agbakoba, and another group, Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative. Mr Onnoghen was suspended on January 25, 11 days after his trial on alleged false asset charge began at the Code of Conduct Tribunal on January 14. If both officers are found liable by the council after todays meeting, the consequence may include the appointment of a new CJN for the country. Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Zinc Chloride Market: Dry Cell Application to Drive Revenue Growth During the Forecast Period: Global Industry Analysis 2013 - 2017 and Opportunity Assessment 2018 - 2028" report to their offering. Zinc Chloride Market PR-Inside.com: 2019-02-11 10:33:00 Future Market Insights delivers key insights on the global zinc chloride market in its latest report titled Zinc Chloride market: Global Industry Analysis 2013-2017 and Opportunity Assessment, 2018-2028. The long-term outlook of the global zinc chloride market remains positive and its market value is expected to increase at a CAGR of 4.6 % during the forecast period (2018 2028). On the basis of grade type, the global zinc chloride market is dominated by the high purity grade segment, which accounts for ~43.6% of the global zinc chloride demand. The segment is estimated register a moderate CAGR over the forecast period and the demand for the segment is mostly driven by the chemical industry. Battery grade zinc chloride is widely used in the manufacturing of dry cell batteries. Technical grade and commercial grade zinc chloride segments are projected to witness high acceptability and growth rates in the latter half of the forecast period as these grades are used in electronic and other industrial applications. Global sales of zinc chloride is valued at US$ 270.9 Mn by the end of 2018 witnessing Y-o-Y growth of 4.6% over 2017. China accounts for a value share of ~21.9% of the global zinc chloride market in 2018 end and it is anticipated to register significant demand for zinc chloride from chemical and agriculture industries.Zinc chloride or ZnCl2 is a deliquescent salt, which is white in color and forms acidic solutions in polar organic solvents such as ether, acetone, water and ethanol. Zinc chloride is hygroscopic in nature and thus, must be kept away from water vapors and moisture sources. By adding zinc chloride and acetone, a neutral solution of zinc chloride is prepared.Request to Sample of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6541 Increasing demand for zinc chloride from chemical and textile industries can be attributed to the growth in usage in these industries. Other than this, zinc chloride also finds a number of other applications in various end-use industries such as in galvanizing, tinning of fluxes and soldering. It can also be used as an odor controller, due to which its demand is increasing in the market. The reaction of sulfide with zinc chloride minimizes the release of H2S gas in waste water treatment facilities, thereby aiding in odor control. Zinc chloride is used in the rubber industry for the vulcanization of rubber. That apart, dissolution of cellulosic fibers in scrap is done with the help of zinc chloride. Zinc chloride is also used for various other applications such as textile finishing, liquid fertilizers, organic synthesis, dry cell batteries and wood preservatives, among others.However, the global zinc chloride market is projected to face numerous challenges as zinc chloride is toxic in nature and can cause skin & eye burns. Zinc chloride and water, on contact with eyes, can cause permanent damage. Such factors are further expected to hamper the growth of the zinc chloride market.One of the recent trends observed in the global zinc chloride market includes the use of zinc chloride as a catalyst in the automotive industry.Segmentation AnalysisOn the basis of grade type, the high purity grade segment is projected to remain dominant throughout the forecast period with a share of ~43.6% by the end 2018On the basis of application type, the global zinc chloride market is projected to be dominated by the dry cell batteries segment, which is expected to register a CAGR of 4.5% over the forecast period. However, the catalyst segment is expected to witness a higher growth rateOn the basis of end use, the use of zinc chloride in the chemical industry is projected to remain the relatively larger end use segment; however, other applications such agriculture and electronics are expected to expand at relatively moderate growth ratesRegional AnalysisFrom a regional perspective, China is projected to dominate the global zinc chloride market throughout the forecast period. The region is a production base for a number of global manufacturers and also, exports to Asian and other countries. North America also holds a significant share of ~20% in the global zinc chloride market with the U.S. representing the major market demand. India is projected to be a higher growth country with significant growth opportunities in the latter half of the forecast period. ASEAN, Poland, Brazil and other countries are majorly dependent on the import of zinc chloride from the U.S., China and Europe. Therefore, a number of manufacturers are planning to strategically invest in expanding their sales and production footprint in the region. Latin America and MEA are projected to remain low volume high growth regions over the forecast period.Need more information about Report Methodology @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-6541 Vendor InsightsThe report highlights some of the top companies operating in the global zinc chloride market such Zaclon LLC, Flaurea Chemicals, Vijaychem Industries, FInOrIC, American Elements, Pan-Continental Chemical Co., Global Chemical Co. Ltd., TIB Chemicals, S.A. Lipmes, Haihua Industry and Yanggu Zhongtian Zinc Industry Co. Ltd., among others. PR-Inside.com: 2019-02-11 14:01:07 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 11, 2019 / Viridium Pacific Group Ltd. ("Viridium") (TSXV: VIR) (OTC PINK: VIRFF) is pleased to announce it has completed the acquisition of EFX Laboratories Inc. ("EFX") it previously announced on January 7, 2019, by way of an amalgamation of EFX and 2163903 Alberta Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Viridium, in accordance with the Business Corporations Act (Alberta) (the "Amalgamation").Under the terms of the amalgamation agreement among Viridium, EFX and 2163903 Alberta Ltd., Viridium acquired all of the issued and outstanding class A voting shares of EFX ("EFX Shares") on the basis of 1 common share of Viridium (a "Viridium Share") for every 2.57 EFX Shares, resulting in the issuance of 49,412,781 Viridium Shares (including all EFX Shares issued in connection with the exercise of in-the-money EFX options). In addition, all out-of-the-money EFX stock options have been exchanged for an aggregate of 1,089,491 Viridium stock options.EFX is a Canadian biotech company located in Calgary focused on medical cannabis applications and treatments and has developed several proprietary formulations for pain control, as well as a suite of value-added wellness products. Key products of EFX include a proprietary two piece pill for postoperative pain control actively being prepared for a phase III clinical trial and over 50 market tested wellness formulas and products ranging from creams, tinctures, sprays and oils."The acquisition of EFX deepens our focus in the medical cannabis industry," states Viridium CEO Jay Garnett, "with the addition of EFX assets and its key people, we further our vision of supplying industry leading value added products formulated from our own cultivated cannabis".Animus Capital Partners Inc. ("Animus") acted as exclusive financial advisor to Viridium in respect of the Amalgamation. Animus is a global financial advisory and merchant banking firm based in Calgary, Alberta. Animus is focused on investing, advising and partnering with leading companies in select industries.Mathew August, Executive Managing Director of Animus Capital Partners, commented "this creates a preeminent leading biotech focused company with tier one management, board governance and a business strategy that attracts institutional capital and market interest going forward".Management and Board of DirectorsViridium's board of directors is now comprised of five existing Viridium directors (Jay Garnett, Harry McWatters, Sean MacNeil, Benjamin Eastwood and Dan Echino) and two former EFX directors (Michael Kohut and Michael Black). In order to accommodate the new board members, Viridium wishes to thank Jarrett Malnarick and Gary Purewal, who have stepped down and resigned as directors, for their valuable contributions to Viridium's board. Viridium's management team is unchanged, being comprised of Jay Garnett (President and Chief Executive Officer) and Jarrett Malnarick (Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer).Strategic RationaleViridium believes that the Amalgamation is consistent with Viridium's stated goal of producing a strong portfolio of cannabis brands and products for the Canadian medical, wellness, and export markets and that the financial and strategic benefits of the Amalgamation are uniquely compelling to its shareholders. Viridium anticipates that the Amalgamation will position it for a strong go-forward strategy to create a long term sustainable growth company focused on the "3rd wave" of cannabis investment which will include biotech applications in the medical, retail consumer wellness product market.The Amalgamation is expected to accelerate the completion of Viridium's business initiatives in the next 24 to 36 months. The combined company is fully-funded to execute its business initiatives with a strong balance sheet with more than $10 million cash on hand. Viridium, as combined with EFX, is now vertically integrated from seed to value added product, with all of the Health Canada licences required to execute its business strategy.Trading HaltViridium expects that the halt on Viridium Shares will be lifted by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") today, February 11, 2019.About ViridiumViridium is a consumer wellness and biotech innovation company based in British Columbia, and the parent company of Experion Biotechnologies Inc. ("Experion"), a Health Canada licensed producer of cannabis, which operates in an 8,300 square-foot indoor facility outside of Mission, British Columbia. Experion currently a cultivation and processing license issued under the Cannabis Act.Reader AdvisoryInvestors are cautioned that any information released or received with respect to the Amalgamation may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon.The Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the Amalgamation and has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this news release.Neither the Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.Further InformationForward Looking StatementsThis news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). The use of any of the words "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "objective", "ongoing", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe", "plans", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements concerning Viridium's goals, strategy, business plan and capitalization; the benefits of the Amalgamation; the cannabis industry and investment therein, Health Canada licenses; and the Exchange's halt on Viridium Shares. The forward-looking statements are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by Viridium, including, among other things the success of Viridium's and EFX's operations as a combined entity, expected growth, results of operations, performance, industry trends and growth opportunities, and synergies expected to result from the Amalgamation Although Viridium believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-l PR-Inside.com: 2019-02-11 12:51:02 Press Information Persistence Market Research CONTACT: Persistence Market Research 305 Broadway 7th Floor, New York City, NY 10007, United States, USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353 Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com yogesh Seggar Team Lead 8009610353 email http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com # 590 Words CONTACT:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.comTeam Lead8009610353 Sodium borate also known as borax is a mineral, a boron compound and a salt of boric acid. Sodium borate is available in crystalline form and is water soluble. Sodium borate can also be easily converted to borates and boric acid. Borax decahydrate is the commonly used grade in the market. Some of the countries such as Turkey, the U.S., Chile and Romania have commercially important deposits of borax. Sodom borate is used in variety of end-user industries such as personal care, biochemistry, paints & coatings, metal processing, food processing, mining, paper processing, water treatment and ceramics among others. Sodium borate is also used as buffer solutions in biochemical processes and laboratories. Fire retardant is another major outlet for sodium borate and is likely to grow in years to come.Request Sample Report@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4534 The market for sodium borate was mainly driven by end-user industries such as increasing demand from personal care, water treatment and disinfectant market. Huge demand for sodium borate as antiseptic solution from detergent, disinfectant and water treatment has been the major factor for the growth of sodium borate in past few years. Sodium borate is used in manufacturing of glass, ceramics, paints & coatings and coated paper among others. Sodium borate is also preferred as a flux in metal processing industry as well as in metal welding. In ceramics, sodium borate is used as ingredient in enamel glazes and as ingredient in ceramic slips. In agricultural chemicals, sodium borate is used in micronutrients to correct the boron deficiencies in the soil. In food processing, sodium borate is used as food additive, food preservative or to improve the rubbery texture of the food. Increasing demand for treated water thus driving the water treatment industry is likely to be major opportunity for the sodium borate market in upcoming years. In spite of so many applications, environmental and health regulations associated with sodium borate are anticipated to hider the growth of the market in next few years.In terms of demand, Asia Pacific was the leading region in sodium borate market in 2013. Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing markets for sodium borate due to increasing demand from agricultural chemicals, detergents, ceramics and water treatment in this region. The market for sodium borate in Asia Pacific was led by China. Other Asian countries such as India and Japan are likely to provide better opportunity for sodium borate market owing to increasing consumption from water treatment and agricultural chemicals end-user industries. Asia Pacific was followed by North America. Increasing demand from detergents, agricultural chemicals and water treatment industry is driving the demand for sodium borate in this region. U.S. had the largest demand for sodium borate owing to huge demand from end-user industries such as personal care, water treatment and ceramics among others. Europe had the third-largest demand for sodium borate market in 2013. Increasing demand for sodium borate from personal care industry coupled with chemical industry has been driving the market for sodium borate in Europe. Germany is one of the largest consumers of sodium borate in this region owing to the huge demand from ceramics and paper processing industry. Rest of the World market is anticipated to show positive outlook for the sodium borate market in near future.Request Report TOC@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/4534 The market for sodium borate is highly oligopolistic in nature. Some of the key manufacturers in the sodium borate market are Etimine S.A., Larderello S.p.A., Quiborax S.A. and Rio Tinto Group among others. Potassium Acetate Market: Global Industry Analysis 2012 2016 and Opportunity Assessment; 2017 2027 PR-Inside.com: 2019-02-11 11:50:26 Potassium acetate also denoted as KCH3COO is the potassium salt of acetic acid. Potassium acetate is white deliquescent crystalline powder. The compound is soluble in alcohol, liquid, and ammonia. The industrial production of potassium acetate includes treatment of bicarbonate and potassium carbonate with glacial acetic acid followed by heating the compound at an ambient temperature and 100C.It is an acetate salt form of potassium and an essential micromineral. Potassium maintains intracellular tonicity, which is required for nerve conduction, smooth muscle, and skeletal contraction, production of energy, maintaining the blood pressure and normal renal function. The compound has potential antihypertensive effects and prevents hypokalemia when consumed as the nutritional supplement. Potassium acetate has various end uses, one of them being industry usages such as agricultural chemicals, anti-adhesive agents, working fluids, intermediates, and processing aids. Under consumer usage, the compound is used for farm products, anti-freeze and de-icing products, and construction/building materials not covered elsewhere.Global Potassium Acetate Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe major factor driving the global potassium acetate market is that the compound is being used as an alternative to potassium chloride owing to the environmental restrictions on the application of potassium chloride. Potassium acetates functionality properties are identical to the later. Potassium acetate is more time soluble than potassium chloride and has a high potential usage in the high-density brines. Few other factor includes it provides a chloride free fluid; it is ideal for use in environmentally sensitive areas, and also provides shale hydration and swelling inhibition through cation exchange and electrolytic balance.Request Report Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4035 However, the significant restraint in the global potassium acetate market is the side effects of the compound when not used in an appropriate composition. Few of the common symptoms of the potassium intoxication are burning sensation and tingling in the hands and feets, amongst others.Global Potassium Acetate Market: SegmentationBy product type the global potassium acetate market is segmented into:Pharmaceutical gradeFood gradeTechnical gradeBy application the global potassium acetate market is segmented into:Food & BeveragesChemical & MaterialPharmaceuticalGlobal Potassium Acetate Market: Segmentation OverviewThe global potassium acetate market is mainly segmented into two major segments namely by product types and by an application. By application the global potassium market is further sub-segmented into food & beverage, chemical & material, and pharmaceutical. In food & beverage division, potassium acetate is used as a food additive, acidity regulator, and preservative. The compound is approved for usage in U.S., New Zealand, and Australia.Further, potassium acetate is majorly used in medicinal and biochemistry as a part of auxiliary procedures in the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis due to its capability to break into bicarbonate and further help in neutralizing acidotic state.Global Potassium Acetate Market: Regional OutlookThe potassium acetate market is segmented by regions into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa (MEA), Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), and Japan. Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific are the major regions in the global potassium acetate market. Within these regions, the major countries contributing to the global value are U.S., Germany, China, and Japan.Request For TOC@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-4035 Global Potassium Acetate Market: Prominent vendorsFew of the prominent players in the global potassium acetate market are Niacet, Lancashire Chemicals, Jiangsu Zidong Food, Anhui Hongyang Chemical, Wuxi Yangshan Biochemical, Jiangsu Kolod Food, Lianyungang Tongyuan Chemical, and Shanxi Zhaoyi Chemical. Few of the strategies adopted by the key players in the market are partnership and collaboration with other operators, expansion into the untapped market, and joint ventures with the organizations in emerging countries to gain the strong foothold in the market.To ensure product differentiation and to acquire a considerable share of the market, major vendors are adopting creative strategies and are constantly developing innovative products. Most of the major potassium acetate manufacturers concentrate on capitalizing their funds to maintain applications and technical marketing groups are appointed to serve the ever-changing needs of clients. PR-Inside.com: 2019-02-11 05:31:55 While billions of dollars have been raised with cryptocurrencycompanies in hopes of developing working technologies, MonarchBlockchain Corporation is setting new standards and leading thecryptocurrency and blockchain industry in a positive direction.RENO, NV / ACCESSWIRE / February 10, 2019 / 2017 & 2018 saw a considerable uptick in the creation and fundraising of cryptocurrency start-ups. According to ICOBench.com , 970 ICOs ended in 2017 while only 413 of those raised funds and in 2018, 2517 ICOs ended with only 1012 of them raising funds. While there were 1505 that raised no funds during that time, one crypto startup called "EOS" became the biggest ICO to date raising $4.1 billion. The amazing thing with this was they had no working product at the close of their ICO. Coinschedule.com reports other top ICOs in 2018 were Telegram ICO which raised $1.7 billion and Petro, the first official government-backed cryptocurrency started by the Venezuelan government which raised $735 million.Enter Monarch Blockchain Corporation. They stand out from most other companies in the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry as they aren't an ICO. They are a mostly self-funded Crypto start-up who already have a working product and happen to be holding a Token Generation Event which lasts until June 30th, 2019.With over 200,000+ downloads already, Its decentralized universal crypto wallet supports over 1,800 cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP), Stellar (XLM) and All ERC20 tokens! Monarch has also gained multiple partnerships and supports many of the tokens with Genesis Vision (GVT), Swarm (SWM), Ink Protocol (XNK), Sapien (SPN), Listia (XNK), Polymath(POLY), BitBay, GoChain (GO), Coinvest (COIN), Bancor, Dispatch, Scottsdale Mint and many more to be announced shortly. Their partnerships should end up giving The Monarch Wallet roughly 10 million potential users once all contracts are executed.On top of having what is deemed by many to be the best universal decentralized cryptocurrency wallet to date, Monarch continues adding more flexibility, streamlining, making their wallet more seamless, while adding more capabilities for their users. All of this while also ensuring users of the Monarch Wallet own their private keys, contrary to how most wallets and exchanges work. To put it simply, the Monarch Wallet now has the functionality of a decentralized universal crypto wallet while also being similar to Fiat gateway exchange service giants like Coinbase.Monarch has also released MonarchPay, a unique payment solution that allows both businesses and consumers the ability to accept Bitcoin & Ethereum and get paid in U.S. Dollars. Monarch Pay only charges a 2% transaction fee for each Crypto-to-USD transaction and is also developing a CMS plug-in for easy integration for online commerce. Monarch beats many other services with competitive pricing and the transactions process in seconds to help protect users from volatility, fraud, and chargebacks. They are also developing and hold a provisional patent on is multi-signature wallet leasing which is a process for sending recurring blockchain payments in a decentralized manner.Monarch has acquired a Broker-Dealer License in the United States with an application for a BitLicense which has been submitted. Being a Broker-Dealer allows Monarch to receive a commission on funds raised for ICOs/STOs including their own STO. Monarch is also FINRA- and SEC compliant. This bridges the gap between investors and ICOs/STOs in the future regulatory environment and allows Monarch to potentially develop a launch platform for STO's in the future.Now to discuss Monarch's Tokenomics model; First, they are different from most crypto startups as they utilize a 2 token structure with the Monarch Security Token (MTS) and Monarch Utility Token (MT). Monarch Security Tokens for accredited investors, where and when legal, have a total supply of 500 million tokens, and a total of fifty percent of the revenue generated from transaction fees through Monarch pay will then get paid as dividends to MTS holders via Monarch's hot wallet. MT is the medium for Monarch Security Token dividend distribution, and Monarch utility tokens will be paid to MTS holders on a weekly basis.During the Token Generation Event, Ten percent of all Token Generation funds raised will be used to buy physical silver from Scottsdale Mint. Also, Ten percent of all revenue generated from transaction fees of Monarch Pay services will continuously be used to purchase silver until every security token is backed by 1 oz of physical silver to help ensure a price floor and stabilize against potential volatility. However, Security Tokens are limited to Accredited Investors Only. Monarch Utility Tokens have a total supply of 1 Billion tokens. Those who own utility tokens will get a 50% discount on all transaction fees using Monarch Pay similar to how Binance Coin Works with the Binance Exchange. Monarch Utility Tokens will also airdrop at a ratio of 1-to-1 for Security token holders at the end of their Token Generation Event.One thing people may not realize about Monarch Blockchain Corporation is they have a substantial organic following. On YouTube, Crypto Beadles has over 70,000 subscribers and almost 13 million views. CryptoSomniac has over 27,000 subscribers and over 1.3 million views. This gives Monarch the ability to drive awareness through these channels but also gives them the ability to BETA test with a real audience because many follow and trust them. This leads to faster development while getting direct feedback fast, helping to enhance and improve the user experience and add more functionality users request. Ultimately this allows Monarch to develop what the market is wanting, helping prioritize development to ensure faster growth and adoption.As one can see, Monarch is doing a lot, and they've already accomplished much more than many other cryptocurrency and blockchain companies who've raised hundreds of millions, and some even billions. They've yet to spend a single ether of investor funds, having been mostly self-funded by Co-founder Robert Beadles and CEO Sneh Bhat. Having a small but efficient decentralized team of people who are experienced in producing and bringing products and services to market, with industry setting standard products like the Monarch Wallet, and Monarch Pay; regulatory licenses, and all the proper support, Monarch looks to be leading the blockchain start-up industry in a positive direction.To learn more about Monarch, visit their website Here.Contact Info:Name: William LinceOrganization: Monarch Blockc Meta Tartaric Acid Market: Global Industry Analysis 2012 2016 and Opportunity Assessment; 2017 2027 PR-Inside.com: 2019-02-11 11:37:32 Meta tartaric acid is a polymeric lactone product which is 100 % natural obtained by heating L (+) Tartaric acid under controlled conditions within a temperature range of 150 and 170 C. Its primary components are the monoester and di-esters of tartaric acid. Meta-tartaric acid should be kept in a dry place in an airtight packing, prevented from hot and humid temperature conditions. In general, meta-tartaric acid is a stable compound that does not alter with time if kept in maintained desirable temperature conditions. Meta-tartaric acid tends to form cake if stored for long, so a long storage of product is not recommended.Meta-tartaric acid when produced under vacuum, through the advanced technologies, assures to give effective protection against the precipitation of tartrates.Request Report Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4042 Global Meta Tartaric Acid Market: Drivers and RestraintsMeta tartaric acid demand is primarily driven by the wine manufacturing companies who need the wine preparation to be stabilised for longer duration as meta-tartaric acid is a stable compound that does not alter with time if kept in maintained desirable temperature conditions. Meta tartaric acid also prevents fr potassium tartrates precipitates formation and is a certified food additive ingredient under Good manufacturing practises (GMP) in almost all the countries and in the limited quantity of 100g/l by European union (EU) as well.Meta-tartaric acid is used for preparation of silver mirrors, in the manufacturing of cold drinks and other beverages as food acid, to give a strong vinegar like taste to foods, in tanning leather also.Meta-tartaric acid has few restraints also such as it is only stable when prepared under controlled temperature conditions and in advised quantity within 24 hours. In wine manufacturing companies, it is generally advised to prepare the meta-tartaric solution 24 hours before and recommended application or usage of meta-tartaric acid in wines that are rich in protein or may lead to blurriness.It is advised to dissolve meta-tartaric acid in cold water as in warm water meta-tartaric acid goes through hydrolysis that leads to form tartrate precipitates. Thus, restricting its adoption among chemical and food manufacturers. Meta- tartaric acidis allowed in Australia, New Zealand and the EU, but not in South Africa, the USA, Japan and China region it is not permitted.Global Meta Tartaric Acid Market: SegmentationOn the basis of form type, meta tartaric acid is segmented into:-CrystallizedPowderedAqueousOn the basis of application, meta tartaric acid market is segmented into:-Food additiveStabilising agentOenological additiveOthersChemical propertiesAnti- foaming agentMirror-silveringLeather tanningGlobal Meta Tartaric Acid Market: Region wise OutlookThe global Meta Tartaric Acid market is divided into seven regions, namely North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan and Middle East and Africa (MEA). In Europe region Germany holds the major share of meta-tartaric acid market for the formulation of white and rose wines followed by in Australia, New Zealand in the APEJ region but is not permitted in Japan, China, South Africa and U.S due to their stringent safety policies.Request For TOC@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-4042 Global Meta Tartaric Acid Market: Key PlayersSome of the prominent players identified in the globalmeta-tartaric acid market includes:Shaanxi TOP Pharm Chemical Co., Ltd.Buon Vino Manufacturing Inc.AgrovinDal cinCLEAN srlSigma-Aldrich Inc.Panteley Toshev Ltd.Redox Pty Ltd Meningococcal Disease Treatment PR-Inside.com: 2019-02-11 12:04:51 Press Information Future Market Insights Future Market Insights U.S. Office 616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018, Valley Cottage, NY 10989, United States T: +1-347-918-3531 F: +1-845-579-5705 Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com Umesh SEO Manager 3479183531 email https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ # 783 Words Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comSEO Manager3479183531 Meningococcal disease is a severe infection of meninges, the thin layers of tissue covering brain and spinal cord, caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. This bacteria can also cause bloodstream infections (septicemia). Bacterial meningitis is severe because of rapid onset and a significant risk of death associated with infection. Infection of Neisseria meningitidis may also result in mental retardation, deafness and epilepsy. 12 strains of N. meningitidis have been identified, 6 of which (A, B, C, W, X and Y) are capable enough to cause epidemics. Meningococcal septicaemia is a rare but fatal form of meningococcal disease characterized by a haemorrhagic rash and rapid circulatory collapse. Rigid neck, high fever, sensitivity to light, dilemma, headaches and vomiting are most common symptoms of meningococcal disease. The highest rate of disease is found across 26 countries of sub-Saharan Africa known as the extended meningitis belt. The disease can be treated by a number of antibiotics and vaccines are also available for the prevention of disease.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), teenagers and young adults are most vulnerable to get meningitis.Meningococcal disease treatment Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe key contributor to the growth of global Meningococcal disease treatment market is rising incidences of meningococcal diseases in developing nations especially African and Asian countries. Governmental organisations and NGOs as well have contributed in terms of financial grants, exporting vaccines and medicines and conducting mass vaccination programmes as well towards diseases prevention in African and Asian countries. Developed countries are also contributing significantly in terms of innovative products. North America and European nations are leading as far as the research and development is concerned. Poverty, illiteracy, lack of awareness and insufficient efforts by governments to reform healthcare services in developing countries are impeding the market growth.Meningococcal disease treatment Market: SegmentationGlobal Meningococcal disease treatment Market has been segmented on the basis of types of therapies, Route of Administration, distribution channels and region.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4053 Based on types of therapies, the global Meningococcal disease treatment Market is segmented into:AntibioticsPenicillinAmpicillinChloramphenicolCeftriaxoneVaccinesBivalent (groups A and C)Trivalent (groups A, C and W)Tetravalent (groups A, C, Y and W)Based on the route of Administration, the global Meningococcal disease treatment Market is segmented into:InjectableOralBased on the distribution channels, the global Meningococcal disease treatment Market is segmented into:Retail PharmaciesHospital PharmaciesClinicsMass Vaccination ProgrammesMeningococcal disease treatment Market: OverviewGlobal Meningococcal disease treatment market is highly fragmented with the presence of multiple players. Vaccines for the prevention of the disease are developed and manufactured by a few multi-national players such as Pfizer Inc., GlaxoSmithKline plc, Sanofi Pasteur Inc. and Novartis AG while antibiotics for the treatment of disease are manufactured by both domestic and international players. Generic versions are easily available worldwide. Meningococcal disease is endemic in China and India and have been under-recognized. According to the Global Meningococcal Initiative (GMI), serogroup A disease is most dominant in low-income countries such as India and the Philippines, while serogroups C is the major causative agent inTaiwan, Japan, and Korea. China has observed a mixed epidemiology of A, B, C, and W serogroups. The incidence of meningococcal disease in Latin American countries differs from less than 0.1 cases per 100,000 in Mexico to two cases per 100,000 in Brazil.Meningococcal disease treatment Market: Region-wise OutlookGeographically, Meningococcal disease treatment Market is segmented into regions viz. North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, Middle East and Africa. Asian and African countries are the largest meningococcal disease treatment Market because of prevalence of a huge population in need for treatment and prevention of the disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the region of sub-Saharan Africa ranging from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east involving 26 countries, known as the extended meningitis belt, has the highest rates of the disease. The market in North America and the European countries is stable because of limited numbers of infections owing to better healthcare services, better environment and continuous efforts of governments to eradicate such devastating diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), rates of meningococcal disease have been declining in the United States since the late 1990s and have reduced to just 375 total cases of meningococcal disease in 2015 representing incidence rate of 0.18 cases per 100,000 persons.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-4053 Meningococcal disease treatment Market: Key PlayersThe key players in the global Meningococcal disease treatment Market include Pfizer Inc., GlaxoSmithKline plc, Sanofi Pasteur Inc., Novartis AG, WOCKHARDT, Sandoz International GmbH, Kent Pharmaceuticals, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Stravencon Limited and Athlone Laboratories. Lab automation is the process of the integration of various types of devices on a same platform, such as diagnostic analyzers, research devices, and supportive instruments and software to increase throughput with remarkable speed, precise motion, and consistency in report generation. PR-Inside.com: 2019-02-11 13:58:06 According to a recent market report published by Future Market Insights titled, Lab Automation Market Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 20172027, the global lab automation market is expected to be valued at US$ 1,219.4 Mn in 2017, and is expected to register a CAGR of 9.6% from 2017 to 2027. Lab automation is increasingly being installed by various end users such as pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and diagnostic centers, educational institutions, contract research organizations (CROs), and research institutes. There has been an increase in the usage of lab automation components in hospitals and diagnostic centers, due to an increase in the demand for biochemistry devices.Dynamics of the Global Lab Automation MarketIncreasing incidences of life threatening diseases and injuries have led to increasing diagnostics procedures, worldwide. It is estimated that, the direct and indirect costs of diagnosis will increase over a period of time. The rising research and development activities in the field of molecular and genetics, biochemistry, microbiology, and immunology have also boosted the demand for accurate and cost saving facilities. To develop cost-effective and cost-efficient medical devices and lab automation services, various governments in developed countries are actively funding R&D activities. For instance, the New South Wales (NSW) government in Australia, has provided a medical devices fund of around US$ 8.0 million in 2017-2018 to help encourage and support investments in the development and commercialization of medical devices, related technologies, and services.Favourable government policies for start-ups enable companies to develop cost-effective healthcare solutions in the lab automation market. Over the last few years, government authorities in Asia Pacific and Middle East and Africa are encouraging start-up companies as well as MNCs to boost industrial growth in the healthcare and medical device industries. Major players in the in-vitro diagnostics market can capitalize on the economies of scale to strengthen their position in the market.Request to View Sample of Research Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-394 For instance, India, a developing country in the Asia Pacific region, has announced new policies for attracting MNCs as well as start-up companies across domains, including medical device manufacturing. According to the policies, start-up companies in India are exempt from tax for the first three years after establishment, and patent protection costs are subsidized. Thus, favourable government policies in developing countries are expected to drive overall the lab automation devices and services market.However, the complex integration of lab tools hinders the demand for lab automation solutions. Lab professionals are focusing on the better utilization of test tools, consolidating various resources and deploying effective lab tools across all platforms. Interconnecting various platforms across the lab is a very critical task, and needs advanced PR-PR open-source high-level robot programming language as a cross-platform laboratory automation system, which may lead to complexity and a variety of test configurations, and restrain the growth of the lab automation market over the forecast period.Global Lab Automation Market: Segmentation & AnalysisOn the basis of component, the global lab automation market is segmented into devices and software. Further, the devices segment has been segmented into six categories biochemistry devices, molecular devices, hematology devices, immunology devices, microbiology devices, and others. The software segment is bifurcated into two segments scheduling software and momentum integration software.On the basis of application, the lab automation market is segmented into life sciences research & development, drug-discovery, and diagnostics, in terms of revenue share. The life Sciences R&D segment dominated the global lab automation market in 2017, and is expected to do so throughout the forecast period. The diagnostics application segment is anticipated to expand at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period.On the basis of end user, the global lab automation market is segmented into pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and diagnostic centers, educational institutions, contract research organizations (CROs), and research institutes. The hospitals and diagnostic centers segment currently accounts for the highest revenue share in the lab automation market, due to the increasing usage of automation devices in hospitals and diagnostic centers in developed countries.This lab automation market report also covers trends that drive each segment, and offers analysis and insights regarding the potential of the lab automation market in regions such as North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, APEJ, Japan, Middle East & Africa, and Japan. Among these regions, the North American lab automation market is projected to exhibit relatively high growth in the global lab automation market, with a CAGR 10.6% over the forecast period. Revenue from the lab automation market in North America is estimated to account for over 37.1% of the global lab automation market revenue in 2016. Lab automation solution providers can focus on expanding across several countries in North America, such as the U.S. and Canada.Need more information about Report methodology ? @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-394 Global Lab Automation Market: Key PlayersSome of the key competitors in the lab automation market are Abbott Laboratories, Agilent Technologies, Perkin Elmer, Inc, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc, Siemens Healthcare, Danaher Corporation, Becton, Dickinson and Company, and Transcriptic, Inc. These key players are constantly focusing on product innovation and geographical expansions to sustain their market presence and increase revenue generation by developing various types of solutions and delivering outstanding offerings to several end users. PR-Inside.com: 2019-02-11 08:07:04 SINGAPORE / ACCESSWIRE / February 11, 2019 /Jadestone Energy Inc. (AIM: JSE, TSXV: JSE) ("Jadestone" or the "Company"), an independent oil and gas production company focused on the Asia Pacific region, is pleased to announce that it has signed a rig contract for infill drilling on the Stag oilfield, located offshore Australia (Jadestone 100%).Ensco Australia Pty Limited has agreed to provide the Ensco 107 jack-up drilling rig to Jadestone, after completion of its current operation in Dampier, Western Australia. Jadestone intends to drill the Stag-49H well from the Stag wellhead platform, as a horizontal oil producer, targeting unswept pay in the Stag reservoir southwest of the platform. The well will target approximately 1.2 mmbbl of incremental oil reserves from the field.The Company is planning to spud the Stag-49H well in early March 2019 and drilling operations are expected to take approximately 34 days.Paul Blakeley, Presidentand CEO commented "I am pleasedto have signed the rig contract with Ensco to drill Stag-49H, the first infillwell at the Stag field since 2013, and an important milestone for the companyEnquiriesJadestone Energy Inc.+65 6324 0359 (Singapore)Paul Blakeley, President and CEO+1 403 975 6752 (Canada)Dan Young, CFOir@ jadestone-energy.com Robin Martin, Investor Relations ManagerStifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (Nomad, Joint Broker)+44 (0) 20 7710 7600 (UK)Callum StewartNicholas RhodesAshton ClanfieldBMO Capital Markets Limited (Joint Broker)+44 (0) 20 7236 1010 (UK)Thomas RiderJeremy LowThomas HughesCamarco (Public Relations Advisor)+ 44 (0) 203 757 4980 (UK)Georgia Edmondsjadestone@ camarco.co.uk Billy CleggJames CrothersAbout Jadestone Energy Inc.Jadestone Energy Inc. is an independent oil and gas company focused on the Asia Pacific region. It has a balanced, low risk, full cycle portfolio of development, production and exploration assets in Australia, Vietnam and the Philippines.The Company has a 100% operated working interest in Stag, offshore Australia, and a 100% working interest in the Montara project, offshore Australia, effective January 1, 2018. Both the Stag and Montara assets include oil producing fields, with further development and exploration potential. The Company has a 100% operated working interest (subject to registration of PVEP's withdrawal) in two gas development blocks in Southwest Vietnam and is partnered with Total in the Philippines where it holds a 25% working interest in the SC56 exploration block.Led by an experienced management team with a track record of delivery, who were core to the successful growth of Talisman's business in Asia, the Company is pursuing an acquisition strategy focused on growth and creating value through identifying, acquiring, developing and operating assets throughout the Asia-Pacific region.Jadestone Energy Inc. is currently listed on the TSXV and AIM. The Company is headquartered in Singapore. For further information on Jadestone please visit http://www.jadestone-energy.com Cautionary statementsCertain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements and information (collectively "forward-looking statements"), within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation, as well as other applicable international securities laws. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are forward-looking and not historical facts.Some of the forward-looking statements may be identified by statements that express, or involve discussions as to expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of phrases such as "will likely result", "are expected to", "will continue", "is anticipated", "is targeting", "estimated", "intend", "plan", "guidance", "objective", "projection", "aim", "goals", "target", "schedules", and "outlook"). In particular, forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to statements regarding timing for arrival of the Ensco 107 drilling rig, spud date for the Stag-49H well, and expected well production results.Because actual results or outcomes could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements, investors should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, which contribute to the possibility that the predicted outcomes will not occur. Some of these risks, uncertainties and other factors are similar to those faced by other oil and gas companies and some are unique to Jadestone. The forward-looking information contained in this news release speaks only as of the date hereof. The Company does not assume any obligation to publicly update the information, except as may be required pursuant to applicable laws.This announcement contains inside information as defined in Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation No. 596/2014 and is disclosed in accordance with the Company's obligations under Article 17 of that Regulation.The technical information contained in this announcement has been prepared in accordance with the March 2007 guidelines endorsed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers, World Petroleum Congress, American Association of Petroleum Geologists and Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers Petroleum Resource Management System.Henning Hoeyland of Jadestone Energy Inc.,a Subsurface Manager with a Masters degree in Petroleum Engineering who has been involved in the energy industry for more than 17 years, has read and approved the exploration and appraisal disclosure in this regulatory announcement.Neitherthe TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term isdefined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility forthe adequacy or accuracy of this release.Glossarymmbblsmillions of barrelsReservesReserves are those quantities of petroleum anticipated to be commercially recoverable by application of development projects to known accumulations from a given date forward under defined conditions. Re Some of the market participants in the global implantable drug infusion market are B. Braun Melsungen AG., CareFusion Corporation, Fresenius Kabi AG, Terumo Corporation, Medtronic Plc., Baxter International Inc., Smiths Medical, MOOG Inc., Johnson & Johnson Private Ltd., and Hospira, Inc. Currently, the market for implantable drug infusion pumps has the presence of many domestic and regional players which are manufacturing the products and its accessories. Implantable Drug Infusion Pumps Market PR-Inside.com: 2019-02-11 11:54:41 Press Information Future Market Insights Future Market Insights U.S. Office 616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018, Valley Cottage, NY 10989, United States T: +1-347-918-3531 F: +1-845-579-5705 Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com Umesh SEO Manager 3479183531 email https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ # 705 Words Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comSEO Manager3479183531 Implantable drug infusion pumps are surgically implanted under the skin. These pumping devices release medications through a catheter or tube to a specific body part. Implantable drug infusion pumps ensure consistent delivery and is highly advisable during long-term medications. The release of consistent medication from infusion pumps aids in the reduction of pain when oral or topical medicines are unable to provide effective results.Implantable Drug Infusion Pumps Market: OverviewImplantable drug infusion pumps have various potential benefits which have increased their usage over time. Such benefits include delivering targeted and consistent medication to a specific body part, reducing the side effects and chronic pain in comparison to other forms of drug delivery, providing relief to the patient from direct injections or discomfort of catheters and provides improved symptoms management.Implantable Drug Infusion Pumps Market: Drivers and RestraintsImplantable drug infusion pumps market would grow during the forecast years as many multi-national companies are focusing towards new product innovations in implantable drug infusion pumps. Also, the market for implantable drug infusion pumps would experience a boost owing to growing incidence of pain, cancer and diabetes, rapid increase in geriatric population, technology advancements such as growth in wireless technology and introduction of smart pumps, increase in healthcare expenditure globally and pharmaceutical companies moving there manufacturing bases towards Asia-Pacific region which would reduce the overall cost of the implantable drug infusion pumps. The market for implantable drug infusion pumps would be affected due to the stringent regulations for new products owing to patient safety risks, high costs, and low reimbursement for implantable drug infusion pumps in the developing countries. In 2013, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program announced regarding various product recalls owing to malfunctioning of implantable drug infusion pumps which delivered drug overdose leading to risks in patient safety, these factors have abstained the patients from the adoption of implantable drug infusion pumps.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-3974 Implantable Drug Infusion Pumps Market: SegmentationThe market for implantable drug infusion pumps can be segmented into product types, applications and end users.The market for Implantable drug infusion pumps can be segmented on the basis of product types:Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA) PumpsEnteral PumpsInsulin PumpsElastomeric PumpsSyringe PumpsThe market for Implantable drug infusion pumps can be segmented on the basis of application:OncologyPediatrics/NeonatologyGastroenterologyHematologyDiabetesThe market for Implantable drug infusion pumps can be segmented on the basis of end user:HospitalsAmbulatory Surgical CentresClinicsHome HealthcareImplantable Drug Infusion Pumps Market: Region Wise OutlookGeographically, the implantable drug infusion pumps market can be segmented into seven regions, North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. North America is the most attractive region for the implantable drug infusion pumps market attributing to the robust pharmaceutical industry, a significant number of leading players are located in this region, increasing number of partnerships between technology providers and drug companies. Followed by which is Europe and Japan as the leading regions in implantable drug infusion pumps market. These markets are also growing significantly due to the focus on the favorable regulatory environment, new product developments for portable and lightweight implantable drug infusion pumps which would ease in the drug delivery method. Asia Pacific excluding Japan is also expected to show significant growth in implantable drug infusion pumps market due to increase in research and development activities, saturation in the major economies, and development of healthcare infrastructure in this region. Asia-Pacific excluding Japan region has the presence of many small players which are operating at a regional level and contribute to a significant market share of the implantable drug infusion pumps market.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-3974 Implantable Drug Infusion Pumps Market: Key PlayersSome of the market participants in the global implantable drug infusion market are B. Braun Melsungen AG., CareFusion Corporation, Fresenius Kabi AG, Terumo Corporation, Medtronic Plc., Baxter International Inc., Smiths Medical, MOOG Inc., Johnson & Johnson Private Ltd., and Hospira, Inc. Currently, the market for implantable drug infusion pumps has the presence of many domestic and regional players which are manufacturing the products and its accessories. PR-Inside.com: 2019-02-11 21:32:21 CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / February 11, 2019 / Further to the press release dated August 14, 2018, Emerald Bay Energy Inc. (TSX Venture: EBY, OTC: EMBYF) (the "Corporation", the "Company" or "Emerald Bay") wishes to provide the following update on the Company's partner HugoCellR Ltd. ("Hugo"). Hugo is in final stage of forming a new partnership, Cotulla Energy Resources, Ltd. ("Cotulla"), whereby Hugo will assign their entire interests in the Isabella re-entry, and Bauer wildcat wells, to Cotulla.In addition to their participation in Emerald Bay's projects, Cotulla is moving forward with projects of their own. Cotulla's first project will be two existing Eagle Ford horizontal wells and one Pearsall gas well, and Cotulla will be engaging Emerald Bay's subsidiary Production Resources Inc. ("PRI") to operate these wells.It is the intent of Emerald Bay and Cotulla to work closely together in the future to identify mutually beneficial projects.About Emerald BayEmerald Bay Energy Inc. (TSX Venture: EBY, OTC: EMBYF) is an energy company with oil producing properties in southwest Texas as well as non-operated oil and natural gas interests in Central Alberta, Canada. EBY is the operator of the Wooden Horse and Nash Creek Projects in Guadeloupe, Texas, where the Company currently now owns a 50.00% working interest those projects. Additionally, the Company owns various working interests in the HugoCellR and MarPat partnerships. The Company also owns 75% of Production Resources Inc., a South Texas oil company.For all upcoming news releases, articles, comments and questions, to stay updated and speak with management about Emerald Bay Energy. Please JOIN our Investor Information Group at:For further information, please contact:Emerald Bay President, Shelby D. Beattie, by telephone at (403) 262-6000Email: info@ ebyinc.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.SOURCE: Emerald Bay Energy Inc. Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Electrical Enclosure Market: Increasing Demand to be Witnessed from the Industrial Sector over the Forecast Period: Global Industry Analysis 2013 - 2017 and Opportunity Assessment 2018 - 2028" report to their offering. Electrical Enclosure Market PR-Inside.com: 2019-02-11 10:30:21 Future Market Insights delivers key insights on the global electrical enclosure market a new publication. The long-term outlook on the global electrical enclosure market remains positive with the market value expected to increase at a CAGR of 4.9% during the forecast period (2018-2028). Among the end use segments in the electrical enclosure market, the industrial segment is expected to expand at a significant CAGR in terms of value as well as volume over the forecast period. Global sales revenue of electrical enclosures is estimated to be valued at US$ 6,429.8 Mn by the end of 2018. China is estimated to account for a value share of 37.1% in the global electrical enclosure market by 2018 end and is anticipated to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. In this report, Future Market Insights throws light on the various drivers and restraints likely to impact revenue growth of the market during this period.Rapid Growth of Renewable Power Generation Key Growth DriverMost of the end users are now shifting their focus to alternative forms of power or energy rather than depending on energy generation by fossil fuel operated power generators. These alternative forms of energies for instance, wind power, solar power and other forms of renewable energy are gaining popularity among all types of end users.Request to Sample of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-561 Additionally, carbon emission and dependency on fossil resources is increasing day-by-day. Thus, in order to control this dependency, usage of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy is likely to be the new trend in the energy and power industry. Establishment of these power generation facilities will increase the demand for electrical enclosures in the upcoming years. Many countries such as the U.K. and Germany among others, are planning to adopt renewable energy sources, which is expected to further increase the demand for electrical enclosures for transmission and distribution.Capacity Addition Plans and Installation of New Grids to Power the Electrical Enclosure MarketThe governments of various countries have planned to make huge investments on numerous projects to provide better electricity services. For instance, the government of Russia has devised plans such as the GOELRO plan, Russian SFSR Electrification Plan, and Railway Electrification Plan among others, for establishing new power grids to provide electricity in the rural areas of the country. These plans are being supported by the State Commission for Electrification of Russia. Also, the government is focussing on installing new transmission lines in order to create a national grid and also to develop railway electrification, which will in turn boost the demand for electrical enclosures. These planned investments across various sectors such as infrastructure, power, and railways among others, will drive significant growth in the electrical enclosure market.Need for Integration of Grid InfrastructureIncreasing transmission and distribution activities across the globe have increased the demand for installations of enclosures, which in turn, is driving the market of electrical enclosures. Transmission and distribution expansion, along with urbanisation, is necessary for the development of industrial and manufacturing sectors. Some countries, such as GCC countries and Turkey have the potential to become the hub for many manufacturing industries, which will increase the demand for electrical enclosures owing to rapid industrialisation. By material type, metallic enclosures will witness supreme demand as they have a longer life and reduce the risk of fire hazards. Climate control enclosures can work in extreme climatic conditions and are ideal for use in several regions, thereby driving demand in the global market.Segmentation AnalysisThe electrical enclosure market is segmented on the basis of product type into junction enclosure, disconnect enclosure, operator interface enclosure, environment and climate control enclosure and push button enclosure.On the basis of product type, the junction enclosure segment is anticipated to continue to dominate the global market in terms of value over the forecast period. The junction enclosure segment is estimated to grow at a relatively high CAGR as compared to other types over the forecast period. It is expected to represent a total incremental opportunity of US$ 1,691.2 Mn between 2018 and 2028.Need more information about Report Methodology @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-561 Regional Market ProjectionsThe electrical enclosure market in China is expected to represent significantly high incremental opportunity between 2018 and 2028, while the North America electrical enclosure market is projected to expand at a significant CAGR in terms of volume over the forecast period. Sales of electrical enclosures in North America is expected to represent a total incremental opportunity of US$ 523.3 Mn between 2018 and 2028. PR-Inside.com: 2019-02-11 14:00:32 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 CEO 6317214201 email http://www.. # 383 Words Research Report Insights (RRI42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/Email: sales@researchreportinsights.comCEO6317214201http://www.. researchreportinsights.com Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Market published by Research Report Insights (RRI), forecasts that the global market is expected to garner $93450 Million by 2024, registering a CAGR of 6.2% during the period 2016 - 2024.The industrial machinery sector is expected to dominate the global CNC market during the assessment period. Europe is expected to be the leading contributor to the global revenue during the forecast period.Evolution of Internet of Things (IoT) and machine learning technology has led to development of applications that notify the status of a machine to operators/supervisors on their PCs or smartphones. Various government initiatives, for instance, Make in India by the Indian government and Made in China 2025 by the Chinese government, support the establishment of manufacturing units in their respective nations.Request For Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114912/Computer-Numerical-Controls-Market Automation Boosts Markets GrowthRising concerns about reducing operational costs are being witnessed in several industrial sectors, consequently demanding large-scale automation. Such demands for automating various industrial processes is primarily driving the global computer numerical controls (CNC) market. This mainly because of reduction in overall manufacturing time and decreasing chances or human error to occur by using the CNC machines, consequently making them highly preferred.Rising environmental concerns regarding reduction of industrial carbon footprint has led towards computer numerical controllers being increasingly used in place of manually operating machines. Doing this has resulted into improved efficiency being achieved by businesses working in the industrial domain, thereby being beneficial to the global computer controls (CNC) market.CNC machines are used in automotive, aerospace and defense, power and energy, construction equipment, industrial, and several other sectors. Increasing efforts to cut down on expenses incurred in employing operators for individual machinery are expected to augment the CNC machines market over the forecast period.Request For Reprot discount: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114912/Computer-Numerical-Controls-Market Major Key PlayersSeveral market key players are adopting different strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, and collaborations for technologies and new product development. For instance, in 2016, Fanuc Corporation collaborated with Cisco (a player in the digitization market), Rockwell Automation (a player in the industrial automation market), and Preferred Networks (a player in the artificial intelligence solutions market) for the development and deployment of the FIELD system.Report Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114912/Computer-Numerical-Controls-Market PR-Inside.com: 2019-02-11 08:04:02 CMR Surgical Limited ("CMR Surgical" or the "Company") CMR Surgical announces the appointment of Ingeborg ie as Chief Financial Officer Cambridge, UK, XX February 2019: CMR Surgical Ltd, the British company developing a next-generation surgical robot, today announces the appointment of Ingeborg ie as Chief Financial Officer and member of the Board of Directors, effective from 25 February 2019. Ingeborg joins CMR Surgical from Smith & Nephew, the FTSE 100 global medical technology business, where she was most recently Finance Director of Canada and previously VP Global Investor Relations in the corporate headquarters since 2014. Ingeborg has significant experience in the medical devices sector having started her career as a Medical Devices analyst at Goldman Sachs and later becoming Managing Director and Head of Medical Devices and Healthcare Services coverage at Jefferies International. She is currently a Non-Executive Director of Georgia Healthcare Group PLC, the London Stock Exchange Main Market-listed healthcare services group. Ingeborg holds a MEng in Biomedical Engineering from Imperial College London and an MSc in Public Health from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She is a CFA charterholder. Martin Frost, Chief Executive Officer of CMR Surgical, commented: We are delighted to welcome Ingeborg to the executive management team and Board where she brings a wealth of experience in the medical devices industry. Ingeborg will play an integral role in the rapid growth of CMR Surgical and the commercialisation of Versius worldwide. Together with the Board and the wider executive team, I am very much looking forward to working closely with Ingeborg in the next phase of our exciting development. Commenting on her appointment Ingeborg ie, said: I am extremely pleased to be joining CMR Surgical and the mission to make minimal access surgery universally accessible and affordable. The Versius is one of the worlds most exciting medical technologies and I feel privileged to now be part of the dynamic team of employees and investors who created it, and to contribute to the continued success of the Company. Ends For more information, please contact: CMR Surgical Martin Frost, Chief Executive Officer +44 (0) 1223 755 300, martin.frost@cmrsurgical.com Patrick Pordage, Head of Marketing, +44 (0) 1223 755 300, patrick.pordage@cmrsurgical.com Consilium Strategic Communications Mary-Jane Elliott, Angela Gray, Lizzie Seeley Tel: +44 20 3709 5700 e-mail: CMR@consilium-comms.com Notes for editors: About CMR Surgical Limited CMR Surgical is a British private limited company developing the next-generation universal robotic system, Versius, for minimal access surgery. The vision behind CMR Surgical is to make minimal access surgery universally accessible and affordable, transforming the existing market for surgical robotics while also addressing the six million people who still undergo open surgery each year. Global annual revenues for robot-assisted minimal access surgery are presently approximately $4 billion and are anticipated to reach $20 billion by 20251. CMR Surgical, formed in 2014, has its headquarters in Cambridge, United Kingdom and is backed by an international shareholder base of specialist and generalist investors. The Company achieved the registration of its Quality Management System to ISO 13485:2003 by Underwriters Laboratories LLC (UL), and the status as a UL Registered Firm, in September 2015. For further information, please visit www.cmrsurgical.com About CMR Surgicals Versius system Designed to meet the complex requirements of laparoscopic surgery, Versius compact size fits easily into the existing surgical workflow, while its ergonomic console design allows surgeons to work in a way that reduces physical and mental effort. Intended to be used across a range of surgical specialties, the versatility and portability of Versius, enabled by a unique and patented four-axis wrist joint, expands the potential for higher utilisation. The versatility of the system and compelling commercial model allows healthcare providers to offer the benefits of robotic-assisted procedures in a cost-effective way. 1 Industry Forecast, Accuray Research PR-Inside.com: 2019-02-11 10:11:05 LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / February 11, 2019 / Gabriel Resources Ltd. ("Gabriel" or the "Company") announces that a redacted version of its reply and counter-memorial on jurisdiction (the "Reply") in support of its arbitration claim against Romania under the rules of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes ("ICSID") part of the World Bank ("ICSID Arbitration") has now been published on the ICSID website.The Reply, Gabriel's second substantive written pleading in the ICSID Arbitration, sets out a comprehensive rebuttal of the legal and factual contentions raised in the counter-memorial filed by Romania on February 22, 2018 and includes Gabriel's response to Romania's supplemental preliminary objection to the jurisdiction of the tribunal ("Tribunal") appointed to adjudicate the ICSID Arbitration ("Jurisdictional Challenge").Romania is scheduled to file its rejoinder in response to the Reply and its reply on the Jurisdictional Challenge by May 10, 2019, after which Gabriel will have a further opportunity to file a response to Romania's arguments concerning the Jurisdictional Challenge.For information on this press release, please contact:Dragos TanasePresident & CEOMobile: +44 77 99 469 694dt@ gabrielresources.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.About GabrielGabriel is a Canadian resource company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company's principal focus has been the exploration and development of the Rosia Montana gold and silver project in Romania ("Rosia Montana Project"). The Rosia Montana Project, one of the largest undeveloped gold deposits in Europe, is situated in the South Apuseni Mountains of Transylvania, Romania, an historic and prolific mining district that since pre-Roman times has been mined intermittently for over 2,000 years. The exploitation license ("License") for the Rosia Montana Project is held by Rosia Montana Gold Corporation S.A., a Romanian company in which Gabriel owns an 80.69% equity interest, with the 19.31% balance held by Minvest Rosia Montana S.A., a Romanian state-owned mining company. It is anticipated that the Rosia Montana Project would bring over US$24 billion (at US$1,200/oz gold) to Romania as potential direct and indirect contribution to GDP and generate thousands of employment opportunities.Upon obtaining the License in June 1999, the Group (as defined below) focused substantially all of their management and financial resources on the exploration, feasibility and subsequent development of the Rosia Montana Project. Despite the Company's fulfilment of its legal obligations and its development of the Rosia Montana Project as a high-quality, sustainable and environmentally-responsible mining project, using best available techniques, Romania has blocked and prevented implementation of the Rosia Montana Project without due process and without compensation. Accordingly, the Company's current core focus is the ICSID Arbitration. For more information please visit the Company's website at www.gabrielresources.com Forward-looking StatementsThis press release contains "forward-looking information" (also referred to as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to get a better understanding of the Company's operating environment. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements.In this press release, forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies that may cause the Companys actual financial results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied herein. Some of the material factors or assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the uncertainties associated with: the ICSID Arbitration, actions by the Romanian Government, conditions or events impacting the Company's ability to fund its operations or service its debt, exploration, development and operation of mining properties and the overall impact of misjudgments made in good faith in the course of preparing forward-looking information.Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors including those set out below, that may never materialize, prove incorrect or materialize other than as currently contemplated which could cause the Company's results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as "expects", "is expected", "is of the view", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "assumes", "intends", "strategy", "goals", "objectives", "potential", "possible" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events, conditions or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of fact and may be forward-looking statements.Numerous factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including without limitation:delay or extension to the duration of the ICSID Arbitration;required disclosure, costs, process and outcome of the ICSID Arbitration against Romania;changes in the liquidity and capital resources of Gabriel, and the group of companies of which it is directly or indirectly parent ("Group");access to funding to support the Group's continued ICSID Arbitration and/or operating activities in the future;equity dilution resulting from the conversion or exercise of new or existing securities in PR-Inside.com: 2019-02-11 12:47:50 Press Information Persistence Market Research CONTACT: Persistence Market Research 305 Broadway 7th Floor, New York City, NY 10007, United States, USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353 Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com yogesh Seggar Team Lead 8009610353 email http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com # 576 Words CONTACT:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.comTeam Lead8009610353 Andalusite is an aluminum nesosilicate mineral belonging to the sillimanite family and found in metamorphic rocks. It is a polymorph with two other minerals: kyanite and sillimanite and is named after Andalusia, a province in Spain. Since it is polymorph, it has similar chemical composition but different physical structure as compared to kyanite and sillimanite. Andalusite is commonly used for production of refractory materials and as a precursor for porcelain which is used in spark plugs and other products. Andalusite generally forms under low pressure and high temperature and converts to sillimanite or kyanite at different temperature-pressure regime. It comes in pink, green, yellow, violet and gray colors among others.Andalusite is a precursor for production of refractory materials, which is used in linings for incinerators, furnaces, kilns and reactors. It can also be used for the production of crucibles. A refractory material should be physically and chemically stable at high temperatures, resistant to thermal shock and chemically inert. Andalusite has high purity, stable volume, good creep resistance, a high thermal shock resistance, metal penetration resistance and low porosity that make it suitable for production of refractory. The steel, glass, aluminum and cement industry are the key end users of andalusite.Request Sample Report@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4546 The andalusite industry is driven by the growth of refractory industry. The global demand for longer lasting, higher quality and low cost refractories is rising in emerging economies of the Asia Pacific, especially China and India due to rapid economic growth. The refractory industry follows the trend set by the main end user, the steel industry. The steel production makes up the majority of demand for refractories and profitability of the refractories industry is influenced by investment in steel production and steel plants. The continued demand for andalusite by China for its refractive industry will drive the demand of andalusite. Although end users other than the steel industry consume less andalusite, they have a strong impact on the growth of andalusite industry. The ceramic, glass, aluminum and cement industry contribute heavily to the growth of andalusite industry. However, fluctuations of major currency such as Euro and Dollar, rising oil prices and availability of substitutes such as bauxite could hamper the growth of this market.The Asia Pacific is one the biggest consumer of andalusite due to the rapid growth of refractory industry in emerging economies such as China and India. China is the main producer and user of refractories, mainly driven by the steel industry. Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Russia and Turkey are some of the other key markets in this region. The future of the refractories will depend on emerging economies of Asia and Latin America. Brazil remains the most promising end market for andalusite in Latin America. The consumption of refractories will be moderate in the European Union and North America.Request Report TOC@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/4546 The production of andalusite is concentrated in the hands of few companies who produce majority of andalusite for the global market. Some of the key players in this market are Andalusite Resources, Rhino Minerals Pty Ltd (IMERYS), Samrec Pty ltd (IMERYS), Damrec (IMERYS), Picobello Andalucita and Andalucita S.A. among others. Damrec, subsidiary of IMERYS, is the largest producer of Andalusite and has operations in China, South Africa, France and Peru. Andalusite Resources (Pty) Ltd is a newcomer to the Andalusite Industry and plans to increase its production capacity due to strong growth potential of andalusite market. Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the nomination of William Barr for Attorney General. His nomination now moves to the Senate floor where, in all likelihood, Barr will be confirmed very soon. The vote in the Judiciary Committee was 12-10. Every Democrat on the Committee voted against Barr. This is the same William Barr whom the Senate confirmed unanimously three times during the Reagan-Bush years. The last of these times, when Barr was nominated to be Attorney General under Bush, the Judiciary Committee approved him by unanimous vote, and the full Senate confirmed him by a voice vote. Barr was confirmed unanimously even though he testified that Roe v. Wade was incorrectly decided. Joe Biden, then the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, praised Barr for his candor. Biden added that Barr, who had been serving as Deputy Attorney General, as a throwback to the days when we actually had attorneys general that would talk to you. This time around, Barr received no votes from Committee Democrats. In all likelihood, he will receive virtually no Democratic votes on the Senate floor. Democrats will try to explain their negativity by citing the Mueller investigation. But Barr had nothing but praise for Mueller, and is a personal friend of the special counsel. Barr testified that he doesnt believe Mueller would engage in a witch hunt. Matthew Whitaker who is the acting Attorney General and will remain in the job if Barr is not confirmed, refused to deny that Muellers probe is a witch hunt. Its true that Barr made no categorical commitment to release Muellers report in its entirety. Instead, he promised to release as much of it as is permitted by law. The Democrats werent satisfied with this answer. However, they cannot reasonably expect Mueller to violate the law, including applicable regulations. A promise to release more of the Mueller report than the law permits would be legitimate grounds for voting against Barr. A promise to release all that the law permits is not. The Democrats unanimous opposition to Barr isnt about Mueller, a personal friend of Barr. Rather, its the product of their resistance to President Trump. Indeed, any number of Trump appointees have been approved without any Democrat support or with virtually none. Accordingly, the next time a Democrat is president, Republicans will be well within their rights unanimously to oppose his or her nominees. They should exercise this right freely, though not indiscriminately. If Republicans happen to control the Senate, meaning that the nominee cant be confirmed without some GOP votes, this should not deter them from saying no. I suspect it will deter a few GOP members, but it shouldnt. The defining characteristic of the Democratic presidential field in its current configuration is the phoniness of the candidates. This characteristic is shared by all of the major entrants. Consider: Elizabeth Warren claimed to be an Indian. She isnt. Kamala Harris claims to have been a progressive prosecutor. She wasnt. Amy Klobuchar holds herself out as Minnesota Nice. She isnt. Klobuchars mistreatment of staff members is legendary. In 2015, Harry Reid, then the Senate Majority Leader, felt the need to counsel Ms. Nice about it. Kirsten Gillibrand posed as a moderate throughout her time as a congresswoman from a moderate to conservative district in upstate New York. Once elected to the Senate, she abandoned moderation. Now, its nearly impossible to get to her left. Cory Booker is a fabulist. He used an imaginary friend T-Bone to tell self-serving stories in furtherance of his image. During his Spartacus moment, Booker bragged about risking expulsion from the Senate for violating the rule on publicly discussing classified documents. But the document in question had been declassified and, in any event, didnt say what Booker claimed it said. Other serious candidates almost certainly will enter the Democratic race. Some will be phonies. However, there is one potential entrant who is not susceptible to this charge. With Bernie Sanders, what you see is what you get. Hes the real deal. Sanders is not a Democrat. It figures. Im starting to think Ralph Northam isnt as smart as you would expect from someone who made it through medical school. After an appallingly bad week of press coverage, the last thing Northam needed was another controversy. And yet, he couldnt help shooting himself in the foot again: Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam: "We are now at the 400-year anniversary just 90 miles from here in 1619, the first indentured servants from Africa landed on our shores"@GayleKing: "Also known as slavery" https://t.co/ba3PnylCag pic.twitter.com/o0Sc8UzNiy CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) February 10, 2019 Massachusetts imported a lot of indentured servants, many of whom went on to successful careers and powerful positions. In Virginia, yeah, those imports from Africa were slaves. It was a lot tougher to go on to a successful career. Virginias Democrats would no doubt put Governor Northam on the next plane out of town, except that his Lieutenant Governor is an alleged rapist. That gives him job security! The Virginia sh*tshow continues, and it couldnt happen to a more deserving set of liberal politicians. UPDATE: I am late in getting this posted, for which I apologize. Its been a busy day. Early this morning, the historian John Steele Gordon wrote to tell us that Northam was right! Here is his email: Actually, the governor is right. The first blacks to arrive in Virginia, in 1619, were not sold as slaves, but as indentured servants. They had been sold in Africa to the Dutch captain, but he sold them in Virginia (mostly to the governor) as indentured servants. In other words, once they had worked off their indentures, they were free men, just like white indentured servants. Many subsequently became landowners, and even slave holders, themselves. Because the death rate was so high in early Virginia (25 percent of immigrants did not live a yearonce they did so, they were said to be seasoned) indentured servants made more economic sense as they were cheaper than slaves. It was not until the 1660s that slavery was even recognized in Virginia law and indentured servants still far outnumbered slaves as late as the 1680s. See my book, An Empire of Wealth, pages 18-19. Cheers, John I have read An Empire of Wealthan excellent bookbut had forgotten that detail. Is this what Northam had in mind? I suspect so, as he had the date right1619. But he acquiesced meekly when Gayle King corrected him. And in the context of the current controversy, what was the point? The Civil War wasnt fought over indentured servitude. And the fact that it made economic sense, for a time, for slaves purchased in Africa to be sold as indentured servants in Virginia is a historical footnote. Of which we thank the fine historian John Steele Gordon for reminding us. As expected, Senator Amy Klobuchar announced this afternoon that she is running for president. Why not? Everyone else is. Scott has written about Klobuchar a number of times, most recently here. Klobuchar made her announcement in snow-covered Minneapolis. Predictably, she described herself as the candidate of everyone: I am running for every parent who wants a better world for their kids. Im running for every student who wants a good education, Klobuchar said. For every senior who wants affordable prescription drugs. For every worker, farmer, dreamer and builder. I am running for every American. I am running for you. Somehow, though, Ive got a sneaking suspicion she isnt running for me. Klobuchars all-things-to-all-people approach has served her well in Minnesota. She is good at constituent service and gets quite a bit of support from the business community. In the Senate, she has focused mostly on uncontroversial small-ballproduct safety and the likeand she is personally pleasant toward local conservatives. I dont know her well, but she is cordial when I run into her, as, most recently, when I testified before the Joint Economic Committee, of which she is a member. Coincidentally, her husband worked for me quite a few years ago. I get along fine with him, too. I make these personal observations because they are an important part of Klobuchars political persona. Her voting record is just as bad as any other Senate Democrats, but her leftism comes in a moderate package. If she can fool a lot of Minnesota businessmen, she likely can appeal to relatively moderate Democratic primary voters, too. Klobuchars bland image obscures the same vaulting ambition that characterizes almost any serious presidential candidate. (A friend who has been active in DFL politics for decades describes Klobuchar as the most ambitious Minnesota Democrat since Walter Mondale.) And also, apparently, a considerable amount of rage. Lately, she has been in the news because of longstanding reports of her abusive treatment of staff. Whether voters will care remains to be seen. The obvious question is whether Klobuchar will be one of the finalists when the 20-odd Democratic presidential wannabes sort themselves out. It is way too early to tell, of course, but I think she may be. Openly leftist candidates, of which there are many, will split the crazy-Democrat vote. While most primary voters will fall into that category, there is room for someone (maybe a couple of someones) closer to the center. It is easy to imagine that when the primary season approaches a climax, whoever becomes the chief moderate candidate will face off against three or four uncompromising leftists. That moderate, or faux-moderate, candidate could well be Amy Klobuchar. Neither her drive, nor her discipline, nor her political skills should be underestimated. I would not be shocked if, when the dust settles, Amy Klobuchar is the Democrats choice to face off against President Trump. But first, she will have to show that she can get traction in a Democratic electorate that is more or less crazed. Sen. Cory Booker likes to portray himself as someone who can work with Republicans. During a stump speech in Iowa, televised by CSPAN, Booker used the recent leniency legislation for federal felons as an example. Theres no doubt that this legislation was a genuinely bipartisan effort. And Im sure that Booker, as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and consistent advocate of leniency for felons, played a role in that effort. But Booker wants us to believe more than this. He strongly implied that he played a crucial role by persuading Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, to flip from staunch opponent of jailbreak legislation to key supporter. The flipping of Grassley was a key moment in the process, second only to the flipping of President Trump. Booker told his audience of Iowa Democrats that upon arriving in the Senate, he heard Grassley rail against sentencing reform on the Senate. The audience duly booed at the mention of their home state GOP Senator. Booker then made a show of telling the audience not to boo Grassley. Booker said he reached out to Grassley to better understand the chairmans views, and to explain, based on his own insights and experiences, why sentencing reform legislation should be adopted. After that, Grassley became a fervent advocate of the jailbreak. I have heard several explanations as to why Grassley went from die-hard opponent of leniency legislation in the Spring of 2015 to leading proponent by the Fall of that year. The most plausible explanations contain the the name Koch. Until watching Bookers speech this weekend, I had never heard one that contains the name Booker. I suppose its possible that Booker helped change Grassleys mind. Possible, but not very likely. Grassley isnt the Senates greatest luminary, far from it. However, I think hes intelligent enough not to be seduced by Cory Booker. Sound Off is a forum to spur dialogue from residents of the communities we serve on topics of interest in those communities. Fair game are comments that raise issues of note or amplify ongoing debates. We will not publish comments that are potentially libelous, slanderous, mean-spirited, vulgar or inappropriate. Publications of Sound Off comments are at the sole discretion of the publisher. @montcocourtnews on Twitter Carl Hessler Jr. is a multi-media reporter who writes about crime and justice from the Montgomery County Courthouse for 21st Century Media Newspapers Greater Philadelphia area publications. Follow Carl on Twitter: @MontcoCourtNews Toll Brothers will relocate its headquarters to 1140 Virginia Drive in Upper Dublin in the fall. The luxury home builder will be leasing 163,000 square feet of office space. This photo shows the building, which is undergoing renovations. Lincoln, NE (68508) Today Variable clouds with thunderstorms - possibly severe, especially this evening. Damaging winds and large hail with some storms. Low 73F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch.. Tonight Variable clouds with thunderstorms - possibly severe, especially this evening. Damaging winds and large hail with some storms. Low 73F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch. 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. Forest clearing work for the live-fire training range complex on Northwest Field at Andersen Air Force Base has been delayed a few months to allow the transfer of an endangered plant species. Black Construction Corp. was awarded the $78 million contract by the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command for the design and construction of four training ranges. Black was awarded the project in August 2017. Work on the actual ranges wasn't to begin until after February 2018. Military officials on Friday said roadwork for the complex has begun and preparations are underway to transfer endangered fadang from the area. The ranges will be used for small-arms training for Marines. A separate contract for a machine gun training range is anticipated to be awarded in 2020. The projects are to support the relocation of nearly 5,000 Marines from Japan to Guam and the ranges will require a safety zone that would restrict public access to a portion of the Guam National Wildlife Refuge at Ritidian during training. The military buildup has led to questions related to environmental or cultural concerns. Military officials hosted a roundtable with local media on Friday to discuss the military buildup initiatives and ways the military is trying to mitigate its impact. A more recent controversy involves the military's plans to declare a surface danger zone over waters extending from the coast of an existing live-fire range at Finegayan, Dededo. Prior to that, there was controversy over a site called Magua' within the site of the Marine Corps base development in Finegayan. Initial statements from Sen. Therese Terlaje and the cultural resource manager for the War in the Pacific National Historical Park accused the military of bulldozing an ancient site. It was later determined that only vegetation clearing had taken place. Latte and other artifacts were recovered from the site and secured. The Magua' area had been bulldozed at least twice before, in the 1950s and again in the 1960s, according to archaeologist Ronnie Rogers, the Marine Corps Activity Guam cultural resources specialist. Rogers said Magua' was not a permanent ancient settlement, but artifacts within it were still important in telling the story of that time period and should be preserved. The State Historic Preservation Office was told two or three years ago that artifacts from the site would be salvaged and the office did not disagree, Rogers said. But it was never agreed the site itself would be preserved, he added. Writings on the Wall Over the last week, I have reviewed case law and various aspects of the FOIA process of the Guam Sunshine Law. Under this law, citizens have t Read more Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, Austin Fernando, has said that Sri Lanka needs the refugees to return from India. Mr. Fernando, who paid a visit to Chennai to obtain first-hand knowledge of the situation pertaining to Tamil refugees, told the Hindu that Sri Lanka needs its citizens. We want them to return. And, after a disastrous situation, people do not get the best of things which they would like to have. But we will try to give the best offer to everyone who returns, he said. Commenting on the package which would be offered to the returnees, Mr. Fernando said it has several components. The basics have to be attended to, like a house, a land to live on and assistance for resettlement and rehabilitation. When Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was in New Delhi in October 2018, a decision was taken that the verification of people - 3,815 names of the refugees - should be undertaken by the Indian Government. The returnee package has to be worked out and that is the job of the Sri Lankan Government. I am not sure how far the verification process has progressed. As we are trying to get refugees back to their home areas, there must be some package, which has to be upgraded, he said. "Once upon a time a little girl lived in the Big Woods of Wisconsin." So begins the "Little House" series, and it begins with "the cadence of a fairy tale." Most of us are acquainted with Laura Ingalls Wilder. From her birthplace in Pepin, Wis., down to Spring Valley and across the state to Walnut Grove and beyond to South Dakota, her life arcs across our backyard. Caroline Fraser has produced a richly detailed, starkly written account of that life in "Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder." Frasers narrative paints a vivid picture of the hardships Laura and her parents, Charles and Caroline, and sisters Mary, Carrie, and Grace faced on the frontier. Her description of a locust plague while the family lived at Walnut Grove is like something out of Exodus: "Like a demonic visitation, it was flickering red, with silver edges and appeared to be alive, arriving racehorse speed." In 1885, Laura married Almonzo Wilder and, in 1894, after repeated crop failures, the couple and their daughter Rose head to the Ozarks in search of a better life. That move, Fraser writes, "is the story of their road back from ruin." In addition to working their farm and taking in boarders, this period saw the beginning of Wilders writing career. In 1930, Wilder would complete "Pioneer Girl," a manuscript that would eventually evolve into "Little House in the Big Woods," the first of her autobiographical novels. It was a book whose literary merit lay with "its very lack of finesse." Fraser continues, "her direct address to the reader, and the surprising detail about a way of life already forgotten by 1930 lent it power and promise." In 1933, Wilder began working on "Indian Country," a book that departed from the "agrarian domesticity and security" of her first two books and reveled in "the ecstatic wonders of wilderness and wolves and Indians." "Indian Country" would become "Little House on the Prairie," a book whose genius, Fraser writes, "lay in that tension between its ostensible pioneer subject and its unmistakable appetite for the very opposite." Wider would write six more books, the last "These Happy Golden Years," published in 1943. There is no disputing that Laura Ingalls Wilders childhood was grittier, harsher, and much more harrowing than her novels ever let on, but if her books are not factual in the historical sense, they are perhaps true in the sense that all fiction is true. Wilder sought to memorialize her parents and the virtues self-reliance, cheerfulness, fortitude in the face of adversity that they inculcated in her. In doing that, she created a series of novels that model the "heroism of endurance" and the "satisfaction of simple pleasures." "Prairie Fires" is an unsparingly unsentimental book in its take on the mythos of the American frontier and the people who tried to survive on it. That approach contrasts with the more gossamer reality of Wilders books, yet maybe there is room for both in understanding our past. ZUMBROTA Transit Authority, a tribute act to the music of the band Chicago, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the State Theatre, 96 E. Fourth St., Zumbrota. Transit Authority, based in St. Paul, has been playing the music of Chicago for more than a decade, complete with a horn section, which was so much a part of the Chicago sound. The original name of Chicago was Chicago Transit Authority. The audience can expect to hear the Chicago hits "Make Me Smile," "Beginning," "Colour My World," "Old Days," "Hard Habit to Break" and others. Tickets are $28 in advance, $32 at the door, available through Crossings at Carnegie, 507-732-7616 and crossingsatcarnegie.com. Romantic music planned for Lanesboro LANESBORO An Evening of Romantic Music is scheduled for the Valentines Day weekend, at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 16 at the St. Mane Theatre, 206 Parkway Ave. N, Lanesboro. Damon Prestemon and friends will host the show, which will include stories, songs and audience participation. The show will also commemorate the 25th anniversary of the "Over the Back Fence" radio program that began as a Valentines Day special and is still produced monthly at the St. Mane. Tickets are $15 for the general public, $12 for members of Lanesboro Arts, available at lanesboroarts.org and 507-467-2446. Rochester arts group to host lecture Rochester Friends of the Minneapolis Institute of Artwill host a lecture Feb. 21 at 125 Live, 125 Elton Hills Drive NW. Jan-Lodewijk Grootaers, curator of African Art at the MIA, will speak on "Egypts Sunken Cities: Recent Underwater Archeology Discoveries." The lecture is connected to an exhibit at the MIA highlighting objects from two cities that were lost to rising tides of the Mediterranean Sea 1,200 years ago. Coffee is served at 10 a.m., with the program at 10:30 a.m. Visitors and guests are welcome. COLUMBIA What started as a Facebook group where teachers could commiserate and support each other through difficult times has mobilized into a strident advocacy force that is pushing back hard against a massive proposal for reforming education in South Carolina. In less than a year, SC for Ed has grown to more than 20,000 members, an increasingly vocal movement that is demanding a seat at the table for teachers as state leaders begin plotting a course for fixing South Carolina's beleaguered school system, which ranks among the nation's worst. After House Speaker Jay Lucas called for immediate reforms for the sake of children's futures and the state's economy, several dozen teachers took a personal day and flocked to Columbia to make their voices heard. During the Dec. 12 trip, they warned that a walkout was imminent unless their paychecks reflected the speaker's commitment. They followed that up with a January protest that attracted more than 100 educators. "When one person stands up, it makes it easier for the other person and more people to stand up," said Lisa Ellis, veteran teacher and founder of SC for Ed. "It gave them that confidence to say, 'If theyre doing it, I can do it as well." Since then, the group has taken aim at Lucas' massive reform package "There isn't a single passable section," they said in a post this month and blasted a key Senate leader for not taking public comment at an initial meeting on the reform bill. But even as legislators who are pushing for reforms welcome teachers' help, they're concerned that a misunderstanding of the legislative process and a social media echo-chamber could actually work against them. They worry that the group's tendency to lash out at proposals before public debate has even begun could sour some lawmakers on attempting reform and jeopardize prospects for change. "Their energy can be helpful," said Senate Education Chairman Greg Hembree, R-North Myrtle Beach. "Thats great from where Im sitting, but it can go the wrong way, and if it takes an ugly turn, the people I was counting on for support (to pass the bill) might not be there." Calls for an education overhaul have intensified in the wake of The Post and Courier's November series, Minimally Adequate, which laid out how gaping disparities have left students unprepared for college or work after high school, a predicament that threatens the state's economic prosperity. The series also described a worsening shortage of teachers, a growing crisis that has further exacerbated an ever achievement gap that disproportionately hurts rural and poor schools. Bipartisan calls for reform followed the series, culminating in Lucas dropping a sprawling, 84-page bill in January that would require new approaches in not only K-12 schools but also technical colleges and universities' teacher-training programs. Opposition sprouted just days later, however. Teachers already distrustful of legislators' promises first met as a group with freshman Sen. Mike Fanning, a Winnsboro Democrat and former teacher who got them pumped up against the bill. He told them not to "get played" by a proposal designed by bureaucrats and provided a seven-page handout listing what he said teachers should oppose. Teachers called the bill horrendous. Some threatened to strike if it does pass. Among other things, they worry the bill will erode protections for teachers and result in more testing, even while eliminating four state-standardized tests. The backlash has prompted Lucas and others to repeatedly stress that the bill's introduction is the start of a long process that it won't pass as is and that they want teachers' help in making the bill something that will truly be transformative for students' future. It remains to be seen to what degree SC for Ed will make its mark upon the bill. But for a group that seemingly came out of nowhere in the past year, they have definitely become a force to be reckoned with. Who is SC for Ed? Miserable and burned out, Ellis decided last May that she was done with the classroom after 17 years. She was already working on her exit strategy, earning a second master's degree in organizational leadership, when late on a Sunday night she hit an emotional wall. She didn't think she had the energy to go back to work the next day in her Richland County School District 1 classroom. "I thought, 'I wonder if anyone else is feeling this way?'" So she created a Facebook group and sent an invitation to 40 teacher friends. The response was mind-boggling. By her lunch break the next day, the group had grown to 1,000 people. It continued to grow by a thousand people a day for the next two weeks. "It was reassuring, but at the same time it was discouraging that so many teachers felt the same way," said Ellis, who now teaches at Blythewood High in Richland School District 2. "Teaching is a very isolating profession. Youre the only adult in the room unless you have the opportunity to get a brief break." What began as one teacher's search for support over social media quickly morphed into an outlet for teachers statewide to vent their frustrations and, in a way unseen before in South Carolina, collectively demand better pay and more respect. SC for Ed now boasts more than 20,600 members, though it's unclear how many are currently in the classroom. There are more than 50,000 K-12 teachers statewide. Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! SC for Ed has become a second, unpaid job for Ellis, who spent last summer traveling the state to help launch local chapters. Ten have formed so far, including one specifically for teachers in Dorchester School District 2 (Summerville) and another for the tri-county area. "They are waking up the sleeping giant, and that's a good thing," said Kathy Maness, director of the Palmetto State Teachers Association, which lobbies for teachers in a state that bans collective bargaining for public employees. South Carolina teachers previously haven't advocated for themselves en masse out of a combination of fear of losing their jobs and being too engrossed in their classroom to keep up with what politicians are, or aren't, doing that affects their profession. "The unspoken threat was, 'Keep your mouth shut or youll lose your job or be transferred,'" Ellis said. But SC for Ed formed amid a growing teacher shortage that lessened that threat, as "there's no one to replace us," she said. Last year, more than 5,300 teachers left K-12 classrooms statewide, while the number of education majors graduating from a South Carolina college continued to decrease to 1,640. Despite increasing reliance on out-of-state, international, and alternatively certified teachers, the 2018-19 school year began with more than 600 teacher vacancies, a nearly 30 percent increase from two years earlier, according to the latest report from the state Center for Educator Recruitment Retention and Advancement. Education reform a priority SC for Ed's mobilization ramped up amid legislators' pledges to make education reform their top priority this year. Descending on the Statehouse with strong voices and a demand to be heard, they quickly grabbed lawmakers' attention. In-person meetings with teachers have been productive, Hembree said, but as a group, "it feels like we're dealing with an electronic mob." "You can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory if you're not careful," he said. Hembree, the new chairman of the Senate Education Committee, has repeatedly called in recent years for removing the bureaucratic burdens that hinder teachers' jobs. And yet, after teachers thought he was excluding their input from a meeting this month, SC for ED put out a call demanding to know why "he would choose to cut out educator voices out of the discussion." One teacher went even further, tweeting that his neck should be "in a noose." In a tweet back, Hembree noted that the meeting was an organizational gathering and that the committee plans to hold public meetings "all over the state after school hours" to get input from students, parents, teachers and others on the reform package. "Check before overreacting," he wrote. SC for ED fired back that teachers deserved a seat at the table at every meeting, no matter the size, and that looking out for students' futures was not overreacting. "Dear teachers, would you care to explain to the senator why teachers in SC no longer have time for games?" Hembree, a former prosecutor, said social media blasts won't faze his commitment: "I've been threatened bodily harm by people who really do it." And on Wednesday, he urged his fellow senators to likewise stay on task. For the first time in decades, "all the winds are blowing together" to improve an education system that's fallen to the bottom in the nation, said House Education Chairman Rita Allison, R-Lyman, a former Spartanburg District 5 school board member. Teachers "have helped push the agenda of needing reform, and that's great ... but misinterpretations and misunderstanding of intent can absolutely work against what we're trying to do," she said. Lawmakers who have signed on to the legislation insist they recognize having a good teacher in the classroom is paramount to students' success. "You've got the momentum. We don't want to do something to mess it up," said Maness, of the Palmetto State Teachers Association, noting she had a "big learning curve" about the legislative process when she left the classroom to lobby for teachers 25 years ago. Teachers newly paying attention to the General Assembly can't be expected to understand that process, she said. "Theres a lot of frustration out there right now. The pieces of the puzzle came together. Teachers are finding they can use social media as a sounding board. Sometimes its correct. Other times, its not," Maness said. "But there's a right way to use your teacher voice to advocate for students and the profession, and theres a way to use your teacher voice that will hurt everything." Columbia/Myrtle Beach Managing Editor Andy Shain runs The Post and Courier's newsrooms based in Columbia and Myrtle Beach. He was editor of Free Times and has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Charlotte, Columbia and Myrtle Beach. The Post and Courier provides a forum for our readers to share their opinions, and to hold up a mirror to our community. Publication does not imply endorsement by the newspaper; the editorial staff attempts to select a representative sample of letters because we believe its important to let our readers see the range of opinions their neighbors submit for publication. In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, people inspect a destroyed building where, according to SANA, the five-story building collapsed early Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019, killing most of those who were inside and only one person was rescued alive, in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria. (SANA via AP) "This is America," a socially charged song by Childish Gambino that features a graphic reference to the Charleston Mother Emanuel AME Church shooting in the accompanying music video, has won multiple Grammys. The video, which depicts the shooting of black choir members among several other disturbing but powerful and emotional scenes, won the music video of the year. It took an in-depth look at the portrayal of black people in America and accompanying prejudices. After the video was released in May of last year, The Post and Courier covered local reactions to it, particularly the Charleston-based scene. The results were mixed, from its interpreted role as in impactful, thought-provoking art piece to an unnecessary and unwelcome re-hashing of traumatic violence against black people. *Warning: graphic content included in video Sign up for the Charleston Hot Sheet Get a weekly list of tips on pop-ups, last minute tickets and little-known experiences hand-selected by our newsroom in your inbox each Thursday. Email Sign Up! At this year's Grammys, Childish Gambino not only received an award for best music video of the year. He also made history by winning both song and record of the year for "This is America." It was the first time that a rap song won both categories. Gambino beat out competition from Lady Gaga, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Brandi Carlile, Zedd and more. The track also won for best rap/sung performance of the year. Gambino was not present to receive his awards, but "This is America" co-writer Ludwig Goransson accepted them on his behalf. Mary Katherine, who also goes by MK, covers health care for The Post and Courier. She is also pursuing a master's degree in data science. She grew up in upstate New York and enjoys playing cards, kayaking and the Blue Ridge Mountains. From left: South Asia Gateway Terminals CEO Romesh David, Verite Research, Research Director, Subhashini Abeysinghe, IPS Research Fellow Dr. Janaka Wijesiri, DRH Logistics Pvt Limited Chairman/Managing Director Diren R Hallock and Daily FT Editor Nisthar Cassim (Moderator) Pic Damith Wickramasinghe SLs general intuitional weaknesses and governance weaknesses highlighted as shortcomings More investments in education crucial to match employment opportunities created through BRI projects By Nishel Fernando Sri Lanka needs to develop its own narrative of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which is neither over-shadowed by reports from Western media nor reports circulated from China, while holding the Sri Lankan government accountable when entering into agreements with various Chinese State-owned entities under BRI. We rely so much on what the West is telling us, and most of the reports on BRI from the West are negative about BRI. Whats coming out of China or sometimes funded by the Chinese government is always positive on BRI. So thats why countries such as Sri Lanka needs to have our own narrative of BRI, Verite Research, Research Director, Subhashini Abeysinghe said. She was speaking at a panel discussion last Thursday organised by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and the Post-Graduate Institute Management (PIM) which held at the PIM auditorium. The US$ 1 trillion BRI brought various scattered Chinese investment projects outside of China under one umbrella. However, the projects are implemented under an estimated 150,000 State-owned entities of the Chinese Central Government as well as provincial governments. Abeysinghe noted that the Chinese government has encouraged these State-owned firms to maintain commercial and financial autonomy as well as to compete among themselves. Referring to the linkage of debt trap diplomacy and BRI which is often highlighted in mainstream media, Abeysinghe said that these challenges in BRI projects in Sri Lanka arose due to general intuitional weaknesses and governance weaknesses that predates Chinas BRI. She noted that Chinese State institutions and Chinese financial institutions have a hands-off approach in negotiating projects unlike World Bank (WB) or Asian Development Bank (ADB) which has hard rules. If China is negotiating projects with Singapore which has very robust processes and lot of transparency and zero corruption, China negotiates projects on those rules. But if you dont have any rules thats also a way China is happy to deal with, she illustrated. However, she said that this approach of China, which ignores governance issues in BRI countries has damaged the image of China globally. Abeysinghe stressed that the public should demand more transparency from the Sri Lanka government with utilising tools such as Right to Information Act to access to project feasibility studies etc, holding the government accountable for its action. Are we asking the Chinese to be transparent or who has the obligations to be transparent to the Sri Lankan public? It has to be Sri the Lankan government, which enters into these agreements, she said. Meanwhile, Joining the panel discussion, the Chief Executive Officer of (CEO) South Asia Gateway Terminals, Port of Colombo, Romesh David pointed out that many projects which have been built with Chinese funds predates BRI and were proposals developed by the Sri Lankan government. He said that for an example Hambantota Port project was under the consideration of several governments and was hastily built without a proper operational plan in 2009 with funding from the Chinese government. However, he pointed that handing over of the management of Hambantota Port to China Merchants was a good decision by the government after the port remaining idle for nearly six years. David noted that China Merchants is transforming Hambantota Port into a maritime and logistic hub in the region by diversifying the logistic hub offering in Sri Lanka, which will also play a key role in intra regional trade. Speaking of viability of proposed projects under BRI in Sri Lanka, Abeysinghe said the government should significantly increase investments in education to match the economic opportunities as Sri Lanka faces a dilemma due to misalignment between education and economic opportunities. There is a great challenge of understanding what kind of industries and what kind of job opportunities are going to be there. We are stuck in between, as our people not wanting do lower end jobs and not having the capacity and education to do the high-end jobs. For an example, though we want to be a tourism hub, Tourism hasnt become a part of the core curriculum until very recently, and even that makes a little dent in the system, she elaborated. Though 80,000 high-skilled job opportunities are set be created in the Colombo Port City project, Abeysinghe doubted that how many Sri Lankans would have necessary educational qualifications to meet the requirements of those jobs. She also questioned as to who will be employed in the proposed industrial zones which are being set up with the funding of Chinese firms under BRI. I always wonder who is going to work there. One reason is that the Sri Lankan unemployment rate is quite low and Sri Lankans are less willing to work in the manufacturing sector. Its also unlikely that females, who have a lower labour participation rate, would be drawn to join the manufacturing sector. For an example, only 10 out of t3 women are ready to work in the garment sector, she said. She asserted that Sri Lanka needs to create world class educational institutes in the country as the East Asian countries did, when they achieved middle income country status. David opined that Sri Lanka need to do away with its obsession concerning land ownership and should focus more on the outcome. In one way, we need to grow, but on the hand, the government, the biggest landholder of the country want to retain the ownership. Anybody who does a project on a State-owned land is treated as a thief, he said. 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. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds. High 82F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. 252 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Advertising On Monday Donald Trump lashed out at Democrats again after negotiations for border security hit a new roadblock. One reason the talks have stalled is that congressional Democrats now want to limit the number of beds available to hold immigrants who have been arrested by Trumps border patrol officers. Trump tweeted this morning: The Democrats do not want us to detain, or send back, criminal aliens! This is a brand new demand. Crazy! The Democrats do not want us to detain, or send back, criminal aliens! This is a brand new demand. Crazy! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2019 Advertising The Washington Post this morning is reporting that talks among lawmakers negotiating on funding for border security faltered over the weekend as the dispute over Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) ability to hold immigrants in detention centers emerged as the latest sticking point. In late-stage bid to avert government shutdown, top lawmakers plan to meet today in effort to revive stalled border negotiations https://t.co/uLF4FKV0dE The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 11, 2019 According to the Post: The nation faces the real possibility of another government shutdown at the end of this week after bipartisan talks aimed at averting that outcome broke down in a dispute over immigration enforcement, lawmakers and aides said. GOP Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama chimed in, saying: I think the talks are stalled right now. Im hoping we can get off the dime later today or in the morning because time is ticking away. But we got some problems with the Democrats dealing with ICE, that is detaining criminals that come into the U.S. and they want a cap on them, we dont want a cap on that. The Post reported that Democrats want to put a limit on the number of detention beds for immigrants picked up by ICE away from the border in other parts of the country at 16,500. Trump is trying to paint the Democratic position as dangerous, saying on Sunday that the party does not even want to take murderers into custody! The current impasse means another partial shutdown is possible. It is also possible that Trump may decide to declare a national emergency to secure wall funding. This would lead to immediate legal challenges, and is not likely to work. Trump caused a recent 35-day government shutdown with his demand for $5.7 billion for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Democrats offered $1.3 billion in funding for other border security measures, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi has made clear the House will appropriate no money for Trumps wall. Trump did finally agree to reopen the government but just until Feb. 15 while a bipartisan group of lawmakers negotiates a deal to fund border security. And now those negotiations have fallen apart, and funding for many key government agencies runs out on Feb. 15. Donald Trump is continuing to create drama and attack Democrats, but most American voters know there is no real national emergency due to border security and immigrants. Trump is playing a political game that he cant win, and the losers, as always, will be the American people. 13.3k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Advertising Elected officials in El Paso, TX are making it clear that Trump and his border wall lies are not welcome in their community. Garrett Haake of NBC News reported on the resolution that was passed by nearly all of the elected officials of El Paso, I just walked out of a news conference here, not attended by Beto ORourke, and essentially all of the officials here and they all condemned how the president has been talking about their community. His comments about El Paso being unsafe and being untrue. And they are so worried that the county commissioners and the county judge passed this resolution today in which they say they are disillusioned by his lies regarding the border and the committee. I have not seen such an unwelcoming committee for the president and one of his rallies for a long time. It shows you how upset they were about his mention of El Paso in the State Of The Union speech. Video: El Paso officials pass a resolution calling out Trump's lies ahead of his visit to their city. https://t.co/3C3PWQTrqh pic.twitter.com/rsvdODokkv PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) February 11, 2019 Advertising Rep. Veronica Escobar said at a press conference, We are a very proud community. Unfortunately, President Trump repeated misinformation provided to him by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton that El Paso was once one of the most dangerous cities in the U.S. and it was the border barrier that made us safe. El Paso doesnt want Trump and his border lies The officials are sending a clear message that they want Trump to stop lying about their community and his lies have no place in El Paso. Of course, Trump doesnt care what the people of El Paso want. Just like he didnt care that the people of Pittsburgh didnt want him in their city right after the synagogue shooting. Trump is using El Paso as a prop to get his wall, but the community is fighting back. Never in modern presidential history has a president been so unwelcome and unwanted as Trump. El Paso doesnt want Trump, and they are doing everything that they can to make sure that he knows that hes not welcome. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 1.2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Advertising Trump sold his tax cuts as a tax cut for working families. But now, reality has struck and not only will millions not get a refund this year, but some might have to pay the IRS. The Republican tax cut, which involved the biggest changes to the tax code in 30 years and might have put more money in peoples paycheck due to withholding table changes, has come home to roost and its not pretty. DCReport.com founder David Cay Johnston explained the tax changes to MSNBCs Stephanie Ruhle, Republicans ran a sort of stimulus program buy reducing your withholding under new tables without the experience of knowing what would happen. About 25% of taxpayers who had been itemizing deductions will not be able to do so under the new law and those people are going to get a real shock because of the limitation of how much they can deduct for state and local taxes and youre going to pay more. Advertising Johnston also broke down how, for example, Trumps tax laws take away from police officers the ability to deduct cleaning their uniforms, their guns, etc as well as taking away property taxes and medical deductions and home equity loan against your house. He also said all of this was done instantaneously. He said many people will have to borrow money to pay the IRS. Johnston pointed out that Republicans didnt phase this huge tax overhaul in slowly because they couldnt make the budget work for tax cuts for the richest among us without hitting the middle class. Why did they do this so abruptly, why didnt they phase in the way Ronald Reagan did? Because they couldnt make the budget numbers work for the tax cut for the richest among us unless they hit the middle class first fully, Johnston said. You can not say that you werent warned about the #GOPTaxScam this should not be a surprise. pic.twitter.com/Q5vlvPw1ef Mark Blei (@markblei) February 4, 2019 Thank you, Republicans. If were all paying off 2018 taxes in multi-year payment plans, how can we get ahead in 2019?? Just keep extending those plans. Ive never paid higher taxes in my life than in 2018. Ive been paying taxes for 23 years. This is grotesque #GOPTaxScam Red (@Redpainter1) February 10, 2019 Oh, hey, about those bigger paychecks? Well, unless you knew to adjust your paycheck withholdings after the change took place, you get not only get a smaller return, but you might end up owing the IRS money. CNN rounded up the IRS numbers, Tax season is off to a slower start this year, with early filers seeing smaller average refunds. The average refund is down about 8% under the first full year of the overhauled tax code, according to data released by the IRS on Friday. Refunds averaged $1,865 compared to $2,035 for tax year 2017. Now, if youre someone who thinks Americans can just go to the bank and get some money any time they need it and that the grocery story gives IOUs for food to those who need it, you might not understand that a few hundred dollars is actually a very big deal for working families. But it is. Trump made noises about a tax cut for the middle class after he and the Republicans made sure to ram through through this huge tax cut for corporate America, but Republican legislators had not heard of this plan and oh, big surprise! It was mentioned in the days leading up to the midterms, and then nothing happened with it. Trump might think hes Teflon with his voters, that he could shoot someone in the street and they would still vote for him, as he bragged. But he never considered what would happen if he metaphorically shot them. (See, the President can mention shooting someone in the street and its no biggie, but if I wrote that and left out the metaphorical, I can assure you it would be an issue.) The Trump/GOP tax cut for the rich is why so many Republicans here in Trump country are getting disillusioned. Tax cuts for the rich sold as caring about working families didnt fly no matter how hard Trump sold them, and many working class families understood that the tax cut was going to get them and help the rich, even if they didnt understand how. Republicans have been playing this trickle down con for so long that its lost its shiny surface and glittery promise. Time to pay the Trump tax. 2.2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Advertising In a sharp rebuke to President Donald Trump California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday he is withdrawing hundreds of National Guard troops from the Mexican border. In a statement Newsom said: The border emergency is a manufactured crisis. California will not be part of this political theater. This is our answer to the White House: No more division, xenophobia or nativism. New California Gov. Gavin Newsom to recall troops from U.S.-Mexico border https://t.co/BJY9Isjejr UPI.com (@UPI) February 11, 2019 Advertising The move by the newly-elected governor is a repudiation of Trumps claims that a recent influx of Central American refugees and migrants is a national security crisis. Trump blamed illegal immigration for straining the countrys economy and resources. He also said it has increased crime, despite overwhelming evidence that immigrants commit crime at lower rates than native-born Americans. The Pentagon last week announced that it would send 3,750 troops to the border in coming months, where they are expected to install 150 miles of concertina wire and aid Customs and Border Protection, according to the Pentagon. The lawless state of our southern border is a threat to the safety, security, and financial well being of all Americans, Trump said. We have a moral duty to create an immigration system that protects the lives and jobs of our citizens. Newsoms announcement came one day before the he is set to deliver his first State of the State address on Tuesday. This will give him the chance to counter Trumps State of the Union address from last week and other recent statements where he said that immigrants pose a national emergency to the United States. In his statement released this morning, Newsom said he is giving the California National Guard a new mission so that troops would not take part in the White Houses political theater. He said he wants the Guard instead to refocus on the real threats facing our state. For example, he said he would sign a general order to redeploy the troops to support wildfire prevention efforts and to expand operations to counter drugs and cartels across California. He also said there would be a new group of troops trained to spot narcotics stationed at the states international points of entry. Newsoms move is an escalation of a long-running battle over immigration between California and the Trump administration. The states Democratic government has pledged to serve as a buffer to Trumps hard-line rhetoric and policies. Newsom is the second governor from a border state to pull National Guard troops assigned to the Mexican border. Last week, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered the removal of most her states troops just hours before the presidents State of the Union address. In her announcement Grisham said: We reject the federal contention that there exists an overwhelming national security crisis at the southern border. New Mexico will not take part in the presidents charade of border fear-mongering by misusing our diligent National Guard troops. Trump is trying to stoke fear in Americans, but governors of states along the Mexican borders know better. There is no national emergency, and Trumps only goal is to create enough fear to get more racist people to vote for him again. Trump is doomed, and playing the immigration card is all he has left, but it wont work. 858 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Advertising Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris of California admitted Monday that she has smoked marijuana in the past. And, according to her, she did inhale. Kamala Harris says she smoked weed in collegeand I did inhale Kamala Harris says she smoked weed in college"and I did inhale" https://t.co/yHjMgtdEjS The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) February 11, 2019 The 54 year-old senator gave a radio interview in New York this morning on WWPRs The Breakfast Club. In the interview Harris, who recently entered the 2020 presidential race in January, said that she smoked a joint a long time ago. Advertising I have, she said, after host Charlamagne Tha God asked if she had ever smoked. And I did inhale, she added, joking about former President Bill Clintons famous line in 1992 that he smoked marijuana in college but didnt inhale. Senator Harris also pushed back on accusations that she opposed legalizing marijuana. Thats not true, she said. Half my familys from Jamaica, are you kidding me? She added, laughing. The Breakfast Club posted a tweet with the Harris interview, as shown below. Hear what #KamalaHarris thinks about legalizing marijuana pic.twitter.com/YGZlCAKUZ0 The Breakfast Club (@breakfastclubam) February 11, 2019 She confirmed that she supports legalization, a stance she expanded on in her new book where she wrote that it was time to legalize and regulate marijuana. She also said: We need to expunge nonviolent marijuana-related offenses from the records of millions of people who have been arrested and incarcerated so they can get on with their lives. I think that it gives a lot of people joy, we need more joy, she said during her interview on Monday. Last year, Harris backed fellow 2020 candidate Sen. Cory Bookers (D-N.J.) proposed bill to decriminalize pot. Harris has been criticized for laughing off a question about legalization of recreational marijuana in 2014 when she was running for reelection as California Attorney General. In the past five years, however, support for legal recreational pot has increased, with 62 percent of Americans saying in an October poll that they support legalizing marijuana. Since entering the presidential race, Harris has gotten tremendous publicity and is currently considered the front runner by many people. She is progressive, yet was a tough prosecutor and state attorney general. She has great appeal to women especially minority women voters who are the bedrock of the Democratic Party. Some observers believe that she would be a formidable candidate and could even be Donald Trumps worst nightmare. The pot issue is a just a sideshow to her candidacy, but every time Kamala Harris appears in public she strengthens the perception that she may be the Democrat to beat in the 2020 election. A study says budget priorities towards gender equality, womens empowerment and disability rights very low More women and girls with disabilities than men and boys in all age groups By Shabiya Ali Ahlam Sri Lanka, in its commitment to creating an inclusive economy must apply more focused efforts towards gender responsive budgeting, according to United Nations Women (UNW), a comprehensive survey which reveals the approaches by the government in this regard currently remain narrow. Although Sri Lanka was one of the first few countries in the region to engage with gender budgeting, where the first pilot project was supported by the Commonwealth Secretariat in 1997, UNW pointed out that the island nations experience with gender budgeting revolves around initiatives centered on research, including a few institutional processes, which does not lead to any substantive progress. The budget priorities of the government towards gender equality, womens empowerment and disability rights are very low, a status report on Sri Lanka by UNW launched last week revealed. Evidence collected during the study that covered 400 persons with disabilities across four districts show that such individuals encounter multiple barriers in access to economic opportunities. Women with disabilities were noted to be twice as disadvantaged as men. The gender-based study, carried out along with the survey, revealed gaps in programmatic and budgetary commitments, although Sri Lanka had introduced several policies and legislation promoting the rights of persons with disabilities. It is observed that most interventions for persons with disabilities have a welfare approach, and that gender budgets are more concentrated around womens reproductive health needs and gender-based violence. Most composite disability projects do not account for gender-specific disadvantages nor do they fix physical targets in the form of quotas to ensure the coverage of women and girls with disabilities, the report highlighted. Similarly, it was observed that the ongoing pro-women programmes treat women as a homogenous group and lack affirmative measures to reach out to women and girls with disabilities. These programmes do not maintain beneficiary data disaggregated by disability and social status, the UNW report asserted. It is acknowledged that the 2018 budget included a directive related to disability focused action areas and committed outlays; however, it is not reflected on budget estimates of spending units. In the series of recommendations listed out, it was suggested for the government to make available a detailed expenditure review and compliance audit to show as to how the Rs.65 million allocated for the implementation of the policy framework on empowering the differently-abled community, was spent. Further, all relevant key performance indicators, (KPIs) should include sex-disaggregated information. With regard to budget call circulars, the scope of gender KPIs should be expanded to include disability dimension whenever relevant, the report recommended. The number of persons with disabilities in Sri Lanka today has increased substantially compared to the estimates of the 2001 census. The Health Ministry estimates that by 2040, the number of persons living with disabilities would constitute approximately 24.2 percent of the population of Sri Lanka. The World Health Survey estimates that the disability prevalence rate in Sri Lanka is 12.9 percent. While it is estimated by the Census of Population and Housing that an average of 87 persons per 1,000 in the country have some form of disability, there are more women and girls with disabilities than men and boys of all age groups. 683 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Advertising Donald Trumps longtime friend Roger Stone knows how to get publicity, and in his latest interview he went off the deep end by making crazy claims that the purpose of Bob Muellers special counsel probe is to remove both Donald Trump and Mike Pence from office. Speaking to The New Yorker, Stone said he also believes that Muellers investigation is part of an elaborate conspiracy to get both Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton into the White House. To back up his unhinged opinions, Stone predicted that Muellers investigation would fabricate explosive, untrue evidence that would then be used to indict and impeach both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Those who think the Mueller investigation will die out with a whimper are dreaming, Stone said in the interview, before adding: Advertising This is a pretext to allow them to remove both Trump and Pence and replace them with Leather Face I mean, Nancy Pelosi and then she can appoint Hillary Clinton as V.P. Thats been the agenda from the beginning. Pelosi could then resign, and make Hillary Clinton president, according to Stone. Mueller has charged that Stone lied to Congressional investigators about his efforts to reach out to WikiLeaks for information about emails that were stolen from Hillary Clintons campaign chairman, John Podesta. Additionally, Mueller claims that Stone sent threatening messages to talk show host Randy Credico that encouraged him to similarly lie to investigators. On January 25 Stone was arrested by the FBI after his indictment on charges of lying to Congress, obstruction of justice and witness tampering. Since then he posted bail and pleaded not guilty to the charges. Another Trump adviser, Steve Bannon, was also implicated in federal crimes when Stone was arrested. Legal experts who have reviewed the Stone indictment in detail also believe that it contains evidence that Donald Trump himself may soon be indicted. The indictment alleges that Stone spoke often with top Trump campaign aides, including Bannon, about his efforts to get the Democratic emails stolen by Russian hackers published by WikiLeaks to harm Hillary Clinton and help Trump get elected. In the indictment there is language which appears to describe the involvement of Donald Trump in Stones and Bannons nefarious activities. This means the indictment may point to the direct involvement of the President of the United States in the commission of crimes. This is why Roger Stone is now saying there is a conspiracy and fabricated evidence of Trumps crimes. He knows that in truth Trump (and probably Pence) DID actually commit numerous crimes. Stone knows Trump and Pence will be going down very soon, so his latest rants are intended to cast doubt on the law enforcement agencies of the United States. He is doing this for his personal gain, but it wont work. It is very likely that unless Stone flips and cooperates with Mueller, he will spend the rest of his life in jail. via joffreyballetschool.com Which Joffrey Ballet School Summer Program You Should Attend, Based On Your Dream Job Weekend Slayer - Episode 4 - Gully's Stag: Katy Curd & Bruce Shred The Forest Of Dean: Summer's End: Cinema Reel: Christian Davidson - 2018: Chris Bennett - Golden: Good Times in Coastal BC: Huey Walker - Race Prep: Fred Vieira - 2019: Unleashed: Ludwig Jager - Instagram Compilation 3: Kriss Kyle - Dubai: Kriss Kyle's Kaleidoscope: Chris Haslam's "Sterling Golden" Part: Franky Villani's "Welcome to Dickies" Part: Weird Waves Season 1 - Stream Tour Part 1: Close To Home: Lindsey Vonn - Carving a Legacy: Friends of Shames: Grizzly Country: In this special episode, we head up to Bralorne Adventure Lodge for Geoff Gulevich's stag! Become part of Gully's crew, and witness the wild antics first hand.What came first, the chicken or the egg? Actually, who cares. Who's faster, Katy Curd, or her trail dog, Bruce?In September, the end of summer is upon us, Wesley Sherrell rides Black Forest Ham at Vedder Mountain.A collection of some of my favourite shots.Here are some shots of me riding my bike this summer.Chris returns to his home trails for some unfinished business.Just a little footy with the boys. Summer '18.We tag along with Huey Walker as he prepares for the upcoming race race season by railing ruts, dropping boulders, and no handing natural kickers.This is the first edit of 2019, from Brazilian rider Fred Vieira.Unleashed is a short movie about mountain biking.2018 was a blast! I filmed more clips and jibs than ever before.Kris lands incredible stunts on his BMX across Dubai's most famous landmarks.Classic.Haslam has always owned his own wavelength, making the unbelievable somehow possible. His sorcery continues with this new mind-bending video part.Franky flexes his eclectic bag of tricks with a jaw-dropping video part.Join host Dylan Graves in what he is calling The Stream Tour which involves jumping in his van and driving to the midwest to hunt down rivers to go shred! In the first part of this two part episode, Dylan and Vans up-and-comer, Jett Schilling, link up with master river shredder, KB Brown as they break down two different river waves in Montana and Idaho.Often, we dream too faraway to appreciate what is in our own backyard. The simplest way to explore is to look around you. Mobilized by this philosophy and the sensory experience of snowboarding, Patagonia ambassador Nicholas Wolken spent the past two seasons enjoying what nature had to offer only a train ride away from the town where he grew up. The result is Close to Home. The eight-minute short follows Nicholas and fellow Patagonia ambassador Forrest Shearer as they stay in a family friends alpine hut in Fideriser Heuberge and surrender to simplicity. As Nicholas puts it, In snowboarding, less is more.Congrats on an amazing career.If your beloved ski hill ran out of money and had no choice but to close, what would you do? With time running out for majestic Shames Mountain in Northern BC, local skiers from Terrace, Prince Rupert, and Kitimat have decided to take matters into their own hands and buy the ski hill as a community co-operative. Friends of Shames: A Skier's Journey EP1 [Season 2] is a look into what's at stake for the people who call Shames home, and sheds light onto a different way of owning & operating a ski hill. And of course, there are plenty of deep turns and stunning terrain along the way.After serving in the Vietnam War, author and eco-warrior Doug Peacock spent years alone in the Wyoming and Montana wilderness observing grizzly bears. This time in the wild changed the course of his life. With the protection of Yellowstone grizzlies now under threat, Peacock reflects on the importance of habitat and why he continues to fight for wild causes.Photo: Ian Collins To check out videos submitted by fellow Pinkbike members that didn't quite make Movie Mondays here Federal workers will have to endure a new partial government shutdown starting Saturday if Republicans, Democrats, and President Donald Trump cant agree on a new spending bill by Friday, Feb. 15. So far, signs arent promising. Over the weekend, talks between the two parties reportedly stalled after negotiators couldnt reach agreements on two main issues funding for barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border and the number of detention beds that should be made available to undocumented immigrants arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. I think the talks are stalled right now. Im hoping we can get off the dime later today or in the morning because time is ticking away, Sen. Richard Shelby (R., Ala.), one of the key negotiators, said to Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace. Ill say 50/50 well get a deal. I hope an pray we do. Shelby said Republicans were opposed to a proposal from Democrats to place a 16,500-bed cap on the number of undocumented immigrants that can be detained by ICE. On Twitter Monday morning, Trump called the proposal crazy. But Democrats say forcing limits on ICE will cause them to only target criminals and end indiscriminate deportation raids in local communities. In May 2018, for instance, 49 undocumented immigrants were arrested in the Philadelphia region during a seven-day operation, and 107 immigrants were arrested in a September 2017 ICE operation that targeted 10 sanctuary-city jurisdictions across the country. To enhance national security and encourage more efficient immigration enforcement, Democrats have proposed a cap on the number of ICE detention beds associated with interior enforcement, House Democrats said in a statement Sunday night to CNN. This cap will force the Trump administration to prioritize arresting and deporting serious criminals, not law-abiding immigrants. Sen. Jon Tester (D., Mont.), another key negotiator, said he was still optimistic both sides would come to an agreement before Fridays deadline. Its a negotiation. Negotiations seldom go smooth all the way through. Its give and take, its compromise. Its the way governments supposed to work, Tester said on Fox News Sunday. Im very hopeful not positive but very hopeful we can come to an agreement. What options remain if the sides cant compromise If Republicans and Democrats cant come to an agreement, lawmakers could pass yet another short-term spending bill that gives both sides more time to negotiate. But acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said Trump wouldnt automatically sign anything placed on his desk. You asked me a question, Is a government shutdown entirely off the table? The answer is no, Mulvaney told NBCs Chuck Todd on Meet the Press Sunday. Trump has also said he remains open to declaring a national emergency along the southern border, which would free up funds to enable him to fund his proposed $5.7 billion border wall (and would likely lead to a battle in court). Trump is scheduled to hold a rally Monday in El Paso, Texas, where hes expected to once again make the case for his wall. What agencies would be impacted by another shutdown If there is no agreement signed by the president by midnight on Friday, the government will enter its third shutdown during Trumps tenure. Nine federal departments Treasury, Agriculture, Homeland Security, Interior, State, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Commerce, and Justice would shut down again. More than 420,000 federal workers deemed essential would be forced to work without pay, while roughly 380,000 employees would be furloughed without pay. The previous shutdown, which lasted a record 35 days, led to a broad range of impacts across the Philadelphia region, including missed pay for federal workers, delays for air travelers, gaps in loan approvals, shuttered immigration courts, unstaffed parks, and agencies operating on contingency funding. Pennsylvania holds the disgraceful distinction of paying the lowest minimum wage in this part of the country. Every state bordering Pennsylvania has a higher minimum wage, ranging from $10.80 an hour in New York to $8.75 an hour in West Virginia. In the coming weeks, Pennsylvanians are about to watch what a responsible state can do for low-income workers. They will see New Jerseys minimum wage of $8.85 an hour put on a track to $15 an hour by 2024, thanks to a deal between New Jerseys Legislature and Gov. Phil Murphy. Pennsylvania has no such luck. For years, Pennsylvania Democrats have tried to raise the wage, which at $7.25 per hour -- has been stagnant for more than a decade. They routinely introduce bills raising it to $12 an hour or $15 an hour, but in every instance, theyve have been blocked by Republicans who control both houses of the legislature. One factor pushing New Jerseys minimum wage is that its cost of living is among the highest in the country. But even New Jerseys higher minimum wage isnt the same as a wage high enough to sustain a family; according to Massachusetts Institute of Technologys living wage calculator, a New Jersey family of two adults and two children would need to earn $28.37 an hour. And that figure makes Pennsylvanias stagnant minimum wage even more pathetic. Compare the states minimum of $7.25 to the $24.08 per hour needed for a living wage. The impact of a higher minimum wage on raising poverty levels is hotly debated, even among economists; some contend it does little to raise poverty levels, and can contribute to a decline in jobs when businesses cut jobs to compensate for higher wages. Most agree, though, that the minimum wage has failed to keep pace with the cost of living. There is another, more compelling argument that Governor Tom Wolf has made in each of the years he has asked for an increase. Wolf argues that the state could save $100 million in social service costs if it raised the wage. That would be money otherwise spent on the states share of aid programs ranging from food stamps to health care. That echoes a larger and more shocking calculation that made news a few years ago, when the group Americans for Tax Fairness claimed that Walmarts low wages cost taxpayers $6.2 billion in social service costs, such food stamps, housing support, and health care that its low paid workers needed to survive. While some criticized the report because those figures were based on a single states experience, the point is that the minimum wage doesnt just impact individual families -- but all of us. Maybe Pennsylvanians, struggling with poverty wages, can pin their hopes on the outcome of a meeting this week of Raise the Wage PA, a coalition of advocates from labor, religious, womens, and public policy groups, who will be developing a strategy to raise the wage. But the advocates, governor, and minority party legislators cant do this alone. Pennsylvanians should ramp up the pressure on Harrisburg representatives to recognize the high cost of low wages. Two efforts to address the opioid epidemic in the city met speed bumps last week. On Wednesday, William McSwain, the US attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, filed a lawsuit against Safehouse, a non-profit championed by advocates including Ed Rendell, that has planned to open a safe-injection site in the city. Proponents of the site, including this editorial board, point to evidence from the experience of more than 100 sites worldwide that prevent overdose deaths and have not increased drug use or crime. McSwain argues that the site violates federal laws and asked a federal judge to prevent it from ever opening. The news of the lawsuit by McSwain was not surprising -- he made clear in the past that he will take action against Safehouse. What was surprising is that nine City Council members voted against a bill that could have had an impact on the over-prescription of opioids. The failed bill, introduced by Councilmembers Bill Greenlee and Cindy Bass, would have required all pharmaceutical representatives to register with the City and would have banned them from giving away gifts and free meals to prescribing physicians. City health officials supported the bill, as did this editorial board. The bill was opposed by the pharmaceutical industry, arguing that the regulation will prevent important information passing from drug manufacturers to physicians. The hotel industry also opposed it, fearing that the bill will drive away science conventions, It is unclear why meals and free gifts are so critical to communicating information. In fact, just last month a new study published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association found that counties in which there were more marketing for opioid products saw more prescribing, and subsequently more overdose deaths. While this is not the first study that found a relationship between marketing of drugs and prescribing, the new study both ties the marketing to overdose death rates and shows that multiple small gifts, such as a meal, matter more than expensive gifts. The opposition to the bill formed unique coalition within Council. While the no vote might have been expected from pro-business members Al Taubenberger, David Oh and Brian ONeill, it was more surprising that progressive champion Helen Gym and Kensingtons representative Maria Quinones Sanchez also joined the opposition, as did Derek Green, Allan Domb, Bobby Henon, and Mark Squilla. It has been less than two weeks since Henon was indicted by federal prosecutors for using his office to promote the interest of Johnny Dougherty instead of his constituents. The indictment -- which mentioned another Councilmember who needed a little, like, hug," i.e, a job for a spouse, from Dougherty in exchange for support of the soda tax -- suggested a culture of corruption in City Council, The no votes for the pharma bill represent a vote for the culture of quid pro quo -- which is bad enough, but infinitely more deplorable as the city struggles to stem the devastation of death and destruction caused by opioids.Nine members of City Council just turned their backs on this crisis. They owe every family that has lost a loved one an explanation as to why. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has done it again disappointed conservatives, that is. On Thursday night, Roberts joined the Supreme Courts Democratic appointees in blocking enforcement of a Louisiana abortion law. The decision to block the law may or may not signal how the court will rule in the future on whether the statute is constitutional. But Roberts demonstrated that he is wary of uprooting the courts precedents on abortion, at least at this early stage of litigation. Thats not completely a surprise. At Roberts Senate confirmation hearing in 2005, a major theme for several members of the Judiciary Committee was whether the nominee would uphold what Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania called the super-duper precedent of Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. Roberts satisfied Specter, if not other senators who favored abortion rights, by saying: It is a jolt to the legal system when you overrule a precedent. Precedent plays an important role in promoting stability and evenhandedness. It is not enough and the court has emphasized this on several occasions it is not enough that you may think the prior decision was wrongly decided. That comment applies to the Louisiana law. Critics argue that its indistinguishable from a Texas statute that the Supreme Court struck down in 2016 as an undue burden on a womans right to abortion. Roberts dissented in the courts 5-3 decision in that case, Whole Womans Health vs. Hellerstedt. To be sure, at his confirmation hearing, Roberts went on to say that sometimes overruling precedent is a price that has to be paid. In the years since, he has been willing to pay that price in important cases such as the 2010 ruling in Citizens United and last years ruling in Janus vs. AFSCME, which overturned an earlier ruling that allowed unions to collect collective-bargaining fees from nonmembers. But the precedents overturned in those cases were 20 and 41 years old, respectively, and one of the traditional justifications for overruling precedents is that they have proved over time to be unworkable. Its hard to argue that the Whole Womans Health decision, which was decided less than three years ago, hasnt stood the test of time. It may be that Roberts will be willing to administer a jolt to the legal system if and when the court considers the challenge to the Louisiana law on the merits. But theres a good chance that even then he will conclude that overruling a very recent precedent is too high price to be paid. Michael McGough is senior editorial writer for the Los Angeles Times, where this piece previously appeared. Ira Glenn Stroud, 92, of Devon, a former dean of the Philadelphia College of Art and later a real estate agent in Philadelphias western suburbs, died Sunday, Feb. 3, of heart disease at his home. Known as Glenn, Mr. Stroud was born in a small town outside Newport News, Va., grew up there, and attended Warwick High School. He was the son of Bertha Tilley and Clifton Clay Stroud. After serving in the Navy during World War II, Mr. Stroud graduated from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va., with a degree in economics. While there, he met Alice Roberts, whom he married in 1953. Mr. Stroud began his career in college administration as registrar at Johns Hopkins Universitys Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, where he also performed and studied piano. He moved to Philadelphia in 1964 to become dean of students at Philadelphia College of Art, which became part of the University of the Arts. He remained there for 17 years and told his family he considered the job the most fulfilling he had ever held. He was first and foremost an advocate for students, sometimes intervening when a students parents were less than enthusiastic about a four-year investment in a fine arts degree, said his son, Harold Wilson Stroud Sr. Mr. Stroud often observed, You should study what you want to study, his son said. Mr. Stroud received a masters degree in education from the University of Pennsylvania and took a job as dean of students at the Art Institute of Chicago in the mid-1980s. In the early 1990s, he returned to Devon to pursue a second career in real estate. He worked for the Emlen Wheeler Co., selling historic and residential properties and handling rentals, especially in the Chesterbrook area. He was especially interested in showing historic homes that others might want to renovate, his son said. Mr. Stroud enjoyed researching genealogy and antiques. From 1990 to 2000, he was president of the volunteers organization within the Chester County Historical Society. He served as a docent when the society sponsored tours of colonial homes. A gifted musician, he played the piano at home throughout his life. Brahms piano concertos were a favorite, his son said. He was on the vestry at St. Asaphs Episcopal Church in Bala Cynwyd, where he was a longtime member. His wife, a retired hospital and prison chaplain, died in 2007 at age 79. His son Clifton, a noted organist, died in 2017. . In addition to his son Harold, he is survived by four grandchildren; a great-grandchild; and a niece. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, at Washington Memorial Chapel, 2000 Valley Forge Park Rd., King of Prussia. Burial is private. Memorial contributions may be made the Chester County Historical Society, 225 N. High St., West Chester, Pa. 19380. The 17-year-old boy who died in a struggle with staffers at Wordsworth Academy in 2016 was pinned to the ground in a headlock before he lost consciousness, and then given chest compressions at one point by a tired employee who used a foot while an ambulance took more than 30 minutes to arrive, according to new details in a report about the death. David Hess, who had been sent to the residential facility for troubled young people due to his behavioral needs, also had apparently been inappropriately restrained by staff members in the weeks leading up to his death and had an antagonistic relationship with at least one staffer, according to the fatality review report, prepared by the Philadelphia Department of Human Services Act 33 team. The panel of child welfare experts, doctors, and police review fatal and near-fatal incidents involving children. Names of all staff members are redacted from the report, and two years later, no one has been charged in his death, which the Medical Examiners Office had deemed a homicide. Ben Waxman, a spokesperson for the District Attorneys Office, said in an email Thursday that prosecutors are in the process of reviewing the investigation to make the appropriate charging decisions." Steven Marino, a lawyer for Hess' family, said he did not believe charges would be filed. For whatever reason, they decided not to pursue a criminal prosecution, Marino said. The case is over two years old, so what does that say? Its up to them, but I doubt there will be a criminal prosecution. Marino settled with Wordsworth, which filed for bankruptcy in June 2017, for an undisclosed amount on behalf of Hess' family. Hess' death prompted the state to order the closure of Wordsworth, the citys only residential treatment facility for troubled young people. The Inquirer and Daily News subsequently reported that the West Philadelphia facility had a hidden history of abuse, with dozens of sex crimes and allegations of abuse having been reported at the facility for years before Hess was killed. Hess died the night of Oct. 13, 2016, after multiple staff members entered his room after he was suspected of stealing another childs iPod. He became upset after the incident and, according to the newly released report, was punched in the ribs and put in a headlock by a male employee who had his forearm on Hess neck. The man removed his arm as Hess started gasping for air. The medical examiner has said Hess died from lack of oxygen. The report includes interviews with nine youths who lived on the same floor as Hess as well as counselors involved in the incident, nurses, and emergency responders. One of the youths said an employee did not like David" and alleged that during a restraint two weeks prior, the employee took advantage of the situation and punched David in the chest. Another youth reported that a month earlier an employee had hit Hess in the face while Hess was restrained. The night of Hess death, staff members said, he left a meeting without permission, angering a male employee, who went off for several minutes because he thought Hess had acted disrespectfully. The interviewee also questioned why an employee not assigned to Hess' unit that night had gotten involved in the situation and entered Hess' room. The report noted, There appeared to be an antagonistic relationship between David and one of the staffers. Because the names are redacted, it is unclear if the statements refer to multiple staff members or one person. It has been reported that three counselors were in and out of Hess room when he died. Three Wordsworth staffers were placed on administrative leave following Hess' death. The report also revealed how ill-prepared staffers were to handle an emergency situation. They did not properly administer CPR, using chest compressions but not mouth-to-mouth, the report says. At one point an employee grew physically tired, so he began doing chest compressions with his foot." Once Hess had become unconscious, a call to the nursing staff went unanswered, and no one called 911 until a nurse responded several minutes later and couldnt find the teens pulse. An ambulance didnt arrive for 30 to 40 minutes, according to the report, and was delayed getting to Hess because Wordsworth security did not know the floor where the emergency was occurring. Staff lied to both the responding nurse and emergency medics, according to the report, saying Hess hit his head on the floor, took a deep breath, and then coded. In its review of the incident, the Act 33 team noted failures in basic safety planning, training and supervision. Neither the on-call physician nor the Wordsworth medical director was contacted the night of Hess' death. The decision to restrain Hess was made by an employee who had little training and experience, the team wrote. The report follows one released by two advocacy groups last week, which said the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services which issues licenses to the states residential facilities has failed the states most vulnerable children by allowing its system of residential facilities for troubled or disadvantaged youths to become plagued by physical and sexual abuse, poor supervision, or other problems. The state did not respond to requests for comment Thursday. Cynthia Figueroa, the head of Philadelphias Department of Human Services, which is separate from the state agency and did not oversee Wordsworth, said the case remains deeply distressing." Every childs life is valued, Figueroa said. "And those entrusted with the care of David Hess should be held accountable. A Confederate flag flew atop the historic building that houses the Union League of Philadelphia in a provocative piece of street art that was erected over the weekend on a bus shelter on South Broad Street. Joe Boruchows vision for the artwork formed more than two years ago as he marched through the streets of Philadelphia, protesting the Trump administration. When he passed the Union League, he said, he noticed club members and their guests on a balcony. They were sipping martinis, chomping on cigars, and laughing at us, Boruchow said in an interview. At the time, no one in our group realized that these people were the ones we should be protesting. This piece is an attempt to awaken the protesting people and help them focus their ire. Frank Giordano, a League member and past president, was not amused. He was out of town when he learned of the art display from the Inquirer and Daily News. I dont know if members or guests were mocking the marchers," Giordano said. "The Union League is the furthest thing from the Confederacy. It was founded to support Abraham Lincoln, abolish slavery, and keep the union together. ... To depict it as the Confederacy is just stupid. Giordano, president and chief executive officer of the Philly Pops, said the League is private, "but all-inclusive, with members of both parties. ... League members are patriotic and support the free-enterprise system. He said members pay several thousand dollars a year to belong. Calls placed to Charles Davidson, the current president, and emails sent to Union League administrators and officials on Sunday afternoon were not returned. Boruchow, 43, said he knows the league was founded to support the Union, not the Confederacy. His decision to depict the Confederate flag on the roof of the building is meant to poke wealthy, powerful Republicans, who he believes dominate the leagues membership ranks and perpetuate inequality. Republicans use their affiliation with the party of Lincoln to get them off the hook for their racism. It infuriates me, Boruchow said. This is a stab back. The flag is sure to drive public conversation about this particular piece of art, but Boruchow said he hopes members of the public will notice other elements of the drawing, too, such as the police officers chasing a group of hooded teenagers running though the subway. It took Boruchow 60 hours of careful work with an X-Acto knife to cut his drawing from a single sheet of black paper. News of the artwork first appeared on the blog Streets Dept, written by Conrad Benner, who is well-known on the local arts scene. The installation, Benner explained, is an ad takeover in which artists seek to retake the messages and art thats displayed in the public space from commercial advertisers. Boruchow is unsure how long his art work will be on display in the bus stop at Broad and Spruce Streets before its inevitably taken down but said that displaying his work in public, even for a short time, is the best way to reach the masses and spark conversation. It was still there Sunday afternoon, at the time the League held its annual Lincolns Birthday events and a public open house. The public display is for my own gratification and ego, Boruchow conceded. Only certain types of people come to fine art galleries. Putting my work on the street feels democratic. Sri Lanka is negotiating with Russia the purchase of a new batch of Russian Mi-17 helicopters, which the country will use in UN peacekeeping missions, Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia Dayan Jayatilleka told Russian Sputnik on Sunday. "There is a commission that discusses the purchase of Mi-17 helicopters," Jayatilleka said, specifying that the country was going to purchase the helicopters for taking part in UN peacekeeping missions. The ambassador recalled that Mi-17s were on the agenda of a Sri Lankan senior defence officials' visit to Moscow in early September 2018. While negotiations are underway, no specific document has been signed yet, and the number of helicopters that Sri Lanka is going to purchase has not been defined, Jayatilleka specified. Sri Lanka has been purchasing Mi-17 helicopters since the early 1990s. The Mi-17 medium twin-turbine helicopter is manufactured in a variety of forms, including cargo, passenger, search and rescue, flying hospital and firefighting models. Over 100 countries worldwide have purchased Mi-17 helicopters. (Darshana Sanjeewa) The five Roman Catholic dioceses in New Jersey, some reeling from clergy abuse scandals, announced plans on Monday to establish a unified victim-compensation fund to provide money to people abused as children by clergy members. This is the first time were doing a statewide program using the same protocol and the same eligibility criteria, said Camille Biros, who will administer the program and oversees similar ones in New York state and Pennsylvania. This is important news, and were looking forward to working with all the dioceses in the state. Details are being finalized, and the plan likely wont include all victims. As has been the case elsewhere, people determined to have been abused by religious-order priests, rather than those who report directly to a diocese, are likely to be excluded. People who accept money from the compensation fund will be required to sign a form agreeing not to sue the diocese. The agreements would not include a confidentiality clause for victims, Biros said. Administrators of this program are bound by confidentiality, she said, adding: But the claimant can speak to whomever they want. ... They can talk about the money; they can talk about the process. Such funds have proven controversial. Some clergy-abuse victims welcome the news of such funds, viewing them as a path toward justice, since they are barred from filing lawsuits by civil statutes of limitations. Others say they represent the churchs effort to quash debate on bills designed to give older victims of abuse a window to file time-barred claims and avoid potentially large financial payouts. In a very limited way, its a positive step for some, said Mark Crawford, New Jersey state director for the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests. But it should never be a replacement for what our legislators and our civil society need to do. The dioceses decision comes as legislators in New Jersey are grappling with whether to change the states civil statute of limitations for child sex abuse, a move that could prove costly for the church. They also come weeks after New Jerseys attorney general announced the first arrest by his Clergy Abuse Task Force, formed last year in the wake of a damning report in Pennsylvania. The New Jersey fund, which will be called the Independent Victim Compensation Program, is expected to launch this year. Biros said she expected it to roll out in two phases: the first addressing victims who have made claims with a diocese, and the second aimed at working with victims who are just coming forward. A draft protocol outlining the program will be published in the coming weeks at www.NJdiocesesIVCP.com, and people will have 30 days to submit comments. After that, Biros and her colleague, Kenneth Feinberg, will finalize the terms and begin accepting claims, aiming to conclude much of their work by years end. Biros said she and Feinberg will determine payouts based on factors including the age of the child, the nature of the abuse, the impact on the victims, and whether drugs and alcohol were a factor. There isnt necessarily a cap on payments, she said. In Pennsylvania, the pair have received 85 claims in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and have paid out more than $7 million to date, Biros said. She said they have also received seven complaints in the Scranton Diocese and five or six in Pittsburgh, where payments have not yet been made. The decision to create the New Jersey fund comes as pressure is mounting around the world on the Roman Catholic Church. Church officials were already grappling with scandals abroad when Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro released a report last year indicating that more than 300 predator priests had abused children over seven decades and that some in the church had worked to bury the allegations. That sparked a flurry of activism in Pennsylvania, with abuse victims gathering in the state Capitol to call for changes to the criminal and civil statutes of limitations measures that died last session. It also renewed conversation in New Jersey, where lawmakers have debated for years whether to extend or eliminate the statute for child sexual abuse. State Sen. Joseph Vitale, a Democrat from Middlesex County, introduced a bill last year that would remove the civil statute of limitations in some cases pertaining to sex abuse. The bill remains in the Senate Judiciary Committee. A companion bill remains in the Assembly Judiciary Committee. Todd Kostrub, 54, who lives on Long Beach Island, has been advocating for that measure for years. On Monday, Kostrub said he was sexually abused by a Franciscan brother at the Burlington County school and parish he attended as a child. The abuse, he said, started when he turned 7 and lasted until he left for college. It took him 15 years from when the abuse ended to tell his family about what had happened to him a decision triggered by his sisters wedding in the parish where the abuse occurred. By then, it was too late. In New Jersey, to file civil claims, victims of child sexual abuse have until their 20th birthday or two years after "reasonable discovery that their personal struggles stemmed from their abuse, said Marci Hamilton, a lawyer and CEO of Child USA. Like some others who were allegedly abused by religious order clergy, he will be unable to apply for compensation under the fund program, because his abuser was not a diocesan priest. But even if he could, he said, he would prefer to try his case in court, where he could find out who may have known about his abuser and what they did or didnt do about it. The compensation fund does nothing to share information with the victim, what they knew, when they knew it, said Kostrub. Its almost like a silencing fund. They give you a little bit of money and tell you to get lost. To me as a victim, its a shield for the truth." The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) has failed the states most vulnerable children by allowing its system of residential facilities for troubled or disadvantaged youths to become plagued by physical and sexual abuse, poor supervision, or other problems, according to a report released Thursday by two advocacy groups. Children in Pennsylvanias residential care are being harmed by the very system created to protect them because of a shocking lack of oversight and accountability, said the report, written by staffers with the organizations, Childrens Rights and the Philadelphia-based Education Law Center. The report, about a year in the making, said it found statewide patterns of abuse or violence at facilities where Pennsylvania children have been sent for foster care or rehabilitation. It also alleged that DHS the agency tasked with licensing such facilities and correcting reported issues often gave a rubber stamp to corrective plans that the facilities developed, then failed to meaningfully enforce them even if similar issues were reported again at the same facilities. Colin Day, a DHS spokesperson, said in a statement that agency officials had not yet reviewed the report but planned to meet with the authors after doing so. Day also said that DHS was engaged in a multi-year process to strengthen the health and safety protections of its licensing process, which he said would include quicker action around corrective plans and altering how it examined data when deciding whether to issue a license. The report comes in the wake of stories published over the last two years by the Inquirer and Daily News that detailed allegations of child abuse at two Philadelphia-area facilities, Wordsworth and the Glen Mills School. >>READ MORE: I cant breathe: Probe underway at Glen Mills after staffer attacks boy Philadelphia City Councilwoman Helen Gym also has developed a task force which includes representatives from the citys Department of Human Services, the District Attorneys Office, the Defender Association, and the School District, among others to try to reduce the number of children in institutional placement. At Wordsworth, 17-year-old David Hess died in a struggle with staffers in October 2016. The West Philadelphia facility was later closed, and the Inquirer and Daily News reported that it had a hidden history of abuse in the decade before that, with dozens of reports of sex crimes and assaults against children. This July at Glen Mills, two staffers allegedly assaulted a 17-year-old from Philadelphia. The two men, Christopher Medina, 32, and Patrick Raquet, 34, were later arrested and charged, but the case against Raquet was dismissed last week, according to court records. Emily Harris, a spokesperson for the Delaware County District Attorneys Office, said he was expected be rearrested on a charge of simple assault. Medina, meanwhile, was held for trial last week on counts of aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment, and endangering the welfare of children, according to court records. An additional count of aggravated assault and four additional counts of simple assault were dismissed, the records said. >>READ MORE: Death, rapes, and broken bones at Phillys only residential treatment center for troubled youth In an interview Thursday, Gym said she found the report upsetting and appalling. I think it confirms what weve known for a long time: that these facilities lack consistent, serious oversight, to the extent that I have serious concerns that children in certain situations can be in danger," Gym said. Elissa Glucksman Hyne, who coauthored the report with Christina Wilson Remlin and Maura McInerney, said it was based off a review of publicly available violation reports for 259 facilities owned by 36 separate legal entities. The facilities house children who have been placed outside the home due to juvenile justice or child welfare issues. According to the findings, children at those facilities were physically maltreated 156 times between May 2010 and May 2018, and children were exposed to inappropriate sexual contact 73 times. There were also 92 incidents in which a staff member inappropriately restrained a child, according to the report. Nearly half of the legal entities operating such facilities had repeat violations for physical or sexual maltreatment, the report said. And while facilities are required to develop corrective plans in writing, the authors said DHS typically approved the plans of correction regardless of their quality" and did little to enforce them. The report also said that there was not sufficient oversight and accountability for the schooling that children receive in out-of-home placement, exacerbating the fate of children who most need assistance. Hyne said that she has studied the child welfare system for more than eight years and that the findings included in this report were alarming. She and her coauthors called for DHS to develop stronger corrective oversight and increase staff training, and for the state to reduce the number of children in placement overall. The children "dont have a voice, they kind of fade into the background, Hyne said. Enough people arent looking out for them. Were they enslaved, or were they servants? Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam was trying to apologize for having worn blackface when he got roasted over the weekend for saying the first Africans brought to Virginia, in 1619, were indentured servants." In an interview that aired Sunday on CBS, anchor Gayle King interrupted: Also known as slavery. By Monday morning, Northam had issued a statement that a historian had told him to use the term indentured servants, and that he was still learning and committed to getting it right. But scholars do not agree on whether those first 20 to 30 Africans, who arrived on the Dutch ship White Lion at Jamestown, were enslaved or indentured. After more people blasted Northam on news programs and Twitter, others said he was correct, mainly because there was no legal definition of slavery in Virginia until 1661. In his book, In the Matter of Color, A. Leon Higginbotham, the late federal judge in Philadelphia, wrote that from 1619 to 1660, there was no systematic effort in Virginia to define broadly the rights or non-rights of blacks. There is sufficient evidence, then, to consider at least the possibility that these first black Jamestown arrivals, as well as many of those blacks who followed them in the next few decades, were treated by the early Jamestown colonists more or less as additions to the already existing social class into which whites had often been pressed that of indentured servants, Higginbotham wrote. Some scholars have argued that for at least half a century, the status of blacks in America remained incompletely defined socially somewhere at the bottom of the white servant class perhaps, but nowhere near chattel slaves. In fact, Higginbotham wrote, white masters feared an alliance between the white and black servants, especially when they joined forces to run away. In 1640, there was a case of a black man who had run away with two white servants, Higginbotham wrote. The Virginia Governors Council sentenced the white men to four additional years of service after their indenture term, but the third being, a negro named John Punch, shall serve his said master or his assigns for the time of his natural life. Higginbotham credited work by the historian Helen Tunnicliff Catterall, who had written that the case was one of the earliest in U.S. history where the law made a racial distinction among indentured servants. Others believe the governor is wrong. Jennifer R. Loux, of Virginias Department of Historic Resources, said that in 2015, the state replaced a historic marker that had been erected in 1992 that said it was not known if the first Africans were indentured servants or enslaved. She said a group called Project 1619 had requested the state review the text on the marker based on new scholarship. The new marker acknowledges the first Africans arrived at Port Comfort, now known as Fort Monroe, near Hampton, rather than in Jamestown, which had been part of American historical books for centuries. Unlike the old markerm which said it was uncertain if the Africans were indentured servants or slaves, this marker notes that: Many of the earliest Africans were held as slaves, but some individuals became free." Michael Coard, a lawyer and founding member of Avenging the Ancestors Coalition (ATAC), a Philadelphia advocacy group, said Higginbotham got it wrong. With all due respect to Judge Higginbotham, they were clearly enslaved human beings and not indentured servants," Coard said. One, the Africans were kidnapped, while the Europeans were voluntary immigrants," Coard said. "The indentured servants had a term [of service]. It was temporary. The Africans were permanently held. Like many African American organizations around the country, Coards coalition plans to have a service commemorating the first Africans in America, who were captured from Angola and brought to Virginia 400 years ago. The ceremony at the Presidents House at Sixth and Market Streets will be at 2 p.m. Aug. 25, the date historians believe the White Lion landed at Port Comfort. HELSINKI (AP) An Israeli Holocaust historian praised authorities in Finland on Sunday for publishing a report that concluded Finnish volunteers serving with Nazi Germany's Waffen-SS "very likely" took part in World War II atrocities, including the mass murder of Jews. Efraim Zuroff of the Simon Wiesenthal Center lauded the determination of the National Archives of Finland to release the findings even if doing so was "painful and uncomfortable" for Finland. Zuroff called the decision an "example of unique and exemplary civic courage." Finland's government commissioned the independent 248-page investigative report, which was made public Friday. It said 1,408 Finnish volunteers served with the SS Panzer Division Wiking during 1941-43, most of them 17 to 20-years-old. "It is very likely that they (Finnish volunteers) participated in the killing of Jews, other civilians and prisoners of war as part of the German SS troops," said Jussi Nuorteva, director general of the National Archives. A significant part of the study was based on diaries kept by 76 of the Finnish SS volunteers. Eight of the Finnish SS volunteers are still alive, Nuorteva said. Finland was invaded by Moscow in November 1939. The fighting in what became known as the Finnish-Soviet Winter War lasted until March 1940, when an overwhelmed and outnumbered Finland agreed to a bitter peace treaty. The small Nordic country lost several territories but maintained its independence. Isolated from the rest of Europe and afraid of another Soviet attack, Finland entered into an alliance with Germany, receiving weapons and other material help from Berlin. As part of the pact, Nazi SS chief Heinrich Himmler insisted that Finland dispatch soldiers to the SS Wiking division, similar to the volunteers it demanded from Nazi-occupied Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and elsewhere. Reluctantly, Finland complied and covertly recruited the first group of 400 SS volunteers to be sent for training in the spring of 1941. The vast majority of them had no ideological sympathies with the Nazi regime, the report said. When Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941 under Operation Barbarossa, Finnish regular army troops fought independently alongside Wehrmacht soldiers on the northeastern front. In 1941, the Finns advanced in the Karelia region outside Leningrad. The Finnish soldiers were not under Nazi command, and the country's leadership was mainly motivated by the desire to take back the territories lost to Moscow. "At the beginning of the attack (on the Soviet Union), Finns were unaware of the Germans' goal of eradicating the Jews," Nuorteva said. "Finns were, above all, interested in fighting against the Soviet Union" due to their brutal experiences in the Winter War and the perceived threat from Moscow. In this way, "the starting point for Finns' involvement was different compared to most other countries joining SS foreign volunteers," he said. Finnish SS volunteers with the SS Wiking division operated on the eastern front until 1943, entering deep into Ukraine. The leading Finnish military historians who undertook the study of the country's wartime role wrote that the Finnish SS volunteers likely took part in killing Jews and other civilians, as well as witnessed atrocities committed by the Germans. The volunteers returned to Finland after the Finnish government sensed the tide of the war had turned against the Germans. Many of them then served in the Finnish military until the end of World War II. A copy of Friday's report was given to Paula Lehtomaki, a state secretary with the Finnish government, who said it was a valuable contribution to existing research "on difficult and significant historical events" during Finland's complex World War II history. "We share the responsibility for ensuring that such atrocities will never be repeated," said Lehtomaki. The historical probe was launched following Zuroff's request in January 2018 to Finnish President Sauli Niinisto. Finland's move contrasts with the attitude of some eastern European nations that have sought to diminish their culpability in the Holocaust. In Poland, the current right-wing government has worked to highlight cases of Poles who acted heroically and saved Jews, as well as the large numbers of Poles who died and suffered during German occupation. ___ A previous version of this story was corrected to show that it was Finnish SS volunteers, not Finnish army troops, who military historians think witnessed atrocities against Jews and other civilians during World War II. ___ Aron Heller in Jerusalem and Monika Scislowska in Warsaw, Poland contributed to this report. WASHINGTON (AP) Private investigators working for Jeff Bezos have determined the brother of the Amazon CEO's mistress leaked the couple's intimate text messages to the National Enquirer. Thats according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke Monday to the Associated Press. The person wasnt authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. The findings add to the intrigue surrounding the clash between the pro-Trump tabloid and the worlds richest man. Bezos investigators have suggested the Enquirers coverage of his affair was driven by dirty politics. President Donald Trump has been highly critical of Bezos over his ownership of the Washington Post and Amazon, and the Posts coverage of the White House. The brother, Michael Sanchez, is a Trump supporter and an acquaintance of Trump allies Roger Stone and Carter Page. He is also the manager of his sister, Lauren Sanchez, a former TV anchor. The investigators have not said how they believe Michael Sanchez came into possession of his sisters intimate messages. Michael Sanchez did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on Monday. In a Jan. 31 tweet, he said without evidence that Bezos' longtime security consultant, Gavin de Becker, who is leading the private investigation, "spreads fake, unhinged conservative conspiracy theories." An attorney for the tabloids parent company, American Media Inc., did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. On Sunday, an attorney for the head of American Media, said that the information for the story had been provided by a reliable source well-known to Bezos and Lauren Sanchez. The source had provided information to the company for at least seven years, Elkan Abramowitz, an attorney for American Media chief executive David Pecker, said on ABCs This Week. He was asked if Sanchez was the source and he said: "I'm not permitted to tell you or confirm or deny who the source is." But the Daily Beast, citing people inside American Media, Inc., reported that Sanchez was the Enquirer's source. Bezos ordered the investigation after the Enquirer published a story about the affair last month. The investigators have since turned over the results of their probe to attorney Richard Ben-Veniste for review and possible referral to law enforcement. Ben-Veniste had served as special prosecutor during the Watergate scandal. Bezos has said AMI threatened to publish explicit photos of him unless he stopped investigating how the Enquirer obtained his private exchanges, and publicly declared that the Enquirer's coverage of him was not politically motivated. Federal prosecutors are also looking into whether the Enquirer violated a cooperation and non-prosecution agreement that recently spared the tabloid and top executives from charges for paying hush money to a Playboy model who claimed she had an affair with Trump, two people familiar with the matter told the AP. The people weren't authorized to discuss the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity. Associated Press writers Michael R. Sisak and Jim Mustian in New York contributed to this article. This story is part of Made In Philly, a series about young residents shaping local communities. When Anthony Copeman was in grade school, his grandmother taught him how to make bank deposits, withdrawals, and budgets, and how to write a check, sparking a fascination with money. At Temple University, he turned those lessons into a lifestyle. Now 27 and working in financial services, Copeman recently released an animated YouTube series, $hares, that teaches millennials about money mindsets and habits, budgets, savings, debt, and credit management in a way that he says is innovative, relevant, and relatable to the millennial culture. People can read blogs all day, hear stories, but when they see something that is not just nerdy but also fun, entertaining, exciting to watch, people are going to want to take action, Copeman said. Thats my goal. $hares presents personal-finance knowledge for those who traditionally may not have had access to financial advisers. On the flip side, the show aims to be a solution to minority underrepresentation in the financial realm. The series allows millennials of color to see themselves and their experiences reflected and represented in a fresh way. I really try to push the envelope with $hares, and make sure that it speaks to millennials, Copeman said. Copeman is a member of the generation that faces a uniquely burdensome financial battle, with groundbreaking amounts of student debt and an unpredictable financial future. A study published this month by the Federal Reserve System board of governors found millennials tend to be less well off than members of earlier generations" at similar ages, with lower earnings, fewer assets, and less wealth. So for them, counting and managing coins can be crucial for survival. Hundreds of personal-finance blogs, podcasts, and other multimedia platforms focused on millennials achieving financial freedom have blossomed on the digital scene, making Copeman part of a larger trend of millennial-created and -focused platforms as a solution to daunting financial circumstances. Data are sparse on how many people are directly helped by digital financial platforms. But some personal finance influencers hear frequent anecdotes from people about how platforms have helped them to better their finances. Each day, Erin Lowry said, she gets tweets, emails, and direct messages from people who tell her that Broke Millennial, the personal-finance brand she has built that includes a website, books, and videos, has motivated them or changed their mindset. People certainly get motivated, take actionable steps, and change their financial lives, said Lowry. "Some of it is just that they needed that one way to connect. Before Lowry started Broke Millennial as a blog in 2013, she said, the community of personal-finance platforms was dominated by white males in rural places. Now, the community has "pretty much any flavor of money story you want to read about, she said, which is wonderful. For Copeman, $hares is another step on a long path to helping young adults manage and make sense of their finances. Nine years ago, he moved from his native New York to Philadelphia to attend Temple. Taking leadership roles in campus organizations, he focused on creating ways to serve local communities and help raise money for them. Shortly before graduating with a degree in accounting in 2014, he started a nonprofit called Backyard Business to help inner-city youths build businesses in their communities to help the community and its residents. But one day he thought, How the heck am I teaching someone, or trying to inspire someone to create a business in their community, if I dont have one of my own? Copeman said. So in 2017 he launched Financial Lituation, a digital financial literacy brand designed to give youths the tools to build wealth and reimagine their freedom. Though the site hosts a blog with tons of free advice, Copeman also plugs his personal-finance services, from consultation calls to plans to tackle debt and rein in spending. $hares launched on YouTube about six months ago, and now offers more than 30 short videos. Copemans premiere episode is a six-minute casual conversation among four 20-somethings that covers growing up with less and their parents money-management skills. With $hares, the show creators want young people of color to see themselves in relation to money, said Natasha Abellard, the shows writer and executive producer, so they feel like they can make it part of their everyday lives. Some videos are round-table discussions that draw on personal experiences for talks about saving, investing, and debt. Other clips show characters giving tips about credit, data protection, and living paycheck to paycheck. For instance, in one Instagram clip a character advises opting out of auto-saving card information when shopping online to avoid getting scammed. The first episode garnered hundreds of views between YouTube and Instagram, where $hares has more than 1,100 followers. The Instagram page can get up to 11,000 impressions weekly and hundreds of profile visits each day. Most are millennials. So far, Copeman said, hes invested $6,000 into $hares for illustrations, animation, character voices, and studio time. Eventually, he wants to monetize the brand by releasing merchandise and placing video advertisements. One of his goals, he said, is to build a curriculum for Philadelphia schools to teach about personal finance using $hares characters. For those in their late teens and 20s, the show is a good entry point for them and money, says Jamila Souffrant, founder of the Journey to Launch personal-finance platform. She thought millennials of color would particularly be struck by the characters, and the way they speak and dress. I felt like it was definitely something that would resonate, said Souffrant, whose brand teaches foundations of budgeting, investing, and what financial independence actually is. Souffrant is a millennial, too, now 35. She said its important to have people of color teach personal finance because without seeing someone up close who looks like you attain financial freedom, its hard to envision for yourself. Sometimes, all you need to see is someone that looks like you or someone you can relate to doing it," she said, "and then you start to see things differently. Mayor Jim Kenney wont be holding a campaign kickoff rally. He wont be making promises from a stage to an adoring crowd. And he wont be answering questions from the reporters who usually cover such events. Instead, the mayor used a conspicuously low-key approach a few social media posts to announce he is running for reelection. Kenneys campaign posted a video on Sunday touting his first-term record on funding pre-K, taking back control of the Philadelphia School District from the state, and job creation. And thats it. It was a departure from how Kenney launched his first run for mayor in 2015, heavy on spectacle with a farewell appearance at City Council, where he served for 23 years, and then an announcement a week later in front of supporters in the Mayors Reception Room in City Hall. The circumstances, of course, are different now. Kenney has had the incumbents pulpit for three years and will have it all year. He also has never left a doubt that he wanted a second term. Candidates and campaign consultants like the control a video announcement provides. But there also is another notable change: Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers has evolved from potent political ally to a problematic portrait of alleged corruption. Its leader and Kenneys boyhood friend John J. Johnny Doc Dougherty Jr. was indicted two weeks ago, accused with City Councilman Bobby Henon and six other Local 98 officials of looting the union to take care of Dougherty, his friends, and family. The indictments cast a pall over Kenneys bid for a second term, raising questions about the motivation for and political tactics used to pass that tax, a 1.5-cent-per-ounce levy on sweetened beverages to pay for expanded pre-K and other programs. Marty ORouke, spokesperson for Kenneys campaign, said the reelection video has been in the works for weeks and Kenney did not use it to avoid talking about the indictments. Still, Kenneys first effort at addressing the news became a problem of stage management. His staff instructed reporters to save their questions until the mayor held an unrelated City Hall news conference on the day the indictments were released, Jan. 20. That upset a group of women who had attended the event hoping to speak about themselves, not serve as silent spectators to breaking news. Kenneys image issues continued the next day when he attended an already scheduled campaign fundraiser being hosted by Local 98. Reporters could see Kenney mingling there with Local 98 political director Marita Crawford, one of the union officials indicted a day earlier. Kenney and Crawford avoided reporters waiting outside, slipping out a back service entrance of the Center City steakhouse where the fundraiser was held, leaving the mayors security team parked out front. The release of the reelection announcement wasnt without its drawbacks. The comments for Kenneys video on Twitter and on Facebook ran heavy with disdain for the mayors soda tax and sanctuary city policy, along with complaints about crime and the murder rate. The clap-back was thunderous, the dragging relentless. In his Twitter post and in his Facebook post, anti-Kenney comments far outnumbered his supporters. Kenneys campaign noted that he routinely gets attacked in the comments of any social media post. Former City Controller Alan Butkovitz, who announced in November his Democratic primary challenge to Kenney, said the social media comments echo what he hears from voters all over the city. Kenney won in 2015 in part due to support by an independent expenditure political action committee started and funded by Local 98. Butkovitz said Kenney is now in a very uncomfortable position, caught between still needing that support and upsetting progressive voters who want him to reject any taint of corruption. Hes dependent on Dougherty to be his fundraising and his muscle in City Council, Butkovitz said. Hes on the horns of that dilemma. State Sen. Anthony H. Williams, who finished second to Kenney in the 2015 primary and is now considering another run for mayor, declined to comment Monday on the video. Williams, like Butkovitz, is an ardent foe of the soda tax. The mayor is still available for comment at public events. His staff issues a daily advisory of where he will appear. Kenneys schedule for Monday showed no such events. Burning embers rained throughout Kensington as the five-alarm fire reached its height early one Monday morning almost seven years ago. It sounded like an explosion, a neighbor said at the time. Strong winds spread the fire on April 9, 2012, from a vacant five-story factory to six houses. Soon, the roof and wall of a nearby furniture store collapsed, burying four firefighters under timber, debris, and bricks. Two firefighters, Daniel Sweeney and Lt. Robert P. Neary, died under the rubble. A Philadelphia grand jury chose not to bring criminal charges against the factory buildings owners, but noted how they had allowed it to become a firetrap by refusing to do anything to bring the building up to code, the Inquirer reported in February 2014. >>READ MORE: Grand jury finds misdeeds but no crime in firefighters deaths Now an unrelated federal drug charge has been made against the owner of the furniture store, which collapsed when the fire-ravaged factory fell on it. Prosecutors have charged Richard Knellinger, owner of the Giamari Furniture & Bedding building, with distributing methamphetamine. Although no criminal charges were filed in direct connection with the fire, Knellinger pleaded guilty to lying to a grand jury investigating the blaze and was put on probation. Last summer, the FBI investigated Knellinger for possible methamphetamine distribution. According to a criminal complaint filed Feb. 1 in federal court in Philadelphia, an FBI informant went into R&R Furniture & Bedding at 2424 Kensington Ave. posing as a customer with $1,400 and looking for meth. Over the next couple of hours, the complaint says, investigators watched Knellinger exit and enter the building several times, sometimes with the informant, to whom he gave 110.5 grams of methamphetamine. On Monday, at a detention hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Jordan said 20 pounds of horse tranquilizer also was found at the time of Knellingers arrest. Knellinger, 46, was ordered detained until trial. Knellingers wife and three children attended the hearing in support of the defendant, who appeared in a olive-green prison-issued jumpsuit. Jordan said initial guidelines suggest Knellinger could face 160 to 210 months in prison if found guilty. Knellingers attorney, Robert B. Mozenter, declined to comment after the hearing. The arrest resurrects painful memories of the firefighters deaths but does nothing to assuage those who lost coworkers and loved ones, said Ed Marks, president of Philadelphia Firefighters and Paramedics Union Local 22. The charges are too detached from the fire to offer closure,, Marks said. If the owners of the old Thomas W. Buck Hosiery building, which collapsed on the furniture store, were charged, he would feel differently, Marks said. Knellingers store wouldnt have collapsed if it wasnt for the building falling on it, he said. Closure would be the people who owned that five-story building, if they were brought to justice. The abandoned factory was owned by Brooklyn, N.Y., developers Michael, Nahman, and Yechiel Lichtenstein, who could not be reached for comment. >>READ MORE: Owners of former factory where firefighters died remain silent as city probes begin The deteriorating Buck building was supposed to be converted into apartments, but served as a hub for drug users, neighbors alleged. After the fire, the Inquirer reported that the Lichtensteins had racked up code violations and tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid real estate taxes. More than 35 civil lawsuits have been filed against York Street Property Development, the business entity that owned the building. Knellinger pleaded guilty to false swearing in an official proceeding in connection with his testimony to the grand jury, and was sentenced to a year of reporting probation and a year of nonreporting probation. When Knellinger testified, Assistant District Attorney Edward Cameron said at the time, he lied about being at the fire scene, and denied speaking with Nahman and Michael Lichtenstein and a man they hired to live in the vacant building. >>READ MORE: Probation for lying to deadly warehouse fire grand jury The firefighters who died Neary, 60, a 37-year veteran and father of three, and Sweeney, 25, the son of a retired fire captain and on the job five years each had saved people from burning buildings. The tragic loss of Robert Neary and Dan Sweeney in the Kensington warehouse fire in 2012 remains an open wound for the citys firefighters," said Frank Keel, a spokesperson for the union. Staff writer Jeremy Roebuck contributed to this article. The day Kamala Harris announced she was running for president, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, no less, the senator from California seemed primed to dazzle. If nominated, the daughter of an Indian mother and Jamaican father would be the first black or Indian American woman to run for the White House on a major-party ticket. Yet, from many black people, there was an outcry. Despite Harris being a graduate of Howard University, a top predominantly black university, and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, the nations oldest black sorority, they questioned whether Harris would prioritize the challenges faced by American descendants of slavery, or #ADOS, casting a light on growing rifts between African Americans in the United States and newer black immigrants. There was her record as a district attorney and attorney general, which some have categorized as law and order a video has circulated showing Harris laughing while discussing a program she created as attorney general to prosecute poor parents for their truant children. There also is leftover disappointment that President Barack Obama hadnt adequately addressed issues of black Americans. The thrill is gone because the Obama honeymoon is over, and we are never going to vote for people because their face is black again, said Aaron Smith, a professor of African American studies at Temple University. And there was her heritage. Does she consider herself black? When Jake Tapper on CNN asked her about being a black woman running for president, she responded that she was a woman of color, Smith said. She has also answered a question about her identity by saying she is a proud American. Many of her Indian American political supporters in California have only recently learned of her Indian heritage, reported the Washington Post. And in her book, The Truths We Hold, published weeks before she announced her candidacy, Harris calls herself a black woman; in fact, she talks about how her Indian mother knew that people in India would see Harris and her younger sister only as black girls. For #ADOS activists, though, the question is not whether shes black enough. This whole argument that were saying shes not black is really ridiculous, Yvette Carnell, a cofounder of the #ADOS movement, said in an interview last week. Were saying there is a difference in the justice demands for people who are descendants of slaves in this country and those who were enslaved in Jamaica. >> READ MORE: Who is black in America? Ethnic tensions flare between black Americans and black immigrants Carnell, a political commentator and creator of the Breaking Brown Youtube show, created the #ADOS hashtag with Antonio Moore, a lawyer, writer and filmmaker with his own Tonetalks Youtube and Dash Radio show. They said the concept came from their advocacy for policies to address the wealth gap between native-born black Americans and white and other ethnic groups. Where the median white family has wealth of about $100,000, the median black family has wealth of about $10,000, according to a 2014 U.S. Census Bureau survey. Moore said his concern was that such politicians as Obama and Harris, both descendants of immigrants although Obamas mother was a white American have spoken with clarity about the need for laws to aid immigrants. They want to focus on immigration and DACA, but that cant be our primary issue, Moore said. Our dialogue needs to be about American DOS and the lack of opportunities and the lack of jobs and lack of wealth." Carnell cited research that shows Ivy League schools were admitting a higher percentage of black immigrants than those whose ancestors were enslaved: A study published in the American Journal of Education in 2007 found that immigrants or children of immigrants, while making up 13 percent of the nations black 18- and 19-year-olds accounted for 41 percent of blacks admitted to Ivy League schools. Many have called the #ADOS movement anti-immigrant. Moore said: To say that is to ignore the ... struggle that undergirds this group from slavery to Jim Crow to mass incarceration. Our families built America and now suffer because everyone wants to ignore that reality. Kirsten Allen, a spokesperson for Harris campaign, defended the senators engagement with the black community. As for the truancy program referenced in the video: No parents went to jail and attendance increased 30 percent, according to an emailed statement. Then, on the Breakfast Club Power 105.1 radio talk show Monday morning, Harris talked about a proposed Lift Act, legislation that would reduce income inequity through a $6,000 annual tax credit to all households with earnings of less than $100,000. This would help the nearly half of respondents in a Federal Reserve Board survey who said they could not come up with $400 in case of emergency. Some say this year when many African Americans will observe the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first group of African captives brought to Virginia would be a key time to question candidates on their positions about redressing the wrongs of slavery. Reparations, said William Sandy Darity, an economist at Duke University. We should be holding politicians feet to the fire on this issue. I think it should be a litmus test. If [Harris] were enthusiastic for the development of a reparations program for black people, whether she is Indian, a woman of color, a Negro, or something else, I wouldnt care. Darity said any form of reparations, whether lump-sum payments or the establishment of a program that lets black people submit proposals to develop businesses, should be restricted to eligible African Americans, or those whose ancestors were enslaved in the United States. He said the other announced Democratic candidates, such as Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker, have talked about programs to address economic inequality, such as baby bonds or a guaranteed job. Also, author and entrepreneur Marianne Williamson, who is running for president, has publicly supported reparations. Darity noted the injustices went far beyond the time of enslavement, with legal restrictions on basic rights to vote or live in integrated communities lasting until the civil rights movement. Black-owned businesses and homes were being destroyed in race riots, such as when a white mob descended in 1921 in Tulsa, and redlining and federal housing policies stripped black people of the ability to build wealth, all while promoting homeownership for white Americans. Miranda Alexander, who arrived in Philadelphia about 20 years ago from Trinidad and Tobago, said shes torn on the Harris issue. The self-described pan Africanist someone who wants to improve the condition of his or her race, whether in the United States, the Caribbean, or the African continent is a member of the Mayors Commission on African and Caribbean Immigrant Affairs. When I first heard [Harris], she was speaking about DACA and I said, This is our girl. This is who were rooting for. Were going to stand by her, said Alexander, 48. But she said one of her friends told her about Harris record as a prosecutor and decided she had to see how shes been treating our people. So now, were on a standstill. Alexander hadnt considered herself a Pan Africanist until she came to Philadelphia and learned about such people as the Rev. Leon H. Sullivan and his work to improve the lives of black people in America and in Africa. She was also influenced by meeting the black Philadelphians who as teenagers had marched with Cecil B. Moore to end segregation at Girard College. In addition, she said, the Caribbean immigrant story has long been connected to the black American story. There were so many influential figures in African American history who have Caribbean roots, but many people dont know that said Alexander, ticking off a list that included W. E. B. DuBuois; James Weldon Johnson, who wrote the lyrics for Lift Every Voice and Sing, the Negro national anthem; and Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, who was the first permanent settler in Chicago. He was born to a French father and Haitian mother. Alexander said she believes the current tensions are bubbling to the surface because of a lack of leadership among black people. Were not producing the leaders we used to have in the 60s, she said, the type of leader we can attach ourselves to. This story was updated to reflect Sen. Harris comments Monday. When members of City Council pushed for an audit in 2016 to determine whether the Philadelphia Parking Authority was withholding money from city schools, PPA Board Chairman Joseph Ashdale was quick to voice his public opposition. But private conversations, caught on an FBI wiretap, suggest just how far he was willing to go to reward Council members who backed him and punish those who didnt. I want [to] see who the fs going to vote for it, he allegedly told Councilman Bobby Henon. Because nobody [who does] is going to get a fing job out of here or a fing penny out of the agency, the citys lone Republican-held patronage mill. That threat along with an alleged bribe that prosecutors say Ashdale paid Henon for his support now forms the basis of one of the 19 corruption-related counts the councilman faces in the indictment filed last month against him, labor leader John J. Johnny Doc Dougherty, and six others. It also makes Ashdale the latest public official to be caught up in the investigation a list that includes Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Kevin Dougherty and Henons colleague on Council Kenyatta Johnson, both of whom the Inquirer identified last week as unnamed officials described in the indictment. Like them, prosecutors have not named Ashdale in court filings. But four sources familiar with the investigation have identified him as the person referenced in the indictment as PPA Official No. 2. He allegedly bought Henons opposition to the 2016 Parking Authority audit with a gift of more than $3,000 in free windows installed at the home of the councilmans chief-of-staff. Prosecutors describe that transaction as a bribe and have charged Henon with accepting the payoff. They declined to discuss why Ashdale is not being prosecuted. The Parking Authority chairman did not return calls, texts, and emails seeking comment. Henons lawyer, Brian J. McMonagle, rejected any suggestion that a quid pro quo had occurred. One thing had absolutely nothing to do with the other, McMonagle said. The suggestion that this was a bribe is comical. [Henon] has known Ashdale for 25 years. Theyre friends. Were gonna pay for the material Ashdale, 62, has held the title of PPA board chair a position that comes with a $75,000 annual salary since it was created in the states takeover of the Parking Authority in 2001. He has steered the agency through scandals in recent years, including the ousting of its former executive director, Vincent J. Fenerty Jr., after two sexual harassment claims. Ashdales ties to Henon, Dougherty, and organized labor in the city run deep. He serves as leader of the Philadelphia-area council of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, which represents 4,500 painters, glaziers, drywall finishers, and glass workers. His union has given Henon a Democrat and a member of Doughertys Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers more money than any other political candidate over the last 10 years, often maxing out each election cycle. Since 2011, when Henon was first elected to Council, he has received more than $100,000 from Ashdales union. In the last four years, the unions PAC also has contributed thousands of dollars to one run by Local 98 and to candidates backed by Dougherty, including Mayor Jim Kenney and Justice Dougherty. So when Councilman David Oh a longtime critic of the PPAs leadership called for the audit of the parking authoritys books in 2016, Ashdale turned to Henon for help. Oh, along with Councilwoman Helen Gym, introduced the resolution June 9, requesting the review of the PPAs policies and procedures after a 50-cent-per-hour parking rate hike failed to produce promised revenue increases. The PPA, under state law, is required to devote a portion of its revenues to supporting Philadelphia schools. In an interview last week, Oh said he felt frustrated that the Parking Authority always seemed to be falling short of expectations. It seemed like they were not just broke, but desperately broke, he said. Two days after Oh introduced his measure, Henon called Ashdale and pledged his help to defeat it. It was on that same phone call, prosecutors say, that the councilman first asked the PPA board chair for assistance in obtaining glass windows for the house in Northeast Philadelphia of a woman the indictment describes as a close friend of Henons. Sources familiar with the investigation identified her as Courtney Voss, Henons chief of staff. She declined to comment when contacted by a reporter. As Henon and Ashdale continued to discuss the audit resolution over the next several weeks, their discussion frequently was peppered with references to Ashdales progress in having Voss windows installed, according to the indictment. Were gonna pay for the material, and shell just pay for the labor, Ashdale told the councilman in a June 2016 conversation caught on an FBI wiretap. A supplier delivered 27 panes of window glass to Voss house in August of that year. Almost a month later, Council voted to reject Ohs proposal. Recalling that vote last week, Oh said the opposition to his resolution emerged after an intense lobbying campaign by Fenerty. But something finally clicked for the councilman when he read prosecutors account last month of the backroom dealings between Henon and Ashdale. I knew [the failure of the resolution] was orchestrated, he said, although until then he didnt know how. Henons lawyer scoffed at the idea that his client needed a bribe to defeat Ohs measure. McMonagle pointed out that the bill was tabled for months soon after it was introduced and then eventually voted down by a majority of Council. It had no support, he said. It was nothing more than a political show. Whats more, the attorney maintained, the fact that Ashdale and Henon discussed Voss windows and the Council vote on the same phone calls was entirely coincidental. I dont have any concerns Most of Ashdales PPA colleagues remain reluctant to say whether the indictments allegations should disqualify him from leading the agencys board. The PPA is conducting its own internal review, said Parking Authority spokesperson Martin ORourke. There will be no further comment at this time. In Harrisburg, there doesnt appear to be anyone rallying to remove him, said Mike Straub, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus. Thats not to say it couldnt happen. Gov. Tom Wolf who holds the power to appoint and remove the PPA board chair said anyone charged in the investigation should step down. He declined, through a spokesperson, to specifically comment on whether he believed Ashdale should be in that camp. But amid the silence, one official was willing to speak out: Al Taubenberger, the lone member of Council to hold a seat on the PPAs board. Despite the allegations laid out in the indictment, he said Ashdale has his full support. I dont have any concerns," Taubenberger said. If something else comes to light, well look at it. But at this moment, Joe is not indicted. Youre presumed innocent. Staff writer Mark Fazlollah contributed to this article. Afghan peace talks in Moscow US ready to forgive Taliban if it assures Afghan soil wont be used to stage terror strikes Afghanistan second-largest recipient of Indian aid after Bhutan Taliban poised to take over country after American military withdrawal Colombo, February 11: Of late, there is some realisation in India that it is time New Delhi dropped its reservations about engaging the radical Islamist Taliban in Afghanistan and participated in the ongoing peace process in that devastated country. Involved in the peace process are the Taliban, US, Russia, Iran and Pakistan. The process has the support of Beijing. Each participating country has its own reasons to be in the peace process. The Taliban would like to capitalise on its ground level military superiority to negotiate a deal with the US which will put it in power in Kabul without further bloodshed. The US, tired of spending USD 45 billion a year on the Afghan war, wants to withdraw with guarantees of non-aggression. Russia is interested in filling the vacuum created by the US withdrawal, and reviving its historical role in Afghanistan. Iran and Pakistan need peace in the neighbourhood for the sake of economic development. China is keen that the Taliban is brought into the national and international mainstream so that it is tamed and Chinas burgeoning investments in neighbouring Pakistan are safe. China is also a neighbour. It is widely recognised in Afghanistan that Indian development aid has benefitted ordinary Afghans. Bilateral trade is more or less balanced and is expected to touch USD 2 billion by 2020 These countries have shed their past reservations and have set aside historical memories for the sake of peace now. The US is ready to forget and forgive the Taliban, if only it would assure Afghan soil would not be used to stage terror strikes. Strongly critical of Pakistan on the terrorism issue till recently, the US suddenly suspended criticism and sought Pakistans help to open up to the Taliban. The Russians forgot they were ousted from Afghanistan not so long ago by Mujahideen who included the founders of Taliban. The erstwhile Northern Alliance groups which had fought the Taliban tooth and nail earlier are now at the negotiating table with it. Given the emerging scenario, it is argued that India too should forget the bitter past. The Taliban had attacked Indian establishments and abducted or killed Indian expatriates. The Taliban targeted India because it has been supporting the US-backed Kabul regime and had once heavily funded the Northern Alliance when the latter was fighting the Taliban in a brutal civil war. Strategists argue that India needs to be in Afghanistan to block Pakistan from using the Taliban to oust India altogether from Afghanistan. Others point out that Indias economic stakes in that country are too high for it to be inactive. INDIAS ECONOMIC STAKES With more than USD 2 billion in Indian commitments, Afghanistan is the second-largest recipient of Indian aid after Bhutan. India built the Zaranj-Delaram highway to Iran. It constructed the Salma dam and the Pul-e-Khumri transmission line to light up Kabul. It has restored the telecommunication infrastructure in 11 provinces. About 116 small community development projects are being executed in the fields of agriculture, education, rural development, health, vocational training and solar energy. Efforts in the education and capacity development domain include the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health; reconstruction of Habibia School; provision of 500 annual scholarships; provision of 500 training scholarships to Afghan public servants; vocational support to Afghan women and youth; and capacity building in media and information, civil aviation, agricultural research and education, healthcare and medicinal science, tourism, education, standardisation, rural development, public administration, electoral management and local government. In 2016, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an additional USD 1 billion for capacity building in education, health, agriculture, skills development, womens empowerment, energy and infrastructure building. It is widely recognised in Afghanistan that Indian development aid has benefitted ordinary Afghans. Bilateral trade is more or less balanced and is expected to touch USD 2 billion by 2020. TALIBANS MARCH AND INDIAS RESPONSE The Taliban is poised to take over the country after the American military withdrawal which is expected to take place before the US presidential election in November 2020. Therefore, it is felt that it is time India recognised and negotiated with the Taliban to protect its huge investments; maintain its strategic presence in the region; and checkmate troublesome Pakistan which already has good relations with the Taliban. As on date, India is out of the peace process. This is because New Delhi is identified too closely with the Afghan Government led by President Ashraf Ghani, which the Taliban considers illegitimate and a puppet of the US. With the Taliban refusing to talk to the Ghani regime, the latter is not part of the ongoing talks. And since the Ghani Government is not there, India too is out. Like the Ghani regime, India insists that the legitimate, elected government of Afghanistan must be part of any peace process or settlement. TALIBANS BLUEPRINT ENCOURAGING Supporters of the peace process maintain that the prospects for peace are bright going by the results of the February 5-6 conference in Moscow of all Afghan groups minus the Kabul regime. The Joint Statement issued at the end of the meet could be a sound basis for domestic peace and orderly international relations. According to the Joint Statement, all parties had agreed that: cooperation of regional countries and major countries is essential to determine a lasting and nationwide peace in Afghanistan; that values such as respect for the principles of Islam are instituted in all parts of the system; that the principle that Afghanistan is a common home to all Afghans is recognised; that there should be support to a powerful centralised government with all Afghan ethnicities having a role in it; that national sovereignty and promotion of social justice are ensured; that it is essential to keep Afghanistan neutral in all regional and international conflicts and that Afghanistans national and religious values are protected. The statement sought the complete withdrawal of foreign forces from the country, and asked all countries to avoid interfering in Afghanistans internal affairs. In return, Afghanistan assured to the international community that it would not be used against any other nation, that social, economic, political and educational rights of Afghan women in line with Islamic principles would be fostered along with the political and social rights of the entire people of Afghanistan including freedom of speech. The statement also assured that Afghanistan would accept international assistance for its reconstruction. Recent research has established that the Taliban was keen on running a government well. It is running the administration in areas under its control in a systematic and responsible way. India has been completely dependent on the US military presence for its protection in Afghanistan. In this context, US withdrawal would be the last thing India would want PITFALLS However, the road to peace may not be smooth given the opposition President Donald Trump faces from American hardliners and the US military-industrial complex which want the war to continue. But regardless of the opposition, Trump is set to make a deal with the Taliban. All that the US has been wanting was an agreement from Taliban to talk to the Afghan Government and co-opt it in any future political set up. But if the Taliban guarantees US security credibly; Washington may drop Kabul like a hot potato. The US had shed its reservations about Russia and Pakistan and has allowed their participation. INDIAS FEARS As for India, it has genuine fears about the return of the Taliban to power. Given its strong commitment to Jihad and also given its alliance with Pakistan, the Taliban could promote terrorism in Kashmir despite assurances to the contrary. Given Indias standoffish attitude to it, the Taliban could threaten Indian establishments and personnel in Afghanistan. India has been completely dependent on the US military presence for its protection in Afghanistan. In this context, US withdrawal would be the last thing India would want. However, New Delhi has been seeking an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled peace process and settlement. What emerges finally may not answer to New Delhis description of an ideal Afghan settlement. It will reflect the ground realities. It is time New Delhi realised that the ground realities can be shaped to meet its needs only if it actively participates in the ongoing peace process. Taliban fighters Background checks for ammunition sales. A lifetime gun ownership ban on anyone convicted of domestic violence. A sales limit of one gun per person per month. Those are among the restrictive new laws and proposals that could reduce gun violence in California. The state already has stricter gun-control laws than most; legislators said this week they hope to position their state as a model for the rest of the nation. We have the political ingredients that they dont necessarily have in every state," Assembly member Jesse Gabriel, a Los Angeles-area Democrat and inaugural member of a gun-violence prevention group among lawmakers, said in an interview Friday. We understand that we can push the envelope on policy-making a little bit, and we think, hopefully, as we demonstrate results, as we show different ideas that are working, that other states will look to California and copy our regulatory framework. The laws passed in California echo those enacted in New Jersey, another state with many gun restrictions: ways to regulate guns by regulating things related to them, such as ammunition and accessories, and who has them. By setting these higher standards for gun safety, New Jersey continues to bolster its reputation as a national leader on this critical social and public health issue, Gov. Phil Murphy said when he signed six new gun laws in June. For nearly a decade, even as mass shootings and gun violence spiked, the Republican-controlled Congress has not enacted any new national laws to address either problem. So the battle has shifted from the Capitol to the statehouses. Since the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, gun control advocates in state capitals across the country have passed targeted and sometimes inventive laws to expand gun regulations within their borders. Change doesnt appear out of thin air. It starts somewhere, said Nico Bocour, state legislative director for Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence, the gun-control group that teamed with Gabriel and other California legislators for a news conference last week announcing their working group. States like California and New Jersey have been able to pass forward-looking policies that are proven to work. They have set the bar and given other state legislatures a road map to follow. In Pennsylvania, House members last year debated a wide range of gun-related bills after the Parkland, Fla., shooting, but have been slow to act on them, and are unlikely to as long as Republicans hold majorities in both General Assembly chambers. One domestic-violence bill supported by gun control advocates passed last year. Kim Stolfer, president of the Pennsylvania group Firearms Owners against Crime, said that he has seen the anti-gun groups ... bringing the New Jersey politics here over the years, but that he believed Pennsylvania legislators have given them a cold shoulder. One size doesnt fit all. These laws are being introduced not for public safety; theyre being introduced to expand on an agenda, and we will not allow that to happen here, Stolfer said Friday. It doesnt solve the crime problem and it does disenfranchise citizens. So can a state such as New Jersey or California be effective at influencing other states on such a divisive issue? Just because another state does it doesnt necessarily translate into good policy, said Pennsylvania Rep. Todd Stephens (R., Montgomery). But when another state does it and then theres an opportunity to study it and look at data and the impact that that legislation in another state may have had, I think thats when ... laws in other states can have an impact and influence on public policy here in Pennsylvania. Stephens introduced legislation last year that would give family members recourse for temporarily removing firearms from people in mental-health crisis or otherwise deemed dangerous. California was the first state to pass a policy allowing for such extreme risk protection orders. Stephens said data from Connecticut and Indiana which had passed similar, narrower firearms-removal laws earlier showed that the ability to take firearms from people in crisis reduced suicides in those states by 13.7 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively. That information helped his bill clear a committee with bipartisan support last session. That was a critical component of the discussion the benefits that other states have seen by adopting this policy," Stephens said. Rep. Stephen McCarter (D., Montgomery) has promoted a similar bill. For any of us who are introducing legislation on this issue and others, we look to see what other states have taken action, McCarter said. We knew that there were other laws that had been [passed in] states including Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, Vermont, and Rhode Island, so all of those are states that we try to model much of our legislation on. California has a spate of new laws taking affect by 2020. Beginning in July, Californians wanting to buy firearm ammunition will have to go through a background check. And the sellers now, only licensed dealers will have to keep a log of ammunition sales. The state also outlawed bump stocks and raised the purchase age for long guns to 21. And as of this year, anyone convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence offense is prohibited from owning a firearm for the rest of their lives. As of 2020, anyone hospitalized more than once in a year due to a mental-health diagnosis will also be indefinitely barred from owning a firearm. California lawmakers are considering a move to expand their protection-order law and to train law enforcement in its use. Gabriel and his colleagues also plan to push bills to fund and expand gun-violence prevention programs, require safe gun storage, and limit gun purchases to one per person per month, among other things. With a Democratic majority in the legislature and a new governor, they believe their prospects are good. I dont know that Pennsylvania has the will to do them yet, but I hope that we can learn from them, CeaseFirePA director Shira Goodman said of Californias laws. Stephens, the Montgomery County Republican, cautioned that theres unlikely to be a rush to follow the Golden State. I dont think there are too many people in my caucus who are looking to follow Californias lead on firearm policy, he said. He said he was compelled to push for the extreme-risk protection orders because of the data hed seen out of other states, not because California or others had enacted it. Still, advocates hope changing norms nationwide will put their proposals in perspective. Asked whether he thought actions by other states could help move the needle here, McCarter said: I would surely hope so. Every Sunday morning, City Councilman David Oh teaches his kids martial arts in his Southwest Philadelphia home. Last July, Oh was demonstrating a judo roll a sort of side somersault when he flipped his 8-year-old son, Joshua, onto the mat. The boy landed between his face and a shoulder with a thud. He looked kind of stunned, and I immediately knew it wasnt a good fall, said Oh, who has been teaching his children martial arts for several years and has practiced jiu-jitsu for the last 16 years. Oh and his wife rushed Joshua to Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, where doctors determined the boy had fractured his collar bone. That is when things grew uncomfortable for Oh. A social worker arrived and asked Oh and his wife to leave the room so she could speak to their son alone. After doing so, she told the Ohs she was filing a report of suspected child abuse with the city Department of Human Services (DHS). Oh said he tried to show the social worker cell phone photos of him doing martial arts with his kids, to show how common the activity is for the family. It kind of comes out of left field, said Oh. To have an accident, you take your kid to an excellent childrens hospital, like CHOP, and then, out of nowhere, to have someone say, Were reporting you to DHS. Ultimately, no abuse was found, but the incident bothered Oh, who as a City Council member has recourse not available to the average citizen. He decided to hold a hearing on whether there should be more explicit guidelines for those legally mandated to report abuse. The hearing, set for Tuesday at 10 a.m. at City Hall, is also shaping up to be more of a general forum to discuss the agency. Oh, who has been an at-large Republican on Council since 2011, said he thought it appropriate to call the hearing not only from his personal experience, but from similar complaints received from constituents. He said he was bothered that the social worker could not articulate why she thought the incident was more than an accident. He said she told him she typically reports injuries children suffer in all sports. She insinuated that [a report] was no big deal, it was routine, Oh said. And when I pressed her for a reason, she made a comment: Youre a grown man, you shouldnt be teaching your son judo. Hes 8. A DHS investigator went to Ohs home a few days later and toured the martial arts room. The two talked about what happened, and the caseworker told him she was deeming the report unfounded, Oh said. But Oh was frustrated by the incident and follow-up conversations with the head of social work at CHOP and with DHS Commissioner Cynthia Figueroa, who, he said, defended the social workers actions as in line with her directive for workers to follow their intuition. Figueroa on Friday would not comment on Ohs case but said hospital workers are required to report any possible abuse. Youre reporting based on your own suspicion, but not necessarily because you have the concrete evidence, Figueroa said. Which is why you would call it in. Then, whether it rose to require an investigation would be a determination that is made. If a child is presenting with either an injury or something that maybe would lead you to ask more questions about the safety of a child, its a good-faith effort that youre reporting it. Oh, who is of Korean background, also said the incident left him feeling discriminated against because of his race. It seems irresponsible that youre just going to report whenever you feel like it, Oh said. It seems like a lot of room for subjective bias my wife and I being Asian, and no one knowing Im a lawyer and a councilman, youre very quick to report on us. The hearing will examine the possibility of DHSs creating objective guidelines and uniform standards for people tasked with reporting suspected abuse. But the city has limited authority in the matter even if Council got behind it, Figueroa said. Figueroa said she has met with Oh twice and told him that she believed changing the reporting requirements would violate state law and could jeopardize the agencys license. It would also be incredibly chaotic in terms of an enforcement standpoint if each county decided to go rogue in how to adhere to the child protective services law," she said. Cathy Utz, deputy commissioner of the state Department of Human Services, said the law is clear that a person who has reasonable cause to suspect a child is a victim of abuse is required to make a report to the states child abuse hotline, ChildLine. Without more information on what [Oh] is looking at doing, all I can say is, it would have to mirror state law, Utz said. Utz said the state also encourages people to call with general protective concerns or signs of neglect rather than abuse. Philadelphia has one of the highest child removal rates of any city in the country, but the most common reason for taking a child from a home is neglect, not abuse. Figueroa said that investigations are down from last year and that the department only removes about three percent of children after an investigation. Oh said he hopes the hearing prompts the state to take up the issue, or at least starts a conversation on whether some investigations are unnecessary. Social welfare experts are expected to testify, along with several parents who say their children were wrongfully removed. I think there are things we can do, Oh said. If theyre going to say basically, We cant do anything because everythings controlled by the state, thats dodging an opportunity and avoiding the problem. Oh, who started doing taekwondo when he was 12 and has a brown belt in jiu-jitsu, said his son made a full recovery and still practices with him every Sunday. He continues to go over how to roll safely. Theyve learned before, he said. But they forget, because theyre kids. So, the spreading ooze from Philly labor leader John Johnny Doc Doughertys indictment now touches the state Supreme Court, too often home to the ethically challenged, ever an argument for merit-appointed judges. Yep, just a few years after two of the courts seven robed honorables (one from each party) resigned in a porn scandal, which happened just after another of its honorables resigned following her corruption conviction, now come possible, if not probable, probes of another justice. The Inquirer reported last week that Docs brother, Democratic Justice Kevin Dougherty, is among family members the government says got bennies in his case, snow shoveling and a weeks work of construction, repair and painting at his Northeast Philly home paid for with allegedly stolen union dough. The feds charge Doc and five other IBEW Local 98 employees with embezzling more than $600,000 between 2010 and 2016. Everyone has pleaded not guilty. Justice Dougherty, a former Philadelphia Common Pleas Court judge, is not charged or even named in the indictment, where, the Inquirer reports, hes identified as Family Member #4. He hasnt commented. His lawyer says hes done nothing wrong and has paid for any work done at his house. And maybe thats so. Still, almost immediately, partisan cages were rattled. State Republican Party Chairman Val DiGiorgio called on officialdom U.S. Attorney, state Attorney General, Judicial Conduct Board to look more closely at Justice Dougherty to ensure no fatal ethical taint precludes him from the proper administration of justice. This is a straight jab gloved in velvet. And maybe just an opening punch. I, for one, wouldnt be surprised if Republican legislative mahoffs are gleefully reviewing a menu of options to mess with Dougherty and his court. After all, GOP leaders still stew (some broil) over losing the court majority in 2015 when three Democrats, including Dougherty, won seats; and stew (and broil) even more over the courts 2018 outlawing of legislatively drawn congressional maps and ordering new maps favorable to Democrats. (The states U.S. House delegation flipped from 13-5 Republican prior to the courts action to a 9-9 partisan tie after last years midterm elections. Its currently 9-8 Democratic, with a vacancy due to the resignation last month of GOP U.S. Rep. Tom Marino. A special election to replace him is set May 21.) But even absent any GOP revenge, a sitting justice linked to a 116-count federal indictment filled with charges of embezzlement, bribery, theft and more, creates a cloud over a court thats had its share of rain. If the reports are accurate, they create very significant problems, said Widener Law School professor Michael Dimino, who writes on constitutional law and judicial elections. Public esteem for the courts is absolutely essential, he said. Without it, the public has no reason to respect judicial rulings. Chief Justice Thomas Saylor and Justice Dougherty, through a court spokesperson, declined my requests for interviews. I understand allegations arent proof. I understand were not talking about the stuff of high crimes and misdemeanors (OK, maybe misdemeanors, depending who your brother is). But this is problematic. Looks suspect. Leaves a bad taste. Adds to the courts, and the states, already woeful rep. GOP Justice Joan Orie Melvin resigned in 2013, convicted of using judicial staff for campaign work. Democratic Justice Seamus McCaffery resigned in 2014, and Republican Justice Michael Eakin resigned in 2016, both caught up in an email porn scandal triggered by former, now-jailed state AG Kathleen Kane. Ah, Pennsylvania. The common thread here is lapsed judgment, lapsed ethics, a problem that seems sewn through the cloth of the feds extensive indictment. It doesnt help that Local 98 under Docs reign provided more than $1 million in support of Kevin Doughertys 2015 campaign. He shouldnt have taken it. Didnt need it. Even without it, he raised more money than all other candidates. He got more votes than all other candidates. And even with abstaining from certain cases to avoid conflicts of interest, accepting such aid looks fishy. Not saying he should be judged by the reputation of his brother, or his court, or the often-ugly politics of his city and state. Im saying the very nature of that backdrop demands a higher standard. Appearance, especially in the judiciary, matters. Suspect alliances or actions by those who judge others taint the promise of equal justice under law. That promise, already fragile, becomes more shaky with each episode of questionable judicial behavior. Some underpinning repairs are in order. An outright ban on gifts to judges. And ending Pennsylvanias status as one of only a few states picking judges at all levels through partisan elections. A 45-year-old man whose son was killed outside a mall two years ago was fatally shot in Atlantic City early Sunday. Demond Tally had just left the home of Atlantic City Councilman Marty Small Sr. when shots rang out around 5:15 a.m., according to the news site Breaking AC, which quoted Small. Sources said Small and his family were home at the time. The men were longtime friends who lived on the same block. The Atlantic City Police Department reported that Tally was found shot in the area of Presbyterian Avenue. He was taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center-City Division Trauma Unit, where he was pronounced dead. Tally was a youth football coach and the father of 21-year-old Demond Cottman, a standout football player at Atlantic City High School, who was shot dead in a Hamilton Mall parking lot in 2016 in a crime that remains unsolved. The investigation was continuing and no other details were released. The shooting came hours after the annual Marty Small Ball, organized by Small and held this year at Harrahs. Reached by telephone Monday afternoon, Small said he would defer to the wishes of the family of the victim and refrain from commenting at this time. Tally was mourned on Facebook as always upbeat and positive ... a staple in the community. This article is part of Made in Philly, a series about young residents shaping local communities. Neha Ghosh, chief events organizer of the Philly LGBTQ+ group Qunify, runs through a checklist each time they enter a prospective venue. People of color-friendly? Check. Queer-friendly? Check. Gender-neutral bathrooms? Check. Founded by Ghosh and four others in 2017, Qunify organizes meetups in an effort to provide safe, inclusive spaces for all LGBTQ+ community members. In two years, it has hosted 40 events all over Philadelphia, attracting as many as 150 attendees. Former meeting places include popular performance spaces like Johnny Brendas, La Peg, and LEtage, as well as hip hangouts like North Phillys Love City Brewing Co. and East Germantowns Uncle Bobbies Coffee & Books. But though it may seem like those spots were selected for their reputation or cool factor, in reality, Ghosh and the Qunify team carefully explore and even debate each location. They usually hold events near public transportation routes, and they change venues regularly to reach people in different neighborhoods. To ensure that a lack of finances doesnt prevent anyone from attending, the group looks for free or low-cost venues, like the Gayborhoods William Way LGBT Community Center and the historic LGBTQ bookstore Giovannis Room. (They catalog all former meeting spaces on their website in a Queer Philly Map.) And to make sure the events appeal to everyone in the LGBTQ+ community not just, say, the happy hour set Qunify diversifies the activities, too. Some events bring people together to have casual conversations over coffee. Others involve more structured discussion, as with the groups themed Our Stories series, which have covered topics like activism and consent culture. Some of the most popular meetups have been ticketed dance parties, with reduced admission for those planning to stay sober. Ghosh identifies Qunifys ability to bring all kinds of people together in one space as the organizations defining feature. When you come to our parties, you see South Asians, East Asians, black folks, Latinx folks, femme folks, masc folks, trans folks everyone just celebrating the community. That is not something that happens often, Ghosh says. People in New York, when I tell them about Qunify, theyre like, Oh, we dont even have that. When I talk to people in L.A., they dont have that there. Qunify cofounder and chief operating officer Eric Schroeckenthaler cites the groups mission to make additional spaces and experiences open for all LGBTQ+ people as their biggest consideration. That three-letter word all in front of LGBTQ+ people has become very pivotal in how we think about fulfilling that mission, Schroeckenthaler said. We have to put the folks that are furthest to the margins toward the center. As Qunify and Ghosh have planned more events, the checklist has grown. Now, Ghosh looks for spaces large enough to hold as many people as they plan to invite. They plan to use microphones at future gatherings to accommodate any hard-of-hearing attendees. But Ghosh kept coming across a box they could not check as Sofia Oleas, Qunifys chief information officer, pointed out, safe spaces are not always physically accessible to all bodies. We come from different backgrounds," Ghosh says of their cofounders, who variously identify as black, Latinx, and gender non-conforming. If it was only me, I would miss things. Ive learned from my team what other things to look for. To check the accessibility box, Ghosh started looking for places with wide doors, which better accommodate wheelchairs. But Qunify also raised money to buy a 6-foot ramp that can be folded up and used for entrances or for bathrooms with stairs. It made its debut at Qunifys Coffee Conversations event on Saturday, Jan. 26, at Black & Brew in South Philly. When Nancy Volpe-Beringer dropped Philadelphia native and Grammy nominee Tierra Whack off at the Staples Center last Sunday night, she felt like she was in the middle of an emerging fashion designers dream. But as Beringer watched Whack arrive at a nearby restaurant in full Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat splendor in the rainbow-hued, floor-length faux fur coat and matching sheath gown, she knew she was living the real deal. I jumped up and screamed, Beringer told me Monday morning from as she made her way to LAX to hop a plane back to Philly. I was sitting with Tierras hair and makeup people, and they jumped up and screamed. We all jumped up and screamed. It was truly amazing." Whack was nominated for best music video for Mumbo Jumbo. She lost to Childish Gambinos This Is America. E! named Whacks gown coat ensemble along with Cardi Bs clam/oyster Thierry Mugler Couture red-carpet look one of the nights most outrageous outfits. Beringer, a 64-year-old educator turned emerging couturier, graduated from Drexel University in 2016 with a masters degree in fashion design and a signature thats definitely more art of fashion than off the rack. She has made special pieces for notables like Cara Fry, wife of Drexel University president John Anderson Fry, who wore one of Beringers pieces to the 2018 Academy of Music Concert and Ball. Last fall, Beringer was a featured designer in a fashion show at Libertae House in Bensalem, and she designed a dramatic, multicolor coat from a colossal piece of faux fur she found. I thought, Let me make this amazing coat, she said. And amazing it was. A few weeks later, Center City fashion doyenne Joan Shepp featured a few of Beringers pieces, including the coat, worth about $2,400, in her fall window. That is where Whack spotted it and bought it. Eventually, she and Whack struck up an Instagram friendship. When Whack learned she was nominated for a Grammy, her publicist reached out to Beringer. Whack planned to wear the coat to the Grammys. But what would she wear with it? Beringer zeroed in on a painting by local artist Liz Goldberg called Cuban Cigars. She worked with Goldberg to have 15 yards of the image imprinted on crepe, silk, and organza in the United Kingdom. The result was a 3/4-length sleeved sheath that Beringer made within a month after just two fittings. Beringer flew to Los Angeles on Tuesday to put the finishing touches on the gown. (She ordered a new sewing machine from Amazon sent to L.A. to work with.) The biggest issue was finishing the hem. After all, Whacks nude MM6 booties were a game-time decision. There is such depth to her music, Beringer said. And there are so many layers to this gown. This is what the gown reflects. Nancy Volpe-Berigners website is www.nancyberinger.com. Email her at nancyvolpeberinger@gmail.com DEAR ABBY: My wife and I have been married for 36 years and have five adult children. We have a loving, caring and mutually supportive relationship. We recently had dinner at a restaurant, and she became very flirty and familiar with our male server, who was one-third her age and a complete stranger. She complimented him on his handsome looks, his trim waistline and his smooth and reassuring speaking style. I thought she was out of line, and on the ride home, I told her so. She became defensive and angry and said she was only kidding around with him. Whats the best way to avoid this type of dust-up in the future? JIM IN MARYLAND DEAR JIM: What your wife did was inappropriate. Could she have had one pre-meal cocktail too many? Because her behavior made you uncomfortable, she owes you an apology. And if this sort of thing happens again, perhaps you should request a female server if possible. DEAR ABBY: Im a sophomore college student who has finally settled in with a group of friends I love and really connect with. However, one girl in our group throws full-on temper tantrums where she cries, storms off or exerts negative energy to the point that it ruins the night for the rest of us. These fits of temper seem to be caused by anything and everything, and have reached a point where my friends and I feel anxious being around her. What do we do? And how do we deal with someone who cries at the tiniest of perceived slights? EXHAUSTED IN COLLEGE DEAR EXHAUSTED: The behavior you have described isnt normal. The girl appears to be extremely fragile emotionally. Whoever is closest to her should point out to her privately that all of you are concerned that her outbursts may be a sign of depression, and suggest she talk to someone at the student health center about them. DEAR ABBY: A dear friend and her husband were at a Broadway theater production. Because of a spinal cord injury, she uses either a walker or wheelchair. During intermission, when she went into the ladies room, the line was quite long. Not one woman offered to let her move ahead. Whats the protocol? I thought each person in there should have deferred to her. I had tickets the same night, and when I saw her in line I walked up and asked her if I could intervene to move her in faster, but she said she didnt want to bother anyone. I stayed with her and didnt speak up because I didnt want to embarrass her. I would appreciate your view on this. TRYING TO HELP DEAR TRYING TO HELP: My view is that someone with an obvious disability should be offered the next available stall, and if the person uses a walker or a wheelchair, the handicap stall should be offered to her. Doctors need no special training to prescribe the opioid pain pills widely blamed for fueling a national addiction crisis. But prescribing the medicine considered the gold standard for addiction treatment is another story entirely. Opioid-based medications that help curb cravings, prevent overdoses, and allow drug users to get through the day without the fear of painful withdrawal have been proven to help people achieve lasting recovery far more reliably than quitting without medical help. But, doctors say, federal regulations surrounding these treatment medications and the special physician training and monitoring required to dispense them have deterred many of their colleagues from obtaining the license needed to prescribe the drug. Just 3 percent of doctors in Pennsylvania and 4 percent of those in Philadelphia have the waiver needed to prescribe the treatment medicine buprenorphine, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. And the problem is worse in rural areas: nearly 30 percent of rural Americans live in a county without a buprenorphine provider, according to new research from the Pew Charitable Trusts. Methadone, the most heavily regulated opioid-based treatment drug, can only be dispensed at specially licensed clinics, and often requires users to visit daily for the drug and for counseling. Buprenorphine can be taken in ones own home, and is available in pill form, as a longer-acting shot, and as the brand-name drug Suboxone, which combines buprenorphine with the overdose-reversal drug naloxone. There are differences between the two opioid-based medicines, but both are longer-acting and dont produce the peaks and troughs associated with short-term opioids, like heroin, making them useful for people in treatment. Physicians who want to prescribe buprenorphine need a license commonly known as an x-waiver from the DEA and the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, after taking an eight-hour training course. The American Society of Addiction Medicines eight-hour training course, one of several listed on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrations website, identifies its learning objectives as teaching doctors how to apply for the waiver, to identify patients who would benefit from buprenorphine, and to recognize other illnesses associated with opioid addiction. From there, a doctor can treat up to 30 patients in their first year with the license, 100 in their second year, and are capped at 275 in their third. Another irony: These restrictions apply only to doctors prescribing these medications for a substance use disorder. Theres no special license required to prescribe methadone for pain. And though buprenorphine is not FDA-approved for pain, some providers are prescribing it off-label without an x-waiver. The DEAs local spokesman, Pat Trainor, said the x-waiver "allows doctors to help people to get medication-assisted treatment in their communities and not have to go to a narcotic treatment program, so as to avoid the stigma of that, he said, and added that primary care doctors not accustomed to treating addiction need training to do so. But doctors who treat people with addiction say the regulations themselves create stigma, and discourage more doctors from seeing substance use disorder as a disease that they can treat. Doctors have basically been taught and raised and are functioning in a system where addiction is always someone elses job, said Priya Mammen, an emergency physician and public health advocate from South Philadelphia. The regulations treat these medications as qualitatively different from any other medication we prescribe. It gives off the impression that addiction is a specific kind of illness but from all the literature, all the data we know, its a chronic disease. But its not treated like that in the system. Jeanmarie Perrone, the director of the division of medical toxicology in the University of Pennsylvanias emergency department, has worked to expand her systems buprenorphine program. She believes doctors should still get some kind of training before beginning to prescribe buprenorphine, and has helped implement classic behavioral incentives to get more doctors into training. The university paid for x-waiver training courses for its physicians, and allowed them to take the course online. They sent emails telling stories of Penn patients success on Suboxone. Each week they got an email sort of nudging them along in the process, saying, 'Its not too late to sign up, you still have time to finish this and look what your colleagues are doing [with buprenorphine]," Perrone said. About 75 percent of Penns full-time emergency department staff now have x-waivers. Perrone said her goal is to create a culture of buprenorphine in the whole city." She is pinning her hopes largely on newer doctors and medical students whose training increasingly includes addiction medicine. Most physicians who obtain an x-waiver will likely not hit their prescribing cap. Many doctors who get the x-waiver dont even use it, said Leo Beletsky, an associate professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern Universitys law school. Its not enough to get people waivered, he said. You still have these issues around stigma. People dont want to submit themselves to periodic DEA audits. They just dont want to deal with this element of their practice. Where the caps can present challenges, Beletsky said, is in larger clinical settings. In Philadelphias mens prisons, a just-launched Suboxone program has been paused because the prisons doctors have already hit their prescribing caps, WHYY reported last month. Bruce Herdman, the prisons chief of medical operations, said his doctors will be able to expand their prescribing caps to 275 patients each by midsummer. Until then, new inmates with substance use disorder are being directed to an abstinence-only treatment program that includes cognitive behavioral therapy. The prison is also looking to hire doctors with higher buprenorphine caps in the meantime. We have a great treatment to provide, and I dont understand the logic behind this federal regulation, he said. Measles is back. As of Feb. 7, 55 cases of measles had been confirmed in Washington state. Almost all of the cases occurred in children younger than 10 whose parents had chosen not to vaccinate them. In response, the governor of Washington, Jay Inslee, declared a state of emergency. The Washington state outbreak isnt an isolated event. During the past few years, outbreaks of measles have occurred in New York, Minnesota, and California. The California outbreak spread into 25 states as well as Mexico and California and affected 189 people. Again, mostly children. And again, because their parents had chosen not to vaccinate them. Why? The simple answer is that we no longer fear the disease. But we should. Before the measles vaccine was introduced more than five decades ago, every year millions of American children suffered from measles, 48,000 were hospitalized, and 500 died. Typically, children died from severe pneumonia or dehydration. Less commonly, they died from encephalitis, when measles virus infected the brain. There was then and remains today no effective treatment for measles virus. With the invention of a measles vaccine, however, all of that suffering and death disappeared. By 2000, measles was eliminated from our country. The only cases of measles that have occurred since 2000 were in people who traveled to the United States from countries where measles was common, like the Philippines. But the virus didnt spread here because people were vaccinated. If these new outbreaks arent enough to sway lawmakers to act to clamp down on state vaccine exemptions that are far too easy to obtain and far too prevalent what will? What will it take for us to realize that our rights as U.S. citizens shouldnt extend to allowing children to catch and transmit potentially fatal infections? I offer three frightening possibilities: First, children are going to have to die. Right now, several hundred children a year are infected with measles. If we get to a few thousand cases a year, parents will once again be forced to watch children die needlessly from this disease. Second, we experience the reemergence of other diseases that have been eliminated from this country like polio or diphtheria. Polio is a perfect example. Only about 1 of every 200 people who are infected with poliovirus are paralyzed. Many of those infected are unknowingly shedding poliovirus in their stools. Because international travel is common, and because polio still occurs in the world, it is likely that people walk into international airports every year shedding poliovirus. If immunization rates drop far enough, polio could come back. Third, measles vaccine is given in combination with mumps and rubella vaccines. If parents arent giving children the measles vaccine, they also arent giving them a vaccine to prevent two other viral diseases. Although we eliminated rubella infections from the U.S. by 2005, there is no reason that rubella couldnt come back. And if it does, the devastation caused by rubella will become obvious far more quickly than with measles. Pregnant women who contract rubella during the first trimester have an 85 percent chance of delivering a child with severe, permanent defects of the eyes, ears, or heart. Before a rubella vaccine became available in 1969, one outbreak in Philadelphia in the early 1960s caused hundreds of spontaneous abortions, elective abortions, and children who were permanently disabled. Think of the fear engendered when Zika virus spread from South America into several southern states. People were horrified by television images of babies with abnormally small heads. But Zika virus, which causes birth defects in about 15 percent of first trimester infections, isnt nearly as efficient at causing harm as rubella. Recently, in response to the Washington state measles outbreak, legislators held a public hearing to consider a bill to prevent unvaccinated children from entering public schools. To protest the bill, hundreds of anti-vaccine activists showed up, many from out of state. What these activists fail to realize, however, is that bills designed to increase immunization rates arent their enemy. Outbreaks of potentially fatal diseases, which have now swung popular opinion against them, are their enemy. And there is only one way to defeat outbreaks. Paul A. Offit, MD, is the director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia and a professor of pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. This story is part of Made in Philly, a series about young residents shaping local communities. As a boy, Prentice Michael Boone didnt always have enough money to get a haircut. But he was tired of his scruffy look. At age 12, he picked up a pair of clippers and set out to change that. It was a risky move, Boone, 39, admits. He might have ended up with a bald spot, giving his peers another excuse to tease him. But luckily, he got it reasonably right. "That first cut led to doing another and another," said Boone, who goes by P. Michael. He practiced on family and friends, anyone who'd volunteer. Today, he owns a barbershop in North Philadelphia, and is making sure kids in the community have a clearer path to the career than he did. Over the summer, Boone launched the Jr. Barber Academy, a six-week course in which he teaches Philly youth the basics of barbering. The first session included six students, and the second semester had 12 students, ages 7 to 17. They met for two hours every Saturday evening in Boone's shop. The academy is one part of Boone's nonprofit foundation. He also gives free haircuts to the homeless and speaks in local schools about entrepreneurship and financial literacy. For the barber classes, he asks parents to donate what they can, up to $99 per class, to cover the cost of mannequins, individual clippers, and attendance at hair shows where students can see professionals practice. It's not a formal training to get their barber's license, but rather an introduction to spark kids' interest, Boone said. They might choose to pursue it as a career or save it as a fallback option. "The academy was born from thinking of other kids in the community who could be like me," he said. "It gives me joy to help them start on that path the right way." The students may have promising futures, as the barber industry continues a trend of steady growth, bringing in close to $4 billion in 2017. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics gave the career a "bright outlook designation," projecting the number of jobs will increase 13 percent in the next decade, nearly double the economy's average job growth. Demand for services will continue to rise as the nation's population increases, the bureau said. It also reported that the average annual income for a barber is about $30,500 and that most barbers are self-employed. The growth of barber schools is another indicator of the sector's growth, said Maura Scali-Sheahan, CEO of the National Association of Barbers Boards of America. Of the 17 states represented by the association, 14 saw an increase in barber-school openings over the last decade, she said. In Pennsylvania, the number of schools grew from 24 in 2008 to 36 this year. "They're not going to put a barbering program on unless there's a demand for it," Scali-Sheahan said. Barbers are getting more attention, too, with an iPhone 7 advertisement focused on the growth of mom-and-pop shops and LeBron James' new HBO talk show taking place in a barbershop. In one of Boone's recent classes, students sat in a row of chairs against the wall, fidgeting with their mannequins as Boone passed around clippers. "Right side, with the grain, close one guard," he instructed Christian Dorsey, 11, referring to the length of the plastic guard he should attach to prevent clippers from cutting hair too short. Dorsey hesitated at first, fiddling with the clipper settings. Once he switched it to a one guard, he mimicked cutting hair, his hand hovering three inches above the mannequin. "Get closer," Boone urged him, guiding Dorsey's hand until the clippers made contact with the mannequin. "Good job," he exclaimed, rewarding Dorsey with a high-five. But the academy is more than hairlines and fades, a haircut marked by shorter lengths on the side and back of the head than on top. Boone aims to teach students life skills, give them a taste of entrepreneurship, and encourage them to dream big. When a student asked about dealing with a peak a V-shaped point in the hairline Boone first congratulated him on asking a question. "That's how you get noticed," he said. "Now you're officially part of the class." Then he answered that you could get rid of it or shape it up. "Personally, I'd shape it up," he told the class. "If you were born with something different, you should own it." A bright outlook Boone cuts hair for about 10 clients a day on the three days his shop is open each week. An average haircut costs $30. He's a one-man show, and is content with the business, preferring to focus on his nonprofit work now. But his son, Haalim, 17, has big plans. "I want to own at least 10 barbershops," he said. Haalim has been shadowing his father for years now and helps run the academy. Taylor Johnson, 11, one of Boone's students, hopes to become like the barbers she's seen on YouTube, traveling the world and cutting people's hair in different countries. She's not intimidated to step into the male-dominated field. Historically, barbershops have held a unique significance for black men. Seen as a gateway to the community, shops have been used for everything from introducing health-care interventions and literacy programs to repairing relationships with law enforcement. "It's a place you can come to stay off the streets and talk to a positive role model," said Jaydee Morgan, 23, from West Philadelphia who has been visiting the same barbershop twice a month for the last three years. And it's unlikely to disappear due to technological disruption. A 2017 report from the market research firm IBIS World noted, "There are few, if any, opportunities for increased mechanization or substitution of labor." Instead, many barbershops are using technology to their advantage, said Damon Dorsey, president of the American Barber Association. They're attracting more customers by sharing pictures of their best cuts on Instagram and streamlining the appointment-making process through apps like Booksy. While franchise salons like Supercuts are nudging into the haircut industry, most barbers are unconcerned, Dorsey said. They focus on a clientele seeking more niche services, like a straight razor shave or styled beards. "Supercuts is like the Walmart of barbershops," Dorsey said. "But a real barbershop can give you a really different haircut." Skills for any future The most important thing Haalim Boone learned from his father's academy is that barbers are entrepreneurs first. "You're always selling yourself," the teen said. "You're the centerpiece of your business." For Christian Dorsey, the 11-year-old from West Oakland, the takeaway from the first class was the difference between upselling and downselling. One involves persuading a customer to purchase a more expensive item, he explained, while the other is about offering a cheaper alternative. These are the skills Boone hopes students will use in the future, even if they don't go into barbering. Everyone can benefit from learning entrepreneurship, time management, and financial literacy, he said. Schools don't always teach these skills, and youth, especially in low-income areas, may not have a chance to learn them by handling money or working a job, said Salomon Moreno-Rosa, an assistant director at the Urban Affairs Coalition, comprising over 70 organizations that aim to address poverty and economic opportunity in Philadelphia. It's important to provide children alternate routes to practice these skills, he said. Learning to save, for instance, can help them prepare for setbacks on the way to achieving their goals, said Woody Beale, director of an after-school program run by the coalition that also teaches financial literacy. "If you can just put $10 of $100 away, that's something you can always fall back on when something unexpected happens," Beale said. Dorsey's mom, April Powell, agrees. She hopes the barber academy reinforces for Christian the importance of planning for his future. "Who's to say he can't have his own barbershop one day?" she said. Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces ride on trucks as their convoy passes in Ain Issa, Syria. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) began an assault against the final Islamic State enclave in eastern Syria on Saturday, aiming to wipe out the last vestige of the jihadist groups caliphate in the SDFs area of operations. President Donald Trump, who is planning to pull U.S. forces out of Syria, said on Wednesday he expected an announcement as early as next week that the U.S.-led coalition operating in support of the SDF had reclaimed all the territory previously held by the jihadist group. The enclave is close to the Iraqi border and comprises two villages, though Islamic State (IS) also still has territory in the part of Syria that is mostly under the control of the Russian- and Iranian-backed Syrian government. SDF official Mustafa Bali, speaking to Reuters, described the assault as the last battle. He later wrote on Twitter that the attack had started and the enclave would be cleared soon. The SDF had handled the last 10 days patiently as more than 20,000 civilians were evacuated from the besieged IS enclave, Bali said. Senior SDF official Redur Xelil told Reuters the force hoped to capture the area by the end of February, but cautioned that IS would continue to pose great and serious security threats even after that. Islamic State redrew the map of the Middle East in 2014 when it declared a caliphate across large areas of Syria and Iraq. QAMISHLI, Syria (Reuters), FEBRUARY 9, 2019 DuBell Lumber Co., the Medford-based maker and supplier of retail lumber and building materials, saw its 97-year run come to an end on Saturday. "It is with a heavy heart that we must report that DuBell Lumber has ceased operations effective immediately. All locations are closed, the company said on its Facebook page. David DiMedio, whom documents identified as a DuBell vice president, confirmed that all of the companys locations were closed. "Its because of mismanagement and investment issues, he said, and refused to comment more. Dubell operated stores in Medford, Cherry Hill, Pleasantville, and Winslow, along with a distribution center in Vineland, a truss plant in Millville, and a kitchen and bath showroom in Vineland, according to the companys website. The shutdown eliminated 157 jobs, according to a layoff notice that the firm posted with the New Jersey Department of Labor. Since the 2008 recession, "independent lumber companies have seen more closings and consolidations, said Rob Totaro, director of communications at the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association., which represents independent lumber dealers. Competition from big stores like Home Depot and Lowes is ongoing and intense. Families have been getting out of the business when the next generation goes in different directions. And many dealers are unable to find enough labor to keep up with demand. Since the beginning of 2019, four companies and 20 store locations have closed throughout the country, compared with six store and six company openings, according to Prosales Magazine, which monitors the sector. A similar number of closings and openings occurred in 2018. DuBell Lumber Co. was founded by William DuBell and his sons in 1922 in East Camden, according to the company website. In 1971, the DuBells sold the company to their neighbors, the DiMedio family, owners of DiMedio Lime Co., which later was closed. Ten years later, DuBell moved its headquarters to Medford after a fire damaged its Camden site. The company announced plans to return to its roots two years ago by expanding into Camden, after receiving $18 million in tax credits from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. DuBell planned to centralize its manufacturing and distribution operations in Camden at a cost of $6 million, said authority spokesperson Virginia Pellerin. DuBell also promised to bring 92 jobs and create 30 positions at the Camden site, the authority said in August 2016. But DuBell failed to receive its tax credits because the incentive program is performance-based. Each year, a company must certify that it has maintained at least 80 percent of its job commitments to receive that years allocation of tax credits, said Pellerin. To date, DuBell Lumber has not certified completion of its project, and has not received any portion of the tax credits for which it was approved. There were other signs of distress, Last October, DuBell was fined $106,432 after being cited 18 times by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for exposing employees to hazards. DuBell had failed to "properly control combustible dust resulting from wood processing; train employees on how to control the release of hazardous energy; and use lockout/tag-out procedures and machine guard to protect employees from amputations, OSHA said in a release. Customers spoke fondly of the company. Matt Schell, a carpenter in Collingswood, said he went to DuBells Cherry Hill store two to three times a week to get lumber and supplies. Schell said he got warnings from employees last week that a shutdown was imminent. I went there again on Saturday afternoon and the store was already closed, Schell said. While there are other suppliers in the area, Schell said he preferred DuBell. He contracted with the Cherry Hill store three years ago and it had been his main supplier. They have been reliable, with good prices and great customer service, he said. Their shutdown is inconvenient for me. The characters in Anton Chekhovs Three Sisters frequently profess their boredom. Thankfully, the production onstage at Hedgerow Theatre Company in Rose Valley through March 3 ensures the audience wont suffer the same fate. Director Harriet Power works from Sarah Ruhls sharp 2011 translation, which blends the playwrights idiosyncratic authorial voice with surprising fidelity to the source. The storytelling feels fresh and faithful a sentiment matched by Hedgerows handsome physical production and the unaffected acting style of its company. Scholars and critics often classify Chekhovs plays as comedies, a distinction that sometimes baffles English-speaking spectators. (I dont know Russian, so I cannot attest to the knee-slapping possibilities contained in the original language.) Ruhl, by contrast, leans into the works darker elements; the only humor on display is of the gallows variety. Power picks up that thread with her actors. Even in the whirl of her birthday, Irina (Sophia Barrett) speaks of beloved, lost Moscow with ruefulness. A return to the city from her country exile seems less a promise than a pipe dream. Her pronouncements about the value of hard work sound more persuasive. Yes, Irina loses some of her trademark idealism here, but she gains a strong sense of self-possession in Barretts sensational performance. Shes not alone in being redefined. The drinking problem that consumes Raymond Saracenis Chebutykin comes across as appropriately grim. The soldiers who populate the Prozorov household (designed by James F. Pyne Jr. with superb detail that plays off the auditoriums rubblestone walls) communicate an unspoken menace. Even the dotty factotum Ferrapont (Bob Weick) is stripped of his jocularity. This melancholy approach allows Ruhl to strongly consider the underpinning themes: loss of innocence, disappointment, and resignation. The production reinforces these realizations as spring gives way to winter, and years pass with little to show beyond a few more wrinkles on each brow. Justin Bakers progressively dusky lighting further suggests youth in retreat. Although she sometimes plays to the audience rather than her scene partners, Jennifer Summerfield smartly avoids the trap of excessive drabness as Olga, who fears losing her spirit to toil as a teacher. Jessica DalCantons terminally unfulfilled Masha drips with ennui that turns to passion in the arms of her forbidden love, Lt. Col. Vershinin (Jared Reed, excellent if slightly too old). In keeping with Ruhls serious approach, Marcie Bramucci plays Natasha the arriviste wife of brother Andrei (Adam Altman) as less of a gorgon and more of a practical woman determined to rise above her circumstances. Among the large supporting cast, Susan Wefel brings quiet dignity to Anfisa, the familys aged servant, and David Pica impresses as the insouciant soldier Solyony. Philadelphia theatergoers have their choice of Chekhov this month, with EgoPos Three Sisters Two and Curios Three Sisters, By RashDash, after Chekhov running concurrently. Hedgerows treatment of the original warrants a trip to the suburbs. Theater Logansport, IN (46947) Today A mix of clouds and sun in the morning followed by cloudy skies during the afternoon. High around 85F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional showers. Thunder possible. Low 68F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Staff reports The Petoskey News-Review PETOSKEY The Downtown Petoskey Greenway project recently received the mParks (formerly Michigan Recreation and Park Association) 2018 Park Design Award. This award was presented to the City of Petoskey Feb. 1 at the annual mParks Conference and Tradeshow in Kalamazoo. The project, designed by Beckett & Raeder Inc., was also awarded the Architectural Award in the beautification category by the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce at its Breakfast for Champions in December 2018. The Greenway corridor is designed to allow efficient, nonmotorized travel between downtown Petoskey and the citys outlying areas by users of all abilities, while also providing a park-like setting that gives users an appealing alternative to traditional sidewalk travel. The trail also fills a role in the citys parks and recreation master plan by linking some of the recreational amenities to the trail. This south segment of the Greenway links Petoskeys Pennsylvania Park to the historic Old Town Emmet neighborhood. The trail represents the second phase in the citys efforts to complete a 1.1 mile, regional nonmotorized accessible trail making use of a historic rail corridor. This segment of trail repurposes four blocks of railway corridor beginning at the center of the downtown district. The city and Beckett & Raeder began planning for the south segment in 2015, beginning with a schematic plan for the 1,560-foot-long stretch of trail. In developing the plan, the city and its consultant received input in various public sessions including city council, the planning commission, parks and recreation commission, Downtown Management Board and the general public. The project also received guidance from the Northern Michigan Disability Network with regard to trail surface and accessibility, crosswalks, trail markers, and signage. The disability networks input was among many letters of support for the project. After the final schematic plan was approved by city council in fall 2015, the plans were submitted to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant in April 2016. The submission received DNR approval in 2017 and the final design was developed over the remainder of the year, bid in spring 2018, and constructed in the following months. In a press release announcing the trail awards, Beckett & Raeder noted the primary design influence for the project was the achievement of universal accessibility and the accommodation of pedestrians and cyclists. This segment of trail links a working-class neighborhood with the downtown district. With completion of the project, Beckett & Raeder noted the corridor has transformed from an unused and occasionally-maintained but well-traveled space to an arrangement of unique, pedestrian-friendly parklike spaces. The same assortment of furnishings used on the earlier-built Greenway segment to the north including benches, trash receptacles, bike racks and pedestrian lights were also included on the south portion, confirming it as a segment of the Downtown Greenway. Completion of the trail also represents completion of a link between downtown Petoskey and regional trails, including the Little Traverse Wheelway. In the time since the plan was submitted to the DNR for grant approval, a second farmers market has developed on the south end of the Greenway corridor, which makes two farmers markets on this segment of trail: one at the north end in the heart of downtown, and one in the historic Old Town Emmet neighborhood. But as Beckett & Raeder noted, perhaps the best measure of a successful park space is the level of popularity and reaction from users. From a functional standpoint, even though the south segment was just recently completed, it was a challenge even during construction to keep pedestrians from using the still-developing trail because of the routes popularity. Contractors, city staff, and Beckett & Raeder received regular compliments on the trail from users as it was being completed, and the now-completed path sees regular use even outside Northern Michigans busy tourism season. The mParks organization provides advocacy, resources, and professional development opportunities to a membership of Michigan park and recreation agencies, professionals, vendors, and advocates. Arielle Breen (989) 732-1111 MOUNT PLEASANT A Gaylord High School graduate and Central Michigan University (CMU) masters student is in the running for a Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant. The prestigious national program announced Ian Callison as a semifinalist last month. Callison hopes to win the grant and conduct research on forced migration and conflict dynamics stemming from civil war in Nepal. I am currently working on a masters in political science and I am also planning on doing a Ph.D. in political science, he said. Typically, I study things like civil war, forced migration and these conflict dynamics within civil wars. Callison studied abroad at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore in 2015 and later developed more of an interest in political science. I spent a semester in southeast Asia studying in Singapore, he said. That was an amazing experience. It changed my career trajectory and my interests in the world. He had a summer internship at the China Daily in Beijing in 2016 and graduated with his bachelors degree in journalism with a minor focus in political science in 2017. Callison started the masters program at CMU with a stipend from the Political Science Department and the Michigan King-Chavez-Parks Initiative. And so the two of those have made it so that I can do my masters without going into any more debt, which is awesome and Im really, really grateful for that, he said. Callison said he has been working on a project and trying to get it published with the Journal of Conflict Resolution. He said the research could later help with policies surrounding forced migration and refugees by having a more complete understanding. Basically, what Im looking at is in civil wars there are what are called pro-government militias (PGMs) that are basically just civilians. Sometimes theyre gang members, sometimes theyre criminals that are not soldiers, Callison said. He said PGMs are nonofficial members of the states security. My project specifically looks at how those (PGM) forces affect forced migration. In some instances, PGMs form as a response to violence from insurgents, Callison said. For example, he said a small rebel group would attack a small village and the village would form a vigilante force that are basically just community defense forces that fight off the insurgents. And so you would expect those to decrease the rates of forced migration or being displaced from your home in a period of conflict because youre protecting your civilians, Callison explained. But thats not always the case and theres this weird trend that when PGMs are present, forced migration increases. He said Nepal is a great case study for his proposed research project. Nepal had a civil war from 1996 to 2006, it was really violent, there was a lot of forced migration and displacement and PGMs were present, he said. The grant is for a 10-month period. Looking at and how that affects forced migration is really valuable in trying to formulate forced migration policies. So how do we prevent the number of forced migrants, internally displaced people, refugees? he said. If we can understand the causes of displacement during civil war which is a lot trickier than a lot of people expect then hopefully this project will have some sort of affect on that. Callisons research adviser, Prakash Adhikari, is from the country and also has connections to Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC) in Nepal. Callison hopes to work with INSEC if he is awarded the Fulbright grant. He said the level of competition varies significantly for the various Fulbright grants. Whats interesting about the Fulbright is if youre applying for an English teaching assistant (ETA) in South Korea, theres only like 80 grants available and so you might be a student whos competing in the U.S. against like 150 applicants, he said. For a more obscure grant, like a research grant to Nepal there are only two grants available. Callison said out of nine Fulbright applicants from CMU, a total of seven became semifinalists. According to CMUs Honors Program Facebook page, their applications have been forwarded to the appropriate supervising agencies in their respective host countries for the international stage of the competition. The other CMU semifinalists applied for Fulbright grants that could take them to Colombia, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Slovakia or South Korea. Callison expressed gratitude for the guidance from Maureen Harke, CMUs director of the National Scholarship Program. Ive been actually talking to Maureen about Fulbrights actually for a couple years now, but I just never really had the right project or the reason to go or the country in mind, Callison said. And it all just kind of fell into place last year. He started working on his Fulbright pitch and application last summer. In September, Callison had to be nominated by the university before being accepted into the Fulbright application process. The cool thing was there is so much support from the National Scholarship Program, that theyve been very helpful with figuring out what to do with my application, where Im weak, where Im strong, where I should focus, Callison said. I cant say enough good things about (the program). He said he was also grateful to his family, friends and girlfriend for the support. They are such an invaluable network for me, and any success I achieve is owed to them, he said. Callison encouraged everyone to apply for national scholarships. I think it can be intimidating to submit an app for something that seems so prestigious, and it is easy to feel like you are under-qualified, he added in an email. In the end, though, I think lots of people end up feeling this way and then these scholarships end up only receiving a handful of applications. So you never know where you may stand out. He said he does not expect to get the Fulbright grant, but I would rather try and not get it than not try and never know. Callison graduates in August but finishes his classes in May. He said winners are announced in April. Fulbright grant applications for next year are available at Us.fulbrightonline.org. Sean Miller (231) 439-9394 semiller2@petoskeynews.com The Petoskey News-Review Northern Michigan residents have, as of late, faced a handful of winter storms with enough freezing rain, snow and ice to want to stay indoors perhaps with a glass of wine. What happens, though, when the vines which supply grapes for wine-making filling many acres of vineyards spread across the region dont have the luxury of being indoors? The News-Review asked a sampling of winery owners what kinds of weather-related impacts might be in store for area grape crops. The short answer given was, little to none at all. We are fortunate that we have adopted these newer variety of vines that are OK for colder climates, said Geoff Frey, owner of Crooked Vine Vineyard and Winery near Alanson. The vines we use, and most of the region uses for that matter, come from the University of Minnesota and have been bred for about 60 years and are able to handle up to around 30 below, he said. Frey, who has been growing grapes in Northern Michigan for the past seven years, isnt particularly worried about the recent winter storms or that the colder temperatures will damage his vines before spring. In all my years growing up here Ive never had any sort of damage, he said. Worried or not, Frey will still be checking his vines in a few weeks to see if they have sustained any damage in advance of the upcoming harvest season. He will go out into the vineyard and clip off pieces of the vine and take a straight razor to each piece to examine it and asses the damage. It will really give us an idea if it was a bad winter or not. he said. Im not too worried, though, and neither should the other local wineries like Pond Hill Farm, Mackinaw Trail, Petoskey Farms and all the others. We all, for the most part, use the same variety of vines. Andy Roush, the owner of Petoskey Farms Vineyard and Winery near Petoskey, tells a similar tale that he isnt too worried his 10 acres of vines. You never know 100 percent until the spring on how the weather will affect us but we are growing those cold hearty variety grapes, he said. One thing that helps, too, is the snow, believe it or not. It helps insulate the vines and keep (them) safe too. Both Frey and Roush believe that Northern Michigan wineries, unlike some producers to the south, should have no reason to worry about their vines and grapes this year. I know there will probably be wineries in Southwest Michigan that will experience crop loss due to the temperatures this winter but we should all be OK and ready for the harvest, said Roush. They said Milano Unica was like Pitti without the peacocks. That was partly true. Certainly, there are no photographers, so even though many of the same people visit Milano Unica (MU), they're not on display. Everyone is noticeably more relaxed: there is no playing or posing. But a bigger difference from Pitti is the way the exhibitors present themselves - with the same absence of showing off. At MU, all the stands are closed. From the corridors, all you can see are homogenous brown walls with the occasional Loro Piana or Fox Brothers board sticking out like a street sign. There might be orders for millions of euros of cutting-edge fabric going on inside, but youd have no idea. Inside the booths there is a little more going on, but not much. A small British mill might have a logo and a couple of lengths of cloth draped over the wall. A bigger outfit like Loro Piana has its own wallpaper and reception desk, but there is little razzmatazz beyond a video screen. Milano Unica is such a nice, relaxed atmosphere, Agyesh of Stoffa told me on the second morning. I do most of our development at the mills, but its lovely just to see everyone from those mills, to catch up and congratulate them on their work. So what was I doing there, you may well ask? Well, Vitale Barberis Canonico (VBC) asked me to give a talk to their agents on the Monday night basically, to tell them what questions you all ask about cloth every day. So I thought Id use the opportunity to stay for a couple of days and tour the show. Id never seen this side of the menswear industry, though many had told me about it over the years. (I also didn't have a photographer with me, hence the delightfully amateurish photos.) My strategy was to spend that first evening understanding how it works for a seller, like VBC. And then for most of the next day, to piggy-back on the appointments of Mike and Kasia from Private White, to understand how it works for a buyer. Most of the third day seemed to be spent hanging out with Gianluca (Migliarotti) of Pommella, or talking to Fox, Albini and Canclini about the various cloth collaborations weve done. The VBC evening was probably the most eye-opening. The company was presenting its collection to the 30+ agents that represent it around the world, who would be on the stand for the next three days, meeting their clients and repeating the same information. There were macroeconomic forecasts, a deep dive on the French market (where VBC is the market leader) and 23 new qualities to understand and memorise. A quality is a new type of cloth, whether due to fibre, weave or finishing. But each quality then has a range of colours and patterns perhaps a handful, perhaps 20. So the total number of new cloths for someone like VBC is in the hundreds. With Mike and Kasia (above, left, with Alex of Anglo-Italian) the next day, it sometimes felt like you were going through thousands of swatches. And they all started to blur together. Mike and Kasia had pretty clear objectives on what they wanted, but given the scope of the Private White range, they still ordered scores of samples. For someone like Jake and Alex from Anglo-Italian, whom I saw on day one, things were simpler. They have a very focused idea of what they want and simply looked through everything until they found it usually no more than a handful of pieces from a mill. The overall process is: mill presents client with their whole collection; client picks several qualities/designs they like; these are sent to the client a couple of weeks later to make sample products. Those samples are presented at shows like Pitti Uomo the following June. From these, brands or shops place their orders. And the final garments are made and delivered to shops for January for us to buy from February onwards. So the cloth on show at MU in February 2019 is for things to sell in Spring/Summer 2020. Youre going almost six months further upstream. Fortunately the lunch is very good, and free. But then you cant get into the show at all without being invited and IdeaBiella, where the tailoring cloths are, requires an extra level of access. For some reason the shirts section, Shirts Avenue, is open to everyone. For me, an unexpected bonus was that I got to meet lots of mills that Ive never quite had the time to visit. Marling Evans, for example, a lovely mill in Yorkshire with some beautiful coatings in undyed yarn (below). And Stephen Walters, the silk weaver in Sudbury that celebrates its 300th anniversary in 2020. (I visited Vanners, next door, years ago, but never got here.) It's similar to Pitti in a way: even though lots of the exhibitors are British, it's a lot easier to see them here than to travel to all their factories/mills around the UK. As a consumer, though, its very frustrating. Pitti is bad enough, where you see so many products that aren't picked by buyers and are therefore never available in the shops. But at MU you see hundreds and hundreds of fabrics that are available to brands to order, but will never make it into a bunch for a bespoke customer. Its just too expensive for mills to weave all these designs and hold them as stock, in the hope that theyll all be sold, two or three metres at a time. High on that list was some of the boating stripes and madras checks from Fox, who had one of the most attractive and interesting stands (below - hello Douglas!). As far as trends in general go, these were pretty consistent: Performance fabrics. Everyone had new versions to show, whether Albini, VBC, Canclini or Loro Piana: anti-wrinkle, natural stretch, UV-resistant, water-resistant Sustainability. Just as often, the mill's big pitch was how much water they had cut out of production, or fibres (like tensel, bamboo) that are completely recyclable Transparency. Providing more information to customers about where every element of their fabric comes from. Something on trend and particularly useful for the mills still doing it all in Italy Decline. Mills being bought, going out of business, or cutting agents. Usually those not at the top level for quality, and losing business to Asia and elsehwere Vintage. Linked to the trend of authenticity. Old-fashioned, duller and micro-patterned fabrics that feel vintage and so (ideally) connect the customer to the mill's history I'm not sure it would ever make sense for me to go to MU regularly, but as with lots of things, I found it really interesting learning the mechanics of this part of the industry. I hope you did too. Photography: Permanent Style What to learn more about how Permanent Style is funded? Details here: 'Is this an ad?' As a fourth-year medical student, Ive learned plenty about caring for patients with common illnesses and injuries. But as a native of fire-ravaged Northern California, and a student in Pennsylvania where I hear regularly about communities torn apart by the natural gas industry I cant help but worry about my ability to care for my patients in an age of climate change. Climate change isnt just an environmental crisis, after all. Its a looming health crisis. More hurricanes, floods, droughts, and wildfires means more disease, dehydration, famine, injury, and death. Our health system is already overburdened, and extreme climate change could put it over the edge. And it will unfortunately be our most vulnerable communities low income communities, communities of color, and places where health care is already hard to come by who will suffer the worst consequences. While my medical schools curriculum encourages deep thinking about how to expand health care for underserved communities, its included little if any acknowledgement of the coming climate catastrophe. Some medical colleges are beginning to wake up to the need to prepare the future generation of physicians to handle these challenges, and more colleges are joining this critical effort each day. For example, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai recently launched a Climate Change Curriculum Infusion Project, which seeks to prepare future physicians by weaving the impacts of climate change on health into existing medical curriculum. We know that climate change is real, manmade, and accelerating far beyond what researchers originally predicted. Its not up for debate. There are countless studies to back that up including the Special Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the 2018 Global Climate Report, and the Fourth National Climate Assessment, to name a few. We didnt create this pending catastrophe an overzealous, greedy fossil fuel industry did. But my generation will have to bear the consequences of their recklessness, and a whole generation of doctors, nurses, and other health professionals will have to care for those who suffer. As the data rolls in, we understand that climate change has already begun to make permanent changes to our world and that only rapid, sweeping changes to our energy system and environmental policies will even begin to mitigate the damage. The truth is were moving too slow. Under the current U.S. administration, were in fact moving in the wrong direction if we hope to minimize this looming health crisis. We need to commit to zero emissions and an overhaul of our energy system to renewables yesterday. Whatever happens on the policy front, health professionals need to be ready for the disruptions we know are coming. Medical colleges are in a unique position, and have a distinct obligation, to prepare future generations of physicians for the challenge of a lifetime. Medical students need our educators to help us not only to prepare our medical practice, but to take leadership in pushing for the sweeping policy changes required to avert the worst consequences of this impending disaster. We need everyone to wake up and see that if we dont act boldly now, well have a crisis too big for our system to handle and too much for any budding physicians hands to hold. -- Autumn Vogel is a fourth-year medical student at Penn State College of Medicine and a student representative on the board of Physicians for Social Responsibility. Distributed by OtherWords.org. With up to 6 inches of more snow on the way, mixed with one tenth of an inch of ice, the National Weather Service at State College has issued a winter storm warning. This creates a potentially-messy commute this afternoon and on Tuesday for many in the Harrisburg area. The warning is in effect until 6 p.m. Tuesday for Dauphin, Cumberland, Lebanon, Perry and Huntington counties. According to the National Weather Service at State College, the forecast for the Harrisburg region looks like this: This afternoon: A chance of light snow before 1 p.m., then snow after 1 p.m. Daytime accumulations of 1 to 3 inches can be expected with a high of 33. Overnight: Snow showers before 1 a.m. can be expected, then snow and sleet between 1 and 4 a.m., then snow, freezing rain and sleet with a low of 29. New snow and sleet accumulations will total 2 to 4 inches. Daytime Tuesday: Freezing rain and sleet is expected before 1 p.m. then rain or freezing rain. New ice accumulations of one tenth of an inch is expected with less than half an inch of sleet. The high will reach 35. Overnight Tuesday into Wednesday: Rain is expected before 4 a.m. then a chance of rain and snow showers with another half inch of accumulation possible. Expect a low of 32. Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of snow showers before 7 a.m. is in store with wind gusts up to 33 mph. Wednesday will otherwise be partly sunny with a high of 35. Oops....! We couldn't find that... 404 error Unfortunately the page you were looking for could not be found. It may be temporarily unavailable, moved or no longer exist. Check the URL you entered for any mistakes and try again. Alternatively, search for whatever is missing or take a look around the rest of our site. Several cars were involved Sunday evening in an accident on Route 22 east in Lebanon County. According to 511PA, all lanes are closed near Coon Creek Road. Check back for more details. John Fox was driving east on Union Deposit Road last week, headed to a 6 p.m. meeting, when the driver in front of him abruptly pulled into the middle turning lane. Fox started to pull past that car when he noticed a body lying in the street in the westbound lane, and a teenage boy standing on the street corner, inconsolably crying and yelling. Fox didnt know the woman on the asphalt had been struck by a vehicle and her grandson on the corner had witnessed the crash. And he didnt have any particular emergency training. But he knew he had to help. He swerved across Union Deposit Road onto Collingswood Street so quickly that he hit a curb and flattened his tire. He parked his car, dialed 911 and ran toward the body in the street. The body belonged to 63-year-old Elaine Pendelton. She wasnt breathing. Fox put his phone down on the street and started cardiopulmonary resuscitation. He had been trained in CPR 25 years ago as a Boy Scout, but said it all came back. He focused on his chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth breathing as another bystander checked the womans pulse. What started as a faint pulse was getting stronger, the bystander told Fox. After a few minutes, police officers arrived. They told Fox he was doing everything right and to keep it up. They focused on controlling traffic that was getting tangled up on the busy thoroughfare. As Fox worked, he could hear two children wailing from the side of the road: Grandma, Grandma! Meanwhile, the bystander talked to the unconscious woman, encouraging her to survive. Stay with us, the bystander repeated to Pendelton. This isnt your time, After five full minutes of performing CPR, an ambulance arrived and paramedics took over. They hooked Pendelton up to a machine that showed a heartbeat and Fox was relieved. He prayed she would pull through as she was taken to a hospital. Just then, Fox overheard someone saying that the driver who struck Pendelton was still at the scene. It was only then that Fox realized Pendelton had been hit by a vehicle. Because there were no injuries or blood, Fox originally thought Pendelton may have collapsed in the street from a health problem. Instead, police confirmed a westbound vehicle struck her as she tried to cross the westbound lane a few minutes before 6 p.m. Her grandson Khyree, 13, was a few steps ahead of her and he safely made it to the curb. Fox later learned Pendelton died at a hospital from her injuries, and his heart sank. The next day, Fox went to his office on Union Deposit Road, where he works as a custom home builder, and kept fairly busy. But he couldnt shake the image of Pendeltons face and the sounds of her grandchildren wailing. He wanted to do more to help this family. He wanted at least to convey his deep sympathy for their loss. So he started reaching out to police and others to find them. He researched phone numbers online and called them, but most of the numbers were disconnected. He identified three addresses and visited all three homes. After knocking on the third door, Pendeltons sister called his cell phone. She had received his phone number from one of his earlier queries. Fox was worried relatives would think him odd for tracking them down. But what he didnt realize was that the relatives had been looking for him too. They were so impressed that a man would go out of his way for a complete stranger on the street. They believe he brought Pendelton back to life at the scene and gave her a fighting chance to survive. His efforts to save Pendelton provided great comfort to the family amid the tragedy. We know our loved one wasnt alone in her last moments, said Teah Lavender, Pendeltons niece. But Fox wasnt finished. He was raised in a Christian home and God put something on his heart, he said. He offered to pay for the entire funeral cost. The family did not have the resources to pay for funeral services and they had been unable to schedule a date for services until they could raise thousands of dollars. Elaine Pendelton had diabetes and a prior stroke that made it impossible for her to find affordable life insurance. Fox stopped by Pendeltons sisters home Saturday and wrote a check that covered the entire estimate of funeral costs. The generous offer shocked the family and provided a second wave of comfort to the family, knowing they could now provide Pendelton a proper burial. Our family loves Mr. Fox, Lavender said. We think hes an angel. We hope to keep in touch with him. The family had started an online fundraiser to pay for the funeral, which they immediately shut down when Fox paid for the funeral. Relatives said they very much appreciated the donations to that fund, which will pay for an urn, a post-funeral gathering known as a repast, and counseling services for 13-year-old Khyree, who saw his Gammy get hit by a vehicle and heard her shoes scraping the pavement. The impact by the vehicle knocked off her shoes, shirt and coat. Khyree, his sister Ayanna, 10, and their mother Samara Pendelton lived with Elaine Pendelton about a half-mile from where the crash occurred. They spent their days and nights together under the same roof so the loss of Elaine Pendelton could not be overstated. I felt like everything was closing in on me, Samara said of the loss of her mother. But (Fox) was like an angel. He came to me in my lowest time so we could breathe a little bit. I never expected this to happen, she said. I will never forget what he did for us. Hes just amazing. Fox said he and his family plan to attend Pendeltons services, which are set for Friday. Central Pennsylvania-based JLG Industries Inc. has filed a $2 million federal trademark infringement lawsuit against a Chinese firm it accuses of pirating the orange and cream color scheme of its construction equipment. U.S. Middle District Judge Matthew W. Brann issued a temporary restraining order barring Lingong Group Jinan Heavy Machinery Co. Ltd. from using those hues on its own scissor lifts and other equipment. JLG, which is headquartered in McConnellsburg, Fulton County, claims Lingong deliberately copied the colors JLG has been using on its various types of aerial construction work platforms for more than 25 years. The JLG color scheme is protected by federal trademarks, the company contends. It insists Lingongs use of those colors on machinery it recently imported to the U.S. is an obvious attempt to trade on the notoriety and goodwill of the JLG marks to gain a toehold in the U.S. aerial work platform market. The orange and cream color scheme is an important selling point for JLG, which has spent more than $44 million in advertising and promoting its products featuring the color scheme in the past six years alone, the suit states. The suit also states that Lingong altered the advertising images of its equipment in late January to show a single reddish-orange color scheme. However, JLG raised concerns that the hundreds of Lingong lifts already imported to the U.S. might not be repainted. JLG is asking Brann to order Lingong to repaint or destroy those lifts and to make the Chinese firm disgorge any profits it obtained by using JLGs colors. In issuing the temporary restraining order on Friday, Brann noted no attorney has yet logged in to represent Lingong and two American distributors named in the JLG suit. Still, the judge wrote in issuing the order that it appears that sale or rental of the allegedly infringing products is imminent. Therefore, JLG appears to be facing immediate and irreparable injury. Branns order bars Lingong from using the orange and cream scheme in any manner, including for advertising. JLG must post a $100,000 bond. The restraining order is scheduled to expire on Feb. 22. Members of the Dauphin County family whose five daughters were abused by their Catholic priest plan to continue attending the series of listening sessions spurred by the churchs acknowledgement that such abuse was widespread. Upcoming sessions are scheduled for Tuesday night in Lancaster County and Wednesday night in Cumberland County. Carolyn Fortney said in an email Monday that she and her sisters are planning on attending on Tuesday night, and members of her family plan to attend subsequent sessions. The series of ten listening sessions, which began in January, is being hosted by Bishop Ronald Gainer. Also attending each is retired state police Capt. Janet McNeal, who has been hired to oversee youth protection efforts for the Diocese of Harrisburg. The listening sessions are part of the dioceses response to the 2018 grand jury report that found decades of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and coverup in Pennsylvania. The purpose is to address the report and our path forward. The Fortney sisters testified before the grand jury and recently began speaking in public about the sexual abuse inflicted on them during the 1980s by their priest, who was regularly welcomed into their home. In an op-ed piece, the Fortney sisters write that, at the first listening session, they arrived feeling as of they wore a scarlet letter of shame. But their negative feelings disappeared as voices filled with hope, support and love for us and all victims echoed throughout the church. Tuesdays session begins at 6:30 p.m. at Saint Leo the Great Parish, 2427 Marietta Avenue near Lancaster. Another is scheduled for Wednesday in Cumberland County, beginning at 7 p.m. at Saint Joseph Parish, 410 East Simpson Street in Mechanicsburg. The full schedule of sessions is here. A scimitar-horned oryx a species that was once extinct in the wild has been born at the Lehigh Valley Zoo at Schnecksville. The female oryx was born January 29 to parents Donner and Tik-Tok, and has since joined her parents on exhibit for zoo visitors. Staff at the zoo named the young calf Harper. She is the eighth oryx born at the zoo, which is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums species survival plan for the scimitar-horned oryx. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared the species extinct in the wild in 2016, but since then releases of animals born in zoos under the AZA program onto the Quadi-Achim Faunal Reserve in Chad, Africa, and some wild-births have built a population of more than 100 of the animals in the wild. Harper is the 8th oryx born at Lehigh Valley. We recognize the impact this birth makes on the conservation efforts being made to protect this species said Lead Keeper Kaylyn Devine. We are honored that Lehigh Valley Zoo is part of the worldwide effort to protect these animals. According to the zoo, Scimitar-horned oryx are mostly white with reddish brown necks and marks on the face and a long, dark, tufted tail. The white coat helps reflect the heat of the desert. Their black skin and tip of the tongue protects against sunburn, while enlarged hooves enable the oryx to walk easily on sand. Dense eyelashes and strong eyelids protect against windblown sand. Both male and female scimitar-horned oryx have long, ridged, sharp-tipped and curved backwards horns that grow to be several feet long. The species once roamed the Sahara and Sahel regions of northern Africa, across parts of Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan and Tunisia. It was driven extinct in the wild by over-hunting, habitat loss and persistent drought. The scimitar-horned oryx is named for its curved sword-like horns. Lehigh Valley Zoo was begun as the Trexler Game Preserve in 1906 by General Harry Trexler, a local industrialist. Free-roaming herds of bison and elk were the first residents. In 1935, the Lehigh County took ownership of the preserve and, in 1974, construction began on the preserves 29-acre zoo. In 2004, Lehigh Valley Zoological Society assumed management of the zoo, as well as the daily management of the bison and elk herds and the palominos in the 1,100-acre Trexler Nature Preserve. The zoo and preserve are home to more than 325 animals of about 125 species, of which 22 species are managed as part of the AZA Species Survival Plan Program. Its bold move for a nightclub guy. But Ron Kamionka, Harrisburgs after dark king, is tackling an unsuspecting project at the former Mulligans Downtown Pub at 17 N. Second St., which closed earlier this month. On Feb. 28, Hops, Vines & Spirits Tasting Room will open, showcasing Pennsylvania wines, beers and spirits. Its the most adult project Ive ever done, joked Kamionka, who is known for night spots such as Sawyers and Bourbon Street Saloon in Harrisburg. Kamionka isnt exactly entering unchartered territory with his Pa.-branded booze project. Hes taking a slightly different approach the rustic chic tasting room will feature a revolving door of new products. Every month it will highlight two breweries, two wineries and one distillery. Hes sticking to a hardcore Pa. theme. You wont be able to buy a Bud Light and you wont be able to buy a Grey Goose, he said. To complement the beverages, the tasting room will serve a Pennsylvania sourced menu, heavy on items such as charcuterie plates made from local meats and cheeses. Customers also will be able to order flights of cocktails, some infused or garnished with fresh herbs grown in the tasting room. Local producers such as Urban Churn Ice Cream in Harrisbug will be profiled every month, while a bottle shop will carry bottles of wine and beer along with snacks such as popcorn and nuts to go. The idea for the tasting room came to Kamionka after he connected with a local winery. You see the passion and the amount of work they put into it. It reminded me of the old days and that enthusiasm I had, he said. Part of the appeal will be he convenience factor of having the products under one roof, Kamionka said, adding its not always easy to travel to the different wineries, breweries and distilleries. On specific nights owners will be on hand to conduct tastings with customers. Kamionka said hes hoping in the future to parlay the concept into larger venue, perhaps a tasting room with 20 or more vendors profiled every month. Tasting rooms are the big thing right now, and there are so many of the little wineries, breweries and distilleries. They have great products and they dont get the exposure they need, he said. To me, its almost like an incubator project. We are selling the product but Im showcasing a lot of local people who are startups." The first month will feature spirits from Tattered Flag Brewery & Still Works, wine from Broad Mountain Vineyard in Halifax and Moon Dancer Winery in Wrightsville, hard cider from Wyndridge Farm Crafty Hard Cider in Dallastown and beer from St. Boniface Craft Brewing Co. in Ephrata. Hops, Vines & Spirits Tasting Room will be open 4 p.m.- midnight Wednesday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday with brunch. Patna: Janata Dal U national vice president Prashant Kishor, at a press conference in Patna on Monday, downplayed the arrival of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on the political scene saying while she was a well-known name, she would have little or no impact on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Kishor, who was inducting former independent politician Ashok Kumar Chowdhary into the party at the JD-U office, said that while Congress was strongly pushing the grand-daughter of former Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi into the political arena, her presence on the campaign trail would have no impact on the prospect of the NDA. In politics, there is no such thing as an instant formula for success. Priyanka Gandhi has, by and large, remained outside the political corridors of Delhi for much of her life and it would be very difficult to imagine she has some sort of miraculous trick that would somehow change the already defined landscape of the Indian politics, the JD-U leader said. Narrating his experience from his short stint as a Congress consultant, Kishor said that during the last election he had suggested Congress leaders to make Priyanka Gandhi the face of the party but the Congress turned down his suggestion. Time has changed since then. I doubt if her presence will make any difference in UP polls, he said. About his recent meeting with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackrey, Kishor defended his action saying his friendship with Sena leaders went back a long time and he did not see any harm in meeting with his old acquaintances in Mumbai. Patna: Bihar Governor Lalji Tandon on Monday inaugurated the Budget Session of the state Assembly in the presence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Rabri Devi and other members of the NDA and opposition parties. Speaking on the occasion at the newly-built Central Hall, the Governor, reading from a pre-written speech, highlighted the achievements of the Nitish government that, he said, was committed to its resolve of development along with social justice for all. The government is committed to all around development in the state vis a vis social justice for all. Its Seven Resolves are already showing results and many people are benefitting directly from many of the initiatives taken by the government under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. Rehashing lines from his Republic Day speech at Patnas Gandhi Maidan last month, the Governor said that the Nitish administration was doing everything in its might to make Bihar a developed state. It has also taken a number of steps to make Bihar youths self-dependent and has committed itself to make all basic amenities available to every single citizen of Bihar, he said. The Budget Session is to run through February 20 and like all other Assembly sessions in Bihar, this one is also expected to be noisy and disruptive marred with frequent walk-outs and chanting of anti-government slogans. Deputy Chief Minister and Bihar Finance Minister Sushil Kumar Modi is expected to present the 2019-2020 budget on Tuesday. Patna: Pistol-waiving criminals in Patna on Monday intercepted an employee of a paper company near Dinkar Roundabout in Rajendra Nagar and robbed him of Rs. 10 lakh that he was carrying with him to a nearby bank for deposit. The incident occurred shortly after noon when a staff of Kishan Agrawal, a paper trader in Dariyapur, was going to make a deposit at the Canara Bank located on Arya Kumar Road under Kadam Kuan police station. As soon as he reached the Dinkar Roundabout, two criminals on a motorcycle stopped him and snatched the bag with money after sticking a pistol to his head. The two then fled away before this employee could raise an alarm. Police said they will be combing video surveillance footage from the area that, they hoped, would give them some clue on the identification of the criminals. Patna: Following a 3-hour long fierce encounter with a gang of criminals in Paliganj at the outskirts of the state capital, police arrested its gang leader Jumman Mian and eleven of his cohorts on late Saturday night. Police recovered six pistols, one carbine, two dozen live cartridges, four bottles of country liquor, and a dozen cell phones from their possession. Speaking at a press conference in Patna on Sunday, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Garima Malik said that the police, based on a tip, carried out a raid in Jamharu village in Paliganj on Saturday night. Seeing the police vehicles approaching, criminals began firing at the law-enforcement officials which led the police team led by ASP Anil Singh and SDPO Manoj Pandey also to open fire in retaliation. At least 50 rounds were fired by the criminals against 30 by the police officials. Malik said that sensing the criminals were gaining advantage over the police officials, a special task force (STF) team was dispatched to assist them in making the arrest. After a battle of nearly three hours, a dozen criminals, including their leader Jumman Mian, were taken into custody and hauled to the jail. At least two police jawans were hurt when villagers began pelting them with stones, police said. A police constable attached to the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) has been hospitalised due to an alleged assault by UNP Badulla District MP Chaminda Wijesiri yesterday in Bandarawela. Police said the constable who was travelling in a jeep of the DIG of the PNB, was assaulted when he overtook the MPs vehicle in Bandarawela Town. It was reported that the DIG was not in the jeep when the incident happened. The Constable was admitted to the Bandarawela Hospital following the assault. No one had been arrested and the Bandarawela Police are investigating the incident. Today is the the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, which offers us the opportunity to pay tribute to an old, famed, and beloved Brooklyn parish named in her honor. In its heyday, this parish occupied an entire Brooklyn city block, complete with rectory, parish and school. It was also a pilgrimage site for thousands of New York Catholics for over half a century (even from Manhattan). In September 1872, the Fathers of Mercy, a French-based religious community, started a new parish in Brooklyns Bushwick/East New York section for a growing Catholic population. Thirty families formed the original congregation. Named for St. Francis De Sales, the parish started with a two-room schoolhouse and an old frame building for the church. There was also a priests cemetery. The parish, known as the little French Church, was actually mostly Irish. Born in France to Italian parents, longtime pastor Father Eugene Porcile. S.P.M. (1839-1912), was called Father Purcell by the Irish. Father Porcile had a strong devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes, then a relatively new devotion in the United States. In 1897, he formally petitioned Brooklyns new Bishop, Charles E. McDonnell, to change the parishs name to Our Lady of Lourdes. McDonnell, who visited the grotto whenever he was in Europe, readily agreed. The parish was soon renamed. Later the street was re-titled De Sales Place to honor the parishs pioneer years. A new, imposing church was soon erected, believed to be the first shrine church in America dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes. One of its most prominent features was described in the pages of The Brooklyn Eagle in 1898: Behind the altar there is a representation to imitate the famous grotto at Lourdes. There is a structure some thirty feet in height of imitation rocks and shrubs. There is a cave in the center about ten feet in height and extending back some fourteen feet. At a corner above stands the Virgin Mary as she stood, according to the story, when she first appeared to the little girl Bernadette and performed the first Lourdes miracle. On the opposite side stands Bernadette herself. Within a year of the parishs redesignation, By 1898, the Eagle noted, that thousands of people are making pilgrimages to the church from all across the city. For those who couldnt afford to make it to France, indulgences were granted as if the petitioner had journeyed to the distant shores of France. By 1899, special Masses began to be offered for the sick on a regular basis. For decades the church, described as one of the handsomest in Brooklyn, and its grotto were a center for local devotions. Brooklyns Holy Name Societies annually brought crowds of 2,000 to 2,500 local Catholic men by the turn of the century. In 1910, the Eagle called it a shrine for many devout pilgrims from all sections of the city. The parish was known as the Grotto Church. By the 1920s, one writer noted the parish offered blessings of the sick every Wednesday afternoon. The clatter of the elevated. it was observed, and the roar of Broadway traffic are forgotten, and distant Lourdes is recreated in an alien land. The author concluded: Those who lament that life in America today has lost all color and all poetry might well visit the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, where candles burn perpetually and France is born anew in Brooklyn. By the early 1960s, the Fathers of Mercy had withdrawn from the parish. As the decade progressed, the neighborhood changed greatly, as longtime parishioners died or moved away. Pilgrimages to Our Lady of Lourdes fell off considerably. In 1974, the much-beloved church building burned to the ground. Later the parish was merged with nearby St. Martin of Tours, founded in 1906. Today, Bushwick is a hot spot for gentrification, but I wonder how many newcomers know the neighborhood history. The story of Our Lady of Lourdes brings us from the years when Bushwick was scattered farms, through the years of the old neighborhood, when locals identified themselves by parish rather than region, when thousands flocked to Aberdeen Street to experience a bit of France in Brooklyn. (*The above drawings of Father Porcile and the parish are taken from the pages of The Brooklyn Eagle, which operated from 1841 to 1955.) Some interesting observations on the golden opportunity for evangelization that lies at our feet if we will but think of evangelization as the Holy Father call us to do and not of drawing up the drawbridge on Fortress Katolicus as his enemies all urge: A few weeks ago I received an email from one of my students. She has been working amongst Muslim women and had just had a phone call from one of her Muslim friends. The woman was weeping uncontrollably, and my student assumed someone in her family had died. After she regained her composure she made the following startling statement, I have been a Muslim for forty-one years, and in all that time have never questioned Islam. But now, I have decided to leave it. When my student asked her why, she related that she had been watching ISIS videos and the brutality that they justified as the methods of the Prophet. She decided to leave Islam. I have often referred Islamic radicals as proto-evangelists for the Christian faith. The first of these was the Ayatollah Khomeini. His brutal regime in Iran, whose atrocities and policies have lead many Iranians to leave Iran, has also led to an exodus of Iranians out of Islam. Estimates are difficult, but the numbers significant. Outside Iran the numbers are firmer but no less astonishing. In Sweden, fully ten percent of the Iranian immigrant population has converted to the Christian faith. That is approximately eight thousand out of a total of eighty thousand in the entire country. Some Iranian believers have called the Ayatollah the greatest missionary because he showed us what Islam is really like. The next great figure in this progression was Osama Bin Laden. Bin Laden defined the rulers of the Muslim world as apostates for cooperating with the West.Though best known for the September 11, 2001 attacks, his group, al-Qaeda, quickly morphed from killing westerners to killing Muslims. Their brutality has particularly been harsh in Iraq and Syria, as has been actions by the Taliban in Pakistan. ISIS or the Islamic State is the latest in the progression of groups and states working for the absolute application of Islamic law. His declaration of a new caliphate has alarmed the Muslims world. His groups cleverand successfulpropaganda films glory in violence, hostage taking, beheadings, sex-slavery, and slaughter of Muslim and non-Muslims. The recent burning to death of a Jordanian Muslim pilot seems to have stepped well beyond even the brutality of Islamic law and it is likely that IS followers may shortly be defined as apostates from Islam justifying a new Jihad against them. This propaganda and terror war is being fought on the internet. Most westerners do not watch these films. But it was astonishing to see how quickly the film of the Jordanian pilots death spread throughout the Muslim world. The mans father watched it on his cell phone in a public meeting. As Islamic law, and the groups that espouse it, fails, where will people turn? When I met a group of Iranian Church leaders in Sweden their great fear was that Muslims would turn to secularism, even to atheism. Many have come to the Church but this assumes that the Church is a safe space for Muslims. The tragedy is that many Churches are not welcoming for Muslims. They regard them as the enemy. In a shameful display in Texas recently a group of Christians heckled a Muslim meeting and called on them to leave the country. The harvest in Sweden is partly a result of the Church taking a stand for Muslim immigrants and against local nationalist parties. The Church in Sweden is a safe space for Muslims. Is the evangelical Church in America a safe space for Muslims? The proto-evangelists are doing their job. Are we doing ours? Many of you have probably been following the cascading scandals surrounding Democratic leadership in Virginia. First, a photo surfaced on Governor Ralph Northams yearbook page showing a person in a Ku Klux Klan costume standing next to a white man in minstrel-like blackface. Next, Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax found himself faced with allegations of sexual assault. Finally, Attorney General Mark Herring, third in line in order of succession, preemptively admitted to donning blackface in the 1980s himself. And heres perhaps the strangest part of all of this. If all three of these men were to resign or be ousted, the governorship of the state of Virginia would go to Republican state House Speaker Kirk Cox. This seems oddthat the states voters could choose a Democratic governor and then end up with a Republican governor without holding a new election. This morning, I came across an article on The Root covering Georgias ongoing election scandal: it seems the number of black voters who voted for governor in that state but not for lieutenant governor defies explanation. These voters voted in lower numbers for lieutenant governor than they did for agriculture secretary or other down ballot races, and these undervotes only occurred for those who used voting machinesand not for mail-in ballots in the same precincts. I was still stuck on another point, thoughthe fact that governor and lieutenant governor races are separate. This seems like a terrifically bad idea: you could end up with a governor of one party and a lieutenant governor of the other. This is apparently the case in eighteen states. (Yes, I was curious, and yes, I checkedthe two races are separate in Virginia, meaning that Lieutenant Governor Justice Fairfax was not simply on Northams ticket.) Because I live in the Midwest, I have never lived in a state that had the two races on separate ballots. But because Ive always been a history buff, I immediately made the connection with something elsein the Constitution as originally written, the candidate with the most votes in the electoral college became the president while the candidate who came in second became the vice president. This created some, shall we say, very serious problems. In the early republic, candidates who ran against each other in bitter contests subsequently found themselves installed as president and vice president. This situation was so uncomfortable for all involved that the election procedure was modified by Constitutional amendment in time for the young nations fourth presidential election. Interestingly, the idea of a vice president did not come up until very late in the Constitutional Convention. Initially, the delegates decided that the Senate was to elect its own President, and this individual would be the chief executives successor. An 11-member committee tasked with conducting leftover business changed this. This committee was tasked with deciding the electoral process for the chief executive, and it was they who invented the electoral college. The committee of 11 was concerned that each states electors would simply vote as a block for a candidate from their own state. To correct for this they required each elector to vote for two candidates, one of whom must be from another state. But they worried the electors would cast the second vote for a throw-away candidate in order to bolster their own states candidate. In order to prevent this, they decided that the candidate who received the second-most electoral votes would be installed as Vice President, serving as President of the Senate and successor to the chief executive. You can see why they thought this might make sense, but as it happens things didnt turn out the way they thought they would. In their assumption that electors would vote for the candidate from their own state, committee members failed to foresee the rise of political parties. I think all of us, today, can concede that it would be a terrible idea to have a President Donald Trump and a Vice President Hillary Clinton (or vice versa). In a similar sense, the current succession process in Virginia, where the governorship can go to a member of the opposite party if the governor and other top officials resign or are ousted, is creating its own problems: the possibility that the governorship could end up in the hands of a Republican is complicating Democrats willingness to clean house. Curious when the current Virginia succession process was set up, I looked at Virginias original 1776 constitution and found that the governor was not elected by the people at allinstead, the governor was elected by the Virginia legislature. At that time, there was no lieutenant governor. Instead, the combined houses of the legislature elected a committee of eight to assist in the administration of the government. This body was then to elect a President, who would succeed the governor in case of death, inability, or absence of the governor. I grew up in a conservative community that lauded the founding fathers almost as deities. Everything was to be about their original intent, which in retrospect assumes some sort of weird perfection on the founding fathers part. But then, were talking about people who think paintings like this are edgy and profound: Im seriously curious about how Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglassin the far back leftfeel about being included in this picture. But note the importthe Constitution is literally given to Americans by God. The fault lines in Virginia today are a reminder that those who designed our political systems were just as human and just as fallible as you and I are. Sometimes they overlooked things. Sometimes they didnt think of things. Conservatives frequently tout our continuous use of the same constitution, even as other countries have adopted new constitutions over the years. This would seem to ignore the 17 amendments that followed the Bill of Rightsand the many ways in which our system of government has ceased to function effectively today. As I close, I want to return for a moment to the ongoing situation in Virginia. The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus has called on Governor Ralph Northam to resign. On Friday, they also called on Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax to resign. They did not call for the resignation of Attorney General Mark Herring. Instead, they stated that they appreciate his honesty and are waiting to see him act to further reassure Virginians. This is a moment when the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus should be front and center. Theyre speaking. Lets hope others are listening. I have a Patreon! Please support my writing! Has the Trump administration made life harder for farmers? Although he originally touted himself as a man after the Midwests own heart, Trump has left farmers in the dust ever since he stepped into office. Now, according to a Wall Street Journal review of federal data, U.S. farmers are filing for chapter 12 bankruptcy protections at rates not seen for at least a decade. Bankruptcy numbers in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals are now twice as high as they were in 2008. The Eighth Circuit has seen swellings of 96%, while the Tenth is facing 59% more filings than a decade prior. These courts cover statesIllinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kansas, Arkansas and morethat account for nearly half of all farm production sales in the U.S. among them. Since soybean, corn, and other commodity prices have waned in recent years due to burgeoning competition from agricultural powerhouses like Brazil and Russia, farmers have longed for a sympathetic force in Washington to ease the trading process. Trade, not aid has long been a motto for elected officials in Americas heartland. But Trump has managed to embroil himself in trade wars with China and Mexico, both major buyers of U.S. agricultural goods, and it has hit farmers right in the wallet. Soybean, corn, and hog prices have plummeted in retaliation for tariffs levied against these countries. Agriculture prices live and die by exports, University of Wisconsin professor of agribusiness Kevin Bernhardt told the Milwaukee Independent, in all commodities, were heavily dependent on China, especially for soybeans. Yet Trump has said that he will not meet with Chinese President Xi Jingping until March 1 at the earliest, signaling that these hard-hitting tariffs are far from over. Trumps record-shattering government shutdown also stiffed farmers, as it saw the crippling of the Farm Service Agency, and therefore farmers access to loans and federal aid. At last months annual convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation, Trump ensured farmers that their greatest harvest was yet to come. No one understands better than our great farmers that the tough choices we make today reap rewards for centuries to come, he told them, in defense of his holding out for border wall funds. The Trump administration has been hard on the agricultural industry. Trump must have the famous trade, not aid motto backwards: bailouts have been massive, while trade has never been more difficult for financially-drained farmers. Even if Trump does manage to settle his disastrous trade disputes, farmers fear the effects of his petulance will be felt for years to come. First off, Representative Omar is a Semite. Secondly, even if the people claiming that Omar is being anti-Semitic in the anti-Jewish sense are right (which again, theyre not), equating AIPAC with all Jews is being FAR more anti-Semitic than what these folks claim Omar is asserting. If youre lucky enough to not have your brain poisoned by Twitter, youre probably a little confused as to what Im talking about. It all began with a tweet that admittedly was far too vague, and for a certain kind of person who looks at Omars hijab and thinks of anti-Semitism (again, shes a Semite, just like me), or simply someone who isnt plugged in to the day-to-day political madness, this looks like it could be another George Soros-type Jews control the world conspiracy. It's all about the Benjamins baby https://t.co/KatcXJnZLV Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) February 10, 2019 GOP House minority leader Kevin McCarthy, who published anti-Semitic memes after George Soros received a pipe bomb in the mail, decided that he was done being an anti-Semite who ginned up support from the anti-Semites in the GOP, and was now an anti-Semite who virtue signals towards the Very Serious People in our nation's capital to gain their support. Luckily for him, this kind of anti-Semitism is tolerated in our nation's capital, and he has bent the Democratic Party to his will. Omar quickly corrected her sole error of vagueness, and specifically identified who she was talking about when she insinuated that a political leader was taking money to advance an agenda. AIPAC is the Israel lobby in Washington D.C., and there is a difference between Israel and Jews. This basic nuance is completely lost on much of major media, many of whom echoed McCarthy's false charges of anti-Semitism, favoring the vagueness of Representative Omar's first tweet over the specificity of her second one. As a Jew, this kind of stuff is so much more hurtful than the traditional stereotype that Omar is falsely accused of perpetuating: Omar ignites new anti-Semitism controversy with comments on AIPAC via @BresPoliticohttps://t.co/2QgtDotN06 Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) February 11, 2019 AIPAC does not represent most Jews. Eighty five percent of Israelis supported Trump moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, while just 46% of American Jews did. This hurtful conflation of two very different things reduces people like me to caricatures of whatever AIPAC wants, as if all Jews are united on the topic of Israel. We're notfar from it. We are very divided and it is frankly, exhausting. I didn't even want to write this column even though I knew I had to. Jews in Israel are different from Jews in America the same way anyone in Israel is different from anyone in America. I can't believe I even need to type those words, but the constant stream of bad-faith attacks on Omar from major power brokers in both the political and media establishment demonstrates an extremely narrowD.C.-centricview of the world. I'd bet half the people in our nation's capital arguing that Omar committed some unforgivable sin haven't been west of Philadelphia or south of D.C. since the 20th century. Here is a major reporter credulously asking whether the Representative is suggesting that an organization explicitly dedicated to lobbying congress spends money on lobbying congress. F***ing duh, dude. are you suggesting AIPAC is paying members of Congress? Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) February 11, 2019 There are deep divisions on Israel and the myriad interests surrounding its present iteration, and characterizing Jewish opinion on this topic as any sort of monolith is quite literally the opposite of journalism. There are massive divides among Jews on the topic of what a Jewish state should look like and what it presently does look like, and plenty of D.C. non-Jews simply do not understand that whatsoever because they have been poisoned by AIPAC's influence. Batya Ungar-Sargon is the opinion editor at Forward and she is Jewish. She falls on the other side of the Jewish divide, and she disagrees with my assertion that criticizing AIPAC does not constitute anti-Semitism, but she's not who I'm talking about here when I speak of D.C. brain poisoning. Co-signed as an American. We should expect all elected officials, regardless of party, and all public figures to not traffic in anti-Semitism. Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) February 11, 2019 Either Chelsea Clinton has never had an opportunity to live outside the D.C. bubble and she inserts mindless campaign-speak like as an American into every day discourse, or she's implying that Omar is either not American or less American for her AIPAC critique. It's highly likely that it's the former, but it is far easier to make a bad faith interpretation of Chelsea Clinton's remarks than Ilhan Omar's remarks. Either way, Chelsea is representing the D.C. mindset that AIPAC = Jews. It doesn't. Chelsea went on to try to show her Very Serious bona fides by responding to more bad faith attacks, before people drew her attention to the fact that she took a literal white supremacist YouTube conspiracy theorist at face value, and she deleted her tweets. Chelsea Clinton's adventure on Twitter last night proved how easily this pro-AIPAC D.C. mindset can be manipulated. Back to the disagreement among Jews: Ungar-Sargon went on to falsely characterize what AIPAC does, making a basic mistake that can be repudiated using words from AIPAC's own web site. Uh, AIPAC is pretty transparent about its support for S.1. There are 4 items listed on their legislative agenda, S1 is on their TWICEhttps://t.co/D24t284XLa (((YousefMunayyer))) (@YousefMunayyer) February 11, 2019 Per the AIPAC link shared by Yousef Munayyer, a Jew more sympathetic to my side of the argument: The Strengthening America's Security in the Middle East Act of 2019 (S.1) combines four bipartisan initiatives aimed at supporting regional stability and strengthening Israeli and U.S. security. The legislation clarifies that U.S. states have the right to enact specific measures to counter boycotts of Israel. . Please urge your senators to support S.1 and urge all members of Congress to oppose boycotts of Israel and to protect American companies from such efforts. Forward's opinion editor then moved the goalposts from believing the passage of S1 was the work of AIPAC is tantamount to believing in fraud to I'm not saying they don't really want it passed. I'm saying they are not the reason it was. This is how disingenuous the conversation around AIPAC has become. It is a lobbying outfit for the state of Israel. Full stop. It exists to lobby politicians, yet Ungar-Sargon asserts that even though it literally puts urg[ing] your senators to support S.1 on its legislative agenda, AIPAC's lobbying was not why S.1 was passed. Frankly, my opinion from the other side of the Jewish divide is that this is yet another instance of religious fundamentalism getting in the way of the necessary pragmatism of modernity. Having an honest conversation about AIPAC's influence in D.C. means having an honest conversation about what the present state of Israel really stands for, and that is directly informed by the level of religiosity in every Jew's day-to-day life. It shouldn't come as a surprise to any Jew that Ungar-Sargon is more religious than I amalthough Munayyer is also more religious than I am too, so this is not a hard and fast rulebecause again, Jews are not a monolith, and depicting us as such in any iteration is incredibly offensive. I support the state of Israel even though I do not support this state of Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu is a Trump-like figure who has turned Israel into an outright kleptocracy, as even his own police force (which is far from a force for liberalization in Israel) recommended he be indicted. You simply cannot divorce this iteration of Israel from America's colonialist interests, as it has served as our forward operating base for our endless Middle East misadventures since Israel's creation in 1948*. *Here is a full list of all the countries in/around the Middle East where America has fought wars since 1948: Lebanon, Libya, Lebanon, Libya, Libya, Iran, Libya, Iraq, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, Libya, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya Jews' holy text promised us a land of milk and honey in Israel, but it did not foresee New York City, and so the notion of needing a safe haven on the Mediterranean is lost on younger Jews. The central reason why Israel is such a touchy subject for Jews is because of our incredibly depressing history. Whether it was the Egyptian Pharaohs, Haman in the Persian Empire, the Seleucid Empire, the Granada Massacre, the Crusades (Christians who both persecuted Jews in Europe and ventured to foreign lands to attack Muslims), the Second Crusade, the Shepherd's Crusade, England banishing Jews, being blamed for the Bubonic Plague (900 Jews were burnt alive in Strasbourg), the Papal States, the Mawza Exile, the Allahdad Incident, the Holocaust or the largest anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history in Pittsburgh last year, there has never been a time in recorded history where a significant chunk/majority of the world did not want to wipe us off the planet. Israel is our ancestor's promise to protect the future. Israel is everything to Jews. It is not a utopia, but simply a safe haven which has never existed for us. We are history's refugees, and while Israel is still central to our lives, the United States of America is one of the greatest things to ever happen to us. Anti-Semitism is far from eradicated, but compared to the sprawling anti-Semitism across Europe, America is a paradise (this is why the charges of anti-Semitism towards Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party are far more reasonable than this nonsense being pushed in Representative Ilhan Omar's direction). This emotional connection to the state of Israel is what AIPAC exploits for the current state of Israel's benefit, and it works. Instead of representing their constituents and pushing back against this noise with a nuanced view of a religion divided over an incredibly complex topic, the Democratic Party folded like a lawn chair in a hurricane, and bent to this AIPAC/GOP attack, condemning Omar for comments that this Jew (and many, many, many, many, many others) staunchly asserts are not anti-Semitic. It's impossible to ignore the contrast of this quick capitulation to bad-faith GOP and major media attacks with the House Democrats' efforts to bottle up a censure vote against outright white supremacist Steve King. The final voice vote to censure Steve King was so defanged that Steve King voted for it. In fact, with this statement the Democratic Party is actively aiding a very clear GOP-led anti-Semitic attack on the first two Muslim women in congress (the GOP is also targeting Rashida impeach the MFer Tlaib for her pro-Palestinian stances). There is no topic that makes me more disillusioned with the Democratic Party than Israel. They simply do not represent liberal Jews. Instead, they bend to a lobbying organization that gave Trump a standing ovation the last time he spoke at their conference because AIPAC is simply that powerful in our nation's capital. Because Omar has more sense than most Democratic politicians and because she finds herself in an impossible and unfair situation, she did the only thing she could do and apologized in a statement where she still stood her ground on the substantive assertion she was making that so many bad-faith actors in this saga have seemingly chosen to ignore. Listening and learning, but standing strong pic.twitter.com/7TSroSf8h1 Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) February 11, 2019 The current state of Israel stands against so much of what the theoretical state of Israel promised. Jews have been persecuted nonstop throughout human history, and now that we have our own state, we are using its power to persecute another Semitic peopleeffectively our ancestral brothers and sisters. Jews will continue to squabble over this topic just as we have for centuries, and what non-Jews need to keep in mind is that there is far from a consensus on the topic of Israel among all American Jews. Equating AIPACs priorities with the priorities of all Jews is trafficking in the same kind of cartoonish conspiracy theorizing these D.C. brainwormed folks are Very Seriously trying to condemn. Jacob Weindling is a staff writer for Paste politics. Follow him on Twitter at @Jakeweindling. CHAMPAIGN It might not occur to many men and women who sign up to be firefighters that they could have to rescue a horse, a pig or a cow in addition to dousing flames. So the Illinois Fire Service Institute in Champaign, based at the University of Illinois, wants them to have the skills to succeed and to know who to contact for help in emergencies involving livestock. "It's one of those low-frequency, high-risk events. Like grain bin rescues, they don't happen often, but they are a big deal," said Dave Newcomb, an instructor in IFSI's agriculture program for about 20 years. He was an Urbana firefighter for 30 years before retiring in 2011. Watching from the stands of the toasty UI Stock Pavilion was IFSI Director Royal Mortenson, who said he wanted to be sure there was enough demand for such training before he invested the money. One of 16 classes being taught over the weekend to 410 firefighters from about 50 departments, the large-animal rescue class was indeed "kind of a big deal" because it's been in the making about seven years. Deke Carls, who graduated from the UI College of Veterinary Medicine and has been a veterinarian for 10 years, led the students in the basics of how to approach and halter the sheep, horses and cows. "You gotta watch that animal. He's going to tell you what he's thinking," Carls said. Carls and Fulton began by letting five sheep, on loan from the vet school, out of a pen. Five firefighters at a time practiced getting them back in, forming a human chain to gently corral the animals. "Nice, calm, methodical movement," Carls counseled in a practiced, soothing voice. "You want to keep them calm." Fulton, a 23-year volunteer firefighter in Salem, owns a small farm where he raises sheep and cattle. He instructed the firefighters to turn their bodies to keep "pressure" on the animals, getting them to go where the trainees wanted. Sometimes it worked great. Other times, not so much. "I'm learning a lot," said Allen Cameron, a captain in Urbana's Carroll Fire Department. "I grew up on the north side of Chicago. All I really saw was trail horses in the suburbs. They are used to humans and are really forgiving." Maureen Hethmon of Anchor just joined her hometown fire department in McLean County a few months ago. She grew up with a horse and a pony, so she wasn't intimidated by putting a halter on a horse. Ray Palczynski, an IFSI instructor from the Quad Cities area, said he "hatched" the idea for the large-animal rescue class about seven years ago after several fire departments in northern Illinois and the collar counties told him they were worried about the millions of dollars' worth of horses headed for racetracks that crisscross their jurisdictions. "I'm glad we're finally here," he said of the training, which, as a firefighter, he has actually used. So has Newcomb. But only once. In September 2017, Newcomb was one of dozens of firefighters who rescued a horse that got sucked into a rain-swollen pond south of Savoy. "We had a horse that got out of her corral after a micro burst came through, and she ran down a path and into an old retention pond full of silt. It was just like quicksand. When all was said and done, we had to take down two sections of corral fence, cut down 10 trees and dig down a berm nine feet. "Seven hours later, we walked her out of the hole," Newcomb said of the exhaustive efforts that included the use of trench equipment, a high-lift forklift and a backhoe. "I now have a better understanding of how to wrestle a 1,200-pound greased pig," he joked. That includes knowing the best equipment you need for the job and how to borrow it fast. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SPRINGFIELD A coalition of environmental groups, backed by some Democratic state lawmakers, is making another attempt this year to pass legislation requiring more public disclosure about horizontal fracturing, or fracking, wells in the state. Those are type of oil wells that involve drilling vertically into the ground, and then horizontally into the underlying rock and soil, using pressurized fluid to fracture the ground and release oil deposits that cannot be recovered through traditional vertical wells. Fair Economy Illinois, a liberal-leaning coalition of grassroots community organizations, announced the measure as part of its legislative agenda for 2019. Similar legislation was introduced in 2018, but failed to pass the General Assembly. Supporters are seeking full public disclosure of the location of all fracking permits issued by the state, including the full extent of all land involved and details of the chemicals used. Under a 2013 law, such disclosure is required only for high volume fracking permits. Supporters of the proposed law want to extend the same requirements to smaller operations which, under a 1951 law, are allowed to have the information classified as confidential for up to two years. The different classifications are determined by the amount of pressurized fluid used. Right now, it is legal in Illinois to spend a few hundred dollars and get a fracking permit and request a confidentiality clause, and then to frack in secret for a period of two years. We think that is wrong, said Dawn Dannenbring of Illinois Peoples Action, a group that is part of the Fair Economy Illinois coalition. Environmental groups argue that fracking poses a potential health hazard to nearby residents because the chemicals include compounds that can contaminate nearby water wells. William Rau, another member of Illinois Peoples Action, said thats common in southern and southwestern Illinois, where most of the oil production in the state takes place. You can be half a mile from a well and a horizontal well can go right under your property and you wouldnt know about it, Rau said. So there are no defensive actions you can take, like getting a test on your water wells. Reps. Robyn Gabel, D-Evanston, and Anne Stava-Murray, D-Naperville, are cosponsors of a bill pending in the House Energy and Environment Committee. No hearing has been scheduled, but a number of groups already lined up in opposition, including the Illinois Oil and Gas Association (IOGA). Dan Reitz, a lobbyist for IOGA, said the industry generally has concerns about some portions of the bill, including provisions that might require drillers to disclose trade secrets in public documents. Weve done our best as an industry to make sure (the wells) are run as safely as they can be, he said. Im not aware of any big problems out there. We want to find out what the genesis of this legislation is and why they want to visit this on the smaller producers. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 CHARLESTON Ron Best has a love of history and understands the interest there might be in property that Abraham Lincoln once owned. Best's family ties to Coles County date back about as far as that of Lincoln. They're bound by 30 acres of farm land that are part of a long and somewhat complicated bit of the county's history. Now, Best is ready to part with that farm ground, along with more land, which his family's owned for 30 years. He knows many people might think of a use based on its historical significance but it's been farmed the entire time. "It's not like Lincoln's stove pipe hat that you can put on a shelf and say this was Lincoln's," he said. The land Lincoln owned will be part of 590 total acres set to be sold at auction on Tuesday, Lincoln's birthday. The sale is scheduled for 10 a.m. that day at the Unique Suites Hotel in Charleston. In all, the story dates to 1841, when Lincoln bought 40 acres of southern Coles County farm ground from his cash-strapped father, Thomas Lincoln. It's said to be the only farm land Abe ever owned, though he let his father continue to farm it. While six acres became part of what's now Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, the rest stayed in private ownership and was eventually inherited by Ray Phipps. Phipps went through promotional plans and legal wranglings before eventually selling it. Best purchased the 30 acres at an auction in 1989. The last four acres were sold to Rockford businessman Dan Arnold in 2007. Arnold, founder of the Road Ranger truck stop chain, died in 2015. He had a plan to raise money for charities using the land. He also wanted to develop the site with historical exhibits. His family still owns the property. Sitting at his Charleston home, Best said Arnold once made an offer to buy his part of the land, but there was no interest when it was listed for sale four years ago. He recalled that his wanting to buy the land was a "natural desire" because it was adjacent to 125 acres his family already owned. He and his four siblings, who make up the corporation that own the property, are now older. Best retired from farming four years ago. Best said his brothers and sisters have all agreed that it's time to sell the land. The land has been fairly productive and, if it's used for farming, should bring a typical price, Best said. That's not really certain, though. "It's hard to value Lincoln land," he said. Best said he never thought of using the land for anything other than farming, and he has no preference for what the new owner does with it. Still, if that's something connected to its history, Best will likely appreciate it. He has a copy of the original deed for the sale of the land to Abraham Lincoln along with other publications about Lincoln's link to Coles County. He grew up on a farm near the historic site and said his ancestors moved from northern Kentucky to Coles County about the same time Thomas Lincoln arrived. His great-grandfather was 12 when he met Lincoln during his last visit to the county before leaving for Washington to become president. "I've had a long, long connection with history," he said. Contact Dave Fopay at (217) 238-6858. Follow him on Twitter: @FopayDave Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 The original Little Free Library along Constitution Trail may have gone down in flames, but a new one has arisen with new books and a message. NORMAL The 12th year of Illinois State University's Red Note New Music Festival is underway through Thursday. The fest combines performances from the country's leading contemporary talents, as well as guest ensembles and performers from ISU's own student/faculty resources. The remaining events, all at Kemp Recital Hall, are free and open to the public. The co-directors of the event are ISU music faculty members Carl Schimmel and Roy Magnuson. This year's guest performers include the Fifth House Ensemble and Iridium Quartet. The Chicago-Based Fifth House Ensemble has been praised by The New York Times for its conviction, authority, and finesse. Having pioneered the art of narrative chamber music, Fifth Houses innovative programs work to engage audiences through their connective programming and unexpected performance venues. The ensemble has been involved in artistic projects with urban neighborhoods, social service organizations, and an agricultural community to spark conversations on issues that matter. It also works with music schools and conservatories. The Iridium Quartet, meanwhile, draws upon a rich history of more than 10 years of collaboration between its saxophonists: Paul Nolen, Marcos Colon, Paul Forsyth and Eric Lau. Iridium has commissioned and/or premiered major works by a variety of composers and released its first CD of new American music, "Xylonia," in 2014 after receiving a 2012 Aaron Copland Fund Recording Grant. In 2016, it recorded its second full-length CD, set to be released this year. Also ISU students and faculty are presenting a program of works by featured guest composers Chen Yi and Eric Moe at 7:30 p.m. tonight (Feb. 11) at Kemp Recital Hall. The groups will perform at these events: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12: Fifth House Ensemble performs music by contemporary composers based throughout the U.S. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13: Fifth House Ensemble and Iridium Quartet present a concert of premieres by the participants in the festival's composition workshop. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14: The Iridium Quartet performs 21st-century compositions for saxophone quartet, including works commissioned by Iridium. For more information on the festival, contact rednote@ilstu.edu. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Similar to the saying 'there is a strong woman behind every successful man', there is a political leader behind every underworld leader, MP Udaya Gammanpila said today. Responding to a question at the weekly Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) news briefing, MP Gammanpila said regardless of the status or the political party they belonged to, politicians must be brought to books if they back underworld figures or activities. No underworld can sustain without the backing and support of politician and the protection of the police. There is always a politician behind each underworld leader. Without any differences, action should be taken against politicians if they back the underworld," he said. He also criticised Minister Lakshman Kiriella for faulting the media over inability to bring down Makandure Madush from Dubai, UAE. "The Minister said Madush could have been brought to Sri Lanka similar to how Sri Lanka brought Kumaran Padmanadan (KP) from Malaysia. KP is not someone who committed crimes in Malaysia. Therefore, he was sent to Sri Lanka the minute the request was made. However, Madush is someone who had committed crimes in both Sri Lanka and the UAE. Therefore, it is not that simple to bring him to Sri Lanka," MP Gammanpila said. (Lahiru Pothmulla) Video by Sanjeewa Bloomington-Normal Galleries, museums ISU University Galleries; noon-4 p.m. Mon., 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Tue., 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Wed.-Fri., noon-4 p.m. Sat.-Sun., Uptown Station, 11 Uptown Circle, Normal; rotating exhibits in three galleries; free; 309-438-8321. IWU Merwin and Wakeley Galleries; school hours, noon-4 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 1-4 p.m. Sat.-Sun., 7-9 p.m. Tue.; 302 E. Graham St., Bloomington; rotating exhibits; free; 309-556-3391. Jan Brandt Gallery; 1305 Morrissey Drive, Bloomington; janbrandtgallery@gmail.com. McLean County Arts Center; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tue., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Fri., noon-4 p.m. Sat.; 601 N. East St., Bloomington; rotating exhibits, sales, rentals, art classes and lectures; free; 309-829-0011. McLean County Museum of History; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat. (until 9 p.m. Tue.), 200 N. Main St., Bloomington; permanent and rotating exhibits; adults $5, seniors $4, students, children under 12 and members free; 309-827-0428. Prairie Aviation Museum; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Thu.-Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun., 2929 E. Empire St., Bloomington; permanent and rotating exhibits and displays with aerial history themes; adults $5, ages 6-11 $3, 5 and under free; 309-663-7632. Exhibits TWOgether; Jan Brandt Gallery, opening reception 2-4 p.m. Feb. 10; exhibit through March 30; viewed by appointment; artwork pairs artists working together in various collaborative mediums. "Native Voices: Native Peoples' Concepts of Health and Illness"; through Feb. 14, Illinois Wesleyan University Ames Library, Bloomington; traveling exhibit. Megan Kathol Bersett and Tyler Lotz; through Feb. 15, Brandt Gallery, Bloomington. Jeff Bess; through Feb. 15, Armstrong Gallery, Bloomington. Central Illinois High School Art exhibition; through Feb. 16, Illinois State University Center for Visual Arts, room 110. Mandy Roeing Fine Art; through February, IAA Credit Union main lobby, 808 IAA Drive, Bloomington; pastel pet portraits. Sheila Allen paintings; through March 31, Normal Public Library. "Leaving Home"; LizBeth Ogiela-Scheck, Dreams 2 Create Art House, 903 S. Allin St., Bloomington. Pedal Power!; through spring 2020, McLean County Museum of History; exhibit of vintage pedal cars from the collection of Bruce Callis. ImagineAir; Children's Discovery Museum, uptown Normal; permanent exhibit shows power of wind, wind energy, aerodynamics, fluid dynamics; $7 for age 2 and older, $3 for Museums for All passholders; free, CDM members. Challenges, Choices & Change: Working for a Living; McLean County Museum of History; highlights more than 80 local workers and their daily on-the-job experiences. Challenges, Choices and Change: Making a Home; McLean County Museum of History; permanent exhibit exploring experiences of people from around the world who made McLean County their home. Abraham Lincoln in McLean County; McLean County Museum of History; permanent exhibit on Lincoln's life in Bloomington. Challenges, Choices and Change: Farming in the Great Corn Belt; McLean County Museum of History; permanent exhibit on McLean County's agricultural history. Central Illinois Galleries, museums Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sun., 212 N. Sixth St., Springfield; Lincoln-themed exhibits, historical displays, special events, more; adults $12, seniors and students $9, ages 5-15 $5, under 5 free; 217-558-8844. Amity Township Museum; 1-3 p.m. first Sunday of month or by appointment, 510 Main St., Cornell; displays and artifacts relating to history of Cornell and Amity Township; free; 815-358-2973. Contemporary Art Center of Peoria; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Sat., Riverfront Arts Center, 305 S.W. Water St., Peoria; rotating exhibits in two galleries; free; 309-674-6822. Dickson Mounds Museum; 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, 10956 N. Dickson Mounds Road, Lewistown; displays, special exhibits; free; 309-547-3721. Eureka College Burgess Hall Art Gallery; 9 a.m.-9 p.m. weekdays and by appointment on weekends, third floor of Burgess Hall, Eureka College, Eureka; rotating exhibits; free; 309-467-6866. Lincoln Heritage Museum; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 1-4 p.m. Sat., Lincoln Center at Lincoln College, 300 Keokuk St., Lincoln; Lincoln-era items, audiovisual displays, tours, exhibits, more; adults $7, children/tours $4; 217-735-7399. Museum of the Gilding Arts; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sun., April-Oct., and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Sun., Nov.-March, 217 N. Mill St., Pontiac; displays, history and hands-on exhibits dedicated to the art of gilding and gold leafing; free (donations welcome); 815-842-1848. Peoria Art Guild; Foster Arts Center, Harrison and Washington streets, Peoria; rotating exhibits, gift shop; free; 309-637-2787. Peoria Riverfront Museum; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Wed. and Sat., 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thu.-Fri., noon-5 p.m. Sun., downtown riverfront Peoria; permanent and rotating exhibits, planetarium shows, Giant Screen Theater and events; $9-$11 (free parking in museum garage); 309-686-7000. Pontiac Community Art Center; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun., 209 W. Madison St., Pontiac; rotating exhibits; 815-419-2472. Simpkins Military History Museum; 1-5 p.m. Tue., Thu., Sat., or by appointment; 605 E. Cole St., Heyworth; permanent and rotating military history exhibits; free (donations accepted); 309-319-3413. Time Gallery; Fondulac Bank, 201 Clock Tower Drive, East Peoria; 309-467-2331 U of I Krannert Art Museum; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat. (until 9 p.m. Thu. during fall and spring semesters), closed Sun., 500 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign; paintings, porcelain, historical artifacts, traveling art exhibits; $3 donation suggested; 217-333-1861. Exhibits "Transposing Color"; through February, Pontiac Community Art Center Joe Bailey Gallery; mult-media artist Christine Bennett-Weber. ExIconoclast: ReMaking Myth; an exhibit of assemblage art with found objects that connect with mythologies and classic literature, and photography exhibits emphasizing the Mackinaw River and rural America; Time Gallery, Fondulac Bank, East Peoria; through March 30; gallery talks, 10-11 am. March 2, What is found object art?; and 10-11 a.m. March 23, One view, two perspectives. American Decoy: The Invention and 10 Medical Inventions That Changed the World; opens Feb. 9, Peoria Riverfront Museum. Special exhibit; 1-5 p.m. March 16, Simpkins Military History Museum, Heyworth; celebrating 60 years of collecting military items and 40 years of an established museum (30 years at present location). "The Art of the Brick," opens May 25, Peoria Riverfront Museum; LEGO art exhibition. Da Vinci the Genius with The Secrets of Mona Lisa; opens Nov. 16, Peoria Riverfront Museum. Heartland Bank promotes Scheirer to chief credit officer BLOOMINGTON Heartland Bank and Trust Company proudly announces Mark Scheirer has been promoted to chief credit officer. Scheirer joined the bank in 2011 and has served as senior credit officer for the last five years. He is highly involved in all aspects of credit administration and is responsible for managing the banks credit quality. Scheirer has over 25 years of banking and financial experience. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois with a degree in finance and has completed the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin. A Metamora native, he currently makes his home in Congerville with wife Lysa and has two grown children. In the past few years, Mark has assumed significant responsibility and played a major role in Heartlands success, said Lance Carter, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Heartland Bank. As we continue to grow in the future, we need strong leadership. I have been particularly proud of Marks achievements. Heartland Bank and Trust Company is an independently owned community bank with assets of $3 billion. Headquartered in Bloomington, the bank has offices in communities throughout Illinois. The bank offers a complete line of financial services to commercial and retail customers. More information is available on the banks website at www.hbtbank.com. Business Achievements are paid content. To submit an item, visit https://www.pantagraph.com/place_an_ad/achievement. The Gladwin County Board of Commissioners -- including three new members -- are tackling three major holes in the county government this new year. The county wants to force out its drain commissioner, convince a county commissioner who has stopped working to either return to work or resign, and hire a new emergency manager to fill a vacancy. Commission Chair Sharron Smith said Drain Commissioner Bob Evans remains an issue. The commissioners will again ask the governor and attorney general to remove the elected official from office. Last year, commissioners asked Gov. Rick Snyder to remove Evans for poor performance that has led to the county receiving hefty state fines. Snyder referred the item to Attorney General Bill Schuette. No action was taken. "I think this whole mess has been a political mess," Smith said. She said the board is investigating more before they again send a request to the new governor, Gretchen Whitmer, to vacate Evans -- who submitted five years of past reports last week. "He has ripped off this county," Smith said. Smith hopes Whitmer or new state Attorney General Dana Nessel will be more empathetic to the county's plight to have Evans removed for not doing his job. Also, frustrating to the board is the absence of commissioner Sandra Aultman, who represents Bourret, Billings, Bentley, Grim and Secord townships. Aultman recently sold her store, Sandy's Market in Gladwin County, and went to Florida. Smith said Aultman used Skype technology to participate in a few county meetings. But the board hasn't heard from her since Jan. 2. Aultman is an elected official and the board can't remove her. It is a matter of her resigning or the constituents in her district forcing her out. "Well, I haven't really decided, I'm going to contemplate while I'm on a cruise," Aultman told the Daily News on Sunday. She leaves for the cruise to the Cayman Islands on Monday. Aultman, who was re-elected in November for a two-year term, said she does get phone calls and emails from constituents. Some constituents are angry by her absence and feel unrepresented. Smith has been fielding some of those complaints. "I just wish she would make a decision," Smith said. She said the three new commissioners, Ron Taylor, Rick Grove and Kyle Grove, are doing a "great job" and stepping up to the plate. However, Aultman was on many committees, such as the Wixom Lake Improvement Board, and now commissioners don't have a presence in those committees nor are they receiving reports. This week, commissioners also are reviewing emergency manager applications to replace Marianne Hill, who was injured in a motorcycle crash last summer. Her injuries are extensive. "She was dedicated, knowledgeable and had a great personality," Smith said. "She was fabulous for Gladwin County." Smith said they have three applicants for the job. They will review the applications today before the commissioners meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the Gladwin County Courthouse Commissioners Room. While not as well known as "9-1-1," calling "2-1-1" with your phone can be just as useful in the right situation. Today, Midland County joins many other communities throughout the country in celebrating 2-1-1 awareness. The free service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to most residents of the United States and Canada. Goose Creek, SC (29445) Today Sunny skies. High 84F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Subscribe to get the Morning Briefing newsletter delivered to your email inbox weekdays at 7 a.m. Todays stories PORTLAND GOVERNMENT: Portland's odd form of government fails residents in nearly every way imaginable and should be rebuilt from top to bottom, Portland City Club researchers concluded in a new report. Read more. NO SNOWPOCALYPSE: Warm winds spared much of the Portland metro area from the blanket of snow predicted heading into the weekend. Read more. DEEP FREEZE: Yes, its cold in Portland, but its a lot colder elsewhere in the state. Read more. HOMELESSNESS: A new poll of Portland-area voters found a sharp increase in the number who find homelessness a top concern. Read more. WILDFIRES: As summer crowds are thinning at Crater Lake National Park, the off-season has been getting a lot busier. Bad fire seasons are likely to blame. Read more. SAUDI STUDENTS: University students from Saudi Arabia have vanished while facing criminal charges here and in at least seven other states as well as Canada. Read more. OPPORTUNITY ZONES: A new federal tax benefit could put Oregon on the hook for millions of dollars in incentives to Portland developers and their investors. Read more. POLICE RESPONSE: A Portland officer violated the bureaus foot chase policy when he ran after a man who dispatchers said had threatened riders on a MAX platform in Southeast Portland and then fatally shot him after tripping and falling. Read more. MEASLES UPDATE: The weekend brought a respite in new measles cases, but public health officials wont be celebrating yet. Read more. Snap of the day Volunteers at Westminster Presbyterian Church have spent more than 30 years embroidering the pew cushions in the church's chapel. Among the designs, an image of the character Ramona Quimby. It's in honor of children's author Beverly Cleary, who attended Sunday school at the church. When Westminster Presbyterian Church in Northeast Portland opened in 1914, cushions covering the pews were made of heavy brown fabric. By 1980, those cushions were worn, faded and deteriorating. Four women devised a plan to replace every cushion with beautiful and intricate handmade needlepoint cushions. It became a 30-year endeavor that's expected to wrap up this year. (Samantha Swindler/Staff) More news 'This came at a very good time': Oregon couples Keno prize to help pay dads medical bills These are the Portland restaurants Guy Fieri visited on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives Hundreds seek warm shelter during overnight deep-freeze Cold weather gear urgently needed for Portlanders on the street Will snow days mean a shorter summer vacation for Portland-area students? Year of the Pig: Portland Chinese Lunar New Year Dragon Dance Parade 2019 (photos) Oregon state senator criticized for linking Eric Garners death to tobacco taxes Find more at oregonlive.com Todays obituaries Click here to find area deaths reported recently Today in history AROUND THE WORLD: On Feb. 11, 1990, South African black activist Nelson Mandela was freed after 27 years in captivity. Madison, SD (57042) Today Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. After reading the Feb. 3 Oregonian/OregonLive editorial, Jo Ann Hardestys council of one, I am sad for the people of Portland who have a city commissioner who will not follow the law. The piece failed to mention -- and either Hardesty has forgotten or has chosen to ignore -- the oath of office she took when she was sworn in. I found it on the citys website: I do solemnly (affirm or swear) I will support the Constitutions of the United States and the State of Oregon, Charter of the City of Portland and its laws." Candy Kittle-Mize, Tigard A 30-year-old man who sprayed graffiti onto electronic speed-limit signs above Interstate 84 in Northeast Portland has been sentenced to two years in prison. When Marcus Edward Gunther is released from prison, he also must attend five years of a drug-treatment court, known as START, to address his problems with methamphetamine and heroin. Gunther also will have to pay about $30,000 for the damage he caused. Gunther was a prolific tagger -- leaving his mark in at least 100 locations across the city, said Brent Weisberg, a spokesman for the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office. Police were familiar with Gunthers signature: MOOK. Portland police released this photo of electronic speed-limit signs that they say Marcus Gunther damaged at I-84 and the NE 42nd Avenue overpass. Gunther was charged with damaging the property of a billboard advertising company and a property management company, as well as spray-painting the electronic signs owned by the Oregon Department of Transportation on the 42nd Avenue overpass at I-84. Authorities say he also damaged some fencing near the I-84 signs that same day, on June 29. Gunther was arrested in September and told jailers that he used methamphetamine and heroin twice a week. He said hed been unemployed for the past year and lived with his parents less than a mile north of the freeway. During a hearing Friday in Multnomah County Circuit Court, Gunther pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree criminal mischief and one count of second-degree criminal mischief. Senior Deputy District Attorney Nathan Vasquez said in a news release that the sentence holds Gunther accountable while ensuring he gets treatment, which will benefit him and our entire community. Defense attorney Jon Martz said the sentence strikes a balance between punishing the behavior and offering services to try and reduce the chances of further criminal activity. -- Aimee Green agreen@oregonian.com o_aimee Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. Thousands of Oregon children would have to get vaccinated or stay out of school under a bill being prepared by Rep. Mitch Greenlick, D-Portland. The proposal comes amid a measles outbreak that has infected 52 children in Clark County and has spread to Oregon, where four people have been infected. Greenlicks bill, which is still being finalized, would eliminate non-medical exemptions for unvaccinated school children. The goal, Greenlick said, is to protect those children who cant get vaccinated for medical reasons. People have a right to make bad decisions about the healthcare of their children, Greenlick said. But that does not give them the right to send unprotected children into their school. At least 93 percent of children must be vaccinated to prevent outbreaks. One in five Oregon schools have measles vaccination rates below that threshold, according Oregon Health Authority data, with rates at some schools as low as 30 percent. About 15,500 Oregon school children have non-medical exemptions for all vaccines, according to state data. Under the lawmakers proposal, those kids would have to either get vaccinated or be home-schooled, Greenlick said. Opposition could be stiff. A similar proposal in 2015 was abandoned following pressure from opponents. In Washington on Friday, hundreds protested a bill that would eliminate personal and philosophical exemptions to vaccines. And Greenlick has already received many calls from people accusing him of trying to restrict their freedoms, he said. Greenlick blamed the opposition on scientific illiteracy and said it would not stop him from pursuing the bill. And he said he hoped his colleagues in the legislature would be on board. Ill just ask them to think carefully about it and to think about Vancouver, he said. Well try rationality. -- Fedor Zarkhin fzarkhin@oregonian.com desk: 503-294-7674|cell: 971-373-2905|@fedorzarkhin Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. A little past the midway point of her debut album The Woke Bully, comedian Marcella Arguello tells a story about the fallout from a joke she wrote on Twitter. It revolves around a comment she made that went viral following the 2017 shooting of U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, a Virginia Republican a comment that earned the ire of Fox News host Tucker Carlson and generated a hefty amount of blowback from right-wing media. The point of the story isnt necessarily to drag the people whose political leanings she disagrees with. In fact, the story turns on Arguellos celebrating the creativity of the death threats and insults she received. The setup to the story, that the left is too politically correct, and the punchline, that right-wing internet commenters are ridiculous to the point of self-parody, almost perfectly encapsulate Arguellos brand of humor. Currently based in Los Angeles, Arguello will headline the Portland comedy showcase Minority Retort at the Siren Theater on Feb. 21 as part of her national tour in support of her new record. Shes outspoken, she makes razor-sharp observations, and shes absolutely hilarious. And as she embarks on her tour, shes aware that she might not be for everybody, regardless of how they categorize themselves politically. I never know if I'll have supportive audiences but I also like a challenge. Most cities have interesting and progressive people that live in them and I hope they come to the shows, Arguello said. But conservatives with a good sense of humor enjoy me too. If uptight people on either side of the political spectrum show up, I can't guarantee that they'll enjoy themselves. But if you like comedy, you'll be happy. Arguello says The Woke Bully, 13 years in the making, is an accumulation of all the material shes been working on since she started stand-up. I wanted to make sure there was a mix of all of me on this album, she said. My sense of humor is inspired by and covers so many things that it's hard to perfect every joke on every topic, and yet I feel like I did a good job of representing my complete self. Originally from Modesto, California, Arguello began her stand-up career in San Francisco, which is also where she decided to record her album. The reaction of the audience features heavily on The Woke Bully, and Arguello is at her best when she feels she might have strayed into territory where her crowd might be hesitant to follow. Leaving in some heckling moments makes you feel like you're right there in that intimate little club with me, Arguello explains. Back in Los Angeles, Arguello hosts the popular showcase Women Crush Wednesdays at the Hollywood Improv. Its a show Arguello refers to as perfect. A bunch of women, that I personally book, perform on a Wednesday night in Los Angeles and we have one of the most open-minded audiences and supportive venues to do it. I love it, she said. It's always been important to me to help women. My show gives them opportunities to showcase in front of agents, managers, producers and an audience that wants them to succeed. As far as Twitter goes, one brush with right-wing trolls isnt enough to dissuade Arguello from using the platform. She continues to actively engage with her 29,000 followers. My Twitter strategy is to treat it like dating. Stop if I'm not having fun. The good thing about Twitter is that it doesn't get mad at you if you wanna go back to it. It's the perfect off-and-on relationship. We're having a spring wedding. Minority Retort presents Marcella Arguello When: 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21. Where: Siren Theater, 315 N.W. Davis St. Tickets: $15-$20, sirentheater.com or at the door. PASADENA, CALIFORNIA Viewers have to wait until May 17 to see Catch-22, a new TV series adaptation of Joseph Hellers classic novel, but George Clooney brought his star power to a discussion of the project on Monday, during the Television Critics Association 2019 winter press tour. Clooney and his producing partner, Grant Heslov, are executive producers of the six-episode Hulu series. Both appear on-camera, as well, and Clooney also directed two episodes. They were part of the panel that led off a day of discussions about Hulu projects. Joining Clooney and Heslov onstage were actors Kyle Chandler and Christopher Abbott (who plays Yossarian), co-writer and executive producer Luke Davies, and producer and director Ellen Kuras. While the press tour often brings famous performers to talk about their projects, Clooney was a particularly big name. And to the surprise of absolutely no one, he was handsome, confident and funny in talking about Catch-22, and recalling a much-earlier TCA appearance to talk about a then-new medical drama called ER. Also not surprisingly, most of the questions about Catch-22 were directed at Clooney. He recalled reading the book, a dark satire set in World War II, many years ago. It was required reading when I was in high school, Clooney said. When the opportunity to produce a TV series based on Catch-22 arose, he read the book again, because, as he joked, high school was, you know, 15 years ago. Clooney was newly impressed by the book, he said, and the scripts by Luke Davies and David Michod, co-writers and executive producers for the series. Davies said he appreciated the opportunity a series presented for giving the characters various emotional journeys. Asked what his emotional journey was, Clooney joked, Mostly crying. The series keeps a tight focus on Yossarian, the U.S. Air Force bombardier whos confronted with Catch-22 -- the military policy that says he cant be removed from duty because he has realistic fears for his safety. The fact that hes afraid is proof of his sanity, hence hes fit for duty. Clooney says they auditioned many actors for the role of Yossarian, and he was much cheaper, Clooney joked as he looked at Abbott, who sat next to him. On a more serious note, Clooney said, it was important for viewers to care about Yossarian, even when he does some fairly awful things. Davies said their goal was to retain the kaleidoscopic madness of the novel. The panel discussing the Hulu TV series adaptation of "Catch-22" at the Television Critics Association 2019 winter press tour included, from left, Grant Heslov, George Clooney, Christopher Abbott, Kyle Chandler, Ellen Kuras and Luke Davies. (Photo: Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP) Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP Asked whether Catch-22 would seem anti-military at a time when culture is filled with a more respectful attitude toward those who serve, Clooney said the novel takes satirical aim at the red tape and bureaucracy of war. Heller wrote the book, Clooney said, as a response to the Korean War, and it found a new following among soldiers in the Vietnam War. While the 1970 movie version of Catch-22, directed by the late Mike Nichols, had 45 vintage planes to use, the Hulu series only had two, Clooney said. If those had broken down, wed have been in real trouble, he said. Abbott added that sitting in the nose cone of a vintage plane gave him a sense of what Yossarian might have experienced. I understood the pure fear that Yossarian had, Abbott said. Chandler, who has been a TV standout in such series as Friday Night Lights, said he was initially intimidated when it came to delivering some of his long speeches in Catch-22. I was terrified the first few days, Chandler said. I was shaking in my boots, 'cause Ive got this big piece of material. When a journalist asked Clooney about being back at TCA decades after being here to talk about ER, Clooney joked, All of you were here," adding, You look exactly the same. Asked about how he felt donning a military uniform for his role in Catch-22, Clooney got more laughter with a reference to the infamous nipple-enhanced uniform he wore as Batman. As an actor, he said, putting on a costume does help getting into character, with the exception of the Batsuit." Stay tuned for more news and notes from the TCA 2019 winter press tour. --- Kristi Turnquist kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. Chim-chiminey, chim-chiminey, chim-chim cher-ee, when youre with a sweep, youre in glad company. So sings Julie Andrews in a memorable moment from the classic movie Mary Poppins, but Andrews soaring soprano is not why the scene sticks with Linfield College English professor Daniel Pollack-Pelzner. One of the more indelible images from the 1964 film is of Mary Poppins blacking up, he wrote in The New York Times last month. Blacking up? Thats right, Pollack-Pelzner is talking about minstrel-show blackface. During the scene in question, Andrews playfully rubs soot into her face before partaking in a rooftop dance with the Cockney chimney sweep played by Dick Van Dyke. The professors argument: that the Mary Poppins books written by the late Pamela Lyndon Travers were full of racist tropes, and that these spilled into both the original Disney film and the recent sequel, Mary Poppins Returns. Mary Poppins, and a Nannys Shameful Flirting With Blackface," states the headline in the Times. Other, similar headlines reporting on Pollack-Pelzners column soon followed, along with outraged social-media posts. Ummm seriously? responded one Twitter user. #MaryPoppins is now in the Cross hair? THEY WERE CHIMNEY SWEEPERS!!! NOT BLACK FACE IMPERSONATORS." A lot of Americans trawling the internet over the past few days havent known what to make of this unexpected controversy. The claim that Mary Poppins, one of Hollywoods most beloved childrens movies, is bound up in a blackface performance tradition led some people to check with Snopes, the website dedicated to debunking internet conspiracy theories and other such falsehoods. Is this real or satire? It feels crazy to me, one reader asked the site. Please tell me its a hoax! another reader beseeched. Its not a hoax. Snopes made clear that Pollack-Pelzners column was a straightforward effort (i.e., not intended to be satirical or humorous). The angry and confused response to Pollack-Pelzners column has caused the academic to pin a tweet to the top of his Twitter timeline. If youre interested, he writes, Id respectfully encourage you to read the entire article and then decide what you think about Disneys choice to revive stereotypes from the 1930s. Fair enough. You can follow this link to the column. But for those who cant resist the momentum of this post, well summarize. As mentioned above, Andrews gets soot on her face and embraces it in a popular scene from the movie. Writes Pollack-Pelzner: This might seem like an innocuous comic scene if Traverss novels didnt associate chimney sweeps blackened faces with racial caricature. Dont touch me, you black heathen, a housemaid screams in Mary Poppins Opens the Door (1943), as a sweep reaches out his darkened hand. When he tries to approach the cook, she threatens to quit: If that Hottentot goes into the chimney, I shall go out the door, she says, using an archaic slur for black South Africans that recurs on page and screen. The Linfield College professors opinion piece might have quietly disappeared into the folds of the internet if it had appeared a couple of months ago. Few people, after all, read or take seriously academic revisionism of classic movies. But just days after his column published on Jan. 28, a photo surfaced from Virginia Gov. Ralph Northams 1980s medical-school yearbook page. It showed a young man in blackface. Blackface suddenly became a popular Google search term, and Pollack-Pelzners column spread far and wide. Pollack-Pelzner, who earned his Ph.D. from Harvard, is a prolific cultural commentator who has a knack for zeroing in on provocative, politically relevant topics. Last November, he wrote about the hidden history of Oklahoma! for Oregon ArtsWatch, pointing out that the musical is based on a play by a gay Cherokee man. A year ago he wrote a guest opinion column for The Oregonian about his illegal immigrant grandfather. According to Grandma, he wrote, his mother snuck him across the border from Montreal to visit his aunt, and they never returned. Today, wed call him a Dreamer. Now hes tackled the possibility that racism was behind the decision 55 years ago to smear soot on Andrews face for her famous rooftop scene in Mary Poppins -- and hes pushing back against criticism that hes making something out of nothing. Are elected officials who thought it was ok to put on blackface a bigger problem than racial caricatures in Disney musicals? Pollack-Pelzner wrote on Twitter last week. Probably. Do racial caricatures in Disney musicals help to create a culture in which elected officials think its ok to put on blackface? Probably. -- Douglas Perry @douglasmperry UPDATED Tuesday, Feb. 12: Man accused of killing 2 in Lebanon is former police officer: reports *** A Lebanon man was arrested near the Mexico border Sunday in connection with a double-homicide the previous day, the Linn County Sheriffs Office said. Tammy Hopper, 42, and Erik Jacobs, 48, were found dead Saturday morning in Hoppers home in Lebanon. Authorities arrested the suspect, 48-year-old Brenton Richmond, of Lebanon, in southern California the next day. Richmond has been charged with two counts of aggravated murder, the sheriffs office said. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Detective John Lovik II at 541-967-3911. -- Fedor Zarkhin fzarkhin@oregonian.com desk: 503-294-7674|cell: 971-373-2905|@fedorzarkhin Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. A man accused of being linked to a southwest Washington convenience store killing was jailed Saturday in Portland, records show. Erkinson K. Bossy, 23, is suspected of driving a car linked to the January robbery and homicide. He was taken into custody Tuesday in Portland after a two-state police chase and ensuing shootout on interstates 205 and 84. One other man was also taken into custody after the shootout. He hasnt been publicly identified. Both he and Bossy were injured in the incident. Kelso police have said they will seek to extradite Bossy to Washington for charging in the convenience store case. Two other men have been arrested in the Kelso case. The men face accusations of murder and robbery, among other charges, according to jail records. They are being held in the Cowlitz County Jail. KATU-TV previously reported Bossy had been jailed. Records show hes being held without bail in the Multnomah County Detention Center. -- Jim Ryan; jryan@oregonian.com; 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015 Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. An estimated 2,500 gallons of diesel gushed onto Interstate 84 Monday morning when a speeding tanker truck driver lost control amid snowy conditions and crashed, troopers say. Oregon State Police said James Altman was driving too fast for the snowy conditions on the highway at about 10:30 a.m. when he lost control of the semi-truck and two oil tankers on I-84 between Cascade Locks and Hood River. The 34-year-old truck driver was driving eastbound near milepost 54 when he lost control and the tankers flipped, according to a police account. The tanks started leaking fuel onto the highway. The vehicles cab remained upright and the driver was uninjured. Both tanks completely spilled their diesel loads, troopers said in a statement. The fuel leaked onto the westbound travel lanes as well. Lieutenant Cari Boyd said it appears some diesel spilled into a pond abutting the Columbia River on the north side of the freeway. She said it doesnt appear the driver will be cited for the incident, adding its the responding troopers discretion whether to cite a driver. The crash caused I-84 to be partially closed since 10:30 a.m. Altmans company, Space Age, hired a contractor to clean-up the oil. Other state authorities are still en route to help with the cleanup and investigation. The freeway is expected to reopen completely soon. The state reminds drivers to check tripcheck.com before traveling. -- Andrew Theen atheen@oregonian.com 503-294-4026 @andrewtheen Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. A bill to make helmets optional for electric scooter riders will have a public hearing in Salem this week. The bill, introduced by Rep. Sheri Schouten, D-Beaverton, goes before the Joint Committee on Transportation at 5 p.m. Wednesday. Oregons current law requires all electric or gas scooter users wear helmets, regardless of age. Scooters are regulated more stringently than Segways, which have no helmet requirement. State rules require bicyclists under the age of 16 to wear a helmet. Schoutens bill, HB271, would regulate scooters like bikes. Scooter riders would only be required to wear a helmet if under the age of 16. But in effect, the bill would make helmets optional for all scooter riders. State rules require scooter users to be at least 16 years old to ride, but the companies required customers be at least 18 to sign up. But it wasnt an uncommon sight in 2018 to see younger teens on the devices around Portland. The legislation could effectively knee-cap the biggest complaint scooter detractors made to city hall last year. According to the Bureau of Transportations report on the 2018 three-month trial period, the city received 1,754 companies about riders not using helmets. Thats the largest single point of scorn, followed next by users riding on sidewalks, with 1,622 complaints. Transportation Department staff estimated that 90 percent of riders did not wear a helmet. Lime, Bird and Skip, the three companies that operated in Portland in 2018, held helmet giveaways during the trial period to try and boost usage. According to the citys report, the companies distributed 2,292 helmets to riders last year. Dylan Rivera, a city transportation spokesman, said the agency would not take a position on the proposed helmet bill. We certainly encourage everyone to wear a helmet when riding a bicycle, an e-bike or an e-scooter. So that might be a reason to support the current law, Rivera said in an email. On the other hand, we can understand how there could be value in having consistency between the laws for bicycles and e-scooters, Rivera continued. Our citywide public opinion survey showed that Portlanders want us to use education rather than enforcement when it comes to e-scooters. And we generally agree that its best to focus our limited enforcement resources on corridors where we have fatal and serious injury crashes, he said. The city plans to start a second pilot program sometime this spring, this time approving scooters for 12 months. A specific start date has not been released. -- Andrew Theen atheen@oregonian.com 503-294-4026 @andrewtheen Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning through 6 p.m. Tuesday for heavy snowfall in the central Columbia River Gorge and in the Hood River valley. Up to 5 inches of snow has already accumulated near the lowest elevations overnight into Monday morning. Additional snowfall up to 16 inches appears likely for the upper Hood River valley. Some areas could see a rain and snow mix to start on Monday, but precipitation will turn over to all snow by the evening. #pdxtraffic I-84 through the Gorge continues to experience wintery driving conditions. They'll see snow on the roads throughout the day. Avoid the Gorge if you can. pic.twitter.com/neDqGreLUG PDX Traffic Alerts (@TrafficPortland) February 11, 2019 Travel will be very difficult through the gorge with slippery roads and poor visibility. Interstate 84 will be hazardous, and travelers should take winter precautions carrying chains, emergency supplies and making sure the tanks is filled. Be ready for slowdowns and sometimes blocked lanes as spinouts are likely. Just a heads up from one of our deputies, south of Odell is white out conditions at this time. Hood River Sheriff (@HRSO) February 11, 2019 Portland drivers get a break from the slick conditions on Monday, but the NWS is forecasting possible snow in the metro area for Tuesday mornings commute. Read more about that here: *** TRIMET MAX BLUE LINE 9 a.m.: TriMet reports MAX Blue line toward Hillsboro is delayed at least 15 minutes through 9:50 a.m., westbound from Old Town/Chinatown, due to an earlier medical issue near Oak/SW 1st Ave. *** NORTHWEST INDUSTRIAL PORTLAND 8:44 a.m.: Crash blocking the eastbound lanes of U.S. 30 at Northwest 27th Avenue. *** MULTNOMAH FALLS 8:12 a.m.: Jackknifed semi is blocking a lane of I-84 eastbound just east of Multnomah Falls. Expect delays. *** MCMINNVILLE 7:53 a.m.: Oregon 99W northbound is closed at Lafayette Avenue for a deadly crash involving a pedestrian. Police are investigating. Expect this closure to last a long time. *** DOWNTOWN 7:46 a.m.: City of Portland crews are working on a sinkhole repair at Southwest Salmon Street at Sixth Avenue. Only one lane open. Choose an alternate route. *** SOUTHWEST PORTLAND 7:20 a.m.: Left lane blocked by a crash on I-5 northbound, just after the Taylors Ferry exit. UPDATE 7:24 a.m.: Quickly cleared to the right shoulder. All travel lanes open. *** DOWNTOWN 7:15 a.m.: Crash blocks the left lane of I-5 northbound near the Morrison Bridge. Traffic starting to back up onto the Marquam. UPDATE 7:22 a.m.: Cleared. *** In Vancouver: Both directions of SR 500 will see delays between Fifth Plain Creek and Northeast 65th Street for overhead utility work with flaggers directing traffic 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, Feb. 11-15. Expect delays. Oregon-based Columbia Helicopters called off its planned sale Monday after the would-be buyer reported material weakness in its own internal controls over financial reporting. The Bristow Group paid Columbia a $20 million breakup fee, consistent with terms of the transaction announced last fall. We move on. Our business is strong as a private company so we will continue doing what we do, said Santiago Crespo, Columbias vice president of business development and strategy. He said its too soon to say whether Columbia will seek another buyer. That decision would be made sometime in the future, Crespo said. Columbia and Bristow announced their $560 million deal in November, but it has been in trouble for weeks. Bristows stock lost more than two-thirds of its value after it announced the deal for Columbia and investors publicly questioned the Texas companys ability to finance the transaction. As recently as last month, though, Columbia insisted it would go ahead with the deal. Bristow delayed reporting its quarterly results without explanation last week. On Monday the company alerted investors that its financial results for its last fiscal year are not reliable. Management has concluded that the company did not have adequate monitoring control processes in place related to non-financial covenants within certain of its secured financing and lease agreements, Bristow said in a written statement. Bristows shares fell nearly 12 percent in after-hours trading Monday after the company announced its accounting issues and scuttled its deal with Columbia. About half of Columbias employees work in Oregon. The company operates heavy-lift Chinook helicopters for defense, firefighting and natural resource exploration. Columbia is owned by the family of company founder Wes Lematta, who died in 2009. It says sales totaled $281 million in the 12 months ending last September. -- Mike Rogoway | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699 Commercial Satellite Launch Service Market Study by Evolving Technology - Lockheed Martin, Airbus, Space Exploration Technology, Boeing, Axelspace Corporation, and Orbital ATK https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/1130980/ https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/1130980/ https://empowerednews.net/author/gminsights/ https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-expansion-tank-market-professional-survey-report-2018/utm_source=RR&utm_medium=DC www.marketstudyreport.com www.marketstudyreport.com/blog The Commercial Satellite Launch Service Market research report assembled by Market Study Report, LLC, provides a succinct analysis on the recent market trends. In addition, the report offers a thorough abstract on the statistics, market estimates and revenue forecasts, which further highlights its position in the industry, in tandem with the growth strategies adopted by leading industry players.Proliferating use of GPS and communication-based facilities will require additional launches thereby boosting commercial satellite launch service Market from 2018 to 2024. Rising sales of passenger vehicles with built-in navigation facility has increased adoption of this facility in various sectors including information & technology, electronics, and automobile. Companies in oil and gas sector trace the fuel tankers and vehicles for monitor the on-shore facilities that requires well established communication network. Owing to diverse applications the service demand is predicted to expand thereby supporting industry growth rate.Request a Sample on standard prices of this premium Commercial Satellite Launch Service Market Research Report@Increasing public spending and availability of financial investment is spurring the use of smart appliances, such as smart televisions and web streaming which in turn will fuel commercial satellite launch service Market. Soaring smart phone sales along with internet usage among youngsters is enhancing web-based applications such as AccuWeather, Google search, Facebook, and Instagram. In addition, introduction of smart classes will further improve internet penetration. In 2017, the number of online users reached approximately to 25 million. This in turn will escalate the commercial satellite launch service Market in next seven years.Continuous R&D activities for cost reductions will aid developing countries such as India to strengthen its position., In 2018, ISRO launched 31 satellites and is planning for around 3000 in next ten years. Rising satellite manufacturing facilities will strengthen the commercial satellite launch service Market over the forecast period. For instance, in 2017, Airbus commissioned factory to manufacture One-Web SATs with annual investment of around USD 17 billion.This report focuses on the top Manufacturers and players in global market are given bellow:-Lockheed Martin, Airbus, Space Exploration Technology, Boeing, Axelspace Corporation, and Orbital ATK.Prohibitive cost may hinder the commercial satellite launch service market growth during forecast period. In addition, launching challenges, quality control, absence of proper launch facility, and distribution channel may restrict the industry growth. However, declining price owing to technological advancements thereby reinforcing Industry.LEO segment of commercial satellite launch service market will exhibit CAGR of around 3.2% during forecast period owing to less deploy time and low launching cost in comparison with other orbits. Additionally, the segment is the positive gateway for expanding connectivity in remote areas.The micro commercial satellite launch service market will experience more than 6% of growth rate during the projected time span. This growth rate can be credited to rising developments for enhancing affordability and reliability of the launching vehicles. Micro SATs penetration is observed in various industries owing to compact size.Request a Discount on standard prices of this premium Commercial Satellite Launch Service Market Research Report@Communication commercial satellite launch service Market will dominate industry volume share owing to increasing usage of wireless technology and rising connectivity among various countries. Reconnaissance segment is anticipated to hold over 35% of overall revenue share owing to utilization of imagery SATs for improving farming techniques. Online web sources and GIS tools for farmers will further spur segment revenue over the forecast period.Commercial Satellite Launch Service Market Size By OrbitLEO, MEO, GEO, HEOBy SizeLarge, Medium, Small, MicroBy ApplicationNavigational, Communication, Reconnaissance, Weather Forecasting, Remote SensingIndustry Analysis Report, Regional OutlookU.S., Canada, Germany, UK, France, Russia, China, Japan, India, New ZealandChapter 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. Scope, definition and forecast parameters1.2. Data Sources1.2.1. Primary1.2.2. SecondaryChapter 2. Executive Summary2.1. Commercial satellite launch service industry 360 degree synopsis, 2013 - 20242.1.1. Business trends2.1.2. Orbit trends2.1.3. Size trends2.1.4. Application trends2.1.5. Regional trendsChapter 3. Commercial Satellite Launch Service Industry Insights3.1. Industry segmentation3.2. Industry landscape, 2013 - 20243.3. Industry ecosystem analysis3.3.1. Component Suppliers3.3.2. Service providers3.3.3. Profit margin analysis3.3.4. Distribution channel analysisMore Report At:Related Report:Global Expansion Tank Market Professional Survey Report 2018This report studies Expansion Tank in Global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions, from 2013 to 2018, and forecast to 2024.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 LLC.4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:Blog: Find out why Digital Transaction Management Software Market Is Thriving Worldwide 2019: Apple (U.S.), Microsoft Corporation (U.S.), Oracle (U.S.), HP (U.S.), Sony Corporation (Japan), IBM Corporation (U.S.) https://www.qyreports.com/request-sample?report-id=105563 https://www.qyreports.com/ask-for-discount?report-id=105563 https://qyreports.com/enquiry-before-buying?report-id=105563 www.qyreports.com This report focuses on global Digital Transaction Management Software market conditions, future outlook, growth opportunities, and key and key personnel. The purpose of the study is to introduce the development of the Digital Transaction Management Software industry in the United States, Europe and China and other countries. Given the current and competitive landscape of rapidly evolving market conditions, up-to-date marketing data is critical to scrutinizing performance and creating the resolutions needed for growth and profitability. In addition, trends and marketing channels of d Digital Transaction Management Software industry are analyzed. Industry analysis was conducted to investigate the impact of various factors and to understand the overall appeal of the industry.Simplifying business processes by keeping document processes fully digital and introducing digital signatures and centralized storage solutions aimed at business automation, overall cost savings, and faster revenue opportunities has become essential. The adoption of digital transaction management software applications has increased considerably among consumers. Digital Transaction Management Software is about end-to-end processes, making it an indispensable part of integrating processes with departments within the organization, helping to reduce errors, increase efficiency, and facilitate business with customers, customers, and customers.Get sample copy of this report @Top Key Players Are Including in This Report: Apple (U.S.), Microsoft Corporation (U.S.), DocuSign Inc (U.S.), Sony Corporation (Japan), IBM Corporation (U.S.), Intel (U.S.), eSignLive (Canada), ThinkSmart (U.S.), Oracle (U.S.), HP (U.S.) etc.At the point where documents are kept in the currency needed to conduct business, disruptive technologies such as advanced Digital Transaction Management Software and block chains are sticking to the future direction of the Digital Transaction Management Software market.Significant demand for Digital Transaction Management Software platform solutions can be due to sophisticated security and rapid transactions. When evaluating several factors in terms of market share, the Digital Transaction Management Software market is expected to expand to an impressive CAGR of over 30% over the forecast period of 2019-2026.In recent years, we have invested in companies to adopt Digital Transaction Management Software. Mainly governments are keen to adopt Digital Transaction Management Software and tools for interoperability, security, accessibility, scalability, universality and privacy. Finance, financial services and insurance (BFSI), transportation sector and healthcare are competing to adopt DTM solutions.Get discount copy of this report @This report provides quantitative and qualitative analysis of the Digital Transaction Management Software market through assessments of drivers, trends, opportunities and trends that have a significant impact on the growth of the Digital Transaction Management Software market. This report also provides an in-depth perspective on Digital Transaction Management Software. Markets are categorized in terms of components, verticals, end users, and regions.The report begins with a key summary and macroeconomic factors and value chains. The final section of this report provides a dashboard view based on the value chain, key differentiators, and supplier categories for presence in the market through competitor scenarios. The report also analyzes strategies such as company overview, financial overview, sales volume, product offerings and marketing strategies, product strategies and channel strategies. The report also highlights companies in the Digital Transaction Management Software market.The research methodology of this report incorporates the major resources, secondary resources and assessments of the experienced panel of experts. Key resources consist of reviews of e-mail interactions, telephone interviews and markets for digital transaction management in various regions. Secondary reports include investor presentations, annual reports, SEC reports, government documents, World Bank databases, market reports, and related patent and regulatory databases. The Expert Panel rigorously evaluates your reports to provide you with actionable insights. Regional digital transaction management market assessment is based on Y-o-Y growth. The analysis of the report was also based on an absolute dollar opportunity analysis.If you have any query, Ask our experts:Major Factors: Global Digital Transaction Management Software Market Overview Economic Impact on Market Market Competition Global Digital Transaction Management Software Market Analysis by Application Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders Global Digital Transaction Management Software Market Effect, Factors, Analysis Global Digital Transaction Management Software Market ForecastAbout QYReports:We at, QYReports , a leading market research report publisher accommodate more than 4,000 celebrated clients worldwide putting them at advantage in todays competitive world with our understanding of research. Our list of customers include prestigious Chinese companies, multinational companies, SME's and private equity firms whom we have helped grow and sustain with our fact-based research. Our business study covers a market size of over 30 industries offering unfailing insights into analysis to reimagine your business. We specialize in forecasts needed for investing in a new project, to revolutionize your business, to become more customer centric and improve the quality of output.Contact:QYReportsJones John(Sales Manager)+91-9764607607sales@qyreports.com Semi-synthetic Oils to Account for 47.6% of Global Engine Flush Sales by End of 2026 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6153 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-6153 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com Advancements in fuel consumption technologies has necessitated the need for using oils or lubricants to flush out the dirt collected in combustion engines. Diesel and gasoline continues to be adulterated across the globe, and the demand for such lubricants known as engine flush continues to gain traction. Vehicle owners are servicing their automobiles with proper use of engine flush products. The role of these oils in improving the performance of the engine, extending vehicle life, and lowering the overall carbon footprint of combustion engines continues to extend their use in the automotive sector. Future Market Insights recent study on the global engine flush market projects that the demand for engine flush will gain moderate traction in the foreseeable years.Request Sample Report @Key findings from the report reveal that the global engine flush market will expand at an estimated 3.5% CAGR in terms of volume over the forecast period, 2017-2026. The report also projects that by the end of 2026, engine flush worth nearly US$ 1.87 Bn will be sold across the globe. Fluctuating oil prices and transformations in the designs of combustion engines for the future automotive industry are observed as the key deterrents for growth of the global engine flush market.Semi-synthetic Oils to Register Highest Value CAGR during 2017-2026Flushing out the sludge from combustion chambers and other key components of engines requires the use of advanced engine oils. Fully-synthetic oils have been widely used as engine flush by vehicle owners, however, high cost of production has curbed their penetration in the global engine flush manufacturing landscape. Improved viscosity indexes offered by semi-synthetic oils are supplanting the adoption of fully-synthetic oils. In addition, the extended lubricant life of semi-synthetic oils is also expected to drive their use as engine flush in the foreseeable future. The report estimates that by the end of 2026, around 47.6% of engine flush sold in the global market will be made of semi-synthetic oils. The report further estimates that sales of fully-synthetic oils will bring in nearly US$ 750 Mn in the global engine flush market by the end of 2026.Majority of engine flush produced across the globe will be used in the automotive industry. Petrol and diesel engines, that account 100% consumption of the overall engine flush produced in the world, will showcase a 40:60 split respectively, in terms of global market value share percentage throughout the forecast period. While engine flush will be predominantly used in the automotive industry, the report projects a growing end-use of engine flush in servicing of industrial equipment. Over the forecast period, the end-use of engine flush in industrial equipment servicing will register a global value CAGR of 4.3%.North America to Represent Largest Market for Engine Flush through 2026Highest share of engine flush produced in the world will be used by consumers in the US and Canada. In 2017, North Americas engine flush market surpassed a valuation of US$ 360 Mn, representing the largest market ahead of Europe and the Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) region. Several players in the global engine flush market are focusing on increasing their exports to North America. Companies namely, BULLSONE Co. Ltd., 3M Company, BARDAHL Manufacturing Corporation, Penrite Oil Company, International Lubricants, Inc., Valvoline Inc., LIQUI MOLY GmbH, Tec4 Lubricants, Berner Group, LUBRITA EUROPE B.V., Petra Oil, and AMSOIL INC. are observed as the leading producers of engine flush in the global landscape. The report further estimates that the APEJ engine flush market will remain attractive for global players in terms of production through 2026.Request Report Methodology @Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: Organic Coconut Water Market 2025: Top Key Players VITA COCO, Coca-Cola(Zico), Naked Juice, Maverick Brands, Taste Nirvana, C2O Pure Coconut Water, Tradecons GmbH, Amy & Brian, Edward & Sons, Sococo https://www.supplydemandmarketresearch.com/home/contact/132608?ref=Sample-and-Brochure&toccode=SDMRFO132608 https://www.supplydemandmarketresearch.com/home/contact/132608?ref=Discount&toccode=SDMRFO132608 https://www.supplydemandmarketresearch.com/home/purchase?code=SDMRFO132608 https://supplydemandmarketresearch.com Coconut water or Organic Coconut Water is the clear liquid inside young green coconuts (fruits of the coconut palm). Coconut water has long been a popular drink in the tropical countries where it is available canned, or bottled.First, coconut water benefits and coconut water nutrition are numerous due to the amount of essential nutrients it contains, which include vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, amino acids, antioxidants, enzymes and growth hormones; because coconuts grow near the sea, they have continual access to mineral-rich salt water supplies, which enables them to absorb the water through their root systems. This makes coconut water a rich source of major minerals, such as potassium, calcium and magnesium, in addition to the trace elements iodine, zinc, sulfur, selenium, sulfur, manganese, boron and molybdenum.Second, the global coconut water market is fragmented with too many small players across various regions. The production of coconut water is distributed evenly in USA, China, Europe, Brazil. China is the largest region of coconut water in the world in the past few years and it will keep the same position in the next few years. China markets took up about 62.48% the global market in 2015, followed by USA with the share of 23.31%.Third, the global production of coconut water will increase from 1138.32 Million L in 2011 to 2310.08 Million L in 2016 at an average annual growth rate of more than 15.00%. In the world wide, the top five manufacturers of coconut water are Coconut Palm Group, VITA COCO, Coca-Cola(Zico), Yeniu, Pepsico(ONE,Amacoco). And the production of Coconut Palm Group occupied about 27.69% in 2015.Ask for PDF Sample @The global Organic Coconut Water market is valued at 2270 million US$ in 2018 and will reach 6230 million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of 15.5% during 2019-2025. The objectives of this study are to define, segment, and project the size of the Organic Coconut Water market based on company, product type, end user and key regions.The following manufacturers are covered in this report, with sales, revenue, market share for each company:VITA COCOCoca-Cola(Zico)Pepsico(ONE,Amacoco)Naked JuiceMaverick BrandsTaste NirvanaC2O Pure Coconut WaterTradecons GmbHAmy & BrianEdward & SonsSococoPECUGrupo SerigyCocoJalUFC Coconut WaterCHI Coconut WaterGreen Coco EuropeKoh CoconutRequest for Instant Discount@Market size by ProductPure Coconut WaterMixed Coconut WaterMarket size by End User0-14 yrs15-34 yrs35-54 yrs55 yrs upMarket size by RegionNorth AmericaUnited StatesCanadaMexicoAsia-PacificChinaIndiaJapanSouth KoreaAustraliaIndonesiaSingaporeMalaysiaPhilippinesThailandVietnamEuropeGermanyFranceUKItalySpainRussiaCentral & South AmericaDetailed Analysis of this Research Report@The study objectives of this report are:To study and analyze the global Organic Coconut Water market size (value & volume) by company, key regions, products and end user, breakdown data from 2014 to 2018, and forecast to 2025.To understand the structure of Organic Coconut Water market by identifying its various subsegments.To share detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (growth potential, opportunities, drivers, industry-specific challenges and risks).Focuses on the key global Organic Coconut Water companies, to define, describe and analyze the sales volume, value, market share, market competition landscape and recent development.To project the value and sales volume of Organic Coconut Water submarkets, with respect to key regions.To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market.Contact Usinfo@supplydemandmarketresearch.comGlobal Contact: +1-276-477-5910About Supply Demand Market Research(SDMR)We have a strong network of high powered and experienced global consultants who have about 10+ years of experience in the specific industry to deliver quality research and analysis.Having such an experienced network, our services not only cater to the client who wants the basic reference of market numbers and related high growth areas in the demand side, but also we provide detailed and granular information using which the client can definitely plan the strategies with respect to both supply and demand side.302-20 Misssisauga Valley, Missisauga,L5A 3S1, Toronto Drone Simulator Market Research Report 2019-2026 | Top Key Players CAE Inc., General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (Ga-ASI), Aegis Technologies, Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd., L3 Link Simulation & Training Etc. Drone Simulator https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/53316 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/enquiry_before_buying/53316 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/request_for_discount/53316 www.upmarketresearch.com UpMarketResearch offers a latest published report on Global Drone Simulator Market Analysis and Forecast 2019-2026 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains 101 which highly exhibit on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.Get Sample Report With Complete TOC @Drone Simulator Market research report delivers a close watch on leading competitors with strategic analysis, micro and macro market trend and scenarios, pricing analysis and a holistic overview of the market situations in the forecast period. It is a professional and a detailed report focusing on primary and secondary drivers, market share, leading segments and geographical analysis. Further, key players, major collaborations, merger & acquisitions along with trending innovation and business policies are reviewed in the report. The report contains basic, secondary and advanced information pertaining to the Drone Simulator Market global status and trend, market size, share, growth, trends analysis, segment and forecasts from 2018-2025.The scope of the report extends from market scenarios to comparative pricing between major players, cost and profit of the specified market regions. The numerical data is backed up by statistical tools such as SWOT analysis, BCG matrix, SCOT analysis, PESTLE analysis and so on. The statistics are represented in graphical format for a clear understanding on facts and figures.The generated report is firmly based on primary research, interviews with top executives, news sources and information insiders. Secondary research techniques are implemented for better understanding and clarity for data analysis.The report for Drone Simulator Market analysis & forecast 2018-2025 is segmented into Product Segment, Application Segment & Major players.Region- wise Analysis Global Drone Simulator Market covers: North America Europe China Japan India Southeast Asia Other regions (Central & South America, Middle East & Africa)For More Information On This Report, Please VisitThe Major players reported in the market include: CAE Inc. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (Ga-ASI) Aegis Technologies Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. L3 Link Simulation & Training Havelsan A.S. Silkan Simlat Uas & ISR Training Solutions Leonardo S.P.A. Zen Technologies Limited Singapore Technologies Electronics LimitedGlobal Drone Simulator Market: Product Segment Analysis: Virtual Reality Augmented RealityGlobal Drone Simulator Market: Application Segment Analysis: Commercial MilitaryThe Report covers in- depth analysis as follows: Chapter 1 Overview of Drone Simulator Chapter 2 Global Market Status and Forecast by Regions Chapter 3 Global Market Status and Forecast by Types Chapter 4 Global Market Status and Forecast by Downstream Industry Chapter 5 Market Driving Factor Analysis of Drone Simulator Chapter 6 Drone Simulator Market Competition Status by Major Manufacturers Chapter 7 Drone Simulator Major Manufacturers Introduction and Market Data Chapter 8 Upstream and Downstream Market Analysis of Drone Simulator Chapter 9 Cost and Gross Margin Analysis of Drone Simulator Chapter 10 Marketing Status Analysis of Drone Simulator Chapter 11 Report Conclusion Chapter 12 Research Methodology and ReferenceDrone Simulator Market Analysis and Forecast 2018- 2025 report helps the clients to take business decisions and to understand strategies of major players in the industry. The report also calls for market- driven results deriving feasibility studies for client needs. UpMarketResearch ensures qualified and verifiable aspects of market data operating in the real- time scenario. The analytical studies are conducted ensuring client needs with a thorough understanding of market capacities in the real- time scenario.Global Drone Simulator Market: Key Stakeholders: Drone Simulator Manufacturers Drone Simulator Distributors/Traders/Wholesalers Drone Simulator Subcomponent Manufacturers Industry Association Downstream VendorsIn this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Drone Simulator are as follows: History Year: 2013-2017 Base Year: 2017 Estimated Year: 2018 Forecast Year 2018 to 2025Key Reasons to Purchase: To gain insightful analyses of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Global Drone Simulator Market Analysis and Forecast 2018- 2025 and its commercial landscape. Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by your competitors and leading organizations. To understand the future outlook and prospects for Drone Simulator market analysis and forecast 2018- 2025.Avail Discount On this Report @Customization of the Report:UpMarketResearch provides free customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.You can also ask for region wise market research report, as below: Drone Simulator - Global Market Status & Trend Report 2013- 2025 Top 20 Countries Data Drone Simulator - North America Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Drone Simulator - South America Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Drone Simulator - Europe Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Drone Simulator - EMEA Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Drone Simulator - Asia Pacific Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Drone Simulator - China Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Drone Simulator - India Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Drone Simulator - United States Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025About UpMarketResearch:The UpMarketResearch () is a leading distributor of market research report with more than 800+ global clients. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well- defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Contact Info:Name: Alex MathewsEmail: Alex@upmarketresearch.comOrganization: UpMarketResearchAddress: 500 East E Street, Ontario, CA 91764, United States Commercial Satellite Launch Service Market Forecast to 2024 Market Share and Regional Analysis, key players- Lockheed Martin, Airbus, Boeing, Orbital ATK, Arianespace https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2600 https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2600 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/commercial-satellite-launch-service-market https://www.gminsights.com Communication commercial satellite launch service Market will dominate industry volume share owing to increasing usage of wireless technology and rising connectivity among various countries. Reconnaissance segment is anticipated to hold over 35% of overall revenue share owing to utilization of imagery SATs for improving farming techniques. Online web sources and GIS tools for farmers will further spur segment revenue over the forecast period.Get Sample Copy of This Report @North America is predicted to dominate commercial satellite launch service Market and will be worth over USD 2.5 billion by 2024. This dominance can be credited to availability of robust infrastructure in the region and presence of multiple space organizations including SpaceX and NASA. Expansion of navigation industry demand to locate destinations is contributing significantly in regional revenue generation. Asia Pacific is anticipated to register robust growth owing to low launching cost offered by organizations such as ISRO.The micro commercial satellite launch service market will experience more than 6% of growth rate during the projected time span. This growth rate can be credited to rising developments for enhancing affordability and reliability of the launching vehicles. Micro SATs penetration is observed in various industries owing to compact size.Company profiled in this report based on Business overview, Financial data, Product landscape, Strategic outlook & SWOT analysis: Lockheed Martin Airbus Space Exploration Technology Boeing Axelspace Corporation Orbital ATKMake an Inquiry for purchasing this Report @Continuous R&D activities for cost reductions will aid developing countries such as India to strengthen its position., In 2018, ISRO launched 31 satellites and is planning for around 3000 in next ten years. Rising satellite manufacturing facilities will strengthen the commercial satellite launch service Market over the forecast period. For instance, in 2017, Airbus commissioned factory to manufacture One-Web SATs with annual investment of around USD 17 billion.Government agencies such as the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recommends and approves the regulations and procedures that govern commercial launch service industry. It satisfies infrastructure requirement for the companies located both domestically and internationally. European space organizations are exploring various alternatives for micro launchers for launching SATs for different applications including, telecom, technology demonstration, education, earth observation, and mobile applications.LEO segment of commercial satellite launch service market will exhibit CAGR of around 3.2% during forecast period owing to less deploy time and low launching cost in comparison with other orbits. Additionally, the segment is the positive gateway for expanding connectivity in remote areas.Browse Report Summery @Commercial satellite launch service market players are Lockheed Martin, Airbus, Space Exploration Technology, Boeing, Axelspace Corporation, and Orbital ATK. Industry players are adopting mergers and acquisition strategy to enhance their industry share. In January 2018, ULA acquired Atlas division of Lockheed to reduce cost and enhancing business efficiency.About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb: Cervical Cancer Treatment Market 2018 Analysis, Overview, Size, Revenue, Segments, Key Players, Industry Research Trends & Forecast 2028 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1958 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1958 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/cervical-cancer-treatment-market Treatment for cervical cancer- characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells in the cervix, will witness a significant demand in the coming years, considering early diagnosis of cervical cancer arising from increased awareness among women. As per the American Cancer Society, nearly 13,240 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in US, by the end of 2018 and nearly 4,170 women would succumb to cervical cancer.Increased Use of HPV, Pap-Test to Drive Cervical Cancer Treatment Landscape, Specifically in Low-Resource EconomiesAs per world cancer statistics, nearly 80 percent of cervical cancer cases are found in women in low-resource and developing nations. Apart from lack of awareness, difficulties in conducting cytology-based screening programs also play a major role in delaying cervical cancer treatment, in such economies including India. Medical experts emphasize on having a robust pre-screening protocol, which is essential in detecting early cervical epithelial changes. Pap-Smear test remains the single largest screening test for detecting early stage of invasive cervical cancer and precancerous cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. In the United States, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-sponsored National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) helps women get timely screeningboth uninsured and insured low-income women. Studies indicate nearly 60 percent reduction in cervical cancer death, after the implementation of Pap-Smear Test.However, in Australia, on the other hand, the government-funded initiative National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP) is aimed at reducing cervical cancer cases in the region. In December 2017, under this program, the pap test was replaced with a Cervical Screening Test that looked at the human papillomavirus (HPV)cause of nearly cervical cancer in 99 percent cases. Several studies also indicate HPV tests being more accurate than pap-smear for cervical cancer screening. Moreover, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, called for quantifiable trials of HPV testing to test the efficacy of HPV tests over pap-smear.Request Sample Report@Immunotherapy, Targeted Therapies Could Soon Become Frontline Cervical Cancer Treatment ChoicesAlthough cervical cancer treatment has undergone significant refinement in the last two decade, patients with FIGO stage IIB-IVA (locally advanced disease) often fail to achieve complete response to CCRT (concurrent chemo-radiation) with either Cisplatin or in combination. Research and medical experts are developing advanced approaches to improve outcomes of cervical cancer treatment. For instance, an inhibitor of vascular endothelial growthbevacizumab (mostly sold under the trade name Avastin)is said to showcase improved result in recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer cases when used along with chemotherapy. Researchers are also exploring the prospects of adjuvant chemotherapy given to patients with stage III-IVA disease and positive lymph nodes and tumor volume, after CCRT. Apart from combination therapies, cervical cancer treatment options involving targeting molecular pathways with innovative agents, are also being studies.In addition, immune-based therapies, has been touted as the most promising alternative to prevent, treat, and cure cancer. Oncologists and medical experts are anticipated to study the effectiveness of immunotherapy, for cervical cancer treatment, including checkpoint inhibitors-for blocking cancer cells ability to harm the immune system and treatment vaccines- for inducing a response against the cancer cells. For instance, Axalimogene filolisbac, already studies in six clinical trials, is being touted as the most unique immunotherapy for HPV-related cancers.Clinical Trials, Research and Development Gains Prominence among Key Manufacturing CompaniesInstitut Curie, recently launched a new clinical trial, under the name of NiCOL, with a focus on patients suffering from late-stage cervical cancers. Aimed at assessing the optimal dosage of Nivolumab, monoclonal antibodies, researchers are said to assess the clinical effectiveness of NiCOL, along with its immunological and genetic mechanisms during the pelvic chemo-radiotherapy stage.Request to View TOC @Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc, on the other hand, are studying the efficacy of LN-145, an autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL), aimed at providing a second-line option for cervical cancer treatmentrecurrent metastatic, and persistent. In a sponsored study by National Institutes of Health (NIH), TIL therapy showed thorough regression of metastatic cervical cancer.Under more such developments, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), granted its approval to Keytruda, developed by Merck, after its got priority review for cervical cancer treatment, in March 2018.Get Information of Full Report@Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customised and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.U.S. Office, 616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,, Valley Cottage, NY 10989,, United States, T: +1-347-9616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018, Future Outlook of WIFI Chipsets Market to reach USD 18600 Million by 2023 | Worldwide Top Key Player Broadcom, Marvell, Intel, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments, Cypress Semiconductor, Microchip WIFI Chipsets Market https://www.businessindustryreports.com/sample-request/134470 https://www.businessindustryreports.com/buy-now/134470/single https://www.businessindustryreports.com/check-discount/134470 WIFI Chipsets Market report includes - Industry Future Trends, Growth Opportunity, Experts reviews and forecast period (2019-2023). A wide range of Applications, Utilization Ratio, Supply and Demand analysis are also consist in the Report. At the end report introduced new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis.Global WIFI Chipsets Market overview:With the slowdown in world economic growth, the WIFI Chipsets industry has also suffered a certain impact, but still maintained a relatively optimistic growth, the past four years, WIFI Chipsets Market size to maintain the average annual growth rate of 7.24% from 12000.00 Million $ in 2015 to 14800.00 Million $ in 2019, market analysts believe that the next few years, WIFI Chipsets Market size will be further expanded, we expect that by 2023 , The market size of the WIFI Chipsets will reach 18600 Million $.Available Exclusive Sample Copy of this Report @This report studies the Global WIFI Chipsets Market over the forecast period of 2019-2023. The Global Recommendation Engine Market is expected to witness significant demand over the forecast period.Global WIFI Chipsets Market is segmented on the basis of Product Type, IEEE Standards, MIMO Configuration, End Use industry and Region. On the Basis of Product Type Segment, Market Can Sub segmented into MIMO configuration, band, IEEE standards, and geography. Among the IEEE standards segment, the IEEE 802.11n led the market in 2016. However, IEEE 802.11n is expected to lose a significant market share to IEEE 802.11ac Wave 1 standard and 802.11ac Wave 2 standard in the overall Wi-Fi Chipset market during the forecast period. The IEEE 802.11ac standard allows for theoretical speeds up to 6.9 Gbps in the 5 GHz band.Based on MIMO configuration technology used in Wi-Fi Chipset, the MU-MIMO segment in consumer electronics products is expected to grow at highest rate between 2019 and 2023. The high growth of MU-MIMO segment in consumer electronics products is attributed to the disadvantage of Single User Multiple Input Multiple Output (SU-MIMO) in which multiple streams of data can be sent or received by only one device at a time, even in a multi-device environment.In terms of the geographic analysis, Asia Pacific held the largest share of the Wi-Fi Chipset Market in 2016 owing to the extensive presence of major consumer electronics device Original Equipment Manufacturers in this region. Moreover, the high penetration of Wi-Fi technology in various industries such as Healthcare, Retail and manufacturing in Asia-pacific has contributed to the market dominance of this region.Purchase this report online with 125 Pages, List of Tables & Figures and in-depth Table of Contents on Global WIFI Chipsets Market Report 2019 @Major Key Players:1 Broadcom2 Qualcomm Atheros3 MediaTek4 Marvell5 Intel6 Realtek7 STMicroelectronics8 Texas Instruments9 Cypress Semiconductor10 MicrochipMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report covers:1 North America Country (United States, Canada)2 South America3 Asia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea)4 Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy)5 Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC)Grab Your Report at an Impressive Discount @Table of Contents:Global WIFI Chipsets Market Report 20191 WIFI Chipsets Product Definition2 Global WIFI Chipsets Market Manufacturer Share and Market Overview3 Manufacturer WIFI Chipsets Business Introduction4 Global WIFI Chipsets Market Segmentation (Region Level)5 Global WIFI Chipsets Market Segmentation (Product Type Level)6 Global WIFI Chipsets Market Segmentation (Industry Level)7 Global WIFI Chipsets Market Segmentation (Channel Level)8 WIFI Chipsets Market Forecast 2019-20239 WIFI Chipsets Segmentation Product Type10 WIFI Chipsets Segmentation Industry11 WIFI Chipsets Cost of Production Analysis12 ConclusionAbout usBusinessindustryReports.com is digital database of comprehensive market reports for global industries. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Media ContactBusiness Industry ReportsPune Indiasales@businessindustryreports.com+19376349940 Optometry Eye Exam Equipment Market By Key Trends, and Opportunities In 2019 For Johnson & Johnson , Essilor, ZEISS Group, Novartis , Luneau Technology, Heidelberg Engineering, Canon, Optometry Eye Exam Equipment Market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-optometry-eye-exam-equipment-market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/speak-to-analyst/?dbmr=global-optometry-eye-exam-equipment-market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-optometry-eye-exam-equipment-market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/inquire-before-buying/?dbmr=global-optometry-eye-exam-equipment-market SWOT analysis proves to be a handy tool when it comes to determining the market drivers and restraints in the Optometry Eye Exam Equipment Market. Report aims to underline all the key aspects of the Optometry Eye Exam Equipment Market to keep you apprised about the recent on goings of key players and brands acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures, recent developments, products launches, and the competitive research.The report further explains the exclusive terminologies like the market definition, classifications, applications, engagements, and global reach is for the industry while providing a CAGR forecast for the period of 2019 and 2025.Get Free Sample Copy Of Report@Global (Optometry)Eye Exam Equipment Market is expected to register a CAGR of 6.2% in the forecast period of 2019-2026, raising the initial estimated market value from USD 2.43 billion in 2018 to an estimated value of 3.93 billion by 2026. This trend can be attributed to prevalence of eye diseases due to the rising levels of geriatric population and the need to examine the optic diseases properly.Key Developments in the Market: In April 2018, Nidek announced that they had launched a company in Korea to handle the different regulations pertaining to the region and expand its market for medical devices. In August 2017, Zeiss announced the acquisition of Veracity announced their intention to digitalize eye care and provide personalized treatment and care to patients and doctors providing the relevant data for easy accessMarket Key Competitors: Carl Zeiss AG, HAAG-STREIT GROUP, TOPCON CORPORATION, NIDEK CO. LTD., Luneau Technology Inc., Heidelberg Engineering GmbH., Novartis AG, Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd., Canon Inc., Essilor, Heine Optotechnik, Bausch Health, Johnson & Johnson Services Inc., Ziemer Ophthalmic Systems, ARW Optical Corporation, Ocular Instruments, Bayou Ophthalmic Instruments, BiB Ophthalmic Instruments, Veatch Ophthalmic Instruments Associated Optical.Market Competitive Analysis:The Global Optometry/Eye Exam Equipment Market is highly fragmented and the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, expansions, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of Optometry/Eye Exam Equipment Market for global, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, South America and Middle East & Africa.Speak To Industry Experts, Request For Details Report@TABLE OF CONTENTSPART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARYPART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORTPART 03: RESEARCH METHODOLOGYPART 04: MARKET LANDSCAPE Market ecosystem Market characteristics Market segmentation analysisPART 05: MARKET SIZING Market definition Market sizing Market size and forecastPART 06: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market conditionPART 07: MARKET SEGMENTATION Segmentation Comparison Market opportunityPART 08: REGIONAL LANDSCAPE Geographical segmentation Regional comparison North America South America Europe MEA APAC Market opportunityPART 09: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers Market challengesPART 10: MARKET TRENDSPART 11: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendorsPART 12: APPENDIX List of abbreviationsToc continued!Get Full TOC @Market Drivers: Rising levels of geriatric population, accompanied by optic diseases in their age group are expected to drive the market growth Government awareness programs and initiatives to tackle optic diseases, is also expected to drive the market growthMarket Restraints: High cost of these devices is expected to restrain the market growth With high costs, usage of refurbished devices is rising, and that is expected to act as a restraint to the market growthMarket Segmentation: By Typeo Retina and Glaucoma Examination Products OCT Scanners Fundus Cameras Perimeters/Visual Field Analyzers Ophthalmoscopes Retinoscopeso General Examination Products Autorefractors and Keratometers Ophthalmic Ultrasound Systems Tonometers Slit Lamps Lensmeters Chart Projectorso Cornea and Cataract Examination Products Wavefront Aberrometers Corneal Topography Systems Specular Microscopes Optical Biometry Systems By End-Usero Hospitalso Clinicso Ambulatory Surgical Centerso Others By Geographyo North Americao South Americao Europeo Asia-Pacifico Middle East and AfricaNote: If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Make an Inquiry for Discount On this Report@About Us:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Data Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com Smart Robots Market Emerging Technology Growth and Future Business Opportunities 2024 | IRobot Corporation, DeLaval, Lely, Amazon, Honda, Kongsberg Maritime, Google Inc Smart Robots Market https://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00012466906/sample https://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00012466906/discount https://www.reportsweb.com/buy&RW00012466906/buy/4500 Smart Robots Market provides an in-depth insight of Industry covering all important parameters including development trends, challenges, opportunities, key manufacturers and competitive analysis.Smart Robots market: Company Coverage:IRobot Corporation (U.S.), DeLaval (Sweden), Lely (The Netherlands), KUKA AG (Germany), Amazon (U.S.), Honda (Japan), Kongsberg Maritime (Norway), Google Inc. (U.S.), SIASUN, DJI, Inovance technology, Foxconn, Joyson, SHANGHAI MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL, Boshi, STEP Electric, HCD, Sanfeng Intelligent Conveying Equipment.Get Sample Copy of this Report atReports has published an innovate data titled Smart Robots Market. The effective statistics about facts and figures are presented by using effective methodologies. Collectively, it focuses on historical records, and current trends along with future predictions. Different key players are aggregated on the basis of their manufacturing base and productivitySmart Robots market: Product Type Coverage: Collaborative Industrial Robots, Personal Service Robots, Professional Service Robots.Smart Robots market: Demand Coverage: Industrial Applications, Service Industry.Smart Robots market: Region Coverage: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East & Africa.Get discount on Purchase report atReason to Buy- Save and reduce time carrying out entry-level research by identifying the growth, size, leading players and segments in the Smart Robots Market.- Highlights key business priorities in order to guide the companies to reform their business strategies and establish themselves in the wide geography.- The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Smart Robots Market, thereby allowing players to develop effective long term strategies in order to garner their market revenue.- Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets.What are the market factors that are explained in the report?Market Dynamic Factors: The Smart Robots Market research report provides comprehensive forecast estimations supported by the market trends, development patterns, and analytical techniques. Even a minute change within the product profile would result in major changes within the product model, development platforms, and production strategies and methodologies.Key Market Features: The report evaluated key market features, including revenue, price, capacity, capacity utilization rate, gross, production, production rate, consumption, import/export, supply/demand, cost, market share, CAGR, and gross margin.Key Target Audience: The report is a helpful documentation and provides significant insights to customers, providers, distributors, suppliers, manufacturers, investors, and individuals who are interested in this marketPurchase a Copy of Report atAbout UsReportsWeb is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers.The market research industry has changed in last decade. As corporate focus has shifted to niche markets and emerging countries, a number of publishers have stepped in to fulfil these information needs. We have experienced and trained staff that helps you navigate different options and lets you choose best research solution at most effective cost.Contact UsPhone : +1-646-491-9876E-Mail : sales@reportsweb.com Transplant Diagnostics Market Projected to Grow at CAGR of 8.4% by 2025 | Top Companies Like - Thermo Fisher Scientific, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Qiagen N.V. Transplant Diagnostics https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1335 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-pdf/1335 Transplant diagnostics involves assessing compatibility between organ donor and receiver so as to predict any future organ rejection episodes and have contingencies in place. Number of tests are performed such as ABO blood group compatibility, tissue typing, cross matching, panel reactive antibody test, serology screening, and testing for infectious diseases. Increased understanding of the organ rejection phenomenon has led to identification of robust biomarkers along with development of robust biomarker identification tests. Technological advancements in the molecular and non-molecular assays such as PCR, and NGS has increased the data throughput. However, high cost of transplant diagnostic products, limited medical reimbursement, and low awareness about organ transplantation in emerging economies such as Middle East and Asia Pacific is expected to be a factor hindering the transplant diagnostics market growth.Get HOLISTIC Request Sample Copy Of This Business Report:Rising prevalence of chronic diseases leading to multiple organ failures; benefits offered by transplant diagnostics, which can predict organ rejection episodes and help in preparing a contingency plan; increasing government initiatives for organ donation awareness; and research and development by leading players to enhance transplant diagnostic products is expected to boost growth of the transplant diagnostics market over the forecast period. For instance, Natera, Inc. and University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), announced a research collaboration in 2016, to study DNA markers of Kidney Transplant Rejection. Furthermore, in 2016, the U.S. government announced plans to invest US$ 200 million to shorten the waiting list of organ transplant patients. These factors are expected to aid in growth of the market over the forecast period.Key features of the study:This report provides in-depth analysis of transplant diagnostics market and provides market size (US$ Million) and Cumulative Annual Growth Rate (CAGR %) for the forecast period (20172025), considering 2016 as the base yearIt elucidates potential revenue opportunity across different segments and explains attractive investment proposition matrix for this marketThis study also provides key insights about market drivers, restraints, opportunities, new product launches or approval, regional outlook, and competitive strategy adopted by the leading playersIt profiles leading players in the global transplant diagnostics market based on the following parameters company overview, financial performance, product portfolio, geographical presence, distribution strategies, key developments, and strategiesAdvent of new diagnostic tests have improved medical outcomes associated with organ transplants. Organ rejection rate can be minimized by matching the donor and recipient compatibility before transplantation. Conventional techniques in transplant diagnostics include analysis of human leukocyte antigen (HLA). HLA analysis is done in high-throughput laboratories with a limited staff, which is time consuming. However, presence of molecular assay technologies, such as sequencing techniques and PCR-based assays have proved to be efficient. Genetic information can be interpreted on a large scale by using advanced next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies at an affordable price.Some major players operating in the transplant diagnostics market are Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Qiagen N.V., F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd., Immucor, Inc., Becton Dickinson and Company, bioMerieux S.A., Illumina, Inc., CareDx, Inc., and GenDx.Download the PDF brochure:About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Mr.ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email:sales@coherentmarketinsights.com Anatomical Models Market Estimated to Record Highest CAGR by 2019 to 2022 | Global Key Players - 3B Scientific, GPI Anatomicals, Laerdal, Honglian Medical Tech, Frasaco, Xincheng Anatomical Models Market https://www.businessindustryreports.com/sample-request/112604 https://www.businessindustryreports.com/buy-now/112604/single https://www.businessindustryreports.com/check-discount/112604 A fresh report has been added to the wide database of Business Industry Reports. The research study is titled Anatomical Models Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 which provides important data about the production, consumption, revenue and company profiles for key industry participants.Global Anatomical Models Market Synopsis:According to Market Analyst, Global Anatomical Models Market is projected to grow at a healthy growth rate from 2019 to 2022.Get Free Sample Study Papers of Anatomical Models Market @Anatomical Models are a valuable tool in illustrating medical ideas and procedures to patients. Doctors are frequently required to discuss and explain medical procedures to their patients and frequently struggle to adequately do so. By using Anatomical Models, both physicians and patients may have the entire body's anatomy available in full, vibrant color. Educational facilities like high schools, colleges, and schools. Specialists have relied on anatomical charts for hundreds of years.Students training inside the healthcare industry can immediately receive the most updated health info available throughout the use of modern medical charts. Doctors also prefer Anatomical Models as their patients feel much more comfortable with a diagnosis if their physician can explain it to them in words and images that they can comprehend. With the proper illustrations and literature, a physician can provide a comprehensive assessment of a health condition to the patient, and clearly define exactly what the patient needs to understand about an upcoming procedure. Providers of life science, physical fitness, and educational services can experience immediate performance increases by incorporating anatomical charts, skeletal models, organ illustrations, health publications, and related biology tools in their current practices.Global Anatomical Models Market is segmented on the basis of Product Type, Industry and Region. On the Basis of Product Type, The Anatomical Models Market has been segmented into Skeleton & Muscular Models, Dental Models, Head & Skull & Nervous Models, Torso & Organ Models, Veterinary Models. On the Basis of Industry, Market can be sub segmented into Education, Hospitals, Scientific Research.Complete report on Anatomical Models Market spread across 125 Pages and No. of Table of contents. Buy Research atThe Market is segmented and projected on the basis of major key players:1 3B Scientific2 GPI Anatomicals3 Laerdal4 Honglian Medical Tech5 Frasaco6 Xincheng7 Simulaids8 A. Algeo9 PRODONT-HOLLIGER10 Adam, RouillyMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report covers:1 North America Country (United States, Canada)2 South America3 Asia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea)4 Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy)5 Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC)Request a Discount on standard prices of this premium report atThe prime objective of this report is to help the user understand the market in terms of its definition, segmentation, market potential, influential trends, and the challenges that the market is facing. Deep researches and analysis were done during the preparation of the report. The readers will find this report very helpful in understanding the market in depth. The facts and data are represented in the report using diagrams, graphs, pie charts, and other pictorial representations. This enhances the visual representation and also helps in understanding the facts much better.Key Questions Answered in this Report:1 What are the major market drivers, challenges, and opportunities in the global Anatomical Models market?2 What was the market value of the leading segments and sub-segments of the global Anatomical Models market in 2017?3 What are the influencing factors that may affect the market share of the key players?4 Who are the key players in Anatomical Models Market?5 How will the industry evolve during the forecast period 2019-2022?TABLE OF CONTENTS1 Anatomical Models Definition2 Global Anatomical Models Market Major Player Share and Market Overview3 Major Player Anatomical Models Business Introduction4 Global Anatomical Models Market Segmentation (Region Level)5 Global Anatomical Models Market Segmentation (Type Level)6 Global Anatomical Models Market Segmentation (Industry Level)7 Global Anatomical Models Market Segmentation (Channel Level)8 Anatomical Models Market Forecast 2018-20229 Anatomical Models Segmentation Type10 Anatomical Models Segmentation Industry11 Anatomical Models Cost Analysis12 ConclusionAbout usBusinessindustryReports.com is digital database of comprehensive market reports for global industries. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Media ContactBusiness Industry ReportsPune Indiasales@businessindustryreports.com+19376349940 Sperm Bank Market Will Generate New Growth Opportunities by 2022 Market Revenue Analysis by Androcryos, Cryos, FairFax Cryobank, New England Cryogenic Center, California Cryobank, European Sperm Bank Sperm Bank Market https://www.businessindustryreports.com/sample-request/109040 https://www.businessindustryreports.com/buy-now/109040/single https://www.businessindustryreports.com/check-discount/109040 A fresh report has been added to the wide database of Business Industry Reports. The research study is titled Sperm Bank Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 which provides important data about the production, consumption, revenue and company profiles for key industry participants.Global Sperm Bank Market Synopsis:Sperm Bank market size to maintain the average annual growth rate of 6.25% from 341 million $ in 2014 to 409 million $ in 2017, Market analysts believe that in the next few years, Sperm Bank market size will be further expanded, we expect that by 2022, The market size of the Sperm Bank will reach 548 million $.Get Free Sample Study Papers of Sperm Bank Market @There are things which you need to keep a watch out for and watch with regards to choosing the right sperm bank. Whenever you go on to interview ask these questions: what's the basis of their application procedure for donors? Do they've any outstanding legal issue unresolved? Limit of matches per donor/recipient? Are you familiar with the staff and environment? When choosing the bank this isn't something you're likely to want to do overnight, or on your very first visit, look and see what your choices are, and interview one or more location, talk about this with your co parent or spouse, and spend some time to make a sound decision prior to selecting the bank which will hold your sperm donation.Rise in the number of young sperm donors, legalization of and increase in same-sex marriages, various technological advancements in the field of assistive reproduction, and strong support on the part of governments toward donor offspring and sperm donors are also projected to Expansion the sperm bank market.Global Sperm Bank Market has been Segmented into donor type, type of vials, service and geography. Based on donor type, the market is segmented into ID Disclosure donor, anonymous donor, and known donor. Anonymous donors are the most common as it keeps the donor identity undisclosed, encouraging more donations. Based on Type of vials, the market is further segmented into intrauterine insemination (IUI), intracervical insemination (ICI), and in-vitro fertilization (IVF). ICI is one of the oldest forms on inseminations, however, with rising infertility complications among couples, IVF is gaining popularity.On the Basis of service, Market can be sub segmented into Semen analysis, Sperm storage, Genetic consultation. The semen analysis segment held a majority of the share.Geographically, The global sperm bank market has been segmented on the basis of geography into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. Considering that North America has the highest number of sperm banks with the highest number of licensed labs, this regional market for sperm banks is one of the largest in the world.Complete report on Sperm Bank Market spread across 122 Pages and No. of Table of contents. Buy Research atThe Market is segmented and projected on the basis of major key players:1 Androcryos2 Cryos International3 FairFax Cryobank4 New England Cryogenic Center5 California Cryobank6 European Sperm Bank7 Indian Spermtech8 London Sperm Bank9 ReproTech And MoreMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report covers:1 North America Country (United States, Canada)2 South America3 Asia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea)4 Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy)5 Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC)Request a Discount on standard prices of this premium report atThe prime objective of this report is to help the user understand the market in terms of its definition, segmentation, market potential, influential trends, and the challenges that the market is facing. Deep researches and analysis were done during the preparation of the report. The readers will find this report very helpful in understanding the market in depth. The facts and data are represented in the report using diagrams, graphs, pie charts, and other pictorial representations. This enhances the visual representation and also helps in understanding the facts much better.Key Questions Answered in this Report:1 What are the major market drivers, challenges, and opportunities in the global Sperm Bank market?2 What was the market value of the leading segments and sub-segments of the global Sperm Bank market in 2017?3 What are the influencing factors that may affect the market share of the key players?4 Who are the key players in Sperm Bank Market?5 How will the industry evolve during the forecast period 2019-2022?TABLE OF CONTENTS1 Sperm Bank Definition2 Global Sperm Bank Market Major Player Share and Market Overview3 Major Player Sperm Bank Business Introduction4 Global Sperm Bank Market Segmentation (Region Level)5 Global Sperm Bank Market Segmentation (Type Level)6 Global Sperm Bank Market Segmentation (Industry Level)7 Sperm Bank Market Forecast 2018-20228 Sperm Bank Segmentation Type9 Sperm Bank Segmentation Industry10 Sperm Bank Cost Analysis11 ConclusionAbout usBusinessindustryReports.com is digital database of comprehensive market reports for global industries. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Media ContactBusiness Industry ReportsPune Indiasales@businessindustryreports.com+19376349940 Telecom Millimeter Wave Market Expected To Record A CAGR Of 39.7% From 2017 To 2026 |Key Industry participants Smiths Group PLC, Bridgewave Communications, Siklu Communication Ltd Telecom Millimeter Wave http://bit.ly/2TEdDFF http://bit.ly/2Bt9lKt http://bit.ly/2TEdH8n www.polarismarketresearch.com Global Telecom Millimeter Wave Market is anticipated to reach around USD 5,869 million by 2026 according to a new research published by Polaris Market Research. In 2017, the E-band frequency band dominated the global telecom millimeter wave market, in terms of revenue. North America is expected to be the leading contributor to the global market revenue during the forecast period.Request for sample report of Telecom Millimeter Wave Market:The growing need for bandwidth intensive applications coupled with growing mobile data traffic has boosted the adoption of telecom millimeter wave. The rising penetration of mobile devices, and rising adoption of mobile-connected devices further support the growth of telecom millimeter wave market. Additionally, the increasing demand of telecom millimeter wave in small-cell backhaul networks has supported market growth over the years. Increasing investments by vendors in technological advancements, growing demand from consumer electronics, and exoanding applications in security applications would accelerate the adoption of telecom millimeter wave during the forecast period. However, adverse environmental impact, and range issues are expected to hinder the telecom millimeter wave market growth. Growing demand from emerging economies, increasing adoption in autonomous vehicles, and use in 5G technology are expected to provide numerous growth opportunities in the coming years.Browse research report on Telecom Millimeter Wave Market:Segments: Product frequency band end-user regionNorth America generated the highest revenue in the market in 2017, and is expected to lead the global market throughout the forecast period. The presence of established telecom and cloud infrastructure in this region, and growing demand for mobility services drive the market growth in the region. The rising penetration of mobile devices, and technological advancements further support market growth in the region. The high penetration of 4G LTE, and the testing of 5G technology is expected to support market growth in this region during the forecast period.The companies operating in the telecom millimeter wave market include: Siklu Communication Ltd., Farran Technology Ltd., Millitech, Inc., NEC Corporation, E-Band Communications, LLC, Bridgewave Communications, Inc., Sage Millimeter, Inc., Keysight Technologies, Inc., LightPointe Communications, Inc., and Smiths Group PLC. These companies launch new products and collaborate with other market leaders to innovate and launch new products to meet the increasing needs and requirements of consumers.Make an inquiry before buying of Telecom Millimeter Wave Market:About us Polaris Market ResearchPolaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide unmatched quality of offerings to our clients present globally. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for our clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve our diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semi-conductors and chemicals among various other industries present around the world. We strive to provide our customers with updated information on innovative technologies, high growth markets, emerging business environments and latest business-centric applications, thereby helping them always to make informed decisions and leverage new opportunities.Contact us-Mr. RohitCorporate Sales, USAPolaris Market ResearchPhone: 1-646-568-9980Email: sales@polarismarketresearch.comWeb: Preventable Vaccines Market trends estimates high demand to 2025; Top Leading Key Companies like Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Merck, LG Life Sciences, Novartis Preventable Vaccines Market https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report-sample/HC101366 https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/check-discount/HC101366 https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/send-an-enquiry/HC101366 Crystal Market Research (CMR) adds Preventable Vaccines Market Research report which offers majority of the latest and newest industry data that covers the overall market situation along with future prospects for market around the globe.Competitive Analysis:The leading players in the market are Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Merck, LG Life Sciences, Novartis, AstraZeneca, Emergent Biosciences Inc., Pfizer, Bharat Biotech, Abbott, Bavarian Nordic and Roche.Get Sample Copy of the Report here @Market Segmentation:Preventable Vaccines Market, By TypePediatric Preventable VaccinesAdult Preventable VaccinesPreventable Vaccines Market, By ApplicationVirus DiseasesBacterial DiseasesIndustry Outlook:Preventable Vaccines are those, which are used to avoid or prevent any disease from occurring. Some of the vaccine preventable serious disorders are; hepatitis B, influenza, pertussis, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, meningitis, measles, mumps, yellow fever, neonatal tetanus, etc. Increase in immunization programs by government is seen is various economies to suppress serious disorders. Factors for the increasing use of Preventable Vaccines are; development in biomedical field, technical development in the manufacturing, rising occurrence of vaccine preventable disorders, etc.Make an Enquiry Of report for Discount at @Table of Contents:1.Introduction1.1.Report Description2.Executive Summary2.1.Key Highlights3.Market Overview...8.Company Profiles8.1.Sanofi8.1.1.Business Overview8.1.2. Service Portfolio8.1.3.Strategic Developments8.1.4. Revenue and Market Share8.2.GlaxoSmithKline8.2.1.Business Overview8.2.2. Service Portfolio8.2.3.Strategic Developments8.2.4. Revenue and Market Share8.3.Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma8.3.1.Business Overview8.3.2. Service Portfolio8.3.3.Strategic Developments8.3.4. Revenue and Market Share8.4.Merck8.4.1.Business Overview8.4.2. Service Portfolio8.4.3.Strategic Developments8.4.4. Revenue and Market Share8.5.LG Life Sciences8.5.1.Business Overview8.5.2. Service Portfolio8.5.3.Strategic Developments8.5.4. Revenue and Market Share8.6.Novartis8.6.1.Business Overview8.6.2. Service Portfolio8.6.3.Strategic Developments8.6.4. Revenue and Market Share8.7.AstraZeneca8.7.1.Business Overview8.7.2. Service Portfolio8.7.3.Strategic Developments8.7.4. Revenue and Market Share8.8.Emergent Biosciences Inc.8.8.1.Business Overview8.8.2. Service Portfolio8.8.3.Strategic Developments8.8.4. Revenue and Market Share8.9.Pfizer8.9.1.Business Overview8.9.2. Service Portfolio8.9.3.Strategic Developments8.9.4. Revenue and Market Share8.10. Bharat Biotech8.10.1. Business Overview8.10.2.Service Portfolio8.10.3. Strategic Developments8.10.4.Revenue and Market ShareContinued..Some of the key questions answered by the report are:What was the Preventable Vaccines Market size in 2014 and forecast from 2015 to 2025?What will be the industry Preventable Vaccines Market growth from 2015 to 2025?What are the major drivers, restraints, opportunities, challenges, and industry trends and their impact on the market forecast?What are the major segments leading the Preventable Vaccines Market growth and why?Which are the leading players in the Preventable Vaccines Market and what are the major strategies adopted by them to sustain the Preventable Vaccines Market competition?Reason to Buy:Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies.The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Preventable Vaccines Market, thereby allowing players to develop effective long term strategies.Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets.Scrutinize in-depth Global Preventable Vaccines Market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it.Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to products, segmentation and industry verticals.Speak to Experts for any Queries @About Crystal Market Research:Crystal Market Research is a U.S. based market research and business intelligence company. Crystal offers one stop solution for market research, business intelligence, and consulting services to help clients make more informed decisions. It provides both syndicated as well as customized research studies for its customers spread across the globe. The company offers market intelligence reports across a broad range of industries including healthcare, chemicals & materials, technology, automotive, and energy.Contact Us:Judy304 South Jones Blvd, Suite 1896,Las Vegas NV 89107,United StatesToll Free: +1-888-213-4282Email: sales@crystalmarketresearch.com Security-As-A-Service Market by Top Manufacturers Gemalto NV, Intel Security, Cisco Systems Inc., Oracle Corporation, Proofpoint Inc., Trend Micro Inc., Alert Logic, Inc., Zscaler, Inc., Qualys, Inc., Okta, Inc. https://www.bigmarketresearch.com/request-sample/2854293?utm_source=OPR&utm_medium=Anil https://www.bigmarketresearch.com/request-for-discount/2854293?utm_source=OPR&utm_medium=Anil https://www.bigmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/2854293?utm_source=OPR&utm_medium=Anil HNY Research projects that the Security-as-a-Service market size will grow from XX Million in 2018 to XX Million by 2024, at an estimated CAGR of XX %. The base year considered for the study is 2017, and the market size is projected from 2018 to 2023.As the telecom industry continues to evolve and inclines to a digital business model, leading players are increasingly adopting cloud based services. This offers many distinct advantages such as cheaper services, more computing power and easy availability of storage space. Cashing on the internet on demand model that the cloud offers, telecom companies offer more affordable, agile and enhanced services. However, relying increasingly on the cloud is a double edged sword, as the threats that cloud computing is facing from hackers and cyber attackers is immense.Get Sample Copy of this Report @There are high chances that telecom companies possess personal information of individuals like names, addresses, and credit card numbers, and if this information is hacked, then there are high chances of this sensitive information being misused, resulting in identity theft and financial losses. It is in this context that the global Security as a Service market is thriving and providing the much needed security to cloud computing infrastructure, so that personal data and sensitive information of organizations doesnt get hacked and misused.By Market Players:Gemalto NV, Intel Security, Cisco Systems Inc., Oracle Corporation, Proofpoint Inc., Trend Micro Inc., Alert Logic, Inc., Zscaler, Inc., Qualys, Inc., Okta, Inc.By Enterprise TypeSmall Enterprise, Medium Enterprise, Large EnterpriseBy IndustryBFSI, IT & Telecom, Healthcare, Retail & Consumer Goods, OthersThe prime objective of this report is to help the user understand the market in terms of its definition, segmentation, market potential, influential trends, and the challenges that the market is facing. Deep researches and analysis were done during the preparation of the report. The readers will find this report very helpful in understanding the market in depth. The data and the information regarding the market are taken from reliable sources such as websites, annual reports of the companies, journals, and others and were checked and validated by the industry experts. The facts and data are represented in the report using diagrams, graphs, pie charts, and other pictorial representations. This enhances the visual representation and also helps in understanding the facts much better.Points Covered in The Report: The points that are discussed within the report are the major market players that are involved in the market such as manufacturers, raw material suppliers, equipment suppliers, end users, traders, distributors and etc. The complete profile of the companies is mentioned. And the capacity, production, price, revenue, cost, gross, gross margin, sales volume, sales revenue, consumption, growth rate, import, export, supply, future strategies, and the technological developments that they are making are also included within the report. The historical data from 2012 to 2017 and forecast data from 2018 to 2023. The growth factors of the market is discussed in detail wherein the different end users of the market are explained in detail. Data and information by manufacturer, by region, by type, by application and etc, and custom research can be added according to specific requirements. The report contains the SWOT analysis of the market. Finally, the report contains the conclusion part where the opinions of the industrial experts are included.Get a discount on this research report @Table of Content:Chapter 2 Production Market Analysis2.1 Global Production Market Analysis2.1.1 2013-2018 Global Capacity, Production, Capacity Utilization Rate, Ex-Factory Price, Revenue, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin Analysis2.1.2 2013-2018 Major Manufacturers Performance and Market Share2.2 Regional Production Market Analysis2.2.1 2013-2018 Regional Market Performance and Market Share2.2.2 United States Market2.2.3 Europe Market2.2.4 China Market2.2.5 Japan Market2.2.6 India Market2.2.7 MarketChapter 3 Sales Market Analysis3.1 Global Sales Market Analysis3.1.1 2013-2018 Global Sales Volume, Sales Price and Sales Revenue Analysis3.1.2 2013-2018 Major Manufacturers Performance and Market Share3.2 Regional Sales Market Analysis3.2.1 2013-2018 Regional Market Performance and Market Share3.2.2 United States Market3.2.3 Europe Market3.2.4 China Market3.2.5 Japan Market3.2.6 India Market3.2.7 MarketChapter 4 Consumption Market Analysis4.1 Global Consumption Market Analysis4.1.1 2013-2018 Global Consumption Volume Analysis4.2 Regional Consumption Market Analysis4.2.1 2013-2018 Regional Market Performance and Market Share4.2.2 United States Market4.2.3 Europe Market4.2.4 China Market4.2.5 Japan Market4.2.6 India Market4.2.7 MarketChapter 5 Production, Sales and Consumption Market Comparison Analysis5.1 Global Production, Sales and Consumption Market Comparison Analysis5.2 Regional Production, Sales Volume and Consumption Volume Market Comparison Analysis5.2.1 United States5.2.2 Europe5.2.3 China5.2.4 Japan5.2.5 India5.2.6Chapter 6 Major Manufacturers Production and Sales Market Comparison Analysis6.1 Global Major Manufacturers Production and Sales Market Comparison Analysis6.1.1 2013-2018 Global Major Manufacturers Production and Sales Market Comparison6.2 Regional Major Manufacturers Production and Sales Market Comparison Analysis6.2.1 United States6.2.2 Europe6.2.3 China6.2.4 Japan6.2.5 India6.2.6Inquiry before Buy @About Us:Industry executives tend to keep a tab on their business competitors. This keeps them updated on strategic business activities and investment trends. Company profiles are crucial to participating players of interconnected verticals.5933 NE Win Sivers Drive, #205, Portland,OR 97220 United StatesCall answer Direct: +1-971-202-1575Call answer Toll Free: +1-800-910-6452Email help@bigmarketresearch.com Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) - Growing Popularity and Emerging Trends in the Market | Benchmark Electronics, Celestica, Foxconn, Jabil, Plexus Corp., Sanmina, TT Electronics plc and Sparton Corporation Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) Market www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2971 www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2971 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/electronic-manufacturing-services-ems-market The U.S. electronics manufacturing services (EMS) market dominates the global industry; the electronic manufacturing services demand in the country is estimated to exceed USD 70 billion by 2024. The emergence of several manufacturing companies across all industry verticals in the U.S. has increased competition and enforced OEMs to partner with the EMS providers. Additionally, increasing government rules to produce safe and tested electronic products to be used in industrial applications, such as medical devices and automobiles, supports EMS market growth. To save the labor costs involved in manufacturing and logistics operations, OEMs in the U.S. are shifting toward electronics contract services. These factors coupled with the growth in outsourcing activities account for the rapid development in the industry.Request for Sample Copy of This Report @The rapid rise in the demand for consumer and smart electronic devices across the globe is driving the EMS market growth. Increasing demand for devices, such as smartphones and tablets, accounts for the development of new collaborations and partnerships between service providers and OEMs. As a result, EMS market players deploy efficient manufacturing machines and service delivery facilities that further fuel the industry development.Major companies in Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) Market: - Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Altadox, Inc. Benchmark Electronics, Inc. Celestica, Inc. Compal Electronics, Inc. Delta Group Electronics, Inc. Fabrinet Flextronics International, LTD. Foxconn Integrated Microelectronics Jabil KeyTronicEMS Kimball Electronics, Inc. Plexus Corporation Sanmina SIIX Corporation Sparton Corporation TPV Technology Limited TT Electronics plcThe demand for efficient & safe smart devices from manufacturers allows service providers to improvise their technical capabilities. Additionally, increasing investments in outsourcing activities by OEMs for availing the logistics, manufacturing, and testing services add up to the consumption of the products.Make an Inquiry for purchasing this Report @EMS market will be driven by the electronic manufacturing, which is expected to exceed 55% of the revenue share due to the continuous demand for electronic components in various industry verticals such as automotive, consumer electronics, and others. The products include manufacturing of printed circuit boards, microelectronics, optoelectronics, and radio frequency & wireless devices for the electronics, medical, and telecommunication applications.The growing concerns regarding the production of technically and legally compliant products by the OEMs enforce them to utilize these products on a larger scale. This is attributed to the efficiency, high-quality, and application-specific products offered by the service providers. Moreover, these providers also offer services based on the low to high quantity of product demand from OEMs.Automotive electronics manufacturing services market will grow at a CAGR of around 5% in the coming years owing to the penetration of electronic devices and components in vehicular systems. Increasing utilization of automotive electronics including electronic systems, sensors, and ECUs in the safety, comfort, and infotainment devices creates a demand for EMS.Browse Complete Report Summary @Auto manufacturers develop contracts with the EMS providers for a continual supply of the electronic components. EMS market players have developed specialized design, manufacture, and diagnostic services for the automotive companies. For instance, Actia Group offers automotive industry-specific services to its vehicle manufacturing customers by supporting the production standards such as ISO TS 16949.All in all, with unprecedented growth in the demand for consumer electronics over the next few years, the electronic manufacturing services market will witness tremendous inflow of capital for expanding production capacities. Constant innovations, for instance EMS company New Kinpo Groups AI-powered manufacturing robots and autonomous manufacturing capabilities, will further attract OEMs towards Asian companies. Key players dominating the global EMS market share include Foxconn, Integrated Microelectronics, Inc., Benchmark Electronics, API Technologies Corp., Celestica, Inc., New Kinpo Group, Venture Corporation and Sanmina Corporation.About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.com Advanced Process Control Software Market Offers Stable Growth by 2023 - Rockwell Automation, Inc., Yokogawa Electric Corporation, General Electric Company, Rudolph Technologies, Inc https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-toc-and-sample/3222 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/3222 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/advanced-process-control-software-market https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Advanced process control is implemented in process industries. It enables an organization to increase the productivity, efficiency, and reduce emissions. Benefits such as improved production capacity, improved monitoring of key performance indicators, less power consumption, and better equipment reliability offered by advanced process control drive the market. Aspen Technology, Inc., Rockwell Automation, Inc., and Yokogawa Electric Corporation are some of the key players in the advanced process control software market.Request Sample PDF of Advanced Process Control Software Market Report@Increasing adoption of advanced process control in process industries in order to reduce emissions and to increase operational flexibility & reliability is expected to drive the market during the forecast period. High implementation costs of advanced process control are expected to restrict the market growth. However, data accuracy and faster implementation of software provide ample growth opportunities.Major Market Players Included in This Report: Aspen Technology, Inc. Rockwell Automation, Inc. Yokogawa Electric Corporation General Electric Company Rudolph Technologies, Inc. Emerson Electric Co. MAVERICK Technologies Honeywell Schneider Electric Software LLC Siemens AG.The report segments the advanced process control software market on the basis of type, application, and geography. On the basis of type, it includes advance regulatory control, inferential control, multivariable model predictive control, and others. On the basis of application, it includes oil & gas, pharmaceuticals, food & beverages, petrochemicals, and others. On the basis of geography, it covers North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.Inquire more about this report@The major players of the advanced process control software market are Aspen Technology, Inc., Rockwell Automation, Inc., Yokogawa Electric Corporation, General Electric Company, Rudolph Technologies, Inc., Emerson Electric Co. MAVERICK Technologies, Honeywell, Schneider Electric Software, LLC, and Siemens AG.Advanced Process Control Software Market Segments:By Type Advance Regulatory Control Inferential Control Multivariable Model Predictive Control OthersBy Application Oil & Gas Pharmaceuticals Food & Beverages PetrochemicalsChapter: 4 GLOBAL ADVANCED PROCESS CONTROL SOFTWARE MARKET, BY TYPE4.1. OVERVIEW4.1.1. Market size and forecast4.2. ADVANCE REGULATORY CONTROL4.2.1. Key market trends4.2.2. Growth factors and opportunities4.2.3. Market size and forecast4.3. INFERENTIAL CONTROL4.3.1. Key market trends4.3.2. Growth factors and opportunities4.3.3. Market size and forecast4.4. MULTIVARIABLE MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL4.4.1. Key market trends4.4.2. Growth factors and opportunities4.4.3. Market size and forecastAccess Full Summary@About Us:Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. 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Opioid Market 2021 | Purdue Pharma, Pfizer Inc., Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Sanofi, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., among others. https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114748/Opioid-Market https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114748/Opioid-Market https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114748/Opioid-Market https://www.researchreportinsights.com/ Prescription opioids are posing a huge threat for pharmaceutical giants in the world as subjects consuming opioid drugs are becoming highly addictive to them, which is incidentally causing deaths. Production of synthetic opioid drugs has been tainted by reports that regard it to be an ill-fated burden on consumers as well as manufacturing companies. Overdose of opioids has resulted in occurrence of malignant disorders in the users body, most of which have resulted into fatalities. The demand for opioids, on the contrary, is likely to be on an all-time high, owing to a significant rise in incidences of cancer and other fatal disorders. As most of us know, the legitimate use of opioids is its performance as a narcotic pain relief medication in treatments for cancer, surgical pain and post-surgery trauma.Consumption of opioids is largely reliant on its extensive use as an end-stage medication for treating cancer. While the analgesic nature of such drugs relives the patient from cancer pain, it incidentally suppresses sensation for the subject and results into organ failures. Off lately, the consumption of opioid drugs was highly criticized and condemned after reports of a prominent opioid medication, called Fentanyl, became the reason causing death of the patient for administration. Ergo, emergence of such news impaired the business progression of its North American pharmaceutical company, Insys Therapeutics, Inc. A comparatively high growth in opioid addiction in the US has further pressurized the FDA for abolishing the production of opioid drugs, in spite of being highly-crucial for cancer treatment.Request For Report Sample:The impact of such incidences on the global opioids market is likely to be a deterrent one. Prescribing opioids continues to be majorly profitable for pharmacies, but the aftermath of its dosage is curbing their use in hospitals and specialty healthcare facilities. Research Report Insights (RRI) has compiled a report, titled Opioids Market by 2021 that valued the global opioids market at an estimated US$ 33 billion in 2014. Key market insights and research findings assessed in the report project that the market will garner US$ 42,158 million in revenues by the end of 2021.Request For Reprot discount:Fragmenting this growth of global opioids market, the report includes classification on the basis of products (drug types) and applications. The use of opioids in production of morphine and codeine drugs is anticipated to dominate the global market by accounting for over 60% share. Analgesic applications of opioid drugs are expected to procure market value of US$ 28,436.8 million by 2021-end. Increasing presence of palliative care facilities and rising importance of Abuse-Deterrent Formulation (ADF) regulations for generic drug manufactures is driving the growth of global opioids market; particularly in North America and Europe. The report has profiled some of the leading companies contributing to the growth of global opioids market, which include pharmaceutical manufacturers such as Actavis Plc., Purdue Pharma, Pfizer Inc., Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Sanofi, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., among others.Report Analysis:Research Report Insights (RRI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver a host of services including custom research reports, syndicated research reports, and consulting services which are personalized in nature. RRI delivers a complete packaged solution to clients; this combines current market intelligence, technology inputs, statistical anecdotes, valuable growth insights, 360-degree view of the competitive framework, and anticipated market trendsResearch Report Insights (RRI42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website:Email: sales@researchreportinsights.com Premenstrual Syndrome Global Market Research Report 2025 Premenstrual Syndrome Global 2025 https://www.research2reports.com/report-medical-devices/premenstrual-syndrome-market/80984 https://www.research2reports.com/sample-report-medical-devices/premenstrual-syndrome-market/80984 https://www.research2reports.com/enquiry-before-buy-medical-devices/premenstrual-syndrome-market/80984 https://www.research2reports.com/category-medical-devices Premenstrual Syndrome Report by Material, Application, and Geography Global Forecast to 2022 is a professional and in-depth research report on the world's major regional market conditions, focusing on the main regions (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific) and the main countries (United States, Germany, united Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and China).Access more details about this report at:The report firstly introduced the Premenstrual Syndrome basics: definitions, classifications, applications and market overview; product specifications; manufacturing processes; cost structures, raw materials and so on. Then it analyzed the world's main region market conditions, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, supply, demand and market growth rate and forecast etc. In the end, the report introduced new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.Purchase a copy of this premium research report at:The report includes six parts, dealing with:1.) Basic Information;2.) Asia Premenstrual Syndrome Market;3.) North American Premenstrual Syndrome Market;4.) European Premenstrual Syndrome Market;5.) Market Entry and Investment Feasibility;6.) Report Conclusion.Inquire further details about this report at:About Research 2 Reports:Research2Reports Market Research Company offers custom syndicated market research reports with market analysis, consulting services Market research reports by Research2Reports depends on survey analysis covers a magnitude of factors, industry research, market size, forecasts, financial growth, pricing trends, competitive insights of market segmentsContact Us:Organization: Research2reportsOffice No. 212/213, B Block 2nd Floor,Parmar Chambers,Sadhu Vaswani Road, Pune 411001Phone Number: 020 - 2612 6969Email: info@research2reports.comRead More Industry News:Research 2 Reports offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.Office No. 212/213, B Block 2nd Floor,Parmar Chambers,Sadhu Vaswani Road, Pune 411001 Narcolepsy Therapeutics Market Size Worth $3263.65 Million by 2025 | Key Industry participants - Addrenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc., BIOPROJET, Cephalon, Inc. https://bit.ly/2THe6Hi https://bit.ly/2Gom8BQ https://bit.ly/2Sprinx www.polarismarketresearch.com The Global Narcolepsy Therapeutics Market is estimated to reach over USD 3263.65 Million by 2025. Narcolepsy is a therapeutic disorder which is categorized by prodigious daytime sleepiness as well as sudden attacks of sleep. In some cases, this chronic sleep disease can lead to an abrupt loss of muscle tone (cataplexy), leading to loss and weakness of muscle control. Some of the most common indications of narcolepsy are daytime sleepiness, hallucinations, fragmented sleep & insomnia, and sleep paralysis.Request for sample report of narcolepsy therapeutics market:Growing incidence of narcolepsy and increasing overweight populace are the major factors estimated to drive the global narcolepsy therapeutics market growth. For instance, according to the Sleep Science journal 2017 report, it was estimated that around 1 in every 2,000 people across the globe are suffering from narcolepsy disorder. Moreover, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, around 63% of the Australian individuals who are aged over 18 years were estimated to be obese or overweight.Additionally, growing research and development activities and growing demands for effective treatment of the disease are another factors expected to boost the market growth. However, low per capita healthcare spending and lack of awareness majorly in middle income and lower-income economies is estimated to hinder the global narcolepsy therapeutics market during the forecast period.The global Narcolepsy Therapeutics Market is segmented on the basis of product, type, and geography. On the basis of product, the global Narcolepsy Therapeutics Market is segmented into Sodium Oxybate, Central Nervous System Stimulants, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor, and Tricyclic Antidepressants. In 2017, Sodium oxybate was estimated to domkiat5e the market segment. The dominance is due to the presence of favorable reimbursement guidelines, the high cost of this drug, and the increasing awareness levels relating to diagnosis & associated treatments of the disease. On the basis of type, the global Narcolepsy Therapeutics Market is segmented into Narcolepsy with Cataplexy, Narcolepsy without Cataplexy, and Secondary Narcolepsy. In 2017, the Narcolepsy with cataplexy segment was estimated to dominate the market growth. The dominance is attributed to the growing incidence of cataplexy as a major indication in patients.Browse research report on narcolepsy therapeutics market:On the basis of region, the global Narcolepsy Therapeutics Market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Europe was estimated to dominate the global Narcolepsy Therapeutics Market. The dominance is majorly attributed to the well-established healthcare organizations, rising R&D initiatives for the expansion of novel drugs, and high incidence of people suffering from such disorder. However, Asia Pacific is expected to dominate the global Narcolepsy Therapeutics Market during the forecast. Rising disposable income, increasing investments in biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors, economic development, supportive government initiatives, and rising awareness among people regarding the appropriate therapies are the factors expected to significantly boost the Narcolepsy Therapeutics Market in the Asia Pacific.Make an inquiry before buying of narcolepsy therapeutics market:Some major key players in global Narcolepsy Therapeutics Market include Addrenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc., BIOPROJET, Cephalon, Inc., Evotec AG, Graymark Healthcare, Inc., Hypnion, Inc., Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. among others.About Polaris Market ResearchPolaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide unmatched quality of offerings to our clients present globally. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for our clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve our diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semi-conductors and chemicals among various other industries present around the world. We strive to provide our customers with updated information on innovative technologies, high growth markets, emerging business environments and latest business-centric applications, thereby helping them always to make informed decisions and leverage new opportunities.Contact us-Mr. RohitCorporate Sales, USAPolaris Market ResearchPhone: 1-646-568-9980Email: sales@polarismarketresearch.comWeb: Global Box Making Machines Market 2019 is growing at a CAGR of 2.2% upto 2024 and expected to reach around USD 3190 million globally by 2024 Global Box Making Machines Market https://goo.gl/f6nnDg https://goo.gl/4mpXFQ www.apexmarketsresearch.com Boxes are used for packaging consumer and industrial goods. Packaging is best suited for shipping and transporting various products that are fragile in nature. These boxes are very durable and have high safety standards compared with the other modes of packaging such as cardboard packaging. Boxes handle pressure and can be stacked for easy and economical transportation. These boxes are safe to use as they do not have any sharp edges.In terms of volume, the Sales of Box Making Machines was about 16421 Units in 2016. And it is anticipated to reach 20820 Units by 2022. One trend in the market is smart packaging.One driver in the market is the exponential growth in the e-commerce industry. The trend of e-commerce has been in existence since 2000 in the developed countries such as the US and the EU, but it has started gaining a huge momentum in the developing nations; the e-commerce industry has now penetrated in several unreached markets till now. The global e-commerce industry witnessed exponential growth in 2015 with most of this growth coming from B2B trading. With this trend, the e-commerce industry is anticipated to witness an exponential growth due to the growth in disposable incomes as well as the rise in internet penetration globally.The industry is expected to remain innovation-led, with frequent acquisitions and strategic alliances adopted as the key strategies by the players to increase their industry presence. Market stays in mature period with a clear concentration. Meanwhile, optimize product mix and further develop value-added capabilities to maximize margins. Manufacturers can take advantage of this situation by reinforcing their production units and supply-chains to avoid any delay in production turn-around-times (TAT) and supply-lead-times.According to this study, over the next five years the Box Making Machines market will register a 2.2% CAGR in terms of revenue, the global market size will reach US$ 3190 million by 2024, from US$ 2800 million in 2019.Apex Market Research, recently published a detailed market research study focused on the Box Making Machines Market 2019 across the global, regional and country level. Box Making Machines Market Research Report highlights extensive market insights of the Box Making Machines industry, which offers definitions and a diverse range of market structures and characteristics, historic and present market values along with the expected future growth of the Box Making Machines market for the forecast period. The study shares Box Making Machines performance both in terms of volume and revenue.Key Manufacturers Analysis of This ReportBCS CorrugatedPacksizeFosber GroupBox on Demand (Panotec)EMBA MachineryT-ROCZematZhongke PackagingMHIBxmkrMiyakoshi PrintingGuangdong HongmingMing WeiLishunyuanStandard Mechanical WorksSenior Paper PackagingGet Free Sample Copy of Report Here:The report exhibits Box Making Machines market across diverse regions (including the regions India, Japan, South East Asia, Europe, China and USA). In this section, major attributes such as region-wise Box Making Machines production value and techniques, consumption, export/import details, growth rate from 2013 to 2018, market structure and status and SWOT analysis are included. Moreover, the research study categorizes the Box Making Machines Market based on major product types, application and end users industries of Box Making Machines. Besides, the report also covers geographical segregation for Box Making Machines Market. The report further provides production, capacity, price per region, gross margin, production cost, for all major regions and countries listed in report.On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoSemi-automaticFully-automaticOn the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, includingFood and BeverageElectronicsCosmetic and Personal CareClothing and FabricOthersThe competitive landscape of the global market for Box Making Machines is analyzed by assessing the major industry participants, production capacity, production capacity utilization rate, Box Making Machines Markets production chain, pricing by each manufacturer and the revenue produced by each manufacturer in the Box Making Machines Market globally.Inquire Before Buying @The Global Box Making Machines Market 2019 is further emphasis on the basis of product pricing, Box Making Machines production volume, data pertaining to demand and Box Making Machines supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. The report offers upstream and downstream analysis covering major raw material used in manufacturing of Box Making Machines along with detailed manufacturing sources. The report also offers list of major raw material manufacturers along with their manufacturing locations. Comprehensive raw material price trend analysis along with manufacturing cost analysis is also incorporated into the report. Diverse methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, SWOT analysis and market attractiveness analysis has been implemented in the research study to show a comprehensive, detailed research study of the industry for Box Making Machines across the globe.About UsApex Market Research offers elevating market research globally. We have collection of various syndicated research of different categories. Apex Market Research provides you to best services, weather youre searching for new trends in market or competitive scenario in emerging market.Customers can buys different research across various categories such as Chemical and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezS no. 72/1/A/6, Floor No. 1,Harikrishna Building, Samarth Nagar,New Sanghvi, Pune-411027 India.Phone: +17739042683Email id - sales@apexmarketsresearch.comWebsite - Next Generation Sequencing Market to 2025 Global Analysis and Forecasts by Leading Players Illumina, Macrogen, Qiagen N.V., PerkinElmer, Eurofins Scientific, Beijing Genomics Institute, Next Generation Sequencing Market http://bit.ly/2THtJOP http://bit.ly/2TIIFw9 http://bit.ly/2TIr6fV In our study, we have segmented the next generation sequencing market by product, service, application and end-users. The products considered in the study are platform, services, and consumables. The platform segment is further segmented as Hiseq, Miseq, Solid, ION Torrent, Pacbio Rs II & Sequel Systems. The sub-segment of services is further divided as sequencing services and data management & analysis services. Consumables is further bifurcated as sample preparation consumables, library preparation & target enrichment kits & reagents, and quality control kits & reagents. The services segment is classified as genome sequencing. Exome sequencing, resequencing & targeted sequencing, and other services. The applications of next generation sequencing covered in the report include, diagnostics, drug discovery, precision medicine, and others. The end-users of next generation sequencing is classified as academic & research institutes, pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies, hospitals & clinics, and others. Geographically, the market for next generation sequencing is categorized as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South and Central America (S&CAM).The major players operating in the market of next generation sequencing market include F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, PerkinElmer, Inc., Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Ltd., Eurofins Scientific, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Beijing Genomics Institute, Agilent Technologies, Qiagen N.V., Macrogen, Inc., and Illumina, Inc. among othersGet sample PDF copy at:The next generation sequencing market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 21.1% during the forecast period from 2018 to 2025. The next generation sequencing market is estimated to reach US$ 26,501.25 Mn by 2025.Next generation sequencing (NGS) is the technology which is used to align millions of small fragments of DNA simultaneously that are capable of processing multiple DNA sequences in parallel. The arrival of rapid DNA sequencing methods has significantly enhanced biological and medical research and discovery. The demand for next generation sequencing technology has been increasing widely due to the rise in genetic tests. The availability of next generation sequencing at low cost, technological advancements and high prevalence of cancer cases during the previous years. Also, the companies operating the next generation sequencing market have been investing substantial time and amount in research and development activities, through which better technologies can be introduced in the market.The next generation sequencing market is witnessing a healthy growth rate during the previous years and is expected to witness similar trend in the coming years. The companies operating in the market of next generation sequencing provide their products and services for applications such as drug discovery, diagnosis, and precision medicine. With constant R&D activities, the companies have been focusing towards developing advanced techniques in next generation sequencing that can be useful for end users such as hospitals & clinics, academic institutions, etc. Various players have been upgrading their product portfolio by applying for approvals. With expansion activities, companies are focusing towards strengthening their customer base by providing services to varied applications.The next generation sequencing market is well established in North America region, especially in the U.S and Canada. Companies are engaging in expansion activities in order to strengthen their customer presence in the region of North America, For instance, Illumina, Inc. and Telegraph together launched a new company, Verogen, which would provide Illuminas forensic sequencing technology to forensic customers in the US. Advancements in technologies and declining prices are considered to be the driving factors in the next generation sequencing market.Inquiry for Discount at:Next Generation Sequencing Market Landscape3.1 Market Overview3.2 Market Segmentation3.2.1 Next Generation Sequencing Market a By Product3.2.2 Next Generation Sequencing Market a By Technology3.2.3 Next Generation Sequencing Market a By Application3.2.4 Next Generation Sequencing Market a By End User3.2.5 Next Generation Sequencing Market a By Region3.2.5.1 By Countries3.3 PEST Analysis3.3.1 North America a PEST Analysis3.3.2 Europe a PEST Analysis3.3.3 Asia Pacific a PEST Analysis3.3.4 Middle East and Africa a PEST Analysis3.3.5 South and Central Americaa PEST Analysis4 Next Generation Sequencing Market a Key Industry Dynamics4.1 Key Market Drivers4.2 Key Market Restraints4.3 Key Market Opportunities4.4 Future Trends4.5 Impact Analysis5 Next Generation Sequencing Market Analysis- Global5.1 Global Next Generation Sequencing Market Overview5.2 Global Next Generation Sequencing Market Forecasts and Analysis5.3 Market Positioning/Market Share5.4 Performance of Key Players5.5 Expert Opinions5.6 Clinical Trials AnalysisBuy Now at:About Us:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Automotive and Defense.Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.com Articulated Robot Market Analysis with Industry Top Competitors - ABB LTD., FANUC CORPORATION, YASKAWA Electric Corporation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. mrrse https://www.mrrse.com/sample/16736 https://www.mrrse.com/articulated-robot-market https://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/16736 https://www.mrrse.com/ Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) has recently updated its massive report catalogue by adding a fresh study titled Articulated Robot Market Outlook and Forecasted Analysis Through 2026. This business intelligence study encapsulates vital details about the market current as well as future status during the mentioned forecast period of 2026.The report also targets important facets such as market drivers, challenges, latest trends, and opportunities associated to growth of manufacturers in global market for Articulated Robot Market. Along with these insights, the report provides the readers crucial insights on the strategies implemented by leading companies to remain in the lead of this competitive market.Request Free Sample Report @The report covers all the trends and technologies playing a major role in the growth of the articulated robot market over the forecast period. It highlights the drivers, restraints, and opportunities expected to influence the market growth during this period. The study provides a holistic perspective on the markets growth in terms of revenue and volume (in US$ Mn and Thousand Units) across different geographical regions, namely North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America. The report highlights the key trends affecting the market on a global scale. Furthermore, region wise prominent countries/regions covered in the report includes the U.S, Canada, Germany, France, the UK, India, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, GCC countries, South Africa, Mexico, and Brazil.This report analyzes and forecasts the market for articulated robots at the global and regional level. The market has been forecasted based on revenue (US$ Mn) and volume (thousand units) from 2018 to 2026. The study includes drivers and restraints of the global articulated robot market. It also covers the impact of these drivers and restraints during the forecast period.The report comprises a detailed value chain analysis, which provides a comprehensive view of the global articulated robot market. Porters Five Forces model has also been included to help understand the competitive landscape in the market. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-users are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness.This research study on the global articulated robot market provides a detailed cross segment and cross country analysis based on the different segments including components, payload capacity, and industry vertical. Based on components, the market is segmented into hardware, software, and services. Based on payload capacity, the market is divided into low, medium, high, and heavy. On the basis of industry vertical, the market is segmented into automotive, aerospace, EMS, food & beverages, medical & pharmaceutical, and others.Secondary research sources that are typically referred to include, but are not limited to company websites, annual reports, financial reports, broker reports, investor presentations, and SEC filings, internal and external proprietary databases, and relevant patent and regulatory databases, national government documents, statistical databases, and market reports, news articles, press releases, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market, national government documents, statistical databases, and market reports, Factiva, etc.Primary research involves e-mail interactions, telephonic interviews, and face-to-face interviews for each market, category, segment, and sub-segment across geographies. We conduct primary interviews on an ongoing basis with industry participants and commentators in order to validate the data and analysis. Primary interviews provide firsthand information on the market size, market trends, growth trends, competitive landscape, and outlook, etc. These help us to validate and strengthen secondary research findings. These also help to develop the analysis teams market expertise and understanding.Browse Complete Report with TOC @The report includes well-established players such as ABB LTD., FANUC CORPORATION, YASKAWA Electric Corporation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. These players innovate novel articulated robots. For instance, in 2017, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. announced the launch of its compact multi-axis vertically articulated robots named RS007N and RS007L. These compact articulated robots with payload capacity of 7Kg with 6-axis will fulfill the increasing demand from the electronics as well as food industry.Global Articulated Robot Market SegmentsGlobal Articulated RobotMarket, by ComponentHardwareSoftwareServicesGlobal Articulated RobotMarket, by Payload capacityLowMediumHighHeavyGlobal Articulated RobotMarket, by Industry VerticalAutomotiveAerospaceEMS (Electronic Manufacturing Services)Food & BeveragesMedical & PharmaceuticalsOthersGlobal Articulated RobotMarket, by GeographyNorth AmericaThe U.S.CanadaRest of North AmericaEuropeFranceThe U.KGermanyRest of EuropeAsia Pacific (APAC)IndiaJapanChinaRepublic of KoreaRest of APACMiddle East & Africa (MEA)GCC CountriesSouth AfricaRest of MEASouth AmericaMexicoBrazilRest of South AmericaEnquire about this Report @About Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite: Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Market 2019 Global Analysis By Key Players ACE Insurance, Achmea, AEGON, AIA Group, AlfaStrakhovanie, Allianz, Assurant https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3687891-global-life-pension-health-disability-insurance-market-2018 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/3687891-global-life-pension-health-disability-insurance-market-2018 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=3687891 WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Market 2019 Global Analysis By Key Players ACE Insurance, Achmea, AEGON, AIA Group, AlfaStrakhovanie, Allianz, Assurant.Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Industry 2019Description:-Life insurance is a contract between an insurance policy holder and an insurer or assurer, where the insurer promises to pay a designated beneficiary a sum of money (the benefit) in exchange for a premium, upon the death of an insured person (often the policy holder). Depending on the contract, other events such as terminal illness or critical illness can also trigger payment. The policy holder typically pays a premium, either regularly or as one lump sum. Other expenses, such as funeral expenses, can also be included in the benefits.Scope of the Report:This report studies the Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance market status and outlook of Global and major regions, from angles of players, countries, product types and end industries; this report analyzes the top players in global market, and splits the Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance market by product type and applications/end industries.Pension insurance contract is an insurance contract that specifies pension plan contributions to an insurance undertaking in exchange for which the pension plan benefits will be paid when the members reach a specified retirement age or on earlier exit of members from the plan...Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comThe global Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance market is valued at xx million USD in 2017 and is expected to reach xx million USD by the end of 2023, growing at a CAGR of xx% between 2017 and 2023.The Asia-Pacific will occupy for more market share in following years, especially in China, also fast growing India and Southeast Asia regions.North America, especially The United States, will still play an important role which cannot be ignored. Any changes from United States might affect the development trend of Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance.Europe also play important roles in global market, with market size of xx million USD in 2017 and will be xx million USD in 2023, with a CAGR of xx%.Market Segment by Companies, this report coversACE InsuranceAchmeaAEGONAIA GroupAlfaStrakhovanieAllianzAnadolu Hayat EmeklilikAssicurazioni GeneraliAssurantAvivaAXABanamexBanco Bilbao Vizcaya ArgentariaBanco BradescoBNP Paribas CardifChina Life Insurance CompanyChina Pacific InsuranceCNP AssurancesCredit AgricoleDZ BankGaranti Emeklilik ve HayatGreat Eastern HoldingsGrupo Nacional ProvincialMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversTerm InsurancePermanent InsuranceMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoChildrenAdultsSenior CitizensEnquiry About Report @Table Of Contents Major Key Points1 Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance1.2 Classification of Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance by Types1.2.1 Global Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Revenue Comparison by Types (2017-2023)1.2.2 Global Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Revenue Market Share by Types in 20171.2.3 Term Insurance1.2.4 Permanent Insurance1.3 Global Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Market by Application1.3.1 Global Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Market Size and Market Share Comparison by Applications (2013-2023)1.3.2 Children1.3.3 Adults1.3.4 Senior Citizens1.4 Global Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Market by Regions1.4.1 Global Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Market Size (Million USD) Comparison by Regions (2013-2023)1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico) Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Status and Prospect (2013-2023)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy) Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Status and Prospect (2013-2023)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia) Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Status and Prospect (2013-2023)1.4.4 South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia) Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Status and Prospect (2013-2023)1.4.5 Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa) Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Status and Prospect (2013-2023)1.5 Global Market Size of Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance (2013-2023)2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 ACE Insurance2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Product A2.1.2.2 Product B2.1.3 ACE Insurance Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 Achmea2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Product A2.2.2.2 Product B2.2.3 Achmea Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 AEGON2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Product A2.3.2.2 Product B2.3.3 AEGON Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 AIA Group2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Product A2.4.2.2 Product B2.4.3 AIA Group Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5 AlfaStrakhovanie2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Product A2.5.2.2 Product B2.5.3 AlfaStrakhovanie Life, Pension, Health & Disability Insurance Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)ContinuedBuy 1-user PDF @ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028. Home Diagnostics Market Forecast Based on Trends and Shares till 2026 | Key Players are Abbott Laboratories, ACON Laboratories Inc., BTNX Inc., ARKRAY Inc., Assure Tech (Hangzhou) co. Ltd., etc. https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=1892 https://www.factmr.com/report/1892/home-diagnostics-market https://www.factmr.com/checkout/1892/S https://www.factmr.com/ https://factmrblog.com/ Rising health awareness has driven adoption of personalized medicines and home diagnostics among consumers. Sensing the requirements of end-users, home diagnostics market players are focusing on enhancing efficiency, accuracy, reliability, and convenience. The investments have invariably shifted to incorporation of advanced technology in the manufacture of home diagnostics. Through adoption of wearable technologies, Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI), market players are working on enhancing the performance features of home diagnostics. For instance, Siemens Healthcare and Abbott Technologies, are introducing various types of digital home diagnostics that can be integrated with smartphones, which may become an emerging market trend in the upcoming years.Request 100 Page Sample Report Here -Developed countries are witnessing rising adoption of advanced technologies to develop highly-efficient home diagnostics with the increasing focus on R&D Consumers are becoming more aware of the availability of home diagnostics that can enable them to conduct in vitro diagnosis tests at home without the need for any professional assistance. However, lower health awareness in developing nations, especially in Asia and the Middle East & Africa, is restricting the adoption of home diagnostics. Despite the larger consumer base and growing number of deaths caused due to chronic diseases, penetration of home diagnostics remains low in emerging markets. Leading manufacturers in the home diagnostics market are home diagnostics market are modifying their marketing strategies to scale up their presence in developing nations and boost regional economic growth in the upcoming years.As home diagnostics help patients to detect diseases without any professional medical assistance, the accuracy and precision of the results provided by these tests plays an important role in the performance of home diagnostics. Taking into consideration the pervasiveness of home diagnostics, governing organizations across the world are imposing stringent rules and regulations to ensure the quality and reliability of home diagnostics marketed worldwide. Home diagnostics manufacturers need to comply with Section 510(k) of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and get Premarket Approval Application (PMA) approvals established by FDA to enter the US home diagnostics market. In addition, the European Union has imposed regulations, such as Medical Devices Regulation 2017/745/EU and In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation 2017/746/EU that all the stakeholders in the home diagnostics market need to comply with. Strict quality control regulations and labeling requirements may influence growth prospects of the home diagnostics market, as they may make it difficult for market players to reduce manufacturing costs.The number of patients suffering from diabetes across the world has increased from 108 million in 1980 to around 422 million in 2014, which the World Health Organization (WHO) predicts to become a leading cause of death by 2030. Anticipating the rapidly increasing prevalence of diabetes, leading manufacturers in the home diagnostics market are adopting strategies to provide glucose monitoring devices, which may witness higher demand in the coming future. Further, the number of Americans suffering from hearing loss has doubled in last fifteen years, which is encouraging stakeholders in the home diagnostics market to introduce hearing assessment kits.View Full Global Market Research Report Here -Alarming rise in the number of incidences of lifestyle diseases and deaths causes due to chronic health disorders is influencing health organizations and governing bodies to shift their focus on improving the quality of diagnostic services. As stated by the WHO that an accurate diagnosis is the first step to getting effective treatment, awareness about the importance of home diagnostics is increasing among governing bodies. The WHO recently released the Essential Diagnostics List, which recognizes home diagnostics as a vital element to improve global health coverage. As enhancing the quality of diagnosis is one of the priorities of the WHO Thirteenth General Programme of Work (20192023) (GPW), the initiates taken by the organization may help stakeholders in the home diagnostics market to boost ales in the upcoming years.Competitive AnalysisThe FactMR report helps readers to track the salient developments in strategies adopted by their competitors in the home diagnostics market and plan their upcoming strategies accordingly. The report covers all the leading stakeholders in the home diagnostics market and provides detailed information including the company revenues as well as their business plans for the coming future. Market players in the home diagnostics market that are featured in the report include Abbott Laboratories, ACON Laboratories Inc., BTNX Inc., ARKRAY Inc., Assure Tech (Hangzhou) co. Ltd., Becton Dickinson & Company, Bionime Corporation, Roche Holding AG, Quidel Corporation, and True Diagnostics Inc.Buy Useful Statistics about Global Market Report Here -About FactMRFactMR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFactMR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400, Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb:Blog: Breast Cancer Screening Market Research Exclusive Report 2019-2025| with Top Key Players: Hitachi Medical Corporation, Siemen Healthineers, Philips Healthcare, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation, GE Healthcare, Hologic Breast Cancer Screening Market https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/50989 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/enquiry_before_buying/50989 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/50989 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/request_for_discount/50989 www.upmarketresearch.com UpMarketResearch offers a latest published report on Global Breast Cancer Screening Market Industry Analysis and Forecast 2019-2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains 112 pages which highly exhibits on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability. The report contains basic, secondary and advanced information pertaining to the Breast Cancer Screening global status and trend, market size, share, growth, trends analysis, segment and forecasts from 2019-2025.Get Sample Report with Complete TOC @Breast Cancer Screening market research report delivers a close watch on leading competitors with strategic analysis, micro and macro market trend and scenarios, pricing analysis and a holistic overview of the market situations in the forecast period. It is a professional and a detailed report focusing on primary and secondary drivers, market share, leading segments and geographical analysis. Further, key players, major collaborations, merger & acquisitions along with trending innovation and business policies are reviewed in the report. The report contains basic, secondary and advanced information pertaining to the Breast Cancer Screening global status and trend, market size, share, growth, trends analysis, segment and forecasts from 2019 - 2025.The scope of the report extends from market scenarios to comparative pricing between major players, cost and profit of the specified market regions. The numerical data is backed up by statistical tools such as SWOT analysis, BCG matrix, SCOT analysis, PESTLE analysis and so on. The statistics are represented in graphical format for a clear understanding on facts and figures.For more information on this report, please visit@The generated report is firmly based on primary research, interviews with top executives, news sources and information insiders. Secondary research techniques are implemented for better understanding and clarity for data analysis.The report for Breast Cancer Screening market industry analysis & forecast 2019-2025 is segmented into Product Segment, Application Segment & Major players.Region-wise Analysis Global Breast Cancer Screening Market covers: North America Europe China Japan India Southeast Asia Other regions (Central & South America, Middle East & Africa)The key players covered in this study Hitachi Medical Corporation Siemen Healthineers Philips Healthcare Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation GE Healthcare HologicGet Sample Report with Complete TOC @Market segment by Type, the product can be split into Mammography Screening Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Screening Breast Ultrasound ScreeningMarket segment by Application, split into Men WomenThe Report covers in-depth analysis as follows: Chapter 1 Breast Cancer Screening Market Overview Chapter 2 Global Breast Cancer Screening Market Competition by Manufacturers Chapter 3 Global Breast Cancer Screening Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region Chapter 4 Global Breast Cancer Screening Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region Chapter 5 Global Breast Cancer Screening Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type Chapter 6 Global Breast Cancer Screening Market Analysis by Application Chapter 7 Global Breast Cancer Screening Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis Chapter 8 Breast Cancer Screening Manufacturing Cost Analysis Chapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers Chapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders Chapter 11 Market Effect Factors Analysis Chapter 12 Global Breast Cancer Screening Market Forecast (2019-2025) Chapter 13 Research Findings and Conclusion Chapter 14 AppendixGrab Best Discount Price @Global Breast Cancer Screening Market Industry Analysis and Forecast 2019-2025 report helps the clients to take business decisions and to understand strategies of major players in the industry. The report also calls for market-driven results deriving feasibility studies for client needs. UpMarketResearch ensures qualified and verifiable aspects of market data operating in the real-time scenario. The analytical studies are conducted ensuring client needs with a thorough understanding of market capacities in the real-time scenario.Key Reasons to Purchase: To gain insightful analyses of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Global Breast Cancer Screening Market Industry Analysis and Forecast 2019-2025 and its commercial landscape Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by your competitors and leading organizations To understand the future outlook and prospects for Breast Cancer Screening market industry analysis and forecast 2019-2025.Customization of the Report:UpMarketResearch provides free customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.About UpMarketResearch:UpMarketResearch () is a leading distributor of market research report with more than 800+ global clients. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Contact Info:Name: Alex MathewsEmail: alex@upmarketresearch.comOrganization: UpMarketResearchAddress: 500 East E Street, Ontario, CA 91764, United States 99 cent introductory offer Includes everything we offer online for 24-7 news. This option allows you to read unlimited stories at ctnewsonline.com, and access our e-Edition (digital replicate of the daily newspaper). $7.99 per month after the introductory offer. This service comes with a complimentary CT Select Card allowing for local discounts. Rates are subject to change. Cyber Security Insurances Industry Growth Analysis from 2018-2026 Outlook by XL Group Ltd., American International Group Inc., Zurich Insurance Co. Ltd, AON PLC, Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty Global Cyber Security Insurances Market Growth Analysis 2018-2026 https://bit.ly/2SGnESR https://bit.ly/2TVS0Ar https://www.blueweaveconsulting.com/cyber-security-insurances www.blueweaveconsulting.com Cyber Risks are becoming more prevalent and disruptive, with an increased number of incidents involving data breaches, phishing scams, malware attacks, ransom ware threats, and identity theft. Cyber insurance helps protect businesses against losses resulting from cyber-attacks or data breaches. Cyber insurance coverage can include data loss and restoration, extortion, legal fees, and more. Cyber Security Insurance Market insurance increases and improves cyber security with the benefits of good security, and internalizing of the costs of poor security. There are many benefits that coincide with investing in insurance.Sample copy of Study Report on Keyword Market is Available:The growth of the US cyber insurance market is due to the introduction of legislation in most states to take appropriate security measures to protect against cyber risks and report serious breaches to national authorities. This led to an increase in demand for cyber insurance products covering personal data breach. The U.S. is the largest market for the cyber security insurance market. The U.S. economy loses US$57 billion-US$109 billion per year due to malicious cyber activity, according to the White House Council of Economic Advisers. European market can be expected grow with the rapid rate over the forecast period, owing to new laws about data security and protection, EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)Cyber challenges in Asia Pacific region, such as low cyber security investments and long dwell times, can be attributed to the complex geopolitical tensions, exposed critical infrastructure, and the severe shortage of cyber security talents in the region. Brazil is undergoing a digital revolution with few parallels in the developing world. The rate of digital penetration and social media adoption has risen exponentially over the past decade. Over 50% of Brazilians are active Internet users, & Brazilian financial institutions were early adopters of online services. Cyber security and online fraud are major concerns, with annual losses reaching billions of dollars.According to a new market report published by BlueWeave Consulting, the global cyber security insurance market was valued at US$ 4,222.3 Mn in 2017 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 25.3% from 2018 to 2026, reaching US$ 32,543.6 Mn by the end of the forecast period. According to the report, North America was the largest contributor in terms of revenue to the cyber security insurance market in 2017.The Risk Management Segment Is Expected To Dominate The Global Cyber Insurance Market.View detailed Table of Content here:The global market for cyber security insurance is segmented on the basis of service type, enterprise size, industry vertical and geography. On the basis of service type, the market is segmented into risk management, integrity, forefront portfolio, third party liability, and others. Risk management is expected to account a 26.8% market share in 2018Healthcare industry is highly affected by cyber crimeOn the basis of industry vertical, the market is divided into banking and financial services, telecom and IT, government, healthcare, education, manufacturing, travel and hospitality and others. Financial services, energy and utilities, and telecommunications are among the most investigated industries in APAC, highlighting the need for higher awareness levels, stronger mitigation measures, and improved cyber security posturesNorth America accounts for more than 80% of market share in 2018Geographically, the global cyber security insurance market is bifurcated into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The Asia Pacific is the most promising markets for cyber security insurance market and is slated to offer players a host of opportunities in the coming years. In the Indian market, the high demand for cyber insurance policies is due to the telecom revolution. Moreover, increase digitization of the economy further boosts the demand. Latin America is experiencing significantly more data breaches and with that, increased sales of cyber insurance. Norton Security has reported cybercrime cost Brazil roughly US$8 billion and Mexico US$3 billion in 2015. Cyber security insurance coverage is still in its at beginning stage in Latin America.Competitive DynamicsMajor industry players in cyber security insurance market are adopting different strategic initiatives such as mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, and collaborations for technologies and new product development.In June 2017, Zurich Brasila, subsidiary of Zurich Insurance Group, has launched insurance coverage for cyber-related risks, amid the fast-growing use of internet among companies and individuals. The company will offers protection in nations more exposed to cyber-attacks, such as the US, the UK and China, will now offer this product in Brazil due to increasing demand.In June 2014, the UK Government launched a joint initiative with some major British insurers to increase the level of IT security in UK companies called the Cyber Essentials Scheme, it is based on certificates and will ensure that certified organizations have a certain amount of security measures in place. Cyber Essentials has been developed in close consultation with the insurance industry and is backed by AIG, Marsh, Swiss Re, the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) and the International Underwriting Association (IUA).The global cyber security insurance market includes key players such as XL Group Ltd., American International Group Inc., Zurich Insurance Co. Ltd, AON PLC, Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, Munich Re Group, Chubb, HSB, BCS financial corporation, Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., Markel Corp, Travelers group, Hiscox, Beazely Insurance group and others.Dont miss the business opportunity of the Cyber Security Insurance Market. Consult our analyst and gain crucial insights and facilitate your business growth.Get Complete Details on Global Cyber Security Insurance Market:About UsBlueWeave Consulting is a one-stop solution for market intelligence regarding various products and services online & offline. We offer worldwide market research reports by analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data to boost up the performance of your business solution. Our primary forte lies in publishing more than 100 research reports annually. We have a seasoned team of analysts working only for various sub-domains like Chemical and Materials, Information Technology, Telecommunication, Medical Devices/Equipment, Healthcare, Automotive and many more. BlueWeave has built its reputation from the scratches by delivering quality performance and nourishing the long-lasting relationships with its clients for years. We are one of the leading digital market intelligence generation company delivering unique solutions for blooming your business and making the morning, more rising & shining.Contact Us:Email: info@blueweaveconsulting.comWebsite:Phone: +1 8666586826 Dermabrasion and Microneedling Market 2019 Foremost Players as Stryker, Medtronic, CONMED Corporation., MicroAire Surgical Instruments, Delasco, George Tiemann & Co., Bellus Medical, etc Market Research Future www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5257 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/dermabrasion-and-microneedling-market-5257 This MRFR Report offers a Thorough Analysis of the Global Dermabrasion and Microneedling Market. The Report offers insights into the Leading Market Players and Presents an Assessment of their Current Market Position. Company information with regards to Revenue, Segmentation, Geographical Analysis, Growth Strategies, and the latest R&D initiatives is also available in the report.Global Dermabrasion and Microneedling Market HighlightsA number of surgical procedure are available in the market for the treatment of various skin problems. Dermabrasion is an invasive surgical treatment for acne, surgical scars, actinic keratosis, rhinophyma, and others. The global dermabrasion market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.68% during the forecast period.It is also used for tattoo removal and sun damaged skin, and it also changes in the appearance of the skin by injuring using an abrasive. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and may result in sensitive and pinkish coloration of the skin.It has various side effects such as skin decoloration, and skin numbness due to local anesthesia. While microneedling is a minimally invasive procedure used for skin rejuvenation with minimal side effects. Microneedling is a new procedure getting popular in developed countries across the globe owing to various advantages offered by the procedure such as less treatment time, best results, and many more.Request Sample Copy atThe market is driven by increasing demand for new minimally invasive procedures for skin rejuvenation, and availability of technologically advanced device in the market. High cost of dermabrasion and available of alternative treatment such as laser surgery, moderate to deep skin peels, and the injection of fillers may restrain the market growth.Key Players:Some of the key players in this market are Stryker (U.S.), Medtronic (U.S.), CONMED Corporation. (U.S.), MicroAire Surgical Instruments (U.S.), Delasco (U.S.), George Tiemann & Co. (U.S.), Bellus Medical (U.S.), Osada, Inc. (U.S.), Dermapen World (Australia), MDPen (Georgia), DermaQuip. (U.S.), and Eclipse Aesthetics (U.S.). Other players are Salient Medical Solutions (U.S.), Emage Medical (U.S.), 4T Medical (U.K), Dr. Ron Shelton. (U.S.), and Bellaire Industry (U.S.).Segments:The global dermabrasion & microneedling market is segmented on the basis of dermabrasion device type, micro-needling device type, needle material, application, and end user.On the basis of dermabrasion device type, market is segmented into manual dermabraders and motorized dermabraders.On the basis of microneedling device type, market is segmented into derma-stamp, dermapen, dermarollers, and othersOn the basis of needle material, the microneedling market is segmented into silicon, glass, and metal.On the basis of application, the dermabrasion & microneedling market skin rejuvenation, acne scar, traumatic & surgical scars, acne vulgaris, and others.On the basis of end user, the market is segmented into hospitals, dermatology clinics, and others.Regional AnalysisDermatology and cosmetology are receiving worldwide attention and there is a rise in the demand for affordable treatment, especially, in the developing countries across the globe. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), deaths from cancer worldwide are expected to rise to over 13.1 million by 2030. According to the article published in the Adolescent Health, Medicine and Therapeutics, acne vulgaris is the most common skin condition diagnosed in adolescents worldwide.The Americas is the largest market owing to an increasing demand for skin resurfacing and rejuvenation procedures in the U.S. and increasing demand for non-invasive procedures for skin problems among women such as acne vulgaris and surgical scars.Europe holds the second position in the market. The market in the European countries is increasing due to the increasing adoption of skin care and cosmetic procedures, availability of funds for research and development activities, and growing emphasis on skin care. Furthermore, the demand for dermatology procedures for skin resurfacing is increasing in the European countries.Browse Complete 144 Pages Premium Research Report Enabled with 30+ Respective Tables and Figures atIn Asia Pacific market, rising awareness about advantages of dermabrasion and side effects, changing lifestyle, and the demand for new dermatology treatment for acne and skin pigmentation are major factors driving the growth of the market. Additionally, the availability of well-qualified cosmetic surgeons and dermatologists further stimulates the market growth. In Asia Pacific, Australia has the highest prevalence of skin cancer, which has been increasing continuously from the last few years, thus there is an extensive demand for dermatology procedures.The demand for dermabrasion is found to be low in the Middle East & Africa.Major TOC of Global Dermabrasion and Microneedling Market Research Report- Forecast to 2023:1 Report Prologue2 Market Introduction3 Research Methodology4 Market Dynamics5 Market Factor Analysis6 Global Dermabrasion Market, By Device Type7 Global Microneedling Market, By Device Type8 Global Microneedling Market, By Needle MaterialContinuedAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.ContactMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Bacterial Cell Culture Market 2023 Top Key Players are ScienCell Research Laboratories, Inc. Becton, Dickinson and Company, bioMerieux S.A., Hi-Media Laboratories Pvt. Ltd. Bacterial Cell Culture Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/696 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/bacterial-cell-culture-market-696 MRFR is the Leading Brand in The Research Company who Recently Published Bacterial Cell Culture Market Research Reports which includes Study of growth, Regional Analysis, Top Industry Players Formation, Major Drivers, Upcoming Trends and Forecast to 2023.Overview:Fast transforming economies have led to a search for a better lifestyle that involves the efficient exploration of alternatives. One such is the bacterial cell culture market that can provide not just drugs for better treatment procedures but can substitute traditional fossil fuel as well. The global bacterial cell culture market is banking heavily on these drivers and is expecting significant growth during the forecast period (2018-2023), reports Market Research Future (MRFR) in a detailed study. Researches in life science and advanced antibiotics are proving impressive determinants for the global market and are aptly backed by demand for renewable energy from biological waste. Bacterial cell culture has also started infiltrating other sectors such as cosmetics, and food & beverage as well which ensures its future prospects.Get Sample Copy @However, bacterial cell culture setup requires aseptic setting which can incur huge cost. Associated elements such as media, reagent, and instruments come at a high price as well which can bottleneck the market for a significant period. The scarcity of trained professionals and high chances of contamination can pull back the market from its expected trajectory during the forecast period.Competitive Dashboard:Globally, the market is very competitive. Presence of a number of well-established companies, all vying for a significant share of the market, has made it so. This has spurred a growth in investment and is taking the market forward.Some of the key players for the Global Bacterial Cell Culture Market are ScienCell Research Laboratories, Inc. Becton, Dickinson and Company, bioMerieux S.A., Hi-Media Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Neogen Corporation, Eiken Chemical Co, Ltd., EMD (Merck) Millipore, Scharlab S.L., and Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., and Culture Media & Supplies, Inc., and others.Industry News:Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) reveal that a new enzyme has been discovered which can ensure production of a renewable alternative to toluene, an octane booster. This can enable researchers to produce first of its kind aromatic hydrocarbon fuel.Scientists from the Rockefeller University have recently found a new class of antibiotics, malacidins, from previously unknown microorganisms which can kill several superbugs including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).Segmentation:The Global Bacterial Cell Culture Market can be segmented by consumable, instruments, application, and end-user.Consumable-based segmentation includes media, reagents, and others.Instrument-wise, the market segmentation comprises incubator, centrifuge, spectrophotometer and biosafety cabinet.Based on application, the market is segmented into food testing, water testing, animal feed testing, bioenergy production, agricultural research, and others.On the basis of end-users, the market consists hospital & clinics, diagnostic centers, the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology companies and academic and research institutes.Regional Analysis:Region-specific analysis of the bacterial cell culture market girdles namely the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), and the Middle East & Africa (MEA).The Americas is dominating the global market. Regionally, North America, at present, is spearheading the market with its well-structured biopharmaceuticals and life science industries that are continually putting in efforts to develop new products. Life science sector alone, as per the published report of the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation 2018, invested around USD 96.5 billion in 2013.Europe assumes the second position. The region is witnessing growing demands from the food & beverage sector as the region has a disturbing experience in getting affected by food allergies.The APAC has the potential to become the largest market for bacterial cell culture in countries such as China, Japan, and India are investing heavily in researches to get favorable results.Poor economies and stringent government policies are affecting the market in the MEA region, and they are contributing the least to the market growth.Browse Full Report @About US:Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact Us:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Greenhouse Films Market 2018-2023 | Ginegar Plastic Products, Lumited, RPC Group, Agriplast, Agriplast Tech India, Essen Multipack, Beijing Kingpeng International Hi-Tech Corporation, Central Worldwide https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1724 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/greenhouse-film-market-1724 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/1724 The global greenhouse films market is expected to grow to a valuation of USD 6,408.2 million by 2023 at an 8.25% CAGR from 2018 to 2023 (forecast period), as per the latest findings by Market Research Future (MRFR). It was valued at USD 3,956.2 million in 2017. Greenhouse films are used to cover the plants being grown in a greenhouse in such a way as to maximize the amount of light entering within and to minimize the entry of other harmful environmental elements that could hamper the growth of the plants. They are a major help in controlling the amount of sunlight, and consequently the temperature, inside a greenhouse and have thus emerged as a major aid in greenhouse usage. Greenhouse films also help protect the plants from adverse environmental conditions. The market is primarily driven by the growing demand for greenhouses.Get Sample Copy@The agriculture industrys inability to meet the demands of the growing global population has resulted in steady growth of the greenhouse market. With the focus on nutritious foods and indoor farming to witness a rise owing to the paucity of land, the market can accumulate massive demand till 2023. Increasing government spending on agricultural schemes to maximize food production through innovative means is likely to result in massive demand for the greenhouse films market. Greenhouses offer better crop quality than conventional agriculture through an increased level of control over their growth, as well as minimizing pest activity and allowing for off-season cultivation due to the use of artificial lights. Greenhouse agriculture is also extremely efficient in terms of water conservation and provides a significant benefit in this regard over conventional agriculture. This is likely to be a major driver for the global greenhouse films market over the forecast period.Technological advancement in greenhouse films is also likely to be a major driver for the global market. UV-protective and pressure-stabilized greenhouse films, which offer enhanced protection for the plants being grown in the greenhouse, are likely to be exceedingly popular in the coming years, leading to steady growth of the greenhouse films market.Segmental AnalysisThe report segments the global greenhouse films market by resin type into LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PVC, PC, EVA, and EBA. By material, LDPE and LLDPE are likely to be the major contributors to the global greenhouse films market over the forecast period. LDPE material can accumulate value at 8.43% CAGR over the forecast period.By thickness, the market is segmented into less than 200 microns, 200 microns, and greater than 200 microns. The less than 200 microns and 200 microns segments are likely to remain dominant in the global greenhouse films market.By application, market is segmented into vegetables, fruits, flowers and ornamentals, and others. Vegetables are likely to be the major contributor to the global greenhouse films market over the forecast period due to their growing demand across the world.Access Report Details @Regional Analysis:By region, the report segments the global greenhouse films market into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa.Asia Pacific is expected to be the major regional market for greenhouse films over the forecast period due to the growing demand for greenhouse films in countries such as China, Thailand, and India. China is the worlds largest producer of vegetables and is likely to adopt greenhouse farming on an increasing scale in the coming years in order to satisfy the growing demand for vegetable crops from around the world. The increasing demand for ayurvedic plants and herbs in India is also likely to lead to growing demand from the greenhouse films industry in Asia Pacific over the forecast period. It can exhibit 8.74% CAGR over the forecast period.Competitive Analysis: Ginegar Plastic Products Ltd Vis and Son Company Limited RPC Group plc. Essen Multipack Agriplast Tech India Pvt. Ltd. Beijing Kingpeng International Hi-Tech Corporation Central Worldwide Co. Ltd. Thai Charoen Thong Karntor Co. Ltd. Tuflex India, Lumite Inc. Agriplast UbiQD Inc.Ask Query@About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Global Digital Microphone Market Research Report 2019 | Industry Future, Share, Segmentation and Top Key Players SONY, Samson Technologies, Audio-Technica, Blue Forecast to 2025 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3729226-global-digital-microphone-market-research-report-2019 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3729226-global-digital-microphone-market-research-report-2019 Global Digital Microphone Market Research Report 2019Wiseguyreports.Com Adds Digital Microphone - Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Manufacturers and Analysis of Top Key Players to 2025 To Its Research DatabaseDigital Microphone Market Forecast to 2025A microphone, colloquially nicknamed mic or mike, is a transducer that converts sound into an electrical signal.Microphones are used in many applications such as telephones, hearing aids, public address systems for concert halls and public events, motion pictureproduction, live and recorded audio engineering, sound recording, two-way radios, megaphones, radio and television broadcasting, and in computers for recording voice, speech recognition, VoIP, and for non-acoustic purposes such as ultrasonic sensors or knock sensors.The global Digital Microphone market is valued at xx million US$ in 2018 is expected to reach xx million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of xx% during 2019-2025.This report focuses on Digital Microphone volume and value at global level, regional level and company level. From a global perspective, this report represents overall Digital Microphone market size by analyzing historical data and future prospect. Regionally, this report focuses on several key regions: North America, Europe, China and Japan.At company level, this report focuses on the production capacity, ex-factory price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer covered in this report.The following manufacturers are covered:SennheiserAudio-TechnicaShureAKGBlueBehringerLewitt AudioSONYTakstarSUPERLUXSamson TechnologiesSE ElectronicsRevolabsElectro-VoiceLaneM-AudioRodeApogee ElectronicsSlate DigitalMXL MicrophonesGet Sample Report of Digital Microphone Market@Segment by RegionsNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSegment by TypeWireless microphonesWired microphonesSegment by ApplicationStudioPerformanceAudio for videoOther usesComplete report with Comprehensive table of contents@Major Key Points in Table of ContentExecutive Summary1 Digital Microphone Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Digital Microphone1.2 Digital Microphone Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Digital Microphone Production Growth Rate Comparison by Type (2014-2025)1.2.2 Wireless microphones1.2.3 Wired microphones1.3 Digital Microphone Segment by Application1.3.1 Digital Microphone Consumption Comparison by Application (2014-2025)1.3.2 Studio1.3.3 Performance1.3.4 Audio for video1.3.5 Other uses1.3 Global Digital Microphone Market by Region1.3.1 Global Digital Microphone Market Size Region1.3.2 North America Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.3.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.3.4 China Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.3.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.3.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.3.7 India Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.4 Global Digital Microphone Market Size1.4.1 Global Digital Microphone Revenue (2014-2025)1.4.2 Global Digital Microphone Production (2014-2025)11 Global Digital Microphone Market Forecast11.1 Global Digital Microphone Production, Revenue Forecast11.1.1 Global Digital Microphone Production Growth Rate Forecast (2019-2025)11.1.2 Global Digital Microphone Revenue and Growth Rate Forecast (2019-2025)11.1.3 Global Digital Microphone Price and Trend Forecast (2019-2025)11.2 Global Digital Microphone Production Forecast by Regions (2019-2025)11.2.1 North America Digital Microphone Production, Revenue Forecast (2019-2025)11.2.2 Europe Digital Microphone Production, Revenue Forecast (2019-2025)11.2.3 China Digital Microphone Production, Revenue Forecast (2019-2025)11.2.4 Japan Digital Microphone Production, Revenue Forecast (2019-2025)11.3 Global Digital Microphone Consumption Forecast by Regions (2019-2025)11.3.1 North America Digital Microphone Consumption Forecast (2019-2025)11.3.2 Europe Digital Microphone Consumption Forecast (2019-2025)11.3.3 China Digital Microphone Consumption Forecast (2019-2025)11.3.4 Japan Digital Microphone Consumption Forecast (2019-2025)11.4 Global Digital Microphone Production, Revenue and Price Forecast by Type (2019-2025)11.5 Global Digital Microphone Consumption Forecast by Application (2019-2025)Continued................Contact US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)About Us:Wise Guy Reports Is Part Of The Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. And Offers Premium Progressive Statistical Surveying, Market Research Reports, Analysis & Forecast Data For Industries And Governments Around The Globe. Wise Guy Reports Features An Exhaustive List Of Market Research Reports From Hundreds Of Publishers Worldwide. We Boast A Database Spanning Virtually Every Market Category And An Even More Comprehensive Collection Of Market Research Reports Under These Categories And Sub-Categories.Addres:: Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt Ltd: Pune 411028: Maharashtra,: Ph: +91 841 198 5042 Fresh Sea Food Packaging Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2019 2025 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3730510-global-fresh-sea-food-packaging-market-research-report-2019 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3730510-global-fresh-sea-food-packaging-market-research-report-2019 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging IndustryNew Study On 2019-2025 Fresh Sea Food Packaging Market Global Key Player, Demand, Growth, Opportunities and Analysis Forecast Added to Wise Guy Reports DatabaseFresh Sea Food Packaging is materials used to package fresh fish and seafood materialswhich include two typesrigid packaging materials and flexible packaging materials,The technical barriers of Fresh Sea Food Packaging are relatively low, and the Fresh Sea Food Packaging enterprise disperses in many countries, and the relative large companies include Sealed Air and others.Fresh Sea Food Packaging is widely used for Fish Packaging, Shrimp Packaging and Other Seafood Packaging. In 2016, Fresh Sea Food Packaging for Fish Packaging occupies 82.17% of total amount. As the demand increases rapidly with higher spending propensity and the heightened importance on personal appearance and grooming, the increased consumption of downstream industries is expected to continue during the remaining years of the forecast period of 2017-2022. Fresh Sea Food Packaging industry will usher in a stable growth space.Try Sample Report @In the past few years, the price of Fresh Sea Food Packaging gradually decreased and we expected the price will still fall. However, the improvement of energy, transportation costs, employee wages, and equipment depreciation will play a significant role in promoting the cost of Fresh Sea Food Packaging. Therefore, to some extent, the companies face the risk of profit decline.There are companies adding new capacities and aiming at the cost and quality leadership which shall improve profitability. As the same time, companies are focusing on technological innovation, equipment upgrades, and process improvements, to reduce costs and improve quality. The competition in Fresh Sea Food Packaging market will become more intenseThe global Fresh Sea Food Packaging market is valued at xx million US$ in 2018 is expected to reach xx million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of xx% during 2019-2025.This report focuses on Fresh Sea Food Packaging volume and value at global level, regional level and company level. From a global perspective, this report represents overall Fresh Sea Food Packaging market size by analyzing historical data and future prospect. Regionally, this report focuses on several key regions: North America, Europe, China and Japan.At company level, this report focuses on the production capacity, ex-factory price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer covered in this report.The following manufacturers are covered:CoolSeal USADuPont USAFrontier PackagingSealed AirStar-BoxKey ContainerRengo PackagingSixto PackagingVictory PackagingSegment by RegionsNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSegment by TypeRigid PackagingFlexible PackagingSegment by ApplicationFish PackagingShrimp PackagingOther Seafood PackagingFor Detailed Reading Please visit WiseGuy Reports @Some Major Points from Table of content:Executive Summary1 Fresh Sea Food Packaging Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Fresh Sea Food Packaging1.2 Fresh Sea Food Packaging Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Growth Rate Comparison by Type (2014-2025)1.2.2 Rigid Packaging1.2.3 Flexible Packaging1.3 Fresh Sea Food Packaging Segment by Application1.3.1 Fresh Sea Food Packaging Consumption Comparison by Application (2014-2025)1.3.2 Fish Packaging1.3.3 Shrimp Packaging1.3.4 Other Seafood Packaging1.3 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Market by Region1.3.1 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Market Size Region1.3.2 North America Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.3.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.3.4 China Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.3.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.3.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.3.7 India Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.4 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Market Size1.4.1 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Revenue (2014-2025)1.4.2 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production (2014-2025)2 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Market Share by Manufacturers (2014-2019)2.2 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2014-2019)2.3 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Average Price by Manufacturers (2014-2019)2.4 Manufacturers Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Sites, Area Served, Product Types2.5 Fresh Sea Food Packaging Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Fresh Sea Food Packaging Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Fresh Sea Food Packaging Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Market Share by Regions3.1 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Market Share by Regions3.2 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Revenue Market Share by Regions (2014-2019)3.3 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)3.4 North America Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production3.4.1 North America Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Growth Rate (2014-2019)3.4.2 North America Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)3.5 Europe Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production3.5.1 Europe Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Growth Rate (2014-2019)3.5.2 Europe Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)3.6 China Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production (2014-2019)3.6.1 China Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Growth Rate (2014-2019)3.6.2 China Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)3.7 Japan Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production (2014-2019)3.7.1 Japan Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Growth Rate (2014-2019)3.7.2 Japan Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)4 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Consumption by Regions4.1 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Consumption by Regions4.2 North America Fresh Sea Food Packaging Consumption (2014-2019)4.3 Europe Fresh Sea Food Packaging Consumption (2014-2019)4.4 China Fresh Sea Food Packaging Consumption (2014-2019)4.5 Japan Fresh Sea Food Packaging Consumption (2014-2019)5 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production, Revenue, Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Market Share by Type (2014-2019)5.2 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Revenue Market Share by Type (2014-2019)5.3 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Price by Type (2014-2019)5.4 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Growth by Type (2014-2019)6 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Market Analysis by Applications6.1 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Consumption Market Share by Application (2014-2019)6.2 Global Fresh Sea Food Packaging Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2014-2019)7 Company Profiles and Key Figures in Fresh Sea Food Packaging Business7.1 CoolSeal USA7.1.1 CoolSeal USA Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Sites and Area Served7.1.2 Fresh Sea Food Packaging Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.1.3 CoolSeal USA Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.1.4 Main Business and Markets Served7.2 DuPont USA7.2.1 DuPont USA Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Sites and Area Served7.2.2 Fresh Sea Food Packaging Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.2.3 DuPont USA Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.2.4 Main Business and Markets Served7.3 Frontier Packaging7.3.1 Frontier Packaging Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Sites and Area Served7.3.2 Fresh Sea Food Packaging Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.3.3 Frontier Packaging Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.3.4 Main Business and Markets Served7.4 Sealed Air7.4.1 Sealed Air Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Sites and Area Served7.4.2 Fresh Sea Food Packaging Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.4.3 Sealed Air Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.4.4 Main Business and Markets Served7.5 Star-Box7.5.1 Star-Box Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Sites and Area Served7.5.2 Fresh Sea Food Packaging Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.5.3 Star-Box Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.5.4 Main Business and Markets Served7.6 Key Container7.6.1 Key Container Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Sites and Area Served7.6.2 Fresh Sea Food Packaging Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.6.3 Key Container Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.6.4 Main Business and Markets Served7.7 Rengo Packaging7.7.1 Rengo Packaging Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Sites and Area Served7.7.2 Fresh Sea Food Packaging Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.7.3 Rengo Packaging Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.7.4 Main Business and Markets Served7.8 Sixto Packaging7.8.1 Sixto Packaging Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Sites and Area Served7.8.2 Fresh Sea Food Packaging Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.8.3 Sixto Packaging Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.8.4 Main Business and Markets Served7.9 Victory Packaging7.9.1 Victory Packaging Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production Sites and Area Served7.9.2 Fresh Sea Food Packaging Product Introduction, Application and Specification7.9.3 Victory Packaging Fresh Sea Food Packaging Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)7.9.4 Main Business and Markets ServedContinued.For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comAbout UsWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available.Contact Us:Norah Trent+91 841 198 5042Office No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India Global Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing Market Growth Analysis By Top Leading Players Full Genomes, Genesis HealthCare, Helix, Identigene, Karmagenes, Living DNA, MapMyGenome, MyHeritage and Pathway Genomics & more https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/1434129/?utm_source=openpr.com-AN https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/1434129/ https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/direct-to-consumer-dtc-genetic-testing-market https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/united-states-direct-to-consumer-dtc-genetic-testing-market-report-2017?utm_source=RR-AN https://www.marketstudyreport.com https://www.marketstudyreport.com/blog Germany direct-to-consumer genetic testing market will grow at 18.3% over forecast timeframe owing to growing adoption of technologically advanced DTC genetic tests. Growing prevalence of genetic diseases such as anemia and thalassemia will drive the demand in Germany. For instance, according to The World Bank, increasing prevalence of anemia among the women in reproductive age group of 15-49 years in Germany will escalate demand for DTC genetic tests boosting the industry growth.Request a sample of this premium report at:Rising consumer awareness regarding DTC genetic tests in developed as well as developing economies will propel the DTC industry growth in forthcoming years. Key industry players developing DTC genetic tests implement special marketing efforts such as providing discounts on the ancestry and nutrigenomics test that will positively impact sales of DTC tests. For instance, Color Genomics has offered promotional discounts on DTC tests. Moreover, companies such as Ancestry.com are providing heavy discounts on certain occasions such as Black Friday. Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing Market will exceed USD 2.5 billion by 2024; as per a new research report.Increasing prevalence of genetic diseases globally has proven beneficial for the industry growth as it increases the demand of DTC genetic tests. According to Global Genes, around 7,000 different genetic diseases have been discovered and more are being discovered each day. However, cost of genetic testing is predicted to hamper it?s affordability in developing and underdeveloped region that will impede industry growth to some extent.Nutrigenomics segment will grow at 20.3% from 2018 to 2024 Growing preference for nutrigenomics tests amongst the adult population should propel business growth over forecast timeframe. Nutrigenomic tests provide information regarding the patient?s metabolic requirements. Every individual has unique set of genes that influence the metabolism. Defects in the metabolism due to alteration in genes may lead to various genetic metabolic and endocrine disorders that will positively influence the demand for nutrigenomic tests escalating segmental growth.Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) segment held 49.5% revenue share in 2017 and it should expand enormously in foreseeable future due to its increasing usage in analyzing the genome. 23andMe majority of companies extensively use SNP chips in providing information regarding carrier status for a genetic disease. Preference is high for SNP technology as it is comparatively affordable than the whole genome sequencing technology.Request a discount on standard prices of this premium report at:China direct-to-consumer genetic testing market was valued at USD 29.1 million in 2017, as a result of increasing per capita income, healthcare expenditures and awareness regarding DTC genetic test. Rising awareness regarding availability of technologically advanced DTC genetic tests amongst population in China will positively influence the market growth. Furthermore, growing popularity for prenatal and cancer DTC tests along with presence of significant number of DTC genetic test suppliers will positively impact the industry growth.Prominent industry players operational in the direct-to-consumer genetic testing market include 23andMe, Ancestry, Color, EasyDNA, Family Tree DNA, Full Genomes, Genesis HealthCare, Helix, Identigene, Karmagenes, Living DNA, MapMyGenome, MyHeritage and Pathway Genomics. Key industry players adopt various strategic initiatives such as acquisitions and new product launch, that enable them in sustaining market competition. For instance, in March 2018, 23andMe received FDA approval for marketing newly developed cancer screening tests that will prove beneficial for the companys growth.Table of content:Chapter 1. MethodologyChapter 2. Executive SummaryChapter 3. Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Industry InsightsChapter 4. Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market, By Test TypeChapter 5. Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market, By TechnologyChapter 6. Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market, By RegionChapter 7. Company ProfilesMore Details on this Report At:Related Report:United States Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market Report 2017In this report, the United States Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.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: Introducing AiroStotle: The Future of Digital Medicine is Here www.ngageittec.com Collaboration with MetroHealth hospitals of Cleveland, Ohio sees the worlds first deployment of nGageIT Digital Healths novel breath-based NanoSensor technology for Digital Medicine.Cleveland, Ohio., February 8, 2019 AiroStotle is a digital breath biomarker sensor, developed under nGageITs Airostotle Digital Biomarker program for early-stage detection and monitoring the recurrence of cancer.In a collaboration with MetroHealth hospitals of Cleveland, Ohio - advocates for teaching and research - clinical trials with their oncology group will map the exhaled breath of participants for digital breath biomarkers for: breast cancer, lung cancer and pancreatic cancer, to enhance development of the Airostotle platform.Thirty-five million people in the USA are at high risk of developing cancer, so nGageITs hand-held, Smartphone enabled, breath NanoSensor is a breakthrough mobile device to detect cancer early when it can be cured.With nGageITs Airostotle, MetroHealth researchers can perform breath based analysis to detect early-stage cancer (stage 0 when it can be cured) and recurrence of diseases, using just exhaled breath. Data from the trial will be used to enhance the Airostotle Smartphone breath sensing device.The exhaled breath offers a novel frontier in medicine for the development of non-invasive digital biomarkers for cancer that are an easily deployable Smartphone based intervention. says Dr. Jennifer Murdoch, COO and Chief Clinical Officer of nGageIT.Deploying AiroStotle in precision medicine in oncology environments could potentially improve outcomes for substantial numbers of cancer patients, she explains.We believe this cutting-edge breath-based technology may be the cornerstone to meaningfully increasing survivorship, cures, and ultimately public health. We are looking forward to the emerging clinical data, and eager to see the results from prospective clinical and real-world trials as the program progresses.nGageIT Digital Health is also developing a related breath-based digital medicine platform that detects the medicine you take from your breath to improve medication adherence across a myriad of applications and treatments.More About the AiroStotle Mobile Digital Breath BiomarkerIt is well known that in many cases up to 40% of cancerous tumours dont shed their genetic fragments into the bloodstream confounding many genetic blood based modalities (liquid biopsies) and limiting them to later stages of cancer detection.nGageIT Digital Healths AiroStotle has been designed to overcome a variety of challenges that have confounded prior approaches for the detection of early-stage cancers, including inadequate tissue, biological noise, and the limited sensitivity of genomic-only tests.With a single breath, the device detects digital biomarkers of cancer tumours breath signatures with high clinical sensitivity and specificity. The digital biomarker is based on nGageIT Digital Healths proprietary market-leading sensor technology.This enables accurate reporting of known cancer biomarkers from the breath at its earliest stages (stage 0), localizing the tumour to its internal organ site, while effectively filtering out biological noise sources that will typically confound blood based genetic testing.The incorporation of biologically relevant breath-based digital biomarker signatures is critical in increasing the sensitivity of the assay to early-stage cancers, says CEO of nGageIT Digital Health, Raj Reddy .Multiple top-tier academic research networks and biopharma companies can utilize the AiroStotle Mobile Digital Breath Biomarker sensor in studies involving adjuvant therapy decision-making, recurrence monitoring, and screening for early-stage cancer.The clinical version of the test for IUO use in prospective studies is expected to launch early in 2020.About nGageIT Digital HealthnGageIT Digital Health () are pioneers in the field of digital medicine encoding and sensor technology. nGageIT Digital Health is committed to making medicine smarter to improve patient engagement, enrich insights and optimize therapeutic outcomes, resulting in lower overall system costs and improved health outcomes for populations.For further information contact:Dr Jennifer Murdochinfo@ngageittec.comSuite 18011 Yonge StreetTorontoOnt M5E 1W7 If we really believe and really want a budget that speaks to our values, then our budget needs to reflect the people who serve and the people who work in the state of Connecticut, Wade said. We say we want the best for people but, ultimately, its always the people who are being asked to make sacrifices for this great state. (CNN) U.S. President Donald Trump might be in jail by the time Election Day comes around, Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren said on her first full day of campaigning as a declared presidential candidate. "By the time we get to 2020, Donald Trump may not even be President," Warren said to voters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, gathered at the Veterans Memorial Building. "In fact, he may not even be a free person." The moment marked a notable shift in tone for Warren, who has been reluctant to take on Trump directly by name since she announced her exploratory campaign on New Year's Eve. Lamenting that the country is in a "dangerous moment," the Massachusetts Democrat said, "What happens in 2020 is going to determine the direction of our nation, the direction of our people." "Every day, there's a racist tweet, a hateful tweet, something really dark and ugly," Warren said of Trump. "And what are we, as candidates, as activists, the press, going to do about it? Are we going to let him use those to divide us?" The answer to that question, Warren went on to say, was to avoid the trap of engaging in every one of Trump's actions. "Here's how I see it: Donald Trump is not the only problem we've got. Yeah. Donald Trump is the symptom of a badly broken system," Warren said. "So, our job as we start rolling into the next election is not just to respond on a daily basis. It's to talk about what we understand is broken in this country, talk about what needs to be done to change it and talk about how we're going to do that, because that is not only how we win, it's how we make the change we need to make." A Warren campaign official told CNN that the presidential candidate does not plan to engage in every single tweet or attack from Trump as the 2020 season ramps up. Much as she has been doing over the last month, Warren will continue to ignore much of his "every day efforts to divide and distract," the official said, noting that Warren wanted to use her first event of the day to explain her rationale for this strategy. Warren officially launched her campaign in Massachusetts on Saturday, where she issued a challenge to the super wealthy and called Trump "just the latest and most extreme symptom of what's gone wrong in America." Warren's weekend kickoff saw her formally joining a growing field of candidates for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination as the group competes for the opportunity to unseat Trump This story was first published on CNN.com "Warren: Trump 'may not even be a free person' by 2020" Shiv Sena says BJP's focus is UP polls instead of tackling COVID-19 Shiv Sena MP slams UGC for asking varsities to put up banners thanking PM for free vaccination drive With 'EVM', lotus can bloom even in London and America: Shiv Sena India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Feb 11: Estranged NDA ally Shiv Sena has once again attacked the saffron party over its doublespeak on its alliance with the Maharashtra-based party and its over-confidence that it can win maximum seats in the state in the upcoming Lok Sabha election 2019. The Sena claimed the situation was grim in the state and wondered how could the BJP think of winning so many seats when the party-ruled state was staring at a slew of problems and the alliance talks with the Uddhav Thackeray-led party were still hanging fire. The Sena, in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana' on Monday, claimed that several issues were plaguing the state at present. Was Rafale deal meant to strengthen IAF of industrialist: Shiv Sena's poser "If the BJP has electronic voting machines (EVMs) and over-confidence on its side, it can win all 48 seats in Maharashtra," the Marathi daily taunted. "The BJP's lotus can bloom even in London and the US, but it should tell why Ram temple has not been constructed so far," it said. The government has no solution for these issues, but it was sure of winning 43 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the Marathi publication said. "Politics is given more importance than people's issues. The way dew sometimes turns into frost because of cold conditions, the minds of rulers have also frozen," it said. The Sena admitted that the issue of tie-up between the two parties ahead of the Lok Sabha polls was hanging fire. "But, such a situation has not been created by us. The BJP has sown the seeds of such a sin," the editorial said. It was referring to the BJP parting ways with the Sena ahead of the 2014 state Assembly elections. On Saturday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP chief Raosaheb Danve had claimed that their party would win 43 seats, one more than in 2014, in the Lok Sabha polls in the state. The Shiv Sena, which is currently a constituent of the NDA at the Centre and the BJP-led government in Maharashtra, had last year announced to go solo in all future elections. However, the BJP has time and again expressed confidence of stitching up a pre-poll alliance with the Sena. Maharashtra accounts for the second highest number of 48 Lok Sabha seats in the country after Uttar Pradesh, which has 80. OneIndia News (with PTI inputs) For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 11, 2019, 14:53 [IST] Three more Rafale jets to land in India from France in non-stop flight Who was PMO trying to shield: Cong on report of govt dropping anti-corruption clause in Rafale deal India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Feb 11: Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress on Monday accused him of waving off anti-corruption clauses just before signing the Rafale deal with France. ['Over-reaction': Manohar Parrikar reply to MoD dissent note on Rafale] A report published by The Hindu with the title 'Government waived anti-corruption clauses in Rafale deal' said that the central government waived off critical provisions for anti-corruption penalties as well as overruled financial advisers' recommendations for making payments through an escrow account just days before signing the Rafale jet deal with France. The report explained that as a result of "the high-level political intervention meant that standard Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) clauses on 'Penalty for use of Undue Influence, Agents/Agency Commission, and Access to Company accounts' of Dassault Aviation and MBDA France were dropped by the Indian government in the supply protocols. Under the terms of the IGA signed between India and France in Delhi on September 23, 2016, Dassault is the supplier of the Rafale aircraft package while MBDA France is the supplier of the weapons package to the Indian Air Force." Taking to Twitter, Congress said that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) disregarded the advice given to it. After the PMO forced the waiver of a sovereign guarantee, it now turns out the PMO asked for the WAIVER of standard ANTI-CORRUPTION clauses. Who was the PMO trying to shield? There is no doubt that #ChowkidarChorHai https://t.co/PazfiurSHf Congress (@INCIndia) February 11, 2019 Advocate Prashant Bhushan also took a potshot and tweeted: Now we know why Modi refuses to show docs of Rafale deal; Why they're scared of any enquiry: JPC/CBI/any agency. Leaked papers now show that Modi not only pushed the deal which kicked HAL out & brought Ambani in, he also ensured that Dassault gets our money without any safeguards https://t.co/cRTneTK35x Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) February 11, 2019 [Sitharaman counters Rahul's Rafale charges in LS, says 'it is like flogging a dead horse'] This comes out days after the newspaper had earlier claimed that the PMO was carrying out "parallel negotiations" with the French side and that that defence ministry had "strongly" objected to this in a note saying this weakens its negotiating powers in the deal. The Congress has been attacking the BJP, and PM Modi in particular, for alleged irregularities in the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets from French defence manufacturer Dassault Aviation. Badrinath temple in Uttarakhand opens portals after winter break, no pilgrims allowed due to Covid Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand cancel class 12 boards, others states to take a call soon Uttarakhand illicit liquor deaths: Main accused arrested in Roorkee India oi-Chennabasaveshwar P Roorkee, Feb 11: Haridwar police has arrested main accused Sardar Hardev and his son Sukka in Jhabrera in connection with the deaths that occurred due to consumption of illicit liquor in Roorkee. Death toll due to consumption of illicit liquor in Roorkee touched 32 on Saturday. Total 31 liquor traders have been arrested in connection with the deaths that occurred due to consumption of illicit liquor. 509 quarters of country-made liquor and 91 litres raw liquor has been seized from them, said an official. 2002 Gujarat riots: SC adjourns Zakia Jafri's plea against PM Modi's acquittal till July Uttarakhand government has suspended 13 employees of Excise Department including the Excise Inspector of Roorkee region after 70 people lost their lives following the consumption of spurious liquor in the state and Uttar Pradesh. A show cause notice has also been issued to the higher officials of the Enforcement Wing of Excise Department for dereliction of duty. A magisterial inquiry has already been initiated in the hooch tragedy. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 11, 2019, 20:32 [IST] United colours of opposition on show at Chandrababu Naidus Delhi Dharna India oi-PTI New Delhi, Feb 11: Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu's daylong fast demanding special status for his state on Monday became a rallying point for various opposition leaders who visited the protest venue to back him and attack the central government. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Congress chairperson Farooq Abdullah, NCP's Majeed Memon, Trinamool Congress' Derek O' Brien, DMK's Tiruchi Siva and Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav were among those who met the TDP chief to express their support. The TDP president is demanding that the Centre fulfil promises made during Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation in 2014 and alleges that Modi is not following 'raj dharma' by denying the state special status. "The PM has stolen from the people from Andhra Pradesh and given it to his industrialist friends," Gandhi alleged at the protest venue Andhra Bhavan in an apparent reference to the Rafale fighter jet deal with France. 'Mr. Modi has no credibility left,' says Rahul Gandhi at Naidu's dharna The government and Ambani have rejected Gandhi's allegations of corruption in the deal. O'Brien recalled Modi's speech in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday and said he didn't talk about development or special category status but "started a personal attack". "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others," he said. The PM said in his rally that Naidu was indeed a senior, but only in losing elections, switching alliances and ditching his father-in-law N T Rama Rao. Lashing out at the prime minister, Abdullah said, "Modi has stooped so low, he's making personal attacks against Naidu, who is doing a great service to the country. The Jammu-Srinagar highway is closed for six days. They cannot clear the 30-km road, but they want to rule the country," he added. Adding his voice to the chorus of criticism, Memon alleged that the Central government was meting out step motherly treatment to the state and the BJP was attacking Naidu because he has taken the lead in uniting rival parties against it. "We will show the BJP its place in the elections. I assure you on behalf of Sharad Pawar ji," Memon stated. Mulayam Yadav said he was not well but had come to show endorse Naidu's stand. "Naidu is fighting the battle for the poor, the farmers and all those who are oppressed," he added. Stating that Naidu was fighting for a just cause, DMK leader Siva said the Modi government would be ousted in three months. "The powers of the state are being encroached upon... rights of the minorities are being violated." The TDP had walked out the BJP-led NDA last year protesting the "injustice" done to Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation. The Constitution is being systematically destroyed, added former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Gegong Apang, who gave the BJP its first government in the Northeast 16 years ago. Naidu begins hunger strike in Delhi, demands special status for Andhra Congress leaders Anand Sharma, Ahmed Patel and Jairam Ramesh were also at the venue to express their support. Naidu's 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice), which began at 8 am, is likely to end at around 8 pm. He will also submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on February 12. Naidu paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat and also to the Ambedkar Statue at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan before sitting on the hunger strike. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 11, 2019, 15:17 [IST] Why govt used COVID-19 data as 'propaganda tool' rather than to stop coronavirus, asks Priyanka Gandhi Indians do not come first for PM, politics does: Priyanka on Covid crisis 'Misuse of donation an insult to faith': Priyanka Gandhi on alleged Ayodhya land deal The Priyanka Gandhi show: Political innings in UP begins today India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa New Delhi, Feb 11: Enthused by the appointment of new leaders to steer them into the coming Lok Sabha election, Congressmen have planned a grand welcome to the party's general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and others when they arrive in the state capital on Monday. Congress workers, led by Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) chief Raj Babbar, have made elaborate arrangements to welcome their leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi and in-charge of the state's western region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, who will accompany Priyanka Vadra as she makes her first public appearance in the state after her new assignment. Can't imagine illicit liquor trade flourished at such large scale: Priyanka Gandhi The trio, who will arrive at the Lucknow airport, will pass through the main areas of the state capital to reach the Nehru Bhawan office of the UPCC. They will be welcomed by party workers and leaders at nearly 37 points in the city between the airport and the UPCC office, Congress spokesman Anshu Awasthi told PTI. Before reaching the Congress office, the Congress leaders are expected to garland the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi on the route. Hoardings of Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra, have been put up along the route they are proposed to take. Banners on the route read, "Waqt Hai Badlav Ka". Workers of Congress and its grassroots organisation Sewa Dal have been giving final touch to the preparations since early Sunday. Babbar held a meeting of Congress workers Saturday evening to review the preparations for the road show, which will also be attended by All India Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev and general secretary Anupama Rawat. Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the visit. Special Protection Group personnel, who provide security to the Gandhis, on Thursday visited the UPCC office, party sources said. The Congress is expecting the visit to become a virtual launch of its campaign in Uttar Pradesh, ahead of Lok Sabha elections due by May. BJP MP's sexist remark on Priyanka, says she wears 'Jeans in Delhi, Saree in rural areas' Priyanka Vadra will meet leaders and office-bearers from 42 constituencies of Uttar Pradesh (East) during her visit till February 14. "Congress workers are excited about the visit of party leaders and we are awaiting to give them a rousing welcome... We hope that with her (Priyanka Vadra) joining active politics, the state will also get a new energy," chief state Congress spokesperson Rajiv Bakshi said. "This is a very auspicious time for us and a good omen for the party," he said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 11, 2019, 6:03 [IST] Soundarya Rajinikanth, Vishagan Vanangamudi tie the knot; Celebs, politicians make a beeline India oi-Madhuri Adnal Chennai, Feb 11: Actor Rajinikanth's daughter Soundarya Rajinikanth on Monday tied the knot with actor-businessman Vishagan Vanangamudi at The Leela Palace hotel in Chennai. The wedding was held as per south Indian rituals. The newlyweds will host a wedding reception which will be attended by their close friends. This will be followed by a lavish cocktail party in the evening. Earlier on Friday, Rajinikanth and his family hosted a pre-wedding reception for family and close friends, which was followed by a combined sangeet and mehendi ceremony. Taking to Twitter, Soundarya posted a few pictures from Saturday's ceremony and wrote: "Blessed and grateful beyond words!!!! The three most important men in my life... my darling father... my angel son... and now you my Vishagan." Blessed & grateful beyond words !!!! The three most important men in my life ... my darling father ... my angel son ... and now you my Vishagan pic.twitter.com/v7Ra32oiYe soundarya rajnikanth (@soundaryaarajni) February 10, 2019 Ahead of the wedding, Rajinikanth invited a lot of celebrities and politicians for Soundarya's marriage. Accepting the invitation, Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami attended the wedding and blessed the couple. A counter tale for India's big fat weddings: Andhra IAS officer gives son's marriage for Rs 18k only The wedding of Soundarya and Vishagan is a starry affair as many Kollywood stars such as Kamal Haasan, Selvaraghavan, Lakshmi Manchu, Aditi Rao Hydari and Manjima Mohan made their presence felt. Pinjra Tod: Surprised Delhi HC examined issues that were not even challenged says SC SC says no to court monitored probe in Saradha scam India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Feb 11: The Supreme Court has refused to entertain a plea that sought a court monitored probe into the Saradha chit fund scam. The petition was filed by the investors seeking a court monitored probe. The court however declined to entertain the petition. It may be recalled that the Supreme Court had ordered a CBI probe into the Saradha Scam. The court had however said that it would not monitor the probe. The decision to hand over the case to the CBI came in the wake of allegations that the Kolkata Police may not conduct a fair probe. CBI questions Kolkata top cop for third day Meanwhile the CBI questioned Kolkata Police commissioner, Rajeev Kumar for a third day in connection with the chit fund case. The agency is also questioning, former TMC MP, Kunal Ghosh in connection with the case. Kumar had headed the special investigating team that probed into the chit fund scam. The CBI after taking over the probe accused him of destroying as well as concealing information in connection with the case. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 11, 2019, 11:39 [IST] Are the clean chits to politicians linked to an alliance with the BJP Saradha chit fund: Ex-agent is selling flowers to pay off investors money lost in Ponzi scheme India oi-Shubham Ghosh Kolkata, Feb 11: Ghosts of the Saradha chit fund have come to haunt the politics of West Bengal ahead of the Lok Sabha election this year. The state saw a massive federal crisis a few days ago when the central investigating agency CBI approaching Rajeev Kumar, the police commissioner of Kolkata, for examination related to the scam. The chief minister of the state, Mamata Banerjee, herself came out in support of the commissioner and staging a dharna against the BJP-led Centre alleging that it was a deliberate attempt to subvert her government. The issue has resumed after the Supreme Court's intervention and the questioning of Rajeev Kumar is taking place in Shillong, Meghalaya. CBI questions Kolkata top cop for third day But even as the parties play blame game over the scam worth over few thousand crores, how are those who were affected by it - be it the depositors or the agents who were in the firing line when the Ponzi scheme collapsed in 2013? Bengali daily Ananadabazar Patrika came out with a report on such an agent named Prafulla Samanta who tried to end his own life twice since facing the depositors' wrath but eventually decided to do something positive about it. He now sells flowers in a market in Bagnan in Howrah district of the state to pay off the money of the depositors. He had also worked as an agent for another firm Rose Valley which has also been found in another major chit fund scam, even bigger than Saradha in terms of money involved. Every evening, he arrives at the market on his motorbike carrying flowers. He announced in a mic that many people lost their savings by investing in Saradha and Rose Valley chit funds and he is trying to pay off their money by selling flowers. He urges people to buy his flowers so that he can succeed in his mission. Samanta, aged around 40, is not much bothered about the probe into the scam, which many believe has had political influences. He said he did not know whether the criminals would be brought to justice but he was doing his bit by trying to pay off the money that people lost through him. He owed the depositors Rupees six lakh and has already paid off half the money by selling flowers over four years, the report added. The man had a small shop earlier and started working as a chit fund agent in 2011. He even sold his hotel for Rs 4 lakh and invested the same into the scheme. When disaster struck in 2013, his family faced uncertainty. The investors attacked his house and he even begged on trains with his wife. Twice, Prafulla tried to commit suicide but was caught by others. Then he took a positive stand and started floriculture on a big land and started to make a turnaround. The investors have also kept faith on the man seeing his sincerity in returning their money, said the ABP report. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 11, 2019, 18:14 [IST] "The wall is dead,'' Blumenthal told reporters Monday at the state Capitol before the tentative agreement was reached. "It isnt going to happen, and all of the bluster and bullying simply are flailing gestures from a president who has failed to lead and needs to get out of the way because Congress can reach an agreement if he stops interfering and mucking it up. ... The wall is a medieval vanity project. Its an applause line for his campaign rallies.'' Officials from Twitter India appear before Parliamentary Panel headed by Shashi Tharoor Rule of land supreme, not your policy: Parliamentary panel on IT to Twitter Available for questioning through video conferencing, Twitter India head tells UP police Set to be quizzed today, Ghaziabad cops have 11 questions for Twitter India head Parliamentary Committee summons Twitter CEO with 15-day deadline India oi-Chennabasaveshwar P New Delhi, Feb 11: Twitter team including Twitter India representatives arrived at Parliament to appear before Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology on Monday. According to news agency ANI, Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology has passed a resolution unanimously that they will not meet any Twitter officials until senior members or CEO of the Twitter Global team depose before the Committee. Twitter has been given 15 days deadline. Earlier Twitter had refused to appear citing 'short notice' of the hearing. The Committee had called Twitter via a letter on February 1. Subesquently, the committee headed by Anurag Thakur had hinted that it would initiate breach of privilege action against it and its brass. SC says no to court monitored probe in Saradha scam The parliamentary committee meeting was scheduled for February 7, but was later postponed to February 11 to allow the Twitter CEO and senior officials more time to make themselves available. Twitter has faced increasing scrutiny globally over its conduct and India's parliamentary hearing is the fourth one in the world after similar ones in US, Singapore and the European Union. (With PTI inputs) For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 11, 2019, 17:35 [IST] BSP to contest assembly polls in three states on its own: Mayawati National interest can be ignored for sake of 'chowkidar': Mayawati targets Modi India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Feb 11: On the day Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her first public appearance after her appointment as AICC general secretary for eastern Uttar Pradesh, BSP chief Mayawati slammed Narendra Modi government over the Rafale deal for the first time. In a series of tweets, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister wrote "Government waived anti-corruption clause in Rafale deal, is the latest detail revelation by The Hindu newspaper today. Corruption & corrupt defence deal, No problem! Chowkidar is important for the BJP/RSS, not his honesty? (sic)," she tweeted from her new handle on Monday morning. Corruption, honesty, national interest and national security etc. Everything can be compromised and ignored for the sake of Chowkidar. The Chowkidar is moving everywhere in the country on government expenses claiming he is honest and not corrupt. Mayawati (@SushriMayawati) February 11, 2019 Mayawati's attack came after The Hindu claimed the Rafale fighter jet deal between India and France involved "major and unprecedented" concessions from the Indian government, with critical provisions for anti-corruption penalties and making payments through an escrow account dropped days before the signing of the inter-governmental agreement (IGA). Chowkidar chor hai: Uddhav Thackeray does a Rahul Gandhi to attack Modi Mayawati repeated the word "chowkidar", which has been used by Congress president Rahul Gandhi to describe Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In another tweet, she said the countrymen have to decide as what to do with the "Chowkidar and his so-called honesty?" "Corruption, honesty, national interest and national security etc. Everything can be compromised and ignored for the sake of Chowkidar. The Chowkidar is moving everywhere in the country on government expenses claiming he is honest and not corrupt," she tweeted, referring to how the PM has said in his rallies that he won't let the corrupt escape. Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party and Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party recently forged an alliance in Uttar Pradesh and said that they will fight the Lok Sabha elections together. Both have clearly indicated that they will fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Interestingly, Congress was kept out of this alliance. Naidu begins hunger strike in Delhi, demands special status for Andhra India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa New Delhi, Feb 11: TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has begun his day-long hunger strike in the national capital demanding special status for his state and fulfilment of commitments made by the Centre under the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. The Telugu Desam Party had walked out the BJP-led NDA last year protesting the "injustice" done to Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation. Chandrababu Naidu hits back, says Modi forcing him to indulge in personal attacks Naidu will stage the 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice) at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in the national capital from 8 am to 8 pm on Monday. He will also submit a memorandum to President of India Ram Nath Kovind on February 12, an official statement said. The chief minister will sit on a hunger strike along with his ministers, party MLAs, MLCs and MPs. Members of state employee associations, social organisations and student organisations will also join the fast, it said. Naidu is scheduled to pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat and also to the Ambedkar Statue at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan before sitting on the hunger strike. Leader of several opposition parties are expected to extend their solidarity to the Andhra Pradesh chief minister's protest, the statement said. Mamata architect of federal front, main pillar of Opposition: Chandrababu Naidu It may be noted that Naidu had staged an indefinite fast at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in October 2013, demanding that if a separate state is carved out of then unified Andhra Pradesh, both should get equal justice. He was forcibly shifted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital the fifth day after his health deteriorated. Last year, the chief minister had observed fast Vijayawada on his birthday on April 20 demanding special status for the state. After quitting the NDA in March last year, the TDP had also moved a 'no-confidence motion' in the Monsoon session of Parliament in July 2018, which was defeated. Aim is to help govt says Rahul Gandhi while releasing white paper on COVID-19 Mr. Modi has no credibility left, says Rahul Gandhi at Naidus dharna India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Feb 11: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi extended support to Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu who is sitting on a day-long hunger strike demanding special status for his state and fulfilment of commitments made at the time of bifurcation. "I stand with the people of Andhra Pradesh. What kind of a PM is he? He did not fulfill the commitment made to the people of Andhra Pradesh. Mr Modi tells a lie wherever he goes. He has got no credibility left," said at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan today. Congress President Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "facilitating loot". Naidu begins hunger strike in Delhi, demands special status for Andhra "Every defence deal has an anti-corruption clause. The Hindu has reported that the PM removed the anti-corruption clause. It is clear that the PM facilitated loot," ANI quoted him as saying. The media report stated that the PMO had waived key provisions of the anti-corruption clauses days before the defence agreement was signed. Quoting The Hindu report, the Congress, on its official Twitter handle, asked: "Who was the PMO trying to shield? Who was the PMO trying to benefit?" The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief launched his ''Dharma Porata Deeksha'' (a day-long protest for justice) at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan to urge the centre to fulfil promises made when Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014. Naidu's protest was joined by National Conference's Farooq Abdullah and Nationalist Congress Party's Majeed Memon. The TDP had exited the BJP-led NDA last year over what its chief described as "injustice" done to Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation. Mr Naidu accused the Narendra Modi government of going back on a long-awaited promise of special state status for Andhra Pradesh. Mehbooba Mufti arrives in Delhi to participate in all-party meeting to be chaired by PM Modi tomorrow Modi serves 3 billionth Akshay Patra meal to underprivileged kids in Vrindavan India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Feb 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi served food to schoolchildren from underprivileged background in Vrindavan on Monday, marking the "three billionth meal" offered by an NGO that works with the government on mid-day meal schemes. Akshaya Patra, which is a Bengaluru-based not-for-profit organisation, said that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar are also likely to join the prime minister at the event to be held at its Vrindavan campus. Had the honour of serving food to children in Vrindavan today. pic.twitter.com/Fs7esScQZA Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 11, 2019 "Prime Minister Modi will serve food to a few school children underprivileged from background in the facility at Vrindavan where Akshaya Patra's kitchen is located. A couple of children, who have been beneficiaries of the programme, will also share their experiences," a spokesperson of the foundation told PTI. PM in South India: Modi tears into opposition during his 3 rallies The event will commemorate the NGO's serving of cumulative three billion meals since its inception in 2000. BJP's Mathura MP Hema Malini, ministers of the Uttar Pradesh government, including Anupma Jaiswal, minister of state (independent charge) for basic education, child development and nutrition, local MLAs and Mukesh Arya Bandhu, Mayor - Mathura-Vrindavan Nagar Nigam, are also expected to be present on the occasion, the official said. In 2012, Akshaya Patra reached its first major milestone of serving one billion cumulative meals since the inception of the programme in 2000, the NGO claimed. "By 2016, the organisation had already served cumulative two billion meals. This milestone was commemorated in the presence of Pranab Mukherjee, the then President, on August 27 that year in Bengaluru," the foundation said. As the implementing partner of the Mid-Day Meal Programme, Akshaya Patra has received the support and encouragement of the Ministry of Human Resource Development and various state governments all along its journey. "It strives to address classroom hunger and bring children to school by implementing the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in government and government-aided schools. Since the year 2000, Akshaya Patra has worked towards reaching more children with wholesome food on every single school day," the spokesperson said. The NGO's state-of-the-art kitchens have become a subject of study and have attracted curious visitors from around the world. Karnataka CM sheds tears in public about his alliance compulsions: Modi "Our partnership with the Centre and various state governments, along with the persistent support from the corporate sector, individual donors, and well-wishers have helped us to grow from serving just 1,500 children in five schools in 2000 to serving 1.7 million children," the foundation said. "Today, Akshaya Patra is the world's largest (not-for-profit run) mid-day meal programme serving wholesome food every school day to over 1.76 million children from 14,702 schools across 12 states in India," according to its website. Kerala: CBI slaps murder, conspiracy charges against CPI(M) leader India pti-PTI Thalassery, Feb 11: In a setback to the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala, the CBI Monday slapped murder and conspiracy charges against party strongman P Jayarajan in a case relating to the murder of a 22-year-old Muslim Students Federation activist in 2012. The supplementary charge sheet, filed in a sessions court here, has also charged party MLA T V Rajesh in the conspiracy related to the killing. The CBI has charged Jayarajan with murder and conspiracy under Sections 302 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code, court sources said. According to the prosecution, Shukoor, a worker of the youth wing of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), was killed on February 20, 2012, for attacking a convoy in which Jayarajan and Rajesh were travelling. The prosecution also alleged that Shukoor was caught and interrogated for over two hours by a mob and his photo was circulated via mobile to confirm his presence in the crowd which attacked the CPI(M) convoy. 2002 Gujarat riots: SC adjourns Zakia Jafri's plea against PM Modi's acquittal till July The CPI(M) Kannur district committee, however, said that the charge against Jayarajan was the latest example of "misusing" the CBI to target political opponents. The development comes at a time when reports have emerged in a section of media that the CPI(M) could field Jayarajan from any of the constituencies in north Kerala. Meanwhile, Opposition leader in the assembly Ramesh Chennithala lashed out at the CPI(M), saying that the murder charges against Jayarajan was a big blow to the "violent politics" of the communist party. "Shukoor was murdered in a brutal manner. He was caught and his photo was sent across mobiles to confirm his identity before killing him. This shook the conscience of the society," he said. PTI Judging in digital age has made job tougher says Justice Sikri India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa New Delhi, Feb 11: Judging is "under stress" in the digital era, a Supreme Court judge said , lamenting that even before a case is taken up by the court, people start discussing on social media what the outcome "should be" which has an influence on the judges. Talking on "Freedom of press in the digital age" at the first Law Association For Asia and the Pacific (LAWASIA) conference here, Justice A K Sikri said the freedom of press is changing the paradigm of civil and human rights and the current pattern of media trials is an example of it. After CJI, Justice Sikri refuses to hear plea challenging appointment of interim CBI chief "Media trials were there earlier also. But today what is happening is that when an issue is raised, a petition is filed, (and) even before it is taken up by the court, people start discussing what should be the outcome. Not what 'is' the outcome, (but) what 'should be' the outcome. And let me tell you from my experience here that it has an influence on how a judge decides a case. "It is not so much in the Supreme Court because by the time they come to the apex court they are quite matured and they know how the case is to be decided on the basis of law irrespective of what is happening in the media. Today judging is under stress," Justice Sikri said. He said the power of contempt of court is not being used that much. "Few years ago, it has always been an opinion that once a judgment was rendered by the court, be it the Supreme Court, high courts or any trial court, you have every right to criticize the judgement. Now there is slander or defamatory speeches even against judges who gave that judgment. And still not much is said on this," Justice Sikri said. Additional Solicitor General Madhavi Goradia Divan, one of the speakers at the conference, also expressed her concurring views and said that on social media, there is a huge blur between news and fake news, news and opinion, citizens and journalists. Divan said one of the challenges was that with the growth of Twitter, lawyers have become activists too. And in that quest for activism and stardom, she added, one should not eclipse one's professional duties as the casualty would be independence of the judiciary and matters would be decided for the "wrong" reasons. "It is all right to an activist be now and then. But when one has appeared on those cases, argued in those cases, tweeting immediately after (hearing) can conflict with your professional duties," she said. Divan said though the requirement is that one needs to be an accredited journalist to be able to report from the Supreme Court, "for the rest, there is Twitter". "It is true that you (a lawyer) have a much better understanding of the law and the justice delivery system than a journalist, but at the same time there is a certain shallowness to Twitter which may distort the public understanding of how the justice delivery system works. Let it die says Justice Sikri on post-retirement assignment controversy "I think it can put the judge under pressure because the judges as much as they are trained to decide shorn of media reportage, we know they are as human as anybody else and we should not distract them from deciding independently shorn of all media pressures. The casualty would be independence of judiciary and matters would be decided for the wrong reasons. Justice Sikri said the media has undergone a complete transformation in the digital age and now "we are in the era of paid and fake news". "It is becoming very alarming but we are in the era of paid and fake news because of the digital era. Stories are created...and somebody puts it on any digital mode and these, in few hours time, become viral. The reach is a billion people," he said. He said though social media has become a watchdog, there was a challenge to human rights also as there is a real threat of surveillance by both private and public players. "How data is mined, how players like Facebook, WhatsApp etc collate data, how they can see what their consumers' choices and preferences are. If it affects the freedom of people, privacy of people, then it becomes a very dangerous instrument. And issues of dignity comes in," he said. Divan also emphasised on how people's dependence on social media for information have led tech titans and corporates to gather individual data and feed-curated information. "The more people depend on social media for news and information, we know that tech titans have allowed themselves to plant customised or curated news based on the social profiling of individuals," she said. She talked about how most journalists today gather information from social media platforms, rather than being on field. "This is definitely impacting the capacity of independent news gathering. It's not only the easy way out, I would say it is a great dereliction of duty on the part of the mainstream media because it is denying public access to credible, truthful information. There is absolutely no substitute to credible, accountable media. I think more than ever before we need that media now to be able to sift the truth from untruth and the grain from chaff," Divan said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 11, 2019, 6:08 [IST] Gupkar Alliance will meet with PM Modi, to demand statehood, restoration of Article 370 J&K: Uri army camp cordoned off after suspicious movement; 2 detained India oi-Madhuri Adnal Uri, Feb 11: The security forces on Sunday late night foiled a major terror attack on Army Artillery Unit at Rajarwani in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri sector. It is learnt that the security personnel of Army Artillery unit at Rajarwani, Uri detected some suspicious movement around the camp and opened fire. The area has been cordoned off and is being searched jointly by Police & Army. Meanwhile, two people have been detained and are being examined in connection with the incident, said ANI. Grenade attack in Srinagar: 11 injured in attack including 7 security personnel, 4 civilians All local units of Army and the central paramilitary force deployed in the area have been alerted. The attack comes a day after five terrorists belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 11, 2019, 9:21 [IST] J&K govt seeks adjournment of Article 35-A hearing in SC India oi-Deepika S Srinagar, Feb 11: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has sought adjournment of the hearing in a bunch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of article 35-A before the Supreme Court. The standing counsel for the state of Jammu and Kashmir Shoeb Alam urged the SC to adjourn the hearing in this matter till the state gets an elected government. It is to be noted that Jammu and Kashmir is currently under President's rule. "The present matter involves a sensitive issue regarding a challenge to Article 35A of the Constitution of India. A short reply has been filed by the State of Jammu and Kashmir in the lead matter (We The Citizens) and notices have not been issued in the other petitions. It will therefore be requested that the matter may kindly be heard when an elected government is in place," the letter read. What has happened in Jammu and Kashmir during Modi rule? "The letter may kindly be circulated to the Hon'ble judges so as to avoid inconvenience to them, "it said. Article 35-A was incorporated in the Constitution in 1954 by President Rajendra Prasad on the advice of the then Cabinet headed by Jawaharlal Nehru. It accords special rights and privileges to the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir and bars people from outside the state from acquiring any immovable property in the state. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 11, 2019, 17:49 [IST] In Naidus tirade against Modi, a reminder about raj dharma India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa New Delhi, Feb 11: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu launched into a tirade against the BJP-led central government on Monday, alleging Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not following 'raj dharma' by denying the state special status. Naidu, who began a day-long fast at Andhra Bhavan demanding that the Centre fulfil all promises made during AP's bifurcation in 2014, warned that Modi would be "taught a lesson" if he made personal attacks against the people of his state. "(Former PM) Atal Bihari Vajpayee said 'raj dharma' was not followed in Gujarat (during the 2002 riots). Now, 'raj dharma' is not being followed in case of Andhra Pradesh. We have been denied what was rightfully ours," he claimed. United colours of opposition on show at Chandrababu Naidu's Delhi Dharna He alleged the central government did grave injustice to Andhra and it would have "repercussions on national unity". "On behalf of five crore people, I am warning this government... I came here to remind you of the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act," Naidu said. "I am warning you. Don't make personal attacks against me and my people. It's unwarranted. I am just doing my duty as the head of my state. We are only demanding what we were promised," he said. Naidu told the gathering that TDP founder NT Rama Rao had said "if somebody attacks your self-respect, teach them a lesson. So, we will not tolerate. We will give you a befitting answer". The chief minister alleged that Modi was "unfit" to rule the country and that he went to Guntur in Andhra Pradesh "only to rub salt into our wounds". "You think you can avoid us by sitting in Delhi. You're wrong. We will take help of friendly parties and achieve our aim," he said. The TDP chief alleged the BJP government unleashes central investigation agencies on rival parties if they fight for their rights. "The Manmohan Singh government promised special status to Andhra for 10 years. The BJP, which was in the opposition then, had seconded it. Now, their finance minister says it cannot be done," he said. Naidu said the BJP government had promised a special package for backward districts of the state on the lines of the Bundelkhand region, but the "BJP cheated the people". The TDP chief said the party was denied permission to stage a protest on Parliament premises. "So, we came here". A number of opposition party leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Conference's Farooq Abdullah and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, are expected to extend support to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief's fast. Before beginning the fast, Naidu offered tributes to Matama Gandhi at Raj Ghat and to B R Ambedkar at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan. A TDP delegation led by Naidu will submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday, party sources said. Naidu has been trying to unite opposition parties to take on the BJP in the general elections. Over the last three months, he has held a number of meetings with opposition party leaders on forming an anti-BJP front. The TDP had in March last year pulled out of the NDA government over its refusal to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh. The party has been accusing the Narendra Modi government of not releasing enough funds for the Polavaram irrigation project, the Kadapa steel plant and Amravati, the under-construction ultra-modern state capital. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 11, 2019, 17:04 [IST] "It is somewhat anachronistic right now because it was adopted at a time when our economy was primarily based on goods and products,'' Looney told The Courant. "It is now, to a much greater extent, based on services. Whether and to what degree there should be an expansion into the service area, I would be waiting to hear the governors proposal.'' More than 500 killed by wild animals in Bengal since 2015, govt to give jobs to their kin In land of Asiatic lions, are tigers making a comeback? India oi-Deepika S Ahmedabad, Feb 11: More than two decades after a tiger was last sighted in the state, the Royal Bengal Tiger seems to have made a comeback in Gujarat. A local government school teacher Mahesh Mahera on Sunday claimed he saw a tiger crossing a road near Boriya village in Mahisagar, over 120 kilometres from Ahmedabad, on February 6 and clicked its picture on his mobile phone and shared it with friends on social media platforms. The photo soon went viral and alerted the state's forest department on the unlikely presence of a tiger in the area. Tigers were found in abundance in Gujarat from Valsad to Banaskantha till the 1950s, but they completely vanished from the state by 1997. Hunt on to nab the big cat Acting on Mahera's claims, the forest department set up two camera traps and deployed staff to confirm the big cat's presence, a senior official said. "The photo of the tiger has gone viral and we can't yet say if it is fake. Since a citizen has claimed this, we have begun scanning the area. We have placed two camera traps and the number will be increased," Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) Akshay Saxena said. Rare male tiger kills prospective mate in first meeting at London Zoo "Our staff is trying to locate pug marks and scat (excreta). There is no evidence yet of the tiger in the area," he added. "Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are 100 kilometres away. It is surprising if a big cat arrived here without anyone getting to know. We are trying to check and confirm what direct or indirect evidence there could be," Saxena said. Mahera claimed he spotted the tiger when he was returning from school on February 6 evening. "Around 5:15 pm on February 6, I was passing through the area in a four-wheeler when I spotted a tiger emerging from one side of the road and crossing over to the other side. I stopped the car and I clicked its picture. It clearly shows it is a tiger," he said. Gujarat reluctant to swap its Lions with Tigers Observing that Gujarat was the only state in the western region not having any tigers, then the Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh had suggested that the state should explore the possibility of introducing tigers. However, Gujarat is averse to the idea of exchanging Asiatic lions with tigers. Desperate to hold on to its monopoly on the last Asiatic lion habitat in the world, Gujarat has been refusing to share its "pride" with Madhya Pradesh or any other state. As per the National Tiger Conservation Authority, tigers are found in the wild in 18 Indian states, Gujarat not being among them. When Gujarat faced flack for 23 Asiatic Lions death Last year in September Gujarat forest department was at the receiving end of a lot of flak because 23 Asiatic lions had died in the Gir forest owing to a canine distemper virus (CDV) epidemic. Madhya Pradesh government has been fighting with the Gujarat government for shifting of lions to its state as a second home for the wild cats. However, the order hasn't been implemented by the latter since the judgement was passed in 2013. How this de-radicalisation programme by ATS is changing those who came under ISIS influence India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Mumbai, Feb 11: Jamil Ansari (name changed) runs a mobile phone repair shop in Maharashtra's Beed district. But, nobody would imagine that only two years ago, he was on the verge of joining the dreaded terror outfit ISIS by travelling to Iraq, thousands of kilometres away. Thanks to an initiative of the Maharashtra Anti- Terrorism Squad (ATS), Ansari changed his mind and underwent an employment training programme after escaping clutches of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria's (ISIS) online 'recruiters' who had almost radicalised him. He is not the only one. Expect a big announcement on ISIS by US soon There are many such young men in Maharashtra, mainly in the industrially backward Marathwada region, who had once fallen victim to ISIS' propaganda but are now leading a normal life with the help of the employment training programme, a senior ATS official told PTI. Ansari, a 35-year-old graduate, lost his job as a salesman in 2016 and began spending a lot of time surfing online, where he came in contact with some ISIS sympathisers and soon got radicalised. "His online activities brought him under our scanner," the official said. The ATS sleuths realised that Ansari had become a victim of ISIS propaganda and he was counselled in a bid to de-radicalise him, he said. The official said the ATS runs a de-radicalisation programme for such people to once again join the mainstream with the help of religious leaders and clerics. But the real problem was that Ansari had no job, and there were many more like him, he said. In Marathwada, the ATS in the last two years identified as many as 400 young men who were suspectedly under the influence of ISIS. In all the cases, the recruiter started chatting with his target about "atrocities" on Muslims in India to gauge the person's views, the official said. After the person was successfully radicalised, he would be taught how to make Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) or other weapons, he said, adding that some were also encouraged to join the ISIS in Iraq, where the militant outfit once controlled large swaps of territory. Notably, the ATS last month arrested nine men from Aurangabad and Thane districts for allegedly planning chemical attacks with an intent to cause mass casualty at public events by contaminating food and water, he pointed out. In 2018, the ATS had arrested a 36-year-old man from Parbhani district who came in contact with ISIS and received instructions on how to make IEDs. He made bombs and even carried out trials, the official said, adding that he was arrested along with four others before he could use the IED for a terrorist act. ATS chief Atulchandra Kulkarni said they realised that unemployment was one of the major reasons for such men from the Muslim community most of whom were from Marathwada -- getting radicalised online and falling into ISIS' trap. Shut madrasas to check ISIS influence on Muslim children: UP Shia board chief writes to Modi "The challenge was to bring these people back to normal life, and we found a solution in the Rural Self-Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs), run by the Union rural development ministry," said Kulkarni. As many as 239 such men were imparted training at these institutes last year. Besides, the anti-terror cells formed at police station-levels identified 15 men who were also trained in self-employment, another police official said. Thirty such men secured bank loans after undergoing training and started their own businesses, Kulkarni said. Appreciating the initiative, RSETI authorities agreed to train the candidates short-listed by ATS on a priority basis. The ATS also approached the Syndicate Bank and the Bank of Maharashtra, which agreed to offer loans to the short-listed men after they underwent training, he said. The initiative began with some 270 young men, who were trained in mobile phone repairing. Another batch is now receiving training in fitting electric wires, a police official said. Ansari is one of the examples of this initiative's success. After being imparted counselling, he was recommended for a short training course in mobile repairing at an RSETI, he added. Now, he runs a small mobile repair shop of his own, far away from Iraq. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 11, 2019, 11:03 [IST] Who is Subodh Kumar Jaiswal? Former Maharashtra IPS officer apointed as new CBI Director Former Interim CBI Chief Nageshwar Rao renders unconditional apology to SC India oi-Chennabasaveshwar P New Delhi, Feb 11: Former Interim CBI Chief M Nageshwar Rao filed an affidavit rendering an unconditional apology to the Supreme Court. "I ought not have agreed with the legal advice for relieving AK Sharma even on his promotion without prior approval of SC. I admit that in view of the orders dated 31.10.2018 and 28.11.2018 passed by SC earlier, " said Nageshwar Rao in his affidavit. Nageshwar Rao apologised a day before he is to appear before the apex court for contempt of court for AK Sharma 's removal. Last week, the Supreme Court had summoned senior CBI officer M Nageswara Rao over the transfer of officer A K Sharma, who was probing the Bihar shelter home cases, calling it a contempt of court. Kolkata top cop's questioning to continue on Tuesday The court has asked Rao and other officers to be present on February 12 and directed the agency to identify officers who were involved in the transfer of Sharma. "We are going to take it very very seriously. You have played with order of Supreme Court of India. God help you. Never play with the Supreme Court's order," news agency ANI quoted the Chief Justice as saying after the CBI counsel informed the court that two officials including M Nageswara Rao were involved in transferring Sharma. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, February 12, 2019, 0:18 [IST] Faulty ventilators will have to be replaced; won't allow experiments on patients: Bombay high court Elgar Parishad case: Bombay HC extends Teltumbde's interim protection from arrest till Feb 22 India pti-PTI Mumbai, Feb 11: The Bombay High Court on Monday extended Dalit scholar Anand Teltumbde's interim protection from arrest till February 22 and directed the Pune Police to release him on a personal bond and surety in case he is arrested before the next hearing. Teltumbde, who is facing arrest by the Pune Police in the Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case, was granted time till February 11 to exhaust all his legal remedies seeking protection from arrest. He had approached the high court earlier this year, seeking anticipatory bail. While his bail plea was opposed by the Pune Police, who urged that Teltumbde be denied any relief, the court accepted the scholar's request for an adjournment of the hearing, and protected him from arrest until the next hearing on February 22. On February 5, the Pune Police was directed by Justice N W Sambre to file an affidavit listing down the grounds on which it was opposing Teltumbde's anticipatory bail plea. Justice Sambre had also directed the police to give a copy of its affidavit to Teltumbde's counsel, Mihir Desai, by February 8. Bikaner land scam: Priyanka Gandhi reaches Jaipur to be with Robert Vadra, Maureen Vadra The state's counsel, Aruna Pai, who appeared for the Pune Police, however, gave the affidavit to Desai only on Monday and hence, Justice Sambre granted an adjournment to the defence counsel. In its affidavit, police reiterated that the court must not grant protection from arrest to Teltumbde as it had ample incriminating evidence against him. It added that the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) did not allow granting anticipatory bail to those booked under it. Advocate Pai told the court that earlier last year, Teltumbde had filed another plea in the high court in which he had denied all charges against him and had sought quashing of the FIR against him in the case. However, another bench had rejected the plea. Desai has maintained that the law provides for anticipatory bail even under the UAPA in "exceptional cases". On February 2, the Pune Police arrested Teltumbde from the Mumbai airport at around 3 am. His arrest was deemed illegal by a sessions court since interim protection from arrest granted to him by the Supreme Court had not expired. He was later released. The Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case was registered by the Pune Police following an incident of violence near Pune between December 31, 2017 and January 1, 2018. According to police, the Elgar Parishad event on December 31, 2017 led to violent clashes the next day at Bhima Koregaon. Police claim that the event was funded and supported by Maoists. Some activists made inflammatory speeches and provocative statements that contributed to the Bhima Koregaon violence at the event, the police said. Several activists were named in the FIR. Some of them, including Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj, P Varavara Rao and Gautam Navlakha, were initially put under house arrest on the directions of the Supreme Court. However, all of them, except Navlakha, were re-arrested and taken into custody by the police recently. In October this year, another FIR was registered by the Pune Police in the case, naming eight more activists, including Teltumbde and Stan Swamy. The police also claimed to have seized four letters from the houses of these activists in which they allegedly discussed a plan to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PTI Here's why Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt will have to stay 2 days extra in jail Convict in Mumbai blasts case dies at hospital India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Nagpur, Feb 11: Mohammad Hanif Syed, one of the three convicts sentenced to death in the 2003 Mumbai twin bomb blasts and currently lodged in the Nagpur Central Jail, died at a hospital, a prison officer said. Syed's health suddenly deteriorated Saturday evening, following which he was shifted to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) where he died one and half hours after admission, Jail Superintendent Rani Bhosle told PTI Sunday night. "The exact cause of his death will be known after post-mortem which will be conducted Monday in the presence of his relatives who have arrived in the city Sunday," she said, adding that Syed's body will be handed over to his relatives after autopsy. As per preliminary information and symptoms, he could have died of a cardiac arrest, Bhosle said. 13/7 Mumbai blasts: Justice done, but wounds still remain Syed, his wife Fehmida and third conspirator Ashrat Ansari were convicted by a POTA (Prevention of Terrorist Activity) court in 2009 of planting powerful bombs in two taxis which exploded at the iconic Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar on August 25, 2003, leaving 52 people dead and 244 injured. Syed was shifted to the Nagpur Central Jail from Yerwada jail in 2012, after the Bombay high court upheld his death sentence. The Lashkar-e-Toiba's role in the twin blasts was revealed by an accused-turned-approver. It was for the first time that the LeT had used a family to carry out bomb blasts in the country. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 11, 2019, 11:11 [IST] Chandrababu Naidu ends his day-long fast in Delhi India oi-Chennabasaveshwar P New Delhi, Feb 11: TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu broke his day-long fast demanding special status for his state and fulfillment of commitments made by the Centre under the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. On Amit Shah's open letter, Chandrababu Naidu said, "I condemn all this. He has written a letter to the people of Andhra Pradesh. They are hitting me below the belt. PM and Shah have to maintain the decorum." "Tomorrow we are gatheirng here at 10:15 am. From here, we will rally and go to the President. We are 11 members only, we will give the representation to him," Naidu said. Naidu staged the 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice) at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in the national capital from 8 am to 8 pm on Monday. Also, he will submit a memorandum to President of India Ram Nath Kovind on February 12, an official statement said. United colours of opposition on show at Chandrababu Naidu's Delhi Dharna The Telugu Desam Party had walked out the BJP-led NDA last year protesting the "injustice" done to Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation. After quitting the NDA in March last year, the TDP had also moved a 'no-confidence motion' in the Monsoon session of Parliament in July 2018, which was defeated. The chief minister sat on a hunger strike along with his ministers, party MLAs, MLCs and MPs. Members of state employee associations, social organisations and student organisations also joined the fast, it said. Who is Subodh Kumar Jaiswal? Former Maharashtra IPS officer apointed as new CBI Director Kolkata top cops questioning to continue on Tuesday India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Shillong, Feb 11: Kolkata Police commissioner, Rajeev Kumar will be questioned by the CBI on Tuesday as well. CBI officials say that he is being questioned for the fourth day as there are many other aspects they need to ascertain. The Kolkata police chief was quizzed for nearly nine hours on Saturday by three senior CBI officers about his alleged role in tampering of crucial evidence in the case, they said. Kumar had led the special investigation team (SIT) formed by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to probe the Saradha scam before the case was handed over to the CBI by the apex court. Officials in Delhi said the CBI has not acceded to the demand of Kumar to have his questioning session videographed. It is done in cases of custodial interrogations, they said. There were reports quoting lawyer of Kumar that his questioning sessions are being video recorded by the CBI on his request. Quizzed for 12 hours, Kolkata's top cop brought face to face with Kunal Ghosh Ghosh, who arrived here shortly after 10am on Sunday, sought blessings of goddess Saraswati at a pandal, barely 100 metres from the CBI office, before entering the highly secured office of the investigating agency at Oakland. "Both are being questioned and were made to sit face to face in the later half of the day. Each of them were being questioned separately in the initial period," an official privy to the investigation told PTI, requesting anonymity. The former Trinamool Congress MP was arrested in 2013 in the Saradha ponzi scam and has been out on bail since 2016. Ghosh, before entering the CBI premises, told media persons, "I have no comments (to make). I have been asked to attend a hearing at this office. All along I have been cooperating with the investigating agency. So, I came to attend it." Ghosh had implicated BJP leader Mukul Roy, who was once the right hand man of Banerjee, and 12 others in the Saradha scam. The Supreme Court had directed Kumar on Tuesday to appear before the CBI and "faithfully" cooperate in the investigation of cases arising out of the Saradha chit fund scam. From reluctant to cooperative: How Kolkata top cop's questioning by CBI unfolded The court chose Shillong as the neutral meeting place "to avoid all unnecessary controversy" and made it clear that Kumar would not be arrested. The CBI had moved the Supreme Court after its officials were thwarted by the Kolkata Police when they had gone to Kumar's official residence in Kolkata to question him on February 3. Banerjee had rushed to the spot and had staged a three-day 'Save the Constitution' sit-in against the CBI move and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah of plotting a "coup". The central investigating agency had said that its officials had wanted to question Kumar to plug the holes in the Saradha investigation case as he was supposed to be in possession of certain key documents as a member of the SIT. Three more Rafale jets to land in India from France in non-stop flight Budget Session: CAG to submit report on Rafale deal to parliament India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Feb 11: The Centre may table a Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) report on the Rafale deal during the upcoming Budget Session of Parliament this week. When it will be tabled in Parliament is for the government to decide, officials said, pointing out that while it has to be presented to the legislature, no time frame has been specified in the Constitution. The significance of the report lies in the fact that the CAG has reportedly conducted a thorough review of the Rafale deal- looking into various aspects of the procurement process including pricing, the request for proposals received from all vendors and comparative pricing of other fighter jets - vis-a-vis the Rafale - available globally. CAG Rajiv Mehrishi should recuse himself from Rafale deal audit: Congress Earlier, a media report had claimed that only three copies of the final report will mention the price of each aircraft and these will most likely be given only to the Ministry of Defence (MoD). An official was quoted saying that the redacted copies will be submitted in the Parliament which means that if the Public Accounts Committee wants to know the price at which the aircraft deal was made then, they will have to ask the MoD to provide them with the relevant copy. Meanwhile, the Congress on Sunday had requested Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Rajiv Mehrishi to rescue himself from auditing the deal to purchase 36 Rafale fighter aircraft as he, as the then finance secretary, was part of the negotiations. The opposition party also said that it would be improper on the part of Mehrishi to present the report in Parliament. "Finance Ministry plays an important role in these negotiations...Now it is clear that the Rafale deal happened under Rajiv Mehrishi. Now he is CAG. We met him twice on September 19 and October 4, 2018. We told him about the scam. We told him that the deal should be probed because it is corrupt. But how can he initiate a probe against himself," said senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal. In a press statement, the Congress has alleged that the government compromised "national interest" and "national security" in the purchase of the 36 aircraft and said the CAG has a constitutional and statutory duty to undertake a forensic audit of all defence contracts, including the Rafale deal. PTI reported that Mehrishi is likely to present the report on the Rafale deal in parliament. He was the finance secretary from October 24, 2014, to August 30, 2015, and in between Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Paris on April 10, 2015, and announced the signing of the Rafale deal. The Congress said it had, in its submissions to the CAG, listed the acts of omission and commission as well as corruption in the Rafale deal. Recently, a report by The Hindu had claimed that the MoD raised strong objections to "parallel negotiations" conducted by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) with the French side. The report had cited a Defence Ministry note dated November 24, 2015, that was reportedly brought to the attention of then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and stated that parallel discussions by the PMO had "weakened the negotiating position of MoD and Indian Negotiating Team." However, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman dismissed the report as "flogging a dead horse" and accused the opposition of playing into the hands of multinational companies and vested interests. Last year, the Supreme Court had dismissed all the petitions seeking a court-monitored investigation into the Rafale deal. The apex court said that it did not find any material to show commercial favouritism. The Congress has been alleging that the deal was overpriced, violated procedures, and was intended to benefit the Anil Ambani-promoted Reliance Defence as the "offsets partner". Meanwhile, the BJP has rejected all the charges, insisting that the deal signed by the NDA government was honest and cost less than what was decided during the UPA dispensation. The multi-billion dollar deal was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016 when Francois Hollande was the President of France. The Rafale fights jets are scheduled to be delivered from September 2019. BJP must run with workers' contributions, not "industrialists": Amit Shah India oi-PTI New Delhi, Feb 11: Pitching for "purity" in poll funding, BJP president Amit Shah on Monday said the party must run with contributions from its workers and not on donations of "money bags, builders, contractors and those with black money". Addressing a party event to mark the 51st death anniversary of its ideological guide Deen Dayal Upadhyay, Shah said the BJP should take up the responsibility of guiding other parties on the path of probity. Two workers from each booth in the country should contribute Rs. 1,000 through the NaMo app, he said. 'Mr. Modi has no credibility left,' says Rahul Gandhi at Naidu's dharna "BJP workers should say with pride that we run this party from our money and no industrialist, contractor, money bag or builder can run it," Shah said. He, however, added that as party president he cannot say the BJP can fund all its organisational and election expenses from its workers' contributions. "This is not possible today," he said. "If means are not pure, then our goals cannot be attained in a good way. If the party has to be kept pure... If the party starts running from the money of money bags, builders, contractors, those with black money, then it will malign our means to realise our goals," he said. There should be a public discussion on how election expenses can be brought down and how to bring probity in poll funding, he said, expressing confidence that such an exercise will begin under the BJP's leadership. The Modi government, he asserted, has taken steps to clamp down on the influence of black money in politics by limiting cash donations to Rs. 2,000. Shah has huge expectations for BJP from Bengal and Odisha Laws against corruption have been made so stringent that those breaking it will be caught and that those who were involved in scams are sweating even in this Delhi winter, he said. Fugitive businessmen Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi had escaped the country because the Modi government started putting accused like them behind bars, he claimed. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 11, 2019, 13:55 [IST] Audio clip row: Karnataka assembly Speaker asks CM Kumaraswamy for SIT probe India oi-Madhuri Adnal Bengaluru, Feb 11: Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on Monday asked Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the audio clip (of alleged conversation of Yeddyurappa with a JD(S) MLA's son). Speaker ordered that probe should be finished within 15 days. The Chief Minister had recently released two audio clips - one was a purported conversation between Sharanagouda, son of a JDS MLA, and Shivanagouda Nayak (who, allegedly, is a BJP MLA), where the BJP MLA is heard telling Sharanagouda that the Speaker was on their side after he was paid 50 crore. However, Yeddyurappa has dismissed the audio clips as 'fake' and 'a concocted story' and said he had not met anyone to woo Nagana Gouda as alleged. BSY admits meeting JD(S) MLA's son says,'voice on audio tape mine but content fabricated' Kumaraswamy had "concocted" the story to hide his failures and inability to keep the JD(S) and Congress flock together, Yeddyurappa told reporters. "It is a fake audio. I have not met anyone. Kumaraswamy is trying to hide his failures. This is a drama," Yeddyurappa said. He said the Kumaraswamy government had lost the trust of the people and had "no moral right" to continue in office. Yeddyurappa dismissed a claim by the chief minister that he had spoken in the audio about a "Rs 50 crore" offer to the assembly speaker. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 11, 2019, 15:33 [IST] The first Africans brought to Virginia were captured in Angola and brought in a slave ship, but Virginia did not have a formal legal system for slavery in 1619. There appears to be some ambiguity over their legal status, with some still forced to work for life while others had a path to freedom, according to the National Park Service. Asked to clarify Northam's remarks, a spokeswoman for the governor pointed to news accounts that referred to the first black Africans being treated as indentured servants before slave laws. Would have been good if PM Modi suggested any 'aasan' for unemployed youngsters: Akhilesh Amid no jobs chorus, govt claims over 3.79 lakh new jobs in central government depts India oi-PTI New Delhi, Feb 11: As debate intensifies over rising unemployment in the country, the Modi government claims to have generated over 379,000 jobs between 2017 and 2019 in its various establishments, according to the Interim Budget for 2019-20. The government said it has generated 251,279 jobs in central government establishments between 2017 and 2018. This is estimated to go up by 379,544 to reach 36,15,770 on March 1, 2019, shows an analysis of documents of the Interim Budget, presented by Finance Minister Piyush Goyal on February 1. The data assumes significance as the Congress and other opposition parties have been targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over rising unemployment. The government has rejected the charges. India's unemployment rate hit four-decade high after demonetisation: Report Replying to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address to Parliament on Thursday, Modi cited data from provident fund, National Pension System (NPS), Income Tax filings and sale of vehicles among others to say millions of new jobs were created in the formal and unorganised sectors, including transport, hotels and infrastructure. Most of the recruitment was done by the Ministry of Railways, police forces and the direct and indirect tax departments. The Budget documents give a sector-wise break-up on how the jobs were added in central government establishments. It said Indian Railways will generate the highest number of jobs -- 98,999 by March 1, 2019, against its actual strength of 12,70,714 in March 2017. There will be 79,353 additional jobs in police departments by March 1, 2019, up from the actual strength of 10,52,351 as on March 1, 2017. Similarly, jobs in direct tax departments will touch an estimated 80,143 by next month as against 50,208 in March 2017 (an increase of 29,935 jobs). In indirect tax departments, the government said there were 53,394 employees in March 2017. This went up to 92,842 in March 2018. It also gave the same figure (92,842) as the estimated strength of indirect tax establishment as on March 1, 2019. MBAs, engineers apply for sweepers' and sanitary workers' jobs in Chennai The Ministry of Civil Aviation will have 2,363 more personnel by March 1 this year against its actual strength of 1,174 in March 2017, the document shows. Similarly, for the Department of Posts, it said there will be 4,21,068 personnel on March 1, 2019, as against its actual strength of 41,88,18 in March 2017. In the Ministry of External Affairs, 11,877 people are estimated to be working by next month as against its actual strength of 10,044 in March 2017, which was estimated to have reached 11,870 in 2018. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 11, 2019, 10:59 [IST] FIR against former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav, 20 SP workers for 'assaulting' journalists in Moradabad SP chief Akhilesh Yadav believes Congress is part of the anti-BJP alliance in UP India oi-Shubham Ghosh New Delhi, Feb 11: Samajwadi Party (SP) president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav took a subtle dig at the Congress at a recent event in the capital alleging that while some parties were trying to stop the BJP in the upcoming general election, others chose the time to build their own base. Yadav's words came at The Wire Dialogues on February 7, four days ahead of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Congress's newly appointed General Secretary for East UP, conducted her maiden road show. Vadra is in charge of 42 seats in the region which is home to electoral bases of BJP heavyweights like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the state's chief minister, Yogi Adityanath. Priyanka Gandhi's mega roadshow in Lucknow: 'Won't rest until we form govt in UP', says Rahul Last month, Yadav formed an alliance with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the other big state player for the Lok Sabha election, along with the Rashtriya Lok Dal of Ajit Singh. The Congress was not seen part of the alliance, a development which many thought had pushed the party leadership to go for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's formal entry into politics. The alliance, however, decided to contest in 78 out of 80 seats and leave out the two Congress/Gandhi bastions of Rae Bareli and Amethi that have Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi as their parliamentary representatives. The Congress's decision to contest the election alone in UP could see the anti-BJP votes getting split helping the saffron brigade that won 73 out of 80 seats in UP in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Such an eventuality could defeat the very purpose of the alliance that the state satraps have made. Yadav played it diplomatically when was asked when the state parties did not include the Congress in their club saying the Grand Old Party is very much a part of the alliance since they did not touch its two strongholds. He said had UP had more parliamentary seats, they could have given the Congress more. While the SP won just five seats in the 2014 polls, the Congress won the two that the Gandhis hold while the BSP and RLD drew blank. Akhilesh's diplomatic take when asked whether Priyanka Gandhi's entry will hurt alliance Yadav also had a diplomatic answer when the anchor, a senior journalist, asked him whether the entry of Vadra would hurt their electoral prospects in the coming election. The Priyanka show in UP: Aa gayi Priyanka, baj gayi danka says Congress Though he welcomed the 47-year-old's former entry into politics, he said the 2019 general polls will see people rather than parties fighting the BJP to defeat them. On the question of backing Rahul Gandhi as the prime minister of India in the situation so arises after the elections, Yadav said he believed in the luck factor when it comes to government formation, the Wire reported. He though added that he himself was not in the prime ministerial race. Too many loopholes to plug? For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 11, 2019, 17:55 [IST] The Madison County Historical Society will hold a Ukrainian Pysanka Egg workshop at the First United Methodist Church on Saturday, March 23, 2019, from 1-5 p.m. Madison County Exploring the history of Central New York Omaha aint half bad As a relatively recent transplant to Omaha from the U.K. and California, I have to disagree with Cindy Wests comments in her Feb. 7 Pulse letter, Omaha life laughable. She mentions higher prices for homes and garbage pickup, along with scooters, as reasons for feeling glad that she does not live here anymore. Clearly, her references are not based on extensive life experiences in other cities. As a newcomer to Omaha, I can attest to its affordability; friendliness; respectful, graffiti-free cleanliness; noncongested, tree-lined streets; a prompt and responsive city government; and more. I could end by listing many cities, national and international, that cant say this, but those who have also lived elsewhere know that laughable would be a kind word to describe many urban centers on this planet. Stephen Bloodworth, Omaha Immigrants just following the jobs Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have recognized that the immigration issue is not about the wall. Its about the companies, small and large, that continue to hire undocumented immigrants. Mental health and substance abuse challenges can weigh heavily on a wide range of Nebraskans. The teenager beset by volatile mood swings. The middle manager with a drinking problem. The farmer unable to shake depression. The veteran coping with possible post-traumatic stress disorder. Nebraska fortunately looks set to make progress this year in working to address such needs. New federal grants will fund several worthy endeavors: an initiative to strengthen behavioral health training here and in Iowa, Missouri and Kansas; an effort to boost mental health supports in schools; and stepped-up efforts to support suicide prevention work to help Nebraska veterans. In addition, Omaha will host a conference in April focusing on behavioral health needs in Native American communities. Here are some specifics on these worthy endeavors: The Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska, a partnership of stakeholders created in 2009, will expand statewide training to treat mental health issues and substance abuse. One aim is to have a behavioral health provider work collaboratively with a local primary health care provider in the 49 Nebraska communities with at least 2,500 people. The following editorial appears on Bloomberg Opinion. The Trump administrations decision to pull out of the 1987 treaty with Russia on intermediate-range nuclear forces is a mistake. For all its faults, the pact was one of the Wests great Cold War triumphs, and it continued to serve U.S. interests. Fortunately, if the administration is willing to think again, theres a way to correct the error. The White House said the treaty had to go mainly because Russia has been cheating. The U.S. has evidence that Moscow violated the agreement by developing and deploying ground-based cruise missiles with ranges between 300 and 3,500 miles. Russia denies that the systems breach the pact and has made an unfounded counterclaim that the U.S. has been doing proscribed research. Even allowing for Russias violation a measured transgression, less than an outright annulment the treaty was good for the U.S. because it made Americas European allies safer. Recall that the Soviet Union agreed to it only under duress after the Reagan administration strong-armed West Germany and other countries into housing Pershing II and cruise missiles, which Mikhail Gorbachev likened to holding a gun to our head. EU officials tried last-minute diplomacy to save the pact, but to no avail. A 40-year-old Murdock, Nebraska, man was found dead in a jail cell Saturday night, the Cass County Sheriffs Office said. Jail staff found Dustyn R. Gandara unresponsive 12 minutes after they had last checked on him, Sheriff William Brueggemann said in a statement. Gandara had been sentenced to 30 days in jail Friday after pleading guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. An autopsy was performed Sunday. The results are pending, Brueggemann said. Investigators from the Nebraska State Patrol, Plattsmouth Police Department and the Sheriffs Office were looking into Gandaras death. State law requires a grand jury investigation of any in-custody death. The Dodge County Sheriffs Office has identified the person killed Friday in a one-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 30 west of North Bend, Nebraska. Jacob W. Schamp, 31, of Columbus was killed when the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe he was driving went off the road and rolled, throwing him from the vehicle, the Sheriffs Office said. Schamp had not been using a seat belt, according to a Sheriffs Office press release. The crash, reported at 12:38 a.m. Friday, occurred about 5 miles west of North Bend. Schamp had been traveling east on Highway 30 and veered to the right, the press release said. Speed was considered a factor in the crash, which remained under investigation. The murder of George Floyd sparked outrage, pain, and energy to mobilize against police brutality throughout Connecticut communities during the summer of 2020. A year already marked by tragedy and chaos came to a turning point on May 25. Tuesday marks one year since Floyd's murder at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, one of whom knelt on his neck for nearly 10 minutes. Take a look back at the Black Lives Matter movement in Connecticut since May 25, 2020 and the rallies of support for the equitable treatment of Black and Brown people in Connecticut, across the country and beyond. About an hour after Robotham was killed, a Lincoln woman and her two daughters got a scare when another semi went out of control near the site of the crash that killed Robotham. That semi crossed the median and sideswiped Tiffany Hales pickup truck. Hale, 40, had already slowed down after seeing the first crash and was able to maneuver to avoid a more serious collision with the semi, investigators said. She and her daughters were treated at Lincoln hospital and released. Snowier than average: Omaha has received 28.9 inches of snow for the season as of Monday evening, which is 11.4 inches above the 30-year average of 17.5 inches by this time of year. Snow started in October: 1.4 inches fell on Oct. 14, stretching out the seasons misery. While thats not record early, it is noticeably earlier than normal. December saw an average amount of snow, and two snowfalls of about 5 inches apiece in January sent that months total to about double whats normal. February is running nearly three times normal. Colder lately: Winter started out warmer than normal, December and January were both warmer than average. But this month, polar air dropping south has caused temperatures to plunge. February is averaging about 5 degrees colder than normal. Daytime highs are averaging 28 degrees and night-time lows about 13. More cold, maybe more snow: The nicest day in the next week will be Wednesday, when temperatures are expected to reach about 37 degrees, winds will be light and no snow is expected. Otherwise, colder than average weather is forecast into next week, with this weekend being noticeably colder than average, Miller said. Living in a hub of railroading like the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area, its only natural that the Parr family and their twin boys would gravitate toward trains as a source of family fun. They make frequent visits to local rail museums, trek to see special locomotives passing through, and of course, whiled away Sunday afternoon at a sprawling model train show at the Mid-America Center. You cant help but get into it, said Fran Parr, who with her husband, Jason, brought their sons Michael and Ben to the Worlds Greatest Hobby on Tour. The Council Bluffs family found lots to do at the show, which is such a major event that it comes to a city only once every five-plus years. Grown-ups were having a good time, too. Ricky Keil of Papillion and Donnie Berg of Ponca, Nebraska, were collaborating at a free-mo model train display. Free-mo displays are put together using separately constructed sections that are built to the same specifications so that they can all fit together. This weekends show was the place to be, they said. If youre a train guy, this is one youve got to be at, Keil said. Parents will be able to track the location of school buses as they go through the city picking up Omaha Public Schools students. A bus tracking app, fees for late buses and an additional camera to provide an outside view of buses are all things OPS expects from a new busing contract with Student Transportation of America. This week, the school board voted 6-2 to approve a bid from Student Transportation, meaning the company will continue to provide bus services to OPS through at least 2023. Board members Lou Ann Goding and Ben Perlman voted against approving the bid. Board member Amanda Ryan was absent. The school board had to approve the bid before the district could start on contract negotiations. The final contract also must come before the board for approval. The board selected Student Transportation over First Student, which also submitted a bid. District officials performed cost calculations for each company using the current 323 bus routes with the proposed 2019-20 rates from the companies. The resulting bid from Student Transportation was $20.6 million, $5.4 million less than the bid from First Student. A 39-year-old Omaha man told police he was struck by gunfire from a passing car early Sunday near 55th and Spaulding Streets. Antwon D. Williams went to the Nebraska Medical Center by private vehicle about 3:40 a.m. Williams and two witnesses said they were with a group of people when someone in a white sedan opened fire. Police said Williams injuries did not appear to be life-threatening. Police did not announce any arrests. Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Omaha Crime Stoppers at 444-STOP , at www.omahacrimestoppers.org or on the P3 Tips mobile app. Tipsters remain anonymous and may be eligible for up to $10,000 cash for information leading to an arrest in a shooting. 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. A 45-year-old man has been charged in a Sarpy County arrest warrant with driving while intoxicated in connection with a Feb. 1 crash near the Nebraska Crossing Outlets that killed a Gretna woman. Abram Sollman of Dowagiac, Michigan, is being held in the Sarpy County Jail pending a bail hearing. Cassandra Clausen, 71, died after being taken to an Omaha hospital. Investigators from the Sarpy County Sheriffs Office determined that Clausen was eastbound in a 2017 Honda CRV on North Star Drive about 6:15 p.m. The Honda was making a left turn onto U.S. Highway 6 when it was struck by a southbound 2002 Volkswagen Jetta driven by Sollman. Sollman was taken to the hospital for treatment of his injuries. He was booked into the jail early Monday on suspicion of motor vehicle homicide. 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. Something that we frequently get requests for is camera footage of the airport, Dillon said. Thats a concern for us from the standpoint of once you start releasing that, the general public understands what your capabilities are. Its almost as important for us to keep or withhold what we cant see at the airport as opposed to what we can see at the airport. Other ongoing legal disputes concern whether the access many of the former employees had to information about Cabelas previous sales and their relationships built at Cabelas constitute a work product of Cabelas. Neither startup owner would discuss their legal arguments, citing advice from lawyers. In court documents, both have argued that they followed the law, at least one had discussed starting their business with Cabelas and both said they should not be prohibited from using their skills to start businesses. A federal judge sided with Highby Outdoors after Bass Pro pursued a preliminary injunction in federal court, saying that Nebraska law took precedence over Delawares. A state judge in Delaware required more restrictions on NexGen Outfitters, based on different legal arguments. We are committed to complying with court orders, so we are making some changes with some vendors, but we will basically be going live to the world after next week, Wellman said. Barring any legal roadblocks, the two online stores could soon start fighting Bass Pro for customers of outdoor gear. Experts in modern retail and Internet disruption say Bass Pro, a category killer like Toys R Us and Barnes & Noble before it, has reasons to worry. What is it about ramen that so persuasively beckons my teens? During college, I ate it because it was cheap, quick to cook and full of the salt I craved after a late night out. Do Cup Noodles or Oodles of Noodles bring back memories? Remember how they were sold by the case? Well, they still are, but I am no longer buying them, although my teens certainly wish I were. They beg me to buy packaged ramen noodles for after-school snacks. But because they also love real ramen the steaming bowls of protein, minerals and collagen, the ones full of depth and deliciousness I've decided to make more of the nourishing Japanese comfort food at home. Of course, there are ramen restaurants all over our city, Washington our favorite is Daikaya but it is unrealistic to take my kids downtown for an after-school snack or a weekday dinner. So I spoke to Daisuke Utagawa, one of the owners of Daikaya, to get his take on making ramen at home. The evening I attended I readied my pen for tales of woe since all three of the evenings speakers had fled from Afghanistan. Instead, we all talked about cultural differences like arranged marriages (Kubra said the mothers of prospective brides and grooms have the most pull). Would the tradition continue for daughters raised in America? (No, though they want their daughters to make good choices.) We talked about what its like to marry someone before you fall in love (you just do) and about Najias daughter marrying a man of her choice, a white non-Muslim American. This would not have flown with her family in Afghanistan, Najia said, but in America, my husband said, OK. We talked about Hafizas adolescent daughter who loved wearing her hijab, or headscarf, when she first came to Omaha only to ditch it in her second year. Hafiza said she cares about her daughters safety and happiness. The headscarf? Meh. We talked about fashion and what it was like to be covered head to toe, as the Taliban and conservative Muslims had required for women. Do they miss that in America? (They said no.) But they still abide by modest dress customs (no shorts). There was a collective head nod over shorts. Cory Booker Calls For Honest Conversations About Race, Talks About Discussing Blackface With White Friends Elijah C. Watson Elijah Watson serves as Okayplayer's News & Culture Editor. When The Democratic presidential candidate was asked about race in America during a campaign event in Marshalltown, IA. Cory Booker, the New Jersey senator who is now a Democratic presidential candidate, recently said that America needs to have to have a better conversation than were having right now about racism, sexism and other prejudices. READ: Blackface Or KKK: Virginia Governor Admits To Appearing In Racist Yearbook Photo During a campaign event in Marshalltown, IA, Booker was asked by someone in attendance about race in the country. The senators response touched on race and gender inequity, from black people being more likely to be arrested than white people, as well as women being paid less than men for doing the same job. You cannot, cannot deal with these issues unless you tell the truth about them, Booker said. https://www.facebook.com/ABCNews/videos/2284715208229022/ From there, Booker then talked about the importance of not getting defensive when talking to people about things they fear or what they dont understand. He used himself as an example, saying that hes had conversations with his white friends recently about blackface. Ive had conversations with white friends of mine this week who just had the safety to come to me and ask me, I dont understand this blackface thing, can you explain it to me?' Booker said. Imagine in this climate now saying that publicly. Wanna have more courageous empathy, put yourself in a white persons position who might have questions. Blackface has been headlines the past week after an image from Virginia Gov. Ralph Northams yearbook surfaced online. The photo shows one person in blackface and the other in a Klu Klux Klan robe. Initially, Northam said that he was in the photo (he didnt reveal which person he was though) but then denied it shortly after. TRENDING VIDEOS He then offered another personal story where he recounted leading a crisis hotline at Stanford and receiving phone calls from people struggling to come out. Im a young kid and I didnt know these issues, Booker said before talking about a person named Daniel, who was a gay and lesbian counselor at the college. he sat with me one night and just gave me a safe space to ask him questions. What grace he extended to me to ask stupid questions, of a guy that was not woke about LGBT issues, Booker said. But because of that honest conversation I saw my ignorance and I grew. Booker then concluded his response with the following: We gotta tell the truth, but we, all of us, black white gay stright, weve got to start extending grace to one another so we can have honest conversations and leave room for growth. Local Election candidate for Birr, Clare Claffey of the Social Democrats, has called on the Health Services Executive to restore the Midoc out of hours GP Service to the town. Slamming what she called "inaction" on the issue by central and local Government representatives, she said, "this is the number one issue we have been hearing about on the doorsteps." "The online petition I started last week has almost 1,000 signatures already, and our survey of issues in the area highlighted the lack of primary care services. Its clearly a problem for many people in the Banagher, Birr and wider west Offaly area, so I honestly cant understand why no action is being taken." "As a parent of young children myself, I know first-hand the worry of having a sick child, and the prospect of having to drive for almost an hour in the night to see a doctor is simply frightening. And thats for the lucky ones who have access to private transport," Clare said. The Midoc service, provided by local GPs and funded by the HSE, closed without warning in April of last year, following a reduction in opening hours in the months prior to closure. At a recent Offaly County Council meeting a letter was read out which outlined that the service had been closed due in part to a lack of GPs available to cover the required hours and also due to health and safety concerns. Claffey reacted to this saying, "its well known that there is a problem with the lack of GP cover in Birr. Surely the answer to this is to address this shortfall, rather than further reduce services. It has been claimed that the numbers using Midoc had fallen before its closure. Well, of course, the numbers had fallen, because the hours the service was available had been drastically cut back." I am calling on the Government to fulfil its promise to the most vulnerable people in west Offaly people who are already greatly disadvantaged by a lack of transport and other infrastructure and restore this vital service to Birr." Its simply misleading to suggest that the problems with Midoc are not related to resources the lack of GP cover is directly related to the under-funding of primary care services by this Government in recent years. Any health and safety issues related to lone working can also be addressed through a provision of sufficient resources. Withdrawing a vital service is not the answer to these issues. Claffey continued: its very disingenuous of the HSE representative to claim, as was reported, that the service is provided by Midoc and not the HSE. The actual structure of the company is not of concern to people who need out of hours doctor assistance. The fact is that this is a Government-funded programme and the taxpayers of rural Ireland are as entitled to quality accessible healthcare as their urban counterparts." "Slaintecare, the Social Democrats health programme which has received all-party support, aims to build an Irish public health system that the public can rely on, creating a universal, publicly-funded, single-tier health service that invests heavily in primary care and prevention." "It would involve recruiting thousands more doctors, nurses, speech therapists, public health nurses, etc. One of the key tenets of Slaintecare is the provision of the majority of care at or closer to home," Clare concluded. Fianna Fail TD for Offaly, Barry Cowen has criticised "the lack of preparedness" on the part of the Government as Brexit looms. Deputy Cowen was commenting as less than fifty days remain until the UK exits the EU. Deputy Cowen explained, The farming and agri-food sector will be the big losers if the UK crashes out of the EU. Both sectors are becoming increasingly worried about the lack of solutions being put forward by the Government." Farmers and agri-food producers across Laois and Offaly are genuinely worried about the lack of contingency plans in place. What I want to know is what is the Government waiting for? Are they going to wait until the chaos starts before they put any plans in place?" Even in the event of an orderly Brexit, measures will still be needed to support the sectors. They are massively exposed and they dont have the financial resources to deal with any big shocks," he said. There are more than 6,000 families involved in farming as well as dozens of small, artisan food producers who have worked incredibly hard to build up their reputations and earn their place on UK shelves." "Any disruption to trade between Ireland and the UK could see Irish, locally sourced products lose their market share and be replaced with products from other countries. This will leave the farmers and producers on their knees. They need plans to be put in place for them now, not after the horse has bolted, concluded Deputy Cowen. Mangans in Edenderry has been named the best High Convenience Centra store in Ireland for 2019. The store received the much-coveted accolade at the Centra National Conference, which took place at the Great Southern Hotel, Killarney. Ciaran Mangan from Mangans Centra was presented with the award by Martin Kelleher, Managing Director of Centra, Dan Curtin, Centra Sales Director and JF Michel, Account Director of Three Business, competition sponsors. As part of the competitive process, retail consultant Dr Alan Collins audited Centra stores across Ireland, with each participating store assessed for its range, quality, customer service, hygiene, service offering and local community involvement. Receiving the award, store owner Ciaran Mangan paid tribute to the team at Mangans and acknowledged that their enthusiasm and dedication were determining factors in the Edenderry store being selected as 2019 Centra High Convenience Store of the Year. It is great to receive this acknowledgement and the team and I am delighted to accept this award. We strive to give our customers the best shopping experience with the best value and convenience. The team has worked hard and enthusiastically all year so I dedicate this award to them, well done everyone. It is a pleasure to receive this award and I would like to thank all involved, Mr Mangan said. Commenting on the awards, competition judge Dr Alan Collins said: It is always a delight to engage with owners who are passionate about their stores, colleagues, customers and communities and you can sense this passion as soon as you set foot in the door at Mangans. Its a great store with such high-quality products with the added bonus of convenience. This is the kind of store everyone wants in their community and I would like to congratulate you and your colleagues on all that you have achieved. Dan Curtin, Sales Director of Centra, commended all Centra retailers for their contribution to redefining convenience shopping. Centra stores, such as Mangans at Edenderry, are perfect examples of independent retailers working hard in their local communities to succeed in a very competitive market, by meeting the needs of their customers. They provide choice, value and excellent service within their locality on a daily basis. Congratulations to the team at Mangans Centra, who have gone above and beyond to maintain the highest standards across the store. General Motors has hired Ballard Partners, which has close ties with the Trump White House, for federal representation on labor and fuel efficiency matters. GM is in the midst of a $2.5B corporate restructuring that will lead to the shutdown of plants in Detroit-Hamtramck, Warren (MI), Lordstown (OH) and Baltimore and the loss of thousands of jobs. President Trump told GM CEO Mary Barra in November that he wasnt happy about the planned job cuts, especially in light of the US bailout of the automaker. Brian Ballard, who chaired the Trump Victory organization in Florida during the 2016 presidential campaign, heads his firms four-member GM team. Syl Lukis, Ballards DC managing director; Susan Wiles, senior strategist in the Trump campaign and former campaign manager for Florida governor (now Senator) Rick Scott; and Pamela Bondi, ex-attorney general of the Sunshine State and a member of the Trump transition team, also rep GM. Brendan Buck Brendan Buck, who was a counselor to former House Speaker Paul Ryan and press secretary to his predecessor, John Boehner, is joining DC-based strategic communications and public affairs firm Blue Engine Message & Media + JDA Frontline as a partner. Buck led messaging and communications strategy for Ryan, as well as for the broader House Republican leadership team. In addition to working for Ryan and Boehner, he has served as communications director at the House Ways and Means Committee, and held senior communications roles for now-Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, former Representative Tom Price and current Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Greg Walden. Erik Smith, Blue Engine + JDA founder, said that Bucks history of serving as a senior communications counselor during most of the major political and policy debates over the past decade further strengthens our firms offerings. Blue Engine + JDP was formed by the October 2018 merger of Blue Engine Message & Media and JDA Frontline. The informant told Medina he wanted to buy heroin, but did not want to mess with fentanyl, the complaint reads. When Castillo arrived, he spoke with the informant in the back of the store and said he only had fentanyl for sale. Ronn Torossian Television host Joy Behar is no stranger to controversy. Typically, though, Behar plays the foil for right-wing pundits and meme generators looking for an easy target representing the political opposition. Behar, both for her outspoken politics and for her position on the TV talk show The View, tend to be a conspicuous target for certain groups. This time, though, Behar could be in hot water with people on her own side of the political spectrum. The situation began to unfold when, according to the Associated Press, an old photo resurfaced which, according to various media reports, the host used makeup to darken her skin as part of a Halloween costume. Now, it should come as no surprise that any whiff of blackface in the past of a public figure could come out now and bite them. That tends to be the public trend. Theres even a fake photo making the rounds of someone who is obviously not Hillary Clinton labeled as being Hillary and Bill at a costume party in college. The current Behar controversy involves a show segment of a much earlier vintage. Back in 2016, the panel was discussing new trending hair styles involving curly dos. Behar offered up a photo of herself from more than 40 years ago in which she is depicted as attending a Halloween party as, in her own words, a beautiful African woman. The View co-host Raven Symone had a few questions for Behar in that segment, including whether or not she had used tanning lotion to darken her skin. Behar said she used makeup that was a little bit darker than my skin. For about three years, that was that. Now, though, with the ongoing saga of Virginias governor and attorney general being hammered in the press for wearing blackface, and the resignation of Florida Secretary of State Michael Ertel for going to a party dressed as a Hurricane Katrina victim, anything related to blackface is coming back around. And, as we say quite often, the Internet is forever. Someone found the clip of Behar and Symones conversation, saw the photo, and the clip started making the rounds on social media. You know what happened next. As of this writing, both Behar and ABC, which airs The View, are essentially ignoring the uproar, refusing to comment on the issue in any fashion. That silence only fueled the furor, with angry critics accusing the media of a double standard, since NBC pushed Megyn Kelly out over comments related to blackface Halloween costumes. Still, Behar and ABC stayed quiet. They may be hoping this will die down, so they wont have to address it. For the moment, a decent working plan though silence in these situations does have an expiration date. They need to be prepared for a potential escalation that silence wont effectively counter. *** Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR, a leading NY PR agency. Today Partly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 69F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 69F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Tomorrow Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High 83F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%. 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 319-283-2144 or email circ@oelweindailyregister.com. AL ULA, Saudi Arabia The new Italian-designed concert hall in the middle of the desert shimmered in the sunset light, its walls of mirror reflecting the golden sandstone hills and cliffs. Inside, a symphony orchestra from China rehearsed a Western classical piece, preparing for a concert featuring the Chinese pianist Lang Lang. The serene and lilting notes floated through the empty hall. The concert was part of a series with performances by Andrea Bocelli, Yanni and Majida El Roumi taking place this winter in Saudi Arabia. From the western desert, Saudi Arabia appears to be a different country than the one that has been under constant criticism from American politicians and other international officials since last October, when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the 33-year-old de facto ruler, was first accused of ordering the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Virginia resident and Washington Post columnist. MOSCOW Dozens of polar bears have laid siege to a small military settlement deep in the Russian Arctic, leaving residents afraid to send their children to school, or even open their front doors. The settlement, Belushya Guba, on a finger of land stretching into the Arctic Ocean, has declared a state of emergency as the bears have attacked people, broken into homes, menaced schools and feasted at a local dump. Scenes caught on video of polar bears that had come ashore, grunting and strolling through the 2,000-person settlement, suggested a dramatic symbol of climate change. But though the receding Arctic ice has been forcing more bears off their preferred terrain, it was unclear if the latest invasion was caused by the warming seas, Russian scientists said. While ecologists have for years warned of the risk to polar bears, the ones roaming Belushya Guba have been safe from at least one threat. Conservation authorities turned down a request from the settlement to shoot the bears, which are protected in Russia as an endangered species. BERLIN Faced with a plummeting population, rising labor shortages and widespread emigration, Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary has long taken an unconventional approach to increasing the size and productivity of Hungarys work force. He offered university scholarships only to those who promised to stay in Hungary. He gave citizenship to ethnic Hungarians living beyond the borders. And late last year, he increased the amount of overtime employers can demand of workers to 400 hours a year. But on Sunday, Mr. Orban announced one of his most ambitious plans yet: Any Hungarian woman with four or more children will no longer pay income tax. Anything to avoid immigration. We are living in times when fewer and fewer children are being born throughout Europe. People in the West are responding to this with immigration, Mr. Orban said in a speech on Sunday. Hungarians see this in a different light. We do not need numbers, but Hungarian children. One person who is not in court is Carles Puigdemont, the former leader of Catalonia and a longstanding secessionist, who is living in self-imposed exile in Belgium. The Spanish authorities indicted 20 Catalans in late 2017 for their roles in the drive for independence. But several of them, including Mr. Puigdemont, ignored the court summons and fled Spain, and they have successfully resisted extradition attempts to force them to face trial. In March, Mr. Puigdemont was briefly jailed in Germany, where a court ruled that he could not be extradited to Spain for rebellion, the main charge he faces. Of the dozen defendants now standing trial, nine have already spent more than one year in jail, after being denied bail a situation denounced by Catalan separatists. The separatists also argue that the defendants should stand trial in Barcelona, not Madrid, claiming that the Spanish courts are biased. But the central government and Spanish judges have firmly defended the impartiality of Spains judiciary. Last Thursday, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez became the first Spanish head of government to visit the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, where he praised his country for its solid judicial record. What happens next? About 500 witnesses are expected to testify, including Mariano Rajoy, the conservative prime minister at the time of the separatist turmoil in 2017. Thailands election commission on Monday disqualified the kings sister from running for prime minister, formally putting an end to a candidacy that had briefly upended the nations political landscape. King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, 66, had publicly opposed the candidacy of his elder sister, Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Varnavadi, 67, effectively preordaining the election commissions decision. She was nominated on Friday by a party linked to the Shinawatras, a political family that includes two former prime ministers accused by critics of not showing sufficient respect for Thailands royal institutions. The two former leaders Thaksin Shinawatra and Yingluck Shinawatra were both convicted in absentia of corruption-linked crimes and are living in exile. In nominating Ms. Ubolratana, the Thai Raksa Chart Party said she was an educated and skilled person who was the most suitable choice. The #MeToo movement has brought a reckoning to some of the most powerful men on earth, from politicians and movie magnates in the United States to business titans and Bollywood legends in India. The latest example was the former Costa Rican president Oscar Arias Sanchez, a Nobel laureate who was accused last week of sexual misconduct by multiple women. Yet the movement has had little effect on the broader problem of sexual abuse, harassment and violence by men who are neither famous nor particularly powerful. A partial explanation may lie, according to Sarah Khan, a Yale University political scientist, in a concept social scientists call common knowledge: the idea that systemic change is shaped as much or more by peoples perceptions of others beliefs and values as it is by their own. That means that reducing sexual misconduct presents a kind of coordination problem. You need to not only change peoples views of the problem, you also need to show them that other peoples views have changed the same way. ABUJA, Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari won the presidency in a historic election in Nigeria four years ago by promising to crush two scourges that had plagued the nation for years: endemic corruption and a war with Islamist extremists. Back then, Mr. Buhari, a former military general, rode a wave of voter desire to impose greater accountability on the government, end a brutal war with the extremist group Boko Haram and bring back the hundreds of female students taken as captives. Now, as Mr. Buhari is in the final throes of a bruising re-election campaign, he stands accused of falling short on all fronts. Critics say Mr. Buhari has used his antigraft mantra to crush adversaries. Boko Haram is gaining ground, launching sophisticated attacks on weary, underequipped soldiers. And many of the captive students are still missing. Its going to be a messy week across much of the United States and parts of Canada. A snowstorm that already pummeled the Seattle area is moving through the Midwest and heading toward the Northeast, according to the National Weather Service. Farther south, moisture moving in from the Gulf of Mexico will result in heavy rains, thunderstorms and, possibly, flash floods from Louisiana to Ohio. Those two systems are going to merge by Tuesday morning. Elsewhere, the Bay Area in California is expecting an atmospheric river. (More on that below.) Hawaii was recovering on Monday from a historic winter storm over the weekend that saw a 191-mile-per-hour wind gust, 60-foot waves and snow on Maui. And the Northwest, which was also cleaning up after unusually heavy snowfall last week, was getting a fresh coat of snow on Monday from another storm. Significant flight and transit delays and cancellations are expected, officials said, and downed trees and power disruptions are also possible. At Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, more than 275 flights were canceled by midday on Monday. David Roth, a forecaster at the National Weather Service, reiterated the official advice to stockpile three to seven days of nonperishable food if you are in an area that could get heavy snow. WASHINGTON The Trump administration is pressuring Iraq to stop buying energy from its neighbor and sole foreign supplier, Iran, in what has become a major point of conflict between Washington and Baghdad. Iraqi leaders, fearing that a further shortfall in power would lead to mass protests and political instability in their electricity-starved country, are pushing back on the demand, which is rooted in President Trumps sanctions against Iran. The dispute has frayed American diplomacy with Baghdad as Iraq tries to steady itself after the United States military withdrawal in 2011 and the campaign against the Islamic State. Iraqs defiance further jeopardizes Mr. Trumps goal of getting all nations to comply with sanctions after withdrawing from the deal to limit Tehrans nuclear program last year. Already, European nations have set up a legal financial mechanism to do business with Iran, and China and India are resisting American efforts at prodding them to cut off oil purchases. In her Twitter statement on Monday, Ms. Omar did not back away from her contention that Aipac has too much power in Washington. At the same time, I reaffirm the problematic role of lobbyists in our politics, whether it be Aipac, the N.R.A. or the fossil fuel industry, Ms. Omar wrote. Critics of Israel say Ms. Omar has a point. In separate interviews on Monday, both Emily Mayer, the national coordinator of IfNotNow, a liberal Jewish group, and Yousef Munayyer, the director of the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, said Ms. Omar was forcing an important discussion in Washington. Twitter is probably not the best medium for nuanced conversation, Mr. Munayyer said. But I dont think the correct answer is we cant talk about it. I think it is very important in this moment to have a conversation about U.S. relations with Israel. Ms. Mayer said she wholeheartedly accepts Ms. Omars apology for her word choice while also appreciating the moral stance that she takes on this issue, which is pretty unprecedented in todays Congress. Mondays back and forth came on top of earlier flash points that pitted Ms. Omar against Israels fiercest supporters in Congress, Republican and Democrat. She told Yahoo News last month that when politicians still uphold Israel as a democracy in the Middle East, I almost chuckle. That brought back criticism of a 2012 tweet in which she accused Israel of hypnotizing the world to mask its evil deeds. She had been trying to mend fences over those comments when Sunday nights tweet went viral. Before the leaders statement on Monday, other Democrats had broken rank to voice their condemnations. Two House Democrats, Representatives Elaine Luria, a freshman from Virginia, and Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, released a letter Monday morning calling on Democratic leaders to speak out against any lawmaker who uses harmful tropes and stereotypes, levels accusations of dual loyalty or makes reckless statements like those yesterday. As Jewish members of Congress, we are deeply alarmed by recent rhetoric from certain members within our caucus, including just last night, that has disparaged us and called into question our loyalty to our nation, they wrote. We urge you to join us in calling on each member of our caucus to unite against anti-Semitism and hateful tropes and stereotypes. Cliff Sims, the former White House communications aide who wrote an insider account of life working for President Trump, is suing the president in his official capacity, alleging that he used his campaign organization as a cutout to improperly seek retribution against former employees and keep them from invoking their First Amendment rights. Mr. Sims was a White House aide from the beginning of the administration. But it was the campaign organization that filed an arbitration claim against him last week, accusing him of violating the nondisclosure agreement he signed with it during the 2016 presidential race with the publication of his book, Team of Vipers, last month. The White House had dozens of people sign such agreements at the beginning of the presidents term. But those agreements are widely seen as likely unenforceable. In the suit, Mr. Sims says he does not recall whether he signed one when he came to the White House. Mr. Simss lawsuit alleges that Mr. Trump is seeking to impose civil liability against Mr. Sims through application of NDAs that apply to information Mr. Sims learned solely during his federal service. monika evstatieva Hi. My name is Monika Evstatieva, and Im a producer for The Daily. And I am here with Astead. Astead, introduce yourself. astead herndon Hi. Im Astead Herndon. Im a politics reporter covering the election. And Im driving on a very long highway. monika evstatieva Were driving on a very long highway in South Carolina because we came here to try to answer an interesting question. What is that question? astead herndon What happened to Kamala Harriss presidential campaign that took her from top-tier, front-runner status to the middle of the pack? monika evstatieva O.K. Lets try to figure this out. [music] michael barbaro From The New York Times, Im Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily. When Senator Kamala Harris launched her presidential campaign 10 months ago, she drew a crowd of 20,000 to her kickoff rally, the biggest of any candidate, and was talked about as a potential heir to the political coalition that carried Barack Obama to the White House twice. Today, shes polling in the single digits. My colleagues Astead Herndon and Monika Evstatieva went to South Carolina with the Harris campaign. Its Wednesday, November 20. monika evstatieva Astead and I are in the car. We are driving from the capital, Columbia, to Greenwood, and Greenwood is a small town. astead herndon Folks are in suits? You know this is South Carolina. monika evstatieva And why is South Carolina essential to her campaign? astead herndon So shes in South Carolina because, frankly, thats where their campaign is putting their chips. Theyve had to, after falling on hard times, fire most of their New Hampshire team and really focus their resources on the first state, Iowa, and then South Carolina, where they think they can unlock black support. The thought process here is based somewhat on what Barack Obama did in 2008 that if you win white support in Iowa, it proves viability, it proves electability, and that the black voters who like you but are scared you cant win will eventually come around if you prove yourself in the early states. And South Carolina, the electorates more than 65 percent black. And she thinks that she shares a real kinship there. And while shes been in South Carolina many times before, this is her first time in this community. Her campaign understands these things arent going well and needs to reach out to people they havent talked to before. monika evstatieva O.K. Were actually walking now. Lets see whats happening. monika evstatieva We get to the building. Its a very small building. astead herndon Hi. My name is Astead monika evstatieva And its Veterans Day. [chatter] monika evstatieva So describe this room now. astead herndon Its like a veterans hall. There are rows of people kind of set up in a half circle around what will be a panel. Some people have on their veterans regalia. Weve got flags behind them. Pretty much a standard, intimate political event. monika evstatieva O.K. Lets go talk to some people. Sir, do you have a minute to just talk with us? speaker I dont do interviews. [LAUGHTER] astead herndon We talk to voters to try to get a sense of why they decided to come. monika evstatieva Why are you here today? speaker 1 Well, Im here to support Kamala Harris. speaker 2 Im here to be enlightened about her policies. astead herndon Have they decided on a particular candidate? speaker 1 I really havent picked no candidate yet, you know. speaker 2 I havent made up my mind. speaker 3 Im still shopping, looking at all the options. monika evstatieva Today, youll be listening to what she has to say and if she can basically win you over? speaker Possible. Its possible, yes. monika evstatieva A lot of people actually dont know a lot about her. Some people dont know anything about her. speaker Well, I really hadnt ever heard of Senator Harris before, until Wednesday. astead herndon I think thats something people forget about voters. Not everyone is tuned in all the time. speaker 1 I really hadnt been watching the news. speaker 2 I dont even think I watched the debate. As a matter of fact, I know I didnt. I didnt watch the debate. astead herndon They know the field is large. And they know, kind of generally, whos up and whos down. monika evstatieva And in every conversation we have with these voters speaker This is still the South. monika evstatieva race keeps coming up. astead herndon You have to remember the context for these largely older African-American voters. speaker And, good Lord willing and the creek dont rise, come March of next year, Ill be 70 years old. So Ive seen a lot. And basically, I still see the world as being one great big plantation. astead herndon These are folks who have grown up in the shadow of the Confederacy their whole lives. They have lived under the brunt of Jim Crow, some of them. And that informs how they are making pragmatic political decisions moving forward. speaker Within South Carolina, within the African-American community, we dont want to take a chance on someone that doesnt have a chance of beating Trump. astead herndon So things like 2008 and Barack Obama defied their wildest dreams. It was an anomaly to them, and so theres still a fear, a risk that a lot of them associate with a person of color leading the ticket. speaker I hope shes electable, but we have to change the minds of the people. astead herndon Fear that maybe in this time, where black voters are very worried about the Trump presidency, that a black candidate or a woman of color was too risky. astead herndon Do you think that black men will have problems supporting a black woman candidate? speaker Yes. astead herndon Why do you think so? speaker The men have been the head. monika evstatieva Many people we speak to mention as an alternative speaker Joe Biden. I think that hes a good candidate. monika evstatieva Joe Biden. speaker 1 I like Joe. speaker 2 I would say Biden. speaker 3 Ive looked at Joe Biden. monika evstatieva Why? astead herndon Theres a lot of reasons why Joe Biden looms over South Carolina. One is name recognition. speaker 1 Because he has been vice president, and I dont think we need someone now thats on-the-job training. speaker 2 He has a track record because he was there in an administration before. astead herndon They know who he is. Hes a known quantity, and he is someone who has longstanding relationships in those communities. speaker He has the debate experience. And I feel like he can go after him, also. astead herndon Another reason is he has pitched himself as the candidate who is most likely to beat Trump. astead herndon Something kind of explicit. Like, when you say that he can beat Trump, do you think thats because white people are more likely to vote for Joe Biden than they are to vote for Kamala Harris? speaker Yes. Yes. astead herndon And so this is one of the big challenges Harris has to overcome. Even black voters, who sometimes like her instinctively, think that her identity as a black woman might be a liability for the election. And so they see Joe Biden, a white man with experience in the White House, and even this community thinks that maybe he is better suited to beat Trump. And ultimately, thats what they care about the most. [applause] floyd nicholson So again, we thank each one of you for taking time out of your busy schedule coming out today. And without further ado, it gives me great pleasure monika evstatieva Then the event actually kicks off. There are several introductions. floyd nicholson the U.S. senator from that great state of California, the honorable Kamala Harris. [applause] monika evstatieva And after some time, its her time to speak. And she needs to convince the people in this room that shes uniquely positioned to represent them best. kamala harris Thank you, Senator Nicholson! Hi, mama. monika evstatieva What are some of the key points she makes in this speech? kamala harris Please have a seat. So I will tell you, my background is I am a daughter of parents who met when they were active in the civil rights movement in the 1960s in Berkeley and Oakland, California. astead herndon She introduces herself to the audience, her personal narrative. kamala harris I grew up surrounded by a bunch of adults who spent full time marching and shouting for justice. astead herndon And then she turns very quickly to an issue she has gotten a lot of criticism for, her position on health care. kamala harris So Im running for president to put in place a Medicare for all plan, which means everyone will be covered, including people with pre-existing conditions. astead herndon And for her, health care looks like what she calls a Medicare for all plan that still preserves a role for the private insurance industry. monika evstatieva And this is confusing, right? astead herndon It can be. Shes had different positions on health care. She started the race as a co-sponsor on Bernie Sanderss Medicare for all bill, which is a single-payer system that eliminates private insurance. But she kind of hemmed and hawed about the specifics of that bill and then eventually offers her own plan kamala harris Im not trying to get rid of private insurance. So I heard from too many folks who said, Kamala, dont take away our choice. astead herndon which preserves a role for private insurance. And so, this is another one of the issues people cite around Kamala Harriss campaign, is that when you look at key policies, if you look at health care, the number one issue for Democrats in this race, she has not always stood for a singular position. Shes tried to have her cake and eat it, too, some voters say. Even now, as shes in between the progressive and moderate approaches, shes still borrowing language from that progressive lane. kamala harris We want the choice between a private plan or a public plan. Well, my plan will give you the choice that you deserve. monika evstatieva And this is why I was a little bit confused when I hear her say that. astead herndon [LAUGHS] Youre not the only one. kamala harris But we need reasonable gun safety laws, including universal background checks. monika evstatieva So she goes through some other issues that are important to the Democratic voters, like gun safety, the challenges facing veterans. kamala harris and putting them out of business when they were targeting our veterans. monika evstatieva But then kamala harris And Im just going to share with you one last thing, and then I would love to start our conversation. monika evstatieva she turns to the issue of her electability. What does she say? astead herndon Senator Harris has added this in in the last couple months. As electability has become an increasing point of conversation in this race, shes decided to address it directly. kamala harris So I just want to have a brief conversation about something thats been coming up in connection with the campaign that I call the elephant in the room. But really its the donkey in the room. And its this conversation about electability. And the conversation goes something like this. Well, I dont know if America is ready for a woman of color to be president of the United States. astead herndon Shes addressing the identity question head-on. Are Democrats too scared, or is it too much of a risk to put a black woman up against Donald Trump in this critical election? kamala harris I know Im ready, but I dont know if my neighbors are ready. Theyll say, well, maybe its not your turn. astead herndon And she says, this is not a new conversation for me. kamala harris In fact, this is a conversation I have heard in every campaign I have and, now, here is the operative word won. [applause] astead herndon And what shes trying to evoke there is that she has broken barriers before, and that if voters put their trust in her, she will do it again. And so, in this short time, shes addressing the two big challenges of her campaign, and shes trying to solve both. Shes trying to put forth a clear position on health care and sort of suggest that there was never any lack of clarity to begin with. And then she also tries to present her identity not as a hurdle to her success, but as a rallying point. That people can come together, and again, just like in the past, theyll overcome it. kamala harris Thank you all very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. [music] michael barbaro Well be right back. monika evstatieva O.K. So were now headed to the town hall. monika evstatieva Then were back on the road, and we keep following Senator Harris. And the next stop is Greenville. monika evstatieva This is a bigger city, over 62,000 people. astead herndon Yeah. Were headed from Greenwood to Greenville, a more urban community. monika evstatieva Astead cannot be bothered with nothing but Beyonce right now. astead herndon (SINGING) To the left, to the left. monika evstatieva And I actually find out you can sing. astead herndon [LAUGHS] monika evstatieva So we get to Greenville. speaker Hi, welcome. Thank you very much for coming. Just through the glass doors on your right. I got to tell yall that. astead herndon When we come in, its a larger gymnasium. Its probably double or triple the amount of people in terms of crowd size, even though theres some empty seats. And theres also just a more elaborate setup. Thats all kind of just the campaign doing the more operational flexing of muscle for the bigger city. monika evstatieva Right. So this is a more diverse place. Its more highly educated. Its younger. And people are following the election more closely, and so here, many people already know her. astead herndon Im sorry. You all are people who have picked a candidate? I know I see the shirts. speaker Yes. astead herndon But youre all in. speaker 1 Yes. Yes, all in. speaker 2 All in for Kamala. monika evstatieva What are some of the things they tell us? astead herndon They say what you hear from the Kamala Harris diehards, that she first came on their radar during the Senate committee hearings, where she was praised for her aggressive questioning of Bill Barr and Jeff Sessions. speaker So I think it was during Sessionss confirmation hearings that I thought, shes going to run for president, and if she is, shes got my vote. astead herndon Eventually, Brett Kavanaugh. speaker Especially during the Kavanaugh hearings, when she talked to Dr. Ford and just looked at her in the eyes and said, I believe you, I believe you. astead herndon They tell you that they like her debate interaction with Joe Biden in the first debate. She looked tough on the debate stage. And shes the one that they want to see go up against Donald Trump. monika evstatieva And you asked them, but why is she not polling better? astead herndon What have you thought about the trajectory of her campaign? I mean, she started up there, but shes since kind of fallen. Why do you think that is? monika evstatieva What are some of the things they cite as examples? astead herndon These folks are following the race closely, and so they know that theres been a change in political standing from where Senator Harris started the race to where she arrived now. And when you ask her supporters that why did that happen? they again point to her identity. speaker Shes been erased by the media. Shes been misrepresented by the media. astead herndon They blame media for preferring, often, white candidates over people of color. And they point to a top tier, where the four candidates at the top are all white now in the Democratic Party. speaker I mean, shes a black woman in a race that everyones looking for a white savior candidate. And so but I think dont count her out. Shes got a strong ground game. monika evstatieva The event kicks off with a couple of introductions, including from a high school student. speaker Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to present to you someone who looks just like me. astead herndon Yeah, theyve started having organizers introduce her, particularly women of color, to lean into that representation aspect. kamala harris Well, good afternoon, Greenville. It is wonderful to be back. monika evstatieva And throughout the speech, the thing that gets the most ovation is when she goes after Trump. kamala harris We will need, as our nominee, someone who can stand on that debate stage and go toe-to-toe with Donald Trump. And Greenville, youre looking at her. Youre looking at her! ^[APPLAUSE]^ astead herndon Theres a couple lines that any Democrat can say, and theyll get the audience on their feet. A surefire crowd-pleaser is to attack the president. kamala harris And somebody needs to remind Donald Trump that some of his closest relatives are immigrants, too. ^[APPLAUSE]^ astead herndon And especially with the impeachment proceedings going on, Senator Harriss lines of justice being on the ballot or prosecuting the case against Donald Trump are always going to get the crowd on their feet. The question is if its just about Trump, why is that a reason to prefer Kamala Harris over the rest of the Democratic field, who are also making those same arguments? kamala harris And thats why Im running. I thank you all so very much. Thank you. Thank you. [applause] monika evstatieva O.K. Where are we going? astead herndon We are in Greer, South Carolina monika evstatieva The following day, bright and early, we join her again. monika evstatieva Its next to Greenville. And this time its raining. astead herndon at a community center monika evstatieva O.K. Needmore Recreation Community Center. We are here. astead herndon where she is speaking to maybe 20, 25 people, all African-American, older residents. kamala harris So you all know, and have lived long, wonderful lives. And youll remember that for a large part of your life astead herndon She spent a lot of her speech on lowering prescription drug costs and her health care plan, but she also mentions more systemic problems. kamala harris And remember those zero percent loans, nothing down? Predatory practices. The brokers made all kinds of money. astead herndon Like housing inequality and equitable education, issues that matter to older black voters. kamala harris And the father can look at his son and say, son, you dont have to go and get a loan from one of those private companies that are going to charge you these outrageous interest rates. Ill take some of the equity out of my home to help you pay for tuition. So thank you very much. Thank you, thank you. [applause] monika evstatieva After the speech, we see something that I havent experienced so far. speaker Pastor T., if you wanted to come up and say a couple words, or maybe pray over the senator. kamala harris Oh, yeah, I would love that. monika evstatieva A pastor starts a prayer for her. telley lynnette gadson So, were going to pray. kamala harris Yes. Yes. telley lynnette gadson Were going to pray. Were going to pray for protection. monika evstatieva She is literally holding her hands, and the whole room, everyone is standing up. telley lynnette gadson Kamala Devi Harris, when you were in your mothers womb, God already knew about this stage of your life, and already knew that you would be in Greer, South Carolina, at the Needmore Community Center. It wasnt an accident. astead herndon This is one of the cool things you can see while campaigning, specifically in South Carolina. Because the Democratic electorate is so black, and because the black electorate, particularly in these Southern states, is so religious, a lot of the campaigning happens through these religious communities. Pastors in black communities are not just religious leaders. They are community leaders. Theyre political leaders. Theyre cultural hubs. And particularly with black candidates, theres a sense of kinship there. telley lynnette gadson God, for every flight that she will take, I pray that you are the pilot. God, for every car that she journeys in, I ask you to be the driver. And for every thought that she would think, I ask you to be the orchestrator. astead herndon Kamala Harris is a religious woman. And there is a shared language of faith that happens at these events that you see with other candidates its not like they wouldnt pray for a white candidate but theres something different when its someone who they know has worshipped in their churches for their whole lives. And so she prays for her, and she mentions that the last presidential candidate she prayed for telley lynnette gadson Now, the last person that I made my hands on and prayed for in the presidential election astead herndon was Barack Obama. telley lynnette gadson was Barack Hussein Obama. [applause] monika evstatieva The reverend is Reverend Gadson, but she goes by Pastor T. telley lynnette gadson So we can be clear, they call me Pastor T., but Reverend Telley Lynnette Gadson. Thats who I am. monika evstatieva And we actually catch up with her after the prayer. astead herndon That was your first time seeing the senator, I imagine, right? telley lynnette gadson First time seeing, but not first time hearing about. astead herndon And then we ask her about the race. astead herndon Are you someone who personally has made a decision about who you want to vote for? telley lynnette gadson I have not. I have not. And thats been because the field is so wide. But where I am, as Ive shared, is just a posture of, first of all, praying for our country. What is it that we astead herndon You can see how that represents a problem for Kamala Harris. [music] monika evstatieva So we have this pastor who says she last laid hands on Barack Obama, but isnt ready to give her support to Kamala Harris, someone who started this race so strongly by trying to capture the same kind of coalition that Obama did. Weve heard that the challenges to her campaign are her identity and the lack of clarity on policy, but those same things could have been said for Obama. So whats different in 2019? astead herndon The Barack Obama coalition that he rose to power with combined young people, liberals and historic turnout from black people. And theres not one candidate in this race that has yet been able to win those different demographic groups. And that was supposed to be Kamala Harris. I mean, it was supposed to be a number of people. It could have been Beto ORourke. It could have been Cory Booker. It could have been Kirsten Gillibrand. But when we entered this race, the thought, the reason why her candidacy was so feared, was because she was thought to be the one who could most quickly tap in to that coalition. Well, there are differences that we knew would be true from the start, and theres things that weve learned over the last six to eight months. From the start, we knew that, as a black woman running, she would have no historical touchstone and she would face unique barriers. And I think if you ask the campaign, they would say thats true. But its really about messaging. We knew that this race would be defined by a progressive wing, led by figures like Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, and a moderate wing, led by Joe Biden, and that people like Kamala Harris would have to exist threading both worlds. And thats been difficult. When you talk to voters, the most consistently repeated thing is, well, I dont necessarily know what she stands for. And I think that is borne out of those two wings, the progressive and moderate wings, defining this primary through their fight. And so Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren can say, if you arent with single-payer health care, youre not a progressive. If youre not willing to raise taxes on corporations and wealthy individuals, then you dont have big ideas. And the moderate wing has defined themselves by rejecting that, by defining themselves by saying, well, we cant do that or we wont beat Trump. But if youre trying to do both of those things, if youre trying to thread in between those worlds, we have seen electorates that arent really willing to give people that benefit of the doubt. And thats driving a lot of the anxiety right now, particularly among the partys moderates. monika evstatieva And thats why we see all these new candidates jump in the race. astead herndon The anxiety breeds restlessness, right? And Deval Patrick, who just announced, Mike Bloomberg, whos expected to, are trying to capitalize on that anxiety. Because in the circles that like them, in the circles of elite, Democratic moderates, they are a group that expected to have more options. Theyre not that surprised at the way Joe Bidens candidacy has turned out. Where the biggest surprise is is they thought they would have an alternative figure to Joe Biden who could replicate that Obama lane. Now remember, these are a group of people who think that Warren and Sanderss progressive policies will lose them the general election. They think that Warren and Sanders, if they are the nominee, will struggle to bring out the type of people that put Democrats over the top. And without that, without someone in the top tier who is winning black voters and exciting young voters at the same time, there is fear that you cannot replicate what Obama did. Now, their argument is that thats because of the campaigns, that the individual candidates and individual campaigns havent done the things necessary to produce that support. But it could be because of a changing electorate and two wings of the party that just arent looking for a merging savior anymore. [music] michael barbaro Well be right back. Heres what else you need to know today. archived recording (adam schiff) Colonel Vindman, what was your real-time reaction to hearing that call? archived recording (alexander vindman) Chairman, without hesitation, I knew that I had to report this to the White House counsel. I had concerns. And it was my duty to report my concerns to the proper people in the chain of command. michael barbaro In dramatic testimony on Tuesday, two White House officials who listened in on President Trumps phone call with the president of Ukraine described their alarm over his request for investigations into his political rivals. archived recording (adam schiff) And what was your concern? archived recording (alexander vindman) It was inappropriate. It was improper for the president to request an to demand an investigation into a political opponent, especially a foreign power where there is, at best, dubious belief that this would be a completely impartial investigation. michael barbaro CHICAGO Prosecutors in Illinois are challenging the prison sentence of Jason Van Dyke, the Chicago police officer who was convicted last year of killing Laquan McDonald and sentenced to nearly seven years in prison, a term that was criticized by many in Chicago as too lenient. In a petition filed Monday, Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Joseph McMahon, the special prosecutor in Mr. Van Dykes trial, asked the Illinois Supreme Court to review whether the sentence, after a conviction of second-degree murder, was proper under the law. This is a question of whether the law was followed and whether a sentence was rendered on the appropriate charges, Mr. Raoul, a Democrat who took office last month, said at a news conference on Monday, adding: That is not a political question. That is a question of law. At issue is whether Mr. Van Dyke, who was also convicted of 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm for each of the 16 shots he fired, should be sentenced for the aggravated batteries, which could result in a significantly longer prison term. Under his current sentence, exclusively for the second-degree murder conviction, he could be released from prison in as little as three years. By the end of February, the students at Manatee School for the Arts in Palmetto, Fla., will see two combat veterans in body armor roaming the grounds, each carrying a 9-millimeter Glock handgun and a semiautomatic rifle with a 17-inch barrel. If an armed intruder were to enter the campus, were not looking for a fair fight, Bill Jones, the principal, said in an interview. Were looking at an overwhelming advantage. Legislation passed after the Parkland massacre last year requires schools in Florida to have at least one safe-school officer. Manatee School for the Arts, a charter for 2,100 middle and high school students, is the only school in Manatee County that chose to hire guards who carry rifles, according to the Manatee County Sheriffs Department, which trained the guards. [School safety. Gun control. Red flag laws. Read more on how America has responded to the Parkland massacre over the past year.] But such evaluation models typically required more testing of students in order to gather evidence of teacher impact a change that was unpopular with parents, students and educators alike. Since 2016, federal and state laws have shifted districts away from using student performance to judge teachers. In many ways, ProComp is now seen as a relic of an earlier era of school reform. Denver teachers and their union leaders argue that it is more important to raise teachers base pay than to offer them modest and unpredictable bonuses. In a city surging with new money from the technology, aerospace and marijuana industries, teachers say they are struggling to pay off student loans and cannot afford rent, much less buy a home. Im striking so I can feed my kids without using a food bank, said Rebecca Lovvorn, a single mother of three children who is an English teacher inside a juvenile detention center. I have kids that are doing very illegal activities that I know for sure make better money than I do. They are 15 years old. And that is a hard rationale to confront. Ms. Lovvorn will make about $44,000 this year, she said, with a bonus of about $2,000 for working in a school deemed difficult to serve. But she expects to take home just $31,200 after taxes and health insurance payments. (The federal poverty rate for a family of four is $25,100.) Denver teachers, on average, earn $63,400 per year, including ProComp bonuses. The union wants more money to go to base salaries, in part by reducing a proposed $2,500 bonus for teachers in high-poverty schools and eliminating a proposed $3,000 incentive for teachers in the districts 30 highest-priority schools. The union and the district are also battling over the types of teacher education courses that would lead to higher pay. It may be best known as the home of Cedar Point, the famous amusement park, but Sandusky, Ohio, on the shores of Lake Erie, has lately been getting attention for its politics. City officials voted two weeks ago to swap the Columbus Day holiday with one on Election Day in a move that was intended to affirm the citys values, but also inserted it into two contentious national debates. The vote garnered little immediate attention when it was covered by the local newspaper, The Sandusky Register, but news soon spread. Weve been very surprised by the national attention, said Sanduskys city manager, Eric Wobser, who has since been interviewed by national news organizations like NPR, CNN and The Washington Post. Good morning. (Heres the sign-up, if you dont already get California Today by email.) When you think of the people who built Los Angeles, the names that most likely jump to mind William Mulholland, the Chandlers are often those of white men. Its not surprising, and its not unusual among American cities. Thats why, when I heard Laura Atkins, a Berkeley-based childrens book author, mention Bridge Mason, known as Biddy, on an episode of the podcast East Bay Yesterday, I took note. Ms. Mason, she said, had been born enslaved, won her freedom in a California court in the mid-1850s and eventually became a prominent downtown L.A. landowner not to mention the growing metropoliss richest woman. She organized the citys First A.M.E. church and was a philanthropist. Its Black History Month, so Ive been thinking about what it means to honor the legacies of people whom history has traditionally left out. LOS ANGELES Gov. Gavin Newsom of California announced Monday that he would withdraw nearly 400 of his states National Guard troops from deployment along the border with Mexico and assign them to other duties. The step to rescind state authorization for the border deployment is a sharp rebuke of President Trumps continued warnings that undocumented migrants present a national security risk to the United States. It follows a similar move last week by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico. Under a general order that Mr. Newsom plans to sign, 110 California National Guard troops will be redirected to support the states central fire agency, Cal Fire, and another 100 will work on statewide intelligence operations aimed at international criminal drug gangs. Mr. Newsom is also seeking to expand the states Counterdrug Task Force with 150 National Guard troops, which would require funding from the Department of Defense. In it, the title character, a comely 15-year-old serving girl, is pursued by her rich roue of a master, who lays siege to her maidenhood. Mr. Crimp transposes the novels archetypes of unworldly, vulnerable woman and controlling, predatory man into a shifting, contemporary, aged-up key. [Whats new onstage and off: Sign up for our Theater Update newsletter.] Be warned: If you like to do full homework before seeing a play, you should look into not only Richardsons novel but such theorists of sexuality as Freud and Foucault and the latter-day feminist philosophers Amia Srinivasan, Ellen Willis and Jacqueline Rose. Theyre all quoted in the program. If you choose to read none of the above, you will not be entirely lost watching Tortured. You may, however, be bored, despite the simulated sex and violence that abound on stage. These acts occur in what appears to be a suburban garage (Vicki Mortimer is the set designer), wherein Man and Woman woo, imprison and abuse each other, while taking turns being on top, literally and otherwise. They are assisted in these activities by four other performers who embody different erotic fantasies (rough trade, schoolgirl-on-schoolgirl action, etc.). They also help Ms. Blanchett and Mr. Dillane in and out of Sussie Juhlin-Wallens costumes, which include classic maids uniforms and mens business suits, worn by both actors, with identical black lingerie underneath. Their assorted poses are matched and mismatched by dialogue that encompasses what feels like far more than a dozen variations on archetypal gender-baiting and -switching. Mr. Dillane, an excellent actor who won a Tony for the 2000 Broadway revival of The Real Thing, is the less mutable of the two and by the end seems understandably depleted. But what a piece of work is Ms. Blanchett. Her Woman and her Man, too are evoked via a head-spinning range of vocal ranges and personae, picked up and discarded as effortlessly as if they were Kleenexes. Shes so convincing in each fleeting identity that you do indeed start to realize how much of what has traditionally been regarded as manly or womanly is, well, just acting. (Blanchett fans might recall her working in a similar vein as Bob Dylan in Todd Hayness Im Not There.) Thousands of years ago, megaliths began to appear in Europe standing stones, dolmens, stone circles. They vary from single stones to complexes like Stonehenge. There are about 35,000 such monuments in Europe, many along the Atlantic coast of France and Spain, in England, Ireland, Scandinavia and throughout the Mediterranean. They attract both tourists and archaeologists, who have spent a century debating how the knowledge to build such monuments spread. One idea suggested that this cultural change came from the Near East, and spread west along coastal routes, perhaps by a priestly caste. Later theories suggested techniques may have developed independently in different locales. But a scientist who analyzed 2,410 radiocarbon dates of megaliths and their surroundings reported on Monday that the first such tombs appeared in France, about 6,500 years ago, and then spread along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts, as well as to England, Ireland and Scandinavia. For over 50 years, the Democratic Party has carried the banner of racial and gender equality, and all the more so during the Trump era. In contrast to an increasingly dystopian Republican Party, Democrats from the left and the center have united behind an idealistic image of their party as a rainbow coalition of resistance against racism and sexism. The last 10 days in Virginia have thrown all of that into disarray and demonstrated that political power will always trump political idealism. But rather than throwing away their power in pursuit of moral purity, or cynically accepting the realities of American politics, the party is finding its way to a more calculated wisdom: that power and idealism may undermine each other, but they are also inextricably linked. For the Democratic Party, the recent series of blackface and sexual assault scandals at the top of the states leadership at first seemed like a moment for a thorough house cleaning. By the standards of an institution that has recently redefined itself in part by what Donald Trump and the Republicans are not, we would expect Democratic politicians to call for everyones resignation. Racism should have no quarter in the Democratic Party. Neither should sexual assault. But reality, as the party is once again learning, is never that simple, especially where power is involved. We dont need further evidence of Trumps cruelty or racism. But there are moments in his rhetorical flourishes when those qualities come into clear view. At those times its worth focusing on his comments, not as fodder for self-satisfied moral condemnation, but to have a better understanding of the ideas and pathologies he channels and brings to the surface of the national conversation. To that end, his expressions of anti-Native racism are worth a closer look. As an army general, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz writes in An Indigenous Peoples History of the United States, Jackson led four wars of aggression against Native tribes in Georgia and Florida. As president, he won passage of the 1830 Indian Removal Act and subsequently engineered the expulsion of all Native peoples east of the Mississippi to the designated Indian Territory, forcing some 70,000 people off their land. This isnt the first time the president has made light of violence inflicted on Native peoples. If Elizabeth Warren, often referred to by me as Pocahontas, did this commercial from Bighorn or Wounded Knee instead of her kitchen, with her husband dressed in full Indian garb, it would have been a smash!, he said last month, attacking one of Warrens videos on Instagram with another oddly self-referential tweet. Its tempting to dismiss these comments as Trump being Trump unworthy of additional attention or heightened scrutiny. But the substance of these particular references makes that calculus untenable. Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota was, in December 1890, the site of one of the deadliest attacks on Native Americans by United States military forces. As many as 300 people were killed, in a massacre that continues to weigh on the memories of many American Indian communities. The Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876 was an attempted eviction of Native tribes in present-day Montana, led by Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer. Outnumbered by Lakota and Cheyenne warriors, Custer and over 200 of his soldiers were killed in a battle that was memorialized as Custers Last Stand. The Trail of Tears began with white American settlers claiming Cherokee and other tribal lands as their own, federal officials coercing tribal leaders into ceding their territory and the United States Army removing the tribes by force. During the infamous forced march of Cherokee people in 1838, harsh winter weather and poor conditions in detention camps led to an estimated death toll of 4,000 people out of the 12,000 expelled from their homes. Other tribes suffered similar death rates in their forced deportations. As loyal, taxpaying citizens, we demand that Pakistani security forces act as our protectors and stop the harassment of Pashtuns at checkpoints and during raids. We demand that Islamabad cleanse Waziristan of land mines and other unexploded ordinances. We had several meetings with the military leadership. Some generals publicly acknowledged our grievances but they never moved to address our concerns. We held numerous sit-ins and protests and continued to hope that Pakistans leaders would try to address our concerns. Instead, they responded with intimidation and violence. After every major protest, police arrests and charges P.T.M. activists and supporters with rioting, treason or terrorism. Some of our activists are still being incarcerated under a colonial-era discriminatory law, which is no longer on the books. When we soldiered on, they unleashed the Taliban. In July, four P.T.M. protesters were killed and dozens injured after Taliban fighters fired at them. A military spokesman declared these Taliban fighters to be members of a peace committee and praised them for fighting terrorism and doing their part for stabilization. More recently, on Feb. 2, Arman Luni, a leader of our movement, who taught at a college, died after he was beaten up by the police for protesting against a terrorist attack in Balochistan province. My fellow activists and I were barred from joining his funeral. We participated anyway but were forced to leave the province after midnight. As we were driving out, the security forces fired at our car. Our demands and actions are underwritten by the Constitution of our country but the military is trying to portray us as traitors and enemy agents. While vile propaganda against our movement is reported as news, the security establishment has ensured that almost nothing is reported about our movement in the mainstream Pakistani newspapers and television networks. County school boards will be allowed to disregard how long a person has been teaching when choosing which workers to lay off. That means teachers who are more openly critical as well as union-oriented ones will become easy targets for punishment, while their quieter colleagues will be discouraged from speaking out. West Virginia students will be the ones left to suffer the consequences while their fiercest advocates are muzzled. Beyond the way it suppresses our teachers ability to organize, the bill allows for the establishment of the states first charter schools. In the version of the bill passed by the Senate, charter schools would face little regulation, and could be authorized by for-profit and political organizations. Teachers at these schools could be hired without certification or even a high school diploma, making it clear that this has little to do with student achievement. Since the bill was introduced, educational organizations and boards across the state, as well as the president of the State Board of Education, have opposed it, noting that the establishment of such schools would be harmful to West Virginias children as public funds are sent away from district schools, with the greatest negative effect falling on already vulnerable and disadvantaged students; those are plentiful in a state with high rates of poverty. Despite opposition from educational leaders, Mitch Carmichael, the president of the Senate, chose to rush the bill to a vote when he deliberately bypassed the Senate Finance Committee and established a committee of the whole in a rare action thats only happened three times in state history. Amid the negotiations taking place at the Capitol, union representatives gathered over the weekend and voted to approve another walkout, should teachers deem it necessary. Meanwhile, the bill is being revised by the House Education Committee and will go to a public hearing on Feb. 11. For now, its future, and that of West Virginias public school system, remains unclear. But the troubling reality is this: West Virginia Senate Bill 451 is a subtle and manipulative attempt by state legislators to disenfranchise the voices of the community they were elected to amplify. And just like West Virginia teachers set a strong precedent for organizers seeking equity in other states, legislation like this could set a dangerous precedent for politicians interested in using bullying tactics to silence the voices of their constituents, even at the expense of the states school children. Lauren Peace (@LaurenMPeace) is a reporter from West Virginia currently reporting in Kosovo. Nearly every day, there is a shooting in America. But rarely do we consider the impact a shooting has on our elected officials. Im more than happy to talk about this in a few days. Right now is not the time. Theres a time and place for a political debate. But its a little bit soon to go into it. This is not the time to jump to some conclusion. This is not the time to have the discussion. Today is not the day. Introducing Aftershot, the only app that helps a bunch of [expletive] figure out when to talk about gun reform. When developing Aftershot, we learned that most politicians actually voted against the C.D.C. researching the scale and scope of our countrys gun crisis. Many see that as politicians just not caring about it. But, surely, they care about innocent people being senselessly gunned down. Theyre just confused. Thats why we made Aftershot. Weve invested hundreds of thousands of hours feeding mountains of statistical data through a complex mathematical equation that creates an algorithm that takes mere seconds to pinpoint the exact right time to talk about gun reform. Lets say youre a governor, and its the day after a mass shooting in your state. For some reason, youre still confused when to talk about gun reform, even though 52 percent of Americans want stricter gun laws. Thats the perfect time to open up the app. You enter some simple metadata, such as time of shooting, weapon used, and our algorithm does the rest. The equation is simple. Theres a shooting every four hours, plus 44 percent of Americans know somebody whos been shot, plus the number of gun deaths in 2018 so far, which is 11,054 people, plus there are 270 million guns in the U.S., plus the annual cost of gun violence in the U.S., which is $229 billion. Aftershot crunches all that data to determine, with absolute certainty, the correct time for lawmakers to talk about gun reform. [beeping] And, remarkably, it always says now. [beeping] Oh, I love the app. And its so easy to use. As a member of Congress who receives a ton of money from the N.R.A., I find it so frustrating not to be able to use my N.R.A. log-in with other apps. But Aftershot is synced with my N.R.A. profile, so logging in is super simple. Oh, I absolutely love Aftershots social media functions. After a mass shooting, I tend to go on Twitter and offer up some innocuous platitude to the victims. But, now, with Aftershots autocorrect feature, I can no longer do that, which is good, I think. I have a deep distrust for science stuff and technology, which is why I love Aftershots 24/7 customer support hotline. Theres an Aftershot troubleshooter there always to interpret their notifications, which are frequent, because there are a lot of shootings. To all the politicians who might be confused by or scared of having a conversation about gun reform, were here to help. With our game-changing technology, you will never again have to utter the phrase, Now is not the right time. And to all the people in America, if your local representatives are struggling to have a conversation about gun reform, help them out. Encourage them to download Aftershot. Or you could just vote us out of office. You dont need an app for that. [music] Thats not only bad for immigrants who, as a result of militarized borders are more likely to be kidnapped, violently assaulted and driven to cross via the lethal desert. Its also bad for Democrats, who are handing ammunition to the nativist right at a time when Republicans are on the back foot and polls show that Democratic voters are moving decidedly leftward on immigration and the border. [Sign up for Crossing the Border, a limited-run newsletter about life where the United States and Mexico meet.] Voters used to overwhelmingly favor less immigration, but opinions have changed fast amid an immigrant rights movement that took off in 2006 and partisan polarization driven by aggressive enforcement. In 1994, just 32 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning Americans and 30 percent of Republicans agreed that immigrants strengthened the country, according to the Pew Research Center. But by 2016, the share of Democrats who said so had skyrocketed to 78 percent. In 2006, 37 percent of Democrats said that immigration levels should be decreased, while only 20 percent said that it should be increased. In 2018, 40 percent said that it should be increased, with just 16 percent calling for restriction. The same trend has held on border politics: In 2010, 47 percent of Democrats said that they equally prioritized legalizing undocumented immigrants and better border security and stronger enforcement of immigration laws, while just 29 percent prioritized legalization alone. By 2018, the number prioritizing legalization alone skyrocketed to 51 percent. Under President Trump, polarization has accelerated and thats a good thing. The vanishing bipartisan consensus orchestrated mammoth deportations and militarized the border in the quixotic hope of placating the nativist right and winning it over to supporting immigration reform. This strategy only inflamed the rights paranoiac ravings and helped move the goal posts to new extremes. Which is why we find ourselves, in 2019, with the possibility of beginning a second government shutdown over the wall. So, what should the Democrats pursue instead? A break with a failed bipartisan consensus. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib, all Democrats who are new to the House, have drafted a letter urging opposition to any deal that increases Department of Homeland Security funding in any form. Thats a good start. The border must be demilitarized, which would include demolishing the already-existing wall and dramatically downsizing the Border Patrol. Criminal sanctions on illegal entry and re-entry must be repealed. Opportunities for legal immigration, particularly from Mexico and Central America, must be expanded. The right to asylum must be honored. And citizenship for those who reside here must be a stand-alone cause, unencumbered by compromises that are not only distasteful but also politically ineffectual and that today would provoke opposition from the nativist right and the grass-roots left. If Democrats stick to the center on immigration, they will find themselves fighting on two fronts. A fight against Republicans, with the left at their back, will be far easier to win and a more noble victory. Simple realism dictates that no legislation to grant citizenship to the millions of undocumented Americans who deserve it will be passed until the Republicans are defeated. Theres no use trying to appease them. The bipartisan consensus supporting harsh immigration and border enforcement has fractured. Democratic elected officials need to catch up. Daniel Denvir (@danieldenvir) is a visiting fellow at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University and the author of the forthcoming All-American Nativism. He also hosts The Dig, a podcast from Jacobin magazine. 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 319-334-2557 or email legals@bulletinjournal.com. This article is part of David Leonhardts newsletter. You can sign up here to receive it each weekday. Minnesotas first congressional district stretches across the states entire southern border. The district is mostly rural and also includes the city of Rochester, home to the Mayo Clinic . Last year, it was one of only three House districts in the entire country that flipped from Democratic to Republican. But Amy Klobuchar Minnesotas senior senator, running for re-election won that region in her own race last year, comfortably. She ran up big margins around Rochester and held her own in many rural areas. She did it with a folksy, populist style and an emphasis on pocketbook issues like health care costs. As Lawrence Jacobs of the University of Minnesota told me, while I was reporting my column for today, Shes a progressive whos found a way to connect with a wide range of people Democrats often struggle to reach. Nancy B. Reich, whose seminal 1985 biography of Clara Schumann established her as an important musical figure independent of her husband, the composer Robert Schumann, and helped turn the musicological spotlight on female composers, died on Jan. 31 in Ossining, N.Y. She was 94. Her death was confirmed by her daughter, Susanna Reich. Throughout her career, Dr. Reich fought to redress belittling portraits of Clara Schumann by earlier authors and to have her recognized as a significant composer, pianist and educator, as well as a central figure of German Romanticism. The decades that followed the publication of her book, Clara Schumann: The Artist and the Woman, vindicated her efforts with an explosion of both public and scholarly interest. Doctoral dissertations, anthologies and histories of music by women proliferated. Scholarly editions of Clara Schumanns music for piano appeared, fueling an increase in performances. Dr. Reichs death coincided with the beginning of a yearlong festival in Leipzig, Germany, for the bicentennial of Clara Schumanns birth there. She died in 1896 and left behind compositions including songs, works for solo piano, chamber music and a piano concerto. [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] As a New York State senator, Ruben Diaz Sr. once sued to stop a high school for gay and transgender students from opening. Several years later, in 2011, Mr. Diaz held a rally to oppose same-sex marriage while his gay granddaughter held a counter rally across the street. Times have changed. Mr. Diaz, a Pentecostal minister, has not. Mr. Diaz, a Bronx Democrat now on the City Council, said last week in a Spanish-language radio interview that his colleagues first shunned him because the Council was controlled by the homosexual community. His remarks were immediately greeted with calls for him to resign, or, at the very least, apologize. Those calling for an apology included Mr. Diazs son, Ruben Diaz Jr., the Bronx borough president and a leading mayoral candidate in 2021; he said on Twitter that his fathers remarks were antagonistic, quarrelsome and wholly unnecessary. He said in an interview on Monday that he has spoken to his father to ask him to apologize, but his father has refused. I can understand why folks are calling for him to resign. I can understand the hurt, Mr. Diaz said in an interview. While the mayor respects Stans opinion and thanks him for his unrivaled legacy of public service, you dont gamble or play a game of chicken when its your job to prevent Donald Trump from becoming the landlord of 400,000 public housing residents, Mr. Phillips said. A HUD spokesman did not respond to a message seeking comment. The agreement stops short of a full federal takeover of the citys housing authority, something Mr. de Blasio opposed. In the announcement with Mr. Carson, Mr. de Blasio called it a strong path forward and a very tangible path forward. It includes the appointment of a powerful federal monitor paid for by New York City and a commitment from the city to spend an additional $2.2 billion over 10 years on repairs for its crumbling system of 175,000 public housing apartments. It also gives some authority to the federal housing secretary that is similar to a federal receiver, such as the ability to abrogate city contracts and go around Civil Service requirements. This is a receiver in everything but name, Mr. Brezenoff said. Because he refused to sign the deal, the general manager of Nycha, Vito Mustaciuolo, did so in his place. On Tuesday, City Hall announced that Mr. Brezenoff would be replaced as interim chairman of Nycha by the middle of the month. The citys sanitation commissioner, Kathryn Garcia, was appointed to take over temporarily as officials hunt for a permanent leader. When Mr. de Blasio named Mr. Brezenoff to lead the troubled public housing authority in April, he did so amid scandal over its failure to properly inspect for lead, and in the middle of a sprawling federal investigation. Mr. Brezenoff, who by that point had already become the go-to Mr. Fix-It for Mr. de Blasio, took over weeks before the city and the authority moved to settle a case brought by the United States attorney, Geoffrey S. Berman, over dangerous conditions and endemic mismanagement at the authority. Mr. Brezenoff, 81, said that he had felt some hope late last year after a federal judge rejected the terms of the initial deal between Mr. de Blasio and the United States attorneys office. The judge, William H. Pauley III, strongly suggested that the federal government should take over New York City public housing, even as he chastised federal officials for abdicating their legal responsibility to the residents of the nations largest public housing system. After reshaping internet services, consumer devices and driverless cars in the early part of the decade, deep learning is moving rapidly into myriad areas of health care. Many organizations, including Google, are developing and testing systems that analyze electronic health records in an effort to flag medical conditions such as osteoporosis, diabetes, hypertension and heart failure. Similar technologies are being built to automatically detect signs of illness and disease in X-rays, M.R.I.s and eye scans. The new system relies on a neural network, a breed of artificial intelligence that is accelerating the development of everything from health care to driverless cars to military applications. A neural network can learn tasks largely on its own by analyzing vast amounts of data. Using the technology, Dr. Kang Zhang, chief of ophthalmic genetics at the University of California, San Diego, has built systems that can analyze eye scans for hemorrhages, lesions and other signs of diabetic blindness. Ideally, such systems would serve as a first line of defense, screening patients and pinpointing those who need further attention. Now Dr. Zhang and his colleagues have created a system that can diagnose an even wider range of conditions by recognizing patterns in text, not just in medical images. This may augment what doctors can do on their own, he said. In some situations, physicians cannot consider all the possibilities, he said. This system can spot-check and make sure the physician didnt miss anything. The experimental system analyzed the electronic medical records of nearly 600,000 patients at the Guangzhou Women and Childrens Medical Center in southern China, learning to associate common medical conditions with specific patient information gathered by doctors, nurses and other technicians. A bakery chain from France, with more than 500 outlets , has arrived in New York. The chain, Marie Blachere bakery and cafe, makes its debut with a branch in Great Neck this week, and an outpost to open in Greenwich Village, at 301-303 Avenue of the Americas (Carmine Street), in early March. The company, which started 35 years ago as a market stall in Avignon, began opening bakeries in 2004 and takes particular pride in its baguettes. It bakes other items youd expect, like croissants, brioches and fruit tarts, and some you might not, like muffins and doughnuts made strictly for the American market. Sandwiches and pizza are also served in the new large, airy store, with tables and a working bakery. As for why this New York suburb, Christophe Besnard, the international director, said: The founder thought Great Neck had potential; there was nothing like this in Great Neck. Boulangerie Marie Blachere, 550 Middle Neck Road (Brokaw Lane), Great Neck, N.Y., 516-487-0864, marie-blachere.com. Follow NYT Food on Twitter and NYT Cooking on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. Get regular updates from NYT Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice. How big is the drop? The average refund of $1,865 was 8.4 percent smaller than the average refund in the period last year, Reuters reports, citing figures from the I.R.S. Heather Long of the WaPo adds that the number of people receiving a refund has fallen by nearly 25 percent so far. (The I.R.S. warns not to read too much into the figures, because this is just part of the data a result of delayed processing due to the government shutdown.) Why is this happening? Its not actually a sign that Americans are paying more in taxes. People generally got a piece of their tax cut last year gradually in the form of lower withholding on their paychecks, Joseph Rosenberg of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center told the WaPo. People are angry nonetheless. The WaPo reports: People have already taken to social media, using the hashtag #GOPTaxScam, to vent their anger. Many blame President Trump and the Republicans for shrinking refunds. Some on Twitter even said they wouldnt vote for Trump again after seeing their refunds slashed. The next unicorns are boring, and thats O.K. The last class of tech companies that gained valuations of over $1 billion, including Uber and Airbnb, remade entire industries. Dont expect the next wave to be nearly as flashy, according to Erin Griffith of the NYT. Who are they? They have names like Benchling, Checkr and Zola, and many create software for specific industries including data analysis systems for farmers and background checks for gig workers. Why arent they as exciting as their predecessors? Ms. Griffith points out that Uber, Airbnb and their peers built global empires by simply taking existing businesses like taxis, food delivery and hotels and making them mobile. Easy opportunities to disrupt traditional businesses have dried up, forcing new companies to find smaller niches. But dont underestimate their potential. Maybe its not as sexy as the companies in the first wave, the venture capitalist Kirsten Green conceded to the NYT. But Anand Sanwal of the data provider CB Insights said they were still growing fast, adding, If you are one of those high-momentum companies, investors are going to be beating down your door because there is so much interest in investing in the next big winner. U.S. on course for another partial government shutdown Bipartisan negotiations to avert a shutdown by a deadline of this Friday have broken down. Congressional Democrats and Republicans had hoped to be finalizing an agreement by now. But they have largely stopped communicating about a compromise that would keep the government open while allocating some money for border security and barriers. The sticking point: Talks collapsed over Democrats effort to force Immigration and Customs Enforcement to limit the number of beds in its detention centers to 16,500 by focusing on detaining migrants with criminal records instead of people who have overstayed their visas. Behind the scenes: President Trump vowed to build his promised wall one way or the other, and officials are in what one described as a surreal scramble to map how he might declare a national emergency to do so. One proposal is to claim that the wall would be built to protect the thousands of troops now operating near the border or deploying there soon. 1. President Trump took his case for a wall to El Paso, where there is one. His rally was his first event along the border since a debate over funding a wall shut down the government. Negotiations to head off another shutdown appeared to be close to succeeding on Monday night. In a twist of political theater, Beto ORourke, below, a former Democratic congressman from El Paso and possible presidential candidate, spoke at a rally less than a mile from Mr. Trumps. Who has the right to a childhood? In 2014, there was a surge in unaccompanied children at the United States-Mexico border 80,000 children, including infants and toddlers, were detained in less than a year, most of them from Central America. They had traveled on trails littered with human remains, evading ranchers who had taken to hunting migrants for sport. By some estimates, 80 percent of the girls and women had been raped as they passed through Mexico. Countless others died or vanished along the way. The Mexican-born novelist Valeria Luiselli closely followed this news, struck by how the language used to describe the children illegals, aliens so efficiently dehumanized them. Many were fleeing gang violence in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. Luiselli wondered why no one called them refugeesor even just children. She began volunteering as a court interpreter, helping the children with the intake questionnaire that might establish a case for asylum, and has since written two books inspired by that work. [ Read our profile of Valeria Luiselli. ] In Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay in 40 Questions (2017), she interspersed the experiences of the children with her own, as she applied for a green card. Lost Children Archive, her much-anticipated new novel, and her first written in English, stages the questions she had only posed in her previous book: How best to draw attention to the refugee children and is it even her story to tell? Is it ever defensible to make art out of someone elses suffering? If so, how on earth to keep it from turning pious and dully moralizing? These are the signal concerns of much contemporary fiction, as Western writers have begun cautiously responding to the refugee crisis, typically with careful and complex fictional portraits of migrant characters: see Donal Ryans From a Low and Quiet Sea, Lisa Hallidays Asymmetry, Jenny Erpenbecks Go, Went, Gone. A powerful documentary set in rural Alabama is on PBS. And the crime series White Dragon is available to stream on Amazon. Whats on TV HALE COUNTY THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING (2018) 10 p.m. on PBS (check local listings); rent on iTunes. This Oscar-nominated debut feature by RaMell Ross was made out of 1,300 hours of footage filmed over five years. It documents the lives of two young black men, Daniel Collins and Quincy Bryant, in Hale County, Ala., with an innovative cinematic approach. The critic A. O. Scott of The New York Times named it one of the best movies of 2018, and wrote that Ross glimpses arresting, at times almost hallucinatory beauty in the rural Alabama landscape, and finds nuances of emotion that grow in intensity over 75 heady minutes. AMERICAN DAD! 10 p.m. on TBS. After a long break, Season 13 returns with a new episode in which Francine (voiced by Wendy Schaal) bulks up to become a bodybuilder after her family calls her a quitter. Ariana Grande didnt attend the Grammys, but that didnt stop her from being at the center of the conversation about and around the ceremony. On Friday she released an album, Thank U, Next, and a hot-button video for a new single, Break Up With Your Girlfriend, Im Bored. And throughout Sunday, she found several ways some earnest, some petty to stay at the forefront of online discussion. When she won best pop vocal album, for Sweetener, she wrote on Twitter, I try not to put too much weight into these things, conceding, this is wild and beautiful. She appeared in a psychedelically disorienting commercial for Apples Memoji, with an animated Grande head performing 7 Rings. When Cardi B won best rap album, Grande fired off a couple of frustrated tweets; her ex-boyfriend, Mac Miller, who died last year, was a nominee. (She later apologized and deleted all of the tweets.) And she posted several photos of herself in the custom Zac Posen dress she was going to wear during the ceremony. [Who soared and who flopped? See the best and worst of the Grammys.] This wasnt the Grammy experience Grande was planning to have. Up until a couple of days ago, she was slated to perform on the broadcast, a plan that imploded in spectacular fashion. HELSINKI An Israeli Holocaust historian praised authorities in Finland on Sunday for publishing a report that concluded Finnish volunteers serving with Nazi Germanys Waffen-SS very likely took part in World War II atrocities, including the mass murder of Jews. Efraim Zuroff of the Simon Wiesenthal Center lauded the release of the findings by the National Archives of Finland, even if doing so was painful and uncomfortable for Finland. Mr. Zuroff called the decision an example of unique and exemplary civic courage. Finlands government commissioned the independent investigative report, which was made public Friday. It said 1,408 Finnish volunteers served with the SS Panzer Division Wiking during 1941-43, most of them between the ages of 17 and 20. It is very likely that they participated in the killing of Jews, other civilians and prisoners of war as part of the German SS troops, said Jussi Nuorteva, director general of the National Archives, referring to the volunteers. MEXICO CITY Yazmin Morales recalls weeping with rage after an encounter four years ago in the book-lined study of her countrys most respected statesman. Oscar Arias Sanchez, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former Costa Rican president, had pinned her against a door, she says, forcibly kissing and groping her. Until last week, Ms. Morales kept the episode to herself. But after another woman came forward to file a criminal complaint against the former president alleging sexual assault, Ms. Morales summoned the courage to add her voice. Ms. Morales, a former Miss Costa Rica, wanted a powerful criminal lawyer to represent her. She called one, then another. After a third also refused to take her case, she decided to act alone. Accompanied only by her half sister, she, too, filed a criminal complaint against Mr. Arias. The case of Mr. Arias, who now faces accusations of sexual assault or misconduct from at least nine women, is emerging as the most significant of the #MeToo era in Latin America. For those who need a refresher, here is a brief history of the Trail of Tears: What is the Trail of Tears? In the 1830s, federal and state officials forced thousands of Native Americans from their land in the southeastern United States, including Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. The forced relocation affected thousands of Cherokees, as well as the Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Seminole tribes, among others. The Native people were forced out of their homes and put in internment camps before they were pushed westward to designated Indian Territory, in present-day Oklahoma, according to the Trail of Tears Association, a nonprofit that works to preserve the historic trail and promote awareness. Some 15,000 Native people died during the journey from exposure, malnutrition, exhaustion and disease, including about 4,000 Cherokees. Its a terribly tragic event in Cherokee history and looms large, said Jace Weaver, the director of the Institute of Native American Studies at the University of Georgia, who has studied the Cherokee removal. What led to the forced relocation? In the early 1800s, the federal government made an agreement with Georgia to remove all Native Americans from the state. But little was done to enforce it immediately, according to Dr. Weaver. Then, in 1829, gold was discovered on Cherokee land in northern Georgia, which ramped up efforts to dislodge the Cherokees, according to the Trail of Tears Association. Around the same time, Andrew Jackson became president and began to aggressively pursue a policy of relocating Native populations, the association said. Jackson signed into law the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which authorized the government to relocate Indian tribes in exchange for unsettled territory in the west. Its no longer just the Mueller investigation, Ms. Warren said. Theyre everywhere and these are serious investigations, so well see what happens. In addition to the investigation by Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel, into Russian interference in the 2016 election, there are continuing investigations spearheaded by federal prosecutors in New York and by the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives. Mr. Trump has denied any wrongdoing related to the 2016 campaign and Russia, and there is no indication that the president himself could be indicted or incarcerated before the 2020 election. Ms. Warrens remark was an unusually blunt jab at Mr. Trump, from a candidate who has largely declined to spar personally with the president since her entry into the 2020 race. Mr. Trump has repeatedly ridiculed Ms. Warren, often in personal terms and with racist slurs, for having in the past identified herself as having Native American ancestry. Ms. Warren recently apologized to the Cherokee Nation for having done so. On Saturday, Mr. Trump appeared to invoke the Trail of Tears, the infamously cruel forced relocation of Native Americans in the early 19th century that caused thousands of deaths, when he mocked Ms. Warren on Twitter: See you on the campaign TRAIL, Liz. Ms. Warren did not refer explicitly to the Twitter post on Sunday. [For those who need a refresher, here is a brief history of the Trail of Tears.] Aside from the imprisonment crack, Ms. Warren spent little time in Iowa discussing Mr. Trumps legal issues and caustic persona. She played down talk of impeachment and stressed to reporters that she was focused on structural problems that were broken long before Donald Trump got here. If our American partners suspend their participation in the I.N.F. treaty, so will we, he said on Feb. 2. And if they start working on new weapons, so will we. Its unlikely the treaty will be revived, given the deterioration of Russian-American relations, despite Mr. Trumps promises of warmer ties and a coziness that has drawn the scrutiny of the special counsel Robert Mueller. The pacts imminent collapse has intensified concerns that the United States and Russia will let the 2010 New Start agreement, with its caps on deployed nuclear warheads, intercontinental ballistic missiles and heavy bombers, as well as requirements for verification and data exchanges, expire in 2021. (Start stands for Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.) Absent an extension or a new treaty, the nuclear arsenals will become unregulated meaning there will be no legally binding, verifiable limits on the American or Russian nuclear arsenals for the first time since 1972. Adding to the uncertainty, Mr. Putin has warned that Russia is developing new invincible hypersonic missiles that will travel at more than five times the speed of sound. The United States, meanwhile, is developing a new conventionally armed intermediate-range missile that could one day be deployed in Europe. By the end of the year , Washington may be ready to field a low-yield nuclear weapon that could make it easier to use nuclear weapons without courting Armageddon. Last month , Mr. Trump threatened to unsettle the nuclear landscape even further by promising to reinvent American missile defenses, a quixotic vision reminiscent of President Ronald Reagans unfulfilled Star Wars program. Mr. Reagan appreciated the dangers of nuclear war and the value of negotiated agreements that could reduce weapons. The New Start numbers can go even lower. It has been over seven years since the two powers held serious nuclear arms reductions talks. The United States, its allies, even the Russians will be less safe if that process atrophies. Want to fall effortlessly into profound slumber and sleep like a baby? Everyone knows that infants can be lulled to sleep by gentle rocking. Well, now it seems that what works for babies works for adults, too. New research shows that a slow rocking motion not only improves sleep but also can help people consolidate memories overnight. And this, in turn, tells us something interesting about how much the brain is affected by what seem to be purely physical interventions. Scientists at the University of Geneva in Switzerland studied 18 healthy young adults while they slept in the lab for two nights. One night they slept in regular stationary beds; another night they slept in beds that gently rocked from side to side all night. The order of the rocking and stationary nights was randomized, so that each person served as his or her own control. The researchers found that rocking caused the subjects to fall asleep more quickly and increased their amount of slow-wave deep sleep, a phase of sleep that is associated with feeling refreshed and rested upon waking. They also experienced fewer periods of spontaneous arousal. This was true despite the fact that they were already good sleepers. Rocking did not affect the duration of rapid eye movement or dream sleep. President Trump has announced a second summit with North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un, in Hanoi, Vietnam, later this month. After their first meeting in June in Singapore, Mr. Trump declared that he and Mr. Kim fell in love. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. Mr. Putin suggested then that Russia was rethinking the treaty, because other countries like North Korea, South Korea, India, Iran and Pakistan, as he claimed, possessed missiles banned by the treaty but were not party to it. It is obvious that in these conditions we must think about ensuring our own security, he said. A day later, Russias defense minister, Sergei Ivanov, called the I.N.F. Treaty a relic of the Cold War that will not last forever. The same month, Gen. Yuri Baluyevsky, chief of Russias General Staff, asserted that a party to the treaty could withdraw if it provides convincing evidence that it is necessary to do so, adding we have such evidence at present. That same year, Russia unsuccessfully sought a global I.N.F. Treaty that all countries would be party to, and submitted a formal proposal to the 2008 Conference on Disarmament. Russian sentiment coincided with discussions held with senior Bush administration officials. Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates wrote in his memoir that in his first meeting with then-Minister Ivanov, the minister stated that Russia wanted to withdraw from the treaty. Despite Russias feelers, starting in 2004, about scuttling its international obligations, the United States has remained committed to the I.N.F. Treaty across three presidential administrations, valuing the treatys contributions to international security. For over five years, in more than 30 discussions and six experts meetings, the United States tried without success to engage Russia in a productive dialogue on its violations of the treaty. Still, Russia continues to deny it is in violation and instead disingenuously claims that the United States is independently seeking to leave the treaty. Nothing could be further from the truth. What is true is this: Starting over a decade ago, and having failed to mutually end or globalize the I.N.F. Treaty, Russia decided to start covert development of a system that would violate the treaty. By now, it has developed and deployed missiles with the capacity to strike targets within the treatys distance limits and threaten locations in Europe and Asia. I have seen the argument that the end of the I.N.F. Treaty is the beginning of a new arms race, and that it is better to have a treaty with Russia than nothing at all. Let me be very clear: A treaty cannot exist when one side complies and the other does not. And we are not talking about a handful of violating missiles. Russia has already fielded several battalions of 9M729 missiles. They all favor policies to lift incomes and reduce living costs for the middle class and poor. They all favor tax increases on the rich. They all favor climate action, voting rights and expanded Medicare. Most voters understand that choosing a candidate with modestly different ideas about how to achieve these goals isnt much of a sacrifice. So if Democrats wanted to identify their best hope for beating Trump, what would that candidate look like? Above all, it would be a candidate good at persuading Americans that he or she was on their side on their side against the forces causing the stagnation of American living standards. More specifically, this candidate would be someone who could persuade swing voters of this allegiance. Swing voters still exist. Enough Americans switched from backing Barack Obama in 2012 to Donald Trump in 2016 to House Democrats in 2018 to help decide those elections. I understand why some Democratic activists are instead drawn to the idea of victory through turnout: It offers the promise of avoiding any political compromise. The problem is, there are virtually no examples of Democrats winning close races without emphasizing persuasion. The 2018 attempts, in Florida, Georgia and Texas, all fell short. Yet progressives shouldnt despair because swing voters are quite progressive, especially on economic issues. For years, weve been hearing about a kind of fantasy swing voter, conjured by political pundits and corporate chieftains, who is socially liberal and economically conservative (as many pundits and chieftains are). The actual swing voter leans decidedly left on economics, in favor of tax increases on the rich, opposed to Medicare cuts and skeptical of big business. MONTGOMERY, Ala. On Thursday, Alabama executed Domineque Ray in what would have been, under normal circumstances, the conclusion of a largely ignored death penalty case. Mr. Rays case is noteworthy, though, for what transpired in the final days of his life and what it means for religious liberty in Alabama, and in America. Mr. Ray was a Muslim. The state had accommodated his faith during his many years on death row, and he believed that accommodation would continue at his execution. But in January the warden told him that only prison workers could be present at the moment of execution ; since the prison employed solely Christian chaplains, they were his only option. Mr. Ray objected to this arrangement as a violation of his religious liberty, and the case ended up with the Supreme Court. On Wednesday, the court ruled that Mr. Ray did not make the request for his imam in a timely fashion, and that the execution was to proceed. The court has been widely criticized for its ruling. What has gone largely unnoticed, but is in fact much more disturbing, is what Alabama did while the Ray case made its way through the courts: To further protect itself from Mr. Rays challenge, the state indicated it would end the practice of having a chaplain or spiritual adviser in the death chamber altogether. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo lashed out at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in a wide-ranging speech last week, criticizing the agency he effectively controls for its inefficiency and outdated technology. Though the thrust of Mr. Cuomos speech pushed for congestion pricing, he took particular aim at the transit authority for its decision-making related to cleaning subway stations. My favorite M.T.A. decision because you have to laugh, otherwise you cry is the one they made to pick a product to clean the subway stations, Mr. Cuomo said Thursday, accompanied by a photoshopped image of a man cleaning the floor of a subway station. What product did they pick? Tide. Yes, the same Tide detergent you use at home to wash your clothes. If its got to be clean, its got to be Tide. Mr. Cuomos criticism, however, did not seem to register with some riders. The New York Times spoke to nearly two dozen riders on Sunday, none of whom were aware of Mr. Cuomos comments. The basic thing is, because the killing of the fetus is the same act as the killing of the mother, even though they were separate charges under the old law, you couldnt get more than 25 to life, he said. Prosecutors said surveillance video inside Ms. Irigoyens building in Ridgewood showed Mr. Hobson dragging his former girlfriend out of her third-floor apartment to a stairwell, where he stabbed her several times in the torso, neck and abdomen. She later died at a hospital. Mr. Hobson surrendered to the 104th Precinct on Friday morning with his defense lawyer, Steven J. Questore, who said his client is committed to facing the murder charge against him. He would not discuss specifics of the case or say whether Mr. Hobson intended to fight the charge or plead guilty. Regardless of the charges, Mr. Alonso said, it is unlikely that anyone who commits violence against pregnant women will get off easy. Prosecutors have never gone easy on guys who killed pregnant women, he said, and neither have judges. Abortion charges are rare in New York. Last year, only one person was charged with the crime, according to the governors office. Prosecutors rarely used the charge because it did not add anything to the prosecution of a case, officials said. In the case from last year, the police said Oscar Alvarez stabbed his 26-week-pregnant fiancee six times in the abdomen with a kitchen knife on May 22, 2017, after accusing her of infidelity. He then held her hostage for at least 30 minutes. Whether we like country or rap or rock, music helps us share ourselves, our dignity and sorrows, our hopes and joys. It allows us to hear one another, to invite each other in. Music shows us that all of it matters every story within every voice, every note within every song. Is that right ladies? she said as many in the crowd remained standing. The moment could not have come at a better time for the show. Last year, the event, which has struggled to stay relevant, came under fire for a statement made by Neil Portnow, the chief executive of the Recording Academy. Women in music should step up to advance their careers, he had said. The academy has since changed its membership and nominations process in efforts to address underlying problems of inequality. On Sunday night, the women onstage with Obama spoke about how music gave them a space to explore who they are. They said I was weird, that my look, my choices, my sound, that it wouldnt work, Lady Gaga said. But music told me not to listen to them. Music took my ears, took my hands, my voice and my soul, and it led me to all of you and to my Little Monsters who I love so much. Next, Pinkett Smith spoke. We express our pain, power, progress through music whether were creating it, or just appreciating it, she said. But heres what I know: Every voice we hear deserves to be honored and respected. Thank you for reading The Cascadia Advocate, the Northwest Progressive Institutes journal of world, national, and local politics. Founded in March of 2004, The Cascadia Advocate has been helping people throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond make sense of current events with rigorous analysis and thought-provoking commentary for more than fifteen years. The Cascadia Advocate is funded by readers like you and trusted sponsors. We dont run ads or publish content in exchange for money. Help us keep The Cascadia Advocate editorially independent and freely available to all by becoming a member of the Northwest Progressive Institute today. Or make a donation to sustain our essential research and advocacy journalism. Your contribution will allow us to continue bringing you features like Last Week In Congress, live coverage of events like Netroots Nation or the Democratic National Convention, and reviews of books and documentary films. Become an NPI member Make a one-time donation EAST CHICAGO Despite disclosing to the EPA last year that industrial and commercial developers were interested in the contaminated West Calumet Housing Complex, Mayor Anthony Copeland said he now stands with residents' calls for new housing there. In a Sept. 10 letter to EPA Region 5 Administrator Cathy Stepp, Copeland said he envisioned industrial and commercial development in the footprint of the demolished public housing site, and housing developments in the two neighborhoods to the east being cleared of lead and arsenic contaminants. But on Thursday, the mayor released a five-page letter to the public, addressed to the EPA, in which he sides with community groups and residents. For months, many in the community have urged EPA to go with a $48.8 million cleanup plan that would reach depths of clean native sand, and the material would be disposed off-site. The most contaminated soil would be treated using chemical stabilization. The small center, located at 154 S. Illinois St., houses an average of 100 cats at one time, and thats on the low side, Duca said. Last year the organization had 297 cats, 95 percent of which were adults. As more cats come in with medical issues or as a result of pet owners not spaying and neutering, the space becomes even more limited and there are times the center has turned away cats. A lot of people are realizing that we take the medical cases and so we're tagged constantly all day long on Facebook or we get phone calls. We wish we could take every cat that needed a home, Duca said. Right now we're in the situation where, because we have so many, the only ones we are accepting is the ones that are injured off the streets. If it's just an average stray, I can't. I don't have the space or the capacity to do it. Because of that, the Feline Community Network will be moving into a larger building in May. The new location, nearly triple the size of the current building, will be at 1601 W. 37th Ave. in New Chicago. HIGHLAND Diane Goodman was at Walgreens buying groceries and medicine for her sick mother in the hospital when she got the text. One of my sons friends mom asked if we were OK, the 45-year-old mother said. I sent back, What are you talking about? Her apartment complex, the home where she had lived with her son for the past four years, was on fire. Goodman immediately called apartment management, looking for answers on the condition of her apartment, which was on the north side of the complex. They didnt have much to tell her. It was still burning at the time. All I was told was that I am not allowed to go near it until later Monday or Tuesday because there is still an investigation and a lot of unanswered questions, Goodman said Sunday. Goodman was at Lincoln Street Christian Church where she, along with her sister, gathered clothes and toiletries donated to the church for the 45 people displaced by the apartment fire at the 9500 block of Hampton Drive. A total of 24 apartments in the 25-unit building were damaged in the fire. The updated plans for the proposed interior renovation of the pavilion at the Indiana Dunes State Park were posted online Monday by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. No one from the DNR was readily available for comment Monday afternoon, but a note on the website explains the plans were reviewed and approved by the National Park Service. The plans are accompanied by the correspondence with the NPS. "We continue to welcome your questions and suggestions for ensuring that great visitor experiences continue to be provided for both beachgoers and users of the Pavilion services and the banquet center," according to the DNR. The DNR invites input and/or questions at DunesPavilion@dnr.IN.gov. Dunes Action, an organization opposed to the present plans for renovations to the pavilion, had called in September for a new public hearing on the project. VALPARAISO A 58-year-old Lake Eliza man charged with molesting two young girls reportedly told police he had been molested and "has the evil thoughts non-stop." "I'm a sicko ... I have mental problems," Robert Lintner reportedly told police. Lintner is charged with four counts of child molesting two involving intercourse or other sexual conduct and two involving touching the girls according to charging documents. The offenses allegedly occurred between Jan. 1, 2017 and Friday. The allegations came to light Thursday when a woman witnessed Lintner "doing 'sexual things' to a 4 year old," according to charging documents. Lintner reportedly told police the woman walked in on him in a state of undress with the girl, but said he had crawled under the bed to retrieve a cigarette and his pants snagged on a bed spring and were pulled down to his thighs and he was not wearing underwear. The girl was in the process of pulling her pants up at the same time, he told police. He later told police he had molested the girl, but just on the day in question, according to court documents. He then reportedly admitted to molesting her weekly. VALPARAISO A 15-year-old Valparaiso-area girl told police she was fondled and possibly raped after being slipped a drug by a homeless man her parents knew and took in from the cold for the past month. Robert Yates, 33, is charged with a felony count of sexual misconduct with a minor. A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf during an initial hearing Monday morning and his bond was set at $25,000 cash. Porter Superior Court Judge Jeffery Clymer said the amount of the bond is based on the harm alleged to others and Yates' flight risk. Yates began staying at the house in early January, and a week later, showed up at the girl's bedside at night, reached under her covers and began grabbing her in a sexual manner causing pain, police said. The same type of touching repeatedly occurred during the week of Jan. 28 through Feb. 1 when the Valparaiso schools were out of session because of the weather, police said. The girl's parents were away at work. The girl said she was watching a movie in her room on the night of Feb. 1 when Yates brought her chocolate milk, according to police. After drinking the milk, the girl said she felt dizzy and ill, and woke up with pain indicating to her she had been raped, police said. MICHIGAN CITY Five juveniles face charges stemming from an alleged armed robbery of a pizza delivery person Sunday night. The employee of Domino's Pizza was making a delivery in the 700 block of E. 10th Street shortly before 7 p.m. when he was approached by multiple juveniles, police said. One of the juveniles displayed a handgun and demanded cash, police said. The juveniles made off with money and food. Police said they tracked the juveniles through the snow to a nearby residence where the gun and other evidence were recovered. Four of the juveniles - three males and one female - face a charge of armed robbery. One of the males is 16 and two are 15, and the female is 14, police said. The fifth juvenile, who is 16, faces a charge of resisting law enforcement. Anyone with additional information about the case is encouraged to called Detective Cpl. Painter at 219-874-3221, extension 1077. Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Jonah Goldbergs new book, Suicide of the West, is now available wherever books are sold. Email: goldbergcolumn@gmail.com From his music, itd be easy to assume that Ben Kweller is a positive, upbeat individual. While this remains true today, the Texas-based indie-rocker found himself in a rather dark place not too long ago. Back in 2013, Kweller and his family were vacationing up in the mountains of New Mexico. The trip was initially supposed to be a wondrous winter getaway. What it wound up being, however, was an utter nightmare. We were all sleeping, and Liz [his wife] woke up in the middle of the night, Kweller recalls. She was like, Ben, get up. Somethings wrong. I stood up and collapsed to the ground. Kweller continues, The ambulance finally arrives, and were all outside in the snow. Right away, they were like, It must be carbon monoxide. They [eventually] said, You guys are so lucky. Your levels are so high that you were 15 minutes from not waking up. We were just like, What the fuck man. After going through this near-death experience with his wife and two sons, Kweller was absolutely rattled. It was just the worst eye-opening experience ever, he says. It was a major changing point for me emotionally. Upon returning home from the hospital, his life took a complete 180 for a while. I called my booking agent, publicist, and everybody else and said, Cancel everything. Im done. I just need to be home with my family, Kweller says. They were super cool about that, so I just stayed home. During this down time, one thing did remain the same for Kweller. Songwriting has been the one thing thats always been there for me, ever since I was 8 years old, Kweller says. Its my oldest friend. Having that gave me little sparks of joy here and there. Over time, he began amassing a collection of tunes (admitting some wound up being emod-out death songs). During this time, another very unfortunate thing happened in his life. My friend Anton Yelchin died suddenly, and that fully shook me, Kweller says. It reawakened everything that I dealt with of almost dying but being spared. Ultimately, though, Yelchins death wound up having a positive affect on Kweller. [I loved] his drive for creation and making art, Kweller says. With him going away, I was like, Okay dude. You need to get your shit together and make art again because thats why youre here. So after many years away, Kweller decided it was time to emerge from the darkness. Still with no official release date, his forthcoming album will be titled Circuit Boredom. On Friday, Feb. 8, Kweller released the albums first singlea raucous garage-rock track called "Heart Attack Kid." When he visits Indianapolis for a show at HI-FI on Wednesday, Feb. 13, fans can likely expect to hear more cuts from the record as well. There isnt one real hard and fast theme [with Circuit Boredom], Kweller says. My gauge was What do I want to perform night after night? So a lot of it is more anthemic and fun. It could be dark, but youll have the Kweller optimism that people know. All in all, the 37-year-old just looks forward to getting out in front of his fans again. There have been a lot of fans that have been wondering where I went and what happened, Kweller says. Im excited to reconnect with them. Thats really the big thing [with this tour]. Two men were publicly executed in Yemen after being convicted of raping a 12-year-old boy and killing him. Wadeh Refat, 28, and Mohamed Khaled, 31, were shot to death in the city of Aden on Feb. 7. Pictures from the scene showed the men standing in the middle of a crowd, waiting. At one point, Dr. Saleh Mohamed Hussein, a local doctor and official, gave them water to drink. They eventually were forced to lay face-down. Two executioners with guns shot them multiple times as the crowd watched. Hundreds of people were said to gather for the execution, which took place after the mens crimes were read aloud. According to court documents, Refat and Khaled spotted the boy playing near one of their houses and grabbed him, forcing him into the home before raping him. Warning: Videos contain scenes that may be disturbing to some, but do not show the execution. Yemen: The execution of the death sentence against the Mujaasbi and killers of the child Mohamed Baroudi and the carry out of the sentence in a public place, Aden.07-02-2019 pic.twitter.com/KSKSQ2XoJm Rowan Van Dijk (@Lastkombo) February 8, 2019 Yemen: The execution of the death sentence against the Mujaasbi and killers of the child Mohamed Baroudi and the carry out of the sentence in a public place, Aden.07-02-2019 pic.twitter.com/LQ0Yoa809S Rowan Van Dijk (@Lastkombo) February 8, 2019 After the rape, they could not silence the cries of the child, who begged for help, so one of them grabbed a knife and slit his throat, officials stated in the documents, which were obtained by El Mundo. A 33-year-old woman was also sentenced to death in the case, for being convicted of helping the men dismember the boys body, but her execution has been put on hold as she is currently pregnant. Public executions are not uncommon in Yemen, which is one of a number of Middle Eastern countries where Islamic Sharia law is applied. Crimes punishable by execution include murder, rape, and blasphemy. The latest execution was condemned by human rights groups. Public execution is an even more grotesque violation of human rights, particularly in a country where the ability of the accused to obtain adequate legal representation and the coverage of the process is highly limited, said Sarah Leah Whitson, Human Rights Watch director, in a statement. A bullet in the back for raping a boy Daily Mail 201928 Expanding on the view in response to backlash on Twitter, Whitson added: The death penalty is always wrong, no matter how heinous the offense. And sadly little trust in the due process guarantees and capacities of Yemen judiciary. Human Rights Watch opposes capital punishment in all casesthe inherent dignity of the person cannot be squared w the death penalty, a form of punishment unique in its cruelty & finality. It is a punishment inevitably & universally plagued w arbitrariness, prejudice, and error, she said. The death penalty is always wrong, no matter how heinous the offense. And sadly little trust in the due process guarantees and capacities of Yemen judiciary. https://t.co/FlIbOgyFoA Sarah Leah Whitson (@sarahleah1) February 8, 2019 While Yemen regularly carries out public executions, in the last year that full statistics were available for, the most known executions took place in China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Pakistan, in that order, according to Amnesty International. China remains the worlds top executionerbut the true extent of the use of the death penalty in China is unknown as this data is classified as a state secret; the global figure of at least 993 recorded in 2017 excludes the thousands of executions believed to have been carried out in China, the group stated. Excluding China, 84 percent of all reported executions took place in just four countriesIran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Pakistan. The OEM OnePlus had previously announced that it would release a 5G phone this year. Today (February 11, 2019), the company has apparently released a confirmation that this device would feature at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) this year. It will showcase the device at Qualcomm's booth during the event. Working For Notebookcheck Are you a techie who knows how to write? Then join our Team! Especially English native speakers welcome! English-Chinese-Translator - Details here A new XDA report has claimed that OnePlus has sent out the word that its first 5G smartphone will be shown off at MWC this year. Participants at this event will apparently be able to experience gaming on a prototype of this phone at a booth run by Qualcomm during the conference. 5G will be facilitated by the chip-maker's new X50 modem, which is to be paired with the Snapdragon 855 (SD) processor. OnePlus' CEO, Pete Lau, had confirmed that his company would release at least one SD 855-powered device this year. On the other hand, it has also been reported that its 5G device and its conventional mid-year flagship, the 7, would be mutually exclusive products this year. Therefore, a possibly one-off OnePlus phone will be featured at the Qualcomm MWC booth (to be located in Hall 3, Stand 3E10 at the Barcelona center) this year. OnePlus has also apparently stated that visitors to its demonstration may also have a chance to grab a limited-edition badge pin. Working with all major internet providers in the country, Russian authorities are planning an interesting - and quite disturbing - experiment that involves disconnecting all local users from the internet. The purpose of this experiment is to get feedback and maybe provide modifications to a law proposed back in December 2018. Working For Notebookcheck Are you a techie who knows how to write? Then join our Team! Especially English native speakers welcome! English-Chinese-Translator - Details here Censorship aside, being able to disconnect an entire country from the world wide web could be very helpful in some extreme situations for example, if a global-scale cyber-attack is taking place. Back in December 2018, the Russian Parliament started discussing a law about the independence of the local internet space. Now, the time has already arrived to take the proposed approach for a spin. According to the first draft of the aforementioned law, the Runet should be able to work without any connection to the rest of the internet if needed. Russian telecom companies are also required to come up with the technical means to re-route all local internet traffic to exchange points that have been previously approved or are also managed by Roskomnazor, the country's Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media. Once the test will start, Roskomnazor will process the traffic and will block prohibited content, making sure that all traffic between Russian users will not be re-routed through foreign servers that could be vulnerable to attacks. There is no official date for this test yet, but it is expected to take place before the end of March. April 1 is the deadline for submitting amendments to the law, which is known as the Digital Economy National Program. This project is not entirely new, as the Russian authorities have been planning to make this happen for a while. Back in 2017, local officials unveiled that the government is planning to route locally no less than 95 percent of all Russian traffic by 2020. The local backup of the Domain Name System was tested back in 2014, with another major test being performed last year. Napoleon, OH (43545) Today Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 87F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Cloudy during the evening. A few showers developing late. Low around 70F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Downtown North Augusta runs from the Savannah River through Riverside Village up Georgia Avenue to Calhoun Park and stretches a block or two over to the east and west. OU Sooners Without Borders members pose for a photo last year during a Spring Break trip to the Pine Ridge South Dakota Indian reservation. Many of the same students will travel to Puerto Rico this year to work on homes damaged by Hurricane Maria in 2017. On his drive home, Block hit a bump in the road. It sent the car into a ditch, where it rolled several times. The roof of the car caved in. Block had broken his neck. When he woke up from a coma, he was paralyzed from the neck down. After about a month, he regained feeling in his right foot. He could wiggle his toes. Feeling started to creep up his body, leaving him with a painful pins-and-needles sensation as it returned. He worked his way up to using wheelchairs and then standing on his own. By the time Block was discharged, he was able to walk out wearing a brace on his leg, supported by his parents and a cane. Twenty years after his injury, Block was able to walk unaided. He held a job selling medical supplies in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. In 2009, he was preparing for a work trip to Omaha. He was shuffling boxes around the garage and loading the car when he tripped. His head hit the car. He felt a shock, kind of a zinger, go through his body. When things didnt get better, Block drove himself to the emergency room. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Doctors told him he had a spinal cord injury. The congregation used to do its own links with crank stuffers, but they were never uniform and the casings were hard to tie. Everything is the same size, Ross said. It works perfect. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} After its returned from Stoysich, the meat is smoked and then cooked on Saturday. Ross is happy to share some details, but not the mix of spices that makes the mettwurst one of a kind. Only the Schoening family of Mineola knows the ingredients. Its a holdover from those days when families each winter made their own unique sausage. We always know theyll be there, Ross said. Everyone from age 8 to 80 makes something, too. Biermann grinds the rye seed and members of the congregation both men and women take it home and turn it into bread. The cabbage is bought at Russs and cooked overnight with feather bones for the kraut. On the day of the feast, more than 60 people arrive to cook meat and potatoes, cut up the pies and bread and serve as waiters and waitresses. Thats the best part, Ross said. The New Orleans Saints tendered several of their exclusive rights free agents Monday (Feb. 11), bringing back defensive back Justin Hardee, offensive lineman Cameron Tom, linebacker Vincent Biegel and long snapper Zach Wood on one-year contracts worth $645,000. As exclusive rights free agents, those players could only negotiate with the Saints. Hardee joined the Saints as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Illinois in 2017. The former college wide receiver switched to defensive back as a pro, but his most significant impact has come via his contributions on special teams. He led the Saints in each of the last two seasons with eight special teams tackles and has also caught a fake punt pass and blocked a punt. Only three Saints players saw more than Hardees 273 special teams snaps last season. Delvin Breaux signs new contract with former (and current) team Tom joined the Saints as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Southern Miss in 2017 and saw the field for the first time this past season, playing in 11 games and starting the Saints Week 17 contest against Carolina. Tom was an all-Conference USA college center, but he can play all three interior offensive line positions. The Saints signed Biegel to the practice squad after the Packers, who used a fourth-round pick in the 2017 draft to select him out of Wisconsin, waived him at the end of training camp. New Orleans brought Biegel up to the active roster by Week 3, and he played 56.3 percent of the Saints special teams snaps in 2018. The Saints signed Wood shortly before the start of the 2017 season, and he has served as the long snapper for each of the last two seasons. New Orleans has two remaining unsigned exclusive rights free agents in running back Daniel Lasco and safety Rickey Jefferson, neither of whom played in 2018 while they recovered from injuries. The chairman of the state board that oversees gambling in Louisiana abruptly resigned from his position Wednesday, the same day he was likely to face questions from a legislative committee about actions he took as a State Police commander in 2019 An advertisement mailer from a grocery store in central Louisiana is receiving backlash on social media after it printed a message about the border wall controversy and posted the ad to Facebook on Wednesday (Feb. 6), according to a KLFY report. The ad from Macs Fresh Market in Alexandria read: "Heaven has a wall, a gate and a strict immigration policy. Hell has open borders. Let that sink in." Many people expressed their distaste over the advertisement in the comments on Facebook, with notes including "how about we build a wall around your store? and We are also checking out your racism and fake religion. Macs Fresh Market owner Reggy McDaniel told KLFY it was a perfect time for the ad because of the current talk about the border wall. The only thing I was shocked about was that its racist, he told KLFY. I have never in my life accused of being a racist. Im 70 years old I havent evolved into one. Other commenters showed their support in the owners decision to post the message. The ad also went viral on Reddit. Read the full KLFY story here. Gov. John Bel Edwards administration spent over $100,000 on a seven-day trip to Israel where the governor and other state officials met with Israeli leaders, talked to cyber-security experts, looked at military installations and visited significant cultural and religious sites. Most of the bill -- $61,000 -- was associated with providing security to the governor while he was traveling, according to documents Louisiana State Police and the Louisiana Economic Development agency provided in response to a public records request. Taking the governors state police security detail to Israel cost $30,489, including $17,305 in overtime alone for three state troopers while abroad. Louisiana Economic Development also paid a private Israeli security firm $31,033 to provide additional protection. State Police spokesman J.B. Slaton said Saturday (Feb. 9) the private security firm was necessary because Israel is a foreign country with heightened risks and Louisiana state troopers are not familiar with the terrain or the particular threats of traveling there. The security company, 3SIXZERO Ltd., has also provided services to the governors of Texas, Tennessee, Colorado, Mississippi, Missouri, Virginia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Iowa and Kansas, according to the company chief executive officers LinkedIn page. Who joined John Bel Edwards on his Israel trip? During Edwards trip, he met with Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and had meetings with the Israel Defense Forces in locations near the Gaza Strip and Syrian Border, two potentially dangerous areas in Israel. Slaton said he couldnt comment on whether the visits to more dangerous areas required heightened protection, because state police cant reveal details about how the governors security detail operates. Edwards and the delegation took several business meetings focused on cybersecurity, energy and water management while in Israel, but also made time for sight-seeing. The group prayed at the Western Wall, toured the Temple Mount and participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Jerusalem Holocaust Museum. The governor also visited the Sea of Galilee and a baptism site on the Jordan River. The governor said that the trip has produced results for Louisiana already. LSUs applied research center is entering a partnership with an Israel-based international network security vendor to pursue cybersecurity endeavors together as a result of talks that took place during the trip, Edwards office said in January. During the trip, the Water Institute of the Gulf, a not-for-profit research center in Baton Rouge, and the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, in Israel, also signed a five-year agreement to conduct research together. The $100,000 the state spent to send officials to Israel covered more than $23,000 in hotel rooms and more than $16,000 in plane tickets for Edwards, Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson, Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne, two people who work for Pierson on international relations, two members of the governors communications staff and three state troopers. 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 Other expenses included a $6,000 reimbursement to the Baton Rouge Area Foundation for providing ground transportation and a $400 meeting room fee paid to the Hilton Hotel in Tel Aviv. Money to cover airport parking fees, airplane wifi access and per diem for meals were also paid out to Pierson, the two other economic development officials and the three state troopers. The $100,000 bill doesnt include the expenses of two other government employees on the trip - Louisiana National Guard Maj. Gen. Glenn Curtis and Jeff Moulton, of the Louisiana Stephenson National Center for Security Research and Training. It is not clear who paid for their travel. First Lady Donna Edwards was also on the mission, but taxpayer dollars werent used to cover her travel costs. The John Bel Edwards for Louisiana Leadership political action committee -- a group set up to financially support the governors reelection campaign -- paid for her trip, according to the governors office. The governor has gone on two other trips abroad in an official capacity since taking office. He and Louisiana Agricultural Commissioner Mike Strain led a delegation to Cuba in 2016, a trip which cost the state $150,000 and included more state government workers. On the other trip, Edwards paid his own way to travel to Vatican City and meet with Pope Francis on human trafficking issues. On that trip, the state spent $15,000 for his state police security detail. Louisiana state government spent more than $150,000 on Cuba trip The Louisiana delegation to Israel, including Edwards, totaled 24 people. In addition to those mentioned above, the group was made up of prominent Baton Rouge business owners and Israel supporters Hans and Donna Sternberg, two representatives from the Port of New Orleans, two officials from the Water Institute of the Gulf, the president and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and a staff member from the National Governors Association. A Tulane University government relations staff member and two reporters, Elizabeth Crisp of The Advocate and Matt Houston of WAFB-TV, were also in the group. Private citizens and those representing nonprofit or media groups were asked to pay their own way. The Associated Press contributed to this report. NEW DELHI - At least 76 people have died in northern India after drinking bootleg liquor, the latest in a series of tragedies caused by illegal alcohol that turned out to be poisonous. The deaths were in two neighboring states, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Tainted liquor has killed at least 36 people since Thursday (Feb. 7) in the Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, said Alok Kumar Pandey, the local administrator. The district is about 130 miles from New Delhi, the nation's capital. The autopsies are not yet complete, Pandey said, and the death toll is likely to rise. Other victims are being treated in local hospitals, and "doctors are trying their best to save their lives." In a neighboring district in Uttarakhand, 32 people died after consuming illegal liquor served to them as part of mourning ritual. Authorities believe the two incidents are linked, with mourners likely having made the journey from Uttar Pradesh to Uttarakhand and brought back liquor to sell. Eight people also died in the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh in an unconnected tragedy in a village in the district of Kushinagar. Residents there drank tainted liquor at a fair organized to celebrate a festival, said Rajeev Narayan Mishra, the district administrator. He began receiving reports of the deaths on Thursday. New Orleans celebrates the Vietnamese New Year 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 Deaths from illicit liquor are common in India, where illegally brewed alcohol is often consumed for reasons including poverty and geographic isolation. Bootleggers have been known to add methanol, a toxic substance used in antifreeze, to such brews; it can also be present because of a mistake in the brewing process. The state government in Uttar Pradesh has made dozens of arrests in the wake of the deaths and suspended local bureaucrats and police officers. "Whoever is responsible will not be spared," said Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, according to a media report. He also announced compensation for relatives of the deceased and those undergoing treatment in hospitals. According to the India's National Crime Records Bureau's latest figures, 1,522 people died from drinking spurious liquor in 2015, nearly all of them men. In 2015, more than 100 people died in Mumbai, India's financial capital, after consuming illegal liquor. The victims were mostly daily-wage laborers who lived in one of the city's slums and who bought small plastic packets of bootleg alcohol for less than 10 cents, according to media reports. It was the worst such tragedy to hit the city in a decade. Another mass poisoning due to bootleg liquor took place in 2011 in the state of West Bengal, where more than 140 people died. Joanna Slater wrote this story, (c) 2019 The Washington Post. Four Louisiana men are among the nearly 400 Southern Baptist church leaders and volunteers who face or have faced sexual misconduct allegations in the past two decades, according to an investigation by the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News. The report estimates 700 victims some as young as 3 years old who have been sexually abused. In the past 20 years, victims accused church leaders of hiding their complaints from the public and allowing the accused to continue working at the church, according to the report. Though most of the accused have been convicted of sex crimes, the San Antonio Express-News found at least 36 pastors, employees and volunteers who reportedly showed predatory behavior were still working in the churches. The newspapers created a database for all of the accused Southern Baptist employees who pleaded guilty or were convicted of sex crimes. Information on each person can be found by searching by name, state or position. Here are the four convicted church leaders in Louisiana, with the information provided on each, according to the database: Holland Farrell McMorris Position: Pastor Angelo Doogie Golatt 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 Position: Youth minister, volunteer James Robert Griffin Position: Associate pastor Jonathan Bailey Position: Youth minister Read the report by San Antonio Express here and search Houston Chronicles database here. Decades of sexual abuse reported as Southern Baptist leaders have rejected reform Chef Michael Uddo, who made his mark on the New Orleans dining scene in the 1990s with G&E Courtyard Grill, died Sunday (Feb. 10). The cause was cancer. He was 59. His twin brother, Mark, confirmed the death. Mr. Uddo, a New Orleans native and a 1978 graduate of De La Salle High School, got his first restaurant job at The Riverbend, owned by his older brother, Peter. Along with his twin brother, Mark, Mr. Uddo learned the restaurant business while still a teenager by first cleaning The Riverbends trash cans. "They were the cleanest garbage cans in the city of New Orleans," Mark said. Mr. Uddo attended culinary school in London at Le Cordon Bleu. He stayed in England to cook at Joe Allens and then the Jazz Cafe. When he came home, he was hired in 1989 to work alongside chef Beryl Guidroz at Bouligny, a popular Uptown bistro on Magazine Street. The pair of chefs departed to the French Quarter a year later to open G&E Courtyard, although Guidroz left a few months after the restaurant debuted. Mark, now also a chef, soon joined Mr. Uddo at G&E. The restaurant was a tribute to Mr. Uddo's culinary roots in New Orleans. The name referred to his grandparents, Giuseppe Uddo and Eleanora Taormina, who emigrated from Sicily in 1907. The Uddo family opened a store on Decatur Street, not far from G&E Courtyard Grill, that was the foundation for the Progresso brand of canned soups. (Progresso is now owned by General Mills.) At G&E, Mr. Uddo specialized in Italian cooking, but of a type that was different from the classic New Orleans red-gravy style. "The spirit that drives the G & E's kitchen is mainly Italian, strongly contemporary and decidedly non-traditional," wrote Gene Bourg, the Times-Picayune's critic at the time. The romantic restaurant was decorated with candles and a Roman-style mural. On the courtyard, full of herbs of flowers tended by Mr. Uddo, was a tile-lined rotisserie grill used to cook ducks, chicken and goats. Mr. Uddo was an early advocate for using local produce and meats. "It was really Sicilian peasant food but presented so beautifully and artistically," his brother Mark said. The restaurant closed in 1999 due to rising rent. Today, Cane & Table occupies that Decatur Street address. After Hurricane Katrina, Mr. Uddo worked in Atlanta. In 2009, he returned to open Mike's American Grill in Metairie. He also worked as a catering chef for John Folse and Tulane University. In 2015, Ralph Brennan hired Mr. Uddo to be the executive chef at Cafe B in Old Metairie. Brennan and his wife were regulars at G&E Courtyard Grill. "What I loved was that he was really grounded in New Orleans and Louisiana cuisine, but he could always put a twist on it and make it a little bit different," Brennan said. When Cafe B closed in 2018, Mr. Uddo moved into the baking and catering division of Brennan's company. That position was temporary, Brennan said, until he could find Mr. Uddo another restaurant job. "He loved to cook and he loved to cook for people," Brennan said. Mr. Uddo is survived by his mother, Adele of New Orleans, his fiancee, Elena Sundquist of New Orleans, his siblings Mark Uddo and Eleanor Doyle of New Orleans and two daughters, Chelsea Uddo of Ireland and Mia Uddo of New Orleans. Jacob Schoen and Son is handling the funeral arrangements. A visitation will be held Thursday (Feb. 14) at 11 a.m. followed by a service at 1:30 p.m. The burial will be private. New Orleans police arrested a man accused of hitting a woman with a bat after she didnt monitor his video machine at a Bourbon Street business in late January. Anthony Harvey, 31, reportedly asked the woman to watch his video machine while he took a break from playing around 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 31. Police did not specify if the machine in question was a video poker machine or another type of device. After the woman became distracted and abandoned the machine, Harvey tracked her down in the 900 block of St. Louis Street and struck her in the leg with the bat, police said. He then reportedly fled, heading toward Burgundy Street. Harvey was arrested Saturday (Feb. 9) in the 1000 block of Conti Street. He was booked with aggravated battery at the Orleans Parish Justice Center. He has a history drug and weapons charges in the city dating to 2005. Bat-wielding man hit woman who didnt monitor his video machine at Bourbon Street business: NOPD A 52-year-old man has been identified as the person New Orleans police say officers found fatally stabbed and rolled up in a rug last week at a French Quarter home. Daniel Magrini died of sharp force injuries in last Wednesdays (Feb. 6) stabbing in the 600 block of Burgundy Street, the Orleans Parish Coroners Office said Monday. Morgan Rothe-Skinner, a 26-year-old Tulane University student, surrendered to New Orleans police at the scene after a brief stand-off with officers during which he was armed with a knife, according to an affidavit for his arrest. He was booked Thursday on a charge of second-degree murder. Man killed in French Quarter stabbing uncle of accused man, his grandmother says New Orleans police responded to the scene about 6:45 p.m. Wednesday after receiving reports of a possible hostage situation. Officers arrived to find the person who called police in front of the Burgundy Street home, saying that a male relative might be barricaded inside, NOPD said. A witness at some point told police she had been held against her will at the home by Rothe-Skinner, for hours, NOPD Homicide Detective Stephanie Gray wrote in the affidavit for Rothe-Skinners arrest. The witness also told police that Rothe-Skinner confessed to her he fatally stabbed the man, Gray wrote. The stabbed man, now identified as Magrini, was found rolled up in a rug in an apartment that connected to the main house at the location by a courtyard, the affidavit states. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 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 Police have not said in any statements or available documents what, if any, relationship Rothe-Skinner has to the deceased man or the woman who claims she was held against her will. A witness at the scene said he saw a woman run out of a Burgundy Street home the night of Feb. 6, screaming for help. Terrance Allen said the woman told him and his friends she had been held hostage for hours by her grandson, who had stabbed another male relative. Katherine Magrini, who said she is Rothe-Skinners grandmother who was held at the home for hours, disputed that she ran or screamed, saying she injured her leg and is barely able to walk, and was did not scream once she was able to get out of the home. 1 in custody after man found fatally stabbed at French Quarter home: NOPD Orleans Magistrate Commissioner Jonathan Friedman set Rothe-Skinners bond at $500,000 during his first appearance hearing on Thursday, court records show. Rothe-Skinner was enrolled in a digital design program within Tulanes School of Professional Advancement, university spokesman Michael Strecker said last week. It was not immediately clear whether Rothe-Skinner was represented by an attorney. Friedman scheduled a Feb. 15 hearing to determine who would represent Rothe-Skinner. Reporter Laura McKnight contributed to this report. Note: This story was updated Monday (Feb. 11) with information from Katherine Magrini. Production on the Paramount-backed feature film The Lovebirds," starring Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae, will disrupt traffic and parking along Veterans Memorial Boulevard this week, according to an advisory issued by Jefferson Parishs Office of Public Information. The following restrictions will apply beginning Tuesday (Feb. 12) at 6 p.m. and ending Wednesday (Feb. 13) at 6 a.m.: No parking on the east side of the 600 block of Elmeer Avenue; In addition, intermittent traffic control will take place on the westbound lanes of Veterans Memorial Boulevard at West William David Parkway. The film is one of a number of TV and movie projects currently shooting or preparing to shoot in New Orleans. Others include: Investigators are searching for two men accused of attacking a 35-year-old man, choking him to unconsciousness and then beating him during a robbery last month in the French Quarter. Henry Johnson, 21, and Michael Hansel, 23, are wanted on charges of purse-snatching and simple battery in the early Jan. 31 robbery, police said. According to the NOPD, the 35-year-old victim was in the 1000 block of Dumaine Street around 2:30 a.m. when two men approached him from behind. One of the men placed the victim in a chokehold. As the victim lost consciousness, the two men began beating the victim with their fists, police said. One of the men then snatched the victims bag, and the duo fled. 2 strangers attack 35-year-old before robbing him in French Quarter, police say 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 According to Orleans Parish court records, Johnson has several prior convictions for burglary, including guilty pleas to that charge in 2016 and 2018. He was sentenced in July 2018 to three years in prison, suspended, with three years of active probation. His probation was revoked In October 2018, records show. Hansel pleaded guilty in November 2016 to simple robbery and was sentenced to three years in prison with credit for time served since his arrest in January 2016. He also has May 2014 convictions for theft, motor vehicle theft and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Anyone with additional information on the Jan. 31 robbery or the whereabouts of Henry Johnson or Michael Hansel is asked to call NOPD 8th District detectives at 504-658-6080, or to submit an anonymous tip by calling Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or toll-free at 1-877-903-STOP. Laura McKnight covers crime and breaking news for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. UPDATE: Murphy declares a state of emergency ahead of dangerous snow, ice storm State officials are warning New Jersey drivers: Prepare for dangerous roads and heavy traffic the next two days thanks to an impending winter storm that Gov. Phil Murphy says you shouldnt underestimate. New Jersey Department of Transportation officials issued a winter weather congestion alert Monday afternoon as the state preps for a messy storm that could bring snow, freezing rain, and ice across the state overnight and into Tuesday. Officials said Mondays evening commute could also be a problem because snow is expected in the afternoon in south Jersey and along the Shore. Parts of north Jersey are expected to get between 3 and 8 inches by Tuesday. Murphy warned that the storm is unpredictable and that a little change in the storms track and timing could change how the storm affects New Jersey, for better or worse. If you can leave work a little bit early to alleviate congestion on the afternoon rush house, or work from home and stay off the roas, these would be good days to consider using those options, the governor said at an unrelated news conference in the Avenel section of Woodbridge. Please dont take this weather lightly, Murphy added. We have another snow storm coming later tonight. Stay safe and watch for @NJDOT_INFO crews clearing the roads. For updates and winter tips, follow @ReadyNJ or visit https://t.co/0hNCBTYLqk. pic.twitter.com/V5E9RrgDkg New Jersey (@NJGov) February 11, 2019 State officials are urging drivers to plan for extra travel time Monday evening, consider working from home Tuesday, avoid unnecessary travel during the storm, and stay clear of plows and emergency vehicles. Officials said crews are being deployed to clear roads, and the state is coordinating its response with NJ Transit and toll authorities. Murphy said there is also the potential for power outages, particularly in North Jersey. Take it easy and play it safe over the next couple of days, he said. Murphy is scheduled to hold a news conference about the storm at 4:30 p.m. at the State Polices headquarters in West Trenton. You can watch here. Officials urged drivers to visit www.511nj.org and follow the NJDOT Facebook page and Twitter page @NJDOT_info for updates. Monitor the social media accounts for the state Office of Emergency Management and the New Jersey State Police for other weather 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. An Elizabeth man who grabbed a 10-year-old girl as she was walking to school in 2016 and sexually assaulted her until a good Samaritan intervened to stop the attack has been convicted of multiple charges, authorities said. Jair Ramirez, 43, faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced next month. He was found guilty Thursday after a three-week jury trial, according to the Union County Prosecutors Office. Ramirez approached the girl with his pants unzipped and genitals exposed around 8 a.m. on Sept. 30, 2016 on the 200 block of Orchard Street in Elizabeth, authorities said. He grabbed the girl and dragged her between two houses. A neighborhood resident, who is a Elizabeth Public Schools Spanish teacher, saw the man and began yelling at him while also alerting others, prosecutors said. Ramirez stopped the attack and threatened the woman before fleeing. An investigation by Elizabeth polices Special Victims Unit identified Ramirez as a suspect and later used GPS data from his personal device to track him to the location of the crime. Ramirez was found guilty of second-degree sexual assault, second-degree luring, third-degree endangering the welfare of a child and fourth-degree lewdness. Paige Gross may be reached at pgross@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter@By_paigegross. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip?Tell us. nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. About 200 NJ Transit employees got a raise totaling $1.4 million last year, thanks to a pay equity law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy last year. The Wall Street Journal reported that the predominately non-union workers saw an average $7,000 salary increase. The law, which took effect last July, was designed to cover wage gaps for women and minorities. NJ Transit conducted a proactive, comprehensive analysis of all non-union employees prior to July 1, 2018 to ensure compliance by the Equal Pay Acts effective date, said Nancy Snyder, a spokeswoman. As a result, more than 200 employees, without regard to gender or ethnicity, received appropriate salary adjustments in accordance with the law. A breakdown of employees who received the raise wasnt available because NJ Transits analysis, and salary adjustments, were applied without regard to gender or ethnicity, Snyder told NJ Advance Media. The raises were not broken out in a spreadsheet of 2018 NJ Transit salaries obtained by NJ Advance Media. The law mandates strong equal pay protections for employees of both state agencies and private companies doing business with the state. Non-union workers were informed last June that the raises would be coming to comply with state law, according to a letter obtained by the Journal. Some non-union employees worked for close to nine years without a raise, but many did get a bump in pay after the agency settled with its unions in November 2016. Non-union workers also lost their free transportation in 2012, which some employees complained amounted to a pay cut. Those passes were restored in 2015 so employee presence could help increase the security on trains and buses. They also are expected to help out if there is an emergency onboard a train or bus. NJ Transit also has been stung by high cost settlements of discrimination lawsuits. They include a $3.65 million agreement to settle a suit in 2016 brought by seven African-American workers who charged they were paid less and were victims of unfair treatment by their superiors. Four years earlier, NJ Transit paid $5.8 million to settle a discrimination suit brought by minority police officers. Despite those settlements, civil rights attorneys who represented police officers and workers in the earlier suits said at legislative hearings in August 2017 that the agency was unwilling to make institutional changes to prevent future incidents and lawsuits. An NJ Transit spokeswoman told the Journal the agency has made significant and pervasive changes since then to make NJ Transit a place free from discrimination. Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com . Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry . Find NJ.com on Facebook . Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters WASHINGTON Paying more because President Donald Trumps tax law capped your property tax deduction? A new bill introduced Monday would restore your full tax break. Its called the Stop Attacking Local Taxpayers act, or SALT. SALT is the same acronym for the state and local tax deduction that the Republicans limited to $10,000 in order to fund a tax law that gave most of its benefits to corporations and wealthy Americans. That means you cant deduct more than $10,000 for your property taxes PLUS your state income tax. Most of those affected by this are middle-class homeowners from New Jersey and other high-tax states. Were just two weeks into the tax-filing season, and thousands of taxpayers across New Jersey are now fully realizing how bad the Trump tax law and its gutting of the property tax write-off is for them and their families, said U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., who is sponsoring the bill with Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-9th Dist. Menendez and Pascrell are the New Jersey lawmakers who sit on the congressional tax-writing committees. The Trump tax scam law specifically targeted our state by capping the state and local tax deduction, Pascrell said. " So this tax season, a lot of my constituents are taking a hit on their tax bills and desperately need relief." Trump has said hed be open to talking about making changes to the tax law. But the head of the Senate Finance Committee, Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley, indicated that he would not revisit the issue, even as he introduced legislation to repeal the inheritance tax on the richest 1 of every 1,000 estates. None of them are family farms or small businesses, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a progressive research group. The bill offsets most of the cost of restoring the full deduction by bringing the top tax rate back to 39.6 percent, the level it was at before the GOP tax law. That addresses charges that restoring the state and local tax deduction would be a giveaway to the rich, since the wealthy would be the only ones affected by the higher top rate. In actuality, the lions share of those losing part of the tax break were the 860,000 Jersey households with income between $75,000 and $200,000 whose average state and property tax deduction exceeded $10,000, according to Internal Revenue Service statistics. That was more than double the 326,260 taxpayers earning more than $200,000 affected by cap, though the wealthier taxpayers had higher deductions than the middle-class households. Thanks to the Republican tax scam, middle-class New Jerseyans preparing their tax returns are seeing how much they are hurt by President Trumps limit on their SALT deduction," said Gov. Phil Murphy, whose administration has challenged the law in court. To many of our families, the GOP tax law is actually a tax hike. Restoring the full SALT deduction by rolling back an unnecessary tax cut given to the wealthiest Americans is the fair thing to do. The legislation drew support from U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.; Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York; and lawmakers from other states most affected by the cap, including California, Connecticut, Maryland and Illinois. By capping the state and local tax break, the legislation targeted New Jersey and other high-tax states, most of which send billions of dollars more to Washington than they receive in services. For example, while New Jerseyans received only 82 cents back for every $1 paid in federal taxes in 2017, residents of Kentucky, home of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, got $2.35 back, according to a study by the State University of New Yorks Rockefeller Institute of Government. The legislation, projected to increase the federal deficit by $1.9 trillion over 10 years, was so unpopular that it contributed to Republicans losing 40 House seats in November and their majority. Congressional Republicans have sought to amend the tax law they jammed through with no hearings and little debate. The newly empowered House Democrats have said they will be willing to talk to the GOP about modifying the legislation, but any changes must include restoring the state and local tax break. New Jersey and other states sought to get around the cap by having municipalities accept charitable contributions in lieu of taxes, but the Internal Revenue Service issued proposed rules striking that down. Another New Jersey lawmaker has different way to restore the deduction. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-5th Dist., is drafting a bipartisan plan that would close loopholes that only benefit wealthy Americans. He is working with Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., on the plan, which would not raise tax rates on the rich or corporations. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. WASHINGTON Rep. Josh Gottheimer, the only Jewish representative from New Jersey, is taking on fellow House Democrat Ilhan Omar over a series of tweets accusing lawmakers who support Israel of being bought off. We are deeply alarmed by recent rhetoric from certain members within our caucus, including just last night, that has disparaged us and called into question our loyalty to our nation, Gottheimer and Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., said in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and other House Democratic leaders. We urge you to join us in calling on each member of our caucus to unite against anti-Semitism and hateful tropes and stereotypes, they wrote. We cannot remain silent in the face of hateful speech or actions. The letter was being circulated on Monday for signatures among other Jewish House Democrats. A copy was obtained by NJ Advance Media. House Democratic leaders, led by Pelosi, later issued a statement reiterating their support for Israel based on shared values and strategic interests while acknowledging that legitimate criticism of Israels policies is protected by the values of free speech and democratic debate that the United States and Israel share. But Congresswoman Omars use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israels supporters is deeply offensive, they said. "We condemn these remarks and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologize for these hurtful comments. Omar responded via Twitter that she never intended to offend my constituents or Jewish Americans as a whole" and apologized unequivocally. Listening and learning, but standing strong pic.twitter.com/7TSroSf8h1 Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) February 11, 2019 Gottheimers letter was a response to a series of tweets by Omar, D-Minn., one of two Muslims elected to the House last fall. She supports Palestinian rights and has been critical of Israeli policy, but also suggested that Congress was being paid to support Israel, not that they have other reasons to back a staunch U.S. ally and a pro-western democracy in the Middle East. Its all about the Benjamins, baby," she tweeted on Sunday. Asked later who was paying the lawmakers, she mentioned the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the pro-Israel lobby that does not make any campaign contributions nor endorse candidates. Her comments immediately were challenged by Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, who called them a tired anti-Semitic trope that was inappropriate and upsetting. Words matter Rep. @IlhanMN. Anti-Semitism is on the rise in the US and abroad. The use of this tired anti-Semitic trope about Jews and money is inappropriate and upsetting. As Americans and Jews, we expect our politicians to condemn bigotry, not fuel it. https://t.co/SHKgVL5PWx Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) February 11, 2019 Omar has denied that her support for Palestinian rights is anti-Semitic. My sister Rashida and I have been fighting against Anti-semitism, any effort to deny that is a smear. We are pro-peace and realize without justice there is no peace! Our domestic policy values need to be aligned with our foreign policy values. No exceptions! https://t.co/fKO5eYu8gb Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) February 5, 2019 While attacking Omar for the cancerous bigotry that has fanned the flames of hate for centuries, Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-9th Dist., said Republican hands werent exactly clean. Several of the leaders of the Republican Party themselves trafficked in anti-Semitic conspiracy theories aimed at George Soros and others," Pascrell said. "Their comments were hurtful and fanned the same flames of hate. They should take this opportunity to also apologize for their actions. Anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. grew by 57 percent from 2016 to 2017 following the election of President Donald Trump. His campaign was criticized by the ADL for engaging in anti-Semitic memes, such as tweeting a picture of rival Hillary Clinton and a Jewish star against a background of dollar bills and showing pictures of prominent Jews in his final campaign ad as the narrator described these people that dont have your good in mind." Trump described some of the neo-Nazis marching in Charlottesville, Virginia, as very fine people. And he falsely accused Soros, a Jewish financier, of financing a caravan of immigrants seeking asylum in the United States and of funding protesters opposed to the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. Soros was one of those sent pipe bombs last fall. The suspect is a strong supporter of the president. He and two other two other wealthy Jews, Tom Steyer and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, were accused by House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., of trying to buy the 2018 midterm election in a now-deleted tweet. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy posted this tweet AFTER a bomb was sent to Soros' house. Up until a couple of minutes ago it was pinned to the top of his profile. pic.twitter.com/FEeKoPolHL Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 24, 2018 "That seems to me like a straight-up anti-Semitic move, Steyer told CNN in response to the tweet. McCarthys current pinned tweet criticizes House Democratic leaders for not speaking out against Omar. Anti-Semitic tropes have no place in the halls of Congress. It is dangerous for Democrat leadership to stay silent on this reckless language. Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) February 11, 2019 In October, 11 worshippers were gunned down in a Pittsburgh synagogue. One of Trumps guests at his State of the Union address Feb. 5 was Judah Samet, a survivor of the Holocaust and of the Pittsburgh massacre. We must never ignore the vile poison of anti-Semitism, or those who spread its venomous creed, Trump said in recognizing Samet. With one voice, we must confront this hatred anywhere and everywhere it occurs. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Arriving on campus for the first time as a freshman can be stressful for a multitude of reasons, so keeping yourself busy is key to settling into a healthy routine. In order to get into this new college lifestyle, Virginia Tech provides its students with plenty of opportunities outside the c (CNN) The number of people confirmed dead after a multistory residential building collapsed in Istanbul has climbed to 16, Turkish state news agency Anadolu reported Saturday. "Since our last statement, two more children have died," Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu is quoted as telling reporters at the scene. Rescuers continue to comb through the wreckage of the building in an eastern suburb of Istanbul, Turkey's biggest city, more than two days after it fell down. Hopes that more survivors might be found were raised early Friday when a 16-year-old boy was pulled alive from the rubble, the news agency said. A day earlier, a five-year-old girl was rescued from the debris. Thirty residents were inside the building, which contained 14 apartments, when it collapsed Wednesday, Anadolu said. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said Friday that 13 injured people were receiving hospital treatment, with seven of them in intensive care, Anadolu reported. Investigators are looking into the cause of the collapse. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Death toll rises in Istanbul building collapse." If I were an elected official, I'd jump on this idea in a heartbeat. Somebody should. Congressional Democrats in Washington suggested making the day of the presidential election a national holiday, allowing workers to get a paid day off and plenty of time to cast votes. Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell was horrified, announcing immediately that any such proposal would never get a hearing while he was in charge. He called the idea, "A power grab," but neglected to explain exactly who was grabbing what power. I think the power would go to voters, a no-excuses incentive to cast ballots for the candidates of their choice. But, you see, here's McConnell's problem. Too many government employees are Democrats. Or so he says. It is likely many low-income workers, those who can't take time off to vote, would probably vote Democrat. He prefers they lose money if they don't work a full day, even if that leaves no time to go to a polling place. Across the country Republican-dominated legislatures, complicit with Republican party structures, have been seeking ways to keep Democrats home, especially in November 2020. Georgia arbitrarily struck thousands of people off voting lists because proof of their citizenship wasn't found in official records. Didn't mean they weren't citizens. In fact, later research showed most were, but their rights haven't been restored yet. Some states are requiring all sorts of official documentation and lengthening waiting lines at polls in places that traditionally vote Democratic. Still others, including New Jersey, are still dithering about whether to open polls earlier or expand voting hours. In some states voting takes place over an entire week, while others - like New Jersey - limit voting to a few hours during a single day, no matter the weather. A push a few years ago expanded vote-by-mail opportunities in our state and mail-in ballots did increase. But in some areas they're still thought of as "absentee ballots" and carry the whiff of fraud. One North Carolina county raised that stink level a bit last year, as its Congressional election is still undecided while ballots are being scrutinized. In McConnell's home state of Kentucky, presidential election day is already a half-holiday. Government workers work only half the day but are paid for a full day. However, McConnell's reaction was, "Just what America needs. Another paid holiday and a bunch of government workers being paid to go out and work, I assume (for) our colleagues on the other side, on their campaigns. This is the Democrat plan to restore democracy? A brand new week of paid vacation for every federal employee who'd like to hover around while you cast your ballot?" I assume what sparked McConnell's ire was the proposal also allowed government workers several days off to help at polling places. For either party. Another paragraph would eliminate gerrymandering, which both parties seem to love dearly, but only the party in power gets to use. Even though the proposal would apply to only government employees, there'd surely be a push by unions and other worker groups to extend the voting day holiday to other businesses. Happening only once every four years, it wouldn't hurt anybody's bottom line very much. Anything that encourages voter turnout is a good thing. The 2018 midterm election saw a greater proportion of Americans participate than any midterm election in decades. Nevertheless, more than half of eligible voters stayed home. With so much at stake in every presidential election, everyone who can vote should vote. It's a duty and an obligation, but It's also an honor. We don't have to make it an expensive chore. A former assemblywoman from Jersey City, Joan Quigley is the president and CEO of North Hudson Community Action Corp. Submit letters to the editor and guest columns at jjletters@jjournal.com The south side of Jersey City is taking it on the chin again as NJ Transit has announced a nine-month suspension of light rail service at the three stations on the West Side Avenue spur. From June of this year to March 2020, the 5,000 passengers who daily use the West Side Avenue, Martin Luther King Drive and Garfield Avenue stations will take shuttle buses from those stops to the Liberty State Park station, where theyll wait for a train to their usual destinations. Riders will surely need to add precious extra time to their commutes to get to jobs and classes on time. And then they get to do it all in reverse on the way home, getting to the front door later than they would today. The suspension is needed, officials say, so the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority can repair a deteriorating sewer pipe that runs underneath the tracks. Residents no doubt feel put upon. The Bergen-Lafayette and Greenville neighborhoods are just now coming out of the unfair property tax burden they shouldered during the long, long, long wait for a revaluation. The vaunted CitiBike program has removed nearly all of its bike-share stations south of Communipaw Avenue. And on March 2, the No. 4 bus from Greenville to Downtowns Newport mall will be the latest bus line to be discontinued. The south side of the city has seen a steady decline in bus service for decades. And while the light rail hasnt made up for all the lost bus routes try getting to Journal Square from Garfield Avenue if youre a senior -- when it comes to public transportation, it has been a rare bright spot for Bergen-Lafayette and Greenville residents. Commenters on The Jersey Journals Facebook page are rightly worried about the suspensions huge inconvenience, as one poster said, and about the toll it will particularly take on students, seniors and working-class families. Asked to comment, city spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione emphasized the need for the work because of potential hazards to the public should the sewer line fail. The work, she said, is starting later than MUA engineers would have liked to allow NJ Transit to finalize timing and provide sufficient notice of the shutdown to riders. NJT will host two public hearings on the plan, both on Thursday, March 7. Residents and others affected New Jersey City University and the city Board of Education are both serviced by the West Side Avenue station need to voice their opinions and concerns. The hearings will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. in Multipurpose Room B of the Gilligan Student Union Building on the NJCU campus. Beyond dealing with the suspension, the city administration and NJT need to take a close look at what public transportation options exist in Bergen-Lafayette and Greenville and how they can be improved. Submit letters to the editor and guest columns to jjletters@jjournal.com. Authorities are investigating a series of fraudulent phone calls by scammers who claim they from the New Jersey State Police while calling from what appears to be a legitimate phone number in an effort to illegally obtain Social Security information. In a fraud known as spoofing, the calls have been made to citizens from what appears to be the State Police traffic safety phone number 609-452-2601. But the calls are actually coming from out of state or out of the country, investigators said. During the calls, the scammers told victims theyve received complaints associated with the victims Social Security number. They tell the victims theyve mailed them police documents several times and received no response. They will have the full names and addresses of the victims they are calling and request further verification of their identity, specifically their Social Security number, State Police said in an advisory. The New Jersey State Police will never call you requesting personal information like your Social Security number or your date of birth. We will never threaten citizens with arrest if personal information or money is not provided, they said. State police advise residents to hang up on callers requesting personal information and to file a report with local or state authorities. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. A fund to compensate people who were sexually abused by priests is being set up in New Jersey as the Catholic Church prepares to release of the names of all priests and deacons credibly accused of victimizing children in the state. The New Jersey Compensation Fund for Victims of Church Sexual Abuse of Minors will evaluate claims of abuse and offer settlements to victims, organizers said Monday. It will operate independent of New Jerseys five dioceses. The money will be paid by the New Jersey diocese where the accused priest worked. The fund will be run by two veteran administrators of victims funds -- Kenneth Feinberg, an administrator of the U.S. governments Sept. 11th Victim Compensation Fund, and Camille Biros, who has helped run the priest abuse victims fund of the Archdiocese of New York. The fund will be the first statewide compensation program of its kind, Biros said. Feinberg and Biros will review the case of each alleged victim, then offer victims a settlement. They will determine the amount offered and it will be paid by the dioceses. The diocese has no say in those matters, Biros said. In the Archdiocese of New Yorks compensation program, the maximum settlement offered has been $500,000, she said. Heres how the program will roll out: --Later this week or early next week, the New Jersey compensation fund will make its new website live. The site will include a draft of the procedures for handing out settlements. --People will have 30 days to comment on the draft procedures. Once the rules are finalized, the fund will begin Phase 1, which will be open to alleged victims who have previously made claims against priests in New Jersey dioceses. Later, people with new claims will be able to submit their cases. --The fund administrators will review each case and make a settlement offer. The alleged victim can either accept or reject the settlement. The settlement will be paid by the diocese where the accused priest served. -- If accepted, the alleged victim must sign an agreement saying he or she will not sue the diocese. However, the alleged victim will be free to speak publicly about their case and settlement. Church officials have not said when each diocese in New Jersey plans to release its list of priests accused of sexual abuse. But, a memo sent to parishes in the Diocese of Metuchen on Friday said to expect the release sometime this week. It is unclear how many names will be on the list or how far back the cases will go. A similar list in Pennsylvania included the names of 300 priests, though that report was prepared by the state attorney generals office. New Jerseys five dioceses -- the Archdiocese of Newark and the dioceses of Metuchen, Trenton, Camden and Paterson -- agreed to voluntarily release their own lists of accused priests last year after New Jerseys attorney general announced a grand jury probe into how the church handled abuse accusations. The New Jersey task forces hotline-- (855) 363-6548 -- set up in September was immediately flooded with calls from victims. The Archdiocese of Newark also received what is expected to be one of multiple subpoenas to Catholic dioceses to turn over records of abuse allegations to state investigators. Though New Jersey has never had a single, independently-run compensation fund for victims of Catholic priests, individual dioceses have funded their own settlements for years. Last year, a church official said the five New Jersey dioceses have paid out at least $50 million to victims in recent years. Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Phil Murphy had a simple request for anyone who wanted to work on his gubernatorial campaign two years ago: Dont talk. Workers were required to sign confidentiality agreements, essentially, ensuring that whatever happened on the campaign trail stayed on the campaign trail. But now those agreements are coming into question amidst a scandal involving an alleged sexual assault involving a high-level campaign worker and a supporter who later joined the campaign and the administration. At the same time, several women have complained about a toxic environment during the Murphy campaign, and say some have been afraid to step forward because of the legal restrictions that prohibit them from commenting. One former campaign worker, speaking on condition of anonymity because that non-disclosure agreement remains in effect, remarked, I cant even confirm to you that there is a non-disclosure agreement." Attorney Alan Zegas of Summit, who represents Katie Brennan a former volunteer now working for the Murphy administration who has charged she was sexually assaulted by a campaign worker described those agreements as essentially gag orders which should be lifted. It prevents people from speaking truthfully, he said. State lawmakers have also argued that Murphy, a Democrat, should waive the non-disclosure agreements. State Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, an outspoken critic about non-disclosure agreements, has sponsored legislation that would ban employers in New Jersey from entering into NDAs with employees, in an effort to allow people who have faced harassment or discrimination to speak publicly. Officials for the Murphy campaign, meanwhile, say the non-disclosure terms will remain in force. The Murphy campaign, though, is far from alone in trying to keep its backroom secrets. Both Democratic and Republican strategists say non-disclosure mandates in political campaigns have become a staple in recent years, at least in large statewide or national races, from Trenton to the White House. Here in New Jersey, those who worked for Kim Guadagno Murphys Republican challenger in 2017 said they were also required to sign agreements to keep inside information safe from disclosure in the recent election. One strategist who has worked in New Jersey said privately that the use of NDAs has grown over the past decade, as polling and campaign data has gotten more sophisticated and become valuable for use in later campaigns. That wasnt the case during the 2009 gubernatorial battle between incumbent Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine and Republican challenger Chris Christie, say those in both campaigns. Bill Palatucci, a close friend and advisor to former Gov. Christie who has played a major role in a number of state and national races over the years, said theres been a increasing acceptance of the role of non-disclosure agreements in political operations. Theres so much money being spent, proprietary information being created by different vendors, that candidates and committees are trying to impose some protection for those assets, Palatucci explained. Brendan Gill, who managed Murphys gubernatorial campaign, said when he first got involved in campaign work, only outside consultants were being required to sign confidentiality agreements. Now, he said they are part of the political culture. Gill saw no problem with that. Theyre meant to protect the campaign from policy and strategy from being discussed outside, he said. Brendan Gill at his office in the Murphy for Governor headquarters during the campaign. (Ted Sherman | NJ Advance Media) However, Brigid Harrison, a political science professor at Montclair State University who studies New Jersey elections, questioned the value in keeping the mundane matters of a campaign secret after the voting is over. It is perfectly understandable that campaigns want to keep data and strategy and tactics secret during a campaign, she said, noting the lightening speed in which information can travel once shared by cell phones and texts and emails. But its hard to imagine any kind of information that couldnt be disclosed once a campaign is concluded. Harrison said it is appropriate to have some transparency in disclosing how campaigns operated, and how they won or lost. Donors to campaigns must already be made public, and she said candidates should pull back the curtain on how targeting strategies and policy decisions were made. More problematic, she said, is whether a non-disclosure agreement is used to keep secret possible misbehavior or crimes that someone hopes to keep hidden. In any campaign employing the use of non-disclosure agreements, Harrison said candidates should at the end of the race simply absolve everyone from the binds of a disclosure agreement. What is there now that has to be protected? she asked. She was echoed by Aaron Scherb, Director of Legislative Affairs for Common Cause, who said non-disclosure agreements in politics are problematic not only from the lack of transparency, but their failure to disclose possible misconduct. NDAs are certainly not Democratic or Republican issues. Its something that members of both parties are guilty of using, he said, citing cases in Congress where non-disclosure agreements have been used to protect the political stature of elected officials. Here in New Jersey, the non-disclosure agreements signed by members of the Murphy transition team following the election have lapsed, according to the counsel for the transition office, Rajiv Parikh. Those who worked for the campaign itself, however, remain bound by the non-disclosure agreements they signed, said Paul Josephson of Duane Morris in Cherry Hill, who served as counsel to the Murphy campaign. Were trying to protect the personnel policies and practices of the campaign. If we start to say selectively that you can talk about one issue and not another, it becomes an impossible situation, Josephson said, adding that the agreements do not prevent anyone who believes there was a violation of law, or that they were the victim of discrimination, from bringing the matter to the appropriate authorities. Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. A 59-year-old man has been charged with detonating a bomb near a bridge and having bombs in his home on a quiet residential street in Middlesex Borough. Joseph M. Colucci admitted to police Sunday that he was the one who blew up a pipe bomb near the Warrenville Road bridge between Middlesex and Green Brook Oct. 18, 2017, causing a cloud of smoke and a loud explosion that caused residents to call police, according to court documents. The Middlesex County Prosecutors Office said police were at his home for an emergency aid call when they spoke to Colucci and discovered two pipe bombs and bomb-making material including gun powder. Authorities immediately ordered an evacuation and called the Middlesex County Sheriffs Office K9 Unit and the New Jersey State Police Bomb Unit to evaluate the situation. They determined the bombs were not a hazard, the prosecutors office said. Colucci was charged with arson in the third degree, possession of destructive devices in the third degree, and causing or rising widespread injury or damage in the fourth degree. Coluccis address on West 2nd Street is also the listed address for Colucci Paving. No one answered the phone for the business Monday. The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information about the case is asked to call Middlesex Police Detective Daniel McCue at 732-356-1900 ext. 312 or Prosecutors Office Detective Nicholas Chiorello at 732-745-3176. Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. JERSEY CITY Access to public records in Jersey City is again at the center of a legal dispute, with a man suing over the citys denial of his request for dog license records. Ernest Bozzi, of Burlington County, alleges in a lawsuit filed Jan. 24 in Hudson County Superior Court that the city improperly denied him access to the records. Bozzi wants the names and addresses of dog owners so he can solicit them to buy invisible dog fences. Bozzi has had trouble in towns statewide over similar requests, from Dennis Township to Westwood. He took Secaucus and Kearny to court and Hudson County Superior Court Judge Francis B. Schultz ruled in Bozzis favor in both cases. Municipal clerks statewide have grumbled about private companies using the state Open Public Records Act to get records they can use for their commercial enterprises. Donald Doherty, Bozzis attorney, was blunt when asked about that. So what? Doherty said. Whether or not it bugs them, thats the law. Bozzi asked for Jersey Citys dog license records in November, saying the city could redact all information the dogs breed and name and the owners phone number except the owners names and addresses. The city denied the request, citing an executive order issued by former Gov. Jim McGreevey in 2002 and two state Government Records Council decisions. The GRC adjudicates disputes over public records. Bozzis lawsuit says all the substantive provisions of the McGreevey order were rescinded or nullified by a subsequent order and that the GRC decisions were decided because of the rescinded order, so their conclusions are irrelevant. We denied this to protect the privacy interests and safety interests of Jersey City residents, said city spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione. Jersey City has been slapped by judges for withholding public records. Most recently, a judge in December ruled that Jersey City improperly denied access to real estate records that were requested by Kushner Companies and KABR Group, the developer suing the city in a separate matter related to their stalled Journal Square tower project. Doherty said municipalities deny requests in these instances because people like Bozzi are Davids, not Goliaths. Big banks, big mortgage companies go to every clerk in the state and ask for people who have third parties pay their taxes, and thats how you get all the mortgage solicitation. But nobody goes screaming to Bank of America because theyll stop on them like a bug and squash them, he said. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. JERSEY CITY Two Jersey City cops cleared of criminal charges in October are embroiled in a new legal fight over whether the city should have to pay them two years of back pay and reimburse their legal fees. The cops Lt. Kelly Chesler and Officer Michael ONeill have sued the city to get paid, but the city has called the lawsuits premature and wants a judge to dismiss them. The reason? Even though the cops were cleared of criminal charges, the city argues, the Jersey City Police Departments internal affairs bureau is still mulling whether to file disciplinary charges against them. No decision on back pay or legal fee reimbursement will be made until that investigation is over this month, the city says. That argument is attacked in a legal brief filed by Cheslers attorney, Jeff Garrigan, who notes there is a state statute giving the city 45 days to file disciplinary charges against her. The cops were cleared more than 100 days ago. The fundamental question presented to the court is whether the JCPD is subject to the laws of the state of New Jersey or is it to be recognized as a kingdom unto itself? Garrigan asks in his brief. Hudson County Superior Court Judge Joseph A Turula is expected to rule Friday on whether Cheslers and ONeills lawsuits can proceed. The citys spokeswoman declined to comment. Chesler and ONeill were among four charged by county prosecutors in 2016 and accused of participating in a no-show jobs conspiracy involving off-duty work. They were suspended without pay after they were indicted. During the trial, Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mirtha Ospina dismissed the charges against ONeill. Less than two weeks later, prosecutors dropped the charges against Chesler and retired cop Joe Ascolese, saying they could no longer prove them beyond a reasonable doubt. The Hudson County Prosecutors Office referred the case back to Jersey City for administrative review. The fourth person charged, Michael Maietti, had already agreed to testify against the others. He is also a witness in the internal affairs probe, according to an affidavit the city filed with the court. Ascolese and Chesler have alleged they were targeted by the city because they are whistleblowers who revealed misconduct. The two filed a lawsuit against the city in federal court more than a year before they were indicted. The city is represented in the current proceeding by New York law firm Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. With Valentines Day coming up, there is one company that can deliver all your needs for the special day (and night) right to your door. You know you can not just get away with Netflix and Chill. Authors note: For the record, I would not arrange the following scenario. However, for those who will inevitably forget, you may face this situation. You know who you are. Heres a hypothetical plan: On the app, called goPuff, you can order frozen pizzas for dinner, ice cream for dessert, condoms (because you do not want to feel the fire of 1,000 suns from unprotected sex), cereal for the morning, and aspirin to soothe the headache for the almost certain fight that will come from serving frozen pizza on Valentines Day. And, just incase you can order Plan B if you forgot the condoms, and, in a month, you can order a pregnancy test (just to make sure.) The digital convenience store that was started by two college guys (are you surprised?) when they were at Drexel University in Philadelphia announced its expanding its footprint in New Jersey, their home state. They currently deliver to places such as Chicago, Washington D.C, Philadelphia, and Seattle and, in parts of Jersey, depending on where you live. The company currently has warehouse locations in New Brunswick (looks suspiciously at Rutgers regarding hypothetical scenario) and another that opened in September in Cherry Hill. Heres how it works: goPuff sells items such as snacks, drinks, ice cream, beverages, groceries, and household goods and delivers the items to customers from one of the companys warehouses for a $1.95 delivery fee. You place the order from their website or smartphone apps and, in some cases, they deliver the goods in 20 minutes, handy for the last-minute date night for those who are forgetful. goPuff advertised that drivers can make more than $1,000 per week, with prime-time shifts paying between $125 to $250 a night, gas and tickets, according to a August 2017 Philadelphia Magazine article. Their newest warehouse with delivery expansion to follow is coming to Gloucester County. goPuff spokeswoman Liz Romaine says the distribution will be focused on the supply chain and act as a tech hub. goPuff received approval from the New Jersey Economic Development Authoritys (NJEDA) Grow New Jersey tax credits for an amount up to $39.1 million over 10 years help with the companys expansion. The company will not receive the credits until it meets the NJEDAs criteria for items such as job creation and capital investment. As we continue to fuel the expansion of our brand, the addition of our new distribution center is important to our continued growth and success, goPuff co-founder Rafael Ilishayev said in a statement. My co-founder Yakir Gola and I both grew up in New Jersey and are excited that there is such a substantial growth opportunity for goPuff in the state. This new distribution center will not only enhance our supply chain but will also serve as a hub for technology developments for our business as we continue to innovate. According to Gloucester County Freeholder Director Robert M. Damminger, the new goPuff facility will be built on Rowans West Campus on a parcel of land that straddles both Harrison Township and Glassboro off of Route 322. The building lot is in an area in need of redevelopment, and the use of this facility fits perfectly into the 322 Redevelopment plan, Damminger said. The building will be adjacent to the new Inspira Hospital and across the street from the current South Jersey Technology Park Samuel H. Jones Innovation Center building. The Freeholder Director also said goPuff entered into a memorandum of understanding and 15-year research and development agreement with Rowan University as well as agreed to create an internship relationship with Rowan University and Rowan College of Gloucester Countys students from the Work & Learn Consortium. goPuff wont just be hiring students with logistics backgrounds. They will hiring students from the engineering school, and business school as well, Damminger added. The county also hopes the company being located in the area will draw other technology-based companies to the Rowan West Campus, and the impact of the startup companies that will be housed in the tech incubator portion of the new facility. Chris Franklin can be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @cfranklinnews or on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Q. I am about to retire and start taking my New Jersey state pension. Can I receive unemployment benefits? -- State worker A. Congratulations on your retirement. If you're curious about unemployment benefits, we wonder if you're getting pushed out of your job rather than voluntarily retiring. In any case, to be eligible for benefits in New Jersey in 2019, you must have worked at least 20 base weeks in covered employment or you must have earned $8,600, said Charles Pawlik, a certified financial planner and chartered financial analyst with Beacon Trust in Morristown. He said for claims filed in 2019, the minimum base week amount is $172. Wages must have been earned during a 52-week period called a "base year," which varies depending on the date of your claim - alternate base year periods may be considered. "Generally speaking, you must be able to work, be available for work, be actively seeking work, and not refuse an offer of suitable work to be eligible for unemployment benefits," he said. The Department of Labor and Workforce Development website is a good resource to utilize to get more detailed information surrounding your eligibility for unemployment benefits. You can access the website here. Assuming you meet the eligibility criteria to collect unemployment benefits, the amount that you may be able to collect can be affected by your pension. "If you are receiving a pension from an employer whom your claim is based on, your unemployment benefits may be reduced," Pawlik said. "The amount that your benefits may be reduced is determined by whether your employer contributed the entire amount towards your pension, you contributed the entire amount, or both you and your employer contributed towards the pension." He said if your employer contributed the entire amount towards your pension, your unemployment benefits may be reduced by 100 percent of your weekly pension amount. Pawlik offered this example: If your weekly pension amount is $300 and your weekly unemployment benefit amount is $400, 100 percent of your weekly pension amount would be subtracted from your weekly unemployment benefit, leaving you with $100 per week in unemployment benefits. If both you and your employer contributed towards the pension, your unemployment benefits may be reduced by 50 percent of your weekly pension amount. Taking the same example, Pawlik said, the $400 weekly unemployment benefit would be reduced by $150 - 50 percent of the $300 weekly pension amount - leaving you with $250 per week in unemployment benefits. "If you contributed the entire amount towards your pension and your employer contributed nothing, no reduction would be made to your unemployment benefits," he said. "It would be a good idea for you to make an appointment with your local unemployment office and speak to a representative to clarify your eligibility for unemployment benefits based on your personal circumstances." Email your questions to Ask@NJMoneyHelp.com. Karin Price Mueller writes the Bamboozled column for NJ Advance Media and is the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Follow NJMoneyHelp on Twitter @NJMoneyHelp. Find NJMoneyHelp on Facebook. Sign up for NJMoneyHelp.com's weekly e-newsletter. Five Hackensack police officers who were accused of breaking into an apartment should return to active duty, a New Jersey Administrative Law judge has determined. Judge Susana Guerrero in a decision signed Friday disagreed with the citys firing of Justin De La Bruyere, Rocco Duardo, Joseph Gonzales, Mark Gutierrez and Victor Vasquez for charges. Guerrero also decided the officers should return to their latest rank and pay. She found that some of the officers were not guilty of the charges while other charges were insufficiently severe. The judges decision is a recommendation to the states Civil Service Commission, which has the final say on the matter. The commission has 45 days from Friday to render a decision. The five were among seven Hackensack police officers accused of illegally entering an apartment on Prospect Street without a search warrant or probable cause in 2016. Two of the original seven high-ranking officers in the Hackensack Police Department retired before a disciplinary hearing could be held. In a police report, the officers claimed they knocked on a door but there was no answer. However, surveillance video showed the officers appearing to pick locks. The allegations against the officers led former Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal who is now the states attorney general to drop charges against 17 suspects in eight criminal cases. Grewal had said the situation created credibility issues for the officers, who could be called out as liars by defense attorneys in those eight cases. Attorney James Patuto, who represents Gutierrez, hailed the judges recommendation to reinstate the officers. These were all junior officers, Patuto said Monday. The two senior officers on the scene have all retired with their pensions, leaving these officers as scapegoats. This post has been corrected to state that Officer Gonzalez never entered the apartment and was exonerated of the charges. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. The parents of a 6-month-old baby girl were arrested Friday morning after the father allegedly leapt from a second story motel balcony in Atlantic City, attempting to escape police with the baby in his arms. Police responded to a motel on the 1100 block of Pacific Avenue at 5:00 a.m. Friday for a custody dispute. There, they spoke to the babys mother, 24-year-old Nicolette Cohen, who said the childs father, Umar Alli, had taken the baby and refused to bring her back, according to the Atlantic City Police Department. The couple did not have a custody arrangement, police said, but officers still tried to find 27-year-old Alli, calling him and searching several places for him and the infant. Officers then learned the couple had been involved in another police call the prior evening at a different motel. When police arrived there, Cohen allegedly told Alli, who had a warrant out for his arrest out of South Carolina, to run, prompting him to grab the baby and jump from a second floor balcony while holding her. They eventually located Alli and the baby on the 800 block of Maryland Avenue. After three hours of negotiations that brought a SWAT team and family members to the scene, they convinced Alli to surrender peacefully and return the baby, police said. Both parents were arrested. Alli, of Atlantic City, faces charges of endangering the welfare of a child, simple assault, hindering apprehension and fugitive from justice, police said. Cohen, of the Bronx, is also charged with endangering the welfare of a child and hindering apprehension for her role in helping Alli flee from the first motel. Alli was taken to the Atlantic County Justice Facility, while Cohen was released pending a court date. Amanda Hoover can be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Analysis Consumers are looking for value, but its... Shoppers are seeking out the lowest prices, but companies must understand consumer loyalty towards brands as buying habits evolve. Niagara Falls, NY (14301) Today Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. High around 85F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Low 67F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. NEW HAVEN It will cost more than $75,000 to attend Yale University as an undergraduate next school year, a 3.8 percent increase in tuition and room and board, according to the university. Tuition for Yale College will be $55,500 and room and board will total $16,600, according to a university press release. In 2018-19, those costs were $53,430 and $16,000, according to the Yale financial aid website. During this school year, Yale estimated the cost of books and personal expenses at $3,750. Assuming no change in that figure, the total cost to attend Yale next year will be $75,850. Yales director of undergraduate financial aid, Scott Wallace-Juedes, said in a release that the university will continue to meet students need. Although the cost of a Yale education changes each year, students receiving financial aid can rest assured that their Yale financial aid award will continue to meet their full demonstrated financial need, he said in a statement. This year, more than half of Yale undergraduates receive need-based financial aid, at an average of $52,800, the release said. Yale does not include loans in its aid awards, but does require all students to meet part of the cost through what it calls Student Effort, which may be accomplished through a job, an outside scholarship or a personal loan. Yale Provost Benjamin Polak said the amount of the Student Effort expected will not increase for the fourth straight year. Since 2015, the amount expected from students of high financial need has been set 35 percent lower than for others receiving aid. According to the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid, more than 86 percent of the class of 2018 graduated debt-free. As Yale College becomes larger and more diverse, our commitment to affordability remains the same. We are all grateful to Yales many donors for their generosity and Yales leadership for continuing to place need-based financial aid among the universitys top priorities, Caesar Storlazzi, Yales director of financial aid said in the release. Meanwhile, Yale University this year received a record number of applications for the fourth year in a row, with 36,829 high school students seeking one of about 1,570 spots in the class of 2023, according to Admissions Office spokesman Mark Dunn. The number is 4.3 percent higher than last years record of 35,305 applicants, which was itself 7.3 percent larger than in 2017, according to figures supplied to the Register by Dunn last month. Although the cost of a Yale education changes each year, students receiving financial aid can rest assured that their Yale financial aid award will continue to meet their full demonstrated financial need, said Director of Undergraduate Financial Aid Scott Wallace-Juedes said, the YDN reported. This years applicant total is 24 percent higher than the 29,610 seniors who applied to enter Yale in the fall of 2013, according to Dunn. Since then: The number of applicants from racial or ethnic minority groups has grown 51 percent. International applicants have increased at about the same rate as U.S. applicants. Applications from first-generation college students have grown 42 percent. Those living in lower-income areas have increased 110 percent (the Admissions Office has used a direct-mail campaign to attract those students). For 2018-19, compared to Yales total of $69,430 for tuition, room and board, Harvard University charged $67,580; Princetons total was $67,575; Stanford charged $71,195; and the Massachusetts Institute of Technologys cost was $67,342. The following are recent arrests released by the New Haven Police Department on Feb. 11, 2019. Feb. 6 A 28-year-old Bridgeport man was charged with unlawful restraint, assault, breach of peace and liability for acts of others. A 36-year-old Hamden man was charged with sexual assault and risk of injury to a child. A 27-year-old Lombard Street man was charged with criminal violation of a restraining order. A 32-year-old Thompson Street man was charged with criminal violation of a restraining order, burglary and criminal trespassing. A 26-year-old Rosette Street man was charged with assault, breach of peace and violation of a protective order. Feb. 7 An 18-year-old Dewitt Street man was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon. An 18-year-old Franklin Street man was charged with criminal possession of a pistol/revolver. An 18-year-old Grace Street man was charged with criminal possession of a firearm. Feb. 8 A 24-year-old Peck Street woman was charged with criminal mischief, breach of peace, risk of injury to a child, conspiracy and reckless endangerment. A 40-year-old homeless man was charged with criminal trespassing and resisting arrest. A 47-year-old Donna Drive man was charged with breach of peace and threatening. A 48-year-old Whalley Avenue woman was charged with larceny. As of January 2019, Hearst Connecticut Media does not include names in online police blotters. Authorities in Utah say a suspect has been arrested in a homicide case. West Valley police say 50-year-old Darren Byrd is jailed on suspicion of aggravated murder, child abuse, obstruction of justice, possession of a weapon by a restricted person and domestic violence in the presence of a child. Police say they received a 911 call around 6:30 p.m. Saturday and officers found the body of a woman inside a trailer home. Fox 13 reports the call was made by the victim's 5-year-old son who indicated his mother was hurt. Shes been identified as 46-year-old Belinda Thomas and police say she had multiple stab wounds. Police say she later died from her injuries. The Deseret News reports that the relationship between Byrd and Thomas hasnt been determined, but police believe the two lived together. Thomas 5-year-old son now is in the custody of child welfare services. North Carolina Republican Rep. Walter Jones died on Sunday at age 76, according to a statement on the congressman's website. "After faithfully representing the people of Eastern North Carolina in Congress and the state legislature for over 34 years, Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) passed away this afternoon in Greenville, North Carolina. He was 76," the statement reads. Jones died on his 76th birthday, according to The Washington Post. Jones was placed in hospice after his health declined following a broken hip he suffered on January 14, according to his office. "Congressman Jones was a man of the people. With a kind heart and the courage of his convictions, he dedicated his life to serving his Savior and to standing up for Americans who needed a voice," the statement from his office reads. "He was a champion for our men and women in uniform and their families, always mindful of their service and sacrifice." "Congressman Jones will long be remembered for his honesty, faith and integrity," the statement continues. "He was never afraid to take a principled stand. He was known for his independence, and widely admired across the political spectrum." "Some may not have agreed with him, but all recognized that he did what he thought was right," the statement reads. A devout Christian orthodox conservative before the pre-Donald Trump era Jones was a strong supporter of the military and strongly opposed taxes, same-sex marriage and abortion. Jones popularized the term "Freedom Fries" in 2002 in support of the Iraq war. He led a campaign to get cafeterias in the House to rename french fries to "Freedom Fries" in a protest of France's opposition to the U.S.-led war. "This is a real tribute," he said at the time. "Whenever anyone orders Freedom Fries, I hope they will think about our men and women who are serving in this great nation." Jones later changed his support of the war and wrote more than 11,000 apologetic letters to relatives of dead service members. Colleagues react to Jones' passing Politicians on both sides of the aisle offered their condolences and mourned the loss of the North Carolina congressman. Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus Mark Meadows wrote on Twitter, "Deeply saddened by the passing of Walter Jonesa beloved colleague and friend who had a profound impact on all through his graciousness, character, and committed Christian faith. God be with and keep his family. We will miss him." North Carolina Republican Rep. Mark Walker posted on Twitter, "Walter Jones was one of a kind. He served with conviction, humility, generosity and kindness. My condolences to Jo Anne and the Jones family." North Carolina Democrat Rep. G.K. Butterfield tweeted, "I am deeply saddened by the passing of a long time leader, proud North Carolinian, a devoted family man of deep faith, and my friend of over forty years- Congressman Walter B. Jones, Jr." "To serve alongside Walter Jones was a great honor and privilege. Let us honor Walter Jones' service to our country and the profound leadership he offered eastern North Carolina. I will miss his humility, intellect, and unwavering love of his community," Butterfield writes. California Democrat Rep. John Garamendi posted on Twitter, "@RepWalterJones was a champion for our men and women in uniform, a bellwether for moral courage and leadership, and one of my closest friends in Congress. My heart is heavy to learn of his passing. Last week, I introduced a bill we developed together in his honor." "It would provide much-needed Congressional oversight and accountability to the conflict in Afghanistan--an issue Walter was a leader on during his time in Congress," Garamendi wrote. "Rest in piece to a great man, a great friend, and a true fighter for the people of North Carolina." California Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell posted on Twitter, "RIP, Rep. Walter Jones. He was a friend & one of my best partners across the aisle. I first met Walter when I was a Hill intern. Not only was he kind enough to talk to me, he remembered my name, and checked in on me throughout that summer. His constituents were lucky to have him." Rhode Island Democrat Rep. David Cicilline tweeted, "Walter Jones was a thoughtful, devoted legislator who always did what he felt was right. I was especially proud to work with him to push for bringing our troops home from Afghanistan. He will be deeply missed." Almost before it was announced, a plan to force the regionalization of schools in Connecticut was declared dead in the water. The bill came from the state Senate president, New Haven Democrat Martin Looney, and it would create a commission to combine districts with a population of less than 40,000, somewhat in line with the states probate court system. Since it would apply to almost every town and city in Connecticut, the backlash was fierce, and predictable. I chose to move here 31 years ago, specifically for Wilton schools and not for Norwalk, one letter writer stated. Please tell Sen. Looney to fix his district and towns and not to steal quality education, educators and money from our towns due to the mismanagement within his District 11 and other large districts, a Weston public official said in another letter. The outrage came from both parties, including some newly elected Democrats in Fairfield County. The wording of the legislation is vague, but the point was not to combine classrooms and bus routes or send suburban kids into the cities, or vice versa. Looney said the bills intention was to reduce the number of administrators. Its to try to focus more resources on the children and the needs of the children rather than expensive bureaucracies, Looney said. We have too many small-town central bureaucracies. As is often noted, Connecticut is the third-smallest state in the nation and yet we have 169 towns and cities and many have individual, overlapping services that defy logic. A separate animal shelter and police chief and schools superintendent in each town doesnt always make sense. But getting anyone to give up home rule is usually doomed from the start. In the abstract, consolidation is a popular way to save money and increase efficiency, but its not that simple. As Adam Dunsby, the first selectman of Easton, argued, many services are already regionalized, including smaller school districts, as well as police under the resident state trooper program, regional planning agencies and more. Those who think there are more savings to be had have the responsibility to put forward specific plans, not just catchphrases, Dunsby said. So heres something beyond a catchphrase. The state should enact Looneys bill, but go beyond back-office functions. Combine the districts, city into suburb, Bridgeport into Easton, with far-flung districts staying mostly as they are. Set a geographic limit, maybe, but Connecticut is a closely packed state and plenty of intratown bus routes are often an hour or more anyway. As one of the few lawmakers to point out the obvious, New Haven Rep. Roland Lemar, said, A lot of communities have benefited greatly by the structural inequities that are inherent in our system today. He added that to move ahead, We have to have conversations that are hard and challenging. Connecticut doesnt like to think of itself this way, but schools here and around the Northeast are as segregated as any in the country. City schools frequently have 90 percent or more nonwhite students, while many suburban districts are the opposite. But because these enrollments are based on where people live, rather than policies barring people from attending, they dont fit what most people imagine segregation to mean. There is voluminous research showing the benefits from integrated classrooms to disadvantaged students kids in cities, mostly without causing harm to well-off students. It has seen success in other parts of the country. It is a true win-win. Integration not magnet schools, funding formulas or interdistrict partnerships is the key to helping the most children do as well as they can in school. Without integrating schools, the state is perpetuating a system that in effect writes off thousands of students every year in disadvantaged urban areas. Its not impossible to succeed in an underfunded segregated school, but it is much harder. We can start to solve that problem. The problem isnt that Looneys bill is too radical, its that it doesnt go far enough. hbailey@hearstmediact.com Termen extins: CJI anunta un concurs de grant pentru selectarea unei echipe care va crea un instrument sau instrumente ce vor fi utilizate la lectiile de Educatie pentru media A Florida woman has been arrested on charges that she killed her 3-year-old son while living in Nevada more than 30 years ago and covered up the crime by saying the boy had disappeared. Amy Fleming, 60, faces a charge of felony murder and is currently being held in the Palm Beach County Main Detention Center after being arrested in Boca Raton. She is currently being held on $1 million bond. Francillon Pierre was last seen at a North Las Vegas swap meet in August 1986. His mother, then Amy Luster, and his stepfather, Lee Luster, said they lost track of the boy -- nicknamed Yo-Yo -- and asked police not to publicize the case because they said they didn't want the media to sensationalize it. The couple were awaiting trial on child abuse charges when Pierre disappeared. The Lusters told police that Pierre's father, Jean Pierre, may have abducted the boy and taken him home to Haiti. However, authorities ruled out Jean Pierre as a suspect, and the boy was never found. Police had said they suspected the Lusters in the case, but they did not have enough evidence to charge either of them. In the years since, the boy was officially considered a missing person and appeared in flyers and posters. Officials even produced an age-progressed portrait of Francillon Pierre in 2011. U.S. marshals arrested Fleming on Jan. 29 in Palm Beach County. "I am shocked that they would try and look at this and go back and manufacture something," Fleming's husband told WPLG days after her arrest. "Both my wife and myself and our entire family... we always thought there would be a knock on the door or we would receive a phone call that would be our son who is now 37 years old." Authorities released few details about why Fleming is now being charged or why the Broward County resident was apprehended in Palm Beach County. North Las Vegas police had been investigating the cold case for the past several months and issued an arrest warrant Dec. 13, 2018, for Fleming. North Las Vegas police have been working on the cold case for the past several months and "pieced several things together," Officer Eric Leavitt told KSNV. A news conference on the case is planned for Monday afternoon by North Las Vegas police. Fleming made her first court appearance on Feb. 1 at the PBCMDC where she waived extradition. Fleming is expected back in court Monday morning. NORWALK For four years, Elona Prrojs husband, Tani, spent his days hiding in their northern Albanian home. In 2010, Tanis uncle killed another man during an argument and the slaying sparked a blood feud between the families, an ancient conflict that involves retaliatory killings. Elona and Tani, both pastors, found themselves leading church from their home. After four years in hiding, Tani felt the need to break free. The family decided to move to England. For the first time in years they could walk free together as a family. But even with all the freedom, Tani still felt restless. Now far away from home, he felt God called upon him to return to Albania and continue his divine mission. Elona, skeptical of his decision, reminded him of the dangers that would come with going home. Still, Tani insisted. Doing this in this community, it would be the craziest thing someone could do, Elona Prroj told the congregation at Word Alive Bible Church at 536 West Ave. on Sunday morning. I always saw him as a victim of his mentality and a victim of his community. When Tani arrived back in Albania, threats from the other family followed. Tanis family, other pastors and many community members begged him to retreat, but he refused. For one year, he was walking in the streets of our city knowing that he was the target of revenge, facing death, Prroj said. But all the while, he felt he was serving God, trusting Him, with all his life and he was ready if God said it was time to die. She started reading stories about blood feuds and found an article that said if a target is accompanied by his child or wife, he will not be killed. And for one year I was trying to run after him, she said. But one Friday morning, Tani made a quick stop at church before picking up his children from school. He told Elona hed return just in time for lunch, but he never made it, she said. The brother of the first victim that his uncle killed was waiting for him outside the church, said Prroj, an international priest. He shot him eight times and sent him to be with the Lord at the age of 34. The moment he was killed, 24 men of his family were released at that moment. Blood was paid with blood. Prrojs message to the congregation on Sunday was her path to forgiving her husbands murderer. One week before Tani was murdered, he had coffee with his brother and said if he were killed in the blood feud the family must promise to forgive the killer. It was easier to forgive because it was Tanis last word and we wanted to do that, Prroj said. But you know, it is something to forgive because someone told you to and its another thing to forgive because you want to. As Prroj took the stage to begin her speech, Artie Kassimis, the pastor of Word Alive Bible Church, said he had awaited her next trip to the United States, so he could invite her to speak to his congregation. The message of forgiveness is taught and spoken of, but when you see it in action, especially with the murderer of your husband, to me it changed my entire view of forgiveness, he said. Theres so much hate going on in our country today between political parties and people just cant seem to get over things and forgive and do whats right. When she told me how she forgave the murderer of her husband, it said to me if you can do that you can forgive anybody. On her healing journey, Prroj has studied the origin of blood feuds while working toward a PhD in psychology. The phenomenon originates within the Catholic community and traces back about 500 years, she said. When the Turks invaded Albania, many Albanians converted from Christian to Muslim, but a subset of Catholics refused and instead retreated to the mountains. There, they created their own community and drafted their own set of laws called the Kanun, which includes the blood feud law. It says an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, she said. But in many cases, families looking for revenge found themselves blocked from their goal amid a vast set of the mountains and difficult terrain. The environment made it easy for targets of blood feuds to run and hide so, the law moved to include six generations of the killers family members as targets. In 90 percent of the cases they will never kill the killer, Prroj said. They want the killer to be alive and they will try to find the youngest and the best in the tribe to cause the deepest pain. A pastor at The Word of Christ Church in Shkoder, Albania, Prroj is also the founder of No Blood Feud, Yes to Life Foundation, which helps around 50 families in northern Albania who are confined to their homes because of a blood feud. The help we give is material, spiritual and psychological, according to her LinkedIn. WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court's shift to the right has intensified the long-running battle over abortion, with activists on both sides racing to pass new laws and capitalize on the divisive issue ahead of the 2020 elections. In several states, advocates of abortion rights have launched an aggressive campaign to shore up and expand guaranteed access to abortion in anticipation of adverse action by the court. At the same time, abortion opponents are pressing sharp restrictions on the procedure - potential test cases for the new conservative majority. The issue is resonating on the national stage, as well. Last week, Democrats took aim at moderate Republicans in the Senate who voted to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who is seen as a potential threat to the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that established a right to abortion in 1973. And Republicans, led by President Donald Trump, have pounced on efforts in New York and Virginia to expand access to late-term abortion, which remains hugely unpopular with most voters. In his State of the Union address, Trump contrasted his call for paid-family leave to let parents "bond with their newborn child" with the abortion legislation, saying it "would allow a baby to be ripped from the mother's womb moments before birth." Strategists in both parties are convinced the issue will work to their advantage in the coming campaigns for Congress and the White House. "In a lot of ways, both sides are playing to their base here," said Jim McLaughlin, a Republican pollster who worked on the president's 2016 campaign. Republicans seized on late-term abortion after controversial comments by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, D, characterized by Republicans as an endorsement of infanticide. Northam's office rejected that interpretation, but his Jan. 30 interview drew attention to the failed Virginia bill, which would have made it easier for women to obtain abortions right up to the time of delivery. "The Democratic Party runs a huge risk if they continue to go all in on abortion because they can alienate those male and female voters in states that President Obama won both times and President Trump won in 2016," said senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway, who has worked for years to restrict abortion. "In those states," she said, "someone who calls themselves pro-choice" may not be willing to accept a "definition of pro-choice that says it means abortion is for anyone, anytime and anywhere." Democrats see danger for Republicans in the shifting Supreme Court, arguing that Kavanaugh's ascension will lead to new constraints on abortion rights even if the court does not fully overturn Roe v. Wade. Last week, Kavanaugh voted to permit a restrictive Louisiana law to take effect, though the court majority blocked its implementation. Liberals quickly used the ruling to attack Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a supporter of abortion rights who voted to confirm Kavanaugh last fall. "We believe that the Kavanaugh vote is not going to be soon forgotten. It wasn't just a moment in time," said Brian Fallon, director of Demand Justice, which will launch a small digital ad campaign against Collins this week. The group also plans to hire field organizers in Maine and Colorado, swing states where Collins and Sen. Cory Gardner, R, are set to face voters in 2020. "There are two full Supreme Court terms before the next election," Fallon said. "That is a lot of time for Kavanaugh to make them look foolish." Americans' overall view of abortion has varied little since the late 1970s, according to Gallup: About 29 percent of those surveyed say it should be legal in all circumstances, up from 21 percent. About 18 percent say it should always be illegal, down slightly from 22 percent. But the shifts among voters in each political party have been stark. In 2018, nearly half of Democrats - 46 percent - said abortion should be legal in all circumstances, up from 19 percent in 1975. Only 11 percent of Republicans agree. That polarization has led each party to embrace more absolute positions, even as the majority of voters continue to land somewhere in the middle. In August, a Washington Post-ABC poll found that a 45 percent plurality of those surveyed said the Supreme Court should make no changes in Americans' ability to get an abortion, while 30 percent said it should be harder. Just 21 percent - one in five - said they wanted to see easier access to abortion. Late-term abortion is especially unpopular: In May 2018, Gallup found that 60 percent of Americans think abortion should be legal in the first trimester, but only 13 percent support terminations in the third trimester. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D, recently signed a law that allows abortions after 24 weeks if the "life or health" of a woman is in jeopardy; previously, the state allowed such abortions only to save a woman's life. The measure also decriminalized abortion by regulating the procedure under the health code instead of the criminal code. New Mexico, which just elected a Democratic governor, and Rhode Island are considering similar legislation. In Virginia, a measure that would have permitted late-term abortion to preserve a woman's "mental health," among other changes, was tabled in committee. The bills are part of a recent uptick in legislation aimed at bolstering abortion rights, said Megan Donovan, a senior policy analyst at The Guttmacher Institute. "States are looking to protect access to abortion, particularly in the event that Roe v. Wade is overturned and undermined," she said. Asked about the Virginia measure, Northam said an infant born alive during an attempted abortion "would be resuscitated if that's what the mother and the family desired," sparking an uproar that quickly threatened to engulf Democrats on Capitol Hill. "This just pours more fuel on the fire," said Mallory Quigley, a spokeswoman for the Susan B. Anthony list, which deployed more than 1,000 antiabortion canvassers to elect Republicans in 2018 Senate races. "Absolutely, this is going to be something we are going to be taking back to voters." White House aides recently discussed the advantage of forcing Democratic candidates to make their views clear on abortions late in pregnancy. They noted that Democrats chose not make abortion a national issue in last year's congressional elections, even as they fielded a record number of female candidates and aggressively courted female voters. "What makes it qualitatively different is the Democrats overplaying their hand on late-term abortion," said Ralph Reed, chairman of the conservative Faith and Freedom Coalition. "The leftward lurch under Trump has brought into real relief the Democratic Party's real extreme position - namely abortion through the ninth month of pregnancy, in some cases up to the moment of birth." Activity in the courts is adding to the sense of upheaval. The Supreme Court must yet consider the merits of the Louisiana law, which passed in 2014 but has never been fully implemented. It would effectively shutter most of the state's abortion clinics by requiring physicians at those facilities to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. In addition, the Supreme Court is currently considering whether to review a 2016 Indiana law, signed by then-Gov. Mike Pence, R, but never implemented, that bans women from choosing abortion when the fetus suffers from genetic abnormalities, such as Down syndrome, and requires burial or cremation of the remains from an abortion. Separately, 21 states have asked the court to weigh in on a 2016 Alabama law that bans a procedure known as dilation and evacuation, the primary method of ending second-trimester pregnancies in the state. "That is what the fight is really about: folks trying to make it harder and harder and harder for women to get an abortion," said Jennifer Dalven, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Reproductive Freedom Project. "It will make abortion as good as illegal for thousands of women without the Court having ever voted to explicitly overturn Roe v. Wade." Democrats plan to use the threat of court action to put Republicans in increasingly blue states on the defensive. Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner, who voted for Kavanaugh and describes himself as "pro-life," struggled with questions about abortion during his 2014 race, when Democrats attacked him for having supported efforts to declare the fetus a person entitled to legal rights - a position that could outlaw abortion completely. Gardner countered that his support amounted to a "statement" signaling his opposition to abortion, and said he wanted to increase access to contraception. During the debate over Kavanaugh's confirmation, Collins said she was convinced that he would not overturn Roe v. Wade. Collins spokeswoman Annie Clark said the senator continues to believe that, and that liberals are misinterpreting his vote last week on the Louisiana law - which, she said, may not materially restrict abortion. What is clear, Clark said, is "that a lot of the critics of Justice Kavanaugh's dissenting opinion haven't even read it." --- Video Embed Code Video: The Post's Robert Barnes analyzes how some states are passing laws restricting abortion rights and test how the Supreme Court's new conservative majority decides.(Luis Velarde ,Breanna Muir/The Washington Post) Embed code: Posted Monday, February 11, 2019 9:31 am Fields of Indian paintbrush fill the foreground. Mount St. Helens, pockets of snow still visible in the soft glow of a summer sunset, anchors the entire scene. Clouds stretch into the distance drawing the viewer fully into the photo. It's a beautifully composed and executed landscape. And it won first place in the trailscape category in the Washington Trails Association's annual photo contest. The photo will appear in the WTA's January and February magazine and on its 2019 calendar. The only problem? The photographer, who did not respond to a request for comment, may have jumped a wall, ignored a sign and trekked into a field of protected wildflowers. "Unfortunately, this one didn't flag for us," said Kindra Ramos, WTA's director of communication and outreach. "Our goal here is not to throw a photographer to the wolves. We saw a beautiful picture and we did what we thought was due diligence. ... We're exploring what other precautions we could take." The issue was first noticed, and flagged by Spokane photographer Craig Goodwin (see his essay). Goodwin is confident the photo was taken from a closed area of Mount St. Helens, one that's visibly marked by signs and a small wall. He first explained his reasoning in a blog post. Chelsea Muise, the recreation program manager for Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, has seen the winning photo but can't be sure from where it was taken. She said it's not uncommon for people to ignore trail signs and area closures. "Going off trail can impact some of the major research projects going on, plus it ruins the experience for other visitors," she said. Goodwin entered his photography into this year's WTA contest and has won in the past. He recognizes his complaint may be seen as the mumblings of a sore loser. "I could care less about the photo contest," he said. "It's more about my experience of seeing all those people out in the middle of the wildflowers at Saint Helens." It touches on a much larger issue. With social media and photography driving people into the outdoors in record numbers, amateur and professional photographers often tromp through sensitive ecological areas looking for "The Shot." "I think overall technology has moved much faster than rules and regulations," said Tony Bynum, a Montana-based photographer and board president of the Professorial Outdoor Media Association. "We can't respond fast enough. Ten years ago, there was no iPhone. You literally had to be in the business of shooting photos and videos to afford the equipment it took." Organizers of photo contests have no obligation to ensure the photos are being taken legally, said Michael Van Tubergen, an attorney who works for POMA and other outdoor media clients. "I would say that the organization doesn't have any legal obligations, but there are probably some ethical obligations," he said. Photography is generally protected by First Amendment rights, even if the creator of the image trespassed to take the photo. That principle was upheld in 2018 when a federal appeals court ruled that Idaho's so-called "ag-gag" law, which banned spying at farms, violated free speech rights. Still, Bynum believes organizations that host photo contests have an ethical obligation. "I firmly believe they have the ultimate responsibility," he said. "They are the platform. Right? The driver behind extraordinary imagery is almost always connected directly to some sort of feedback." Ramos points out that WTA receives roughly 8,000 photos in each contest. They flag and disqualify ones that are clearly taken unethically or illegally. Per their photo contest rules, all photographers are expected to follow Leave No Trace guidelines. The only other contest rule is that the photo must be taken in Washington. "We catch a lot of tents in meadows and too close to animals," she said. But there is no good system for vetting photos that aren't clearly violating Leave No Trace principals. "There is an element of taking photographers at their word," she said. That's understandable, Bynum said, especially for an organization such as WTA which is largely volunteer-driven and relatively small. Still, he thinks a higher standard must be upheld. "They're sort of punting. In a sense, they're saying you're responsible to make sure whatever you're submitting is legit," he said. "But at the end of the day, I think it's the responsibility of anyone who is running the contest." He said one way of dealing with the issue would be to carefully vet any photos that make it into the final round of judging. That could include calling the photographer and asking them questions about where and how the photo was taken. The issues aren't limited only to photo contests. Instagram-obsessed photographers have trespassed on private property, tromped through delicate areas of Yellowstone National Park and fallen to their death from a Yosemite National Park cliff. Locally, people have allowed mountain goats on Scotchman Peak to lick the salt off their skin, said Kiira Siitari, the Coeur d'Alene-based spokeswoman for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Last summer, a selfie of a goat licking the face of a Post Falls man went viral on a local Facebook page. Although no one has been seriously hurt on Scotchman Peak, Siitari points to other deadly incidents in which goats have gored and killed hikers. "Approaching wildlife is super dangerous," she said. That photo-driven disregard isn't dangerous just for people. In 2017, Outside Magazine reported on how Instagram, and social media in general, have driven overuse of particular spots leading to damaged ecosystems and disrupted habitats. In an interview from last summer, Carly Reed, the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest wilderness manager, said Instagram has fueled overuse in the Alpine Lakes area. "You don't have to go the place that your 15 friends put on Instagram," Reed said. Just this week, the popular climbing and yoga brand Prana published a photo in its seasonal catalog of professional climber Chris Sharma climbing a fragile cave formation. The National Speleological Society decried the photo, noting the ecological richness of caves and the delicate nature of that habitat, reported Outside Magazine. Chris Celentano is a Coeur d'Alene-based photographer focusing on outdoor photography. He's made a habit of not saying where his photos are taken. He believes outdoor photography is an important tool for highlighting natural beauty and encouraging conservation. The nature of social media, however, makes it vital to protect places from "the hoards." "The vast majority of the new-age outdoorsmen/women are merely out for the 'super-cool selfie' and do not have the same level of respect for their surroundings that a more traditional outdoor enthusiast has," he said in a message. "Their motivation is getting that double-tap on Instagram." Plus, he said, he's seen too many places wrecked by inconsiderate recreationists. "I have grown tired of seeing some of my favorite 'secret' spots get discovered and then quickly ruined by people that do not recognize or care about the damage they may be causing," he said. As for the WTA contest, Ramos said no changes have been made, but each year WTA staff debrief the previous year's contest. This issue will be high on their agenda. "I think as more people are discovering the outdoors, we have to really continue to evaluate how we can help hikers protect the places they love," she said. NEW MILFORD Lynn Deming Park will be more secure next summer with the addition of gates and cameras. The Town Council approved spending $70,500 from the Landfill Settlement Fund on Monday, though it took Councilman Peter Mullen switching his vote for it to pass. The improvements will address some of the concerns raised during last years Fourth of July holiday when the park was packed with people who didnt have passes. Originally Mullen abstained because he didnt want cameras throughout the park,calling it a bit overkill, but acknowledged it could address a potential need. Five council members were needed to approve the special appropriation. Since four members were absent, all of the council members at Mondays meeting had to approve it. I dont like cameras all over the park, Mullen said. I think were trying to solve a problem that doesnt exist. Mullen switched though because he said the parks and recreation department needed the time now to make sure it was done right before the summer season. He did question where the town drew the line on its surveillance and enforcement of wrongdoings at the park. He said the lifeguards in general have gotten better at spotting problems. Councilman Mike Nahom said the cameras can also protect the town from liabilities. The work includes installing two entrance gates and an exit gate. The pass stickers will also now have special technology that will automatically open the gates, as well as track peoples visits. Cameras will also be installed at the gates and can record cars license plates, said Parks and Recreation Director Dan Calhoun. The biggest problem the town faces with the crowding at Lynn Deming residents shuttling multiple carloads of people into the park on a single day. The park will continue to have at least one security guard on site 24 hours a day from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Calhoun said. Another problem is people sneaking in through the woods from the adjacent property. Calhoun said the cost of fence there was too high, but Mayor Pete Bass said the ranger riding around on the Gator has stopped people and cameras pointed toward the woods will deter others. Several town council members said the security upgrades were needed, especially because the town recently completed a $1.2 million renovation at the park and it needed to protect the investment. Its well overdue and we need it, said Doug Skelly, who also sits on the parks and recreation commission. Some council members questioned if the Landfill Settlement Fund was the appropriate source of the money though. Mayor Pete Bass said it is a recreational item and so allowed. He said the original renovation project also called for the security components so this is completing that plan. My thought was instead of impacting the tax pater, we use the landfill settlement fund because (the park) is our shining star, he said, adding the fund has more than $13.2 million. kkoerting@newstimes.com, 203-731-3345 A water line break prompted an early dismissal at Sarah Noble Intermediate School Monday because the building had no water for a few hours. The break was fixed by the early afternoon and water has been restored, said interim Superintendent of Schools Stephen Tracy. We should be good for school tomorrow, pending the weather, he said. Tracy said the break happened in the driveway outside of the main entrance. Water was seeping up in the driveway through a crack in the road, he said. An excavator and Aquarion officials were called to dig up the road. Tracy said the only way to fix the pipe was to turn the water off for a few hours. The towns health director and fire marshal said the students and staff could remain in the building while work started as long as the students were dismissed early because its a health and safety risk to be in a building without water. The school dismissed at 11:30 a.m. and all afternoon and evening activities were canceled at the school. The hole was filled with compact gravel and Tracy said it will be repaved once the weather is warmer. He said he was told the break happened because it was an older pipe and these pipes eventually fail. DANBURY The Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center will be celebrating St. Patricks Day for the next month with activities and events, including the annual Danbury St. Patricks Day Parade on Sunday, March 24. The Danbury Irish Club kicked off its month-long celebration Sunday with a parade fundraiser at Molly Darcys, featuring food and performances by Irish dancers and bands. The St. Patricks Day Parade is one of the clubs two major annual events the other being the Greater Danbury Irish Festival held in September. This years parade will step off at 2 p.m. in front of St. Peters Church on Main Street. The parade will make its way down West Street to Lake Avenue, and end at the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center, where a post-parade party will be held. Parade co-chair Wendy Mitchell said the parade has grown and attendees can expect to see a few more marchers this year. It draws people not just from Danbury, but towns like New Milford, Norwalk, Newtown and Bethel, said Mitchell. One of this years parade sponsors is Redding-based Rising Starr Horse Rescue, which will be bringing a horse named Pixi for meet-and-greets at the post-parade party. There are many reasons why people should attend the parade and the festivities that follow, said Mitchell, including family-friendly activities, musicians, dancers and candy. Mitchell said shes looking forward to seeing people from all walks of life at the parade. Its not just about the Irish, she said, its about our entire community. Some of the other events the Danbury Irish Club has lined up next month include a St. Patricks Day Ball at the Amber Room Colonnade on March 9, a mass at St. Peters Church on March 16, and flag-raising events in Danbury, Bethel and New Fairfield. The St. Patricks Day Parade has at least 14 sponsors already, Mitchell said, but the parade committee is seeking more. For $50 to $1,000, sponsors can have their names or business logos printed on the parade T-shirts, a poster at the Danbury Irish Club, a parade float, and can be included in advertisements and promotions. For sponsorship information, contact Mitchell at 203-501-7424 or wendyannmitchell@live.com, or parade co-chair Kevin Hearty at 203-746-2212 or kevin.hearty@ncps-k12.org. Dubai: Pakistan has the Mecca and Medina for the Sikhs and the country is opening up those sites for the minority community, Prime Minister Imran Khan said in the UAE on Sunday. Prime Minister Khan in November last year laid the foundation stone for the corridor linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur - the final resting place of Sikh faith's founder Guru Nanak Dev - to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Gurdaspur district to facilitate visa-free movement of Indian Sikh pilgrims. Khan is paying a day-long trip to the UAE to take part in the 7th edition of the World Government Summit on the invitation of Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum. "We have the Mecca and Medina of the Sikhs... and we are just opening up those sites for Sikhs," Khan said. Mecca and Medina are the two holiest sites in Islam. "We have opened our visa regime. For the first time in Pakistan, we have 70 countries from where people can come and get visas at the airport," the prime minister said. Khan said Pakistan has the best tourist potential even though at the moment it hardly has any tourism. "Half the world's highest peaks are in Pakistan," he said, adding that the country has 1,000 kilometers of coastline. Khan also said that Pakistan has the oldest historical monuments, probably as old as anywhere in the world. "We have Indus Valley Civilization, which is 5,000 years old. We have Peshawar, the oldest living city in the world, 2,500 years old. Lahore and Multan are ancient cities. "We have the Gandhara civilization, which was the cradle of Buddhist civilization, in the north of Islamabad. The biggest sleeping Buddha, 40 feet, is in Haripur. We have some of the greatest and highest number of Sufi shrines all over Pakistan," he said. Khan said they are opening up the country for tourism. Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan is located across the river Ravi, about four kilometres from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine. It was established by the Sikh Guru in 1522. The first Gurdwara, Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib, was built here, where Guru Nanak is said to have died. The Kartarpur Corridor, which will facilitate the visa-free travel of Indian Sikh pilgrims to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, is expected to be completed soon. Thousands of Sikh devotees from India visit Pakistan every year to celebrate the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. India had proposed the corridor to Pakistan around 20 years back. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In a bizarre incident in Noida, a wedding procession literally went down the drain when 15 people, including the groom, fell into a drain on Saturday night. The incident occurred around 9:30 pm when the baraat was dancing on a small suspension bridge at the Hoshiyarpur village in Noidas Sector 52 when it suddenly collapsed, reported the Hindustan Times. Two children, below 8 years of age, were also hurt in the accident and rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. The suspension bridge, which connected the wedding banquet halls gate to its lawn, was built over a drain. The incident caused a hole in the pocket of the owner of the banquet hall, who had pay Rs 3 lakh in cash to the brides family. The wedding only resumed after that. Agitated onlookers the groom and his baraat had been dancing for over 10 minutes on the bridge while others walked across it to reach the lawn. The wedding venue had no alternate exits than the bridge. The groom was a 35-year-old businessman from Ghaziabad, and the bride a 32-year-old resident of Delhi. Mishaps during wedding processions always make their way to the news. Earlier, a horse carrying groom fell into the well during a wedding ritual in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda. According to media reports, the incident took place when someone burst crackers during the baraat which frightened the horse and it fell into the well along with the groom. For all the Latest Offbeat News News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Posted Monday, February 11, 2019 9:36 am In November, Washington voters spoke overwhelmingly, passing with nearly 60 percent of the vote a sweeping array of new gun regulations. But, it turns out, voters might not have had the last word. In at least 13 mostly rural counties across Washington, from the Pacific Coast to the eastern wheat fields, county sheriffs have publicly pledged not to enforce the new law, known as Initiative 1639, citing their personal opposition to it. "My job as a sheriff is to throw bad guys in jail, but it's also to protect the constitutional rights of citizens of our county," said Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer, who said he will not be enforcing the new law. "I follow the rule of law when I believe it's constitutional." Sheriffs in Grays Harbor, Pacific, Mason, Kittitas, Yakima, Klickitat, Grant, Benton, Franklin, Adams, Lincoln, Ferry and Stevens counties -- where majorities of voters opposed 1639 -- have all said they will not enforce the new law. In King County, which has close to three times as many voters as those 13 counties combined, 76 percent supported the ballot measure and Sheriff Mitzi Johanknecht co-wrote the argument in favor of it in the state voters' guide. Last week, she said the initiative "can be refined," but that it's up to the courts to determine its constitutionality. "I took an oath to uphold the law," Johanknecht said in a prepared statement. "As law enforcement leaders, we defy that oath and betray the public trust if we pick and choose which laws we will uphold." Songer and other sheriffs noted that officers use discretion all the time to determine which laws are enforcement priorities. Every time an officer sees a car driving over the speed limit he uses discretion in how to enforce the law. And several big cities in states where marijuana remains illegal have drastically scaled back possession arrests, citing both racial disparities in enforcement and a lack of resources. Mary Fan, a law professor at the University of Washington and a former federal prosecutor, said the gun law is different because the sheriffs are laying out their motivations so bluntly. "What's atypical about this situation is they're not saying 'Hey, we have limited resources so we're going to figure out how to best use them,' " Fan said. "They're saying, 'We don't agree with the people and so even though we are the people's public servants we're not going to enforce that law.' " I-1639 was the most ambitious gun-regulations ballot measure in state history. It makes it illegal for anyone under 21 to buy a semi-automatic rifle, the same as it is for handguns. It requires 10-day waiting periods and more thorough background checks for anyone buying those rifles. And if a teenager or someone who can't legally own a gun uses one in a crime, the gun owner could be held responsible, if the gun was stored carelessly. The National Rifle Association and the Bellevue-based Second Amendment Foundation have filed a lawsuit in federal court, claiming the law violates the U.S. and Washington constitutions and should be thrown out. The state Attorney General's office asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit on procedural grounds, since most of the law has not yet gone into effect. Courts determine the constitutionality of laws, but many of the sheriffs have taken it into their own hands, declining to wait for courts to rule. Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner wrote that I-1639 "appears to violate the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution" and that he would not enforce it. It's not clear which section of the wide-ranging law Wagner thinks is unconstitutional, and he did not respond to requests for comment. The higher age limit to buy a weapon is new for semi-automatic rifles, but not a new concept. Washington has long banned handgun sales to anyone under 21. The United States banned the sale of certain semi-automatic rifles from 1994 until the ban's expiration in 2004, and at least five states and the District of Columbia continue to ban such weapons. At least 16 states impose some kind of criminal liability on a firearms owner if a gun is improperly stored and a child carries or uses it, according to a 2016 report by the Boston University School of Public Health. For the moment, there's little for the sheriffs to enforce anyway. The only portion of the law that's gone into effect so far is the higher age limit for purchases of semi-automatic rifles. The rest of the law is scheduled to go into effect July 1. What if, for instance, a gun shop decides to sell a semi-automatic rifle to a 19-year-old, which could be a felony punishable by up to five years in prison? "I don't think you're going to find any gun shops that are going to sell guns to someone under 21," said Franklin County Sheriff Jim Raymond, who's also said he won't enforce the law. But if it did happen, "we would properly report, we wouldn't arrest anyone." Jaime Smith, a spokeswoman for Gov. Jay Inslee, said that represents the status-quo situation and would qualify as enforcing the law. She said the sheriffs are using "NRA-inspired rhetoric" but aren't citing any specific parts of the law they plan to not enforce. "That sheriff is still complying with 1639," Smith said. "They are saying things that make it sound like they are taking a defiant stand, but according to the people who know the law and law enforcement, those words aren't translating into anything other than rhetorical grandstanding." Once the law goes into full effect, sheriffs or local police departments will be responsible for conducting enhanced background checks on people who attempt to buy a semi-automatic rifle. Those checks -- which are already done on people attempting to buy a handgun -- include searching at least three state and federal databases and checking for outstanding warrants and pending criminal charges. Sheriffs departments had previously argued that this would significantly add to their workloads, but Raymond said his department would carry out its duties under this section of the law. "I'm all for the longer waiting periods, the check-ins and double check-ins, I am clearly for that," he said. "Certainly we're going to follow all of those type of things." Some sheriffs -- even those who opposed the passage of I-1639 -- have criticized their colleagues for saying they wouldn't enforce the law. Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said he thought the initiative was unconstitutional but accused the other sheriffs of "grandstanding." "It's a slippery slope when we decide what laws we are or aren't going to enforce," he told The Spokesman-Review. Chelan County Sheriff Brian Burnett wrote an Op-Ed last year opposing I-1639. But since the initiative's passage, he's taken a different tack than some of his colleagues. "I don't think it's my opinion that matters so much as the courts', and there's a system there that we have to follow," Burnett said in a local radio interview. "As soon as we no longer follow that system, then we're going to walk away and abandon everything that America was created for." New Delhi: A terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri camp was thwarted after the security personnel of Army Artillery unit at Rajarwani some suspicious movement around the camp and opened fire late on Sunday night. The area has been cordoned off and is being searched jointly by the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Indian Army. According to reports, two people have been detained and being examined in connection with the incident. The security around the camp has been tightened and all local units of the Amry and the central paramilitary force deployed in the area have been alerted. This is a deferred image from the Army Artillery unit at Rajarwani, Uri camp. (Photo: ANI) In another incident, at least 11 persons were injured after a grenade was hurled on CRPF party near Palladium lane at Lal Chowk in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar district on Sunday. Soon after the incident, the injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals and are stable now. As per the latest reports, police has registered a case in this regard and have been working to establish the full circumstances of the incident. The area has been cordoned off. "Three CRPF personnel, four J&K police personnel and four civilians have been injured in the grenade attack on CRPF party near Palladium lane at Lal Chowk, Srinagar," the news agency ANI reported. The incident occurs hours after five terrorists were gunned down in an encounter with security forces Kulgam district. The gunbattle broke out after the ultras opened fire on a search team of the security forces in the district's Kellem village this morning. Weapons and war-like stores have been recovered from the encounter site. Terrorists hurling grenades at CRPF, army jawans, police and security forces has become very frequent in Jammu and Kashmir. On January 31, a grenade was lobbed on security forces in Anantnag district, leaving seven people injured, including three women and two CRPF jawans. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Twitter team, including Twitter India representatives, arrived at Parliament to appear before the Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology (IT) over the issue of safeguarding citizens' rights on social media platforms on Monday. However, the committee has passed a resolution unanimously that they will not meet any Twitter officials until senior members or CEO of the Twitter Global team depose before the panel. The committee has given 15-day deadline to Twitter. Earlier Twitter had refused to appear before the panel, citing 'short notice' of the hearing. The Parliamentary Committee, headed by BJP MP Anurag Thakur, had issued a summon to Twitter via an official letter on February 1. The parliamentary committee meeting was scheduled for February 7, but was later postponed to February 11 to allow the Twitter CEO and senior officials more time to make themselves available. Twitter cited "short notice of the hearing" as the reason, despite being given 10 days to travel, the sources said. Twitter team including Twitter India representatives arrive at Parliament to appear before Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology today. Earlier Twitter had refused to appear citing 'short notice' of the hearing. The Committee had called Twitter via a letter on Feb 1. pic.twitter.com/UZkLoEIyu3 ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2019 The letter sent to Twitter by the Parliamentary IT Committee on February 1 clearly stated that "it may be noted that the Head of the Organisation has to appear before the Committee". It further stated that "He/She may be accompanied by another representative." The Parliamentary IT Committee received a letter on February 7 from Vijaya Gadde, Twitter's global lead for legal, policy, trust and safety, stating, "No one who engages publicly for Twitter India makes enforcement decisions with respect to our rules for content or accounts in India." Deputing a junior employee to represent Twitter at the Indian Parliamentary IT Committee has not gone down well with Indian lawmakers especially since they have no decision making authority, the letter from Gadde said. This comes at a time when there are growing concerns about safeguarding citizens' data privacy and election interference through social media platforms. Twitter's conduct is being watched globally and their response is being seen with concern as India's Parliamentary hearing is amongst the fourth in the world after the US Congress, Singapore and EU hearing. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. highlights Congress said that the government waived anti-corruption clauses. Chowkidar allowed Anil Ambani to steal 30,000 Cr. from the IAF. Priyanka Gandhi made her grand entry today in Lucknow. New Delhi: After participating in mammoth roadshow which marked the entry of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra into politics, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that the Congress will come back in power in Uttar Pradesh. "Congress started in UP and can't remain weak here. I've given the job of strengthening the party here to Priyanka Ji and Jyotiraditya Ji. Lok Sabha polls are approaching and I told them that we should perform better in it and our government should form here after Assembly polls too," Rahul Gandhi said. Earlier, the Congress cited a media report claiming that the government waived anti-corruption clauses in the Rafale deal to call for a probe into "who paid whom", with party chief Rahul Gandhi alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "opened the door" to allow industrialist Anil Ambani to "steal" Rs 30,000 crore from the Air Force. The all-out attack on the government came after a report in The Hindu newspaper claimed the Rafale deal between India and France involved "major and unprecedented" concessions from the Modi dispensation, with critical provisions for anti-corruption penalties and making payments through an escrow account dropped days before the signing of the inter-governmental agreement (IGA). "NoMo anti-corruption clause. The Chowkidar himself opened the door to allow Anil Ambani to steal 30,000 Cr. from the IAF (sic)," Gandhi tweeted, tagging the report. The government, as well as Ambani, whose company is offset partner under the deal, have strongly refuted allegations of any wrongdoing in the fighter jet agreement with France. Last week, the Congress president had demanded answers to questions raised by another report in the newspaper that the PMO conducted parallel negotiations on the Rafale deal. Repeating the "chowkidar" epithet, he ramped up his attack on the prime minister and said it was "crystal clear" that the "watchman" is the "thief". Speaking at Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's day-long fast at the Andhra Bhavan here, he alleged that Prime Minister Modi had "stolen" from the people of the state and given the money to industrialist Ambani. "The Prime Minister became Prime Minister by saying, he is going to fight corruption. Have you read The Hindu newspaper today...The Prime Minister has stolen from the people of Andhra Pradesh and he has given that money to Mr. Anil Ambani, that is the fact of the matter," he said. Later, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari, at a press conference, said the Congress wants to raise the fundamental question why the BJP-led NDA government waived the anti-corruption clauses in the Rafale deal. The answer is very simple because there has been corruption in the Rafale deal, he said. Tewari said the implications of the action of alleged waiving of the anti-corruption clauses in the deal meant that the French, especially the suppliers --- Dassault and missile-maker MBDA -- were indemnified. "Essentially, what it means is that those who essentially paid, through whom the transactions were routed, and the end beneficiaries, get fully indemnified...Government doesn't have the legal locus to cancel the contract," he claimed. Dassault and MBDA were in the "driver's seat" in the Rafale deal negotiations and not the government of India, he alleged. "One thing is emerging clearly, which requires investigation, which requires a joint parliamentary committee (probe), that somebody has paid somebody in the fighter Rafale procurement," Tewari said. "We would again like to emphasise that if these very very overt acts of malfeasance...if the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report ignores it because we believe that the CAG report is being tabled tomorrow, then that report will not be worth the paper it is written on," he said. On August 24, 2016, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved the inter-governmental agreement, while in September, 2016, the defence acquisition council overrode the cabinet committee on security and amended eight vital clauses of the fighter jet deal, Tewari alleged. "The moot question is what happened between August 24, 2016, and September 23, 2016, what transpired in those 30 days. Who paid whom in those 30 days that led to the dropping of the anti-corruption clauses from the Rafale agreement," he asked. Earlier, senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram said the Rafale deal is unravelling faster than the government thought. "First, it was the loading of the India Specific Enhancement costs on 36 aircraft, instead of 126 aircraft, giving a bonanza to Dassault. Then it was the revelation that 'parallel negotiations' were being carried on by PMO undermining the efforts of the Indian Negotiating Team," he said in a series of tweets. Now it is revealed that crucial changes were made to the clauses in the standard Defence Procurement Procedure, he said. "No sovereign guarantee, no bank guarantee, no escrow account, yet a huge amount was paid as advance," Chidambaram alleged. Lashing out at the Modi government, he said, "No penalty clause for undue influence, no clause against agency commission, no clause for access to suppliers' accounts, and Dassault goes laughing all the way to the bank." Citing the media report, Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Modiji, after waiving off sovereign guarantee in Rafale deal, you also waived off the 'anti-corruption measure' of a 'safeguard Escrow A/c'! What is the corruption you wanted to hide?(sic)" The whole country is abuzz that "chowkidar chor hai", he said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. highlights Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is schedule to visit Jaipur today. Priyanka was accompanied by Rahul Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia. The trio embarked on a roughly 25-km-long roadshow in Lucknow. New Delhi: Newly appointed Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday made her political entry in Uttar Pradesh accompanied by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and in-charge of the western region, Jyotiraditya Scindia. Priyanka arrived at the Lucknow airport afternoon to a rousing reception by party leaders and workers. As her 'rath' rolled on, it was a selfie galore with enthusiastic partymen taking vantage positions to click prized photographs for posterity. When the trio embarked on a roughly 25-km-long roadshow through major thoroughfares of the state capital, rose petals were sprinkled and marigold garlands showered at their cavalcade. A day before her maiden visit to the state as Congress general secretary in-charge of western Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi said she hopes to start a "new kind of politics" in which everyone will be a stakeholder. Accompanied by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and in-charge of the western region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, the beaming 47-year-old sported a kurta and a stole and waved at the teeming party workers jostling for a glimpse. "Come, let's build a new future, new politics with me. Thank you," she said in her message to the people ahead of the visit to the state. When the three leaders embarked on a roughly 25-km-long roadshow, from the airport to the party headquarters, to woo voters in the Lok Sabha polls, rose petals and marigold garlands were showered at their cavalcade. As her 'rath' inched through major thoroughfares, enthusiastic people and party members took vantage positions to click a prized photo. Enthusiastic Congress workers took to the streets to celebrate the arrival of the two new AICC incharges, with party tricolours and hoardings all over giving the city a festive look. Since early morning, Congress workers were seen busy giving final touches to the arrangements for the roadshow, distributing food packets, tea and water to passersby. Patriotic songs were played on loudspeakers perking up the mood. Some posters showed Priyanka in 'Durga Mata' avatar riding on a lion. "Maa Durga ka roop behen Priyankaji (Sister Priyankaji is Maa Durga's incarnation) said one poster, while some others highlighted her resemblance to Indira Gandhi, her grandmother. Besides workers of other front organisations of the party, some Congress workers -- said to be members of Priyanka sena, a little-known outfit -- were seen wearing pink T-shirts with her photograph. Massive crowd accompanied Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi's convoy "With the Priyanka Sena at the Nehru Bhawan, Lucknow it is almost celebration here," tweeted Sushmita Dev, president of all India Mahila Congress. An enthusiastic party general secretary Shailendra Tewari has customised his car to welcome Priyanka with the banner reading, "Aa gai priyanka...baj gaya danka... brashtachar ki ab lagegi Lanka..." A day before her maiden visit to Uttar Pradesh as Congress general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi said that together with the people of the state she hopes to start a "new kind of politics" in which everyone will be a stakeholder. The two general secretaries will interact with party workers at the state Congress office in Lucknow on February 12, 13 and 14. Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Rajiv Bakshi told PTI that Priyanka Gandhi's entry into formal politics will enthuse party workers to regain lost ground in the state in the Lok Sabha polls. "This is an opportunity for the Congress to strike back in the most crucial state of the country where the organisation had all through been wanting her to plunge into active politics," he said. Priyanka Gandhi is the Congress' big hope for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections who will be shouldering the responsibility of reviving Congress fortunes, especially in the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh, say party insiders. Her entry into active politics has been at a time when the party is not only witnessing one of the most difficult times electorally but has also been sidelined by prospective allies for the 'mahagatbandhan' with the Samajwadi Party and BSP totally ignoring it in forming their alliance. Priyanka Gandhi is pitched as a big draw with her charisma and voter connect, but her 'rescue Congress' mission remains a daunting task in the state where the party has been pushed on the margins with the advent of caste-based politics since the last 30 years. Though she is no stranger to such roadshows with her brother, she is seen campaigning for the first time outside the Gandhi family constituencies of Amethi and Raebareli and her political acumen and connect with the public will be at the test for the first time. The last two Lok Sabha by-elections in eastern Uttar Pradesh, for the Gorakhpur and Phulpur, were disastrous for the Congress. Party candidates managed to fetch only around 19,000 votes each and registered only a 2 per cent vote share in each constituency. In 2014, the Congress just managed to retain the Gandhi family constituencies of Amethi and Raebareli, as compared to the 21 it had won five years earlier. The party's vote share also dropped by almost 50 per cent between 2009 and 2014. Eastern Uttar Pradesh, the area where Priyanka Gandhi will be active is presently the strongholds of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. UPCC general secretary Dwijendra Tripathi said making two general secretary incharges of Uttar Pradesh showed the seriousness Rahul Gandhi attaches to state. "Both are young and popular, he said. They have a certain hold over the public and have leadership qualities and a rapport with the common man." Congress leaders said Priyanka Gandhi's into active party politics will galvanise the workers, helping them take on the dual challenge posed in the state by the BJP and the SP-BSP alliance. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) president and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejirwal on Monday accused PM Narendra Modi of behaving like a Pakistani Prime Minister to subvert India's federal structure. Kejriwal was addressing at his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu's day-long fast against the BJP-led NDA government in the national capital. The TDP president is demanding that the Centre fulfil promises made during Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation in 2014 and alleges that Modi was not following 'raj dharma' by denying the state special status. "A Prime Minister is Prime Minister of the nation, not of a party. The way he treats other political parties, it's like he is not the Prime Minister of India, but Prime Minister of Pakistan," Kejrwal was quoted as saying at the Andhra Bhavan, where Naidu is on fast. Extending support to Naidu in his demand, the AAP leader further said, "It is unfortunate that the Chief Minister and thousands of people from Andhra have to demonstrate here for special status for the state. This poses a big question on the country's federal structure". "The PM at least thrice publicly declared he would give special status to Andhra. He is world famous for lying. Whatever he says, he never fulfills. Even (BJP chief) Amit Shah says that whatever they say is nothing but 'jumla' (fake promise)," the Delhi CM added. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal: Hum Pradhan Mantri Ji ko kehna chahate hain, woh BJP ke PM nahi hain, woh is desh ke logon ke PM hain. Jis tarah se PM vipakshi rajyon ke sarkaron ko treat karte hain, aise treat karte hain jaise pradhan mantri Hindustan ke nahi Pakistan ke hain. pic.twitter.com/rqH5xKMYZJ ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2019 In an apparent reference to the CBI's shutdown with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Kejriwal said, "I want to tell Modi that he is not the Prime Minister of his BJP alone but of the entire India. The way he treats state governments run by non-BJP parties looks as if he is the Prime Minister of Pakistan". "Now he sent 40 CBI officers to arrest Kolkata's Police Commissioner to send a message to the police and bureaucracy in all states that they should not be loyal to state governments but to the Centre," he alleged. Calling it a conspiracy, Kejriwal said, "Had he succeeded, the federal structure of the country would have collapsed. I salute Mamata didi for the way she drove out those 40 CBI officers". Last but not the least, Kejriwal called upon the people to defeat the Modi-Shah pair in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2019, adding that if Modi and Shah come back again, the nation won't survive. Apart from Kejriwal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Congress chairperson Farooq Abdullah, NCP's Majeed Memon, Trinamool Congress' Derek O' Brien, DMK's Tiruchi Siva and Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav were among those who met the TDP chief to express their support. All India Trinamool Congress president and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also extended her support to Naidu over his day-long hunger-strike against the Centre and is expected to reach the national capital on Tuesday. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia, the partys general secretary in charge of western Uttar Pradesh, will accompany Priyanka Gandhi during her first visit to the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) headquarters after her appointment as general secretary in charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh on Monday. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) will likely submit to the President on a much-awaited report on its audit of big-ticket military procurements in the last few years, including the controversial Rafale jet fighter deal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will serve food to schoolchildren from an underprivileged background in Vrindavan on The Gujjar community agitation demanding five per cent quota in jobs and educational institutes. Roma turned out to be a favourite at the BAFTA 2019. CBI to continue interrogation of Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar. TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will sit on a day-long hunger strike in the national capital on demanding special status for his state and fulfilment of commitments made by the Centre under the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. 23:18 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Rajasthan: 5 deaths due to swine flu, and 79 positive swine flu cases reported today. Total 112 deaths due to swine flu and over 3020 positive swine flu cases have been reported from across the state between January 1 to February 11. 19:44 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Uttarakhand: Main accused Sardar Hardev and his son Sukka arrested by Haridwar police in Jhabrera in connection with the deaths that occurred due to consumption of illicit liquor in Roorkee. 16:37 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Odisha: our people died and 11 sustained critical injuries after a pickup van they were travelling in turned turtle near Kathiguda in Malkangiri district today. Injured have been admitted to hospital. 12:57 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Gujjars must appeal to Modi govt for quota, says Rajasthan minister Would like to appeal to Gujjar community that they pressurise the PM to give 5% reservation,the way they gave 10 % reservation to General Category. Our govt is 45 days old, we're not saying no. If they will block roads then govt will also do its work, says Rajasthan Minister Bhanwar Lal. 12:01 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Former Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa death probe: Madras High Court rejects the petition of Apollo hospital seeking a stay on the Arumughaswamy Commission proceedings until a medical board is formed. Next date of hearing is February 15. 12:00 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Drake wins Grammy for Best Rap Song for God's Plan. 11:55 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Supreme Court exempts personal appearance of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a local court in Amethi in a case of alleged derogatory remarks against Congress and BJP in the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha election. 11:32 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Supreme Court refuses to entertain a plea filed by the investors seeking Court monitored probe into Saradha chit-fund scam. 11:21 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar arrives at CBI office in Shillong Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar arrives at CBI office in Shillong for questioning in connection with Saradha chit fund scam. This is the third day of his questioning by CBI. 10:19 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Childish Gambino wins Grammy for Record of the Year. 10:11 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In A function to unveil the portrait of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be held on Tuesday in the Central Hall of Parliament House. The portrait will be unveiled by President Ram Nath Kovind.. 10:05 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In LATEST | Popstar Dua Lipa wins the Grammy for the Best New Artist. 07:32 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In 17 trains of Northern Railway are running late today due to fog and low visibility. 17 trains of Northern Railway are running late today due to fog/low visibility. pic.twitter.com/ELzpyUkJRW ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2019 07:00 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Bahubali team members, chef Sanjeev Kapoor to attend PM's event hosted by Akshaya Patra Some of the important team members of popular film franchise Bahubali and celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor will attend Prime Minister Narendra Modis programme here on Monday during which he will serve food to school children from an underprivileged background, the organisers said. Director and screenwriter SS Rajamouli is one of the goodwill ambassadors of Akshaya Patra Foundation which is hosting the event. 06:58 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Fire breaks out at godown in Kolkata market, no casualty A fire broke out at a godown in the Burrabazar area of the city on Sunday evening. Fire brigade sources said five fire tenders managed to put off the blaze in two hours and there was no report of any casualty. The fire broke out at the godown, located on the first floor of a building on Jamunalal Bazaz Street, at around 8:30 pm, they said. We have managed to totally extinguish the flames at around 10:30 pm. Our men are now dumping materials gutted inside the godown in an open courtyard of the building, a fire brigade source said. Fire brigade personnel managed to contain the blaze by unlocking the room, located next to the godown, and sprinkling water, they said. Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose visited the spot and supervised the fire-fighting operations. The godown mainly stocked clothes as well as some other combustible materials, they said, adding that the extent of damage is yet to be assessed. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on Monday asked Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the audio clip (of alleged conversation of Yeddyurappa with a JD(S) MLAs son). The speaker also ordered that the probe should be finished within 15 days. On February 8, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had claimed that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is attempting to lure his party lawmakers as part of what is being called "Operation Lotus". The chief minister also released audio clips of the alleged conversation of Yeddyurappa luring Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs. Kumaraswamy also alleged that such an attempt was being carried out with the permission of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. "Without the knowledge of the prime minister, is it possible to do all this," Kumaraswamy said, as he lashed out at Modi and asked him to come clean on the issue. Modi and Amit Shah are doing all this," he added. Kumaraswamy said he would send the audio clips to the prime minister who, he said, claims about being "the only saviour of this country. "Come out with your real face," Kumaraswamy said pointing out at the prime minister. Kumaraswamy alleged there were two audio clips which had recorded the telephonic conversation between Yeddyurappa and Sharan Gouda, son of JDS lawmaker Naganagouda, whom the BJP leader was trying to woo with money and other offers. Sharan Gouda, who was present with the chief minister, spoke about how Yeddyurappa allegedly tried to reach out to him over phone and asked him to meet him at Devadurga in his attempt to lure his father. The only part of one unclear audio clip was played at the press conference. In the clip, a male voice is heard offering money and ministerial berth, besides assuring Sharan Gouda about "taking care" of the speaker and the judges in case of the Anti-Defection Law being invoked. However, Yeddyurappa has dismissed the audio clips as fake and a concocted story and said he had not met anyone to woo Nagana Gouda as alleged. Kumaraswamy had "concocted" the story to hide his failures and inability to keep the JD(S) and Congress flock together, Yeddyurappa told reporters. "It is a fake audio. I have not met anyone. Kumaraswamy is trying to hide his failures. This is a drama," Yeddyurappa said. He said the Kumaraswamy government had lost the trust of the people and had "no moral right" to continue in office. Yeddyurappa dismissed a claim by the chief minister that he had spoken in the audio about a "Rs 50 crore" offer to the assembly speaker. "I will retire from politics if it (the allegation) is proved. If I had spoken like this (about the speaker), if it is proved, I will resign as an MLA and quit politics, he said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Kolkata Police Commission Rajeev Kumar and former Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh on Monday reached the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)s office in Shillong for the third day of questioning in connection with the Saradha chit fund and Rose Valley scams. The questioning by the CBI was being done as per the directions of the Supreme Court. On Saturday, in an interestingly turn, Kumar and former TMC MP Kunal Ghosh were questioned by making them sit face to face at the probe agency's office in Shillong. The Supreme rejected the plea of some investors to monitor ongoing CBI investigation into Saradha chit fund scam in West Bengal. A two-member CBI team, who are the Investigating Officers in the Saradha and Rose Valley scams, arrived in the Meghalaya capital in the afternoon. Kumar and Ghosh were grilled in the initial period by a 10-member team of the CBI. The Kolkata Police chief was quizzed for nearly nine hours on Saturday by three senior CBI officers about his alleged role in tampering of crucial evidence in the case, they said. Kumar had led the special investigation team (SIT) formed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to probe the Saradha scam before the case was handed over to the CBI by the apex court. Officials in Delhi said the CBI has not acceded to the demand of Kumar to have his questioning session videographed. It is done in cases of custodial interrogations. There were reports quoting lawyer of Kumar that his questioning sessions are being video recorded by the CBI on his request. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah on Monday wrote an open letter to the people of Andhra Pradesh where he launched a blistering attack on Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and said that the TDP chief has destroyed the trust of the people. BJP president Amit Shah said the Andhra Pradesh chief minister knows that his political fortunes are declining rapidly and so he was back to theatrics in his desperation for grabbing headlines. Naidus delusional politics is about to end, he said, adding that the BJP has full faith in Satyameva Jayate (truth prevails). In his letter posted on social media, Shah said people will teach Naidu a befitting lesson in the coming elections for joining hands with the Congress, which bifurcated the state in a unilateral, hasty and unscientific manner, ignoring its interests. The assembly elections in the state will be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. Lashing out at Naidu, Shah said his party is aware that Naidu has Congress blood in him but it never expected that he will go to the extent of even surpassing the Congress in speaking lies and in carrying a hate campaign against the central government, Modi and the BJP. The Andhra Pradesh chief minister had started his politics as a Congress member and joined the TDP, which was founded by his father-in-law N T Rama Rao, later. With Naidu now in an alliance with the Congress, Shah mocked him for joining hands with a party which imposed Emergency and dismissed the N T Rama Rao government in 1984. Sensing defeat in the coming elections, he has made multiple U-turns and is carrying out malicious propaganda against the Centre and the BJP leadership to divert peoples attention from his failures, the BJP president said. In his long letter, Shah cited a number of central projects being taken up in the state in addition to those mentioned in the Act that divided it in 2014 leading to the formation of Telangana. Various ministries have approved additional projects to Andhra Pradesh with an outlay of more than Rs 3 lakh crores, Shah said, asserting this illustrates the manner in which the Union government prioritised its assistance to the state. Responding to demands of special category status to the state, he said the Centre has been constrained by the 14th finance commissions recommendations which, he added, did not make a distinction between special and general category states for financial support and tax devolution. As a result, the Centre in consultation with the state government worked out special assistance for Andhra Pradesh, Shah said. Hitting out at Naidu for his U-turn, the BJP chief said he had hailed the special package announced on the assemblys floor and in several public forums, and had even declared that a special category status was not a panacea and did not help states development. In fact, the Andhra Pradesh assembly had passed a resolution thanking the Central government for approving a special economic package for the state, Shah noted. Apparently, panic has set in now and the TDP leader is scared that his omissions and commissions would be exposed, he claimed. That is why he is going to the extent of accepting the leadership of the Congress which has ruled and ruined the country, compromised the integrity of every institution and is neck-deep in scams and scandals, he said. Full text of the letter: AN OPEN LETTER TO PEOPLE OF ANDHRA PRADESH DESPERATE HISTRIONICS BY TDP LEADER TO MISLEAD PEOPLE OF ANDHRA PRADESH My Dear People of Andhra Pradesh, The Telugu Desam leader and AP Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu is back to theatrics and histrionics. His desperation for grabbing headlines is understandable as he is aware that his political fortunes are declining rapidly. Shri Naidu knows that he has lost complete credibility among the people of Andhra Pradesh and as a result is announcing a series of sops to woo different sections. Sensing defeat in the coming elections, he has made multiple U-turns and is carrying on a malicious propaganda against the Centre and BJP leadership to divert peoples attention from his failures. He is going too far by personally attacking Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, and even did not have the courtesy to receive the Honble Prime Minister when he came to the state. However, the enlightened and politically conscious people will see through his desperation to retain power. They will teach a befitting lesson to him in the coming elections for having joined hands with the Congress, which has bifurcated the state in a unilateral, hasty and unscientific manner, ignoring the interests of the state. People will always remember that Congress had dethroned former Chief Minister, Shri N T Rama Rao in a most undemocratic manner in 1984. In his lust for power, the TDP leader has destroyed the very anti-Congress foundation on which the party was built by its founder, Shri N T Rama Rao. Congress betrayed the people of Andhra Pradesh while dividing the state and now TDP leader wants to work for bringing back Congress to power. His actions smack of political opportunism. He hailed the special package announced by the NDA government on the floor of the Assembly, in party meetings, public forums and press conferences, and even declared that Special Category Status was not a panacea and did not help states with such status to develop. At that time other parties demanded Special Category Status, he called them names arrested many people agitating for such status. However, he made a complete U-turn and is today raising this issue himself. Unnerved by the prospect of TDP facing an uncertain electoral future, he is resorting to cheap gimmicks, distorting facts and misleading the people of Andhra Pradesh by making patently false accusations against the BJP-led NDA government and Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. It should be noted that Congress never bothered about the aspirations of the people of Telangana, coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh state. Had there been even an iota of sincerity towards the people of Andhra Pradesh, UPA would have included the provision of Special Category Status in AP Reorganization Act. Similarly, why did it not facilitate speedier implementation of Polavaram project by transferring the seven mandals located in Khammam district to Andhra Pradesh? Why did it not promulgate an ordinance in this regard? Let Shri Naidu and the Congress answer the above questions before accusing anybody. Till then, they have no moral right to criticize the Central Government. Unlike UPA, the Modi Government in its very first cabinet meeting in May 2014 had approved an ordinance for transfer of in 222 villages in seven mandals in two districts to pave way for the execution of the Polavaram project. Shri Naidu falsely, as is his typical habit, falsely claims credit for what the Central Government has done solely on its own initiative. Also the Polavaram Ordinance Bill was passed in the first Parliament session after NDA assumed power. Not only that, Polavaram was declared as a national project and the execution of the project was handed over to AP Government at the request of Shri Chandrababu Naidu, which was unprecedented. These actions spoke more loudly than words about the sincerity of NDA government towards people of Andhra Pradesh. As committed in the Act, Polavaram irrigation project has been declared as National Project. Further, it has been decided to provide 100% of the remaining cost of Irrigation Component of the project for the period starting from 1.4.2014, to the extent of the Cost of Irrigation Component on that date and till date Rs. 6,764.70 crores has been released. Shri Naidu is probably under an illusion that people will believe whatever he alleges with regard to the fulfilment of the provisions contained in the AP Reorganization Act. In fact, the Modi Government has not only implemented most of the assurances in a record time, but also walked an extra mile to fast-track the progress of Andhra Pradesh. It has accorded highest priority to handholding Andhra Pradesh. As his wont, Shri Naidu indulged in political skulduggery, back-stabbed his allies and violated the principles of coalition dharma. Ever since he had snapped ties with NDA for his own political survival, he has been letting loose a deluge of disinformation against the NDA government. In a bid to cover up his own failures and inability to implement the populist promises made by him to the people, he has been blaming the Centre without any rhyme or reason. It is pertinent to mention here that at a meeting of the NDA in 2017, Shri Naidu himself took the lead and moved the resolution that the coalition should fight the next elections in 2019 under the leadership of Shri Modi by highlighting the development agenda of the NDA. We are aware that Shri Chandrababu Naidu has Congress blood in him. But we never expected that he will go to the extent of even surpassing the Congress in speaking lies and untruths and in carrying a hate campaign against the Central Government, the Prime Minister and the BJP. We were particularly shocked at the manner in which he started spreading canards to justify his U-turn after having realized that he was bound to lose the upcoming elections as he had failed to keep up promises. What is even more shocking is the manner in which Shri Naidu is twisting facts about assistance provided by the Centre to the Andhra Pradesh government. On many occasions, he had endorsed the special package announced by the Centre in lieu of special category status. I would like to recall that Shri Naidu that had hailed the special package on the floor of the assembly on Mar 16, 2017 and said that every benefit that would have come under SCS to the state, would accrue through the special economic package. In fact, the Andhra Pradesh Assembly had passed a resolution thanking the Central Government for approving a special economic package for the state. At that time, Shri Naidu had also called a meeting of senior leaders of his party and hailed the benefits of the special package and categorically stated that special category status was not a panacea. He reiterated the same in the Assembly also. In fact, he had declared that special package was better than special status and also ridiculed his political opponents by asking what was the present status of the states which were given special status for the past many years and why did they not develop? The TDP leader also dismissed the claims of other parties that special category status would entail special tax incentives to the state and went to the extent of challenging them to prove their claim. Now with the support of a section of willing media, he has been indulging in false propaganda at all forums and virtually made the TDP subservient to the Congress. Let me also remind all Telugu people of Andhra Pradesh that in the past Shri Naidu had lambasted the Congress President, Shri Rahul Gandhi for visiting Andhra Pradesh and questioned the purpose of his visit. Apparently, panic has set in now and the TDP leader is scared that his omissions and commissions would be exposed. Thats why, he is going to the extent of accepting the leadership of the Congress Party which has ruled and ruined the country, compromised the integrity of every institution and is neck-deep in scams and scandals. The TDP leader joined hands with a party which had imposed Emergency and had dismissed his father-in-lawthe popularly elected Telugu Desam founder and former Chief Minister, Shri N T Rama Rao in 1984. I appeal to the enlightened Telugu people to see the evil designs of the Telugu Desam leadership which is burying the basic principles on which Telugu Desam was founded. Although the AP Reorganization Act provided a window period of 10 years for implementing various provisions, the NDA government not only speedily sanctioned a record number of educational, developmental and other infrastructure-related projects, but also released funds for executing them. Never in the history of independent India have so many projects been sanctioned in such short span of time to a single state by the Centre. This fact in itself speaks volumes about the commitment and sincerity of the NDA government towards developing Andhra Pradesh. As per Section 93 of AP Reorganization Act, the Central Government is committed to all necessary measures as enumerated in the 13th Schedule for the progress and sustainable development of successor states within a period of 10 years. Of the 11 new educational institutions under the Acts 13th Schedule (Section 93), as many as ten institutions have started functioning much ahead of the stipulated schedule. A Tribal University is also coming up. The teninstitutions are IIT, NIT, IIM, IISER, IIIT, AIIMS, Central University, Petroleum University, Agricultural University, and National Institute of Disaster Management NIDM As regards eight infrastructure projects, Government of India had to examine the feasibility of six projects within six months from the appointed date and initiate action on two others within 10 years. Following feasibility studies, action has been initiated on five projects.Despite non viability of the three other projects the government of India is exploring other alternatives. A greenfield petrochemical complex is proposed to be established at Kakinada by HPCL-GAIL. The Central Public Sector Enterprises have proposed to invest more than a lakh crore in Andhra Pradesh. These includeGreenfield petrochemical complex at an estimated cost of Rs. 39,145 crore. GAIL and HPCL have already signed an MoU with AP Government in this regard. The Government has decided to expeditiously take up the Vizag-Chennai industrial corridor. In the very first phase, 800-kilometer long Vizag-Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC) segment of East Coast Economic Corridor was taken up. ADB approved US $ 631 million (loans and grants) for VCIC and released US $ 370 million as the first tranche. Krishnapatnam-Chennai-Bengaluru growth corridor was sanctioned. Apart from upgrading Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati airports to International airports, the night landing facility at Rajahmundry Airport was made operational and the runway expansion is going on with great speed. In Kadapa Airport, the runway was expanded and a new Terminal Building was inaugurated. Similarly, rapid rail and road connectivity from the new capital of the successor state of Andhra Pradesh to Hyderabad and other important cities of Andhra Pradesh is being taken up. NHAI has agreed to Rs. 20,000 crores for a 384 km Anantapur-Amaravati expressway and Rs. 19,700 crores for outer ring road to capital town of Amaravati. The revival of Buckingham Canal at a cost of Rs. 7,015 crores is another major project to improve inland water transport facilities. Road and inland transport projects worth more than Rs. 1 lakh crores have been approved. Later, Shri Naidu publicly thanked the Centre for the same. For better Rail connectivity in the region, project worth Rs. 50,000 crores have been sanctioned, which are at various stages of execution. 2,584 km of railway lines are being doubled with an outlay of Rs. 23,137 crores. 2,213 km of new lines are being laid at a cost of 20,301 crores. 15 new projects have been sanctioned with an outlay of Rs. 26,403 crores. The work of new line between Vijayawada and Guntur via Amaravati has been sanctioned in 2017-18 at a cost of Rs. 2,679.59 crores which provides connectivity to the new capital city, Amaravati. The other main projects include a 309 km long new line Nadikude-Srikalahasti at a cost of Rs. 2,289 Cr, Guntakal-Guntur (401 km) doubling project with electrification at a cost of Rs. 3,631 Cr. AP Express, Super-fast daily train Visakhapatnam-Delhi,Humsafar Non-Daily Express trains Vijayawada-Howrah and Tirupati-Jammutawi are running. Rs. 2,500 crores assistance for Capital City, for development of essential infrastructure etc has been provided. A record number of houses for the poor were sanctioned the highest ever for any state -11.29lakh houses under the PMAY-Urban programme. Also four Smart Cities and several projects under AMRUT scheme for development of urban infrastructure were sanctioned. Amaravati has been included under Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) for holistic development. Rs. 1,050 crores development grant for 7 backward districts of the state covering Rayalaseema and North Coastal Region has been provided. The Centre also notified tax incentives in seven backward districts under section 32(1)(iia) and section 32AD of the Income-Tax Act. Accordingly, any manufacturing undertaking set up from April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2020 in these districts is eligible for 15% of higher additional depreciation and 15% of investment allowance on the cost of plant and machinery acquired by it during that period. The Centre also extended support to make Andhra Pradesh surplusin power and ended the chronic power shortage and power cuts that plagued the state. This was made possible due to the launch of Power for All and Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (at a benefit of Rs. 4,400 crore). The Government also sanctionedSolar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Project at a cost of about Rs. 24,000 crore. 2.2 crores LED bulbs were provided to consumers saving Rs. 1,100 crores for consumers annually. In addition, 23.8 lakh streetlights were replaced with LED streetlights saving taxpayers money by reducing cost. The Government of India after examining the feasibility reports of Metro Rails for Vishakhapatnam and Vijayawada-Guntur-Tenali Metropolitan Urban Development Authority wanted to implement these projects in the quickest possible time. The revised proposals for both the projects are awaited from AP government. As regards Duggirajupatnam project, it was found to be unviableand the AP government was asked to suggest an alternative site. The state Government has still not come forward with a proposal. In a bid to hoodwink people, Shri Naidu laid the foundation stone as a minor port for Ramayanapatnam project without financial support. After SAIL had declared the proposal to set up a steel plant at Kadapa as unviable, the Centre constituted a Task Force, which held consultations with the state Government and wanted to take it up under PPP mode with support from both state and Centre. However, Shri Naidu indulged in political one-upmanship and laid foundation stone without financial allocation. The issue of establishing a new railway zone was studied by a Railways committee and is under examination due to the operational complexities and inter-state issues. The infrastructure projects will get off the ground soon and get completed even before the stipulated time of 10 years mentioned in the Act. As regards granting Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh, the Centre has been constrained by the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, which did not make a distinction between special and general category states for financial support and tax devolution. As a result, the Centre in consultation with the state Government worked out special assistance for AP. The Central Government has agreed to give a special assistance measure forAndhra Pradesh for five years, which would make up for the additional Central share the state might have received during these years, i.e. 2015-16 to 2019-20, as envisaged in the then Prime Ministers statement dated 20.2.2014. This will be in the form of Central Government funding for externally aided projects for Andhra Pradesh.In view of the FRBM limits of the state, the Centre wanted the state Government to create a SPV so that money can be transferred to the SPV. This was conveyed by the Centre to the state government officials during their discussions on February 67, 2018. Still the response from the state government is awaited. In view of the special circumstances in which Andhra Pradesh found itself following the bifurcation, the Central Government went beyond the provisions contained in the Act. In fact, various Ministries have been requested to give additional and special projects to Andhra Pradesh and more than Rs. 3 lakh crores worth of such projects (along with those mentioned in the AP Reorganization Act 2014) are being implemented in the state. In fact, several projects not mentioned in the AP Reorganization Act were also sanctioned. The Union Government also went out of its way to approve Special Assistance Measure to Andhra Pradesh by way of special dispensation in funding of Externally Aided Projects (EAP). In an incredibly quick time, several projects were sanctioned under this special assistance. The state did not exploit full potential of the offer, and failed to submit the adequate proposals. National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) and National Investment Manufacturing Zones (NIMZ) were approved much earlier but these projects could not progress as the needed land is yet to be allocated by state government. RINL and GoAP signed MOU that envisages investment of around Rs. 38,500 crores to take up various projects at Visakhapatnam with an employment opportunity to around 3,000 people. A separate High Court for Andhra Pradesh has already started functioning from January this year. The Centre paved the way for the development of capital city by denotifying forest land in the capital region following a request from the Government of Andhra Pradesh. A total amount of Rs. 1,37,977.25 crores has been released so far as per recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission. As regards revenue deficit for 2013-14, the Central Government has arrived at an amount of Rs. 4,117.89 crores as Resource Gap for that year and an amount of Rs. 3,979.50 crores has already been released to Andhra Pradesh. Various Ministries have sanctioned and approved additional projects to Andhra Pradesh with an outlay of more than Rs. 3 lakh crores. This illustrates the extraordinary manner in which the Government of India prioritized Andhra Pradesh in its assistance. Below are the list of institutions and projects that are sanctioned or approved, and are at various stages ofcompletion, which being taken up as for all round development of Andhra Pradesh in addition to those mentioned in AP Reorganization Act. National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics at Palasmudram , Anantapur district; Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology at Surampalli Vijayawada; NIOT Ocean Research facility at Thupilipallam, Nellore district; Regional Institute of Education, (NCERT) Nellore (land yet to allotted by state); MSME Technology Centre at Pudi, Visakhapatnam; National Kamadhenu Breeding Centre at Chintaladevi, Nellore District; Indian Culinary Institute at Tirupathi; Regional Centre for Mental Health and Rehabilitation at Nellore; Doordarshan Kendra at Vijayawada; All India Radio station at Vijayawada; New Regional Passport Office at Vijayawada; Passport Seva Kendra at Bhimavaram; School of Planning and Architecture at Vijayawada inaugurated, sanctioned in 2008 but on which no progress was made for nearly 10 years; BEL Night Vision devices manufacturing at Nimmakuru; BEL Missile manufacturing plant Pala Samudram, Anantapur District; Naval Alternative Operational Base in Rambilli; Naval Air Station in Bobbili at advance stage of planning; DRDO Missile Test Facility at Nagaylanka; National Open Air Range Evaluation Centre in Kurnool district at a cost of Rs. 500 crores; Troops Training Centre in Chittoor with an outlay of Rs. 500 crores; Multi modal logistic hub at Vishakhapatnam; Container freight station at Visakhapatnam; Multimodal logistic park at Kakinada; Spices Park at Guntur; SAMEER-A Centre for Electromagnetic Environmental Effects at Vishakhapatnam; MOU signed by RINL and GoAP for expansion of Vizag steel plant with an outlay of Rs. 38,500 crores; Greenfield Electronics Manufacturing Cluster being setup in Chittoor district; Central Research Institute for Yoga and Naturopathy is being set up in Krishna District; Under Swadesh Darshan, Kakinada Hope Island Coastal Tourism Circuit and Nellore Coastal Tourism Circuit; Asias first medical devices manufacturing hub atat Vishakhapatnam. In the end, I would like to say to all of you that Shri Chandrababu Naidu has broken the trust of the people of Andhra Pradesh. His delusional politics is about to end. Our full faith and belief is in . Let us jointly contribute to the development of Andhra Pradesh and India. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh CM and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday rebutted the claims made by the Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah in his open letter to the people of Andhra Pradesh and said I condemn all this. He has written a letter to the people of Andhra Pradesh. They are hitting me below the belt. PM and Shah have to maintain the decorum. On Monday, Amit Shah wrote an open letter to the people of Andhra Pradesh where he launched a blistering attack on Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and said that the TDP chief has destroyed the trust of the people. BJP president Amit Shah said the Andhra Pradesh chief minister knows that his political fortunes are declining rapidly and so he was back to theatrics in his desperation for grabbing headlines. Naidus delusional politics is about to end, he said, adding that the BJP has full faith in Satyameva Jayate (truth prevails). In his letter posted on social media, Shah said people will teach Naidu a befitting lesson in the coming elections for joining hands with the Congress, which bifurcated the state in a unilateral, hasty and unscientific manner, ignoring its interests. The assembly elections in the state will be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. Lashing out at Naidu, Shah said his party is aware that Naidu has Congress blood in him but it never expected that he will go to the extent of even surpassing the Congress in speaking lies and in carrying a hate campaign against the central government, Modi and the BJP. Earlier today, bringing his battle for special status for his state to the national capital, Andhra Chandrababu Naidu went on a daylong fast that became a rallying point for opposition unity for the second time in less than a month to fight the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut also made a surprise appearance at Naidu's 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (day-long protest for justice) that began at 8 am. Raut said he came to attend the event as a representative of the Shiv Sena, amid strains with senior ally BJP. Naidu ended his fast at 8.20 pm, accepting a glass of juice from JD(S) chief and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and TMC leader Derek O' Brien were among other opposition leaders who visited Andhra Bhavan to express their solidarity with Naidu, the supremo of Telugu Desam(TDP). The leaders in their brief speeches mounted a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a range of issues, notably the Rafale deal, with Kejriwal going to the extent of accusing him of behaving like "PM of Pakistan" and not of India in the way he treats state governments led by opposition parties. Reacting to Kejriwal's barb, BJP's national secretary and co-incharge for Andhra Pradesh Sunil Deodhar said the leaders of the 'grand-alliance' are competing with each other on who can be more abusive towards Modi. Naidu, who is trying to unite opposition parties, has over the last three months, held a number of meetings with opposition party leaders on forming an anti-BJP front. The TDP pulled out of the NDA government in March last year over its refusal to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh. Demanding that the Centre fulfil promises made during Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation in 2014, the TDP president alleged that Modi was not following 'raj dharma' by denying the state special status. "(Former PM) Atal Bihari Vajpayee said 'raj dharma' was not followed in Gujarat (during the 2002 post-Godhra riots). Now, 'raj dharma' is not being followed in the case of Andhra Pradesh. We have been denied what is rightfully ours," Naidu said. He alleged that the central government did grave injustice to Andhra and it would have "repercussions on national unity". "On behalf of five crore people, I'm warning this government... I came here to remind you of the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act." On January 19, 22 opposition parties came together at a rally convened by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee. Naidu's fast also came ahead of the mega rally of non-BJP leaders under the aegis of Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) against the Modi government on February 13 in the national capital. Against the backdrop of Naidu's dharna, BJP president Amit Shah wrote an open letter to people of Andhra Pradesh, saying the TDP chief knows that his political fortunes are declining rapidly and is back to theatrics in his desperation for grabbing headlines. Shah accused Naidu of breaking the trust of the people and said he is going too far by "personally" attacking the prime minister. Naidu's "delusional politics" is about to end, he said. The TDP leader Sunday dragged Modi's wife while attacking the prime minister. Naidu claimed he had done so as Modi had referred to his son in targeting him at a rally. Those who met Naidu also included National Conference chairperson Farooq Abdullah, NCP's Majeed Memon, DMK's Tiruchi Siva and Loktantrik Janata Dal's Sharad Yadav. No Left leader was present at the protest venue. "The prime minister has stolen from the people from Andhra Pradesh and he has given that money to Anil Ambani. That is the fact of the matter," Gandhi alleged in an apparent reference to the controversial Rafale fighter jet deal with France. The government and Ambani have rejected Gandhi's allegations of corruption in the deal. "Mr Narendra Modi, wherever he goes, he goes to Andhra Pradesh, he lies about special status. He goes to the North-East, he tells another lie over there. He goes to Maharashtra and he tells another lie over there. He has got absolutely no credibility left," Gandhi alleged. In just a couple of months, opposition parties will show Modi exactly what the sentiment in the country is, he said. "I want to let you know that we are all standing together. We are going to defeat the BJP...," he added. O'Brien recalled Modi's speech in Guntur in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday and said he didn't talk about development or special category status but "started a personal attack". PM Modi, who was on his first visit to the state after the TDP walked out of the NDA government, came down heavily on Naidu, whom he repeatedly referred to as "father of N Lokesh." Lashing out at the prime minister, Abdullah said, ?Modi has stooped so low. He's making personal attacks against Naidu, who is doing great service for the country.? Memon alleged that the Central government was meting out step-motherly treatment to Andhra and the BJP was attacking Naidu because he has taken the lead in uniting rival parties against it. Mulayam Singh Yadav said he was not well but had come to endorse Naidu's stand. "Naidu is fighting the battle for the poor, the farmers and all those who are oppressed," he added. Stating that Naidu was fighting for a just cause, DMK leader Siva predicted that the Modi government would be ousted in three months. Sharad Yadav blamed the Modi government for unemployment, joblessness which he said were a result of demonetization. Kejriwal hit out at the prime minister over the alleged mistreatment meted out to states being run by governments of opposition parties. The way PM Modi treats governments of opposition parties in states, he behaves like he is not the PM of India but PM of Pakistan,? he said. Congress leaders Anand Sharma, Ahmed Patel and Jairam Ramesh were also at the venue to express their support. Naidu paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat and at Ambedkar Statue at the Andhra Bhavan before he began the hunger strike. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Posted Monday, February 11, 2019 9:27 am In the month since Gov. Jay Inslee offered pardons to thousands of people convicted of misdemeanor marijuana offenses, just 13 have received the official act of forgiveness. But a more sweeping proposal in the state Legislature may be gaining momentum, offering the potential clearing of criminal records for hundreds of thousands of others. Inslee, a second-term Democrat who is publicly mulling a presidential run, announced his Marijuana Justice Initiative to fanfare in early January at a cannabis-industry conference, citing the disproportionate impact of drug-law convictions on people of color and lingering harm to employment and housing prospects. His pardon offer was limited to people with otherwise clean records who had a misdemeanor marijuana conviction between 1998 and Dec. 5, 2012, the effective date of the voter-approved marijuana legalization Initiative 502. About 3,500 people are estimated to be eligible for pardons under Inslee's plan. As of Wednesday, 160 had applied, but the vast majority did not meet the eligibility conditions, said Tip Wonhoff, the governor's deputy general counsel. After an initial rush of interest in the pardons, "it's been a little slower than I thought," he said. For those who have qualified, however, the pardons have come as welcome relief. Taneesa Dunham, of Walla Walla, leapt at the chance to reverse her marijuana conviction from 2005. Dunham said she and her boyfriend at the time had been arrested after police, seeking someone involved in a hit-and-run, busted in the door to their house at 1 a.m. with guns drawn. Smelling marijuana, they searched the home and found a cache of prerolled joints Dunham says belonged to her then-boyfriend. Initially charged with a felony, court records show Dunham pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession and received a 90-day jail sentence with 89 days suspended and two years of probation. Last month, Dunham's mother saw a newspaper article about Inslee's pardon offer and called to read the article to her. "I was jumping up and down with joy the entire time she was reading it. I immediately went to the website and filled [the application] out," she said. A pardon signed by Inslee soon arrived in the mail. Although Dunham's conviction remains in court records, the pardon is listed, too. Dunham said her criminal record, while minor, had made it difficult for her to get a job as she'd had to report it on employment applications, and she worried her daughter's school would exclude her from field trips. A recreational marijuana user in her 20s, she says she now uses cannabis medicinally for help with a back injury that has left her on disability. "I am just really glad it is legal now so nobody has to go through what I had to go through, and the courts and the cops can go after the real drug dealers and leave the potheads alone," she said. Chris Tilzer, of Covington, also was pardoned by Inslee for a pot-possession conviction in 2006 after Bellevue police cited him for smoking in a park. He served one day in jail, according to court records. "I was working and it could have caused me problems if they would have found out about it," he said, adding that the blemish on his record has since complicated some international travel plans. Tilzer now works in the cannabis industry and said he appreciates Inslee's effort, but the state should do much more. "The amount of people who meet the qualifications is not going to really help anybody -- not that many people," he said. Such relief could be on the way. Sponsors of legislation that would allow hundreds of thousands of people with minor marijuana convictions to expunge their records say the proposal could have a better chance this year than in the past. Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, D-Burien, has introduced a similar bill every year since 2013 without success, but says this year's version, House Bill 1500, could break through. "It just seems like there is a lot more momentum this year than any of the past times I have taken a run at it," he said, noting support from Inslee, the state's cannabis industry and organized labor. HB 1500 would allow anyone with prior convictions for adult misdemeanor marijuana possession to apply to courts for a vacation of those convictions. The courts would be required to grant the requests. The Washington State Patrol has estimated 226,027 misdemeanor marijuana convictions would qualify for vacation under the proposal. Fitzgibbon noted the number of people eligible might be less than that as some have multiple convictions. The proposal has drawn criticism from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, whose policy director, James McMahan, testified against it during a public hearing Tuesday before the House Public Safety Committee. "It is a relevant and influential point with us that at the time these convictions were imposed it was illegal. It was against our law. And we as a government and as a society said this is not OK," McMahan said, noting that some of the misdemeanor convictions had been pleaded down from felonies. But Sen. Joe Nguyen, D-White Center, the prime sponsor of an identical companion measure, Senate Bill 5605, said the Legislature needs to repair damage done by decades of marijuana arrests that disproportionately affected minority communities. Before legalization, black people were 2.8 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than whites, despite being no more likely to use marijuana, according to a report by the American Civil Liberties Union. "We've acknowledged our society has done some things that have criminalized black and brown bodies ... our justice system is broken and in order to fix it we need to erase some of these convictions," said Nguyen, whose bill is expected to receive a public hearing this week. New Delhi: Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas are one of the most loved couples of all time. The two never fail to give us relationship goals and always keep their fans updated with their oh-so-romantic pictures. However, their hectic work schedules and work commitments make it difficult for them to spend time with each other. The two were initially supposed to spend their Valentines Day away from each other but it seems that the Universe had some other plan for the adorable couple as things have ultimately fallen in place for them to be together on this day. During a media interaction, PeeCee revealed, "We didnt put too much pressure on it. We were not supposed to be together this Valentines Day because I was working in L.A. and he in London, but things moved so I am glad we can spend that time together The pressure does not exist hes thoughtful and sweet all the time." For those who have missed out, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas tied the knot on December 1 and 2 in a lavish wedding ceremony at Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur. When a magazine asked Priyanka how she and Nick take time out for each other from their hectic schedules, she had said, "Yeah, good question. We don't! You have to accommodate and make time for each other, I think that's really important. We both are extremely hardworking people, we both love our jobs, we are extremely big workaholics but at the same we know that we have to prioritise each other as well." On the work front, Priyanka is gearing up for the release of her upcoming Hollywood film, Isnt It Romantic? She is also busy shooting for her next Bollywood film, The Sky Is Pink which also stars Farhan Akhtar and and Zaira Wasim in prominent roles. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. highlights In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP for the first time won 7 seats in Assam. The BJP continued its success of 2014 in the 2016 Assam Assembly polls. The AGP has already quit the NDA over the Citizenship Amendment Bill. New Delhi: Lok Sabha Elections 2019: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has finally sounded the poll bugle and declared the schedule for the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 on March 10. The Lok Sabha Elections 2019 will be held in seven phases, starting from April 11. The results will be declared on May 23. 91 constituencies will go for polls in the first phase on April 11, followed by 97 constituencies in the second phase on April 18. The third phase will be held on April 23 and fourth on April 29, fifth on May 6, sixth on May 12 and seventh phase on May 19. 115 constituencies will go for polls in the third phase, 71 in the fourth phase, 51 in the fifth phase, 59 in the sixth phase and 59 in the seventh phase. We are also gearing up for the elections and are coming up with a series: 2019 Lok Sabha Election Analysis: What happened in 2014 Lok Sabha Polls? What will happen this year? Now, let's look at the political scenario in the state of Assam. The Sarbananda Sonowal-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been ruling the state since 2016. This is the first BJP government in the state. The Congress party is on a backfoot in the state after Tarun Gogoi's stint as the state's chief minister from 2001 to 2016. However, the party can hope to revive its fortunes after the Asom Gana Parishad's (AGP) withdrawal of support from the BJP government over the issue of Citizenship Amendment Bill. The BJP government is still enjoying the backing of the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) and has no immediate threat. In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP performed well in the state and was able to reduce the Congress tally in the state considerably. Let's discuss this in detail. Also Read: Lok Sabha Elections 2019: When will you vote? Know poll dates of your seat here Lok Sabha Elections 2019: When will Assam vote? The polling in the state will be held in three phases on April 11, 18 and 23. Tezpur, Kaliabor, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur will vote on April 11 whereas Karimganj, Nawgong, Mangaldoi, Silchar and Autonomous District will go for polls on April 18. The remaining four seats of Gauhati, Kokrajhar, Dhubri and Barpeta will vote on April 23. What happened in Assam in 2014 Lok Sabha Elections? In 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, the BJP for the first time won 7 seats in Assam. The 2014 polls in Assam were held in three phases on April 7, 12 and 24. The state has 14 Lok Sabha seats and both the Congress and the Badruddin Ajmal-led All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) won 3 seats each. The Independent candidate was successful from Kokrajhar Lok Sabha seat. The BJP received 55,07,152 votes with a vote share of 36.86 per cent, while the Congress was able to garner 44,67,295 votes in the state with a vote share of 29.90 per cent. The AIUDF got 22,37,612 votes with 14.98 per cent of the vote share. The AGP that ruled the state twice between 1985 to 1990 and 1996 to 2001 got 5,77,730 votes with a dismal vote share of 3.87 per cent and drew a blank. According to our analysis, the BJP was ahead in 69 Assembly segments during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The Congress was leading on 23 and the AIUDF on 24. The saffron party had retained Gauhati, Nowgong and Mangaldoi Lok Sabha seats and won Tezpur, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur seats for the first time in its electoral history. The Congress won Autonomous District, Kaliabor and Silchar seats. Some of the prominent winners in 2014 were Bijoya Chakravarty (BJP-Gauhati), Raman Deka (BJP-Mangaldoi), Rajen Gohain (BJP-Nowgong), Sarbananda Sonowal (BJP-Lakhimpur), Gaurav Gogoi (Congress-Kaliabor), Sushmita Dev (Congress-Silchar) and Badruddin Ajmal (AIUDF-Dhubri). Sonowal resigned in 2016 from Lakhimpur and took over as the chief minister of the state. BJP candidate Pradan Baruah retained the seat for the party in a bypoll. In 2009 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress won 7 seats in the state. The BJP came second with 4 seats in its kitty. The AGP, the BPF and the AIUDF won a seat each. Kabindra Purkayastha (BJP), Joyram Engleng (BJP), Urkhao Gwra Brahma (Independent), Chandra Mohan Patowary (BJP), Phani Bhusan Choudhury (AGP), Birendra Prasad Baishya (AGP), Kirip Chaliha (Congress), Moni Kumar Subba (Independent), Joseph Toppo (AGP), Bijoy Krishna Handique (Congress), Paban Singh Ghatowar (Congress) and Ranee Narah (Congress) lost the elections. What was the result of Assam Assembly Elections in 2016? The BJP continued its Lok Sabha success of 2014 in the Assam Assembly Elections in 2016. The party had formed a formidable rainbow alliance with the AGP, the BPF and other parties to take on the ruling Congress party. The Grand Old Party was battling the 15-year-old anti-incumbency under Tarun Gogoi that time. The saffron party along with its allies defeated the Congress and won 86 seats in the 126-member strong Assembly. The BJP won 60 seats on its own and received 49,92,185 votes with a vote share of 29.51 per cent. Its allies the AGP and the BPF won 14 and 12 seats respectively. The AGP garnered 13,77,482 votes with 8.14 per cent of votes while the BPF received 6,66,057 votes with 3.94 per cent of votes. The Congress was reduced to only 26 seats with a vote share of 30.96 per cent, while the AIUDF won 13 Assembly seats with a vote share of 13.05 per cent. The Congress and the AIUDF received 52,38,655 and 22,07,945 votes respectively. In 2011 Assembly elections, the Congress swept the state with 78 seats and the AIUDF was successful on 18 constituencies. The BJP won just 5 seats whereas the AGP was able to get 10 seats. What is the current scenario in 2019? The BJP is under fire over the issue of Citizenship Amendment Bill not only in Assam but in the entire North Eastern region. The AGP has already withdrawn from the alliance and some other allies such as the NPP and the IPFT are threatening the BJP over the Bill. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah are of the opinion that the Bill is very essential for the country. Shah has recently indicated that the Modi government would bring the legislation only if there was a consensus among all parties. According to the Bill, the illegal migrants belonging to the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Christian or Parsi communities coming from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to not be imprisoned or deported. The Bill has created a stir in Assam as it contradicts the Assam Accord of 1985, which clearly states that illegal migrants heading in from Bangladesh after March 25, 1971, would be deported. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leaders Atul Bora and Prafulla Kumar Mahanta in a rally. (File photo: PTI) Meanwhile, the BJP defeated the Congress and the AIUDF in the recently concluded panchayat polls. The AGP, which was the part of the ruling coalition that time, contested the elections separately and lost. According to the Assam State Election Commission, the ruling party had won 9,025 Gram Panchayat Member (GPM) seats out of 21,990 seats. Apart from that, the BJP had won 991 Gram Panchayat President seats, 1,020 Anchalik Panchayat Member seats, and 212 Zila Parishad Member seats. The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) had won 1,676 GPM seats, 137 Gram Panchayat President seats, 117 Anchalik Panchayat Member seats and 19 Zila Parishad Member seats. What will happen if AGP decides to go with Congress? The AGP had received less than 1 per cent votes in Karimganj, Silchar and Dhubri in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. But the party had got more than 5 per cent votes in Lakhimpur (7.35 per cent), Kaliabor (6.69 per cent), Barpeta (6.11 per cent), Gauhati (5.72 per cent), Mangaldoi (5.39 per cent), Dibrugarh (5.13 per cent) and Jorhat (5.01 per cent). It had got only 2.86 per cent of vote share in Nowgong and 4.13 per cent in Tezpur. New Delhi: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the newly-inducted Congress General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh, will begin her political inning in Lucknow. She will be accompanied by her brother her Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia. This will be Priyanka's first visit after being appointed as the general secretary. According to reports, the leaders are expected to carry out a 12-kilometre long road show. Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal said after the road show the leaders are expected to interact with the party workers at the Congress office in the Uttar Pradesh capital. According to officials, the party office in the state has been revamped and preparations are on in full swing to welcome the newly-appointed general secretaries. Check all LIVE updates here: 20:06 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be reaching Jaipur at 10 pm. 19:24 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to reach Jaipur in a special flight at 9 pm. She is likely to accompany Robert Vadra in the ED office tomorrow. 18:20 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Not resting until Congress comes to power: Rahul Gandhi. 18:10 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Today people from Air Force and defence ministry say 'Chowkidaar chor hai': Rahul Gandhi in Lucknow. 18:09 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The entire team which stands here has the responsibility to ensure Congress govt is formed in the state. In UP, BJP should go out and Congress should be formed: Congress president Rahul Gandhi. 18:06 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Priyanka and Scindia will raise ground level workers to resurrect the Congress in Uttar Pradesh: Rahul Gandhi. 18:03 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In I respect both Mayawati ji and Akhilesh Yadav ji, but we will fight hard for Congress's ideology in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2019, says the Congress president. 18:00 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In PM Narendra Modi has stolen over Rs 30,000 crore to give it to his friend Anil Ambani: Rahul Gandhi. 17:58 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress will form government in Uttar Pradesh too, says Rahul Gandhi. 17:04 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress general secretary for Uttar Pradesh (East) Priyanka Gandhi and party president Rahul Gandhi pay floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Lucknow. Congress general secretary for Uttar Pradesh (East) @priyankagandhi and party president @RahulGandhi pay floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Lucknow. : ANI Follow LIVE updates here: https://t.co/zdXtR4eun6 pic.twitter.com/LMCmxmZdPT News Nation (@NewsNationTV) February 11, 2019 16:19 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Nation's 'chowkidaar' stole money from UP, other states, and Air Force. 'Chowkidaar chor hai'. UP is the heart of the country. We'll play on front foot. Scindia Ji, Priyanka Ji and I won't rest until a govt of Congress' ideology is formed here: Rahul Gandhi in Lucknow. Nation's 'chowkidaar' stole money from UP, other states, and Air Force. 'Chowkidaar chor hai'. UP is the heart of the country. We'll play on front foot. Scindia Ji, Priyanka Ji and I won't rest until a govt of Congress' ideology is formed here: Rahul Gandhi in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/G842pBsq8y News Nation (@NewsNationTV) February 11, 2019 16:19 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to reach Jaipur by a special aircraft this evening: Sources #PriyankaGandhiVadra to leave for Jaipur in a special flight from Lucknow this evening: Sources Enforcement Directorate has summoned husband Robert Vadra to appear before the agency in Jaipur in relation to a money laundering case tomorrow. LIVE updates: https://t.co/zdXtR4eun6 pic.twitter.com/27i0L6hWYn News Nation (@NewsNationTV) February 11, 2019 13:58 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Husband Robert Vadra wishes Priyanka on her "new journey of working in Uttar Pradesh and serving the people of India." "There is a very vindictive and vicious political atmosphere... But I know, its her duty to serve the people and Now we hand her to the people of India. Please keep her safe," @priyankagandhi's husband Robert Vadra writes on Facebook Follow LIVE updates: https://t.co/zdXtR4eun6 pic.twitter.com/a1DXiAxmfW News Nation (@NewsNationTV) February 11, 2019 13:38 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In During the roadshow, Priyanka is expected to also address a rally at Lalbagh trisection. After this, the mega roadshow will head towards Hazratganj. Priyanka, brother Rahul and Jyotiraditya Scindia will garland the idols of Sardar Patel, BR Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi. #Watch | As Priyanka Gandhi Vadra embarks on her road show in Lucknow, watch what her supporters have to say. @Peenaz_NN speaks to some members of 'Priyanka Sena'. Listen in LIVE updates: https://t.co/zdXtR4eun6 pic.twitter.com/NoQHOyBbgM News Nation (@NewsNationTV) February 11, 2019 13:23 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In With drums, songs and bands, joyous party workers of Congress are making it look like a festive event. #Video | Priyanka Gandhi Vadra joins jubilant party workers in Lucknow as she begins her roadshow to Congress office. Watch video Live updates: pic.twitter.com/bxdopLBfTg News Nation (@NewsNationTV) February 11, 2019 13:15 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Riding atop an open bus, state Congress chief Raj Babbar is also seen with Priyanka and brother Rahul Gandhi. 12:57 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In "Diamonds are forever, so is @priyankagandhi Lucknow Welcomes the Kohinoor! (sic)," tweets senior Congress leader and minister in Punjab Cabinet najot Singh Sidhu. Diamonds are forever, so is @priyankagandhi Lucknow Welcomes the Kohinoor! Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) February 11, 2019 12:58 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The roadshow will cover the distance of 10 km. 12:54 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The mega roadshow from Lucknow Airport to the Congress office has begun. 12:53 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and brother Rahul Gandhi have reached Lucknow. 11:46 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Banner seen in Lucknow ahead of Congress General Secretary for UP East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, UP West Jyotiraditya Scindia and party President Rahul Gandhi's visit to the city today. 11:24 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In On the other hand, the BJP camp is calling it a chor show. SN Singh, minister in Yogi Adityanath Cabinet said that, They (the Congress) is calling this road show but BJP sees this as 'Chor machaye shor'. Gandhi-Vardra family is out on bail. They can't hold road show but a 'Chor show'. People of UP, especially Lucknow, will come to see corrupt faces of those who looted Rs 12 Lakh crore of this nation. 11:22 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Senior Congress leader and former minister RPN Singh has already reached the Lucknow Airport. Talking to News Nation, Singh said that, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is that kind of player, who hits a sixer, the moment she sets foot in the playground. 10:18 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Priyanka Gandhi Vadra leaves for airport. To reach Lucknow around noon. 09:44 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Priyankas roadshow that marks the beginning of her political career will begin at around 12 noon. 09:01 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Many Congress workers have already reached the party office, which has been decorated with beautiful marigold flowers. 08:58 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The walls of Lucknow are plastered with Priyankas posters with slogans such as aa gayi badlaav ki aandhi, Rahul sang Priyanka Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi desh ki doosri Indiara Gandhi. 08:55 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In On Sunday, in an audio message, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said: "I am coming to Lucknow tomorrow, I wish that together we'll begin a new politics and you be a part of it. Youth, women and marginalised, everyone's voices will be heard. Let's establish a new future and politics." New Delhi: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has finally made her Twitter debut. The development comes ahead of her key roadshow in Lucknow, which marks the beginning of her political innings. Priyankas entry in the Twitter club comes days after Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati opening her account on the social blogging site. Interestingly, without tweeting anything, the Congress General Secretary has already gained 16.9K followers. Among those whom she follow include Sachin Pilot, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, her partys official Twitter account, senior party leader Ahmed Patel, party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, Jyotiraditya Scindia and brother Rahul Gandhi. It should be noted that Priyanka has Instagram and Facebook accounts. However, these accounts dont have the blue tick. Sisters entry into active politics is seen as much-needed help for brother Rahul Gandhi. After Priyanka Gandhi Vadras appointment as General Secretary, the Congress chief had expressed his happiness. Talking to media in Amethi, Gandhi had said that he was very happy with the news. I am personally very happy that she will work with me now. She is extremely capable person, a visibly happy Congress president said. On the impact of Mrs Vadras entry into politics, Gandhi said that we can totally trust her. The Congress wont work on backfoot now in Uttar Pradesh. Priyanka has mission UP with her. On his political opponents, Gandhi said that BJP wale ghabraaye hue hain (BJP is very scared). Gandhi had also congratulated Jyotiraditya Scindia for the new role as Congress in-charge in UP (West). Scindia is a very dynamic leader. The Congress chief also didnt shy away from talking about the crucial SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh. We have no enmity with Mayawati ji and Akhilesh ji, in fact I respect them a lot. We are ready to cooperate with them wherever possible. Ultimately the aim of all three of us is to defeat BJP, but yes our fight is to save Congress ideology, Gandhi said. Numerous Congress leaders were seen congratulating Priyanka Gandhi Vadra after her appointment. As Priyanka Vadra Gandhi takes charge of Uttar Pradesh as AICC gen secy the politics of the Hindi heartland is about to change. With a new general in command each UP Congressman is battle ready, former minister Jitin Prasada said on Twitter. Reacting to the story, BJP UP in-charge JP Nadda said, Priyanka Gandhi officially becomes General Secretary of Congress, but everyone knows how this household company works. It is also first official declaration from Congress that Rahul ji has failed, he should tell what is his view of Parivarwadi soch? New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra India on Monday attended the Petrotech 2019. Addressing the summit, PM Modi said that, India is the fastest growing large economy in the world. Leading agencies such as the IMF and the World Bank project the same trend to continue in coming years. In an uncertain global economic environment, India has shown tremendous reasons as an anchor of world economy. He also said that energy is key driver of socio-economic growth. Energy justice is also a key objective for me and a top priority for India. Towards this end, we have developed and implemented many policies. The results of these efforts are now evident, PM Modi said. For too long, the world has seen crude prices on a roller-coaster. We need to move to responsible pricing, which balances the interests of both the producer and consumer, he added. India remains an attractive market for energy companies with energy demand expected to be more than double by 2040, the Prime Minister said. Taking about danger of climate change, the Prime minister said that, there are signs of convergence between cheaper renewable energy, technologies and digital applications. This may expedite the achievement of sustainable development goals. Nations are coming together to tackle climate change. New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu sat on a day-long fast with his ministers and party lawmakers in New Delhi on Monday to protest against alleged injustice done to his state by denying special category status, officials in his office said. Important leaders of other opposition parties will visit Naidu during this period to extend support, an official in the chief ministers office said. Naidu will lead a delegation of his partys leaders to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday. The Telegu Desam Party (TDP) chief and his ministerial colleagues began the day by visiting the Rajghat. All of them were dressed in black as a mark of protest. Here are the Highlights from Andhra Bhawan: 2.30 pm: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will leave for Delhi tomorrow to meet Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. 1.45 PM: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, DMK's T Siva and TMC's Derek O' Brien at Andhra Pradesh CM & TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu's day-long fast in Delhi. 1.40 pm: Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and LJD leader Sharad Yadav express support towards Chandrababu Naidu. 1.30 pm: Chandrababu Naidu ji, I would like to congratulate TDP. We started this fight 4 years back but there is a very important date - July 20, 2018 - when TDP brought in 'No Confidence Motion' in Lok Sabha. This scared Modi, says Derek O'Brien, Trinamool leader at 'Dharma Porata Deeksha'. 11.30 am: I stand in support of Naidu, special category status promise must be implemented without any further delay. Demand for special status had support of all parties when it was discussed in Parliament, says former PM Manmohan Singh. 11.05 am: I stand with the people of Andhra Pradesh. What kind of a PM is he? He did not fulfill the commitment made to the people of Andhra Pradesh. Mr Modi, tells a lie wherever he goes. He has got no credibility left, says Congress President Rahul Gandhi. 10.55 am: Rahul Gandhi reaches Chandrababu Naidu's protest venue at Andhra Bhawan. 10.45 am: National Conference's Farooq Abdullah and NCP's Majeed Memon at the day-long hunger strike by Andhra Pradesh CM & TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu at Andhra Pradesh Bhawan. 10 pm: We were denied permission to stage a protest in Parliament premises. So, we came here, says the TDP chief. 9.59 am: I am warning you. Dont make personal attacks against me and my people. Its unwarranted. I am just doing my duty as the head of my state. We are only demanding what we were promised, says the Andhra chief minister. 9.57 am: On behalf of five crore people, Im warning this government... I came here to remind you of the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act, Naidu says. 9.56 am: Atal Bihari Vajpayee said raj dharma was not followed in Gujarat (during the 2002 riots). Now, raj dharma is not being followed in the case of Andhra Pradesh. We have been denied what is rightfully ours, says Naidu. 9.55 am: Congress president Rahul Gandhi will visit Andhra Pradesh Bhawan to express solidarity with Chandrababu Naidu later today. 9.45 am: If you won't fulfil our demands, we know how to get them fulfilled. This is about self respect of people of Andhra Pradesh. Whenever there is an attack on our self-respect, we won't tolerate it. I am warning this government and particularly the PM to stop attacking an individual. 9.30 am: Today we have came here, all the way, to protest against the central government. Yesterday, PM visited Guntur, just a day before the dharna. What is the need, I am asking, says Chandrababu Naidu. Naidus protest comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on him in a rally in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur. PM Modi accused Naidu of betraying his father-in-law NT Rama Ram, the founder of TDP and the founder chief minister of Andhra Pradesh and also said that Naidu was scared this time because has never won successive elections. He also said that Naidu made a "U-turn" on promises of development to the state and was only trying to replicate the NDA government's schemes. Our government gave to Andhra Pradesh much more than what was mentioned in special status. CM of Andhra Pradesh acknowledged this package but took a U-turn as they failed to use the funds in the appropriate way and were not able to develop the state," PM Modi said at the public rally in Guntur on Sunday. Live from my day-long hunger strike against the central government, New Delhi. #DharmaPorataDeeksha #APDemandsJusti https://t.co/YGcWFQPP63 N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) February 11, 2019 Naidu walked out of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in March last year, after the Centre refused to accept its demand for a special category state status for Andhra Pradesh and compensate for the losses suffered from the creation of a separate Telangana state in 2014. New Delhi: In Valentines Week, while couples around the world are busy in making plans, political parties in India are busy in trading barbs! February 11 is celebrated as Promise Day by the young lovers. But the Aam Aadmi Party decided to take the opportunity to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Taking a dig at PM Modi, the AAP tweeted a clip in which PM Modi is seen promising Rs 15 lakh in every citizens account. Happy Promise Day Narendra Modi ji, the AAP tweeted. Without saying much, the AAP conveyed the message that the Prime Minister and his government have not kept the promises. The attack comes after the war of words between Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta over the issue of deletion of voters' names from electoral roll in the National Capital. The blame game erupted with Gupta charging the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader with lying that names of 24 lakh voters had been deleted in Delhi in the past four years. "Do not lie Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The 24 lakh votes have been deleted in last 10 years due to death, duplication, self-deletion through Form 7. Thirty lakh votes have been added during this period. It's a normal process," Gupta of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tweeted in Hindi. Kejriwal hit back, saying, "Your Election Commission has given us list of 24 lakh votes deleted in four years. The dirty game of BJP has been exposed early that's why you are so flustered. Will EC resign if I give you the list of those whose names have been deleted fraudulently." The Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi Saturday cautioned people against "misleading calls" claiming deletion of their names from electoral rolls, a day after a BJP delegation met the Chief Election Commissioner and alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had been making such phone calls. Terming the poll panel statement as a slap in the face of Kejriwal, Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said the Election Commission had informed all the parties, including Arvind Kejriwal's AAP, that by January 18, 2019 a total number of 9,88,925 voters have increased, but Kejriwal was not ready to accept it. The poll panel statement came a day after a BJP delegation met the Chief Election Commissioner and alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had been making such phone calls. The statement from the poll panel drew sharp reaction from AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, who said the Election Commission "must not be allowed to become agent of a political party". After the poll panel came out with the final voter list in January, the AAP has launched sustained attacks on the BJP alleging its hand behind the "deletion" of names of 30 lakh voters, particularly of Purvanchali, Muslims and Bania communities, since the assembly election in Delhi in 2015. (With agency inputs) New Delhi: In yet another case of committing suicide over depression, a 30-year-old man suffering from depression over not getting a job killed himself by jumping off the Mayur Vihar flyover in east Delhi, the police said on Sunday. Saurabh, a native of Bhojpuri in Bihar, was staying at New Ashok Nagar, they said. He had completed his Bachelor of Technology degree from a university in Bihar, they added. The Mayur Vihar police station was informed at around 9 am regarding the incident following which they rushed to the spot, a senior official said. Saurabh was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead, he said. The officer said they have recovered a diary from the residence of Saurabh wherein he had written that he was frustrated over not getting a job. The content of the dairy showed that he was depressed over being unemployed, he added. Investigations revealed that the deceased had shifted to Delhi just two-and-a-half-months ago and was looking for a job, the officer said. The body has been handed over to the family after a post-mortem examination, police said. On Saturday as well, a 25-year-old Indian Engineering Services (IES) officer allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in his room on Saturday in southwest Delhi's Munirka area. He was reportedly suffering from depression. According to a news agency PTI, the officer was identified as Pranav Tiwari, from the Rewa district in Madhya Pradesh. Reportedly, Tiwari was living with his three batchmates, who went by the names Dheeraj Pandey, Devender Patel and Vivek. On Saturday evening, Pandey and Patel had gone to Saket Mall and Vivek had left for his native place. However, Pranav was alone at the flat. The police said that when Pandey and Patel returned home around 9 pm, they found the door locked from inside. They arranged a ladder and climbed up from the balcony and saw Tiwari hanging from the ceiling. He was then taken down and rushed to the nearby Fortis Hospital. The hospital staff declared him brought dead on arrival. However, no external injury was found on the body, the police said as quoted PTI. During the interrogation, his flatmates told police that he was suffering from depression. The case is under investigation. For all the Latest Crime News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Ludhiana: A 21-year-old woman was allegedly raped by 10 men near Issewal village on the banks of Sidwan canal, about 15 km from Ludhiana, after the car she was travelling in with her friend was stopped and she was dragged out, police said Monday. The woman was travelling with a man from Ludhiana to Issewal village on Saturday night when their car was stopped in Jagraon by men in three bikes, who were following them, Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Tarun Rattan told reporters. As soon as they stopped, the car was attacked by the men with stones and bricks, he said. The assailants then dragged them out of the car and took them to a vacant spot on the banks of the canal, where they called six to seven more people and raped the woman, the police said. Both the woman and her friend were held there till Sunday, the police said. Medical test of the survivor at the Civil Hospital has confirmed the gang rape, officials said. A case under relevant sections of the IPC has been registered and police have launched a hunt to nab the accused. For all the Latest Crime News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Five criminals of Neeraj Bawana gang were taken into custody after a brief shootout in Delhis Rohini area during early morning hours on Monday. According to the news agency ANI, a team of Special Cell of Delhi Police had undertaken the operation after a specific tip-off about the criminals. The shootout happened near Swarn Jayanti Park in Rohini. Three of the five arrested were injured in cross-firing. The police said that five weapons have been seized from their possession. The Neeraj Bawana gang members were wanted in two murder cases. Last year, the Delhi Police had arrested three suspected members of the same gang in August. The accused were identified as Vaashu Sharma alias Bunti (30), Sarjeev alias Sanju (24) and Yogesh (27), who were arrested from near Sector 14, Dwarka Metro Station, on August 26, the police said. Two automatic pistols along with four live cartridges and a country-made pistol along with two live cartridges were recovered from their possession, they said. In 2015, Bunti along with his associates had killed rival gangster of Rajesh Bawania gang Anil Gujjar and Ishwar alias CP, police said. On June 7, he came out on parole in the above case for 10 days from the Tihar jail, but he absconded and was planning a "big loot" to arrange money for marriage of his sister, they added. In the same month, another member of the Neeraj Bawana gang was arrested after an encounter, which took place near the Millennium depot in southeast Delhi's Sarai Kale Khan area at around 5:15 am. The accused, Saddam Hussain, was previously involved in seven crime cases and was wanted in a firing incident that occurred Kotla Mubarakpur, the Delhi Police officer officer said. Police had received information that Hussain would come near the Millennium depot on a motorcycle. Subsequently, a trap was laid to arrest him. He suffered bullet injuries in the exchange of fire and was taken to a hospital, the officer said. (With agency inputs) New Delhi: Crisis-hit Jet Airways on Sunday cancelled more than 10 flights due to operational reasons, according to a source. On February 7, the airline said four of its aircraft have been grounded due to non-payment of lease rentals. A few flights of Jet Airways were today cancelled due to operational reasons, an airline spokesperson said. The source in the aviation industry said that more than 10 flights were cancelled from Mumbai airport alone. The airline regrets the inconvenience it caused to its guests. Affected guests have been re-accommodated while those seeking refunds have been compensated as per appropriate guidelines, the spokesperson said. Faced with acute financial problems, the airline is looking to restructure debt and raise fresh funds. Earlier on January 30, Jet Airways has cancelled 15 flights today following the grounding of six Boeing 737 planes due to non-payment of lease rentals, according to sources. The airline, which is grappling with acute financial woes, cancelled around 20 flights on Tuesday as three more Boeing 737 aircraft were grounded, they added. In two days, the carrier has grounded six such planes following non-payment of lease rentals. The sources said the airline would be cancelling 15 flights on Wednesday, including a few flights from the national capital to various destinations. "Jet Airways has defaulted on aircraft lease rentals and it has been forced to ground three more narrow-body Boeing 737 planes," a source told PTI earlier in the day. Due to the fresh grounding of the planes, the airline, which is negotiating with its partner Etihad for an additional cash infusion, has cancelled as many as 19 flights to/ from Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Port Blair and Bengaluru, the source said. The full-service carrier would be holding a meeting of the shareholders on February 21. The airline will seek shareholders' approval for conversion loan into shares or convertible instruments or other securities, according to a regulatory filing made on Monday. The carrier would seek shareholders' nod to "convert the whole or part of the outstanding under loans, extended / to be extended by the lenders, into shares, or convertible instruments or other securities, of the company...", according to the notice of the meeting submitted to the stock exchanges. The conversion will be done as per the terms contained in the respective loan documents between the company and its lenders. It would also be subject to all requisite regulatory approvals. Besides, Jet Airways will seek shareholders' approval to negotiate and finalise the terms and conditions with the lenders for raising further loans from time to time as well as provide the lenders with a right to convert such loans into shares, or convertible instruments or other securities. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Please purchase a subscription read this premium content. If you have a subscription, please sign up for a digital website account or log in. Indonesian police have apologised after draping a live snake around the neck of a suspected thief to persuade him into a confession. A video of the incident in Papua, Indonesia, shows the snake being placed around the neck of the man, while police question him about allegedly stealing mobile phones. The alleged thief is asked how many times he has stolen mobile phones while the officers also threaten to put the snake down the man's pants. At one stage, the snake's head was pushed towards the man's face, as he cowered away. Local police have now apologised, with Jayawijaya police chief Tonny Ananda Swadaya calling out the investigating officer as "not professional in doing his job". However, while Mr Swadaya said officers involved would face disciplinary action, he noted the snake was not venomous and was tame. But Veronica Koman, a human rights activist, told Reuters that this had not been a one-off incident in Papua, but local police say they are not aware of any other similar cases involving a snake. Newshub. The United Kingdom's most senior officer can smell, but she can't smell cannabis. Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan Police's first female commissioner told the Radio 4 her sense of smell is very important to her, but it has a big blind spot. "My colleagues think it's hilarious that I simply cannot ever smell cannabis. I am hopeless in that respect." She does have a sense of smell though, as she also mentioned her love of pleasant smelling items. If she were trapped on a desert island she would bring along soap as her luxury item. Ms Dick became Commissioner of Police in February 2017 after the retirement of Bernard Hogan-Howe. She's the first female commissioner of police and originally joined the force in as a constable in 1983. Ms Dick came out as gay in April 2017 after she became commissioner. She is the highest ranked lesbian British police officer in history. Newshub. A six-year-old boy was reportedly beheaded in front of his mother at a Saudi Arabian mosque for belonging to the wrong branch of Islam. Zakaria Al-Jaber's mother reportedly watched her son being stabbed in the neck with a piece of glass until he was beheaded. Zakaria and his mother were approached while visiting a shrine to the Prophet Muhammad in Medina and asked if they were Shia Muslims, The Mirror reports. The mother allegedly said yes, and shortly after a car pulled up beside them, an occupant from the car snatched Zakaria away from her and stabbed him repeatedly. Saudi Arabia's prominent branch of Islam is Sunni, accounting for almost three-quarters of the population. A social media campaign has since emerged online called #JusticeforZakaria. The hashtag has already spread widely, with people sharing heartfelt tributes to the young boy. A remote group of islands in Russia have declared a state of emergency after dozens of polar bears invaded the region. The Novaya Zemlya archipelago located in the Arctic Ocean in the northern Russian Arkhangelsk region declared a state of emergency on Saturday. "The emergency situation was caused by the mass invasion of polar bears in residential areas," said the Arkhangelsk governor and regional government in a statement. The deputy head of Novaya Zemlya, Alexander Minayev, says the bears began to invade in December 2018, and are still present now. At least 52 bears have been spotted in and around buildings in the region. There are reports of the bears being aggressive, and according to Mr Minayev, between six to 10 polar bears are constantly on the territory. "People are scared, they're frightened to leave their homes," said the government statement. "Their daily routines are broken. Parents are afraid to let the children go to school or kindergarten." Extra fences have been installed near kindergartens to try and keep the children safe, and military personnel and employees are being taken to their workplaces in special vehicles. However, these methods are doing little to dissuade the bears, as they have no fear of traditional methods to control them, reports TASS. Patrols and dogs have been unsuccessful, and environmental watchdogs have refused to issue licenses to shoot the bears. An expert team will be dispatched to the region to assess and prevent the bear's attacks on humans. The hope is that firearms will not be necessary, as polar bears are endangered. If experts cannot control the bears, a cull will be the only answer. Newshub. A US man left his own wedding in handcuffs after he allegedly sexually assaulted a teenage waitress. Matthew Aimers, 31, married his fiancee Kayla at Philadelphia's Northampton Valley Country Club on November 24. Photos from the event show the couple smiling in newly wedded bliss - but that didn't last long. A police affidavit states that during the reception, Aimers approached a waitress described as "underage". The age of consent in Pennsylvania is 16. He allegedly asked the girl to "go outside and make out", telling her they could "do whatever you want". She later told police he rejected the grown man's advances, feeling "shaken". Later in the evening, Aimers followed the waitress into the women's bathroom, according to the affidavit. He allegedly forced her into a stall and physically prevented her from leaving. The waitress told police that Aimers then pulled down his pants and asked her to "kiss me like you mean it". He allegedly continued to proposition her, and offered her US$100 (NZ$147) for sex. Eventually the victim broke free and escaped the bathroom. As the reception was coming to a close, Northampton Township Police were called to the country club - but not because of the sexual assault. Aimers was found "pushing and punching people" after he became angry with an employee who told him not to take alcohol outside the venue, according to the affidavit. Aimers tried to evade police by boarding a shuttle bus that was parked near the club. When an officer followed him on board with a Taser and ordered the groom to get off, he allegedly called him a "b***h" and a "p***y" in an attempt to start another fight. He finally disembarked and was arrested and taken into custody after a short struggle with officers. At a hearing in January, Aimers was charged with indecent assault, indecent exposure, imprisonment of a minor, harassment, simple assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest after a fight with police. He was released on Wednesday (local time) after posting 10 percent of his bail, and will face a second hearing on February 21. Aimers' lawyer says his client denies all charges and "looks forward to clearing his name", The Inquirer reports. The state of his marriage is unknown. Newshub. Racial Reconciliation Conference Seeks Healing WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2019 / Christian Newswire / -- As Virginia politics is roiled by revelations about senior state officials having worn or countenanced blackface in past years, how America and its churches address racial sin remains an ongoing moral and spiritual imperative. Secular America stresses guilt without atonement. Churches advocate racial reconciliation but often seem to lack the spiritual tools to achieve their laudable goals for the church or the nation. Event Details--- Who: Institute on Religion and Democracy, Beeson Divinity School of Samford University, Institute of Anglican Studies What: This event will bring Protestants, Catholics and Jews together to answer the question, How does thinking about God change the way we think about race? Where: Samford University, Brock Forum in Dwight Beeson Hall, 800 Lakeshore Dr, Homewood, AL 35229 When: February 12-13, 2019, 8 a.m. (EST) A February 12-13 conference at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama, co-hosted with the Institute on Religion and Democracy, is called "Racial Reconciliation and National Covenant." It aims to move the conversation forward by rediscovering the language of national covenant deployed by Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr. and many others who sought healing from racial wounds. Conference speakers will address the spiritual, moral, and cultural dimensions of America's racial tensions. Topics examined will include racial supremacy and covenantal reconciliation, covenant, race, and the nations, the Puritans and Jonathan Edwards, Martin Luther King, Jr., and the national covenant, the black family, the sanctity of unborn black lives, race and school choice, and black/white churches and the American covenant, among others Speakers include: Rev. Eugene Rivers (National Ten Point Leadership Foundation), Alveda King (Priests for Life) Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman (Bar-Ilan University), Rabbi Mitchell Rocklin (Tikvah Fund), Gerald R. McDermott (Beeson Divinity School) Joshua Mitchell (Georgetown University), Glenn Loury (Brown University), Jacqueline C. Rivers (Seymour Institute), Derryck Green (National Leadership Network of Black Conservatives), Mark Tooley, (Institute on Religion and Democracy), Dr. Carol Swain (James Madison Society at Princeton), Timothy George (Beeson Divinity School), Robert Smith, Jr. (Beeson Divinity School). Mark Tooley, IRD president, commented: "It's unfashionable in much of today's American Christianity to speak of America having a covenant with God. But this understanding of covenant may help offer the pathway to forgiveness and national atonement that the current national conversation lacks. "The IRD is honored to collaborate with Beeson on this very needed initiative for racial reconciliation that uniquely rediscovers a venerable tradition of understanding the nation under both divine judgment and mercy." Gerald McDermott, director of Beeson's Institute of Anglican Studies, commented: "This country suffers from continuing racial tension. We are convinced that the tension cannot be resolved by politics alone because our racial divides have vital spiritual, moral and cultural dimensions. "This conference will take a fresh approach by exploring the implications of the biblical tradition of national covenant. We think it will open fresh possibilities for our fragmented society." Insect numbers are collapsing around the world, which could cause the "catastrophic collapse of nature's ecosystems" and threaten "the survival of mankind". The first global scientific meta-analysis, published in the journal Biological Conservation, looked at 73 studies conducted around the world. And the results were disturbing. More than 40 percent of insect species are declining - and the rate of extinction is about eight times faster than that affecting birds, mammals and reptiles. Based on current trends, insects could be extinct within a century. "The [insect] trends confirm that the sixth major extinction event is profoundly impacting [on] life forms on our planet," the authors wrote. "The repercussions this will have for the planet's ecosystems are catastrophic to say the least." Insects make up two-thirds of all life on earth by number. They pollinate plants, enrich our soil, and provide food for larger animals in the food chain. Their loss would be devastating to both agriculture and the environment. "If insect species losses cannot be halted, this will have catastrophic consequences for both the planet's ecosystems and for the survival of mankind," said review author Francisco Sanchez-Bayo told The Guardian. "It is very rapid. In 10 years you will have a quarter less, in 50 years only half left and in 100 years you will have none." The main cause has been blamed on agricultural intensification, and the use of pesticides and herbicides. "That means the elimination of all trees and shrubs that normally surround the fields, so there are plain, bare fields that are treated with synthetic fertilisers and pesticides," Mr Sanchez-Bayo told The Guardian. "Industrial-scale, intensive agriculture is the one that is killing the ecosystems." Scientists in New Zealand are equally concerned about the effects a bug-less future could have. "Bugs basically run this planet. They look after everything that we value," New Zealand's 'bug man' Ruud Kleinpaste told Newshub in 2017. "Humans are getting a little bit too popular on this planet, and it has an effect everywhere. This defornation or this impact on our biodiversity seems to be going on with birds, lizards, and now insects." Newshub. Paula Bennett has hit back at her party's plummeting polling. The results of the latest Newshub-Reid Resarch poll were released on Monday, and things don't look good for the Opposition. For the first time in the 12-year history of the poll (believed to be the country's most accurate), Labour is more popular than National at 47.5 percent to 41.6 percent. Judith Collins has overtaken Simon Bridges in the Preferred Prime Minister rankings. The National Party will be in crisis talks tonight - Simon Bridges' own MPs will be sharpening their knives as his survival as leader is at stake. While Jacinda Ardern is riding high as preferred Prime Minister - up 1.6 to 41.8 percent, Bridges has fallen - down 3.9 to 5 percent. Not only that, but more New Zealanders would like to see Judith Collins as Prime Minister than the actual leader of the National Party - she's shot up 2.5 to be above him on 6.2. Jacinda Ardern has downplayed apparent tension between China and New Zealand, after the superpower postponed a major tourism promotion. The 2019 China-New Zealand Year of Tourism was set to launch at Wellington's Te Papa museum next week, but China has postponed the event, citing scheduling issues. Manager of tourism policy at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Richard Davies, announced that China had "advised that this event has had to be postponed due to changes of schedule on the Chinese side." The Prime Minister said she's not concerned about the rescheduling of the event, telling The AM Show on Tuesday, "That's the explanation we've been given, so work is still being done to find a new date." "When I'm given a reason, it is not for me to question that - I need to take that at face value, and we have." Ms Ardern was also scheduled to visit China last year but the invitation was put on hold, prompting suspicion that China may have taken offence to the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) warning against Huawei building Spark's 5G mobile network. Spark wanted to start using Huawei cellphone tower equipment from 2020, and notified director-general of the GCSB Andrew Hampton about the proposal, as is required by law. And after carrying out an assessment, the GCSB in November identified major network security risks if the technology was to be implemented. When asked if the GCSB's warning had offended China, the Prime Minister said there is "no doubt our relationship with China is complex, there is no doubt the relationship comes with its challenges, as our relationships with a range of countries will from time to time". But she said that "doesn't undermine the strength of it, the maturity of it, and I have to say, on some of things that have been raised to me, like Huawei, which is a decision that's still underway, we need to make sure that we maintain our independent foreign policy". She said the decision was "governed by regulation that exists and was established by the last government to protect New Zealanders' security". "It is agnostic about country and vendor; it goes through a process to assess any change like the introduction of 5G." She said the GCSB's warning, citing "significant security risks", is now up to Spark to address. "I would like to think that New Zealanders would want us to go through that process." Political commentator Richard Harman said last year that the New Zealand-China relationship could be damaged because of the GCSB's warning in November. "The worst case scenario might be that they might try and restrain Chinese students who come here for education," he said. "They might, at the very worst case scenario, take New Zealand off the preferred list of tourist destinations." Newshub. This year, the grounds included a safe area for disabled people to view the proceedings on a multimedia screen, ensuring the interpreters were visible and avoiding crowd-crush risks. The Prime Minister's breakfast was also moved from the inaccessible Wharewaka area to a level zone with wheelchair access. The change meant that kuia such as Titewhai Harawira* and other wheelchair-users could fully participate with their whanau and everyone else, and Mr Robinson said Deaf Action is "very pleased"with this outcome. A coordinated drop-off and mobility zone was additionally introduced, along with accessible portaloos designated for disabled people only. Mr Rapana says the improvements set a precedent and will be "locked into the planning" for all Waitangi commemorations to come. "The attention we paid to the disabled community wasn't out of sympathy, it was out of responsibility. It was our responsibility to make sure [Waitangi commemorations] were accessible to everybody." It was a sea change from Mr Robinson's experience last year. "I silently cried when I hobbled past Titewhai Harawira who had earlier escorted the PM onto the Marae sitting in the corner of the Waka shed with her whanau only to watch people massing towards the breakfast tables which were inaccessible for her wheelchair," he blogged a the time. The Human Rights Commission mediated in the negotiations that resulted in the slew of positive developments. Disability Commissioner Paula Tesoriero also met with the Ministry of Culture and Heritage to work on improved access to national public holidays such as Waitangi Day and ANZAC day. Mr Robinson says Deaf Action is happy with the outcome but the work isn't over yet. "I want to see every venue celebrating Waitangi Day throughout New Zealand be accessible in which disabled people can fully participate in a national day with their whanau and friends," he wrote In a 2019 blog post celebrating the improvements. "I seek to use this year for the formation of official partnerships between all parties involved via further campaigning to our Government to adopt accessible national days/public holidays." Mr Rapana says this is just the beginning of a journey for the Waitangi commemorations. "Anything we can possibly do which is realistic we'll certainly look forward to doing that next year, especially given it's the 180th. "It's an opportunity for Waitangi to lead the way in how we manaaki and how we look after our disabled communities a lot better, not only in Northland." He posed a bold vision. "Certainly in the future we can be a leader for all of New Zealand in terms of setting the example, the precedent, with guidance from good people like Kim [Robinson]." Mr Rapana wants to give others the wake-up call he openly admits he and the other Waitangi commemoration organisers needed about accessibility. "We want to be able to say: 'hey businesses, hey tourism operators, are you doing enough to make your organisation, your company, your venture accessible to disabled people'?" Ultimately, that's because it was supposed to be this way in New Zealand from the start. "Waitangi the place, Waitangi the narrative, the story is all about inclusivity," Mr Rapana said. "If we're going to be true to the articles in the treaty, we need to ensure we are inclusive of everyone in our country." Newshub. A Northland principal has been caught up in a meth and firearms bust after a police raid on her home. After a string of burglaries in the area, police carried out a search warrant in January at the house Waipu Primary School leader Jo Brown rented. It revealed a significant quantity of methamphetamine and cannabis, firearms, and stolen jewellery and electronics. "At the property, Police recovered a number of items, including jewellery and firearms, that were connected to four burglaries in the Waipu area," a police spokesperson told Newshub. "A large amount of methamphetamine was also located at the scene." Four people have been arrested on a number of burglary, firearm and drug-related charges - including one person believed to be Ms Brown's former flatmate, Christopher Ngarino. According to NZME, he had been living with Ms Brown for 18 months while she helped him with his health issues. Ms Brown was overseas at the time of the search, and has not been arrested or charged. In an open letter to her school's community, Ms Brown said she had no idea her home had been being used for criminal behaviour and was not longer in contact with the accused. "I love my job and am dedicated to Waipu Primary School," she wrote, according to NZME. ''This is a personal matter and I do not wish it to affect the school in any way, shape or form. I can provide an assurance that I no longer have any connections to this person.'' Ms Brown is now "working offsite" and Waipu School's Board of Trustees chairwoman Catherine Munro says the school is working through the situation. ''We are working closely with the Ministry of Education and New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZTA) to ensure that we handle this matter in line with best practice, follow due process and ensure all matters are dealt with legally and within policy requirements,'' she told NZME. "While we work through it, Jo Brown is working offsite and our DP is acting principal. ''Our school has had wonderful staff, parent and community support and this is ensuring there is no impact on students.'' Police say they are unable to comment further. Newshub. Civil Defence is planning to let evacuated Wakefield residents back into their homes before nightfall. Nelson Tasman Civil Defence Controller Roger Ball says they plan to let residents return home from 5pm on Monday pending weather conditions. Civil Defence will decide by 4pm on Monday if Wakefield residents will be allowed to return home. Residents should prepare to return home but not to move back until the final decision is approved. In total, roughly around 3000 people from 1000 homes have been evacuated. Police will remain in the area overnight to give assurance to the community. People who are not Wakefield residents are urged to stay away from the town. Sir Edmund Hillary's grandson is continuing the family tradition of expeditions to Antarctica. But Alex Hillary will be using a very different type of transport to his granddad's Massey Ferguson tractor. The adventurous spirit has been passed down the Hillary bloodline, but Alex is learning a new skill. "No Hillarys have done kayaking expeditions so this is going to be a family first," he says. Alex joins a diverse group, including two students of Otara's Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate, heading to Antarctica 61 years after his grandfather arrived at the pole on a Massey Ferguson tractor. The Antarctic Heritage Trust takes young people on expeditions to remote parts of the world to share stories of exploration and preserve the history of the early explorers. The first trip they undertook was a crossing of South Georgia to commemorate Shackleton's famous Endurance expedition. In 2017 they took a team to climb Mt Scott on the Antarctic Peninsula, and last year completed a crossing of Greenland in the footsteps of Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen. For their fourth trip they've enlisted Olympic kayaker Mike Dawson who's built a career around exploring wild places, but Antarctica is a first for him. "It's totally outside my comfort zone. "I never thought I'd get the chance to go there and it's a sea kayaking trip which is quite different to what we do on the rivers around the world. The team spent the day getting to know each other at the Vector Wero Whitewater Park in South Auckland, but the conditions there are very different to the ones they'll encounter in a few weeks. In Antarctica there won't be rapids, although it will be a little colder if someone falls in, which happened to Otara students Lana Kiddie-Vai and Mele Fetu'u. "I really hope I don't do that in Antarctica," Lana says. Newshub chatted to Alex at the desk his grandfather sat at to plan his famous expeditions. "Discussions about planning, logistics, and the incredible experience of being down there. I've grown up listening to it so it's a thrill to be heading down on my own expedition with this fantastic team." On a shelf in Sir Ed's study are some of his silk scarves, a symbol of the respect he earned from the Nepalese. But does his grandson consider him New Zealand royalty? "I wouldn't say he was a particularly royal person," Alex laughs. "But he was a very special and very humble person and he loved New Zealand so much." A new generation venturing to Antarctica, but the same sense of adventure that made Hillary a household name. Newshub. A security guard came across an unlikely scene while taking a walk on his break - two orca swimming in the Manukau Harbour below him. Nui Brown was on Mangere Bridge when he spotted the pair swimming underneath. The guard described the experience as "exciting" and "surprising to people's eyes". Although there has been numerous sightings of orca in the Manukau Harbour, this is the large mammal's first recorded visit to Mangere Bridge. Orca specialist Dr Ingrid Visser says, despite how far the orca were spotted up the harbour, a visit is a normal occurrence of the killer whale. "The location is the only atypical thing about this behaviour with New Zealand orca - they regularly go right up harbours, into the mangrove zones." Dr Visser was alerted to the orca at the time, through her hotline 0800 SEE ORCA. "They would have been in there hunting for stingrays." Dr Visser recommends keeping your distance if you spot a killer whale, and not be "motivated by trying to get selfies". Newshub. The capture of four Hector's dolphins by commercial fishers has prompted fresh concerns about the lack of camera monitoring on boats. On Monday, Fisheries New Zealand said it had received two reports from commercial fishers about rare Hector's dolphins caught off the South Island's East Coast this summer. One report related to a single dolphin being caught in trawling nets, while three were captured on another occasion. Manager of Inshore Fisheries, Steve Halley, said while he was happy the commercial fishers reported the captures quickly, it was still "extremely disappointing" to hear of the deaths. "Hector's dolphins are nationally endangered taonga and we're interested to find out as much as we can about these captures so we can work with the industry to avoid them occurring," said Mr Halley. But Karen Bair, from Forest & Bird, said the events proved electronic monitoring of boats through cameras was necessary. "In many fishing industries, people understand the benefit of having cameras, increased transparency, and monitoring of by catch, among other things," she told Newshub. "If you only have low observer coverage, you can't rely on that to give you a good indication of the number of animals that have been killed." Ms Blair said the Government's implementation of the cameras was being blocked "by a few rotten apples in the fishing industry". "These four dolphins were correctly reported by the skippers, but the fact is MPI have no idea what is being pulled up in the nets of hundreds of boats all around our coastline," she said. "Without observers or cameras on most of these boats, we have no idea how many dolphins are killed every year, and no ability to protect them." The World Wildlife Fund said the conventional trawling nets were a significant threat to Hector's dolphins, which has an estimated population of 15,000. "Until we find new, safe ways of trawling that don't put our precious dolphins at risk, we need to remove all dangerous fishing nets, as well as other human threats, from the homes of the most vulnerable Hector's dolphin populations around the South Island and the home of their critically endangered Maui dolphin cousins in the North Island," said WWF's New Zealand senior campaigner David Tong. In February last year, five Hector's dolphins were killed by commercial set nets, resulting in the Government reviewing the use of set nets. A review of the Hector's and Maui dolphin Threat Management Plan is currently underway and will be reported back on later this year. Newshub. Should the government fund gender reassignment surgeries? The AM Show host Mark Richardson says no, not until things like cancer research and treatments are getting funded. In a poll created on Monday, AM Show audiences voted overwhelmingly opposing the government funding gender reassignment surgeries. "Personally, I'm part of the 'no's', I think it's something you should have to save for, I don't think it's a total necessity," said Richardson. He said the money should instead be used on "things that are necessities, like cancer research." The average cost of the surgeries is around $53,000 for male-female, and $218,000 for female-male reassignment. In October of 2018 the government lifted a cap on the number of gender reassignment surgeries after reports the waiting list had reached 30 years for some people. New Zealand has not had a surgeon who can carry out gender reassignment surgeries since 2014, when Dr Peter Walker resigned. A thankful mother has written a letter to the New Zealand Police thanking an officer for pulling over her son for speeding. A copy of the letter was posted on the NZ Police LinkedIn page, where the mother explains how she was glad her son got caught. She tried to get the name of the police officer, but her son only called them "Constable Toss Pott". She wants to call them "Constable Fantastic" instead and said her son had been taught a valuable lesson. "I just want you to know he has now learnt a life lesson, he has had the heart pumping, the sick feeling, the flashing red and blue lights, a large fine and demerit points taken. "I want to thank you for teaching my son that life lesson, and also my younger son, as he was listening in to the consequences of speeding. "We have always said to our boys, anyone can drive a car and anyone can drive fast, but handling that vehicle when things go wrong is a whole new board game they don't want to discover." A Queenstown pizza joint is enjoying a slice of the Hollywood pie, with A-lister Reese Witherspoon dubbing it some of the best pizza in the world. The Big Little Lies star took to her Instagram story to celebrate 'National Pizza Day' in the US, listing her top five favourite places to get pizza around the world. Marvel Yearbook: The best Marvel Comics character to debut each year - the '60s Newsarama's Marvel Comics Yearbook goes all the way back to the decade that started it all, the swingin' '60s Jeffersonville, IN (47130) Today Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. High near 90F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy. Low 73F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. So far as Im concerned, the reaction that Im seeing from this mess goes against my sense of fair play and my faith. I believe the sole reason Democratic leaders want Northam gone is because they believe they cant afford to be seen supporting him. Its all image and might look bad come campaign time. Well whoop-de-doo! Nearly every politico close to Northam has said something along the lines of Hes not that kind of guy now, but . Northam has my support until someone can show me a crime. I think the precedent created were he to resign will be far more damaging in the long term than would be caused by his staying. KENNETH NAUGLE Forest Divine intervention This other Saturday, my father was getting his groceries at the Walmart on Wards Road, and when he got ready to pay for them, a kind gentleman behind him pulled out money and gave to the cashier, as he told Dad he was paying for his groceries today. Dad was so taken aback that he had to go sit down on one of the benches. When he got ready to go to his car, this same gentleman said he would also help get those groceries to his car and load them. (CNN) Five paintings, purportedly by Adolf Hitler, failed to sell on Saturday at a controversial auction in the German city of Nurembergthe location of several major Nazi rallies during the 1930s. The watercolors, and a wicker chair emblazoned with a swastika symbol that was also believed to have been owned by the dictator, were among the items on sale at an auction criticized by several of the city's politicians and citizens. But none of the works met their lofty starting prices, AFP reported, after suspicions about their authenticity were raised. Among the paintings was a watercolor depicting a mountain lake, which had a starting price of $51,000. The collection comes from "Austrian or European private ownership," from the estates of collectors, and from heirs, according to the auction house. It remains illegal in Germany to hold public displays of Nazi symbols, except in certain educational or historical contexts. The auction house was consequently obliged to blur out Nazi insignia and symbols in their brochure to comply with German law. And the sale sparked anger among politicians and the public, with Ulrich Maly, the mayor of Nuremberg, accusing it of being "in bad taste" in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper. The auction house was also forced to remove 26 artworks from its brochure over authenticity concerns. "Unfortunately, we must inform you that some of the pictures have been dropped because of a review," the auction house said in a statement sent to German newspaper Spiegel. This came shortly after prosecutors confiscated 63 artworks bearing "A.Hitler" or "A.H." signatures from the Weidler premises on Wednesday. Antje Gabriels-Gorsolke, spokeswoman for the Nuremberg-Fuerth prosecution department, told Agence France-Presse that they had opened an investigation into certain individuals "on suspicion falsifying documents and attempted fraud." "If they turn out to be fakes, we will then try to determine who knew what in the chain of ownership," she said. Stephen Klingen and Christian Fuhrmeister from the Central Institute for Art History in Munich, south Germany, told CNN that people are "rightly concerned" with the auction. "We are negotiating the past, in this case German past and Nazi memory, which is embodied in Adolf Hitler," they said. "Something that has been taboo in the past, now pops up -- there are collectors who love to buy these objects." Klingen and Fuhrmeister said, however, that auctions such as this should go ahead despite widespread criticism. "It is a necessary discussion -- to reevaluate the way Germany looks back at its Nazi past in the 21st century," they said. "It is an ethical and moral question -- I believe any modern democracy should be able to cope with this." They added that they would rather see open discussion surrounding the history of Hitler and the Nazis, rather than it once again becoming taboo. The Weidler auction house had described the event as a "special sale" in its brochure, and said the collection of works includes "rare pictures and furnishings." The auction house did not respond to a CNN request for comment. Hitler was an aspiring "would-be" artist in his early years, but was rejected twice from the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. He earned money by selling watercolors and "post-card style" pictures for newlywed couples before enlisting in the German army prior to the First World War. Klingen described Hitler's artistic skills as "a moderately ambitious amateur," but noted that his artworks were comparable to "hundreds of thousands" of others from the period. The Weidler auction house has sold a number of alleged pictures by Hitler in recent years, the most expensive of which fetched $147,000 in 2014. This story was first published on CNN.com, "'Hitler watercolors' fail to sell at auction amid forgery concerns." Fairfax, a Democrat, has fended off calls from the state Democratic Party and legislators to resign after the women publicly came forward last week to accuse him of sexual assault. Fairfax says the encounters - one in 2000 and the other in 2004 - were consensual, and he has characterized the allegations as a smear campaign against him. He has said repeatedly that he will not step down and wants the FBI or others to investigate the allegations. Shortly after the second woman came forward Friday, Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, said he would introduce articles of impeachment if Fairfax did not resign by Monday. Hope emailed a draft of a resolution that would initiate impeachment proceedings to his Democratic colleagues for review Sunday afternoon. The Washington Post obtained a copy of the email and resolution. "Whereas the House of Delegates believes all allegations of sexual assault must be taken with the utmost seriousness; and whereas the House of Delegates believes the allegations made by Dr. Vanessa Tyson and Ms. Meredith Watson (Fairfax's accusers) to be credible in nature, while also respecting the principles of due process; now, therefore, be it resolved by the House of Delegates that proceedings for the impeachment of Lieutenant Governor Justin E. Fairfax shall be initiated," the draft resolution says. A spokeswoman for Fairfax had no immediate comment. A vote on the resolution, which could come as early as Tuesday if it is introduced Monday, would direct the House Committee for Courts of Justice to hold hearings on the allegations against Fairfax, with the support of legislative staff and state agencies. Such an investigation would be the precursor to the committee's recommendation for impeachment and a vote of the full House. In his email to colleagues, Hope stressed that he is not yet calling for Fairfax's impeachment, but for an investigation into the allegations. "It is not impeachment," Hope emphasized in the email. "It is a process to investigate whether the Courts Committee would recommend impeachment." Hope said the timing of introducing the resolution is under discussion with legislative leaders. It's unclear how much support there is for an impeachment effort in the Republican-controlled General Assembly. Aides to House Speaker Kirkland Cox, R-Colonial Heights, and House Minority Leader Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax County, who have both urged Fairfax to resign, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Del. Robert Bell, R-Albemarle, who chairs the Courts Committee, also did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Committee member Del. Marcus Simon, D-Fairfax, said there are serious questions about the House's ability to conduct an investigation into the allegations, including whether it could compel witnesses to testify and subpoena documents. "There are process questions," Simon said. "Whether this the right move or not politically, we have to figure out whether we are doing this right or not." Sen. Richard Saslaw, D-Fairfax, who leads the Senate Democratic Caucus, said he opposes attempts to impeach the lieutenant governor and did not expect them to gain traction. "Impeachment implies high crimes and misdemeanors while you are in office; that's what it's for," Saslaw said in a brief interview, noting that the allegations against Fairfax are for actions that allegedly occurred before he was elected. Senate Republican leadership previously called on law enforcement to investigate the allegations against Fairfax; a spokesman for Majority Leader Tommy Norment, R-James City, did not immediately return a request for comment on impeachment. Norment was the center of controversy himself last week, when he acknowledged that he was an editor of a 1968 yearbook that featured racial slurs and photos of students in blackface. He said he was not responsible for the content. The Virginia Constitution says "malfeasance in office, corruption, neglect of duty, or other high crime or misdemeanor" are impeachable offenses. It vests the House of Delegates with the power to impeach with a simple majority vote and the state Senate with the power to prosecute elected officials and remove them from office with a vote of two-thirds of the senators present. Dick Howard, the University of Virginia Law School professor who led the commission that wrote the current version of the state constitution in 1971, said there is disagreement about whether conduct unrelated to an elected office can be grounds for impeachment. "There are competing interpretations, but I really don't think it's open-ended, and I think it's difficult to argue anything that casts disrepute on the office would be an impeachable offense," Howard said Sunday. "That would make the impeachment process another tool of political combat." An attempt to impeach Fairfax would be unprecedented; there has been no attempt to impeach an elected official in the state in modern times, according to Howard. Tyson and Watson, who have separate legal representation, have indicated through their lawyers that they are willing to testify during impeachment proceedings. Tyson, a California professor, says Fairfax forced her to perform oral sex on him after they met at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. Watson, who lives in Maryland, says Fairfax sexually assaulted her when they were both undergraduate students at Duke University. Neither reported the alleged assaults to law enforcement. Some high-profile Democrats, including Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., stopped short of an outright call for resignation, but they say Fairfax should step down if the allegations are proved true. Northam and Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring are embroiled in separate controversies after they have admitted to wearing blackface in the 1980s, but neither faces threats of impeachment. That has created another uncomfortable dynamic for Democrats as they ponder whether to force out Fairfax, a black rising star in their party, while white men accused of racism stay in office. As the part-time lieutenant governor, Fairfax presides over the state Senate during the legislative session and can cast tie-breaking votes. For the past few years, Bedford resident Joe Collins has stood at the main doors of Ebenezer United Methodist Church, greeting people as they walked in for Sunday service. Behind him was a blank archway leading into the nave of the church. He thought the whiteness of the wall needed something like a mural or a painting to create a sense of reverence. But not knowing any painters or being one himself, Collins thought his talent for wood carving would come in handy. It bothered me to see that blank wall, and I felt it needed something. I finally convinced myself that [a carving] might be something I could do, so I set out to see if I could do it, Collins said. After about 23 months and 875 hours of delicate attention to detail, Collins, 82, carved a 7-foot-by-12-foot rendition of the famous Last Supper onto boards of cherry lumber. Collins said he was on vacation in Rome about four or five years ago when he went to the Borghese Gallery and saw a painting of the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus shared with his Apostles before crucifixion, that would be perfect for the church. New Delhi: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her debut in Uttar Pradesh's political arena as Congress general secretary with a grand road show on Monday, raising hopes of a turnaround in the party's fortunes, as her brother and party president Rahul Gandhi asserted that it was the time to uproot the BJP and form the government in the state. Keeping the door open on a gathbandhan with Samajwadi Party and the BSP in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress chief said his party will fight the Lok Sabha election with all its might, but refrained from spelling out the number of seats it would contest in the state. Addressing party workers at the end of a grand roadshow with sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Lucknow, Rahul said, Yahan gathbandhan bhi ladh raha hai. Aur maine saaf bola hai ki main Mayawati ji aur Akhilesh ji ka aadar karta hun, magar Congress party poore dum se ladegi, Congress party apni vichaar dhaara ke liye ladegi aur Congress party UP ko badalne ke liye ladegi (Grand alliance is also fighting in Uttar Pradesh. I have clearly said that I respect Mayawati ji and Akhilesh ji, but the Congress will fight with its full might, the Congress will fight for its ideology and to change UP). Priyanka Gandhi was the cynosure of many eyes with thousands of onlookers, including enthusiastic party workers, jostling to get a glimpse and capture the image of the 47-year-old beaming leader in their phones. Rose petals were showered and marigold garlands tossed towards the brother-sister as their cavalcade embarked on a roughly 25-km-long road show, from the airport to the party headquarters as the duo exchanged brief pleasantries with some members of the crowd. Curiously, Priyanka Gandhi did not address the crowd during the road show or at the Congress office thereafter. And it was Rahul who did the talking asserting that the party will "play on front foot". "Their (Priyanka and Scindia) aim is definitely the Lok Sabha elections, but also to bring a Congress government here (UP)," he said, adding "the Congress began its journey from Uttar Pradesh and it cannot remain weak in the state...Congress has to improve performance in UP in the LS polls and form government in the next assembly elections." Giving a sense what her entry means to the party workers in UP, where the party has been struggling electorally for years, posters showed Priyanka in 'Durga Mata' (Hindu Goddess) avatar riding a lion. "Maa Durga ka roop behen Priyankaji (Sister Priyankaji is Maa Durga's incarnation)", said one poster, while some others highlighted her resemblance to Indira Gandhi, her grandmother. Asking crowd to repeat his "chowkidar chor hai" (guard is the thief) barb against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in connection with the Rafale jet deal, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the prime minister has "stolen" money from Uttar Pradesh and other states to benefit industrialist Anil Ambani. At a number of places, the leaders atop the bus had to dodge overhead electric wires in the busy and congested commercial areas. They also had to change to an open jeep near the Novelty Cinema hall here. At the end of the four-and-a-half hour roadshow, Rahul Gandhi addressed enthusiastic party workers at the state Congress office. Priyanka Gandhi also interacted with the state unit leaders at the party office. The eastern UP, Priyanka Gandhi's area of responsibility has Modi's constituency Varanasi. The region is also seen as a stronghold of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. As Priyanka Gandhi's road show was on, her husband Robert Vadra sent her his best wishes. "My Best wishes to you P, on your new journey of working in Uttar Pradesh and serving the people of India. You have been my best friend, a perfect wife, and the best mother to our children. There is a very vindictive and vicious political atmosphere... But I know, it's her duty to serve the people and now we hand her to the people of India. Please keep her safe," he said. A day before her maiden visit to Uttar Pradesh as Congress general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi said that together with the people of the state she hopes to start a "new kind of politics" in which everyone will be a stakeholder. Thought Leaders Rachel McPherson Founder and Director The Good Dog Foundation An interview with Rachel McPherson, founder of The Good Dog Foundation The Good Dog Foundation is a research-oriented foundation. Why is research central to your mission? Since founding Good Dog 20 years ago, our organization has had a singular mission helping humans heal from the trauma of disease, disability and disaster. Our healers are pets namely, dogs and their human handlers. They volunteer. And we transform them into skilled certified therapy dog teams. But first, they must apply and be admitted to one of our training-certification classes. Good Dog committed from the start to being a science-driven organization. The effects of animal therapy on stress reduction and emotional well-being are strong but need to be well documented in unbiased scientific literature to help support a professional approach to the field. Shutterstock | Monkey Business Images As a good example, around eight or nine years ago we received a sizable grant from Pfizers animal health care unit, Zoetis, to underwrite a cancer study. We chose to partner with Beth Israel / Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. Our studys Principal Investigator, Dr. Stewart Fleishman, a cancer care specialist, wanted to explore whether or not therapy dogs could help patients cope with treatment for advanced throat and neck cancers. The treatment regimen, combined radiation and chemotherapy, is effective but brutal, causing patients to deteriorate physically and emotionally, sometimes to the point where some patients dont want to continue. What we found, over several years of the study, was that patients who were visited by one of our therapy dog teams for 15 minutes during each treatment not only stopped deteriorating emotionally their emotional and social wellbeing improved versus the control group who were not visited by our dogs. Elaine + Zoey and the Bendheim Cancer Center at Greenwich Hospital Play The study results were published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Community and Supportive Oncology and got enormous coverage. As a consequence, Good Dog was invited to a two-day global summit hosted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development . There, we met healthcare providers doing extraordinary research on Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT). They encouraged us to play a bigger role in helping the academic and scientific community build a solid evidence base for the AAT field. Please describe your recent research that investigates the human-animal bond. Shortly after returning from the NIH summit in the spring of 2015, we were approached by both Yale University and Pace University. We worked with Yales Innovative Interactions Lab for two years on a study to assess three different methods for helping children recover from stress: time out, a tactile blanket, or unstructured time with a therapy dog. We helped establish the study protocols that were designed to isolate out the treatment effects of dogs while prioritizing both human and dog safety and welfare. We also provided certified therapy teams who participated. The study spotlighted two important findings: (1) dogs, all by themselves, can improve childrens mood and ability to cope with anxiety, and (2) they can do so as a therapeutic intervention for stress recovery. This is the first study to look at the impact of dogs on stress recovery in children. Its finding, that interactions with animals represent a promising way to reduce the burden of childhood mental illness on a large scale, is of enormous potential consequence. It was published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology and titled, The Influence of Interactions with Dogs on Affect, Anxiety, and Arousal in Children. With Pace University, we are partners with their Department of Criminal Justice in designing and implementing a pilot study of female prisoners struggling to learn parenting skills prior to reunification with minor children. Parenting, Prison, & Pups Play Some 70% of female inmates in the U.S. leave minor kids behind when incarcerated, and this severs and wounds the mother-child bond. Female inmates have a tougher time than males in jail, and their kids are an at-risk population, far more likely to end up in jail. Our study, Parenting, Prison, and Pups is now in its third year and already spotlighting the power of dogs to comfort prisoners and enhance learning. Were hoping results show a positive, cost-effective scalable option for rehabilitating prisoners, especially those with children. We have also been working with the University of Pennsylvania on the first-ever national survey of therapy dog training methods a first step in developing a catalog of best practices and national standards. We are big advocates for national standards in this field. How are the therapy dogs trained? Please describe the Good Dog Training and Certification Program. Good Dog volunteer teams (human and canine) are carefully selected for training from a large pool of applicants. First, they have to fill out a lengthy online application, which asks questions about a dogs overall temperament and health, how they react to loud noises, whether or not theyve been exposed to children, if they have any history of aggression, and what their training history is. Shutterstock | Shine Caramia Applicants chosen for an evaluation must indicate on their application that the dog has a solid temperament, no history of aggression, and is well-versed in all basic obedience commands. Teams that pass the online application are then evaluated in person by an expert trainer-evaluator to see if a dog is appropriate for therapy dog class. This evaluation is similar to the AKC Canine Good Citizen test, but a bit more rigorous. We test the dogs to make sure they have obedience skills in place, can walk politely on a slack leash, do not vocalize inappropriately, and do not jump to greet people. They are also tested with strangers, loud noises, other dogs, and people (the evaluator) behaving in a manner that could be unsettling. Teams that pass evaluation are eligible to take The Good Dog Foundations six-hour Therapy Skills class. The classes and homework, spread out over a number of weeks, are designed to instruct and challenge. During class, which not all teams graduate from, the dogs must perform complex obedience drills, and they must demonstrate that they are capable of quietly resting on a mat at their handler's feet during the lecture portion of the classes. They must be able to do this in a classroom with approximately ten dogs and anywhere from ten to fifteen handlers present. The dogs are tested to see how they will react if they are in a situation that could be stressful or overwhelming for them and must be able to navigate the scenario with ease and grace. The handlers are made aware of various indicators that could mean their dog is beginning to feel tired or overworked, and instructions are given for how they can recognize these subtle and involuntary signals in their individual dogs. During class the handlers are also put through practice sessions of role-playing to prepare them for awkward or uncomfortable situations that could arise on a visit. Teams practice navigating various pieces of hospital equipment, as well as how to be in a crowded elevator in an unobtrusive way. Only teams able to perform all exercises pass the class and go on to do therapy dog work. After teams pass class, Good Dog requires that a veterinarian fill out our vet form indicating that they also believe the dog has a solid temperament, and indicating that they are up-to-date on all vaccinations, free of parasites, and in good health. When preparing for visits, dogs are expected to be bathed 24-48 hours before each visit and have trimmed and filed nails. The trainer who taught the team's class accompanies them on their first therapy dogs visit, and subsequent visits if deemed necessary to make them as comfortable in the new environment as possible. Teams are assigned only to environments and populations deemed appropriate for them by our expert trainers, who have followed their progress in class. For example, not all dogs or human handlers have the best temperament to work with children on the autism spectrum, or with fragile seniors. So, their opportunities to volunteer are limited to those facilities and populations where they can be most effective. Historically, on average, some 30% of those filling out Good Dogs online applications have ultimately been certified and deployed. Additionally, Good Dog teams must be re-assessed annually to ensure they remain fit for therapy dog work, both temperamentally and health-wise. How does the training and certification provided by The Good Dog Foundation differ from other therapy dog charities and why does that matter? At the time The Good Dog Foundation started, dogs were not allowed in hospitals in New York State. I was among those who advocated to change the laws and, once they were changed, it was still a huge uphill battle. We went hospital to hospital, unit to unit and doctor to doctor to convince them to try therapy dog teams as a way to ease emotional trauma for their patients. To reassure medical professionals, I realized from the start that our therapy dog teams had to be impeccable in their training, demeanor, cleanliness, etc. We did a lot of research on how therapy dog teams were trained back then, and it seemed to me that two things were missing: One, was in-class training over a period of weeks. Why is this important? Because dogs, like humans dont reveal all aspects of their character when you first meet them. Time is a factor in getting to know both a dog and a human. So is putting them in a class with other dogs and humans so they can be trained together. Therapy dog work almost always happens in a setting with lots of people around patients, students, caregivers, teachers, family members. I wanted our volunteer teams to be aces in all of the diverse settings we might put them in: hospitals, schools, nursing homes, you name it. The second thing that missing was quality control. Most therapy dog organizations allow their volunteer teams, once trained and registered, to be independent agents. I wanted Good Dog to do things differently. I dont think every team is a good fit for every environment or population. Some teams can work with adults, but maybe not children. Some dogs are perfect for kids, but not necessarily fragile seniors. Good Dog trainer-evaluators decide the best fit based on observations, over time, as they train each team. Once certified, our home office does the scheduling for our volunteers among our 300 partner-facilities. We seek and get feedback from each of our partner-facilities on how teams are doing. This gives us the quality control mechanism to be sure our services are impeccably delivered and also to enhance our training to meet evolving needs. Giving Back: Why I Volunteer Play What are the areas of research that you hope to work in next? Two areas of Good Dog research are promising for the immediate future: Weve developed and are beta testing a Mobile Information Portal for our volunteers. It functions like a mobile app. This is a revolutionary step forward for the Animal Assisted Intervention field. At Good Dog, we annually train and field some 1,000 canine-human volunteer teams, scheduling 30,000 hours of visits at close to 300 partner facilities. This is an enormous task. The new Mobile Information Portal will automate the scheduling process and, even more importantly, it will create a first-ever channel for the collection of quantitative data on the efficacy of therapy dog work. It will do this for multiple settings and populations: seniors in nursing homes with dementia, children on the autism spectrum, post-surgery rehabilitation, cancer treatment, dialysis, etc. Our Mobile Information Portal will roll out this year. Once up and operating, it will give us a very important opportunity to publish aggregate scientifically valid data based on observations of our human volunteers, which the field has not had access to previously. Another exciting new area of research is that weve formed an alliance with the Maurice Sendak Foundation to create the Maurice Sendak-Good Dog Partnership for Children. Under this umbrella, weve begun a collaboration with Child Abuse Prevention Services (CAPS), a Long-Island New York nonprofit that has helped over a million children learn about abuse and bullying prevention. Were co-developing and testing a protocol to introduce specially trained therapy dog teams into a three-day workshop for first and second graders. Where can people learn more about The Good Dog Foundation or about become part of a therapy dog team in their local area? To learn more about The Good Dog Foundation or about training to work as a team with your dog, please visit: thegooddogfoundation.org The Good Dog Foundation: Dogs Helping Humans Heal Play About Rachel McPherson Rachel McPherson is founder and president of The Good Dog Foundation, a New York-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Before founding Good Dog, Ms. McPherson was an Academy Award-nominated film producer who, while working on a documentary about animal-assisted therapy, connected so deeply to the idea of easing human suffering via the human-animal bond, she stopped work on the film and started building a new organization to provide therapy dog services. She began with three therapy dogs in 1998. Today, The Good Dog Foundation is recognized as one of the most innovative and reliable providers of animal-assisted therapy services in the United States. The organization annually fields close to 1,000 highly trained and certified volunteer dog/handler teams throughout the Major New York Metro Area. The teams donate 30,000 hours of time a year at some 300 hospitals, schools, nursing homes, libraries and other partner facilities helping people who are traumatized by disease, injury, aging, learning disorders, disabilities, disasters and other life crises. Ms. McPhersons prime accomplishments include pioneering development of best practices in training, placement and supervision of therapy dog teams to assure the highest level of quality and professionalism in Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI); raising and devoting substantial resources to scientific research with major academic partners to advance the evidence base for AAI; and instituting Crisis Response Training for an elite corps of volunteer teams to work with survivors and first-responders in national disasters. Ms. McPherson is supportive of numerous health, education and cultural organizations having served on the boards of New York Methodist Hospital, the Berkeley Carroll School, and the Prospect Park Alliance. She is a current board member of the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation. Disclaimer: This article has not been subjected to peer review and is presented as the personal views of a qualified expert in the subject in accordance with the general terms and condition of use of the News-Medical.Net website. Athletes know a vigorous workout can release a flood of endorphins: "feel-good" hormones that boost mood. Now there's evidence that exercise produces another hormone that may improve memory and protect against Alzheimer's disease, according to a study co-led by Ottavio Arancio, MD, PhD, a researcher at Columbia University's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain. The study was published in Nature Medicine. Physical activity is known to improve memory, and studies suggest it may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. But researchers don't understand why. A few years ago, exercise researchers discovered a hormone called irisin that is released into the circulation during physical activity. Initial studies suggested that irisin mainly played a role in energy metabolism. But newer research found that the hormone may also promote neuronal growth in the brain's hippocampus, a region critical for learning and memory. "This raised the possibility that irisin may help explain why physical activity improves memory and seems to play a protective role in brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease" says Arancio, who is a professor of pathology and cell biology and of medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Irisin is reduced in brains of people with Alzheimer's In the new study, Arancio and his colleagues at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Queens University in Canada first looked for a link between irisin and Alzheimer's in people. Using tissue samples from brain banks, they found that irisin is present in the human hippocampus and that hippocampal levels of the hormone are reduced in individuals with Alzheimer's. To explore what irisin does in the brain, the team turned to mice. These experiments show that irisin, in mice, protects the brain's synapses and the animals' memory: When irisin was disabled in the hippocampus of healthy mice, synapses and memory weakened. Similarly, boosting brain levels of irisin improved both measures of brain health. Swimming boosts irisin, protects memory in mice The researchers then looked at the effect of exercise on irisin and the brain. In the study's most compelling experiments, the researchers found that mice who swam nearly every day for five weeks did not develop memory impairment despite getting infusions of beta amyloid -- the neuron-clogging, memory-robbing protein implicated in Alzheimer's. Blocking irisin with a drug completely eliminated the benefits of swimming, the researchers also found. Mice who swam and were treated with irisin-blocking substances performed no better on memory tests than sedentary animals after infusions with beta amyloid. Together the findings suggest that irisin could be exploited to find a novel therapy for preventing or treating dementia in humans, Arancio says. His team is now searching for pharmaceutical compounds that can increase brain levels of the hormone or can mimic its action. "In the meantime, I would certainly encourage everyone to exercise, to promote brain function and overall health," he said. "But that's not possible for many people, especially those with age-related conditions like heart disease, arthritis, or dementia. For those individuals, there's a particular need for drugs that can mimic the effects of irisin and protect synapses and prevent cognitive decline." The yeast Candida albicans occurs in most healthy people as a harmless colonizer in the digestive tract. However, it can also cause life-threatening infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. These infections are usually treated with the drug fluconazole, which inhibits the synthesis of ergosterol in Candida. Ergosterol fulfils similar important functions in fungi as cholesterol in humans. Candida albicans can, however, become resistant to this drug. Scientists have uncovered the main mechanisms of fluconazole resistance in recent years. The group of Professor Joachim Morschhauser from the Institute for Molecular Infection Biology at Julius-Maximilians-Universitat Wurzburg (JMU) in Bavaria, Germany, has contributed important findings. The fungus succeeds in becoming resistant with numerous mechanisms. For example, it uses pumps to transport the drug out of its cells. "Highly resistant Candida albicans, in which fluconazole therapy fails, usually use a combination of several of these mechanisms," says Morschhauser. New combinations of resistance mechanisms Normally Candida albicans reproduces asexually by cell division. Morschhauser's research group has now discovered that resistant fungal cells can quickly switch to sexual reproduction in the presence of fluconazole. In this case, the cells fuse and unite their genetic material. In the offspring cells, different resistance mechanisms are newly combined and the fungal population thus becomes even less sensitive to fluconazole. "In our investigations, we found out that the cells that retained the advantageous resistance characteristics are selected and become dominant in the population when treated with fluconazole," says first author Christina Popp. Fluconazole not only selects for resistance mutations, but can also lead to changes in the genome that make the normally asexual fungus "mating-competent", thereby enabling the cells to combine individually acquired resistance mechanisms and produce highly resistant offspring. Knowledge about the molecular mechanisms of drug resistance can be useful for the development of better and new drugs and help overcome resistance. Morschhauser assumes that the resistance mechanisms described here are only one example of how Candida albicans can change in its host. Next, his team wants to investigate whether other forms of adaptation can also contribute in a similar way to the successful establishment of the fungus in different host niches. Hispanic and Latino youth are more likely to drink alcohol at a younger age than their African-American and non-Hispanic Caucasian peers, but they are less likely to receive treatment for substance abuse. African-American youth show more symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder than their Caucasian peers, but they are less likely to receive appropriate treatment for disruptive behaviors. The suicide rate among Native Americans has been outpacing the rest of the country since 2003. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among Native American adolescents, and there are very few effective interventions. A research team made up of experts from Arizona State University, DePaul University and the University of Southern California has evaluated the effectiveness of interventions for mental health problems like substance use, disruptive behaviors and suicide prevention in ethnic minority American youth. The study, which was commissioned by Division 53 of the American Psychological Association, will be published February 12 in the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. "This careful study provides a benchmark for evidence-based interventions in minority youth, which is central to providing effective care to the diverse youth population and will be very useful to funders of research, payers of healthcare and family members," said Margarita Alegria, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Chief of the Disparities Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital. Alegria was not involved in the study. "This evaluation also sets the groundwork for the future, by identifying the need to focus on the development and evaluation of more interventions for minority groups that have not yet been addressed, like Asian Americans, Native Americans and youth who do not speak English." Ten years ago, there were zero evidence-based interventions for American ethnic minority youth that met the strongest criteria and were considered well-established. Now there are four. Well-established and evidence-based To evaluate the effectiveness of mental health interventions for ethnic minority youth, ASU's Armando Pina, associate professor of psychology, worked with Antonio Polo, associate professor of clinical psychology at DePaul University, and Stanley Huey, associate professor of psychology and American studies and ethnicity at the University of Southern California. The trio rated evidence-based interventions designed to target problems like anxiety, depression, disruptive behavior, substance use, trauma and stress reactions and self-harm or suicide. In total, the team evaluated 65 interventions that had either analyzed the impact on ethnic minority participants or been tested on a participant group that was at least 75% ethnic minority youth. The highest rating was "well-established" and included interventions that were tested using randomized controlled experimental designs, had been replicated by more than one research group and demonstrated benefits to the youth that were statistically significant. The four interventions that met the well-established criteria were designed to treat anxiety, disruptive behaviors and substance use in ethnic minority youth. The team found cognitive behavioral interventions were effective at helping Hispanic and Latino youths experiencing anxiety. These interventions teach strategies to change problem thinking patterns and behaviors and often include social skills training. Interventions that involved parents, called family therapy, helped African American youth struggling with disruptive behaviors and Hispanic and Latino youth with drug or alcohol use problems. Including the family, school system or peer networks in therapy to address disruptive behaviors was also effective in helping African American youth. "Parents and caregivers need to know that for some of the most common problems children and adolescents face, there are well-established treatments that have been systematically tested," said Pina, who was the lead author on the study. "They should demand children get these empirically-supported treatments and interventions." From bench to bedside On top of the four well-established interventions, the researchers identified other treatment programs that met less-stringent rating criteria and could be considered best practices in the future. The analysis also determined which mental health problems did not yet have effective interventions for ethnic minority youth and which minority groups were underrepresented. There were no well-established interventions for depression, trauma and stress reactions, self-harm, suicide or the co-occurrence of more than one problem, like anxiety and disruptive behaviors. And, none of the 65 studies analyzed by the research team included enough Asian American or Native American participants to evaluate whether any of the interventions were robust for these populations. "Including Native American youth in research studies is important and requires working directly with Tribal nations because they regulate research within their communities. Researchers must invest considerable time to build relationships and establish trust to gain Tribal approval for a research study," said Monica Tsethlikai, assistant professor in ASU's T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics and an affiliate faculty member of the university's American Indian Studies program. Tsethlikai was not involved in the study. "Native Americans also have a unique worldview that includes a metaphysical perspective of health and well-being that does not fit within Western interventions, so effective interventions would need to originate from a foundation of respect and reciprocity and would have to be congruent with the lived experiences of Native American youth." The team advocated for more research that includes underrepresented ethnic minority populations. Because the trajectory of an evidence-based treatment program from a research setting into the real world takes 17 years on average, the researchers also suggested future work should focus on the development of streamlined methods to develop interventions and test how well they work. "Research should move outside of the lab and into the community," Pina said. "Intervention scientists need to increase collaborations with established systems of care and real-world providers, who are under real-world constraints." Passengers passing through or visiting the Sydney airport last week were warned about a possible exposure to highly contagious viral illness measles after one of them tested positive for the disease. The health warning was issued by the NSW Health authorities who said that an infected man possibly arrived at the Sydney airport on the morning of Sunday the third of February 3. He was travelling on a Qatar Airways flight 906 from Doha. He was at the terminal for three hours before he went on to board a connecting flight to Canberra. The man was ill before his flight said the officials. Measles rash. Image Credit: Phichet Chaiyabin / Shutterstock The warning released on 8th of February 2019 advises the mans co-passengers on the flight QR906 and those who were present at the terminal during the time (between 6am and 9am last Sunday) to look for signs and symptoms of measles until 21st of February. NSW Health communicable diseases branch director Dr Vicky Sheppeard said in a statement, If you develop symptoms please call ahead to your GP so you do not wait in the waiting room with other patients. the health authorities emphasize that the threat is one time and there is no present threat at the airport. Measles is a viral disease that is highly contagious and spreads via aerosols that are coughed or sneezed out by an infected person. The symptoms of the infection may take around 7 to 18 days to appear and include sore and red eyes, fever, cough, runny nose and a typical rash that is red and blotchy and spreads all over the body. According to the NSW Health, this is the ninth alert for measles this year (tenth since 29th of December 2018) and the risk of measles being carried into the country is high due to outbreaks of measles at the holiday destinations abroad. The authorities urge all travellers to be vaccinated against this vaccine-preventable disease before travelling to countries where this disease is prevalent. This includes countries of south and south-east Asia. Collaboration between material scientists, biologists and chemists could advance the development of self-assembling nanomaterials, called nanoarchitectonics, argues a review in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials. And while cyber technologies currently capture the public imagination, investment in this type of collaborative materials research is crucial in order to meet societal needs in energy storage, chemical sensing and a broad range of biological applications. Nanoarchitectonics allows the arrangement of groups of atoms or molecules into a preordained structure. They can be used to create tiny electrical circuits, manipulate chemicals and create various building blocks for nanoscale technologies. Nanoarchitectonics materials that self-assemble into the desired arrangement are necessary to optimize and advance these technologies. Katsuhiko Ariga and colleagues in Japan's National Institute for Materials Science examined recent progress in materials nanoarchitectonics. They believe that predicting the future of these materials requires an examination of biological systems, such as cell and protein surfaces, and macromolecular interfaces. Self-assembled structures are common in biology, for example, in lipid layers or components of cytoskeletons; hence understanding how to control the evolution and behavior of biological structures could help with nanoarchitectonics. Although there is progress in developing some biological interface materials, creating highly sophisticated self-assembled systems is not yet possible. Collaborations between material scientists, biologists and chemists are needed to replicate the characteristics of highly evolved biological systems in nanomaterials. "The development of functional materials by self-assembly nanoarchitectonics is analogous with the evolution of living creatures from component molecules," the reviewers write. "However, while living systems took billions of years to evolve, nanoarchitectonics could be used to accomplish many of its anticipated goals within the next few decades." Exercising is good for health and there is yet another reason for it. Exercise is known to release certain endogenous hormones called feel good hormones or endorphins. Yet another hormone may be released from the body when a person exercises this is called irisin. Irisin is found to be protective against Alzheimers disease finds a new study. The results of the new study were published in the journal Nature Medicine. Irisin - Image Credit: Ibreakstock / Shutterstock The study led by researchers at the Columbia University's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, co-authored by Dr. Ottavio Arancio, a Professor of pathology and cell biology and of medicine at the institute, finds evidence of the positive role exercise could play in brain health. According to the researchers, there was evidence that exercise can reduce the risk of getting Alzheimers disease. The reason for this was not known. The hormone irisin was found a few years ago. It was noted that irisin was released in blood during exercise and physical activity. It was hypothesized that irisin could play a role in energy metabolism of the body. This new research has shown that irisin is capable of promoting new neuron growth in the brain. It is especially beneficial at the hippocampus region of the brain which is necessary for memory and learning. Arancio said, This raised the possibility that irisin may help explain why physical activity improves memory and seems to play a protective role in brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. The team including those from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Queens University in Canada extensively studied the connection between irisin and A;zheimers disease. They gathered brain tissue samples from brain banks and noted that irisin is normally present in the hippocampus region of the brain and among those suffering from Alzheimers disease, there us a reduction in levels of this hormone in the hippocampus. The team used laboratory mice to assess the benefits provided by irisin to the brain. They noted that presence of irisin in the brain of mice can protect their memory and preserve the nerve connections called the synapses. They then disabled irisin in the hippocampi of the mice brains. Thereafter there was a decline in memory and damage to the synapses was noted. When irisin levels were raised, there was an improvement in brain health, the researchers noted. As a next step the researchers assessed the type of exercise that could raise irisin in the brain and benefit brain health. It is known that beta amyloid protein causes formation of clumps within the brain that leads to symptoms of Alzheimers disease. The mice were made to swim daily for five weeks and were administered infusions of beta amyloid protein. Despite the infusions, these mice did not develop memory impairment akin to Alzheimers disease, they noted. This means that despite the pathology, irisin has the capacity to stop the progressive memory loss associated with Alzheimers disease say the researchers. Now if irisin was blocked in the swimming animals using a specific drug, these mice developed memory impairments due to infusions of the beta amyloid. The researchers hope that this study can extrapolate into new therapies for Alzheimers disease based on irisin. Arancio in a statement said, In the meantime, I would certainly encourage everyone to exercise, to promote brain function and overall health. But that's not possible for many people, especially those with age-related conditions like heart disease, arthritis, or dementia. For those individuals, there's a particular need for drugs that can mimic the effects of irisin and protect synapses and prevent cognitive decline. Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-018-0275-4 Is it better to have a heart attack while traveling or at home? Find out at Acute Cardiovascular Care 2019. The annual congress of the Acute Cardiovascular Care Association (ACCA), a branch of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), will be held 2 to 4 March at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Malaga (FYCMA) in Malaga, Spain. Explore the scientific program to see the innovations that will guide practice. Acute cardiovascular care is the specialty of cardiology dealing with urgent problems including heart attack, cardiac arrest, and acute heart failure, where decisions can make a difference between life and death. More than 1,000 participants from over 70 countries will come together to learn the most effective way to save the lives of acutely ill cardiac patients. As the leading scientific event for all healthcare professionals who care for acutely ill cardiac patients, the congress brings together cardiologists, intensivists, anesthesiologists, internists, cardiac surgeons, nurses, and paramedics. Research is at the heart of the congress and more than 600 abstracts and clinical cases will be presented. Stay tuned for findings on the impact of dementia on treatment and prognosis after a heart attack, and the link between gum disease and vulnerability of coronary plaques. The top heart attack risk factor in young adults in Andalucia, where the congress is being held, will also be revealed. Gender must be taken into account when diagnosing and treating patients with acute cardiac problems and a session is dedicated to the distinctive features of acute coronary syndromes including heart attacks in women.1 Women are around 8-10 years older than men when they have a heart attack and while they have similar symptoms as men, heart attacks without artery blockages are more common in women. Dr Sergio Leonardi, Chairperson of the Scientific Programme, said: "Heart attacks without obstructed arteries are completely different to those with blocked vessels and require alternative treatments. When women present to the emergency department we must consider that this diagnosis is more likely." Around 100 leading specialists will present the latest advances during more than 60 scientific sessions covering heart attacks, cardiac arrest, acute heart failure, and much more. State-of-the-art practice in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest will be covered in a dedicated session,2 with insights on the use of adrenalin in this setting from Professor Gavin Perkins, lead scientist of the PARAMEDIC 2 trial. The study found that the drug improves survival but more survivors given adrenalin had severe neurological impairment than survivors given placebo. Research is difficult to perform in acute cardiac care and best practice is often informed by expert opinion. Acute Cardiovascular Care is the place to hear how experienced health professionals deal with common clinical problems. One session is devoted to mechanical complications of myocardial infarction, such as rapid onset of low blood pressure after a heart attack.3 Dr Leonardi said: "We have to quickly make a lot of major decisions in patients who are extremely sick, with an extremely poor prognosis, in situations where there will never be a randomized controlled trial. The solutions we learn at the congress will probably be the best evidence we will ever have." The art of being a doctor or other member of the team working in intensive care is also part of the programme.4 Experienced clinicians will discuss how to deal with not being able to fix every patient, how to provide a better death for patients, how to communicate with shocked, distressed patients who do not understand, or refuse to understand, what is happening, and how to cope with burnout. Dr Leonardi said: "Healthcare professionals in acute cardiac care learn the science of medicine but often, not the art. In the acute setting we often have to decide that there is nothing more we can do, the patient is going to die, and we have to manage that. Young doctors think it is a limitation to include emotion when practicing medicine but it's impossible to care for someone and not have a personal involvement. This session will show us how to turn these frustrating situations into opportunities to show our human side." Skip to: With the recent advancement in aging and longevity research, newly emerging scientific evidence claims that NAD boosters can promote the lifespan of mice. However, it is still uncertain if the similar effects can be extrapolated to humans as well. What are NAD boosters? Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is one of the indispensable cofactors in the body that plays a crucial role in redox regulation and also acts as a signaling molecule in various metabolic and other biological pathways. The terms NAD+ and NADH refer to oxidized and reduced forms of NAD, which are prerequisite for over 500 enzymatic reactions in several biological processes. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) coenzyme molecule. Important coenzyme in many redox reactions. Image Credit: StudioMolekuul / SHutterstock NAD boosters are small molecules that are required to increase cellular NAD+ levels. These molecules are particularly promising because of the anti-aging or lifespan-promoting effects. With age, a depletion in NAD+ level occurs, which is considered as a hallmark of aging. A depleted NAD+ level is also associated with many age-related disorders, such as metabolic disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Some animal studies have indicated that an increase in cellular NAD+ level can significantly slow the aging process, as well as delay the onset and progression of many age-related disorders. In general, NAD+ level can be increased by supplementing NAD+ precursors, increasing NAD+ synthesis, or inhibiting NAD+ degradation. What are the effects of NAD boosters? A wide-range of studies in mice have suggested that NAD boosters are effective in improving cognitive and sensory functions as well as survival in mammals. These compounds are also important regulators of many metabolic pathways, including gluconeogenesis, lipogenesis, and insulin metabolism. Regarding disease-preventing effects, NAD boosters are known to protect cardiovascular and kidney disorders by increasing endothelial cell proliferation and reducing inflammation, respectively. They are also effective in improving fertility in both male and female mice. Despite having a large pool of evidence on longevity-promoting and disease-preventing effects of NAD boosters in animals, it is still a key question whether the same effects can be expected for humans as well. Todate, there is no direct scientific evidence claiming that NAD boosters are effective in promoting longevity in humans. In humans, it has been found that one of the NAD boosters, niacin, can effectively reduce the cholesterol level in the blood; however, it is not clear from the literature whether the observed effect is due to an induction in NAD+ level. Foods containing vitamin B3 (PP, niacin) and other natural minerals, Image Credit: Morisfoto / Shutterstock The hype Public interest in the alleged lifespan-promoting effect of NAD boosters in humans has been encouraged by statements like those made by Professor David Sinclair from the Harvard Medical School Genetics, who promoted the potential of NAD boosters and in 2004 co-founded a company to test their potential benefits. With this claim, a potential NAD booster, nicotinamide riboside, has been commercialized as a nutritional supplement; however, the clinical benefits of the supplement in humans remain unproven. Based on the data presented by the manufacturing company, the supplement is effective in increasing the level of NAD+. However, no data has been presented to show whether it provides any anti-aging benefit. How effective and safe are NAD boosters for humans? According to the FDA, aging is a natural physiological process and not a disease. Thus, any compound/medicine designed to increase lifespan cannot undergo clinical trials for checking the safety and efficacy levels in humans. In most cases, medicines that show promising outcomes in animal studies fail to show health benefits in humans. This is primarily because of the difference in basic metabolism patterns. Another important reason is the influence of various environmental factors on human physiological systems, which is absolutely different from that observed in animals kept in controlled experimental condition. Although NAD boosters are claimed to be safe for humans, it has been found that repeated intake of it can increase the total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels in the blood. Moreover, studies have indicated that increased expression of NAMPT (a major NAD+-producing enzyme) is associated with an increased risk of developing potentially fatal brain tumors (glioblastoma). NAMPT promotes rapid tumor growth by increasing the release of inflammatory and oncogenic molecules. In conclusion, the anti-aging efficacy of NAD boosters in humans is not proven and more solid research is needed to establish a link with other important cellular processes, and determine their safety. Sources Rajman L. 2018. Therapeutic potential of NAD-boosting molecules: the in vivo evidence. Cell Metabolism. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6342515/ Dellinger RW. 2017. Repeat dose NRPT (nicotinamide riboside and pterostilbene) increases NAD+ levels in humans safely and sustainably: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. NPJ Aging and Mechanisms of Disease.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5701244/ KHN. 2019. A fountain of youth pill? Sure, if youre a mouse. https://khn.org/news/a-fountain-of-youth-pill-sure-if-youre-a-mouse/ Scientific American. 2019. Cancer Research Points to Key Unknowns about Popular Antiaging Supplements. www.scientificamerican.com/.../ Further Reading 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. PHOENIX It may be too late to stop Alzheimer's in people who already have some mental decl Members of the Antiochian Orthodox Church take part in a meeting regarding a new home for St. Luke the Evangelist Antiochian Orthodox Church. Pictured standing from left are Bishop Anthony Michaels, Bishop of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America and Rev. Matthew Thurman, pastor of St. Luke the Evangelist Antiochian Orthodox Church. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Mentor police are investigating an attempted car theft and an armed robbery of another vehicle that occurred within minutes of each other Feb. 7. 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. 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. NEW CANAAN After many years working at universities Robert Kinnally had ascended to what was arguably the premier position in college admissions in 2000. It was at that point that he decided to made a profoundly life-altering decision. Kinnally who was hired at Stanford University by soon-to-be Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice had just played an integral role in instituting a multimillion dollar financial aid initiative to assist graduate and undergraduate students. At a meeting soon after, amid a flurry of congratulations from his colleagues, Kinnally felt restless. They were congratulating me for this transformative thing we did for the university and, no joke, I am staring out the window thinking, This is not what Im supposed to be doing, Kinnally recalled from an office within St. Aloysius, where, effective Jan. 1, he became the new pastor. Prior to receiving the call, as he refers to it, Kinnally considered himself a religious person. He was raised Roman Catholic in Yonkers, N.Y. and went to Mass regularly as a child. In college, he became enraptured by literature, consuming novels and poetry fiendishly at Manhattan College and continuing his studies in literature at NYU. He wrote his master's thesis about the baptismal imagery of water in the work of Henry James The Ambassadors. As an adult, throughout stints in the admissions offices of Sarah Lawrence College, SUNY Purchase and the University of Bridgeport, Kinnally maintained his faith, and even taught religious education briefly. He moved Palo Alto in 1997. Kinnally biked to work, got in the best shape of his life, dated a bit and made enough money to live an exceptionally comfortable life in university subsidized housing. He loved his job, but still, the possibility of a life in church pulled at him. You cant run from it. I couldnt run from it, Kinnally said. Kinnally began seeing a spiritual director, a Dominican Priest, with whom he shared his dreams of joining the priesthood and worked toward his goal. In 2004, Kinnally was ordained. Before being appointed by the Archdiocese of Bridgeport, Kinnally had spent five years, of what was supposed to be a seven-year term, working in the seminary. He was surprised to earn the appointment, but said hes adjusted well in just under a month. People are very receptive in New Canaan, theyve been very supportive. Its a very large parish at 2,800 families, thats a lot of people. Ive got to get a little used to that. I worked with seminarians, so there were eight people at Mass. But I love it, Kinnally said. In admissions, I loved that idea of getting kids excited about college. Its not unlike what I do now, which is getting people excited about Jesus so that they know what to do next. And, in addition to getting people excited about Jesus, Kinnally said he hopes to be someone who those in the parish can look to in difficult times, and one willing to start important conversations. In many ways it is my job to help make sense of things. That doesnt mean that if theres something strange that happens, from the government, for example, that Im going to be able to explain the rationale behind it. But Im going to be saying, heres what we do with that, Kinnally said. I think the church, the synagogue, the mosque wherever people gather these are places where conversations should take place. Because they have lasting implications. Youre talking about issues that really are down to life and death. justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1 "The life changing injuries sustained by the employee could have been prevented A commercial vehicle dealer has been fined after a worker lost his leg from the knee down following an explosion in Newbury. Reading Magistrates Court heard how the agency worker, employed by Rygor Commercials Limited, was injured after using oxy-acetylene gas cutting equipment to cut up empty oil drums on January 5, 2017. The flame from the gas cutting equipment came into contact with the drum and igniting the flammable vapours inside it at Unit 13, Hambridge Business Park, Newbury. The impact of the explosion resulted in the drum lid hitting the employees lower right leg, the main body of the drum landing approximately 20 metres away. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company had failed to provide a safe system of work to dispose of the stockpile of empty oil drums. The risk of fire and explosion from flammable vapour residues in the empty drums was not identified and safer disposal options were not secured. The investigation also found that the company failed to provide adequate instruction, supervision and training on the risks associated with the use of oxy-acetylene gas equipment. Rygor Commercials Limited, of The Broadway, West Wilts Trading Estate, Westbury, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Regulation 5 of the Dangerous Substances and Explosives Atmospheres Regulations 2002. The company was fined 400,000 and ordered to pay costs of 9,671.55. Speaking after the hearing HSE inspector Nancy Harman said: Those in control of work have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary information, instruction and training to their workers. "If a suitable safe system of work had been in place prior to the incident, the life changing injuries sustained by the employee could have been prevented. Courtesy photo/Town of GrovelandState Department of Housing and Community Development Undersecretary Janelle Chan and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito awarded grants to officials from several towns, including Groveland, at a ceremony Thursday at Topsfield Town Hall. Pictured, from left, Chan, Polito, Groveland Town Planner Rebecca Oldham and Finance Director Denise Dembkoski. Ann Ormond, the new director of business, arts and cultural development in Andover, is the former president of the Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce & Industry.BRYAN EATON/Staff photo 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 With all major mobile carriers expected to offer 5G this year, enterprises that want to take advantage of this next-gen mobile data service need to start thinking about how to support it on site. Anticipation is keen for 5G, given that it promises to deliver faster speeds and lower latency than the current premium wireless technology, 4G LTE. Ideally, 5G networks could deliver fast internet to areas of the country where wired broadband is unavailable, and more reliable connections to a variety of devices including not only computers and smartphones but also appliances, automobiles and security systems. But to use these services as a WAN option, businesses need hardware that can connect it to their existing wired and wireless LANs.Here's a rundown of the device makers that are known or rumored to be providing networking gear to pipe 5G to your office. D-Link 5G gateway D-Link revealed its DWR-2010 5G NR Enhanced Gateway in January. The device accepts a SIM card to receive 5G and 4G LTE signals from a carrier and routes them to devices connected to it by Wi-Fi or Ethernet. It has AC2600 dual band Wi-Fi (which transmits up to 800 Mbps and 1732 Mbps for each band) with MU-MIMO, and 5 Ethernet ports. D-Link D-Links 5G NR Enhanced Gateway will be available in the second half of 2019. It supports D-Link's own Wi-Fi Mesh Technology (which allows for it to be networked with other D-Link routers) and Voice over LTE to let you make voice calls on your carrier's LTE network. The DWR-2010 is scheduled for release sometime in the second half of 2019. Many D-Link devices are sold to the general public. It remains to be seen if this will be true with the DWR-2010. For now the company lists its price as "varied" depending on which 5G carrier will provide it for its customers. HTC 5G hub HTC and Sprint announced in November that they're working together to develop a mobile 5G "smart hub" to support the carrier's 5G network. (Sprint's 5G network is set to launch sometime in the first half of this year.) The intial announcement revealed only that the device will run Qualcomm's Snapdragon x50 5G modem chipset. More details emerged in December, when a 5G hub device developed by HTC was revealed for use on Australian carrier Telstra's 5G network. The HTC 5G Hub for Telstra has a display about the size of a small smartphone to show status information for 5G and Wi-Fi signals, and the devices connected to it. It's speculated that the display larger than usual for a hotspot could also be used to show pictures and video. As of this writing, it hasn't been confirmed if the HTC 5G Hub is the same smart hub device that Sprint will sell to customers to use on its 5G network. Huawei's 5G devices In February of last year, Huawei announced devices that would run its own 5G chipset, the Balong 5G01. The company claimed it would be the first to support the final 5G specifications sanctioned by 3GPP, the trade group that governs cellular standards. Huawei also revealed two 5G router devices: A large unit that comes in both indoor and outdoor models, and a smaller unit for indoor use. At the time, the larger 5G models were being tested on a major Canadian carrier, Telus. But ongoing controversy is impeding the Chinese company's plans. The U.S. government accuses Huawei of enabling spying through its devices, perhaps at the behest of the Chinese government. So Huawei has been banned from supplying its equipment to the U.S.'s emerging 5G networks. Australia and New Zealand have also decided to fully ban Huawei from their nations' 5G infrastructure. Inseego 5G mobile hotspot Inseego has two 5G routers, both for the Verizon's 5G network that launched in October. The first, the R1000, is a white cylinder that takes the 5G signal from Verizons towers and forwards it to devices connected to it. It supports Wi-Fi with 4x4 MIMO technology and Voice over LTE, has power-over-Ethernet capability and can run on a battery that is replaceable. Out of Egypt to play at Broadland worship meeting Out of Egypt, a new Christian Gospel Band, is to play at the next meeting of the Norfolk Broads Filling Station which will take place on Monday February 11 at its regular venue, Hickling Barn. The members of Out of Egypt came together to play at All About Gospel, an event that took place last year hosted by Stalham Baptist Church. After the concert all the members of the band decided to continue together with the aim of raising funds for the church and other Christian charities and churches. The band plays a broad range of Christian songs in a contemporary style. Their repertoire includes early spirituals and old time Gospel numbers, some that people might consider pop songs and one or two that were written by a band member. In concert, they often introduce their songs with a Bible reading that explains the origin or message in the song. Diana Gordon, a deacon at Stalham Baptist Church, organised the first event and sings in the band. Explaining how they decided on their name she said. Whilst as Christians we have been taken out of our old life by the finished work of Jesus, we frequently persist in remaining in our old life, just like the Israelites when they were led out of Egypt. She went on to explain that the band encourages those who book them to find people from their organisation to offer testimonies about how Christ impacts on their life today. The Filling Station is an interdenominational movement whose meetings are designed to be overtly spiritual but presented in a manner that those outside the church would feel comfortable with. Meetings are held monthly and aim to be short, sharp and focused in character. David Osborne, coordinator of the Norfolk Broads Filling Stations says, This is an experiment for us. Over our three years we have had several powerful speakers at our meetings. However, our steering group decided to try a new way of presenting the Christian message, so thought we would have an evening that gave more prominence to song. Out of Egypt came strongly recommended to us after one of our number had seen them at Stalham. We are looking forward to a night when, more than ever, people will feel able to invite those outside the mainstream church to attend. Doors open at Hickling Barn at 7:00pm, when light refreshments are available. The meeting starts at 7:30pm. There is no charge to attend a Filling Station meeting, but donations may be left in a collection plate when leaving. Hickling Barn is at: Tate Loke (Off Mallard Way), Hickling, NR12 0YU The band web site is at: www.outofegypt.org.uk Visit: http://thefillingstation.org.uk/stations/norfolk-broads Do you have a news story or forthcoming event relating to Christians or a church in East Norfolk? What to Know Seth Moulton first told BuzzFeed News he's considering a 2020 run for the White House. The rising political star recently made headlines for criticizing House Speaker Pelosi for assuming the leadership role. Moulton's most recent trip to New Hampshire was earlier this month. Rep. Seth Moulton is weighing a 2020 run for president. Matt Corridoni, Moulton's communications director, confirmed to NBC10 Boston that the two-term Massachusetts Democratic congressman "is thinking about" joining the race to be his party's presidential nominee. A rising political star who recently saw a backlash for criticizing U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi assuming the role of House Speaker and may face primary challengers himself, Moulton first told BuzzFeed News he was considering running for the nation's highest office. "I think it would be valuable to have a commander-in-chief who's had to make life-or-death decisions before," Moulton told BuzzFeed News, referring to his experience as a former Marine Corps officer, later adding, "and I think we need leaders who are focused on the future. Who are respectful of the past but are ready to turn the page, and chart a bright new course for this country." Moulton has already visited New Hampshire, Massachusetts' neighbor to the north, which hosts the first 2020 presidential primary. His most recent visit was earlier this month. If he does launch a campaign, he'll be joining a crowded Democratic field that already includes another Massachusetts lawmaker. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren officially kicked off her presidential primary campaign over the weekend in Lawrence. What to Know Jose Arevalos-Avalos, 37, of Holliston pleaded not guilty to charges of indecent assault and battery and attempting to pay for sex. Arevalos-Avalos walked out of Framingham District Court after posting $3,000 bail. Arevalos-Avalos allegedly sexually assaulted a woman while driving as an Uber driver. A Massachusetts Uber driver accused of sexually assaulting a rider is out on bail after facing a judge Monday morning. Thirty-seven-year-old Jose Arevalos-Avalos of Holliston pleaded not guilty to charges of indecent assault and battery and attempting to pay for sex during his arraignment in Framingham District Court Monday morning. Ashland police say Arevalos-Avalos offered a rider $100 in exchange for sex Friday afternoon. When she told him no, Arevalos-Avalos allegedly sexually assaulted her in the front seat with his hands. He then reportedly gave the victim his number as she left the car and asked her to call him. The victim, who was on her way to work at a restaurant, told her manager what happened and they immediately contacted police, according to investigators. Arevalos-Avalos was arrested Friday night at his apartment and held at Ashland Police Department over the weekend. In court, it was revealed that Arevalos-Avalos has a criminal history in Texas and Georgia, but not in Massachusetts, where he's lived since 2007. Arevalos-Avalos has completed thousands of Uber rides without incident, his attorney said. A spokesperson for Uber sent NBC10 Boston a statement calling the incident "deeply upsetting," and stating that Arevalos-Avalos cannot access the Uber app to drive amid the investigation, with which Uber is cooperating. The judge, who set the defendant's bail at $3,000, ordered Arevalos-Avalos to stay away from the victim, her place of work and the hotel from which he picked her up. He was also ordered to not drive for any rideshare app. His next court appearance is March 25. A third person has reportedly been arrested in connection to a Boston police officers stolen gun. WJAR reports Kyle Benford, 24, was arrested on Saturday on an active warrant from Pawtucket, Rhode Island. He, along with two exotic dancers from the Ocean State, are facing charges for allegedly stealing the firearm. The gun was stolen from an unnamed off-duty officer who was hanging out with the two women at a Pawtucket hotel after a rendezvous in Rhode Island. Neish Rivera, 25, and Melissa Dacier, 22, were arrested last week. Beford was arrested following a traffic stop, WJAR reports. It is unclear what his involvement in the alleged theft was. It is unclear if either of the three suspects have an attorney. The off-duty officer has been placed on paid leave pending the investigation. Gov. Charlie Baker says people should use their "best judgment" in preparing for a winter storm that is heading for Massachusetts. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for much of the state on Tuesday for a storm that forecasters expect will begin as snow before transitioning to a wintry mix of sleet and rain. Baker told reporters that current projections show the storm moving into the Boston area at about 3 p.m. and for it to "snow very hard for a pretty long period of time." The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency said there is "very high confidence in a significant impact to the Tuesday PM commute." Many school districts have already announced early dismissals or cancellation of after-school activities on Tuesday. Among the cities and towns that will close school is Worcester, where Glenda Burgos had a feeling her kindergartner, Sayeed, would be home. "As soon as I heard there was going to be a storm, I went to the store," she said. "It's a little premature, but Worcester closes all the time, at any sort of sign of bad weather," said another parent, Christopher Bailey. Worcester will have a parking ban in effect beginning at 10 a.m. The storm could make for a treacherous afternoon commute. Snowfall rates of between one to two inches an hour are possible at times, and driving conditions are expected to become hazardous in western Massachusetts around 10 a.m., central Massachusetts around 1 p.m. and in the Boston area and eastern Massachusetts around 3 p.m. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is advising residents to minimize travel, use public transportation and consider working from home or leaving work early on Tuesday if possible. We are asking people throughout the Commonwealth to make smart, safe decisions on Tuesday such as taking advantage of public transportation, working from home if possible and leaving early for their afternoon commute, said Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. Everyone should check a weather forecast and travel conditions before heading out to avoid hazardous driving conditions, as there will be varying types of precipitation in all regions of Massachusetts, including snow, sleet, and freezing rain throughout the daytime and evening hours." Baker said the MBTA plans to add trains beginning at noon to help people get home safely if they decide to leave work early. MBTA ferries are expected to operate regularly scheduled service on Tuesday and Wednesday. A man has been charged with murder following the death of a 27-year-old man in New Bedford, Massachusetts, according to the Bristol County District Attorney's office. William Macomber, 55, of New Bedford was arrested early Sunday morning in connection with the death of Steven Doyle, also of New Bedford, officials say. Police say Doyle was stabbed in the chest during an altercation inside a home on Emerson Street and later died at St. Luke's Hospital. An investigation then led authorities to Macomber, who was located on Shawmut Avenue. Macomber is scheduled to appear in New Bedford District Court Monday morning. It is unclear whether he has an attorney. Former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld is expected to discuss his status as a possible candidate for president this week. On Friday, Weld will be the featured speaker at a "Politics & Eggs" event in Bedford, New Hampshire. Weld has indicated he may discuss his potential political plans during the Friday morning visit. Weld recently changed his party registration from Libertarian back to Republican as he mulls a possible primary challenge against President Donald Trump. Weld served as a Republican governor from 1991 until 1997. He later became a Libertarian and ran for vice president on a ticket with former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson in the 2016 election. If he decides to launch a run for president as a Republican, he could be Trump's first challenger from within the party. A firefighter was injured Monday morning while battling a 3-alarm structure blaze in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The fire was reported around 8 a.m. at a home on 513 Putnam Ave., Cambridge Fire Department said. NBC10 Boston's Sky Ranger helicopter was over the scene, where smoke could be seen coming from a wooden 2-story home. At least four fire trucks responded to the blaze and nearby streets were shut down as crews battled the inferno. The hurt firefighter's current condition is unclear. Cambridge Fire said the blaze was knocked down at approximately 9 a.m. It is unclear how many residents lived in the building or if the structure was abandoned. Authorities are investigating what caused the blaze. The FBI in New Haven and Yale University police are inviting teenagers to take part in a youth academy aimed at sparking interest in law enforcement careers. The fourth annual Future Law Enforcement Youth Academy is set for July 14 to 20 at Yale. The application deadline is April 5. The free academy is an overnight camp chaperoned by police and FBI employees. Students must be 15 to 18 years old, full-time Connecticut residents, returning to high school in the fall and have at least a 2.7 grade point average, among other requirements. Officials will accept 13 boys and 13 girls into the program, which will include lessons on forensic investigations, crime-fighting cyber technology, civil rights and other subjects. Application information is available on the New Haven FBI's website. An Adams, Massachusetts man has died after the car he was driving swerved off the road and hit a tree, officials say. According to police, William M. Morrissette, 26, crashed on Lanesborough Road in Cheshire, Massachusetts around 8 a.m. Sunday. Police say an off-duty North Adams firefighter arrived on the scene of the crash and began performing CPR on Morrissette. Morrissette was then transported to Berkshire Medical Center where medical personnel pronounced him deceased, according to authorities. The crash remains under investigation. No further information was available. Police in Prince William County are investigating a social media threat against schools in Prince William County and Manassas, Virginia. A student at Stonewall Middle School has been identified in the investigation and police say the threat is not credible. The threat appeared in an anonymous post on Instagram and was flagged for police Friday night, police said. The Instagram account has been shut down as part of the investigation, police said. The threat identified six schools in the Manassas area Ellis Elementary, Loch Lomond Elementary, Sinclair Elementary, Stonewall Middle, Sudley Elementary and West Gate Elementary and two schools in the City of Manassas. No specific date was mentioned in the online threat, but additional police patrols will be posted at the schools, police said. Manassas City Police ask for anyone with additional information to call 703-257-8000 and urge parents to monitor their children's internet activity. President Donald Trump charged ahead with his pledge to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border, skimming over the details of lawmakers' tentative deal that would give him far less than he's been demanding and declaring he's "setting the stage" to deliver on his signature campaign promise. In the first dueling rallies of the 2020 campaign season, Trump's "Finish the Wall" rally in El Paso went head-to-head Monday night against counterprogramming by Beto O'Rourke, a former Democratic congressman and potential Trump rival in 2020, who argued that walls cause more problems than they solve. The rallies across the street from each other served as a preview of the heated yearslong fight over the direction of the country. And they made clear that Trump's long-promised border wall is sure to play an outsized role in the presidential race, as both sides use it to try to rally their supporters and highlight their contrasting approaches. Standing in a packed stadium under a giant American flag and banners saying "FINISH THE WALL," Trump insisted that large portions of the project are already under construction and vowed to fulfill his 2016 campaign promise regardless of what happens in Congress. "Walls work," said Trump, whose rally was repeatedly interrupted by protesters. "Walls save lives." O'Rourke, meanwhile, held a countermarch with dozens of local civic, human rights and Hispanic groups in his hometown, followed by a protest rally attended by thousands on a baseball field within shouting distance from the arena where Trump spoke. "With the eyes of the country upon us, all of us together are going to make our stand here in one of the safest cities in America," O'Rourke said. "Safe not because of walls but in spite of walls." More than a half-hour in his rally, Trump had scarcely mentioned immigration, offering just a passing suggestion that those chanting "Build the Wall" switch to "Finish the Wall." Instead, he mocked O'Rourke, insisting the Texan has "very little going for himself except he's got a great first name" and deriding his crowd size, even though both men drew thousands. "That may be the end of his presidential bid," Trump quipped, adding: "You're supposed to win in order to run." The rallies began moments after negotiators on Capitol Hill announced that lawmakers had reached an agreement in principle to fund the government ahead of a midnight Friday deadline to avoid another shutdown. Republicans tentatively agreed to far less money for Trump's border wall than the White House's $5.7 billion wish list, settling for a figure of nearly $1.4 billion, according to congressional aides. The funding measure is through the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. Three people familiar with Congress' tentative border security deal have told The Associated Press that the accord would provide $1.375 billion to build 55 miles (90 kilometers) of new border barriers well below the $5.7 billion that Trump demanded to build over 200 miles (320 kilometers) of wall along the Mexican boundary. The money will be for vertical steel slats called bollards, not a solid wall. The talks had cratered over the weekend because of Democratic demands to limit immigrant detentions by federal authorities, but lawmakers apparently broke through that impasse Monday evening. Now they will need the support of Trump, who must sign the legislation. But Trump appeared oblivious to the deal, saying that he'd been informed by aides that negotiators had made some progress but that he had declined to be fully briefed because he wanted to go on stage. "I had a choice. I could've stayed out there and listened, or I could have come out to the people of El Paso, and Texas, I chose you," Trump said. "So we probably have some good news. But who knows?" Trump, who has been threatening to declare a national emergency to bypass Congress, added, "Just so you know, we're building the wall anyway." The countermarch began at a high school about a mile from the baseball field in the shadow of Trump's rally, its participants streaming past part of the border and the towering metal slats lining it. Marchers waved handmade signs reading "Fire the Liar," ''Hate Is Not What Makes America Great" and "Make Tacos, Not Walls." They chanted "No wall!" and "Beto! Beto! Beto!" Many marchers, and those in the crowd at the ballpark, carried flags reading "Beto for President 2020" or black-and-white "Beto for Senate" yard signs from his closer-than-expected November race against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz that had been modified slightly to read "Beto for President." The Democrat said the event wasn't only about him or Trump but meant to tell the true story of life in El Paso. "It is going to be the people of the border," O'Rourke told the crowd before beginning the march, "who will write the next chapter in the history of this great country. Ensuring that our laws and our language and our leaders match our values." Trump has insisted that large portions of the border wall are already underway. But the work focuses almost entirely on replacing existing barriers. Work on the first extension 14 miles (23 kilometers) in Texas' Rio Grande Valley starts this month. The other 83 miles (134 kilometers) that his administration has awarded contracts for are replacement projects. Trump has repeatedly pointed to El Paso to make his case that a border wall is necessary, claiming that barriers turned the city from one of the nation's most dangerous to one of its safest. "You know where it made a difference is right here in El Paso," he said Monday, adding: "They're full of crap when they claim it hasn't made a big difference." But that's not true. El Paso had a murder rate of less than half the national average in 2005, a year before the most recent expansion of its border fence. That's despite being just across the border from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, a city plagued by drug violence. The FBI's Uniform Crime Report shows that El Paso's annual number of reported violent crimes dropped from nearly 5,000 in 1995 to around 2,700 in 2016. But that corresponded with similar declines in violent crime nationwide and included periods when the city's crime rates increased year over year, despite new fencing and walls. The Trump campaign released a video showing El Paso residents saying the wall helped reduce crime. But many in the city have bristled at the prospect of becoming a border wall poster child. Trump advisers have long insisted that, fulfilled or not, the wall is a winning issue for the president, who has already sought to rewrite the "Build the Wall" chants that were a staple of his 2016 campaign to "Finish the Wall." An AP-NORC poll conducted during last month's shutdown found that more Americans oppose a wall than support it. But nearly 8 in 10 Republicans are in favor, with only about 1 in 10 opposed. Democrats, meanwhile, are adamant that Trump's insistence on a wall helps them and point to their 2018 midterm election gains in the House as proof that voters want to block Trump's agenda. Associated Press writers Alan Fram, Zeke Miller, Kevin Freking and Elliot Spagat contributed to this report. At an extraordinary moment in Pentagon history, a former business executive with little political stature and without military experience is making his international debut as the acting U.S. secretary of defense. After conferring Monday with Afghan leaders and American military commanders and diplomats in Kabul, Pat Shanahan was scheduled to attend a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels and an international security conference in Munich, Germany. It was Shanahan's first-ever visit to Afghanistan, where American troops have been at war for 17 years and the Trump administration is pushing for a peace deal with the Taliban. Shanahan's performance on the global stage could influence whether President Donald Trump elevates the longtime Boeing executive from his uncertain status as interim Pentagon leader to be the administration's nominee to replace Jim Mattis. The retired Marine general quit in late December in protest of Trump's policies. In his resignation letter, Mattis offered to stay on until after this week's NATO meeting to ensure that the Pentagon's interests were "properly articulated and protected." But three days after Mattis gave Trump that letter, the president on Dec. 23 told Mattis to leave the Cabinet on Dec. 31. This unusually sudden transition came at sensitive junctures in Syria, where Trump has ordered a U.S. troop withdrawal, and Afghanistan, where a potential troop pullout looms amid continued Taliban violence. The status of U.S. forces in Iraq also has been put in question as Iraqi leaders responded with anger to Trump's statement in early February that he would keep American troops in Iraq in order to watch neighboring Iran. Trump had earlier angered Iraqis by saying he would use Iraq as a base to strike Islamic State targets inside Syria. It is extraordinary for the Pentagon to be run by an interim leader and even rarer that the leader is a career defense industry executive. Shanahan is only the third person to serve as acting defense secretary and the first in 30 years. The last was William H. Taft, who served for two months in 1989 after President George H.W. Bush's first choice to be defense secretary, John Tower, became mired in controversy and ultimately failed to be confirmed by the Senate. Dick Cheney, the future vice president under President George W. Bush, then was nominated and confirmed. Shanahan is the first to undertake an international trip while serving as acting secretary, according to Pentagon spokesman Chris Sherwood. No one has been nominated to succeed Mattis. Nor has anyone been nominated to succeed Shanahan in his previous role as deputy defense secretary. The Pentagon's budget chief, David L. Norquist, has been "performing the duties" of the deputy secretary since Jan. 1. Presidents typically take pains to ensure the Pentagon is being run by a Senate-confirmed official, given the grave responsibilities that include sending young Americans into battle, ensuring the military is ready for extreme emergencies like nuclear war and managing overseas alliances that are central to U.S. security. Trump, however, seems in no hurry to end Shanahan's limbo status. "I like acting," the president said Jan. 6. "It gives me more flexibility." He did not explain what he meant, but the implication was that he can keep Shanahan on a string and not immediately seek the advice and consent of the Senate. Mattis sought a certain independence from the White House, which seemed to irritate Trump. Shanahan told reporters on Jan. 29 he isn't thinking about how long he might keep his "acting" status, jokingly adding that his mother each morning sends him a "pray" emoticon. Trump has publicly praised Shanahan several times, suggesting he favors keeping him on. "Patrick has a long list of accomplishments" during his tenure as deputy defense secretary, Trump tweeted on Dec. 23. Mattis' resignation from three days earlier had implicitly criticized Trump's unwillingness to stand up to Russia and his inclination to disrespect America's longtime allies. "We have a wonderful man in there now," Trump said on Dec. 25 during a visit to Iraq when a reporter asked if he had a timeline for nominating someone to succeed Mattis. Trump praised Shanahan profusely, noting his reputation at Boeing for managing costs and rescuing a troubled Dreamliner 787 program. "He could be there for a long time," Trump said, adding, "I'm in no rush." Although Trump cites Shanahan's Boeing experience, Shanahan's link to one of the nation's biggest defense contractors is not universally praised. During Shanahan's confirmation hearing in 2017, Sen. John McCain, then chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sternly cautioned him about what McCain and others saw as the danger of an overly cozy connection between the Pentagon and its defense contractors. "I am concerned that 90 percent of defense spending is in the hands of five corporations, of which you represent one," McCain said. "I have to have confidence that the fox is not going to be put back into the hen house." Shanahan won confirmation by a vote of 92-7. One senator, McCain, did not vote. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar on Sunday joined the growing group of Democrats jostling to be president and positioned herself as the most prominent Midwestern candidate in the field, as her party tries to win back voters in a region that helped put Donald Trump in the White House. "For every American, I'm running for you," she told an exuberant crowd gathered on a freezing, snowy afternoon at a park along the Mississippi River with the Minneapolis skyline in the background. "And I promise you this: As your president, I will look you in the eye. I will tell you what I think. I will focus on getting things done. That's what I've done my whole life. And no matter what, I'll lead from the heart," the three-term senator said. Klobuchar, who has prided herself for achieving results through bipartisan cooperation, did not utter Trump's name during her kickoff speech. But she did bemoan the conduct of "foreign policy by tweet" and said Americans must "stop the fear-mongering and stop the hate. ... We all live in the same country of shared dreams." And she said that on first day as president, she would have the U.S. rejoin an international climate agreement that Trump has withdrawn from. Trump responded to Klobuchar's announcement with a tweet mocking her stance on global warming, a phenomenon he has disputed in the past. He wrote that Klobuchar talked proudly "of fighting global warming while standing in a virtual blizzard of snow, ice and freezing temperatures. Bad timing. By the end of her speech she looked like a Snowman(woman)!" Trump often overlooks evidence of record global warming and conflates cold spells and other incidents of weather with climate, which is long-term. Klobuchar also spoke of the need to "heal the heart of our democracy and renew our commitment to the common good." Asserting Midwestern values, she told a crowd warmed by hot chocolate, apple cider, heat lamps and bonfires: "I don't have a political machine. I don't come from money. But what I do have is this: I have grit." Klobuchar, who easily won a third-term last year, has pointed to her broad appeal across Minnesota as she has discussed a 2020 run. She has drawn support from voters in urban, suburban and rural areas, including in dozens of counties Trump won in 2016. She has said that success could translate to other Midwestern states such as Michigan and Wisconsin, reliably Democratic in presidential races for decades until Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton. She said the country's "sense of community is fracturing" today, "worn down by the petty and vicious nature of our politics. We are all tired of the shutdowns and the showdowns, the gridlock and the grandstanding." The list of Democrats already in the race features several better-known senators with the ability to raise huge amounts of money Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kamala Harris of California, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. The field soon could expand to include prominent Democrats such as former Vice President Joe Biden of Delaware and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. A Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom poll conducted by Selzer & Company in December found that Klobuchar was largely unfamiliar to likely Iowa caucus-goers, with 54 percent saying they didn't know enough about her to have an opinion, while 38 percent had a favorable opinion and 8 percent had an unfavorable opinion. "She starts out perhaps with a better understanding of Midwestern voters, but I think she faces the same hurdles every one of them face, which is: Are Iowans going to find them either the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump or the candidate that most aligns with their ideologies and issues?" said John Norris, a longtime Iowa-based Democratic strategist. "I don't know that coming from Minnesota gives her any advantage with Iowans." Klobuchar, 58, is known as a straight-shooting, pragmatist willing to work with Republicans, making her one of the Senate's most productive members at passing legislation. The rally took place not far from the Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi. The span was built after the previous bridge collapsed in 2007, killing 13 people. Klobuchar had worked with then Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., to help fund the new bridge and get it completed at a faster-than-usual pace. "We worked across the aisle to get the federal funding and we rebuilt that I-35W bridge in just over a year. That's community. That's a shared story. That's ordinary people doing extraordinary things," she said. Klobuchar's focus in recent months has included prescription drug prices, a new farm bill and election security. She supports the "Green New Deal," a Democratic plan proposed this past week to combat climate change and create thousands of jobs in renewable energy. But her legislative record has drawn criticism from both the GOP and some fellow Democrats. Some Republicans say Klobuchar is able to get things done because she pushes smaller issues. Some progressives say she lacks the kind of fire and bold ideas needed to bring significant change and excite voters. Klobuchar on Sunday also responded to reports in BuzzFeed and HuffPost that she has mistreated staff, saying she "can be tough" but has many staff members who've worked for her for many years. "I can push people. I know that," she told reporters after the event. "I have I'd say high expectations for myself, I have high expectations for the people who work for me, but I have high expectations for this country. And that's what we need. We need someone who is focused on getting things done for this country." Klobuchar, a lawyer and the former prosecutor in Minnesota's largest county, raised her national profile during a Senate Judiciary Committee last fall for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who was accused of sexually assaulting a woman when they were both in high school. When Klobuchar asked Kavanaugh whether he ever had had so much to drink that he didn't remember what happened, he turned the question around. He asked Klobuchar, "Have you?" Unruffled, Klobuchar continued as Kavanaugh asked again. Kavanaugh later apologized to Klobuchar, whose father is an alcoholic. "When you have a parent who's an alcoholic, you're pretty careful about drinking," she said. "I was truly trying to get to the bottom of the facts and the evidence." Among the other Midwestern lawmakers who could also seek the nomination are Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, who has been visiting early voting states, and Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who established an exploratory committee last month. Klobuchar campaigned with Democrats in Iowa last fall, and in December spoke to progressive farmers and activists about the importance of bridging the divide between urban and rural areas. She said the lesson learned after the 2016 election was "we are not going to leave the Midwest behind." "This is the moment for the Midwest," she said, "and we don't want to be forgotten again in a national election." ___ AP Polling Editor Emily Swanson in Washington contributed to this report. Chief Justice John Roberts broke with the Supreme Court's other conservative justices and his own voting record on abortion to block a Louisiana law requiring abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. Roberts didn't explain his decision late Thursday to join the court's four liberal justices. But it was the clearest sign yet of the role Roberts intends to play as he guides a more conservative court with two new members appointed by President Donald Trump. Since the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy last summer, Roberts has become the court's new swing vote. He is, by most measures, a very conservative justice, but he seems determined to keep the court from moving too far right too fast and being perceived as just another forum for partisan politics in Washington. "People need to know that we're not doing politics. They need to know that we're doing something different, that we're applying the law," Roberts said during an appearance this week at Tennessee's Belmont University. Roberts' vote in the Louisiana case was the fourth time in recent weeks that he has held the decisive vote on 5-4 outcomes that otherwise split the court's conservative and liberal justices. In late December, Roberts joined the liberals to keep Trump's new asylum policy from taking effect. It would have prevented immigrants from making asylum claims if they didn't enter the United States at a border crossing. Then, in January, Roberts voted with the conservatives to allow restrictions on military service by transgender individuals to be put in place. On Thursday, a half hour before the court acted on the Louisiana law, Roberts voted with the conservatives to deny a Muslim death row inmate's plea to have his imam with him for his execution in Alabama. The federal appeals court in Atlanta had ordered the execution halted, but the Supreme Court lifted the hold and allowed it to proceed. The final vote was the order to keep Louisiana's admitting privileges law on hold while the court decides whether to add the case to its calendar for the term that begins in October. Louisiana's law is strikingly similar to a Texas measure the justices struck down in 2016. A district court judge had struck down the Louisiana law because he found it would have resulted in the closure of at least one, and perhaps two, of the state's three abortion clinics, and left the state with no more than two doctors who could meet the law's requirements. But the federal appeals court in New Orleans upheld the law, concluding it was not certain that any clinic would have to close. So much of what the court has done in recent weeks has been through emergency appeals, cases that call for temporary, yet often revealing, votes. Unlike in cases that are argued and decided, the votes come with little explanation. When there is an opinion, it usually is a dissent. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote the only dissent in the Louisiana case, arguing that the court should have allowed the law to take effect because it is not clear that doctors would have been unable to obtain hospital privileges during a 45-day transition period. After the ruling, some Democrats seized on Kavanaugh's vote as proof that he was not following through on his assurances at his confirmation hearing to respect past Supreme Court decisions on abortion. But in his dissent, he said otherwise. Kavanaugh acknowledged that the court's decision in the Texas case is the guiding precedent and seemed to suggest he might be willing to vote the other way if it turned out that hospitals were unwilling to afford the doctors admitting privileges. The Louisiana clinics had argued that they would have been forced to stop performing abortions immediately and that clinics, once closed, are difficult to reopen. Kavanaugh and Justice Neil Gorsuch, Trump's two high-court appointees, are among six Trump-nominated judges who voted to let the law take effect, a sign that the president is carrying through on a campaign pledge to put abortion-rights opponents on the bench. The other four judges are members of the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which had refused to put the law on hold. The execution aside, the recent votes are not likely to be the court's last word on asylum, military service by transgender people or the abortion clinic legislation. A decision on whether the high court will take on the abortion clinic legislation could come this spring. If it does, as seems likely, a ruling on the constitutionality of the Louisiana law would likely come next year. There's no guarantee that Roberts will be with his liberal colleagues then. In 2007, Roberts voted to uphold a federal ban on an abortion method its opponents call partial-birth abortion. Three years ago, Roberts was in dissent when the court struck down a Texas law that is strikingly similar to the blocked Louisiana measure. Justices often feel bound by a prior decision of the court, even one they disagree with, at least until the court formally takes on a case to consider overruling the earlier decision. If he ends up voting to invalidate the Louisiana law, Roberts wouldn't be the first chief justice to put institutional concerns above his own views. Chief Justice William Rehnquist had been a fierce critic of the Supreme Court decision that requires police officers to advise arrestees of their Miranda rights to remain silent and have a lawyer represent them. Yet, in 2000, he was the author of a 7-2 decision that reaffirmed the Miranda case. There are few high-profile cases on the court's docket this year, seemingly by design, after Kavanaugh's tumultuous confirmation hearings. In March, the justices will consider whether to impose limits on drawing electoral districts for partisan political gain. They also could hear arguments this spring on another controversial Trump administration initiative, to add a question on citizenship to the 2020 census. Already on the calendar for next term is the court's first examination of gun rights in nine years. That decision, as well as the Louisiana case, could come in the spring of 2020, fodder for a presidential campaign in which the court could play an outsized role. Islamic State group militants cornered in their last foothold in eastern Syria fought back with suicide car bombs, snipers and booby traps Monday, slowing Kurdish fighters advancing under the cover of U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, Kurdish news agencies and a Syrian war monitor said. An Italian photographer was wounded in the clashes between the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces and the militants holed up in the village of Baghouz, near the border with Iraq, an Italian news agency said. No one knows exactly how many Islamic State fighters are still holding out in the sliver of territory under attack, although they are estimated to be in the hundreds, most of them foreign fighters. It is also unclear if civilians are still inside, caught under heavy bombardment. The SDF on Saturday launched its final push to clear the area from ISIS, after months of fighting that saw 20,000 civilians fleeing just in the past few weeks. The numbers have overwhelmed Kurdish-run camps in northeastern Syria, where humanitarian conditions are already dire amid a cold winter and meager resources. The capture of the ISIS-held village of Baghouz and nearby areas would mark the end of a devastating four-year global war to end the ISIS extremists' territorial hold over large parts of Syria and Iraq, where the group established its self-proclaimed "caliphate" in 2014. That in turn, would open the way for U.S. President Donald Trump to begin withdrawing U.S. troops from northern Syria as he has promised to do once the Islamic State group has been defeated. "The U.S. will soon control 100% of ISIS territory in Syria," Trump tweeted Sunday. He has said repeatedly that he doesn't want the U.S. to be the world's policeman and that he intends to bring the 2,000 U.S. troops home. U.S. officials and Trump's own military advisers, however, have warned that losing its territorial hold does not mean that the Islamic State group is defeated, warning that ISIS could stage a comeback in Syria within six months to a year if the military and counterterrorism pressure on it is eased. Gen. Joseph Votel, the commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, estimated there are between 1,000 and 1,500 ISIS fighters in the small area they still control, but he said others have "dispersed" and "gone to ground." In recent weeks, U.S. officials have said ISIS has lost 99.5 percent of its territory and is holding on to under 5 square kilometers (under 2 square miles), where most of the fighters are concentrated in Syria. But activists and residents say ISIS still has sleeper cells in Syria and Iraq and is laying the groundwork for an insurgency. Assad Bechara, a Lebanese political analyst, said the Islamic State group is an ideology, not just a military structure, and it cannot be defeated simply by reclaiming territory from the group. "This (American) pullout will leave a huge vacuum despite the allegations of defeating the last pockets of ISIS. This vacuum will increase the international and regional struggle for power and influence in Syria," he said, which in turn may make it easier for the militant group to return. It is not clear how long the final push to free Baghouz from ISIS will take. Trump said last week he had been told that the full territorial conquest to defeat the Islamic State could be completed in the coming week. But progress appears to be slower than what SDF officials had initially estimated. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said SDF were moving very slowly due to landmines and sniper fire, as well as the extremists' use of tunnels and suicide car bombs. ISIS also is using civilians as human shields, the Observatory said. On Monday, the Observatory said 13 ISIS militants, including five suicide attackers, were killed as well as six SDF fighters. The Kurdish Hawar news agency also reported heavy fighting in Baghouz. ISIS said in a statement posted late Sunday that two of its "martyrdom-seekers" attacked SDF fighters in Baghouz with their explosive-laden car. Syrian state media claimed a U.S.-led coalition airstrike near Baghouz killed two women and two children. More than 20,000 civilians have left the ISIS-held area in recent weeks. The Italian news agency ANSA said Milan-born Gabriele Micalizzi, 34, was injured in the face by splinters of a rocket-propelled grenade, adding that his life was not in danger. It said he was being airlifted by the coalition to the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. Associated Press writer Bassam Hatoum contributed. What to Know New Jersey dioceses will fund compensation for sex abuse victims. Victims who receive money from the fund will forfeit their right to sue. A recently established fund in the Philadelphia archdiocese has paid out more than $7 million to 85 victims to date. Victims of sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy in New Jersey will soon be able to apply for compensation from a fund representing all five of the state's dioceses, one of the fund's administrators announced Monday. Camille Biros, who also is overseeing similar compensation funds in Pennsylvania and New York, said New Jersey's will be different because all five of the state's dioceses will follow the same protocols. Those will be posted on a website by early next week followed by a 30-day public comment period before they are finalized. The first phase will last at least six months, Biros said, and will focus on alleged victims who have made previous claims. A second phase will focus on new claims. "We are looking forward to working with the dioceses and are pleased about the fact this is a common protocol for the entire state," Biros said. A fund Biros oversees in New York has paid out more than $210 million to more than 1,100 victims in five dioceses, she said. Five months ago, New Jersey's attorney general announced a criminal investigation into clergy sexual abuse on the heels of a grand jury investigation in Pennsylvania that found more than 1,000 children had been abused by about 300 priests over a span of decades. Victims who accept compensation in New Jersey will give up their right to sue, which could be of particular importance because state lawmakers have proposed a bill that could eliminate the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse victims to file civil actions. Currently, adults have two years to sue from the time they first realize the abuse damaged them. The fund also won't cover abuses by religious order priests, such as Jesuits, who may serve in parishes or schools but are not ordained by the diocese. Gregory Gianforcaro, an attorney who has won civil settlements for numerous victims of clergy sexual abuse in New Jersey, said while compensation can be a welcome development for victims, it could preclude other redress they might seek. "Many of the victims want information," he said. "They're looking for the records, the personnel files to be disclosed, as well as other non-monetary relief, such as an apology. It would seem to me that this compensation package is the church's way to get around having to disclose information about their priests." Biros said there isn't a cap on the amount of compensation per individual victim, but said the highest amount paid out in New York has been $500,000. She also said a recently established fund in the Philadelphia archdiocese has paid out more than $7 million to 85 victims to date. What to Know Lt. Gov. John Fetterman is taking Pennsylvania's pulse on whether to legalize marijuana. Fetterman is going on a statewide listening tour. Gov. Tom Wolf says it's important to explore the subject. Pennsylvania's Republican-controlled Legislature has been hostile toward legalizing marijuana. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman's statewide marijuana listening tour is starting in central Pennsylvania as he aims to take Pennsylvania's pulse on whether to legalize the drug. Fetterman's scheduled to appear Monday evening at the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg and then Tuesday evening at the Newport Public Library in Perry County. Gov. Tom Wolf says it's important to explore the subject, now that states along Pennsylvania's borders are moving toward legalizing marijuana. Pennsylvania's Republican-controlled Legislature has been hostile to the idea. Of the 10 states that legalized marijuana, nine did it through a voter-sponsored referendum, but Pennsylvania law allows no such direct access to the ballot. Fetterman supports legalizing marijuana. Previously, Wolf had said Pennsylvania wasn't ready. Pennsylvania is one of 40-plus states that legalized some form of medical marijuana. Authorities say a SEPTA bus jackknifed and crashed into a North Philadelphia home, leaving a bus passenger injured. The crash occurred on West Diamond Street around 1:45 a.m. Monday. Authorities say two passengers were on the Route 33 Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority's bus when the driver lost control and crashed into the home. A female passenger suffered a leg injury and was hospitalized in stable condition, but her name has not been released. None of the five people in the home two adults and three children were injured. But the family had to leave their home after authorities determined that the crash left the structure unsafe. Authorities say light snow was falling at the time, creating slick travel conditions that may have contributed to the crash. The accident remains under investigation. Rep. Walter Jones Jr., a 13-term Republican from eastern North Carolina whose about-face on the Iraq War came to define his congressional service, died Sunday on his 76th birthday, his congressional office confirmed. No cause of death was announced. Jones entered hospice care last month as his health sharply declined after he suffered complications from a broken hip he sustained in a fall, and he had been on leave since then, NBC News reported. Jones was a deeply Christian orthodox conservative of the pre-Donald Trump era, strongly supporting the military and just as strongly opposing taxes, same-sex marriage and abortion. But it was his stark reversal of his support for Bush's war in Iraq that Jones was most famous for, a turnabout that marked the beginning of a period increasingly outside the House Republican mainstream. Jones initially supported the war in 2002 even going so far as to have spearheaded the effort to persuade the House cafeterias to rename french fries as "Freedom Fries" to protest France's opposition to the U.S.-led war. But he soon regretted the vote, he told The Associated Press in 2017. More than 100 firefighters and emergency workers in southern Spain searched Monday for a 2-year-old toddler who fell into a narrow and deep borehole. Rescuers have been unable to get into the borehole, which is no wider than 25 centimeters (10 inches) in diameter and is believed to go down more than 100 meters (330 feet). On Monday afternoon they were deploying three different approaches to reach the bottom of the well but without damaging its structure or blocking it with soil and rocks, local authorities said. According to rescuers, the boy fell into the hole early Sunday afternoon after walking away from his parents while playing in a mountainous area near the town of Totalan, northeast of the city of Malaga. The hole, which is too narrow for an adult to enter, had been bored a month earlier during water prospection works and had not been covered or protected, local media reported. The provincial representative of the Spanish government, Maria Gamez, said that firefighters using a robot camera in the early hours of Monday found a bag of candy that the boy was carrying when he went missing. It was some 75 meters down the shaft, where rescuers were unable to get their equipment further down. Civil Guard spokesman Bernardo Molto told Spanish public broadcaster TVE that efforts would now focus on using more sophisticated equipment to widen the hole while also digging separate tunnels to access the shaft. Asked whether the investigation is also considering any other reasons for the boy's disappearance, Molto told reporters that the authorities' priorities are "searching, locating and rescuing the boy." What to Know Negotiators clashed over whether to limit the number of migrants officials can detain, creating a new hurdle for border security compromise Women returned at the Grammy Awards as female acts won album of the year and best new artist, while rap also triumphed Michelle Obama made a surprise appearance to help open the Grammy Awards with host Alicia Keys Get the top headlines of the day in your morning briefing from NBC 4 New York, Monday through Friday. Sign up for our newsletter here. Shutdown Deadline Looms as Wall Negotiations Hit a Snag As the White House refused to rule out the possibility that the federal government may shut down again, negotiators clashed over whether to limit the number of migrants authorities can detain, creating a new hurdle for a border security compromise Congress can accept. With a deadline approaching, the two sides remained separated over how much to spend on President Trump's promised border wall. But rising to the fore was a related dispute over curbing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, the federal agency that Republicans see as an emblem of tough immigration policies and Democrats accuse of often going too far. The fight over ICE detentions goes to the core of each party's view on immigration. Republicans favor rigid enforcement of immigration laws and have little interest in easing them if Democrats refuse to fund the Mexican border wall. Democrats despise the proposed wall and, in return for border security funds, want to curb what they see as unnecessarily harsh enforcement by ICE. People involved in the talks say Democrats have proposed limiting the number of immigrants here illegally who are caught inside the U.S. not at the border that the agency can detain. Republicans say they don't want that cap to apply to immigrants caught committing crimes, but Democrats do. California Governor to Draw Down Guard Troops at Border California Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to withdraw several hundred National Guard troops from the state's southern border with Mexico in defiance of the Trump administration's request for support from border states. About 100 of the 360 troops will remain deployed under California's agreement with the federal government to focus specifically on combating transnational crime such as drug and gun smuggling, Newsom spokesman Nathan Click said. Specifically, they will be tasked with providing intelligence on transnational crime and assist with cargo dock operations and searches of commercial trucks for contraband. Newsom's move comes on the heels of New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, also a Democrat, pulling back her state's troops from the U.S.-Mexico border. The two states' former governors agreed to send troops to the border last April at the Trump administration's request along with Texas and Arizona. Newsom's and Grisham's actions are a fresh, if symbolic, affront to President Donald Trump's description of an immigration crisis on the nation's southern border. Possible Impeachment Could Further Upend Virginia Politics Virginia lawmakers will reluctantly face the unprecedented prospect of impeaching the state's second most powerful leader as they struggle to address revelations of past racist behavior and allegations of sexual assault roiling its highest levels of office. At least one lawmaker said he will try to pursue impeachment of Democratic Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax after two women accused Fairfax of sexual assault in the 2000s, a move that experts believe would be a first in Virginia. Fairfax has vehemently denied the claims and called for authorities, including the FBI, to investigate. There's little sign of broad appetite for impeachment, with lawmakers set to finish this year's session by the month's end. But the Legislature is swirling with questions about lines of succession and the political fallout for Democrats should the governor, lieutenant governor or attorney general leave office, willingly or not. Gov. Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring, both Democrats, are embroiled in their own scandal after acknowledging they wore blackface in the 1980s. Northam, a pediatric neurologist, said Sunday that he considered resigning but that he's "not going anywhere" because the state "needs someone that can heal" it. Cardi B, Lady Gaga, Childish Gambino Among Big Grammy Winners Women returned at the Grammys as female acts won album of the year and best new artist, while rap also triumphed, with Childish Gambino's "This Is America" becoming the first rap-based song to win record and song of the year. Kacey Musgraves' "Golden Hour" picked up album of the year, and Dua Lipa won best new artist. Gambino was the night's big winner, picking up four honors, including best music video and best rap/sung performance. Drake surprised the music world when he emerged on stage to accept the best rap song trophy but told the room of musicians that winning awards isn't necessary if you have real fans attending your concerts and singing your songs. Drake, who rarely attends awards shows, won the honor for his massive hit "God's Plan." He tried to continue speaking but was cut off as the ceremony suddenly went to a commercial. Rap has endured a longtime losing streak at the Grammys. The last time a rapper won album of the year was in 2004, with Outkast. Only a handful of rappers have won best new artist. Michelle Obama Gets Raucous Applause at Grammy Awards Michelle Obama made a surprise appearance to help open the Grammy Awards with host Alicia Keys. The former first lady appeared onstage with Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Jada Pinkett Smith and Keys to say how music has impacted their lives. Obama's initial comments were interrupted by raucous applause and many in the Staples Center crowd stood. She smiled and eventually re-started her comments. "From the Motown records I wore out on the South Side to the Who Run the World songs that fueled me through this last decade, music has always helped me tell my story, and I know that's true for everybody here," Obama said. "Whether we like country or rap or rock, music helps us share ourselves, our dignity and sorrows, our hopes and joys. It allows us to hear one another, to invite each other in. Music shows us that all of it matters every story within every voice, every note within every song, is that right ladies?" Obama added. What to Know Amy Fleming was charged with felony murder for the 1986 disappearance and death of then 3-year-old Francillion Yo-Yo Pierre in Las Vegas. Police arrested a South Florida for allegedly murdering her son over three decades ago in Nevada. Amy Fleming was charged with felony murder for the 1986 disappearance and death of then 3-year-old Francillion Yo-Yo Pierre in Las Vegas. The 60-year-old Fleming was arrested by U.S. Marshals on January 29th in Broward County and booked into the Palm Beach County Jail shortly after, according to NBC affiliate WPTV. Known at the time as Amy Luster, the mother claimed that she lost track of Pierre when her and the childs stepfather were at a swap meet in Nevada. Pierre was listed as missing as Las Vegas Police reopened their investigation one year ago and complied enough evidence to make an arrest. Fleming, who is being held on $1 million bond, was extradited to Nevada this weekend and is expected to appear in court Monday morning. What to Know Chopper footage showed multiple officers outside the Shell station located at Northwest 7th Avenue and 126th Street after the incident. Police are investigating a fatal shooting outside a North Miami gas station early Monday morning. Chopper footage showed multiple officers outside the Shell station located at Northwest 7th Avenue and 126th Street after the incident which took place shortly after 1 a.m. North Miami Police say a suspect in a four-door white vehicle fired at least 30 shots at the scene. One victim, a man described as being in his 20s, was killed at the scene. Two other victims, a man and a woman, were rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital in stable condition. Detectives are reviewing survelliance video from the station as well as looking for people were inside two vehicles that fled the scene shortly after the shooitng. Anyone with information is asked to call North Miami Police or Miami-Dade CrimeStoppers. What to Know Parkland families and survivors seek to ban assault-style firearms in Florida through a constitutional amendment. The activists seek signatures for a petition, which is necessary in the Florida constitutional amendment process. If 60 percent of voters approve the proposed amendment, assault-style weapons would be banned in Florida. Nearly one year after the horrific shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland family members and victims gathered with gun control activists to launch an effort to ban assault-style weapons in Florida. The gun safety reform group "Do Something Florida!" gathered on Monday near the Broward County Supervisor of Elections Office to formally begin an effort to place a constitutional amendment in Florida's 2020 election ballot to ban the firearms. The group, along with the "Americans for Gun Safety Now" organization, held a press conference after delivering initial petitions to the elections office. They urged volunteers to gather signatures from voters in the coming months to ultimately rid "the state of military-grade weapons to protect Florida families and children from senseless acts of gun violence." Those who attended include Parkland survivor David Hogg; Debbi Hixon, who is the widow of Parkland victim Chris Hixon; and Gail Schwartz, who is the aunt of Parkland victim Alex Schachter. "One year after our beautiful children and loved ones were killed in Parkland, we are turning our grief into action. This is not about taking away anyones rights, its about saving lives," Schwartz, who chairs Do Something Florida!, said at the press conference. "We ask our fellow Floridians to join us in helping to send a message that we will no longer sit idly by while our precious children and fellow Floridians succumb to weapons meant for war zones. It is time for Florida to do something." Seventeen people were fatally shot on Feb. 14, 2018, by a gunman who used an AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle. Broward County officials, including suspended Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel and Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie, have been heavily criticized and accused of not doing enough to prevent the tragedy. Officials were previously warned about the gunman's possibly dangerous behavior. Months before the shooting, one caller suggested to BSO that the gunman was a "school shooter in the making." Since the tragedy, many Parkland families and survivors have been vocal activists to curb gun violence. "Banning military-grade weapons, like the one which claimed seventeen of my classmates and friends, would be a great step towards curbing our epidemic of mass shootings," Hogg said Monday. "These types of bans have already been implemented in eight other states and in D.C. It's time for Florida to do something and lead the way for the rest of our nation." The effort requires some 776,000 signed petitions by Feb. 1, 2020, to put it on the Florida ballot according to organizers. What to Know Its Monday, February 11th and NBC 6 has the top six stories you need to know for your day. Its Monday, February 11th and NBC 6 has the top six stories you need to know for your day. Weather wise, a passing shower remains in the forecast for much of the day ahead of a front that will drop temperatures slightly later in the week. No. 1 - Police are investigating a fatal shooting outside a North Miami gas station early Monday morning. Chopper footage showed multiple officers outside the Shell station located at Northwest 7th Avenue and 126th Street after the incident which took place shortly after 1 a.m. No. 2 - A incident where a woman's abduction was captured on camera has been determined by police to be related to domestic violence. According to Miami Police, the woman was found safe Sunday and is in good condition. Detectives are now following up on the investigation and neither the woman nor the man in the video have been identified. No. 3 - Two Miramar men were arrested after police said they extorted thousands of dollars from an elderly man in New York. According to the Palm Beach County Sheriffs office, the men along with another man from Baltimore, scammed an older man from New York into thinking his grandson was in jail and needed large sums of money. No. 4 - Police arrested a South Florida for allegedly murdering her son over three decades ago in Nevada. Amy Fleming was charged with felony murder for the 1986 disappearance and death of then 3-year-old Francillion Yo-Yo Pierre in Las Vegas. No. 5 - As the White House refused to rule out the possibility that the federal government may shut down again, negotiators clashed over whether to limit the number of migrants authorities can detain, creating a new hurdle for a border security compromise Congress can accept. With a Friday deadline approaching, the two sides remained separated over how much to spend on President Donald Trump's promised border wall. No. 6 - Women returned at the Grammys on Sunday as female acts won album of the year and best new artist, while rap also triumphed, with Childish Gambino's "This Is America" becoming the first rap-based song to win record and song of the year. Kacey Musgraves' "Golden Hour" picked up album of the year, and Dua Lipa won best new artist. Get ready to say good riddance to the checkout line. A year after Amazon opened its first cashier-less store, startups and retailers are racing to get similar technology in stores throughout the world, letting shoppers buy groceries without waiting in line. If they work, cashier-less stores will not only save time but maybe money too, for both cost-cutting merchants and customers whose shopping habits are dissected. From cameras and sensors, the stores will know when shoppers pick up a product and put it down, and can send them a discount to tempt them to buy it. Merchants will be able to create more space for merchandise, better track when shelves need replenishing and draw more business from the hordes of customers who detest long lines. But the monitoring system underlying cashier-less technology is bound to raise new privacy issues and worries about customer data falling into the wrong hands, especially if stores deploy facial recognition software in the omnipresent cameras watching shoppers. It could be scary, and it could be creepy, says Peter Trepp, CEO of FaceFirst, a Los Angeles company that so far has only sold its facial recognition tools to retailers trying to identify shoplifters and other criminals. But if its used to give people a 30 percent coupon on something they want that is going to be a nice benefit. That kind of experience will help people embrace the technology. Amazon has a head start in the U.S., opening 10 convenience stores in three cities: Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle. The stores sell salads and sandwiches for lunch, everyday items like toilet paper and Advil, and groceries such as Cheerios and raw ground beef. Shoppers scan an app to enter the Amazon Go store, grab what they want and walk out. Cameras and sensors on the ceiling track whats taken so their credit or debit cards are automatically charged when they leave. Shoppers will know how long it took to shop, since Amazon sends an alert with their shopping time. It was just a phenomenal experience, said Tom Hadfield, who bought a Coke Zero in a minute and five seconds at one of the Go stores in San Francisco while visiting the city recently. Hadfield, who runs a technology startup in Austin, Texas, said it reminded him of the first time he rode an Uber. You just know its going to be the future, he said. Amazon doesnt say how much money its cashier-less stores make. But analysts from RBC Capital Markets recently visited Amazon Gos two San Francisco stores to come up with a number. Based on their observations of traffic patterns, they estimated about 400 to 700 customers per day will visit each of the roughly 2,000-square-foot Amazon Go stores, generating sales of $1.1 million to $2 million annually, assuming an average purchase of $10. At the high end of that range, it works out to twice the sales of a typical U.S. convenience store, RBC calculated. Several startups are pitching technology to retailers who want to create Amazon Go-like stores of their own. One of the companies, called AiFi, says it has signed deals with the Carrefour chain in France and Zabka convenience stores in Poland. Others, including Zippin, Grabandgo, Trigo Vision and Inokyo, say they are negotiating deals with retailers in the U.S. and other parts of the world, although none are ready to identify them yet. Once a few big retail chains begin to deploy this technology, its going to snowball and we will see more and more of them doing it, says Michael Suswal, co-founder of Standard Cognition, another cashier-less technology startup. So far, companies working on the technology are finding ways to do without facial recognition. Their systems rely on cameras for identifying objects rather than people. Like Amazon, they rely on tailored smartphone apps to identify who is entering the store and to process the sale for whatever products are taken. Both Standard Cognition and Zippin opened small stores in San Francisco last year that have held invitation-only demonstrations or been open for limited hours with a scant selection of merchandise. I like the idea of being able to come into a store, grab what you want and just walk out, says Tomonori Nishimura, a 30-year-old researcher for Fujitsu Laboratories after getting a bag of Funyuns at Standards small store in San Francisco recently. Amazon appears the most likely to make cashier-less stores a more common sight, partly because it can afford to open stores with the technology already built into them, given its current market value of about $800 billion ranking among the most valuable companies in the world. But the countrys biggest retailers are also trying to speed up the shopping process. Sams Club, the warehouse-style club owned by Walmart, opened a test store in Dallas that has no cashiers. Instead, shoppers use their smartphones to scan products and pay. 7-Eleven is testing something similar at 14 stores in Dallas. Waiting in line is torture, says 7-Elevens Gurmeet Singh, the companys chief digital officer and chief information officer. Though, he added, there are no plans to get rid of cashiers. He wants people to have a choice on how they pay. As cashier-less stores become more common, there will likely be more political pressure to ensure they still offer an option to pay by cash to avoid discriminating against lower-income consumers without bank accounts and credit cards. In anticipation of that likelihood, Standard Cognition already has set up a separate kiosk for all-cash purchases in its test store. RBC believes Amazon eventually will also introduce its cashier-less technology in its Whole Foods supermarkets, though Amazon says it has no plans to do so. For now, Amazon seems to have its eye on smaller stores: Late last year it introduced a 450-square-foot version of Amazon Go that can be plopped into office buildings or hospitals, like a walk-in vending machine. Within five years, I think just about everyone will have experienced what autonomous checkout is like, says Suswal of Standard Cognition. And within 10 years, regular checkout stands will be very rare. While meeting with constituents at a town hall on the campus of Richland College Sunday, freshman Democratic Congressman Colin Allred said he is optimistic another shutdown can be avoided. "I'm still hopeful this bipartisan commission is going to be able to reach an agreement, that it will get enough support to pass the House and the Senate," Allred told the town hall attendees. "We need the president to sign it and we need to get to work on other things." Sunday, the White House said it couldn't rule out another shutdown. President Trump has asked for $5.7 billion to fund expansion of the border wall along the U.S. and Mexico border. Talks are centered around $1.6 billion. Lawmakers face a Feb. 15 deadline when parts of the federal government could shut down for a second time since December. "I'm hopeful because that's what the American people want and I'm hopeful because I don't think we're actually that far apart," Allred told NBC 5. Allred took questions from people who gathered for one of his first town halls since he was sworn into office on Jan. 3. At least 200 people attended in person to hear Allred answer questions submitted in writing. During the hour-and-a-half-long town hall, one question brought some chuckles as Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins read from the card submitted by an audience member. "Did you feel Beto O'Rourke could have been our Texas senator and could he still be?" Jenkins read. "I am here in my capacity as your member of Congress. I am not here as a Democrat or a Republican. I'm not here to talk about politics in any way, shape, form or fashion," Allred said. "I'm thankful for Congressman O'Rourke's service when he was in Congress and I'm hopeful he can continue to lead." Allred unseated longtime Republican U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions in a hotly contested election last November. Sunday, he frequently talked about his efforts to reach across the aisle. Allred pointed out policies he and President Trump agreed on, including recognizing the opposition leadership in Venezuela and putting pressure on Nicolas Maduro to resign. Though Allred told town hall attendees he does not support U.S military intervention. When asked about the border wall, Allred said, "I don't think that it is in the American interest or this district's interest for us to spend billions and billions on an ineffective wall that will not do the job it was intended to do." Instead, Allred said he would like to see Coast Guard enforcement expanded, along with more manpower at airports. He said border security and a border wall are not the same and security would mean investing in technology and "person power." Allred's team said Allred was working in-district this week as he awaited the birth of his first child with his wife, Alexandra Eber. Freshman Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar "unequivocally" apologized on Monday for tweets suggesting that members of Congress support Israel because they are being paid to do so, which drew bipartisan criticism and a rebuke from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The Minnesota Democrat said she had no intention offending anyone, including Jewish Americans. "We have to always be willing to step back and think through criticism, just as I expect people to hear me when others attack me about my identity," Omar tweeted. "This is why I unequivocally apologize." The statement was the latest reckoning among Democrats of intense differences in their ranks over the U.S.-Israeli relationship, highlighted by criticism from Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. They are the first Muslim women to serve in Congress. Pelosi and other Democrats, including leaders and chairmen, laid down a marker making clear that Omar had overstepped. In a pair of tweets over the weekend, Omar criticized the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC. "It's all about the Benjamins baby," she wrote, invoking slang about $100 bills. Asked on Twitter who she thought was paying members of Congress to support Israel, Omar responded, "AIPAC!" That sparked Pelosi's first public rebuke of a freshman lawmaker who had helped flip the House from Republican control and is part of a record number of women in Congress. "Congresswoman Omar's use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel's supporters is deeply offensive," Pelosi said in a statement issued by her office and signed by other Democratic leaders after a bipartisan backlash against the Minnesota Democrat. "We condemn these remarks, and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologize for these hurtful comments." It also was a stark exposure of an increasingly tense split among Democrats over U.S.-Israeli policy ahead of the 2020 elections. None of the Democratic presidential hopefuls weighed in publicly as their party's House leaders chastised Omar. Omar's fellow freshmen felt the strain. Some, such as Jewish Reps. Elaine Luria of Virginia and Max Rose of New York, explicitly denounced her remarks. Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., said: "Anti-Semitism or xenophobia is never acceptable. I'm glad Rep. Omar has apologized." Senior Democrats dealt the new lawmaker a swift schooling. "There is an expectation of leaders particularly those with a demonstrated commitment to the cause of justice and equality that they would be extremely careful not to tread into the waters of anti-Semitism or any other form of prejudice or hate," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler of New York said in a statement. "Rep. Omar failed that test of leadership with these comments." Republicans called on Democrats to strip Omar of her seat on the House Foreign Relations Committee, but Chairman Eliot Engel stopped just short of that. He said in a statement that he expects his committee members to discuss policies on merits. And though he did not name Omar, he left little doubt that his statement was a response to her tweets. "It's shocking to hear a Member of Congress invoke the anti-Semitic trope of 'Jewish money,'" Engel said. Asked on Air Force One en route to El Paso, Texas, about the controversy, President Donald Trump said the freshman congresswoman "should be ashamed of herself" for the tweets. "I think it was a terrible statement, and I don't think her apology was adequate," he said. Asked what she should have said, Trump replied: "She knows what to say." AIPAC is a nonprofit organization that works to influence U.S. policy toward Israel. While it is barred from directly donating to candidates, it encourages its more than 100,000 members to do so and to be politically active. One way the organization has made a mark on Congress is through expense-paid junkets to Israel, which are paid for by an affiliated nonprofit that does not have to disclose its donors. The popular weeklong excursions for members of Congress, their families and some senior staff can cost upward of $12,000 per person and are intended to "educate political leaders and influencers about the importance of the U.S. - Israel relationship through firsthand experiences." The nonprofit responded Sunday night: "We are proud that we are engaged in the democratic process to strengthen the US-Israel relationship. Our bipartisan efforts are reflective of American values and interests. We will not be deterred in any way by ill-informed and illegitimate attacks on this important work." Omar supports a movement known as BDS, for "boycott, divestment and sanctions" aimed at Israel. And it's not the first time she's fought accusations of anti-Semitism. She insists her rejection of the Israeli government refers to its stance toward Palestinians and is not directed at Jewish people. Omar has expressed regret for tweeting in 2012: "Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel." She said the statement came in the context of Israel's treatment of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. "It's now apparent to me that I spent lots of energy putting my 2012 tweet in context and little energy in disavowing the anti-Semitic trope I unknowingly used, which is unfortunate and offensive," she tweeted last month. The controversy over Omar's remarks stretched beyond Capitol Hill to the crowded Democratic presidential race. Less than a week earlier, all but one high-profile Democratic senator eyeing the White House in 2020 voted against a Middle East policy measure that included a provision cracking down on BDS activism against the Israeli government. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar supported the Middle East bill, while her potential presidential rivals Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kamala Harris of California, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Sherrod Brown of Ohio all opposed it. Several of those Democrats had raised concerns that the bill's bid to rein in anti-Israel boycott efforts risked violating the constitutional rights of activists, although all the senators are opposed to the Palestinian-led push itself. Among the yellow notes of support posted on Omar's office nameplate on Capitol Hill Monday was one that read, "Mazel Tov." Associated Press writers Elana Schor and Brian Slodysko and photographer Andrew Harnik contributed to this report. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday he's withdrawing most of the state's National Guard troops on the Mexico border because he won't participate in the Trump administration's "absurd theatrics" on border security. Still, he acknowledged some troops were doing good work fighting drug crime and said he plans to allow 100 of the roughly 360 state troops now deployed to keep working with the federal government. "I'm trying to acknowledge there are some legitimate concerns but I'm not going to play into the hype and the politics," he told reporters before signing an executive order changing the troops' mission. Former Gov. Jerry Brown agreed in April to deploy up to 400 troops to the border in response to a request from the Trump administration made to four border states. Brown made it clear then that California troops couldn't aid in immigration enforcement, but Newsom said there's been a "gray area" in their duties. Maj. Gen. David Baldwin of the California National Guard said the troops have not participated in immigration detention but some are conducting camera surveillance that could inadvertently aid in immigration enforcement. Newsom's rebuke of Republican President Donald Trump's administration came on the eve of Newsom's first state of the state address as governor of the nation's most populous state and frequent foil to Washington. In announcing his decision to withdraw troops, the governor ratcheted up his rhetoric against the president. "This whole thing is the theater of the absurd and California has had enough," he said. The Trump administration hasn't commented. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence held a meeting Monday on border security with sheriffs from around the country. Sheriff Donny Youngblood of California's Kern County was in attendance, according to the White House. The drawdown of California's troops will begin immediately but may not be completed until March 31, when the state's current agreement with the federal government is set to end. Newsom has reassigned roughly 110 of the troops to beef up California's fire preparation efforts ahead of the next wildfire season and to expand the guard's counterdrug task force program. The expansion requires approval from the U.S. Department of Defense. Newsom made clear during his campaign that he did not support the use of California Guard troops at the border. He took action about a month into his governorship because he wanted to responsibly review the issue, he said. He initially wanted to pull all of California's troops back but said he was convinced by Guard officials that good work is being done related to combating drug trafficking. If the Trump administration does not agree to Newsom's new terms "we'll bring the rest back," he said. Newsom's move came on the heels of a decision by New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, also a Democrat, to pull back her state's troops from the border. Newsom's Monday order said the increase in Central American migrants crossing the border is the result of a desire to escape violence and repression fueled in part by the activities of transnational crime organizations. The California Guard's resources are best spent tackling those activities, he argued. Texas and Arizona still have troops on the border. The 360 troops are a fraction of the roughly 14,000 that have been deployed throughout California for various operations since 2016, according to Newsom's office. Two people are dead after two separate car wrecks that happened Sunday morning. According to Dallas police, one wreck happened on 3900 Lawnview Avenue at 2:15 a.m. Sunday. 69-year-old Ronnie Dixon was traveling at a high rate of speed going northbound when he failed to maintain staying in his lane and drove onto the sidewalk. He then collided with a tree on the east side of the roadway. When police arrived, Dixon was pronounced dead at the scene. The second wreck happened at 4:05 a.m. Sunday on 13330 North Central Expressway. A Latin male was driving northbound at a high rate of speed when he left the roadway for an unknown reason. The car then rolled over several times. The driver, who was the only occupant of the car, was partially and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The drivers identity is not being released until family has been notified. Police did not say whether or not drugs are alcohol were involved with either of these two fatal wrecks. The Henderson County Sheriff's Office is asking for help locating a North Texas woman who disappeared two weeks ago. The sheriff's office posted on its Facebook page Friday that 25-year-old Brenda Lizbeth Montanez went missing Jan. 27 in Log Cabin, Texas -- about 13 miles west of Athens.[[505647081,R]] Montanez was at a friend's house in Addison, when she left and drove to her boyfriend's house in Log Cabin, Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse said. Hillhouse said Montanez's boyfriend called police after Montanez arrived at his house uninvited at 2:45 a.m. and refused to leave. The boyfriend is cooperating with investigators, Hillhouse said. "We all want to see her quickly found, and I am hoping that once again the people of this County will answer the call and provide us with an information that could help in this all-out search," Hillhouse said. Montanez was last seen driving a maroon 2011, 4-door Mazda, according to the Facebook post. The Henderson County Sheriff's Office joined the search when her family ask for assistance locating her. The Addison and Log Cabin police departments, Henderson County District Attorney's Office and Texas Rangers are also searching for Montanez, Hillhouse said. One person is dead after the vehicle he or she was driving ended up in a pond in Kaufman County Sunday night, according to a Texas Department of Public Safety officer. The crash happened Sunday in Kemp, and Monday the town's mayor identified the driver as 24-year-old Kaitlin Leanne Lawrence. Mayor Laura Peace said Lawrence was a young mother and that she didn't make it home Saturday night. State troopers and Kemp police and firefighters rushed to the pond after receiving a report of a car in the water late Sunday afternoon. After a search, they found the car submerged in a pond shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday, and Lawrence's body was recovered around 10:15 p.m., according to Peace. There was a group of residents visibly upset and hugging each other as the discovery was made. It was unclear if the evening rain or the wet roads contributed to the crash. What to Know The shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School caused immeasurable pain for some and cast many grieving into the national spotlight. Seventeen people were shot dead on Feb. 14, 2018, at the Parkland, Fla., high school. The parents of victims and the survivors of the onslaught have been a major part of the gun violence conversation since the shooting. The massacre that left 17 dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School pushed students, parents, officials and others into the national limelight, something most never sought. A look at where some of the most prominent are today: STUDENTS EMMA GONZALEZ -- Gonzalez, 19, became known for her "We Call B.S." speech criticizing politicians who accept money from the National Rifle Association, which she gave days after the shooting during a Fort Lauderdale rally. She, David Hogg and other March for Our Lives founders were featured on the cover of Time magazine. They spent the summer as part of the "Road to Change" tour, which registered young voters around the country. She is attending Florida's New College. DAVID HOGG -- Hogg, 18, became the most prominent spokesman for March for Our Lives, a group he and other Stoneman Douglas students founded that is pushing for stronger gun laws. It won the International Children's Peace Prize. His activism led to significant criticism, including death threats. He and his younger sister, Lauren, wrote a book, "#NeverAgain: A New Generation Draws the Line." He will be attending Harvard in the fall. KYLE KASHUV -- The Stoneman Douglas senior has become the most prominent conservative voice among the students, meeting with President Donald Trump, Republican members of Congress and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Kashuv was a member of Gov. Ron DeSantis' transition team and is high school outreach director for Turning Point USA, a conservative group. PARENTS ANDREW POLLACK -- Pollack, whose 18-year-old daughter Meadow died in the shooting, became the most outspoken critic of school and law enforcement officials among the victims' parents and a force in Florida conservative politics. He has met with Trump, and was on DeSantis' transition team. He is pushing for the removal of Broward school Superintendent Robert Runcie and is suing suspect Nikolas Cruz, the Broward school district and sheriff's office and former Broward sheriff's Deputy Scot Peterson, who was on duty at the school during the shooting but did not enter the building to confront the shooter. FRED GUTTENBERG -- Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter Jaime was killed, has become an outspoken advocate for gun control and liberal causes. He drew national attention when he approached new Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing and extended his hand, only to have Kavanaugh walk away. Guttenberg was part of the transition team for new state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, Florida's only statewide Democratic officeholder. RYAN PETTY -- Petty, whose 14-year-old daughter Alaina died, was appointed to the state commission investigating the shooting's causes. His comments tended to hit at police and school system failures he perceived. He lost a bid for the Broward County school board, but was also part of DeSantis' transition team. MAX SCHACHTER -- Schacter, whose 14-year-old son Alex died, became the emotional voice of the parents as a member of the state commission and founder of the group, "Safe Schools for Alex." He has traveled extensively looking at school security systems. LORI ALHADEFF -- Alhadeff, whose 14-year-old daughter Alyssa was killed, won a school board seat representing Parkland in August. She tried hiring a Runcie critic as her secretary, but the superintendent said the woman, a college instructor who holds a doctorate, was unqualified because she didn't have related experience. Alhadeff has pushed Runcie to set a timeline for implementing school security projects. TONY MONTALTO -- Montalto, whose 14-year-old daughter Gina was killed, is president of "Stand with Parkland," a group of parents and spouses of the victims. The group has pushed for enhanced school security measures, better mental health screening programs and universal background checks for gun purchases. MANUEL OLIVER -- Oliver, whose 17-year-old son Joaquin died, is an artist who has created projects honoring his son and condemning gun violence. He recently took on comic Louis CK, who mocked the victims during a December performance. At his website, changetheref.org, Oliver poses as a standup comedian and in the form of a joke he tells about dropping his son off the day he died. No one laughs. OFFICIALS ROBERT RUNCIE -- The Broward County school superintendent remains in office over the objection of the victims' families, as he has the backing of a majority of the nine-member school board. DeSantis has hinted he would like to suspend Runcie, but state law won't allow it as Runcie is an appointed official, not elected. SCOTT ISRAEL - DeSantis suspended the Broward County sheriff on Jan. 11, saying he "repeatedly failed and has demonstrated a pattern of poor leadership." Before the shooting, Israel had changed his department's policy to say deputies "may" confront shooters from "shall." Critics say that gave eight deputies an excuse for not confronting the gunman when they arrived during the shooting but stayed outside. Israel's attorneys say he intends to challenge the suspension. He intends to run again next year. SCOT PETERSON -- Peterson, a longtime Broward sheriff's deputy assigned to school, retired shortly after the shooting. Security video showed he drew his gun but did not enter the three-story freshman building where the killings took place. Instead, he took cover nearby and stayed there for about 50 minutes. In interviews with the "Today" show and The Washington Post, he said he did not know where the shots were coming from. He was subpoenaed to testify before the state investigative commission, but invoked his Fifth Amendment right to silence after it was announced he is under criminal investigation. The commission concluded that he lied about not knowing the location of the shooter, and several members called him a coward. He is collecting a pension of more than $100,000 annually. SUSPECT AND FAMILY NIKOLAS CRUZ -- Cruz, 20, remains jailed in Broward County, charged with 17 counts of first-degree murder. His attorneys have said the former Stoneman Douglas student would plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence, but prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. No trial date has been set. In November, he was charged with attacking a jail guard who investigators say told him not to drag his sandals while walking. The guard fended off the attack, investigators said. ZACHARY CRUZ -- The suspect's 18-year-old brother pleaded no contest in March to trespassing at the school 33 days after the shooting. He was re-arrested weeks later for violating probation for driving without a license and for driving near a school, but was quickly released. He has moved to Virginia, and has shown up at some of his brother's court hearings. Plainfield police seized several items from the Woodstock home of a 59-year-old woman who is accused of embezzling nearly half a million dollars from a Plainfield company. Cheryl Hicks, 59, worked as the office manager for Concrete Floors Company and police said she inflated her salary for years. Hicks is also accused of using company credit cards and other company accounts for personal purchases. Authorities said in total she stole nearly $500,000 and she was arrested on Nov. 7 and charged with larceny in the first degree. Police said they searched Hicks home on Saturday and seized several thousand dollars worth of items, including a vehicle, currency, firearms, power tools, hand tools, storage units and a camper. Hicks is due in court on Feb. 22 Connecticuts U.S. Senators are calling on President Donald Trump to stay out of the way of the members of Congress who are negotiating a bipartisan deal on board security. They each say they are confident that such an agreement could lead to the government staying open for the next several months, if the president agrees to sign it into law. His tweets and interference are the main reason that a successful negotiation would not happen, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D Connecticut). The 35-day shutdown that spanned from December into January was a result of an impasse of more than $5 billion in funding the president demanded to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump was unsuccessful in securing those funds while Republicans controlled Congress for the first two years of his presidency, and threatened to shut the government down over the issue once Democrats won control of the House of Representatives. He later relented to demands from both Democrats and Republicans, and agreed to reopen the government while a deal over border funding was hammered out. In recent days, the president and his staff have said second shutdown remains possible. White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney told Meet the Press Chuck Todd over the weekend, is a shutdown entirely off the table? The answer is no. Blumenthal and Murphy both back border funding, but not for a wall, which they each describe as, medieval. They said they want Congress to authorize more investment in drones, border patrols, and improving security at established entry points. Murphy says if the president stays true to his campaign promise and demands from December and January before agreeing to open the government, then the political fallout will be his and Republicans. If the president doesnt substantially move the ball, I think tonight or over the next 48 hours I think we get an agreement, Murphy said. Connecticut state police have arrested a Plainville man who is accused of driving while impaired and going the wrong way on Interstate 84 West early Monday morning. State police received 911 calls around 12:43 a.m. Monday about a driver who was going the east on I-84 West near exit 33 in Plainville and identified the driver as 32-year-old Daniel Christopher Vice, of Plainville. He was stopped just before exit 39 and police said he appeared to be intoxicated and failed field sobriety tests. Vice was arrested and charged with illegal operations of a motor vehicle under the influence, driving the wrong way on a divided highway, reckless endangerment in the first degree and other charges. Bond was set at $5,000. Vice is due in court on Feb. 11. A former Dunkin' Donuts employee is accused of taking money from the fast-food restaurant in Milford while he was employed there over the summer. Police said they arrested 36-year-old Scott Bolden, of Milford on Saturday on an active arrest warrant. Bolden is accused of taking approximately $1,900 from Dunkin' Donuts on Woodmont Road in August of 2018 while he was employed there as a business manager, officers said. He is facing a larceny charge and his bond is $20,000. He will be in court on March 5. Anthony Scaramucci, the former White House communications director, is coming to Connecticut to speak with Sacred Heart University students. Scaramucci, the founder of SkyBridge Capital, will be at the university on Feb. 18 to speak about his experiences in business. Part of his new documentary Mooch will also be shown during the event. The event is not open to the public. The first 60 students to arrive at A Conversation with Anthony Scaramucci will receive a copy of his new book, Trump: The Blue-Collar President, according to a news release from Sacred Heart. The talk begins at 2 p.m. and will be held in the Martire Forum at the Frank and Marisa Martire Business & Communications Center. A signing and reception will follow the talk. Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron's "Roma," a darling of the 2019 award season with 10 Academy Award nominations and two wins in the Golden Globes, is an intimate story of Cuaron's childhood told through the eyes of an indigenous woman who works as a nanny to a middle-class family in Mexico City. The family drama also provides a gripping glimpse of Mexican society at the cusp of great social change in the early 1970s, a time of migration, urbanization and cultural transformation. "The movie is to a great extent a story about modernization," said Claudio Lomnitz, professor of anthropology at the Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures at Columbia University. "We see two rural girls come from Oaxaca who have moved to the city. They are indigenous and they speak Mixtec, but they also speak Spanish, they go to the movies, they have sex." Almost 50 years have passed from the time in which the movie is set. How does today's Mexico compare with the Mexico of Cuaron's childhood with regard to the more disturbing social issues it portrays, like violence and social inequality? NBC spoke to four researchers on Mexico from the fields of history, sociology and anthropology. More Violence After the Drug War Begins "Mexico is a country that hurts," said Maria Amalia Gracia, sociologist at the Department of Society and Culture of Colegio de la Frontera del Sur, a research center located on the southern border of Mexico. For Gracia, violence in Mexico today has reached unimaginable levels. "It is surprising that people can continue to live in those conditions," she said. The Corpus Christi Massacre of 1971 is the backdrop to a frightening scene in "Roma," the moment when the film's pregnant protagonist, Cleo, discovers that the father of her child is part of a government paramilitary group. The massacre and the paramilitaries in the film represented the dominant form of violence of the day: centrally directed repressive violence, known as "The Dirty War" that took place under the orders of the presidency and the Ministry of Interior. It was a war that the country's authoritarian one-party regime was fighting, indiscriminately, against two enemies: a growing urban middle class demanding democratization, and a left-wing student movement featuring guerrilla groups, Lomnitz said. "Mexico is a much freer country today, but it is also a much more violent country," Lomnitz said. The new violence is "less heroic, less easy to romanticize." It is no longer about struggles for justice or freedom, against a repressive society and regime. The now prevalent drug-related spike in violence has its roots in 2006, the year Mexico's Drug War formally began. Between the early 1970s and the eve of the Drug War, violence in Mexico had decreased significantly, Lomnitz said. In 2007, homicide rates (9.3 per 100,000 people) were not much higher than in the United States (5.7 per 100,000). But by 2018, they reached 25 per 100,000. At the beginning of the Drug War, the government's official take was that the death toll was to a large extent, a result of organizations killing each other off in turf wars. But recent studies by Mexico's Center for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE) suggest that Mexico's military and federal police have executed a substantial proportion of the 150,000 Drug War-related killings. "Much of the violence today also comes from local governments, which are often in the control of criminal organizations," Lomnitz said. The Iguala Massacre of 2014, where 43 students from a rural teachers' college were taken and disappeared, is an example of this new type of violence, as is the fact that during the 2018 federal elections, more than 100 local candidates were assassinated. "The closing of the U.S.-Mexican border is an untold part of this story," Lomnitz said. As moving across the border became more difficult in the 1990s, the firepower and discipline of organized crime trafficking with Colombian cocaine grew. It triggered an increase in the concentration of criminal money, wealth and violence. More recently, powerful Chinese criminal organizations have partnered with Mexican ones to produce methamphetamine in Mexico, destined for the North American market. This development is furthering the concentration of violent criminal power. Tensions Over Land Dampened by Modernization Conflicts over land come up various times in "Roma." The government takes away land belonging to Cleo's mother. A man sitting in a bar has lost a family member due to a land dispute. A family of landowners exhibits on its farmhouse wall, the stuffed head of a pet dog that had been poisoned during another land dispute. And the New Year's party being held by that same family is eerily interrupted by arson in the surrounding woods. "Low-scale agrarian violence is very old in Mexico," Lomnitz said, adding that it goes back to colonial times. And after the land reforms of the 1920s and 1930s, when the countryside was made up of small scale farmers, conflicts sprung up between towns, between smallholders, and between smallholders and larger landowners. Conflict over land began to recede in the 1980s due to an increasing migration to the city, which led to fewer land disputes in the countryside. "Roma" shows the beginning of this migration. Cleo visits, in search of her baby's father, a shantytown located just outside of Mexico City limits that was beginning to be occupied by squatters, migrants from the countryside. Today, this place, known as Ciudad Nezahualcoyotl with a population of 1.1 million, is the 10th largest city in Mexico. A Continuing Racial Divide Yalitza Aparicio, the first indigenous woman to be Oscar-nominated for best leading actress, plays Cleo, the servant of a white family. She is treated with affection and care, but the difference in social status is enforced at all times, in both explicit and subtle ways. For example, while cuddling with the family in front of the TV, she is abruptly ordered to fetch tea for "the doctor." "She is very lucky," said Kevin Terraciano, professor of history and director of the Latin American Institute at UCLA. Indigenous servant women are not always treated well. Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchu has spoken of how vulnerable she felt living with a family as a young woman. Sexual advances and mistreatment is an underlying possibility. "Since that decade, there has been increased awareness of the problems faced by domestic workers," Gracia said, "but racism and behaviors underscoring inequality continue to exist. Results of our most recent research on domestic workers are eloquent on the problems of discrimination and abuse." Some progress has been made at the legislative level in recognizing the rights of the indigenous population. Laws protecting the right to their languages and culture, and to self-empowerment have been enacted since the turn of the century. A rebellion of indigenous people in the 1990s, known as the Zapatista rebellion, in which paramilitary death squads massacred indigenous people, marked the beginning of increased awareness. Since then, indigenous communities have also made progress in "the creation of autonomous communities, which give them more direct representation over their land and resources," Terraciano said. But it is still common to see indigenous women working as servants. And the indigenous populations remain extremely poor. "Here in Mexico being indigenous gives you a particular social status. There is a marginalization, a social discrimination that we Mexicans know by the social norms and social codes with which we are educated," said Jesus Ruvalcaba, a researcher at the Center for Research and Higher Studies in Social Anthropology (CIESAS) in Mexico City. "There has been some progress, but not much." Being "indio" in Mexico continues to be a stigma. And the indigenous people feel it and know it, Terraciano said. "After independence from Spain, the leaders of the new nation saw these traditional cultures as obstacles." Since then, governments have used laws and force to dissolve native communities and mainstream indigenous peoples. "Today, leaders continue to speak of the 'Indian problem.'" A school district on Long Island said it was investigating after a photo of nooses was allegedly displayed in a middle school classroom. "The Board of Education has zero tolerance for the display of racially offensive images," the Roosevelt Union Free School District said on its website. The board was made aware of the photo on Thursday and immediately started an investigation, the statement said. The Rev. Arthur L. Mackey Jr. sent a copy of the photo to NBC 4 New York. It showed two nooses with the words "back to school necklaces." Mackey said it was hanging in a classroom at Roosevelt Middle School as part of a photo collage. The Hempstead Town Supervisor said the teacher or teachers responsible to be immediately dismissed. This imagery that was on display in a Roosevelt Middle School classroom is undoubtedly racist and should not be tolerated in our Town, or any other community, Supervisor Laura Gillen said. The imagery is also deeply insensitive and troubling to anyone with mental health issues and those contemplating suicide. What to Know A petition for a writ of mandamus asks the Illinois Supreme Court to review whether Van Dyke's 81-month sentence was "proper under the law" Judge Vincent Gaughan last month sentenced Van Dyke to nearly seven years in prison for second-degree murder The filing argues the judge should instead impose a sentence on each of the 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm Illinois officials on Monday said they planned to file a petition with the Illinois Supreme Court challenging the legality of former Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke's prison sentence. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Kane County State's Attorney Joseph McMahon, the special prosecutor in Van Dyke's trial, filed a petition for a writ of mandamus, asking the Illinois Supreme Court to review whether Van Dyke's 81-month prison sentence was "proper under the law." "This is the first step in asking the court to declare that the trial court improperly sentenced Jason Van Dyke for the murder and aggravated battery of Laquan McDonald and to order a new sentencing hearing," Raoul said. Raoul said the move is "not an everyday occurrence but neither is it uncommon." "As attorney general, with the constitutional and legal duty to represent the people of the state of Illinois before the state Supreme Court, I am convinced that this is my responsibility to file this petition and to work in conjunction with the special prosecutor, State's Attorney Joe McMahon, to challenge this sentence," Raoul said Monday. Judge Vincent Gaughan sentenced former Chicago police officer Van Dyke to nearly seven years in prison last month. Before deciding on a sentence, Gaughan first had to determine if the case fell under the one act, one crime doctrine, allowing Van Dyke to be sentenced on only the more serious of the two crimes he was charged with. Van Dyke was convicted of second-degree murder and aggravated battery in a trial last year. Prosecutors, citing precedent, argued if Van Dyke was sentenced for only one of the two charges, it should be for the aggravated battery charge, which carried a higher sentence. Defense attorneys countered that second-degree murder was the appropriate charge, despite the possibility of probation. Ultimately, Gaughan chose to sentence Van Dyke for second-degree murder, giving him the 81-month sentence. Is it more serious for Laquan McDonald to be shot by a firearm or is it more serious for Laquan McDonald to be murdered by a firearm? Gaughan said while making his ruling. Raoul's filing calls on the Supreme Court to direct Gaughan to vacate Van Dyke's sentence for second-degree murder and instead impose a sentence on each of the 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm. The judge would then need to determine which of those counts involved "severe bodily injury," allowing for consecutive sentences. It is important that a police officer was held accountable for criminal conduct, McMahon said in a statement. But we argued at the sentencing hearing that Jason Van Dyke should be sentenced for the aggravated battery with a firearm convictions. The ability for the prosecution to challenge a sentence is very narrow, but this might be one of those situations. If the petition is accepted by the court, Van Dykes attorneys will have seven days to file an objection, unless the court sets a different deadline. There is no timeframe for the court to rule on whether it will accept the petition and consider it. Van Dyke's appeal attorneys, Darren O'Brien and Jennifer Blagg, said in a statement the filing "opens up a Pandora's box of legal issues that, in the long term, could result in grossly excessive, unjust sentences for defendants that followin the wake of this request." "The Attorney Generals and Special Prosecutors filing today leaves Mr. Van Dyke with no choice but to appeal his conviction, prolonging this tragic case for both his family and the McDonald family," the statement read. At least five people, including four police officers, have been taken to local hospitals after a water rescue on the Des Plaines River in suburban Schiller Park. According to the Schiller Park Fire Department, a person was reported to be in the water around 6:15 p.m. on Sunday evening. Schiller Park police officers arrived on the scene and saw a woman in distress near the water, and when they tried to rescue her, they broke through the ice and fell into the water themselves. Schiller Park firefighters donned water rescue suits and were able to rescue all four officers and the woman from the frigid water, and all five people were taken to area hospitals. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More Their condition is unknown, and their identities have not yet been made public. The Schiller Park Fire Department is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, and will provide further updates at a later time. A man was killed and two other people were seriously injured in a head-on crash Saturday night in north suburban Wadsworth. About 7:50 p.m., deputies responded to a crash near Delany and Wadsworth roads and found two vehicles with major damage, according to the Lake County sheriffs office. An investigation revealed that a 17-year-old Zion girl was driving a 2016 Hyundai Sonata north on Delany when the car veered into the southbound lanes of traffic and struck a 2007 Chrysler Chrysler Pacifica head-on, the sheriffs office said. The Chryslers driver, a 55-year-old Beach Park man, was rushed to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan, where he was pronounced dead, the sheriffs office said. An autopsy was scheduled for Monday morning. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More A 32-year-old man who was riding in the Chrysler was taken to the same hospital with serious injuries, the sheriffs office said. The girl who was driving the Hyundai was transported to Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, the sheriffs office said. She also suffered serious injuries. A small amount of Debris from a Kia Spectra was found at the scene of the crash, and the car was later located at a nearby gas station at Delany and York House roads, the sheriffs office said. Investigators were trying to determine whether the Kia was involved in the crash or had simply struck debris from the other vehicles. The pilot whose plane broke apart and crashed into a Southern California home, killing five people, was disciplined for dangerous flying years earlier, it was reported Friday. Antonio Pastini, 75, of Gardnerville, Nevada, was flying home after visiting his daughter and granddaughter on Sunday when his Cessna began coming apart and debris slammed into a Yorba Linda home, which caught fire. Four people inside the house died. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Years earlier, Pastini, then using the name Jordan Albert Isaacson, had his license twice suspended by the Federal Aviation Administration, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday, citing records kept by the Library of Congress. In 1977, Pastini had his pilot's license suspended for 120 days after he flew from Las Vegas to Long Beach, California, in cloudy and icy weather and falsely told an air traffic controller that he had "IFR clearance" that indicated he was capable of flying the route with instruments. Pastini disregarded airspace rules and posed "a potential threat to himself, his passenger and other users of the system," wrote an administrative law judge, Jerrell R. Davis. In 1980, Pastini lost his license for 30 days after Davis found that his plane was behind on inspections, carried only an expired temporary registration and was "unairworthy" because of a hydraulic fluid leak from a break and other problems, the Times said. The Times said the FAA confirmed that Isaacson was Pastini. The agency said he submitted two name changes to the FAA: first in 1991 from Jordan Albert Isaacson to Jordan Ike Aaron, then in 2008 to Antonio Peter Pastini. Pastini told friends, family and even newspapers that he was a retired Chicago police officer. But Chicago police have said he never worked for them and a Chicago police badge he was carrying when he crashed had been reported lost in 1978. A driver behind the wheel of a pickup truck crashed into a house in Antioch late Sunday after reportedly being chased by authorities. The driver suffered major injuries in the crash, which happened along the 4800 block of Golden Bear Drive, according to police. No one inside the house was hurt. According to police, they started chasing the truck after it was reported stolen. The driver eventually lost control and slammed into the house where Vincent Tran was sleeping. "I heard a sound, just a boom," he said. "I thought somebody [was] shooting." Further information was not immediately available. Fire crews at Station 49 in San Francisco were told to get rid of their pet cat after an anonymous complaint, and now one of the station workers has adopted Edna. In a story first reported on SFGate, the station was given a Monday deadline to find a new home for Edna, a feral cat that first appeared at the station four years ago and has since become a part of the station family, according to station employees. Edna got a lot of love on social media from users who felt she should be allowed to stay at the station. But on Monday, the fire department released a statement, saying in part: "Having the cat in the facility compromised the sterility of supplies, equipment and pharmaceuticals used on patients." Staff at the station, which is the department's ambulance division, have shared images and stories of Edna via Instagram @fire_cat_edna as well as other social media (#ednastays), and the employees over the weekend asked users for help, with the hope they would be able to persuade their managers to let Edna stay. The station workers said Edna wasn't around any of the equipment, food or living quarters at the station, and she was fully up to date on her shots and veterinary visits. The employees on Sunday were "asking people to make some noise so we can put up a decent fight to keep one of our valued members," they said. The local fire union said it didnt receive any formal complaints from members about Edna. But it appears the anonymous complaint came from a member of the department and was less about a cat and more about how people are treated when there are concerns about prejudice and safety. NBC Bay Area's Sam Brock contributed to this story. A man wanted for tampering with "consumer products" at grocery stores in the Bay Area and Southern California has been apprehended by the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department. The suspect, David Clare Lohr, was seen pouring "white powder" and hydrogen peroxide on the floor of a bus in the South Bay last week. Investigators spotted him at a Los Altos bus stop and discovered he was wanted by the FBI in Los Angeles for tampering with food products in that area. The FBI says Lohr was reportedly captured on store video footage pouring bleach on products in the freezer section. Sources say Lohr is also being investigated by the sheriffs department for several possible food tampering cases at grocery stores in the South Bay. NBC Bay Area has also learned Lohr was picked up from county jail by U.S. Marshalls on Friday. Fire crews rescued two kayakers who fell into the San Lorenzo River in the area of Paradise Park in Santa Cruz on Saturday evening, according to authorities. The fire department was contacted around 5:26 p.m. by a person who said he and a friend had fallen out of the kayak and his friend trapped underwater, according to a Santa Cruz Fire Department news release. The caller said he was able to free the victim and was performing CPR. Fire crews arrived in the area and began searching for the kayakers, but they were hampered because the caller's cellphone call was dropped several times. GPS technology was used to pinpoint the location and guide rescuers to the kayakers. "Extricating both patients presented multiple challenges with steep mountain sides, rapidly moving water and darkness," battalion chief Daniel Kline said in the news release. "The crews used several technical rope-rescue systems and patient-packing equipment to complete the extrication as safely as possible." The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment. No other injuries were reported. Kline said CPR may have played a significant role in "what we hope will be a positive outcome for this patient." Dressed in uniform and accompanied by the most darling dates, U.S. service members filed into a ballroom at a San Diego hotel Friday for a father-daughter dance that means everything for families who cant always be together for the big or little things. The Armed Services YMCA San Diego hosted its 13th annual Father-Daughter Dance at the Town and Country Resort in Mission Valley, an event designed to support family bonding among active-duty dads and their daughters. The ballroom boasted tables covered in fancy linens, a dancefloor with colorful lights, and a photo station, but, most of all, the room was filled with smiles. A couple of those smiles belonged to U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Sergio Torres and his 3-year-old daughter, Sophia Torres. This was their first time going to the Father-Daughter Dance. We dont have a lot of time together just us so this is an opportunity to be with my daughter, Torres told NBC 7. I love this; you dont really get moments like this, so its the little things that matter. Going out with her like this is what keeps me going. Torres is stationed in San Diego, aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. The ships homeport is NAS North Island, and this is the first time Torres has been docked at the same time as the Father-Daughter Dance. Thus, his Friday night plans were set in stone: take Sophia out for a night on the town. His little one wore a fuchsia-colored dress perfect for twirling. She tested it out quite a few times as she showed her dad her dance moves. She finished with a ladylike curtsy. Torres said being deployed and away from his wife and two young daughters takes a toll on his family emotionally. He often wishes he could be home to enjoy the day-to-day things that come with being a parent. Its difficult. You have to miss birthdays and holidays and special occasions with them, he told NBC 7. It gets tough sometimes it gets a little depressing but you have to remember youre out there, doing something better for them. For Torres, the dance was a chance to do just that. Something thats close in bonding like this is beneficial for both of us it helps us build a father-daughter relationship, he added. SERE West Officer in Charge U.S. Navy Commander Nate Anderson was one lucky man at the dance. He had two dates one on each arm daughters Caitlyn Anderson, 12, and Morgan Anderson, 9. Anderson has been in the Navy for 22 years and said he brings his daughters to this dance whenever hes not deployed. This was their third time there. Its an outstanding experience to spend time with my daughters, Anderson told NBC 7. Caitlyn and Morgan agreed. Its really great, this is a chance to come together and bond, said Caitlyn. Morgan said the best part was getting to go out with both her big sister and her dad. I love them so much, she said. We can just talk together and spend time with each other. Caitlyn told NBC 7 the days at home without her dad can be tough but the second he returns, her family feels whole again. Sometimes, it can get really sad, but when hes back, its like the best experience ever, she said. It makes me really happy. Armed Services YMCA Executive Director Tim Ney said the Father-Daughter Dance is open to all branches of the service. He hopes the event is unforgettable for military families. Its a way for fathers to create memories with their daughters, Ney explained. The Armed Services YMCA said more than 200 fathers and daughters would attend this years dance. The non-profit organization is dedicated to giving military members and their families support and resources to be resilient, connected and secure. The San Diego group serves more than 66,000 military and family members each year. Learn more about the organizations work here. (Natural News) Portland State University professor Peter Boghossian took part in a highly controversial study, which proved that academics will blindly accept ideas that align with their values and now, hes got a target on his back. In addition to facing disciplinary action from the university, a group of professors from Portland State University (PSU) wrote an anonymous letter, accusing him of all kinds of wrongdoing. Indeed, Boghossian and his study cohorts have earned the scorn of liberals everywhere, for disproving the legitimacy of gender studies and other fields colloquially known as grievance studies. Grievance studies are described as areas of academia which focus on rallying up grievances from the powerless against the powerful. PSU is now claiming that Boghossian has committed some sort of ethics violation for participating in the study. And without tenure, he could soon be fired. Exposing the grievance studies Boghossian was part of a team of researchers who performed an experiment on academia. He worked with mathematician James Lindsay, and medieval-studies independent scholar Helen Pluckrose to submit 20 fake scientific papers to an array of academic journals within the grievance study fields. The goal was to make the fake studies as ridiculous and outrageous as possible, and see what happened. Seven of the 20 bogus articles were accepted for publication, after a few standard bouts of editing and revisions. Writing for Intelligencer, Jesse Singal reports on what happened next: An article about how dog parks perpetuate rape culture didnt just get accepted, it won recognition for excellence by the feminist geography journal in which it was published, Gender, Place, and Culture. This would ultimately be the trios undoing. As the paper circulated, it caught the attention of several journalists who were immediately suspicious, uncovered the truth and revealed the hoax. Facing retribution The news of what had happened unleashed a wave of controversy. While Boghossians experiment confirmed what many skeptics of grievance studies already knew, liberals were outraged. Critics of the hoax say that the intent of the study was not good-faith critique, but rather a thinly veiled excuse to attack leftist scholarship concerned with the plight of marginalized people. Others have claimed that its unfair to judge the health of a field by looking at what an insincere author can get through peer review. Its not the health of the field were concerned about its the validity. If a paper on dog park rape culture can win an award, theres clearly more holes in the scientific merit of grievances studies than Swiss cheese. Some of the leading journals in areas like gender studies have failed to distinguish between real scholarship and intellectually vacuous as well as morally troubling b******t, Harvard lecturer Yascha Mounk commented. Now, PSU is targeting Boghossian for disciplinary action. In late 2018, he was called to meet with Institutional Review Board chair, Jack Barbera, to discuss what protocols were followed before the articles were published. Boghossian reportedly stated in a video, I think that they will do everything and anything in their power to get me out of there. I think that this is the first shot at that. Boghossian has been in trouble for hoaxing academia in the past. In early January, it was revealed that PSU determined that he had committed a human subjects ethics violation for partaking in the Grievance Study and that charges for falsifying data were also being investigated. PSU also reports that Boghossian has admitted he faked the data for the dog study, which was published which is another ethical issue. What action will be taken against the professor has yet to be disclosed. Boghossian was further admonished by a group of PSU colleagues who published an anonymous letter in the school newspaper. When supposed scholars repeatedly engage in fraudulent behavior violating acceptable norms of research in any discipline, we have to start asking what the purpose is, the authors lament. They state further that Boghossian has displayed a less-than-collegial attitude. Apparently, refusing to accept left-wing ideas makes you a monster. See more coverage of stories like this at Libtards.news. Sources for this article include: DailyWire.com NYMag.com (Natural News) One big trend taking hold these days in Hollywood circles is a legal cannabis oil known as SwissX. This is far from a silly celebrity fad; CBD oil has been proven effective on the pain that those with multiple sclerosis and many other conditions suffer. In fact, it is one if the ingredients in the Sativex oral spray that has been approved in 11 countries to treat spasms and muscle stiffness in MS patients. Cannabidiol is one of the active compounds in cannabis and is extracted from the plants leaves, but it does not contain the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that is responsible for the high people get from marijuana. CBD is known for its anti-anxiety effects, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that it can help reduce inflammation and pain. CBD binds to the bodys CB1 and CB2 receptors to create a strong inflammatory response that is natural, and it does not have any of the horrible side effects that many conventional pain medications can cause. While some celebrities can be heard singing the praises of the high-priced SwissX brand marketed by Hollywood bad boy Alki David, there are plenty of respectable CBD oils on the market to choose from that can help people get relief. Its important, however, to seek sources that have undergone reliable and accurate testing to ensure you are getting what you are paying for. MS sufferer and blogger Nik Richie told the Daily Mail that he felt like a young man trapped in an old mans body, with his hands, feet and legs all failing him. His pain and depression were so bad that he considered killing himself until he found relief from CBD oil. Knowing that in seven years Id be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life was traumatic. The oil has changed all of that, I feel like I actively live without the disease now, he said. Studies show CBDs positive effects on pain, MS A 2012 U.K. study found that medical marijuana can improve not only the pain of MS patients but also muscle spasms, while other patients have reported improvements in sleep and vision, a reduction in abdominal problems, and lower bladder urgency. Beverly Hills surgeon Dr. Garo Kassabian has been using CBD oil to help patients deal with pain after surgery and to calm those who are anxious about needles. CBDs incredible effects on pain have also been shown in studies to help cut migraine pain by nearly 44 percent while also helping reduce the muscle pain and stomach aches that sometimes accompany these brutal headaches. As CBD grows in popularity, it is making its way into more products. While CBD oils and tinctures remain a popular and effective means of delivery, some enterprising companies are coming up with CBD-infused honey, chocolates, coffees, teas, lotions and other treats. Multiple sclerosis is a disabling central nervous system disease wherein the immune system attacks the myelin sheath protecting the nerves in the spinal cord, brain and eye, creating problems with muscle control, vision and balance. Its cause is unknown, and its more common in women than men. While CBD oil can be very helpful for MS sufferers, other lifestyle approaches can also ease discomfort. For example, exercise has recently been shown to be highly beneficial in a major departure from previous advice that activity should be limited to avoid exacerbating fatigue. In particular, salsa dancing has been shown to be helpful because the steps involve back and forth movement between multiple directions. In addition, quitting smoking, lowering your salt intake, and spending more time outdoors to boost vitamin D production have all been known to help reduce the severity of MS. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk MultipleSclerosisNewsToday.com Investors.com NaturalNews.com NationalMSSociety.org NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Every time I open up the local newspaper and glance at the health section, I cringe. Often time, there is a story about a medical struggle, about a familys fight to cope and recover from a mystery medical diagnosis, cancer, or birth defect. I feel for the families, but wonder what the cause was, whether the family, without knowing it, had been a victim of Big Pharmas toxic side-effect ridden drugs. Take for instance the family whose child was born with a heart defect. I ask myself questions like, What was the baby exposed to in the womb? Did the mother use prescription drugs at the time of conception and throughout the pregnancy? What nutrients were missing from their life in those crucial nine months? What kind of prescription drug side effects or environmental toxins was this small, developing fetus burdened with during their nine-month stay in the womb? How did these unnatural chemical changes affect the babys genes, organs, and cells, from the start? There is no reason to trust medical authorities, often so deceived by bad pharmaceutical science. Theres no shortage of medical error and pharmaceutical holocaust to suggest otherwise. Take for instance, in 1957 in West Germany, up to 7,000 infants were born with phocomelia (severe malformation of the limbs) thanks to Thalidomide, a pharmaceutical drug that doctors recommended to pregnant women at the time. More than 10,000 cases of severe birth defects were reported around the world and only half the babies survived. Psychiatric medication prescribed today is proven to cause similar problems, damaging children for life. Pregnancy is not a time to experiment with pharmaceutical drugs. It is a time for whole food nutrition and a calm, nurturing environment. The womb is not a dumping ground for chemicals and toxins that distort human development. The latest connection between pharmaceuticals and birth defects is with the ADHD drugs Ritalin, Concerta, and Daytrana. A new study from the Harvard Medical School shows that pregnant women who take these drugs are more likely to have babies with heart deformities and other birth defects. For the study, 1.8 million U.S. pregnancies were examined. An appalling 5,571 pregnant women took amphetamine (Adderall) while another 2,072 took methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, and Daytrana). Compared to women who did not take any drugs for ADHD, the women on methylphenidate were 11 percent more likely to give birth to a child with birth defects and 28 percent more likely to have a newborn with a heart malformation. Why are doctors still advising pregnant mothers to use these drugs? Our findings suggest that there might be a small increase in the risk of cardiac malformations associated with intrauterine exposure to methylphenidate, wrote lead study author Krista Huybrechts. Although the absolute risk is small, it is nevertheless important evidence to consider when weighing the potential risks and benefits of different treatment strategies for ADHD in young women of reproductive age and in pregnant women, Huybrechts wrote. The data replicated itself when the researchers investigated 2.5 million pregnant women from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The association was prevalent, with babies put at a 28 percent higher risk of heart malformations when their pregnant mothers used stimulant ADHD drugs. There is now an ADHD diagnosis hovering over the heads of three percent of children, teens, and adults worldwide. Addictive, stimulant methamphetamines are prescribed as the treatment and the addiction is plaguing women of childbearing age. The researchers advise pregnant women with mild symptoms of ADHD to avoid the use of these drugs during pregnancy. Enduring the withdrawal from these ADHD drugs is more important than having these chemicals damage a child for life. For related articles on the dangers of modern medicine, read PrescriptionDrugs.news. Sources include: Reuters.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) While fruits may be considered as natures candy, they contain far more than just sugar and empty calories. Indeed, eating fruits can give you many health benefits, most of which youll be able to see or feel immediately. But did you ever consider that the fruit peels that you tend to just throw away after can hold health benefits too? Thats part of the idea that a group of researchers from Africa had in mind when they conducted a study that focused on alternative ways of using fruit peels. In it, the researchers managed to create wine from peels of a couple of different fruits, then eventually mixed the two together for a third variation. Through their research, they were able to conclude that its possible to produce good quality wine from fruit peels. According to the researchers, the primary motivation for their study is the fact that the act of processing fruits into juices and other related products typically generates a lot of waste in the form of peels, which then end up causing disposal problems. As such, they found that it was necessary to find an alternative method of utilizing these waste products to minimize the problem of actually disposing them. The solution they found is a rather straightforward and simple one: Use the peels to make wine. In the introduction of their researcher paper, the researchers mentioned that wine-making is one of the most ancient technologies and that it is now one of the most commercially prosperous biotechnological processes known to man. So, they thought, wouldnt it be wonderful if, in the act of reducing food waste in the form of peels, they could produce something a product that they could then sell to make a profit? Thats practically the whole basis of their research. And it turns out that the answer to that question is yes you can make wine of acceptable quality just from using fruit peels for raw materials. The raw materials used in the study were peels from mangoes, pineapples, and a mix of mango and pineapple. Each of these were used in the fermentation process, which was performed in separately packed 200-liter plastic covered containers. While the peels fermented, the researchers observed and monitored progress every two months for a total of six months. Once the six months were up, the resulting wines were packaged in 300 ml bottles, all labeled and put into crates where they belonged. The main thing that the researchers got from their study was that, by using fruit peels to make wine, they could create something thats higher in quality than what local competitors are producing, and that they could do it for a fraction of the production costs. Thats because fruit peels are ultimately a cheap if not free source of raw materials for their product. They conclude their study by saying that the price of wine from such materials will be quite lower than that from local competitors especially with good marketing and consistence in quality. That makes it economically feasible. (Related: 14 Fabulous Uses & Benefits Of Leftover Lemon Peels.) As for the health benefits, it is well-known that wine possesses many of them, some of which are protection against obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and blood clots. Wine is also known to help with weight loss, as well as contribute to overall health with its anti-aging properties. Its clear that the researchers have struck gold with the results of their research here, where they are not only helping to clean up the environment, but also aiding in new ways to keep people healthier. Sources include: AJFAnd.net[PDF] HortIntl.Cals.NSCU.edu (Natural News) Pneumonia, an infection of the lungs caused by either a virus or bacteria, is the leading cause of death from infection in the U.S. It is most common in those with vulnerable immune systems, including pregnant women, the elderly and children under the age of two. The manner in which it is treated depends largely on whether it is viral or bacterial; viral pneumonia is treated with an antiviral, while patients with bacterial pneumonia are usually prescribed antibiotics. Pneumonia can also be treated and prevented naturally, however. Vitamin C is a powerful weapon against pneumonia, without the side effects and complications of antivirals and antibiotics. We all know that vitamin C boosts immune function, and at some point in our lives have probably taken a cold or flu medication fortified with high doses of this well-known vitamin. What many dont realize, however, is that vitamin C is so much more powerful than that. Studies conducted over the past 80 years have confirmed that vitamin C is a powerful weapon against many viral infections. A study published in the Cochrane Library conducted a meta-analysis of trials which examined the ability of vitamin C to both prevent and treat pneumonia. The scientists note that the overall quality of the studies was good, and add, Five of the identified trials found preventive or therapeutic benefits of vitamin C against pneumonia. The organization Orthomolecular, recounts the anecdotal evidence of one man who turned at deaths door after his pneumonia was treated with high doses of vitamin C. Alan Smith was at the point of dying from viral pneumonia but steadfastly refusing hospital treatment, when Dr. Frederick Klenner first met him. Dr. Klenner made a house call and injected Smith with 5 grams (5,000 mg) of vitamin C. When Klenner called on him again later that day, he found that Smiths temperature had fallen by 3 degrees, and he was able to sit up and eat. Seeing improvement, Dr. Klenner gave him another 5-gram vitamin C shot and continued doing so four times a day for the next three days. The result? Dr. Klenner himself said simply, And he was well. Dr. Bo H. Jonsson, M.D., Ph.D., writing for Orthomolecular, stresses that vitamin C is safe and functions positively in the treatment of pneumonia and many other illnesses. Since it is so safe, it is advisable to start administering high doses of vitamin C either orally, via liposome or intravenously, as early as possible, even if a diagnosis of pneumonia is not yet certain. The vitamin C will strengthen the immune system and fight off whatever illness the body is dealing with, without side effects. There is another amazing benefit to vitamin C consumption that is also worth mentioning. Heart disease is the leading cause of death across the globe, but a groundbreaking study by scientists from the University of Copenhagen and Herlev and Gentofte Hospital found that it is no match for vitamin C. Their study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that when they studied the nutritional data of around 100,000 Danish citizens, those with the highest fruit and vegetable intake had a 15 to 20 percent lower risk of developing heart disease than those who only rarely ate fruit and veggies. The reason? [T]he reduced risk is related to high vitamin C concentrations in the blood from the fruit and vegetables, explained Camilla Kobylecki, a medical doctor and Ph.D. student involved in the study. To reap the benefits of eating fruit and veggies high in vitamin C like yellow bell peppers, guavas, dark green leafy vegetables, kiwifruits, broccoli and berries. It is important to choose non-GMO, organic produce. After all, you dont want to increase your pesticide consumption along with your vitamin C intake. Discover more amazing benefits of vitamin C and other antioxidants at Antioxidants.news. Sources include: Orthomolecular.org NaturalNews.com Healthaliciousness.com Cochrane.org NHLBI.NIH.gov (Natural News) The business practices of Big Pharma are abhorrent, but some people manage to avoid falling victim to the inflated prices of brand-name medications by getting generic pills. Unfortunately, that is looking less and less like a viable alternative as more information about extensive price fixing among generic drug companies comes to light. Now, the makers of generic pills are facing a federal antitrust case brought about by 45 different states. The attorneys general of the states in question are accusing nearly 20 generic drug makers of illegally collaborating to hike the prices of their drugs. According to the suit, which was first reported by Business Insider, employees at rival firms conspired in close communications about ways to increase their prices on drugs used to treat conditions like diabetes, insomnia, anxiety, heart failure, and epilepsy. Their actions saw the prices of common drugs rise by 1,000 percent or more, with patients and taxpayers footing the bill. The lawsuit alleges they violated federal and state laws related to competition and consumer protection. In one example mentioned in the civil suit, New Jersey drug company Heritage Pharmaceuticals contacted a rivals vice president to discuss strategy related to how the price for a bone disease drug should be set. They found out how the rival was setting the price for its version of the medication and talked about how they could divide up the market to limit competition. The lawsuit accuses some major pharmaceutical companies of this type of behavior, including Mylan, Novartis and Teva. Employees allegedly communicated via emails, text messages, phone calls and LinkedIn to find ways to hike the prices of a variety of generic medications. A criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice is also underway. Two of the higher-ups at Heritage Pharmaceuticals, former president Jason Malek and ex-CEO Jeffrey Glazer, have already pleaded guilty to charges including price fixing, anti-competitive conduct, and bid-rigging in different criminal actions and are reportedly cooperating with investigators. A better alternative? These cases have cast generic drugs in a very negative light. As cheaper versions of brand-name meds that are made once their patents expire, they are considered by many to be a better alternative to their higher-end counterparts. Generic drugs have generally escaped the scrutiny and criticism lobbed at brand-name pharmaceuticals over their pricing practices and have been thought of as a market-based way of bringing down high drug costs through competition. Unfortunately, when generic drug makers are colluding to undermine this type of competition, everyone loses. The lawsuit alleges that the generic drug manufacturers used their own type of inside terminology to refer to their collusion. For example, they talked about playing nice in the sandbox when referring to complying with their price fixing arrangements, with all drug makers expected to agree on drug prices and ensure everyone made a tidy profit. According to the suit, Malek contacted Teva about a drug used for epilepsy, glaucoma and heart failure known as acetazolamide ER. The two firms ended up taking almost 80 percent of the market for this drug, and the attorneys general who brought the suit about say that Malek and the Teva employee agreed that if Heritage raised prices, Teva would do the same or at least agree not to try to take their customers by underbidding them. They also discussed raising the price of an antifungal medication known as nystatin. This eventually led to Teva doubling the drugs price after sharing information with its two main rivals for the medication. After receiving a text message complete with a smiley face informing them of the plan, Sun Pharmaceutical then raised its own price of the drug. An employee of Sun also contacted Heritage to say they would temporarily stop manufacturing an antibiotic, paromomycin. In response, Malek instructed another Heritage employee to raise the price of the drug as Sun was its only competitor for that particular medication. The lawsuit also alleges that Heritage and Mylan worked together to keep the price of an acne drug, Doxy DR, high. Yet another reason natural medicine is preferable Generic drug makers saw shares drop sharply earlier this month on the news that the lawsuit had expanded into a huge probe into price fixing throughout the industry, encompassing more than 300 drugs. An assistant attorney general in Connecticut, Joseph Nielsen, said: This is most likely the largest cartel in the history of the United States. In one example cited in a report about the developments, the price of a common asthma medication was raised by 3,400 percent. With generic sales totaling roughly $104 billion this year alone, overbilling even a small fraction of these sales would amount to billions of dollars in extra costs for patients. Whether you buy brand-name drugs or generic pills, being at the mercy of profit-obsessed pharmaceutical companies is always a losing proposition. Its not just your wallet thats at stake; many of their so-called solutions cause side effects that keep you coming back for more and more drugs to treat problems you never had in the first place. Thats why natural treatments are so popular these days theyre typically safer, more effective, and a lot cheaper than drugs made in a lab. See PrescriptionDrugs.news for more news coverage of Big Pharmas mass medications. Sources for this article include: BusinessInsider.com MarketWatch.com (Natural News) Democrats are all set to raise every American citizens income tax above 70 percent and on upwards to 90 percent in order to pay for all the free stuff theyre raving about, including Medicare, college, food, and yes, day-of-birth abortions. You see, all Americans should be working hard in factories and processing plants, because the more people paying exorbitantly high income taxes, the more riches for the tyrannical Democrat-Socialist-Communist elite. Make no mistake, thats what the late-term abortion push, fake global warming alarmism, and no borders! screaming is all about. At the same time, the Death Cult Democrats want to eliminate the middle class, so that everyone is poor and desperate, literally voting for big government and the nanny police state to rescue them from their living nightmare. This depopulation agenda includes the mass murder of babies, forced vaccination of dissenters, and soon, the extermination of anyone who might not know exactly how to vote Democrat, like kids with autism and senile elderly. If youre thinking right now this has nothing to do with health, but only to do with politics, youre dead wrong. This has everything to do with living organically, ethically, responsibly, and patriotically, as opposed to what the Death Cult Democrats would all have us praying for, like any food, any law enforcement, and any right to speak up against the ruling class. Socialist dictators will wipe out all organic food and natural medicine, claiming GMOs are healthy, sustainable, and great for the economy. Socialist dictators will confiscate all civilian guns and ban free speech. Socialist dictators will ban all real news and promote all fake, scripted, narrative news. Socialist dictators will tax the working class to death (literally) and keep the money, because they certainly are NOT building train tracks across the 3000-foot-deep Pacific Ocean. Socialist dictators will increase illegal drug imports, sex trafficking, and slave labor in America. Socialist dictators will limit all American families to one child. Socialist dictators will put tracking devices inside all U.S. citizens. Socialist dictators will confiscate all private land, businesses, and farms. Socialists want your children to suffer from autism and mental health disorders so the state can confiscate them and sell them into slavery on the black market. Communists and Nazis always propagate the same slogan its for the greater good Without Trump in office, we would already be living under a full Nazi-style regime. Think about it. We already see deranged organizations like Planned Parenthood funding abortions so they can steal the baby organs (pay bottom-dollar cash under the table) and use the flesh for biotechnology horrors. We see mass sterilization going on with 9 12 year-old girls getting the highly toxic HPV vaccine, and one in every 50 kids becoming autistic during their first half-dozen years of life, thanks to the CDC vaccine schedule of 55 toxic jabs before age seven. We have New York Democrats jumping up and down in fits of joy, celebrating the outright murder of live-birth babies, who could be completely healthy, but still suffocated to death, or their spinal cord severed, or getting their jugular slit with a scalpel. We have Bill Gates admitting on video that he believes he can reduce the worlds population by a few billion people if we do a good job with vaccines. What kind of vaccines is he talking about? Arent vaccines supposed to prevent disease, not mass murder Africans and children in India? People, you have no choice left but to vote Republican in hopes of preserving the Republic, the Constitution, organic food, natural medicine, free speech, free press, freedom of religion, freedom to run a private business, the right to own your own land, the right to keep the majority of your earned income, the right to a lawyer, judge and jury, and the right to have your vote actually count. Tune into Preparedness.news for updates on what books, food, seeds, and weapons you should stock up on BEFORE SHTF, because then itll be too late. Have you seen the store shelves in Venezuela? Has anyone seen Holocaust films of the horrific medical experiments that were conducted on prisoners? Thats where America is headed under the Death Cult Democrats, should they gain complete control. Sources for this article include: NaturalNews.com Preparedness.news ZeroHedge.com WashingtonExaminer.com 13:00 First Background Briefing on NATO operations and missions' with NATO Officials from the NATO International Staff and the International Military Staff Watch the trailer for a new film by Story in Progress following a team of scientists, explorers and conservationists surveying the effects of climate change on a remote region of the Great Barrier Reef. The full film is available to watch now. By Lambert Strether of Corrente. Trade 1 big thing: Inside Trumps next moves with Xi [Axios]. Xi may soon come to Mar-a-Lago. President Trumps advisers have informally discussed holding a summit there next month with Chinese President Xi Jinping to try to end the U.S.-China trade war, according to two administration officials with direct knowledge of the internal discussions. Trumps upcoming meeting with Kim Jong-un in Vietnam has complicated logistics for the Xi summit. Trump wanted to meet with Xi before his tariff ceasefire with China ends on March 1, but three sources with direct knowledge said the events couldnt be planned so close together. It doesnt appear that the U.S. and China have made much progress, so far, on the biggest structural issues that Trump has promised to conquer. These include Chinas rampant theft of U.S. intellectual property, forced transfer of U.S. technology and trade abuses that Chinas leaders have used to grow their economy at Americas expense. Politics But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? James Madison, Federalist 51 2020 Warren (1): Warren: Trump may not even be a free person by 2020 [Politico]. She added: Heres what bothers me. By the time we get to 2020, Donald Trump may not even be president. In fact, he may not even be a free person.' Unlikely. Warren should stick to her story of a rigged system that props up the rich and the powerful and kicks dirt on everyone else. Here, Warren tries to travel two lanes at once: The populist lane, and the Trump Derangement Syndrome lane, which reads to this jaundiced observer like pandering. She might consider intergrating the two, since elites, as a class, have impunity. Warren was poor at pandering in 2016, too. Warren (2): This is a good thread on Warren and the tribes from a historian in that field: Yes, Warren has issued some soft apologies for claiming Native identity and then trying to prove it with a DNA test. But the harmful evidence and defenses are still up on her website. pic.twitter.com/fIbvfDUtt1 Natasha Varner (@nsvarner) February 10, 2019 Harris: 2020 candidate Kamala Harris says she supports legalizing marijuana and acknowledges trying pot in the past: "I think it gives a lot of people joy," she said, "And we need more joy." https://t.co/sRL4nt6jfE pic.twitter.com/whlXQ39NPN CNN (@CNN) February 11, 2019 No doubt arresting marijuana smokers gave her joy, too! So its all good. The circle of law enforcement. Klobuchar: .@amyklobuchar says she is taking her campaign to Wisconsin shortly "because there wasn't a lot of campaigning there in 2016 and that ends with me" Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) February 10, 2019 Whacking the Clintonite hornets nest with a stick. UPDATE Gillibrand: Why y'all got her performing like this? They already had to teach her how to eat fried chicken, now y'all got her acting like she know Jesus and Mother Deloney on the usher board https://t.co/9lJy3wFAOe Keep Rae Shining (@GuruBluXVIII) February 10, 2019 Matt 6:5: And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. UPDATE Gabbard: The US's continued alliance with Saudi Arabia is abhorrent. Last night I met with @BaqeeOrg. I stand with them to condemn the destruction of Islamic heritage sites in Mecca and Medina by the Saudi government as a continuation of the Saudi's extremist/exclusivist ideology. Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) February 10, 2019 UPDATE Biden: Weaker candidate than Hillary: Democrats cast deep doubt on Bidens 2020 value [McClatchy]. McClatchy interviewed 31 Democratic strategists pollsters, opposition research experts, media consultants, ex-party officials, and communications specialists from across the country about a potential Biden campaign. Nine agreed to speak on the record; all others quoted anonymously do not plan to be affiliated with any candidate running in the presidential primary. Strikingly, these conversations yielded a similar view: The Democratic political community is more broadly and deeply pessimistic about Bidens potential candidacy than is commonly known . While these strategists said they respect Biden, they cited significant disadvantages for his campaign from the increasingly liberal and non-white Democratic electorate to policy baggage from his years in the Senate and a field of rivals that includes new, fresh-faced candidates. Among political professionals, there are deep concerns because we know the history, said a Pennsylvania-based Democratic strategist, granted anonymity to speak candidly about a party elder. We have reason to be skeptical of the hype. We heard it with Hillary, and we saw it happened, the source added. And theres a lot of reason to think he would wind up a significantly weaker candidate than Hillary.' But in a brokered convention.. Somehow Somehow they all seem similarly uninspiring: What can the newest presidential campaign logos tell us about 2020? https://t.co/lWLLXgUX31 pic.twitter.com/R2vLpW0tDC CNN (@CNN) February 11, 2019 Beer Track, Wine Track, Get Me Off This Fucking Train [Corey Robin]. Now just so Im clear: When I say ideology and argument [as opposed to/in addition to personality and policy], I dont mean a candidate needs to channel Rawls. I mean, does she have a story about the American polity, about how weve come to the impasse were in (Trump, rampant inequality, rampant incarceration, a party of unadulterated nativism and racism and misogyny, the 1%, non-existent unions, winnowing voting rights, growing strike waves, impending extinction of the planet, etc.), about who is responsible for it (not just a villainous Republican Party but also a larger political economy and set of social actors), and how were going to reverse and undo this development. The great realigners had such a story. Read FDRs Commonwealth Club speech. Read Lincolns Cooper Union address. only Warren and Sanders have the kind of analysis Im talking about, the kind of analysis that can mobilize voters to do what must be done. Worth a read. How to Evaluate a US Presidential Candidate [Benjamin Studebaker]. How can we tell the candidates who mean business apart from the candidates who are trying to trick progressive voters? There are four big things I look at: What is this candidates history? What does this candidate actually do with power, when they have it? Who has given this candidate money? Who does this candidate rely on to run their campaign? Who can they not afford to alienate? What is this candidates attitude to institutions? If this candidate meets resistance within the Democratic Party, will this candidate capitulate or fight to change the party? Is this a serious candidate? Does polling and/or favorability data suggest they could really win, or are they running to promote themselves? Run those four tests. History, Money, Institutions, Seriousness. Joe Biden. I mean, obviously. 2019 Trump divides Democrats with warning of creeping socialism [The Hill]. Trumps warning of creeping socialism in the United States, deftly mentioned after a section of the speech on the unfolding political crisis in Venezuela, created an immediate public split among Democrats that was caught on live television. Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.) and Sens. Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Jon Tester (Mont.) and Sherrod Brown (Ohio) were among the lawmakers who stood with Republicans to applaud Trump when he pledged that the United States would never slide into socialism. But other Democrats werent so happy about Trumps choice of words which was clearly meant to put them on the spot. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who labels himself as a democratic socialist, stayed rooted in his seat, as did Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.). Freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), another leading democratic socialist, smiled in response to Trumps remark but stayed seated. The headline is silly; as I urge here, the Democrats are already divided. Still, its interesting that consummate opportunist Booker stayed seated. Wants the youth vote, I guess! VA: The Latest: Black leaders: Stop telling Northam to resign [Associated Press]. A group of black clergy and community leaders is asking for a moratorium on the widespread calls for Virginias governor and attorney general to resign over their admissions they wore blackface in the 1980s. The Rev. Rodney Hunter is co-director of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy and pastor of Richmonds Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church. He said Monday that the records of Gov. Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring show they are different people than they were when they wore blackface more than three decades ago. Hunter says the group is also calling for an end to the push for Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax to resign. Hunter said Fairfax deserves due process over sexual assault allegations made by two women. Hunters group plans to hold a news conference Monday afternoon on the steps of the state Capitol. Fascinatingly, CAP is one of the Virginia Interfaith Centers funders. AOC: The best use of five minutes of hearing time for quite awhile (and better than Warrens eviscerations of bankster CEOss, because AOCs clip was not only very funny, it was about systems). A telling anecdote: .@KaylaPekkala and I are at a store (Kohls), and we just walked past 3 women in an aisle huddled around a cell phone watching that video of @AOC asking questions at a recent hearing. I dont know that Ive seen people this amped about campaign finance laws in, uh, ever. Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) February 9, 2019 (Note that the account works for Brocks Media Matters operation, which is the beard for Brocks oppo operations.) Realignment and Legitimacy Georgia Officials Not Immune From Suit Over Risky Voting Machines [Courthouse News]. In a 16-page unsigned opinion issued a week after oral arguments in the case, the three-judge panel upheld a federal judges ruling that Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and members of the states election board are not entitled to immunity from a legal action seeking to switch Georgias voting system from electronic machines to hand-marked paper ballots. Good! Review of Wisconsin voting machines could be made public [Associated Press]. Election security experts are watching a Wisconsin court case stemming from the 2016 presidential recount that could result in the first public conclusions on whether closely guarded ballot-counting machines were hacked or failed to perform. The key question at the heart of the case is whether former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein will be allowed to comment publicly on what her auditors find in a review of Wisconsin voting machines computer code. Steins request for a recount of the presidential election results in Wisconsin gives her the right to review the code under state law. All the parties involved must sign an agreement to keep propriety information confidential. The voting machines manufacturers argue that agreement should bar Steins group from making any conclusions or opinions about the machines performance public. Thats lovely. We cant tell whether our elections are being stolen because of non-disclosure agreements. Priorities! Private Mossad for Hire [The New Yorker (CI). Psy-Group was part of a new wave of private intelligence firms that recruited from the ranks of Israels secret servicesself-described private Mossads. The most aggressive of these firms seemed willing to do just about anything for their clients. Psy-Groups larger ambition was to break into the U.S. election market [Psy-Group drew] up a plan for developing more business at the state and local levels. No election was too small. One company document reported that Psy-Groups influence services cost, on average, just three hundred and fifty thousand dollarsas little as two hundred and seventy-five dollars an hour. The new strategy called for pitching more than fifty individuals and groups, including the Republican National Committee, the Democratic National Committee, and major super pacs. [One] brochure showed a cat that cast a lions shadow and listed honey traps among the firms services. (In the espionage world, a honey trap often involves deploying a sexually attractive operative to induce a target to provide information.) Well worth a read. The good news is that the local candidate a community college student, waiter, and Sanders activiist won going away because the Psy-Group deliverables were so inept (and in winning, the activist nuked a corrupt contract at a local hospital). So just because these bottom feeders are out there doesnt meant that they win. Still, Psy-Group and the rest of em were sending out their brochures to lots of people, so the political class knows all about this, and has for some time. So why no hysteria? Party unity: Ya know, if Dem party leaders hate primaries so much they should cancel em instead of rigging em. Florida Dems passed a resolution that unity offers more progress than any other planning combined. Weve already been contacted to unite behind a candidate not named Bernie. pic.twitter.com/JNuSn1Zheo OurRev305 #RunBernieRun (@OurRev305) February 10, 2019 I think any party that has to resort to loyalty oaths has big problems. (Unless the Democrats really are a criminal syndicate, in which case omerta is thoroughly appropriate.) Rat invasion discovered at historic Los Angeles City Hall amid city typhus outbreak [NBC]. Downtown is in the midst of a typhus outbreak, according to health officials, with several homeless people who live near City Hall among those afflicted. It flourishes in unsanitary conditions and is often spread by infected fleas hitching rides on rats. It is rarely fatal when treated quickly with antibiotics but epidemics killed thousands in the Middle Ages. He believes many of the rats are relatively new arrivals, displaced when the city began tearing down its old police headquarters next door. So thats alright then. Stats Watch There are no official statistics of interest today. Banking: Wells Fargo banking systems breakdown raises new concerns [San Francisco Chronicle]. this weeks Wells Fargo outage the San Francisco banks second failure this month caused some to ask whether the banking systems we depend on are too fragile. Starting Thursday and lasting through Friday morning, ATMs failed to show balances and transactions, web log-ons were rejected, and smartphone apps displayed errors. The bank ultimately blamed smoke in a data center. Smoke in a data center? Huh? Banking: Flaws in testing may be real source of Wells Fargos tech failure [The American Banker]. Wells troubles started early Thursday morning as it was forced to shut down a facility when smoke was detected following routine maintenance, according to a statement from the bank. A local news report from Shoreview, Minn., indicated a fire suppression system was accidentally triggered at the Wells Fargo Shoreview Operations Center the morning of Feb. 7. The report noted the trip occurred at 5 a.m. local time, and the bank called the fire department to investigate four hours later. The cause of the alarm was due to construction dust. What followed was a nationwide outage that affected Wells online and mobile banking capabilities, its ATM network and card processing. The outage also extended to the banks call center where an automated message told customers that bankers were unable to access account information. Ah, routine maintenance. Do we have any data center readers? Does this story make sense? Or, since everything is like CalPERS, what has to be true at Wells Fargo for this story to be true? Retail: N.Y. Today: Is Amazon Still Coming to New York City? [New York Times]. A recap of the horrid press coverage, ending: Feb. 8: The Washington Post, citing two people familiar with the companys thinking, reports that Amazon is considering withdrawing from New York. But The Times reports that two people with direct knowledge of the companys thinking said the article had gone too far and Amazon had no plans to back out.' Gone too far seems rather un-Amazon-like. Shipping: Amazon sends mixed signals on logistics intentions [Supply Chain Dive]. Amazon stoked yet more speculation that it intends to compete with 3PLs like UPS and FedEx when it included companies that provide fulfillment and logistics services for themselves or for third parties, whether online or offline in an annual SEC filing that requires companies to describe their competition, spotted by Fortune Amazon holds that its growing network of logistics resources is intended to add speed and capacity when and where needed, not to transition away from other carriers.. But Morgan Stanley isnt buying it. In a recent research note, analysts wrote: The scale of the operation so far (en route to 100 planes, 20,000 vans, several thousand truck trailers and ramping ocean moves) does not imply a peak season only or overflow volume only operation to us.' Shipping: Atlanta to Philadelphia spot rate lowest since February of 2016 [Freight Waves]. Image of storm clouds, but: Spring is always an uncertain time of year for freight movement because no one really knows when volumes will return in earnest. Weather patterns play a big role driving seasonal movements such as agricultural freight. Shipping: Truck Drivers on the Lookout for Spotted Lanternfly [FreightWaves]. [The spotted lanternfly is] a hitchhiking bug that doesnt bite, doesnt sting, but can quickly destroy grapes, trees, nursery stock and apples, to name just a few of its victims. Agricultural experts believe the invasive insect came to the United States after hopping on a boat from China. It was first spotted in Pennsylvanias Berks County in 2014. Truck drivers doing business in affected areas are warned that if they park below a tree line, the vibrant-colored insect can hop onto their truck, hide in a tiny crevice or atop a flatbed and do extensive damage to a valuable load of agricultural commodities. The Bezzle: For Boeing, juggling cash flow often means another Houdini moment' [Seattle Times]. Boeing has gushed cash quarter after quarter for more than four years, sending its share price soaring yet leaving some analysts suspicious about how Boeing manages always to surpass Wall Streets cash flow expectations. The tricks it uses are mundane in procedure, but huge in scale. They amount to various ways of pulling forward cash receipts from airline customers bringing in cash thats due in the future just ahead of the end of the quarter or pushing out the payment of accounts to suppliers into the next quarter. While many companies can massage their cash-flow results, few have as much leeway to do so as Boeing. Thats because aircraft purchases involve such large sums, on payment schedules that are negotiable and adjustable. And the process is entirely opaque from the outside because the precise financial terms of jet sales are never disclosed. Past reports from financial analysts point to very large amounts of cash involved. Hmm. Tech: Apple iPhone Shipments Dive in China as Huawei Tightens Grip [Bloomberg]. Apple Inc.s Chinese smartphone shipments plummeted an estimated 20 percent in 2018s final quarter. The domestic market contracted 9.7 percent in the quarter, but Apple declined at about twice that pace, research firm IDC said in a report on Monday. A slowing economy, lengthening replacement times and the iPhones hefty price tag contributed to the U.S. giants decline, it said. Xiaomi Corp. fared even worse in the final months of last year, when shipments plunged almost 35 percent, the consultancy estimates. Smartphone labels from Apple to Samsung Electronics Co. are contending with a plateauing global market after years of breakneck growth, as a lack of innovation discourages consumers from replacing devices as often as they used to. And does Apple have a new product in the pipeline? They always have before, but thiis time robot cars turned out to be a dry hole. So Labor Market: The (Modest) Rebound in Manufacturing Jobs [Liberty Street Economics]. The United States lost 5.7 million manufacturing jobs between 2000 and 2010, reducing the nations manufacturing employment base by nearly a third. These job losses and their causes have been well documented Less well recognized is the modest yet significant rebound in manufacturing jobs that has been underway for several years. Indeed, employment in the manufacturing industry began to stabilize in 2010, and the nation has added nearly 1 million jobs since then. Although modest in magnitude, this uptick in manufacturing jobs represents the longest sustained increase since the 1960s and bucks a decades-long trend of secular decline in employment in the goods producing sector of the economy. Labor Market: Labor Market Polarization across the U.S. [Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis]. Labor market polarization refers to the decrease in job opportunities in middle-skill occupations that typically involve routine tasks, such as occupations in manufacturing, production and transportation. This is simultaneously associated with an increase in employment in occupations that involve nonroutine tasks, such as jobs in managerial and professional occupations and in personal care and service occupations. Polarization in the labor market is linked to two main factors: Increased automation of routine tasks; Increased globalization and offshoring it is worth noting that job polarization has led to a decline in the earnings for middle-skill jobs, which is linked to an increase in earnings inequality. Tell em Queen Annes dead Fodder for the Bulls: NRF is largely bullish on 2019 retail sales forecast [Logistics Management]. The NRF made that very clear in its 2019 retail sales forecast for growth coming in between 3.8%-to-4.4% to more than $3.8 trillion. $3.82 trillion, to be exact. OK, so that forecast falls short of the NRFs call for a minimum increase of 4.5% from 2017 to 2018, but it is still pretty good. Honey for the Bears: Krugman Sees Possible U.S. Recession With Little Fed Wiggle Room [Bloomberg]. There seems to be an accumulation of smaller problems and the underlying backdrop is that we have no good policy response, he said in a Bloomberg Television interview in Dubai. The headwinds facing the economy prompted the Federal Reserve this month to halt its interest-rate hiking cycle, which Krugman said was never grounded in the data to begin with. Continuing to raise rates was really looking like a bad idea he added. And: Lets put it this way, our current Treasury Secretary is no Hank Paulson, he said. Oh, Paul. See NC on Paulsons tenure here, here, here, here, and here. Rapture Index: Closes up one on Mark of the Beast*. Several big tech companies are working on tracking software [Rapture Ready]. Record High, October 10, 2016: 189. Current: 179. Back up a point, toward the 180 floor. Remember that bringing on the rapture is a good thing. NOTE * And theyre not wrong, are they? The Biosphere Experts Warn (1): Green New Deal backers say they want more high-speed trains to make airline travel less necessary, and more electric cars and charging stations. But experts warn that changing the existing fleet of cars in the U.S. would be an extraordinary effort. https://t.co/U9UEzbIViZ NPR (@NPR) February 9, 2019 Experts Warn (2): But experts warn: -fighting Hitler would be an extraordinary effort -getting out of the Great Depression would be an extraordinary eff -bailing out the financial sector would be an extraordinary -Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe would be an extra https://t.co/jjbZQsDV11 Pavlina R Tcherneva (@ptcherneva) February 10, 2019 A good question: Are there prediction markets on anticipated global warming consequences? sea-level rise, storm strength and frequency, ice melt, temperature, glacial collapse, coral bleaching, etc (wld the danger of incentivizing sabotage of policy to address be too great to tolerate such mkts?) Steve Randy Waldman (@interfluidity) February 10, 2019 Scientists Discover Evidence of Long Ocean Memory [Earth and Space News]. [T]he deep Pacific Ocean is still cooling from a dip in global temperatures that chilled surface waters several centuries ago. Waters take so long to reach the depths of the Pacific that they are still responding to the cooling trend that marked the entry into the Little Ice Age, said first author Jake Gebbie at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, Mass. The findings could improve climate models and may offer a clue into how future oceans will respond to modern global warming In the latest study, the researchers pulled data from the Challenger expedition, which marks the beginning of modern oceanography, said Gebbie. The scientific expedition took top to bottom measurements from the worlds oceans for 4 years, often using thermometers tied to hemp ropes. The new research compared the temperatures with modern-day measurements and ran an independent model using 2,000 years of climate records to search for cooling trends. Evolution Is Not the Cause of Selfish Capitalism [Medium]. The most successful of biologys creatures coexist in mutually beneficial ecosystems. Its hard for us to recognize such widespread cooperation. We tend to look at life forms as isolated from one another: a tree is a tree and a cow is a cow. But a tree is not a singular tree at all; it is the tip of a forest. Pull back far enough to see the whole, and one trees struggle for survival merges with the more relevant story of its role in sustaining the larger system. We also tend to miss natures interconnections because they happen subtly, beneath the surface. We cant readily see or hear the way trees communicate. For instance, theres an invisible landscape of mushrooms and other fungi connecting the root systems of trees in a healthy forest. The underground network allows the trees to interact with one another and even exchange resources. In the summer, shorter evergreens are shaded by the canopies of taller trees. Incapable of reaching the light and photosynthesizing, they call through the fungus for the sun-drenched nutrients they need. The taller trees have plenty to spare, and send it to their shaded peers. The taller trees lose their leaves in the winter and themselves become incapable of photosynthesizing. At that point, the evergreens, now exposed to the sun, send their extra nutrients to their leafless community members. For their part, the underground fungi charge a small service fee, taking the nutrients they need in return for facilitating the exchange. Class Warfare Liked Evicted? Read Maid [Credit Slips]. Stephanie Land recently tweeted this depressing statistic: a single parent would have to work 140 hours a week at minimum wage to pay for basic necessities. And Land would know. Her new memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mothers Will to Survive chronicles her time as a single mother working as a house cleaner and just scraping by on the combination of her paycheck and various forms of government assistance. In telling her story of ending up a single mother living in a homeless shelter with effectively no family or friends to turn to for help, of figuring out how to make a little money working insanely hard, and of dealing with the stigma of asking for government handouts, Land weaves a narrative about life on the financial precipice that sticks with you. The Bearded One teaches that wages serve to reproduce the workers ability to sell labor power. As with Walmart, however, so here: These workers cannot reproduce their labor power through wages, and so the wage is supplemented through the state. I dont know of anybody whos theorized this, not even Kim Moody (unless I missed it) but it would seem to deserve attention. The whole piece is well worth a read. One more book to read! How Car Pollution Hurts Kids Performance in School [CityLab] (original). New research indicates that when students switch to schools with higher levels of traffic pollution, they tend to experience declines in test scores, more behavioral incidents, and more absences. Thats according to a National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) working paper issued in January. The paper brings more evidence to the body of research showing that air pollution harms cognitive performance and poses a major threat to health worldwide. How a Feel-Good AI Story Went Wrong in Flint [The Atlantic]. A salutary lesson for GND implementors. As Ireland goes green, rural workers feel punished [CNN]. When John J.J. Berdon joined Irelands semi-state peat harvesting company in 1980, he thought he had a job for life. That job has been central to the lives of Berdon and some 60 colleagues, most of whom live nearby in small communities along the border of counties Roscommon and Galway. But this is all soon to change, as his employer, Bord na Mona, announced last October that it would close 17 of its active extraction sites immediately, with the rest to follow by 2027. Up to 500 jobs are expected to go. The reason, the company says, lies in one word: decarbonization. Why the Jobs Guarantee is part of the GND. Workplace Theft Is on the Rise [The Atlantic]. Managers routinely order up to 20 percent more product than is necessary, just to account for sticky-fingered employees. Well, thats better than paying them more, right? News of the Wired The Most Famous Image in the Early History of Computing [History of Information]. The Jacquard loom did no computation, and for that reason it was not a digital device in the way we think of digital today. However the method by which Jacquard stored information in punched cards by either punching a hole in s standardized space in a card or not punching a whole in that space is analogous to a zero or one or an on and off switch. It was also an important conceptual step in the history of computing because the Jacquard method of storing information in punched cards, and weaving a pattern by following the series of instructions recorded in a train of punched cards, was used by Charles Babbage in his plans for data and program input, and data output and storage in his general purpose programmable computer, the Analytical Engine. * * * Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. Todays plant, which is not really a plant, but a wonder of nature (SS): SS writes: This emerged one cold morning on the top of a large Tupperware tub I had left outside (It had a battery in it to run the electric door on the chicken coop). How the heck this came to pass I have no idea. It seems impossible. Encouraging, then! * * * Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the annual NC fundraiser. So do feel free to make a contribution today or any day. Here is why: Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know Im on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of small donations helps me with expenses, and I factor that trickle in when setting fundraising goals. So if you see something you especially appreciate, do feel free to click below! (The hat is temporarily defunct, so I slapped in some old code.) Or Subscribe to make a monthly payment! Former Finance Minister, Tendai Biti has insisted that Mnangagwas government intended to introduce a new currency this week. The introduction of a new currency was expected to coincide with the presentation of the Monetary Policy statement by RBZ Governor John Mangudya this week. On his Twitter account, Mr Biti said: The regime has been caught with pants down. It is a fact that a new currency has been printed & that negotiations are taking place now with major holders of cash. It is fact that Cabinet has approved new currency despite paternity fight between John & Mutuvi. Now please deny this. https://twitter.com/BitiTendai/status/1094985323547906048 Earlier today Biti said: The regime will this week introduce a new Zimbabwe currency not backed by any #reserves & without the context of structural reforms which a prerequisite of currency reform. That move is pure undiluted #insanity. An unbanked currency is just the #bond note by another name. There is no country in the world that has involuntarily dollarized that has ever succeeded in de -dollarizing. Zim will not be the 1st. Whilst a currency is about fundamentals, ultimately the most important fundamental is confidence There is absolutely no trust in this regime. Considering the #harm and #damage inflicted on this economy by its Central Bank over the years to now, the question to be posed is, does Zimbabwe really need a Central Bank? In my submission, it can and will do without one. Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News THE wife of the late opposition MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, has said Valentines Day is a poignant time for her, struggling to deal with the pain and grief of losing her husband. Still a tall, voluptuous, imposing and graceful figure, Elizabeth Tsvangirai (nee Macheka) disclosed at a memorial event she hosted in honour of her late husband on Saturday that she was apprehensive at the thought of walking alone through Valentines Day on Thursday the day she lost her spouse. The late MDC founding leader lost his valiant battle against colon cancer on February 14 last year. He had wed Elizabeth in September 2012 after a messy fallout with his ex-wife Locadia Karimatsenga, who was much loved by the family, especially by the late opposition leaders mother. Tsvangirais first wife Susan died in a car crash in 2009 shortly after Zimbabwes inclusive government was sworn into power. In an exclusive interview with the Daily News, Elizabeth said the pain of letting go was hurting her, and she has had to experience the agony and heartbreak of losing her lovely husband. On Saturday, Elizabeth handed over groceries to about 15 parents with physically-handicapped children at New Hope Foundation at a function attended by the mayoress of Harare Lydia Gomba. She told the Daily News on the side-lines of the event that it hurts to be a widow on Valentines Day. I wish he (Tsvangirai) was here with me to celebrate Valentines Day because we were so close you see. We had been married for a long time and had become so used to each other that I cannot avoid thinking about what we used to do, the good old days, you see. He was a great, yet such a lovely husband, she said. Elizabeth said she will continue to reach out to comfort the needy like what her late husband did all the time. His genuine love for Zimbabweans in general was exceptional hence I have chosen this day to also share with these children, she said, adding that normally she donates in December for Christmas. It is because I wanted to honour my husband that I have chosen to hand over the little I have managed to gather this important month. Elizabeth says she is struggling to absorb the brutal fact of Tsvangirais death at the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre in Johannesburg where the former Prime Minister of Zimbabwe passed. I have chosen this time of the year (February) because during this time last year, I would not have imagined that I would be able to stand in front of people again because of what I was going through, she told the Daily News. Tsvangirai was critically ill and we met difficulties I had never encountered before but God gave me strength until he passed on. The period made me realise that all that happens has Gods purpose and that I also had a purpose on Tsvangirais life. She declined to respond to some of the questions about her life saying she will only be able to do so after her husbands memorial in three months time. Tsvangirais daughter Vimbai Tsvangirai-Java posted on microblogging site Twitter that an anniversary memorial service to celebrate the life of Tsvangirai will be held on May 4, 2019 at Humanikwa Village, Buhera. Tsvangirais death was almost overshadowed by a bitter family dispute that pitted his wife Elizabeth, with whom he had no children with, on one hand, and his children, mother and siblings on the other hand. Elizabeth cast as a villain throughout the funeral rites played a peripheral role, with Tsvangirais mother at one time threatening to commit suicide if she was allowed to attend the funeral. It was the same script during Tsvangirais last days in South Africa when the family also barred Elizabeth from visiting her husband as he battled the deadly cancer ailment. Harassed by her in-laws since the time Tsvangirai was admitted to the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre in Johannesburg, Elizabeth, now 42, almost considered suicide as a flurry of accusations were thrown her way. While in South Africa, she had to be sneaked in to see her dying husband. DailyNews Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News IN an interview with France24 in Ethiopia, President Emmerson Mnangagwa responded to British Minister of State for Africa at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Harriet Baldwins statement that the UK Government will not support Zimbabwes application to rejoin the Commonwealth. Baldwin appeared before the Committee to answer questions concerning the situation in Zimbabwe. She said last week: Zimbabwe has written a letter to the Commonwealth secretary as with many other countries, I would say that the UK is one of the members of the Commonwealth, clearly, it has to be a unanimous decision by 53 members but as of today the UK will not be able to support that application because we dont believe that the kind of human rights violations that we have seen from security forces in Zimbabwe is the kind of behaviour that we would like to see from members of the Commonwealth. But President Mnangagwa is unfazed and has said Britains view is not the view of the Commonwealth. When we apply to join the Commonwealth we do not apply to Britain we apply to the Commonwealth Secretariat. Britain is just a member. The Commonwealth has not told us that they are not considering our application. The view of one member is not the view of the Commonwealth, he said. The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 53 states. United Kingdoms Queen Elizabeth II is Head of the Commonwealth. Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa has met with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa as well as other leaders from the continent and beyond at the ongoing AU summit in Ethiopia. He said: At the AU, I have been meeting with Presidents and Prime Ministers from across world, as well as business leaders and potential investors. The new Zimbabwe is moving forward, and as we continue to restructure reform and rebuild, we will face many more challenges. To overcome these challenges we must be an open Zimbabwe, working closely with the international community. ZOOMZimbabwe Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Three hooligans involved in last months MDC-Alliance-sponsored violent demonstrations wrote their own scripts of the popular television series Worlds Dumbest Criminals after they were given away by a social media video, a text message and self-rubber-stamped markings on the face, in separate incidents. The three Samuel Kapote, Takemore Bhunu and Steven Sango will spend one, four and three years in jail, respectively. Kapote, who became a social media sensation for all the wrong reasons when a video of him carrying a beef hindquarter went viral on social media, was identified by a responsible citizen. Bhunu was nailed by his own text message inviting a friend to come and share the groceries talooter muChoppies while Sango and his partners in crime stamped their faces and arms with an official Government rubber stamp after invading a Vehicle Inspection Department depot. While his co-accused were discharged for lack of evidence, a clumsy Sango, who dropped his ID at the crime scene, was left to face the music alone. Kapote, who pleaded guilty, was sentenced to a year in prison by resident magistrate Mr Nyasha Vitorini. The hindquarter, worth $594, was looted from Choppies Supermarket at Chitungwiza Town Centre. Mr Vitorini initially sentenced Kapote to two years in prison but suspended a year on condition that he does not commit a similar offence. Prosecuting, Mrs Ntombikayise Nleya-Mtlongwa proved that on January 14, Kapote, acting in concert with others, invaded Choppies Supermarket and took 60kg of beef. The matter came to light after the police received an anonymous call from someone who had identified Kapote from the video. He was arrested at Chimubayira Complex in Unit H where he claimed to have only offered to assist someone to carry the beef which they eventually shared. Bhunu (27), from Harare, was also sentenced to four years in prison after he was convicted for looting groceries at the same Choppies supermarket during the demonstrations. Bhunu and Godsave Mukore (25), who were represented by Miss Tinomuda Shoko of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, were charged with public violence and theft when they appeared before magistrate Mrs Blessing Murwisi. Prosecutor Ms Tendayi Shonhayi told the court that on January 14 at around 11am the two were involved in the vandalism of Chitungwizas only traffic light situated at Unit C Junction and looting of groceries at Choppies Supermarket. Mukore was, however, acquitted after the State failed to prove its case. Bhunu was convicted and initially sentenced to five years in jail but one year was suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar crime in the next five years. Ms Shonhayi proved that the accused person and others who are still at large sold some of the looted groceries to passers-by and hid part of the loot along a stream behind Tafa Shopping Centre in Unit D. After Bhunu was apprehended on January 14, the police only recovered a 2kg pack of flour as the rest of the groceries had been taken away by his accomplices. A text message found on his mobile phone from the day of the incident where he was telling one Norest to come and collect the looted goods, also gave him away. It read: . . . meno kwaari huyai mutore grocery, talooter muChoppies. Meanwhile, Sango (24) was slapped with a three-year jail term for committing public violence by Mr Vitorini. Sango, from Chitungwiza, was initially jointly charged with Sandurai Nyatete (20) and Spencer Mudzingwa (22) but Mudzingwa was discharged at the close of the State case while Nyatete was acquitted after a full trial. Prosecuting, Mrs Nleya-Mtlongwa proved that on January 14 at around 2pm while a Sergeant Jeko and others were on duty at the VID depot at Makoni Shopping Centre, they came across Nyasha Chiyangwa in the company of Mudzingwa exiting the departments premises. The police noticed some rubber stamp markings on their faces and arms but Mudzingwa ran away. Upon interrogation, Chiyangwa indicated that he had been stamped by Mudzingwa after they broke into the VID offices. He also revealed that they had looted some shops at Chitungwiza Town Centre. He led the team to Unit F where they located Mudzingwa and arrested him. Mudzingwa then implicated Sango. Police recovered a swipe machine, desktop computer and some groceries, while Sangos national identification card was found at one of the offices at the VID depot. Herald Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News THE European Union (EU) has told President Emmerson Mnangagwa that the bloc would only consider extending aid to his government if the Harare administration met certain conditions that include respect for human rights and holding of credible elections. This followed Mnangagwas meeting with the EU commissioner for international co-operation and development, Neven Mimica on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Saturday where the two discussed developments in Zimbabwe, including the recent military crackdown on fuel protests, which left 17 dead. Zimbabwe has held disputed elections since 2000 when the ruling Zanu PF party started facing strong opposition from the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC. The July 30 polls last year were no different. The disputed elections deepened the economic malaise, while a security crackdown on post-election protests on August 1 last year and another ruthless suppression of demonstrations against fuel price increases of 150% drew comparisons with the dark days of former President Robert Mugabes regime. Mimica, who was in Zimbabwe last year, using his official Twitter account on Saturday, announced the meeting with Mnangagwa who is under pressure over his administrations reaction to the protests. In the margins of the AU summit, I met with the President of Zimbabwe ED Mnangagwa, a few months after my visit to Harare. We took stock of what has been achieved and agreed that more needs to be done, EU is ready to step up its support if conditions are met, Mimica wrote. The EU, which had been pressured by Britain to back Mnangagwa, has been pressing for a raft of changes, which include electoral law and security sector reforms. Britain last month said it regretted taking a soft stance on Mnangagwa, and vowed to pressure the African Union to independently probe human rights violations in its former colony. In the EUs electoral observer mission report, the bloc noted serious gaps that ranged from a poor legal framework to the role of the electoral commission. The bloc did not endorse the elections as free and fair and pointed out that the results could not be verified or traced, adding that more needed to be done to create a conducive environment for undisputed polls. It also condemned the States heavy-handedness in dealing with the January demonstrations, and called on Mnangagwa to investigate the violations and bring the culprits to book. Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo confirmed the meeting with Mimica, saying re-engagement efforts by the government were still on track. Zimbabwes re-engagement efforts are still on track despite politically-motivated violence and the African Union (AU) is fully apprised of recent developments in the country, Moyo said on Twitter. Mnangagwa upped his diplomatic engagements ahead of the AU summit, dispatching emissaries to African countries to lobby for support after seemingly being ditched by Britain. The President dispatched long-time diplomat and ally Christopher Mutsvangwa, with a special message to Zambia, while Agriculture minister Perrance Shiri met Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta ahead of the summit. Mnangagwa last week missed a Zanu PF thank you rally in Mt Darwin and instead reportedly spent the day in office calling African leaders to apprise them about the situation in Harare, according to presidential spokesperson George Charamba. Zimbabwe churches last Thursday sought to broker talks between the government and its opponents hoping to help the country to shake off its divided past over the political and economic crisis. MDCs Nelson Chamisa attended, while Mnangagwa skipped the meeting. Chamisa had the previous day declined to attend a meeting of presidential election candidates in last years poll called by Mnangagwa to agree on an agenda for talks. The opposition leader maintained that he won the July 30, 2018 poll and called Mnangagwa an illegitimate President. NewsDay Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News There are 20 states that do not execute people today. That has been a relief to Christians in those states whose belief of Thou shall not kill is strong. This nation has killed 1,491 people since 1976. Of those, 559 were killed in Texas. In 2018, the other 29 states killed 12 people. Texas killed 13. Just the other day, Texas killed the first person in 2019. Not to say those people did not deserve to be punished for their crime, but, frankly, Christians would rather see them stay in prison the rest of their life and let God determine their sin. The fact is it also costs two-thirds more to kill than to lock them up for life. I think Texas should become the 21st state to stop killing people and let God determine the outcome. Jim Denton, Gatesville No-manners Pelosi I was watching President Donald Trump give the State of the Union speech. Right behind him was Nancy Pelosi rudely reading things and holding them up for everyone to see that she was not paying any attention. I dont care how much she hates him, she should show some respect on national TV and hold her reading material until a later time. Obviously, she is not one of my favorites. Brenda Davis More like a dream Re: Report calls out states top polluters, Metro, Feb. 1: Thanks for publishing the article on the citys Climate Action Report. The report calls itself a plan for the city to be carbon neutral by 2050, yet there is not one estimate of how much the proposed actions would cost. A plan without an estimated cost is a not a plan, its a daydream. The cost for the actions proposed easily could be hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes and direct expenses to the residents of San Antonio. And the global temperature in 2050 will be no different than if we had done nothing, because China and Indias CO2 emissions will overwhelm the rest of the worlds emissions for the next 30 years. Melvin Ingalls EL PASO President Donald Trump today takes his case for a border wall back to Texas as the possibility of another government shutdown just days from now looms. Trump returns to the state to hold a rally at 8 p.m. CST in El Paso, a city he said just a week ago during the State of the Union Address has seen a drop in crime because of fencing that separates El Paso from Juarez, Mexico. Now, with a powerful barrier in place, El Paso is one of our safest cities, Trump said. On Saturday, Beto ORourke countered that Trump lies about El Paso. The potential 2020 presidential contender said he will join with community leaders and elected officials for a protest march and counterdemonstration just a few miles from where Trump will deliver his speech at the El Paso County Coliseum. That march begins at 6 p.m. CST and 5 p.m. in El Paso, which is in the mountain time zone. ORourke is expected to take the stage at 8 p.m., the same time Trumps rally begins. EDITORIAL: Welcome, Mr. President. Here's the truth about El Paso ORourke said the counterrally, called March for Truth is a positive, peaceful opportunity to tell our story. On social media over the weekend, he called on his supporters to flood El Paso with marchers. Construction of the border fencing in El Paso began in 2008 when President George W. Bush was still in office. Originally 57 miles of fencing was proposed in El Paso along the border. At least 42 miles have been built, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The barriers are a combination of steel and metal mesh and is over 20 feet high in some parts. El Paso rallies Trump rally When: 8 p.m. CST today Where: El Paso County Coliseum Who: President Donald Trump addresses the need for a border wall Where to watch: Will be aired live on CSPAN March for Truth When: 6 p.m. CST today Where: Starts at Bowie High School in El Paso and goes to Chalio Acosta Park Who: Former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, the Border Network for Human Rights and state Rep. Cesar Blanco. O'Rourke is scheduled to speak at 8 p.m CST at Chalio Acosta Park See More Collapse On Sunday, Trump painted a grim picture of negotiations between congressional Republicans and Democrats on a proposed border wall. Trump ended the shutdown, but on condition that Democrats and Republicans work on a border wall deal before another potential shutdown, which could begin this week. On Sunday, talks were reported to be stalled over whether to limit the number of migrants that authorities can detain. I dont think the Dems on the Border Committee are being allowed by their leaders to make a deal, Trump wrote on Twitter on Sunday. They are offering very little money for the desperately needed Border Wall & now, out of the blue, want a cap on convicted violent felons to be held in detention! When he lands in El Paso, it will mark Trumps eighth visit to Texas since he was sworn in as president. Most recently, he was in McAllen where he also focused on the need for a border wall. New Braunfels police made an arrest in a shooting that left a 19-year-old critically wounded, officials said. Joshua Elijah Limon, 18, was taken into custody on Sunday on suspicion of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox On Sunday, New Braunfels police responded to the 2900 block of Oakdell Trail around 5:15 p.m. for a reported shooting. Officers found a 19-year-old Converse man inside the home with multiple gunshot wounds, authorities said. He was taken to the San Antonio Military Medical Center. He remained in critical condition Monday, police said. Investigators determined Limon had gotten into an argument with the man before the shooting occurred, police said. RELATED: Jurors see photos of inside S.A. home where mother fatally shot Limon had previously been arrested last summer when police said he and his brother, Zion Jacob Limon, assaulted a ride-share driver before robbing him. That case is still pending, records showed. Limon has not had a bail hearing for his most recent arrest as of Monday, police said. Police said additional charges may be pending in the case. Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | fsabawi@mysa.com|@FaresInSA Police arrested two women and found heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana and cash after executing a search warrant at a Seguin home on Sunday, authorities said. Samantha Salazar, 28, and Erica Medrano, 34, were both taken into custody after officers searched a home in the 600 block of Maldonado Avenue, according to the police department. San Antonio police arrested a man Sunday who is accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl while the two watched a movie together. Eligio Ramirez, 52, is charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child, jail records show. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox The 13-year-old girl came forward with her allegations against Ramirez on Aug. 19, according to his arrest affidavit. The relationship between the two is not detailed in the document. The girl told police that on the previous day Ramirez began groping her while the two watched the movie. When the movie was over, the girl said, Ramirez turned off the television and then continued sexually assaulting her, according to the affidavit. The girl told investigators she didn't have the "courage to tell him no," the affidavit says. RELATED: Investigation: 700 victims of Southern Baptist sexual abuse Ramirez denied the allegations when police interviewed him, according to the arrest affidavit. Investigators obtained a warrant for his DNA and compared it to evidence that was gathered with the girl's sexual assault nurse examination. In February, police received the forensic report that indicated Ramirez's DNA was found on the girl and on a blanket she was laying on during the alleged assault. Ramirez posted his $25,000 bail and was released from Bexar County Jail on Monday, according to court records. Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | fsabawi@mysa.com|@FaresInSA Police are searching for the driver who ran over a 54-year-old man and his daughter Saturday in downtown San Marcos, leaving the man with severe head injuries and possible permanent brain damage, officials said. Pedro Ybarra and his daughter, Larissa Ybarra, 23, were in a crosswalk at the intersection of North LBJ Drive and Hutchison Street at about 10:30 p.m. when they were struck by a Chevrolet Tahoe, according to San Marcos police. A San Antonio man accused of killing his wife sent her pictures of a rifle and bullets, and text messages that alternately indicated he loved her, hated her and wanted to end his life, according to evidence presented Monday in the trial of Gabriel Martinez. I just want to kill myself so (expletive) bad, prosecutor Ryan White read aloud from a text message, as San Antonio police crime scene investigator Robert Rackley testified in the second day of the trial. Martinez also apologized for pointing a gun at her in one text, testimony showed. Martinez, 37, is charged with murder in the May 18, 2016, death of his common-law wife, Lori Lee Ortiz, 35. Hes accused of shooting her three times then turning the gun on himself. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio man charged with murder in wifes death Cellphone downloads established that Martinez was angry at Ortiz and also desperately wanted her to stay with him, witnesses said. He sent numerous text messages and pictures eight days before her death. A photograph of a rifle was accompanied by a text that said, Im putting it to my heart, and done, White read aloud to the court. Earlier Monday, a San Antonio Fire Department captain testified that Ortiz barely had a pulse when firefighters arrived after receiving a 911 call from the couples distraught daughter. Capt. Ramon Casanova said firefighters arrived at the home in the 7000 block of Myrtle Valley on the Southwest Side to find Ortiz and Martinez both injured. By the time emergency medical technicians arrived minutes later, however, Ortizs pulse was no longer discernible. No pulse was ever discovered by medics, he testified. They were never able to find a palpable pulse. They continued working on her all the way to the hospital. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox Ortiz, 35, was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at University Hospital. Martinez, who was critically injured with a gunshot to the abdomen, underwent surgery. He was booked by proxy while he was hospitalized. Jurors on Monday afternoon saw numerous photographs taken by San Antonio police crime scene investigators of the master bedroom where the shooting occurred. The pictures depicted at least six bullet holes at the foot of the bed, in the mattress, comforter, sheets, the bathroom mirror and a shower curtain that acted as a door to the bathroom. Jurors also heard testimony from Bexar County Deputy Medical Examiner Kimberly Molina, who gave details of Ortizs three wounds one in the right upper arm, another in the left upper chest near the breast and the last wound on the right side in the middle of her back. In that last one, the bullet traveled across her body and hit both kidneys, her aorta, stomach and spleen before it exited on the left side of her back. All of these were potentially lethal, she testified. Martinez pleaded not guilty before Judge Ron Rangel as his trial began Friday morning. On the first day of the trial, jurors heard testimony from the couple's daughter, Brianna Martinez, now 18, who told the panel her father accused her mother of having an affair in the days before her death, and the night before the shooting, she said she saw her father point a gun at her mother while the pair sat at the kitchen table. Related: Jurors hear terrified teen on 911 tape saying her father shot her mother The panel also heard a chilling 911 call in which the sobbing teen, 15 at the time, told a 911 operator to send an ambulance, because her parents had been shot. When asked who shot whom, Brianna Martinez replied, my dad shot my mom. If found guilty of murder, Gabriel Martinez faces up to life in prison. The trial is being held in the 379th state District Court. Elizabeth Zavala covers county and state courts in San Antonio. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863 For 30 years, Kenneth Garrett owned and helped operate the Bonham Exchange, one of the oldest and most popular LGBT-friendly clubs in San Antonio, carefully preserving the character that his boyfriend Arthur "Hap" Veltman had established there before his death in 1988. On Friday, Garrett died while sleeping at his home. He was 69. Friends remembered him as an advocate for and key figure in San Antonio's LGBT community who played a hands-on role in operating the Bonham Exchange. Rest in paradise Kenneth and give Hap a warm hug from all of us, the Bonham Exchange said in a Facebook post Saturday. Thank you for the amazing impact youve made on us all. You will be dearly missed and forever remembered. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox. Garrett and Veltman met in the 1970s at Fiesta, according to longtime friend Gene Elder. Elder was friends with Veltman at the time, and the moment he saw Garrett he was confident the two would match. Garrett and Veltman found each other on their own, and remained life partners until Veltman's death. During that period, Veltman shut down the San Antonio Country, a bar he owned at the time, and in 1981 opened the Bonham Exchange. He and Garrett found great enjoyment in choosing the well-known downtown building for the dance club, Elder said. "We just thought that was great fun, and there couldn't have been a better chess move to buy than the building that's next to the Alamo," Elder said. RELATED: Bonham Exchange goes all out for Pride dance party in June Garrett was involved with the Bonham before Veltman's death, but became more invested when he inherited ownership. He worked with its staff to ensure the Bonham never lost the vibe Veltman had created. "It's always been a liberated gay bar that was addressing the civil rights and issues of the gay community," Elder said. "But of course, it was always everybody's bar. Everybody always came to it. (Garrett) kept the spirit of the Bonham going and I think he did a really good job of it too." Garrett also served as president of the Happy Foundation, started in Veltman's honor, which is dedicated collecting the history of the LGBT community in San Antonio. "Kenneth was very supportive of that. He always believed that we needed to do that," Elder said. Both the Bonham Exchange and the Happy Foundation are in good hands to continue moving forward, Elder said. When not supporting the San Antonio LGBTQ community, Garrett busied himself taking care of stray cats and dogs. No information was available Monday on funeral arrangements for Garrett. S. M. Chavey is a breaking news and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | sarah.chavey@express-news.net | @smchavey Two westbound lanes of Interstate 10 remained shut down late Monday following a barge striking a bridge in east Harris County, authorities said. The accident occurred around 4 p.m. Monday at the San Jacinto River Bridge. Given the blackface scandal in Virginia, Rice student Charlie Paul wondered what he might find if he looked at his own university's yearbooks. On Wednesday, as he made his way through yearbooks starting in 1919, he began tweeting his finds: Racist cartoons; photos of students performing in blackface; an otherwise flattering photo of an actual African-American captioned with the n-word. Maybe most shocking to modern eyes was a photo from 1922: "The Klu Klux Klan of Rice Institute" showed about 20 people, faces hidden, in white robes and hoods. Paul's tweet-stream took off, sparking conversations across the internet and, most particularly, at Rice. On Sunday, Rice President David Leebron emailed a letter to the "Rice community." "It is appropriate," Leebron wrote "for institutions to take a renewed look at their own histories. For Rice, this history has been clear and painful." ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Reaction mixed as tweet-storm sets off discussion of the university's racist past Rice is hardly alone. In Virginia, scandals related to blackface in college are proliferating so fast they're hard to keep track of. A blackface photo appeared on a yearbook personal page for Gov. Ralph Northam, and the state's top Republican, Senate Majority Leader Tommy Norment, was in charge of a college yearbook that included not just blackface photos but other racial slurs. A third official,Attorney General Mark Herring, recently admitted that he wore blackface in college but he appears not to have left a yearbook record of it. Kelley Lash, director of Rice's student media, is active in the College Media Association, for professionals who work with yearbooks and student newspapers. On the yearbook pros listserv and Twitter, she says, discussion of the recent blackface scandals roiling Virginia takes a bemused tone: "Our conversations are more like, 'Oh, you're noticing this now?'" she says. And to people familiar with old yearbooks, racist images from the early part of the 20th century are a well-known fact of life. "I get kind of irritated," says Lee Pecht, Rice's archivist. "In the '20s and '30s, of course you're going to have these things. It's unfair to single out any single institution." Rice, founded in 1891, was not markedly different than other universities. Founder William Marsh Rice had owned slaves, and the charter specified that the university was for white students a provision that stayed in place until the 1960s, when Rice went to court to have it removed. The university's first black student was admitted in 1964. "As members of the Rice community, we ought to learn about our own history and acknowledge aspects of that history that are distasteful and painful," Leebron wrote in his public letter. Disturbing photos from the past, he wrote, "do not live solely in the past; they are reminders of the persistence of racial discrimination and as such fall with sharp impact on those members of our community faculty, staff, students and alumni directly affected." In discussing racism embedded in the university's history, Rice joins universities across the U.S. which, in the last decade, have begun more openly discussing problematic pasts. The first nine presidents of Princeton, we've learned, owned slaves. Stanford's first president was an active supporter of eugenics. And in the 1920s, when Klan membership was at its historic peak, the University of Wisconsin had not just one but two student organizations operating as the KKK. Paul, a white senior majoring in computer science, hadn't thought that his Twitter thread would resonate outside Rice's hedges: "I expected one of my poli-sci friends to 'like' it, and then it'd die." But to Rice students, he says, the images have special power. "We've all seen enough photos of blackface," he says. "But when something like that is framed next to the Rice Sallyport or Sammy the Owl, it feels different. This ties it all to things that I walk by every day." But he seems surprised by other people's shock that Rice, in the first part of the twentieth century, was as racist as any other place in the segregated South. "We're an old institution in the South," he said. "Not that this sort of thing is limited to the South." Over the weekend, Paul shut down his personal Twitter account. "A Twitter thread isn't the best for putting things in a proper historical context," he says. Instead, Paul hopes to move his yearbook revelations to the Rice Thresher, the student newspaper, where he's the web editor. "There are people there who know a lot more than I do about Rice's history," he says. He's been working in chronological order, and when he took down his personal Twitter account, he'd just reached the 1960s. That's both the decade when Rice integrated and also the threshold of what he calls "living memory" at Rice. Paul's oldest professor Dr. Gilbert Cuthbertson, a political science prof who still uses a manual typewriter started teaching at Rice in 1963. "I'm about to get to things that happened while Doc C was here, on campus," says Paul. "That makes it realer." My great-great-great-grandmother, Andrea Castanon Villanueva (Madam Candelaria), was a survivor of the 1836 Battle of the Alamo. How many women survived the Battle of the Alamo? Richard Villanueva It depends on your definition of a survivor. As far as is known, only a few dependents of the Texian combatants spent most or all of the siege within the Alamo walls. Bruce Winders, curator and historian of the Alamo, points toward a page about them in the Visitor Information section of the shrine's website, www.thealamo.org. Some defenders who had relatives in San Antonio brought family members into the Alamo rather than leave them to an uncertain fate when (Mexican President and Gen. Antonio Lopez de) Santa Anna's Centralist forces occupied the town, says the answer to a frequently asked question, Were There Survivors at the Alamo? But as with other aspects of the battle, The exact number and identity of all survivors will never be known. The website names a small number of survivors for whom evidence has been found to show that (these) individuals were inside the Alamo compound during the siege and battle. A few women are on that short list. According to the Handbook of Texas, 22-year-old Susanna Dickinson (also spelled Dickenson), wife of defender Almaron Dickinson, moved into the Alamo with their 15-month-old daughter, Angelina, when Santa Anna's forces captured San Antonio on Feb. 23, 1836. After the battle, Mexican soldiers found Mrs. Dickinson hiding in one of the buildings; she and her daughter were taken with other survivors to the home of Ramon Musquiz, a local merchant and former political chief in whose house the family previously had lodged. Another young woman recognized on the Alamo's list was native San Antonian Juana Navarro Alsbury, 24, niece of the prominent merchant and Tejano patriot Jose Antonio Navarro and newly married to Dr. Horace Alexander Alsbury, who left her at the Alamo the same day the Dickinsons moved into the fortress. These authorities don't list Madam Candelaria as a survivor of the Battle of the Alamo, probably because her connection to the Alamo defenders is much more tenuous. Married to Candelario Villanueva, she became known as Madam Candelaria. She was known for her cooking and hospitality in a square building with a flat roof on Market Street, where she and her husband ran a party house, and she was considered the presiding genius of the fandango (a social event), where the beaux and belles of San Antonio played and danced to the sweet strains of the orchestra and dined on the delicious dishes prepared by Senora Candelaria's own hand, says a historical article in the San Antonio Express, Dec. 31, 1933. Madam Candelaria may have learned her nursing skills at the fandangos, occasionally marred by serious fights in which the knife or the pistol was the arbiter and in which death often took a hand. Some accounts place the couple's establishment closer to the Alamo, portraying them as innkeepers who got to know the Alamo defenders as customers before the siege. Madam Candelaria's memories, often retold in her old age, include seeing David Crockett play his fiddle and wearing a peculiar cap, attributes that have been disputed by historians. Most important, she is supposed to have entered the Alamo compound during the siege to nurse James Bowie, seriously ill with a fever during the battle. In one of Alsbury's later accounts, she remembers seeing Madam Candelaria raise Bowie's head to give him water just before he was killed by Mexican soldiers. As the latter became San Antonio's recognized oldest living inhabitant, she was often called upon to tell of that fateful day, which she often related, nearly 60 years after the battle, with tears running down her cheeks. Madam Candelaria seems at least once to have removed herself from the Alamo story. Some have credited her with having been inside of the Alamo walls at the slaughter, but that is a mistake, doubtless resulting from the well-founded claim that she was in the city, says the Express, May 6, 1886. Having enlisted her sympathies with the Texans ... (she) of course took a lively interest in the great events of those stirring and dangerous times. A few years later, however, she applied for a state pension and received one in 1891 in recognition for her services to the republic and state of Texas in nursing Texas soldiers during the war. Did they include any of the Alamo defenders, or does this wording refer to a later smallpox epidemic? Historians are in disagreement over her claim but most believe she was there, says her entry in the Handbook, noting that Enrique Esparza famed as The Boy in the Alamo said she might have been one of the women in the Alamo and that he would not dispute her claim that she was present. With her memory and her gift for storytelling intact, the living landmark died at a great age either 105 or 113, but surely past the century mark. Were the marks on her face merely furrows carved by a long life, or were they scars from an attack by Mexican soldiers as she defended the dying Bowie? Since evidence about the Alamo survivors is sparse and fragmentary, says the Handbook, it is unlikely that the dispute will ever be settled. Email Paula Allen at historycolumn@yahoo.com. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/sahistorycolumn. Steak-loving sweethearts searching for a Valentine's Day spot that's a cut above the rest can find two of the country's "most-romantic" restaurants in San Antonio. Bohanan's Prime Steaks and Seafood and Myron's both secured spots on OpenTable's annual list of the 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America. The online restaurant reservation service published the lineup just in time for Valentine's Day to help foodies fan the flames. Bohanan's, Myrons and the other 98 mentions were chosen from more than 28,000 restaurants following an analysis of more than 12 million reviews submitted by verified diners throughout the nation, the website explains. With their two young kids in tow, Juston and Kristen Herbert drove to a Target near their home outside Scottsdale, Arizona. It was time to get to work. The Herberts were on the hunt for all of the Contigo water bottles the store had in stock, and kept the camera rolling for their 6,400 YouTube subscribers. Within minutes, an employee pulled out 32 two-packs - sold on clearance for $5 each - from a back storage room. For two people who recently left their jobs in finance, the blue-and-black plastic bottles might as well have been made of gold. The Herberts would resell the two-packs on Amazon for $19.95. Subtracting some taxes and fees, they'd clear $6.16 in profit. All told, the Herbert's 10-minute Target run earned them $198. Juston, 30, and Kristen, 28, estimate they can reel in $150,000 this year from their newest gig: retail arbitrage. The basic idea is to buy up a bunch of the same item - from water bottles to vacuums to Monopoly boards - and then resell them online for a handsome profit. For some, this is just a lucrative side hustle - perhaps to climb out of debt or save up for a Disney World vacation. For others, it has become their primary way of earning a living. And beyond that, the Herberts say, this work is helping them build up $50,000 so they can adopt a child. "If we're showing that you can come up with big money for an adoption," Kristen said, "you can come up with big money to get yourself out of a hole, credit card debt or a house payment." While the idea to buy something cheap and sell it at a higher price is age-old, the concept of retail arbitrage has emerged in the digital age. Chris Green wrote one of the go-to how-to books on the topic, titled "Retail Arbitrage." And he's helped popularize the moniker. The term seems to be having a moment. In December, according to Google Trends, searches for "retail arbitrage" spiked on YouTube, where aficionados post videos of their shopping and reselling sprees. (One reseller, who has more than 52,000 YouTube subscribers, filmed his 22-hour buying binge through 17 Walmarts. He filled his trunk with 182 Monopoly games and flipped most of them in one night for $2,500.) In the early 2000s, resellers started flipping products on eBay. But Green's guide focused on the engine behind many of these small businesses: Fulfillment By Amazon, or FBA. Through FBA, people can add their own products to Amazon's vast online catalogue. Sellers package their products and ship them to Amazon warehouses, where they are stored until an order comes in. Amazon takes it from there - pulling an item off the warehouse shelf and getting it to the customer's door. Green, who's been dubbed the "godfather of retail arbitrage," used to be a sales representative for Bosch Power Tools. He started reselling power tools on eBay in the early 2000s. Then, with the rise of Android and iPhone apps that can scan products and track down major sales, Green realized retail arbitrage could work for anyone, even those who didn't know the inner workings of an industry. "I used to teach grandmas to do it," Green said. For Mike "Reezy Resells" Rezendes, retail arbitrage has been a kind of salvation. Rezendes said he grew up in a troubled household and was married with a child by 16. As a teenager, he noticed commercials for eBay on TV and started selling whatever he could rummage around the house, like his Nintendo and its games and controllers. Now, Rezendes, 34, has been reselling items online full-time for 14 years. His YouTube channel, "Reezy Resells," has more than 85,000 subscribers (Rezendes calls his followers "Reezy's ninjas.") He runs his company with his best friend from high school and oversees a small team who buy up goods from stores like Nike, Marshalls and Ross. Last year, the company saw $800,000 in gross sales for about $240,000 in profit. In January, he got more than $8,000 in ad revenue from YouTube. One day last month, Rezendes had more than 100 pairs of Nike shoes in his garage that he planned to ship to Amazon. He was working on a YouTube video breaking down how he bought 100 Nerf guns from Target.com and flipped them for $1,500. Rezendes, who lives in Santa Cruz, California, said retail arbitrage has kept him from having to fill a 9-to-5 desk job. But he also knows online resellers and small-business owners like him are crucial to Amazon's model. Amazon "needs people like me to fill all the holes in the marketplace," he said. "We're literally flesh-and-blood robots for Amazon," Rezendes said. The retail giant hasn't shied away from promoting its small businesses: In 2018, the number of small and medium-size businesses that passed $1 million in sales in Amazon stores worldwide grew by 20 percent. Third-party sales are growing at a faster rate than first-party sales online, the company said last month. You'll find Shane Myers on YouTube as the "Rise N Grind Picker" - with 15,000 YouTube subscribers. Three years ago, with $20 in his savings account, Myers started reselling thrift store merchandise on eBay. He turned to Amazon in August. By September, Myers had churned out more than $2,000 selling used books alone. In his first three months back on retail arbitrage, he'd paid off all his credit card debt and car payments. Myers, 31, pays $30 a month for an app called BrickSeek, which helps him find markdowns at big-box stores like Walmart and Target. A few weeks ago, Myers hit multiple Walmarts within a 150-mile radius and came home with 218 packages of lightbulbs. He found them on clearance for $2 each. He marked up the price and netted $4 to $5 on each package. The grand total: more than $1,100 in profit. Myers hopes that within the next year and a half he can move to retail arbitrage full time and will have paid off his house. And he hopes he'll never miss his daughter's birthday again for work, like when he was clocking in at his old day job in retail. "I see money everywhere," Myers said. "If I walk into a store, it's just like a dollar sign sitting on the shelf." Sonora, CA There are some questions still lingering, and even potential opportunities on the horizon, for Tuolumne Countys largest water supplier following the bankruptcy of PG&E. The topic came up during the 30 minute Mother Lodes Views radio program that aired over the weekend featuring new TUD General Manager Ed Pattison and Public Relations Coordinator Lisa Westbrook. General Manager Pattison spoke about his desire to be proactive over the coming years to improve the districts aging and complex infrastructure. He noted that one of the districts long-term goals is to reduce the number of water treatment plants from 11 down to two. In addition, he was asked if it is realistic that Tuolumne County, or TUD, will ever acquire its own water rights. TUD utilizes Lyons Reservoir and Pinecrest Lake as its primary water supply as part of a decades old agreement with PG&E. Pattison stated, As some people may now, the Tuolumne Utilities District, on behalf of many residents of Tuolumne County, about 55,000, benefit from a 1983 agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric. Now that they (PG&E) are in bankruptcy, one my chief concerns is the continuation of that 1983 contract and PG&Es ability to honor that contract. PG&Es statement is that they will continue to provide services during this bankruptcy, and we have not seen any reason not to believe that. I think they have been responsive with the recent power outages. But, we are concerned about potential uncertainty in regards to water supply. He hinted that the TUD Board of Directors will look at wide ranging possibilities over the coming months to increase the districts supply, including the possibility of acquiring some of PG&E assets. It would take various community partnerships, and stakeholders, coming together for a common cause. Similar to how Tuolumne County has undertaken a recent fire initiative, Pattison would like to see TUD lead a similar type water supply initiative. It is something the board will discuss at future meetings. He added, More generally, there are projects out there to improve efficiencies, reduce unaccounted for water and possible acquisition of certain PG&E systems, so that TUD and Tuolumne County can own its own water supply, own its own water storage facilities, its own hydropower facilities, and its own water rights. Its all a portfolio, if you will, of water supply that would benefit Tuolumne County. He then concluded, Do we have enough money for all of this? That, at the end of the day, is the big question. All I can say right now is that we are looking into it. We need to determine what that cost is, where we are at right now, and together as a community, and partnering agencies, how we get from here to there. Other tidbits from the interview were that by the end of the year, the district hopes to put the finishing touches on an ongoing collaborative fire break project at Lyons Reservoir. Partners include the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, PG&E, Sierra Pacific, the Highway 108 FireSafe Council, California Conservation Corps. and the Tuolumne Rancheria Fire Department. Another positive note is that the recent storms have quelled any concerns about water supply over the upcoming summer months. On a more challenging note, the start of a major dredging project at Phoenix Lake will likely be delayed until 2020 due to the need to acquire permits. To find the entire 30-minute show, where additional projects and topics were discussed, click here. President Donald Trump View Photos President Trump spoke at last weeks National Prayer Breakfast at the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C.. Trump was Mondays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here are his words: On Tuesday, it was my profound honor to address the nation from the House Chamber of the State of the Union. And our union, as you heard me say, is very, very strong. (Applause.) As I said in my address, there is no limit to what we can achieve if we follow the path of cooperation, compromise, and the common good. Americas potential is unlimited because our extraordinary people are just something that is number one, no matter where you go. We have people they love our country and they love their faith. We are graced by those extraordinary heroes from Tuesday night: The SWAT Officer Timothy Matson, who raced and raced through a very, very bullet-filled doorway. He was shot many, many times. He has been operated on many times, and, unfortunately, he is going back for more. But he was really stopped from having something as bad as it was. The Tree of Life synagogue was a horrible, horrible event, and he really did do a job. He made it so much better. It was so good to see him. I saw him in the hospital, and he was suffering, and hes still suffering. But he told me the other night he is so proud to have been a part. He was just a great, great gentleman. We introduced him the other night. The wonderful, young girl Grace, who overcame brain cancer had no idea this was going to happen to her and bravely rallied an entire community. And the intrepid soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy in the Allied liberation of Europe. On D-Day, all those warriors set out on their mission of liberation; President Franklin Delano Roosevelt led our nation in prayer. In a national radio address, President Roosevelt began with these solemn words: Almighty God: Our sons, the pride of our Nation, on this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization. Since the founding of our nation, many of our greatest strides from gaining our independence, to abolition, of [to] civil rights, to extending the vote for women have been led by people of faith and started in prayer. When we open our hearts to faith, we fill our hearts with love. Many of the people in this room lead and support the charities and faith-based institutions that bring hope to the lives of our citizens, comfort to those in despair, and solace to those in grief, aid to those in need, and a helping hand to the struggling people all around the world, of which there are so many. With us today are leaders involved with Prison Fellowship, started by the late Chuck Colson a man transformed by leaders of this breakfast. Today, Prison Fellowship ministers to more than 300,000 prisoners across America to help others like Alice Johnson and Matthew Charles, who we saw Tuesday night, transform their lives through the mercy and grace of God. And faith leaders helped us achieve historic bipartisan criminal justice reform. (Applause.) Theyve been wanting to do that for many, many years, and we all together got it done. We just passed the FIRST STEP Act into law. So thank you very much, everybody in the room, for that help. That was a very big thing for our country. (Applause.) America is a nation that believes in redemption. Every day, the people in this room demonstrate the power of faith to transform lives, heal communities, and lift up the forgotten. Some of those in this room are among the Muslim and Christian faith leaders from Minnesota who partnered to send millions of meals to Somalia last year. Also with us today are Catholics, Evangelicals, and members of the Jewish faith who help build homes for our fellow citizens through Habitat for Humanity. As President, I will always cherish, honor, and protect the believers who uplift our communities and sustain our nation. To ensure that people of faith can always contribute to our society, my administration has taken historic action to protect religious liberty. (Applause.) Here with us this morning are Melissa and Chad Buck from Holt, Michigan. In 2009, they decided to adopt. Soon, they got a call about three young siblings in a terribly abusive home. Melissa and Chad had only a few minutes to decide, and they said yes to all three. Today, the Bucks have five beautiful adopted children. As Melissa has said, They are the sweetest, most lovable children. They have the most unique gifts. Two of them have joined us for this breakfast: 10-year-old Max and 9-year-old Liz. To Max, Liz, and the entire Buck family, thank you for inspiring us all. (Applause.) Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you. Unfortunately, the Michigan adoption charity that brought the Buck family together is now defending itself in court for living by the values of its Catholic faith. We will always protect our countrys long and proud tradition of faith-based adoption. (Applause.) My administration is working to ensure that faith-based adoption agencies are able to help vulnerable children find their forever families, while following their deeply held beliefs. (Applause.) My administration is also speaking out against religious persecution around the world, including against religious minorities, Christians, and the Jewish community. (Applause.) This week, I appointed a new Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, and with us thank you very much Elon Carr. Thank you. Thank you very much. (Applause.) A very effective person. The courageous Holocaust survivors in the gallery on Tuesday night powerfully remind us, and remind us all, of our solemn pledge: Never again. (Applause.) My administration is also continuing to fight for American hostages who have been imprisoned overseas for their religious beliefs. Last October, we reached an agreement with Turkey to release Pastor Andrew Brunson, who is now free and joins us here this morning. Where is Andrew? (Applause.) He was there for a long time before I got there, and I said, Youve got to let him out. (Laughter.) You better let him out. And they let you out. (Laughter.) It was a miracle. (Applause.) Right? We spent a lot of time together. Terrific man. Terrific family. Thank you very much, Andrew. This Saturday, Pastor Brunson will walk his daughter down the aisle. Wow, thats great. Congratulations. Was I invited? I dont know. Was I invited? (Laughter.) He said, Yes. Thank you. (Laughter.) To protect the dignity and worth of every person, my administration has taken historic action to combat human trafficking. Last year, I directed the State Department to cut off development aid to nations that do not demonstrate a commitment to ending human trafficking in their own countries. (Applause.) And we are fighting every day to stop the tragedy of human trafficking all along our southern border. Together, we will end the scourge of modern-day slavery that, because of the Internet, is at levels that nobody can believe. The Internet came along, and some good things happened. But some very bad things happened, and this is one of them. As part of our commitment to building a just and loving society, we must build a culture that cherishes the dignity and sanctity of innocent human life. (Applause.) All children, born and unborn, are made in the holy image of God. (Applause.) Thank you. Every life is sacred, and every soul is a precious gift from Heaven. As the Lord says in Jeremiah, Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you Before you were born, I set you apart. Here with us today are Nikki and Tyler Watkinson. Our wonderful First Lady Melania, who is right now working very hard with a group of people and saying a few words on opioids shes very much involved; she wanted to be here so badly, but shell be here with us next year recently met with them and, when she visited them at Childrens Hospital, was so impressed. Last year, Nikki went into early labor during a blizzard. As she and Tyler were driving to the hospital, their son Grayson was born in the front seat. He was born four months premature, and weighed only 1 pound and 11 ounces. But he let out little, tiny cries, and he made it to the hospital alive. Nikki and Taylors [Tylers] entire community began to lift up Grayson in their prayers, and, to the surprise of doctors, he kept on improving, improving, improving. After four months in the hospital, Nikki and Tyler brought home their beautiful baby boy. Just a few weeks ago, Grayson celebrated his first birthday. He is a beautiful, happy, healthy guy. (Applause.) Are they here? Where? Oh, good. (Applause.) Good. Thats great. Beautiful. Thats great. Thank you. As his mom, Nikki, has said, He was put on this Earth to do big things. He may be here someday right here. Nikki, he already has and he will do more and more as he grows older. As Jesus promises in the Bible, Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. We are blessed to live in a land of faith where all things are possible. Our only limits are those we place on ourselves. So true. On Tuesday, I asked Americans to choose greatness. And everybody in that room stood and applauded. We asked for greatness its greatness for our country and to renew our love and loyalty to one another as friends, as citizens, as neighbors, as patriots, and as Americans. There could be no better way to begin this exciting national adventure than the way America has always begun our greatest adventures: by coming together in prayer. So today, and every day, let us pray for the future of our country. Let us pray for the courage to pursue justice and the wisdom to forge peace. Let us pray for a future where every child has a warm, safe, and loving home. Let us come together for the good of our people, for the strength of our families, for the safety of our citizens, for the fulfillment of our deepest hopes and our highest potential. And let us always give thanks for the miracle of life, the majesty of creation, and the grace of Almighty God. Thank you. It is an honor to be with you. God bless you. And God bless America. Thank you very much. The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML. Illinois lawmakers are once again wanting to require the states public schools to teach students about the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the history of the nation and the state. The thinking on the LGBT history requirement for Illinois public schools goes like this: Illinois kids already learn about the contributions of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans. Adding LGBT Americans to that list is no big deal. Two west-central Illinois counties are celebrating notable birthdays in February. And if they serve cake, theyll need a lot of candles. Brown County and Scott County were both established 180 years ago this February, and based on their scenery and attractive small-town living, they look good for their age. Brown County was established on Feb. 1, 1839, with Scott following 15 days later, on Feb. 16. Brown County has its roots in a part of Illinois that was key to early state development. It was located in the Military Tract, an expanse of land between the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers that was set aside by Congress as payment for the volunteer soldiers of the War of 1812. Today, all or part of 18 Illinois counties comprise the area of the Military Tract. In its earliest days, the area that makes up todays Brown County was part of the original Illinois county, St. Clair, which eventually covered four-fifths of present-day Illinois. Most of its land was, in turn, assigned to Madison County, established in 1812. The monstrous Madison was gradually chopped down into smaller counties. One was Pike, which was created in 1821 and, in its original form, was roughly comprised of all lands north and west of the Illinois River. Like Madison, Pike was subject to reduction as well, and counties were repeatedly cut from its land mass. Among them was Schuyler County in 1825, which originally included not only its present area, but also that of todays Brown County. Schuyler enjoyed its enhanced size for fourteen years, until the new Brown County was trimmed from its southern half on Feb. 1, 1839. The infant county was named in honor of Jacob Brown, a major general in the War of 1812 who fought heroically at the battle of Sacketts Harbor, N.Y. in 1813. Following the war, Brown commanded the Regular Army before his death in 1828. Three other states have a county named after Brown, including one in south-central Indiana and another in southwestern Ohio, east of Cincinnati. The third is in Wisconsin, where the city of Green Bay serves as county seat. The Illinois version of Brown County is among the smallest in the state both in terms of population and land mass. The 2010 census listed the residency at 6,937, ranking 93rd of 102 counties in Illinois. Brown County measures an approximate 307 square miles, which is 91st in the state. The current population of Brown is nearly half of its previous high, a reported 13,041 in the 1880 census. Scott County is even smaller, as the 2010 census reported a population of 5,355, the fourth-smallest in Illinois. The county is 95th in land mass, with 251 square miles. Like Brown County, Scott was formerly a part of St. Clair and Madison counties before another division in 1821. In that year, Greene County was formed, and present-day Scott County, along with the future Morgan County, became an attached part of Greene. On Jan. 31, 1823, Morgan was created as a separate county, taking in what is today Scott and Cass counties. Those borders remained intact until 1837, when Cass County was cut from northern third of Morgan. Finally, Scott was trimmed from the southwestern portion of Morgan and was established on Feb. 16, 1839. Scott is one of nine Illinois counties to take its name from a county of another state, as it honors Scott County in northern Kentucky. That county was named for Charles Scott, a Revolutionary War hero who served as governor of Kentucky from 1808-12. Despite their relative age, Brown and Scott are among the younger of Illinois counties. Brown was the 74th of 102 Illinois counties to be formed, while Scott was 79th. 1839 was a banner year for new counties in Illinois, as a record fifteen counties were established in the state. Among them were Menard, Christian, and Logan counties, which were created on Feb. 15, 1839 after legislation was introduced by Abraham Lincoln, a third-term member of the Illinois House. The first county, St. Clair, was formed in 1790, a full twenty-eight years before Illinois statehood. Randolph County came next in 1795, followed by Gallatin, Johnson, and Madison counties in 1812. Counties continued to be established in Illinois until 1859. During a speech to U.S. Air Force personnel station in the United Kingdom recently, President Joe Biden warned that global warming is the greatest physical theat to the nations security. Biden has suggested that climate change poses a threat to U.S. military security on multiple occasions. In February, he noted that he had directed the Pentagon to reimagine the countrys strategy for dealing with the impact of climate change. Do you agree with the President that climate change is the great physical threat to the United States? Choices are: You voted: Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription, or activate your access, to continue reading. Midlanders have been told that Priority Midland will make a difference in our community as we deal with growth that has exposed our shortcomings in education, housing, roads and health care. Heres how I would respond to that. Priority Midland had to make the difference. What alternative is there? The fact is, the Priority Midland initiative is being put into place, because frankly, we lost the ability to plan effectively as a community. The list of reasons extend beyond this column, but at some point, community leaders failed to do their job. And residents responded as they often do when there is a leadership void: they disengaged. And during that time, government entities and their representatives became concerned about their own well-being and less responsive to others. While missions and vision will indicate something else, the Priority Midland initiative is being put into place because community leaders, including this newspaper, have failed to deliver an effective message that we are all in this together, and people should care about five, 10 and 20 years down the road. Heres the truth. Midland isnt an easy place. Typically, cities that experience this type of growth are new, and therefore, building as they go. Their planning is more obvious to all residents. Other communities also arent forced to deal with the combination of economy, educational and geographic-related issues we face in Midland. RELATED: Priority Midland set to bring community together to solve major problems Priority Midland will provide a sorely needed opportunity to wipe the slate clean and put the past behind us. But that only works if the entities promising unity today act in such a fashion tomorrow. It also only works if Midlands electorate participates. Right now, a large portion of the community does not want to engage in making Midland better. Maybe they feel they will be long gone when change eventually takes place; maybe they dont have confidence in leadership; or maybe proper planning doesnt come across well on Facebook or Instagram pages. Our future deserves people taking account of their community. And for the young people out there, heres more to take in. The statistics show this community is getting younger, and that if the 20-, 30- and early 40-somethings engage in the debate about Midlands future, they would dominate the conversation. Schools, roads, housing and health care would be as good as they need to be. Your participation likely would guarantee Priority Midlands success rate. Inspired yet? As for the rest of us, our involvement is needed because history indicates the baton isnt being passed anytime soon. Priority Midland matters to us, because someone has to hold the stakeholders and officials accountable. There are examples in the last 20 years that show officials didnt know the mood of the community or they put their own interests ahead of what was right for Midland. There has to be someone who calls them out when history repeats itself. When initiatives such as Priority Midland occur, and residents get wrapped up in the particulars, they shouldnt overthink it. Going back to 1999, Midlanders have responded when officials presented them with a worthwhile plan. It didnt matter if it was the multiple Midland ISD bonds, a Midland College bond, a hospital district bond, a city road bond, a county bond to expand the jail or two sales tax initiatives. All totaled, Midland voters approved measures to increase taxes because they saw the return on their investment. So the record shows that Midlanders wont balk when the plan is a good one and the campaign is well-executed. My hope is that all Midlanders take the opportunity to go out to the Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center on Monday and be involved with Priority Midlands kickoff. You should hear firsthand what is said and why Priority Midland matters. You should feel optimistic that Priority Midland is worth celebrating and participating in. You should believe it is going to make a difference. And then, those participating in the initiative should put Midland first. If that happens, needed action can take place in our community. It has happened before, and it can happen again. Editor Stewart Doreen Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention have declined for more than a decade to create a list of sexual predators from affiliated churches. But the San Antonio Express-News and Houston Chronicle assembled one of our own. The newspapers spent nearly a year building a database of church leaders and volunteers who pleaded guilty or were convicted of sex crimes in the past 20 years. Most are now in prison or are registered sex offenders. More are from Texas than from any other state. Read the first part of our exclusive investigation, ABUSE OF FAITH, on ExpressNews.com: Southern Baptist sexual abuse spreads as leaders reject reforms The cases tracked by the newspapers affected more than 700 victims over 20 years. Their stories are wrenching. Victims of sexual abuse had pleaded for the SBC to act, saying it was allowing predators to move from church to church. But the SBC in 2008 rejected all proposals to produce such a registry, saying the organization could not tell its 47,000 member churches whom to hire or ordain. About 220 church leaders were convicted. They were pastors. Ministers. Youth pastors. Sunday school and Christian schoolteachers. Deacons. Church program volunteers. Scores of others were credibly accused or civilly sued. Some remain in the pulpit; others returned to positions in churches even after serving time. The SBC has ended its affiliation with four churches in the past 10 years for affirming or endorsing homosexual behavior. The SBC governing documents ban gay or female pastors. They do not outlaw convicted sex offenders from working in churches. One victim of sexual abuse said he can't forgive leaders who offered prayers but took no action. "That is the greatest tragedy of all," he said. "So many people's faith is murdered. I mean, their faith is slaughtered by these predators." *** Abuse of Faith Read Part 1: Southern Baptist sexual abuse spreads as leaders resist reforms Help us investigate: Do you have information about sexual misconduct in Southern Baptist churches? Fill out our confidential questionnaire here. Support our journalism: Help our journalists uncover the big stories. Subscribe today. A federal judge has granted class-action status to a lawsuit that claims that Wells Fargo is in violation of numerous California laws with respect to how it pays its mortgage officers. The lawsuit was filed by James C. Kang, who worked for the bank as a home mortgage consultant (HMC) between 2000 and 2015. Kang asserted in his lawsuit that all Wells Fargo HMCs work under a compensation plan under which hourly wages are clawed back from sales commissions. Kang also alleged that Wells Fargo loan officers are not paid for tasks unrelated to sales which Wells Fargo requires them to do, according to a ruling by US District Judge Beth Labson Freeman. Kang, who worked in Wells Fargos Palo Alto, Calif., branch from October 2000 to May 2015, filed the lawsuit in October 2017. According to Kang, the bank compensates its HMCs through commissions on sales. HMCs are paid advances on those commissions at a rate of $12 per hour but those advances are clawed back from commissions earned. Kang also said that Wells Fargo does not pay its HMCs for required non-sales work like attending meetings, training, customer service and loan processing. Were still adding account executives, but were being picky, he said. Were looking for the best of the best. We want folks who can show that theyve got a pipeline and a decent book of business. If you can show that, we want you. Fisher said that CSC gives its account executives the training they need to excel. Weve got Citadel University, and were expanding that, he said. We have over 13 product- specific courses, so account executives can be top guns once theyre out there in the field. Fisher said that CSCs success is largely due to the companys vertical integration the company creates the guidelines, programs, sets the pricing, underwrites, audits and services its own loans. If youve got that vertical integration, where everything coincides, it makes producing these loans very easy and straightforward, and our brokers are seeing that, he said. Some brokers are trying other lenders, and what theyre finding is that theyre much slower, much more restrictive and they need investor approval, which slows the process way down. At Citadel, our loans dont have to go through any third party. It sets us apart in a big way. Martha Holmes Brown, 80, of Moultrie, died Saturday, June 19, 2021 at her home. A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, June 24, 2021 at Pineview Baptist Church. Mrs. Brown's grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Mrs. Brown was born on October 18, 1940, in Sylvester, Georgia, In January 2019, Morningstar manager research analysts affirmed the Morningstar Analyst Ratings of 72 funds and eight target-date series; upgraded the ratings of five funds and one target-date series; downgraded the ratings of five funds; placed four funds ratings under review; and assigned new ratings to four funds. Below are some of Januarys highlights, followed by the full list of ratings changes. Upgrades American Funds SMALLCAP World (SMCWX) added more research capability recently to help manage its whopping $40 billion asset base, raising the strategy's Morningstar Analyst Rating to Silver from Bronze. Three equity divisions, which espouse similar long-term-oriented investment philosophies but do not share investment ideas, now manage this strategy compared with the two teams it had in the past. This addition enhances diversification and invites different managers and analysts to play to their strengths. The strategys affinity to growth stocks and emerging markets wont always work to its advantage, but it has prevailed over the long haul: The strategy outperformed the MSCI All-Country World Small Index in four of the six full market cycles since its 1994 inception. "We want to become all things to all people, whatever the skills they're going for are. The idea is to get them prepared, whether it's computers, whether it's a trade, a job in communications, anything it might be." Rev. Matt Raines, a We Care We Share board member Pull Quote A hiker has been rescued after going missing on Saturday in Blowing Rock. The hiker was found uninjured shortly before 1 p.m. on Sunday. He had last been seen around noon on Saturday. The Boone Police Department tweeted shortly before 6 p.m. on Sunday that 67-year-old Frank Senady, of Charlotte, was out of the woods." He was located in a rugged area far from the China Creek Trail where he started his hike. Senady had last been seen entering the China Creek Trail around noon on Saturday wearing a red long sleeve shirt, khaki pants and a blue Patagonia hat. The extremely rugged China Creek Trail begins at a marked trail head on Laurel Lane in Blowing Rock in the Pisgah National Forest and descends several hundred feet in elevation, ending on John Rivers Road, a press release from Caldwell County states. Blowing Rock Fire and Rescue Chief Kent Graham on Sunday morning had launched a full mountain rescue team along with a class of trainees. Air support from a wildlife helicopter was also deployed. Duckworth will deliver a three- to five-minute speech reflective of his experiences in preparation for and in anticipation of the 75th D-Day commemorative events. He will represent not only the school system but the state, the country and his age group as well. It means so much to be able to represent Patton, North Carolina and the United States, Duckworth said. Im extremely excited to honor the World War II veterans and D-Day survivors. His speech is still in progress, but will focus on his experiences in Normandy and plans to stress the importance of remembering D-Day and those who fought for true justice, he said. The events will be broadcast on French national television. In addition to the performances related to the official ceremonies, the band students will have time for some sightseeing. Im very thrilled to be immersed in the French culture and to step foot on one of the most important areas in modern history, Duckworth said. Luke is the son of Kenneth and Tessa Duckworth and the late Tracy Hunt. The combined BCPS bands traveled to Hawaii two years ago for Pearl Harbor ceremonies and the East Burke Marching Cavaliers traveled to Normandy five years ago for 70th anniversary D-Day ceremonies. The Burke Arts Council and South Mountain Arts Co-op are featured on the Blue Ridge Craft Trails, (www.blueridgecrafttrails.com), a new website and marketing initiative developed by the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership, linking 75 craft sites across the 25 counties of western North Carolina. Our region is celebrated for its authentic craft traditions, one of the heritage assets recognized by Congress in forming the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area in 2003, said Angie Chandler, BRNHA executive director. With the new Blue Ridge Craft Trails, we want to direct more visitors to connect with our local makers. Over the next two years, another 125 artists, studios, craft schools and other arts organizations will be added to the website, branding western NC as a must-see destination for the best in traditional and contemporary crafts. With curated itineraries and printed map brochures, visitors will enjoy new opportunities to visit small towns, travel back roads, meet artists, and purchase handmade crafts directly from the studio. They can also enjoy the best that western NC offers in authentic mountain music, Cherokee culture, craft breweries and savory foodways, along with outdoor activities. A letter that a Kiwi mum has written to the police has picked up a few 'laugh' reacts on Facebook after the NZ Police posted it on their page. The letter comes after the woman's son was pulled over by the police for speeding. Her letter was of thanks, but the way she worded the letter has pasted smiles on people's faces. "Dear Constable Toss Pott," the letter starts. "Apologies, please read on ... "My son was recently pulled over, flashing lights and all. He spotted the police car and tried to slow, but unable to do so before 'locked in' on the radar. "I asked him what the policeman's name was so I could contact him to say thank you. He replied with 'Constable Toss Pott', which I replied well obviously he's not, it's because of him you're still alive." But instead of lashing out at police, she explained their actions taught her son a valuable lesson. "Thank you for pulling my son over who was trying to break a land speed record on a straight piece of country road, in a hurry to get to something he felt was important enough to risk his life and the lives of the people he could have hit. "We have spent years whilst driving ourselves, and more so recently, with the teenagers starting to drive and getting their own cars, spending time talking with them stressing the importance of safe driving on country roads ... "We are just the parents ... What would we know?! "Constable Fantastic, I just want you to know that he has learnt a life lesson, he has had the heart pumping, the sick feeling, the flashing red and blue lights, a large fine and demerit points taken. "I want to thank you for teaching my son that life lesson, and also my younger son as he was listening in the consequences of speeding. "We have always said to our boys anyone can drive a car and anyone can drive fast, but handling that vehicle when things go wrong is a whole new board game that they don't want to discover. "Thank you for taking the time in reading this letter and please don't take offence to who it is addressed to. The NZ Police do a fantastic job. Thank you from one happy Mum." Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 11) The Chinese woman who threw taho, or soy custard, at a policeman in a Metro Rail Transit station over the weekend may have to stay at the detention facility of the Mandaluyong Police a bit longer as the prosecutor has yet to release a resolution regarding its finding in the cases filed against her. "Although ang case niya is bailable, wala pang recommendation ang piskal kung magkano at anong cases ang ituloy at magbe-bail siya," Mandaluyong Police Chief SSupt. Moises Villaceran said Monday. [Translation: Although the case is bailable, the fiscal does not have a recommendation yet on how much the bail is, what cases would be pressed ahead and if she will post bail.] Villaceran added that Jiale Zhang, the taho-throwing Chinese national, could file a motion before the prosecutor to post bail for her temporary freedom, but that would be "some sort of admission of the probable cause." Zhang is facing unjust vexation, direct assault, and disobedience to authority cases over the incident. The Philippine National Police has also asked the Immigration bureau to declare Zhang as an undesirable alien. Zhang's lawyer, Sandra Respall said her client was very apologetic about the incident and would still want to stay in the Philippines. "It's a lesson learned. She should never be emotional in any situation. She should always use her head because of the consequences of an act," Respall said. READ: Chinese student who threw taho at MRT cop faces possible deportation 'Let's not blow up the issue' PO1 William Cristobal, the policeman who was at the receiving end of the taho-throwing incident, admitted that he felt belittled by Zhang's actions. "Naka-uniform ako, then on-duty sa sarili kong bansa, then foreigner ang mag-ano sa iyo. Siyempre manliliit po tayo," Cristobal said. [Translation: I'm in uniform and on-duty in my own country, then a foreigner would do that to me. Of course, I'll feel belittled.] READ: Policeman in MRT 'taho' throwing gets medal Meanwhile, the Malacanang appealed to "not blow up the issue," saying the incident occurs everywhere. "There had been rudeness from other nationalities, but it's not limited to Chinese. Kasi kung minsan, rude din 'yung tao, 'yung Pilipino. Kaya nagti-trigger ng conflict between the two," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said during a Palace press briefing. "But foreign nationals should always behave." [Translation: There had been rudeness from other nationalities, but it's not limited to Chinese. Sometimes, the Filipino person is rude too. That's why it triggers conflict between the two But foreign nationals should always behave.] CNN Philippines' Gerg Cahiles and Alyssa Rola contributed to this report. February 11, 2019 Venezuela - 57% Say Maduro Is Their Legitimate President The legitimacy of a ruler can best be determined by asking the ruled people. The independent Venezuelan polling firm Hinterlaces asked (in Spanish) 1,580 Venezuelans in direct interviews who they consider to be the legitimate president of Venezuela. 57% said that the Nicolas Maduro is the legitimated president. 32% said Juan Guaido. 11% did not know or did not respond. --- The well-respected scientific research service of the German Bundestag advised (in German) that foreign recognition of someone as a president does not confer legitimacy. Legitimacy of a president requires that he has actual enforcing capabilities within the country. As long as that is not established a recognition must be seen as interference in the internal affairs of the foreign country. Such an interference, which the German and other governments committed, is inconsistent with international law. --- Alfred-Maurice de-Zayas, a professor for international law and a longtime senior lawyer at the United Nations, confirms that opinion. He writes: Members of the United Nations are bound by the Charter, articles one and two of which affirm the right of all peoples to determine themselves, the sovereign equality of states, the prohibition of the use of force and of economic or political interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states. Yet these fundamental principles of international order are being grossly violated in the case of Venezuela. --- ignoring the will of the people of Venezuela and the rule of law U.S. media continue to manufacture consent for regime change in Venezuela. Posted by b on February 11, 2019 at 18:53 UTC | Permalink Comments US_China_Trade_Trade war_Tariff US negotiators were in Beijing on Monday for another round of talks on a trade deal with the clock ticking towards a March 1 deadline set by President Donald Trump. Preliminary discussions by lower-level officials were to be held, before US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin step in for the main event on Thursday and Friday. Washington suspended plans in December to increase tariffs on USD 200 billion worth of Chinese imports - to 25 per cent from the current 10 per cent - to give negotiators space to resolve a trade spat that has triggered fears of a global economic slowdown. A previous round of talks in Washington last month ended without a deal. Deputy trade representative Jeffrey Gerrish would lead the US delegation in preparatory meetings to begin on Monday, the White House has said. The talks will include officials from the agriculture, energy and commerce departments. Gerrish left his hotel in downtown Beijing on Monday morning without talking to the media. Mnuchin and Lighthizer will be joined by David Malpass, Trump's nominee for president of the World Bank. The Chinese delegation will be led by Vice Premier Liu He, who will be joined by central bank governor Yi Gang. Liu, China's chief trade negotiator, met last month with Trump, who announced that a final resolution of the trade dispute would depend on a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping "in the near future." But Trump said Thursday he did not expect to meet his Chinese counterpart before the trade truce expires on March 1. The Trump administration is demanding far-reaching changes from China to address commercial practices that it says are deeply unfair, including theft of American intellectual property and myriad barriers that US and other foreign companies face in the Chinese domestic market. Poland said it will buy mobile rocket launchers worth USD 414 million (365 million euros) from the United States, as Warsaw seeks closer ties with Washington amid concerns over a resurgent Russia. The deal, due to be signed Wednesday, will "significantly increase the Polish army's capacities," Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak told journalists Sunday, adding that delivery was expected by 2023. Made by US weapons giant Lockheed Martin, the HIMARS system can launch six guided rockets with a range of 70 kilometres (37 miles), or a single missile with a 300-kilometre range. It is already being used by 19 countries and has been deployed in Iraq and Syria against the Islamic State group, allowing US troops a precision attack ability even in poor weather when air attacks are hindered. In March last year, Warsaw already signed a USD 4.75 billion contract to purchase a US-made Patriot anti-missile system. Poland's rightwing government has been pushing for the United States to open a permanent military base on its soil, where American troops are already stationed on a rotational basis as part of NATO operations. However, the head of the US Army said in September 2018 that Poland might not be ready for a permanent military base because of an apparent lack of space to fulfil the training requirements for American soldiers. Two years ago, NATO opened a counter-espionage hub in Poland aimed at expanding the alliance's intelligence-gathering capabilities following tensions with Russia over its 2014 annexation of Crimea. The US-led alliance has also bolstered its forces in eastern Europe with four international battalions acting as tripwires against possible Russian adventurism in the region. Poland this week is set to host US Vice-President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for a two-day conference on security issues in the Middle East. Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, close advisors to US President Donald Trump, are also expected to attend the event starting Tuesday, along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Imran Khan IMF chief Christine Lagarde said that the global lender stands ready to support Pakistan as she met the cash-strapped country's Prime Minister Imran Khan in Dubai. Khan is paying a day-long trip to the UAE to take part in the 7th edition of the World Government Summit on the invitation of Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum. Lagarde in a statement said that her meeting with the Pakistani leader about an International Monetary Fund (IMF)-supported programme was constructive. "I reiterated that the IMF stands ready to support Pakistan. I also highlighted that decisive policies and a strong package of economic reforms would enable Pakistan to restore the resilience of its economy and lay the foundations for stronger and more inclusive growth," she said. "As emphasized in the new government's policy agenda, protecting the poor and strengthening governance are key priorities to improve people's living standards in a sustainable manner," Lagarde further said. Khan also tweeted about his meeting with Lagarde. "There was a convergence of our views on the need to carry out deep structural reforms to put the country on the path of sustainable development in which the most vulnerable segments of society are protected," he said. Earlier, Dawn newspaper quoted a senior official involved in the negotiations as saying that Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have narrowed their positions on the scale of adjustments over the past few weeks of continuous engagements. The IMF is asking for an adjustment of around Rs 1,600-2,000 billion over three to four years. It also wants some corrective measures to put Pakistan's economy on the right track after witnessing the highest-ever current account deficit. But the stumbling issue in the talks is the pace of adjustments in the current expenditure. The emphasis on current expenditures comes as a result of a focus on what is known as a "primary balance" in the parlance of public finance. According to the official, there is some space for cut in certain expenditures where Pakistan is in a comfortable position. "This agreement in cut will pave way for accession to the programme," the official claimed, adding that it will be a politically difficult decision. A cut in the current expenditures still seems to put the government in awkward position by making adjustments in subsidies and other special grants. The IMF has been demanding that the burden of any expenditure cuts should fall on current expenditures that include debt service, defence and subsidies. Finance Division's Spokesperson Khaqan Najeeb said that productive dialogue continued with the IMF on all areas including fiscal, energy, structural reforms and monetary policy. The two sides continue to exchange views on data and a reform framework to move forward. Discussions are part of a regular ongoing interaction between the government and the IMF and will continue in coming weeks, Najeeb said. "In addition, technical level subject-specific discussions also support the process of overall dialogue," he said. The IMF has also asked for further monetary tightening as well as a complete free float of the exchange rate. "We are already towards target in these areas," the official said, adding that the IMF has acknowledged these measures. According to the official, Finance Minister Asad Umar has already conveyed to the IMF during the recent parleys that only those measures will be taken which are favourable for the country's economic growth. Although the government has secured a breathing space from Saudi Arabian and the UAE loans, an IMF programme is essential to unlock access to resources from other multilateral lenders like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, as well as the global capital markets. Cash-strapped Pakistan has received USD 1 billion each from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as part of the bailout package by the two Gulf nations to help shore up Islamabad's dwindling foreign currency reserves. Saudi Arabia's assistance was part of the USD 6 billion bailout package - USD 3 billion balance-of-payments support and another USD 3 billion in deferred payments on oil imports - which Riyadh had agreed in October last year. Pakistan, which is in talks with the IMF for a bailout package, has also reportedly received financial assistance from China. Earlier, officials said that Pakistan would seek around USD 8 billion from the IMF which would be the biggest package by the Fund for Islamabad. Former UK Prime Minister Theresa May The British government is seeking to win more time to secure EU concessions on Brexit that could pass parliament and avert a chaotic split from the bloc on March 29. Businesses and governments are on edge because Britain is just weeks away from its scheduled departure from the European project after 46 years and still has no firm arrangements in place. The UK parliament last month roundly rejected a Brexit deal Prime Minister Theresa May had sealed with the remaining 27 EU leaders. MPs are set to vote again on Britain's Brexit options on February 14. But a member of May's cabinet pledged Sunday to give parliament a further ballot two weeks later -- a measure meant to give the premier more time for talks with the EU. Her meetings in Brussels on Thursday made no breakthrough and fears of a "no-deal" scenario that gridlocks trade are running high. May's housing minister James Brokenshire insisted Sunday that the government had a clear strategy and timeline aimed at getting an agreement that Britain's splintered parliament can pass. "What gives certainty is a deal, and that's why we want to see people getting behind us, getting behind this process that we now have," Brokenshire told the BBC. He pledged to give parliament a fresh vote on Britain's options by February 27 if May does not come back with new concessions before then. In the vote this week lawmakers are set to have their say on amendments that could limit May's options and give parliament a broader say over the Brexit process. Brokenshire's promise of another vote two weeks later is designed to discourage lawmakers from binding the government's hands this week. It is also meant to postpone a revolt by cabinet ministers who want to take a no-deal Brexit off the table for good. The opposition Labour party has denounced May's strategy as time-wasting aimed at forcing parliament to vote through a deal at the last moment. "We shouldn't be put in a position where the clock is run down and the prime minister says it's either my deal or even worse," Labour's Brexit pointman Keir Starmer told The Sunday Times. In a letter to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn dated Sunday, May opposed his party's appeal for the country to remain in a customs union with Brussels. But in efforts to build cross-party support for a Brexit deal, she offered flexibility on Corbyn's calls to keep up with EU measures to protect the environment and workers' rights, asking for further talks with Labour "as soon as possible". There are few signs of concessions coming May's way from Brussels. May's Brexit minister Stephen Barclay will meet EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday and foreign minister Jeremy Hunt will visit Paris and Warsaw this week. The British premier is set to meet European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker again before the end of the month. The sides are stuck on the issue of how to keep the Irish border open after Britain leaves. Brexit backers in May's party think the so-called "backstop" arrangement in the current deal would keep Britain indefinitely tied to EU rules. May's Northern Irish coalition party also argue that it will splinter their province from mainland Britain. But Brussels calls the arrangement essential for both keeping the border open and preserving the European Union's integrity. May has been trying to win a legal assurance giving Britain the right eventually to drop the backstop and negotiate its own trade deals. Smt. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is now on Twitter. You may follow her at @priyankagandhi Congress (@INCIndia) February 11, 2019 Ahead of Mission UP, the Congress on Monday announced that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, general secretary of Uttar Pradesh East, has joined Twitter. Making her maiden visit to Indias most populous state after joining active politics, Priyanka has infused a new-found energy in the partys journey to the 2019 General Elections. Though the 47-year-old had campaigned for Congress in the past, she had only played second fiddle to Rahul until now. Gaining 25,000 followers within an hour of joining the microblogging site, she has proven to hold quite the clout, at least as far as social media is concerned. Currently looking at 51.6K followers, the new Congress leader follows only seven people on Twitter Brother and party chief Rahul Gandhi, party leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Ahmed Patel, Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot and INCs official accounts. Priyanka is yet to post on the platform. Priyanka Gandhi came on twitter along with blue tick and got more than 10K followers without tweeting anything. This is just like her political career also, got UP general secretary post without doing anything worthy. Smoking Skills (@SmokingSkills_) February 11, 2019 However, what cooked up quite a storm after she joined the platform is how quick Twitter was to make it a 'blue tick' verified account. Heres what some Twitteratis had to say: So @priyankagandhi gets a blue tick right away without even tweeting a single tweet. Kya bias hai yeh @twitter! Ab toh all RW will quit and shift to @Gutrgoo. Dekh lena. (@ikaveri) February 11, 2019 The top brass of Congress pulled up its socks early last year and began making its presence being felt on social media platforms to try and beat the ruling BJP in what is their A-game. OnePlus recently sent out invites for a private event at the Mobile World Congress 2019, according to a report by Digit. The event shared by the publications features the tagline, Reimagine the future with OnePlus. Although there isnt any confirmation, the Chinese handset manufacturer is likely to debut the new OnePlus 7 flagship smartphone and provide insight into the future of the company and its objectives at the event. Unlike previous versions of the OnePlus flagship offerings, the company may release two versions of their latest flagship including a 5G model. OnePlus CEO, Pete Lau shed light on the companys plans and ideas at the Annual Qualcomm Summit in December 2018. Most of the conversation revolved around a new 5G smartphone and Qualcomms Snapdragon 855 chipset. The company retracted a statement made at the event that mentioned OnePlus would be the first company to launch a smartphone with the Snapdragon 855 SoC.Standout features you can expect to see on the OnePlus 7 Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC 5G Support 48-megapixel Sonys IMX 586 or Samsungs ISOCELL Bright GMI sensor Smartphone enthusiast would more than welcome the prospects of a new OnePlus flagship, considering the immense success of the OnePlus 6T, which was arguably one of the best phones of 2018. According to company CEO Pete Lau, OnePlus is looking to bring their premium flagship design, image quality and audio experience to TV markets as well. In 2018, the tech giant confirmed a OnePlus TV was in the works, confirming their desire to disrupt the television market. CES 2019 showed the world the true potential of integrating AI into the home entertainment system. Considering OnePlus has long been regarded as a flagship killer, it will be amazing to see how they adopt the same strategy in the television market. The mere announcement of a OnePlus flagship and a OnePlus TV is enough to get any tech-enthusiasts blood pumping. Whatever OnePlus decides to showcase at the event will almost certainly make a significant impact on the tech industry. State Bank of India, the largest lender in India, on Friday, sent out an alert to its cardholders about card skimming, advising them to take cautionary measures. Skimming is an act of illegally copying the data from the magnetic stripe of a credit, debit or ATM card. With an increasing number of banking frauds, SBI is reportedly creating awareness amongst customers to prevent any such instances through such alerts. In a mail and message alert sent to the banks customers, SBI also laid out multiple steps to prevent cardholders from falling victims to the fraud. Do not hand over your SBI Card to anyone, including company representatives Cover your keypad while entering your PIN Always ensure that your card is used/ swiped in your presence Remember to collect your card after the transaction Do not disclose your PIN to anyone, including the persons claiming to be SBI Card representative Insist on dipping the card in the POS machine than swiping the card SBI cards 4-digit PIN and OTP CVV and other card details User ID and Password of SBI Card online account The bank has asked its customers to:-The PSU bank has also asked its customers not to reveal anybody:- Rahul Gandhi__ In a bid to expand his outreach to the diplomatic community, Congress President Rahul Gandhi will hold a lunch meeting with diplomats, ambassadors and high commissioners of various countries, according to a report by The Indian Express. Quoting sources, the report states that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is also likely to attend the event. According to the report, many diplomats had expressed their interest in meeting the Congress chief in order to assess his "foreign policy approach". The report states that requests from officials were being made to Gandhi over the past couple of weeks, and both were keen to wrap up the meeting before the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) kicks in. Many foreign diplomats, according to the report, were concerned about how their meeting would be perceived by the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. "It is going to be an interactive session, since many are interested in knowing his foreign policy mind," sources told the newspaper. According to the report, Gandhi is likely to make a few opening remarks during the meeting and would answer the questions posed by diplomats. A diplomat quoted by the newspaper said it is not unusual for foreign officials to meet Opposition leaders. "The European ambassadors, led by then German envoy Michael Steiner, had hosted then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi in 2013 for a lunch meeting at the German ambassadors residence in Chanakyapuri," the diplomat said. According to the report, Gandhi's recent stands on certain issues, including the Rafale deal, had caused discontent within the foreign diplomatic corps stationed in India. The French government had also responded in an official statement to Gandhi's charge in July. According to the report, the diplomats would report Gandhi's stance back to their capitals. Disclaimer: Reliance Defence has denied any wrongdoing in the Rafale deal. "Our capitals are very keen to know about his views on specific issues on foreign policy. While we follow his comments on the domestic political issues, we would really like to understand his worldview in such a turbulent time," a diplomat told the newspaper. Moneycontrol News From serving as an officer of the Indian Army to forming an army of his own, Lt Colonel (retd) Kirori Singh Bainsla has had quite a journey. The face of the Gujjar agitation for reservation, here are a few things you didn't know about the man: > Bainsla fought during the 1962 war against China and the 1965 war against Pakistan. He was taken as a prisoner of war (POW) during the latter. > The Gujjar leader's father served in the British Indian Army, and two of his three sons now serve in the Indian Army. Reports have indicated it was courtesy Bainsla's Army background that he could organise the Gujjar protests with precision and planning. > The former Lt Colonel is fluent in English and famous for his one-liners. During the Gujjar protests in 2007, for instance, Bainsla had said: "Only a bullet or a letter (granting demands of the community) can remove me from here." > Bainsla came under criticism from within his community after he agreed for a three-member panel to look into the demands of Gujjar rather than press ahead with protests in 2007. By the time Bainsla agreed to the proposal by then Vasundhara Raje-led Rajasthan government, around 20 people had died agitating. > Bainsla had formed the Gujjar Aarakshan Sanghursh Samiti (GASS) with a one-point programme: Inclusion of the community within the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. Bainsla had said then, in another of his famous one-liners, that since his family is now settled, he can focus on his "greater family". > The retired Lt Colonel has advocated a "Social Emergency" for 15 years, during which society should focus on good health and education. Theres no denying that Google Maps has made our lives easier, from tracing a route to exploring eateries and salons in a location, the navigation app does it all. However, there have been recurring complaints about the problems faced while aligning the blue dot to detect live location, right after opening the map. To solve this, at Google's 2018 IO developer conference, the tech giant announced a new feature it is planning to introduce to address this glitch. The app may in future use a combination of AI and AR technologies, combined with your phones camera to aid in real-time location tracking. More precisely, the new feature will access images from your phone's camera and location data to match your position through Google Street View. With this added information, it will be able to plant visual cues (such as arrows) in the live camera view. This technology will also help it to locate landmarks and restaurants in the cities it is active in. Though the new AR feature was announced back in mid-2018, it is not available with consumer devices yet. As per The Wall Street Journal, that got early access to a phone with a basic version, a wider release is in the fray, but not before all aspects of the user interface are refined. The current version of the new feature entails the users holding the camera up and pointing it to nearby points, and according to the report it took barely 'few seconds' to figure out the location 'with remarkable precision'. Though Google is yet to announce the launch date of the AR feature, the report said that it will be launched 'only when Google is satisfied that its ready'. Rahul gandhi Congress president Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 11 over a media report which claimed the government waived anti-corruption clauses in the Rafale deal, alleging he "opened the door" to allow Anil Ambani to "steal" Rs 30,000 crore from the Air Force. Gandhi's scathing attack came after a report in The Hindu claimed the Rafale deal between India and France involved "major and unprecedented" concessions from the Indian government, with critical provisions for anti-corruption penalties and making payments through an escrow account dropped days before the signing of the inter-governmental agreement (IGA). NoMo anti corruption clause. The Chowkidar himself opened the door to allow Anil Ambani to steal 30,000 Cr. from the IAF. https://t.co/Sp3aU4KNRV Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 11, 2019 "NoMo anti corruption clause. The Chowkidar himself opened the door to allow Anil Ambani to steal 30,000 Crore from the IAF," Gandhi tweeted tagging the report. The government, as well as Ambani, have strongly refuted allegations of any wrongdoing in the fighter jet agreement with France. Last week, the Congress president had demanded answers to questions raised by another report in the newspaper that the PMO conducted parallel negotiations on the Rafale deal. Repeating the "chowkidar" epithet, he ramped up his attack on the prime minister and said it was clear "crystal clear" that the "watchman" is the "thief". Narendra Modi Mocking the JDS-Congress coalition government in Karnataka as "helpless" with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy becoming a "punching bag", Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Opposition wants to impose the same model on the country. Modi said there was not even a single day "when the country doesn't see the Natak (drama) of the government", as he launched BJP's campaign for Lok Sabha polls here in the party's stronghold of north Karnataka. The Prime Minister, whose visit comes amid the political turmoil in the state, with BJP being accused of trying to dislodge the coalition government, took potshots at the ruling alliance in the state, saying "everyone is involved in saving their seat." The visit also comes when BJP state unit chief B S Yeddyurappa is at the vortex of a row after the chief minister released an audio clip of his purported conversation to lure a JDS MLA through his son in his alleged toppling game. Yeddyurappa has dismissed the audio clip as 'fake.' "MLAs are fighting at hotels and breaking their heads. Several Congress leaders are fighting for their supremacy," Modi said, apparently referring an alleged brawl between Anand Singh and J N Ganesh, seriously injuring the former. The turmoil has seen both BJP and Congress camping their MLAs at resorts and hotels to prevent poaching bid and several wayward Congress lawmakers keeping the party on tenterhooks skipping the assembly session and legislature party meeting. "The Chief Minister here is every one's punching bag. Every day he is getting threatened. Chief Minister's whole energy is spent on saving his seat from big Congress leaders," Modi said, referring to Kumaraswamy who, facing coalition pressures, has often openly expressed his 'helplessness.' "Publicly, he weeps about his helplessness (mazboori). Such helpless government, such helpless Chief Minister who is being challenged by anyone and every one. Who is the in-charge of the government. There is confusion about it," Modi said. Setting the "mazboor versus mazboot" narrative, the prime minister said, "Karnataka's helpless model" was being sought to be imposed on the country, scoffing at efforts of the opposition parties to cobble up a "mahaghatbandhan" (grand alliance) against him. "...They want to impose it on the country. Such a helpless model where the head of the government keeps weeping at the corner and decisions are taken in naamdaar's palace...they want confusion and fight for power to continue and the world laugh at the country. They want to impose this model on the country," Modi said. The Prime Minister said the "New India" wanted a model that was strong and not a model that was helpless. "Every single vote of yours will decide whether therewill be honesty or dishonesty, progress(vikaas) or dynasty (vanshwaad), whether there will be positivity or negativity. Whether you want clarity orconfusion. The answer to this questions will decide our destiny" he said. "You are witnessing in Delhi who all are falling in line...about whose income people used to fear talking.They are made to make their appearances before court and agencies and answer questions. They are giving an account of their benami properties in the country and abroad," he said. He was apparently referring to Robert Vadra and former Union Minister P Chiadmbaram's son Karti appearing before probe agencies like the Enforcement Directorate. Modi also launched projects worth Rs 5,000 crore, including the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Facility that includes 1.5 million metric tonnes reserves at Mangaluru (Rs 1227 crore) and 2.5 MMT at Padur (Rs 1693 crore) in Udupi district to ensure energy security. He laid the foundation stone for the Indian Institute of Technology at Dharwad, near Hubballi, a 470 acre "green, smart campus" with state-of-the-art infrastructure with provision for UG and Doctoral programmes in multiple streams. Modi also laid the foundation stone for Indian Institute of Information Technology at Dharwad was also laid. The "world class" IIIT will come up on a 60 acre land with public-private partnership for UG and doctoral programmes in IT and related areas.. Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has decided to give the event a skip. Naidu also declined invitation to Jagan Mohan Reddy's swearing-in ceremony. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu launched into a tirade against the BJP-led central government on Monday, alleging Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not following 'raj dharma' by denying the state special status. Naidu, who began a day-long fast at Andhra Bhavan demanding that the Centre fulfil all promises made during AP's bifurcation in 2014, warned that Modi would be "taught a lesson" if he made personal attacks against the people of his state. "(Former PM) Atal Bihari Vajpayee said 'raj dharma' was not followed in Gujarat (during the 2002 riots). Now, 'raj dharma' is not being followed in case of Andhra Pradesh. We have been denied what was rightfully ours," he claimed. He alleged the central government did grave injustice to Andhra and it would have "repercussions on national unity". "On behalf of five crore people, I am warning this government... I came here to remind you of the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act," Naidu said. "I am warning you. Don't make personal attacks against me and my people. It's unwarranted. I am just doing my duty as the head of my state. We are only demanding what we were promised," he said. Naidu told the gathering that TDP founder NT Rama Rao had said "if somebody attacks your self-respect, teach them a lesson. So, we will not tolerate. We will give you a befitting answer". The chief minister alleged that Modi was "unfit" to rule the country and that he went to Guntur in Andhra Pradesh "only to rub salt into our wounds". "You think you can avoid us by sitting in Delhi. You're wrong. We will take help of friendly parties and achieve our aim," he said. The TDP chief alleged the BJP government unleashes central investigation agencies on rival parties if they fight for their rights. "The Manmohan Singh government promised special status to Andhra for 10 years. The BJP, which was in the opposition then, had seconded it. Now, their finance minister says it cannot be done," he said. Naidu said the BJP government had promised a special package for backward districts of the state on the lines of the Bundelkhand region, but the "BJP cheated the people". The TDP chief said the party was denied permission to stage a protest on Parliament premises. "So, we came here". A number of opposition party leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Conference's Farooq Abdullah and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, are expected to extend support to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief's fast. Before beginning the fast, Naidu offered tributes to Matama Gandhi at Raj Ghat and to B R Ambedkar at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan. A TDP delegation led by Naidu will submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday, party sources said. Naidu has been trying to unite opposition parties to take on the BJP in the general elections. Over the last three months, he has held a number of meetings with opposition party leaders on forming an anti-BJP front. The TDP had in March last year pulled out of the NDA government over its refusal to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh. The party has been accusing the Narendra Modi government of not releasing enough funds for the Polavaram irrigation project, the Kadapa steel plant and Amravati, the under-construction ultra-modern state capital. Former Bihar deputy chief minister and RJD leader Tejsavi Yadav Constituents of the Oppositions Mahagathbandhan are likely to meet next week to take their seat-sharing discussions for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections forward. The partners are expected to meet after the ongoing Budget session of Parliament ends on February 13. The alliances current constituents include the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Indian National Congress, Upendra Kushwahas Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP), Sharad Yadavs Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD), Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP), former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhis Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist). RJDs Tejashwi Yadav is currently conducting the Berojgari Hatao, Aarakshan Badhao (end unemployment, raise reservation) campaign. According to a report in The Economic Times, the alliances principle party in Bihar -- the RJD wants to first work out its seat-sharing formula with the Congress. After this, it would accommodate the remaining parties and the Left front. There are some seats where both the Congress and RJD are keen to contest from. Bihar has a total of 40 Lok Sabha seats. Both RJD and the Congress are reportedly keen on taking the Left parties on board. This is because the Left front has a considerable support in certain areas of the state. However, the two parties may not be able to spare more than two-to-three seats to be able to accommodate other parties. The problem with Communist Party of India (CPI) is that it wants to retain its status as a national party and so wants to contest at least six seats, a source told the newspaper. The CPI is hoping to contest from Begusarai and Madhubani. It wants to field former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) President Kanhaiya Kumar from Begusarai. The RJD has, however, not accepted CPIs plan so far, the report added. There is likely to be some tussle among partners over some seats. According to a report, CPI(M) wants to field Ram Deo Verma from Ujiarpur constituency -- from where even the RLSP is keen on contesting. The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) wants to contest from Siwan, Ara, Jahanabad and Karakat. But RLSP is keen on Jahanabad too. RLSP may also contest from Karakat, where Kushwaha is the sitting Member of Parliament (MP). In 2014, BJP had won 22 seats in the state. This was followed by Lok Janshakti Party (LJP)s six. Janata Dal (United), which had then fought the polls separately, had managed to bag just two seats. RJD had won four seats, followed by RLSP and Congress three and two seats, respectively. Sharad Pawars Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had won just one seat. Representational picture After a video of a police constable riding a bike without a helmet in Bandra went viral on WhatsApp, Mumbai police swung into action to convey a very positive message theres no exception to the rule. A circular was issued to all police stations on Friday, which mandated all personnel, whether in civil clothes or uniform, to ride two-wheelers wearing the protective headgear. It further stated that doing otherwise would tarnish the forces image and all senior police officers must ensure that the rule is implemented with a zero-tolerance approach. Joint Police Commissioner (Traffic) Amitesh Kumar said as per a report from Mumbai Mirror, all police personnel, both male and female, must wear helmets while riding at all times and also adhere to other traffic rules. Earlier this month, Constable Pandarinath Aldar, posted at Nirmal Nagar Police Station in Andheri East, was videographed riding a patrol bike without a helmet. A man from the area intercepted him, following which an altercation broke out. Another local recorded the incident, while several other residents of the area, looked on. In the footage, one of the locals can be seen snatching the constables bike keys while grilling him for breaking traffic rules that apply to all Mumbaikars. The footage further shows that the cop had to borrow a helmet from a local, after which his keys were given to him. This clip then went viral, necessitating a diktat against such behaviour. The constable was also fined Rs 500 for not wearing a headgear. However, whats shocking here is that the good samaritans were later arrested on charges of obstructing a public servant from discharging his duty and use of wrongful restraint and criminal force. Three of them were remanded in police custody for two days first, they were remanded for 14 days in judicial custody later. Turns out, the constable had registered a case against the three under section 353 and 341 of the Indian Penal Code. Senior Police Inspector Subhash Jadhav stated the trio was under the influence of alcohol during the incident. Last year, an Odisha policeman was fined for riding without wearing a helmet near Ainthapali Chhak in Sambalpur district, after two fellow riders made a video of him flouting traffic rules, which then went viral. Jaipur: Union Home Minister Rajnath singh intrect with media person in Jaipur on Sunday, Dec 2,2018. (PTI Photo )(PTI12_2_2018_000074B) Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "cure" for problems facing the country and asserted he will be voted back to power in the Lok Sabha election that must be held by May. Singh said the prime minister worked for the poor, farmers and weaker sections of society during the past four and a half years of his tenure. Addressing an event in Moradabad, he cited several central government schemes such as Ujjwala Yojana of providing free LPG connections to poor households and Ayushman Bharat health care programme to make his point. "Chowkidar chor nahi, chowkidar pure hai. Next PM sure hai, problem ke liye cure hai," Singh said, using the word Congress president Rahul Gandhi has used to attack Modi on the Rafale jet deal. Singh's statement in English meant: "The watchman is not a thief, he is a pure man." "He is sure to be the next PM, he is a cure for problems." The Congress has been alleging that the 2015 Rafale deal to purchase 36 fighter jets from France was compromised by corruption. Gandhi has repeatedly alleged Modi helped industrialists in getting defence contracts related to the deal. On Monday, the home minister responded to the allegations, saying the defence deal strengthened the Indian Air Force, which had been demanding fighter jets for 30 years. The prime minister finalised the Rafale deal to strengthen India's security, he added. Citing former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Singh said he tested nuclear bombs in 1998 without caring about the warnings and threats from world powers and it was this courage that made India a nuclear weapons State. He also recalled India's victory during the Kargil war with Pakistan. Criticising the SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Saba election, he said it is an "alliance of corruption". He said the opposition parties have lost moral authority and are criticising everyone from the prime minister, to the president and the governors who is going against them. He expressed confidence India will be in the top three economies within 10 years and will again achieve the feat of "Vishwa Guru". In his 50-minute address, he also shared his experience as home minister and lauded the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh. Visuals from the site of the ongoing protest by Gujjar community in Sawai Madhopur (Image: ANI) Indian Railways is the latest victim of the Gujjar agitation brewing in Rajasthan. At least 20 trains were cancelled in the north zone and more than 250 trains affected countrywide. The agitation even turned violent in Dholpur on February 10 with unidentified miscreants firing 8-10 rounds in the air. Three police vehicles, including two jeeps and a bus, were set afire by agitators, Superintendent of Police (SP) Ajay Singh told PTI. Things were about to go out of hand when the law enforcement authorities imposed Section 144 in Dholpur and neighbouring Karauli districts. But why are the Gujjars up in arms and what are their demands? Lets take a closer look: Who are the Gujjars? The Gujjars are a pastoral community who constitute about 5 percent of Rajasthans population, according to the 1931 caste census. Present in around 21 districts, the community has traditionally been supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Also Read | Govt sensitive to quota demand: Sachin Pilot Why are they up in arms? Members of the Gujjar community are demanding 5 percent reservation under the Special Backwards Category (SBC). But, werent they already covered in the OBC category? The Gujjars have been covered under the OBC category since 1994. However, in 2006, they demanded that their community be given reservations under the Scheduled Tribe category. After the Chopra Commission ruled that Gujjars cannot be covered under the ST category, they settled for 5 percent reservation under a new SBC category. But this crossed the 50 percent ceiling of reservations earmarked by the Supreme Court, and was eventually quashed by Rajasthan High Court. Havent previous governments overruled this judgment? In 2008, the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government had tabled a bill granting 5 percent reservation to Gujjars and four other communities under the SBC category. After the Rajasthan High Court stayed the bill, the ruling BJP tabled it again in September 2015. The Rajasthan High Court struck it down again in December 2016. An unyielding Rajasthan government again introduced a bill to raise the OBC quota from 21 percent to 26 percent, granting the additional 5 percent to Gujjars. This too was struck down by the high court on grounds of breaching the 50 percent ceiling for reservation. What is the current status of reservation in Rajasthan? Scheduled Caste 16% Scheduled Tribe 12 % Other Backward Classes (OBCs) 21% Gujjars (Under Most Backward Class) 1% Total 50 % Is this the first Gujjar agitation? Members of the Gujjar community have been embroiled in these protests for more than a decade now and have lost than 70 people to police firing and clashes with other communities who oppose their demand for quota, Hindustan Times has reported. Who is spearheading these protests? An octogenarian Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Kirori Singh Bainsla has been leading the community since 2006 when the Gujjars staged a sit-in on railway tracks in Karauli district. Also Read | Meet Lt Col (retd) Kirori Singh Bainsla, the man behind Rajasthan's Gujjar agitation Colonel Bainsla also contested Lok Sabha polls in 2009 on a BJP ticket, but lost by a meagre 317 votes. The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notice to controversial meat exporter Moin Akhtar Qureshi on a CBI plea to enhance the security amount he has to pay to travel abroad. Justice Chander Shekhar sought the response of Qureshi on the agency's plea seeking enhancing of security from Rs two crore to Rs six crore which Qureshi, accused in a cheating and corruption case, has been asked to furnish to travel to the UAE and Pakistan. Recently, Qureshi was allowed by a trial court to travel to the UAE from February 15-23 for attending the Gulf Food Festival and to Pakistan from March 6-20 to attend his niece's wedding. The court had also directed him to furnish an additional security of Rs two crore in the form of bank guarantee and warned that in case of violation of any of the conditions imposed, the amount would be forfeited. The court had in 2017 granted him bail in a case in which the ED had alleged that Qureshi was involved in hawala transactions through Delhi-based hawala operators Parvez Ali of Turkman Gate and M/s South Delhi Money Changer (DAMINI) in Greater Kailash-1. Amit Shah BJP president Amit Shah will Tuesday launch the nationwide "Mera Parivar Bhajpa Parivar" voter outreach campaign for the Lok Sabha elections from here in Gujarat. He will unfurl the party flag at his residence in Ahmedabad as part of the campaign, the party said in a statement Monday. The BJP intends to hoist the party flag at the houses of voters under this mass outreach drive. BJP's Gujarat in-charge for Lok Sabha elections Om Mathur, state president Jitu Vaghani, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and his deputy Nitin Patel will attend the event, the release said. The campaign will be formally kicked off from Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay auditorium, where the BJP chief will address party workers on the preparation of the Lok Sabha elections, due in April-May this year, it said. Later in the day, Shah will attend a cluster meeting of party leaders in Godhra for Panchmahal, Dahod and Chhota Udepur Lok Sabha seats in central Gujarat. Incharges of the three LS seats, party office-bearers, sitting and former MLAs and MPs from the region, will attend the meeting. The disagreement between Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and American Media Inc's (AMI) National Enquirer (NE) is getting uglier as neither is willing to surrender. In a blog post on February 7, Bezos accused NE of extortion and blackmail. The accusation gave a twist to the weeks-long saga that brought the world's richest person's private life into the spotlight and thrust him deeper into a battle with the leading American tabloid, which reportedly has close links with the US President Donald Trump. Here's a look at what transpired between Bezos and NE. In January 2019, Bezos announced his divorce from wife MacKenzie after 25 years of marriage. Following this, NE published an investigative article and claimed Bezos had an affair with former TV anchor Lauren Sanchez. Bezos, instantly hired an investigator to find out the source of the publication's article. According to Bezos' post, AMI Chief Content Officer Dylan Howard told Bezos' attorney that NE had acquired some private images of him and Sanchez. In a subsequent email, NE allegedly claimed that it would not publish the images if Bezos made a statement suggesting that the tabloid's reporting was not politically motivated. "Of course I don't want personal photos published, but I also won't participate in their well-known practice of blackmail, political favors, political attacks, and corruption," Bezos wrote. "I prefer to stand up, roll this log over, and see what crawls out." "These communications cement AMI's long-earned reputation for weaponizing journalistic privileges, hiding behind important protections, and ignoring the tenets and purpose of true journalism," the post read. On February 8, AMI stated that it would look into the allegations and take necessary action. The claims attain political implications as the media house had reportedly paid model Karen McDougal $150,000 to keep her alleged affair with President Donald Trump a secret. Prosecutors later said that David Pecker, CEO of AMI, offered to keep negative stories on Trump at bay during his 2016 election campaigning as it could hurt his chances in the presidential run-up. So sorry to hear the news about Jeff Bozo being taken down by a competitor whose reporting, I understand, is far more accurate than the reporting in his lobbyist newspaper, the Amazon Washington Post. Hopefully the paper will soon be placed in better & more responsible hands! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2019 It is well known that Trump and Bezos have been at odds for a sometime now. Bezos owns The Washington Post, which the Amazon boss claims has put him at odds with powerful people including the president over political reportage. In a tweet last month, Trump had mocked the Amazon founder calling him "Jeff Bozo". Elkan Abramowitz, an attorney for Pecker, appeared on a news network where he talked about the company's innocence. "It absolutely is not extortion and not blackmail." Insisting that it was journalism, Abramowitz said Bezos had threatened the tabloid. "You can make journalistic decisions as to how many times you're going to write the same story. That's not the job of the prosecutors or anybody else to determine," Abramowitz said. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More ICICI Direct's research report on Dredging Corporation Revenues grew 38% YoY at Rs 165 crore (I-direct estimate: Rs 132 crore), mainly due to better fleet utilisation & low base. The base quarter was impacted by employee strikes against privatisation of the company The EBITDA margin increased 290 bps to 23.4%, leading to an absolute EBITDA of Rs 39 crore vs. Rs 7.2 crore in Q3FY18 (I-direct estimate: loss of Rs 1 crore) Subsequently, adjusted PAT came in at Rs 10 crore against a loss of Rs 23 crore in Q3FY18 (I-direct estimate: loss of Rs 28 crore). Outlook However, as concerns remain on execution of ongoing projects and scaling up of the operations of the company by the consortium of ports, we maintain our HOLD recommendation on the stock, valuing it at Rs 370 (16x FY21E EPS). For all recommendations report, click here Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Read More live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More ICICI Direct's research report on Narayana Hrudayalaya Q3FY19 results were a mixed bag with revenues and EBITDA above I-direct estimates while net profit was lower than I-direct estimates due to higher depreciation and tax rate Revenues grew 32.2% YoY to Rs 732 crore (I-direct estimate: Rs 713 crore) mainly due to consolidation of Health City Cayman Islands (Cayman)and ramp up in new hospitals EBITDA margins improved 136 bps YoY to 10.6% (I-direct estimate: 10.1%) mainly due to lower other expenditure. EBITDA grew 51.5% YoY to Rs 78.0 crore (I-direct estimate: Rs 71.8 crore) Net profit declined 9.7% YoY to Rs 12.7 crore (I-direct estimates of net profit: Rs 15.2 crore). The delta vis-a-vis EBITDA was due to higher interest cost and tax rate (46.3% vs. 42.2% in Q3FY18). Outlook However, we remain positive on the stock as we believe the long term prospects remain intact on the back of asset-right model and affordability philosophy. We arrive at an SOTP target price of Rs 250 by valuing the matured hospitals and Cayman Islands at 8x of FY21E EV/EBITDA and other hospitals & other businesses at 1x FY21E EV/sales. For all recommendations report, click here Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Read More Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, this year has seen active fundraising in the startup space, where e-learning and online food ordering firms nabbed a majority of the big bags six and three respectively. Here is a look at the top 10 startup deals in India in terms of capital till September 2020, according to Venture Intelligence (Image: Moneycontrol) New guidelines on angel tax are likely to announced this week in two tranches. While the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DIPP) is expected to revise the definition of startups by extending its duration bracket from seven to 10 years as early as today, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) will soon clarify its stance on the issue of returned income cap for angel investors. "Any firm that was started in 2009 will qualify as a startup for the next 10 years," said a source privy to the development. "If you are a DIPP recognised firm, who submits the three documents, you will get a blanket exemption up to a capital raise of Rs 25 crore," he added. Last week, the government had set-up a small working group constituting of angel investors and startup founders to look into issues faced by angel investors. This meeting was the outcome of incessant protests by investors in the last few weeks following the government's angel tax notification on January 16. The new norms were expected to soothe sentiments of the startup ecosystem. However, not many were convinced by the fresh guidelines. Angel investors had been demanding complete scrapping of the angel tax. While the government had set up a 45-day deadline for CBDT to approve or reject a startups request for tax exemption, only startups certified and recognised by the DIPP were eligible for all exemptions. According to official data, there are around 16,000 DIPP-level 1 recognised startups in the country. As of November last year, just 91 startups have been approved by the government for availing tax benefits. So, this rule leaves behind a majority of the startups in the country. The industry has being demanding an extension of the seven year cap under which a firm is recognised as a startup by the government. Recently, many startups have been complaining of notices they were receiving from the tax department. Many were being asked to provide an explanation for the funding raised and their valuations. According to a report by LocalCircles and the Indian Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (IVCA), over 73 percent of startups, which raised capital between Rs 50 lakh to Rs 2 crore in India, have received angel tax notices from the I-T Department till date. Source: PTI live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The Supreme Court on February 11 directed the government's construction arm NBCC to float advertisements to sell unsold inventory in two of Amrapali's projects Eden Park and Amrapali Castle and utilise the proceeds to complete them. The next date of hearing is on February 14. NBCC informed the apex court that work had begun on Eden Park and Amrapali Castle. There are a total of eight unsold properties in the two projects that can be put on the block - three flats in Castle, four residential and one commercial in Eden Park, legal sources said. The apex court last month had directed NBCC to start work on two unfinished projects. The apex court had given the PSU the task to bail out stuck home buyers last year by completing the unfinished Amrapali projects following which NBCC had survey all the projects and informed the court that it would require Rs 8,500 crore to complete all the projects. The bench also wanted to know if the Debt Recovery Tribunal had been able to sell the real estate company's properties. It was informed that there were no bids received for land in Vrindavan and Tech Park hotel as banks were apparently not willing to finance buyers for these properties. At the hearing, DRT had sought clarification from the court if the land reserved for schools or milk booths can be sold for commercial purposes to which the court said that land use cannot be changed, lawyers present at the hearing said. The court also heard the JP Morgan issue and said that it would pass a detailed order on February 14. Last month, the top court had brought under its scanner multi-national firm JP Morgan Real Estate fund, which had invested Rs 85 crore in Amrapali Zodiac in 2010 by purchasing its share and later selling those shares to the sister companies of reality firm. Forensic auditors had pointed out that shares purchased and agreement of JP Morgan Real Estate fund and Amrapali Group were in violation of the provisions of law. "After investing Rs 85 crore in purchasing the shares of Amrapali Zodiac with an agreement which was impermissible in law they again sold those shares for Rs 140 crore to little known companies Neelkanth and Rudraksh which were owned by Chandan Kumar and Vivek Mittal who worked in the office of Amrapali statutory auditors. These two companies were sister companies of Amrapali Group," the forensic auditors had informed the court last month. To this, the bench had told the counsel for JP Morgan and its India in-charge that the company needs to explain lot of things. At the hearing, Noida Authority submitted that if their payment is made or is secured through some mechanism, they may consider granting occupancy certificates and register the project. Lawyers representing homebuyers argued that payment may have to be secured but the law does not require payment of dues as a precondition for grant of OC and going ahead with registration. Last month, the apex court had also asked the forensic auditors to verify the total dues of both the Noida Authority and the Greater Noida Authority. The apex court had also said that it would hear the argument on the execution of sub lease deed for the Amrapali residents belonging to category A projects. During the hearing held in the beginning of January this year, the court-appointed auditors had told the Supreme Court that posh flats were booked on sums as low as Re 1, Rs 5 and Rs 11 per sq ft in the name of over 500 people. The audit had found that 23 companies were floated in the name of office boys, peons and drivers and these firms were part of Amrapali consortium and were made fronts to divert home buyers' money. The two forensic auditors had told the apex court that they have issued notices to 655 people on whose names 'benami' flats were booked but no one was found in 122 such locations. The interim report of forensic auditors which was submitted before a bench of justices Arun Mishra and UU Lalit had said that Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Chander Wadhwa had transferred Rs 4.75 crore to "unidentified persons" just three days before he deposed before the top court on October 26, last year. The court had also asked the forensic auditors to produce the orders of Income Tax department which during its search and seizure conducted in 2013-14 had recovered Rs 200 crore bogus bills and vouchers besides Rs one crore from Amrapali Group CMD Anil Kumar Sharma and Rs one crore from director Shiv Priya. Another forensic auditor Ravi Bhatia had told the court that Amrapali Group had appealed against the IT order which had deleted the paragraph which mentioned of Rs 200 bogus bills and vouchers raised on account of purchase of raw materials. The apex court had on December 12 last year, asked the two forensic auditors to examine the trail of around Rs 3,000 crore, the home-buyers' money allegedly spent by the Amrapali Group on buying shares of its sister companies and asset creation. It had directed the forensic auditors to ascertain the numbers of flats which were 'benami' property, doubly booked or booked on a nominal value by Amrapali Group. On November 13 last year, in a massive crackdown on Amrapali Group for "wilful disobedience" of its orders, the apex court had attached the company's 100-bed multi-speciality hospital, bank accounts, the building which houses its office, certain firms and a "benami" villa in Goa. The apex court had earlier initiated contempt proceedings against Sharma and its directors for prima facie violating court's order and thwarting the course of justice. The court is seized of a batch of petitions filed by home buyers who are seeking possession of around 42,000 flats booked in projects of the Amrapali Group. vandana.ramnani@nw18.com The Supreme Court on February 11 admitted a PIL filed by a group of homebuyers that challenges the constitutional validity of West Bengal Housing & Industrial Regulation Act 2017 (HIRA). The apex court issued notice to the West Bengal government to file its reply within a fortnight. The West Bengal government has been directed to file a reply within two weeks, lawyers said. West Bengal is the only state in the country that has not accepted RERA. The Central Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA) came into effect on May 1, 2017, exactly a year after it was passed by the Parliament. The petition has been filed by the Forum for People's Collective Efforts (FPCE), an umbrella homebuyers association. In its petition, the association has said that if WBHIRA is allowed to continue, it would give way for state legislatures to enter into other fields to legislate under the concurrent List, which otherwise are occupied by central legislations. It may also prompt other states to come out with their own State laws, further diluting the provisions in favour of builders, thereby defeating the purpose of a uniform RERA and rendering RERA redundant, they have said in their petition. In its petition, FPCE has prayed that the Supreme Court pass an order declaring the West Bengal Housing Industry Regulation Act, 2017 as ultra vires the provisions of the Constitution of India and consequently, issue an appropriate writ/order or direction in the nature of writ of mandamus/order directing the State of West Bengal to not enforce the provisions of the West Bengal Housing Industry Regulation Act, 2017 within the State of West Bengal. It has also prayed that the apex court issue an appropriate writ/order or direction in the nature of writ of mandamus/order directing the State of West Bengal to enforce and act in accordance with the provisions of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 in its letter and spirit within the State of West Bengal; and, issue such further appropriate writ/order/direction as this Honble Court may deem fit and proper in facts and circumstances of the case. The homebuyers have argued that a Central RERA already existed before the state of West Bengal enacted WBHIRA. "The constitutional scheme requires that the State Act should give way to the Central legislation and it is the Central statute alone, which should prevail in the State of West Bengal," they have said in their petition. RERA made by the Parliament is a 'complete and exhaustive code' and therefore, there is no scope for any State legislation to be enacted in the area save in terms of Article 254(2) of the Constitution of India, it notes. Also, 'the requirement of Article 254(2) to obtain the assent of the President of India has not been fulfilled while enacting the impugned State Act', it states, adding "It is an admitted position that the State of West Bengal had neither reserved the impugned State Act for consideration of the President nor had ever obtained the President's assent inspite of the fact that the entire field stood occupied by RERA, 2016 enacted by the Parliament." They have noted that there is a direct conflict between Central RERA and WBHIRA. For instance, whether the Regulatory Authority would be under RERA or WBHIRA, or whether registration of real estate projects or real estate agents will be under the Central law or State law. This would lead to chaos in the state, the petition states. The petition notes that the Government of Kerala had also repealed the Kerala Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, after the passage of RERA, in order to comply with the Parliamentary Law. Homebuyers have argued that while RERA is in various stages of implementation and most states have either taken the lead in notifying the rules or some are at various stages of implementation, it is only West Bengal that stands out as it is not only not implementing RERA but rather, has chosen to enact the impugned State Act in complete disregard for the Central Act, questioning the supremacy of Parliament. Besides the six north eastern states that have not notified RERA and its rules due to West Bengal is the only state in the country to have enacted a state Act which almost mirrors RERA except for a few differences pertaining to definition of force majeure and garage. The state law in Maharashtra was earlier repealed despite a presidential assent and Kerala too did not implement its own Act. Real estate developers and realty agents in West Bengal say that they have no option but to register under WBHIRA to stay in business. "There is confusion in West Bengal. Both developers and real agents are a confused lot. As many as 50 developer projects have been registered under the state Act and the same number of agents have applied for registration and paid the fees," an agent active in West Bengal told Moneycontrol. "Until we register ourselves we cannot work in West Bengal after September 1, we cannot book unregistered properties for our clients. Similarly, developers cannot sell units in a project that has not been registered under WBHIRA. We are scared that we do not register, we may have to pay penalty. So, we are compelled to register. Right now, we are working basis the applied for registration numbers," he says. As for the fees paid to the West Bengal government treasury as registration fees, both builders and agents say that whichever law prevails, the fees will continue to be paid to the state treasury. "Only the name will change from WBHIRA to RERA in case the state decides to register projects under RERA. The buyer-builder agreements may also have to be revised but it does not seem that the state government is willing to relent anytime soon," says a builder on condition of anonymity. Experts say that HIRA defeats the very purpose of Central RERA. "The first is to do with the force majeure clause or unforeseen circumstances under which a builder may not fulfil conditions laid down under the contract signed with the homebuyers. RERA clearly lays down the circumstances of force majeure such as war, flood, drought, fire, cyclone, earthquake or any other natural calamity. HIRA has made an addition to this clause and talks about 'any other circumstances as may be prescribed'. This is a major dilution." Sale of open space as a garage or parking area was an issue dealt under RERA. HIRA has interpreted it differently. RERA defines garage to mean a place within a project that has a roof and walls on three sides for parking any vehicle but it does not include unenclosed or uncovered parking area, especially open parking. HIRA, on the other hand, states that car parking area means such an area as may be prescribed and defined garage to mean garage and parking space as sanctioned by the competent authority. IL&FS Transportation Networks | The company defaulted on the interest on non-convertible debentures due on August 25, 2020. (Image: Reuters) The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal on Monday allowed 22 companies of crisis-hit IL&FS group to service their debt obligations. Besides, a two-member bench headed by Justice S J Mukhopadhaya approved appointment of former Supreme Court judge Justice D K Jain to supervise resolution process of IL&FS group. The appellate tribunal also lifted moratorium and allows 133 IL&FS firms incorporated outside India to continue with the resolution process. "We allow (companies under green categories) the board to permit the company to service debt obligations as per schedule," the firm said. The NCLAT was hearing the government plea over IL&FS group. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Tata Steel gains but most global brokerage firms slashed their 12-month target price post December quarter results as the margins are likely to remain under pressure, and any price increase in India is challenging given high inventory at the country level and rising production at SAIL and JSPL, suggest experts. Tata Steel reported a surge of 53 percent (year-on-year) in its net profit for the December quarter at Rs 1,751 crore. The company had reported a profit of Rs 1,144 crore during the same quarter of last year. The revenue has risen 23 percent at Rs 41,219 crore versus Rs 33,446.6 crore that was posted by the company last year. At an operating level, consolidated EBITDA declined 25 percent QoQ to Rs 6,700 crore in 3QFY19, led by lower volumes globally and the shrinkage in spreads in standalone (S/A), Europe (TSE) and South East Asia (SEA). Analysts at top brokerage firms remain watchful of Tata Steel as most of them have slashed their 12-month target price post December quarter results. JP Morgan maintained its overweight call on Tata Steel post Q3 results but reduced its target to Rs 880 from Rs 980 earlier. The December quarter results were largely in-line with estimates. There are twin tailwinds in terms of higher iron ore and European JV which is not yet priced in. The global investment bank raised EPS estimates by 4 percent for FY19 but warns of an upside risk to estimates if current iron ore price strength sustains. It slashed valuation multiple from 6.5x to 6x. Another global brokerage firm, Credit Suisse maintained its outperform rating but slashed its target price to Rs 628 from 860 earlier. Tata Steel reported weak India business performance in Q3. It slashed EBITDA estimates for both India & Europe going ahead. It slashed FY19/20e EPS to 24%/26%, and remain watchful on events around the JV with ThyssenKrupp. Motilal Oswal maintained sell rating on Tata Steel with a target price of Rs 370. The company has highly profitable operations in India, but its capital allocation and the track record of turning around acquired assets have been poor. Both Bhushan Steel and Usha Martins steel business acquisitions have been expensive, which will drag earnings for years, warns the domestic brokerage firm. The recent loss of iron ore production at Vale post breach of a tailing dam has pushed up iron ore and scrap by 15-20%, which will eventually move steel prices higher on the slightest recovery in steel demand and can drive up the stock for some time, but it is unlikely to be sustainable. Price increase in India is challenging, given high inventory at the country level and rising production at SAIL and JSPL. Our sum-of-parts valuations suggest equity valuation of Rs 370/share. Maintain Sell, it said. Sanjay Bakshi (right) with investor Samir Arora at the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholders meeting 2018 in Omaha, US. (Courtesy: Twitter.com/Sanjay_Bakshi) Part 1 of Moneycontrol podcast with Sanjay Bakshi. Subsequent parts to be published every day this week. Hello and welcome to Moneycontrol Podcast. I am Santosh Nair in conversation with Professor Sanjay Bakshi. Before I get chatting, here is a brief introduction about him. Professor Bakshi is considered to be one of the best minds in India in the fields of value investing and behavioural finance. Besides these two subjects, he also teaches corporate governance and forensic accounting at Management Development Institute, Gurugram. And he not only teaches value investing, but also practises it as Managing Partner at ValueQuest Capital. Thank you for joining us on the show Professor Bakshi. Q: Tell us what got you interested in investing? Was this your first choice as a career? A: Well, almost everything that has happened to me in life has been sort of accidental. In this case, I used to see my dad, who was a value investor. He is the kind of investor that you profiled in your book--old school, faith-based investor who would pick up an entrepreneur and blindly follow him. The entrepreneur my dad picked up was a guy called Dhirubhai Ambani and he used to have a lot of faith in Dhirubhais ability to compound capital. We all know that Dhirubhai was instrumental in creating the equity cult in India. So, my father was part of that cult and he used to talk about him all the time. I used to watch him as a kid at that time and it turns out that my dad did fairly well. He was a bureaucrat in the government and he used to invest in the stock market and his favourite stock was Reliance and he made money in that. I am actually grateful to Dhirubhai because he funded my first motorcycle, because my dad sold some shares in Reliance Industries to gift me a motorbike. I used to see dad work very hard in his office and he would go at like 8:30 or 9:00 clock in the morning and come late at the evening but his investing hardly took any time and I thought that this is really cool, you can make money and you can fund bikes from equities. So thats how I originally got interested in the idea of investing. I was in school then. Then I got into college and there I ended up partnering with a friend and we ended up investing in some IPOs and we lost money. So that was a big lesson. Fast forward, after finishing my graduation I ended up doing my chartered accountancy. In my chartered accountancy course, I learnt everything about accounting and how transactions end up becoming financial statements. I could pick up all of that but I had no clue about the quality of the business or the management. I had no idea about that and I certainly had no idea about human nature in psychology. Then I ended up getting a scholarship to study at the London School of Economics. It was in the LSE where I accidentally discovered the idea of value investing. Till then, I had no idea about what value investing exactly was. I was just watching my dad and I was just speculating in the IPO market and blowing money. At LSE, I was taught that standard academic finance papers that markets are efficient and there are no mispriced bets, you should just buy the market portfolio and then I accidentally came across an article in the newspaper about this obscure guy who operates out of a town called Omaha. This was 1990 and you know Warren Buffett wasnt as well as known as he is right now and that article said a few things which was quite contrary to what I was being taught. Things like he has a wonderful track record, he stays far away from the stock market and he believes that markets are often quite wrong and the article also said that you could get his letters in which he explained his thoughts on investing, about the world of business and you could get them for free. I was very inspired by that and I wrote to him and his secretary wrote back that they would be happy to send the letters, but I had to send them the postage money, which is probably the best investment I ever made. I got those letters in about four or five days and basically I found the calling when I read those letters because as I mentioned I already had an accounting background, I was already a graduate from University of Delhi after having done B. Com (Hons). So, I knew business law, a little bit of economics and in my CA, I had learnt accounting and auditing and when I read through those letters I could start connecting the dots that there is a way, there is a method of investing which can create a lot of value, will make you a lot of money. Through those letters I discovered Buffetts teacher Ben Graham who taught him at Colombia University and of course I went and bought all the books of Ben Graham and all the editions of Security Analysis and I bought Intelligent Investor. As I was going through those books I discovered a very interesting piece; it has not appeared anywhere else to my mind. In the third edition of Security Analysis, there is piece called Special Situations where Graham describes how to make money in the stock market without thinking about fundamentals, without predicting future fundamental information, without studying balance sheets. Basically, he was doing what we now call as risk arbitrage - event-driven strategies, tender offers and buybacks and recapitalisations where the outcome of your investment operation is dependent on the happening and the non-happening of a corporate event, nothing to do with markets. So that was very interesting to me for two reasons; one you get uncorrelated returns, and two, you dont have to predict things. You dont have to even do a lot of fundamental analysis. So that was one piece which was very influential to me in Special Situations. The second, essay that I read through was in the Appendix to the Intelligent Investor. In the 50th year of the publication of Security Analysis in 1984 Warren Buffett went to Colombia University and gave a talk that is a famous talk, all early investors know about. It is called The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville. In that talk, there was a certain passage which when I read just blew my mind. Q: What was that? A: That passage was that Buffett uses a metaphor of a gun and he says that if you have a gun which has got six chambers in it and If I put a bullet in one chamber and you ask me how much do you want to be paid to pull the trigger once, I am not going to pull it and even if its a million dollars and if somebody asks you that I will give you two million dollars, will you pull it now? And thats a positive correlation between risk and reward. But in value investing, it is the opposite. If you are buying a $100 bill for $110 it is risky, but if you are buying it at $60 it is less risky. But the expectation of reward is higher in the latter case that if you buy it for $60 and it goes back to fair value you make money. If you buy it $110 and goes back to fair value, you lose money. So, over here you have less risk of loss, but the return is higher which was extremely counter-intuitive to me because as I mentioned I was studying in the LSE and the professors over there were telling me that if you want to make more money you have got to take more risk. This guy is saying the opposite that if you want to make more money you got to take less risk and I said, this guy is saying something which is exact opposite of what I have been taught and I have got to know more about this stuff. As I worked through the examples of Ben Grahams books I basically found my calling and decided that this is what I want to do and I came back to India. Q: What was the experience like when you came back to India? A: Very tough. Before I went to the LSE, I worked for a company called American Express for six months and that period of working in American Express they told me that I am unemployable, I cant work for any boss or anything like that. So when I returned from London, I never wanted to work for another company. I had to be on my own, but I had no money. And I came back with Rs 3 lakh. My net worth was Rs 3,00,000 at the time. If you want to start your career as a value investor you cant do much with Rs 3 lakh. By then, I already had a daughter. I had been married in 1990 and came back with a daughter. I had a family to support. It was very tough in the initial years and I started writing columns for money and I used to write two or three columns a week. So, I did a lot of those and then I started teaching in a couple of business schools just to sustain myself while I was building a career as a value investor. I then went to friends and family members and I collected a pool of capital, a princely sum of Rs 20 lakh, which was given to me more out of pity by my friends and family than out of any conviction, because I had really no track record at that time. They just knew that this is a decent person, lets give him some money, lets back him. Thats what I tell all my students: if you want to start their career as a value investor and dont have enough money to begin with, you will need other peoples money and those people are almost certainly going to be people who trust you, people who have known you, which is basically your childhood friends and your family members. So thats how I started, but four or five years was very tough. Q: So you collected Rs 20 lakh and invested all the money in stocks. How did it turn out? A: It was very painful, because I had all this theoretical knowledge and I thought I was a hotshot value investor who has learnt everything, read up everything on Buffett and Graham and I am a qualified chartered accountant and I can crack this. In three years I lost 40 percent of the money and part of the money came from mother-in law. Q: Thats tough. A: Thats very tough. But it is a blessing in the sense losing money in the early part of your journey is very painful but it teaches you a few things. Q: So, how did your friends take to the bad news early on? Did they eventually make a decent enough return on that investment? A: Well ultimately, they all redeemed and I bought them out because it was sort of a loosely held investment partnership. As I became more evolved as an investor and got more clients, I bought all of them out over a period of time and they were happy about the outcome. I dont want to say that they had great outcomes but nobody lost money and they did pretty okay. Q: What were the learnings from that maiden venture as a professional money manager? What were the things you felt you did right and where did you go wrong? A: If you recall we just spoke about my experiences even before that I have speculated in IPOs. Everybody was making money in IPOs and I got in at the wrong time with the wrong issues and I lost money. When I read through Grahams books, I came across passages telling why you should stay away from IPOs. He wrote that there were lots of salesmanship behind these issues and there was the timing factor as well. Entrepreneurs are not going to come and give you their companies for a song at the bottom of bear market. Typically, it will be in a bull market cycle that you will see a lot of IPO activity happening. In the secondary market, shares trade every day. So, the probability that you will find a bargain in the secondary market is so much higher than in the primary market. I could relate as to why those losses occurred by studying the reasons. I gradually learnt about what to avoid, how to avoid those things. So, that was one thing that happened. The early experience for me was really about learning from losses and one thing which I have learnt over the years is you are going to have losses in this field all that time. Taking losses or facing losses in the early part of your journey has been good for me and it is good for almost everybody, provided you can get the right lessons from that. One thing which I have learnt by reading a little about behavioural economics is about the power of framing. If you frame those losses and the money that you lost in those losses and just give them a label of tuition fees paid then that helps. Psychologically it helps you, number one. Number two, if it is a hefty tuition fee that you have paid then, you are not likely to make the same mistakes again and it also gives you hope. You have learnt something, move on and dont make the same mistake again because you have already graduated and you paid the tuition fees. So, education will come from your losses in that sense. The idea of framing losses as tuition fees has been very helpful to me. That was one thing which happened. There is something else that happened to me and I have rarely spoken about it. It is the first time I am doing in public. In 1990 when I was a student at the LSE, one of my fathers friends settled in England took me and my wife to a casino, Victoria Casino, Edgware Road in London. There, I gambled for the first time in my life in a casino. It was the first time I actually entered a casino and I made money and when I made money I felt happy. I thought that I had discovered a way of becoming rich quick. To you and the listeners, it may now sound ridiculous, but at that time when I made money for the first time I thought I had invented a new way of life, that I could double my bets and double them again, using the Martingale strategy that people use. I made money, you could say it was beginners luck, but I got hooked on to it. Q: Do you recall how much money you exactly made on that bet? A: Initially I made about 20-30 pounds. Because, I was now hooked, I was bunking classes and going there. I was there before the casino opened and I was there right till the evening and I would gamble. One day I made 2,000 pounds which was an enormous amount of money for my net worth at that point of time. It was an enormous sum of money for a student living on scholarshipit was huge. I felt that this is what I can do for life. I have found a way of gambling and I was using some methods, so-called methods, which almost always will make you go broke ultimately, which is what happened to me too. But I got hooked and I gambled more because one thing which happens in gambling is that if you make money you are going to go back, you gamble more, very few people actually say that I made money I was lucky, let me walk away. Its extremely difficult to walk away. You go back. I went back and I lost everything and more and then I became extremely emotional about it because my wife was working early mornings in the winter to support me, because I didnt have money for financial support for living expenses and living in London was very expensive. So, she was supporting my education and I blew up all of my net worth and I felt terrible about it and then I made a pledge that I am not going to go to a casino or if I go I am not going to gamble and I stayed with that since then. Many years later, my wife and I went to Las Vegas and I gave her all the chips that the hotels give you for free, I said you go to the tables, I am not going. The reason I mention this today is that those losses you suffer are emotionally very distressing, but they are also very instructive. At least for me they made me aware of risk, as to what can go wrong. In his book, Ben Graham defines what is the meaning of investing, and he starts with a very simple definition. He says, an investment operation is one which upon thorough analysis promises safety of principal plus an adequate return. Safety of principal plus an adequate return. Safety of principle comes before, the adequate return comes later and this is very important and lot of people dont get this and I certainly didnt get it at that time. There is another guy called Will Rogers who said pretty much the same thing in a much more entertaining manner and he said, I am more concerned with the return of my money than the return on my money. And if you look at the history of financial markets, you will find that there are periods during which people dont follow this advice. They would be more focused on the return on their money than the return of their money. Praveg Communications (India) Ltd. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Shares of Dr Reddys Laboratories fell 4 percent on Monday morning as investors reacted to observations being issued to the company by US FDA. The stock touched an intraday high of Rs 2,704.70 and an intraday low of Rs 2,659.95. The company on Friday told the exchanges that its Formulations Manufacturing Plant - 3 at Bachupally, Hyderabad had been inspected by the US FDA. It has been issued a Form 483 with 11 observations. We will address them comprehensively within the stipulated timeline, the company told the exchanges. The stock has gained over 5 percent in the past one month, while in the past three days, it fell 3 percent. At 09:28 hrs Dr Reddys Laboratories was quoting at Rs 2,701.10, down Rs 71.20, or 2.57 percent, on the BSE. SpiceJet | Company reported loss at Rs 105.6 crore in Q2FY21 against loss at Rs 461.2 crore, revenue fell to Rs 1,070.5 crore versus Rs 2,848.3 crore YoY. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Low cost airline carrier SpiceJet has posted a steep 77.1 percent year-on-year decline in profit to Rs 55.1 crore, dented by higher aircraft fuel expenses. Its profit in same period last year was at Rs 240 crore. The company said revenue from operations during the quarter grew by 20.2 percent to Rs 2,487 crore year-on-year. At operating level, EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) plunged 62.7 percent YoY to Rs 113.2 crore and margin contracted to 4.5 percent in Q3 against 14.7 percent YoY due to more than 33 percent increase in operating expenses. Aircraft fuel expenses during the quarter increased by 54.5 percent to Rs 968.3 crore against Rs 631 crore in corresponding period last year. "A strong 8 percent increase in passenger yields helped partially offset record high cost due to an increase of 34 percent in crude oil prices and 11 percent depreciation of the Indian rupee against the USD. The combined effect of these cost escalations was approximately Rs 329 crore," SpiceJet said. The average domestic load factor for the quarter was 91.6 percent, it added. Other income was up at Rs 44 crore for the quarter against Rs 27.3 crore in same period last fiscal. GNA Axles | Promoter Jasvinder Singh created pledge on company's 3 lakh shares. Auto component maker Dhoot Transmission on Monday said it has acquired Bengaluru-based wire harness and control panel maker, San Electromec for an undisclosed sum. The Aurangabad-headquartered manufacturer of wiring harness for two-wheelers said the acquisition will help it enhance its portfolio, especially in railways, defence, construction and specialty vehicle segments. The company, however, did not share financial details and the quantum of stake acquired. This is the fourth acquisition by Dhoot Transmission after taking over Parkinson Harness Technology (UK), TFC Cable Assemblies (Scotland) and a JV into automotive switches and controllers with Carling Technologies, US. "With this acquisition, we aim to expand geographically, while adding new capabilities and client markets. It is our endeavour to support the existing San Electromec facility in every way and grow the enterprise as best as we can together," Dhoot Transmission Managing Director, Rahul Dhoot said in a statement. He further said San Electromec has "tremendous capabilities, product knowledge and long-standing, strong relationships with many of the premier companies in the industry". The "acquisition helps us create synergies between Parkinson, UK, and San, both being strong players in the off-highway electrical segment; and to harness this synergy we have created Parkinson San Systems Pvt. Ltd," Dhoot added. San Electromec Managing Director Sanjeev Mehra said the deal will help the company "scale up on the existing client base in harness and control panels, while being supported by strong operations and expertise of Dhoot, coupled with economy of scale benefits that we intend to extend to our clientele". Dhoot Transmission has 15 manufacturing locations spread over India, United Kingdom, Europe and Thailand. It has presence in wiring harnesses, moulding and tooling for automotive, construction, farming, off-roading, specialty vehicle segment. San Electromec on the other hand offers solutions ranging from cabling systems, wiring harnesses and control panels and has clients including counts Wirtgen, Volvo, BEML and Tata Motors among others, the statement said. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA), the lobby group for the domestic pharma industry, has filed a submission to the US Trade Representative (USTR) to remove India from its Priority Watch List (PWL), which includes countries that are alleged to have weak enforcement of patent laws. IPA has drawn the attention of USTR to the rapid progress made by India on a number of fronts that were cited by the US body while placing India on PWL in 2018. The 2018 report had asserted that India has yet to take steps to address longstanding patent issues, among which were the long timelines for receiving patents. IPA, in its February 7 submission, has pointed out that a number of steps have been taken by the Patent Office to augment manpower and streamline procedures, which have resulted in the transformation of the Patent Office. As a result, patent examination time has been brought down drastically. Patents pending examination have reduced to 127,881 as on December 31, 2018 from 204,177 as on March 31, 2017, IPA said. India now examines trademark applications in about one month and registrations are completed in a year or less, the industry body added. "India now has one of the lowest examination times for trademark registration in the world and the indications are that patent examination backlog will be eliminated in about two years. Processing delays are no longer a concern and we hope that the USTR will take note of this," DG Shah, Secretary General of IPA, told Moneycontrol. The USTR's Special 301 report is a Congressionally-mandated annual report that has been issued every year beginning 1989. It identifies trade barriers to US companies and products in foreign shores due to the host country's intellectual property laws, including trademarks, patents, copyright and trade secrets. The US government exerts pressure on countries on its watch list to address both emerging and continuing concerns and reviews the list annually based on public hearings. The countries that continue to fail were put on priority foreign country category that mandates the US government to impose unilateral trade sanctions. The Indian drug industry is worried about reports that the US government is considering withdrawal of zero tariffs on India, which may adversely impact the Indian drug industry on allegations of not honouring patents. India enjoys certain trade benefits filed under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), which is a preferential tariff system extended by developed nations to developing countries. India exported about $5 billion worth of pharmaceuticals. Now, if the US imposes fresh tariff, Indian drug makers may get impacted. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Aurobindo Pharma, Lupin and Dr Reddy's Laboratories are the biggest exporters. IPA said the prime concern of the US pharma industry, stemming from some provisions in Indias intellectual property (IP) laws, is Section 3(d), which prohibits grant of evergreening patents, which is unwarranted. These are additional patents for a drug with no therapeutic benefit and serve only to increase term of the patent monopoly. Consequently, the availability of affordable generics is delayed and assures innovators of an extended period of pricing monopoly. India also does not provide a term for data (market) exclusivity for a new drug, quite apart from the monopoly conferred by a patent for it. Another major irritant between India and US is the compulsory licensing, wherein India can permit generic manufacturers to develop and market an affordable generic version when the price of the innovator drug is very high, is another major irritant to innovator companies. "The extraordinarily high prices of new drugs is a cause of considerable concern globally. Even developed countries in Europe such as the Netherlands and Switzerland are exploring the possibility of compulsory licensing as a means to control prices of new drugs," Shah said DG Shah. IPA has strongly defended Indias patent law, which is Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)-compliant and strikes a balance between the need to assure innovators of profits for their useful inventions and safeguarding public health. IPA represents 22 leading Indian pharmaceutical companies. The body collectively accounts for over 85 percent of private sector investment into pharmaceutical R&D in India and 50 percent of the countrys pharmaceutical exports. In its submission it has urged USTR for a review of its 2019 Special 301 report. India along with 11 other countries are placed on PWL in the 2018 Special 301 report for alleged lack of a better environment for protection and enforcement of IP rights or patent. The USTR also expressed concern over lack of sufficient measurable improvements on patent protection. India was added to PWL by the US government, based on complaints of MNC drug makers, led by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) -- the US drug industry lobby over Indias poor enforcement of IP law. Beyond patents, US companies were also unhappy over price controls and other 'protectionist measures'. The Indian Banks Association (IBA) may again approach the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to defer provisioning for Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Service (IL&FS) group companies. This time around, IBA may apply only for 'Amber' companies of IL&FS after a meeting with the Secretary of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) and new Uday Kotak-led board on January 22. Amber companies are those entities, which are unable to meet all their obligations (financial and operational), but can meet only operational payment obligation to senior secured financial creditors. Such entities are permitted to make payments necessary to maintain and preserve a going concern. Referring to IBAs representation to RBI seeking temporary dispensation of asset classification requirements in relation to banks exposure to IL&FS group companies, MCA Secretary Injeti Srinivas told the new board of IL&FS and lenders of IL&FS that the same needs to be taken up once again. However, he added the same should be made with a full justification that the deferment of provisioning should be requested only for 'Amber' category companies, where banks are unable to enforce payments due to moratorium and the funds are available in the escrow account. Moneycontrol has a copy of the progress report and minutes of the January 22 meet. IL&FS has total debt of Rs 89,393 crore as of date. Over 300 group entities are unable to service their debt. On October 1, 2018, the Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) sacked its old board and constituted a new board under the leadership of Uday Kotak. It also authorised the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) to probe alleged financial regularities in the non-banking financial company (NBFC). Rajnish Kumar, Chairman, State Bank of India, (attended the via video conference), proposed that the special purpose vehicle of IL&FS, with adequate cash flow to meet payment obligations to secured creditors, should be excluded from this moratorium. Another concern was raised by PS Jayakumar, Managing Director, Bank of Baroda, relating to prioritisation of claims among secured and unsecured creditors. He sought no change in priority claims of secured creditors. The progress report prepared by the new board of IL&FS, and filed by MCA with NCLT, mentioned the following challenges: 1) IL&FS has 301 group entities, of which 128 are located in offshore jurisdictions; 2) The remaining 174 companies are incorporated in the country, of which 71 companies have external debt; and 3) Since these companies are incorporated in an offshore destination, legal course of action will have to be pursued under the law of that land. As per the report, the last date for receipt of expression of interest for IL&FS Securities Services and ISSL Securities & Trusteeship (ISTSL) was November 23, 2018 and 11 EoIs were shortlisted. For renewable energy, the last date for submission of EoI was December 10, 2018 and 22 EoIs met the cut. For its domestic assets (roads; stadium; engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC); operation and maintenance (O&M) businesses the last date was January 8 and 32 EoIs qualified. The last day for receipt of bids for its education and Alternative Investment Fund businesses was January 11 and 11 EoIs qualified in both segment. The report added that discussions are underway on ONGC Tripura Power Company, Mangalore Special Economic Zone, IL&FS Paradip Refinery Water, UAE-based IL&FS Prime Terminals, IIPL USA and YuHe Expressway. Assets with an embedded debt of Rs 35,000 crore are being monetised and EoIs on an additional Rs 15,000 crore worth of assets are to be launched in the next 4-6 weeks, it stated. Amid growing uncertainties on the global oil market, Japan is looking to boost its energy cooperation with Russia, and international sanctions on Moscow dont prohibit cooperation. That's according to Japans Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko in a written interview with S&P Global Platts published on Friday. Japan, which relies almost exclusively on imports of crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to meet its demand for those products, sees the benefit of shorter travel times and safer routes for deliveries from Russias Far East, amid increased uncertainties in the global oil market with the US sanctions on Iran, according to Seko. Also on rt.com Russia looks to build LNG Island to supply booming Asian market Imports of Russian crude oil and LNG do not go through any chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz. Therefore they are important for the diversification of Japan's energy import sources, and I hope that Russia will play an even larger role. I would like to continue working to expand our cooperation, Seko told Platts. Currently, Japan relies heavily on imports from the Middle East, with cargoes having to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has threatened to block numerous times over the past few years. Japanese companies are also interested in taking part in planned LNG projects in Russia, including Arctic LNG 2, Baltic LNG, and the third train at Sakhalin, the Japanese minister said, noting that if Japanese firms secure participation, Japan could boost its LNG imports from Russia in the future. Also on rt.com Dangerous liaisons? Italians want to build LNG plant in Russian Arctic despite US sanctions threat Sanctions on Russia are not a concern for Japan, because Tokyo complies with them, yet sanctions do not comprehensively prohibit Japans energy cooperation with Russia, Seko told Platts. Japanese and Russian firms have recently entered into an early agreement for possible future cooperation in LNG. As Russias LNG producer Novatek is looking to boost LNG supply to the growing Asian market, the Russian firm has recently signed a preliminary agreement with Japans Saibu Gas, under which the companies will consider potential cooperation in entering the end-consumer LNG market in Asia. Novatek will optimize its LNG supplies to the Asia-Pacific region by using Saibu Gass Hibiki LNG terminal in Japan, the Russian firm said in December. This article was originally published on Oilprice.com The online community has been outraged by the shameful and disgusting treatment of a triple-amputee Purple Star veteran of Iraq, who was subjected to an invasive search by a TSA agent in Arizona over the weekend. Strong words of support were voiced for Brian Kolfage after a video surfaced showing the 37-year-old Air Force veteran being groped by a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer during an invasive frisk on Saturday in Tucson International Airport. They groped and searched under his hips and buttocks, his groin and his half-arm, searching for what? YouTube user James Hoft wondered in the comments to his video of the incident. In addition to conducting a full and thorough check on the veterans body, the video also shows the federal agent checking Kolfages prosthetic legs and wheelchair, apparently for possible arms or explosives. Shocked by the treatment of the most severely wounded airman in US history, the online community shamed TSA and united to express support for the veteran, who lost both his legs and his right hand in Iraq in 2004. Brian Kolfage lost his limbs fighting Muslim terrorism. And now he has to be humiliated being searched at the gate?! The irony is appalling. And Disgusting, Hollywood actor James Woods said on Twitter. There is NO excuse for this! prominent Arkansas politician Mike Huckabee said, demanding a reaction from the Department of Homeland Security and President Donald Trump. Many others echoed their disgust, accusing the TSA agent of overstepping a line. Yet despite the massive online condemnation, Kolfage played down the incident, tweeting: This happens every time I fly... my kids are always asking why daddy has to have that done? Apparently searching disabled people is a common practice across the US, some Twitterati pointed out. I'm disabled and use a walker, I cant go through the scanner thing where you stand up and put your arms up. Instead I get pulled to the side and have to wait for a pat down, user B.J. Nash noted. Prior to arriving at the airport on Saturday, Kolfage was in Tuscon to attend a We Build the Wall rally, trying to promote a cause the man truly believes in. In December, the veteran started a GoFundMe campaign trying to raise $1 billion to help the government build a fence along the US-Mexico border. So far the campaign has raised about $20 million. Also on rt.com A machine with no compassion: Mexicos former president on Trumps divisive f*** you politics Like this story? Share it with a friend! Russia and Saudi Arabia are planning to ramp up mutual investments in tourism projects, the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Kirill Dmitriev, told journalists Monday. Saudi investments into Russia, including those into tourism, are set to grow in the near future, Dmitriev said during his visit to the kingdom. The Russian-Chinese-Saudi Fund will also make investments into tourism in Saudi Arabia with backing from the Saudi government, he added. According to Dmitriev, the Saudis are very interested in Russian visitors. Nearly six million tourists travel to Turkey annually, around three million visitors come to Egypt. We want more and more to come here [to Saudi Arabia], he said. Dmitriev stressed that Russia and Saudi Arabia are planning to develop cultural cooperation. Wed like most of our on-stage groups, including the Mariinsky Theatre, to visit Saudi Arabia more often, he said. The kingdom had been closed for international tourists for many years. Now it is opening an enormous potential for many countries, including Russia. On Sunday, Dmitriev attended a ceremony to launch tourism mega-projects in the ancient Saudi desert city of al-Ula. In the presence of several hundred international guests, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched such projects as a resort designed by a renowned French architect and a nature reserve, both called Sharaan. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section Based on a successful online petition calling for a ban on declawing, Moscow lawmakers have advanced a proposal that would protect cats from this painful surgery on the owners whim. If approved by the Lower House, the bill would prohibit veterinarians from performing declawing surgeries unless theyre necessary for medical reasons, such as the removal of cancerous nail bed tumors. Currently, some owners declaw their cats to keep them from scratching people and ruining furniture. Declawing, or onychectomy, is a surgical procedure that removes the claws on either both front feet or all four on a cat, by cutting off the last toe joints. If performed on a human being, declawing would be like cutting off each finger at the last knuckle. Veterinarians say declawing causes long-term damage to the paws and causes lifelong pain and behavioral problems. Recently, declawing without medical necessity was outlawed in many European countries and in several provinces in Canada. Also on rt.com Circus horror: Lioness attacks 4yo girl during show (VIDEO) Last year, Russia issued legislation which prohibits killing, pitting animals against each other in fights, and other forms of mistreatment of animals. The law also requires owners to take good care of their pets, and bans petting zoos in malls, as well as keeping animals at bars and restaurants. The bill was submitted to the State Duma in 2010 and has taken almost eight years to be finalized by lawmakers. Like this story? Share it with a friend! Pink Floyd-founder and political activist Roger Waters has endorsed upcoming political demonstrations in support of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to take place in March in the latters native Australia. Waters, 75, decried Assanges almost seven-year imprisonment in the Ecuadorian embassy in London as dire while referring to the publisher as a national treasureof immense influence and significance on the world stage. Pro-Assange rallies are scheduled to be held in Sydney on March 3 and in Melbourne on March 10. In the letter to Australia's Socialist Equality Party, Waters labelled Assange a real hero while praising the Wikileaks founder for his work exposing misdeeds by western governments adding that he, scares the sh*t out of them." There are widespread fears among the activist community that Assange would be extradited to the US for leaking thousands of classified documents relating to US activities in Iraq and Afghanistan, should he step outside the embassy. Also on rt.com Wish You Were Here: Roger Waters displays pro-Assange message at Berlin gig (PHOTOS) Waters continued that WikiLeaks helped expose to the world the hidden machinations of the real criminals in our society: the oligarchs, who in their insatiable quest for more and more wealth, would destroy the planet we call home. He further asserted that Assange needs protection from unwarranted and illegal attacks from Western governments determined to destroy him. He also took aim at Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno whom he claimed is showing himself to be more susceptible to insidious US pressure. Also on rt.com Leave the Venezuelan people alone: Roger Waters calls US actions insanity Waters has been heavily involved in political activism for many years and is a known advocate for Palestinian human rights, as well as a critic of US imperialism and intervention in foreign conflicts, recently referring to the recent affairs in Venezuela as Trumps coup. Like this story? Share it with a friend! Italys Salvini ready to meet French counterpart amid spat Italys Salvini ready to meet French counterpart amid spat Italys Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said on Monday that he was ready to meet his French counterpart this week for talks following a spat which saw France recalling its ambassador from Rome. Ties between the two neighbors sunk to their lowest point since World War II last week after Paris recalled its envoy in protest over a string of jibes by Salvini and Luigi Di Maio, both senior figures in Italys populist government. On Friday, Salvini said he invited his French counterpart Christophe Castaner to Rome for talks, but in an unguarded moment later said he was going to summon him prompting a dry rebuttal by the French minister, AFP reported. On Monday, Salvini said he was ready to welcome him in Rome or to go to Paris, even this week. The minister added: I think that restoring good relations is fundamental, the earlier the better.Source : RT - Daily news The father of the Yellow Vest protester who had his hand blown off by a gas grenade in Paris on Saturday says he plans a lawsuit, while his comrade says it is symbolic that the injury took place outside the National Assembly. He has no hand left below the wrist, Bernard Maillet, father of Sebastien Maillet, told RT during an interview in its Paris studio, adding that his son also sustained an eye injury and does not fully remember the traumatic incident. We plan to lodge a complaint, and we will see what happens from there, he said. An activist who goes under the name Boudjema, who was protesting alongside Maillet, said that the injury one of hundreds sustained since the protests began in November concerns all the Yellow Vests. Sebastien was merely exercising his legal right to demonstrate. Now he has lost his hand. He is a plumber, he needed it for his everyday life and his job, he said, sitting alongside Maillets father. It is symbolic that he lost it in front of the National Assembly the house that represents the people. Yet there hasnt been a word from the authorities. While details of the incident are still being investigated, the clash occurred when a group of Yellow Vests outnumbered a police unit next to Frances lower chamber of parliament. The police responded by launching tear gas grenades, one of which, according to eyewitnesses, either landed near Maillet, or was picked up by him and exploded. Also on rt.com Protester has hand RIPPED OFF during Yellow Vest march in Paris (GRAPHIC VIDEO) There are 133 ongoing judicial inquiries over incidents that have occurred at demonstrations. Boudjema thinks its no accident that the violence continues despite President Emmanuel Macrons attempt to pacify protesters with a national debate. The national disturbances and anger are still growing throughout the land, Boudjema said, adding that a demonstration to honor Maillet is scheduled for the coming Wednesday. If you like this story, share it with a friend! Iran to continue expanding its military might, missile work President Rouhani Iran to continue expanding its military might, missile work President Rouhani Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that Iran was determined to expand its military power and ballistic missile program despite mounting pressure from hostile countries to curb Tehrans defensive work, state TV reported. We have not asked and will not ask for permission to develop different types of missiles and will continue our path and our military power, Rouhani said. He made the statement during a speech at Tehrans Azadi (Freedom) square. Tens of thousands gathered there to mark the 40th anniversary of Irans Islamic revolution, Reuters said.Source : RT - Daily news Horrific footage has been shared online by a human rights activist which purports to show Indonesian police torturing a man by locking him in a cell with a live, two-meter-long snake while taunting and laughing at him. Police in Indonesias easternmost Papua region apologized, but also claimed that the snake was not venomous and they spared the suspected thief a physical beating. In the video, the handcuffed man, suspected of stealing mobile phones, screams in fear as his interrogator laughs and a voice can be heard threatening to put the snake into the suspects mouth and trousers. Warning: Some may find this footage disturbing. Human rights lawyer Veronica Koman shared the footage saying it was indicative of a culture of racism against indigenous Papuans in Indonesia. One of the interrogators can be seen pushing the dark brown snakes head into the mans face as he weeps and cries hysterically. We have taken stern action against the personnel, police chief Tonny Ananda Swadaya reportedly said in a statement. Swadaya added that the officers involved had been disciplined, moved to other locations, and sent for additional ethics training. Also on rt.com Mans testicles tasered during horrific police arrest (VIDEO) Sam Lokon, a member of the West Papua National Committee, reportedly faced similar interrogation methods after being beaten following his arrest in January. Papuan separatists have fought since the 60s for independence following annexation of the resource-rich border areas of the country by Indonesia in 1969. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Already facing calls to resign over his blackface scandal, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam triggered more outrage, mockery and some serious fact-checking, after referring to the first Africans in the US as indentured servants. Some 400 years after the first Africans were brought to Point Comfort, known today as Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia, American society remains divided over its bitter heritage as well as the semantics of the term slavery. A heated debate over the proper classification of first black settlers erupted on Sunday, after Governor Northam shared his perception of the history of the state. The first indentured servants from Africa landed on our shores in Old Point Comfort, what we call now Fort Monroe, and while the governor was telling CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King before the presenter interrupted to correct the politician, clarifying that the term Northam used is much better known as slavery. Also on rt.com Wasnt me, I wore blackface on another occasion: Virginia gov backpedals on yearbook photo scandal The seemingly bizarre euphemism immediately drew criticism and mockery, yet some tried to defend the embattled governor noting he was technically correct to call that particular group indentured servants, because the term slavery was only introduced in Virginia state laws in 1661. Yet others argued that despite any legal shenanigans, the first Africans couldnt be called anything but slaves, because they were traded as commodities. Northams controversial choice of words predictably triggered a new wave of calls for his resignation. Like this story? Share it with a friend! The Times has annoyed Kiev after describing the prolonged conflict in Ukraine as a civil war. Ukraines embassy in the UK rushed to slam the paper and remind the world that Kiev supposedly fights Russian aggression. Correct article immediately! the embassy demanded in a scathing tweet, accusing one of the leading British newspapers of inexcusable political amnesia. It is unfortunate we have to remind The Times that there is no civil war in Ukraine but a direct Russian aggression, the tweet said. The Ukrainian diplomats did not just stop there and also claimed that courageous Ukrainian soldiers, who have been allegedly repelling nothing less than an outright invasion by the big scary Russians, are now still fighting a staggering 40,000 members of the Russian army. They never bothered to provide proof to substantiate their claims, though. Ukrainian officials have long displayed some numeracy problems in counting supposed invaders and the Ukrainian diplomats in the UK have been even relatively modest in their estimates. In 2015, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko claimed there were whopping 200,000 Russian troops in Ukraine. That was over 20 times higher than he claimed less than a month before. Also on rt.com From 9,000 to 200,000: Poroshenkos displays numeracy problem in counting Russian invaders Kiev, which has stubbornly refused to admit it had been fighting its own countrymen in Eastern Ukraine, has never presented any substantial proof for its claims about alleged Russian aggression. The OSCE observers stationed in the area have not detected any Russian troops there either. The piece, which provoked such an angry reaction from the Ukrainian officials, has in fact little to do with the Ukrainian conflict itself and is dedicated to a seemingly much more pressing problem provoking concerns across Europe the outbreak of measles. Still, the author initially said that the issue was exacerbated by the civil war in Ukraine, where most cases were seen. This fact prompted the Ukrainian diplomats to question the logic that moved the author of the article to link the Russian aggression against Ukraine to the outbreak of measles while one of the facts related to the core issue of the piece i.e. a significant number of the measles cases in Ukraine was completely left out in their comments. The author in fact noted that the civil war caused disruption that apparently affected the Ukrainian health system. However, just one small line in a piece dedicated to a different subject was enough for the Ukrainian ambassador to formally request the article to be changed in a letter sent to the editor of the Times. The envoy Natalia Galibarenko also decided to support her request with some more awkward statements. She said that the UN itself recognized the fact of Russian aggression against Ukraine, even though it did not. The UN General Assembly indeed adopted a non-binding resolution in 2014, in which it reaffirmed its commitment to the territorial integrity of Ukraine and called Russias re-unification with Crimea invalid. However, it never mentioned anything even close to Russias aggression. The adoption of the document was far from unanimous, while 100 members states endorsed it, 58 abstained, 11 opposed it and further 24 were absent during the vote. Also on rt.com Century behind Europe: World Bank says Ukraine needs up to 100 yrs to reach German growth In the face of a wave of criticism from the embassy, the Times quickly bowed to the demands of Ukraine, if only partially. The paper changed civil war to a more neutral conflict but did not mention Russias aggression in its text. If you like this story, share it with a friend! Beijing has rebuffed accusations by Ankaras foreign ministry of alleged concentration-camps for a Turkic minority group in China, including reports that a famed poet had died in one. The statement by Beijings embassy in Ankara called Turkeys claims totally unrealistic, and highlighted their strong opposition to the accusations. "The Chinese Foreign Ministrys response to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs: the allegations are outrageous, we have an official initiative," the tweet read. Allegations that the Chinese government is liquidating the ethnic, religious and cultural identities of Uighurs and other Muslim communities are totally baseless, the statement concludes. On Saturday, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy released a statement condemning the torture and political brainwashing allegedly committed by the Chinese government while systematically assimilating the countrys minority Muslim population. He also called to commemorate the death of Abdurehim Heyit, claiming the Uighur poet and musician died in a Chinese internment camp. Also on rt.com China tells imperfect US to mind its own business over religious freedom criticism However, China responded on Sunday by releasing a video of Heyit which seemed to show him in good health, suggesting that reports of the poets death may have been exaggerated. While these responses specifically addressed Aksoys claims, they also showcase Beijing's general answers to accusations that a million Uighurs are being held in re-education centers in China. Although the Chinese government admits that such centers exist, it says that they are there to provide job and language training while stamping out extremist elements. They also claim that these vocational centers have been open to outside journalists, including those from Turkey. Pressure against China has been escalating since a law was passed last month aiming to Sinicize Islam throughout the country. According to Chinese state media, the initiative aims to guide Islam to be compatible with socialism. Like this story? Share it with a friend! Australia signs $50bn submarine contract with France, ends 2-year squabble Australia signs $50bn submarine contract with France, ends 2-year squabble Australia signed a production contract with French shipbuilder Naval Group on Monday for a fleet of 12 new submarines, worth AU$50 billion (US$35.5 billion). The move ends a two-year wrangle that cast doubt over one of the worlds most lucrative defense deals. Australia selected the French builder as its preferred bidder for the fleet of submarines in 2016 ahead of other offers from Japan and Germany. Final contracts, however, were delayed amid domestic media reports of cost blowouts and production delays. Australia and Naval Group signed a Strategic Partnering Agreement, the overall contract to guide the construction, to end the impasse. The 12 new submarines are at the center of Australias plan to significantly expand its military to protect strategic and trade interests in the Asia-Pacific region, Reuters said.Source : RT - Daily news Rep Ilhan Omars tweet that US politicians support for Israel is all about the Benjamins sparked a furious backlash on Twitter, with cries of anti-Semitism from some, while others detailed the Israeli lobbys influence. The controversy kicked off when Omar shared, and responded to, a tweet by journalist Glenn Greenwald about Republican Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) threatening punishment against her and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) for their support for the Boycott Divestment & Sanctions (BDS) movement. Journalist Batya Ungar-Sargon swiftly reacted, wondering who Omar thinks is paying American politicians to be pro-Israel, and accused her of making an anti-Semitic trope. AIPAC! the congresswoman responded, referencing the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee lobby group, which spent $3.5 million on pro-Israel lobbying in 2018, and $3.4 million in 2017. Many took to Twitter to accuse Omar of anti-Semitism, with others claiming ignorance about AIPAC. Some people tried to explain the lobbying groups influence, with one person drawing attention to a tweet by the US Ambassador to Israel that described AIPAC as Israel's national strategic asset. AIPACs own website explains how its Congressional Club members must Make a minimum financial commitment of $2,500 a year, or $5,000 per two-year election cycle, to pro-Israel politics, and commit to giving political contributions in a clearly pro-Israel context to candidates running for the United States House of Representatives and/or United States Senate. Its education arm, the American Israel Education Foundation, brings newly-elected members of Congress on luxury trips to Israel where attendees meet with Israeli officials. The Intercept reports it has spent $12.9 million bringing 363 lawmakers and 657 congressional staff members to Israel between 2009-2018, with a typical trip costing between $9,300 to $10,500. Politicians on both sides of the aisle know the importance of giving speeches at AIPACs annual conference, particularly if they are considering a presidential run, as the group will encourage its members to support pro-Israel candidates and put candidates in touch with big donors. READ MORE: Bernie Sanders to skip AIPAC conference AIPAC also helped draftthe Israel Anti-Boycott Act (S. 720) bill criminalizing support for the BDS after outlining in its 2017 lobbying agenda that the passage of the bill was one of its top priorities. In 2009, two congressmen forgot to remove AIPAC from a letter they sent to President Barack Obama about the Middle East peace process. If you like this story, share it with a friend! Afghan officials were treated to a surprise visit by the acting US Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan, who arrived unannounced, apparently to discuss peace talks and the prospects for American military presence in the region. It is important that the Afghan government is involved in discussions regarding Afghanistan, Shanahan told reporters accompanying him, as cited by Reuters. Shanahan's arrival in the war-torn country comes amid ongoing discussions on how to reduce US troops' presence there. In December, the Trump administration ordered the military to start devising plans to withdraw roughly 7,000 personnel from Afghanistan in the coming months. Over the past few weeks, a US delegation has been engaged in talks with the Afghan officials trying to prepare for a US pullout. Also on rt.com US envoy admits positive Russian role in Afghan peace process as generals bemoan lost war The US has also been calling for direct talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government especially after Moscow hosted a conference of high-profile Afghan delegates, which featured Taliban representatives but lacked officials from Kabul, who chose to boycott the talks. Like this story? Share it with a friend! COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Columbus Police Department is asking the public to call 911 if they have any information on the whereabouts of a man who stole a police cruiser and crashed it last week, just minutes after officers saved him from a drug overdose. Police are looking for 25-year-old Jeremy Christian Davis, who has been missing since Feb. 8. In a pair of social media posts, the CPD says officers first encountered Davis after being called to a house for a possible drug overdose. When officers arrived at the house, they found Davis and administered the drug Narcan to revive him. Shortly thereafter, while officers were running his information to look for warrants, Davis allegedly stole a police cruiser on site and drove away. Officers found the vehicle a short time later, abandoned after a crash. Davis had fled that scene and police have been unable to locate him since. Police say Davis is wanted for grant theft auto and other charges could follow. MUSKEGON, MI Construction on a new handicapped-accessible playground at Pere Marquette Park is expected to begin in March. The playground will cost $466,026 to build, according to a construction contract recently approved by the Muskegon City Commission. The contract was awarded to Tridonn Construction, a Muskegon-based company. City commissioners approved the contract at their last regular meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 22. The proposed playground will be 80 feet long by 60 feet wide, with Americans with Disabilities Act approved ramps and walkways, a wheelchair transfer platform with guardrails and other amenities. In addition to the handicapped-accessible playground, the project will include two barrier-free family restrooms. The cost to build the playscape is slightly higher than expected. The project was originally budgeted for $380,000, according to information provided to the city commission at the Jan. 22 meeting. But half of the project is already paid for since the city was awarded a $220,700 Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund grant in 2016. Construction was originally slated to begin at the end of 2018, but the work was delayed because the proposed location was rejected by the DNR. The state agency had the final say on where it would go because it awarded the grant, said Leighann Mikesell, the citys director of municipal services. The playground, formerly north of the concessions and bathhouse, will now be installed just south of it. With a planned March 1 start date, Mikesell said she hopes to have the entire project complete by May 10. The former Pere Marquette Park playground was dismantled in November 2018 ahead of the winter season. CASCO TOWNSHIP, MI - A woman was injured after her home caught fire in a suspected gas explosion in Allegan County Sunday, Feb. 10. South Haven Area Emergency Services arrived at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the residence at 6016 104th Ave. in Casco Township. The house was fully consumed and burned up, said Paul Quinn, a South Haven firefighter and paramedic. The female resident was home alone at the time of the fire, officials said. She was rushed by ambulance to the Burn and Wound Center at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. The fire was under control within an hour, Quinn said, but firefighters remained, cleaning up the scene, for three to four hours. The cause of the fire and suspected explosion is still under investigation. KALAMAZOO, MI -- Michigan Works of Southwest Michigan is taking applications for Vision for Prosperity, a program designed to help Kalamazoo County residents qualify for apprenticeships. Michigan Works is accepting applications through Friday, Feb. 22, and the program will start Monday, March 4. Applications can be found and submitted on the Michigan Works Southwest website or at the organizations office at 1601 S. Burdick St. in Kalamazoo. The nine-week, 360-hour training program has been in the works for years and aims to support building and trades in the Kalamazoo area, Michigan Works Southwest representative Samuel Dougherty said. The program includes education on blueprint reading, construction math, health and safety, welding, first aid and CPR, building trades and labor history. It also offers field trips to apprenticeship programs and an externship at a local construction site. A weekly stipend will be offered to all accepted applicants. To qualify, applicants must live in Kalamazoo County, have a high school diploma or GED, be at least 18 years old with a Michigan drivers licence and be able to pass a drug screening and criminal background check. Its the starting point that will take them to the next step, Dougherty said. Theres a huge need for trades right now. Those who leave this program will leave prepared for an apprenticeship, With an increase in development projects in downtown Kalamazoo, there is an increased demand for workers in the trades, Dougherty said. We pulled this together to fill a need in the community," he said. The program was created and funded in collaboration with the Local Initiative Support Cooperation of Kalamazoo, United Way of Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, Michigan Human Resource Development Incorporated, West Michigan Construction Alliance, Youth Opportunities Unlimited of Kalamazoo and The Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency. OTSEGO, MI Mark McPherson wants to create a destination in downtown Otsego by combining a passion for music and beer to open a new music venue and brewery. Liquid Note Brewing at the Arpeggio opened Thursday, Feb. 1, at 119 East Allegan Street in Otsego, McPherson said. McPherson, 45, said he is the visionary behind the idea, and his mother, Linda McPherson, owns the business. Mark McPherson said the idea was to theme the brewery around musicians, and to honor some of the players who have died. If we could capture Johnny Cashs music in a pint glass what would it look like? he said. The idea started more than 15 years ago, he said, and he has been working on plans to bring the music venue and community gathering space to Otsego since. In 2014, McPherson and his mother opened Maudes Taphouse, and later, when an adjacent building became available, they moved forward with the new brewery business venture. He hopes the business will draw people to the town of about 4,000 people in southern Allegan County, near U.S. 131. We really need a destination downtown, he said. He spoke with his friend, Chris LaPonsie, who was part of Millgrove Brewing in Allegan that closed in 2016, and asked him about buying his brewing equipment and joining Liquid Note as brewer. LaPonsie signed on and they got to work on their first beers, McPherson said. They tapped four beers on Feb. 1 -- Psychadelic Haze, Badfish, Satchmos Lullaby and DC Rocking Wheat, he said. Each is named to honor a deceased musician, he said. DC Rocking Wheat is named after McPhersons friend, Dustan Colyer, of Plainwell, who died at age 23 after battling cancer since the age of 6. $1.50 from each pint of DC Rocking Wheat will go to the DC Strong organization, McPherson said, which was formed by Colyer and others and aims to bring joy and positivity back into the lives of children battling cancer, according to the groups web site. Two other beers are brewing now, a German dark lager and a gose style, he said. We really just wanted some place to create our own beer, he said. The music venue should begin operating in March, he said, with shows planned on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. He said the stage is decent and the acoustics inside are just incredible. Listeners will be no more than about 35 feet from performers, he said. Its very comfy, he said. McPherson is a percussionist and said many of the people employed there play instruments. They are working on forming a house band, he said. The business plans to hold different theme nights like 70s/80s night, or singalong night, he said. An open mic night is scheduled for Feb. 21. Thursday Feb 21st 7:00 10:00 Host Otsegos Dan Agne Limited Openings Available Sign up at the door. Posted by Liquid Note Brewing on Monday, February 4, 2019 We really wanted a place we could bring in music, everything from a cappella to zydeco, he said. McPherson is the former Otsego Chamber of Commerce President and a former member of the Otsego Main Street Committee. He hopes the brewery and music scene can help bring more culture to the area and draw people from all over to see whats happening in Otsego. He mentioned how other breweries in Michigan have become destinations. People dont drive 50 miles or 100 miles to go to Maudes, he said. People want to find new beers and new breweries. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 11) The police officer at the receiving end of a "taho" throwing at a Metro Rail Transit (MRT) station, received a medal for exemplary "patience" Monday morning. Dir. Gen. Oscar Albayalde, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, awarded PO1 William Cristobal a "Medalya ng Papuri" or a PNP commendation medal during their weekly flag ceremony at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City. A PNP commendation medal is given to officers who show exemplary loyalty, devotion and efficiency in their duties. Albayalde said Cristobal showed perseverance and patience that officers need to practice in their field. "Ang pinarangalan natin dito one commendable act, na worthy of emulation by other PNP officers. Especially sa yung mga nandiyan. Pinakita niya ang kanyang tiyaga at pasensya na kailangan ng ating mga kapulisan," Albayalde said during the ceremony. [Translation: What we are rewarding here is a commendable act, worthy of emulation by other PNP officers. Especially the ones here. He showed his perseverance and patience the police needs.] A 23-year-old Chinese national, identified as Jiale Zhang, was arrested on Saturday for "direct assault and disobedience to an agent of person in authority" after throwing her "taho," a soft pudding snack, at Cristobal who refused her entry into the station because of the liquid ban. The police officer did not retaliate. Director Guillermo Eleazar, Metro Manila police chief, said they will also file a deportation case with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) against Zhang. Transport officials imposed tighter security on all trains after deadly twin explosions in Jolo, Sulu in January. MRT 3 officials on Friday cited a bomb threat received on January 3 as reason for the liquid ban. LANSING, MI -- Michigans Republican-led Senate is giving a historic amount of scrutiny to Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmers high-level appointees. A new Advice and Consent Committee was created in January specifically to more closely vet gubernatorial appointments. It will carry out a provision of the state constitution allowing the Senate 60 days to reject certain appointments by majority vote. No action by the Senate results in an automatic confirmation. Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake, called hearings for eight appointees who will come before the committee, made up of four Republicans and one Democrat. Senate Republicans under Gov. Rick Snyder rarely exercised their constitutional power to vet appointments. Arnold Weinfeld, interim director of Michigan State Universitys Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, said oversight hearings were more of a formality when the governors office and Senate were controlled by Republicans. The Republican-led Senates rejection of an appointment by Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm in 2005 was the first rejection in 15 years. Then-Majority Leader Ken Sikkema said the Senate has historically been reluctant to give the appearance of questioning appointments when the governor belongs to the same party. Ideally, you do it irrespective of whether the governors office is occupied by a member of your party or not, Sikkema said. Realistically, when you have a situation where they are of the same party, its been a pretty anemic process. Former Republican Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville said he directed committee chairs, many of whom were new to the Senate, not to hold hearings for the Snyder administration. Richardville said the Senate is more likely to exercise its oversight role under split government because elected officials are less familiar with the appointees themselves. We trusted (Snyders) judgement for the most part," Richardville said. "We did our own due diligence, whether it was behind the scenes or publicly. We kind of said well, hes the governor, its his administration, unless we have a problem lets just let it go. Shirkey said Thursday he plans to call all of Whitmers director appointments before the new Advice and Consent Committee. Shirkey said the Republican-led Senate is acting on its constitutional duty to provide oversight. I think we have a lack of discipline in that area and have had for my short tenure in time, Shirkey said. Given the opportunity to serve in this role, Im going to do my best to instill some discipline in some of those processes. Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint, said he has been seeking a more consistent vetting process for years. He helped convince then-Senate GOP Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof to hold hearings for Snyders pick for State Treasurer in 2015. Advice and consent and oversight are something Ive called for the entire time Ive been in Lansing," Ananich said. Id be a hypocrite to say that now that theyre doing it just to a Democrat that I would be against that. I think we should do it all the time." Committee hearings for department heads are scheduled to occur twice a week until March 7, according to a tentative schedule released by Shirkeys office. Committee chairman and State Sen. Peter Lucido, R-Shelby Township, said the vetting process will be "no different than hearings held to during the Snyder administration. Personally, Im looking for somebody who is sincere, dedicated, somebody who has special qualifications for the job and is looking out for the taxpayers interests," Lucido said. Most of these players that are involved with the governor have been fairly straight and honest and forward with their background and everything else. Weinfeld said the Senates constitutionally-derived role in vetting candidates is an important check on gubernatorial power. I think generally speaking, checks and balances are important, Weinfeld said. It certainly could be used to obstruct by an opposing party. It could be used to embarrass a potential candidate on the opposing side ... The process also provides an opportunity to show folks can govern and put politics aside and move the state forward." Ananich said he doesnt see the scrutiny as retribution against the Democratic governor. I actually dont see it as a partisan move, Ananich. I talked to Mike (Shrikey) about this from the beginning ... I really believe if you cant put people forward who cant handle questioning then they shouldnt be in the job. We have to hear what they have to say in the beginning and hold them accountable as we go forward. Sikkema said there is little advantage to rejecting an appointment for political reasons. Its not about trying to reject people that you disagree with ideologically, because the governor has the right to appoint people that are ideologically and philosophically and politically compatible with her, Sikkema said. Its more about do these people have basic competence, is there anything in their background that would disqualify them from high level service. Ananich said Republicans have no logical reason to reject any of Whitmers appointees, who he called the most qualified people weve seen in a generation. Richardville said he sought to pivot from "obstructionist-type government during Granholms administration. However, he said advice and consent is not an inherently obstructionist tactic. I do not believe for a brief moment that that was the intent of our constitution, Richardville said. I believe instead they wanted rational oversight and balanced powers. I think it becomes relatively clear when somebody is trying to be an obstructionist or not. ... If youre playing sour grapes because you didnt win a certain office, well, that will be apparent. I havent seen it at the state level yet and Im hoping that I dont. The Advice and Consent Committee held hearings this week to consider the appointments of directors of the Department of Transportation, Childrens Ombudsman, State Police and Michigan State Treasurer. The committee met Thursday, Feb. 7 to consider the appointment of Rachael Eubanks to treasurer. Eubanks was subject to review by the Senate Energy and Technology Committee in 2016 after being appointed to lead the Michigan Public Service Commission by Snyder. Lucido said committee members will compile notes, but did not say whether a formal report would be made to the Senate. Lucido said the Senates advice and consent role is no more important than when the branches of government are divided along party lines. A statement on Lucidos website says he intends to hold hearings on all of the governors director-level appointees. Lucido said it is presumptuous to assume appointments to lower-level offices will come before the committee. Thursdays hearing was held immediately after the Senate Oversight Committee met to review Whitmers executive order to restructure the Department of Environmental Quality. Shirkey compared the two Senate committee reviews, saying both seek to create predictable, reliable and consistent oversight processes. I am not one who looks for reasons to fight, Shrikey said. I think were just doing our job. Advice and Consent Committee meetings are tentatively scheduled as follows: Wednesday, February 13: Tricia Foster (DTMB) Thursday, February 14: Robert Gordon (DHHS) Wednesday, February 20: Anita Fox (DIFS) Thursday, February 21: Gary McDowell (MDARD) Wednesday, February 27: Daniel Eichinger (DNR) Thursday, February 28: Liesl Clark (DEQ) Wednesday, March 6: Orlene Hawks (LARA) Thursday, March 7: Maj Gen Paul Rogers (Adjutant General/DMVA) Note: This story has been updated to reflect the composition of the committee. Some navigations apps do more than tell you when to turn left or right; they tell you when you're approaching a police checkpoint. Nav apps like Waze argue this feature makes everyone drive safer-the more warnings, the more people tap the brakes. Users love the warnings because they help them avoid tickets. But some, NYPD included, believe this kind of features interferes with the implementation of the law, and is therefore criminal. What do you think? PERSPECTIVES In February of 2019, the NYPD sent a cease and desist letter to Google. Although tech companies like Google, Apple and Facebook have been making headlines about leaking data as of late, this time, Google was in trouble to warning drivers of upcoming police checkpoints in its navigation apps (Waze and Google Maps). According to CBS New York, NYPD is under the impression that these warnings hinder the police force's ability to keep the city safe: When nav apps give drivers a heads up about the police, they are able to alter drivers' behavior so they can avoid getting in trouble. This might seem great to drivers, but when it comes to enforcing the law, these apps make it more difficult. But according to Waze, notifying drivers of upcoming police helps keep the roads safe. CNN's Lauren del Valle reports: If your driving down the highway and your phone alerts you the police are close, of course you are going to slow down. The more this happens, the better. Navigation apps are performing a civic duty by keeping the roads more tame. An alert on an app is no different from another driver flashing their lights, warning of a police stakeout ahead. By sending such a message, you are obstructing police activity. Plus, chronic speeders or even impaired drivers might choose Waze and Google Maps for the very sake of taking advantage of these features. In doing so, Google assists drivers in evading law enforcement. Sonila Kar agrees with the NYPD's cease and desist order: a valid demand! Sonila Kar (@sonilakar) February 8, 2019 Many people argue that since police checkpoints must be public information, sharing them via Waze, which crowd-sources information on traffic, hazards and police locations, is well within users' rights. According to a blog post from Guardian Interlock: (Just for the record, I am highly dubious that any court would uphold a prosecution against an individual for making public the location of police operations on public property and it is likely First Amendment protected activity) Byron Tau (@ByronTau) February 6, 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. GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- Multiple days off has led at least one mid-Michigan district to change its calendar for the remainder of the 2018-19 school year. In a letter addressed to Bentley families, district Superintendent Kristy Spann notes "this winters weather has been especially brutal resulting in 10 days of school closings." The district also needs to make up one additional day when the state mandated 75 percent student attendance mark was not reached on Jan. 24, putting the total figure at 11 days off. Districts have six allotted days off and can appeal to the state Department of Education for three additional days to be forgiven. Given the two additional days to be made up, Spann notified families that classes will be in session on Monday, April 22 and Friday, June 14. It is critical that our students are at school every day, all day, she continued. And it is equally critical that each of us -- parents and educators --expect our students to not just be here, but to be engaged. FLINT TWP., MI A driver of a semi tractor-trailer was killed Sunday after crashing into a disabled vehicle Sunday on Interstate 69. Six other vehicles also crashed trying to avoid the disabled car. Flint Township police were called just after 9 p.m. on Feb. 10 to westbound I-69 just east of Miller Road for a multi-vehicle crash, according to Lt. James Baldwin. Investigators determined that a single-vehicle passenger car lost control and became disabled in middle of the highway. An oncoming semi-tractor trailer hit the vehicle, causing the semi to leave the highway and overturn while going down a steep embankment, police said. A 36-year-old, Ontario, Canada, man was killed in the crash, according to the statement. Six other vehicles crashed trying to avoid the initial disabled vehicle, police said. Two people were hospitalized with minor injuries following those crashes. Westbound I-69 was closed for several hours while crews worked to remove debris and vehicles from the scene. The crash remains under investigation. A wintry mix of accumulation is expected to hit Michigan about midnight, Monday, Feb. 11 and it comes with what appears to be a defined line of snow vs ice coverage for the state. As it stands, every county in the state from Berrien to Keweenaw is under some sort of watch, warning or advisory Monday night through Wednesday morning. In Lower Michigan, West and Southwest Michigan is under a winter weather advisory while the rest of the LP is under a winter storm watch. The Upper Peninsula is under a winter storm warning, winter weather advisory and winter storm watch. Start times vary by the region, but all are pegged to last through Wednesday. Related: Michigans next storm starts Monday night, 6 things to know The two best graphics to help you understand the expected timeline and impact of this storm come courtesy of the National Weather Service. This first one shows the defined line of snow vs wintry mix vs ice accumulation. North of the Alma-Muskegon line is looking at heavy snowfall, while the middle of Lower Michigan is looking at a solid wintry mix. Most importantly, note the shaded area containing St. Joseph, Kalamazoo, Jackson, Hillsdale, Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and Detroit as this is where the most ice is expected to fall. Lower Michigan Snow/Ice timeline for Monday night, Feb. 11. The graphic below is essentially a moving version of the one embedded above: A wintry mix develops across Michigan late tonight into Tuesday. Multiple inches of snow with blowing snow and hazardous travel in northern areas, and an icy mix with possible power outages in southern areas. #wmiwx #miwx pic.twitter.com/2UAemlHD3Z NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) February 11, 2019 Accumulation should hit the corner of SW Lower Michigan, judging by NWS and WeatherBell graphics, in the range of 10 p.m. to midnight Monday. Through the early morning hours and into Monday, snow, ice and a wintry mix is expected to engulf the entire state. Our friends in the U.P. should see accumulation hit about the time that they start their day Tuesday at about 6 or 7 a.m. While significant snowfall is expected in Northern Michigan and the U.P., an icy mix is not expected with this wave of storms. MLive chief meteorologist Mark Torregrossa called this next storm system a carbon copy of last weeks storm with only a few differences. So the time period of dangerous travel will be from daybreak Tuesday through noon Wednesday, Torregrossa reports. We will keep you updated on any subtle changes. In general this storm is easy to understand too -- everyone gets a round of dangerous travel again. The danger will increase late Tuesday and Wednesday morning, as the winds increase. In Southeast Michigan and the Thumb, heavy mixed precipitation of snow, sleet and freezing rain should start about midnight Monday. Refer to the graphics embedded above and in the gallery at the top of the page to see what kind of accumulation to expect where you are. West and Southwest Michigan is looking at a winter weather advisory with a wintry mix expected in the form of one to two tenths of ice accumulation and two to four inches of snow by Wednesday morning. By the time Wednesday morning comes around, we could be looking at wind gusts as strong as 40 mph here. Related: Winter storm carbon copy coming; Every county under weather watch, warning or advisory Northeast Lower Michigan should prepare itself for another round of heavy snow accumulation as this is where the most snow is projected at 6 to 12 inches. As Torregrossa notes, its another big snowmobile snow for Northeast Lower Michigan. As for the Traverse City, Cadillac, Charlevoix and Petoskey sector of the state, there could be a quick wintry mix of snow and ice before everything turns to heavy snow. Look out for about 5 to 8 inches of snowfall by Wednesday morning paired with those strong winds warned about earlier. When it comes to romance movies, Michigan prefers a love story about a man and his computer. According to a study conducted by StreamingObserver.com titled The Romantic Movie Your State is Most Obsessed With, Michigan residents love the oddball 2013 film Her. Directed by Spike Jonze and starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson, the film takes place in the near future and tells the story of a lonely writer who develops an unlikely relationship with an operating system designed to meet his every need. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture, winning Best Writing for Original Screenplay. Streaming Observer, which tracks developments in streaming technology, used data from Rotten Tomatoes and other public sources to compile the most-popular romantic movies of all time in honor of Valentines Day. The team then partnered with Mindnet Analytics and used Google Trends data to determine which romantic movie each state was most obsessed with relative to other states. Holiday Inn is Christmas movie Michigan is most obsessed with, study says Mississippi is the only state other than Michigan that favors Her, according to the data. Other romantic films that multiple states favored include Ghost, It Happened One Night, Sense and Sensibility, Silver Linings Playbook, The African Queen and Titanic. Wyoming prefers Brokeback Mountain where the movie is set, Arizona fancies Jerry Macguire where parts of the movie are shot and Pennsylvania loves of The Philadelphia Story. Overall, Titanic is the most searched for romantic movie in the U.S. New York, Massachusetts, and California are the top three states interested in romantic movies, respectively, while Michigan ranks 27th in terms of interest. Mississippi is least concerned with romantic movies, followed by South Carolina and West Virginia. DETROIT A man on Tennessees Most Wanted list has been captured in Detroit. 47-year-old Jamal Jamel Gardner is accused of shooting dozens of times at a Columbia, Tennessee police officer earlier this month. He was added to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations Top Ten Most Wanted list on Feb. 3. Body camera video of the shooting showed the officer hiding behind his cruiser as shots are fired in his direction. Gardner, who the TBI said exhibited violent tendencies and should be considered armed and dangerous, was captured by U.S. Marshals in Detroit on Feb. 8. He faces several charges including attempted first-degree murder and aggravated domestic assault. SOUTH LYON, MI A Michigan worker has died after falling into a vat of chemicals over the weekend According to a company statement, paramedics were called to Michigan Seamless Tube on McMunn Street in South Lyon on Feb. 9 after a man fell into a tank filled with sulfuric acid. He was taken to The University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor, but later died. . The name of the man was not immediately released, but he was 54 years of age, the company said. Michigan Seamless Tube is conducting a comprehensive investigation and is cooperating with the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration. According to its website, Michigan Seamless Tube, or MST, a leading manufacturer of high-quality carbon and alloy seamless cold-drawn pipe and tube.. An openly gay priest from Michigan has been elected Episcopal bishop in Maine. Rev. Thomas James Brown, who was born in the Upper Peninsula, was elected at a special convention in Bangor on Feb. 9 by a majority of the 261 clergy members and laypeople. He would become the 10th bishop of the Diocese of Maine. If approved by other Episcopal dioceses over the course of the next 4-6 weeks, he will be consecrated in June. He will become just the third openly gay Episcopal bishop elected in the U.S. and the first that is married. Currently serving as Rector of the Parish of the Epiphany in Winchester, Massachusetts, Rev. Brown would replace Bishop Stephen Lane, who is retiring. I give God thanks and praise for this call, and the opportunity to continue building the church in Maine on Christ the solid rock, he said in a statement. Bishop Lane and his family, along with the diocesan staff, and every congregation are in my prayers as they continue in the holy work of transition. To God be the glory. Brown was chosen over fellow nominees Rev. Kenneth Brannon, Rev. Rachel K. Taber-Hamilton, Rev. Anne Mallonee and Rev. Janet Waggoner. His sexual orientation and his marriage were non-issues, Diocese spokesman John Hennessy told the Portland Press Herald. After leaving the U.P. Rev. Brown received his Master of Divinity from The Church Divinity School of the Pacific. He has also served as Rector of St. Michael Episcopal Church in Brattleboro, Vermont and as the Director of Alumni and Church Relations at The Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California. According to the Associated Press, Brown said his views align with Maine congregants who want to articulate their faith in Jesus "while still remaining open to people of other faith and no faith." In 2003, Gene Robinson was the first openly gay Episcopal bishop to be elected in the New Hampshire Diocese. Six years later, the trend continued when the Los Angeles Episcopal Diocese elected the Rev. Mary Glasspool as its suffragan bishop. The Episcopal Diocese of Maine includes about 10,000 people in 59 churches and ministries across the state. DEARBORN, MI A man of great integrity and honor. A skilled politician who knew how to work across the aisle and get along with both Democrats and Republicans while achieving some of the most notable legislative accomplishments in U.S. history. An environmental and civil rights champion who was honest and down to earth. Those are some of the ways friends, colleagues and constituents remembered former U.S. Rep. John Dingell on Monday, Feb. 11 during the first in a series of memorial services this week for the WWII veteran who served in Congress for nearly 60 years. Hundreds steadily streamed into the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn, where a public visitation was being held until 8 p.m. Dingell, the longest-serving member of Congress in U.S. history, died Thursday, Feb. 7 at 92. The Dearborn Democrats casket was draped in an American flag in a ballroom with honor guards, where U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell and other family members shared hugs with visitors and shed tears. On display inside the buildings lobby were poster-size photographs from John Dingells decades in Congress, showing him with several past presidents and other figures like former Detroit Tigers manager Sparky Anderson and former Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje. A slideshow with many more photos of Dingells life played on loop in an adjacent theater room. Ann Arbor businessman Mark Hodesh, who paid his respects to Dingell on Monday, remembered meeting the congressman about 10 years ago at a Fourth of July party. He was sitting down and said, Well, Mark, nice to meet you. Sit down here and tell me about yourself. We talked for two hours, Hodesh said. He was totally engaged, interested in me, interested in the people around him. Once I called him on a whim when I was in D.C. and he said, Mark, how are you? What can I do for you? Really, he was the consummate public servant. Several local public officials were on hand Monday, including Ypsilanti Township Supervisor Brenda Stumbo and Superior Township Treasurer Brenda McKinney. Hes going to be greatly missed by many, many people. John was a dear friend, McKinney said. We loved him. He did a lot for the community and our country. His legacy will live on and on. Dingell exemplified public service more than anyone, said Stumbo, who got to know Dingell when his district was redrawn to include parts of Washtenaw County, including the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti areas. Hes done so many things, but I think he will be best known for his kindness and loving of all people, Stumbo said. Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, a centrist Democrat remembers Dingell as a true gentleman. When it came to working across the aisle, the Democratic congressman didnt talk about it, he displayed it, Hackel said. He really did, agreed former U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, a Macomb County Republican who served with Dingell in Congress. The loss that we have here in Michigan is felt by the entire country when you think about what an incredibly impactful life that he had the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species (Act), various issues he got involved in, Miller said. He was a true warrior. A mix of Democratic and Republican politicians who worked with Dingell are speaking at his funerals later this week, including one in Dearborn and one in Washington, D.C. Andy LaBarre and Jason Morgan, two Ann Arbor representatives on the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners who once worked for Dingell, remembered their former boss in interviews with The Ann Arbor News/MLive this past week. LaBarre, who spent six years on Dingells staff, reflected on Dingells approach to politics. I think Mr. Dingell worked in a bipartisan way not because he was anything other than sort of a classical New Deal liberal on so many things, but he had a fundamental understanding of the value and necessity of pragmatism, LaBarre said. He was a guy who, from time to time, would play paddle ball with George H.W. Bush or Donald Rumsfeld back in the 60s when they were in the House. He knew how to be civil with folks across the aisle. Dingell had the experience of serving in an era when Congress members could go to the House floor or a committee meeting and fight like hell with each other, and at the end of the day still treat each other decently and be friends, LaBarre said. John Dingell was never a compromiser on principle, but he was somebody who could say, If I can get my people half a loaf today, dammit, Im going to do it and come back and get them the other half tomorrow. And I think theres great value in that, LaBarre said. But he was also somebody who understood the person you fought with like hell today might be the person you need to work with tomorrow, and so it wouldnt be as personal. Dingell, who lamented the growing partisan divide in Washington in recent years, took to Twitter occasionally to voice displeasure with President Donald Trump and other modern-day Republicans. Some of the sharpness on Twitter was just an expression of the fact that theres some pretty abhorrent behavior going on by folks in government right now, especially in this administration, and he was not going to see it polluted with their misdeeds without a proper and decent public shaming and account for their misconduct, LaBarre said, adding Dingell took seriously the role of overseeing the government and holding it accountable. Im glad that he would, from time to time, get on Twitter and be pointed, he said. With older age comes greater freedom of thought and expression and were going to miss that. He told the truth and sometimes he just told it directly, and if that hurt folks feelings, maybe they should look at what they were doing. Despite the steady criticism from Dingell, The White House acknowledged the late congressmans service and ordered flags flown at half-staff last week. Morgan said hes thankful to have been able to watch Dingell and see what it means to be a genuinely good public servant. Dingell would always ask everyone what he could do for them, and when someone occasionally turned the question on him, he would respond, Just be my friend, Morgan said. Its been a really tough day for me just thinking about a world without John Dingell, and thinking about all of the incredible policy accomplishments that he had, and the things he had done to make the world a better place, Morgan said. But also just about what an amazing human being he was. There are very few people in the world like him, if any. ONTONAGON COUNTY, MI Four snowmobilers were rescued from a precarious frozen river in the Upper Peninsula over the weekend. The ordeal began around 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 9 when dispatchers in Ontonagon County learned that snowmobilers had been separated from a larger group and were now stranded on the icy Big Iron River south of White Pine. DNR conservation officers Jenni Hanson and Zach Painter responded along with U.S. Forest Service law officer Josh Lopac after one of the 8 snowmobilers in the original group was able to ride 10-15 miles to the Konteka Black Bear Resort in White Pine and alert them of the emergency. The four snowmobilers had not kept up with the group and were now stranded because their sleds were stuck in slush in the middle of the river somewhere southeast of Nonesuch Falls and the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. The two conservation officers, who were one of several teams trying to reach the group from different directions, parked their snowmobiles at the river and began the dangerous trek upstream by following the sled tracks. The river was 15 to 20 feet across at its widest point, the banks of the river were high and steep and the edges of the river held deep, soft snow, according to a news release. In the powder it was 3 or 4 feet deep there in some areas, Hanson said. Even in snowshoes, you would sink if you stepped there. Hanson and Painter eventually encountered the group of snowmobilers who had decided to abandon their sleds and were walking the opposite direction. The COs provided them with warm hats, gloves, water and granola bars. One of the four men showed symptoms of hypothermia, including exhaustion, low energy and loss of motor skills. Another developed similar symptoms during the 2-hour hike back to safety. They were like zombies walking out of the woods; they would take a step and then fall over, Hanson said. They were so exhausted. However, the riders had no injuries. The COs determined they may have saved their lives by leaving their sleds and walking. All four of the riders were from Minnesota, but a couple of them had been to the area riding before. Painter determined the snowmobilers had ridden up the river, which is illegal under federal regulations, to do some backcountry off-trail riding. Lopac issued a ticket to the group for riding in an area closed by the Forest Service to sledding the river ice. Greta Van Fleet are officially Grammy Award winners. The Michigan rockers have won their first Grammy, taking home one award before the live broadcast on CBS. The Frankenmuth four won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album for From The Fires." They beat out some pretty big names in Alice in Chains, Fall Out Boy, Ghost and Weezer. UPDATE: GRETA VAN FLEET DONT WIN GRAMMY FOR BEST NEW ARTIST Greta Van Fleet earned a total of four Grammy nominations at this years awards show. They lost the Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance categories. Those awards went to Jack Antonoff & Annie Clark for Masseducation and Chris Cornell for When Bad Does Good. Greta Van Fleet still have a shot at one of the biggest awards of the night, Best New Artist. That award will be announced during the live broadcast on CBS, which begins at 8:00 p.m. ET. GRETA VAN FLEET CONCERT IN DETROIT: HOW THEY SOUNDED, SETLIST, MERCHANDISE How to use the mindat.org media viewer Click/touch this help panel to close it. Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image) Controls - all media types Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device. Use the mouse or your finger to drag the image or the view area of the image around the screen. < and > at the left and right hand side of the screen move forwards and backwards for the other images associated with the media you selected. Usually this is used for previous/next photo in a gallery, in an article or in search results. Keyboard shortcuts: use shift + the left and right arrow keys. < and > in the bottom center are used for switching between the photos of the same specimen. 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Summary of all keyboard shortcuts Congressman Walter B. Jones entered hospice care Jan. 26 and died days later, Feb. 10, on his 76th birthday. But surviving him in Congress is one of his longest-running fights: a bill that would rename the Navy "the Department of the Navy and the Marine Corps." He filed the simply worded proposal in the 116th Congress on Jan. 8; it's now in committee, without a co-sponsor. He had introduced the bill every year since 2001, at times enlisting celebrity endorsement from the likes of Marine Corps drill instructor-turned-movie-star R. Lee Ermey; once nailing down support from Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts, a fellow Republican, for a companion bill. It never came close to passing; no top brass from the Navy or the Marine Corps ever indicated they cared about the name change or wanted it. But Jones had a personal reason for refusing to let the measure die: He hated the fact that the families of Marines killed in action received a condolence letter bearing the seal of the Department of the Navy, rather than one that included their service name. As the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 3rd District, including Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, he'd attended many funerals of young service members and comforted their grieving families. "I've always felt as a matter of respect that the name, 'Department of Navy and Marine Corps,' is proper," Jones told me in 2017, in his elegant North Carolina accent, reminiscent of a past era. "I've had members saying to me, 'Well, we don't think it ought to change.' But there's certain things that do change. Good Lord, well, we'll keep trying." Jones himself made a point of mailing a condolence letter to the family of every single service member killed in action, whether they lived in his district or not. Like many of the causes he championed, it was a symbolic gesture. As has been widely reported, his letter-signing was a personal form of penance for supporting the war in Iraq in its early days. Famously one of the lawmakers who ordered that the French fries in the House cafeteria be renamed Freedom Fries to lampoon France for "sitting on the sidelines" in the conflict, he later became an outspoken critic of that war and the one in Afghanistan. Jones was unshakeable in matters of personal conviction, and he refused to be political in the way he pursued them. Some of the successes he achieved for those in his district came after more than a decade of fighting, largely alone. I first met him in the wood-paneled boardroom of the Jacksonville Daily News in 2011. He was hunched over a sheaf of documents: a military JAGMAN investigation, letters to and from the Navy. He'd paid a visit to this North Carolina newspaper office just so he could sit down with me, the 22-year-old cub reporter covering the local military, and help me understand the wrong he was trying to correct. It was the first of many encounters -- he'd often call my cell personally in the years that followed to inform me of a new development or a letter he'd planned to send. By 2011, he had been working for about 10 years on behalf of two of his constituents, Connie Gruber and Trish Brow. Their husbands, both Marine Corps pilots, had been killed in the horrific crash of an MV-22 Osprey in 2000 that ended the lives of all 19 aboard. In the aftermath, the Marine Corps would blame the crash on the pilots, declining to amend its position even after an investigation appeared to absolve them. Jones committed to advocating for the heartbroken Brow and Gruber, pursuing a statement of reversal from the Marine Corps. There were few political points to win, at stake only the peace of mind of two private citizens who had lost their husbands in service to their country. In 2016, well after the officials involved in the initial investigation and statement of cause had moved on, Jones succeeded in convincing then-Deputy Defense Secretary Robert O. Work to review the case. The result was a letter, signed by Work, saying it was impossible to pinpoint a single causal factor in the deadly crash of the tiltrotor aircraft, and shifting the blame off the two pilots. Marine Corps Times reported that Connie Gruber took the letter, presented to her by Jones, and laid it on her husband's grave. Many of his fights put him at odds with top military brass. He squared off in 2014 with then-Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Jim Amos in a House Armed Services Committee hearing over the treatment of Maj. James Weirick, a Marine lawyer and whistleblower who accused Amos and others of meddling with justice in the case of several Marine snipers and subsequently lost his job. More recently, he went to the mat for retired Maj. Fred Galvin and other former members of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command who were falsely accused of war crimes on a first deployment to Afghanistan in 2007. Last month, 12 years after that deployment left the men's reputations tarnished, the Navy ruled that Galvin's service record should be cleared, and he should be considered for retroactive promotion. The Marine Corps had long since moved on from the episode, but due to an investigative reporting project and Jones' persistence, Galvin got to see justice done for him. But while many of the causes Jones championed put him in conflict with the powerful, it was never about the fight for him; it was about the service. "See, I'm very strong in my faith," he told me in a 2013 interview in his office, surrounded by military memorabilia, hundreds of photographs of fallen troops lining the corridors outside. "Christ is my savior, and I've been given this opportunity to serve my Lord and savior and his people here in Washington. And if some of those people wear uniforms, then they're the people too." -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. The U.S. military conducted more airstrikes in Afghanistan last year than in the three previous years combined, making 2018 the most kinetic year for airstrikes in the country in at least a decade. U.S. fighters, bombers, attack aircraft and drones released 7,362 weapons in 2018, according to the latest U.S. Air Forces Central Command airpower statistics summary published last week. The second-highest year on record was in 2011, when U.S. assets dropped 5,411 weapons, according to available figures dating back to 2009. "Throughout the last year, the air component has supported multiple ongoing campaigns, deterred aggression, maintained security, and defended our networks," said Lt. Gen. Joseph Guastella, Combined Forces Air Component Commander, in a news release. "We've orchestrated coalition airpower to destroy the [Islamic State] caliphate, support Iraq, and enabled significant progress in Afghanistan," Guastella said. The months of September and November saw the most strikes against terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State Khorasan, or ISIS-K, in Afghanistan, with 841 weapons released each of those months. Aircraft operating under the Combined Forces Air Component Command flew 8,196 sorties in 2018, nearly double the amount of sorties than in 2017, the data shows. Related content: President Donald Trump in 2017 announced the U.S. would begin sending more troops to Afghanistan -- where the U.S. has been fighting its longest war in history -- to step up the fight against ISIS-K, the Taliban and the Afghan offshoot of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The Trump administration boosted force strength in the region by 3,500 troops in 2017 and 2018 in an effort to boost the advise-and-assist mission with the Afghan military, according to the Associated Press. While the Trump plan for Afghanistan at the time had not been fully articulated, the president made clear his preference to give more leeway to generals, allowing them to take an aggressive approach toward stamping out extremist threats. At the time, Army Gen. John Nicholson, then-commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan and the NATO Resolute Support mission, had already been increasing airpower in the region. Nicholson approved the highly publicized drop of the 21,600-pound GBU-43 Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) -- nicknamed "mother of all bombs" -- against IS-K in the Achin district of eastern Nangarhar province in April 2017. It was the first time the MOAB, the highest-yielding non-nuclear bomb in the U.S. arsenal, had been used in combat. Even as airstrikes hit a decade-long high, the Trump administration has in recent months signaled a renewed interest in negotiations with the Taliban. Following Defense Secretary Jim Mattis's departure in December, the president has turned to additional peace negotiations with the Taliban to potentially end the 17-year-long war. "In Afghanistan, my administration is holding constructive talks with a number of Afghan groups, including the Taliban," Trump said last week during his annual State of the Union address. "As we make progress in these negotiations, we will be able to reduce our troop presence and focus on counter-terrorism. We do not know whether we will achieve an agreement -- but we do know that after two decades of war, the hour has come to at least try for peace." On Monday, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan made an unannounced visit to the country to meet with U.S. commanders and Afghan leaders. Shanahan separately met with President Ashraf Ghani to "discuss a broad range of defense issues," the Defense Department said in a statement. "While there he is also meeting with coalition troops in support of Afghan forces as they lead the fight to defend their country," officials said. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @oriana0214. The U.S. Army announced recently that a 173rd Airborne Brigade officer will receive the nation's second highest award for valor posthumously for his bravery against a March 27, 2007 enemy attack in Saret Koleh, Afghanistan. On March 1, Maj. Thomas Gordon Bostick will receive the Distinguished Service Cross -- an upgrade from the posthumous Silver Star he was awarded for "sacrificing his life" to protect his soldiers from 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment during a vicious enemy ambush in the mountains of Afghanistan, according to a recent news release from the 173rd Airborne. Bostick, who was then a captain, commanded Bulldog Troop when the unit came under heavy enemy fire during Operation Ghwar. "Maj. Bostick, while in command of B Troop, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry (Airborne), and without regard to his own personal safety, placed himself in front of an overwhelming enemy force to provide covering fire to enable the paratroopers in his command post to displace to more defensible terrain," Bostick's Silver Star citation states. "He willingly sacrificed his life so they could live. Maj. Bostick positioned himself directly between those soldiers [from his command post] and the enemy, shielding them from the rounds while firing his personal weapon to cover their move. During this action, his position was engaged with overwhelming small arms and rocket propelled grenade fire that took his life." Bostick's actions gave the soldiers in the small element the time they needed to "gain their footing and negotiate the steep terrain in order to seek cover and survive the attack," the release states. "Maj. Bostick's quick decisions to reposition forces, expert use of close air support and indirect fire, and final sacrifice to provide covering fire for his command post enabled B Troop to break the enemy attack inflicting severe punishment on a numerically superior enemy force," according to the release. Bostick will become the 16th soldier, and only the third Army officer, to earn the Distinguished Service Cross for actions during Operation Enduring Freedom, the release states. Before joining the 173rd, Bostick was a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment and jumped into Panama during Operation Just Cause as an enlisted soldier, the release states. He later earned his commission and became a platoon leader in Ranger Regiment's 3rd Battalion and deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Bostick assumed command of Bulldog Troop during the 173rd Brigade's 2007 deployment to Afghanistan. His many commendations include a Bronze Star with oak leaf clusters and the Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf clusters, the release states. Since Bostick's death, the 173rd has honored "the legacy of this brave warfighter and challenge its soldiers to live up to his legacy of heroism," according to the release. Last year, 1/91 Cavalry Regiment created the "Bostick Cup" to honor company-sized units that demonstrate outstanding performance. The Distinguished Service Cross award ceremony for Bostick will take place at 2 p.m. at Founders Plaza in Fort Carson, Colorado. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be in the 4th Infantry Division Headquarters. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. In a first for the military court system, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces upheld a conviction of sexual assault for a sailor who engaged in consensual sex with four women but failed to disclose that he was HIV-positive. The appellate court last week affirmed an earlier ruling in the case, U.S. v. Forbes. The women could not provide "meaningful, informed consent" to have sex with the sailor, Aviation Maintenance Administrationman 2nd Class Lamar Forbes, because they didn't have all the facts before consenting, the court found. Thereby, the government argued, they were sexually assaulted. Previous military convictions for failing to disclose a positive HIV status have been for aggravated assault, failure to obey a lawful order requiring disclosure, or a lesser charge. Following an investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service in 2015, Forbes pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to eight years of confinement, rank reduction to E-1 and a dishonorable discharge. He later appealed the conviction based on arguments that the sentencing was unduly harsh, and that the military judge in the original case accepted his guilty plea without explaining the nuances of a sexual assault charge under Article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, according to Forbes' attorney, Robert Feldmeier. Feldmeier said that Article 120 was never intended to make the "fraud of inducement" -- the lies people might tell before they engage in consensual sex, such as neglecting to inform someone of birth control status, marital status, sexually transmitted diseases, etc. -- a basis for a sexual assault charge. "[Forbes] did not misrepresent who he was or lie in any way about the sexual nature of the physical acts in which he engaged with the purported victims. He therefore did not commit [the type of] fraud [required for a sexual assault conviction, 'fraud of factum,']" Feldmeier said. Forbes tested positive for HIV in 2012 and was counseled to advise prospective partners that he was HIV-positive. Feldmeier said his client was on antiviral medications at the time of the sexual relationships addressed in the suit, and that his viral load at the time was "barely detectable." "He posed no transmission risk," Feldmeier said in an interview with Military.com. In its ruling, the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals noted that one of Forbes' victims had discussed getting tested but had been assured by him that "he was clean." Another victim told Forbes that she was taking medication that weakened her immune system because she had recently had a kidney transplant. But according to the court, the appellant "assured her that he 'wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that.'" "These two situations betray the callousness and deceit of the appellant and are particularly aggravating," wrote Navy Cmdr. Heather Partridge, NMCCCA judge. "Additionally, the appellant brazenly continue to have frequent, unprotected sexual intercourse with the two women despite knowing he was actively being investigated by NCIS." Forbes has the option of appealing his conviction to the U.S. Supreme Court, a strong possibility as the ruling marks a first for the military court system, or what Partridge described as a "case of first impression." "Neither the parties nor we have identified a precedent for convicting a service member of sexual assault for failing to inform a sexual partner of his HIV status before engaging in an otherwise consensual sexual act," Partridge wrote. "That is not to say, however, that conduct such as the appellant's has gone unpunished in the military; there is much precedent for convicting service members for similar conduct." Whether Forbes will appeal, however, attorney Feldmeier couldn't say as of Friday. "My client is confined and I haven't been able to reach him as of yet," Feldmeier said. Forbes has now served more than three years of his eight-year sentence. -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Military.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime. The Defense Department is weighing the option of cutting thousands of uniformed medical personnel, including psychologists and other mental-health professionals, even as military leaders grapple with rising suicide rates among troops. With the National Defense Strategy pushing for a more lethal force, Pentagon leaders are considering slashing as many as 17,000 uniformed medical corps billets across all the services. The move, which could go into effect in October 2020, would open more slots for troops in combat-arms specialties or other warfighting jobs. Thousands of those uniformed personnel serve as psychiatrists, social workers, psychologists, counselors and nurses. And, as the number of active-duty troops taking their own lives reaches a six-year high, military advocates say now is not the time to consider cuts to those fields. "Suicide and mental health are our top priority at [Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America] because of the serious impact these issues are having on our community," said Jeremy Butler, the new chief executive officer for the organization, which represents and advocates for post-9/11 vets. "I am concerned about any cut in resources signaling that DoD is not making these matters as high a priority as we do." Military officials stress that there is no immediate plan to cut those billets, though the review to trim the size of the overall medical corps is ongoing. "Any reforms that do result will be driven by the Department's efforts to ensure our medical personnel benefits that service members, retirees and their families deserve," said Angel Lopez, a spokeswoman for the Air Force surgeon general. Ed Gulick, a spokesman for Navy Medicine, said about a quarter of the Navy Department's 1,600 mental-health personnel are embedded with the Navy and Marine Corps fleets, and they hope to expand the program. "Navy Medicine has found that embedding mental health providers directly into Navy and Marine Corps operational units has had a powerful effect on decreasing stigma and making care more accessible to our service members," he said. Just waiting for sailors to get help at a hospital or clinic is a barrier to care, said Capt. Tara Smith, with the Navy's Suicide Prevention Branch. Embedding providers at the unit level moves the care closer to the troops in need, she added. Still, suicide remains a serious problem across the active-duty force. Last year, 321 active-duty troops committed suicide, marking a six-year high. Fifty-seven Marines, 68 sailors, 58 airmen and 138 soldiers took their own lives. Despite efforts by military leaders to end the stigma that seeking help with mental-health problems will derail your career, problems still exist, said one wounded combat veteran. Since he currently works for a veterans service organization, he spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to appear to be advocating for changes to the medical corps. While there are benefits to talking about military-related stressors with someone else in uniform, he said there's still the fear that it will later be used against you, which leaves some seeking help outside the military. "That perception that it's going to affect your career is still real," he said. "And to be frank, I don't think the services know how the hell to fix the issue as it relates to mental health and suicide." Service leaders say they remain committed to ending that fear. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson told reporters last week that leaders will continue to try "every trick in the book to try and get this under control." "It's such a difficult problem," he said. "... The [programs] that show the most hope are those where we really get down to small-unit cohesion so that our sailors all feel like, no matter what the situation they may be confronting -- a professional challenge, a personal challenge, whatever, that they are part of some kind of a team." The Air Force, which Lopez said currently has about 1,600 uniformed mental-health professionals, is working toward an end goal of never losing another airman to suicide. Its suicide-prevention program is designed not only to provide maximum support to airmen and their families, but to commanders leading their troops as well, said Brig. Gen. Michael Martin, director of Air Force Integrated Resilience. "It is about a culture of care and respect established by commanders and senior enlisted leaders that arms airmen at all levels with the training and tools for the decisive edge when their wingmen are in crisis," he said. As the 2020 budget-planning process, which will decide the outcome for the number of billets the uniformed medical corps will see in the year ahead gets under way, Gulick said the goal is to balance support for the National Defense Strategy while also being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars. "Our priority remains to ensure our medical personnel are trained, equipped and ready to support the operational forces, while delivering outstanding care to our beneficiaries as we maximize our military and private-sector care network to provide timely access to great care," he said. -- Oriana Pawlyk contributed to this report. -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. The patrol boats, which have been in the Persian Gulf region since 2003, have been replaced by two of the service's newest... Governor Ned Lamont will ask the General Assembly to extend motor vehicle drivers licenses to eight years, up from the current six years, in attempt to make life easier. He will also ask lawmakers to approve a plan to extend the two-year vehicle registration period to three years. But he set a tone of diminished expectations for a state that is still lagging after the Great Recession of 2008, stressing that modest emergency savings and an expected surplus in the current state budget, which runs through June 30, is not going to bail the state out of its long-term problems, including a massive unfunded pension liability for state employees and teachers. First, our economy has still not fully recovered from the Great Recession more than a decade ago, and we must be prepared for the possibility of another economic downturn, he said in an open letter to state residents on Monday. In fact, a significant portion of the anticipated surplus must, as required by the recently enacted volatility cap, be deposited to the Rainy Day Fund and therefore cannot be used to address the budget gap. He intends to update state government. These proposals are reflective of concerns raised by residents to help simplify their lives and cut down on the hassle of accessing certain services, and Im pleased to be able to help address them, he said. He also wants them to renew licenses online, in attempt to cut down trips to the DMV. Its part of a wide-ranging group of proposals to cut red tape issued Monday in advance of an open letter to state residents in advance of his budget address next week. He warned that the state fixed annual costs are growing by hundreds of millions of dollars annually. My job on February 20 is to share with you a realistic and thoughtful budget that will jump start the Connecticut economy, and work for everyone - leaving no one behind, Lamont wrote. But my proposal is just the beginning of the conversation - not the end. I look forward to sitting down with your legislative representatives, with our friends in labor and business, and with other stakeholders, as we push toward an honestly balanced budget - which we will pass in the light of day and before the end of the legislative session in June. He also wants to increase the number of state agencies that can create so-called public-private partnership; and make it easier for people to register to vote. At a time when we hope to get more people involved in the electoral process, these proposals will help our system function more seamlessly and with less hassle, and encourage more people to vote by making Election Day a cost-neutral state holiday, Lamont said. His legislative proposal would make high school and college credit available to young people who volunteer as Election Day workers; increase the number of same-day voter registration locations; and possibly make Election Day a holiday in a so-called cost-neutral way, swapping it with another existing state holiday. I believe our state is poised for success, with new jobs on the rise, unemployment rates at historic lows, and the growth of established and emerging sectors from wind energy to biotechnology on the horizon,: Lamont said. I also believe that delivering on those opportunities requires a sustained commitment to fiscal stability that will allow Connecticut to turn the page on whats been holding it back and give you, your employers, and your local governments the confidence you need to thrive. kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter:@KenDixonCT 3 1 of 3 Contributed photo Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Contributed photo Show More Show Less 3 of 3 MIDDLEFIELD The Independent Day School is celebrating the Year of Global Citizenship and Cultural Studies with a multitude of activities connecting students to people and cultures throughout the world and identifying ways they can make a difference, according to a news release. Students in all grades recently participated in The Day of the Girl and spent time learning about the status of girls and women around the world and the struggles women face. We looked closely at why over 350 million children worldwide do not have access to education, due to factors such as limited safe access to schools, war and conflict around them, the cost of education in some countries, gender discrimination, child labor, and disability discrimination, the statement said. MIDDLETOWN A dozen area priests who once served in the Norwich Diocese were named as investigated for allegations of substance, in connection with a scourge of sexual abuse of minors by clergy, according to a statement released Sunday by Archbishop Michael Cote. In all, 43 priests in the district, which encompasses the eastern part of Connecticut, are accused. The Hartford Courant reported this Sunday. Several of the priests worked for parishes in Middlesex County. However, claims were not filed pertaining to their time working in these towns. There is currently no priest or deacon in active ministry with an allegation of substance of sexual abuse of a minor, Cote said in his letter. Cote pledged a commitment to restore trust and faith and ensure a safe environment in our churches, schools, and other institutions. The Diocese of Norwich is committed to protecting children and young people so that the tragedy of sexual abuse does not occur, he said in a press release Monday. I am grievously sorry for the horrific sins and crimes made against the most vulnerable among us who have suffered sexual abuse and misconduct. I offer again my deepest and heartfelt apology on behalf of the church to the victims of child abuse and their families suffering painful lifelong consequences. The clergy, 2.8 percent of all in the region, were accused since the diocese was established 65 years ago on Aug. 6, 1953, Cote said. The letter defines the meaning of allegation of substance as: An allegation in which the accused has pled guilty or nolo contendere or been prosecuted and found guilty in a civil criminal court of any incident of sexual misconduct of a minor, and/or An allegation which has been investigated and has been determined to be reasonable, plausible, probable, and bearing the semblance of truth; and/or An allegation corroborated with other evidence or another source, and/or An allegation that has been acknowledged or admitted to by the accused. The diocese did not provide information about where each person served, but through obituaries and previous articles, The Press has been able to put together this list of clergy the diocese named who have connections to greater Middletown and the Shoreline: Paul L. Hebert, who served at parishes in Old Saybrook and Clinton. He died in 2010. Raymond J. Jean, who served at Notre Dame Parish in Durham in 1970. He died in 2001. Thomas W. Shea, who worked at St. Peter Church in Higganum. John B. Ramsay, also former pastor of St. Peter Church, Higganum. He died in 1994. John A. Kozon of Middletown. Richard T. Buongirno, who was in charge of churches in Cromwell and Middletown. Rodger Comtois, former pastor of The Parish of Saint Patrick, East Hampton. He died in 1998. Robert E. Shea, was assistant pastor at St. Mary Catholic Church, Portland. He died in 1995. Felix Werpechowski, assistant pastor at St. Mary of Czestochowa Catholic Church in Middletown. He died in 1972. Thomas McConaghy was at St. Colman Church, Middlefield, from 1985 to 1990. Salvatore L. Busca of Middletown died in 2006. In New Haven County, Louis Paturzo worked at Blessed Sacrament Church in Hamden. Click here to see the full list of clergy with allegations. Since 1953, the clergy who served in the Diocese of Norwich or were present in the diocese for a temporary ministry assignment include bishops, 1,422 priests (351 diocesan priests incardinated in Norwich, 914 religious order priests, 134 priests from another diocese working in Norwich, and 23 who had residence or a temporary ministry in the diocese), as well as 114 deacons, Cote said. The list includes the names of priests who have died, were dismissed from the clerical state, and those removed from all ministry, he added. In all, 22 were incardinated in the Diocese of Norwich, seven were members of religious orders, two from another diocese, but working for Norwich, and 12 priests who served or resided in the diocese, but who had allegations brought forward elsewhere from outside the diocese. Costs associated with the settling of cases of minor abuse, from July 1, 1977, to Jan. 31, 2019, are $7.7 million. Of those, $4.9 million was for insurance reimbursement, $1 million through the diocesan general fund, and $1.8 million in payments made by others (such as religious orders, individuals accused, other dioceses), according to the report. No donor restricted funds, bequests, or contributions designated for a special purpose, such as the Annual Catholic Appeal, were used. Among the parishes Hebert served in were Old Saybrook and Clinton. The specific churches are not listed. Hebert was removed from ministry in 2004. Hebert denies the unspecified allegations, made by an unnamed male to the diocese and purported to have taken place 30 years ago, according to bishopaccountability.org. Thomas W. Shea was at St. Peter Church in Higganum for a short period of time and was removed in 1974, after parents there complained of his habit of kissing and hugging their two daughters, ages 8 and 10, according to Bishop Accountability. On the eve of a civil trial, the diocese paid a woman $1.1 million to settle a suit that alleged she was sexually assaulted more than 60 times by Shea, according to the Courant. The 49-year-old woman was to testify that Shea, a family friend, started molesting her when she was 3, and the assaults continued into adulthood. Shea was ordered to keep away from children in the parish school. Girls at St. Josephs Church of New London said Shea liked to take photos of them in their bathing suits, the Courant reported. Ramsay served at St. Peter Church in Higganum starting in June 1970, as well as Mary Mother of the Redeemer in Higganum. He died before the single claim against him was received, according to the Catholic News. According to a story in the June 1976 Catholic Transcript, Kozon was of Middletown, but the parish he worked in was not detailed. Buongirno worked at churches in Cromwell and Middletown, as well as at Xavier High School. He settled a suit for $700,000 with a man who claimed he was abused as a child, the Courant reported. The victim said he was abused in 1991 at the rectory of an East Lyme church, then again years later during a cross-country road trip to celebrate his graduation from Xavier, the article said. Comtois was former pastor of The Parish of Saint Patrick in East Hampton. Robert E. Shea was assistant priest at St. Mary, Portland. He died before any claims against him were received, according to the Courant. Werpechowski was assistant pastor at St. Mary Church, Middletown. He died before any claims against him were received, the Courant said. He was the first Polish native young man to follow the calling of the priesthood from Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church of Wallingford, his obit said. In 2005, McConaghy resigned from ministry after being accused of sexually abusing a male student from approximately 1973 to 1975, according to Bishop Accountability. Busca was from Middletown, but his obituary does not list which parish he presided over. He will be most remembered for his very gentle spirit and keen sense of humor, according to his obit. Louis Paturzo was a well-known activist priest who worked with the citys troubled youth until the first accusations against him surfaced in 2002, according to the Courant. According the lawsuit, Paturzo first molested the victim in late 1976 and the abuse continued through August 1978. ... Two men who accused Paturzo in 2002 said he fondled them in the early 1970s, when he was working as a deacon but had not yet been ordained. Paturzo, who admitted to the claims made by the two men, was stripped of his priestly faculties by the archdiocese, the Courant story said. Cote acknowledged in his Feb. 7 letter the release of charges against all the priests will be painful for the victims, as well as families of the accused, friends and parishioners. It is my hope and prayer that this effort to let the light shine on this dark chapter in the life of the church will bring some measure of peace, healing, and acknowledgment to those who have been directly harmed and to all members of our faith community, Cote said. Editor's note: One name of a priest who was on the original list from the diocese has been removed from this story after the diocese said his name had been added to the list in error and that he was never under investigation for any alleged abuse. CROMWELL - The leadership of the schools system has once again been called into question, with the Board of Education calling a special meeting for Wednesday morning to discuss the future of the both the superintendent and the assistant superintendent. The early-morning meeting at Town Hall could see the appointment of an interim superintendent - just two weeks after the board reinstated Superintendent John T. Maloney Jr. In an email Monday morning addressed to Cromwell Community members, board Chairman Michael J. Camilleri said, We anticipate the possibility of taking action regarding the performance and employment of the Superintendent of Schools and the Assistant Superintendent of Schools as well as the possible appointment of an interim Superintendent of Schools at that meeting. Maloney and Assistant Supt. Krista Karch had been placed on paid administrative leave on Dec. 11 while the board investigated complaints the two administrators had fostered a climate of fear of hostility and retaliation. An anonymous letter sent to Board of Education members (but not Camilleri) said the climate has led to a massive flight of staff and teachers. The letter also alleged Maloney and Karch were involved in an inappropriate personal relationship. The board commissioned its law firm, Shipman & Goodwin, to conduct an investigation into the complaints and appointed high school Principal Fran DiFiore as interim superintendent. On Jan. 24, the board reinstated Maloney. In a statement he read at that time, Camilleri said, The investigation did not find evidence of an improper relationship between the two. The board did, however, issue a formal written reprimand to be included in Mr. Maloneys personnel file. He returned to work on Jan. 29 and will be subject to a detailed evaluation of his performance by June 15. Karch remained on paid leave. In the anonymous letter, she was accused of aggressive conduct and (an) unprofessional approach. In his Jan. 24 letter, Camilleri said the investigation did not confirm improper harassment or bullying.But he did say based on the issues raised by this investigation and other past issues around culture and climate including concerns about appropriate and available forums for reporting concerns, the board did agree to create a human resources directors position in the school system and take other steps to foster greater transparency and accountability. We have not concluded certain aspects of the investigation and additional actions may be necessary based on those aspects. We expect to address Dr. Karchs role in this investigation in the coming days, Camilleri said. There matters sat until Feb. 4, when the board held a three-hour closed-door meeting. Karch and her attorneys met with the board for 30 minutes. The board adjourned without taking any action. Camilleri said no future meetings where scheduled. Then, at 9:02 a.m. Thursday, a board representative called the town managers office to reserve a small conference room in Town Hall for the Wednesday meeting. The board usually meets in the high school library/media center. Asked in an email Monday what changed in the intervening 58 hours from Monday to Thursday, Camilleri replied, I will not be commenting on the agenda items for Wednesdays meeting. A call to Maloneys attorney was not immediately returned Monday. An email to Karchs lawyer was similarly not immediately answered. jmill@middletownpress.com HARTFORD The federal government is scheduled to shut down on midnight Friday if Congress cant reach a deal on the part of the federal budget that funds about one-quarter of the government. Negotiations on a deal began at the end of January following a 35 day shutdown that seems to hinge on $5 billion in funding for a wall along the southern border. U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy are optimistic their colleagues will be able to broker a deal if Republican President Donald Trump doesnt say or tweet something to mess it up. Thats what Connecticuts two Senators said before heading back to Washington, D.C. There is an agreement to be had to avoid a shutdown, if the president permits it to happen, Blumenthal said at a Legislative Office Building press conference. Interference by the president is the main threat to these talks. Trump will hold a campaign-style rally for supporters in the border city of El Paso, Texas, Monday to once again make his case for building a barrier. We just have one big, giant, hulking wild card in these budget negotiations and thats the president of the United States, Murphy said. He said if the president leaves Congress alone to reach a deal, there will be a deal. He said Senate Democrats are willing to spend up to $2 billion on border improvements, including drones, sensors, and immigration judges, but no wall. Murphy said the Democrats have already compromised and are not going to agree to a Medieval border wall the public has already roundly rejected as a solution to our immigration problems. Blumenthal added: The wall is dead. It isnt going to happen. As for a continuing resolution if a deal isnt reached? Murphy said hes not ruling it out, but Id be reluctant to vote for another continuing resolution. He said the politics and the policy arent going to change with the passage of time. Republicans may have been willing to let Trump make his case during the first shutdown, but they are much less willing to go along with him for a second shutdown, Murphy said. ... I dont think [Senator Mitch] McConnell is going let Trump drive the country off a cliff the second time, Murphy added. The dispute is still over about one-quarter of the budget that hasnt been authorized yet by Connecticut. Funding for the entire budget will expire on Sept. 31 and Murphy said Congress needs to get a grip and rethink its budget process. The one-quarter of the budget includes funding for agencies in charge of enforcing criminal law, immigration, and airport security. Executive Directive 2019 - 10 Executive Directive 2019 - 10 In Michigan, all political power is inherent in its people and state government has been instituted for their equal benefit, security, and protection. Given this constitutional charge, the State of Michigan must be a model of equal opportunity. But, too often, the women of Michigan have been held back by an economy and a state government that does not fully treat them as equals. Women still struggle with inequity in Michigans economy, earning only 78 cents for every dollar their male counterparts earn for the same work. Sometimes this wage gap is framed as purely a womens issue, but in reality, its an economic issue that hurts working families. Michigan must do more. State policies and procedures should require compensation based on the nature of work performed and services provided, and not be differentiated due to gender. Asking job applicants about their salary histories can inappropriately perpetuate the gender wage gap by enabling prospective employers to offer lower salaries to women than they otherwise would. Michigan state government must set a positive example for other job providers to acknowledge and close the gender wage gap by prohibiting inquiry into the salary histories of prospective employees. Acting pursuant to Article 5, 1 and 8 of the Michigan Constitution of 1963, I hereby direct the following: 1. State departments and autonomous agencies subject to supervision by the Governor under Article 5, 8 of the Michigan Constitution of 1963 shall not do either of the following: (a) Inquire about a job applicants current or previous salaries unless and until the department or agency first makes a conditional offer of employment, including an explanation of proposed compensation. (b) Make inquiry of a current or prior employer or search public records databases to ascertain an applicants current or previous salary. 2. A state department or other agency subject to supervision by the Governor under Article 5, 8 of the Michigan Constitution of 1963 shall take reasonable measures to avoid inadvertently discovering salary history while gathering other information about an applicant. Information unintentionally discovered relating to an applicants salary history must not be used by the department or agency in an employment decision. 3. A state department or agency subject to supervision by the Governor under Article 5, 8 of the Michigan Constitution of 1963 may request and verify current or previous compensation information for a job applicant before a conditional offer of employment that includes compensation information only if the applicant voluntarily provides the information or if verification is required by applicable law. 4. If a state department or agency subject to supervision by the Governor under Article 5, 8 of the Michigan Constitution of 1963 already is in possession of a job applicants compensation information on the effective date of this directive, it shall not use that information in any employment decision unless required to by law or a collective bargaining agreement. 5. This directive does not prevent a job applicant from volunteering information about compensation, but an applicants refusal to volunteer compensation information must not be considered in an employment decision. 6. To assist in educating state employees about the requirements of this directive and monitoring compliance with this directive, the Equity and Inclusion Officer for a department or agency appointed pursuant to Executive Directive 2019-9 shall engage in proactive efforts to educate employees of the department or agency about the requirements of this directive, and any related Civil Service rules. The Equity and Inclusion Office may request assistance from the Department of Civil Rights or the Civil Service Commission, or both, in complying with the requirements of this directive. 7. The Equity and Inclusion Officer for a department or agency shall receive complaints regarding noncompliance with the requirements of this directive by the department or agency and recommend measures to remedy the noncompliance to the department director or agency head. The Equity and Inclusion Officer for a department or agency shall report to the Governors Chief Compliance Officer all complaints received regarding noncompliance with this directive and actions taken by the department or agency to remedy the noncompliance. 8. The Civil Service Commission is requested to issue rules, regulations, orders, and instructions as it deems necessary to extend the equal pay protections of this directive to all employees within the classified service. 9. Nothing in this directive should be interpreted to impair any rights under a collective bargaining agreement or supersede an applicable law. 10. This directive is effective immediately. Thank you for your cooperation in implementing this directive. ____________________________ Gretchen Whitmer Governor On the occasion of the 4th Peer Review of Greeces development co-operation policies and programmes by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the OECD (April-November 2018), in which a significant number of stakeholders (Ministries, International Organizations and other entities) were actively involved, a special event for the official launch of the 4th Peer Reviews outcome was held at the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Monday, 11 February 2019. In the framework of this event, the OECD/DAC representative, Mr. John Egan, outlined ways for building and delivering a new vision for Greek development co-operation. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Terens Nikolaos Quick, reiterated Greeces commitment for the implementation of the 4th Peer Reviews recommendations, including the adoption, in 2019, of a new legal framework for Greeces international development cooperation. The Secretary-General of the Ministry for Migration Policy, Mr. Ilias-Miltiadis Klapas, presented the Greek efforts to respond effectively to migration-related challenges, based on the principles of humanity and solidarity. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Terens Quick had a working meeting at his office today with the President of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne, Bill Papastergiadis, in which they exchanged views on the preparation of the Greece-Cyprus-Egypt NOSTOS Programme, to be held in Melbourne on 25-26 March. I am especially pleased that NOSTOS III, this very successful and important trilateral cooperation between Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt, will be held in the third largest city as regards numbers of Greek residents. It is noteworthy that a large Community is undertaking to host it, with its President, our friend Bill Papastergiadis, along with the members of the Board of Directors and their colleagues. stated Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Quick following the meeting, adding: The program was being prepared by our three embassies in Canberra, along with our diplomats in Melbourne, and we shall be in a position to announce it by the end of February. With regard to the NOSTOS III Programme, the Deputy Minister also briefed the President of the Republic, Mr. Prokopis Pavlopoulos, who on Friday afternoon received Mr. Quick at the Presidential Mansion, along with Mr. Papastergiadis. The President of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne briefed Mr. Pavlopoulos on the significant initiatives undertaken by Australia's Greek Community with regard to actions pertaining to the promotion of our culture and the Greek language, which will reach a climax this weekend with all Diaspora Organisations, and indeed in Melbourne with the contribution of the government of the State of Victoria. Finally, the Deputy Minister invited Mr. Papastergiadis to the event that took place at the Hellenic Parliament to award students of the Greek Diaspora who received awards during the competition announced by the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad with a subject a short story in Greek. Among the students to receive an award was Ariadni Politi from Melbourne, Australia. ONAMIA TOWNSHIP AFFIDAVIT OF CANDIDACY Any eligible resident of Onamia Township wishing to file for township office for the March 12, 2019 election may file an affidavit of candidacy with the town clerk at 11764 320th St. Onamia, Mn. Phone # 320-532-3623. Offices will be open for: one supervisor for a 3 year term and one treasurer for a 2 year term. Filing begins at 9:00AM on Tuesday January 1, 2019 and closes at 5:00 PM on Tuesday January 15, 2019.The filing fee is $2.00. Office hours on Tuesday January 15 are from 1:00-5:00PM. Diane Van Alst Clerk Published in the Mille Lacs Messenger December 26, 2018 January 2, 2019 890523 Ad details ONAMIA TOWNSHIP AFFIDAVIT OF CANDIDACY Any eligible resident of Onamia Township wishing to file for township office for the March 12, 2019 election may file an affidavit of candidacy with the town clerk at 11764 320th St. Onamia, Mn. Phone # 320-532-3623. Offices will be open for: one supervisor for a 3 year term and one treasurer for a 2 year term. Filing begins at 9:00AM on Tuesday January 1, 2019 and closes at 5:00 PM on Tuesday January 15, 2019.The filing fee is $2.00. Office hours on Tuesday January 15 are from 1:005:00PM. Diane Van Alst Clerk Published in the Mille Lacs Messenger December 26, 2018 January 2, 2019 890523 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 480 Mille Lacs Academy School REGULAR MEETING MINUTES August 27, 2018 6:00 p.m. The Regular meeting of the School Board of Independent School District #480 was called to order by Chairman Virgil Wind. Other Board members present: Angel Oehrlein, Shelly Strecker, Ben Husom, Lisa Anderson, Brian Barnett. Members Absent: None. Also present were administration and staff: Superintendent/9-12 Principal JJ Vold, PreK-8 Principal Lisa DeMars, PreK-8 Assistant Principal Jennie Stumpf, Mille Lacs Academy Principal Holly Booth and Board Secretary Shannon Brandt. Mr. Wind led the Board and guests in the Pledge of Allegiance. Approval of the Agenda: Motion by Ms. Oehrlein, seconded by Ms. Anderson to approve the agenda as presented. Motion passed unanimously. Approval of Previous Minutes: Motion by Mr. Barnett, seconded by Mr. Husom to approve the minutes of the regular school board meeting held on August 27, 2018. Motion passed unanimously. Panther Spirit Recognition: Mr. Vold recognized Roger Praught for all of his hard work and dedication to Onamia Public Schools. Communications and Public Forum: None. Presentations/Reports: A. Reports: 1. Work Session: An update was given on the work session held on August 9, 2018. The items included a presentation given by Administration regarding the district needs and the vision moving forward. B. Committee Reports: 1. Policy/Personnel Committee: An update was given on the policy/personnel committee held on August 9, 2018. The items included handbook revisions. 2. Finance/Facilities Committee: An update was given on the finance/facilities committee held on August 23, 2018. The items included fiscal year end and a look ahead to the budget for FY19. C. Administrator Reports: 1. Superintendent Report: Mr. Vold updated the board regarding the new teacher workshop, Mille Lacs Messenger bios on new staff, Workshop week, ALICE training, Open house, Innocent classroom, District finances, Handbooks, Worlds Best Workforce, School website. 2. PreK-8 Principal, PreK-8 Assistant Principal and Secondary Dean of Students Report: Ms. DeMars, Ms. Stumpf and Ms. Dols updated the board regarding Summer Quest, Kinder camp, National night out, PreK & Kindergarten families, Benchmark literacy, Back to school workshop week, ALICE training, Handbooks, Viewpoint, Assessment calendars, Open house, Literacy plan, Worlds Best Workforce plan. 3. Mille Lacs Academy School Report: Ms. Booth updated the board regarding ALICE Training what it is and what it stands for, New staff and new hires needed, Curriculum planning and data, Innocent classroom, Handle with care training, Open house at MLA. 4. Activities Director Report Mr. Vold for Mr. Leonard updated the board regarding Varsity programs, Junior high sports, Youth sports. Approval of Consent Agenda: Motion by Ms. Strecker, seconded by Ms. Oehrlein to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Motion passed unanimously. 1. Approve recommended Cash Disbursements 2. Approve recommended Personnel Transactions Business/Board Action Items: 1. Motion by Ms. Anderson seconded by Mr. Husom to set the Truth in Taxation meeting date for Monday, December 17, 2018 at 6pm in the Secondary School Media Center. Motion passed unanimously. 2. Motion by Ms. Oehrlein seconded by Ms. Anderson to approve the Speech Therapy Service contract with Speech Partners, LLC as presented. Motion passed unanimously. 3. Motion by Ms. Oehrlein, seconded by Mr. Barnett to approve the revised Mille Lacs Academy School Calendar for 2018-2019 as presented. Motion passed unanimously. 4. Motion by Ms. Oehrlein, seconded by Ms. Strecker to award the Dairy bid to Kemps, the Bread bid to Pan-O-Gold and the Fuel bid to Beaudry for the 2018-2019 school year. Motion passed unanimously. 5. Motion by Ms. Oehrlein, seconded by Mr. Husom to approve the Elementary, High School, Mille Lacs Academy School and Staff handbooks for the 2018-2019 school year as presented. Motion passed unanimously. 6. Motion by Ms. Oehrlein, seconded by Ms. Anderson to approve the 2018-2019 Resolution for Membership in the Minnesota State High School League as presented. Motion passed unanimously. 7. Motion by Mr. Barnett, seconded by Ms. Oehrlein to approve the Read Well by Grade 3 Literacy Plan as presented. Motion passed unanimously. Additional or Future Items: Open House will be August 29th. Board Communication: None. Adjournment: Motion by Mr. Husom, seconded by Ms. Oehrlein to adjourn the meeting at 6:49pm. Motion passed unanimously. Signed, Angel Oehrlein School Board Clerk Independent School District #480 Published in the Mille Lacs Messenger October 3, 2018 863472 Ad details INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 480 MILLE LACS ACADEMY SCHOOL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES AUGUST 27, 2018 6:00 P.M. The Regular meeting of the School Board of Independent School District #480 was called to order by Chairman Virgil Wind. Other Board members present: Angel Oehrlein, Shelly Strecker, Ben Husom, Lisa Anderson, Brian Barnett. Members Absent: None. Also present were administration and staff: Superintendent/9-12 Principal JJ Vold, PreK-8 Principal Lisa DeMars, PreK-8 Assistant Principal Jennie Stumpf, Mille Lacs Academy Principal Holly Booth and Board Secretary Shannon Brandt. Mr. Wind led the Board and guests in the Pledge of Allegiance. Approval of the Agenda: Motion by Ms. Oehrlein, seconded by Ms. Anderson to approve the agenda as presented. Motion passed unanimously. Approval of Previous Minutes: Motion by Mr. Barnett, seconded by Mr. Husom to approve the minutes of the regular school board meeting held on August 27, 2018. Motion passed unanimously. Panther Spirit Recognition: Mr. Vold recognized Roger Praught for all of his hard work and dedication to Onamia Public Schools. Communications and Public Forum: None. Presentations/Reports: A. Reports: 1. Work Session: An update was given on the work session held on August 9, 2018. The items included a presentation given by Administration regarding the district needs and the vision moving forward. B. Committee Reports: 1. Policy/Personnel Committee: An update was given on the policy/ personnel committee held on August 9, 2018. The items included handbook revisions. 2. Finance/Facilities Committee: An update was given on the finance/facilities committee held on August 23, 2018. The items included fiscal year end and a look ahead to the budget for FY19. C. Administrator Reports: 1. Superintendent Report: Mr. Vold updated the board regarding the new teacher workshop, Mille Lacs Messenger bios on new staff, Workshop week, ALICE training, Open house, Innocent classroom, District finances, Handbooks, Worlds Best Workforce, School website. 2. PreK-8 Principal, PreK-8 Assistant Principal and Secondary Dean of Students Report: Ms. DeMars, Ms. Stumpf and Ms. Dols updated the board regarding Summer Quest, Kinder camp, National night out, PreK & Kindergarten families, Benchmark literacy, Back to school workshop week, ALICE training, Handbooks, Viewpoint, Assessment calendars, Open house, Literacy plan, Worlds Best Workforce plan. 3. Mille Lacs Academy School Report: Ms. Booth updated the board regarding ALICE Training what it is and what it stands for, New staff and new hires needed, Curriculum planning and data, Innocent classroom, Handle with care training, Open house at MLA. 4. Activities Director Report Mr. Vold for Mr. Leonard updated the board regarding Varsity programs, Junior high sports, Youth sports. Approval of Consent Agenda: Motion by Ms. Strecker, seconded by Ms. Oehrlein to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Motion passed unanimously. 1. Approve recommended Cash Disbursements 2. Approve recommended Personnel Transactions Business/Board Action Items: 1. Motion by Ms. Anderson seconded by Mr. Husom to set the Truth in Taxation meeting date for Monday, December 17, 2018 at 6pm in the Secondary School Media Center. Motion passed unanimously. 2. Motion by Ms. Oehrlein seconded by Ms. Anderson to approve the Speech Therapy Service contract with Speech Partners, LLC as presented. Motion passed unanimously. 3. Motion by Ms. Oehrlein, seconded by Mr. Barnett to approve the revised Mille Lacs Academy School Calendar for 2018-2019 as presented. Motion passed unanimously. 4. Motion by Ms. Oehrlein, seconded by Ms. Strecker to award the Dairy bid to Kemps, the Bread bid to Pan-O-Gold and the Fuel bid to Beaudry for the 2018-2019 school year. Motion passed unanimously. 5. Motion by Ms. Oehrlein, seconded by Mr. Husom to approve the Elementary, High School, Mille Lacs Academy School and Staff handbooks for the 2018-2019 school year as presented. Motion passed unanimously. 6. Motion by Ms. Oehrlein, seconded by Ms. Anderson to approve the 2018-2019 Resolution for Membership in the Minnesota State High School League as presented. Motion passed unanimously. 7. Motion by Mr. Barnett, seconded by Ms. Oehrlein to approve the Read Well by Grade 3 Literacy Plan as presented. Motion passed unanimously. Additional or Future Items: Open House will be August 29th. Board Communication: None. Adjournment: Motion by Mr. Husom, seconded by Ms. Oehrlein to adjourn the meeting at 6:49pm. Motion passed unanimously. Signed, Angel Oehrlein School Board Clerk Independent School District #480 Published in the Mille Lacs Messenger October 3, 2018 863472 CITY OF RAMSEY ANOKA COUNTY STATE OF MINNESOTA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Notice is hereby given that the City of Ramsey Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday, October 4, 2018, at 7:00 p.m. at the Ramsey Municipal Center, 7550 Sunwood Drive NW, Ramsey, MN 55303. The purpose of the hearing is to consider a request for preliminary plat approval of Shade Tree Cottages, a subdivision consisting of thirty-three (33) detached townhome lots and one (1) single family lot on the property generally located south of 157th Lane NW and east of Nowthen Boulevard NW and legally described as follows: That part of the Northeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter of Section 23, Township 32, Range 25 except that part thereof described as follows: Beginning at the southwest corner of said Quarter Quarter, thence north along assumed bearing on west line of said Quarter Quarter 793.13 feet to center line of Town Road, thence northerly along said center line on curve concave to northwest, radius of 229.18 feet and central angle of 19 degrees 44 minutes 42 seconds, 78.98 feet to intersect with center line of CSAH No 5, thence south 1 degree 01 minutes 30 seconds east along said center line 20.05 feet, thence deflecting left along said center line on tangent curve, radius of 181.89 feet, 142.96 feet, thence south 46 degrees 03 minutes 30 seconds east along said center line 524.54 feet, thence deflecting right along said centerline on tangent curve radius of 520.87 feet, 298.94 feet thence south 13 degrees 10 minutes 30 seconds east along said center line 105.41 feet to intersect with south line of said Quarter Quarter, thence westerly along said south line 615.65 feet to point of beginning, except road subject to easement of record, Anoka County, Minnesota All interested persons are invited to attend the hearing and comment on the request for preliminary plat approval. The City of Ramsey complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and upon advance request, information will be provided in an alternative form and interpreters will be available. Any person with such a request should contact JoAnn Shaw at 763-427-1410 by noon on Thursday, September 27, 2018. There is a TDD machine at Ramsey Municipal Center; the number is 763-427-8591. Written comments are welcome and shall be addressed to the Ramsey Planning Commission, 7550 Sunwood Drive NW, Ramsey, MN 55303. Written comments regarding the preliminary plat shall be received at the above address prior to 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 4, 2018. Date: September 21, 2018 Tim Gladhill Community Development Director Published in the Anoka County UnionHerald September 21, 2018 858625 Ad details CITY OF RAMSEY ANOKA COUNTY STATE OF MINNESOTA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Notice is hereby given that the City of Ramsey Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday, October 4, 2018, at 7:00 p.m. at the Ramsey Municipal Center, 7550 Sunwood Drive NW, Ramsey, MN 55303. The purpose of the hearing is to consider a request for preliminary plat approval of Shade Tree Cottages, a subdivision consisting of thirty-three (33) detached townhome lots and one (1) single family lot on the property generally located south of 157th Lane NW and east of Nowthen Boulevard NW and legally described as follows: That part of the Northeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter of Section 23, Township 32, Range 25 except that part thereof described as follows: Beginning at the southwest corner of said Quarter Quarter, thence north along assumed bearing on west line of said Quarter Quarter 793.13 feet to center line of Town Road, thence northerly along said center line on curve concave to northwest, radius of 229.18 feet and central angle of 19 degrees 44 minutes 42 seconds, 78.98 feet to intersect with center line of CSAH No 5, thence south 1 degree 01 minutes 30 seconds east along said center line 20.05 feet, thence deflecting left along said center line on tangent curve, radius of 181.89 feet, 142.96 feet, thence south 46 degrees 03 minutes 30 seconds east along said center line 524.54 feet, thence deflecting right along said centerline on tangent curve radius of 520.87 feet, 298.94 feet thence south 13 degrees 10 minutes 30 seconds east along said center line 105.41 feet to intersect with south line of said Quarter Quarter, thence westerly along said south line 615.65 feet to point of beginning, except road subject to easement of record, Anoka County, Minnesota All interested persons are invited to attend the hearing and comment on the request for preliminary plat approval. The City of Ramsey complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and upon advance request, information will be provided in an alternative form and interpreters will be available. Any person with such a request should contact JoAnn Shaw at 763-4271410 by noon on Thursday, September 27, 2018. There is a TDD machine at Ramsey Municipal Center; the number is 763-427-8591. Written comments are welcome and shall be addressed to the Ramsey Planning Commission, 7550 Sunwood Drive NW, Ramsey, MN 55303. Written comments regarding the preliminary plat shall be received at the above address prior to 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 4, 2018. Date: September 21, 2018 Tim Gladhill Community Development Director Published in the Anoka County UnionHerald September 21, 2018 858625 Jacob Stauffer, Overland Group, the contractors bringing Dollar General to Garrison, said they will be constructing a $1 million building. Services for Chris Trayal will be held Saturday, June 26, 2021, 11 a.m., and visitation will be from 9 -11 a.m. at James F. Webb funeral home. To view the full obituary go to www.jamesfwebb.com. Flash At the invitation of Foreign Minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Ri Yong Ho, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh will pay an official visit to the DPRK on Feb. 12-14. The statement was posted on Monday on the website of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Vietnam welcomes the second summit between the top leaders of the United States and the DPRK slated for Feb. 27-28 in Vietnam, Le Thi Thu Hang, spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Feb. 6. "Vietnam strongly supports dialogues to maintain peace, security and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Vietnam is ready to make active contribution to and cooperate with relevant sides to ensure the success for the second U.S.-DPRK summit, thus helping realize the above-mentioned goal," she said. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in India, which was passed in 2016, has come under grave scrutiny and protests in the North-East, especially in Assam and Meghalaya. The bill claims to be 'politically motivated' in these regions and has been termed 'anti-Assam' by BJP ally Asom Gana Parishad and has also been cruised by other regional parties. (c)Twitter The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 was formulated by the government in order to change the deification of illegal immigrants in the country. The bill, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha in July 2016, seeks to amend the citizenship act of 1955, to provide citizenship to illegal immigrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, who're either Hindu, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists or Parsis. The bill also aims to reduce the amount of time for staying in India to become a citizen in the first place. So, instead of 11 years, a minimum of 6 years of staying in the country would be required, if the bill is passed. (c)Twitter Following the new amendment made to the bill, Assam and Meghalaya reacted to it in a grim manner saying the move would make Assam a dumping ground for all Bangladeshi Hindus. The BJP coalition partner have threatened to cut ties with the party if the bill is passed as the locals believe it will affect the cultural identity and linguistics of the indigenous people of the state. Assam since then has been on protest on the passing of the bill as they believe the long standing concern over the issues of refugees is not going to be put to rest if the bill is in action. (c)Twitter The younger folks in the states have been very upfront about the government's agenda and have questioned it time and again. The ferociousness of their honesty is met with little or no answers so far. A few days ago a young 19-year-old boy Rahul Rajkhowa took to YouTube and posted a rap protesting the bill. The rapper adds, that while the government cannot even help rescue 15 miners stuck in an illegal coal mine, they're hell-bent on helping people from foreign countries based on their religion. The rap ends with the line "...and your agenda for progress is fake" and leaves us gutted with what young people from the North-Eastern states feel at the arms of apathy and agenda pushing. Watch the video here: (c)Twitter While the protests still continue against the BJP-led government in Assam over this bill, with All Assam Student Union (AASU) waving their black flags at the CM Sarbananda Sonwal, we're not sure what the end result might be. We just hope the government realises the fallacies and problematic situations that may arise with the bill in action and take a relevant step towards ensuring uniformity and peace in the region, instead. The Indian Army is an epitome of true valour and righteousness, wherever it's needed. They're almost invincible yet dignified, ferocious and mighty, as well as compassionate. And we only believe these things because we always read about the great work they are doing, while protecting our borders. Recently, the Indian army marched towards another great feat by rescuing a pregnant woman , who was stuck in bad snow to deliver her babies. On the 8th of February, a villager from the same village as the pregnant woman called the company commander of the Thana Panar Camp at Bandipur and asked for help to take his wife Gulshana Begum to the hospital there. Due to Jammu & Kashmir's heavy snowfall, the man couldn't take his wife, since the roads were all blocked and the temperature fell to about minus seven degrees Celsius. The situation was so grave that the woman had to be rushed to the hospital and she couldn't waste any time. Twitter Upon hearing about the situation at hand, the soldiers of Bandipur National Rifles reached the woman's house, braving bad road conditions and heavy snowfall. They carried her out on a stretcher for about 2.5 kms, before putting her in an army ambulance. Twitter The men had already spoken to the required doctors before they even reached the hospital in Bandipur, just so there wouldn't be any time wasted and the woman could have a safe and healthy delivery. Fortunately, upon reaching the hospital on time and after some check-ups, it was confirmed the woman would be having twins. If it wasn't for the army's presence in the nick of time, she wouldn't have been able to even make it to the nearest hospital. Twitter Indian Army as an organisation has been taken for granted beyond measure time and again, especially in Jammu and Kashmir where they are vigilant day and night about terrorist activities. The locals aren't very fond of the army and they definitely have unpleasant feelings towards them. But more often than not, the army goes out of its way to help the local, sizeable population in any way they can and they recognise the importance of an emergency and lack of help in some regions of J&K. That's why they're always there, fighting every cause. Here's to the Indian Army for always lending a helping hand to people when they need them. We're sure Gulshana Begum's twins will have something to thank the Indian Army about. Who knows they might join the ranks someday! When anyone in the country decides to join the armed forces, it is given than their life and their soul has been authorised for serving the nation. Our brave men fight wars not just on the borders, but the wars they fight everyday in their heart when they serve the nation, while their family prays and waits for their arrival. IAF Squadron leader Samir Abrol was no different when it came to serving his country. Facebook Squadron leader Samir Abrol and Siddharth Negi were killed while test flying the Mirage 2000 aircraft at the HAL airport in Bengaluru. The pilots tried to eject themselves but failed to do so as the flames engulfed them. This gave rise to many questioning the hygiene standards of aircrafts bought and given by the system to our pilots in the Air Force. #UPDATE The other pilot who had also ejected has succumbed to injuries in hospital. Both were test pilots- Squadron leader Negi and Squadron leader Abrol. #Bengaluru https://t.co/WZYA5RzWSU ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2019 After Samir's brother Sushant making some valid points that are stark and alarming in questions, Samir's wife , Garima Abrol has now penned an open letter demanding answers for the loss of her husband and thousand other officers who die due to negligence in the system. Sushant Abrol: A train derails & the system wants the Railway Minister to step down but every now and then these crashes happen. Is anyone raising fingers against the Ministry, the defence minister? I have utter respect for Ma'am and I am looking up to her for an answer. https://t.co/GCaxJ4SDrZ ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2019 Besides highlighting the pain of loss and how a soldier's family is braver than any of us, Garima raises some very valid points that demand our immediate attention. While the messages of empathy and sympathy will continue to flow for the Abrol family, let's not let this chance go and ensure that Samir's sacrifice is the face of change, not just another case of negligence. VANCOUVER Feb. 11, 2019 $950,000 Simon Fraser University's Beedie School Canada Canada Theresa Tam Canada's Canada Canada Shawn Smith Simon Fraser University The Public Health Agency of Canada is investing $950,000 in RADIUS' Health Promotion Lab over 30 months through its Multi-Sectoral Partnership Approach to Promote Healthy Living and Prevent Chronic Disease. This program supports innovative partnerships to address the common risk factors that underlie major chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. is investing in RADIUS' Health Promotion Lab over 30 months through its Multi-Sectoral Partnership Approach to Promote Healthy Living and Prevent Chronic Disease. This program supports innovative partnerships to address the common risk factors that underlie major chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Chronic diseases are among the leading causes of death and reduced quality of life for Canadians. The three highest contributors to chronic disease in Canada are tobacco use, unhealthy eating, and obesity. are tobacco use, unhealthy eating, and obesity. The direct healthcare cost for the 10 most common chronic diseases is $27.5 billion (in 2017 dollars ). Canada /CNW/ - Canada is facing a growing burden of chronic disease. Almost two out of five Canadian adults over the age of 20 have at least one of the 10 most common chronic diseases, including cancer and heart disease. In addition, some children are now developing chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes that were normally not seen until adulthood. The good news is that many of these diseases can be prevented.Today, on behalf of the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health, Member of Parliament, the Honourable Hedy Fry, announcedover 30 months to support RADIUS' Health Promotion Lab housed atof Business. Through this project, RADIUS will collaborate with organizations to develop, test and accelerate innovative initiatives that help address chronic diseases inRADIUS will help an estimated 70 to 90 social impact organizations design, develop and scale up activities to address risk factorsunhealthy eating, smoking and sedentary behaviourthat contribute to the development of chronic diseases. The organizations selected by RADIUS will have access to a range of expert advice and support to help increase the scale and reach of their healthy living and chronic disease prevention activities. Lessons learned from the projects supported through RADIUS' Health Promotion Lab will be shared with a network of partners to encourage the use of proven innovative approaches to promoting healthy living in policies and practice."Encouraging healthy living to prevent the development of chronic diseases is a priority of the Government of. RADIUS' approach to promoting healthy living and preventing chronic diseases through collaboration with start-up organizations to develop and test programs is an exciting way to address the risk factors that contribute to chronic diseases. I look forward to seeing the innovative ideas for improving the health of Canadians as a result of our investment.""Maintaining a healthy lifestyleincluding being physically active, eating healthy foods, reducing alcohol consumption, and choosing not to smokeplays an important role in the well-being and quality of life of Canadians. It also helps prevent chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Supporting healthy living behaviours through innovative partnerships and actions, and by addressing the social and economic barriers that some Canadians face when trying to make healthy choices, will help improve health outcomes for all Canadians.""RADIUS is excited to partner with the Public Health Agency ofon the Health Promotion Lab, an incubation and social innovation platform to promote healthy living and prevent chronic disease. This is a new type of partnership for both RADIUS and the Agency, and will serve as a prototype for howcan partner with universities, social innovation hubs and incubators to leverage government investment and scale its impact."SOURCE Public Health Agency of SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. Feb. 11, 2019 Sandy Springs, GA Dan Myers Sandy Springs Dan Myers Sandy Springs Alpharetta Sandy Springs University of Kentucky Murray State University Dan Myers Sandy Springs /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Dentist Centers, located at 6309 Roswell Road in30328, is a modern family dental practice with a mission to provide a full scope of cutting-edge dental services in a rewarding and comfortable environment. Dr.leads the practice with elite talent and training in multiple facets of dentistry. His patients can take advantage of general, cosmetic and restorative dental care, as well as an expansive menu of additional services that would otherwise require a referral to a specialist. The Dentist Centers ofoffers complete dental implants and bone grafting as well as advanced cosmetic services such as Invisalign, Snap-On Smile and dermal fillers.Dr. Myers' passion for dental arts as well as his dedication to patient comfort has undoubtedly led to the numerous outstanding reviews posted by his actual patients across many review sources. The consistent five-star ratings have led Find Local Doctors to acknowledge Dr. Myers as a 2019 Top Patient-Rated Sandy Springs Dentist. As a trusted online directory, Find Local Doctors helps consumers connect with local physicians and dentists who are both qualified and reputable in their respective fields."I am honored to receive the Top Patient-Rated Award from Find Local Doctors. My patients will always be the measure of my success as a dentist," says Dr.of The Dentist Centers.The Dentist Centers intreats patients of all ages and uses the latest and most proven technologies in modern dentistry. Dr. Myers offers sedation dentistry, laser dentistry and can treat complex dental issues through all stages of life. The practice is currently accepting new patients in both theirandoffices.More About Dan Myers, DMD:Dr. Myers received his Doctorate in Dental Medicine (DMD) from theCollege of Dentistry. Prior to his dental education, he attendedfor his undergraduate studies, which he accomplished in three years and was awarded early acceptance into dental school.Dr. Myers believes in staying at the forefront of dental technology, and he carries a passion for the art of dentistry that guides him in transforming countless smiles. He continuously participates in continuing education courses in dental esthetics, including the prestigious Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies(LVI). Dr. Myers' professional affiliations include the American Dental Association, Georgia Dental Association, Northern Dental District Society, Hinman Dental Society, and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.For more information about Dr.or the services he offers at The Dentist Centers in, please visit http://www.thedentistcenters.com or call (404) 382-5798.SOURCE The Dentist Centers WELLINGTON Feb. 11, 2019 Palm Beach West Palm Beach Lake Worth Delray Beach Boca Raton Florida Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019 9:45 a.m. 10 a.m. Florida Tampa Sarasota Apollo Beach Wellington South Florida John Tipton Wellington Arizona Arizona Florida Florida Florida Florida Todd Beckwith Sarasota, Fla. Ruskin Ruskin Ruskin University of Florida Arizona Arizona , Fla.,/PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- AltMed Florida has announced the grand opening of its first southeast Florida MUV Medical Cannabis Dispensary at 1045 South State Road 7, Suite 200, in the 'Wellington Reserve' medical complex.NearInternational Airport and a short drive fromand, the state-of-the-art dispensary is ideally positioned along the rapidly growing I-95 corridor and is the only southeastdispensary west of the Florida Turnpike.The Grand Opening is, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony atThe dispensary opens for business atfor licensedmedical cannabis patients. Patients will receive 25% off their entire first purchase and the first 100 patients will also receive a MUV SWAG bag.Like AltMed Florida's three current MUV Dispensary locations (and), the newdispensary will stand out because it's designed as a premium experience. Think Apple store, with modern, open-concept design and expert staff with extensive training. Patients can also see real-time, strain specific inventory at http://www.altmedflorida.com where they can order for express pickup or delivery within a 25-mile range."Our dispensaries have set the standard for quality products, service and overall patient experience on the Gulf Coast and we are excited to bring our premium MUV medical cannabis brand towhere there's high demand from a rapidly growing patient base," said AltMed Florida CEO. "Our dispensaries are unlike anything in the state and we invite all licensed patients to visit our newlocation."The MUV brand already has a wide following in other legal medical cannabis markets, including, where it has won five Best ofmedical cannabis awards.MUV products offer an extensive variety of delivery options and formulations, including several that are unique among currentlicense holders with its patent-pending transdermal gels and metered dose inhalers. Products come in a variety of delivery methods and formulations within each delivery method to assure every patient has a product to meet their desired outcome. Product categories include cannabis flower vaporizer cups, topicals (pain relief cream), 72-hour transdermal patches, metered dose inhalers, distillate vaporizer pens (without any cutting agents), strain specific vaporizer pens, oral sprays, tinctures, capsules as well as the widest selection of strain specific concentrates in the state ofMUV products are sold exclusively inat MUV dispensaries because, unlike other states,does not allow wholesale of product between license holders - only products that license holders make themselves can be sold in their dispensaries."The MUV retail experience speaks to the role of medical cannabis products in the modern healthcare marketplace," said AltMed Marketing Director. "We learned that MUV customers in other legal medical cannabis states are more apt to take an active role in their healthcare than with traditional medicine. They want to understand the products and the research behind the products, so we have created a layered and informative retail experience."For more information about the new ADA compliant Wellington MUV Medical Cannabis Dispensary, including hours and available MUV products, visit: http://www.altmedflorida.com. AltMed Florida is on pace to open 30 MUV Medical Cannabis Dispensaries across the state, all supplied by its 150,000-square-foot state-of-the-art cultivation facility. Visit this link for images of AltMed Florida's cultivation operations. For a corporate video see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-wOhs9qyVc.About AltMed Enterprises - Alternative Medical Enterprises, LLC, headquartered inand doing business as AltMed Enterprises, is a fully integrated medical cannabis company that brings compassion, community engagement and pharmaceutical industry precision to the development, production and dispensing of medical cannabinoids.About AltMed Florida, LLC (Plants of, LLC d.b.a.) - With a focus on quality and attention to detail, Plants ofhas more than 35 years of experience in providing seedlings to farmers for vegetable and medical product production. Plants offounders, the Dickman Family, are 4th generation farmers with a long history of working in conjunction with the, including an endowed chair specifically dedicated to plant improvement.About MUV - The MUV brand of cannabis infused products was launched inin 2016 and quickly gained international attention and recognition. In its first six months alone, MUV received four best ofmedical cannabis awards, including two first prizes for its proprietary Ethanol extractions that are the basis of all MUV products.Forward-Looking Statements - To the extent any statements made in this press release contain information that is not historical, these statements are forward-looking in nature and merely express our beliefs, expectations or opinions. For example, words such as "may," "should," "estimates," "predicts," "continues," "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intends," "potential," "strategy" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on current expectations or estimates and involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) our ability to implement our business strategy of distributing high quality cannabis products where permissible under applicable law; (ii) availability and cost of additional capital; (iii) our ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified employees and management; (iv) the impact of federal, state or local government regulations; (v) competition in the cannabis industry; (vi) our ability to generate revenues; and (vii) litigation in connection with our business. All forward-looking statements included in this press release and attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf are qualified by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and, except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, regardless of whether new information becomes available, future developments occur or otherwise.SOURCE AltMed Florida PHOENIX Feb. 11, 2019 the United States Arizona Arizona Phoenix $2,800 the United States Greg Butler the United States /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The opioid epidemic has affected individuals from all over, but inalone claims almost 1,000 people a year. Not only doeshave the opioid epidemic to contend with, but a large number of individuals addicted to other drugs as well - including methamphetamine, cocaine, and alcohol. Often times, when an individual is need of drug and alcohol treatment it is obvious to everyone but them. The walls of denial and avoidance need to be broken through to help put them on a better path. This is why Addiction Care Recovery has moved into thearea to offer its services of professional intervention. Addiction Care Recovery charges a flat affordable rate ofplus travel expenses - but they are willing to travel anywhere into stage an intervention when help is needed., a professional certified interventionist says, "Many families feel that an intervention won't work for their loved one's situation. What they don't know is that using a certified interventionist can dramatically increase the likelihood of an individual saying yes. In fact, 9 out of 10 interventions end successfully". With over 20 million people suffering with a substance use disorder in, Interventions certainly are needed now more than ever.Addiction Care Recovery Services began providing these life-saving services in 2018 but have trained professional interventionists who have staged hundreds of interventions of their own over the years. Their certified interventionists fully understand that addiction as a family disease and give families the education and empowerment they need, focusing on solutions and offering proven suggestions. Addiction Care Recovery takes time to get to the know the family, learning all of the areas that need to change so that the individual can reach the point of accepting help instead of living comfortably in their addiction. The professionals at Addiction Care Recovery Services know that if the family comes together in unity, and applies the tools offered, they will learn how to relate to and support their addicted loved in a healthier way.Addiction Care Recovery meets with families over the course of two days, the first day being preparation day where family and friends who are participating in the intervention will be able to prepare and write letters expressing their concerns and pleading for their addicted loved one to go to treatment. The second day is the day of the actual intervention. Once their loved one accepts the gift of treatment, they are immediately flown out to their treatment destination no time is wasted once an individual agrees to go.Addiction Care Recovery understands that addiction is potentially deadly, and must be intervened on and treated as quickly as possible. Addiction Care Recovery Services will stand in the gap for families and point the way out for the one they love who needs help. Addiction Care Recovery Services has made it their mission to work side by side with families to get their loved ones substance abuse treatment that produces long-term effective results.SOURCE Addiction Care Recovery Services You are here: World Flash Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro led military exercises on Sunday, pledging to strengthen the country's anti-aircraft defensive system. As part of the drill, Venezuelan air force troops at Guicaipuro Fort, in northern state of Miranda, deployed Russian-made 9M317 and Igla-S surface-to-air missiles. The 9M317 is a medium-range missile that can hit targets up to 50 km away, while the Igla-S is a man-portable missile with a 6 km reach. Maduro said he will make "the sufficient investment for Venezuela" to strengthen its anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense system, and equip the militia with "even the most modern missiles in the world." "These Igla-S and the thousands and thousands coming will be in the hands of the people, armed for anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense, to make our cities and towns impenetrable," he added. The militia is a civilian force founded in 2008 to supplement the armed forces. The military exercises, which mark the 200th anniversary of the historic Battle of Angostura, will continue through Friday. Over the years, humans have built up a collection of stock answers to medical queries that have become so ingrained in our common psyche that they are now regarded as facts. Here we will bust five frequently repeated myths. Share on Pinterest Splitting truth from myth can be a challenging pastime. Old wives tales and superstitions have become part of the fabric of human understanding. Today, with the endless information that the Internet has to offer, questions can be answered at the click of a mouse. This, you might think, would spell the end of scientific and medical misinformation, but the sheer quantity of information that is now available is so bewildering that common knowledge has been left largely in place. Most people are too busy to fact-check details that dont directly impact their lives. Here, we will briefly run through five medical facts that most people have taken for granted since they were children. Firstly, we will tackle the pervasive rumor that waking a sleepwalker is a terrible idea. 1) Waking a sleepwalker is dangerous Sleepwalking can be an unsettling event for the person doing the walking and anyone who happens to witness the event. Somnambulism, as it is also called, occurs in the deepest part of sleep, normally a few hours after onset. Affecting an estimated 1-15 percent of the general population, sleepwalking is surprisingly prevalent, particularly among children. It is common knowledge that waking a sleepwalker can give them a heart attack or put them in a coma. However, according to the National Sleep Foundation, the reverse is, in fact, true: it is dangerous not to wake a sleepwalker. Waking a sleepwalker might confuse them, but not waking them might leave them free to fall down the stairs, smash a glass, or get in their car and take a drive (worse things have happened). That said, waking a sleepwalker can occasionally be dangerous for the person doing the waking somnambulists have been known to act violently. Where possible, simply guiding the sleeping wanderer back to bed is the best option. But if the sleepwalker defies being shepherded, this is how the National Sleep Foundation suggest awaking them: Use loud, sharp noises (from a safe distance) to wake up the person [] This will most likely startle the sleepwalker, but its better than shaking the person in close range because that might trigger the sleepwalker to feel attacked and lash out and hurt you. They go on to remind us that the individual is likely to be confused, disoriented, and scared, so it is best to explain gently that they have been sleepwalking. 2) Eating before swimming, cramps, and drowning Never go swimming on a full stomach wait at least 1 hour otherwise you face cramps and potential drowning. That statement is repeated so often that it has been indelibly marked as true. Share on Pinterest Eating before swimming causes cramps, or does it? The basis of the myth is that, after eating, blood flows to the stomach for digestion. This leaves less blood for the muscles to use while swimming, causing them to descend into pulsating cramps. When asked whether there is any truth to this old wives tale, Dr. Roshini Rajapaksa, a gastroenterologist at the New York University School of Medicine, said that if one was to swim incredibly strenuously, minor cramps might occur. However, for the standard swimmer, there are no worries, and drowning because of a cramp is even less likely. A report carried out by the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council looked at multiple relevant studies and asked a number of experts in the field; they concluded: There is no correlation between eating and drowning or near-drowning events. A note of caution: if alcohol is involved in the pre-swimming meal, the likelihood of drowning certainly is increased. 3) Blue blood? If youve ever glanced at the thin veins on your wrist, you could be forgiven for thinking that the blood within them is blue. We are taught this from an early age: deoxygenated blood is blue, and once the lungs have furnished it with oxygen, it is red. However, when we cut ourselves, the blood is always red. This, we have been told, is because the blood is oxygenated as soon as it touches the air. Share on Pinterest Deoxygenated blood is blue, right? Despite the way things appear, none of the above is true. Blood is never blue. When it is deoxygenated, it is a deep shade of red, and, once oxygenated, it is cherry red. So why do the veins look blue? Its actually a rather complex answer that involves at least four factors: The way in which the skin scatters and absorbs light is complicated. Because the skin is made of numerous compounds with a variety of optical properties, the way that light travels through it, or bounces off it, is difficult to predict. Bloods oxygenation state affects the way that light is absorbed. When it is deoxygenated, its absorption coefficient is altered. The depth and diameter of the blood vessels has an effect. For instance, smaller vessels near to the surface appear red, whereas a larger vessel, at the same depth, will look bluer. The way in which humans perceive color. So, why veins look blue is a very simple question with a very complicated answer. Another blood-based misconception is that the iron within the hemoglobin gives blood its red color. In fact, it is hemoglobins interaction with other molecules, such as porphyrin, that produces the redness. 4) How many tastes can you taste? Most people will be familiar with the classic tongue map, where the sections of the tongue responsible for detecting sweet, sour, bitter, and salty tastes are described. This theory is taught widely at schools and is considered to be a fact by most people. However, in reality, we taste different flavors using taste buds spread across all parts of the tongue. So where did the tongue map come from? It was actually a mistranslation of a German thesis, written by Edwin Boring in 1901, that was disproven in 1974. But, for some reason, the map has persisted. It is true that certain areas of the tongue are more sensitive to certain flavors for instance, sweet or sour but the differences are small, they vary between individuals, and are not as neat as the famous tongue map. Also, many of us were taught that there are just four primary tastes: bitter, sour, salty, and sweet. In fact, there is a fifth umami a savory, meaty taste associated with monosodium glutamate (MSG). by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, February 11, 2019 A proposed privacy bill in Washington state is garnering support from hometown tech giant Microsoft. The Washington Privacy Act, introduced by Senator Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle), would give consumers the right to learn what data is collected about them and whether the information is sold to outside companies. The bill would also allow consumers to prevent their personal data to be used for direct marketing, including ad-targeting based on consumer profiles. The measure defines personal data as information relating to either identified or identifiable people. The definition excludes data that can't be linked to individuals without additional information kept separately. advertisement advertisement Sen. Carlyles bill builds on the best aspects of approaches elsewhere, and we endorse it, Microsoft President Brad Smith said Monday in a blog post. As the legislation moves forward, it will be important for stakeholders to come together to work through important details, including provisions that exempt small businesses that impact fewer consumers. The proposed bill exempts companies Washington businesses that control or process data from fewer than 100,000 customers, unless those companies sell personal information. Washington businesses that sell personal information are only exempted from the law if they control or process data from fewer than 25,000 customers, and derive less than 50% of revenue from the sale of personal information. Late last month, the major ad organizations weighed in against the proposed law. We are ... concerned that differing privacy laws from state to state will create a fragmented Internet environment for consumers, the Association of National Advertisers, American Advertising Federation, American Association of Advertising Agencies, Interactive Advertising Bureau and Network Advertising Initiative said in a Jan. 30 letter to Carlyle. A patchwork of legislation throughout the United States will create consumer confusion and present significant challenges for businesses trying to comply with these laws. California recently passed a privacy law that contains some provisions similar to the proposal in Washington. The California measure, slated for enforcement next year, allows consumers to learn what personal information about them is held by businesses, and to opt out of the sale of that information. by Larissa Faw , February 11, 2019 Agencies are introducing events and activities to recognize Black History Month (BHM) and the accomplishments African-Americans have made to society. Allen & Gerritsen and hometown newspaper the Boston Globe are hosting "Racism in Boston: Where Are We Now?" on February 26 to serve as a follow-up conversation to an agency forum that launched a discussion last year. Horizon Media's internal diversity & inclusion team is introducing the agency's fullest slate of BHM programming that included a kickoff event in partnership with NAMIC (National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications) that brought together black talent from NYC-based media agencies to network over games, drinks, and music. In addition, series creators of the Sip & Listen with Black Girl Podcast will produce an episode of their podcast live at the agency, with a networking happy hour afterward. advertisement advertisement A fireside chat with BETs chief brand officer Vince Hudson will focus on why diversity and inclusion should be considered a business imperative for all organizations, and how agencies can contribute to moving the needle forward in this issue. To continue the celebration, Horizon will also play music by black artists every Friday, distribute t-shirts/sweatshirts with quotes about black culture and pride and launch a social media campaign that shares the black experience by those working at the media agency. Clear Channel Outdoors is running the Rosa Parks quote "Each person must live their life as a model for others" on available space across the CCO's digital network through Feb. 28. The Havas network is activating its annual #BLACKATWORK experiential activation with this year's project serving as a mirror of the "creative expression that exists and that which is still to come," says an agency spokesperson. Three U.S. offices, in New York, Chicago, and Arnold in Boston, will host the interactive experience, as well as raise funds for Black Girls Code to promote equity and representation. Havas is also developing partnerships with black-owned businesses, influential black artists and Diversity and Inclusion Networking Groups within the industry to host additional events and discussions. Wavemaker is introducing the second annual ART NOIR exhibition that celebrates diversity across a variety of art forms, including graffiti, digital art and photography. Part of the agencys RQTEKT series, this all-agency event enables Wavemaker employees to express and explore their personal passions alongside professional and emerging talent. Deutschs diversity, inclusion and culture committees are putting together several experiences at its New York and Los Angeles offices. The agency's NY office will host a panel conversation on Tuesday, February 26th to address topics such as microaggressions, code switching at the office, and mentorship. The agency's Los Angeles office is hosting an art installation, an Afrobeat dance class taught by employee Ene Obeya, and is switching the lobby soundtrack to feature black artists across all genres. In addition, every Wednesday in February from 1pm-4pm, 15 students from the city's Dorsey Highs Radio, TV and film class will visit Deutsch and learn about advertising and connect with Deutsch mentors. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, February 11, 2019 Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar on Sunday launched her bid for the Democratic nomination for president with an ambitious broadband policy platform -- including universal connectivity, net neutrality and online privacy. Way too many politicians have their heads stuck in the sand when it comes to the digital revolution, Klobuchar said at a rally announcing her candidacy. We need to put some digital rules of the road into law when it comes to people's privacy, she said. For too long, the big tech companies have been telling you, 'Don't worry, we've got your back,' while your identities in fact are being stolen and your data mined. Her remarks about tech policy came in the course of a sprawling 24-minute speech that also addressed more long-standing Democratic priorities, including voting rights and gun control. advertisement advertisement Klobuchar's broadband platform included calls for net neutrality for all, improved cybersecurity and better broadband deployment and adoption. We need to end the digital divide by pledging to connect every household to the internet by 2022, and that means you, rural America, she told the cheering crowd. In the last few years, Klobuchar has emerged as one of Facebook's most vocal critics on Capitol Hill. In November, she joined three other Senate Democrats in blasting the company over a report that it hired outside firms to undermine critics. Both elected officials and the general public have rightfully questioned whether Facebook is capable of regulating its own conduct, she and others wrote to CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Earlier last year, news that Cambridge Analytica harvested data from millions of Facebook users spurred her to call for Zuckerberg to testify in Washington. "They say 'trust us,' but Mark Zuckerberg needs to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee about what Facebook knew about misusing data. In 2017, Klobuchar co-sponsored a bill that would have required Facebook and other large online platforms to make disclosures about political ads. by Larissa Faw , February 10, 2019 When it comes to sex harassment and other gender issues plaguing the industry, adland loves to pat itself on the back for its attempted solutions and some progress. The number of female creative directors has increased from 3% to 11%. There has been a spike in the number of women-directed campaigns. Messaging has even transitioned toward female empowerment. Yet the scandal involving Anheuser-Busch's Bon & Viv's Super Bowl spot underscores the fact that much work remains to be done. Its also a reminder of how good players in the business are at playing the blame game. The controversy was first sparked when actress Ingrid Haas published an essay on Vice in December titled My Bikini Audition From Hell Shows How Little Hollywood Has Changed. She described what she felt was a highly exploitative and sexist audition for a commercial calling for actresses to play mermaids for an unnamed alcohol brand. (Haas' article concealed identifying details like the creative agency, director, production shop, or casting agency hosting the audition. advertisement advertisement The NY Times, however, revealed that the brand was actually A-B's Bon & Viv hard seltzer brand whose Super Bowl spot "The Pitch" featured two women, clad in cropped short-sleeved collared shirts instead of traditional mermaid bikini attire pitching the beverage to a group of talking sharks under the sea. But it seems no one responsible for the ad's creation wants to take ownership of this audition. Bullish, the creative agency overseeing the spot, passed the baton of responsibility by referring all comments to client A-B. A-B admitted that its ad was the subject of Haas Vice article. The authors experience was "completely unacceptable and goes against everything that our brand and company stand for," said Chelsea Phillips, vice president, Beyond Beer, A-B. "I regret that this individual had this experience. Anheuser-Busch does not tolerate any discriminatory or demeaning behavior." However, A-B also deflects the blame. "I reached out to the production company who produced the commercial, because we hold our business partners to this same standard," Phillips said in the email. That production company, Stink Films, and the director collective behind the spot, Traktor, admit no wrongdoing on their part, while also proclaiming the behavior abhorrent. Stink and Traktor do not tolerate sexual harassment of any kind. No one should be made to feel uncomfortable, and we expect all collaborators and contractors to act respectfully. Furthermore, we will not be working with the individual at the casting agency involved in the commercial shoot described in the Vice article again. Stink Films had worked with Broad-Cast, who said in a statement to The NY Times that the casting firm would no longer work with the individual described in the essay. That individual in question has not been identified, although Haas described him in her article as MB, referring to his preference to wear his long hair in a man bun. Dan Cowan, the owner of Broad-Cast, said in the email to The NY Times that he does "not tolerate any behavior that would make someone feel rushed or uncomfortable. He added that he had cast actors in more than 3,500 ads in 25 years and had not previously faced allegations of impropriety. I have reviewed this internally with my staff to continue to make my office a welcoming environment where every actor feels safe," he said to the Times. It is hard to believe that only one person Mr. MB could have acted so reprehensibly without anyone else around to question his behavior particularly with regard to a high-profile Super Bowl spot. This game of passing the buck illustrates how difficult it can be for advertisers to closely monitor how their ads are made, the Times writes. Even Haas admits in her essay that "the process of changing how the industry works isnt quick. Its going to take agents calling and saying NO, actors passing on projects, directors changing the copy and ultimately not expecting anyone else to do the work for you." Female Adland leaders have another solution: diversity. "Having women involved at every level of production from casting to creative is essential," says Meryl Draper, CEO, Quirk Creative. "And anytime you have women auditioning in bikinis, you need to have women decision-makers in the room. Full stop." The 3% Movement's founder/CEO Kat Gordon stresses how important it is for companies to have at least have 25% women in their C-suites. "The culture of the company becomes more inclusive in a way that almost seems like a form of self-correction," she says. Haas concurs that more women in positions of authority would help prevent the kind of intolerable experience that she endured. "It takes a lot of people to make anything for TV," she wrote. "This happened because there werent any women in power on this job or no women who felt secure enough in their position to say, 'No, these actors shouldnt have to do that.'" Gordon adds that what is interesting about this Bon & Viv story is not so much "who is man bun and how did he get hired?" but "who are all the companies who backed this project and what are they telegraphing about acceptable behavior by virtue of their own leadership composition. Gordon points out that the "ironic" scenario that a product that was branded to lure female consumers with the name of two women (Bon & Viv) is actually founded by a white man (Nick Shields). "What if instead, in their attempt to gain favor with female consumers via a new product, Anheuser-Busch had launched a brand truly founded by women and let the female founders infuse the branding and messaging with their true stories?" says Gordon. "I guarantee this wouldn't have happened." Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) refers to a key technology used during surgical procedures. The use of IONM serves to provide additional information and helps to maintain nerve integrity, brain function, and neural pathways. Intraoperative neuromonitoring is mainly used for a few medical specialties. These include neurosurgery, ENT surgery, emergency surgery, visceral surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, orthopedics, vascular surgery, and general surgery. The use of IONM helps to reduce risk of damage of neurophysiologically-relevant nerve structures at the time of surgical intervention or possible damage of nerve function as a result of improper positioning of the patient. With the help of targeted neurostimulation, nerve structures can be spotted and potential damage prevented by adopting to surgical approach. This allows surgeons to focus on optimizing the intervention whilst maintaining function. Get Brochure of the Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=2591 Prior to the development of equipment and techniques for IONM, interventionists carried out a simple visual check to determine if the muscle in question shrunk after neurostimulation. These methods have become obsolete and no longer meet the demands of todays operating room. Today, intraoperative neuromonitoring mainly involves two methods continuous monitoring and neuromonitoring for localization. Continuous monitoring involves clinicians to monitor patient tabular data in real-time to observe changes to the morphology of the data. Continuous monitoring includes modalities of EMG, AEP, EEG, SEP, MEP, and VEP. On the other hand, neuromonitoring for localization involves use of targeted stimulation that enables the surgeon to spot critical nerve structures in the area of surgery. Using this, surgeons have a better spatial orientation and use targeted neurostimulation. Intraoperative neuromonitoring has been gaining traction to reduce the incidence of stroke and paralysis in major vascular interventions. Global Intraoperative Neuromonitoring (IONM) Market: Overview On account of the increasing care toward patient safety, the demand for intraoperative neuromonitoring has continued to rise at a steady pace. The burden of healthcare costs on patients and their desire to avoid readmission have upped the adoption of intraoperative neuromonitoring around the world. Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) uses electrophysiological techniques such as electromyography (EMG), electroencephalography (EEG), and evoked potentials to effectively monitor the integrity of neural structures such as spinal cords, nerves, and certain parts of brain. IONM is mostly conducted to provide functional guidance to surgeons besides reducing risk to patients suffering from iatrogenic damage. Get Table of Content of the Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=2591 Global Intraoperative Neuromonitoring (IONM) Market: Key Trends As per findings of the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 80% of disorders leading to disabling conditions are neurological. Intraoperative monitoring has thus become imperative in neurosurgery as it offers early warning with regards to sensory & motor functions during a surgery. It has therefore enabled surgeons yield better results by eliminating post-operative neurophysiological deficits. Safer surgery consequently results in reduced risk and intervention time. On account of these benefits the demand for intraoperative neuromonitoring has surged exponentially across the healthcare sector. This, coupled with, favorable reimbursement scenario especially in developed nations is augmenting market prospects for the future. Also the market players are focusing on strategic collaborations to expand their footprint and offer innovations. These calculated steps witnessed in the global intraoperative neuromonitoring market will act in favor of its growth in the coming years. Global Intraoperative Neuromonitoring (IONM) Market: Market Potential Recently, SpecialtyCare renowned as a leading provider of surgical services, perfusion, and intraoperative neuromonitoring acquired Sentient, a prominent IONM provider in October 2016. With this transaction SpecialtyCare was able expand their leadership as one of the most comprehensive providers of patient-centered outsourced IONM services to hospitals, surgeons, health systems, and surgery centers. Following the acquisition, SpecialtyCare has increased the overall number of intraoperative neuromonitoring associates to support cases in the U.S., which is also its existing market, besides expanding coverage across the Atlantic States. Such mergers and acquisitions will have a positive impact on the market in letting it expand its distribution network across markets yet to be explored. Leading players in the global intraoperative neuromonitoring market are also looking to extend strategic collaboration with counterparts across emerging nations to expand their overall footprint. Global Intraoperative Neuromonitoring (IONM) Market: Regional Outlook Regionally, opportunities witnessed by the intraoperative neuromonitoring market in North America are highly lucrative. Besides this, considerable growth potential exists for the market in Europe as well. Considering improving reimbursement scenario across North America and Europe, these regions are expected to remain at the global markets fore also in the coming years. Besides this, a majority of developed countries have clearly defined procedure and codes for patients and insurance companies, which have made reimbursement processes easier and more convenient. Such well-defined guidelines has resulted in better outcome, thus benefiting hospitals and patients alike and accelerating the pace of gains for intraoperative neuromonitoring market in turn. A large number of neurological centers in the U.S. are recommending the use of intraoperative neuromonitoring in order to bridge the manpower gap and cater to the rising demand. Hospitals are encouraging physicians besides the doctorate-level IONM providers to get trained and certified from institutions such as the American Board of Nuclear Medicine. With the healthcare system making an effort to encourage the use of IONM, its demand is expected to surge further in the coming years. In addition, the market is expected to witness rising opportunities in Asia Pacific in the near future. Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/intraoperative-neuromonitoring-market Global Intraoperative Neuromonitoring (IONM) Market: Competitive Landscape Some of the most prominent enterprises operating in the global intraoperative neuromonitoring market are Biotronic NeuroNetwork, Natus Medical Incorporated, SpecialtyCare, NeuroMonitoring Technologies, LLC, Accurate Monitoring, Medtronic, Sentient Medical Systems, and NuVasive Inc. About Us: TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends. Contact Us: Rohit Bhisey Head Internet Marketing Tel: +1-415-520-1050 Email: sales@tmrresearch.com One of the important factors crucial for the growth of the global brain disease market is technological advancement. Recently, scientists at the University of Utah Health and Stanford University have found a way out in the form of a targeted therapy treatment that slows down the progression of or improves a couple of degenerative brain disorders, viz. ataxia and Lou Gehrigs disease, which is another name for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). WHO has already estimated a billion people to seek treatment for neurological disorders globally, yet there are fewer treatments available today. While the need for brain disease treatment is urgent, highly targeted and noninvasive treatments such as focused ultrasound approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could attract attention. With the advent of rare brain disease called rat lungworm disease in the Hawaii state of the U.S., the need for accurate and responsive treatments is expected to increase significantly. Get Brochure of the Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=66 While some scientists argue that humans need less sleep with the progression of age, such changes in sleep hours could aggravate the disintegration associated with brain disorders such as Alzheimers disease. Moreover, people above 30 years of age suffering from broken sleep and difficulty sleeping are exposed to a greater risk of brain disease. As a result, with a growing number of population aging above 30 years and rising risks of brain disorders, the growth in the global brain disease market could gain a strong impetus. Other factors that could contribute toward the growth of the global brain disease market include the demand for brain monitoring devices and growing occurrence of neurological disorders. Global Brain Disease Market: Overview Any damage caused to the brain through injury or health conditions commonly known as brain disease can come in different forms, such as infections, trauma, tumors, seizures, and strokes. Headaches, migraines, poor muscle control, memory problems, vision problems, and vomiting or nausea are some of the common symptoms of brain diseases. Get Table of Content of the Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=66 Treatments which are available for various brain diseases depend on the diagnosis. The common treatments include drug medication, surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Global Brain Disease Market: Key Segments and Analyses Based on the type of infections, the brain disease market can be into meningitis and encephalitis. Meningitis is characterized by an inflammation in the delicate membrane (meninges) that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord. It is commonly caused by bacterial and viral infection. Encephalitis is characterized by an inflammation in the brain tissue. Meningitis and encephalitis commonly occur together and are collectively termed as meningoencephalitis. Based on the type of trauma, the brain disease market can be segmented into concussion, traumatic brain injury, and hemorrhage. Concussions are highly traumatic brain injuries that affect brain function and result in loss of consciousness and headaches. A traumatic brain injury can lead to permanent brain damage with mental impairment and can also cause changes in the affected individuals personality. Bleeding in the brain caused by an injury or high blood pressure is referred to as hemorrhage. Based on the type of tumor, the brain disease market can be segmented into brain tumor, hydrocephalus, and glioblastoma. Hydrocephalus is a condition in which there is an increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid inside the skull, while a glioblastoma is a brain tumor that is highly cancerous and usually occurs in the cerebrum of adults. Global Brain Disease Market: Geographical Analysis Based on geography, the global brain disease market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the rest of the world. For 2016, North America held the leading position in the market, followed by Europe. The key drivers for the two regions include a consistently increasing prevalence of neurological diseases and a rising demand for technologically advanced medical equipments for treatment. According to the Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States, around 350,000 brain and nervous system tumor cases have been registered in the U.S. European countries are also expected to show a steady growth rate in the global brain disease market. In the next few years, Asia Pacific is likely to show a remarkable growth in the brain disease market through fast-paced developments in healthcare infrastructure and a growing demand for advanced treatments. Other factors which could fuel the growth of the market in Asia Pacific are a growing awareness regarding various brain disorders and an increase in the number of patients getting affected with neurological disorders. Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/brain-disease-market Global Brain Disease Market: Players Mentioned in the Report It is expected that with time, there will be an influx of more well-established players in the global brain disease market. Some of the leading players operating in the brain disease therapeutics market for 2016 were Medtronic, Inc., AstraZeneca plc, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Boston Scientific Corporation, Sapiens Neuro, and Omeros Corporation. About Us: TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends. Contact Us: Rohit Bhisey Head Internet Marketing Tel: +1-415-520-1050 Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Flash A total of 11 Chinese tourists and two crew members were injured after a tourist speedboat crashed with an oil barge near Thailand's southern Phuket Island on Saturday afternoon, the Chinese Consulate-General in the southern province of Songkhla confirmed on Sunday. The 11 tourists are two families from China's eastern city Hangzhou, six of whom having already left hospital while the remaining five still being treated. The speedboat carrying Chinese tourists was on the way back from a day trip to Koh Phi Phi island to Phuket when it hit the oil barge at about 2:50 p.m. local time. An official of the Phuket Consular Office of the Chinese Consulate-General in Songkhla visited the injured tourists at the hospital in time and called on local authority to treat them and investigate into the accident. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 11) The United States government has promised to provide the Philippines 300 million to beef up the country's intelligence gathering capabilities, Malacanang said on Monday. "We welcome the United States' commitment in fighting terrorism. This shows that our military alliance with the United States remains strong," Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement. He said the government is accepting all the help and funding it can get as the country needs assistance to combat terrorism. The U.S. Defense Department in its latest quarterly report on the Philippines said it is helping the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) gather intelligence on terror groups in the country. Related: Jolo blast mastermind is ISIS PH's acting emir U.S. Defense It said the AFP still needs extensive help from the U.S. when it comes to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). In the report, the U.S. Special Operations Command Pacific said the AFP has "limited ability to collect information on a target and provide that intelligence to a unit on the ground to act on it" due to lack of assets and "institutional problem, using its limited ISR assets for live tracking of active operations to provide a semblance of battle tracking for friendly and suspected enemy elements rather than strategic threat analysis." Did you see a photo in today's print edition that you'd like to order? Would you like to order a reprint of today's front page? Order Reprints Marietta City Schools was one of five school systems in the state named to the College Boards Advanced Placement Honor Roll, the Georgia De South Fulton County seniors who need help with their taxes can visit the the H.J.C. Bowden Senior Multipurpose Facility and the Harriet G. Dar Rebecca Becky Gunn said the federal interest rate could rise again later this year, but noted any change would be grounded in data. Get Cobb County news and local guidance about the coronavirus outbreak. Sign up for our Email News Alerts. Flash Republic of Korea (ROK) President Moon Jae-in will consult with U.S. President Donald Trump in the near future on the second summit between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States, ROK's presidential Blue House said Sunday. Kim Eui-keum, Blue House spokesman, told a press briefing that the leaders of the Republic of Korea and the United States will make a discussion on the second DPRK-U.S. summit in the near future, saying the exact schedule will be unveiled as soon as preparations are made. Moon and Trump would reportedly have a phone conversation in the foreseeable future. The Moon-Trump dialogue would come after top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un and Trump agreed to meet again later this month in Hanoi, Vietnam. Kim and Trump held their first summit in Singapore in June last year. Stephen Biegun, U.S. special representative for DPRK affairs, visited Pyongyang earlier this week to consult with his DPRK counterparts on the planned second Kim-Trump summit. The Blue House spokesman said he heard that Pyongyang and Washington had agreed to continue negotiations at a third country in Asia in the week beginning Feb. 17. ROK Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will have talks in the near future, while Chung Eui-yong, top Blue House national security advisor, will closely exchange information with White House National Security Advisor John Bolton, the spokesman added. On Monday, the McDowell County Board of Education will meet in the board room of the Central Office at 6:30 p.m. During the first part of the meeting, student recognitions are slated for Evelyn Kinninger as the elementary school winner for the N.C. Forest Service Association statewide essay contest. Two curriculum features will be presented by high school principals and Donna Pyatt, Allison Styles, Hank Hunt of the NCCAT Teacher Leadership Academy. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Under unfinished business, Superintendent Mark Garrett will give an update on the Old Fort project. In new business, Take 2 Camp dates will be announced, and a resolution will be read from board chair Terry Frank on a resolution supporting local control of school calendars. The resolution in part reads, the current law essentially requires high school students to take first semester exams after the winter break, which negatively impacts test scores, according to students and educators, and restoring local control of school calendars will allow local boards of education to best meet the calendar preferences of the families, educators and businesses in our community while allowing for innovative experimental approaches to improve student achievement. For more information, www.mcdowell.k12.nc.us. Dean Valchuis, the Berlin man accused of attacking Roger Bemis, who was later found dead in his Clinton home, has been ordered held without bail. Valchuis, 48, is currently charged with assault and battery causing serious bodily injury. At an arraignment from a hospital bed at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester on Monday, a not-guilty plea was entered on Valchuis behalf. Judge Dennis Sargent ordered Valchuis held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing, scheduled for March 1. Valchuis appearance has been waived for that hearing. Valchuis bail was also revoked for a previous and unrelated matter out of Clinton District Court. It was about 6:30 p.m. Thursday when Clinton police were asked to execute a well-being check at 367 Water St., Apt. 5, after a friend hadnt heard from 58-year-old Bemis in a few days, Early said. Inside the apartment, authorities found Bemis with what Early called obvious injuries that indicated foul play had occurred. Court documents indicate that Valchuis hit Bemis in the head at least 10 times, but did not list a motive for the attack. No new details of the case were discussed during the arraignment. Valchuis could face further charges pending the results of an autopsy, Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. said during a Friday press conference. Members of the Massachusetts State Police STOP team were closing in on Valchuis residence on Pleasant Street in Berlin Friday when they heard moaning coming from the backyard. There, troopers found Valchuis on the ground with serious injuries. Sometime before troopers arrived, Valchuis had fallen from a tree stand, typically used for hunting. Valchuis has remained in the hospital since then. At the Friday news conference, Early was not able to say if Valchuis fall from the tree stand was an accident, or possibly an attempt by the man to hurt himself. A witness spoke to authorities investigating Bemis death. She told officials that she and Valchuis were at Bemis apartment on Feb. 3. The woman told investigators that she saw Valchuis strike Bemis on the head at least 10 times. [The witness] stated that she observed Valchuis striking the decedent at least ten times about the head and face, the statement of facts reads. She stated that the decedents face was sideways and bleeding from the mouth and nose. The witness and Valchuis left Bemis apartment a short time later, according to the statement. Court documents reveal no information about how the witness knows Valchuis and Bemis, nor why the witness was at Bemis apartment. Bemis death appears to be an isolated incident that does not appear random, Early said Friday. Residents of Clinton and Berlin do not appear to be in danger, he said. I just want everyone to know that they should feel safe conducting their daily activities in town, said Clinton Police Chief Mark Laverdure. SPRINGFIELD Speaking at the sentencing hearing Monday for the man convicted of second-degree murder in the death of his son, Donald Blanton offered a message to his family and to his grandsons in particular. As a family we must work together to ensure that the senseless violence and hatred ceases, and live our life in a positive, productive manner," said Donald Blanton, whose son, Kevin Blanton, was fatally shot in Chicopee on Feb. 10, 2017. Now to my family, especially my grandsons, please know that you must not allow yourselves to harbor animosity or hatred to rule or ruin your lives and futures. Judy Blanton, Kevin Blantons mother, said the family will always be in agony over" their loss. "I am too broken, too devastated, the hole in my heart is too massive, she said. "No amount of incarceration time for this individual can equal the loss we face each moment of our lives, she said. After hearing from the victims parents and other members of his family, Hampden Superior Court Judge John S. Ferrara sentenced Michael Brawner, 30, to life in prison, with parole eligibility after 18 years. A jury returned Brawners guilty verdict on Friday. The conviction carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison, but leaves the question of parole eligibility to the trial judge. For second-degree murder, a judge can set parole eligibility between a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 25 years. There is no guarantee of parole being granted at any time. Assistant District Attorney Mary Sandstrom asked Ferrara to set Brawners parole eligibility at 25 years. She said the jury didnt believe the shooting was an accident or a case of self-defense. Brawner has a 2014 conviction for illegal possession of a firearm and a 2007 conviction for armed robbery while masked, Sandstrom said, adding that every time Brawner has been placed on probation he has violated it. When he violated probation in the armed robbery case he was sentenced to three years in prison, Sandstrom said. Defense lawyer Alan J. Black asked the judge to set parole eligibility 15 years. The left side of the courtroom was filled with people who loved Blanton, including four of his children, his mother and father, his girlfriend and others. Victim witness advocate Jennifer Kakley was with the family members each day throughout the trial. In his victim impact statement to the judge, Jordan Blanton Kevin Blantons first son said he will miss the great things his father did for his family. "We used to go on many trips together far and short. ... It will be hard for us to live on and learn how to be good men. Donald Blanton said he must have been in shock for the first four months after his sons death, because he couldnt or just wouldnt accept what had happened. Judy Blanton, Kevin Blantons mother, said, Kevin loved life and he loved his family. Kevin always had a smile on his face, and could make you smile and laugh in a second." Blantons daughter Davianna Pinckney was at his house the night he was shot. The first thing I would want to point out is how bad WATCHING my dad struggle with blood all on his side hurt me, how bad losing my best friend hurt me," she said. She and her father ... had so many fun plans that summer coming up when he passed that I can only imagine what wed be doing today," she said, adding: "I will never be able to see my father, kiss my father, or laugh and joke with my father ever again. Michael Brawner not only took my dad from me; he also broke my family apart and changed my life forever, Pinckney said. Assistant District Attorney Shane T. OSullivan prosecuted the case with Sandstrom. Attorney Emily Shallcross was part of the defense team with Black. A number of people attended the trial in support of Brawner, and were there for the sentencing. The defense and prosecution will be back in a courtroom before the judge Wednesday for arguments on a motion by Black, who said he will ask Ferrara to find Brawner not guilty, despite the jurys verdict. Ferrara denied a previous motion for a required finding of not guilty from Black, but the attorney said he would file it again Tuesday. Black told the judge he will contend that Sandstrom said things in her closing argument that werent presented as evidence in the trial. Black said he will also renew his request for a mistrial, which Ferrara denied when Black made the request after closing arguments. Ferrara said a renewal of his request for a mistrial should take the form of a motion for a new trial. Legislative leaders are hoping to establish regulations for Massachusetts emergency departments and lift the cap on hospital malpractice lawsuits after a Somerville woman died from an asthma attack at the door of a locked Somerville hospital emergency room. Laura Levis died in 2016, having succumbed to an asthma attack just feet away from help and after calling 9-1-1 at the steps of Somerville Hospitals front door. Leviss husband and Boston Globe journalist Peter DeMarco wrote about the safety deficiencies that led to his wifes death and the legal plight that faces victims families in a November story for the paper. The harrowing account was the Globes most-read story of 2018. State Senator Patricia Jehlen and State Rep. Christine Barber, who both represent Somerville, read about DeMarcos desire to seek legislative responses to the problem, and subsequently reached out to him to spearhead change. The two bills, which have been filed in both the Senate and House, would seek to first draft regulations about access to emergency departments. In his story, DeMarco cites his wifes inability to find the right door to the emergency room given the lack of signage, and the lack of monitoring of the area by hospital staff. The proposal would change the limited enforcement or regulation on emergency room visibility by creating signage specifications and staff monitoring requirements. Any hospital door that is locked at night would also be equipped with a panic button, a doorbell or a video intercom. The proposal would also establish a working group to investigate how well state law currently oversees emergency rooms, and how adequate current fines are for potential violations. A second bill would eliminate the cap on medical malpractice suits involving serious injury or death currently in place for non-profit and public hospitals. DeMarco detailed that even following the death of his wife, lawyers informed him that there was a $100,000 liability cap for actions against charitable or public hospitals, and it wouldnt be worth pursuing legal action. The bill would remove such a cap for non-profit and public hospitals, and would allow a jury to institute damages above state caps for for-profit hospitals. Just prior to WWII there was a unification of three major powers. The Axis Powers consisted of Germany, Italy, and Japan. The Alliance began to form in 1936 and on October 15, 1936 Germany and Italy signed a friendly treaty that formed the Rome-German Axis. After 9/11 President George W. Bush coined the phrase Axis of Evil pertaining to Iraq, Iran, and North Korea which made a case for our pre-empted strike on Iraq. We currently face a new threat I dubbed the Axis of Power which our Intel officials list as Russia, China, and Iran, (Iran could be substituted for North Korea). Our land-mass is tiny in comparison to the continents of Russia and/or China. In the event of an all-out-war, heaven forbid, our small but populated country would probably be more devasted by the first volley of incoming missiles than our adversaries. We need our allies more than ever as a deterrent from a possible future confrontation with other major powers. The day may come when we are no longer the Super Power we profess to be. Bill Paul, Chicopee Flash Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday sent a congratulatory message on the holding of the 32nd African Union (AU) summit in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. Calling the AU a banner of unity and strength, Xi said that since last year, under the leadership of AU, African integration process has made significant progress, African countries have continued to speak in one voice on major international and regional issues and Africa's global influence has increasingly grown. "I warmly congratulate the AU on the progress and sincerely wish that it will continue to unite and lead African countries towards new and greater achievements," Xi said. Xi stressed that in September last year, the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was a huge success, during which he joined hands with leaders of the African countries and the AU to draw a blueprint for the development of China-Africa relations. China is willing to work with Africa to implement the FOCAC Beijing Summit outcomes, promoting the alignment of the joint construction of the Belt and Road with the implementation of the AU Agenda 2063, the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda as well as other development strategies of African countries, Xi said. By doing so, the two sides will build a closer China-Africa community to contribute more to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi added. Jobs? Who cares about stinkin jobs. This, effectively, is the mantra of some in todays democratic Party-- including at least a vocal few in New York State whove been opposed to Amazon.com Inc.'s plans to locate one of its two new headquarters in Long Island City. Though there are a handful of supposed reasons for the lefties' unhappiness with the Amazon deal, the bottom line is this: Some on the far left of today's Democratic Party are simply anti-business. They routinely use the word "corporate" as a pejorative term. They see big business as bad -- big, bad business -- and that is that. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday said that while he'd anticipated some opposition to Amazon's deal, he was surprised by the vehemence of the opponents. "I've never seen a more absurd situation," he said. It's saying something for Cuomo, who has been around the block a time or two, to make such a statement. In addition to its new headquarters in Queens, Amazon has plans to open new facilities in northern Virginia and in Nashville. While Virginia and Tennessee have rolled out the red carpet for the retail giant, one of the world's most valuable companies, the story in New York has been quite different, indeed. A few of the opponents' arguments: A new Amazon headquarters, with 25,000 to 40,000 good-paying jobs, would further clog the region's already overcrowded roads and tax commuter rail and subway lines. The influx of all those workers would further gentrify neighborhoods, leaving lower-income folk out in the cold. Amazon's longstanding opposition to unions is also high on their list of grievances. The transportation and gentrification arguments are, in the end, little more than a call to leave things as they are, which is a recipe not for stagnation, but for decay. Their pro-union arguments, boiled down: We know more about how Amazon should run its operations than Amazon does. The counterarguments, of course, are clear: When a company wants to bring tens of thousands of good jobs to your town, you don't pull up the drawbridge and put up a sign saying, "Closed for business." Not if you understand the need for change, for growth, anyway. Thankfully, reports that Amazon has been thinking of pulling out of New York appear to have been somewhat exaggerated. What seems to be happening is this: Most top New York state and local officials are still on board with Amazons expansion plans, with the few making lots of noise against the project. Those in the latter camp would do well to brush up on basic economics. A quick search of Amazon.coms book inventory would allow them to create quite the reading list. Two Massachusetts hikers were rescued from Mount Major in Alton, New Hampshire, over the weekend during separate incidents. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department said the busy day began when 19-year-old Topsfield resident Matthew McGaunn sustained a serious head injury after losing traction on a steep and icy section of the mountain. Officials said McGaunn slid about 200 feet off of the blue Trail below the mountains summit while hiking with a group from the University of Massachusetts Lowells Outdoor Adventure Program. Firefighters and conservation officers treated McGaunn at the scene and loaded him onto a rescue sled. Due to the trail location and conditions, authorities said it took rescuers several hours to bush-whack their way off the mountain. McGaunn was airlifted from the Mount Major trailhead shortly before 5 p.m. and brought to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, officials said. While climbing the mountain to search for McGaunn, officers found a second injured hiker being helped down the Blue Trail. Emily Field, 26, of Medford, sustained a non-life threatening injury when she slipped and fell on ice, authorities said. She was brought to the trailhead on a four-wheeler and evaluated by medical personnel. The Fish and Game Department said the incidents are a stark reminder to all hikers the trails are covered with snow and ice during this time of year. Hikers are urged to pack winter great, including ice traction devices. SUFFIELD -- Emergency personnel were summoned to a serious motor vehicle crash at Bridge Street near Devine Road, Monday morning. Police posted an item regarding the crash on the departments Facebook page at about 8:50 a.m. They urge motorists to avoid the area and seek alternate routes. The crash scene is approximately three miles from the Massachusetts line. This is a developing story. Additional information will be posted as soon as it is available. HADLEY No injuries were reported Monday morning after a car rear-ended a school bus containing elementary school students on Route 9, officials said. The crash occurred about 8:15 a.m. as the bus, heading west, was stopped at a red light in from of the Texas Roadhouse restaurant, according to a message sent to Hadley families by Superintendent Annie McKenzie. The bus was hit from behind by a small passenger car, according to the superintendents message, which was posted on the police departments Facebook page. McKenzie said she arrived on scene shortly after first responders. All of the students onboard were seen by the first responders, transferred to another bus and taken to Hadley Elementary School. The bus had minor damage to the tail pipe and car sustained front-end damage. Jennifer Dowd, principal of the school, will contact the parents of the students by telephone, according to McKenzie. BOSTON Gov. Charlie Baker said Massachusetts will make an effort to assist government employees who are furloughed and to deal with any programmatic changes if there is another U.S. government shutdown. I think were far better positioned to deal with those issues here in Massachusetts than we were when this whole thing began, since weve had 30 days or so to work through these issues with each other, Baker, a Republican, said, standing alongside House Speaker Robert DeLeo, D-Winthrop, and Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland. The federal government partially shut down for 35 days beginning in late December over a dispute between Congress and President Donald Trump about border security. Congress reopened government for three weeks, with the intention of reaching another agreement by Friday. So far, they have not come to an agreement, and another government shutdown is possible. Last time, Baker and legislative leaders were considering ways to provide state unemployment benefits to temporarily out-of-work federal workers. Baker said he feels pretty good about the states ability to provide financial help to government employees if necessary. He said another issue state officials are looking at is how to deal with programming that is not funded past a certain date. But he also said a shutdown will impact larger governmental functions like security and defense. During the last shutdown, airports struggled as many Transportation Security Administration agents who were expected to work without pay called in sick. I think one of the big lessons I hope everybody took from the last shutdown is its not a good idea to expect the people who manage the process of getting on and off airplanes to be working without getting paid for an extended period of time, Baker said. I cant think of a worse issue from a security and safety point of view. Baker said Massachusetts leaders of both parties work together because they live and work among their constituents. I think it would be really great for some of those folks in Washington to have a chance to see some of the regular people that depend on them to do their job for them to be able to do theirs, Baker said. DeLeo added, One thing (constituents) continuously tell me is they appreciate were not in the same position as what goes on in Washington. Despite the fact we may have disagreements, at the end of the day, the type of paralysis going on there is a lot different than whats going on in Massachusetts. CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) Back in Iowa as a full-fledged presidential candidate, Democrat Elizabeth Warren took aim at President Donald Trump on Sunday, saying he may not even be a free person by next years election. The Massachusetts senator also urged fellow candidates to avoid letting Trump define the contours of the election with his personal and provocative attacks. "Every day there is a racist tweet, a hateful tweet something really dark and ugly," Warren said as she opened an event in Cedar Rapids. "What are we as candidates, as activists, as the press, going to do about it? We're going to chase after those every day?" Warren has been a frequent Trump target. Hours after she formally kicked off her campaign on Saturday, the president renewed his criticism of her past claims of Native American heritage. In a tweet, Trump called Warren "Pocahontas" and said he would see her "on the campaign TRAIL." The White House didn't explain what the president was referring to in his tweet, though some Democrats accused him of making light of the Trail of Tears the forced removal of Cherokee and several other Native American tribes from their lands in the 1830s. Warren's campaign wouldn't say what the senator believes Trump was referencing. Warren emerged as one of the Democratic Party's fiercest and most effective Trump critics during the 2016 election, campaigning vigorously for Hillary Clinton. But she's largely avoided talking about Trump since she began testing the waters for a presidential campaign more than a month ago, hewing more closely to the populist economic message that has long made her a favorite of liberals. That shift made her sharp, though brief, shot at Trump on Sunday all the more notable. "By the time we get to 2020, Donald Trump may not even be president. In fact, he may not even be a free person," she said. Warren told reporters her comments were a reference to the multiple investigations that have shadowed Trump's presidency. Asked if she supported impeaching Trump, Warren was noncommittal, saying only that special counsel Robert Mueller needs to be allowed to finish his investigation and make his report public. "If we go down that path, we're going to need to help pull this country together and have as many people as possible understand it was a legitimate process based on facts," she said. Trump has not been charged with any crimes, but several of his former advisers have pleaded guilty to a variety of charges. The president's ability to create controversies and drive debate poses a challenge for Warren and other Democrats. While Democrats are eager for candidates to show they can handle Trump's aggression, they also risk overshadowing their own visions for the country if they respond to every attack or provocation. Warren's campaign launch has been shadowed by the controversy surrounding her past claims to Native American heritage. She's apologized for claiming Native American identity on multiple occasions early in her career. Trump has frequently taken digs at the senator by calling her Pocahontas, a reference to the native woman who lived in present-day Virginia in the 1600s and agreed to marry an English colonist to help ensure peace and protect her people. Voters in Cedar Rapids did not ask Warren about the controversy during a question-and-answer session, focusing instead on her stances on issues including tariffs and student loan debt. How do two DeadHead musicians from Western Massachusetts get into the business of making and selling vegetarian marijuana treats? The answer, for Noelle Pinsonnault and Marc Bode, is passion, frustration, patience and hard work. Every day we speculated, discussed, brainstormed and dreamed of one day obtaining a license, Pinsonnault said in an email. Last week, the Cannabis Control Commission granted a provisional license to Bodelles Edibles, a Northampton company started by Pinsonnault and Bode, to become a product manufacturer for marijuana products. Bodelles Edibles must still get a final license, then undergo inspections before it can open. Bodelles Edibles is the third Massachusetts microbusiness to get a provisional license, a category reserved for Massachusetts residents that restricts the amount of marijuana a cultivator or manufacturer can work with and halves their licensing fees. The companys founders hope to become the first microbusiness product manufacturer operating in the state. The company, located at 660 Riverside Drive in Northampton, will buy marijuana from licensed growers, manufacture edible products, and sell them wholesale to Massachusetts retailers. Pinsonnault said the products will all be vegetarian or vegan. They plan to start with infused cannabis fudge, vegan gummies, and hard candies, then begin making salt water taffy by the summer. One of our business goals is to see our products in every cannabis dispensary that opens in Massachusetts, Pinsonnault said. For Pinsonnault and Bode, starting Bodelles Edibles has been a dream since Massachusetts voters legalized marijuana in November 2016. The couple, who are engaged to be married, were both born in Northampton. Pinsonnault grew up in Springfield, Bode in Easthampton. Pinsonnault graduated from Holyoke Community College with a degree in music. Bode worked as a sales representative for Frito Lay for 15 years and ran a small transportation business. They are both professional musicians, and they met playing local gigs in 2014. They now play in a Grateful Dead tribute band called "The DeadHeads MA." Bode proposed to Pinsonnault on stage during a set they were playing last year at the marijuana celebration Extravaganja 2018 in Northampton. Pinsonnault said when state voters legalized marijuana, she and Bode started working multiple jobs and saving money to try to break into the marijuana industry. Pinsonnault loves baking and Bode has experience in sales, so they decided to manufacture products and sell them to other dispensaries. Pinsonnault said the process has been challenging. She had to research the law and licensing process herself. She would read through the state marijuana law over and over, highlighting relevant passages. She made phone calls to various town officials to figure out what was required. I didn't have a group of lawyers writing my business plan, my operating policies, or any other necessary documents in the beginning, Pinsonnault said. Unless you have hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets, you're basically on your own. Pinsonnault and Bode struggled to find a location, confronting municipal bans and building owners who, Pinsonnault said, dont want anything to do with you once you as much as say the word marijuana." She said some landlords do not want to rent to a marijuana business; others charge exorbitant prices. Ultimately, the couple found a space in Northampton. Northampton has been among the cities in Massachusetts that are the most open to marijuana businesses. One of the first two recreational marijuana stores in the state opened in Northampton. Mayor David Narkewicz has said he wants to treat marijuana businesses the same as any other business. The company will pay 3 percent of gross revenue to the city as a community impact fee, and make an annual $5,000 donation to a marijuana education and prevention program under the terms of its community host agreement with Northampton. Bodelles Edibles licensing proposal with the Cannabis Control Commission says the company will offer annual educational seminars on marijuana-related issues in Springfield, Holyoke, Amherst and Greenfield. It will offer scholarship opportunities, training and mentorship to women from areas that were disproportionately affected by marijuana endorsement and will recruit staff from those areas. Pinsonnault said the challenges of starting an independent marijuana business are continuing. They have had to sort through offers of services from companies who assume Bode and Pinsonnault are wealthy because they are running a marijuana business. It has been hard for them to wait for license approval. But she is hopeful that they will be able to open very soon. Its difficult to be patient, but you have to be, otherwise you will give up way too soon, Pinsonnault said. CHICOPEE - A 42-year-old Cambridge Street man is facing narcotics and unlawful-weapons charges following a police raid on his residence Friday, police said. Cornelio Rivera of 26 Cambridge St. is charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition without a license, manufacture of a class B drug, possession of a class B drug, subsequent offense, and improper storage of a firearm near a minor. Police spokesman Michael Wilk said the departments Narcotics Unit, along with detectives and members of the Special Response Team, executed a search warrant on Riveras residence at around 10 a.m. They were joined by members of the Hampden County Narcotics Task Force. Once they gained entry, they found an unsecured handgun, and paraphernalia used in the production and packaging of cocaine, Wilk said. Some of the items tested positive for cocaine residue, he said. SPRINGFIELD Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said Monday that he has appointed a committee with representatives from several city departments and the City Council that will evaluate future applications for recreational marijuana shops. Sarno said the new process for marijuana facilities will include interested shop owners submitting to the city their specific proposals and their qualifications. The request for those proposals is expected to be issued in early March, Sarno said. As the sale of recreational marijuana is a new industry, the review of the applications will include the shops impact on the community, Sarno said. The Citys intent in carrying out this process is to implement, at the local regulatory level, a careful balance of promoting appropriate access for adult use, while mitigating security and community impacts, Sarno said in a prepared release. "The Citys Internal Review Committee is developing a process to assure a fair, comprehensive, and open planning process. The review committee will consist of representatives from the health, police, fire, planning, law, building, public works, finance and procurement departments and the City Council. Anyone seeking to open a marijuana shop in Springfield needs approval from the city and the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission. The approvals include a host community agreement approved by the mayor and a special permit approved by the City Council. The council approved a zoning ordinance last September that allows up to 15 retail marijuana shops in Springfield that can only be located in business and industrial zones. The businesses are allowed on only 58 designated streets within those zones. It is anticipated that the planning process will conclude by the end of May and will result in execution of host community agreements for the successful applicants, Sarno said. The request for proposals will be conducted in rounds of applicants, with a limited number of applicants being selected in each round ahead of host community agreements, he said. Specific members of the review committee are: Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris, Police Commissioner John Barbieri, Fire Commissioner Bernard J Calvi, Chief of Staff Thomas Ashe, Deputy Director of Planning Philip Dromey, attorney Tasheena Davis, Building Commissioner Steven Desilets, Director of Public Works Christopher Cignoli, Chief Administrative and Financial Officer Timothy J. Plante, Deputy Procurement Officer Theo Theocles and City Councilor Tracye Whitfield. Whitfield said she is honored to be selected by Sarno to be part of the review committee to ensure the new business is implemented in a fair way for all neighborhoods impacted, and all interested applicants, including minority groups and residents. Council President Justin Hurst said he appreciates the mayors willingness to collaborate with the city council which is evidenced by his appointment of Tracye Whitfield to this review committee. This was one of the many recommendations submitted to the mayor office by the marijuana regulation subcommittee," Hurst said. "We look forward to continuing to work with the mayors office on the roll-out of these facilities as it is important to a seamless process. Thus far, the city has not accepted applications. However, interested owners have conducted community outreach meetings regarding eight proposed sites for marijuana shops. The ordinance for marijuana shops stipulates that they cannot be within 500 feet of a school, among other restrictions. Ann and Nancy Wilson have put family differences behind them and Heart is launching a U.S. tour this summer. The Love Alive tour comes to the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Mass., on July 17 before playing the Xfinity Theatre in Hartford on July 20. Both shows are at 7 p.m. They will be joined by Sheryl Crow and Elle King. Tickets will go on sale on Friday with a fan club pre-sale set for Tuesday. More details can be found at heart-music.com In August 2016, Ann Wilson's husband was arrested backstage at an Auburn, Washington concert on charges he assaulted Nancy Wilson's teenage sons. The band finished out that tour but the sisters have not performed together since. During the hiatus, Ann Wilson undertook solo shows, while Nancy Wilson formed the group Roadcase Royale utilizing other Heart bandmates. The sisters did not address the family drama in the statement announcing the tour. "I could see it was time for Heart to have a break," Nancy Wilson said. "We'd been slogging through tour after tour fairly nonstop and were starting to burn out a little bit. Things had just reached a heavy climax." Ann Wilson added, "Both Nancy and I have stretched our wings in life these last three years. We've both lived and loved. We have breathed and traveled and experienced life. We come to this tour with fresh energy and oxygen." Flash U.S. Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad will lead an interagency delegation to Belgium, Germany, Turkey, Qatar, Afghanistan and Pakistan from Feb. 10 to 28, U.S. State Department said on Sunday. Khalilzad's upcoming trip is part of an overall effort to facilitate a peace process that brings all Afghan parties together in an intra-Afghan dialogue, according to a statement issued by the State Department. The statement noted that Khalilzad will consult with the Afghan government during the trip. At an event in Washington on Feb. 8, Khalilzad told an audience that he expected a final deal could be reached before Afghanistan's presidential election in July. Khalilzad, the former U.S. ambassador to Kabul, had a six-day consultation with Afghan Taliban last month in Qatar. The U.S. envoy said significant progress on vital issues was made during the meetings. However, he pointed out "a number of issues left to work out," saying that an agreement "must include an intra-Afghan dialogue and comprehensive ceasefire." Although the progress in Qatar was hopeful, analysts believed that reaching a final agreement is far from guaranteed, saying the Taliban still refuses to negotiate a political settlement with the Afghan government. There are about 14,000 U.S. troops currently deployed in Afghanistan, and the U.S. administration reportedly planned to bring half of them home. The death toll of U.S. service members in Afghanistan has surpassed 2,400 since the United States invaded the country in 2001. Godsmack will wrap up its current tour with a show in Connecticut. After a lengthy swing through Europe, the band will stop at Mohegan Sun Arena on July 26 at p.m. Tickets for the show go on sale beginning Feb. 15 at 10 a.m. through all Ticketmaster outlets and locations including ticketmaster.com and by phone at (800) 745-3000. Godsmack broke out of Boston in the late 90s at the same time as Staind was launching in Springfield. Godsmack has been nominated for four Grammys in both the rock and hard rock categories. ALITA: BATTLE AGENT - TWO STARS - (PG-13) James Cameron (Avatar) and Robert Rodriguez (Sin City) present the story of Alita (Rosa Salazar), who awakens with no memory of who she is in a future world she does not recognize. She is taken in by Ido (Christoph Waltz), a compassionate doctor who realizes that somewhere in this abandoned cyborg shell is the heart and soul of a young woman with an extraordinary past. (125 min.) AQUAMAN - TWO STARS - (PG-13) Director James Wan helms the DC Comics tale of half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry with Jason Momoa in the title role. Aquaman weighs in somewhere between the lugubrious Justice League and the less leaden Wonder Woman on the uneven scales of recent DC films. (143 min.) BUMBLEBEE - THREE STARS - (PG-13) Bumblebee of Transformers fame finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town in 1987. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld) discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary, yellow VW bug. (114 min.) COLD PURSUIT - THREE STARS - (R) A revenge thriller infused with irreverent humor with Liam Neeson as a family man whose quiet life with his wife is upended following the mysterious death of their son. His search for justice turns into a vengeful hunt for a drug lord he believes is connected to the death. (118 min.) A DOGs WAY HOME - TWO AND A HALF STARS - (PG) Separated from her owner, a dog sets off on an 400-mile journey to get back to the safety and security of the place she calls home. Along the way, she meets a series of new friends and manages to bring a little bit of comfort and joy to their lives. Although it might be a stretch to categorize this as a movie, A Dogs Way Home is harmless enough and a nice little adventure thats fit for the whole family. But you might want to have the tissues ready. (96 min.) ESCAPE ROOM - TWO STARS - (PG-13) A psychological thriller about six strangers who find themselves in circumstances beyond their control and must use their wits to find the clues or die. (109 min.) GLASS - TWO AND A HALF STARS - (PG-13) From Unbreakable, Bruce Willis returns as David Dunn as does Samuel L. Jackson as Elijah Price, known also by his pseudonym Mr. Glass. Joining from Split are James McAvoy, reprising his role as Kevin Wendell Crumb and the multiple identities who reside within, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Casey Cooke, the only captive to survive an encounter with The Beast. Following the conclusion of Split, director / writer M. Night Shyamalan has Dunn pursuing The Beast in a series of escalating encounters. (110 min.) THE KID WHO WOULD BE KING - THREE STARS - (PG) A modern day retelling of the legend of King Arthur as a young boy (Louis Ashbourne Serkis) pulls the sword Excalibur from a stone, assembles his school friends and knights and aides Merlin (Patrick Stewart) in battling the enchantress Morgana (Rebecca Ferguson). (132 min.) THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART - THREE STARS - (PG)While The LEGO Movie 2 is pretty darn good, you cant help shake the feeling that its just never going to live up to the exciting newness of the first. Its not entirely their fault, once the real world element was revealed in the first LEGO Movie, there are only so many directions you can go and the big stakes that all toys face being forgotten and the threat of being shoved away into storage. (106 min.) MARY POPPINS RETURNS - THREE AND A HALF STARS - (PG)Lets face it, there are times when a little sugar oh what the heck, lets say a spoonful is just what we need, if not for health then for happiness. So its sweet news indeed that Mary Poppins Returns, a sequel 54 years in coming, provides just that spoonful of happiness in the form of Emily Blunt, practically perfect in every way as the heir to Julie Andrews. (130 min.) RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET - THREE STARS - (PG) This animated effort levels up on its predecessor with a funny, heartwarming sequel that expands its colorful universe while focusing on core characters and relationships. (114 min.) SPIDER-MAN INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE - THREE STARS - (PG)Animated romp that introduces Brooklyn teen Miles Morales, and the limitless possibilities of the Spider-Verse, where more than one can wear the mask. (100 min.) STAN & OLLIE - THREE AND A HALF STARS - (PG) A Laurel and Hardy biopic that has allowed viewers to understand what made their characters so great, and so beloved, in a film that magnanimously invites us into a world no less recognizable for being almost entirely erased. (98 min.) A STAR IS BORN - FOUR STARS - (R) With appealing leads, deft direction, and an affecting love story, A Star Is Born is a remake done right -- and a reminder that some stories can be just as effective in the retelling. Stars Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. (135 min.) THE UPSIDE - TWO AND HALF STARS - (PG-13) Based on the hit 2011 French film The Intouchables, Kevin Hart stars as a recently paroled ex-convict who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a paralyzed billionaire (Bryan Cranston). (126 min.) VICE - TWO AND A HALF STARS - (R) Christian Bale shaved his head, bleached his eyebrows and put on 40 pounds to play Dick Cheney in the film by Adam McKay (The Big Short), which purports to tell the true story with McKays patented blend of deadpan humor and dead-serious drama of the former vice presidents role as the power behind the throne of the George W. Bush administration. Rockwell plays a good ol boyish Bush, with Carell impersonating Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfield and Adams playing the former veeps wife, Lynne (132 min.) (Star ratings based on The Washington Post, Associated Press, Rotten Tomatoes aggregation and Advance Digital reviews) WINDSOR LOCKS Construction on the new roundabout road entrance to Bradley International Airport should be completed by late spring or early summer. And construction should begin this spring on a long-awaited $215 million ground transportation center at Bradley, a project made possible by the reconfigured road network, said Kevin A. Dillon, executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority, which runs Bradley and five state-owned general aviation airports. Bradley had more than 6 million passengers in 2018 and saw its passenger arrival and departure stats up about 3.7 percent heading into the busy holiday season. Itll be a busy year for the Connecticut Airport Authority and Bradley as they try to add more destinations, airlines and routes. Its a process Dillon said he hopes will continue the good momentum from 2018. Hes also planning facility upgrades designed to add passenger comfort, increase crowd capacity and put off the need for an expensive second terminal at Bradley for as long as possible. In December, low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines announced that it will begin a nonstop route from Bradley to Denver starting at the end of March. And in January, Frontier announced more flights to Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, and to Orlando, Florida. Also in January, Via Airlines announced it will debut nonstop service to Pittsburgh in July 2019. Southwest airlines in August added daily nonstop flights to and from St. Louis. In September, Irish airline Aer Lingus committed to continuing its nonstop transatlantic service from Bradley to Dublin. The deal guarantees that Bradley will maintain transatlantic service for at least three more years. The Aer Lingus agreement calls for a reduced guarantee limited to certain winter months of not more than $4.5 million in 2017, dropping to $3.8 million in 2018, $3 million in 2019 and $2 million in 2020, bringing the maximum four-year potential subsidy total to $13.3 million. Connecticut previously paid Aer Lingus a $4.5 million revenue guarantee to subsidize the first year of service. That payment was made under a previous agreement. Aer Lingus first flew from Bradley in September 2016. The flights to Dublin have done well, Dillon said. Bradley passenger stats show about 36,000 departures in 2018 through October. But he said the flights need more business in the slower winter months. Planes to Ireland are typically more full in the busy summer vacation months. Meanwhile, Aer Lingus has promised new Airbus jetliners for its Bradley line starting in July of 2019. Not all the route news was good. Discount carrier Norwegian Air in 2017 followed Aer Lingus into the Bradley market with flights to Scotland. But it didnt last and the final flight was in March 2018. On Dillons wish list? Flights to Jacksonville in Florida, Phoenix, Milwaukee, Austin in Texas, and Seattle. Seattle is important not just because of the shared aerospace industry, but because its a major jumping-off spot for Asia, he said. Internationally, Dillon said London would be a major get. Route development is a very complex process, he said. The more competition we can bring in, the better it is for the consumer. The new ground transportation center, to be completed in 2021, will be funded through facilities charges on rental car bills. Itll house all the rental car agencies adjacent to the airport, meaning no more shuttle rides. Dillon said the ground transportation center will also host bus berths. Bradley is nearing an agreement with the state for every-half-hour shuttle bus service to Hartford Union Station. Those buses would be timed with CTrail commuter trains. Ideally, Dillon would like to develop more frequent bus service to Bradley from all parts of the airports service territory. For example, there is demand for a shuttle bus running up and down Interstate 91 as far north as Vermont. And it might also one day serve as a station for a light-rail passenger trains or trolleys. The airport and nearby towns have also protected a right-of-way for a for such a system, Dillon said. But thats years or decades in the future. Shorter-term projects, in addition to the ground transportation center, include moving the escalators and expanding checkpoints to smooth the flow of passengers walking through the terminal. One goal is to move the customs area into the main terminal. Its in a separate building now. Thats OK for now because Aer Lingus clears its passengers through customs on departure from Dublin. They walk out of Bradley without a second check on arrival. Bradley is looking for consultants now, would design the project this year and do construction in 2020 and 2021. The goal is to grow while pushing any new terminal project as far into the future as possible. One of the things we are after as a medium-hub airport is very strict control of our costs, Dillon said. Bradley needs to be cost-competitive because airlines cant charge a premium here like they do at LaGuardia Airport in New York or Logan in Boston where a bigger, wealthier market with more business travel means airlines can make more money. Airlines look at average cost of enplanment the figure they to pay airports for rent, fees and so on divided by the number of passengers when evaluating what routes to keep, where to expand and how much to charge in fares. Bradleys cost per enplanement is $9. Thats cheaper than Logans $14, or $12 at Manchester, New Hampshire. The cost per enplanement is $12 as well at Rhode Islands T.F. Green Airport, Dillon said. Bradley has added physical upgrades over the past few years including the Two Roads Tap Room, Escape Lounge, a Phillips Seafood restaurant, a duty-free shop, and a mothers' nursing room. New restrooms, elevators, an expanded Escape Lounge and another restaurant on the secure side are also in the works. Freight was a strong point for Bradley as well in 2018. Pinnacle Logistics moved into the airport in June and now operates three Boeing 767s a day hauling freight for Amazon, Dillon said. Pinnacle has 160 workers in 90,000 square feet of leased space. We hope to increase that, he said. Pinnacle moved its operations to Windsor Locks from T.F. Green. It did so, according to the Teamsters union, because workers in Rhode Island were in the process of organizing. A third person has been arrested in connection with the theft of a Boston police officers gun in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, last weekend. Kyle Benford, 24, of Providence, was arrested Saturday night, according to The Boston Globe. His arrest comes a week after two exotic dancers 25-year-old Neish Rivera and 22-year-old Melissa Dacier were arrested for allegedly stealing the semi-automatic pistol out of officers glove box in a hotel parking lot. Police told The Globe that Benford was arrested on a warrant issued by Pawtucket police. Authorities said officers were looking for Benford when they spotted him near a housing development in Providence around 9:45 p.m. Saturday. He was charged with larceny of a firearm and conspiracy, and is expected to be arraigned in Providence District Court Monday. Rivera and Dacier were arrested a week ago after allegedly stealing a Glock 22 from the glove box of the officers personal vehicle in the Hampton Inn parking lot. The women allegedly accompanied the officer, whose name is being withheld, to a strip club. Afterward, the three hung out at the officers hotel room in Pawtucket for several hours, according a a police report. The officer said he gave his car keys to Rivera after she told him she needed a cell phone charger. After returning to the hotel room, Rivera allegedly told the officer that she was leaving to look for Dacier, who had left to make a phone call. When neither woman returned, the officer went to his car and realized his gun was missing. The officer has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal affairs investigation, according to Boston Police Sergeant John Boyle. His gun, which Pawtucket Police say was issued by the Boston Police Department, was later recovered. Large Business of the Year went to Nancys Candy. Chris Owens accepted the award. Its a really great business to work for, he said, both when it was run by Nancy Galli out of her kitchen at its start 30 years ago and now that is operated out of a factory and owned by a Martinsville family. Jane Carlson, who volunteers for Caring Hearts Free Clinic and other charities, won the Community Champion award. Caring Hearts Free Clinic won for Non-Profit of the Year. Were here to serve the people in the community who are less fortunate, Caring Hearts Executive Director Carrie Fain said. All the people [other nominees] that were in that category I share that award with you. One Family Productions, which sponsors the Front Porch Fest music festival and the Stuart Christmas Parade, also was in the running for the award, Fain said. Whenever Fain needs volunteers for events such as fundraising, she calls Sarah Wray of One Family Productions, and that organization sends over a group of volunteers. Partnership of the Year went to Rotary Club of Stuart. Later in the evening, Carlson talked face to face about what she does in the community. You will receive full, ad-free access to ManchesterTimes.com as well as full access to the Electronic Edition of the newspaper. ONLY $2.99 per month for the first 3 months! Only $3.99 per month after promotional period. Or ONLY $36.99 per year for the 1st year Only $40.99 per year after promotional period. Flash The Chinese Embassy in Belgium on Sunday dismissed recent local media report about alleged Chinese espionage in Brussels as an outright fabrication. Responding to the news report by some local media alleging that "there are about 250 Chinese spies active in Brussels," a spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Belgium said the report "is an outright fabrication without any evidence." "China and Belgium now enjoy a steadily growing relationship and fruitful cooperation across all fields. China is committed to developing sound relations and cooperation with Belgium and all other countries on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefits," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Some specific irresponsible remarks aimed to maliciously discredit China, mislead and deceive the public, impair and disrupt China's relations with Belgium and Europe will never succeed," said the spokesperson. The Great Wall of China has been standing tall for over two millennia as an embodiment of mankind's pursuit of peace and order. With its preservation already declared a global responsibility by UNESCO, the Chinese government last month released a plan up till the year 2035 for the wall's restoration and management. The Great Wall is not just an architectural treasure. It is an emotional and spiritual influence on the people of China who have drawn strength from it during times of peril and are now giving it their strength back during times of stability. As China's capital standing improves in consequence of its reform and opening up, the need for retaining its cultural identity is gaining attention. Modern scientific methods are being applied with expertise brought in from other parts of the world to protect this most significant remnant of Chinese history. Collaborations in monitoring and preservation efforts have lately picked pace. Research institutions from China and the United Kingdom are holding regular symposiums since 2017, whereas China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation is teaming up with U.S.-based tech firm Intel since 2018 to employ artificial intelligence and aerial drones. A Great Wall Conservation Union has also been formed to improve the quality of tourism. Last month's national-level Great Wall comprehensive conservation plan, released by Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH), comes as the latest move engaging non-governmental entities for the protection of the wall and promotion of educational programs. It is a long-term policy and aims to encourage individuals and social organizations to provide not-for-profit services. The plan also throws light on how to prioritize efforts. It has to be understood that restoration of the entire wall is simply not practical. The portions with high tourism value may be repaired but a major part of the endeavor needs to be directed towards slowing down the ruins' disappearance and keeping their historical stature intact. Restorers have been directed to ensure the maintenance of different sections according to the unique materials and construction patterns used in each. Moreover, professional institutions are being called in and are expected to introduce some out-of-the-box solutions and modern technology in the conservation push. Even if the human-induced damages are not taken into consideration, encroachments like vegetation creeping along its embankments slowly erode the structure. Wind is also, grain by grain, eroding entire sections away. But that is the way how nature works. We have to let future generations know how china's ancestors built an edifice that has been watching over their civilization's evolution from times of unrest to the economic and political stability of modern China. Threats and chaos of the outside world that led to the wall's construction resonate to this day with the principle of "might is right" still prevailing in international politics. The process of China's opening up must continue, but not while lowering the guard against protectionism and regional hegemonies. The Great Wall, a masterpiece built together by thousands of people, is one symbol that exemplifies the strength in unity. As the saying (a multitude of wills becomes a wall) goes, the longer the wall stands, the longer it will remind us of the power of cooperation. The deeply integrated society of present-day China needs to uphold its values in light of the cultural imperialism found in many parts of the world. The homogenized global perspective, often dominated by those pushing themselves into exclusive domains of other nations, seldom appreciates diversity. The Great Wall, with its rich folklore, has to be looked after to protect Chinese culture's distinctive characteristics. Unlike the concrete jungles which make contemporary metropolises hardly differentiable from each other despite being continents apart, it is culture that brings individuality to tourist experiences. For this reason, tourism to the Great Wall is not only contributing to China's national exchequer but also serving as a window to the country's culture. Every year, millions of people make trips to the wall; enlightening them on what China actually is made of. The opportunity allowing them to do so cannot be taken away by neglecting the wall in any possible way. SACH's plan in this regard is a welcome step, as it instills fresh air into conservation efforts. Daniel Hyatt is a Pakistan-based freelance journalist and commentator on modern China. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Download Image: Web Ken Ilgunas will ask the Lycoming College community to consider, What is our personal responsibility as steward of the land? as he discusses his 1,700-mile journey along the proposed path of the Keystone XL pipeline, from the Alberta tar sands to the Gulf Coast of Texas. Author of Trespassing across America, Ilgunas will share anecdotes from his travels while drawing attention to climate change and the natural beauty that stands in the way of the pipeline. The talk, sponsored by the Colleges Sustainability Committee, is slated for Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 7:00 p.m., in the Jane Schultz Room of Wertz Student Center. Both a travel memoir and a reflection on climate change, Ilgunass book is filled with colorful characters, harrowing physical trials, and strange encounters with the weather, terrain, and wildlife. The book is a tribute to the Great Plains and the people who live there, as it grapples with difficult questions about our place in the world: What is our personal responsibility as stewards of the land? As members of a rapidly warming planet? As mere individuals up against something as powerful as the fossil fuel industry? Trespassing Across America, is a winner of the Nebraska Center for the Book Award, Travel; a Sigurd Olson Nature Writing Award Notable Book; and Honoree of the Society of Midland Authors Annual Literary Award for Biography/Memoir. Ken Ilgunass adventures and experiences will bring different perspectives to campus and spark conversations about environmental issues that some people may not be thinking about, said biology major Brittany Lenze 19. Ive heard from many of my fellow students who are excited to listen and talk to him to help bring a real-world context to what we are learning in the classroom. Bringing dynamic speakers like Ken Ilgunas to campus creates opportunities for students to extend their learning beyond the classroom, said Bob Smith, assistant professor of biology at Lycoming College. Students are afforded opportunities to directly interact with speakers during classroom discussions and lunch conversations where they hear first-hand accounts of real-world applications of course topics. These talks enrich student learning and show students how their liberal arts education will help them live lives or meaning after graduation. A writer originally from Wheatfield, N.Y., Ilgunas has hitchhiked ten thousand miles, crisscrossing the continent, paddling in a canoe, and trekking thousands of miles across the Great Plains. He has written for the New York Times, Time, Backpacker, and the Chronicle of Higher Education, and his adventures have been featured on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The New Yorker, National Geographic, and NPR. He is also the author of travel memoir Walden on Wheels, and advocacy book This Land Is Our Land. He presently lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and English from SUNY Buffalo, and went on to pursue a Master of Arts degree in liberal studies from Duke University. For more information about Ilgunas, visit his blog at http://www.kenilgunas.com/. Download Image: Web Lycoming Colleges Center for Energy and the Future (CEF) is excited to welcome environmental advocate and professional Robert Altenburg to campus on Tuesday, Feb. 19, at 7 p.m., in the Jane Schultz Room, located in Wertz Student Center. His lecture, entitled Achieving a Clean and Sustainable Energy Economy in Pennsylvania, will encompass the actions that need to be taken to reach climate goals. He will also discuss proposals that have recently been implemented or are being considered in the state capitol. CEF seeks to engage the College community in the nations ongoing conversation about energy through its energy science and energy studies curriculum, student-faculty research, field experiences and internships. As energy director of PennFuture, a statewide environmental advocacy group, Altenburg brings a rich understanding of energy and environmental expertise to the table. In his current role, he analyzes and provides expert comments and testimony on legislation and regulations. He also works with regulatory agencies and clean energy industry experts on climate and energy issues, and provides technical assistance and research on methane and fossil fuel impacts. Altenburg also recently served as project coordinator for Pennsylvanias Solar Future Plan, a planning process to determine what solar energy in Pennsylvania can look like in 2030 if strategies are developed and implemented to increase this renewable energy source. Prior to holding this position, Altenburg spent nearly 22 years with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) while simultaneously obtaining a degree from Widener Commonwealth Law School. After spending his days measuring and analyzing air quality in the Lehigh Valley region, his evenings consisted of working toward certificates in both environmental law and administrative/constitutional law, which allow him to practice law in the state of Pennsylvania. Altenburgs lecture is part of the CEF speaker series. The Atlantic Sunrise Community Grant program, which was established by Williams, a natural gas transmissions pipeline company committed to being a good community neighbor and environmental steward, partially sponsors the series. Ensure you get a print copy of the Loudoun Times-Mirror delivered weekly to your home or business! Complete online access is included with all print subscriptions purchased online. Plus, up to four other members of your household can share online access through this subscription with their own, individual linked accounts at no additional charge. (Are you a current advertiser? Ask your sales rep for our special advertiser rate code!) School & Education, Local News, Crime, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: February 11 2019 Sheriff Toulon spoke with students about what the Sheriffs Office does to help the citizens of Suffolk County. Patchogue, NY - February 11, 2019 - On Tuesday, February 5th, Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr., payed a special visit to the On Tuesday, February 5th, Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr., payed a special visit to the Medford Elementary School to talk with 200 students in the 4th and 5th grade class about making good choices and about what the Sheriffs Office does to help the citizens of Suffolk County. He also answered questions that the students had about working in law enforcement, what he likes best about being the Sheriff, and how they could grow up to become the Sheriff. Sheriff Toulon told the students, Even when things seem impossible, keep pushing through, because YOU CAN DO IT if you really put your mind to it. He told them about how he faced his own struggles growing up in the Bronx and even as an adult he faces struggles, but anything is possible if you put your mind to it and stay focused on your goals. Crime, Local Experts, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: February 11 2019 Talaysia Williams, 14, was last seen leaving the Mercy First Facility on Sunday, February 10. Syosset, NY - February 11, 2019 - The Missing Persons Squad is investigating a missing juvenile that occurred in The Missing Persons Squad is investigating a missing juvenile that occurred in Syosset on Sunday, February 10, 2019 at 9:43 am. According to detectives, Talaysia Williams, 14, was last seen leaving the Mercy First Facility on Sunday, February 10, 2019. Talaysia is described as being female, black, 52 tall, 120 Lbs, slight build, brown eyes, brown braided hair, medium complexion, white hooded sweatshirt, black jacket. Her destination is unknown. Talaysia was reported missing on Sunday, February 10, 2019 at 12:22 pm. NOTE: Talaysia Williams has been reported as missing and found by authorities multiple times in the recent past . Music, Movies & Entertainment, Local News, Arts & Culture, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: February 11 2019 During Talkback Following Friday Night Flicks: Carnal Knowledge Film Screening. Sag Harbor, NY - February 11, 2019 - On Friday, February 8, On Friday, February 8, Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts held a surprise 90th birthday celebration for world-renowned writer, cartoonist, and friend of the theater Jules Feiffer, following a screening of Feiffers critically-acclaimed film Carnal Knowledge. The film was screened as part of the new Friday Night Flicks @ Bay Street film series, and was followed by a talkback with Feiffer, Bay Street Theater Executive Director Tracy Mitchell, and the writer & host of To Live & Dialogue in LA podcast, Aaron Tracy. During the talkback, Feiffer was presented with a cake on Bay Streets stage as the audience joined together to sing Happy Birthday to him in celebration. We are so fortunate to have this talented and gifted man right here in our own neighborhood as well as part of the Bay Street family, Says Bay Street Theater Executive Director Tracy Mitchell, We look forward to working and celebrating with Jules for many years to come. The talkback was recorded by Aaron Tracy for inclusion in an upcoming episode of his podcast, To Live & Dialogue in LA, part of the Yale Podcast Network. Jules Feiffer has won a number of prizes for his cartoons, plays, and screenplays, including the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning. He illustrated the childrens classic The Phantom Tollbooth. His books for children include The Man in the Ceiling (which premiered as a new musical at Bay Street Theater in 2017), A Barrel of Laughs, A Vale of Tears, I Lost My Bear, Bark, George, and Rupert Can Dance. His plays and screenplays include Little Murders, Carnal Knowledge, Grownups, and Popeye. He lives in Shelter Island, New York. SKODA Ireland have today announced details of their partnership with the Irish Blood Transfusion Service which aims to increase public blood donation. This initiative will utilise SKODA dealerships nationwide to encourage people to give blood in their local area. This campaign has been launched during the busy quarter one period in the motor industry when dealership footfall is highest. The initiative is designed to support the Irish Blood Transfusion Service in their mission to maintain the national blood supply which currently sits at approximately 6 days. SKODA dealers will display informational videos and blood facts in their waiting areas and SKODA drivers will receive information about blood donation in their car, post service. SKODA Service will also promote blood donation as part of a national marketing campaign. Over 700 people are employed throughout the SKODA dealer network in Ireland, all of whom will be encouraged to give blood regularly during the year. SKODA has seen strong growth in sales in the last number of years and achieved record Market Share of 7.3% with 9,126 new vehicle sales in 2018. SKODA workshops are busier than ever and will service over 30,000 vehicles this year. Service customers, in particular, are expected to increase footfall to local blood donation clinics. Commenting on the partnership; William Lee, Head of Aftersales at SKODA Ireland, said: Quality, expertise and safety is at the core of what we do here at SKODA Service. This is why we are extremely proud to partner with Irish Blood Transfusion Service in 2019. One in four people will need a blood transfusion at some point in their lives but yet only 3% of the eligible population are currently donating blood. We are delighted to be supporting GiveBlood.ie and hope that this initiative will increase blood donations from our customers consistently over the coming years and provide a stable and regular supply of blood. Also commenting; Stephen Cousins, from the Irish Blood Transfusion Service: We are delighted to partner with SKODA Service. We know that SKODA Dealers aim to not just service their customers cars, but to also ensure the well-being of everyone that travels in them. We are pleased to see them expand this by helping to encourage blood donations in their local communities For more information on when and where to give blood, please visit www.giveblood.ie For more information on SKODA please visit www.skoda.ie Nuala helped the Irish Cancer Society launch its 32nd Daffodil Day at an event in Dublin, where the charity revealed it needs to raise 4million this Daffodil Day to meet ever-increasing demands for support. Daffodil Day 2019, proudly supported by Boots Ireland, takes place on March 22nd. People of Longford are urged get involved by volunteering to help fundraise on www.cancer.ie and donating what they can on the day. Nualas father Maurice died following a 16-month battle with pancreatic cancer. When dad was first diagnosed we didnt really know that the prognosis was so bad, Nuala said. We were hopeful he could overcome it but sadly that wasnt to be. As a family, we made his last days as special as we could and I am grateful for the time we had together. But now I want to fight back and raise vital funds to help stop other families losing loved ones to this awful disease. Pancreatic cancer currently has the lowest survival rate for all major cancers, with just one in ten people alive five years after diagnosis. We can, and must, change this. But it will require much more investment in cancer research and services. Thats why I am appealing people in Longford to get involved and help make Daffodil Day 2019 bigger than ever. Your donations will also fund vital supports for patients and their families, so no-one has to go through cancer alone, she added. Averil Power, Chief Executive of the Irish Cancer Society, said: Sadly we know many more Dads like Maurice will hear the dreadful words you have cancer this year. Every three minutes someone receives a cancer diagnosis. We are determined to be there for everyone who needs us. But with the number of people getting cancer at a record high, we cant do that without public support. Last year our nurses, staff and volunteers reached thousands of patients in Longford affected by cancer, but we didnt reach everyone in need. We dont just want to provide an excellent service to some cancer patients. We want to provide it to ALL cancer patients. As 98% of our funding comes from the public, we simply cant do that without more donations. Boots Ireland has been in partnership with the Society since 2012, with the aim of the partnership to increase awareness, promote prevention and support people living with cancer across Ireland. The pharmacy chain has raised 1.4m for the Society and is sponsoring Daffodil Day for the second year in a row. Bernadette Lavery, MD, Boots Ireland said: Colleagues here locally are ready to join with our local communities again this Daffodil Day. Not a week goes by where our staff dont come face to face with the impact of cancer on our customers and patients. We are there to extend care and advice instore through our Boots Irish Cancer Society Information Pharmacists and Cancer Beauty Advisors, and by sponsoring Daffodil Day we will play our part in ensuring cancer patients and their families are fully supported. The Daffodil Day launch was attended by Minister for Health Simon Harris, hundreds of Daffodil Day volunteers, cancer survivors and representatives from Boots stores around the country Lois Tedesco entered into rest June 18, 2021. Predeceased by her parents Carlton and Catherine (Buchannon) Fruck. Beloved mother of Lynn (John) Villella, Shane (Dana) Lamke and Tonya (Kenny) Tedesco; cherished grandmother of six; and several great-grandchildren; dear sister of June (late Hen Ruth Hedges, a member of the Lyndonville United Methodist Church, has been instrumental in helping to establish a new thrift store in the churchs basement. She shows off a new sign which was designed by her son Curtis Canham, a graphic designer. Gulf Harbour artist Graham Young loves painting about as much as he loves travelling New Zealands highways and byways. So, perhaps it is not surprising that he has produced another book of stunning images that represent both these passions. New Zealand, A Painted Journey, released last week by New Holland press, presents 47 original paintings of iconic buildings and landscapes covering a large part of the South Island, as well as some favourite spots in the North Island. I paint what I love about New Zealand its distinctive corrugated and weatherboard buildings, the quaint beachfront baches that look like theyve been put up with Kiwi DIY skills, corner dairies and the abandoned sheds that tell of a bygone era, Graham says. And all under a big, blue sky. In some respects I think Im capturing a feeling of yesteryear NZ, perhaps when life was more innocent. Originally from Liverpool in England, Graham, his wife Ingrid and their two young children, moved to New Zealand in 1982. A trained photo-lithographer, he came for a career opportunity and stayed because he fell in love with the country. Although he had nursed thoughts of studying art when he was young, his parents decided as parents did back then that he was better off getting a job. It wasnt until he started to cut back on his work commitments 15 years ago that he was able to take up the brushes again. Since then he has done about 180 paintings, which have been hung in numerous galleries and reproduced on calendars. His first collection of paintings formed the basis of his first book Lazy Days, Painting the Kiwi Lifestyle. He paints in oil on stretch canvas and the originals range in price from $2500 to $5000. New Zealand, A Painted Journey, by Graham Young, is available in local book stores. Hibiscus Matters has two copies of New Zealand, A Painted Journey, to give away. To go in the draw write your name, address and daytime phone number on the back of an envelope and post to Painted Journey giveaway, Hibiscus Matters, Unit G, Tamariki Plaza, 18 Tamariki Ave, Orewa 0931. Or message Hibiscus Matters on Facebook. Entries close on Friday, March 1. Residents at the Hibiscus Coast Village, in Red Beach, celebrated the re-opening of their recently-renovated cafe and bar on February 30. Metlifecare chief executive Glen Sowry (right) and food and beverage manager Gareth Carden did the cake cutting honours. Metlifecare, which is building the nearby Gulf Rise retirement development, expects the first 55 apartments to be ready by mid-year. As temperatures soar in New Zealand, residential aged care facilities are being urged to be mindful of the effects of the heat on older people, and especially those with medical conditions. Canterbury District Health Board medical officer Alistair Humphrey says New Zealanders should not be complacent, as the weather is at an extremely dangerous level. He says elderly and young children are particularly vulnerable, and Kiwis should make sure they are stocked up on fluids all day long and keep the windows open. Elderly people, who dont regulate heat quite as well, are coming into emergency departments dizzy from not having drunk enough and are not wearing hats. Older people can suffer from the results of poor circulation caused by rising temperatures. Symptoms include dizziness, dry skin, swelling and shortness of breath. Higher body temperatures can also disturb the bodys normal biological cycle, which regulates physical health, cognition and emotions. It can lead to altered sleep quality. Increased sweating can result in uncomfortable clamminess and losses of fluid. It is important to try to keep cool and hydrate. Lecturer at the School of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Newcastle, in Australia, Dr John Van Der Kallen, advises increased vigilance when it comes to the elderly, encouraging friends and family to check in on those at risk. Dr Van Der Kallen says being proactive in regard to dehydration, especially as certain medicines dehydrate the elderly, is key. Often the reason the elderly is at risk is they are on medication, he says. Their physiological responses to heat are not the same as a younger person. A younger person might feel thirsty earlier, might feel weak earlier and might get headaches earlier. An elderly persons responses can be quite dulled. We have to start adapting to these events. This year has been unprecedented, but unfortunately this is what is going to happen as the world gets hotter. Experts say those most vulnerable to the heat were elderly, pregnant people, babies, and those who already had medical conditions. But healthy adults who work outdoors and those people who were in institutions like prisons, hospitals and residential care are also especially vulnerable. Article courtesy, healthcentral.nz A government decision to veto funding from the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) to dredge the Mahurangi River will force dredging operations to cease by the end of this month, unless the cash can be found elsewhere. The Mahurangi River Restoration Trust started dredging in earnest last year after the Rodney Local Board allocated $250,000 towards the $5.1 million cost of the project. The aim of the dredging is to reap a host of aesthetic, recreational and economic benefits for generations to come. By Christmas, the trust had raised $1.5 million from various sources, but hoped to get the bulk of the rest of the money about $3.5 million from the PGF. The trust applied for funding about nine months ago although, technically, the project was not eligible because it fell within the Auckland region and Warkworth is not considered provincial. However, Mahurangi River Restoration Trust management committee chair Steve Burrett says during months of negotiations, officials led the trust to understand that this would not be a handicap because the economic benefits would be felt beyond Auckland. The whole way through we were led to believe that although we were in Auckland, the project had such potential for the southern area of Northland that we would qualify, he says. But in mid-January, the trust received a letter from fund investment director Paul Swallow saying that the application was denied because the project was in the Auckland region. Restoration Trust trustee Peter Thompson describes the decision as a kick in the guts and Mr Burrett calls it soul-destroying. Rodney MP Mark Mitchell is annoyed that the determination of whether or not the trust was eligible, based on its location, was not made at the outset. Meanwhile, the trust maintains that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to return the river to a healthy condition. The land-based disposal arrangements for the dredged silt is only available for another two years. The alternative of dumping the silt at sea will ramp up the cost to about $20 million. The trust says the dredging so far has been successful with two tugs, a barge and a digger having excavated the Warkworth Town Basin so that there is now 1.5 metres of water at low tide. Access for boats and fish stocks in the river has already noticeably improved, the trust says. But Mr Burrett is adamant the trust cant continue without more cash. We cant operate if we are insolvent, he says. Mr Swallow did provide a glimmer of hope when he wrote to the trust, saying he would investigate other government funding possibilities. Rodney Councillor Greg Sayers says Auckland Mayor Phil Goff is sympathetic to the river dredging and may be prepared to provide Council funding, but only if the government shares some of the cost, since the benefits will extend beyond Auckland ratepayers. A ceremonial removal of the first bucket of silt from the river took place on August 24 last year before a gathering of supporters. At the time, trust campaign manager Kathryn Ashworth said the dredging promised free movement of boats over all tides, bringing large numbers of tourists and encouraging dozens of water-based activities and businesses involved in boating and sightseeing. A spokesperson for the governments Provincial Development Unit confirmed that Provincial Growth Funds had been denied for Mahurangi River dredging because it fell within the Auckland region. Our robust assessment process can take some time particularly if we are required to do further research or seek clarification from applicants, he said. Community newspapers remain the best source of local news for most people, according to a research project carried out by telecommunications company 2degrees at the end of last year. The survey of more than 2000 people found that 29 per cent of them rated local newspapers as most important for local news, despite the increase in communication technology. Social media was the next most popular source, with 23 per cent. Former mayor of Waitakere Sir Bob Harvey said he couldnt overstate the importance of community papers and local journalism in ensuring the health and wellbeing of NZ communities. Community papers provide channelled advocacy of important local issues in a way that isnt mirrored simply by residents chatting on a community Facebook page, he said. They also champion issues and stories that would escape the attention of the mainstream media. 2degrees chief executive Stewart Sherriff said the research provided interesting reading. As a telco, were deeply interested in how Kiwis communicate, and where they get their information from, he said. The role of the community paper in informing, supporting and championing our communities is obviously something many Kiwis still hold dear. Members of Warkworth RSA can have fresh confidence that they will be able to get to important hospital and specialist medical appointments after Warkworth Toyota donated a welfare car to the association this month. Able-bodied volunteers at the RSA regularly drive fellow members to appointments, but the aging Suzuki they employed to provide the service was getting well past its use-by date. The problem came up in conversation when the president of the Warkworth RSA John Stephen was having his car serviced at Warkworth Toyota. As a result, Warkworth Toyota donated a 2006 Toyota Corolla to meet the need. Branch manager Brendan Langdon says Warkworth Toyota is already heavily involved in the community and this is just another way the business is helping out. John Stephen says the car will be used virtually every day and is ideal for the purpose. RSAs throughout the country continue to look after our veterans and Warkworth Toyota is certainly helping us do that, he says. Click the image above to view slideshow Orewa provided a perfect summertime venue and backdrop for the hot rod displays. Photo, Kerry Bree. After all the hard work of putting on the event, Rodders were able to relax a little and celebrate the 10th anniversary of their event at prizegiving. Photo, Kerry Bree Thirteen years of painstaking restoration went into this 1957 Buick Roadmaster, owned by Shaun and Rita Eastell of Kumeu. The travel bags were made by Rita using leftover upholstery. Gulf Harbour resident John Poultons 1969 Chevrolet Camaro attracted lots of attention. Gerry Hodges of Whangaparaoa has owned many muscle cars, raced rally cars and is well known in classic car circles. He says this 1973 Valient Charger sat in a barn since until three years ago when he purchased it. Apart from adding the black stripes and the black on the bonnet, he spent most of his time polishing the vehicle to get its lustre back. Gerry says the Rodders Festival has become one of the best Hot Rod events in the country. Photos, Jeremy Fourie. When it comes to breaking records, the Hibiscus Rodders Club doesnt do things by halves. The Rodders Beach Festival held in Orewa last month raised a staggering $60,000 for the Auckland based Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service. This was $15,000 more than last year and $23,000 more than the event raised in 2017. An organiser, Sharon Morris, says the success of this years 10th anniversary festival, which was held January 25-27, was a fitting celebration of the events first decade. The weather was great, the cars came in their hundreds and we estimate that there were more than 50,000 visitors over the three days, Sharon says. It takes the club nearly a year to organise so it is rewarding to get such a great outcome. Its a way for people to get out and enjoy themselves, and theres the feel good factor that they are helping a really worthy cause. Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust marketing manager John Hooper described the amount raised as quite remarkable. When Sharon approached us 11 years ago asking us to lend a bit of support to get the event up and running, we were happy to do it, John says. On that occasion they raised a little over $3000. To think that 10 years later the total is $60,000 is astonishing. Sharon told us when she started out that it would be an event that would grow and help our crews save lives, and she has been absolutely true to her word. John says it is going to be a pleasure to nominate the Coast for NZ Community of the Year, on the back of the Hot Rodders event. He says out of the whole area that the Auckland helicopter services, Hibiscus Coast is one of only three communities that essentially pay for all their rescues the other two are Leigh and the tiny settlement of Tapora, on the Kaipara Coast. John and members of the rescue team participated over the weekend, moving through the crowds with donation buckets. It was quite rejuvenating to see busy people giving their valuable time to help. Sharon puts the success of the event down to the generosity and hard work of club members, and the long-time support of major sponsors, many of whom have been with the event from the start such as Garry Christini of New World. Without their support, it just wouldnt happen. Hibiscus Matters is a proud sponsor of the 2019 Rodders Beach Festival. As February temperatures soar, local vets and the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) are urging farmers and pet owners to ensure their animals are well protected. Wellsford vet Neil Warnock says all classes of stock are vulnerable to extremes of heat, so ensuring plenty of water and shade is essential. He adds that water is vital for animal growth. For every litre of milk a dairy cow produces it requires five litres of water. Failing to provide water will massively impact on an animals production, he says. In addition, if an animal is overheating, they are unlikely to eat. Again, reducing production and lowering the effectiveness of their immune system. Mr Warnock says sheep dont necessarily need to be shorn to remain cool as they adapt well to most conditions. There are stories of sheep avoiding being shorn for several years in Central Otago without experiencing any problems. However, the more wool they have, the more sheep are prone to flystrike, especially in the warm and wet months of summer and autumn, so it still pays to shear. Mr Warnock says as a rule animals are resilient to the harmful effects of ultra violet (UV) light, though there are some exceptions. Some white-faced breeds of cattle are prone to developing cancer on their eyelids after repeat exposure to UV. Cattle and sheep that have liver disease or have eaten certain kinds of plants are also vulnerable. Chemicals that aid metabolism can become toxic and build up in their skin. When the sun shines on unpigmented parts of their skin, it can cause nasty sunburn a process known as photosensitisation. He says there are several products which can be applied to stock to act as a sunscreen. The main active ingredient of the products is zinc oxide. Sunscreens are most commonly applied to domestic animals, often the pink areas of cats, dogs and horses. However, they can also be applied to the udder and white skin of cows suffering from photosensitisation. Meanwhile MPI says in addition to water and shade, good ventilation is also important. MPIs national animal welfare coordinator Dr Wayne Ricketts says its common sense stuff but every year when there is a heat wave, MPI gets reports of animals being neglected. He says special attention needs to be paid to more vulnerable stock or pets such as those who have recently given birth and their offspring, and animals with pre-existing medical conditions. Other vulnerable animals include those with short noses since they cant regulate temperature well and young, pregnant and lactating animals. Those with long hair are also more susceptible to heat stress. Dedicated detective work by Warkworth museum volunteer Alan Britton has solved the mystery of hundreds of old family photographs, left hidden in furniture donated to Warkworth Wellsford hospice. The photos came to light when the furniture, possibly from a deceased estate, was being sorted and cleaned, as reported by Mahurangi Matters (MM August 2, 2017). As there were no clues as to who the furniture belonged to and no one returned to claim the photographs, Hospice passed them on to the museum. The black and white photographs dated back to the early 1900s. The photos appeared to have been shot in England, some during the period of the First World War. The only clue to their possible identity was an undated press cutting, which came with the photographs, which identified an Ivy Beale of Tavistock, Devon, England. Included in the photographs was a wedding group that Alan suspected may have been taken in Tavistock. He sent a copy of the picture to the Tavistock Times Gazette, which ran a story about the mystery pictures. Readers identified the grand house in the wedding picture as Rydal Mount and researchers in Devon joined Alan in the quest to find out more. It emerged that the wedding took place in April 1919 and was between Florence Westlake and Gerald Bousfield Baker an army officer serving as an observer with the RAF. It was an emotional moment when Alan Britton, left, handed over the pictures to Tony Westlake in an Auckland hotel. The house was owned by Florences two widowed aunts. One of whom, Rhoda Mary Westlake, migrated to Australia in 1927. She subsequently travelled on to Auckland and married a Mr John Holt Lyon at Pitt Street Methodist church in 1932. The couple ended up farming in Taranaki. John died in 1956 and Rhoda died in 1975. Its believed the photographs belonged to Rhoda Mary and she took them with her when she migrated to New Zealand. But Alan says how the pictures managed to get from Taranaki to Warkworth is a puzzle that may never be solved. However, Alan did manage to contact a surviving Westlake relative in the UK Tony Treliving Westlake who as luck would have it was planning a trip to New Zealand over the New Year. Alan was able to hand over the pictures to an astounded Tony in an Auckland Hotel. Tony and other family members have subsequently been able to identify many of the faces and places in the photographs. Alan says the whole research process has taken the best part of 14 months. He says what spurred him on was his interest in genealogy and researching his own family background. He knew that anybody who shared the same interest in the Westlake family would find the photographs invaluable. The actual handover at the hotel was quite emotional for me, he says. About 20 protesters returned to State Highway 1, this time near the Hill Street intersection on Waitangi Day, to continue to voice their opposition to a proposed landfill in the Dome Valley. Industry giant Waste Management wants to develop the landfill on a large block of land, east of State Highway 1, between Forestry Road and the Hoteo River. Protestor Sue Crockett said the proposed landfill was an ecological disaster waiting to happen. She said tributaries flowed into the Hoteo River directly from the tip site with the potential to contaminate both Wellsfords drinking water supply and the Kaipara Harbour, the countrys largest snapper breeding ground. Many people rely on the Kaipara for their livelihood and their familys wellbeing, she said. She said protesters are sceptical of Waste Managements assertion that the landfill will be constructed with a lining system that will prevent leachate polluting the environment through the soil or waterways. Read more About 500 meters away from the gate of the Forbidden City in central Beijing, a dismayed Zhang Lin saw the scrolling caption on a digital display: "All tickets to the Palace Museum during the Spring Festival holiday have been sold out." "I didn't expect a museum ticket to be as popular as a train ticket during the Spring Festival," said Zhang, a college teacher from northeast China's Liaoning Province. "It's a pity I hadn't booked the tickets earlier," he said. "My family missed the chance to have a royal taste of the Spring Festival." Zhang was spending his first weeklong Spring Festival holiday in the Chinese capital, together with his wife, father and mother-in-law and his 4-year-old son. The former palace, which admits 80,000 visitors per day, became more popular this year in the otherwise freezing off-season because of an ongoing New Year exhibition, the museum's largest with 885 relics. The exhibition aims to provide an immersive royal experience for visitors with the entire Forbidden City adorned with newly-restored ancient royal lanterns and spring couplets. These include a rare collection of the Chinese character "Fu," meaning happiness and good luck, written by five Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) emperors. "Luckily, we've got a plan B," said Zhang, pointing to the adjacent National Museum of China. The NMC was staging a series of exhibitions attracting a record of more than 300,000 visitors during the five days from Tuesday to Saturday. Among them was an exhibition to commemorate the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up, which was launched in November, and a display of the Bronze Tiger Ying, a looted Chinese bronze vessel recently brought home. Shan Jixiang, curator of the Palace Museum said: "Spending the Spring Festival in museums has evolved from a slogan for promotion to a common way for the public to mark this traditional holiday." Locally, people queued in long lines in front of the Shanghai Museum even before the doors were opened. A pig-shaped bronze vessel, which dates back more than 3,000 years, is on display for the first time at the museum. "There has been a marked increase in museum visitors during the Spring Festival since 2015," said Guan Jun, who has been a museum volunteer for six years. Guan attributed the increase to improvements in curating, promotion and service as well as stronger public recognition of traditional Chinese culture. In central China, the Henan Museum received about 8,000 visits on February 6, the second day of the Chinese New Year, two times the figure of a regular weekend day. China's 5,136 museums saw nearly 1 billion visits in 2018, figures from the National Cultural Heritage Administration show. Shan said he hopes more Chinese could put museum tours on their must-do Spring Festival list alongside the Lunar New Year Eve family reunion dinner, annual TV gala and watching films. Most New Zealanders probably know that we have an ambitious goal of our country being predator-free by 2050. But how many people really know what that means? How will it be achieved? What will it cost? Who will be involved in the work that needs to be done? And how do we avoid failure in reaching such a huge goal? In 2016, the Government committed an investment of an additional $28 million over four years. This is on top of about $70 million already being spent on predator (possums, stoats, rats) control every year by government, regional councils, businesses, iwi and volunteer community groups. There are currently 3000 species of birds, mammals and insects that are endangered and 800 species are critically endangered. The next generation benefit from Tossis new mobile classroom. A third of New Zealands islands are already predator-free as well as 24 fenced sanctuaries. Tawharanui Open Sanctuary, on the Tawharanui Peninsula, east of Warkworth, is one of them. Nevertheless, its easy to understand that people might feel overwhelmed by the challenge of a predator-free country, shrug their shoulders, and say, What can I possibly do, as one individual, to make a difference? Tossi has an Education, Awareness and Appreciation Plan (EAAP). Its purpose is to help people increase their knowledge of the problem, learn about solutions and how to take action. Knowledge is power: people can change their attitudes and behaviours if theyre given the right user-friendly information and useful skills. It can feel very empowering to plant a native tree to provide food for native birds, or trap predators in your own urban backyard. The plan includes working alongside Auckland Zoo to support their commitment to conservation science through education for school students. During school terms 1 and 4, school groups camp overnight at Tawharanui. Over a 24-hour period they learn practical conservation skills that they can use to make a positive difference in their communities. This summer, Tossi provided another opportunity to inform and educate people in the form of a custom-made, mobile information trailer. Housed in the trailer are three realistic dioramas of the shore, the bush, and the wetlands showing models of the various birds living in each habitat. Below each diorama are photos of the birds on display, with brief explanations about their habitat and behaviour. Other sections feature information on predator control and information about Tawharanui Open Sanctuary. World-renowned conservationist David Attenborough recently said, The biggest threat to human well-being, to other species and the earth as we know it, might well be ourselves. Tossi provides an opportunity for people to help reduce that threat right here in our own backyard. Marguerite Vanderkolk, TOSSI www.tossi.org.nz Beatrice Sampayo, the grandmother accused of helping her son cover up the death of her 8-month-old grandson, King Jay Davila, was released from jail Sunday. Lawyers for Sampayo convinced a judge to lower her bail during a hearing Friday, arguing that she is innocent and bedridden with terminal cancer. Prosecutors disputed those claims, saying she is a habitual liar and danger to society. She posted a $50,000 bond that night but was held until Sunday morning due to a delay in outfitting her with an ankle monitor. On ExpressNews.com: King Jay's grandmother granted lower bail, but prosecutors claim she is 'a danger to society' Sampayo, 64, is facing a charge of tampering with evidence in the case. San Antonio police say she helped her 34-year-old son stage the theft of a car on Jan. 4 to make it look like King Jay, who was purportedly in the back seat, had been abducted and was missing. Police never bought the scheme and quickly confronted Christopher Davila, the father of the 8-month-old. Within days, he would lead officers to a field on the Northeast Side where they found the toddlers body wrapped in a blanket inside a backpack, buried in the ground. The father now says King Jay died after he fell off a bed while in car seat, and he did not call 911 because he panicked. But police have suggested theyre skeptical of those claims as well. The Bexar County Medical Examiners Office, which conducted on autopsy on King Jay, determined his cause of death was blunt-force trauma and ruled it a homicide. On ExpressNews.com: Baby King Jays death is tearing us apart, his great-uncle says Davila remains jailed in lieu of a $1.25 million bond on charges of injury to a child, child endangerment, tampering with evidence, possession of a controlled substance and felon in possession of a firearm. His cousin, 45-year-old Angie Torres, is accused of helping Sampayo stage the kidnapping and is also facing a charge of evidence tampering. Nearly 420 million domestic visits were made by Chinese travelers in the newly completed Spring Festival holiday, up 7.6 percent year-on-year, according to a news release by the data center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Sunday. The release said that revenue generated during the seven-day break reached 513.9 billion yuan ($76.2 billion), seeing a year-on-year rise of 8.2 percent. Traveling during the Spring Festival holiday, according to the ministry, has grown into a new custom for Chinese people to celebrate Lunar New Year, among which destinations featuring traditional or modern cultures embraced most visitors. For example, over 40 percent of travelers visited museums during the break, the release said. Also, folk events and cultural exhibitions, such as temple fairs and lantern shows, also invigorated the holiday of residents in rural areas who used to be addicted to playing mahjong and poker card games during the holiday. The Spring Festival break, from Feb 4 to Feb 10, is recognized as the most celebrated holiday in China. CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., told voters Sunday that President Donald Trump might be unable to finish his term, firing back at him for the first time since his re-election campaign attacked her rollout. "By the time we get to 2020, Donald Trump may not be president," Warren told an audience here. "In fact, he may not even be a free person." Warren had not previously hinted that the scandals surrounding the president could keep him from seeking a second term. On her previous trip to Iowa, she rarely mentioned Trump by name. But her campaign, which has faced more direct attacks from Trump than other Democratic candidates, appears to see the question about Trump's own viability as way to stop engaging with everything he says. Asked to expand on her comments later in the day, Warren quipped: "Come on, how many investigations are there now? It's no longer just the Mueller investigation; they're everywhere. And these are serious investigations." Warren also sought to put her comments in a broader context, explaining that she doesn't often mention Trump at events, because her campaign is more than just ousting the Republican president. "Things were broken long before Donald Trump got here," Warren said, speaking to reporters after a rally that drew about 500 people in Iowa City. "He made a whole lot of things a whole lot worse." But she said simply saying " 'not Trump,' then we're not going to make the changes that this country really needs." Warren formally kicked off her bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination before a crowd of about 3,500 supporters in Massachusetts on Saturday. She is part of a rapidly expanding Democratic White House field that includes Sens. Kamala Harris of California, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., is expected to announce her bid Sunday afternoon, and Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., hinted in a Sunday morning interview on NBC's "Meet the Press" that he, too, may pursue a run. Warren's remark comes as Trump's legal woes mount and as special counsel Robert Mueller III's investigation on Russian election interference has closed in on several key members of the president's orbit. A little more than halfway into his first term, nearly every organization Trump has led over the past decade is under investigation. The challenges include civil suits against Trump's private company and charity, as well as several looming investigations by House Democrats. With last month's indictment of Roger Stone, Trump's longtime friend and adviser, 34 people have been charged in the Mueller investigation, and six Trump associates have pleaded guilty. Trump has repeatedly dismissed the Mueller probe as a "witch hunt," and in his State of the Union address on Tuesday, he claimed "ridiculous partisan investigations" could hurt the country's prosperity. "If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation," Trump said. The idea that scandals might force Trump from office is widespread among Democratic voters, and other candidates have hinted at it, too. "Impeachment, prison, not re-elected, runs off and hides on a Caribbean island - I don't care," said Andrea Taylor, a 44-year-old respiratory therapist in Cedar Rapids. "I just don't want him to keep hurting our country." At a Saturday morning town hall in Marshalltown, Iowa, Booker had an exchange with a voter who said she wanted a candidate tough enough to beat Trump. The New Jersey Democrat replied that he was ready for the fight - but that he was unsure whether the president would be on the ballot. "Should I be our nominee and Trump also be their nominee - I'm not sure that he will be - you will see the toughest person standing against him," Booker said. --- Sonmez reported from Washington. For House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, resisting President Donald Trump's demand for border wall funding during the longest government shutdown in history was more than a matter of strong disagreement with his immigration policies. "We cannot have the president, every time he has an objection, to say I'll shut down the government until you come to my way of thinking," Pelosi, D-Calif., said. "If we hold the [federal] employees hostage now, they're hostage forever." Pelosi, so far, has carried the day, with Trump backing down and agreeing to reopen the government through Feb. 15, pending negotiations on a permanent spending deal. Whether she knew it or not, Pelosi was echoing arguments invoked during an even longer and more bitterly partisan funding battle 140 years ago, in which President Rutherford B. Hayes, a Republican, vetoed repeated attempts by Democrats in Congress to attach repeals of Reconstruction-era voting rights protections to government funding bills between April 1879 and June 1880. Hayes let government funding lapse rather than cave on principle - at a time, to be sure, when the federal government was a comparatively tiny operation, with only seven Cabinet departments, total spending in the tens of millions of dollars and fewer than 40,000 men in uniform. To have done otherwise, he wrote at the time, would have been to acquiesce in "unconstitutional and revolutionary" political methods. Hayes' ultimate victory in the struggle set precedents that help explain why government shutdowns were relatively rare until a new period of hyperpartisanship began in the 1990s. An Ohio politician and Civil War general, Rutherford Birchard Hayes became president in March 1877, under a cloud because the results of the 1876 presidential election had been disputed, and he ended up winning only after months of partisan wrangling. Notwithstanding his support for African American rights, and his political need to protect what were then the pro-Republican votes of blacks in the South, Hayes was eager to appease Southern Democrats for the sake of national stability after a decade and a half of war and Reconstruction. So he withdrew U.S. Army troops from strategic positions in Louisiana and South Carolina, and signed an 1878 bill, backed by Southern Democrats, that limited the use of soldiers in state-level political disorders. In 1879, however, a new Congress took office, dominated by Democratic majorities in both the House and Senate for the first time since the Civil War. Of the 192 Democratic senators and representatives, 129 were former soldiers in the Confederate Army. Their goal was to recover in Congress some of what they had lost on the battlefield: to repeal the federal government's post-war legal authority to protect African American voters in the South. Knowing Hayes would never sign such measures as free-standing legislation, the Democrats attached them to must-pass appropriations bills. The first of Hayes' vetoes was his April 29, 1879, rejection of a funding bill for the U.S. Army itself, to which the Democrats had attached a rider forbidding the use of troops to guard polling places during federal elections. Without such protection, violent white-supremacist groups could intimidate African Americans with impunity. In his veto message, Hayes, sounding very much like Pelosi, implied that the Democrats were taking the Army hostage. "To say that a majority of either or both of the Houses of Congress may insist on the approval of a bill under the penalty of stopping all of the operations of the Government for want of the necessary supplies, is . . . a dangerous violation of the spirit and meaning of the Constitution," Hayes wrote. Hayes' stand galvanized Republican partisans; GOP clubs in four Midwestern cities assembled and fired 38-gun salutes in his honor, writes a historian of the episode, Frank P. Vazzano. In Congress, Republican members also rallied to the president, and their votes denied Democrats the two-thirds majority needed to override the veto. The Democrats' attempt to defund the military to advance their own selfish racial and partisan agenda alienated public opinion. Recognizing that, Democrats allowed the Army appropriations to pass, but then tried to attach similar voting-protection repeals to funding bills for the Justice Department and the U.S. marshals. Hayes vetoed those, too, eventually forcing the Democrats to admit defeat and, in the election year of 1880, accede to full and nearly unconditional funding of the federal government. The political damage to the Democrats from their display of extremism was so extensive that Republicans took back both the House and Senate in the 1880 election. James A. Garfield, the Republican leader in the House who had orchestrated support for Hayes in that chamber, won the presidency. It was surely the finest hour of Hayes's one-term presidency. Whether it was, in fact, a contest over true constitutional principle, as he asserted, is not clear. Congress was within its rights to pass whatever laws it wanted - and Hayes was within his rights to veto them, as he did. In fact, many policy-related riders have been attached to appropriations bills, both before and since the battle between Hayes and the ex-Confederate Democrats. Today, Pelosi argues that it's the president who's attempting to rob Congress of its constitutional prerogatives - when in fact it might be more accurate to say that both she and Trump are exercising all the power the Constitution gives them. The ultimate check on such behavior is the public's judgment, both on the merits of each sides policy goals, and on the methods by which they pursued them. Blame for shutting the government down was politically costly in Rutherford B. Hayes's time, and might be in 2019, too, though the definitive verdict, now as then, awaits the next presidential election. In a matter of seconds, Triston Walsh went from being really mad at his mom to thinking she was the best mother in the world. Julie Walsh had told the Millstadt teenager last month that she sold the 1990 Ford Bronco that belonged to his father, Nick Walsh, a Marine sergeant who was killed in Iraq 12 years ago. But she was actually conspiring with a local car dealership to have the vehicle restored for his 16th birthday. More than 100 people, including a military color guard, gathered in the Mertz Ford showroom to see the staff present Triston with the shiny red vehicle with tan trim. They erupted in cheers when he climbed into the drivers seat and started the engine. It just means so much to me, said Triston, who wiped away tears with his shirt sleeve. Im just really happy that Im able to have a piece of my dad left with me. After the big surprise, family and friends celebrated Tristons birthday with a patriotic-themed dessert table at the dealership, which had red, white and blue stars hanging from the ceiling. Nicks official military portrait was displayed on an easel, along with his dress uniform. A sign listed all the automotive suppliers that donated parts for the restoration. It was overwhelmingly sweet, said Julies cousin, Karrie Vanhosser, 44, of Troy. The look on his face was priceless. It makes me sad that his dad wasnt here to see it. Triston is a sophomore at Belleville West High School. He was 4 years old when Nick was killed in a 2007 sniper attack in Fallujah. One of their last adventures was a road trip from Colorado to California in the Bronco, just the two of them. Triston and his brother, Tanner Walsh, now 12, had always expected to inherit the vehicle when they were old enough to drive. They were furious when it disappeared from the garage one day in December. (Triston) said, Wheres my dads truck? said Julie, 39, a stay-at-home mom who also has two daughters. And I was like, Well, kiddo, I had someone come out and look at it, and its going to cost way too much to fix it, so I sold it, and Im going to use the money to buy you a better car. Triston stormed upstairs to his room and spent the better part of two weeks giving his mother the silent treatment. In reality, Julie had contacted Mertz Ford to get an estimate on restoring the Bronco. The dealership sent a tow truck to pick it up while the boys were in school. It was in pretty rough shape, said Service Manager Ricky Boyer, 34, of Granite City. It was garage-kept, so it looked pretty good, but there were mechanical problems from it sitting around for so long. Boyer sprang into action. He contacted several automotive suppliers that agreed to donate parts. Mertz technicians Tim Jarrett and John McCall volunteered to work nights and weekends on the vehicle without pay. They installed a new radiator, suspension system, battery, rotors, brake pads, tires, rims and other parts. They rebuilt the intake manifold and rear differential, secured the sagging headliner and performed a tune-up. We pretty much wanted to touch every nut and bolt on the vehicle because of its age, Boyer said. We wanted it make sure it was safe and dependable for him. Mertz Ford is a 97-year-old family business owned by Don and Debbie Mertz. They gave their blessing to the Bronco project, as did general manager Greg Castelli. It started out as something small, and it just kept growing, Don said. Everybody was chipping in, and our employees agreed to do the work on their own time. Im so proud of them. It was all for someone who made the ultimate sacrifice. It was Nicks father, Jerry Walsh, who bought him the Bronco in 2006. Nick wanted a retro truck with big tires to haul his gear. He flew to Colorado to pick up the vehicle and drove it back with Triston. They took the scenic route through the mountains because Nick wanted Triston to see it, Julie said. They slept in the truck and had kind of a bonding experience. Nick loved what he was doing (in the military), but he felt bad about missing some of Tristons milestones. Nick left for his second Iraq deployment on April 1, 2007, about three months after Tanner was born. Julie had her last conversation with him on the morning of May 26 his time. Nick complained of not being able to sleep. He cried and talked about how much he missed his family and wanted to come home. Julie found it odd because he was always the one who was strong and upbeat, insisting that everything was going to be OK. A few hours later, Nicks reconnaissance unit reportedly had to stop on the streets of Fallujah because of a flat tire on a Humvee. When help arrived, Nick got out of the vehicle and stood in a circle with about a dozen military personnel. Then came a loud bang. His one friend said he felt a bullet whiz by him and then he heard Nick say, Oh, that hurts, and then he just fell to the ground, and everybody ran to take cover, Julie said. A snipers bullet had hit two of Nicks arteries and punctured his lung. He was 26 when he died. The next morning, Triston was watching cartoons and Julie was feeding Tanner when two Marines in dress uniforms knocked on her door in California and delivered the tragic news. I thought, How can I tell his son, Your dad is never coming home? she said. Triston was just so excited every time he called. He just couldnt wait. He was so attached to him. Julie and the boys lived in Chicago for two years before moving back to Millstadt in 2010 with Julies partner, Nick ODonnell, a history teacher at Belleville East High School. They now have two daughters, Tatum, 3, and Tinley, 8 months. ANGADIPPURAM, India - A mother of two from a conservative family in southern India, Kanakadurga was told over and over again by her relatives how a good wife should behave. She should obey her husband's wishes. She should adapt to his family's ways. And she should not even contemplate visiting the Sabarimala temple, one of Hinduism's holiest shrines. But Kanakadurga, 39, a civil servant who goes by one name, went anyway. Since then, nothing in her life has been the same. Last month Kanakadurga, along with another woman, accomplished a historic feat. Together they disrupted a centuries-old tradition that had barred women of menstruating age from the temple, which is devoted to a god considered celibate. The two women became the first to exercise their constitutional right to enter Sabarimala under a landmark ruling issued last year by India's Supreme Court that opened the temple to women of all ages. The ruling sparked violent protests across the state of Kerala. For months, younger women attempting to visit the shrine were forced to turn back for their safety. For Kanakadurga, the decision to make history has come at a cost. When she returned home, her mother-in-law beat her, Kanakadurga says, sending her to the hospital. Her family locked her out of the house and refused to let her talk to her sons. All but one of Kanakadurga's five siblings stopped speaking to her. Police now shadow her everywhere for her protection. Such consequences reflect the ongoing struggle over societal change in this country of 1.3 billion people, where new demands for equality are challenging age-old customs and traditions. The controversy over Sabarimala - an ancient shrine devoted to the deity Ayyappa that draws tens of millions of devotees each year - has proven particularly fierce. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sided with those who say the Supreme Court decision is an affront to Hindus. And opponents of the verdict have launched an attempt to overturn it. But the tide appears to be turning. Last week, the religious board that oversees the Sabarimala temple reversed its stance and said that it, too, supported allowing all women into the shrine. "We are against any form of discrimination," the board president told reporters. Kanakadurga, a small woman with dark curly hair who wears a gold chain with an image of the Hindu god Krishna around her neck, is an unlikely revolutionary. As a child, she used to see pilgrims clad in the black garb of devotees setting off for Sabarimala and longed to go with them. To this day, Kanakadurga's family observes the practice of keeping women apart from the functioning of the household while they menstruate because they are considered to be impure. During those times, she would eat and sleep in a different room and was not allowed to cook or touch utensils. "I come from such a traditional family," said Kanakadurga, her eyes alive with pride as she recounted her journey to Sabarimala. "And I have managed to do this job." Kanakadurga studied commerce and later married a man from the same upper-caste community in an arranged union. One source of friction in the relationship was her love of writing poetry, she said. She described a bitter fight with her husband over her desire to travel to a poetry conference, which he said no respectable woman would do. Kanakadurga's husband declined requests to speak with The Washington Post. When the Supreme Court announced its verdict in September opening Sabarimala to women between the ages of 10 and 50, Kanakadurga was elated. She joined groups on Facebook and WhatsApp, where women discussed plans to make the pilgrimage. When she finally decided to join them, she was too afraid to tell her husband where she was going. Before setting out on the pilgrimage, she met Bindu A., a law professor who would become her partner on their historic trek. (Bindu, too, usually goes by one name). They first attempted to reach the shrine in late December but turned back after confronting a crowd of 1,000 protesters. The next time, they succeeded. Accompanied by plainclothes police officers, Kanakadurga and Bindu set out on the three-mile uphill walk to the temple early on Jan. 2, arriving at the innermost sanctuary just before 4 in the morning. They prayed for about five minutes, Kanakadurga said, then descended. The backlash was immediate. Priests closed the shrine to conduct a purification ritual. The BJP called for a statewide strike, and violent clashes broke out between its supporters and backers of the state government, which is run by India's main communist party. One person was killed. For Kanakadurga, the worst hostility was yet to come. Early on Jan. 15, she returned home to Angadippuram, a small town in northern Kerala. As she walked in, her mother-in-law came out of the kitchen and started shouting at her, Kanakadurga said. Then she grabbed a piece of wood and hit Kanakadurga on her head, drawing blood, she recalled. Not long after, Kanakadurga's 12-year-old twin sons arrived and began to cry. Police officers took Kanakadurga to the hospital. Sumathi Amma, 73, Kanakadurga's mother-in-law, denied the assault. "Nothing like that happened," she said. Kanakadurga "pushed me and I fell down. That's it." Kanakadurga "is not an ordinary woman," she added. "Even her own mother doesn't like her now." After leaving the hospital, Kanakadurga came home to find her house locked. Her husband had left and taken their children to a rented house nearby, forcing Kanakadurga to move to a government-run women's shelter. Earlier this month, an anonymous letter earlier had arrived at the shelter, promising to exact "punishment" against the two women who entered Sabarimala. On Feb. 5, a local court ordered Kanakadurga's husband to unlock their home. After sunset, she walked - surrounded by her police escort - down the narrow lane to her home and through the wooden front door. The two-story bungalow appeared to have been hastily vacated: Onions spilled out of a basket and dirty dishes sat in the kitchen. Despite the mess, Kanakadurga was relieved to be home. Now all she wanted was to be reunited with her sons to explain what had happened. Otherwise she had no regrets. "I'm only worried about my children," she said. "I want to convince them that what I did was right." - - - The Washington Post's Shahina K.K. contributed reporting. MINNEAPOLIS - Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota announced Sunday that she will run for president in 2020, putting a pragmatic Midwesterner touting a message of competence and mettle into the burgeoning field of Democratic candidates. Klobuchar held her announcement rally at a park on the banks of the Mississippi River, near the site of the 2007 collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge, in which 13 people were killed and scores more were injured. The bridge was quickly rebuilt in 2008, after politicians and officials, including the senator, came together to expedite the construction process. The intended takeaway of its role as the emotional heart of her speech: Klobuchar is someone who will get things done. "That sense of community is fracturing across our nation right now, worn down by the petty and vicious nature of our politics," Klobuchar said. "We are all tired of the shutdowns and the showdowns, the gridlock and the grandstanding. Our nation must be governed not from chaos but from opportunity. Not by wallowing over what's wrong, but by marching inexorably toward what's right. And it has to start with all of us." Presidential announcements are typically choreographed to the second, with all exigencies covered. In Klobuchar's case, her entry into the race came at an outdoor event at which the bareheaded candidate, her introductory speakers and hundreds of supporters were pelted by relentless snow. She sought to use that, too, as defining her candidacy. "We don't let a little snow stop us! We don't let a lot of cold stop us!" Klobuchar said as she started her speech. Later, speaking to reporters, she noted that she made her announcement "in the middle of a blizzard, and I think we need people with grit. I have that grit." When a reporter asked whether she was tough enough to take on President Donald Trump, she replied: "I'd have loved to see him sitting out here in the snow for an hour, giving this speech." The president commented on Klobuchar's announcement via Twitter: "Amy Klobuchar announced that she is running for President, talking proudly of fighting global warming while standing in a virtual blizzard of snow, ice and freezing temperatures," he tweeted. "Bad timing. By the end of her speech she looked like a Snowman(woman)!" In response, the senator tweeted: "Science is on my side, @realDonaldTrump. Looking forward to debating you about climate change (and many other issues). And I wonder how your hair would fare in a blizzard?" The sprawling field Klobuchar joined Sunday includes four Democratic senators - Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kamala Harris of California, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Cory Booker of New Jersey. Other senators, including Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and the 2016 runner-up to the nomination, Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., are considering bids. Klobuchar aimed to distinguish herself with a Midwestern earnestness, as she made clear in her speech. "Today, on an island in the middle of the mighty Mississippi, in our nation's heartland, at a time when we must heal the heart of our democracy and renew our commitment to the common good, I stand before you as the granddaughter of an iron-ore miner, as the daughter of a teacher and a newspaperman, as the first woman elected to the United States Senate from the state of Minnesota, to announce my candidacy for president of the United States," Klobuchar said. She said she was running "for every worker, farmer, dreamer and builder." "I am running for every American," she said. "I am running for you. I promise you this as your president: I will look you in the eye. I will tell you what I think. I will focus on getting things done. That's what I've done my whole life. And no matter what, I'll lead from the heart." That middle-American positioning came under threat last week as news organizations published reports that quoted unnamed staff members as saying Klobuchar had been an exceptionally difficult boss. She has the third-highest staff turnover rate - 35 percent - in the Senate, according to data from 2001 to 2017 collected by LegiStorm, a nonpartisan congressional research company. Klobuchar praised her staff for putting together the announcement event when asked about the reports. "Yes, I can be tough. And yes, I can push people. I know that," she said. "But in the end, there are so many great stories of our staff that have been with me for years who have gone on to do incredible things. And I have, I'd say, high expectations for myself. I have high expectations for the people who work for me. And I have high expectations for this country. That's what we need. We need someone who is focused on getting things done for our country." The 58-year-old prosecutor has spent much of her career attempting to be a bipartisan coalition-builder, willing to appear on Fox News as well as MSNBC. She can point to election victories that illustrate an ability to win in liberal urban areas as well as conservative rural ones. Klobuchar in 2006 became the first woman from Minnesota elected to the U.S. Senate, and she has continued to win as that area of the country has become more Republican. She was easily re-elected in 2012 and 2018, carrying conservative areas of the state that Trump won in 2016. She can tout a record of productivity, with Medill News Service ranking her in 2016 as the senator who had sponsored or co-sponsored the most bills that became law. But she is relatively untested when it comes to raising the kind of money needed for a campaign, as well as appealing to minorities and winning over liberals. She has voted with Trump's position nearly a third of the time, which is far more often than other Democratic senators running for president or considering a campaign, according to a tally maintained by the FiveThirtyEight news site. Klobuchar was born and raised in Minnesota. Her father, a sportswriter and columnist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, was an alcoholic, which put strains on the family that she recounted in her 2015 memoir, "The Senator Next Door: A Memoir from the Heartland." She discussed her family history when she questioned Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh during his hearing before the Senate last year, asking him whether he had ever blacked out after drinking. "I don't know. Have you?" he shot back, in an exchange that drew widespread attention and for which he later apologized. Klobuchar was the valedictorian of her public high school, and she earned a degree in political science from Yale University while spending a summer working as a construction worker, pounding stakes into the ground for the Minnesota Highway Department. She earned a law degree from the University of Chicago, and in 1998 was elected as attorney of Hennepin County, which is Minnesota's most populous. Her status as a neighbor to the first state to cast ballots in 2020 may be beneficial, as Klobuchar clearly suggested in her speech Sunday. She spoke of the meandering Mississippi River, on whose bank she stood, and noted that further south it passed through Iowa - a state, she said, where Minnesotans "go south for the winter." "At least I do," she said. --- Video Embed Code Video: Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., is officially running for president in 2020, joining a crowded and diverse field of Democratic candidates vying for the nomination.(Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post) Embed code: Border inspection agencies across China have seen more than 12.5 million entry and exit trips made during the week-long Spring Festival holiday that started Monday, an increase of nearly 11 percent than that of last year, the National Immigration Administration (NIA) said Sunday. Inbound trips exceeded 6.22 million, rising by about 9.5 percent than the figure of 2018, while outbound trips increased by nearly 12.5 percent to over 6.31 million, according to the NIA. Over 7.22 million entry and exit trips during the holiday were made by mainland residents for personal purposes, including traveling and visiting family members, growing by nearly 16 percent year on year. Destinations visited most included Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and the United States, as well as Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, the NIA said. Prince George's County, Maryland, fought back against assertions that the police department is biased against officers of color, asserting in new court filings that the 12 officers suing the department do not represent a "pattern or practice" of discrimination by the agency. The county said in a letter that it plans to ask a federal judge to dismiss a group lawsuit filed in December by two minority police associations and several officers of color and instead require the officers to file claims individually. The 12 officers are of different races and "assert different types of discrimination and retaliation by different decision makers, at different times, under markedly different circumstances," the letter from lawyers representing the county states. "Apart from conclusory allegations, Plaintiffs allege no facts showing a policy or statement - formal or informal - of the PGPD that links their claims together." The lawsuit, filed with the backing of the ACLU of Maryland and the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, says the police department systemically denies promotions to officers of color and retaliates against them for reporting misconduct involving white officers. The lawsuit also says the department disciplines officers of color more harshly and unfairly demotes those who complain of biased treatment. The county's letter comes weeks after the complaining that officers in the case said the department retaliated against them after their lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Maryland. The lawyers for the officers say that in recent weeks one officer was written up for petty infractions, another was transferred to a less desirable job and another was suspended. "We look forward to defeating their arguments in court," Dennis Corkery, one of the civil rights attorneys representing the officers, said of the county's latest filing. Lawyers for the officers say they plan to ask the judge to issue a preliminary injunction in the case that would bar the department from taking additional actions against the officers. Corkery said the group also is working with the county on the recent retaliation complaints, with many of them already resolved. Police spokeswoman Jennifer Donelan declined to comment on the case, citing the pending litigation. In its letter, the county described some of its personnel reviews involving the officers. One plaintiff who says he received improper discipline had texted a "picture of his genitals to the victim of a domestic violence case he was investigating," the county said in its most recent letter to the court. Another was being investigated for unholstering his service weapon to resolve a dispute with a parking attendant. The lawsuit is part of an ongoing disputewithin the county department. Last year, officers of color asked the U.S. Justice Department to investigate the agency. Justice Department officials have declined to comment on the "existence or nonexistence" of an investigation into the department. The ACLU attorney representing the officers said the employment section of the federal agency's civil rights division has been reviewing the officers' concerns. The lawsuit accuses police management of declining to appropriately punish white officers who have circulated racist text messages or made racist comments, such as asking black officers whether they're "hungry for chicken" or sending messages about bringing "back public hangings." It also said that white officers who had been punished for misconduct later have been promoted to various positions, but that minority officers who have been similarly disciplined have not. The county's most recent court filing did not address in detail the concerns of the complaint but broadly asserted that the accusations by the individual officers should not be considered as a whole. The internal investigations and subsequent disciplinary actions taken against them represent disparate and individual circumstances, the county contends. "The 12 individual Plaintiffs assert five different claims for relief - hostile work environment, disparate discipline, retaliation, non-promotion, and discrimination based on disability; no plaintiff asserts all claims," the letter states. "Moreover, an extreme risk of prejudice to Defendants arises from the fact that a jury might conclude that merely from the number of Plaintiffs in the case, there must be something wrong with the actions of the PGPD." What if student loan payments were treated like Social Security taxes - automatically withheld from a person's paycheck? Fewer people would fall behind and risk having their wages garnished or credit score plummet. But some may struggle to cover living expenses if their education debt takes priority. Those are some of the central arguments in favor and against a novel policy gaining traction in Washington. Automatic payroll deduction for student loan repayment has long had broad support among liberal and conservative policy wonks, but it could come to fruition with the backing of Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn. The chairman of the Senate education panel hailed the idea last week in a speech outlining his priorities for reauthorizing the Higher Education Act of 1965, a federal law that governs almost every aspect of the sector. Although reauthorization has endured fits and starts in a divided Congress, Alexander has pledged to complete the task before he retires next year. As a result, his support for payroll deduction is giving new life to debates over the issue. Speaking before the conservative think tank American Enterprise Institute last week, Alexander proposed consolidating the existing nine repayment plans into two options. One would maintain the standard 10-year repayment plan, while the other would expand the Obama-era plan Revised Pay as You Earn, or REPAYE. That program caps payments to about 10 percent of discretionary income - that means earnings above 150 percent of the federal poverty line ($18,735 for a single person) - and forgives any existing balance after 20 years. Alexander would marry that option with automatic payroll deduction. "Borrowers would never have to pay more than 10 percent of their income that is not needed for necessities," Alexander told the audience. "And if a borrower loses his or her job and doesn't make enough to make a payment, they would not pay anything, and it would not hurt their credit score." Alexander gave several examples of how the proposal could work for borrowers. Take an engineering graduate with $28,500 in debt and a starting salary of $60,000. The first $18,735 would be untouched, leaving about $41,000 in discretionary income. Therefore, her student loan payments would be about $343 a month. If this borrower never gets a raise, she will pay back her loan in nine years. Say that same woman attended community college instead, amassed $7,500 in student debt and dropped out after the first year. If she earns $20,000 a year with a discretionary income of almost $1,200, she could expect to pay $120 a month. Anything she owes after 20 years would be forgiven. "Under this payment system, students will have a manageable payment. Most will completely pay off their loans, which is good for the student and good for the taxpayer," Alexander said. "And it should end the nightmare that many students have worrying how they're going to pay off their student loans." Some consumer advocates worry Alexander's plan could create an entirely new nightmare for low-income borrowers. On Monday, the National Consumer Law Center issued a policy paper criticizing automated payroll deduction as shortsighted. The liberal advocacy group argues that many student loan borrowers lack stable employment and have fluctuations in income. Automatic payroll withholding could mean diverting money from rent or food, the paper said. It could operate much like wage garnishment, depriving families of income to cover necessities. Borrowers should be able to prioritize their expenses and debts in a way that allows them to meet their other obligations, the paper said. "While the student loan repayment system is in desperate need of overhaul, forced automatic payroll withholding misses the mark," said Persis Yu, a staff attorney and director of the National Consumer Law Center's Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project. Paycheck withholding was considered during the Clinton administration after a 1995 report examined whether the Education Department should transfer student loans to the Internal Revenue Service. But the idea failed to gain momentum, despite successes elsewhere. Australia is among a handful of countries that have adopted payroll deduction for student loan repayment. There, payments kick in once graduates start earning at least $44,000 and increase alongside income. The Consumer Law Center paper points out that unlike Australia, income-driven plans in the United States are determined by household income, placing married couples at a disadvantage. Alexander's push for payroll withholding lends heft to the issue, but it may prove a hard sell for some in Congress. A Democratic aide on the House education committee said Rep. Robert "Bobby" Scott, D-Va., chairman of the committee, is concerned automatic payroll deductions take away incentives to make college more affordable. A Republican aide on the committee said it is a complex idea worthy of discussion. Aides for Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the Senate committee, declined to comment on policy proposals before negotiations get underway. A workplace without red tape, unwritten rules and politics is as mythical as a unicorn. However, today's business leaders are beginning to look inward to analyze how people experience their workplaces. Inclusive leaders want to know how their team members work and respond to their environments, from human interactions to corporate culture. Now more than ever, leaders must engage and invest in their people. Last May, consulting group Work Institute released the 2018 Retention Report. Its findings predicted that 42 million employees -- one in four -- would leave their jobs by the end of 2018, costing employers an estimated $600 million in turnover costs. Work Institute also forecasted those annual costs will climb to $680 billion by 2020. Company leaders long have speculated that most employees leave their current jobs primarily for better-paying positions. However, the retention report instead uncovered consistent, underlying issues: career-development opportunities, work-life balance and poor management. Related: Has Major Employee Churn Just Hit Your Company? My Experience Says It Will Bounce Back. In all, the Work Institute report identified 50 important reasons people decide to leave their jobs. These reasons then were grouped into 10 categories -- seven of which comapny leaders have the power to prevent. Here are the top five: No opportunity to grow in a preferred job and career (21%). Better work-life balance, including flexibility around schedules (13%). Unprofessional or unsupportive manager (11%). Personal or family health issues (9%). Pay identified more than benefits (9%). Employee turnover is expensive. The employee lifecycle encompasses advertising, recruiting, training and lost productivity. Companies that fail to proactively invest in their workforce will see these costs amplify. Staff salaries, benefits and help-me-grow environments all are a good start to grow human capital. But leaders also must spend money developing their people. Here are five ways companies can invest in their people's success and enjoy a more sustainable business. Related: 5 Steps to Investing Wisely in Human Capital Development 1. Cultivate a culture of honesty. Skilled communicators hold power. Failure to communicate costs money and compromises bottom lines. A white paper from International Data Corporation reported that large American and U.K. corporations (those with 100,000 or more employees) each lose an average of $62.4 million annually because of employee misunderstandings, misinformation or lack of confidence in how they're supposed to do their jobs. Poor communication is a leader's conscious decision not to improve. These bad bosses might think they don't have time to get bogged down with employee communications. Maybe they believe workers will come up with their own interpretations regardless of the message, or they've decided to keep employees on a very need-to-know basis. Leaders of the future must create a culture of honesty. The flow of truthful information within the environment fosters courageous conversations. It's worth every second to communicate with intent so the message aligns with business values, resonates with the team and inspires action. Related: Science Has Confirmed That Honesty Really Is the Best Policy in the Workplace 2. Understand the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Wellness encapsulates a range of programs aimed at protecting employee health, boosting performance and embracing employee health and wellbeing. Company executives are opening their minds and hearts to re-humanizing business. They've launched innovative programs and resources aimed to improve their employees' financial wellness, mental health, nutrition, movement, mindfulness, sleep and stress management. And they're investing in leadership behaviors and culture changes to support those efforts. In 2018, the corporate wellness market reached nearly $8 billion in the United States, and it's expected to hit $11.3 billion by 2021. VirginPulse offers an app to deliver a wide range of employee wellbeing solutions. Its active users are "65 percent more engaged, have 32 percent lower turnover rates deliver 9 percent higher productivity than their peers," according to a 2018 Deloitte report. Xero is fostering wellness in its workplace by creating environments in which people feel they belong and can do their best work. Having recently made changes to its Wellness Leave policy, Xero has encouraged conversations about physical and emotional health, participated in fun runs and promoted the option for staff members to take time off for their wellbeing or if a partner or dependent requires care. Related: How the 100 Healthiest Companies in America Handle Wellness Differently Than You Do 3. Indulge in some soul food. Volunteering time to help another human being contributes to the greater good. That's why community involvement is such a powerful way for employees to feel connected to something bigger than themselves. People who take part in corporate social responsibility activities tend to be more engaged in their work, hold more positive views about their coworkers and have higher levels of job fulfillment. A company's commitment to community and social responsibility creates an environment that makes a difference in the lives of its employees, helps build loyalty to the business and can impact the organization's ability to attract and retain top professionals. Recently, Salesforce released a new philanthropy cloud that connects corporations, employees, and nonprofits at scale. Employees can track and take ownership of their philanthropic impact and team up with coworkers to fundraise and volunteer. Related: Corporate Social Responsibility Can Actually Be a Competitive Advantage. So Where's Your CSR Program? 4. Conduct a SWOT analysis. Prioritizing professional development adds credibility to a brand, increasing marketability both within and outside a business. Leaders can conduct a self-check with a SWOT analysis: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Then, company executives can craft a plan that uses the SWOT results to develop short- and long-terms goals, cultivates individual ownership, encourages accountability and drives individual employees to ask, "Where am l now, where do l want to be, and how do l close the gap? Monthly check-ins are valuable to track against the goals, nurture courageous conversations and review progress for continued improvements. Related: The Ins and Outs of SWOT Analysis for Marketing Growth 5. Recognize that human capital is a company's scarcest resource. Any organization's success lies in the happiness, competence and expertise of the people behind the business. The most transformational thing a company can do for its people is to invest in creating work environments that unleash intrinsic inspiration. An inspired employee is more than twice as productive as a satisfied employee. Related: Investing in Your People Is Investing in the Future of Your Business 9 Habits That Will Make Your Life (and You) More Interesting 7 Proven Ways to Redirect Stress Into a Powerful Success Motivator Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved In 1968, Sammy Davis Jr. ventured to Chicago to star in the musical Golden Boy. All black entertainers who were in town paid their respects with a visit to Johnson Publishing Co., whose magazines Ebony and Jet loyally chronicled their careers. I often attended the magazines celebrity lunches. James Brown arrived swathed in a full-length mink coat. James Earl Jones sonorous voice made everything he said sound earth-shattering. But Davis was the most memorable. If you watch Sammy Davis Jr.: American Masters on KQED on Tuesday, Feb. 19, youll get a sense of him as a jokester. His part in the legendary Rat Pack composed of Frank Sinatra and his close buddies Davis, Dean Martin, Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop seemed to be to regularly crack up the Pack. The star-studded five defined the 1960s like few other performers, and in their treatment of Davis it was obvious political correctness was not in their lexicon. Bishop, who wrote much of their Las Vegas material, concocted a skit where Martin would pick up the diminutive Davis like a doll and declare, Id like to thank the NAACP for this wonderful trophy. Often the brunt of Sinatra and Martins jokes, Davis knew how to give back, his put-downs as sharp as theirs. The documentary, originally titled Sammy Davis, Jr.: Ive Gotta Be Me, shows him largely living in a white world in which he never seems quite comfortable. It was a sharp contrast to the Davis at that magazine lunch in 68, who appeared completely at ease discussing politics and the world with a bunch of editors and writers. Davis talked about spending his time when he wasnt performing campaigning for Robert F. Kennedy for president in the Democratic primaries. He was closer to RFK than he had been to President Kennedy, who was Sinatras carousing partner. Davis also talked about giving away tickets to his Chicago show to the black community and inviting them onstage at the conclusion to talk about what they had seen. The production, which was rewritten for Davis from the play and movie of the 1930s in which the boxer was white, now depicted a poor Harlem resident who disobeys his family by going into prizefighting as a route to fame and fortune. Things dont work out the way he had hoped. Four years later, in 1972, I was working at The Chronicle and interviewed Davis in the Fairmonts private billiards room (the inner sanctum of the hotels owner, the politically influential Ben Swig). State of Israel Bonds was to give him its Israel Commendation Award for his work raising money for Israel and entertaining Israeli troops. At the awards dinner, Davis joked about being black and converting to Judaism, which he did 17 years earlier after a car crash cost him his sight in one eye. When I wake up in the morning, I dont know if I should be lazy and shiftless or smart and stingy, he told the crowd. In our interview, he said there were few things he took more seriously than being black and Jewish. Davis attended services during the High Holidays but didnt believe thats what being a Jew is all about. It means being a good human being and being aware of your brothers plight, he said softly. More Information "Sammy Davis Jr.: American Masters":Documentary. 9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19. KQED. 90 minutes. See More Collapse The troops both men and women he entertained in Israel looked so super groovy. They are fighting for something they believe in, not something some politicians got them into. Davis contrasted this with performing for American soldiers in Vietnam. Nobody wants to be over there, he said. His black consciousness had been raised in the years prior with good friends I saw getting involved in black causes. He realized: Hey, man, I aint doing enough. What I have been doing doesnt make it anymore. His commitment to furthering black-white relations suffered a setback after the death of his friends the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy. It made Davis question if the nonviolent approach has achieved anything, he said. He was quoted saying that America stinks and that he was moving to the Bahamas. But ultimately Davis decided the only way to change things was to get into the mainstream. He was thrilled to hear of the creation of the Congressional Black Caucus, an affirmation that the heavy black cats are thinking along the same lines. At that point he wasnt sure if he would side with the Democratic or the Republican candidate for president, saying he would support the best man for my people. (Later that year, in an act that would haunt him for the rest of his life, he stood up on a stage at a Republican convention rally and hugged candidate Richard Nixon.) Davis had slowed down since a hospitalization the year before for an enlarged liver and a warning from his doctor that if he didnt quit his heavy boozing, he would be dead in three years. I dont take myself so seriously anymore, he said. I am able to look in the mirror and laugh. Davis lasted to the age of 64, dying in 1990. Compared with his pal Sinatra, he has been largely forgotten. But this journalist remembers Davis fondly. Hopefully the excellent documentary about him will bring him back to life, at least for a few hours. Ruthe Stein is The Chronicles senior movie writer. Feb. 1 At 10:34 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the 3000 block of Wroxton in reference to a burglary of a motor vehicle that had already occurred. At 12:38 p.m., an officer was dispatched to Missouri City Police Department to retrieve a suspect who had outstanding warrants with the city of West University Place. The suspect (Eddie Everline Jr) was taken into custody and transported to West University Place Jail where the suspect was booked in without incident. An Officer was dispatched to the 5300 block of Kirby in reference to a burglary of a motor vehicle that had already occurred. At 4:41 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the 6300 block of Mercer in reference to a accident that had already occurred. At 4:54 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in regards to an ID Theft that already occurred. Feb. 2 An officer observed a vehicle traveling above the posted speed limit, southbound, in the 6300 block of Buffalo Speedway. A traffic stop was conducted and after further investigation, the driver was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated. An officer observed a vehicle traveling southbound in the 5400 block of Buffalo Speedway with expired registration. A traffic stop was conducted and after further investigation, the driver was arrested for Possession of Marijuana. Feb. 3 An officer observed a suspicious vehicle in the 5400 block of Kirby. Upon further investigation, the driver was arrested for Public Intoxication. At 1:25 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 2900 block of Quenby in reference to a verbal disturbance. After further investigation, the problem was resolved. An Officer observed a vehicle in the 4200 block of Bissonnet traveling westbound with an obscured/unreadable and expired Texas temporary license plate. The driver was subsequently arrested for an active warrant from Missouri City P.D. and the rear passenger was arrested for Unlawful Carrying of Weapon. Feb. 4 An officer with the City of West University Place Police Department was dispatched to the 4500 block of Memorial Dr. to meet with a Houston Police Department officer who had an individual in custody with outstanding warrants through the City of West University Place Municipal Court. The individual was taken into custody and transported without incident. An officer observed a vehicle traveling northbound in the 6500 block of Buffalo Speedway with a defective taillight. A traffic stop was conducted and upon further investigation, it was discovered that the driver was in possession of marijuana and had an open alcoholic container in the vehicle. The marijuana was seized and the occupant was enrolled into the Misdemeanor Marijuana Diversion Program and was issued a citation for an open alcoholic container. Feb. 5 An officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in regards to a Burglary of a Motor Vehicle that had already occurred. At 4:17 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the 2800 block of Sunset, in reference to a minor accident/FSGI which had already occurred. At 6:46 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the 3800 block of Southwestern Street, in reference to an ID theft that had already occurred. At 11:25 a.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop for expired registration. During the course of the traffic stop, the driver was found to have open warrants with the West University Municipal Court, and he was arrested for those warrants. Feb. 6 At 12:51 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in regards to a theft that already occurred. At 10:22 p.m., an officer observed a vehicle traveling northbound in the 6400 block of Buffalo Speedway at a high rate of speed. A traffic stop was conducted in the 3100 block of Amherst and after further investigation; the driver was arrested for the offense of Driving While License Invalid. Feb. 7 An officer conducted a traffic stop in the 6800 block of Buffalo Speedway for fictitious registration. The driver was arrested for fictitious registration. A suspected marijuana dealer was arrested following a traffic stop by East Lyon Street and North Malinche Avenue, police said. Edgar Rodriguez Jr., 19, was charged with possession of marijuana. READ MORE: Documents fall out of vehicle, lead to warrants for two men on theft charges At about 10:40 p.m. Wednesday, a Laredo Police Department officer pulled over a black Ford passenger vehicle for a traffic violation in the 2100 block of East Lyon. He identified the driver as Rodriguez. During the field interview, police said they noticed a strong odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle. The officer then allegedly found 35 clear plastic baggies containing a green leafy substance. Chinese companies listed on overseas bourses may consider floats on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's upcoming science and technology innovation board, analysts said. The pilot project in China's capital market reforms is expected to be launched in the April-June period. "Companies with special ownership structures complying with related requirements and redchip companies will both be allowed to list ," the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the top securities regulator, said in an announcement on Jan 30. Red-chip companies refer to mainland-based companies that are incorporated and listed outside the mainland, especially on the Hong Kong stock exchange and on bourses in New York, London and Frankfurt. Analysts said the "special ownership structures" mentioned in the Jan 30 announcement refer to the structures of variable interest entity or VIE, which are adopted by some redchip companies, especially internet companies such as Alibaba and Tencent. VIE structures enable investors abroad to invest in and control mainland-based companies by contracts instead of ownership. China does not allow foreign capital to take control of companies in certain industries via direct stock ownership. "The new board's acceptance of VIE structures and red-chip companies will provide convenience for red-chip companies to list on mainland bourses," said Wang Tingting, an associate professor of finance at Beijing-based Central University of Finance and Economics. "Without the acceptance, they need to make adjustments to their corporate governance structures, such as removing the VIE structure, in order to go public on mainland bourses. Such adjustments are usually costly," Wang said. Luo Wei, an associate professor at Peking University's Guanghua Management School, said many mainland-based internet companies listed overseas wish to list at home, where they may even receive higher valuation as domestic investors appear to understand and recognize their business models better. Once the new board sees redchip companies listing, mainland investors can diversify their portfolios better, but need to spend more time understanding risks behind the complex VIE structures, Luo said. To list on the new board, redchip companies need not delist from bourses outside the mainland, according to the CSRC. Red-chip companies are allowed to list on the new board by issuing Chinese Depositary Receipts or CDRs, it said. CDRs are certificates that are traded on mainland bourses but represent a pool of shares listed on bourses outside the mainland, offering a convenient and low-cost way for red-chip companies to list at home. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 11) Malacanang on Monday reiterated President Rodrigo Duterte's stand that no government fund shall be used in support of or against any candidate running in the 2019 midterm elections. In a media briefing, spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte would be "strict" with the ban of using government resources for the campaign period. "The President will never use any government resource in support and against candidates. Strikto siya doon (he's very strict when it comes to that)," Panelo told reporters. "He made the endorsement (of candidates) during the time na hindi naman (when it was still not) prohibited. Basta sinabi niya na (He just said) 'I will not allow any government fund to be used in support of or against any particular candidate. Itaga niyo sa bato 'yan (set that in stone)," he added. The spokesman shrugged off detractors' statements criticizing the President for "endorsing" select political bets early on. He added the campaign has yet to officially start. Some of the candidates being supported by Duterte, notably former Special Assistant to the President Bong Go, often tag along with the President during his provincial trips and speaking engagements. Government critics have questioned Go's presence in those trips and whether his travels are at government expense. Panelo, however, was not specifically asked about it. The Commission on Elections earlier said it did not find anything wrong with Go accompanying Duterte on his trips as the former has a "freedom of movement." READ: No poll rule broken in Bong Go following Duterte's trail, Comelec says Panelo also addressed the issue of Duterte supporting different slates including his own PDP-Laban, and his daughter Sara Duterte's Hugpong ng Pagbabago. "I think what he's doing is that he's presenting certain candidates that, to his mind, would be good material for the Senate. So anybody from those lineup would be good for him," he added. "If he, for instance, supports the slates, then it only means that he has a deep bench of senatorial hopefuls. Regardless of who among them wins, then okay sa kaniya yun (the candidates would be okay for him." The official campaign period for senatorial bets and partylist groups starts Tuesday. Scientists advance new technology to protect drinking water from Lake Erie algal toxins Before the 2014 Toledo Water Crisis left half a million residents without safe drinking water for three days, Dr. Jason Huntley's research at The University of Toledo focused on bacteria that cause pneumonia. After the harmful algal bloom prompted the city of Toledo's "Do Not Drink" advisory, the microbiologist expanded his research projects to target microcystin. "I live here, and I have a young son," said Huntley, associate professor in the UT Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology in the College of Medicine and Life Sciences. "I don't want toxins in the water, and I am committed to helping the water treatment plant protect the public." Huntley's research lab recently made major progress in his mission to create a biofilter that uses naturally occurring Lake Erie bacteria to remove microcystin released by harmful algal blooms from drinking water, reducing or eliminating the use of chlorine and other chemicals. "We've identified groups of bacteria in Lake Erie that can be used to naturally purify water. To our knowledge, these bacteria have not been previously used to fight harmful algal blooms in other parts of the world," Huntley said. The microbiologists successfully isolated bacteria from Lake Erie that degrade the microcystin toxin known as MC-LR - the most toxic, most common and most closely linked to liver cancer and other diseases - at a daily rate of up to 19 parts per billion (ppb). Water analysts and toxicologists measure microcystin and other contaminants using the metric of ppb; one ppb is one part in 1 billion. These ppb numbers are important for human health because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends that young children not drink water containing more than 0.3 ppb of microcystin and adults not drink water containing more than 1.6 ppb of microcystin. "The bacteria we've identified can degrade much more toxin than was reported in the 2014 water crisis," Huntley said. "Based on recorded toxin levels in Lake Erie in recent years, these rates would be able to effectively remove microcystin from water supplies." None of the 13 microcystin-degrading bacterial isolates has been associated with human disease, so their use in future water-purifying biofilters is unlikely to be a public health concern. The identified bacteria include Flectobacillus major, Pseudomonas lutea, Agrobacterium albertimagni, Leadbetterella byssophila, Pseudomonas putida, Flectobacillus major, Pseudomonas hunanensis, Runella slithyformis, Porphyrobacter sp., Pseudomonas parafulva, Sphingobium yanoikuyae, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Sphingobium yanoikuyae. The research is published in the February issue of the Journal of Great Lakes Research. Researchers in Australia, China and other countries also have identified bacteria that can chew up and break down microcystin from algal blooms, however, Huntley said those specific types of bacteria were not found in any of his Lake Erie studies. Thirteen water samples used for the study were collected from visible algal blooms in the summers of 2014 and 2015 in the western basin of Lake Erie. The scientists added MC-LR to each water sample every three-to-four days for approximately four weeks, alongside a control group that did not receive additional MC-LR. The lab used multiple approaches to confirm the microcystin degradation results, including mass spectrometry and the ELISA test, which is the standard method water treatment plant operators use to measure microcystin concentration during algal bloom season. His lab is now in the process of identifying the enzymatic pathways the bacteria use to break down microcystin. Currently, municipal water treatment plants remove or degrade microcystin using methods such as chlorination, ozonation, activated carbon adsorption and flocculation. "Those techniques are not ideal because of high costs, limited removal efficiencies, and they lead to the production of harmful byproducts or hazardous waste," Huntley said. "Biofilters are a cost-effective and safe alternative to the use of chemicals and other conventional water treatment practices." "We're very excited about the research and the findings," said Andrew McClure, administrator for the city of Toledo's Collins Park Water Treatment Plant. "We've had preliminary talks with Dr. Huntley about ways we can implement it as a treatment technique in our plant's process." Huntley's team is developing and testing biofilters - water filters containing the specialized bacteria that degrade microcystin toxins from lake water as it flows through the filter. Huntley holds a provisional patent on this technology. The research was supported by grants from the Ohio Department of Higher Education through the state's Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative, which consists of 54 science teams at universities across the state seeking solutions to address toxic algae in Lake Erie. ### "This is another great example of how Ohio Department of Higher Education-funded research is producing solutions that directly benefit Ohio EPA and those water treatment plant operators responsible for managing our drinking water," said Dr. Chris Winslow, director of Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory at The Ohio State University. This story has been published on: 2019-02-11. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. The C-SPAN Bus is on a "Southern Swing," traveling for eight weeks through Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Partnering with Spectrum, C-SPAN's award-winning state-of-the-art, 45-foot customized bus will visit LBJ High School, Laredo College and Texas A&M International University today and Tuesday to engage students, teachers, community members and elected officials. Monday, 8 a.m-10 a.m., Lyndon B. Johnson High School, 5626 Cielto Lindo Blvd. (in front of the school) Monday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Laredo College's Kazen Student Center Tuesday, noon-2 p.m., Texas A&M International University (in front of the student center) Through interactive kiosks and demonstrations aboard the bus, visitors will learn about C-SPAN's in-depth coverage of the American political process and comprehensive online educational resources, including C-SPAN.org an extensive video library containing close to 250,000 hours of searchable content for viewing, research and education purposes, dating back to 1987. In addition, Bus visitors will be invited to share their thoughts on what it means to be an American for C-SPAN's "Voices from the Road" project. "We are excited for the opportunity to meet, engage and share our resources with residents along our 'Southern Swing' and hearing from people about what being an American means to them," said Heath Neiderer, C-SPAN marketing manager. "Some of the cities on this tour haven't seen our Bus in many years. We hope they enjoy their experience aboard our interactive mobile classroom and discover new ways of keeping well-informed." Aboard the high-tech, interactive C-SPAN Bus you'll find: Access to an exclusive interactive experience available on 11 large-screen tablets featuring C-SPAN programming and myriad of political and educational resources A smart TV and classroom area for conversations with students and teachers A high-definition TV production studio for taped and live programming A 360-degree video station featuring C-SPAN's unfiltered coverage of high-profile events and insightful, behind-the-scenes tours of U.S. landmarks A D.C.-themed selfie station where visitors can share their Bus experiences through social media Since 1993, a C-SPAN Bus has traveled across the nation visiting schools and community events in partnership with C-SPAN's cable and satellite providers. Bus visitors engage with C-SPAN representatives and interactive tools to learn about the unique public affairs programming and online resources such as C-SPAN Classroom the network's free membership service for teachers and students. In Laredo, C-SPAN programming is provided by Spectrum as a commercial-free public service and can be seen on channel 21 and C-SPAN2 on channel 22 and on the web at C-SPAN.org. Funding for C-SPAN operations, including Bus visits, is provided by cable and satellite TV providers. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase an affordable subscription to continue accessing our content. When President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from a long-standing nuclear weapons treaty with Russia on Feb. 1, his actions set the stage for what many fear could be a new arms race between the global superpowers. Trump's decision was announced less than two weeks after scientists and policy experts with the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) presented the 2019 position for the Doomsday Clock a hypothetical clock whose time symbolizes how close the Earth is to destruction from nuclear war and other global threats. On Jan. 24, BAS representatives declared that the clock's hands would continue to stand at 2 minutes to midnight, the closest to absolute annihilation since the peak of the Cold War in 1953. Their dire warning came on the heels of the Trump administration's statement of intent in October to withdraw the U.S. from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), which was established in 1987 to restrict nuclear arsenals, according to a BAS statement. Now that the U.S. has officially abandoned one of the last remaining nuclear treaties with Russia, does that nudge the clock closer to doomsday? [The Top 10 Ways to Destroy Planet Earth] Dismantling the deal When President Ronald Reagan and Russian President Mikhail S. Gorbachev signed the INF treaty, they agreed that their respective countries would cease building nuclear weapons and would destroy all ground-based cruise or ballistic missiles with ranges of between 311 and 3,420 miles (500 and 5,500 kilometers) within three years of the treaty signing. However, the Trump administration elected to withdraw from the agreement in October of last year, accusing Russia of violating the terms of the INF in 2014. At that time, Russia had deployed a land-based cruise missile known as the SSC-8, which was capable of reaching countries in Europe, The New York Times reported. That October 2018 decision was alarming enough to prompt BAS officials to keep the hands on the Doomsday Clock at 2 minutes to midnight, Rachel Bronson, BAS president and CEO, told Live Science. Prior to the Trump announcement, many experts felt that the risk of nuclear war had decreased somewhat since 2017, when tensions between the U.S. and North Korea were surging. But the call to dissolve the INF treaty was one of several factors that informed BAS's assessment that the threat of imminent nuclear war isn't going away anytime soon. "The arms-control architecture that had been built up over the last three-plus decades is just being dismantled," Bronson said. And even if Russia did break the INF treaty in 2014, the withdrawal of the U.S. from the treaty quashed any chance of holding Russia accountable and rallying global condemnation of the country's actions, Bronson said. "There's value in having the treaty, because then the U.S. can hammer at Russia for being in violation of it," Bronson said. "Without it, there's nothing keeping them bound even to a facade of trying to reduce reliance to nuclear weapons." [Apocalypse Now: The Gear You Need to Survive Doomsday] Eve of destruction On Feb. 2, Russia announced that it, too, would abandon the INF treaty, Time reported. This raises questions about the uncertain future of another U.S.-Russia agreement, the 1991 START treaty to limit nuclear weapons, which is set to expire in 2020, according to The Washington Post. What happens next? The world certainly seems to be in a less stable place than it was a year ago, with Russia and the U.S. walking away from their former commitments to limit nuclear weapons and directing resources into new weapons development. In addition, the Trump administration has shown little interest in pursuing new agreements or rekindling negotiations, Bronson said. It's still too early to say for sure if the collapse of the INF treaty will inevitably send the hands of the Doomsday Clock swinging closer to midnight than ever before. The clock was created in 1947 specifically in response to the development of nuclear weapons, which introduced threats to the planet that were unprecedented in the history of warfare, Alan Robock, associate editor of the journal Reviews of Geophysics and a professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences at Rutgers University in New Jersey, told Live Science in an email. Even localized nuclear weapons can take their toll on more than the immediate vicinity by triggering "nuclear winter" generating dense smoke clouds that cool the planet and prevent crops from growing, causing widespread famine, he added. [The Top 10 Largest Explosions Ever] But the clock as close as it now stands to a potential Armageddon should also serve as a reminder that there is still time to reverse this new and dangerous course, Bronson said. "What the Doomsday Clock does is it allows all of us to jump into this conversation that can often seem so remote and so distant," she said. "These are complicated issues. It can often feel like it's beyond our ability to engage in the subject of arms control as well as the technical aspects of it. The Doomsday Clock allows a broader conversation and these issues are too important to just leave to the experts," Bronson said. Originally published on Live Science. More than 1,000 overseas Chinese in Silicon Valley enjoyed their three-hour, laughter-filling time so much that they didn't leave their seats even after a Chinese arts troupe presented their closing performance on Saturday's Spring Festival gala. The star-studded party, a non-profit event to celebrate China's Spring Festival for overseas Chinese in Northern California, featured many Chinese golden oldies, a fashion show of the red Cheongsam (body-hugging one-piece Chinese dresses), comic skits, Xiangsheng (aka Crosstalk Comedy), and Chinese Kung Fu. Led by Chen Zhenglei, a key champion of the national intangible cultural heritage in China, five Tai Chi masters made a special appearance at Saturday's event as they were in San Francisco on their first stop of the China Tai Chi Culture World Tour. They made a demonstration show of both Chen-style and Yang-style Tai Chi -- two of the five traditional family styles of the 400-year-old martial arts, which drew a round of thunderous applause for their perfect performance of the Chinese Kung Fu. Wang Donghua, Consul General of China in San Francisco, said that Spring Festival is the most celebrated event of China, also a time for family reunions and the assemblage of friends. "The gala tonight is a really primary time of reunion that brought together the overseas Chinese in the Bay Area, particularly from the Silicon Valley, which is a special welcome created by the Chinese arts troupe," he said. "Culture, as a key part of the China-U.S. relations, plays an important role in enhancing mutual understanding and trust between the two countries and peoples," he said, adding that the gala is a significant step that helps to bring the two cultures closer in the new year of 2019. Many of the yesteryear songs triggered a bout of homesickness, said Yan He, one of the organizers of Silicon Valley Root-Seeking Camp, a non-profit group dedicated to help the younger generations of the U.S. overseas Chinese explore their home country. "The performance rekindles a familiar feeling deep in my heart, and many of the second generation of overseas Chinese, mostly born in the United States, have only a limited knowledge about China and Chinese culture," she said. "The event like Saturday's gala can have a subtle but invisible, persistent impact on the second-generation Chinese Americans in developing a sense of identity about the Chinese background rooted in the culture of the home country of their parents," Yan explained. Yan Zhao, a newly-elected Chinese American council member of Saratoga city in Santa Clara County of Northern California, said she has lived in the United States for more than 30 years, but that it was still exciting to watch the high-quality performance by the Chinese artists. "Culture is the best bridge to increase understanding and communication between peoples while it decreases hostility... For both China and the United States, culture matters in their communication," she said. Remote islands of Indonesia are surrounded by coral reefs bursting with marine life. This area is part of a region called the Coral Triangle. The Coral Triangle is a vast network of coral reefs that dot the waters surrounding the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste. Also known as "the Amazon of the ocean," this expansive underwater ecosystem in Southeast Asia is a hotspot for marine biodiversity, hosting 30 percent of the world's coral reefs that span 2.3 million square miles (6 million square kilometers). From humpback whales to humphead wrasses, a wide variety of sea creatures survive and thrive along the reefs in the Coral Triangle. Biodiversity hotspot "If you go to a place in the Coral Triangle like the Verde Island Passage or Bali there's so much microhabitat diversity," said Luiz Rocha, a coral reef scientist at the California Academy of Sciences. "You can go 100 yards [90 meters] from one reef to another, and the reef composition will be completely different." The region is home to more than 500 species of reef-building corals, which have adapted to an array of habitats. Some corals, like those Rocha and other scientists at the California Academy of Sciences study, are adapted to live at greater depths and in cooler waters. Other corals in the region are adapted to muddy, sediment-rich waters, as opposed to the crystal-clear conditions most corals prefer, according the London Natural History Museum. Nearly a third of the world's coral-reef fish species and six of the world's seven species of sea turtle call the Coral Triangle home, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Other marine creatures such as dugongs, damselfish, manta rays and throngs of invertebrates inhabit parts of the Coral Triangle. There are many theories as to why reefs in this part of the world are so successful. Here are a few that may explain the abundance of life in the Coral Triangle: Center of o rigin h ypothesis: From volcanic islands with rocky shores to white sand beaches to mangrove forests, the Coral Triangle consists of a wide range of habitats. Scientists suspect that the diversity of landscapes contributes to the diversity of species in the region because these species have been forced to adapt to the geographically complex reef system. From volcanic islands with rocky shores to white sand beaches to mangrove forests, the Coral Triangle consists of a wide range of habitats. Scientists suspect that the diversity of landscapes contributes to the diversity of species in the region because these species have been forced to adapt to the geographically complex reef system. Center of a ccumulation h ypothesis: Prevailing currents pour water into the Coral Triangle. The center of accumulation hypothesis suggests that many species originate in isolated archipelagos in the Indian and Pacific oceans, such as Hawaii or the Maldives, and then are swept to the Coral Triangle by those currents. Once in the Coral Triangle, these species mix and mingle with species already living in the region, and eventually form new species. Prevailing currents pour water into the Coral Triangle. The center of accumulation hypothesis suggests that many species originate in isolated archipelagos in the Indian and Pacific oceans, such as Hawaii or the Maldives, and then are swept to the Coral Triangle by those currents. Once in the Coral Triangle, these species mix and mingle with species already living in the region, and eventually form new species. Center of o verlap h ypothesis: The Coral Triangle sits between the Indian and Pacific oceans. Marine species from both bodies of water colonize parts of the reef system where the ocean basins overlap, increasing the number of species found in the region. "There are parts of Indonesia that have Indian Ocean fauna. There are parts of Indonesia that have Pacific Ocean fauna, and there are parts that have both," said Paul Barber, a marine scientist with the University of California, Los Angeles. "It's the overlap of these two faunas that create such a diverse ecosystem." The Coral Triangle sits between the Indian and Pacific oceans. Marine species from both bodies of water colonize parts of the reef system where the ocean basins overlap, increasing the number of species found in the region. "There are parts of Indonesia that have Indian Ocean fauna. There are parts of Indonesia that have Pacific Ocean fauna, and there are parts that have both," said Paul Barber, a marine scientist with the University of California, Los Angeles. "It's the overlap of these two faunas that create such a diverse ecosystem." Center of survival hypothesis: As geographic area increases, the risk of extinction decreases. If a species inhabits a large area, there's less of a chance the organism will go extinct if something happens to one part of the reef where that species lives. "Because the Coral Triangle is [the] largest region of coral reef in world, it's going to have [the] lowest extinction rates in the world," Barber said. Unlike the Great Barrier Reef or the Caribbean Reef, which are more exposed and have changed significantly over time, the Coral Triangle is "a very stable region, even through geologic time," Rocha said. Research published in October 2018 in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B suggested that the persistence of these stable conditions over the last 30 million years may have given rise to the Coral Triangle's biodiversity. Rocha is quick to note that "all of these hypotheses could have contributed to and influenced" the region's high biodiversity. The coral triangle is home to nearly a third of the world's coral-reef fish species. (Image credit: Ethan Daniels/Shutterstock) Reefing the benefits With roughly 264 million people strung along the island chain, Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world, according to the World Bank. In total, more than 360 million people live around the Coral Triangle, 100 million of which rely on the reefs for their livelihood, according to a 2014 report by the Coral Triangle Initiative. One-third of the population rely on seafood as their primary source of protein, fishing grouper, tuna and other predatory fish species, Barber said. Healthy reefs also provide other benefits to the islands they encompass, acting as natural barriers that soften the blow from typhoons, storm-generated waves and even tsunamis. A June 2018 study in the journal Nature Communications revealed that damage to coastal communities in the Coral Triangle caused by flooding events would nearly double without the coral reefs. Additionally, without these reefs, countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines would see the costs related to flooding events triple; if protected, the reefs that ring these countries could save, on average, more than $400 million each year. Colorful reefs also draw tourists from around the world and provide an economic boost to exotic locales like Bali in Indonesia and Sipadan Island in Malaysia, which are known for their pristine scuba-diving conditions. Paradise in peril These prolific ecosystems are incredibly fragile. Habitat destruction, pollution and climate change are threatening coral reefs around the world, and the Coral Triangle is no exception. Much of the damage to reefs in the Coral Triangle is caused by poor fishing practices, Rocha said. Often, locals will overfish, drag nets that damage fragile corals and leave fishing equipment to float around in the water. Large predators, like sharks and groupers, are critical to the health of the reef, often keeping populations of coral-munching fish in check. When large, predatory fish are sustainably caught, the reef can rebound. Often, though, the Coral Triangle's largest predators are pulled from the reef in high numbers, shrinking their populations and allowing destructive fish populations to weaken the coral reef ecosystem. Barber warned that the collapse of the fishing industry in the Coral Triangle due to overfishing would devastate the local countries and could eventually impact the entire world, as impoverished communities sought food elsewhere. If these regions are overfished, "it's not like they [communities] can just ramp up animal husbandry to replace that missing seafood," he said. Yet another threat reefs face is plastic pollution. Small pieces of plastic are easily consumed by animals that live in the reef, but the presence of this litter acts as a threat multiplier. In some cases, plastics that pollute reefs in the Coral Triangle have acted as vectors for disease, spreading contagions like so-called white syndrome from sick to healthy corals, as reported in a 2018 study in the journal Science. Because of climate change, reefs like the Coral Triangle will increasingly face bleaching events. As corals are exposed to rising water temperatures, they become stressed and expel the symbiotic algae that live inside them. This leaves the coral colorless, or bleached, and unable to feed themselves. In the long term, ocean acidification will also cause problems for reefs. The ocean becomes more acidic as it absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The calcium carbonate skeletons of most coral species aren't built to withstand that acidity, and so they slowly dissolve. But there's still hope, insisted Rocha. The Coral Triangle is "more resilient against climate change because of the complexity in that region," he said. Because the Coral Triangle is less exposed than places like the Great Barrier Reef, there's a chance the Coral Triangle can withstand some of the more dire consequences of climate change. Further reading: Scientists just blasted pottery from an ancient shipwreck with a "ray gun." Besides being totally sci-fi, the X-ray blaster revealed where the pottery came from. The wreck was a trade ship dating to the 12th or 13th century that was thought to have departed from Quanzhou in southeastern China, with the Indonesian island of Java as its destination. However, it sank in the Java Sea near Java and Sumatra, taking its cargo to a watery grave. Discovered by local fishermen in the 1980s, the ship and its contents were recovered a decade later, and about 7,500 pieces of its cargo are currently in the collection of The Field Museum in Chicago. In a new study, researchers addressed a long-standing mystery: where the pottery came from. The artifacts' shape and design suggested they originated in southeastern China in fact, two boxes described in 2018 even included an identifying stamp. But pinpointing the precise locations where they were made was trickier, as kilns that produce this type of pottery are extremely common in the region, scientists wrote in the study. [In Photos: Ancient Shipwreck's Ceramics Traced to Kilns in China] To find out, scientists looked at 60 pieces of the wrecks pottery that were glazed with a blue-white coating called qingbai; that kind of porcelain is fired at such high temperatures that it is rendered almost glass-like, enabling it to spend centuries underwater without much degradation or damage, study co-author Lisa Niziolek, a research scientist in Asian anthropology at the Field Museum, told Live Science. Lead study author Wenpeng Xu, a doctoral candidate in anthropology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, proposed noninvasive, nondestructive X-ray fluorescence to analyze the composition of the blue-white glaze and uncover the pottery's chemical secrets. Using a hand-held device, similar to a sci-fi ray gun, the researchers collected data from the Java Sea shipwreck pottery, and compared it with pottery debris gathered from four kiln complexes in China, with samples representing several kilns within each complex. Ceramic production debris at the Shimuling kiln site in Dehua, China. (Image credit: Photo by Wenpeng Xu) Variations in clay composition or in the ingredients that pottery-makers mix together create differences in finished vessels that can be detected with X-ray technology, by measuring and comparing their energy signatures, according to the study. By blasting the shipwreck ceramics and kiln debris with their ray gun device, the researchers were able to map the once-sunken pottery to the kilns where they were made centuries ago. They divided the shipwreck pottery into groups and found matches among those groups to kiln complexes in Jingdezhen, Dehua, Shimuling, Huajiashan and Minqing, near the port of Fuzhou. In fact, their findings suggest that the ship's port of departure was Fuzhou where most of the shipwreck's pottery originated and it likely later sailed to Quanzhou to take on porcelain from other kiln complexes, the scientists reported. Ceramic bowls underwater at the Java Sea Shipwreck site. (Image credit: Copyright The Field Museum, Anthropology. Photo by Pacific Sea Resources) The number of kilns linked to the shipwreck's qingbai ceramics suggests that traders and merchants didn't rely on a single manufacturer to satisfy the demand for quality pottery, Xu said. And figuring out the locations where these ceramics came from adds tantalizing details about important trade routes dating to centuries ago. "We're finding that the scale and complexity of exchange networks is greater than anticipated," Niziolek said. "For people educated to think that large-scale trade networks are only associated with modern Western capitalism, this shipwreck can really challenge those notions." The findings were published online today (Feb. 8) in the Journal of Archaeological Science. Originally published on Live Science. Birth control pills have been available for nearly 60 years and about 100 million women take them. But despite their ubiquity, some researchers still that think certain aspects of the contraceptives deserve more research. Namely: how the pill might affect the brain. "We know a lot about the physical side effects [of birth control pills], but very little about the psychological side effects," said Alexander Lischke, a psychology researcher with the University of Greifswald in Germany. So, Lischke and his lab decided to look into how taking the pill might change someone's ability to process emotion. Their research, published today (Feb. 11) in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience, found that women on the pill mislabeled the emotion on someone's face 10 percent more often than participants who weren't on the pill. Though few researchers have looked at this particular influence of the pill and others think this research isn't even worth pursuing the results have Lischke's lab planning further investigations. [10 Things You Didn't Know About the Brain] Even so, Lischke was clear that the findings don't prove cause and effect in other words, the study doesn't prove that birth control messes with a woman's ability to recognize others' emotions and that people shouldn't be concerned about the effects of their own birth control. Rather, he told Live Science that he hopes additional research follows. "If turns out to be true, then it's worth studying," he said. Hormones and the brain Lischke and his team chose this research question because birth control hormones reach regions of the brain that help regulate emotions. While those two chemicals, estrogen and progesterone, ebb and flow regularly in women not on the pill, oral contraceptives provide a steady supply of these hormones and dampen some of that fluctuation. To see if that study stream of hormones changed emotional processing skills, the research group gave multiple-choice quizzes to participants 42 women who were on the pill and 53 who were not on what emotion was expressed in 36 black-and-white images of a person's eyes. The correct responses ranged from easier to identify emotions, like hostility, to more obscure options, like concern. Lischke and his team found that all participants did the same on the easier questions. But for the harder-to-characterize expressions, women not on the pill got 65 percent correct, while those on the pill got 55 percent correct. Lischke said that it makes sense how, if the pill tampers with emotion-recognition skills, the more challenging emotions would be the ones to separate abilities. But in reality, obvious emotions are a rarity. "We rarely meet people who show prototypical emotional expression," Lischke told Live Science, so the obscure snapshots are closer to what people encounter. But this setup a computer showing black-and-white portions of faces still doesn't resemble real life, Lischke said, and it's possible this discrepancy they found in this setting is so small, it doesn't matter, let alone happen, outside the lab. So, why bother? Dr. Jonathan Schaffir, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Ohio State University, who was not involved in the research, said that he wasn't sure the research question is worth pursuing. It is true that about 10 percent of people on hormonal birth control deal with mood changes, which can be why some stop taking the pill and put themselves at risk for unwanted pregnancy, Schaffir told Live Science. And while it's worth investigating who could be susceptible to those particular mood-related side effects, Schaffir said that he doesn't think it's nearly as important to investigate how the pill may affect emotional processing. What's more, because there is so much research on birth control pills, people can often spot small, coincidental findings that are probably not impacting users' lives, Schaffir said. Besides the premise of the study, Schaffir said that he the researchers also jumped to conclusions about what is causing the different scores. Just because women on birth control didn't do as well doesn't mean they scored lower because of the birth control, he said. There are other factors that weren't considered, like why participants were on birth control in the first place, which it appears none were asked about. "The conclusions they draw from this are overreaching," Schaffir said. Lischke also said that he wants to ensure the difference in scores is due only to birth control, so future studies are needed. For example, he'd like to make sure emotion identification skills weren't influenced by natural hormone levels. This time around, the researchers simply assumed non-pill participants were at high or low hormone levels from a questionnaire. But next time, the lab will take blood samples. Originally published on Live Science. PETER Hook is coming back to Limerick to show off his Technique. The former Joy Division and New Order bassist returns to the city, scene of sell out shows on previous visits, for a gig on September 12 at Dolans Warehouse, it has been announced. Hook will be joined by his band The Light at the show, tickets for which are on sale now. Fans of Hooks entire back catalogue will be delighted to hear that he will be performing classic New Order albums live as well as an opening set of Joy Division material. Having successfully toured the albums from his previous bands for over eight years now, Peter Hook and The Light have now reached the late 80s and early 90s albums of New Order Technique and Republic in their consecutive run and have announced a raft of dates for September, including a Limerick show. Technique, New Orders fifth studio album, was the groups first album to go to number one in the UK and was also hugely successful in the US. Recorded in Ibiza and reflective of the impact of acid house on the band, many consider it a high point in a golden period for the group, headlining the Reading Festival in 1989 before going to pursue solo projects. See www.dolans.ie for tickets and more details. A LARGE mural, calling for an end to sexual violence and harassment in third- level institutes, was unveiled at the University of Limerick this Monday. The mural, which depicts a number of messages aiming to dispel popular myths and attitudes towards sexual violence and harassment, was installed as part of the It Stops Now campaign by the National WomensCouncil of Ireland (NWCI). Installed prominently on the side of student bar The Stables, the eye-grabbing statement is on display at one of the busiest thoroughfares on the universitys campus. It is essential that we take collective action to ensure the safety, equality and full participation of 15,000 UL students, the university academic and support staff, and all those who visit the campus, UL Student Life welfare officer Lorcan ODonnell said. By installing this mural, UL is making an important contribution to tackling sexual violence and harassment on campus. Our hope is that the mural will challenge harmful language and preconceptions around sexual harassment and assaults, sending a strong message to all who use our campus that we are addressing the universal, societal problem of sexual misconduct, he added. UL Student Life has recently finished another rollout of sexual consent workshops for first year students, bringing the total number of students receiving training in this area to over 1,000 since last September, Mr ODonnell said. These workshops have been a great success and would not have happened without the support from the university faculties and departments. Tara Brown, project coordinator for the It Stops Now campaign, said: Every student has the right to an education free from sexual violence and harassment. It Stops Now is based on the reality of student experiences, the majority of whom are women, and aims to empower students and universities to challenge the victim-blaming and toxic behaviours which feed a sexual violence culture. FIVE primary schools are to begin a new project with EVA International, which will see the students produce a childrens glossary of contemporary art terms. Better Words a five week programme of creative workshops for school children, is aiming to improve childrens access to art. Better Words will include workshops at artists studios, museums and galleries, with a book of the new art terms developed by the students to be published in Autumn 2019. Every child will have an opportunity to contribute to Better Words in their own unique way; and the entire process will be child-led, Better Words coordinator Maeve Mulrennan said. In Limerick city, Corpus Christi primary school in Moyross, Limerick School Project on OConnell Avenue and Our Lady Queen of Peace in Janesboro are to take part in Better Words. In County Limerick. Knockainey National School in Hospital, and St. Senans National School in Foynes will also take part in the creative initiative, which will run from March to May. It's an honour to work with five great Limerick Schools on Better Words, Ms Mulrennan said. It's an innovative, interdisciplinary project that will engage young people in a new way. I'm also really looking forward to working with the teachers and school staff in such an experimental and child-centred way; creativity, play and imagination are embedded in their curricula. Access barriers can often limit wider engagement with the best contemporary art in Ireland, according to EVA International director Matt Packer. We look forward to working with classes in each of the participating schools, drawing on their creativity, curiosity and insight, that will eventually lead to the publication of a unique glossary of contemporary art, Mr Packer said. A publication of the new art terms developed by the students taking part in the workshops will be published by EVA International in Autumn 2019. The publication will be designed by Piquant, featuring a foreword by award winning author Kevin Barry. The Better Words programme is supported by Creative Irelands National Creativity Fund. A PHARMACY is to give the rubber stamp for Limerick couples for Valentines Day this week by distributing free condoms to promote safe sex. CarePlus Pharmacy, which has a store in Annacotty and Dooradoyle, will distribute thousands of free condoms this Valentines week to help to promote a culture of safe sex in Ireland. This is part of a nationwide Sexual Health Awareness Week, which starts on February 12 and ends on February 19. The free condoms will be packaged with information on the importance of safe sex, and freely available from the counter without asking in each pharmacy. Figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Unit of the HSE show that rates of chlamydia, herpes simplex and gonorrhea are on the rise. For example, people in the age group 15-24 accounted for 51% of all chlamydia cases reported. CarePlus Pharmacist, John Keane says The days of people being embarrassed about condoms in pharmacies are long gone, but the statistics show that many young people are not as careful as they should be. People should know that they can talk to their pharmacist, in privacy and confidentiality, about anything including their sexual health. LIMERICK City and County Council is gearing up for the second part of the decade of centenaries. A presentation given at this months full council meeting revealed that the various events which took place between 1919 and 1923 are set to be commemorated both nationally and locally. County librarian Damien Brady advised the programme will be based on four strands: state ceremonial, historical, community and creative imagination, which will encourage creative expression in remembrance of the significant historical events of the period. Locally, the council is putting in place a co-ordinator and deputy co-ordinator, alongside a cross-party committee, chaired by Mayor James Collins. There will be an independent external adjudication board, which will make a series of recommendations locally, with the committee having the ultimate sign-off. Sinn Fein councillor Seighin O Ceallaigh expressed concern over the fact the committee has not been formed. Im not sure what the hold-up is, but it's hindering our decade of centenaries. It's only once every 100 years, and no-one has met. Not having a committee is really bad. If we do not get funding on time, we are not going to have money to commemorate these events, he warned. Cllr Liam Galvin, who was mayor in 2016 on the centenary of the rising, said he would hope the same council officials locally are leading the next stage of the commemorations. Key events in Limerick between 1919 and 1923 include the 120th anniversary of the first meetings of the former City Council and County Council. As well as this, a huge series of commemorations are planned to mark 100 years since the Limerick Soviet. On this, the arts office, the citys union movement, and the municipal museum are teaming up for a major event. Nationally, the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed in 1921, while the Irish Free State entered the League of Nations in 1923. Preceding this, there was the Civil War between 1922 and 1923. And last month marked the centenary of the meeting of the first Dail. The War of Independence took place between 1919 and 1921. A YOUNG man who acted as a lookout during a spate of burglaries in the Castletroy area of Limerick city has been jailed for four years. Dean Mulqueen, 21, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to nine counts of burglary relating to offences which happened at a number of private homes on dates during December 2017 and January 2018. During a sentencing hearing, Garda Robert Sheehy said the defendant did not enter any of the properties and that he was paid around 30 to take part in each of the break-ins. He said most of the homes were targeted late at night or over the Christmas period when they were not occupied. Items such as televisions, laptop computers, clothing, mobile phones and other electronic items were taken during the crime spree. None of stolen property was recovered and John OSullivan BL, prosecuting, said while there was an element of organisation Mr Mulqueen was not the prime mover. The defendant, the court heard, has 60 previous convictions and is a chronic heroin addict. A number of his previous convictions are for burglary offences. Eimear Carey BL said her client accepts he is at a junction in his life and needs to get his life in order. She said he made full admissions when questioned by gardai and had come before the circuit court having entered a signed plea in the district court late last year. Ms Carey said her client had a difficult upbringing and that his behaviour began to spiral out of control during his early teens. She added that he is doing well in custody and submitted that without Mr Mulqueens admissions, there would not have been a case against him. Imposing sentence, Judge Tom ODonnell said the pre-planned and pre-meditated nature of the offences was an aggravating factor as was the time of year that a number of the houses were targeted. While accepting the defendant did not enter any of the homes, he said his role was intergral. The judge said the offences before the court was in the mid-range on the scale and that a sentence of between four and nine years was warranted. He sentenced Mr Mulqueen to five years imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months. The sentence was back-dated to April 12, 2018. A major push is now on to take contemporary Chinese literature to an untapped audience, Yang Yang reports. On July 10, 2017, around 300 locals gathered at Medellin Public Library, the venue for the Medellin International Festival of Poetry in Colombia, to listen to recitations by many poets. After Chinese poet Zhou Sese read her poem Zuihou De Tiwen (The Last Body Temperature), Leo Munoz, a Colombian poet, started reading the Spanish version that was translated by Sun Xintang, deputy director of the Confucius Institute Latin American Regional Center. In the packed hall, 41-year-old Sun stood beside Zhou and Munoz. It was a poem Zhou had dedicated to her mother who died a year earlier. It started with "Mom's body is still warm/Only if my mom's body/Is warm/I still have mom". As Munoz read on, Sun raised his head to look at the audience, and found tears running down Paraguayan poet Shirley Villalba's face. She was in the first row, and behind her, some other members of the audience were also wiping their eyes. After the recitation, applause broke out, and people, young and old, men and women, came to hug Zhou. "I was deeply touched by the scene. The empathy, which transcended geographical boundaries, cultural differences and language, was established through the poem, and with my translation," says Sun, recounting his participation in the poetry festival. He started working for the Confucius Institute in Latin America six years ago. Sun says there is a big "trade deficit" of literature between China and Spanish- or Portuguese-speaking Latin American countries. Limerick nurses and midwives will not take to picket lines this Tuesday following intense talks at the Labour Court. Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) as well as members of the Psyhciatric Nurses Association (PNA) had been due to withdraw their labour for three days this week begining at 8am on Tuesday. However, shortly before 6.30pm this Monday, it was confirmed by both unions that their separate actions were being suspended to allow them to consider a recommendation from the Labour Court. Members' update: The INMO's elected Executive Council have just received the recommendation by the Labour Court. They have suspended the upcoming strikes at the request of the Court to consider the wide-ranging recommendations. (1/3) February 11, 2019 Minister for Health Simon Harris, who will brief the Cabinet on Tuesday, welcomed the suspension saying he is looking forward to the health service resuming normal work as quickly as possible. Good news tonight that nursing unions have taken decision to suspend strike action. Thanks to Labour Court for its intervention & recommendation. @Paschald & I will discuss with government tomorrow & nursing unions will have their own processes to consider it. Important progress Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) February 11, 2019 While some procedures were cancelled at hospitals in Limerick in anticpation of this weeks strike action going agead, nursing staff will now attend work as rostered. This will be a huge relief for thousands of patients in Limerick and the Mid-West who will not now face the dreaded prospect of further cancellations and delays. However, all healthcare facilities will be forced to play catch up after three days of strikes over the past three weeks. We're sorry that the ministry you were looking for is no longer available on LightSource.com. However, below are some great ministries that offer related content. Enjoy the inspiration, encouragement, and Biblical challenge from these LightSource.com ministry partners! Ireland West Airport have announced the award of the main construction contract for the rehabilitation of the airports runway to a joint venture comprising specialists in this area, Lagan Airport Maintenance, and Clare Civil Engineering Company Ltd, known as LCJV. The appointment of the contractors follows their successful joint bid under an EU tender process. This design and tender process was led by Atkins Ireland following their appointment by Ireland West Airport as specialist consultants in 2018. The project will cost 11.2m and is supported to the value of 75% of the total by the Department of Tourism, Transport and Sport with the airport funding in the region of 2.8m from its own funds to complete the project. Read Also: Former Rose of Tralee winner Maria Walsh seeks Fine Gael nomination to contest European election Preparatory works will begin immediately with main resurfacing works scheduled to start in May. The rehabilitation of the runway, which includes a complete resurfacing of the existing runway and taxiway surfaces, the removal and reinstatement of runway edge, centre line, and touch down zone lighting, ducting and other associated works. These works are scheduled to ensure that the runway at Ireland West Airport continues to meet the strict regulations governing the operation and specification of runways at major airports. Runway 26/08, which opened in 1985 handles 100% of all flights at the airport and this is the first time in its 34-year history that the runway has had a full overlay. This resurfacing works will take place overnight outside of operational hours over a three-month period. This work can only be undertaken at night as it requires the full closure of the airports main runway. "We are delighted to award this key works contract to LCJV and to move together with our specialist consultants Atkins to the next phase of our plans to commence work on this project," said Arthur French, Chairman Ireland West Airport. "The project is an essential investment in the future of Ireland West Airport in safeguarding the operation of the airport for the next 15-20 years. Runway 26/08 which opened in 1985, has seen over 10 million passengers land and take off on it and it is a critical element of the airports infrastructure. Id like to acknowledge the continued support of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport for this project in addition to the support of, local representatives and our local authority stakeholders." Upgrading the main runway is a complex logistical project as construction teams will overhaul a portion of the runway every night before its handed back to operations early each morning in time for the first wave of flights into the airport. The window for construction is only about five/six hours per night due to the set-up process required and the meticulous preparations for returning the runway to normal operations every morning. Read Also: None compare with the people of Leitrim, where I learned my trade Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider subscribing to our ePaper and/or free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Cross Centra in Kilcullen has been named the best Convenience Centra store in Ireland for 2019. The store received the much-coveted accolade at the Centra National Conference, which took place at the Great Southern Hotel, Killarney. Andrew Cross from Cross Centra was presented with the award by Martin Kelleher, Managing Director of Centra, Dan Curtin, Centra Sales Director and JF Michel, Account Director of Three Business, competition sponsors. As part of the competitive process, retail consultant Dr Alan Collins audited Centra stores across Ireland, with each participating store assessed for its range, quality, customer service, hygiene, service offering and local community involvement. Receiving the award, store owner Andrew Cross paid tribute to the team at Cross Centra and acknowledged that their enthusiasm and dedication were determining factors in the Kilcullen store being selected as the 2019 Centra Best Convenience Store in Ireland. It is great to receive this acknowledgement and the team and I are delighted to accept this award. We strive to give our customers the best shopping experience with the best value and convenience. The team has worked hard and enthusiastically all year so I dedicate this award to them, well done everyone. It is a pleasure to receive this award and I would like to thank all involved, Mr Cross said. The Cross group who employ over 150 staff locally owns Centra Killcullen, Newbridge and Naas, along with SuperValu Newbridge, this is not the first award the group have taken, SuperValu won the Best Fresh Supermarket in Ireland in 2018 and all the groups stores hold the top platinum level hygiene certification and awards placing them all in the top 5 % of stores nationally. Dan Curtin, Sales Director of Centra, commended all Centra retailers for their contribution to redefining convenience shopping. Centra stores, such as Cross in Kilcullen, are perfect examples of independent retailers working hard in their local communities to succeed in a very competitive market, by meeting the needs of their customers. They provide choice, value and excellent service within their locality on a daily basis. Congratulations to the team at Cross Centra, who have gone above and beyond to maintain the highest standards across the store. SEE ALSO: Celbridge sushi restaurant ordered to close by Food Safety Authority of Ireland Nothing curtails business in general more than uncertainty and unfortunately Brexit brings all that, writes Clive Kavanagh of Jordan Auctioners and Chartered Surveyors It is difficult to determine how the market will perform but clarity on the major issue will provide a clearer pathway for people to make some decisions. It is without doubt one of the biggest impacts to hang over the market for some time as predictions on future viability of farming enterprises will come to the fore, now more than ever before, with possible WTO tariffs likely to impact the agricultural sector more than any other. Obviously confidence within an industry is an important factor in lands sales and prices but this is perhaps less so in Ireland than other European countries. In Ireland there are many other emotive and additional factors that affect the price of land and serve to keep it at a relatively high base value. One of these is obviously the limited supply of agricultural land traded on a yearly basis (0.5% of total land area). An interesting statistic is that the average field in Ireland gets sold once every 400 years outside of a family compared to once every 70 years in France! It is our general opinion that while prices may be volatile there will still be trade. Farmers remain hugely ambitious, prepared to work whatever hours needed to make ventures viable but informed and sensible decision making is still a key ingredient for success, now more than ever as we enter choppy waters. Clive Kavanagh, MSCSI, MRICS is a Director of Jordan Auctioneers & Chartered Surveyors who has been involved in the sale of agricultural land and country properties for the last 16 years and works directly with Paddy Jordan. Clive can be contacted in the office on 045 433550 or clive@jordancs.ie Farmers in Laois and Offaly are 'genuinely worried' about the of Brexit according to Fianna Fail TD for Offaly, Barry Cowen who has criticised what he claims is a 'the lack of preparedness' by the Irish Government. Deputy Cowen, brother of former Taoiseach Brian Cowen, was commenting as less than fifty days remain until the UK exits the EU. The farming and agri-food sector will be the big losers if the UK crashes out of the EU. Both sectors are becoming increasingly worried about the lack of solutions being put forward by the Government. Farmers and agri-food producers across Laois and Offaly are genuinely worried about the lack of contingency plans in place. What I want to know is what is the Government waiting for? Are they going to wait until the chaos starts before they put any plans in place?" Even in the event of an orderly Brexit, measures will still be needed to support the sectors. They are massively exposed and they dont have the financial resources to deal with any big shocks," he said. The TD said there are more than 6,000 families involved in farming as well as dozens of small, artisan food producers who have worked incredibly hard to build up their reputations and earn their place on UK shelves. "Any disruption to trade between Ireland and the UK could see Irish, locally sourced products lose their market share and be replaced with products from other countries. This will leave the farmers and producers on their knees. They need plans to be put in place for them now, not after the horse has bolted, concluded Deputy Cowen. Rural Laois residents are set to benefit from 250,000 funding for local access roads, according to Laois TD and Minister for Justice & Equality, Charlie Flanagan. Minister Flanagan said the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) improves quality of life in local areas. This scheme continues to be a lifeline for people living in rural areas because it directly improves their access to and from their homes and farms, he said in a statement. Its important to remember that many people living in rural areas use these roads every day, so when these roads fall into disrepair, it has a significant impact on them. By investing in the improvement of these roads we are helping to improve peoples quality of life in Laois, he said. The Fine Gael TD said the upkeep of these roads is a priority for people this funding, in conjunction with the local community's own resources and the resources of Laois County Council, will allow for the maintenance and improvement of many local roads in rural areas. He said local authorities are still completing projects approved under the last round of funding in October 2018. The Minister said he is conscious of the high cost of repairing the more remote rural roads and the impact this can have on the contribution which people living and farming along those roads can be asked to make. A cap of 1,200 on the amount that any individual householder or landowner will be asked to contribute towards the cost of repairs. This small but important change to the scheme will, I hope, facilitate the improvement of some of the more remote and sparsely populated roads in rural parts of Laois. I cannot overstate how important local connectivity is in order to enable rural Ireland to function well. The Action Plan for Rural Development prioritises the improvement of rural infrastructure and connectivity and continuing to support and develop an LIS scheme is just one of the measures we are taking in that regard, said the Minister's statement. The new round of funding will be released in two tranches. Local authorities will be notified of their overall indicative allocation with 50% of the funding being made available once they have certified completion of projects approved under the October 2018 announcement and completion of 50% of the first phase of the 2019 scheme. The balance will be made available at a later stage following completion of this next phase of projects. Redistribution of some of the funding will be possible, if necessary, depending on local authority performance with regard to the October 2018 announcement and the first phase of the 2019 scheme. The LIS was reintroduced in September 2017 and a total of 17.4 million was allocated in 2017 and 21 million in 2018 to local authorities for LIS roads. Paths have been dug up in Portlaoise town centre in recent weeks to allow for digital water metres to be installed at businesses in Portlaoise as part of Irish Waters change in how water metres are going to be read in future. The new replacement water meters have Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) technology. This means that a transmitter periodically sends meter data to a receiver unit in one of Irish Waters meter data vehicles as it drives by the area. This switch to digital technology is intended to cut out the need for Irish Water to send staff to visit business premises to take a meter reading manually or open a boundary box. The company says it is planned that it will also cut out the need for many estimated meter bills. A spokesperson for Irish Water told the Leinster Express that this new high-tech system will also help them to identify potential leaks in the town. This means we usually wont need to open the boundary box or visit the premises to take a meter reading as it can be read remotely. This results in a better service for business customers with fewer estimated usage bills being issued. It will also help us to identify potential leaks. A number of commercial meters are being replaced in the town this week as part of these improvement works, they said. Irish Water and Laois County Council have also been carrying out night time assessments and monitoring of the water network in the town to refine areas where leakage may be high. New valves have been installed so they can isolate sections of the network which allows for Irish Water staff to limit the number of customers impacted by outages during future operational maintenance. Irish Waters work in Portlaoise is part of a water conservation and network improvement initiative across the country. This is part of a larger plan to update Irelands water network between 2017 to 2021. This work is being carried out through the implementation of a targeted programme of works called the national Leakage Reduction Programme. Irish Water distributes 1.7 billion litres of water every day but almost half of this water is lost through leaks. Irish Water did not say if the new meters would replace Laois County Council devices that were installed before the utility was set up. A man has pleaded guilty to possessing 15 lethal firearms and more than 4,000 rounds of ammunition at a business park two years ago. Declan Brady (52), with an address at The Park, Wolstan Abbey, Celbridge, Co Kildare was due to stand trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court on Monday in relation to the discovery of an arms cache at Unit 52, Block 503, Grants Drive, Greenogue Business Park, Rathcoole, Co Dublin on January 24, 2017. However, before his trial was due to commence, Brady pleaded guilty to possessing nine revolvers, four semi-automatic pistols, a sub-machine gun, an assault rifle and more than 4,000 rounds of ammunition in suspicious circumstances. It took the registrar of the Special Criminal Court several minutes to read the entirety of the two counts such was the itinerary of firearms and ammo. When asked how he pleaded to the counts, Brady replied guilty in both instances. He was remanded in custody to appear before the court on March 25 next for a sentencing hearing. Prosecuting counsel Fiona Murphy SC asked noted that a nolle prosequi would be entered on the remaining charges, which means the State will not be proceeding with these counts. Brady pleaded guilty to possessing a .357 Magnum calibre Zastava M83/02 six shot revolver; Two .38 inch Smith & Wesson Model 37 five shot revolvers; One Rossi five shot revolver; One .38 inch special calibre five shot revolver; One Ingram M11 9mm sub-machine gun; One 9mm Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol; One Ruger' five shot revolver; One Taurus six shot revolver; One .44 inch Remington calibre Taurus six shot revolver; A Beretta Model 70 semi-automatic pistol; A VZ 58 assault rifle with magazine; A special calibre Amadeo Rossi revolver with four magazines; A 9mm Parabellum calibre Glock Model 26 semi-automatic pistol; A Colt semi-automatic pistol; One Kaleshnikov pattern ammo magazine; One 9mm Parabellum calibre magazine for use in Glock pistols; One 9mm Parabellum calibre magazine made by Smith & Wesson; One .380 inch Auto calibre magazine and two 9mm Parabellum calibre ammo box magazines for use in semi-automatic pistols. Brady also pleaded guilty to possessing 50 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm calibre ammunition by Sellier and Bellot; Eight rounds of .45 ACP calibre ammunition; 11 rounds of 9mm Parrabellum calibre ammunition; Five rounds of .357 callibre ammunition; Five rounds of .38 Special calibre ammunition; One round of 7.65mm Browning calibre ammunition; One round of of .38 calibre ammunition; 60 rounds of 9mm Parabellum calibre ammunition; 70 rounds of .38 Special calibre ammunition; 11 rounds of 7.62mm Tokarev calibre ammunition; Four rounds of .45 ACP calibre ammunition; 25 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm calibre ammunition; 36 rounds of .357 Magnum calibre ammunition; 41 rounds of 7.65mm Browning calibre ammunition; 45 rounds of 9mm Short (.380) calibre ammunition; 25 rounds of 7.62mm x 39mm calibre ammunition; six boxes containing 2,999 rounds of .38 inch Special calibre ammunition; 143 rounds of 9mm Parabellum calibre ammunition; 125 rounds of .38 special calibre ammunition; 124 rounds of .357 Magnum calibre ammunition; 13 rounds of .38 Special calibre ammunition manufactured by NNY; 20 rounds of .38 Special calibre ammunition manufactured by NNY (Yugoslavia); 40 rounds of 9mm short (.380 Auto calibre) ammunition; 50 rounds of .38 Special calibre ammunition manufacture by Fiocchi; 50 rounds of .38 Special calibre ammunition manufactured by Fiocchi; 25 rounds of .44 Remington Magnum calibre ammunition manufactured by Remington; 50 rounds of 7.65mm Browning calibre ammunition manufactured by Fiocchi; Two rounds of .380 Auto calibre ammunition manufactured by CBC; One round of .45 ACP calibre ammunition manufactured by Fiocchi: One round of 9mm Parrabellum calibre ammunition manufactured by Remington; One round of .357 Magnum calibre ammunition manufactured by CBC and one round of 9mm calibre ammunition. A woman being repeatedly punched in the face by her boyfriend as they were driving in the Slate Belt was saved when passing drivers pulled the man out of the car, Pennsylvania State Police said. The victim was left with broken teeth and cuts on her face, troopers said. Robert Cook, of the 700 block of Hayes Street in Bethlehem, was arrested on charges of simple assault and harassment. The 45-year-old Cook was sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of 10 percent of $20,000 bail. The victim reported she was driving with Cook in the passenger seat a little before 11:30 p.m. Friday on West Central Avenue in East Bangor. The couple began arguing about Cooks drinking, troopers said, when Cook became highly agitated and punched the woman in the face. The girlfriend stopped the car on West Central Avenue, when Cook allegedly punched her several more times in the face. The attack only ended when passing drivers stopped their vehicles and pulled Cook from the car, state police said. A witness told troopers he was traveling in the opposite direction on West Central Avenue, when he could see Cook hitting the victim in the face. The witness and several bystanders had to remove Cook from the car to stop him from hitting the woman, state police said. Then, Cook allegedly continued to fight with the witness and other bystanders until troopers arrived. There was blood on the victims shirt and the drivers seat. She was taken to St. Lukes Hospital in Bethlehem Township for treatment. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Former Northampton County Judge Emil Giordano choked up recalling the moment three years ago when his wife was flustered by a late-night phone call. On the other end was John Large, a man for whom the judge had dismissed a harassment charge in 2012. The former jurist tearfully recalled Large demanding Giordano fix his case so that he could see his children for the holidays. He says Im going to ruin your Christmas just like youre ruining mine, Giordano said. Large then said, If he did not fix it he would declare war on the Pennsylvania judicial system beginning with Judge Giordano, according to Northampton County Assistant District Attorney Tatum Wilson. The call Large placed on Dec. 21, 2015, was one of a series of threats hes reportedly made against other judges, a former attorney, state police, his ex-wife and people with ties to a medical facility. Although Giordano asked for state prison, Senior Judge Thomas Gavin felt warehousing Large would do little to stop him from reoffending or address his mental illness. The retired judge from Chester County sentenced Large, 54, of Carbon County, to seven years of probation. Gavin came to Northampton County on Monday to take Larges plea and hand down the sentence. During his probation, Large must live with his mother until a bed becomes available at an inpatient mental health facility. If Large fails to complete his mental health treatment, Gavin ordered him to return to be re-sentenced. The judge said he has the authority to send Large to state prison for three and a half to seven years. If you violate, that is what you are going to get. That is what is behind Door B, Gavin said. Gavin said Large has had mental health issues going back decades. Both Large and Giordano mentioned that Large suffered a brain injury. Large is charged with a series of bizarre recent crimes: In late 2015, he left a dead rats and a fish head outside the nursing home in South Whitehall Township, where his adult daughter was receiving care, according to a WFMZ report . An attorney representing the facility and the husband of an employee received death threats via phone calls from Large, the report says . Judge Gavin said Large was recently sentenced to five years of probation in Lehigh County. In 2016, he threatened a Carbon County judge, according to a report by the Times-News of Lehighton. That report says Large left a dead crow, dead snake and a threatening note on the property of his ex-wifes home in Carbon County. Pennsylvania State Police said Large called the Lehighton barracks that year and threatened a mass shooting on the scale of an Orlando nightclub massacre that killed 49. Judge Gavin said Large got four years of probation in Carbon County. He said Carbon County agreed to cover the cost of Larges mandatory mental health treatment since he lives in that county. Also in 2016, Large threatened to cut off the head of his ex-attorney, rip out his heart and shove it down his throat, according to a report by WNEP-TV . He pleaded guilty to making threats and will be sentenced in Luzerne County next month, court records say. Large was taken into custody by state police in June 2016 at a home in Vermont where he was living as a fugitive, police said. Large had to be removed from a courtroom in Vermont after threatening the presiding judge and causing a scene, police said. As Giordano learned more about Larges history, he and his family grew more terrified. He was forced to bring Northampton County sheriffs deputies to his home for a month. He said other members of his family were afraid to confront Large in court, so he was the only one to speak at the Monday hearing. He said his wife couldnt walk the dog out of fear shed meet up with Large. Giordanos relatives who share his last name either hired security or moved for fear that Large would do something to them, Giordano said. The former judge said he felt sorry for Large at first, but grew more and more alarmed by Larges escalating behavior. He is not going to stop, Giordano told Gavin. I made the mistake of reading his psychiatric report today and I wish I hadnt. Giordano said he signed up for this job" and understands a judge needs to deal with disgruntled litigants. But his family shouldnt have been made to suffer the way Large made them suffer, he said. Im asking for my family and for my brethren on the bench and for all law enforcement that you put him in state prison so he cannot hurt people and he cannot threaten people and he cannot break into their homes, Giordano told Gavin. Gavin said as a father of five and a longtime jurist himself he understands exactly how Giordano feels. But he needed to weigh the need to punish Large against the interest of justice, he said. (Giordano) stuck his neck out for you and your treatment of him was despicable, Gavin told Large. Im the end of the line. Any more despicable conduct and (Ill send you to) the state correctional institution. A soft-spoken Large apologized to Giordano. His answers to basic questions from Gavin were often confused. He said he didnt remember a recent court appearance for one of his cases. His rambling non-sequiturs often centered around his son and daughter, who he wants permission to contact. Gavin told Large the children are now adults. They have a right to prohibit Large from contacting them if they want. Large had to be repeatedly reminded by Gavin that he may not send his children notes or cards if they dont want to hear from him. Gavin and Giordano suggested that Larges crimes stem from his frustration over years of court orders limiting his contact with his children. Your job for the next 30 years is to abide by the mental health treatment were going to get for you, to not contact people you are not supposed to contact and to be a good son to your mother who is going to take you home, Gavin told Large. Time heals everything. So maybe 10 years down the road youll have a better relationship with your children. I dont know. For me to put you in jail is not going to advance that situation at all. Large was also sentenced to probation Monday for threatening to slash a Bethlehem womans throat and bury her so no one would ever find her body, according to Wilson. Large pleaded guilty to making terroristic threats for the Oct. 31, 2015, crime. He pleaded guilty to threatening Giordano as well. Gavin said the seven-year probation sentence runs concurrent to Larges sentences in Carbon and Lehigh counties. Giordano said he respects Gavins sentence. I think the judge gave the matter consideration. He came to a well-reasoned decision, Giordano said. Im concerned for my family and that remains a concern. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. Virginia Houck was 97 years old, bedridden and under constant nursing care. Her son, Roger Hock, 59, would visit from Seattle and relieve the nurses while he stayed at his mothers Palmer Township home. Their bodies were both found in the basement after the house was destroyed by fire Jan. 4, investigators announced Monday in a press conference led by Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli. The fire, they say, was arson; the deaths were homicides. Roger Houck was found tied up at his feet and died of homicidal violence, county Coroner Zachary Lysek told reporters. Virginia, he said, had binding around her head and died of burns and smoke inhalation. Mystery still surrounds the case and authorities said they did not want to release too much information for fear of hindering the investigation. Morganelli said police have identified and spoken with a person of interest. A motive is yet to be determined, and no charges have been filed. The investigation was slowed by the extensive fire damage to the house and bodies -- Roger Houck was identified through dental records, Virginia by a medical implant, Lysek said. The home itself at 2901 Stephens St. was essentially reduced to ash, authorities said. An exact source of the fire is unclear, though authorities Monday said the pattern suggests an accelerant was used. Reports of explosions at the time were likely Virginia Houck's oxygen tanks inside. Also unknown is why Virginia Houck's car was found two blocks away. Police brought in the arson K-9 from Bethlehem to search the car for accelerants. Palmer Township police are also looking for clues from the day before the fire. They ask that anyone with information about an event there -- they were not any more specific -- between 1 and 3 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 3, come forward to either the department or the DAs office. Morganelli said the alleged homicides and fire were a targeted effort and commended investigators for their work under difficult circumstances. He said the case is likely to go to a grand jury when more is known. Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveNovakLVL and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A man who broke out of a mental health holding area of St. Lukes Hospital in Bethlehem Township repeatedly threatened to kill officers, and fought them before he was eventually arrested, police said. Being handcuffed didnt stop Joshua Clouse Sr., of the 400 block of West Berwick Street in Easton, from threatening, tussling with and spitting on officers, EMS and hospital staff, according to police. The 39-year-old Clouse is now in Northampton County Prison in lieu of $200,000 bail, being held on 33 charges, including eight counts each of aggravated assault, simple assault and harassment. Bethlehem Township police were called Friday afternoon to the hospital off Freemansburg Avenue for a homicidal and suicidal man who had kicked and broken the secured door to the mental health holding area. Clouse had not yet been searched for weapons, police were warned. Clouse had suddenly became enraged and shoved a nurse before an Easton EMS member stepped in to prevent Clouse from assaulting her, staff told police. Clouse shoved the man with Easton EMS and kicked the door until it broke, police said. Clouse was seen running from the hospital, through a nearby construction site, and heading toward Freemansburg Avenue. Clouse allegedly ignored officers commands for him to stop and walked into traffic in the eastbound lane of the road. He repeatedly told officers we would have to shoot him to stop him because he would (expletive) kill us, police said in court papers. Police said they warned Clouse he would be hit with a stun gun, as he was walking to the westbound lane of traffic. Clouse was hit with a stun gun multiple times, but it had no effect on him, police said. Officers said he laughed as he ripped the probes from his body, and again said police would have to shoot him because he would kill them. Township police followed Clouse onto Emrick Boulevard, where officers grabbed his arms and used pepper spray on him. Clouse allegedly fought with the officers and screamed threats, as it took five officers to handcuff him. Bethlehem Township EMS arrived to take Clouse back to St. Lukes. He allegedly tried to bite officers securing him on a gurney, then kicked a medic and spit in his face, according to police. At the hospital, Clouse continued to fight with officers, medics and hospital staff. He allegedly grabbed an ER tech so violently that he tore the techs scrubs, township police said. While Clouse continued to spit and flail, he identified the Easton EMS member from earlier by name and threatened to find him and shoot him, and then find his wife and kill her also, police said. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, thecapital of Cross River state, on Monday, February 11, sacked Senator John Owan-Enoh, a factional governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) currently recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The court, after sacking Senator John Owan Enoh, also disqualified other candidates of the APC currently recognized by INEC ahead of the forthcoming elections in the state. Channels Television reports that also sacked was the factional leadership of the party led by John Ochalla, which is loyal to Owan-Enoh. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda The report said the decision of the court presided over by Justice Simon Amobeda came in a two-hour judgement that ordered that Usani Usani should become the partys candidate. INEC should only receive and accept the names and candidates for the 2019 elections that emerged from the lawful executive led by Godwin Etim John, the court ordered. It was learnt that Justice Amobeda ordered all those currently parading themselves as the executive members of the APC in the state to desist forthwith while the one led by Godwin Etim John should be recognized. Counsel to the claimants, Ayei Okpa, who spoke with journalists after the judgement was quoted as saying: The judgment clearly is in support of the rule of law as it also supports the yearning of the common man. Once a judgment is delivered in a court of law, everyone affected by that judgment is supposed and ought to comply with the said judgment and that is what this court today has confirmed. According to Okpa, INEC must now publish only the names that emerged from the lawful executive as declared buy INEC. If INEC refuses, the judgment will be enforced against INEC to ensure compliance. The court has every power under its disciplinary jurisdiction to undo what has been done unlawfully and the electoral act commands INEC to obey section 155 of the electoral act to obey where the court gives an order. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news updates INEC has every reason to comply with that order, what INEC did by publishing unlawful names is unlawful, he said. On his part, Ntufam Godwin Etim John said he was pleased with the judgement. He said he was not surprised with the judgment since it arose from the disobedience of a court injunction and judgement. Legit.ng earlier reported that the Supreme Court recently upheld the position of the High court in Port Harcourt nullifying the primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers. A panel of five justices, presided by Justice Mohammed Dattijo on Friday, February 8, overruled the objection of the Tonye Cole-led faction of the APC that it had earlier withdrawn from the appeal against the court's ruling. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Sowore, Fela Durotoye, Buhari; who will Nigerian youths vote for? | Legit TV Source: Legit - Chris Ngige has said some influential elites are against the re-election of President Buhari because they were denied access to the national treasury - The minister of labour and employment laughed off the political influence of PDP's vice presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in the southeast region - According to the minister, what happened in the region in 2015 when President Buhari was poorly voted for would not repeat itself Following the wide declaration of support for the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, by some groups, Chris Ngige, the minister of labour and employment, has opened up as to why influential elites are against the re-election of President Buhari. Speaking in Abuja, Ngige alleged that some influential Nigerians bent on the president's downfall are doing so because they are not getting money as they used to during the 16-year reign of PDP, The Punch reports. Legit.ng gathers that the minister, who laughed off the political values of PDP's vice presidential candidate, Peter Obi, also disclosed that Obi's selection will have no influence in the southeast election as people in the region are in full support of the president. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda He said: "They want the money that has been trapped by the Treasury Single Account to be pushed down again on the table for them to start taking. That one is no longer possible. "Peter Obi was my successor in Anambra state. I can tell you that those who are shouting that Obi is this and that are the elite, who are looking for one thing or the other and people who dont believe that Muhammadu Buhari has done something good in their lives because they want money." Speaking on the selection of Peter Obi, Ngige, who was also a former governor of Anambra state, refuted the claim that the region automatically belonged to PDP, adding that what happened in 2015 when President Buhari was poorly voted for would not repeat itself. The minister attributed the outcome of the 2015 presidential election in the south-south and southeast to malfunctioning card readers, adding that such incident would not repeat itself. Ngige said the card reader hadnt become functional as it was just new and could be tampered with and at the end of the day most votes were allocated. According to him, Buhari was allocated 18,000 votes in the entire Anambra state. He said: Yes the PDP has a vice presidential candidate from my zone (southeast) and I can tell you that it wont be easy for them. Winning of election is all about calculation and strategic positioning and measured steps towards a direction. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update Even if they want to allocate, they cant do it now because they are not in charge of police and army like that time. They took police, army, navy everything and armoured tank and drove us away, in fact they put a price on my head. This time, it wont happen; people will go and cast votes and whatever is cast is what we will announce. We are not interested in rigging or chasing people about with armoured tank. Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a coalition of aggrieved support groups numbering over 145 had dumped Atiku Abubakar and declared their support for President Muhammadu Buhari saying the latter had done well for the country and deserved a second term. Bello Osaretin, who was the leader of the coalition, said the PDP would not return to power. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Nigeria Latest News: Father Mbaka On Buhari, Atiku In Nigeria Election 2019 | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - President Muhammadu Buhari has sent his condolences to Taraba state government after the stampede that occurred during the APC rally - Eight people were reportedly killed in the stampede while four others were injured - The president sent the governor of Adamawa state and the Secretary General of the Federation to condole with Taraba state governor A high powered delegation has been sent by President Buhari to condole with the Taraba government and families of those who died in a stampede during the APC presidential campaign rally on Thursday, February 7, in Jalingo. Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), who led the presidential delegation, said in Jalingo, on Sunday, that President Buhari was deeply touched by the unfortunate incident. The SGF led delegation also visited four injured people at the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo and also condoled with the Emir of Muri, Alhaji Abbas Tafida and Governor Darius Ishaku. READ ALSO: It is over for APC - Kwankwaso, Secondus boast as Atiku storm Kano Mustapha said the president described the death of the eight people during the rally, as a supreme sacrifice for democracy, assuring the bereaved that their loved ones have not died in vain. According to him, the president prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased, saying God would grant the families the fortitude to bear the irreparable losses. Responding on behalf of the families of the deceased, Alhaji Haruna Kawuwa, head of local government administration, who lost his wife, thanked the president for his show of love and solidarity at this point of their bereavement. Kawuwa assured the president of their continued support and loyalty to his aspiration, and wished the delegation journey mercies back to their various destinations. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the delegation included: the FCT minister, Mohammed Bello and Gov. Mohammed Bindow of Adamawa. Others were: Dr Ali Pantami, director-general of National Information Technology Development Agency; Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and publicity; and Senator Ali Ndume, among others. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Those who lost their lives at the presidential rally included: Alhaji Gudali Buba, Ardo Barkere, Alhaji Musa Namuddi and Sukaina Hassan. Others were Amina Yahya, Zainab Yahya, Safiya Haruna Kawuwa and Ummul Al-Hassan. Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that the government of Taraba state, blamed the APC for the death of some residents who attended the presidential campaign rally of Muhammadu Buhari, the flag bearer of the ruling political party. The state governor, Darius Ishaku, through his spokesperson, Bala Dan Abu, said thugs imported into the state by the APC caused tension and damaged vehicles including those in his convoy while he was on his way from the airport where he received the president. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Young ladies weigh in on President Buhari's re-election | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - The PDP's governorship candidate for the 2019 election in Plateau state has called for total support for Atiku Abubakar - Jerry Useni said Atiku's candidature is a blessing to Nigeria amid the socioeconomic challenges facing the country - According to Useni, Atiku is the right person for the job of rescuing Nigeria and its people Retired General Jerry Useni, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Candidate in Plateau, says that former vice president Atiku Abubakars presidential candidature is a blessing to Nigeria. Useni spoke through his running mate, James Dalok, on Sunday, February 10, before group of PDP supporters in Ketang, Mango local government of Plateau. The PDP flag bearer said that the pedigree of Atiku was beyond human understanding and very capable of rescuing Nigerians from the hardship the All Progressives Congress (APC) had brought upon them. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Atiku has what it takes to rescue Nigeria and Nigerians from the socioeconomic mess this present administration brought upon them. I wish to assure you that the long abandoned Panyam-Bokkos-Wamba Road and Gindiri Regional Water Plant will be completed if Atiku and himself as governor of Plateau, he said. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Useni called on the people to vote wisely in the forthcoming elections to ensure that Atiku was voted into power. He assured the people of the state of better and appealing people oriented policies and programs. Also speaking, Caleb Mutfwang, former Chairman, Mango LG appealed to party supporters in the council to vote massively for Atiku and Useni. We wont disappoint our own son, Dalok, Usenis running mate but give our bloc votes to them to lead us to the promise land, he said. Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Ben Bako, a spokesperson of the PDP in Kaduna state has been arrested. Bako who is the director of media and publicity of the PDP campaign organisation was picked up on Saturday, February 9. An official of the party confirmed the arrest. Bako was recently caught on video inciting violence at a political rally and there is suspicion his arrest may be connected to it. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service! Controversy trails plans to evict Igbos from the north as El-Rufai blows hot | Legit TV Source: Legit - The CUPP has accused the federal government of trying to disrupt NJC's sitting on the case of ex-CJN Onnoghen and acting CJN Mohammed Tanko - The umbrella body of opposition parties claimed that security agents would be used to lock down NJC headquarters in attempt to stop the decision of the judicial body - CUPP spokesman Ugochinyere says the move is allegedly to get favourable ruling for the current acting CJN Opposition parties in the country under the umbrella of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) have alleged that there is a plot to use security agents to lock down the headquarters of the National Judicial Council (NJC) at its resumed sitting on Monday, February 11. It claimed that there is a plan to draft a combined team of security agents to cordon off the venue of the NJC meeting as it moves to decide the fates of suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen and his successor Mohammed Tanko. READ ALSO: Elections: 145 aggrieved pro-Atiku support groups endorse Buhari CUPP spokesperson Ikenga Ugochinyere, who made the claims in a statement on Sunday, February 10, said: The operatives have been handed instructions that they should do whatever is necessary to ensure the NJC indicts the CJN and sets Justice Tanko Mohammed free from all allegations. He said in the statement sent to Legit.ng: The security agents are to claim that there is intelligence of a possible breach of security which would warrant the increased security. They are to coax, coerce and show some members their unfavourable security reports to get them to do the bidding of the government. He claimed that this would all be in the attempt to arm-twist members of the NJC into doing the will of the federal government. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Ugochinyere also urged members of the NJC to resist the invasion and face its duty of correcting the alleged breach of the NJC guidelines and the 1999 Constitution. The plot to use security agents to attempt to intimidate members of the NJC is reprehensible, condemnable and repugnant and must be dismantled immediately as continuing with it will be one abuse too many in a constitutional democracy, he said. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android and read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported earlier that the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Danladi Umar, said he is answerable to only the presidency and not any judicial institution. Umar was reported to have said this in his reply to a petition against him by an NGO Incorporated Trustees of the Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative (ITCJPI). According to Umar, neither he nor members of the CCT are not judicial officers and as such cannot be disciplined by the National Judicial Council (NJC) or the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC). NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better. Onnoghen's Suspension: Lawyers, Civil Group protest in Abuja - on Legit TV Source: Legit.ng Front-page Evers unveils dental care proposals Staff photo by Dan Reiland Gov. Tony Evers greets circulation supervisor Bethany Bulgrin on Jan. 23 while touring Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire. View more photos at LeaderTelegramPhotos.com. Gov. Tony Evers is unveiling a $43.4 million dental access initiative as part of his 2019-21 biennial budget, which will be released later this month. There is a lack of access, particularly in our rural communities, said Evers spokeswoman Melissa Baldauff. During the campaign, the governor talked a lot about access to health care. Access in rural areas is a challenge. The proposal features using $21.8 million in state dollars, with the other half coming from federal aid. The $21.8 million includes an additional $9.6 million in general purpose revenue in 2020 and another $11.6 million in 2021, according to an outline Evers office released. The largest component is increasing the Medicaid dental access incentive payment, which totals $7.8 million in 2020 and $8.7 million in 2021, the outline states. Dental providers would receive increased reimbursement rates if they served a certain percentage of (Medicaid assistance) patient base, the document reads. Non-profit providers would receive a 50 percent reimbursement increase if they serve a patient base of at least 50 percent. For-profit providers would receive a 30 percent reimbursement increase if they serve a patient base of at least five percent. State Sen. Kathy Bernier, R-Lake Hallie, said the plan seems unnecessarily complicated, but she generally endorses the idea of increasing the reimbursement rate. Bernier said shes sponsored similar measures in the past. We dont necessarily have a shortage of dentists yet, but they dont get paid enough, Bernier said. This (reimbursement increase proposal) would be an excellent use of the surplus. Every dentist Ive spoken to said theyll take the Medicaid patients, but they cant lose money on it. The governors proposal also includes creating a dental therapist licensure, allowing for a midlevel dental provider. Several states, including Minnesota, already allow for this provider. That proposal doesnt cost any additional state dollars. Baldauff said data indicate there is a shortage of dentists statewide. The most updated estimate is 204 dental providers needed to remove health shortage area designations, she said, adding that a Kaiser Family Foundation report recommends one provider for every 5,000 residents. Another component of the plan is a rural dental loan repayment, costing $60,000 each year of the biennium. It is an award for dentists and physicians who elect to serve in rural areas. This initiative would provide funding for three dentists at the same level as physicians. Low-income dental grants would expand, with an additional $425,000 in 2020 and $850,000 in 2021. The proposal states these dental clinics are safety nets that provide services to low-income Medicaid recipients and the uninsured. Each year, about 20 clinics apply for these grants, but only 11 receive the awards. This proposal would increase the number of clinics that would win grants. The final measure includes a Seal-A-Smile care, providing preventive services to children in grades K-12. That proposal would cost $275,000 in 2020 and $450,000 in 2021. This will be included in the governors budget, which will be released Feb. 28, Baldauff said. We are releasing some of the initiatives early. We want to bring attention to some of the pieces now, so they dont get lost in the budget conversation. Were proud to be able to do this comprehensive package. With all of the rapidly changing weather weve had, it creates some very dangerous and unstable conditions on the ice, Wozney said. A resident can be out for a walk with their dogs at the park, and they end up walking on the ice shelf, which is less than a foot thick, so you can fall right in. Srinagar, February 11: The Indian army on foiled a terror attack on its cap in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir. Three to four terrorists attacked the camp at Mohra in Uri on Sunday night. The camp is near the Line of Control (LoC). According to reports, last night the security personnel of Army Artillery unit at Rajarwani, Uri detected some suspicious movement around the camp and opened fire. Jammu and Kashmir Encounter: Two Terrorists Killed in Gunfight Between Security Forces and Terrorists in Budgam. The area has been cordoned off and is being searched jointly by Police and the Army. Two people are being examined till now. The security around the camp has been tightened. Meanwhile, all local units of the Army and the central paramilitary force deployed in the area have been alerted. Meanwhile, yesterday, security forces gunned down five terrorists during an encounter in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. The Police has also recovered weapons and warlike stores from the site. Heavy stone pelting has also been reported from the site. According to a report by PTI, in 2018, the gunfight between security forces and terrorists were witnessed in 12 of the 22 districts of Jammu and Kashmir with Kupwara accounting for the highest number of terrorists (52) killed in such encounters. Reports inform that of the total 256 militants killed in 2018. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 11, 2019 09:24 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Strasbourg, February 11 - A diplomatic spat with France is only a "misunderstanding", Premier Giuseppe Conte said Monday, voicing the hope that relations will return to normal as soon as possible. Conte told Politico.eu that Italy "is not isolated" in Europe but should not "shrink from expressing its opinions even when these may be uncomfortable". French Ambassador Christian Masset will return to Rome "at the opportune moment", a French foreign ministry spokesperson said Monday. "Currently the consultations for which we recalled him (last week) are in course with our ambassador," it said. France recalled Masset citing unprecedented attacks and Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio's meeting with Yellow Vest members. Belgrade, February 11 - Slovenian President Borut Pahor on Monday wrote to President Sergio Mattarella voicing concern over "some unacceptable declarations by high representatives of the Italian Republic on the occasion of the day of Remembrance which give the impression that the events linked to the Foibe were a form of ethnic cleansing". The Croatian news agency HINA linked Pahor's protest to Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini's statement that "the children who died in the Foibe and the children of Auschwitz are the same". The Foibe is the name given to the mass murder of Italian people in Venezia Giulia, Istria and Dalmatia, mostly by Yugoslav Partisans, during and after the Second World War. Rome, February 11 - A 5-Star Movement (M5S) Senator has been placed under investigation for claiming there is a Jewish plot to take over the world citing the notorious Czarist police fake the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Elio Zanutti is being probed by Rome prosecutors for defamation aggravated by racial hatred, judicial sources said. On January 22 Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio distanced himself and his M5S from an anti-Semitic tweet posted by Lannutti citing the anti-Semitic czarist forgery. "As deputy premier and political leader of the M5S, I distance myself, and with me the whole movement, from the considerations of Senator Elio Lannutti", Di Maio said, referring to the tweet. Lannutti, who is president of consumer group Adusbef, cited the Protocols, a pillar of anti-Semitic hatred for about a century, which purports to represent Jewish leaders plotting world dominion. It has long been recognized as a fabrication by the czarist secret police and was used in early 20th-century Russia and in Nazi Germany as a pretext to persecute Jews. In a Facebook post, Lannutti osaid he had "published a link on the Rothschild bankers, without any comment". "Since I had no intention of offending anyone, least of all the Jewish communities or others, I apologize if the link hurt" someone's feelings, he wrote. "Sharing a link doesn't mean sharing the content, from which I distance myself", he noted, stressing that "I am not, nor will I ever be an anti-Semite". Rome, February 11 - An Italian photographer has been hurt in a battle at Syria's last ISIS bastion and is already returning to Italy, sources said Monday. Milan-born Gabriele Micalizzi, 34, was injured in the battle between hundreds of ISIS militiamen and advancing pro-US forces at Dayr az Zor, sources said. Micalizzi was taken to a local hospital before being flown by helicopter to Baghdad, sources said. "He was seriously injured in the face by RPG shrapnel but does not seem to be in a life-threatening condition, said the CesuraLab collective he is co-founder of. Micalizzi will be flown back to Italy as soon as possible, the Kurdish Syrian Rojava Information Center said. "He will be shortly repatriated to Italy on board a medical plane of the (US-led) coalition" that is fighting ISIS, Kurdish forces said. Potenza, February 11 - Premier Giuseppe Conte mistakenly referred to himself as the Italian president on Monday. "I am, as president of the republic, the guarantor of national cohesion", he said in answering a question in Potenza on the consequences of the greater autonomy requested by a number of Italian regions. The premier did not notice his slip of the tongue and journalists did not point it out to him. Rome, February 11 - Premier Giuseppe Conte and Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini both said Monday that nothing changes for central government after the centre right won Sunday's regional elections in Abruzzo. Salvini's League was the driving force of the centre-right's victory. The League's coalition partners in central government, fellow Deputy Premier and Labour and Industry Minister Luigi Di Maio's 5-Star Movement (M5S), came third with around 20% of the vote after running alone, with a centre-right alliance coming second. "Nothing changes for the government - no reshuffle, work continues," Interior Minister Salvini told a press conference in the Lower House. That concept was echoed by Conte. "The outcome (in Abruzzo) seems quite clear, but this does not change anything for central government," Conte said in the southern city of Campobasso. "We'll keep working. There's no change to the agenda". Naples, February 11 - An internal investigation began on Monday at Naples' San Paolo Hospital into the death of a 72-year-old man in the hospital's emergency room on Sunday, after what family members said was a six-hour wait for medical care. The hospital said the man had refused to be admitted to the structure three days prior to his death. Police opened their own investigation on Sunday after the family filed a police report regarding Eduardo Estatico's death. Investigators ordered the seizure of the man's hospital chart and autopsy. In the police report, the family said the man had gone to the hospital three days prior with the same symptoms of abdominal pain but was sent home after undergoing some exams. Pescara, February 11 - Marco Marsilio is the new governor of Abruzzo after the centre-right candidate won almost half of the vote in Sunday's elections in the central Italian region. With the counts completed in 96% of the ballot sections, Marsilio had 48.04% of the vote. He was followed by centre-left candidate Giovanni Legnini, with 31.43%. The 5-Star Movement's (M5S) Sara Marcozzi was third with 20.05 while the far-right CasaPound party got 0.46%. The election was seen as an important test ahead of May's European elections. Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini's League party ran with its tradition allies in the centre right, including ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia (FI) party, while its coalition partners in central government, the M5S, ran alone. On a hot day, what classic summer treat not only cools you down but also brings back memories? Major was charged on the felony counts and taken into custody in late October. She was initially charged on the same counts in 2012 in the slaying of Carl Griffith Sr. of Portage, but after a key witness in the case was murdered, the state dismissed the charges against her. Washington previously pleaded guilty to charges of battery and invasion of privacy from an incident at his home involving two women. He was given six months of probation for those charges, as well. Brooks pulled out $5 and sounded irritated when the victim told him that would not be enough to pay for Hennessey, according to the affidavit. The victim decided he would just take Mario home and that he did not want to deal with arguing with Mario, the affidavit states. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 11) Senate Health committee chair JV Ejercito refused to join calls for Public Attorney's Office chief Persida Acosta to resign amid the measles outbreak now being linked to the panic caused by the Dengvaxia vaccine mess. "We cannot force anybody to resign. It's her call," Ejercito told CNN Philippines' The Source on Monday. He echoed the statements made by the Palace and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, who said that Acosta was only doing her job in lawyering for the parents of children who reportedly died after being inoculated with the anti-dengue Dengvaxia vaccine. But Ejercito acknowledged that Acosta's delivery of her statements may have contributed to the panic that ensued following the Dengvaxia mess. "Probably it's her delivery. Sometimes it's her character, naghi-hysterical siya [she was hysterical,] probably, it may have contributed," he said. The senator also appealed to parents to vaccinate their children and separate Dengvaxia from other vaccines. "We will have bigger problems diphtheria, anti-polio (sic), measles, [tuberculosis,]" Ejercito said. "Mas makakabuti kung bakunahan natin ang ating mga anak sa mga napatunayan nang bakuna." [Translation: We will have bigger problems diphtheria, polio, measles, tuberculosis It will be better if we vaccinate our children with already proven vaccines.] Former Senate health committee chair Risa Hontiveros called for Acosta to step down on Friday, saying that her "lies have slain children." "She stood at the gravesides of poor, dead children to wage a vicious campaign of disinformation, pseudo-science and politically-motivated witch-hunts. Her lies and hysterics contributed directly to the erosion of public trust in our vaccination programs," Hontiveros said. She also said that she is disappointed that Acosta did not include the Department of Health (DOH)-commissioned panel from the University of the Philippines (UP) and the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in the PAO's probe on the anti-dengue vaccine. The UP-PGH panel found that some of the children given Dengvaxia died of dengue despite getting the vaccinated against it, but medical experts have not yet found direct links between the anti-dengue vaccine and their deaths. However, the panel said these deaths justify the decision of the government to halt the use of the anti-dengue vaccine, which was given to around 800,000 schoolchildren before its manufacturer, French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi-Pasteur, said the vaccine can cause "severe disease" among those who have not yet been infected with dengue. The expert panels' findings are contrary to those of PAO forensics chief Dr. Erwin Erfe, who asserted that the children they examined died due to Dengvaxia, citing patterns from his autopsies on their bodies. Acosta has said that it is "unfair" to blame the PAO for the outbreak. But Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told CNN Philippines' Newsroom Ngayon that some of their health workers had to deal with angry comments from people fed up with Dengvaxia. "Some of our health workers on the ground were giving us feedback na nagagalit sa kanila, sinasabi sa kanila, 'O, ito na naman ang DOH, nagbabakuna na naman, hindi na natututo 'to sa Dengvaxia.' Always, there is a relationship with the Dengvaxia scare," Duque said. [Translation: Some of our health workers on the ground were giving us feedback that people were getting mad at them, telling them, "Oh, here comes the DOH, vaccinating again, as if they haven't learned their lesson from Dengvaxia." Always, there is a relationship with the Dengvaxia scare.] What started as a small idea, has led to one Billings man donating over $500 worth of new clothes to help keep the less fortunate and homeless stay warm during the cold winter. "It's easy, it really doesn't take much, shoot I've seen people homeless people have frozen to death literally, it's not cool. So, instead of just saying I want to do something I just sporadically said okay I'm doing it." On Friday, 22-year-old Austin Rel started taking donations to buy warm clothes for those struggling during the frigid temperatures. "I can't imagine trying to sleep in it let alone be in it for hours so I don't know it just breaks my heart seeing people struggle and I don't know they do wrong, you know whatever path led them to there they don't deserve to freeze to death or whatever led them to that and people in Montana they know how brutal the winters can be," said Rel. The donations grew from family, friends, and now strangers to help him buy new clothes with his employee discount at Zumiez. He says he understands not everyone wants to get out there and donate these items, so he will do it for them if they help donate items and money. Austin has now collected over five hundred dollars in donations, and contributed another $150 himself. The last two nights, he's delivered the warm clothes to the Community Crisis Center. Rel said it's been rewarding to see how grateful people are for any beanies, jackets, gloves, scarves, and socks. "It's that easy it really is just simply getting up and doing it instead of talking about it and seeing on their face just oh, somebody's helping me somebody cares, it's just a good self rewarding feeling," Rel said. Austin is accepting any donations of clothing or money to help bring warm clothes to those who need it. You can find him on Facebook or you can Venmo him money @A-Rel. Rel said he hopes to keep it going until there are no more clothes to give or he runs out of donations. He also hopes to start donating food such as protein bars eventually. Nigeria is the 12th largest instant noodle market in the world, where locals consume 1.76 billion servings of noodles annually. We head to the largest noodle factory in the country to see just how they are made. Democratic anxieties over 'Medicare for all' kick off first 2020 primary fight "Nathan's laid-back approach was unique," the teacher, Alex da Silva, said. "He was not the cool, tough guy, nor was he the class clown. He did have a sense of humor and would crack jokes in class, but when it was time to get to work, he took care of business. Weather Alert ...RED FLAG WARNING FOR TONIGHT IS CANCELLED FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 413 AND 427... ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 9 PM MDT THURSDAY FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 411, 413 AND 427... ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 9 PM MDT THURSDAY FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 413 AND 427... ...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 413 AND 427... The National Weather Service in Pocatello has issued a Red Flag Warning for scattered thunderstorms, which is in effect from noon to 9 PM MDT Thursday. The Red Flag Warning has been cancelled. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zone 413 Caribou Range/Caribou NF and Fire Weather Zone 427 Goose Creek and Raft River Valley/Southern Sawtooth NF/Twin Falls BLM south of the Snake River. * IMPACTS...Scattered thunderstorms will produce lightning and gusty erratic winds. A mix of wet and dry thunderstorms is forecast. * OUTFLOW WINDS...Gusts over 40 MPH are possible. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly based on these criteria for Southeastern Idaho: - Relative humidity at or below 15 percent and wind gusts of at least 25 mph in the mountains, or 30 mph in the Snake Plain. - Thunderstorm coverage of 25 percent, without specific rainfall criteria. - Other high impact events deemed critical by the National Weather Service and area fire management agencies. && Police ask for help finding person of interest in Hillsboro shooting Originally set in Ohio, the playwright later changed the landscape to the Appalachian Mountains. Filled with symbolism, the teacher, named Bonnie, finds herself coping with chronic back pain, which is how she crosses paths with Neil and the services of his new practice. Bonnie believes she must keep her promise to God to save every soul, and she encounters opposition from her new bone and joint specialist friend. approved changes to the citys zoning ordinance concerning the parking of larger commercial vehicles. According to new ordinance, trucks, commercial buses, construction equipment and vehicle trailers will be allowed to park on commercially-zoned property for more than four hours if they are an integral part of the business. Britain's Prince Philip waits for the bridal procession following the wedding of Princess Eugenie of York and Jack Brooksbank in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, near London, England, Friday, Oct. 12, 2018. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool) Donald Trump Jr., the son of President Donald Trump, speaks to media during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File). What were looking at is overhauling the system to create more timely tier I intervention to monitor our students and our data coming in to also help with what were calling out of the classroom intervention, Uhle said. Cpl. Shane Totty is being remembered by friends and family in Collinsville, Ill. **Embargo: Fort Myers, FL** Worster was exchanging text messages with another man, Lafe Best, about the plot to groom the 3-year-old girl. A voter seen holding a sticker with the words I love voting at the Barrack Recreation Centre in downtown Columbus during the primary elections. **Credit: Matthew Hatcher/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty** You get to a point in your career and life where you feel, Ive done everything I can do here, Rothenfluh said in the release. Im ready to move on and let people with new and different ideas take over. This is a great organization and its full of good people who work hard and love this place. **Embargo: Cincinnati, OH** One Ohio family has an approaching deadline to find new homes for their alpacas, which they consider emotional/therapy pets, after a neighbor claimed they were causing a nuisance in the neighborhood. The latest political party has an initial website here and is seeking 500 members so they can register. They explain their background: We believe it is time for a new political party that champions a politics of sustainability. Sustainability is based on the principle that everything we need for our survival and well-being depends on our natural environment. It means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Our focus on sustainability means that we would be able to work with political parties on the left or right of politics to ensure that the environment is always a top political priority regardless of who makes up the government. Our primary focus is on environmental matters such as clean water, sustainable oceans, protection of our native species, dealing with climate change They explain that only minor parties in the centre get political power under MMP: The Mixed-Member Proportional (MMP) system means that minor parties can have a major influence on a government as part of a coalition. The coalition arrangements of the current government allocated billions of dollars to political trophies and slush funds the price of NZ First support for a Labour-led Government. We have also seen the scrapping of important environmental initiatives like the mandatory installation of cameras on fishing boats because the fishing industry are key NZ First donors and supporters. MMP should deliver better outcomes than this. NZ First has also stopped the largest marine sanctuary in the world, in the Kermadecs. The Green Party has made a deliberate decision not to use the leverage that comes with the number of MPs they have in Parliament. Instead of negotiating with both major parties, they have made a decision to always support the formation of a Labour Government meaning that Labour can take them for granted. This is no way to get the best deal for the environment. Having given away their negotiating advantage, they are in a weak position to demand funding for cleaner beaches and rivers, for modern sewage infrastructure in major cities, for sustainable management of our fisheries, a major upgrade in predator control, nor for the significant increases in science and research funding that will underwrite a modern, sustainable economy. It is obvious to everyone that NZ First has massively more influence than the Greens, despite getting only slightly fewer more votes. The reason is because they have political leverage. The Greens have a historic tendency to be suspicious of scientific innovation particularly in biotechnology and hostile to business. New Zealand deserves a political party that will work together with the innovators in business and science who will lead the way through the complex and interconnected sustainability challenges of the coming century. An environmental party that will work with both science and business would be welcome. If you want to see a party in Parliament that puts the environment first that is prepared to deal with either National or Labour and puts clean water, sustainable fisheries, protection of our native species, climate change and a sustainable economy and society at the top of the political agenda, please register your details below. From what I can tell this is not a blue-green party, Nor it is the red-green party of The Greens. It is a green-green party, Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn More Reddit Pinterest Print Tumblr The idea that Brexit is the only factor affecting the global economy is just to miss the point, he said. With just six weeks to go before Britain's scheduled departure from the European Union on March 29, Fox dismissed the chances of another popular vote that could overturn Brexit and also dismissed ideas put forward by opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn. The chances of having a second referendum are as close to nil as I could imagine, he said. He said the ideas put forward by Corbyn were "not workable", because it was impossible to subscribe to his proposal to have a customs union with the EU while also influencing EU policy. To pretend that you could do so is a dangerous delusion, Fox said. Fox was in Switzerland to sign a continuity trade deal with Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin, to ensure trading relations can continue with as little disruption as possible if Britain leaves the European Union on March 29 without a deal. About 12 percent of Britain's trade was currently covered by EU free trade deals, and Switzerland accounted for about a fifth of that, he said. Fox had previously said Britain would be able to roll over all of the EU's current trade deals, but so far he has only concluded agreements with Chile, the Faroe Islands and Switzerland. We are confident that we will be able to maintain a very high proportion of that continuity of trade. Of course its always dependent on other partners wanting to retain that continuity too. (Reporting by Tom Miles Editing by Angus MacSwan and Peter Graff) * No talks between Trump and Xi before March trade deadline* Speculators target zinc after breached technical level * GRAPHIC-2019 asset returns: (Updates with closing prices) By Eric Onstad LONDON, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Zinc slumped to a two-week low on Monday falling along with other industrial metals as speculators sold in response to concerns about U.S.-China trade talks and global growth. China expressed anger on Monday at a U.S. Navy mission through the disputed South China Sea after U.S. President Donald Trump said last week that he did not plan to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping before a March 1 deadline for a trade deal. Chinese investors, returning after a week-long national holiday, seemed to focus more on downbeat news rather than optimism expressed by China on Monday about a new round of trade talks with the United States. "You had seen quite a run-up in base metals prices, with lots of positivity on the trade negotiations, and now that balloon seems to have been punctured somewhat," said Ross Strachan, senior commodities economist at Capital Economics in London. "There seems to be more realisation that trying to get a permanent long-term deal between those two parties is extremely difficult to imagine." Benchmark zinc on the London Metal Exchange had shot up by nearly a fifth in the month to Feb. 5, when it touched a seven-month peak of $2,810 a tonne. Since then, however, it has slipped 6 percent and was the biggest LME decliner on Monday. It fell 2.2 percent in closing open outcry activity to $2,644 a tonne, having earlier touched $2,631, the lowest since Jan. 25. * ZINC STOCKS: Investors apparently brushed off news that LME zinc inventories have eroded further to their lowest since January 2008. * ZINC TECHNICALS: Zinc attracted additional selling because of a weak chart picture, Marex Spectron's Matt France said in a note. "Zinc looks most vulnerable technically as it has breached the 200-day moving average at $2,660." * COPPER: Three-month LME copper shed 1 percent to finish at $6,150 a tonne after Chilean state miner Codelco said on Saturday that it hoped to restart operations soon at its Chuquicamata copper mine. * LEAD: LME lead gave up 1.7 percent to close at a two-week low of $2,045.50 a tonne. A pullback in lead is expected to be short-lived, Stephanie Aymes, head of technical analysis at Societe Generale, said in a note. "Once a move beyond $2,132/35 takes shape, lead will extend the recovery towards $2,185 and perhaps even towards the May 2018 trough at $2,241/28." * DOLLAR: Also weighing on metals was a stronger dollar, making dollar-denominated metals more expensive for holders of other currencies. * PRICES: Aluminium closed unchanged at $1,880 a tonne, nickel fell 0.6 percent to $12,490 and tin eased by 0.1 percent to $21,025. * For the top stories in metals and other news, click or <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Top Base and Precious Metals Analysis - GFMS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Additional reporting by Enrico Dela Cruz in Manila and Muyu Xu in Beijing. Editing by Louise Heavens and David Goodman) Reuters Messaging: eric.onstad.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) She loves to dance she loves it, Reagan said. Its amazing to be able to bring her here and give her this opportunity to have fun. Thats what its all about. DUBAI (Reuters) - The Beijing-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will maintain a prudent approach as it finances more projects, its president said on Monday. The AIIB aims to finance projects worth about $4 billion this year, about 20 percent more than the $3.3 billion it financed in 2018. We expect to do more this year and beyond but I am not into rushing. I want to move forward on the basis of prudence and the basis of a meticulous feasibility study. Jin Liqun told Reuters in an interview in Dubai. Quantity is important ... but quality is the most important thing, he said. The AIIB, which has 93 member countries, was set up to help meet Asias infrastructure needs, while also demonstrating that a China-led institution can meet international standards for best practice. It has financed $7.5 billion in projects since it launched in 2016, mostly in Asia but also in countries such as Egypt. The development bank will focus on financing projects in Asia this year, Jin said, adding that the AIIB wanted to prioritize efforts in Pakistan, where it has already financed several projects. He also said the AIIB was interested in working with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman and Jordan, where it has already financed projects. Jin, who is attending the World Government Summit in Dubai this week, said he met with UAE Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan earlier on Monday. I reaffirmed my commitment to working with the UAE, with Saudi, with Oman, with Jordan, he said of his meeting with Sheikh Mansour. FEBRUARY 8, 2019 Certain people just have IT. They are rare, but when you meet one, you know it. Ross Beaty is one. He just has IT. He is a winner. Of all the people with IT in the resource sector I have gotten to know, none have the style and gravitas of Pierre Lassonde. If he didnt choose to conquer the mining sector, Pierre has the grace and style of a movie star who could have played James Bond. He once made a comment to me at a dinner that resonated with me: Stay hungry my friends. It was like I was having a conversation with the real-world version of The Most Interesting Man in the World. But rather than watching the bearded debonair gentleman pitching Dos Equis beer Im looking across the table at a living legend who is sharing the secrets to his success. Over an amazing 40+ career in the mining industry, Pierre has pulled off a lot of incredible deals. I even saw him do something Ive never see anyone do: He got Rick Rule to pick up a big dinner check. (Love you Rick!) If youve invested in the mining sector for a while, youve definitely heard of Pierre Lasonde. Pierre is the billionaire founder of the huge mining royalty firm Franco-Nevada. Pierre is a legend in the resource business. Pierre is literally the coolest person I know in mining. He is a Style Connoisseur as well as a wine connoisseur. His charm captures peoples attention everyone in his vicinity gravitates towards every word he says. Even his accent makes you feel every word has a deeper meaning than it does. Pierres passion for life and business is contagious. Hes also taught me a valuable lesson. He looked me dead in the eye and said Regardless where you are in the world, make sure you get home for the weekend to be with your family. Ive taken his advice as an axiom I live by. As we were drinking an amazing Cabernet Sauvignon that he selected, Pierre gets into the details of one of the biggest success stories in the history of mining. Its how he and his longtime partner Seymour Schulich took a struggling energy company with $2 million in cash and a market cap of less than $10 million and transformed that company into +$15 billion mining powerhouse. The story of Pierres first mining site visit should be in a movie (Ive been in the industry for over 15 years, and this is one of the funniest stories Ive ever heard). Before our legend was a billionaire wine connoisseur, he was an ambitious young resource entrepreneur looking for his big score. Like most mining entrepreneurs, he organized a site visit to showcase the potential of his projects. Well, not only was this his first mining site visit, the company did not have a lot of money left in the bank account and really needed to impress its investors. Pierre needed to impress one large fund manager in particular. This fund manager flew in from Europe and was considering the company as an investment. Pierre wanted to get him to invest in the company and help the struggling venture. As this large fund manager checked into the hotel, Pierre had a full slate of two days with geologists and site tours planned. As is customary on site visits (and Ive been on hundreds of these), the group has a dinner together before the next days activities. Its a way to get a feel for management and the other investors and the company. The large fund manager didnt show up to dinner. Not a good start. The next morning, the group waited for the big fund manager to come down from his room. He was one hour late. So, Pierre phoned the fund managers hotel room, and was told, in a European accent: Oh Pierre, I cannot come to the site visit today, I am extremely busy. Pierre was really down. But since they already had the days trip organized, they went ahead with the site visit without the big European fund manager. That night, the fund manager was a no-show for the group dinner. The second morning, the same thing happened. The group waited for an hour for the fund manager. Like before, a phone call was made to his room. Again, he answered the phone and said: Oh Pierre, I cannot come to the site visit today, I am extremely busy. Feeling deflated, our young entrepreneur moved forward with the planned site visit. He wondered why a fund manager would travel all the way from Europe to Nevada for a two-day site visit and not attend either day. He found out the next morning. As a good host would do, Pierre wanted to say goodbye to the European fund manager who he intended on impressing and getting a lead order from. However, the fund manager was late again. He missed breakfast and was on the verge of missing his flight back to Europe. A phone call was made and the fund manager rushed to the airport. Pierre noticed that the woman the fund manager met at the elevator before he went to his room, on the first day, was the same woman that came out of the elevator with him as he left for the airport. Pierre used his last few moments to try to obtain a lead order from the fund manager. Pierre said it was unfortunate that the fund manager was too busy to make the site visits. They contained so much potential. The fund manager said to him This was the most pleasant site visit, and very promising! After hearing all that from Pierre, I asked, Did you get the lead order from him? Pierre responded, I did, and he made a fortune! That was one of many, many stories over a two-hour dinner. But the dinner got me thinking about our mining legend. What more can he and his company do in the mining space? Lots. Ive tracked the mining space for many years, but one space Ive had a keen interest in has been the royalty and streaming business. It Is Simply One of the Best Sectors To Be In Right Now For example, since Jan 1, 2008, the royalty/streamers index I created have significantly outperformed the gold mining index. And its outperformed the actual price of gold itself. The chart below shows how the royalty index (in yellow) has delivered over 200% gains since Jan 2008. On the other side, the GLD (Gold ETF backed by gold) returned just under 50%. And the actual miners have delivered negative returns during the same time. This one chart tells us that we need to be exposed to the royalty/streaming companies. But many people have stayed away from the royalty/streaming companies because they appear to be expensive relative to the miners using traditional financial metrics. The Ultimate Royalty Katusa Research has spent almost a year working on our Ultimate Royalty Report that we will publish on February 14th, 2019. In this report, we will break down all the different financial metrics you need to know about the sector. You dont even have to like gold or mining to see the opportunity. You just have to like making money. Special connections or being rich are not needed to see incredible gains from this business model. And not just in mining. For example The A&W Revenue Royalties Fund (AW.UN) collects royalties on every sale at the burger restaurant. Its up 200% over the last decade (not including its lucrative distribution). Texas Pacific Land Trust (TPL) is a boring old real estate business. But their disruptive model for collecting royalties on oil-rich land in Texas has made investors incredible returns TPL is up 476% in the last 3 years Altius Minerals (ALS.TO) is a royalty company with its hands in at least half a dozen commodity sectors. And it made early shareholders incredible returns from 2001-2007 Altius went up 5,600% from 2001 to 2007. Ligand Pharmaceuticals (LGND) partners with early stage drug companies and earns royalties on drug sales after approval. Ligand is up 12,650% from 2010 to 2018. Make no mistake, making 50 or 120 times your money does not happen often. But you can see how getting an early piece of royalty companies, that steamroll old business models, can be very, very lucrative. The unusual royalty company in our new report has one of the most profitable and disruptive upside kickers I have ever seen where three years from now you could be seeing potential 1000% gains or more. This is the reason why Im staking my reputation on this one pick and making this a monster personal investment for me. I never touch an investment opportunity that doesnt have a rock-solid margin of safety. When I put millions of dollars of my own money on the line, the opportunity better have near 100% conviction. And the upside has to be asymmetrical. And thats where Im at with this opportunity. The underlying company will stuff money into your pockets over and over no question. I explain it all in my report. But its the amazing upside that has me building a very large position in this one ticker symbol. Ive spent nearly 12 months putting this report together from start to finish. If you want to get in on this opportunity easily one of the biggest of my career look for my brand new subscribers-only royalty report, coming out on Thursday February 14th and consider signing up to get the name, ticker symbol and the full story. I think this company is also a huge buyout candidate and youll never guess who I think the buyer is going to be (hint: its one of the most valuable companies in the world right now). The next time I have dinner with our Billionaire Style Connoisseur the King of the royalty business model he will have more exciting stories to share. And I hope to have a killer one of my own. Regards, ROCHESTER, Minn. - A woman said she lost consciousness in a two-vehicle crash Saturday that resulted in her vehicle being t-boned. Police say 21-year-old Bisharo Noor, of Rochester, was driving southbound around 7 p.m. Saturday when a car driven by 18-year-old Riley Burns, of Rochester, pulled out in front of her. Noor said she doesnt remember much about the crash, and suffered chest and leg pain. She was taken by ambulance by St. Marys Hospital. Burns wasnt injured but was cited for failure to yield a right of way, expired license and expired registration. WAVERLY, Iowa A not guilty plea is entered by a Minnesota man accused of groping several Wartburg College students as they slept. Bryan Patricio Malone, 22 of Minneapolis, is now scheduled to stand trial beginning March 26 for 1st degree burglary, two counts of 2nd degree burglary, 3rd degree burglary, 4th degree theft, 3rd degree sex abuse, and two counts of assault with intent to commit sex abuse. Authorities say he went into the rooms of three female Wartburg students on February 4, 2018, and groped them while they were asleep. Malone is also accused of entering the room of a 4th female student who was gone overnight and stealing cash from her room. Malone made his first appearance in court on these charges on January 17 and entered his not guilty plea Monday. ALBERT LEA, Minn. - Wrapping up a two-decade career, one local firefighter is putting out flames to what's been the adventure of a lifetime. Lieutenant Mark Light is sharing with us the good, bad and difficult parts of the job, and his advice to future men and women in the fire service. Attention: Members of the AL Fire Rescue. This is not an emergency. AL Fire Rescue would like to announce the retirement of Fire Lieutenant Mark Light after 23 1/2 years of service, blared the dispatch All Call message over radios throughout Freeborn County, Minnesota. It was a different time when a much younger and arguably less gray Mark Light joined the Albert Lea Fire Department. Amid growth and change in himself and the job, he says there's one thing that's remained constant. This might sound strange, but going into burning buildings. I still enjoy that, I've always liked that and I always will, Light explained. Throughout the years, Light's put out a lot of fires and responded to a lot of calls. But with the sense of accomplishment of a job well done, also comes the other part. Difficult. Uglythere's stuff I will never unsee, and I've got a whole group of guys over here who will tell you the same thing, explained Light. In 2017 more firefighters committed suicide than those who died in the line of duty. That's according to the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance or the F.B.H.A. Light says it's only been recently...meaning nearly the end of his career...he's sought help for this. The bright side...he's not alone. There's a big push right now for first-responders to make their mental health a priority. And the support goes beyond state lines and each department. There's a big brotherhood/sisterhood in the fire service, says Albert Lea Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Laskowske. He continues, It doesn't matter where you come from or where you've been, you've met them all before you've even met them. Denny Glassel's worked with Light for years. The two men have become great friends through their love for mechanical work. Glassel says, Mark is my right-hand man. The old engine that we have, him and I, we drug it out of the historical society...got it running...it hadn't been running since 1970. So that was the 1918 fire truck." The community is also taking notice of Light and his dedicated service. Comment after comment flooded in when the city announced his retirement. Light says, "Its been fun. Its been a great ride. No regrets. And the message heard throughout the county for Lights All Call: We thank you for your dedication of service to the citizens of Albert Lea and Freeborn County. We wish you well and hope you have a happy retirement. KIMT joins others in wishing Lieutenant Light a wonderful retirement and we thank him for his years of dedicated service. We asked him what his plans for retirement are. He explains hes excited to dedicate more of his time to charitable recreational tractor rides, like the one put on in Freeborn County each summer known as the Shinefest Tractor Ride. Light says hes passionate about history and he restored a vintage Oliver tractor he takes on these rides offered to the community. New Holland dealers Murphy Motors, Glenmore, Kilkenny are opening a new parts and sales outlet at Cillin Hill on the outskirts of the city in early April, allowing them to cover all Kilkenn, south Wexford and Glenmore. Murphy Motors, a successful family business, have been part of the New Holland dealer network for 59 years, making them the oldest New Holland dealer in Ireland, with a large and loyal following in south Kilkenny, east Waterford and south west Wexford. Extending their coverage to south Wexford and Kilkenny means they will be able to develop their business in an area familiar to the staff at Murphys. It will also provide a local outlet for New Holland Agriculture products. Dick Murphy and Bernadette Murphy, are looking forward to the new challenge. Dick said: Opening a new depot in Cillin Hill is hugely exciting and this further collaboration with New Holland fits well with our longer-term ambitions for Murphy Motors in taking the family business forward for the next generation. New Holland Business Director for the UK & Ireland, Pat Smith, says of both dealership expansions: Im very pleased to announce the opening of new outlets for Lyons and Burtons and Murphy Motors. New Hollands expansion efforts in Ireland aims to make sure we cover the territory and our large and loyal customer base in the most efficient possible way. We look forward to this exciting new chapter and are sure both dealers will continue to provide outstanding service to both their existing and new customer base. The New Holland network in Ireland includes 13 dealerships in 15 locations, evenly distributed across the country. X The Devious Theatre Company are returning to the local stage with a brand new show this summer. The Roaring Banshees is a new play written by John Morton and Peter McGann. Set in the aftermath of the Irish Civil War, it tells the story of a rogue unit of Cumann na Mban who attempt to assassinate Eamon De Valera and are forced to flee the country. The seven women who form the core of the Banshee unit escape on a boat to America where they set up base in Chicago. In the midst of prohibition, they decide to start their own business bootlegging poteen. Soon they find themselves in the middle of a gang war between the notorious North Side Gang and Al Capones Outfit. Throughout the centenary celebrations, Devious Theatre want to stage The Ripping Yarn Trilogy, a loose thematic trilogy of new Irish plays that navigates the tumultuous formation of the Irish state, each utilising a different genre. The Roaring Banshees is the second of these plays, a gangster noir tale that follows on from The Hellfire Squad which premiered in July 2016 to critical acclaim. The company have been developing The Roaring Banshees for the last number of years. They were very encouraged by the audience reaction to a work in progress showing as part of Little Deviations in Cleeres Theatre in August 2017. The further development of the show was subsequently supported by the Arts Council. The show is directed by Sarah Baxter and produced by Clara Purcell. It is also the 16th original play premiered by the company in Kilkenny since 2006. The Roaring Banshees will premiere in The Watergate Theatre on August 1 and run for three performances before heading to Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin for an extended run. For more information on the show, please visit www.devioustheatre.com Weather Alert ...EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING... * WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions Friday through at least Wednesday. Triple digit heat will develop in central Washington Friday and spread into eastern Washington over the weekend. * WHERE...Portions of North and North Central Idaho. Portions of Central, East Central, North Central, Northeast, and Southeast Washington. * WHEN...From Friday afternoon through Wednesday evening. * IMPACTS...Several days of triple digit heat and unusually warm overnight temperatures will make it difficult to control the build up of heat in homes without air conditioning. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...This will likely be an historic heat wave. Chances are good that many long standing records will be broken during this upcoming heat wave. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Monitor the latest forecasts and warnings for updates on this situation. Be prepared to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air- conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. && This is in reply to Talk of the County and the person who gave the Take your meds comment: Boy, this person. What makes the radical right so deplorable is that they know better and they back up the president and the lies. Take your meds ends his charade, his rant against the Democrats, saying, Think of all the instances, just in the last month, where theyve been caught with their pants down and their hands in the till. And hes talking about Democrats. The point is thats one of the problems with our president. Bone Spurs has always been caught with his pants down, as a married man whos had innumerable affairs, and his hands in the till. His method of doing business is to go bankrupt and try to take everybody with him and then threaten that theyll all go belly up if they dont give him more money. Thats the business acumen of the loser that we have for a president. He wont finish out a second term if were fortunate and our Republic will eventually be back where it belongs. EUGENE, Ore. -- A study recently released by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission says there's an oversupply of legal marijuana -- about six years worth. According to the study, the oversupply of cannabis has driven down prices. "Our buyers are seeing the price of a pound drop dramatically over the year. Let's see, we see the 5...the shelf $5 grams expanding dramatically over the last year," said Gavin Rose, an employee at the Terpene Station dispensary in Eugene. The study suggests four ways lawmakers could handle the oversupply, including not doing anything and letting the process lead to an equal balance of supply and demand. This study comes as the Oregon Secretary of State's office released an audit calling for the marijuana regulating system to be strengthened. "I think until the rests of the states get on board...you're always going to see some diversion," Rose said. The audit said the oversupply leads to concerns of weak regulations and fueling the black market. At this point, the oversupply is in the hands of lawmakers. LEBANON, Ore. -- A Lebanon man was arrested in Southern California near the Mexico border Sunday in connection to a double homicide in Linn County. Deputies said 48-year-old Brenton Wade Richmond is facing two counts of aggravated murder for the deaths of Tammy Lee Hopper, 42, and Erik Cody Jacobs, of Independence. Tammy Hopper Tammy Hopper Erik Jacobs Erik Jacobs Officials said Hopper and Jacobs were found dead Saturday morning at a home on Shannon Place in Lebanon. According to deputies, Hopper lived at the home on Shannon Place. The pair died from apparent homicidal violence, according to the sheriff's office. Deputies said they are still working to investigate this incident. They ask anyone with information to contact them. NEAR FLORENCE, Ore. -- Oregon State Police said icy road conditions contributed to a crash on Highway 101 that killed one person and seriously injured two others. Police said shortly before 11:10 a.m. on Saturday, 52-year-old Jamie Jones was driving north on Hwy. 101 when she lost control of her SUV because of the ice and snow. Police said she entered the southbound lane and collided with a delivery truck. The driver of the truck and his passenger were taken to Florence Peace Harbor Hospital for serious injuries. Police said Jones was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced deceased. Police said her companion dog also died in the crash. To the person who continues to complain about others not having a city sticker. I get it, were older and like to follow the rules. But maybe we should join the rebels to stop lining the pockets of our city officials. This isnt Chicago, where we have to use the city streets for parking. What exactly is that sticker doing for us? Oh yes, it allows us to go down to a beach thats consistently being trashed and graffitied by ungrateful residents. It allows us to go downtown and pay again in the parking meter. We are already taxed to death on our vehicles and on our property taxes just to live in this crumbling city. Ask yourself, what are you getting out of that sticker? Nothing. Youre just tipping your city officials for doing nothing extra, period. EUGENE, Ore. -- Firefighters responded to a fire at the repair shop Mr. Chain Saw on West 6th Avenue in Eugene just after midnight Monday morning. There were multiple reports of flames outside of the building. Once firefighters arrived, they quickly worked to put out the fire before it could spread to the inside of the building. West 6th Avenue was briefly closed while the crew of 21 firefighters worked to contain the fire. The Salvation Army store and donation center, which is right next to Mr. Chain Saw, was also threated by the fire. Officials confirmed there was no damage to the Salvation Army building. The fire is currently under investigation. There is no word at this time on the amount and cost of damage the fire caused to the business. In New York City, first responders who were at the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 are coming down with illnesses and dying from the effects of rushing into the Twin Towers. That is in addition to the 342 NYFD firefighters who died in the initial attacks and collapse of the buildings. Twenty-three New York City police officers and 37 officers with the citys Port Authority also were among the 2,753 killed that bright September day in Lower Manhattan. The futile 35-day partial shutdown of the government does not deserve a sequel when the funding deal runs out Friday. Republicans as well as Democrats seem to grasp this. There were reports Thursday that lawmakers were close to a compromise that would provide some funding for border security, though not the $5.7 billion for 230 miles of new walls that President Donald Trump has sought. Senate Appropriations Chair Richard Shelby, R-Ala., told Politico that Trump wanted negotiators to wrap it up and to get a legislative solution. Of course, its possible a president as mercurial as Trump may not sign what Congress sends him. Its also possible Democrats who seem increasingly opposed to basic immigration enforcement may oppose any deal that builds off the premise that the border needs defending. But its time for a compromise that treats border security as essential yet also seeks to improve an immigration system that seems close to broken. Isabella took their three daughters to live in Kearney where she had the support of her mother, grandmother and mother-in-law. Once John returned, they drove back to Hays from Bremerton to continue raising their family. A son was born in 1961. Isabella greatly enjoyed her lifelong memberships in DAR and PEO and took an active role in these groups. She especially enjoyed researching her familys history and genealogy. She belonged to bridge clubs, was a lector and active congregant at St. Michaels Episcopal Church in Hays, and enjoyed dance and supper clubs with John and socializing with their many friends in Hays. After retirement, a vacation home in Colorado became a great source of fun with friends and family as well as many family vacations. Isabella loved to travel, as did John, and they saw a good part of the world via cruises with friends. She had many childhood friends she stayed in touch with through the years and enjoyed keeping up with Hays friends after her move to Omaha. Isabella bloomed where she was planted! Isabellas greatest treasure and her greatest source of pleasure was her family. She never tired of sharing the accomplishments of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. KEARNEY The driver of a car involved in a triple fatality in October east of Overton has been charged with four alcohol-related felonies in the crash. Angelique Kampmann, 20, of Kearney was charged Friday in Dawson County Court with three counts of felony motor vehicle homicide, one count of felony driving under the influence of alcohol causing serious bodily injury and DUI-first offense in the Oct. 16 incident. Court records indicate that Kampmann was driving a 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo around 2 a.m. that failed to stop and yield at a stop sign at the intersection of Road 447 and U.S. Highway 30, two miles east of Overton, before colliding with a 2017 Buick Enclave traveling east on Highway 30. Kampmanns passengers, Ziera Nickerson, 18, of Kearney, Karli Michael, 27, of Pontiac, Ill., and Donald Anderson, 20, of Overton all died at the scene. A fourth passenger, Ashley Kemp, 18, of Kearney also was injured. Court records show blood test results from Kampmann indicated her blood alcohol content, which was tested at 5:50 a.m. Oct. 16 at Good Samaritan Hospital, was .104. The legal limit to drive in Nebraska is .08. Kampmann is scheduled to appear in court next week. Before you head out the door this morning, here is your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today. At that time it was impossible to find space on the first floor, Vojik said. So she rented a second floor store at 49 S. Washington St. When the first floor space in the building became available, she moved downstairs. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 11) President Rodrigo Duterte said he has the option to campaign for candidates in the upcoming elections. The President said this in his speech during the distribution of land ownership certificates to agrarian reform beneficiaries in Maguindanao on Monday. "Ako, as a political entity by myself kasi pinili ako ng tao, I can choose whether to campaign. May mga tao lang ako na dapat pasalamatan, one, two or three. 'Yung pagsabi ko tatakbo ako na magsabi 'Magtulong kami sa iyo,' apat lang," he said. [Translation: I, as a political entity by myself because I was chosen by the people, I can choose whether to campaign. There are people I must thank, one, two or three. When I said I would run, there were four people who said "we'll help you."] While the President has yet to reveal his personal slate for the senatorial race, he mentioned two names in his speech: Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos and Bataan Representative Abet Antonino. Duterte has also mentioned his trusted aide, former presidential special assistant Bong Go, former national police chief Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, and former political adviser Francis Tolentino in previous speeches. On Friday, another name was added: former Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who has been accused of plundering government funds. However, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo defended Duterte's choice, saying Estrada has not been convicted. "The President to my mind has not received any evidence of corruption vis-a-vis Mr. Estrada," he said. On Duterte's support for Marcos, Panelo said, "Utang na loob yata yung kanyang reason [It could be a debt of gratitude]... In the first place, Imee is not charged." The President's party, PDP-Laban, is set to reveal its senatorial slate on Thursday, but he will have his own ticket. He has also expressed support for the senatorial bets under Hugpong ng Pagbabago, the regional party of his daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. CNN Philippines senior correspondent Ina Andolong contributed to this report. Tim and Beverly Nyden stopped in Kansas City on Tuesday to get some much needed rest after leaving Lynchburg, Virginia the night before. The dance studio has been in Elmwood Park for many years, and she said some of her previous students have children who dance at her studio. At 82 years old, Toniolo is still teaching tap lessons. Just chill: Kansas State University researchers study how to keep school lunches safe on field trips Monday, Feb. 11, 2019 The Center for Food Safety in Child Nutrition Programs and the Food Science Institute test typical school lunch foods served on field trips to determine risk of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes growth. | Download this photo. MANHATTAN The school field trip is a springtime ritual: Buses practically burst with exuberant children who are happy to learn outside classroom walls. But packed lunches coupled with warm temperatures could allow dangerous bacteria to flourish and sicken the travelers. Researchers with the Kansas State University Center for Food Safety in Child Nutrition Programs in the College of Human Ecology and the Food Science Institute in the animal sciences and industry department have published a study confirming that limiting the time lunches are stored in coolers to less than four hours may reduce the risk of salmonella and listeria monocytogenes growth in a typical school lunch of deli sandwiches, apple slices and baby carrots. The article is featured in the January/February issue of Food Protection Trends, a publication of the International Association for Food Protection. Randy Phebus, professor of animal sciences and industry and interim director of the Food Science Institute, said food safety is often at the back of everyone's mind when field trip excitement hits. "Spring or summertime heat can cause a school bus waiting in a hot parking lot to reach temperatures that could compromise food stored for a later lunch," Phebus said. "We wanted to know what level of risk this scenario actually poses to schoolchildren." To conduct the experiment, Phebus and co-investigator Sara Gragg, assistant professor of animal sciences and industry, packed sack lunches in coolers with either no ice or one layer of ice on the bottom and exposed them to simulated temperatures on school buses using ovens in the Biosecurity Research Institute food processing suite at Kansas State University. They inoculated lunches with bacteria and tested for growth during particular time frames and from different areas of the cooler and thus different distances from the ice. The simulated conditions and products types were selected based on a 2015 study conducted by the Center for Food Safety in Child Nutrition Programs and published in the Journal of Child Nutrition & Management. "The study was designed to simulate a high-risk scenario regarding temperature abuse of the food products, so the fact that bacterial growth was not observed suggests time can be effectively used as a public health control on school field trips," Gragg said. The researchers emphasize that controlling time and temperature is critical to protecting food against foodborne pathogen growth during storage. "This study suggests that foodborne illness risk is low when school lunches are held under temperature abuse conditions on a bus for up to four hours," Gragg said. "However, it's important to remember that we only investigated three food products and two foodborne pathogens, so our results are somewhat limited." The researchers recommend that anyone packing coolers for field trips use plenty of ice to keep food cold, which is the ultimate defense against temperature increases that support bacteria growth. Cooler storage on school buses with elevated temperatures should also be avoided whenever possible. More studies are planned to test additional food products and foodborne pathogens using the same simulated high-risk scenario. Additional researchers on the team were Nicholas Sevart, doctoral student in food safety; Paola Paez, research associate professor for the Center for Food Safety in Child Nutrition Programs; Amanda Wilder, 2016 master's degree graduate in food science; and Tracee Watkins, doctoral student in hospitality management. The study was partially funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. JUSTICEINFO.NET: The new peace agreement the fourteenth in twelve years ignores the very existence of the Special Criminal Court (SCC) and avoids talking about criminal prosecution. What does that mean? IGOR ACKO: This silence is, from the point of view of the population, directed against them. There was a need to bring the armed groups on board, although when you go through the agreement, you dont really see what it gives to the rebels, who are strong on the ground. To appease the population, the agreement acknowledges in its preamble that impunity has sustained the cycle of violence. But the agreement does not go all the way. Theyre just words. How should we interpret the the Minister of Justices absence this weekend at the launch of a major tour on the SCC, despite the fact that his presence ha been announced I believe that, for the time being, it is not in the governments interest to prosecute rebel groups. When you read the Khartoum agreement, you realize that transitional security arrangements extend over a two-year period until the next elections. In entering into this agreement, the government is thinking about the election deadlines, with a view to staying in power. It knows that rebel groups must be spared until then. The government is playing a balancing act and trying to satisfy the rebels in order to make progress in the countrys governance. It is betting on improved security for the next presidential campaign. But there again, it is not clear, as you cannot see what is being given to the rebels in return. I think justice for them can wait. Perhaps the SCC will deal with violence among civilians until members of armed groups can be prosecuted. Is it really possible to support both the SCC and the peace agreements? No, its quite contradictory. But this contradiction dates back at least to 2015. If the Khartoum agreement is not popular with Central African citizens, the main reason is that the problem of the rebels was not resolved during the transition. The transition was completed and elections held with the rebels still active. In other countries for example, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with its four vice-presidents appointed in 2005 a political arrangement had been reached to put an end to the rebellion problem. In the Central African Republic, at the Bangui Forum [in 2015], the population was involved and what the participants called the republican pact, integrated into the Constitution, emerged. Without addressing the problem of armed groups, the new foundations of society were laid. However, the Khartoum agreement runs counter to this pact, with, for example, the participation of armed groups in the government, considered a reward for violence. Its very unpopular. After this agreement, does CAR not have, with a truth commission, a demobilization and reintegration program for combatants, a mixed court, the possibility of recourse to the International Criminal Court, all the tools of transitional justice? Yes, but what are the conditions for their implementation? Will the rebels lay down their arms and go to court? I dont think so. The agreement mentions the possibility of a presidential pardon. Here too, it is a tool that can be used to manoeuvre with regard to certain influential leaders, electoral or other calculations. Under the agreement, as long as transitional security measures are implemented including the training of armed groups to form joint patrols with the Central African Armed Forces the leaders cannot be brought to justice. We negotiated a peace for the benefit of the government and not for the benefit of the justice that the people are demanding. Should we expect a reaction from the population or civil society? Since the agreement reiterates the principle of fighting impunity although remaining vague it does not allow civil society to take action. If the agreement had it would stop the SCC for two years, they could have organized the response. Its a smart agreement. In 2018, lots of things happened on the justice front in CAR: national courts conducted several trials, two former anti-Balaka were arrested by the ICC and the SCC announced the opening of its investigations. In your opinion, what do Central Africans think? The public greatly appreciated the criminal hearings [in the ordinary courts]. People appreciated the fact that there were trials on both sides, of people like Andjilo [Rodrigue Ngaibona, aka General Andjilo, former anti-Balaka leader, sentenced on 22 January 2018 to life imprisonment] and of some former Seleka [coalition in power in 2013, which the anti-Balaka opposed]. Things have been fairly balanced. With the ICC, people agree with the arrests, but they want them to be as balanced as with the ordinary courts. For the SCC, people are still waiting to see the trials to form a positive or negative opinion. But one thing is for certain: people really expect justice in the Central African Republic, they have said it over and over again. If the truth commission, already announced at the Bangui Forum in 2015 and provided for in the SantEgidio agreements in 2017, is effectively implemented, could it work? I believe that it can work at the local level. When communities that have experienced tensions sit down to talk, people will understand each other, they will get on with their lives. But for mass crimes, I dont think its really going to work. Since we are talking about reparations, people may be able to rebuild churches, rebuild mosques, try to help former members of armed groups reintegrate into communities. This has been tested by several NGOs and has worked at the local level. But not with the armed leaders. And there are crimes that will be difficult to deal with, such as the destruction of entire villages by Seleka or anti-Balaka. Ivory Coasts President Alassane Ouattara has refused to comment on the acquittal on crimes against humanity of his predecessor Laurent Gbagbo at the International Criminal Court while insisting investigations would continue. No reaction from me, its an ongoing trial, Ouattara said in an interview with Radio France International in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa where he was attending an African Union summit. But he added: Someone must be responsible for the 3,000 deaths. I hope that justice will shine a light on that, it is what the victims are asking for. ICC judges acquitted Gbagbo and his aide Charles Ble Goude on charges stemming from a wave of violence after disputed elections in the west African nation in 2010. More than 3,000 people died on both sides of the Ivory Coast conflict after Gbagbo refused to concede defeat to Ouattara, his internationally backed rival. Gbagbo, the first former head of state to stand trial at the ICC, is currently living in Belgium under conditions pending a possible prosecution appeal following the acquittal on January 15. He had been held in the Netherlands since 2011. The ICCs unwillingness to let Gbagbo return to Ivory Coast is thought to have been linked to the countrys refusal to surrender Gbagbos first wife, Simone, despite an outstanding ICC warrant for her arrest for her role in the post-election violence. She was convicted and jailed by the courts there in 2015, but Ouattara granted her an amnesty last year along with 800 others. We are continuing our investigations in order to establish who is responsible (for the deaths), Ouattara said in the interview to be broadcast Monday. And he denied that any pressure had been brought to bear on the ICC to prolong the detention or trial of Gbago. Interfering with international or national justice, this is not how I manage my country let justice take its course, he said, refusing to discuss any possible return of Gbagbo. Lets wait and see. No problem with Soro Ouattara also returned to the subject of the resignation of the speaker of the National Assembly, Guillaume Soro, who headed rebel forces during the Ivorian war, and then joined the government under Gbagbo. Soro is a member of Ouattaras Rally of Republicans (RDR) and is rumoured to have fallen out with Ouattara and possibly to have his own presidential ambitions. Ouattara said he believed there were ideological differences between the two but no problem between them. Im not a man to force anyone (to resign) Soro believed that we did not share the same ideology. We are a social liberal party and he considers himself a Marxist. I understand that this is not compatible with his beliefs, he said, adding: He is a young man that I consider as one on my sons. I do not rule out that he will return. Nor did Ouattara rule out Soro standing for the presidency in 2020. Its his choice, he can do as he wishes. The constitution authorises him to do so and it is not a question of me standing in the way of his candidature. Gbagbos release has come at a particularly tense time in Ivory Coast. With presidential elections due next year, Ouattara has not said whether he will seek another term, and the coalition he formed with Henri Konan Bedie, his former ally against Gbagbo, has collapsed. Its very clear, I can run if I want. Theres a new constitution (since 2016), he said. All the legal opinions that I have consulted have confirmed it. I will announce my decision in 2020. I can take a decision up until July 28, 2020, he said. Creation of 1,250 km District-Scale Land Package on Hounde Greenstone Belt MONTREAL and TORONTO, Feb. 11, 2019 /CNW/ - SEMAFO Inc. (TSX: SMF) (OMX: SMF) ("SEMAFO") and Savary Gold Corp. (TSXV: SCA) ("Savary") are pleased to announce that they have entered into a non-binding letter of intent (the "LOI") contemplating the acquisition by SEMAFO of all of the outstanding common shares of Savary (the "Savary Shares") not already owned by SEMAFO (the "Proposed Transaction"). Under the terms of the LOI, all of the issued and outstanding Savary Shares will be exchanged on the basis of 0.0336 SEMAFO common shares (each whole share, a "SEMAFO Share") for each Savary Share (the "Exchange Ratio"). The Exchange Ratio implies consideration of C$0.10 per Savary Share, based on the closing price of the SEMAFO Shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") on February 8, 2019. This represents a premium of 100% based on the closing price of Savary Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange on February 8, 2019. The Proposed Transaction value (excluding SEMAFO's existing 15.5% equity interest) is approximately C$22.7 million on a fully diluted in-the-money basis, representing 2.2% dilution to SEMAFO shareholders. The LOI provides for exclusivity until March 11, 2019 to enter into definitive agreements. The execution of any definitive agreements(s) is conditional on, among other things, all of Savary's management, the members of its board of directors and certain key shareholders holding in the aggregate 29.3% of Savary Shares entering into support agreements concurrently with the definitive transaction agreements on the above terms. Concurrently with this announcement, SEMAFO has separately announced a maiden inferred mineral resource estimate of 2,100,666 tonnes at 5.35 g/t Au for 361,288 ounces at its Bantou Zone, which is contiguous to Savary's Karankasso project. Both projects are located approximately 170 kilometers south of Mana. Transaction Highlights District-Scale Land Package - Consolidated properties (see Figure 1 below) become ~25 km by ~50 km, which creates a district-scale, target-rich, land package - Consolidated properties (see Figure 1 below) become ~25 km by ~50 km, which creates a district-scale, target-rich, land package Entire 1,250 km Truckable to Central Plant - Ore from the entire consolidated land package could be trucked to a central plant, given a current tentative plant location in the north west of SEMAFO property. Economic trucking distance is ~25km depending on grade and recovery. - Ore from the entire consolidated land package could be trucked to a central plant, given a current tentative plant location in the north west of SEMAFO property. Economic trucking distance is ~25km depending on grade and recovery. Significant Consolidated Resource Base - Combination of existing mineral resources (Savary's Karankasso hosts inferred resources of 12.3 Mt at 2.03 g/t Au for 805,000 oz; SEMAFO's Bantou has inferred mineral resources of 2.1 Mt grading 5.35 g/t Au for 361,000 oz) into a consolidated resource estimation post-closing will provide a significant base on which to expand. - Combination of existing mineral resources (Savary's Karankasso hosts inferred resources of 12.3 Mt at 2.03 g/t Au for 805,000 oz; SEMAFO's Bantou has inferred mineral resources of 2.1 Mt grading 5.35 g/t Au for 361,000 oz) into a consolidated resource estimation post-closing will provide a significant base on which to expand. Excellent Location on Prolific Hounde Greenstone Belt The district-scale land package is located on the prospective Hounde Greenstone Belt that hosts Mana and many other operating mines. The district-scale land package is located on the prospective Hounde Greenstone Belt that hosts Mana and many other operating mines. Accelerated Resource Growth The 2019 consolidated exploration program will focus on accelerated resource growth and will be announced post-closing. Benoit Desormeaux, President and CEO of SEMAFO, stated "Our contemplated acquisition of the Karankasso property reflects our core strategy of creating long-term value through developing and operating high quality assets. The transaction would provide a consolidated district-scale land package in a country we know well and on the prolific Hounde Greenstone Belt, which we also know very well. We see excellent potential for resource growth on the combined 1,250 km, and if this transaction is consummated we anticipate the combined property will head up our development pipeline." Don Dudek, President and CEO of Savary, said, "Over the past few years, Savary has delivered on its commitment to create value for its shareholders through its disciplined approach to exploration and resource development. The proposed transaction with SEMAFO is consistent with that commitment as our shareholders would benefit from having ownership in an intermediate, multi-mine producer with a portfolio of high-quality assets and a proven and experienced management team that shares our commitment to creating long-term sustainable value. If this transaction is completed, our shareholders would maintain exposure to the potential of the combined district-scale land package as it becomes one of SEMAFO's top development pipeline projects." Figure 1. Consolidated Property Package Benefits to SEMAFO Shareholders Acquisition of a district-scale 1,250 km land package with proven exploration and development potential Excellent location on the prospective Hounde Greenstone Belt Good alignment with SEMAFO's core competencies of increasing resources, developing reserves, completing economic studies, and constructing/operating a third gold mine Further strengthening of SEMAFO's exploration and development pipeline Lower exploration and development risk as Burkina Faso is a country where SEMAFO is well- established and understands how to operate is a country where SEMAFO is well- established and understands how to operate Minimal 2.2% dilution Benefits to Savary Shareholders Significant premium (100% based on the closing price of Savary common shares on the TSX Venture Exchange on February 8, 2019 .) .) Diversified ownership in SEMAFO's high-quality portfolio of assets Continued exposure to combined properties' district-scale exploration upside potential SEMAFO has the in-house capabilities and balance sheet to significantly advance the 1,250 km district-scale potential Significant improvement in trading liquidity and capital markets exposure LOI Conditions & Steps to Definitive Agreement The Proposed Transaction is subject to a range of conditions, including, but not limited to, SEMAFO and Savary entering into one or more binding definitive agreements containing customary terms and conditions, including representations and warranties customary in a transaction of this nature. In the event that definitive agreement(s) are entered into between the parties, and subject to the final transaction structure, the closing of the Proposed Transaction will be subject to additional conditions precedent including, but not limited to, the receipt of all required approvals, approval of the Proposed Transaction by the requisite majority of shareholders of Savary at a special meeting of Savary shareholders and agreement on customary non-solicitation covenants, board support and fiduciary-out provisions for transactions of this nature. SEMAFO and Savary are committed to consumating the Proposed Transaction and will issue further information about the Proposed Transaction in the near future. However, there is no obligation on the part of either SEMAFO or Savary to consummate a transaction relating to the Proposed Transaction or to enter into a definitive agreement; provided, however, that a break fee of $400,000 is payable by SEMAFO to Savary in the event that SEMAFO elects not to proceed with the Proposed Transaction. There can be no assurances that any transaction relating to the Proposed Transaction or otherwise will result, or as to the final definitive terms thereof. SEMAFO currently owns 39,533,333 Savary Shares, representing approximately 15.5% of the issued and outstanding Savary Shares on a non-diluted basis. SEMAFO also holds warrants to acquire up to 3,100,000 additional Savary Shares at an exercise price of $0.05 (subject to adjustment in certain events) expiring on December 31, 2021. Assuming exercise in full of the warrants, SEMAFO would own 42,633,333 Savary Shares, representing 16.48% of the issued and outstanding Savary Shares on a partially diluted basis. If SEMAFO decides not to pursue further the Proposed Transaction, or if such transaction is not consummated for any reason, SEMAFO intends to continue to review Savary's business affairs, capital needs and general industry and economic conditions, and, based on such review, SEMAFO may, from time to time, depending on market and other conditions, increase or decrease its ownership, control or direction over the shares or other securities of Savary, through market transactions, private agreements, public offerings or otherwise, or approve a corporate transaction with regard to Savary. A copy of SEMAFO's related amended early warning report will be filed with the applicable securities commissions and will be made available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, a copy of which may be obtained by contacting Eric Paul-Hus, V-P, Law, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary, at 514-744-4408. Advisors and Counsel Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP is acting as SEMAFO's legal advisor. Red Cloud Klondike Strike Inc. is acting as financial advisor to the Board of Directors of Savary. Dentons LLP is acting as Savary's legal advisor. Conference Call SEMAFO and Savary will host a joint conference call on Monday, February 11, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. EST for members of the investment community to discuss the Proposed Transaction. Participants may join the conference call using the following call-in details: Tel. local & overseas: +1 (647) 788 4922 Tel. North America: 1 (877) 223 4471 https://www.semafo.com/English/investor-relations/news-and-events/events/default.aspx A replay of this conference call will be available until March 11, 2019. The replay numbers are: Replay overseas: +1 (416) 621 4642 Replay N. America: 1 (800) 585 8367 Replay pass code: 4367906 ABOUT SEMAFO SEMAFO is a Canadian-based intermediate gold producer with over twenty years' experience building and operating mines in West Africa. The Corporation operates two mines, the Boungou and Mana Mines in Burkina Faso. SEMAFO is committed to building value through responsible mining of its quality assets and leveraging its development pipeline. ABOUT SAVARY Savary is a Canadian exploration company focused on exploring and developing the Karankasso Gold Project in Burkina Faso. The Company holds an approximate 75.2% deemed joint venture ownership at year end 2018 and is the operator of the joint venture. The project is located within the Hounde Greenstone Belt, which hosts SEMAFO's Mana mine, Roxgold's Yaramoko Mine and Endeavor's Hounde Mine. The project contains an inferred mineral resource estimate (November 2, 2017) of 12.3 million tonnes (Mt) grading 2.03 g/t gold for 805,000 ounces. For additional information please visit www.savarygold.com. Technical Disclosure This press release contains certain scientific and technical information of Savary and SEMAFO. Each party is solely responsible for the contents and accuracy of any scientific and technical information disclosure relating to it. Don Dudek, P.Geo., President and CEO of Savary and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the Savary scientific and technical information contained in this press release. Richard Roy P. Geo, Vice-President Exploration of SEMAFO and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the SEMAFO scientific and technical information contained in this press release. CAUTION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions and accordingly, actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. You are hence cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements, including statements with respect to the Letter of Intent and the likelihood that the definitive agreement(s) will be entered into and that Proposed Transaction will be consummated on the terms and timeline provided herein or at all, the benefits of the Proposed Transaction to SEMAFO and Savary and the receipt of all required approvals including without limitation the shareholders of Savary and applicable regulatory authorities and applicable stock exchanges. Forward-looking statements include words or expressions such as "proposed", "will", "subject to", "near future", "in the event", "would", "expect", "prepared to" and other similar words or expressions. Factors that could cause future results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the state of capital markets; risks relating to (i) the preliminary and non-binding nature of the LOI, (ii) the ability of the parties to satisfy the conditions precedent to the execution of any definitive agreement(s) or to ultimately agree on definitive terms, (iii) the impact on the respective businesses, operations and financial condition of Savary and SEMAFO resulting from the announcement of the Proposed Transaction and/or the failure to enter into definitive agreement(s) or to complete the Proposed Transaction on terms described or at all, (iv) a third party competing bid materializing prior to the effective date of any definitive agreement(s) or the completion of the Proposed Transaction, (v) delay or failure to receive board, shareholder regulatory or court approvals, where applicable, or any other conditions precedent to the completion of the Proposed Transaction, (vi) unforeseen challenges in integrating the businesses of Savary and SEMAFO, (vii) failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the Proposed Transaction, (viii) other unforeseen events, developments, or factors causing any of the aforesaid expectations, assumptions, and other factors ultimately being inaccurate or irrelevant; and other risks described in SEMAFO's and Savary's documents filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. You can find further information with respect to these and other risks in filings made with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com. SEMAFO's and Savary's documents are also available on their respective websites at www.semafo.com and www.savarygold.com. We disclaim any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. VANCOUVER, Feb. 11, 2019 /CNW/ - IsoEnergy Ltd. ("IsoEnergy" or the "Company") (TSXV: ISO; OTCQX: ISENF) is pleased to announce that it has intersected an interval of strong (>20,000 total cps on an RS-125 hand-held spectrometer) uranium mineralization at the Hurricane zone in the first follow-up drill hole (LE19-06) completed along-strike of last summer's intersection in drill hole LE18-01A. The Hurricane zone is a new discovery of high-grade uranium mineralization on the Company's 100% owned Larocque East property in the eastern Athabasca Basin of northern Saskatchewan. Drilling Highlights The first along-strike step-out from the discovery section has intersected strong pitchblende uranium mineralization in drill hole LE19-06 Also, mineralization in drill hole LE19-04 extends the width of the Hurricane zone on the discovery section to at least 38 metres The company is fully funded for the current drill program and subsequent follow-up in 2019 Leigh Curyer, Chairman of the Board commented: "The founding of ISO to focus on exploring and securing properties in the eastern side of the Athabasca Basin has proven incredibly successful with Craig and his team targeting and intersecting high grade mineralization. The exploration methodology and disciplines developed in the NexGen / ISO group of which Craig has been a member since the incorporation of NexGen, are proving very effective in terms of targeting, intersecting and developing mineralization in a timely and cost-effective manner." Craig Parry, Chief Executive Officer commented: "The team has done a tremendous job in targeting and successfully finding high-grade mineralization at Hurricane. Based on my experience, I am very encouraged by these results given the extent of mineralization in only 6 holes to date. The 38 metre width of the zone on the discovery section is particularly impressive and initial radioactive intervals at Hurricane are certainly on par with other discoveries in the basin. The mineralization remains open in both directions along-strike and there is great potential for more good results from the ongoing program." Drill Hole LE19-06 Drill hole LE19-06 was designed to evaluate the potential for expansion of the Hurricane zone on section 4585E, along-strike to the east of discovery drill hole LE18-01A. The drill hole penetrated overburden and Athabasca sandstone to 336.0 metres and then basement metasedimentary gneiss to the end of the hole at 443 metres. Substantial uranium mineralization was intersected in the drill hole, 30 metres east of the mineralization in drill hole LE18-01A. The radioactive intervals (>1000 total cps on an RS-125 hand-held spectrometer) are summarized in Table 1 and are shown on a cross section in Figure 2. They include a 2.0-metre-long zone of uranium mineralization perched in the sandstone and centered about seven metres above the unconformity, and a 4.0-metre-long zone of stronger uranium mineralization that measures >5,000 cps (RS-125) and lies immediately above the sub-Athabasca unconformity. Mineralization is visually similar to the drill holes on the discovery section 4560E and includes fracture controlled, disseminated and replacement styles of pitchblende with hematite and clay. Within the lower interval is a 2.0-metre-long subinterval of stronger radioactivity that measures >10,000 cps on the RS-125. Within the 2.0-metre-long subinterval is a 0.5-metre-long zone of dark grey to black uranium mineralization that averages 28,000 cps (RS-125). Basement rocks immediately beneath the mineralization consist of bleached and clay-rich graphitic cordierite augen gneiss with several major fault zones. Drill Holes LE19-04 and LE19-05 Drilled as an additional step-out on the discovery section 4560E, 12.5 metres north of previously disclosed follow-up drill hole LE19-02, drill hole LE19-04 was designed to evaluate the potential for continued expansion of the Hurricane zone to the north. The drill hole penetrated overburden and then Athabasca sandstone to 333.5 metres. Weak uranium mineralization was intersected in two narrow intervals at the unconformity that are summarized in Table 1 and shown on Figure 3. These results demonstrate that mineralization at the Hurricane zone has a minimum cross-strike width of 38 metres, extending from drill hole LE19-03 in the south to LE19-04 in the north. Drill hole LE19-05 intersected the sub-Athabasca unconformity 25 metres to the north of drill hole LE19-04, also on the discovery section 4560E. Substantial alteration in the sandstone suggests that additional targets are present north of this drill hole, however no significant mineralization was intersected. Table 1 Hurricane Zone Radioactive Intervals Hole-ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Radioactivity1,2 (CPS) Location LE19-023 316.5 320.0 3.5 >1,000 Discovery Section, 12.5 m north of LE18-01A and3 326.5 330.0 3.5 >1,000 incl.3 328.5 330.0 1.5 >20,000 incl.3 329.0 329.5 0.5 >50,000 LE19-033 324.0 324.5 0.5 >1,000 Discovery Section, 12.5 m south of LE18-01A and3 326.5 329.5 3.0 >1,000 incl.3 328.5 329.5 1.0 >5,000 incl.3 329.0 329.5 0.5 >20,000 LE19-04 329.0 329.5 0.5 >1,000 Discovery Section, 12.5 m north of LE19-02 333.0 333.5 0.5 >1,000 LE19-05 No significantly elevated radioactivity Discovery Section, 25 m north of LE19-04 LE19-06 328.0 330.0 2.0 >1,000 30 m step-out along-strike east of LE18-01A and 332.0 336.0 4.0 >5,000 incl. 333.5 335.5 2.0 >10,000 incl. 333.5 334.0 0.5 >20,000 Notes: 1. Radioactivity is total gamma from drill core measured with an RS-125 hand-held scintillometer. 2. Measurements of total gamma cps on drill core are an indication of uranium content, but may not correlate with uranium chemical assays. 3. Previously disclosed. Larocque East Larocque East consists of 6 mineral claims totaling 3,200 hectares and was purchased in May, 2018. The Property is owned 100% by IsoEnergy and is not encumbered by any royalties or other interests. Larocque East is immediately adjacent to the north end of IsoEnergy's Geiger property and is 35 kilometres northwest of Orano Canada's McClean Lake uranium mine and mill. The Property covers a 15-kilometre-long northeast extension of the Larocque Lake conductor system; a trend of graphitic metasedimentary basement rocks that is associated with significant uranium mineralization in several occurrences to the southwest of the Larocque East property. The closest of these are the Larocque Lake and Larocque North zones, which are located 6.5 kilometres and 0.4 kilometres, respectively, to the southwest of the western Larocque East property boundary. Drilling at Cameco's Larocque Lake zone has returned historical intersections of up to 29.9% U 3 O 8 over 7.0 metres in drill hole Q22-040. Drilling at the Cameco's Larocque North zone has returned intersections of up to 2.05% U 3 O 8 over 0.6 metres in drill hole Q22-16. Like the nearby Geiger property, Larocque East is located adjacent to the Wollaston-Mudjatik transition zone - a major crustal suture related to most of the major uranium deposits in the eastern Athabasca Basin. Importantly, the sandstone cover is thin, ranging between 140 metres and 330 metres in previous drilling. A total of 23 historical drill holes have been completed on the Property along approximately 22 kilometres of graphitic conductors. Five of the historical holes have intersected weak uranium mineralization on the Larocque East property to date, including drill holes KER-07 (0.12% U 3 O 8 over 0.1 metre) and KER-11 (0.06% U 3 O 8 over 0.5 metre) near the western property boundary, within the general vicinity of the Hurricane zone. Next Steps Additional drilling will be completed on the 4585E cross-section to the north and south of drill hole LE19-06. This will be followed by along-strike step-outs to the west of the discovery section. Geochemical results from the new drill holes reported herein are expected within six weeks. Drill hole LE19-06 is the fifth of a planned 10-hole program. Following a $5.5M financing that closed in December, 2018, the company is fully funded for the current drill program and subsequent follow-up in 2019. Figure 1 Larocque East Property Location Map Figure 2 Cross-Section 4585E Figure 3 Discovery Cross-Section 4560E Qualified Person Statement The scientific and technical information contained in this news release was prepared by Andy Carmichael, P.Geo., IsoEnergy's Senior Geologist, who is a "qualified person" (as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects). Mr. Carmichael has verified the data disclosed. This news release refers to properties other than those in which the Company has an interest. Mineralization on those other properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the Company's properties. An RS-125 hand-held spectrometer was used to verify that the radioactivity is due to uranium. As the drill holes reported herein are vertical or near-vertical, and the mineralization is interpreted to be horizontal, the true thickness is expected to be within 90% of the cored intervals. About IsoEnergy IsoEnergy is a well-funded uranium exploration and development company with a portfolio of prospective projects in the eastern Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, Canada and a historic inferred mineral resource estimate at the Mountain Lake uranium deposit in Nunavut. IsoEnergy is led by a Board and Management team with a track record of success in uranium exploration, development and operations. The Company was founded and is supported by the team at its major shareholder, NexGen Energy Ltd. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities referenced herein have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements thereunder. Forward-Looking Information The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, without limitation, planned exploration activities. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the price of uranium, the anticipated cost of planned exploration activities, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Company's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual events or results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others: negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of additional financing, no known mineral reserves or resources, the limited operating history of the Company, the influence of a large shareholder, alternative sources of energy and uranium prices, aboriginal title and consultation issues, reliance on key management and other personnel, actual results of exploration activities being different than anticipated, changes in exploration programs based upon results, availability of third party contractors, availability of equipment and supplies, failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry, environmental risks, changes in laws and regulations, community relations and delays in obtaining governmental or other approvals. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws. TORONTO, Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Unigold Inc. (Unigold or the Company) (TSX-V:UGD) is pleased to announce results of the oxide test pit program at its 100% owned Neita Concession in the Dominican Republic. The Company completed a total of thirty one (31) test pits to evaluate the oxide resource potential at the Candelones Main and Candelones Connector deposits (Ref. Figure 1.0). The test pit program was designed with the following objectives: Verify the grade of oxide mineralization reported in historical drill holes where core recovery was generally poor (less than 65%); Probe the limits of the oxide mineralization beyond the current drill coverage; and Evaluate the amenability of the oxide resource to direct cyanidation (results pending). A total of eleven (11) verification test pits, at or immediately adjacent to historical drill holes, indicate an increase in grade relative to the drill hole results. Results from twenty (20) exploration pits indicates that the oxide mineralization remains open to the south and west and further exploration is warranted to establish the limit of the oxide mineralization. Joseph Del Campo, Interim President and CEO of Unigold commented, We are very encouraged by the results of this initial test pit program evaluating the oxide mineralization at Candelones. The results indicate that the drill hole results under report the gold content due to core loss. The test pit results indicate minimal variability between samples collected within individual pits as well as between pits immediately adjacent to each other. In 2007, metallurgical test work, completed by SGS Lakefield on a composite sample of oxide material, indicated gold recovery of 96%. The current oxide footprint is approximately 180,000 m2 and drilling indicates that the oxide ranges from 15 to 20 metres in thickness. The test pit program demonstrated that the initial 5.0 meters of oxide mineralization can be excavated without requiring drilling and blasting. We continue to evaluate the test pit results to better understand the potential impact of these results on the Candelones Project. Verification Test Pits A total of eleven (11) verification pits were completed, six (6) at the Candelones Connector Zone and five (5) at Candelones Main Zone (Ref. Figure 1.0). The verification pits were located at or immediately adjacent to historical drill holes, typically located on the same drill pad from which the drill hole being evaluated was collared from. The verification pits tested drill holes from different drill campaigns including SC series drill holes, the earliest drill holes on the property. Pits tested drill holes returning assay values ranging from 0.08 g/t Au to 2.88 g/t Au with reported core recoveries ranging from 19% to 65%. The eleven verification pits were designed to verify the assays reported in the historical drill holes, evaluate the potential of a low grade bias related to core loss and to identify whether or not the gold contained in the oxide unit is preferentially associated with either the coarse (plus inch) or fine (minus inch) size fraction. Table 1.0 summarizes the results for the verification pits completed. Detailed discussion on the procedures and methodology utilized to collect the samples from the pits is summarized later in this release. Table 1.0 - Verification Test Pit Results Candelones Connector and Candelones Main Oxide CANDELONES CONNECTOR Diamond Drill Results Test Pit Results Drilled Recovered Core Drill Hole Test Pit Hole # From To Interval Core Recovery Grade (1) Test Pit # Grade Depth (m) (m) (m) (m) (%) (Au g/t) (Au g/t) (m) DCZ-10 0.00 5.00 5.00 0.95 19% 0.35 TPCZ18-01 1.90 5.00 DCZ-24 0.00 5.00 5.00 1.40 28% 0.46 TPCZ18-02 1.38 5.00 DCZ-25 0.00 5.00 5.00 2.30 46% 0.55 TPCZ18-03 1.09 5.00 DCZ-09 0.00 3.00 3.00 0.78 26% 0.75 TPCZ18-04 1.23 3.00 DCZ16-48 0.00 5.00 5.00 2.80 56% 0.11 TPCZ18-18 0.24 5.00 DCZ16-47 0.00 5.00 5.00 2.64 53% 0.04 TPCZ18-19 0.25 5.00 Subtotal 28.00 10.87 38% 0.30 1.00 CANDELONES MAIN Diamond Drill Results Test Pit Results Drilled Recovered Core Drill Hole Test Pit Hole # From To Interval Interval Recovery Grade (1) Test Pit # Grade Depth (m) (m) (m) (m) (%) (Au g/t) (Au g/t) (m) SC03 0.00 5.00 5.00 2.64 53% 0.67 TPCM18-01 1.44 5.00 SC15 0.00 3.00 3.00 1.76 59% 0.34 TPCM18-02 1.05 3.00 DC89 0.00 4.00 4.00 1.73 43% 0.27 TPCM18-05 0.95 4.00 DC88 0.00 5.00 5.00 2.45 49% 0.43 TPCM18-06 0.37 5.00 DC82 0.00 2.00 2.00 1.30 65% 0.22 TPCM18-07 2.59 2.00 Subtotal 19.00 9.88 52% 0.42 1.11 TOTAL 44% 0.35 1.05 (1) Drill Hole Grade (Au g/t) = Assumes missing core at a grade of 0.00 g/t Au The test pit results indicate a significant increase in grade relative to the drill hole results due to the excessive core loss. Lost core is assigned a value of 0.00 g/t. A preliminary size fraction analyses was performed in the field during the test pit program with both size fractions from a inch riffle split sample analyzed separately to examine if the gold preferentially favoured either the plus inch or minus inch split. Results from 160 analyses of the split sample fractions indicates that the minus inch fraction represents 63% of the combined sample weight but there is not a significant difference in the gold content of the different size fractions. As a result, 66% of the contained gold reports to the fine fraction (Ref. Table 2.0). Table 2.0 Summary Statistics Test Pit Size Fraction Analyses Primary Fine Fraction (minus 1/2 inch) Coarse Fraction (plus 1/2 inch) Weight (kg) Au (g/t) Weight (kg) Au (g/t) Weight (kg) Au (g/t) Count 161 161 160 160 160 160 Minimum 1.93 0.00 0.86 0.00 0.27 0.00 Maximum 7.40 5.05 4.92 5.41 3.34 3.56 Median 3.63 0.89 2.34 0.90 1.31 0.77 Mean 3.80 0.88 2.39 0.94 1.43 0.82 Standard Deviation 0.99 0.83 0.80 0.92 0.75 0.72 Exploration Test Pits The remaining twenty (20) test pits were completed to evaluate the potential to expand the oxide mineralization beyond the currently drilled footprint. The majority (18) of the exploration pits were completed at the Candelones Connector. The pits were essentially located as N_S and E-W oriented fences outboard from the historical drill coverage (Ref Figure 1.0). Pits were located every 50 metres along each fence line. Table 3.0 presents the results of the exploration test pits. Table 3.0 Exploration Test Pits Candelones Connector, Candelones Main Deposits CANDELONES CONNECTOR CANDELONES CONNECTOR Pit_ID Au_gpt Depth (m) Pit_ID Au_gpt Depth (m) TPCZ18-05 1.35 4 TPCZ18-16 0.01 4 TPCZ18-06 0.82 4 TPCZ18-17 0.25 5 TPCZ18-07 0.15 4 TPCZ18-20 0.50 5 TPCZ18-08 0.04 5 TPCZ18-21 0.28 5 TPCZ18-09 0.02 4 TPCZ18-22 0.08 5 TPCZ18-10 0.05 3 TPCZ18-23 0.30 4 TPCZ18-11 0.58 5 TPCZ18-24 0.12 5 TPCZ18-12 0.37 5 CANDELONES MAIN TPCZ18-13 0.01 5 Pit_ID Au_gpt Depth TPCZ18-14 0.47 6 TPCM18-03 0.67 5 TPCZ18-15 0.12 5 TPCM18-04 0.46 5 The exploration test pits indicate that there are opportunities to expand the extent of the oxide footprint, currently defined by drilling. Pits TPCZ18-11 and 23 indicate oxide mineralization may continue to the south of the currently defined oxide footprint (Ref. Figure 1.0). Test pits TPCZ18-14 and 15 indicate the oxide mineralization remains open to the west (Ref Figure 1.0). Cyanide Leach Results Results of the cyanide leach analyses are incomplete as at the date of this press release. Results will be released at a later date. The cyanide leach analyses were complete on approximately 20% of the sample population. Test Pit Program Procedures and Methodology Test pits were completed by a CAT 320D Excavator with a 1.5 metre wide rock bucket and a maximum digging depth of 5.5 metres. Pit dimensions ranged from 1.5 to 1.8 metres wide by 3.0 to 4.5 metres in length. Pits were excavated to a target depth of 5.0 metres or to the top of bedrock. 20 pits reached the 5.0 metre target depth. All but one pit exceeded 3.0 metres in depth. All the pits were free digging. No explosives were used. Eleven pits were located twinning existing drill holes. Twenty pits were step out pits, designed to probe the lateral continuity of the oxide mineralization. In each pit excavated, all four pit walls were continuously channel sampled on 1.0 metre intervals from surface to the pit floor. Each channel sample was established in the approximate center of each pit face. The channel was precut using a portable diamond saw where necessary. In many instances, the pit wall was comprised entirely of soft oxide material. In this instance, the diamond saw was not used and the sample was collected using the pick of a geology hammer trying to maintain a consistent sample depth and width. Where there was sufficient rock content (>60%), two parallel cuts, 10-15 cm apart and 2.5 to 3.0 cms deep, were established in the center of each pit face. The material between the cuts was then collected using either a geology hammer or a hammer and chisel. Prior to collection of each sample, a clean tarp was placed at the bottom of each channel. The material for each 1.0 metre sample interval was collected on the tarp and transferred to a five gallon bucket which was sealed with a lid and lifted out of the pit to surface for processing. Each bucket was passed through a inch riffle splitter. The undersize fraction (- inch) was collected in stainless steel bins. The oversize fraction (+ inch) was hand sorted equally into the two sample splits. Every effort was made to ensure that the oversize fraction was separated into both splits equally. At times, this required larger pieces of rock to be broken by hammer during the sample splitting process. One sample split was identified as the PRIMARY sample. The split was tagged, bagged and submitted for analyses. The PRIMARY samples will be assayed for gold using standard fire assay and agitated cyanide leach analyses. The cyanide leach results will provide an initial assessment as to the amenability of the oxide mineralization to direct cyanidation. The reject sample split was then passed through the riffle splitter a second time. The undersize (- inch) and oversize (+ inch) fractions were tagged and bagged separately and submitted to fire assay analyses only to determine if gold is preferentially favours either size fraction or if the gold is equally distributed over both size fractions. Significance of the Oxide Resource Historical exploration at Candelones culminated with a 2013 mineral resource estimate which considered an open-pit mine with some residual underground mining. The oxide component of that resource estimate extended from 2 to 30 metres from surface and represented a low-strip component of the estimated inferred resource. The oxide resource within the pit boundary was estimated to be 3.6 million tonnes averaging 0.98 g/t containing approximately 112,000 ounces of gold (Ref. Table 4.0). In 2015, the Company updated the mineral resource estimate to focus on higher grade mineralization that could be potentially mined utilizing solely underground mining methods. The updated mineral resource estimated an Inferred Mineral Resource of 5.3 million tonnes of sulphide ore averaging 5.27 g/t for a contained 894,000 ounces of gold and approximately 41 million pounds of copper. (Ref. Table 4.0). This resource remains open to the east and to depth. Table 4.0 Mineral Resource Estimates Candelones Project Date Classification Source / Deposit Tonnes Au Au ozs Strip Press Release # Mineralization (x1,000) (g/t) (x1,000) Ratio Type 11/12/2013 (1,3,4,5) INFERRED Pit Main 2,448 0.92 72 1.3 UGD-2013-22 Constrained/ Connector 1,108 1.12 40 1.3 OXIDE Extension Subtotal 3,556 0.98 112 1.3 INFERRED Pit Main 5,003 1.16 186 1.3 Constrained/ Connector 980 1.08 34 1.3 SULPHIDE Extension 24,223 1.59 1,241 7.6 Subtotal 30,206 1.50 1,461 6.4 INFERRED Underground/ Main 704 2.21 50 NA SULPHIDE Connector 50 2.49 4 NA Extension 4,977 2.42 387 NA Subtotal 5,731 2.39 441 NA INFERRED TOTAL 39,493 1.59 2,014 NA 2/24/2015 (2,3,4,6,7) INFERRED Underground/ Extension 5,274 5.27 894 NA UGD 2015-2 SULPHIDE Mineral resources were estimated by Mr. W. Lewis, P.Geo. and Mr. A. San Martin, MAusIMM(CP) of Micon International Ltd. (Micon), a Toronto based consulting company, independent of Unigold. Both Mr. Lewis and Mr. San Martin meet the requirements of a qualified person as established by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (May 2014) (the CIM Standards). The 2014 estimate is based on a long term gold price of US$ 1,500 per ounce and economic cut-off grades 0.32 g/t Au (OXIDE), 0.56 g/t (SULPHIDE) and 1.25 g/t (UNDERGROUND SULPHIDE). Pit constrained resources are reported within an optimized pit shell; underground resources are reported beneath the defined optimized pit shell. Mineral resources were estimated by Mr. W. Lewis, P.Geo. and Mr. A. San Martin, MAusIMM(CP) of Micon International Ltd. (Micon), a Toronto based consulting company, independent of Unigold. Both Mr. Lewis and Mr. San Martin meet the requirements of a qualified person as established by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (May 2014) (the CIM Standards). The 2014 estimate is based on a long term gold price of US$ 1,200 per ounce, a long term copper price of US$ 3.00 per pound and an economic cut-off grade of 3.50 g/t Au and assumed exploitation of the Candelones Extension deposit by means of underground mining. The mineral resource estimates are classified as INFERRED. CIM Standards define a Mineral Resource as a concentration of material in or on the Earth's crust in such form and quantity and of such grade or quality that it has reasonable prospects for economic extraction." The CIM Standards further define an INFERRED Mineral Resource as "that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity and grade or quality can be estimated on the basis of geological evidence and limited sampling and reasonable assumed but not verified, geological and grade continuity." The CIM Standards state: "Due to the uncertainty that may be attached to Inferred Mineral Resources, it cannot be assumed that all or part of an Inferred Mineral Resource will be upgraded to an Indicated or Measured Mineral Resource as a result of continued exploration. Micon has not identified any legal, political, environmental or other risks that could materially affect the potential development of the mineral resource presented. The procedures, methodology and key assumptions supporting this mineral resource estimate are included in the Technical Report titled: "NI-43-101 Technical Report Mineral Resource Estimate for the Candelones Project, Neita Concession, Dominican Republic" with an Effective Date of November 4, 2013. The Technical Report is available on SEDAR as well as the Company's website. The procedures, methodology and key assumptions supporting this mineral resource estimate are included in the Technical Report titled: "NI-43-101 Technical Report Mineral Resource Estimate for the Candelones Extension Deposit, Candelones Project, Neita Concession, Dominican Republic" with an Effective Date of February 24, 2015. The Technical Report is available on SEDAR as well as the Company's website. Contains 41,175,000 lbs copper grading 0.35%. The most recent work conducted late last year focused on understanding the oxide mineralization, verifying historic results where core recovery was an issue, testing leaching characteristics and assembling information in preparation for upgrading inferred oxide resources to indicated categories which could be incorporated into a pre-feasibility study for a combined oxide open-pit and underground operation. QA/QC Certified standards and blanks were randomly inserted into the sample stream and constitute approximately 10% of the sample stream. Samples are shipped to a sample preparation facility in the Dominican Republic operated by Bureau Veritas. Assaying is performed at Bureau Veritas Commodities Canada Ltd.s laboratories in Vancouver and Richmond, B.C., Canada. All samples are analyzed for gold using a 50 gram lead collection fire assay fusion with an atomic adsorption finish. Select samples will be assayed for gold using a 30 gram agitated cyanide leach analyses with an atomic adsorption finish. Wes Hanson P.Geo., Chief Operating Officer and Technical Director of Unigold, who is a qualified person under the definitions established by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the contents of this press release. About Unigold Inc. Discovering Gold in the Caribbean Unigold is a Canadian based mineral exploration company traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol UGD, focused primarily on exploring and developing its gold assets in the Dominican Republic. For further information please visit www.unigoldinc.com or contact: Mr. Joseph Del Campo, Interim President & CEO This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 416.866.8157 Forward-looking Statements Certain statements contained in this document, including statements regarding events and financial trends that may affect our future operating results, financial position and cash flows, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are based on our assumptions and estimates and are subject to risk and uncertainties. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words like strategy, expects, plans, believes, will, estimates, intends, projects, goals, targets, and other words of similar meaning. You can also identify them by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. We wish to caution you that such statements contained are just predictions or opinions and that actual events or results may differ materially. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are made as of the date hereof and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Where applicable, we claim the protection of the safe harbour for forward-looking statements provided by the (United States) Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. He warned of "large, organized caravans ... on the march to the United States" from Central America. But we've heard from Chicken Little before, and the flood was more like a trickle with many people opting to stay in Mexico. Trump said that "Mexican cities ... are getting trucks and buses" to bring refugees to the U.S.-Mexico border. But officials in the Mexican city of Tijuana are recruiting Central Americans to take jobs that would otherwise go unfilled. Trump said he wants people to "come in legally." But he championed the RAISE Act, which would have created a merit-based point system and all but eliminated legal immigration. He claimed that El Paso, Texas, used to be one of the nation's most dangerous cities and that "now, with a powerful barrier in place, El Paso is one of our safest cities." But the sheriff in El Paso quickly refuted that, pointing out that his city was never among the nation's most dangerous. The other half of that claim was demolished by The El Paso Times. The newspaper took a look at violent crime in the city starting from two years before the barrier was built until two years after. In that time period, violent crime spiked up 17 percent. Thats the true nature of the scientific debate over climate change. Its not about whether global warming is taking place or whats causing it those questions are settled. The open question is whether the effects of human-induced climate change will be really bad, catastrophically bad or threat-to-civilization bad. Enter the resolution, introduced Thursday by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., calling on Congress to create a Green New Deal. Pelosi has sounded skeptical. It will be one of several or maybe many suggestions that we receive, she said Wednesday, according to Politico. The green dream or whatever they call it, nobody knows what it is, but theyre for it, right? Im more impressed than the speaker is, however. The point of the resolution is not to propose specific, detailed policy prescriptions. What it does accomplish, though, is lay out the enormous scale of the climate change problem and, as a commensurate response, call for a new national, social, industrial and economic mobilization on a scale not seen since World War II and the New Deal. Thank you for reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. A potential courtship ended in tragedy Friday at the London Zoo, where staff say a female Sumatran tiger was killed by a male they once hoped would be her "perfect mate." The zoo detailed the harrowing turn of events in a statement posted to their website Friday. They said the male tiger, Asim, arrived at the zoo 10 days before as part of a breeding program and was placed in a separate enclosure next to the female, Melati. This granted them time to smell, see and react to one another. Big-cat introductions can be perilous, even with diligent preparation, the zoo said. On Friday, zookeepers opened the barrier separating their enclosures, optimistic they'd begin the breeding process after showing "obvious" positive signs. The two animals were wary of each other at first - a normal development, according to the zoo. When they began to interact, however, the cats' caution turned into aggression. "Zoo staff immediately implemented their prepared response, using loud noises, flares and alarms to try to distract the pair, but Asim had already overpowered Melati," the zoo said. Keepers were able to restrain Asim, but Melati died from the attack. After little was done following Woodards beating, federal prosecutors charged Shull with violating the decorated former soldiers civil rights, but Shull was later found not guilty by an all-white jury. Woodard eventually went back home to New York, where he spent the remainder of his life until his passing in 1992. Robert Young, Woodards 81-year-old nephew, said his uncle rarely spoke about the incident. Youll always be an inspiration to many around the nation, Young said. Batesburg-Leesville Mayor Lancer Shull, of no relation to the former chief, said Saturdays dedication should inspire other towns to have a conversation about racism. This should be an inspiration to pull those rugs out and sweep up what has been under there for years, Shull said. This lets people know love will always overtake hate over time. Love will always win out. Brandon Leak echoed that sentiment. He and his wife own Harolds Chicken of Homewood, which they opened in 2010; and Harolds Chicken of South Holland, which they opened last year, he said. They also are taking part in Chicago Black Restaurant Week for the third year. Among specials theyre offering are a wing special for $6.19, regularly $8.25; a large catfish special for $9.19, regularly $11.29 and a combo for $10.19, regularly $11.29. Although Harolds is a staple in the community, the week still typically brings in some customers for the first time, he said. RALEIGH Republican U.S. Rep. Walter B. Jones Jr. of North Carolina, a once-fervent supporter of the 2003 invasion of Iraq who later became an equally outspoken critic of the war, died Sunday on his 76th birthday. The congressmans office confirmed his death in a statement, saying Jones died in Greenville. His health declining in recent months, Jones entered hospice care in January after breaking his hip. He had been granted a leave of absence from Congress in late 2018 and was sworn in for his last term back home. Jones was a political maverick unafraid to buck his own party. He was one of the first Republicans to reverse direction on the war in Iraq. His ultimate opposition to the came with the irony that he instigated a symbolic slap against the French when their country early on opposed U.S. military action. Jones was among the House members who led a campaign that resulted in the chambers cafeteria offering freedom fries and freedom toast instead of French fries and French toast. Jones said he introduced legislation that would have required President George W. Bushs administration to begin withdrawing troops in 2006 because the reason given for invading Iraq, weapons of mass destruction, had proved false. Joplin, MO (64801) Today Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low near 75F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low near 75F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Register with JOC.com and receive 5 free pieces of content for the first thirty days. After thirty days, you will receive 3 pieces of content and after sixty days you will receive 1 piece of content. To receive full access, Subscribe Today . You can also subscribe to our daily newsletter. Register Today Mainly clear skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 76F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight Mainly clear skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 76F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow Sunny. High around 105F. NW winds shifting to S at 10 to 20 mph. Phillip Britt: "We already see 26% of our customers sign on the 100/40 plans so there is demand there for those speeds, but the average consumer seems to find the 50/20 price points the sweet spot." The head of one of Australia's smaller Internet service providers says it is likely that the cost of 100/40Mbps plans will drop over time, but it will require a write-down of the NBN for this to occur. In an Ask Me Anything on Reddit on Monday, Phillip Britt, the chief executive of Aussie Broadband, told questioners that it would not be possible for the NBN Co, the company rolling out the national broadband network, to keep sticking to their average revenue per user targets "because the mobile guys will wipe the floor with them". However, he said, it was difficult to predict when a price drop would happen. "They have released a short-term promotion around the 100/40 services currently, but it has some conditions around it that requires a customer to stay with that service provider for x period of time, so its risky to implement. "We already see 26% of our customers sign on the 100/40 plans so there is demand there for those speeds, but the average consumer seems to find the 50/20 price points the sweet spot." Britt said the easiest way out of the NBN mess was to remove the CVC construct and have price per port style model, along with the ability for people to upgrade to fibre-to-the-kerb at an affordable price. "In terms of HFC, I believe the main issue holding back faster speeds is they don't have full access to the spectrum on the cable currently, its still being shared with Telstra's HFC Internet product," he said in response to a question. "The hardware is capable of it. They also need to get more fibre deeper into the HFC network and breakdown the segments more." Britt said his company had no plans at the moment to offer unlimited plans with speeds above the 100/40 level. "The CVC pricing construct is the primary limiter here, we've only got 2.5 mbits of CVC allocated under the bundled model and someone on an unlimited plan on those higher tiers would have the potential to really cause some damage," he explained. Asked about the challenges of running the company from a regional centre instead of a city, Britt said finding staff to work in Morwell was a daily challenge. "We have been very lucky that we've been able to find the 170 and growing staff we have currently, and we do a lot of on the job training so we recruit for personality and train in the skills," he said. "We are looking later this year to potentially open another location outside of regional Victoria. We do already have some working from home staff who spend the majority of their time not in the office but it's currently limited to more senior staff." When news of the breach of the Federal Parliament network broke on Friday, the Australian Signals Directorate was quick to point out that attribution, if it was made, would take time. In its statement sent to iTWire, (and presumably other media organisations), the ASD said, in part: "Proper and accurate attribution of a cyber incident takes time." But the ABC apparently has better sources than the ASD because the taxpayer-funded broadcaster had already decided that China was behind the hack. In its noon bulletin, hardly two hours after the news broke, ABC threw to its China correspondent, Bill Birtles, and asked him what China's reaction to the hack was. One would not have been surprised if Birtles had asked, "Reaction to what?" Nobody in authority in Australia had made any claim of attribution, least of all the government. Thus, expecting China to react, was silly, at best. Given that the hacked network is used by all parliamentarians, and an election is expected in May, anyone who breaks in could well be looking for dirt on some politicians in order to use it to advantage during the election campaign. This is the most plausible explanation for a hack taking place at this time, and of this network. And given that voting is compulsory in Australia or at least showing up at a polling booth and getting one's name ticked off is a must if one wishes to avoid a fine the extent to which any outside party can influence an election is much more limited than in the case of a country like the US where voting is left to individual whims. This is not to say that China is ruled out as the country behind the hack but it could also be any one of a dozen other countries, not to mention private operators who are acting on behalf of an Australian political party. It could be someone who just wants to show that the parliament network has poor security, despite promises of its being beefed up after some earlier intrusions. But the overriding fact is that one cannot attribute a network attack to anyone or any nation so fast and even attribution done after months of painstaking work is often based on evidence that is, at best, flimsy. The ABC only had to ask somebody who has some experience in network security and does not have an agenda. Instead it spoke to Fergus Hanson, the head of the International Cyber Policy Centre at the Australia Strategic Policy Institute, a lobby group for big defence outfits, and he stayed in line with the prevailing ABC wisdom or lack of it, thereof. The head of ASPI, Peter Jennings, had earlier gone on record with The Australian, saying that the fact that all parliamentarians had been asked to reset their passwords was an indication that this was a serious breach. If it has led to everyone having to change their passwords on the system that suggests there has been a reasonably serious breach and therefore you would have to question how adequate was the protection to begin with, Jennings was quoted as saying. In reality, changing passwords after a breach is an indication that the investigators are fairly sure that there has been no deep intrusion made into the system; it is the first bit of network hygiene, as even a junior sysadmin would confirm. The ABC claims it is the most trusted source for news in Australia. If it continues in this jingoistic vein, it may well have to revise that slogan a fair bit. Monday, February 11th, 2019 (9:04 am) - Score 2,265 Faster broadband speeds could be on their way to neglected parts of Finderne in Moray (Scotland) after the local Finderne Development Trust (FDT), which is set to receive 138,000 per year from the developers of the Logie Wind Farm (Hill of Glaschyle Renewables LLP), confirmed a tentative proposal. The wind farm itself was built in partnership between Logie Estate and Muirden Energy and was commissioned in 2017. The farm appears to consist of one 55kW turbine (early test) and this has more recently been joined by twelve 2.3MW turbines. Finderne covers the small settlements of Rafford, Easter Lawrenceton, Dunphail, Edinkillie, Logie, Cathay, Altyre, Burgie, Blairs, Blervie, Brodieshill, Relugas, Glenerney and Braemoray. Under the new proposal some of the funding from the wind farm could be used to improve broadband connectivity in at least part of this area. Chris Piper, FDT Inaugural Chairman, said (Press and Journal): We are focused on delivering long term projects that address rural challenges. The lack of availability of adequate broadband within Finderne is a key example. Local residents have already expressed their support for this proposal via a recent survey and the next step will be to appoint a development manager in order to create a detailed plan. At present there doesnt appear to be much information on what may or may not be considered, although the funding is likely to be spent on other things too. Its worth pointing out that the state aid supported Digital Scotland project has already worked with Openreach (BT) to extend their Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC / VDSL2) network into other parts of Moray, such as Clochan, Longmorn, Rothes, Rothiemay, Elgin, Buckie, Forres and Keith. Monday, February 11th, 2019 (1:59 pm) - Score 6,348 Cable TV and broadband ISP Virgin Media (Liberty Global) has reportedly been linked by multiple sources to a potential acquisition of KCOM, which is the incumbent ISP for the Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire area in England. At present KCOM are in the closing stages of their 85 million Lightstream deployment, which aims to ensure that their 1Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based ultrafast broadband lines are able to cover 96% of their addressable network area (200,000 premises) by March 2019; the remaining 4% will gain 75Mbps capable Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (VDSL2) but may later also be upgraded. The figure of 200,000 premises is roughly akin to the amount of extra coverage that Virgin Media has been adding to their network every 5-6 months as part of the on-going 3bn Project Lightning network extension. This originally aimed to cover 4 million extra premises by the end of 2019 (early 2020 financial) but has been running behind schedule, due to earlier issues with overstated progress. Suffice to say that gobbling KCOM might be one way to get back on track, although the Hull provider is fairly different from Virgins existing DOCSIS dominated network and is also subject to tougher regulatory controls from Ofcom. The issue of regulation is likely to complicate any acquisition, particularly since Virgin Media isnt currently required to wholesale out their own services to rival ISPs. According to The Telegraph (paywall), the alleged discussions are said to be at an early stage, which has a tendency to mean that readers should probably take this with a big pinch of salt until either party confirms that talks are indeed taking place. But for now neither Virgin Media nor KCOM have offered any comment on the subject. Monday, February 11th, 2019 (2:55 pm) - Score 1,717 The Association of South Essex Local Authorities (ASELA), which consists of Basildon, Brentwood, Castle Point, Essex County, Rochford, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock, has secured an investment of 4.5m from the UK Governments Local Full Fibre Network (LFFN) fund to help build a new Gigabit broadband network. According to the press release, local homes and businesses are expected to benefit from the programme, although the initial aim appears to be focused on deploying a new optical fibre network to hook-up 214 public sector sites (schools, GP surgeries, care homes and village halls etc.) across the Basildon, Brentwood, Castle Point, Rochford and Thurrock areas. Under this approach the local authority would effectively become an anchor tenant for the infrastructure and in the future this same network could then be harnessed by other ISPs. Cityfibre started life by adopting a similar sort of approach in multiple cities across the UK and theyre now working with ISP Vodafone to expand on that by building FTTH broadband for residential users. Cllr Louise McKinlay, Chair of ASELA, said: It is fantastic news that collectively we have secured funding that will have a huge impact on the whole of south Essex and start to improve local and regional infrastructure across the area. The power of connectivity is continuing to shape the way we work, live and play, and so it is very important that we continue to lead and innovate in the future. Whilst ASELA has only been formed for a short time now, the work that has already taken place shows the very positive impact that collaborative working and talking across district and borough boundaries can have across our region. Margot James MP, UK Minister for Digital, said: Were building a Britain thats fit for the future, and our plans for a national full fibre broadband network underpin our modern Industrial Strategy. This 4.5 boost for gigabit speeds in South Essex will build on the tremendous work already being done by Superfast Essex and I congratulate ASELA on their successful bid. The news follows only a few days after the Colchester Borough Council, which also exists in Essex, secured a similar public investment boost of 3.45m from the Local Full Fibre Network (LFFN) fund (here). All of these new announcements appear to form part of the LFFNs third wave of projects (details). We should point out that this investment is separate from the Superfast Essex (SFE) scheme, which is currently working with Openreach (BT) and Gigaclear to extend superfast broadband coverage to around 97% of the county by December 2019 (currently around 94%) and as close to 100% as possible by 2021. Monday, February 11th, 2019 (8:22 am) - Score 1,082 The Scottish Government has today completed the establishment of a new Infrastructure Commission for Scotland (ICS), which aims to develop a 30 year strategy in order to advise on improvements across key infrastructure areas such as transport, energy, water, broadband (internet) and telecoms. The final members of this commission, which is to be chaired by Ian Russell CBE, have now been appointed and will seek to provide independent, informed advice on the vision, ambition and priorities for infrastructure. The newly appointed commissioners are Professor Iain Docherty, Ken Gillespie, Benny Higgins, Mary Pitcaithly OBE, Rachel Skinner, Grahame Smith, Sara Thiam, John Trower and Professor Janette Webb. Initially the ICS will focus on the development of the Scottish Governments next Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP) to run until 2023, although it will also look toward building a broader strategy for the next 30 years. Apparently its first report on infrastructure ambitions and priorities is expected to be published by the end of 2019, which should include some interim recommendations to support the evolution of a coherent plan. Michael Matheson, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, said: I am delighted the Infrastructure Commission is starting its work. Together the members bring a wide and balanced range of skills and insights. It has a key role in advising Scottish Ministers on strategic investments to boost inclusive economic growth, improve services and support delivery of Scotlands low carbon objectives. We know the value of investing in infrastructure goes beyond the physical homes, schools and hospitals we see in everyday life. It also unlocks economic potential, supports jobs and allows our businesses and communities to strengthen and grow. And it plays a crucial role in connecting our people, businesses and communities. Under our new National Infrastructure Mission, Scottish Ministers have committed to steadily increase annual investment so it is 1.56 billion more in 2025-26 than in 2019-20, meaning more than 25 billion in infrastructure investment through the next Parliament. It is really important stakeholders and people across Scotland have their say about what is needed and how it might best be delivered. The open engagement the commission will undertake will ensure high quality advice and help us put in place the best infrastructure for Scotlands needs. At this point its worth noting that the UK Government has already established a National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) and it will be interesting to see whether the advice that gets doled out by the ICS ends up offering anything different from the NIC (so far the NIC has largely supported the UK Governments existing approach see here). Meanwhile were currently waiting for the Scottish Government to announce the outcome of their 600m pledge to bring superfast broadband (defined in the next contract as 30Mbps+) access to all premises via their future R100 (Reaching 100%) project here and here, which under the original proposal could complete by the end of 2021 (March 2022 as a financial year). Meanwhile a report published last year cast doubt on the feasibility of the R100 time-scale (here) and there are some concerns about how it might clash with the UKs new 10Mbps+ Universal Service Obligation (USO). But the USO does contain an allowance for future deployment plans (i.e. you cant request the USO if another publicly funded plan exists to deliver better broadband to the same area within the next 12 months). A supplier for the R100 contract is due to be announced next month, although it remains to be seen whether a dispute between some of the potential bidders has caused this to be delayed. In any case we suspect that BT (Openreach) are still the front-runner, despite the process initially also receiving interest from Gigaclear, Axione and SSE Enterprise Telecoms. Monday, February 11th, 2019 (12:01 am) - Score 1,773 New research from Rural England CIC, which found that mobile calls cannot be made inside 33% of rural buildings on any network (vs 3% in urban premises), has warned that people living in UK rural areas are being cut off from building businesses and accessing digital services due to inadequate connectivity. The report (State of Rural Services), which will be launched today in Parliament and looks at vital services across key areas (i.e. health, public transport, libraries, young peoples services and retail etc.), also found that a 4G (mobile broadband) connection cannot be accessed in more than half (58%) of rural premises, compared with just 17% in cities. On top of that the report also uses the latest data from Ofcom (here) to highlight how 11% of rural premises could not get a 10Mbps+ fixed line connection and 24% could not get a 30Mbps (superfast broadband) connection. The equivalent urban figures are 1% and 3% respectively. Overall it claims that around 17% of Englands population lives in a rural area and nearly a quarter of those are over the age of 65 (theyre particularly vulnerable when underinvestment occurs in healthcare and declining high streets). Not to mention the Governments plan to digitise GP services and process universal credit applications online, which is all well and good unless the local connectivity is poor. 9,370,200 Population resident in rural areas of England (2016) Per cent of Englands population that is resident in rural areas 17.0% Rate of population growth in rural England from 2011 to 2016 +2.6% Per cent of rural population that is aged 65 or over 24.1% Number of registered businesses in rural England (2016/17) 547,000 People employed by registered businesses in rural England 3,517,000 According to the research, less public funding is directed towards rural residents than in urban areas, despite the higher cost of providing essential services such as social care, education and public transport in rural parts. For example, local authority expenditure on public transport is significantly higher in predominantly urban areas with 63% more spent on bus subsidies, and 348% more on discretionary concessionary fares. Other Key findings from the Report Take up of superfast broadband services is growing. In 2017 some 39% of rural premises that could access such a connection had opted to take it up. There is a 36% discrepancy in funding per head that rural local authorities receive for public health duties in comparison with their urban counterparts. Young people from rural areas tend to score worse on a number of key public health indicators risky behaviour, alcohol consumption, smoking and being bullied. 89% of rural journeys are made by car (73% for urban residents). In 2017 half of farmers only had dial-up fixed line connection speeds (below 2 Mbps). Local authority 2017/18 budgets per resident for library services were 25% less in predominantly rural areas than in predominantly urban areas. In 2016/2017, 191 bus services were reduced and 202 were withdrawn altogether from shire areas. Residents of small rural settlements now travel 4,177 more miles annually on all forms of transport than their urban counterparts (including on foot). They spend on average 384 hours (or 16 days) every year on the go. With the number of over-85s expected to double over the next 20 years in rural areas, there are serious concerns about rising demands upon local health services, yet the report finds that almost 30% of rural residents live more than 30 minutes drive time from a major hospital, rising to 90 per cent if they are travelling by public transport or walking. Over 40% live more than an hour away by public transport or walking. Business satisfaction with connectivity is lowest in remote rural areas and among those whose job requires them to travel. Research on digital potential found rural businesses are concerned about their connection reliability, as well as its speed. The main digital benefits identified by rural businesses are remote working, access to customers/suppliers and business efficiency. Benefits are felt most by businesses that have superfast connections. More than half of rural businesses face digital constraints other than connectivity. This includes access to digital/IT support, workforce IT skills and recruiting those skills. Addressing such constraints could add significantly to rural productivity. At this point wed like to highlight that the above reference to sub-2Mbps speeds being dial-up connections is a little confusing. Narrowband dial-up services, which have now largely ceased to exist, tended to offer peak speeds of around 56Kbps (64-128Kbps on ISDN) or 0.056Mbps if you prefer. By comparison the earliest ADSL copper broadband lines started at around 0.5-2Mbps. Brian Wilson, Report Author, said: Nearly a fifth of people in England live in rural areas, yet the evidence shows that many of them face inadequate services, such as being unable to make mobile phone calls or being without transport options. Two years after we released the first State of Rural Services report it seems clear that rural residents frequently still lose out in terms of funding and access to services. The challenges facing rural communities are likely to grow in the coming years and this will be reflected in their service needs. If policies and service delivery were properly rural proofed it seems evident that those needs would be much better met. Similarly Graham Biggs, CEO of the Rural Services Network, has warned that the country faces a time bomb if nothing is done to address the needs of rural residents. However the current Government has already committed to extend geographic mobile network coverage to 95% of the UK by 2022. In keeping with that Ofcoms forthcoming auction of the 700MHz mobile spectrum band will come attached to new obligations. The 700MHz Coverage Obligation The binding coverage rules mean that up to two winning bidders would each have to, within 4 years of the award: 1. Extend good, outdoor data coverage to at least 90% of the UKs entire land area within four years of the award. 2. Improve coverage for at least 140,000 homes and offices which they do not already cover. This means new coverage will be targeted at areas that are harder to reach; and 3. Provide coverage from at least 500 new mobile mast stations in rural areas. This will ensure operators transform coverage in areas where it is lacking, rather than meeting the rules by just boosting existing signals. Of course the above assumes that mobile operators dont end up delaying the auction through more disputes and that deployment of related infrastructure is built without the usual problems with planning permission, wayleave agreements and so forth. Meanwhile the Broadband Delivery UK programme is still hoping to ensure that around 98% of premises can access a fixed superfast broadband (24Mbps+) service by the end of 2020. After that the industry funded 10Mbps+ Universal Service Obligation (USO) is expected to help tackle those stuck in the final 2%. Monday, February 11th, 2019 (1:21 pm) - Score 694 A new study from biz broadband ISP Beaming has claimed that businesses in the UK were attacked online some 281,094 times each by cyber criminals during 2018 (up 23% year-on-year) via 1.3 million unique IP addresses. Most of those attempts originated from China, Brazil and Russia. According to the provider, the most common target for such attacks last year were Internet of Things (IoT) applications such as building control systems and networked security cameras (i.e. remote control services), which on average were subjected to 489 attacks a day during the final quarter of 2018. Meanwhile the second most targeted batch of applications were file sharing services (277 attacks a day) and databases (120 attacks a day). After that the list includes web sites / services, remote desktop systems and VoIP. Many of these attacks originated in China, Brazil and Russia, although the USA also plays host to quite a lot of the activity. Sonia Blizzard, MD of Beaming, said: As an ISP, we can see what is happening on the internet and take steps to help customers protect themselves and those they do business with. Weve seen a huge surge in criminal activity online in the final months of 2018. UK businesses were attacked at least once every two minutes last year, making it the worst year on record for cyber attacks. While there is plenty that we can do at a network level to minimise the threat of online attacks, businesses need to take cyber security seriously and put in place multiple layers of protection to ensure they dont expose their people, assets, customers and businesses partners to undue risk. At this point we did go looking for the methodology behind Beamings analysis and were unable to find any firm indication of how they arrived at such results (i.e. take with a pinch of salt). As such its unclear whether or not the ISP has made any effort to distinguish between general automated scans / probes / email spam etc. and more targeted attacks (DDoS etc.). This is important because on any given day its almost inevitable that an internet connection will at some point find itself being port scanned or otherwise checked for vulnerabilities (often via vast automated botnets of hijacked computers), which usually lasts only a moment and may occur multiple times in a day. The actual attacks usually follow later, or sometimes immediately, if the scan(s) uncover a potential weakness. However anybody running up-to-date software, good anti-virus/spam and a decent firewall system will usually be able to fend off all but the most sophisticated assaults against their services. This is as true for home users as it is in the office environment, although businesses naturally have to be even more cautious. Kevin M. Draz, 61, of Chesterfield Court, Burr Ridge, was charged at 11:47 a.m. Jan. 26 with battery and leaving the scene of an accident in a parking lot on the 100 block of Burr Ridge Parkway at about 10:50 a.m. that day. Draz allegedly refused to show his drivers license or insurance information and pushed the other driver. Monday, February 11th, 2019 (11:09 am) - Score 2,696 The Liberal Democrat MSP for Edinburgh Western, Alex Cole-Hamilton, has called for more co-ordination between full fibre broadband ISPs in the city because residents are at the end of their tether due to repetitive roadworks being used to build the same type of optical fibre network several times over. In commercially competitive urban areas its quite normal for broadband operators to end up overbuilding each other with rival infrastructure, which is something that has occurred in the past between Openreach (BT) and UK cable operator Virgin Media. Such work can be very disruptive to local life, particularly in terms of noise, physical obstruction and travel delays. However the increasingly rapid growth of competition in the new market for Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) infrastructure is slowly recreating that disruption for a new generation and may even magnify it. For example, in Edinburgh alone weve seen Openreach, Virgin Media, Cityfibre (Vodafone) and Hyperoptic all working to deploy Gigabit capable broadband networks and a lot of that will occur in the same areas. On the one hand this is a potentially huge benefit to consumers who will find themselves with a much wider choice of broadband infrastructure. On the other hand, aside from the issues mentioned above, it can also create a problem for the ISPs as such networks are very expensive to build and it may thus become harder to gain a return on their investment. Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said (Edinburgh News): Residents in Edinburgh are understandably at the end of their tether after year upon year of roadworks which dont seem to be well co-ordinated and see the same stretch of road dug up frequently. Installation of FTTP is a good thing but it needs to be co-ordinated in a way that means pavements are not dug up more than once. Achieving co-ordination between such bitter rivals, which each tend to have their own build philosophies, regulatory considerations, standards, competitive interests and engineering teams (or contractors), would not be an easy task (like trying to herd lions and hyenas together). Nevertheless if this could be achieved then in theory all of the players might stand to save money and could focus more on achieving wider coverage, but for now it looks like a forlorn hope. Instead the UK Government has so far chosen not to take any action that would discourage overbuild (here), while Cityfibre and other alternative network providers have called for tougher measures to be used against arch rival Openreach (here). Meanwhile Openreach themselves have said theyre using new techniques to avoid double digging wherever possible and have tried to co-ordinate works with other utilities (arguably more of a reference to non-broadband utilities, like water, electricity or gas). In the end overbuild is inevitable in such an aggressively competitive market, which usually results in winners and losers (can vary depending upon the area). However there is clearly some appetite for the Government to help facilitate a more co-ordinated approach, yet it remains to see whether a compromise is possible or even if this is an avenue that will be pursued by politicians. Guest Column The Fortunate Failure of 'Voluntary Repatriation' For Rohingya Refugees Rohingya refugees make their way to a refugee camp after crossing the Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Palong Khali, near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh on November, 2017. / Reuters In 2017 and 2018, between 600,000 and 800,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar following attacks and clearance operations targeting their villages and coordinated by the Myanmar military. The result is the worlds largest refugee camp, Kutupalong, situated in a low-lying corner of Coxs Bazar District in Bangladesh. The camp is there because the Bangladesh government saw it as a humanitarian way to deal with the refugee influx and preferable to a military operation. The international community, led by the UNHCR, was invited to receive the refugees and coordinate the establishment of a large camp in the low-lying district. The initial success of this operation is not in doubt. The Bangladesh government, UNHCR and international partners successfully housed hundreds of thousands perhaps as many as 1 million refugees in a manner that recognized their needs for protection in a situation that could otherwise lead to a war involving Myanmar, Bangladesh, and other countries. Mobilizing the international donor community and establishing such refugee camps quickly is indeed what the UNHCR and the international refugee regime is good at, and it is why they are such a positive force in the world for blunting the consequences of acute conflict. In recent decades the UNHCR has done this in the former Yugoslavia, Africa, Latin America, and Asia. But the next step is a bigger problem. What do you do after the refugees arrive and settle into temporary refugee camp life? Traditionally the UNHCR has said that there are three durable solutions to a refugee crisis like this. They are voluntary repatriation, local resettlement with the permission of the host government, and third-country resettlement with the permission of another country. Governments inevitably say not me to the second and third options, which means it falls on the refugees to voluntarily go home and on the sending country to receive them irrespective of local conditions. This was the solution proposed by the UNHCR in the months following the Rohingya flight and as a result, negotiations immediately opened between Bangladesh, Myanmar, the UNHCR and the largely Western donors. Left out of the equation, as usual, were the refugees themselves, who, when asked, consistently indicated that the solution would involve not just return to Myanmar but also second and third country resettlement. Fortunately, in the case of the Rohingya, UNHCR programs to return them to Rakhine State were unsuccessful. Despite much publicity, persuasion, and even threats to cut rations, the Rohingya stayed put in the temporary refugee camps in Coxs Bazar. In the meantime, Rakhine itself was pushed into yet another round of military action, this time between the Arakan Army, which is seeking independence, and the Myanmar military. The Rohingya refugees are now watching the new strife from Coxs Bazar, rather than contemplating fleeing back to Bangladesh from the refugee resettlement camps the UNHCR tried to establish for them in Rakhine. In other words, the failure of the UNHCRs policy means that yet another complication has been avoided. Paradoxically, the failure of the official voluntary repatriation programs should perhaps be counted as an unintended success by the international refugee relief regime. Yet again, the spread of conflict was prevented by the presence of safe-haven refugee camps, albeit inadvertently. Which brings me to the de facto fourth solution to refugee crises, which the UNHCR and international community routinely avoid citing. This solution is to permit temporary camps become permanent homes for refugees. This de facto solution has been used repeatedly around the world. The best known example is the Gaza Strip in Palestine, which is really just a 70-year-old refugee camp, as are Palestinian settlements in Lebanon, the West Bank and elsewhere. In Africa, Kenya is home to refugee camps for Somali and South Sudanese, and in Tanzania there are decades-old camps for Congolese, Rwandans and Burundians. The creeping permanence of such camps are of course not in the interests of anyone not refugees, home countries, second countries or third countries. But time after time they emerge, often with similar consequences. In such contexts, grievance festers and radicalization occurs. High birth rates lead refugee camp populations to double within 15 to 20 years, as they did and continue to do for some Palestinian populations. Grievance, despair, rapid growth and radicalization are a predictable consequence of letting refugee camp situations fester. And this is independent of the problems created by premature repatriation plans implemented by the UNHCR and Western donors in recent decades. The most brutal repatriation was the forced expulsion of 2 million Rwandan refugees by Zaire, Tanzania and Uganda in 1996 at the behest of international donors from the West. The result? The immediate deaths of 300,000 to 400,000 refugees in the Congolese forests fleeing westward, and wars triggered in central Africa that killed 4-6 million people by 2004 and continue today. In other words, the world community would have been better served if the camps in Tanzania and Zaire had been left in place and policies leading to multiple peaceful solutions tried. But they werent, and as a result the financial and humanitarian costs of a poorly managed refugee situation continue to be paid with bills for war, violence and refugees. The odd thing is that there are indeed good examples of the resolution to refugee crises involving multiple solutions, undertaken more or less voluntarily by refugees. The European refugee crisis that began after World War II was resolved by the late 1950s or so. Crises in Southeast Asia that began after the fall of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in 1975 were by and large resolved by 1995. In both cases, refugees returned to their home countries, resettled in countries of first asylum legally and illegally, or were resettled in third countries. Bangladesh itself was of course born in the context of massive refugee movement, the first in 1947-1948 with the partition of British India, and the second in 1971-1972 with the Bangladeshi Revolution. These refugee movements were not resolved in any one fashion. They were resolved in the longer run by local countries and international donors with local resettlement, second and third country resettlement, and of course sometimes, tragically, with violent death. What each crisis has in common is that there are no longer refugee camps and the survivors and their descendants have integrated into the places where they landed. What this means is that the Rohingya refugees in Coxs Bazar are probably right. The future for many, if not most, of them is not in Rakhine State. Rather, it is in the burgeoning cities of South and Southeast Asia, and for some in the West. Certainly some may well make their way back to Rakhine or, just as likely, cities like Yangon and Mandalay where there are growing industrial sectors, a solution that will please donors who are aware that, after all, it was Myanmars policies on residency and citizenship that led to the crisis in the first place. But it is also foolish to presume that the best solution is a return to the pre-expulsion status quo. This is neither practical nor desirable. A successful resolution of the Coxs Bazar refugee crisis will involve statesmanship and generosity on the part of many countries both in the region and further afield. This is the only real durable solution available. Failure to pursue such durable solutions carries with it the risk of further radicalization of the Rohingya refugee population, instability, and future war. Tony Waters is director of the Institute for Religion, Culture, and Peace at Payap University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, and a member of the faculty of the PhD program in peace building. He is the author of books and articles about refugees around the world, including Bureaucratizing the Good Samaritan. News Namtu River Villagers Urge Foreign Firms to Cancel Participation in Dams A map showing the proposed dams on the Namtu River that local residents oppose. / Shan State Rivers / Facebook Local residents along the Namtu (or Myitnge) River in northern Shan State are urging all foreign companies involved in dam projects on the river to follow the decision of Engie, the French company that pulled out of the Upper Yeywa Dam project. Nang Lao Kham, a resident of Ta Long village, which would be directly affected if the Upper Yeywa Dam is built, said in a Feb. 11 statement from Action for Shan State Rivers that the Engie companys withdrawal is a great victory for the local residents, who fear being submerged if the dam is built. On the Namtu River, since the early 2010s the government has planned four dams with combined capacity of 1,200 megawatts: the Deedok dam in Kyaukse Township in Mandalay Region, and the Middle Yeywa Dam, the Upper Yeywa Dam and the Namtu Dam in northern Shan States Nawngkhio, Kyaukmae and Namtu townships, respectively. According to local residents, public consultations for the Middle Yeywa Dam, site clearing for the Upper Yeywa Dam and road building for the Namtu Dam started last year. The locals called for the withdrawal of the foreign companies investment in the dam projects in October. The villagers from the areas delivered a written appeal on Dec. 5 to several foreign embassies in Yangonincluding those of China, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, and Norwayasking them to stop involvement in all four planned dams on the Namtu River. Engie was included in the Burma Campaign U.K.s Dirty List of companies linked to human rights violations in Myanmar in December but, according to BCUK, the company asked to have their name removed from the list due to concerns of reputation risk, and said their subsidiarythe Germany company Lahmeyerwas no longer involved in the Upper Yeywa Dam project. Sai Thum Ai, a spokesman for Action for Shan State Rivers, told The Irrawaddy on Monday that they hoped the government will listen to the concerns of local residents, who also sent a letter to President U Win Myint calling for a halt to the dam project. We would like the president to listen to the peoples voices. And the politicians also should do outreach to the communities and wards. We want genuine peace, not total investment, as the residents of these areas would have to relocate and could become displaced, he said. He said the villagers had already said no to building dams, but they told us that the compensation and relocations would not be less than Paung Laung dam projects [some 40 km east of Pyinmana Township near Naypyitaw], he said, referring to a completed dam which joined the national grid in late 2015. At that time the villagers near Paung Laung were given 1 million kyats for an acre of land, but look at their lives now, the spokesman said, adding, The residents understand and have observed those situations and we are not that naive. State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said in Keng Tung during her trip to eastern Shan Sate last week that if local people want the electricity from the hydropower project, she would make it happen. With regards to the hydropower, we have to consider it from every side: the technical need, finance, the public desire and the environmental impact. If the public desire is there, we will make it happen using our natural [water] resources, she told Keng Tung residents on Feb. 6. However, there have been attempts to build more dams on the Namtu/Myitnge River amid locals objections. Local communities in Hsipaw, northern Shan State, object to a plan to construct a dam near Hsipaw on the river by a local company known as Unienergy Company Limited, and have urge the company and the authorities to stop the project. Unienergy has been visiting the area around the Nam Ma and Nam Paung tributaries, which flow into the Namtu River, in Hsipaw and conducted public consultations in Hsaileng village tract in Hsipaw in 2017, and in Jan. 27 and Feb. 2 of this year, said Sai Sar Lu, a resident spokesman for the village tract. The company has not shared any information with us yet on how big the dam would be, but we do not think the dam project would be good for us; we are concerned about the negative impacts, said Sai Sar Lu. He feared that if the dam were built, not only the three villages near the construction area, but a total of 21 villages with farms and orange plantations would become submerged. Burma Hundreds More Flee Fighting in Northern Rakhine Over Weekend People displaced by fighting between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army over the weekend take shelter and have a meal at the Yoe Ta Yoke monastery in Ponnagyun Township, Rakhine State, on Sunday. / Rakhine Ethnic Congress / Facebook YANGON Fighting between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar militarys Light Infantry Division 22 drove more than 500 residents of Saung Du Village, in northern Rakhine States Kyauktaw Township, out of their homes over the weekend. Village official U Kyaw Thaung said fighting erupted in a densely forested area 1 mile from Saung Du on Saturday. Though the mortar shells and bullets did not hit the village itself, he said, they could be heard from the homes, convincing more than half the population to flee to neighboring Ponnagyun Township for safety. The village official declined further comments because he was busy accompanying soldiers and police on an inspection of the village to find out exactly who had left. On Sunday the AA also announced that it recently clashed with a column of 200 soldiers in Kyauktaw Township near Taung Minkalar Village and that one of its fighters was killed. It said some Myanmar military soldiers were also killed but did not specify how many. In the same statement, the AA said it had killed 16 soldiers in a series of clashes in Shin Ma Dein Village, in Chin States Paletwa Township, on Feb. 4. The Irrawaddy could not independently verify the claims. A Saung Du Village resident currently sheltering with 283 others at the Yoe Ta Yoke monastery in Ponnagyun told The Irrawaddy on Monday that most of the displaced villagers want to return home rather than rely on aid donations. But he said they heard that the military detained a 43-year-old farmer who had stayed behind while he was mending a fence and that they were worried the same could happen to them if they went back. He said about 100 soldiers entered Saung Du after the fighting to search for collaborators, but most of the villagers had fled by then. Only the elderly and some men remained in the village to watch their homes. Maybe between 150 and 200 residents stayed in the village to look after their homes, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity out of fear for his safety. The man said about 300 of those who left were at the monastery while the rest went to stay with their relatives in Kyauktaw or Ponnagyun. Ko Zaw Zaw Tun, an aid worker with the Rakhine Ethnic Congress who visited the monastery, said the new arrivals told him that the village had been thrown into chaos by the fighting nearby and that residents scattered in many directions. He said the weeks of fighting have now displaced some 7,000 people and that of those sheltering at the Yoe Ta Yoke monastery 32 were children under 5 years old. Ko Zaw Zaw Tun said the villagers had a legitimate fear of arrest, noting that 38 ethnic Arakanese were already being held in jail in the state capital, Sittwe, accused of having ties to the AA. He said they were from Sittwe and the townships of Kyauktaw, Rathedaung, Buthidaung, Kyauktaw and Ponnagyun. Indonesian police have acknowledged officers terrorised a Papuan man with a live snake after a video of the incident circulated online. Police in Indonesia's easternmost Papua region apologised but also attempted to justify the officers' actions by saying the snake was not venomous and that they had not resorted to beating the man, who was suspected of theft. Human rights lawyer Veronica Koman said the interrogation methods were torture and violated police policies as well as several laws. She said it was only the latest of several reports of police and military using snakes to terrorise Papuan detainees and symptomatic of a culture of racism against indigenous Papuans. Sam Lokon, a member of the West Papua National Committee, which advocates for independence from Indonesia, was put in a cell with a snake and also beaten after being arrested in January, Ms Koman said. Police indicated the incident with the alleged thief happened recently, during a crackdown on petty crime in Jayawijaya district. The spread of the video, which shows the man screaming in fear and his interrogator laughing, had forced police into a "very rare" apology, Ms Koman said, while also criticising the attempt to provide a justification. The one minute and 20 second video shows the dark brown snake, at least two metres long, wrapped around the handcuffed suspect's neck and waist and an officer pushing its head into the man's face as he becomes increasingly hysterical. Officers appear to be asking how many times he had stolen mobile phones. Jayawijaya police chief Tonny Ananda Swadaya said in a statement the officers had been disciplined by being given ethics training and moved to other locations. Papua province's police spokesman said the officers involved are being questioned by an internal affairs division of the national police. - Press Association United Nations (UN) Special Envoy Martin Griffiths and UN Emergency Relief Chief Mark Lowcock issued a joint statement warning about the risk of food aid being spoiled because it is too difficult to access. 51,000 metric tonnes of grain belonging to the World Food Programme- enough to feed 3.7m people- is being stored in the Red Sea Mills in Hodeida, Hudaydah and has been inaccessible for over five months. Beijing has condemned Turkey over its claim that a celebrated musician from China's Turkic Muslim Uighur ethnic group has died in custody. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said a brief video clip of Abdurehim Heyit issued by state media proved he was alive and in good health and showed Turkey's statement was an "absurd lie". "The Turkish side has made a very bad mistake which is quite irresponsible. We express firm opposition to this," Ms Hua told reporters at a daily briefing. China has filed a formal complaint and called on Turkey to reveal the source of its information, she said. Heyit had reportedly been sentenced to eight years over one of his songs. Ms Hua said he had been taken into custody for endangering national security and his case was under investigation. The row over Turkey's criticism contrasts with the close economic relationship between the two countries. Turkey depends on Chinese financing for major infrastructure projects, while China sees Turkey as an important link in its gargantuan Belt and Road project to expand its economic reach abroad. Turkey's claim of Heyit's death came in a foreign ministry statement on Saturday calling China's treatment of Uighurs "a great cause of shame for humanity" - a rare show of public criticism by a majority Muslim nation. China has interned an estimated 1 million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in re-education camps, where they are forced to renounce Islam and swear fealty to ruling Communist Party leader Xi Jinping. Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said it was "no longer a secret" that China has arbitrarily detained more than a million Uighurs in "concentration camps". He said the Turkic Muslim population faced pressure and "systematic assimilation" in western China. In the video released by state media outlet China Radio International, Heyit said he was being investigated for criminal activity, but was in good health and had "never been abused". At the start of the video, Heyit states his name and gives the date as February 10, 2019. The authenticity of the video could not be verified and it was not clear where and by whom it had been filmed. However, Ms Hua said that after checking with the "relevant department in Xinjiang", the ministry had confirmed the video's legitimacy. Chinese state media have a long history of broadcasting confessions by both Chinese and foreign citizens who afterwards say they were compelled to participate against their will and forced to read a script. Although Turkey's criticism appeared without warning, Chinese diplomats responded with alacrity. The Chinese Embassy in Turkey swiftly issued a lengthy defence of Chinese policies, calling Mr Aksoy's comments "completely unacceptable" and accusing Turkey of "maintaining double standards on the question of fighting terrorism". Amid the clampdown, multitudes of Uighurs have fled, many travelling to Turkey, where the language and culture are similar to those in Xinjiang. -Press Association Record production of cocaine and rising income levels in Ireland is creating a new boom in the cocaine trade, a senior garda tells Security Correspondent Cormac OKeeffe. Detective Superintendent Seamus Boland says what Ireland is experiencing is being witnessed across much of Europe. The global rise in the production and trafficking of cocaine is one that is being increasingly documented across the continent: from record seizures in the major ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp; the operations of an EU law enforcement taskforce charged with combating the Atlantic cocaine trade and in the reports of the EU drugs agency. Were no different in Ireland than other European countries, said Det Supt Boland, based in the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (DOCB). The seizures of cocaine all across Europe appears to be going up. You have the mother lode, the 9.5 tonnes, the last day in Cape Verde, obviously heading for Africa and coming to Europe where it tends to make its route. That seizure at the start of this month, which had a nominal value of around 650m (but many multiples of that once cut down), is believed to be the biggest ever seizure of cocaine on this side of the Atlantic. The haul was the result of intelligence gathered by the EUs Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC-N), working in conjunction with police in Cape Verde. MAOC-N is led by former assistant garda commissioner Michael OSullivan. After the seizure, a senior source described it as a mother lode and a half, which put all other recent seizures in the shade. To find bigger hauls of cocaine you have to travel to the other side of the Atlantic, where seizures of 14-21 tonnes have been made in Colombia and the US. The week before the Cape Verde haul, in another MAOC-N operation, 2.5 tonnes of cocaine was seized by the Portugese navy. And just days before that, Italian authorities made their biggest seizure of cocaine in 25 years, with the interception of 2.1 tonnes of cocaine off a boat from South America that was destined for Spain. European sources have previously told the Examiner that a tsunami of cocaine was coming across from South America for the European market. It is understood that MAOC-N was involved in the seizure of more than 1bn worth of cocaine in 2018, a sharp rise on the previous year. Figures from the ports of Rotterdam (Netherlands) and Antwerp (Belgium) show that 73 tonnes of cocaine was seized in 2018, compared to 54 tonnes in 2017. A detailed analysis of the cocaine trade, published last December by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, said there was a surge in the availability of high-purity cocaine. Detective Superintendent Seamus Boland It said this was being driven by record levels of production, the largest in Colombia, increased sophistication in cocaine manufacturing and a greater number of organised crime groups involved in trafficking. It said intelligence from Europol, the EU police agency, suggested that British, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, and Irish crime groups had become important brokers in the cocaine trade. This was reflected last August with the seizure of 133kg of cocaine on a ship in Costa Rica that was bound for Cork, with gardai saying that the Kinahan crime cartel accounted for the lions share of that haul. Internationally, the production of cocaine in the last 12 months is one of the highest recorded, said Det Supt Boland. Figures involving operations by the DOCB (not Garda figures as a whole) indicate a significant rise in cocaine trafficking: 159kg of cocaine was seized in total in 2018, compared to 81kg in 2017; There were 29 significant cocaine seizures last year, compared to 23 in 2016; The three biggest cocaine seizures in 2018 were 66kg (Rosslare, in November), 49kg (Dublin, in December), and 36kg (Dublin Port, in December) This compares to the three biggest seizures in 2017: one seizure of 20kg and two seizures of 10kg. You look at the seizure in Liffey Valley last December, of almost 50kg, thats a lot of cocaine, said Supt Boland. By the time that is sold at street level [after being cut four to five times] thats probably 200kg-250kg of powder. With individual deals of one gramme, thats up to 250,000 street deals. Det Supt Boland expresses caution in looking at seizures alone, for example in comparing 2017 to 2018, as a reliable indicator, saying you can be lucky with seizures one year. Seizures are not always a true reflection of whats happening, he said. But he did accept there was a pattern of very large seizures in 2018, that were bigger than those in 2017. His figures also show an increase in the number of significant DCOB operations involving cocaine consignments in 2018. He said Spain has recorded seizures of six tonnes and three tonnes. He said that while be believes gardai have got much better at their job, it was impossible to know how much was still getting through. You measure it by the price of a drug at street level and the reality is, even with all the seizures made, whether in Ireland, Spain, UK ,or Holland, the price of cocaine hasnt gone up for people consuming, so given the laws of economics the volume is still there. He said the price of a gramme of cocaine on the streets here was between 50-70. He said time will tell if the 9.5 tonne haul will have any impact on cocaine prices. Health Research Board data shows a 90% jump in new treatments for cocaine between 2012 and 2016, from 297 to 568, while cocaine-related deaths rose from 21 in 2010 to 44 in 2015. Det Supt Boland said the global factors of increased cocaine supply was combining with a return of cocaine usage to levels akin to the Celtic Tiger area resulting from rising incomes. People have more money, he said. Were back in a lot of ways to the levels of the 1990s in the good times, with more socialising and more partying. With some 29 years in the job, during which he worked in local drug units in Dublins city centre, on both the north side and the south side, he said the average cocaine user was paying the salaries of the gangs, including the Kinahan cartel. The reality is the money from cocaine for the cartels isnt made from the unemployed or inner city communities, its from the working people, the middle classes or upper classes, said Det Supt Boland. Its people with disposable income that is generating the wealth from cocaine. They go out and snort their cocaine out socialising, with no thought, nor care, to where that money goes. Tomorrow, Det Supt Boland talks about the fight against Irish gangs. Valentine's Day falls next Thursday, a school night when we may not have a lot of time to prepare and tempt our loved ones with complex bites and treats. Hot food for a night of passion, generated by the enlivening effect of the natural chemical capsaicin, inspired me to look at chilli-flavoured sauces and pastes to add to dishes. They can easily make an ordinary dish special and exciting, and our most tried and tested ones can quickly be given a burst of passion by adding a teaspoonful of some of these products. Its easy to overdo chilli, so if you find yourself with a burning mouth or throat, dont drink water it wont do much good. Instead eat something fatty a little cheese, yogurt, nuts, a little oil, or even smear a little butter on your mouth or palate it may be all that is on the table when in need. We need fat to absorb the capsaicin so these options will provide a quick solution. If making sauces from scratch, remove the white fibre that holds the chilli seeds as well as the seeds which have a hot coating too. Be careful after chopping chillies as touching sensitive body tissue will hurt not ideal for Valentines night. Plenty of products to thrill here. We looked for least additives, good texture and depth of flavour. Iago Arrabiata sauce 480g 6.80 A pulpy tomato base has lively chilli, onion, garlic, pepper, herbs and no additives for lots of fresh, natural flavour. Use this for pasta, rice, quinoa, pizza, on bread. Heat the sauce with raw fish or thinly sliced meat/meatballs to cook gently for 10-15 minutes for an easy supper. Enough for four, it can be frozen. Tasters approved. (Note: Arrabiata is Italian for angry). Real Olive Company Harissa 180g 3 This fiery, natural, chilli paste is a rescue remedy for dull stews and pastas. A teaspoon can be enough for a two-person portion to add to dishes on Valentines Day for heat. Smear a fillet of fish lightly before grilling, add to a vegetable stir fry, to mackerel pate or cream cheese for a toasty starter. In a screw-top jar, the gritty chillies, garlic, olive oil, salt and spices will keep for months. The Scullery Vine Tomato & Jalapeno Pasta Sauce 360g 2.99 For the more faint hearted, this mild chilli flavour is free of additives and has a fresh tasting and natural, pulpy tomato base with garlic, salt, herbs and spices. The less adventurous liked this one more than some others. Also good on bread/toast. I bought in Tesco. Loyd Grossman Classic chilli sauce 350g 2.95 Well integrated flavours here with a medium amount of chilli in a tomato base with red kidney beans which thicken it nicely. A little sugar, lime juice and ground herbs are discernible, and the beer listed may have added to depth of taste. An easy option for the chilli wary. Tesco tomato & chilli pesto 190g 1.95 A small jar has plenty of flavour with the chilli softened with sundried tomatoes, red peppers, Grana Padano and Pecorino cheeses and cashew nuts. The latter three provide substance for use with pasta or even better on chunky bread as a starter. The oil is sunflower which is not traditional, but does no harm to the lovely, rounded taste. Mics Chilli Inferno 165g 4 Giving Tabasco a run for its money, this Wicklow-based brand has a number of levels of heat. The chilli lite was quite enough for two tasters who felt no need to try the hot version. Our noses ran as we got the strong chilli kick try it for clogged sinuses! Use in small doses in stir fries and stews as a condiment. Rebel Chilli 250ml 3.85 An interesting import substitution for the many sweet chilli sauces coming from all over the world, this is made in Cork. Chilli, ginger, lemongrass, sugar, vinegar, tamari are thickened with a little cornflour. Very hot, thin, but fresh tasting, with nice lemongrass flavour. Add to stir fries or as a marinade for fish or meat. Green Saffron Indian Hot Curry 300g 2.89 Lots of flavours here with a long list of spices in a pulpy, natural tomato base. The chilli is softened by warm turmeric, cumin, nutmeg, rose petal, so the chilli hit comes at the end at the back of the mouth. Use for an easy supper by adding to meat or vegetables. Quarter Block Party mainly based around North and South Main streets in Cork for the weekend. Here's a taste of how it went: Hilary Woods By Eoghan OSullivan Quarter Block Party returned to the streets of Cork for the arts festivals fifth edition with a typically diverse and engaging programme. Among the first festivals of the year, theres a quiet confidence that exudes through the lineup, its music bookings marking it out as a showcase of some of the best new and up-and-coming artists; you may not recognise all the names but chances are youll be leaving a fan of many. Hilary Woods has been winning over lots of onlookers since the release of her debut album Colt last year, which has been disappointingly overlooked for the Choice Prize. Shes making a flying visit to Cork for this midnight headline performance at Triskel Christchurch from the middle of playing with the acclaimed experimental band Low across Europe. Its a relatively short performance, about 40 minutes, but its enough to leave you exhausted, exhaling and letting out the tension conjured up in a mesmerising performance. Its a deep, dark, devastating showing, with Woods, the former bassist with the band JJ72, supported by a low-key percussionist whose drums are like thunder. The twinkling Take Him In cuts deep with its refrains of he is kinder and dont be afraid, while lines like the silence I keep saves me from spiralling are eye-openingly immediate. Jesus Said, meanwhile, proves particularly powerful considering the surroundings. Woods whispers her confessions in near-darkness, projections and a subtle light show adding to the atmosphere. Beats & Sweat (A Tribute To Sir Henrys) By Des ODriscoll Were sitting on the steel stairs of Dali nightclub (formerly the Pav). A Spanish woman reads a script recalling legendary Cork club Sir Henrys, and briefly talks about her efforts to find out what made the venue so special. We enter the empty nightclub space where a DJ plays classic Henrys tunes. Kathy Walsh and Irene O'Mara pictured at the Firkin Crane before the performance of Fat Blokes as part of Quarter Block Party. Quarter Block Party is a three day music and arts festival on North and South Main Street, Cork City, taking place from the 8th to the 10th of February. 2019 will host the fifth edition of the festival. A big screen shows comments that attendees at tonights performative environment have contributed. And thats about it. The sentiment is nice, and the music is great, but the approximately 30-minute experience (admission 15) all feels rather half-formed and underwhelming. In the vernacular of the club itself, maybe a bit of a tingle, but no real buzz off it. Le Boom & Kneecap By Eoghan OSullivan Its the culmination of an eclectic night at Dali for Quarter Block Party. Le Boom are a two-piece party band barely a couple singles into their career theyre the most fun all weekend. Kneecap are a trio from Belfast who rap about youth and social issues in Irish and in the most ridiculous way sample lyric: F**k the queen agus tiocfaidh ar la. Phil Corcoran, Eddie Kay and Barry Holland pictured at the Firkin Crane before the performance of Fat Blokes as part of Quarter Block Party. 2019 will host the fifth edition of the festival. Initial thoughts that its a novelty wear off when you realise the samples are killer, youre crying with laughter, and youre shouting the choruses back through a sea of thrown pints. The foreboding Your Sniffer Dogs are Shite is the highlight. Expect them to be the act of every festival for the rest of the year. To the charge that Harpers Island in Cork Harbour, with its three points of contact to the mainland, is not an island, the rebuttal affirming its island status: The area is defined by its natural history and not its current structures, writes Dan MacCarthy. The harbour waters fully encircle the island but there is no access from where the N25 sweeps from Cork to Waterford. A train bridge from Cork to Cobh skirts its western flank and a bridge over the rail-line to Midleton allows access from the mainland. Local railway historian Patrick Walsh believes the railway bridge taking the Cobh Line on to Harpers Island may have been re-erected there from its original site at Hargraves Quay in Cork City, which was filled in when the present Kent Station was being built in the early 1890s. When the relaying of the Midleton line took place in 2008/2009 a bridge was built over the railway to facilitate access to Harpers Island. The bird hide at Harpers Island Wetland Centre in Glounthaune, Co Cork. Picture: David Keane When the Great Southern and Western Railway extended the line to Cobh in 1880, it had to pay for lands sequestered for the rail-line. John Geary, a tenant farmer on the island, made his claim to an arbitration panel in the Imperial Hotel on the grounds, reported in the Cork Examiner, that the land is half marshy, that is worth 1 an acre, manured it in 1879 out of which I made 52 10s, of one acre of champions. He was awarded 80 per annum. Several hundred years ago, Harpers Island was known as The Quay, a reference to the landing stage for lighters unloading cargoes of stone, sand, and lime for the city. The islands population was always minimal. A farm owned by the Fitzgerald family was left to nature only in recent decades. Black-tailed godwit which is the emblem of the centre. Up to 4% of the worlds population of this stunning wader can descend on the island in spring. The main presence on the island today is the Harpers Island Wetland Centre which hopes to develop the old Fitzgerald farmhouse into a visitor centre. In the meantime, the centre has developed a superb bird hide from where eager twitchers can spot birds through binoculars. The hide was built with the assistance of Cork County Council and the National Parks and Wildlife Service, while the Glounthaune Mens Shed carried out a lot of groundwork. The result is a spectacular nature retreat with huge potential and where visitor numbers are steadily increasing. In the wider Glounthaune estuary, including Brown Island, there are populations of national importance of shelduck, teal, little grebe, golden plover, dunlin, redshank, lapwing, greenshank, and black-headed gull. Harpers Island has significant numbers of these birds. However, the jewel in its crown is the Icelandic black-tailed godwit, with nearly half of the Cork Harbour population roosting on the island on spring high tides. Numbers can exceed 2,000 birds representing over 4% of the global population, says Glounthaune volunteer Conor OBrien. The migratory route the godwits formed between Iceland and Ireland has inspired an educational link between an Icelandic school and one in Cobh. The centre was recently visited by Tomas Gretar Gunnarsson, who is a research professor at the University of Iceland as the centre establishes an international profile. The wetland centre has carried out its own remedial works including a perimeter dyke using earth from several scrapes designed to encourage bird landings at high tide. Some species seek the protection from inside the barriers fields and wait for the tide to fall. A defining feature on the island is a mid-19th century barrier wall constructed to keep harbour tides out of the low-lying land. A lot of the island has been reclaimed in the Dutch style of polder engineering of water and slob lands a la Cork City in the 16th century. The site was developed with a 180,000 council grant and in January secured 156,000 from the Department of Rural and Community Development which will help construct a walkway/ nature trail and to develop the facility generally. The South East Cork Area Development, UCC and CIT are also interested in developing the site. How to get there: Exit Jack Lynch Tunnel to N25 and take first exit to Glounthaune. Entrance to Harpers Island is 1km after village. The centre is open to the public from Wednesdays to Sundays from 10am to 4pm. Other: www.facebook.com/harpersislandwetland; www.birdwatchcork.com MUM-of-two Edwina OConnor set up her blog, TheLifeOfStuff.com, seven years ago. She spoke with Denise O'Donoghue about pop culture and lifestyle blog. When Im not running around after my sons, Im an award-winning blogger and freelance writer, she says. My blog is about Irish culture, travel and lifestyle. And my freelance writing mostly involves travel writing, with a splash of lifestyle be that food, culture or creative writing. I consider myself a creative. Edwina works on her website from her home in Co Kildare. I live in Athy, the town I grew up in, then left to go to college, travel the world and have a career. I would never have predicted Id return 20 years later to buy a house and set up home. Edwinas blog has been in existence for many milestones in her life, both positive and negative. My blog has been live since 2012, so it really has been around for the biggest milestones in my life; the highlights of getting married, having babies, buying a house and family travel. All these life-changing experiences have influenced what I write about. The challenges that have come with them is time management and energy my only free time to write are on my husband Patricks days off work when all I want to do is be with him and the boys and go on a travel adventure. Most commonly the time I write is when the boys are settled in bed at 8pm. The extreme low of my Dads death recently has proven to be a different type of challenge. Getting my head around it and around writing has proven to be difficult. Freelance deadlines are always met. And although I threw myself into my site, and blogging after a couple of weeks after his death, it wasnt real, the distraction wasnt sustainable to what I was and am feeling. She has found support from creative people for her blog and, in turn, Edwina writes about similar Irish businesses and people. Blogging for me started out as a creative outlet and it has remained so. It has opened up doors with regards to life experiences. Ive met some fantastically creative people through my blog fellow bloggers, writers and creatives. I have a gra for supporting Irish businesses and Im always excited to write about inspirational men and women creating and making a go of their passions. Edwina has also found work through her writing. It has given me the chance to work with internationally renowned companies I admire. It has also opened up the doors to freelance writing on a national and international level, and has brought travel opportunities for my family and me. According to an East Aurora news release, if students score a 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research and on four additional AP exams, the students earn and receive an AP Capstone diploma. The diploma means outstanding academic achievement and an attainment of academic and research skills. Students who score a 3 or higher in both AP Seminar and AP Research but do not meet the four-course requirement will still earn an AP Seminar and Research certificate. Des Bishop may be living in New York at the moment, but when he comes to Cork hes very much playing to a home audience. The warmly-welcomed comedian lived on Leeside for an extended period from 1994, and his routine for the second of three sold-out nights at the Everyman is peppered with references to a city he knows intimately. Remember when McDonalds was Mandys? When Ballyphehane was a kip? As with any comedy gig, if you book a set in the front rows, then you have to accept youre in the line of fire. The first to be picked out is a young woman. What age are you? 24. Does the Queens Old Castle mean anything to you? You know nothing. Its all good fun and she becomes a handy foil through the night as Bishop expertly segues back to her with examples of how the world has changed. Next victim is a man in his 30s, with a slightly different question. About where he had or hadnt had a finger placed. As the 43-year-old Irish-American points out, many of the tickets for the tour were sold after his Late Late Show routine. That was a clean excerpt from his live act. The family sitting in front of us obviously regret agreeing to the suggestion of Lets bring Mam and Dad to see Des Bishop. They sit stoney-faced through the finger talk, and by the end of a long segment on oral sex, are visibly shrinking in their seats. Bishop talks dirty, talks funny and along the way slips in perspectives on consent, Liam Neeson and the bad rep straight white men are getting at the moment. Wincing family aside, its mostly lapped up by an audience who still see him as one of their own, like. Irelands largest theme park, Tayto Park, has secured planning permission for an iconic 14m roller-coaster ride. The ride, called Coaster 2021 in planning documents, will help projected visits to Tayto Park increase 15%, from 630,000 in 2019 to 725,000 in 2023. Tayto Park is aiming to build the attraction next year and open it in 2021. Meath County Council has given the green light to the project, attaching 26 conditions. Coaster 2021 will be 32m high, like the parks 1,082m-long Cu Chulainn ride, but will be 400m longer. The planning authority gave the the go-ahead in spite of a small number of objections from locals. However, the opposition to the roller coaster which is expected to create 40 full-time and part-time jobs raises the threat that the decision may be appealed to An Bord Pleanala. A 189-page environmental impact statement (EIS), lodged with the planning applications, outlines the stark need for Coaster 2021 for the future of Tayto Park. The document says if the Tayto Park operators do not add a major attraction at this time, the longer-term viability of the park would be brought into question. Reporting the breakdown of visitor numbers to Tayto Park, the EIS states that 33% are from Dublin, 27% from Northern Ireland, 16% from Meath, 2% from Great Britain, 1% from Europe, and the remainder from the rest of Ireland. In 2017, Tayto Park recorded an 8% rise in pre-tax profits, to 3.65m, as revenues increased by 5%, to 17.533m, or an average of 92,770 a day in revenues for each of the 189 days Tayto Park was open 2017. A second anti-abortion protest was held at a health clinic subjected to nuisance calls with gardai investigating. The Health Clinic, located in Graiguenamanagh, Co Kilkenny is so far providing the only termination services in the adjoining counties of Carlow and Kilkenny. The group were holding signs with slogans like Say no to Abortion in Graiguenamanagh and Doctors save lives not end them. It comes as legislation creating exclusion zones around healthcare facilities providing abortion is expected to be ready by March. One mother who did not wish to be named said: Its absolutely despicable to have protesters frightening children and causing distressing scenes. The sooner the better these exclusion zones are introduced the better. The clinic, which has two GPs working there, received several nuisance calls last month, which caused upset to staff, by those opposed to providing the abortions pills. Gardai continue to investigate the phone-calls made to the clinic. It is believed that ongoing issues in setting up the service in St Lukes General Hospital in Kilkenny are delaying the implementation of abortion services to the wider areas of Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary and Laois. More than 600,000 people live in the south-east of the country. The latest picket is the fourth known protest since termination services became legal in the State. The first occurred just three days after New Years Day in Galway and in Drogheda, Co Louth. Of the 3,500 GPs in the country, just 10% have signed up to providing the services. A third of GPs in Ireland are women. The protests have sparked renewed calls for the introduction of exclusion zones to prevent women seeking terminations from facing protests when accessing services. Minister for Health Simon Harris has promised to introduce legislation for such zones. The legislation which makes abortion services legal in Ireland was signed into law at the end of December by President Michael D Higgins after passing through all stages of the Oireachtas. The Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act allows for terminations of pregnancy of up to 12 weeks, also providing for terminations where there is a risk to the life or a serious risk to the health of the pregnant woman. GPs provide the service up to nine weeks of a pregnancy, after that time a woman will be referred to a hospital for the other three remaining weeks. In response, a Kilkenny pro-choice group, Kilkenny for Choice issued a statement saying, Pregnant people need support and privacy, not intimidation and harassment. (We need) safe zones now. Politicians and campaigners have strongly condemned a protest group for targeting Simon Harris at his family home as the health minister faces ongoing demands to resign over the deepening childrens hospital and nurses strike scandals. Government TDs, opposition parties and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation all hit out at the unprecedented situation after gardai were called to Mr Harris home to clear 20 people protesting outside the property. Mr Harris, his wife, and three-week-old daughter were inside at the time of the protest by the Fingal Battalion Direct Action and Wicklow Says No groups, which occurred yesterday afternoon between 2pm and 3pm. However, while gardai said protesters left the scene peacefully and enquiries will be carried out, there are fears the incident will be repeated after the group said politicians, judges, and public officials will now be targeted at their homes. Were all aware of the cervical cancer scandal, medical cannabis, thousands of patients on trolleys, the outrageous cost of the childrens hospital and the nurses strike, a female protester said in a video recorded outside Mr Harris home. Today we launch a campaign to bring it to their doors. It could be your local TD, councillors, judges or anyone who plays a part in bringing austerity, corruption or evictions to the people of Ireland. Its time to bring it to their doors, theyve brought enough to our doors, she said. Politicians have previously been targeted outside Leinster House, with Fine Gael TD Tony McLoughlins constituency office defaced with baby killer graffiti during the Eighth Amendment referendum, ex-Progressive Democrat leader Mary Harney soaked in red paint a decade ago, and then-tanaiste Joan Burton embroiled in the water charges Jobstown controversy in 2015. However, the targeting of a politicians home is unprecedented, with yesterdays incident following revelations last month gardai are investigating online claims female ministers could be physically evicted from their homes by protesters. Yesterdays protest was strongly condemned by politicians and campaign groups, with Fine Gael TDs concern mirrored across the political divide. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said what happened is completely and utterly unacceptable as everyone is entitled to peace and security with their family in their own home, Sinn Fein health spokeswoman Louise OReilly said family is off limits, while Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said targeting someones home is unjustified and undermines legitimate protests. In a statement, the INMO said it wants to condemn in the strongest possible terms the protests outside Minister Harris family home, while cervical cancer campaigner Stephen Teap wrote on Twitter: Theres a time and place to share your dissatisfaction with this minister and this was neither. Shame on those people. The protest occurred as Mr Harris faces into another week set to be dominated by the surging childrens hospital costs and nurses protests scandals. Mr Harris yesterday said he will apologise to the Dail on Tuesday for failing to reveal all details of the hospital costs concerns last September, but will stop short of Fianna Fail demands to correct the Dail record amid ongoing Sinn Fein no confidence motion threats. The national paediatric hospital development board will release more memos outlining who knew what and when this evening, while Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe will tell cabinet tomorrow which projects will have to be cut or delayed to pay for the 100m debt the hospital overruns will cost this year. Separately, despite ongoing talks, nurses are still planning to hold a three-day strike, starting tomorrow, which could bring the health service to a stand-still. A target date 2022 for constructions works on a flood relief scheme will be met, Cork County Council has insisted. Traders, in particular, in Midleton remain on tender-hooks in a town which suffered significant damage from flooding, including a devastating 2015 storm. Dave Clarke, the senior engineer for the region, assured county councillors a planning process for the project will get underway in 2020 and a detailed design completed in 2021. Independent councillor Noel Collins sought temporary works, in the mean time, to help lessen the potential impact of further floods for business and family homes in the east Cork town. Proposing yearly dredging of local rivers and flushing out of a drainage system, the countrys longest-serving councillor said he had been seeking flood defences for Midleton for 53 years. Mr Clarke advised the council had invested in emergency pumps which would be used to combat flooding. He said that they had been used to good effect, even as recently as December 15. It was, said Mr Clarke, one of the measures adopted as part of a flood response plan following the 2015 flood damage. The council is also providing an advance flood alert service in Midleton. A man in his 30s has died from injuries following an early morning altercation outside a takeaway food outlet in Killorglin, Co Kerry. Named locally as Stephen O'Connor, 32, from the Glencar area, close to the town, he had been on life support at Cork University Hospital after being transferred on Sunday from University Hospital Kerry on Sunday. The deceased may have sustained a head injury. Mr O'Connor is believed to be one of a family of six The incident, reportedly involving one other person, occurred near the Chicken Zone takeaway, close to the town's Garda station. Gardai who conducted a technical examination of the area yesterday, have appealed for witnesses to contact them, including drivers with dashcam footage. Investigators also believe there was a large number of people in the town Square when the incident occurred between 2.15am and 2.20am on Sunday. It is traditionally the main celebration site during the summertime Puck Fair festival. The critically injured man was initially brought to the hospital in Tralee before being transferred on Sunday to Cork. He had remained on a life support machine until yesterday afternoon when he died. Locally, it was reported Mr O'Connor, who worked locally in agricultural and the construction industries, had been socialising with a group of friends. The town was, as usual, busy for the weekend but the atmosphere throughout many Kerry towns was enhanced after Kerry's senior GAA national league thriller with Dublin in Tralee, the success of Kilcummin in the All-Ireland Intermediate Club final and the early afternoon rugby international. Unconfirmed reports indicated gardai were following a certain line of inquiry. A post mortem is due to be conducted today and the results will determine the course of the Garda investigation. An incident room has been set up in Killorglin with an appeal for witnesses renewed yesterday afternoon. Locally-based Fianna Fail councillor John Francis Flynn said people in the wider community were deeply upset. He said the Glencar area, in the foothills of the MacGillycuddys Reeks south of Killorglin, was a very close community. The councillor said the OConnor family were well known and respected. People in the area are devastated, Cllr Flynn said, extending his sympathy to family and friends of the deceased. Meanwhile, Supt Flor Murphy has asked witnesses or anyone who can assist, including taxi drivers with dashcam, to contact Killarney Garda station on (064) 6671160, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any garda station. Days after DJ Bobby Ryan went missing gardai searched the farmland where he would be found almost two years later, but found no evidence of what happened to him, a murder trial has heard. Farmer Patrick Quirke (50) of Breanshamore, Co Tipperary has pleaded not guilty the murder of Bobby Ryan, a part-time DJ going by the name Mr Moonlight, on a date between June 3, 2011 and April 2013. He is on trial at the Central Criminal Court. The deceased went missing in June 2011 and his body was found in April 2013 in a disused waste water tank on a farm at Fawnagowan owned by his girlfriend Mary Lowry and farmed by Mr Quirke. Patrick Quirke Sergeant Cathal Godfrey today told prosecution counsel David Humphries BL that he was in charge of a search of the land at Fawnagowan. Sgt Godfrey said he knew that Mary Lowry had given a statement to gardai saying that Mr Ryan stayed at her home the night before he disappeared and left at about 6.30am. On June 7, 2011 Sgt Godfrey and several other gardai searched a quarry, fields, tanks, ditches, hedges, farm buildings and sheds looking for anything that might assist in what was at that time a missing person enquiry. They found "nothing of evidential value", he said. They did find a slurry tank but, he told Bernard Condon SC, defending, there was not enough material in it to hide a body. Frequent heavy rain interrupted the search, he said. Garda Michael Fitzgerald was part of the search party and told defence counsel Lorcan Staines SC that in one of the sheds they found a gold-coloured Toyota Corolla. It was dirty inside and out, he said, and the boot was open. He looked through the car but found nothing. The trial has previously heard that Bobby Ryan bought the Toyota Corolla for Mary Lowry's sons as a "field car" for driving through the fields. Each of the gardai giving evidence told Mr Staines they did not take photographs of what they saw during the search. Garda Tom Neville told Mr Humphries he was in Tipperary Garda Station when Michelle Ryan, daughter of the deceased, came to report that her dad was missing. That afternoon Gda Neville was on his way to Mary Lowry's home as part of the missing person investigation when he received a call to say that Mr Ryan's van had been found at a carpark leading into the nearby Kilshane Woods, so he went there instead. He and his colleague were the first gardai at the scene and on arrival they discovered that Michelle was in the woods searching for her father. Mary Lowry outside court Mary Lowry was alone in the car park and she told Gda Neville that she had opened the rear door of the van looking for Mr Ryan. The trial continues in front of Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of six men and six women. The Lord Mayor of Cork City, Mick Finn, has called on the Government not to give directly elected mayors ministerial-style salaries of up to 130,000, if the new system is introduced. He says the funds should be used elsewhere. The minister of state for local government, John Paul Phelan, is due to bring a memo to cabinet next week, outlining plans for mayors in larger local authorities to be paid more than those in smaller areas, if the public votes for the new system in May. While reports have suggested this means that the salary scale could be as high as 130,000, Mr Phelan said no decision has yet been made. However, speaking to the Irish Examiner, Mr Finn insisted any suggestion of a ministerial-style salary would send out the wrong message to the public. Were all punching in the dark a small bit, because of the lack of clarity on this, but, to me, anything like 130,000 is very high and far too high, said Mr Finn. The one danger is you could be creating a ministerial-style salary, when it could be used for other services. Until 2014, mayors in larger local authorities, such as Cork, Limerick, Dublin, and Waterford, received salaries in the region of 100,000, but the rules were changed five years ago to reduce costs to 40,000-50,000 for most areas, said Mr Finn. He said that if the new directly elected mayor system involves mayors taking the majority of the executive powers from local authority chief executives, the salary could be increased marginally, but warned about the costs involved. Former lord mayor of Dublin Dermot Lacey also rejected the idea of a ministerial-level salary, telling RTE News yesterday that setting the salary at that of a Dail deputy or senator would be, for me, a far more appropriate approach. Speaking to the Irish Examiner last night, Mr Phelan said that while he is aware of the 130,000 figure, there is still no decision on salary levels. Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here. A Co Kildare man has pleaded guilty to possessing 15 lethal firearms and more than 4,000 rounds of ammunition at a Dublin Business park two years ago. Declan Brady (52), with an address at The Park, Wolstan Abbey, Celbridge, Co Kildare was due to stand trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court today in relation to the discovery of an arms cache at Unit 52, Block 503, Grants Drive, Greenogue Business Park, Rathcoole, Co Dublin on January 24, 2017. However, before his trial was due to commence, Brady pleaded guilty to possessing nine revolvers, four semi-automatic pistols, a sub-machine gun, an assault rifle and more than 4,000 rounds of ammunition in suspicious circumstances. It took the registrar of the Special Criminal Court several minutes to read the entirety of the two counts such was the itinerary of firearms and ammo. When asked how he pleaded to the counts, Brady replied guilty in both instances. He was remanded in custody to appear before the court on March 25 next for a sentence hearing. Prosecuting counsel Fiona Murphy SC asked noted that a nolle prosequi would be entered on the remaining charges, which means the State will not be proceeding with these counts. Brady pleaded guilty to possessing: A .357 Magnum calibre Zastava M83/02 six shot revolver; Two .38 inch Smith & Wesson Model 37 five shot revolvers; One Rossi five shot revolver; One .38 inch special calibre five shot revolver; One Ingram M11 9mm sub-machine gun; One 9mm Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol; One Ruger' five shot revolver; One Taurus six shot revolver; One .44 inch Remington calibre Taurus six shot revolver; A Beretta Model 70 semi-automatic pistol; A VZ 58 assault rifle with magazine; A special calibre Amadeo Rossi revolver with four magazines; A 9mm Parabellum calibre Glock Model 26 semi-automatic pistol; A Colt semi-automatic pistol; One Kaleshnikov pattern ammo magazine; One 9mm Parabellum calibre magazine for use in Glock pistols; One 9mm Parabellum calibre magazine made by Smith & Wesson; One .380 inch Auto calibre magazine and two 9mm Parabellum calibre ammo box magazines for use in semi-automatic pistols. Brady also pleaded guilty to possessing 50 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm calibre ammunition by Sellier and Bellot; Eight rounds of .45 ACP calibre ammunition; 11 rounds of 9mm Parrabellum calibre ammunition; Five rounds of .357 callibre ammunition; Five rounds of .38 Special calibre ammunition; One round of 7.65mm Browning calibre ammunition; One round of of .38 calibre ammunition; 60 rounds of 9mm Parabellum calibre ammunition; 70 rounds of .38 Special calibre ammunition; 11 rounds of 7.62mm Tokarev calibre ammunition; Four rounds of .45 ACP calibre ammunition; 25 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm calibre ammunition; 36 rounds of .357 Magnum calibre ammunition; 41 rounds of 7.65mm Browning calibre ammunition; 45 rounds of 9mm Short (.380) calibre ammunition; 25 rounds of 7.62mm x 39mm calibre ammunition; six boxes containing 2,999 rounds of .38 inch Special calibre ammunition; 143 rounds of 9mm Parabellum calibre ammunition; 125 rounds of .38 special calibre ammunition; 124 rounds of .357 Magnum calibre ammunition; 13 rounds of .38 Special calibre ammunition manufactured by NNY; 20 rounds of .38 Special calibre ammunition manufactured by NNY (Yugoslavia); 40 rounds of 9mm short (.380 Auto calibre) ammunition; 50 rounds of .38 Special calibre ammunition manufacture by Fiocchi; 50 rounds of .38 Special calibre ammunition manufactured by Fiocchi; 25 rounds of .44 Remington Magnum calibre ammunition manufactured by Remington; 50 rounds of 7.65mm Browning calibre ammunition manufactured by Fiocchi; Two rounds of .380 Auto calibre ammunition manufactured by CBC; One round of .45 ACP calibre ammunition manufactured by Fiocchi: One round of 9mm Parrabellum calibre ammunition manufactured by Remington; One round of .357 Magnum calibre ammunition manufactured by CBC and one round of 9mm calibre ammunition. Ireland is among the European countries who have taken in the fewest number of asylum seekers in recent years, according to a new report. The European Commission study reveals from 2016 to 2017, Ireland welcomed just over 5,000 asylum seekers but this paled in comparison to the 72,500 which arrived into Britain. In 2016, when Germany took in nearly 750,000 non-EU asylum seekers, Britain welcomed just under 40,000 while Ireland took in just 2,300. The European Commission study revealed Germany recorded the largest number of non-EU asylum seekers with just under a million (920,000) coming over its borders in 2016 and 2017. Ireland was near the bottom of the table, with Italy, France, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Austria, Netherlands and Belgium taking in substantially higher numbers. Over the two-year period, Romania, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Denmark, and Hungary also took in greater numbers than Ireland. Ireland was ahead of Portugal and most Eastern European countries on the table such as Croatia, Latvia, Estonia and Slovakia who was at the bottom of the table as the country only took a total of 300 asylum seekers in 2016 and 2017. Of the 2,900 asylum seekers who arrived into Ireland from outside the EU in 2017, three out of ten were children while just under half of them were aged between 18 and 34 years of age. The Eurostat figures are contained in the Eurydice Report Integrating Asylum Seekers and Refugees Education and Training. It found that non-EU immigration into the European Union was particularly high in 2015 and 2016. During these two years, almost 2.6 million non-EU citizens applied for asylum in the EU, with Syria being their main country of citizenship. Syria was followed by Iraq and Afghanistan in terms of the countries with the number of asylum seekers in the EU. Around 50% are aged between 18 and 34 which is the age closely associated with higher education, according to the report. The study found Germany stands out among all European countries as having the most comprehensive policy for the integration of asylum seekers and refugees into the German higher education system. Ireland has dropped from first to third place on an annual, overfishing shame list compiled by a British non-governmental organisation. Sweden tops the league table drawn up by the New Economics Foundation (NEF), with 52.4% of its north-east Atlantic quota secured outside scientific advice, while Britain is second, at 24.3%, and Ireland third, at 21.7%. The report by the London charity, which is funded by trusts and foundations, predicts that the EU will not reach its 2020 target of sustainably caught fish while EU ministers continue to lobby for quotas beyond limits urged by scientists. Irelands 1bn mackerel fishery has been hit by a decision by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to suspend a blue tick eco-label certification for this particular stock. The suspension, which comes into effect in early March, was triggered by a scientific assessment last October which estimated a downward trend in the health of the spawning mackerel stock in the north-east Atlantic. A grouping of northern European mackerel fishing organisations, two of which are based in Ireland, is disappointed with the MSC move. However, the industry group notes that the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), which evaluates stock status and provides catch advice, is uncertain about the assessment and is investigating it. The NEF report Landing the Blame, due to be released today, claims that ignoring scientific advice on total allowable catch for mackerel contributed to the MSCs certification suspension. The foundation has joined with the EU-based Our Fish environmental campaign to call for more transparency in decision-making by EU fisheries ministers. Despite repeated requests from civil society, the annual fish quota-setting EU council in December is not open to the public or live-streamed, the two NGOs state. This lack of transparency makes it difficult to say who is most responsible for perpetuating overfishing, they state, and the results clearly demonstrate who benefits most. Analysis shows that from 2001 to 2018, two-thirds of EU fishing limits have been continuously set above scientific advice, said Our Fish programme director, Rebecca Hubbard. Instead of making serious progress to ending overfishing by the 2020 deadline, EU ministers actually increased the level of overfishing of north-east Atlantic fish stocks for 2019 by almost 10%, on average, above 2018 levels. A breakdown of the league table results shows that while Sweden is the worst culprit, due mainly to herring, whiting, mackerel and blue ling in the Skagerrak and Kattegat, Britain is the worst offender in terms of tonnes. Denmark is fourth and Germany fifth. Killybegs Fishermens Organisation chief executive Sean ODonoghue pointed out that the EU member states, including Ireland, along with Norway and the Faeroes, had agreed to a 20% cut in the mackerel catch this year. He said scientists had advised a 61% cut, but said that he looked forward to a re-evaluation of this by ICES. The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries also noted that Ireland is co-operating in the ICES re-evaluation, and said it was aware of the MSC decision to suspend its eco-label for the fishery. Smelly cars, rude drivers, and unreasonable fare charges made up some of over 1,300 complaints received by the taxis watchdog last year, the Irish Examiner can reveal. The National Transport Agency, which regulates the profession under the Taxi Regulation Act 2014, has released details of the complaints to the Irish Examiner under the Freedom of Information Act. The NTA has revealed they received a total of 1,310 complaints from customers last year. Driver behaviour accounted for the most complaints last year, and the NTA received 528 such submissions in 2018. A sample selection of complaints were provided to the Irish Examiner. Driver used abusive language. He was trying to make the journey longer, one sample complaint stated. When we finally got to our destination I told him I wasnt happy with his behaviour and I wanted to take a photo of his details on the dashboard of the car. He removed his details from the dashboard, the customer said. In this case, the NTA issued a fix payment notice for failing to display driver identification. At approx. 04:15am, a taxi pulled in to the bus stop and proceeded to poach customers waiting for the bus to Dublin Airport, another complaint read. He was offering the journey for the same price per person. The minivan taxi was already nearly full and he was looking for two more persons to sit in, the customer said. The NTA said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute this complaint. Pulled this driver over at 9.30pm. As we sat into the car we noticed that the clock already had a meter reading of 5.20 that was before the car had even pulled out, another complainant wrote. We questioned it with the driver and he started shouting at us to get out of the car that we were wasting his time. The NTA issued a Fixed Payment Notice in this instance, and the driver was found to have been plying for hire outside of his licensed area. The next highest number of complaints were the 468 received in relation to fare issues. Taxi stopped for me, I sat in, he asked where I was going, one complaint began. I said [where], he said itll be 17. I told him its not, the meter will tell him how much it is, he claimed the meter wasnt working tonight and that hes estimating prices himself. I told him that he shouldnt be out working if his meter isnt working. He drove me home, extremely quickly, no lights, no traffic so I imagine it would have cost a lot less than 12 or 15. I still gave him the 15 and took his number down. The driver subsequently received a fixed Payment Notice for failure to operate taximeter while on hire. This driver tried to charge me 15.60 Euro for a 11-12 trip, another customer complained. When I queried this unmetered excessive amount he told me there was a two Euro surcharge. When I asked for a receipt he refused unless I paid 15.60, unmetered, for maximum 12 Euro fare. I declined having asked three times for his details and paid 12 protesting lack of unfurnished receipt. This driver also received a Fixed Payment Notice for failure to operate taximeter while on hire. "My taxi driver turned on his metre half way through our journey he gave me a costly bill,"one passenger complained - however this complaint was not proceeded with as the complainant did not assist the NTA in the identification of the driver or vehicle. A visitor to Ireland complained that they were ripped off by one driver. The taxi was a white with a green diagonal band that said "TAXI". The driver was friendly and chatty during the trip. On arrival, he charged us 50. Being preoccupied with other things and unfamiliar with the currency we did not question this and did not ask for a receipt or check the meter. Only after he had gone did we realise that we had been cheated. We are assured by our host that the journey should have cost only about 25 at most. However in this case the NTA said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute, s they were unable to identify driver or vehicle. Another complained about what happened when they sought a receipt so they could claim their taxi ride on expenses. However, the driver printed off a whole load of receipts and not the one for my journey. I didn't realise this until the following day, the customer said. The correct receipt was subsequently issued to the customer. Another Dublin passenger said the driver took a route that included two tolls, without asking. Firstly he took the port tunnel and when I question his choose [sic] of that route and then continued to drive over the east link toll bridge again without my consent. Upon arrival at my destination he totaled the fair and it came to 32.80 but he insisted it was 37 because of tolls. I paid the 37 and requested a receipt to which he gave me the handwritten note attached with no details about this taxi. I insisted i need a printed receipt for work and he tore it off by hand with no toll or total, the complaint read. The driver was issued a fixed payment notice for failure to print and offer a receipt. A passenger complained that one driver took a detour when bringing them on a trip that usually costs them around 8. We had to pay 15.80. Im not asking for money back, I just dont want that this happen to someone else, they said The driver was interviewed and given advice by the NTA and the complainant was then unwilling to take matter further. A total of 261 complaints were categorised as hiring matters. Taxi had his light on, no one in taxi, I hailed it & he pulled in, one complaint read. As I went to open the door he asked where I was going I told him and he just turned his head and drove off, leaving us standing looking for a taxi at this late time of night. A caution was issued to driver. The driver rolled down window to ask where I was going I told him he wasnt allowed to ask this as I know my rights and he told me he was and drove off, another complained. The NTA could not proceeded with any investigations as there was no response from the complainant when contacted. However another case saw a payment notice issued to a driver for an unreasonable refusal. This man was waiting at the rank and refused to bring us because he said we could walk, so we asked again if he would bring us or not and he got angry so we had to leave the taxi. I told him I was taking down his number and he said he didnt care, the complainant said. A sample of the 50 complaints about vehicle conditions provided revealed there were complaints about smelly cars, a vehicle making strange noises, a taxi that was dented and shabby and one cab with ripped seats and inaccessible seatbelts. I took a taxi from the rank... and the taxi has what can only be described as a smell of sick, one complaint read. While I recognise previous customers (today or previously) may have soiled the taxi however the driver is entitled to a soiling charge and should be off the road or have sufficiently cleaned the car. I advised the driver of the smell, the customer told the NTA Responding to this submission, the NTA said the complaint was not proceeded withas there was no evidence of any offence after vehicle had been inspected. Garda figures appear to indicate a sharp rise in the quantity of cocaine being trafficked into the country, replicating trends across Europe. A surge in the production of cocaine is combining with rising incomes in Ireland and increased demand for the drug, according to the countrys top narcotics detective. Detective Superintendent Seamus Boland said recreational cocaine users were generating the wealth of traffickers, including the Kinahan crime cartel. Det Supt Boland, of the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (DOCB), said their cocaine seizure data reflected the European trend, where record hauls of last year were already being surpassed this year. In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Det Supt Boland said DOCB figures show: 159kg of cocaine were seized in 2018, compared to 81kgs in 2017; There were 29 significant cocaine seizures last year, compared to 23 in 2017; The three biggest cocaine seizures in 2018 were 66kg, 49kg, and 36kg; These captures are significantly greater than in 2017, when the largest seizures was one haul of 20kg and two hauls of 10kg each. This does not include the seizure last August of 133kg of cocaine on board a ship in Costa Rica that was bound for Cork, much of it linked to the Kinahan cartel. Were no different in Ireland than other European countries, said Det Supt Boland. The seizures of cocaine all across Europe appears to be going up. Internationally, the production of cocaine in the last 12 months is one of the highest recorded. He said that while caution should be taken using seizure data on its own as an indicator of trends, seizures abroad and discussions with Customs and international agencies suggested bigger volumes are coming into Europe. He said Spain had a six-tonne seizure of cocaine in October 2018, after a nine-tonne haul in April. Ports of Rotterdam (Netherlands) and Antwerp (Belgium) saw record cocaine seizures in 2018, with around 73 tonnes seized, up from 54 tonnes. Then, you have the mother lode, the 9.5 tonnes, the last day in Cape Verde, heading for Africa and coming to Europe, he said. This haul, at the start of this month, is thought to be the largest-ever maritime cocaine seizure on this side of the Atlantic and resulted from intelligence gathered by an EU drugs task force. Submissions close next Friday on a plan which warns of the erosion of the cultural integrity of a Cork Gaeltacht area of international heritage significance. The Muscrai Heritage Plan 2018-2032, commissioned by Cork County Council and Gaeltacht hedge university Acadamh Fodhla with Heritage Council support, recommends recognition and supports for the Muscrai Gaeltacht, located west of Macroom. Final comments and submissions on an Irish language version of the plan are being sought before February 15 and the document, also available in English, is set to be launched in the near future. The plans authors warn if measures are not taken to protect Muscrais heritage, the area will lose its cultural vibrancy and become a place of no great importance or vitality. Such is the areas significance, they argue, that it demands recognition and requires insightful supports to be put in place. If these are not done, then the core heritage distinctiveness of the place and its cultural value to the State and Europe will slowly diminish to a point where Muscrai becomes a place of no great importance or vitality. Gradual rural depopulation and reactions to cultural pressures caused by macro socio-economic trends, policy decisions, and individual choices are eroding the cultural integrity of Muscrai, the authors state. The conservation, management and interpretation plan was undertaken by heritage and archaeology company, Research and Dig, and involved extensive community consultation. Its main aim was to highlight the importance and heritage significance of Gaeltacht Mhuscrai and devise heritage policies and actions to ensure that the area is appropriately conserved, managed, and maintained into the future. The plan aims to provide the basis for future decisions concerning the management of Muscrais heritage and be taken into account by the county council and other relevant agencies. It identifies specific threats to Muscrais heritage significance, including mass tourism, the building of large new housing estates, withdrawal of services, the N22 upgrade, and a falling population. A West Cork man who carried out a serious assault on his father in his bedroom was given a four-year suspended jail term. Neil ODonovan, 27, of Lyre, Clonakilty, County Cork, was sentenced by Judge Sean O Donnabhain. Neil ODonovan pleaded guilty previously to a charge of assault causing serious harm to his father Willie ODonovan at Teadies Upper, Enniskeane, County Cork. The judge said the accused was only just short of living the life of a recluse but that he had stayed away from his father since the attack and had not come to adverse garda attention. It was an extremely serious assault. There was significant difficulty getting him to contact his GP or anybody else. "The only positive thing to be said is that there has been no reoffending. In the meantime there is a very particular dysfunction in the father/son relationship between them, Judge O Donnabhain said. The accused was directed to stay away from his father as a condition of the suspension of the sentence. Garda Tadgh OSullivan said at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on an earlier date that after the defendant used his fists to attack his father and then used a hatchet to smash up a bedside locker and other property in the bedroom. He pleaded guilty to a criminal damage charge arising out of that. Ben Shorten defence barrister said, I have impressed on him the need to engage with his GP and consultant psychiatrist. Prosecution barrister, Siobhan Lankford, said, There is no doubt he is in need of psychiatric assistance whether that is in prison or in the community. Mr Shorten BL said the accused was now living with another relative and not at the family home. His mother is in court to support him, Mr Shorten said. Garda OSullivan said the accused went to his parents bedroom and assaulted his father on the night. The injured party was hospitalised for two nights. He got three stitches to a head wound. He sustained a brain injury which caused short term memory loss and permanently damaged his sense of smell, Garda OSullivan said. 10 out of 13 consultant positions have been filled at the new national children's hospital satellite centre in Blanchardstown Dublin. Children's Health Ireland (CHI) says that the outpatients and urgent care centre based at Connolly will open in July, following concerns that jobs would not be filled on time. A radical overhaul of eye care services is needed to tackle massive waiting lists, with more than 50,000 currently on outpatient and inpatient lists. Thats according to the Association of Optometrists (AOI) who are calling for an end to over-reliance on hospitals for eye care, and greater emphasis on services in the community. The association has repeatedly held up the example of the Sligo Post-Cataract scheme as an example of how to cut costs and waiting times, and has called for its national rollout. AOI has previously said one-fifth of the outpatient waiting list concerns cataracts, which could be alleviated by rolling out the Sligo model which is in use in the North-West for nine years. The Programme for Government states: We will update the national eye care plan, including evaluation of the Sligo model for cataract surgery. The model was evaluated and found optometrists provide an excellent post-operative care service, but it has not been rolled out. Under the scheme, cataract patients follow-up appointments are co-managed by optometrists in the community, and ophthalmologists in hospital, so instead of two follow-up hospital appointments, patients have one. Figures at the end of December show almost 42,000 people were on the outpatient waiting list, including 16,200 people waiting more than a year. Another 9,300 people were awaiting inpatient procedures. AOI president Patricia Dunphy said they estimate that in excess of 30m could be saved by delivering more eye care in the community. AOI is also calling for an optometrist-led national childrens eye-care programme and optometrist prescribing rights for antibiotic and steroid drops. As far as a lot of the concerns, I think you take those concerns and come up with your plan because what youre offering the community is much greater than those concerns we heard today, resident Dave Gabriel told officials. What youre offering our kids is having the accessibility to what they have in our local neighborhoods versus having to go to Northbrook. That is incredible. Gold broker GoldCore has just transported what is believed to be the largest movement of gold bullion into Ireland as investors seek to relocate assets out of the UK. Nearly 2,000 troy ounces of gold worth over 2m was air freighted from London's Heathrow to south county Dublin. It is Ireland's first institutional gold storage facility and is managed by GoldCore in collaboration with Loomis International. GoldCore Research Director Mark O'Byrne said that the demand for gold storage in Dublin has been strong. He said: "In the run up to Brexit, we expect this demand to strengthen even further and Dublin may surpass London in terms of the amount of gold assets in the vaults in the coming months. "There is strong interest from retail investors, pension owners and high net worth clients, all of whom are expressing a preference for having their assets 'closer to home.' "Gold held in GoldCore's Dublin vaults is a fraction of our client holdings in other jurisdictions. "Yet, it is growing rapidly from a zero base, and has already surpassed Hong Kong as a favoured jurisdiction for storing gold with clients. "They now own 150 million worth of gold and silver stored in some of the safest vaults in the world. Zurich remains the favourite location with client bullion holdings there worth nearly 40m. "Zurich is followed by Singapore, then London, Dublin and Hong Kong. Goldcore was established in Dublin in 2003 and has over 16,000 private, pension an corporate clients. Mr O'Byrne added that gold is an important diversification for investors because it reduces portfolio volatility. He said: "Gold is a hedge and a safe haven in an uncertain political and economic world." Uncertainty remains the main concern for the freight, distribution and logistics sector as Brexit Day, on March 29, gets ever closer, writes Aidan Flynn. The complexity of the issues faced by traders, in the post-Brexit world, in getting goods to market, cannot be underestimated. Understanding the Customs Union issues and the Single Market issues is critical in developing effective contingency plans. Time is also vitally important for businesses to prepare and adopt to the future trading environment. To trade without friction with third countries requires a comprehensive free trade agreement. Future arrangements must deal not just with customs issues, but with regulatory requirements, such as mutual recognition of licensing for the movement of goods by road, driving licences, qualifications, and insurance. Brexit will reduce the number of jobs and the profitability of businesses, and increase costs, which will impact the consumer. Ireland stands to be the most affected, due to our geographic location and reliance on the UK, not just as a trading partner, but as a link to continental Europe. In 1973, almost 55% of the total value of exports from Ireland went to the UK. By 2017, according to the CSO, this reliance had reduced to 13% of total exports, worth approximately 13bn. The EU accounted for 63bn of Irelands exports in the same period. Some 150,000 trucks use the landbridge each year, moving over three million tonnes of product. This route to the EU market is vital for the just-in-time model of logistics, utilised particularly by the agri-food sector for the likes of beef, poultry, lamb, pork and fish. It is also important for the pharmaceutical sector, where security and the management of temperature controls is vitally important for maintaining the integrity of the product. The landbridge is the quickest route to market, and three times quicker than container shipments. After Brexit, the landbridge will be compromised, because of multi-agency checks at ports and new administrative red tape, which ultimately increases costs. To use the landbridge, hauliers will have to operate under the Common Transit Convention (CTC). This requires a guarantee to cover Vat and excise duties and will ensure that import and export declarations do not have to be completed whilst entering and exiting a third country which the UK will be en route to continental Europe. It is fiction to think there will be no checks by the UK authorities; rather, they will be less intense in the early months, as resourcing and infrastructure is built. However, this will cause problems for Irish hauliers moving under the CTC. Under the CTC, hauliers will need to be scanned at entry and exit locations in third countries, such as the UK. If there are no offices of transit, how will French authorities know that the Irish products have travelled under the CTC? Essentially, the trust in the chain is broken. Therefore, the likelihood of the Irish operators arriving into France from the UK and being treated as if they are coming direct from the UK is increased. This adds to the uncertainty and will cause confusion and long delays. A possible redesign of the supply chain may be necessary. The importance of having contingency plans cannot be denied, but this in itself will not result in 100% compliance at ports. The reality is that planning, training, upskilling, better procurement practices, consignor liability, shared responsibility, and increased awareness of your supply chain is a start in determining the best way to get goods into and out of the country as efficiently as possible. Currently, there is limited capacity on direct routes, so it is not beyond imagination to assume that when industry requires the increased capacity, it will not be available, thereby creating log jams that will take months if not longer to find reasonable solutions. No-deal is no good for business. The only certainty, at the moment, is that we are all moving in convoy towards the cliff edge. - Aidan Flynn is general manager of the Freight Transport Association Ireland The engineering profession must adopt IT and pharmas self-promotion to attract the best talent, Cork branch chair of Engineers Ireland Padraig Leahy tells Padraig Hoare. There is a lot of good work going on under the radar in the engineering community and chair of the Cork branch of Engineers Ireland, Padraig Leahy, wants everyone to know it. The Douglas native, who is owner of PLAS Consulting Engineers in Little Island, has not lost the enthusiasm and drive for the vocation first ignited as a child. A mechanical engineering graduate of CIT, then known as Cork RTC, Mr Leahy said: I was an engineer since I was 10 years old, reading all the articles in magazines and encyclopedias, taking it all in. I loved it. That enthusiasm today means PLAS provides services to the manufacturing industry, such as setting up factories, increasing production and ensuring reliability and safety of machinery. It also means chairing Corks branch of Engineers Ireland. There are 26,000 members nationally, and consistently Cork is around the 10% mark when it comes to membership. The Cork region of Engineers Ireland in terms of activity, whether it be lectures, seminars and site visits and that type of thing, is by a country mile the most active in the country. Were not just 10% ahead of other regions, but rather 50%, Mr Leahy said. What we are trying to do has a number of facets to it. Certainly, there is a strong engineering population in the region. The Cork region has historically been active and proactive. What we are trying to do is get the message out to existing members first off that there is this network of good resources. There is a significant benefit there and an excellent network they can tap into. We want to illuminate the activity so people are seeing the profession and the organisation more, so it is at the front of mind. You go back four years ago and we didnt have much of a presence in the press at all, for example. Its not for our own egos or anything like that, but rather to bring that profession to the front of peoples minds, he added. It means going into schools, hosting events and seminars, and generally bringing engineering to the masses. . Mr Leahy said: There is a reasonable level of interest in engineering generally, but there is a concerning dip in the numbers of civil and building engineering graduates. There were 1,494 civil and building engineering graduates in 2012, but that dropped to 669 in 2017. The lure of IT is a factor, as are the life sciences and medtech sectors in Ireland, which are very strong. The players in that industry have shone the spotlight, because they are extremely conscious of the criticality of resources at the moment. Padraig Leahy says he knew he wanted to be an engineer since he was 10 years old and is still as enthusiastic as ever about his profession. We must do similar in our industry. Were not as good as a profession at promoting ourselves, generally speaking. We get it done and move on to the next job. That works in the industry but might not be as conducive to a sustained public campaign. Getting more women into the industry is imperative, Mr Leahy said, pointing to his Cork branch predecessor Kate Lehane of Cork County Council, and incoming president of Engineers Ireland, Marguerite Sayers of the ESB Group, as shining examples of excellence within the sector. There is for sure a bigger effort to attract more women to the industry. It is a problem that affects us all. Around 12% of practicing engineers in Ireland are women. That is completely out of proportion with the population ratio, so we are well behind the curve. Some of our best engineers are women and we are seeing greater involvement in our organisation in recent years. It is totally different to when I began attending events back in the late 1990s, when there may be no woman at all in the room for a lecture, he said. Engineers Week is where we go out to the schools to give talks, etc its important that we as professionals put ourselves out there too, so the children can see the destinations of where they would be going on their life journey. Engineers Ireland foresees uncertainty around Brexit as detrimental, but such as is the profession, has taken measures to solidify the profession. To be fair to my colleagues in Dublin, and in particular registrar Damien Owens, in December he sealed an agreement with the Engineering Council, an umbrella organisation for all the engineering institutions in the UK. There is now in place a mutual recognition agreement with the Engineering Council. It may not seem to be so important because it is in the UK, but it is particularly important to our colleagues around the North close to the border, which is something that may not necessarily have occurred to people before it was voiced. One particular area, chartered engineering, is a statutory title, and Engineers Ireland is that body that the authority in this country to award it. There are similar charter qualifications in the UK, and for certain pieces of work, you need to be a chartered engineer. So if there wasnt mutual recognition, engineers and also the work would suffer. Whether Brexit happens or not, we are getting ready, he said. The warning couldnt have been clearer. As PG&E Corp. plunged into bankruptcy last month, S&P Global Ratings slashed credit grades almost to junk status for Californias two other big electric utilities, owned by Sempra Energy and Edison International, and said they could go lower. The reason: inverse condemnation. Under the states view of this legal doctrine, utilities can be held liable for any fires sparked by their equipment, even if they follow every safety rule. With deadly blazes getting bigger and more common, Californias two remaining big power companies could be just one fire away from ruin. Now theyre urging lawmakers to do something about it, and fast. This is a really serious issue that could absolutely impair the health of utilities in this state, Pedro Pizarro, Edisons chief executive officer, said in an interview. I dont want to speculate about bankruptcy, but this is serious. And the current approach is just not sustainable. So far, a fix has proved elusive. But there are potential routes out of the morass. California lawmakers spent much of last year hunting for a solution. In August, they passed a bill designed to help utilities cover liabilities from a wave of fires in 2017. But it doesnt offer aid for 2018 fires, a critical issue after Novembers Camp Fire, the deadliest in state history. With PG&Es equipment seen as a possible ignition source, the company estimated it was facing $30 billion in wildfire liabilities when it filed for bankruptcy. Californias new governor, Gavin Newsom, assembled an advisory panel and told them to fast-track their efforts; he wants a report before July. Utilities and legislators are all offering ideas, but theres no guarantee theyll find a solution that will help the power companies without becoming a financial burden to the state, or raise the ire of ratepayers and voters. The inverse condemnation doctrine is rooted in Californias constitution, so any direct changes would require a constitutional amendment, according to the states legislative counsel office. An amendment would need to win two-thirds majorities in both the state Assembly and Senate, and then be approved by voters. Given the public anger at PG&E, that avenue is closed, legislators say. Theres no sense of anyone planning to do that, at least in the Democratic caucus, said state Senator Jerry Hill. The utilities say another option is for the legislature to change the way inverse condemnation is applied. Instead of using a standard of strict liability, the state could instead look at whether the utility acted reasonably in running its equipment. Theres a precedent for this: a 1997 state Supreme Court ruling that used this standard in a water-district case. Weve actually looked at this really closely, and we believe that under the law, yes, the legislature has the power to change that standard, Pizarro said. Were not looking to get off the hook here if were negligent. If were negligent, we should be held accountable. However, utilities already pitched this idea to Sacramento last year, with no success. Lawmakers said electric utilities and water districts were too different to make this a plausible connection. Some legislators are focusing on alternative ways to compensate fire victims, easing the financial pressure on utilities. Assemblyman Chad Mayes in January introduced a bill to create a California Wildfire Catastrophe Fund. Utilities would pay into the fund annually, and a public authority would oversee it. The money would back bonds, and utilities could use the proceeds to settle wildfire claims. Many of the details need to be worked out, Mayes said. Can utilities pass on some of the costs to customers? If so, how much? Should the state seed the fund with money from its greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program? Still, Sacramento is committed to resolving the issue, because weve got to keep the lights on, he said. The idea is to pre-fund the disaster, not post-fund the disaster, said Mayes, a Republican representing desert communities around Palm Springs. With the law passed last year, we tried to post-fund the disaster. Of course, theres always the chance the state could end up doing nothing at all. Nobody knows what Newsom will do, and when PG&E said it was preparing to file for bankruptcy, he took no public steps to stop it. But inaction would have a significant effect on the utilities and their customers. The ever-present risk of more fires means the companies credit ratings could be headed toward junk status, making it more expensive, or even impossible, for the companies to access capital. And higher borrowing costs would almost certainly lead to higher monthly bills. The rating agencies are looking at California now and saying, Theres just too much risk here, Pizarro said. Related: Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics California Catastrophe Natural Disasters Legislation Wildfire In response to a filing by North Carolina insurers for a 17.4 percent rate increase in homeowners insurance rates, North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey has set a Sept. 4, 2019 hearing date, saying he does not think the rate request is justified. There is a pervasive lack of documentation, explanation, and justification of both the data used, as well as the procedures and methodologies utilized in the filing, Causey said in his hearing notice to the North Carolina Rate Bureau, which files rates on behalf of insurers in the state. The proposed rates appear to be excessive and unfairly discriminatory. The hearing will be held unless the North Carolina Department of Insurance and NCRB are able to negotiate a settlement before that date. State law gives the state insurance commissioner 45 days to issue an order once the hearing concludes. Once the order is issued, the NCRB has the right to appeal the decision to the N.C. Court of Appeals. A Court of Appeals order could then be appealed to the North Carolina Supreme Court. NCDOI and NCRB can settle the proposed rate increase at any time during litigation. The NCRB filed the average statewide 17.4 percent increase on Dec. 20, 2018. The filing covers insurance for residential property, tenants, and condominiums at varying rates around the state. Under the NCRB proposal, the biggest increases would be felt along the coast. The NCRB has requested certain areas in western North Carolina receive small rate decreases. These areas include Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Jackson, and Macon counties. Rates for tenants and condominium insurance would see proposed decreases in other counties. According to NCDOI, the NCRB attests the increase is needed to cover increased losses, hurricane losses and the net cost of reinsurance. The NCRB represents insurance companies that write the states homeowners, auto and workers compensation policies. It is a separate entity from NCDOI. The public comment period for the proposed rate hike remains open until Feb. 26, 2019. There are three ways to comment: A Public Comment forum will be held to listen to public input on the Rate Bureaus rate increase request at the N.C. Department of Insurances Second Floor Hearing Room on Feb. 26, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Emailed public comments should be sent by Feb. 26, 2019, to 2018Homeowners@ncdoi.gov. Written public comments should be mailed to Tricia Ford, Paralegal Administrator, to be received by Feb. 26, 2019, and addressed to 1201 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1201. All public comments will be shared with the N.C. Rate Bureau. The last NCRB homeowners rate filing was in 2017. That year, the NCRB requested an average 18.9 percent statewide increase in homeowners insurance rates, but Causey settled, instead, on an average 4.8 percent increase. The Sept. 4 hearing will begin at 10 a.m. in the Second Floor Hearing Room in the Albemarle Building, 325 N. Salisbury St. Raleigh. Source: North Carolina Department of Insurance Topics Carriers North Carolina Homeowners One person was killed and others needed to be rescued in Tennessee as pounding rains caused flooding last week. The Cheatham County Sheriffs Office posted on Facebook on Feb. 6 that one person was swept away and confirmed dead. Cheatham County Sheriff Mike Breedlove told The Tennessean that the 53-year-old woman was at a relatives house and went to move her car parked on the other side of a bridge. Nashvilles Emergency Operations Center tweeted about multiple rescue operations overnight of people in cars stuck in flooded areas. The National Weather Service in Nashville measured four inches of rain, breaking the previous Feb. 6 record of 1.73 inches in 1884. It also exceeds the citys average rainfall total for the month of February of 3.94 inches. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Flood Tennessee An attorney said video will show that an Oklahoma elementary school principal was using his cellphone when he crashed a bus filled with students in Texas, injuring 27 passengers a charge the principal has denied. David L. Smith, an attorney representing a girl who was critically injured in the crash, asked a judge to order Norman Public Schools to release the bus video he says will prove Ty Bell was using his cellphone Sept. 29, when he lost control of the school bus, The Oklahoman reported. Bell had been driving Cleveland Elementary School students to Sea World in San Antonio. Smith said the Texas Highway Patrol requested the video for their investigation, but that the district refused to cooperate. The Texas Highway Patrol suspected Ty Bell was using his cellphone at the time of the crash and caused the crash, Smith wrote in his request. The bus in question is equipped with video which shows the actions of Ty Bell at the time of the crash. Norman Public Schools possesses this video. Bells attorney Tracy Schumacher called the cellphone claim false and untrue. The Texas law enforcement officers investigated the use of a cellphone by Ty Bell immediately prior to and at the time of the accident. They found none, Schumacher said. There were two adults seated directly behind Ty Bell who could have seen cellphone use. They saw none. Norman Public Schools filed a separate motion, seeking an order to protect the confidentiality of the video of the accident. Superintendent Nick Migliorino denied that the district had refused to hand over the video to the highway patrol. Cleveland County District Judge Michael D. Tupper has yet to rule on the video request. The Texas Department of Public Safety listed speed as a factor in the bus crash that injured three adults and 24 fifth-grade girls from the school in Norman. The bus hydroplaned on a wet road, rolled over and struck a fence. The DPS report said the driver took faulty evasive action, causing him to lose control. Bell was the only person wearing a seat belt and he was not hurt in the crash. Three students and two teachers were seriously injured, according to the report. Related: Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Texas Oklahoma The commercial drone industry could be torpedoed if there were a serious accident involving a drone and a commercial aircraft, the chairman of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee warned on Friday. Representative Peter DeFazio, a Democrat, said in a speech in Washington that regulators had to take the threat seriously. This is really serious when these things are flying around and it could kill the commercial drone industry, DeFazio said, adding that if a toy drone takes down a plane there would be public outcry to ground the devices. The issue of threats by drones to commercial air traffic came to the fore after Londons second busiest airport, Gatwick Airport, was severely disrupted in December when drones were sighted on three consecutive days. Last month, 43 flights into New Jerseys Newark Liberty International Airport were required to hold after drone sightings at a nearby airport, while nine flights were diverted. In January, U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao proposed rules that would allow drones to operate over populated areas and help speed their commercial use. There are nearly 1.3 million registered drones in the United States and more than 116,000 registered drone operators. Officials say there are hundreds of thousands of additional drones that are not registered. DeFazio added the government should also facilitate the growth of the drone industry, because the benefits are potentially phenomenal. Were worried about the 2 million people who bought or got toy drones for Christmas the last couple of years who are regularly flying in violation of the law, DeFazio said. Last week, the FBI said authorities confiscated six drones that violated a temporary order not to fly the devices in the area ahead of the NFLs Super Bowl. Alphabet Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. are among a growing number of companies hoping to make package delivery by drones a reality. The Federal Aviation Administration is also working on rules to set remote identification requirements for drones for tracking them. The FAA noted last month that some drones can fly at 10,000 feet or more and accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than one second and is assessing possible performance limitations, such as airspeed and altitude, to mitigate potential hazards. Congress last year gave the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security new powers to disable or destroy threatening drones after officials raised concerns about the use of drones as potential weapons. Were not certain yet what the best technology is, DeFazio said. Weve got to get a handle on those who are operating improperly and then we also have to facilitate the growth of the (commercial drone) industry itself, because the benefits are potentially phenomenal. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by David Gregorio) Topics USA Aviation The second largest crude distillation unit (CDU) was shut by a fire on Sunday at Phillips 66s 330,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) joint-venture Wood River, Illinois, refinery, a source familiar with plant operations said. One person was taken to a local hospital with burns, the source said. The 120,000 bpd DU-2 CDU was returning to operation after an overhaul when the fire broke out, the source said. Phillips 66 spokesman Joe Gannon said in an email the fire had been extinguished. Gannon also said the injured person walked to the ambulance for transport to the hospital. St. Louis television station KMOX-TV said the persons injuries were not life-threatening. All other employees and contractors at the refinery have been accounted for. Local and social media reports said on Sunday there had been an explosion at the refinery, 23 miles (37 km) northeast of St. Louis. At approximately 4:30 p.m. CST (2230 GMT) on Sunday, February 10, there was an event at the refinery that resulted in a firein one of the process units, Gannon said. The Wood River refinery is a 50-50 joint venture between Phillips 66 and Cenovus Energy Inc. Phillips 66 is the managing partner. Reporting by Jarret Renshaw and Erwin Seba; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Tom Hogue. Topics Illinois As North Dakotas Health Department enters the final stages of implementing a statewide distribution system for medical marijuana, state lawmakers are considering proposals that would make it easier for patients to get doctor approval for the drug. Medical marijuana advocates are applauding, especially after more than two years of waiting for the drug approved by voters in November 2016. At this point, well take anything that makes it easier for providers to certify any patient that they feel would benefit, said Anita Morgan, spokeswoman for North Dakota Compassionate Care, which pushed for legalization of medical marijuana. A proposal that appears headed for a floor vote in the House would add physician assistants to the list of medical professionals who can certify patients. The list currently includes physicians and advanced practice registered nurses. Another important proposed change would help ease the concerns of doctors who must give their approval before patients can get state-approved medical marijuana cards. The Health Department hopes to have medical marijuana dispensaries operating in the states eight major cities by fall. Medical marijuana grown at a state-approved Bismarck manufacturing facility could be available at either the Grand Forks or Fargo dispensary within weeks, according to Jason Wahl, director of the departments Medical Marijuana Division. The state estimates that as many as 4,000 residents will legally be using the drug by summer 2021. But so far, it has issued fewer than 100 medical marijuana cards to patients and caregivers. Applications have been accepted since late October. Medical marijuana advocates say finding doctors willing to certify patients has been a struggle. As somebody who worked really hard to get this approved, this is not what we wanted, said Sheri Paulson, who has multiple sclerosis. We were looking for something to help patients, and we still feel that was not obtained, and that breaks my heart. It shouldnt be such an uphill climb. The concerns of the medical community are many, including that marijuana can be addictive and can have adverse side effects, according to the American Medical Association. Medical marijuana also is still illegal under federal law. Doctors are largely protected from losing their Drug Enforcement Administration licenses to prescribe controlled drugs if they recommend marijuana to patients in good faith, but some doctors still dont want to deal with even the remotest risk of certifying a Schedule 1 drug, said Chris Meeker, chief medical officer in Bismarck for Sanford Health. The drugs status also has made it difficult to conduct medical research, he said, and a lot of the evidence is lacking in some of these areas for the efficacy of marijuana. Current state law requires doctors who certify a patient to assert that medical marijuana will help that person. Meeker and North Dakota Medical Association Executive Director Courtney Koebele say that puts many doctors in an uncomfortable ethical position. Theres not enough studies to ensure that it will be beneficial for a lot of people, Koebele said. The Legislature is considering removing that requirement, and allowing doctors to simply state that a patient has a medical condition that qualifies under the law. The less you require physicians to say about marijuana, the more likely they will be to certify patients, Meeker said. Wahl said the state Health Department supports removing the requirement, which Morgan called a poison pill. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Joan Heckaman, one of the sponsors of the legislation two years ago, said there was nothing nefarious about it. That provision and one requiring a continuing-care relationship between the certifying doctor and patient were added to protect patients, and were similar to what other states were doing, she said. Most medical marijuana states require certifying doctors to make some sort of statement about patient benefit, according to Marijuana Policy Project State Policies Director Karen OKeefe and National Conference of State Legislatures Behavioral Health Director Karmen Hanson. The whole point of getting the certification is that the doctor believes, yes, this may help, Hanson said. Other proposals in the North Dakota House would add edible products to the list of approved medical marijuana forms and would add to the list of approved medical conditions. Meeker said he would rather see the state list treatable symptoms rather than conditions, because this list will do nothing but continue to grow. Every two years, theres going to be an advocacy group at the Legislature saying, `this should be added. Advocates would prefer that the Health Department be given some sort of authority to add qualifying illnesses as research advances, according to Morgan. You cant wait every other year for things to be added, she said. Lawmakers have killed a proposal to allow patients to grow their own marijuana, and theyre backing off on a proposal that would have removed the state requirement that a doctor who certifies a patient also be responsible for the patients continued treatment. Meeker said such a change could lead to marijuana mills, with transient doctors setting up temporary shops for the sole purpose of doling out patient approvals. It would be one step short of recreational marijuana, he said. OKeefe and Hanson said most medical marijuana states require some type of doctor-patient relationship, though Hanson said the level of North Dakotas requirement is on the high end. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Legislation Cannabis Drugs North Dakota Canadas biggest securities regulator said on Friday that it was looking into Quadriga CX, as concerns grow that a regulatory gap leaves investors in the digital platform unprotected against potential losses. The statement comes a day after British Columbia Securities Commission, the provinces securities regulator, said it does not regulate Quadriga CX, whose founder died in December, trapping millions of dollars in cryptocurrencies in its accounts. Given the potential harm to Ontario investors, we are looking into this matter and have already been in contact with the monitor, the Ontario Securities Commission said in a statement emailed to Reuters. OSC spokeswoman Kristen Rose declined to say if it was an investigation. The Quadriga CX situation highlights a regulatory vacuum for the cryptocurrency industry in Canada and raises questions about who would be held accountable for any potential losses. The OSC could review the matter to see if Quadriga has breached any securities laws, said Allan Goodman, co-chair of the technology group at law firm Goodmans LLP. For example, should (Quadriga) have been registered as an exchange and were any securities laws breached with respect to the trading of the coins on the exchange? About C$180 million ($135.7 million) in cryptocurrencies have been frozen in Quadrigas user accounts since its founder Gerald Cotten, the only person with the password to gain access, died suddenly in December. Goodman said in the event of securities law violations, the OSC could bring an enforcement action against the company or its officers and directors. If ultimately successful, one would suppose any monetary recovery could be used to address possible losses for customers, he said. On Tuesday [Feb. 5], a judge ordered a 30-day stay on claims against the firm, providing a temporary reprieve from lawsuits from creditors. Ernst & Young was appointed by the court to help the company with restructuring. The platform, a trading venue for cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Litecoin and Ethereum, had previously filed for creditor protection in the Nova Scotia Supreme Court. ($1 = 1.3264 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by John Tilak and Matt Scuffham; editing by Leslie Adler) Related: Topics Legislation Canada One-third of Himalayan glaciers will melt by the end of the century due to climate change, threatening water sources for 1.9 billion people, even if current efforts to reduce climate change succeed, an assessment warns. If global efforts to curb climate change fail, the impact could be far worse: a loss of two-thirds of the regions glaciers by 2100, said the Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment released by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. Global warming is on track to transform the frigid, glacier-covered mountain peaks of the Hindu Kush Himalayas cutting across eight countries to bare rocks in a little less than a century, said Philippus Wester of the center, who led the report. The five-year study looked at the effects of climate change on a region that cuts across Asia through Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, China, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. The area, which includes the worlds tallest mountain peaks, has glaciers that feed into river systems including the Indus, Ganges, Yangtze, Irrawaddy and Mekong. The assessment said that the impact of the melting could range from flooding from the increased runoff to increased air pollution from black carbon and dust deposited on the glaciers. Saleemul Huq, director of the International Center for Climate Change and Development, an environmental research center in Dhaka, described the findings of the report as very alarming, especially for downstream nations such as Bangladesh. All the countries affected need to prioritize tackling this upcoming problem before it reaches crisis proportions, he said in an email. Huq was one of the studys external reviewers. The study said that even if the most ambitious Paris climate accord goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century were met, more than a third of the regions glaciers will be lost. If the global rise in temperature were 2 C (3.6 F), two-thirds of Himalayan glaciers will melt, it said. The 2015 Paris Agreement was a landmark moment in international diplomacy, bringing together governments with vastly different views to tackle global warming. It set a headline target of keeping average global temperatures from rising by more than 2 C, or 1.5 C if possible. According to a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, emissions of the most abundant greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, would need to be reduced to a level the planet can absorb _ known as net zero _ by 2050 to keep global warming at 1.5 C as envisaged in the agreement. The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development said the study included work by more than 350 researchers and policy experts from 22 countries. It said it had 210 authors and 125 external reviewers. The Kathmandu-based center said it receives donations from regional countries, non-regional countries such as Australia, Austria, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, and other international programs such as USAID. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Climate Change Numbers Chubb announced the appointment of Peter Graswinckel as segment leader for Major Accounts in Continental Europe. In this newly created role, Graswinckel will be responsible for delivering tailor-made solutions and services for clients and business partners in Continental Europe. He will also oversee Chubbs Major Accounts segment leaders across 17 countries and Continental Europes Global Client Executive Practice. In addition, Graswinckel will work closely with Chubbs regional management team and other Major Accounts teams around the world to ensure alignment and consistency. Effective immediately, Graswinckel reports to Suresh Krishnan, head of Major Accounts for Chubb in Europe, with a matrix reporting to Adrian Matthews, chief operating officer and head of Property and Casualty, Continental Europe. Graswinckel was previously global client executive for Chubb in Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg, and he has worked in the insurance industry for more than 20 years. Source: Chubb Topics Europe Leadership Chubb A suburban Philadelphia woman has been convicted of most charges in a multi-million-dollar insurance fraud case following fires at her Bucks County property. Jurors in Bucks County deliberated for more than four hours before convicting 71-year-old Claire Risoldi on six of nine counts including theft by deception and insurance fraud. The case related to insurance claims following a 2013 fire at her Buckingham estate, known as Clairemont. She was acquitted of receiving stolen property related to claims from earlier fires or burglary reports. Risoldi has maintained her innocence since her 2015 indictment and alleges that $10 million in jewelry was gone following the last fire. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Fraud Pennsylvania A New Jersey man accused of faking a slip and fall at a business to get insurance money has pleaded not guilty. Alexander Goldinsky entered his plea Thursday during a brief court hearing. Prosecutors say the 57-year-old Randolph man was subcontracted to work at a company in Woodbridge when he faked the fall in 2018. Authorities say surveillance video captured Goldinsky grabbing ice and throwing it on the floor before lying down. They say Goldinsky waited until he was discovered, and then he filed an insurance claim for hospital treatment. Goldinsky was arrested Jan. 15 and charged with insurance fraud and theft by deception. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics New Jersey Account Manager Personal Insurance Lines, Brown & Brown Brown & Brown Insurance of Georgia-Duluth (which has plans of moving to Alpharetta in March) is growing, and the company needs an account manager to help with the servicing and selling of personal lines accounts. Applicants must have more than three years experience in personal lines P&C insurance, as well as a license to operate as a P&C agent in Georgia. You can apply here. Business Insurance Account Manager, TRICOR Insurance An independent agency in Stevens Point, WI, TRICOR Insurance is looking to fill an account manager role within its business insurance department. Though the agency ideally wants applicants with more than two years of insurance support experience, TRICOR is more than willing to train motivated individuals. You can apply here. Insurance Sales Account Executive, Virginia Farm Bureau Those looking for a job within Russell County in Lebanon, VA should check this opportunity. This newly-created position will service existing accounts while growing new business in the area. Sales account executives in their first year can earn on average about $50,000-$80,000. You can apply here. Chief Strategist Insurance, MarkLogic Corporation If you have always wanted to help sell insurance software, then MarkLogic has the right job for you. The chief strategist will not just spend time with the companys clients to develop specific customer solutions strategies, but will also represent MarkLogic at industry events and panel discussions. You can apply here. Insurance Account Specialist- Commercial Lines Marketing, Huntington Bancshares Huntington Bancshares is hiring insurance account specialists, who will provide technical support to producers, account executives, account managers and other team members. Account specialists must also keep abreast of any trends and changes in the insurance industry. Applicants must have a minimum of three years of customer service experience. You can apply here. So, why are insurance brokerages so attractive to acquirers right now? For one, it gives firms the chance to scale up their national footprint. Independent brokerages tend to have strong local footholds with loyal clientele. Acquirers have started to realize that these local relationships are vital as they look to buy and build, explained Greg Peterson, partner, US financial services deals leader, PwC. The active M&A environment in North America is both a challenge and an opportunity for independent brokerages. By partnering with larger strategic corporates, smaller brokers can gain access to broader distribution channels and product offerings. On the other hand, the challenges tend to come in the shape of complex deal structures, misaligned cultures and integration. These deals can be structured in a lot of different ways, said Gregory McGahan, partner, US asset and wealth management deals leader, PwC. Acquirers can either do an outright acquisition or they can do a contract deal where they lock the brokerage up for a number of years (the longer the better). The question is, what happens at the end of that contractual period? If the brokerage does a fantastic job and generates a lot of value during the five-year contract, what happens with the value thats created? Does the acquirer have to renegotiate and pay a higher price to renew that contract? Also, if acquirers opt for the contract method, they run the risk of a competitor stepping in, bringing a different suite of products to the table, and enticing the broker to move their business in another direction. Cultural challenges are often the major roadblocks to any brokerage acquisition, according to McGahan. It can be tough for self-made or family business owners to suddenly bend the knee to corporate dictators. In the context of heightened consolidation, the best thing brokers can do is be prepared for all eventualities and have a clear notion of their business value and culture. Oftentimes, when an acquirer comes knocking an interviewee is just not ready, said Peterson. Potential sellers need to be prepared for the knock on the door regardless of who it comes from. They need to do that preparation and due diligence before they put themselves into play. If there are things they need to fix, address, or explain, they need to do that. Anything thats discovered in the due diligence process actually creates value and leaks that across the table from the seller to the buyer. Simply put, any brokers who are considering selling into the wider consolidation trend need to carry out regular dress rehearsals, because the best sellers are the brokers that are prepared for the sale, according to McGahan. Youre either the hunter or the hunted and you can be strategic in both cases, he told Insurance Business. Brokers can collect basic things like a set of financial statements, analysis of their customer base and the retention of those customers, and analysis of the profitability of their business. Having all of that financial information is critical because thats what the deal starts with. Someones going to come in and do due diligence on the brokerage. Act as if you were going to buy your own business. What questions would you ask? Do you have the requisite information available so that you can tell the right story to the buyer? The last thing you want to do is get caught on your heels in the diligence process, because thats the opportunity for the buyer to basically chip away at pricing and value. So, the best thing to do is spend some time preparing yourself for all eventualities. The 9,847 total includes 1,923 jobs originating from 42 firms brought in by the Invest in Holland network as a result of Brexit. The Invest in Holland network consists of the NFIA, its regional partners, and the Holland International Distribution Council (HIDC). These 42 companies translated to about 291 million in investments into the Netherlands. The Ministry reported: The number of companies relocating activities to our country due to Brexit has grown compared to 2017, during which 18 companies made a Brexit-related move to the Netherlands. Additionally, the NFIA is talking with more than 250 foreign companies considering setting up operations in the Netherlands following Brexit. These are predominantly British companies, but also American and Asian organisations that are reconsidering their current European structure due to uncertainties caused by Brexit. These include companies in the financial sector, media and advertising, life sciences & health, and logistics. According to the Ministry, these organisations are looking at other countries as well such as Germany, France, and Ireland. Meanwhile it cited marine insurer UK P&I Club among those who have chosen the Netherlands as their post-Brexit destination. The diocese now has to provide over US$30 million to compensate the 125 people who have filed abuse claims. Duluth News Tribune reported that a committee representing the claimants must still vote on the proposed settlement. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Kressel is expected to approve the agreement on March 7. We hope the bankruptcy judge approves the settlement, which depends in part on whether attorneys for the victims have any objections, said deacon Kyle Eller, who serves as the dioceses spokesman. Although there are additional issues for resolution, settlement with the last insurance carrier would mean significant progress toward final resolution and our goal of providing compensation to those who have been hurt as a result of sexual abuse by clergy in our local church. Once that is done, all the insurance will be resolved and then the last piece that remains is negotiation with the diocese, and thats been ongoing, said Mike Finnegan, an attorney representing most of the victims. The diocese has been under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection since Dec. 2015. The four other insurers which have agreed to settle with the Diocese of Duluth are Continental Insurance Company (which paid US$15 million), Catholic Mutual Insurance Company (US$8.95 million), Church Mutual Insurance Company (US$250,000), and Firemens Fund Insurance Company (US$975,000). It is with great sadness that we learnt today of Steve Manns unexpected passing, the statement reads. Steve was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident over the weekend. Steve joined Technical Assessing in March 2018 as our state manager VIC and practice leader property, having spent his entire working life as a chartered loss adjuster both here in Australia for 25 plus years and in the UK where he commenced his career. Not only was Steve a brilliant loss adjuster, dedicated to his clients, he was also a great state manager and valued team member. His ability to attract and build a team of exceptional loss adjusters in Victoria demonstrated his wonderful people skills and standing in the industry he loved. Steve will be profoundly missed. Our deepest sympathies are with his wife Janine and three children, Catherine, Jessica and James as well as family and friends. The team at TA, especially TA Vic, appreciates the condolences and words of support from friends and colleagues throughout the insurance industry. Further details will be made available as they come to hand so that Steves colleagues can pay their respects to a true gentleman of the chartered loss adjusting profession. Insurance Business Australia would also like to pass on its condolences to Manns family and friends at this difficult time. In todays interconnected world, no company is really insulated from whats going on in other parts of the world, said Barry Franklin (pictured), head of risk for Zurich North America. Notably, Zurich Insurance Group and Marsh & McLennan Companies were strategic partners in producing the WEF report. You may think you are, but your suppliers probably have some connections or some dependencies on supply chains in other parts of the world. Because of the fact that were so interconnected, no company can just go on and assume that these things that happen in other parts of the world wont affect them. Given the weather events in 2017 and 2018, it makes sense that natural catastrophes would be top of mind for respondents of the WEFs Global Risks Perception Survey, the results of which underpinned this years report on global risks. Youve got increasing exposure in cat-prone areas, so I think that naturally the exposure to losses from these events is going to increase, said Franklin, adding that, on the other hand, events like the recent partial government shutdown in the US as well as Brexit demonstrate the impact of geopolitical developments. Any of those changes that have the potential to disrupt international trade could potentially impact companies in terms of business activity. The theme of interconnectivity and its implications for companies was hard to miss in the WEFs report, which included a map showing how each significant global development, from the changing climate and rising income and wealth disparity, to an ageing population and rising urbanisation, connected to a litany of related risks. Rising cyber dependency, for example, has ties to cyberattacks, data fraud or theft, critical information infrastructure breakdown, and, more broadly, demonstrates the adverse consequences of technological advances. In fact, heightened cyber and technological threats were identified as a major potential blind spot in the report since we have not yet fully comprehended the vulnerability of networked societies. It stands to reason that were going to see an increasing frequency and, potentially, severity of cyber-related events, both intentionally caused by bad actors as well as accidental events, [such as] accidental releases of data and information, said Franklin. The increasing interconnectedness, the reliance on the Internet of Things [and] connected devices, these are all good things. We have the ability to better monitor machinery, equipment, and water systems to identify potential leaks and mechanical breakdown much earlier, but that requires those devices to be connected and it increases the vulnerability to outside actors. At the same time as people are becoming more reliant on technology and digitisation, the cyber threat environment is constantly reorganising itself. While companies can keep trying to implement stronger cybersecurity protocols and top-shelf solutions, the threat environment will respond as well. Its a constant battle to keep up with the sophistication and resources of those who want to take advantage of technical and technological vulnerability, added Franklin. Nonetheless, many boards and executives are paying attention to the risks associated with cyber not only are they talking about this threat more often, but theyre doing more internally to better prepare for the eventuality of a cyber incident, according to the Zurich expert. The problem is those companies that have not taken this threat seriously and still believe that they dont have the same exposure, thus making them less diligent about risk mitigation. When it comes to extreme weather, there is little that an individual company can do to slow the effects of climate change or prevent natural catastrophes from occurring, but their executives can at least be ready to deal with the fallout from extreme weather events, from designing resilient supply chains to deciding where facilities are located and how much insurance they purchase at the outset. Theres not a single silver bullet solution thats a comprehensive approach to risk management, and that general theme applies to technology and cyber risk as well, explained Franklin. [Companies] have to do everything they can to protect themselves, both in terms of the technological solutions and the protections that they implement as well as training their people, and educating them and making sure that they dont create exposure unnecessarily. Hunts appointment follows a stint leading a casualty-focussed Lloyds insurance consortium. He first joined Zurich in 2011 as senior casualty underwriter, then later held deal-management roles. Prior to that, he spent nearly two decades leading Lloyds liability syndicates in London. I am delighted to welcome Mark home at a time when we are seeking to bring greater focus to our engagement with our broker partners and supercharge our deal-management capability, said Giles Crowley, chief distribution and deal management officer at Zurich. Marks appointment represents a step-change in our deal-management capability and helps bring to life our ambition to create a best-in-class distribution function and make decisions much closer to our customers. Marks appointment is an endorsement of our renewed strategy, and our ability to attract top industry leaders, said Tim Plant, general insurance CEO. I look forward to working with him to bring the best of Zurich to our customers and broker partners. As with many others who work in insurance, McNamara ended up in the industry by accident. In the late 1980s, he was working in customer service across a variety of industries when he came across a job posting that would change the course of his future career. I responded to an opportunity to join a claims agent, he says. That role was a team leader in a workers compensation team so thats how I got started in the insurance industry, way back when. Since then, McNamara has been a frontline observer to the many changes that have taken place in insurance. The way service is delivered has been one of the primary shifts during this time, due in no small part to the increased influence of technology in the workplace. The service that was being delivered by the industry then versus now is like chalk and cheese, McNamara says. Back then it was all about responding in a reasonable timeframe via letter and answering the phone if it rang, rather than proactively engaging. A variety of roles followed over the next few decades, and McNamara eventually found himself at Gallagher Bassett in 2004. With his extensive experience delivering service in a highly technical, transactional environment developed further during his time leading the companys workers compensation team McNamara was ideally placed to step into the CEO job in 2016. Innovation requires action Innovation is an oft-abused word in the insurance industry, but since taking on the role of CEO, McNamara has seen it as integral to Gallagher Bassetts ethos, both now and into the future. Innovation often comes from within, he notes. Handing power back to employees gives them a greater sense of purpose about their role and enables them to have a more effective stake in the way the company is run. Young up-and-comers in the insurance industry are used to hearing things like you are our future, McNamara says. Ive tried to make my message you are our present your time is now. Young people are typically the forefront of the service delivery process, solving problems for customers in the here and now. Thats why a lot of our best ideas come from our people on the ground they are the heart of innovation for Gallagher Bassett. To better facilitate this process, McNamara and his team established an innovation framework, which has provided staff with the opportunity to think and operate outside of their normal day-to-day roles. Encouraging staff to have an impact on the business is the logical thing to do, McNamara says. But to do that, you have to make the opportunities for innovation obvious. You have to make it easy for people to contribute, and you have to make it rewarding. McNamaras people-centric style of management is also evident in the companys approach to diversity and inclusion, where staff-driven initiatives are often pushed to the forefront. He actively strives to make the industry an environment where people from all walks of life are encouraged to join, with the understanding that diversity can enhance Gallagher Bassetts ability to respond to its customers needs. We deal with people who have suffered a loss one way or another, McNamara says. Having staff on the phone who can empathise with that individuals situation and deliver service in a way that is consistent with that individuals needs requires a very diverse group of people, all of whom need our support and encouragement. The Gallagher Way These initiatives and indeed, the companys entire approach can be traced back to the vision known as the Gallagher Way, written by Robert E Gallagher back in 1984. Serving as the philosophical foundation of the organisation, McNamara describes it as an intentional attempt to make a positive impact in the surrounding communities and in wider society. He points to Gallagher Bassetts recent Northern Territory expansion as a great example of the Gallagher Way in action. Led by two long-standing GB staff members who transferred from Sydney and Adelaide, GBs NT launch provided an opportunity for them to take on greater responsibility while also taking a significant step forward in their careers. They quickly recruited a team of 25 people who were mostly new to insurance, and the entire GB organisation rallied behind them to ensure services were ready to go from day one. The new office also required the creation of a new online claims platform, the Return to Work LaunchPad, in less than six weeks. Yet this hard work paid off within 12 months, the team were recipients of ANZIIFs Innovation of the Year Award in recognition of the online LaunchPad. Theyve also been recognised for becoming valued members of the NT community, thanks to their charitable partnerships with NT Police Fire Emergency Services, Territory Families and the Alabut Families Indigenous Co. Another big advancement thats been rolled out over the last 18 months has been GBs proprietary claims system, Luminos, which McNamara calls a real game-changer for us ... Through sophisticated automations, it removes lot of the mundane transactional work from claims management, enabling our staff to focus on customer service and supporting clients to manage complex claims. McNamara still looks to the Gallagher Way to chart a course for the future, including this years expansion into Western Australia. It also guides the positive impact the company can have beyond the office. It all really starts in the workplace, McNamara says. We want to offer a supportive and team-oriented culture in which employees can thrive. I know that if we take care of our people, they will take care of our clients and our communities. And so its good that theyve been leaked. But the question is: What would have happened if they werent? So we got the apology now that theyve been leaked. But the positions are there. So what we need to address very clearly and concretely is what ways the Cubs establishment, beyond apologizing for the emails being leaked, step up and show through concrete action that they recommit to the anti-bigotry values of Chicago, to work with the Muslim community, to show that in concrete fashion, and other communities affected by this very problematic, hatred rhetoric. Real-time social media posts from local businesses and organizations across Northern Virginia, powered by Friends2Follow. To add your business to the stream, email cfields@insidenova.com or click on the green button below. The Latest from Barchart Sign up to receive your Watchlist or Portfolio sent to you by email up to 4 times a day; available at market open, mid-day, market close or end-of-day. Premier Members can also receive the results of custom Screeners - alerting to price or trend changes during and after each trading day. Sign up for a risk-free 30-day Barchart Premier trial. Miller, in a statement, said he had prepared the cartoon with the vulgar message several weeks ago, intended to remove the message before the cartoon was distributed but neglected to do so. However, in a Twitter post Sunday, the cartoonist wrote: Some of my sharp-eyed readers have spotted a little Easter egg from Leonardo Bear-Vinci. Can you find it? There are so many different ways that you can hug a person. Obviously, each type of hug is going to have a little different meaning to it,... South African mineral resources minister Gwede Mantashe called on the mining industry to improve relations with local communities after visiting a mineral sands mine in the Western Cape. Mantashe made the comments after a visit to the Tormin mine, owned by Mineral... Chandrababu Naidu, chief minister of India's Andhra Pradesh state (right), and former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Mulayam Singh Yadav gesture towards supporters during a 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long fast protest for justice) launched by Naidu to demand special status for the state of Andhra Pradesh, in New Delhi on Feb. 11. Naidu, who is the head of the regional Telugu Desam Party, launched his day-long fast to demand that the Indian government fulfills its promises made at the time when united Andhra Pradesh state was bifurcated in 2014, local media said. (Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Getty Images) Entrepreneur Reuben Singh also known as the Bill Gates of Britain took the Internet by storm when he updated the picture of his six newly-purchased Rolls-Royce luxury cars and added them to his personal "Jewels collection by Singh" fleet that cost him a whooping Rs 50 crore. (From IANS/Instagram photo) Indians take the 'baraat' part of every wedding very seriously, even if it means breaking down an entire bridge with too much dancing. Picture for representation/Source That's what these 'baraatis' from Noida ended up doing. They danced so hard that the entire family, along with the groom, ended up in a ditch after a suspension bridge collapsed in Noida. According to an HT report, the incident occurred around 9:30 pm when the baraat (grooms wedding procession) was dancing on a small bridge at Hoshiyarpur village in Noidas Sector 52. ALSO READ: Man Calls Bride 'Stupid' After She Trips, She Gifts Him Divorce Just 3 Minutes After Wedding They had been dancing for over 10 minutes on the bridge while others walked across it to reach the lawn. The suspension bridge, which connected the wedding banquet halls gate to its lawn, was built over a drain. And suddenly the bride came crashing down. Reuters/Picture for representation What a way to kick-start wedding celebrations! The report states that two children below the age of 8 were injured and rushed to the nearest hospital for treatment. After the incident, the owner of the banquet hall paid Rs 3 lakh in cash to the brides family and that's when the wedding resumed. The groom was reportedly a 35-year-old businessman from Ghaziabad, and the bride a 32-year-old resident of Delhi. ALSO READ: No Big Fat Indian Wedding, IAS Officer Will Spend Only Rs 36,000 On Son's Marriage Jim Bridenstine, the administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, published an essay in the website Ozy late last week. In it he made a bold statement of intent; when the space agency goes to the Moon again, they're staying there for good. "We are going to the moon with innovative new technologies and systems to explore more locations across the surface than we ever thought possible," Bridenstine wrote. "This time, when we go to the moon, we will stay." Also Read: NASA To Start Work On Next Space Adventure, Build 'Gateway' Station Orbiting The Moon In 2019 Bridenstine's statement echoes previously disclosed plans for a Lunar Gateway, which is supposed to be like a secondary space station orbiting the Moon. When built, it will serve as a crewed outpost with the first ever reusable lunar lander system. That way NASA can build an outpost on the Moon where they can mine for resources and, more importantly, refuel ships after Earth launches for longer trips out into our solar system. For this, Bridenstine understands that private spaceflight ventures will be absolutely to to its success. NASA, he says, is currently partnered with nine different American space companies. These are either working on regularising cargo deliveries to the ISS (and eventually the Moon), or on the gateway itself. Also Read: NASA Will Send Automated Robots To The Moon By 2019 To Prepare It For Human Astronaut Missions "Following a buildup of capabilities, our goal is to land astronauts on the moon within the next decade," Bridenstine wrote. "Billions of people around the world will watch history being made as astronauts explore more of the surface for longer periods of time than ever before, and help us prepare for missions to Mars and other destinations." Maybe this is a project that will even be completed in our generation. And maybe, just maybe, we'll for the first time be able to witness astronauts flying even further, to Mars and beyond. And wouldnt that be a priceless twist? For all the demagoguery aimed at winning the progressive heart, the empathetic soul, the socialist agenda that advances government-directed wealth redistribution as sound economic policy, an underground conservative movement in Chicago could tip the race. Its a long shot, given the limpness of the Republican Partys organizational brawn. True, Chicagos municipal elections are, officially, nonpartisan which, in this city, means most candidates are Democrats. But its still disappointing that the establishment GOP doesnt have a candidate in a 14-way, open seat mayoral contest in the nations third-largest city. Call it global warming, earth's six mass extinction, or a dangerous side effect of human activity, but the verdict couldn't be any clearer: insects are staring down extinction and they may be completely wiped off the planet within just 100 years. And if you're thinking good riddance, you couldn't be more wrong. Because if insects go, nature itself will suffer from catastrophic collapse. reuters ALSO READ: Global Warming Is Putting Ships And Fishermen In More Danger, As Seas & Oceans Get More Wild According to a scientific paper published in the journal Biological Conservation, insects are fast disappearing from our planet and a lot of it is because of human activity-related causes. As much as 40% of insect species are rapidly declining and over 30% of all insect population is endangered and facing extinction, the report claims. The researchers who wrote the paper blame aggressive agriculture -- with use of deadly pesticide -- rapid urbanisation and climate change as major factors accelerating the death of all insects around the world. 40% of all insects are staring at extinction ALSO READ: We Need To Make Unprecedented Changes If We Want To Survive Global Warming According to a report in The Guardian, the insect population is disappearing at a shocking eight times faster than mammals, birds and reptiles on earth, as the planet reportedly shifts into its sixth mass extinction cycle, thanks to human activity playing a huge catalyst. This is the worrying part: according to scientific data, insect population around the world is falling at 2.5% per year, with a dangerous suggestion that if this trend isn't reverse quickly all insects could vanish within 100 years. Reuters ALSO READ: Decomposing Plastic May Have Been Accelerating Global Warming, According To This New Research If insects keep disappearing at a rapid rate, what will birds, reptiles, fish and other smaller mammals eat to survive? "If this food source is taken away, all these animals starve to death," said Francisco Sanchez-Bayo, at the University of Sydney, Australia, who co-authored the paper on insect extinction with Kris Wyckhuys at the China Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Beijing. Make no mistakes, if we don't act now to reverse the trend of rapid insect decline around the world, the entire planet's ecosystem will be damaged beyond repair. And it will have a huge impact on the survival of humans, too. Global warming, air pollution and other such environmental anomalies are not news to many around the world. Yet, it is seldom that anyone takes the responsibility of tackling these issues on their own. Sasiranga De Silva, a 33-year-old engineer from Sri Lanka is one such personality, and his efforts have most recently been recognised by none other than the United Nations itself. A lecturer at the department of mechanical engineering at the University of Moratuwa, De Silva has been a fanatic of electric vehicles since long and looks at them as a possible solution to the environmental problems associated with transport. As he aimed to bring a change within his hometown, De Silva focused on the tuk tuks (three-wheeler auto rickshaws) and to reduce the pollution caused by them. Sasiranga De Silva (Image: Lewis Akenji) Also read: After 20 Years, This Mexican Doctor Found 100% Cure For Cervical Cancer & Human Papillomavirus So what did he do? De Silva developed an affordable conversion kit to allow autos to run on electric power. Based around a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, the conversion kit will save auto drivers money over time while reducing harmful emissions, as per Silva. Silva also says that the conversion kit will allow the autos to cover 110 kms on a single charge. While the recharging of the lithium-ion batteries used in the electric kit can be carried out through the few chargers spread across Colombo, Silva mentioned that he will be providing the auto owners with electric chargers which can be connected to a regular socket to charge the riskshaws overnight. The accolades The innovation won De Silva a whopping US$10,000 grant from UN Environment. The grant came as a part of the Asia-Pacific Low-Carbon Lifestyles Challenge, supporting the youth to come up with cutting-edge ideas for energy-efficient, low-waste and low-carbon lifestyles. De Silva will be using the prize money to carry out more research on the concept. The goal is to bring down the cost of the conversion kit as much as possible. The award is not confined to the cash prize though. As a part of his prize, De Silva will also receive business and marketing training. Challenges faced One of the major challenges in carrying out the concept has been the cost of the conversion kits. If the costs are not optimal, the kits might find it hard to make their way to the autos. Most auto rickshaw drivers in Sri Lanka pay around 700,000 Sri Lankan rupees (~INR 2.8 Lakh) for their vehicles. De Silva is aiming for half of this cost for the conversion, bringing the price of switching the autos to all electric ones to INR 1.4 Lakh. Sasiranga De Silva Also read: Hero Electric Promotes Electric Vehicles And Tempts Petrol Two-Wheeler Owners With Exclusive Discounts Silva estimates that exactly half of the amount will be the savings made by the drivers on annual basis so the INR 1.4 Lakh invested in the conversion will be recovered by the drivers within 2 years, churning profit post that. The low investment and consequent returns are the big appeals here, as not many auto drivers are concerned with the environmental impacts. For them its about saving money, says De Silva but when the project goes commercial we will run separate campaigns to educate them on climate change as well. The backgrounder De Silva recalls how he came to be enthusiastic about electric vehicles. Since my university days, Ive taken an interest in sustainable energy systems, so I studied solar and wind power but then I narrowed my scope to electric vehicles. I wanted to relate electric vehicles to sustainability, he mentions. That is when he decided to focus on auto rickshaws, a mode of transport for much of the countrys population. As of now, Sri Lanka has a total of 3,00,000 autos, post the Sri Lankan governments ban on their import (two-stroke autos). Now the government is also offering low-interest loans for the owners to convert the auto rickshaws into electric ones. As electric vehicles gain ground on being the primary weapon in the fight against environmental pollution, several such initiatives have been taken to convert the existing IC engine vehicles to electric ones. Last year, a duo in India had designed such conversion kits for Alto and WagonR in India, allowing them to run on rechargeable batteries instead of fossil fuels. When Microsoft released its new Edge browser browser in 2015, it really wanted people to switch over. Moreover, the company really wanted people to stop using (and thus verbally bashing) Internet Explorer. But some habits are harder to change than others. Image courtesy: Microsoft In a recent blog post, Microsoft's senior cybersecurity architect Chris Jackson basically begged everyone to stop using their now outdated browser. The company killed off support for its latest versions in 2016, but that doesn't seem to have deterred corporations, he says. Also Read: This Ad-Blocking Web Browser Gives Away Free Cryptocurrency To You, If You Agree To See Its Ads He writes that companies are accruing "technical debt" by continuing to do this. Basically, they tend to stick to Internet Explorer in order to support older web apps. This is probably the case with your company's HR portal for instance. But by taking the most convenient solution now, they're setting their companies up for additional costs and troubles down the line when they'll be forced to upgrade anyway. Not only is this less secure, seeing as there will never be more updates for Internet Explorer, but by using the browser you also run the risk of not being able to run new developer apps. That's because they just don't develop and test for it anymore. Also Read: Tim Cook Says Google Is Best Search Engine In The World, But Safari Is The Best Privacy Browser So while it might be convenient for some to continue using the legacy browser, you probably want to switch to something newer as soon as possible. Our defence armed forces have been in dire need of modern combat equipment. The Indian Air Force arms and ammunition needed thorough modernization and upgradation and ahead of their schedule, the first batch of four Chinook helicopters arrived in India on Sunday. India has obtained 15 of these helicopters from the United States for boosting the operational capabilities of IAF. The first four CH-47F Chinooks were brought to the Mundra Port in Gujarat. The Chinooks will be ferried to Chandigarh and will be formally inducted into the Indian Air Force later this year. The Chinook is a multi-role, vertical-lift platform which is used for transporting troops, artillery, equipment and fuel. The @IAF_MCC Chinooks are here! Heres a sneak peek of the beautiful CH-47F(I) Chinooks that arrived at the @AdaniOnline Mundra Port in Gujarat, ahead of schedule. MORE: https://t.co/Ei0ZpFHTlW pic.twitter.com/onSsmFo2Ch Boeing India (@Boeing_In) February 10, 2019 Special Features And Characteristics The CH-47 is considered among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters. It is an advanced multi-mission helicopter for the U.S. Army and international defence forces. It contains a fully integrated, digital cockpit management system, Common Aviation Architecture Cockpit and advanced cargo-handling capabilities that complement the aircraft's mission performance and handling characteristics. Boeing on its official website had mentioned last year on July 27, 2018, that the U.S company in collaboration with India took a significant step toward modernizing the Indian Air Forces helicopter fleet by completing the first flights of Apache and Chinook helicopters destined for delivery next year, i.e 2019. David Koopersmith, Vice President and General Manager, Boeing Vertical Lift had said, From coastal operations to high-altitude mountainous missions, these aircraft will play vital roles with the Indian armed forces. Photo: Boeing.com Chinook helicopters are also used for humanitarian and disaster relief operations and also in the transportation of relief supplies as well as mass evacuation of refugees. At Chandigarh, the helicopters will become a part of the 126 Helicopter Flight, which currently operates the last of the Mi-26 heavy lift helicopters. India ultimately will receive 22 AH-64E Apache attack, and 15 CH-47F(I) Chinook transport, helicopters, as per Boeings last year statement. The helicopters have been delivered well-in-advance, they were scheduled to arrive in March. According to Economic Times, IAF crews had begun their training on the Chinooks at Delaware in the US last year. Earlier this month, the first Chinook helicopter was handed over to the IAF in Philadelphia. The helicopter can also carry 9.6 tonnes of load including artillery guns, light armoured vehicles and heavy machinery to high altitude areas. Reportedly, the defence ministry last year approved the procurement of six Apache helicopters along with weapons systems from Boeing at a cost of Rs 4,168 crore for the Army. These will be the first fleet of attack choppers. Boeing added that it strengthened its supply chain with over 160 partners in India. The ever growing human population means the need for more homes and more land to cultivate. This can only be made available by encroaching into the forests. But one of the biggest aftermaths of the expansion of agricultural lands into a forest is the increase in human-animal conflicts. Animals tend to 'stray into' human settlements along the border with forests, in search of food and water. BCCL This is a lose-lose situation for both the sides. Elephants, which are the largest land animals, is also one of the biggest victims of the ever growing man-animal conflict. In India, between 2015-2018, 373 elephants were killed of unnatural causes including poaching and electrocution. BCCL Minister of State(MoS) in the Ministry Of Environment, Forest And Climate Change, Mahesh Sharma told the Lok Sabha that a total of 373 elephants have died unnaturally in last three years all over India. Of them, 62 died due to train accidents, 226 died due to electrocution, 59 died due to poaching and 26 died due to poisoning. As per the data made available by the government, despite the 62 cases of elephant deaths on railway tracks, only 13 cases have been registered against loco pilots so far, Assam (2) Odisha (5) and Kerala (6). There is no information regarding punishment to loco pilots by the Railways. BCCL However, the biggest reason for concern is the rising number of electrocutions. Between 2015-18 a total of 226 elephants have been killed due to electrocution. It alone accounts for more deaths than, trains, poaching and poisoning combined. As far as the loss of human lives are concerned, a total of 1713 people were killed by elephants in the same period. West Bengal topped the list of states with the most number of human fatalities in the three years with 317 deaths, followed by Odisha (305). BCCL In 2018 alone, 227 people were killed by wild elephants in 16 States, with Assam accounting for 86 deaths, the highest number. The minister also told the house that to minimize the impacts of human wildlife conflicts, the government has initiated a number of steps including financial and technical assistance to states under Project Elephant. He also added that all elephant states have been directed to implement the Guidelines for Management of Human Elephant Conflict. BCCL He also stated that physical barriers, such as barbed wire fence, solar powered electric fence, bio-fencing using cactus, boundary wall etc.are being constructed to prevent entry of wild animals into a crop field. To avoid man-animal conflict and to prevent damage or loss of human life and elephants, the Forest Department is engaging local communities as animal trackers to know the movement of elephants and also to caution local people. A large number of the UNSDGs focus on betterment of individual and collective human lives. They emphasise on empowering individuals and equalising the imbalances in the way our civilisations are structured. While these are important, it is also imperative to look at the impact of humankind on the natural environment that houses us. Climate change is an alarming global phenomenon, and its impact is felt on daily lives. UNSDGs have also taken this into account, and listed out goals that are essential for peaceful cohabitation with nature. Also Read: How UN's Sustainable Development Goals Are Helping India Fight Poverty And Make Life Better TOI Energy from renewable sources such as bio-mass, solar, water and wind is inexhaustible; and is produced in a cleaner manner (with little to none hazardous by-products) compared to traditional sources such as coal. Thus, the need to make the shift to predominant use and availability of (1.) Affordable and clean energy. Rising Sea-levels and extreme weather conditions are leading to increased natural disasters, that cause death and destruction. Rising global average temperatures pose a serious threat to our survival, leading UNSDGs to focus on (2.) Climate Action. Oceans contribute to 97% of the earths surface and are home to millions of species. These contribute by keeping our ecological system in balance. Oceans also absorb Co2, equalise the temperature and provide us with food. Similarly, the forest covers provide us with much needed oxygen, while also regulating the temperature. Dumping of toxic wastes into oceans, indiscriminate fishing, depleting the forest cover for commercial purposes and hunting animals for sport has caused serious ecological damage, and protecting (3.) Life on water and (4.) Life on land are important goals listed in the UNSDGs. Also Read: Fighting Inequality And Discrimination Against Women Is Founding Stone Of A Sustainable Society AP While conserving the life on land and in water, we cannot overlook the growing needs of the growing population, hence the need for (5.) Sustainable production and consumption patterns. Why are these goals important? Nearly 20 per cent of the Indian population does not have access to electricity, yet the power sector is responsible for the pollution rise in the country. India has some of the most polluted cities in the world, posing a serious concern to health and wellness. India is the 3rd highest emitter of the pollutant CO2, with 6.9% of the total emissions of the world. Air pollution was found to be the cause of about 12 lakh deaths in India in 2017. We are also one of the leading perpetrators of marine pollution. This is alarming because the sea-level rises by approximately 1.33mts per year, and about 35% of our population lives on the coastline. Deforestation has an even harsher effect, with agriculture being a primary source of livelihood, and degraded land cover costing us a loss of about 1.3% of the countrys GDP. One of the major causes of pollution is urban waste, out of which only a mere 15% is processed. Irresponsible consumption causes pollution and inadequacy for others. It is estimated that with better production and consumption, India could save about 500 billion units of energy every year. What measures have been taken? Pushing the use of clean fuels through the national policy on biofuels, and the national clean energy fund are strong initiatives taken by the government. The highest ever alternate energy capacity generation in India was achieved in 2017. The National Solar mission aims to push solar energy, especially in rural areas. India is also emphasising afforestation, and conservation of wildlife by protecting endangered animals. The initiation of the blue revolution is working towards modernizing ports and coastlines, while minimising the damage to water bodies and aquatic life. The 'Swacch Bharat Abhiyan' is also championing the cause of not polluting land and water bodies. Local bodies and individuals are also contributing greatly by cleaning beaches and roads in their vicinity. What can you do? Every individual leaves a carbon footprint that indicates the amount of carbon dioxide that they release in the atmosphere. This contributes to pollution, and it is determined by activities such as using a vehicle that emits harmful gasses, using more electricity than required, and using plastic and other non-degradable materials. Conserve electricity, use non-recyclable materials judicially, avoid wasting unrequired water in baths. If you have the option, install solar panels in your premises. Try to walk short distances, it is better for the health and the environment. TOI Avoid polluting the environment and the water bodies at all costs. The best method of disposing garbage is in segregated- recyclable and non-recyclable bags. Do not litter the streets and discourage others around from doing the same. An alarming study by the UN suggests that at the current population growth level, if we continue having the same lifestyles, by 2050 we would need three planets to sustain the population. Also, mass displacement of human settlement owing to weather changes, conflicts and prejudices places a higher burden on certain areas of the planet. As a result, quality of life goes down, and there is a higher drain on the natural resources. The UNSDGs are formulated as guidelines for all nations, but it is the duty of every individual to help achieve them. We share a planet, and it is our responsibility to make in habitable and hospitable. Any degradation in the environment or imbalances in society have a direct bearing on the lives of every person and their future generations. The UNSDGs are ambitious goals, with many parameters. Incorporating small but noticeable changes in daily lives would help contribute to the whole in a highly impactful manner. Damini Chopra is an actress who appears in Hindi and Telugu films. She also works with NGOs that focus on child and women rights. This article is the third of a three-part series that examines these inter-related goals, and brings out their importance and relevance in todays society and the future. The death toll in the hooch tragedy in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand has crossed 100 after more deaths were reported from the two states. Most numbers of deaths have been reported from UP's Saharanpur where 70 people lost their lives.There are fears that the toll could go up even further as dozens are still admitted in hospitals, some in critical condition. Read More. Here's More Top News For The Day: 1) ISRO Gives IAF Full Charge Of Selection And Training Of 10 Crew Members For Gaganyaan Mission As India treads a step closer to unfurling the countrys flag in a manned mission to space Gaganyaan, the Indian Space Research Organization has tasked the Indian Air Force with the selection and training of the Gagannauts. The Gaganyaan mission, as it's called, will launch from the Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh sometime in 2022. Read More. 2) US Delivers Advanced Multi-Mission Chinook Helicopters To India That Will Strengthen IAF Fleet The Indian Air Force arms and ammunition needed thorough modernization and upgradation and ahead of their schedule, the first batch of four Chinook helicopters arrived in India on Sunday. India has obtained 15 of these helicopters from the United States for boosting the operational capabilities of IAF. The first four CH-47F Chinooks were brought to the Mundra Port in Gujarat. Read More. 3) Baby With 70% Burn Injuries Dies As Hospital Didn't Have A Ventilator, Parents Told To Get It To Save Child Cases of medical apathy are not anything new in this country. Most of the times on the receiving end will be poor patients and their relatives who are desperately trying to get some much needed medical attention. The latest case of medical apathy, coming from Madhya Pradesh is no different. A doctor at the Bundelkhand Medical College in Sagar District refused to provide ventilation to a kid who was admitted there with 70 per cent burn injuries, resulting in her death. Read More. 4) Six-Year-Old Boy Beheaded In Medina In Front Of Mother, Locals Suspect Sectarian Violence The recent murder of a six-year-old boy in the Islamic pilgrimage site of Medina has raised concerns over lack of public concern in the kingdom. Zakaria Al-Jaber, around the age of six, was travelling with his mother in a taxi to the Prophets mosque. According to The Muslim Vibe, the taxi for some unknown reasons pulled over and then dragged the boy out of the car to a coffee shop. Read More. 5) Studies More Important Than Rallies, Says SC Rejecting BJP's Plea Against Loudspeaker Ban The Supreme Court has rejected a plea by the BJP in West Bengal to allow the use of loudspeakers. The West Bengal pollution control board had in 2013 banned the use of loudspeakers in the months of February and March in the residential area and near educational institutions because of school examinations. Read More. Developed and adopted by all member states in 2015, the 2030 agenda for sustainable development creates a blueprint of 17 sustainable development goals. These are specific, tangibly measurable targets that have been listed out for nations to adopt and work towards. They take into account the current scenario and the requirements of the growing population, while also planning for creating a sustainable future. With a steady rise in population, one of the key concerns that plague the world is the need for decent work and adequate pay. This issue is interlinked with the pay disparity due to gender, race, and religion. Therefore, the need of the hour is to create a society that abolishes gender inequality and all other forms of discrimination. Also Read: How UN's Sustainable Development Goals Are Helping India Fight Poverty And Make Life Better UN Over the past two years, one of the most noticeable issues in the world is the plight of the migrants. Be it the war-torn refugees from Syria, or the Rohingyas from Mynmar, the world watched helplessly, awaiting a strong institution to step in and salvage the lives of these people being persecuted for their religions and ethnicities. It is essential to eliminate all forms of inequity, and to create stronger authorities to step in and promote peace and justice in cases of prevalence of sectarianism. In line with the same, the UNSDGs list out the need for 1. Gender equality 2. Decent work and economic growth 3. Reduced Inequality 4. Peace, Justice and strong institutions 5. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure Why are these goals Important? 35-year-old Sheila is working as a house maid in the Greater Kailash area of New Delhi. She is from Darbhanga, Bihar and was married to a man in Delhi almost 20 years ago. She has 3 children, one of whom is studying chartered accountancy while the other two complete high school. Her husband used to work in a local shop, and he died of in an accident about 7 years ago. As a child, Sheila was keen to study and pursue a degree, but her parents pulled her out of school to take care of the kitchen while her younger brother studied. It was dictated to her to be adept at household chores, as she would soon have to marry and take care of her husband and bare children. As a result, Sheila is now rendered incapable of taking up any profession despite eagerly wanting to. To make ends meet after her husbands death, Sheila has to work as a maid cleaning various houses daily. pxhere Many girls are subject to the same fate as Sheilas , or worse. For them to rebel against patriarchy, they need the support of strong institutions. While India has a powerful judicial system, it is chocked by delays and lack of staff. Over 4 lakh cases of crimes against women are reported every year, but over 3 crore cases remain pending in the system. While Shielas situation is owing to her lack of preparedness for taking up a profession, the global atmosphere (at the moment) is also harsh on the skilled candidates. Lack of jobs with adequate pay is a growing concern. The UN pegs Indias unemployment rate at a high 50% of those qualified to enter the workforce. Moreover, the female participation in the workforce is declining at an alarming rate of 27%, with a pay gap of 24% (in favour of males). Reuters Owing to lack of opportunities, a high percentage of the workforce is under-paid or engaged in hazardous work. These statistics would be difficult to fathom, given the growing GDP and wealth, but to put it in context- about 1 percent of the worlds population holds about 50% of the worlds wealth. Indias figure is higher than the world average, with the top 1% controlling about 58% of the countrys capital. The way forward is to encourage innovation and industries, especially the small industry sector. There is a strong need to work towards the above mentioned inter-connected goals to be able to create a balanced society that provides merit-based opportunities, and protects the out-numbered sections from being oppressed. What measures have been taken? Schemes such as the Beti bachao beti padhao aim to change the mindsets that indulge in female foeticide or gender bias. Prominent politicians, actors, sportspersons as well as local leaders aim to discourage discrimination against the girl child and encourage equal education and work opportunities for girls. Moreover, schemes in local and government banks allow women to get loans in an easy manner to set up their businesses. To eliminate caste and income-based disparities, schemes such as Jan Dhan- Aadhar- Mobile have been put into place. The National Skill development mission, Mahatma Gandhi Rural employment guarantee, amongst others, are schemes that are working to provide decent work and economic growth to all strata. These are greatly aided by the work of local NGOS and the UNDP. The Supreme court is consolidating its position as strong guardian of the constitution and its citizens by ordering the setting up of special courts for speedy trials. It has especially directed that these courts be set up in Kerala and Bihar for looking into criminal cases against local MLAs and MPs in the states, giving out a strong message that miscreants would not be allowed to hold power. With FDI in retail, and the boom in the ecommerce sector, emphasis is being laid on supporting industry and innovation. These are lofty goals that pose the additional challenge of fighting against orthodox traditions and influencing mindsets, but the changes would result in a more impartial society, which is secure for all. What Can you do? Opening up the conversation about inequality and speaking up against discrimination are the founding steps. As most of these UNSDGs require a fundamental shift in the mentalities, influencing a person or a group to adopt a more inclusive and progressive outlook can go a long way. Social media also plays a vital role in disseminating this important message. Working towards creating an atmosphere of safety and opportunity for the weaker sex or sections of society are also essential. These include respect for household helps, and for women in all situations. Standing up for the rights of those being exploited also helps give them the strength to take a stand. Equality is a fundamental human right which is essential for a peaceful world. Inclusive economic growth that focuses on empowering all segments, would lead to better lifestyle creation as well as increased productivity. Imbalanced growth leads to large discontentment and subsequent disorder. Collective progress, with decent opportunities for all is the only way forward to a more sustainable future. Damini Chopra is an actress who appears in Hindi and Telugu films. She also works with NGOs that focus on child and women rights. This article is the second of a three-part series that examines these inter-related goals, and brings out their importance and relevance in todays society and the future. Delhi has a dubious reputation of being unsafe for girls and women. Between 2015-2018 a total of 27,356 children went missing from Delhi. According to Delhi Police figures, 18 children went missing every day in the national capital in 2017. A report by the Alliance for People's Rights (APR) found that out of every 10 children going missing in the national capital, six remain untraced. Often the missing children end up being in the hands of traffickers or sexual predators who are scouting for easy prey. representational image In a gruesome crime, the body of a seven-year-old girl who went missing on Saturday was found dumped on Sunday, after an apparent sexual assault. The girl, a resident of outer Delhis Nihal Vihar had left home on Saturday evening to buy momos along with her younger sister and never returned. The girl's father, an auto driver began searching for her after noticing that his daughter has not returned even by 9.30pm. Initially, the family searched in the neighbourhoods and later filed a police complaint. On Sunday morning, a passerby spotted a body in a bag dumped outside a park and informed the Nihal Vihar police station. According to police, the limbs of the girls were tied together and two ropes were found dangling from her neck. Several bruises on the head suggest that she was hit on the head with something like a stone, causing the death. Even though the girl's dress was found to be intact, police have not ruled out the possibility of a sexual assault. representational image An autopsy will be conducted to ascertain the cause of death. An investigation has been launched to identify the killer. Police are examining CCTV footage from the area and questioning shopkeepers for any leads. Saturday's incident is the third such case Delhi this year, where minor girls who went missing was found dead. On January 19, the body of an unidentified minor girl was found in a sack in Daryaganj with her throat slit. On January 27, the body of a six-year-old girl who went missing was found dumped in a sack near her home in Samaypur Badli Despite the police investigating all these cases, no arrests have been made in any of the cases. A whole bunch of people had gathered together, everyone was rejoicing and some were even bursting firecrackers to celebrate the moment. There were slogans, laughter and an overwhelming relief. What were these people celebrating? Someones death. Sounds weird doesnt it? A whole bunch of people got together to celebrate the execution of Ted Bundy, one of the historys most notorious criminals. Given that even the most heartless people often find themselves more empathetic when it comes to death, it really needs to be known what exactly Bundy did that made gathered him so much hate. wikipedia And on the face of it, it would seem strange that a person like Bundy would be involved in any crime at all. He was a well-educated and well-spoken man well on his way to becoming a lawyer. An active part of his social communities, people often recount that Bundy was a well-dressed man who had a way with words. But, then what happened? Born to an unwed mother with his fathers identity not known, Bundy was primarily raised by his grandparents. He discovered that his paternal parentage was not known into his teens and many often blame his actions on this. However, even after finding that he was all illegitimate child and finding himself stuck in an emotional crisis, Bundy didnt go astray when it came to academics. He went on to study Psychology during his undergraduate years and even work with a suicide helpline centre. He would also go on to work with political parties for election campaigns, something that won him excellent recommendations from well-placed political workers when it came to enrolling himself for law school. wikimediacommons Everything seemed to be going well. In fact, he also had romantic relationships. Though, many are also of the view that the dark crimes he was to commit was a result of his very first relationship with a girl he met at college while studying Psychology. She broke his heart by ending the relationships. However, this didnt deter him from having other relationships. While everything seemed to be going well for Bundy, there were reports of several women going missing from different areas across the US. There were eyewitness reports of a young man whod be last seen with the victims, but no one knew he was. From all the information gathered, the police did have Ted Bundy on their list, but no real reason to look into him because of his spotless track record. America was to discover true horror when a couple of trekkers found decomposing body parts on a trail they were going through. When the police reached, they found more body parts indicating that multiple people were buried at the same spot. Soon, a pattern could be established and America knew that a serial killer was on the run. Through the help of one of Ted Bundys potential victim who escaped, the police got a sketch but the final push came when Teds own girlfriend called the police after looking at the sketch, asking them to look into her boyfriend. truthfinder As more witnesses were questioned and evidence gathered, it became clear what Teds modus operandi was. He would pose as a man in crutches, lure women into helping him with his car and later, sexually assault them and at times, even mutilated their bodies only to murder them in gruesome ways. He was responsible for the death of over 30 women in the same fashion but these are the ones he was convicted of while many say that the count could have been up to 100. In fact, it was later that Ted himself admitted that he also committed necrophilia by often going and lying with the bodies of the women he had killed. At times, he would apply makeup on them and dress their hair. He severed and preserved 12 of his victims heads. In fact, his desire to kill was so strong that even when he was in jail, he managed to escape and went on a killing spree. He ended up killing four young women in a span of fifteen minutes. One of them had broken bones, one had a broken skull, ones nipple was ripped off along with a bloody bite mark on her buttock and one of them was violated using a hair mist bottle. After this, he went on to kidnap a 12-year-old and murdered her. He was caught with great difficulty given his excellent ability to hide himself and commit crimes leaving behind very little evidence. allthingsinteresting It was this ability that made it very difficult for the police authorities to convict him. However, it was the bite mark on one of his victims that was used to prove that he was, indeed, a killer. He was so cold-blooded that throughout his time in jail, he didnt once admit to the killings except for speaking about them two days before his death, which many assume was a ploy by him to extend the date of his execution. To think that he spent fourteen years in jail and majority of them as a convicted murderer, but never showed any sort of guilt for his crimes sends shivers down ones spine. Many psychologists are of the view that he was a sociopath given that he didnt have it in him to feel remorse for his actions. A highly twisted individual, even his psychiatrist at one of the jails where he served time would often joke about how Bundy tried to manipulate him. wikipedia At first look, one could never imagine Ted Bundy could be such a demon who preyed on young women and cut short their lives. Even while he was being tried for murder, hed come to court dressed up in coat and pants. He, in fact, represented himself and fought his own case given his legal knowledge. Maybe he did know the gravity of what he had done but was in denial given the fact that he could admit to all his crimes while talking to a journalist but in the third person. However, there was a very dark side to him that no one can deny. He was the one that broke a persons definition of a criminal. A criminal, clearly, could come right from the middle of all of us. Theyre intelligent people who just choose to use their mental ability for gruesome crimes. Embedded in the Tribune story about the closing of Holy Family Church (Historic Near West Side parish to close, move into nearby church, Jan. 27) was a link to another article, Chicago Archdiocese pays $1.65 million for Lincoln Park home to be used as parish priest residence. In these days of dwindling Catholic membership, it is ridiculous that the priests need to live in an opulent residence. Since the invention of cars, it is not necessary to live adjacent to your work place. Because of the dwindling number of priests, there are many rectories housing only one priest, so these retirees could easily be accommodated in places already owned by the archdiocese. This would free these purchase funds to help support schools and churches in struggling neighborhoods. By Acee Agoyo WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Hundreds of tribal leaders are in the nation's capital for a historic week of events that could end with another government shutdown. The State of Indian Nations , followed by the winter session of the National Congress of American Indians , are meant to promote the strength of tribal communities and shine a light on the trust and treaty responsibilities of the United States . The presence of the first two Native women in the U.S. House of Representatives also adds a new level of significance to the events, one fueled by a strong sense of hope and purpose But tribal leaders heard bad news as they began what otherwise promises to be a banner week. President Donald Trump and Congress -- divided between Republicans and Democrats -- remain far apart on a deal to fund the Bureau of Indian Affairs , the Indian Health Service and other federal agencies. Is a shutdown entirely off the table? The answer is no, Trump's acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said on NBC's Meet the Press program on Sunday. If a deal isn't reached by Friday, everyone is in line for another round of punishment. following the record-breaking impasse that put the squeeze on tribes and urban Indians. The shutdown is expected to be a huge topic of discussion this week as tribes share their stories, hear from key members of Congress and press the Trump administration for results. NCAI on Vimeo: State of Indian Nations State of Indian Nations #SOIN2019 National Congress of American Indians President Jefferson Keel will deliver the 2019 State of Indian Nations on Monday morning. It will be his sixth time doing so but this year's speech is a special one because Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico), who broke barriers and became one of the first Native women in Congress, will be providing the response to it. "The SOIN address will outline the goals of Indian Country, the opportunities for success and advancement of Native peoples, and the priorities for our nation-to-nation relationship with the United States," NCAI said ahead of the address. The event takes place at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., Tune in live starting at 9:30am Eastern The Native American Democratic Caucus of New Mexico presented Deb Haaland with a special gift: Ten Ways to Indigenize Congress. Number 10: Always remember every day is a good day to be Indigenous #SheReady @Deb4CongressNM pic.twitter.com/PVLjy1NHAN indianz.com (@indianz) January 2, 2019 #IndigenizeCongress The State of Indian Nation isn't the only time tribes will get face time with Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico), who is a citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna , during the week. She and Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kansas) who hails from the Ho-Chunk Nation , are hosting an open house on Monday afternoon at the U.S. Capitol. The session is yet another example of the ways the pair are working together to #IndigenizeCongress in ways never seen before. The NCAI team and wonderful volunteers are busy getting ready for #ECWS19, looking forward to a great week with everyone! #NativeElders #NativeYouth pic.twitter.com/HKd0Hxu6HM NCAI (@NCAI1944) February 10, 2019 NCAI Winter Session #ECWS19 The National Congress of American Indians kicks off its annual winter session at the Capitol Hilton in D.C. on Tuesday morning. Three of the four tribal citizens who serve in Congress will be addressing the meeting, giving tribal leaders a historic opportunity to hear from Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico), Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kansas) and Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma), a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation , in one setting over the week. Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), a citizen of the Cherokee Nation , is the only one who hasn't confirmed his attendance, though he has been invited and has spoken to NCAI in the past. For Haaland and Cole, who are speaking back to back on Tuesday, the session marks their first speaking engagement since being selected as co-chairs of the Congressional Native American Caucus , a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the U.S. House. Haaland is the first Native woman in that role while Cole is returning to the leadership position. But the lawmakers aren't the only draws this week. Key members of the Trump administration -- including President Trump's nominee to lead the Department of the Interior -- will speak to tribal leaders, plus the White House has decided to host its first large-scale listening session with tribes, after letting prior initiatives like the White House Tribal Nations Conference and the Council on Native American Affairs go dormant Congressman Tom Cole (Oklahoma) Congresswoman Deb Haaland (New Mexico) Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan (Minnesota) Jeannie Hovland, Commissioner, Administration for Native Americans Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (California) Supreme Court Project Update Congressman Raul Grijalva (Arizona) Congressman Will Hurd (Texas) Also on Tuesday, the newly created House Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States will hold its first hearing of the 116th Congress And in the evening, NCAI will host its 21st Annual NCAI Leadership Awards Banquet . There are five honorees this year. Congresswoman Sharice Davids (Kansas) Indian Child Welfare Act Update Senator Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) David Bernhardt, Acting Secretary, Department of the Interior Tara Sweeney, Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior White House Tribal Government Listening Session (Note: Not open to general public or press)"The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and the White House Domestic Policy Council invites tribal leaders to a listening session with White House officials," NCAI said on its agenda. "These listening sessions will serve as a new platform for tribal leaders to directly engage with the White House; identify key issues effecting tribal nations; and provide a foundation for future collaboration." Join the Conversation Mark Charles Calls for Assimilating Native People into We the [American] People By Steven Newcomb (Shawnee, Lenape) During a recent TED Talk, a man named Mark Charles , who is of Navajo and Dutch ancestry, and who identifies as a Calvinist Christian, gave a passionate talk about the American theme, 'We the people. He took strong issue with the fact that historically, women, Native Americans, and slaves (enumerated as 3/5s of a human being), were not included in the category We the people. Charles also talked a great deal about what is commonly called the doctrine of discovery, which I decided many years ago to call the doctrine of Christian discovery and domination . That doctrine, which Ive been researching and writing about since the early 1980s, dates back to the time of Columbus and the Vatican papal decrees of the fifteenth century. What Charles failed to say in his talk is that the doctrine of discovery is premised on the claim by Christian nations that they had located (discovered) the lands of heathens and infidels, for the benefit and profit of the Christian world. That way of thinking is premised on the idea that Christian nations supposedly had the right to establish a system of domination over any non-Christian lands on the planet and over the non-Christians living there. Charles condemned the doctrine of discovery as racist rather than a Christian religious phenomenon. The strangest aspect of Charles presentation was his emphasis on inclusion of Native Peoples in the U.S. system. His repeated encouragement to broaden the category we the people to include Native Peoples is actually a plan for assimilation that the U.S. government has been working on for generations. That U.S. process involves the planned destruction of Native nations by working to weave Native individuals into the political fabric of the United States as American citizens, as an integral part of we the people. This U.S. policy of individual Native assimilation dates back to the era of the Boarding Schools of domination, starting with Carlisle Indian Industrial School, which was founded by Colonel Richard Henry Pratt in the 1870s. Pratts infamous program to kill the Indian and save the man aimed at exactly the individual assimilation Charles encourages. Charles argument in favor of American Indian assimilation is in keeping with the very doctrine of discovery he claims to oppose. In other words, Charles ends up speaking in favor of the outcome of the doctrine he opposes. His way of speaking indicates the extent to which he identifies with the society of the United States rather than with Native nations: He repeatedly says, Our founding fathers, our founding documents, our constitution. When he talks that way he is not speaking as a citizen of the Navajo Nation, he is speaking as a U.S. citizen. He is disgruntled because our Native ancestors were not included in the American political community; he forgets that this political community was entirely foreign to, and invasive of, our own original nations of this Great Turtle Island continent commonly called North America. Charles says nothing about Vine Deloria, Jr., who was the first person to call out the Christian doctrine of discovery, and from whom I learned of the doctrine. He says nothing about those of us who have been working on publicizing this issue for decades, such as Birgil Kills Straight (Oglala Lakota), Oren Lyons (Onondaga Faith Keeper), Tonya Gonnella Frichner (Onondaga), Tupac Enrique Acosta , and Peter dErrico . I gave one of my first talks on the doctrine at the Land, Air, Water, Environmental Law Conference, 1992, at the University of Oregon School of Law, a talk I titled, American Indians as Infidels in U.S. Law. When I began researching and writing about the Doctrine of Discovery in the early 1980s, I did so because I believed in advocating for the right of Native nations to live free from oppression, so that someday our nations could live an existence free and independent of U.S. domination. I read the Mohawk newspaper Akwesasne Notes, which was published by Native intellectuals such as John Mohawk, Mike Meyers, Ray Cook, and Jose Barreiro. Akwesasne Notes was the official publication of the Mohawk Nation, which is part of the Haudenosaunee, otherwise known as the Six Nations Confederacy. Reading this publication and other materials, I was thinking about the issues facing our Native nations and peoples as a result of colonization. This is when I began my first decade of research into the history of federal Indian law and policy. During the 1980s, I placed a great deal of my focus on the 1823 Supreme Court ruling Johnson v. McIntosh , 21 U.S. (8 Wheat.) 543. I noticed Chief Justice Marshalls distinction between Christian people and what he called natives, who were heathens. That decision is where the U.S. supreme court formally adopted the doctrine of Christian Discovery. It is a claim that the U.S. owns Native lands; it says that Native Nations are mere occupants in their homelands. Johnson v. McIntosh is still used as a precedent in federal Indian law today. The TED Talk given by Mark Charles fails to explain that Chief Justice John Marshall used a Christian religious framework of domination as the basis for the Supreme Courts reasoning process in Johnson v. McIntosh. The doctrine was premised on the idea that any Christian people, nation, or state had a right of domination over the discovered lands and lives of non-Christians. That framework of religious bigotry is made evident by the Supreme Courts language in Johnson distinguishing between Christians and heathens. According to the court, heathens only have occupancy; title and ultimate dominion belongs to the Christian Europeans and their successor the United States. Unfortunately, during his talk Charles ignores the Christian religious (biblical) basis of the Johnson ruling, while claiming that racism and White Supremacy pose the central problem for Native people in the United States. He mixes up minority rights with Native rights. He implies that the central problem, as he defines it, will be solved by Native individuals becoming fully accepted into the body politic called we the people of the United States. In other words, Charles fails to show the way to a path for Native nations to liberate themselves from the U.S.s claim of a right of oppression over them. Instead, Charles advocates that Native individuals become fully integrated into the very same U.S. society that is dominating Native nations in the name of a plenary power of Congress premised on the claimed right of Christian discovery and domination. This kind of deep confusion does more to damage Native efforts than to help them. Steven Newcomb (Shawnee, Lenape) is a legal scholar and one of the worlds foremost authorities on the doctrine of Christian discovery. In 2008 Fulcrum published his book Pagans in the Promised Land: Decoding the Doctrine of Christian Discovery . In 1992, he and Birgil Kills Straight (Oglala Lakota Nation) co-founded the Indigenous Law Institute. Newcomb has been studying and writing about U.S. federal Indian law and policy since the early 1980s. In 2015, Newcomb and Sheldon Wolfchild (Dakota) completed a documentary movie based on Pagans in the Promised Land. Its titled The Doctrine of Discovery: Unmasking the Domination Code (2015). Note: Thumbnail photo of the U.S. Constitution by Steven Nichols Join the Conversation The following is the text of a letter sent February 8, 2019, to the chairman and ranking member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and to the chairman and ranking member of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee . It was written by O.J. Semans , a U.S. Navy veteran from the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. Dear Chairman [James] Inhofe, Ranking Member [Jack] Reed, Chairman [Adam] Smith, and Ranking Member [Mac] Thornberry: On behalf of Four Directions , I write to ask that you and your committees join Four Directions in righting a grave historical wrong by removing the Medals of Honor awarded to the perpetrators of the Wounded Knee Massacre . Four Directions does not stand alone in making this request; tribes and tribal members, as well as millions of citizens throughout the United States, stand by us and support our request. 129 years ago, members of the 7th Cavalry Regiment committed an atrocity against my ancestors, murdering hundreds of defenseless Lakota men, women, and children at Wounded Knee 29 years ago, Congress officially expressed its deep regret, to me and to all Sioux people , for what it acknowledged was a Massacre at Wounded Knee Yet for this atrocity, 20 members of the Seventh Cavalry Regiment still carry the Medal of Honor , the highest honor our nation gives to soldiers for gallantry in battle. U.S. soldiers can be seen in the background as Chief Spotted Elk, also known as Big Foot, lies frozen to death at the site of the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre in South Dakota. Image: Department of Defense. Department of the Army. Office of the Chief Signal Officer In passing Senate Concurrent Resolution 153 in 1990, Congress acknowledged, 100 years after the fact, that the 7th Cavalry Regiment committed no gallantry in slaughtering innocents at Wounded Knee Congress said then it sought to acknowledge and learn from our history, including the Wounded Knee Massacre, in order to provide a proper foundation for building an ever more humane, enlightened, and just society for the future. Gentlemen, that foundation is laid. The future is now. In the spirit of humanity, enlightenment, and justice, we ask the Senate and House Armed Services Committees include in the next National Defense Authorization Act, language rescinding the Medals of Honor wrongly granted for murdering our women and children at Wounded Knee As we proceed with our campaign to remove these medals from the individuals who committed this hideous act, Four Directions will be following up to request meetings with you and your top staff, as well as the opportunity to share our concerns with other committee members. Please do not let another anniversary of this Massacre pass with those Medals of Honor still in place. Take those medals back and let that action promote the noble aim of reconciliation Congress expressed in 1990. Our Nations honor demands it. Most respectfully, O.J. Semans, United States Navy VeteranCo-Executive Director, Four Directions Join the Conversation By Acee Agoyo WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With key officials from the Trump administration in the audience, the nation's largest and oldest inter-tribal advocacy group opened a historic week of events here with a stinging rebuke of the president and his policies. From the recent shutdown of the federal government to the deaths of Indigenous children at the border, National Congress of American Indians President Jefferson Keel left almost no stone unturned in the pointed speech, delivered just a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol. He characterized Donald Trump's treatment of tribal communities as one of neglect and lack of respect for the trust and treaty relationship This administrations priorities are elsewhere, Keel said in the 17th annual State of Indian Nations address "In recent times, that hope has been compromised by a president who fails to acknowledge our nation's history and, in the process, he fails to live up to the trust obligations of the U.S. government," said Haaland, who is a citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna . "His ignorant and tone-deaf statements illustrate that our voices have been voice or minimized in the national dialog because we have largely been without Native American representation." The assault was all the more remarkable due to presence of officials from the Trump administration at the event, held at the Newseum in the nation's capital. Jim Cason, the Associate Deputy Secretary at the Department of the Interior , went out of his way to greet Keel beforehand and to relay the desires of his boss, David Bernhardt, who has been nominated to lead the agency , to watch the address even though he wasn't able to be there in person. Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney , who is the first Alaska Native woman to hold the position, was eager to reach out too. She jumped up at the first chance possible to introduce herself to Haaland prior to the start of the speech and listened intently throughout, frequently nodding and applauding at key moments. But even as the two officials rushed out of the room at the conclusion of the event, there were no signs of tension between the administration and NCAI. Bernhardt, whose official title is Deputy Secretary of the Interior , and Sweeney are due to address tribal leaders Tuesday morning as the organization kicks off its winter session at a hotel only a couple of blocks from the White House. Still, there was little doubt about the intensity of Keel's remarks. During the same address a year ago , he directed much of his concerns to Congress, calling on the legislative body to do a better job of including Indian Country in key legislation. This time the message was vastly different. He described the 35-day shutdown of the federal government, which was instigated by the president right before Christmas, as a "pointless crisis" and one that represented a gross dereliction of duty to tribes and their citizens and expressed alarms that another one is on the way unless a deal is reached by Friday. "America should not stand for another," Keel, who also serves as lieutenant governor of the Chickasaw Nation , said of the potential threat. NCAI on Vimeo: State of Indian Nations In remarks aimed squarely at Interior, Keel singled out a slew of policy actions and developments as reckless. He urged Cason and Sweeney, as well as their boss back in the office, to put a halt to the rushed and ill conceived reorganization at the department, saying it was initiated without consulting tribes and has moved forward against their well-declared opposition. Keel once again reiterated NCAI's support for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe , whose homelands are in danger of being taken out of trust by the Trump administration, something that hasn't happened since the devastating termination era . Sweeney was the official who signed the decision, one which she previously said she "walked into" less than two months after joining Interior's leadership team last summer. "This not only ignores the Indian Reorganization Act's mandate of tribal self-determination, it is patently and arbitrarily unfair," Keel said of the controversial "about face" toward the People of the First Light, whose ancestors welcomed some of the first European settlers to the Americas nearly 400 years ago. Along those same lines, Keel called for the withdrawal of proposed regulations that tribes believe will make it all but impossible for them to restore the lands that were taken from them by the U.S. government. The rule, which remains under consideration at Interior, contains language that would allow the Bureau of Indian Affairs to take tribal lands out of trust, which the Trump administration has acknowledged it currently lacks the authority to do. And he said the department must once again allow tribes in Sweeney's home state of Alaska to protect their territories by going through the land-into-trust process . A day before she was confirmed as the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, the rug was pulled out from under the tribes by a higher-ranking official at Interior. "The federal government's policy for tribal lands needs to put the interests of tribal nations first -- and no one else's," Keel asserted. NCAI President Jefferson Keel discusses the need for a clean #CarcieriFix, a reinstatement of the Alaska M Opinion, and the importance of tribal land issues. #SOIN2019 pic.twitter.com/aOthm9NLGB NCAI (@NCAI1944) February 11, 2019 Keel also appeared to take a parting shot at former Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke , who resigned under a cloud of investigations . He said whoever inherits the position -- Bernhardt awaits confirmation for it -- must do more than "pay lip service to tribal sovereignty." Zinke, a former U.S. Navy SEAL, had often told tribes and anyone who would listen that "Sovereignty should mean something" but actions at Interior over the past two years seem to indicate otherwise, judging by Keel's critique. Haaland's decision to provide a response from a Congressional perspective spoke volumes about the changed political climate as well. Though she is a freshman lawmaker, she has already secured a number of leadership positions in the U.S. House of Representatives , and she vowed to use them to hold the Trust administration accountable for its trust and treaty obligations. As vice chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources, Im committed to protecting our sacred lands, addressing climate change, and moving renewable energy forward, so we can pass our natural treasures down to our children, Haaland, a citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna , said of her role on the legislative panel with jurisdiction over Indian issues. Haaland will be putting her promise into practice as a member of the newly created House Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States , which holds its first hearing of the 116th Congress on Tuesday afternoon. The proceeding focuses on climate change, an issue that has been largely ignored by Trump and his Republican allies in Congress over the past decade. And on Wednesday, she will be chairing her first hearing of the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands. She will continue the Democratic-led focus on climate change , a development that was welcomed by NCAI. "Simply put, we can no longer afford need deniers. We need doers," President Keel said of climate change, which Trump once derided as a "hoax." The State of Indian Nations marks the beginning of NCAI's winter session in D.C. Tribal leaders will be meeting at the Capitol Hilton for the remainder of the week, as well as paying visits to members of Congress. Besides Associate Deputy Secretary Cason and Assistant Secretary Sweeney, other representatives of the Trump administration in attendance at the speech included Jeannie Hovland , a citizen of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe who serves as the Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans . The position, housed at the Department of Health and Human Services , had been vacant for two years. Also in attendance was Michael Weahkee, a citizen of the Pueblo of Zuni who has been placed in charge of the Indian Health Service by the Trump administration. The IHS director's position has been vacant since February 2015, during the Obama era. "We've been without one for four years, which is outrageous," Keel said on Monday to applause. The Native American Democratic Caucus of New Mexico presented Deb Haaland with a special gift: Ten Ways to Indigenize Congress. Number 10: Always remember every day is a good day to be Indigenous #SheReady @Deb4CongressNM pic.twitter.com/PVLjy1NHAN indianz.com (@indianz) January 2, 2019 #IndigenizeCongress The State of Indian Nation isn't the only time tribes will get face time with Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico), who is a citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna , during the week. She and Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kansas) who hails from the Ho-Chunk Nation , are hosting an open house on Monday afternoon at the U.S. Capitol. The session is yet another example of the ways the pair are working together to #IndigenizeCongress in ways never seen before. The NCAI team and wonderful volunteers are busy getting ready for #ECWS19, looking forward to a great week with everyone! #NativeElders #NativeYouth pic.twitter.com/HKd0Hxu6HM NCAI (@NCAI1944) February 10, 2019 NCAI Winter Session #ECWS19 The National Congress of American Indians kicks off its annual winter session at the Capitol Hilton in D.C. on Tuesday morning. Three of the four tribal citizens who serve in Congress will be addressing the meeting, giving tribal leaders a historic opportunity to hear from Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico), Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kansas) and Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma), a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation , in one setting over the week. Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), a citizen of the Cherokee Nation , is the only one who hasn't confirmed his attendance, though he has been invited and has spoken to NCAI in the past. For Haaland and Cole, who are speaking back to back on Tuesday, the session marks their first speaking engagement since being selected as co-chairs of the Congressional Native American Caucus , a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the U.S. House. Haaland is the first Native woman in that role while Cole is returning to the leadership position. But the lawmakers aren't the only draws this week. Key members of the Trump administration -- including President Trump's nominee to lead the Department of the Interior -- will speak to tribal leaders, plus the White House has decided to host its first large-scale listening session with tribes, after letting prior initiatives like the White House Tribal Nations Conference and the Council on Native American Affairs go dormant Congressman Tom Cole (Oklahoma) Congresswoman Deb Haaland (New Mexico) Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan (Minnesota) Jeannie Hovland, Commissioner, Administration for Native Americans Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (California) Supreme Court Project Update Congressman Raul Grijalva (Arizona) Congressman Will Hurd (Texas) Also on Tuesday, the newly created House Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States will hold its first hearing of the 116th Congress And in the evening, NCAI will host its 21st Annual NCAI Leadership Awards Banquet . There are five honorees this year. Congresswoman Sharice Davids (Kansas) Indian Child Welfare Act Update Senator Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) David Bernhardt, Acting Secretary, Department of the Interior Tara Sweeney, Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior White House Tribal Government Listening Session (Note: Not open to general public or press)"The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and the White House Domestic Policy Council invites tribal leaders to a listening session with White House officials," NCAI said on its agenda. "These listening sessions will serve as a new platform for tribal leaders to directly engage with the White House; identify key issues effecting tribal nations; and provide a foundation for future collaboration." Join the Conversation Cindy McCain, the wife of the late U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona), apologized last week after reporting a false case of human trafficking but it's not the first time she has made unsubstantiated claims about children being victimized. In testimony to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs , McCain said she witnessed "six little girls" being trafficked at casino in Arizona. She did not disclose the location but said it was "just outside of Phoenix," where a number of tribes operate facilities. "Native American girls and women are all too often trafficked by their own relatives, both on and off the reservation," McCain told the committee on September 27, 2017 . "Indian gaming and urbanized tribes have presented us with a new set of trafficking issues." "I witnessed with my own eyes six little girls lined up against a wall inside a casino just outside of Phoenix on display for customers," she continued. "These children were silent and visibly scared." And just like the alleged incident of trafficking at the Phoenix airport that she talked about in an appearance on KTAR News 92.3 FM last week, McCain said she alerted authorities to the presence of the purported victims. But she claims they were of no assistance. "I contacted hotel security," she testified. "Unsure what they should do, security personnel allowed the children to remain at the casino." "I have found that Native Americans are largely overlooked as victims," she added, to somewhat dramatic effect. No one on the committee followed up on McCain's casino story during the hearing. But both she and her late husband, who served two terms as chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and championed legislation to prevent child abuse in Indian Country , also made dramatic claims about a notorious classified ad website that had long been accused of facilitating human trafficking. "Websites like backpage.com are knowingly exploiting Native Americans and Alaska Natives," the late senator said in his opening remarks. "Because of their exotic beauty, Native American girls are also sold at a very high price on websites like backpage.com," Cindy McCain, who appeared at the hearing as a co-chair of the Arizona Governor's Human Trafficking Council , said later during the hearing though she did not offer specifics. "Backpage has been found to be complicit in writing the ads that vaguely attempt to disguise the sale of these precious children for sex," she continued. "In other words, Backpage knowingly promotes the abuse of our beautiful Native American children along with other ethnicities." Witnesses at Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing on trafficking of Native Americans, from left: Gretta L. Goodwin, Tracy Toulou, Jason Thompson, Nicole Matthews and Cindy McCain. Photo: SCIA Within six months of the hearing, the site was shut down by federal authorities and its co-founders were charged with facilitating prostitution . A trial is scheduled for January 2020, The Arizona Republic reported. During the hearing, McCain was asked about the prevalence of human trafficking in Indian Country and about Native American trafficking victims. She acknowledged that such data is extremely limited, making it difficult to determine the extent of the problem. "Proportionate to that, we tried to do the best we could on finding out how many or if there were any Native American victims involved in that," she said. "It is very hard to find. We were doing it off Backpage and we worked with several other tech companies to help us do this. It is very hard." The Department of Justice has long refused to require the collection of such data, an issue that was raised repeatedly during the hearing . And, with the exception of the Bureau of Indian Affairs , the federal agencies with law enforcement authority on reservations do not report whether a victim of trafficking is American Indian or Alaska Native. "If you don't have the data, it can sometimes be really difficult to determine what services can be provided to a particular population," Gretta L. Goodwin, a director at the Government Accountability Office , told the committee. The GAO has produced reports that explain the need to collect such data. Other government reports have showed that Native Americans are victimized at rates far higher than the general population and that Native women are more likely to be a victim of homicide than any other race or ethnicity. As for the incident at the Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, it involved a child who was waiting with a woman "of a different ethnicity," McCain said. She claimed the woman was trafficking the child. "I went over to the police and told them what I thought," McCain said on KTAR News 92.3 FMs Mac & Gaydos program "They went over and questioned her and, by God, she was trafficking that kid." At Phoenix Sky Harbor, I reported an incident that I thought was trafficking. I commend the police officers for their diligence. I apologize if anything else I have said on this matter distracts from if you see something, say something Cindy McCain (@cindymccain) February 7, 2019 The Phoenix police, however, told the Arizona media that they followed up on McCain's report and found no evidence of a crime or a child in danger. " I apologize if anything else I have said on this matter distracts from 'if you see something, say something,'" McCain said in a February 6 post on Twitter after the police refuted her claim. Read More on the Story Join the Conversation I spent a lot of time practicing especially when I was in high school. I would practice every day. Id go to school and build a project to practice for the masonry contest every single day. Sometimes Id build two or three a day. Id go to school and Id build one and sometimes two at school and then Id come home and build another one some days and it really pays off when you win." Illinois attorney general has asked the states highest court to review what prosecutors consider a too lenient sentence for the white Chicago police officer who shot dead black teenager Laquan McDonald. Attorney general Kwame Raoul and the special prosecutor who won the conviction against Jason Van Dyke said they believe Judge Vincent Gaughan did not properly apply the law when he sentenced Van Dyke to six years and nine months in prison. In a rare move, Mr Raoul and Kane County states attorney Joseph McMahon filed a request with the Illinois Supreme Court seeking an order that would send the case back to Mr Gaughan for a new sentence. Without a new sentence and with credit for good behaviour, Van Dyke is likely to serve only around three years for firing 16 bullets into McDonald in 2014. Dashcam video of the shooting released by the city in 2015 showed Van Dyke continued to fire as the 17-year-old crumpled to the street and lie on the ground. The sentence was the first imposed on a Chicago police officer for an on-duty shooting in half a century. Mondays move is the latest chapter in an ongoing saga that has included massive demonstrations, the firing of the police superintendent by the mayor and the ouster of the countys top prosecutors by voters a few months later, the judges ruling to sentence Van Dyke to less than seven years in prison was met with anger and disappointment by activists. Mr Raoul reacted quickly. In one of his first moves after taking office in January, he announced he would review the sentence Mr Gaughan had handed down just days earlier. Petrofac is under the cosh (Danny Lawson/PA) Petrofac is facing the prospect of a 400 million payout to investors amid legal action linked to an alleged bribery scandal at the oil services firm. Last week David Lufkin, the former global head of sales at Petrofac, pleaded guilty to offering corrupt payments in an attempt to secure contracts in Saudi Arabia worth 3.5 billion US dollars (2.7 billion) and contracts in Iraq worth 730 million US dollars (566 million). On Monday, litigation funder Innsworth and law firm Keystone said that they are analysing potential claims and are actively putting together a group of shareholders to launch action against Petrofac. Ian Garrard, managing director of Innsworth, said the group is in a pre-eminent position to assemble and fund a shareholder group action against Petrofac. Innsworth, which helps fund lawsuits and then takes a portion of the damages if successful, is also behind a shareholder claim against car giant Volkswagen over the emissions scandal. The allegations of bribery, corruption and money laundering at Petrofac relate to oil contractor and consultancy Unaoil. Shares in Petrofac collapsed in 2017 when the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) announced its investigation into the companies. Chief executive Ayman Asfari, a Tory party donor, and the then chief operating officer Marwan Chedid were both arrested and questioned under caution but later released without charge. Petrofacs stock was again hit when Mr Lufkin admitted charges at Westminster Magistrates Court last week, tumbling by more than a quarter. Innsworth, which is funded by Elliott, is engaging investors who held shares from 2010. Petrofac said last week that no charges have been brought against any group company, current officers, employees or board members. Rene Medori, chairman of Petrofac, said at the time: The SFO has chosen to bring charges against a former employee of a subsidiary company. It has deliberately not chosen to charge any group company or any other officer or employee. In the absence of any charge or credible evidence, Petrofac intends as a matter of policy to stand by its employees. Petrofac has policies and procedures in place designed to ensure that we operate at the highest levels of compliance and ethics. Petrofac shares were trading flat at 395p in morning trade. Wave: Senator Elizabeth Warren acknowledges cheers as she takes the stage during an event to formally launch her presidential campaign in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Photo: AP Elizabeth Warren, the new front-runner for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, hit the campaign trail yesterday, hoping to shake off criticism of her past claim to American Indian heritage that threatened to cast a shadow over her White House bid. The Massachusetts senator, a top-tier contender for the nomination but facing an increasingly crowded Democrat field, immediately took aim at Donald Trump, who she said could be in jail come election day. "By the time we get to 2020, Donald Trump may not even be president," Ms Warren said. "In fact, he may not even be a free person." Ms Warren (69) travelled to the critical electoral state of Iowa less than 24 hours after launching her candidacy. In Cedar Rapids, she spoke of rebuilding the middle class through economic equality and challenging corporate wrongdoing. "I want to be clear on this," she said. "I'm not taking one thin dime of PAC money [campaign funds distributed by political action committees]. I'm not taking one thin dime of federal lobbyist money. And I'm not going out kissing up to a bunch of billionaires hoping they'll fund a super PAC for me." Despite her unquestionable popularity, the progressive Democrat has been dogged by accusations that early in her career she misrepresented her heritage as American Indian to take advantage of affirmative action. She has denied such an intention. With a crowded and talented field vying for the nomination - to which Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota also officially joined late yesterday - the issue could be too big a hurdle for her to overcome. In an interview on CNN, Liz Cheney, a Republican member of congress, said: "The notion that anybody of any political party would pretend that they were a member of a tribe or pretend they were Native American and would do it as she seems to have done it in order to get benefits, that is, in my view, the disgrace." Last week, Ms Warren apologised after the 'Washington Post' unearthed her handwritten registration for the State Bar of Texas on which she identified as "American Indian". "I am sorry for furthering confusion on tribal sovereignty and tribal citizenship and harm that resulted," she said. Last year, she released the results of a DNA test that showed distant American Indian lineage, six to 10 generations ago. But proof of that tenuous link did nothing to dampen the flames. Mr Trump has homed in on Ms Warren's assertion that she descends from the Cherokee nation, repeatedly calling her Pocahontas. On Saturday, he was widely criticised for posting a joking reference to the Trail of Tears, the forced relocation of American Indians to reservations in the 1800s. Thousands died of exposure, disease and starvation on the journey. Shortly after Ms Warren declared, he wrote: "Will she run as our first Native American presidential candidate, or has she decided that after 32 years, this is not playing so well anymore? See you on the campaign TRAIL, Liz!" Today the president travels to El Paso, Texas, for his first rally of 2019, as Beto O'Rourke, another potential presidential contender, joins an anti-wall march a kilometre away. Yesterday it emerged that border security funding talks had stalled, with Mick Mulvaney, Mr Trump's chief of staff, saying he "absolutely cannot" rule out another government shutdown. The White House had asked for $5.7bn, a figure rejected by the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, and the mood among bargainers has soured, according to sources. "You cannot take a shutdown off the table, and you cannot take $5.7bn off the table," Mr Mulvaney told NBC, "but if you end up someplace in the middle, yeah, then what you probably see is the president say, 'Yeah, OK, and I'll go find the money someplace else.'" A congressional deal seemed to stall even after Mr Mulvaney convened a bipartisan group of lawmakers at Camp David on Friday. While the two sides seemed close to clinching a deal late last week, significant gaps remained and momentum appears to have slowed. The White House and many Republicans want to push the amount that would be spent for building physical barriers to $2bn or higher. Democrats have said they will keep that figure below $2bn, with some saying they support perhaps half that. "I think talks are stalled right now," Republican Senator Richard Shelby said. But Mr Mulvaney did signal that the White House would prefer not to have a repeat of the last shutdown. Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] The 'National Enquirer' committed neither extortion nor blackmail by threatening to publish intimate photos of Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos, a lawyer for the tabloid insists. Elkan Abromowitz, a lawyer for American Media Inc chief executive David Pecker, said a "reliable source" well known to Mr Bezos and his mistress provided the story about the billionaire's extramarital affair. Mr Bezos has said AMI threatened to publish the explicit photos of him unless he stopped investigating how the 'Enquirer' obtained his private exchanges with his mistress, former TV anchor Lauren Sanchez. AMI also wanted Mr Bezos to publicly declare that coverage of him by the 'Enquirer' was not politically motivated. Mr Bezos also owns 'The Washington Post'. Mr Bezos's investigators have suggested coverage of the affair by the 'Enquirer' was driven by dirty politics, and the high-profile clash has pitted the world's richest man against the leader of America's best-known tabloid, who is a strong backer of President Donald Trump. Mr Trump has been highly critical of Mr Bezos over his ownership of the 'Post' and Amazon, and coverage of the White House by the 'Post'. Federal prosecutors are looking into whether the 'Enquirer' violated a co-operation and non-prosecution agreement that recently spared the gossip sheet from charges for paying hush money to a 'Playboy' model who claimed she had an affair with Mr Trump. But asked during an interview with ABC's 'This Week' whether he was concerned the Bezos matter could jeopardise the non-cooperation agreement, Mr Abramowitz said: "Absolutely not." Mr Abramowitz defended the tabloid's handling of the situation as part of a standard legal negotiation. "I think both Bezos and AMI had interests in resolving their interests," Mr Abramowitz said. "It's absolutely not a crime to ask somebody to simply tell the truth. Tell the truth that this was not politically motivated, and we will print no more stories." Mr Bezos's affair became public when the 'Enquirer' published a story on January 9 about his relationship with Ms Sanchez, who is also married. Mr Bezos then hired a team of private investigators to find out how the tabloid got the texts and photos the two exchanged. Mr Bezos's investigators, led by security consultant Gavin de Becker, have focused on Sanchez's brother, according to sources. Michael Sanchez is his sister's manager, a Trump supporter and an acquaintance of Trump allies Roger Stone and Carter Page. Mr Abramowitz would not comment when asked whether Mr Sanchez was the source for the 'Enquirer' but said: "Bezos and Ms Sanchez knew who the source was." Mr Sanchez has declined to speak to the media. In a January 31 tweet, he said, without evidence, that Mr de Becker "spreads fake, unhinged conservative conspiracy theories". After Mr Bezos last Thursday posted the exchanges with AMI in an extraordinary blog post on Medium.com, several celebrities and journalists posted on social media that they too had been threatened by AMI. Ronan Farrow said he "and at least one other prominent journalist" reporting on the tabloid had "fielded similar 'stop digging or we'll ruin you' blackmail efforts from AMI" and actor Terry Crews alleged the company tried to "silence him" by "fabricating stories of me with prostitutes". Mr Abramowitz said he didn't know of any AMI employees blackmailing celebrities or journalists or "committing any crime at all". In recent months, the Trump-friendly tabloid acknowledged secretly assisting Mr Trump's White House campaign by paying $150,000 to 'Playboy' centrefold Karen McDougal for the rights to her story about an alleged affair with Mr Trump. The company then buried the story until after the 2016 election. Mr Trump's long-time personal attorney and fixer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty last year to charges that included helping to broker that transaction. As part of a non-prosecution agreement in that case, AMI promised not to break the law. This time Republicans and Democrats, along with Trump, are taking a more pragmatic approach. They are haggling over numbers rather than fighting over policies. Trump demanded $5.7 billion for a barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent people from walking into the country. The president now will compromise on the amount, though he could change his mind: All it takes from Trump is one tweet to upend the status quo. Democrats focus on the number of beds ICE should maintain for detainees who come into custody within the U.S. The conflict with Republicans relates to how aggressively ICE should target people living in the country without legal permission. Kim Phuc is being honoured for her support of Unesco and children wounded in war (AP Photo/Nick Ut) Kim Phuc, known as the Napalm Girl in an iconic 1972 Vietnam War photo, is receiving a 10,000 euro (8,700) award in Germany for her work for peace. Organisers of the Dresden Prize say the 55-year-old, who now lives in Canada, is being honoured for her support of Unesco and children wounded in war, and for speaking out publicly against violence and hatred. Expand Close South Vietnamese forces follow after terrified children, including nine-year-old Kim Phuc, centre (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp South Vietnamese forces follow after terrified children, including nine-year-old Kim Phuc, centre (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File) Past recipients of the prize include former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and American civil rights activist Tommie Smith. Ms Phuc was nine when a South Vietnamese plane dropped napalm bombs on her village, believing it harboured enemy North Vietnamese troops. The scene of Ms Phuc running down a road crying, naked and with burns across her body was captured by photographer Nick Ut, winning a Pulitzer Prize in 1973. Smoke: An explosion on the frontline in Bagouz, Syria. Photo: Getty Images US-backed troops yesterday battled at Syria's eastern edge to oust Isil from the last square mile of the group's once-sprawling so-called caliphate territory. More than four years into Operation Inherent Resolve, the US-led coalition against Isil is close to claiming victory in the battle for territory once overrun by jihadists from all over the world. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led group and the lead coalition proxy on the ground, said late on Saturday that it would mount a final push following a week-long pause in fighting. The SDF claimed the pause was because Isil was using civilians as human shields. However, it is understood the reason was to allow for negotiations between the SDF and Isil, which had been seeking safe passage to other desert areas of Syria in return for the release of dozens of SDF fighters captured in battle. Talks collapsed on Friday and on Saturday Isil released a video of the execution of two Arab members of the SDF. The SDF, backed by coalition air power, has mowed through Isil's former territory, moving south to a one square mile wedge of land bordered by the Iraqi border to the east and the Euphrates river to the west. The SDF yesterday pushed towards the village of Bagouz, where it is estimated up to 600 jihadists could remain, including many foreign fighters. "Our forces are relying on direct combat with light weapons," said Mustafa Bali, the SDF spokesman, claiming his men had captured 41 jihadist positions before the day's end. Just inside Iraq, French troops were poised to ambush any jihadists trying to escape across the border they once bulldozed through with ease. Coalition deputy commander Christopher Ghika last week said Iraqi forces had sealed their border with Syria. But even as the ground held by the jihadists shrinks, the terror group maintains a network of cells and supporters spanning the globe. The presence of hundreds of foreign fighters and their wives raises difficult questions about the group's legacy and the willingness of other countries to tackle it head-on. Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] Newly born conjoined twins Abdelkhaleq and Abdelkarim lie in an incubator in intensive care at al-Thawra hospital in Sanaa. Photo: Reuters Conjoined twin boys born under blockade in Yemen nearly three weeks ago died at the weekend after attempts to secure their evacuation for potentially life-saving treatment failed. The health ministry said the twins' deaths reflected the humanitarian situation faced by Yemen's children as a result of the civil war, according to a statement carried by the Houthi-run Saba news. Abdelkhaleq and Abdelkarim were born in Houthi-controlled Sanaa, at a hospital woefully under-equipped after years of bombardment and blockade by the Saudi-led coalition. The tiny boys had separate heads, spines, lungs and hearts, but they shared a liver, reproductive organs and a pair of kidneys, arms and legs between them. The twins' doctors had begged for them to be evacuated to a hospital equipped to give them life-saving treatment. However, Yemen's airspace is controlled by the Saudi-led coalition and, following Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, no civilian flights have taken off from Sanaa since 2015. The only flights permitted in and out are those operated by the United Nations. Despite offers from a Saudi organisation to provide the needed medical care, no way around the blockade was found. Since the war broke out between Houthi rebels and the Yemeni government in 2015, doctors in the country have reported a general rise in birth defects. The UN has warned that about half of Yemen's 28 million people are living on the brink of famine. Riot police run past burning dustbins set on fire by yellow vest protesters during a 13th straight weekend of demonstrations. Photo: AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu A vicious street brawl between rival "yellow vest" factions has highlighted bitter divisions among the anti-government protesters as the speaker of the national assembly warned of violence engulfing French politics. Dozens of far-right supporters and ultra-leftists taking part in "yellow vest" protests fought with fists, rocks and sticks in the eastern city of Lyon at the weekend. The violence was seen as further evidence of widening splits within the leaderless grassroots movement. The protesters are united only in their opposition to Emmanuel Macron, the president, and often make radically different demands of his government. Clashes with police erupted across France, with protesters torching cars and smashing the windows of shops and banks. In Montpellier, in the south, a 12-year-old boy was detained for allegedly aiming a catapult at police HQ. An amateur photographer had four fingers blown off in Paris, reportedly by a stun grenade thrown by police at protesters. About 55,000 gilets jaunes (yellow vests) joined the protests on Saturday, with more than 5,000 in Paris. The numbers have dwindled over the weeks, with some put off by violence and attacks on public monuments. Protesters in Budapest make their voices hear after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban delivered his annual state of the nation address. Photo: Reuters Women are being offered a lifetime exemption from income tax if they have four children under Hungarian plans to replace immigration and combat falling birth rates. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced the incentive as part of a series of tax and loan benefits for families. Mr Orban, one of the most outspoken critics of mass immigration to Europe from the Middle East and Asia, added that he aimed to keep economic growth two percentage points over the EU average in the next years despite an expected global slowdown. However, the ruling party would not say how much the new measures would cost. Expand Close Defiant: Viktor Orban has stuck to his line on immigration. Photo: Reuters / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Defiant: Viktor Orban has stuck to his line on immigration. Photo: Reuters Mr Orban's ruling Fidesz party faces European Parliament and local government elections this year after a string of protests in recent months against the 55-year-old premier's rule, although the party still leads in opinion polls. The rallies were sparked by the passage of laws in December allowing employers to ask for up to 400 hours of overtime per year, and the creation of new administrative courts that will answer to the government and oversee sensitive issues. As Mr Orban gave his annual state of the nation speech yesterday, several hundred protesters gathered outside the Presidential Palace in Buda Castle, while about a hundred demonstrators blocked a nearby bridge over the Danube river. "There are fewer and fewer children born in Europe. For the West, the answer (to that challenge) is immigration. For every missing child there should be one coming in and then the numbers will be fine," Mr Orban said. "But we do not need numbers. We need Hungarian children," he said. His plans would "ensure the survival of the Hungarian nation". The new measures include the expansion of a loan programme for families with at least two children to help them buy homes. There will also be a subsidy of 2.5 million forint (7,800) toward the purchase a seven-seat vehicle for families with three or more children. Women below 40 who marry for the first time will be eligible for a 10 million forint (32,000) subsidised loan, Mr Orban said. A third of the debt will be forgiven when a second child is born and the entire loan waived after the third child. Despite the street protests, Mr Orban's Fidesz party remains well ahead of its opposition rivals, according to the latest opinion polls this week. Anger: Protesters hold up placards saying 'Prison for coup leaders' during a rally against Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Madrid. Photo: Reuters Tens of thousands of people waving Spain's red-and-yellow flag protested in Madrid to oppose any concessions by the government to Catalan pro-independence parties and to call for early elections. Demonstrators chanting "Spain! Spain!" and "We want to vote!" filled the Plaza de Colon in the city centre in the largest protest Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has faced in eight months in office. Expand Close The protests attracted nearly 50,000 people, according to police. Photo: Reuters / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The protests attracted nearly 50,000 people, according to police. Photo: Reuters The opposition centre-right and far-right parties called the rally, seeking to make a show of force against Mr Sanchez by capitalising on anger with Catalonia's separatist leaders and the government's efforts to establish a dialogue with them. Up to 45,000 people attended, according to official estimates. The government's proposal last Tuesday to appoint a rapporteur in talks among political parties to address the Catalan independence crisis galvanised the opposition, which deemed it a betrayal and a surrender to pressure from Catalan separatists. "The time of Sanchez's government has ended," Popular Party leader Pablo Casado said before the protest. Some banners at the rally read "Sanchez, liar" and "Spain is not negotiable and cannot be sold". Mr Sanchez, who replaced a conservative government last June in a vote of confidence, holds just a quarter of the seats in parliament and relies on backing from anti-austerity party Podemos, Catalan nationalists and other small parties to pass laws. The government is squeezed on both sides of the Catalan issue: Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo said on Friday the talks were on track to fail because Catalan pro-independence groups had rejected the government's proposed framework. The Catalan groups want a referendum on independence included on the agenda, which Madrid will not accept. Ana Puente, a 73-year-old retiree who attended the gathering, said she was protesting for a "united Spain". "The government is giving many things to supporters of Catalan independence and is going to break Spain apart," said Raquel Garcia (76), who was carrying a Spanish flag. Mr Sanchez has rejected that argument, telling a separate rally in the northern city of Santander: "The government works for the unity of Spain and that means to unify Spaniards and not to put one against the other as the right is doing today in Colon Square." The protest took place before the start tomorrow of the trial of 12 Catalan independence leaders, who face up to 25 years in prison on charges of rebellion and misuse of public funds for their role in a failed secession bid from Spain that they are accused of spearheading in 2017. The government faces a key vote on Wednesday on its 2019 budget proposal, which is likely to fail without the support of Catalan parties. But those parties have said their vote for the budget is conditional on the Catalan talks including the issue of independence, something the government has refused to include. Failure by parliament to approve the budget bill could prompt a snap election before the next scheduled vote in 2020. The head of Thailand's biggest corporation says he sees strong opportunities to grow Irish-Asian trade following his first visit to Ireland. (stock picture) Two headless male bodies and a detached female head have been found washed up on tourist resort beaches in southern Thailand. One naked male body found by police at Mae Ramphueng Beach in Rayong belonged to a man with an English language tattoo on his wrist and cut wounds at the neck, according to Thai news site The Thaiger. The other male body, which also washed up without a head on 6 February, was found wearing only underwear 10km along the coast at Rayongs PMY Beach. Separately, a detached head believed to belong to a woman was found in the water at Prapadaeng, around 20km south of Bangkok. South Samrong police chief Prasert Buakhao told Thai media that the head was intially found by fishermen near the Petra jetty earlier this week. Police investigators are trying to identify all three people, and reportedly suspect their deaths could be linked. Officials believe the man with the tattoo died at least one week before his body was spotted. The second mans body showed even greater signs of decay, and he may have died at least 10 days before his remains turned up. The authorities are looking at missing persons lists for clues. The beaches at Rayong, around two hours from Bangkok in south-east Thailand, are among the countrys most popular with international travellers. The Mae Ramphueng Beach where the first man was found forms part of Khao Lame Ya national park in the province. A dog feared to have a brain tumour has made a full recovery after he turned out to have a needle lodged in his neck. Yorkshire terrier Tobys owners took their pet to the vet after noticing that he was suffering from neck pain, struggling to walk and showing signs of seizures. The vet in Nairn suspected that the 13-year-old dog might have a brain tumour and took X-rays of Tobys head. However, the X-rays revealed that he in fact had a 7cm metal sewing needle with thread attached lodged in his neck, piercing his spinal cord and dangerously close to his brain. Toby was referred to the specialist surgical clinic at the University of Edinburghs Hospital for Small Animals at the Royal (Dick) School for Veterinary Studies, where vets performed a CT scan to evaluate any major damage to Tobys spinal cord. During surgery they used specialist X-ray equipment to view the needle in real time, an approach which allowed the surgeons to carefully remove the object without the need for an invasive operation. Toby has recovered well since the needle was removed in August 2018 and is now back walking and running normally. His owner, Alexander Jamieson, from Beauly near Inverness, said: We feel that without the help of the experts in Edinburgh, Toby would not be here today. The care and attention he got was out of this world and we are delighted to see him back to his old self. It is not known how the needle ended up in Tobys neck but vets suspect that he could have eaten it or laid his head on it. Samantha Woods, senior lecturer, and Jessica McCarthy, senior clinical training scholar in small animal surgery at the Hospital for Small Animals, are delighted with Tobys recovery. Ms Woods said: We are really pleased to see Toby back to full health, thanks to the combined efforts of his vets and our specialist teams here in Edinburgh. For anyone harbouring a grudge against an ex, there are a wealth of ways to express your feelings this Valentines Day. While doing physical harm to a former significant other is generally frowned upon, theres nothing to stop you giving their name to a hapless insect, for example, and tossing it to a hungry animal before letting nature take its course. Here are some of the other vengeful things you can do in your exs name on February 14. 1. A cockroach UPDATE: We had a tremendous response in 2019! Keep in mind that this post applies to our promotion in 2019. Stay posted... Posted by El Paso Zoo on Monday, February 4, 2019 Tell your ex exactly what you think of them by having a cockroach named after them, thanks to the romantics at El Paso Zoo in Texas. You can then watch live on Facebook as keepers feed your exs creepy crawly namesake to a meerkat. Simples. 2. A salmon Saving Wildlife with LOVE Let our 1000 pound brown bears tear into your ex Did you fall hook, line, and sinker for... Posted by Wildlife Images Rehabilitation & Education Center on Saturday, February 9, 2019 If theres something fishy about your ex, this might be the one for you. For around 15 you can pay to give a salmon your exs name and then watch as its tossed to a hungry bear by staff at Oregons Wildlife Images Rehabilitation & Education Centre. 3. A worm Enjoy your Valentine's Day this year! For a $2 donation, name a mealworm, beetle, or waxworm after your worm of an ex... Posted by Richmond Wildlife Center on Friday, February 8, 2019 At the Richmond Wildlife Centre, its worms and beetles being given the treatment. For that truly terrible ex, make a $5 donation and name a hornworm after your ex and watch that horned devil be devoured, the centre wrote in a Facebook post. Your worthless ex can finally do something nice their namesake helping us to feed the animals in our care. 4. A snake Is your ex a snake ? If so, now is your opportunity to cement their snaky status this Valentine's Day by naming a... Posted by WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo on Sunday, February 3, 2019 If youve got no real desire to see your ex devoured by some sharp-toothed predator but still want them to know exactly what you think of them, you could take the approach of getting a snake named after them. That offer comes courtesy of Wild Life Sydney Zoo, and to add a bit spice the reptile in question is a deadly venomous brown snake. 5. A cupcake If a cupcake seems to lack some of the spite of a cockroach or a snake, make sure you pay attention to the video. As well as a delicious sweet snack with your exs name on it, this Heart Broken gift set from Mr Cupcakes also comes with a gold-plated chocolate hammer with which to exact some sweet, cathartic revenge. Smashing! Pippa O'Connor, pictured with husband Brian Ormond and sons Louis and Ollie, in Dubai at Christmas Celebrity couple Pippa O'Connor and Brian Ormond celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary with sweet tributes to each other. Social media star Pippa (33) and her business manager husband (37), who have sons Louis (14 months) and Ollie (4), married in 2011 in Co Wicklow and had a big celebrity bash in the Powerscourt Hotel. They both posted throwback pictures of their wedding over the weekend, with Brian calling Pippa "the most amazing wife". "You to me are everything," he wrote. Blogger Pippa, who hit the town to celebrate on Saturday night, told the Diary that their time as a married couple has "flown by". "We've packed a lot in between having the boys, starting a business. It's been a busy six years," she said. The couple met through a mutual friend in Dublin's Krystle nightclub in 2008 and have become one of Ireland's best-known celebrity couples. But Pippa admits that, like any other busy working mum, she needs time away from her family too sometimes. Expand Close Pippa O'Connor and Brian Ormond. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Pippa O'Connor and Brian Ormond. Last week saw her flying to Ibiza for a few fun-filled days on the party island, but this time around with a different Brian. She was joined by her best pal Brian Dowling and three other buddies as they hit some of the island's hottest spots. However, Pippa revealed that there definitely wasn't any clubbing involved, as TV presenter Brian reckons they're too long in the tooth. "It was so fun. It looked like we were absolutely mad, but we weren't doing the typical Ibiza thing, going to nightclubs," she said. Expand Close Pippa O'Connor, pictured with husband Brian Ormond and sons Louis and Ollie, in Dubai at Christmas / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Pippa O'Connor, pictured with husband Brian Ormond and sons Louis and Ollie, in Dubai at Christmas "Brian was like, 'Darling, we're too old for nightclubs!' So we were in amazing restaurants and nice bars and that was it. "There were five of us, but it was the best fun. I feel like I need to go on a retreat afterwards." Pippa also said she doesn't buy into any notion of "mummy guilt" about leaving her two boys, as it's good for her to have some quality time away from the house as well. "I've never done more than three nights away from them in a row, but I think whether you get to go away on a break or go out to an event for the day with a friend, I think it's so important for everyone to take time out," she said. "That's whether you're a working mum or a stay-at-home mum. I don't feel guilty because it's good for them and I think it's good for me. "I know they're at home with their dad and they're being looked after. "I think it stands to you when you're a mum to remember that you're not just a mum and you can go and do different things." Men and women in business face many risks and hazards. Those who persist never lack the courage to tackle the big challenges. Often they can cope with adversity but sometimes they cannot avoid succumbing. The one thing business people rightly abhor, and struggle most to cope with, is total uncertainty. And the current state of non-play on Brexit brings us vastly more of this total uncertainty. The situation, with 46 days left to B-Day on March 29, leaves us all with few clues at all about what is happening and where this will land. Business people on the islands of Ireland and Britain, and beyond on mainland Europe, cannot even guess what is happening next with little more than six weeks left. This is a flagrant abuse of enterprising people and their beleaguered employees and can no longer be tolerated. The burden is heaviest for people in small and medium-sized enterprises, the engine room of the economy. They are left with the option of having to expend money and scarce time to put in place Brexit preparations which might not be needed. Against that, they must weigh the risk of doing little to prepare for a no deal. It is a situation nobody should be obliged to face - much less the decent men and women who make things happen economically. So, it is past time London and Brussels formally stated what is daily becoming the most likely outcome of this ghastly Brexit process: an extension beyond the deadline of March 29. Again, we must acknowledge that the UK government, and especially Theresa May, are most culpable here. It is entirely up to London to formally seek such an extension. But, since the remaining EU 27 states must unanimously endorse such an extension application, Brussels also has obligations here to act and speak out. The current vacuum means that millions of workers across the EU are deeply, and needlessly, worried about their futures. It is something all governments are hired by citizens to minimise - not make worse. It is part of the reason for the foundation and continued existence of the EU. We know that Mrs May appears ready to push this one right to the brink in the hope of belated UK parliament ratification for a version of the Brexit deal she did with her EU counterparts on November 25 last. She and her supporters can argue that there are few other real options open to her. Some may even argue, in extremis, that from a business person's viewpoint she is really on "the side of the angels" in taking such a drastic and high-stakes stance. Key people in Brussels and the other EU capitals will lean again upon their well-worn argument that the next move must come from London. But that is to ignore their duty of care which is added to by other global economic storm clouds which are gathering. It is time to acknowledge that there are limits to everything - especially the ongoing abuse of business people and their workers. Let's speak plainly and own up to the need for postponement. Nuclear weapons are the most devastating and destructive weapons ever invented. The Japanese Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) witnessed this first-hand in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, as they tried to bring relief to the dying and injured. To this day, Japanese Red Cross hospitals continue to treat victims of cancer and leukaemia attributable to radiation from the 1945 atomic blasts. The UN Secretary General has warned that "the cold war is back but with a difference. The mechanisms and the safeguards to manage the risks of escalation that existed in the past no longer seem to be present." States possessing nuclear weapons are modernising their arsenals while at the same time their command and control systems have become more vulnerable to cyber attacks. The ICRC and the rest of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is today launching a global campaign. The campaign aims to encourage people to urge their governments to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Ireland is a global leader on this issue; Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Simon Coveney signed the treaty on behalf of Ireland at the United Nations in New York in September 2017. Since joining the UN more than 60 years ago, Ireland has punched above its weight in leading the charge for nuclear disarmament. In 1958, under the guidance of then minister Frank Aiken, Ireland introduced the first of what became known as the "Irish Resolutions" at the UN, which eventually led to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). In recognition of its leadership, Ireland was the first country invited to sign the NPT in 1968. Fast forward to 2017 and not only did Ireland become one of the first signatories to the TPNW (which complements the NPT) but we also played a leading role in the process that led to its adoption. Ireland was a member of a core group of states together with Austria, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria and South Africa who brought forward the resolution, giving the UN conference which adopted the treaty its mandate. Ireland now requires domestic legislation to give full effect to the treaty. This process has already started with the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Bill 2019. We have an even clearer understanding in 2019 of the unspeakable suffering and devastation that a nuclear weapons detonation would cause. No humanitarian organisation would be capable of adequately responding to the suffering and needs of immense proportions of the population that any use of nuclear weapons would cause. Who, then, will assist the victims of a nuclear weapons detonation, and how? It's clear the only viable response is to prohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons. The evidence of the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons casts significant doubt on whether the use of these weapons could ever be compatible with international humanitarian law. On this basis, the entire International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has consistently called for nuclear weapons never to be used again. The TPNW represents a beacon of hope and an essential building block for a world without nuclear weapons. We acknowledge that the TPNW will not make nuclear weapons disappear overnight. But by signing and ratifying the treaty, states send a clear signal that such weapons are unacceptable in humanitarian, moral and legal terms. The Irish Government has done right by its people in the steps it has taken with the TPNW thus far, and 74 years after the atomic blasts over Hiroshima and Nagasaki we now look to those still to sign the treaty in the hope they will follow our lead to make the world a safer place for all. Liam O'Dwyer is secretary general of the Irish Red Cross I dozed off in the midst of a revolution last weekend. And while it wasn't an insurgency of the bombs and bullets type - not yet anyway - it did serve to underline the fact that Ireland is not the only country where discord exists around the topic of a border. In the town square of El Masnou, a half-hour north of Barcelona, the warming winter sun had me nodding off in the open air after a few lunchtime glasses of wine - an act entirely unheeded by my fellow diners in a country where the mid-afternoon siesta is still an accepted way of life. Snapping out of my catnap I awoke to the ubiquitous sight of posters and flags hailing Catalan independence, a festering sore on the Spanish body politic that will find renewed vigour this week. 'Europe's New Republic' and 'Independence Now' are the militant slogans daubed across many a wall, bolstered by heroic imagery of the 'Valiant 18', adorned with Che Guevara-style berets and clenched fist salutes. Premium John Downing Opinion As Arlene Foster departs, the North is back on the brink of yet another crisis So the North is back where it lives politically on the brink of another major crisis. The clock is ticking since lunchtime yesterday and they have six more days to sort it out or else a snap election, nobody appears to want, beckons. A Jet2 flight to Tenerife had to divert because there was no water onboard for tea and coffee. Flight LS155 departed Glasgow at 08.55 yesterday, and was flying over western Ireland when it had to divert due to the plumbing issues. It landed in Manchester Airport at 10am, just over an hour after it set off, reported the Daily Record. A spokesperson for the airline confirmed that there were water issues onboard, which also meant the toilets were out of order. Passengers were well looked after, according to the spokesperson, and then transferred to another flight to Tenerife. Holidaymakers took to social media to vent their frustration. Separately, an Emirates jet bound for Gatwick had to divert to Manchester due to strong winds. Flight EK15 from Dubai was due to land at Gatwick at 11.40am on 8 February, but instead landed in Manchester an hour later due to Storm Erik. On 8 February, a British Airways flight had to abort a landing at Heathrow due to Storm Erik winds of up to 70mph. Read more: The city of Paris is suing Airbnb for publishing 1,000 illegal rental adverts, which could cost the American website more than 12.5m, the mayor of Paris has said. Under French law, home owners in Paris can rent out their places on short-term rental platforms for up to 120 days a year. Advertisements must include a registration number to help ensure properties are not rented out for longer. France passed a law in 2018 which makes companies such as Airbnb punishable by fines of 12,500 per illegal posting, a new provision Paris will use to challenge Airbnb in court, said Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. "The goal is to send a shot across the bows to get it over with unauthorised rentals that spoil some Parisian neighbourhoods," she said in the interview with the 'Journal du Dimanche' newspaper. Several cities around the world have expressed concerns that platforms such as Airbnb stand as unfair competitors to hotels and can turn some neighbourhoods into sterile, tourist-only zones. A spokeswoman for Airbnb said it had implemented measures to help Parisian users of its website comply with European rules. However, she added that the rules in Paris were "inefficient, disproportionate and in contravention of European rules". France is Airbnb's second largest market after the United States. Paris, one of the most visited cities in the world, is its biggest single market, with around 65,000 homes listed. In Ireland, restrictions on short-term lets will come into effect from June. They will be more severe than those currently in place in Paris. From June, homeowners will be allowed to rent their properties for no more than 14 days at a time, and for fewer than 90 days a year. For short-term lets above 90 days, planning permission will have to be granted to allow the property to be used on a commercial basis. In addition, in areas with a high demand for housing, including the main cities, local authorities will be allowed to refuse permission. The new regulations come as the number of homes being advertised for short-term lets on Airbnb rose by more than 1,000 in the past year. Figures from AirDNA, which analyses market trends across the globe, show there are 6,228 active rentals in Dublin - 3,629 of which were entire homes. The average daily rate charged was 139. Under the new rules, anyone renting on Airbnb will also be required to register with the local authority. Dublin City Council will be given additional resources to monitor and implement the new system. Owners found not to be compliant may be subject to prosecution. Lisbon, one of Europe's oldest cities, is strategically positioned at the mouth of the Tagus. Many explorers set sail from the city's docks, returning with untold wealth and tales of new lands. Photo: Artur Cabral On a recent trip away, I met a proud Portuguese man, and our conversation segued into a discussion of his homeland's illustrious explorers. "Did you know," he said to me, a mischievous smile playing around his lips, "that Christopher Columbus was actually Portuguese?" Eh, come again? The great explorer who sailed the ocean blue in 1492 wasn't Italian? Mamma mia! Several months later, I found myself in Lisbon, the Portuguese capital, and on recalling the discombobulating exchange, I wondered if one of the oldest cities in Europe might reveal the truth of the legendary voyager's birth. More of which anon. Lisbon - a short flight from the easy dream of an airport that is Cork - is one of Europe's most beautiful capitals, and, like Rome, was built on seven hills; the landmark St George's Castle is perched on one; the ancient structure can be seen from any vantage point in the city. Lisbon's first settlements date to the Neolithic era, and from those grew the ancient capital of the Roman-conquered land of Lusitania - 'land of light' - due to its strategically important location at the mouth of the mighty Tagus. The Moors ruled for over two centuries until they were routed by the Knights Templar in 1147 (intriguingly, the sails of Columbus's ship, the Santa Maria, are always depicted emblazoned with the red crosses of the Knights Templar). Lisbon became the new nation-state's capital in 1255, and a golden era for it and the Portuguese empire endured through the 14th and 15th Centuries, with its fearless explorers discovering and conquering new territories apace, and returning from far-flung lands with untold riches, ranging from spices to gold. Devastation hit in 1755, when an earthquake and tsunami destroyed 90pc of the city, killing over 40,000 Lisbonites on All Saints' Day - leading many to believe it was an act of divine retribution. Thanks largely to the pragmatic Marquis of Pombal, who famously said, "What now? We bury the dead and heal the living", Lisbon was rebuilt, and its new quake-proof buildings, the world's first, still stand. Expand Close Cascais which is a short train ride from Lisbon / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Cascais which is a short train ride from Lisbon My first stop in Lisbon was the Romanesque Se (bishop's seat) Cathedral, in the Alfama district, the oldest area of the city. While most of the Alfama did not succumb to the earthquake, the Se, built in 1147 on the ruins of a mosque, was largely destroyed, and renovations did not begin until the 1940s. St Anthony, who was born nearby, is said to have been baptised here, and the beautiful Baroque-tiled font in which he received the sacrament is still in situ. Lisbon is vertiginously hilly, so it's advisable to catch a no 28 tram, an old-style remodelado, which passes outside the door, and then explore in a downhill direction. Doing so on a Tuesday or Saturday will bring you to Campo de Santa Clara, and the Feira da Ladra flea market, which translates as 'thieves' market' - legend has it that robbers would convene here to offload booty stolen from city folk. It's a vintage lover's dream, with everything from chandelier crystals to vintage clothes on sale - and an abundance of junk, too. Alfama was originally outside the city walls, and has a Moorish vibe, with typically Portuguese azulejo-clad houses in abundance. Azulejos - art tiles - have a practical purpose in that they act as insulation and the colourful ceramics are easy to clean. This democratic art form enjoyed a revival in the 1950s, with new metro stations being clad in the tile art. A more contemporary experience is to be had in the riverside Alcantara district, once home to the docks, but now a trendy shopping and nightlife area. It's also home to Experience Pilar 7, an interpretive centre attached to 25 de Abril Bridge, a mighty structure that spans the Tagus. Originally called Ponte Salazar, until the Carnations Revolution, the new name reflects the date 48 years of dictatorship ended. There's plenty for history buffs here, and superb views from the 80 metre-high viewpoint. Alcantara is adjacent to Belem, the museum district, which has an abundance of them in its environs. I stopped for lunch at Espelho d'Agua (Mirror on the Water), a polished concrete floor and mid-century-modern furniture type of eatery with excellent food and gorgeous views. Adjacent is the impressive Monument to the Discoveries, a 1960s homage in concrete to the great Portuguese explorers, including Henry the Navigator, Vasco de Gama and Magellan (but no Columbus!). There's a lift to the top for more lofty panoramas. De Gama's tomb (he discovered the lucrative sea route to India) is in the cathedral of the nearby resting place of royalty, the 16th Century Jeronimos Monastery, the construction of which was paid for in part via a 5pc tax on the spice trade, giving rise to the saying that it was 'built by pepper'. It survived the earthquake, and is also where the famous, delectable pasteis de nata were invented in the 18th Century. The monks starched their clothes with egg white, so the leftover yolks were used in desserts; the sale of the iconic custard tarts proved to be a valuable income stream for the religious brothers. The secret recipe was entrusted to the owners of the nearly Antiga Confeitaria de Belem, who continue to produce the tarts, often some 40,000 per day. If you're not prepared to queue - I wasn't - then the second best pasteis in the city are to be had at Manteigaria in Time Out market, a bustling food-and-drink hub in the regenerated Cais do Sodre neighbourhood. Best eaten with a sprinkling of cinnamon and a bica; an espresso (Lisbonites have a unique coffee lingo; don't insult them by requesting an Americano, ask for um abatanado instead). Portuguese love their food, and the portions are massive. It's a nation that adores fish, cod in particular - there are no less than 365 recipes for bacalhau (salt cod), despite the fact that cod isn't native to warm Portuguese waters. Petiscos (tapas) are also popular, and delicious with good bread. Dinner that evening was a short cab ride away from my base, the fabulous Jupiter Lisboa Hotel, to Ribadouro, a seafood restaurant that is very much a locals' haunt, judging from the clientele, who seemed to be having a blast. It's a no-frills kind of place, but if it's a crustacean fest you're after, this joint is the mother lode. Lisbon is a city that has embraced modernity, but still retains its authentic charm. My night ended with a few cheeky ports at one of the many outdoor cafe-cum-bars, where the prices are so low, as is the case in Lisbon generally, it's impossible not to do a double take when the bill arrives. Despite the previous evening's indulgence, I rose early to take a dip in the hotel's rooftop pool (its gorgeous BluSpa also has one), before tucking into the moreish breakfast buffet. That day's itinerary began in Mafra, a small town north-west of Lisbon, with a huge Baroque palace at its heart. Built by John V, it began life as a Capuchin monastery, and took 40 years to complete. The colossal complex houses a basilica, 1,500 rooms and a 36,000-volume library, which is kept free of book-munching insects by a colony of bats - they eat twice their bodyweight in bugs each night, as their ancestors have done for 300 years. Next stop: the charming village of Chelerios, where, located across from the pillory (to which miscreant villagers were chained and pelted with rotten fruit) is the Manz winery. The region has a long history of wine production; at one point there were 43 wineries in the immediate area. Andre Manz has revived the tradition, and began with Jampal, an almost-extinct grape variety he discovered growing on his newly acquired land. A tasting reveals why this boutique winery has won many awards - its wines are stunning iterations of the grape, not least one that I identify as having a nose of 'dung' - the technical term, I am gently told, is horse sweat. Lunch is a repast of cod in the quaint fisherman's village of Ericeira, renowned for seafood and surfing, and then it's on to Sintra, an area beloved by the Portuguese upper classes, who built summer residences here to enjoy the refreshing microclimate of the pine-covered hills. You could easily spend the day exploring and have delights left over, but time dictated just one stop, the singular Palace of Pena. In the 19th Century, King Ferdinand commissioned the fairytale castle on the site of a medieval chapel. A masterpiece of romanticism, it took 45 years to build and was completed the year of his death. The exterior is replete with carved allegorical figures, while the lavish interior is one flight of fancy after another, with elaborate trompe l'oeil, intricate carving and tilework in the many themed rooms. The grounds are also enchanting, and packed with exotic blooms and sylva, although a lengthy downpour put paid to any outdoor exploration. The route back to Lisbon took in Cascais, a pretty seaside resort on the Estoril Coast, and an ideal option for a combined beach and city break if staying in the capital. Dinner was at the Farol, a five-star design hotel, perched on the rocks overlooking Portugal's most famous bay. Farol means lighthouse, and nearby stands a blue and white beacon, the light of which reputedly guided Columbus's caravels to safe harbour after their voyage to the New World. The hotel itself, an extended mansion which once belonged to an aristocrat, is a sublime mix of 19th Century architecture and modern design, with a saltwater pool, and art and design pieces throughout. Dinner is in The Mix (there's also a sushi restaurant), a stylish glazed space that showcases the spectacular sea views, a fitting backdrop to the ensuing fine-dining feast. Farol would make a dream wedding venue, and would be top of my list had that ship not already sailed, so to speak. My final day in Lisbon dawns bright and sunny. Traversing the mosaicked boulevards, I pass through the Chaido and Bairro Alto districts, legendary for nightlife; and continue to Baxia, the main shopping district, and an area that was completely rebuilt by the aforementioned Marquis of Pombal. Here is Comercio Square, a grand expanse of plaza flanked on three sides by galleried buildings, while the fourth is open to the Tagus, where in times past galleons unloaded their goods at the 'door' to Lisbon. As we sit for lunch at Populi, a fab people-watching spot on the square, I ask my guide, Carmo Botelho, if there is any truth to my Portuguese pal's claim about Columbus. It seems respected academics believe he was a Portuguese nobleman, and acted as a double agent between the Portuguese and Spanish courts in order to trick the latter away from the valuable Indian trade routes. But the truth may never be known, and maybe that's how the elusive voyager wanted it, certain, perhaps that Lisbon, the city which launched a thousand ships, would woo many explorers in his wake. Take Two: Top attractions Nightlife Expand Close The pink painted street / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The pink painted street Cais do Sodre used to be Lisbon's seediest area, but now it out-hips the legendary Bairro Alto district. Its Rua Nova do Carvalho, a pink-painted street, comes alive after 2am. Go to the funky grafitti-ed bar, Pensao Amor - which pays homage to the sailors who frequented the establishment, when it was a cheap pension with rooms to rent by the hour. Lisbon Oceanarium Expand Close The Oceanarium / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Oceanarium If you find yourself in Lisbon with kids, the Oceanarium is a must-see. The largest in Europe, it's packed to the gills with sea creatures of all description - don't miss the playful otters or the penguins' feeding time. Getting there Expand Close Gemma catching an old city train / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gemma catching an old city train For more information on what to see and do in Lisbon, see www.visitlisboa.com. Aer Lingus operates a twice-weekly service from Cork to Lisbon, year-round. Fares start from 39.99 one-way, including taxes and charges. See www.aerlingus.com for further information. Gemma Fullam was recently named the 'Best Short-Haul Writer' at the Travel Extra Travel Journalist of the Year Awards. This feature originally appeared in The Sunday Independent. You might hate Monday, but you'll love our weekly pick of Ireland's top travel offers... 229.50pp: Golden Years at the Ice House How to bag a bargain at a Blue Book property? One trick is to travel midweek. Ballina's Ice House (pictured above), for example, has three nights' B&B and three early-bird evening meals from just 229.50pp midweek. The offer runs to March 31. 096 23500; irelands-blue-book.ie; icehousehotel.ie. 244pp: Romance in Rome Travel Republic has flights plus three nights in Rome from 244pp, based on three-star B&B accommodation. The package departs Dublin on March 4. A similar city break from Cork to Paris costs from 264 departing February 27. 01 536-0820; travelrepublic.ie. 294pp: Get away to Amsterdam ITAA member ClickAndGo.com has flights plus two nights at the four-star Ramada Apollo Amsterdam Central Hotel from 289pp, based on a Saturday, March 16 departure. If you travel midweek, the offer starts from as little as 196pp. See itaa.ie/offers for more deals. 01 539-7777; clickandgo.com. 529pp: A taster cruise in the Med Want to see what cruising is all about? Cassidy Travel has a three-night trip on MSC Bellissimo, including flights from Dublin to Barcelona, from 529pp. It departs November 8, and includes premium drinks on board. 01 290-1000; cassidytravel.ie. 1,205pp: All-inclusive at Club Med Sunway, voted Ireland's Favourite Travel Agent in our Reader Travel Awards 2019, has flights plus a week all-inclusive at the four-star Grand Massif Summer Mountain resort in France from 1,205pp for adults and 765pp for kids. The offer is based on travel from June 16, and includes an early booking discount of 552. 01 231-1800; sunway.ie. NB: All travel deals subject to availability/change. There are four bedrooms, all en suite, off the landing. The furniture on the landing was also made by Ventura. "It was a blessing to have Arlene, especially as I had no time to do anything to the house once Bobby arrived," Glenda says Glenda in the snug TV room with Yazz, her minature schnauzer. "Yazz is two, she was our baby before Bobby. I love her to bits," she enthuses The caricature of Rob and Glenda was a wedding gift from some friends, while the big cow painting was bought in New York by the couple themselves. "Rob proposed in New York. We were walking around in the dark and suddenly he dropped to his knees and asked me to marry him," Glenda says Glenda with baby Bobby in the nursery, which was designed and furnished by Arlene McIntyre of Ventura Design. Instead of opting for the obvious blue, Arlene decorated the room in restful, neutral tones. The furniture was all made by Ventura. The animals' heads are a particularly fun touch. Photo: Tony Gavin A detail of the hall with its floral artwork by Sasha Sykes. "These are all the flowers used in my bouquet and at our wedding. It was a wedding gift from some friends," Glenda explains This dining area in Glenda Gilsons new home is just off the kitchen. The table and chairs are from EZ Living Furniture TV star Glenda Gilson in her kitchen with its hand-painted units, granite worktop and Miele oven. "We both cook, but Rob is the better of the two," Glenda says Photo: Tony Gavin 'They say the two most stressful things in life are having a baby and moving house - I did the two within a week," TV presenter Glenda Gilson says with a laugh. It's only three months down the road, and as she feeds and cuddles baby Bobby, she looks as if she's been doing this motherhood thing for years, not to mind the fact that the house, which is in south Co Dublin, is already warm, elegant and welcoming, with most rooms fully furnished. And she looks amazing - possibly the best she's ever looked. Glenda and her husband, Rob MacNaughton, moved into the house on a Monday, and Bobby arrived the following week, two weeks earlier than expected. "I had only finished work the Friday before. I was very sick throughout the pregnancy, vomiting every day. I had that condition known as hyperemesis gravidarum, so I went into the Coombe on the Monday to see how things were going, and my waters broke in the car park," she explains. The fact that Glenda has been juggling different roles all her life probably stood to her at this stressful time. The TV-watching public know Glenda as one of Xpose's top presenters, as well as more recently the presenter of Ireland's Got Mor Talent - two TV gigs she combines with designing her jewellery collection, G by Glenda Gilson - but the bubbly brunette has been working all her life, juggling first primary school, then secondary, and later college, with a modelling career. Expand Close Glenda with baby Bobby in the nursery, which was designed and furnished by Arlene McIntyre of Ventura Design. Instead of opting for the obvious blue, Arlene decorated the room in restful, neutral tones. The furniture was all made by Ventura. The animals' heads are a particularly fun touch. Photo: Tony Gavin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Glenda with baby Bobby in the nursery, which was designed and furnished by Arlene McIntyre of Ventura Design. Instead of opting for the obvious blue, Arlene decorated the room in restful, neutral tones. The furniture was all made by Ventura. The animals' heads are a particularly fun touch. Photo: Tony Gavin "I was a child model; I started modelling at three years of age," she says, adding that her mother, Aileen, was friendly with model agent Geraldine Brand, who suggested to Aileen that Glenda would be an ideal child model. And she was right. "I loved it," Glenda says. "I did the Tivoli wool patterns for years and years. One of the first pictures for Tivoli won picture of the year. In it, I was with Alison Doody [the gorgeous model who went on to star in the James Bond movie, A View to a Kill]. I did loads of ads in those days - Bank of Ireland; McDonald's; yoghurt; Kellogg's. I did every ad you can think of that was on the TV. I was on bus stops and billboards with Nissan," she reminisces, adding, "I did all the charity supermodel shows in the Point. I was 16 for the first one, 18 the next one." The supermodel shows were big events in the 1990s - a host of the world's biggest model names, including Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington, participated. "I'll never forget it - all the Irish models standing backstage, fixing ourselves. We were so nervous, and Yasmin Le Bon walked over, covering her top half with her hands,and she had this Lainey [Keogh] skirt on. She stood in front of the mirror and looked at herself, and asked us, 'Does my bum look big in this?' And we all went, 'Ah here, if the supermodel Yasmin Le Bon thinks she looks big, we might as well all go home.' Glenda adds: "I remember Naomi Campbell was wearing this amazing Versace dress, and she put her foot through it." After she left school, Glenda did a course in TV and radio broadcasting and print and media journalism in Ballyfermot for two years. She was so busy with modelling that she left college without qualifying, to concentrate on modelling, which gave her enormous profile. She was soon offered a job on a 24/7 music-tv satellite station called Bubble Hits. "I had a show called Glenda's Showbiz Goss. Then I got a call from TV3. At the time, I happened to be on Ireland AM regularly, modelling, and an executive called Andrew O'Hanlon called me. He offered me a presenting job for five months, covering [Xpose] presenter Sybil Mulcahy's maternity leave. Here I am, still there. I think I'm going into my 11th year in Xpose." Expand Close The caricature of Rob and Glenda was a wedding gift from some friends, while the big cow painting was bought in New York by the couple themselves. "Rob proposed in New York. We were walking around in the dark and suddenly he dropped to his knees and asked me to marry him," Glenda says / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The caricature of Rob and Glenda was a wedding gift from some friends, while the big cow painting was bought in New York by the couple themselves. "Rob proposed in New York. We were walking around in the dark and suddenly he dropped to his knees and asked me to marry him," Glenda says Xpose was the first of its type in Ireland combining fashion, beauty and showbiz, and in the last 10 years, Glenda has interviewed every major star in the celebrity firmament - Colin Firth, Angelina Jolie, Matt Damon, One Direction, Khloe Kardashian, Garth Brooks, Robbie Williams, James Corden, Britney Spears, Colin Farrell... the list is impressive, and she's always held her own with them. She also got to have another encounter with Naomi Campbell when she interviewed her for the Newbridge Silverware Jewellery campaign. "I really admire her," she says. Other favourites include Meryl Streep and David Beckham. "He was a gentleman. When I walked into the room, he was the first star to stand up and shake my hand. It sounds normal, but at these junkets, it's like a conveyor belt. Some might only look at you when the cameras start rolling, others will say, 'Hello, how are you?' but he stood up to greet me, and he's even better-looking in the flesh." She goes on to add Dustin Hoffman to her list of pets. "I was in the Ritz in Paris, there was a rugby match on and I was with my mother. Suddenly she said, 'There's Al Pacino', and ran over to him before I could say anything, and I turned away with embarrassment. When she came back, she said, 'I can't believe you wouldn't come over and talk to Al with me'. I said, 'Al - you mean Dustin Hoffman, Mam'. She ran back over and apologised to him. He was so lovely, he didn't care," Glenda says with a laugh, adding, "About two years later, I was interviewing Dustin Hoffman on the red carpet and I apologised to him on behalf of my mother, and he said, 'What's your mom's name?' I said, 'Aileen', and he looked down the camera and said, 'Hey Aileen, thanks for supporting me in Dog Day Afternoon and The Godfather'" - namechecking Pacino's movies. "We aired it all on Xpose. My mom hid behind the sofa that night," she laughs. There are still some people she'd love to interview, though some on her wishlist have died. "One was George Michael and the other was Prince. The third on my list is Jack Nicholson, but I believe he doesn't do interviews," she says. Expand Close Glenda in the snug TV room with Yazz, her minature schnauzer. "Yazz is two, she was our baby before Bobby. I love her to bits," she enthuses / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Glenda in the snug TV room with Yazz, her minature schnauzer. "Yazz is two, she was our baby before Bobby. I love her to bits," she enthuses A man she got to interview before he became truly famous was one Donald Trump; she met him when he came to Ireland on Doonbeg business, and as it happened, she and Rob were engaged at the time and planned to marry in Doonbeg, so her upcoming nuptials were something of an ice-breaker with The Donald. She and Rob married there in 2014. Rob, who's from Kiltipper, is a keen sportsman - he lived in Germany for three years working with horses and doing three-day eventing. He also played rugby league for Ireland and is a keen sailor, but his day job now is that of machinery dealer. "You might remember the sign for McCormick MacNaughton on the Naas road? Well, that's Rob's family," says Glenda. "Diggers and cranes, they've been in the business for 90 years." According to Glenda, she and Rob knew each other for years before they got together. "Rob went to school in King's Hospital and so did my brother Damien. They were in the same year," she says. "My eye was always drawn to Rob when I was younger - there are five years between us. We liked the look of each other, and we had little relationships over the years. We dated on and off, and even after that, we were always great friends." Glenda enjoyed a great social life in the intervening years and was always featured in the social pages - she says that feels like another life now. "When you're younger, you don't think. I probably thought I was great. Now I'm nervous about appearing in newspapers and magazines. I'd see something I said and think, 'I'm an idiot for saying that' - but it's part of my business, I've got to keep out there. When you're younger, you're living in the moment, but as you get older, you get wiser, I suppose." Throughout her 20s, she and Rob continued to move in the same circles, and finally started going out together again. "We hooked up again on my 29th birthday in the Angler's Rest in Castleknock, and I've been with him ever since," she says fondly, adding, "We got engaged in New York. We were walking around Central Park in the dark and suddenly he dropped to his knee and proposed." The arrival of baby Bobby has been the icing on the cake. "I've worked all my life and I thought being on maternity leave would unnerve me - now I just love being with him. I have my mother, who adores him, and she comes over a lot, which is great, and my best friend Hazel has also just had a baby, so I'm lucky that way, we've really helped each other along the way." It goes without saying that Rob is bowled over with baby Bobby and finds it hard to tear himself away. "I always knew Rob would be a great dad, there's always lots of love with Rob, he's not one to shy away from the hugs and kisses; he's delighted with his son," Glenda says. Glenda's maternity leave ends next month when she goes back to work on Xpose and Ireland's Got Mor Talent, the sister show of Ireland's Got Talent; she even did some filming on it just after Bobby was born. "I wanted to do it. If I was looking at telly and seeing someone else doing my show, it would be awful," she insists. She has also been doing a little work on her range of pretty jewellery in gold, silver and rose gold - G by Glenda Gilson - which she designs with Natasha Obernik of Fields, and sells in Seagreen and online. "It's the kind of jewellery I like wearing myself, delicate pieces. I'm doing my third collection at the moment." However, she is really relishing this precious time with Bobby. Nappies, wet wipes, winding - all are a far cry from the glamorous world of movie red carpets, but Glenda seems thrilled with simple domesticity. "Honestly, I just love being with Bobby here at home. I've been covering maternity leave for 10 years on Xpose - Lorraine Keane, Aisling O'Loughlin, Karen Koster; I've covered for them all while they've had babies. It's my time now," she says with a laugh. 'Ireland's Got Mor Talent' continues on Virgin Media One directly after 'Ireland's Got Talent' 'Xpose' is on Virgin Media Two on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 8pm See gbyglendagilson.com Edited by Mary O'Sullivan Photography by Tony Gavin Q I am a woman in my mid-forties and the mother of four children, two of whom I had in my early forties and the youngest of whom is now two. In the last six months, I have noticed that I wee a bit every now and then. I didn't notice any incontinence directly after my last baby and have never experienced it after the other kids. Why would this happen now, a year and a half postpartum, and what can I do about it? I obviously don't want to go down the vaginal mesh route and I have always done my Kegel exercises religiously, so please don't tell me to do that. I need a real solution as this is ruining my confidence. Dr Nina replies: Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control. Leakage can occur when coughing or sneezing (stress incontinence), or may cause a strong urge to pass urine, which may limit one's ability to get to a toilet in time (urge incontinence). Mixed incontinence is a combination of the two. Urinary incontinence is extremely common and is thought to affect up to one in three women. Pregnancy, childbirth, obesity and pelvic floor damage all increase the risk. It is important to know that although it is more common with age, it is not a normal part of ageing. Given that your incontinence started recently, you should visit your doctor. Things like a urinary or vaginal infection should be ruled out, as these are easily treatable. Gynaecological issues such as prolapse, ovarian cysts or uterine fibroids can also cause bladder irritation. Constipation should also be treated, as it may play a role. Irish women are very slow to talk openly about their bladder issues. There is still a huge stigma around urinary incontinence. This shouldn't be the case. There are treatment options available and they can be very effective. Physiotherapy and Kegel exercises, which work on creating proper tone in the pelvic floor, are the first port of call for stress incontinence. You state you have done Kegel exercises, so physiotherapy may be a good place to start. There are physiotherapists who specialise in this area and they can advise you as to how toned or untoned your pelvic floor is. There are a number of devices on the market that help tone the pelvic floor. One of these is the Innovo device produced by an Irish company. It has electrodes in pads that help stimulate pelvic muscles, thus enabling proper exercising of the pelvic floor. Unfortunately public access to pelvic floor physiotherapy can take months and private access or devices such as Innovo can be expensive. In more severe cases of stress incontinence, surgery can help. Urogynaecologists are doctors who specialise in treating the pelvic floor. As is common in many specialities in Ireland, we don't have enough of these doctors to meet the demand for treatment, so waiting times in the public system are extremely long. There are various surgical options, depending on the cause. Urge incontinence occurs due to overactivity of the nerves supplying the bladder wall. This often responds to medication, which calms down nerve impulses in the bladder wall, reducing the urge to pass urine. The psychological impact of incontinence is not to be ignored. It has clearly knocked your self-esteem. Please don't sit at home worrying about this anymore. Talk to your friends, family and GP and get the help that is available to you. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 11) Government critics have questioned President Rodrigo Duterte's endorsement of senatorial candidates former Senator Jinggoy Estrada and Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, saying the President's action appears to contradict his administration's anti-corruption measure. But, Malacanang said Monday Estrada is "presumed innocent" until convicted with final judgment, and Duterte is helping Marcos perhaps due to debt of gratitude. "Number one, former Senator Estrada is charged with corruption. The Constitution says, unless you are convicted with final judgment, you are presumed innocent. So the presumption is Estrada is innocent," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo told reporters in a media briefing. "Number two, he's been granted bail. The reason for the court's grant of provisional liberty is anchored on the fact that the evidence of guilt is not strong. So you cannot begrudge the President for endorsing a man who is presumed to be innocent under the law," he added. Estrada was charged with graft and plunder in 2014. The former lawmaker-- along with former Senators Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. and Juan Ponce Enrile-- faced the aforementioned charges for alleged involvement in the multibillion-peso Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam. Panelo said Estrada's case was different from those of other government officials who have been fired due to alleged corruption. "The difference is the President, to my mind, has not received any evidence of corruption vis-a-vis Mr. Estrada," the spokesperson stressed. Estrada was detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in 2014 for supposedly receiving 183 million in kickbacks from his PDAF or the funds set aside for lawmakers' projects. He was temporarily released in September 2017 after the anti-graft court allowed him to post a 1 million bail. READ: Jinggoy Estrada confident he'll be elected again despite plunder case The three ex-senators are all seeking a return to the political scene. Estrada is one of the bets recently included in Duterte's "personal" slate for the Senate. Apart from his own "endorsed" list, Duterte will also support candidates from different slates, including his own PDP-Laban and his daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio's Hugpong ng Pagbabago party. 'Utang na loob' Panelo also addressed criticisms regarding the President's endorsement of Imee Marcos, the daughter of late strongman former President Ferdinand Marcos. He said Duterte was only supporting the Marcos daughter due to "utang na loob" (debt of gratitude). "According to the President, he was helping Imee because she is indebted to her... Utang na loob yata 'yung (perhaps debt of gratitude was the) reason. In the first place, Imee is not charged," Panelo said. Apart from accusations of plunder against her family, Marcos was previously tagged in the alleged misuse of a multibillion-peso tobacco fund in her province. The governor previously stressed her family will not admit to the corruption and human rights violations under the martial law imposed by her father. The official campaign period for senatorial bets and party-list groups starts Tuesday. Q I am not happy that my four-year-old daughter has been allowed to form her first friendship at school with a group of boys in first class. She said that the boys have dared her to kiss them in places that she shouldn't. The school have no concerns about my little girl amongst a group of older boys and the school have made me feel I am an over-concerned parent. Am I? David replies: No, I don't think you over-reacting at all. Any "games" that involve kissing, of any sort, between four-year-olds and six- or seven-year olds are inappropriate because the age differential moves it out of the typical "mammies and daddies" or "doctors and nurses" games that four-year-olds might play. However, your description of the boys daring her to "kiss them in places that she shouldn't" is even more concerning as it suggests to me that she might be encouraged to kiss them on their private parts. That is extremely inappropriate. If you have told the school about this, then the school should have reported it to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, as it is something that needs to be investigated, to be sure that your daughter is not at risk of harm. If they haven't done so, then I think they have been negligent in their duty of care to your daughter. I think the school should take your concerns much more seriously. You, as a parent, can also report your concerns about your daughter to Tusla and there are clear steps about how to do this on the Tusla website. Visit tusla.ie for more information. Pat Ward: police have arrested a suspect known to the Sligo man PSNI detectives investigating the murder of a Sligo native have arrested a young man known to the victim. The body of Pat 'Big Bang' Ward (30) was found on Saturday morning in an alleyway at McCrea Park, Clogher in Co Tyrone. He was known to gardai and was linked to people involved in an ongoing Traveller feud between two families, which claimed the life of his brother. In recent months he is believed to have relocated to Northern Ireland from Sligo. The PSNI confirmed that a murder investigation into Mr Ward's death is underway, and two people have been arrested as part of the police probe. A 23-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of murder. A source told the Irish Independent that the young man being quizzed by detectives is also originally from the Sligo area, and was well-known to the victim. "They would have been considered friends, and there was no suggestion they had recently fallen out or become involved in a dispute," the source said. Mr Ward is the second member of his family to die violently. In 2007, his brother Tom Ward (27) was murdered in a hatchet attack outside his Sligo home. That killing was linked to an ongoing feud in the Sligo area, but at this stage there is nothing to suggest the murder of Pat Ward is connected to the same dispute. Detective Chief Inspector Peter McKenna, from the PSNI's Major Investigation Team, said: "The body of a man was discovered in an alleyway in McCrea Park in the town at around 8.15am... A post-mortem examination has yet to take place but I am treating his death as murder. "A 33-year-old female and a 23-year-old male have been arrested on suspicion of murder and remain in police custody at this time. "I am appealing for anyone who was in the area of McCrea Park [on Friday] night or early [Saturday] morning and who witnessed any unusual activity or anyone with any information that can assist my investigation to contact detectives on 101 quoting reference 403 09/02/19." Sligo Fine Gael representative Blaine Gaffney went to school with Mr Ward and expressed his shock. "I knew Pat from attending the Mercy Primary School in Sligo and I know his extended family here who still live in Sligo. "My thoughts and condolences go to the family. I would call on anyone with information about this incident to contact the PSNI." Sinn Fein MP Michelle Gildernew said that there was palpable shock in the area. She said: "News that a man's body was found in an alleyway in the McCrea Park area of Clogher has shocked the local community. "The PSNI have said they are treating this as a murder investigation." A man in his 20s has died after he was pulled from the sea off the coast of Donegal yesterday afternoon. The man was spotted by a passer-by in the Ballyshannon estuary just after midday. The emergency services were notified by the Malin Head Coastguard station, which co-ordinated the rescue. Members of the Rescue 118 helicopter along with gardai and members of the Bundoran Lifeboat crew rushed to the scene and began a search. After an intensive search of the area, the casualty was spotted at 1.20pm and taken from the water close to Seimer Island by the lifeboat crew. The man was rushed to Sligo University Hospital by ambulance but was later pronounced dead. His name was not being released last night until all family members had been notified. However, one man who knew the victim said: "It is a terrible tragedy to hit the area. He was a nice young man who was very inoffensive. "It would be hard to survive in the water for too long in stormy weather like this." Meanwhile, a man in his 30s was last night in a critical condition in hospital after sustaining head injuries following an alleged assault in Kerry. The incident occurred at 2.20am yesterday outside a local takeaway in The Square, Killorglin. It is understood he suffered head injuries and was taken to University Hospital Kerry. He is believed to work in construction and farming and had been out socialising with friends earlier in the day before the incident happened. Local councillor Damian Quigg said he was shocked to hear the news and said people should be out to have a good time without incidents like this occurring. "For two local lads to be involved with this is just desperate," he said. "As a councillor to see something like this, young people should just be cautious when having a drink because this is how serious something can become. "My thoughts are really with the family at this time and it is such a tragic thing to happen in this town." Gardai are appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident to contact them at Killarney garda station on 064 6671160 or any Garda station. Anyone with information can also contact gardai on the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111. Culture Minister Josepha Madigan was met with protesters as she issued a warning over the brazen discrimination against women in the Catholic Church. She was met with pro-life campaigners bearing placards as she addressed the We Are Church Forum on Monday evening. The event had been scheduled to take place at the Mercy Sisters International Centre in Dublin but had to be moved to a hotel after pro-life supporters threatened to stage protests outside the nuns venue over the Ministers support for abortion. A small group of protesters gathered outside the hotel where the talk was taking place carrying placards and a cross. Sisters Noeleen and Fiona Larmon from Swords, Co Dublin, told the Irish Independent that they were pro-life Catholics. I am deeply offended that Josepha Madigan thinks it is okay to be pro-choice, Noeleen Larmon said and questioned, why hasnt the Catholic Church excommunicated her? Fiona Larmon called on Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin to publicly excommunicate the Minister for her pro-abortion and pro women priests views. Responding to the call for her excommunication, Minister Madigan told Independent.ie: There are always going to be some elements calling for my excommunication, that is not a surprise to me and it doesnt hurt me anymore. I am very strong in my view that women should be priests and should be entitled to apply to be priests in the same way as I think married men should be allowed to be priests if they wish. She described herself as an ordinary member of the Catholic Church and added: Therefore I am at liberty to speak about the inadequacies and the discrimination that I see in the church. In an address titled, A Community of Faith: Why the Catholic Church should open all ministries to women, the Fine Gael politician questioned, What is the church afraid of? Why are women forbidden from even being considered as members of the clergy not to mention become an integral part of a new dynamic, representative, equal Church? challenged the politician, who acts as a Minister of the Word in her local Dublin parish. She referred to the row last June when she, along with two other women from Mount Merrion parish, presided over a liturgy of the Word when there was no priest to say Mass. Though it had been reported that she said Mass, she stressed: We only did what many other women and indeed men are doing around Ireland. Our involvement was a reminder of the role of women in Church ministry in general. The Minister also highlighted how parents are forced to admit to their daughters, you can be an altar girl but dont get too ahead of yourself, you will never be a priest. Even if you feel that God has called you, you are forbidden. That vocation is only for a man. "You are not welcome here. You are not welcome here because you are female. Underlining that it is not women that need church leadership positions, rather she said it is Church leadership that needs women. A Church without women in its leadership, is a weaker Church. A paradigm shift in thinking in Church leadership is badly needed. If the Church wants to be strong, it needs to evolve. She quoted from Catholic Church statistics which show that in 2008, nearly 49,631 of the worlds 218,865 parishes did not have a resident priest. According to the Vaticans Pontifical Yearbook for 2017, women comprise a majority (56pc) of all consecrated people within the Church. So, lets be clear, women are in the Church. Women work for the Church. They simply face a glass ceiling that bars them from being able to apply for, or be appointed to, important leadership positions. And glass ceilings are being broken in many sectors, politics, science, so why not in the Church? She told the Forum that a church that discriminates against hearing 50pc of its wisdom is not as smart as it could be - and that this was a disservice to Catholic men and women around the world. It is not a Church that is truly representative of the world we live in. She contrasted the situation of priestless Catholic parishes in Ireland to the Protestant Churches which, although a minority, has over 400 women in ministry at various levels, including as ordained members of the clergy, among them Bishop Patricia Storey of the Diocese of Meath and Kildare. Describing herself as a daughter, wife, mother and a woman, the Fine Gael politician added, If we want a Church that is fit for our daughters, hearts and minds need to change. Women are waiting. Women are watching. Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty has rejected claims that her department allows private sub-contractors to effectively decide welfare cuts for people seen to have failed to engage in back-to-work efforts. Fianna Fail's Willie O'Dea said that up to 55,000 people have had their welfare reduced or disallowed over the past eight years on the recommendations of two British-based companies acting for the Social Protection Department. The companies, Seetac and Turas Nua, are engaged in training and other measures aimed at encouraging people to move off welfare. Mr O'Dea said the private companies were exceeding their powers and the department was accepting the firms' recommendations of welfare cuts without question. He argued that a successful test case could have serious consequences for taxpayers - exposing them to back-claims totalling 100m. The Fianna Fail welfare spokesman said that between 2011 and 2018, 55,000 people had their welfare payments reduced or completely disallowed in these circumstances. But a spokesman for the Ms Doherty rejected Mr O'Dea's arguments out of hand. "The deputy's claims are untrue and without foundation," Ms Doherty's spokesman said, adding that when Mr O'Dea was a minister there was record unemployment and economic free-fall, compared with effective full employment now. "It is absolutely incorrect and disingenuous to suggest that the department rubber-stamps, or virtually automatically accepts recommendations from contracted activation providers such as JobPath contractors, to reduce a jobseeker's payment," the spokesman said. He stressed that contractors, or others engaged in training and back-to-work schemes, had no role in cutting people's welfare. It was the job of department officials - called "deciding officers" - and anyone who had been penalised had the right to appeal. Mr O'Dea said the numbers had risen progressively over the years with 359 penalisations in 2011 up to 11,200 in 2018. "It is being decided in practice by private companies and not by the department," Mr O'Dea insisted. Former Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh is an LGBT activist. Photo: Conor Healy/Picture It Photography Former Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh will seek the Fine Gael nomination to run in the European elections. Announcing the decision, the prominent LGBT rights activist said deciding to run for Fine Gael was easy as the party aligns with her "core values". She will seek the party's nomination to run in the Midlands/North-West constituency at a selection convention in a few weeks' time. Speaking to the 'Sunday Independent', the Defence Forces reservist defended Fine Gael's handling of the homelessness crisis and suggested that nurses are well paid. Ms Walsh, a native of Shrule, Co Mayo, said the homeless crisis was "universal" and not just a problem in Ireland. "I think the homeless crisis was not just created in the last three or four years and not just under the Fine Gael Government but created a number of years prior," she added. On the issue of the nurses' strike, she said the nurses agreed to a "substantial" 2.5pc pay increase under the public sector pay deal, but added that she would like to see everyone involved around the table negotiating a solution to end the industrial action. A young man has died after suffering critical injuries in a suspected early morning assault in Kerry. The man, named locally as Stephen O'Connor, died at Cork University Hospital (CUH) where he had been on a life support machine since being transferred from University Hospital Kerry (UHK) on Sunday. Mr O'Connor (32), who was from Glencar on the outskirts of Killorglin, died with his family by his CUH bedside. An alleged incident occurred at 2.20am on Sunday morning outside a local takeaway in The Square, Killorglin, Co Kerry. It is understood there was an altercation between two men. Mr O'Connor was unconscious at the scene when the emergency services arrived. He was taken to UHK but later transferred to CUH where his condition was critical for the past 24 hours. He is believed to work in construction and farming and had been out with friends earlier in the day before the incident happened. Kerry's Councillor Damian Quigg said he was shocked to hear the news and said people should be out to have a good time without incidents like this occurring. "As a councillor to see something like this, young people should just be cautious when having a drink because this is how serious something can become. "My thoughts are really with the family at this time and it is such a tragic thing to happen in this town." The local coroner and office of the State Pathologist have been notified. A post-mortem examination is expected to be carried out tomorrow. Investigating gardai say the results of the post-mortem will determine the course of their investigation and are renewing their appealing for witnesses. Gardai are appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident to contact them at Killarney Garda station on 064 6671160 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111. They said that they received significant co-operation from people who were in the area at the time of the alleged incident. Gardai are particularly appealing to those who were in the vicinity of the The Square, Killorglin in the early hours of Sunday morning to contact them. ALMOST 45,000 was raised over the weekend to bring the body of a woman killed in a car crash in Australia back to Ireland. Amy Gill (23) from Co Mayo was fatally injured in the two-car collision last week in Melbourne. The Kiltimagh native had moved to Melbourne in January with her friends and had recently started working on a tomato farm. Her cousins set up a GoFundMe at the weekend to repatriate her remains and are said to be "devastated" after her tragic death. Expand Close Amy Gill (23) had moved to Melbourne in January. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Amy Gill (23) had moved to Melbourne in January. "Amys family are completely devastated with the loss of Amy and are desperately trying to get her home to Coolaght Claremorris as soon as possible," a family member wrote. "There are massive fees and costs associated with getting Amy home, and we, Amys cousins, are asking you for your help in funding this. We know that Amys immediate family will not rest until they have Amy back home in Ireland." The fundraiser surpassed the 15,000 goal yesterday to the "great relief" of Ms Gill's family, who thanked the public for their generosity. "We never imagined last Friday evening, on setting up this page, the tremendous support we have received over the past 48 hours. Thank you to everybody - friends, neighbours, family, people we do not even know - for helping us at this most difficult time," they said. "The unbelievable support and generosity from all of you has given Amys parents and sisters some comfort in knowing they will have Amy home as soon as possible now." The donations, which tallied at 44,000, will be transferred to The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, with the remaining funds going towards her funeral arrangements. Speaking with Independent.ie on Friday, Amy's friend Nicole Williams described her as a "gentle soul". "Amy was the nicest, caring and genuine person. She had such a pure and gentle soul, and would do anything to help you, whenever it was, she said. "Our hearts were broken when she told us her plans to move to Australia, and even more so when we heard that she had been taken so tragically. "I don't think anyone who knows who will ever forget about her, and she will always be missed and in our thoughts. The Department of Foreign Affairs said last week that it is aware of the incident and is providing consular assistance to the family. Stephanie McGill Lynch and John Lynch from Clondalkin who tragically lost their son Jake McGill Lynch to suicide when he was 14. Photo: Justin Farrelly. Stephanie McGill-Lynch says her life ended the day she opened her 14-year-old son Jake's bedroom door and found him lying motionless under a rifle. Sitting at her kitchen table in a quiet residential area of Clondalkin in Dublin, Stephanie described the haunting image of her son that she said will live with her and her husband John forever. "We were sitting in the living room and Jake was in his bedroom after returning home from school. John got up to get Jake's milk and toast and he went out to the hall to call him but there was no reply. John just looked at me and we both ran up the stairs. "We opened Jake's bedroom door, and I'll always remember that my son had no socks on his feet. There was a porcelain look to them. And then I saw the rifle that we kept in our home lying on top of him." In a harrowing interview with Independent.ie, Stephanie criticised the lack of support for teenagers who are struggling with their mental health and said her son's death was "preventable from start to finish". Jake was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome, which is an autism spectrum disorder, in 2012. He was intermittently seeing a psychologist at the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) but Stephanie said that overall Jake was a happy child. Expand Close A Confirmation photo taken of Jake McGill Lynch from Clondalkin. Photo: Justin Farrelly. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Confirmation photo taken of Jake McGill Lynch from Clondalkin. Photo: Justin Farrelly. His anxiety increased ahead of his Junior Certificate mock exams and the psychologist at CAMHS referred Jake to a consultant psychiatrist. On January 31, 2013, John took his son Jake to the appointment with the psychiatrist where Jake was prescribed the anti-depressant Prozac. The psychiatrist had not met Jake before this consultation. "I have no idea why my child was prescribed medication at that one meeting. Jake had generalised anxiety like most kids who were about to sit big exams, but he was not depressed and did not need medication. There is so much pressure on the mental health services that there isn't enough time or resources to spend properly talking with these kids that are suffering." According to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request into the HSE, in the first half of 2016 almost 1,500 young people under the age of 16 were prescribed anti-depressants. Of those, 66 teenagers were prescribed Fluoxetine (Prozac) between January and July in 2016. Read More Stephanie said that following the meeting with the psychiatrist, she took the prescription to a pharmacy and picked up the medication. "At the pharmacy I didn't get the full package - I got a part of the full product. Jake's Prozac was liquid and it was given to me in weekly doses, poured into a small plastic bottle with no Patient Information Leaflet. They don't write Prozac on the prescription, they write Fluoxetine which is Prozac's generic name, and I have a massive issue with that. "I have no problem with Prozac, I have no issue with anti-depressants, I have an issue with informed consent not being mandatory and off-label prescribing. The drug is used for under 18s for moderate or severe depression. My Jake was not depressed. He had generalised anxiety from school. He should never have been given Prozac." Stephanie said a Patient Information Leaflet was not included with the drug. The Patient Information Leaflet for Prozac, which can be found on the HPRA website, and which was in place at the time Jake took his own life, carries a warning that Patients under 18 have an increased risk of side-effects such as suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts and hostility (predominantly aggression, oppositional behaviour and anger) when they take this class of medicines. Expand Close Stephanie McGill Lynch and John Lynch, parents of the late Jake McGill Lynch. Photo: Damien Eagers / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Stephanie McGill Lynch and John Lynch, parents of the late Jake McGill Lynch. Photo: Damien Eagers "If I had known what that drug was, I would never have given it to my child," Stephanie said. The year before, Stephanie had taken Jake to a dermatologist to see if she could treat his mild acne, but refused to put him on the popular drug Roaccutane, as she was aware that it could lead to depression and suicidal ideation. After four days of being on Prozac, Jake started his mock exams. Two days into his exams, Jake walked out halfway through his Irish exam which was "unheard of" for the star student. "That night, he had his first meltdown ever in his life and he cried for about three hours. He said 'you don't know what it's like in my head mammy'. I said 'no son, I don't. But I'll tell you what, put that science book away. It's only a bloody exam'. We just presumed it was from the exams." The next week, Stephanie went back down to the chemist to collect the second week's supply of Prozac for Jake. She said that Jake had been left on Prozac unmonitored for several weeks before he received an appointment with the psychiatrist in mid-February. "I told her I didn't really think that the drug was working out for Jake and about his sleep patterns and meltdowns. I was told it would all wear off in four to six weeks. So we left, and that was the last time he was ever seen in CAHMS." Stephanie said that over the next month, Jake got through his exams but struggled through the days. "On March 19, Jake went to school as always but when he came home that evening he said he didn't feel well. "John came home from work and Jake was upstairs in his room. He was agitated and I thought maybe he had fallen out with his female friend in Iowa who he often spoke to online. "John went up to him after work and had a chat with him and he seemed ok again." That night, John and Stephanie found 14-year-old Jake lying on his bedroom floor with self-inflicted gun wounds. "I will never, ever be able to move on from that day," Stephanie said. Jake had joined a gun club with his mother a few months previously. He didnt enjoy other sports, which is not uncommon for people with Aspergers, however he showed an immediate enthusiasm and aptitude for shooting. "Jake and I were both members of a gun club. We had a rifle in the house and it was kept in the gun safe. I was in charge of the gun and Jake was in charge of the tool-box with the ammunition and the two were never kept together. So if the gun was taken out of the safe, the toolbox would be removed. "The gun would be taken down every now and again, because you had to do poses with it. We allowed him to take the gun down that night and I forgot to take the tool-box out of his bedroom. I have to live with that guilt for the rest of my life." John, who is a paramedic, started working on his son and he was rushed to Tallaght Hospital. "They couldn't save Jake and we made the decision to turn the life support machine off. It was just awful. The first thing I did when I came home was throw the bottle of Prozac against the wall. That was the only thing that had changed in my son's life. I didn't have a depressed, suicidal child. He doesn't deserve to be dead at 14 for his Junior Cert or because he had Aspergers." In an email written 24 hours before his death, Jake said he was feeling "drugged" and described how he had "panicked to the point of tears before some pretty big exams". "It'll be six years on the 20 March this year and nothing has changed. The Black Box warning is still not on Prozac," Stephanie said. She added that there is very little support for grieving family members in Ireland and described Jake's inquest as a "circus". "The support in this country for families whose loved one has died by suicide or a self-inflicted injury is disgusting. We were brought into the coroner's court 13 times over a 15-month period. We were left with a bill of more than 50,000 which our insurance wouldn't cover because they don't cover 'that kind of death'." In October 2015, Jake's inquest heard that the US black label was based on a meta-analysis carried out in 2003 but subsequent studies have found no increase in suicidal ideation in young people with anxiety taking Prozac. The Irish Medicines Board contacted doctors in 2003 to say that having studied the class of medications affected, they recommended Prozac as being the safest in children under-18. The Coroner Dr Brian Farrell returned an open verdict concluding the lengthy inquest proceedings. Stephanie welcomed the open verdict as she said the ruling 'death by suicide' didn't reflect her son's death as she believes it was drug-induced. She has since been campaigning for the introduction of a new verdict at inquests which could record suicides as having been caused by prescribed medication. However, in May 2018, Minster for Justice Charlie Flanagan ruled out the proposed bill after it was defeated in the Seanad. "It was absolutely devastating. My son's death wasn't a suicide. "I felt like my child didnt matter as a citizen of this country. Jake was 14, he had a right to life. The whole point of an inquest is to find cause of death, it is not to find somebody guilty. The verdict would have said without apportioning blame. We are not looking for anyones head on a plate. But we are looking for some kind of accountability. Stephanie insists that her family is not out for material gain, nor are they anti-medication. Were not trying to frighten people. We believe that medication should be the last resort, not the first one. If your child is stressed about exams or breaking up from a relationship... thats not depression. Thats life. "We can talk about mental health and we can raise awareness, but we need to have supports in place too. We are aware, now what are we doing about it? There is no point in having boards of people sitting around a table or celebrities discussing teenage mental health, when they're not backing it up with actual supports. "Every school should have a psychologist. I don't want any other child to suffer like Jake did or how our family is suffering now. Life stopped for our family that night and I'll never be able to move past it. "Jake's death was very preventable from start to finish. My son is never coming back to me and all I can do now is try and raise awareness about the lack of mental health services in this country so that parents can make informed decisions that are in the best interests of their child." Martin Rogan, Chief Executive Officer of Mental Health Ireland, said that Prozac like all medication has "its benefits and its side effects". "Before any medication goes on the market, it goes through significant testing. But every medication will have side effects and won't always suit every individual and that's why prescribing is done by specialist teams. Like any medication, it will only go so far, but it will be much more effective if it is in combination with other therapy approaches." Mr Rogan said that it is common for psychiatrists to prescribe anti-depressants after one meeting. "It's up to the prescriber to suggest the best possible treatment for the young person and if they think an anti-depressant is the best thing, it would be remiss of them not to prescribe it. Usually with teenagers, family members would be involved in the decision-making too. "There are other supports and therapies that can be tried first but most anti-depressants take from two to three weeks to benefit so you're losing time if the young person is depressed or stressed. If its indicated that the young person would benefit from anti-depressants there's not much point in saying come back in a few weeks and we'll see how you are then." Mr Rogan added that despite a huge improvement in mental health services in Ireland over the past decade, challenges do remain. "The biggest challenge for mental health services in Ireland is ensuring that there are sufficient skilled staff available for all of the teams. There's huge difficulty in recruiting child psychiatrists. The services also must be appealing to young people and more importantly effective. It's important that young people know where to find help and that the help is available to them." In a statement to Independent.ie the HSE said that they cannot comment on individual cases, but said that medication "may be prescribed in line with best practice and clinical evidence". "Treatment with medication is always considered as only being one part of a care plan, in combination with other non-pharmacological therapies," the HSE said in a statement. "Commencing treatment with medication requires careful consideration of the grounds for commencement, discussion of the rationale for such treatment and possible side effects. Once commenced regular reviews will take place to monitor for the occurrence of side effects and response to treatment." The HSE said that drug Fluoxetine (Prozac) is prescribed for under-18s "for a number of clinical conditions when indicated, taking into account the severity of the presenting problem and response to other psychological interventions". "When a family believes that the treatment provided did not meet their expectations their feedback is most valuable in assisting the service in learning as to the ways it can improve the experience for young people and their parents. Ensuring that a positive relationship is established with the service is a fundamental to ensuring the best possible outcomes for young people." The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) said that Prozac is authorised in Ireland for people over the age of 8. "Prozac is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant medicine authorised for the treatment of children and adolescents aged 8 years and above for the following indication: moderate to severe major depressive episode, if depression is unresponsive to psychological therapy after 4-6 sessions. Antidepressant medication should be offered to a child or young person with moderate to severe depression only in combination with a concurrent psychological therapy. "The decision to grant this indication to Fluoxetine followed an EU-wide review of the safety and efficacy of the medicine in this patient population. "Once a medicine is approved and placed on the market, European and Irish legislation provides for on-going monitoring of its benefits and risks. This monitoring includes review and evaluation of suspected adverse reaction reports at National and EU level." If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article please contact: The updating of equipment is essential for patient safety, but many hospitals are still using obsolete machines which can cost millions of euro. Stock Image The replacement of some outdated and "obsolete" hospital medical equipment, including expensive CT scanners and diagnostics machines, is expected to be delayed as part of the cost-cutting needed to find 50m this year for the new National Children's Hospital. The updating of equipment is essential for patient safety, but many hospitals are still using obsolete machines which can cost millions of euro. Hospital consultants have warned about the risks of old models of machines which are only kept going with spare parts. The HSE has had to draw up of a hit-list of areas earmarked for capital spending in 2019 which have to be put back to find the 50m needed to help fund the national hospital overrun of 1.4bn. Other Government departments have also been told to recommend capital projects which can be delayed to yield another 50m. The list of deferred projects is due to go to Cabinet tomorrow. There are also fears that some of the extra hospital beds to ease overcrowding will now also be delayed. More than 600 acute beds were due to be phased in between 2018 and 2020. A 60-bed modular or pre-fab block in University Hospital Limerick, planned to reduce the pressures on its A&E, was promised. But it recently emerged it has not been allocated its 19m funding yet, putting a question mark over how early it will now be delivered. Other areas that could suffer include some primary care centres and the replacements and refurbishment of community nursing homes for older people who are still living in some of the Victorian buildings condemned by the Health Information and Quality Authority inspectors. Some projects which are still held up in planning or other phases are likely to be added to the hit-list. It is understood that two big building projects will not be touched - the new Central Mental Hospital in Portrane, Dublin, and phase one of the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire. Archbishop of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin has said confidence in the health system has been tested and only openness and honesty about what has gone wrong will win that confidence back. Speaking at Corpus Christi Parish Church in Drumcondra for World Day of the Sick, Dr Martin said: "Ireland can and should have a world-class healthcare system. We have to get on with that." However, he stressed that "people want to know honestly why things go wrong and when all is not all right". He warned that the answers will not come from "polemics". The gathering at the Dublin church included those who are sick and those who work alongside the sick. The archbishop said they were coming together at a time "when confidence in our national healthcare system is tested in many ways". Separately, at St Macartan's Cathedral in Monaghan, the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh, described the country as being at a "very difficult juncture" over the health crisis. Speaking to the Irish Independent, he said: "People want to be cared for. They want a Government and the health service to look after their needs, particularly when they are vulnerable and sick." He described himself as "extremely grateful" to all those "who work in our hospitals, caring agencies looking after the sick at home, and in nursing homes and hospices". Acknowledging that it was very difficult for him to speak into a political situation, he added: "Alongside everyone in the country I would implore all those who have the facilities to make things better to do their very best, particularly for health." He highlighted that as today is the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, it was a day when the Catholic Church prayed for the sick. "It is a day when we not just pray for the sick, but we work to give them the very best dignity that we can," he said. Speaking in Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin said: "Care of the sick is something that involves all of society. "It involves community and a special form of community that feels the call to be with the sick and to give them something of ourselves and to learn something from them." He said on World Day of the Sick, Christians are called on not just to hold a prayer service, but to "reach out to the sick who so often suffer as much from loneliness than from their specific illness". Strike force: Nurses rally at Merrion Square, Dublin, on Saturday as they march in support of their pay demands. Photo: Frank McGrath INMO Gen Sec Phil Ni Sheaghdha pictured during the rally at Merrion Square, in support of Nurses and Midwives pay. Picture Credit:Frank McGrath 9/2/19 A three-day national strike by 40,000 nurses - due to begin tomorrow - has been called off. However patients, who faced cancellation of outpatient and surgery appointments tomorrow, can still expect some disruption. The latest developments follow the Labour Court's formal intervention to resolve the pay row earlier today. The court's recommendation, seen by the Irish Independent, says there should be an enhanced nurses practice salary scale in return for 'productivity' measures. Three-day national strike by nurses called off by INMO pic.twitter.com/VfYjIoKFYn Ian Begley (@Beggers_) February 11, 2019 It says nurses with certain qualifications will be offered the opportunity to move to this new scale. The final details are to be worked out as part of new contract discussions. Expand Close Phil Ni Sheaghdha pictured arriving to talks on the nurses' dispute at the Labour Court, Lansdowne House, Dublin. Photo: Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Phil Ni Sheaghdha pictured arriving to talks on the nurses' dispute at the Labour Court, Lansdowne House, Dublin. Photo: Collins It also says that there will be an expert review of the nursing profession, and that the unions will cooperate fully with the roll out of a healthcare assistant review. The court's proposal also says that an agreement reached last year to address two tier pay for recent recruits to the public service will be revised for nurses. It says that nurses and midwives will skip point two on their pay scale as well as two increments already being skipped by other public servants. The reduced benefit to new entrants is designed to make savings to fund the new salary scale. More information on whether industrial action will be called off in the long-term won't be known until all matters have been considered by the union and its members. It is understood that the Psychiatric Nurses Association also plans to suspend strikes planned for the next three days. Officials from the union met the Labour Court this evening. More than 40,000 nurses were due to strike on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week. They had already held strikes on two days and a major protest was held in Dublin city centre on Saturday. Welcome Reacting to the news that the strike was suspended, Health Minister Simon Harris said it was "very welcome" for patients across the country but also welcome news for nurses and midwives. "I now look forward to the health service resuming its normal work and doing all it can to catch up," he said, in reference to medical appointments that had been cancelled amid the strikes. Mr Harris said he hoped this will mean the end of the dispute and he respected the process that must now be followed. Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe also welcomed the acceptance of the Labour Court recommendation. Mr Donohue said he will bring the details to Cabinet tomorrow. He said: "I know that many other unions will be considering this issue. It is more appropriate for me to speak on that matter once I have briefed Cabinet first." He declined to say how much it will cost and said it will not breach the public service wage agreement. The INMO's general secretary, Phil Ni Sheaghda, said just after 6pm tonight she'd just received the Labour Court's list of recommendations. A decision had been made to "suspend the action for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to allow time to consider the Labour Court recommendations." Ms Ni Sheaghda said the union would be meeting on Wednesday to "give full consideration" to the Labour Court's recommendation. The strike action which would have affected thousands of patients across Ireland, will be called off effective Tuesday morning. "It's progress," Ms Ni Sheaghda said. "We have a lot of work to do currently requiring negotiations." The next step is, Ms Ni Sheaghda said, to brief the INMO's executive council to "appraise" the recommendations. She said the recommendations presented an important progression and she thanked the Labour Court for its work, particularly over the weekend. But she said there is "a lot in it," referring to the recommendations the union and its members would have to examine. There were "many aspects" to take into account before briefing the union's executive council on Wednesday, she added. These would "require deeper scrutiny," she added. "There are parts that have to be negotiated over the next three weeks." She explained the "focus" was now to brief members to "give them an opportunity to consider the full picture." On Wednesday the union's executive will decide when members will be balloted. Advice to patients Many of the thousands of patients who faced cancellation of outpatient and surgery appointments tomorrow can expect some disruption despite the nurses suspending their strike. A HSE spokeswoman said that nurses are expected to fully attend work tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday. "We will endeavour to do everything we can to restore normal services. "However, it will be appreciated that this will not be possible in all areas. We expect outpatient appointments to go ahead as planned and advise anyone with an appointment for tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday to attend. "We are advising surgical patients that they will be contacted by their hospital if their procedure is going ahead. "We expect that emergency departments will be extremely busy and we would ask the public to only use these services if absolutely necessary. "Minor injury clinics will be operating as normal from tomorrow. We will update our website with further details on an ongoing basis. "Our hospitals and community based services will make direct contact locally with patients and clients where services are restored." More than 41,000 people are on a waiting list for eye care - an increase of almost 2,000 on the previous year. Of these, some 16,200 have been waiting for outpatient care for more than a year, with 10,500 people waiting more than 18 months. The Association of Optometrists (AOI) said that with an ageing population growing year on year, the country needed to plan appropriately. AOI chief executive Sean McCrave said extra theatre space at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear and Nenagh Hospital were welcome but would not address the demand and delays. "Optometrists are recommending radical reform of eye care to move towards a triaged approach of routine public care provided by optometrists in the community and specialised care by ophthalmologists in hospitals," he said. "In Ireland we have an unusual over-reliance on hospital ophthalmology departments. "This is a flawed approach that cannot and will not meet patient demand." AOI president Patricia Dunphy said cataract surgery accounts for a significant proportion of the backlog and called for better organisation in this section. She said optometrists should be given prescribing rights for antibiotic and steroid drops, which they are already qualified to do. Annual study: Irish Olympian Thomas Barr with Cameron Ramsay and Laragh Tierney of Newpark Comprehensive at the launch of the Irish Life Health Fitness Challenge. Photo: INPHO/Dan Sheridan The long-term health of teenagers is being put at risk by the race for CAO points, according to health and fitness expert Professor Niall Moyna. His warning comes as a new study shows a sharp fall in fitness levels among second-level pupils, particularly girls, after the age of 15. The Dublin City University (DCU) professor of clinical exercise physiology blames the pressure on students to perform well in the State exams, although the trend is also obvious in transition year. "A school that thinks there is something more important than children's health - I would be very interested in talking to that principal," he told the Irish Independent. He said there was also a "huge disconnect" among parents who "just don't seem to understand the link between childhood fitness and long-term health". Contrary to any view that students who sacrifice exercise for study reap the benefits in better exam results, Dr Moyna pointed to international research showing how physical activity helped reduce stress levels, increased concentration and had a positive impact on academic performance. He cited a 2014 study that tracked more than 80,000 students and found that children who significantly improved their fitness over a five-year period enhanced their academic performance compared with children whose fitness levels did not change. Prof Moyna was commenting on findings from the annual Irish Life Health Schools' Fitness Challenge, the largest national surveillance study on the fitness of 13 to 18 year olds, which he oversees in DCU's Centre for Preventive Medicine. Now in its eighth year, the challenge measures pupils' cardiovascular fitness through a series 20-metre running tests, spaced six weeks apart, with a training programme in between. The programme can improve teen fitness levels by an average of 10pc, but the 2018 findings highlight how third year, typically when pupils are 15, is a crossroads. After third year, participation in the challenge drops by over 80pc and among girls who do get involved, fitness levels decrease dramatically from first year to sixth year. Last September, 185 schools and 24,167 teen students signed up for the challenge. But while almost 9,000 13-year-olds were involved, it was down to 1,300 17-year-olds. Prof Moyna said the seven years of data had enabled them to analyse the trends and their biggest concern was the "tremendously large participation drop-off after third year", which he described as "extremely alarming". "We are seeing a direct link between the drop in participation and the increasing number of children aged from 16 to 18 years not meeting the minimum level of fitness required for optimal health. "This is a major national issue, and the big question is why are schools and parents letting this happen? Instead of managing health implications as they arise, we should be trying to prevent them." He said in addition to being the leading cause of death in Ireland, cardiovascular disease was associated with increased risk for dementia. He called for continuous surveillance of cardiorespiratory fitness to be mandatory in second-level school. Gort Community School, Co Galway, Summerhill College, Co Sligo, and Alexandra College, Dublin, were category winners for most improved school in the study, while Carrigallen Vocational School, Co Leitrim, St Macartan's College, Co Monaghan, and Colaiste Naomh Mhuire, Co Kildare, were category winners for Ireland's fittest schools. Alexandr Bekmirzaev has just finished recounting the story of the last five and a half years of his life, a time he spent living in the midst of the most brutal terror group of modern times. The 45-year-old Irish citizen, originally from Belarus, tells a tale of misfortune and mistakes that led him from his home in Dublin to an isolated corner of eastern Syria, where he was captured leaving the last small area held by Isil. He insists that he never wanted anything to do with the group. But many have told a similar story after their capture, when they have every reason not to tell the truth. Does he expect people to believe him? "I have this story and that's it. This is my life," he says, with exasperation in his voice. "You wake me up at three in the morning and I will tell you the same." Bekmirzaev is one of hundreds of foreigners who have been detained while leaving the caliphate over the past month, on suspicion of being a member of Isil. The suspicion is high enough that few governments want to take them back, fearing they would pose a security risk, so they remain stuck in limbo here, in the custody of the Syrian Democratic Forces. The future for the thousands of foreign Isil suspects is as unclear as their past. Bekmirzaev's current predicament is a far cry from his former life in Dublin. He emigrated from Belarus in 1999, and eventually gained Irish citizenship in 2010. Before he left for Syria he says he worked as a bouncer at Lillie's Bordello nightclub. "Life in Ireland was simple. I liked it," he says, in an interview at a military facility in northern Syria. "I tried a few things, but I ended up in security. The money was good, the hours were good." He describes himself at that time as "a bad Muslim", someone who "strongly believed, but badly practised". Expand Close Ruthless: The president of Syria Bashar al-Assad. AP photo / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ruthless: The president of Syria Bashar al-Assad. AP photo The broad outlines of this part of his life are not in question. But what happened next is the subject of intense scrutiny, both by the Kurdish authorities who hold him today, and the authorities back home. Bekmirzaev doesn't remember the precise moment he decided to go to Syria, but he remembers consuming a steady drip of news of airstrikes and civilians being killed. "On TV it was presented as a massacre. [Bashar al-Assad] just ruthlessly killed many people," he says. "He was a real evil-doing person." "I started thinking maybe I would come to help. But I had no military experience and I didn't plan to fight, so I thought to myself I could do something in the medical field." In September 2013, Bekmirzaev bought a plane ticket to Istanbul and made his way to the southern Turkish town of Reyhanli, and from there across the border. He says he didn't have any contacts in Syria, but asked around for a hospital where he could work. He ended up in a town called Haritan, in Aleppo province. Bekmirzaev says he was motivated by a desire to help Muslims in Syria. But rather than seek a job with a charity working in the country, he chose to go to an area that was controlled by a known extremist group, which would later evolve into Isil. Shortly after arriving, he sent for his wife and his nine-month-old son to join him, which they did in January 2014. "I don't want to really talk about this," he says. "I made a stupid mistake. I asked them to come and join me. I said we can spend a couple of months here and we go back home. But once they arrived, the problems started, the war started seriously." One week after his family arrived, the town of Haritan was surrounded by the Free Syrian Army, the mainstream opposition to Assad. From this moment on, Bekmirzaev says, he was forced to go wherever Isil went. His family fled to Raqqa, along with masses of Isil fighters, and he followed them shortly after. "Later I found out that it was a Dawla-controlled area," he says, using a respectful term for Isil, meaning "state". After finding his family, they moved to a nearby town. He says he had come to know an Isil emir, and he asked him for permission to leave. "He said OK, but the next day they came and took my passport. Then I understood I wasn't going anywhere. "For six months I did nothing. Then he came to me and said, 'You have to work'. I said that I wasn't going to fight, so they told me that I have to be a driver for the foreigners who live in the area," he says. In August 2014, he started his job, ferrying foreign Isil members - mostly Russian - to and from this small town near Raqqa. "I didn't have a gun. I was just a driver. If I travelled to a far destination, they would always put someone with me, some fighter," he adds. He did this work for a year, until mental health issues he says he had suffered from worsened. "I have depression, and I have changes in my character, exhaustion, anxiety," he says. In other interviews, Bekmirzaev has said he suffers from schizophrenia. "They released me from work, and I was prohibited to do any job because of the problem I have," he says. With the help of a local, he and his family left with around 40-50 others. They made their way to the SDF lines, at which point he was arrested. Among the group that left with him were two US citizens and two Pakistanis - also suspected Isil members. "When they realised I was a foreigner, they started to shout, loaded their guns. They sat us on the ground, me and my family, screaming 'Daesh, Daesh, Daesh,'" he says. Daesh is a pejorative name for Isil. The SDF said in a statement that the group were "terrorists who had been preparing to attack the civilians who were trying to get out of the war zone". Bekmirzaev's story of his time in the caliphate attempts to distance him from the crimes carried out by the group. But questions remain about what he knew about it before he came, his motivations for going to Syria, and what he did while he was there. He says he had no knowledge of Isil until he got to the country, but the Garda say otherwise. Based on his activities before he left Dublin, they describe him as a "serious player" in jihadist circles. Authorities considered him a "person of interest" and "a lot more than a sympathiser". One officer told the Irish Independent that Bekmirzaev had been "hanging around with a number of people who we regarded as the main [Isil] players in this country and who had been top of our monitoring list", and possibly providing logistical support to the group. Other reports said gardai believed Bekmirzaev was radicalised by a man believed to be an Isil recruiter working in Ireland, who was eventually deported to Jordan. "Yeah, I was friends with him, and I was very often staying in his house," he says of the man who was deported. "And if they are saying I was supporting financially, yes, I was supporting him. Because what Special Branch did to him, they cancelled his social welfare payment. "He was a sick person, he has a heart problem and a knee problem and they didn't operate on him." The Garda characterisation of Bekmirzaev undermines his claim that he came to Syria as a humanitarian. But after spending five years living in the caliphate, what does he think of Isil now? "If you look at the ordinary muhajireen [foreigners who came to live in the caliphate], you see they are sincere people," he says. "They don't think politics, they want to build an Islamic state, and they tried their best, they gave their lives, they were really good people." Were these not the same people who were carrying out atrocities against civilians across Iraq and Syria? Did he not hear about the genocide and enslavement of the Yazidi people? A long silence follows these questions. "Of course I heard. As much as I tried not to be involved in anything, you hear these things," he says. "About six months ago I heard a story about one of the women [Yazidi] and I thought - what a scumbag." But the enslavement and massacres of all those who opposed them was Isil policy. Through collective responsibility, was not every member even indirectly culpable for these crimes? "I'm not talking about the people in the field, the fighters, I think most of them were sincere, good people. I don't think they did that. Most of these things happened were by local people," he says. The Kurdish intelligence officials holding Bekmirzaev say they have heard the same story from every foreigner leaving Isil territory. Most, they say, were signed up members of the organisation. But proving this is near impossible. Bekmirzaev says he wants to return to Ireland and deal with authorities here. The SDF did not respond to a request for comment on Bekmirzaev's case. "If they want to put me on trial that is their right. Ireland is my home, and I want to go back. This is my right," he says. "If I am a bad son of this country, this is still my home. If you think I'm a bad person, it doesn't mean you have to throw me in the sea." The State wants to mediate several damages actions brought against it by retired garda sergeant and whistleblower Maurice McCabe. The High Court heard on Monday that the State is to write "an open letter" to Mr McCabe's solicitors in an effort to see if several actions brought by him against parties can be resolved through mediation. The mediation offer was mentioned when one set of proceedings brought by Mr McCabe against parties including the Commissioner, the Minister for Justice, Ireland the Attorney General, and former Garda Commissioner Martin Callanan, was mentioned before the court. Mr McCabe's lawyers had filed a motion seeking a judgement against the parties over their alleged failure to file a defence to his claim. Gerard Meehan Bl, for the State defendants, said his clients had not filed a defence as it would not help bring the sides together in a bid to see if a "conciliatory mediation" could take place. Counsel said the proposed mediation would involve all cases taken against the State by Mr McCabe. The proposed mediation was being made not just in the interests of all the parties but also "in the public interest," he said. Counsel said the state will write to Mr McCabe's solicitors Sean Costello & Co to see if mediation was possible. Emily Maloney Bl, for Mr McCabe, expressed her client's concerns about any further delays in the cases. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds adjourned the case against the State for three weeks. The Judge said she understood Mr McCabe's concerns about delays, but in the circumstances was prepared to adjourn the matter. Separately a number of pretrial motions in actions taken by the retired sergeant, his wife, and their four children, against the HSE and Tusla the Child and Family Agency, were also mentioned before the court. The McCabes had brought applications seeking judgments against the HSE and the CFA over an alleged failure to file defences to their claims. The applicaitons in those cases, where the McCabes seek damages over the false sexual abuse allegations made against him, were struck out with the consent of the parties. It was also agreed that defendants could have an additional four weeks to file their defences to the claims. Previously the state admitted liability in personal injuries claims and a defamation action brought by Mr McCabe. Last October Mr McCabe retired from An Garda Siochana, following 30 years service, weeks after the publication of the Disclosures Tribunal report in which Mr Justice Peter Charleton described the Cavan-based sergeant as having done the State considerable service. The Tribunal found former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan and Supt David Taylor had engaged in a smear campaign against Mr McCabe in response to his whistleblowing. The report found that Mr McCabe was a genuine person who had the interests of the people of Ireland in his mind at all times. A student suspended by a Dublin private school over allegedly selling 20 of cannabis has taken a High Court challenge over a planned disciplinary hearing. A stay applies on that hearing pending further order and the matter has been adjourned for two weeks. Mr Justice Seamus Noonan granted leave on Monday to lawyer to bring judicial review proceedings on behalf of the teenage student, suing through his father. It is claimed the boy's mother contacted the school late last year expressing concerns her son may have been smoking cannabis. In a further contact, she told the school her son had admitted sourcing cannabis online through Instagram. Days later, the school informed the parents it had received an allegation their son had supplied another student with cannabis. It is claimed allegations were put to the student at a meeting involving him, his parents and the school and he made a number of admissions. These included having smoked cannabis on weekends outside school and in woods near the school and having conversations with fellow students about smoking cannabis. He denied any allegation he offered or supplied cannabis for sale to anyone. Two days later, the student's father was informed his son would be suspended pending investigation of the allegations. Email In an email to the school three days later, the student apologised for his actions and said he wanted to stay in the school. The following day, the school head informed the parents by letter their son had breached the school's code of behaviour and substance use policy for having cannabis in his possession at a particular period; approaching another student in the school asking him if he wanted to buy cannabis and supplying about 20 of cannabis to that student. If was further alleged he brought cannabis to smoke with friends which he had hidden "out the back of the school". In view of the "very serious nature of the alleged misbehaviour" and as his continued presence in the school "represents a serious threat to the safety of students", the letter said the student would remain suspended pending the school head's investigation. The student remains suspended and has appealed his suspension under the Education Act in which context a facilitation process is due to take place shortly. It is claimed the parents have also been informed the school head has carried out a "thorough investigation" and, in a report, formed the view expulsion may be warranted and recommended the board of management consider that. The student claims the head, while "recommending the sanction of expulsion, has "manifestly made the essential finding of guilt necessary to justify such a sanction". The report, it is claimed, is based on "findings" by the head based on "incomplete circumstantial evidence" and without affording the student or his parents fair procedures or an opportunity to challenge the evidence. His solicitor, Eileen McCabe, had written to the school voicing a range of concerns, including that the school board of management proposing to hold the disciplinary hearing was not properly constituted. Replies from the school stated, inter alia, no issue arose in relation to the matters raised, it is claimed. It is alleged the student has been refused a proper opportunity to challenge the evidence against him and this is unfair and breaches fair procedures, natural and constitutional justice and the school's own code. It is also alleged it was a breach of fair procedures for the board of management to meet last month to review the investigation carried out by the head and satisfy itself that was done in line with fair procedures. An artists impressions of the proposed interior of the Ormond Hotel on Dublins quays following its redevelopment Work on Dublin's historic Ormond Hotel has been put on hold in advance of a High Court hearing of applications by Village Magazine publisher Michael Smith and Bagots Hutton Restaurant requiring its owners, Monteco Holdings, to cease working on its demolition and redevelopment until such time as it complies with certain conditions of its planning approval. While the company denies the claims, Gareth Lim, CEO of Monteco's parent company, the Ormond Group, confirmed to the Sunday Independent last Friday that the redevelopment has been paused to allow for consultations to take place with local stakeholders and with Dublin City Council. In a statement issued to this newspaper, Mr Lim said: "The planning process in Ireland is a rigorous and detailed process that ensures the interests of the local community are taken into account and protected. "We've been engaging with various groups and Dublin City Council to ensure that their thoughts are heard and incorporated. This pause will enable us to do that. "We have been fortunate that nearly all the groups and people we have met have seen the development of this prominent site with Joycean heritage, which has been derelict since 2006, as a positive one." As part of his application for an injunction under Section 160 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, Michael Smith claims Monteco Holdings is in breach of certain conditions of its planning approval. While expressing his concern that his home at No 5 Ormonde Quay could become uninhabitable if works on the hotel continue, he also claims that the construction works that have taken place to date have caused damage to his other residential property at No 6. Significantly, No 6 Ormond Quay is a national monument, which dates back to the 17th century. In separate plenary proceedings against Monteco, Mr Smith is seeking various injunctive reliefs to restrain the developer from carrying out demolition works at the Ormond Hotel or at its boundary with No 6, and is seeking a mandatory injunction directing Monteco to repair any damage to No 6 as a result of its alleged actions. Bagott Hutton Restaurant, which trades from No 6, meanwhile, is seeking orders as part of its Section 160 application requiring Monteco to carry out the development of the Ormond Hotel in accordance with its planning approval and in a manner which doesn't cause a nuisance to the restaurant's premises. The restaurant's owners have sought the orders as a result of various site incidents they allege have taken place, including a water leak through their basement kitchen and complaints about noise, vibration, the spread of dust. In a further claim, they say the impact of a steel beam into the neighbouring wall caused slight structural damage to No 6. Notwithstanding the claims being made in relation to the works that had been carried out on the Ormond Hotel to date, the Ormond Group's chief, Gareth Lim, expressed confidence that the issue will be resolved to everyone's satisfaction. He said: "We're looking forward to resolving this matter as the hotel will employ 200-250 people during construction and employ 90 people in the city when operational. "The common areas of the hotel are being designed to be welcoming to the local community and we hope that the neighbourhood will view the hotel as a place they can use as their own," he added. "Local programming will also be a core part of the development and we intend to use the hotel as a means to celebrate local culture and arts." Between its opening in 1900 and closure in 2006, the Ormond Hotel served as an important fixture within Dublin's social life while enjoying worldwide recognition owing to its selection by James Joyce as the scene for The Sirens chapter in his seminal novel, Ulysses. Following its closure, however, the hotel's physical structure quickly declined to the point of dereliction after plans for its redevelopment by developer Bernard McNamara were abandoned in the wake of the 2008 economic crash. Since acquiring the property in 2014, the Ormond's new owners secured planning permission for a new, purpose-built 120-bedroom hotel incorporating two original Georgian buildings on the site, Nos 12 and 13 Ormond Quay, which did not previously form part of the hotel. Asked by the Sunday Independent previously how his company had come to acquire the famous hotel, Mr Lim said: "We were actually on a business trip viewing the Holiday Inn on Pearse Street (we should have bought that too!) on a miserable December winter's day and asked whether there were any other properties on the market to fill up the day. "The agent showed us The Ormond Hotel and the combination of fantastic location and price proved very attractive and we closed within six weeks." Stephanie McGill Lynch and John Lynch from Clondalkin who tragically lost their son Jake McGill Lynch to suicide when he was 14. Photo: Justin Farrelly. The mother of a 14-year-old boy who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound has welcomed an open verdict at an inquest into his death. Jake McGill Lynch died at Tallaght Hospital on March 20, 2013, as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home at Woodford Terrace in Clondalkin, Dublin 22. Coroner Dr Brian Farrell returned an open verdict concluding lengthy inquest proceedings dating back to May 2014. Stephanie McGill Lynch shed tears and clutched her husbands arm as the verdict was read out at Dublin Coroners Court. Its a huge relief. It allows us to grieve now. You cant let go of that night but this allows another chapter to close. This is the verdict he deserved because in our eyes it was drug induced, she said after the inquest concluded. Mrs McGill Lynch said she was unaware of the side effects of the drug. Expand Close A Confirmation photo taken of Jake McGill Lynch from Clondalkin. Photo: Justin Farrelly. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Confirmation photo taken of Jake McGill Lynch from Clondalkin. Photo: Justin Farrelly. Kids are walking around drugged out of their minds, we have a generations of zombies," she said. The inquest heard that Jake was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome in early 2012 and he suffered from anxiety issues. He had been prescribed Prozac to help with his anxiety and started taking the medication 46 days before his death. In email written 24 hours before his death, Jake said he was feeling drugged and described how he had panicked to the point of tears before some pretty big exams and was comforted by his mother. The Coroner said Jake was obviously a talented young man and his email showed his extraordinary level of intelligence. Consultant child psychiatrist Dr Maria Migone, who prescribed the Prozac for Jakes anxiety, said new findings emerging in the past two years showed that children on the autistic spectrum were at increased risk of suicide. Consultant Paediatric Psychiatrist at Temple Street Childrens Hospital Dr Brian Houlihan, gave evidence in relation to the possible link between Prozac and suicical ideation. He said Prozac can lead to increased suicidal ideation in some patients, but not to increased instances of suicide. One fifth of adolescents experience suicidal thoughts, according to Dr Houlihan. Medics at Temple Street Childrens University Hospital are treating one patient per day presenting with self inflicted injuries or threatening to self harm, he said. About 8pc of children and young adults who experience suicidal ideation attempt to take their own lives, Dr Houlihan said. Of these it is thought 1pc will lead to completed suicide. It sounds small but its very significant, he said. A knife blade was found partially impaled in a former soldier's neck when his post-mortem was conducted, a murder trial has heard. The statement of former Deputy State Pathologist, Dr Khalid Jaber, was read into the record in the Central Criminal Court trial of Gary Watson (35), who is charged with murdering former soldier Warren OConnor (24) nine years ago in north Dublin. Mr Watson, with an address at Millbrook Avenue, Kilbarrack, Dublin 13 has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr OConnor at Hole in the Wall Road, Donaghmede, Dublin 13 on January 16, 2010. Mr Watson also denies assaulting Philip Woodcock (34) causing him harm on the same occasion and producing a knife to intimidate another person in the course of a dispute. The trial has previously heard that a fight ensued between two groups of men after Mr Woodcock removed a fuse and cut power to his neighbours apartment so an allegedly "noisy house party" would end and the occupants would leave. James Dwyer SC, prosecuting, read the statement of Dr Jaber, who said he conducted a post-mortem examination on Mr OConnors body at Dublin City Mortuary on January 17, 2010. Dr Jaber said the cause of death was a penetrating stab wound to the lower anterior of the left side of the neck. The blade of a stainless steel kitchen knife, which measured 22.5cm in length was found partially impaled in Mr O'Connor's neck when the post-mortem was carried out and its handle was not recovered, the court heard. In his statement, Dr Jaber said the knife had perforated the left ventricle artery as well as the left internal jugular vein causing significant soft tissue haematoma. Dr Jaber added that the knife's blade had been inserted inside Mr O'Connor's body to a depth of 13cms. The blade is bent toward the anterior midline making the external part of the blade look as if it was inserted vertically downward, he said. There was a minor curvature to the external part of the blade, the court heard. There were no defence type wounds to Mr OConnors hands and his fingers were partially blood-stained, said Dr Jaber, adding that it was unlikely this event would have been caused accidentally by another individual. Dr Jaber said the hand of the perpetrator who was holding the knife would most likely have been directly in front of the victim or to his left hand-side or in between these two positions. Additionally, the perpetrator would have been at a relative height advantage and it was more likely the victim was taken by surprise when he was stabbed unless he was facing the perpetrator, he said. In conclusion, Dr Jaber said Mr OConnor died from a single stab wound from a single-edged knife, which had deeply penetrated the third thoracic vertebrae and caused significant haematoma to the left side of the neck. Mr Dwyer said Dr Jaber was the final prosecution witness and the State had now closed its case. Earlier, Garda Damien Carroll told prosecution counsel Eoghan Cole BL that he recovered a black-handled knife from a building near Grattan Wood apartment complex in Donaghmede as well as three knives from a black Honda Civic car. No fingerprints belonging to Mr Watson were found on these knives, said Gda Carroll. The trial has previously heard that one group - which included Mr Woodcock and the deceased Warren O'Connor - left Grattan Wood apartment complex in a Ford Focus car on the night before it was rammed by another group driving a Honda Civic. The trial continues on Wednesday before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of seven men and five women. A UK resident who repeatedly travelled to Dublin to have sex with a teenage girl who he claimed he was in love with has been jailed for four-and-a-half years. The Central Criminal Court heard that the 25-year-old man and the 16-year-old became engaged at one point and he told gardai he was in love with her. Mr Justice Paul Coffey said that it wasn't love and said that the man was satisfying his sadistic urges by exploiting a mere child. The offending came to light when the girl arrived home inebriated, having spent time drinking with the man. Her mother took her phone and found thousands of text messages between her and the man. The man had met the girl online in mid 2016 and began travelling here to have sex with her. She was 15 when he first had sex with her and then continued to meet her for sex after she turned 16. The pair met in hotel rooms and he recorded some of the sexual encounters on his phone. Mr Justice Coffey said the clandestine nature of the relationship between him and the victim indicated that he knew what he was doing was wrong. He said the defendant was controlling, possessive and manipulative and the victim only now has the clarity as to how inappropriate the relationship was. In a victim impact statement the victim said: He was persuasive and demanding. I was 15 years old and he exploited this. I felt loved but realise this was not the case and he had control of me. Mr Justice Coffey said the fact that much of the sexual behaviour was elaborately discussed in text messages exchanged between them was evidence of premeditation and of the grotesquely age inappropriate nature of the relationship. The man, with an address in Manchester, was charged with 67 offences. He pleaded guilty to 11 sample counts of serial defilement of a minor on various dates in 2016 and 2017. He also admitted two counts of travelling with the purpose of exploitation of a child and one count of production of child pornography. The girl said she worried that the man knows where she lives and she was distressed about what he might do with the videos. She described him as being persuasive and demanding when recording these clips. Mr Justice Coffey imposed a five year prison term after allowing mitigation for his guilty plea, his expressions of remorse and his youth. He also noted the defendant has no other convictions and is held in very high regard in his community and described as decent, generous, valuable member of society. He suspended the last six months of the sentence on condition that the man have no contact whatsoever with the complainant. He also ordered three years post release supervision if he chooses to remain here. The court ordered the destruction of the man's mobile phone, which was used to record the videos and takes photographs. These images were shared between the man and the victim. A request for garda assistance from Welsh police over a child pornography investigation led to the conviction of a former Rose of Tralee escort. Timothy 'Tim' Lynch (34), who was an escort at the famous Kerry festival a decade ago, was jailed for 18 months after he pleaded guilty before Cork Circuit Criminal Court to the distribution of vile images of child pornography. Judge Sean O'Donnabhain was told that some of the images involved depicted adults engaged in sexual acts with infants. Lynch of Oliver's Place, Kanturk, Co Cork pleaded guilty to a total of four charges. These included one count of possessing child pornography and three counts of distributing such material. The charges all related to dates in 2015 at the defendant's home at River Valley, Mallow, Co Cork. Judge O'Donnabhain was told the investigation began when Welsh police contacted gardai in early 2015 for assistance over a matter involving a UK national. Welsh police were investigating a suspected child pornography matter, with the UK national having apparently been in contact with up to 40 different individuals. This was done via an anonymous phone app called 'KIK'. Gardai, in turn, were able to identify Lynch after tracing an email used to create a special online account in the name of a user called 'Horny 2611'. Detectives, on foot of a warrant, raided the defendant's north Cork home in April 2015. The defendant's phone was seized and sent for analysis. It determined that more than 200 images were on the device - with a garda admitting that the nature of some of the images involved was absolutely horrific. Gardai were able to determine that Lynch had shared 13 images with others on dates between February and April 2015. Lynch was a former Rose of Tralee escort who now lived with his family. Judge O'Donnabhain was told that Lynch pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, co-operated fully with gardai, was deeply remorseful and had voluntarily gone for specialist counselling. The court was told that Lynch was found by one analyst to be a vulnerable type of individual. Defence counsel Donal O'Sullivan BL, asked for the court to be as lenient as possible with his client. Judge O'Donnabhain noted that the defendant was described as a loner who was bullied at a young age and struggled on many levels, particularly with adult relationships. However, he said the material involved was horrific with scenes of adults having sexual acts with babies and the serious nature of the offences had to be marked by a custodial sentence. Lynch had distributed some of the offending material found by gardai. Judge O'Donnabhain imposed a three year prison sentence but agreed to suspend the final 18 months in light of the defendant's plea and co-operation with Gardai. Lynch will also be subject to the Probation and Welfare Service (PWS) after he gets out of prison. A recovering drug addict will be sentenced in July for making a bogus emergency call about a gangland member being shot at a Dublin city block of flats, a court has heard. Detective Sergeant Brendan Casey revealed that 11 garda units, a fire brigade truck and an ambulance went to the scene after Brendan Treacy (35) made the crank call from his mobile phone. Treacy reported that a gangland member had been shot at Peadar Kearney House, Railway Street, Dublin, and that a black Toyota Avensis car had been seen leaving the area. He later answered his phone to gardai, told them where he was and admitted making the call had been a moment of madness while completely wasted on tablets and vodka. Treacy, of Jamestown Park, Ratoath, Co Meath, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to making a false report at an unknown location in Dublin 1 on August 23, 2017. His 40 previous convictions include theft, road traffic and drugs offences at District Court level. The court heard the emergency response teams remained at the scene for 24 minutes before the operation was called off. Det Sgt Casey told Tom Neville BL, prosecuting, that a mixture of garda units, including armed and ordinary uniformed members, had attended. He said the call was linked to Treacy and he agreed to meet gardai a short time later. He described in interview getting into a verbal dispute with this fat fuck after he had gone to city centre flats to buy tablets. Expand Close 11/02/19 Brendan Treacy (35), of Jamestown Park, Ratoath, Co Meath, leaving court after the hearing. PIC: Collins Courts / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 11/02/19 Brendan Treacy (35), of Jamestown Park, Ratoath, Co Meath, leaving court after the hearing. PIC: Collins Courts He claimed the man said to him: Have you every been f****d off a balcony? You will be in five minutes. Treacy then said he broke his own toe kicking a railings and that the man threatened to shoot him in the back of the head. He told gardai that the rest was a blur and he must have picked up his phone as he ran away. He said he didn't know why he placed the call, but that it could have been because he had taken 30 tablets and vodka and the man had threatened to shoot him. Ashamed Det Sgt Casey said Treacy told him he was deeply ashamed and denied making the call to test police response time. The detective agreed with Justin McQuade BL, defending, that it could have been a bizarre way of going about attracting gardai to the area. He agreed Treacy was not involved with any of the people mentioned in the call. Treacy told Mr McQuade that since the incident he has detoxed from tablets and he is also methadone and heroin free. He said he no longer carries a phone because I don't trust myself with it. He said he hoped for a place at a residential treatment centre to come off cocaine. He told Judge Martina Baxter he was addressing his addiction issues in stages. Judge Baxter agreed to adjourn the case to see if Treacy can access treatment, but warned him that it doesn't behove citizens in a democratic society to act like that. The head of the Church here has said he intends to "advocate" for the establishment of a body like the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI) in "every single country of the world" when he attends the Vatican's summit on sexual abuse. Speaking to the Irish Independent, Archbishop Eamon Martin paid tribute to the NBSCCCI for holding the Irish Church to account on safeguarding. Dr Martin, as the president of the Irish Bishops Conference, will represent the Irish bishops at the unprecedented summit on clerical child sexual abuse called by Pope Francis. It takes place at the Vatican from February 21 to 24. Dr Martin said that the NBSCCCI had ensured the Irish Church had implemented best practice. "The National Board comes into our dioceses and our files are open for them. They are able to examine how we have handled cases and also to hear feedback from people as to whether or not our standards are making a difference on the ground," he said. He said feedback from survivors, clergy and laity indicates "Ireland has done a huge amount in terms of best practice. But I am also hearing that we can't become complacent, we have to be careful because this very awful sin and crime has a habit of changing". Expand Close Dr Eamon Martin performs the ordination. Photo: Frank McGrath / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dr Eamon Martin performs the ordination. Photo: Frank McGrath "So we have to be always on the alert to ensure that all of the Church's activities are as safe as possible for children, vulnerable people and minors," he said. Dr Martin was speaking after he consecrated Bishop Larry Duffy as the new Bishop of Clogher yesterday. In his homily at St Macartan's Cathedral, Monaghan, Dr Martin said it would be "a shame if we saw the involvement of our lay faithful in the life and mission of the Church merely as a consequence of the decline in the number of clergy and religious". Irish-produced film 'The Favourite' has lived up to its name at the Bafta film awards where it has collected a string of gongs. The movie about Queen Anne and the two women vying for her affections scooped the first category of the night by taking the outstanding British film prize. Rachel Weisz, who was competing against her own co-star Emma Stone, was named best supporting actress for her role as the Duchess of Marlborough. The film also received accolades for its production design, make-up and hair, and original screenplay. Accepting the supporting actress award, Weisz said: "Thank you to Bafta for this huge honour. I had the greatest luck in that I played opposite two of the most glorious women - Olivia Colman and Emma Stone. I salute you. "Didn't we have an extraordinary time? Hats off ladies. I want to thank Yorgos [Lanthimos], our director, your creativity is breathtaking." Expand Close Olivia Coleman, star of The Favourite arrives at the Albert Hall, London. Photo: REUTERS / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Olivia Coleman, star of The Favourite arrives at the Albert Hall, London. Photo: REUTERS Coleman won the leading actress prize for her turn as a cantankerous Queen Anne in the spiky period drama. Culture Minister Josepha Madigan last night congratulated Element Pictures on the film's success. "The recognition received by Element Pictures for their co-production 'The Favourite', both at home and abroad, is richly deserved. It is fantastic to see Irish talent capturing the attention of both the public and the film industry at an international level," she said. 'The Favourite' was shot by Irish cinematographer Robbie Ryan and was partly post-produced in Dublin. Expand Close Laura Whitmore provides red-carpet glamour. Photo: REUTERS / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Laura Whitmore provides red-carpet glamour. Photo: REUTERS However, there was disappointment for Irish actors Barry Keoghan and Jessie Buckley, both of whom were nominated for the rising star award. They lost out to 'Black Panther' star Letitia Wright, in the only Bafta category voted on by the public. Appearing overwhelmed as she collected her gong, Wright said: "I identify myself as a child of God and I can't get up here without thanking God. "A few years ago I saw myself in a deep state of depression and I wanted to quit acting. The only thing that pretty much pulled me out of that was God, my belief, my faith and my family and an email from Bafta saying they wanted me to be a part of the Bafta Breakthrough Brits and I was like 'let me try again'. "So this wasn't an overnight thing, it wasn't a click-of-a-finger success and I'm still a work in progress." Rami Malek scooped the leading actor category for his turn as Freddie Mercury in 'Bohemian Rhapsody', while Mahershala Ali was named best supporting actor for his role as Professor Don Shirley in 'Green Book'. Accepting the award, a tearful Ali said: "Thank you for this, my fellow nominees, thank you for your work. You know the work itself has always been the reward for me so it's a little surreal to get this kind of thing for something you feel so passionate about and grateful for." 'A Star Is Born' won for its original music, with the film's writer, director, star and composer Bradley Cooper collecting the prize. Irish-produced film The Favourite was the big winner at The Baftas, taking home an incredible seven awards. The 18th century drama - which was co-produced by Dublin company Element Pictures - was up for an incredible 12 awards, the most nominations for any movie. Olivia Colman was was queen of the Baftas as she beat Glenn Close, Lady Gaga, Melissa McCarthy and Viola Davis to win the leading actress prize for her turn as a cantankerous Queen Anne in the spiky period drama. The movie was also named outstanding British film, with Rachel Weisz taking the best supporting actress prize, beating her co-star Emma Stone in the category. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Margot Robbie attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire Rachel Weisz attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton arrive at the BAFTAS Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire Barry Keoghan and Shona Guerin attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire Olivia Colman attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire US actress Glenn Close and British actor Jonathan Pryce pose on the red carpet upon arrival at the BAFTAS (Photo by Tolga AKMEN / AFP)TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images Irina Shayk attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire Amy Adams (PA) Lily Collins attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire Michelle Yeoh attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire Claire Foy attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire Irina Shayk attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire British actor Richard E. Grant poses on the red carpet with his wife Joan Washington upon arrival at the BAFTA British Academy Film Awards Photo by Tolga AKMEN / AFP)TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images Salma Hayek attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire Melissa McCarthy attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire Thandie Newton arrives at the BAFTAS at the Royal Albert Hall in London REUTERS/Henry Nicholls Maya Jama (PA) Octavia Spencer attends the British Academy Film Awards at Royal Albert Hall (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) Laura Whitmore attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire Millie Mackintosh attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire Lily Collins arrives at the British Academy of Film and Television Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in London REUTERS/Henry Nicholls Eleanor Tomlinson arrives at the British Academy of Film and Television Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in London REUTERS/Henry Nicholls LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 10: Brian May attends the EE British Academy Film Awards at Royal Albert Hall on February 10, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) Laura Harrier attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire Cynthia Erivo arrives at the British Academy of Film and Television Awards REUTERS/Henry Nicholls Joanne Tucker and Adam Driver attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire Glenn Close arrives at the British Academy of Film and Television Awards REUTERS/Toby Melville Chiwetel Ejiofor attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire Mary J. Blige attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire Luke Evans arrives at the BAFTAS at the Royal Albert Hall in London REUTERS/Henry Nicholls Thandie Newton arrives at the British Academy of Film and Television Awards REUTERS/Henry Nicholls Jamie Bell (left) and Taron Egerton attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire Edith Bowman attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire Dermot O'Leary attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire Laura Whitmore attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire Tiziana Rocca attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire The cast of Cirque du Soleil's TOTEM attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Margot Robbie attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire Taking to the stage after her name was called, Colman admitted, "I'm very shaky, sorry", and told the crowd she could not read her notes, before adding she thanked "all the producers, obvs." Addressing the other winners from The Favourite, she said: "We are having an amazing night aren't we? We are going to get so pissed later". Speaking about her co-stars Weisz and Stone, Colman said: "As far as I'm concerned all three of us are the same and should be the leads and it's weird we can't do that. "This is for all three of us. It's got my name on it but we can scratch on some other ones." The film also received accolades for its costume design, production design, make-up and hair, as well as for its original screenplay. Roma, Alfonso Cuaron's black-and-white film about his childhood in Mexico City, was named best film and best film not in the English language, while he was also named best director and cinematographer. Rami Malek scooped the leading actor category for his turn as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, while Mahershala Ali was named best supporting actor for Green Book, beating British favourite Richard E Grant in Can You Ever Forgive Me? Irish stars Barry Keoghan and Jessie Buckley were among the five nominees in the EE Rising Star Award category, which is the only one that is voted for by the public. Black Panther star Letitia Wright took home the accolade, which has previously kicked off successful careers for other young stars. Appearing overwhelmed as she collected her gong, she said: "I identify myself as a child of God and I can't get up here without thanking God. "A few years ago I saw myself in a deep state of depression and I wanted to quit acting. The only thing that pretty much pulled me out of that was God, my belief, my faith and my family and an email from Bafta saying they wanted me to be a part of the Bafta Breakthrough Brits and I was like 'let me try again'. "So this wasn't an overnight thing, it wasn't a click-of-a-finger success and I'm still a work in progress." She continued: "I want to encourage young people, actually you can be any age actually, I want to encourage you... anyone who has lost their light, I want to encourage you. God made you and you are important... I want to say God loves you and let your light shine." American Animals star Barry Keoghan said that he was honoured to be nominated and to attend the prestigious event. Expand Close Barry Keoghan and Shona Guerin attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Barry Keoghan and Shona Guerin attending the 72nd British Academy Film Awards Photo credit: Ian West/PA Wire Speaking before the ceremony began, the Dubliner said: "It's surreal, I remember sitting at home watching the BAFTAS in my boxers, eating a bowl of Cornflakes, thinking how much I'd love to be there. "Even being here is a win, I'm here with people I admire, people I've seen in films, the presence and energy is nice." A Star Is Born won for its original music, with the film's writer, director, star and composer Bradley Cooper collecting the prize. He thanked his co-star and fellow composer Lady Gaga and the other musicians who helped with the film soundtrack before saying: "Most of all I have to thank Irina (Shayk, his partner) for putting up with me for all the music I was trying to make in our basement for a year." The animation category was won by Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, while Free Solo, a film about the first person to climb El Capitan in Yosemite National Park without ropes, was named best documentary. Film editor Thelma Schoonmaker, who has made 23 films with Martin Scorsese, received the Fellowship, the Academy's highest honour, from the Duke of Cambridge at the end of the ceremony. BAFTAS 2019 winners: Best Film - 'Roma' Outstanding British Film - 'The Favourite' Director - Alfonso Cuaron, 'Roma' Leading Actor - Rami Malek, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Leading Actress - Olivia Colman, 'The Favourite' Supporting Actor - Mahershala Ali, 'Green Book' Supporting Actress - Rachel Weisz, 'The Favourite' EE Rising Star - Letitia Wright Original Screenplay - 'The Favourite' Adapted Screenplay - 'BlacKkKlansman' Original Music - 'A Star is Born' Cinematography - 'Roma' Film Not in the English Language - 'Roma' Editing - 'Vice' Production Design - 'The Favourite' Sound - 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Special Visual Effects - 'Black Panther' Costume Design - 'The Favourite' Make Up & Hair - 'The Favourite' Animated Film - 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse' British Short Animation - 'Roughhouse' British Short Film - '73 Cows' Documentary - 'Free Solo' Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema - Stephen Woolley and Elizabeth Karlsen Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director, or Producer - Michael Pearce & Lauren Dark, 'Beast' BAFTA Fellowship - Thelma Schoonmaker Sanctions: An oil tanker is seen at Jose refinery cargo terminal in Venezuela. Photo: REUTERS/Jorge Silva Russia's Gazprombank said yesterday that Venezuela's state-run oil company PDVSA had opened accounts with the bank several years ago and has not opened any new accounts recently. Russia's Gazprombank said yesterday that Venezuela's state-run oil company PDVSA had opened accounts with the bank several years ago and has not opened any new accounts recently. Reuters reported on Saturday that PDVSA was telling customers of its joint ventures to pay for its oil into an account recently opened at Gazprombank. "We stress that no new accounts have been opened and the bank does not plan to open any new accounts," Gazprombank said. Reuters had cited an internal PDSVA document and sources to report that the Venezuela oil exporter was telling customers of its oil joint ventures to deposit sales proceeds into an account at Gazprombank. PDVSA is under pressure from tough, new US financial sanctions imposed on January 28 aimed at blocking leftist President Nicolas Maduro's access to the country's oil revenue. The United States and dozens of other nations have refused to recognise Mr Maduro, characterising his election last year to another six-year term as fraudulent. Since then, PDVSA has been pressing its foreign partners at joint ventures in its Orinoco Belt producing area to formally decide whether they will continue in the projects, according to two sources with knowledge of the talks. The joint ventures' partners include Norway's Equinor ASA, US-based Chevron Corp and France's Total SA. PDVSA also ordered its Petrocedeno joint venture with Equinor and Total to halt extra-heavy oil output and upgrading due to a lack of naphtha needed to dilute production, as sanctions prohibited US suppliers of the fuel from exporting it to Venezuela. "We would like to make formal your knowledge of new banking instructions to make payments in US dollars or euro," said PDVSA's finance vice president Fernando De Quintal in a letter dated February 8 to the PDVSA unit that supervises its joint ventures. After a first round of sanctions in 2017, PDVSA's joint ventures had managed to keep bank accounts in the US and Europe to receive oil-sale proceeds before moving money to PDVSA's own collecting accounts in China. China struck an upbeat note on Monday as trade talks resumed with the United States, but also expressed anger at a US Navy mission through the disputed South China Sea, casting a shadow over the prospect for improved Beijing-Washington ties. The United States is expected to keep pressing China on longstanding demands that it reform how it treats American companies' intellectual property in order to seal a trade deal that could prevent tariffs from rising on Chinese imports. The latest talks will begin with working level discussions from Monday-Wednesday before high-level discussions at the end of the week. Negotiations concluded in Washington last month without a deal and with the top US negotiator declaring that a lot more work needed to be done. Lower-level officials will kick off the meetings on Monday, led on the American side by Deputy US Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish. Higher principal-level talks will take place Thursday and Friday with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters that Beijing hopes to see good results from the talks. The two sides are trying to hammer out a deal ahead of the March 1 deadline when US tariffs on $200bn worth of Chinese imports are scheduled to increase to 25pc from 10pc. US President Donald Trump said last week he did not plan to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping before that deadline, dampening hopes that a trade pact could be reached quickly. Escalating tensions between the United States and China have cost both countries billions of dollars and roiled global financial markets. The same day the latest talks began, two US warships sailed near islands claimed by China in the disputed South China Sea, a US official told Reuters. Hua said the ships entered the waters without China's permission, and that China expressed firm opposition and dissatisfaction at the move. China claims a large part of the South China Sea, and has built artificial islands and air bases there, prompting concern around the region and in Washington. Many family members of those killed in the Camp fire described those they lost in a similar way. This makes sense to Allison Heid, who has researched stubbornness in aging adults. In one study, she found that up to 70 percent of children of seniors saw their parents as stubborn, a perceived characteristic that can become more pronounced in a crisis. A landline operator has agreed to cease billing customers for a phone service they never receive, the Commercial Court heard. Last month, the communications regulator, ComReg, sought orders restraining Germany-based Yourtel from this practice. Comreg claimed the firm had refused to co-operate and thwarted efforts to investigate its activities. Yourtel had also been convicted of repeated breaches of telecommunications legislation in relation to these activities. On Monday, Brian Murray SC, for Comreg, told the court Yourtel had consented to final orders requiring it to cease various contraventions of the 2002 Communications Regulations Act. Mr Justice Robert Haughton granted the reliefs sought by Comreg and gave it liberty to apply to the court again for the purpose of enforcement of the orders if necessary. He also granted Comreg its costs of bringing the case. In December 2017, Yourtel, with an registered Irish address at Kill Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, was fined 66,000 on 89 counts of charging mainly elderly people for services they never received. Read More In June 2017, it was first convicted and fined 2,500 for this activity. In February last year, it was fined another 3,000 for two more offences. Yourtel, through unsolicited calls, offered discounted services to phone subscribers whose calls were supposed to be charged by the company while Eircom continued to bill for the line rental. In these cases, however Yourtel was providing no service whatsoever but sent out bills and even used a debt collection agency to go after unpaid bills. Last month, Mr Justice Haughton admitted ComReg's action against Yourtel to the fast track Commercial Court. In its application, Comreg said that between 2013 and 2018, the regulator received complaints from more than 2,400 Yourtel customers. Despite the repeated convictions and fines, ComReg was contacted some 50 times between February and September last by Yourtel customers. Following further investigations by ComReg, using information provided by Eircom, it was established 301 people who Yourtel maintained were still active customers, did not actually have an active service with Yourtel, it was claimed. Only 48 of 146 customers billed by Yourtel between December 2017 and March 2018 were actually provided with a service. GradStart provides financial support for a company to recruit up to three graduates. Stock image Irish companies enjoy free and unfettered access to markets across Europe. Nevertheless, challenges remain. One of these is language. In terms of language proficiency, Ireland lags behind other EU members, particularly those in the west of the continent. However, language proficiency, and the cultural understanding it facilitates, are essential for Irish companies aiming to be taken seriously in overseas markets. Enterprise Ireland actively encourages clients to build on current staff language skills and recruit staff with relevant language skills. Our GradStart initiative helps companies overcome this barrier with the recruitment of graduates to develop and expand their business. GradStart provides financial support for a company to recruit up to three graduates. This covers 50pc of a graduate's yearly salary, up to a maximum of 15,000a year in grant aid (ie a salary of 30,000) for two years, depending on certain conditions. For graduates with proficiency in a language relevant to the business, the grant increases to 70pc of the salary, up to a maximum of 21,000 a year for two years. While graduates hired under the GradStart programme cannot be assigned to direct sales roles, they add enormous value in areas crucial to successful market entry and growth, including market analysis, research on competitors and marketplace profiling. Having a direct knowledge of local language and culture is essential for these activities. One Enterprise Ireland-backed firm to benefit is IMS Labels, hiring a graduate who speaks Portuguese, Italian, Spanish and English. Commercial director Steven Burke says, "The Enterprise Ireland GradStart programme has not only enabled IMS Labels to rapidly develop our expertise through highly skilled graduates, it gave us an instant advantage in our international target markets through multilanguage capability." Another client to benefit is contract manufacturer Keltech, who hired a German-speaking graduate. "English is the universal business language," says business development manager, Seamus Lawlor. "However, we felt that certain opportunities were not being realised by not speaking our clients' mother tongue. The introduction of our native German-speaking graduate in 2018 bridged this gap. Our clients are genuinely impressed that we have taken the time and effort to recruit a multilingual employee who can dive deeper into their requirements through their native language." EI's six offices in the eurozone deliver one-to-one service, assisting companies with advice and support on developing business in these markets; our Market Research Centre provides detailed market intelligence; our #IrishAdvantage platform promotes exporters to international buyers in six European languages, and we run Eurozone-focused events, including the Eurozone Summit, taking place in Dublin's Convention Centre on February 21st. Developing in-house capability in eurozone languages is hugely important to ensure that our clients optimise this support. GradStart is just one of many supports that can help companies address challenges and meet growth ambitions. Brexit or otherwise, there is a need to build Irish exports in mainland Europe, and language should not be a barrier. While the eurozone is one of our closest markets and has diverse language requirements, language proficiency is also often crucial in Asia, where English is not as widely spoken and cultural sensitivity can be essential to success. GradStart can help companies to recruit graduates from Asia who have studied here and are interested in new opportunities. Those wishing to avail of support under GradStart should contact their Enterprise Ireland development adviser. They will guide you through the process and assess if you are eligible for support to employ one, two, or three graduates. Companies can also register for our Eurozone Summit, a half-day event, open to all, which will highlight how firms are winning business in the eurozone. A group of Trinity students have received 12,500 investment to help grow their digital market research firm 'Bounce'. The team of four - a mix of Business Studies and Computer Science undergrads - have received the funding as they are offered a place on the college's student accelerator, backed by Bank of Ireland. Tangent's LaunchBox is a summer programme open to early-stage startups, and successful applicants get access to on-site office space and expert mentorship in addition to the financial support. Charlie Butler, Ronan Dowling-Cullen, Josh Stafford and Brian O Mahony have been working full-time on the concept for Bounce - "market research for the smartphone generation" - since the start of the year. "We all knew each other through mutual friends before we started working on Bounce. After talking to Ronan and Josh it quickly became apparent to Charlie and I that they would be the perfect co-founders for this idea," Brian told Independent.ie Having placed first in the Tangent's Sprints program, the Bounce co-founders automatically won a spot in the pitch-off for a place in Launchbox, skipping the applications stage. Despite coming runner-up in a Dragon's Den-style competition at Trinity last Thursday, Tangent have offered the young entrepreneurs a spot on the coveted programme without the need for further pitching. Bounce was created to make improvements on expensive, time-consuming and inefficient marketing research, according to the team, providing the client with a personalised service that doesn't cost a fortune - and rewarding the customer for their response loyalty. "A way to provide companies with instant feedback about their target market and reward customers for the feedback that they give on engaging gamified surveys...so we connected the dots," said Charlie. The companies pay Bounce a certain amount (say 3) per survey response which will be direct feedback, for example, from Dublin women in the 20-30 age group. What differentiates them from existing survey companies, according to the team, is that survey respondents are repaid for their loyalty by earning points for each survey, so a 1.50 voucher for each survey completed, for instance. They can be redeemed in a number of retailers - cafes and restaurants - and online businesses who have already signed up to the scheme with Bounce. The company have designed their own on-board digital rewards card which can be downloaded on any phone and be redeemed by tapping off 'Bounce Pads' which will be available in selected retailers. Initially targeting the 220,000 students across Ireland - and retailers around major colleges such as UCD, Trinity, DCU, DIT, UCC and NUIG - the company plans to expand the places where students can spend their points. Several Dublin retailers who are already waiting to have Bounce Pads installed in their stores include Oxmantown, Network, Wishbone, Bibi's, Arran-Street-East, Meet Me In The Morning and Brother Hubbard. "A supplemental feature that we having included is that the Bounce card you use to pay doubles up as a digital loyalty card, which means our users can use the one card to collect loyalty stamps in every partnered retailer, regardless of whether they pay in cash or with Bounce," Charlie said. "This way, well save our retailers up to 30 a month paying for paper loyalty stamp cards. When our users download the app for the loyalty service theyll realise they can also earn free coffees through our surveys. By simply having bounce pads in these retailers and having people download bounce as they come along". Doireann Ni Ghlacain is a presenter with TG4 - as well as a musician and Sean-nos singer. Originally from Clontarf in Dublin, she is now living in Galway. She has presented a number of music programmes for TG4. She will present TG4's Gradam Ceoil award ceremony in Belfast next Sunday February 17. Gradam Ceoil will be broadcast at 9.30pm live on TG4 that day. For more information, visit gradam.ie What's the most important lesson about money which your career in broadcasting and music has taught you? Be cheeky enough to always ask for more than you're offered - as employers usually lowball you. What's the best advice you ever got about money? There's no trailer hitch on a hearse - in other words, you can't take it with you when you die. What's your favourite Irish saying about money? Is fearr cara sa chuirt na punt sa sparan. This saying means that it's better to have a friend in court than money in your purse. What's the most expensive country you ever visited? I've travelled to a lot of expensive places like New York, Abu Dhabi and Shanghai. I wasn't living in the lap of luxury over there though. It can be just as expensive at home here in Ireland as it is in expensive places abroad. I went for breakfast in Galway and ended up spending 20 - I've probably never treated myself to a breakfast for 20 in expensive foreign cities. What's your favourite Irish coin? The old punt coin with the stag on it. It brings back fond memories of being able to buy myself a few treats after mass on Sunday. What's the most expensive thing you have ever bought? I recently spent 100 on a SAD alarm clock [also known as sunrise alarm clocks] - that's the most expensive thing I've bought in the last few weeks. What was your worst job? I've had a few very bad jobs. When I first started my postgrad, I worked for about five weeks in a chip van. I didn't last very long. What was your biggest financial mistake? Bringing my bank card with me on a night out. Also, the Galway Races every year is the ruination of me. Are you better off than your parents? My parents are healthy and happy and my dad has recently retired. If I can be half as happy and healthy by the time I reach middle age, I'll be doing well. If you won the Euromillions, what would you do with the money? I'd buy a home in Dublin as a Euromillions win is the only way I'd ever be able to afford one. I'd probably get rid of the rest of the money. I don't think that kind of money would suit me as I'd lose the run of myself. iTunes or Spotify? Spotify. What was the last thing you bought online? The SAD alarm clock! Would you buy property now? In an ideal world, I'd love that but I can't see myself being in a position to buy property for at least 10 years. Do you ever haggle? I come from a long line of chancers (that is, my siblings) so I'm well able to haggle. I was in China during the summer and I got great value out of all the cheap handbags. What three things would you not be able to do without if you were tightening your belt? My Parnell pass. My car. Food. Dont assume an internal interview will be casual and friendly, be sure to be prepared Query: I Have been called for interview internally for a promotion to a more senior management position and am really confident I can do the job. However, I am a bit worried as I will be interviewed by my current boss, who I know very well. I'm afraid the interview might be too casual, and I won't put across my points as well as external candidates. How do I prepare for questions like 'where do you see yourself in five years?' and answer them without awkwardness during the interview? Answer: Getting an internal interview and the opportunity to step up into a more senior management position can be a difficult position to be in. It may seem very attractive to be an internal candidate in a process and while there are positives, there are also some negatives. As with all interviews, both internal and external, the key to success is preparing, preparing and preparing again. In the case of internal interviews, complacency can sometimes cause the candidate to prepare badly and not succeed. You note that you feel confident that you can do the job. While this may be true, your job is to now make the interviewers believe that you are the best for the role - and not make assumptions on the process. Don't assume a casual interview: Your boss has got to their level for a reason so while a casual, friendly relationship may be the day-to-day interaction you have with them, do not be taken back by a more professional and structured approach to the interview. In most companies, when a senior management role is in the interview process stage, you must assume that there will be external applicants and that a fair and structured process will be followed by the interview panel to ensure that each interviewee gets an equal opportunity. Finally, your bosses' success has a direct correlation to the success of their senior management team so they should always give the job to the candidate that would be the best at the role. Don't assume your manager actually knows what you do: In a lot of cases they don't. Depending on the size of an organisation, sometimes they only get to see the end results of all the hard work and initiatives. Don't assume your manager is fully aware of what you want to achieve in the next five years: This is never a given, and while in a lot of organisations there is quarterly planning, a five-year development plan is not always discussed. This is a great time to discuss how you plan to progress your career in line with the success of the business. As an employee, you will have some key insights on some of the structures and planning. However, while it is important to incorporate these in a plan as a senior manager, they will want you to bring new ideas or initiatives to the table. Ensure that if that question is asked, you have some relevant suggestions on how you can support the development of the business and, in line, your career path. Don't assume you are a front-runner: This is a very dangerous assumption as this will come across as complacency. As already noted, they will not just be looking for someone to do the job but the best person for the role. Here are some key points to follow. Research the company: You may think you know everything, but check its website, news articles, industry magazines and also look into competitors. Prepare: Know your CV, have good examples demonstrating different competencies and skills relative to the role. Check the format: Request the format of the interview from HR beforehand to avoid being caught off-guard. Have questions prepared: This will demonstrate your interest progressing in the company and the job. Dress well: Smart clothes, neutral colours and clean shoes Finally, close the interview professionally. Thank them for their time, reaffirm your commitment and interest in the role and how you feel you could bring continued value to the organisation in this role. Always request feedback whether successful or not. Cristal Union, Frances second-largest sugar group, said on Monday the golden age for European Union sugar producers was over and that it expected significant changes in the EU sugar sector. Prices will recover at some point, but we dont expect them to make it to the level we enjoyed under the quota system, Cristal Union Chief Executive Alain Commissaire said in his opening remarks at the Dubai Sugar Conference. The sugar industry has been in turmoil since the European Union scrapped production and export quotas in 2017, prompting many producers to boost output just as sugar prices collapsed under pressure from large world stocks. Suedzucker, Europes largest sugar refiner, said last week it plans to close two German sugar production plants as part of a restructuring programme announced this week. The plants are in Brottewitz and Warburg and together produce around 200,000 tonnes of sugar annually, a Suedzucker spokesman said. The company said on Tuesday it plans to cut sugar production volumes by up to around 700,000t per year including factory closures because of the current slump in sugar prices. Expand Close A farmer operates a tractor and a seeder in his field to sow sugar beets in the village of Cramoisy, France, March 27, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A farmer operates a tractor and a seeder in his field to sow sugar beets in the village of Cramoisy, France, March 27, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo Suedzucker produces about 5.9m tonnes of sugar a year. However, both plants would continue to operate normally in the 2019 sugar production season, he added. The production season starts in the autumn. Suedzucker said on Tuesday the restructuring plan aims to cut costs by about 100m ($115m) annually in the face of a historically low EU sugar price. Raw sugar futures ended 2018 at their lowest in 10 years, pressured by heavy global oversupply. Suedzucker on January 10 reported a third-quarter operating loss, hit by the global collapse in sugar prices. The European Union liberalised its sugar market in September 2017, ending its system of guaranteed minimum prices and protected production quotas. This gave producers more freedom to expand and export, but a worst-case scenario emerged, with European producers exposed to collapsing world prices. European producers are not planting extra beet area and some are turning to other crops offering better returns, Martin Todd, managing director at LMC International, recently told the International Sugar Organizations annual seminar in London. Growers are finding beets are no longer the attractive crop it always was, Todd told attendees. Expand Close The viability of beet production in Ireland has been questioned / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The viability of beet production in Ireland has been questioned The ISO has forecast the EU will produce 17.9 million tonnes of sugar in the 2018/19 season, down from 19.7m in the previous season. The inter-governmental body has not yet issued a forecast for 2019/20. It comes as plans were recently unveiled to redevelop the sugar beet industry in Ireland. The Proposal will cost 300m to revive the Irish sugar industry, and that the commitment of farmers to grow beet will also be required. The meeting was organised by Beet Ireland in conjunction with the Irish Grain Growers' Group (IGGG) and was the second of a series of meetings to entice farmers to invest 1,000 each in a newly formed beet grower's co-op. The initiative is based on getting 1,000 growers to produce 1.4m tonnes of beet per year, which equates to 50,000ac or an average of 50ac per grower. Beet Ireland was established in 2011 to develop a new sugar and bioethanol industry in the southeast. Following a feasibility study and the abolition of EU sugar quotas in 2017, the company purchased a site in Ballyburn, near Castledermot, Co Kildare. The Department of Agriculture, as a result of a recent joint operation with Revenues Customs Service, seized illegal meat at Dublin port recently. Some 3.7t of various meat products were seized as they did not comply with EU food safety rules with a potential impact on public and animal health. The smuggled meat was discovered when officers searched a foreign-registered truck that had arrived in Dublin from Holyhead, having begun its journey in Romania. The operation also saw Revenue officers at Dublin Port seize 960L of alcohol and 11,640 cigarettes, branded Marlboro, Kent and Pall Mall, with a retail value of 19,100 which represent a potential loss to the Exchequer of 11,460. Seperatly, the Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed has confirmed that Ireland was not one of the countries affected by a recent meat scandal in poland after a TV report showed a company killing sick cows and selling the meat for human consumption. The European Commission said recently that it will send a team of inspectors to Poland. Poland produces about 560,000 tonnes of beef a year, with 85pc exported to countries within the European Union including Britain, Spain, Italy and Germany. Consumer concerns about food safety were raised after a reporter from private broadcaster TVN got a job in a slaughterhouse around 113km (70 miles) east of Warsaw where he was ordered to kill cows and butcher their meat. The footage showed sick cows being transported to the slaughterhouse where they were mistreated and killed. Polands chief veterinary officer said on Thursday that Polish police had launched a criminal investigation into two companies after the report. A team of European Commission auditors are being deployed to Poland on Monday to assess the situation on the ground, a Commission spokesperson told a daily news briefing, adding that the problem may concern 14 EU countries in total. A 33ac grass and tillage farm at Annaharvey near Tullamore is for sale with a guide price of 270,000-300,000 Land sales are slowly cranking into action after the seasonal lull and a selection of good quality small to medium-sized farms are now on the market in Leinster. A fine parcel of tillage and grazing ground extending to 58ac on the outskirts of Monasterevin is on the private treaty market with a guide price of 600,000. Located at Quinnsborough the property is 4km from Monasterevin, 8km from the M7 at Junction 14 and about 65km from Dublin. According to Andrew Nolan of Goffs, the lands are of good quality with extensive frontage on to the River Figile, renowned for its trout fishing. The holding also has extensive frontage on to L1002 providing easy access to Monasterevin. Laid out mainly in two large divisions a 20ac portion is in tillage with 38ac in grass. A natural spring on the lands can provide water while mains electricity is adjacent on the main road. Mr Nolan describes this as an ideal opportunity for someone looking to invest in a hobby farm or in a place with the potential to host a small equestrian unit. It would also make a great addition to a current working farm. Moving south east Edmond Kearney is handling the sale of a 30ac farm located 4km from Bagenalstown in Co Carlow. The private treaty sale is guided at 11,000 to 12,000/ac. The farm holding has good road frontage on to a minor road and is bounded on two sides by a stream giving an endless supply of water. The land is good dual purpose ground currently in grass but is also suitable for tillage. It is the best of land, Edmond Kearney explains, there is just one small piece that needs attention. Mr Kearney is expecting strong local interest. Offaly auctions The Offaly auction season is getting off to an early start as GVM Tullamore hosts public land sales on March 1 and March 8. The first auction will see a 33ac holding with a yard at Annaharvey, Tullamore face the gavel of Gordon Cobbe. The place can be sold in lots or as an entire with a guide of 270,000 to 300,000. Located about 5km from Tullamore the holding is just beside the Annaharvey Farm, where the 2007 National Ploughing Championships were held. The farm is made up of a useful yard and good roadside land with tillage and grass potential. It can be bought in three lots with the first made up of 17.5ac of good arable ground with plenty of road frontage. The second lot comprises 14.8ac of grass in good order with a right of way access while the last piece is the yard on 0.75ac with plenty of road frontage. The yard consists of a four-column haybarn and a two-column lean-to on a concrete apron. The place will be sold at auction at the Bridge House Hotel, Tullamore at 3pm on Friday, March 1. The following week Mr Cobbe is handling the sale of another Offaly holding. This time a 65ac grass and tillage farm at Ballinacarrig, Kilcormac will face the gavel at 10,000/ac. Located 5km from the village of Kilcormac the place also has a ploughing connection being located beside the farm that hosted the recent Offaly ploughing match. The property has no buildings but has plenty of road frontage along with ample river frontage. It is laid out in five fields, one of which is a natural sand hill. Mr Cobbe describes the place as a good self-draining piece of ground located in a strong farming area, This is fine land and Im sure there will lots of local interest in it, he said. The farm will be sold by public auction at the Tullamore Court Hotel, at 3pm on Friday, March 8. In the last week of January there were 529 prime cattle were exported to Northern Ireland for direct slaughter in local plants which took total imports for January 2019 to 1,398 head. According to an analysis by the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) in Northern Ireland, the last week of January recorded the largest weekly import of prime cattle from ROI for slaughter in NI plants since early January 2016. It says with a total prime cattle throughput of 33,421 head in NI during January 2019 imported cattle accounted for 5pc of the total prime cattle kill. Northern imports of cattle from ROI for direct slaughter last week also included 100 cows which took cow imports during January 2019 to 344 head. A further 673 cows were imported from GB during January 2019 which takes total cow imports for direct slaughter to 1,017 head. In January 2018 combined cow imports for direct slaughter from ROI and GB totalled 800 head. Direct slaughter imports accounted for 11pc of the total cow kill in NI during January 2019, up from 7pc of cow throughput in January 2018. While imports for direct slaughter from ROI have increased during January 2019 the number of cattle being imported for further production has continued at low levels. Cattle imports from ROI and GB for further breeding and production totalled 764 head during January 2019, up slightly from 734 head in January 2018. A narrower differential in deadweight prices between NI and GB in recent months has resulted in a decline in the number of cattle being exported from NI to mainland GB for direct slaughter during January 2019. Exports for further breeding and production during January 2019 have also remained low and were similar to previous months. Enterprise minister Heather Humphreys has said that she is not concerned about the low uptake by businesses of a special 300m Brexit loan facility. Just 15m has been loaned in the year since it was launched. But the minister told the Sunday Independent she is concerned about Irish firms that have not yet engaged with Brexit, "the ones who are thinking this isn't going to happen or that it's going to go away". "I'd be worried if it [the 300m fund] was all going out the door very quickly. I'd say then that there is something wrong," she said. "I think companies are not sure what is going to happen but what I would say to them is make the application, get the loan in place, you don't have to draw it down, but it's there in case you need it. It's a very good loan scheme at a very competitive rate. "I would imagine you will find a bigger uptake as we get closer to the end of March." The scheme is aimed at providing a boost in working capital for companies impacted by Brexit. A second, longer term 300m scheme for capital investment is to be launched next month. "I meet with business representative groups all the time and no one is coming to me and saying there is a problem with this loan," she said. "If there is a problem I want to hear about it. I think right now people are just looking at what there financial needs are. "Because of the concern over Brexit a lot of people are not investing and they are probably reluctant to borrow and I can understand that." "The sort of irony that makes your head spin is that Herring and Northam are in trouble for behavior related to Virginia's racial past. And yet it may be the only African-American statewide officeholder who, at the end of the day, gets in trouble," said Quentin Kidd, a political science professor at Virginia's Christopher Newport University. "This may get worse and more uncomfortable before it gets better if it does get better." AS the clock ticks ominously down to B-Day, Friday 29th of March, almost half of Irish businesses have already begun implementing Brexit contingency plans in the absence of any coherent agreement. This week, in conjunction with the Sunday Independent, we at Stubbs Gazette got a revealing insight into the current state of business health on both sides of the border in an exclusive survey sent to a cross-section of Irish companies. We asked which of the four challenges - Brexit, Trump's tariffs, technology, or other - posed the greatest threat to business. Not surprisingly Brexit was perceived to be the biggest threat at 59pc. Technological disruption came in a distant second on 22pc. On the other side of the Atlantic, the mercurial and unpredictable mood swings by President Donald Trump are not causing our businesses any anxiety. A mere 1.2pc of respondents reported that they fear his tariffs regime will negatively impact their business. In aggregate, 82pc of respondents said that they expect Brexit to impact their business in some way, even though only 27pc of the companies surveyed are exporters. While planning for Brexit is extremely difficult in the prevailing climate of uncertainty and confusion, 46pc of businesses report that they have drawn up contingency plans. The vast majority of firms, 39pc, have started to implement those plans. One business reflected the confusion and frustration out there: "It is hard to plan for something that's not agreed on (soft/hard/no-Brexit), tariffs, taxes, customs fees and delays; shock to the currency market and economy with no decision." Of the three contingency plans identified by respondents - re-routing of inbound orders, re-routing of outbound deliveries, or stockpiling - the majority, 53pc, said they are re-routing inbound orders while only 16pc plan to re-route outbound deliveries. Around a third of the companies, 31pc, said they are stockpiling goods in anticipation of a hard border. One company noted: "We have commenced our Brexit plan along with our clients by transferring contacts and communication from the UK to other countries within the EU." While this is heartening, and reflects very well on State agencies such as Enterprise Ireland, we should not lose sight of the fact that a hard Brexit will have a detrimental impact on many Irish businesses, with 50pc of respondents reporting that WTO tariffs will have a medium to severe effect on their purchases and sales. Unsurprisingly the majority of respondents lay the blame for the state of uncertainty and lack of leadership with the UK. "British politicians do not know what they want. We are in limbo until they decide what to do," is representative of views. The Stubbs survey illustrates that the looming Brexit is not all doom, gloom and fear, with several companies expressing optimism that the new socio-economic post-Brexit world will create a land of opportunity. One company reported they are already benefiting from the Brexit effect: "Our business is increasing as a result of Brexit and GDPR". Another predicts that Ireland will gain from Britain's loss with an increase in employment: "Big impact on employment in this country due to loss of competitiveness in the UK market". The area where the new market reality will be felt most acutely will be in the crucial food and drinks sector which in 2018 accounted for 4.5bn of sales to the UK, while we imported 3.5bn from the UK. Experts are forecasting that these exports will be hit severely, to the tune of 1.5bn in WTO tariffs, thus representing a third of the overall value of Irish exports to the UK. But herein lays Ireland's opportunity at the expense of Britain's bungling. Excluding Ireland, the UK currently exports around 10bn worth of food and drink products to the EU27 which, in the event of a no-deal Brexit, will incur extra EU tariffs, not to mention the additional logistics and bureaucratic costs under WTO rules. In the event of a no-deal post-Brexit EU, Irish companies will emerge more competitive than their UK counterparts as they will not be subject to EU tariffs and thus, with proper strategic planning, there is a golden opportunity for Irish producers to fill the trading vacuum by stepping in to replace a good proportion of UK food and drink exports to the EU 26. We also posed preferred solutions to the current Brexit impasse would be, and the results were quite surprising considering the Government and the EU's entrenched position on the backstop. Almost 26pc of businesses surveyed would be prepared to accept an agreement with a compromise over the backstop. The most-preferred option was for a rerun of a referendum, 56pc, and the least popular options were to delay Brexit, 12pc, and for another UK election at 6pc. Companies hate uncertainty more than anything else, and this is the defining feature of the Brexit crisis. But so far there doesn't appear to be any panic and Irish businesses are quietly preparing for the worst. Let's hope it does not come to that. Brtain's Department for Transport went ahead with a 13.8m no-deal Brexit ferry contract despite its assessment that the firm involved was "a high-risk proposition", a Government spending watchdog has reported. The UK National Audit Office said that Seaborne Freight was unable satisfactorily to meet the criteria required in the DfT's tender for additional cross-Channel services to ease disruption in the case of a no-deal withdrawal from the EU. But Chris Grayling's department decided to proceed with the contract to run services between Ramsgate and Ostend after putting additional protections into the contract to reflect the risk that Seaborne - which had no ships - might not be ready in time. The contract was terminated at the weekend, after Irish company Arklow Shipping, which had backed the new operation, stepped away from the deal. Theresa May's spokesman said the Prime Minister continued to have full confidence in her embattled Transport Secretary amid opposition calls for his resignation over the collapsed deal. But shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald told the House of Commons that Mr Grayling was "rewriting the textbook for ministerial incompetence in office". Mr McDonald claimed the DfT "took shortcuts" in the procurement process with Seaborne, adding: "For the good of the nation, and for the sake of some semblance being restored to this shambolic Government, shouldn't he now do the decent thing and go?" In a memorandum on the case, the NAO said it was only last autumn that the Government identified the possibility of "significant" disruption to cross-Channel freight lasting for six months after a no-deal Brexit, rather than the previous worst-case estimate of six weeks. The department cited the "extreme urgency" of the situation to bypass transparency requirements which would normally have required the publication of invitations to tender. The NAO memorandum was published by the influential Commons Public Accounts Committee, whose chairwoman Meg Hillier said it raised "serious issues". "We will be pressing the department for answers on how it awarded its three new ferry contracts, what it is doing to manage risks and exactly what it intends to do now it has axed the contract with Seaborne." At a regular Westminster media briefing before the release of the NAO document, Mrs May's official spokesman was asked whether the PM had full confidence in Mr Grayling. He replied: "Yes." The spokesman added: "In relation to Seaborne, we were clear that it would need to meet specific milestones in order to fulfil its contractual obligations. "When it became clear that it would not reach these requirements without the continued support of Arklow Shipping, the Transport Secretary decided to terminate the contract. "It is obviously ultimately important that we protect taxpayers' money." The PM's spokesman said he understood that no taxpayers' money had yet been spent on the contract. He added: "We are already in advanced talks with a number of companies to secure additional freight capacity, including through the port of Ramsgate, in the event of no deal. "There is no threat to contracts with DFDS or Brittany Ferries, who will be providing around 90pc of additional capacity in the event of no deal." Mr Grayling last month defended the Seaborne Freight contract, insisting it was "not a risk". Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, he told MPs that he was "fully aware" that Seaborne was a start-up business with no ships. "Not a penny of taxayers money has gone to Seaborne," he said. Irish EU heavy-hitters fear this country's loss of key posts due to age and retirement are being compounded by UK-born Eurocrats playing the "granny rule". Since Brexit was voted for in June 2016, many British EU officials have sought to change nationality to keep their footing inside the system and many of these are rediscovering their Irish roots. "The 'Tony Cascarino effect' appears to now be rebounding on the Brussels Irish," one senior Brussels diplomat summed up. The EU civil services have long operated an informal quota system of allocating jobs and promotions roughly in proportion to member states' populations. Ireland has done especially well in this since joining up in 1973, landing key jobs which in real terms improve the Dublin Government's access to influence and information inside the often complex Brussels system. The high water mark of Irish EU influence was between 2000 and 2015 when two Irish people in succession, David O'Sullivan and Catherine Day, were secretary general of the EU Commission. But the march of time has seen a big increase in these officials retiring and by now one in three Irish EU officials is aged over 58. The total number of Irish officials in the EU Commission is expected to dip from 522 at present to 416 by 2025. But concern is focusing on 41 high-ranking jobs currently held by Irish people. Ireland's EU ambassador, Declan Kelleher, has been assessing the situation and Irish EU Commissioner Phil Hogan has been asked to use what influence he can to address the issue. He said initial EU responses to Ireland's case are positive. "There is a challenge for Irish personnel seeking promotion, or work in the EU services, from 'badging' by UK citizens getting Irish citizenship. I'm glad to say the Irish authorities are vigilant and I think they are getting a good hearing from the EU authorities on this," Mr Hogan told the Irish Independent. Some 42,000 people work in the various EU institutions. Apart from the EU Commission, which has 32,000 officials, Ireland has 123 people working in the European Parliament, and 60 people in the EU Council of Ministers secretariat. The EU should hand back tax payments it would receive on Irish imports from the UK if theres a no deal Brexit, a leading accountants group has warned. If there's no deal the EU will get 80pc of the tariffs paid by Irish firms on UK imports under WTO rules, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) said. The ACCA said this money should be returned to Ireland as part of a support package if no deal arises. Stephen OFlaherty, chair of ACCA Ireland, said: Many people will be surprised that under international WTO rules, imports into the EU from any other international region sees only 20pc being retained by the country of entry. "While Ireland was a net benefactor of EU investment during the financial crisis over 10 years ago, with Brexit it now finds itself in the eye of an international storm and the EU must maintain its flexible support. "It can do this by ensuring that the revenue from UK WTO trade tariffs form an integral part of a far reaching economic support package that can help offset some of the financial upheaval of Brexit on businesses, communities and families." Separately, a series of business representative groups have called for a three-month extension for Irish businesses on their import VAT payments. After Brexit Irish firms will have to pay VAT upfront on their imports from the UK, resulting in a new squeeze on cashflows. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has proposed that companies could wait unti they make their VAT returns (due every two months) before paying, but business groups Ibec, the Irish Exporters Association, Chambers Ireland and others are looking for three months of grace. The stolen busts have been recovered (Garda/PA) Stolen life-size busts of William of Orange and Oliver Cromwell have been recovered by gardai in Co Clare. The limestone statues were taken from Milltown Castle in Charleville in Co Cork in 2011. Two looted stone eagles which had been mounted on 10ft high pillars were also recovered. Recently a member of the public found them near a derelict outhouse close to Cratloe in Co Clare. Gardai were contacted and a local garda connected the discovery of the property with the theft. Expand Close Gardai were contacted and a local garda remembered the original theft and connected the discovery of the property with the theft (Garda/PA). / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gardai were contacted and a local garda remembered the original theft and connected the discovery of the property with the theft (Garda/PA). Last week gardai recovered the property. The theft generated a lot of media interest at the time and an extensive investigation was carried out but the property was never found. The IRA broke off the nose of the Cromwell statue in 1921 during the War of Independence when they hit it with a hammer, the owners said in media interviews at the time of the theft. Milltown Castle was built in about 1780. It followed settlement by the Norman Fitzgibbons in the late sixteenth century, Irish architectural heritage records said. The house and its associated structures were constructed by George Bruce, a member of the influential Charleville banking family. When I try to explain to students what free associations mean in the psychoanalytic treatment, I regularly refer to the well-known saying: Dont throw the baby out with the bath water! When a psychoanalyst asks a patient to freely associate, i.e. to suspend control of the conscious ego and say all that comes to mind, does that psychoanalyst not demand almost the exact opposite? The patient must throw out the baby (the ego) and keep only the bath water of free associations. The idea is, of course, that this dirty water will bring out the hidden truth of the sane and healthy ego itself. Dont forget that the dirt in the water comes from the baby, not from outside! Does the same not hold also for many fake ecologists? They are obsessed by healthy sustainable dwellings in clean green habitat, ignoring the dirty water that freely floats in the polluted surroundings. If one wants to deal with pollution in a serious way, the first thing to do is to focus on the dirty surroundings and to analyze how our isolated sustainable habitats merely export the pollution to their environs. Perhaps, we should adopt the opposite approach, along the lines of what they are doing in Japan: concentrate as much pollution and population in big cities, so that they function as dirty babies in (relatively) clean water. Environment news in pictures Show all 8 1 /8 Environment news in pictures Environment news in pictures Davos 2019: David Attenborough issues stark warning about future of civilisation as he demands practical solutions to combat climate change Sir David Attenborough has issued a stark warning about climate change to business figures gathered in Davos, telling them that "what we do now...will profoundly affect the next few thousand years". On the eve of this year's World Economic Forum, the renowned naturalist told the audience that the worlds of business and politics should "get on with the practical solutions" needed to prevent environmental damage. "As a species we are expert problem solvers. But we've not yet applied ourselves to this problem with the focus it requires. "We can create a world with clean air and water, unlimited energy, and fish stocks that will sustain us well into the future. But to do that, we need a plan," he said. The broadcaster made his speech after receiving a Crystal Award, which is awarded by the forum to "exceptional cultural leaders". AFP/Getty Environment news in pictures At least 60% of wild coffee species face extinction triggered by climate change and disease Two decades of research have revealed that 60 per cent of the worlds coffee species face extinction due to the combined threats of deforestation, disease and climate change. The wild strain of arabica, the most widely consumed coffee on the planet, is among those now recognised as endangered, raising concerns about its long-term survival. These results are worrying for the millions of farmers around the world who depend on the continued survival of coffee for their livelihoods. As conditions for coffee farming become tougher, scientists predict the industry will need to rely on wild varieties to develop more resilient strains Alan Schaller Environment news in pictures Warming Antarctic waters are speeding the rate at which glaciers are melting The Antarctic ice sheet is losing six times as much ice each year as it was in the 1980s and the pace is accelerating, one of the most comprehensive studies of climate change effects on the continent has shown. More than half an inch has been added to global sea levels since 1979, but if current trends continue it will be responsible for metres more in future, the Nasa-funded study found. The international effort used aerial photos, satellite data and climate models dating back to the 1970s across18 Antarctic regions to get the most complete picture to date on the impacts of the changing climate. It found that between 1979 and 1990 Antarctica lost an average of 40 gigatonnes (40 billion tonnes) of its mass each year. Between 2009 and 2017 it lost an average 252 gigatonnes a year. This has added 3.6mm per decade to sea levels, or around 14mm since 1979, the study shows Nasa/Getty Environment news in pictures Greater Manchester to ban fracking, paving way for confrontation with government over controversial industry Greater Manchester is to effectively ban fracking, raising the prospect of fresh confrontation with the government over the controversial industry. All of the regions 10 councils are to implement planning policies which create a presumption against drilling for shale gas in their areas, Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has announced. Campaigners said the move was the latest sign that the tide was turning against fracking, which has been the subject of multiple legal battles across the country. Critics of fracking say it poses environmental and health risks. Drilling at the UKs only operational fracking site, run by Cuadrilla in Lancashire, has repeatedly been halted due to earth tremors. But ministers support the industry and last year unveiled plans to accelerate the development of new drilling sites Ross Wills Environment news in pictures Japan confirms plan to resume commercial whaling in its waters from next year Japan will resume commercial whaling next year for the first time in more than three decades, in a move that has provoked strong criticism from campaigners and the international community. Chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said his nation would leave the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to resume hunting the marine mammals in Japanese waters. However, he stated the activity would be limited to Japans territory and the 200 mile exclusive economic zone along its coasts. This means controversial scientific trips to Antarctica in which Japanese vessels killed hundreds of whales, as well as activity in the northwest Pacific, will stop in 2019 AP Environment news in pictures COP24: Environmental groups criticise morally unacceptable climate deal reached after major Poland summit Diplomats from around the world have agreed a major climate deal after two weeks of United Nations talks in Poland. But climate campaigners warned the deal effectively a set of rules for how to govern the 2015 Paris climate accord agreed between almost 200 countries lacked ambition or a clear promise of enhanced climate action. Activists cautiously welcomed elements of the plan, saying important progress had been made on ensuring that efforts to tackle climate change by individual nations can be measured and compared. But environmental groups were also highly critical of the agreement, warning it lacked ambition and clarity on key issues, including financing for climate projects for developing countries. The COP24 deal, which is aimed at providing firm guidelines for countries on how to transparently report their greenhouse gas emissions and their efforts to reduce them, was confirmed on 15 December, after talks overran Reuters Environment news in pictures Unprecedented changes needed to stop global warming as UN report reveals islands starting to vanish and coral reefs dying Greenhouse gas emissions must be cut almost in half by 2030 to avert global environmental catastrophe, including the total loss of every coral reef, the disappearance of Arctic ice and the destruction of island communities, a landmark UN report has concluded. Drawing on more than 6,000 scientific studies and compiled over two years, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) findings, released this morning, warn enormous and rapid changes to the way everyone on Earth eats, travels and produces energy need to be brought in immediately. Though the scientists behind the report said there is cause for optimism, they recognised the grim reality that nations are currently nowhere near on track to avert disaster AFP/Getty Environment news in pictures Africas three biggest elephant poaching cartels exposed using DNA from illegal ivory shipments DNA taken from massive shipments of ivory has been used to identify the three largest wildlife trafficking gangs operating at the height of Africas elephant poaching epidemic. Ivory tends to be shipped around the world from African ports in bulk, and scientists have used genetic evidence gleaned from intercepted batches to reveal their origins. Led by Dr Samuel Wasser from the University of Washington, they traced a number of these shipments to three cartels operating out of Kenya, Uganda and Togo. Evidence collected by Dr Wasser has already helped convict ivory kingpin Feisal Mohamed Ali, and as his team joins the dots between shipments they plan to shore up the cases against more of the continents most prolific smugglers Art Wolfe Another example: the sheer number of paedophiliac crimes that took place in the Catholic church all around the world, from Ireland and Pennsylvania to Australia. These are crimes committed by members of an institution which propagates itself as the moral compass of our society, and they compel us to reject the easy idea that the Church could simply throw out the bad priests and keep the good. There is an institutional unconscious; an obscene, disavowed underside that sustains the public institution. It is not simply for the sake of conformity that the church has tried to hush up its pedophilia scandals; rather, in defending itself, the church is defending its innermost obscene secret. Perhaps the clearest example was provided by the recent debate on toxic masculinity. In the response to the recent Gillette ad about making men less violent, and better, we often heard the idea that the ad was not directed against men, just against the toxic excess of masculinity. In short, the ad just signalled that we have to throw out the dirty bath water of brutal masculinity. But there are problems here. Lets take a closer look at the list (proposed by the American Psychological Association) of features supposed to characterise toxic masculinity: suppressing emotions and masking distress; unwillingness to seek help; propensity to take risks even if this involves the danger of harming ourselves. I dont see what is so specifically masculine about this list. Does this not fit much more a simple act of courage in a difficult situation where, to do the right thing, one has to suppress emotions, where one cannot rely on any help but take the risk and act, even if this means exposing oneself to harm? I know many women as a matter of fact, more women than men who, in difficult predicaments, have not succumbed to the pressure of their environment and instead set about acting in just this way. To take the example from Greek mythology: when Antigone decided to bury Polynices, did she not commit exactly an act which fits the basic features of toxic masculinity? She definitely suppressed her emotions and masked her distress, she was unwilling to seek help, she took a risk which involved great danger of harm to herself. In our age of politically correct conformism, such a stance poses a danger. We find traces of this classical feminine figure of courage in todays popular culture, notably in two TV series, Homeland and The Killing. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The heroine of Homeland is Carrie Mathison, a CIA officer with bipolar disorder involved in fighting terrorism. Her strict sense of justice compels her to violate many rules and get in conflicts with her superiors which even endanger her life. Its similar with inspector Sarah Lund, the heroine of the superb Danish series The Killing, another borderline character who reacts violently to the hypocrisy of the establishment and ends up being totally excommunicated. God give us as many of these toxically-masculine women as possible in real life! There is an delicious old Soviet joke from the Radio Yerevan genre: a listener asks Is it true that Rabinovitch won a new car on lottery?, and the radio answers: In principle yes, its true, only it wasnt a new car but an old bicycle, and he didnt win it but it was stolen from him. Does exactly the same not hold for toxic masculinity? Lets ask Radio Yerevan: Is masculinity really toxic? We can guess the answer: In principle yes, its true, only this toxic content is not specifically masculine at all, plus it stands for what is often the only reasonable and courageous way to act. The weather was so hot in the remote town in South Sudan where I have been camping over the past week, that the glue holding my Timberland boots together melted. These industrial troopers have seen this reporter through Libya, Yemen, Egypt and Iraq. But on Thursday they died in a South Sudanese February, leaving me flopping back through the bush to camp. This isnt an important detail. But it might go some way to describe the extreme environment that people here grapple with every day. Few believed a bunch of loud, unruly Islamists and leftist zealots could seize control of what was then one of the most powerful countries in the world. Western intelligence agencies wrote off the revolutionaries taking on the forces of a two-millennia-old monarchy as a bunch of graduate students in slippers. And once the revolution was declared victorious, fewer still believed it would survive more than a few months. Iranians in exile and western leaders have been predicting its demise for decades. Donald Trumps national security adviser, John Bolton, predicted last year the Islamic revolution would not celebrate its 40th birthday. But the Islamic Republic of Iran remains, and is in many ways stronger than it has ever been. It has weathered numerous agonising domestic and international crises, including war, domestic upheaval, and global isolation. Yet it finds itself among the most stable countries in the Middle East. Far from being contained by its enemies, it has positioned proxies around the Middle East, cultivated allies and friends in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, and counts UN Security Council superpowers Russia and China as patrons. Irans current role in the region is more important than at any other point in history, Irans president Hassan Rouhani told tens of thousands attending the annual commemoration on the 22nd day of the Persian month of Bahman in Tehran on Monday. Any country and any superpower are free to say anything they want, but Iran is the only country that can help regional nations if they want security, he said. Without Iran, no plan can be implemented in the region. Revolution in Iran: In pictures Show all 11 1 /11 Revolution in Iran: In pictures Revolution in Iran: In pictures A demonstration against the Shah in 1979 Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Armed women on guard in one of the main squares in Tehran at the beginning of the Iranian Revolution Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Demonstrators hold a poster of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in January 1979, in Tehran, during a demonstration against the Shah AFP/Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Iranian rebels pose with a U.S. flag they bayonetted upside down on trees at Sultanabad Garrison northeast of Tehran on February 12 2019 AP Revolution in Iran: In pictures A gun battle in Khorramshahr during the revolution, 1979 Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Ayatollah Khomeini's supporters demonstrate in the streets of Tehran against the Shah among tear gas. The "black friday" caused the death of 200 people according to the Iranian government, 2000 according to the opposition, September 8 1978 AFP/Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Women wearing the traditional Chador demonstrate in the streets of Tehran against the Shah on September 7 1978 AFP/Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Demonstrators in Tehran calling for the replacement of the Shah of Iran during the Iranian Revolution, 1979. They carry placards depicting Ayatollah Mahmoud Talaghani, one of the leading revolutionaries Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Ayatollah Khomeini's supporters demonstrate in the streets of Tehran against the Shah. The "black friday" caused the death of 200 people according to the Iranian government, 2000 according to the opposition, September 8 1978 AFP/Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Thousands of the Ayatollah Khomeini's supporters on the streets of Tehran calling for the religious leader's return in January 1979 Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures The Iranian Islamic Republic Army demonstrates in solidarity with people in the street during the Iranian revolution. They are carrying posters of the Ayatollah Khomeini, the Iranian religious and political leader Getty The Islamic Republic not only survives, it has become a force to be reckoned with throughout the region, through allies in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, and clandestine networks stretching from south Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, and north Africa to Europe and Latin America. But the country is also deeply troubled, and its leaders know it. The countrys youth, women, and minorities are demanding systemic change. They want jobs, social freedoms, and cultural and political rights. Yet the regimes 40-year survival, experts say, is due in large part to the very repression and vigilant surveillance that so rankle Iranians who belong to social and political tribes outside of the circle of hardline Shia Islamists that monopolise political power. The regime of the Islamic Republic was able to endure because it was able to maintain the ideological integrity of its elites, through processes of political and ideological vetting, says Tamer Badawi, an Iran expert at the European University Institute, a think tank based in Italy. This prevented outside powers from creating coalitions with institutional players in the establishment. Demonstrators hold a poster of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in January 1979 in Tehran, during a demonstration against the shah (AFP/Getty ) (AFP/Getty) With a white beard and a black turban, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini arrived on an plane from France on 1 February 1979, setting himself up with the help of fervent supporters in what had been a girls school called Refah in an alleyway in downtown Tehran. He conferred with activists and dignitaries crowding in to see him and hear his words over 10 days. And then, on this day 40 years ago, Ayatollah Khomeini declared the end of thousands of years of Iranian monarchy, marking the official victory of the Islamic Revolution, and raising hopes among Iranians for a future of peace, prosperity and justice. But hopes for the future were dashed almost straight away. The fledgling regime shock troops began a long, dreadful night of Robespierrean terror almost straight away, launching purges and mass executions of political rivals and members of the former regime. Islamist thugs knifed women at protests against the now mandatory hijab. Newly established Islamist courts began enforcing strict restrictions on press, politics, and religion. A vast terrifying surveillance state spread its tentacles into streets, universities, workplaces, and even homes. Those deemed insufficiently loyal to the new regime were purged, warehoused in prisons like the notorious compound in Tehrans Evin district, and hounded into exile. The regime viciously targeted the countrys once thriving Bahai religious minority, feminists, leftists, and liberals, storming into their homes in the dead of night. Ayatollah Khomeini eventually was moved to a compound in the north of Tehran, and the Refah school became a torture chamber where perceived opponents were shot dead on its roof. The regime encountered severe resistance from Iranians from the start, but managed to hold together thanks to a series of crises that kept the ruling elite united, and bound the society to the state. First came the burdens of a devastating eight-year war with Iraq that continue to haunt the country. Saddam Husseins troops invaded, backed by Persian Gulf countries and eventually the west. Rockets rained down upon Iranian cities. An Iranian woman holds up a portrait of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Monday (AP) Then came numerous rounds of harsh international sanctions led by the US under seven American presidents, but joined occasionally by many other nations as well as private companies who stay away from the Islamic Republic. Several popular uprisings have come and gone, including one almost 10 years ago that saw millions flooding into the streets in scenes reminiscent of the revolution itself. Perhaps the biggest challenge came from within its own ranks. A group of regime loyalists who once called themselves the Followers of the Line of the Imam began to sour on the failed promises of the regime and increasing power of the most radical hardline factions. They rebranded themselves reformists in the 1990s and sought to cultivate support among middle-class Iranians. Over the years the regime learned to adapt and exploit the pressure for its own ends. Ali Fathollah Nejad, an Iran scholar at the Brookings Doha Centre, describes how successive waves of pressure that many predicted would lead to the regimes downfall instead strengthened it. Since its inception, the new rulers have willfully mastered the art of using and abusing external pressure and crises to create a rally-round-the-flag effect centered around the narrative of Iran being an innocent victim in the face of unjustified and abusive imperialist powers, and to engage in disavowing and cracking down on internal dissenters portrayed as stooges of malign outside forces, he says. To create and win loyal constituencies, the Islamic Republic cultivated middle classes through a web of institutional vehicles through which it disseminated its revolutionary ideology Tamer Badawi, Iran expert But in addition to repression, it sought to create its own educated elite, and even bind the old intelligentsia to the current system. It expanded literacy, higher education, healthcare, and electrification, and invested in the provinces. To create and win loyal constituencies, the Islamic Republic cultivated middle classes through a web of institutional vehicles through which it disseminated its revolutionary ideology, says Mr Badawi. Urbanisation was one of the reasons for the loyalty of new stratas originating from Irans rural spaces. But the conservative clergy and military hardliners that make up the inner circle of the regime have also been blessed with an opposition that was divided and fragmented. Its a regime thats very much aware of the dynamic nature of Iranian society and it managed to exploit that dynamic, says Sanam Vakil, an Iran expert at Chatham House. Theres not been a history of social cohesion in Iran, and Iranians are not particularly united in what they want, even if theyre relatively united in what they dont want. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani delivers his speech on Monday (EPA) Allahu akbar, the cries from the rooftops rang out at night almost 10 years ago, when huge segments of the Iranian population flooded into the streets to oppose the reelection of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad amid fraud allegations, sometimes coopting slogans and tactics of the revolutionaries 30 years earlier. The millions included members of the Islamic Republics own elite, the sons and daughters of politicians and judges, and they marched with defiant slogans near Supreme Leader Ali Khameneis headquarters in Tehran, giving the the systems guardians the fright of their life. As the 2009 uprising as well as the nationwide demonstrations last year showed, even beneficiaries of the Islamic Republic have begun to bristle at its restrictions and failures, at its unfulfilled promises of freedom from tyranny as well as its inability to deliver economic prosperity. The regime managed to fend off the massive 2009 challenge, and easily suppressed the protests last year. Some segments of Irans younger generation are disillusioned with the regime and remain hopeful that change is on the horizon Soufan group, security and intelligence consultancy But discontent continues to run wide and deep. A survey conducted in December by IranPoll of 1,000 Iranians showed more than 70 per cent believe the economy is faring poorly, and nearly 65 per cent think it is getting worse. Almost 60 per cent blame government incompetence and corruption as the primary cause of the poor economy rather than US sanctions. For now, the hardliners retain a tight grip on the security apparatuses, judiciary, and key segments of the economy. But reformists and moderates win election after election. A note issued on Monday by the Soufan Group, an intelligence and security consultancy, said: Even though Ayatollah Khomeinis revolutionary vision remains popular with the old guard, allowing his successor to maintain a firm hold on power, some segments of Irans younger generation are disillusioned with the regime and remain hopeful that change is on the horizon. Although it falters on the economy and providing hope to the young, the Islamic Republic has scored historic strategic victories abroad in recent years. It has bolstered its influence in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Yemen. Washington conservatives say Irans foreign policy ambitions are rooted in the ideology of the regime. But time after time, Iran has exploited the mistakes of its adversaries, suggesting an opportunistic power aiming to expand Irans national influence, often with tools other than raw military power. In the aftermath of the US abandonment of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Tehran opted to stay in the agreement, making Washington look like the outlier, and prompting a rift between America and Europe. Irans diplomacy has proved deft, particularly in response to the Trump administrations withdrawal from the nuclear deal and related attempts to isolate Iran politically, said the Soufan Group note. Iran has continued to adhere to the agreement, using that compliance as leverage to compel the European Union countries to defy US pressure to enforce reimposed sanctions on Iran. Considered the most objectionable dimension of the Islamic Republic, Irans foreign policy and defence advances have yielded a domestic political dividend in a country that is becoming increasingly nationalistic, and sensitive to threats from abroad as a result of the Iran-Iraq war. We have not asked and will not ask anyone permission to build different types of anti-armour missiles, air defence, surface-to-sea, sea-to-sea, air-to-air and surface-to-surface missiles Hassan Rouhani, Iranian president The US, EU, Saudi Arabia, and Israel have demanded that Iran roll back its support for militant groups across the Middle East, stop refining its missile programmes, and maintain restrictions on its nuclear programme. But in the IranPoll findings, 86 per cent of respondents said the country should either maintain or increase the support it gives to armed groups fighting terrorist groups like Isis. Around 90 per cent said it was important to pursue nuclear technology. And 95 per cent said they supported the countrys development of missiles. In his speech from the podium on Monday, Mr Rouhani boasted that Irans military-technological developments have stunned the world, increasing dramatically in particular during his five years as president. We have not asked and will not ask anyone permission to build different types of anti-armour missiles, air defence, surface-to-sea, sea-to-sea, air-to-air and surface-to-surface missiles, he said. We will continue our path and our military power. Our rank and file led Political Action Committee has yet to take a position on this race, Geovanis said in an emailed statement. We remain committed to champions that have pledged to secure funding for our schools, reform the TIF program, and support an elected representative school board. Afghan special forces have arrested a Taliban operative responsible for two major attacks in Kabul, the countrys intelligence agency said. In a separate operation, agents also apprehended a university professor who they described as a top recruiter for Isis. In a statement on Saturday, the Afghan National Directorate of Security said the Taliban operative, Mohammad Sharif, was the mastermind behind a horrific truck bombing that killed 150 people in Kabuls diplomatic area in May 2017. He was also accused of planning a suicide bombing last November that killed five employees of a multinational security company. Officials said Sharif had studied at a madrassa in Quetta, Pakistan, where the Afghan Taliban leadership is based. He was arrested along with two Taliban members accused of helping in the two attacks, intelligence officials said. Recommended Afghan government furious as Russia invites Taliban to talks in Moscow There have been relatively few terrorist attacks in Kabul in recent months, due in part to a major security sweep of the capital by the intelligence agency and the Afghan security forces, backed by US military advisers. The May 2017 truck bombing devastated the central area of Kabul near the presidential palace and foreign embassies, wounding 300 people. The truck exploded at the peak of rush hour, when the streets were packed. The German Embassy was badly damaged, and some of its staff members were injured. The Japanese and Pakistani embassies said some of their staff members were also wounded. In the November 2018 attack, the Taliban struck a compound in Kabul used by the multinational security company G4S, wounding 32 people. Truck bomb strikes Kabul's diplomatic quarter - May 2017 Show all 10 1 /10 Truck bomb strikes Kabul's diplomatic quarter - May 2017 Truck bomb strikes Kabul's diplomatic quarter - May 2017 Afghan security forces attend the scene of the truck bombing in Kabul AFP/Getty Truck bomb strikes Kabul's diplomatic quarter - May 2017 Security forces and resident look on at the crater left by the bombing AFP/Getty Truck bomb strikes Kabul's diplomatic quarter - May 2017 Afghan security forces personnel attend the site of a truck bomb in Kabul on May 31 2017 AFP/Getty Truck bomb strikes Kabul's diplomatic quarter - May 2017 Foreign security forces and Afghan private security personnel attend the scene of a truck bomb in Kabul on May 31 2017 AFP/Getty Truck bomb strikes Kabul's diplomatic quarter - May 2017 An Afghan resident sits inside a damaged car at the site of a truck bomb attack in Kabul on May 31, 2017 AFP/Getty Truck bomb strikes Kabul's diplomatic quarter - May 2017 Injured Afghan men receive medical treatment at a hospital in Kabul the day after the attack AFP/Getty Truck bomb strikes Kabul's diplomatic quarter - May 2017 A wounded man is assisted at the site of the truck bombing AFP/Getty Truck bomb strikes Kabul's diplomatic quarter - May 2017 A dog is seen running at the site of a truck bomb attack in Kabul on May 31 2017 AFP/Getty Truck bomb strikes Kabul's diplomatic quarter - May 2017 A victim of the bombing is carried to an ambulance on May 31 2017 AFP/Getty Truck bomb strikes Kabul's diplomatic quarter - May 2017 A victim of the bombing is carried to an ambulance on May 31 2017 AFP/Getty A suicide bomber breached the compounds defences and four attackers held out inside for 11 hours before they were subdued by police. Officials said 194 foreigners and 36 Afghans survived after hiding inside a safe room in the compound. In the other case, the intelligence agency accused Abu Obaidullah Mutawakel, a university professor and imam at a Kabul mosque, of recruiting hundreds of young men for Isis and sending them to a stronghold for the group in Nangarhar province. A nephew of the professor carried out a suicide attack in Kabul two months ago, the agency said. New York Times At least nine protesters have reportedly been detained in Russia, after marching to show solidarity with an activist who was initially barred from seeing her dying daughter in hospital. The demonstrations on Sunday, dubbed "Marches Of Maternal Anger", were held in Moscow and St Petersburg, with similar rallies reported in Kazan, Makhachkala, Kirov, Rostov-on-Don, Yekaterinburg, Yaroslavl and Oryol. Anastasia Shevchenko, an activist from Rostov-on-Don, was placed under house arrest on 23 January, over her work with opposition movement Open Russia. Her 17-year-old daughter was taken to a local hospital on 30 January after suffering a cardiac failure. The activist requested permission to visit the teenager but said it was only granted hours before her daughter passed away, according to Radio Free Europe. March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures Show all 9 1 /9 March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures Police officers detain a protester during a protest against the treatment of a female political prisoner in Moscow on February 10 Reuters March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures A woman holds a stuffed toy during a protest against the treatment of a female political prisoner in Moscow on February 10 EPA March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures Protesters scuffle with police officers during the march of maternal anger in Moscow EPA March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures A woman holds a copy of Russia's constitution during a protest against the treatment a female political prisoner in Moscow on February 10 Reuters March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures A protester waves a sign at the march of maternal anger before being detained by police in Moscow on February 10 Reuters March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures Police officers detain a protester during a protest against the treatment of a female political prisoner in Moscow on February 10 Reuters March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures Protesters march in Moscow on February 10 Reuters March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures Police officers detain a protester during a protest against the treatment of a female political prisoner in Moscow on February 10 EPA March of maternal anger in Moscow: in pictures A woman holds a stuffed toy as she marches against the treatment of a female political prisoner in Moscow on February 10 EPA Ms Shevchenko faces charges under a 2015 Russian law against "undesirable organisations" and remains under house arrest. She is the first person to face criminal prosecution under the law. "Freedom to political prisoners," shouted protesters who gathered in Moscow. "Our system has reached such a stage that it is fighting against single mothers with multiple children, against children," said Yulia Galyamina, a politician who organised the marches. Small fights broke out during the Moscow protest after members of a pro-Kremlin group, South East Radical Block (SERB), tried to block the march. SERB leader Gosha Tarasevich and Mikhail Kriger, an activist with the liberal Solidarnost movement, were both detained. At least seven partcipants were also detained at a march in St Petersburg, after police officers told a crowd of 150 protesters to disperse. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Many marchers refused to leave the rally. "Many of my female friends who decided to go out to the streets with me this Sunday have the very same feeling: anger that we, too, have children and we, too, can be arrested at any moment, Ms Galyamina said. This is not only a question of being involved in politics. Anyone can be oppressed by the state or simply be harmed by the state, which meddles in people's lives instead of helping them." An influential Kremlin aide has predicted a glorious century for Vladimir Putins political system. Writing in the Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper, Vladislav Surkov said the world had yet to see peak Putinism but that, in time, even adversaries would end up copying his system. We need to recognise, understand and describe the Putinist system of government as the ideology of the future, he said. The controversial aide, once coined Kremlins grey cardinal, dismissed rumours of a crisis in the Kremlin. Quite the contrary, he said, Putins system had longevity built in. It would last for decades because it was native, organic, and had already survived several shock tests. Mr Surkov, responsible for the Kremlins domestic strategy during the 2000s, is credited with creating much of Russias postmodern, authoritarian model of government. He called the system managed democracy a term that critics suggested was only ever half true. Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Show all 22 1 /22 Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Russian police officers detain a protester in Moscow AFP/Getty Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny addresses supporters AFP/Getty Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Russian police push protesters back during Pushkin Square AP Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Pro-Kremlin activists and opposition supporters scuffle in Moscow AFP/Getty Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Alexei Navalny during the rally Rex Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Russian riot police officers detain opposition leader Alexei Navalny AFP/Getty Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Russian police arrest a participant of a liberal opposition rally EPA Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Alexei Navalny being carried away by police Rex Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Opposition supporters shout slogans AFP/Getty Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Russian police officers detain a participant AFP/Getty Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Demonstrator carries a poster depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin during a massive protest rally in St.Petersburg AP Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Russian police carrying struggling opposition leader Alexei Navalny AP Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Russian police detain a protester at a demonstration AP Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Policemen detain opposition supporters REUTERS Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia A fighter of National Liberation Movement, left, clashes with protesters AP Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Russian police officers detain a participant AFP/Getty Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Russian police arrest a participant of a liberal opposition rally EPA Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Policemen detain an opposition supporter Reuters Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Russian police officers detain a cossack during an unauthorized anti-Putin rally AFP/Getty Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Russian police detain a protester in Pushkin Square in Moscow AP Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Protesters attend a rally in St. Petersburg AP Anti-Putin protests: hundreds of demonstrators arrested in Russia Russian police officers run towards protesters AFP/Getty In his long and often rambling article, the aide stayed close to his historical form. Russia was strong, he argued, only because it had rejected western notions and democratic institutions. Such institutions only gave an illusion of choice, and were inferior to Russias wise leader, who was able to listen, understand and see his people. The modern model of Russian statehood begins on trust and rests on trust, he said. This is its major distinction to the western model, which cultivates distrust and criticism. And herein lies its strength. Writing on Facebook, the political commentator Abbas Gallyamov noted wryly that Mr Surkovs idea of trust appeared at a time of polls registering historically low levels of trust in the leadership. Mr Surkov spared little praise of his boss. In time, Putins Russia would be recognised Russias fourth great model of state-building, he said and on a par with the efforts of Ivan the Great in the 15th century, Peter the Great in the 18th century, and Vladimir Lenin in the 20th century. Putins system was also ripe for export, Mr Surkov added. Foreign governments were already paying close attention, since the Russian political algorithm had long predicted the volatility now seen in western democracies. Russia is playing with the Wests minds, he writes. They dont know how to deal with their own changed consciousness. During his peak in the 2000s, Mr Surkov cultivated an image of being an all-powerful operator, expertly recruiting and co-opting all strands of ideology political opinion. But his ambitions always went further than being an operator. He saw himself as the beating intellectual heart of the regime. Vladimir Putin puts spotlight on US foreign policy when asked if he wants to rule world Mr Surkov, while still an influential player, is no longer at the heart of the Kremlin policy machine. He fell out of favour with Vladimir Putin after appearing to side with Dmitry Medvedev in the tempestuous protest years of 2008-2012, and was unceremoniously dropped in favour of rival Vyacheslav Volodin. Since then, Mr Surkov is believed to have taken charge of the Kremlins secret campaign in eastern Ukraine, has acted as Russias point of contact in the Minsk peace negotiations, and has taken to penning lofty essays about the state of Russia. Presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Mr Surkovs complex, interesting and deep article had been neither approved or seen by the president. That said, those inside the corridors of power shared many of the opinions. Surkov has experience in domestic politics, in party politics and in state-building that is hard to overestimate, the spokesperson said. Kim Phuc, known as Napalm Girl in an iconic photo showing her during the Vietnam War, has received an award in Germany for her work for peace. The 55-year-old, who now lives in Canada, was handed the Dresden Prize for her support of Unesco and children wounded in war, the organisers said. She was also honoured for speaking out publicly against violence and hatred. She received 10,000 euros (8,800). Ms Phuc was nine-years-old in 1972 when a South Vietnamese plane dropped napalm bombs on her village in the belief it harboured North Vietnamese troops. The image of her running down the road in tears, naked and severely burned, was captured by Vietnamese-American Associated Press photographer Nick Ut, who won a Pulitzer Prize for the photo in 1973. In this June 8, 1972 file photo, South Vietnamese forces follow after terrified children, including 9-year-old Kim Phuc, center, as they run down Route 1 near Trang Bang after an aerial napalm attack on suspected Viet Cong hiding places (AP) In 2015, Ms Phuc travelled from Canada to Miami to visit a dermatologist who specialises in laser treatments for burn patients, in the hopes it would relieve the aches and pains caused by the burns. Napalm victim in iconic photo receives medical treatment - in pictures Show all 5 1 /5 Napalm victim in iconic photo receives medical treatment - in pictures Napalm victim in iconic photo receives medical treatment - in pictures Napalm victim in iconic photo receives medical treatment - in pictures Napalm victim in iconic photo receives medical treatment - in pictures Dr. Jill Waibel examines Kim Phuc before the first of several laser treatments to reduce pain and the appearance of burn scars in her back and left arm in Miami. Phuc was injured by a napalm bomb in Vietnam 40 years ago. AP Photo/Nick Ut Napalm victim in iconic photo receives medical treatment - in pictures In this Sept. 26, 2015, photo, Dr. Jill Waibel, left, applies a laser to the back of Kim Phuc to reduce the pain and appearance of her burn scars in Miami. Phuc was burned in the back and left arm by a napalm bomb in Vietnam 40 years ago. The procedure creates microscopic holes in the skin, which allows topical, collagen-building medicines to be absorbed deep through the layers of tissue. AP Photo/Nick Ut Napalm victim in iconic photo receives medical treatment - in pictures In this Sept. 25, 2015 photo, Kim Phuc shows burn scars on her back and left arm at a hotel in Miami. The scars were caused by a napalm attack when she was 9 years old in Trang Bang, Vietnam. While she spent years doing painful exercises to preserve her range of motion, her left arm still doesn't extend as far as her right arm, and her desire to learn how to play the piano has been thwarted by stiffness in her left hand. Tasks as simple as carrying her purse on her left side are too difficult. AP Photo/Nick Ut Past recipients of the Dresden Prize include former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and American civil rights activist Tommie Smith. Anyone with their finger on the pulse of Irish politics may have felt a minor tremor on Saturday afternoon. Amid the chaos of Brexit, the membership of the SDLP gathered in Newry for a special vote. The Social Democratic and Labour Party, once led by John Hume as the bastion of nationalism in Northern Ireland, has seen its vote and influence diminish in recent years, largely to the benefit of the more hardline republican Sinn Fein. Now, in a bid to reverse the partys fortunes, they have agreed a partnership with Fianna Fail, one of the two big parties in the Republic of Ireland, and the most successful in the history of the state. At Saturdays gathering, 70 per cent of SDLP members backed what the leadership have called an unprecedented partnership between two parties who boast a proud tradition of democratic struggle on these islands. Shortly before the meeting, I spoke with SDLP leader Colum Eastwood about why he is pushing this major new directive, despite the scepticism of a minority in the party. Politics since Brexit in Ireland has changed massively, explains Eastwood. I think theres a yearning for an all-Ireland approach to solving the problems that we face. Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures An abandoned shop is seen in Mullan, Co Monaghan. The building was home to four families who left during the Troubles. The town was largely abandoned after the hard border was put in place during the conflict. Mullan has seen some regeneration in recent years, but faces an uncertain future with Brexit on the horizon Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures A defaced Welcome to Northern Ireland sign stands on the border in Middletown, Co Armagh Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Mervyn Johnson owns a garage in the border town of Pettigo, which straddles the counties of Donegal and Fermanagh. Ive been here since 1956, it was a bit of a problem for a few years. My premises has been blown up about six or seven times, we just kept building and starting again, Johnson said laughing. We just got used to it [the hard border] really but now that its gone, we wouldn't like it back again Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Farmer Gordon Crocketts Coshquin farm straddles both Derry/Londonderry in the North and Donegal in the Republic. At the minute there is no real problem, you can cross the border as free as you want. We could cross it six or eight times a day, said Crockett. If there was any sort of obstruction it would slow down our work every day Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures John Murphy flies the European flag outside his home near the border village of Forkhill, Co Armagh Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Potter Brenda McGinn stands outside her Mullan, Co Monaghan, studio the former Jas Boylan shoe factory which was the main employer in the area until it shut down due to the Troubles. When I came back, this would have been somewhere you would have driven through and have been quite sad. It was a decrepit looking village, said McGinn, whose Busy Bee Ceramics is one of a handful of enterprises restoring life to the community. Now this is a revitalised, old hidden village Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Union Flag colours painted on kerbstones and bus-stops along the border village of Newbuildings, Co Derry/Londonderry Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Grass reflected in Lattone Lough, which is split by the border between Cavan and Fermanagh, seen from near Ballinacor, Northern Ireland Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Donegalman David McClintock sits in the Border Cafe in the village of Muff, which straddles Donegal and Derry/Londonderry Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures An old Irish phone box stands alongside a bus stop in the border town of Glaslough, Co Monaghan Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Billboards are viewed from inside a disused customs hut in Carrickcarnon, Co Down, on the border with Co Louth in the Republic Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Seamus McQuaid takes packages that locals on the Irish side of the border have delivered to his business, McQuaid Auto-Parts, to save money on postal fees, near the Co Fermanagh village of Newtownbutler. I live in the south but the business is in the North, said McQaid. "I wholesale into the Republic of Ireland so if theres duty, Ill have to set up a company 200 yards up the road to sell to my customers. Ill have to bring the same product in through Dublin instead of Belfast Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures A disused Great Northern Railway line and station that was for customs and excise on the border town of Glenfarne, Co Leitrim Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Alice Mullen, from Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland, does her shopping at a former customs post on the border in Middletown, Co Armagh. Id be very worried if it was a hard border, I remember when people were divided. I would be very afraid of the threat to the peace process, it was a dreadful time to live through. Even to go to mass on a Sunday, youd have to go through checkpoints. It is terribly stressful, said Mullen. All those barricades and boundaries were pulled down. I see it as a huge big exercise of trust and I do believe everyone breathed a sigh of relief Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures A bus stop and red post box stand in the border town of Jonesborough, Co Armagh Reuters He says that the SDLP and Fianna Fail will work together to formulate new policies, and as parties that were central to the Good Friday Agreement, they are committed to re-establishing the institutions it created in particular, cross-border bodies, and power-sharing at Stormont. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood announces the party has voted by more than two to one to back a new partnership with Ireland's main opposition party Fianna Fail I dont think theres any kind of new Ireland to be had by not having institutions in the north, says Eastwood. I think theyre actually essential to a new Ireland. No matter which parties people are partnered with, or in, theres still going to be a need for a democratic Ireland to come together in the coming years to sketch out and map what comes next for the country as a whole. Some voices in the SDLP including veterans like Brid Rodgers and rising star Claire Hanna have expressed their dissatisfaction with the partnership. Some believe it is merely the first step towards merger, which would destroy the SDLPs historically good relations with all parties south of the border. The Irish Labour party have expressed their regret at the move, and Fine Gael minister Charlie Flanagan tweeted that he was disappointed to see the SDLP put their eggs in one basket. Colum Eastwood of the SDLP and Micheal Martin of Fianna Fail arriving for a joint press conference in Belfast as their political parties announce a partnership Eastwood says his colleagues have nothing to fear from the partnership, and that this shouldnt be seen as a door closing on wider cross-party cooperation. None of this threatens who we are. I think its about enhancing the legacy that weve been given and starting to build a new legacy for the future. You cant just keep the SDLP in a glass box on the mantelpiece. You have to take all the good parts and build on it, ensure it has a future. I dont believe a political party can survive on nostalgia alone. So were not closing doors, were trying to see how best we can maximise our message. Charlie McConalogue is a Fianna Fail TD who was involved in the secret talks between the two parties. He told me that his party explored a number of ways of best developing their imprint north of the border, and that they believe this move is the best way to start. The partnership will have a national footprint and will benefit both parties, says McConalogue. We have something to offer from our own partys experience in government in the Republic, to hopefully be able to positively influence the SDLP and politics in Northern Ireland. He bemoans how politics north of the border has ground to a halt over the past two years at the hands of Sinn Fein and the DUP. Its moved to the lowest common denominator, and become more sectarianised, and the centre ground has been ignored as a result. Were working with the SDLP to provide a political outlet and movement which would help address that. Many will see this new move as a direct response not only to Sinn Feins dominance of nationalism in Northern Ireland, but to their rightful claim to be the only all-Ireland political party. In the 20 years since the Good Friday Agreement, Sinn Fein have gone from strength to strength on both sides of the border. As they inch closer to becoming the largest party in Northern Ireland, their position as the third largest party in the Republic gives them a strong chance of becoming a junior coalition partner in the near future perhaps even with Fianna Fail. Sinn Feins initial response to this new partnership was initially one of mockery, with the party tweeting an Inbetweeners meme mocking leaders Colum Eastwood and Micheal Martin as friends. But a more sober statement, later tweeted by the partys vice president Michelle ONeill, laid out the clear plan of attack on the new entity: that Fianna Fail represents a more social and economically conservative body, in contrast to themselves. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, right, with deputy leader Michelle O'Neill (Getty) I welcome the further development of all-Ireland politics at a time when the prospect of Irish unity is centre stage, she wrote. This political pact also gives the people of Ireland north and south a clear choice between the progressive forward-looking politics of Sinn Fein and the right-wing austerity politics of Fianna Fail. David McCann is a commentator on politics in Northern Ireland. He told me that whatever the message they present, Sinn Fein will take this change in the political scene seriously. Competition in politics is a good thing, says McCann. Competition forces parties to think differently, forces parties to modernise and come up with some new policies and new ideas, so I think it will be a positive. It certainly has the potential to create a new dynamic." While Sinn Fein serves a more left-wing, socialist republican electorate, the SDLP are closer to the centre, with Fianna Fail traditionally a more centre-right party. "Obviously the SDLP and Fianna Fail come at the united Ireland question from a fundamentally different perspective to Sinn Fein. So its helpful to have that wing of nationalism catered to. And potentially have that across the island of Ireland. At the same time, Sinn Fein are looking at a new threat to their mandate that comes from even closer to home. Recommended How 2018 was the year Irish politics came to dominate the news agenda After disagreeing with the partys support for abortion reform last year, pro-life TD Peadar Toibin left Sinn Fein, and is now building his own breakaway party north and south of the border Aontu. He spoke to me about the grassroots enthusiasm he has seen during a tour of nationwide townhall meetings. Weve had about 3,000 people attend our meetings so far, and were only about halfway through, says Toibin. Hundreds of people are joining us every week, and we have new cumann (branches) opening across the country. He explains the four ideas around which Aontu is built: a commitment to Irish unity and economic justice, an anti-abortion stance and a break from the political consensus that he believes has set in across Ireland. Theres an awful pressure in Ireland to conform into the centre all the time, he says, a kind of groupthink that dictates what people are allowed to think or say. Comments like this suggest a hint of populism around Aontu, although mild-mannered Toibin doesnt seem in any danger of going the way of Peter Casey a candidate in last years presidential election who shored up votes with a host of prejudiced campaign sound bites. Rather, he aims to build unity through inclusion of all Irish citizens even unionists, some of whom he claims are showing interest in his party. Sinn Fein's support for repealing the eighth amendment in Ireland led Peadar Toibin to leave the party (AFP/Getty) We are getting people from a Protestant background, who are maybe originally unionists, who are sick to death of the fact that their decision to stay in the EU was completely binned by the Tories. And across Ireland, people are annoyed that the whims of the Tory party in England are still having such an impact on our economy and our trade. While Toibin says theres no doubt were moving towards Irish unity, he advocates a practical, hands-on approach, which does not simply hope for demographic change, nor wait for the failure of Brexit. We see the border as a wall, and each block in that wall stands for a real-life practical issue in peoples lives, so that could be a cross-border ambulance service, or health service, or a corporation tax. We believe if we can plan and make those things work on an all-Ireland basis, it will decrease the height of the wall, and make the transition an easier and more logical one for all. Irish reunification has moved from being the elephant in the room, to being an open topic of conversation; seen not just as a pipe dream for republicans, but as a realistic and logical outcome of a botched Brexit. The Irish border is one of the issues still to be resolved ahead of the UK's exit from the EU (AFP/Getty) While Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald is ramping up calls for a referendum on Irish unity in the event of a no-deal Brexit, and with former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern saying Ireland should prepare for such a poll, the current Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is less enthusiastic about having such a nation-defining debate at this time of political instability. In some ways, Varadkar has gone much further than his predecessors in his advocacy for Northern Ireland. In a memorable speech regarding Brexit in 2017, he said that Irish citizens in the north would never again be left behind by an Irish government. But while he has reaffirmed Fine Gael as a united Ireland party, they are typically seen as more of a laggard when it comes to making advances into Northern Ireland. Now though, even they are taking a small step in that direction. Last Saturday, as the SDLP were ratifying their partnership with Fianna Fail in Newry, Young Fine Gael were in Belfast, opening a branch at Queens University. They see an opening among nationalists who lack a dependable, economically sensible voice in Northern Irish politics. I spoke to University College Dublin student Mourad Mejdi, who has been involved with setting up the YFG branch at Queens. He believes that young Irish people are attracted to Fine Gael because of the visible performance of Varadkar and his government, while working for Irish interests in Brussels and across Europe during the Brexit negotiations. I think theyve been rightly commended here in the north for their stance on Brexit, says Mejdi. The government have stuck by the people of Northern Ireland and shown we are there for them, that we will fight for them, and that we have been doing that on the European stage in the negotiations. Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty Images) A lot of young people see their future in Europe, and they see that, regardless of what way the Brexit negotiations go, Northern Ireland will have a very special relationship with the EU. So that is an appeal, that we are a strong pro-Europe party, and I dont think any party up north right now can offer that. So what do nationalists in Northern Ireland really want? The first real test for the partnership between the SDLP and Fianna Fail as well as for Aontu will be in Mays local elections. Its highly unlikely this vote will make a huge dent in the fortunes of Sinn Fein, but the results could well signal whether or not there is appetite for these newly formed incarnations. After a two-year period in which Sinn Fein have failed to restore power-sharing with the DUP at Stormont, it could reasonably be assumed that nationalists might move towards an alternative party. But it cant be ignored that people in Northern Ireland vote as much to keep the other side out, as they do to keep their side in. Votes for the SDLP and Aontu may be seen as further splitting the nationalist consensus which has been moving around Sinn Fein, despite that partys shortcomings. Not to mention the fact that many nationalists support Sinn Fein holding their ground in the long-running stalemate with the DUP. One thing that is clear is that all of these political organisations however late to the party are responding to a new era of Irish nationalism which is occurring not at the top tables, but at a grassroots level. People from all communities in Northern Ireland are increasingly seeing Britain as a divided country in international retreat, happy to play Ireland like a pawn in the Brexit game. Instead, people are looking more to Dublin, and the EU, where they see a future as equals. Hungary will offer mothers who have at least four children a lifetime exemption from income tax in a bid to boost birth rates, the nations anti-immigration prime minister has announced. Viktor Orban said the measures were being introduced to reverse population decline without relying on new migrants coming to the country. Making his state of the nation address on Sunday, Mr Orban revealed the government would offer a range of benefits, including a subsidy of 2.5m forints (6,850) towards seven-seater vehicles for families with three or more children. Women under the age of 40 who are marrying for the first time would be eligible for a low-interest loan of 10m forints (28,000). Mr Orban, who has made his zero tolerance stance on immigration a key policy in recent years, said the initiative was designed to ensure the survival of the Hungarian nation. Protest against the government in Hungary: in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 Protest against the government in Hungary: in pictures Protest against the government in Hungary: in pictures Anna Donath, Vice President of opposition party Momentum Movement holds a flare during the protest Reuters Protest against the government in Hungary: in pictures A protester kneels in front of riot police outside the headquarters of Hungarian state television AFP/Getty Protest against the government in Hungary: in pictures Protesters hold up their phone lights outside the Hungarian parliament Getty Protest against the government in Hungary: in pictures Protesters march across the Margaret Bridge on the Danube n downtown Budapest EPA Protest against the government in Hungary: in pictures Protesters stand outside the Hungarian parliament building Reuters Protest against the government in Hungary: in pictures Police stand guard in front of the headquarters of Hungarian state television AFP/Getty Protest against the government in Hungary: in pictures Protesters line the streets by the Hungarian parliament building Getty Protest against the government in Hungary: in pictures Protesters march across the Margaret Bridge on the Danube in downtown Budapest EPA Protest against the government in Hungary: in pictures A protester lights a flare in protests against the Hungarian government Reuters Protest against the government in Hungary: in pictures Police forces secure the area outside the headquarters of Hungarian state television Reuters Protest against the government in Hungary: in pictures Protesters hold up their phone lights outside the Hungarian parliament Getty Protest against the government in Hungary: in pictures Protesters wave a flag outside the Hungarian parliament Reuters There are fewer and fewer children born in Europe. For the west, the answer [to this problem] is immigration, the prime minister said. For every missing child there should be one coming in and then the numbers will be fine. But we do not need numbers. We need Hungarian children. This is the Hungarians answer, not immigration. There was no immediate government estimate for the cost of the new measures. Mr Orbans chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, said on Friday new spending would be financed from general reserves or surplus revenues in the 2019 budget. The prime minister also used the speech to kickstart his right-wing Fidesz partys European parliament election campaign, repeating his regular assertion that the European Union wants to fill the continent with migrants, mainly from Muslim backgrounds. We have to understand that the European peoples have come to a historical crossroads, Mr Orban said. Those who decide in favour of immigration and migrants, no matter why they do so, are in fact creating a country with a mixed population. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Europes left wing has become the gravedigger of nations, the family and the Christian way of life, he claimed. Fidesz and Mr Orban approach both European parliament and local government elections this year, following large protests in Hungary against the premiers rule. Demonstrations were sparked by the passage of laws in December allowing employers to ask for up to 400 hours of overtime per year, and the creation of new administrative courts that will answer to the government and oversee sensitive issues. But despite protests, the ruling party appears to remain well ahead of its rivals, with several recent opinion polls estimating it stands to win close to 40 per cent of the popular vote. Additional reporting by agencies A refugee rescue ship has been named after Alan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian boy whose body washed up on a Turkish beach at the height of the refugee crisis. Images of Alans lifeless body became a symbol of the desperate situation faced by those fleeing conflict. His name was given to a German rescue ship operated by the charity Sea-Eye. The ship was renamed in the presence of Alans father, Abdullah Kurdi, and his aunt, Tima Kurdi, in Palma on the Spanish island of Mallorca. We are happy that a German rescue ship will carry the name of our boy, Mr Kurdi said before the naming ceremony. My boy on the beach must never be forgotten. 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 Our grief for the loss of my wife and sons is shared by many, by thousands of families who have so tragically lost sons and daughters this way. Sea-Eye says it has saved more than 14,000 people from drowning in the Mediterranean since it began operations in 2016. Mr Kurdi and his wife Rehanna, along with their sons Alan and Ghalib, were trying to ultimately reach relatives in Vancouver, Canada, after fleeing the Syrian civil war in 2015. Their boat to Greece capsized as it left Turkey, killing Mr Kurdis wife and two sons. Turkey sentenced two Syrian men to more than four years in prison in connection with the accident. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Mr Kurdi, who now lives in Erbil, Iraq, also spoke at the naming ceremony. This day is very difficult for me as I have many memories again, he said. But I want to support Sea-Eye. I am grateful that the club has chosen the name of my boy. They are people with a good heart in this organisation. So the name of my boy stands for something good and his little soul can find peace. Carlotta Weibl, a spokesperson for Sea-Eye, said in a statement: The name Alan Kurdi shall be a reminder of what our work is really about. It is not about ships, captains, NGOs and clashes with misguided politicians. It is about actual persons, like Alan, Ghalib and Rehanna, who drown in the Mediterranean daily. And it is about the endless pain and grief their loved ones have to feel. Australias prime minister is campaigning to block a bill which would allow refugees in offshore camps to visit the country for medical treatment. Under the countrys immigration policy, those who arrive by boat have been sent to camps in Papua New Guinea and Nauru and are not allowed to set foot in Australia even if found to be refugees. Those opposing the policy have introduced a bill to amend the Migration Act to allow the temporary transfer of these people to Australia for medical assessment. The Australian Medical Association has backed the bill but the government fears it could open a loophole that asylum seekers could exploit. We cannot have Australias borders determined by panels of medical professionals, prime minister Scott Morrison told a news conference on Saturday. Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Show all 36 1 /36 Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' A Casa Africa occupant prepares to serve food to supporters and fellow refugees Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' A member of the local community outside Casa Africa Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Adam (left), aged 18 from Senegal, left behind a sister, two brothers and his mother because of political problems in his country. He said: "My dream is to help my family. In Senegal is difficult because of the war and fighting, its dangerous." Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Graffiti in the squat where some asylum seekers have been staying reads: "We don't go slow, we go far" Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' People share food in the street following news that the eviction of asylum seekers from the squatted building is postponed Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Various members from Barcelona's different solidarity networks pose for a photograph Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' La Teixidora has been occupied by various people over the last couple of decades and has been frequented by the city party crowd for raves over many years Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Locals queue up for a celebratory lunch after receiving news the squat eviction has been postponed Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' A member from one of the solidarity networks focusing on administrative support for refugees Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Mahe, 24, an artist from Columbia has been supporting asylum seekers in the city over the last year or so Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Asylum seekers who have taken refuge at Casa Africa prepare food Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Asylum seekers of the city and a local pose for a photograph Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Maye, 24, artist from Columbia came to show her support at the celebratory lunch following news the eviction of asylum seekers had been stopped Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' A member of one of Barcelona's solidarity networks Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Street view of people gathering for a celebratory lunch outside Casa Africa Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Solidarity network members and asylum seekers share a joke Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' One of the occupants of Casa Africa shares a joke as he serves food Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Casa Africa entrance Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Exterior of Casa Africa with a sign that says: "Property speculators and thugs get out of the neighbourhood" Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Occupants of Casa Africa share a joke during lunch after hearing the eviction was postponed Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Local community members and an occupant of Casa Africa engage in conversation Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' An occupant of Casa Africa serves lunch Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' A sign for donations to help the occupants of Casa Africa in Catalan and French Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' One of the occupants of Casa Africa looks down from the balcony of the squatted building Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' A Casa Africa occupant and community member swap stories about life on the roof top of the squatted building Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' A couple at the protest, which was held on Friday 11 January 2019 to demand rights for asylum seekers Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Protesters at the demonstration on Friday 11 January 2019 were demanding rights for asylum seekers Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' People march at the protest to demand rights for asylum seekers on Friday 11 January 2019. The banner reads "Against institutional racism" Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Protesters at the demonstration on Friday 11 January 2019 were demanding rights for asylum seekers Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Mahe, 24, an artist from Columbia joined the protest on Friday 11 January 2019 to demand rights for asylum seekers Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' A woman shouts into a megaphone 'quemar el sistema fascista y racista' - burn the fascist and racist system, at the protest on Friday 11 January 2019 Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' One of the occupants of Casa Africa holds a banner at the demonstration on on Friday 11 January 2019 to demand rights for asylum seekers Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' An asylum seeker dances in the street during the protest demanding rights to live in the city on Friday 11 January 2019 Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Protesters at the demonstration on Friday were demanding rights for asylum seekers on Friday 11 January 2019 Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Refugees and locals join forces to demand asylum rights at a the protest on Friday 11 January 2019 Anu Shukla Barcelona Refugee Squat - 'Casa Africa' Protesters at the demonstration on Friday were demanding rights for asylum seekers on Friday 11 January 2019 Anu Shukla Defence minister Christopher Pyne and immigration minister David Coleman also voiced their opposition to the bill. Mr Pyne said the government would be forced to reopen a detention centre on remote Christmas Island if the bill was passed as most of the 1,000 asylum seekers in the camps would travel to Australia for medical assessment. He said reopening the centre would cost 1.4bn Australian dollars (about 770m). Recommended Australia to transport final four child refugees held on Nauru to US Theyll be coming to Australia one way or the other saying that they have a need to because of ill health, Mr Pyne said in an ABC television interview on Sunday. Mr Coleman said the change would cause a return to the days when thousands of asylum seekers travelled to Indonesia and then paid smugglers to take them on to Australia by boat. Many drowned when their boats got into trouble. We are talking about a catastrophic failure under the previous government where 1,200 people drowned at sea, where 50,000 people arrived and 8,000 children were forcibly placed into detention, he said in a Sky News interview. Tony Bartone, president of the Australian Medical Association, said in a statement that the government should set up appropriate mechanisms to allow the temporary transfer to Australia for those in need of urgent care. Parliament could vote on the amendment when it resumes on Tuesday. The ruling coalition could lose the vote as it is clinging to power with the support of seven independents. More than 100 people have died across two states in India after drinking bootleg alcohol, officials say, sparking a police crackdown and political recriminations. While there is a thriving and well-established trade in hooch in the northern states of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Uttarakhand, it is the first time in years that a string of poisonous batches has had such a devastating and deadly impact. Those poisoned in the past four days fell sick at prayer meetings, weddings and other mass gatherings mostly in Saharanpur in UP and Haridwar in Uttarakhand, as well as in villages all along the border of the neighbouring states. Dharam Singh, a 36-year-old Saharanpur resident, told the Indian Express that he was aware of five victims in his family alone. One, his brother Gulab, had died. There are four or five people in our village that engage in selling this liquor, he said. It is an open secret. One of them sold it to our family members on Thursday. We rushed them to the hospital but my youngest brother couldnt make it. The 10 countries that drink the most alcohol Show all 10 1 /10 The 10 countries that drink the most alcohol The 10 countries that drink the most alcohol 10. Poland Results from an OECD report The 10 countries that drink the most alcohol 9. Germany The 10 countries that drink the most alcohol 8. Luxembourg Rex Features The 10 countries that drink the most alcohol 7. France The 10 countries that drink the most alcohol 6. Hungary Rex Features The 10 countries that drink the most alcohol 5. Russia AFP/Getty Images The 10 countries that drink the most alcohol 4. Czech Republic The 10 countries that drink the most alcohol 3. Estonia Rex Features The 10 countries that drink the most alcohol 2. Austria Getty Images The 10 countries that drink the most alcohol 1. Lithuania AFP/Getty Images Hospitals in the region have reported streams of patients all with similar symptoms of poisoning, including stomach and respiratory problems. Health officials are still conducting tests to establish the route cause of the incidents and whether or not they are all connected. The district magistrate of Saharanpur, Alok Kumar Pandey, said last week that doctors had concluded many victims died due to liver infection and problems in their respiratory system. In the meantime, police from both states have been carrying out joint raids along the border. In a two-day drive, police said, 3,049 people were detained and more than 79,000 litres of hooch confiscated. Homemade alcohol is a common sight in the region, with a plastic pouch of liquor typically being sold for between Rs10-30 (11p-33p). Priyanka Gandhi, the sister of opposition Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and newly appointed general secretary for the party in charge of eastern UP, criticised the two state governments for allowing the trade to get out of hand. Indeed, she appears to accuse officials Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in power in both states of profiting from the illicit alcohol industry. In her first statement since she formally entered politics last month, Ms Gandhi said no amount of condemnation is enough for this heart-wrenching incident. It is unimaginable that the business of illegal liquor operated on such a large scale under the patronage of the Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh governments, she said. The chief of the local opposition Samajwadi Party said its officials [had] been alerting the government about such activities, but they did not act as some of its leaders are involved. But the BJP chief minister of UP, the Hindu monk Yogi Adityanath, told the Press Trust of India that Samajwadi Party politicians were found to be involved in past hooch tragedies. We can't deny conspiracy this time too, he said. The total deaths in the outbreak stood at 105 as of Monday morning, 69 in UP and 36 in Uttarakhand. Officials believe it to be the deadliest incident since a similar case killed 172 in West Bengal in 2011. Chinese state media have released a video proving that a poet and musician reportedly jailed for eight years for one of his songs is still alive. Turkish government sources had reported that Abdurehim Heyit, from a Muslim ethnic minority, had died in a detention camp in China. In a 26-second video posted online by China Radio Internationals Turkish language service late last night, a man identifies himself as Heyit before saying he is in good health. Today is February 10, 2019, he said. Im in the process of being investigated for allegedly violating the national laws. Im now in good health and have never been abused. 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 activists expressed fears he may have been forced to make the announcement. Heyit is an Uighur, a Turkic-speaking minority based in the north-western Xinjiang region of China. Their language is similar to Turkish and a number of Uighurs have fled to Turkey from China in recent years. Recommended Hundreds surround Chinese embassy over detention of Uighur Muslims The Turkish foreign ministry called on China to close its internment camps for Muslims, saying they held a million ethnic Uighurs and were a great shame for humanity. This tragedy has further reinforced the reaction of the Turkish public opinion towards serious human-rights violations committed in the Xinjiang region, spokesman Hami Aksoy said. But Chinas embassy in Ankara said Mr Aksoys accusations were false and urged Turkey to retract them. Uighur diaspora campaigners said Heyits body language and unnatural speech patterns in the video suggested his testimony may have been coerced and that digital alteration could not be ruled out. International rights groups say China routinely coerces detainees into making videotaped confessions that are broadcast on state media. The Chinese Foreign Ministry and Xinjiangs regional government did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Beijing has faced an outcry from activists, scholars, foreign governments and UN rights experts over what they call mass detentions and strict surveillance of the mostly Muslim Uighur minority and other Muslim groups in Xinjiang. China denied the existence of re-education facilities for months before saying they were in fact vocational training centres designed to combat religious extremism. Reuters contributed to this report Enyias campaign advertised a Party to the Polls rally with Chance scheduled to join her as the campaign organized bus pickups Monday morning for students at 17 college campuses in the city. Despite promoting the event for several days on social media with images of Enyia and Chance in front of a bus featuring her campaign logo, 40 people turned up at Daley Plaza for the rally after the bus pickups. Sheriffs in a dozen Washington counties are refusing to enforce the states new restrictions on the sale of semi-automatic rifles. A state-wide initiative approved by voters in November raised the minimum age at which a person could purchase such weapons from 18 to 21, while adding expanded background checks and gun storage requirements. The measures were seen as one of the more comprehensive of a series of gun-control reforms enacted in the US in the wake of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, last year. However, the new rules have been challenged in a lawsuit filed in federal court by the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the Second Amendment Foundation. The advocacy groups claim the new purchasing requirements violate the right to bear arms and stray into regulation of interstate commerce, which falls under the purview of the federal, not state government. Florida shooting in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Florida shooting in pictures Florida shooting in pictures Police arrest a suspect in connection with the shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida Reuters Florida shooting in pictures Parents wait for news after reports of a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida AP Florida shooting in pictures Anxious family members wait for news of students AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee Florida shooting in pictures Students being evacuated from the school AP Florida shooting in pictures Students being evacuated from the school Getty Florida shooting in pictures People gather waiting for word from students AP Florida shooting in pictures Parents waiting for news on their children AP Florida shooting in pictures People gather at a hotel where students were taken after the shooting Getty Florida shooting in pictures Florida Governor Rick Scott speaks to the media as he visits Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School following the shooting AFP/Getty Florida shooting in pictures Dr. Igor Nichiporenko, Medical Director Trauma, left, and Dr. Evan Boyer, Medical Director, Emergency Services, speak about treating victims and the suspect at a press conference outside Broward Health North hospital AP Sheriffs in 12 mostly rural Washington counties, along with the police chief of the small town of Republic, have said they will not enforce the new laws until the issue is settled by the courts. I swore an oath to defend our citizens and their constitutionally protected rights, Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones said. I do not believe the popular vote overrules that. Supporters of the initiative say they are disappointed, but noted the sheriffs have no role in enforcing the new restrictions until 1 July, when the expanded background checks take effect. The provision brings vetting for semi-automatic rifle and other gun purchases in line with the existing process for buying pistols. The political grandstanding is disheartening, said Renee Hopkins, chief executive of the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, which pushed for the new legislation. If they do not [run the background checks], we will have a huge problem. Initiative 1639 was passed by about 60 percent of Washington voters, nine months after a gunman killed 17 people at Floridas Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The shooting sparked a shift in the countrys political debate surrounding gun control and as a result some states introduced measures such as waiting periods and the outlawing of high-capacity magazines. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Nine states have approved laws that allow the temporary confiscation of weapons from people deemed a safety risk, with several more likely to follow. The lawsuit filed by the NRA and the Second Amendment Foundation does not challenge new restrictions on enhanced background checks or training requirements, only the rules banning the sale of semi-automatic weapons to those under 21. However, the groups have asked the court to block the entire piece of legislation until it can be determined if other provisions contained within it can be separated out from the procedures they wish to block. The state has asked the judge to dismiss the case. Additional reporting in AP Congressman Walter Jones, who gained notoriety for renaming the French fries in cafeterias inside government buildings to freedom fries, has died. The North Carolina Republican passed away on 10 February, on his 76th birthday. His "freedom fries" rebrand happened during the time in which he was an ardent supporter of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. When France refused to support the Iraqi invasion, and threatened to veto the UNs resolution authorising the US-led military action, based on faulty intelligence, Mr Jones wanted to hit back. The North Carolina Republican, alongside with his colleague Robert W Ney, pressured the cafeterias on Capitol Hill to rename the French fries and French toasts to freedom fries and freedom toasts. In 2010, when asked about his efforts to coin the name freedom fries, Mr Jones said he had wished it never happened. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Over time, Mr Jones changed his viewpoint on the war and became one of its most vocal critics. Mr Jones have repeatedly discussed at-lengths how much he regretted supporting the war, one in which caused the deaths of more than 140,000 Iraqi and American people. Recommended Republican congressman Walter Jones in hospice care I have signed over 12,000 letters to families and extended families whove lost loved ones in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, he told NPR in 2017. That was, for me, asking God to forgive me for my mistake. Mr Jones has been battling illness in the past few months. In December 2018, he was granted a leave of absence from Congress after missing a number of votes. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events He served on the Committee on Armed Services, and was a member of several other caucuses. A second US state is planning on pulling National Guard troops away from its border with Mexico, calling Donald Trumps claims of a crisis at the border a manufactured problem and political theater. California Governor Gavin Newsom is expected to say as much on Tuesday during his state of the state address, his first since his election in November. The border 'emergency' is a manufactured crisis, and California will not be part of this political theatre, Mr Newsom plans to say, according to excerpts released by his office. Mr Newsoms decision follows after New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced she would do the same last week. Both governors are new to their jobs, and their decisions to pull troops reverses the policies of the previous administrations in their states. The decision is a broad stroke rejection of Mr Trumps immigration messaging, which led to the longest government shutdown in US history earlier this year. Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Federal workers and contractors rally against the partial federal government shutdown Getty Images Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures The US Capitol on the first morning of a partial government shutdown in Washington EPA Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Federal workers and contractors rally against the partial federal government shutdown Getty Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures President Trump speaks with children who called the North American Aerospace Defense Command Santa tracker in the State Dining Room of the White House. He earlier in the day, tweeted that he was 'all alone in the White House' waiting for Democrats to make a deal on border security EPA Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Furloughed federal workers pick up free food at a pop-up store of Kraft Heinz Getty Images Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Hundreds of federal workers and contractors rally against the partial federal government shutdown Getty Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Reuters Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures From left, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Sen. Dick Durbin and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi walk to speak to reporters after meeting with President Donald Trump about border security in the Situation Room of the White House. Trump declared he could keep parts of the government shut down for "months or even years" as he and Democratic leaders failed in a second closed-door meeting to resolve his demand for billions of dollars for a border wall with Mexico Evan Vucci AP Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Federal workers and contractors rally against the partial federal government shutdown Getty Images Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures A sign alerts visitors to the closure of the National Archives on the fifth day of a partial government shutdown EPA Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Hundreds of federal workers and contractors rally against the partial federal government shutdown Getty Images Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Visitors read signs announcing the closure of the White House Visitor Center EPA Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures President Donald Trump speaks during a round-table discussion on border security and safe communities with State, local, and community leaders in the Cabinet Room of the White House Getty Images Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures A sign alerts visitors to the closure of the White House Visitor Center on the first day of a partial government shutdown EPA Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Furloughed federal workers show their IDs for entering a pop-up store of Kraft Heinz Getty Images California will leave 100 of the 360 troops that have been deployed to the border under the plan expected to be unveiled on Tuesday, and the remaining troops will focus on transnational crimes like drug and gun trafficking. They will not be instructed to enforce immigration laws. Another 100 of the National Guard troops are expected to be redirected to help with wildfire prevention and preparation efforts. The original orders from former Governor Jerry Brown who was also a Democrat had a a deadline for deployment to end set for March 31. The new plan calls for immediate troop removal. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The decision comes as politicians in Washington have struggled to reach a deal to extend government funding, with immigration issues tying up negotiators. Democrats have demanded a limit on the number of migrants who can be detained by the US. Mr Trump, meanwhile, has branded that demand as one in support of criminal immigrants. During Mr Trump's State of the Union speech last year, the president said that he planned on sending more troops to the border to deal with the migrant caravans he frequently cites as proof of an immigration crisis. The Pentagon said that increase will mean 4,350 troops on the US-Mexico border. Donald Trump has urged Democrats to loosen up as Washington stares down a fast approaching funding deadline that could thrust the US government into yet another damaging shutdown. In a series of tweets, the president insulted his colleagues in Congress as self righteous and claimed their opposition to his administrations controversial policy of detaining asylum seekers arriving at the border is crazy. The Democrats are so self righteous and ANGRY! Loosen up and have some fun. The Country is doing well! Mr Trump said in one tweet. The Democrats do not want us to detain, or send back, criminal aliens! Mr Trump said in another, falsely equivocating asylum seekers and migrants with criminals. This is a brand new demand. Crazy! The comments were sent as a part of a series of tweets responding to news of the day, including one in which he once again disputed the assumption that he does not have a full working schedule after leaks showed he spent roughly 60 per cent of his time over a three month span in unstructured executive time. President Trump delivers State of the Union address Show all 22 1 /22 President Trump delivers State of the Union address President Trump delivers State of the Union address Nancy Pelosis sarcastic clapping stole Trumps thunder For many the president's speech was overshadowed by Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's applause after his call for political unity, which many interpreted as "sarcastic" AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Trump issues ominous threat over investigations as he rails against immigration and abortion In a State of the Union speech calling on Washington to cast aside revenge, resistance and retribution, Donald Trump was accused of issuing a veiled threat over the investigations dogging his administration. An economic miracle is taking place in the United States and the only thing that can stop it are foolish wars, politics or ridiculous partisan investigations, Mr Trump said AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Congresswomen, dressed in white in tribute to the women's suffrage movement, pose for a photo as they arrive AFP/Getty Images President Trump delivers State of the Union address The 72-year-old harkened back to American achievements, celebrating the moon landing as astronaut Buzz Aldrin looked on from the audience and heralding the liberation of Europe from the Nazis AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address He also led the House chamber in singing happy birthday to a Holocaust survivor sitting with first lady Melania Trump. "Together, we represent the most extraordinary nation in all of history. What will we do with this moment? How will we be remembered?" Mr Trump said Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dressed in white in an act of solidarity with other women declined to join a standing ovation for Donald Trump despite his purported call for unity Reuters President Trump delivers State of the Union address The president ticked through a litany of issues with crossover appeal, including boosting infrastructure, lowering prescription drug costs and combating childhood cancer Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Republican Veronica Escobar reacts as President Trump claims that El Paso, Texas, has become safer due to a wall along the border with Mexico Reuters President Trump delivers State of the Union address Despite no one working in the White House Office of National Aids Policy, and having sacking his HIV advisory council last year, Mr Trump pledged to inject funds to stop the spread of the disease in America by 2030 Getty Images President Trump delivers State of the Union address "Scientific breakthroughs have brought a once-distant dream within reach," the president said. Together, we will defeat Aids in America and beyond." he said Reuters President Trump delivers State of the Union address Trump led the House chamber in singing happy birthday to a Holocaust survivor sitting with first lady Melania Reuters President Trump delivers State of the Union address He also appealed to his political base, both with his harsh rhetoric on immigration and a call for Congress to pass legislation to prohibit the "late-term abortion of children EPA President Trump delivers State of the Union address Women from both political parties wore white outfits tonight at the behest of the Democratic Womens Working Group to honor the legacy of women's suffrage in the United States AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address He devoted much of his speech to foreign policy, another area where Republicans have increasingly distanced themselves from the White House EPA President Trump delivers State of the Union address Trump greets Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, alongside Vice President Mike Pence AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address US First lady Melania Trump (left) with Grace Eline and Joshua Trump, special guests of President Donald Trump AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Trump announced details of a second meeting with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, outlining a summit in Vietnam starting on 27 February AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address "If I had not been elected president of the United States, we would right now, in my opinion, be in a major war with North Korea," he said AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Supreme Court Justices John Roberts, Elena Kagan and Neil Gorsuch laugh AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address President Trump greets lawmakers after delivering his second State of the Union address EPA President Trump delivers State of the Union address Independent Senator from Vermont Bernie Sanders holds his notes EPA No president ever worked harder than me, Mr Trump tweeted. Mr Trumps calls for a relaxed Democratic Party come just days before the federal government is set to shut down unless politicians in Washington can agree to funding that would extend a deal reached last month after the longest shutdown in US history. That shutdown left hundreds of thousands of federal workers reeling, with two missed pay cheques. Many were forced to work without pay during that time, while others were simply told to stay home. Government contract workers were also hit by the absence of funding. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events That shutdown was ended just over two weeks ago after Mr Trump capitulated to Democratic demands, signing a three week deal even though he received none of the $5.7bn in border wall funding he predicated the shutdown on. Talks to keep the government open appeared to stall over the weekend, with individuals involved in the negotiations saying that the two sides had come to a stand still. The two sides had reportedly discussed approving between $1.3bn and $2bn in border security funding, but were unable to agree to a figure and Democrats had pushed back on any more money. Meanwhile, adding to the difficulties for negotiators was a Democratic demand to limit the number of unauthorized immigrants who can be detained by the US at any given time. President Donald Trumps approval rating has reached its highest point in the last 23 months, according to daily tracking poll surveyed by Rasmussen Reports. On Monday, the presidents approval rating reached 52 per cent, the highest its ever been since March 6, 2017, just a few weeks after he assumed the Oval Office. The approval rating came from surveys taken three weekdays after Mr Trumps State of the Union address. It should be noted that it is not uncommon, or unusual, for presidents to see an uptick in their approval numbers after delivering a formal high-profile address. Although his approval numbers are quite high, about 47 per cent of Americans overall *disapprove* of Mr Trumps performance as president. Its one of the lowest ratings Americans have given him since November 2, 2018. President Trump delivers State of the Union address Show all 22 1 /22 President Trump delivers State of the Union address President Trump delivers State of the Union address Nancy Pelosis sarcastic clapping stole Trumps thunder For many the president's speech was overshadowed by Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's applause after his call for political unity, which many interpreted as "sarcastic" AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Trump issues ominous threat over investigations as he rails against immigration and abortion In a State of the Union speech calling on Washington to cast aside revenge, resistance and retribution, Donald Trump was accused of issuing a veiled threat over the investigations dogging his administration. An economic miracle is taking place in the United States and the only thing that can stop it are foolish wars, politics or ridiculous partisan investigations, Mr Trump said AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Congresswomen, dressed in white in tribute to the women's suffrage movement, pose for a photo as they arrive AFP/Getty Images President Trump delivers State of the Union address The 72-year-old harkened back to American achievements, celebrating the moon landing as astronaut Buzz Aldrin looked on from the audience and heralding the liberation of Europe from the Nazis AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address He also led the House chamber in singing happy birthday to a Holocaust survivor sitting with first lady Melania Trump. "Together, we represent the most extraordinary nation in all of history. What will we do with this moment? How will we be remembered?" Mr Trump said Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dressed in white in an act of solidarity with other women declined to join a standing ovation for Donald Trump despite his purported call for unity Reuters President Trump delivers State of the Union address The president ticked through a litany of issues with crossover appeal, including boosting infrastructure, lowering prescription drug costs and combating childhood cancer Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Republican Veronica Escobar reacts as President Trump claims that El Paso, Texas, has become safer due to a wall along the border with Mexico Reuters President Trump delivers State of the Union address Despite no one working in the White House Office of National Aids Policy, and having sacking his HIV advisory council last year, Mr Trump pledged to inject funds to stop the spread of the disease in America by 2030 Getty Images President Trump delivers State of the Union address "Scientific breakthroughs have brought a once-distant dream within reach," the president said. Together, we will defeat Aids in America and beyond." he said Reuters President Trump delivers State of the Union address Trump led the House chamber in singing happy birthday to a Holocaust survivor sitting with first lady Melania Reuters President Trump delivers State of the Union address He also appealed to his political base, both with his harsh rhetoric on immigration and a call for Congress to pass legislation to prohibit the "late-term abortion of children EPA President Trump delivers State of the Union address Women from both political parties wore white outfits tonight at the behest of the Democratic Womens Working Group to honor the legacy of women's suffrage in the United States AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address He devoted much of his speech to foreign policy, another area where Republicans have increasingly distanced themselves from the White House EPA President Trump delivers State of the Union address Trump greets Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, alongside Vice President Mike Pence AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address US First lady Melania Trump (left) with Grace Eline and Joshua Trump, special guests of President Donald Trump AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Trump announced details of a second meeting with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, outlining a summit in Vietnam starting on 27 February AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address "If I had not been elected president of the United States, we would right now, in my opinion, be in a major war with North Korea," he said AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Supreme Court Justices John Roberts, Elena Kagan and Neil Gorsuch laugh AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address President Trump greets lawmakers after delivering his second State of the Union address EPA President Trump delivers State of the Union address Independent Senator from Vermont Bernie Sanders holds his notes EPA When it comes to whether some strongly approve, or strongly disapprove, of Mr Trumps performance at the Oval Office, American voters are split with 39 per cent each. The approval ratings come at a time when political tensions continue to rise: The White House and Congress have a fast-approaching deadline to come up with a resolution over the $5.6bn funding to build a wall on the southern border or the federal government will have to go through a second shutdown. It should also be noted that the president has often used Rasmussen polls to promote himself and has described it as a rare trustworthy poll, while suggesting others are manipulated by fake news outlets to disparage him. The 46-year-old man accused of killing 11 people during an attack at a synagogue in Pittsburgh in October 2018 has pleaded not guilty to new charges. On Monday, Robert Bowers pleaded not guilty to 19 additional federal charges of hate crimes, as well as the obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs and discharging a firearm. Mr Bowers now faces 63 charges. He pleaded not guilty to 44 charges, some of which included murders, in November. While appearing at a Pittsburgh federal courthouse on Monday, Bowers also requested a trial by jury. The prosecution team argue that Bowers used multiple heavy firearms, including a Colt AR-15 and three handguns, when he allegedly went inside the Tree of Life Synagogue in the citys Squirrel Hill neighbourhood and opened fire during a morning service on October 27. 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 shooting resulted in the death of 11 people with several more injured, some of which include police officers protecting the victims and confronting the alleged shooter. Prosecutors also said that the 46-year-old had allegedly talked about his intention to kill the Jews as he opened fire into the worshippers. Mr Bowers also has a quite a long history of posting anti-semitic conspiracy theories online and threatening Jewish communities. Recommended Trump phoned Pittsburgh mayor to advocate death penalty If convicted, Mr Bowers could face a life prison sentence without parole. Prosecutors, however, said they intend to pursue the death penalty but it would have to be approved by the attorney general first. A hint that special counsel Robert Mueller is still pursuing the question of whether there was collusion between Donald Trumps presidential campaign and Russia has emerged during a closed-door hearing. Comments by one of Mr Muellers lead prosecutors, disclosed in a transcript of the hearing in Washington last week, suggest that the special counsel continues to pursue at least one theory about a possible deal between Trump's campaign and Russia. According to the theory, while Russia was taking steps to bolster Mr Trumps candidacy, people in his orbit were discussing deals to end a dispute over Russias incursions into Ukraine. It is also thought that they sought to give Moscow relief from economic sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies. The theory was offered almost as an aside by the prosecutor, Andrew Weissmann, during a discussion of contacts between Mr Trumps former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and a longtime Russian associate, Konstantin Kilimnik. Investigators have linked Mr Kilimnik to Russian intelligence. President Trump delivers State of the Union address Show all 22 1 /22 President Trump delivers State of the Union address President Trump delivers State of the Union address Nancy Pelosis sarcastic clapping stole Trumps thunder For many the president's speech was overshadowed by Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's applause after his call for political unity, which many interpreted as "sarcastic" AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Trump issues ominous threat over investigations as he rails against immigration and abortion In a State of the Union speech calling on Washington to cast aside revenge, resistance and retribution, Donald Trump was accused of issuing a veiled threat over the investigations dogging his administration. An economic miracle is taking place in the United States and the only thing that can stop it are foolish wars, politics or ridiculous partisan investigations, Mr Trump said AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Congresswomen, dressed in white in tribute to the women's suffrage movement, pose for a photo as they arrive AFP/Getty Images President Trump delivers State of the Union address The 72-year-old harkened back to American achievements, celebrating the moon landing as astronaut Buzz Aldrin looked on from the audience and heralding the liberation of Europe from the Nazis AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address He also led the House chamber in singing happy birthday to a Holocaust survivor sitting with first lady Melania Trump. "Together, we represent the most extraordinary nation in all of history. What will we do with this moment? How will we be remembered?" Mr Trump said Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dressed in white in an act of solidarity with other women declined to join a standing ovation for Donald Trump despite his purported call for unity Reuters President Trump delivers State of the Union address The president ticked through a litany of issues with crossover appeal, including boosting infrastructure, lowering prescription drug costs and combating childhood cancer Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Republican Veronica Escobar reacts as President Trump claims that El Paso, Texas, has become safer due to a wall along the border with Mexico Reuters President Trump delivers State of the Union address Despite no one working in the White House Office of National Aids Policy, and having sacking his HIV advisory council last year, Mr Trump pledged to inject funds to stop the spread of the disease in America by 2030 Getty Images President Trump delivers State of the Union address "Scientific breakthroughs have brought a once-distant dream within reach," the president said. Together, we will defeat Aids in America and beyond." he said Reuters President Trump delivers State of the Union address Trump led the House chamber in singing happy birthday to a Holocaust survivor sitting with first lady Melania Reuters President Trump delivers State of the Union address He also appealed to his political base, both with his harsh rhetoric on immigration and a call for Congress to pass legislation to prohibit the "late-term abortion of children EPA President Trump delivers State of the Union address Women from both political parties wore white outfits tonight at the behest of the Democratic Womens Working Group to honor the legacy of women's suffrage in the United States AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address He devoted much of his speech to foreign policy, another area where Republicans have increasingly distanced themselves from the White House EPA President Trump delivers State of the Union address Trump greets Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, alongside Vice President Mike Pence AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address US First lady Melania Trump (left) with Grace Eline and Joshua Trump, special guests of President Donald Trump AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Trump announced details of a second meeting with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, outlining a summit in Vietnam starting on 27 February AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address "If I had not been elected president of the United States, we would right now, in my opinion, be in a major war with North Korea," he said AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address Supreme Court Justices John Roberts, Elena Kagan and Neil Gorsuch laugh AFP/Getty President Trump delivers State of the Union address President Trump greets lawmakers after delivering his second State of the Union address EPA President Trump delivers State of the Union address Independent Senator from Vermont Bernie Sanders holds his notes EPA A closer look at the transcript, released on Thursday, shows that the prosecutors have been keenly focused on discussions the two men had about a plan to end the conflict that followed Russias invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea in 2014. Persuading the United States to ease or end the US-led sanctions imposed to punish Moscow for its aggression has been a primary goal of Russian foreign policy. According to the transcript, which was heavily redacted, Mr Manafort and Mr Kilimnik repeatedly communicated about a so-called peace plan for Ukraine starting in early August 2016. At this point Mr Manafort was still running Mr Trumps campaign. This discussion continued into 2018, months after Mr Manafort had been charged by the with a litany of crimes related to his work in the country. The prosecutors claim that Mr Manafort misled them about those talks and other interactions with Mr Kilimnik. Pressed by the judge at Mondays hearing to say why Mr Manaforts alleged lies mattered, Mr Weissmann gave a broad hint about the thrust of the investigation. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events This goes to the larger view of what we think is going on, and what we think is the motive here, Mr Weissmann said. This goes, I think, very much to the heart of what the special counsels office is investigating. Mr Weissmanns comments suggest that the special counsels investigation is still pursuing the central question of whether there was some kind of deal between Russia and the Trump campaign. New York Times Ilhan Omar, a newly elected US congresswoman, has been accused of antisemitism after she criticised a pro-Israel lobby group online. In two tweets posted late on Sunday night the Minnesota Democrat implied that funding from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) was responsible for US politicans support for Benjamin Netanyahus controversial Israeli government. Following calls from fellow Democrats for her to apologise, Ms Omar has since posted a message on her Twitter account acknowledging the backlash. Anti-semitism is real and I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-semitic tropes, Ms Omar said. My intention is never to offend my consitutents or Jewish Americans as a whole ... I unequivolally apologise. US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Show all 20 1 /20 US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic candidate Ilhan Omar is celebrates with her husband's mother after she won a congress place, becoming the first Muslim woman to be elected into congress alongside Rashida Tlaib Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic House candidate, from Kansas, Sharice Davids (left) and her mom Crystal celebrate after she won. Davids is the first lesbian Native American Congresswoman by beating Republican incumbent Kevin Yoder. Davids is one of several first-time female candidates that helped the Democratic Party takeover in the House of Representatives EPA US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican Marsha Blackburn celebrates after winning the race for senate in Tennessee. In doing so she became that states first female senator AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic House candidate Sharice Davids cheer and cry after learning she won EPA US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Ayanna Pressley beaome Massachusetts first black congresswoman by defeating 10-term Republican Michael Capuano AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican candidate Young Kim has become the first Korean-American woman elected to Congress AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democrat Jared Polis won his seat and became the USs first ever openly gay governor AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Jean Kasselman (left) and Teresa Booker, supporters of Democratic candidate for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District Sharice Davids, react to election results Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican Kristi Noem hugs a supporter after being announced as the new governor of South Dakota. Noem made history by being the first female governor of the state AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Gabierla Martinez and Cesar Delgado cheer on Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jared Polis REUTERS US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest women ever elected to Congress, representing New Yorks 14th congressional district AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic congressional candidate Rashida Tlaib celebrates with family and friends at her midterm election night party in Detroit after won and also became the nations first Muslim woman to congress alongside Ilhan Omar who was also elected Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic candidate for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District Sharice Davids react to election results Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Already having become the first Native American woman to chair a state political party, Deb Haaland has now become the joint-first Native American woman to be elected to congress, alongside Sharice Davids Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer during her election night party in the Queens Borough AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Young Kim hugs her son Alvin after she won a seat in congress AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer AFP/Getty Images US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Asma Mohammed and Ashley Fairbanks celebrate as results come in at Democratic congressional candidate Ilhan Omar's election night headquarters AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democrat Deb Haaland hugs a voter REUTERS US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic House candidate from Kansas Sharice Davids cheer and cry after learning she won her race EPA Before the apology, a statement from Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and other members of House Democratic leadership said anti-Semitism had to be called out without exception. Legitimate criticism of Israels policies is protected by the values of free speech and democratic debate that the United States and Israel share, the statement read. But Congresswoman Omars use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israels supporters is deeply offensive. We condemn these remarks and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologize for these hurtful comments. Ms Omar has previously criticised Israels treatment of the Palestinian people, a policy position which has angered right wing politicians, including Republican congressman Kevin McCarthy. The minority leader for the House of Representatives has called on Democrats to rebuke Ms Omar for alleged antisemitism. Its all about the Benjamins baby, Ms Omar said online, in response to Mr McCarthys reaction. She was then asked, by a journalist, about who she thought was paying American politicians to be pro-Israel. AIPAC, Ms Omar said in reply. The politicians tweets have drawn criticism from her own party, with some viewing Ms Omars comments as antisemitic and conflating Jewish people with the Israeli government. Congresswoman Omars statements are deeply hurtful to Jews, including myself, Max Rose, a congressman from New York, said in a statement. Ms Omar argued that her criticism of the Israeli government does not amount to criticism of Jewish people. Chelsea Clinton also joined in the online debate. We should expect all elected officials, regardless of party, and all public figures to not traffic in anti-Semitism, she said. Ms Clinton added that she was familiar with bad faith attacks in politics. Chelsea I would be happy to talk, Ms Omar said in a tweet. We must call out smears from the GOP and their allies. And I believe we can do that without criticizing people for their faith. I look forward to building an inclusive movement for justice with you. Completely agree, said Ms Clinton. I will reach out to your office tomorrow. AIPAC is a non-profit organisation that does not donate directly to politicans but is influential on Capitol Hill. AIPAC empowers pro-Israel activists across all ages, religions, races and political parties to be politically engaged and build relationships with members of Congress from both sides of the aisle to promote the U.S.-Israel relationship, the groups website says. Ms Omar is one of the first two Muslim women to ever be elected to congress, alongside Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. Rep. Rashida Tlaib on President Trump: Were gonna impeach the m***********' Both women were sworn into the institution in January and have attracted Islamophobic comments online. Ms Tlaib, a Palestinian-American, has also faced sustained attacks from right wing commentators over her criticism of Israel. A new US government shutdown looks increasingly likely as negotiations reached an impasse on whether to limit the number of undocumented immigrants that can be detained. The two sides also remain separated on how much spending to allocate for president Donald Trumps promised border wall. With a deadline of Friday approaching, talks between Democrat and Republican negotiators stalled over a dispute about curbing the number of immigrants that can be detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Republicans have said they dont want that cap to apply to immigrants caught committing crimes, but Democrats do. Mr Trump used the dispute to cast the Democrats as being soft on criminals. I dont think the Dems on the Border Committee are being allowed by their leaders to make a deal. They are offering very little money for the desperately needed Border Wall & now, out of the blue, want a cap on convicted violent felons to be held in detention! he tweeted on Sunday. Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Federal workers and contractors rally against the partial federal government shutdown Getty Images Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures The US Capitol on the first morning of a partial government shutdown in Washington EPA Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Federal workers and contractors rally against the partial federal government shutdown Getty Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures President Trump speaks with children who called the North American Aerospace Defense Command Santa tracker in the State Dining Room of the White House. He earlier in the day, tweeted that he was 'all alone in the White House' waiting for Democrats to make a deal on border security EPA Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Furloughed federal workers pick up free food at a pop-up store of Kraft Heinz Getty Images Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Hundreds of federal workers and contractors rally against the partial federal government shutdown Getty Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Reuters Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures From left, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Sen. Dick Durbin and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi walk to speak to reporters after meeting with President Donald Trump about border security in the Situation Room of the White House. Trump declared he could keep parts of the government shut down for "months or even years" as he and Democratic leaders failed in a second closed-door meeting to resolve his demand for billions of dollars for a border wall with Mexico Evan Vucci AP Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Federal workers and contractors rally against the partial federal government shutdown Getty Images Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures A sign alerts visitors to the closure of the National Archives on the fifth day of a partial government shutdown EPA Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Hundreds of federal workers and contractors rally against the partial federal government shutdown Getty Images Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Visitors read signs announcing the closure of the White House Visitor Center EPA Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures President Donald Trump speaks during a round-table discussion on border security and safe communities with State, local, and community leaders in the Cabinet Room of the White House Getty Images Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures A sign alerts visitors to the closure of the White House Visitor Center on the first day of a partial government shutdown EPA Trump shuts down US government over Mexico border wall in pictures Furloughed federal workers show their IDs for entering a pop-up store of Kraft Heinz Getty Images Democrats say they proposed their cap to force ICE to concentrate its internal enforcement efforts on dangerous immigrants, not those who lack legal authority to be in the country but are productive and otherwise pose no threat. They have proposed reducing the current number of beds ICE uses to detain illegal immigrants from 40,520 to 35,520, and to limit the number for illegal immigrants caught within the US to 16,500. Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, in appearances on NBCs Meet the Press and Fox News Sunday, said you absolutely cannot eliminate the possibility of another shutdown if a deal is not reached over the wall and other border matters. The White House had asked for $5.7bn (4.4bn), a figure rejected by the Democratic-controlled House. State of the Union: Trump claims 'powerful barrier' made El Paso safer I think talks are stalled right now, Republican senator Richard Shelby said on Fox News Sunday. Im not confident were going to get there. Senator Jon Tester, who appeared on the same programme, agreed: We are not to the point where we can announce a deal. The last government shutdown was the longest in US history, stretching on for 35 days, leaving more than 800,000 government workers without pay and forcing a postponement of the State of the Union address. Additional reporting by Associated Press Relax. The revolution need not be dry. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York congresswoman and former bartender, has suggested a series of special cocktail recipes for those working for change. The recipes, which include one named Hard Brexit a straight shot of bathtub gin, with no imported botanicals followed an online suggestion by journalist Anand Giridharadas, who recently said the 29-year-old congresswoman had in a month changed Americas discourse about billionaires and the common good. Mr Giridharadas, author of a 2018 book about global inequality, Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World, said he suspected Ms Ocasio-Cortez may be too busy slaying dragons to volunteer her bartending skills, but I do believe she might be persuaded to submit a signature cocktail recipe. He added: It will be green, it will be new, and, at $4 before 5 p.m., it will be a deal. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez greets fellow lawmakers ahead of the State of the Union address Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez participates in an event with Democratic members of Congress EPA Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures The Democrat senator speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol January 30, 2019 Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and fellow Democrat Rashida Tlaib AP Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at the Senate chamber to watch two votes on January 24, 2019 Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez arrives with Chellie Pingree at a House Democratic Caucus meeting Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez during Donald Trump's State of the Union address Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures New York State Assembly member Catalina Cruz with Ocasio-Cortez AFP/Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Nydia Velazquez talks with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez casts her vote for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House EPA Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez poses with a campaign worker during a whistle stop in the Queens borough of New York Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez outside the US Capitol AFP/Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez after casting her ballot in the 2018 midterm general election at a polling site in New York EPA Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez looks on during a march organised by the Women's March Alliance in Manhattan Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio Cortez looks on at the Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 16, 2019 AFP/Getty Ms Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, responded in style with six ideas, described as cocktails for the revolution. In addition to the Hard Brexit, she suggested: * World w/o a #GreenNewDeal: a Bitter Dark n Stormy. * Clean transport: an Aviation, but hold the creme de violette. * Bridges, Not Walls: a Mezcal Greyhound. * Paid Parental Leave: Mocktail margarita. * Policy Failure: anything w/ Goldschlag. US border agency 'doesn't deserve a dime', claims Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at anti-ICE protest The idea for the cocktails came as Ms Ocasio-Cortez and senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts, last week unveiled a proposal termed the Green New Deal, they say will tackle climate change, transform the economy, and create large numbers of jobs in renewable energy. It suggested creating a carbon neutral economy within a decade, and followed a UN-backed climate report published last year that said the effects of climate change to be irreversible and unavoidable if carbon emissions were were drastically reduced within 12 years. Even the solutions that we have considered big and bold are nowhere near the scale of the actual problem that climate change presents to us, Ms Ocasio-Cortez said. It could be part of a larger solution, but no one has actually scoped out what that larger solution would entail. And so thats really what were trying to accomplish with the Green New Deal. The victim was sitting in the passenger side of a vehicle in traffic in the 2200 block of South Albany Avenue about 1:50 p.m., police said, citing early reports. As the vehicle stopped temporarily, a gunman in a passing eastbound vehicle opened fire, striking the boy in the right eye before fleeing the scene, police said. A woman has crashed her car through the lobby of a police station in Los Angeles with an infant in her vehicle. At 4.45am on Saturday a woman, whose name has not been released, drove into the Harbor Division station, which was closed at the time. Video footage shows the woman, whose name has not been released, manoeuvring around barriers and crashing through the glass doors. She is then seen to pull into the lobby of the police station and begin reversing back with her door open, almost knocking down an officer. The woman and the child, whose age is not known, were taken to hospital but they are not believed to be seriously injured, according to ABC. 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 woman has been taken into custody and it is unclear why she drove into the station but police did say it appeared she was under the influence. Officers have not yet determined what, if any, charges she will face. No further information has been released. Additional reporting from agencies A hunter who who shot dead two elephants with his friend has seen his company's website and social media sites swamped with furious messages. Photos of Mike Jines standing over the corpses alongside his friend Max Buzz Delezenne, have gone viral on social media, prompting anger from thousands of users. TopGen Energy in Georgia, US, where Mr Jines is a partner, has been inundated with angry responses given a string of doesnt recommend Facebook ratings. Many called for the hunting to be banned. Mr Jines and professional hunter Mr Delezenne have been accused of killing two baby elephants during a trophy hunt in Zimbabwe in October. Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants Show all 11 1 /11 Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants The treatment of captive elephants in Kerala is branded 'India's shame' World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants 'Elephants' in chains World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants At the Indian High Commission World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants Protesters wore black World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants The protesters were fighting to open the world's eyes to the hidden crisis, urging people to use the hashtag breakthechains World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants Campaigners came in elephant masks World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants Outside the High Commission, India House World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants 'Elephants' in chains World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants World Animal Protection But the 60-year-old businessman claimed he killed the elephants in self-defence after they charged at him. He said critics were misinterpreting events and he had received death threats. Thousands of social media users have condemned the killings, calling the act heartless and sick. Xpose Trophy Hunting tweeted: What on earth did this precious little baby do to deserve a shot in the forehead? His body folded in on itself, so sad... Heartbreaking and infuriating. Molly Brown replied: My heart is broken and my body is sick from seeing these images. Another user wrote: Thats one of the saddest photos Ive ever seen. Didgy Sencer wrote on Facebook: Fire Mike Jines. Elephants have strong family ties. He robbed a family of its children... Trying be a big man by going after baby animals with a high-powered gun? Wow, what a man! Sharon Walters said he didnt have to pose with the dead animals, saying he was on a hunting safari, and called for him to do voluntary work for nature and make a financial contribution to an elephant charity. Some posts gave email addresses for TopGen Energy and Mr Jines, urging people to complain. A petition with about 90,000 signatures, urging people to email the company, says: He got caught and now he is trying to save himself from the Palmer effect (the backlash the killer of Cecil the Lion faced). Good luck with that, Jines. Remember, God hates a coward. Mr Jines told the CBS46 news channel that the elephants were mature, not juveniles, and had charged unprovoked. He said the animals were shot in full compliance with laws and regulations. While I can appreciate hunting can be polarising and that views can vary materially, I am sure you can appreciate what it is like to deal with the vitriol, particularly when the underlying information in this case is inaccurate, he said. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The link to Mr Jiness profile on Safari Club International Houston website appears to be broken or have been removed but it said he was a member of other hunting, conservation and outdoors groups. In 2014 when US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) officials banned imports of hunted elephants, a Mike Jines was among those objecting. Without a strong show of outrage by hunters, the USFWS will just be emboldened to continue down the path of nibbling away at the rights of sport hunters, he wrote. Labour MPs have attacked the party leadership's response to antisemitism after senior officials admitted that only 12 of almost 700 reports of alleged anti-Jewish abuse had resulted in members being expelled. MPs and peers used their weekly meeting to condemn Jeremy Corbyn and party bosses after Jennie Formby, Labours general secretary, emailed MPs with data on investigations into antisemitism. The figures revealed that of 673 cases of members reported for alleged antisemitism between April 2018 and January 2019, almost a third were dropped without further action. Only 42 were referred to the partys disciplinary arm, the National Constitutional Committee (NCC). Of these, 12 resulted in members being expelled, while six people were given other punishments. The rest of the cases have yet to be completed. Recommended Labour MPs criticise party leaders over response to antisemitism A total of 49 people voluntarily left the party after being presented with the evidence against them. At a heated meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), MPs demanded to know why the published data did not include reports made before April 2018, and queried why so few members had been suspended. Ilford North MP Wes Streeting told the meeting that the data just doesnt pass the smell test and said it raised legitimate questions, while Bassetlaw MP John Mann criticised what he called a lack of leadership on the issue and said the Labour Party did not deserve to exist unless it tackled antisemitism. Speaking after the meeting, party grandee Dame Margaret Hodge, who is Jewish, said she had submitted 200 of what she considered to be the most serious cases of antisemitism against her. Asked about the figures released by Ms Formby, Dame Margaret said: Its unbelievable. Trust has broken down. The only people who can put it back are the leadership it can only come back through the leadership, it cant come back in any other way. [But] Jeremy wasnt there last Monday, he failed to put out any message of support to Luciana [Berger] over the weekend, and he chose not to come tonight. That says it all. Ms Berger, who also is Jewish and has frequently criticised the Labour leadership's response to antisemitism, had faced two motions of no confidence from activists in her Liverpool Wavertree constituency. They were later withdrawn. Protests against Labour antisemitism Show all 14 1 /14 Protests against Labour antisemitism Protests against Labour antisemitism Protesters clashed during the demonstration Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism Members of the Jewish community hold a protest against Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn and antisemitism in the Labour Party AFP/Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism Protesters hold placards and flags during a demonstration, organised by the British Board of Jewish Deputies for those who oppose antisemitism, in Parliament Square Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism Hundreds of people gathered in Parliament Square to protest against antisemitism in the Labour Party EPA Protests against Labour antisemitism Labour MP Luciana Berger speaks during the protest PA Protests against Labour antisemitism A protester blows through a shofar during the demonstration Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism Members of London's Jewish community protest in support of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn outside parliament EPA Protests against Labour antisemitism Labour MP John Mann speaks during a protest against antisemitism PA Protests against Labour antisemitism People protest against antisemitism in the Labour Party as Jewish community leaders have launched a scathing attack on Jeremy Corbyn, claiming he has sided with antisemites again and again PA Protests against Labour antisemitism Labour politicians Stella Creasy and Chuka Umunna leave after attending the demonstration Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism A pro-Jeremy Corbyn protester holds a placard during a counter-protest Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism A support of the Labour Party hold up a placard during the demonstration Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism Jeremy Corbyn supporters during the demo Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism A protester holds up a sign reading For the many, not the Jew AFP MPs also condemned the Labour leadership for not sending a representative to the PLP meeting to listen to and respond to their concerns. Stoke-on-Trent North MP Ruth Smeeth, who has also suffered antisemitic abuse, said: Its not good enough. We are at the point now where we need genuine, real leadership and we need them to turn up to do it. It didnt matter who from the leadership came tonight we have a party chair, we have a leader, we have various people who could have come tonight to at least have done a holding statement or to hear how angry and upset people are getting. This is not over. I so desperately wish this was over. I think every Jewish MP wishes this was over. Every MP wishes this was over. It is not yet over, and were not going to keep quiet until this is better and antisemitism is gone from the Labour Party. Ms Formby released the figures after the PLP passed a motion last week demanding more transparency on antisemitism and giving her a week to publish data on disciplinary investigations into party members. British Jews are leaving the country because of antisemitism, claims rabbi Jonathan Sacks In an email to MPs and peers, she said: It is clearly of the utmost importance that everyone feels welcome in our party and we must ensure that includes all members of our Jewish communities." The number of party staff dealing with investigations into members would be increased from five to 11, she said. A Labour spokesperson said: "Jennie Formby, after obtaining the NECs agreement, has published the figures on antisemitism complaints handled by the party and published a report on the work the party has done and is doing to speed up and strengthen our procedures, increasing transparency. "These figures relate to about 0.1 per cent of our membership, but one antisemite in our party is one too many. We are committed to tackling antisemitism and rooting it out of our party once and for all. The aircraft-carrier Queen Elizabeth, with two squadrons of F-35 stealth fighters on board, will be sent into disputed waters in the Pacific in a display of hard power, the defence secretary is due to announce in a major speech on Britains military strategy in the post-Brexit world. Gavin Williamson will declare the UK may have to intervene in future to confront aggression from countries like Russia and China who flout international law and are resurgent in rebuilding their armed forces. Britain and its western allies have to be ready to use hard power to support our interests, the defence secretary is due to say in an address at RUSI (Royal United Services Institute) in London on Monday. We have to be ready to show the high price of aggressive behaviour, ready to strengthen our resilience. Mr Williamson will say: Britain has its greatest opportunity in 50 years to redefine its role as we leave the European Union. And with the world changing so rapidly it is up to us to seize the opportunity that Brexit brings. We can build new alliances, rekindle old ones and, most importantly, make it clear that we are the country that will act when required, and a nation that people can turn to when the world needs leadership. The defence secretary says part of the 1.8bn increase in the defence budget will fund very significant investment in offensive cyber operations and defence against hostile attacks on British networks. There will also be a multi-million pound war-fighting fund, with contributions from all three services to develop innovative equipment. In pictures: construction of HMS Queen Elizabeth Show all 8 1 /8 In pictures: construction of HMS Queen Elizabeth In pictures: construction of HMS Queen Elizabeth HMS Queen Elizabeth Work continues on HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier at Rosyth Docks PA In pictures: construction of HMS Queen Elizabeth HMS Queen Elizabeth Workers pass scaffolding poles to each other on the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth Reuters In pictures: construction of HMS Queen Elizabeth HMS Queen Elizabeth A worker sweeps in front of HMS Queen Elizabeth Reuters In pictures: construction of HMS Queen Elizabeth HMS Queen Elizabeth A view of the take off the ramp on the deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier at Rosyth Docks PA In pictures: construction of HMS Queen Elizabeth HMS Queen Elizabeth Construction work in the hanger of HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier at Rosyth Docks PA In pictures: construction of HMS Queen Elizabeth HMS Queen Elizabeth Workmen carry out maintenance in a nearby dry dock as work continues on HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier at Rosyth Docks in Fife PA In pictures: construction of HMS Queen Elizabeth HMS Queen Elizabeth A welder works on HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier at Rosyth Docks PA In pictures: construction of HMS Queen Elizabeth HMS Queen Elizabeth Construction workers carry materials in the hanger of HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier at Rosyth Docks PA Mr Williamsons focus on hard power is a shift from the emphasis by successive UK governments on using soft power diplomacy, trade and cultural exchanges to spread British influence abroad after the long and costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sources close to Mr Williamson stress that he is fully behind using soft power tools but believes there must also be a willingness to deploy the armed forces when necessary. History has taught us that crisis comes when it is least expected, he is expected to say. As uncertainty grows we must be ready to act and bring others with us. In December Mr Williamson visited Odessa, the home port of the Ukrainian ships seized by Russian forces in the Black Sea and announced that he intended to send warships into the region to assert freedom of navigation. Moscow described the visit as an act of provocation. The planned Pacific voyage of Queen Elizabeth with its complement of Joint Strike Fighters (JSFs) will take the carrier into a naval arena of rising tension. China is in dispute with neighbouring states and America over the ownership of a number of islands in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, its claims on territorial waters and the building of naval bases, the so-called string of pearls. Japan, India, Australia and the US have formed the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue group, with joint naval exercises. Beijing holds the group as a hostile enterprise, aimed at isolating China, and it has described foreign warships asserting freedom of navigation in the South China Seas as a threat to its sovereignty. Michael Clarke, a senior fellow at RUSI, said: Leaving aside the wrongs and rights of Brexit, there is a need for Britain to engage with the rest of the world. There is nothing wrong with the Queen Elizabeth being sent to the Pacific in this kind of a deployment, after all we have already got forces back east of Suez. Gavin Williamson seems to want to make his mark. He sees defence as an extension of foreign policy. And, so far, he has emerged as one of the very few ministers in this Conservative government whose reputation has not been badly damaged by the Brexit crisis. The question, though, is whether he will be able to get the support of the rest of the government, his fellow ministers, in this forward policy. General Sir Richard Barrons, who had served in Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland, commented: There was a lot of talk of soft power, especially at the end of the Cold War, but hard power is now back in fashion. We have seen how certain states have taken belligerent, aggressive approach in international relations. It is the right policy that the UK should take its share of responsibility along with allies in trying to enforce the international rules based order, and the Queen Elizabeth and the JSFs is probably the right way to do it. The question now is whether this can be maintained in the long run with the defence budget being thinned out over 30 years. Labours shadow defence secretary Nia Griffiths said The UKs ability to play our role on the international stage has been completely undermined by eight years of Tory defence cuts. The Conservatives have slashed the defence budget by over 9bn in real terms since 2010 and they are cutting armed forces numbers year after year. A group of Conservative MPs and peers has warned Theresa May that her Brexit deal "risks further dividing our nation as they demanded an "urgent" meeting to tell her to delay Britains withdrawal from the EU. The supporters of a fresh Brexit referendum said everyone can see that Britain is not ready to leave by the 29 March exit date, and called on the prime minister to take a breath to reassess her plan. Her current Brexit deal risks further dividing our nation and costing jobs and is highly unlikely to benefit families and communities, the MPs and peers said. The group, formed of supporters of the "Right to Vote" campaign, includes former ministers Phillip Lee, Sam Gyimah, Guto Bebb and Lord Willetts, plus former attorney general Dominic Grieve. Writing to Ms May, they said: It is now fewer than 50 days until we are due to leave the European Union. The gridlock over Brexit continues in parliament. We are now effectively faced with the stark reality between a devastating no deal, for which the country would rightly never forgive us, and a compromise which virtually no one on any side of the argument is happy with. Recommended Theresa May to offer MPs new round of Brexit votes Whatever your view on Brexit itself, everyone can now see that we are not ready to leave on 29 March. Its not just businesses but families too that are now being impacted by the uncertainty. This is not Project Fear, it is Operation Reality. As you have said repeatedly, we do not want a disorderly Brexit. We should not be inflicting one on our country." Ms Mays deal risks further dividing our nation, costing jobs and is highly unlikely to be the best outcome for our families and communities," they added. The group called on the prime minister "to take a breath, to take a minute and give us all time to consider whether this proposed deal, or however it is adjusted, is really in our best interests and said she should prioritise giving the nation time to consider what is a monumental decision for us all. Ms May has repeatedly ruled out the option of calling a referendum on her Brexit deal, insisting she is confident of securing the concessions from Brussels required to win parliamentary support for the plan. However, her attempts to seek changes to the controversial Northern Ireland backstop have been firmly rebuffed by the EU, which insists it will not reopen negotiations on the withdrawal agreement. 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 The prime minister has also rejected Labours offer of a cross-party compromise that would involve the UK staying in a customs union with the EU. With no apparent solution on the horizon, the Right to Vote MPs asked Ms May for an urgent meeting. In a dig at Brexiteer Tories, they said: We are aware that over the past few months you have met with pro-Brexit MPs on a number of occasions. We hope you feel that the voice of patriotic, pragmatic Conservatives is also worth listening to. Dr Phillip Lee, chair of Right to Vote, told The Independent: "Theres a strong belief among our group that we should take a pause on this. Brexit is such a hugely important issue and rushing and forcing it through is not in the national interest. "There's a sense of frustration that were no further forward. The deal lost by 230. Theres no discernible change on the horizon from Brussels and yet here we are this week not voting on the deal and hearing rumours of a further delay to when that vote will take place. This isnt acceptable." He added: "Our group has a solution that involves going back to the public for consent. I said last month that if the prime minister pivoted to that position of putting her deal to a referendum, it would pass the House, and I haven't changed my view on that." The chances of a second referendum to stop Brexit are non-existent, the EUs deputy chief negotiator has said. Sabine Weyand, the brains behind the withdrawal agreement who deputises for Michel Barnier, told an audience in Berlin that an orderly withdrawal was the best Britain could hope for. I see no majority for a referendum in the House of Commons, she confirmed after the event. Ms Weyand reportedly accused some Remainers of Cakeism" a popular expression in Brussels referring to magical thinking whose usage was triggered by Boris Johnson claiming Britain could "have its cake and eat it" after Brexit. She however clarified that she was not talking about the level of support in the country for another vote, but instead the mathematics in the Commons and political leadership for one. A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Show all 65 1 /65 A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit An estimated 700,000 people marched through London to demand a final say on the withdrawal agreement Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Red smoke from a canister hangs in the air as around 100,000 demonstrators march through London during a People's Vote anti-brexit demonstration savings banners and placards Anti-Brexit People's Vote March for the Future in London Rex A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Mayor of London Sadiq Khan takes part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Protesters wearing final Say shirts and holding placards Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit MP Chuka Umunna (left) and MP Vince Cable (right) as MP Anna Soubry (centre) addresses Anti-Brexit campaigners at a rally after the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A Peoples Vote march attendee calls for a Final Say Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators with banners 'We're with EU' during the People's Vote March for the Future in London, Britain, 20 October 2018. Reports state that the 'March for the Future' is to be led by a column of young people and call for a Peopleas Vote on the Brexit deal. After marching through central London, there will be a rally on stage in Parliament Square, including speeches from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. EPA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Protesters at Londons march for the future in October The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Editor of The Independent Christian Broughton speaks to demonstrators in Parliament Sqaure after they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A poster at the March for the Future in October The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 campaigner wrapped in EU flag Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators pass Trafalgar Square as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators wave Union and European flags and hold up placards as they pass Trafalgar Square, taking part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A demonstrator holds a message during a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators take part in the 'People's Vote March for the Future,' in central London, Britain, 20 October 2018. Reports state that the 'March for the Future' is to be led by a column of young people and call for a Peopleas Vote on the Brexit deal. After marching through central London, there will be a rally on stage in Parliament Square, including speeches from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan EPA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A protester brandishes an Independent t-shirt during the Brexit March Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Tens of thousands of people take part in People's Vote March for the Future in central London. The march organised by the People's Vote campaign is led by young people calling for a People's Vote on the Brexit deal Rex A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum PA The intervention, at a security conference, comes days after European Council president Donald Tusk said there was no political force and no effective leadership for another vote with the two main opposition parties committed to respecting the result of the 2016 referendum. I have always been with you, with all my heart, he said, but added: The facts are unmistakable. Mr Tusk as well as European Parliament Brexit coordinator have called on Theresa May to try and reach a cross party consensus to get backing for her deal welcoming a Labour plan for changes to future relationship. Speaking in Berlin Ms Weyand said the current political declaration was vague because the UK had not yet decided what kind of future relationship it wanted from with the bloc. She added that Jeremy Corbyn's offer to Theresa May had triggered and interesting debate and this his proposals deserve to be discussed the first public statement by the European Commission branch of the EU in the oppositions proposals. Despite the pessimism emanating from Brussels over the issue, Labour has however said it would support another public vote if the prime minister refuses to accept their demands for a customs union and close alignment with the single market. The prime ministers hands are somewhat tied in how far she can go to embrace Labours offer because a softer Brexit is likely to get an extremely hostile reception from her own party. Former party chair Grant Shapps, a critic of the prime minister from the partys liberal wing, said on Monday that there was no point winning Labour MPs, by losing Tories. But a second referendum would still not be certain with support from the Labour leadership as a number of Labour MPs have said they would not vote for one in any circumstances, and only around a dozen Tory MPs have said they would support one. Theresa May has reached out to Labour for help with a critical issue with her Brexit plan as she pleads with MPs for extra time to secure a breakthrough. The prime minister struck a conciliatory tone in a letter to Jeremy Corbyn, where she invited Labour to help drum up alternatives to the divisive Irish backstop, which has proved a major stumbling block to getting a deal through the Commons. But Ms May risked creating a fresh Tory rift by failing to explicitly rule out a customs union with the EU, amid warnings from rank-and-file Conservatives that such a move would amount to an unforgivable betrayal. It comes after the Labour leader took many in Westminster by surprise when he wrote to Ms May laying out his terms for Labour to support a Brexit deal, which included a customs union and guarantees on workers rights. In her response, Ms May said: When we met, you outlined your concerns about the possible indefinite nature of the backstop, concerns you repeatedly publicly afterwards. I hope you will therefore agree with me that seeking alternative arrangements to the current backstop is a necessary step to finding a deal that can command support in parliament. One of the things I would like our teams to discuss is the exact nature of those alternative arrangements. Ms May has been scrambling to find a way to replace the divisive Irish backstop with an alternative plan, after MPs overwhelmingly rejected her deal last month. Talks in Brussels and Dublin yielded only stony opposition from EU leaders last week, who have repeatedly said that the Brexit deal cannot be renegotiated. However Mr Corbyns proposals for a softer Brexit were met with interest by the EU, despite the fact that his demand is for a customs union that gives the UK a say on future trade deals the EU might strike something Brussels appears unlikely to accept. Ms May did not reject his demands outright, but said: I am not clear why you believe it would be preferable to seek a say in future EU trade deals rather than the ability to strike our own deals? Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events She also questioned whether the call for frictionless trade would mean reneging on Labours commitment to end free movement. Chief secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss twice refused to rule out quitting if Ms May accepted the demand for a customs union. She told Sophy Ridge on Sunday: I appreciate Jeremy Corbyn has come to the table but the reality is what he is proposing does not deliver on what we want as a country. Asked if she could stay in office if the government backed a customs union, she said: I absolutely do not think that should be our policy. Elsewhere, Tory members warned party chairman Brandon Lewis that any attempt to tie us to any form of customs arrangement would be seen as a shameful sidestep through semantics. The open letter said: This is a red line that must not be breached. The British people have waited three years to enjoy the benefits of life outside of the EU and for a Conservative government to prevent this would be an unforgivable betrayal. We urge the party to reverse this avoidable collision course with the British electorate, before it is too late. Ignore us at your peril. The development came after the government admitted MPs might not get a chance to vote on the final deal until next month, despite exit day looming on 29 March. MPs will consider a Valentines Day motion on Brexit with a series of amendments, including a Labour push to impose a 26 February deadline for a meaningful vote on the deal. Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Show all 11 1 /11 Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray (left) and a pro-Brexit protester argue as they demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A pro-Brexit protester argues Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround the pro-Brexit protester after he confronted Steve Bray, a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer as he argues with a remain supporter, Steve Bray, outside Parliament PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament MPs in Parliament are to vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal next week after her December vote was called off in the face of a major defeat Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police look on as anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament. Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police hold back a leave supporter PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A police officer speaks with anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround a pro-Brexit protester after he confronted a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Conservative MP David Davies, wearing a gopro camera, speaks to anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images In an attempt to take the heat out of Thursdays clash, the government is instead promising fresh votes by 27 February if no deal has emerged. Communities secretary James Brokenshire told the Andrew Marr Show: I think that gives that sense of timetable, clarity and purpose on what we are doing with the EU taking that work forward and our determination to get a deal but equally knowing that role that parliament very firmly has. Sir Keir Starmer said Labour would stop the prime minister running down the clock to exit day next month by drafting an amendment to compel her to offer a vote by the end of the month. And Labour MPs Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson were poised to launch a new push for a second referendum, writing in The Independent: It would also be reckless to accept the withdrawal agreement without the approval of the British people. Both bids are expected to be among the range of amendments tabled for votes on Valentines Day. A new version is also being drawn up of a plan by Labour MP Yvette Cooper and Tory Nick Boles to extend Article 50 to prevent a disorderly exit in March. Labour has called for MPs to be given a vote on a customs union with the EU, warning that Theresa May must be willing to shift her red lines if she wants her Brexit deal ratified. The call by shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer came as the EU said there could be no progress until Britain moved its position, as UK ministers headed to Brussels on a mission to convince the bloc otherwise. Speaking on a visit to Dublin to meet with the Irish government, Mr Starmer said there was a majority for a close economic relationship if you are prepared to try and find it. The prime minister also came under pressure from Brussels on Monday, with chief negotiator Michel Barnier saying the bloc was waiting for the UK to act and that there could be no movement until red lines were shifted. Were waiting for clarity and movement from the United Kingdom, Mr Barnier told reporters while on a visit to Luxembourg. Recommended EU negotiator dismisses chance of new Brexit referendum The warning appears to be a bad omen for Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay, who is making his first visit to Brussels in post on Monday. He will have dinner with Mr Barnier and try to convince him of the need for changes to the Irish backstop which the EU has flat-out refused to countenance. But Mr Barnier said: Tonight I will repeat the EUs positions. I will listen to what the secretary of state has to tell us concerning the alternative arrangements which the UK would like But its not more than a concept today. I will also evaluate the interest from the UK side for possible changes to the political declaration, which, let me remind you, fixes the outline quite precisely for the future separation. David Lidington, Ms Mays Cabinet Brexit fixer, is also in the EU capital for meetings, and he and Mr Barclay will go to Strasbourg on Tuesday for meetings with MEPs. Speaking ahead of a meeting with the Irish deputy prime minister Simon Coveney on Monday, Mr Starmer told reporters: We will have to see what happens next, but the point of the exercise is to say there is a majority for a close economic relationship if you are prepared to try to find it, and I said we should test that by having a vote on the customs union. 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 The Labour Party has some concerns about the backstop but we absolutely accept that its inevitable that we need a backstop. At this stage of the exercise the Article 50 window is almost being closed now so we need a backstop. The letter was an agreed letter that was sent out. The critical question is: is she, in her response, indicating a willingness to drop her red lines or not? And thats what needs to be tested sooner rather than later. Following the meeting between Mr Barclay and Mr Barnier, a UK government spokesperson said: Secretary of State for the Department for Exiting the European Union Stephen Barclay and Michel Barnier followed up on last week's meeting between the Prime Minister and President of the European Commission Juncker to discuss the next steps in the UKs withdrawal from the EU and explore whether a way through can be found that would be acceptable to the UK Parliament and to the European Union. "The meeting was constructive and Mr Barclay and Mr Barnier agreed to further talks in the coming days and that their teams would continue to work in the meantime on finding a way forward. With fewer than 50 days until Brexit and no prospect of an agreement on an exit deal in sight, Theresa May is rapidly running out of time to convince the EU to give her the concessions she needs to win MPs backing for her plan. She has not had much success so far. Brussels has insisted that it will not reopen negotiations on the withdrawal agreement meaning no changes to the controversial Irish backstop. On Tuesday, Ms May will have to ask MPs for more time to secure the changes she is seeking. Jeremy Corbyn is under pressure over an explosive claim that he broke a pledge to support a new Brexit referendum if Theresa May rejected his compromise plan. A letter from the Labour leader to the prime minister setting out five legally binding demands as his price for backing a deal angered many Labour MPs by making no mention of a fresh public vote. Now it has been alleged that Mr Corbyns office agreed the letter should set out clear support for the referendum, if Ms May turned down his offer, only to omit the sentence at the last minute. Mr Corbyns office declined to comment on the claim, although a Labour source told The Independent the allegation was false. Labour MPs backing a Final Say peoples vote urged Mr Corbyn to come clean about what commitments were given about the contents, before it was sent last Wednesday. Time after time, Labour members and supporters demand a peoples vote. Yet time after time, this is thwarted from the top, said Chris Leslie, Labour MP for Nottingham East. And Ben Bradshaw, MP for Exeter, said: If true, any attempt by the leadership, or figures in the leaders office, to subvert or renege on Labours unanimously agreed policy would provoke uproar among our members, voters and MPs. 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 The claim has been made by Robert Peston, ITVs political editor, who said multiple sources told him the Labour leaders office went back on the commitment given to Keir Starmer, the partys Brexit spokesperson. Sir Keir had agreed that the final part of Corbyns letter to May would say if you do not accept this [Brexit offer] there will be a peoples vote, Mr Peston claimed. LOTO [the leader of the opposition] agreed to this. But then Keir discovered after the letter had been sent and published that the peoples vote paragraph had gone. Both Sir Keir and Mr Corbyns spokesperson declined to comment on the claim concerning the pairs private discussions. Mr Corbyn was forced onto the back foot after the letter, and quickly assured Labour MPs and members he was not ruling out a further referendum. John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, went further saying Labour wanted a compromise in the national interest. He added: If we cant do that, well yes, we have to go back to the people. Crucially, Downing Street has now firmly rejected the central plank of Mr Corbyns compromise plan, namely the UK being part of a permanent customs union. The prime ministers spokesperson said: We are absolutely clear on this were not considering Jeremy Corbyns customs proposals. Were not considering any proposals to remain in the customs union. We must have our own independent trade policy. David Lammy, another Labour MP supporting a fresh referendum, said the letter showed Labour must now start campaigning for a peoples vote. We have now entered the emergency zone of these negotiations, and the prime minister has swept Labours only other option off the table. Once it became clear no one would be allowed inside the crime scene to identify the body, the family started asking different questions. They asked police to take a photograph so they could try that way to identify him. The answer was no. One of the women asked if the mans complexion was light, like one of the officers, or dark, like another. He was a black male, they told her. A former British Army soldier who was charged with terror offences after fighting against Isis in Syria has attacked authorities incoherent approach to volunteers who risked their lives. Jim Matthews was the first person prosecuted for fighting with the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) after dozens of British supporters joined their cause. He told The Independent of his shock at being charged with a terror offence, two years after being arrested while arriving back in the UK. We [British YPG volunteers] went out there because our government was not doing enough, Mr Matthews said. It was a job that needed doing, we had to get Isis out of that territory. The 44-year-old, who left the Army in 1999 and later became a teacher, said it was a strange contradiction to be accused of terrorism after fighting against jihadis. He believes Isis, which was committing genocide against the Yazidi people in Iraq and held swathes of Syria when he joined the fight, was the most legitimate case for foreign intervention for a long time. I would have been unlikely to go out if the British Army was also there fighting, Mr Matthews added. Ill always think about the battles I engaged in but ultimately Im convinced it was the right thing to do. The YPG is not a proscribed terrorist group in the UK and its forces have been backed by the British military and international airstrikes to drive Isis out of its Syrian territories. Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Show all 8 1 /8 Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Syrian Democratic Forces fighters celebrate victory in Raqqa atop of military vehicles REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces march past destroyed buildings as they celebrate victory REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces gesture the "V" sign in Raqqa REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces evacuate a civilian from the stadium REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures A civilian prays after she was rescued by fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces from the stadium REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Syrian Democratic Forces fighters ride atop of military vehicles as they celebrate victory in Raqqa REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Syrian Democratic Forces fighters celebrate victory in Raqqa REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures A fighter of Syrian Democratic Forces celebrates in Raqqa Reuters But Mr Matthews was charged with attending a place used for terrorist training for attending the camp used for all recruits. News of his prosecution sparked outrage last February, with supporters questioning how a person who risked their life to fight Isis could be considered a terrorist. A second British YPG fighter, Aidan James, was later charged with terror offences and awaits trial, while fellow volunteer Ozkan Ozdil was arrested by counterterror police in December but faces no further action. Recommended Former British Army soldier who fought Isis faces terror charge Mr Matthews said there was nothing to distinguish his actions from that of others who were never prosecuted, adding: There is no coherent approach I was considered a terrorist whereas the YPG arent. Mr Matthews, who is originally from Stoke-on-Trent, believes his appearance in a 2015 documentary flagged his role to authorities, but did not fear prosecution after fellow volunteers passed in and out of the UK unhindered. He decided to fight against Isis after seeing a photograph of a jihadi holding a womans severed head on Facebook, contacting the YPG on Facebook and joining the group in January 2015. Mr Matthews has written a book, Fighting Monsters, which describes the brutal reality of sometimes chaotic battles in Iraq and Syria. It describes his friendship with fellow British volunteers Konstandinos Erik Scurfield and Jac Holmes, who were among eight UK YPG fighters so far killed in Syria. Funeral for British Kurdish YPG fighter killed by ISIS sees procession in liberated Syria Mr Matthews counts himself lucky to survive a year of bloody advances against Isis, and decided to return home in February 2016. He was arrested at Portsmouth ferry port, then questioned, strip-searched and had his passport, laptop, phone and belongings seized. While being interrogated about his purpose, he recalls a police officer remarking: Well, the YPG arent on the proscribed list, but Turkey, which is a Nato ally, says theyre terrorists, so. It took another two years on bail for the attorney general to authorise a terror charge, and he lost a teaching job as a result. But on 31 July, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced that it would offer no evidence against Mr Matthews at the Old Bailey, and the case was dropped. A CPS spokesperson said: As a result of new evidence, specific to this case, we concluded there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction. As such, the prosecution offered no evidence against Mr Matthews. In court, his lawyers had questioned whether pressure from an oppressive foreign government has begun to influence the decisions of the UK legal authorities. They said Mr Matthews did not join YPG to advance a religious, political, racial or ideological cause, which is the definition of terrorism in British law. James Matthews appeared in a Channel 4 documentary from the frontlines in 2015 (Channel 4) The defendant understood that his actions were in line with the foreign policy objections of HM government, said a defence statement seen by The Independent. Although the government considers the YPG to have ideological and organisational links to proscribed Kurdish terrorist group the PKK, it considers them separate organisations. Alastair Lyon, a solicitor who represented Mr Matthews, told The Independent the case was bonkers and accused authorities of treating YPG volunteers in a completely random way. There remains no answer from the authorities as to why this case was brought or why it was dropped, said the lawyer, of Birnberg Peirce. On its face, this case is a clear example of how terrorism laws of such breadth and legal uncertainty can be used to target blameless individuals for political benefit. A spokesperson for the attorney generals office said: The CPS is operationally independent and makes its decisions to prosecute independently of government. Mr Matthews is now living in Britain and teaches English at a private language school in London, but fears the legal ordeal will haunt him. He was interrogated strenuously before being allowed to fly to Russia during a period on unconditional bail and believes he may be on a watchlist. If I had that experience again I wouldnt be at all surprised, he added. It has been tough, Id be lying if I said it wasnt. I came back from a year of war straight into being arrested, so its been testing. Jim Matthews was charged with a terror offence but six months later, prosecutors presented no evidence against him in court (Lizzie Dearden) A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: Police actively seek to investigate everyone who returns from taking part in the conflict in Syria or Iraq, to determine if they have committed criminal offences and to ensure that they do not pose a threat. Any decision on whether to prosecute is taken by the CPS on a case-by-case basis. A Home Office spokesperson said that the government advises against all travel to Syria and parts of Iraq. Anyone who does travel to these areas, for whatever reason, is putting themselves in considerable danger, a statement added. Everyone who returns from taking part in the conflict must expect to be investigated by the police. Brexit is set to make the UK a safer place for criminals, the police chief in charge of preparations has warned. Deputy assistant commissioner Richard Martin said that the loss of EU tools and databases could create a public safety risk by allowing suspects to abscond and making it harder to extradite foreign nationals. Police officers forced to use outdated conventions would spend hours in stations negotiating red tape rather than being on the streets, he told journalists, and the change will cost forces at least 20m extra a year. Criminals are entrepreneurs of crime and Im sure theyre looking at their business model, Mr Martin told journalists. If theres a gap to exploit, Im sure they would. Speaking at the new International Crime Coordination Centre in London, where officials are working on contingencies for a potential no-deal Brexit, the senior officer said all current alternatives to EU systems were more bureaucratic and slower. Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Show all 11 1 /11 Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray (left) and a pro-Brexit protester argue as they demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A pro-Brexit protester argues Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround the pro-Brexit protester after he confronted Steve Bray, a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer as he argues with a remain supporter, Steve Bray, outside Parliament PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament MPs in Parliament are to vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal next week after her December vote was called off in the face of a major defeat Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police look on as anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament. Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police hold back a leave supporter PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A police officer speaks with anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround a pro-Brexit protester after he confronted a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Conservative MP David Davies, wearing a gopro camera, speaks to anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images Police chiefs are currently briefing all British forces on the basis that we dont get a deal and lose all powers, and checking their ability to use contingencies. Because processes have been automated for such a long time, officers will be using EU systems without realising, Mr Martin said. Some forces need some assistance to get us into a place where theyre fully ready. He added that the need for officers to search multiple databases and channel requests through bilaterals would have an impact on frontline policing at a time when forces are already stretched by years of budget cuts and rising violent crime. If something takes two or three times as long, that will be another two or three hours youre not on the streets, Mr Martin warned. With no agreement accepted by parliament, on 29 March the UK is set to be kicked out of the European Arrest Warrant (EAW), Europol, Schengen Information System (SIS II), European Criminal Records Information System (Ecris) and other frameworks. SIS II is currently checked 539 million times a year by British police officers because their equipment automatically searches the international database of criminals and terrorists at the same time as the Police National Computer. If lost, they will have to make a separate search on Interpols I-24/7 database, but Mr Martin said EU countries do not routinely upload information or check it. Recommended Fatal stabbings hit highest number on record in England and Wales The UK currently makes an absolutely miniscule number of arrests based on Interpol red wanted notices, and unlike EU systems they do not give police the power to immediately request suspects. If an officer checks I-24/7 and it comes back with a red notice, we would then have to go to a magistrates court to get a warrant to arrest that person, Mr Martin explained. We would not be able to detain the person in front of us. If there was no other legal basis on which a suspect could be detained, police would have to release them and then find them again when a judge had granted permission. Mr Martin said the Ministry of Justice was examining the potential for a huge increase in demand at magistrates courts as a result of the system, following years of closures to make savings. He said there was also concern about a loss of intelligence on foreign suspects past criminal records, which are used to make a decision on the risk they pose, and whether they should be bailed. Theresa May confident Brexit will be delivered on March 29 EU countries currently reply to requests through Ecris in an average of six days, which will rise to a minimum of 66 days if officials have to fall back on a 1959 convention. My fear is if we dont get information back in a timely fashion there is a real risk criminals could abscond, Mr Martin said. Those criminal records are so crucial. If the UK loses access to the EAW system, it will rely on bilateral agreements to extradite suspects for trial or deport criminals to their home countries. Before EU-wide arrest warrants were brought in, the UK only extradited up to 60 EU citizens a year now the figure ranges between 1,800 and 2,000. And while a suspect can be arrested and transferred to Britain within days under the EAW, as with the case of Stephen Lawrence murder suspect Jamie Acourt, the same process outside the system takes far longer. Some countries, including Germany, also have laws against extraditing their citizens outside the EU. Theresa Mays withdrawal agreement, which was rejected by parliament, extended UK access to all systems until the end of a transition period, when officials will negotiate on how to keep the tools. A separate political declaration with the EU outlined a commitment to capabilities that, in so far as is technically and legally possible, approximate those enabled by relevant Union mechanisms. Mr Martin said British and EU law enforcement bodies would like to keep the powers we have in the interests of mutual security. But there are concerns that data rules and resourcing issues could bar some intelligence sharing, and political decisions are out of the polices hands. Mr Martin added: Law enforcement doesnt have the ability to say yes or no. Scientists in Africa have discovered what they believe are the first signs on Earth of a creature searching for food nearly 2.1 billion years ago. Fossils in Gabon contained the oldest evidence ever seen of movement, made by a slug-like organism. The previous earliest remnants known about, in the same country, were dated to 570m years ago. The international team, led by scientists at the University of Poitiers in France, said the discovery raised new questions on the history of life. Writing in the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences journal, they said: Was this biological innovation the prelude to more perfected forms of movement or an experiment cut short by the drastic drop in atmospheric oxygen rates which occurred approximately 2.083 billion years ago? Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary Using X-ray analysis they found tubular burrowing tracks in sedimentary mud from organisms that may have been similar to colonial amoebae, they added. The organisms cluster together when resources are scarce to form a type of slug that moves in search of a more favourable environment. The findings showed that certain multi-cellular organisms in the primitive marine ecosystem were sophisticated enough to move through its mud, which was rich in organic matter, the team said. The more or less sinuous structures are tubular, of a generally consistent diameter of a few millimetres, and run through fine layers of sedimentary rock, they added. Additional reporting by SWNS Children as young as five are due to be among the thousands of pupils walking out of their lessons as part of a climate change protest. Primary school children, as well as teenagers and university students, are being encouraged to take part in a mass strike on Friday over the "lack of government action" on the environment. More than 40 protest events are said to have been planned in towns and cities as part of the UKs first Youth Strike 4 Climate. It comes as similar protests have happened around the world. Anna Taylor, 17, who is one of the organisers of the protest, told the Today programme they were expecting young children with their parents to be among the thousands of projected participants. She said: It is important to remember that simply learning about it in school has not done enough. We have tried to learn about it in school and yet we are still heading towards an immense climate catastrophe which will end the life of loads of species on earth. Environment news in pictures Show all 8 1 /8 Environment news in pictures Environment news in pictures Davos 2019: David Attenborough issues stark warning about future of civilisation as he demands practical solutions to combat climate change Sir David Attenborough has issued a stark warning about climate change to business figures gathered in Davos, telling them that "what we do now...will profoundly affect the next few thousand years". On the eve of this year's World Economic Forum, the renowned naturalist told the audience that the worlds of business and politics should "get on with the practical solutions" needed to prevent environmental damage. "As a species we are expert problem solvers. But we've not yet applied ourselves to this problem with the focus it requires. "We can create a world with clean air and water, unlimited energy, and fish stocks that will sustain us well into the future. But to do that, we need a plan," he said. The broadcaster made his speech after receiving a Crystal Award, which is awarded by the forum to "exceptional cultural leaders". AFP/Getty Environment news in pictures At least 60% of wild coffee species face extinction triggered by climate change and disease Two decades of research have revealed that 60 per cent of the worlds coffee species face extinction due to the combined threats of deforestation, disease and climate change. The wild strain of arabica, the most widely consumed coffee on the planet, is among those now recognised as endangered, raising concerns about its long-term survival. These results are worrying for the millions of farmers around the world who depend on the continued survival of coffee for their livelihoods. As conditions for coffee farming become tougher, scientists predict the industry will need to rely on wild varieties to develop more resilient strains Alan Schaller Environment news in pictures Warming Antarctic waters are speeding the rate at which glaciers are melting The Antarctic ice sheet is losing six times as much ice each year as it was in the 1980s and the pace is accelerating, one of the most comprehensive studies of climate change effects on the continent has shown. More than half an inch has been added to global sea levels since 1979, but if current trends continue it will be responsible for metres more in future, the Nasa-funded study found. The international effort used aerial photos, satellite data and climate models dating back to the 1970s across18 Antarctic regions to get the most complete picture to date on the impacts of the changing climate. It found that between 1979 and 1990 Antarctica lost an average of 40 gigatonnes (40 billion tonnes) of its mass each year. Between 2009 and 2017 it lost an average 252 gigatonnes a year. This has added 3.6mm per decade to sea levels, or around 14mm since 1979, the study shows Nasa/Getty Environment news in pictures Greater Manchester to ban fracking, paving way for confrontation with government over controversial industry Greater Manchester is to effectively ban fracking, raising the prospect of fresh confrontation with the government over the controversial industry. All of the regions 10 councils are to implement planning policies which create a presumption against drilling for shale gas in their areas, Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has announced. Campaigners said the move was the latest sign that the tide was turning against fracking, which has been the subject of multiple legal battles across the country. Critics of fracking say it poses environmental and health risks. Drilling at the UKs only operational fracking site, run by Cuadrilla in Lancashire, has repeatedly been halted due to earth tremors. But ministers support the industry and last year unveiled plans to accelerate the development of new drilling sites Ross Wills Environment news in pictures Japan confirms plan to resume commercial whaling in its waters from next year Japan will resume commercial whaling next year for the first time in more than three decades, in a move that has provoked strong criticism from campaigners and the international community. Chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said his nation would leave the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to resume hunting the marine mammals in Japanese waters. However, he stated the activity would be limited to Japans territory and the 200 mile exclusive economic zone along its coasts. This means controversial scientific trips to Antarctica in which Japanese vessels killed hundreds of whales, as well as activity in the northwest Pacific, will stop in 2019 AP Environment news in pictures COP24: Environmental groups criticise morally unacceptable climate deal reached after major Poland summit Diplomats from around the world have agreed a major climate deal after two weeks of United Nations talks in Poland. But climate campaigners warned the deal effectively a set of rules for how to govern the 2015 Paris climate accord agreed between almost 200 countries lacked ambition or a clear promise of enhanced climate action. Activists cautiously welcomed elements of the plan, saying important progress had been made on ensuring that efforts to tackle climate change by individual nations can be measured and compared. But environmental groups were also highly critical of the agreement, warning it lacked ambition and clarity on key issues, including financing for climate projects for developing countries. The COP24 deal, which is aimed at providing firm guidelines for countries on how to transparently report their greenhouse gas emissions and their efforts to reduce them, was confirmed on 15 December, after talks overran Reuters Environment news in pictures Unprecedented changes needed to stop global warming as UN report reveals islands starting to vanish and coral reefs dying Greenhouse gas emissions must be cut almost in half by 2030 to avert global environmental catastrophe, including the total loss of every coral reef, the disappearance of Arctic ice and the destruction of island communities, a landmark UN report has concluded. Drawing on more than 6,000 scientific studies and compiled over two years, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) findings, released this morning, warn enormous and rapid changes to the way everyone on Earth eats, travels and produces energy need to be brought in immediately. Though the scientists behind the report said there is cause for optimism, they recognised the grim reality that nations are currently nowhere near on track to avert disaster AFP/Getty Environment news in pictures Africas three biggest elephant poaching cartels exposed using DNA from illegal ivory shipments DNA taken from massive shipments of ivory has been used to identify the three largest wildlife trafficking gangs operating at the height of Africas elephant poaching epidemic. Ivory tends to be shipped around the world from African ports in bulk, and scientists have used genetic evidence gleaned from intercepted batches to reveal their origins. Led by Dr Samuel Wasser from the University of Washington, they traced a number of these shipments to three cartels operating out of Kenya, Uganda and Togo. Evidence collected by Dr Wasser has already helped convict ivory kingpin Feisal Mohamed Ali, and as his team joins the dots between shipments they plan to shore up the cases against more of the continents most prolific smugglers Art Wolfe But it leaves headteachers in a difficult situation as they are expected to ensure children attend school unless they are ill. Their absence would have to be recorded as unauthorised in many cases. Anna said her school had threatened to give her a detention and an unauthorised absence notice if she does not come in because of safeguarding concerns. However, a spokesman for the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said the union applauded older pupils making an informed decision. He added: Society makes leaps forward when people are prepared to take action. Schools encourage students to develop a wider understanding of the world around them. A day of activity like this could be an important and valuable life experience. But the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has warned that the protests will have an "extremely disruptive" impact on schools as pupils will miss out on learning time. Geoff Barton, general secretary of the ASCL, said: "While we understand the strength of feeling over the very important issue of climate change we would urge pupils against walking out of school. The nationwide strike is inspired by teenager Greta Thunberg who protests every Friday outside Sweden's parliament to urge leaders to tackle climate change. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, she warned the global elite that the "house is on fire". Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events She said: "I want you to panic. I want you to feel the fear I feel every day. We owe it to the young people, to give them hope. The Department for Education said that whether to allow children to take part was a matter for individual schools to decide. New images of the most distant object ever explored have shocked the Nasa researchers who saw them. The bizarre shape of Ultima Thule which was once described as being like a snowman, but has been confirmed to be more like two pancakes could prompt scientists to reconsider our understanding of how planets form, scientists say. "Nothing quite like this has ever been captured in imagery," said Alan Stern, the principle investigator on the New Horizons mission that explored Ultima Thule. "We've never seen something like this orbiting the Sun." The new images offer a different perspective on the object, which is floating in the Kuiper Belt on the edge of our solar system. As such, they show that the round object isn't so round at all when looked at from another view, it is almost flat, which scientists did not expect. After the first images, scientists nicknamed Ultima Thule the snowman, because it seemed to resembles two spheres stacked on top of each other. Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427 more commonly known as WR 124 and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region But the new analysis and images change that understanding. In part, that is because they have revealed the outline of part of the object that was initially not visible because it was not lit by the Sun but could be seen by tracing out the background stars that it had blocked out. Instead of being a snowman, the two sections are not spherical at all. The bigger part is like a giant pancake and the smaller one is like a dented walnut, the scientists say. "We had an impression of Ultima Thule based on the limited number of images returned in the days around the flyby, but seeing more data has significantly changed our view," Stern said. "It would be closer to reality to say Ultima Thule's shape is flatter, like a pancake. But more importantly, the new images are creating scientific puzzles about how such an object could even be formed. We've never seen something like this orbiting the Sun." The images aren't the last to be captured or sent by New Horizons, which began its work on Ultima Thule after exploring Pluto. But they are the last views thatit captured as it raced away after its New Years flyby, travelling past at 31,000 miles per hour. The images were snapped just 10 minutes after New Horizons passed by its closest approach to the distant object. "This really is an incredible image sequence, taken by a spacecraft exploring a small world four billion miles away from Earth," said Stern. "Nothing quite like this has ever been captured in imagery." Much of the scientific data being collected is being used to understand how small planets might have formed in the early solar system. But the shocking and strange shape of Ultima Thule could change that understanding fundamentally, scientists say. "While the very nature of a fast flyby in some ways limits how well we can determine the true shape of Ultima Thule, the new results clearly show that Ultima and Thule are much flatter than originally believed, and much flatter than expected," added Hal Weaver, New Horizons project scientist from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. "This will undoubtedly motivate new theories of planetesimal formation in the early solar system." The Samsung Galaxy S10 has leaked once again, less than two weeks ahead of its official unveiling. New details about the flagship device's battery and front-facing camera were revealed by an inside source, who also confirmed previous rumours about the smartphone's screen. According to the leaker, Samsung will include a major battery upgrade, with the top-of-the-line Galaxy S10 featuring a 4,100 mAh unit. This compares to a 3,000 mAh capacity for the Galaxy S9 and a 3,500 mAh battery in the Galaxy S9+. Previous leaks have confirmed that Samsung will unveil three different versions of the Galaxy S10 on 20 February, each varying in size, specs and price. An entry level Galaxy S10e will be complimented by a standard Galaxy S10 and a premium Galaxy S10+. Samsung Galaxy smartphone rumours Show all 12 1 /12 Samsung Galaxy smartphone rumours Samsung Galaxy smartphone rumours Samsung Unpacked A range of Galaxy smartphones are expected to be released on 20 February, 10 years on from the release of the first Galaxy S-series phone Samsung Samsung Galaxy smartphone rumours Samsung Galaxy S10 A new flagship phone is expected to be the main event, with the Galaxy S10 expected to come in three different variants TS Concept/ YouTube Samsung Galaxy smartphone rumours Galaxy S10e The entry-level Galaxy S10 is rumoured to be called the S10e, featuring a single front-facing camera and a double lens rear camera SlashLeaks Samsung Galaxy smartphone rumours Galaxy S10 The standard Samsung Galaxy S10 will add an extra camera lens to the rear, as well as improved specs and storage capacity WinFuture Samsung Galaxy smartphone rumours Galaxy S10+ The most premium Galaxy S10 is expected to be called the S10+. It will be both bigger and better than the other versions but also more expensive. A prototype of the premium device was papped on a bus in South Korea Reddit/ hissick27 Samsung Galaxy smartphone rumours In-screen biometrics Leaks suggest that both the S10 and S10+ will feature an in-screen fingerprint scanner, allowing Samsung to maximize screen space while keeping the security feature conveniently at the front of the phone Getty Images/iStockphoto Samsung Galaxy smartphone rumours Bitcoin wallet All three Samsung Galaxy S10 devices could also come with in-built cryptocurrency wallets, cashing in on a trend being pushed by other smartphone makers like HTC Getty Images/iStockphoto Samsung Galaxy smartphone rumours Reverse wireless charging Another stand-out feature could be the inclusion of reverse wireless charging, meaning Galaxy S10 owners can share their battery power with other devices Getty Images Samsung Galaxy smartphone rumours Galaxy Buds This next-generation charging could prove useful for the companion earphones, expected to be called Galaxy Buds WinFuture Samsung Galaxy smartphone rumours Galaxy Watch Alongside the Galaxy S10 smartphones, Samsung is likely to launch a brand new smartwatch. The Galaxy Watch is expected to ditch the dial of previous Gear smartwatches in favour of two circular side buttons 91Mobiles Samsung Galaxy smartphone rumours Galaxy X Samsung has already teased a foldable phone at an event in November, and some expect the company's Unpacked event on 20 February to provide the perfect launching pad for the innovative device Samsung Samsung Galaxy smartphone rumours Foldables Little is known about the foldable phone expected to be called the Galaxy X though rendered images based on leaks suggest it could include a camera that pops out from behind the screen LetsGoDigital The two higher-end models are expected to feature a dual-lens selfie camera, capable of supporting 4K video capture. The latest leak, which comes courtesy of GSMArena, also confirms the inclusion of an in-screen fingerprint scanner, which was first rumoured last year. This function allows Samsung to create an all-screen device while still including biometric security features conveniently at the front of the device. The hole-punch design for the front-facing camera also enables maximum screen size, while also avoiding the notch design first introduced by Apple with the iPhone X. Certain versions of the Samsung Galaxy S10 will feature a dual-lens selfie camera (WinFuture) (Samsung) Other rumours surrounding the Samsung Galaxy S10 include significantly increased internal storage capacity, reverse wireless charging and a breakthrough camera feature. It could also potentially feature an in-built cryptocurrency wallet, following a trend of other smartphone makers to include support for next-generation payments. No details have been officially revealed by the South Korean electronics giant, as the company policy is to not discuss rumours or leaks surrounding unreleased devices. Samsung is also expected to announce new wireless headphones, a Galaxy smartwatch and potentially even a Galaxy X foldable smartphone. A dangerous app that steals bitcoin and other types of cryptocurrency from peoples phones has been discovered in the official Android app store Google Play. Security researchers at ESET discovered the so-called clipper malware in early February within a legitimate-looking app called MetaMask. The malware works by intercepting cryptocurrency wallet addresses, which are used to send funds online from one account to another. Bitcoin wallet addresses are composed of long strings of characters for security reasons, meaning people tend to copy and paste them rather than typing them out. By intercepting the address when it is copied and secretly replace it with a wallet address of their own, attackers were able to redirect funds to their own accounts. Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Satoshi Nakamoto creates the first bitcoin block in 2009 On 3 January, 2009, the genesis block of bitcoin appeared. It came less than a year after the pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto detailed the cryptocurrency in a paper titled 'Bitcoin: A peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System' Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin is used as a currency for the first time On 22 May, 2010, the first ever real-world bitcoin transaction took place. Lazlo Hanyecz bought two pizzas for 10,000 bitcoins the equivalent of $90 million at today's prices Lazlo Hanyecz Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Silk Road opens for business Bitcoin soon gained notoriety for its use on the dark web. The Silk Road marketplace, established in 2011, was the first of hundreds of sites to offer illegal drugs and services in exchange for bitcoin Screenshot Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures The first bitcoin ATM appears On 29 October, 2013, the first ever bitcoin ATM was installed in a coffee shop in Vancouver, Canada. The machine allowed people to exchange bitcoins for cash Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures The fall of MtGox The world's biggest bitcoin exchange, MtGox, filed for bankruptcy in February 2014 after losing almost 750,000 of its customers bitcoins. At the time, this was around 7 per cent of all bitcoins and the market inevitably crashed Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Would the real Satoshi Nakamoto please stand up In 2015, Australian police raided the home of Craig Wright after the entrepreneur claimed he was Satoshi Nakamoto. He later rescinded the claim Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's big split On 1 August, 2017, an unresolvable dispute within the bitcoin community saw the network split. The fork of bitcoin's underlying blockchain technology spawned a new cryptocurrency: Bitcoin cash Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's price sky rockets Towards the end of 2017, the price of bitcoin surged to almost $20,000. This represented a 1,300 per cent increase from its price at the start of the year Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures What goes up... Bitcoin price crashes spectacularly, losing half of its value in a matter of days Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin plunges The cryptocurrency eventually bottoms out below $4,000 in 2019 before slowly rebuilding momentum to outperform more traditional assets Getty Images It is not the first time this type of malware has been discovered on Android apps, though infected apps had never before appeared in the official Google Play store. This dangerous form of malware first made its rounds in 2017 on the Windows platform and was spotted in shady Android app stores in the summer of 2018, ESET researcher Lukas Stefanko wrote in a blog post detailing the discovery. The clipper we found lurking in the Google Play store... impersonates a lefitimate service called MetaMask. The malwares primary purpose is to steal the victims credentials and private keys to gain control over the victims ethereum funds. The malware is also able to replace a bitcoin or ethereum wallet address copied with one belonging to the attacker. Cyber security researchers discovered a malicious Android app that steals cryptocurrency from peoples phones (Getty Images) MetaMask has since been removed from the Google Play store and no other known instances of the malware is currently present on the app store. A spokesperson for Google was not immediately available for comment. In the wake of the discovery, ESET researchers advised Android users to keep their devices updated and to avoid downloading apps from any unofficial sources. Always check the official website of the app developer or service provider for the link to the official app. If there is not one, consider it a red flag and be extremely cautious to any result of your Google Play search, Mr Stefanko wrote. Double-check every step in all transactions that involve anything valuable, from sensitive information to money. When using the clipboard, always check if what you pasted is what you intended to enter. Timothee Chalamet's flourishing style trajectory is not slowing down any time soon. This awards season, the 23-year-old actors sartorial wings have blossomed, taking him from callow caterpillar to burgeoning butterfly in a matter of months. It all began with a harness bear with us that the Call Me By Your Name actor wore to the Golden Globes in January to the delight and confusion of his fans. What may appear to have been unusual choice to some, seeing Chalamet strapped into this strange and mysterious bib-like garment, designed by Louis Vuitton, propelled him into fashions glaring spotlight with unrivalled force. Now, the French-American actor has acquired quite the reputation with his red carpet looks, which range from the brilliantly outlandish to the endearingly boyish. Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments Show all 20 1 /20 Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments Venice Film Festival, September 2019 The actor stepped out in a slick silver suit complete with a cinched-in waist and a matching silk shirt. The cropped trousers gave way to Chalamet's glistening black boots. AFP/Getty Images Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments Venice Film Festival, September 2019 For a photocall earlier on that day, Chalamet chose a more casual silver ensemble consisting of cropped trousers, a boxy sports luxe blazer and a turquoise shirt. Getty Images Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments British Academy Film Awards, February 2019 It was patterns galore for Chalamet at the BAFTAs, who turned up in a look designed entirely by Haider Ackerman. The "Beautiful Boy" actor matched his leopard metallic blazer to his shirt while his black trousers with checkered side detail added an extra dose of eccentricity. WireImage Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments Golden Globe Awards, January 2019 Ah, the famous harness. Chalamet's sparkly straps confused fans at first, but, like with many avant-garde garments, it wasn't long before the style set came calling and cried "FASHUN!". It's only a matter of weeks before you stumble across a harness at a Topman near you. AFP/Getty Images Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments Annual Critics' Choice Awards, January 2019 This galactic look by Alexander McQueen is enough to transport you straight to Pluto. Colourful brushstrokes enchant while sharp tailoring brings it all together in one punchy fashion statement. Getty Images Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments 30th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Awards Gala, January 2019 The double-breasted suit is good, the grey shade makes it better, but the boots are the undisputed highlight of this outfit, adding a pleasingly vintage aesthetic with their burnished texture. Take note, aspiring double-breasted suit-wearers. Getty Images for Palm Springs In Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments BFI London Film Festival, October 2018 Few could pull off such an outlandish Alexander McQueen suit, but Chalamet wears those oversized florals with unrivaled swagger. Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for B Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments "Beautiful Boy" LA premiere, October 2018 The young actor was a man in red at the LA premiere of his latest film, where he wore a scarlet suit designed by Louis Vuitton. Getty Images Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments Toronto International Film Festival, September 2018 A splattering of white makes this suit look like an artistic experiment. This Haider Ackermann option proves that a black tux need not be dull. The slim-fit makes for a sophisticated silhouette while the white applique pays homage to Chalamet's rebellious sartorial spirit. Getty Images Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments San Sebastian International Film Festival, September 2018 If you're going to wear a floral suit, you should pair it with box-fresh white sneakers. At least, that's the main takeaway from Chalamet's blooming ensemble here. It's another Alexander McQueen creation, in case you were wondering. Getty Images Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments Vanity Fair Oscar Party, March 2018 Chalamet went all-white for his first Academy Awards, an outfit that he maintained for the infamous Vanity Fair after party, where he is pictured here. The suit, designed by Berluti, made the first-time nominee look both youthful and dapper. Getty Images Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments Annual Academy Awards Nominee Luncheon, February 2018 Thanks to the jet black hue of his hair, olive green is a shade that suits the 23-year-old actor, as this look aptly demonstrates. AFP/Getty Images Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments London Film Critics Circle Awards, January 2018 The satin sheen of this suit adds an upscale twist, taking the deep blue two-piece to the next sartorial frontier. Stiff black biker boots add a rebellious edge. Getty Images Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments Film Independent Spirit Awards, January 2018 Suede jackets seem to be a bit of a motif for the young actor. Though this one is in a more traditional shade than some of his other, more eccentric, options. Getty Images Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments GQ Men of the Year party, December 2017 Checked tuxedos are a smart casual fail safe, as Chalamet demonstrates with aplomb here. All you need is a simple collared shirt and a slicked-back hairdo to complete the look. Getty Images for GQ Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments BFI London Film Festival, October 2017 A burgundy jacket is always a good idea, especially when paired with a white collared shirt and trousers that come in an equally earthy shade of brown. Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments Toronto International Film Festival, September 2017 Double-breasted jackets have had a renaissance in recent years in both men and women's fashion. Here, Chalamet shows why the look works so well on men, particularly when the aesthetic is so Peaky Blinders-esque. Getty Images for Entertainment W Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments Toronto International Film Festival, September 2017 Roll necks might be synonymous with Andy Warhol and the Sixties, but as nostalgia continues to permeate the runways, they're making a comeback among other vintage staples. Chalamet pulls the style off by opting for an olive green shade, which stands out underneath the black tuxedo. Getty Images Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments Toronto International Film Festival, September 2017 Electric blue is a go-to for many red carpet aficionados, but it's a shade that's rarely seen on men, making Chalamet's choice particularly noticeable and commendable. Getty Images Timothee Chalamet's best red carpet moments Berlinale International Film Festival, February 2017 Purple suede jackets are a rare sight. Clearly, Chalamet, who is rumoured not to have a stylist, is quite the savvy shopper. A statement piece like this deserves to shine, and it does here, with nothing but black trousers and a black sweatshirt to distract from the excellence of that jacket. Getty Images In recent months, the Little Women star has turned heads in everything from floral masterpieces by Alexander McQueen to avant-garde applique tuxedos by Haider Ackermann. Scroll through our gallery of his best red carpet moments above and see how Chalemet is debunking the myth that men cant have fun with fashion, one harness at a time. Bella Hadid has traded in her place on the runway to become a hairstylist backstage at New York Fashion Week. Behind the curtain of any major catwalk show, a team of stylists, makeup artists and assistants work hard to perfect the designers vision, giving models a chance to sit back and relax while the professionals take control. That is, unless youre Bella Hadid. Instead of taking some time out ahead of the Brandon Maxwell show this week, Hadid decided to show off the hairstyling skills shes picked up along the way. As a team of stylists transformed the supermodels locks into a supersonic ballerina bun, Hadid played hairdresser to her childhood friend, Ally Aflalo. New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Show all 54 1 /54 New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Olivia Palermo is a fashion month regular. She was spotted outside the Michael Kors show on Wednesday morning wearing a polka dot jumper with black skinny jeans. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Puffer jackets are having a moment, and this candy-coloured style is an apt illustration as to why. Adding both volume and joy to an otherwise fairly conventional outfit with minimal effort? Yes please. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Bella Hadid wrapped up warm for the cold weather in a beige aviator-style jacket paired with super-slim red sunglasses. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Stunning florals, chic boots and a classic trench coat - whats not to love? These two guests attending the NYFW Carolina Herrera show struck a stylish pair outside the New York Historical Society by Central Park West. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style This guest was wearing tassels for days as she made her way across a road crossing to the Carolina Herrera fashion show. Paired with a pair of cool sunglasses, a matching black clutch and high boots, this fashionista looked every inch a style queen in her striking ensemble. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style 'Mission Impossible' actor Michelle Monaghan brought a touch of sparkle to the streets of New York, when she attended the Carolina Herrera show wearing a multicoloured, high-neck dress by the Venezuelan designer. I like to sparkle on Mondays, the star wrote on Instagram. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Just because the February skies are grey, that doesnt mean you have to dress to match, as Marvels Runaways actor Virginia Gardner demonstrated at NYFW. The 23-year-old wore a bright yellow, off-shoulder tiered Carolina Herrera gown to the designers show, which she accessorised with gold strappy heels. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Dressing in all-black simply never goes out of fashion when its done right. This guest proved just how to pull off a look that lacks colour, wearing a long skirt with a similarly coloured jacket, black gloves, stiletto boots, a flat-brimmed hat and carrying a Dior Oblique Saddle Bag. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style This guest made a bold statement on the streets of New York in a stunning black-and-white polka dot dress, completing the look with a thick black belt and her hair tied up in a tousled bun. She was accompanied by a friend wearing a modish tan ensemble, accessorising with a Blair Waldorf-esque headband and black kitten heels. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style 'Big Little Lies' actor Shailene Woodley shone brightly at NYFW wearing a marigold coat by Carolina Herrera, with lime green shorts and a white patterned shirt. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Double denim is continuing to have its moment, as shown by this guest who wore a hybrid faux fur-denim jacket while attending the Carolina Herrera show. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Diablo actor Camilla Belle stood outside at NYFW in a wide-legged Carolina Herrera jumpsuit, complete with blouson sleeves and a colourful feather design. She completed the look with a long, black tailored jacket. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style This stylish black-and-white look was made even more eye-catching by the addition of the fashionistas gold accessories as she crossed a New York road on her way to the Carolina Herrera show. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style This guest took a leaf out of Britney and Justins book, donning a denim-on-denim ensemble as she arrived at Spring Studios in New York. The floppy hat and cropped, flared jeans give this look a very 1970s vibe. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style The matching of this guests red-orange lipstick to the lettering on her trousers gives this outfit an extra edge. Not to mention her chic faux fur coat, ideal for a cold winters day out in the Big Apple. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style If youre going to attend one of the most coveted fashion events of the year, you might as well make a strong impression while doing so. Thats exactly what this guest did, turning up in a bright yellow jock-inspired jacket, a colourful jumpsuit, black combat boots and a multiple-ringed gold necklace. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style If someone were to imagine Elsa from 'Frozen' as a modern-day sartorial queen, this is probably what theyd come up with, minus the ice blonde hair. The bright blue 1980s-esque prom dress, white jacket, Gucci belt and animal print high heeled boots make for a very dramatic overall look. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style This guest displayed the power of subtlety with his NYFW look, matching the bronze buttons on his pea coat with the cuffs on his sleeves. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style A white beanie, colourful tartan jacket, cropped jeans and dazzlingly white trainers - this guest is definitely a la mode. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Cheetah print is continuing to reign supreme in the fashion world. This guest donned a classic cheetah print coat at the Dion Lee show, completing her look with bubblegum pink high-waisted trousers, a bronze handbag and navy boots. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style It may not be spring yet, but this guest was bringing the warmth at the NYFW Tibi show in a sunset orange coat. She accessorised with a forest green purse and black ankle boots. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Fashion and interior design blogger Aimee Song was the picture of elegance at NYFW, wearing a garish long blue coat with blue snakeskin boots. Song was featured in Forbes 30 under 30 Art and Style list in 2016. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Social media influencer Camila Coelho looked like shed stepped right out of the 1970s when she attended the Tibi show in an orange ensemble by the American designer, finishing off the look with a pair of classic round sunglasses. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Entrepreneur Babba Rivera wore a navy-coloured trench coat and high-neck dress from Kate Spade for her outing in New York City during fashion week. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Soft nude tones are in for spring as perfectly highlighted with this laid-back athleisure look. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style One street style expert paired a cream-coloured skirt and a white polo neck jumper with a perspex Fendi jacket with a brown trim and pockets. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Clashing textures such as leather and wool compliment each other superbly in this terracotta and blue-hued winter ensemble. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Sequins, feathers, plastic, leopard print come together in perfect harmony in this mismatch spring look courtesy of blogging sisters Charlotte and Sophie Bickley. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Model and rapper TK Wonder rocked a Noughties-inspired look on the streets of NYC, pairing a pair of feathery pink stiletto boots with a baby pink coat and light denim jeans. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Camel-coloured coats show no sign of going out of fashion and this is a sentiment clearly shared by this fashion expert. The satorial star teamed her look with a pair of black brogues, a wide black belt and grey roll neck jumper. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style This all-black outfit was given the perfect hint of playfulness with a pair of turquoise-coloured drop earring, turban, and matching eyeshadow. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Influencer Oriane Adjibi brought the sunshine to a cold, wintery New York weekend in a bright orange-hued cropped jacket, white pointed-toe boots and a sheer lilac skirt with a feather trim. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Red and pink have long been viewed as fashion "frenemies" but their feud has finally been put to bed thanks to fashion blogger Opal Stewart. She finished off her bold look with a cobalt blue fluffy jacket and a pillar box red bag. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style "Be uniquely you. Stand out. Shine," wrote model Alicia Burke on her Instagram to describe her look. The long raindbow-coloured puffer jacket was the perfect pop of colour to her otherwise all-black outfit. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Patrick Amara and Dustin Rogers showed their love of designer labels and the high street in this Gucci, Dior and Asos fashion mash-up during NYFW. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Nothing shouts "sartorial swagger" louder than a tonal look featuring two different types of animal print. The beach hat adds a pleasing bohemian touch. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Man Repeller founder Leandra Medine is renowned for her comfy, cosy-chic style, and this look illustrates why. A cropped polo-neck jumper might look ridiculous on most, but Medine wears hers here with aplomb by adding a grey cardigan and pale blue jeans. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style This look is very Britney Spears circa the Oops I Did It Again music video, and we're into it. The full-length floral coat is a practical and elegant addition. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Karlie Kloss knows a thing or two about the colour blue, so it seems. The American supermodel's outfit is the perfect example of how slick tailoring and a fitted coat render the need for tonal variation utterly obsolete. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style In case you missed it, camel is back in and few items of clothing look better in this neutral shade than a classic trench coat. This one has pouffed-up sleeves to give a edgier silhouette, it works a treat. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Why wear one jacket when you can wear two? That's what this street styler thought when she woke up one morning. If you're going to try out this style move, it's best to follow to use something neutral, like the denim jacket seen here, so as to avoid aggressive colour clashes. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style There's nothing more satisfying than throwing a baggy sweatshirt on over an ankle-grazing skirt. The tie-dye clash works a treat here, particularly with the chunky navy blue headband. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style This might just be the best Legally Blonde impersonation yet, at least, sartorially speaking. Aside from the clutch and the boots, everything about this look is a bright shade of bubblegum pink, and on a grey, miserably New York day, what a wonderful thing it is to see so much radiance in one hit. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Yellow and orange might sound like a colour combo made in hell, but when the tailoring is razor-sharp and the accessory is a strange square-like shape, it's a sunny and optimistic look. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style White boots have had a resurgence in recent months thanks to their versatility, which is aptly demonstrated here. Neither plaid nor wide-leg trousers can detract from their stylishness. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Plaid is clearly here to stay on the ever-changing fashion trend circuit. This suit is very well coordinated, thanks to white cat-eye shades and beige heeled booties. The Gucci bag adds a splash of sophistication. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style All beige everything is the underlying lesson in this look. There's no reason not to embrace the shade of the moment with such vigor, as you can see. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Fendi's logo can be spotted from a mile away, and when combined with these two-tone floral trousers, you could spot this street styler from much further. The pink polo-neck jumper tones things down, but only by a smidgen. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Jumpsuits are having a moment, and this grey, workman-style variation explains why. Cinching it in at the waist with a wide belt adds a feminine silhouette while the rounded sunglasses give the look a retro flair. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style It's a good idea to wear a warm coat to fashion week, as this street styler is clearly aware. It's the perfect burnt autumnal hue too. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style When a jacket just won't do but you can't decide which shirt to wear, why not wear a jacket that doubles up as a shirt? That's what this street styler seems to have done, giving her cream dress a slouchy but stylish feel. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Why not wear a bright tie-dye top underneath a pink suit? Clearly, it looks more elegant than it sounds, especially when accessorized with oversized square sunglasses and a blue box bag. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Tiny sunglasses continue their reign on the street style scene, as spotted here adding drama to a sportswear-inspired look. Getty Images New York Fashion Week 2019: Best street style Those sleeves are quite something. Pairing this lime green dress with kitten heel shoes and a dark, cropped jacket allows the melodrama of those feathery cuffs to stand out in the way that they should. Getty Images As Aflalo perched in front of the supermodel, Hadid slicked back her thick, wavy hair into a chic pony tail, using a boar bristle brush. According to Elle, the 22-year-old finished the look with a spritz of Avedas Air Control Hairspray and a 90s-inspired scrunchie. She said she was making it look like when I was little, Aflalo said backstage. The models friend shared a picture of her hair being styled on Instagram, where people celebrated the pairs close relationship. Helping a sis out one person wrote. Another added: Go best friend, gotta get that snatch one way or another. Hairstyling isnt the only thing Hadid is good at. The supermodel also shared a video on her Instagram account from the same event showing off her facial massage skills. What happens when Im extra early impromptu facial massage choreography by @tompecheux during z makeup demoobviously [sic], she wrote. In the clip, Hadid can be seen copying massage techniques from Tom Pecheux, makeup artist and YSLs Global Beauty Director, in front of a mirror. The supermodel has had a busy New York Fashion Week schedule so far, stealing the show at Ralph Lauren in a Marilyn Monroe-inspired gold dress. In contrast to the laidback setting of a coffee shop, Hadid twirled through the store alongside fellow models Taylor Hill and Anja Rubik. The 22-year-old also appeared in one of the most talked about shows of the weekend, Tomo Koizumi. Joining a cast of famous faces, from actresses Gwendoline Christie and Rowan Blanchard to models Emily Ratajkowski and Joan Smalls, Hadid sported a dramatic rainbow gown fashioned from layers of ruffled tulle. Kate Middleton, Margot Robbie and Rami Malek have championed sartorial white on the red carpet at the Baftas 2019. On Sunday, the film industry and members of the British royal family gathered at the Royal Albert Hall in London to celebrate the numerous contributions to the cinematography industry over the last year. For the occasion, several Hollywood actors including Linda Cardellini, Jonna Lumley and Mary J. Blige chose to wear white for the ceremony. The move comes a year after attendees at the awards show wore black to show their solidarity with victims of sexual misconduct following a request from the Times Up movement - an organisation that supports individuals who have experienced sexual misconduct in the work place. Arriving with her husband the Duke of Cambridge, the Duchess of Cambridge teamed her Alexander McQueen asymmetric white dress with a pair of diamond-drop earrings, which once belonged to the late Princess Diana, and a pair of Jimmy Choo Viola shoes. Baftas 2019 red carpet: All the stars wearing white Show all 8 1 /8 Baftas 2019 red carpet: All the stars wearing white Baftas 2019 red carpet: All the stars wearing white The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge The Duchess wore a bespoke asymmetric Alexander McQueen dress for the occasion. PA Baftas 2019 red carpet: All the stars wearing white Joanne Tucker and Adam Driver The actor wore a long-sleeved white dress teamed with a red clutch bag. PA Baftas 2019 red carpet: All the stars wearing white Rami Malek The actor wore a white tuxedo teamed with a black shirt and bow tie. PA Baftas 2019 red carpet: All the stars wearing white Mary J. Blige Blige wore a white structured blazer by Ralph and Russo with a train and matching trousers. PA Baftas 2019 red carpet: All the stars wearing white Margot Robbie Robbie stunned in an embellished white dress by Chanel Couture with oversized navy blue tulle shoulders. PA Baftas 2019 red carpet: All the stars wearing white Rachel Weisz The Bafta winner wore a layered tulle off white dress on the red carpet. PA Baftas 2019 red carpet: All the stars wearing white Letitia Wright Wright wore a white/lilac tuxedo by Stella McCartney with oversized buttons for the ceremony. PA Baftas 2019 red carpet: All the stars wearing white Linda Cardellini The actor donned a prom dress-style dress for the occasion. PA Meanwhile, Robbie donned a monochrome embelished dress by Chanel Couture with oversized navy tulle shoulders. For the ceremony, Blige opted for a white Ralph and Russo suit which comprised of a fitted blazer covered in gold detailing with a train. She accessorised the look with gold drop earrings and a gold sequined clutch bag. (PA) Rachel Weisz and Letitia Wright made the decision to wear off white outfits for the ceremony, dressed in a pearl-hued ruffled dress and a lilac/white-tone tuxedo by Stella McCartney, respectively. Following Weisz's win for Best Supporting Actress for The Favourite, Lumley who wore a white suit for the occasion noted three out of four women on the stage were matching in white and commented: "We are so wearing white tonight." But the love for the white wasnt just shared among female attendees. Bafta nominated actor Rami Malek was also spotted wearing a pristine white tuxedo at the event. (PA) The actor paired his look with a black shirt, black bow tie and shiny black Chelsea boots. White is set to be a big trend for spring/summer 2019 after the likes of Giambattista Valli, Tome and Stella McCartney presented several white designs on the red carpet during September fashion month last year. Earlier this week, several female lawmakers in the US wore suffragette white at President Donald Trumps State of the Union address in a symbol of unity with women across the world. Margot Robbie and Salma Hayek arrive at BAFTA red carpet House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was seated behind the president and the subject of a meme following his address, wore a cream blazer and white top for the occasion. She later tweeted that her decision to wear white was to show support for womens rights, in spite of a [president] who doesnt. When Mount Prospect residents complained of the Blue Lives Matter flag sticker, the village decided to stop selling it and instead spend $6,000 to redesign the sticker. The redesign shows a picture taken at a parade of a village police officer carrying an American flag, followed by children flying the Puerto Rican flag. The childrens family moved to Mount Prospect from the U.S. territory after it was battered by Hurricane Maria in 2017, the mayor said. Are mountains male or female? Go onto online forums about hiking and youll find a healthy debate on the subject. Some commentators suggest that femininity can be assumed across the board simply because of mountains intrinsic beauty; others contend that it depends on the specific character of the peak. A few more prosaic minds maintain that mountains are gender neutral. Editor's note: This tour of small businesses across the country highlights the imagination, diversity, and resilience of American enterprise. Jeffrey and Pamela Blair wanted their children to feel proud. Then they wanted all African-American children to feel proud. The couple's business, EyeSeeMe, is a 1,200-square-foot storefront in the St. Louis suburb of University City. With shelves of bright-jacketed books and bold posters splashed across the walls, it confronts--with defiance and love--the weight of history. The Blairs have curated close to 3,000 titles, ranging from Africa-themed alphabets to the lives of black inventors to hip-hop poetry. Collectively, they chronicle African-American lives, history, and culture. EyeSeeMe says to its young customers: Do you see all these stories of achievement, of courage, of ingenuity, of fun? This is who you are. Among the most requested books at story time is Do Not Bring Your Dragon to the Library, about an African-American boy whose unusual pet gets him in trouble. "It's just a story. It's not about anything racial," Jeffrey Blair says. "But because African-American children see themselves in this book, validation takes place. That is where the store's name comes from." "Being in EyeSeeMe does something to you because, for the first time, you are standing in a space where everything looks like you," says Pamela Blair. "For a black family, it is like, 'Where has this been all my life?'" Although the Blairs are more humanists than activists, race has long been an incendiary issue in St. Louis. The Dred Scott case was first tried at the Old Courthouse here. EyeSeeMe is located five miles from Ferguson, where in 2014 a white police officer killed a young African-American man named Michael Brown, escalating the Black Lives Matter movement. The store will relocate this month to a larger space about a mile away to accommodate more classrooms. Teaching is core to the Blairs' mission. Currently EyeSeeMe runs a popular summer-school program and offers after-school tutoring. Starting in March, it will hire students from Washington University--where three of the Blairs' four children are enrolled--to provide supplemental instruction to home schoolers. Math and reading lessons are conventional, but history lessons include a weighty African-American component. The Blairs spend half their time visiting schools, where they run book fairs and offer professional-development workshops for educators. They also talk with staff about teaching diverse texts and about sensitivities around race in history classes. Brandy Fink, a library media specialist at North Kirkwood Middle School, in the St. Louis suburbs, buys regularly from EyeSeeMe and enlists the Blairs to help with in-school programs. "EyeSeeMe introduced me to a video about windows and mirrors--that literature should let kids look out and see something beyond themselves and also see their own reflections," Fink says. "They help me make that happen for every kid at this school." Teaching pride at home Pamela Blair grew up in Guyana, and moved to Paterson, New Jersey, at age 12. Jeffrey Blair was a Brooklyn kid. The two met in 1987 at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey. Jeffrey worked in technology on Wall Street and Pamela was a loan officer until 1993, when their first child, Jeffrey Jr., was born. Three more children followed: twins Naomi and Sarah in 1999 and Ezra in 2000. It was Ezra, really, who started it all. He was smart. And once school started, he was bored. Pamela had read an article about home schooling and thought she would try it. "Ezra loved it," says Pamela. "He excelled." The Blairs then pulled out both girls, and Pamela instructed all three, as well as children of some friends and neighbors. She created a curriculum that included the Bible and emphasized African-American history. Both parents dug into that subject, building a library and educating themselves about the contributions of black scientists, political leaders, artists, and others. "A lot of times when teachers speak about African-American history, it is pretty much slavery and Abraham Lincoln and civil rights," Jeffrey says. "There is so much more." When schools fall down In 2008, Jeffrey took a job with the Social Security Administration helping streamline the disability claims process, which required the family to move to St. Louis. With Naomi, Sarah, and Ezra middle-school age, the Blairs decided to give public education another shot. Kirkwood, the predominantly white suburb where they settled, had an excellent school system. From the outset their children pulled down A's. The Blairs attribute some of that achievement to confidence born from the pride they developed sitting around the kitchen table, talking about their heritage. But what family members saw in the classrooms troubled them. "The curriculum was very Euro-centric," Jeffrey says. "Even if they were covering a black character, it was a black character viewed through the eyes of a European." Nothing in the hallways or on classroom walls testified to the achievements of African Americans, and there was no observance of Black History Month. The Blairs had begun publishing games that challenged players to create timelines of African-American history to understand the connections among significant events. They also created posters celebrating contributions by African Americans and brought them to the school. They arranged for St. Louis University medical students to address science classes so students could see black doctors. They talked to administrators about teaching more books with an African-American perspective. "There was always pushback," Pamela says. "And we were getting tired of it. We didn't want our kids to lose their zeal." Other parents--and not just African Americans--shared their frustration. Anxious to reach the broadest audience with the best and greatest variety of material, the Blairs began to explore the idea of a bookstore. At first they considered selling exclusively online, their channel for the timeline games. But then the events in Ferguson convinced them they needed to create a space where they could promote discussion as well as sell books. "With Ferguson, it bubbled up to the top," says Jeffrey. "Black people said we have got to do something. And part of that involved taking ownership of the education of their children. And a lot of white people and organizations started to take it seriously. They said I want to understand more." A book club is born The Blairs invested their savings and on June 20, 2015, EyeSeeMe opened its doors with just 35 titles. As parents and teachers discovered the store--largely through Facebook--the founders dramatically expanded inventory. Recent big sellers include the Black Panther graphic novels; The Hate U Give, which was adopted into a popular movie; and Michelle Obama's memoir, Becoming, which the store could hardly keep on the shelves. The Blairs delight in introducing readers to authors overlooked by mainstream booksellers. Pamela's personal favorite is Patricia McKissack, whose more than 100 books include Hard Labor, about the first indentured servants in America, and Red-Tail Angels, about the Tuskegee Airmen. EyeSeeMe also features titles of interest to young entrepreneurs, such as Danny Dollar Millionaire Extraordinaire: The Lemonade Escapade. That's the book that absorbed Sidney Keys III when he first visited in August 2016 at age 10. His mother, Winnie Caldwell, made a video of him there: reading, rapt. After the video went viral on Facebook, Keys III launched Books N Bros, a club for boys between the ages of 7 and 13 to discuss titles by African-American writers. Books N Bros, which comprises 20 kids who meet in person and another 35 who participate online, moved out of EyeSeeMe after a few months and now meets at a youth organization in Ferguson. EyeSeeMe still provides most of the club's selections, at a discount. And, Caldwell says, "Pamela is a big help in picking out the books." The Midwest has been facing a historic winter storm with some of the coldest temperatures and wind chills in decades. The Governor declared Michigan a State of Emergency, while schools, businesses and even the postal service were shut down. Many teams like mine hunkered in to work remotely. In a completely unplanned, yet perfectly timed trip, my husband Mike and I navigated the chaos with our separate business teams from Florida. As the founder of a PR and marketing agency that is used to video calls and remote work with clients around the country, my team had it made. But, as the founder and CEO of Michigan's only local grocery delivery service, Doorganics, Mike had to navigate the company's biggest challenge from a hotel room across the country. Here are the top three takeaways we experienced in overcoming roadblocks, that can be applied to any business facing a major challenge. 1. Prepare for the unexpected. In more than eight years in business, Doorganics had not missed a delivery day. Now, with pre-purchased, perishable inventory sitting in the warehouse and thousands of customers counting on it being delivered (since many grocery stores were closed), we were facing the worst storm in recent history. While there were some things we could not have been prepared for (like how to navigate quickly changing, extreme weather conditions), there were other aspects we were grateful to have had spent time planning in advance- like technology. A crisis is not the time to figure out your email or routing software to send customers an urgent update, or to shop video conferencing software, or to hunt down contacts at local towing companies (or whoever your source of emergency help would be). When you do run into unexpected issues and 'figure it out' on the fly (as entrepreneurs do), be sure to document the solution and process so you have it the next time is arises. 2. Your best employees will rise to the occasion. When the going gets tough, chances are, some people are going to let you down. You may get some irrational customers or employees who drop the ball. But, don't let it overshadow the positives that come from challenging times, like people stepping into their leadership, proactively tackling issues, and helping guide the ship. When one of our delivery vans got stuck in a snowbank and another wouldn't start, we had team members and even friends step up to help get us back on track. We had our share of difficulties, and it would have been easy to dwell on the negative when 'it' hits the fan. Instead, we pointed our energy and focus on the good. Remember, cream rises to the top, and it's never more apparent than when facing challenges head-on. 3. Create systems -- and trust them. While it certainly didn't feel like it at the time, being stuck in a hotel room 1400 miles away during the most challenging week of business proved to be beneficial. First, it forced Mike to leverage his leadership skills from afar while also trusting and empowering everyone on his team to do the same. Had he been at the office that day, he likely would have jumped in to tackle many issues himself, hindering the growth of his team and diverting from the company's playbook. Just because you can do it all, doesn't mean you should. Second, It also tested the companies' systems and processes, which identified some weak spots, allowing the team to address them and set stronger systems in place for future situations. The 35-day government shutdown that ended January 25 cost the United States about $11 billion. It also caused more than a month of unnecessary stress and financial hardship for federal employees and others who depend on the government. If you run a business, it hurt you too -- assuming you benefit from a robust economy, or from workers getting paid and needy people getting government benefits that they spend with you, or from Americans actually receiving the roughly $100 billion in tax refunds they're owed. Fortunately, it all came to an end. Sort of. Because you might recall that shutdown ended only with a temporary reprieve, and a February 15 deadline for Congress and the president to agree to a new funding deal. That's this coming Friday. Wait, Washington learned its lesson, right? They wouldn't let this happen again so soon, would they? Oh, you. I love you for your naive optimism. Just days ago, both sides seemed optimistic. President Trump would take just a tiny portion of the money he wants for a border wall with Mexico. Then, he'd declare a national emergency for the rest of the money. The whole border wall thing would play out in the courts, and the government could stay open. But now, some members of Congress say there's a brand new "impasse," (their word) which adds up the idea that "odds of a [new] government shutdown have increased markedly in the past 24 hours," according to The Washington Post. This time it has to do with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and how many suspected illegal aliens ICE can detail in roundups away from the border. Democrats want a smaller cap, which would be around the number ICE detained every year during the Obama administration. Republicans want a bigger number. It's a disagreement for sure, but would either side really be willing to shut down the government again over this? We'll know very soon. Axios, which has a closer eye on this than most of us do, put it this way: "What's next? Very unclear. If the talks are dead, Trump is so dug in he has only two options: shut down the government again or use his emergency powers to get the money ... Both options are horrible." While we wait, if you run a business, you officially have permission to throw a bit of a fit and demand more. I'm not taking partisan sides here. You're an adult, and you and can draw whatever conclusion you want about who is to blame. But, just saying: the main telephone number for Congress is (202) 224-3121, and the White House is (202) 456-1111. Time for the World to Get Behind David Malpass for World Bank President Washington, DC - The U.S. is proposing Undersecretary of the U.S. Treasury, David Malpass, as its nominee for the World Bank presidency. Malpass is a strong pick and meets the qualifications that the Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank put forward, which are quoted below: a proven track record of leadership; experience of managing large organizations with international exposure, and a familiarity with the public sector; the ability to articulate a clear vision of the World Bank Groups development mission; a firm commitment to and appreciation for multilateral cooperation; and, effective and diplomatic communication skills, impartiality and objectivity in the performance of the responsibilities of the position. Malpass meets these qualifications and there are a number of reasons why shareholders should support him. First, Malpass has the management and leadership experience for the job. The Undersecretary of the U.S. Treasury is a big job in the American system of government, where he oversees hundreds of staff. Previously, he had a successful career on Wall Street even creating his own company, Encima Global, and served in senior leadership jobs in the Reagan and Bush 41 administrations. He has a clear vision of how countries create prosperity and in doing so, eliminate poverty. Second, Malpass has a strong understanding of what the World Bank can do and believes in the World Banks mission. Third, Malpass has a deep understanding of international affairs and the world. He speaks Spanish, French, and Russian and has served in high-level economic and foreign policy roles. Furthermore, he understands the power of markets and the role of governments. He understands that America first does not mean America alone. He believes in the potential of multilateral institutions. Fourth, Malpass has been involved in public life including politics and that is a good thing. Being active in public life should be seen as a positive for Malpass. Fifth, although the capital increase was approved, the World Bank still needs to collect on the U.S. commitment. David Malpass relationships with the Trump administration and with Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress will be important. Sixth, David Malpass broadly supports the vision of the World Bank including its environmental priorities. The World Bank is an important institution and is often underappreciated and misunderstood in Washington D.C. Its clear that David Malpass understands what the World Bank is and what it can do. Given that the U.S. has put forward a strong candidate, now would be the time for Japan, Europe, and other allied countries of the United States to come forward and support candidate Malpass. Read the full op-ed here. Director Carroll Welcomes First Lady Melania Trump to ONDCP Washington, DC - Thursday, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director Jim Carroll hosted First Lady Melania Trump for a wide-ranging policy briefing on the drug abuse epidemic in America. Tackling the addiction crisis in our country requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, and today was another example of how committed the Trump Administration is to saving lives. We are honored to share with the First Lady the incredible work being done here at ONDCP and by our partners across the nation, and we thank her for her leadership on this issue, ONDCP Director Jim Carroll said. During the roundtable, Mrs. Trump and Director Carroll discussed the various challenges of the opioid crisis and how ONDCP coordinates efforts to prevent drug abuse, treat those struggling with addiction, and reduce the availability of illegal drugs in the United States. Former Correctional Officer Sentenced to Prison for Sexting and Propositioning Teenaged Girl Sacramento, California - Timothy Holt, 27, formerly of Susanville, was sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 21 months in prison and three years of supervised release for transportation of obscene matters, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. According to court documents, the father of a teenaged girl reported that Holt, as an adult correctional officer, had been sexually propositioning his daughter over an internet messaging service. Law enforcement officers took over the girls messaging account. Posing as the teenaged girl, officers continued to chat with Holt and agreed to meet him. Officers arrested Holt when he arrived at the meet location. This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Segal prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. FBI and Local Law Enforcement Partners Are Seeking Models Photographed and Potentially Victimized by Robert Arnold Koester Carlsbad, California - The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Yamhill County (Oregon) Sheriffs Office, and the Carlsbad (California) Police Department are asking for the publics assistance in identifying potential victims of a suspected serial sexual predator who took nude photos of models and is alleged to have sexually assaulted many of these models, including individuals younger than 18 years of age. Robert Arnold Koesteralso known as Bert Kay, Rhake Winter, and Qitoolyage 52, has potentially been engaging in these criminal acts starting in 1994 and continuing through his initial arrest in Carlsbad, California, on November 13, 2018. Alleged victims have been identified in multiple cities across the United States. At the time of his arrest, Koester worked as a professional photographer, engaged in the photography of models, primarily on the West Coast of the United States. Robert Arnold Koester, 2018 Carlsbad (California) Police Department photo Robert Arnold Koester, 2016 Oregon DMV photo Robert Arnold Koester, 2010 California DMV photo At the time of his initial arrest in November 2018 by the Carlsbad Police Department, Koester was living in Southern California. He currently faces 23 felony charges filed by state prosecutors in San Diego County related to that arrest, including child sexual abuse and production of child pornography. Koester also faces two federal counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in California based on an investigation by the San Diego FBI. Koester remains in custody in San Diego, California. Koester owns a farm in the rural Carlton area of Yamhill County, Oregon, and a joint investigation by the FBIs Portland Field Office and the Yamhill County Sheriffs Office is ongoing. On January 30, 2019, the Yamhill County Grand Jury charged Koester with 32 felony counts involving four separate victims, one of whom was a minor. The counts included multiple charges for first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, and causing another person to ingest a controlled substance. Koesters bail on the Yamhill County counts has been set at $2.5 million. FBI offices in San Diego and Portland as well as FBI Headquarters have been working hand-in-hand with local law enforcement in Carlsbad, Yamhill County, and elsewhere to coordinate the law enforcement effort to identify potential victims in this case. As a result, the FBI has created a central electronic system to collect information in an effort to identify all potential victims in order to fully investigate this case. If you have information about this ongoing investigation or believe you or someone you know may have been victimized by Robert Arnold Koester, the FBI requests that you complete this secure, confidential online questionnaire. Information from the public may also be submitted confidentially via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Identified victims may be eligible for certain services and rights under federal and/or state law. More information is available at fbi.gov/ModelCase. An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and all defendants should be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Imperial Valley News Center ICE, DOJ recognize International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Washington, DC - February 6 marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the FBI, and the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, all members of the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC), join U.S. and foreign government partners, non-governmental organizations, and local communities to call for the eradication of the practice. Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a federal crime, and any involvement in committing this crime is a serious human rights violation which may result in imprisonment and potential removal from the United States. Individuals suspected of FGM/C, including sending girls overseas to be cut, may be investigated by the HRVWCC and prosecuted accordingly. The elimination of FGM/C has broad implications for the health and human rights of women and girls, as well as societies at large. This day serves as an opportunity to reflect on victims who have suffered from female genital mutilation/cutting, including many women and girls who have died or suffered lifelong health complications from the practice. The day also renews a global commitment to the health and well-being of all women, girls and communities by eliminating the practice. In 2018, ICE expanded Operation Limelight USA, an outreach operation designed to educate travelers on the dangers and consequences of FGM/C, from one international airport to seven. U.S. officials with Operation Limelight USA spoke to 1300 travelers on 80 different flights from May 22-July 2 at seven airports across the United States, while UK partners spoke to travelers at Heathrow Airport and train stations throughout the UK. In August 2018, U.S. officials, including representatives from the FBI and ICE, were again joined by their partners in the United Kingdom to sign a proclamation signaling the nations commitment to preventing the practice. Female genital mutilation is a global issue and we rely on our domestic and international partners as we work to eliminate this practice. We continue to partner with the FBI, non-governmental organizations, and other government agencies to identify potential victims and find those who conduct female genital mutilation, explained unit chief Mark Shaffer, of ICEs Homeland Security Investigations Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center. The FBI is committed to investigating human rights violations, including female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM), said unit chief Maureen Schutz of the FBIs Criminal Division. We continue to work with our partners at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to protect the rights of young women and children and to bring justice to those who have violated them. FGM/C prevalence is primarily concentrated in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, but also occurs in parts of Western Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. It is global in scope and found in multiple geographies, religions, and socioeconomic classes. Anyone who has information about an individual who is suspected of assisting in this crime is urged to call the toll-free ICE tip line at (866) 347-2423 or complete the ICE online tip form or the FBI online tip form. All are staffed around the clock, and tips may be provided anonymously. By May 2018, she said, Mercado was fully in charge, though Grossman was still nominally the kennels owner. It was during that time that a DuPage County animal control officer, responding to a complaint about dogs being without food or water, stopped by the property and was met by what she described in a report as a very foul odor, kennels heaped with dog waste and other alarming signs. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 11) The number of people infected with measles has climbed to more than 4,300 with at least 70 confirmed deaths, the health chief said Monday. "We have 4,302 nationwide and 70 deaths so that's about less than 2 % case fatality ratio about 1,7, 1.8 percent," Health Secretary Francisco Duque told CNN Philippines' Newsroom Ngayon. Duque said the most number of cases have been recorded in Metro Manila, which accounts for 30 percent of the total number so far. He did not specify how many cases there were in Metro Manila. Health Spokesperson Enrique Domingo, however, earlier said there were about 200 people with measles admitted in the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, the referral center of infectious diseases in the region. CALABARZON accounted for 25% of the total count with 1,086 cases, followed by Region III at 11% with 481 cases, Duque added. He said Region VI (Western Visayas) recorded 211 cases of measles while Region VII (central Visayas) recorded 109 cases. The DOH declared a measles outbreak in these regions last week. Health officials have attributed the surge in measles cases and deaths to lack of vaccination. The DOH research showed the lack of vaccination stems from fear of the vaccine's adverse effects similar to the alleged detrimental results of the dengue immunization program or dengvaxia in 2014. Duque also noted that the regions with the most number of cases were the regions that implemented the dengvaxia vaccine five years ago. The Health Secretary said they began a nationwide immunization campaign as early as April 2018, however, there was a low turnout of parents particularly in Metro Manila who availed of the vaccination services. "Despite our massive campaign and vaccination through the supplemental immunization activity 'yung NCR [the National Capital Region] had very low turnout and only 36% ang nagpakabakuna [availed of vaccination]," Duque said. Duque said he has yet to confirm if there was a shortage of vaccines during the campaign. He added that parent's lack of free time and geographic isolation were other factors that lead to the low coverage of the program. According to DOH records, 960,457 children have not been vaccinated for the first three quarters of 2018, a spike from its 2017 figure of 855,039. On the other hand, the World Health Organization (WHO) said there are currently about 2.5 million children below five years of age in the Philippines who are susceptible to measles due to lack of appropriate vaccination. Domingo said their health workers are personally urging parents to have their children vaccinated through house-to-house visits. "They spend half an hour with the family, going house-to-house and maybe just explain and inform the family how important vaccines are," Domingo said. Imperial Valley News Center ICE, Shut Out of Border Talks, Warns Democrats Plans Would Free Thousands of Criminals Washington, DC - A briefer from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement stood outside the closed-door meeting Wednesday while negotiators working on a homeland security spending deal heard from border experts, who made their pitch for a border wall. The ICE briefer never made it in the room, an administration official said. If he had been allowed to speak, he would have told them that the limits theyre pondering to immigrant detention, proposed by Democrats, would lead to 30,000 people being released back onto the streets, including thousands of migrants with criminal records. While most of the public focus in the negotiations has been on President Trumps call for a border wall, the number of detention beds available to hold illegal immigrants is just as big of a sticking point and perhaps even more critical to achieving Mr. Trumps stated goal of cutting illegal immigration. ICE was disappointed not to be able to address the conference committee directly, the administration source told The Washington Times. Left outside the room, ICE has instead produced a briefing document for the negotiators. The document defends the presidents call for 52,000 detention beds and says both Democrats plan cutting ICE to about 35,520 beds and even Senate Republicans proposal of about 40,520 beds would mean dangerous migrants would have to be set free. Up to 30,000 releases of criminals, illegal aliens with criminal charges and recent border crossers would not be held, ICE said. In some cases ICE would even be forced to break the law to release migrants deemed subject to mandatory detention by Congress, the briefing says. Not only would that cut down on deterrence of illegal immigration, but it would mean fewer criminals would be ousted from American communities, ICE argued. There are one million migrants who have been ordered deported but who are still free in the U.S., ICE says. Homeland Security spokeswoman Katie Waldman said if Congress wants to cut into the current surge of illegal immigration, it must pony up for detention beds. Without the necessary detention authority and sufficient funding for family beds to enable ICE to detain family units when they are ordered removed, ICE will still only be able to remove a very small percentage of family units, thereby increasing the pull factors and further contributing to the border crisis, she said. Read the full article here. Imperial Valley News Center Presidential Proclamation on Addressing Mass Migration Through the Southern Border of the United States Washington, DC - In Proclamation 9822 of November 9, 2018, I found that our immigration and asylum system is in crisis as a consequence of the mass migration of aliens across the border between the United States and Mexico (southern border). Accordingly, pursuant to sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) (8 U.S.C. 1182(f) and 1185(a), respectively), I found that the unlawful entry of aliens through that border is detrimental to the interests of the United States and suspended and limited entry of such aliens. I exempted from the scope of Proclamation 9822 any alien who entered the United States at a port of entry and properly presented for inspection, as well as any lawful permanent resident of the United States. Section 2(d) of Proclamation 9822 directed the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland Security jointly to submit to me a recommendation on whether an extension or renewal of the suspension and limitation on entry in Proclamation 9822 is in the interests of the United States. Those officials have now jointly recommended extending the suspension and limitation for an additional 90 days. As that recommendation reflects, the problem of large numbers of aliens traveling through Mexico to enter our country unlawfully or without proper documentation has not materially improved, and indeed in several respects has worsened, since November 9, 2018. An average of approximately 2,000 inadmissible aliens continue to enter the United States each day at our southern border. And large, organized groups of aliens continue to travel through Mexico towards the United States with the reported intention to enter the United States unlawfully or without proper documentation. The ability of the United States to address those problems has also been hampered by a nationwide injunction issued by a United States District Judge in the Northern District of California. That injunction currently prevents the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security from implementing an interim final rule that would render any alien who enters the country in contravention of a proclamation limiting or suspending entry at the southern border, including Proclamation 9822, ineligible to be granted asylum. The United States is appealing that injunction. Should the injunction be lifted, aliens who enter the United States unlawfully through the southern border in contravention of this proclamation will be ineligible to be granted asylum under that interim final rule. As President, I must act to protect the national interest, and to maintain an effectively functioning asylum system for legitimate asylum seekers who demonstrate that they have fled persecution and warrant the many special benefits associated with being granted asylum. In view of the foregoing circumstances, and the joint recommendation from the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, I have determined to extend the suspension and limitation, as set forth below, on entry into the United States through the southern border established by Proclamation 9822. NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the INA, hereby find that, absent the measures set forth in this proclamation, the entry into the United States of persons described in section 1 of this proclamation would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and that their entry should be subject to certain restrictions, limitations, and exceptions. I therefore hereby proclaim the following: Section 1. Suspension and Limitation on Entry. The entry of any alien into the United States across the international boundary between the United States and Mexico is hereby suspended and limited, subject to section 2 of this proclamation. That suspension and limitation shall expire 90 days after the date of this proclamation or the date on which an agreement permits the United States to remove aliens to Mexico in compliance with the terms of section 208(a)(2)(A) of the INA (8 U.S.C. 1158(a)(2)(A)), whichever is earlier. Sec. 2. Scope and Implementation of Suspension and Limitation on Entry. (a) The suspension and limitation on entry pursuant to section 1 of this proclamation shall apply only to aliens who enter the United States after the date of this proclamation. (b) The suspension and limitation on entry pursuant to section 1 of this proclamation shall not apply to any alien who enters the United States at a port of entry and properly presents for inspection, or to any lawful permanent resident of the United States. (c) Nothing in this proclamation shall limit an alien entering the United States from being considered for withholding of removal under section 241(b)(3) of the INA (8 U.S.C. 1231(b)(3)) or protection pursuant to the regulations promulgated under the authority of the implementing legislation regarding the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, or limit the statutory processes afforded to unaccompanied alien children upon entering the United States under section 279 of title 6, United States Code, and section 1232 of title 8, United States Code. (d) No later than 75 days after the date of this proclamation, the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall jointly submit to the President, through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, a recommendation on whether an extension or renewal of the suspension or limitation on entry in section 1 of this proclamation is in the interests of the United States. Sec. 3. Interdiction. The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall continue to consult with the Government of Mexico regarding appropriate steps consistent with applicable law and the foreign policy, national security, and public-safety interests of the United States to address the approach of large groups of aliens traveling through Mexico with the intent of entering the United States unlawfully, including efforts to deter, dissuade, and return such aliens before they physically enter United States territory through the southern border. Sec. 4. Severability. It is the policy of the United States to enforce this proclamation to the maximum extent possible to advance the interests of the United States. Accordingly: (a) if any provision of this proclamation, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this proclamation and the application of its other provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby; and (b) if any provision of this proclamation, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid because of the failure to follow certain procedures, the relevant executive branch officials shall implement those procedural requirements to conform with existing law and with any applicable court orders. Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This proclamation shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This proclamation is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of February, 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 Center Square) With the Democrat-sponsored election law changes failing to advance in the U.S. Senate, Illinois congressional delegation may be closing in on where the two sides can agree: Redistricting reform. Pakistani journalist, Rizawn Razi was arrested on Saturday, February 9, in Lahore, Pakistan over a series of social media posts. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) strongly criticise the arrest and detention of Razi and demand his immediate release. According to reports, Razi a TV anchor for Din News, an Urdu-language news station, was detained and arrested in his home in Lahore on Saturday. He was arrested by the Cyber Crime Wing of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for allegedly posting defamatory and obnoxious content on social media. According to the arrest warrant FIA found substantial evidence that Twitter account namely @RaziDada was associated with Rizwan Ur Rehman Razi. PFUJ and the Lahore Press Club staged a joint protest and said that the arrest was a blatant attack on freedom of expression and speech, and demanded Razis immediate release. The IFJ said: The arrest of Rizawn Razi over social media posts raises serious concerns about freedom of speech in the online space. Pakistan needs to ensure that freedom of expression is guaranteed to ensure that free speech can flourish. Indonesian President Joko Widodo has withdrawn his earlier decision to grant remission to I Nyoman Susrama, the killer of Radar Bali journalist Anak Agung Gde Bagus Narendra Prabangsa. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate Aliansi Jurnalis Independen (AJI) strongly welcome the decision by the President, which sends a strong message support press freedom in Indonesia. On February 9, on Indonesias National Press Day, answering the question from journalists in Surabaya, President Jokowi said he had already signed the remission paperwork. A few hours later, the presidential chief of staff released the statement confirming that the decree of the remission has been revised. The decision from the Presidential Palace came after continued protests from IFJs affiliate, Aliansi Jurnalis Independen (AJI). Hand in hand with civil society organisations, human rights defenders, as well as students press club, AJI urged President Joko Widodo to withdraw the pardon. The last protest was made by AJI Surabaya by displaying a giant banner on one of the main road in the city on Saturday. The banner read: withdraw the remission of journalist killer. On Friday, February 8, AJI met with the Ministry of Human Rights to present a letter cosigned by the IFJ and AJI calling for the remission to be revoked. AJI also presented a petition to the government which garnered over 48,000 signatures, as well as letters of complaint from AJI branches. Abdul Manan, chairman of AJI, said AJI appreciates the decision to retract the pardon to the journalist killer. It shows that President heard the outcry from AJI as well as civil society organisations and public in general. We hope the decision can be a good momentum for the country to resolve eight cases of journalists killing. AJI hopes the level of violence against journalists in Indonesia will decline in the future, Abdul said. The IFJ said: The withdrawal of remission is a big victory for impunity and journalists safety in Indonesia. We will always support AJI to make sure that all the unresolved cases are not forgotten. The government must end impunity for violent attacks on journalists and protect the security and safety of journalists. We congratulate AJI on its strong advocacy work. In an attack on the offices of Radio Hamsada in Telagan, Afghanistan, on February 6, two journalists were killed. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Afghanistan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) in condemning this brutal murder and demand for a throughout investigation to bring those responsible to justice. The two victims of the attack were Shafiq Areya, a reporter, and Rahimullah, the presenter of a social program. Both were in their 20s and died on the spot. Simin Hussaini, the editor of Hamsada Radio Station, confirmed to the AIJA that they did not receive any threat before the attack. "This was a targeted attack on the Radio Hamsada," said Hosaini. She told media that around 6 pm, two unidentified gunmen, who entered the building using commercial advertisement as an excuse, shot and killed both journalists. Any group or individual has claimed of responsibility for the attack. A security official, who serves in Investigation Committee of Cases related to Journalist and Media within the Ministry of Interior Affirms, told AIJA that police had arrested four suspected people so far, including two employees of the radio station, and confirmed that further efforts were underway to arrest other perpetrators. According to the In the Shadow of Violence report, the IFJs 2018 killed list report, Afghanistan was the deadliest country for journalists in the world during last year. IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said: The reigning impunity for those committing crimes against journalists and the governments lack of concrete action to protect journalists are key causes of increased violence against journalists in Afghanistan. Its time to end for crimes against journalists. We urge the Afghan government to take drastic measures to ensure the safety of journalists and justice to slain journalists. I recognize that a trial judges discretion in sentencing is to be given great deference, Raoul said at a news conference Monday. However, it is in the interest of justice that we do all within our power to make sure that such exercise in discretion be applied consistent with the mandates of law, no matter who the defendant and no matter who the victim. This woman was not just an inspiration to me, as a black woman in politics, but one who endured so much so that we could all stand here today in service to our communities, Stratton said. Ida B. Wells spent her life as an activist, and seeking to ensure that women, and black women in particular, were not isolated from political movements, despite the racism and sexism we must often contend with, even to this day. 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. Medicaid sideboards bill Legislation imposing a series of sideboards on Medicaid expansion was introduced in the Senate Health & Welfare Committee Monday afternoon on a 5-4 vote. The bill, from Sen. Mary Souza, R-Coeur dAlene, would: Authorize an optional workforce development training program for those enrolled in the Medicaid expansion; Order the state Department of Health & Welfare to apply for a federal waiver to serve those who earn between 100 percent and 133 percent of the federal poverty level through the state insurance exchange, rather than through Medicaid expansion; Order H&W to explore other waivers to enable cost-efficient use of Medicaid funds to pay for substance abuse and mental health services in institutions for mental disease"; Require the Senate and House Health & Welfare committees to review Medicaid expansion no later than Jan. 31, 2023, and recommend to the Legislature as to whether such expansion should remain in effect"; And declare that if the federal government lowers its matching funding rate below 90 percent, Medicaid expansion in Idaho would end. The bill also includes an emergency clause, making it effective immediately upon passage. It hasn't yet been assigned a bill number. By Idaho Press reporter Erin Bamer In tragedy after tragedy, when the last bus unloads and the stragglers stop arriving, everyone looks around, counts the remaining families and does the math, Cullen writes. This is the moment where parents from prior tragedies described praying for a critical injury, or bargaining with God. The death count is usually public by this time, and it gradually aligns with the family count. The last best hope is that their child is coming out of surgery in some hospital, and miraculously calling out their name. 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. Losing climate change race a 'disaster for Africa,' UN says February 10,2019 | Source: AP The United Nations chief says the world is losing the race with climate change and "this can be a disaster for Africa" and beyond. Antonio Guterres urged more political will for financing and adaptation as he spoke on Saturday ahead of a summit of the African Union continental body. He says Africa will pay a "higher price" over climate change because of the dramatic impacts, while the continent "doesn't contribute much" to global warming. Temperature increases will be greater in Africa. The UN chief also tells reporters that after recent moves toward peace in South Sudan and between Ethiopia and Eritrea, "I believe Africa is becoming an example where it is possible to solve and prevent conflicts." He hopes that spirit can be extended to the rest of the world. 2019 24.com Theme(s): Others. Somali fishermen object to shocking deal allowing China in their waters by Edwin Mora February 08,2019 | Source: Breitbart Somali fishing communities have expressed concerns that a debt trap diplomacy-linked deal between their government and China has granted Beijing a license to exploit their livelihoods legally, Radio France Internationale (RFI) reported this week. Its shocking to see the ministry of fisheries signing such a one-sided contract with a Chinese company, Abdirizak Mohamed, a Somali lawmaker representing a coastal region, told RFI. It actually gives China the advantage. Secure Fisheries, a U.S.-based program that works with post-conflict regions to strengthen governance and combat illegal fishing, recently warned: "Competition between foreign and domestic fishing for declining resources can lead to the increased occurrence and intensity of conflict between the fleets. Not only does this pit local fishers in competition against each other, it increases the chances that a Somali vessel will encounter a foreign one, increasing the likelihood of conflict." Somali lawmaker Mohamed agreed with the NGOs assessment of the negative impact the Chinese deal will have on local fishing communities, telling RFI: "There are small-scale fishing communities that have been suffering from the illegal fishing that has been taking place in our high seas; if you add that to the fact that they have the legal right to exploit our resources, then I think that we will even suffer more. Everyone is speaking about this, expressing their concerns." Somalia has the longest coastline of any African nation. In December 2018, the Somali government granted fishing licenses to 31 vessels tied to the China Overseas Fisheries Association for one year, with the ability to renew the agreement each year. While the deal only allows Beijing to fish 24 nautical miles from Somalias coast, the local fishing communities worry that the African countrys government is unable to ensure that China respects those boundaries. Furthermore, Somalis believe their government is unable to vet the Chinese vessels catch for overfishing. Stig Jarle Hansen, professor of international relations at the University of Life Sciences in Oslo, told RFI: "I dont see any credible Somali control mechanism emerging in the foreseeable future. This has to be based on the trust between the Chinese government and the Somali government its a long shot. Indeed, a lot of the countries in East Africa that havent experienced a civil war dont fully control their offshore territories, either." The analyst also conceded that Somalia lacks a strong navy required to stop overfishing. Somali fishermen are also concerned that the deal will ultimately foment piracy in the region. One of the key underlying reasons for piracy off the Somali shores was the depletion of seafood resources through illegal fishing by foreign companies, Quartz reported in December 2018 in the wake of the Somalia-China fishing pact. Mohamed, who served as Somalias minister of the interior, also noted: "The narrative here, again and again, is because of illegal fishing, this has forced many fisheries to engage in criminal activities such as piracy. And now, as China is legally entering the business, local fishermen are not going to get anything. It might reorganize them, reenergize them to engage in these criminal activities again." Analyst Hansen, however, does not think the deal will stoke piracy. I dont see it as a factor for the restart of piracy but I see it as a factor in a tragedy because one of the solutions that was implemented to stop piracy was the use of private security guards, he said. RFI acknowledged that it reached out to the Somali Fisheries Ministry for comment, to no avail. Somali officials have refuted accusations that a China used debt trap diplomacy to get fishing licenses. 2019 Breitbart Theme(s): Fisheries Development and Aquaculture. Canada ruling that prevents corporate takeover of inshore fishery upheld February 09,2019 | Source: CBC News In a decision released Friday, Canada's Federal Appeal Court sided with a 2017 Federal Court decision that upheld Ottawa's right to prevent the corporate takeover of inshore fisheries in Atlantic Canada and Quebec. At issue are controlling agreements used by companies to get around longstanding policies that local fishermen control inshore licences and the profits that come from them. The ruling revolves around the case of Labrador fisherman Kirby Elson, who entered a controlling agreement in 2003 with Quinlan Brothers Ltd. and Labrador Sea Products Inc. that gave the companies total control over every aspect of a licence even in death. The companies provided the vessel, the crew, financed the boat and reaped the profits. DFO set a 2014 deadline for fishermen to exit controlling agreements. Elson was the only fisherman in the region who explicitly refused, and he became the test case when industry filed for a judicial review of the fisheries minister's decision to take his licence away. The Federal Court sided with the fisheries minister and in Friday's ruling, the appeal court upheld the previous decision. 2018 CBC/Radio-Canada Theme(s): Others. Overcoming barriers While respondents in Singapore have cited a common goal of securing stable and rewarding jobs, the barriers to achieving this are different across the generations. Unsurprisingly, employees in their 20s cite the lack of sufficient work experience (32%) and lack of required professional skills (26%) as barriers to achieving opportunity. Beyond skills, this group also yearns for guidance and support, with the lack of confidence (24%) and fear of failure (20%) showing up as stronger perceived barriers. Some barriers stood out stronger for certain age groups compared to others. Lack of time was a greater barrier for those 30 to 49 while the pace of technological changes emerged as a key challenge for employees from 50 to 60. The study suggests that family commitments could be getting in the way of working professionals route to success and that technological advancement might be too rapid for senior workers to keep up with. PHOTOS These are the 50 most caring cities in America To be caring means to show concern for others or to be kind to them. Care can be expressed in many different ways, so WalletHub took a look at some of the most populated cities in America and ranked each according to caring for the community, caring for the vulnerable and working in caring industries. (Diamond Bridges, The Active Times) Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. The Herald has two obituary options: 1) A free obituary that is edited by our staff. 2) A paid obituary that is not edited and includes a color photo. All obituaries must come from a funeral home or crematory and can be emailed to news@houstonherald.com. Payment arrangements are made through the business handling the service. OB-GYNs practicing in the Northeast or West were far more likely to offer procedures or drugs to end a pregnancy than were their peers in the South or Midwest, and women doctors were more likely than men to do so. And those practicing in an urban or suburban setting were much more likely to do so than those treating patients in midsize towns, rural areas or communities with a heavy military presence. Briana Calderas, of Cabool, is charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and abandonment of a corpse. Her trial was recently delayed until May 2019. When President Trump arrives in El Paso today, theres a good chance his presidential limo will drive past the El Paso Service Processing Center an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility located near the airport. Within its walls, nine men from Punjab, India have endured a hunger strike, some for more than 40 days. Those men are seeking asylum in the United States and refuse food and drink until they are given a bond hearing and allowed to pursue their legal claims. Rather than being granted this fundamental and humane request, the nine hunger strikers are being force-fed through nasogastric tubes and given liquids through IVs in their arms. Consistent with damning observations of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights report from 2015 on immigrant detention, these men are in fact being subjected to conduct akin to torture. They should be released immediately. In the last two weeks, volunteers and concerned supporters have visited with the group. The men conveyed to us their poor treatment in the detention facility and the unjust handling of their cases by area immigration judges. The IVs they are administered each day leave abundant needle marks and bruising on their arms. We directly observed that the feeding tubes attached to their noses appear larger than typical feeding tubes, and the men described them as hard and painful. They bleed profusely from their noses during feedings. They allege that inexperienced medical staff improperly performs the feedings, and they are denied pillows to elevate their heads during feeding sessions. Several men indicated that medical staff shoves the tubes forcefully down into their bodies, and tugs on the tubes while they are being fed, causing additional pain. Some of the men are vomiting several times each day. They can barely walk, but rather than being taken by wheelchair to force-feeding, guards haul them by the shoulders, their feet dragging behind. All of them, despite putting their health in severe jeopardy, are willing to risk death so that they can call attention to their unjust imprisonment and the abusive treatment to which they are subjected. Fearing persecution upon return to their home country, they are prepared to die in order to seek a fair hearing. The treatment of these Punjabi men is not an anomaly. Cubans in the facility, and now a Nicaraguan, are on hunger strike. Detained migrants at facilities in Miami, Phoenix, San Diego and San Francisco are on hunger strike as well. This isnt even the first hunger strike for the men in the El Paso facility. Some told us that they protested their conditions at the Otero County Processing Center in New Mexico last year and were put in solitary confinement and transferred to their current location. ICE wants to keep hunger strikes a secret and hide the abysmal, inhumane and torturous conditions in their facilities across this country. The United States should only detain asylum seekers as a last resort. Fleeing persecution and civil turmoil, many are already traumatized enough. Yet the Trump administration has sought to lock up asylum seekers by default, even when they have sponsors, pose no threat and are not flight risks. Theyre held indefinitely and the psychological trauma is exacerbated by poor conditions and substandard, inhumane treatment in facilities like the one in El Paso. It doesnt have to be like this. ICE has the discretion to release these individuals. For the sake of their health and well-being, those on hunger strike should be released to their support networks here in the U.S. They need proper medical attention and an opportunity to justly pursue their asylum claims. An immediate, unannounced inspection of the El Paso facility by the Department of Homeland Securitys Office of the Inspector General would be appropriate given the repeated allegations of mistreatment. Independent monitors must also be allowed access to the facility. It is well past time that the public demand ICE be held accountable. The United States has had years to reform our detention practices hunger strikes in response to inhumane conditions happened under the Obama administration as well. Unjustly imprisoning migrants and asylum seekers inflicts tremendous human and economic cost upon us it is immoral. It is time to use community-based alternatives to detention and finally abolish these immigrant lockups from the United States. Brown and Craig are volunteers with Advocate Visitors with Immigrants in Detention. When the president steps foot in El Paso this morning, itll be the seventh time hes visited Texas for a campaign rally. Hes been here to look things over after Hurricane Harvey, to campaign for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and hes been in and out of the state for fundraisers. Is it too much to hope that this time hell learn something about the Lone Star State? RELATED: What does Houston get from Trump besides mockery? ALSO: ICE is trying to hide a hunger strike in El Paso At nearly every turn, Trumps statements and actions before and after he took office two years ago have revealed an ignorance of even the most basic aspects of life in Texas. Recall when he talked, absurdly, about the thousands of pleasure-boating Texans during Harvey who had to be saved by the Coast Guard. In fact, they were braving storm-tossed waters to rescue neighbors. Trump seems even more confused when he talks about the border. Take his recent comments about El Paso and the border fence completed there in 2009. El Paso, Texas used to have extremely high rates of violent crime one of the highest in the entire country, and considered one of our nations most dangerous cities, Trump said during his State of the Union address last week. Now, immediately upon its [the fences] building, with a powerful barrier in place, El Paso is one of the safest cities in our country. Thats unequivocally wrong. All Texans know that El Paso lies directly across the border from Juarez, where murder and kidnappings have at times overwhelmed local authorities. We also know that El Paso itself has for decades been universally considered one of the safest cities in America. The border fence completed in 2009 didnt make that so. The crime rate, and especially the rate of violent crimes, had been falling for nearly 20 years before that fence was completed. That El Paso has been safe for decades is borne out by more than FBI stats. Elected officials from both parties have called out Trumps falsehood repeatedly in recent days. El Paso was NEVER one of the MOST dangerous cities in the U.S, Mayor Dee Margo, a Republican, said on Twitter last week. Weve had a fence for 10 years and it has impacted illegal immigration and curbed criminal activity. It is NOT the sole deterrent. Law enforcement in our community continues to keep us safe. RELATED: To El Paso by rail, and Mexico by foot Does any of any this really matter? We wish it didnt. But sadly, Trump has a powerful hold on a significant swath of Americans and their congressional representatives who want so badly to believe his promises of greatness that they dont bother to check the fine print. They believe quickly and blindly. And by the time the fact-checkers weigh in, Trump will have moved to the next rally. Last week, the president said: Simply put: Walls work, and walls save lives. Well put it simply, too. Visitors to Texas expecting a warm welcome whether president, peon or poseur shouldnt tell lies about us. EL PASO President Donald Trump today takes his case for a border wall back to Texas as the possibility of another government shutdown just days from now looms. Trump returns to the state to hold a rally at 8 p.m. CST in El Paso, a city he said just a week ago during the State of the Union Address has seen a drop in crime because of fencing that separates El Paso from Juarez, Mexico. Now, with a powerful barrier in place, El Paso is one of our safest cities, Trump said. On Saturday, Beto ORourke countered that Trump lies about El Paso. The potential 2020 presidential contender said he will join with community leaders and elected officials for a protest march and counterdemonstration just a few miles from where Trump will deliver his speech at the El Paso County Coliseum. That march begins at 6 p.m. CST and 5 p.m. in El Paso, which is in the mountain time zone. ORourke is expected to take the stage at 8 p.m., the same time Trumps rally begins. EDITORIAL: Welcome, Mr. President. Here's the truth about El Paso El Paso rallies Trump rally When: 8 p.m. CST today Where: El Paso County Coliseum Who: President Donald Trump addresses the need for a border wall Where to watch: Will be aired live on CSPAN March for Truth When: 6 p.m. CST today Where: Starts at Bowie High School in El Paso and goes to Chalio Acosta Park Who: Former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, the Border Network for Human Rights and state Rep. Cesar Blanco. O'Rourke is scheduled to speak at 8 p.m CST at Chalio Acosta Park See More Collapse ORourke said the counterrally, called March for Truth is a positive, peaceful opportunity to tell our story. On social media over the weekend, he called on his supporters to flood El Paso with marchers. Construction of the border fencing in El Paso began in 2008 when President George W. Bush was still in office. Originally 57 miles of fencing was proposed in El Paso along the border. At least 42 miles have been built, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The barriers are a combination of steel and metal mesh and is over 20 feet high in some parts. On Sunday, Trump painted a grim picture of negotiations between congressional Republicans and Democrats on a proposed border wall. Trump ended the shutdown, but on condition that Democrats and Republicans work on a border wall deal before another potential shutdown, which could begin this week. On Sunday, talks were reported to be stalled over whether to limit the number of migrants that authorities can detain. I dont think the Dems on the Border Committee are being allowed by their leaders to make a deal, Trump wrote on Twitter on Sunday. They are offering very little money for the desperately needed Border Wall & now, out of the blue, want a cap on convicted violent felons to be held in detention! When he lands in El Paso, it will mark Trumps eighth visit to Texas since he was sworn in as president. Most recently, he was in McAllen where he also focused on the need for a border wall. When Julie Rusk decided to move to Pecan Estates, a gated community in Fort Bend County, she didnt expect that her daughter would have to worry about bouncing from one school to another. Thats what I think everybody expects, when you move into a district, Rusk said. When a real estate listing indicates a home is zoned to a certain school, she said, you dont expect, Oh Im sorry, were going to change that now. The whole area here was just devastated. Her daughter, Breeana Rusk, has experienced a lot of transition since she started sixth grade in Fort Bend ISD. She began at First Colony Middle School, but by eighth grade she was re-zoned to Baines Middle School. She waited anxiously to find out if she might attend Hightower High School, instead of the planned Ridge Point, as the district debated going through another re-zoning process. Her dilemma is increasingly common in Houston area suburbs, where the lure of a good school in a good neighborhood has fueled steady growth and development for decades. As some of these communities have matured, uneven growth patterns have led school officials to change zone boundaries in order to balance enrollments. The possibility of attending a different school than planned causes anxiety and frustration among some parents and students. As certain parts of a district grow, schools in other areas can be left feeling like a stepchild, said Guy Sconzo, executive director of the Fast Growth School Coalition. Re-zoning is just a way of life, said Sconzo, a former Humble ISD superintendent. Its just a necessary part of managing as best as possible that ongoing growth. In Fort Bend ISD, for example, some schools are brimming at capacity while enrollments at others dwindle. Several factors are at work: the opening of new schools, changes in attendance boundaries and ongoing development. Rezoning shelved: Fort Bend ISD trustees approve $10M land purchase in Rosharon for new high school The heaviest growth in the district, which now has more than 76,000 students, has come in its western section, with scattered decreases on the eastern side, according to a 2018 demographic report by Population and Survey Analysts. District officials said theyve also seen growth in pockets on the north and southeastern sides. Fort Bend ISD is on track for continued growth, driven in part by its proximity to employment opportunities. The district spent $127,000 on a contract with a consulting firm to make recommendations on changing attendance boundaries and other issues. Its voters approved a $992.6 million bond issue to build new schools and improve existing campuses. The Rusk familys concerns were eased when the school board, at its Jan. 22 meeting, scrapped the rezoning plan.The school district ultimately dropped potential new boundaries to help balance high school enrollment in the southeastern part of the district because of the accelerated opening of a new high school. But parents are still on edge. Other school districts across the area have also felt the pains of re-zoning Cy-Fair ISD and Katy ISD recently approved new attendance boundary plans. Some parents in College Station ISD filed a civil rights complaint against the school district, claiming new attendance boundaries violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Theres no fair way to do it, said Geralynn Prince, a parent at Hightower High School, about the Fort Bend districts discussion of re-zoning. The whole district needs to be shifted. I feel like if you rip the Band-aid off, do it all at once, let everybody feel the pain for a little while. Well all be mad together and then well move about our business. One street, three schools Elena Farah bought a house four years ago in the Avalon community, which is a little more than a mile away from Commonwealth Elementary School in Fort Bend ISD. When she bought the home, she couldnt register her child at Commonwealth because it was above capacity. Austin Parkway Elementary, the overflow campus, was also too full, and she was instructed to send her child to Colony Bend, about 20 minutes away. At one point, families on her street were sending children to three different schools, depending on when they moved into the neighborhood. Pushback: Fort Bend ISD trustees face criticism from upset parents When talking about the growth in Fort Bend, Farah mentions the recently approved bond issue as evidence that parents in the community are invested in providing their children with a good education. Were not trying to get good stuff on the cheap, said Farah. People are willing to put the money towards schools. So yes, the district is growing, but thats not an excuse for not following strategic direction. Melanie Anbarci, who has children at Fort Settlement Middle School and Clements High School, has noticed that overcrowding persists even though the district solicits community input and hires consultants to help set new attendance boundaries. Rather than being proactive, using the information, the data, the steering committee, the community input and actually taking action on it, we continue to kick the can down the road, said Anbarci. Instead of being proactive, they are being reactive. They end up in the situation where you have overcrowding for years, when it couldve been avoided. Fort Settlement Middle School has 1,551 students, the highest enrollment among Fort Bend ISD middle schools, according to the most recent district enrollment data. Commonwealth has 1,022 students, compared to some other district elementary schools with 400 to 600 students. Fort Settlement and Commonwealth are predicted to continue to grow, based on the demographic report. Still-developing subdivisions are gaining new residents as the older, built-out communities lose residents in Fort Bend, according to the report. Boundaries under review The district as a whole continues to grow. In 2005, Fort Bend ISD had 58 campuses with a little over 62,000 students. In 2019, it has over 76,000 students and 80 campuses. In a response to questions about the districts re-zoning process, Fort Bend ISD said the 2018 bond issue included funding for a new elementary school to address overcrowding at Commonwealth, and the district was looking to procure land for the school. Attendance boundaries for schools in the area, including First Colony and Fort Settlement middle schools, are under review, the district said. New enrollment at Commonwealth Elementary is limited to students who live within a two-mile radius, according to the district. As these new schools come online, we will continue to monitor annual enrollment projections (and) work with the community to establish boundaries, the district said in a statement. Moving forward, we will also be working to refine and improve our community engagement process as we adjust boundaries. Sconzo, whose organization represents dozens of Texas school district, understands the growing pains Fort Bend ISD is experiencing. Humble ISD had roughly doubled in population to 42,000 students when he retired in 2016. He said the district had to re-zone at times to help keep up with the growth. Kyle Shelton, director of strategic partnerships at the Kinder Institute for Urban Research in Houston, said more school districts might work in tandem with real estate developers to plan for and respond to growth. For example, in Alvin ISD, The Meridiana community, in the Manvel area, was built with an education focus, with learning labs like The Meridian Tower and one named after acclaimed astronomer Galileo. The district plans to open a middle school and a high school in the community in the coming years, funded by a recently approved bond issue. Like Fort Bend, Alvin ISD has dealt with rapid growth. Its enrollment last year reached 25,000, with roughly 2,818 students added to the district in two years. Alvin ISD superintendent, James Buck Gilcrease, said a recently approved $480.5 million bond package allowed the district to avoid redrawing attendance boundaries and installing more portable buildings at schools. Sconzo said Alvin ISDs situation is ideal but far from the norm. In Humble, developers were less interested in collaborating because they were able to sell homes without the school districts help, he said. We are Hightower In other parts of Fort Bend ISD, some schools feel left behind. Prince suggests the district look at allowing open enrollment at schools with lower populations, like at Hightower where the enrollment is 2,000 students. If this didnt attract enough students, the district could reconsider re-zoning, she said. Prince feels positive about sending her eighth grader to school there next year, noting that she and other parents started a group, We are Hightower, to help advocate for their school. She also has an older son who graduated from the high school a few years ago. People move to the neighborhoods they move to for the schools for the most part, said Prince. Some of them because the only thing you hear is usually the bad stuff, they dont want to go to certain schools. Weve got schools that have space available. Sconzo said districts can make low-enrollment schools more appealing by adding magnet programs. In his former school district, officials moved an early college program to Humble High School. These strategies, though, might not be enough to overcome the opposition of some students and parents. Breeana Rusk, who faced the possibility of being re-zoned to Hightower, said she did not want to be separated from friends and had been participating in band activities with Ridge Point High School. Were in a gated community, said Julie Rusk, her mother, noting that homes in her development ranged in price from $400,000 to $600,000. So when you buy that home you expect to get certain things with the area youre buying your home and one is a good school. brooke.lewis@chron.com Pauline Jeffery had let things slide since her husband died. Her bedroom was a mess. Her bathroom was disorganized. She often tripped over rugs in her living and dining room. "I was depressed and doing nothing but feeling sorry for myself," said the 85-year-old Denver resident. But Jeffery's inertia faded when she joined a program for frail low-income seniors: Community Aging in Place - Advancing Better Living for Elders (Capable). Over several months last year, an occupational therapist visited Jeffery and discussed issues she wanted to address. A handyman installed a new carpet. A visiting nurse gave her the feeling of being looked after. In short order, Jeffery organized her bedroom, cleaned up her bathroom and began to feel more upbeat. "There's a lot of people like myself that just need a push and somebody to make them feel like they're worth something," she said. "What they did for me, it got me motivated." New research shows that Capable provides considerable help to vulnerable seniors who have trouble with "activities of daily living" taking a shower or a bath, getting dressed, transferring in and out of bed, using the toilet or moving around easily at home. Over five months, participants in the program experienced 30 percent fewer difficulties with such activities, according to a randomized clinical trial the gold standard of research published this month in JAMA Internal Medicine. "If someone found a drug that reduced disability in older adults by 30 percent, we'd be hearing about it on TV constantly," said John Haaga, director of the Division of Behavioral and Social Research at the National Institute on Aging, which provided funding for the research. Positive findings are especially notable given the population that was studied: 300 poor or near-poor older adults, nearly 90 percent women, over 80 percent black, with an average age of 75 and multiple chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, arthritis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. While about 1 in 3 older adults in the U.S. need help with one or more daily activities, rates of disability and related health care costs are higher in this challenged population. Half of the older adults in the trial received the Capable intervention, which includes six visits by an occupational therapist, four visits by a registered nurse, and home repair and modification services worth up to $1,300. The control group received 10 visits of equal length from a research assistant and was encouraged to use the internet, listen to music, play board games or reminisce about the past, among other activities. Both groups experienced improvements at five months, but older adults who participated in Capable realized substantially greater benefits. Eighty-two percent strongly agreed that the program made their lives easier and their homes safer. Nearly 80 percent said it enabled them to live at home and that it increased their confidence in managing daily challenges. Sarah Szanton, who developed Capable and directs the Center for Innovative Care in Aging at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, attributes positive results to several things. Instead of telling an older adult what's wrong with them, a mainstay of medical practice, Capable staff ask older adults what they'd like to be able to do but can't do now. Seniors often say they want to cook meals for themselves, make their beds, use the stairs, get out of the house more easily, walk around without pain or go to church. The focus then turns to finding practical solutions. For someone who wants to cook but whose legs are weak, that could mean cutting vegetables while sitting down before standing up at the stove. A bed may need to be lifted on risers and a grab bar positioned between the mattress and box spring so a person can push herself up to a standing position more easily. Or, a nurse may need to go over medications and recommend potential changes to a person's primary care doctor. "Why does it work? Because we're guided by what people want, and in order to get better, you have to want to get better: It has to be important to you," said Amanda Goodenow, program manager for Capable at the Colorado Visiting Nurse Association, the agency that assisted Jeffery. In Colorado, Capable has been funded by a local foundation and Habitat for Humanity, which supports the program in six markets. Hattie Ashby, 90, who has lived in the same two-story house in Aurora, a city adjacent to Denver, for 43 years, told Goodenow last summer that she wanted to get up and down the stairs more easily and walk around outside the house. Ashby has high blood pressure and COPD. "They gave me a walker and made arrangements for me to put my oxygen tank on it so I could go to the mall," she said, recalling some of what the Capable staff did. "They fixed the wall in my bathroom and put something I could hold onto to get in and out of my bathtub. And going up and down my stairs, they put another rail on the wall where I would be able to hold onto." "It is a remarkable service for a senior citizen to be encouraged, to be helped, to be supported that way," Ashby said. It also turns out to be a cost-effective investment. For every dollar spent on Capable, nearly $10 in combined savings accrues to Medicare and Medicaid, largely because of hospitalizations and nursing home placements that are prevented, research by Szanton and others has shown. (Many Capable participants are eligible for both government health insurance programs because of their low incomes.) The average program cost per person is $2,825, far below the average $7,441 monthly cost of a semiprivate room in a nursing home in 2018. With a new grant of nearly $3 million from the Rita & Alex Hillman Foundation, Szanton is turning her attention to expanding Capable across the country. Currently, the program is available at 26 locations in 12 states, and Medicaid programs in Massachusetts and Michigan have adopted a version of it for some members. A major challenge is securing funding, since public and private insurers don't typically pay for these kinds of services. So far, foundation and grant funding has been a major source of support. Szanton hopes to persuade Medicare Advantage plans, which cover about 19 million Medicare recipients and can now offer an array of nonmedical benefits to members, to adopt Capable. Also, Johns Hopkins and Stanford Medicine have submitted a proposal to have Medicare offer the program as a bundled package of services. Accountable care organizations groups of hospitals and physicians that assume financial risk for the health of their patients are also interested, given the potential benefits and cost savings. Another priority will be looking at how to extend Capable's impact over time. Since benefits diminished over 12 months the clinical trial, additional program elements phone calls, extra visits and follow-up assessments will probably be needed, said Dr. Kenneth Covinsky, a professor of geriatrics at the University of California, San Francisco and co-author of an editorial on Capable that accompanied the study. He's bullish on Capable's prospects. "As clinicians, when we see older patients with conditions we can't reverse," Covinsky said. "We need to understand we haven't run out of things we can do. Referring patients to a program like Capable is something that could make a big difference." Houstons Citgo Petroleum has become a key piece in an international chess game over the future of Venezuela as creditors of the nearly bankrupt South American country and now the Trump administration use the money-making refiner as leverage against the government of President Nicolas Maduro. From a bankrupt gold mining company to a Russian oligarch to the Houston oil company ConocoPhillips, creditors are circling Citgo, the U.S. subsidiary of Venezuelas national oil company PDVSA, as they seek billions of dollars owed them by the PDVSA and the Venezuelan government. But with a challenge to the Maduro regime from the opposition leader, Juan Guaido, the Trump administration is trying to keep Citgo intact with an eye toward helping a new government and the Venezuelan economy recover from years of misrule. Guaido, who is recognized by the United States and other western countries as the acting president, is expected to soon name his own board of directors to run Citgo, setting up another battle for control with Maduro. Citgo saga: How the Houston refiner's future became so uncertain Citgo is the big prize, said Francisco Monaldi, a fellow in Latin American Energy Policy at Rice Universitys Baker Institute for Public Policy. I previously said theres going to be a sharkfest of payments to creditors, but now there seems to be a bigger actor stopping the sharks, which is the U.S. government. Cash cow Citgo, an American company controlled by PDVSA since 1990, has over 3,000 employees in the United States, including about 800 in Houston, and an estimated value of as much as $7 billion. It has been a steady source of cash for the Maduro government as the nations oil industry has withered and the economy collapsed. If Guaido succeeds in replacing the board, it will add more pressure on Maduro, who was recently inaugurated as president following an election marred by fraud and voting irregularities and condemned as neither free nor fair by independent observers. Citgo executives, who operate under U.S. law, appear likely to follow the direction of the new board and Guaido, analysts said. Hes taking one of the purses from the Maduro government, said Fernando Valle, senior oil and gas analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. I think it can trigger changes in Venezuela because youre basically giving a cash cow (to Guaido). Citgo, which operates three U.S. refineries, including one in Corpus Christi, has been buffeted by the ongoing political crisis in Venezuela. In late 2017, the Maduro government arrested the Citgo president and five other top executives, and has held them in Venezuela without trial for more than 14 months. CRISIS COMES HOME: Venezuelan oil sanctions would hit Gulf Coast refineries The U.S. government is moving to remove Maduro with sanctions, announced Jan. 28 that ordered Citgo to divert payments for the 500,000 barrels per day of Venezuelan crude oil imported to the United States into an account that Maduro cannot access. Two days later, White House national security adviser John Bolton met with Citgos executive team, stating that the U.S. is working to make sure Venezuelas resources are not pilfered by Maduro and his cronies. The administration is following the right policies, but theyre going to have to increase the pressure and not give Maduro time to catch his breath, said Otto Reich, a former U.S. ambassador to Venezuela under President Ronald Reagan and head of a political consulting firm. Creditors swarming Venezuela has already defaulted on $63 billion in debt and arbitration claims, according to JP Morgan. The country has over $37 billion in outstanding bonds, and Venezuela and PDVSA are on the hook for nearly $8 billion in late interest payments. PDVSA alone has said it owes $24.7 billion to bondholders. The only payments the country keeps making are on $3 billion of PDVSA 2020 bonds. The reason: If PDVSA misses those payments, it could lose Citgo because it is the collateral on the loans. Of great concern to the United States is that an auction of Citgo triggered by a PDVSA or Venezuela default would put the refiner into the hands of Russias state-owned oil company Rosneft, which already holds 49.9 percent stake in Citgo as collateral for a $1.5 billion loan. Analysts, however, said they believed that the United States would intervene to block Rosneft from gaining control of Citgo. CAUGHT IN CRISIS: Detained Citgo executives forgotten in Venezuela's turmoil Rosneft is not very high up on the U.S. Christmas card list, said Craig Pirrong, a University of Houston finance professor who specializes in energy markets. The U.S does not want Citgo falling into (CEO Igor) Sechins hands, and by extension, Putins hands. Rosneft and PDVSA bondholders thus far have held off because payments keep coming. But, other creditors, owed billions of dollars by PDVSA and Venezuela, also are eyeing Citgo as a way to collect. In the event of an auction, an August ruling in U.S. courts may have opened the door for companies to seize Citgo shares if PDVSA and Venezuela are not able to pay up, since the court ruled PDVSA and its assets are essentially an extension of the Venezuelan government. If the U.S. government does not deal with it, it could get auctioned by a judge and the shares might go very quickly, said Monaldi, the Rice fellow.Until recently, the U.S. government didnt seem to care what happened to Citgo, but now, the U.S. government is signaling that they will try to protect Citgo from creditors to preserve that company for the new regime of Venezuela. erin.douglas@chron.com Twitter.com/erinmdouglas23 In celebration of the Chinese New Year and Dwyane Wade's final All Star Game this upcoming weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina, Li-Ning has plans to release a special "Year Of The Pig" colorway of Wade's seventh signature sneaker. The Li-Ning Way of Wade 7 "Year Of The Pig" boasts a brilliant display of colors, including pink, red, blue, green and yellow, a perfect design for the star-studded festivities ahead. Although, it remains to be seen if this decorative pair of kicks will be on D-Wade's feet when he takes the court for Sunday's All-Star game. (Li-Ning Way of Wade "Year Of The Pig": Image Via Sneaker News) According to Sneaker News, the Li-Ning Way of Wade 7 "Year Of The Pig" will release Wednesday, February 13, at a special event at atmos in Harlem, where Rick Ross and Fabulous will reportedly be in attendance. The WoW 7, priced at $200, will launch alongside three other Li-Ning sneakers, the Essence, Reburn, and Furious Rider. Additionally, the kicks are also available via Way of Wade's online site. Check out some additional photos below. (Li-Ning Way of Wade "Year Of The Pig": Image Via Sneaker News) (Li-Ning Way of Wade "Year Of The Pig": Image Via Sneaker News) (Li-Ning Way of Wade "Year Of The Pig": Image Via Sneaker News) (Li-Ning Way of Wade "Year Of The Pig": Image Via Sneaker News) (Li-Ning Way of Wade "Year Of The Pig": Image Via Sneaker News) Dapper Dan has now spoken out about the controversy surrounding Gucci and Prada after the brands faced backlash for creating products that resembled blackface caricatures. Previously, the likes of T.I. and Spike Lee called for boycotts of the fashion houses until they made changes that properly reflected an effort to represent consumers of color. Now, the legendary Harlem designer, who came to prominence in the 80s and 90s for his cultural adaptations of such brands, has provided a proposition toward such aspirations. "I am a Black man before I am a brand," Dapper Dan wrote in a messsge on social media. "Another fashion house has gotten it outrageously wrong. There is no excuse nor apology that can erase this kind of insult." Dan went on to explain that he will be meeting with Gucci's CEO in Harlem to discuss the topic of inclusivity in fashion. "The CEO of Gucci has agreed to come from Italy to Harlem this week to meet with me, along with members of the community and other industry leaders. There cannot be inclusivity without accountability. I will hold everyone accountable." Previously, Dapper Dan has collaborated with Gucci on a hip-hop capsule collection, with the fashion house even helping him reopen his atelier in Harlem. While they may not be for everybody due to their flashiness, there is something to be said about just how iconic the BAPE Bapesta is. The Japanese streetwear brand designed the Bapesta with inspiration from the Nike Air Force One. Instead of a Nike swoosh on the side, there is a lightning star on the side which has what has allowed it to be distinguishable from the Nike staple. Not to mention, most colorways of this shoe features BAPE's signature camo. There have been some limited and iconic Bapestas in the past and the brand continues to release new colorways to the masses. Now the brand is releasing two new colorways that are already available for purchase. Both come in a foil finish on the upper and come in gold and silver versions. Each version has a white lightning star on the side and Bapesta branding on the back. Image via BAPE If you're looking to cop, these are available for purchase right now for $242 USD and you can find them right here: I.T Will you be copping or are these simply a pass. This year's Grammy ceremonies got off to an explosive start when Camila Cabello delivered on the awards show's first performance with a rendition of her "Havana" hit, joined by Young Thug, J Balvin, and Ricky Martin before Alicia Keys would hit the stage to offer up her first words as the Grammys' host. But, Keys decided that she would need a little help to deliver on the message that would underscore Sunday's broadcast--the power of music. Soon Alicia invited out Jada Pinkett-Smith, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez and former first lady Michelle Obama to help her double down on the inspiring message. While Gaga, Smith and Lopez were able to allude to their own experiences as entertainers to highlight how powerful music can be, Obama had to put a hold on her own remarks as she was met with roaring applause immediately after uttering her first words. "From the Motown records I wore out on the south side," she began. "To the 'Who Run the World' songs that fueled me through this last decade, music has always helped me tell my story [...] Music helps us shares ourselves. Our dignity and sorrows, our hope and joy. It allows us to hear one another, to invite each other in." Soon after, Lady Gaga would return to the stage to accept the night's first broadcasted prize for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for her and Bradley Cooper's "Shallow." When Ariana Grande dropped off her "7 Rings" single it not only sparked backlash from Soulja Boy, Princess Nokia and 2 Chainz - who accused Ariana of stealing their flows - but people also accused her of appropriating other genres. The song's co-writer, Tayla Parx, recently chatted with Vulture and defended Ariana's chart-topping song arguing that any artists can grab inspiration from any genre. Mike Coppola/Getty Images "I highly doubt those artists would want me to go through their catalogue and go through all of the songs that theyve written or they were inspired by, Tayla said. "Were at a time in music where all of these lines are being blurred. Now were able to break through what we thought hip-hop music was or pop music was and kind of ignore all of those." She added: [Arianas] allowed to fuse everything. I think its important. Its important to fuse all of these things to really bring us together, so we can look left and right at these award shows and see different kinds of artists. Ariana also received backslash over lyrics about a weave, where she hopped in The Shaderoom's comment section defending herself. "Hi hi I think her intention was to be like yay a white person disassociating the negative [stereotype] that is paired with the word 'weave' however Im so sorry if my response was out of pocket or if it came across the wrong way," she wrote. "Thanks for opening the conversation and like to everyone for talking to me about it. Its never my intention to offend anybody. MeliA Hotels International unveils INNSiDE Prague Old Town, its latest property and first hotel in the Czech capital. Melia Hotels International unveils INNSiDE Prague Old Town, its latest property and first hotel in the Czech capital. Opening in March 2019, the hotel marks a new era for the INNSiDE by Melia portfolio, fitting perfectly into the brand's evolution of design-led lifestyle and resort hotels, to give guests more freedom to relax and explore, whether they are travelling for work or leisure. This year, INNSiDE is evolving to provide spaces for travellers looking to combine work and pleasure, while focusing on sustainability. INNSIDE Prague Old Town Hotel will provide 90 modern rooms, all featuring the attributes of the INNSiDE by Melia brand. This includes in-room amenities, such as bathrobes, slippers and flip flops, a luxurious coffee machine, complimentary minibar, with fresh juices and local beer and Smeg fridges packed full of healthy treats, drinks and snacks. Superior+ rooms will also have high-end sound systems, complimentary streaming services and complimentary bike rental to encourage guests to explore the local area. Ideal for both business and leisure travellers, the hotel is within easy access to Vaclav Havel International Airport, only 15km away, and metro, bus and train stations all just a few minutes' walk from the hotel. Visitors wishing to explore the city will find all the main tourist attractions within easy reach. The Powder Tower, one of the ancient gateways to the city, is only a few minutes' walk from the INNSIDE Prague Old Town Hotel, and just a short distance further is the Old Town Square, the Jewish Quarter and Wenceslas Square, some of the biggest tourist attractions in Prague. To encourage guests to discover new neighbourhoods, they will have access to INNSiDE city guides, with local sights and tips. With health and wellness a key focus point for the brand, INNSiDE Prague Old Town will offer a gym with state-of-the-art fitness suites and the latest digital fitness software. The hotel will have an open lobby space for meetings, whether social or business, as well as boasting creative meeting room spaces including a cinema, wellness studio and recording studio, which can be hired for events and functions. The INNSiDE by Melia brand portfolio already has 38 hotels in 20 countries, 20 in operation and 18 in the pipeline. Gabriel Escarrer, Executive Vice President and CEO of Melia Hotels International, said "INNSiDE Prague Old Town will be one of the first hotels to offer all of the new attributes and sustainable features of this stunning and fast-growing brand, which adds up to the attractiveness of this amazing city. As the leading leisure hotel Group worldwide, our brands are also extremely successful in an increasingly leisure-inspired urban market, where the city of Prague stands out." Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Four Points by Sheraton Monrovia to become first internationally-branded hotel in Liberia Aleph Hospitality announced the signing of a franchise agreement with Marriott International for the first Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Liberia. Located in the capital city, Monrovia, the hotel is due to become the first internationally branded hotel in the country upon opening in 2020 and will be managed by Aleph Hospitality under the Four Points by Sheraton brand. The property is ilocated in the city's central business district, adjacent to the United Nations mission and in close proximity to a number of government organisations and commercial offices. It will offer 111 stylishly appointed guest rooms to the capital's expanding business traveller base, along with meeting facilities and a multitude of food and beverage outlets, including one all-day-dining venue, one speciality restaurant, a beach bar and grill and a rooftop bar. Guests will also be able to take advantage of a gym, spa, swimming pool and access to the beach. The hotel will boast Four Points by Sheraton's approachable design and excellent service and reflect the brand's promise to provide what matters most to today's independent travellers. The opening of the hotel will play a vital role in helping to realise the country's tourism strategy, which aims to deliver 15 million international visitors by 2023. "With President Weah announcing plans just last month to greatly simplify the visa entry system and look to develop a national tourism board to drive inbound visitor numbers, Liberia looks set to significantly grow its share of voice in the African tourism industry," commented Bani Haddad, Managing Director, Aleph Hospitality. "The increasing number of international guests will bring with them a strong demand for international quality accommodation and we greatly look forward to managing the operations of the hotel to world-class standards and making the Four Points by Sheraton Monrovia the destination of choice in the city." Expected to create over 100 new jobs when open, the hotel, which is owned by Sea Suites Hotel LLC, will be operated by Aleph Hospitality under a third-party management model. This model, ubiquitous in the U.S. and European hotel industries but in its infancy in Africa, is proven to deliver superior value for the owner through a combination of the benefits afforded by an international brand married with a highly-focused and personalised management approach aligned to the interests of the owner. "By appointing Aleph Hospitality to manage our hotel, we have secured not only one partner but two, with Aleph executing a franchise agreement for the Four Points brand which would not have been possible if we were managing the hotel ourselves," said Joe Barbar, President of Sea Suites Hotel LLC. "We look forward to the hotel opening and creating history as the first internationally branded hotel in the country." Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts veteran Mohamed Elbanna has been promoted to Regional Vice President and General Manager of Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach, with regional responsibilities including his guidance of Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club and the future Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Fort Lauderdale, currently under development. Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts veteran Mohamed Elbanna has been promoted to Regional Vice President and General Manager of Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach, with regional responsibilities including his guidance of Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club and the future Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Fort Lauderdale, currently under development. "I am truly honoured to be a part of our brand's expansion throughout this celebrated Sunshine State," says Elbanna. "From the extraordinary teams to the beautiful destinations, each property is a distinctive oceanfront gem." A true brand ambassador, Mohamed's Four Seasons career spans nearly 17 years at properties across the globe. First joining Four Seasons in 2002 on the opening team in Sharm El Sheikh before moving onto Alexandria, he arrived in the US in 2008 at The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago (formerly a Four Seasons hotel). His next destinations would be Nevis and Westlake Village, California before arriving at Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach as General Manager in 2017. Elbanna quickly made his mark including energising the employee experience, a team that has been awarded the Forbes Five Star accolade for the past 20 consecutive years. His leadership kept the team poised to deliver as the Resort embarked on a recent multimillion-dollar renovation and also earned his promotion to Senior General Manager in 2018. The newly reopened Palm Beach Resort, in collaboration with some of the world's best design and culinary talent, features interior design by Martin Brudnizki and Florie's, the first restaurant and bar in the United States in partnership with Chef Mauro Colagreco whose flagship restaurant Mirazur holds three Michelin stars and is ranked third on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2018 list. With such recognisable accomplishments, the selection of Elbanna to oversee additional notable brand locations was a natural designation. The Surf Club's legendary property and its storied history as a gathering place for the social elite has been reframed and reimagined by celebrated architects and designers for today's cosmopolitan traveller. An exclusive oasis in the northern area of the Miami Beaches, Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club is an iconic oceanfront property, with just 77 hotel rooms and a selection of hotel residences, a world-class Spa and Le Sirenuse Miami and Champagne Bar. Positioned along the Atlantic Ocean and beaches of Fort Lauderdale, Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Fort Lauderdale will offer unmatched access to a lifestyle of leading amenities, services and design and will include 90 Private Residences and 130 guest rooms. Having celebrated its groundbreaking in April 2018, the 22-story oceanfront property is slated to open in 2021. Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Fort Lauderdale will mark the third collaboration between Four Seasons and Fort Partners, joining Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach and Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club in extending the luxury hospitality brand's presence in South Florida. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource 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 Either way, its an image of a fetus in utero. Margaret Carlyle stared at it. She said it reminded her more of a Cabbage Patch Doll those toys of the 80s, born from produce or maybe the folk legend that babies are delivered by storks. Its a 17th-century German engraving of a woman, and its pretty nutty: The mother in the image resembles a marble statue, casually inviting you to gaze into her stomach, inside which sleeps a infant, nuzzled at the heart of her, uh, cabbage. Its also the first thing you see as you enter The Fetus in Utero: From Mystery to Social Media, a new exhibit at the University of Chicago about the history of visual imagery of wombs carrying fetuses, and like much of whats found in this intriguing, disturbing show, its a reminder that, for centuries, we had no idea what exactly was going on inside of pregnant women. Industry Update Performance 11 February 2019 Horwath HTL Industry Report: Asia pacific chains report 2019 share this article 1 min Horwath HTL are delighted to announce the launch of the 2018 Asia Pacific Hotel Chains & Hotels Report. 11 key markets in Asia Pacific are highlighted, examining the relationship between branded hotels and their independent counterparts. Who has the most successful brands? Who is growing the fastest? Which market has the least amount of hotels connected to a brand? Who has the most? All of these questions and many more are answered in this comprehensive industry report, now available for free from the Horwath HTL website. Enjoy! Related Document Horwath HTL Industry Report: Asia pacific chains report 2019 Horwath HTL are delighted to announce the launch of the 2018 Asia Pacific Hotel Chains & Hotels Report. 11 key markets in Asia Pacific are highlighted, examining the relationship between branded hotels and their independent counterparts. Who has the most successful brands? Who is growing the fastest? Which market has the least amount of hotels connected to a brand? Who has the most? Download document (4 MB) Press Release 11 February 2019 Kinseth Hospitality Company (KHC) is pleased to announce the official Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening Celebration of the TownePlace Suites by Marriott hotel in Dubuque, Iowa. The grand opening ceremony for the TownePlace Suites by Marriott, located at 1151 Washington Street, took place on Thursday, February 7, 2019, with nearly 130 guests in attendance. To kick-off the event, Molly Grover, Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO; Rick Dickinson, Greater Dubuque Development Corp President and CEO; Roy D. Buol, Mayor of Dubuque; and Rob Wartella, Kinseth Hospitality; shared their excitement about the new TownePlace Suites hotel. Advertisements "Kinseth Hospitality is happy to bring this all suite Marriott branded hotel to the great community of Dubuque," said Ben Kinseth, Executive Vice President of Kinseth Hospitality Companies. "We started thinking about Dubuque in the mind-set of extended stay and also realized there wasn't a lot of Marriott hotels in Dubuque. The TownePlace Suites seems to be the perfect fit for Dubuque; a perfect size, premium extended stay, and great location in the Millwork District." TownePlace Suites by Marriott is an extended-stay hotel where you can balance work and life as you like with the comfort, flexibility and affordability you require. Relax and feel at home with a fully equipped kitchen, high-speed Internet access, Container Store closet system, and laundry facility. Maintain healthy living with our Get Fit center, and a wide variety of options on our breakfast buffet. Our TowneMap will help you become an area expert and enjoy everything Dubuque has to offer. Get a breath of fresh air in our exterior lounge area, cozy up by the fire pit, or quickly become a grill master in our exclusive Weber grilling station. Let our friendly, knowledgeable and experienced staff help make your stay a memorable one. TownePlace Suites Downtown Dubuque These suites are built for the extended stay traveler who appreciates independence and the space for a relaxed and productive stay. Guests have come to know us by our modern spacious suites with full kitchens, free Wi-Fi, free breakfast and friendly staff who deliver a warm "hello" when you walk through the door. Guests will also receive complimentary hot breakfast, free Wi-Fi, and access to the business center, fitness center, indoor pool, and outdoor patio and grill area! For more information, visit towneplacesuites.marriott.com. About Kinseth Hospitality Kinseth Hospitality is a leading hotel management, development and ownership company. KHC has a proven track record of developing and operating award-winning hotels, restaurant and meeting facilities. Kinseth Hospitality is based in North Liberty, Iowa and currently operates over 70 hotels and 5 branded restaurants in 11 states. For more information regarding KHC please contact our Corporate Sales and Marketing Team at 319-626-5600 or visit www.kinseth.com. Supplier News 11 February 2019 Fornova and EyeforTravel's white paper has uncovered that the greatest factor impacting rate integrity is contracted wholesalers, which are selling inventory to Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) that do not have direct agreements with hotels. This is resulting in lost market share and revenues for both hotels and partner OTAs. The depth of this is revealed by Fornova monitoring of nearly 10 million shops made through metasearch engines in 2018. Contracted OTAs on average undercut hotels in 14% of the shops with leads times less than 14 days and in 26% of shops with leads times above 14 days. However, when it comes to non-contracted sellers, the share of shops that were undercut doubled or trebled, depending on the time frame. 39% of hotels' direct rates advertised on meta were undercut by these actors for stays less than 14 days rising to 74% for those with lead times above 14 days Furthermore, non-contracted OTAs are undercutting more aggressively than contracted counterparts. On average, OTAs working under agreements with the hotel posted rates that were 5% to 6% lower than the direct rate. This jumps up to 10% for non-contracted sellers advertising for lead times under 14 days and 11% for lead times above 14 days The majority of this is coming from wholesalers moving on inventory, which is then posted by other sellers. Fornova CEO Dori Stein estimates that 40% to 50% of hotel inventory contracted to wholesalers is leaked online, despite the fact that they negotiate for static rates, based on the fact that those rates will be opaque to consumers who are purchasing the room as part of a package with other services included. The growth of APIs has allowed more players to access and market inventory to more partners but this is not necessarily in the hotel's best interest. Hotels need to have a view on who is selling their inventory and at what price to protect their brand's integrity and also to prevent their prices being consistently undercut by wholesalers who should not be placing inventory in this manner. Failing to do so means hotels cannot understand the true effectiveness or cost of their marketing and sales efforts and for consumers to shift away from seeing value in making a direct booking. The issue is ongoing for Thailand-based Dusit International, which operates primarily in Southeast Asia and which maintains static contracts with a multitude of traditional wholesalers. "There is crossover between all of the different players on various channels and that makes it very hard to maintain rate integrity," said Chatchai Pongprapat, assistant vice president, revenue management. The company's solution has been to partner with Fornova, which polices the rates and in turn, Dusit tackles rate disparities one-by-one as they arise, while also reconsidering the terms and conditions of individual static contracts in order to keep the hotels from being undercut. However, resolving each rate discrepancy doesn't necessarily remedy the issue in the long-term. The third-party vendor will rectify the issue at the time it occurs says Stein, but without contractual obligations, the partner isn't necessarily obligated to maintain parity in the long-term. Plus, they will often change the rate in the local market where the hotel's revenue or distribution team is located, while leaving incongruent rates in international markets as it's more difficult for the hotel to verify that the changes have been made. According to Fornova CEO Dori Stein, "when hotels have a bad parity situation and they're on meta, they're effectively paying to tell the world that their brand.com rates aren't the cheapest." For more on how metasearch is shaping the digital accommodation market, download the free white paper now. This white paper, made in conjunction with Fornova, gives real-world data on hotel, wholesaler and OTA bidding strategies, alongside consumer behaviours, and meta success metrics. Use these to understand the channel, the competitive landscape and build a winning strategy! Learn the following from this white paper: The state of the metasearch market. Market penetration rates among consumers and hotels. Consumer behaviours on metasearch. OTA bidding strategies. Techniques to succeed on metasearch. The outlook for meta. Click here to download the white paper for free now. Pipeline 11 February 2019 The Residence Inn by Marriott Accra Kotoka Airport, will mark the debut of the extended-stay brand in the country. Projected to open in 2023, the 12-story hotel will have 160 suites with separate living, working and sleeping zones, all equipped with fully functional kitchens. Other facilities in the hotel will include three food and beverage outlets, including a rooftop bar, a health and leisure club and a boardroom. The hotel will be located in the Airport Residential Area of Accra and less than 1.5 kilometers from the Kotoka International Airport. A franchised property, the hotel will be managed by Yamusah Hotels Management Company Limited, the owner and developer of the property. Pipeline 11 February 2019 The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), South Asia's largest hospitality company introduces its iconic brand, Taj to Alwar in Rajasthan. This will be the twelfth IHCL branded hotel in the state. The new Taj branded hotel is a Greenfield project near the scenic Siliserh Lake surrounded by picturesque views of the Aravalli Mountain Range. The hotel will comprise 170 expansive rooms including 50 branded villas. With a host of dining options, large meeting and banqueting facilities, wellness areas and recreation zones, the hotel will be the perfect destination for guests travelling for business or leisure. It is slated to open in 2022. Now Open 11 February 2019 IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world's leading hotel companies, has signed a franchise agreement with CL Capital to debut voco, IHG's new upscale brand, in the West Midland's town of Solihull. The hotel will be managed by Kew Green Hotels (KGH) and will be the second voco property in the UK, following the opening of voco St. David's, Cardiff. The 180-room voco St. John's, Solihull has recently opened under the voco brand, following a transformative refurbishment to the guest rooms, lobby, and the hotel's restaurant and bar. The hotel benefits from the voco brand's bold and distinctive interior design, bringing warmth and a modern touch. With more than 1,230sqm of meeting space across 13 different rooms, the hotel will cater to a variety of business and leisure events of all sizes, from small and large conferences, to weddings of up to 700 guests. The hotel also offers a host of leisure facilities, including a fully equipped health club with an indoor swimming pool, sauna and gym. voco, inspired by the meaning 'to invite' or to 'come together' in Latin, combines the informality and charm of an individual hotel, with the quality and reassurance of a global and respected brand. voco is IHG's newest brand, launched in June 2018. It is focussed on conversion opportunities and strengthens IHG's offer in the $40 billion upscale segment, which is expected to grow by a further $20 billion by 2025. The new brand from IHG is set for rapid expansion with a view to open more than 200 voco hotels in attractive urban and leisure locations over the next 10 years. BEDFORD A North Lawrence Community Schools bus works its way down Fifth Street through the signage for the construction Thursday. The intersection of Fifth Street and Lincoln Avenue is closed for a stormwater construction project. NLCS has rerouted some buses that travel the area and made changes to a few student pickup spots. Enter the Once Upon A Child Spring Style Sweepstakes today for the chance to WIN! Refresh your child's wardrobe! You could be the LUCKY WINNER of $200 in Store Cash! Hebert broke the closing news to his staff during the week prior to the report. He called it probably the hardest thing Ive ever had to do and terrifying, but said the staff response has been nothing but supportive. Not one employee has moved on yet, and he said at least one employee has since roped in a bar-owning friend who is now involved in potential partnership discussions. 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 Mostly cloudy. A sprinkle or two possible. High 76F. Winds SW at 5 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low around 59F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. A chair has an archetypal shape, right? Not if you follow the current direction taken by contemporary designers. Radical new shapes are emerging as new technologies combine with traditional handcrafting to create visually striking seats that balance structural elegance with unprecedented freedom of form. Take Alex Hulls hand-forged bronze Line chair, priced 20,400, from Mayfair-based Gallery Fumi. The Nottingham Trent University graduates one-off design pushes concept and craft to its absolute limits. Or check out the limited-edition Fibonacci chair with its dramatically curling back rest, from Dutch-Croatian-Indonesian designer Sebastian Brajkovic price on request from Carpenters Workshop Gallery. Limited edition, museum quality chairs You can argue these designs are more like artworks than chairs for everyday use, yet both are fully functional. The same can be said for the sculptural LInfini chair created by Gildas Berthelot for Paris-based Galerie BSL. Its curvaceous arabesques wowed visitors to The Salon Art + Design in New York where it launched in November. Hand-carved by Montreal-based Berthelot in bleached maple or walnut or ebonised maple, it is available in three sizes, each in an edition of three, priced about 48,000. Thats a staggering price for a chair, I hear you say but this is museum-quality work. Berthelots designs feature in Quebecs Fine Art Museum, while Brajkovics work is held in New Yorks Museum of Arts and Design and at the V&A. 'Haute couture' furniture design Designs like these are akin to the yawning gap between haute couture and high street fashion. And where the avant-garde lead, others will surely follow. Boundary-breaking seating by London-based, Australian designer Brodie Neill includes his Cowrie chair for Made in Ratio, priced 2,376. Inspired by the concave lines of seashells, its created from bent plywood using a single-surface fold with either a walnut or natural or ebonised ash veneer. The curvilinear shape results from an extensive research process that bridges the handmade with the digital to create a seemingly seamless all-in-one structure, says Neill. Designers are also creating crisply geometric forms using unusual material combinations. Check out Poltrona 103 from Milan-based DimoreStudio, price on request, which has a well-deserved reputation for richly layered interior design projects. This neat armchair has a glossy, lacquered wood and aluminium structure while its seat and back are covered in fabric and pink mirror. Sculptural yet functional seating Equally eye-catching are architect Daniel Libeskinds compact Elemental Split Unit armchairs launched at his solo show Fundamental Elements, at David Gill Gallery last autumn. Available in blue patinated bronze with white Carrara marble or black patinated bronze and stainless steel, each chair comes in a limited edition of eight, priced 57,600 each. 57,600: blue patinated bronze with white Carrara marble chair by Daniel Liebeskind Design inspired by space Lunar and planetary orbits are the inspiration behind the curved trajectories of Lara Bohincs latest linear seating. The London-based jewellery and furniture designer plays with circles, squares and half-circles to create elegantly minimal designs such as Celeste (2,859), Orbit (2,757), Solar (2,953) and Lunar (2,868). Frames are made from galvanised steel with Kvadrat wool fabrics for seats and backs. Im inspired by the perpetual circular movement of the planets, says Bohinc. A globe is the perfect geometric shape graphic and feminine, modern yet ancient. The cosmos is also cited by London-based design duo, Patrik Fredrikson and Ian Stallard, as inspiration for their boundary-breaking Species seating, with a chaise at 57,600 and sofa at 66,000, each a one-off piece, from David Gill Gallery. Species is a study in evolution through the media of furniture design, says Stallard. Sculptural yet functional, these baroque seats are created from polyurethane, rubber, fibreglass and polyester. This unusual combination of materials gives them a raw energy that generates emotional appeal while being comfortable for lounging. Just as unconventional is New York-based, Turkish designer Betil Dagdelens sinuous Peacock chair made from hose, foam, steel, cable, alpaca yarn and custom upholstery, priced about 11,400 from Cristina Grajales Gallery. Hyde Park entrepreneur Corey Gilkey first experienced Belgian-style pommes frites, the fries typically served in Europe as street food in a paper cone with mayonnaise and a tiny fork, while he traveled on the Continent. When Gilkey, who also owns sneaker shop Leaders 1354 in Chicago, started his freestyle fry shop Friistyle as a pop-up, he collaborated with other black-owned restaurants, including Mikkey's and LiteHouse (as well as Korean-Mexican Seoul Taco, Korean-Polish Kimski and Triple Crown in Chinatown) before opening his own stand. A 97-year-old Indian-origin man in the UAE has got his driving licence renewed for the next four years, a media report has said. Tehemten Homi Dhunjiboy Mehta, who was born in 1922, could become the first centenarian to be driving on Dubai roads in three years. His licence is valid until October 2023, Gulf News reported Saturday. Coincidentally, Prince Philip, the 97-year-old husband of British Queen Elizabeth II, has voluntarily surrendered his driving licence, weeks after the duke miraculously escaped unhurt in a terrifying accident that injured two women in another car. Mehta, a Kenyan of Indian descent, lives alone and is in no hurry to hit the roads as he thinks cars make people lazy. He prefers to walk -- sometimes up to four hours daily. The long-time Dubai resident, who never married, last drove a vehicle in 2004. He now uses public transport or travels around on foot. Dont tell anyone. Its the secret of my robust health and long life. And yes, I dont smoke or drink, Mehta says as he chuckles. He came to Dubai in 1980 and took up an accounting job at a five star hotel where he worked until 2002 when a routine background check of employees revealed his age and he was asked to put in his papers. I was 80 then with no family and nowhere to go so I dug into my lifetimes savings and bought a one-bedroom apartment in the city to secure a life-long residency in the safe environs of Dubai. I have been living as a loner for the most part of life as I never got married. I have a younger sister in the UK who I visit every summer but I banished all thoughts of relocating there after I was mugged in London in broad day light some years ago. I cant imagine that happening in Dubai so I would rather stay here, Mehta said. All of Mehtas friends are long dead and the only support he has here is from members of law firm Al Midfa and Associates whom he contacted in 2004 to help draft a will. In 2012, the law firm celebrated his 90th birthday at the hotel where he worked for over three decades. If there were an old age home here, I wouldve happily sold my apartment and moved there to enjoy my remaining life to the hilt. Presently, I am living on a tight budget as I have had no income for 17 years. My finances are fast dwindling. The mandatory insurance cost also eats away my limited savings, he said. Mehta does all the household chores himself. The day is almost over by the time I wake up which is around 1.30 PM. I prepare freshly brewed tea for myself and then flick through news channels before heading out for long walks. Sometimes I walk for up to four hours. Occasionally I take the Metro to visit malls, he said. The only meal Mehta has is dinner which is mostly at 9 PM from one of the many restaurants in his neighbourhood. I return home around midnight and read the previous days newspaper or watch TV before going to bed at 4.30 AM. The proverb early to bed early to rise makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise may work for most people but not for me, he added as he smiled. On Sundays episode of Koffee With Karan 6, he host and filmmaker Karan Johar kicked off the show on a sweet note. His guest for the night, actor Kartik Aaryan brought him a box of pinni, a small gesture of love from him and his family. Also making debut at the coffee couch was his co-star from upcoming film Luka Chuppi, Kriti Sanon. As they settled in their seats, Karan asked Kartik about Sara Ali Khans declarations of love for him, his dinner date with Ananya Panday and even a movie date with Shraddha Kapoor, as hinted by Kriti herself. Kartik denied there is anything cooking between him and the girls but he did say that he will ask Sara out on a date as soon as he earns enough money, a condition put forward by Saras father and actor Saif Ali Khan. He said he is simply friends with Ananya, with whom he will be seen in the remake of Pati Patni aur Woh. The recently announced film also stars Bhumi Pednekar. Also read: Alia Bhatt has responded to Kangana Ranauts grow a spine comment: I dont deserve reaction like this Kriti Sanon handled karan Johars questions with ease. As for Kriti, Karan said in no uncertain terms that he knows she used to date Sushant Singh Rajput but the two have broken up now for whatever reasons. Kriti denied the rumours and said she was never dating Sushant. Karan still didnt believe her and called her out again on her lie, later in the episode. Karan then asked the two about their experience in Bollywood so far. Kartik talked about how he got admission in a college in Mumbai, which allowed him to skip classes and go to auditions instead. He said he lived in a two-bedroom apartment with 12 boys but he was still happy. He added that he used to skip classes so often that once his teacher said shell pass him in the subject if he could say what her name was. Kartik didnt know her name and failed the subject. He said he completed his studies after Pyar Ka Punchnaama 2 because his mom didnt want him to be an uneducated actor. As for Kriti, she said she never thought about becoming an actor until she started doing ad films. It was then that she realised how much she likes to be in front of the camera and could also act. Kriti also talked about the apprehensions people had about her playing a small town girl in Bareilly Ki Barfi. She said after the film, however, she only got roles of a small town girl. When Karan asked her what makes her insecure, she said when she wants to do more interesting roles but no one gives her the opportunity. She said she believes she can do as well as Alia Bhatt or Deepika Padukone but doesnt get the opportunity. She even talked about nepotism, saying that a few actors with connections get a lot of exposure before even getting signed and an offer for a second movie before their first one hits theatres. In the Koffee Shots game, Kriti confessed crushing on a co-star, getting her heart broken and snooping into a partners phone. Kartik said he has only ever been in a relationship once with a girl who dumped him because he wanted to be an actor. Shot by the man behind the incredible yearly calendars! If youre watching the episode, answer this question with #KoffeeWithKriti and tag @starworldindia to win a Koffee mug autographed by @KritiSanon. pic.twitter.com/7VKFg2cyMB Star World (@StarWorldIndia) February 10, 2019 In the rapid fire round, Kriti said she would set Kartik up with Sara, had Hrithik Roshan posters in her room as a teenager and would like to have Alias body of work. On his turn, Kartik chose Sara over Janhvi as the one star to look forward to and even said he liked her sense of style when Kriti said she wouldnt want to raid her closet. Karan asked Kartik who he considered overrated in Bollywood, the actor said he would not consider anyone overrated. When Karan told him Badshah took his name as the overrated actor, Kartik said he liked Badshahs music and also revealed that the rapper had called him after watching Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety and said that he and his family liked his performance in the movie. Kartik ended up winning the hamper, which he said he would share with Kriti. Follow @htshowbiz for more Their soulful symphonies have touched hearts far and wide. And their first performance in Sri Lanka is a testimony to the same. The sarod trio Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his sons Ayaan and Amaan Ali Bangash performed as part of the cultural event, Strings of Peace, organised by the High Commission of India in Colombo, recently. The experience, Amaan says, was humbling. Its an honour to share the stage with your family, especially your teacher, my father. To be on the stage, and to perform at the level he has created for sarod, is difficult. Ayaan, my younger brother is a fine musician, today. I get pisoed (sandwiched) in the middle. Between a father and a younger brother, you have to play like the elder brother, he laughs. Expats from their country listened to Vande Mataram, and our and their national anthems. People were nice, warm and loving; the food was amazing, adds Amaan. I see my mother and father in him. I never understood this whole sibling rivalry. Parents are never there for long in life, you can only find your parents in your sibling because they live through him/her, says, Amaan Ali Bangash As our conversation veered into topics of performing with one another, and whether they (the brothers) feed into each others energies on stage and otherwise in life too, Ayaan smiles before sharing, My brother and I perform a lot together and individually as well. The fact that we are brothers, our nature reflects onto our music, too. He inspires me and I would like to believe that I inspire him too. He adds, We are also more of friends, so weve never rehearsed before any concert. Unless its a collaboration with more musicians. Amaan adds that they both challenge each other in a good way. He says, I see my mother and father in him. I never understood this whole sibling rivalry. Parents are never there for long in life, you can only find your parents in your sibling because they live through him or her. My brother and I perform a lot together and individually, too. The fact that we are brothers, our nature reflects onto our music. He inspires me and I would like to believe I inspire him too, says, Ayaan Ali Bangash The worlds of western and Indian classical will unite as part of a Peace Tribe concert with Grammy-winning guitarist Sharon Isbin in the Capital on February 22 at Kamani auditorium. I am very excited as sarod and guitar are cousins on some level as they are both stringed instruments, says Ayaan, who also paid homage to tabla maestro Ustad Alla Rakha with his brother Amaan, on February 3, in Mumbai. Asked if Bollywood projects are in the pipeline, Ayaan who is set to release an album with Karsh Kale soon shares, Its a lovely time to do music in films as well. But there needs to be an offer which appeals to us. Interact with the author on Twitter/@Nainaarora8 More than 60km from the city, Class one students revise their Marathi alphabets on a chilly Thursday morning. As they go through the vowels and consonants, a rhythm emerges: ka karvanda cha (k stands for wild berries), say students. At the Khorichapada zilla parishad (ZP) school, run by the Palghar district administration, new entrants who come from adjoining hamlets are welcomed in their local language Warli to make learning fun and easy. The brainchild of Rajan Garud, a teacher, the school follows a bilingual approach to teaching students from Classes one to five. In 2017, with the help of the schools head teacher, Jaywant Pared, Garud translated the language textbook for Class one students into Warli, a language spoken in Palghar, south Gujarat and parts of Nashik, to help them transition to Marathi with more ease. Students who come here only speak Warli at home. We realised that imposing Marathi on them from the beginning will only make them disinterested in studies. We thus decided to have a bilingual approach and translated the text, said Garud. From basic words to sentences and then complex concepts, everything is first taught in the local dialect and then in Marathi. By Class two, students start picking up Marathi slowly, he added. Garud is one of the many teachers in the state who are trying to better the quality of teaching amid challenges like poor infrastructure, absence of resources and administrative apathy. Asked about how the initiative has helped improve learning, Krutika Naru Baraf, a Class five student from the school, says, I feel a lot more confident speaking Marathi now. This has helped me understand concepts well. Ranjisinh Disale, a ZP school teacher from Madha taluka in Solapur, is famously referred to as a global teacher by the villagers. In 2014, Disale realised that students need to learn beyond textbooks. While he decided to use technology to better the learning experience for his students, the school only had one laptop. It would take a long time to show content to students on a single device. I tried to look for solutions online and found an easy option QR codes. In the days to come, I created QR codes and pasted them in textbooks. These codes could be scanned with the help of mobile phones and additional resources on the topic would pop up. In 2015, state government adopted Disales idea and made QR codes available in Balbharti textbooks. In order to expose students to a global environment, Disale also started to conduct Skype sessions with various schools across the world. So far, students of the school have learnt about 142 countries. There were nine students from Classes one to four in 2009. Today, there are 47, thanks to these changes, he says. At Chiradpada ZP school in Bhiwandi, Pandurang Bhoir has come up with a low-cost strategy to make science interesting for students. Bhoir uses waste materials like plastic bottles, old wires and rubber to make models with the help of which, students can conduct experiments. In rural areas, students are mostly scared about science owing to lack of exposure to the subject. Setting up a sophisticated lab is a costly affair for which there is no funding. With the help of discarded items, we created models with the help of which students can learn about important concepts like air pressure, electricity generation, among others. While Bhoir initiated the project in 2016, his students are now taking it forward. Recently, a student won an award for coming up with a protective guard for trees made of old plastic bottles, which would save them from forest fires and soil erosion. Students are no longer scared of experimenting, which is a big achievement of the project, he added. Jagdish Indalkar, principal of KVK School in Ghatkopar, said while rural schools have issues with respect to access, those in cities have to often deal with apathy from staff and parents. The school runs an initiative called Bolkya Bhinti (talking walls). where each wall of the school is used to create learning aids for students from maps to mathematical formulas. We realised that students in the city do not get enough activity owing to sedentary lifestyles and thus decided to rearrange our breaks. Instead of just one long break, we have short breaks after every two periods for students to go around the school. Despite their innovations, however, the teachers have to still struggle for basics. We have to teach 40 students in a single classroom because the second classroom needs repairs. It is sad to see that despite our innovative practices being recognised, there is no improvement in the support that we get to keep going. Teachers double up as clerks and peons to do everything from planting trees in the campus to serving midday meals. Vechya Gavit, a teacher who came up with innovative teaching practices in 1995, said most teachers like him are driven by the sheer motivation of giving children a better learning environment. Gavit, who earlier worked at a school in Karjat, is now working at the Regional Development Authority. I started out in a decrepit structure in Karjat, which looked nothing like a school. After learning the local dialect and interacting with parents, I could slowly bring about interest in learning among students. At a time when most villages still lack access to basic facilities, teachers who wish to bring about a change can only make learning interesting. Gavits efforts had prompted the education department to include dialects in language textbooks from 2012. Recently, Balbharti, the publishing bureau of the state came up with the first bilingual text book. The book for class ones Marathi has translated text in Madia, local language of primitive tribes in Gadchiroli. Ashwini Sonavane , education officer in the region, sent a proposal to the board to come up with text for kids to understand the language well. Most kids here speak only their local dialect and find it difficult to adjust to Marathi initially. A bilingual text helps in initial orientation, she said. aritra.hazra@hindustantimes.com Four foreign nationals, who were allegedly carrying 6.492kg of cocaine, worth 38.95 crore, concealed in the rings stitched on curtains for it to pass through the rod, were arrested from Andheri (West) on Saturday. They have been remanded in police custody for seven days. Police had got a tip-off that three Nigerian men and a Brazilian woman were carrying narcotics in their bags, but on intercepting them, they only found curtains in the bags. Our team grew suspicious on finding so many curtains, said Manoj Kumar Sharma, additional commissioner of police, west region. The team, headed by police inspector Daya Nayak, then started to check the curtains. On opening the rings, they found thin tubes containing white powder fitted around it. Each of the 78 curtains had eight rings carrying cocaine. The police seized the substance and arrested the four accused Niras Okhovo, 35, Simon Agobata, 32, Michael Hope, 29, and Brazilian national Karle Iris, 41 who were on their way to meet a fifth accused, after which they were to send it via courier. The woman, who was arrested in connection with a drugs case, was released from Byculla jail recently. Police have also retrieved the machine which the accused used to roll the tubes. A raid at the Koparkhairane residence of the accused led the police to multiple passports, but none of them is in their names. The fifth accused is absconding. We will arrest him soon. We are also tracking the courier companies that sent the consignments in the international market. We are enquiring whether they have any role in it or not, said Nayak. A source said they suspect the cocaine was initially sourced from Afghanistan and was supplied to dealers in the international market. Police said they will be able to ascertain the supplier after further interrogation of the accused. Sources said they have so far retrieved three courier receipts from the accused, two of which are to Johannesburg and one to Auckland. Police said one of their consignments recently reached South Africa, which will reach the destination soon. A 65-year-old man who runs a taxi business and had allegedly been stealing cars for two decades in order to replace parts in his taxis that needed repair, has been arrested by the property cell of the Mumbai crime branch. Police said after removing the parts he needed from the stolen cars, the accused sold them to scrap dealers. During inquiry, police learnt there are 43 cases registered against the accused in Mumbai. The accused has been identified as Mohammad Kamil Noor Mohammad Ansari, a resident of Nagpada area. He has a second residence at Dindoshi in Goregaon (East), police said. Ansari, who has been in the taxi business for four decades, owns four taxis. He hired drivers to drive his cars in two shifts, during day and night, a police official said. If any parts were damaged or needed repair in Ansaris taxis, he never bought new ones. He stole private cars parked outside buildings or in parking areas using a master key. He took the stolen vehicle to an isolated place where he removed the parts he needed, said police inspector Dheeraj Koli of the property cell. After removing the parts, Ansari sold the cars to scrap dealers. Cases over the same have been registered against him in Nagpada and several other police stations in western and eastern suburbs, the officer said. Ansari was caught after he stole a car from Matunga last month. He parked the car near his Dindoshi residence. He was arrested in Byculla. The owner of the stolen car filed a case in Matunga police station and the property cell started inquiry. As Ansaris name is on record we immediately started looking for him. He was nabbed in Byculla area when he was heading to his Nagpada residence, said Koli. The car was recovered because he could not get the chance to remove the tyres and sell it to scrap dealers, added official. Ansari was handed over to Matunga police station on Friday for inquiry. Congress general secretary for east UP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is likely to begin her roadshows in the Lok Sabha constituencies of east UP on February 18. Priyanka Gandhi and Jyotiraditya (Scindia) will begin touring the Lok Sabha constituencies of east and west UP respectively on February 18, Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Raj Babbar said, speaking to journalists at the partys state unit headquarters here on Sunday. Although the detailed programme was still being worked out, people familiar with the matter said the roadshows will begin on February 18 and continue till February 21. A senior party leader said, We understand both the leaders will cover 11 Lok Sabha seats each in the two regions of east UP and west UP from February 18 to 21. As the Congress puts the final touches to the detailed programme, speculation is rife about the area where she may launch her roadshow. Priyanka may begin her tour from Anand Bhawan in Allahabad (now renamed as Prayagraj). A proposal for a holy dip at the Kumbh is also under consideration, the leader said. Replying to a question whether Priyanka would contest the Lok Sabha election, Babbar said for the moment she was coming to Lucknow on Monday and she, along with Jyotiraditya, will hold meetings with party workers from 42 and 38 Lok Sabha constituencies, respectively. Both the leaders will begin tours to Lok Sabha constituencies on February 18 and verify the feedback. Besides the parliamentary board, peoples views will also be taken into account, said Babbar. The Congress has made changes in the proposed route that party chief Rahul Gandhi and newly appointed general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jyotiraditya Scindia will take to the partys state headquarters in Lucknow from the Chaudhary Charan Singh international airport here on Monday due to security reasons. Uttar Pradesh Congress president Raj Babbar said, We have avoided certain areas for security reasons and adjustments have been made in the route initially suggested to welcome the top Congress leaders. We are making arrangements to accord the Congress leaders a grand welcome. Babbar reviewed the preparations for the visit. A senior party leader confirmed, Yes, changes have been made in the route from the airport on the request of the district administration and security agencies. There is no change in the route from Amausi airport to the Burlington Hotel crossing here. After this point, the route has been changed now. Instead of moving towards Vidhan Sabha, the Congress procession will now proceed towards Lalbagh and reach GPO Park via Hazratganj and thereafter go to the UPCC headquarters via Raj Bhawan and the VVIP guest house. We agreed to avoid the Vidhan Sabha route as the assembly is in session. As this is Priyankas first visit to the state after her appointment, a team of party functionaries who have worked closely with her in Rae Bareli and Amethi have also reached here to oversee the preparations for her visit. A number of hoardings are coming up along the route. Portraits of Indias first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru, former Prime Ministers late Indira Gandhi and the late Rajiv Gandhi are being put up in the corridors of the main UPCC building. We are also putting up portraits Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, said another party leader. Busy schedule awaits Priyanka Congress general secretary (incharge of east UP) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will have a busy schedule from early morning to nearly midnight when she begins Lok Sabha-wise interaction with partymen at the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) headquarters here. She will arrive at the UPCC headquarters here on Monday and will have a joint programme with party president Rahul Gandhi and general secretary for UP west Jyortiaditya Scindia. Then, she proposes to begin holding Lok Sabha constituency-wise interaction with the partymen on Tuesday. Her schedule will begin at about 9.30am and continue till midnight during her stay in Lucknow. She will have her first meeting with party workers of Mohanlalganj (reserved) Lok Sabha seat at about 10.30am on Tuesday. She will end her Lok Sabha interactions with a meeting with partymen of Misrikh (reserved) Lok Sabha seat. The meeting will continue till 11.30pm on Thursday. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 11) If politicians were able to get away with openly promoting themselves in various ways in recent months, it will no longer be business as usual come Tuesday. Candidates for senator and party-list groups may campaign from Tuesday, February 12, to May 11. Campaigning is prohibited on April 18 (Holy Thursday) and April 19 (Good Friday). Meanwhile, individuals running for a position in the House of Representatives, as well as regional, provincial, city and municipal positions may begin their campaigns on March 30 until May 11. READ: Election period, gun ban begin on Sunday With the start of the campaign season for senatorial and party-list races, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will be keeping an eye on the television and radio advertisements placed by each candidate, as well as the posters bearing their name. Even the social media posts made by or for the candidate will be monitored by the Comelec. READ: Comelec: Register blogs, social media pages of candidates, political parties Under campaign rules, tarps and posters should not exceed two feet by three feet. They should only be put up in common poster areas identified by the election officer in a particular area. Comelec Commissioner James Jimenez earlier said candidates may be held liable for campaign posters which aren't in common poster areas once the campaign season starts even if they didn't have a hand in putting them up. "If those mats are still up after start of campaign period, then it can be presumed because the candidate...are benefiting from their presence, that is a way to hold them liable," Jimenez said. When it comes to commercials, senatorial candidates are allowed up to 120 minutes of airtime per television station and up to 180 minutes per radio station. For the May midterm polls, each political party and candidate are required to register their official websites, blogs and social media pages with the Comelec. The poll body will monitor paid social media posts promoting a candidate, including those made by so-called influencers. Senatorial candidates running under a political party can spend up to 183 million for their campaign while independent bets and party-lists have a spending cap of 305 million. On Tuesday, the five senatorial bets of the ruling PDP-Laban will kick off their campaign in Pampanga, with the candidates endorsed by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte's political party, "Hugpong ng Pagbabago." PDP-Laban Public Information Committee chair Ronwald Munsayac said the attendance of the ruling party's candidates in Hugpong's event shows they have the support of both President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, Sara. On Valentine's Day, Munsayac said Duterte will be at a campaign rally in Bulacan to endorse the candidacies of Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, former Special Assistant to the President Bong Go, former Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Francis Tolentino, former Philippine National Police chief ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, and Maguindanao Representative Mangundadatu. "The most important factor is the support and endorsement of our chairman, President Digong," Munsayac told CNN Philippines in a phone interview, referring to Duterte. "Marami ding nagmamahal kay Mayora Sara, marami ring naniniwala sa kanya so malaking bagay sa limang PDP-Laban candidates 'yung endorsement ni Mayor Sara," he added. In contrast to Hugpong's grand rally in Pampanga, the opposition's "Otso Diretso" senatorial slate will kick off their campaign going around houses in Caloocan City to discuss their platforms. They will be joined by Vice President Leni Robredo for a mass and inter-faith prayer rally. Liberal Party President Senator Francis Pangilinan, the group's campaign manager, believes the personal touch will raise awareness about the eight opposition candidates. READ: Pangilinan sees uphill climb for opposition Senate slate in 2019 polls The slate is composed of Senator Bam Aquino, Magdalo Party-list Representative Gary Alejano, former Senator Mar Roxas, former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, former Quezon Congressman Erin Tanada, Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc, and lawyer Romulo Macalintal. "We have to go back to the people," Pangilinan told CNN Philippines in a phone interview. "Lalagpasan natin yung maraming mga politiko, lalagpasan natin itong social media, didiretso tayo sa tao." Pangilinan said former President Benigno Aquino III will also campaign for the Otso Diretso slate, but it's still uncertain if he will join their sorties often. A grand roadshow will welcome Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Congress general secretary incharge of east UP, when she arrives in Lucknow today, her first visit to the politically crucial state after formally joining politics. Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted that he and Jyotiraditya Scindia, the party general secretary for western UP, will accompany Priyanka. Coming to Lucknow today. Will be accompanied by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jyotiraditya Scindia. Around 12pm, there will be a roadshow from Lucknow airport to Congress headquarters. Excited to meet you all, he tweeted. The Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) office in the Mall Avenue area is busy preparing for Priyanka Gandhis visit to the city. The roadshow is likely to and pass through places such as Hussainganj and Hazratganj before culminating at the UPCC office. Read | Congress changes route of Priyanka Gandhis procession route due to security reasons While Rahul Gandhi is likely to return to Delhi the same day, Priyanka and Scindia will stay in the state for next three days holding meeting with officer bearers and chalking out strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Priyanka Gandhi will be holding meetings with the party leaders and workers from Purvanchal (eastern UP). The electoral battle in Uttar Pradesh opened up to a three-cornered contest after Priyanka Gandhis appointment as the party in-charge for Purvanchal. Many consider this move by the Congress party as a game-changer in the state. Her plunge into active politics from eastern UP is likely to pose fresh challenges to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that had won 71 of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh 73 with an ally. Prime Minister Narendra Modis Lok Sabha constituency, Varanasi is in the same region and so is UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths home turf, Gorakhpur. Also Read | Enthusiasm runs high at UPCC headquarters ahead of Priyankas visit The Congress move to appoint Priyanka Gandhi as the general secretary in-charge of eastern UP came in the wake of a tie-up between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for the parliamentary polls. SP president Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati announced their electoral arrangement last month burying their over two-decade rivalry. They decided to field 38 candidates each in Uttar Pradesh and announced that no candidates would be put up at Rae Bareli and Amethi, the parliamentary constituencies of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi, the Congress president. Before being assigned the new role, Priyanka Gandhi had confined her political activities to these two constituencies managing electoral affairs for mother Sonia and brother Rahul since 2004 parliamentary polls. This is the first time Priyanka Gandhi has ventured into larger political field with Rahul Gandhi at the helm of the affairs in the Congress party. Priyanka and Scindia, however, have an uphill task in the most populous state of the country. The Congress had secured only two seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The partys performance in the last years parliamentary bypolls was also not impressive with the SP and BSP joined hands to defeat the BJP. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is expected to shore up the Congress fate in the politically crucial Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Lok Sabha election this summer. And, as she begins her visit to the state for the first time as Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern UP she has the support of an army of hundreds of Congress workers. Dressed in pink, the Priyanka Sena is all set to even lay their lives for the cause of the country. Desh ke samman mein, Priyanka ji maidan mein, Maan bhi denge, samman bhi denge, waqt padega toh jaan bhi denge (To honour the country, with Priyanka Gandhi in the field, well give our respect and if needed, well lay down our lives as well), says the slogan on their t-shirts, which has her photo as well. With the Priyanka Sena at the Nehru Bhawan, Luckhnow. Its almost like a celebration here (sic), tweeted Sushmita Dev, the president of the partys womens wing, ahead of the much-awaited visit. With the Priyanka Sena at the Nehru Bhawan, Luckhnow. Its almost like a celebration here. pic.twitter.com/GuFuEswY4V Sushmita Dev (@sushmitadevmp) February 10, 2019 Also read | Enthusiasm runs high at UPCC headquarters ahead of Priyankas visit Also read: Priyanka Gandhis Mission UP begins today with roadshow, Rahul excited Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will begin her visit to the state by a roadshow through the streets of state capital Lucknow. She will be accompanied by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia, the party general secretary for western UP. I am coming tomorrow to Lucknow to meet all of you. I have hope in my heart that together we will start a new kind of politics, a politics in which all of you will be stakeholders, Priyanka Gandhi said in the audio message on Congress Shakti App and phone calls to voters. My young friends, my sisters and even the weakest person, all their voices will be heard. Come, lets build a new future, new politics with me. Thank you, she said. Priyanka Gandhi and Scindia will be in Uttar Pradesh for the next three days holding meetings with office bearers and party leaders and workers from the eastern part of the state and chalking out a strategy for the upcoming general election. Considered as a game-changer in the state, her plunge into active politics from eastern UP is likely to pose fresh challenges to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that had won 71 of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh 73 with an ally. Prime Minister Narendra Modis Lok Sabha constituency, Varanasi is in the same region and so is UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths home turf, Gorakhpur. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Vrindavan and Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh on Monday to take part in events associated with an NGO and the Union ministry of petroleum. In the holy town of Vrindavan, Prime Minister Modi will serve food to underprivileged schoolchildren at Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir campus marking the three billionth meal by NGO Akshaya Patra Foundation. I will be in Vrindavan today for a unique programme to mark the serving of the 3rd billionth meal by the Akshaya Patra Foundation. Congratulations to all those associated with this mission. Their efforts towards eradicating hunger are exemplary, the Prime Minister tweeted. Akshaya Patra, funded by International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is a Bengaluru-based not-for-profit organisation, which works with the government on midday meal schemes. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Union human resource development minister Prakash Javadekar, BJPs Mathura lawmaker Hema Malini will also join Modi at the event. Modi will also address the inaugural session of PETROTECH 2019, the 13th international oil and gas conference and exhibition organised by the ministry of petroleum and natural gas, at India Expo Centre in Greater Noida. Today, will inaugurate @Petrotech2019 and address the inaugural session of the conference. #PETROTECH2019 brings together leading stakeholders of the oil and gas sectors. This conference will enhance investments in India in the oil and energy sectors, he posted on Twitter. The three-day event, from February 10 to 12, will showcase the recent market and investor friendly developments in Indias oil and gas sector. More than 95 energy ministers from different countries and 7,000 delegates from around 70 countries are expected to be part of PETROTECH 2019. The event will have an exhibition spread over 20,000 square metres at India Expo Mart with 13 country pavilions and around 750 exhibitors from over 40 countries, with exclusive areas on the Make in India and Renewable Energy theme. Chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee and N Chandrababu Naidu will address a rally at Delhis Jantar Mantar on Wednesday, upping the ante against the Centres ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and bringing Opposition leaders on the same stage in a show of strength about month after a similar programme in Kolkata. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, announced that it will host the Remove Dictatorship, Save Democracy rally in Delhi on February 13. The aim is to recreate the anti-Modi movement in Delhi that was seen in the...rally organised by Banerjee last month in West Bengal. She [Banerjee] herself is coordinating with non-BJP parties for the participation of their leadership in this...movement, said Gopal Rai, the AAPs Delhi unit convener. When asked if the Congress will be invited, Rai said participants of the Kolkata event were likely to be present. She [West Bengal CM Banerjee] is coordinating with the same parties and leaders who were invited for last months rally, he said. The senior AAP leader, for now, added that other main leaders of non-BJP parties will be in attendance. The January 19 rally in Kolkata, where the Opposition bloc vowed to oust Prime Minister Narendra Modis government, was attended by at least 18 parties. Kejriwal, Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy, National Conferences Omar Abdullah and the Samajwadi Partys Akhilesh Yadav, among others, shared the stage with Banerjee. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his mother, Sonia Gandhi, did not attend the rally, though the former sent a letter to Banerjee supporting her efforts. The event was also attended by former Union ministers Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and BJP parliamentarian Shatrughan Sinha. In a statement released on Sunday, the party said the elected governments of non-BJP parties have been targeted by the central government, which has made a mockery of the federal structure of the Constitution. Modi government has crossed all limits through blatant misuse of central agencies to throttle political opponents and it has no respect for the rule of law. All those who want to save the country from this dictatorial duo should come forward to safeguard democracy, the party said. Andhra Pradeshs chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not doing his duty as he started a day-long fast to demand the special category status for his state in Delhi. Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had pulled out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in March last year over its unmet demand for special category status for Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation in 2014. Since then, Naidu has led an effort to bring opposition parties together to forge anti-BJP alliances in different states. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Sunday dismissed Naidus Delhi protest during his rally in Guntur, his first visit to Andhra Pradesh after the TDA pulled out of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA, saying it was worth only a photo session. We are seeking justice. We are a part of the country. I am asking national media to show solidarity to us. It is our duty to remind him when he is not protecting dharma. We are suffering because of the central government. We are here to unite the nation, the BJP is here to divide, Naidu said as he began his fast. The chief minister also said the personal attacks by Prime Minister on him were unwarranted. You (PM Modi) spend so much time launching personal attacks on me that you forgot your promises. The personal attacks by the PM on me are unwarranted. You can criticise my work but you shouldnt do personal attacks, said Naidu. Follow live updates here If you wont fulfil our demands, we know how to get them fulfilled. This is about the self-respect of people of Andhra Pradesh. If there is an attack on our self-respect, we wont tolerate it. I am warning this government and particularly the PM to stop attacking an individual, he said. Naidu also questioned the Prime Ministers visit to Andhra Pradesh on Sunday, during which he criticised the chief ministers for wasting public money on political campaigns. Today, we came here all the way to protest against the central government. Yesterday, the PM visited Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, one day before the dharna. What is the need, I am asking, he said. Naidu paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat before he began his Dharma Porata Deeksha at Andhra Bhavan. He will submit a memorandum to President Ramnath Kovind on February 12, seeking justice for his state. The fast is expected to turn out to be a grand show of unity of opposition parties with 21 leaders expressing their solidarity for the Naidus cause. A source from the Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party (TDPP) said on condition of anonymity Congress president Rahul Gandhi will visit Naidu and express his solidarity for the cause of Andhra Pradesh, besides several other national leaders. National Conferences Farooq Abdullah and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will also meet the Andhra chief minister at AP Bhavan. The Congress party has already expressed its commitment to realise a special status to Andhra Pradesh if it comes to power in 2019. The stand of the Congress provided some common ground to work with the Naidus TDP against the regime of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Naidu said during a press conference later on Sunday that Prime Minister Modis failure to mention the special status during his visit to the state added salt to Andhra Pradeshs wounds. It is the second time Naidu is launching a relay fast in Delhi after he went on an indefinite fast in 2013 before the state division seeking equal justice for Telangana and Andhra. The police broke his fast by shifting him to a hospital on the ground of his deteriorating health condition. He fasted on April 20, his birthday, in 2018 seeking his states share from the NDA government. The Andhra Pradesh government has hired two special trains to ferry crowds from the Uttarandhra and Rayalaseema regions for the Delhi protest. Congress general secretary in-charge of east Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra joined Twitter on Monday coinciding with her mega rally on her first visit to the state after making her political debut. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra already has more than 52,000 followers on the social networking site. Smt Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is now on Twitter. You may follow her at @priyankagandhi, a tweet from the Congress official Twitter handle said. She didnt post a tweet, but followed seven people, including her brother and party chief Rahul Gandhi as well as party leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sachin Pilot, Ashok Gehlot Randeep Singh Surjewala, Ahmed Patel and the Congresss official account. Last month, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had announced the appointment of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jyotiraditya Scindia as the in-charges for east and west Uttar Pradesh, a politically crucial state that sends 80 lawmakers to the Lok Sabha, respectively. Expected to boost her partys chances in the upcoming Lok Sabha election, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will begin her visit to the state by a roadshow through the streets of the state capital. She will be accompanied by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia. Live updates here Priyanka Gandhi and Scindia will be in Uttar Pradesh for the next three days holding meetings with office bearers and party leaders and workers from the eastern part of the state and chalking out a strategy for the upcoming general election. Rahul Gandhi has said he tasked both Priyanka and Jyotiraditya with a mission after he announced their appointment. I have not sent Priyanka and Jyotiraditya to UP for two months. I have given a mission to them. They are very powerful leaders of the party and I trust they will work for the state. We want to change the states politics with these young leaders, he had said, adding that he had asked them to work to form the Congress government in UP in the next assembly elections. Priyankas Twitter debut came after Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati joined Twitter earlier last month. She joined Twitter on January 22. A parliamentary panel has summoned the chief executive officer (CEO) of Twitter, Jack Dorsey to appear before it on February 25, after declining to meet representatives from India who appeared before the panel in his stead. HT learns that the panel may also be considering summoning executives from other large social media platforms including Facebook. The parliamentary panel on information technology said it wouldnt listen to representatives from the company who do not have the authority for decision making. At its meeting, the panel expressed concern over how algorithms are channelised in India, and has also sought to know the details about the funding of advertisements that appear on the platform said a person familiar with the discussions. According to a second person familiar with the discussions, members of the panel said there needs to be a clarification on the nature of the medium; whether it is a technology-driven platform or a content controlling platform. If it is a content controlling platform through algorithms, then it is a media platform and a different set of regulations, including over the infusion of foreign direct investment apply. That question remains unresolved for now, added this person. Interestingly, this is a question governments and regulators around the world are asking technology companies and social media platforms that have always portrayed themselves as so-called intermediaries -- largely because being classified an intermediary protects them against being liable for the content on the platform. Also read | Willing to participate, but need more time: Twitter on parliamentary panel hearing Members of the panel also expressed dissatisfaction over how Twitter responded to the summons. Members of the committee, headed by Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament Anurag Thakur have underlined the need for greater transparency, pointing out how the platform is being used for elections and how tailoring views could have an impact on the forthcoming general elections. The code for their algorithm is not written in India; and it is the algorithm that determines stories, trends and what feed appears on the timelines. Indirectly, they are checking freedom of speech, allowing [views] of certain segments and not allowing [views] of certain segments, said a third person familiar with the discussions at the panel. Twitter declined comment on not being allowed to attend the meeting on Monday, but last week denied allegations of a bias against certain handles, the main reason the companys CEO was summoned before the panel. In a statement, the company said, Twitter is a global platform that serves a global, public conversation. Elevating debate and open discourse is fundamental to the platforms service; and its core values as a company. Twitter is committed to remain unbiased with the public interest in mind. The company sent its policy director Mahima Kaul to the meeting. It also suggested finding mutually agreeable dates for this meeting so that a senior Twitter official can attend. Earlier this month, it also announced it would provide a new dashboard showing expenses on political advertisements by parties on its platform. The Twitter CEO has been given 15 days notice to show their companys seriousness and transparency on safeguarding rights of Indian citizens online said the first person. The panel was approached by a right-wing group Youth for Social Media Democracy, which alleged that the platform was arbitrarily shadow-banning and suspending accounts of those who are sympathetic to the ruling BJP. A senior BJP leader, requesting anonymity said the parliamentary panel has the rights to take action against the company for non-adherence. If they can attend summons from the US Parliament, how can they undermine the Indian Parliament? this person asked. Last year, following reports of misuse of consumer data, a United States Congressional committee summoned the CEOs of social media platforms: Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Indian-American Sunder Pichai of Google, and Jack Dorsey of Twitter for a hearing on data privacy. Also read | Political ideologies dont dictate policy, product changes: Twitter The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a petition by the BJP in West Bengal that wanted the court to cancel a 2013 order by the Mamata Banerjee government banning use of loudspeakers during February and March. The prohibition on use of loudspeakers applies in residential and institutional areas because of school exams. Childrens studies are more important than election campaigning, the Supreme Court ruled. The West Bengal unit of BJP, which had filed the petition, had attacked the constitutional validity of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government order and had accused the state government of going patently overboard. The petition had claimed that it was aimed at stopping legitimate political activities by the BJP as it tries to build public support for the general elections scheduled in April-May. The BJP said the state government was duty-bound to take steps to prevent noise pollution during exams but criticised the total ban on use of loudspeakers in residential areas. It said the measures taken should strike a balance between the need to protect the environment and the legitimate aspirations of people to carry out permissible activities. The impugned notification, in its operation during the period proximate to elections, especially general elections, operates way beyond the legitimate purview of the environmental law, the petition said. Also, it violates the right to freedom of speech of a political partys members to canvass support ahead of elections. Such a notification affects voters right to know their candidates and denies them an opportunity to exercise their franchise effectively, the petition said. This was the second time the BJP and the Mamata Banerjee government faced off in the top court. The two were recently locked in a litigation over the BJPs proposed rath yatra in the state, which was not permitted by the government. The apex court had refused to intervene with the decision but allowed the BJP to seek fresh approval from the authorities. The Supreme Court on Monday refused to monitor the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)s probe into the Saradha chit fund scam in West Bengal. A chief justice Ranjan Gogoi-led bench refused to entertain an application of some investors in a case the top court had in 2014 disposed of after directing the central agency to probe the scam. The applicants said the investigation is yet to be concluded despite the top courts order five years back. We are not inclined to set up a monitoring committee for the chit fund scam probe, said the bench. In its 2014 verdict, the top court had transferred the probe into the scam to the CBI. A special investigation team that the West Bengal government had set up earlier investigated the case. The application came a week after CBI officers were detained when they went to question Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar over the scam. The detention prompted the Centre to move the top court last Monday for a direction to Kumar to appear before the central agency for questioning. Contempt action was also sought against Kumar and the state administration. The court issued contempt notices and asked Kumar to appear before the CBI in Shillong as and when summoned. Senior advocate Vikas Singh, who appeared for the petitioners, sought permission to approach the Calcutta high court with its plea but the court turned it down. He drew the courts attention to its 2014 order in the case. Singh said the court did not consider it necessary to appoint a monitoring committee but left the option open in this regard for the future. Your Lordships have not modified this order and as per this order the CBI gets all 500 cases... The SEBI officers have to be investigated but nothing of the sort has been done...some monitoring needs to be undertaken out by this court, Singh said. Congress President Rahul Gandhis brother-in-law Robert Vadra arrived in Jaipur on Monday for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an alleged land scam case involving 275 acres of land in the Kolayat sub-division of Bikaner district. Vadra was accompanied by his mother Maureen. He will be questioned by the ED on Tuesday. According to sources, he will have to answer 55 questions being drafted by the ED. Last week in Delhi, Vadra was subjected to intense interrogation by the ED in connection with a money laundering probe against him for his alleged role in procuring assets abroad in an illegal manner. Priyanka Gandhi, Vadras wife and Congress General Secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh East, is also expected to reach the Pink City by 8.30 pm and will accompany her husband to the ED office on Tuesday, Congress sources said. Read more| Please keep her safe: Robert Vadras request for wife Priyanka Gandhi Vadra The fresh summon by the ED comes after the Rajasthan High Court directed Vadra and his mother to cooperate with the ED, as Vadra did not report to the agency even after being sent three summons in the land scam case earlier. Vadra and his mothers statements shall be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). A criminal case was registered by the ED in connection with the Bikaner land deal made in 2015 after studying FIRs and charge-sheets filed by the Rajasthan Police on complaints made by the Bikaner tehsil about alleged forgery in the land allotment. The ED, sources said, shall question Vadra about Skylight Hospitality Private Limited, a firm allegedly connected to him, which purchased the said land in the area. Five months after the Tamil Nadu cabinet recommended their release from jail, Nalini Sriharan (55) and her husband Murugan (52), two convicts serving life sentences in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, have gone on indefinite hunger strike in Vellore Central prison demanding their early release. They have also appealed to the Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit to release the other five convicts in the case - Perarivalan, Santhan, Robert Payas, Jayakumar and Ravichandran. According to P Pugazhendhi, Nalinis lawyer, since the TN Governor Banwarilal Purohit has not responded to the Cabinets resolution passed last September recommending the release of seven convicts, the husband and wife duo have started an indefinite hunger strike. While Nalini started her protest inside the special prison for women in Vellore on Saturday, her husband Murugan launched his hunger strike protest on February 2. Even as the state government has urged the TN Governor for the release of seven convicts, the Governor has not taken any decision. Even though all the seven convicts have spent most of their lives in prison, it is not fathomable why the Governor is delaying the signing of papers enabling their release in spite of the TN cabinet resolution recommending the same, Pugazhendhi said. The lawyer said Murugan had been drinking only water since February 2. On February 8 when he met him, Murugan had stopped taking water. The prison staff could not be contacted for comments on Nalini and Murugans health but Pugazhendhi said they had requested the duo to end their fast. The Tamil Nadu cabinet had passed a resolution in September last year urging the Governor to release the seven convicts under Article 161 of the Constitution. Nalini also wrote a letter to the Governor on Saturday. I want to go away from the earth by observing fast from Saturday morning, till I accomplish eternal freedom. Justice was denied to us for the past 28 years. We all are just innocent and circumstances made investigation officers to bring us under this case, Nalini said in her letter. Pugazhendhi also said that they would file a petition in the Madras high court seeking a direction to the Governor to take action on the Tamil Nadu Cabinets resolution. When Perarivalan approached the Supreme Court last August for release, the Union Government had declined to release the seven accused saying that it would set a wrong example. Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was killed in Sriperumbudur near Chennai, when he was attending an election rally on May 21, 1991 by a suicide bomber named Dhanu of the Sri Lankan rebel group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). A Special Investigation Team (SIT) had taken 23 people into custody for investigation and a trial court had awarded death sentence to all. In 1999, the Supreme Court released 19 accused and convicted three people for a life. But it had upheld the death sentence for Nalini, Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan. In April 2000, the then Tamil Nadu Governor Fathima Beevi commuted Nalinis death sentence into life imprisonment. Eight years after that, Rajiv Gandhis daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met Nalini in Vellore prison. Priyanka at that time said that she had forgiven Nalini. In 2014, the Supreme Court commuted the death sentence of Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan into life sentence citing the delay in examining their mercy petitions. Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday underlined his partys ambitions in Uttar Pradesh saying the party cannot afford to be weak in the state. Congress started in UP and it cannot stay weak here. Priyanka Gandhi and Jyotiarditya Scindia will make Congress strong in UP again, Rahul said at headquarters in UP unit of the Congress in Lucknow at the end of a mammoth road show that his sister Priyanka launched in her first visit to .the state sicne her appointment as c general secretary in charge of eastern U.P. While the roadshow marked Priyankas formal entry into active politics, Rahul set his sight beyond the upcoming general elections to regain power in U.P. Congress party has to form government in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress president reiterated that the party will fight the elections on its own in Indias most populous state which sends 80 lawmakers to the Lok Sabha. The Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party which announced an alliance last month, left the Congress put of it but said they would not contest from Rae Bareilly and Amethi - the Lok Sabha seats of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. I respect Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav, but Congress will fight with all its might in Uttar Pradesh, Rahul said. The Congress won two Lok Sabha seats in U.P. in 2014. Rahul Gandhi also brought up the Rafale aircraft deal to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi , accusing him once again of manipulating the contract to benefit Anil Ambani. In every defence deal there is a clause against corruption.Narendra Modi scrapped the corruption clause to benefit Anil Ambani, he said. He also accused the Prime Minister of ignoring farmers and favouring industrialists. Modis empty slogans are there before the people to see Chowkidar waived Rs 3.5 lakh crore of loans for industrialists but not farmers. The Congress has consistently attacked the Modi government for not addressing farm distress in the country and the issue was one of the main election planks for the grand old party in the recent assembly elections in five states. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra landed in Jaipur late on Monday evening to accompany husband Robert Vadra and mother-in-law Maureen to the local Enforcement Directorate office Tuesday morning. Robert Vadra and his mother had reached Jaipur earlier in the day, around the same time that Priyanka started out on a mega road show through the streets of Lucknow. The 15-km drive to the Congress headquarters in Uttar Pradesh capital had taken hours to negotiate, often with hundreds of supporters lining both sides of the road. It was her first big public appearance after being appointed Congress general secretary incharge of eastern Uttar Pradesh last month. By her side, were Congress president Rahul Gandhi and colleague Jyotiraditya Scindia. Hours after the roadshow, she took a flight to Jaipur to be with her husband when he appears before local ED officials probing his role in a case involving 275 acres of land in the Kolayat sub-division of Bikaner district Ahead of leaving for Jaipur, Robert Vadra in a Facebook post asked the people of India to keep his best friend, a perfect wife and best mother safe as she started the roadshow in Lucknow . Congress sources Priyanka will accompany her husband to the ED office on Tuesday, in a replay of a similar exercise on February 6 when Vadra was questioned by the ED for the first time in New Delhi in another money-laundering case. Priyanka had then accompanied Vadra to the ED office where he was summoned to answer allegations of money laundering and left after dropping him off. That brief trip to the ED office in the heart of the national capital was designed to send a message, she later said. On January 21, the Rajasthan high court had directed partners of Sky Light Hospitality Company, Robert Vadra and his mother to appear before Enforcement Directorate (ED) on February 12 for questioning in the Bikaner land case. The high court, however, restrained the ED from arresting the partners. After initial hearing on the petition of Sky Light Hospitality on December 18, 2018, the HC had ordered that no coercive action shall be taken against the company. Along with this, notices were issued to the Ministry of Finance and Enforcement Directorate (ED). Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with Bharatiya Janata Party workers at 9 lakh polling stations on February 28, as part of the partys preparation for the summers Lok Sabha election, two BJP leaders familiar with the programme said. The party will also launch a Mera Parivar, Bhajpa Parivar (my family is with the BJP) campaign between February 12 and March 2, during which BJP workers will get 50 million houses to sport the party flag. Modis interaction will be held through the NaMo App the official mobile application of the Prime Minister that draws its name from the first two letters of his first and last name. The BJP accelerated its poll preparation after a poor showing in assembly elections in December (it lost three Hindi heartland states). Soon after, HT reported, the Prime Minister embarked on an intense 90-day, 100-rallies campaign. On Saturday and Sunday alone, he addressed six programmes in six states. The BJP has invited questions from party workers for the PMs February 28 interaction, before February 15. Modi will answer a few of them during the interaction. A team at BJP HQ will monitor the preparedness for the event, which requires booth-level workers, the first line in the partys outreach efforts, to download the NaMo app and make a donation between Rs 5 and Rs 1,000. The PM regularly meets specific groups through the NaMo App, but the size of the audience has never been as large as it will be on February 28, one of the two leaders cited in the first instance said. Modi has held several Mera Booth Sabse Majboot (my booth is strongest) interactions with BJP workers from different states, and the maha samvad (grand interaction) on February 28 will be a finale of sorts, this person added. He wants to speak to BJP workers at every location before the elections are formally announced and everyone gets busy he said. The election commission is expected to announce the schedule of the Lok Sabha election in the first week of March. He will outline the importance of winning the coming election and what every BJP worker is expected to do, the second leader said. At the BJPs national council meeting in New Delhi last month, Modi cautioned the party against any complacency, this leader said. Modi is the BJPs star campaigner and remains a hugely popular figure. All of you need to work hard at the booth level, he told BJP leaders at that meeting. The campaign to put up flags at 50 million houses is an exercise to maximise BJPs visibility and show its dominance. The BJP estimates that around 220 million people have benefited from the NDAs welfare schemes and wants to make sure these people vote for it in the coming election. Dr Sanjeev Tiwari, associate professor of political science with Delhi University, said such an exercise can be expected from the BJP which has a well oiled organisation machinery. There is no other cadre-based party which has such domination over such a large geographical area. Also, it has started preparing for elections when its rivals even dont know how many seats they will contest. These two give an edge to Narendra Modi in the national election. BJP president Amit Shah on Monday pitched for reducing the dependence on money bags to run the party and asked workers to lead the way to bring about what he described as, purity in poll funding. Addressing a party event to mark the 51st death anniversary of its ideological guide Deen Dayal Upadhyay, Amit Shah said the BJP should take up the responsibility of guiding other parties on the path of probity. The party must run with contributions from its workers and not on donations of money bags, builders, contractors and those with black money, he said, according to news agency PTI. Hours before Amit Shah spoke at the event, Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi donated Rs 1,000 to the party through the partys phone app and asked others to emulate them. Urging you all to donate to the Party. The NaMo App is an easy way to do so. I too made my contribution, PM Modi later tweeted, Amit Shah said BJP workers should say with pride that we run this party from our money and no industrialist, contractor, money bag or builder can run it. The BJP president said he could not say the BJP funds all its organisational and election expenses from its workers contributions but stressed, this should change. If means are not pure, then our goals cannot be attained in a good way. If the party has to be kept pure... If the party starts running from the money of money bags, builders, contractors, those with black money, then it will malign our means to realise our goals, he said. He also called for a public debate on how election expenses can be brought down and the probity bar in poll funding raised. The Modi government, he asserted, has taken steps to clamp down on the influence of black money in politics by limiting cash donations to Rs 2,000. Laws against corruption have been made so stringent that those breaking it will be caught and that those who were involved in scams are sweating even in this Delhi winter, he said. Fugitive businessmen Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi had escaped the country because the Modi government started putting accused like them behind bars, he claimed. A leader of former chief minister Mehbooba Muftis Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the remains of separatist Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) founder, Maqbool Bhat, and 2001 Parliament attack convict, Afzal Guru. Bhat was hanged at Delhis Tihar jail on February 11, 1984, for the murder of a policeman and his body was buried on the prison premises. Guru, too, was buried at Tihar after his hanging at the prison on February 9, 2013. I can with utmost responsibility say that should the Government of India decide to act upon this request [for returning the remains], the animosity of Kashmiris and their sense of alienation can be brought down by several notches, said PDP leader and Rajya Sabha member, Fayaz Mir, in a letter to Modi as a shutdown was observed in Kashmir on Bhats 35th death anniversary. In his letter, Mir cited the demands for clemency for former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhis killers. I do not think it is appalling or disrespectful to seek the return of mortal remains of two Kashmiri men to their families. Mir said Guru was sent to the gallows even though he was at number 28 on the list of death row prisoners. He called his execution and the refusal to return his body a sore misery and a dark blemish on the worlds largest democracy. It was, by all means, an unconstitutional measure and has been called out for its huddled and secretive manner by almost all ideological groups in the country, wrote Mir, whose party lost power in June 2018 after the Bharatiya Janata Party withdrew its support to Muftis government. BJP state spooesman Altaf Thakur termed the letter as a political stunt of the PDP. In four and half years, the MP never raised this issue in the parliament. PDP has done its politics always on the dead bodies and they are doing it again now. Separatist Joint Resistance Leadership had called for the shutdown to mark Bhats death anniversary on Monday. Some two dozen JKLF leaders and workers were detained as they tried to take out a protest march in Srinagar against Bhats hanging. Several other separatist leaders like Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chairman Yasin Malik were detained ahead of Guru and Bhats death anniversaries. Additional security measures were in place in Srinagar and Bhats home town of Trehgam, where a demonstration was held to mark his death anniversary on Sunday. Gujjar protesters demanding five percent special quota in government jobs and education for their community put up fresh blockades at five places on national and state highways in Rajasthan as their agitation spread to other parts of the state on Monday. Rajasthans director general of police (law and order) M L Lather said the five places included Sikandara along the Jaipur-Agra National Highway in Dausa district and Banas bridge that connecting Jaipur with Kota. He said the protesters also blocked traffic at three places in Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Nagaur and Dholpur districts. But the police were able to clear the blockades, he added. The Gujjar protesters have been sitting on railway tracks near Malarna Dungar in Sawai Madhopur demanding the reservation since Friday. They have forced suspension of rail traffic on the Delhi-Mumbai route in Kota division. According to the northwestern railway, two trains were cancelled elsewhere in the state on Monday, while four others were diverted because of the agitation. The blockade of a state highway in Bundi district, Malarna road in Sawai Madhopur and Karauli-Hindaun City Road in Budla village, too, continued on Monday. A demonstration for the reservation was also held at Gumanpura in Kota on Monday. Around half-a-dozen policemen were injured when Gujjar protesters threw stones, fired from country-made pistols and torched vehicles when police tried to remove a blockade put on Agra-Gwalior national highway on Sunday in Dholpur. Kirori Singh Bainsla, the head of Gujjar Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti that is leading the agitation for the quota, on Monday said the government should come up with its proposal and tell him what plans it has for his community. He said they will leave the railway tracks only after getting five percent special reservation. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot said they have done what they could. The Gujjar community knows that during my tenure as the chief minister I decided to give them one percent reservation We fulfilled the demand for five percent reservation, but the high court did not accept it, he said, referring to reservation provided to Gujjars under the Special Backward Class category after similar agitations in 2007 and 2008 left dozens of people dead. The Rajasthan high court stayed the move saying it breached the 50% limit the Supreme Court has imposed on the reservation. The Gujjar community resumed the agitation saying the limit has been breached with the Centre giving 10% reservation to economically backward sections in January. A non-governmental organisation challenged the 10% reservation before the Supreme Court on January 10 saying it breaches the 50% cap. The Rajasthan government has maintained that the Centre alone can provide the five percent reservation under the Economically Backward Classes category to Gujjars. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday emphasised the importance of the cow in Indias tradition and culture as he listed his governments programmes for the improvement of the health of cattle. The Prime Minister was in Uttar Pradeshs Vrindavan town, which is associated with Lord Krishna, to serve food to underprivileged schoolchildren to mark the three billionth meal of the Akshaya Patra Foundation. We cannot repay the debt of cows milk. The cow is an important element of Indias tradition and culture, Modi said. The Prime Minister said that the cow has been a vital element of the rural economy and the BJP-led government has launched schemes like the Rashtriya Gokul Mission and created Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog. Cattle rearers can now get a loan of up to Rs 3 lakh as the banks have opened the avenue for them, he said. We have decided to create the Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog in the budget and proposed Rs 500 crore under it to look after the cow and its progeny, the Prime Minister said. The Aayog will look after effective implementation of laws and welfare schemes for cows, interim fin cane minister Piyush Goyal had announced in the Budget earlier this month. Modi also focussed on the health of children and the importance of vaccination in his speech. Just as a solid foundation is necessary for a strong building, it is just as important for children to have nutritious food and healthy childhood. The Centre has tried to form a security ring for children and food, vaccination and cleanliness are its three aspects, he said during the event at Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir campus. Akshaya Patra, funded by International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is a Bengaluru-based not-for-profit organisation, which works with the government on mid-day meal schemes. It has served meals to 300 crore children with 17.6 lakh children fed every day through the network at 15,786 government schools in 12 states. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Governor Ram Nayak and BJPs Mathura lawmaker Hema Malini were among the leaders who were present at there. Modi talked about Mission Indradhanush, a programme to increase full immunisation coverage among children and women, saying nearly 3,40,00,000 children and 90 lakh pregnant women have been covered under the scheme. Our target of complete vaccination is not far away given the way we have worked. Mission Indradhanush is being appreciated the world over. A noted medical journal recently picked it as one of the worlds 12 best practices, he said. India launched Mission Indradhanush in April 2015 to reach the estimated 38% of children not getting basic vaccines in the first year of life and covered 25.5 million children and 6.9 million pregnant women by July 2017, increasing full immunisation coverage by 6.7% (7.9% in rural areas, 3.1% in urban) over 2015. The number of vaccines was increased from seven to 12 to protect against life-threatening diseases like pneumonia and diarrhoea. The intensified mission was launched in 2017 to provide 90% full immunisation coverage to children aged 12-23 months in the districts where immunisation was 50.5% or less in 2015-16, compared to 62% average for all of India. These included 121 districts, 17 urban areas, and an additional 52 districts in the north-eastern states. Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a cure for problems facing the country and asserted he will be voted back to power in the Lok Sabha election that must be held by May. Singh said the prime minister worked for the poor, farmers and weaker sections of society during the past four and a half years of his tenure. Addressing an event in Moradabad, he cited several central government schemes such as Ujjwala Yojana of providing free LPG connections to poor households and Ayushman Bharat health care programme to make his point. Chowkidar chor nahi, chowkidar pure hai. Next PM sure hai, problem ke liye cure hai, Singh said, using the word Congress president Rahul Gandhi has used to attack Modi on the Rafale jet deal. Singhs statement in English meant: The watchman is not a thief, he is a pure man. He is sure to be the next PM, he is a cure for problems. The Congress has been alleging that the 2015 Rafale deal to purchase 36 fighter jets from France was compromised by corruption. Gandhi has repeatedly alleged Modi helped industrialists in getting defence contracts related to the deal. On Monday, the home minister responded to the allegations, saying the defence deal strengthened the Indian Air Force, which had been demanding fighter jets for 30 years. Also read | At Priyanka Gandhis mammoth road show, Rahul says time to win Uttar Pradesh back The prime minister finalised the Rafale deal to strengthen Indias security, he added. Citing former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Singh said he tested nuclear bombs in 1998 without caring about the warnings and threats from world powers and it was this courage that made India a nuclear weapons State. He also recalled Indias victory during the Kargil war with Pakistan. Criticising the SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Saba election, he said it is an alliance of corruption. He said the opposition parties have lost moral authority and are criticising everyone from the prime minister, to the president and the governors who is going against them. He expressed confidence India will be in the top three economies within 10 years and will again achieve the feat of Vishwa Guru. In his 50-minute address, he also shared his experience as home minister and lauded the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh. Also read | Modi govt a textbook case of moral bankruptcy: Rahul Gandhi targets Centre over lack of jobs Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy has set up a special investigation team to probe the two audio clips he released last week claiming that BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa was trying to poach a legislator from his JD(S). HD Kumaraswamy on Friday accused the BJP of trying to dislodge the state government as he released the audio clips purportedly of opposition leader BS Yeddyurappa allegedly luring JD(S) legislator Naganagouda Kandkur with RS 25 crore and a promise of a ministerial berth. He also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah of being directly involved in the alleged attempts to destabilise the eight-month-old Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition government. Also read: BJPs gang of three is trying to topple the Karnataka government, says Congress The president of the Bharatiya Janata Partys state unit BS Yeddyurappa, on his part, dismissed the audio clips as fake and a concocted story. The announcement to set up the SIT came after the Speaker of Karnataka assembly KR Ramesh Kumar asked Kumaraswamy to set up the team to probe the incident, news agency PTI said. Kumar also ordered that the probe should be finished within 15 days, according to news agency ANI. The issue of alleged horse trading was brought up in the Lok Sabha as well when Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge repeated the charge during the Zero Hour in the House. Congress members, including Sonia Gandhi, staged a walkout but returned a few minutes later. Union minister Sadananda Gowda demised the allegations and claimed that the infighting between the Congress and the JD(S) in Karnataka is no secret and that both parties are doing fake activities. All things uttered (here)... are false and far from the truth, Gowda was quoted as saying by PTI. In a tit for tat action, the opposition party in the state threatened on Saturday to release a video of Kumaraswamy from 2016 allegedly asking a ticket aspirant to pay him Rs 25 crore. The BJP also filed a complaint against the Karnataka chief minister. The ruling coalition partners Congress and JD(S) have been accusing the BJP of trying to topple their government with various offers, including bribe in cash and ministerial berths, a charge the opposition party has rejected. Read more: Audio tapes, bribery charges spice up Karnataka politics Senior BJP leader Yeddyurappa said, shortly after Kumaraswamy released the audio clips, that he had not met anyone to woo Naganagouda and the charge against him was far from the truth. The BJP leader said he went to Devadurga, where Sharangouda claimed to have met him and recorded the conversation, to visit a temple and flew back to the city. Yeddyurappa told reporters in the state capital that Kumaraswamy had concocted the story to hide his failures and inability to keep the JD(S) and Congress flock together. It is fake audio... I have not met anyone. Kumaraswamy is trying to hide his failures. This is a drama, Yeddyurappa said. He said the HD Kumaraswamy-led government has lost the trust of the people and had no moral right to continue in office. Kumaraswamy himself is a film producer. He is an expert in voice recording... Whatever the charge he has made is baseless, Yeddyurappa said. He also dismissed a claim by the chief minister that he had spoken in the audio about a Rs 50 crore offer to the assembly speaker. I will retire from politics if it (the allegation) is proved... If I had spoken like this (about the speaker), if it is proved... I will resign as an MLA and quit politics. Edelman was founded in 1952 by Richards father, Dan Edelman, a transplanted New Yorker and former reporter. It began with three employees and one client, the Toni Home Permanent Co., located just down the hall at the Merchandise Mart. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her political debut on Monday with a roadshow drawing thousands in Uttar Pradesh, Indias most populous state, months before the parliamentary election due by May. Congress President Rahul Gandhi pulled a surprise last month by appointing his younger sister a party general secretary. She will also be its face in UP, the state that sends the highest number of lawmakers to the Lok Sabha and is currently dominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modis ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). But a string of BJP defeats in state elections late last year and rising discontent over a weak farm economy and lacklustre jobs growth have weakened the ruling coalitions position, which an increasingly aggressive Congress is looking to capitalize on. Watch: Priyanka Gandhis mega Lucknow roadshow; brother Rahul Gandhi by her side The 47-year-old Priyankashe is usually referred to by just her first namebears a striking resemblance to her grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and is known for her gifts as a speaker able to connect with voters. Congress hopes that the eyeballs shes able to generate will turn into votes. Its like Indira Gandhi has come back, said Fuzail Ahmed Khan, 45, a Congress supporter. The states farmers want Rahul Gandhi to be prime minister, Priyanka to be chief minister. Posters of Priyanka lined the streets of the state capital, Lucknow, and hundreds of Congress supporters, accompanied by drummers, chanted her name after she emerged from the airport with her brother. Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi later waved at supporters from atop a bus as it slowly made its way out of the airport for the 20 km roadshow. Congress officials hope Priyankas entry into politics will improve its chances across Uttar Pradesh, a vast agrarian state of 220 million people that the BJP nearly swept in in 2014 elections, winning 73 of the 80 seats. Although Priyanka has helped manage elections for her brother and her mother, former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, she has never held an official party post until now. I hope that we can together start a new kind of politics, she said in an audio message shared by Congress. Since the announcement of Priyankas entry into politics, Indias financial crime-fighting agency Enforcement Directorate has questioned her husband, Robert Vadra, for several hours in a case relating to alleged ownership of 1.9 million pounds ($2.45 million) of undisclosed assets abroad. His lawyer and Congress have dismissed the charges as politically motivated. It is not uncommon to find wedding invitations requesting guests not to bring any gifts or at times, asking the invitees to donate for charity instead of presenting costly gifts to the newly-wed couples. But 27-year old Yande Mukesh Rao from Hyderabad is making a strange request while distributing his wedding cards to his relatives and friends. He is asking them not to present him with any gifts at the wedding, but promise to vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Rao, a resident of Shamshabad, got a message printed prominently on the wedding invitation cover saying: Our gift is your vote for Modi in 2019 Lok Sabha elections, along with lotus flowers on either side of the message. An assistant engineer in Telangana state power generation corporation (TS Genco), Rao is getting married on February 21. An ardent fan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rao doesnt mind being called Modi Bhakt. We are all so busy in our day to day affairs and find it difficult to allocate time and do something for the nation. The least we can do is to support Modi who toils for the nation. Hence, I decided that come what may, I will keep the request for vote for Modi on the wedding invitation, he said. He is aware that not many people liked his idea of using the wedding card to campaign for Modi. I know there are a number of people who oppose Modi. But I support his initiatives like Swachh Bharat by participating in the programmes in my office for three hours every Saturday, he said. Rao had to face resistance from even his family members, but he was adamant. I convinced them. It is my way of showing endorsement for Narendra Modis work and asking support for his re-election, he declared. Interestingly, Rao supported the Telangana Rashtra Samithi in the recent assembly elections in the state. But at the Centre, I strongly wish Modi should return to power for a second term. I believe the country is safe and secure under the Modi regime, he said. Last month, a Gujarati couple from Surat designed their wedding invitation card with a dedicated page justifying the NDA governments decision to buy Rafale fighter jets and asking guests to vote for Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The first batch of heavy-lift Chinook helicopters arrived at Gujarats Mundra Port from the US on Sunday, a spokesperson of American aerospace major Boeing said. The four Boeing CH-47F (I) Chinooks, part of a 15-helicopter order placed by India three years ago, will be assembled and flown to their home base in Chandigarh where they will be formally inducted in the Indian Air Force (IAF) later this year, two officials familiar with the matter said on the condition of anonymity. With the addition of the Chinooks, the air forces capability to deliver payloads to high altitudes will be enhanced as it currently has a solitary Soviet-origin Mi-26 chopper to carry out such operations, defence officials said. The CH-47F (I) Chinook is an advanced multi-mission helicopter that will provide the Indian armed forces with unmatched strategic airlift capability across the full spectrum of combat and humanitarian missions, a Boeing release said. The Chinooks primary roles include artillery, battlefield resupply and transportation of troops. The United States is Indias second largest arms supplier after Russia. Since 2008, India has bought or ordered military equipment worth $15 billion from the United States, including C-130J special operations planes, C-17 transport aircraft, P-8I submarine hunter planes, Harpoon missiles, Apache and Chinook helicopters and M777 lightweight howitzers. In September 2015, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government placed a $3.1-billion order for 22 AH-64E Apache Longbow attack helicopters also manufactured by Boeing and the 15 Chinooks to scale up the air forces capabilities. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was the cynosure of many eyes on Monday -- the thousands walking alongside during her debut road show in Uttar Pradesh as Congress general secretary and the many analysts looking for political nuance but also her husband who asked people to keep her safe. The lines between politics and family and public and personal seemed to have blurred for the Congress leader and mother of two, who also found herself at the centre of a debate with a BJP MPs comments on her choice of clothes being slammed as sexist and misogynistic. Priyanka Gandhi wears jeans and top in Delhi but when she comes to rural areas she is clad in a sari and wears sindoor, Harish Dwivedi, BJP MP from Basti in Uttar Pradesh, told reporters in his constituency on Sunday night. Congress leader M Veerappa Moily and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti were among those who criticised him for his anti-women remarks. The sexist and inappropriate remarks reflect a patriarchal and misogynistic mindset, Moily said on Twitter. What a woman chooses to wear is nobodys business but her own, added Mehbooba. Sadly even in todays modern world, patriarchy plus brazen sexism always raises its ugly head & is normalised, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister tweeted. Also read | Priyanka Gandhi on stage, Rahul says time to win Uttar Pradesh back Monday was also the day Priyanka Gandhi joined the microblogging site, getting tens of thousands of followers within hours of logging in. Dwivedis widely reported comment was perhaps part of the vindictive and vicious political atmosphere that her husband Robert Vadra warned her against in an emotional Facebook post on Monday. As Priyanka Gandhi, 47, travelled slowly through the streets of Lucknow with her brother and Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party colleague Jyotiradiya Scindia, Vadra sent her his best wishes. Please keep her safe, Vadra said, doffing his hat to his best friend over the years. My Best wishes to you P, on your new journey of working in Uttar Pradesh and serving the people of India. You have been my best friend, a perfect wife, and the best mother to our children, Vadra said. There is a very vindictive and vicious political atmosphere... But I know, its her duty to serve the people and now we hand her to the people of India. Please keep her safe, he added. Priyanka Gandhi, who married Vadra in 1997, last week came out in strong support of her husband, dropping him off at the Enforcement Directorate office for his first day of questioning in connection with a money laundering probe. He is my husband, he is my family..., she said in her unambiguous message of solidarity. In Lucknow on Monday, crowds jostled with each other to catch a glimpse of the woman who many old timers said carried the stamp of her grandmother Indira Gandhi. Though Priyanka Gandhi has often campaigned for her mother Sonia Gandhi and brother Rahul Gandhi in the state, this was the first time that she was there as Congress general secretary and most couldnt get enough of her. As her rath inched through major thoroughfares, enthusiastic people and party members took vantage positions to click a pic. Party tricolours and hoardings all over gave the city a festive look. Some posters showed Priyanka Gandhi in a Durga Mata avatar riding a lion. Maa Durga ka roop behen Priyankaji (Sister Priyankaji is Maa Durgas incarnation) said one poster, while some others highlighted her resemblance to Indira Gandhi. Besides workers of other front organisations of the party, some Congress workers -- said to be members of Priyanka Sena, a little known outfit -- were seen wearing pink T-shirts with her photograph. With the Priyanka Sena at the Nehru Bhawan, Lucknow it is almost celebration here, tweeted Sushmita Dev, president of the All India Mahila Congress. Also read | Its like Indira has come back: Priyanka Gandhi makes political debut with roadshow The Congress on Monday reiterated its decision fight the general elections in Andhra Pradesh alone by contesting all the 25 Lok Sabha and 175 assembly seats and promptly drew fire from the Yuvajana Sramika Rytu Congress (YSRC) which said the decision will benefit the ruling Telugu Desam Party by splitting opposition votes. The Congress high command had earlier announced the decision to go solo after the failed experiment of forming a Maha Kootami or grand alliance with the TDP in neighbouring Telangana last year. Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president N. Raghuveera Reddy announced the partys decision after a meeting of the party coordination committee which also constituted the Pradesh Election Committee (PEC) with 32 members, campaign committee with 29 members and media coordination committee with 20 members. The coordination committee meeting took place in the presence of AICC in charge of Andhra, Oomen Chandy. Raghuveera Reddy said the party has received a good number of applications for the Lok Sabha and assembly seats from the aspirants. After vetting the applications, the party will announce candidates for state and parliament elections shortly, he said. Chandy had conveyed the party high commands decision not to have an alliance with TDP and to go alone to state party leaders in January. Miffed with this decision, a few party seniors like Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy had quit the party. Asked about the bonhomie between Congress and TDP at Centre but fighting individually in Andhra, Congress spokesman Dronam Srinivas said, Its a need of hour for a united fight by opposition at the Centre against the NDAs misrule. But the state level tie-ups is a localised issue varying from state to state in keeping with ground realities. YSR Congress senior leader Buggana Rajendranath Reddy alleged that the grand old partys go-it-alone decision is only aimed at benefiting N Chandrababu Naidus party by splitting the opposition votes. Naidu keeps saying it is a historical necessity to put up joint struggle with Congress to unseat the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and it sounds funny that the allies at the national level will be fighting each other in the state, he commented. TDP spokesman Dokka Manikya Varaprasad said his party is confident of coming back to power regardless of whether the Congress aligns with it or not. The Congress party had been decimated in Andhra Pradesh after the state was split in two. Congress earlier had been in power for two terms in succession, but had to take the blame for the division of a united Andhra Pradesh. Its vote share reduced to 3.5 per cent and party candidates failed to retain deposits in most Parliament and assembly seats in the previous election. Srinivas, however, asserted that the popular base of his party in the state has shored up after party president Rahul Gandhi promised special category status for Andhra Pradesh. Poola Vikram, a political analyst, said the presence of Congress in the fray as an independent entity may help Chandrababu. The experience in Telangana where the grand alliance experiment flopped due to failure to transfer of votes in the assembly election in December 2018 might have forced the TDP and the Congress to opt out of alliance, he observed. The Chhattisgarh police have given a clean chit to Delhi University professor Nandini Sundar, Jawaharlal Nehru University professor Archana Prasad and five others in a 2016 murder case, registered at Tongpal police station of Sukma district, a senior police officer said on Monday. The police said that during investigation no evidence was found against Sundar, JNU professor Archana Prasad, Vineet Tiwari, who is with Delhis Joshi Adhikar Sansthan, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sanjay Parata, local sarpanch Manju Kawasi and a villager, Mangla Ram Verma, in connection with the murder of Shamnat Baghel, a resident of Nama village in Sukma district. Jitendra Shukla, superintendent of police, Sukma, said: After the investigation, police have found no direct evidence against Nandini Sundar and other four in Tongpal murder case. The statements of the villagers were taken which suggests that they were not present at the time of the murder. Hence, we have taken back the cases against them. They were booked by Sukma police for murder, criminal conspiracy and rioting on November 7, 2016, on the basis of statement of Baghels wife, then Bastar range inspector general of police SRP Kalluri had said. Kalluri, who is transferred out of Bastar after the case was registered and is now posted as chief of the states anti-corruption branch (ACB), did not respond to phone calls from HT. Sundar said the police have done the right thing by going as per evidence, rather than continuing to concoct absurd theories. It was clear that the initial charges were vindictive, coming almost immediately after the CBI chargesheeted special police officers for violence in Tadmetla, said Sundar, who filed the PIL which led to the chargesheet. Sundar is a professor of sociology at the Delhi University. We hope that all ordinary innocent adivasis will also experience the same justice that we have got and charges against them will be dropped very soon, she added. The CBI questioned Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar for the third consecutive day on Monday in the Saradha chit fund scam. Former Trinamool Congress MP, Kunal Ghosh was also quizzed before being allowed to return to Kolkata. Kumar was questioned till 7pm and was asked to return to the CBI office on Tuesday morning. Ghoshs questioning continued for an hour beyond that of Kumar and after completion, he was allowed to return to Kolkata, an official of the agency said. While Kumar joined the investigations on Saturday, Ghoshs questioning began on Sunday. CBI officials on Tuesday said that both Kumar and Ghosh were questioned together for a considerable period of time. While leaving the CBI office, Ghosh said, I have cooperated with the investigation and now I am going back. I have participated in the confrontation session with Rajeev Kumar. However, he refused to divulge details. A CBI official on condition of anonymity said that they were also questioned on the Rose Valley case, another chit fund scam. On Tuesday, Chozam Sherpa, a deputy superintendent of police with the CBI who is the investigating officer in the Rose Valley case reached Shillong from Kolkata to participate in the interrogation. On Monday morning, Ghosh in a Facebook post urged political parties not to politicise the CBI probe. I request all political parties not to politicise the matter, Ghosh wrote. The steps that are being taken now for the sake of investigation should have been taken long back during the time of investigation by the SIT (which Kumar led) However, better late than never. Ghosh was arrested by the SIT in November 2013 when he was TMC Rajya Sabha MP. He was granted bail in 2016. Last week, the Supreme Court had directed Kumar to appear before the CBI and faithfully cooperate in the investigation of cases arising out of the Saradha chit fund scam. The court chose Shillong as the neutral meeting place to avoid all unnecessary controversy and made it clear that Kumar would not be arrested. The CBI had moved the Supreme Court after its officials were stopped by the Kolkata Police when they had gone to Kumars official residence in Kolkata to question him on February 3. A report by the governments auditor, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), into 11 defence deals including the one for the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets, was submitted to the President and the government on Monday, clearing the decks for its tabling in Parliament in the next two days, officials familiar with the development said on condition of anonymity. Interestingly, HT has learnt that the report may have side-stepped the controversial offset aspect of the Rafale deal the opposition alleges that the old deal was scrapped and a new one signed, so as to benefit Anil Ambanis Reliance Defence though an offset deal (a charge denied by all stakeholders) which will be part of a separate report that deals with offset deals across all three defence services. The draft report on the offset deals is ready and it has been sent to the ministry of defence for its comments, which are awaited. Once the comments are received, the final report will be prepared. The final audit report on offset deals may come after the elections, a government official said on condition of anonymity. According to officials cited in the first instance, the report has been divided into two sections one pertaining to 10 acquisitions and the second, exclusively on Rafalel. The report, titled Capital Acquisitions of the Air Force, looks at major procurements over five years. The second section is believed to focus also on the contentious pricing aspect of the Rafale aircraft deal. The report contains a comparative analysis of Rafales pricing vis-a-vis the initial plan to buy 126 jets, including 18 in flyaway condition. The NDA [National Democratic Alliance] government decided to buy only 36 Rafale jets, all in flyaway condition, added the government official cited above. The scrapping of the 126 aircraft deal, initiated during the previous United Progressive Alliances (UPA) regime, by the NDA has become controversial. The Opposition, led by the Congress, alleges that the new price is much higher than the old one, and that due process wasnt followed (apart from the charge regarding offsets). The government says it has managed to get the basic jet at a lower cost, and that all procedures were followed. A CAG official explained that the comparative analysis has been done in percentage terms; the actual comparative price of the jet was mentioned in the report but was redacted, this person added on condition of anonymity. The redaction has been done on the request of the defence ministry which cited national security as well as the confidentiality clause of the deal with the French government. There have been many other CAG reports where sensitive information has been redacted earlier too, added the CAG official. A CAG spokesperson confirmed that the report has been sent to the government and the President. The submission of the report comes a day after the Congress demanded that Comptroller and Auditor General Rajiv Mehrishi recuse himself from auditing the deal as he was the finance secretary when the deal was negotiated. The finance ministry, however, refuted the allegations and said Mehrishi never dealt with expenditure proposals from the defence ministry. To claim that secretary [economic affairs] as finance secretary would have dealt with the expenditure proposals from the ministry of defence is totally a figment of imagination and stretch of facts, it said in a statement. Union minister Arun Jaitley accused the Congress of casting aspersions on the institution based on a falsehood. A second CAG official explained on condition of anonymity that Mehrishi was not the expenditure secretary at the time of the deal. All five departmental secretaries of the finance ministry report to the finance minister and one of them is designated as the finance secretary. Therefore, while being the finance secretary, Mehrishi didnt deal with the Rafale matter, this person added. The Rafale issue was even raised before the Supreme Court, which did not find any substance in the allegations, although its ruling didnt put an end to the controversy because of some factual errors in the judgment, which, the government claims, are on account of misinterpretation and, the Opposition claims, arise from the government misleading the court. The government has filed an application to correct these mistakes. The Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force will not have funds to pay for platforms and equipment they have agreed to buy (or have actually bought) in the past years in the coming financial year 2019-2020, unless the government allocates more money to them. The Indian Army is better off, but in general the forces face a cash crunch, a senior defence ministry official, who did not want to be named, said. The officials assessment, corroborated by analysts and other experts HT spoke to, is based on the capital expenditure allocated to the forces in the interim budget 2019-2020, and their so-called committed liabilities towards capital purchases. Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman has already been briefed about this and has taken it up with the finance ministry, this person added. A defence ministry spokesperson did not respond to a query seeking comment. All told, the interim budget allocates Rs 1.03 lakh crore towards the capital expenditure of the three forces. Of this, the Indian Navy has been allotted Rs 23,156.43 crore. The committed liabilities for capital acquisition of the Indian Navy is Rs 25,461 crore, a second senior official dealing with the budget allocation in the ministry of defence said on the condition of anonymity. Committed liabilities are instalments paid annually for ongoing capital projects such as building warships, aircraft, missile systems, etc. Either we are allocated more funds later in the year, or we need to cut down on expenditure elsewhere if we have to meet all liabilities that we have agreed on, a senior naval officer said on the condition of anonymity. The other option is to roll over the liability, a third defence ministry official said, asking not to be identified. According to Amit Cowshish, the former chief financial adviser to the ministry of defence, rolling over committed liabilities happens, but is not a healthy practice. Importantly, it reflects poorly on the country. The situation isnt very different for the Indian Air Force which has been allocated Rs 39,302.64 crore for capital expenditure, but which has committed to paying Rs 47,413 crore this year, a fourth senior defence ministry official, who did not want to be named, said. Among the big-ticket items IAF is paying for are the Rafale fighters from France. The army is relatively better off. It has been allocated Rs 29,447.28 crore. It has a committed liability of Rs 21,600 crore. The Indian Army is racing against time to stock up arms and ammunition to be prepared to fight an intense 10-day war. The process received a boost after the terror attack at the army encampment in Uri in 2016. India is among the largest weapons importer in the world, according to think-tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPIRI). Between 2013 -17, the country accounted for nearly 12% of all global imports of arms, SIPRI said in its report released last year. The falling rupee has only added to the difficulties imposed by the funds crunch. Since April 1 last year, the rupee depreciated 9.4% against the US dollar. Cowshish claimed that this may be the first time in recent years that this is happening. It is a very difficult position to be in. Not providing for committed liabilities didnt happen in the past, he said. HT couldnt independently verify this. Importantly, allocation of extra funds is unlikely to go up later in the year, he added. Interestingly, the Indian Army is yet to get Rs 1,487 crore that was sanctioned for strengthening perimeter security of encampments and installations, such as the one in Uri, in Jammu and Kashmir and the north-east. This amount was promised after terrorists stormed the Sunjuwan camp, the base of the 36 Brigade, last February. As many as 11 soldiers and one civilian died in the attack apart from four terrorists who stormed the camp. Interim budget 2018-19 allocates Rs 3.05 lakh crore to the forces, excluding pensions. Including pensions, the number is Rs 4.29 lakh crore. Of the total, capital expenditure accounts for 24% and pensions 26%. Smoking, alcohol consumption, exposure to chulha smoke or passive smoking, over-medication and radiation exposure during first few weeks of pregnancy along with nutritional deficiencies may lead to congenital deformities of the face such as cleft lip and palate anomaly, according to a study by AIIMS. Cleft lip or cleft palate is a condition when the two sides of the lip, developing in an unborn baby, do not completely fuse together. It affects weight speech and chewing habit of a child and leads to abnormal arrangement of teeth, poor jaw relations and facial aesthetic. Cleft lip and palate anomaly constitute nearly one-third of all congenital malformations of the craniofacial region with an average worldwide incidence of 1 in 700. Its incidence in Asian population is reported to be around 1.7 per 1,000 live births or higher. In India, even though a national epidemiological data is not available, many studies from different parts of the country have reported a variation in the incidence of cleft anomaly. Based on rough estimates, it is suggested that approximately 35,000 new-born cleft patients are added every year to the Indian population. The study, initiated by Centre for Dental Education and Research (CDER) at All India Institute of Medical Sciences since 2010, was conducted in three phases: pre-pilot, pilot and multi-centric. The pre-pilot phase was conducted between 2010 and 2012. It aimed at developing comprehensive protocols for recording the history, investigations on dental anomalies, hearing defects and evaluation of speech-related problems in patients with cleft palate. The idea was to have a uniformity in the procedure of collecting the patients records, said O P Kharbanda, chief of CDER and principal investigator of the project. During the pilot phase (2012-2014), data of 164 cases with cleft lip and palate anomaly were recorded from three high-volume cleft care centres in Delhi and National Capital Region, involving two public funded hospitals AIIMS and Safdarjung and one private hospital Medanta-The Medicity in Gurgaon. It revealed that patients suffering from this deformity had high treatment need with an immediate need to devise strategies to improve the delivery of quality care, Kharbanda said. Currently, the multi-centric phase is underway in New Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Guwahati. In our study, we also evaluated a few risk factors including maternal smoking and alcohol consumption, intake of drugs during the first trimester of pregnancy and exposure to smoke during the same time by the use of chulha at home or due to passive smoking. We also took into account the history in drug intake and radiation exposure in the first trimester of pregnancy and it was concluded that all these risk factors may be related to increased incidence of cleft in the progeny, Kharbanda said. The governments Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram has identified cleft lip and palate as one of the visible deformities which are recorded under the programme. A web-based recording system, IndiCleft tool, has been developed with the help of The National Informatics Centre. Balram Bhargava, director general of ICMR, will launch the IndiCleft tool on February 14. Jammu and Kashmir Bank has released the admit card for the recruitment of probationary officers (PO) in the bank. Candidates who have successfully applied for the examination can download their admit card by visiting the career section of Jammu and Kashmir Bank. The online preliminary exam is scheduled to be held on February 21. JK Bank PO Prelims 2019: Steps to download the admit card 1) Go to official website of Jammu and Kashmir Bank at jkbank.com 2) Click on the link for career section on the top nav bar 3) Click on the link Click here to download Preliminary Exam Call Letter for Probationary Officers 4) You will be taken to a login page 5) Enter your registration number and password 6) Enter the captcha code 6) Click on login and your admit card will be displayed on the screen 7) Take a print-out and save it on your computer Or JK Bank PO Prelims 2019: Here is the direct link to download admit card from the official website. The admit card will be available for download until February 21, 2019. No request for change of Centre will be entertained now. The bank has also issued an information hand out for the online examination too. Here is the direct link to see the notification for the exam. Note: Visit the official website of the bank for the latest news and updates. Students from several Delhi University (DU) colleges have raised objections over Hindu Colleges customary Virgin Tree Puja, which is organised every year on February 14. A group of students from the college have dubbed the practice as misogynistic and have demanded that practice to be abolished. On Monday, students said they are going to organise a public discussion to find possibilities of making the event (which is held to celebrate Valentines Day) gender inclusive. Every year on February 14, Valentines Day, students from Hindu Colleges boys hostel flock around the Virgin Tree (V-shaped tree) on the college campus. They worship a Bollywood female actor as Damdami Mai (goddess), with her poster stuck to the tree. The students of the college also decorate the tree with condoms. The ritual is believed to bring good luck with the students who participate in it falling in love within the next six months and losing their virginity in the next one year. According to the group of protesting students, who call themselves the Hindu College Progressive Front, the V-tree Puja is nothing but objectification of women. One of the first things you will find when you search Hindu College on the internet is its popularity for the annual V-tree Puja. Some students think that the puja is an important tradition and part of legacy of the college and hence must be continued. But, not all traditions are meant to be continued. If we allow an aggressive and unhealthy tradition on sexuality in a university, then we give acceptance to a culture that only allows the expression of a single idea of sexuality without caring about who is excluded, said the group, in a statement. The group, along with the colleges Women Development Cell, will on Monday hold a public discussion legacy or objectification to reach a consensus on the issue. We will be holding a public meeting where students and teachers are invited to express their views on the V-tree Puja, said Yogita, a member of the progressive front. Students from Delhi School of Economics and St Stephens College have also extended support to the protesters. At a time when women across universities are fighting to rightfully occupy spaces in the university and to change the nature of these dominantly masculine spaces, we condemn the practise of Virgin Tree Puja. We implore the Boys Hostel Union and the Students Union put a stop to it immediately, said members of gender study cell of Stephens College in a statement. Teli Venkatesh, president of colleges boys hostel, however, said that there was nothing misogynist about the practice. Its a part of the colleges legacy. However, we are meeting for a discussion and will try to take women students on board. We can come up with ideas to make it an inclusive practice, he said. India and the United States are squaring up for an exchange of blows on trade issues as space for a negotiated agreement is running out. The United States Trade Representatives Office (USTR) has run out of patience over a two-year dispute on medical device price controls, not least because New Delhi suddenly walked away from a negotiated settlement. The USTR now wants zero-tariff privileges for Indian textiles and other imports, under the World Trade Organizations (WTO) generalised system of preferences, be revoked. The most obvious Indian retaliation would be to impose tariffs on US steel and aluminium imports, something it has delayed despite the unilateral imposition of similar tariffs on India. Neither of these actions will have significant economic impact. The real danger would be for this tit-for-tat to trigger an escalatory series of actions. Of concern would be the formal dispute spreading to incorporate a whole set of new sources of trade friction such as data localisation norms or the rules governing e-commerce investment. Neither side is faultless in the present economic fracas. Much of Indias problems arise from arbitrary decisions by domestic regulators who have little understanding of Indias multilateral trade obligations, complicated by a political unwillingness to override these decisions no matter how foolish they may be. Washington seems blind to the fact that in the run-up to a tightly contested national elections, New Delhi would find it politically more expedient to exchange blows than come to a settlement that could be criticised by the opposition. Trade disputes are hardly new in Indo-US relations and are common between any two nations that have a substantial economic relationship. The environment today is different for two reasons. One is that the Trump administration divorces strategic and trade issues. It sees no contradiction in having friendly strategic relations and a confrontational trade policy with the same country. The US is also running two separate trade policies. President Donald Trumps revolves around trade deficits and temporary obsessions like Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The USTR remains concerned about policy shifts that undermine US corporate interests. Two, India is struggling with a whole set of new norms regarding the digital economy, ranging from data privacy to payments structures, that it has yet to settle at home. The Modi government had mooted the idea of putting all these issues into one basket and working on a US-India trade pact. It is perhaps time to dust off this idea and begin a process designed to prevent potential trade conflicts, most of which are easily predictable. Less than 12 hours after she went missing from her house, the body of a seven-year-old girl was found inside a park in outer Delhis Nihal Vihar Sunday morning, police said. While her limbs were tied together and two ropes were found dangling from her neck when her relatives found her, police suspect she died of an injury to her head caused by some blunt object. Seju P Kuruvilla, deputy commissioner of police (outer Delhi), said even though the girls clothes were found to be intact, the police are waiting for the autopsy report to ascertain whether she was sexually assaulted. Maintaining that a murder case under IPC section 302 has been registered at Nihal Vihar, the officer maintained that the probe was still its preliminary stage and there was no clue about either the killer or the motive behind the murder. This is the fourth incident in the last 20 days wherein bodies of girls or women have been found in the national Capital. On January 27, a six-year-old girls body was found stuffed in a sack and dumped near her home in Samaypur Badli. On January 19, the body of an unidentified minor girl, with her throat slit, was found in a sack in central Delhis Daryaganj. Two days later, dismembered body parts of an unidentified woman was found in an agricultural field in outer Delhis Alipur. So far, all four crimes have remained unsolved. Elaborating further on Sundays crime, police said the girl who was murdered used to live with her parents and younger sister in Nihal Vihar and her father works at a factory. The two girls were born to the family after lots of prayers. The younger one was born deaf and mute. The girl who was killed was a support to her parents, the girls aunt said. Reminiscing about the fateful 24 hours, the girls mother said that her two daughters left for the local market around 8pm on Saturday. My younger daughter who is five years old wanted momos and was crying a lot. So I asked my elder one to accompany her, said the girls mother. But suddenly, the elder girl went missing from the momo stall so the younger one returned home crying, the mother said, adding, We immediately began searching for her but in vain. Around 10pm, we approached the local police. Alleging that the police were not responsive, the girls aunt said, Had the police searched for her actively, she would not have been killed. But the DCP said a kidnapping case was registered at Nihal Vihar police station on Saturday night. We searched all night but couldnt trace her, he said. On Sunday morning, the girls family again set out to look for her. We visited the Nihal Vihar park. We found her body around 6.30am at a garbage-littered spot in the park, said the girls aunt. Her hands and legs were folded and tied together, said the aunt. Two notable Americans faced firestorms of criticism last week: A governor whose medical school yearbook page showed a racist image and a billionaire whose infidelity was exposed by a tabloid. The politician Virginia governor Ralph Northam handled the PR crisis in the worst way possible by deflecting and denying, which led to calls for his resignation. The reclusive billionaire, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, turned crisis into opportunity by disclosing embarrassing information and positioning himself as a superhero, telling everyone that he was standing up to a bully on their behalf. One thing we can learn from all of this is to come clean when things go wrong. It doesnt matter whether you are a CEO, government official, or school teacher: The best way out of a business or personal crisis is to admit you made a mistake. We are humans, and no one expects us to be perfect. Even though you may get some criticism or negative press, it wont be anything like the alternative. As well, you will build a level of trust that pays long-term dividends. I learned this the hard way long ago, when I was a fledgling entrepreneur. In my first company, Seer Technologies, where I was chief technology officer, we shied away from the media. We watched every word and were guarded in front of journalists. The only times we granted interviews were when we had good news deal closures and product announcements. If something went wrong or the press asked about customer problems, we went silent. When Seer filed for its IPO in 1995, the North Carolina press was eager to cover us because we were a rare local success. But, rather than establish relationships, our management team decided to take the advice of our investment bankers and refused all interviews. We even refused a cover story for a national technology magazine after the editor had travelled to interview us. As a result, after the IPO, the only news that the local business journal reported was about our salaries, which it suggested were excessive. And when the company got into trouble, it made front-page news. The coverage was negative all the way. In my second company, Relativity Technologies, of which I was CEO, I took a different tack. We opted for openness and full disclosure of the good and the bad. We were always in the news about our successes. And the coverage was sympathetic when things went wrong. Just after we had completed a round of venture financing, my president and chief operating officer received an offer to join the hottest company in the region. I expected that we would get slammed by the press for losing a senior executive and that there would be rumours and questions about our viability. I decided to call up local journalists and brief them in advance about the press release. I explained that this was a big loss, but that we would survive. Instead of questioning the viability of the company, the coverage focused on how Relativity had become a recruiting ground for hot companies how much in demand our people were. The Wall Street Journal ran a front page article on how loyalty meant nothing in the tech industry. It focused on what a difficult decision it was for an executive to leave such a successful company, because our stock could be worth millions. The same happened when my company got into trouble two years later and I had to lay off employees. I invited the local press to come and meet my employees including the people I had laid off. The next morning, I was surprised to see myself in a full-page article on the front page of the business section of The News and Observer. It was titled Viva Vivek and lauded the company for the way it treated its employees. It showed how, even in hard times, employees were showing loyalty, quoting some who had been laid off as saying they planned to show up for workwithout payuntil they found new jobs. More recently, I made the mistake of tangling with some people on Twitter who disagreed with my efforts to highlight the sexist ways of Silicon Valleys companies and investors. I was accused of taking the oxygen out of the room; my intentions were painted in the worst light; and there were unfair and untrue accusations made against me. In the heat of the argument, I reacted in anger at my critics but I realised afterwards that I had stepped out of line. I chose to admit my mistake and move on from the debate. It isnt that I care less for the cause or am doing any less for women entrepreneurs; rather, I realised that it is sometimes better to step aside and move the cause forward in other ways. The lesson, because there will be many lemons in life, is to make the proverbial lemonade and be open and honest. Thats the best way of doing damage control and positioning yourself for success. Vivek Wadhwa is a Distinguished Fellow at Harvard Law School and Carnegie Mellon University The views expressed are personal If the response Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatts Gully Boy is getting at its Berlinale screening is anything to go by, then we can say that Zoya Akhtars directorial is a winner. While the social media has been raving about Ranveers performance, with many calling it his best, praise for the film is coming from various quarters. Also read | Gully Boy first reactions are in: Ranveer Singh gives career best performance, Alia Bhatt is terrific The latest being Cameron Bailey, artistic director at the Toronto International Film Festival. Tweeting after watching the film with the films lead cast and Zoya, Cameron tweeted that he has never seen such a response to a film in his 20 years at Berlin. He wrote: Watched the GULLY BOY world premiere tonight in a packed house with @RanveerOfficial, @aliaa08 & @ZoyaAkhtarOff present. Biggest cheers Ive heard in 20+ years at the Berlinale. Watched the GULLY BOY world premiere tonight in a packed house with @RanveerOfficial, @aliaa08 & @ZoyaAkhtarOff present. Biggest cheers Ive heard in 20+ years at the Berlinale. pic.twitter.com/Lk8OUoA663 Cameron Bailey (@cameron_tiff) February 10, 2019 Watch: Screaming fans greet Ranveer, Alia at the Berlin International Film Festival If that wasnt enough, Variety in its review of the film, reserved fulsome praise for both the film and its lead actor. Jay Weissberg, writing in his review, mentioned that while the film could sound derivative, its high-wattage screen chemistry and inclusive social message coupled with slick production quality, made it a standout work. He wrote: A Bollywood movie about a rapper from the slums may sound derivative, but what does that matter when Gully Boy revels in high-wattage screen chemistry and an inclusive social message, all served up in a slickly enjoyable production showcasing Ranveer Singhs many charms? Zoya Akhtars most accomplished film to date is a mainstream rap musical about a Muslim guy from working-class Mumbai determined to break free from the strictures of expectation and class, all served up with generous helpings of deftly written hip-hop lyrics and a largely well-woven narrative thats so likable one can almost forgive how the script barely bothers to resolve an important plot element. Ever since the film had its world premiere at Berlin, applause for the film has been non-stop. Author Aseem Chhabra tweeted to say how he had been holding back to talk about for three days, thanks to the embargo. He added how this is a huge achievement for both Ranveer and Zoya. Now that the embargo is over, Ive been dying to say this for 3 days! #GullyBoy is awesome, a great achievement for #ZoyaAkhtar. @RanveerOfficial gives his career best performance. Wonderful supporting cast. The music comes alive. Now that the embargo is over, Ive been dying to say this for 3 days! #GullyBoy is awesome, a great achievement for #ZoyaAkhtar. @RanveerOfficial gives his career best performance. Wonderful supporting cast. The music comes alive! My review out tomorrow. #Berlinale @berlinale Aseem Chhabra (@chhabs) February 9, 2019 Samir Bhamra, who is associated with UK Asian Film festival too tweeted in supported of the film. He wrote: #GullyBoyAtBerlinale fills your heart with pride #knowyourselfworth #selfworth #struggle but head held up high in #honour #dreams #hardlines. #ApnaTimeAayega starts on screen and the audience matches the beats with their rhythmic applause #GullyBoyInBerlin #gullyboy - that says what this movie means to todays generation Samir Bhamra (@phizzical) February 9, 2019 He further added: #ApnaTimeAayega starts on screen and the audience matches the beats with their rhythmic applause #GullyBoyInBerlin #gullyboy - that says what this movie means to todays generation. #ApnaTimeAayega starts on screen and the audience matches the beats with their rhythmic applause #GullyBoyInBerlin #gullyboy - that says what this movie means to todays generation Samir Bhamra (@phizzical) February 9, 2019 Meanwhile, at the films screening, Ranveer rapped to his hit number from the film, Apna Time Aayega, even as an enthusiastic crowd joined in. Gully Boy tells the story of rap artists Divine and Neazy, who grew up in the slums of Mumbai to become celebrated rappers in the country. For the role, Ranveer plunged headlong into it and the two artists vouched for Ranveers dedication, ability to catch nuances and their emotional journey. Alia too has been the talk of the town, thanks to her endearing dhoptungi dialogue from the film. Zoyas seems to criss-cross different worlds with ease. Her last major film was Dil Dhadakne Doh, a story of a troubled but rich Indian family. The film will hit the screens in India on February 14. Follow @htshowbiz for more Earlier in February, the Attorney-General of India, KK Venugopal, filed a contempt of court petition against the lawyer, Prashant Bhushan. The latter had accused the government of misleading the Supreme Court in the case involving the appointment of an interim director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Venugopal argued that this was a false accusation, and undermined the course of justice. It is unclear whether Bhushans statements amounted to contempt, since they were addressed to the government (and not the court). However, during the hearing on February 6, events took a new and alarming turn. Venugopal then changed tack and argued for guidelines to regulate commentary (especially by lawyers) on sub-judice (i.e., pending) cases. The SC bench agreed to adjudicate the case on those terms, and fixed a date in March to hear it. There are many reasons why the SC should refrain from issuing broad, multi-purpose guidelines, of the kind that the Attorney-General has in mind. The first is that it would be a serious attack on the constitutional value of the freedom of speech and expression. One of the core principles of Indian democracy is the principle of open justice: At all times, the work of courts in dispensing justice must be open to public scrutiny. This scrutiny could be outspoken and harsh, at times. It may irritate judges who feel that they are being subjected to unjust and unfair opprobrium. However, officers of State who wield power of the kind that judges do, are expected to have shoulders broad enough to shrug off fierce, even vituperative criticism. This is especially true of the Indian Supreme Court that, over the years, has transformed itself from a judicial tribunal that deals only with questions of law, to a forum that intervenes on a wide range of issues involving administration and governance. The SC is often called the most powerful Court in the world. It is in the nature of things that the power that a body wields will be directly proportionate to the force of the criticism that it receives. There is, of course, a narrow exception to this rule. Judges, by virtue of their office, can only speak through their judgments, and are not in a position to publicly respond to personal attacks or allegations. Consequently, attributing extraneous motivations to a judge, or insinuating that a judge has been bought out or is corrupt, are forms of expression that can be regulated and curtailed. This is exactly what the existing contempt of court law does: it requires individuals to refrain from interfering with the administration of justice, a requirement that has been interpreted to mean that while judgments and judges can be criticised (including in harsh and intemperate terms), extraneous motives cannot be attributed to them. It is clear, therefore, that existing contempt of court law deals with the possible abuse of the right to free speech and to criticise the courts. Any guidelines that step beyond this area will amount to an immediate violation of the freedom of speech and expression. There is a further, more basic reason, why the court should refrain from stepping into this arena. And that is that the Indian Constitution does not authorise the judiciary to directly censor speech. Article 19(2) of the Constitution only allows for speech to be restricted through a law made by the State. It has long been settled in Indian constitutionalism that the word law under this Article does not include judge-made law or judicial orders. The reason for this is clear: The framers of the Constitution wanted a double layer of safeguards when it came to free speech parliamentary scrutiny (first) and judicial review (second). They did not see fit to vest direct censorial powers in the hands of judges. For these reasons, whatever the temptations, the SC should desist from acceding to the Attorney-Generals request, and passing guidelines curtailing commentary on sub-judice cases. Gautam Bhatia is an advocate in the Supreme Court The views expressed are personal The 42nd amendment to the Constitution, passed on November 11, 1976, during the Emergency, controversially inserted the words socialist and secular into the Preamble of the Constitution. The inclusion of these two words shouldnt be dismissed as just academic curiosity: it carries enormous legal-constitutional weight and defines Indian jurisprudence to this day. It was a crowning achievement for the Congress to insert the two principal watchwords of their philosophy into the Preamble. During the Constituent Assembly debates, KT Shah had advocated the inclusion of the words socialist and secular. BR Ambedkar opposed this, saying ...What should be the policy of the State, how the Society should be organised in its social and economic side are matters which must be decided by the people themselves according to time and circumstances. It cannot be laid down in the Constitution itself, because that is destroying democracy altogether. Given Indias first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehrus ideological proclivities, Indias tilt towards socialism after Independence was secured. In an ironic twist, his preference for group-based rights, rather than equal and universal individual rights, turned secularism into a euphemism for differential treatment of citizens based on religion. The shortages due to socialist economics created the basis for slotting individuals into groups, with the political party wielding power accommodating the identity groups that helped their passage to New Delhi. The results of this mutual back-scratching have not been happy for India. It is in this context that the 103rd amendment to the Constitution providing quotas for economically weaker sections (EWS) by the Narendra Modi government should be seen. India has reiterated the principle that economic backwardness in and of itself is a sufficient criterion for government mandated affirmative action; it is not social identity alone that determines welfare. The principle is not entirely new because OBC stands for Other Backward Classes, not castes. This is why a large part of the Muslim community is also included under the OBC quota, and also why there is already a creamy layer exclusion criteria within the OBC quota. It is only for the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes that the criteria was based primarily on identity. Yet it does make sense to have income cutoffs across all quotas for there is no convincing answer to a simple question: why should a rich Dalit or tribal be preferred over a poor Dalit or tribal Indian for the same seats or positions? Today, we see the rise of Dalit capitalism, and indeed of many historically non-business castes. If the judicial system did not inordinately delay justice and India had better enforcement of contracts, caste-based social capital would matter even less. With the government preparing to impose the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, OBC and EWS quotas in all private universities, including minority institutions, all higher educational institutions will be on the same plane. Without further liberalisation and supply side reforms in higher education, pervasive quotas will undermine excellence and merit over the long run. The rise of education technology is already expanding supply, and the government has done well to recognise the role of online learning by inviting top ranked institutions to commence online degree programmes. A shift from identity-based welfare to need-based welfare strikes at the roots of the Nehruvian socioeconomic paradigm. The defining feature of Modis move is that there has been an unambiguous assertion that a very poor Brahmin, or Muslim, deserves affirmative action while a rich OBC does not. The political positioning of Indias parties on this issue delineates the fundamental faultlines of Indian politics. The progressive Nehruvian project relies on keeping Hindus divided through caste, class, region or language, while consolidating religious minority votes even at the cost of pandering to its ultra-conservative elements and sacrificing the liberal-minded sub-minority within the religious minority. It is notable and revelatory that just three MPs opposed the amendment in the Lok Sabha, and all three were from Muslim-oriented parties: two from the Indian Union Muslim League and one from the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. Couple the 103rd amendment with Modis effort to push direct benefit transfers, private public partnership-based welfare schemes as well as a commitment to reform regressive Muslim practices and laws, and we see the contours of a new Indian state that prioritises individual identity while delivering welfare through market-driven mechanisms. Rajeev Mantri and Harsh Gupta are co-founders of the India Enterprise CouncilThe views expressed are personal Media is not anymore about giving information. It probably never was. It is about influencing opinion to further the agenda of certain interests and lies are apparently an accepted tool. Lies are often disguised as surveys or even research. Nobody would believe lies if they were too obvious. Yet when a World Watch List, for example, by Open Doors in England gives out a ranking regarding the level of persecution of Christians in the world, and when nobody less than the British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt releases it (in January 2019) and tweets about it, the ranking acquires respectability and credibility, even if it contains plain falsehood. From now on, people who heard about this list will know that the level of persecution of Christians is extremely high in Bharat, higher than for example in Syria or Nigeria. Now this list falls clearly under propagating falsehood in the name of an agenda. There is no other country where members of other religions are as safe as in Bharat. Hindus always gave shelter to those who were persecuted in their homelands. Jews gratefully acknowledged that Bharat is the one country where they were never persecuted. Syrian Christians under their leader Thomas of Cana (Thomas the Apostle did not come to Bharat) were given refuge in the 4th century. Parsis came in the 10th century to escape the Muslim invaders in Persia. And in 1959, some 100,000 Tibetan Buddhist refugees fled over high Himalayan mountains and found shelter in Bharat only 12 years after the British had left Bharat a country that was one of the richest on earth when they seized power and one of the poorest, when they left. Yet now the British Foreign Secretary tweeted that nobody should be persecuted for their faith and obviously endorsed the ranking of Bharat in the extreme level category at number 10 out of 50 countries. Of course, nobody should be persecuted for their faith. Yet an important issue is overlooked. What is the reason for persecution? Who is likely to persecute others for their faith? Naturally it must be those who believe in an ideology which considers the faith of those others as wrong and unacceptable. There exist mainly three such ideologies Communism, Christianity and Islam, and all three are known for not only persecuting, but even killing dissenting voices in the millions. Communism wants to stamp out religion as such as it considers them as a disease. Christianity wants to obliterate all other faiths except itself, and Islam has the same goal. It considers all others as false and unacceptable to their god. Both wont tolerate other faiths and therefore are likely to persecute them. So the first countries on the list may indeed deserve their rank and indeed persecute Christians. North Korea due to its communism, and then right up to rank 17, all are Muslim majority countries with one exception. On rank number 10 is Bharat with a Hindu majority. How did Bharat get in there? There seems to be an agenda to obfuscate and muddle the issue. Hindu Dharma does not condemn other faiths as wrong and does not persecute others. It never has. It has the most liberal world view possible. Everyone has the right to seek his own truth, and his owns connection to the source of his being. So why is Bharat ranked together with countries where indeed Christians are persecuted? Surely the compilers of the list must have reason to include Bharat, wont they? Was there not a young American missionary killed by tribals in the Andaman Islands recently? And is this not brutal persecution? Yes, it is true that he was killed. The young American was naive. He knew that the Sentinelese tribe was fully cut off from civilization and hostile, and nobody was allowed to go there. Yet, he went nevertheless, feeling he was called to bring the Gospel to them, as if they were in need of it. His superiors should have warned him, yet they rather encouraged a possible martyrdom. Yet, this definitely cannot be called persecution of Christians. It was a defense against an unwanted intruder by tribals, who had earlier had bad experiences under the British colonial rule. It also cannot be called persecution of Christians, when villagers occasionally chased away missionaries who had come to convert. These villagers have every right to protest against their gods being called devils and being pestered to leave their ancient tradition. Did the Christian missionaries not cross decent human behavior by not respecting others views, if those views are not harmful to anyone? Unfortunately, Christian missionaries are notorious for crossing decent human behavior and for putting out blatant fake news. An example: Swiss friends were alarmed by a forward they had got on 23rd November 2018 and asked me if there was truth in it. It was in German and I translate it here in full: SAD NEWS: Please pray! Urgent issue for prayer. Pray for the Church in Bharat. Last night 20 churches were burnt down. And tonight more than 200 churches in the Olisabang province are meant to be destroyed. They want to kill 200 missionaries in the next 24 hours. All Christians hide in villages Pray for them and send this message to all Christians whom you know the world over. Pray to God that He has mercy for our brothers and sisters in Bharat. When you receive this message, pass it on urgently to other people. Please pray for the 22 Christian missionary families who have been condemned to be executed. Please pass on this message as fast as you can, so that many will pray!!! With love Joyce Meyer A Google search shows that this message is circulating since 2010 and is a hoax. Even the province doesnt exist. Would a persecuted religious group dare to spread such blatant, outrageous lies? Would it dare to have a detailed plan like the Joshua Project about how to convert maximum number of Hindus? So who is actually persecuting whom? Yet instead of condemning the devious agenda of the missionaries, the world accuses Bharat of persecuting Christians. Why? The west knows that they cannot bully Islamic countries. But in Bharat, which is a high target for conversion, there are enough western oriented Bharatiyas, who will happily toe its line and falsely accuse Hindus of persecuting Christians. In this way, Hindus and Bharat get a bad image in the eyes of the world and Christians receive support and compassion. Mainstream media has tremendous power to shape opinions. Churches have tremendous financial and political clout. Both obviously cooperate to portray Hindus as intolerant and hateful of other religions absolutely contrary to facts. There is a third power that wants Bharat to get a bad image the world over, at least as bad as its own image is. It is Pakistan, which is at rank number 5 in the list. Intriguingly, not a single European or American country is among the 50 top countries where Christians are persecuted. But was there not a shooting in a church in USA? Have Christian refugees for example in Germany not been attacked by Muslim migrants? Does this not count as persecution? And are those French or German or Spanish or English citizens, who are randomly stabbed with a knife or blown up in a terror attack, not targeted for their faith? For not being Muslim? We need to be clear. Those who are persecuted FOR their faith, are always persecuted by members of a different faith which is rigid and dogmatic and considers those other views as wrong so wrong that they are ready to even cheat or kill to wipe this wrong faith out. Islam is one such rigid faith, but also Christianity. So, in a tweet, I suggested to the British foreign secretary a slight change in his comment. Instead of Nobody should be persecuted FOR his faith I suggested Nobody should be persecuted BY a faith. Will he understand ? Source : Maria Wirths Blog Buena Vista, CO (81211) Today Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 51F. WNW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 51F. WNW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. BB&T is particularly strong in the small business, smaller commercial side. So its very complementary in nature, Dukes said. She said that where both banks have financial dealing with the same large clients, the great news is we have a much larger balance sheet and we have the opportunity to have larger relationships with these clients. We dont see that as a real challenge, Dukes said. We frankly see it as a bigger opportunity to create deeper relationships with these clients across a broader suite of capabilities. The Winston-Salem area lost 1,300 jobs to Charlotte between 2001 and 2003 with the First Union takeover of Wachovia. In some instances, former Wachovia employees went to work for smaller banks and credit unions, found new financial-services jobs, opened their own businesses or left the area to find work of a similar level and high pay. Its likely that local BB&T and SunTrust employees whose jobs go away will find similar work even with there being fewer banks in the area than in 2003. We are always looking for exceptional talent and make it a point to hire locally, Truliant said. Corporate cultures The two men found dead in a house on Mt. Wesley Church Road in the Stony Point community have been identified as Chad Lee Kennedy and Mark Jefferson Furey, according to an Alexander County Sheriffs Office report. Kennedy, 38, of Stony Point and Furey, 57, of Taylorsville were found dead in two different rooms in the house with multiple bullet wounds. Deputies responded around noon Saturday, according to the report. A man who once lived in the house found Kennedy and Furey dead when he visited the home to retrieve belongings. Sheriff Chris Bowman said the two men are not related. Four neighbors near the residence on Mt. Wesley Church Road reported a person knocking on their mobile home doors and sides around 1 a.m. Saturday, the report said. The Sheriffs Office is looking to locate the person who was knocking and encourages the person to contact the Sheriffs Office. If anyone has any information, please contact the Alexander County Sheriffs Office at 828-632-1111 or Alexander County Crime Stoppers at 828-632-8555. Donna Swicegood of the Statesville Record & Landmark contributed to this story. Hermann, MO (65041) Today Variable clouds with scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly late. Low 69F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Variable clouds with scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly late. Low 69F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Uniontown, PA (15401) Today Mainly clear. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable. Tim Rowland timr@herald-mail.com Wait, the National Enquirer is a sleazy publication? Why am I just now finding out about this? I thought it was a paragon of reporting, the place where University of Missouri journalism grads aspire to work. Werent they the ones who broke Watergate? Please. Most normal peoples enduring memory of the National Enquirer is the mock headline from the Airplane movie: Boy locked in refrigerator; eats own foot. So tell me why everyone is acting all scandalized, as if its The Wall Street Journal snatching cellphone photos of some famous guys goldfinch. This is the National Enquirer. Its what they do. If youre the type to steal, er, legally obtain phone smut, does anyone expect you not to blackmail the person it was legally obtained from should the opportunity/need arise? What are they going to say: Yes, we will publish the most private, intimate personal love notes along with an accompanying photo of the ole John Thomas, but we would never resort to extortion because here at the National Enquirer we have standards. Their latest victim, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is the richest guy in the world, so when he puts an item in his cart, so to speak, and starts snapping selfies of it, why wouldnt the National Enquirer make hay? Oh, right, because hes the richest guy in the world. As one lawyer put it, The National Enquirer went out of business today. They just dont know it yet. Its like trying to snap a selfie at Yellowstone with your arm around a grizzly bear. It seems like such a cool idea at the time. Then, as the bear is pulling your lungs out of your throat, you have about 40 seconds to reflect on your personal choices before you bleed out. Of course, as all things must in this day and age, the whole sordid affair has turned wildly political. (Time out: Id always considered Anthony Weiner as being a bit of a freak, but maybe not. Is taking photos of the occupant of your underpants what guys send their girls these days as a general thing? Like, whatever happened to flowers? Its a free country, but thats just not my nature although I cant help but think of all the funds it would have saved me over the years.) One pathetic thing about the Trump era is that it makes wild-eyed conspiracy theorists out of educated people who are normally as stoic and logical as Spock. Democrats say the good old days are gone, when the National Enquirer would confine itself to happy stories about a movie starlet who would kick her two-timing boyfriend out of the house before sitting down to a meal of six dozen donuts. Now, they believe the NE has become a right-wing rag focused on hit pieces on Donald Trumps enemies. All funded somehow by the Saudis. My. But I might gently point out: So what? Its not as if people who make their electoral decisions based on stories in the National Enquirer are very likely to vote Democrat in the first place, if you know what Im saying. Whoa, Billie Sue, says here that Elizabeth Warren likes to stick knitting needles up the nostrils of live rabbits. This might make me reconsider her position on wage stagnation as reflected in adjusted dollars. No, not going to happen. And dont we need loopy tabloids as comic relief? For example, I found this sentence buried deep in a Washington Post story last week: And the tabloid allegedly sent a reporter to try to rent a llama costume to hide in the woods and photograph the (Michael J. Fox) wedding. You dont get that kind of initiative out of The Economist. Tim Rowland is a Herald-Mail columnist. Staff reports The Herald-Mail Board members absent for vote: I see where the Washington County Board of Education spent thousands upon thousands of dollars to approve purchases. OK, thats fine. My question is this, and Ive asked this before in Feedback and its never been printed: How can three of the members not even be there when the votes taken to approve these purchases? Arent all these people on the public payroll? And that would be the board vice president and two other members who were not there when these purchases were approved. Explain this, please. Brant Ridenour, Williamsport Madam Speakers return flight: One Kirk Blenard was oh, so right when he suggested the president cancel Madam Speakers return flight. Len Beavers, Fairplay Guilt by association: Im going to use Democratic logic. According to Democrats, anybody associated with the president makes the president guilty if they commit a crime. OK. So now, Schumers aide got busted with inappropriate actions with staffers. Does that make Schumer guilty now? So, when will the Democrats throw Schumer out of Congress? The Virginia governor was a racist 30 years ago. It doesnt matter because you already set the standard going back 30-some years. You already did that. So, now that makes all Democrats racists, right? You are using identity politics. Richard Tracy, Mercersburg, Pa. Trump sure brings out their hate: I wonder if Trump can do anything right according to these Trump haters. I mean, its just ridiculous. One thing you can say for him, he sure brings out their ... hate. Bob Keller, Middletown, Md. Lets not leave these out: Somehow, P. Miller overlooked, if you like your plan, you can keep your plan, and Michelle Obamas extravagant personal staff expenses. Dave Decker, Chambersburg, Pa. Staff reports The Herald-Mail By The Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. A West Virginia delegate told a reporter Friday that he thinks the LGBTQ is a modern-day version of the Ku Klux Klan. The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported that Del. Eric Porterfield made the comments after calling to discuss a story about some controversial earlier comments. Porterfield, R-Mercer, also told the reporter that the gay community is a terrorist group, saying he received threatening voicemails and social-media messages after earlier remarks during a Wednesday committee meeting became public. Porterfield was speaking in support of an amendment that would overrule local ordinances that protect LGBTQ people from discrimination. The amendment failed. The LGBT is the most socialist group in this country, he said at the meeting. They do not protect gays. There are many gays they persecute if they do not line up with their social ideology. Del. Danielle Walker, a black woman with a gay son, challenged Porterfield on Wednesday in committee and Thursday on the House floor. Why do we need more hate?, Walker, D-Monongalia, said Friday. Why do we need more name-calling? Why do we need to reference other groups that illustrated so much hate and destruction and ugliness? Why do we need to do that? Some Republicans also criticized Porterfields comments. Del. Daniel Linville, R-Cabell, told the paper, Hes wrong, very wrong. Theres just no excuse, though, for some of the things that he said. In a news release, West Virginia Democratic Party Chairwoman Belinda Biafore called for Porterfields resignation. Porterfield told the paper that the controversy will boost his re-election chances. Porterfield didnt immediately respond Saturday to a message from The Associated Press. Jennifer Fitch waynesboro@herald-mail.com CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. Officials in Franklin County, Pa., are hosting a vendor Tuesday afternoon to view a new precinct-counter system and handicapped-accessible models of voting machines. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf recently proposed budgeting $15 million each year for the next five years to invest state funding in new voting systems. The Pennsylvania Department of State directed last spring that all Pennsylvania counties switch to voting systems with a paper record by the 2020 primary election, according to a department news release. Franklin County Deputy Chief Clerk Jean Byers said the county already is compliant with the mandate through its optical-scan system of paper ballots at polls. But she said her understanding is that the governor will require the county to upgrade its system to one that is more secure. The need for an upgrade led to the vendor demonstration being scheduled. There is widespread agreement across the nation that it is in the best interest of election integrity to use voting systems meeting the highest standards of security and (ability to be audited), Kathy Boockvar, Pennsylvanias acting secretary of state, said in the release. We seek this substantial (financial) support because these critical purchases should be funded with a cost-share of federal, state and local funds, as all of us in all levels of government benefit from more secure and verifiable elections. Wolf already committed $14.15 million in federal and state funding to counties, the release said. The department of state said it provided a purchasing contract that counties can use to negotiate their best deals. Most of Pennsylvanias 67 counties use direct-recording electronic voting machines that dont have the paper backup. Staff reports The Herald-Mail WASHINGTON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 100 W. Washington St., Hagerstown Tuesday, Feb. 12 Agenda 8 a.m.: Open session 8:05 a.m.: Closed session 10 a.m.: Reconvene in open session Commissioners reports and comments Reports from county staff Citizens participation Employee recognition Records-retention contract budget transfer Purchase of one extended-cab three-quarter- ton pickup truck with snowplow and one extended-cab three-quarter-ton pickup truck for Department of Water Quality Purchase of buses for the county transit department/Washington County Commuter Financial support for University System of Maryland at Hagerstown contribution to the urban-improvement project Public hearing: Application for zoning map amendment, P Overlook LLP Senator Amoss funding allocation Presentation of 2020-29 capital budget, first draft Hagerstown annexation, Foggy Bottom Farm and other lands, and Antietam Creek creek bed Increase fee paid to soil conservation district for administration of Forest Conservation Fund Program Fort Ritchie/Cascade sustainable- communities designation renewal Request to fund Fort Ritchie Community Center 12:25 p.m.: Recess Note: The commissioners are invited to meet with Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot at the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, 1 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown. 6:30 p.m.: Evening meeting with Williamsport officials at the Williamsport Community Center, Byron Memorial Park Note: The commissioners are invited to attend the C&O Canal headquarters public-information meeting sponsored by the National Park Service at the Williamsport Community Center. WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION No meeting Tuesday, Feb. 12 HAGERSTOWN CITY COUNCIL City Hall, council chambers 1 E. Franklin St., Hagerstown Tuesday, Feb. 12 Agenda 3 p.m.: Executive session Consult with city attorney 4 p.m.: Special session Approval of amendments to fiscal 2019 Community Development Block Grant annual action plan Approval of Potterfield Pool upgrades 4:10 p.m.: Work session Proposed revision of Chapter 189, public-utility licenses of city code Hagerstown Police Department cell-tower- user agreement with T-Mobile tower Memorial Park Circle of Achievement recommendations, Class of 2019 City administrators comments Mayor and council comments Adjourn Alexis Fitzpatrick afitzpatrick@herald-mail.com Editors note: Student Standout is a weekly feature appearing each Monday and highlighting local students who are making extraordinary contributions to their school or community. To nominate a student, send an email to news@herald-mail.com or call 301-791-7281. In January, 10-year-old Triana Williams spoke before nearly 300 people at Girls Inc.s annual Grapes for Girls fundraiser. According to Director of Development Shana Ruff, the Salem Avenue Elementary School fifth-grader was chosen for being a leader at the Hagerstown-based program. We picked Triana because she embodies strong, smart and bold, and shes a role model here at Girls Inc., Ruff said. She makes healthy choices, and shes not afraid to speak up and encourage others. We want girls to grow up healthy, educated and independent, and Triana is certainly on the path to do that. Ruff, who has known Triana for two years at Girls Inc., said she did an amazing job speaking at the fundraiser and blew everyone away with her poise and confidence as the youngest speaker in the events nine-year history. It takes a lot of courage to stand up and speak in front of a crowd, she said, and Triana did better than some adults would. It can be difficult to push girls out of their comfort zone, but Triana rose to the occasion and did a great job, Ruff said. Shes just an awesome girl. In Trianas speech, she said she talked about her four years at Girls Inc. and the things shes done that she likes, along with her other interests. Despite being nervous about public speaking, she said the experience was fun. There was a lot of adults. I was the only child, and it was weird, she said. Favorite topics she touched on were math and science, which she explores at Girls Inc. through its STEM science, technology, engineering and math programming. Triana said she wants to combine her love of science and animals in her career. I want to be a veterinarian or a marine biologist, or I want to be a zoologist, Triana said. When Im around animals, I just get really happy. Recently, while studying cinematography, Triana said she and some friends made a stop-motion Lego movie. She also enjoys the weekly American Sign Language lessons, learning life skills and hanging out with her friends and cousins who come to Girls Inc. Triana is also active in her church, does gymnastics and is part of the student council at Salem Avenue Elementary. She said she is regularly named Student of the Month, and was Student of the Year last year or the year before. She said one of her biggest influences is her mother, Tramaine Beck. My mom is my role model, Triana said. Beck said her family is extremely proud of Triana, and that she is speechless about all of her daughters accomplishments. Julie E. Greene julieg@herald-mail.com A public hearing for a Frederick County developers request to lift a restriction limiting a residential development in South County to nine homes will be held Tuesday morning by the Washington County Board of Commissioners. The planning commission voted 5-0 on Oct. 1 to recommend that the commissioners deny the request to lift the restriction on about 24 acres south of Keep Tryst Road. At the time, planning commission member David Kline said he opposed any changes for a number of reasons. Kline said the developer agreed to the nine-lot restriction years ago with eyes wide open. Like many people at the time of the housing boom, he said, the property owner probably paid too much for the land. P Overlook LLLP, which is related to Frederick County developer Buckeye Development, is the property owner. Buckeye Development co-owner Ed Smariga said last summer that the plan, eventually, is for a single-family home development. The developer did not have specific plans to share, but a past plan there called for 34 homes. We would develop the property and sell it to a home builder, Smariga said at the time. At least 10 people spoke against the request during a Sept. 10 public rezoning meeting. The county also received at least 11 letters of opposition around that time. Traffic, water runoff, sewer capacity and replacing a scenic entry point to Washington County with housing were major concerns residents aired about a potential housing development in the Sandy Hook area. The site is south of Keep Tryst Road, north and west of Sandy Hook Road, and east of U.S. 340. The land has a history of several rezoning cases, including decisions by a circuit court and the states Court of Special Appeals. The applicants attorney, Jason Divelbiss, said in September that earlier appeals didnt address the substance of the issue, which is whether the nine-lot restriction was permissible in the first place and whether it should have survived a 2005 rural rezoning. The public comment period ends with a hearing scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Washington County Administrative Complex at 100 W. Washington St. in downtown Hagerstown. Comments also may be emailed to Jill Baker, deputy director for planning and zoning, at jbaker@washco-md.net, by 11 a.m. Tuesday. Don Aines daines@herald-mail.com A Hagerstown-area man was ordered held without bond on charges that he assaulted a woman and threatened her with a rifle on Saturday. Antoine Desmond Askins, 54, of the 700 block of Antietam Drive is charged with first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, possession of a rifle by a convicted felon, use of a firearm in a crime of violence and other firearms violations. A Washington County Sheriffs Office deputy was dispatched to Askins residence at 3:15 p.m. and met with a woman who had swelling on the back of her head and below her right eye, the charging document said. The woman said Askins struck her in the face with a gun. The woman said she and Askins argued on Friday and she left, but returned on Saturday. There was another argument on Saturday, and Askins threw the woman to the floor and struck her in the face with the butt of a rifle, the document said. The .22-caliber rifle was found inside the residence. The rifle, a scope and others items were returned to the owner, a man who lived nearby, the report said. However, there were no theft charges filed against Askins in the incident. Askins was not home when the deputy arrived, but showed up a few minutes later and was arrested, the document said. During Askins bond hearing on Monday, Assistant States Attorney Christina Palmer told District Judge Mark D. Thomas that Askins has a criminal record that includes two assault convictions and a burglary conviction. Assistant Public Defender Lisa Havilland said the rifle was apparently in the house when Askins moved in. In denying bond, Thomas noted Askins seven criminal convictions and his being cited four times for failing to appear in court. Dave McMillion davem@herald-mail.com Supporters of Girls Inc. of Washington County came together Sunday for a fundraiser to help the organization serve a growing number of girls. As it has done for about three years, the organization held a pallet-painting celebration at its facility at 626 Washington Ave. Girls Inc. supporters paid $40 each to participate. They selected a paper template, traced it, picked the color paints they wanted to use and painted designs on the wooden pallet pieces. The pieces had sayings on them, in addition to designs, which the creators could take home. Of the $40 fee, Girls Inc. of Washington County received $20. The aim of Girls Inc. of Washington County is empowering girls ages 6 to 18 to succeed. Trained staff and volunteers build lasting, mentoring relationships in girls-only spaces, where girls find a sisterhood of support to learn how to overcome obstacles and focus on academic performance, according to the organizations website. The number of girls participating in the after-school programming has been increasing, said Stacey Bishop, who works as a volunteer coordinator and pregnancy-prevention facilitator at Girls Inc. of Washington County. At times, Girls Inc. was serving about 80 girls per day, but now is seeing an average of 115 a day, she said. Were constantly over 100 right now, she said. Bishop said she is not sure what is driving the higher numbers, other than families apparently wanting girls to take part in the organizations offerings. Funds raised from Sundays events will support the centers programming, including an Inspiration Celebration, which includes girls bringing a male role model to a dinner. The girls talk about why their role models are important and participate in other activities, Bishop said. Julie E. Greene julieg@herald-mail.com The Community Free Clinic had nearly a sellout crowd Sunday as its annual auction fundraiser began. The clinic made a few changes to the annual event, including limiting it to 100 tickets, which cost $50 each. Admission included a chance to win a raffle for seven days and six nights at a resort in Playa Mujeres, Mexico, Executive Director Nicole Houser said. The fundraiser also had a new home this year, The Flying Camel, a literary cafe and piano bar in downtown Hagerstown. The Gourmet Goat hosted the live- and silent-auction fundraiser for nine years, and the event raised more than $100,000 over that time. Because the owners had health issues, the event was moved to The Flying Camel, said Paul Deputy, who co-owns The Gourmet Goat with Steven Cook. The clinics 30th anniversary will be in February 2020. A larger gala might be held next year, but a venue hasnt been chosen, Houser said. The Mill Street clinic serves the uninsured. This is a great turnout. Very cozy, said Rose Harris, owner of Desert Rose Cafe in Williamsport. The cafe, The Gourmet Goat, The Broad Axe, The Flying Camel and Sanders Cookie Jar Bakery all donated food for the fundraiser, said Vivienne Gadreau-Jensen, support and fundraising specialist for the clinic. Julie Castillo donated The Flying Camels space for the event. Houser said CNB Bank and Meritus Health were sponsors. There were 68 silent-auction items and five for the live auction. Proceeds will help with clinic operating costs as the clinic continues to be a safety net for the community, Houser said. Last years event raised about $25,000, Deputy said. This letter concerns predatory lending. Payday lenders and title lenders are ubiquitous in Southwest Virginia. You can find one near any major grocer you care to visit. They prey on those who can least afford their usury and offer no leniency once they have financial hooks in place. The debt goes on and on. Recently in January, representatives from Virginia Organizing met with Dels. Israel OQuinn and Todd Pillion to urge them to support measures that would curtail predatory lending. Later in January, two different bills, SB 1266 and SB 1290, were introduced to curb their practices in Virginia. Both bills failed. Note: OQuinn gets some major funding from that industry but was not on the Commerce and Finance Committee that killed both bills. Virginias Attorney General Mark Herring has aggressively enforced Virginias existing laws and successfully settled several lawsuits against payday lenders and title lenders. If you have fallen victim to one of these institutions, you can seek help at Virginia Legal Aid. You can also file a complaint against the individual company, if you believe they have violated state law. There is a place to do that on the official website of the OAG at Virginia.gov. You can also of course seek redress with many of the excellent private attorneys in our area. Dont forget to call your delegate and speak out against predatory lending. Get involved with nonpartisan organizations like Virginia Organizing. Spread the word that we can change their game but it takes work! BRISTOL, Tenn. A strong sense of purpose and vision have guided a King University student to study politics and landed her at the U.S. Capitol. Though Hannah King, 22, has dabbled in several career paths, she has approached each possibility with her characteristic determination. Early on, she considered a career as a concert pianist. She practiced six hours a day and performed regularly. In spite of her love of playing the keys, as she entered college she decided to take her career path in a new direction law. She attended King University in Bristol, Tennessee, with the intent of going to law school. But before long, she was pulled toward another path: politics. I dont know exactly what it is, but I just love politics, King said. Whenever the news is on, I just have to watch it. I could watch CNN all day. Im just in love with it. Last year, King joined the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature [TISL], which is a mock Tennessee government completely run by students. They debate topics, make movements and present bills just as if they were in the Senate or House of Representatives. Members even meet at the Tennessee General Assembly building in Nashville, sitting in the same seats as actual senators. After starting as a senator with TISL, King was elected secretary of state during her final year. She explains that students have to run for office just as they would in a real government, and the group elects everything from governors and speakers to members of the Senate and House. It feels really real, King noted. It gives a hands-on feel for what the real government runs like, so if anything it just gives you a good idea and makes you not as afraid to get involved in government. For me, it really made me see how much of a change you can make through legislation, so I wanted to get more involved. As with all things King delves into, she has fully immersed herself in her study of politics. She is currently a double major in political science and psychology, and will graduate this spring. Last summer, she served an internship in Washington, D.C., with U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn. The internship really struck a chord for King, so one professor mentioned an often overlooked program called BestSemester, offered through the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities, of which King is a member. BestSemester allows students to pursue their field of study outside the classroom through one of 10 off-campus programs. King is now finishing her last semester in Washington through BestSemesters American Studies program. Hannah has always been a leader, said Keith King, her father. Shes always been strong at knowing what she was going to do. I want her to go her own path of her dream. I think she will do great things. Living in downtown D.C. meant some cultural adjustments for a small-town girl. Shifting to a totally urban lifestyle without a car and walking to work every day are all changes she has taken in stride. King takes public policy classes twice a week, which include plenty of hands-on experiences, such as trips to different heads of departments of various organizations. Last week, she went to the PEW Research Center, where Mark Hugo Lopez, director of their Global Migration and Demography Research, gave a presentation. King and other students learned about immigration data its trends and how the organization collects it and talked to people who write legislation. Hannah seems to really enjoy politics and is really good at it, said Kyle Osborn, assistant professor of history at King. She has a talent for it; she has the acumen for it. I think it would be something she would be really good at it. Time will tell, but King is well on her way to launching her political dreams. She is already looking for jobs in D.C. in hopes of staying in the area after graduation. She hopes to find a position as a legislative assistant, in which she would be responsible for helping research and write legislation for a member of Congress. I dont mind to be the guy behind the guy, King said. I am happy to do that. I just want to feel like Im making a difference and I dont have to be in the spotlight for that. Im open-minded for whatever door is open. Her father says he wouldnt be a bit surprised to see her accomplish her goal and notes with pride that her heart is behind her dreams. She has a heart for wanting to serve, he said. I really believe her reasons for being there [D.C] are the right reasons. She wants to make a difference to the people shes around, the people shes working with, and also, ultimately, I think she wants to make a difference for our country. Laura J. Mondul is a freelance writer. Email her with Hometown Stories ideas at features@bristolnews.com. The concept of submitting to a mans leadership in the home seems foreign in todays society. But real submission is a freely given gift. And this isnt confined to the marriage relationship. As believers, we see that we must submit to everyone. Amy G. Fannon of Lee County has won national recognition for her work in agriculture. Fannon was named first runner-up at the Excellence in Agriculture Award competition of the American Farm Bureau Federations centennial convention on Jan. 11-16. Fannon said she was shocked, but in a good way when her name was announced. She also won a Case IH Farmall 50A tractor from Case IH. The Excellence in Agriculture Award recognizes individuals for involvement in agriculture, leadership ability and involvement and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Fannon is a Virginia Cooperative Extension unit coordinator and agriculture and natural resources agent in Lee County. She was previously an agent in Wise County, Virginia. The farmer and her sister are the fourth generation to help run her familys farm, where they raise pumpkins, corn and alfalfa hay near Pennington Gap, Virginia. Much of Fannons work as an extension agent, she said, has served farmers with limited resources. People often think about the perfect farm and what you are supposed to do, she said. But, when addressing producers real-world problems, Fannon said, I assist them in finding practical solutions to imperfect situations. These solutions help keep farmers operating and feeding their families. Fannon holds college degrees in crop and soil environmental sciences from Virginia Tech. She is a member of the National Association of County Agriculture Agents, the Virginia Association of Agriculture Extension Agents, the Virginia Extension Service Association, the Virginia Cattlemens Association, the Virginia Forage and Grasslands Council, and the Honor Society of Agriculture, Gamma Sigma Delta. Having taught in Bristol Virginia Public Schools for 28 years now, having had both my children and my grandchildren attend Virginia High School, and having taught nearly 2,000 wee Bearcats in elementary school, I have come to be as true and loyal a Bearcat as anyone I know. Oh, but let me cross that state line, walk into Viking Hall and see pics of myself and my old THS classmates on the wall there. Then my blood begins to morph from orange to maroon. Who could belittle me for loving my own alma mater? I am deeply indebted and grateful to my own school system, BVPS, for countless reasons, many of which Ive written about in previous columns. I am privileged to see every day, in virtually every way, how dedicated these people are to their honorable craft. Yet I feel I should also pay due honor to my cross-town colleagues and friends. Its telling that I have nearly as many friends who are Vikings as I do who claim to be Bearcats. We have kept up with each other over the years, exchanging ideas about how to better the lives of Bristols children. Whenever I have a special project going on specifically for the Bearcat children I teach, many of my Viking friends eagerly give of their own money and means to such a cause. Now how is that for unselfish, unbridled service to your fellow souls? Illustration provided A pedestrian bridge is planned over Interstate 69 connecting trails on the east and west sides of the highway at Pendleton. The town of Pendleton will pay 20 percent of the cost; the major portion will come from the Indiana Department of Transportation. Support local journalism We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story. Betty Faye Isham, 90, of Greenville, passed away on June 20, 2021, in Greenville. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 23, 2021, at Coker-Mathews Funeral Home Chapel with Mr. Amos Lowry officiating. Visitation will be Noon until service time at the funeral home. Interment will be Children aged 12 are among an increasing number of young people and teenagers seeking help following rape and sexual assaults, rape crisis centres across the country have said. The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre alone has a waiting list of 175 adult and adolescent victims who are seeking counselling following traumatic assaults and rapes. A worrying trend has begun to emerge, however, as counsellors have noticed a significant rise in the number of young people seeking trauma counselling. In Wexford, the local rape crisis centre has attributed the rise in the number of teens contacting it to social media, as well as the online grooming of children from a young age. Groomed "Social media has had a huge impact, and we see the amount of young people coming in and being groomed online and the fact there is little education around it, which is an issue," centre director Claire Williams said. "Teenagers or young adol- escents are being groomed online, which then turns out to be disastrous when they decide to meet up. "Other young people are having encounters with their peers that was non-consensual and has traumatised the young person, and they too are coming forward for help." Wexford Rape Crisis Centre currently has one counsellor allocated for young adolescents, but as more young people come forward for help, pressure is growing for more resources to be provided. "We have five appointments a week for young people and those are full, and then we have six or seven on a waiting list," Ms Williams said. "One of our major strategic priorities is to expand that adolescent counselling service because five slots a week is not enough." Vera O'Leary, who has been working at the Kerry Rape Crisis Centre for 26 years, said the same concerns were being raised in her own county as an influx of young girls in the past year has sparked concerns. "We're really seeing more young people contacting us and we're working with children from as young as 14 years upwards," she said. "What's happening is they're disclosing the abuse in some way, but often they don't see that what happened to them was an issue of consent or that consent wasn't given. "And the impact it has on them maturing and going forward brings some difficulties. " In her years of experience, the rape crisis counsellor said pornography was influencing how young girls see themselves and the type of behaviour they have come to expect from men. "I would say pornography is having the biggest impact in this area because they are looking at it so young," she said. "The access to porn that they have is not normal but becomes normalised." At the Carlow and South Leinster centre, an education programme is being run in schools to alleviate some of the concerns of counsellors and parents alike. Discomfort "Our clientele has become a lot younger, we have young people coming in at 13 or 14-years-old, so we're working with the issue of consent in primary schools now," director Anne Kirwan Finn said. "You can stand in the classroom and sense the discomfort in front of you." The 16 rape crisis centres and additional outreach centres provide counselling and therapy to victims of sexual assaults and rapes, as well as offering support to victims during garda investigations and in the courts. In recent years, the centres - which are primarily funded by Tusla - have been running at full capacity. A spokesperson for Tusla said it was aware of the need for additional resources. (CNN) Rabbi Zale Newman thought no one would show up to Eddie Ford's funeral in Toronto, Canada. The 85-year-old Holocaust survivor died January 29 after being diagnosed with three different forms of cancer. Newman said the elderly man was survived by only a nephew in Detroit. On January 30, the night before the funeral, Newman put out a plea on Facebook asking for at least 10 people to attend Ford's funeral so that the ceremony would have a minyan, or quorum of 10 people to perform the service. "We wouldn't want someone to leave the world alone, so we always have to have 10 together," Newman told CNN Sunday. He received a response from only three people saying they would attend the funeral, Newman said. He called a rabbi friend in California -- who once performed a funeral with no one there but the deceased -- for advice. "I was prepared to do whatever it took to give him a proper send off," Newman said. "That's what he deserved, that's what all good people deserved." As he headed to the cemetery the next morning for the funeral, he was surprised at how many cars were there. He thought there must have been another funeral at the same time so he began asking around, worried he wouldn't make it in time to Ford's funeral. Person after person told him they were there for the same funeral. "My heart started to pound," he said, trying to understand what was happening. It became clear. Word of Ford's funeral had spread across the social media world, prompting do-gooders to show up in the freezing cold to send off Ford the way he deserved. Newman said everyone was "dressed like ninjas," a lot of people were hiding their faces due to the cold. "I saw 200 pairs of eyes," Newman said. "What I could tell was there was men and women, old and young." An added bonus, Newman said, was that a man who identified himself as Ford's long-lost brother also showed up and performed the Kaddish, a Hebrew prayer for the dead, with Newman's assistance. "Eddie ... did not leave the world alone," Newman said. "He left the world with his brother, his nephew and 200 members of the Jewish family." In a Facebook post immediately following the funeral, Newman said he was emotional thinking about the experience. "I am in tears just thinking about how humbling and awesome it is to be part of the Jewish People who on very short notice; would drop everything, leave whatever they were planning on doing, drive (a) long distance, to stand outside in a open field, on a super freezing, blowing, windy day to escort a sweet, little Jew from Budapest, who was unknown to almost all them, on his final journey." Eddie Ford escaped the Holocaust Newman said Ford was a 6-year-old living in Budapest, Hungary, when the Holocaust began. His parents hid him with a Christian family so Ford avoided the concentration camps that ultimately killed six million Jewish people. Ford's brother and mother survived the war, however, many members of his family were killed, Newman said. Ford arrived to Toronto at the age of 16, where he worked menial jobs during the day, Newman said. At night, Newman said Ford performed in vaudeville, singing songs and telling jokes. His real job, though, was taking care of his mother who was physically and emotionally traumatized from World War II, Newman said. Ford died penniless after living on social assistance, Newman said. Rabbi Newman met Ford through a volunteer group Newman, a 63-year-old hedge fund manager, has been a volunteer rabbi for 40 years. He is part of a Jewish volunteer organization called Bikur Cholim. "We visit sick people in our community in nursing homes and hospitals. We don't want anybody to be alone, so we provide them whatever they need," he said, adding that the group often provides assistance to the poor and elderly. It was through this program that Newman met Ford. Newman met with him every Friday and before Jewish holidays after Ford was diagnosed with cancer last summer. The two would light candles and sing synagogue and holiday songs. "We made a birthday party for him in the last week of November," Newman said. "We sang and we did a whole thing. I think instead of looking at the end of life, he looked at that day as a great day." Newman described Ford as a "skinny little guy," standing at 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighing 130 pounds. "He was a smiley guy. He was a personality, you could see he was a thinker, a performer, a humorist," Newman said. Ford also had a sensitive side, Newman said; He had book of poems on life. "He was a gentle soul," Newman said. Newman said the fact that 200 people attended Ford's funeral illustrates that he was a vehicle for "goodness and inspiration." "He saw the worst in humanity, and he deserved to see the best in humanity." This story was first published on CNN.com, "A rabbi was worried no one would come to this Holocaust survivor's funeral. He put out a call on Facebook and 200 people showed up." The chimps used a branch to climb out of their enclosure before walking along the paths Chimpanzees used a branch to escape from an enclosure at Belfast Zoo. A zookeeper blamed recent stormy weather for weakening trees inside their corral as visitors had a closer encounter than planned. The chimps turned a branch into a makeshift ladder and scaled high walls surrounding their pen, footage posted to social media showed. Shocked visitors described seeing one of the apes emerge from the bushes on to a path at the zoo north of the city on Saturday. Breach "Don't escape you bad little gorilla," said one child watching the spectacle. Other chimpanzees were filmed sitting on top of the walls. The great escape ended when the animals returned to their quarters. It was the second breach in recent weeks after an endangered red panda went missing when electric fences failed. The animal was recaptured in the driveway of a nearby house. "Zookeepers were present as the chimpanzee quickly returned from an adjacent wall to the rest of the group inside the enclosure," said Belfast City Council, which runs the zoo. Zookeeper Alyn Cairns said trees in their enclosure have been weakened by the storms, allowing the creatures to break them and use them as a ladder to escape. "They're intelligent primates and know they're not supposed to be out of their enclosure, so got back in themselves," he said. Elaine Monaghan's grandchildren were at the zoo at the time. "Why weren't the enclosures checked? This could have ended very badly," she said. She was happy the incident had ended well for her family. "Everyone has their own way of reacting. Had it been me, I'd have run for the hills," she said. A small bird of prey has put the brakes on a controversial 15m tourism development at Dublin's Hellfire Club. South Dublin County Council (SDCC) hopes to build a tourism centre on the historic site in the Dublin Mountains above Rathfarnham as well as a cafe and a car park, which it says could attract up to 300,000 visitors a year. However, with merlins thought to be in the area, An Bord Pleanala said in a letter to the council last week it was not satisfied that a bird survey carried out was adequate. Harm It added that the potential impact on the small falcons needed to be established and asked for additional bird surveys be carried out. Birdwatch Ireland said the merlin is amber-listed in conservation terms here due to its small breeding population. The plan is also being opposed by local residents and groups, who say the area and infrastructure could not cope with the influx of visitors. They also said the development would harm the nature habitats in the region. The Save The Hellfire group, set up to oppose the development, said more than 20,000 people had signed a petition to "say no to this overscaled, inappropriately located development". The matter went before An Bord Pleanala as part of the planning process, but it has now come back to SDCC seeking more information. While the Hellfire Club is not directly in a designated area, it is close to three recognised European conservation sites. An Bord Pleanala has also told SDCC it was not satisfied that the impact of the increased visitor numbers using the proposed visitor centre as a new starting point for the Dublin Mountains Way, which leads into the nearby designated sites, has been adequately assessed. It has requested a nature impact statement from the council. The Board said it was not satisfied that adequate surveys and monitoring had been carried out in relation to the potential impact of increased visitor numbers on ecology, biodiversity, flora and fauna. Secretive The Hellfire Club was built as a hunting lodge in the 1700s by William Conolly, also known as Speaker Conolly because he was the Speaker at the Irish House of Commons. It is rumoured to be haunted as it was built using stones from a passage grave on top of Montpelier Hill. After Conolly's death, the building became a meeting place of the secretive Hellfire Club. The site currently attracts around 100,000 visitors a year, who enjoy an uninterrupted view over Dublin city and Dublin Bay. 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. A COMPANY based in Henley for almost 60 years will move its entire operation out of the town centre this weekend. Towergate Insurance is relocating its 45 staff from Brook House in Duke Street to Videcom House on the Newtown Road trading estate. The firms lease on its current premises, where it has been based for 10 years, expires next month and the building is expected to be transformed into flats under its new owners. Towergate managing director Mark Evans said the new offices would be more accessible for both customers and staff and would mean that everyone will be based on one floor rather than over three. The only downside was that the staff would no longer have quick access to shops in the town centre. Mr Evans, 58, who lives in Sonning Common, said: Its still in Henley and I was really keen that the business stayed here. We have a Henley identity with both the staff who live here, or close to here, and many long-standing Henley clients. I love being here because our business is about the staff and the clients, both of whom are lovely, and its a wonderful town to work in. We were lucky to have found a made-to-measure site because theres not many places with office space of that size left in Henley these days. Its a better office for us because its on one floor and its a nice, big open space. Its a more modern office and a better working space. Splitting up the office on to three floors isnt conducive to good communication. It will also be easier for clients to visit us as theres better parking. I think a lot of businesses now prefer to be slightly out of town for the better access, parking and lower rates. Were pleased to be making a new start elsewhere. We will be with other businesses on that estate, some of whom are our clients. We very much see it as a positive move and we have done our time in Duke Street, I think. Staff are generally positive. Catalyst Capital, the company behind the Market Place Mews development, has sold Brook House to the London-based LTC Group, which is set to convert the building into living space. Mr Evans said: The owner has changed and it was clear to us that the new ones were looking for change of use permisison to turn it into flats so we had to find a new home. They sent in their planners and people were marking it up and talking about how many flats. It would be a fairly straightforward conversion, I would have thought. It is a concrete floor building with entrances and access that would well suit an apartment building. We couldnt afford as a business to leave moving until the last minute. We spoke to Videcom who had a spare floor to let. We were very lucky. The insurance company started in Henley in 1962 when it was known as Marshall, Paxman and Watson, or MPW. In 1998 it was sold to the Arbuthnot Banking Group and in 2005 it became part of the Towergate Group and Mr Evans became managing director. In 2011 it acquired a business in Winnersh and four years later another in Uxbridge. Mr Evans, who joined the company in 2000, when it had about 12 employees, said: I used to move job every five or six years but when I got to Henley and realised what a beautiful short commute it was and how I enjoyed working with the staff and clients, I stopped looking to move. I used to work in London, which I hated, Now my commute takes 12 minutes. The company was originally based at Dominion House in Gravel Hill before moving to Thames Bridge House behind the Henley Royal Regatta headquarters in 1985. It moved to Brook House in 2009. Thames Bridge House was demolished last year to make way for four flats and a penthouse. The company has a good staff retention rate and some employees have stayed for 20 and 30 years and, in one case, almost 50 years. Mr Evans added: I still consider myself a new boy and Im coming up to 19 years! Its comforting in this day and age to see people stay loyal to their job and their customers for so long. Its not the name at the end of the day because weve had three different names. I think its because theyre a nice bunch of staff, dealing with nice clients in a nice town. If the conversion of Brook House goes ahead, it will be the latest in a string of business premises in the town to be converted into residential use. The former RPS Energy building, on the corner of Newtown Road and Reading Road, has been converted into a block of flats called Hill View. The former Isis House offices in Station Road is in the process of being converted into seven flats with an additional third storey. In August, a consortium of developers from London received consent to convert the Smith Centre, an office complex off Fair Mile, into 36 homes. Plans have also been submitted to turn Andersen House on the Newtown estate, which used to be the home of digital signage firm Onelan, into 43 flats. Ressance, of Newbury, has applied for change of use consent to turn The Hub at Hallmark House, off Station Road, into 23 flats. Mr Evans said: I suppose theres concern for other businesses that rely on staff spending money in town that if we keep replacing central businesses with residences it may not be beneficial to them. During the Jan. 14 meeting of Perry Countys chapters of Operation UNITE and ASAP, the organizations discussed House Bill 136 and the potential problems that can be brought up by legalizing marijuana. To begin the meeting, Alyson Salyer, Operation UNITEs coalition and education coordinator, gave a presentation titled Marijuana: What Do We Know? to community members. During this presentation, Salyer informed the attendants of the meeting about Colorados experiences with legalizing marijuana and how it has impacted crime rates. According to a cannabis study by University of Colorados Anschutz Medical Campus, UNITE officials said, marijuana is at least five times as strong today as it used to be 30 years ago. Additionally, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that one in 11 people who use marijuana become addicted, UNITE members said. Colorados experience with the legalization of marijuana, Salyer said, has proven to be a failed experiment. Marijuana has continually been proven to be an addictive and dangerous drug that threatens the economy, workplaces and families, Salyer said. Carl Varney, UNITEs coalition coordinator for region four, agreed, stating that the legalization of marijuana is mainly an attempt by the government to get more money. It (medical marijuana) is a huge money-making industry; it is a machine. They dont care about our community, they dont care about our kids. All they care about is making money and the bottom line, said Varney. He continued, explaining to community members that once medical marijuana is legalized, the government dispenses it through pharmacies and collects taxes off of it. However, he said that the plan backfires most of the time, instead creating a large black market of illegal purchasing of marijuana. The reason for this, Varney said, is that instead of using pharmacies, people are buying it illegally so they dont have to pay taxes. Last week, there was a bill introduced for medical marijuana. It came out of committee, Varney said. We dont think theyre going to vote on it in this 30-day session. But in the next session in March, theyre probably going to bring it up. People are hailing it as the answer to the pension problem. House Bill 136, the bill to which Varney was referring, was introduced in the House on Jan. 9 and outlines the legal uses of medical marijuana as a pharmaceutical medication in Kentucky, as well as the behaviors that are prohibited and the exemptions regarding it. In this bill, Varney said, people in this area can apply for hardship, because the government believes they are unable to make it to pharmacies due to a lack of availability. So, he continued, each member of a household with a medical marijuana card could grow up to six marijuana plants, Varney said. Varney, along with other UNITE and ASAP members, encouraged the community to become involved and educate themselves on the dangers of marijuana and the process of it being legalized. Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, said from Helena during a teleconference in Havre that negotiations on the future of Montana's Medicaid expansion will not be a compromise but rather an unavoidable choice between two alternatives, and he expects the bill he likes to be tabled. Windy Boy said that he prefers the bill written by Rep. Mary Caferro, D-Helena, to extend the sunset for Medicaid, but after speaking with Rep. Edward Buttrey, R-Great Falls, about the bill he will be introducing, Windy Boy said he believes Caferro's bill will be tabled in committee. "I asked him point blank," he said. "I said, 'Does your bill have to have a work requirement?' He said yes, because that's the way he can hold onto the votes on the majority side." Rep. Jacob Bachmeier said that he had a few updates on bills he has introduced. Bachmeier and Windy Boy were the only local legislators to attend the teleconference. Bachmeier said his House Bill 252, which would require vehicle insurance providers to cover original or equal-value manufacturer vehicle parts, was tabled in the Business and Labor Committee. He added that he has been working with Sen. Gordon Vance, R-Belgrade, who is writing a bill that will do the same thing. Vance's bill, he said, will be going through the Transportation Committee rather than the Business and Labor Committee, and he hopes that will be more successful. He said another bill he is working on would revise laws on transportation of people with mental illness. The law would allow Emergency Medical Service and other groups to transfer people with mental illness rather than the county sheriff being required to be involved, he said. A bill to adopt a vacant property registration act statewide was met with some opposition, Bachmeier said. Members of the banking industry, realtors and the Landlord Association appeared during the hearing to oppose the bill. He said that he is still hopeful that members on the Local Government Committee will support the bill. He said a bill he is also excited about will allow for passport driver's licenses. Bachmeiersaid he proposed the bill Thursday to the Energy, Technology and Federal Relations Committee. He added that the bill would create an enhanced Montana driver's license that would allow people to go to countries in south and north America from the United States. "It works much like a passport card would but it is also a driver's license," he said. "It saves you time and money in the process." He added that a bill for revising laws related to selling and manufacturing of pet food, a bill inspired by owner of Ladybug Bites Havreite Keeley Wilson, would be introduced by the end of the day Friday. A hearing was scheduled Friday for his House Bill 391, which would provide funding for historical development. He said that out of this bill Havre Beneath the Streets would have access to approximately $100,000 through a grant for repairs and development. The State Administration Committee also recently passed a bill to recognize Indigenous People's Day the same day as Columbus Day, Bachmeier said. He added that the bill passed the committee with a 17-to-3 vote. Windy Boy said a few of the bills he is working on are moving forward, as well. One of the bills he has been working on, he said, is House Bill 135, a bill that would allow tribal college credit to transfer to off-reservation universities and colleges. Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy Native students shouldn't take six years to achieve a four-year bachelor's degree, he said. He added that this bill would get people together an unify college curriculums. "It's a win-win situation for everybody," he said. He said he is unsure what actions will be taken on this bill. He added that tribal colleges have not only tribal students but non-tribal students, as well, and this legislation would help students be able to achieve their degrees. Another bill he is working on, Windy Boy said, would revise laws related to Indian language immersion programs in schools by trying to create an all-inclusive solution to the issues. "Were not going anywhere, so we might as well try to address some of the shortfalls that we face," Windy Boy said. Editor: This Sunday is Fathers Day. A day to honor our fathers. Unfortunately too We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit Published on 2019/02/11 | Source Girl group Red Velvet began their first North American tour with two sold-out concerts in Los Angeles last Thursday and Friday. Advertisement They performed a 20-song, 2-and-a-half-hour set each day at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, with the audience singing and dancing along. Their next concert is in Dallas, Texas on Sunday, followed by Miami, Chicago and Newark. Then they will move to Canada and wrap up the tour with shows in Toronto and Vancouver. Haiti - Crisis : Protests affect the water supply of the capital Guito Edouard, Director General of the National Directorate of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DINEPA) through the office of the Metropolitan Region of Port-au-Prince informs its subscribers and the general public, that because of events, difficulties in fuel supply prevent the normal operation (at the desired pace) of the 18 pumping stations in the capital. DINEPA is doing the necessary to fill its various water tanks to provide service as usual to the population. It asks everyone to collaborate to facilitate the passage of its tankers to the arteries of the capital and especially to the disadvantaged neighborhoods (Our weavers or other employees identify themselves with the uniforms bearing the logo CTE RMPP or DINEPA) . Note HL : Haiti's largest fuel terminal, located in the commune of Carrefour, has been unable to supply the country with fuel for four days because of the protests and the risks that tanker traffic can represent in the circumstances. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26901-haiti-crisis-the-capitale-roads-service-suspended.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26899-haiti-flash-banks-attacked-gas-station-burned-opposition-is-radicalized.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26891-haiti-flash-3rd-day-of-demonstration-and-violence.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26885-haiti-flash-2nd-day-of-violent-demonstrations-at-least-3-dead-and-many-injured.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26875-haiti-flash-important-damage-at-least-4-dead-and-21-wounded-during-the-demonstrations.html HL/ HaitiLibre Clay Center, KS (67432) Today Thunderstorms likely. Rainfall will be locally heavy at times. A few storms may be severe. Low 73F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely. Rainfall will be locally heavy at times. A few storms may be severe. Low 73F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Haiti - Crisis : The capitale roads service suspended Anne-Rene Louis, the Director General of the Port-au-Prince Town Hall informs the residents of the commune and the general public, that the road service is interrupted until further notice. "The Town Hall apologizes for not having garbage collection normally because of the tension that has prevailed in the city during the past four days. In order to protect its employees and ensure the safety of equipment, the General Directorate of the Town Hall was unfortunately obliged to temporarily suspend the Roads Department until a favorable security climate was restored in the commune. The Directotate General of the Communal Administration of Port-au-Prince apologizes for any inconvenience this situation may cause and relies on your understanding." HL/ HaitiLibre PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- Brittany Moore McCord was one of a kind, according to her best friend Skye Shepherd. Her smile was infectious, she was just an overall great person who wanted the best for everyone, Shepherd said. Brittany was shot and killed by her estranged husband, JoQuincy Maurice McCord at their home last Tuesday. Family, friends and community members who knew her held a vigil at Beach Park in Pascagoula on Sunday in her remembrance. Joy Gable worked with Brittany at Arlington Baptist Church where they babysat children and said it was pure evil that caused Brittanys life to be taken. We spoke quite often and one of the things that I admired about her was that she was always smiling, Gable said. She never really had bad moods and she had a light that shined from within. Most of those who spoke on behalf of Brittany remembers her as an avid worshiper of Jesus Christ -- one of the many things Gable said people immediately saw in Brittany upon meeting her. That light was Jesus -- she was all about spreading his word, Gable said. She went on mission trips and everything she did in her daily life such as substitute teaching, she wanted to make sure people knew Him. Shes going to be truly missed and was taken from us too soon. Many that spoke at Sundays vigil spoke glowingly of Brittany and according to her cousin Deloris L. Braxton, Brittany was everything people said she was. She was always smiling, always giving, even when she didnt have it -- anything you needed from Brittany, she was there, Braxton said. She was quite special. There will never be another Brittany in our family. Brittany was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and while that impede or hinder some, it did not affect her, according to Braxton. When she found out she had multiple sclerosis, she thought her world was going to end and I encouraged her to continue to do the same things she did on a daily basis, Braxton said. As proof she would not let her diagnosis hinder goals she had for herself, Braxton said she received a text message from Brittany where she said she had decided to go back to school so she could become certified as a teacher. I was so proud of her because she never gave up -- I know you hear everything people say about as if she was perfect and thats because she was, Braxton said. She was perfect. Family and friends are forming a team to participate in the upcoming Walk MS in Ocean Springs set for March 16 where they will sport Team Brittany shirts in her honor. A GoFundMe has also been set up in Brittanys name and an account is being open at First Federal Bank to provide support for 2-year-old Genesis and her 13-year-old son. PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- Judge Robert Krebs set a permanent trial date on Monday for the man accused of killing a retired Moss Point educator. Lee Andrew Gipson, 25, appeared in court on Monday for what was originally thought to be a change of venue hearing, but according to Assistant Jackson County District Attorney Cherie Wade, change of venue was denied in December of 2018. Mondays hearing between the state and defense focused on setting a permanent trial date for Gipson, whose original trial was set for the first week of January 2018, but was pushed back to accommodate the defense. Wade petitioned to Judge Krebs to set a trial date on either May 6 or May 15, however, the defense cited his working of another trial in August. After hearing from both the state and defense, Judge Krebs set the date for Monday, Apr. 15, 2018. Gipson allegedly killed 64-year-old Willie Williams in a robbery attempt, stabbing him more than 50 times according to the Jackson County Coroners Office. Williams was found dead in his home on Aug. 19, 2016 at the corner of Frederick and Charles Street after a friend placed multiple calls to Williams that went unanswered. A week after the stabbing, Gipson was arrested and was jailed without bond in the Mississippi Department of Corrections until he was placed in the custody of the Jackson County Adult Detention Center. Williams was known as a friend, mentor, leader, and peacemaker to those he encountered. Known for being a staple in the community, Williams graduated from Magnolia High School in Moss Point and completed his higher education at the University of Southern Mississippi. He served as principal, assistant superintendent, and interim superintendent during his time in the Moss Point School District. He was known as a stern, loving educator able to help students and staff members reach their full potential. Gipson is charged with capital murder and is being held without bond. Another week over and the Galaxy S10 topic has taken over our newsfeed. Leaks and rumors have been building for some time now and this week they hit their peak. Gradually we unearthed press renders of the Galaxy S10, the Galaxy S10+ and the Galaxy S10e (including the exclusive Canary Yellow color), photos in the wild of the Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10 and S10+ dummies photographed in the wild and more. What more - well we already knew the prices of the Galaxy S10 family but this week we confirmed that they'll start their pre-orders on the same day as their unveiling - February 20 - and will likely begin shipping on March 8. We also learned that the trio of Galaxy S10 phones will gain a new 10MP selfie camera that's said to have optical stabilization and even 4K video. It's also said that the Galaxy S10+ will have a 4,100mAh battery with reverse wireless charging (which will be used to top up Samsung's new Galaxy Buds). In related news we saw the first renders of the first folding phone by Samsung - the Galaxy F. It looks like something straight out of the future. Speaking of renders we also saw a crisp press render of the penta-cam Nokia 9 PureView, which should also be unveiled somewhere around MWC. And speaking of renders even further we saw the Huawei P30 and P30 Pro through a number of leaked press renders. There also was a purported render of the 21:9 Sony Xperia XA - it looks weirdly thin and long, and don't even get us started on that abnormally huge top bezel - what is Sony thinking there? The rest of the topics this week were more subdued. The Realme C1 (2019) quickly sold out in its second flash sale, and Qualcomm unveiled the Snapdragon 712 chipset. As a special global event, Motorola also unveiled its Moto G7 family of G7, G7 Plus, G7 Power and G7 Play. After such a packed week we're a bit overexcited about what next week might hold. See you there! Press render of Nokia 9 PureView leaks This is shaping up to be one of Nokias most anticipated products. Samsung Galaxy S10+ hits GeekBench again, Exynos 9820 scores improving The multi-core result is now above 10,000, some 800pts more than the S10 we saw a couple of weeks ago. Huawei P30 and P30 Pro design revealed by Spigen Spigen is already selling all kinds of cases for the upcoming Huawei flagships. Sony Xperia XA product images show a 21:9 screen, just like the XZ4 Sony may be going all in on the extra tall aspect ratio, roping in not just its flagship line but the mid-rangers too. Huawei P30 Pro render shows a strange arrangement of the quad camera Olixar cases we saw a couple of months ago do indicate that there will be two rows of camera hardware, but not like this. Motorola unveils four Moto G7 phones: Plus, vanilla, Power and Play The Plus model features a fairly advanced dual camera and 27W fast charging. The Power brings a 5,000mAh battery. nubia Red Magic Mars keeps its crown as AnTuTu's fastest Android phone A couple of new phones joined the ranking for January 2019. The struggle between Snapdragon 845 and Kirin 980 continues. Samsung Galaxy S10 pre-orders will start on February 21 A poster gave it away a couple of weeks before the Samsung Unpacked event (scheduled for Feb 20). The Saudi authorities does not know what happened to the corpse of Jamal Khashoggi, a senior minister has said, amid reports that the dismembered body of the dissident journalist was "dissolved" after his brutal murder inside the Kingdom's consulate in Turkey. Saudi Arabia has admitted that Khashoggi's killing on October 2 in Istanbul was premeditated and carried out by a group of men in the inner circle of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Washington Post, for which Khashoggi used to write, has reported that the Central Intelligence Agency has concluded that Salman "ordered" the killing. But Riyadh denies that the crown prince had any involvement in the killing of 59-year-old Khashoggi, who was once a Saudi government insider, but had gone into self-imposed exile in the US. He had become an outspoken critic of the country's powerful Crown Prince Salman. The dissident journalist was dismembered after his murder in October in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul but his remains have yet to be located. On Sunday, the Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, said the government does not know where Khashoggi's body is. When asked where Khashoggi's body is, he told CBS News, "We don't know." He said they have asked the suspects that there are "a number of possibilities" and "this investigation is ongoing". "I would expect eventually that we would find the truth." Khashoggi's murder was a "horrific crime" and a "huge, huge mistake," Jubeir said but insinuated that there has been an unfair focus on this specific case driven, in part, by politics. "You have had so many journalists murdered in the last year," Jubeir said, when asked about criticism from US lawmakers. "Are they going to legislate sanctions against all countries where these journalists have been killed?" "Mistakes happen," Jubeir told journalists in Washington on Friday, adding that an internal investigation into the killing is ongoing. "Those responsible will be held accountable." At the same time, he said, Saudi Arabia does not need a United Nations-led probe or an international investigation into Khashoggi's murder because the country's "competent legal system" can handle the matter. According to media reports, 11 suspects have been indicted and referred to trial in Saudi Arabia with five facing the death penalty. The proceedings have not been public. The UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, Agnes Callamard, who recently carried out a weeklong inquiry in Turkey into the Khashoggi killing and concluded in preliminary findings it was "a brutal and premeditated killing, planned and perpetrated by officials of the state of Saudi Arabia". Callamard said Saudi Arabia also "seriously undermined" Turkey's efforts to investigate Khashoggi's killing at its Istanbul consulate. She has demanded access to Saudi Arabia and expressed "major concerns" about the fairness of proceedings for those facing trial in the kingdom over Khashoggi's murder. "The UN rapporteur that you talked to is not engaged in a UN investigation," Jubeir said. "She is doing this on her own, in her capacity as rapporteur of human rights, and she went to Turkey and she came back and issued opinions that are her own, these are not United Nations' opinions," he said. The body of the journalist Khashoggi was "dissolved" after his murder and dismemberment at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Yasin Aktay an adviser to the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said. "We now see that it wasn't just cut up; [the Saudi suspects] got rid of the body by dissolving it," Aktay, also an official in Turkey's ruling party, told the newspaper Hurriyet in November, amidst the global outrage over the incident. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump refused to meet a legal mandate Friday to tell Congress whether the White House thinks Saudi crown prince Salman is personally responsible for the murder of Khashoggi. "The President maintains his discretion to decline to act on congressional committee requests when appropriate," a senior administration official told CNN amid criticism from the Democratic Party. The White House decision came a day after an explosive New York Times report that cited US and foreign officials with direct knowledge of intelligence reports who say that Crown Prince Salman told a top aide in 2017 that he would use "a bullet" on Khashoggi. "The law is clear," said Juan Pachon, spokesman for the Democratic side of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "The President has no discretion here. He's either complying with the law or breaking it." The Global Magnitsky Act gives the President 120 days to determine whether a foreign individual is responsible for extrajudicial killings and report the findings to Congress as well as whether the President intends to impose sanctions on that person. A National Security Council source quoted by the network insisted that the administration is under "no legal obligation" to respond, but added that the State Department would send a letter to Congress on Friday. The source did not disclose the contents of that letter. -PTI Cannabis is the fastest growing sector in the United States, but which cannabis jobs are in highest demand? Today, there couldnt be more options for high-level managers, scientists, weed nerds and all of the above to work in the legal marijuana industry. These are the most sought-after jobs. Related: The Bright Future of Cannabis Retail Dispensary Manager and Budtender The first cannabis jobs that come to mind, and for good reason, are dispensary manager and budtender. These are the two most in-demand jobs in legal weed. The cannabis industry is growing 34 percent annually and is projected to reach a value of $146 billion by 2025. As a result, the industry has an intense demand for people who are knowledgeable about cannabis. Dispensary staff are in such high demand that only a little over half receive formal training and businesses are struggling to staff up. For prospective employees armed with some business experience and knowledge of cannabis medical and medicinal benefits have a good chance of landing cannabis jobs like dispensary manager or budtender. Related: Survey Finds Dispensary Staff Are Well Trained for Sales but Not for Medical Advice Lab Technician One of the biggest advantages to legalize cannabis is the ability to regulate its quality. This means lab testing for pesticides, contaminants, THC levels and more. In most states, legal weed must be tested by a third party lab before its sold in a dispensary. As a result, legalization has created the demand for a lab testing industry so as not to create bottlenecks and product shortages. This means that there is significant demand for lab technicians. These jobs involve working with chemicals solvents and high-tech equipment. It also requires knowing a lot about how cannabis works: How much water is considered a contaminant? What levels of THC and CBD, and which terpenes, should a sample have? Related: Pesticide Contamination Is a Growing Cannabis Safety Concern Brand Ambassador There are many ways to work in the cannabis industry without "touching the plant." Like businesses in any other sector, cannabis companies need to market their products and build a client base. This means hiring a brand ambassador. Though the role of a brand ambassador will differ depending on the organization, their role is to promote a company by connecting with potential customers either at trade shows, in stores or on social media. Despite massive growth, the cannabis industry still cannot consider normal business considerations like any other. More specifically, weed businesses cannot advertise on most TV programs, in public places, or directly on many social media. This means that brand ambassadors are one of the most in-demand cannabis jobs right now. Related: 9 Totally Normal Business Considerations That Are Completely Different in the Cannabis Industry Director of Extraction In the booming cannabis industry, vaping cannabis is the fastest growing method of consumption. In fact, the cannabis concentrates are predicted to be worth $3 billion in 2018. As a result, cannabis businesses are expanding into extraction, the process by which you remove plant matter to obtain cannabis compounds in a concentrated oil form. It makes sense that Director of Extraction is one of the most in-demand cannabis jobs right now. In simple terms, a Director of Extraction manages the production of cannabis extracts. This means designing and overseeing a laboratory, hiring, and quality control. Trimmer One of the cannabis jobs consistently in high demand is marijuana trimming. Its their job to prune cannabis plants without harming them. There are many opportunities available for people looking to work in cannabis trimming. However, trimming requires skill and focus. More specifically, trimmers have to understand cannabis plant anatomy and the difference between different strains. Trimmers also have to have the ability to focus for a long period of time. Though you are typically paid by weight--how much cannabis you trim in a day--doing it well and thoroughly requires concentration. Related: Burgeoning Marijuana Industry Has a Growing Need for Scientists Compliance Manager Like food and drugs, cannabis is subject to numerous health and safety regulations. Behind every legal cannabis product is a network of compliance experts, supply chain tracking software and lots of paperwork. For all these reasons, one of the cannabis jobs in highest demand is compliance manger, according to a Vangst report. Its their job to create compliance protocols for dispensary staff, keep track of inventory and stay up to date with ever-evolving cannabis regulations and taxes. In California, Massachusetts and many other legal state, cannabis laws can vary county to county and city to city. This doesnt even account for regulatory changes that take place on the state level. For businesses in such a new and highly regulated industry as cannabis, its a real change just to follow the law and have the paperwork trail to prove it. This is the compliance managers job. Delivery Driver Cannabis retail increasingly resembles retail for any other product. Many people, and especially those who use medical cannabis, want the convenience and anonymity of cannabis delivery. Consequently, cannabis delivery drivers are in increasing demand. Qualifying for a delivery driver position involves more than having a car and a drivers license. Like any dispensary employee, delivery drivers are required to understand a dispensary's menu and how medical cannabis can benefit people with specific conditions. Related: From Fighting Terrorists in Syria to Delivering Sativa in Michigan The Most Popular Cannabis Jobs in a Blossoming Industry Between 2017 and 2018, cannabis jobs increased 690 percent. Cannabis industry employment is projected to grow another 220 percent in 2019. Though there is massive demand for plant-touching roles like budtenders, trimmers, and delivery drivers, the cannabis industry needs marketing experts and high-level management. How do you get involved in the cannabis industry? All you have to do is apply. Related: 10 Year Challenge: The Evolution Of Work (And What's Next) These Cannabis Jobs Are Most In-Demand Right Now 3 Factors That Will Spearhead the Hiring Trends in 2019 (Infographic) Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved GREENWICH The school district has gained town-wide approval and funds to repair and level the playing field at Hamilton Avenue School. But the timeline of the project remains unclear because officials do not know whether environmental soil testing will be required. The path to approval has been long for the Hamilton Avenue School field improvement project. Now that the consultant Milone & MacBroom is recommending 25 soil tests, this could set the project back again. The field, which is the smallest at the Greenwich schools, slopes at least five feet from the parking lot to the base of the field. It is pitted with potholes and conceals geothermal wells at one end. At this time it is unknown whether environmental testing is required, Chief Operating Officer Lorianne ODonnell said in an email Friday. There are best practices and recommendations that assist in the determination of whether or not soil testing is needed and we are still working with our consultant on next steps. The project does not require the removal of any soil, but the soil brought in would require environmentally testing, she said. The environmental soil testing field work could be completed this month, with lab results back by the end of February and memorandum completed in late February or early March, ODonnell wrote to town officials before the Representative Town Meeting approved the project in January. The first phase of the project, when Town Hall records are reviewed on the history of the field, has not yet happened, Interim Superintendent of Public Schools Ralph Mayo said. After completing this review, the contractor can determine whether testing is needed, he said. Thats why were saying, Maybe, he said. It just depends on what we find out. Both Mayo and Board of Estimate and Taxation member Michael Mason could not recall whether the review and possible testing of soil was communicated to members in July when the project was approved. It should have been communicated last July, and it wasnt, Mayo said. I was there and I dont remember it being stated. Mason added: I had always believed that this was just a field leveling. I dont remember anything about soil testing. The project changed hands from the building committee to the Board of Education, and from one set of facilities officials to another, so theres a lot going on, Mason said of the uncertainty. But school board member Peter Sherr remembers that other school officials told board members that testing would not be necessary. Every single one of the revolving door of superintendents and of facilities people have told us that soil testing was not necessary for the Hamilton Avenue field, he said. In a communication between Milone & MacBroom and Facilities Director Dan Watson dated May 25, and revised Aug. 7, Milone & MacBroom agreed to provide landscape architecture, engineering design services and environmental soil investigation for the project. These services were agreed upon and signed off by ODonnell. Based on the history of impacted soils on the towns school properties, it is recommended that environmental soil investigation be conducted, the contract states. The presence of impacted soils will influence final design and construction costs. Lucia Jansen, head of the Budget Overview Committee of the RTM, reviewed the documents to understand the projects timeline. In it, the call for soil testing was inconsistent with what I watched with the BOE documents, the BET presentation and the RTM meetings, Jansen said. Previous meetings In June 2018, facilities department members came before the school board with a $424,000 proposal less than half of the original estimate of about $790,000. Board vice chair Jennifer Dayton asked when environmental testing of the soil would take place. The only environmental testing that absolutely has to be done is when we bring soil onto a site, Watson said in the meeting. We would probably do a soil review to make sure it has proper drainage, but as far as any contamination, thats not required. Watson confirmed the vendor is responsible for testing the soil that will be added to the field. School board chair Peter Bernstein chimed in that the need for testing was unlikely, because testing was performed when digging was done to install geothermal wells at one end of the field. When reached for comment Friday, Bernstein deferred questions to ODonnell. When the BET Budget Committee rejected a proposal to repair the fields in 2017, committee member Leslie Tarkington said the work should wait because there was a lack of field space in western Greenwich. Testing revealed contaminated soil in the fields of both New Lebanon School and Western Middle School. Soil testing could be required, which could potentially increase the price tag, she said. And if we test and we do find something, we will have no playing field for some extended period of time, said then-BET Budget Committee Chairman James Lash. The designation for the project as an interim appropriation dates to November 2016, when board members debated whether the town or the school district should pay to fix soil contamination. In October 2016, Jennifer Dayton, now the board vice chair, insisted on interim appropriations to pay for the work at both Hamilton Avenue and Western as soon as possible, regardless of any testing that might be needed at Hamilton Avenue. I dont think its the boards responsibility to do anything more than level the field, said Barbara ONeill, then the board vice chair. We know we are going to have to test, and the chances of finding something there are pretty good. So we have to consider this: Is this really something we want to take on, or is this something for DPW and Parks and Rec? jo.kroeker@hearstmediact.com HARTFORD About 133 victims of sexual abuse at a Haitian boys school affiliated with Fairfield University and other religious groups are a step closer to receiving $250,000 each or $61 million in total for their suffering. U.S. District Judge Robert Chatigny on Monday accepted a negotiated settlement with the university and other groups for payment to the victims. A final settlement is expected to be approved this spring. The agreement consolidates dozens of lawsuits into one class action suit that creates a $60 million fund to help 133 victims and a $1.2 million fund to administer payments. I have no doubt that I should grant preliminary approval, Chatigny said. I have studied the papers and, apart from some minor suggestions, I have nothing to say but you have done an admirable job. Both sides a team of lawyers representing the victims and a team representing Fairfield University and other organizations presented the agreement to the judge, saying it represented months of work and negotiation. The lawyers said a system to vet additional claims by victims is included in the settlement and initial payouts of up to $10,000 will quickly go out to already vetted victims. The final settlement amount will depend on whether additional victims are certified and court and legal costs, they said. The settlement is fair and adequate and an outstanding result for class members, said Thomas Goldberg, a lawyer representing the university and other defendants. This was not a simple case of an employer being held liable, Goldberg said. The university recognized the risk of litigation and the cost. The deal offers no admission of guilt by the defendants and settles claims against Douglas Perlitz, a former Fairfield University graduate who founded and operated a school for homeless boys in Haiti called the Village. University connection Fairfield University raised funds and sent university student volunteers to work at the Haitian school. The university and the affiliated religious groups are accused of being negligent in their supervision of Perlitz and the Rev. Paul E. Carrier. Perlitz pleaded guilty in August 2010 to one charge of traveling overseas to engage in sex with a minor. He was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison. Claims were filed against Perlitz, Fairfield University and Carrier; the Society of Jesus of New England; and the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, which provided a start-up grant and additional monies to Project Pierre-Toussaint, which included a residential school. It also settles claims against the defunct Haiti Fund Inc., which served as Project Pierre Toussaints nonprofit fundraising arm, and Hope Carter, a New Canaan philanthropist and former member of the Haiti Funds board of directors. Ready to settle In a recent statement, the university said it was prepared for the settlement The university has been planning for this litigation, and any difference has been allocated for and will not have material impact on the financial integrity of the university or its day-to-day operations in serving our students, faculty and the broader Fairfield community, the school said. We will continue to make investments to enhance our facilities and our faculty to ensure that we provide a world-class education to our students, the university noted. During his sentencing, Perlitz said he was involved in a dark and abusive relationship both physical and spiritual that began with a Fairfield University priest shortly after he arrived as a freshman on campus in 1988. Allegations contained in the lawsuit marked the first time that Carrier, a charismatic Jesuit priest, had been accused of abusing one of the boys. Carrier often visited Perlitz in Haiti, numerous victims told Hearst Connecticut Media during the newspaper groups investigation in Haiti of Project Pierre-Toussaint. None of those said they were abused by Carrier. Despite the claim, Carrier was never charged with any crime. Nevertheless, the Society of Jesus transferred Carrier from Fairfield University in 2006 as federal investigators, Haitis National Police and the United Nations began digging into claims of misconduct exposed a year earlier by Cyrus Siebert, a radio journalist in Haiti. The order suspended Carrier from performing any religious duties shortly after Perlitzs sentencing in December 2010. bcummings@ctpost.com EDEN A man was killed and a woman was injured in a shooting at the Eden Inn on Sunday night after a gunman fired a hail of bullets through a car window. Tim Caesar Blanks, 37, of Bassett, Va., was arrested shortly before midnight and charged with first-degree murder in the death of 34-year-old Brandon James Rose, 34, of Reidsville, and attempted murder in the shooting of 38-year-old Meghann Rose McKinney, also of Reidsville. Blanks was being held early Monday in the Henry County jail in Virginia awaiting extradition back to North Carolina. An eyewitness said she watched a gunman fire two clips-worth of bullets into an occupied car outside the motel at 213 S. Van Buren Road at around 8:30 p.m. Sunday. Police were called to the motel around 8:36 p.m. in reference to shots fired into a motor vehicle. I was at the motel visiting a friend and we were in their room, talking by the window when this dude comes up and knocks on a car window, The witness, who asked not to be named, said, describing what she saw from the motel room she described as real close to the car. Moore, who grew up in the Raleigh area, has nearly 20 years of experience managing restaurants and knows the business of organizing special functions from top to bottom. He, too, spent a lifetime of holidays and summers surrounded by historic architecture and artifacts. A descendant of Bergaw, North Carolina founding father, Midas Mingum Moore, he enjoyed the M.M. Moore home as a playground. The house has four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and a wrap-around gray porch. Its like a family museum with portraits from the early 1900s. Its where our family has always lived, Moore, 39, said. The historic Moore home is so picturesque, in fact, that it was used in the 1990s as the setting for the Hallmark film, The Summer of Ben Tyler. I thought that was what everyone was used to, then I realized how blessed I was to have that connection to ancestors. I always wanted an old house, Moore said. Prepping the Boxley for upcoming events, including his Nov. 16 wedding to Vaughan, means Moore has stripped ivy from a camophlaged pergola and chimney and power washed and rebuilt weathered porches and decking. Donald Trumps threat to cancel the INF treaty has, not surprisingly, caused Russia to do the same. This is a major step toward nuclear war, triggered either by accident or miscalculation. It allows the United States to place short- or intermediate-range nuclear missiles just minutes away from Russias major cities. When the U.S.S.R. tried to do the same thing in 1962 by placing its nuclear missiles in Cuba, it led to a confrontation that scared everyone on this planet. Fortunately, Khrushchev backed down, (probably only after Kennedy agreed quietly to remove U.S. nuclear missiles from Turkey). So, it is entirely understandable to me why Putin is alarmed and reacting. There are no winners in a nuclear war, just millions of innocent losers. The Cuban Missile Crisis made an activist out of me. At age 90, I no longer have the will or energy to act. However, I am dismayed that more Americans, especially the younger generation, do not seem to be taking this threat seriously. George Haeseler Greensboro No, the statues were put up by white people, beginning in the 1890s, to remind black people that, despite all that nonsense of Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant, as well as the so-called Reconstruction, we are back, and you are back down. The towering likenesses of Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and Stonewall Jackson werent put up to celebrate history or heritage; they were put up as a message: The 13th, 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution arent going to help you black folks because the South has risen from that humiliation. Jim Crow a name rooted in blackface mockery is king. If you doubt that well-documented history if you are tempted to buy the heritage, not hate rhetoric ask yourself this question: Where are the statues of James Longstreet? Remember: Longstreet was Lees most trusted general, his second in command, a brave and talented warrior for the Confederacy from beginning to end. But there arent any Longstreet statues in Richmond and there werent any at all until 1998, in Gettysburg. Thats because his service to the U.S. continued after the Civil War, and he did something inconsistent with the purpose of the statues, and of blackface: Longstreet agreed to serve his reunified country, joined Lincolns Republican Party and helped Grant protect the rights of newly freed black Americans. Q: One of your readers commented that taking MSM helped her hair growth. I bought the supplement and found, to my great surprise, that after six days of use (1 gram three times daily) my sense of smell returned. I have made no other change in my supplements, and I take no medication. Photo: Dale Boyd UPDATE: 10:45 a.m. Pentictons new CAO is in it for the long haul. Donny Van Dyk, the recently announced successor to city manager Peter Weeber, worked for years on the Northern Gateway pipeline, but is bringing a breadth of public service experience with him as well working as CAO and CFO for the District of New Hazelton. The Northern Gateway (pipeline) was something I worked on for some years, but the opportunity here in Penticton is really about service to the community, mayor and council, the staff, Van Dyk said. I spoke with the mayor this morning and I think its safe to say they didnt hire me for my knowledge of pipelines. Not yet on the city payroll, Van Dyk was out and about with Weeber Monday meeting with media and people in the community. Picked out of over 90 resumes, Van Dyk said he was incredibly proud, to take on the position. In these positions its about the fit with mayor and council and I think mayor and council really struck me as a solutions-orientated council and I think thats something I hope to bring, a level of dynamic solutions-orientated approaches, Van Dyk said. After five and a half years with Enbridge, Van Dyk is moving back to public sector, a passion of his. The opportunity was to take on a new challenge for me, as well as Im at the stage of my life where I've got a beautiful fiance and we wanted something that would allow us to spend some years and really get to enjoy this part of our life as well as undertake a pretty important challenge, Van Dyk said. Already getting his feet on the ground, Van Dyk has been working to get a full understanding of the city and has been doing a ton of homework beforehand. With Enbridge it has been project to project, I loved every minute of it, I have nothing but great things to say about my time and experience there, he said. They have been nothing but good for me, but this is an opportunity to go somewhere beautiful, undertake a challenge we are really excited about. Coming in as the third city manager in four years, Van Dyk is looking to lay down roots. This is not a short-term vision with me. Id like to be here for the long term and do a successful job. I really want to make sure I know the issues before acting on them, Van Dyk said. I really see myself here to serve the community and to do so through mayor and council. I want to focus on really implementing their priorities and also having an open-door policy to community concerns. ORIGINAL: 8:42 a.m. The City of Penticton has announced Donny Van Dyk, a former Enbridge employee, will be replacing outgoing Chief Administrative Officer Peter Weeber. Van Dyk previously worked in Community and Indigenous Relations, Government Affairs and Finance. Prior to that, he worked as CAO and CFO for the District of New Hazelton, B.C. Originally from Terrace, B.C. he holds a masters degree in public administration from the University of Victoria, a bachelors degree in commerce from the University of Northern British Columbia, and a business administration diploma from Coast Mountain College. "Council is very much looking forward to working with Mr. van Dyk over the course of our term," said Penticton mayor John Vassilaki. Van Dyk was chosen out of 91 resumes received for the position, with 21 potential candidates identified and a shortlist of six. He replaces Weeber, who announced in January he would be moving to the private sector. He will be working with van Dyk during the course of the transition. The city is now finalizing a start date for van Dyk. Castanet will be speaking with van Dyk later this morning. More to come. with files from Chelsea Powrie Sheri Millikan, clinical service manager of cardiac services at Randolph Health, will offer The Heart of the Matter for Women at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Asheboro Public Library, 201 Worth St. in Asheboro. Millikan will discuss risk factors that increase the chance of heart disease for women and review the most recent data on menopause, inflammation and Vitamin D associated with the illness. Participants will be able to develop a plan for improved heart care. For more information, call 336-318-6803. *** Nichole Taylor of Winston-Salem will be the guest speaker at the next Multiple Sclerosis Self Help Group meeting, at 6:15 p.m. Feb. 26 at Main Street United Methodist Church, 306 S. Main St. in Kernersville. Taylor, who has multiple sclerosis, plans to walk the 500-mile Camino de Santiago from the French Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela in Spain in May. For information, email triad.ms.newlydiagnosed@gmail.com. *** A native of Orange County who now lives in Mebane, Green was appointed as the states poet laureate last year by Gov. Roy Cooper. The reception across the state has been really wonderful, she said in an interview. People are full of pride. Its a very celebratory moment, not just for me but for many people, for a lot of women, for a lot of people of color and for the literary community. Green, who teaches documentary poetry at Duke University, was glad to share her art at Biscuitville. I believe in art in unusual places, she said. But more importantly, I believe in the everydayness of how art shows up in our lives. I travel all over the world and I speak at universities and museums, she said. But this is where the everyday people are, who may not think about their stories being of value or their stories being worthy. Green said she also was honored to share the bill with A&T student poets, as they were with her. As a seasoned writer, it gives me hope and I feel very comfortable that new voices are emerging every day, she said. There is enough space at the table for all the new voices that are coming. Contact Dawn DeCwikiel-Kane at 336-373-5204 and follow @dawndkaneNR on Twitter. 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. Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau campaigns with Richard T. Lee, Liberal candidate in the Burnaby South byelection. Justin Trudeau said the Liberal candidate in Burnaby South will be a strong voice for the community, as he campaigned on Sunday in the riding where New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh is seeking a seat. The prime minister told a crowd of supporters that Richard T. Lee served Burnaby for 16 years as a provincial legislator and continues to work hard every day to put the best face forward for the city. "We need strong local voices standing up for you, fighting for you in Ottawa, and that's exactly what Richard is going to be," Trudeau said. "Nobody make any mistake: The Liberal party is going to win this riding of Burnaby South." Lee is a former provincial legislator who replaced the Liberals' first candidate, Karen Wang, after she resigned following an online post in which she contrasted herself, the "only" Chinese candidate, with Singh, who she called "of Indian descent." Singh is seeking his first seat in Parliament in the byelection, scheduled for Feb. 25, and earlier Sunday he attended the annual Chinese New Year parade in Vancouver. After the parade, Singh called on Trudeau to waive solicitor-client privilege to allow former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould to speak about allegations the prime minister's office pressured her to tell federal attorneys to drop the SNC-Lavalin prosecution in favour of a remediation agreement. Trudeau has denied his office "directed" her. While the Green Party of Canada has extended a "leader's courtesy" to Singh by not running a candidate against him, other parties have not. Conservative Jay Shin and People's Party of Canada candidate Laura-Lynn Tyler Thompson are also vying for a seat. The New Democrats narrowly beat the Liberals in the riding in the 2015 election by about 550 votes. The Conservatives placed third, losing by about 3,600 votes. Lee said he's proud to be part of "Team Trudeau" because he believes in transparent, better politics and a strong, multicultural Canada. "In Burnaby South, we need a committed, local champion for our community," he said, adding he has lived in the Metro Vancouver city for 32 years. As self-driving cars continue to develop, there will be a staggering amount of data amassed through cars navigational technologies. Questions regarding privacy, ownership, cybersecurity and public safety arise, as heavily guarded mapping data is collected and leveraged by companies. The geospatial data can be used to draw new maps identifying the spaces where we live and travel. That information is currently housed in technological and corporate black boxes. Given the social relevance and impacts of such information, these black boxes require greater transparency, according to an open-access study by Luis F. Alvarez Leon, an assistant professor of geography at Dartmouth, posted in Cartographic Perspectives. At the heart of autonomous navigation is the production of new cartographies that allow automated vehicles to be deployed through physical spacesand, in the process, influence economic processes as well as the organization of urban systems and transportation infrastructure. These maps are created through sophisticated, and often proprietary, combinations of sensing and mapping technologies, which feature continuous, multimodal, and extensive data collection and processing. Thus, in navigating, and potentially transforming, space, autonomous vehicles effectively produce new virtual spaces through processes enclosed within technological as well as corporate black boxes. In combining pre-existing digital maps with continuously updated spatial databases that respond to the vehicles navigation of space, the maps at the core of autonomous driving enact both the representational and performative possibilities of cartography: they are both object and process. Given the magnitude of the resources invested in autonomous vehicles, their expected knock-on effects, and their potential to reshape cities and socioeconomic organization, the mechanisms underlying their navigation of space should be more open to public scrutiny, deliberation, and regulation. Alvarez Leon (2019) As autonomous cars strive to make sense of the world around them, they collect massive amounts of data, including traffic and congestion patterns, where pedestrians cross the street, which houses and businesses have Wi-Fi, and other details, which could be monetized. While companies may have intellectual property and other economic interests in protecting geospatial data, local governments, private citizens and other actors also have a vested interest in using that data to inform decisions on managing traffic, urban planning, allocating public funds and other projects, all of which may be of public interest. Self-driving cars have the potential to transform our transportation network and society at large. This carries enormous consequences given that the data and technology are likely to fundamentally reshape the way our cities and communities operate. Right now, the geospatial data obtained by a self-driving car exists in technological and corporate black boxes. We dont know who can see the data, appropriate it or profit from it. With insufficient government regulation of data from self-driving cars, this raises significant concerns regarding privacy, security and public safety. Luis Alvarez Leon Alvarez Leon discusses how legislation, open source design and hacking are avenues that can be leveraged to help open the black box, enabling consumers and the government to gain access to this corporate collected information. While each of these three approaches has potential risks and rewards, they can help frame the public debate on the ownership and use of geospatial data from self-driving cars. Autonomous cars rely on computerized systems to run. User access to this data proves difficult when they are locked in closed networks controlled by automobile manufacturers. The study looks at how legislation could help make this data more accessible. Car manufacturers typically consider themselves the sole arbiters of the information pertaining to their vehicles, claiming that they own the data but legislation has provided pushback and the author cites examples, such as debates around the right to repair. When autonomous cars, including their components, assembly, operation and data, are designed through an open source framework, data might be more easily available to the public and inform greater understanding about its potential uses and implications, the author suggests. Companies such as Udacity, an online education company, offers a Self-driving Car Engineer Nanodegree program in which students learn, develop and refine code for autonomous systems. Although there may be economic and intellectual property tradeoffs for the manufacturers, open source design plays an important role in allowing for greater transparency, according to the study. In addition to legislation and open source design, hacking is both a systemic risk for autonomous vehicles and an approach that has been deployed to make car data and automated systems more transparent while holding self-driving car companies more accountable. In 2013 and 2015, two security experts remotely hacked into a 2014 Jeep Cherokee, and a Toyota Prius and Ford Escape, respectively, demonstrating the security flaws in vehicles that were not autonomous. Security vulnerabilities are likely to run much deeper with fully autonomous vehicles. Precisely because hacking is a generalized risk for autonomous vehicles, certain instances of hacking in the context of research and advocacy have shown the importance of building secure systems. Recent security breaches with Equifax and Facebook illustrate the many security risks relating to consumers digital information. If were going to adopt self-driving cars, then we should really make absolutely sure that they are as secure as they can be. This requires input from parties outside of the corporations who are building those very systems, such as government, advocacy groups and civil society at large. Luis Alvarez Leon In the US, Arizona, California and Michigan are currently some of the most hospitable states for self-driving vehicles, serving as testing areas for companies such as Waymo, which started as Googles Self-Driving Car Project. While there are local regulatory battles, and often pushback from citizens and advocacy groups, other states may open their doors to this new mode of transportation in the future. Two weeks ago, Waymo announced that it will be building a manufacturing facility in southeast Michigan, as it looks to grow its fleet. As the study points out, oversight of the self-driving car industry cannot be left to the manufacturers themselves. It is up to the public and government to help define how this new technology and subsequent mapping of our communities will affect society. Resources C-Capture, a designer of chemical processes for carbon dioxide removal and a spin-out from Leeds University, has raised 3.5 million (US$4.5M) in new equity funding in a round led by BP Ventures, Drax, and IP Group. C-Capture has patented a unique, amine-free solvent-based technology which offers a safe, low-cost way to remove carbon dioxide from emissions sources such as power stations, industrial plants and anaerobic digestion for positive environmental benefit. In May 2018, C-Capture announced a partnership with Drax Group to run a pilot of its technology at the North Yorkshire power station, which will see carbon dioxide captured from biomass used in power generation, and show how C-Captures technology can be used as part of a process to remove existing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (BECCS). C-Capture is currently conducting a demonstration project at Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire, which will remove carbon dioxide from emissions produced by generating electricity from sustainable biomass. The project, which is the first of its kind in Europe, is highly significant because it has the capacity to produce negative emissions, whereby carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and stored. C-Capture will use the new funding to further develop the technology, support larger pilot projects in other industries, and increase marketing globally. Photo: Pieter Bruegel the Elder If we all spoke the same language, we'd understand each other perfectly. And then we'd really be in trouble. By John Cadley Toastmaster magazine If you can't understand someone who speaks a language other than your own, blame it on Nimrod, the biblical king who tried to build a tower reaching all the way to heaven. This was of course, the famed Tower of Babel, and when the Principal Occupant of the celestial abode saw what Nimrod was doing, He didn't much care for the idea. The Almighty had made it perfectly clear how human beings could get to heaven, and taking an elevator to the sky deck wasn't one of them. At that time all peoples of the Earth spoke the same language, and God determined that this was the problem i.e., a single people speaking a single language could accomplish just about anything, and that was His job, not theirs. Hence, He said, Let us go down and confuse their language so they can no longer understand each other. This is why the Tower of Babel's men's room was marked GIFT SHOP. t's also why the world today has some 6,500 languages, providing steady employment for generations of United Nations interpreters, not to mention the company that supplies the headphones. Fast-forward a few millennia to 19th century Russia and we meet a Polish ophthalmologist named Ludwik Zamenhof, who begged to differ with the Creator. He believed that separate languages divide people, leading to tribalism, xenophobia and conflict. Unify language and you will unify mankind in peace and brotherhood, so he reasoned. The fact that his wife, who did speak the same language as Dr. Zamenhof, kept telling him You're not hearing what I'm saying appears not to have entered into his thinking. The good doctor didn't just believe in a universal language; he created one and published it in a book called Unua Libro, using the pen name Dr. Esperanto, which means one who hopes an understatement if ever there was one. We must remember this was at a time when Russia had just finished invading the Caucasus in what can only be described as a not very nice way. To think that if the Russians and Caucasians simply spoke the same language they would forget centuries of tribal hatred and hold hands dancing around a bonfire well, yes, that would be hopeful. Delusional is another word that comes to mind. However, I am here not to bury the man but to praise him. He was a true idealist who made a real effort to make the world a better place. Would you spend years developing a language described as lexically predominantly Romanic, morphologically intensively agglutinative, with phonology, grammar, vocabulary and semantics based on Indo-European languages, offering a sound inventory essentially Slavic, and a vocabulary deriving primarily from the Romance languages, with a lesser contribution from Germanic, Slavic and Greek languages all while running a medical practice and raising a family. I say give the man a cigar. Nor were his efforts totally in vain. An estimated two million people speak Esperanto today, comprising 0.03 per cent of the world's population which doesn't exactly fit the definition of universal but still the language lives. Or at least it's on life support. For one thing, there was a self-proclaimed artificial island micro-nation named Rose Island that used Esperanto as its official language. The idea of something being artificially official strikes me as odd, but if it was self-proclaimed, in a place nobody could find on a map, who could argue? There is also a movement to make Esperanto the official language of the European Union. Now, that might actually stand a chance if it weren't for Brexit. Unfortunately, if the English don't want to share a common currency they probably won't adopt a common language that has them asking for a cup of tea by saying, Cu mi povas havu tason da teo? Ultimately, you might say Esperanto is like 3D TV a nice idea that never caught on. And I know why. It's too nice. You can't insult anyone, which let's face itis the most creative part of any language. Think of the brilliant French put-down T'as une tete a faire sauter les plaques d'egouts! (You've got a face that would blow off manhole covers.) That, folks, is genius. Would you have it replaced with Vi havas vizaAon kiu blovos la kovrilon de kloako? Not me. John Cadley is a former advertising copywriter, freelance writer and musician living in Fayetteville, New York. Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says some people will choose the politics of anger, fear and division, but Liberals will stay focused on serving Canadians, bringing people together and building a better future. He made the remarks after a small group of anti-pipeline protesters began shouting at him at a campaign event to support Richard T. Lee, the Liberal candidate in the Burnaby South byelection. Trudeau joined Lee at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, where dozens of supporters cheered as Trudeau said he expects Lee to be a strong voice in Parliament for residents of Burnaby. Lee is a former provincial legislator who replaced the Liberals' first candidate, Karen Wang, after she resigned following an online post mentioning the ethnicity of her opponent, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. Singh is seeking his first seat in Parliament in the byelection, scheduled for Feb. 25, and earlier today he attended the annual Chinese New Year parade in Vancouver. A small group of demonstrators clad in yellow vests also greeted Trudeau outside the Burnaby event to protest his government's policies on immigration. Trudeau was also set to attend a Chinese New Year celebration gala at a restaurant in Vancouver's Chinatown later Sunday. Photo: The Canadian Press Milwaukee Police cars are stationed in a neighborhood where Milwaukee Police Officer Matthew Rittner was killed in Milwaukee on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019. Police are collecting evidence at a Milwaukee home where the police officer was fatally shot while serving a warrant. Investigators say 35-year-old Officer Rittner was killed Wednesday as members of Milwaukee's Tactical Enforcement Unit served the warrant on someone suspected of illegally selling firearms and drugs. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP) A man who was charged Sunday with killing a Milwaukee officer during a drug raid on his home told investigators that he didn't realize it was police trying to break down his door, authorities said. Jordan P. Fricke, 26, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide and other crimes in the fatal shooting of 35-year-old Officer Matthew Rittner, who was part of a tactical unit trying to serve a warrant to search the home for illegal drugs and weapons on Wednesday morning. According to the criminal complaint, police announced their presence several times and said they had a search warrant, and an officer yelled "police" right before Fricke fired four rounds through a hole in the door that Rittner had made with a battering ram. Rittner died of a gunshot wound to the chest. Fricke was in bed with his girlfriend when they were awakened by loud noise and yelling. He told investigators that he never heard anyone yell "search warrant." He said he thought he heard someone say "police" but didn't think it was actually the police trying to break into his home, the complaint states. Fricke's girlfriend said she saw him shoot at the kitchen door and that she knew police were at the door because she heard them identify themselves, according to the complaint. A $1 million cash bond was set Sunday for Fricke, who remained in jail. A court commissioner found probable cause to hold Fricke for further proceedings, and a preliminary hearing was set for Thursday. Fricke's attorney, Michael L. Chernin, declined comment. Rittner, a 17-year veteran of the force, was the third Milwaukee officer killed in the line of duty in eight months. The department had previously gone more than two decades without such a death. Rittner's funeral is scheduled for Wednesday at Oak Creek Assembly of God Church in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Shah is assistant vice president/community banking manager for NWSB Bank's Market Place Office, 810 Market St., Westminster. She has 14 years of banking experience, specializing in management and consumer lending. Born in Surat, India, in the state of Gujarat, she graduated from Fatima Convent High School, and earned a Bachelor of Science in physics from Sir P.P. Institute of Science in Bhavnagar, Gujarat. She moved to the United States in 2001, and resides in Westminster. 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. Developers of the Constitution Pipeline sued the state of New York on two fronts: that the states denial was arbitrary and capricious, and that it failed to act within a reasonable period of time, which constituted a waiver of certification. The first claim went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and failed; the second one is pending before the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. FERC has granted Constitution Pipelines request for a two-year extension of a deadline to complete construction, giving it until the end of 2020 to continue its legal battle. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is considering steps to limit the ability of states to block interstate gas pipelines and other energy projects, Bloomberg News reported in January. The effort, possibly done through an executive order, would be aimed at states in the Northeast, where opposition to pipeline projects has helped prevent abundant shale gas in Pennsylvania and Ohio from reaching customers in New York and other large cities, according to Bloomberg. Should Virginia revoke Mountain Valleys certification, the company might argue in the courts that it has a vested interest in completing a project already approved by FERC. Thomas Paine was an out-and-out atheist. According to Paine, all national institutions of churches whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish (Muslim) appear to me no other than human institutions, set up to terrify and enslave Mankind, and Monopolize power and profit. (I can only imagine what Paine would say today about the popularity of the multimillionaire prosperity preachers who fill the TV airways, not to mention what Jesus would think. Id bet a lot of money he would throw up!) Benjamin Franklin seems to have confessed belief in a creator god and thought Jesus was a great moral teacher but did not believe Jesus was divine. And then there is Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson in the end seems to have embraced what is usually referred to as Deistic Unitarianism. He, too, praised Jesus for his moral teachings which, according to Jefferson, were thoroughly corrupted by Jesus earliest followers into dung! Moreover, in Jeffersons famous version of The Bible, The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth, (a.k.a. the Jefferson Bible he published in 1820), he included none of the miracle stories attributed to Jesus. It is also, of course, Jefferson, who made famous the phrase: Wall of separation between church and state in his 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptists in Connecticut. Updated at 7:33 a.m. EDEN, N.C. A man was killed and a woman was injured in a shooting at the Eden Inn on Sunday night. Tim Caesar Blanks, 37, of Bassett, was arrested shortly before midnight and charged with first-degree murder in the death of 34-year-old Brandon James Rose, 34, of Reidsville, and attempted murder in the shooting of 38-year-old Meghann Rose McKinney, also of Reidsville. Blanks is being held in the Henry County jail in Virginia awaiting extradition back to North Carolina. Police were called to the motel at 213 S. Van Buren Road around 8:36 p.m. on Sunday in reference to shots fired into a motor vehicle. McKinney's current condition is unknown. EDEN An eyewitness said she watched a gunman fire two clips-worth of bullets into an occupied car outside the Eden Inn motel at around 8:40 p.m. Sunday. Eden police, assisted by the Rockingham County Sheriffs Department, were investigating the crime late Sunday, but were unavailable for comment. A common prosecutorial strategy, he continued, is to delay sentencing for cooperators. Some may sign on to testify against other defendants, he said, but plenty try to renege on their cooperation agreements with the government. Typically when you have a cooperating witness like that they hold off on sentencing until cooperation is done because that is basically the hammer the government is holding over the witness, Stinneford said. It is easy to agree to cooperate when a trial is months off in the future closer to the trial date, it is much harder to take the stand and face your friend and implicate your friend in criminal conduct Anthony elected to not cooperate, knowing prosecutors are seeking the maximum sentence of life imprisonment, according to the agreement. Although he is not eligible for a sentence reduction on the basis of cooperation, his sentencing level can be reduced for pleading guilty to the charges, according to federal sentencing code. The government also can motion for a reduction in his sentencing level for saving the government the time of preparing for trial. Neither reduction would be as substantial as if he were to cooperate with prosecutors and testify against other codefendants in the case. In my presentation, I will dissect the components of the Chesapeake Bay report card, but I will go beyond that to look at the status of some things that are not being measured but are critically important. Examples include shellfish other than oysters. I will also examine the effect of continued conversion of forest and farmland to urban land use on Bay restoration goals, he said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) Online safety has never been more important, with the seemingly endless ways and means people technology to share and transfer information. In support of this year's Safer Internet Day, which was observed on February 5, TikTok, the world's leading short video platform, launches the Filipino version of the #BetterMeBetterInternet campaign as part of TikTok's global safety initiative. TikTok has launched an in-app quiz to equip Filipino users with online safety tips. Users who answer all the questions correctly get to win special prizes from TikTok. Users can also participate in the global #BetterMeBetterInternet challenge within the TikTok app by applying customized stickers designed to encourage the adoption of positive online habits. With these stickers, users can embrace positive hashtags such as #likes, #respect, #positivity, #creativity and #security, and shove away negative hashtags such as #cyber-bullying, #hatespeech, #negativity, #trolls, #anxiety and #haters. TikTok has put in place protective measures by combining content moderation technology with a robust human moderation team. This team, which is based in over 20 countries and regions, now covers 36 languages, an increase of 400 percent in terms of language support from a year ago. Through its participation in the Safer Internet Day, TikTok is playing an important role in raising awareness and addressing the critical and latest challenges in online safety. You asked. We listened. Your daily crossword, Sudoku and dozens of other puzzles are now available online. Play them or print them here. Play now MIKE SPRINGER/Staff file photo/Essex Special Town Meeting on Monday will be asked to acquire a John Wise Avenue lot to allow a new fire station to be built it on it and an adjacent Spring Street Cemetery lot. The Memorial Building, pictured, the existing fire and police headquarters at 24 Martin St., would be rebuilt for the Police Department. UK Sends Fleet of Apaches to Arctic as Message to 'Whole Range of Adversaries' Sputnik News 11:33 10.02.2019 In late September 2018, British Defence Minister Gavin Williamson unveiled the country's new Defence Arctic Strategy, citing ever-increasing threats in the region and Russia's alleged attempts to militarise it. British Army Air Corps AH-64 Apache attack helicopters have been deployed to the Arctic Circle for the first time, according to The Sun. The tabloid referred to this week's live fire drills in Norway involving the UK army's Apache choppers, which Brigadier Mike Keating, operations officer for Joint Helicopter Command, said were "sending a message to a whole range of adversaries". The Apache deployment's goal is to strengthen NATO's Northern flank amid what The Sun described as Russia's push for "control of the [Arctic] region". The developments come after UK Defence Minister Gavin Williamson unveiled in late September the country's new Defence Arctic Strategy, urging the British army to be ready "to deal with all threats as they emerge". He underscored the significance of the High North and Arctic region, pointing the finger at Russia, which he claimed is "staking a claim and militarising the region". Earlier, the British Defence Ministry said that the country's Arctic strategy specifically stipulates that the UK Marines would continue undergoing joint training with their Norwegian counterparts on a long-term basis. As part of the strategy, four RAF Typhoons will start patrolling skies of Iceland in 2019, which is expected to help deter aerial threats to the Euro-Atlantic security, according to the ministry. London repeatedly expressed concerns over Russia's alleged increasing military presence and activities in the Arctic region, and voiced fears that navigation in the Arctic could be limited. Moscow has consistently dismissed the allegations, noting that it considers the Arctic to be an area for constructive dialogue and equal, conflict-free cooperation in the interests of all nations. Sputnik UK PM to drag Brexit debate until end of February Iran Press TV Sun Feb 10, 2019 07:34PM British Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to delay a final vote of the parliament on her European Union withdrawal agreement until the end of February, a move the opposition says will only run the clock down. UK Housing minister James Brokenshire told the BBC on Sunday that May would use a Thursday debate in the House of Commons to promise the chamber a chance to vote on her revised Brexit deal on February 27 only if a breakthrough is not achieved before that time. "That gives that sense of timetable, clarity, and purpose on what we're doing with the EU - taking that work forward and our determination to get a deal - but equally knowing that role that parliament very firmly has," Brokenshire said. May suffered a historic defeat on her Brexit deal in the Commons on January 15. The lawmakers then forced her to seek concessions from the EU on a controversial clause in the deal which sets out rules for future administration of the Irish border. In meetings earlier this week in Brussels, May failed to convince senior EU officials to reopen the co-called backstop as she was told to seek a compromise with the opposition Labour Party if she wants to secure an orderly Brexit at the end of March. However, a key Labour figure said on Sunday that the party will use this week debate in the Commons to compel May to present a fresh accord for lawmakers to consider before February 26, meaning that opposition will try to prevent May from waiting until the last minute to come back with a deal. "We shouldn't be put in a position where the clock is run down and the prime minister says it's either my deal or even worse. That isn't right in terms of the respect for parliament," said Keir Starmer, Labour's Brexit policy chief, in an interview with the Sunday Times newspaper. Many expect that May would finally fail to go through the parliament with her withdrawal deal. She has repeatedly said that scenario would force her to implement a disorderly Brexit on March 29 despite warnings that it could have serious implications for the economy. US-Backed Forces in Syria Push to Oust Last of IS Group By VOA News February 10, 2019 U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces say they have recaptured 41 positions held by Islamic State militants as they seek to clear the last enclave the militant group controls in eastern Syria. Mustafa Bali, an SDF spokesman, tweeted Sunday that SDF forces had destroyed fortifications in the Village of Baghuz, but that heavy fighting continued. "#SDF have advanced on northern and western axis into Baghuz since 19:00 yesterday evening, capturing 41 positions of ISIS and destroying fortifications. IS counterattack was foiled at 4 am this morning. Heavy fighting is going on inside the last village at the moment," he wrote. "There are heavy clashes at the moment. We have launched an assault and the fighters are advancing," an SDF field commander told AFP Sunday. The SDF, backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, is fighting IS in a 4-square-kilometer area that includes Baghuz and is near the Iraqi border. SDF officials and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated there were about 3,000 battle-hardened IS jihadists, mostly foreigners, in the region. The observatory also estimated several hundred civilians remained in the area as well. More than 23,000 Syrian civilians and foreign nationals fled eastern Syria this past week as the SDF, which includes Kurdish YPG militia fighters, prepared to move on IS in Deir el-Zour governorate, according to local officials and activists. The displaced residents, mostly women and children, have been placed in the Kurdish al-Hol camp in al-Hasakah governorate, in northeast Syria. The administrator of the camp, Nabil Hassan, told VOA that many of the women and children from the new wave of displacement this week were foreign nationals and family members of IS. SDF began an operation in September to rid Deir el-Zour of IS militants. The U.S.-backed fighters' advance has been slowed by fierce fighting from the IS militants. The civil war that has engulfed Syria began with Arab Spring protests in 2011. The United Nations estimates more than 400,000 Syrians have died since fighting began in 2011. More than 6 million Syrians have been displaced internally and about 5 million have sought refuge outside the country, with Turkey hosting nearly 3.5 million of them, according to the Brookings Institution. Rikar Hussein contributed to this report. SDF Clearing 'Last Daesh Village in Syria' From Terrorists Spokesman Sputnik News 21:54 10.02.2019 DAMASCUS (Sputnik) The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are clearing the village of Baghuz, which is from their point of view the last settlement in Syria controlled by the Daesh* terror group, of the terrorists, SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali has stated. "SDF have advanced on northern and western axis into Baghuz since 19:00 [17:00 GMT] yesterday evening, capturing 41 positions of ISIS and destroying fortifications", Bali wrote on his Twitter page. The statement comes after the SDF announced on 9 February the start of the operation aimed at liberating Baghuz from Daesh terrorists. The SDF units claim that Baghuz is the last village held by the terror group in Syria. The SDF units are engaged in a fight against terrorists and are backed by the US-led coalition, whose airstrikes in the region have resulted in multiple civilian casualties, according to Syrian media reports. *Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia Sputnik Armenia Sends Deminers To Syria As Part Of Russia-Backed Mission By RFE/RL February 10, 2019 The Armenian Defense Ministry says Yerevan has sent a team of demining experts and other personnel to war-ravaged Syria as part of a Russia-backed mission. Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisian said a team of 83 mine-clearing sappers, medical personnel, and security officers arrived on February 8 and will focus on the city of Aleppo, in northern Syria. He stressed that the personnel will not be involved in the fighting taking place in the Middle East country. Syria's seven-year civil war has left more than 400,000 people dead, displaced millions, and devastated many historic sites across the country. "Armenian specialists will carry out humanitarian activities related to humanitarian demining, mine awareness of the population, provision of medical assistance in Aleppo, exclusively outside the zone of combat operations," Hovhannisian wrote on Facebook. More than 100,000 ethnic Armenians lived in Aleppo prior to the war. Many have fled, including thousands to Armenia. Syrian government forces regained control of Aleppo in December 2016 after a long, devastating campaign of siege and bombardment against rebels, who had held the eastern side of the ancient city for more than four years. The Syrian conflict began with a government crackdown on protesters in March 2011. Russia and Iran have given crucial support to President Bashar al-Assad, while the United States and Turkey have backed differing antigovernment fighters. Russia will transport the Armenian team to Syria and provide logistical support, Hovhannisian said. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on February 8 thanked his Armenian counterpart, Defense Ministry Davit Tonoian, for deploying the personnel to Syria. "You were the first to respond to our call to provide assistance to the Syrian people," he said. Some Armenian politicians, however, criticized the move, with the Sasna Tsrer All-Armenian Party warning that too close military ties with Russia in Syria could hurt Armenia's interests and undermine its security. Yerevan has traditionally had close ties with Moscow, and the Russian military has a base in Armenia. But with the ouster of pro-Russia Armenian leader Serzh Sarkisian and the assumption of power of former opposition leader Nikol Pashinian, some questions have arisen about Yerevan's commitment to Moscow. Pashinian has vowed to retain good relations with Russia, but he has also spoken of desires to increase the South Caucasus nation's ties with the United States and Europe. Yerevan has also contributed personnel to U.S.-backed missions in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. With reporting by RFE/RL's Armenian Service, AP, and Interfax Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia- deminers-russia-mission-syria- aleppo/29761527.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. Heavy Clashes Reported In 'Final Battle' Against IS In Syria February 10, 2019 U.S.-backed forces in Syria were locked in fierce fighting as they pressed the battle against the last enclave held by the extremist group Islamic State (IS) near the Iraqi border. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported "heavy clashes" between both sides on the morning of February 10, as planes of the U.S.-led coalition and artillery bombarded militant positions. After a pause of more than a week to allow some 20,000 civilians to leave the area, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said they were launching the "final battle" to oust IS from the last scrap of territory it holds in eastern Syria. An SDF spokesman later said that the battle was "very fierce" as the "most experienced" militants were defending their last stronghold. Two years ago, the IS group controlled large swaths of Syrian and Iraqi territory, but they are now holed up in a tiny pocket in Syria's eastern province of Deir al-Zor. On February 6, U.S. President Donald Trump said: "It should be announced, probably some time next week, that we will have 100% of the caliphate." Trump said in December that IS militants were "mostly gone" and announced the United States would withdraw all of its 2,000 troops from Syria. Based on reporting by AFP, AP, and the BBC Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/heavy-clashes reported-in-final-battle-against-is -in-syria/29761782.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. Russia Completes Testing of Poliment-Redut Shipborne Air Defence Missile System Sputnik News 01:38 11.02.2019(updated 01:49 11.02.2019) MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The testing of the Russian shipborne Poliment-Redut air defence missile system for the frigates of the Project 22350 series has been completed, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Adm. Vladimir Korolev has announced. "The state testing of the Poliment-Redut air defence missile system has been completed," Korolev said as quoted by the Russian Krasnaya Zvesda newspaper. The air defence missile system is capable of hitting air targets located within an up to 150-kilometer (93-mile) radius and at an altitude of up to 30 kilometers. Russia's Admiral Gorshkov-class frigates (Project 22350) have a displacement of 4,500 tonnes, a top speed of 29 knots and can go for up to 15 days without resupplying. In November, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that more than 10 launches of Poliment-Redut missiles on various types of targets had been conducted during state tests in the Northern Fleet. Sputnik S. Korea pays $924 mil. for defense cost sharing deal with the U.S. for year 2019 Updated : 2019-02-11 06:57:39 KST South Korea and the U.S. have finally reached an agreement on this year's defense cost sharing deal, with Seoul's financial contribution for the stationing of some 28-thousand American troops on the Korean Peninsula at 9-hundred-24 million U.S. dollars. That's 8-point-two percent more than Seoul contributed last year, reflecting a rise in South Korea's defense budget this year. The signing ceremony for the deal was held Sunday afternoon at the foreign ministry in Seoul by both countries' negotiators, Chang Won-sam and Timothy Betts. Washington's top negotiator, Betts, also met with South Korea's Foreign Minister, Kang Kyung-wha, before signing the agreement. In their meeting, Kang said the allies were able to close the gap on the size of South Korea's contribution thanks to goodwill and trust. She also said she was glad that the protracted negotiations ended with a successful result. Betts also said the U.S. is pleased with the results, acknowledging Seoul's contribution to the alliance. From last March, the allies had ten rounds of talks on the issue and dozens of working-level consultations. In those, the U.S. had asked South Korea to pay the costs of operating strategic assets, but Seoul said those do not fall under the original scope of the allies cost-sharing agreements, which are meant mainly to pay for the salaries of South Koreans working at U.S. military bases in the country and costs related to facility construction and logistics. So the costs of strategic asset operations were not included in the final deal. The two sides had also difficulty on the final amount, as the Trump administration reportedly demanded an annual sum of around one billion dollars when the negotiations were close to an end late last year. Also, the deal was originally going to be for five years,.. but the U.S. insisted on just one year. In the end, they struck a one-year deal with no automatic extension. But a foreign ministry official in Seoul said the deal could be extended if the two sides agree. The signed agreement is called "preliminary" as of now since it needs to be approved by South Korea's National Assembly. The U.S. does not require approval from Congress. Park Ji-won, Arirang News. Citizens who may have witnessed this incident or who have information as to the identity of the suspect are asked to contact Sgt. Rick Lambert, Westminster Police Department Criminal Investigations Bureau, at 410-848-4646, or send a confidential text to 847411, keyword TIPWPD or contact the TIPS line at 410-857-8477. South Korea signs deal to hike payment for US troops Iran Press TV Sun Feb 10, 2019 10:39AM South Korea has signed a new deal to hike payment for maintaining US troops on its soil after President Donald Trump demanded that Seoul defray the cost. The agreement was signed Sunday, raising South Korea's contribution to 1.03 trillion won ($890 million) from 960 billion won in 2018 for the operation of 28,500 US troops in the Asian country. Last month, a senior source in South Korea's ruling party said negotiations had been deadlocked after the US made a "sudden, unacceptable" demand that Seoul pay more than 1.4 trillion won ($1.2 billion) per year. Unlike previous agreements, which lasted for five years, the new one is scheduled to expire in a year and would potentially force both sides back to the bargaining table over their decades-long alliance within months. "It has been a very long process, but ultimately a very successful process," South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha told reporters before another official from the foreign ministry inked the agreement. US State Department's senior adviser for security negotiations and agreements Timothy Betts said the money represented a small but important part of South Korea's support for the alliance. "The United States government realizes that South Korea does a lot for our alliance and for peace and stability in this region," he said. The new cost-sharing deal between Seoul and Washington will officially go into effect after it is approved by the South Korean parliament, which is expected to take place in April. The US government, however, would not need congressional approval for the bilateral accord. South Korea has shared the financial burden for the US military presence since the early 1990s. Late last year, the US military warned that Korean workers in its bases might be put on leave from mid-April if no deal was agreed. The previous agreement signed in 2014 expired at the end of 2018. Last year, the two allies failed to agree on a deal after some 10 rounds of talks and the stalemate fueled speculations that Trump might pull back some of US troops in South Korea. Trump announced last Sunday that he had "no plans" to withdraw troops from South Korea, but said "maybe someday" he would withdraw them because it was "very expensive to keep troops there." The presence of US troops, stationed in South Korea since the 1950-53 Korean War, is meant to counter alleged threats from North Korea. The United States has also deployed two Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) launchers to South Korea, sparking weeks of protests in the Asian country. Back in October, Trump criticized Seoul for failing to finance the controversial deployment of the American missile system. The Sunday deal is attributed to a decision to focus efforts on diplomacy with North Korea ahead of a second summit between Washington and Pyongyang later this month. In their first summit last year, Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reached a vague denuclearization agreement and the ensuing talks made little progress toward a negotiated settlement. North Korea has complained that the US has done little to reciprocate its actions so far, including its dismantling of some weapons facilities and the freezing of nuclear and missiles tests. Pyongyang has also denounced the United States' "gangster-like behavior" by the US, saying Washington has betrayed the spirit of the June summit by making unilateral demands on denuclearization, while keeping the sanctions in place. S.Korean president to consult with Trump on 2nd DPRK-U.S. summit: Blue House People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 16:00, February 10, 2019 SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in will consult with U.S. President Donald Trump in the near future on the second summit between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States, South Korea's presidential Blue House said Sunday. Kim Eui-keum, Blue House spokesman, told a press briefing that the leaders of South Korea and the United States will make a discussion on the second DPRK-U.S. summit in the near future, saying the exact schedule will be unveiled as soon as preparations are made. Moon and Trump would reportedly have a phone conversation in the foreseeable future. The Moon-Trump dialogue would come after top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un and Trump agreed to meet again later this month in Hanoi, Vietnam. Kim and Trump held their first summit in Singapore in June last year. Stephen Biegun, U.S. special representative for DPRK affairs, visited Pyongyang earlier this week to consult with his DPRK counterparts on the planned second Kim-Trump summit. The Blue House spokesman said he heard that Pyongyang and Washington had agreed to continue negotiations at a third country in Asia in the week beginning Feb. 17. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will have talks in the near future, while Chung Eui-yong, top Blue House national security advisor, will closely exchange information with White House National Security Advisor John Bolton, the spokesman added. People Flee Escalating Violence in Myanmar's Rakhine, Southern Chin States By Lisa Schlein February 10, 2019 The U.N. refugee agency says it is worried by reports of people fleeing escalating violence in Myanmar's southern Chin State and Rakhine State, adding to growing instability in these regions. The U.N. refugee agency says it cannot assess the scale of the current humanitarian situation in these volatile areas because it has little access to these and other regions in Myanmar. But the UNHCR says reports it has received of the deteriorating security situation in southern Chin State and Rakhine State are very worrying. It says it does not know how many people have fled their homes and have become internally displaced since violence flared up there in December. Additionally, in Rakhine State, UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic said a number of Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh in search of asylum. "We understand from some of the reports that some 200 people have sought shelter, have sought safety. This is reportedly in a very remote area where we do not really have access," he said. More than 720,000 Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh since August 2017 to escape persecution and violence in Myanmar. Because of previous refugee crises in Myanmar, Bangladesh currently is home to nearly one million Rohingya refugees. The UNHCR praises the country's generosity and appeals to the authorities to continue to allow people fleeing violence in Myanmar to seek safety in Bangladesh. Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is a predominantly Buddhist country. It has a long history of tension with its ethnic minorities, much of it based on religion. Southern Chin State is the only State in Myanmar with a Christian majority. It also is the poorest and least developed region in the country. The large Rohingya Muslim population in Rakhine State continues to suffer discrimination and repression from the majority Buddhist community. Though they have lived in Myanmar for generations, the Rohingya are denied citizenship and remain stateless. Israel, US hold small-scale joint war game Iran Press TV Sun Feb 10, 2019 07:38AM The Israeli regime has been conducting a joint war game with the United States, simulating a scenario in which Israel needs aerial defense by the US. The so-called Juniper Falcon drill began on Thursday and will continue until February 15, according to Israeli media. The war game involves 300 American and 400 Israeli forces from various units. Israeli media reports said the exercise is part of an agreement between Washington and Tel Aviv to hold training drills on a regular basis. The Israeli air force said that the maneuver included "operational orders which may be utilized in the future." Last March, a similar exercise was held with the participation of more than 2,500 forces from the US European Command and 2,000 Israeli soldiers. Israel simulates war on Lebanon Separately, on Thursday, Israel completed a week-long military drill in the mountainous areas of the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank, simulating war on Lebanon. Israeli Army spokesman Avichay Adraee said the regime's forces drilled occupying and burning areas while evacuating casualties under fire. Israel waged two all-out wars against Lebanon in 2000 and 2006 but fell short of its military objectives in both cases in the face of strong resistance by the Hezbollah resistance movement and the Lebanese Army. Ever since the latest military confrontation, the Tel Aviv regime has been apparently practicing for a future war. Hezbollah says, however, that Israel is in no position militarily to wage and endure another war. In late January, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's leader, mocked Israeli military activities. In December last year, Nasrallah's deputy, Sheikh Naim Qassem, said there was no spot across Israel that would fall outside the range of the Lebanese resistance movement's missiles. And Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said at a think tank in London also in December 2018 that previous Israeli wars on Lebanon had weakened neither Hezbollah nor Lebanon as a whole. U.S. Envoy To Germany Warns Europe Not To Bypass Sanctions On Iran February 10, 2019 The U.S. ambassador to Germany says the European mechanism designed to facilitate trade with Iran and avoid U.S. sanctions is counterproductive to Washington's efforts to force Tehran back to the negotiating table over its nuclear program and other matters. Ambassador Richard Grenell made the comments about the financial mechanism called INSTEX (Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges) in an interview published on February 10 in the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. Grenell labeled U.S. policy as the "Trump Doctrine," explaining that "we use the strongest possible sanctions, while at the same time offering talks to see if that changes the behavior of certain states." Germany, France, and Britain on January 31 launched a mechanism to allow financial flows to be sent to Iran that would not violate U.S. sanctions in an attempt to keep alive the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran. The special-purpose financial vehicle will allow European firms with legitimate business interests to use barter techniques to conduct business in Iran. The plan focuses on areas not targeted by U.S. sanctions and in the beginning centers "on the sectors most essential to the Iranian population such as pharmaceutical, medical devices, and agri-food goods," foreign ministers from the three countries said. Germany, France, and Britain -- which signed the nuclear deal along with the United States, Russia, and China -- have been working hard to keep the accord alive after Trump announced in May he would withdraw from the deal and reimpose sanctions on Tehran. Based on reporting by Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, dpa, and Tiroler Tageszeitung *This article has been amended to clarify comments in the first sentence and to change the headline accordingly. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/u-s-envoy-to-germany-says- mechanism-to-trade-with-iran-disrespectful -to-washington/29761628.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. Iran's Zarif: Warsaw meeting a failure in advance Iran Press TV Sun Feb 10, 2019 08:56AM Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says a United States-planned meeting in the Polish capital, Warsaw, that Washington had sought to turn into an anti-Iran platform has fallen flat on its face before getting off the ground. "The Warsaw meeting was rendered doomed to failure before [its] start," Foreign Minister Zarif told ICANA, referring to the February 13-14 meeting. The United States initially put much effort into making the Warsaw meeting an anti-Iran platform but had to back away from many of its suppositions about the meeting because it was snubbed by most world officials. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the meeting last month, saying it would purportedly focus on the "important element of making sure that Iran is not a destabilizing influence." Later in the month, however, and as officials from various countries indicated their refusal to participate, US Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Jonathan Cohen told the UN Security Council that the meeting was "not a venue to demonize or attack Iran," in an apparent about-face. Zarif said, "The US is trying to somehow compensate for the atmosphere that has been created against it. Therefore, it seems the summit will not be taking place in the format that the Americans would have wanted it to." The administration of US President Donald Trump has adopted an increasingly antagonistic posture against Iran. Trump and his close associates have been making strong-worded statements about the Islamic Republic ever since he took office in 2017. Last May, the Trump White House unilaterally left a multinational nuclear accord between Iran and other world countries. The withdrawal came even as the deal has been ratified in the form of a Security Council resolution. The White House also reinstated the nuclear-related sanctions that had been lifted by the accord. The other parties to the deal, including European countries, have nevertheless stayed in the deal with Iran, defying US expectations to abandon it. Enemies' Iranophobia scheme used to sell arms to Mideast: Iran military chief Iran Press TV Sun Feb 10, 2019 04:33PM Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri says enemies of the Islamic Republic have intensified their effort to spread Iranophobia with the purpose of signing arms deals with countries in the Middle East. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Iran's military chief added that the Islamic Republic has never had a covetous eye on any regional country over the past four decades, but has maintained advisory presence in regional countries that have been faced with terrorist attacks upon their request. Iran's top military commander then noted that the country has been offering advisory assistance to the Syrian and Iraqi governments in the face of Takfiri terrorists, saying, "We will continue our presence in these countries as long as they want and will leave them whenever they do not want. This is contrary to what Americans do, who stay [in regional countries] with force despite opposition of people in those countries and then accuse the Islamic Republic [of interference in other countries' affairs]." In an exclusive interview with Press TV in October, spokesman for Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said the Islamic Republic will keep its military advisory presence in Syria as long as Tehran finds it "effective and useful" and as long as the Arab country's government demands. Brigadier General Ramezan Sharif said the Islamic Republic has been supporting Syria in accordance with international regulations since the beginning of the crisis in the country. Elsewhere in his remarks, Baqeri pointed to recent statements by some European countries about Iran's missile and defensive capabilities and emphasized, "The defense power of the Islamic Republic of Iran, including [its] missile might, is not negotiable at all." He added that instead of making remarks on Iran's defense capabilities, Europeans should remove obstacles in the way of banking and economic exchanges with the Islamic Republic as a small part of their commitments under the landmark 2015 nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries. "Europeans have a huge debt to the Iranian nation. Iran has fulfilled all its commitments under the JCPOA and this has been verified by international organizations, particularly the International Atomic Energy Agency," Baqeri said, adding, "However, member states of the P5+1 group of countries, which were supposed to remove all banking and economic restrictions against Iran, failed to fulfill their commitment. The Americans have quit the JCPOA and other signatories [to the deal] are dawdling when it comes to fulfilling their commitments. Iranian authorities have invariably asserted that the country's missile program has not been established for unconventional purposes and is only meant as part of the country's deterrence capability. France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian late last month made remarks against Iran's missile program and its regional role, saying that his country was ready to impose new sanctions on Tehran if no progress was made in talks over its ballistic missile program. "We have begun a difficult dialog with Iran... and unless progress is made, we are ready to apply sanctions, firmly, and they know it," Le Drian said, demanding that Iran change its behavior in the region, particularly regarding its presence in Syria. In reaction to the French foreign minister's remarks, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said the Islamic Republic acts independently in adopting its defense policies and will never allow other countries to interfere in that regard. Qassemi said, "As we have said time and again, we determine our own defense policies and will not allow others to interfere with such issues." Later on February 3, the senior spokesman of the Iranian Armed Forces once again reiterated Iran's message of peace and friendship to the world, emphasizing that the country seeks no one's permission to boost its defense capabilities. "The Islamic Republic of Iran manufactures any equipment it requires to defend the country and will not ask for anybody's permission in this regard," Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi told IRNA. Iran ready for 190k-SWU uranium enrichment: AEOI spokesman Iran Press TV Sun Feb 10, 2019 06:28PM Iran is prepared to boost the capacity of its uranium enrichment to 190,000 separative work units (SWUs), an official at the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) says. "Based on a decree by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution [Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei] and the emphasis put on this issue by head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the country is ready to increase its uranium enrichment capacity to 190,000 SWUs," Behrouz Kamalvandi, the AEOI's spokesman, said on Sunday. Back in January, Ayatollah Khamenei ordered the AEOI to make preparations for the enrichment of uranium up to a level of 190,000 SWUs without any delay. "It seems from what they say that some European governments expect the Iranian nation to both put up with sanctions and give up its nuclear activities and continue to observe limitations [on its nuclear program]. I tell those governments that this bad dream will never come true," the Leader said. US President Donald Trump withdrew Washington in May 2018 from the landmark Iran nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and decided to re-impose unilateral sanctions against Tehran. Under the deal, reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in 2015, Iran undertook to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions. Elsewhere in his remarks, Kamalvandi said Iran is also ready to increase the level of its uranium enrichment form 3 to 20 percent if necessary. He added that Iran has drawn up plans to start re-designing the Arak heavy water reactor given the fact that the signatories to the nuclear deal have failed to fulfill their commitments. The official further stated that the AEOI plans to use new machines to enrich uranium and has made required preparations in this regard. Kamalvandi added that the latest achievements of Iran in the field of nuclear technology will be unveiled in the first month of the forthcoming Iranian calendar year (starts March 21, 2019), one of the most important of which is the mass production of Oxygen-18. Noting that production of Oxygen-18 is a long stride in the country's nuclear chemistry, Kamalvandi said, "At the present time, increased production of stable atoms of this substance to be used in medicine and treatment of diseases has been put on the agenda [of the AEOI]." He added that only five countries in the world are capable of producing Oxygen-18, noting that every kilogram of heavy water containing Oxygen-18 is sold for about $30,000, which indicates the high value of this advanced technology. Iran may perform maneuvers out of Indian Ocean: Cmdr IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Feb 10, IRNA -- Iran's deputy navy commander said on Sunday that the country has received requests for carrying out joint maneuvers with friendly states, including China and Russia, outside the Indian Ocean. The drills will be conducted after being confirmed by Iranian commanders, Rear-Admiral Touraj Hassani Moqaddam told the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) in an interview. Recently, a Russian delegation has visited naval industries of the first region of Iran's Navy in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, Hassani Moqaddam said, adding that Iran attained its goals of the visit, and hopes the two countries would reach agreement on cooperation during the next trips. The commander went on to say that the Russian side has expressed readiness to be present in southern Iranian waters through Mediterranean and Black Seas or via China Sea, but no planning for the measure has been made yet. Elsewhere in his remarks, the commander referred to the international cooperation in the Caspian Sea in north Iran, saying the country has already dispatched several flotillas carrying message of peace and friendship to some of the Sea littoral states including Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. Iran also plans to send flotillas to those countries in the next few months and will host their peace and friendship vessels, he added. About the plans in south of the country, the commander said Iran follows its international cooperation and naval diplomacy through bilateral and multilateral projects with other states. Recently, a Russian delegation has travelled to Iran. The talks held between the two sides focused on naval and technical interactions as well as exchanging flotillas and holding maneuvers to counter pirates. 1483**1771 Closer NK-US ties 'fit China's intention' Global Times By Yang Sheng Source:Global Times Published: 2019/2/10 21:58:39 Choosing Hanoi for the venue of the second US-North Korea summit shows that the US hopes North Korea will choose the path of Vietnam, which has embraced economic globalization, analysts said. Yet China does not need to worry about Pyongyang's wisdom on decision making, Chinese experts told the Global Times on Sunday, just after US President Donald Trump announced Friday that his upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will take place in the Vietnamese capital. Trump revealed his decision in an evening tweet. "My representatives have just left North Korea after a very productive meeting and an agreed upon time and date for the second Summit with Kim Jong-un," Trump said. "It will take place in Hanoi, Vietnam, on February 27 & 28. I look forward to seeing Chairman Kim & advancing the cause of peace!" Trump also announced in his State of the Union address on Tuesday night that he would meet with Kim on February 27 and 28 in Vietnam. "Vietnam is a country which fought a war with the US just like North Korea did," said Wang Junsheng, a research fellow on East Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing. "The US just wants to tell North Korea that as long as it embraces economic globalization and abandons nuclear weapons, it can enjoy the same development that Vietnam has had." Kim also wants to showcase Pyongyang's strong determination on economic development, Wang noted. Currently, due to strategic needs on certain geopolitical issues related to China, ties between the US and Vietnam are strengthening, so Washington might want to deliver a message to Pyongyang that "If you become a rival to China in region, then you can receive more friendship from the US. The US also wants to hint to China that the US has leverage on the issue of the Korean Peninsula," Zheng Jiyong, director of the Center for Korean Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, told the Global Times. China has always firmly advocated that North Korea and the US must resolve problems through peaceful dialogue and negotiation rather than military measures. China does not need to be worried because North Korea is not Vietnam, Zheng said. "If North Korea and the US become closer, this path would fit exactly with China's political intentions," said Zheng. He noted that China just needs to keep contributing and assisting with the exchanges between North Korea and the US, as well as with South Korea, and it doesn't need to worry about North Korea's wisdom. Pyongyang has a clear understanding of where the bottom line is, he said. On the other side of the debate are those who argue that the presence of armed police officers has done little to prevent the deadliest school shootings in the past. They say adding more guns in schools would only strengthen the school-to-prison pipeline and put black children in particular at risk. These advocates say they dont want to see a Baltimore students name on a list alongside Michael Brown or Tamir Rice. Turkey Calls China's Treatment Of Uyghur Minority 'Shame For Humanity' February 10, 2019 Turkey has condemned China's treatment of its Turkic Muslim Uyghur minority population as "a great cause of shame for humanity." "It is no longer a secret that more than 1 million [Uyghurs] incurring arbitrary arrests are subjected to torture and political brainwashing in internment camps and prisons," Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a statement late on February 9. Aksoy also said that Turkey had learned of the "tragic" death in custody of Uyghur poet and musician Abdurehim Heyit, who had been sentenced to eight years over one of his songs. China's Embassy in Ankara called Aksoy's comments "completely unacceptable." Beijing faces growing international pressure over its policies toward Uyghurs and members of other Muslim Turkic language-speaking communities in the northwestern region of Xinjiang. A report by a UN panel of experts last year said that an estimated 1 million of them were being held in "counterextremism centers." They said millions more had been forced into reeducation camps. China says that the facilities are "vocational education centers" aimed at helping people steer clear of terrorism and allow them to be reintegrated into society. The Uyghurs -- of whom there are some 15 million in China -- have long complained about their treatment under Beijing's rule. In a show of support, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators in late January nominated Ilham Tohti, a jailed Chinese academic of Uyghur origin, for the Nobel Peace Prize. "This nomination could not be more timely, as the Chinese government and Communist Party continue to perpetrate gross human rights violations with over a million Uyghurs and other ethnic minority Muslims detained in 'political reeducation' camps," Republican Senator Marco Rubio said on January 30. Based on reporting by AP, dpa, and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/turkey-calls-china-s-treatment-of- uyghur-minority-shame-for-humanity-/29761631.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. Turkey slams 'concentration camps' for Muslims in China Iran Press TV Sun Feb 10, 2019 08:59AM Turkey has condemned China's alleged mistreatment of more than one million Uighur Muslims in "internment camps," urging Beijing to respect the fundamental rights of the Turkic-speaking minority. "The policy of systematic assimilation against the Uighur Turks carried out by the authorities of China is a great shame for humanity," Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said late Saturday. The existence of internment camps was first brought up by Western media paying extraordinary attention to the subject in recent months amid a growing trade dispute with China. A UN human rights panel has cited estimates that 2 million Uighurs and Muslim minorities have been forced into "political camps for indoctrination" in the western Xinjiang autonomous region. Beijing vehemently denies this as well as other reports that Uighurs are unfairly marginalized and says it is addressing underdevelopment and lack of jobs in heavily Uighur areas such as Xinjiang. Chinese officials have also characterized the camps as "vocational education and employment training centers" for "criminals involved in minor offenses." China says Xinjiang faces a serious threat from Takfiri militants and separatists who plot attacks and stir up tensions between the mostly Uighur minority who call the region home and the ethnic Han Chinese majority. Resource-rich and strategically located on the borders of Central Asia, Xinjiang is key to China's growing energy needs. The autonomous region is home to around 10 million Uighurs, accounting for 45 percent of Xinjiang's population. Estimates put Xinjiang's coal reserves at about 38 percent of the national total, while it already produces 13 of China's crude oil output and 30 percent of natural gas. Turkey's reaction follows the death of Uighur poet and musician Abdurehim Heyit in custody. "It is no longer a secret that more than one million Uighur Turks, exposed to arbitrary arrests, are subjected to torture and political brainwashing in concentration centers and prisons," Aksoy claimed. "The re-emergence of concentration camps in the 21st century and China's systematic assimilation policy toward Uighur Turks are great embarrassment for humanity," he added. A Human Rights Watch report last September accused the Chinese government of "mass arbitrary detention, torture and mistreatment" of Uighur Muslims. In March 2017, President Xi Jinping called on military forces to erect a "Great Wall of Steel" around the restive region. "Zero-sum game" mindset destructive to China-U.S. ties, says Chinese ambassador People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 11:13, February 10, 2019 GRAND RAPIDS, the United States, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai said on Friday that China and the United States need to develop even stronger ties in the future despite their differences. Cui made the remarks while addressing a public event held by a non-profit organization in the Midwestern U.S. state of Michigan. "We need to develop even stronger relationship on the basis of coordination, cooperation and stability" between the two countries, the Chinese envoy said. Noting that China and the United States are "two very different countries" in terms of history and culture among other areas, Cui said it was important for the two sides to "have much better mutual understanding" for each other's intention and policy and identify common grounds to stabilize the relationship. "We have so many global issues that we have to work together on," including climate change, terrorism, poverty, pandemics and natural disaster, the veteran diplomat noted. "No country can handle it all by itself," he added. More than 400 guests, including former U.S. Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns, attended the luncheon held by the World Affairs Council of Western Michigan, which aims to provide forums for conversation on international topics. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the China-U.S. diplomatic relations. Bilateral trade grew from less than 2.5 billion U.S. dollars 40 years ago to more than 580 billion dollars in 2017. Over the same period, the stock of two-way investment rose from practically nil to more than 230 billion dollars. Shutdown Is Still 'on the Table' as Border Security Talks Hit Another Impasse Sputnik News 02:37 11.02.2019(updated 02:58 11.02.2019) Talks between President and lawmakers have stalled as negotiators hint that they are still struggling to reach a deal to fund border security and avoid another government shutdown before the Friday deadline. The Senate's top Republican negotiator, Senator Richard Shelby, said on Sunday that the talks have "stalled" because Democrats are raising new concerns over deterring immigrants at the border, while President Trump has accused Democratic leaders of interfering with the talks. "I think the talks are stalled right now. I'm hoping we can get off the dime later today or in the morning because time is ticking away," Shelby said on "Fox News Sunday", noting that there is a "50-50" chance of a deal while warning that "the spectre of a shutdown is always out there." Trump on Sunday claimed in a tweet that he doesn't believe Democratic negotiators are being allowed to make a deal. An administration official speaking to the Hill on condition of anonymity said that the sticking point for Democrats was the demand to reduce the number of beds that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has available for detained immigrants from 38,000 to 16,000. "This is 'abolish ICE.' That's what it is," the official said about the Democratic position, warning that Republicans are about to "walk" away from the negotiating table because of it. A House Democratic aide confirmed that Democrats have proposed a reduction in the number of ICE detention beds, suggesting that the proposal would "force the Trump administration to prioritize arresting and deporting serious criminals, not law-abiding immigrants." "A cap on detention beds associated with interior enforcement will rein in the Trump administration's deportation agenda, prevent the Trump administration from shifting more funding to detention beds than Congress has agreed to, and restore immigration enforcement to the levels that were in place at the end of the Obama administration," the aide said, cited by the Hill. Meanwhile, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney warned that it is still possible for a shutdown to happen as Democrats have not presented a consistent offer. "I've heard that there may be a deal with as much as $2.1 or $2.5 billion for a, for a border fence, then I hear there may be $0 or as little as $800 million for the border fence," he said. Mulvaney added that the president can redirect a substantial amount of federal funding without declaring a national emergency and was likely to do so, combining the funds with whatever money he can get from Congress. "Any president can do this," Mulvaney said. "There are certain funds of money that he can get to without declaring a national emergency and other funds that he can only get to after declaring a national emergency." Democratic negotiators rejected the suggestion that they are not going to reach a deal, noting that the current situation is a normal part of negotiating the process. "I'm not positive that we'll end up with a deal but with this group of people, and the folks in the House, I think we end up with something that deals with detention beds, with barriers, with technology, with the challenges we have at the southern border, in a common sense way," said Senator Jon Tester, a leading Democratic negotiator. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy told CNN's "State of the Union" that Democrats aren't in favor of giving Trump more than $2 billion for border barriers in 2019, despite President's demand of $5.7 billion for additional funding for the construction of a border wall. "The problem now is that we've only got about 7 months left on the fiscal year. So I don't think the president can actually spend much more than $2 billion. But of course we're willing to compromise, of course, we're willing to put more money into border security. I'll be interested to see what the compromise looks like before I commit to voting for or against it," he said. The disagreement between Democrats and the President over border security recently resulted in the longest shutdown in US history. The President agreed to reopen the government and sign a temporary budget for government agencies through February 15 in order to negotiate a better deal. Sputnik US Facing Friday Deadline to Avert New Government Shutdown By Ken Bredemeier February 10, 2019 The U.S. government is facing a Friday deadline for funding about a quarter of its operations, struggling to avert another shutdown after a record 35-day closure was ended last month. Construction money for a barrier at the U.S. southern border with Mexico remains at the center of the dispute, with President Donald Trump asking for $5.7 billion in funding and opposition Democrats apparently ready to offer some money, but much less than the president wants. Several lawmakers said late last week they were close to reaching a deal, even as it remained unclear what Trump would agree to. But on Sunday, Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, the lead Republican on a 17-member congressional panel trying to reach agreement on border security funding, told Fox News, "I think the talks are stalled right now. I'm not confident we're going to get there." Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney told NBC News another shutdown "absolutely cannot" be ruled out. He said whether lawmakers are close to reaching a deal on border security funding "depends on who you listen to." Mulvaney added, "The president really does believe that there is a national security crisis and a humanitarian crisis at the border and he will do something about it. He is going to do whatever he legally can to secure that border." He said if Trump does not win approval for as much money as he wants he is likely to say, "I'll go find the money someplace else,'" by tapping other government funds, a move sure to draw a legal challenge from Democrats. Trump is set to travel to the border at El Paso, Texas, for a rally Monday night to focus on his demands for a wall to curb illegal migrants from entering the U.S. When the five-week closure ended Jan. 25, a bipartisan group of 17 Republican and Democratic lawmakers was created to hammer out details of what border security operations would be funded and how much money would go toward Trump's demand for a wall, perhaps his most popular pledge from his successful 2016 campaign for the White House. Democrats initially offered no funding for a wall, but now lawmakers familiar with the negotiations say Trump's opponents appear ready to agree to some border barrier funding, perhaps as much as $2 billion, along with provisions for heightened controls at ports of entry to thwart drug smuggling and increased use of drones and other technology to try to halt illegal entry into the country. Lawmakers have often said since the shutdown ended that a second closure would be prevented, but Trump has refused to rule it out if he does not like the border security agreement they present him. He has not publicly stated what level of funding he would accept as a compromise to build a barrier along a relatively small portion of the 3,200-kilometer U.S.-Mexican border. "The Democrats just don't seem to want Border Security," he said Saturday on Twitter. "They are fighting Border Agents recommendations. If you believe news reports, they are not offering much for the Wall. They look to be making this a campaign issue . The Wall will get built one way or the other!" Trump has signaled that he could declare a national emergency to build a wall without congressional approval, by tapping funds approved for other projects. But key Republican lawmakers have warned the president not to, fearing the next time a Democrat is in the White House, he could declare an emergency to combat some problem at odds with the views of many Republicans, such as banning the use of some types of guns. Democrats are also certain to file suit against any emergency that Trump declares, which could lead to months of court fights over the wall. Trump Retains Explosive Wildcard in Battle Over Border Security By Michael Bowman February 10, 2019 President Donald Trump's planned trip Monday to the border city of El Paso, Texas comes days before U.S. government funding is due to lapse once again and as suspense builds over Trump's vague but persistent threat to declare a national emergency if Congress declines to pay for wall construction along the U.S.-Mexico border. "The president really does believe that there is a national security crisis and a humanitarian crisis at the border, and he will do something about it," White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press program. "He's going to do whatever he legally can to secure that border." "I do expect the president to take some kind of executive action, a national emergency is certainly part of that if we [lawmakers] don't reach a [border security] compromise," North Carolina Republican Rep. Mark Meadows said on CBS' Face the Nation program. "This president is going to build a wall one way or another." Democrats insist there is still time for a politically divided Congress to forge and pass a spending bill that strengthens America's southern border. "Nobody wants a shutdown, nobody wants the president to use some kind of emergency powers," Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester said on Fox News Sunday. "We just need to do our job, and we can do it." 'I'll get it built' Trump was resolute at last week's State of the Union address to Congress. "Where walls go up, illegal crossings go way down," the president said. "I'll get it built." So far, no deal has been reached by a bipartisan bicameral conference committee tasked with finding a compromise on border security before U.S. government funding expires on Friday. But Trump holds a wildcard - his authority as commander-in-chief to declare a national emergency and bypass Congress altogether. "I don't think anybody questions his legal authority to declare a national emergency," Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California said late last week. "That would be a gross abuse of power, in my view," Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen told VOA. "It's pretty clear you can't declare an emergency just because you can't get your way 100 percent in the Congress. So let's try and work this out through the normal process." In the abstract, the president's authority to declare a national emergency is not in question. "It turns out that the federal statute books are actually littered with hundreds of places where a president can declare national emergencies in various contexts," George Washington University law professor Paul Schiff Berman said, who added that some statutes do allow a president "to move around money within the federal budget to address the emergency." The catch But there is a catch: the very concept of an emergency as a sudden and dire situation. "All of these statutes were written it appears with the idea that every once in a long while, there would be a true crisiscould be a natural disaster, could be a foreign invasion, something like thatwhere the need to act quickly was so important that the president would need these national emergency powers because there just wouldn't be enough time for Congress to convene," Berman said. "None of those [envisioned situations] would apply in a case like building a wall which is going to take many, many years, if it ever happens at all." A national emergency declaration from Trump would almost certainly trigger swift lawsuits as well as congressional action to overturn it. "There is, within the law, the ability of Congress to stop a national emergency," political analyst John Hudak of the Washington-based Brookings Institution said. "It requires both houses of Congress to vote to say that the national emergency is over. Now Democrats can certainly do that alone in the House. They cannot, however, do it alone in the Senate; it would require several Republican votes." 'Serious constitutional question' Already, some Republicans have expressed unease about Trump suggesting he might act on his own. "The whole idea that presidents -- whether it's President Trump, [hypothetically] President [Elizabeth] Warren or [hypothetically] President [Bernie] Sanders - can declare an emergency and somehow usurp the separation of powers and get into the business of appropriating money for specific projects without Congress being involved, is a serious constitutional question," Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn told reporters last week. By contrast, Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott warmed to the prospect. "[House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi said there is not going to be funding for a wall. I think the president ought to use his emergency power to try to secure the border and, if he's going to do that, I think he ought to look at trying to get a permanent fix to DACA [protections for undocumented immigrants brought to America as children] and TPS [protected status for refugees and others fleeing hardship]." Democrats, meanwhile, are united in opposition. "Declaring a national emergency, particularly when there is no national emergency, would be a significant mistake. It is clear that a growing number of Republicans share that view, and I hope the president doesn't go that route," Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden told VOA. Trump appeared undeterred, tweeting on Saturday, "The Wall will get built one way or the other!" Urgency questioned The president has argued that America's safety is imperiled as a result of illegal narcotics and migrants entering the United States. Some observers note that America's border security deficiencies are hardly new or sudden. "I think a lot of Americans look at this skeptically and say, 'What has changed between the beginning of the president's term and now that makes this such a dire emergency?'" Hudak said. Some see grave potential risks if Trump goes forward with an emergency declaration. "[I]f it is misused, it essentially becomes like a president declaring martial law and taking over the powers of Congress. It's the sort of thing that we would look at another country doing and say that's a big problem," Berman said. Nevertheless, the president faces intense pressure to deliver on his border wall promise, according to Brookings Institution political analyst William Galston, who says, politically, Trump is "in a box." "The president has used the issue of the wall to cement the bond between himself and his core supporters and he would probably incur significant political damage if he were seen by them to be standing down, surrendering, or accepting a compromise that they don't think he should," Galston said. French Airstrikes in N. Chad Affirm Support for President Deby By Salem Solomon February 10, 2019 When French fighter jets bombarded 40 pickup trucks of suspected insurgents last week in Chad, the former colonial power signaled an unprecedented willingness to engage openly in joint military operations in Northern Africa. But observers, including Chadian opposition leaders, are questioning whether the airstrikes were intended to fight terrorism or prop up President Idriss Deby, who has led Chad for nearly 30 years. "The French launched the airstrikes themselves, and they did not even try to make it seem as if they were not interfering with Chadian politics," said Marielle Debos, an associate professor at Paris Nanterre University. Debos, who has researched the country for more than a decade, told VOA in the past the French army's support has been more discreet. On February 3, French jets attacked a convoy of heavily armed pickup trucks that had entered Chad from neighboring Libya. The strikes lasted four days. France said it had responded to a request for assistance from the Chadian government, calling the country an essential partner in the fight against terrorism. Chadian officials said the attacks were legal and necessary to prevent terrorist activity. "Both the French and the Chadian governments were portraying this as a decision that they undertook together," said Alex Thurston, an assistant professor in political science and comparative religion at Miami University, in Oxford, Ohio. Joint operation The planes flew from N'Djamena, Chad's capital, where France headquarters its 4,500-person anti-terror mission, Operation Barkhane. "There are agreements between states. Operation Barkhane covers a number of countries, and their role is precisely to fight terrorism," said Mahamat Zen Bada, the secretary general of Chad's ruling party, the Patriotic Salvation Movement, or MPS. "If a column [of fighters] enters Chad, and that column is not a column of the Chadian army, it is normal for people to intervene," VOA's French-to-Africa Service reported Bada as saying. But others are questioning why France would attack a rebel group on behalf of Chad, an ally with a spotty record on human rights and democracy. The opposition party denounced the airstrike. "We condemn the intervention of France in the internal affairs of Chad," said Celestin Topona, the first vice president of the National Union for Development and Renewal. "We want a truly inclusive dialogue to know why, 30 years after the MPS took power, the instability continues," Topona added. Historical ties France has intervened on behalf of Deby before. In 2006 and 2008, when rebels based in Sudan advanced to the capital, France helped the Chadian Army repel the attacks with logistics and intelligence support. "It's possible highly possible that without French support that he would've been overthrown at the time," Thurston said. "I think the French government sees a strong interest in keeping him in power." Although Barkhane has been operational since 2014, France established another military operation in Chad, Epervier, in 1986, under former President Hissene Habre. At the time, France was backing Habre, before Deby and his supporters removed him from power. "What is striking in this history is the fact that the French never left Chad. There has been a succession of military interventions in Chad, and Barkhane is the latest of this military intervention," Debos said. 'French interests' After years of instability, Chad has gained a newfound stature as an important regional player, especially in joint security operations. "Chad has long been considered as a very unstable and conflict-ridden country, but for the past eight years, it has acquired a new regional and global status," Debos said. "It is now considered as a regional power." That's raised the stakes for France. "The French tend to point to issues of border security and stability and so forth and to say that the Chadian regime should not be overthrown by rebels and that it's a key partner for them," Thurston said. "This does raise questions about what is the French government's understanding of so-called counterterrorism in the region, and what are the French interests in Chad," he added. Andre Kodmadjingar of VOA's French-to-Africa Service contributed to this report from N'Djamena. US Contacting Venezuelan Military Officials Directly to Urge Defections - Report Sputnik News 03:09 10.02.2019 The US intelligence community is directly communicating with members of Venezuela's military in attempts to convince them to abandon beleaguered President Nicolas Maduro while also considering additional sanctions to ramp up the pressure, a senior White House official divulged to Reuters. Despite the fact that only a few senior officers have to date abandoned Maduro, the Trump administration expects additional military personnel to jump ship. In late January, Juan Guaido, the head of the opposition-led National Assembly, proclaimed himself the South American nation's interim president, in a move swiftly recognized by the US and a handful of other countries. "We believe these to be those first couple pebbles before we start really seeing bigger rocks rolling down the hill," the unnamed White House official speaking on a condition of anonymity, told Reuters. "We're still having conversations with members of the former Maduro regime, with military members, although those conversations are very, very limited." The unnamed official did not provide additional details regarding what form motivation was being offered to top military officials to gain their support, according to Reuters. Many members of the Venezuelan military remain loyal to Maduro, mostly in fear of being targeted by the embattled leader. To convince those on-the-fence members to abandon Maduro, the US must offer something that makes a turncoat move worthwhile, noted Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Council of the Americas think tank in Washington. "It depends on what they're offering," Farnsworth told Reuters. "Are there incentives built into these contacts that will at least cause people to question their loyalty to the regime?" A few European nations have joined the Trump administration in its support of Guaido as the interim president, although those nations professing political support have not taken the additional step of backing US sanctions on Venezuela's state-owned oil giant PDVSA as well as other restrictions on financial transactions imposed by Washington. The US State Department announced last month that Washington froze some $7 billion in assets belonging to Venezuelan state-owned oil company PDVSA in order to make some of that money available to Guaido and his team. According to the US official who spoke anonymously to Reuters, the Trump administration is also considering imposing sanctions on Cuban military and intelligence officials who are thought to be assisting Maduro. Maduro, after launching a signature-gathering campaign against alleged US interference, has repeatedly stressed his sentiment that the main objective behind Washington's interest in the political outcome in Venezuela is the nation's oil reserves, said to the largest in the world. Sputnik Three People Killed, 10 Injured As Result of Ethiopian Military Helicopter Crash Sputnik News 06:14 10.02.2019 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Three people have been killed and another 10 suffered injuries after a helicopter belonging to the Ethiopian military crashed on Saturday while travelling from the Sudanese city of Kadugli to the disputed Abyei area, as part of the United Nations' peacekeeping mission, the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) said. "An Ethiopian military helicopter registration Number UNO 379P with 23 passengers on board has crashed today at around 1310H inside the compound of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) killing three of its crew members Ten passengers were injured with three in critical condition," UNISFA said in a statement, published on its official Facebook page late on Saturday. According to the statement, the cause of the incident is yet to be determined. An investigation in the crash had already been launched, Maj. Gen. Gebre Adhana Woldezgu, UNISFA's acting head of mission and force commander, said. "The MI-8 helicopter was on routine operation carrying Ethiopian troops on rotation from Kadugli to Abyei when it crashed UNISFA's sole troop contributing country Ethiopia is currently rotating its soldiers from Kadugli to different sites in the Abyei area," the statement added. The United Nations' mission was deployed to the region in 2011 after violent clashes renewed in resource-rich Abyei when South Sudan was about to officially proclaim its independence from Sudan. Around 4,500 Ethiopian military personnel support UNISFA's peacekeeping efforts in the region. Meanwhile, the Abyei remains disputed by Sudan and South Sudan. Sputnik State Dept Announces US Aid for Venezuela Delivered to Centre in Colombia Sputnik News 09:25 10.02.2019(updated 09:44 10.02.2019) MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United States has delivered the first batch of humanitarian assistance for Venezuela to the aid collection center in the Colombian city of Cucuta, located at the Venezuelan border, the US Department of State said on Sunday. "The United States is proud to announce the arrival of the first shipment of relief supplies being delivered in Cucuta, Colombia for the Venezuelan people. We will continue to work with @jguaido [Juan Guaido, self-proclaimed Venezuelan interim president] and our partners to deliver humanitarian aid to Venezuelans in need," the Department of State posted on Twitter. Venezuelan government claims that the country does not experience a humanitarian crisis, with President Nicolas Maduro, who holds Washington responsible for staging a state coup in Venezuela, having slammed US assistance as a "political show." It was reported earlier in the week that the Venezuelan military had blocked access to a bridge uniting Cucuta and the Venezuelan city of Urena in order to prevent possible deliveries of humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, Guaido, who has been challenging the presidency of Maduro, welcomes humanitarian aid from abroad. The Venezuelan opposition has announced its plans to hold an international conference for attracting humanitarian aid to Venezuela in Washington on February 14. Guaido proclaimed himself the country's interim president on January 23. While the United States and a number of allies back him, Russia, China and Mexico, as well as several other nations, support Maduro as the country's legitimate president. EU states were expected to issue a joint statement recognizing Guaido, but Italy vetoed the motion. Sputnik Of course, Hogan may have other motives for stiffing the city, but I cant think of a one. Supporting the GOP ploy to compel Democrats to raise taxes and so be at a disadvantage in the next election is their age-old behavior once in city, county, or state office. US to Push Anti-Maduro Resolution Amid Fears of Venezuela Intervention - Report Sputnik News 10:02 10.02.2019(updated 10:10 10.02.2019) Earlier this week, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called Washington's decision to send humanitarian relief to the crisis-struck South American country a "political stunt" and a pretext for invasion. The US plans to vote for a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution which voices "deep concern" about the humanitarian situation in Venezuela, including "recent attempts to block the delivery of humanitarian aid", Bloomberg reports. According to a copy of the document obtained by Bloomberg, the resolution also calls for the "immediate start of a political process leading to free, fair, and credible presidential elections" in Venezuela. The document also accuses Maduro's government of causing "an economic collapse" in the Latin American country, which has prompted millions of refugees and migrants to leave Venezuela "in search of food, basic medicines, and opportunities in other countries in the region". For the resolution to pass, it needs nine votes in favour and no votes in opposition from any of the five permanent UNSC members, including Russia, the US, the UK, France and China. Earlier on Sunday, a diplomatic source told Sputnik that Russia has prepared its own draft UN Security Council resolution "in support of Venezuela". On Saturday, the AP news agency reported that US trucks full of food and medicine have arrived at the Venezuelan border near the Colombian city of Cucuta. However, the Venezuelan military reportedly blocked the Tienditas bridge so that the trucks cannot enter Venezuela. The BBC cited Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as saying that his country has "never been, nor are we, a country of beggars". He also insisted that the US had declared a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela to create "a cover for the military plans of the Trump government". "The whole crisis in Venezuela is that the United States imposed sanctions and imposed a financial blockade", Maduro stated. He was echoed by Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who argued in an interview with RT that "this [humanitarian assistance] is a big lie" and that Venezuela's social "wounds" were the result of the US economic "blockade". "Washington believes that [Venezuelan President] Nicolas Maduro should go. Washington's response is its distorted doctrine of regime change [in] democratic nations that do not like it when someone twists their arms and forcibly interferes into their internal affairs", she said. After opposition leader Juan Guaido proclaimed himself interim president of Venezuela on 23 January, Maduro called him a US "puppet" and accused Washington, which has stated that it has all options on the table with regard to a response to the Venezuelan crisis, of organising a coup in the Latin American country. The US and some of its allies have recognised Guaido as interim president, while Russia, China, Mexico and several other countries have said they recognise Maduro as Venezuela's only legitimate president. Sputnik Sri Lanka, Russia Discussing Mi-17 Helicopters Deal for UN Missions Amb. Sputnik News 14:05 10.02.2019 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Sri Lanka is negotiating with Russia the purchase of a new batch of Russian Mi-17 helicopters, which the country will use in UN peacekeeping missions, Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia Dayan Jayatilleka told Sputnik on Sunday. "There is a commission that discusses the purchase of Mi-17 helicopters," Jayatilleka said, specifying that the country was going to purchase the helicopters for taking part in UN peacekeeping missions. The ambassador recalled that Mi-17s were on the agenda of a Sri Lankan senior defence officials' visit to Moscow in early September 2018. While negotiations are underway, no specific document has been signed yet, and the number of helicopters that Sri Lanka is going to purchase has not been defined, Jayatilleka specified. Sri Lanka has been purchasing Mi-17 helicopters since the early 1990s. The Mi-17 medium twin-turbine helicopter is manufactured in a variety of forms, including cargo, passenger, search and rescue, flying hospital and firefighting models. Over 100 countries worldwide have purchased Mi-17 helicopters. Sputnik Another Venezuelan Army Official Swears Allegiance to Guaido - Reports Sputnik News 15:01 10.02.2019(updated 15:06 10.02.2019) Another high-ranking officer has followed General Francisco Esteban Yanez Rodriguez' example by switching sides and recognising Guaido as president, denying Nicolas Maduros' power, according to the Argentine website TN y la Gente. Venezuelan Army Colonel Ruben Paz Jimenez has stated in a message that spread on social networks, that he recognises Juan Guaido as the president in charge, adding that "90 percent of the armed forces are in discontent" with Nicolas Maduro, the media reported. The colonel has also asked the military to allow the entry of humanitarian aid to Venezuela. The statement comes after General Francisco Esteban Yanez Rodriguez decided to switch sides and recognise Guaido; his betrayal was strongly condemned by the Venezuelan military. Earlier in February, it was reported that the Venezuelan military had blocked access to a bridge uniting Cucuta, Colombia and the Venezuelan city of Urena in order to prevent possible deliveries of humanitarian aid from the US. The Venezuelan government insists that the country isn't experiencing a humanitarian crisis. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro holds Washington responsible for staging a state coup in the country, and has slammed US assistance as a "political show". Late last month, the military attache of the Venezuelan embassy in Washington, National Guard Colonel Jose Luis Silva, also ignored Maduro and called on the military to restore democracy in Venezuela. On 23 January, Juan Guaido, the head of the Venezuelan opposition-led National Assembly, proclaimed himself the country's interim president and was immediately recognised by the United States, Canada, Brazil, Colombia and other US allies. Russia, Mexico, China, Turkey, Uruguay and several other countries have come forward to reaffirm their support for Venezuelan President Maduro as the country's only legitimate democratically-elected head of state. Sputnik Poland Buying US Rocket Artillery to 'Guarantee Country's Security' - Minister Sputnik News 15:46 10.02.2019(updated 15:51 10.02.2019) The US State Department approved the sale of 20 High Mobilityar Artillery Rocket System Launchers (HIMARS) and associated support equipment to Poland last week, with the deal worth an estimated $414 million. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak have made a joint formal announcement on Warsaw's intent to buy the US weapons system on Sunday afternoon, the Polish Defence Ministry announced on its official website. Speaking at a ceremony in Warsaw, Defence Minister Blaszczak said that the purchase of the US-made system will be formalised on Wednesday, with the "modern equipment" helping to "guarantee" Poland's security. The ceremony comes following Washington's decision to approve the sale of the multiple rocket launcher system to Poland late last year. "This is an extremely important component in the implementation of the modernisation program of the Polish Armed Forces. Together with rocket launchers, Poland will receive munitions, as well as a package of logistics and training," the Defence Ministry said in a statement. Produced by Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems, the M142 HIMARs is capable of launching both rocket artillery and tactical ballistic missiles, and has an estimated operational range of 480 km. Poland is one of just a handful of countries to be approved the system. Along with the US Army and Marine Corps, HIMARS are presently operated by the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Singapore. Tensions between neighbours Poland and Russia have escalated in recent years over the crisis in Ukraine, NATO's expansion and the US deployment of components of its missile defence shield on Polish territory. The Western alliance has considerably expanded its presence in Poland and the Baltic states along Russia's borders while accusing Moscow of aggressively maneuvering its forces inside Russian territory. Last year, Warsaw announced that it would lobby for the creation of a US military base on Polish territory, dubbing the proposed base 'Fort Trump'. Sputnik China, India clash over PM Modi's visit to disputed state Iran Press TV Sun Feb 10, 2019 07:19AM China has condemned a visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a disputed border region which triggered a war between the nuclear-armed neighbors in 1962. Modi visited the mountainous Arunachal Pradesh state aimed at garnering support for his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of Indian elections due by May. "The Chinese government has never recognized the so-called Arunachal Pradesh, and is firmly opposed to the Indian leader's visit," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Saturday. She urged the Indian leadership to refrain from any action that may "complicate the boundary question" which has remained a sensitive issue despite recent efforts to improve bilateral ties. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as southern Tibet, a remote, high-altitude stretch of the Himalayan border that stoked fears of another war following a 73-day face-off in 2017. "China urges the Indian side to ... respect China's interests and concerns, cherish the momentum of improving relations between the two countries, and refrain from any actions that intensify disputes and complicate the border issue," Hua said. India shot back, saying Arunachal Pradesh was "an integral and inalienable part of India." "Indian leaders visit Arunachal Pradesh from time to time, as they visit other parts of India. This consistent position has been conveyed to the Chinese side on several occasions," India's Foreign Ministry said. In 1962, the two Asian giants fought a brief, yet bloody, war over Arunachal Pradesh, with Chinese troops temporarily capturing part of the territory. In 2017, they were again engaged in a standoff in Bhutan's Doklam region after the Indian army sent troops to stop the construction of a military road by China. After a two-month standoff, troops from both sides withdrew and the countries sought to rebuild trust. The 3,500 km border between the nuclear-armed neighbors has been calm ever since. Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met a number of times last year to give impetus to trade discussions but progress has been very slow. As well as disputes over their border, the two countries are vying for influence in the Indian Ocean and squabbling over President Xi's signature Belt and Road infrastructure initiative. Indian officials, however, say China has been more flexible than before with regard to opening up its markets to Indian pharmaceutical products and IT services. Last year, bilateral trade reached $89.6 billion, with a deficit of $62.9 billion in China's favor. Iran ready to help new Lebanon government upon request: FM Zarif Iran Press TV Sun Feb 10, 2019 01:24PM Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Tehran is ready to cooperate with the new Lebanese government in all sectors. "If the Lebanese government demands, Iran is ready to cooperate with this country in all fields," Zarif told reporters in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on Sunday, shortly after his arrival for a two-day official visit. Zarif congratulated the Lebanese on the formation of a new national unity government and said he was there to express Iran's solidarity with Lebanon. The top Iranian diplomat emphasized that Lebanon is the symbol of resistance in the Middle East. Zarif is scheduled to hold talks with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil on Monday. The Iranian foreign minister's visit to Beirut came a few weeks after Lebanon's presidency announced the formation of the new national unity government, putting an end to a nine-month stalemate on the political stage, which fueled the Arab country's economic woes. The new government, headed by Hariri, includes 30 ministers from most Lebanese political factions, which have been in talks after the country in May 2018 held its first parliamentary elections in nine years. Earlier this week, the secretary general of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah strongly dismissed latest allegations by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the movement is in control of the Lebanese government, stressing the new administration belongs to all political factions participating in it. The Israeli premier is "provoking the United States, European countries and the [Persian] Gulf states against the Lebanese government, claiming that it is controlled by Hezbollah. Such false claims have serious international repercussions," Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said as he addressed his supporters via a televised speech broadcast live from Beirut. Zarif meets leaders of Palestinian groups, Islamic Jihad in Beirut Later on Sunday, Zarif met with the leaders of Palestinian groups based on Lebanon during which the leaders of Palestinian groups congratulated Iran's foreign minister on the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. The two sides then discussed regional developments with emphasis on the issue of Palestine, as well as the importance of unity and solidarity to counter the plots of the enemies of the Islamic world. Zarif also met with the secretary general of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement in Beirut. The meeting was focused on regional issues, especially the issue of Palestine and the anti-Israeli resistance. Hamas welcomes recent calls for democratic Palestinian general elections Iran Press TV Sun Feb 10, 2019 01:31PM The Islamic resistance movement Hamas has praised recent calls by a political party active in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) for democratic Palestinian general elections. Hamas political bureau member Hussam Badran said in a statement on Saturday that his movement "fully supports holding general elections supervised by a national unity government that is formed consensually." He added that Hamas will "cooperate with all Palestinian factions and parties in order to get over the internal political crisis and the disappointing performance by the incumbent government regarding the Palestinian reconciliation project." "Hamas is ready to participate in a comprehensive national dialogue that would be held unconditionally. It also stresses that it rejects monopoly of power and unilateralism by some Palestinian factions under whatever pretext," Badran said. The Palestinian Democratic Union lately called for a comprehensive national dialogue among all Palestinian parties to open the way for presidential and legislative national councils in accordance with the full proportional representation of the factions, and under the supervision of a compatible national unity government. On February 5, Hamas and Islamic Jihad demanded the quick formation of a new national unity government, stressing the need for further cooperation between the two groups in the face of challenges facing the Palestinian nation. The two movements, in a joint statement released following a lengthy meeting between their representatives in the Egyptian capital city of Cairo, emphasized that a national unity government must be established in a bid to hold new parliamentary elections in Palestinian territories, and secure Palestinian unity. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced on January 30 that the Palestinian legislative polls will be held in East Jerusalem al-Quds, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to enable the Palestinian citizens to elect their representatives through ballots. "The Palestinian leadership is keen to achieve the national Palestinian unity by implementing what had been agreed upon in Cairo in 2017," Abbas said, adding that "the Palestinian leadership is committed to its implementation." Last December, Abbas announced that the Palestinian Constitutional Court had decided to dissolve the Palestinian parliament, better known as the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The court had also called for holding new parliamentary election in the Palestinian territories after six months of dissolving the parliament. Late last month, Palestinian Prime Minister Rami al-Hamdallah officially submitted his resignation and that of his unity government to Abbas, casting doubt on the prospects of reconciliation efforts with Hamas. Abbas had been facing pressure from his ruling Fatah movement over the past few weeks to remove Hamdallah from power, and establish a new government comprised of representatives from PLO factions in addition to independent figures. Hamdallah headed the Palestinian National Consensus Government, which was formed after Fatah and Hamas reached an agreement in 2014. Fatah leaders said there was no point in keeping the government in power in the wake of the continued crisis between their faction and Hamas. Netanyahu vows to freeze money transfers to Palestinian Authority 'next week' Iran Press TV Sun Feb 10, 2019 06:11PM Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to implement a controversial plan to deduct certain amounts from the tax the Tel Aviv regime collects on behalf of the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority (PA). Netanyahu said during a press briefing in the occupied Jerusalem al-Quds on Sunday that his so-called security cabinet would approve next week a deduction in tax revenues relative to the amounts the PA pays to the Palestinians languishing in Israeli jails or the families of those killed by the regime's military. Reacting to the remarks, Palestinian Civil Affairs Minister Hussein al-Sheikh said that the PA would take none of the money if Israel withheld even "a penny." The Palestinian Ma'an news agency, citing Israel Hayom newspaper, had earlier reported that the Israeli ministry of military affairs was in the "advanced stages" of determining how much funding would be withheld. The Tel Aviv regime collects around 127 million dollars a month in duties levied on goods destined for Palestinian markets that transit through Israeli "customs" and then transfers it to the PA. In early July last year, Israel's parliament passed a bill to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in funds from the Palestinians over welfare payments given to prisoners and their families. At the time, Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erekat condemned the decision, which he described as "piracy." The stipends benefit roughly 35,000 families of the Palestinians killed and wounded by Israel. The PA says the payments are a form of welfare stipend to the families who have lost their main breadwinner. The Israeli regime calls that "terrorist salaries." In a speech in June 2017, Abbas argued that "payments to support the families are a social responsibility to look after innocent people affected by the incarceration or killing of their loved ones." "It's quite frankly racist rhetoric to call all our political prisoners terrorists," Abbas said. "They are, in actuality, the victims of the occupation, not the creators of the occupation." Taliban turns down president's offer to open office in Kabul, wants Doha recognized Iran Press TV Sun Feb 10, 2019 10:19PM The Taliban has "swiftly spurned" an offer by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to open a political office in Afghanistan, saying the president's offer is aimed at "harming the peace efforts." Last week in Moscow, Taliban officials had stressed the importance of a formal office among a string of demands that included the removal of Western sanctions and travel bans on Taliban members, prisoner releases and an end to "propaganda" against the group. In reaction to the remarks, President Ghani said Sunday, "If the Taliban want an office, I will give it to them in Kabul, Nangarhar or Kandahar by tomorrow." He made the offer while visiting the province of Nangarhar, a hotbed of insurgent violence on the border with Pakistan. However, Taliban spokesman Sohail Shahin later told Reuters that the focus was international recognition of their existing site in Doha, Qatar, and not a new office in Afghanistan. "Our demand about having an official political office is clear, we want that our office in Doha is recognized by the international community and the United Nations," Shahin said. "By this, Ghani is trying to change the topic and harm the on-going peace efforts," the Taliban spokesman said. The comments came a few days after the group's two-day talks on Afghan peace process in Moscow, which was described by former Afghan president Hamid Karzai as "very, very satisfactory." "We understand that the government needs to be part of these negotiations. We wish they could have been here today," he told reporters in Moscow. Earlier in December 2018, the group had rejected a call by the Afghan government for formal peace talks in Saudi Arabia. "We will meet the US officials in Saudi Arabia in January next year and we will start our talks that remained incomplete in Abu Dhabi," the Taliban leader said at the time. "However, we have made it clear to all the stakeholders that we will not talk to the Afghan government." The Taliban negotiators are due to meet US officials for another round of talks in Qatar on February 25, at a time when President Ghani has repeatedly warned that the Afghan peace talks must be "Afghan-led and Afghan-owned." China voices strong opposition to Modi's visit to region on east section of its border with India People's Daily Online (CRI Online) 09:27, February 10, 2019 The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Saturday expressed strong opposition to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to a region on the east section of the China-India border. Spokeswoman Hua Chunying's remarks came in response to a query about news reports saying that Prime Minister Modi visited the so-called "Arunachal Pradesh" earlier in the day. "China's position on the China-India border issue is consistent and clear-cut," said Hua, stressing that the Chinese government has never recognized the so-called "Arunachal Pradesh." While urging the Indian side to bear in mind the common interests of the two countries, Hua called on the neighboring country to respect interests and concerns of the Chinese side, cherish the momentum of improvement in bilateral ties and refrain from "any action that may lead to an escalation of disputes or complicate the border issue." The Board of Education has nine days until it will vote on the Anne Arundel County schools superintendents $1.26 billion budget request for 2020 which the teachers union president said is still not enough to meet the needs of more than 6,000 teachers but is closer. Vodafone new Rs 351 prepaid FRC offers unlimited calls with 56 days validity: Report News oi-Karan Sharma Vodafone new Rs 351 FRC comes with unlimited calling benefits and more. All you need to know. Amid the telecom tariff war, Vodafone has come up with one more prepaid recharge plan for its new customers. The telco has introduced its new First Recharge (FRC) pack of Rs 351 with a validity of 56 days, along with calling and SMS benefits. The plan is live now and applicable for all new Vodafone subscribers. The company is also offering unlimited calling benefits without any FUP limit just like Reliance Jio. The new Vodafone FRC Rs 351 comes with unlimited calling without any FUP limit and 100 SMS messages per day for a validity of 56 days. However, the pack doesn't come with any data benefits and subscribers have to buy a data pack separately, to get access to the internet. The news was first reported by Telecom Talk and according to the report, the price of the prepaid recharge may vary with every circle. The pack reportedly also comes with free Vodafone Play subscription. It is not clear when Vodafone has started offering this Rs 351 FRC, it seems that the FRC plan was available since December 2018. However, the lack of data benefit may disappoint many users who want data benefits specifically. Moreover, this pack will also suppress other FRC packs like Rs 176 pack which offer a validity of 28 days, unlimited calling, 1GB data benefit, and 100 SMS messages per day. Meanwhile, there are other packs like Rs 229 which comes with unlimited calling, 1GB data per day, and 100 daily SMS benefits for 28 days. The Rs. 496 and Rs. 555 prepaid recharges that offer unlimited calling, 1.4GB of daily data, and 100 SMS per day with a validity of 84 days and 90 days respectively. Source Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Reliance Jio GigaFiber launch might delay beyond March News oi-Karan Sharma Reliance Jio GigaFiber services might get delay launching in India, because of the problems with last mile connectivity issue. Reliance Jio has started teasing the Indian citizens about the launch of its upcoming services in India. The company is said to launch its Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) service across the country to 1,100 cities this year. Along with the telecom FTTH service the company is also bringing its DTH service for the subscribers which is the Reliance Jio GigaTV. These two services are expected to provide high-speed broadband and DTH connection at cheap rates. The company is looking forward to disrupting the industry again just like it did with the telecom industry. It has been reported that the company has already started Reliance Jio GigaFiber services in some selected metro cities like Mumbai and Delhi. People in these cities are already started using the high-speed services form the past six-seven months after pilot testing in those regions. But for the rest of the country, the company is running into a problem, for last mile connectivity. Keeping all the problems and low pace development in Reliance Jio's GigaFiber project we can safely assume that the commercial launch of the service might be delayed beyond March. The Reliance Jio's latest services were set for March launch. But don't worry there is a catch, the company has started rolling out "Area Ready for Sale" (RFS) for its GigaFiber. This project means that the Jio representatives of the company are reaching out to the authorities of the high rises and private homes seeling the permission for deployment. In the process, the company is reaching to both Multiple Dwelling Units (MDUs) and Single Dwelling Units (SDUs). The company is also giving free Jio GigaFiber services in some selected location where it is finding it easy to deploy the service. Reliance Jio is offering 1100GB of data per month at 100Mbps speed for three months under Jio GigaFiber preview offer. Do note that the company is charging Rs 4,500 deposit which is refundable when the user deactivates the account. Source Best Mobiles in India Redmi Note 7 India launch slated to happen in March: Everything you need to know News oi-Vivek Redmi Note 7 is the most affordable smartphone with a 48 MP primary camera Xiaomi India has officially confirmed that the company will be launching the Redmi Note 7 in India, which will be the most affordable smartphone from the company with a whopping 48 MP primary camera. There were several rumors that the Redmi Note 7 will launch in India on the 12th of February, and it is now confirmed that the Redmi Note 7 will not launch in India on the 12th of February. According to reports, the Redmi Note 7 will be launched in India in the first or second week of March along with a new product lineup. Redmi Note 7 price and availability The Redmi Note 7 will be available exclusively online, probably on Flipkart and Mi.com. The base variant of the Redmi Note 7 with 3 GB RAM and 32 GB internal storage is expected to cost around Rs 11,999, whereas the 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage might cost Rs 13,999, and the 6 GB RAM with 64 GB internal storage will cost around Rs 15,999. Redmi Note 7 specifications The Redmi Note 7 comes with a 6.3-inch IPS LCD screen with FHD+ resolution, protected by 2.5D curved Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The smartphone will run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC with 3/4/6 GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 32/64 GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot for additional storage expansion. Just like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro, the Redmi Note 7 will have dual SIM card slots (hybrid solution), where one can use two nano SIM cards or a SIM and a microSD card slot. The smartphone comes with a dual camera setup with a 48 MP Samsung ISOCELL GM-1 sensor and a secondary 5 MP depth sensor. On the front, the device has a 20 MP selfie camera with support for 4G LTE and VoLTE on both the slots. The smartphone has a 13 MP front-facing selfie camera on the front with support for 1080p video recording capability. Just like every other Redmi Note smartphones launched in the last three years, the Redmi Note 7 comes with a massive 4000 mAh Li-ion battery with a USB type-C port with support for Qualcomm Quick Charge 4.0. The smartphone also has a dedicated 3.5mm headphone jack as well. Lastly, the device offers custom MIUI 10 OS, based on Android 9 Pie, and the device will be updated to MIUI 11 and MIUI 12 in the future. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Coconics launches 3 models of laptop in India News oi-Priyanka Dua This model is easy to carry around and specifically designed for frequent travelers. CC11A is an 11-inch lightweight laptop, designed specifically for the student's community. Coconics, a recently launched unique public-private Laptop and Server manufacturing company, has announced the launch of the first range of laptops. The three laptop models introduced by Coconics include CC11B, CC11A, and C314A. CC11B is an 11-inch tablet cum notebook, with a sleek body, metallic casing and trendy look. This model is easy to carry around and specifically designed for frequent travelers. CC11A is an 11-inch lightweight laptop, designed specifically for the student's community. C314A is a drop and water resistant, 14 inches laptop specifically designed for businesses. All the laptop models have a long battery back-up of 8 hours. M Sivasankar IAS, Secretary IT, Chairman (EC), KSITM, said, "Our vision of Coconics is to create a vibrant hardware manufacturing ecosystem in the state of Kerala. This includes collaboration between the innovative start-up companies, and small and medium IT enterprises both in the Government and Private sector. This manufacturing ecosystem would over a period of time cater to the needs of Kerala, our country, and also to the global demand by producing hardware products of remarkable quality." Coconics is India's newest local OEM (original equipment manufacturer)/ODM (original design manufacturer), incubated by UST Global, Keltron, KSIDC and Acceleron labs (an Intel India Maker Lab accelerated startup) backed by Government of Kerala, through its business-friendly industrial policy. The company is formed with the guidance and support of Intel to manufacture IT products in India. Coconics expects its products to be available for distribution by Q2 2019. The laptops will be priced competitively. Alexander Varghese, Chief Administrative Officer & Country Head, UST Global, said, "We are excited about Coconics, India's latest OEM/ODM, built in line with Government of India's 'Make in India' initiative. With the larger vision of creating a hardware ecosystem in the State of Kerala, we intend to leverage our relationship with Intel to take this venture to the next level. We aim to utilize the unique partnership model with the government and the strong ESDM partners already available in the state to bring in more manufacturing to the country." Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Disable a few of these Privacy and Security settings Although Google has built features into Chrome that are designed to improve the web browsing experience, a lot of these services involve sending data to the company's servers, which it can add to your user account. Google analyzes your data in order to sell increasingly personalized ads. A few of these features send data to Google every time you enter a letter into the navigation bar. This means that Google gets to see everything you search for and every website you visit. In order to disable these features, head over to the Privacy and security section. Features you should disable are the follows: Use a prediction service to help complete searches and URLs typed in the address bar or the app launcher search box Use a prediction service to load pages more quickly Use a web service to help resolve navigation errors Help improve Safe Browsing Automatically send diagnostic and usage data to Google Use a web service to help resolve spelling errors Enable Safe Browsing and Do not track The settings that you should enable under Privacy and Settings' are as follows: Safe Browsing that prevents malicious or poorly secured sites from opening your browser Do Not Track stops websites from monitoring your behavior. Disable or Enable Data Syncing Web browsers are designed to make it easier to connect us to the web, but your bookmarks and browsing history are typically saved on your computer. If you have enabled syncing, you take data from your computer and give it to Google. You can keep a copy off of Google's servers by disabling syncing. You can disable syncing going to People>Sync. You can also turn off Sync everything and untoggle various categories. Disable location tracking Although websites can get an idea about where you live from your IP address, location tracking will give them your exact location. You can manage location tracking under Privacy and security > Content settings > Location. Addresses and Payment methods Having a copy of your personal information saved on your computer might lead to unintended consequences when you leave your laptop in a public space or let a family member use your computer. Head over to People>Addresses and more to do what you want to about addresses and People>Payment methods for credit card information. Limit Cookies Your browser stores these files so that websites can function as you expect. Without these, you will be starting with a clean slate when you visit a page. But sites can store whatever they want on these sites so it is a wise thing to limit which cookies are permitted onto your computer. To do this, go to Privacy and security > Content Settings > Cookies. Enable Block third=party cookies. And you can go a step further and enable Keep local data only until you quit your browser.' Change the default search engine The Google search engine is the default search option in Chrome and this provides with every search that we enter into the navigation bar. You can limit this by changing your default search engine. You can opt for a search engine that prioritizes privacy. You can change your default search engine by going to Search and Assistant > Manage search engines. You can right-click the navigation bar and select Edit search engines. Gillette, WY (82718) Today Showers early, then partly cloudy overnight. Low near 55F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Showers early, then partly cloudy overnight. Low near 55F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%. He believes that requiring congressional districts to be compact and taking into account geographic and county boundaries will go a long way to creating districts that make more sense, and are less likely to be drawn to favor one political party over another. US Congress condemns recognition of Abkhazia and so called South Ossetia, approves resolution - GeorgianJournal Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Ugandan Police strengthen the fight against crime with Gemalto Automated Biometric Identification System and LiveScan technology Share this article LinkedIn Johannesburg, 11 February 2019 - Gemalto, the world leader in digital security, is supplying its Cogent Automated Biometric Identification System (CABIS) and LiveScan technology to the Ugandan Police. These biometric solutions enable the police force to better solve crimes through the electronic collection, storage and processing of fingerprints, palm prints and facial captures. Gemalto LiveScan solution will be deployed in police stations and courts nationwide and will allow capture of biometric data, along with the subject's mugshot and biographical data. Its local partner ISSUL will assist in the installation, project support and maintenance. CABIS will enable the police to map distinct characteristics in fingerprints, palm prints and face images and use these to accelerate the matching process. In addition, client tools help forensic specialists to confirm identities and establish robust evidence that will aid conviction of guilty individuals. Uganda Police Force will be also trialing Gemalto Mobile Biometric Identification solution, which helps officers capture individuals' fingerprints using a convenient mobile device. Biometric information is securely submitted to the CABIS over-the-air with matches relayed back to the officer directly via the handset. "Reliable biometric data is an extremely powerful tool for identifying individuals and bringing offenders to justice," said Muhirwa Rogers, Police Undersecretary for the Uganda Police Force. "Investment in Gemalto CABIS and LiveScan technology is the latest step forward in the modernization not just of Ugandan law enforcement, but our wider homeland security infrastructure." "Gemalto CABIS, LiveScan and Mobile ID technology reinforce the efforts of Ugandan police to tackle crime," said Tommi Nordberg SVP, EMEA Government Programs for Gemalto. "Highly scalable and interoperable, our solutions not only meet the current requirements of the Ugandan authorities, but can grow and develop in line with their future demands." In addition to requiring Wengert to repay $18,000 in restitution, the Judge ordered Wengert to repay an additional $400 to another victim, the release stated. While Wengert was in jail serving his 30-day sentence, he convinced a fellow inmate that he was a bail bondsman and could post bond for him upon his own release. Shortly after Wengerts release from jail, again while posing as a bail bondsman, he received $400 from the inmates wife and never posted the bail. The National Weather Services Portland office predicts that the floor of the Willamette Valley won't be getting any snow Monday, but higher elevation areas will continue to get hammered with winter weather. Precipitation will mostly be rain for elevations below 1,000 feet in the Willamette Valley, the service said in its forecast Sunday. The service said snow levels would be above 1,000 feet in the northern part of the state and above 2,000 feet in the southern part of the state. In the Cascades passes, we'll get multiple feet of new snow, the service said. The service had active winter weather advisories for the valley floor Friday and Saturday, but those advisories had expired by Sunday afternoon. The service said snow was possible at lower elevations Tuesday and Wednesday. It predicts drier conditions from Wednesday into Thursday. Meanwhile, across the Pacific Northwest, residents more accustomed to rain than snow were digging out from a winter storm and bracing for more on Sunday. The sun was out but the National Weather Service said snow would return late in the afternoon into the evening across the Northwest. Snowfall amounts will range from an inch to 3 inches through Sunday night. It's time for the arrival of Baby Girl Sussex, and that likely means some new gear for Harry and Meghan. If you're looking for a baby gift wit The science is getting better and better, and research is getting more clear, that usage of alternative substratematerial other than oyster shellscould be the solution to restoring the oyster population of the bay, said Delegate Stephen Lafferty, D-Baltimore County, the primary sponsor of the emergency bill. Have any questions? Please give us a call at 907-352-2250 WASHINGTON - Mya Thompson doesn't get much sleep. The 25-year-old senior is enrolled in seven classes at Howard University. Some days, she has class from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m., with only enough time to pick up her 6-year-old son, Ma'Khi, from school and to eat before her overnight shift as a dispatcher for D.C. 911 emergency services. She has to choose between eating, sleeping or studying during her limited breaks. Thompson arrives home before dawn - 5 a.m., maybe 6 a.m., depending on how busy work is - and sleeps for a few hours before repeating the routine. To add to her stress, Thompson was in danger of not graduating. She owed about $2,500 to Howard in tuition, and she didn't know how she would be able to pay that debt. But last week, a small miracle - an enormous act of kindness - happened. Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, decided to clear the debt of 34 Howard students, including Thompson. The university chose full-time students with a grade-point average of 2.0 or higher who demonstrated significant financial need, with balances from $100 to more than $3,000, said Crystal Brown, Howard's vice president of communications. Students on the track to further their academic careers in Lee County and beyond can find some financial aid via an uncommon source. Applications are now open for scholarship opportunities for students graduating in the 2019-2020 school year from The Uncommon Friends Foundation. Our founders philosophy was to have uncommon scholarships, not just for the star high school student with a top GPA, said Jennifer Nelson, executive director of the foundation, as well as Cape Coral District 4 council member. Application deadlines are April, 1, and nominees must reside in Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Glades or Hendry counties, need financial assistance, excel in school and/or their personal lives and possess high quality character traits. There are a myriad of scholarships in different denominations and length, as well as requirements. Scholarships are as follows: * Cape Coral Kiwanis Club ($2,500) for any two disadvantaged students of any age to help defray tuition, books and supplies costs at any educational institution. * Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA) Hospitality Scholarship ($1,000) for any age student seeking an education and/or career in the hospitality industry to help defray tuition, books and supplies costs, * HomeTech ($2,000) for any age student to help defray the costs of tuition, books and supplies to attend a trade school. * Jared Basco Pay It Forward Scholarship For any age student pursuing any career who demonstrates generosity through activities such as community service, financial giving or volunteerism that has impacted his or her life, and from which others may benefit. * Smith Family Trust Bonita Springs Charter School Scholarship ($1,000) For students from Bonita Springs Charter School who demonstrate strong character and ethics in their everyday life. * Valeries House Scholarship for a Grieving Child Two $1,000 Scholarships For any age student who has lost a parent or sibling and participates in Valeries Houses grief support programs to help defray tuition, books and supplies costs. * Waste Pro Scholarship ($1,000) for any age student to help defray the cost of tuition, books and supplies to attend a trade school. * Berne Davis Future Teacher Scholarship ($5,000) For a student enrolled in a program leading to a degree in education. * James F. Chelius, Jr. Scholarship for Disabled Students ($1,000) For any age student with a disability such as dyslexia, hearing, sight, physical, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy who has ambition and positive character traits. * Florida Prepaid College Foundation Scholarship Covers two years of state college tuition and fees for a freshman or sophomore who meets specific conditions and stays free of drugs and crime. * Health Sciences Scholarship ($1,000) For any age student working toward a degree in a health field, (e.g., nursing, dental hygiene, technologist, or therapist) to help defray cost of books or education. * Hilliard Scholarships ($4,000) Two, two-year scholarships for high school seniors residing in either Glades or Hendry Counties to attend FGCU. * Single Parent Scholarship ($1,000) For a deserving single parent who has overcome difficult obstacles to further his or her education and gain skills to enter the workforce. * Special Recognition Scholarship Three scholarships for any age student to help defray cost of books or education for one semester. * Technical College Scholarship For any age student to help defray costs of tuition, books and supplies at a technical college. * Veterans Scholarship ($1,000) For a deserving military veteran of any age to help defray costs of books or education. A focus of these scholarships involve students who want to learn a trade, said Nelson, as the need for workforce development is Florida is always in-demand. Its important to us that we invest in our community, region and people, Nelson said. Some people just need a hand up, and thats what these scholarships are intended to do. She even noted that many local organizations involved in a trade give the foundation funds to set up scholarships to, in turn, support the future of that trade. Organizations invest in us to honor their trade, thats what can be so unique about our scholarships, said Nelson. The scholarships do not discriminate by age, but by needs and qualifications. A recipient of a scholarship in the past, Jared Basco, is thankful for the opportunities that have been granted to him thanks to The Uncommon Friends Foundation, that he has been giving back month after month to have a fund set up in his name to be given to a deserving student. Basco was a Bishop Verot student and his counselor recommended him for the scholarship. Nelson said he is so grateful for how much the foundation changed his life, saying that it helped me out so much. Visit: uncommonfriends.org/scholarships/opportunities/ for scholarship application forms and specific requirements of each scholarship. Completed applications and/or any questions should be directed to scholarships@uncommonfriends.org. Winners will be announced by early summer and will be honored at the Uncommon Friends Foundations Uncommon Evening on Thursday, Nov. 14. -Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cj The chief deputy in the King George Sheriffs Office and a Virginia State Police special agent whos served five years on the county School Board are running for sheriff of King George County. Chris Giles, 55, has been with the Sheriffs Office for 27 years and rose through the ranks to his position as chief deputy. Hes being endorsed by Sheriff Steve Dempsey, who is retiring in December after almost 40 years in office. Giles knows the responsibilities of the Sheriffs Office and will continue the legacy we have worked hard to build for the citizens of King George County, Dempsey said in a statement. Terence T.C. Collins, 58, also has risen through the ranks of law enforcement. He recently left his position with the Virginia State Police to pursue the King George Sheriffs job, but worked for the state police for 25 years, advancing from a trooper to a special agent assigned to criminal investigations in Richmond. Collins also has served on the King George School Board since January 2014. There were no candidates on the ballot for the James Monroe seat the previous November, so he mounted a brief write-in campaign to win the seat. Three people escaped injury when their single-engine airplane made an emergency landing Sunday afternoon on State Route 3 in Culpeper County. Virginia State Police Trooper W.C. Beard responded to reports of a plane crash at 4:05 p.m., according to a state police news release. The planes engine failed after it took off from the Warrenton-Fauquier Airport, the release said. The pilot made an emergency landing on Route 3 just under a mile east of State Route 788 and then struck a utility pole. The impact also caused the aircraft to strike a fence. The pilot, Hyunju V. Ko, 47, of Gainesville, was not injured. Two juvenile passengers also were uninjured. The Federal Aviation Administration responded to the scene, and the crash remains under investigation. No one on the ground was injured as a result of the crash. Virginia State Police were assisted by the Culpeper Sheriffs Office, the Richardsville Volunteer Fire Department and the Virginia Department of Transportation. A Maryland aerospace company will relocate its office to Stafford Regional Airport, where it has a three-year lease. The move is intended to provide NX Aviation, which was founded in Westover, Md. in 2015, with access to the National Capital Region customers, as well as room to grow at a facility that can support upcoming customers and projects. NX Aviation has performed engineering and flight test services for a number of customers including the development of precision-agriculture flight systems for a company in New Jersey, Counter-Drone Aggressor testing for a new counter-drone system, and also aircraft trade studies and analysis for the U.S. Department of Energy. These contracts helped NX Aviation grow by a factor of 10 between 2017 and 2018, according to the company's news release. It said that projections for 2019 are expected to increase growth through 2020. Debby Girvan, president of Flair Communication in Fredericksburg, was awarded a 2018 Clarion by The Association for Women in Communications.The competition drew entries from 20 states and two countries. Girvan's design and development of a new website for Castiglias Italian Restaurant in Fredericksburg, castigliasitalianrestaurant.com, was the top entry in the category of Online Media, New Website, Annual Budget of $15,000 or less. She produced the video and most of the images featured on the website. She managed the design project for the business' logo and branding. The competition drew entries from 20 states and two countries. Keep the conversation about local news & events going by joining us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Recent updates from The News-Post and also from News-Post staff members are compiled below. Kitchen Tune-Up Participates In Franchise-Focused Internship Program Kitchen Tune-Up aims to teach college students the ins and outs of franchising February 11, 2019 // Franchising.com // ABERDEEN, S.D. - As a new year begins, so does a new semester of school. However, a select group of college students from Brigham Young University will have a little more than just homework on their plates. Kitchen Tune-Up, a national kitchen and bath remodeling company known for its signature one-day wood restoration service, is delighted to announce participation in an internship program. This semester, four Brigham Young University students from the Marriot School of Business have been selected as interns for Kitchen Tune-Ups Home Office team. This internship program will focus heavily on teaching students about the franchising industry with the goal of inspiring and guiding intelligent, hardworking entrepreneurs of the future. Together, these four students devote a combined 40 hours per week to Kitchen Tune-Up projects. They are a group of creative thinkers who are eager to learn about the franchise industry, while providing the Kitchen Tune-Up team with valuable assistance with social media outreach and content creation. Bruce and Lori Morgan, Kitchen Tune-Up franchise owners in Colorado Springs are proud alumni of Brigham Young University and are ecstatic to learn that the brand has taken advantage of this opportunity with their alma mater. We are excited about participating in BYUs internship program because it provides a wonderful opportunity for students to build experience, while also giving our team a chance to share our knowledge in our expertise. Kitchen Tune-Up prides itself in being a family-orientated business, so mentorship has been a focus throughout our thirty plus year history, said Heidi Morrissey, President of Kitchen Tune-Up. Bruce and Lori Morgan are long-time members of our franchise family. When they let us know about the opportunity to work with students at BYU, we knew it would be a great fit, and fun for our Home Office team to help students learn about franchising and entrepreneurship.. . Interns will get a hands-on experience to learn the ropes of franchising through Kitchen Tune-Up, a well-established national franchise company. Kitchen Tune-Up franchise locations offer unique options to update kitchens and cabinetry. Services include its signature one-day wood restoration Tune-Up, cabinet painting, cabinet refacing, cabinet redooring, new cabinets, granite sealing and storage solutions. About Kitchen Tune-Up Founded in 1988, Kitchen Tune-Up specializes in affordable kitchen updates. It is known for its multiple unique options to update kitchens and cabinetry. Services include its signature one-day wood restoration Tune-Up, cabinet painting, cabinet refacing, cabinet redooring, new cabinets, and granite sealing and storage solutions. Celebrating 30 years of business in 2018, Kitchen Tune-Up offers personalized service and incredible results that are structured around customer service Trustpoints to ensure a hassle-free experience from start to finish. For more information about Kitchen Tune-Up, please visit www.kitchentuneup.com. SOURCE Kitchen Tune-Up ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus IHG opens second UK voco in Solihull One of Solihulls most loved hotels has undergone a transformative refurbishment February 11, 2019 // Franchising.com // IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the worlds leading hotel companies, has signed a franchise agreement with CL Capital to debut voco, IHGs new upscale brand, in the West Midlands town of Solihull. The hotel will be managed by Kew Green Hotels (KGH) and will be the second voco property in the UK, following the opening of voco St. Davids, Cardiff. The 180-room voco St. Johns, Solihull has recently opened under the voco brand, following a transformative refurbishment to the guest rooms, lobby, and the hotels restaurant and bar. The hotel benefits from the voco brands bold and distinctive interior design, bringing warmth and a modern touch. With more than 1,230sqm of meeting space across 13 different rooms, the hotel will cater to a variety of business and leisure events of all sizes, from small and large conferences, to weddings of up to 700 guests. The hotel also offers a host of leisure facilities, including a fully equipped health club with an indoor swimming pool, sauna and gym. Jane Bowler, General Manager at voco St.John's, Solihull, commented: This is an incredibly exciting time. voco will be a fantastic addition to Solihull, and we are proud to be the first voco property in the Midlands. We want voco St. Johns, Solihull to be an inviting place for both hotel guests and our local community, and we look forward to them experiencing the new brand. Our team are extremely passionate about what we offer and we invite you to experience the world of voco for yourself. voco, inspired by the meaning to invite or to come together in Latin, combines the informality and charm of an individual hotel, with the quality and reassurance of a global and respected brand. voco is IHGs newest brand, launched in June 2018. It is focussed on conversion opportunities and strengthens IHGs offer in the $40 billion upscale segment, which is expected to grow by a further $20 billion by 2025. The new brand from IHG is set for rapid expansion with a view to open more than 200 voco hotels in attractive urban and leisure locations over the next 10 years. Karan Khanna, Managing Director, UK & Ireland at IHG, commented: We are excited to open our second voco property in the UK following the successful launch of voco St. Davids in Cardiff. With a focus on conversion opportunities, the voco brand allows us to retain the existing charm of an independent hotel whilst also bringing the reassurances of a trusted brand, along with the power and strength of IHGs systems. Since the brands launch in June 2018, voco hotels have been signed around the globe, including signings for hotels in Bangkok, Cairo, Dubai as well as Melbourne, Hunter Valley and Yarra Valley in Australia, and the brand debuted with openings in Australias Gold Coast as well as in Cardiff (UK). IHG has more than 340 hotels operating in the UK & Ireland, with a further 30+ in the pipeline*. Brands include InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Staybridge Suites, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and most recently, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, and voco. To learn more about voco, visit: www.vocohotels.com *Numbers as at 30 September 2018. About IHG IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of hotel brands, including Regent Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo, EVEN Hotels, HUALUXE Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, voco Hotels, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Holiday Inn Resort, avid hotels, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites. IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns more than 5,500 hotels and approximately 826,000 guest rooms in almost 100 countries, with more than 1,800 hotels in its development pipeline. IHG also manages IHG Rewards Club, our global loyalty programme, which has more than 100 million enrolled members. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Groups holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales. More than 375,000 people work across IHG's hotels and corporate offices globally. Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. For our latest news, visit: www.ihgplc.com/media and follow us on social media at: www.twitter.com/ihg and www.facebook.com/ihg. Media Contact: Lauren Moment-Walker lauren.momentwalker@ihg.com +44 (0) 1895 512 663 SOURCE IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus President Donald Trump might be in jail by the time Election Day comes around, Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren said on her first full day of campaigning as a declared presidential candidate. You have permission to edit this collection. Edit Close ATLANTA (CBS46) -- A Juneteenth menu is serving up controversy at the Atlanta based IKEA store, after employees said fried chicken and watermelon, were just a some items selected to honor Juneteenth. TAYLORS, S.C. (FOX Carolina) -- Greenville County deputies said Monday two brothers are charged with murder after a deadly shooting at a Taylors apartment on Sunday. Deputies said they were called to the Creekside Apartments on Brook Glenn Road around 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Once Greenville County deputies arrived at the scene, they found a male's body in the apartment. He was deceased, deputies report. Later in the evening, the Greenville County coroner identified the victim as 44-year-old Kevin Lemanuel King. King's death has been formally ruled as a homicide by the coroner, who notes he was likely shot at his home by one or more individuals. On Monday, deputies announced Gary Orlando Dunlap, 38, and Kendrick Dunlap, 44, had been charged with murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and criminal conspiracy in King's death. "During the course of investigation, investigators learned that the Dunlap brothers went to Kings apartment to confront him about money they were owed," Lt. Ryan Flood stated in a news release. "After the brothers knocked on the door they were met by King, who was subsequently shot to death." Both brothers were denied bond. ASHEVILLE, NC (FOX Carolina)- The North Carolina Department of Public Safety says that the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice is searching for an offender that was serving part of his sentence outside of prison | BY Lynchy | The 4As Singapore has announced that David Haddad, CEO IPG Mediabrands Singapore, has been appointed to the role of Chairperson for the Singapore Media Awards (SMA) 2019. With 17 years industry experience Haddad (pictured) had led UM Sydney prior to relocating to Singapore in 2016 to head the IPG Mediabrands operation including agencies UM, Initiative and Reprise. Making a strong impact in the Singapore market, Haddad is an active member of the 4As and was recognised in Campaign Asias 40 under 40 after his first year at the helm of Mediabrands. Haddad has revealed the theme for the SMA 2019 as THIS IS MEDIA! This years SMA theme encourages agencies to enter campaigns that truly encapsulate the craft of media, and exactly what media can achieve for clients by positively shifting marketing and business results. The theme has been set with the intention of shining a spotlight on the media industry and a desire to celebrate the great work produced by industry professionals. Haddad commented, We come to work each day with the single task of helping our clients achieve their outcomes. Each year the landscape in which we operate continues to evolve and challenge us in achieving that task. This year the SMA will recognise agencies, individuals, clients and partners who have used media to create effective and memorable campaigns. With a long history of celebrating the media industry in Singapore, the SMA 2019 will provide a platform for agencies, clients and media partners to share their best work from the year. In doing so, Haddad hopes the SMA 2019 will attract new prospects (talent and clients) to the industry through showcasing effective and engaging campaign work. Haddad commented, Were a professional services industry with a strong backbone and heritage in connecting brands with audiences and consumers. With so many ways to exist in the media industry today, whatever your expertise, the SMA is a place where everyone in the industry has a voice and a platform. If your work is the best, it will be celebrated and part of the Singapore media industry showcase for 2019. THIS IS MEDIA! He continued, Everyone who works in the media industry wants to win and be on-stage at the SMA. There is nothing quite like that feeling of hearing your campaign and agency name called-out as a winner. We want to celebrate those teams, agencies and their clients work, as the shining beacon and example of what the media industry is all about, and importantly what the media industry can do for marketing and business results. The SMA 2019 will soon announce the call for entry date, awards categories and the event evening itself. It is expected that over 500 people from across the industry will attend the awards evening. The night itself is always fun and a great opportunity to connect with colleagues and partners from across the industry commented Haddad. Industry insiders will tell you that New York has always been a hub for technological innovation and enterprise, but a string of recent events a planned Amazon office complex in Queens, Googles $1 billion expansion in Manhattan, new regulations on the ride-hailing industry have turned heads from the West Coast to the East Coast, making this the perfect time to release City & States first Tech Power 50 list. Power is a hard thing to define in any field, but being a key player in the tech world is to have the other foot in any number of other worlds whether thats finance, health, security or design. Perhaps you coined a pithy expression that is now driving the national debate over maintaining an open internet. Maybe youre tackling the challenge of directing public policy for New Yorks most visible startups. You might be drawing from a wealth of experience to take on the even tougher challenge of correcting gender and race inequities in tech. We reached out to insiders and experts to compile this list, ranking each person based on their achievements, their business savvy, their interplay with state and federal government, and their sway with powerful politicians. Since we cover elected officials on a day-to-day basis, we limited this list to those who are not strictly in government but instead influence it from the outside. The next time you hear New York called a tech hub, youll know the key power players behind its successes. 1. Fred Wilson Partner, Union Square Ventures fred-wilson-kmeron.jpg Alt Text: Fred Wilson Title Text: Fred Wilson Caption: Fred Wilson. Description: Fred Wilson Image Credit: Photo courtesy Kmeron Ask New Yorks tech influencers to identify the most powerful people in the industry and one name comes up again and again: Fred Wilson. The veteran financier has been called a spokesperson for New York Citys digital entrepreneurs and the dean of New Yorks venture capital community. A venture capital investor since 1987, Wilson is known as an early backer of companies like Twitter, Etsy, Tumbler, Twilio and MongoDB (founded by No. 5 Kevin Ryan). His firm, Union Square Ventures, has raised $1.4 billion and invested in 261 companies since 2004. His wildly popular blog, AVC (where everyone is welcome and the conversation is civil and lively) is a frequent online stop for investors, startup founders and anyone who wants to understand New Yorks tech ecosystem. Wilson is active on Twitter as well, where he has amassed more than 650,000 followers. He is a co-chairman of Tech:NYCs board of directors, a position he shares with No. 2 Tim Armstrong. 2. Tim Armstrong Co-chairman, Tech:NYC tim-armstrong-albert-h-teich-shutterstock.jpg Alt Text: Tim Armstrong Title Text: Tim Armstrong Caption: Tim Armstrong. Description: Tim Armstrong Image Credit: Photo by Albert H. Teich/Shutterstock From Google to AOL to Verizon Communications Inc., Tim Armstrongs career over the past couple decades has touched some of the biggest names in the media and tech universe. After an early job leading sales efforts at Google where he built its advertising business from $700,000 annually to billions per quarter he left the internet giant to take on an assignment as the chairman and CEO of AOL in 2009, helping the fading juggernaut pivot and remake itself. AOL was eventually acquired by Verizon for $4.4 billion. More recently he was the CEO of Oath Inc. a Verizon-owned media company created in 2017 after the AOL-Yahoo merger Armstrong announced in September he was stepping down. In New Yorks tech community, the co-chairman of Tech:NYC (run by No. 9, Julie Samuels) is a mover and a shaker. Hes an investor in betaworks (run by John Borthwick, No. 43) and has made angel investments in several early startups. 3. Jenny Fielding Managing Director, Techstars jenny-fielding-dan-dennison-shutterstock.jpg Alt Text: Jenny Fielding Title Text: Jenny Fielding Caption: Jenny Fielding. Description: Jenny Fielding Image Credit: Photo by Dan Dennison/Shutterstock As both the managing director of a top New York accelerator, Techstars, and as a co-founder of The Fund, an early-stage venture capital fund, Jenny Fielding is extremely plugged in and well-respected in New York. When I started at Techstars, I was the only female managing director now we have eight or so, Fielding tells Forbes. It has an impact on our classes. She takes over a program that started as a shoestring operation in Boulder, Colorado, offering investments in the mere thousands of dollars to participating startups. Techstars has since expanded worldwide and provides $120,000 plus a rigorous product development program and networking opportunities. It has discovered and graduated New York startups like ClassPass, Plated and Timehop. Last year, Fielding pooled her network and expertise with three other entrepreneurs to create The Fund, a New York City-based venture capital fund that now boasts nearly 80 members. A former lawyer who previously worked at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and founded VoIP company Switch-Mobile, Fielding also teaches a class on startups and entrepreneurship at Columbia University. 4. Bradley Tusk Founder and CEO, Tusk Holdings bradley-tusk-charlie-gross.jpg Alt Text: Bradley Tusk Title Text: Bradley Tusk Caption: Bradley Tusk. Description: Bradley Tusk Image Credit: Photo by Charlie Gross Bradley Tusks new book, The Fixer: My Adventures Saving Startups from Death by Politics, reveals how the political strategist who worked for then-New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg put his political experience to work helping startups, including Uber, FanDuel and Tesla, work with lawmakers to survive what he calls the clutches of politics. Tusks work with Uber in 2011 cemented his reputation when he agreed to help the then-unknown ride-hailing startup navigate New Yorks taxi regulations in exchange for shares of the company. It was a good deal with those shares now thought to be worth $100 million. Venture capital and political strategy firm Tusk Ventures, which raised $36 million for its first fund and is seeking $70 million for its second fund, says it protects startups from politics. Before he became known as Silicon Valleys favorite political fixer, Tusk also worked for then-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer. He was co-executive director of the New York City Charter Revision Commission under Mayor Michael Bloomberg and went on to manage the former mayors re-election campaign. 5. Kevin Ryan Co-founder and Chairman, AlleyCorp kevin-ryan-alleycorp.jpg Alt Text: Kevin Ryan Title Text: Kevin Ryan Caption: Kevin Ryan. Description: Kevin Ryan Image Credit: Photo courtesy AlleyCorp Kevin Ryan, who has been called the godfather of NYC tech and the citys $1 billion tech kingpin, hit startup gold a few times during his career. Among the internet entrepreneurs successes are DoubleClick (bought by Google in 2007 for more than $3 billion), Gilt Groupe (bought by Hudsons Bay Co. in 2016 for $250 million), Business Insider (bought by German media conglomerate Axel Springer in 2015 at a valuation of $442 million) and MongoDB, which had an initial public offering in 2017 at a $1.18 billion valuation. Ryans latest project, NoMad Health, raised a nontrivial $12 million last year. Ryan is busy outside of the tech industry as well. He is vice chairman of the Partnership for New York City, a nonprofit that invests in businesses and projects designed to spur economic development in New York City. Ryan sat on the Yale University board of trustees from 2012 through 2018 and is a former board member of Human Rights Watch. Thirty-three years after a child went missing in Nevada, the mother has been arrested in Palm Beach County. NORTH LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -- The Clark County coroner identified a woman who was struck and killed in North Las Vegas Saturday night. Breeona Olsteien, 24, died from multiple blunt force injuries, according to the coroner. Her death was ruled as an accident. North Las Vegas police were called to Civic Center Drive at North Las Vegas Boulevard just after 6 p.m. Officers found Olsteien pinned under a Regional Transportation Commission bus, suffering from life-threatening injuries. Medical personnel pronounced her dead at the scene. Olsteien appeared to have been in the marked crosswalk and was making her way across Civic Center in a motorized wheelchair. The RTC bus was headed north on Las Vegas Boulevard and the two parties crashed into each other. North Las Vegas police said impairment was not considered a factor, but were looking into who the at-fault party was in the collision. RTC released a statement in regards to the fatal crash: "We extend our sincere condolences to the victims family and those who were affected by the traffic fatality that occurred on Las Vegas Boulevard and Civic Center. Safety remains our utmost priority. We, along with our contractor MV Transportation, are cooperating with the North Las Vegas Police Department, as this is an active investigation. If you have any questions, please contact the North Las Vegas Police Department." This was North Las Vegas police's second fatal crash of 2019. LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -- Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) announced she would be visiting Las Vegas on Sunday as she begins to campaign for the presidency. According to her campaign website, the event is scheduled to be held at the Springs Preserve, located at 333 South Valley View Boulevard. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. and the event starts at 3 p.m., Warren's campaign site said. While tickets aren't required, it was encouraged that guests RSVP ahead of time. In January, Warren announced she would be visiting Las Vegas on Jan. 25, but had to cancel the visit as the vote to end the partial government shutdown was coming up. Sen. Elizabeth Warren cancels Las Vegas visit with shutdown votes pending Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren cancelled what would have been her first visit to Nevada since launching her exploratory bid for president. Warren officially announced her candidacy for president on Saturday. Guests can RSVP for Warren's event by clicking here. Please either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin. MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) -- Mobile Police investigating an assault and sexual abuse case made an arrest early Saturday morning. Investigators said the victim told officers she was stabbed by a man after she refused sexual advances from him. It happened around 11:45 p.m. on Friday, February 8. Police arrested 66-year-old John Benjamin Williams and charged him with second-degree assault and first-degree sexual abuse. | BY Ricki Green | A lifesaving campaign to shine a light on Australias most lethal womens cancer ovarian cancer was launched today by Ovarian Cancer Australia and agency 10 feet tall. The $1 million-plus in-kind integrated media campaign calls on all Australians to ovary act, in recognition of Februarys Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. The campaign, made possible by the generous support of outdoor media company QMS, creative agency 10 Feet Tall, Pacific Magazines and Paul Scott Photography, includes engaging and, at times, confronting creative of women impacted by the deadly disease. Josy Shaw, director of marketing, Ovarian Cancer Australia, said that awareness for ovarian cancer in Australia was low but is confident this campaign would be a serious game-changer. Says Shaw: The campaign is spearheaded by a three-week high-impact billboard campaign courtesy of outdoor media company QMS. These billboards will reach millions of Australians passing busy intersections across Australian capital cities in February. Were hopeful that this campaign will help shine the spotlight on ovarian cancer and really encourage Australians to take action, ovary-action! Were incredibly thankful for the support of all our partners and the crucial role theyve played in bringing this campaign to life. We really couldnt achieve this without them. Captivating images by Paul Scott Photography and brilliant creative by agency 10 Feet Tall tie the campaign together. The campaign is also supported in print by Pacific Magazines who have brought the campaign to life across some of their most widely-read womens titles. Pacific Publications have supported Ovarian Cancer Australia for more than 5 years. Says Shaw: Were so thankful for the overwhelming generosity of Pacific Magazines. The exposure we have gained through their magazines is priceless. Sadly, this year in Australia, more than 1,600 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and over 1,000 will succumb to the disease. Only 46 per cent of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer will survive five years post diagnosis. This is well below the average for all cancers in Australia. Says Sara Lappage, chief marketing officer, QMS: QMS are beyond proud to partner with OCA to raise much needed awareness of this deadly disease that is largely underfunded. By working together we aim to educate the public about signs and symptoms of Ovarian Cancer that often go undetected until its too late. By giving OCA an empowering outdoor media platform we hope to support many women living with ovarian cancer. The Mobile Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in locating Ian Lee Clark. The 12-year-old was last seen wearing a grey hoodie and khaki pants in the area of Creel Road in Mobile between the hours of 8:00 am and 12:30 pm on February 9, 2019. Authorities say he may be traveling in a black 2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer bearing Alabama tag number 2AJ4620 with damage to the back driver side door. Police said the vehicle was spotted in the tunnel heading eastbound to Baldwin County around 3 p.m. Monday. If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Ian Lee Clark, please contact the Mobile Police Department at (251) 208-7000 or call 911. It's been a decade since the banking industry has seen merger and acquisition news like this: BB&T (NYSE:TFC) is buying SunTrust (NYSE:STI) in what the two institutions call a merger of equals. When joined, they will create the sixth-largest bank in the country. But why is it happening, and why now? In this segment from MarketFoolery, host Chris Hill and Motley Fool Director of Small-Cap Research Bill Mann unpack the reasons these large regional banks felt the need to join forces, the changing conditions that made the deal more attractive, the unusual way the joined company will handle the CEO's job, its HQ relocation plan, and more. A full transcript follows the video. Check out the latest BB&T and SunTrust earnings call transcripts. This video was recorded on Aug. 9, 2017. Chris Hill: We've got to start with the deal of the day, though. We got a bank merger. Bill Mann: For the first time in more than a decade, we've got a big bank merger. Hill: We do. SunTrust and BB&T are teaming up in a $66 billion, what's being called "a merger of equals." They're not quite equals. It's an all-stock deal. This creates the sixth-largest bank in America. Shares of both SunTrust and BB&T are up, so I'm assuming this is a no-brainer. If all you're doing is looking at the stocks, you go, "Wow!" Mann: You are what the scoreboard says you are. A couple of things have happened. One is that the Trump administration has lowered some of the inhibitions for bank mergers that have been in place since the global financial crisis. The other thing that has happened is that banking, particularly deposit-taking, has changed a little bit. The regional banks, of which SunTrust and BB&T are, are having a little bit of a difficult time competing with Citibank. Even Goldman Sachs now has checking accounts and branch access and things of that nature. So, it's a good merger for both of them. They are not community banks anymore. They risked being in that spot where they weren't the hugest, so they didn't have access to certain types of capital. But they're not tiny anymore. Hill: I get that there are a lot of good things about this, a lot of synergies that can be wrung out. This does seem like the resulting entity should put them in a better position to compete against the even bigger banks. That being said, there are a couple of things behind this deal that have not just you and me, but I think a lot of people, scratching their heads. Let's start with the fact that we've got Kelly King, the CEO of BB&T, he's going to be the CEO of the combined company until early September of 2021, when William Rogers, the CEO of SunTrust -- Mann: I want to call him Will Rogers. Desperate to. Hill: William Rogers is going to take over as CEO. Why? Why are they having this revolving door in the corner office? Mann: It's a little bit of actuarial arbitrage, as we might call it. Kelly King had said earlier that he was planning on retiring in 2021. So, it's a pretty clean process. BB&T is the acquiring bank, even though it's a merger of equals. Something funny about BB&T, BB&T is from eastern North Carolina. The company is called Branch Banking and Trust. Everyone thinks that has to do with their strategy. No. The co-founder from 1872 was named Branch. Hill: Oh! Mann: Yeah! Alpheus Branch and Thomas Jefferson Hadley founded this bank. It's a bank that has retained the name of its founder for 150 years. The other interesting thing about this merger is that BB&T is based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and SunTrust is based in Atlanta, but after the merger, they're relocating headquarters to Charlotte. Charlotte will once again have the headquarters of two of the six largest banks in the country. Hill: That's right, because Bank of America is down there. Mann: Bank of America's there. Also, Charlotte is basically the No. 2 headquarters for Wells Fargo. So, once again, Charlotte, Bank City, U.S.A. may be the biggest winner in the whole deal. Hill: They have not decided on a name for the resulting entity -- Mann: It has to be Branch, now that we've determined the history. How can you walk away from that? Hill: [laughs] It'll be interesting to see what they come up with. Certainly, we've seen rebranding efforts go awry. Hopefully, they do no harm. By the way, before we move on, can you share with the dozens of listeners what you shared with me? The little fun tidbit about SunTrust Bank, which I was not aware of? Mann: Oh, yeah! This is actually a pretty big loss for Atlanta because SunTrust is an Atlanta institution. One of the things that SunTrust has in a vault is the formula for Coca-Cola. The Coca-Cola Company keeps their original formula hidden, locked in a vault at SunTrust. Hill: Do you think that's now going to be moving to Charlotte? Mann: Well, maybe! Once again, we have an opportunity to rename a stadium since the brand-spanking-new Atlanta Braves stadium is SunTrust Field. Who knows? I don't know if they'll move the formula or not. I doubt it's hard to move a recipe. [laughs] But it's probably fine where it is. Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE:APC) recently reported less-than-stellar fourth-quarter results. While production was on target, earnings fell short of expectations because of falling commodity prices and higher costs. That earnings shortfall weighed on the stock, which slumped more than 7% on the heels of the report. Because investors focused on the earnings shortfall, it caused them to miss the metric that's more important to Anadarko: cash flow. That's why CEO Al Walker took some time on the company's fourth-quarter conference call to re-emphasize "our philosophical view of Anadarko's business and how we think it is competitively positioned to support the goal of delivering cash returns to investors." Here are three reasons cash is king at the oil giant. 1. We remain committed to returning cash to shareholders Walker started his review of the company's philosophy by stating that "we remain committed to returning cash to investors." He pointed out that "last year, we delivered peer-leading cash return results to investors, and we will continue this commitment going forward." Overall, Anadarko has returned $3.75 billion in cash to shareholders through its share-repurchase plan since launching it in late 2017, which has enabled it to retire 12% of its outstanding shares, while also boosting its dividend 500% last year up to $600 million annually and paying off $600 million in debt. "There is more to come in 2019," according to Walker, with the company aiming to buy back another $1.25 billion in stock and retire $1.4 billion in debt as it matures through mid-2020. 2. We designed our portfolio to grow cash flow Supporting Anadarko's ability to return cash to investors is its portfolio of low-cost oil and gas producing assets. Walker noted: We have positioned our portfolio to support our durable strategy with a diversified mix of oil-levered high-margin assets that are capable of generating free cash flow and attractive returns in a $50 oil environment for both WTI [West Texas intermediate] and Brent. With the exception of the Delaware Basin, all of our major operating assets are significantly cash flow positive today at $50 oil. At that price, we expect the Delaware Basin to be free cash flow positive in 2020 as we are already seeing the benefits of operatorship captured and the establishment of our integrated midstream footprint. Anadarko spent several years repositioning its portfolio, including selling off several properties that didn't generate the margins and investment returns it's seeking, so that it had the right assets for a low-oil-price environment. As a result, it's been able to focus on expanding its best assets, which has enabled the company to grow its cash flow so that it has more to return to investors. 3. We will remain disciplined in investment spending Speaking of growth spending, Walker stated: Our continued philosophy of investing within discretionary cash flow in a $50 oil environment and returning free cash flow above that level to investors is a durable long-term strategy. While Anadarko's portfolio is free cash flow neutral at $50 oil, we add approximately $140 million of free cash flow for every dollar oil prices increased above $50 per annum. This oil price leverage enables us to generate a similar free cash flow yield to the S&P 500 at a mid-$50 oil price, with higher oil prices generating free cash flow yields significantly in excess of the S&P benchmark. As the CEO points out, Anadarko set its budget to the cash flows it can produce on $50 oil. That enables it to generate significant free cash when crude is above that level, the bulk of which it will return to shareholders. By remaining disciplined, the company can easily weather steep drops in oil prices, which was the case last quarter, when crude plunged 40%. Instead of having to slam on the brakes as some peers did, Anadarko has been able to stick to its disciplined spending plan. Check out all our earnings call transcripts. Cash flow is king at this oil giant Anadarko Petroleum made a philosophical change a few years ago, shifting its focus from growing production to expanding cash flow. That led it to reposition its portfolio so that it could generate strong cash flow at $50 oil to support a disciplined investment program that can still produce healthy growth, which allows it to send increasing amounts of cash to shareholders. So while the company's fourth-quarter earnings might have missed the mark, Anadarko remains right on target with achieving the aims of its new cash-focused philosophy. Few people would go regularly to a restaurant that offered one item, served one way, with no opportunity for customization. Even someone who really enjoyed that dish would probably tire pretty quickly of it, and the vast majority of the public would either never go or visit only once. That hasn't stopped companies from taking a one-size-fits-all approach to employees. That's been very evident in the open-office trend. Many businesses have implemented that setup without considering what their employees actually want. In reality, the best way to retain workers and keep office morale might be to offer employees more choice. Most workers -- a full 90% -- said more flexible work arrangements and schedules will increase morale, according to the 2019 Staples Workplace Survey. What do workers want? Workers want choice, and they're not in favor of offices that take a one-size-fits-all approach. Specifically, 52% said "an open office layout creates distractions," while 40% said their office is "too open." Employees aren't necessarily asking for a return to closed offices. Instead, they want more choice -- private rooms for calls and meetings, as well as the ability to work from home when possible. In fact, 64% of workers said they work from home at least some of the time, but only 34% of employers have a formal or informal policy regulating that work. That's a situation that could lead to worker discontent if a company tries to tighten up its policy. Two-thirds of survey respondents (67%) said they "would consider leaving their job if their work arrangements became less flexible." Addressing workplace flexibility requires a company to engage in a dialogue with its employees. It also means thinking about the relationship between work and worker in a different way. "The concept of work-life balance has given way to the simpler concept of 'work life' -- one's life at work," said Staples Brand Group Vice President Chris DeMeo in a press release. "Employees no longer embrace the traditional 9-to-5 and instead seek an environment that accommodates the fact that their needs may change day to day." What can your company do? Offering flexibility is harder than having a single policy that applies in all situations. You need to craft rules that work for the entire workforce without favoring one person or group over another. That requires a thoughtful discussion -- maybe a lot of them -- and a willingness to constantly re-evaluate. "The smartest employers are acknowledging this reality and offering their workers more autonomy when it comes to where, when, and how they work," DeMeo said. "It may be a leap of faith for offices used to the old ways of doing things, but it's one that could yield dividends in terms of recruitment, retention, and productivity." There's no single answer here that applies to every company. Instead, employers need to embrace that what seems right for them may not be what's best for their employees. Finding solutions requires a willingness to give employees a voice and to change policies that may have been in place for a very long time. 26 May 2021 --- The long-running issue over dairy alternative terminology across European markets has taken another turn, with confirmation from several plant-based proponents that... Read More Yes, it's the right time No, the state should have waited a while longer The economy should have been reopened a long time ago Vote View Results | BY Kim Shaw | This Valentines Day, DB Exports new low carb beer launches in New Zealand with a full song and music video titled Im Drinking It For You via Colenso BBDO Auckland. The R&B ballad shines the spotlight on Kiwi couples, turning the simple act of choosing a low carb beer into a gesture of romantic love. DB Export has a history of giving its drinkers license to have a beer; the world-recognised Brewtroleum and Beer Bottle Sand campaigns were based on the idea that enjoying a DB Export Gold could help save the entire world. This latest iteration from the brand breaks new ground by recognising male and female drinkers equally, by starring two of NZs brightest new singing talents Keshia and Tom, who recorded the single, and perform in the music video. Says Tony Wheeler, senior marketing manager, DB Export: DB Export Gold Extra Low Carb is the delicious, full-flavored answer to the divided state of the modern world. Says Beth OBrien and Thom Darlow, the Colenso BBDO creatives behind the campaign: Its great to see a beer brand give a one-handed salute to stereotypes, and speak to everyone equally. This work is a huge leap forward for beer advertising in NZ, before attempting to clap one-handed. Says Damien Shatford from Sweetshop, who directed the music video: R&B is the best! I always knew it stood for romance and beers. Says Fiona King, managing director and executive producer, The Sweetshop: We love romance, great beer, and stories at Sweetshop. All inseparable. It was an absolute pleasure to acknowledge that drinking beer has a rightful higher purpose. The song is available on all major streaming platforms wherever you find great music including Spotify and Apple music, and is accompanied by a full campaign to bring our nation closer together that includes beer bouquets for couples to give each other on Valentines Day, a remix of the song that plays in gym classes while people cut their rig for their partners, live performances of the song around the country, dedication hours on the radio, karaoke beer tastings, and a digital service that lets fans write their own lyrics and send them as a digital singing telegram to their loved ones. Get your first sip of DB Exports loveliest new beer in any of New Zealands finest liquor establishments, as we bring the nation closer together, one bottle at a time. Hear the spot on iTunes or Spotify. Agency: Colenso BBDO, Auckland Director: Damien Shatford Production Company: Sweetshop Sound Design & Mix: Liquid Studios Music Production: WorldPeace.fyi Online: The Machine Room Client: DB Breweries Sean ODonnell Marketing Director By Gary Robertson RICHMOND, Va. (Reuters) - Virginia Democrats pressured Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax to resign on Monday over accusations of sexual assault, which he denies, but held off on pursuing impeachment, with the Republican speaker of the state House urging restraint By Gary Robertson RICHMOND, Va. (Reuters) - Virginia Democrats pressured Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax to resign on Monday over accusations of sexual assault, which he denies, but held off on pursuing impeachment, with the Republican speaker of the state House urging restraint. Fairfax is one of three top state Democrats engulfed by scandal this month. Governor Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring have also faced criticism after admitting they wore blackface in the 1980s. Patrick Hope, a Democratic member of Virginia's House of Delegates, said he believed Fairfax should have resigned already after two women accused him of sexual assault but added he would not move immediately on his weekend call for impeachment proceedings. Adding to the pressure, much of the lieutenant governor's staff have resigned since the second accuser came forward on Friday, according to his spokeswoman, Lauren Burke. They included his policy director and his scheduling director, as well as the executive director and a fundraiser at his political action committee, the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper reported. The accusations of racist behaviour or sexual assault against the three men have rattled party leadership in a swing state that likely will play a pivotal role in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Democrats have been gaining power in the Southern state in the last few election years. Party leaders in Virginia and across the nation have called for Northam and Fairfax to resign. They have been more forgiving toward Herring, largely because he came forward on his own to admit having performed in blackface at a 1980 college party, rather than waiting for someone to accuse him. Northam and Herring are white; Fairfax is black. Hope, the white Democratic lawmaker who had called for Fairfax's impeachment, renewed his call for the lieutenant governor to resign while saying he was discussing whether impeachment was the best solution. "Fairfax should have already resigned," Hope said in a statement. "The message being sent to victims of sexual assault is chilling." He said he believed Fairfax's two accusers. The scandals may cost the Democrats their chance to take over control of the legislature in November's elections, said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Centre for Politics. He said the scandals have eroded voters' faith in the party to put forward good candidates, and any perceived racial disparities in consequences may cause further harm. "You've got three of them in trouble, and then potentially the African-American goes and the two whites stay," he said in a telephone interview. "There could be complete justification for that, but it looks terrible." 'VOLATILE SITUATION' House Speaker Kirk Cox, the Republican who would become governor if all three Democrats resigned, said it was too soon to say whether he would support impeachment. "We need to be very careful with the high standards of impeachment," he told reporters. A majority of House members would have to vote to impeach for the proceedings to move to the Senate. A two-thirds majority in the upper chamber would be needed to remove someone from office. Northam has insisted he would not resign over a 1984 medical school yearbook picture, which showed a person in blackface next to another wearing the robes and hood of the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan. Northam denied being in that picture but admitted to dressing in blackface for a social event that same year. Blackface traces its history to 19th-century minstrel shows that mocked African-Americans, and is seen as offensive by many Americans - though its use continued in U.S. popular culture through to the early 21st century. About 39 percent of white Americans say it is at least sometimes acceptable to don blackface for a Halloween costume, while 37 percent believed it was never acceptable, according to a Pew Research Centre survey conducted mostly before Northam's admission and released on Monday. Only 18 percent of black Americans agreed it was at least sometimes acceptable, while 53 percent said it was never acceptable. (https://pewrsr.ch/2tgHl88) Fairfax has said sexual encounters with both women were consensual. Members of the legislature's black caucus are also seeking an investigation that does not immediately involve impeachment. "We don't know how to do that yet," Delegate Lamont Bagby, the caucus chairman, said in an interview. (Reporting by Gary Robertson, additional reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York; editing by Scott Malone, Steve Orlofsky and Jonathan Oatis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. BRASILIA (Reuters) - Venezuelan opposition envoy Maria Teresa Belandria was received as her country's official ambassador in Brazil on Monday and said Brazil's government would provide all possible support to get humanitarian aid to the border. Belandria told reporters that several Brazilian government agencies would be involved in the aid operation, which would open up a second route for food and medicine to enter Venezuela after the main one in Colombia. The lawyer and international law expert was appointed Venezuelan ambassador to Brazil by opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has been recognised by dozens of countries as the head of Venezuela's legitimate government instead of leftist President Nicolas Maduro. BRASILIA (Reuters) - Venezuelan opposition envoy Maria Teresa Belandria was received as her country's official ambassador in Brazil on Monday and said Brazil's government would provide all possible support to get humanitarian aid to the border. Belandria told reporters that several Brazilian government agencies would be involved in the aid operation, which would open up a second route for food and medicine to enter Venezuela after the main one in Colombia. The lawyer and international law expert was appointed Venezuelan ambassador to Brazil by opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has been recognised by dozens of countries as the head of Venezuela's legitimate government instead of leftist President Nicolas Maduro. The envoy does not have access to the Venezuelan embassy facilities in Brasilia. "I am now Venezuela's diplomatic representative. We don't need a building to be an embassy," she said at a news conference at Brazil's Foreign Ministry. Belandria met with Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo to discuss, among other matters, ways to "send food and medicine to alleviate the suffering of the Venezuelan people subjected to Maduro's illegitimate regime," the ministry said in a statement. The aid to be sent to the Brazilian state of Roraima bordering Venezuela would not only come from the United States, but from Brazil's government, private companies and other nations, she said. Asked whether the Venezuelan military would allow the aid into the country, Lester Toledo, coordinator for international humanitarian aid and an opposition state legislator, replied: "The soldiers know this is food that will go to the children." Venezuela's government has blocked the aid the United States sent to the country's border with Colombia. On Friday, Maduro ridiculed the United States for offering small amounts of assistance while maintaining sanctions that block some $10 billion of offshore assets and revenue. (Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu and Anthony Boadle; Editing by David Gregorio and Peter Cooney) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Dakota graduated from Bret Harte in 2013 and went to Davidson College, NC where she earned a bachelor's degree in Arab studies. After spending time studying in the Middle East and Europe, she is happy to be home, writing about the community she loves. Comment Policy Calaveras Enterprise does not actively monitor comments. However, staff does read through to assess reader interest. When abusive or foul language is used or directed toward other commenters, those comments will be deleted. If a commenter continues to use such language, that person will be blocked from commenting. We wish to foster a community of communication and a sharing of ideas, and we truly value readers' input. The development comes as President Donald Trump is set to hold his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam in late February. Seoul: South Korea and the United States struck a new deal Sunday that increases Seoul's contribution for the cost of the American military presence on its soil, overcoming previous failed negotiations that caused worries about their decades-long alliance. The development comes as President Donald Trump is set to hold his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam in late February. South Korea last year provided about $830 million, covering roughly 40 percent of the cost of the deployment of 28,500 US soldiers whose presence is meant to deter aggression from North Korea. Trump has pushed for South Korea to pay more. On Sunday, chief negotiators from the two countries signed a new cost-sharing plan, which requires South Korea to pay about 1.04 trillion won ($924 million) in 2019, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The statement said the two countries reaffirmed the need for a "stable" US military deployment amid the "rapidly changing situation on the Korean Peninsula." The ministry said the US assured South Korea that it is committed to the alliance and has no plans to adjust the number of its troops in South Korea. South Korea began paying for the US military deployment in the early 1990s, after rebuilding its economy from the devastation of the 1950-1953 Korean War. The big US military presence in South Korea is a symbol of the countries' alliance, forged in blood during the war, but also a source of long-running anti-American sentiments. About 20 anti-US activists rallied near the Foreign Ministry building in Seoul on Sunday, chanting slogans like "No more money for US troops." No violence was reported. "The United States government realizes that Korea does a lot for our alliance and peace and stability in the region," chief US negotiator Timothy Betts said Sunday in Seoul. "We are very pleased our consultations resulted in an agreement that will strengthen transparency and deepen our cooperation and the alliance." The deal, which involves the spending of South Korean taxpayer money, requires parliamentary approval in South Korea, but not in the United States, according to Seoul's Foreign Ministry. The allies had failed to reach a new cost-sharing plan during some 10 rounds of talks. A five-year 2014 deal that covered South Korea's payment last year expired at the end of 2018. Some conservatives in South Korea voiced concerns over a weakening alliance with the United States at the same time as negotiations with North Korea to deprive it of its nuclear weapons hit a stalemate. They said Trump might use the failed military cost-sharing negotiations as an excuse to pull back some US troops in South Korea as a bargaining chip in talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Trump told CBS' "Face the Nation" on 3 February that he has no plans to withdraw troops from South Korea. During his election campaign, Trump suggested he could pull back troops from South Korea and Japan unless they took on greater a share of the financial burdens of supporting US soldiers deployed there. South Korean media earlier reported that Trump demanded South Korea double its spending for the US military deployment before his government eventually asked for 1.13 trillion won ($1 billion). Seoul's Foreign Ministry said the US had called for a sharp increase in South Korean spending but didn't elaborate. Trump announced last week that he will sit down with Kim for their second summit. Their first summit in Singapore last June resulted in Kim's vague commitment to the "complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," a term that his propaganda machine previously used when it argued it would only denuclearize after the US withdraws its troops from South Korea. Trump's top envoy for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, visited Pyongyang last week to work out details of the upcoming summit. After being briefed by Biegun about his Pyongyang trip, South Korea's presidential office said Sunday that US and North Korean officials plan to meet again the week of 17 February in an unidentified Asian country. The US military arrived in South Korea to disarm Japan, which colonized the Korean Peninsula from 1910-45, following its World War II defeat. Most US troops were withdrawn in 1949 but they returned the next year to fight alongside South Korea in the Korean War. Riyadh does not know the location of Jamal Khashoggi's body, despite having detained the Saudi team that murdered him, a high-ranking foreign affairs official said Washington: Riyadh does not know the location of dissident Jamal Khashoggi's body, despite having detained the Saudi team that murdered him, a high-ranking foreign affairs official in the kingdom said in an interview broadcast on Sunday. The dissident journalist was dismembered after his murder on 2 October in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul but his remains have yet to be found. Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, said the murder was carried out by Saudi officials "acting outside their scope of authority" and that 11 people have been charged with the crime. But asked where Khashoggi's body is, he told CBS, "We don't know." Jubeir said the public prosecutor responsible for the case had sought evidence from Turkey but had received no response. Questioned why those in custody couldn't tell them where the body was, Jubeir responded, "We are still investigating." "We have now a number of possibilities and we're asking them what they did with the body, and I think this investigation is ongoing, and I would expect that eventually we will find the truth," he said. Jubeir was interviewed Friday, the same day President Donald Trump ignored a congressional deadline for reporting on who assassinated Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post who had been openly critical of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The CIA has concluded the Saudi operation was likely directed by the powerful crown prince, but the White House has sidestepped that finding amid strenuous denials by Riyadh, a key US ally. On Friday, The New York Times said the CIA had intercepted communications of the crown prince telling a top aide in 2017 that he would go after Khashoggi "with a bullet" if the journalist did not return to Saudi Arabia. "I'm not going to comment on reports based on anonymous sources," Jubeir said. "The crown prince, we know, did not order this. This was not a government-sanctioned operation," he said. By Parisa Hafezi DUBAI (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of Iranians marched and some burned U.S. flags to mark the revolution's 40th anniversary on Monday as Tehran showed off ballistic missiles in defiance of U.S. efforts to curb its military power. By Parisa Hafezi DUBAI (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of Iranians marched and some burned U.S. flags to mark the revolution's 40th anniversary on Monday as Tehran showed off ballistic missiles in defiance of U.S. efforts to curb its military power. Soldiers, students, clerics and black-clad women holding small children thronged streets across Iran, many with portraits of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Shi'ite cleric who toppled the Shah in an Islamic uprising that still haunts the West. On Feb. 11, 1979 Iran's army declared its neutrality, paving the way for the fall of U.S.-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. State television showed crowds defying cold rainy weather and carrying Iranian flags while shouting "Death to Israel, Death to America" - trademark chants of the revolution. After decades of hostility with the United States, the Islamic Republic vowed to increase its military strength despite mounting pressure from Western countries. Ballistic missile capabilities were on display during the main march, including the Qadr F, a ground-to-ground missile with a 1,950-km (1,220-mile) range, Tasnim news agency said. "We have not asked and will not ask for permission to develop different types of ... missiles and will continue our path and our military power," President Hassan Rouhani said in a speech at Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) square. ECONOMIC "HARDSHIPS AND GRIEVANCES" U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted on Monday that the Iranian government had let down its people. "40 years of corruption. 40 years of repression. 40 years of terror. The regime in Iran has produced only #40YearsofFailure. The long-suffering Iranian people deserve a much brighter future," he posted in both English and Farsi. The large turnout in state-sponsored rallies, in which U.S. and Israeli flags were burned, came as Iranians face mounting economic hardships many blame on the country's clerical leaders. Pictures on social media showed some people also demonstrating against corruption, unemployment and high prices. "Our presence in the 40th anniversary of the revolution is to show our support for the Islamic Republic," said one sign held by a protester. "But it does not mean we support corruption of some officials and their betrayal of the oppressed people." Reuters could not independently verify the pictures. Last year, Iran cracked down on protests over poor living standards that posed the most serious challenge to its clerical elite since a 2009 uprising over disputed elections. Prices of basic foodstuffs have soared since President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from world powers' 2015 nuclear deal with Iran last year and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. "I bow in admiration to Iran's resilient people who - despite hardships and grievances - today poured into streets by the millions to mark 40th anniv of their Islamic Revolution, which some in the US wished would never come," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted. "US should take note: REAL Iranians never succumb to diktats." In January, Rouhani said Iran was dealing with its worst economic crisis since the Shah was toppled. But he remained defiant on Monday as Iranians recalled the end of a monarch who catered to the rich. "The Iranian people have and will have some economic difficulties but we will overcome the problems by helping each other," he said. U.S. AND ISRAELI THREATS Yadollah Javani, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' deputy head for political affairs, said Iran would demolish cities in Israel if the United States attacked. The United States does not have the courage to fire a single bullet at us despite all its defensive and military assets. But if they attack us, we will raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground, Javani told the state news agency IRNA. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the threat. I am not ignoring the threats of the Iranian regime, but nor I am impressed by them," he said. "Were this regime to make the terrible mistake of trying to destroy Tel Aviv and Haifa, it would not succeed, but it would mean that they had celebrated their last Revolution Day. They would do well to take that into account." Washington and the Arab world have viewed Iran with great suspicion since the Islamic Revolution, fearing Khomeini's radical ideology would inspire militants across the Middle East. Today, the United States, its Arab allies and Israel are trying to counter Tehran's growing influence in the Middle East, where it has proxies in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. Iran also has vast clout in Iraq, where Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the overseas arm of the Revolutionary Guards, was frequently photographed guiding Shi'ite militias in the war against Sunni Islamic State militants. (Additional reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafeddin in London, Babak Dehghanpisheh in Geneva and Dan Williams in Jerusalem; Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and William Maclean/Mark Heinrich) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and Britain's Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay held a 'constructive' meeting in Brussels on Monday evening, a British government spokesperson said. The two met 'to discuss the next steps in the UK's withdrawal from the EU and explore whether a way through can be found that would be acceptable to the UK Parliament and to the European Union,' the spokesperson said, adding that the two agreed to further talks in the coming days. (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and Britain's Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay held a "constructive" meeting in Brussels on Monday evening, a British government spokesperson said. The two met "to discuss the next steps in the UK's withdrawal from the EU and explore whether a way through can be found that would be acceptable to the UK Parliament and to the European Union," the spokesperson said, adding that the two agreed to further talks in the coming days. (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday welcomed a probe into whether officials improperly tried to help construction company SNC-Lavalin Group Inc, making clear he sought to ride out a potential scandal just months ahead of elections. Independent ethics commissioner Mario Dion said he would look into allegations, first raised by the Globe and Mail newspaper, that Trudeau officials last year had pressured Jody Wilson-Raybould, when she was the country's justice minister and attorney general, to help SNC-Lavalin avoid a trial over bribery and corruption charges linked to Libyan contracts By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday welcomed a probe into whether officials improperly tried to help construction company SNC-Lavalin Group Inc, making clear he sought to ride out a potential scandal just months ahead of elections. Independent ethics commissioner Mario Dion said he would look into allegations, first raised by the Globe and Mail newspaper, that Trudeau officials last year had pressured Jody Wilson-Raybould, when she was the country's justice minister and attorney general, to help SNC-Lavalin avoid a trial over bribery and corruption charges linked to Libyan contracts. "We welcome the ethics commissioner's investigation. ... It's extremely important that Canadians can continue to have confidence in our system," Trudeau told reporters in Vancouver. Although Dion's office has only limited powers to sanction wrongdoing, the probe shows the affair may become more problematic for Trudeau as he prepares for a close-run re-election bid this October. Wilson-Raybould was unexpectedly demoted last month and given the more junior post of veterans affairs minister, prompting speculation she was being punished for insisting the trial go ahead rather than allowing SNC-Lavalin to pay a fine. Trudeau said he had "full confidence" in Wilson-Raybould, who has declined to discuss the matter. Pollster Nik Nanos of Nanos Research said he did not think the allegations would immediately hit the Liberals' chances. "One thing in isolation usually doesn't have a massive material impact on support. But if something else comes out that is similar to this ... that's the risk for the government," he said in a phone interview. That said, there are signs of unhappiness. Liberal legislator Wayne Long said he was "extremely troubled" by the allegations and wanted a full and transparent investigation. Wilson-Raybould's father, Bill, said on Facebook that she had been "demoted because she would not 'play ball' with the Big Boys who run the Liberal Party." Opinion surveys by Nanos and others show the Liberals with only a slender lead over the official opposition Conservatives. The leader of the Conservatives, Andrew Scheer, said in a newspaper editorial on Monday that Trudeau was "a fraud." Last week Trudeau denied that his office tried to pressure Wilson-Raybould to make a deal with SNC-Lavalin, which faces fraud and corruption charges linked to allegations that former executives paid bribes to win Libyan contracts under Muammar Gaddafi's regime, which fell in 2011. SNC has argued it should be allowed to avoid a trial because the executives accused of wrongdoing have left the company and it has overhauled ethics and compliance systems. Justice Minister David Lametti told CTV on Sunday it was still theoretically possible he could direct federal prosecutors to drop the idea of a trial. One source with knowledge of the matter said it was not unusual for an attorney general to have "robust conversations" with colleagues as they gathered data in such situations. But the source, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation, insisted there had been no interference in the SNC-Lavalin case. Wilson-Raybould "is not someone who takes these issues lightly and she would not have stood for this had she thought people were trying to influence her in a way that was not right. ... She would have quit," the source said. SNC-Lavalin is based in the politically powerful province of Quebec, where the Liberals need to capture more seats to have any chance of winning a second successive majority government. The company cut its full-year profit forecast for a second time on Monday, citing a dispute with a client related to a mining project in Latin America. SNC-Lavalin shares were trading down 7.7 percent shortly before the market close. (Reporting by David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Leslie Adler) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Reuters The University of California will soon be granted a potentially valuable patent on the revolutionary gene-editing technology known as CRISPR, according to a document filed by the US patent office on Friday. The US Patent and Trademark Office decision to grant the patent could further fuel a long-running rivalry between the university and the Broad Institute, a biological and genomic research center affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University that also holds patents on CRISPR. Patent rights to CRISPR could eventually be worth billions of dollars, because the technology could revolutionize the treatment of diseases, crop engineering and other areas. The so-called notice of allowance from the Patent and Trademark Office means the patent will likely be issued within eight weeks. Once issued, it could still face challenges in administrative or court proceedings. The issued patent will encompass the use of CRISPR-Cas9 technology in any cellular or non-cellular environment, Eldora Ellison, lead patent strategist on CRISPR matters for the University of California, said in an online statement. CRISPR works as a molecular scissors that can trim away unwanted pieces of genetic material and replace them with new ones. Easier to use than older techniques, it has quickly become a preferred method of gene editing in research labs. The patent being approved stems from an application filed by microbiologists Jennifer Doudna of the University of California at Berkeley and Emmanuelle Charpentier of the University of Vienna in 2012. The scientists filed the application, the first ever for a CRISPR-related patent, after they discovered how CRISPR could be used to edit genomes in simple pieces of DNA called plasmids. A team at the Broad Institute led by bioengineer Feng Zhang applied for their own patent months later, but paid for a fast-track review process, which landed them the first CRISPR patent in 2014. The Broads patents covered CRISPRs use in so-called eukaryotic cells, which include animal and human cells. The new patent decision does not affect the CRISPR patent estate held by Broad, MIT, and Harvard in any way, Broad Institute spokesman David Cameron said in a statement. In April 2015, the University of California filed a petition with the Patent and Trademark Office challenging the Broad Institutes patents, claiming they covered the same thing as the universitys earlier application. However, the board rejected that petition, allowing both the University of Californias application and the Broad Institute patents to stand. Its decision was upheld by a federal appeals court last year. Both institutions have licensed their CRISPR intellectual property to biotech companies. tech2 News Staff NASA wants to make sure that there's never another day that space isn't occupied by humans. "In fact...we want lots of humans in space," said the NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine to Space.com. Bridenstine said that the space agency set itself back by leaving a gap of eight years without NASA astronauts in space after the Apollo missions ended and before the Space Shuttle program took off. "Now we're getting to the point where we're ready to fly commercial crew. We've got a gap of about eight years in our ability to fly crew into space." With the imminent retirement of the International Space Station, Bridenstine emphasised that NASA will do everything possible to ensure that a gap like the eight lost years for the agency won't happen again. In his view, NASA should have pursued the Moon a decade ago like it is doing today. The opportunity came in the form of a crucially important discovery made by NASA that the Moon has hundreds of billions of litres water in the form of frozen ice on its surface. "To me, that should have changed our direction immediately," he said. ISRO's Chandrayaan-2 mission confirmed that water did exist on the Moon in 2008, after which NASA confirmed the immense volume of it concentrated at the poles. "We need to get to more parts of the Moon than we have ever gotten to before," Bridenstine said. "(Under) the Apollo program, we had six landings, all in the equatorial regions of the Moon, and we didn't get the full perspective, the full understanding, the science and the knowledge." To NASA, the Moon represents (both metaphorically and literally) a gateway to the rest of our solar system. It will act as a test bed for technologies and human-spaceflight capabilities to survive on other worlds, he said. The Moon is closer than Mars is, more accessible to carry out these tests, and quicker to return from for astronauts. NASA's plan to tap the Moon and eventually Mars for their research is to build small space-station-like "Gateway" platforms that will act as outposts or a relay transport for journeying to deep space. For the first such Gateway, NASA has prioritised staying in orbit for a "very, very long period of time," in the design over convenient access to the surface of the Moon. NASA's commercial partners will be able to shuttle back and forth between the Earth and the lunar orbit and build their own landers to get to the surface of the Moon. While the first Gateway is "about the Moon", the second Gateway for deep-space transport, will use commercial and international partners to enable missions to Mars, he said. "What we don't want to do is go to the surface of the Moon, prove that we can do it again, and then be done...We want to go to stay." The Lunar Gateway, according to Bridenstine, is the best way for NASA to access more parts of the Moon than before, and reach Mars before anyone else does with commercial partners and all. Reuters David Aguilar has built himself a robotic prosthetic arm using Lego pieces after being born without a right forearm due to a rare genetic condition. Aguilar, 19, who studies bioengineering at the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya in Spain, is already using his fourth model of the colourful prosthetic and his dream is to design affordable robotic limbs for those who need them. Once his favourite toys, the plastic bricks became the building material for Aguilars first, still very rudimentary, artificial arm at the age of nine, and each new version had more movement capability than the one before. As a child I was very nervous to be in front of other guys, because I was different, but that didnt stop me believing in my dreams, Aguilar, who is from Andorra, a tiny principality between Spain and France, told Reuters. I wanted to ... see myself in the mirror like I see other guys, with two hands, said Aguilar, who uses the artificial arm only occasionally and is self-sufficient without it. All the versions are on display in his room in the university residence on the outskirts of Barcelona. The latest models are marked MK followed by the number a tribute to comic book superhero Iron Man and his MK armour suits. Aguilar, who uses Lego pieces provided by a friend, proudly displayed a red-and-yellow, fully functional robotic arm built when he was 18, bending it in the elbow joint and flexing the grabber as the electric motor inside whirred. A presentation video on his YouTube channel that he runs under the nickname "Hand Solo" says his aim is to show people that nothing is impossible and disability cannot stop them. After graduating from university, he wants to create affordable prosthetic solutions for people who need them. I would try to give them a prosthetic, even if its for free, to make them feel like a normal person, because what is normal, right? The Conversation Compared to gene-edited babies in China and ambitious projects to rescue woolly mammoths from extinction, biotech trees might sound pretty tame. But releasing genetically engineered trees into forests to counter threats to forest health represents a new frontier in biotechnology. Even as the techniques of molecular biology have advanced, humans have not yet released a genetically engineered plant that is intended to spread and persist in an unmanaged environment. Biotech trees genetically engineered or gene-edited offer just that possibility. One thing is clear: The threats facing our forests are many, and the health of these ecosystems is getting worse. A 2012 assessment by the U.S. Forest Service estimated that nearly 7 percent of forests nationwide are in danger of losing at least a quarter of their tree vegetation by 2027. This estimate may not sound too worrisome, but it is 40 percent higher than the previous estimate made just six years earlier. In 2018, at the request of several US federal agencies and the US Endowment for Forestry and Communities, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine formed a committee to "examine the potential use of biotechnology to mitigate threats to forest tree health." Experts, including me, a social scientist focused on emerging biotechnologies, were asked to "identify the ecological, ethical, and social implications of deploying biotechnology in forests, and develop a research agenda to address knowledge gaps." Our committee members came from universities, federal agencies and NGOs and represented a range of disciplines: molecular biology, economics, forest ecology, law, tree breeding, ethics, population genetics and sociology. All of these perspectives were important for considering the many aspects and challenges of using biotechnology to improve forest health. A crisis in US forests Climate change is just the tip of the iceberg. Forests face higher temperatures and droughts and more pests. As goods and people move around the globe, even more insects and pathogens hitchhike into our forests. We focused on four case studies to illustrate the breadth of forest threats. The emerald ash borer arrived from Asia and causes severe mortality in five species of ash trees. First detected on U.S. soil in 2002, it had spread to 31 states as of May 2018. Whitebark pine, a keystone and foundational species in high elevations of the U.S. and Canada, is under attack by the native mountain pine beetle and an introduced fungus. Over half of whitebark pine in the northern US and Canada have died. Poplar trees are important to riparian ecosystems as well as for the forest products industry. A native fungal pathogen, Septoria musiva, has begun moving west, attacking natural populations of black cottonwood in Pacific Northwest forests and intensively cultivated hybrid poplar in Ontario. And the infamous chestnut blight, a fungus accidentally introduced from Asia to North America in the late 1800s, wiped out billions of American chestnut trees. Can biotech come to the rescue? Should it? Its complicated Although there are many potential applications of biotechnology in forests, such as genetically engineering insect pests to suppress their populations, we focused specifically on biotech trees that could resist pests and pathogens. Through genetic engineering, for example, researchers could insert genes, from a similar or unrelated species, that help a tree tolerate or fight an insect or fungus. Its tempting to assume that the buzz and enthusiasm for gene editing will guarantee quick, easy and cheap solutions to these problems. But making a biotech tree will not be easy. Trees are large and long-lived, which means that research to test the durability and stability of an introduced trait will be expensive and take decades or longer. We also dont know nearly as much about the complex and enormous genomes of trees, compared to lab favorites such as fruit flies and the mustard plant, Arabidopsis. In addition, because trees need to survive over time and adapt to changing environments, it is essential to preserve and incorporate their existing genetic diversity into any new tree. Through evolutionary processes, tree populations already have many important adaptations to varied threats, and losing those could be disastrous. So even the fanciest biotech tree will ultimately depend on a thoughtful and deliberate breeding program to ensure long-term survival. For these reasons, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine committee recommends increasing investment not just in biotechnology research, but also in tree breeding, forest ecology and population genetics. Oversight challenges The committee found that the US Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology, which distributes federal oversight of biotechnology products among agencies such as EPA, USDA and FDA, is not fully prepared to consider the introduction of a biotech tree to improve forest health. Most obviously, regulators have always required containment of pollen and seeds during biotech field trials to avoid the escape of genetic material. For example, the biotech chestnut was not allowed to flower to ensure that transgenic pollen wouldnt blow across the landscape during field trials. But if biotech trees are intended to spread their new traits, via seeds and pollen, to introduce pest resistance across landscapes, then studies of wild reproduction will be necessary. These are not currently allowed until a biotech tree is fully deregulated. Another shortcoming of the current framework is that some biotech trees may not require any special review at all. The USDA, for example, was asked to consider a loblolly pine that was genetically engineered for greater wood density. But because USDAs regulatory authority stems from its oversight of plant pest risks, it decided that it did not have any regulatory authority over that biotech tree. Similar questions remain regarding organisms whose genes are edited using new tools such as CRISPR. The committee noted that US regulations fail to promote a comprehensive consideration of forest health. Although the National Environmental Policy Act sometimes helps, some risks and many potential benefits are unlikely to be evaluated. This is the case for biotech trees as well as other tools to counter pests and pathogens, such as tree breeding, pesticides and site management practices. How do you measure the value of a forest? The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report suggests an ecosystem services framework for considering the various ways that trees and forests provide value to humans. These range from extraction of forest products to the use of forests for recreation to the ecological services a forest provides water purification, species protection and carbon storage. The committee also acknowledged that some ways of valuing the forest do not fit into the ecosystem services framework. For example, if forests are seen by some to have intrinsic value, then they have value in and of themselves, apart from the way humans value them and perhaps implying a kind of moral obligation to protect and respect them. Issues of wildness and naturalness also surface. Wild nature? Paradoxically, a biotech tree could increase and decrease wildness. If wildness depends upon a lack of human intervention, then a biotech tree will reduce the wildness of a forest. But perhaps so would a conventionally bred, hybrid tree that was deliberately introduced into an ecosystem. Which would reduce wildness more the introduction of a biotech tree or the eradication of an important tree species? There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but they remind us of the complexity of decisions to use technology to enhance nature. This complexity points to a key recommendation of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report: dialogue among experts, stakeholders and communities about how to value forests, assess the risks and potential benefits of biotech, and understand complex public responses to any potential interventions, including those involving biotechnology. These processes need to be respectful, deliberative, transparent and inclusive. Such processes, such as a 2018 stakeholder workshop on the biotech chestnut, will not erase conflict or even guarantee consensus, but they have the potential to create insight and understanding that can feed into democratic decisions that are informed by expert knowledge and public values. Jason A. Delborne, Associate Professor of Science, Policy, and Society in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Agence France-Presse A British-made rover that will set off for Mars next year in search for signs of life was named Thursday after DNA pioneer Rosalind Franklin. UK astronaut Tim Peake revealed the name of the first European scavenger of the Red Planet at the Airbus factory just north of London where it was built. Cambridge-educated Franklin "helped us understand life on Earth and now her namesake will do the same on Mars," UK Science Minister Chris Skidmore said at the unveiling. The brilliant, but long-unrecognised, 20th century British scientist's name was selected with the help of a public competition in which nearly 36,000 took part. "Just as Rosalind Franklin overcame many obstacles during her career, I hope 'Rosalind the Rover' will successfully persevere in this exciting adventure, inspiring generations of female scientists and engineers to come," said Skidmore. Franklin's work was used to formulate the seminal 1953 hypothesis about the structure of DNA the molecule containing an organism's genetic code. She died of cancer at the age of 37 in 1958. The three men who were awarded the Nobel Prize for their work on DNA four years later did not mention Franklin in their acceptance speeches. Franklin's contribution to their research remained largely overlooked in science books until the 1990s. The new rover is planned to land on Mars in 2021 as part of the ExoMars programme which is being conducted jointly by the European Space Agency (ESA) and its Russian counterpart Roscosmos. It follows in the tracks of three similar missions conducted by the United States. The six-wheeler will be "looking for traces of life beyond Earth," said ESA human and robotic exploration director David Parker. "Can we find primitive life on the Red Planet?" he asked. 'Big moment for Britain' The new rover will try to answer that question by drilling two metres (6.5 feet) into the hot planet's surface to sample and analyse the soil. It will use solar power to drive around with the help of optic sensors. Scientists said it will have a degree of "intelligence" that allows it to make some rudimentary decisions on its own. The rover will first undergo a series of stern tests to make sure it can survive extreme temperatures and vibrations endured in a journey that takes it more than 55 million kilometres (35 million miles) from Earth. UK engineers finished building the European space explorer at a delicate political time. Britain is due to end its 46-year involvement in the European Union at the end of March. Relations between the two sides are strained and cooperation on major projects such as space exploration is under review. Britain has already been kicked of the EU's Galileo satellite navigation system because of Brexit. The rover was built by the British-based defence and space unit of the pan-European Airbus corporation. Its high-resolution 3D camera was built by University College London's space science lab. And the University of Leicester in England worked on Rosalind's electronics and data processing panel. "This is a big moment for British science," science minister Skidmore said. "Although we are leaving the European union, we are not leaving ESA." Duluth, MN (55816) Today Cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 63F. SSW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 63F. SSW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%. tech2 News Staff Update: Twitter India's Director of Policy Mahima Kaul will represent Twitter before the Parliament Comittee on information technology. A date for the meeting has not been officially announced yet. After failing to appear for a panel meeting summoned by the parliamentary committee on information technology, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and other Twitter executives have come under a lot of fire from the government. While the parliamentary committee is considering ways of sending a "strong" message after the snub, Twitter has stated that the social media giant is ready to settle on "mutually agreeable" dates when Dorsey is available. However, Twitter citing the unavailability of top officials as the primary reason for not making it to the panel meeting does fall somewhat flat as the social media giant was given 10 days to prepare for the meeting. The meeting date, which was initially set for 7 February, was also deferred to 11 February, to allow Twitter India more time. The panel had summoned representatives of Twitter and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to be present before it on Monday at 3 pm to discuss the issue of safeguarding citizens rights on social media/online news platforms. Twitter on Saturday said it is ready to appear before the committee with company officials from its India office. A member of the parliamentary committee talking to the Economic Times said, The letter clearly indicated that the Indian representatives (of Twitter) do not have the authority to frame a policy or (looking into) its enforcement. The committee, thus, felt it futile to interact with such representatives and decided to interact with the companys CEO or his deputy. The Parliamentary Commitee on Information Technology takes very serious note of this. We will take appropriate action on 11th February. Citizens are welcome to send their concerns/issues via email to the Parliamentary Commitee. comit@sansad.nic.in https://t.co/oKBzdoJkhV Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) February 9, 2019 As per a report by the Times of India, Twitter India could be anticipating allegations of having anti-right-wing political leanings and selectively blocking handles on grounds of policy violation. The social media company has stated that none of its actions is biased and that each decision is taken on a "case to case" basis. Meenakshi Lekhi, a Lok Sabha MP from New Delhi also weighed in on the controversy, saying, "In this situation, if Twitter is disrespecting established institution of Parliament, then there are repercussions. If there is any violation of any sort, then there are repercussions to those violations." On the day she set on her maiden visit to Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra debuted on Twitter. The newly-appointed Congress general secretary already has over 42.4 thousand followers on the micro-blogging site. On the day she set on her maiden visit to Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra debuted on Twitter. The newly-appointed Congress general secretary already has over 42.4 thousand followers on the micro-blogging site. Priyanka, however, follows only seven Twitter handles for now, including, Rahul Gandhi, Sachin Pilot, Ashok Gehlot, Ahmed Patel, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Jyotiraditya Scindia and her official party handle. Priyanka, the newest member of the Congress, who has been entrusted the charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, landed in Lucknow on Monday morning and was held a road show from the airport to the Congress headquarters. Priyanka will have her hands full during her four-day visit to Lucknow as she will meet senior leaders and office bearers of the party. This will be Priyanka's maiden visit to Uttar Pradesh after she formally entered politics last month. She arrived in Lucknow, accompanied by her brother and Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary in-charge for western Uttar Pradesh Jyotiradtiya Scindia on Monday. The party in Uttar Pradesh is seeing the visit as the virtual launch of the Congress campaign in the state, ahead of the coming Lok Sabha elections. In-charge of 42 of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka will meet senior leaders and office bearers of the party constituency-wise during her visit till February 14, Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi said. Lists of leaders, including former MPs, MLAs and other people's representatives, have been sought from the district unit presidents. Each constituency is being allotted a different time to meet the senior leadership, during which all issues related to their areas will be discussed in detail, he said. Besides, the district and city unit presidents, office bearers and other senior leaders will also be meeting Priyanka and Scindia during their visit, Awasthi said. Rahul Gandhi is likely to return the same day after a meeting with the state leaders, he added. Preparations are underway to accord a grand welcome to the three leaders on their arrival, Awasthi said. They will be welcomed by party workers and leaders at nearly 37 points on the 10 km-route from the airport to the Nehru Bhawan Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) headquarters, he said. He added that Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka and Scindia are likely to garland statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi on their way to the party office. The route was finalised after a meeting with the district administration. The UPCC office is being spruced up and new hoardings have come up all the way from the airport, welcoming Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka and Scindia. A team of Special Protection Group (SPG) also visited the UPCC headquarters on Thursday and met senior Congress leaders to make necessary security arrangements ahead of the visit, party sources said. "Congress workers are excited about the visit of party leaders and we are awaiting to give them a rousing welcome... we hope that with her (Priyanka) joining active politics, the state will also get a new energy," chief state Congress spokesperson Rajiv Bakshi said. "This is a very auspicious time for us and a good omen for the party," he said. For millions of Indians, not to speak of the media, the very fact that Priyanka has physical resemblance with grandmother Indira Gandhi is enough. There might be a thousand opinions on who may emerge triumphant in the Lok Sabha elections, but politicians and pundits agree almost unanimously on one thing the centrality of Uttar Pradesh to the outcome. Until recently, the battle for Uttar Pradesh was being shaped as a bipolar contest between the BJP and the SP-BSP combine who have been compelled to put aside their regional rivalry spanning over two decades to take on the might of the BJP. Despite talks of a mahagathbandhan or grand alliance, the SP and BSP ditched the Congress and went ahead to stitch a mutual seat-sharing arrangement. It was seen as an indictment of the Congress moribund state in Uttar Pradesh, where from being in power 27 years ago, it has now been reduced to an inconsequential marginal player with no captive vote bank of its own. Priyanka Gandhi Vadras grand entry into the turf changes the equation to a large extent. On Tuesday, the latest scion of Indias most famous political dynasty held a mega road show to announce her formal entry into the rough and tumble of Indian politics as Congress general secretary in charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh. It might seem daft that the entry of an untested, inexperienced dynast is being billed as some sort of a game-changing move in the most fiercely-contested election of the worlds largest democracy. But that view runs the risk of underestimating the hold dynastic politics still enjoys over India. For millions of Indians, not to speak of the media, the very fact that Priyanka has physical resemblance with grandmother Indira Gandhi, the former prime minister, is enough. She has become a national talking point, commentators and analysts have written reams already and spoken aeons about her possible impact, and the media has gone into a tizzy. In fact, the vehicle that carried her and her troupe during the road show had a huge collage of Indira and Priyankas images just to buttress the facial similarity. The 12-kilometre stretch from Lucknow airport to the Congress party office the route of the road show was littered with graffiti, posters and banners where Priyanka is either compared to her grandmother, or superimposed over a life-size billboard of goddess Durga. A case might be made against the still feudal nature of Indian polity that places dynastic succession over merit and scions are either handed over the reins of parties or gain instant stardom as soon as they decide to take the plunge. That, however, is a separate discussion. The issue at hand is whether Priyankas entry changes the Uttar Pradesh equation and if so, in what way. A few factors are worth pointing out. One, Priyankas biggest impact will be felt in terms of cadre mobilisation. The excitement and the enthusiasm of the ordinary Congress worker as the road show snaked its way through Lucknow was evident. It is too early to say whether lifting of workers spirits will result in an improved seat tally for the Congress the two are not necessarily co-related. However, for a moribund unit that was devoid of organisational strength, strapped of cash and grassroots support, Priyankas high-octane entry cant be a bad thing. TV channels reported that thousands of Congress workers from different constituencies had reached Lucknow to take a glance at Priyanka or the reincarnation of the Iron Lady of Indian politics. Two, the perception around the Congress is also seemingly undergoing a change. The BJP appears cautious, mindful that an aggressive attack on Priyanka may give the Congress the chance to play the victim card and tap into the sentimentality still associated with Indira Gandhi, who was a popular figure despite her imposition of Emergency. The most dramatic change, however, seems to have occurred among alliance partners SP and BSP. According to reports, the stirring of Uttar Pradeshs political pot since Priyankas formal entry and the well-attended Congress road show have triggered a rethink among a section of SP and BSP leaders and feelers are apparently being sent through back channels to explore the possibility of coming to some sort of an agreement with the Congress. A News18 report says the alliance partners may leave more than a dozen seats for the Congress, if the GoP is agreeable, to minimise the possibility of fracturing anti-BJP votes. Irrespective of whether a true mahagathbandhan emerges, the fact that its possibility is being discussed so soon after the SP and BSP kept the Congress out of the loop, suggests that the regional parties have taken note of the altered equation on ground and Congress has improved its perception from being a vote-cutter against BJP to a galvanising force. To that extent, Priyankas entry already seems to have presented the Congress with some sort of leverage to gain allies. Three, there are some advantages in being perceived as telegenic and charismatic. It helps more if your lineage is linked to Indian political royalty. Priyankas entry alone has ensured blanket media coverage for the Congress, which is no mean feat for a cash-strapped party that is struggling to fight elections with empty coffers. As argued in this Foreign Policy article, Priyankas entry ensures campaign finance for the Congress because now the party may ensure wall-to-wall television coverage of any event in which (Priyanka) Gandhi even remotely figures... Given the novelty associated with Priyanka Gandhis plunge into the rough-and-tumble of retail politics and her perceived superior political acumen, Indias ratings-mad news channels will gladly cut into live programming to air any speech, press conference, or casual remark she gives on the trail. Four, in terms of political savviness, Priyankas appeal cuts through the middle class more than Rahul Gandhi who, despite umpteen efforts at image makeover, still remains unconvincing and lacks credibility. The elder of the two Gandhi siblings has never been at the forefront, but she has been engaged in backroom support for Congress for a long time though her forays have been restricted to the family fiefdoms of Raebareli and Amethi. Her on-camera presence and poise before crowd appeals to a section of the middle class that remains fascinated with her grandmother despite her dictatorial strains. This appeal may spill over into the social media domain, where Priyanka opened her account on Monday to coincide with her formal plunge into politics. The BJP no longer enjoys a monopoly over social media ever since late-starter Congress started paying attention to it, and Priyanka may further leverage the medium in favour of the Congress. Five, Priyankas stance on husband Robert Vadra is an indication that the Congress has adopted an offence is the best defence strategy. She dropped her husband at the Enforcement Directorate office on Day 1 of his questioning regarding alleged benami luxury properties in London, and on Monday she will reportedly fly to Jaipur to be by his side while Vadra is questioned by the ED again on Tuesday. The Congress strategy is aimed at winning the perception game around Vadra. Priyankas keenness to be by her husband at a time when he is being questioned for charges of graft is meant to show that she doesnt believe her marital ties will affect her political career. An extension of this argument is that the charges are baseless and politically motivated to thwart Priyankas entry into politics. What we see here, therefore, is a clever attempt at turning a seemingly disconcerting reality into political advantage. It shows an aggressive intent on Priyankas part that may hold her in good stead. The last two factors are more of a reality check for Congress. Priyanka had released an audio clip on Sunday through an in-house app, claiming that she will start a new kind of politics, a politics in which all of you will be stakeholders my young friends, my sisters and even the weakest person, all their voices will be heard. There was little in the speech in terms of clarity of thought, her tangible targets, an assessment of the political turf and details on how she wants to bring the change. If she was talking of inclusive politics, the Congress has done nothing to show that it wants to indulge in caste-agnostic politics. On the contrary, much of Rahul Gandhis recent political career involves running to temples and holding up his janeu to reinforce his Shiv-bhakt credentials. Unless Priyanka rises above obfuscating rhetoric and presents a clear roadmap of her plans, it will be difficult for the electorate to take her seriously. The final point revolves around her subtly promoted Indira 2.0 image. This ploy can only work once. If Priyanka fails to deliver on the ground, no amount of comparisons with her grandmother will bring in the crowds or TV cameras. The Congress perhaps understands this, and therefore Rahul Gandhi has been spending the last few days tempering down the expectations and hype around his sister and insisting that the Congress real target is 2022 Assembly polls. A day before her maiden visit to Uttar Pradesh as Congress general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that together with the people of the state she hopes to start a 'new kind of politics' in which everyone will be a stakeholder. New Delhi: A day before her maiden visit to Uttar Pradesh as Congress general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that together with the people of the state she hopes to start a "new kind of politics" in which everyone will be a stakeholder. Priyanka and Jyotiraditya Scindia will arrive in Lucknow on Monday on their first trip to the state after being appointed the Congress general secretary in charges of eastern and western Uttar Pradesh respectively. They will be accompanied by Congress president Rahul Gandhi all three visiting the crucial state for the first time after the appointments announced last month. "I am coming tomorrow to Lucknow to meet all of you. I have hope in my heart that together we will start a new kind of politics, a politics in which all of you will be stakeholders my young friends, my sisters and even the weakest person, all their voices will be heard," said Priyanka through the Congress's Shakti App. Congress workers are planning a roadshow when the three leaders travel from the airport to the party's state headquarter. The party in Uttar Pradesh is seeing the visit as the virtual launch of the Congress campaign in the state, ahead of the coming Lok Sabha elections. "Come, let's build a new future, new politics with me. Thank you," she said in her message to the people ahead of the visit to the state. | | 12 , - | | pic.twitter.com/H0yuBQvthM Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 11, 2019 Scindia, in his message, said: "Tomorrow I am coming to be with you. The youth of Uttar Pradesh need a roadmap for the future and the state needs change. Come align with us and bring change to Uttar Pradesh." The two general secretaries will interact with party workers at the state Congress office in Lucknow on 12, 13, and 14 February, while Rahul Gandhi is likely to return on Monday itself. Making her political debut as Congress general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi roared into Uttar Pradesh with thousands cheering for her cavalcade Lucknow: Making her political debut as Congress general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi on Monday roared into Uttar Pradesh with thousands cheering as her cavalcade slowly made its way through the city during a roadshow, being seen as launch of the party's campaign in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Accompanied by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and incharge of the western region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, the beaming 47-year-old sported a kurta and a stole, and waved at the teeming party workers jostling for a glimpse. "Come, let's build a new future, new politics with me. Thank you," she said in her message to the people ahead of the visit to the state. When the three leaders embarked on a roughly 25-km-long roadshow, from the airport to the party headquarters, to woo voters in the Lok Sabha polls, rose petals and marigold garlands were showered at their cavalcade. As her 'rath' inched through major thoroughfares, enthusiastic people and party members took vantage positions to click a prized photo. Enthusiastic Congress workers took to the streets to celebrate the arrival of the two new AICC incharges, with party tricolours and hoardings all over giving the city a festive look. Since early morning, Congress workers were seen busy giving final touches to the arrangements for the roadshow, distributing food packets, tea and water to passersby. Patriotic songs were played on loudspeakers perking up the mood. Some posters showed Priyanka in 'Durga Mata' avatar riding on a lion. "Maa Durga ka roop behen Priyanka ji (Sister Priyankaji is Maa Durga's incarnation)," said one poster, while some others highlighted her resemblance to Indira Gandhi, her grandmother. Besides workers of other front organisations of the party, some Congress workers - said to be members of Priyanka sena, a little known outfit - were seen wearing pink T-shirts with her photograph. "With the Priyanka Sena at the Nehru Bhawan, Lucknow it is almost celebration here," tweeted Sushmita Dev, president of all India Mahila Congress. With the Priyanka Sena at the Nehru Bhawan, Luckhnow. Its almost like a celebration here. pic.twitter.com/GuFuEswY4V Sushmita Dev (@sushmitadevmp) February 10, 2019 An enthusiastic party general secretary Shailendra Tewari has customised his car to welcome Priyanka with the banner reading, "Aa gai priyanka...baj gaya danka... brashtachar ki ab lagegi Lanka... (Priyanka is here..the bugle has been sounded...corruption will vanish)." A day before her maiden visit to Uttar Pradesh as Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi said that together with the people of the state she hopes to start a "new kind of politics" in which everyone will be a stakeholder. The two general secretaries will interact with party workers at the state Congress office in Lucknow on 12, 13 and 14 February. Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Rajiv Bakshi told PTI that Priyanka Gandhi's entry into formal politics will enthuse party workers to regain lost ground in the state in the Lok Sabha polls. "This is an opportunity for the Congress to strike back in the most crucial state of the country where the organisation had all through been wanting her to plunge into active politics," he said. Priyanka Gandhi is the Congress' big hope for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections who will be shouldering the responsibility of reviving Congress fortunes, especially in the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh, say party insiders. Her entry into active politics has been at a time when the party is not only witnessing one of the most difficult times electorally but has also been sidelined by prospective allies for the 'mahagatbandhan' with the Samajwadi Party and BSP totally ignoring it in forming their alliance. Priyanka Gandhi is pitched as a big draw with her charisma and voter connect, but her 'rescue Congress' mission remains a daunting task in the state where the party has been pushed on the margins with the advent of caste-based politics since the last 30 years. Though she is no stranger to such roadshows with her brother, she is seen campaigning for the first time outside the Gandhi family constituencies of Amethi and Raebareli and her political acumen and connect with the public will be at test for the first time. The last two Lok Sabha by elections in eastern Uttar Pradesh, for the Gorakhpur and Phulpur, were disastrous for the Congress. Party candidates managed to fetch only around 19,000 votes each and registered only a 2 per cent vote share in each constituency. In 2014, the Congress just managed to retain the Gandhi family constituencies of Amethi and Raebareli, as compared to the 21 it had won five years earlier. The party's vote share also dropped by almost 50 per cent between 2009 and 2014. Eastern Uttar Pradesh, the area where Priyanka Gandhi will be active is presently the strongholds of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. UPCC general secretary Dwijendra Tripathi said making two general secretary incharges of Uttar Pradesh showed the seriousness Rahul Gandhi attaches to state. "Both are young and popular, he said. They have a certain hold over the public and have leadership qualities and a rapport with the common man." Congress leaders said Priyanka Gandhi's into active party politics will galvanise the workers, helping them take on the dual challenge posed in the state by the BJP and the SP-BSP alliance. Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said that there was no place for casteism in his area because of his 'warning' that anybody talking about caste will be 'thrashed' by him. Pune: Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said that there was no place for casteism in his area because of his "warning" that anybody talking about caste will be "thrashed" by him. Speaking at a programme organised by the Punaruththan Samarasta Gurukulam in Pimpri Chinchwad township, the senior BJP leader said the society should be brought together on the basis of economic and social equality, and it should not have any scope for casteism and communalism. "We do not believe in any casteism... but there is no place for castiesm in our five districts because I have warned everybody that if someone talks about caste, I will thrash him," said Gadkari who represents the Nagpur Lok Sabha seat. Gadkari further said: "The entire society should be brought together on the basis of economic and social equality and unity and it also should be free from casteism and communalism". Gadkari, who is known for speaking his mind, had kicked up controversies over his public statements in the past. He had said in December last year that leadership should have the tendency to own up defeat and failures. The remarks had come days after the BJP's loss in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh assembly polls. Gadkari later clarified that his remarks were taken out of context. Last month, Gadkari had advised fellow politicians against interfering in "other fields". He had made the remarks at the valedictory function of the annual Marathi literary meet at Yavatmal in Maharashtra which was embroiled in a controversy after an invitation to noted writer Nayantara Sahgal was withdrawn. Chandrababu Naidu is on a fast here demanding that the Centre fulfill all promises made during Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation in 2014 and alleging that the prime minister was not following 'raj dharma' by denying the state special status New Delhi: Expressing support for Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's day-long fast, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Monday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stolen from the people of the state and given the money to industrialist Anil Ambani. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president is on a fast here demanding that the Centre fulfill all promises made during Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation in 2014 and alleging that the prime minister was not following 'raj dharma' by denying the state special status. "The prime minister has stolen from the people from Andhra Pradesh and he has given that money to Anil Ambani. That is the fact of the matter," Rahul said at the venue of the hunger strike in Narendra Modi Andhra Bhavan. The government and Ambani have rejected Rahul's allegations of corruption in the Rafale fighter jet deal with France. "Narendra Modi, wherever he goes, he goes to Andhra Pradesh, he lies about special status. He goes to the North East, he tells another lie over there. He goes to Maharashtra and he tells another lie over there. He has absolutely got no credibility left," Rahul said. Azad had already dissociated himself from these committees, conveying his displeasure over the arrangement and structure of the panels. However, several senior leaders of Jammu and Kashmir Congress passed a resolution demanding that Azad be given the full charge of elections in the state. The Congress, like any other political party, isn't immune to in-fighting and has seen some leaders express displeasure over its state of affairs and distance themselves from the party. Nearly two years ago, former foreign minister SM Krishna quit the party citing 'interference' from party chief Rahul Gandhi. There were also reports of discontent and internal squabble in the Maharashtra Congress last week and there were reports of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra being roped in for damage control and campaigning ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Reportedly, state leader Milind Deora is unhappy with the functioning of the regional unit and has even hinted at sitting out of the 2019 contest. However, one senior leader has been facing constant neglect from the Grand Old Party's high command despite support from the from party workers. Ghulam Nabi Azad, who has been part of the party for over four decades now and is a former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, presently has a very limited role in the state. In AICC's recent announcement of poll panels for the Jammu and Kashmir Congress Committee, Azad's name was mentioned very low in the rank of leaders appointed as election in-charges. While PCC president GA Mir is heading both the election and the campaign committee of the state, as the Chairperson, Azad's name has been placed at number three in these panels. In the coordination committee, which is being headed by Ambika Soni, Azad has been kept at fourth place after Mir and Nawang Rigzin Jora, while a number leaders from his camp have not been adjusted in any of these panels. Azad had already dissociated himself from these committees, conveying his displeasure over the arrangement and structure of the panels. However, several senior leaders of Jammu and Kashmir Congress passed a resolution demanding that Azad be given the full charge of elections in the state. The resolution was forwarded to the Congress high command and Rahul, who had approved the panel choices. It is interesting to note that Azad was head of the Congress Campaign Committee in three consecutive Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir since 2002, and has been a popular face in the state throughout. According to some reports, Congress leaders have also hinted that if the top leadership of the party does not consider their request, a revolt may take place as they feel that under Azads able and dynamic leadership, the party can emerge victorious in the upcoming state polls. Meanwhile, according to a report in The Times of India's, Congress sources have said that the draft of these committees was sent to Azad for his approval and he conveyed to the leadership that he would not be part of the Jammu and Kashmir panels since he is busy with the management of elections at the national-level. He said that he would campaign in the state but would not have time for state-centric meetings. The party sources maintained that Azad was offered the chairmanship of the campaign committee, which he apparently refused and thus it was only then that the committees were drafted without him at the head of any panel. According to the report, a state-level programme of party workers is scheduled on 17 February and Azad, along with AICC general secretary in-charge Soni, are scheduled to address it. At that meet, the party may make another attempt to clear the air about any possible trouble in the state unit. However, Congress leaders in the state are not giving up on Azad and want him to be the chief ministerial face of the party. "He is the tallest leader in the Congress as far as Muslims are concerned. That is the reason, he will not take any role in the state immediately. But when elections approach, he will take charge," a former Congress MLA was quoted as saying in this DNA report. "We are going to meet Rahulji and request him to make an announcement in this regard," the Congress leader said. Azad, who had played a key supervisory role in Uttar Pradesh election campaign, was recently made general secretary in charge of Haryana. He had contested from Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency as a joint candidate of Congress and National Conference in the 2014 General Election. Azad was in command of party affairs in Uttar Pradesh till 2018, however, with the introduction and induction of Priyanka, as well as youth leader Jyotiraditya Scindia in the state's fold, he was once again sidelined. On Monday, when Priyanka visited Lucknow on her maiden visit to the state post being made the general secretary, Azad was nowhere to be seen in the milieu of ministers who lined up to welcome the new leader. With Congress planning to consolidate its national prospects and aiming at infusing new blood into the party, it would only be wise for it to not neglect senior leaders like Azad who have stuck around in the system longer than most and have led the party to big turnarounds at various occasions, despite its drubbing in the last Lok Sabha election. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu began a day-long fast on Monday, demanding that the Centre grant special status to the state and fulfil all promises made before its bifurcation in 2014. New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu began a day-long fast on Monday, demanding that the Centre grant special status to the state and fulfil all promises made before its bifurcation in 2014. A number of Opposition party leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, are expected to extend their support to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief's fast at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan. Naidu is to stage the 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice) from 8 am to 8 pm on Monday. N Chandrababu Naidu: If you wont't fulfill our demands, we know how to get them fulfilled. This is about self respect of people of AP. Whenever there is an attack on our self-respect,we won't tolerate it. I am warning this govt&particularly the PM to stop attacking an individual. pic.twitter.com/OKUF4DQUZf ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2019 Before beginning the fast, Naidu offered tributes to Matama Gandhi at Raj Ghat and to BR Ambedkar at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan. A TDP delegation led by Naidu will submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday. Naidu has been trying to unite the Opposition parties to take on the BJP in the general elections. Over the last three months, he has held a number of meetings with the Ppposition party leaders on forming an anti-BJP front. In March last year, the TDP had pulled out of the NDA government over its refusal to grant a special status to Andhra Pradesh. The party has been accusing the Narendra Modi government of not releasing enough funds for the Polavaram irrigation project, the Kadapa steel plant and Amravati, the under-construction ultra-modern state capital. On 2 June, 2014, Andhra Pradesh was split into two, and Hyderabad became the capital of the new state Telangana. With the Lok Sabha polls inching closer, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu seems to be left without any strong allies Leaders from various political parties called upon Andhra Pradesh chief minister and Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu as he sat for the day-long Dharma Porata Deeksha hunger strike on Monday at Andhra Bhavan in Delhi, demanding special status for his state. AAP chief and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, TMC MP Derek OBrien, National Conference's Farooq Abdullah, NCP's Majeed Memon, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and DMKs T Siva spoke on the dharna stage, supporting Naidus demand for a special category status for Andhra Pradesh. However, despite the support from Opposition parties towards his protest, the one ally that the TDP chief might be looking forward to meeting on the dais is Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. We have been denied what is rightfully ours. If you don't get it done, we know how to get it done, a confident Naidu said on Monday, slamming Modi and the Centre at the dharna in Delhi. Naidu' statement echoed the same anti-Centre and anti-Modi sentiment that Mamata had expressed during her Kolkata dharna, which Naidu has attended as well. Back then an over-zealous Naidu had said that "no one can do what Mamata has done" referring to Mamata' stand on the CBI versus Kolkata Police row. Naidu's demand for special status for Andhra Pradesh is an important part of his strategy to strengthen his allegations of the BJP's anti-Andhra policies also a significant poll issue and to defend his anti-BJP stance. And who could be better in pushing his agenda than "the architect of the federal front" who stood against the Centre? While Mamata held a hunger strike in the CBI versus West Bengal row and use it to slam the Centre, the Andhra chief minister seems to have learnt fast from his friend and is holding a fast at Delhi's Andhra Bhavan to press for his demand to accord special status for Andhra Pradesh. Getting support from Mamata is also a necessity for the TDP chief to ensure he remains relevant to national politics. Though Rahul was present at Naidu's dharna on Monday, the TDP and the Congress have been showing signs of rift after the Prajakutami's humiliating defeat in Telangana Assembly polls last year, where the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led Telangana Rashtra Samithi returned to power with 88 seats, decimating the Congress to just 19 seats and TDP to two seats. Even though Professor M Kodandaram, one of the members of the Prajakutami and leader of Telangana Jana Samithi, said the alliance may make a comeback for the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress and TDP had firmly talked after the Telangana Assembly polls about parting ways for the Lok Sabha and Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections. Naidu snapped ties with the National Democratic Alliance in March 2018, over various issues, with the most prominent one being the Centres rejection of the demand of special category status to Andhra Pradesh. The TDP had also moved a no-confidence motion in the Monsoon session of parliament in July 2018, which was defeated, that effectively has left the BJP miffed. Since then, far from being supportive towards TDP, the BJP has gone to the extent of labelling Naidu the Assembly rowdy, deeply frustrated and defeated. BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao took a jab at Naidus outburst in Andhra Assembly earlier this month. "A frustrated, defeatist Chandrababu Naidu has threatened BJP MLAs Vishnu Kumar Raju and Manikyala Rao in Andhra Assembly yesterday that Andhra BJP leaders will not be allowed to move in the state for exposing TDP," Narasimha had tweeted on 2 February. A frustrated, defeatist Chandrababu Naidu has threatened BJP MLAs Vishnu Kumar Raju & Manikyala Rao in Andhra assembly y'day that @BJP4Andhra leaders will not be allowed to move in the state for exposing TDP. BJP is planning privilege motion against @ncbn https://t.co/Py3PTKon91 GVL Narasimha Rao (@GVLNRAO) February 1, 2019 Adding to the flood of criticism against Naidu, BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy had said there is no place for Naidu in Delhi. The parties in the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have left no stone unturned to derail his political ambitions or his demand for special category status for Andhra Pradesh. YSR Congress Party and Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena extended support to the TDP rival party TRS in December last year. KCR, who Naidu claims, had earlier supported Andhra Pradesh's demand for special status, seems to have taken a U-turn on the subject. KCR wanted me not to join hands with the Congress. The TRS chief once supported the provision of SCS to AP. Now, he is against it, Naidu had said in December. Adding insult to injury, YSR Congress Partys Botsa Satyanarayana told reporters on 17 January, Our president Jagan Reddy has time and again said firmly that they would not have electoral tie-ups and will support any coalition that would serve Andhra's interests. Not one to be cowed down, Naidu had then called KCR the second Modi and Jagan the third Modi. Amidst this attack and counter-attack with his immediate rivals in the Andhra Pradesh-Telangana region, and Congress still undecided, Mamata appears to be Naidu's only loyal and strong ally. With inputs from PTI The Builders Merchants Federation has confirmed the final speaker line-up for its popular Industry Forum debate at this years All-Industry Conference. Mark Vandecruys (pictured), Chairman of Belgium-based Fedrus International, and Neil Lawrence, Chief Operating Officer of Jewson will join the previously announced speakers, David Young of Bradfords Building Supplies and Tony France of Ibstock Brick. Bringing a European dimension to the debate, Vandecruys is the co-owner and Chairman of Fedrus International, an independent Belgian distributor specialising in roofing and facade materials. Over the last ten years, Vandecruys has overseen the growth of the group from a small entity to a multinational business using a buy-and-build strategy. The company now comprises five operational units with total revenues of 650m and over 1550 employees. Vandecruys also serves on the board of a number of companies, including BOSS paints. He is an alumni of Harvard Business School and is an Entrepreneur in Residence at Vlerick Business School, contributing to their development programmes and acting as a sounding board for their entrepreneurship department. Lawrence is both Chief Operating Officer for Jewson and Managing Director for Local Merchant Group, the latter a division of Saint-Gobain Building Distribution UK & Ireland comprising the brands Gibbs & Dandy, Chadwicks, JP Corry, Normans, DHS, Benchmark Building Supplies, Matthew Charlton and Roger W Jones. Lawrences career in merchanting spans over 35 years, since he started working life as a yard hand at UBM, moving through various roles within that business before it was acquired by Jewson. He has experienced merchanting at every level, as a branch manager in Devon and Cornwall, an Area Director for the Midlands, and as Regional Director before joining the Jewson Main Board initially as Operations Director and then Sales & Operations Director. In 2011 he was appointed MD of Gibbs and Dandy, the Saint-Gobain division that became Local Merchant Group in 2013. He took up the COO role at Jewson in December 2018, shortly after he was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Builders Merchants Awards for Excellence that year. Lawrence is also the merchant advisor to the BMF board. John Newcomb, BMF CEO said: The Industry Forum is one of the most engaging sessions at the BMFs biennial Conference, setting the tone for our Saturday programme. With Neil and Mark completing our panel of speakers I can guarantee delegates will be presented with a broad range of perspectives on building materials supply in a post-Brexit environment before the debate is opened to the floor. The sold-out BMF All Industry Conference, sponsored by the Crystal Clear Group, takes place in Dubrovnik from 13-16 June 2019. Further details are available on the Conference website, www.bmfconference.co.uk. On Sunday, sources said that the Congress is unlikely to participate in AAP's mega Opposition rally, that will be attended by Mamata Banerjee and Chandrababu Naidu, among other Opposition leaders. New Delhi: The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will launch a campaign - "Your MLA and Councillor at your doorstep" - from 15 February to step up attack against the BJP-led government at the Centre ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. AAP Delhi convener Gopal Rai told reporters that party legislators and corporators will interact with people and request them to throw the Modi government out of power during the campaign. He said the AAP will host a mega rally of Opposition against the "dictatorial" central government at Jantar Mantar on 13 February. "The AAP will intensify its fight against the Modi-Shah duo in Delhi after the 13 February rally. We will launch 'Your MLA and Councillor at your doorstep' campaign for the Lok Sabha elections from 15 February," Rai said. Asked whether the Congress has been sent an invite for the mega 13 February show, he said all those who had participated in the rally organised by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee in January have been invited. "Invitation has been sent to all those who attended Mamata Banerjee's recent rally against the Modi government. We have not spoken to them (Congress) regarding the 13 February mega rally at Jantar Mantar," the AAP leader said. On Sunday, sources said that the Congress is unlikely to participate in the mega Opposition rally that will be attended by Mamata Banerjee and Chandrababu Naidu, among other Opposition leaders. They had also said that with just around two months left before the polls, the rally will serve to bring the Opposition together in firming up a 'Mahagathbandhan' to challenge the BJP and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners in the polls. Vijay Mallya has chalked up plans to initiate a lengthy appeal process against the UK government's order to extradite him to face charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to nearly Rs 9,000 crore in India London: The once "king of good times" is pinning his hopes on a last throw of the dice to save himself from doing time behind bars. Embattled liquor and aviation tycoon Vijay Mallya has chalked up plans to initiate a lengthy appeal process against the UK government's order to extradite him to face charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to nearly Rs 9,000 crore in India. The word of the appeals court would effectively be the last as the Supreme Court in Britain takes up only matters of law of wide public interest. The plea is being filed against an extradition order by the UK home secretary that followed more or less automatically from the Westminster chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot's order of 10 December last year. "The home secretary has almost no discretion to refuse extradition once it has been approved by the court, so this decision is no surprise," says Nick Vamos, partner at the firm Peters and Peters, and former head for extradition at the Crown Prosecution Service. The fact appears to have been lost amid the BJP-Congress war of words ("but you gave the loans" versus "but you let him go") that gets renewed at every stage of this case with unwavering stamina. "I expect his lawyers have had the papers ready for some time, and the appeal will be heard and decided upon in the next two to three months," says Vamos. That sounds like election time in India. The defence for Dr Mallya he has an honorary degree of doctorate of philosophy in business administration from the Southern California University for Professional Studies is expected now to push its allegations of a political witch hunt after the Westminster chief magistrate dismissed that argument in her order. Lively developments within the CBI in Delhi (and later Kolkata) are certain to come up. The Mallya team had pointed fingers at the CBI, particularly the prosecuting officer in this case, Rakesh Asthana, as a political tool of the government. The magistrate said in her order she "found no evidence that the prosecution was corrupt or politically-led" and found also "no evidence that Asthana has acted corruptly". But this is now an appeal against that judgment, and there have since been more developments around Asthana for the Mallya team to pick on. The defence will hit at other weaknesses in the Indian government's case such as identical statements from supposedly independent witnesses that Magistrate Arbuthnot acknowledged but said she had disregarded for purpose of her decision. Mallya's lawyers may ask an appeals court now to consider what the magistrate said she had not needed to. The reversal of a magistrate's orders by an appeals court is not uncommon. A magistrate had ordered the extradition of Lieutenant-Commander Ravi Shankaran (retired) in the naval war room leaks case, but he went in appeal and won. A magistrate had blocked extradition of bookie Sanjiv Chawla, and this time the Indian government went in appeal and won. In the appeal now, little by way of new evidence is likely to be raised in defence. The thrust of the Mallya team bid is likely to be a renewal of arguments to reject Indian government's evidence as inadmissible. The threshold of evidence needed will remain just as low for the appeals court whether there is prima facie evidence of fraud sufficient for the court to order extradition for Mallya to face proper trial in India, and whether he will be detained in minimally humane conditions. Here again, the Mallya team is bound to argue, as it did before the magistrate earlier, that the word of the Indian government on detention conditions cannot be trusted. The experience of Christian Michel and others recently extradited to India will be crucial anything going wrong with their well-being through detention could bring the end of the Indian case against Mallya, and all others to come. The Indian case of fraud and misrepresentation by Mallya appears to have been established clearly, though. The magistrate determined that the Kingfisher management faced a dismal picture of the company coming crashing down but presented a falsely bright picture to the banks. And that Mallya did not just know, but directed such misrepresentation of the true position of the company and of securities offered to the banks. The corresponding failures of the banks were either by design or for motives not presented to the court, the magistrate observed, or they were in the "thrall of this glamorous, flashy, famous, bejewelled, bodyguarded, ostensibly billionaire playboy". Past the adjectives, the magistrate found that this "playboy" used much of the money taken from the banks for funding a company jet for his private use, and for his Formula 1 racing team when he should have been paying creditors. Over an Enforcement Directorate charge, the magistrate found a prima facie case that "Mallya was involved in a conspiracy to launder money". It would not appear very likely that an appeals court will suddenly find the position to be otherwise. As the case now stands, a confirmation of extradition from the appeals court looks most likely. Unlike his outgoing flight, the return, if extradition is confirmed, will more likely be on a private jet. But that thought is unlikely to bring him any more solace than the promise of a 40-inch colour TV in a refurbished cell in Mumbai on which he could watch the news about himself after his jet lag has worn off. If that's where he does land up, Dr Mallya might just begin to take some of the philosophical view of which the Californian school had seen promise. The Uttar Pradesh government constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe recent deaths due to consumption of illicit liquor in Saharanpur, Kushinagar Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday constituted a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe recent deaths due to consumption of illicit liquor in the state. Meanwhile, two persons have been arrested in connection with Kushinagar hooch tragedy, which claimed eight lives, said Superintendent of Police Rajeev Narayan Mishra on Sunday. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has already announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of those who died after consuming spurious liquor and Rs 50,000 each to those who are undergoing treatment. Eastern Uttar Pradesh General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi too expressed grief over the death of more than 100 people in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh due to illicit liquor consumption and demanded an appropriate compensation and provision of government jobs for kin of the deceased. Consumption of spurious illegal liquor has claimed the lives of 70 people in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, forcing government officials to launch a major crackdown to nab those responsible for distribution of illicit liquor in the states and its neighbouring regions. While 13 people lost their lives in Uttarakhand, the death toll in Uttar Pradesh mounted to 56. The opposition to Nandini Krishnans book, Invisible Men: Inside Indias Transmasculine Network, witnessed another development on 9 February 2019 in Mumbai, where the author was scheduled to participate in a panel discussion at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF). The opposition to Nandini Krishnans book, Invisible Men: Inside Indias Transmasculine Network, witnessed another development on 9 February 2019 in Mumbai, where the author was scheduled to participate in a panel discussion at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF). Following multiple critiques by trans men featured in the book (Gee Semmalar, Vihaan Peethambar, Bittu Karthik, Jamal Siddiqui) and an investigative piece by Firstpost on ethical violations committed by the author in featuring the testimonies of trans men, a group of individuals and collectives wrote an open letter to the organisers of the KGAF, opposing Krishnan's participation. In the open letter, the group called upon the organisers to disinvite the author as Krishnans privilege has meant that she appears at art and literature fests where she is lauded as a gender justice champion and as a gender expert, though the marginal community she misrepresents is crying out against her. They urged the organisers, in the event that they couldnt disinvite her, to at least put one or more of the men who are critiquing her work on the panel to face her. How Not To: Trans Edition, an archive that attempts to document misrepresentation and mistranslation of trans lives, e-mailed the open letter to the organising team for literature events at KGAF on 6 February. Responding to the open letter, the organisers declined from removing the author from the panel as they did not consider Nandini Krishnan as a representative of Trans Men and therefore, by inviting her to speak on the platform, they did not see her as speaking for Trans Men. Another reason they cited for their inability to disinvite her, was that denying her a voice at the eleventh hour would be unfair and against the principle of free speech. Eventually, after a volley of mails between the organisers and representatives of the queer community, the organisers offered to accommodate a separate session on representation in queer literature. This was turned down as last minute by the dissenting group. Finally, the organisers agreed to let a representative of LABIA - A Queer Feminist LBT Collective put forth a statement at the end of the panel. An hour before the panel was to commence, LABIA requested the organisers to let their representative speak either before the panel commenced, or at its conclusion while the panellists were still onstage. Speaking after the panellists dispersed would serve no purpose, LABIA added, as there would be no engagement between the author and those critiquing her. The organisers turned down this request as they felt doing so would disrupt the manner in which the panel was planned. The panel in which Krishnan participated was titled Queer Scapes: The Written Word. Shobhana Kumar moderated the conversation while Raj Rao and Bindumadhav Khire figured as co-panellists. During the course of the discussion, the author brought up the opposition to her book several times. When the moderator posed a question regarding the abysmal numbers of queer literature published in India, Krishnan said: There have been protests about me being on the panel and about the fact that Ive written a book about trans men while not being trans myself. You spoke earlier about letting people in from the outside. Initially I reacted to the criticism in a very angry and defensive manner. I felt, why am I being judged in this way and why are there personal attacks against me... Because these people were abstractions to me earlier, you have friends who are gay or trans or lesbian, but then their lives as long as they intersect with yours do not include a lot of the conversations they have among their groups. From becoming abstractions to becoming acquaintances or friends, when someone consumes them as a reader, you want them to be humanised so that you can see them in all their fallacies and their pain and their happiness, so you dont feel sympathy for them alone but you also feel, Oh they are normal people like me'. This line received a round of booing and cries of Shame and Oh my god from the audience. Continuing to defend her book, undeterred, Krishnan referred to the practice of adversarial readings and hinted that the criticism against her was coming from people who tend to read in the manner that Paul Ricoeur and Jacques Derrida spoke of, deconstruction for instance. Krishnan termed this as an attempt to look for underlying motives that the author might have which she felt made the reader look at the author (in this case Krishnan) as an adversary. Explaining how she saw the mounting critiques against her book, she continued: Ive realised that what a lot of people have been upset with, is not so much about the allegations of me having done things without consent, those are not really true. I am not a well-known author and my publisher's legal department would never pass anything unless I could prove my integrity pre-publication. But I think whats hurt a lot of people is perhaps the perception that Ive not understood them or that Ive portrayed them in a poor manner. That can happen when maybe someone says that Oh look, she has written this about you. And these people have let me into their lives, in portraying themselves in all their fallacies, in all their beauty and in all their ugliness. And when someone says Oh look she has written this, the focus becomes on ugliness or something which seems wrong. Like Oh, is this how she saw me or She saw you as this and she saw you as that. This again has to do with living in an echo chamber and being concerned about how the community is portrayed. But the community is not an individual and the community is not a single organism. It is a collection of individuals, each of whom are very different. The panel concluded without a Q&A. After the panellists descended from the stage, Mridul, a trans man and member of LABIA, read out his statement, which has been published here in its entirety: We want to talk about the ethics of representation, specially when we are talking about queer lives. Actually lives of any marginalised community but specifically in this context, we are talking about queer lives. The context that I mention is Nandini Krishnans Invisible Men. That needs to be understood and read against the larger backdrop of an increase in the number of conversation that are happening about queer lives. Unfortunately, many of these conversations are still deeply problematic. Part of the problem is that the content of the conversations is itself a lot of misinformation. Unfortunately. But another problem is who gets to have these conversations? Who are the people whose voices get heard and get lauded as the official voice on something as personal as someones gender identity? I forgot to mention in my introduction that I am a trans man myself. So, who are these people who get to be the agency, and who gets doomed to being just a poor subject? In this particular example, who gets to be a panel such as this and who ends up negotiating... to get a five-minute slot to make a contextually relevant statement? As some of you might know, there are serious problems with the book. There have been accusations of multiple ethical violations committed by the author while writing this book and these are valid criticisms. Not just a story of someone getting hysterical because they got offended. Of course the book is offensive but it is also problematic because it reinforces prejudices and structural oppression that trans people face. And it does that in a very cis-voyeuristic way. Since the book has come out, there have been multiple stories of the book triggering people, invasion of their privacy, outing without consent, withdrawal of critical support that trans people had, and an increase in vulnerability at work, home, other environments. Which is scary as we unfortunately live in a world where trans people are more prone to all forms of violence, not just at the hands of people we know but also people weve just met or we dont know at all. All of that, over and above self harm and suicide rates. All of this because of deeply held prejudices, oppression and misrepresentation. In that context, it pains us to say this, but it's important to: that this particular book has wreaked further violence on a community that was already invisibilised and marginalised. Everyone who is still willing to turn a blind eye to this, be it the author, the publisher or festivals such as these, is party to the same crimes and bears the same responsibility with these violent and dehumanising effects. Multiple attempts were made to engage via civil critique with the author and the publishing house. The response has been half-hearted: Oh, I am sorry you got offended, Oh, I am sorry it pains you but it is not really my fault. This reminds me of the apologies made by those accused of sexual harassment during the #MeToo movement. Sitting on this panel is proof that she has not even begun to understand the damage that has been caused. As problematic as this book might be, this is not the only one. There have been others in queer and subaltern literature that have created problems. Unfortunately, the disproportionate burden of physical, emotional, financial and political labour required of those who are already marginalised, to counter these misrepresentations, is ignored. As those denied speech and visibility of all kinds, and as a collective that has struggled hard to visibilise our lives and words, we cherish freedom of speech. Years of political engagement has taught us that solidarity is important across our lived realities. We learn constantly from others who are marginalised in ways different from ours. Most critical in this endeavour, however, is how we do this. With that said, I want to end with two questions. One is for the organisers and one is the author. Ill start with the organisers. It is very simple. As someone who isn't an organiser, it is not our right to question why youve invited certain individuals. But as a trans person whose life has been affected by the book of this author, I would like to understand how one gets to be on a panel of queer writing. It was briefly touched upon during the panel that as queer people, we get very territorial and we react when someone who isnt queer, writes [about] anything queer negatively. It isnt really about territorialism. It is not about who you are but what you are saying. I would really like to understand how the author gets to be on this panel because there is just one book on queer issues that the author has written. And that book has received so much criticism. Then how does she get to be on this panel over queer and trans people who have written books on queer and trans lives? Off the top of my head, the three I can think of are by Living Smile Vidya, A Revathi and one by my friends two of whom are here who wrote No Outlaws in Gender Galaxy. The last one is not strictly speaking about trans lives but it talks about gender trajectories in the lives of queer people assigned gender female at birth. And yes, Nandini, as trans men we are people assigned gender female at birth. We are not women, we were never women, we are not women who got our breasts cut off. That is not who we are. We are men. Second question is ... [Organiser interrupts: May I say some something? We did request you not to make it a castigation and make it a constructive discussion about how to make your voice heard going forward. Mridul: Just one last question. Organiser: We did tell you not to ask her anything directly. Mridul: You didnt say that. (Booing and slogans of Let him speak from the audience.) Organiser: We did ask you not to castigate her but to make it about literature. Mridul: It is about literature, it is about how literature affects the lives of those who are marginalised.] I just have one last question for the author and I am done. Through everything that has happened since the book has released, all the interactions that youve had with trans men, whether they were a part of your book or not, is there something that youve learnt? [Organiser gesturing to Nandini: You dont have to answer that. (Lights off.)] The apex court, which had earlier issued a notice to the Centre on similar petitions, Friday ordered tagging of the fresh plea of Tehseen Poonawalla with pending ones. Petitions have been filed by parties, including 'Janhit Abhiyan' and NGO 'Youth For Equality', challenging the Centre's decision. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from the Centre on a fresh plea challenging its decision to grant 10 percent reservation in jobs and admissions to general category poor candidates. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi also made it clear that there shall be no stay on the decision to grant quota to general category poor candidates. The apex court, which had earlier issued a notice to the Centre on similar petitions, Friday ordered tagging of the fresh plea of Tehseen Poonawalla with pending ones. Petitions have been filed by parties, including 'Janhit Abhiyan' and NGO 'Youth For Equality', challenging the Centre's decision. The petition, filed by Youth For Equality through its president Kaushal Kant Mishra, has sought the quashing of the Constitution (103 Amendment) Act, 2019, saying that the economic criterion cannot be the sole basis for reservation and that the bill violates basic feature of the Constitution as reservation on economic grounds cannot be limited to the general category and the overall 50 percent ceiling limit cannot be breached. In the present form, the upper limit of quota goes up to 60 percent which violated the decisions of the apex court. Referring to the nine-judge bench decision of the apex court in the landmark 1992 Indira Sawhney case, the petition said the latest amendment completely violated the Constitutional norm that economic criterion cannot be the only basis of reservation. It also said that the amendments fail to consider that Articles 14 and 16 form the basic feature of equality, and that they have been violated with the doing away of the restraints that were imposed on the reservation policy, i.e. the 50 percent ceiling limit and the exclusion of economic status as a sole criterion. Later in a press release, the organisation said in principle it's a welcome step and that deprivation and not caste has been made the basis of protective discrimination. "However, the limit of total reservation is increased to 60 percent. This will open a Pandora's box. Now more and more political parties/caste groups will claim for an increased percentage of reservations, both at the Centre and state level," it said. The fresh filed by businessman Poonawalla has sought quashing of the bill, saying that backwardness for the purpose of reservation cannot be defined by "economic status alone". The top court had earlier refused to stay the Modi government's decision to grant the reservation but agreed to examine the validity of the constitutional amendment which paved the way for this quota. In a poll year, the Modi government has come out with the constitutional amendment bill giving quota benefits to the poor among general category candidates. The quota will be over and above the existing 50 percent reservation to SCs, STs and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha cleared the bill on 8 and 9 January respectively, and has been signed by President Ram Nath Kovind. The Rafale issue was even raised before the Supreme Court, which did not find any substance in the allegations. New Delhi: The government is scheduled to table the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on Rafale jet fighter deal, which has generated a massive political controversy, in Parliament Tuesday, sources said. The government's decision to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from French company Dassault has become a controversial political issue, with the main Opposition Congress levelling allegations of corruption and impropriety, and the ruling dispensation defending the move. The CAG report will be tabled on Tuesday, a day before the end of the present Lok Sabha session. This is the last session of the 16th Lok Sabha as the general elections are due in April-May. Former minister and senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Sunday alleged conflict of interest and asked the CAG Rajiv Mehrishi to recuse himself from auditing the deal as he was the finance secretary when the deal was negotiated. Union Minister Arun Jaitley, however, rebutted the claims of Sibal saying that the Congress was casting aspersions on the institution of CAG based on "falsehood". "Another attack on the institution of CAG by the 'Institution wreckers' based on falsehood. After ten years in Government former UPA ministers still don't know that Finance Secretary is only a designation given to the senior most secretary in the finance ministry," Jaitley said a series of tweets Sunday. Sibal said Mehrishi was the finance secretary from 24 October, 2014 to 30 August, 2015 and in between Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Paris on 10 April, 2015 and announced the signing of the Rafale deal. "...Finance Ministry plays an important role in these negotiations...Now it is clear that the Rafale deal happened under Rajiv Mehrishi. Now he is CAG. We met him twice on 19 September and 4 October, 2018. We told him about the scam. We told him that the deal should be probed because it is corrupt. But how can he initiate a probe against himself," Sibal had said. The Rafale issue was even raised before the Supreme Court, which did not find any substance in the allegations. However, the issue has continued to rock Parliament with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi directly accusing Modi of benefiting industrialist Anil Ambani. Peas cultivation has brought much joy and relief to residents of Ghes village in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand who now feel confident that the areas economy has improved, thus laying the groundwork to curb migration Editor's Note: The idea of a 'ghost village' is now a reality in Uttarakhand, where remote villages in the hills lack basic amenities like roadways, health centres and schools. This seven-part series will examine the root cause of this migration and the measures being taken to tackle the problem. Read the series here. Chamoli: Arjun Singh Bishts heart is where the home is, and home is Ghes village of Tharali tehsil in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. Though Bisht works as a journalist in Dehradun, he is originally a farmer. And, just a few years ago, he made a breakthrough in helping his remote corner in Uttarakhand not only earn revenue but also lay the groundwork for curbing migration. The 48-year-old was instrumental in establishing the Ghes Model of pea cultivation in 2015, which has been helping farmers from the hamlet, located right next to the China border, earn a stable livelihood. And now, he is keen for it to be replicated in the entire state. In my village, in the remote Deval Development Block, the educated youth either have government jobs or work in the private sector. Livelihood, of the majority, has been dependent on traditional practices of farming and labour. But in this fast-changing world, those arent the easiest to earn a living from. So, you cant really blame people for migrating to urban areas for better opportunities, said Bisht. But that never stopped me from wanting to do something for my village, or, to help families dependent on the traditional methods to sustain themselves. And I got my chance a telephone call that paved the way for the economic transformation of Ghes and nearby villages," he adds. Laying the first seed It all started in 2013-14 when Bisht had called up Trivendra Singh Rawat for some information. "Let me clarify that, at the time, he was neither an MLA nor a minister, and had lost in the 2012 Assembly election. But he had held the agriculture portfolio for five years from 2007 to 2012 in the previous (BJP) government. He put me in touch with a grain merchant, called Pappu bhai, who provides improved seeds for a higher yield. He asked me to find out from Pappu bhai what could be done for my village and, at the same time, suggested I meet the chief minister Harish Rawat, for government support for Pappu bhais proposal, Bisht explained. Pappu bhai introduced Bisht to pea production. For a trial, the grain merchant provided Bisht with 20 kilogrammes of pea seeds, which were then planted in Ghes. That was, without a doubt, the turning point; it ushered in a new morning for my beloved village, he said. In 2015, Bisht met Harish and discussed the initiative. As the Uttarakhand government had anyway laid emphasis on new methods of cultivation then, in a bid to stop the exodus, the minister was eager to give it a shot. Harishji immediately telephoned then director of the Agriculture and Horticulture Department and asked him to lend governments support to the initiative. In addition, a Kisan Gosthi (farmers meeting) was organised in Ghes on 10 October, 2015, and we were invited, said Bisht. The main agenda of the meeting was apple production. But Pappu bhai and I brought pea crop cultivated in Ghes; that got everyones attention, and pea production, too, was discussed. You could say that was the first public talk on cultivating peas. Understandably, people were hesitant, but we kept promoting it by organising meetings, on a personal as well as group level, he says. The sweet taste of success Bisht and Pappu bhais efforts finally paid off when 76 farmers came onboard for pea cultivation. In 2016, four and a half quintal seeds were distributed; the crop fetched the farmers Rs 8 lakh at a rate of Rs 30 per quintal. Next year, the initiative got bigger 14 to 15 quintals of seeds were distributed among 375 farmers, not only in Ghes but also Baban and Himni gram panchayats. This crop fetched them a whopping Rs 40 lakh. It was a happy coincidence that Trivendraji visited Himni village on 10 October, 2017, to break the crop and encourage the farmers; the first Kisan Gosthi that started it all had been held two years ago on the same date. It was then that he raised the per quintal rate to Rs 50 for that year," recalled Bisht. In 2018, 20 quintal seeds were distributed, but rain played truant, damaging some of the crops, and, subsequently, the yield. That year, the farmers earned Rs 25 lakh from it at a rate of Rs 30-35 per quintal. The success of the initiative brought much joy and relief and helped the villagers to finally feel confident that the areas economy had been put on the path of improvement. Its possible to stop migration with sheer will power. Ghes not only distinguished itself through pea production, but it also captured the attention of the chief minister, who declared it a digital village and introduced telecom connectivity and Wi-Fi. That, however, has been paused for now due to practical constraints. Because the village is surrounded by dense forests, tapping into solar energy wasnt completely effective either. Hence, the chief minister got us connected to the electricity grid. After decades since independence, we finally have power, literally. To mark the historic moment, Trivendraji along with Minister of State for Energy (AYUSH) Shripad Naik switched on the first bulb on 25 November, 2018, said Bisht. The dream has come true, but the past revisits from time to time. It is, after all, so surreal... we never even imagined earlier that we would get out of the dark one day. And so, I can now confidently say the model should be replicated for the entire state. Gradually, with more such initiatives, we can check migration from the hilly areas. Ghes resident and one of the farmers cultivating peas, Kalam Singh said pea is a cash crop and is ready for yield in just three months at a low cost. "We sow in July, and its ready in October. There is a big demand for it as well because its organic. Now, pea cultivation has become a popular method to earn a livelihood here; nearly 18 villages in Tharali tehsil and a few in Kapkot Development Block of Bageshwar district have adopted it, he added. Government committed to checking migration Chief Minister Trivendra reiterated that his government was serious about checking migration from the hills. Thats why we set up the (Rural Development and Migration) Commission, to get data so that we could take concrete steps. To check migration from hilly areas, its necessary to ensure an increase in income and new options of livelihood. The success of the Ghes Model has given the region new hope, he said. The chief minister emphasised that it would be replicated in more villages in Tharali tehsil, and the area would be better connected and made more accessible to further empower the locals. The author is a Dehradun-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters The Congress party through its official Twitter handle directly asked the Prime Minister Office (PMO), 'Who was it trying to shield?' by waving off the standard anti-corruption clauses. It further asked the PMO, who was it trying to benefit by paying for the deal 'upfront in advance'. A new report by The Hindu claims that the NDA government let go off anti-corruption penalties and decided against paying off for the Rafale deal through escrow accounts just days before it was finalised via the inter-governmental agreement (IGA). The report states that: "The 7.87-billion deal between India and France involved major and unprecedented concessions from the Indian government." Naturally, sharp political reactions have poured-in following the expose with the Opposition using every opportunity to nail the Centre on the reported irregularities in the deal that commissioned India 36 fighter jets. The Congress party through its official Twitter handle directly asked the Prime Minister Office (PMO), "Who was it trying to shield?" by waiving the standard anti-corruption clauses. It further asked the PMO whom it was trying to benefit by paying for the deal "upfront in advance". Throwing all good sense to the wind, the PMO also discarded the advice to create an escrow account under the control of the French Govt to release payments from India. Instead it chose to pay Dassault upfront in advance. Who was the PMO trying to benefit?#ChowkidarChorHai Congress (@INCIndia) February 11, 2019 Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi too lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that the stance of his government had changed from "zero tolerance" towards corruption to "full promotion of corruption". Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram also once again criticised the Central government over the controversial deal as he pointed out to the various revelations that have been tumbling out of the closet. "The Rafale deal is unravelling faster than the government thought," Chidambaram tweeted. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari too hit out at the Modi government and said that even if the government gets a "clean-chit" post the submission of CAG's report on Monday, it will be "sans any credibility". He also raised questions on whether the CAG's credibility would remain intact post its tryst with the present government. Whatever clean chit the C&AG may give the Govt. It will be sans any credibility after the Hindu expose today . I hope we do not start classifying C&AGs into two categories- the fixers -2010 vintage & the cleaners -2019 vintage ? https://t.co/tukxWOc095 Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) February 11, 2019 Mumbai Congress president and former MP Sanjay Nirupam shared The Hindu's report with the hashtag #ChaukidarChorHai, playing off the Opposition's Chowkidar jibe at Modi. The Left also was quick to share the story and call out the government over it. CPM leader Sitaram Yechury tweeted: "We now know why Modi government is hiding behind non-existent 'secrecy' clauses, giving information in 'sealed covers' in Supreme Court, opposing a JPC and blocking information on Rafale deal. Extra money paid for the deal, PMO's parallel negotiations, favouring one crony businessman.." Yechury also raised questions about who the changes in the deal were meant to benefit. Meanwhile, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan also alleged that the clauses were dropped and other changes made in the deal by the current government to "facilitate a loot". However, national security analyst Nitin A Gokhale rebutted the allegations and in response tweeted his "first reaction" to the story wherein he s and the standard contact document when required. My first reaction to another Rafale story. Clearly the author has not read Para 71&72 of Defence Procurement Procedure, 2013 (see photo).The CNC and the Govt is authorised to not classically follow standard procurement procedure and the standard contact document when required pic.twitter.com/r2qdxRwGix Nitin A. Gokhale (@nitingokhale) February 11, 2019 Earlier on Friday, The Hindu had published an exclusive story on the PMO's "parallel negotiations" and the "interference" of the prime minister in the Rafale deal, and how the defence ministry "protested against PMO undermining the negotiations". The report had created a furore in political circles and led to the Opposition mounting further pressure on the government over the transparency of the deal. If the Kolkata Police intend to follow through with their threat and initiate defamation proceedings against the Republic TV, they will need to make some decisions. First, whether to initiate civil or criminal proceedings, or both? The letter refers to a 'defamation suit', indicating civil action. In yet another development in the protracted CBI versus Kolkata Police saga, the Kolkata Police have sent a letter to Arnab Goswami, the editor-in-chief of Republic TV, threatening to file a defamation suit. It refers to a news item broadcasted on the channel on 2 February, which claimed that Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar had been "missing and absconding". The police claim that this is untrue, and that the channel had "ulterior motives to malign" the police commissioner and the Kolkata Police. A defiant Arnab Goswami has stated that he is "ready to take them on". So, what is the law on defamation in India, and do the Kolkata Police have a case against Republic TV? Defamation in India Defamation in India is a civil as well as a criminal offence. In civil defamation, a suit is filed (by a plaintiff against a defendant) for claiming damages, whereas criminal defamation (filed by a complainant against an accused) is punishable by imprisonment for up to two years and/or a fine. In either case, to constitute defamation, the statement must refer to the plaintiff/complainant, must be published by the defendant/accused and should lower the reputation of the plaintiff/complainant in the estimation of others. In civil defamation, intention to cause harm to the plaintiff's reputation is immaterial. However, in criminal defamation, the statement has to be made "intending to harm, or knowing or having reason to believe" that it would harm the complainant's reputation. Certain defences are also available to the defendant/accused, including truth, fair comment, privilege and consent. Criminal defamation has been criticised for providing a disproportionate public law remedy for what is essentially a private wrong (harm to reputation). Several countries including the UK and Sri Lanka have decriminalised defamation and retain it only as a civil wrong. However, the Supreme Court of India upheld the constitutional validity of criminal defamation in 2016. In practice, there has been a slew of defamation cases in the recent past. These have mainly been between politicians (Shashi Tharoor against Ravi Shankar Prasad), politicians and journalists (Edappadi Palaniswami against Mathew Samuel), corporates and journalists (20 cases filed by the Reliance Group against various media organisations in 2018), in relation to sexual harassment cases (MJ Akbar against Priya Ramani) and also, curiously, between sons of public figures and journalists (Vivek Doval against The Caravan and Jay Shah against The Wire). Often, defamation cases involve exorbitant amounts, with Reliance for instance suing a journalist for Rs 7,000 crore. These cases also tend to stretch over several years. Who is the aggrieved person? If the Kolkata Police intend to follow through with their threat and initiate defamation proceedings against the Republic TV, they will need to make some decisions. First, whether to initiate civil or criminal proceedings, or both? The letter refers to a "defamation suit", indicating civil action. Of course, this does not prevent the Kolkata Police from initiating criminal action. Only an aggrieved person can initiate a defamation action, whether civil or criminal. Therefore, the second decision that will need to be made is, whether the suit/complaint should be filed by the Kolkata Police or by their Police Commissioner? The allegedly defamatory statement highlighted in the letter exclusively refers to the whereabouts of the latter. Since the statement was made in connection to the Police Commissioner's alleged involvement in the chit fund scams, he may be able to prove that his reputation was harmed. But the Kolkata Police believe that their reputation as an organisation has also been harmed, by extension. In a case before the Kerala High Court, the complainant argued that certain allegations made against a policeman had caused harm to the reputation of the Kerala Police as a whole. Criminal defamation does include statements made against an association or collection of persons. However, such an association or collection must be definite and determinable, and the statements need to be defamatory against all of its members. It was held that the Kerala Police, with their ever-changing composition due to regular recruitments and retirements, were not definite in that sense, and the statements were not defamatory against all their police officers. Similarly, as the statement referred to in the letter only mentions the Kolkata Police Commissioner, it would be difficult for anyone else to prove that they are an aggrieved person. Defences available to Republic TV The defences available to Republic TV would vary depending on whether criminal or civil action is brought against them. In any case, a court would have to determine the factual accuracy of the news item. If it is proved that the statement was truthful, then in a civil action, Republic TV can claim complete defence. However, in a criminal action, Republic TV would have to additionally prove that the statement was made for the public good. Even if the statement is proved to be false, in a civil case, Republic TV can argue for a public interest defence or "Reynolds defence". To avail of the same, they will have to prove that there was a strong element of public interest and that they had acted in a responsible manner. A court would look into several factors including the seriousness of the allegation, the nature and source of the information, the steps taken to verify the information, the urgency of the matter and the tone. If the statement is proved to be false in a criminal case, Republic TV could still take the defence that the statement was made in good faith and for the public good. To prove good faith, they would have to demonstrate they had taken due care and attention, such as making sufficient enquiries. It remains to be seen whether the Kolkata Police carry out their threat. The letter, dated 7 February, asks Republic TV to respond within three days of receiving it. This could develop into another facet of what is already a very peculiar episode in India's political history. Five nuns from Kuravilangad Convent fighting for justice for their fellow nun, who was allegedly raped by Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal, hoped the diocese would help them to bring out the truth in the case when they received a letter from the apostolic administrator Five nuns from Kuravilangad Convent fighting for justice for their fellow nun, who was allegedly raped by Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal, hoped the diocese would help them to bring out the truth in the case when they received a letter from the apostolic administrator. Agnelo Rubfino Gracias wrote four days ago to assert that they will not be ousted from the current convent as long as they are needed for the court case pending in Kerala. Their hopes were dashed soon after when diocese public relations officer Father Peter Kavumpuram, a trusted lieutenant of the rape-accused, came out with a clarification saying that the apostolic administrator had no power to intervene in the administrative affairs of their congregation and, therefore, the transfer order issued by its superior general will remain in force. When the nuns questioned the authority of the priest to override the decision of the apostolic administrator, Kavumpuram claimed that he had issued the clarification with the nod of the former. The nuns, who belong to Missionaries of Jesus, a congregation founded by Jalandhar diocese, have viewed this as an indication of the writ of Mulakkal still running in the diocese. Gracias, a retired auxiliary bishop emeritus of Mumbai, was appointed as apostolic administrator by Pope Francis on 20 September, 2018 after he received a request from Mulakkal before he proceeded to Kerala to appear before the police to be temporarily relieved of his pastoral responsibilities in the diocese. The nuns had written to the bishop on 16 January seeking his intervention against the transfer of four of the five nuns who were in the forefront of the protest, demanding the arrest of Mulakkal. They had termed the transfer of the nuns, who lived with the rape survivor, to different locations in Punjab, Jharkhand, Bihar and Kerala as part of an attempt to split them and sabotage the case. The administrator said in his reply to the nuns that he was surprised and dismayed at seeing the letter issued to them by Sister Regina Kandamthottu, superior general of their congregation. "I am giving a directive to the superior general that she will not issue any letters to the five of you without my explicit permission," Gracias said in his email adding that the Church wants the truth to emerge. Hours after the email was made public, the PRO issued a clarification, saying even though the congregation of Missionaries of Jesus is of diocesan right, the internal running of the congregation is left to the superior general and her council. "The Bishop of Jalandhar does not normally interfere unless the overall interests of the church demand such interference. By this clarification the apostolic administrator has not interfered in the internal affairs of this congregation. Therefore, the order issued by the superior general last year to the nuns to return to their rightful communities is not cancelled but stands," Kavumpuram's statement said. The nuns have rejected Kavumpuram's statement and asserted that they will continue to stay in the Kuravilangad convent with the rape survivor till the case is over. "We believe that Gracias is the apostolic administrator of the Jalandhar diocese. But when we see the kind of statement being issued by the diocese PRO, we doubt whether Mulakkal still wields power in the diocese," Sister Anupama, a representative of the protesting nuns, said. The nuns and the activists supporting them suspect the hand of Mulakkal behind the statement. Their suspicion stems from the fact that the Missionaries of Jesus has been batting for the bishop ever since the rape survivor lodged a police complaint in June last year saying that he had subjected the nun to rape 13 times between 2014 and 2016. As soon as the nun had approached the police, the congregation set up an internal probe commission, which eventually declared the bishop innocent. The probe report said that the victim along with the five nuns had conspired against Mulakkal and framed him with wrongful intent. After the bishop was arrested in September, 2018, a delegation of the congregation met Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and said that the police investigation into the rape allegation was biased. Later, they observed a fast as an act of penance for the congregation being responsible for the arrest of the bishop. The congregation had in November asked the Kerala police to shift the rape survivor and the five nuns to government run shelter home citing lack of financial resources to ensure their protection. Contrary to this, the supporters of the bishop had offered crores of rupees to the nuns to bury the case. A priest close to the bishop had offered Rs five crore and 10 acres of land to the nuns to withdraw the case. Mulakkal, who has established hundreds of institutions, including a construction firm, across the diocese, wields huge command over not only the Christians but also the political establishment in Punjab. His power extends beyond Punjab too. The activists backing the nuns point to the failure of the Church to act on numerous complaints filed by the rape survivor before she moved the police as an indication of the influence he maintains over the top hierarchy in the Church. The delay made by the Kerala police in arresting the bishop after the nun lodged a formal complaint on 29 June, 2018 is also seen as a reflection of the influence he wields over politicians in the state. The police acted against the bishop three months later only after public opinion mounted against the bishop. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, that has been running a campaign for the empowerment of women following the Supreme Court verdict over the entry of women of all ages in the Sabarimala temple, has not been sympathetic to the nuns. The government has been sitting on a representation submitted by the five nuns, who are key witnesses in the case, seeking its intervention to oust them from Kuravilangad for around a month now. The survivor nun had also written a separate letter to the chief minister, seeking his help in the matter, saying the aim behind the move to oust the five nuns from Kuravilangad was to single her out and to harass and torture her. She had expressed the fear that her life would be in danger if such a situation arose. The National Commission for Women had also written a letter to the chief minister urging him to ensure the protection of the nuns. The "Save our Sisters Forum", formed to support the nuns in the case, had organised a convention at Kottayam on 10 January seeking the government's immediate intervention against the move to shift the nuns from Kuravilangad. With the Jalandhar diocese refusing to acknowledge the apostolic administrators order to the congregation not to shift the nuns without his permission, the nuns pin their hopes on the government. However, activists are skeptical about getting justice from the government at a time when the ruling front is trying to get Christian support in the coming Lok Sabha election. Whether we have two of them on the field, all three of them on the field, well get creative and have some fun with it," defensive coordinator Joe Barry said. CPI(M) MLA S Rajendran courted controversy after he publicly slandered a young woman IAS officer in Munnar, saying she lacked brains Idukki: A Communist Party of India (Marxist) legislator has courted controversy after he publicly slandered a young woman IAS officer, saying she "lacked brains", after the official tried to stop an 'unauthorised' construction of a shopping complex at the Munnar hill station in Kerala. The incident, which occurred on Friday, came to light when some television channels aired visuals of Devikulam MLA S Rajendran purportedly making disparaging comments that sub collector Dr Renu Raj "lacked brains" and has no powers to intervene in the construction as building rules come under the purview of panchayats. "She doesn't have brains. She studied only to become a collector. Such people will have only so much brains. Should she not study the sketch plans? A collector cannot intervene in a panchayat construction. This is a democratic country and we as elected representatives should be heard," Rajendran is heard saying to a group of people. Raj, who was appointed as the Devikulam sub-collector in November last year, said a memo had been issued to the panchayat on 6 February to stop the illegal construction. But the work was still going on, she told PTI. Coming out in her support, Revenue Minister E Chandrasekharan, said, "Understand that the action taken by the sub collector is right and as per law. When she is taking action as per rules, we need to support her. The Kerala High Court had in a 2010 verdict said for any new construction in Munnar, a 'No Objection' certificate has to be obtained. The four-storey building, built at an estimated cost of Rs 1 crore, did not have any permission from authorities, Raj said. The officer further said she had already informed chief secretary Tom Jose, Revenue Principal Secretary and the district collector and as per their direction had prepared a written report, which would be forwarded to them along with her complaint. Meanwhile, Idukki district CPM said it has decided to seek an explanation from the MLA. Attacking the ruling LDF over the MLA's outburst against the young IAS officer, KPCC president Mullapally Ramachandran said at a time the CPM-led LDF government was talking about women empowerment, the Left party needs to make its stand clear on the remarks by Rajendran against the official. Reacting to the incident, IUML leader MK Muneer said the Devikulam MLA Rajendran had spoken in an "insulting" manner. He recalled that IPS officer Chaitra Theresa John had earlier faced the CPM heat when she conducted a search of the party district office at Thiruvananthapuram and now it was the turn of the sub collector. Devikulam former sub collector Sriram Venkataraman, had also faced political heat in 2017 after he adopted a strong stand against encroachers occupying government land at Munnar and had also brought down a 30-feet metal cross, put up under the garb of spiritual tourism at Papathichola. It was entirely foreseeable that Kargil would object to the shifting of decision making to Leh alone, after all, it hardly makes much difference if local representatives have to run to Leh instead of Srinagar like now, to get their files cleared Sometimes politicians forget the simplest basics of what made them rise to the top of the political soup. You dont get far unless you have a chair, a table, a hundred odd files, and a couple of henchmen to call your own. Thats the basis of the problem in Kargil. When the Centre put out an order creating a separate Ladakh division comprising the entirely disparate areas of Leh and Kargil, the politicians of the latter region were left high and dry. The result was entirely predictable toil and trouble and slander of an otherwise admirable move. As almost everyone who has travelled into this area knows, once you step into Kargil from the Kashmir Valley, it's not just the topography which changes, from blue-green meadows of Kashmir into brown and sable of rugged mountains marked by the shifting light and shade that is so characteristic of Leh in particular. The people are different, the languages are different and the customs even more so. The gentleness of Buddhist culture, interspersed with the equally gentle Shia population has so far ensured that trouble in this area has remained virtually non-existent. Muslims constitute more than 76 per cent of the population according to the 2011 Census in Kargil district, Buddhists more than 14 percent and some 7.34 percent are Hindu. There are also Balti and Purigpa tribes, while further up into Leh are the Bot, Bakarwal and Brokpa tribes. Leh has a rather less than overwhelmingly Buddhist population at over 66 per cent, with the numbers of Hindus and Muslims rising to the level at about 17 and 14 percent, respectively. That in itself would have been a key factor for division, and has been in the past. However, at present, just about everyone in an area with one of the lowest population densities in the world (3 per square kilometre) are united in their fear of being overwhelmed by the vastly more populous Indian heartland. Equally or more serious is the fact that being bracketed with Jammu and Kashmir does them no favours. Every time trouble flares in the Valley, tourism to Leh and Kargil drops like a stone. And tourism is all that theyve got in terms of livelihood. These factors are what determines positioning in politics. Support for Article 35A and its definition and rights of permanent citizens was one. The demand for more autonomy is another. In 1993, the Centre compromised by creating the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), notified by law in 1995, with the intention of giving the area some autonomy in decision making and thereby doing away with the delay and backbreaking indecisiveness that marked its governance from Srinagar. Predictably, the move was undertaken during a time of Governors Rule, and equally predictably was promptly diluted by the state government run by the National Conference when it came to power. It is due to the far-sightedness and innate humanity of a later chief minister Mufti Sayeed that greater powers were delegated to the LAHDCs representatives. Both Leh and Kargil have thereafter seen far better governance under the LAHDC than seen under the various State governments in Srinagar. Nonetheless, matters were far from easy. A district commissioner level officer continued to oversee the two areas, reporting to the divisional commissioner, who, in turn, had to deal with 12 other districts in the state. Demands for a Union territory status, therefore, continued, with the intention of cutting bureaucratic ties that bound them to the rest of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. By this time, Lehs strategic status had increased considerably. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) snaked its way into the disputed area of Gilgit Baltistan, just adjacent to Kargil. In the wake of a series of protests, Islamabad was reluctantly giving the area some powers to decide their own affairs. And to the west, Chinese infrastructure in terms of roads and rail was steadily increasing. In May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Leh with a clear aim of delivering on his promise of connectivity with the inauguration of two mega construction projects the Zoji La tunnel that would provide the much-needed all-weather connectivity to Kashmir, and a bi-axis rail link that was part of 14 strategic projects conceived by the Ministry of Defence. The prime minister was received with acclaim, in stark contrast to his reception in Srinagar. In September 2018, Governor Satya Pal Malik initiated further devolution of powers, providing more powers to levy and collect taxes, ownership of local roads and buildings, and notifying 100 posts of panchayat inspectors for the newly set up community development blocks. These new posts were to act as custodians of panchayat properties and records. Further powers were devolved, including sanction of power connections, an issue that had caused considerable annoyance in the past. The present order which creates a separate administrative and revenue division Ladakh Division combining areas in Leh and Kargil districts is, therefore, an entirely desirable end point to these series of moves towards devolution. Certainly, it was entirely foreseeable that Kargil would object to this shifting of decision making to Leh alone. After all, it hardly makes much difference if local representatives have to run to Srinagar or Leh to get their files cleared. This could actually reverse the degree of efficiency that was earlier evident through the Hill Council model. There is still room for setting things right. The setting up of the whole administrative machinery that marks the Ladakh Division (with Leh as its power centre) will involve not just designation of a district commissioner and Inspector General (Police), but also parallel offices for all departments, their staffing, rules of business and decisions on the location of these offices. Kargil is demanding a rotation of headquarters much like between Kashmir and Jammu and more offices for Kargil area rather than an over-concentration in Leh. It is undoubtedly true that recent announcements for new hospitals and a possible University are all directed at Leh. Rotation of headquarters, though an expensive and time-consuming exercise, makes administrative and political sense. The government should quickly sanction this move before it acquires ethnic overtones as it could give air to demands for divisional status for Pir Panjal and Chenab areas. Though the fact remains that the basis of demands is the same lack of governance from Srinagar many are already viewing this with suspicion. Consider places like Reasi, which has a near mathematically equal population division of Hindus and Muslims. As long as they unite for better governance, its a good cause. When they are preyed upon by self-serving leaders now supporting such demands on Twitter, it could quickly turn dangerous. And once it slides down the path of ethnic division, the issue can quickly become irreversible. It's far better to give in quickly to Kargils reasonable concerns, even while consulting with other demands for new divisions, and crafting them into a dialogue for better governance than to party politics. Else, the party could turn quickly into a nightmare. The uproar by Opposition members over the hooch tragedies in Saharanpur and Kushinagar districts last week led to adjournment of the entire Question Hour. Lucknow: Alleging that laxity on the part of the Uttar Pradesh government led to a large number of deaths after consumption of spurious liquor, Opposition members Monday created ruckus in the Assembly and demanded chief minister Yogi Adityanath to resign. The uproar by Opposition members over the hooch tragedies in Saharanpur and Kushinagar districts last week led to adjournment of the entire Question Hour. As soon as the House met, the Opposition - Samajawadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress members tried to raise the matter terming it one of utmost importance. The SP and BSP members trooped into the Well of the House, raising anti-government slogans. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said the state government has taken stern action in the matter and those involved will not be spared. The Opposition members also raised slogans "CM istifa do" (Chief Minister should resign). Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit repeatedly pleaded with the angry Opposition members to resume their seats, but they did not relent. He then adjourned the House for 30 minutes and later extended the adjournment till 12.20 pm as a result of which the entire Question Hour was washed out. CLP leader Ajay Kumar Lallu, later talking to reporters, demanded a CBI probe in the matter and said Adityanath should take moral responsibility of the incident and resign. The state government on Sunday night announced a probe by a special investigation team (SIT) into the twin tragedies. An official spokesperson said the SIT has been constituted to make an in-depth inquiry into the tragedies in the two districts. The five-member SIT has been specifically asked to find whether there was any conspiracy behind the tragedies in which more than 40 people died. It has also been asked to review past incidents and submit its report, suggesting measures to stop recurrence of such incidents, within 10 days. The Gujjar community agitation demanding five percent quota in jobs and education turned violent Sunday with shots being fired and police vehicles torched in Dholpur district and protesters blocking road and rail traffic in many areas in Rajasthan. Dholpur, Rajasthan: The Gujjar community agitation demanding five percent quota in jobs and education turned violent Sunday with shots being fired and police vehicles torched in Dholpur district and protesters blocking road and rail traffic in many areas in Rajasthan. The Gujjars have been staging an agitation since Friday demanding a five percent reservation in government jobs and higher education institutes. Dholpur Superintendent of Police Ajay Singh said that the protesters not only blocked the highway on Sunday but also began attacking stranded travellers and misbehaving with women at the Waterworks junction. He said when the police warned the protesters, the latter pelted stones and set three police vehicles on fire. He said the protesters went on a rampage, damaging stranded cars and misbehaving with women and families. Three-four policemen and a few travellers got injured in the melee. The incident led to massive traffic jams on either the sides of the highway. At least, 20 trains were cancelled and seven diverted during the day as the protesters, led by the Gujjar Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti chief Kirori Singh Bainsla, continued their sit-in on railway tracks in Sawai Madhopur district for the third day on Sunday, officials said. The sit-in began on Friday evening and has affected the movement of over 250 trains through the region since. The agitators also blocked highways connecting major cities on Sunday. According to police officials, three cases have been registered in connection with the blocking of traffic. Violence broke out in Dholpur district as unidentified miscreants fired 8-10 rounds in the air while a blockade on the Agra-Morena Highway was in place, SP Singh said. The protesters set afire three police vehicles two jeeps and a bus, he added. The SP said the protesters also pelted stones, injuring four personnel, adding that police had to lob tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. The Hindoli-Uniyara state highway was blocked in Bundi district, where hundreds of people demonstrated throughout the day. As traffic movement came to a halt, vehicles were diverted to other routes. The demonstrators, however, allowed the passage of ambulances and vehicles with patients or pregnant woman. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot called the stone pelting and the torching of vehicles unjustified. "Holding protest is justified but sitting on railway tracks is not. Protesters should come forward for talks. The government is open for dialogue and has constituted a committee," he said. Referring to the violence in Dholpur, Gehlot said, "Anti-social elements have joined the protest. Administration and police will investigate the reasons of the incident. Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla has appealed to maintain peace so people should listen to him." According to the Northern Railways, trains like 12953 Mumbai Central-Hazrat Nizamuddin August Kranti Rajdhani Express, 19022 Lucknow Jn.-Bandra Terminus Express, 12059/12060 Kota-Hazrat Nizamuddin-Kota Jan Shatabdi Express and 12909 Bandra Terminus-Hazrat Nizamuddin Garib Rath Express were among those which were cancelled. At least 13 trains were running late in the zone. The 22405 Bhagalpur-Anand Vihar Garib Rath Express, Mumbai-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, Howrah-New Delhi Poorva Express were delayed by around three hours while the Raxaul-Anandvihar Sadbhavna Express was running late by seven hours, it said. The Northern Railways said 19024 Firozepur-Mumbai Central Janata Express, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, 12472 Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Bandra Terminus Swaraj Express, 12450 Chandigarh-Madgaon Goa Sampark Kranti Express and 12904 Amritsar-Mumbai Central Golden Temple Mail had been diverted. According to the police, protesters fired shots at them with country-made pistols. Singh said this forced the police to use teargas shells. He added that the police have video recording of the entire ruckus and they are on the lookout for the culprits who fomented trouble. Bainsla summarily refuted the police's allegation. Bainsla blamed the police for provoking the protesters in Dholpur. He labelled what transpired at Waterworks junction as a minor incident, adding that he has appealed to his brethren to maintain peace. Another Gujjar leader and Dholpur sarpanch Jaibir Poshwal echoed Bainsla's statement. He said that the police began roughing up the protesters, their action triggering stone-pelting from the latter. He denied that protesters fired at the police. After the incident, prohibitory orders under Section 144 were imposed in many parts of Dholpur. Additional forces were deployed and district collector Neha Giri took stock of the situation with SP Singh. On Saturday, a state government delegation, including Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh and senior IAS officer Neeraj K Pawan, had met Bainsla and his supporters to hold talks, but no agreement could be reached. Bainsla has said that the community will continue their protest demanding five per cent reservation to the Gujjars, Raika-Rebari, Gadia Luhar, Banjara and the Gadaria communities in government jobs and educational institutions as promised. "We will remain on dharna. We do not want to talk with the government. We are waiting for the government to give the order for five per cent reservation," Vijay Bainsla, son of Kirori Singh Bainsla, said. He said an appeal had been made for maintaining peace but it was the angst of the people which have come out during the protests. Meanwhile, Sawai Madhopur became the epicentre of the agitation as Colonel Bainsla led thousands of Gujjars in blocking the rail tracks of Delhi-Mumbai route. This has affected the train movement between Delhi and Mumbai since Friday as more than 25 trains have been cancelled and more than 60 have been diverted. The protesters also blocked highways in Sawai Madhopur, Bhilwara and Karauli, forcing the state road transport department to divert buses plying on these routes. Rajasthan government set up a committee of three ministers on Saturday to defuse the tension. The team, led by tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh, held talks with Gujjar leaders. Singh told FirstPost the meeting was positive and said the government would take legal opinion and offer the Gujjars the best offer. However, Colonel Bainsla said Singh did not have any plan; he warned that the protests would intensify and occupy the entire state. With inputs from 101 Reporters Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot reiterated that the agitating Gujjar community members should vacate the railway tracks and come forward to hold dialogue. Jaipur/Dholpur: The stalemate between the protesting Gujjar community and the Rajasthan government over quota in jobs and education continued on the fourth consecutive day on Monday, as agitators blocked roads and railway tracks. Protesters, led by Kirori Singh Bainsla, have been squatting on railway tracks in Sawai Madhopur district since Friday evening, demanding five percent reservation for the Gujjar, Raika-Rebari, Gadia Luhar, Banjara and the Gadaria communities. The sit-in has affected the movement of over 300 trains through the region so far. On Monday, members of the community blocked the Agra-Jaipur Highway in Dausa, Jaipur-Kota Highway in Tonk and a few other roads in Karauli and Sawai Madhopur districts. They also blocked the NH-11 and continued their blockade from previous days at other places. However, there was no violence and the agitation was largely peaceful. The Hindoli-Uniyara National Highway was also blocked by protesters in Bundi district near Topa village. "Protestors blocked the Agra-Jaipur highway at Sikandar in Dausa, Jaipur-Kota Highway at Banas Pulia in Tonk and other roads in Karauli and Sawai Madhopur districts on Monday. The situation is peaceful and there is no report of any violence so far," Director General of Police (Law and Order) ML Lathar said. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot reiterated that the agitating Gujjar community members should vacate the railway tracks and come forward to hold dialogue. He said the state government will do whatever it possibly can to address their issues and they should raise their demand before the Centre. "I want to appeal to the community members to hold talks. Whatever will be possible at the state government's level will be done. They should also raise their demand before the Centre," Gehlot told reporters in Jaipur. He said that the one percent reservation the community was getting at present was because of the decision taken by the former Congress government led by him. "Several trains have been cancelled, many diverted. It is a loss for the country and its economy. People are suffering and I would appeal to them to hold talks," the chief minister said. Bainsla, who along with his supporters began the indefinite sit-in on railway tracks in Malarna Dungar of Sawai Madhopur on Friday evening, has so far refused to back off. "We will not move from the tracks unless the announcement is made. There is only one demand, that is five percent reservation," Bainsla's son Vijay Singh said. A state government delegation, including Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh and IAS officer Neeraj K Pawan, had held talks with the protesters on Saturday but they refused to end their agitation until their demand is met through an official announcement. "There is no concrete proposal from the government," Vijay Singh said. Meanwhile, nearly 250 people have been booked in connection with the violence and arson which took place in Dholpur district on Sunday. Dholpur Superintendent of Police Ajay Singh said around 50 of the accused have been identified and efforts were on to identify the others. He said police parties were patrolling the district to maintain law and order and proper security arrangements were in place at highways and railway tracks. Ever since Yogi Adityanath came to power in 2017, there have been over 1,100 encounters in Uttar Pradesh that have left 49 killed and 370 injured. With a hue and cry having been created over the number of extra-judicial killings that have been taking place in Uttar Pradesh under the Yogi Adityanath government, the chief minister and the state police force have now adopted a new policy of going in for "half-encounters." Ever since Adityanath came to power in 2017, there have been over 1,100 encounters in the state that have left 49 killed and 370 injured. Most of these encounters took place in cities such as Meerut, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Saharanpur, Bulandshahr, Ghaziabad and Noida. In a bid to quell the uproar around these encounters, the police have now switched over to a policy of half-encounters, in which alleged criminals are being shot below their abdomens, preferably in the legs. Such measures have been adopted by the police to quell criticism over a spate of alleged extra-judicial killings of alleged criminals since 2017. Shooting below the abdomen is part of the standard operating procedure adopted in situations wherein people may be shooting at the police. Activists say it is difficult to determine whether the half-encounters have been carried out in non-threatening situations, since most of these incidents have taken place between midnight and 4 am. Meerut heads the list of half-encounters with 255 followed by Gautam Budh Nagar, which has had 120 such cases. Further, there have been more than 65 such cases in Ghaziabad, Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra and Gorakhpur. Retired DIG Police Vikram Singh is aghast at the terminology being employed by the Uttar Pradesh police personnel. Singh said, "Let us not fool ourselves. An encounter is an encounter. This kind of artificial classification is not going to work. While a policeman has a right to personal defence, he must only use force that is in proportion to the threat. What kind of impact is such killing going to have on the crime rate in the state? Very little, because experience has shown us in both Punjab and Manipur that a target-oriented policy has never delivered results," said Singh. Lucknow-based Ram Kumar, general secretary of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), says that the only reason why the state has switched over to half-encounters is because if the police kill a person, they have to report his death to the State Human Rights Commission. "With these boys being shot below their abdomens, their families also do not take up their cases, and so the police officials feel that this way, they would not end up facing any legal hassles," said Ram Kumar. Kanpur-based activist Vijay Chawla claims that 29 half-encounters have taken place in and around the city. "The alleged criminal is taken to a pre-decided spot, where warning tapes stating that the local public should not come close to the crime scene are played repeatedly. He is then shot at in the middle of the night or the early hours of the morning, from where he is then taken to a hospital," said Chawla. Chawla also said that this "crackdown" has raised several eyebrows, as most of those killed or wounded have been shot in an identical fashion across the state. The FIRs in such cases are identical with respect to the timing and sequence of events that led to the shootout. Retired IG Police SR Darapuri of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, who is now national spokesperson for the All India Peoples Front (Radical), strongly criticised such encounters. He said, "In my 32 years of service, I have never known so many encounters to have taken place in this state within such a short span of time. Yogi Adityanath is the first Uttar Pradesh chief minister who has stated publicly that police encounters are part of his state policy. The words he used were 'thok do'. What is even more shocking is that if we look at the backgrounds of those who have been killed, we find that the majority are from the minorities, Dalits or backward classes. There have been no killings of people from the upper castes." Darapuri has filed an RTI to find out the names and family details of all those who have been killed or disabled. "In my application, I have also asked to be provided a list of policemen who have been injured, how much time they have spent in the hospital, their names and ranks. It is possible that many of them get admitted to hospital in the morning and are discharged by the afternoon. The hospital admission is done only to add gravity to the encounter," said Darapuri. He further pointed out that the condition of some of the injured boys who have been admitted to state hospitals is pathetic. "I have learnt that some have developed gangrene and their legs have had to be amputated," he claimed. He went to add that these intimidation tactics are being employed because following Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh is the next state to serve as a laboratory for Hindutva. Only here, he believes, it is being done more vigorously. Uttar Pradesh Police personnel are known to be a trigger-happy lot. Last October, a constable shot Apple executive Vivek Tiwari dead in Lucknow. A month before Tiwaris killing, the police had 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 Adityanath launched his zero-tolerance fight against criminals after taking office in March 2017. Alok Agnihotri, a member of PUCL from Unnao who has been involved in documenting these cases said, "There are about three encounters taking place every day." A section of Uttar Pradesh police officials do not approve of this policy, and believe that resorting to such measures will only serve to rob the crime-fighting capabilities of the police. "The way we are going, we will end up being the laughing stock of the nation," said a senior police official in Lucknow. Rihai Manch, an NGO based in Uttar Pradesh, examined 17 FIRs in detail and concluded that these were all cases of extra-judicial killings. The Rihai Manch took up the matter before the NHRC and asked it to investigate the cases. It was only when the NHRC began to investigate the 17 killings that the Uttar Pradesh Police went on the defensive. The PUCL also filed a PIL in this regard on 14 January, 2019 before the Supreme Court. A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Ashok Bhushan and SK Kaul have also perused the material on record in detail and stated that the issues raised in the PUCL petition require serious consideration. The next date of hearing has been fixed for 12 February. The question remains as to why the political establishment in Uttar Pradesh has not come out vociferously against these encounters. The problem is that in the past, both the SP and BSP have also resorted to encounter killings. However, no party had earlier made them an integral part of state policy. Daily bulletin: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will visit Uttar Pradesh as Congress general secretary for the first time, CAG report on Rafale to be tabled in Parliament today; day's top stories Priyanka, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Rahul Gandhi to visit Uttar Pradesh today Newly appointed Congress general secretary of Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will begin a four-day visit to the state on Monday for the first time after taking charge. After a roadshow from Lucknow airport to the party office, she is likely to offer tributes to key icons by garlanding the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Bhimrao Ambedkar. She is scheduled to address party workers and also hold election strategy meetings with senior office bearers. Priyanka will be accompanied by Jyotiraditya Scindia, who was appointed as the party's in-charge of western Uttar Pradesh while Priyanka will manage the eastern region. Congress president Rahul Gandhi is also expected to join them. A day before her maiden visit, Priyanka said that together with the people of the state she hopes to start a "new kind of politics" in which everyone will be a stakeholder. "I am coming tomorrow to Lucknow to meet all of you. I have hope in my heart that together we will start a new kind of politics, a politics in which all of you will be stakeholders my young friends, my sisters and even the weakest person, all their voices will be heard," said Priyanka through Congress' Shakti App. CAG report on Rafale to be tabled in Parliament today The CAG report on the controversial Rafale deal is likely to be tabled in Parliament on Monday. Alleging conflict of interest, the Congress on Sunday requested Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Rajiv Mehrishi to recuse himself from auditing the deal to purchase 36 Rafale fighter aircraft as he, as the then-finance secretary, was part of the negotiations. The Opposition party also said that it would be improper on the part of Mehrishi to present the report in Parliament and said that it had written to him to recuse himself. In a communique to the former bureaucrat, the Congress has alleged that the government compromised "national interest" and "national security" in the purchase of the 36 aircraft and said the CAG has a constitutional and statutory duty to undertake a forensic audit of all defence contracts including the Rafale deal. "It is an act of gross impropriety for you to deal with the audit of the 36 Rafale aircraft deal on account of patent conflict of interest. You are constitutionally, legally and morally disentitled to either conduct an audit or to present a report before Parliament. We urge upon you to recuse yourself and publicly accept the gross impropriety committed by you in initiating the audit...," it said. Chandrababu Naidu to sit on hunger strike in Delhi demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will sit on a day-long hunger strike in the national capital on Monday demanding special status for his state and fulfilment of commitments made by the Centre under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. The Telugu Desam Party had walked out the BJP-led NDA last year protesting the "injustice" done to Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation. Naidu will stage the 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice) at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in the national capital from 8 am to 8 pm on Monday. He will also submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on 12 February, an official statement said. The chief minister will sit on a hunger strike along with his ministers, party MLAs, MLCs and MPs. Members of state employee associations, social organisations and student organisations will also join the fast, it said. Narendra Modi to visit Vrindavan today Prime Minister Narendra Modi will serve food to schoolchildren from the underprivileged background in Vrindavan on Monday, marking the "three billionth meal" offered by an NGO that works with the government on mid-day meal schemes, PTI reported. Akshaya Patra, which is a Bengaluru-based not-for-profit organisation, said that Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar are also likely to join the prime minister at the event to be held at its Vrindavan campus. "Prime Minister Modi will serve food to a few school children from the underprivileged background in the facility at Vrindavan where Akshaya Patra's kitchen is located. A couple of children, who have been beneficiaries of the programme, will also share their experiences," a spokesperson of the foundation told PTI. IMF warns governments of global economic 'storm' The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Sunday warned governments to gear up for a possible economic storm as growth undershoots expectations. "The bottom-line is we see an economy that is growing more slowly than we had anticipated," IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde told the World Government Summit in Dubai. Last month, the IMF lowered its global economic growth forecast for this year from 3.7 percent to 3.5 percent. Lagarde cited what she called "four clouds" as the main factors undermining the global economy and warned that a "storm" might strike. The risks include "trade tensions and tariff escalations, financial tightening, uncertainty related to (the) Brexit outcome and spillover impact and an accelerated slowdown of the Chinese economy", she said. Lagarde said trade tensions mainly in the shape of a tariff spat between the United States and China, the world's two biggest economies are already having a global impact. "We have no idea how it is going to pan out and what we know is that it is already beginning to have an effect on trade, on confidence and on markets," she said, warning governments to avoid protectionism. Cold Pursuit director supports Liam Neeson over racism row Cold Pursuit director Hans Petter Moland came out in support of actor Liam Neeson, who was slammed by people for passing racist comments. During a press conference for his new drama Out Stealing Horses, Moland defended Neeson saying he is not racist, reports Variety. He said: "He is a very honest, he is a very decent, grounded man...people commenting on the movie in derogatory wayslumping it together with something that has nothing to do with it. It's taking my voice away." Roma, The Favourite win big at BAFTA Tragicomic royal drama The Favourite and Mexican family memoir Roma split the honors with multiple wins each at 10 February's British Academy Film Awards -- victories that suggest a wind of change may be blowing through the movie industry. The Favourite won seven trophies including best British film and best actress for OIivia Colman, who plays Britains 18th century Queen Anne in the female-centric drama. Alfonso Cuarons Roma, which centres on the nanny to a middle-class Mexico City family, took prizes for best picture, director, cinematography and foreign-language film. NASA to recover satellites that went silent NASA says that it will retrieve its satellites, which disappeared into deep space after a Mars mission. Eve and Wall-E have not been heard from for more than a month. However, NASA says that the two will start moving toward the Sun this summer, and that's when it will rescue them. With inputs from agencies Dubious calculations by cooperative banks and societies have led to inflated outstanding farm loan amounts for many in Madhya Pradesh. Editor's Note: The Congress rode to power in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan by promising to rid the state of farmers' issues. However, after securing a huge victory, the Congress' farm loan waiver schemes have thrown up several discrepancies, exposing a few major irregularities in previous BJP governments' agriculture debt adjustments. In this four-part series, we analyse the different problems related to the loan waiver schemes in the two states. Bhopal/Harda: Every village in Madhya Pradesh is buzzing the common talking point: the farm loan waiver scheme. Panchayat offices are seeing action like never before, with hordes of farmers gathered outside to scan the lists of waiver beneficiaries. The schemes calculation is simple: any loan up to Rs 2 lakh taken before 31 March, 2018, is eligible for the waiver. So, for example, if a farmer has taken a loan of Rs 5 lakh, the state government will pay off Rs 2 lakh to the bank concerned, while the rest will have to be cleared by the farmer. However, alleged corruption has made the scheme's implementation a mess, and not a single farmer has been able to get a waiver so far. And so, something that should have brought them relief is actually giving them sleepless nights. Dubious calculations by cooperative banks and societies have led to inflated outstanding loan amounts for many, and waivers as low as a paltry Rs 5 for several. And then there are those who never opted for any loan and yet are on the list. When thousands became lakhs Heres a case in point of Ganesh Lal, a farmer from Kheda village in Harda district. Ganesh had taken a loan of Rs 64,261 in 2015 from the Kheda cooperative society. Imagine his shock on finding out that not only has the society listed him as a "defaulter", but it has also put his outstanding amount at Rs 5.82 lakh. The whole village is talking about my loan, but Im not even the only one suffering as a result of some shady calculation. There are 450 others... The society is operating two different loan accounts in my name. I smell a scam and have approached the local authority, he said, adding that he has submitted applications to MLAs and ministers as well. The contentious calculation Neemgaon farmer Ajay Vishnoi said, I had taken a loan of Rs 2 lakh from a cooperative society. After my crop was damaged, I got Rs 1.2 lakh as insurance claim, which I adjusted with the loan. Later, I sold wheat for Rs 70,000 and deposited that amount against my loan as well. And yet Im on the list with an outstanding amount of Rs 1.61 lakh. Isnt it obvious that someone in the bank pocketed my money and failed to make entries of all my payments? Sethi Patel, a farmer leader from Harda, seconded Vishnoi. He said hes got many farmers coming to him complaining about similar issues. Another Harda-based farmer leader, Ram Hinaiya, said, You can imagine the extent of the scam if those whove never taken a loan are finding themselves on these lists Satpal Vishnoi and Reva Patel are among the scores of farmers facing this problem. Devendra Mishra, an educated farmer from Chhatarpurs Sarwai village, explained what is causing the chaos. The government is waiving off loans taken before 31 March, 2018. This has led to this mess. Those who werent aware about the waiver scheme cleared their own loans shortly after 31 March. Yet, banks in my district have put their names in the beneficiary lists. This means banks will claim those amounts again, this time from the government, under the scheme, he alleged. Those who have caught on that it's a scam are raising questions and complaining to the administration, but there are several who dont understand or are unaware about it. However, a senior bank manager, on condition of anonymity, said, Banks are calculating the outstanding amounts before 31 March and waiving only those off. Hence the confusion. And thats also why some farmers have got waivers of Rs 10 to Rs 50 despite taking a larger loan. But Shivlal Kataria from Nipania Baijnath village of Agar-Malwa district is in no mood to accept the waiver of Rs 13 that he has got. Insisting that it should have been Rs 24,000, he has complained to the authorities. The first police complaint lodged The Kheda cooperative bank itself has lodged a complaint against its former manager Ramnarayan Chauhan for allegedly misappropriating loan money. Bank manager Kailash Chandra Saran said this is probably the first complaint in the scheme. Saran said the bank found three cases of incorrect entries in loan accounts two fake outstanding amounts of Rs 1,00,500 and Rs 77,436 against Ram Pyari Bais account; dues of Rs 38,170 instead of Rs 6,361.75 against Kishan Lals account; and failure to record repayment of Rs 40,000 made by Radha Kishan to the bank. Mishra reiterated that the rot in cooperative banks goes deep as members of the same family have been dominating the districts banking system. Congress defence Gopal Bhargava, Leader of Opposition and BJP leader, said Congress has failed farmers. The (state) government is looking for excuses. If it really wanted to waive off loans, it would have done it, and properly. Instead, it is simply confusing farmers by making them fill out all sorts of forms. Minister for Farmers Welfare Sachin Yadav, however, slammed the previous (BJP) government for this mess. Its a Rs 1,000-crore scam, but one that has been perpetrated by the previous government. Our scheme has merely exposed it. We are committed to the scheme and are making all necessary arrangements for farmers convenience. We have even set up a helpline for them to call on with their grievances; they can approach their nearest bank for the number, as there is a dedicated helpline for each district. Our government will also lodge police complaints and get justice for the aggrieved, he said. When asked about the meagre waivers some farmers have got, Yadav added that it was a case of human error and would be rectified by the banks. The scheme is costing the state exchequer over Rs 50,000 crore, which, government officials suspect, is an inflated amount due to corruption in banks. According to government data, there are 53.3 lakh beneficiaries in different panchayats, who had taken loans from 25 national and cooperative banks. (Manish Chandra Mishra is a Bhopal- based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com) Six women sustained injuries when the police fired tear gas shells, smoke bombs in Imphal to disperse protesters demanding withdrawal of the citizenship bill Imphal: Six women sustained injuries when the police fired tear gas shells and smoke bombs at a marketplace here to disperse protesters, who had enforced a road blockade demanding withdrawal of the citizenship bill, according to a vendors' association at the market. There was, however, no immediate official confirmation about the incident. Shantidevi, the president of an association of women vendors at Khwairamband market here, claimed that the police on Sunday used force on the agitators, who had been protesting peacefully. The women vendors at the market here had put up posters and banners and set up tents, blocking roads, to press for their demand, she said. Prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPc have been imposed in the area in the wake of agitations against the contentious bill. Shantidevi said the police tried to pull down the tents and tear apart the posters and banners that sought the unconditional revocation of the bill. The women, however, refused to cow down, following which a clash broke out between the two sides, she said. "The security officers fired tear gas shells and smoke bombs, which left six women injured. The situation turned uglier when they tried to take one of the injured women into custody and the agitators had to thwart the attempt," Shantidevi claimed. The injured women were then taken to Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIIMS), she added. Criticising the use of "excessive force", Y Dillipkumar, the convenor of Manipur Peoples Against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (MANPAC), said the women were "protesting in a democratic manner". "The assault on the women vendors indicates that the state government is acting under the command of the Union government," he said. MANPAC is an umbrella body of civil societies and organisations that had been protesting against the passage of the legislation. Dillipkumar asserted that the agitation against the bill will intensify in the days to come. "The members of MANPAC, along with common people, will hit the streets seeking withdrawal of the bill and implementation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in the state to weed out illegal immigrants," he added. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had earlier said that the BJP-led government in the state would not support the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill unless there was a provision to protect the people of the northeast. Meanwhile, security has been beefed up across Imphal Monday in the wake of the agitation. A large number of security personnel belonging to state and paramilitary forces have been deployed in Imphal to avoid any untoward situation. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, passed by Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks to grant nationality to non-Muslims who fled religious persecution from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and entered India before 31 December, 2014. Protests against the bill have rocked the entire northeast over the past six weeks, with several organisations and political parties claiming that the bill threatens the identity, language and culture of indigenous people. Robert Vadra is set to face the questions over possession and sale of land by his firm Sky Light Hospitality at Gajner and Goylari in Bikaner. New Delhi: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi's husband Robert Vadra will appear at 10:30 am in Jaipur on Tuesday before Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in connection with the alleged Bikaner land scam. Vadra was quizzed by ED sleuths for three days in the national capital for his alleged link with arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari and purchase of flats through benami companies. His lawyers have categorically denied any links with Bhandari and possession of any illegal foreign assets. Now, he is set to face the questions over possession and sale of land by his firm Sky Light Hospitality at Gajner and Goylari in Bikaner. Firstpost has accessed ED's ECIR (enforcement case information report) in the case which is based on Kolayat police's 18 FIRs filed in August 2014. In all these FIRs the complainant has informed that the government officials/officers in league with land mafia, with a motive to grab government land, prepared forged and fabricated documents and on the basis of those forged and fabricated documents they have illegally taken possession of a large amount of government land and by selling and purchasing the said government land a huge loss of revenue has been caused to the government, the ED said. Background of the Bikaner land The Central government had acquired the land of as many as 34 villages in Bikaner district for the purpose of establishment of Mahajan Field Firing Range. The government paid compensation to the displaced persons of these villages and the state government also proposed for rehabilitation of the displaced persons by providing land equivalent to their acquired land in Bikaner district itself at minimum price and for which they were required to fill up the Khasra number and name of village in an application form to be deposited with the colonisation department. Subsequently, the colonisation department was required to examine these applications and after the deposit of the price of the land through challan, the colonisation department would make allotment of land to these displaced persons. As per procedure the allotment letters were to be issued in four copies out of which one copy was to be given to the allottee, one copy to the concerned tehsil, one copy to the accounts section and one copy was kept for office records. Thereafter, the allottee was required to move an application along with the allotment letter and other original documents pertaining to the allotment in the concerned tehsil office and after verifying the documents and their genuineness the allotted land would be transferred in favour of the allottee and recorded in his name in the revenue records. EDs claim ED officials claim that with a view to grab government land allotted to the displaced persons of the Mahajan Field Firing Range, since 1989 till date, the land mafia conspired with the government servants like Patwari, Girdawar and Naib Tehsildar etc. which included individuals like Jai Prakash Bagadwa, Kishore Singh, Gugan Gar, Patwari Uma Charan, Mahavir, Patwari Deepa Ram, Naib Tehsildar Fakir Mohammed and others and formed a league and planned to prepare forged and fabricated allotment letters in the name of alleged displaced persons. To implement their plan and commit fraud, these persons worked together and marked the vacant government land in revenue villages of Goyalari, Madh, Indoka Bala and Gajner of Tehsil Kolayat, Bikaner in collusion with Uma Charan and Mahavir (Patwaris) Deeparam, Rajendra Kumar Shandilya and Madan Gopal (Girdwars) and Fakir Mohammed (Naib Tehsildar) of Kolayat and obtained Khasra numbers of vacant government land. After obtaining this information, these persons, under a criminal conspiracy forged allotment letters of such land, in the name of such persons who were neither resident of the villages the lands of which were acquired for the Mahajan Field Firing Range nor their names were there in the list of displaced persons. Even the forged allotment letters were prepared in the name of non-existent persons, ED ECIR said. ED officials alleged that all the accused in the case Jai Prakash, Ranjit Singh, Kishore Singh and Gugan Gar had prepared the forged and fabricated allotment letters and in league with Patwaris, Naib Tehsildar and Girdawars got the land recorded in the revenue record. The ED claims the land was subsequently sold to seven companies including Sky Light Hospitality Private Limited. The government land acquired on the basis of forged and fabricated documents were sold to several persons. Most of the land was ultimately transferred to the companies Dauphin Developers Private Limited, Sky Light Hospitality Private Limited, Allegeny Finlease Limited, Bloomingdale Resorts Private Limited, Lohiya Organic Farms and Bio Private Limited, Systematic Marketing Consultants Private Limited and Samiksha Developers Private Limited. In all, forged and fabricated letters were prepared for around 1,422 bighas of land in different Khasras of revenue villages of Goyalari, Madh, Indoka Bala and Gajner in Bikaner by these accused persons under a criminal conspiracy. They disposed of 1,372 Bighas of land out of the 1,422 bighas which was grabbed by them by getting it recorded in the revenue record on the basis of the forged and fabricated allotment letters prepared by themselves. In this manner, they had received around Rs 3.6 crore. In these transactions, all these persons have willingly and knowingly caused loss to the government and earned an undue profit of Rs.3.6 crore illegally, the ED alleged. Vadras counter Vadra claimed that his firm was neither the first seller nor the first purchaser of the land in the question. His lawyers have claimed that in all 18 FIRs neither Vadra or his firm had any concern since and it was mentioned only a bonafide subsequent purchaser and was not even named in the FIR. "It is stated that ultimately the police officials filed a charge sheet in the aforesaid FIR (August 2014) in the year 2015 along with a supplementary charge sheet in March 2017, wherein neither the petitioner (Robert Vadra) nor the firm was an accused. In consequence, the aforesaid charge sheets being filed, it was inevitable that the petitioner's firm being only a bonafide subsequent purchaser was therefore innocent and hence not indicted/implicated in any manner for the commission of any criminal offence," Vadra's bail petition in the Patiala House court said. Vadra's lawyers have also argued that since registration of ECIR in 2015, his firm and representatives have already cooperated with the investigation to the satisfaction of ED officials. Vadras lawyers claimed that ED surreptitiously registered another ECIR which is not permissible in law and is a clear manifestation of an arbitrary, illegal and motivated exercise to launch nefarious persecution to harass and humiliate the petitioner in the eye of the public at large for political vendetta due to forthcoming elections in the country. Vadra's firm Sky Light Hospitality Private Limited was incorporated in 2007 and subsequently changed to a limited liability partnership (LLP) in 2016. Vadra was the director in the company since inception and now became a partner after the company was converted to an LLP. Regarding the 31.61 hectares in village Gajner, Vadra's lawyers said the land was allotted in February 2007 to Natha Ram of Jagatsinghpur of Bikaner (12.65 hectares out of 31.61) and to Hari Ram of same village (18.96 hectares out of 31.61). On 19 November 2007, Natha Ram sold 12.65 hectares of land to Rajinder Kumar. "Mutation No. 120 was duly recorded for this land in favour of Rajinder Kumar. Hari Ram acting through GPA Gugan Gar sold 18.96 hectares of land comprised in Khasra No. 711/499 in the revenue estate of village Gajner in favour of one Kishore Singh Shekhawat. That in connection with its business, the firm (Sky Light Hospitality) through its authorised power of attorney holder Mahesh Nagar purchased the lands measuring 31.61 hectares situated at Gajner, Bikaner from Rajinder Kumar and Kishore Singh who were acting through their general power of attorney Ashok Kumar. That the land ad-measuring 37.94 hectares in village Goylari was allotted in February 2007 to Natha Ram, Hari Ram, Bhaira Ram of Rampura (16.66 hectares) and Natha Ram, Hari Ram, Bhaira Ram, Jora Ram of Jagatsinghpura Tehsil Kolayat, Bikaner (21.5 hectares). On 21.3.2007 Bhaira Ram sold 16.44 hectares to one Yogesh Agarwal. "On 16.4.2007 Yogesh Agarwal sold this land for Rs.8.25 Lakh to jointly to Satish Goel, Babu Ram Goel, Ghanshyam Bansal, Rajinder Prasad Agarwal and Kailash Agarwal. The lands were also duly mutated in the name of Yogesh Agarwal on 20.4.2007 and subsequently in favour of Satish Goel and others on 20.8.2007. That on 11.9.2008, Ranjit Singh the power of attorney holder of one of the original allottees, Jora Ram sold 17.70 hectares of land situated in village Goyalri for Rs 4.8 lakh jointly to Satish Goel, Babu Ram Goel, Ghanshyam Bansal, Rajinder Prasad Agarwal and Kailash Agarwal. The mutation of the land admeasuring of 17.70 hectares was also entered in the name of Satish Goel and the said others on 20.9.2008," Vadra's petition said. It further said that on 10 December 2008 Ranjit Singh sold another 3.80 hectares of land jointly to Satish Goel and Kailash Agarwal. Subsequently, 37.94 hectares at Goylari, Bikaner was purchased by the Vadra's Sky Light Hospitality through its authorised representative Mahesh Nagar from Satish Goel and others. Subsequently, Sky Light Hospitality further sold the lands at Gajner and Goylari on 23 December 2012 to Allegeny Finlease Private Limited. Vadra also claimed that in both the transactions his firm was the fourth (Goylari land) and third (Gajner land) bonafide purchaser respectively. Vadra said he had appropriate sale consideration and his firm purchased the lands on the basis of existing title and passed the same to the purchaser. While the recent hooch tragedy may have catalysed the already charged political landscape of the country, what makes these incidents more poignant is the shocking regularity in which these take place In one of the worst hooch tragedies in recent times, more than 100 people have died after consuming a killer alcoholic brew in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand over the past three days. The incident has not only grabbed headlines but also resulted in political mudslinging between ruling and opposing factions of the two states. While the recent tragedy may have catalysed the already charged political landscape of the country, what makes hooch-related incidents more poignant is the shocking regularity in which these take place. This, despite the fact that regular raids are conducted by officials on illegal manufacturing dens and awareness drives taken out to dissuade people from consumption of the lethal brew. The deaths were first reported on Friday from Baalupur village in Uttarakhand's Roorkee where a day before, on Thursday, people from Saharanpur and Kushinagar in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh as well as residents of Baalupur had gathered for a terahvi (after death ritual). By Monday, the number of those dead mounted to more than 100, with many still critically ill. Police of both states are still trying to trace where the liquor was actually brewed and ways in which it was distributed. While action was initially taken against seven excise and seven police officials of Uttar Pradesh, two senior officers were subsequently suspended by the government on Sunday. The Uttar Pradesh government had also started a 15-day campaign on Friday to crack down on the sale of illicit liquor and its distribution in the state. As a result of this drive, authorities had filed cases against 297 people in Uttar Pradesh and 49 in Uttarakhand, and 215 people have been arrested in Uttar Pradesh. A Special Investigation team (SIT) has also been formed to probe the incident by the Uttar Pradesh government and submit a report within 10 days. Both Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments had, on Saturday, announced Rs two lakh ex-gratia for family members of deceased and Rs 50,000 to those hospitalised. Why is hooch toxic? Ridiculously cheap and sold for as low as Rs 20 a bottle, the concoction is usually made in unregulated shanties and by makers who are known to often get their quantities, especially deadly chemical compounds such as methanol wrong. Doing so can cause breathlessness, blindness, slow motor responses, and death. Methanol is extremely toxic, even a 10 ml can cause blindness and 30 ml can cause death within 10 to 30 hours. In the recent tragedy, a combination of urea, battery liquid, caustic soda and sedatives were found to have been mixed with the alcoholic brew that made the liquor poisonous, according to a Times of India. Reports also suggested that doctors had found methanol in the viscera report of the victims. Recipe for disaster Bihar, 2016 Four months after the Nitish Kumar government imposed a total ban on the sale and prohibition on liquor, 16 people had died in Gopalganj district of the state. Locals had consumed a brew made from mahua flowers. Maharashtra, 2015 102 people were killed in Laxmi Nagar slums of Malwani area in Mumbai after having the country liquor called 'phuga'. The government had ordered a probe into the deaths but a year later, in 2016, little seems to have changed. A News 18 report highlighted how only months after the tragedy occurred, the number of country liquor dens had increased in Mumbais suburbs. It was available as usual and vendors were involved in the business in connivance with the administration. West Bengal, 2011 Around 170 were killed by toxic alcohol in the state. Seven years later, in November 2018, a court in South 24 Parganas district had convicted four people in connection with this incident. The court had also acquitted six others for lack of evidence. The same month that year, surprisingly, also saw the 12 others dying in Santipur area. Gujarat, 2009 This dry state was jolted by the deaths of more than 136 people from toxic moonshine. Another 276 people were admitted in various hospitals with 100 of them in intensive care units. In a report about the deaths, a source had detailed how the police was a partner in the crime. "Without their support, the bootleggers could not do business. There is a parallel economy worth seven billion dollars, with mafias, he was quoted saying. Karnataka-Tamil Nadu, 2008 These two southern states witnessed the deaths of 180 people due to hooch. While many had complained of stomach pain and vomiting, some had even lost their eyesight in the incident. Odisha, 1992 Around 200 died in Cuttack and another 600 were hospitalised in Cuttack in 1992, makng it one of the biggest hooch-related tragedies in India. Some years down the line, in 2012, Cuttack again saw the deaths of 28 people with one more dying in Bhubaneswar. Karnataka, 1981 In what could be called one of the one of the biggest tragedies in India, 308 people had died in Bengaluru due to methanol poisoning. An enquiry commission had earlier revealed connection between some politicians and the bootleggers. Liquor-laced politics The recent deaths led to a political slugfest with opposition parties blaming ruling BJP governments in both Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand for the tragedy. While the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party blamed the BJP governments in both states, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said "such mischievous acts" were done by Samajwadi Party leaders in the past too. "In Azamgarh, Hardoi, Kanpur and Barabanki, SP leaders were found to be involved in previous hooch tragedies," he had told reporters on Saturday. Meanwhile the party's ally and BSP chief Mayawati sought a CBI probe into the incident. She accused the Uttar Pradesh government of having knowledge about the "bootleggers running a parallel administration" in the state. On the other hand, in what seemed to be her first political statement after taking charge as AICC general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed the governments of both Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand over the tragedy. Alleging "laxity" on part of the government over the hooch tragedy, opposition members on Monday also created ruckus in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly and demanded resignation of Chief Minister Adityanath. It later led to adjournment of the House during Question Hour. With inputs from agencies Qatar supplies 8.5 million tonnes a year of liquefied natural gas to India. Greater Noida: India's largest LNG supplier Qatar on Sunday urged the Central government to include natural gas in GST to help create demand for the environment friendly fuel and raise its share in the country's energy basket. Speaking at Petrotech conference here, Qatar Gas CEO Khalid Bin Khalifa Al-Thani said India is very important market for Qatar. "If there is change in demand worldwide we will see it in India especially in fossile fuel," he said. Qatar supplies 8.5 million tonnes a year of liquefied natural gas to India. It is the country's single largest source of imported gas, supplying about 40 percent of all overseas shipments reaching India. He said the country needs to build infrastructure so that clean fuel can reach all corners. "LNG should be considered to get full benefits of GST," he said. "We would be working closely with the government". Qatar is the second big foreign investor to seek GST on petroleum products. In October last year, Russian oil firm Rosneft, the biggest foreign investor in India's energy sector, had criticised the country's taxation policy, saying it was a major hurdle in its expansion plans. Rosneft and its partners had in August 2017 completed a $12.9 billion acquisition of Essar Oil to enter the world's fastest-growing energy market. The company will, however, have to pay a 20 percent withholding tax even after paying corporate tax and dividend, Rosneft's first vice-president for economics and finance Pavel Fedorov had said. Fedorov said the company was also not able to claim credit of tax it pays on inputs in its Vadinar refinery in Gujarat. While the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which unified over a dozen central and state levies, came into effect from 1 July 2017, five petro goods crude oil, natural gas, petrol, diesel and aviation turbine fuel (ATF) were kept out of it. This means the tax, a user of natural gas pay on inputs cannot be offset by taxes paid at consumption end. State-owned gas utility GAIL India Ltd chairman B C Tripathi, speaking at the same session at Petrotech, too favoured to bring natural gas under the ambit of GST, saying it is a low hanging fruit. Also, power plants must start using natural gas as it would be difficult to achieve the target of raising the share of natural gas in the energy basket to 15 percent by 2030 from current 6.2 percent. Al-Thani said natural gas demand worldwide is expected to grow at the rate of 1.5 percent through 2035 and LNG demand is projected to grow by 4 percent to 600 million tonnes from 290 million tonnes in 2017. Qatar, he said, will raise LNG production capacity to 110 million tonnes by 2023 from current 77 million tonnes. The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal on Monday allowed 22 companies of crisis-hit IL&FS group to service their debt obligations New Delhi: The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal on Monday allowed 22 companies of crisis-hit IL&FS group to service their debt obligations. Besides, a two-member bench headed by Justice S J Mukhopadhaya approved appointment of former Supreme Court judge Justice D K Jain to supervise resolution process of IL&FS group. The appellate tribunal also lifted moratorium and allows 133 IL&FS firms incorporated outside India to continue with the resolution process. "We allow (companies under green categories) the board to permit the company to service debt obligations as per schedule," the firm said. The NCLAT was hearing the government plea over IL&FS group. Earlier this month, the corporate affairs ministry submitted the debt resolution plan for IL&FS. The entire resolution process would be based on the principles enunciated in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, as per the ministry. Under the plan, the government has categorised IL&FS group companies into green, amber and red based on their respective financial positions. Companies under the green category would be those that continue to meet their payment obligations. Amber category would be for those companies that would not be able to meet their obligations but can meet only operational payment obligations to senior secured financial creditors. Amber category entities "are permitted to make only payments necessary to maintain and preserve the going concern". "Companies falling in the red category are the entities which can not meet their payment obligations towards even senior secured financial creditors," as per the plan. Such companies would be permitted to make payment necessary to maintain and preserve the going concern status. The implementation of any basic income or bare minimum economic support is possible only through the informal sector participation Congress Party president Rahul Gandhi proposed a minimum income guarantee to the poor if the party comes to power in the 2019 election. The announcement attracts public attention and there has been media discussion on it. However, the action plan is not yet revealed by the Congress Party. The BJP government at the Centre has also offered Rs 6,000 per annum (Rs 17 per day) to marginal and subsistence farmers. It has also offered a contributory pension scheme called 'Pradhan Mantri Shram-Yogi Maandhan' for the unorganised sector workers. As per the Budget 2019 document, this pension scheme shall provide them an assured monthly pension of Rs 3,000 from the age of 60 years on a monthly contribution of a small, affordable amount during their working age. An unorganised sector worker joining pension yojana at the age of 29 years will have to contribute only Rs 100 per month till the age of 60 years. So, this scheme can be called a demand-driven programme, i.e., those who wish and are capable of contributing can join in this programme. These are targeted intervention programmes and do not offer any major change in the household economy of the poor. However, both the Congress and the BJP equally project it is going to change the electoral politics and also improve the economic conditions of the poor. Such self-proclaimed consensus building is the biggest impediment to development in the country. However, the feasibility of the projects is sketchy and will be inadequate for the poor. These declarations should be treated as art of winning elections rather than welfare, and the 'brilliant' politicians know that income and employment security attract public imagination in the country more than anything else. The minimum income proposed by Congress and the bare minimum support to farmers (Rs 17 per day) by the ruling BJP government are actually rooted in the idea of basic need approach (BNA) proposed by the International Labor Organization (ILO) in 1979. So, these are not new and there have been many trial and errors on this idea. In mid-1970, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) as part of the World Employment Conference proposed the idea of basic need support for workers. It traces back to the paper written by Albert Maslow in the Psychological Review in March 1942 in which he explained the importance of five needs starting with physiological and ending with self-actualization. Also, in the 1950s, the concept of minimum needs was developed by Pitambar Pant of the Indian Planning Commission which emphases income support to weaker sections. What ILO proposes is a basic minimum social security to workers rather than income. Though it seems progressive, still it had many contradictions, especially fixing the limit to which basic needs can be offered in a developing economy like India. No developing country could purse it and demonstrate any success. Later on, charity and philanthropic aid agencies took it forward in their humanitarian intervention project and no formal development programme came along with the BNA. The implementation of any basic income or bare minimum economic support is possible only through the informal sector participation. The government has to promote informal sector for such income support programmes. It would be an extension of informalisation of labour and the labour market. In India, nearly 83 percent of the workforce is engaged in the informal sector. Social security to informal sector workers is still an incomplete project. So, in India, the basic need support project does mean heavily depending on the informal sector with a fluctuating wage rate. (See table 1) The Indian informal sector operations are largely driven by independent initiatives and it is fluctuating in itself. Any attempt to enhance income will have two optionsfirst, employment generation in the informal sector or direct cash support to needy. The second option is unrealistic and it is simply not possible in a country like India, i.e.; universal pension schemes, so the option left is to depend on the informal labour market. The rural-urban divide is also shrinking with reference to the informal sector and also there has to be specific-sectoral approach to informal sector. The classical definition of informal sector hardly fits into Indian reality. Indias informal sector is highly scattered and still offers bare minmum livelihood to millions of poor. Graph 1 shows the sectoral contribution of non-agricultural informal sector work in the country. Trading and other services are offering more opportunities other than the manufacturing sector, and hence the approach should be sectoral-specific. Interestingly, both Congress and the BJP keep silent on agricultural sector-focused income generation. Though the government and political parties deny, agriculture still offers income opportunities to millions in the rural area than other informal sector. The daily income difference between agricultural sector and other informal sector proves that Indian political parties neglect agriculture a lot. The daily income of agriculture sector declines after 2013-14, yet agriculture offers opportunities of the rural work force. See graph 2. Any effective income support programme in this country should start from agriculture rather than the general informal labour market since agriculture never displaces labour. It may disguise unemployment and still it accommodates poor as labour. The inception of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGA) changes the informal sector and it gives a formal sector character to the workers. NREGA helped the political parties to intervene in the rural labour without making any promise of permanent employment. It's true to state that it helped legitimise the informal labour market, and also make local self-government at the grass root level to depend on the informal labour market to promote NREGA. So, the proposed income support programme by Congress hardly move beyond NREGA schemes and, there is likelihood of ending these scheme as another bare minimum welfare programme i.e minimum wage and minimum working days at the rural areas. If the Congress is serious about welfare, the party should think of required minimum social security rather than minimum wage. The last five years of BJP rule proves that they never wanted to break the conventional art of governing voters. It is wrong to expect more from them and this is the dilemma of Indian political systems, which empower the parties to decide the destiny of the poor and needy. (The writer is Assistant Professor, Jamsetji Tata School of Disaster Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences) HAL's total income from operations stood at Rs 4,482.83 crore during the period, compared with Rs 4,462.92 crore in the corresponding year-ago period. New Delhi: State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) on Monday reported a 17.02 percent decline in net profit to Rs 455.19 crore in the third quarter ended December 2018. It had reported a net profit of Rs 548.59 crore in the October-December quarter of the previous fiscal. In a filing on the exchanges, HAL said a fraud involving misappropriation of funds by a company official in collusion with six contractors has been noticed by the management and referred to the vigilance department for further investigations. "The vigilance department based on the investigations has lodged FIR with Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Bhubaneshwar. An amount of Rs 1,876 lakh has been provisionally assessed as fraudulent payments made to contractors during the period from December 2013 to September 2018, and reported in the FIR with CBI," the company said. It said the matter is under investigation by CBI. HAL's total income from operations stood at Rs 4,482.83 crore during the period, compared with Rs 4,462.92 crore in the corresponding year-ago period. Its total expenses rose to Rs 3,799.33 crore in the December 2018 quarter, against Rs 3,618.14 crore a year ago. State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) and Oil India Ltd (OIL) have not been able to develop the discoveries Greater Noida (UP): The government plan to offer public sector units (PSUs) special incentives for natural gas discoveries in difficult and unviable areas will help raise India's natural gas production as it will unlock output in a dozen fields of state-owned ONGC and OIL, officials said Sunday. India currently produces about 90 million standard cubic meters per day (mmscmd) of natural gas and has ambitious plans to double output by 2022 to reduce its reliance on imports and replace some of the polluting liquid fuels to cut emissions. Speaking on sidelines of the Petrotech conference here on the outskirts of Delhi, officials said ONGC and OIL have a dozen discoveries, which are unviable at current government mandated gas price. These finds, they said, need a higher price and the government plans for special incentives for them would help bring them to production quickly. Oil Minister Dharmendra pradhan had last month stated "special incentive besides the incentive already provided" will be given to difficult fields of ONGC. "We don't know what that incentive will be, but we presume it will be a higher and remunerative price," an official said. State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) and Oil India Ltd (OIL) have not been able to develop the discoveries or bring them to production as the current gas price of $3.36 per million British thermal unit (MMBtu) is way lower than the cost of production. Officials said ONGC has about 35 billion cubic meters of recoverable reserves in discoveries in the shallow sea off Andhra Pradesh on the east and off Gujarat and Mumbai on the west coast blocks. The three blocks in Krishna Godavari basin, Gulf of Kutch and Mumbai offshore can produce about 10 mmscmd of gas and an equivalent amount can be produced from its onshore discoveries in blocks like Bantumili, Mandapeta and Bhuvanagiri, they said. About 5 mmscmd of production can be added by making some investment in existing fields like Mumbai High South, Neelam and B-127 Cluster in the Arabian Sea. Oil India Ltd (OIL) has an onland discovery in the Krishna Godavari basin in Andhra Pradesh with over 3 billion cubic meters of recoverable reserves, but needs a higher price to bring it to production. The officials said all these fields can be expeditiously developed and monetised in case pricing and marketing freedom is granted by the government. ONGC and OIL want a price of over $6 per MMBtu to help them produce the gas without suffering any losses. In the absence of a viable gas price, they will have to mothball USD 3 billion projects, the officials said. The BJP-led government had in October 2014, evolved a new pricing formula using rates prevalent in gas surplus nations like US, Canada and Russia to determine price in a net importing country. Prices using this formula are calculated semi-annually. While the government has allowed a higher rate of $7.67 per mmBtu for gas fields in difficult areas like the deep sea, ONGC's Krishna Godavari basin block KG-OSN-2004/1, which has about 15 bcm of recoverable reserves, is in shallow waters and does not qualify as a 'difficult field'. Similar is the fate of Mumbai basin block MB-OSN-2005/1 on the western side. The block GK-28/42 in Gulf of Kutch is a nomination block which does not qualify for higher rates, they said. The onland discoveries of ONGC and OIL too do not qualify for the higher rates. While ONGC's KG block can produce a peak output of 5 mmscmd, the same from GK-28/42 is expected to be around 2.5 mmscmd. Peak output from MB-OSN-2005/1 is expected to a little less than 3 mmscmd. Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on 20 March 2017, had stated that the cost of production of natural gas in the prolific Krishna Godavari basin is between $4.99 to $7.30 per mmBtu. The same for other basins is in the range of $3.80 to$6.59 per mmBtu, he had said, adding the production cost of companies vary from field to field depending upon the size of the reservoir, location, logistics and availability of surface facilities. Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 11, 2019 / DC Acquisition Corp. (TSXV: DCA.P) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an arms-length non-binding letter of intent (the "LOI") dated February 8, 2019 with Mijem Inc. ("Mijem") to combine the businesses of the two companies. The LOI outlines the terms and conditions pursuant to which the Company and Mijem will complete a transaction that will result in a reverse take-over of the Company by Mijem (the "Proposed Transaction"). The Proposed Transaction will be an arm's length transaction, and, if completed, will constitute the Company's "Qualifying Transaction" (as such term is defined in Policy 2.4 of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange")). Upon completion of the Proposed Transaction, the resulting issuer (the "Resulting Issuer") will carry on the business of Mijem. Private Placement In connection with the Proposed Transaction, the Company proposes to complete a concurrent brokered private placement through one or more member firms of the Exchange for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $3,500,000 (the "Private Placement") on terms to be determined by negotiation between the Company and the agents in the context of the market. Pursuant to the Private Placement, the Company will pay customary fees and expenses. The net proceeds of the Private Placement will be used for general corporate purposes including product development and sales and marketing as well as general and administrative expenses. Further information with respect to the terms of the Concurrent Financing will be announced in a subsequent press release once available. As of the date hereof, the Company has net working capital of approximately $2,500,000 in cash. Proposed Transaction Summary The Proposed Transaction is expected to be structured by way of a share exchange, merger, amalgamation, arrangement or other similar business combination as agreed to by the parties. As part for the Proposed Transaction the shareholders of Mijem will receive approximately 66,000,000 common shares in the capital of the Company in exchange for their shares of Mijem. The Proposed Transaction may be structured in any manner agreed to between the Company and Mijem and the final structure is subject to the receipt of tax, corporate and securities law advice for both the Company and Mijem. The parties anticipate completing the Proposed Transaction on or about April 30, 2019 or as otherwise agreed to by the parties. The Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, the parties successfully entering into a definitive agreement in respect of the Proposed Transaction on or before March 15, 2019, or such other date as the Company and Mijem may mutually agree, receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the Exchange, and certain other closing conditions, including the completion of satisfactory due diligence by the Company and the closing of the Private Placement. Additional information regarding the Proposed Transaction will be set out in a filing statement (the "Filing Statement") which will be filed with the Exchange and posted on the Company's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). Following completion of the Proposed Transaction, it is anticipated that a share split will be undertaken on a 1 for 2 basis (or such other ratio as the parties may agree) for all issued and outstanding shares of the Resulting Issuer and a name change will occur to better reflect the business of Mijem. Mijem Inc. Mijem Inc. was incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) on August 19, 2014. Mijem is a Canadian-based social media and technology company that provides innovative solutions to create a vibrant social marketplace for students to connect with other students and to efficiently buy, sell and trade goods and services on and off campus. Mijem's patent pending flagship technology currently permits thousands of university and college students across the United States and Canada to both connect online and engage in campus themed commerce. Accordingly, the addressable market for Mijem is the global post-secondary education student population. The Mijem mobile app is available for download for free at: iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id936519289 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mijem.android DC Acquisition Corp. The Company was incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) on November 28, 2017 and is a Capital Pool Company (as defined in the policies of the Exchange) listed on the Exchange. The Company has no commercial operations and no assets other than cash. Shareholder Approval Since the Proposed Transaction is not a Non-Arm's Length Qualifying Transaction (as such term is defined in Policy 2.4 of the Exchange), the Company will not be required to obtain shareholder approval of the Proposed Transaction. In addition, the Proposed Transaction is not a "related party transaction" as such term is defined by Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions and is not subject to Policy 5.9 of the Exchange. As a result, no meeting of the shareholders of the Company is required pursuant to corporate law, Policy 2.4 of the Exchange or securities laws. Directors, Officers and Other Insiders of the Resulting Issuer The directors and officers of the Resulting Issuer will be determined at a later date or upon completion of the Proposed Transaction and at which time a further news release will be issued in accordance with the policies of the Exchange. Sponsorship Sponsorship of a qualifying transaction of a Capital Pool Company is required by the Exchange unless exempt in accordance with the Exchange policies. The Company is currently reviewing the requirements for sponsorship and anticipates applying for an exemption from the sponsorship requirements pursuant to the Exchange policies. However, there is no assurance that the Company will obtain this exemption. Trading in the Company Common Shares Trading in the Company's common shares has been halted in compliance with the policies of the Exchange. Trading in the Company's common shares will remain halted pending the review of the Proposed Transaction by the Exchange and satisfaction of the conditions of the Exchange for resumption of trading. It is likely that trading in the Company's common shares will not resume prior to the closing of the Proposed Transaction. Further Information The Company will issue additional press releases in accordance with the policies of the Exchange providing further details in respect of the Proposed Transaction, the Private Placement, the officers, directors and insiders of the Resulting Issuer and other material information as it becomes available. For further information, please contact: Zachary Stadnyk, CEO of DC, stated: "We are excited with the proposed acquisition of MIJEM as our qualifying transaction. MIJEM's veteran team has created a functional product for a realistic target market that we believe can be achieved through product innovation, tactical marketing, and adequate capital. We look forward to updating our shareholders and stakeholders as we achieve milestones and execute on our strategies to propel MIJEM through its next level of major expansion." DC Acquisition Corp. Zachary Stadnyk Chief Executive Officer E-mail: zach.stadnyk@gmail.com This press release does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States absent U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from U.S. registration requirements. Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to the Exchange acceptance and, if applicable pursuant to the Exchange requirements, majority of the minority shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Proposed Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the Filing Statement to be prepared in connection with the Proposed Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Proposed Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. The Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the Proposed Transaction and has not approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains statements which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company and Mijem with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or similar expressions and includes information regarding: (i) expectations regarding whether the Proposed Transaction will be consummated, including whether conditions to the consummation of the Proposed Transaction will be satisfied, or the timing for completing the Proposed Transaction, (ii) the timing for closing and pricing of the Private Placement, and (iii) expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflect the Company and Mijem's respective management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although the Company and Mijem believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the combined company.Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are the following: the ability to consummate the Proposed Transaction; the ability to obtain requisite regulatory and other approvals and the satisfaction of other conditions to the consummation of the Proposed Transaction on the proposed terms and schedule; the potential impact of the announcement or consummation of the Proposed Transaction on relationships, including with regulatory bodies, employees, suppliers, customers and competitors; changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; changes in applicable laws; compliance with extensive government regulation; and the diversion of management time on the Proposed Transaction. This forward-looking information may be affected by risks and uncertainties in the business of the Company and Mijem and market conditions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the Company and Mijem have attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company and Mijem do not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law. SOURCE: DC Acquisition Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/534995/DC-Acquisition-Corp-Announces-Proposed-Qualifying-Transaction-with-Mijem-Inc Professor Gareth Thomas of Southampton University Awarded Second Grant from Cancer Research UK for Further Evaluation of GKT831 in Oncology Regulatory News: Genkyotex (Paris:GKTX) (Brussels:GKTX) (Euronext Paris Brussels: FR00011790542 GKTX), a biopharmaceutical company and the leader in NOX therapies, announced today that Professor Gareth Thomas of the University of Southampton, United Kingdom (UK), was awarded a Biotherapeutics Drug Discovery Project grant by Cancer Research UK (CRUK), a leading cancer research and awareness organization based in the UK, to conduct a research program focused on the role of NOX inhibition in oncology. The 260 thousand grant will support the research program entitled "Combination immunotherapy for breast cancer: targeting cancer-associated fibroblasts to improving therapeutic vaccination." This is the second grant provided by CRUK to Professor Thomas for the evaluation of NOX inhibitors in oncology. "We congratulate Professor Thomas and his team for this important achievement, which validates their initial work in elucidating the role of NOX enzymes as an important driver of resistance to immunotherapy," said Philippe Wiesel, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Genkyotex. "This most recent grant will fund further research and inform potential clinical development strategies in oncology for our Phase 2 product candidate GKT831." The fibrotic tumor micro-environment effectively shields cancer cells from infiltrating cytotoxic T-cells raised by immunotherapies. Previous findings by Professor Thomas have shown that GKT831 effectively deactivates cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the main cellular source of the extracellular matrix which constitutes the fibrotic tumor micro-environment. These data suggest that adjuvant therapy with GKT831 has the potential to restore response to several types of immunotherapy, including vaccination and checkpoint inhibitors? . "We continue to believe that GKT831 has broad potential as an effective adjunctive treatment across oncology, including in breast cancer," said Professor Thomas. "We look forward to conducting this research program in breast cancer and are grateful for the further support from CRUK. GKT831 has shown potent anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic activity in multiple preclinical models of fibrotic disorders and is currently being evaluated in patients with liver fibrosis (Phase 2 trial in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC)) and kidney fibrosis (investigator initiated Phase 2 trial in diabetic kidney disease fully funded by the Australian Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). A third Phase 2 trial in patients with lung fibrosis is expected to be initiated in the first half of 2019 (investigator initiated trial in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis fully funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health). In November 2018, Genkyotex announced that its ongoing phase 2 trial in PBC had met the primary and secondary interim efficacy endpoints. To date, all patients have completed at least 18 weeks of treatment and over 80% have completed the full 24-week treatment period and no cases of treatment interruptions or patient discontinuations related to pruritus have been reported. These results provide a clear clinical proof-of-concept for GKT831 and support its further clinical evaluation in multiple indications, including cancer. Final results of the Phase 2 PBC study are anticipated in the spring of 2019, as planned. References: 1. Hanley CJ et al. Targeting the Myofibroblastic Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Phenotype Through Inhibition of NOX4.J Natl Cancer Inst. 2018 Jan 1;110(1). doi: 10.1093/jnci/djx121. 2. Sampson Net al. Inhibition of Nox4-dependent ROS signaling attenuates prostate fibroblast activation and abrogates stromal-mediated protumorigenic interactions. Int J Cancer. 2018 Jul 15;143(2):383-395. doi: 10.1002/ijc.31316. About Genkyotex Genkyotex is the leading biopharmaceutical company in NOX therapies, listed on the Euronext Paris and Euronext Brussels markets. A leader in NOX therapies, its unique therapeutic approach is based on a selective inhibition of NOX enzymes that amplify multiple disease processes such as fibrosis, inflammation, pain processing, cancer development, and neurodegeneration. Genkyotex's platform enables the identification of orally available small-molecules that selectively inhibit specific NOX enzymes. Genkyotex is developing a pipeline of first-in-class product candidates targeting one or multiple NOX enzymes. The lead product candidate, GKT831, a NOX1 and NOX4 inhibitor is evaluated in a phase 2 clinical trial in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC, a fibrotic orphan disease) and in an investigator-initiated Phase 2 clinical trial in Type 1 Diabetes and Kidney Disease (DKD). A grant from the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) of $8.9 million was awarded to Professor Victor Thannickal at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to fund a multi-year research program evaluating the role of NOX enzymes in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic lung disease that results in fibrosis of the lungs, the core component of the program will be to conduct a Phase 2 trial with the GKT831 in patients with IPF. This product candidate may also be active in other fibrotic indications. Its second product candidate, GKT771, is a NOX1 inhibitor targeting multiple pathways in angiogenesis, pain processing, and inflammation, currently undergoing preclinical testing. Genkyotex also has a versatile platform well-suited to the development of various immunotherapies (Vaxiclase). A partnership covering the use of Vaxiclase as an antigen per se (GTL003) has been established with Serum Institute of India Private Ltd (Serum Institute), the world's largest producer of vaccine doses, for the development by Serum Institute of cellular multivalent combination vaccines against a variety of infectious diseases. This partnership could generate approximately 150 million in future revenues for Genkyotex, before royalties on sales. For further information, please go towww.genkyotex.com Disclaimer This press release may contain forward-looking statements by the company with respect to its objectives. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs, estimates and expectations of Genkyotex's management and are subject to risks and uncertainties such as the company's ability to implement its chosen strategy, customer market trends, changes in technologies and in the company's competitive environment, changes in regulations, clinical or industrial risks and all risks linked to the company's growth. These factors as well as other risks and uncertainties may prevent the company from achieving the objectives outlined in the press release and actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements, due to various factors. Without being exhaustive, such factors include uncertainties involved in the development of Genkyotex's products, which may not succeed, or in the delivery of Genkyotex's products marketing authorizations by the relevant regulatory authorities and, in general, any factor that could affects Genkyotex's capacity to commercialize the products it develops. No guarantee is given on forward-looking statements which are subject to a number of risks, notably those described in the registration document (document de reference) registered by the French Markets Authority (the AMF) on 27 April 2018 under number R.18-037, and those linked to changes in economic conditions, the financial markets, or the markets on which Genkyotex is present. Genkyotex products are currently used for clinical trials only and are not otherwise available for distribution or sale. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190211005633/en/ Contacts: INVESTORS NewCap Dusan Oresansky, Tristan Roquet Montegon and Emmanuel Huynh +33 1 44 71 94 92 genkyotex@newcap.eu MEDIA NewCap Nicolas Merigeau, Arthur Rouille +33 1 44 71 00 15 genkyotex@newcap.eu US LifeSci Advisors, LLC Brian Ritchie +1-212-915-2578 britchie@lifesciadvisors.com VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 11, 2019 / Dimension Five Technologies Inc. (CSE: DFT) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company's common shares will commence trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange at the market open on Tuesday February 12th / 2019, under the symbol "DFT". The Company has 28,078,001 shares outstanding, of which 14,300,001 are held in escrow for release over time, in compliance with NI 46-201, Escrow for Initial Public Offerings. Chris Parr, President and CEO states "With the completion of our new listing we are looking forward to further establishing our presence in the technology sector in Canada. There are tremendous opportunities for significant value creation which we intend to explore." Dave Hodge, Director of Dimension Five states "I am very excited to be part of this new opportunity that is Dimension Five. This newly listed company will be in a strong position to take advantage of opportunities in the technology space and further create shareholder value. Dimension Five has been successful in attracting high quality, technology focused team members to move this company forward." Craig Murata, CFO states "Our new CSE listing represents an important milestone for the Company. We are excited to be part of Canada's rapidly growing technology industry and look forward to creating value for our shareholders." About us: Dimension Five Technologies Inc., based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, is currently developing a new investing platform that helps connect early stage companies with investors. Over time, the Company also intends to focus on developing, marketing and acquiring other software in the investment and financial technology sector. Additional information on Dimension Five is available on the company's website at http://www.dimensionfive.ca. Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Information: This news release contains "forward-looking statements and information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements in this news release include without limitation: that the Company can take advantage of opportunities in the technology space and further create shareholder value. Although the Company believes its anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions and expectations, they can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from anticipated future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the risk that the Company's technology and products may not work as well as expected; we may not be able to break into new markets, because such markets are served by strong and embedded competitors, the products are not well accepted by consumers or because of long term supply contracts; and we may not be able to grow and sustain anticipated revenue streams. We may have underestimated the cost of development and the time it takes to bring products to market; we may not be able to finance our intended product development. Our products may not sell or rent as well as expected, and competitors may offer better or cheaper alternatives to our products. Our technologies may not be patentable, and if patents are granted, we may not protect our investment in intellectual property if our patents are challenged. Our intended technologies may infringe on the intellectual property of other parties. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to update the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this news release. For further information, please contact: Chris Parr, CEO Chris@dimensionfive.ca Suite 1450 - 789 W Pender Street Vancouver BC V6C 1H2 SOURCE: Dimension Five Technologies Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/534864/Dimension-Five-Technologies-Inc-Announces-Listing-of-Common-Shares-on-the-Canadian-Securities-Exchange - Turkish textiles have a strong image across the world - UTIB are the biggest textiles producer in Europe with exceptional expertise in technical textiles, design and fashion PARIS, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- 275 textile companies from Turkey have booths in Premiere Vision Paris and Texworld Paris - specialized international fairs for fashion. Pinar Tasdelen Engin, President of UTIB (Uludag Textile Exporters' Association) stated that Turkish textile sector has a very strong image in the global market and said, "The sector comes to the forefront thanks to its machinery park with state-of-the-art technology, flexible production ability, capability of producing special products and high-quality workforce." Turkish textile sector confidently prepared for the Premiere Vision Paris Fair, out of which 174 are individual firms and Texworld Paris Fair out of which 101 are individual firms will participate in the fair. Turkish textile manufacturers, through these events, will invite business people from across the world to invest in Turkey in addition to establishing commercial networks. Pinar Tasdelen Engin, President of Uludag Textile Exporters' Association (UTIB), who will lead the Turkish business people participating in the fair, said the Turkish textile sector has a very strong image in the global market. Exports to the emerging markets increasing Engin expressed that the Turkish textile sector paves the way in producing highly admired products of quality for many years thanks to its strong infrastructure and experience of hundreds of years. She also added, "A lot of people in many countries worldwide use Turkish textiles with pleasure, especially for their upper segment needs. Our sector has been engaged in exportation to the saturated and rising markets such as Europe and North America, where competition is quite intense. We managed to become the biggest textiles manufacturer in Europe. Our sector will maintain its assertive position in the future. We will continue to make significant breakthroughs not only in design and fashion but also in technical textiles." Stating that they have the machinery park with state-of-the-art technology, flexible production ability, capability of producing special products with the high-quality workforce, Engin remarked that there are Turkish companies that received design awards on an international level and also have a highly positive image thanks to their manufacturing activities conforming to the technical and health standards. Turkish Textiles Industry is the driving force of Turkish economy Engin also stated that textile sector is one of the driving sectors of Turkish economy with the added value it produces and its performance and added that the sector is of big importance with regard to the employment opportunities it provides. She said, "There are approximately 1 million people employed in textiles and ready-made clothing sectors. This number reaches 2 million if the sectors such as retail and merchandising, which are integrated to the aforementioned sectors, are included. Therefore, our contribution to the social stability of our country is very high. I believe that Turkish textile sector has a very high potential especially in terms of value added production." Highlighting that in 2018 Turkey's textile export has increased by 4,5% to USD 8 billion 461 million compared to the previous year, Engin remarked, "In the same period, apparel export performed throughout Turkey reached USD 17 billion 642 million with 3,6% increase." Turkish Textiles Industry showcase Turkey's potential at international fairs Stating that they started opening stands and promoting Turkey at the fairs abroad under the leadership of Ministry of Trade and Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), Engin continued, "We are the showcase displaying our country's values and potential at fairs that are one of the most important media to promote our sector abroad, and our activities are highly admired. It is of big importance that the companies and their representatives engaged in trading activities with the Turkish textile sector share their positive experiences with the new generation. One of our most significant missions is to ensure that the actors of our sector all around the world embrace this positive perception. Maintaining our successes with our own brands constitutes one of our fundamental objectives with regard to our sector and we need to exert efforts in this direction. Our exporter companies now have an R&D and design awareness and we attach great importance to improving it. We carry out activities to this end and will continue to work by building on it." Turkish Textiles Industry is the sector with the highest foreign trade surplus Emphasizing that textile sector is one of the traditional branches of industries in Turkey and among the cornerstones of the success story of industry and export, Engin, President of UTIB, expressed that the Turkish textile and ready-made clothing sector as a whole is the first sector with the highest foreign trade surplus today. In addition, she said the textile sector creates employment opportunities and, thus, highly contributes to the decrease in unemployment and public welfare, and added, "Turkish textile sector has a very special place in the world thanks to its product quality, trendsetting designs and advanced technology. The sector ranks first in our country with its share in the gross domestic product (GDP) and in terms of parameters such as domestic input usage, as well as constitutes the foundation of our existence in the global market." Turkish Textiles Industry: The biggest manufacturer in Europe Engin drew attention to the fact that Turkey is the biggest textiles manufacturer in the continental Europe and stated that it achieved the status of being the seventh biggest cotton producer in the world. "The machinery park, which was established for the production of broderie and guipure for home textiles, is the biggest machinery park in the world. The biggest factory manufacturing quilt covers is located in Turkey. We are one of the top three towel suppliers in the world. In 2018, the share of Turkey in global textiles export stands at approximately 3%, 4.5% in home and interior textiles and 1.5% in technical textiles." said Engin. Turkish Textiles Industry have a big potential in the technical textiles Engin said that another advantage they have is the opportunity to reach dozens of countries on 3 continents in 3-hour flight time and added that experienced, young and dynamic workforce comes to the forefront as another strong side of the sector. She said, "The areas we believe we need to improve in the forthcoming period are technical textiles, promoting, marketing and branding. We have a big potential in terms of technical textiles. In order to turn this potential into reality, we particularly established Bursa Technology Coordination and R&D Center (BUTEKOM) and carry out a number of significant activities within this establishment for all areas in our sector." Engin pointed to the fact that many Turkish products of high-level quality deserve to become global brands and added, "As the private sector, we will continue to focus on this matter in cooperation with our state. On the other hand, our companies should be more active in e-commerce, a relatively new and important area. A foreign intermediary company can buy a high-quality product from Turkey and sell it with a 50%, or even 100% profit through e-commerce channel. We will continue our efforts with regard to this and similar issues." The Power of Turkish textiles The film "Turkish Fashion Fabrics" - produced by UTIB - will meet the audience at PV Paris and Texworld Paris. Worldwide famous designers, such as Atil Kutoglu, Selma Celik and Ayse-Ece Ege, creator of the brand 'Dice Kayek', have cooperated with the Uludag Textile Exporters Association with their unique designs. Following social media platforms is highly recommended. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdyw6izPqxE&feature=youtu.be TFF on Instagram TFF on Facebook TFF on Twitter www.turkishfashionfabrics.com The Notes will be issued by Zurich Insurance Company Ltd under its Euro Medium Term Note Programme to a repackaging vehicle (Argentum Netherlands B.V.). The repackaging vehicle in turn issues notes to investors that are secured by the Notes. The annual coupon is fixed at 2.75% until the first call date. Thereafter, the holders of the Notes will receive a floating rate coupon. The transaction has been conducted for general corporate purposes. Group note February 11, 2019 (100.66 KB/PDF) (https://www.zurich.com/_/media/dbe/corporate/docs/news-releases/2019/2019-0211-01.pdf?la=en&hash=770FD48F20875F26FEC2179D494878AABD6E07C9) Media relations Zurich Insurance Group Austrasse 46 8045 Zurich Switzerland 8045 Zurich Switzerland +41 44 625 21 00 media@zurich.com @Zurich (https://twitter.com/zurich) Investor Relations Zurich Insurance Group Austrasse 46 8045 Zurich Switzerland 8045 Zurich Switzerland +41 44 625 22 99 +41 44 625 02 99 investor.relations@zurich.com Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) is a leading multi-line insurer that serves its customers in global and local markets. With about 54,000 employees, it provides a wide range of property and casualty, and life insurance products and services in more than 210 countries and territories. Zurich's customers include individuals, small businesses, and mid-sized and large companies, as well as multinational corporations. The Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was founded in 1872. The holding company, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (ZURN), is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and has a level I American Depositary Receipt (ZURVY) program, which is traded over-the-counter on OTCQX. Further information about Zurich is available at www.zurich.com (https://www.zurich.com/en). General Notice This news release appears as a matter of record only, and all of the above-referenced notes (the "Notes") have been placed. This announcement constitutes neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation to buy or to subscribe to any of the Notes or any other securities of Zurich Insurance Group Ltd or Zurich Insurance Company Ltd (the "Issuer"). This news release does neither constitute (i) an offering prospectus within the meaning of Art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations, (ii) nor a listing prospectus within the meaning of the SIX Exchange Regulation Listing Rules, (iii) nor a prospectus or a supplementary prospectus pursuant to the Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of June 14, 2017 (the "EU Prospectus Regulation"). This news release is only addressed to, and is only directed at, qualified investors in any member state of the European Economic Area within the meaning of the EU Prospectus Regulation ("qualified investors"). This news release is directed only at persons who are qualified investors and who (i) have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended) or (ii) are persons falling within Article 49 (2)(a) to (d) (high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc.) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended) or to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as relevant persons). This news release is only directed at relevant persons and must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this communication relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons. THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT BEING ISSUED IN THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN AND IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN. THE ISSUANCE OF THE NOTES WAS NOT MADE IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS AND COULD ONLY BE ACCEPTED BY NON-U.S. PERSONS AND OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES. OFFERING MATERIAL WITH RESPECT TO THIS ISSUANCE MAY NOT BE DISTRIBUTED IN OR SENT TO THE UNITED STATES AND MAY NOT BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO PURCHASE OR SELL ANY SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS NEWS RELEASE DOES NOT CONTAIN OR CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY ANY OF THE NOTES OR ANY OTHER SECURITIES OF ZURICH INSURANCE GROUP LTD., ZURICH INSURANCE COMPANY LTD. OR THE ISSUER, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES. THE NOTES HAVE NOT BEEN AND ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), OR WITH ANY SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, U.S. PERSONS EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. ANY PUBLIC OFFERING OF SECURITIES TO BE MADE IN THE UNITED STATES WILL BE MADE BY MEANS OF A PROSPECTUS THAT MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ISSUER AND THAT WILL CONTAIN DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY AND MANAGEMENT, AS WELL AS FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. The issuance of the Notes was not made in Japan and may be accepted only outside Japan. The Notes have not been and will not be registered under the Securities and Exchange Law of Japan. Accordingly, this announcement constitutes neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation to buy any of the Notes or any other securities of Zurich Insurance Group Ltd, Zurich Insurance Company Ltd or the Issuer, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any Japanese Person or to others for reoffering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to any Japanese Person except under circumstances which will result in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and guidelines promulgated by the relevant Japanese governmental and regulatory authorities and in effect at the relevant time. For the purposes of this paragraph "Japanese Person" shall mean any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organised under the laws of Japan. HAVANA, February 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Havana , which celebrates its 500th anniversary, hosts the XXI Habano Festival Two undisputed stars: the Trinidad brand and the San Cristobal de La Habana brand Hoyo de Monterrey presents its first Gran Reserva Cosecha 2013 with its iconic Double Coronas vitola Havana, the Cuban capital that is celebrating its 500th Anniversary, is getting ready to host once again the XXI Habanos Festival. The biggest international event of the world's best tobacco, the Habano, will be held from 18 to 22 February. Enthusiasts of this unique product from all corners of the world will participate in a Festival that will see the San Cristobal de La Habana, Hoyo de Monterrey and Trinidad brands taking centre stage. To view the Multimedia News Release, please click: https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8493751-the-xxi-habanos-festival-kicks-off/ Attendees from more than 60 countries are expected will enjoy a comprehensive programme full of activities designed to explore some aspects of the Habanos culture: tours of plantations in Vuelta Abajo*, in the Pinar del Rio* region, as well as visits to the factories responsible for producing this year's biggest launches. Other highlights include three evenings of the best live music from renowned international artists, the finest gastronomy in Cuba, Habanos tastings and a wide range of beverages from different corners of the world. The Trade Fair and the Welcome Evening, will mark the start of the Habanos Festival. The Trade Fair is the meeting and interchange point for professionals in the tobacco industry and the Welcome Evening, held in the Antiguo Almacen de la Madera y el Tabaco at the Havana port, will pay tribute to San Cristobal de La Habana brand for its 20 years. The programme will feature master classes and keynote speeches, led by recognised experts in the world of Habanos at the International Seminar. The XXI edition of the Habanos Festival will organise, for the second year in a row, the Habanos World Challenge. The evening dedicated to Hoyo de Monterrey Gran Reserva Double Coronas Cosecha 2013 will be held at the El Laguito Reception Hall on Wednesday 20 de February, with a cocktail dinner. The Gala Evening, held on February 22, will be the grand finale to the Festival and will pay tribute to the 50th Anniversary of the Trinidad brand. The event will conclude with the Hombre Habano Awards and the traditional Humidors Auction, with all proceeds going to the Cuban Public Health System. *Protected Appellations of Origin (P.A.O.) Contact: Young & Rubicam Carla Llado Tel: +34-669-54-69-09 press.habanos@yr.com (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/819186/HABANOS_SA.jpg ) Video: https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8493751-the-xxi-habanos-festival-kicks-off/ Dow Jones received a payment from EQS/DGAP to publish this press release. DGAP-Media / 2019-02-06 / 16:45 Immunic Therapeutics to Present at the BIO CEO & Investor Conference on February 11 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany, February 6, 2019 _-_ Immunic AG (Immunic), a privately-held clinical-stage biotechnology company, today announced that Daniel Vitt, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Immunic, will present at the BIO CEO & Investor Conference on Monday, February 11, 2019 at 9:45 am ET at the New York Marriott Marquis, in the Chelsea room. To view the live webcast, please follow this link: Immunic BIO CEO webcast link [1]. A replay of the webcast will be available one hour after the conclusion of the live event and will expire on Thursday, May 9, 2019. The webcast also will be available for viewing on Immunic's website at: www.immunic-therapeutics.com [2] under the "News" tab. *About Immunic AG* Immunic AG is a specialist in selective oral drugs in immunology and focused on developing novel oral therapies with best-in-class potential for chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The company's three development programs target inflammatory bowel diseases, relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, and psoriasis and include orally available, small molecule inhibitors of DHODH (IMU-838 program), an inverse agonist of ROR?t (IMU-935 program), and IMU-856 (targeting intestinal barrier function). Immunic's lead development program, IMU-838, is currently in phase 2 clinical development for ulcerative colitis, with additional phase 2 trials in Crohn's disease, relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis planned for 2019. The company was founded in 2016 with headquarters in Planegg-Martinsried, Germany. Immunic is privately held and supported by several renowned healthcare investors. For further information, please see: www.immunic-therapeutics.com [3]. *Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements* This press release contains forward-looking statements relating to Immunic AG, including statements about our three development programs and the targeted diseases, our plans for the development of for IMU-838, our existing and planned clinical trials and the clinical utility of Immunic's therapeutic candidates. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement include, but are not limited to: Immunic's plans to develop and commercialize its product candidates, including IMU-838, IMU-935 and IMU-856; and the timing of Immunic's planned clinical trials. Forward-looking statements are identified by the use of forward-looking terminology including "believes," "expects," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "intends," "plans," "pro forma," "estimates," or "anticipates" or the negative of these words and phrases or other variations of these words and phrases or comparable terminology. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as predictions of future events as Immunic cannot assure investors that the events or circumstances reflected in these statements will be achieved or will occur. The forward-looking statements in this press release represent Immunic's views as of the date of this press release. Immunic anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its views to change. Immunic may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, however, it has no current intention of doing so except to the extent required by applicable law. Investors should, therefore, not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing Immunic's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. *Additional Information about the Proposed Transaction between Vital Therapies, Inc. and Immunic AG and Where to Find It* On January 6, 2019, Vital Therapies, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Vital Therapies"), Immunic AG and the shareholders of Immunic entered into an Exchange Agreement (the "Exchange Agreement"), pursuant to which the shareholders of Immunic agreed to contribute all of the outstanding Immunic capital shares to Vital Therapies in exchange for shares of Vital Therapies common stock. In connection with this proposed transaction, Vital Therapies and Immunic intend to file relevant materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, and Vital Therapies has filed a registration statement on Form S-4 that contains a preliminary proxy statement/prospectus. The information in the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus is not complete and may be changed. The final proxy statement/prospectus will be sent to the stockholders of Vital Therapies. Investors and security holders of Vital Therapies and Immunic are urged to read the final proxy statement/prospectus (including any amendments or supplements thereto) and other documents filed with the SEC when they become available because they will contain important information about Vital Therapies, Immunic and the proposed transaction. In addition to receiving the proxy statement/prospectus and proxy card by mail, Vital Therapies stockholders will also be able to obtain the proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about Vital Therapies, without charge, from the SEC's website (http://www.sec.gov) or, without charge, by directing a written request to: Vital Therapies, Inc., 15222-B Avenue of Science, San Diego, CA, 92128, Attention: Investor Relations. This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities in connection with the proposed transaction shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Vital Therapies and its executive officers and directors may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Vital Therapies' stockholders with respect to the matters relating to the proposed transaction. Immunic may also be deemed a participant in such solicitation. Information regarding Vital Therapies' executive officers and directors is available in Vital Therapies' proxy statement on Schedule 14A for its 2018 annual meeting of stockholders, filed with the SEC on April 12, 2018. Information regarding any interest that Vital Therapies, Immunic or any of the executive officers or directors of Vital Therapies or Immunic may have in the transaction with Immunic is set forth in the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus that Vital Therapies has filed with the SEC in connection with its stockholder vote on matters relating to the proposed transaction. *Contact Information* *Immunic AG* Jessica Breu Manager IR and Communications Am Klopferspitz 19 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany +49 89 250 0794 69 jessica.breu@immunic.de Or Rx Communications Ina McGuinness +1-805-427-1372 imcguinness@RxIR.com End of Media Release Issuer: Immunic AG 2019-02-06 Dissemination of a Press Release, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de 773283 2019-02-06 1: https://link.cockpit.eqs.com/cgi-bin/fncls.ssp?fn=redirect&url=310ac51a06d316b886b377dab99a963c&application_id=773283&site_id=vwd&application_name=news 2: https://link.cockpit.eqs.com/cgi-bin/fncls.ssp?fn=redirect&url=bef0e44c1cdf70cb7b765e8c99f21378&application_id=773283&site_id=vwd&application_name=news 3: https://link.cockpit.eqs.com/cgi-bin/fncls.ssp?fn=redirect&url=ff754178d417a58e66edcf15d5af5c2f&application_id=773283&site_id=vwd&application_name=news (END) Dow Jones Newswires February 06, 2019 10:45 ET (15:45 GMT) Niagara Falls, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2019) - EnerDynamic Hybrid Technologies Corp. (TSXV: EHT) ("EHT") is pleased to provide, as part of it continuous disclosure program, an update on several initiatives. The Company has relocated from Welland to Niagara Falls as disclosed in its October 31, 2018. The new facility can be seen at the following link: Click Here Corporate Update by Region The Company has made progress in bringing its ENERTEC products into new markets: Ghana Unified Construction contract for 100,000 homes announced last fall is moving forward. First tranche of funds ($2.8M CDN) to begin construction has been approved by Elevate Finance and awaits EDC guarantee approval in the next week. Contract for supply of 100,000 solar roofs in partnership with UN OPS program will commence late in the second quarter of the current fiscal year. Government school's solar rooftop program has progressed to feasibility studies of each rooftop, a critical pre-order phase. Funding has been approved and management anticipates the project will commence in Q4 of the current fiscal year. The Community Based Health Services Units project has progressed with the site selection having been made for the first clinic which EHT will construct in early summer. This will be the model for clinics in the region and EHT will be able to market this design to other governments and aid agencies across the region. Burkina Faso Burkina Faso government officials issued an open order for ENERTEC houses. EHT can deliver and build as many units as possible. EHT targeting 1,200 units per annum by late 2019. This project is currently on hold due to political instability in the country, subject to management review in 90 days. Ivory Coast Advancement of the Ivory Coast government orders resulted following a management visit. This project is progressing but EHT is awaiting governmental completion of sewer and water services to the housing sites. It is expected that this will be sufficiently advanced by the end of Q2 of the current fiscal year allowing commencement of the project shortly thereafter. Pakistan The first model home for the Izhar group has been completed and is ready for shipment in the near term. United States-Southwestern Region Tiny House manufactured and on tour to support joint venture sales in Arizona and California. PWR Wagon sample delivered to joint venture partner is in use as part of sales efforts. Continued to advance application for exemption from US solar panel tariffs. United States-Puerto Rico Danosa Caribbean Inc. added to Puerto Rico joint venture. Danosa is a 40-year-old commercial roofing product seller with Caribbean wide reach and reputation. Planning for ENERTEC manufacturing/assembly in Puerto Rico continues but delayed until market demand has grown further. Advance work on housing approval in Puerto Rico has progressed, awaiting funding from US Government to reach marketplace. National Continued to refine prototyped custom structures intended to meet the needs of displaced persons under United Nations programs. Staff have completed a new design that now can be erected in 20 minutes. Custom prototype to be delivered for UN and NGO approvals in March. Progressing in PWR Wagon enhancement intended to facilitate the use for mobile water treatment. This product expansion is to be marketed to Government/aid agencies for disaster relief through mobile water treatment capabilities. EHT's board has decided not to pursue the Hifarms Cannabis project at this time. EHT has not received the deliverables promised from Hifarms but will continue to market our ENERTEC grow units to a variety of cannabis and vegetable growing companies across the marketplace. John Gamble, CEO of EHT, commented that: "The number of opportunities continues to expand while management progresses each current opportunity towards fruition and the funding required." Mr. Gamble further commented that "These products require a long sell cycle given that we do not sell individual units at retail but rather target large scale contracts. We continue to be patient while we progress towards success." EHT delivers proprietary, turn-key energy solutions which are intelligent, bankable and sustainable.EHT's expertise includes the development of its ENERTEC module structures with full integration of smart energy solutions. Using a proprietary skin and foam core that is stronger than traditional wood or steel structural insulated panels, EHT provides exceptional thermal energy efficiency in modular homes, cold storage facilities, residential/commercial out buildings and emergency/temporary shelters. EHT works with its partners worldwide to erect the buildings on-site utilizing EHT staff and local crews. In addition to traditional support to established electrical networks, ENERTEC buildings excel where no electrical grid exists. About ENERTEC The EHT advanced ENERTEC Modular Wall and Roof System uses a proprietary skin and foam core that is stronger and more energy efficient than traditional wood or steel structures providing the highest ratings for energy efficiency. EHT works with its partners worldwide to erect the buildings on-site utilizing EHT staff and local crews. After installation, each structure can be furnished and finished to meet the customer's requirements including siding, tile, kitchens and bathrooms or segregated commercial rooms. The finished wall product can be shipped on pallets and delivered via rail, truck or water in standard formats. At the core of the ENERTEC product line is the ENERTEC Embedded Solar Roof Module. Solar cells can be embedded in a proprietary fire proof skin resulting in substantial cost savings by eliminating heavy glass panels and aluminum racking required for traditional solar panels. Two barriers to greater adoption of solar energy are weight limitations of the roof on which solar panels could be deployed and onerous shipping and labour costs. A lighter product at a better price point will open a larger market for solar due to the faster return of capital investment especially for rural and remote users looking to go off-grid. Furthermore, the entire EHT embedded solar roof becomes a massive solar panel capable of producing significantly more energy than the home requires, allowing the structure to then become an important source of power for the local micro grid or large battery storage systems. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The statements herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information relating to sales of the products (the "Opportunities") involves risk, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects, for the Opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Although EHT believes that the assumptions used in preparing the forward-looking information on the Opportunities outlined in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. EHT disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: John Gamble Director (289) 488-1699 jgamble@ehthybrid.com info@ehthybrid.com Website: www.ehthybrid.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/42745 Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Tectonic Gold Plc - Final Assay Analysis for Specimen Hill 11 February 2019 TECTONIC GOLD PLC ("Tectonic Gold" or the "Company") Drilling and Assays - Specimen Hill Project Tectonic Gold plc (TDIM: TTAU), an Intrusive Related Gold ("IRGS") exploration pioneer, is pleased to announce that nearly all assays from the October-November 2018 diamond drilling campaign at the Company's flagship Specimen Hill project in Queensland, Australia have been received. Highlights: The 'Stage 1' drill program for 2,517.3m of HQ3 diamond drilling was completed as planned of HQ3 diamond drilling was completed as planned 95% of all assays sent for analysis have been returned Gold mineralisation was intersected in all holes drilled Geological review of core confirms an IRGS diatreme system comparable to neighbouring multi million ounce gold deposits at Kidston (3.7Moz Au), Mt Rawdon (3.5Moz Au) and Mt. Leyshon (2Moz Au) Grades of up to +35g/t Au intersected with high Ag, Mo and Te assays The mineralised system is confirmed open at depth and along strike Geological modelling of results to be presented in March 2019 Follow up 7,500m 'Stage 2' drilling program being planned The reporting of assay results is largely complete and the technical team has progressed its assessment and incorporation of these results into geological models and targeting for follow up drilling. A further 7,500m remains to be drilled with Titeline Drilling Ltd under the drill for equity agreement. Positive assay results including exceptional gold grades in excess of an ounce per tonne have been recorded. These intersections are from the epithermal zone, below and adjacent to previously tested and confirmed mineralisation at the Main Lodes. Typical of high to intermediate sulphidation epithermal deposits, high grades of molybdenum, silver, tellurium and other "signature" IRGS elements were returned. Specimen Hill Phase 1 Diamond Drilling Program - Significant Intercepts > 1.0g/t Au* Rounding in effect Hole Name From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Gold (g/t) Silver (g/t) Tellurium (g/t) SHDD09 (HQ3) 14.0 14.8 0.8 1.23 151.00 153.50 SHDD11 (HQ3) 6.3 7.2 0.9 2.15 0.31 9.79 59.0 60.0 1.0 1.64 0.30 6.37 80.2 81.2 1.0 8.25 1.37 19.95 90.4 91.0 1.6 5.79 20.76 3.27 Including 0.25m @ 35.2g/t Au; 37.2 g/t Ag and 15.15 g/t Te from 90.4m 118.0 119.0 1.0 1.35 5.54 5.76 The geological, structural and assay results from the Stage 1 drilling program at Specimen Hill have proved Tectonic Golds' research suggesting that the multi-phase IRGS systems can be accurately targeted with the integrated use advanced geophysics such as Sub-Audio Magnetics ("SAM") and DIAS - 3D IP technologies, far more cost effectively than traditional exploration techniques. About the Specimen Hill Prospect: Specimen Hill has produced over 8,000 ozs of gold from historic small-scale surface and shallow underground mining, with run of mine grades reported up to 40g/t Au. Despite this rich production, previous explorers were unable to map the system under cover and establish a large-scale resource, so the project remained undeveloped. Tectonic Gold reinterpreted historic data utilising proprietary IRGS understanding and identified extensions to the mineralised system under cover. Using advanced software, big-data analytics, new geophysical technologies and innovative testing methodologies, such as Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), Tectonic Gold has unlocked this mineralised system. The Company has significantly extended the known structure hosting gold bearing mineralisation and demonstrated a vertically extensive epithermal gold prospect from surface to +500m, with multiple potential porphyry feeder zones at depth. Intrusive gold system style alteration and sulphide zones have been intersected in the current drilling campaign proving the similarity to neighbouring multi-million ounce deposits. Historic drilling of 63 shallow holes delivered grades to 15g/t within a ~300m strike. The current drilling campaign confirms the strike extension mapped by our recent geophysical surveying, to over 1,500m. A buried intrusive interpreted to be part of the mineralising source for the epithermal deposit has been intersected in deeper drilling, confirming the targeting by DIAS 3D IP surveying technology the Company employed in April 2018. About Tectonic Gold: Tectonic Gold is a specialist gold exploration company, focused on the identification and delineation of large-scale, multimillion-ounce Intrusion Related Gold System ("IRGS") assets. Tectonic Gold holds a number of gold discoveries in the Lachlan Fold Belt in Eastern Australia, a prolific gold region that is home to Australia's two largest gold production companies, Newcrest Mining and Evolution Mining. Mr. Brett Boynton, Managing Director - Tectonic Gold Plc "The Stage 1 drilling at Specimen Hill has provided us with a technical win on the research front and high grades in all key IRGS elements including gold, molybdenum, silver, and tellurium The system identified at the Main Lodes is large, has returned high-grade intersections and remains open at depth and along strike. We have a final few assays still to be processed that are indefinitely delayed due to the regional flooding in Townsville where our samples are being stored, but we have sufficient information from the program to plan the next campaign. A follow up 7,500m drill program, utilising our drill for equity credit with partner Titeline Drilling, targeting further extensions to the epithermal zone, is currently under review by our technical team and external advisors. Australian gold prices are currently over A$1,800 per ounce, testing all time highs, making it an ideal time to be active and exploring for gold. We have shared a selection of core photos on the website at www.tectonicgold.com and on Twitter @tectonic_gold. Finally, our thoughts are with our subcontractors and the folks up in Townsville affected by the cyclone flooding over the last week. Qualified Persons: Mr Jonathan Robbeson - BSc (Hons1), MEconGeol, MMinEng, (CP Geo) is a full time employee Signature Gold Limited and is a registered Chartered Professional (Geology) with the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM - 304542). Mr Robbeson has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the Note for Mining Oil & Gas Companies, June 2009, of the London Stock Exchange and the 2012 Edition of the 'Australian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves' (JORC Code). Mr Robbeson consents to the inclusion in the release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears. Table 1 information required for the reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves' in accordance with the guidelines of the 'JORC Code' can be found on the Company website for the Specimen Hill Prospect. The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement. For further information, please contact: Tectonic Gold plc Brett Boynton Sam Quinn www.tectonicgold.com. @tectonic_gold +61 2 9241 7665 NEX Exchange Corporate Adviser and Broker Peterhouse Capital Limited Mark Anwyl +44 20 7469 0930 Financial Adviser and Broker VSA Capital Limited Andrew Raca +44 20 3005 5004 Ends The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain. Defying industry assumptions that cost is everything, Brown Brothers Harriman's ETF survey finds additional criteria are increasingly being considered BOSTON, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (BBH), a market leading ETF custodian and administrator, in partnership with ETF.com, a leading independent authority on exchange-traded funds, today announced that global ETF investors now rank historical fund performance on par with expense ratio when selecting an ETF, according to BBH's 6th annual ETF investor survey. The survey, which measured the expectations and preferences of 300 institutional investors, financial advisers, and fund managers from around the world, also found that investors are placing greater importance on ETF issuer than they have in years past. This year, BBH combined what was previously a regional breakdown into a single global survey of ETF investors in the United States, Europe, and Greater China. "We are seeing global ETF investors giving historic returns equal consideration to cost when selecting an ETF. That's in stark contrast to last year when investors in the US and Europe stated cost was the top factor," said Shawn McNinch, Global Head of ETF Services at BBH. "While much has been said about the low-cost nature of ETFs, our survey finds that professional investors are looking beyond the lowest-cost products and seeing tactical vehicles like smart beta and active ETFs as ways to bolster returns or mitigate risk, especially in periods of heightened volatility." "We're 25 years into the ETF revolution, and investors are clearly becoming more sophisticated in their use of ETFs," said Dave Nadig, Managing Director of ETF.com . "Whether it's Smart Beta, active management or just a willingness to use brand new products, it's clear this is a robust and maturing market." Other key findings include: Smart beta ETFs are catching assets from mutual funds : Nearly 30% of respondents said they purchased a smart-beta ETF to replace an actively-managed mutual fund. : Nearly 30% of respondents said they purchased a smart-beta ETF to replace an actively-managed mutual fund. Investors are using smart beta to weather potential storms: 70% of smart beta ETF users are searching for risk mitigation or volatility control. 70% of smart beta ETF users are searching for risk mitigation or volatility control. Investors are comfortable buying ETFs with low AUM: 40% of respondents are comfortable buying a new ETF with AUM under $25 million , suggesting an openness to newer products. 40% of respondents are comfortable buying a new ETF with AUM under , suggesting an openness to newer products. Global holdings in ETFs are set to rise: 61% of respondents plan to increase their ETF allocation in the next 12 months. Another 26% expect to maintain their current ETF investment level. 61% of respondents plan to increase their ETF allocation in the next 12 months. Another 26% expect to maintain their current ETF investment level. The global ETF market is maturing: 80% of respondents in Greater China hold more 10% of their AUM in ETFs. That's compared with 73% in Europe and 79% in the US. About Brown Brothers Harriman BBH is a privately held financial institution that has been a thought leader and solutions provider for over 200 years. The firm serves individuals, families, businesses and institutions in its three business lines: Private Banking, Investment Management, and Investor Services. BBH's culture of accountability fosters deep and lasting relationships built on commitment, adaptability and trust. The company is independent, selective, and specialized by design. BBH's Investor Services business provides cross-border custody, accounting, administration, execution and technology services to many of the world's leading asset managers and financial institutions. With deep ETF product expertise, BBH works with both experienced ETF managers and new, innovative market entrants to introduce and grow their ETF products. BBH helps asset managers launch, list, and cross-list ETFs across the globe. BBH operates its global business out of eighteen offices located in New York, Boston, Beijing, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Dublin, Grand Cayman, Hong Kong, Jersey City, Krakow, London, Luxembourg, Nashville, Philadelphia, Tokyo, Wilmington and Zurich. For more information, please visit www.bbh.com. BBH is a registered service mark of Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. in the United States and other countries. Contact: John Garretson Weber Shandwick jgarretson@webershandwick.com (212) 546 7819 Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/805904/Brown_Brothers_Harriman_Logo.jpg Tamil Nadu: Actor Rajinikanth's daughter Soundarya Rajinikanth and actor Vishagan Vanangamudi arrive at The Leela Palace hotel in Chennai where they are tying the knot today. pic.twitter.com/CRE1zWp3rk ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2019 Aishwarya Walks Soundarya To The Mandapam Aishwarya Rajinikanth walked her sister Soundarya to the mandapam and this made the young lady's special day even more memorable. Just like the bride, the 3 director too looked absolutely stunning. Golden Couple! Here, Soundarya and Vishagan are seen posing for their first photo as a married couple. Sporting a green sari, the director looks lovely as she enjoys each and every moment of her big day. Vishagan looks smart in a traditional attire. Daddy Duties Rajinikanth is quite happy about the wedding as he feels that Vishagan is a good match for Soundarya, The 'Super One' is seen performing daddy duties in this photo from the function. Kamal Blesses The Couple Actor Kamal Haasan shares a lovely rapport with his 'arch rival' Rajinikanth. He attended the function and blessed the newly-weds. 'Thalaiva' had personality invited him for the wedding. D Is In The House Dhanush shares a lovely rapport with his sister-in-law. He starred in her second directorial venture VIP 2, which emerged as a commercial success. The National award winner too attended the function and added a new dimension to the festivities. Dashing! Here is another awesome photo of Vishagan from the function in which he looks absolutely stunning. The Perfect Host! Rajinikanth posed for a photo with the newly-weds and his esteemed guests. Needless to say, he looked his usual dashing self. Anirudh Makes an Impact! Music director Anirudh Raichander attended the event and congratulated his cousin on her big day. Here is a nice photo of the young man from the function. To Conclude Soundarya Rajinikanth's wedding festivities are far from over. A grand reception will be held tomorrow (February 12, 2019). Several stars are likely to be a part of it. Moreover, the buzz is that a few private cocktail parties will also be thrown for the couple. Shankar Attends The Wedding 2.0 director Shankar was spotted at the function as he blessed the newly-weds. He looked smart and seemed to be in a good mood. He is currently gearing up to begin work on his magnum opus Indian 2. Karthi Congratulates The Couple Actor Karthi attended the wedding and congratulated the couple on their big day. He posed for a few photos and mingled with the guests. This is a busy time for the actor as he is gearing up for the release of Dev which will hit the screens on Valentine's Day (February 14, 2019). Dashing! Actor Udhayanidhi Stalin looked stunning as he greeted the couple of the moment. He was all smiles and posed for the shutterbugs. At present, he is gearing up for the release of Kanne Kalaimaane which co-stars Tamannaah. OPS Blesses The Couple Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister OPS too attended the event. Needless to say, his presence added a new dimension to the star-studded function. MK Stalin Attends The Wedding MK Stalin too attended the wedding and interacted with the couple. Here is a photo of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam President at the wedding. Mammootty The megastar of Malayalam movie industry bagged the National Film Award of 1993 for the Best Actor for his performance in Vidheyan. Mammootty appeared as Bhaskara Pattelar in the movie, which was an out-and-out negative character. Mammootty later essayed some exceptional negative roles in Ranjith's Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Kadha, in which he played triple roles and cinematographer-director Venu's Munnariyppu. Mohanlal As we all know, Mohanlal made his debut in mainstream cinema by playing the lead antagonist in Manjil Virinja Pookkal. The movie, which was directed by senior film-maker Fazil, had featured Shankar and Poornima Jayaram as the protagonists. Mohanlal later played a negative role in the 1984 movie Uyarangalil. Even though he has played several grey-shaded roles, we are still waiting for the complete actor to take up an out-and-out negative role. Suresh Gopi Suresh Gopi, the action star of Malayalam cinema is another actor who began his career with supporting and negative roles. The actor appeared as a villain in several hit films of the 1980s. However, Shekharan Kutty from the 1987 movie Irupatham Noottandu and Dr. Vasudevan from the Vikram starrer Tamil flick I' remain the best negative roles played by Suresh Gopi till date. Prithviraj Prithviraj, the multi-faceted talent of Malayalam cinema has always expressed his desire to play negative characters onscreen. The actor played the role of Antony Moses IPS, a gay police officer with hidden negative shades in Roshan Andrews movie Mumbai Police. He had earlier played a baddie in his Tamil debut venture Kanaa Kanden. The actor later played negative roles in the Vasanthabalan movie Kaviya Thalaivan and Bollywood flick Naam Shabana. Kunchacko Boban Despite his popular chocolate boy image, Kunchacko Boban has played some exceptional negative roles in his career. The actor experimented with a grey-shaded role in his career for the first time in Rajesh Pillai's path-breaking film, Traffic. Kunchacko Boban later went on to essay a grey-shaded roles in Vysakh's Seniors and Roshan Andrews's How Old Are You. He has also played the main antagonist in Lal Jose's Dileep movie Spanish Masala and spoof comedy Chirakodinja Kinavukal. Jayasurya Jayasurya is undoubtedly one of the most versatile actors of Malayalam cinema. He also one of the rare actors who has played negative roles as well as lead roles at the same time. He essayed some great negative character in popular movies Classmates, Arabikkatha, Kangaroo, Gulumaal, etc. But the character Angoor Ravuthar from Amal Neerad's Fahadh Faasil movie Iyobinte Pusthakam remains his best negative role till date. Fahadh Faasil The supremely talented actor who shined as Shammy in Kumbalangi Nights has played some great negative roles in the past. Fahadh Faasil's character Arjun from his comeback movie Chappakurishu had negative shades. He later played the main antagonist in Aashiq Abu's 22 Female Kottayam, for which he won the Filmfare Award South of 2013 for the Best Actor. Nivin Pauly The young crowd-puller of Malayalam cinema turned baddie for the Aashiq Abu movie Da Thadiya, during the peak of his career. His portrayal of the character Rahul Vaidyar was highly praised by the audiences. The actor later played a grey-shaded role in Shyamaprasad's Ivide. Asif Ali The charming actor made his debut with the Shyamaprasad movie Ritu, in which he played a character which had grey-shades. He later appeared in a negative role in the multi-starrer, Apoorvaragam. Asif Ali later went on to play his first role as the main antagonist, in the 2012-released blockbuster movie, Ordinary. Tovino Thomas Tovino Thomas, the current heartthrob of Mollywood has also played negative roles in a few films. He appeared as the antagonist in the Dulquer Salmaan starring 2013 movie ABCD and Unni Mukundan movie Style, which hit the theatres in 2016. The young actor recently made his official Tamil debut, by playing the main antagonist in the Dhanush starrer Maari 2. The 72nd British Academy Film Awards, popularly known as the BAFTA took place on Sunday night at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Speaking about the winners, the Favourite bagged seven awards, which was followed by Roma which picked up four awards that included Best Film, Best Director, Best cinematography and Best film not in the English language. After winning Best Cinematography, director Alfonso Curaon said, "Foreign is just a different colour, and colour complements each other, I'm very happy Bafta is honouring a story about a domestic worker of indigenous background. The specific colour of this film is Mexico, so I want to thank also Mexico." Meanwhile, here's the complete list of winners at BAFTA Awards this year- Best Film: Roma Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron - Roma Best Actress: Olivia Colman - The Favourite Best Actor: Rami Malek - Bohemian Rhapsody Best Supporting Actress: Rachel Weisz - The Favourite Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali - Green Book Outstanding British Film: The Favourite Best Animated Film: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Best British Short Animation: Roughhouse Best British Short Film: 73 Cows Best Documentary: Free Solo Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director Or Producer: Beast - Michael Pearce (writer/director), Lauren Dark (producer) Best Film Not In The English Language: Roma Best Costume Design: The Favourite Best Make Up & Hair: The Favourite Best Production Design: The Favourite Best Editing: Vice Best Cinematography: Roma Best Special Visual Effects: Black Panther Best Original Screenplay: The Favourite - Deborah Davis, Tony McNamara Best Adapted Screenplay: BlacKkKlansman - Spike Lee, David Rabinowitz, Charlie Wachtel, Kevin Willmott Best Sound: Bohemian Rhapsody Best Original Music: A Star Is Born Outstanding British Contribution To Cinema: Number 9 Films (Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley) EE Rising Star Award (voted for by the public): Letitia Wright BAFTA Fellowship: Thelma Schoonmaker Ranveer & Alia Return From Berlin Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt returned to Mumbai after the Gully Boy screening at the Berlinale International Film Festival. Ranveer sported a sobered down casual look wearing a light grey hoodie with matching sweatpants, and a hat, while Alia sported a white zip up jacket with coordinated sweatpants. The two had a blast at the Gully Boy screening along with director Zoya Akhtar. It was Ranveer's first time at a film festival. Varun's Rock Star Airport Look Varun Dhawan looked like a rock star at the airport in the early hours of Monday morning. He sported a black t-shirt with camouflage pants. But it was the quilted silver metallic jacket that stole the show. His shoes and hat were also on point. Shraddha Kapoor Joins Varun At The Airport Shraddha Kapoor joined her co-star Varun at the airport as the two jetted off to London. Shraddha donned an all white ensemble. She wore a white turtleneck sweater along with white pants, and camel coloured shoes. She accessorized with a red handbag and a snazzy pair of sunglasses. Shraddha and Varun headed to London to shoot for Remo D'Souza's dance film Street Dancer 3D. B-Town grapevine has it that Shraddha has learnt five dance styles to play her character in the film. Kajol Is All Smiles Kajol was all smiles to the cameras as she prepared to jet off somewhere at the airport. Kajol looked very pretty in a printed blue salwar kameez. Rohit Shetty Spotted At Airport Simmba director Rohit Shetty was also spotted at the airport on Monday morning as he returned to Mumbai. He sported a casual avatar in a black hoodie and black sweatpants. The Ranveer Singh starrer became the biggest hit of Rohit Shetty's career. Purab Kohli is on cloud nine! The actor and his wife Lucy Paton have been blessed with a baby boy. The 'Rock On' actor made the announcement. Giving us a cute glimpse of his little one, Purab captioned the click as, " Balls of hair fuzzing up together. Hello #OsianNur #MySon 26/01/2019." Check out the picture here- Purab and Lucy got married on February 15 in a private ceremony with friends and family at a plush boutique bungalow in Goa. The venue was a vintage one, a refurbished Portuguese bungalow built in the year 1804. The couple also has a daughter named Inaya who was born before their wedding. Speaking about it, Purab had earlier said in an interview, "When Inaya was conceived, we were not married and it didn't matter to me. When Lucy called me and said, 'Hey we are having a baby,' I said, 'Wow. Let's do it.' There was pressure to get married. My mother was the most concerned and my family did say you guys have to get married quickly when she was pregnant. But I was adamant about not doing it because I never wanted my baby to feel that we got into a relationship because she was coming." Later in an interview with Hindustan Times when Purab was asked if there was pressure from his family to get married once they got to know about Lucy's pregnancy, he said, "No! My parents have always been supportive of my decisions. I understand that the decisions I have made with Lucy have shaken the foundations [of the] institution of marriage, but my family was evolved enough to accept us." Purab met his wife for the first time through his sister Rima Kohli, who went to Johns Hopkins University with Lucy. Grammys 2019: AR Rahman Treats His Fans With Inside Pictures From The Award Ceremony! The star-studded 61st Annual Grammy Awards are being held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The event hosted by Alicia Keys is attended by various renowned faces from around the world. Music maestro AR Rahman is attending the prestigious award ceremony with his family. Gully Boy FIRST Reviews: Ranveer Singh's Career Best Performance, Alia Bhatt Is A Show Stopper! The music-composer took to his Instagram page to share some inside pictures from the Grammys wherein he is seen donning a black shirt paired with black pants. His daughter Raheema Rahman too is accompanying him to the award ceremony. Getting Ready The music maestro captioned this click as, "All set to go for Grammy Awards night!" A Night To Remember AR Rahman gives an inside glimpse into the glitzy affair and we must say, the stage looks regal! His Daughter Raheema Looks Stunning Dressed in a pretty black outfit, Raheema poses for a picture at the Grammys. Say Cheese For The Camera Rahman captioned this picture as, "With Mr & Mrs Dinesh Paliwal." Meanwhile, recently, AR Rahman was heavily trolled on social media after he was accused of forcing his daughter Khatija to wear a veil when she attended the celebration event of 10 years of Slumdog Millionaire. Post the heavy flak, Rahman gave a befitting reply to the trollers by sharing a picture with a caption that read, "#freedomtochoose." His daughter Khatija too gave it back to the trollers. Grammys 2019: Here's The List Of Winners Who Won It Big! Fethiye Times pick of the news from the local area and around Turkey. News Death Toll in Turkeys Istanbul Building Collapse Rises to 21 The official death toll from a horrific building collapse in Istanbul has risen to 21. The eight-story building in Istanbuls mostly-residential Kartal district collapsed on Wednesday. Friends and relatives waited near the wreckage for news of their missing loved ones as emergency teams, aided by sniffer dogs, worked around the clock to reach possible survivors. One man said he lost nine members of his extended family. We have nine losses. My elder brother, our siblings, our children are all gone, Alemdar, 43, told The Associated Press. This is beyond imagination. The eight-story building was originally built as a five-story building in 1992 and the top three floors were illegally added in later years. There was also a textile workshop on the ground floor of the building that was operating without a license. Reports noted that some of the load-bearing columns at the bottom of the building had been removed, which is believed to be one of the reasons for its collapse. Another building next to the collapsed one, which was evacuated shortly after the incident will be demolished as an investigation revealed it may also collapse, reports said. A total of seven risky buildings have been evacuated after the incident. Istanbul prosecutors have launched an investigation into the incident. Sources: Washington Post/Daily Sabah Fethiye Mayor Behcet Saatc stands as independent candidate for Mugla Metropolitan Municipality. Fethiye Mayor Behcet Saatc announced his candidacy for the Mayor of Mugla Metropolitan Municipality this week. Saatc also announced his resignation from the IYI Party and will stand as an independent candidate. Source: Son Dakika Life comes first, pedestrians come first. The Turkish Ministry of the Interior has launched a public campaign across the country to raise awareness on protecting pedestrians in traffic and promoting better use of pedestrian crossings. Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said in Ankara on Wednesday A total of 7,427 people died in traffic accidents in 2017 and 1,681 of them were pedestrians. The state will do what is necessary to prevent traffic accidents. Penalties for traffic deaths cannot be limited to imposing fines Activities were held around Turkey on Wednesday as part of the Life comes first, pedestrians come first campaign. In Fethiye, informative brochures were distributed to drivers by police traffic crews. They were joined by District Governor, Muzaffer Sahiner who also used the pedestrian crossing to demonstrate safely crossing the road. An October 2018 amendment to the law on road traffic prioritised the rights of the pedestrians. Source: Son Dakika Irish tourist sentenced to eight years for stealing a $40,000 diamond in Turkey An Irish tourist was sentenced to eight years and nine months for attempting to steal a diamond ring worth $40,000 from a jewelry store in Turkeys southern Mugla province on 4 October. Ian Cambell, who attempted to steal the 2.5 carat diamond ring by swallowing it, was convicted by the 4th Criminal Court of General Jurisdiction in Marmaris and sentenced to 8 years and 9 months in prison for qualified theft. The $40,000 ring was finally removed with a surgical procedure, with the permission of Campbell. Cambells lawyer said he will appeal the ruling. Source: Hurriyet Daily News Sport Thank you to Brian Lloyd for the sport updates. Fethiyespor A great result for Fethiyespor who won their away match against Darica Genclerbrlg AS yesterday. The final score was 0-3. Fethiyespor move up to 15th position on the league table. The next league matches are: Sunday 17th February at home against Tokatspor A.S. Kick off is at 13:30. Saturday 23rd February away against Menemen Belediye Spor. Kick off is at 13:30. For more information about Fethiyespor please visit Fethiyespor Yabancilar on Facebook. Lokman Hekim Fethiye Belediyespor Basketbol Lokman Hekim Fethiye Belediyespor won their away match against Boluspor on Saturday. The final score was 69 76. For more information about Lokman Hekim Fethiye Belediyespor please visit them on Facebook. Turkish Lira (TL) exchange rates The British Pound bought 6.79 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 6.81 TL. The US Dollar bought 5.24 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 5.20 TL. The Euro bought 5.94 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 5.96 TL. ISource: FxexchangeRate.com Weather Forecast Heres your weather forecast for the week ahead. Source: Living Earth 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. You could be forgiven for thinking that congestion pricing is the be-all, end-all of plans to pay for saving New York Citys subways. To be sure, it is the only one with unanimous, vociferous support from transit advocates and now from Gov. Andrew Cuomo. But the $1.1 billion per year that congestion pricing is projected to raise is significantly less than the estimated $40 billion over 10 years that New York City Transit Authority President Andy Byfords Fast Forward Plan is expected to cost. Even if congestion pricing passes the state Legislature this year, which is still very much in doubt, other dedicated revenue streams would be required for the MTA to actually put Byfords plan into effect. None of the other ideas out there, such as a millionaires tax or bringing back a tax on suburban commuters, has won Cuomos endorsement. Congestion pricings strength emanates, in part, from its backing among business leaders and wonkish, apolitical transportation engineers. Thats in part because it would address a classic tragedy of the commons street space in New York Citys central business district during business hours is highly valuable and currently free, so its overused. So one supporter of congestion pricing, Assemblyman Robert Carroll, has proposed an unusual package of additional revenue raisers. In a bill introduced a week ago, Carroll calls for a $3 fee on every package delivery in New York City from an online retailer, a $10-per-day licensing fee for drivers with ride-hail apps such as Uber and Lyft, and an end to Manhattanites partial exemption from New York Citys garage tax. The garage tax reform is the easiest case to make, as it would just close a loophole, but it is only projected to raise $10 million to $15 million per year. Carroll believes the delivery fee could raise $400 million per year and the ride-hail app driver license fee would raise $100 million to $150 million per year. The assemblyman assumes that ride-hail app drivers would decrease in number by about one-quarter as a result of the fee which is only assessed on days when one drives, providing a less onerous barrier to entry than an annual fee or purchasing a medallion to drive a yellow cab. So part-time Uber drivers would no longer turn on the app on days where they might only pick up one or two rides hence how Carroll believes it will combat traffic congestion. Carrolls revenue estimate for the delivery fee is, he readily concedes, a lot shakier. Its based on a national industry study that found the average American household receives 27 packages per year. Carroll assumes these are all eligible orders from online retailers, although his bill makes an exception for prescription medicine, and noting that younger people and residents of cities place more internet orders than the average American he rounds up to 30 and multiplies that by the number of households in New York City. (Carroll uses 3.5 million households, although the Census Bureau says there are 3.142 million.) But, as Carroll acknowledges, the fee might prompt New Yorkers to place fewer online orders or to consolidate them into one package. (Since that would reduce pollution and congestion, Carroll argues that its still a positive result, although it would raise less money for the subway system.) Carroll justifies these measures with the same economic and environmental reasoning as congestion pricing: Road space in Americas densest city is a valuable resource. If its given for free to users, it will be abused. I get so many complaints of truck traffic and deliveries at my office, Carroll told City & State. Its a real quality-of-life issue. Weve got to find a way to say, Youre impacting the lives of average New Yorkers. Part of that impact is the decline of brick-and-mortar retail: Were seeing the hollowing out of our avenues, because theres somebody saying, I will ship to you everything you want, and theres a huge human cost in our city, said Carroll. He hopes that the fee might send shoppers back to their local businesses: It incentivizes people to get off their couch and buy light bulbs from their local hardware store, get toothpaste from their local drug store, check out their local bookstore and thats a good thing. While experts in local economic development tend to agree with Carroll about the need to bolster small local shops, some are skeptical of an internet delivery fee as the means. Its great to see policymakers focusing on the issues facing local retailers, many of whom are struggling to survive as the retail economy evolves. But a surcharge on online shopping isn't going to help mom-and-pop shops prepare for the future and that future isn't going away, said Eli Dvorkin policy director at the Center for an Urban Future. Rather than disincentivize e-commerce, the state Legislature should invest in programs that help more small businesses adopt technology, launch websites, and market their own products and services online. One might also argue that, with New York Citys obscenely expensive commercial rents being a major culprit for empty storefronts, a tax on online retail amounts to a subsidy to landlords who should instead be forced to simply rent out their commercial spaces at lower rents through reforms such as a vacant property tax. Others who are concerned with the demise of neighborhood retail point to the Small Business Jobs Survival Act, a New York City Council proposal that would strengthen the hand of commercial tenants, as the way to protect the local cobbler or baker. Carroll, a Democrat who represents the progressive Brooklyn neighborhoods of Park Slope, Windsor Terrace and Kensington and does not own a car, sees his proposed measures as about more than raising revenue or bolstering small businesses. He argues they are essential to environmental protection. This is about figuring out ways to reduce congestion and our carbon footprint, Carroll said. It puts a fee on the delivery box because that is causing the congestion and the carbon emission. His bill raises some questions about equity and incentives, however, especially if ride-hail app drivers can pass the license fee cost along to riders. For instance, the owners of private cars park and drive on city streets for free. Why do they pay no additional fee for that privilege under Carrolls plan (unless they enter Manhattans central business district during peak-use hours)? Every time one of Carrolls constituents drives himself to the big box stores in Gowanus and Red Hook to shop, they pay nothing, while their more environmentally responsible neighbors who use Uber and Lyft or Amazon more often but are, on average, less affluent and creating fewer aggregate vehicle miles traveled will be paying fees. Paying an extra $90 per year for home deliveries and slightly higher Uber and Lyft fares isnt anywhere near the cost savings of not owning a car. So it may not induce anyone to buy a car and, if anything, might just get them to indulge in using ride-hail apps and ordering on Amazon less often. But it arguably penalizes forgoing car ownership a lifestyle choice that should be encouraged through every possible means if the goal is getting cars off the road. Mass transit advocacy organizations have yet to take a stance on Carrolls bill. At least one is open to the ideas he lays out. Weve noticed that street space is scarce and the city is full of delivery trucks in a way that it wasnt before online retail, Danny Pearlstein, a spokesman for the Riders Alliance, told City & State. The Riders Alliance strongly believes that, while congestion pricing is their core demand, other additional dedicated funding streams will have to be layered on. Pearlstein observed that extra fees for road usage, like Carrolls bill, share congestion pricings intuitive connection to transit, whereas the revenue from a millionaires tax could be used for other purposes, such as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasios plans to expand universal prekindergarten to 3-year-olds citywide. We have been tentatively supportive of other forms of financing that we think are fair and sustainable, said Pearlstein. But, as this bill points out, its challenging. There is the potential unintended consequence that it may raise the cost of not owning a car relative to owning a car. Another possible objection to the delivery fee is that, its progressive intentions notwithstanding, it is literally regressive. All sales taxes fall harder on consumers with lower incomes, and this is even more regressive than the 8.875 percent tax that most purchases in New York City are subject to, as it makes no distinction between your $50 shoes and Jared Kushners that cost $500. Carroll counters that online retail customers skew affluent, but he also admits that some lower-income New Yorkers will sometimes have to pay the fee. Meeting environmental goals require sacrifice from all New Yorkers, he said. Weve got to ask everyone, said Carroll. Im a supporter of the plastic bag fee, which is technically regressive. Of course, Carrolls bill is a bit of a bank shot when it comes to improving air quality or combatting climate change. If the idea is to get cars off the road, why not tax carbon emissions, which could strike directly at all cars and raise vastly more revenue, or follow state Sen. Kevin Parkers suggestion of raising the gasoline tax? Carroll says he is in favor of those ideas in principle, but that he doesnt view them as mutually exclusive with his. He also is skeptical that proposals such as the millionaires tax or restoring the commuter tax are going to pass the suburban-dominated state Senate and be signed by the fiscally conservative, suburb-oriented governor. By contrast, tech companies are a politically appealing target at the moment. Amazon is under fire for striking a deal with the city and state to put half of its HQ2 in Queens in exchange for ample public subsidies, and Uber has weathered years of bad publicity for a toxic work culture. Both companies, and other tech giants including Lyft, are seen by many of the progressives now in power in Albany as exploitative of workers and unconcerned with the greater good. Whether that political advantage means Carrolls bill gathers the support of advocates remains to be seen. Transit policy experts tend to think that instead of choosing winners and losers among road users, fees for road usage including parking should fall equally on private cars, not just delivery trucks or ride-hail drivers. But the underlying insight that choking traffic isnt limited to Midtown and Downtown Manhattan is one they can all agree on. Congestion isnt just in Manhattan, Carroll said. We should think about the truck traffic going through all our neighborhoods and the ride-hail vehicles clogging up all our streets. Its not just raising revenue, its making our streets more livable, making our air more breathable. South Africa: Africa Play brings fun back into learning In the near future, classrooms will be vibrant spaces where fun and acquiring knowledge blend seamlessly as the Basic Education Department wants to make play a fundamental block of learning. Following the Presidents announcement at the State of the Nation Address that Early Childhood Education (ECD) centres will migrate from the Department of Social Development to the Department of Basic Education, Minister Angie Motshekga has hit the ground running. On Monday, the Basic Education Minister announced that South Africa will host the Africa Play conference from 25-27 February 2019. The Africa Play Conference, the first of its kind in Africa, will explore how learning through play can improve the quality of early childhood development and become an integral part of education systems. It gives us great pleasure to announce that we will be hosting the first ever international Africa Play conference with our esteemed partners - UNICEF, the Lego foundation, and the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA). We are at the cusp of greatness and this is one of those developments that gives us great hope that we are getting there, said the Minister. Set in a playful atmosphere, the conference will bring together 400 thought leaders, educators, policy makers and researchers from around the world to discuss, share insights and inspire new ideas and ways of learning that will equip children all over Africa to become creative and engaged lifelong learners. The conference is in light of a growing body of research that points to play-based learning as a key means of improving childrens academic performance and personal development. As government, we are paving the way towards 21st century opportunities by preparing our children in the four critical areas, namely the 4Cs - collaboration and teamwork; creativity and imagination; critical thinking and communication, said the Minister. Lego Foundation representative Michael Reinvillard kicked off the event by giving delegates Lego blocks to play with to demonstrate the multifaceted nature of learning. It is important that play is incorporated in the learning environment of children, as play is the first thing that children use to learn, he said. UNICEF South Africa representative Sanjay Wijesekera said by placing play at the core of learning, children will learn skills that they will require to join the workforce in the 21st century. At the conference, Ministers will have space to caucus amongst themselves, give reflections on the three-day conference and finally co-create a communique on embracing learning through play for quality improvement. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-02-11. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. 2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning -- 4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS. We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover. We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come. Scientists and farmers have warned of the barrier to innovation facing British farming following the European Court of Justices ruling on gene editing, but also highlighted the opportunity Brexit represents for the UK to set its own course. In July, the Court of Justice ruled that new breeding techniques (NBTs) will be subject to the same regulations, effectively signalling that the EU is an unfavourable location to undertake plant genetics research, development and commercialisation of new crop innovations. Leading researchers representing more than 75 European plant and life sciences research centres, including those from the UK's John Innes Centre, are said to be deeply concerned about the recent ruling. Paul Temple, a mixed farmer and past Vice President for the NFU, expressed disappointment that Europe has effectively closed its door to innovation by virtue of its regulatory approach to gene editing and GM crops. He warned that the UK is facing an unprecedented challenge thanks to rising temperatures, leaving the it vulnerable to fluctuating food prices, But he suggested Brexit could be an opportunity for the UK to diverge from EU regulation on plant science. Mr Temple said: While we dont have a big enough commercial market alone for these crops, the mere fact that the UK can now do the trials and encourage the technology, put it in the fields and demonstrate it can be workable and manageable to the rest of the EU, will be a real positive for the UK post-Brexit. It would potentially allow those that want to have the choice in Europe to say look this is what the UK has done, this is how it is managed, its perfectly possible. 'Politically driven' His concerns were echoed by other interviewees, including Dr Zoe Davies, Chief Executive of the Pig Association, who observed that regulatory decisions in Europe are currently politically driven, not evidence-based at all. But she is optimistic about what Brexit can potentially bring. The fact that we have a forward-thinking government that is embracing technology and wanting the industry to move forward and improve productivity, as well as thinking about our ability to provide food for the British public, creates quite a conducive environment for us to suggest certain technologies are taken forward, she said. Philip Wynn, Chair of LEAF, who has spent 45 years managing and advising businesses in nearly every sector of the agricultural industry, suggested it is essential that the agricultural policy of the future has a clear vision and is implemented with clarity and leadership. Given his experience, Wynn is clear that gene editing and new breeding techniques in UK food and farming will play a central role. Key will be the ability to grow crops with fewer inputs, he said. Intelligent, sustainable farming systems are the future. Rothamsted Research Professor Jonathan Napier told the website that the UK has a wellspring of smart, well-trained research scientists who have been limited by Europes regulatory regime. The UK has a fantastic research base for plant related technology, but as part of the EU there has been no obvious route to market for that - it has been effectively untranslatable, he commented. Ultimately, you are doing fundamental research funded by the UK taxpayer, but looking to exploit it outside the UK. 'Development gap' Their comments echo the findings of a report authored by independent expert Graham Brookes last year, which found that the EU crop biotechnology regulatory system has already contributed to a significant loss of high value-added research scientist jobs and has left the UK subject to a crop trait research and development gap. The paper concluded that the potential long-term benefits to the UK economy are likely to be highest if the UK sets its own path on EU crop biotechnology based on sound science, consistent with the regulatory systems operating in most other countries of the world. Mark Buckingham, Chair of the Agricultural Biotechnology Council said: Its clear that Brexit represents a moment of opportunity, and that there could be tremendous potential benefits to the UK setting its own path on techniques such as editing individual genes in crops. A reset of agricultural policy to ensure that regulation rests on science is critical if we are to meet the challenges of the future. The government could cause 'untold damage' to the British pig sector if it waives tariffs and checks on imports in the event of Brexit no deal. The Cabinet has been discussing how the UKs tariff regime would look if the UK leaves the EU without the Withdrawal Agreement in place. Cabinet Ministers, including International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, have made it clear the UK is considering a regime of zero or low tariffs on agricultural food imports to try and keep food prices under control. Yet UK exporters would face full EU tariffs and border delays on a wide range of products if we exit without a transition period in place. The National Pig Association (NPA) said this scenario would place many pig businesses in an 'impossible position' where they would be unable to compete with cheap imports and undermine the industrys capacity to produce British pork. NPA chief executive, Zoe Davies said: The NPA has always said we see opportunities from leaving the EU, as long as the trading conditions are fair. But a zero-tariff would not be fair and would be a kick in the teeth for the UK pork sector. It would be the worst of all worlds, putting enormous pressure on businesses already operating under the tightest of margins. It would jeopardise the future of pork production in the UK, increasing our reliance on imports. We strongly urge the Government to consider this as it finalises its policy, she said. Implications for pig sector A report by AHDB published last week spelled out the implications for the pig sector of this uneven tariff regime. It concluded that export tariffs would make UK pork uncompetitive on the EU market. In particular, the important sow trade to Germany would become uneconomical and, with few alternative outlets, this would potentially create practical problems on farms as well as damaging producers financially. Domestic prices would have to fall to compete and, with over half of UK pig meat exports shipped to the EU, this would have a significant impact on the industry, the report concludes. It notes that while the UK could apply reciprocal tariffs on pig meat imports from the EU, this would force up domestic prices, which may be unacceptable to consumers. But if the UK decide against imposing tariffs on EU pig meat imports, tariffs on imports from non-EU countries would be removed as well under WTO rules. This increased competition for domestic producers could exert further downward pressure on UK prices. 'Unfair trading environment' NPA senior policy advisor, Ed Barker pointed out that existing EU quotas could enable the UK to continue exporting to the EU for a few months after the UK leaves, though friction to export trade processes will always remain. He said: But once the tariffs kick in, allied with delays at ports and added bureaucracy and costs for exporters, the impact will be felt across the entire British pork industry. If, at the same time imports are waved in from across the world with minimal checks and zero tariffs, this will create an unfair and destructive trading environment. We have seen government outline a brighter future for British agriculture, allowing us to produce more high quality, traceable food in the UK. A no deal Brexit undermines all of that, he said. A Dorset farmer has been ordered to pay out nearly 4,000 after he was found guilty of illegally moving cattle and falsifying records. Shaftesbury farmer, Brian Garrett, 76, has been fined for illegally moving cattle to and from his farm while under a movement restriction and for falsifying records relating to the identity of calves. He was prosecuted following an investigation by trading standards officers from Dorset County Council. Officers first visited Fernbrook Farm, Gillingham Road on 4 July 2017 to inspect his cattle. But when they returned to the farm three days later they noted that several of these cattle were no longer on the farm. When questioned, Mr Garrett declined to say where the cattle had gone. Identification of cattle and movement restrictions are in place to help prevent disease spread in livestock and to provide traceability for animals entering the food chain. Officers used DNA tests to check the identity of two of the calves, revealing them to be false. It was found that Mr Garrett had ordered replacement ear tags for these calves to change their identity. 'Serious discrepancies' The farmer appeared before Weymouth Magistrates Court on Monday 4 February and pleaded guilty to six offences under the Cattle Identification Regulations 2007. The court heard that the farm was inspected by the Rural Payment Agency in 2014 who found some serious discrepancies in his calf record keeping. As a result of this they requested the return of a number of calf passports. He continually refused, and in 2016, he was served a notice restricting the movement of all cattle onto or off the farm. Since that date the court heard Mr Garrett had moved cattle on numerous occasions up to January 2019. He was prosecuted in relation to 16 of the illegally moved cattle. Cllr Andrew Parry, Cabinet member with lead responsibility for Trading Standards, said: Intervention by our trading standards officers is an important part of providing protection for the food chain. There are long established rules on recording the identity of cattle to provide traceability, confidence and reduce the spread of disease. Mr Garrett was fined a total of 1250 plus a 135 victim surcharge and ordered to pay 2600 in costs to the county council. Dairy farmer Ian Bowness has been confirmed as the new NFU Deputy Cumbria County Chairman a role hell fulfil for a year before taking on the top job in February 2020. Ian Bowness, 47, milks 280 Holstein Friesian cows at Threapland Lees near Aspatria. He sells his milk to Arla and keeps some Jersey cows for a bit of colour. The family run business consists of three farms, covering just over 600 acres with a mix of owned and rented land. Current NFU Cumbria County Chairman David Raine of Old Parks in Kirkoswald near Penrith, has agreed to do another year for the organisation in order to assist Mr Bowness. And despite being an NFU member for many years, he has not held any official positions or sat on any boards for the union until now. 'Family connection' Before buying Threapland Lees 25 years ago, Mr Bowness was a tenant on a mixed farm in south Cumbria near to Ulverston. When he and his wife Tina bought the farm, they knew there was a family connection but had not realised that the holding had been owned by the Bowness family since 1881. There is a plaque on the farm confirming this fact. The farm changed hands several times after that before eventually coming back into the Bowness family. Mr Bowness said: I have a working knowledge of farming in both Cumberland and Westmorland. Im an owner occupier and have also been a tenant. Alongside the cows we keep a handful of sheep on the farm to keep the kids amused and I dont think Ive ever had a year when Ive not been lambing. Maize, spring barley and winter wheat is all grown on the farm to make feed for the herd. A week-long campaign which aims to highlight the importance of mental health for those who work in the farming industry has been launched. Poor mental health continues to be the biggest health topic in the UK - one in four people have been diagnosed with a mental illness and in farming, mental health issues continue to be of great concern. A recent survey shows that 81% of farmers under the age of 40 believe that mental health is the biggest hidden problem facing farmers today, and 92% believe that promoting good mental health is crucial if lives are to be saved. Hoping to tackle the issue, the Farm Safety Foundations 'Mind Your Head' campaign, launched on Monday (11 February), takes place from 11-15 February to raise awareness. It comes as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) identified stress, depression and anxiety as some the main causes of work-related ill health for farmers. The overall illness rate for agricultural workers is 46% higher than the industry average, and stress, depression and anxiety are significant causes of ill health alongside musculoskeletal disorders and lung disease. 'Long hours and isolation' There are a number of mental health risk factors associated with agriculture. Farmers work long hours, often in isolation, and they can be under significant financial pressure, often required to take on significant debt just to purchase the land and equipment required to operate. And in most cases, a farmers place of business is also his or her home, meaning there is no easy way to get away from the workload. In addition, farmers are constantly vulnerable to unusual events and circumstances that can impact their bottom line and stress levels - from weather and natural disasters to major uncertainties like Brexit. The Farm Safety Foundation is now asking the farming community to 'Mind Your Head' with a campaign to raise awareness and tackle the stigma of this growing issue in farming. Throughout the week, the farming charity will bring together key people, organisations and other charities to raise awareness of the issue and build a community of support for those affected. 'Middle of nowhere' One person who has offered his support for the campaign is Jonathan Glen, a young farmer and student at Harper Adams University. At 18 years of age, Jonathan left his home, family and friends to travel to New Zealand to work on a 200 hectare dairy farm managing a herd of 600. Within weeks, and at the height of milk production, Jonathan was left in charge of the herd and soon realised that he was quite depressed. The situation was compounded by the isolation he felt on a farm in the middle of nowhere with no family or close friends nearby. However, Jonathan was able to recognise his depression from similar symptoms experienced by a friend who showed him there was a way to deal with it through self-help, simply by talking to others. 'Mental health matters' On his return to the UK, he enrolled at Harper Adams University and recently undertook a massive challenge, driving 15,000km to Mongolia in a Mazda MX5 to raise money for the charity Farming Community Network (FCN). Johnathan said: Mental health in agriculture matters. Having had my own battle with mental health while farming, I appreciate the seriousness of the cause Stephanie Berkeley, who leads the Farm Safety Foundation, said: Farmer health and wellbeing can not, and should not, be ignored - by any of us. Simply pretending the issue does not exist or has no impact on the industry is not acceptable. This year we are mounting the week long campaign in the run up to one of the biggest and possibly most stressful events facing the industry Brexit. She added: In previous times of stress such as the BSE crisis in 1986 and the outbreak of Foot and Mouth in 2001, there was a sharp increase in the number of farmer suicides as farm incomes declined. Learning from past experiences we need to be prepared to support our farmers through this time and this is what we are great at, as an industry. The Farm Safety Foundation, set up in 2013, works closely with farmers with agricultural safety and mental health matters. Nigel Farage has used his radio show to highlight how the 'Brexit boom' could lead to more people buying British than ever before. The prominent Brexiteer used his LBC show on Sunday 10 February to say how his local town in Kent has experienced a boom in British since the Referendum vote of 2016. He noted how his local brewery, once closed in the 1960s, has since re-opened, and how a nearby farm had a 'good year' in 2018 when it produced a record number of sparking wine bottles. He highlighted how his local shop has also recently started to stock honey made within miles of the premises. He went on to say the idea of buying produce locally is 'from every perspective a very good idea', in particular with regards to sustainability and reducing food miles. Farage then asked his listeners if consumers should be buying more British-made goods. Anita, from Wrexham, said the cost of British food will come down if the UK left on WTO terms, making local food more appealing to consumers. One caller urged listeners to 'buy British and support smaller family businesses'. But Joseph, from Preston, said buying British for the sake of buying British isn't an option for him as he's a 'cash-strapped student'. Indeed, the public want to buy more British food but not at an increased cost, with research showing even a slight price rise will show home-grown ditched for imported. But Farage said buying British is a good thing regardless: You get the choice to support local producers and local makers. It's about community and encouraging people to be entrepreneurs. However, he admitted that the UK has never been self-sufficient when it comes to food, but said the UK could potentially produce more. Recent statistics show the UKs self-sufficiency has declined reigniting a focus on the need to emphasise home-grow food production. The comments follow Wetherspoons founder Tim Martin urging the British public to make 'pro-UK and non-EU' choices when it comes to buying food and drink. Food manufacturer 2 Sisters has been fined over 270,000 after two workers has their thumb and finger severed in machinery at the company's poultry site. 2 Sisters, one of the UK's largest supermarket chicken suppliers, was sentenced following two separate incidents where workers became trapped in moving machinery. Colchester Magistrates Court heard how, on 26 March 2016, whilst working for 2 Sisters Food Group at its poultry site in Flixton, Norfolk, Romas Ciurlionis trapped his thumb in a moving shackle shortly after being shown how to remove chicken intestines. As the line was running, he was pulled away from the emergency stop cord and when it moved past a fixed gate his thumb was severed. The court also heard how, on 23 August 2016, Darren Hamilton entered an area of the factory that should have had the power isolated before cleaning activities commenced. The safe system of work was not being followed and the shackle line was still running when his finger became trapped. As he could not reach the emergency stop his finger was severed. The investigations carried out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that 2 Sisters Food Group Ltd had failed to ensure that measures were in place to mitigate the consequences of a worker becoming entrapped in a shackle in the first instance and that they failed to ensure safe isolation procedures were followed in the second. 2 Sisters Food Group Ltd of Grange Road, Flixton, Bungay pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Works Equipment Regulations 1998 in relation to the first incident and has been fined 200,000 and ordered to pay costs of 4,031.83. In respect of the second incident, 2 Sisters Food Group Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974 and has been fined 74,000 and ordered to pay costs of 4,386.52. After the hearing, HSE inspector Saffron Turnell said: These incidents could so easily have been avoided had appropriate controls been in place. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards. by Kamran Hoda | Thunder Correspondent | Sun, Feb 10th 6:08pm EST Mike Muscala shot 3-for-7 on his way to eight points, one rebound, and two assists against Philadelphia on Sunday. Some people binge watch Netflix Huluor HBO shows. And some people turn their downtime into cash. James made $2,275 in just 19 minutesall thanks to something called The 15 Minute Workday. The average trade makes 12% in just 5 days (factoring winners and losers) which is out of this world. Sociedad QuAmica y Minera de Chile S.A. produces and distributes specialty plant nutrients, iodine and its derivatives, lithium and its derivatives, potassium chloride and sulfate, industrial chemicals, and other products and services worldwide. The company offers specialty plant nutrients, including potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, sodium potassium nitrate, specialty blends, and other specialty fertilizers for crops, such as vegetables, fruits, and industrial crops. It also provides iodine and its derivatives for use in medical, pharmaceutical, agricultural, and industrial applications comprising x-ray contrast media, polarizing films for LCD and LED, antiseptics, biocides and disinfectants, pharmaceutical synthesis, electronics, pigments, and dye components. In addition, the company offers lithium carbonates for various applications that include electrochemical materials for batteries, frits for the ceramic and enamel industries, heat-resistant glass, air conditioning chemicals, continuous casting powder for steel extrusion, primary aluminum smelting process, pharmaceuticals, and lithium derivatives. Further, it supplies lithium hydroxide for the lubricating greases industry, as well as cathodes for batteries. Additionally, it offers potassium chloride and potassium sulfate for various crops, including corn, rice, sugar, soybean, and wheat; industrial chemicals, including sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, potassium chloride, and solar salts; and other fertilizers and blends. The company was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Santiago, Chile. Read More Wall Street analysts have given iShares MSCI Netherlands 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 Netherlands ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Since 2016, Teeka Tiwari has trumped the stock market. His investment recommendations have each averaged 281%. Thats 17 times the S&P. And 112 times the average investor, according to JPMorgan! However, one investment Teeka just uncovered could top them all It involves former President Biden, billions of dollars, several large banks, and a super-rich family. As well as a MAJOR potential upgrade to our credit cards. Teeka, who ended up correctly picking the last investment of the decade, is declaring this his top pick for the 2020s. 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 comScore, Inc. operates as an information and analytics company that measures advertising, consumer behavior, and audiences across media platforms worldwide. The company offers ratings and planning products and services, including Media Metrix Multi-Platform and Mobile Metrix, which measure Websites and apps on computers, smartphones, and tablets; Video Metrix that delivers measurement of digital video consumption; and Plan Metrix, which offers understanding of consumer lifestyle. Its ratings and planning products and services also comprises TV Essentials that combines TV viewing information with marketing segmentation and consumer databases; StationView Essentials to understand consumer viewing patterns and characteristics; Cross-Platform Suite, which integrates person-level linear TV viewership with digital audience data; and OnDemand Essentials that provides transactional tracking and reporting. In addition, its ratings and planning products comprise Comscore Campaign Ratings for verification of mobile and desktop video campaigns; validated Campaign Essentials, which validates whether digital ad impressions are visible to humans, identifies those that are fraudulent, and verifies that ads are shown in brand safe content and delivered to the right audience targets; and Total Home Panel Suite, which capture OTT, connected TV, and IOT device usage and content consumption. The company also offers analytics and optimization products and services that provide solutions for planning, optimization, and evaluation of advertising campaigns and brand protection. In addition, it offers movies reporting and analytics products and services to measure movie viewership and box office results by capturing movie ticket sales in real time or near real time. It serves digital publishers, television networks, movie studios, content owners, brand advertisers, agencies, and technology providers. The company was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in Reston, Virginia. Read More Vitamin Shoppe, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a omni-channel specialty retailer and contract manufacturer of nutritional products in the United States and internationally. It operates in two segments, Retail and Manufacturing. The company provides custom manufacturing and private labeling services for vitamin, mineral, and supplement products, as well as develops and markets own branded products. It offers vitamins, minerals, herbs, specialty supplements, sports nutrition products, and other health and wellness products of approximately 900 brands, such as own brands comprising The Vitamin Shoppe, BodyTech, True Athlete, Mytrition, plnt, ProBioCare, Next Step, and Betancourt Nutrition; and national brands, including Optimum Nutrition, Cellucor, Garden of Life, Quest Nutrition, Solaray, Solgar, Megafood, and Nature's Way. The company sells its products through Vitamin Shoppe and Super Supplements retail stores, as well as through its vitaminshoppe.com Website. As of November 7, 2018, it operated 775 company-operated retail stores under the Vitamin Shoppe and Super Supplements retail banners. It also operates franchise stores. The company was formerly known as VS Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to Vitamin Shoppe, Inc. in November 2009. Vitamin Shoppe, Inc. was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Secaucus, New Jersey. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Hyundai Motor: Beijing Jingxian Motor Safeguard Service Co. Ltd. (BJMSS), Beijing Jingxianronghua Motor Sale Co. Ltd., Bluewalnut Co. Ltd., Boston Dynamics Inc., China Millennium Corporations (CMEs), China Mobility Fund L.P., Extended Term Amortizing Program LLC, Genesis Motor America LLC, Genesis Motor Europe Gmbh (GME), Genesis Motor Sales(Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Genesis Motor Switzerland AG (GMCH), Genesis Motor UK Limited (GMUK), Green Air Co. Ltd, HCA Exchange LLC, HCCA Funding Inc., HCCA Funding Two Inc, HCCA Funding Two Inc., HK Lease Funding LP, HK Real Properties LLC, HK Retail Funding LP, HMB Holding Participacoes Financeiras Ltda, HR Mechanical Services Limited, HYUNDAI KEFICO MEXICO S. DE R.L.DE C.V., HYUNDAI KEFICO VIETNAM COMPANY LIMITED, HYUNDAI MOTOR SINGAPORE PTE.LTD. (HMS), Hydrogen Energy Industry Fund, Hyundai ABS Funding LLC, Hyundai America Technical Center Inc. (HATCI), Hyundai Assan Otomotiv Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S. (HAOSVT), Hyundai Asset Backed Lease LLC, Hyundai Auto Canada Captive Insurance Inc. (HACCI), Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. (HACC), Hyundai Auto Electronics Company Ltd., Hyundai Auto Lease Offering LLC, Hyundai CHA Funding LLC, Hyundai Capital America (HCA), Hyundai Capital Australia Pty Limited, Hyundai Capital Brasil Servicos De Assistencia Financeira Ltda, Hyundai Capital Canada Inc. (HCCA), Hyundai Capital Europe GmbH, Hyundai Capital India Private Limited (HCI), Hyundai Capital Insurance Company, Hyundai Capital Insurance Services LLC, Hyundai Capital Lease Inc. (HCLI), Hyundai Capital Services Inc., Hyundai Capital Services Limited Liability Company, Hyundai EURotem Demiryolu Araclari, Hyundai HK Funding Four LLC, Hyundai HK Funding LLC, Hyundai HK Funding Three LLC, Hyundai HK Funding Two LL, Hyundai HK Lease LLC, Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility AG (HHM), Hyundai KEFICO Corporation (Hyundai KEFICO), Hyundai Lease Titling Trust, Hyundai Millennium (Beijing) Real Estate Development Co. Ltd., Hyundai Mobility Lab (HML), Hyundai Motor America (HMA), Hyundai Motor Brasil Montadora de Automoveis LTDA (HMB), Hyundai Motor Commonwealth of Independent States (HMCIS), Hyundai Motor Commonwealth of Independent States B.V (HMCIS B.V), Hyundai Motor Company Australia Pty Limited (HMCA), Hyundai Motor Company Italy S.r.l (HMCI), Hyundai Motor Czech s.r.o (HMCZ), Hyundai Motor DE Mexico S DE RL DE CV (HMM), Hyundai Motor Deutschland GmbH (HMD), Hyundai Motor Espana S.L.U. (HMES), Hyundai Motor Europe GmbH (HME), Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center GmbH (HMETC), Hyundai Motor France SAS (HMF), Hyundai Motor India Engineering Private Limited (HMIE), Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMI), Hyundai Motor Japan Co. Ltd. (HMJ), Hyundai Motor Japan R&D Center Inc. (HMJ R&D), Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama LLC (HMMA), Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Czech s.r.o. (HMMC), Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Rus LLC (HMMR), Hyundai Motor Netherlands B.V. (HMNL), Hyundai Motor Poland Sp. Zo. O (HMP), Hyundai Motor Sport GmbH (HMSG), Hyundai Motor UK Limited (HMUK), Hyundai Motors Indonesia (HMID), Hyundai NGV Engineering, Hyundai Partecs Co. Ltd., Hyundai Protection Plan Florida Inc., Hyundai Protection Plan Inc., Hyundai Rio Vista Inc., Hyundai Rotem Brasil Industria E Comercio De Trens Ltda., Hyundai Rotem Company Hyundai EURotem Demiryolu Araclari SAN. VE TIC. A.S ORTAK GIRISIMI, Hyundai Rotem Company Hyundai EUrotem Mahmutbey Projesi ORTAK GIRISIMI, Hyundai Rotem Malaysia SDN BHD, Hyundai Rotem USA Corporation Moceanlab Inc., Hyundai Translead Inc. (HT), Hyundai Truck & Bus (China) Co. Ltd. (HTBC), Hyundai Truck And Bus Rus LLC (HTBR), Hyundai de Mexico SA DE C.V. (HYMEX), Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC Co. Ltd, KB Leaders Private Securities Fund1(Bond Mixed), KEFICO Automotive Systems (Beijing) Co. Ltd., KEFICO Automotive Systems (Chongqing) Co. Ltd., Kia Motors, KyoboAXA Private Tomorrow Securities Investment Trust No.12, MOCEAN Co. Ltd, Maintrans Company Services, PT. HYUNDAI MOTOR MANUFACTURING INDONESIA (HMMI), Power Protect Extended Services Florida Inc., Power Protect Extended Services Inc., Rotem Equipments (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Samsung ETF rotation Private Investment Trust 1, Shinhan BNPP Private Corporate Security Investment Trust No.34, Stamped Metal American Research Technology Inc. (SMARTI), Stamped Metal American Research Technology LLC, and ZER01NE Accelerator Investment Fund No.1. 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 Man Who Picked Tesla, Bitcoin Makes Next Pick of the Decade" (Ad) Picking the right investment of the decade can transform your life Today, the Wall Street legend who picked the last investment of the decade months (even years) before his peers will finally reveal his new #1 pick for the 2020s. Its not 5G, artificial intelligence, EVs, or clean energy. The answer will surprise you. Click To See This #1 Pick. 5 Ways to Win at Trading (Ad) More people are trading options... But most are doing it wrong... and LOSING money. Former Chicago Board Options Exchange trader reveals five secrets you MUST know before putting a penny in the market... Get the list of all five now. Ad Legacy Research 2,158 Interested This Week Man Who Picked Tesla, Bitcoin Makes Next Pick of the Decade" Picking the right investment of the decade can transform your life Today, the Wall Street legend who picked the last investment of the decade months (even years) before his peers will finally reveal his new #1 pick for the 2020s. Its not 5G, artificial intelligence, EVs, or clean energy. The answer will surprise you. 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 814-368-3173 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com. Contributed photo Music for Youth and Pequot Library will be presenting a free Young Persons Concert featuring cellist Yves Dharamraj and pianist Philip Edward Fisher at Pequot Library, 2 p.m. on March 2. If you are a member of a string orchestra, a chamber musician and/or a lover of music, you are going to want to come to this Young Persons Concert featuring the versatile and dynamic cellist Yves Dharamraj and his talented accompanist Philip Edward Fisher. This youth centric one-hour program will highlight works for cello and piano with a twist. Adults attending without children are asked to make a goodwill donation that helps to sustain future music programs. Doors will open at 1:40 pm. For more information about the concert and musicians visit musicforyouth.net. Registration is suggested but not required. A master class for advanced cellists will follow the performance. Please call 203-254-0123 for more information. Air Serbia will be adding frequencies on a number of its existing routes this summer season as it prepares to introduce nine new destinations to its network. The airline will also boost capacity on selected services. At this point, the Serbian carrier will add an extra weekly flight onto seven routes. These include Copenhagen, Dubrovnik, Paris, Sofia, Stockholm, Tivat and Zagreb, while an additional two weekly services will be introduced to Zurich, when compared to the 2018 summer season. The airline will run double daily flights to the French capital, where it will compete against Air France and ASL Airlines France this summer. Furthermore, in a boost to its Scandinavian operations, both Copenhagen and Stockholm will be maintained on a daily basis. In addition, Tivat will be operated 22 times per week, Zagreb twelve, Sofia eight per week, while Zurich will be run up to eighteen times per week. The airline plans to boost capacity on some routes as well. Three of its double daily flights to Vienna will be operated with the 144-seat Airbus A319 aircraft this summer instead of the seventy-seat ATR72 turboprop, while all six of its services to Split will be maintained with the A319 instead of the ATR. On the other hand, the airline will also decrease frequencies on five routes by one weekly flight, in order to free up capacity for some of the abovementioned destinations. Athens, Berlin, Milan, Skopje and St Petersburg will all have one flight per week less than last year. As a result, operations to the Greek capital (double daily), as well as Milan (daily), and St Petersburg (three weekly) will now be maintained by the same number of frequencies as they were during the 2017 summer season. Great nations do not fight endless wars, President Donald Trump declared in his State of the Union address. It was a line that could have been delivered by President Barack Obama, who in 2015 memorably said, I do not support the idea of endless war. Just a few days before Trumps address, his own party delivered the president a stinging rebuke when Senate Republicans passed a resolution opposing his Syrian and Afghan withdrawals by an overwhelming bipartisan 68-23 vote. Trumps defenders say: Thats just the foreign policy establishment advocating forever war. When, they ask, will these wars end? When will we be able to declare victory and go home? These are fair questions, and they deserve serious answers. In traditional wars, defining victory is easy. Victory comes when the enemy surrenders and lays down its arms. But this is not traditional war. We are not fighting nation-states with defined borders and armies, navies and air forces. We are fighting radical Islamist terrorists who are engaged in what Osama bin Laden called a war of destiny between infidelity and Islam. There will be no signing ceremony on the deck of the USS. Missouri. They will never lay down their arms. In this war, victory for the United States is every day that passes without a terrorist attack on American soil. And that daily victory is made possible because the men and women of the U.S. military are hunting the enemy in faraway lands. Americas enemies have a very clear definition of victory. For them, victory comes when we give up the fight before they do. We know this because they have told us so. The 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed told his CIA interrogator Americans dont realize we do not need to defeat you militarily; we only need to fight long enough for you to defeat yourself by quitting. That is how the terrorists see Obamas withdrawal from Iraq in 2011 and Trumps planned withdrawals from Syria and Afghanistan: America defeating itself by quitting. It is understandable that, after 18 years, Americans want the war to end. But what we want is irrelevant. We dont get to decide unilaterally that the war is over. The enemy gets a vote. Just because we have tired of fighting doesnt mean that they have. Here is the hard truth: We dont get to choose when the war ends, but we do get to choose where it is fought. It can either be fought over there, in the deserts of Syria and the mountains of Afghanistan, or it can be fought over here on American streets and in American cities, as it was on Sept. 11, 2001. Its up to us. Trump deserves enormous credit for taking the gloves off in the fight against the terrorists. He was absolutely correct when he declared in the State of the Union address, When I took office, ISIS controlled more than 20,000 square miles in Iraq and Syria. Today, we have liberated virtually all of that territory from the grip of these bloodthirsty monsters. But the Islamic State is not defeated. It still has tens of thousands of fighters under arms and, according to one estimate by the Institute for the Study of War, as much as $400 million it smuggled out of Iraq, money that can be used to sustain its movement and plan attacks across the world. In Afghanistan, U.S. intelligence estimates there are about 20 terrorist groups including al-Qaida and the Islamic State affiliate known as Islamic State Khorasan that who would immediately gain an uncontested sanctuary from which to plan new attacks if America withdraws. On Jan. 28, the New York Times reported that a 2017 intelligence assessment, renewed last year, says a complete withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan would lead to an attack on the United States within two years. Right now, the U.S. military has its boot on the terrorists necks. They are focused on survival, not on launching faraway attacks. Take that boot away, though, and the terrorists will get up, dust themselves off, regroup, rebuild and go back to trying to kill Americans in the United States. In his address, Trump praised the heroism of the men who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. They did not know if they would survive the hour, he said. They did not know if they would grow old. But they knew that America had to prevail. The same is true today. Great nations do not quit before they prevail. @marcthiessen WASHINGTON Kemal Oksuz, a former Houston-based businessman convicted of lying to Congress about Azerbaijan's role in a funding a trip for 10 lawmakers including four from Texas walked out of a federal courthouse Monday a free man. Oksuz, 49, was credited with three months he spent in an Armenian jail last year, plus another week that he was detained upon his return to the U.S. last November. He also will serve two years of probation and pay a $20,000 fine. The Justice Department, arguing that Oksuz's deception undermined bedrock American political institutions, had sought a one-year prison sentence, the maximum possible under federal sentencing guidelines. Oksuz, described by family and friends as non-profit leader devoted to charity and international understanding, stood and thanked the sentencing judge, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan. "Your honor, standing here is a great shame on me," Oksuz said in court, making his first public statement since the case first came to light in a 2014 Houston Chronicle report. "I feel embarrassed," he continued, chocking back emotion. "It is not easy for me. I am going through hard times... I take full responsibility for my unlawful conduct. I apologize. I am sorry for all the mess I have caused." Oksuz's case ended a four-year corruption investigation that included the Office of Congressional Ethics, the House Ethics Committee and, finally, the FBI, which pursued him from Houston to Armenia, where he was living until last year. Oksuz, who also goes by "Kevin," refused to cooperate in the federal probes while moving abroad for two years, leaving his family behind in Arlington, a Virginia suburb of Washington. But after his arrest in Armenia late last year on a U.S. warrant, he waived extradition and gave himself up to American authorities. The Justice Department alleged that he used a pair of Houston non-profits as part of an international scheme to funnel money from the Azeri national oil company "in order to gain access" to members of Congress at a 2013 energy conference in the capital city of Baku. Still, despite the sweeping nature of those allegations, no members of Congress or other foreign officials were indicted in the probe. The Texas members of Congress who attended the Baku conference including Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee and now-retired Republican Congressman Ted Poe said they believed their trips were legally funded by the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians, one of the non-profits headed by Oksuz out of a Galleria office tower in Houston. The trip also included former U.S. Reps. Ruben Hinojosa, a Democrat from McAllen, and Steven Stockman, a Houston-area Republican now in prison on unrelated fraud charges. They and other members of Congress and their staffs returned gifts or money they received for the Baku trip after the House Ethics Committee's probe determined that funding for their hotel, airfare and gifts likely came from a foreign government in violation of House rules. Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox Oksuz, balding figure with a salt-and-pepper mustache and goatee, admitted to lying on disclosure forms filed with the U.S. House Ethics Committee both before and after he helped use foreign money to illegally fund a congressional trip for the energy conference in Azerbaijan. Prosecutors said he knowingly orchestrated the scheme to illegally funnel money to congressional travel from the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic, or SOCAR, according to a five-count indictment unsealed last fall in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. He pleaded guilty December 10 to a single felony count, saying he took "full responsibility" for knowingly misleading Congress about the true sponsor of the trip. With no prior criminal record, federal sentencing guidelines called for a range of six months to a year in prison. In imposing a lighter sentence, Judge Chutkan said she sought to balance the severity of the offense against what she called an "exemplary life" of charitable work and cultural exchanges. "Mr. Oksuz has tried to build bridges," Chutkan said. "I have to ask myself how society and our community would be helped by sending Mr. Oksuz to jail further, and I can't see that as something that has to happen." Chutkan called it a "difficult decision." She said she recognized the government's position that lying to Congress undermines Democracy and the rule of law and that the sentence needs to provide a deterrent. "Though it is a 'paper crime,' it is still a serious offense," she said. A government sentencing brief said that by obscuring the role of the Azeri government in bankrolling the trip, Oksuz "was able to parade members of Congress and their staff around Azerbaijan where they were exposed to substantial government influence." Assistant U.S. Attorney Marco Palmieri, arguing for a full year prison sentence, added that "it was orchestrated, it was deliberate, and it was premeditated." The judge, however, said she did not accept the prosecutor's suggestion that Oksuz's deception about the conference was intended to cover up anything "nefarious" or improper, "other than the concealment itself." Attorneys representing Oksuz argued that Azeri government officials were openly involved in the Baku conference, and that the mutual financial and political interests of the U.S., Turkish and Azeri governments in "energy security" were clear. "There was no mistake about what was happening here," said Philip Inglima, Oksuz's lead attorney. "There was no request for something improper from any members of Congress.... It wasn't improper influence. It was part and parcel of the conference." Nevertheless, it is illegal for foreign governments to sponsor congressional trips or other perks. So, the central question in Oksuz's sentencing was why he lied. Oksuz and his attorneys contended that he sought SOCAR's financial help only after other sources of funding fell short and he feared the Baku conference might be scuttled. Fearing that lawmakers would not take the trip if they knew the true source of the funding, he decided to keep that from them. Justice Department lawyers rejected that narrative, pointing out that the trip's long paper trail led directly to the Azeri state oil company. "There is clear evidence that SOCAR was driving this," Palmieri said. "As for what the motive was, it's not for the government to speculate." Prosecutors, however, were rebuked for raising questions about Oksuz's more recent work with Arlington Strategic Supplies and Manufacturing, a New York company reportedly involved in international arms sales, including guns and rocket or grenade launchers. "This is quite a leap," Chutkan said. "I have nothing but speculation. I can't take that into consideration." Prosecutors also asked Chutkan to take into account his efforts to evade investigators and minimize his crime. His lawyers acknowledged that while he was not eager to talk to the FBI, he stayed abroad to be near his ailing mother in Turkey. He ultimately returned and accepted responsibility. Whatever version of Oksuz the judge believed, she decided he did not need to spend anymore time locked up. "You have an opportunity to go forward," Chutkan told him, "and live a good life." 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. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE There is growing evidence that the drug companies have helped to cause the opioid overdose crisis due to their aggressive marketing, according to criminal justice expert Paul Brakke, who has published seven books on criminal justice topics through American Leadership Books. He has previously cited a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine describing this connection. Now he has found even more evidence that points the finger squarely at the drug companies. As he notes, citing a report of this study in Vox, "We Now Have More Proof that Drug Companies Helped Cause the Opioid Epidemic" by German Lopez, the drug companies contributed most powerfully to the first wave of the opioid epidemic which has washed into America in three main waves. According to Brakke, in the first wave which started in the late 1990s through the early 2000s, doctors prescribed a growing number of opioids to reduce or stop pain. The result was that the drugs spread widely, and often they were misused or led to addiction -- not just among patients, but among their friends and family members. Additionally, teens took drugs they found in their parents' medicine cabinets. Plus many individuals who later became addicts or overdosed got their pills on the black market. "This is where the marketers played a major role in contributing to the epidemic, because they aggressively promoted the drugs to doctors, who then overprescribed drugs to their patients. After that not only did many patients become addicted, but others could easily access these drugs. The incentive for the drug companies was that they made more and more money, the more drugs they sold, regardless of how those drugs were used." Then, as Brakke notes, this first wave opened up the door to the second and third waves. This second wave of overdoses occurred in the 2000s as a result of a growing supply of heroin in the market, because drug dealers and traffickers found a new source of profit in the growing population who used opioids. These users were unable to get more pills from their doctor or and saw heroin as a cheaper way to get high from drugs. Then, most recently, the third wave has occurred because of fentanyl, which is an even more powerful and cheaper drug than heroin. But it is much deadlier because of its greater potency, and sometimes users mixed it with heroin, because it was cheaper. However, that also meant that users got a more powerful fix that often led to an overdose. "Unfortunately," says Brakke, "the drug companies have added to the problem through their aggressive marketing, despite evidence that the drugs weren't a safe or effective alternative to other painkillers on the market. And now a recent lawsuit against the maker of OxyContin shows how the drug companies have used this aggressive marketing to sell their drugs." As Brakke describes it, citing the Vox article, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey filed a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma, which makes OxyContin. Among other things the suit complained that the company ignored excessive prescribing in the United States, although its staff was warned that the company should have reported the "pill mills" to the federal officials. Additionally, Brakke notes, other reports pointed to the very irresponsible behavior of the opioid companies, such as one by a group of public health experts in the Annual Review of Public Health. "According to this report," Brakke states, "the companies exaggerated the safety and benefits of their products. They also supported advocacy groups and education campaigns that promoted the use of opioids. Additionally, they lobbied lawmakers to loosen restrictions on being able to obtain the drugs. Not only Purdue was involved in this effort, but so were Endo, Teva, Abbott Laboratories, and other companies making these drugs." Unfortunately, the result was that addiction and overdoses increased as did opioid sales. "There's even a chart from the Annual Review of Public Health that shows this direct connection. As opioid sales rise from 1999 to 2010, so do opioid deaths. What makes this connection even worse is that the drugs are not only deadly, but they aren't as effective against pain as Purdue and the other drug makers claim." Why not? Because, as Brakke points out, citing the Vox article, "There's only very weak scientific evidence that opioid painkillers can effectively treat long-term chronic pain as patients grow tolerant of opioids' effects. But at the same time, much evidence shows that prolonged use can lead to very bad complications, which include a higher risk of becoming addicted, overdosing, or even dying. In short, the risks and downsides of taking opioids are much greater than any benefits for most patients suffering from pain -- or for anyone taking opioids for that matter." At least, there has been the beginning of a crackdown on this aggressive marketing by drug companies, according to Brakke. For example, in 2007, Purdue Pharma and three top executives were hit with over $630 million in federal fines for misleading the public with their advertising. In addition, the three executives received criminal convictions, though they only received three years of probation and 400 hours of community service. "And that seems like a slap on the wrist," says Brakke, "when you consider the many lives lost due to their marketing." Still Brakke points out that changing public sentiment is in the wind, leading Purdue to announce that it would stop marketing opioids to doctors. And now there may be even more of a crackdown. For example, one Cleveland judge combined several lawsuits against opioid companies in order to seek a big settlement agreement, which would not only result in a financial settlement to pay for treatment for addicts throughout the U.S. but would also restrict marketing by these companies. And on January 31, still another suit against Purdue Pharma was filed showing that the company secretly pursued a plancalled "Project Tango," to sell both opioids and drugs to treat opioid addiction, while the wealthy owners on the board obtained more than $4 billion in opioid profits. "This crackdown is more needed than ever," says Brakke, "since restricting marketing could help ameliorate the current opioid crisis and avoid a repeat of this crisis in the future." Brakke has become especially concerned with finding a way to overcome this opioid crisis because of his research about it for the past year, which he has reported in a chapter in Crime in America and in Dealing with Illegal Immigration and the Opioid Crisis. He is also planning a future more in depth analysis of this problem. In writing his books and working as a consultant, Brakke brings to the table a unique conservative approach to crime, criminal justice, and American society. That's because usually liberals discuss ways to reform the system through more of a social welfare approach. But Brakke's approach is more based on an economic business model of doing what works most efficiently to both cut down costs and create more productive citizens. He is now bringing his unique approach to his forthcoming book Fractured America, dealing with the many divisions that are tearing America apart and how to heal these divisions. It will be published in early February. Since publishing Crime in America, Brakke has had 35 videos made featuring highlights from the book which are available on the American Leadership Books YouTube channel at https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCfHgXXiW3jgODnaypgcYZFw/videos/upload To learn more, you can get a copy of Crime in America, with a chapter on the opioid crisis. The book is available through Amazon, Kindle, and major bookstores. It is currently available on Kindle at a reduced price during its special KDP Select Promotion at https://www.amazon.com/Crime-America-Conservatives-Approaches-Criminals-ebook/dp/B07MKZG84Z. Also, free copies are available for government officials who are seeking ways to reduce crime and fix the criminal justice system and for members of the media at www.crimeinamericathebook.com. For media copies of the book, more information on American Leadership Books and Paul Brakke, and to set up interviews, please contact: Jana Collins Jones & O'Malley Toluca Lake, California jana@jonesomalley.com (818) 762-8353 I have had an SRRV Classic since July 2018. I am now thinking about converting the deposit into an active investment (I know I need to add an additional US$30,000 to increase the deposit to US$50,000). I have a couple of questions. 1. If I purchase a condo, does it have to be ready to move in or can I purchase a pre-selling unit? 2. Can I purchase a Townhouse? I was chatting to real estate agents in Dumaguete and they said I can't purchase a Townhouse since I am a foreigner and can't own the land the Townhouse is on. They said I need to register the land in the name of a Filipino and then purchase the Townhouse. I know there this this option of a long term lease of house or house & lot. Can I use this option for a Townhouse? In this case do I use the US$50,000 to purchase the house or is the US$50,000 for the lease only. Would I still have to register the land in the name of a Filipino? I would be very grateful for the advice and experiences of those on an SRRV visa who have converted their deposit into an investment. I've got myself into a sticky situation and I hope someone has a bright idea to help out. I'm a permanent French resident (10-year carte de resident) but I lost my card while travelling around Asia for many months. Before leaving France, I worked seasonaire jobs (ski resorts, etc) so I have no permanent address to speak of. The last address on my carte de resident is Avignon in the Vaucluse department from 2013. For both my return visa and my duplicata carte de resident application, I require an address in the Vaucluse department (where my file is). I'll be staying with friends and in hotels until I get my card back. They are willing to let me use their respective addresses but unfortunately none of them live in the Vaucluse department. I spoke to the prefecture honestly about my situation and they've informed me that there's no alternative - I have to say that I'm living with someone in the Vaucluse area (with EDF bill, ID copy and letter) in order to complete my paperwork. I've been reduced to asking friends of friends on Facebook with no luck so far, so I'm at a loss at how to proceed. Has anyone found themselves in a similar situation? Is there some solution that I'm overlooking? Thanks. GBP/AUD Exchange Rate Slumps as Commodity Prices Surge UPDATE: The Pound to Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD) exchange rate fell sharply on Tuesday morning, with the pairing striking a low of AU$1.8139 as the Aussie was bolstered by a broad pick-up in commodity markets. This saw prices for iron ore - Australias single largest export - leap to $90.58 a tonne at the start of the session, striking its highest levels since March 2017. Further lifting AUD was a surprise uptick in Australians Business confidence index in January as it indicated that employment growth remained robust at the start of the year. UPDATE: The Pound-to-Australian-Dollar exchange rate dipped sharply into Tuesdays European session. The cross was last seen trading at AU$1.81387. The Australian Dollar (AUD) saw support stemming from expectations of trade-talk progress between the US and China as negotiations continue in Beijing. Commenting on the mutual beneficence of a trade deal, Rakuten Securities (Tokyo) chief global strategist, Matsumi Kagawa commented There will be no winner in a trade war. So at some point they will likely strike a deal. For the Pound Sterling (GBP), Brexit remains at the forefront for investors with the PM due to make a statement to MPs in which shell call upon them to hold their nerve as negotiations with EU officials over the withdrawal agreement reach a critical stage if the UK is to have any change of exiting the EU with a deal. GBP/AUD Exchange Rate Range-bound as Sterling Confidence Shaken by Poor GDP Figures The Pound Australian (GBP/AUD) Exchange Rate is range-bound today and is currently trading at AU$1.8238 on the inter-bank market. The Australian Dollar, meanwhile, remains under pressure from the Reserve Bank of Australias (RBA) dovish statement on Friday, and with no economic data releases due today, the Aussie remains sensitive to geopolitical developments. Chinese markets, however, will begin trade again today after a week-long holiday for the Chinese New Year celebrations. Sterling (GBP) failed to gain on the Australian Dollar (AUD) following the publication of the UK Q4 GDP figures, which fell to 0.2%. The GDP figures for December, however, fell below expectation to -0.4%, further dampening confidence in Sterling as the UK economy continues to show signs of slowing. Rob Ken-Smith, the Head of GDP at ONS, commented: GDP slowed in the last three months of the year with the manufacturing of cars and steel products seeing steep falls and construction also declining However, services continued to grow with the health sector, management consultants and IT all doing well. These were followed by the publication of the UK manufacturing production figures for December, which fell below expectations to -0.7%. Also today was the release of the UK industrial production figures for December, which fell by a worse-than-expected -0.5%. Pound Australian Dollar Exchange Rate Stabilises as May and Corbyn to Discuss Alternative Arrangements to Irish Backstop Prime Minister Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn are set to once again engage in talks after May responded to Corbyns letter on Sunday, saying that she wanted to discuss alternative arrangements to the Irish backstop. However, May expressed her fundamental rejection of Corbyns proposal to remain within the customs union, saying that it would prevent the UKs ability to make its own trade deals. Theresa Say commented that her Brexit withdrawal agreement explicitly provides the benefits of being in a custom union, further commenting: [It allows] development of the UKs independent trade policy beyond our economic partnership with the EU. GBP traders are, however, looking ahead to any signs of whether Theresa May will request an extension to Brexit in the House of Commons. GBP/AUD Outlook: Possible Brexit Extension in Spotlight Aussie traders will be looking ahead to tomorrows release of the Australian home loans figures for December, which are expected to decrease. These will be followed by the printing of the Australian investment lending for homes figures for December. Tomorrow will also see the release of the Australian Westpac consumer confidence figures, and with any signs of an increase this could improve the AUD/GBP exchange rate. GBP investors, meanwhile, will be focusing on the speech by the Bank of Englands Governor, Mark Carney, tomorrow, and with any dovish comments on the UK economy the Pound could suffer. Many Sterling traders, however, will be focusing on Brexit developments this week, and if the political deadlock shows signs of breaking or if May secures an extension the GBP/EUR exchange rate could benefit. Strong Eurozone PMIs Will Do Little to Lift the Euro Posted by James Elliot on 23 Jun, 2021 Eurozone PMIs beat expectations as services increased on re-opening optimism. The Euro barely shifted against the USD and is lower against GBP. This reflects a central bank who are likely to stay dovish for some time regardless of how strong the data gets. Markets have quietened down on Wednesday after nearly a week of higher volatility sparked by the Feds hawkish shift. The FTSE is +0.33% and edging back towards the 2021 highs while stock markets in the US are within reach of all-time highs. Meanwhile, the US dollar is... Strong Eurozone PMIs Will Do Little to Lift the Euro - Trade Talks Ongoing as Mnuchin and Lighthizer Due to Arrive in Beijing - Stock markets remain sensitive to any trade war headlines as talks progress. - UK data disappoints. - The border wall and another US government shutdown could start to dominate headline later this week. With little market sensitive news out over the weekend, global markets are off to a mixed start on Monday. The FTSE in the UK initially rallied strongly to 7150 but has since faded 50 points back to 7100 as poor economic data weighed. Releases out in the morning showed GDP has actually slowed to -0.4%, much below the 0% consensus and the 0.2% previous print. Industrial production and construction output also both missed and came in with negative figures. These were surprisingly weak and the official release for construction output noted, The monthly series saw a sharper decline, with the all work series in December 2018 decreasing by 2.8% below the level seen in November 2018; this is the largest month-on-month fall in growth for all work since June 2012, when the series dropped by 4.3%. Brexit and the global growth slowdown may influence more figures like these, and the British Pound is likely to remain heavy. Elsewhere, the US dollar has continued to strengthen and now sits at 96.75 despite the Feds significant about turn for hawkish to dovish. US data is still materially stronger than areas such as Japan, the eurozone and the UK and dollars are still in demand. Trade Talks Ongoing High level trade talks between the US and China concluded recently but these merely set up low level talks which are ongoing. So while the trade war may slip out of the headlines, they are still a priority for most markets and traders and we will soon hear more about the next round of talks which will include Mnuchin and Lighthizer. Heres Danske Bank with the state of play, This week we have a number of important events ahead of us. In the US-China trade talks, US representatives Mnuchin and Lighthizer arrived in Beijing today for negotiations. Lower level talks will take place at the beginning of the week to prepare for high level talks on Thursday and Friday. A lot of work needs to be done before a deal is on paper and we could very well be into Q2 before a deal is signed at a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Stock markets are particularly sensitive to any trade war chatter and they have pulled back slightly from the early February highs on news that President Trump will not meet Xi this month. Expectations for a deal are quite high but there is a risk that a deal wont be agreed fast enough and the next round of tit for tat tariffs will come into play and sour relations between China and the US again. And its not just Chinese trade that is compromised by the trade war. As ING reported todat, The US Commerce Department is due to report back to Donald Trump, by 17 February, on whether US auto and auto-part imports pose a national security threat. If so, import tariffs would be recommended and world trade would face a major new headwind. Those most exposed to increased tariffs in the US auto sector would be Mexico, Canada, Korea and Europe. If this were to transpire it would come at a bad time for Europe which is already experiencing a marked slowdown. Markets would surely respond by selling off sharply. Another Wall Another threat to the markets may grow in significance this week as the question of the border wall and agreeing a budget could shut down the US government again. As Reuters reported, Talks on border security funding collapsed after Democratic and Republican lawmakers clashed over immigrant detention policy as they worked to avert another U.S. government shutdown, a Republican senator said on Sunday. This could start making headlines later in the week as funding for the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies expires on Friday. Pound Sterling Exchange Rates Under Pressure as Economic Growth Slows in Response to Extended Brexit Turmoil The Pound Sterling (GBP) extended declines into Mondays session in the wake of a host of disappointing economic data releases suggesting Britains economy is slowing down. At the time of writing, the Pound-to-Dollar (GBPUSD) exchange rate was last seen trading a t $1.29010, threatening a break below to $1.29 handle and down 0.27% from the weekly open. The Pound-to-Euro (GBPEUR) x-rate was last seen down 0.24% from the open, trading at 1.1411 in line with the lower bound of the overnight range. Among the releases, gross domestic product (GDP) for Q4 2018 printed an underwhelming 0.2%, the slowest pace of quarterly growth since 2012 and severely missing forecasts of 0.6%. Recent PMIs preceding the GDP suggested a substantial impact of Brexit uncertainty on business activity and confidence. Commenting on the GDP release, Berenbergs UK economist, Kallum Pickering said The thing that worries me most is that the monthly numbers for GDP were dreadful, adding The monthly data can be volatile but that does not bode well heading into 2019 with peak Brexit uncertainty. Preliminary estimates of business investment from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also boded poorly for the GBP with quarterly investment made by businesses and the government contracting by 1.4%, the fastest pace of contraction since Q4 2016 as Brexit uncertainties curb capital expenditure or otherwise divert resources to prepare for a no-deal outcome. Meanwhile on the political front, the Prime Minister has rejected calls from the Labour Party to target a permanent customs union with the European Union. Last week saw Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, outline five conditions required for the opposition party to back the PMs deal, including that the PM seek a permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union. The latest development has effectively limited the prospect of Labour backing PM Mays withdrawal agreement with the Prime Minister instead focused on securing changes to the backstop component of the withdrawal agreement in order to bolster support from her own Conservative party as well as the DUP. Monday will see Brexit minister Stephen Barclay meet with the European Unions chief negotiator, Michel Barnier ahead of Thursday parliamentary session in which its expected MPs will pressure the Prime Minister to strike another course in the Brexit process or relinquish control and allow parliament to vote on the route ahead. Citing the need for more clarity relating to Brexit in order to prompt GBP appreciation, INGs Petr Krpata wrote With UK-EU negations coming down to the wire and downside pressure on EUR/USD, we expect GBP/USD to struggle to move meaningfully above 1.30 this month. As per below, scope for GBP upside should only re-appear once odds of tangible deal increase. But this may not be the case until March (or later). Krpata added The Brexit stand-off resolution is the key ingredient for large GBP upside. With the economy suffering from the Brexit uncertainty (as evident on the dismal January UK PMIs) and the BoE unlikely to raise rates anytime soon, GBP upside look limited, and with regards to GBP crosses near-term Under the no deal scenario we expect a sharp move in GBP lower, with EUR/GBP above 0.95 (and even testing parity in case of flash crash) and GBP/USD dropping to the 1.10-1.20 area. this news is not available Cologne, 11/02/2019 News Aktuell .- The Cologne-based IoT Carrier 1NCE GmbH has sold more than one million SIM cards since market launch 5 months ago. The secret behind the success: by offering an IoT flat rate, the technology company offers mobile communication between devices on the Internet of Things (IoT) at a much-needed affordable price point in comparison to most other providers worldwide, whilst still guaranteeing the highest quality service. The technology which is already available in more than 30 countries was developed by 1NCE exclusively for IoT applications. With its strong focus, the company clearly distinguishes itself from large network operators. "As a specialized IoT network carrier, we are creating a new industry standard that will enable significant growth in the Internet of Things and machine-to-machine communication for the first time," said Alexander P. Sator, CEO of 1NCE Application scenarios already exist in large numbers, but the implementation of intelligent IoT systems often fails due to the complexity and cost of setting up wireless network connections. This is where 1NCE comes in with a revolutionary affordable-cost, high-quality solution that is ideal, especially for long-lasting B2B applications: The 1NCE in a Lifetime-IoT flat rate comprises a data volume of 500 megabytes and 250 SMS at a price of only 10 euros for 10 years, with no other hidden fees. "This is far more than is required for the exchange of essential information in IoT applications without speech," emphasized Younes Allaki, CTO at 1NCE. "Should the data volume still not be sufficient for a 10-year period, customers can top-up their initially booked volume at any time and will still remain far below the usual costs." In contrast to classic models with monthly fees, 1NCE ensures maximum price transparency with its pre-paid all-inclusive offering that makes IoT connectivity calculable and affordable for either start-ups or large enterprises. The 1NCE offering is even more compelling since it comes with built-in scalability as well as high availability and security. Supported by Deutsche Telekom AG, 1NCE utilizes the mobile networks of all major European network operators for its IoT radio services and is also available in China, Russia and in the USA. The service is usually supported by at least two quite often even by all network operators in a country in order to guarantee maximum availability. Another characteristic that makes the technology unique is the capability to seamlessly switch between the different mobile communications standards 2G, 3G, 4G or NB-IoT. "Since our SIM card has access to all available networks and supports all common mobile communications standards, we ensure investment security and future viability," explained Sator. The addressable market is huge: Experts from the GSM Association (GSMA), the worldwide industry association of GSM mobile phone providers, estimate the volume at 25 billion wireless devices by 2025. Many industries have a great need for connectivity: logistics service providers must locate their containers, energy providers want to control measuring devices directly, vehicle fleets need to be better coordinated, insurance companies want to set up telematics services. In more precise cases this means that in smart metering scenarios, electricity, gas and water meters report the meter reading to the utilities themselves. In the Smart City, streetlight luminaires signal when they need to be replaced. The waste container itself reports that it needs emptying, and in industrial production, wear parts such as drills can initiate their replacement automatically. "Soon every product developed will come with radio-capability and thus be ready to communicate," continued Sator. 1NCE GmbH was founded in January 2017 and started sales in August 2018. Today, the company has more than 50 staff. About 1NCE: 1NCE is the first fully-fledged IoT network carrier in the world to offer fast, secure and reliable connectivity services at low cost based on an IoT flat rate. This makes IoT applications such as tank maintenance, smart metering or vehicle telematics affordable. The "1NCE in a Lifetime Fee" includes 500 MB data volume, 250 SMS and free access to the 1NCE Connectivity Management Platform via Internet and API. To provide the service, 1NCE cooperates with Deutsche Telekom AG and leading telecommunications providers and supports all common mobile communications standards (2G, 3G, 4G, NB-IoT). The company headquartered in Cologne offers its flat rate almost world-wide. 1NCE GmbH was founded in 2017 together with Deutsche Telekom AG and has more than 50 staff in Cologne, Hamburg, London, Rome, Paris and Riga. For more information, please see www.1nce.com 1NCE GmbH Company Contact Leila Marchetti Sternengassse 14-16 50676 Kln e-mail: leila.marchetti@1nce.com www.1nce.com Press Contact Hoschke & Consorten Public Relations GmbH Christina Siebels Heimhuder Strae 56 20148 Hamburg e-mail: c.siebels@hoschke.de Phone: +49 40 3690 50 58 Unemployment, poverty, and violence have driven many Honduran youth to the U.S. and Mexico borders in search of a better life. They may reject agriculture -- a primary livelihood for many rural Hondurans - as unrewarding, choosing to leave their country or turn to an illicit trade. Virginia Tech will shed more light on the paths that Honduran youth face and the decisions they make. A team of researchers led by Virginia Tech will examine the connections between: Changing livelihoods in rural areas considering environmental factors. Youth views of career opportunities. Youth pathways into crime and violence. The one-year study, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will help identify the ways young people respond to violence, such as the choice to migrate rather than pursue a job, studies, or a career in agriculture. "Our study will examine a range of threats that Hondurans face, from the lack of educational opportunities to inflated food prices and climate change effects," said Rebecca Williams, who works for Virginia Tech as the study's principal investigator. "We plan to speak firsthand with youth to get a better understanding of what they want and what they need in order to live productive and resilient lives." Williams said that understanding the reasons behind young people's choices will help researchers develop "approaches that help them improve their lives." Referring to gang participation, violence, and poverty, Van Crowder, executive director of the Center for International Research, Education, and Development, said migration is "at the forefront as a perceived coping and survival strategy for youth. It is important to understand these 'push factors,' and the study will help do this." The center will manage the Rural Livelihood and Violence Study under a $200,000 grant. Information gained is expected to inform the design of programs for youth. Williams and her Honduran counterparts will carry out interviews and surveys with students ages 10 to 27 and community members. Student interviews will focus on violence, self-esteem, and sense of community. The surveys will gauge perceptions in three areas: Agriculture and other rural livelihoods. Impacts of climate change on agricultural productivity. Perceptions of violence and migration. Williams, a gender expert with a focus on agricultural and indigenous communities, studies the connections between violence, masculinity, and food security. The center, part of Outreach and International Affairs, has a record of managing USAID projects focused on building capacity and improving opportunities for youth, including the Innovation for Agricultural Training and Education project, the Youth in Agriculture project in Senegal, and the Catalyzing Afghan Agricultural Innovation project. ### Fears around leaving infectious diseases untreated and poorly enforced antibiotic supply controls could hamper efforts to reduce the use of antibiotics in low to middle income countries, according to a new study from the University of Warwick. Fears around leaving infectious diseases untreated and poorly enforced antibiotic supply controls could hamper efforts to reduce the use of antibiotics in low to middle income countries, according to a new study from the University of Warwick. Published in the journal Trials and led by Dr Marco J Haenssgen, Assistant Professor in Global Sustainable Development, the study demonstrates that contextual factors, such as local health policies, influence the results of clinical trials of medical interventions. The landmark study is one of the most detailed qualitative analyses of the context of clinical trials in antimicrobial resistance ever conducted. It calls for the routine collection of social data alongside clinical trials to help tailor the local appropriateness of clinical interventions and help researchers interpret their findings. By better recording these contextual influences, the researchers argue that interdisciplinary research collaborations between the social and medical sciences can help tackle global challenges such as drug resistance more effectively. The study analyses clinical trials in Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam with a total of 4,446 participants, that aimed to test the effectiveness of a five-minute finger-prick blood test to reduce antibiotic prescriptions for fever patients in primary healthcare. The test measured C-reactive protein levels in the participants' blood, helping healthcare workers such as nurses and doctors to decide whether the cause of the febrile illness was likely to be bacterial, in which case an antibiotic could be prescribed. The research by Dr Haenssgen's team complemented these trials and identified differences in adherence to the results of the test in patients and clinicians, both across and within the sites - in some clinics, physicians prescribed antibiotics despite a negative test result in as much as 71% of cases. They then determined the reasons for the disparities through the analysis of nearly one million words of qualitative material from 130 interview and group discussion participants across the three countries. They found that if antibiotics were over-abundant or if healthcare workers were worried about deadly infectious diseases they were less likely to follow the guidance provided by the biomarker test. Similarly, if long and dangerous journeys prevented patients from follow-up visits to primary health centres or if they struggled to understand the purpose of the test, then patients may be more likely to ignore the results and buy antibiotics without prescriptions from local grocery stores and pharmacies - making the intervention seemingly less effective. The study further argues that such clinical trials could also exclude different parts of the relevant target population, as some people struggle with accessing healthcare and others might not consume antibiotics for fevers but, for instance, open wounds and other conditions for which the biomarker test is not currently being used. Diagnostic biomarker tests are one of the main strategies to tackle drug resistant infections, which the World Health Organization named one of the "ten threats to global health in 2019." As the World Bank warns that drug resistance could push 24 million people into poverty by 2030 and threatens the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, Nesta (a charity) is running the Longitude Prize challenge of 10m for the development of effective diagnostic solutions to help end the crisis. Lead author Dr Marco Haenssgen said: "An example of how context affected clinical adherence relates to the strong antibiotic policies and the ways to manage patients without antibiotics in Thailand. Some doctors had a surprising oversupply of antibiotics to the extent that they almost felt they needed to prescribe to get rid of the surplus medicine. This was of course not the only way in which clinician adherence varied, but it shows how the same AMR intervention might or might not work, and how we need to tailor our interventions specifically for each country - one size doesn't fit all contexts! "For researchers, more contextual data from clinical trials means that we will be able to carry out meta-analyses to identify which contextual factor (e.g. poverty, complementary health policy) matters for the successful operation of a new intervention. That would then inform a design toolkit for clinicians that can guide them in identifying appropriate interventions, or advocating for changes in policy. "The opportunity that presented itself to us in this research is rare - social-medical research across three low- and middle-income countries does not just require a lot of coordination and patience, but also an open-minded research team. We were fortunate to have all in place, which enabled us to inform the tools and techniques being used to fight the superbug crisis, and to advance interdisciplinary research methodologies more broadly. This wasn't easy, but when we consider the emerging challenges to planetary health and sustainable development, interdisciplinary collaboration is the way to go." ### The social science research was led by Asst Prof Marco J Haenssgen (Global Sustainable Development at University of Warwick) in collaboration with Ms Nutcha (Ern) Charoenboon (Research Officer for the Antibiotics and Activity Spaces Project), Ms Yuzana Khine Zaw (Research Intern for the Antibiotics and Activity Spaces Project and PhD Student at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine), and Dr Nga TT Do (Researcher at the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Hanoi). The clinical trials were led by Prof Heiman FL Wertheim (Radboud University Medical Centre) and Prof Yoel Lubell (University of Oxford) and implemented by Dr Thomas Althaus (Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Bangkok) and Dr Nga TT Do. The study was funded by the Wellcome Trust (ref. 105605/Z/14/Z and 105032/Z/14/Z), the Wellcome Trust Major Overseas Programme, the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy (CDDEP), and the Economic and Social Research Council (ref. ES/P00511X/1). * Haenssgen, M. J., Charoenboon, N., Do, N. T. T., Althaus, T., Khine Zaw, Y., Wertheim, H. F. L., et al. (2019). How context can impact clinical trials: a multi-country qualitative case study comparison of diagnostic biomarker test interventions. Trials. DOI: 10.1186/s13063-019-3215-9 Notes for Editors: For interviews and to request a copy of the paper contact: Peter Thorley Media Relations Manager (Warwick Medical School and Department of Physics) | Press & Media Relations | University of Warwick Email: peter.thorley@warwick.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0)24 761 50868 | Mob: +44 (0) 7824 540863 | Related papers: The clinical trials in Thailand and Myanmar: Althaus, T., Greer, R. C., Swe, M. M. M., Cohen, J., Tun, N. N., Heaton, J., et al. (2019). Effect of point-of-care C-reactive protein testing on antibiotic prescription in febrile patients attending primary care in Thailand and Myanmar: an open-label, randomised, controlled trial. The Lancet Global Health, 7(1), e119-e131. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(18)30444-3 The clinical trial in Vietnam: Do, N. T. T., Ta, N. T. D., Tran, N. T. H., Than, H. M., Vu, B. T. N., Hoang, L. B., et al. (2016). Point-of-care C-reactive protein testing to reduce inappropriate use of antibiotics for non-severe acute respiratory infections in Vietnamese primary health care: a randomised controlled trial. The Lancet Global Health, 4(9), e633-e641. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(16)30142-5 The Department for Global Sustainable Development was founded in 2015 with a remit to deliver a suite of innovative degree courses which take on the challenge of engaging with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals in a multi-disciplinary and intellectually enriching environment. The department has grown to encompass 12 undergraduate degree courses and the Institute for Global Sustainable Development which was established in 2017 to foster research that contributes to the sustainable development agenda across the global north and global south. The Oxford Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health (CTMGH) is a collection of research groups within the Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, who are permanently based in Africa, Asia and Oxford. Its research ranges from clinical studies to behavioural sciences, with capacity building integral to all of its activities. The majority of the Centre's research is conducted at three Wellcome Trust Major Overseas Programmes in Kenya, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as at the Oxford Centre for Global Health Research. The Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health also brings together a number of sister groups in Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, and Uganda, and collaborators around the world. The Antibiotics and Activity Spaces project is a study of antibiotic-related health behaviour in rural Thailand and Lao PDR, funded by the Antimicrobial Resistance Cross Council Initiative supported by the seven research councils in partnership with the Department of Health and Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (grant ref. ES/P00511X/1, administered by the UK Economic and Social Research Council). The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) * The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government. For more information visit http://www. ukri. org . * The ESRC is the UK's largest funder of research on the social and economic questions facing us today. It supports the development and training of the UK's future social scientists and also funds major studies that provide the infrastructure for research. ESRC-funded research informs policymakers and practitioners and helps make businesses, voluntary bodies and other organisations more effective. * UK Research and Innovation is a new body which works in partnership with universities, research organisations, businesses, charities, and government to create the best possible environment for research and innovation to flourish. We aim to maximise the contribution of each of our component parts, working individually and collectively. Operating across the whole of the UK with a combined budget of more than 6 billion, UK Research and Innovation brings together the seven Research Councils, Innovate UK and a new organisation, Research England. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youths are more likely to end up in foster care or unstable housing and suffer negative outcomes, such as substance abuse or mental health issues, while living in the child welfare system, according to new research from The University of Texas at Austin. In a Feb. 11 paper in the journal Pediatrics, researchers looked at 593,241 youths living in California in grades 6-12. Less than 1 percent of the sample was living in foster care or unstable housing. But researchers found that more than 30 percent of the youths surveyed who were living in foster care identified as LGBTQ. More than 25 percent of those surveyed who were living in unstable housing, defined as living at a friend's house, motel, shelter or other transitional housing, identified as LGBTQ. "People have been concerned for some time that LGBTQ youth are over-represented in the child welfare system, but there has been little evidence -- until now," said Stephen T. Russell, chair of the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin. Researchers also found that LGBTQ youths living in foster care or unstable housing were more likely to be bullied, suffer from mental health problems, have lower grades, skip school because they felt unsafe and have higher levels of substance abuse. "There has been a lot of concern that the child welfare system is over-burdened in the first place, and that issues like LGBTQ youth discrimination and their distinct needs are an additional complexity for youth who are already vulnerable, just by definition of being in the child welfare system," Russell said. "We aren't investing enough in the systems and focusing enough on the distinct needs of some of the most vulnerable kids, including LGBTQ kids." LGBTQ youths are probably ending up in the foster care system or unstable housing for several reasons, including rejection by their families or running away because they felt unsafe, Russell said, but more research is needed to understand why they are ending up in the foster system or unstable housing. In a companion paper earlier this month, which appeared in the journal Child Abuse and Neglect, Russell and colleagues looked at a nationally representative sample and found that lesbian, gay and bisexual youths were nearly 2.5 times as likely to end up in the foster system as their heterosexual peers. Gender identity was not examined in that study. Researchers pointed out that only 13 states protect youths in the child welfare system from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Laura Baams of the University of Groningen and Bianca Wilson of the University of California also contributed to the research. The research was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, the Communities for Just Schools Fund and the Priscilla Pond Flawn Endowment at The University of Texas at Austin. ### Before the 2014 Toledo Water Crisis left half a million residents without safe drinking water for three days, Dr. Jason Huntley's research at The University of Toledo focused on bacteria that cause pneumonia. After the harmful algal bloom prompted the city of Toledo's "Do Not Drink" advisory, the microbiologist expanded his research projects to target microcystin. "I live here, and I have a young son," said Huntley, associate professor in the UT Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology in the College of Medicine and Life Sciences. "I don't want toxins in the water, and I am committed to helping the water treatment plant protect the public." Huntley's research lab recently made major progress in his mission to create a biofilter that uses naturally occurring Lake Erie bacteria to remove microcystin released by harmful algal blooms from drinking water, reducing or eliminating the use of chlorine and other chemicals. "We've identified groups of bacteria in Lake Erie that can be used to naturally purify water. To our knowledge, these bacteria have not been previously used to fight harmful algal blooms in other parts of the world," Huntley said. The microbiologists successfully isolated bacteria from Lake Erie that degrade the microcystin toxin known as MC-LR - the most toxic, most common and most closely linked to liver cancer and other diseases - at a daily rate of up to 19 parts per billion (ppb). Water analysts and toxicologists measure microcystin and other contaminants using the metric of ppb; one ppb is one part in 1 billion. These ppb numbers are important for human health because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends that young children not drink water containing more than 0.3 ppb of microcystin and adults not drink water containing more than 1.6 ppb of microcystin. "The bacteria we've identified can degrade much more toxin than was reported in the 2014 water crisis," Huntley said. "Based on recorded toxin levels in Lake Erie in recent years, these rates would be able to effectively remove microcystin from water supplies." None of the 13 microcystin-degrading bacterial isolates has been associated with human disease, so their use in future water-purifying biofilters is unlikely to be a public health concern. The identified bacteria include Flectobacillus major, Pseudomonas lutea, Agrobacterium albertimagni, Leadbetterella byssophila, Pseudomonas putida, Flectobacillus major, Pseudomonas hunanensis, Runella slithyformis, Porphyrobacter sp., Pseudomonas parafulva, Sphingobium yanoikuyae, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Sphingobium yanoikuyae. The research is published in the February issue of the Journal of Great Lakes Research. Researchers in Australia, China and other countries also have identified bacteria that can chew up and break down microcystin from algal blooms, however, Huntley said those specific types of bacteria were not found in any of his Lake Erie studies. Thirteen water samples used for the study were collected from visible algal blooms in the summers of 2014 and 2015 in the western basin of Lake Erie. The scientists added MC-LR to each water sample every three-to-four days for approximately four weeks, alongside a control group that did not receive additional MC-LR. The lab used multiple approaches to confirm the microcystin degradation results, including mass spectrometry and the ELISA test, which is the standard method water treatment plant operators use to measure microcystin concentration during algal bloom season. His lab is now in the process of identifying the enzymatic pathways the bacteria use to break down microcystin. Currently, municipal water treatment plants remove or degrade microcystin using methods such as chlorination, ozonation, activated carbon adsorption and flocculation. "Those techniques are not ideal because of high costs, limited removal efficiencies, and they lead to the production of harmful byproducts or hazardous waste," Huntley said. "Biofilters are a cost-effective and safe alternative to the use of chemicals and other conventional water treatment practices." "We're very excited about the research and the findings," said Andrew McClure, administrator for the city of Toledo's Collins Park Water Treatment Plant. "We've had preliminary talks with Dr. Huntley about ways we can implement it as a treatment technique in our plant's process." Huntley's team is developing and testing biofilters - water filters containing the specialized bacteria that degrade microcystin toxins from lake water as it flows through the filter. Huntley holds a provisional patent on this technology. The research was supported by grants from the Ohio Department of Higher Education through the state's Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative, which consists of 54 science teams at universities across the state seeking solutions to address toxic algae in Lake Erie. ### "This is another great example of how Ohio Department of Higher Education-funded research is producing solutions that directly benefit Ohio EPA and those water treatment plant operators responsible for managing our drinking water," said Dr. Chris Winslow, director of Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory at The Ohio State University. KINGSTON, R.I. -- Feb. 8, 2019 -- A five-minute delay in the clamping of healthy infants' umbilical cords results in increased iron stores and brain myelin in areas important for early-life functional development, a new University of Rhode Island nursing study has found. "When we wait five minutes to clamp the cords of healthy babies, there is a return of the infant's own blood from the placenta, and one of the results is a return of up to 50 percent of the baby's iron-rich blood cells," said URI Professor of Nursing Debra A. Erickson-Owens, a certified nurse-midwife, who conducted the study with Judith S. Mercer, also a midwife and URI nursing professor emeritus. "So when the brain needs red blood cells (and iron) to make myelin, the robustness of the iron stores make a big difference," Erickson-Owens said. The study, published in the December issue of The Journal of Pediatrics and funded by a $2.4 million National Institutes of Health grant, challenges the practice of immediate cord clamping, which is still widespread. "I presented six times (at major conferences) on this topic last spring, and I am still concerned with the number of clinicians who do not put this evidence-based research into their day-to-day practice," Erickson-Owens said. "In fact, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology said in January 2017 that a one-minute delay is enough for healthy babies. "Our study shows that waiting five minutes or more before clamping the umbilical cord, while infants are held skin-to-skin with the mother, leads to more myelin development," Erickson-Owens said. "This is a low-tech, low-cost technique that we believe can mitigate iron deficiency and vulnerability to anemia. "No other studies have been published on the association of the timing of cord clamping with early brain development, specifically myelin volume," Erickson-Owens said. "What was significantly different was the amount of iron and brain myelin volume in the babies with delayed cord clamping, which was captured by an MRI." Myelin is a fatty substance in the brain that wraps around all of the axons of the nerve cells. "It's an insulator and very important in the transfer of messages across the nerve cells in the brain. It's assumed that the better the myelination, the more efficient the brain processing is," said Erickson-Owens, who helped write the American College of Nurse Midwives Statement on Delayed Cord Clamping, and assisted in writing the guidelines on cord clamping for Women & Infants Hospital. "The regions of the brain affected by increased myelination are those associated with motor, sensory processing/function and visual development. These are all important for early-phase development," Erickson-Owens said. "The study also obtained information from checkups, blood work for iron indices and neurodevelopmental testing." The research project began in October 2012 and enrolled 73 healthy babies. The research team began following the infants at birth. At four months, along with other tests, the babies had an MRI during natural sleep -- naps or bedtimes. Their blood was also drawn for iron indices, including ferritin, a blood cell protein containing iron that aids in the formation of myelin. Sixty-five babies remained in the study at four months. The Journal of Pediatrics also ran a corresponding commentary by Dr. Raghavendra Rao of the University of Minnesota's Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, and Dr. Reeta Bora of the Assam Medical College's Neonatal Unit, Department of Pediatrics, in India. "To get the doctors' endorsement is very meaningful, especially since they were invited to write this commentary," Erickson-Owens said. The URI researchers collaborated with Women & Infants Hospital and the Brown University Advanced Baby Imaging Laboratory. Magnetic resonance imaging from full-term, healthy babies was obtained at four months at the Brown laboratory. "Drs. Mercer and Erickson-Owens have made many contributions to our understanding of the beneficial effects of delayed cord clamping on newborn outcomes," said Dr. James Padbury, chief of pediatrics at Women & Infants Hospital and a member of the study team. "This most recent publication shows that delayed cord clamping increases indices of iron sufficiency that are associated with increased brain myelination. This has important consequences for children born in both industrialized and in developing countries." The hypothesis, that delayed cord clamping could have immediate and long-term benefits on healthy babies, was based on earlier research done by URI on delayed cord clamping with premature infants. Those studies found that delayed clamping in preterm infants led to better motor development than in preterm babies whose cords were clamped immediately. Erickson-Owens and Mercer theorized that the increase in iron-rich red blood cells, stem cells and blood volume found in preterm infants with delayed clamping could be found in full-term, healthy infants if the clamping of their umbilical cords was also delayed. ### PITTSBURGH, Feb. 11, 2019 - Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States suffers a stroke and available therapies, such as clot busting drugs or clot removal devices, are focused on limiting the extent of brain damage. Now, research from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System shows that a brain protein called UCHL1 may be critical to how nerve cells repair themselves after stroke damage. The research, conducted in animal models, could aid in the development of therapies that enhance stroke recovery by improving the underlying biological repair process. "Even though traditional stroke therapies are very effective when available, the treatment must be started in the first hours after a stroke and most patients are not able to get these treatments. So there is a clear need for new approaches that can improve recovery days after a patient experiences a stroke," said co-senior author Steven Graham, M.D., Ph.D., professor of neurology at Pitt's School of Medicine, and associate chief of staff for research at VA Pittsburgh. "We think we have identified a protein that is at the root of how the brain recovers from stroke, making it an attractive target for developing drugs that help improve recovery." UCHL1 is an enzyme that is highly active in the brain and plays a role in clearing away abnormal proteins. Mutations in the gene coding for UCHL1 have been thought to cause motor function deficits in humans. Previous research from Graham's lab had provided some hints as to UCHL1's function, showing that cyclopentenone prostaglandins (CyPgs) - fatty acid molecules - released in nerve cells after a stroke bind to UCHL1 and impair its function. Graham teamed up with Feng Zhang, Ph.D., an assistant professor of neurology at Pitt's School of Medicine and a co-senior author on the current study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, to tease out the exact role of UCHL1 in stroke and to determine if it could be a viable drug target. The researchers created a mouse model in which they inserted an altered version of the UCHL1 gene that was resistant to the effects of the CyPgs. They then surgically modelled the effect of a stroke in both genetically engineered and normal mice to compare how the nerve cells recovered. Preventing CyPgs from inhibiting UCHL1 decreased the amount of injury to the axons after stroke when compared to normal mice. Axons - the long cables projecting outward from the center of the nerve cell - are needed to carry electrical signals and connect to other neurons and make up the bulk of the 'white matter' in the brain. Further experiments showed that keeping UCHL1 active after a stroke helped preserve the function of neurons and brain tissue by activating cellular repair mechanisms that quickly cleaned up damaged proteins, preventing further nerve cell loss. The mice with the resistant form of UCHL1 also had improved recovery of waking, balance and other motor functions. "While most stroke therapies focus on preventing neuronal death, preserving axonal integrity and decreasing white matter injury could be equally important for improved recovery," said Graham, who also is a neurologist at the UPMC Stroke Institute. "UCHL1 is a central player in that process." Graham and his colleagues are now engaged in efforts to identify new drugs that could prevent CyPgs from binding to UCHL1 or to replace damaged UCHL1 proteins with a derivative that can be given intravenously. ### First authors on the study were Hao Liu, M.D., Ph.D., and Nadya Povysheva, Ph.D., both from Pitt's School of Medicine. Additional authors on the study included Marie E. Rose, Zhiping Mi Ph.D., Joseph S. Banton, Wenjin Li Ph.D., Fenghua Chen Ph.D., Daniel P. Reay, and German Barrionuevo M.D., all of Pitt. The study was funded by National Institutes of Health grant 2R01NS037459-14A1. About the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine As one of the nation's leading academic centers for biomedical research, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the power of new knowledge and improve the human condition. Driven mainly by the School of Medicine and its affiliates, Pitt has ranked among the top 10 recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health since 1998. In rankings recently released by the National Science Foundation, Pitt ranked fifth among all American universities in total federal science and engineering research and development support. Likewise, the School of Medicine is equally committed to advancing the quality and strength of its medical and graduate education programs, for which it is recognized as an innovative leader, and to training highly skilled, compassionate clinicians and creative scientists well-equipped to engage in world-class research. The School of Medicine is the academic partner of UPMC, which has collaborated with the University to raise the standard of medical excellence in Pittsburgh and to position health care as a driving force behind the region's economy. For more information about the School of Medicine, see http://www. medschool. pitt. edu . About VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System operates four U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Research & Development (VA OR&D) Centers of Research including the Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Human Engineering Research Laboratories, and the Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center. VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System and UPMC clinicians, and University of Pittsburgh faculty are often primary study investigators. Our researchers develop cutting-edge therapies that benefit the whole of American medicine; they pioneered organ transplantation surgery, harnessed brain waves to move robotic arms, and developed lightweight aluminum wheelchairs. In 2018, 110 investigators advanced 330 projects, and received $30 million in funding. VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System is among VA's largest, most complex and progressive health care systems with 3,700 health care professionals providing routine and life-saving care to 77,000 Veterans annually. Comprised of seven sites of care covering a 13-county service area, the health care system is a specialty and tertiary referral center for VA medical centers and systems across Pennsylvania, and parts of Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and West Virginia. VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System operates a regional mental health telemedicine hub, and is a national leader in telemedicine advancements and offerings, serving Veterans in 22 states at 104 individual sites. The health care system is a teaching and learning hospital, rotating nearly 600 residents and trainees each academic year. http://www. upmc. com/ media Contact: Arvind Suresh Office: 412-647-9966 Mobile: 412-509-8207 E-mail: SureshA2@upmc.edu Contact: Allison Hydzik Office: 412-647-9975 Mobile: 412-559-2431 E-mail: HydzikAM@upmc.edu Quantum computers promise to be a revolutionary technology because their elementary building blocks, qubits, can hold more information than the binary, 0-or-1 bits of classical computers. But to harness this capability, hardware must be developed that can access, measure and manipulate individual quantum states. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Engineering and Applied Science have now demonstrated a new hardware platform based on isolated electron spins in a two-dimensional material. The electrons are trapped by defects in sheets of hexagonal boron nitride, a one-atom-thick semiconductor material, and the researchers were able to optically detect the system's quantum states. The study was led by Lee Bassett, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, and Annemarie Exarhos, then a postdoctoral researcher in his lab. Fellow Bassett Lab members David Hopper and Raj Patel, along with Marcus Doherty of the Australian National University, also contributed to the study. It was published in the journal Nature Communications, where it was selected as an Editor's Highlight. There are number of potential architectures for building quantum technology. One promising system involves electron spins in diamonds: these spins are also trapped at defects in diamond's regular crystalline pattern where carbon atoms are missing or replaced by other elements. The defects act like isolated atoms or molecules, and they interact with light in a way that enables their spin to be measured and used as a qubit. These systems are attractive for quantum technology because they can operate at room temperatures, unlike other prototypes based on ultra-cold superconductors or ions trapped in vacuum, but working with bulk diamond presents its own challenges. "One disadvantage of using spins in 3D materials is that we can't control exactly where they are relative to the surface" Bassett says. "Having that level of atomic scale control is one reason to work in 2D. Maybe you want to place one spin here and one spin there and have them talk them to each other. Or if you want to have a spin in a layer of one material and plop a 2D magnet layer on top and have them interact. When the spins are confined to a single atomic plane, you enable a host of new functionalities." With nanotechnological advances producing an expanding library of 2D materials to choose from, Bassett and his colleagues sought the one that would be most like a flat analog of bulk diamond. "You might think the analog would be graphene, which is just a honeycomb lattice of carbon atoms, but here we care more about the electronic properties of the crystal than what type of atoms it's made of," says Exarhos, who is now an assistant professor of Physics at Lafayette University. "Graphene behaves like a metal, whereas diamond is a wide-bandgap semiconductor and thus acts like an insulator. Hexagonal boron nitride, on the other hand, has the same honeycomb structure as graphene, but, like diamond, it is also a wide-bandgap semiconductor and is already widely used as a dielectric layer in 2D electronics." With hexagonal boron nitride, or h-BN, widely available and well characterized, Bassett and his colleagues focused on one of its less well-understood aspects: defects in its honeycomb lattice that can emit light. That the average piece of h-BN contains defects that emit light had previously been known. Bassett's group is the first to show that, for some of those defects, the intensity of the emitted light changes in response to a magnetic field. "We shine light of one color on the material and we get photons of another color back," Bassett says. "The magnet controls the spin and the spin controls the number of photons that the defects in the h-BN emit. That's a signal that you can potentially use as a qubit." Beyond computation, having the building block of a quantum machine's qubits on a 2D surface enables other potential applications that depend on proximity. "Quantum systems are super sensitive to their environments, which is why they're so hard to isolate and control," Bassett says. "But the flip side is that you can use that sensitivity to make new types of sensors. In principle, these little spins can be miniature nuclear magnetic resonance detectors, like the kind used in MRIs, but with the ability to operate on a single molecule. Nuclear magnetic resonance is currently used to learn about molecular structure, but it requires millions or billions of the target molecule to be assembled into a crystal. In contrast, 2D quantum sensors could measure the structure and internal dynamics of individual molecules, for example to study chemical reactions and protein folding. While the researchers conducted an extensive survey of h-BN defects to discover ones that have special spin-dependent optical properties, the exact nature of those defects is still unknown. Next steps for the team include understanding what makes some, but not all, defects responsive to magnetic fields, and then recreating those useful defects. Some of that work will be enabled by Penn's Singh Center for Nanotechnology and its new JEOL NEOARM microscope. The only transmission electron microscope of its kind in the United States, the NEOARM is capable of resolving single atoms and potentially even creating the kinds of defects the researchers want to work with. "This study is bringing together two major areas of scientific research," Bassett says. "On one hand, there's been a tremendous amount of work in expanding the library of 2D materials and understanding the physics that they exhibit and the devices they can make. On the other hand, there's the development of these different quantum architectures. And this is one of the first to bring them together to say 'here's a potentially room-temperature quantum architecture in a 2D material.'" ### This work was supported by the Army Research Office (W911NF-15-1-0589) the Australian Research Council (DE170100169) and the National Science Foundation through the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center Program (DMR-1720530) and the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure Program (NNCI-1542153) OKLAHOMA CITY - To advance research in the field of geroscience - which studies the relationship between aging and disease - the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine has been awarded a $10.7 million federal grant. The grant brings national recognition to geroscience research at the OU College of Medicine, the academic partner of OU Medicine. Simply getting older puts people at higher risk for a multitude of diseases, from cancer to Alzheimer's to cardiovascular problems. Although aging itself isn't an illness, researchers want to understand how it influences disease in order to delay or prevent the devastating conditions that many people face. "This grant highlights the significant momentum by researchers studying geroscience," said Jason Sanders, M.D., MBA, senior vice president and provost of the OU Health Sciences Center and vice chair of OU Medicine. "Research distinguishes an academic health system like OU Medicine because new discoveries will enhance and personalize the care that Oklahomans receive for a number of diseases linked to aging." The five-year grant is from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, a component of the National Institutes of Health. It represents a COBRE (Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence) grant, which establishes multidisciplinary research in Oklahoma and enables talented researchers to compete for additional federal awards. A major component of the program is mentoring junior researchers, who contribute to better patient treatment with their projects, while building their careers and attracting additional grant funding that helps to drive Oklahoma's economic growth. Geroscience research at the OU College of Medicine has grown significantly in recent years. In 2007, William E. Sonntag, Ph.D., arrived on campus to launch and lead the Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, the research division of the Department of Geriatric Medicine. With support from the Reynolds Foundation, Sonntag began recruiting researchers whose studies were pertinent to aging and disease. His team is now a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary group with expertise in a variety of areas. "Over the past several years, we have recognized that more than 95 percent of debilitating diseases are associated with age," said Sonntag, who serves as co-principal investigator on the grant with Robert Anderson, Ph.D. "If we can understand the cellular changes that put cells and tissues at risk, that can go a long way toward understanding the cause of disease. This is a transformational approach to treating and managing disease, and we are a leader in this emerging field." Building a solid foundation of basic science research is an important first step toward translating it into treatments for patients. Cerebrovascular problems associated with aging are a major investigative theme for the research group. For example, modest hypertension in young people, while not desirable, doesn't create immediate pathological changes. In older people, however, hypertension can cause a breakdown of the structure of blood vessels in the brain, potentially leading to stroke or impairments in learning and memory, Sonntag said. Researchers have already begun building the bridge between laboratory science and patient care through the establishment of the Translational Geroscience Laboratory on campus. The facility allows physicians and scientists to use technology such as functional near-infrared spectroscopy to view blood vessels in the brain, ultrasound to evaluate vascular health, and a high-tech walking mat to measure a person's gait, which often changes because of an underlying microvascular disease. By its nature, geroscience research engages with scientists from other disciplines and organizations in Oklahoma, including the VA Medical Center, the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation and the School of Biomedical Engineering on OU's Norman campus. These collaborations were instrumental in the establishment three years ago of Oklahoma's first Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging, a distinction that came with a $3.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. The geroscience COBRE award will allow researchers to continue building on that success. Four junior researchers will be mentored toward independent careers by established researchers on campus, while simultaneously conducting research that contributes to the knowledge base of geroscience. Three of the junior researchers are from the College of Medicine and one is from the College of Pharmacy, and their strength is in the diversity of their investigations. "The geroscience research team serves as an excellent example of the power of collaboration in the search for new answers in health care," said James Tomasek, Ph.D., vice president for research at the OU Health Sciences Center. "The COBRE grant award is exciting because it will not only increase the amount of research we conduct, but it supports the training of the next generation of researchers and physician-scientists in Oklahoma." ### Research reported in this press release was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under the award number 1P20GM125528-01A1. MINNEAPOLIS, MN- February 11, 2019 - University of Minnesota researchers have developed a way to study cancer cells which could lead to new and improved treatment. They have developed a new way to study these cells in a 3D in vitro model (i.e. in a culture dish rather than in a human or animal). In a paper recently published in Advanced Materials, Angela Panoskaltsis-Mortari, PhD, Vice Chair for Research and Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Director of the 3D Bioprinting Facility and Member of the Masonic Cancer Center, and her fellow researchers found that cells behave differently in this 3D soft tissue environment than on 2D plastic or glass surfaces, for example. "This model is more consistent with what the body is like," said Panoskaltsis-Mortari, "and, therefore, studying the effects of drugs with human cells at this level makes the results more meaningful and predictive of what will happen in the body." The 3D vascularized tumor tissues provide a platform to identify potential therapies and screen anticancer drugs. Importantly, this new model also provides a means to study metastatic cells--cancer cells that have entered a blood vessel and traveled to another site. "One of the reasons this model is successful is that we are better able to control the environment," said Fanben Meng, Post-Doctoral Associate in the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota. "We are able to slowly cause the release of the chemical mediators and create a chemical gradient. It gives the cells time to behave in a way that's similar to what we think happens in the body." "All of this is enabled by our custom-built 3D printing technology, which allows us to precisely place clusters of cells and chemical depots in a 3D environment," said Michael C. McAlpine, Ph.D., Benjamin Mayhugh Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota and co-corresponding author on the paper. Initially, the researchers have focused on lung cancer and melanoma. The next step is to incorporate more cell types, especially immune system cells, as well as cell therapies, and study those interactions. "Testing anti-cancer drugs and cell therapies are both concepts that the University of Minnesota is world renowned for, and, with this model, we continue to be on the forefront of those innovations," said Masonic Cancer Center member Daniel Vallera, Ph.D., Professor of Therapeutic Radiology-Radiation Oncology in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Minnesota Medical School. "Something like this can yield some very important answers between the relationship of vasculature and drugs because this is modular; you can add elements to it and make it more sophisticated. You can even use the patients' own tumor cells in this model." ### This work was made possible through an R21 grant awarded by the NIBIB (#1R21EB022830 "3D Bioprinting for Esophageal Reconstruction"), the NIH's New Innovator Award (#1DP2EB020537 "3D Printed Nano-Bionic Organs"), a seed grant from the UMN Institute for Engineering in Medicine, the UMN Prostate & Urologic Cancer Translational Working Group pilot project award, the UMN 3D Bioprinting Facility, and a collaboration between the College of Science and Engineering and the Medical School at the University of Minnesota. About the University of Minnesota Medical School The University of Minnesota Medical School is at the forefront of learning and discovery, transforming medical care and educating the next generation of physicians. Our graduates and faculty produce high-impact biomedical research and advance the practice of medicine. Visit med.umn.edu to learn how the University of Minnesota is innovating all aspects of medicine. About the Masonic Cancer Center The Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota is the Twin Cities' own Comprehensive Cancer Center, designated 'Outstanding' by the National Cancer Institute. For more than 25 years, researchers, educators, and care providers have worked to discover the causes, prevention, detection and treatment of cancer and cancer-related diseases. Learn more at cancer.umn.edu. With the safety of countless lives at stake, MU researchers find that smartphone sensors can be the solution to monitor infrastructure such as crumbling roads and bridges In the United States, aging civil infrastructure systems are deteriorating on a massive scale. A recent report by the American Society of Civil Engineers gave these systems a D+ rating nationwide on an A - F scale. Now scientists at the University of Missouri have developed smartphone-based technologies that can monitor civil infrastructure systems such as crumbing roads and aging bridges, potentially saving millions of lives. Based on estimations, researchers say the failure of civil infrastructure systems, such as roads and bridges, could cause a 1 percent reduction in the U.S. GDP. In 2017, that number was $200 billion. The challenges of the aging civil infrastructure systems suggest the need for developing innovative monitoring solutions. By using various sensors on smartphones such as a gyroscope, an accelerometer to measure speed, and camera, or tiny external sensors such as an infrared sensor, scientists can determine the specific makeup and deterioration of a road's surface in real-time. However, scientists won't be collecting all of the data. Once the sensor is plugged into a smartphone, any person will be able to effortlessly transmit the data wirelessly to a database while riding on a road. Researchers hope the large amount of data collected by crowdsourcing this technology will allow for better informed decisions about the health of roads and bridges. "Many of the existing methods to monitor our civil infrastructure systems have technical issues and are not user-centered," said Amir Alavi, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering in the MU College of Engineering, with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Biomedical, Biological and Chemical Engineering. "People are looking for smart, cost effective, scalable and user-centered approaches. With current advances in technology, people can help monitor or detect problems using their own devices, and smartphone technology allows us to do that with civil infrastructure." Alavi partnered with Bill Buttlar, the Glen Barton Chair of Flexible Pavement Technology, to develop this innovative solution to monitor roads and bridges. "Assessing roads, bridges and airfields with affordable sensors, such as those found in smartphones, really works," Buttlar said. "With a smartphone, we can stitch together many inexpensive measurements to accurately assess things like the roughness or deterioration of a road surface. In a recent project sponsored by the Missouri Department of Transportation, we also showed that it can accurately assess the condition of airport runways and taxiways." The study, "An overview of smartphone technology for citizen-centered, real-time and scalable civil infrastructure monitoring," was published in Future Generation Computer Systems. Funding for this study was provided by the Missouri Department of Transportation. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funding agencies. ### ANN ARBOR--Earth's solid surface and moderate climate may be due, in part, to a massive star in the birth environment of the Sun, according to new computer simulations of planet formation. Without the star's radioactive elements injected into the early solar system, our home planet could be a hostile ocean world covered in global ice sheets. "The results of our simulations suggest that there are two qualitatively different types of planetary systems," said Tim Lichtenberg of the National Centre of Competence in Research PlanetS in Switzerland. "There are those similar to our solar system, whose planets have little water, and those in which primarily ocean worlds are created because no massive star was around when their host system formed." Lichtenberg and colleagues, including University of Michigan astronomer Michael Meyer, were initially intrigued by the role the potential presence of a massive star played on the formation of a planet. Meyer said the simulations help solve some questions, while raising others. "It is great to know that radioactive elements can help make a wet system drier and to have an explanation as to why planets within the same system would share similar properties," Meyer said. "But radioactive heating may not be enough. How can we explain our Earth, which is very dry, indeed, compared to planets formed in our models? Perhaps having Jupiter where it is was also important in keeping most icy bodies out of the inner solar system." Researchers say while water covers more than two-thirds of the surface of Earth, in astronomical terms, the inner terrestrial planets of our solar system are very dry--fortunately, because too much of a good thing can do more harm than good. All planets have a core, mantle (inside layer) and crust. If the water content of a rocky planet is significantly greater than on Earth, the mantle is covered by a deep, global ocean and an impenetrable layer of ice on the ocean floor. This prevents geochemical processes, such as the carbon cycle on Earth, that stabilize the climate and create surface conditions conducive to life as we know it. The researchers developed computer models to simulate the formation of planets from their building blocks, the so-called planetesimals--rocky-icy bodies of probably dozens of kilometers in size. During the birth of a planetary system, the planetesimals form in a disk of dust and gas around the young star and grow into planetary embryos. Radioactive heat engine As these planetesimals are heated from the inside, part of the initial water ice content evaporates and escapes to space before it can be delivered to the planet itself. This internal heating may have happened shortly after the birth of our solar system 4.6 billion years ago, as primeval traces in meteorites suggest, and may still be ongoing in numerous places. Right when the proto-Sun formed, a supernova occurred in the cosmic neighborhood. Radioactive elements, including aluminium-26, were fused in this dying massive star and got injected into our young solar system, either from its excessive stellar winds or via the supernova ejecta after the explosion. The researchers say the quantitative predictions from this work will help near-future space telescopes, dedicated to the hunt for extrasolar planets, to track potential traces and differences in planetary compositions, and refine the predicted implications of the Al-26 dehydration mechanism. They are eagerly awaiting the launch of upcoming space missions with which Earth-sized exoplanets outside our solar system will be observable. These will bring humanity ever-closer to understanding whether our home planet is one of a kind, or if there are "an infinity of worlds of the same kind as our own." Their study appears in Nature Astronomy. Other researchers include those from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, University of Bayreuth and University of Bern. ### Study: A water budget dichotomy of rocky protoplanets from 26Al-heating (will be live when embargo lifts) Michael Meyer Adapted from the original story published by PlanetS. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- It's been proposed before, but so far no one has heeded the call for an official advisory board to support ethical behavior in research institutions. Today, leaders in academia with expertise in the professional and ethical conduct of research have formalized a proposal to finally assemble such an advisory board. The proposal appears in the journal Nature. "On a day-to-day basis, the conventions that research groups have for documenting methods and results, conducting analyses and allocating credit are often less than optimal," the team wrote. "At worst, they can encourage dishonesty and scandal." "Our current system does not support the most effective responses to problems in research, and has too much duplication of effort. We need to do better, and this approach could help," said C.K. Gunsalus, the director of the National Center for Professional and Research Ethics at the University of Illinois and one of the authors of the proposal. "At present, research institutions are each grappling with the problem individually, creating their own processes for researcher training and oversight, and figuring out how to investigate and address misconduct when it occurs." An independent research integrity advisory board could standardize protocols and practices, and function as a clearinghouse of information and a source of guidance for these institutions, she said. "The idea is not new," the team wrote. "At least four reports from the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, stretching back more than 25 years, have independently called for" cooperation among leaders in research to create an independent advisory board that can respond to crises in research ethics as they occur, offering advice, perspective and best practices to those affected. According to the proposal, a U.S. advisory board for research integrity would: Foster consistency and exchange of information across funders, scientists and administrators. Provide resources to assess research environments and boost integrity. Benchmark common practices across institutions and establish best practices. Develop guidelines and standards for misconduct investigations and formal disputes. Establish lists of vetted experts for external investigations. "There are many perverse incentives in science, and few organized forces to counter them," the authors wrote. "A research policy board, first recommended more than 25 years ago, will benefit both science and scientists. We must act to create it now." Gunsalus also is a research professor in the Coordinated Science Laboratory at Illinois. Co-authors of the proposal include U.S. National Academy of Sciences president Marcia K. McNutt; Brian C. Martinson, who studies research integrity and behavioral change at the HealthPartners Institute in Bloomington, Minn.; Larry R. Faulkner, a president emeritus of the University of Texas, Austin; and Robert M. Nerem, a professor emeritus at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. ### Editor's notes: To reach C.K. Gunsalus (gun_SAY-liss), email gunsalus@illinois.edu. The paper "Overdue: A U.S. advisory board for research integrity" is available online and from the U. of I. News Bureau. As climate change melts Greenland's glaciers and deposits more river sediment on its shores, an international group of researchers has identified one unforeseen economic opportunity for the Arctic nation: exporting excess sand and gravel abroad, where raw materials for infrastructure are in high demand. The unconventional, yet potentially lucrative solution was developed by scientists from CU Boulder, the University of Copenhagen, Arizona State University and the Rhode Island School of Design. Their findings were published today in the journal Nature Sustainability. "The melting Greenland Ice Sheet delivers an enormous amount of sediments to the coast," said Mette Bendixen, a researcher at CU Boulder's Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) and a Carlsberg Foundation research fellow. "Eight percent of the annual sediment contribution delivered to the global oceans comes from the Greenland Ice Sheet and with continued global warming, this number is expected to increase." Arctic nations such as Greenland struggle with the ongoing effects of climate change, particularly an overreliance on now-vulnerable commercial fisheries and few other large industries. Greenland has sought to diversify its economy for years through mining, oil extraction and tourism, but progress has been slow; the country still reports a 10 percent unemployment rate and persistent revenue shortfalls. Simultaneously, global sand reserves have been rapidly depleted in recent decades while demand has only increased thanks to global urbanization and infrastructure investments. The study estimates that the amount of sand delivered to Greenland's coast each year has a market value equivalent to more than half of the Greenland gross domestic product ($2.22 billion in 2015) and this value is expected to double within the next 25 years if the global sand prices continue to increase. "With this work, we present a rare example of economic opportunity brought to life by climate change," said Irina Overeem, a CU Boulder associate professor and INSTAAR research fellow. Sand exploitation could be controversial, however, as it would potentially interfere with the pristine Arctic landscape. The study recommends a careful assessment of the environmental impact and implementation in collaboration with the Greenlandic society. "If Greenland is to benefit from sand extraction, we must raise awareness about the resource both locally and globally," said Minik Rosing, a professor at the University of Copenhagen's Natural History Museum of Denmark. "The Greenlandic people must be part of this. Greenland has rigorous resource legislation and authorities and industry must collaborate to minimize potential negative impacts of extraction on the environment." "When we started our research, we had no idea that our results would foster the idea of establishing a sand mining industry in Greenland," said Lars L. Iversen, a research fellow at Arizona State University's Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability. "It just shows how unpredictable science can be and how we constantly have to think about how our work contributes to solve the global challenges that we face." ### Additional co-authors of the new research include Anders Anker Bjork, Kurt H. Kjaeligr and Aart Kroon of the University of Copenhagen; and Gavin Zeitz of the Rhode Island School of Design. The CU Boulder Research and Innovation Office, the Carlsberg Foundation, the Danish National Research Foundation and the Novo Nordisk Foundation provided funding for the study. A team of investigators from the Colorado School of Public Health at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus and the University of Colorado Boulder has identified that people living in homes with high ventilation are more likely to suffer from respiratory health issues such as asthma. The findings are published in the February issue of Environmental Research. The Colorado Home Energy Efficiency and Respiratory Health (CHEER) study evaluated the impact of air-exchange rates on respiratory health in low-income, urban homes in the cities of Denver, Aurora, Boulder, Loveland and Fort Collins. The study revealed that many homes had high ventilation rates, also known as air-exchange rates - the rate at which outdoor air replaces indoor air within a room (median 0.54 air changes per hour; range 0.10 to 2.17). The findings show that residents in drafty homes with higher air-exchange rates were more likely to report a chronic cough, asthma and asthma-like symptoms. Notably, people in homes with the highest air-exchange rates were approximately four times more likely to report a chronic cough than people living in households with the lowest air-exchange rates. Similarly, people were two to four times more likely to report asthma or asthma-like symptoms if they lived in households with the highest ventilation rates versus the lowest. "The goal of this study was to understand the health impacts of home weatherization practices. Many of these practices focus on reducing air exchange rates between the building interior and outdoor environment," said Elizabeth Carlton, PhD, assistant professor in Environmental and Occupational Health at the Colorado School of Public Health. "We found people in the homes with the highest air-exchange rates - the leakiest homes - were considerably more likely to report chronic cough, asthma or asthma-like symptoms. It is possible that in homes with high air-exchange rates, outdoor pollutants are entering the home and affecting health. If true, home-energy efficiency measures may be an effective way to protect health in areas with high pollution such as homes located near major roads." Carlton adds, "The health effects of high-exchange rates in urban areas are not well-documented, and since Americans spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, it's crucial to have a better understanding of the impact of leaky homes." While prior studies have highlighted the potential hazards of low ventilation rates in residences, this study reveals high ventilation rates in many urban-area homes and that these high air-exchange rates may have a negative impact on respiratory health. Based on the findings, the infiltration of outdoor pollutants into leaky homes, such as traffic-related pollutants, could be a significant cause of chronic respiratory issues and an array of health outcomes. The (CHEER) research is a cross-sectional study that enrolled 302 people in 216 non-smoking, low-income homes. A blower door test was conducted and the annual average air-exchange rate (AAER) was estimated for each house. Respiratory health was assessed using a structured questionnaire based on standard instruments. The researchers evaluated the association between AAER and respiratory symptoms, adjusting for relevant variants such as age, sex, location and both indoor and outdoor pollution. "This study was a one-of-a-kind opportunity to combine engineering, geography and public health expertise," said Shelly Miller, PhD, professor in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. "We hope that the results of our research will help rethink how we expend energy in homes for heating and cooling and how we best ventilate homes, especially in under-resourced communities that often live in polluted urban areas." ### This study was developed under an assistance agreement awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. About the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is a world-class medical destination at the forefront of life-changing science, medicine, and healthcare. CU Anschutz serves over 4,500 students and offers more than 40 degree programs through six schools and colleges. We are the largest provider of professional health education in Colorado, awarding over 1,400 degrees annually and home to Children's Hospital Colorado and UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital. Powered by our award-winning faculty, renowned researchers and a reputation for academic excellence, and with over $500 million in research awards in 2018, the CU Anschutz Medical Campus drives innovation from the classroom to the laboratory to the delivery of unparalleled patient care. About the University of Colorado Boulder As one of only 34 U.S. public research institutions in the Association for American Universities (AAU), the University of Colorado Boulder is all about realizing the positive impacts of new knowledge. From offering dozens of exciting programs in a range of academic fields, to serving as one of the world's most dynamic research and innovation hubs, to working closely through hundreds of public outreach efforts with communities across Colorado and the world, we take pride in helping our students, faculty, staff and partners turn new ideas into productive outcomes that change lives. Smartphones have become a constant companion for many of us. In a recent study by the Pew Research Center, nearly 50 percent of adults reported they "couldn't live without" their phones. Whether at the supermarket, in the doctor's office, or in bed at night, it can be tempting to pick up the device and start scrolling through social media or text messages at any moment. But anyone who has done so in the presence of a close friend, family member or romantic partner may have left that person feeling ignored, annoyed or even pushed away. That's according to a growing body of research on "technoference," or the potential interference smartphones and other technologies can have in our face-to-face social interactions. In a new review paper, forthcoming in the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science, University of Arizona psychology professor David Sbarra and his collaborators at Wayne State University in Detroit examine existing research on technoference. They propose an explanation for why humans are so drawn to their smartphones, even when the devices take us out of the moment in our close relationships. It's because of our evolutionary history, they say. Humans are hard-wired to connect with others, Sbarra and his colleagues argue. In the course of evolutionary history, we have relied on close relationships with small networks of family and friends for survival as individuals and as a species. These relationships were based on trust and cooperation, which is built when people disclose personal information about themselves and are responsive to others. Smartphones, and the constant access they provide to text messaging and social media, make it easier than ever for people to disclose personal information and respond to others in their social networks. And these networks are much larger and more far-flung than those of our ancestors. "The draw or pull of a smartphone is connected to very old modules in the brain that were critical to our survival, and central to the ways we connect with others are self-disclosure and responsiveness," Sbarra said. "Evolution shaped self-disclosure and responsiveness in the context of small kin networks, and we now see these behaviors being cued more or less constantly by social networking sites and through our phones. We now have the outer-most edges of our social network cue us for responsiveness. Look no further than the next person you see scrolling through Facebook and mindlessly hitting the 'like' button while his kid is trying to tell him a story." In their paper, Sbarra and his co-authors go beyond the idea that technology is simply attention-grabbing to suggest that there may be an evolutionary mismatch between smartphones and the social behaviors that help form and maintain close social relationships. "Smartphones and their affordances create new contexts for disclosing information about who we are and for being responsive to others, and these virtual connections may have downstream unwanted effects on our current relationships," Sbarra said. "When you are distracted into or by the device, then your attention is divided, and being responsive to our partners - an essential ingredient for building intimacy - requires attention in the here and now." Divided attention, Sbarra and his colleagues say, may lead to relationship conflict. For example, the review paper cites a study of 143 married women, more than 70 percent of whom reported that mobile phones frequently interfere in their relationships. Sbarra doesn't believe smartphones are all bad. In fact, he and his co-authors acknowledge that the devices offer several benefits for health and well-being, and texting provides many couples a route for connecting in a meaningful way. But they say more research is needed to fully understand the impact that virtual connections may have on our real-world relationships and the ways in which the pull of our phones may diminish immediate interactions and lead to conflict. "We stay away from the question of whether social networking sites and smartphone use are good or bad, per se," Sbarra said. "Technology is everywhere, and it's not going away, nor should it. In this paper, we are interested in answering two basic questions: Why do the devices seem to have such a powerful pull on us? And, what is the state of the science on the effects of being pulled away from our in-person interactions and into the virtual world?" From there, the authors outline a research agenda they hope can guide future studies. Those studies will be increasingly important as new technologies evolve and become more integrated in our daily lives, Sbarra said. "Between 2000 and 2018, we've seen the largest technological advances, arguably, at any point in the last 100 years," he said. "We are interested in understanding the role of social relationships in human well-being. We can understand this from the level of what individuals do in relationships, but we can also understand it at the level of societal changes and societal forces that may push on relationships." ### Human enhancement technologies are opening up tremendous new possibilities. But they're also raising important questions about what it means to be human, and what is good or bad for our individual and collective well-being. These technologies are currently geared towards upgrading or restoring physical and psychological abilities for medical purposes. An application is surfacing, however, that is designed with another goal in mind: embellishing performance. Although using this technology is very much an individual choice, it nevertheless has an impact on society as a whole. An international team of researchers headed by the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, and Oxford University has been examining the ethical issues arising from these experiments. The research, published in Nature Human Behaviour, questions and highlights the conflict between individual and collective well-being, together with the important role governments have to play. Today's new human enhancement technologies are mainly used restoratively following an accident, illness or handicap of birth. A recent US study led by Debra Whitman (published in Scientific American) has shown that these restorative technologies receive near-universal approval from the general public: 95% of respondents support physical restorative applications and 88% cognitive restorative applications. This percentage drops to 35%, however, when the subject turns to interventions intended to upgrade a physical or cognitive ability with the sole aim of boosting performance. Why? "Because you're touching on the very essence of humankind, and that raises an avalanche of ethical questions," says Daphne Bavelier, professor in the Psychology Section in UNIGE's Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences (FPSE). An international team of researchers, mandated by the World Economic Forum (WEF), has been looking into the factors that need to be taken into consideration to ensure a fair society and collective well-being when developing and distributing these new human improvement technologies. Well-being is seen in terms of independence, competence and social relations Although well-being is often reduced to economic indices, it actually goes beyond the idea of money once primary needs have been met. The theory of self-determination divides well-being into three parts: autonomy - the ability to make one's own decisions; competence - the capacity to act and contribute to society; and social relations - the network of relationships that we can count on. "We probed the individual and collective impact of human augmentation technologies based on these three components, the aim being to alert governments to the possible abuses involved in the unrestricted use of these scientific advances," says Julian Savulescu, professor at the Centre for Practical Ethics at Oxford University. Autonomy is making one's own informed decision about how to lead one's life, without being coerced by another person. It follows that an individual may choose whether or not to upgrade his or her faculties. "But, suggests professor Bavelier, that can quickly lead to certain aberrations. If a military pilot has their eyesight enhanced, it's possible that this improved visual acuity may become obligatory to do the job. So, someone who wants to become a pilot but doesn't want to be operated on would automatically be eliminated from the profession." Take another example: "If parents were able to choose certain traits for their baby, such as muscle strength, eye color or intelligence, this could have a severe impact on human diversity", says Simone Schurle, a professor in the Department of Health Sciences and Technology at ETH Zurich. "Certain trends might favour particular traits, while others might disappear, and that would tend to reduce genetic variability." And yet, each set of parents would only be choosing traits of a single baby. "Each individual modification has consequences for society," points out professor Bavelier. The same applies to competence. What will happen if some people have the resources to buy new skills while others do not? How will companies manage to stay competitive if these advantages become a bargaining tool? How will we be able to compete against someone who has been enhanced? "Doping in sport is an excellent example of how individual enhancement impacts on the collective," argues professor Savulescu. "When an athlete takes a substance that improves their results, they push others to imitate them for the sake of performance. To be competitive, individuals are no longer free to say no to performance enhancement. This requires new approaches. Perhaps the key question is not about the effectiveness of the regulations, but rather about a new transparency that would allow everyone to take enhancements or refuse, but to be open about it and to factor use into the results." The steady increase in the use of drugs with the aim of facilitating social relations underlines the importance of this aspect in human well-being. Although new technologies are beginning to develop in this field, their use raises genuine ethical questions at the collective level. "We can already reverse relationships based on domination in mice by stimulating specific parts of the brain," says professor Bavelier. "Influencing someone else's behaviour - by eliminating the feeling of loneliness often linked to depression, for instance - is within reach." Every good idea, however, has a downside, as demonstrated by the sad trepanning experiences of the twentieth century that were supposed to cure female hysteria. Removing a behavioural problem does not solve it. "A study that reinforced people's empathy in order to eradicate racism showed that individuals in the same group were more united through empathy - but that their rejection of other groups rose dramatically," continues professor Savulescu. What works for one individual does not have the same effect on a group as a whole. Following their comprehensive investigations, the international team - consisting of geneticists, ethicists, philosophers, engineers and neuroscientists - recognised the importance of thinking through the consequences on society of each individual change. The experts also reported the urgent need to introduce unified regulations among different governments before the use of these new technologies degenerates. This concern is illustrated by the recent case of Chinese twins who were genetically modified to resist the AIDS virus - a disease that they might well never have contracted. "One of the great unresolved ethical enigmas is how to reconcile the interests of the individual and those of society in the event of conflict. Human improvement technologies require policy makers to find a certain balance. Collective effects are important and we can't just let the market decide," says Julian Savulescu. "Our remarks are a call to action before it's too late," concludes professor Bavelier. ### TUD Rector, Prof. Hans Muller-Steinhagen, emphasises the strategic importance of the new centre: "With the founding of the centre, TU Dresden and Fraunhofer are creating the prerequisites to make Dresden even more interesting as a location for large AI projects and to recruit and retain the brightest minds in AI research worldwide". "Artificial intelligence - if used responsibly - can help solve the biggest problems of humankind", says Prof. Frank Fitzek, Head of the Deutsche Telekom Chair for Communication Networks at TU Dresden. Prof. Fitzek and his colleague Prof. Jens Lehmann from the Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems (IAIS) are the scientific directors of the new research centre. "Nowadays, artificial intelligence is an important economic factor and innovation driver", states Fitzek. "The CEE -AI will contribute to training experts in artificial intelligence. We are developing pioneering technologies for a wide range of applications and are securing jobs in the process. Last but not least, it is also a matter of safeguarding the digital independence of Germany and Europe by bundling competencies and advancing our own innovations." Artificial intelligence is already part of our everyday lives: from internet search engines, voice control of devices to social media bots. In the years to come, AI researchers will create the right preconditions for countless other innovations. AI systems, for example, could extensively improve medical care coverage in a few years' time. They are able to compare patient data worldwide with that of thousands of other patients, therapy reports and current research results in a very short period of time. Artificial intelligence can thus help physicians make precise diagnoses and find optimal therapies. Since AI is more and more frequently utilised, the question of how to address the vast amount of data also arises. At present, they are often stored on huge cloud servers abroad. However, AI technologies such as autonomous driving or intelligent household appliances require on-site computing power in order to enable safe and efficient collaboration between man and machine. "Small data" is another important topic that scientists at the CEE -AI want to address. Research at the new centre will cover the entire spectrum from hardware support and device communication to AI approaches and transfer into practice. As the name suggests, a special focus will be on "explainable" and "efficient" AI technologies. They should be designed in such a way that users can understand their functionalities. "In all developments, we have to include humans", states Frank Fitzek. The term "efficiency" refers, on the one hand, to energy efficiency but also to efficient cooperation between man and machine. For this endeavour, the Dresden science hub provides optimal conditions with its strong competences in the fields of microelectronics, communications technology, psychology and social sciences. The CEE -AI will initially coordinate existing AI research institutions and industrial partners as a virtual research centre. In the future, own facilities and new staff will be added. ### Gifts from James C. Wyant, Joseph and Hon Mai Goodman, Robert R. Shannon highlight generosity and support of optics and photonics community WASHINGTON -- -Two past presidents of The Optical Society (OSA) -- Joseph W. Goodman (1992) and Robert R. Shannon (1985) -- each have donated $500 thousand to create two endowed chairs in the University of Arizona College of Optical Sciences in Tucson, Ariz., U.S.A. Goodman, an OSA Fellow, and his wife Hon Mai have created the J.W. and H.M. Goodman Endowed Chair in Optical Sciences. Shannon's donation will fund the Robert R. Shannon Endowed Chair in Optical Sciences. As a result of Goodman and Shannon's generosity, OSA past president and Fellow, James C. Wyant (2010), will match each of their gifts with a $1.5 million donation from the department's Distinguished Endowed Chair in Optical Sciences Fund. Wyant created the Distinguished Endowed Chair and fund in 2018 with a $20 million gift to the U. of Arizona College of Optical Sciences. "This significant philanthropy by OSA Past Presidents Goodman, Shannon and Wyant demonstrates the high level of support that exists within the optics and photonics community," Elizabeth A. Rogan, CEO of The Optical Society said. "Endowed chairs named for these leaders will advance teaching and research to inspire while inspiring the next generation of optics and photonics scientists." In 2018, OSA named Goodman the 2018 Honorary Member of The Optical Society, the most distinguished of all OSA Member categories. The honor recognizes his fundamental contributions in the fields of Fourier Optics and Optical Information Processing through his research, teaching and classic textbooks. Shannon, an OSA Fellow, came to the University of Arizona as a professor of Optical Sciences in 1969. In 1984, he was appointed Director of the University's Optical Sciences Center (now College of Optical Sciences). Today he is Professor Emeritus of Optical Sciences at the University. Wyant is founding dean of the U. of Arizona's College of Optical Sciences. In addition to his academic leadership, he co-founded WYKO Corporation, 4D Technology and DMetrix. ### About The Optical Society Founded in 1916, The Optical Society (OSA) is the leading professional organization for scientists, engineers, students and business leaders who fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate achievements in the science of light. Through world-renowned publications, meetings and membership initiatives, OSA provides quality research, inspired interactions and dedicated resources for its extensive global network of optics and photonics experts. For more information, visit osa.org. Media Contacts: mediarelations@osa.org Science magazine, the country's top scientific journal, has taken the rare step of publishing criticism of a new book. The book is called Darwin Devolves, and Science says its author, Michael Behe, is on a "crusade to overturn evolution." The magazine invited three biologists, all experts on evolution, to refute Behe. The biologists are John Jay College Professor Nathan H. Lents, a noted researcher on cell and cancer biology, genetics, and forensic science; Washington University Professor S. Joshua Swamidass, a physician-scientist; and Michigan State Professor Richard E. Lenski, a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a past MacArthur "genius" fellow. Behe, a biochemist, is a leader in the "intelligent design" movement, which contends that living organisms are too complex to have evolved on their own. The claim is cited by some as proof that a supernatural force has designed all living things. Lents and his colleagues discredit Behe in elaborate detail, noting that he's "selective" in his examples and ignores evidence contradicting his theories. Modern evolutionary theory, the authors write, "provides a coherent set of processes -- mutation, recombination, drift, and selection -- that can be observed in the laboratory and modeled mathematically and are consistent with the fossil record and comparative genomics." In contrast, "Behe's assertion that 'purposeful design' comes from an influx of new genetic information cannot be tested through science." Darwin Devolves is being released at a time when science in the U.S. is under assault. Unfounded fear of vaccines has led to measles epidemics. Climate change is causing irreversible damage. And the proper teaching of evolutionary science is being undermined by local school boards. By publishing a response to Darwin Devolves in the flagship journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the AAAS is signaling its willingness to call out pseudoscience and defend the facts supported by scientific research. Behe is known for the notion of "irreducible complexity." He argues that "some biomolecular structures could not have evolved because their functionality requires interacting parts, the removal of any one of which renders the entire apparatus defective," according to the Science article. But Lents and his co-authors explain that "irreducible complexity" is refuted by the evolutionary process of exaptation, in which "the loss of one function can lead to gain of another." Whales, for example, "lost their ability to walk on land as their front limbs evolved into flippers," but flippers "proved advantageous in the long run." Nature's retooling of a biomolecular structure for a new purpose can lead to "the false impression of irreducible complexity." Of course, evolutionary theory has been challenged by non-scientific arguments since Charles Darwin published Origin of the Species in 1859. Darwin Devolves continues this pseudoscientific tradition. ### (Originally published Feb. 8 at https:/ / sum. cuny. edu/ defending-darwin-scientists-respond-to-attack-on-evolution/ ) The City University of New York is the nation's leading urban public university. Founded in New York City in 1847, the University comprises 24 institutions: 11 senior colleges, seven community colleges, and additional professional schools. The University serves nearly 275,000 degree-credit students and 218,083 adults, continuing and professional education students. An antibody-based treatment can gently and effectively eliminate diseased blood-forming stem cells in the bone marrow to prepare for the transplantation of healthy stem cells, according to a study in mice by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The researchers believe the treatment could circumvent the need to use harsh, potentially life-threatening chemotherapy or radiation to prepare people for transplant, vastly expanding the number of people who could benefit from the procedure. "There are many blood and immune disorders that could be cured by a transplant of healthy stem cells," said Judith Shizuru, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at Stanford. "But the pre-treatments necessary to get the healthy cells to transplant effectively are so toxic that we can't offer this option to many patients. A treatment that specifically targets only blood-forming stem cells would allow us to potentially cure people with diseases as varied as sickle cell disease, thalassemia, autoimmune disorders and other blood disorders." Shizuru is the senior author of the study, which will be published online Feb. 11 in Blood. Postdoctoral scholar Wendy Pang, MD, PhD, and assistant professor of pediatrics Agnieszka Czechowicz, MD, PhD, share lead authorship of the work. The study is one of two recently co-authored by Shizuru, Czechowicz and research associate Hye-Sook Kwon, PhD, indicating that an antibody targeting a protein called CD117 on the surface of blood-forming, or hematopoietic, stem cells can efficiently and safely eliminate the cells in mice and non-human primates. CD117 is a protein found on the surface of the stem cells. It regulates their growth and activity; the antibody, called SR1, binds to the protein and prevents its function. The use of antibodies against CD117 to eliminate blood-forming stem cells is based on studies conducted in the laboratory of study co-author Irving Weissman, MD, director of Stanford's Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and of the Ludwig Center for Cancer Stem Cell Research and Medicine at Stanford, and by then-graduate student Czechowicz. Ongoing clinical trial The results of these studies, including a recently published article in Blood co-authored by Kwon that showed the antibody treatment was safe in non-human primates, set the stage for a clinical trial of the antibody at Stanford and the University of California-San Francisco in children with an immune disorder called severe combined immunodeficiency. Hematopoietic stem cells are found in the bone marrow. They give rise to all the cells of the blood and immune system. Blood cancers, such as leukemia, arise when the stem cells or their progeny begin dividing uncontrollably; other genetic conditions such as sickle cell anemia or thalassemia occur when the hematopoietic stem cells generate malformed red blood cells or hemoglobin. Often the best chance for a cure for these and other diseases originating in the bone marrow is to eliminate the patient's own defective hematopoietic stem cells and replace them with healthy stem cells from a closely matched donor. But in order to do so, the patient must be able to withstand the pre-treatment, known as conditioning. Most conditioning regimens consist of a combination of chemotherapy and radiation in doses high enough to kill stem cells in the marrow. Shizuru and her colleagues studied a mouse model of a class of human diseases called myelodysplastic syndromes, or MDS. People with MDS are unable to make mature, properly functioning blood cells and the only cure is a stem cell transplant. The disease primarily affects older adults, who are more likely than younger people to have additional, complicating medical factors and who are less likely to withstand the conditioning regimen. "Many of these people are elderly and unable to qualify for a transplant," Pang said. "But there is no other cure for MDS." Because there are many different types of MDS, the patients are assigned risk levels based on disease type, blood test results and the presence or absence of specific mutations in the affected cells. According to the World Health Organization, patients with low-risk MDS have a median survival rate of 5.5 years; those with high-risk disease have a median survival of 2.2 years. SR1, the anti-CD117 antibody Pang and Czechowicz studied, recognizes CD117 on the surface of hematopoietic stem cells isolated from either healthy donors or from patients with MDS. They found that the antibody blocked the growth of both healthy and diseased stem cells in a laboratory setting. Then, the researchers investigated the effect of SR1 treatment on mice that were engineered to have a hybrid blood systems consisting of both human and mouse hematopoietic stem cells. They found in the mice that SR1 quickly and efficiently eliminated both healthy human hematopoietic stem cells and cells isolated from low-risk MDS patients. In those animals with diseased human stem cells, SR1 pre-treatment significantly improved the ability of healthy hematopoietic stem cells to engraft after transplantation. "SR1 directly targets the disease-initiating cells for elimination in the mice, even though these cells typically have a significant competitive advantage," Pang said. "This is the first antibody directed against CD117 that has been proven to clear both normal and diseased human cells from the recipient. We are very pleased with the results." Although SR1 is also able to significantly reduce the number of high-risk MDS cells from the mice, the researchers found that the effect was transient: The diseased cells eventually returned even after transplant. In such cases, it may be necessary to combine anti-CD117 treatment with other therapies to completely eliminate the diseased cells, the researchers believe. "Based on the results of this study and others, we have received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to move forward with a clinical trial for MDS patients using a version of SR1 appropriate for a trial in humans," Shizuru said. "We are very hopeful that this body of research is going to have a positive impact on patients by allowing better depletion of diseased cells and engraftment of healthy cells." ### The work is an example of Stanford Medicine's focus on precision health, the goal of which is to anticipate and prevent disease in the healthy and precisely diagnose and treat disease in the ill. Jessica Poyser, a life science research professional at Stanford and researchers from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, UCSF and the New York University School of Medicine are also co-authors of the study. Shizuru is a member of the Stanford Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and the Stanford Cancer Institute. The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (grants R01CA86065 and R01HL058770), the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Fund for Cancer Research, the Gunn/Oliver Research Fund, the HL Snyder Medical Foundation, the Stinehart-Reed Foundation, the Walter V. and Idun Berry Foundation, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Stanford Medical Scholars Research Program and the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. Weissman and Czechowicz are inventors on patents that include the use of anti-CD117 antibodies in hematopoietic stem cell transplant conditioning, and Weissman and Shizuru are inventors on patents that pair anti-CD47 agents and anti-CD117 antibodies for the transplant conditioning. Weissman is a co-founder, stockholder and director of Forty Seven Inc., which has licensed these patents from Stanford University. Shizuru has equity ownership in Forty Seven Inc., and Czechowicz has equity ownership in Forty Seven Inc., Magenta Therapeutics, Beam Therapeutics, Editas Medicines and Global Blood Therapeutics. Stanford's Department of Medicine also supported the work. The Stanford University School of Medicine consistently ranks among the nation's top medical schools, integrating research, medical education, patient care and community service. For more news about the school, please visit http://med. stanford. edu/ school. html . The medical school is part of Stanford Medicine, which includes Stanford Health Care and Stanford Children's Health. For information about all three, please visit http://med. stanford. edu . Print media contact: Krista Conger at (650) 725-5371 (kristac@stanford.edu) Broadcast media contact: Margarita Gallardo at (650) 723-7897 (mjgallardo@stanford.edu) Bethany Bynum, Ph.D., has been recognized with the Distinguished Early Career Contributions-Practice Award from the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) Bethany Bynum, PhD, has been recognized with the Distinguished Early Career Contributions-Practice Award from the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP). The annual award is given to a SIOP member who has made significant contributions to the practice of I-O psychology within ten years of receiving their PhD. The awards committee evaluates the breadth or depth of the nominee's contributions, the extent to which the nominee's work is grounded in sound psychological research, the status of the nominee in the estimation of other prominent early career practitioners, and the impact of the nominee's work on the broader field. Dr. Bethany Bynum has made extraordinary contributions in diverse arenas including education, credentialing, industry, and military testing and selection. She has contributed her deep expertise in psychometric support to high stakes testing programs for professional certification and K-12 Education, where she serves as an excellent ambassador for I-O psychology. She has also advocated for the profession with congressional representatives as part of APA's Stand for Science Initiative. Beth Bynum's work improving Army Personnel Selection & Classifications systems positively affects many thousands of applicants annually. She also played a key role in developing and validating a rich media role-play simulation to help select sales agents for a Fortune 500 company. Dr. Bynum possesses a degree of quantitative expertise usually found only among academics. She has co-authored 8 journal articles, serves on the editorial board for the Journal of Business Psychology and served on the SIOP Professional Practice Committee. Bethany Bynum will be presented with the award during the opening plenary of the 34th Annual SIOP Conference, held April 4-6 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Washington DC/National Harbor. Learn more about the conference here. ### About SIOP The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) is an international professional organization with an annual membership of more than 10,000 industrial-organizational (I-O) psychologists. SIOP's mission is to enhance human well-being and performance in organizational and work settings by promoting the science, practice, and teaching of I-O psychology. Rare mutations in the NTHL1 gene, previously associated with colorectal cancer, also cause breast cancer and other types of cancer. Researchers from Radboud university medical center, Leiden University Medical Center and the Princess Maxima Center in the Netherlands report this new multi-tumor syndrome, in collaboration with international colleagues, in Cancer Cell. Nicoline Hoogerbrugge, professor of Hereditary Cancer at Radboud university medical center: "We presumed to know all multi-tumor syndromes, but we have taken yet another step in identifying cancer genes." Previously, Hoogerbrugge and colleagues showed that mutations in the NTHL1 gene lead to intestinal polyps that may develop into colorectal cancer. However, they observed that patients with mutations in this gene often have other types of cancer as well. In their publication, the researchers describe 17 families in which members of a single generation had mutations in the NTHL1 gene. Half of these patients developed various types of cancer during their lives, with breast cancer being particularly common. Mutations in the NTHL1 gene are very rare. A mutation in the NTHL1 gene only leads to cancer when the mutation is inherited from both parents. The researchers estimate that this is the case in about 1 in 115,000 people. The syndrome is difficult to detect because it only leads to cancer in a single generation of a family. Hoogerbrugge: "Currently, we already test patients with many intestinal polyps for mutations in the NTHL1 gene, but now we know that we should do this for more patients. Over the long term we want to screen for mutations in the NTHL1 gene in patients diagnosed with multiple cancers, as well as in patients that have brothers or sisters with multiple cancers." Improved characterization of patients with mutations in the NTHL1 gene may lead to better assessment of their lifetime risk to develop certain types of cancer. "It is important for patients to be aware of their risk for breast cancer and also for me as a physician, so I can make recommendations," says Maartje Nielsen, clinical geneticist at the Leiden University Medical Center. She recommends that patients with mutations in the NTHL1 gene should be screened for various types of cancer, including colorectal cancer and breast cancer. Mutation pattern The researchers used a new method to determine that NTHL1 mutations also cause breast cancer and other types of cancer. This method is based on the fact that mutations in the NTHL1 gene cause a specific pattern of mutations in the DNA of the tumor. Because this pattern only occurs in tumors of patients with an NTHL1 mutation, and not in tumors from other patients, the researchers were able to link this pattern to the disrupted NTHL1 gene. In the future, this method can be used to detect new genetic causes of cancer. Roland Kuiper, molecular geneticist at the Princess Maxima Center: "More than 30 such mutation patterns are already described, which are not only specific for NTHL1 defects. If all the tumors in a patient with multiple types of cancer have the same mutation pattern, this is a strong indication that there is a genetic cause. This means that all these tumors developed in the same way." Richarda de Voer, molecular biologist at Radboud university medical center, adds: "It has become increasingly difficult to find new cancer genes. By searching for mutation patterns in patients, we are able to take the next step in determining the genetic cause in more cancer patients." NTHL1 NTHL1 is involved in DNA repair. It recognizes a specific form of DNA damage. If a mutation occurs in the NTHL1 gene, there is no NTHL1 protein. Consequently, this specific form of DNA damage is not recognized and not repaired, leading to an accumulation of mutations, which causes cancer. Due to mutations in the NTHL1 gene, errors in the DNA where a 'C' is replaced by a 'T', are not corrected. These errors occur at specific locations in the DNA, resulting in a recognizable mutation pattern. ### Spiders are one of the most successful groups of 'invaders' on the planet. Out of over 47,000 species of spiders known today, there are some that tend to follow humans across the globe and settle in habitats far away from their native homelands. A particularly notorious example is the species Steatoda nobilis, the Noble False Widow spider. Originating from Madeira (Portugal) and the Canary Islands (Spain), the Noble False Widow has been rapidly spreading around the globe over the last few decades. While the species is already well established in Western Europe and large parts of the Mediterranean area, it has recently spread into California, South America and Central Europe. Meanwhile, its populations in England, where the spider used to be restricted to the very southern parts of the country, are now seen to experience a sudden expansion northwards. As its name suggests, this is a relatively large species that resembles the well-known Black Widow and can inflict a painful - yet mostly harmless to humans - bite. Naturally, its 'arrival' causes widespread concerns and public disruptions. Specifically, the Noble False Widow poses a threat to native faunas, since it can prey on nearly every smaller animal thanks to its potent venom and sturdy webs. Recently, experts and non-professional citizen scientists joined forces to reconstruct the invasion path of the Noble False Widow in Europe and the Americas, so that they could identify patterns and predict which regions are likely to be the next colonised by the spider. By combining data from museum collections and the Spider and Harvestman Recording Scheme of the British Arachnological Society with published literature and their own observations from England, Germany, France and Ecuador, the researchers provided an unprecedented detailed view of the expansion of the Noble False Widow. The study, conducted by Tobias Bauer (State Museum of Natural History Karlsruhe), Stephan Feldmeier (Trier University), Henrik Krehenwinkel (Trier University and University of California Berkeley), Rainer Breitling (University of Manchester) and citizen scientists Carsten Wieczorrek and Nils Reiser, is published in the open-access journal Neobiota. While it had largely been assumed that the Noble False Widow turned up in Europe along with bananas traded from the Canary Islands, a new look at the data revealed that the spiders have most likely been transported via imports of ornamental plants. Further, rather than the result of climate change, the establishment of the species across new, large territories is rather linked to the fact that these habitats all share similar conditions to the spider's native localities. "Similar suitable False Widow habitats occur in quite specific regions all around the globe," explain the researchers. "Most importantly, South Africa, some areas in southern Australia, and a large part of New Zealand turn out to be highly likely targets for future invasions, unless appropriate import control measures are implemented." In conclusion, the authors call for enhanced monitoring of the Noble False Widow as well as its still little known ecological impact on the environment in newly colonised areas. They also urge scientists in the predicted potential invasion target regions to search for specimens, especially in coastal cities. ### Original source: A new species of the Brazil-endemic small genus Mcvaughia is described as part of a extended revision of this unique group. The study was published in the open access journal PhytoKeys. Mcvaughia is a genus of the plant family Malpighiaceae comprising just three known species, all of which endemic to the unique Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests biome found in the Atlantic Forest and Caatinga domains in northeastern Brazil. In fact, Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests have only been recognized as a worldwide biome recently and taxonomic studies focusing on its endemic plant species are imperative for conservation management. In their newly published monograph, the team of scientists from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Universidade Federal de Vicosa, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico & Smithsonian answer the need for a deeper understanding on this unique biome, starting with genus Mcvaughia and hoping to continue with other endemic plant groups in the future. "We are truly fascinated by the members of this new and exciting biome and when during a visit in Brazilian herbaria, we found a third species of Mcvaughia endemic to seasonally dry forests from the state of Piaui, Brazil, we couldn't miss the chance to improve knowledge on this unique genus and the biome where it is only found," explains lead author, Dr Rafael F. Almeida from the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil. The name of the newly described species Mcvaughia piauhiensis pays tribute to Dr. Rogers McVaugh, an American botanist, expert in the Mexican flora. "The results presented in this study are the second step towards a complete taxonomic revision of the Mcvaughioid clade using several additional methods in biosystematics. The macro and micromorphological data presented here are promising for future taxonomic and phylogenetic studies focusing on understanding the morphological evolution in the Mcvaughioid clade, and in Malpighiaceae, as well," conclude the authors. ### Original Source: NASA's 4-year-old atmosphere-sniffing Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission is embarking on a new campaign today to tighten its orbit around Mars. The operation will reduce the highest point of the MAVEN spacecraft's elliptical orbit from 3,850 to 2,800 miles (6,200 to 4,500 kilometers) above the surface and prepare it to take on additional responsibility as a data-relay satellite for NASA's Mars 2020 rover, which launches next year. "The MAVEN spacecraft has done a phenomenal job teaching us how Mars lost its atmosphere and providing other important scientific insights on the evolution of the Martian climate," said Jim Watzin, director of NASA's Mars Exploration Program. "Now we're recruiting it to help NASA communicate with our forthcoming Mars rover and its successors." While MAVEN's new orbit will not be drastically shorter than its present orbit, even this small change will significantly improve its communications capabilities. "It's like using your cell phone," said Bruce Jakosky, MAVEN principal investigator from the University of Colorado, Boulder. "The closer you are to a cell tower, the stronger your signal." A strong telecommunications antenna signal is not the only benefit of a tighter orbit. Coming in nearly 1,000 miles (about 1,500 kilometers) closer also will allow the MAVEN orbiter to circle Mars more frequently -- 6.8 orbits per Earth day versus 5.3 previously -- and thus communicate with the Mars rovers more frequently. While not conducting relay communications, MAVEN will continue to study the structure and composition of the upper atmosphere of Mars. "We're planning a vigorous science mission far into the future," Jakosky said. The MAVEN mission was designed to last two years in space, but the spacecraft is still operating normally. With the mission managing its fuel to last through 2030, NASA plans to use MAVEN's relay capability as long as possible. The MAVEN orbiter carries an ultra high-frequency radio transceiver -- similar to transceivers carried on other Mars orbiters -- that allows it to relay data between Earth and rovers or landers on Mars. The MAVEN spacecraft already has served occasionally as NASA's communication liaison with the Curiosity rover. Over the next few months, MAVEN engineers will use a navigation technique known as aerobraking -- like applying the brakes on a car -- to take advantage of the drag of the Red Planet's upper atmosphere to slow the spacecraft down gradually, orbit by orbit. This is the same drag you would feel if you put your hand out of the window of a moving car. Based on the tracking of the spacecraft by the navigation team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and at Lockheed Martin in Littleton, Colorado, engineers will begin carefully lowering the lowest part of the spacecraft's orbit into the Martian upper atmosphere over the next couple of days by firing its thrusters. The spacecraft will circle Mars at this lower altitude about 360 times over the next 2.5 months, slowing down slightly with each pass through the atmosphere. While it may seem like a time-consuming process, aerobraking is the most efficient way to change the spacecraft's trajectory, said Jakosky: "The effect is the same as if we fired our thrusters a little bit on every orbit, but this way, we use very little fuel." Fortunately, the team has ample experience operating the spacecraft at these lower altitudes. On nine previous occasions throughout the mission, MAVEN engineers have dipped the orbiter into the same altitude targets for aerobraking to take measurements of the Martian atmosphere. As a result of these "deep dips" and other measurements, NASA has learned that solar wind and radiation had stripped Mars of most of its atmosphere, changing the planet's early climate from warm and wet to the dry environment we see today. MAVEN also discovered two new types of auroras on Mars and the presence of charged metal atoms in its upper atmosphere that tell us that a lot of debris is hitting Mars that may affect its climate. MAVEN's principal investigator is based at the University of Colorado's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Boulder. The university provided two science instruments and leads science operations, as well as education and public outreach, for the mission. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the MAVEN project and provided two science instruments for the mission. Lockheed Martin built the spacecraft and is responsible for mission operations. The University of California at Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory also provided four science instruments for the mission. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, provides navigation and Deep Space Network support, as well as the Electra telecommunications relay hardware and operations. ### Publish or perish is an adage with particular sting for women and other underrepresented scholars prone to not getting deserved credit on scientific papers. Scientists experienced both in this problem's psychology and ethics, as well as in navigating the oft-choppy waters of authorship, will provide perspective and pointers at the upcoming American Association for the Advancement of Science Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. The career workshop Authorship Decisions: Advocating for Representation will be held from 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 16. It is being organized by a group of Michigan professors - a research ethicist, a historian of science, and two environmental scientists from Michigan State University (MSU), as well as a psychologist at the University of Michigan. Recent studies indicate that women, and likely scholars from other underrepresented groups, don't always receive appropriate authorship credit for their contributions to scientific papers. This may happen because they are less likely to be the leaders of scientific teams, who hold disproportionate power when creating authorship lists. Biases may also cause other scientists to underestimate the contributions made by authors who come from underrepresented groups. For example, a recent study found that women in the field of economics who published single-authored papers were just as likely to receive tenure as their male colleagues, but if they published collaborative papers they were less likely to receive tenure than male economists who were similarly collaborative. Other studies have found that women working in some scientific fields are less likely to appear in prestigious lead-author positions, and papers by women are less likely to be cited than those by men. Because authorship is so central to career advancement, this problem represents a significant barrier to promoting a more diverse workforce. "The bad news is that early-career scholars, especially those from underrepresented groups, are disadvantaged when they don't receive appropriate credit for their work," said MSU historian of science Georgina Montgomery, "but the good news is that science teams can take steps to improve the situation." This session will provide practical guidance to both early-career and senior scientists about navigating power dynamics and promoting responsible authorship decisions. "We are excited about the opportunity to talk with other researchers about how to improve the climate on science teams, making it easier to have difficult conversations about authorship," said MSU environmental scientist Kendra Cheruvelil. "Teams can also develop authorship policies that promote fair practices, and early-career scholars can take steps to clarify their contributions on collaborative papers." This session emerged from a grant, "Ethical Standards and Practices of Environmental Science Teams: Does Team Diversity Matter?," provided by the National Science Foundation's Cultivating Cultures for Ethical STEM program to the workshop organizers: Kendra Spence Cheruvelil, Kevin Elliott, Georgina Montgomery, and Patricia Soranno from Michigan State University, and Isis Settles from the University of Michigan. ### Even as the world gets on the same sustainability page courtesy of the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), those very goals can result in significant tradeoffs. Scientists suggest new ways to tackle unexpected or unintended consequences cropping up on the way to a better world at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting. Sustainable Development Goals: New Science Balancing a Hyperconnected World brings together a senior economist, an early career conservation biologist and a PhD candidate who also is a fourth-generation farmer to talk about integrating approaches to understanding how both people and nature can succeed. The symposium will be 8 - 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, in Washington, DC. What brings them together is work within the framework of telecoupling (socioeconomic-environmental interactions over distances)-- a way to blend systems and disciplines to holistically examine events across the globe. Telecoupling is a testament to the understanding that decisions made one place - to end hunger, to provide clean water, to preserve energy -- have consequences across the globe, and along the path between. "Today's sustainability challenges are making unprecedented demands on science," said Jianguo "Jack" Liu, director of Michigan State University's Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability (MSU-CSIS). Liu introduced the concept of telecoupling in 2008 and organized the first symposium on telecoupling at AAAS in 2011. "This means science itself must change to embrace many disciplines and points of view together to be sure we aren't achieving SDGs in one place while losing ground on another. We can't afford to make these kinds of errors." Anna Herzberger, a PhD candidate in MSU-CSIS, will talk about the hidden costs China is facing by importing soybeans. Traditionally, importing crops is seen as a way to push environmental damage to another country, letting the exporters bear the burdens of water use, fertilizer and pesticide pollution and other agricultural costs. Yet in Shifting Burdens: The Hidden Costs of Food Importation, Herzberger will explore less intuitive costs placed on China farmers who once grew soybeans and now, unable to compete with Brazilian and American farmers, grow more corn and rice. "I'm finding that Chinese farmers have to change the way they dispose of more biomass left after harvest of these crops," said Herzberger, who is the fourth generation of family farmers in southern Illinois. "Sometimes it means burning what's left from rice and corn, and the fallout of that is that the farmers and getting burned, too." Hongbo Yang, a research fellow at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, is addressing how people's livelihoods can be a bellwether of achieving sustainability and understanding how people who live in and around sensitive ecological areas are faring can help reduce tradeoffs in SDGs. In Reaching Sustainable Development, Yang will discuss his findings in China's Wolong Nature Reserve, which is dedicated to protecting the habitat of the beloved giant pandas while at the same time home to some 4,900 people. Understanding which types of work can both improve the lives of the people living there while also protecting the fragile panda habitat is important to create effective policy. "We have been able to focus on the tradeoffs made when people pick different ways to make a living - careful to consider both the effect on the environment and human well-being - since true sustainability can't be achieved without considering both humans and nature," Yang said. Thomas Hertel, Distinguished Professor of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University, notes that half of the SDGs relate either directly or indirectly to the use of land and water resources, the governance and physical characteristics of which vary greatly across the globe. Coupling that knowledge with the realization that population and income overseas will put new and varied stresses on U.S. croplands and groundwater supplies, Hertel points out that it will take scrutiny by multiple disciplines to understand how to best meet SDGs. Otherwise we run the risk of simply trading one gain for another loss. In Amplifying the Power of Economic Research: Integrating Disciplines, he'll share research into the impact of macro-economic growth in China on cropland expansion in Brazil, and how the interplay with Brazilian soybean productivity growth resulted in Brazil eclipsing the US as the world's largest soybean exporter, as well as sustainability stresses in the United States -- specifically the role of global economic growth in driving local cropland conversion and groundwater stress. "I'll also explore the impact of prospective groundwater withdrawal limitations in the Southwestern United States and how they might contribute to a reconfiguration of global cropland use," Hertel said. "Finally, I will discuss the local, regional and global impacts of different policies aimed at reducing water pollution from excess nutrients used in agriculture across the U.S. Corn Belt. Each of these case studies has required far-reaching collaboration across disciplines." ### Portions of the research was funded by the National Science Foundation. The session is co-organized by Liu and Sue Nichols, assistant director of CSIS-MSU. Applying just a bit of strain to a piece of semiconductor or other crystalline material can deform the orderly arrangement of atoms in its structure enough to cause dramatic changes in its properties, such as the way it conducts electricity, transmits light, or conducts heat. Now, a team of researchers at MIT and in Russia and Singapore have found ways to use artificial intelligence to help predict and control these changes, potentially opening up new avenues of research on advanced materials for future high-tech devices. The findings appear this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, in a paper authored by MIT professor of nuclear science and engineering and of materials science and engineering Ju Li, MIT Principal Research Scientist Ming Dao, and MIT graduate student Zhe Shi, with Evgeni Tsymbalov and Alexander Shapeev at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in Russia, and Subra Suresh, the Vannevar Bush Professor Emeritus and former dean of engineering at MIT and current president of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Already, based on earlier work at MIT, some degree of elastic strain has been incorporated in some silicon processor chips. Even a 1 percent change in the structure can in some cases improve the speed of the device by 50 percent, by allowing electrons to move through the material faster. Recent research by Suresh, Dao, and Yang Lu, a former MIT postdoc now at City University of Hong Kong, showed that even diamond, the strongest and hardest material found in nature, can be elastically stretched by as much as 9 percent without failure when it is in the form of nanometer-sized needles. Li and Yang similarly demonstrated that nanoscale wires of silicon can be stretched purely elastically by more than 15 percent. These discoveries have opened up new avenues to explore how devices can be fabricated with even more dramatic changes in the materials' properties. Strain made to order Unlike other ways of changing a material's properties, such as chemical doping, which produce a permanent, static change, strain engineering allows properties to be changed on the fly. "Strain is something you can turn on and off dynamically," Li says. But the potential of strain-engineered materials has been hampered by the daunting range of possibilities. Strain can be applied in any of six different ways (in three different dimensions, each one of which can produce strain in-and-out or sideways), and with nearly infinite gradations of degree, so the full range of possibilities is impractical to explore simply by trial and error. "It quickly grows to 100 million calculations if we want to map out the entire elastic strain space," Li says. That's where this team's novel application of machine learning methods comes to the rescue, providing a systematic way of exploring the possibilities and homing in on the appropriate amount and direction of strain to achieve a given set of properties for a particular purpose. "Now we have this very high-accuracy method" that drastically reduces the complexity of the calculations needed, Li says. "This work is an illustration of how recent advances in seemingly distant fields such as material physics, artificial intelligence, computing, and machine learning can be brought together to advance scientific knowledge that has strong implications for industry application," Suresh says. The new method, the researchers say, could open up possibilities for creating materials tuned precisely for electronic, optoelectronic, and photonic devices that could find uses for communications, information processing, and energy applications. The team studied the effects of strain on the bandgap, a key electronic property of semiconductors, in both silicon and diamond. Using their neural network algorithm, they were able to predict with high accuracy how different amounts and orientations of strain would affect the bandgap. "Tuning" of a bandgap can be a key tool for improving the efficiency of a device, such as a silicon solar cell, by getting it to match more precisely the kind of energy source that it is designed to harness. By fine-tuning its bandgap, for example, it may be possible to make a silicon solar cell that is just as effective at capturing sunlight as its counterparts but is only one-thousandth as thick. In theory, the material "can even change from a semiconductor to a metal, and that would have many applications, if that's doable in a mass-produced product," Li says. While it's possible in some cases to induce similar changes by other means, such as putting the material in a strong electric field or chemically altering it, those changes tend to have many side effects on the material's behavior, whereas changing the strain has fewer such side effects. For example, Li explains, an electrostatic field often interferes with the operation of the device because it affects the way electricity flows through it. Changing the strain produces no such interference. Diamond's potential Diamond has great potential as a semiconductor material, though it's still in its infancy compared to silicon technology. "It's an extreme material, with high carrier mobility," Li says, referring to the way negative and positive carriers of electric current move freely through diamond. Because of that, diamond could be ideal for some kinds of high-frequency electronic devices and for power electronics. By some measures, Li says, diamond could potentially perform 100,000 times better than silicon. But it has other limitations, including the fact that nobody has yet figured out a good and scalable way to put diamond layers on a large substrate. The material is also difficult to "dope," or introduce other atoms into, a key part of semiconductor manufacturing. By mounting the material in a frame that can be adjusted to change the amount and orientation of the strain, Dao says, "we can have considerable flexibility" in altering its dopant behavior. Whereas this study focused specifically on the effects of strain on the materials' bandgap, "the method is generalizable" to other aspects, which affect not only electronic properties but also other properties such as photonic and magnetic behavior, Li says. From the 1 percent strain now being used in commercial chips, many new applications open up now that this team has shown that strains of nearly 10 percent are possible without fracturing. "When you get to more than 7 percent strain, you really change a lot in the material," he says. "This new method could potentially lead to the design of unprecedented material properties," Li says. "But much further work will be needed to figure out how to impose the strain and how to scale up the process to do it on 100 million transistors on a chip [and ensure that] none of them can fail." ### The work was supported by the MIT-Skoltech program and Nanyang Technological University. Related links PAPER: "Deep elastic strain engineering of bandgap through machine learning." ARCHIVE: How to bend and stretch a diamond ARCHIVE: Metal defects can be eliminated by cyclic loading ARCHIVE: Strain can alter materials' properties ARCHIVE: Profile: Ju Li explores new nanomaterials CAMBRIDGE, MA -- MIT engineers have devised a new, noninvasive way to measure the stiffness of living cells using acoustic waves. Their technique allows them to monitor single cells over several generations and investigate how stiffness changes as cells go through the cell division cycle. This approach could also be used to study other biological phenomena such as programmed cell death or metastasis, the researchers say. "Noninvasive monitoring of single-cell mechanical properties could be useful for studying many different types of cellular processes," says Scott Manalis, the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Professor in the MIT departments of Biological Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, a member of MIT's Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, and the senior author of the study. It could also be useful for analyzing how patients' tumor cells respond to certain drugs, potentially helping doctors choose the best drugs for individual patients, the researchers say. Joon Ho Kang, an MIT graduate student, is the first author of the paper, which appears in the Feb. 11 issue of Nature Methods. Other authors include postdocs Teemu Miettinen and Georgios Katsikis, graduate student Lynna Chen, visiting scholar Selim Olcum, and professor of chemical engineering Patrick Doyle. A unique measurement The new measurement technique makes use of a technology that Manalis' lab previously developed to measure the mass of cells. This device, known as the suspended microchannel resonator (SMR), can measure the mass of cells as they flow through a tiny fluid-filled cantilever that vibrates inside a vacuum cavity. As cells flow through the channel, their mass slightly alters the cantilever's vibration frequency, and the mass of the cell can be calculated from that change in frequency. In the new study, the researchers discovered that they could also measure changes in stiffness to the cell -- specifically, a cell structure called the cortex that lies just below the cell membrane. The cortex, which helps to determine the shape of a cell, is composed mainly of actin filaments. Contraction and relaxation of these filaments often occurs during processes such as cell division, metastasis, and programmed cell death, leading to changes in the stiffness of the cortex. Over the past couple of years, Manalis and his students realized that the vibration of the cantilever also creates an acoustic wave that can be used to measure the stiffness of the particle or cell flowing through the device. As a particle flows through the channel, it interacts with the acoustic waves, changing the overall energy balance. This alters the vibration of the cantilever, by an amount that varies depending on stiffness of the cell or particle. This allows the researchers to calculate the stiffness of the cell by measuring how much the vibration changes. The researchers confirmed that their technique is accurate by measuring hydrogel particles of known stiffnesses, created in Doyle's lab, and measuring them as they flowed through the device. The acoustic waves used to generate these measurements disturb the cell by only about 15 nanometers, much less than the displacement produced by most existing techniques for measuring mechanical properties. Cell division The MIT team showed that they could use this technique to measure stiffness of a single cell repeatedly for over 20 hours as they flowed back and forth through the SMR device. During this time, they were able to monitor stiffness through two or more cell division cycles. They found that as cells enter mitosis, stiffness decreases, which the researchers believe is due to the swelling that occurs when the cells prepare to divide. By imaging the cells, they confirmed that the cell cortex becomes thinner as the cell swells. The researchers also found that cell stiffness dynamically changes just before it divides. Actin accumulates at the equatorial region, making the cell stiffer, while the polar regions become more relaxed as actins are temporarily depleted. "We can use our way of measuring stiffness to look at the dynamics of actin in a label-free, noninvasive way," Kang says. The researchers plan to start using this technique to measure the stiffness of even smaller particles, such as viruses, and to explore whether that measurement might be correlated with a virus's infectivity. "Measuring stiffness of submicron particles with meaningful throughput is currently not possible with existing approaches," Manalis says. Such a capability could help researchers who are working on developing weakened viruses that could be tested as possible vaccines. This kind of measurement could also be used to help characterize tiny particles such as those used for drug delivery. Another possible application is combining the stiffness measurement with the mass and growth rate measurements that Manalis' lab has been developing as a possible predictor of how individual cancer patients will respond to particular drugs. "When it comes to assays for precision medicine, measuring multiple functional properties from the same cell could help to make tests more predictive," Manalis says. ### The research was funded by the Koch Institute Support Grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Ludwig Center for Molecular Oncology, the NCI Cancer Systems Biology Consortium, and the Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies through the U.S. Army Research Office. Highly integrated production plants, smart homes and autonomous vehicles: the Internet of Things, where billions of computers and systems communicate wirelessly, is becoming an increasingly significant element of private and professional life. Linking the real world with the cloud delivers greater convenience and increased productivity - but also completely new threats. Cybersecurity has implications for all products and systems - from everyday objects to data centres - and represents a major challenge for our society. International IT security hub SGS, the world leader in inspection, testing, verification and certification, and Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), a top IT security research institution, have joined forces to set up Cybersecurity Campus Graz. They respond to the challenge outlined above by means of work in three core areas: 1. Research on analysing system security and on fundamental new security concepts. 2. Education for IT security experts and researchers who are in such strong demand. 3. Testing and certification of product and system security. All of these activities - from basic research and higher education programmes to certification - will take place at the Cybersecurity Campus, with a view to developing sustainable security solutions. This will give rise to a unique environment for research and the development of industrial applications. A new joint research center and a cybersecurity testing and certification laboratory operated by the SGS Group will be the first facilities to be set up at Cybersecurity Campus Graz. The Campus will also open its doors to start-ups as well as industrial and scientific partners, who will work with TU Graz and SGS to research and develop security solutions for the future. A new multifunctional building covering around 7000m2 - the heart of Cybersecurity Campus Graz - will be built at TU Graz's Inffeldgasse Campus. New research centre as a hub for knowledge transfer Operations at the joint SGS-TU Graz research centre at Cybersecurity Campus Graz will be launched during this year. TU Graz's expertise in leading-edge research into cybersecurity - in the shape of one of the world's top research groups at the Institute of Applied Information Processing and Communications - dovetails with SGS' capabilities in security testing and the evaluation of products, systems and services. The planned close collaboration with start-ups and established businesses will enable the research centre to act as a vital link between science and industry. In the view of SGS' CEO Frankie Ng, the interconnection between research, teaching and practice is the logical next step in his group's pioneering global operations: "With this investment, SGS confirms its commitment to provide existing and new customers with the most advanced cybersecurity services. The partnership with TU Graz establishes a unique and practical environment to combine research, education and practice to sustainably address the threats of cybersecurity in an increasingly interconnected world." Results from the centre's basic research will be made available for all. This will enable sectors in which IT security is a key consideration to keep abreast of the state of the art, and allow the latest findings to feed into industrial applications, university teaching and training programmes aimed at the next generation of IT security specialists. Trainings and joint projects will also promote the transfer of knowledge from scientific research to industry. Harald Kainz, Rector of TU Graz, underlines the potential of this joint initiative: "Two perfectly matched partners will bundle their research, application and training capabilities at Cybersecurity Campus Graz, working together to address one of the major challenges facing modern-day society. TU Graz's excellent reputation in IT security research has paved the way for this unrivalled partnership with SGS - a global business - which further strengthens the high-tech location Graz as a world-class cybersecurity hub." High-tech lab for assessing product and system cybersecurity In addition to SGS' investment in the research centre, the group will also base its subsidiary SGS Digital Trust Services GmbH at Cybersecurity Campus Graz. As a result, the Styrian capital will be home to SGS' global headquarters for its system and product security business. The site will feature a high-tech infrastructure in one of the world's biggest cybersecurity evaluation labs, for use by security experts specialising in cybersecurity testing and certification for digital products, networked systems and online services. Close cooperation with top players in IT security research at Cybersecurity Campus Graz will ensure that the latest findings are quickly integrated into SGS' high-end services. Students, researchers and partners will also be able to use the laboratory equipment for training purposes. The SGS team has already started working in Graz. Until completion of the main building at Cybersecurity Campus Graz, SGS' team and the research centre will be based in a temporary facility on the TU Graz site which is due to be completed shortly. Raising Styria's profile as a business and research location The outstanding research performance of Graz University of Technology in the field of IT security and the good exchange between business, politics and science in Styria were decisive for Graz as a location. The partnership between SGS and TU Graz will create new jobs, thereby enhancing Styria's reputation as a business location, and burnish the province's credentials as a leading research region. "The groundbreaking collaboration between SGS and TU Graz is testimony to the tremendous work taking place in Styria. The interplay between business and science will open up new opportunities for talented Styrians, and bring out the best in them, as well as creating long-term jobs," commented Styrian Governor Hermann Schutzenhofer, who together with Barbara Eibinger-Miedl, Styrian Minister for business and research, thanked Frankie Ng and Harald Kainz for launching the initiative. "Effective protection against cybercrime is hugely significant for businesses in the digital age. TU Graz has produced outstanding research in this field in recent years, which grabbed the headlines around the world. SGS' investment underscores TU Graz's outstanding achievements and highlights Styria's position as a province specialised in innovation and research. In future, Cybersecurity Campus Graz will be in a position to develop products and systems that are crucial to worldwide internet security," Minister Eibinger-Miedl said. ? About SGS SGS is the world's leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. It is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 97,000 employees, SGS operates a network of more than 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world. The SGS Group is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. About TU Graz Cybersecurity has been a research focus at TU Graz for many years. Discovery of the Meltdown and Spectre security vulnerabilities and development of the KAISER patch a few months ago by a team at TU Graz are just the tip of the iceberg as far as the university's expertise in IT security is concerned. This research area is part of TU Graz's Field of Expertise "Information, Communication and Computing", one of the university's five strategic research focuses in emerging fields. Cybersecurity Campus Graz Stefan MANGARD, Professor for IT security TU Graz | Institute of Applied Information Processing and Communications Martin SCHAFFER, Global Head of Secure Products & Systems SGS Digital Trust Services GmbH Tel. +43 316 873 5514 E-mail: cybersecurity@tugraz.at http://www. cybersecurity-campus. tugraz. at TU Graz press contact Barbara GIGLER, Press Officer Tel. +43 316 873 6006 Mobile: +43 664 608736006 E-mail: barbara.gigler@tugraz.at SGS Group Management Ltd press contact Daniel RUFENACHT, Group Vice President Corporate Communications and Sustainability Tel. +41 22 7399401 Mobile: +41 78 6569459 E-mail: daniel.rufenacht@sgs.com Federal Province of Styria press contact Michael FEIERTAG, Press Officer for Provincial Governor Hermann Schutzenhofer Tel. +43 316 8774472 E-mail: michael.feiertag@stmk.gv.at Markus POLESCHINSKI, Press Officer for Provincial Minister Barbara Eibinger-Miedl Tel. +43 316 8774515 E-mail: markus.poleschinski@stmk.gv.at ### Tuberculosis treatment still entails the intake several antibiotics over a period of many months and is torturous for many patients. The pathogen's increasing multidrug resistance additionally complicates this lengthy treatment, and side effects frequently lead to a discontinuation of treatment and high mortality rates. Developing alternative treatment approaches is therefore of critical importance. DZIF scientists from the University Hospital Cologne are working on an immunotherapy that supports antibiotic treatment. In their current study, they were able to identify a new target protein in human immune cells, which can inhibit the bacteria's destructive effects. Jan Rybniker from the University Hospital Cologne and the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) explains the goal of the research work, "If we can support antibiotic treatment with immunotherapy, the duration of treatment would be shortened, which in turn would reduce secondary complications." The scientists are on a quest for drugs that are able to inhibit tuberculosis-induced cell death (necrosis) and consequent destruction of lung tissue. In contrast to directly targeting the bacteria with antibiotics, this treatment is host-directed and hence combats the consequences of infection without targeting the pathogen directly. Starting point for the investigations are corticosteroids, a group of hormones that have been successfully used as adjuncts to tuberculosis treatment for decades, e.g. dexamethasone. However, until now, their precise mechanism of action has not been known. "We have now been able to show that corticosteroids inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis-induced cell death which may support the healing process," says Rybniker. The scientists used cell biology investigations to elucidate the precise mechanism of action for the effect of steroids. A protein called p38 MAP kinase, which increases release of inflammatory hormones and induces cell death, plays a central role in this pathway. "We have identified a new target protein in this kinase, which we can inhibit with active agents," says Rybniker. Numerous p38 MAP kinase inhibitors have already been tested in clinical trials on rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease and chronic lung diseases. The DZIF scientist is certain, "These substances could now also be used for tuberculosis treatment." The Cologne researches now intend to use high-throughput screening to find further substances that can inhibit tuberculosis-induced cell death by blocking the above-mentioned kinase. In collaboration with the Research Center Borstel, these substances will subsequently be tested further in animal models. In doing so, the scientists hope to discover new paths in immunotherapy. ### Publication Grab J, Suarez I, van Gumpel E, Winter S, Schreiber F, Esser A, Holscher C, Fritsch M, Herb M, Schramm M, Wachsmuth L, Pallasch C, Pasparakis M, Kashkar H, Rybniker J: Corticosteroids inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis-induced necrotic host cell death by abrogating mitochondrial membrane permeability transition. Nature Communications February 2019. https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1038/ s41467-019-08405-9 For questions Karola Neubert and Janna Schmidt DZIF Press Office T +49 531 6181 1170/54 E-mail: presse@dzif.de Christoph Wanko Cologne University Hospital Public Relations Office Telephone: +49 221 478-5548 E-mail: presse@uk-koeln.de Gene-edited pigs may reduce Brazil's transplant waiting list; still in its initial stages and presented at FAPESP Week London, a project will assess how patients awaiting kidney transplants react to porcine blood The potential to reduce or even eliminate Brazil's organ transplant waiting list may become a reality through xenotransplantation. That is what we call the process of cross-species transplantation, in this case, the Sus scrofa domesticus and the Homo sapiens: pig-to-human. The science behind the initiative is being coordinated by the University of Sao Paulo's Biosciences Institute (IB-USP), under the auspices of the Human Genome and Stem-Cell Research Center (HUG-CELL), one of the Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers (RIDCs) funded by Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP. Other institutions associated with the project are the Institute of Advanced Studies of USP and the Immunology Laboratory of the Heart Institute (InCor). The project is a partnership between pharmaceutical company EMS and FAPESP within the framework of the Research Partnership for Technical Innovation Program (PITE). It is being led by Professor Silvano Raia of the University of Sao Paulo's School of Medicine (FMUSP). Raia was the first physician to perform a liver transplant using a cadaver donor in Latin America and the first in the world to perform a living donor liver transplant. The initiative was presented on Day One of FAPESP Week London, which takes place February 11-13, 2019. "Pig organs are very similar to human organs, but if they were to be transplanted today, they would be rejected. The idea is to modify them so they can be made compatible with the human body," said Mayana Zatz, a professor at IB-USP and principal investigator of the study, during her session. Pigs modified for this purpose are being bred now in countries like Germany and the United States, and there have been promising results in organ transplants into primates. The geneticist explained that three genes that cause rejection are well known. By deactivating these using the gene editing technique known as CRISPR-Cas9, it is possible to cause the human immune system to stop rejecting the organs. The serum from the blood of these pigs will be tested with the blood of waitlisted kidney transplant patients to determine the presence of antibodies in a Brazilian population that could reject the pig organs. The specimens are part of the sample collection at the InCor Immunology Laboratory managed by physician Jorge Kalil, a professor at FMUSP and one of the project's principal investigators. The collection currently holds over 1,000 samples of serum from kidney transplant candidates who have had rejection to human kidneys. At the same time, Kalil and Professor Maria Rita Passos-Bueno of IB-USP, another researcher on the project, are planning to develop new follow-up protocols for future transplant recipients in order to monitor the emergence of antibodies in the blood that could cause rejection. Brazil ranks second in terms of absolute number of transplants, behind only the United States. However, the waiting list for organs exceeds the 41,000 registered in 2016. Kidney transplants are what present the biggest discrepancy between the number of patients on the waiting list and the procedures performed: there were 5,592 transplants and 24,914 registered on the waiting list. In 2017, 1,716 patients died while waiting for a kidney. "It's about developing a product based on domestic biotechnology, whose ultimate goal will be to provide those people on the transplant waiting list with a viable and lasting therapeutic alternative that can shorten the suffering of patients and their families," Zatz told. Today, even transplants between humans require transplant recipients to take immunosuppressing medications to fight rejection, some for the rest of their lives. In cases where patients need a kidney transplant, there is also the added cost of dialysis for those who are waiting for a new organ. The initial phase of the project is expected to last three years and seeks to reconcile the ethical, religious and legal aspects of xenotransplantation by establishing a center for the subject at the Institute of Advanced Studies. Organ manufacturing During her session, Zatz presented the most recent findings on the development of organs from stem cells. As part of the PhD work of Ernesto Goulart and the post doc work of Luiz Caires and Luciano Abreu Brito, all of them FAPESP grant recipients, the liver and hepatic artery of rats were created using stem cells from the same animal. The rat aorta and liver were decellularized, which means all the cells are removed using special acids, leaving only a scaffold of collagen. Human stem cells were then placed in these scaffolds and reprogrammed into hepatic and aorta cells, creating new organs. In the future, this may be a solution for those who need organ transplants. Since they are performed using the patient's own cells, the body will not reject them. Zatz presented other possibilities for the use of genetics for healthy aging, such as P4 Medicine (predictive, preventative, personalized and participatory). By analyzing a patient's genetic profile, it is possible to determine which diseases a person may come to develop. That will enable disease prevention and even participation in medical treatments. "From studies on thousands of people throughout the world with diseases, compared with healthy people, we are able to derive what we call polygenic risks scores, which signify the increased risks for diseases such as diabetes, heart problems, hypertension, and cancer. While these diseases depend largely on genes, they also depend on the environment," Zatz explained. The researcher also presented the 80+ project, which sequenced the genome of 1,324 people over the age of 60 in an effort to understand what those who remained healthy after age 80, or even after age 100, have that is different and perhaps could be applied to the population as a whole. There are nearly 500,000 people in the world over the age of 100 alive today. ### About Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) With widespread legalization & increasing use, more care, education a research needed about how each marijuana formulation may affect & sometimes compromise the cardiovascular system of our aging population, according to the Canadian Journal of Cardiology Philadelphia, February 11, 2019 - As marijuana legalization sweeps North America, use of the substance has been on the rise, and the public's attitude is shifting. An increasing number of people believe that "weed" is the safest recreational drug, one that carries health benefits that outweigh its risks. Those assumptions are challenged in an article and editorial published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology that examine the story of a patient who developed crushing chest pain and myocardial ischemia after consuming most of a marijuana lollipop. "Marijuana can be a useful tool for many patients, especially for pain and nausea relief. At the same time, like all other medications, it does carry risk and side effects. In a recent case, inappropriate dosing and oral consumption of marijuana by an older patient with stable cardiovascular disease resulted in distress that caused a cardiac event and subsequent reduced cardiac function," said Alexandra Saunders, MD, Dalhousie University, Internal Medicine Program and Horizon Health Network's Department of Cardiology, Saint John, NB, Canada. The case report describes a 70-year-old man with stable coronary artery disease, taking the appropriate cardiac medications, who ate most of a lollipop that was infused with 90 mg of THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) to relieve pain and aid sleep, which caused him to have a potentially-serious heart attack. He consumed a much larger dose than the 7 mg that is typically ingested by smoking a single joint or taking the 2.5 mg starting dose of dronabinol (Marinol), a synthetic THC marketed for nausea and appetite stimulation in AIDS and cancer patients. While the patient had smoked marijuana in his youth, he had not done so since the THC content of the substance had increased significantly from three percent to 12 percent. He was also not familiar with the time-delayed and extended effect of oral THC dosing. The patient's cardiac event was likely triggered by unexpected strain on his body from anxiety and fearful hallucinations caused by the unusually large amount of THC he ingested. His sympathetic nervous system was stimulated, causing increased cardiac output with tachycardia, hypertension, and catecholamine (stress hormone) release. After the psychotropic effects of the drug wore off, and his hallucinations ended, his chest pain stopped. A number of prior case reports, as well as epidemiological studies, have described the association between cannabis use and acute cardiovascular (CV) adverse events, including myocardial infarction, stroke, arrhythmias, and sudden death. "Most previous research on marijuana-induced myocardial ischemia focused mostly on younger patients and did not focus on its different formulations and potencies. As a result of widespread marijuana legalization, healthcare providers need to understand and manage cannabis use and its complications in older patients, particularly in those with cardiovascular disease," said Robert S. Stevenson, MD, Horizon Health Network, Department of Cardiology, Saint John, NB, Canada. CV toxicity of marijuana is described in an accompanying editorial. It can be viewed as a consequence of one or more the following: 1) inhalation of combustion products of marijuana; 2) direct CV effects of THC; and 3) indirect effects of THC related to acute anxiety, hallucination, and/or psychosis. Individuals who are THC-naive and are not used to taking mind-altering drugs can become highly distressed by impaired cognition and feelings of loss of control produced by THC. Extreme emotional responses in the context of THC psychiatric toxicity are associated with surges of catecholamines, which can have adverse acute CV effects. Important considerations with respect to cannabis toxicity are the pattern of use, dose, route of administration, and degree of tolerance. "The legalization of cannabis has considerable public support but also raises public health concerns," commented the editorial's author, Neal L. Benowitz, MD, Chief, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical Service, Departments of Medicine, and Biopharmaceutical Sciences; Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. "Some users may benefit from the social and medical effects, but others will be at risk for adverse health outcomes. Little information has been disseminated to patients or healthcare providers about cannabis use in older patients, and in particular those with cardiovascular disease. For better or worse, providing advice and care to such patients who are using cannabis is now necessary for the provision of optimal medical care to these patients." ### Heidelberg, 11 February 2019 - EMBO and the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) announce Sara Linse of Lund University, Sweden, as the recipient of the 2019 FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award. The FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award recognizes outstanding achievements of female researchers in the life sciences. In addition, the recipients are role models who inspire future generations of scientists. Sara Linse receives the award for her contribution to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of protein self-assembly in Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, the award recognizes her varied activities in support of science and society. Linse says about receiving the award: "This is an extreme honor and a tribute to curiosity-driven basic science." Daniel Otzen of Aarhus University, Denmark, a research colleague in the amyloid field, says: "Sara Linse's first article on protein aggregation really was a game changer. She courageously decided to tackle one of the most difficult peptides in the field, namely the amyloid beta (A) peptide, which is critical in the development of Alzheimer's disease." And, he adds, having built on her earlier work on A aggregation, "she is well on her way to developing therapies against Alzheimer's disease based on her exquisite biophysical and molecular insight." Linse is known as a generous colleague and collaborator who shares ideas, results and samples freely and enthusiastically. She also serves the scientific community through her work on numerous committees, which includes chairing the Nobel Prize Committee for Chemistry. In addition, she has authored eight children's books and founded two organizations committed to supporting children and young adults with autism and mental illness. "Sara Linse is an astonishing role model who inspires other women to pursue careers in science and illustrates how it is possible to have a family life, support those with special needs, play vital roles in promoting scientific excellence, as well as carrying out original research of the highest quality," says EMBO Member Chris Dobson, University of Cambridge, UK. The 2019 FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award of 10,000 euros and a bronze statuette will be presented to Linse on 7 July 2019 at the FEBS Congress in Krakow, Poland, where she will present a plenary lecture. ### INFORMATION FOR EDITORS Biosketch Sara Linse studied at Lund University, Sweden, and Stanford University, USA, before completing her PhD on the topic of cooperativity of calcium binding in calmodulin and calbindin D9k at Lund University in 1993. She has remained at the university, where she now holds the position of Professor in Physical Chemistry and Molecular Protein Science. Linse's current research interests span a range of different topics. These include calcium signalling networks, non-covalent interactions in proteins, the stabilization of proteins for therapeutic purposes, and biological risks of nanoparticles. Furthermore, she continues to work on protein amyloid formation, including the aggregation process, the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors and co-aggregation between lipids and amyloid proteins. Linse has received numerous awards for her work, including the Cozzarelli Prize awarded by the National Academy of Sciences, USA (2007), the IUPAC Distinguished Woman in Chemistry prize (2011), and Sweden's KTH Royal Institute of Technology's Great Prize (2014). About the FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award The Women in Science Award is a joint initiative of FEBS and EMBO. It recognizes and highlights major contributions by female scientists working in Europe to life sciences research in the past five years. The award includes a prize of 10,000 euros, a bronze statuette and the opportunity to give a plenary lecture at the FEBS Congress. Nominations for the 2020 FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award close on 15 October 2019. More information: http://www. embo. org/ funding-awards/ women-in-science-award http://www. febs. org/ our-activities/ awards/ febs-embo-women-in-science-award About FEBS The Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) is one of Europe's largest organizations in the molecular life sciences, with over 35,000 members across more than 35 biochemistry and molecular biology societies (its 'Constituent Societies') in different countries of Europe and neighbouring regions. As a grass-roots organization FEBS thereby provides a voice to a large part of the academic research and teaching community in Europe and beyond. As a charity, FEBS promotes and supports biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, molecular biophysics and related research areas through its journals, Congress, Advanced Courses, Fellowships and other initiatives. There is an emphasis in many programmes on scientific exchange and cooperation between scientists working in different countries, and on promotion of the training of early-career scientists. For more information: http://www. febs. org About EMBO EMBO is an organization of more than 1800 leading researchers that promotes excellence in the life sciences in Europe and beyond. The major goals of the organization are to support talented researchers at all stages of their careers, stimulate the exchange of scientific information, and help build a research environment where scientists can achieve their best work. A detailed analysis of blood samples from Ebola patients in Sierra Leone is providing clues about the progression of the effects of the Ebola virus in patients and potential treatment pathways. A manuscript discussing the work, led by scientists at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, was published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The findings point to a critical role for a molecular pathway that relies on the common nutrient choline, as well as the importance of cellular bodies known as microvesicles. "There's a lot more research to be done - these are preliminary results based on a small number of samples," said PNNL scientist Jennifer Kyle, first author of the paper. "We do hope these results will someday benefit patients." The results are based on the lipids, or fats, in the blood of people infected with Ebola, comparing the detailed lipid composition in patients who survived the illness to those who died and to people who were never infected. The study included blood samples from 11 patients who survived infection, nine who died, and 10 healthy volunteers. The patient samples were from people in Sierra Leone who were infected with Ebola during an outbreak from 2014 to 2016, an event that caused more than 11,000 deaths in West Africa. The recent re-emergence of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo reinforces the need for approaches to manage this disease. The team identified and quantified 423 separate molecular species of lipids, which are essential to everyday life. They serve as raw materials for our cell membranes - structures that keep our body's cells intact - and as signaling molecules and energy sources. The team found major differences in "the lipidome" or collection of lipids between people who lived, who died, and who were never infected. Among the differences: Infected patients who survived had a much higher number of PC lipids (phosphatidylcholines or diacylglycerophosphocholines), and their levels increased with time as they successfully fought off the illness. Patients who died had higher levels of PS lipids (diacylglycerophosphoserines), which are known to spur cells to die. The Ebola virus relies on these molecules to replicate. Making sense of the findings - PCs and health, PS lipids and disease PC lipids, found at higher levels in survivors, are made in the liver - a prime target of Ebola - and are a critical component of larger molecules known as lipoproteins. A vital component of PC lipids is choline, a common nutrient. A person deficient in choline has more DNA and cell damage, impaired liver and muscle function, and other symptoms. The scientists suggested that future studies explore the possibility of nutritional choline supplementation to improve liver function in infected patients. With the PS lipids - found in higher levels of patients who died - the scientists noted that these molecules can spur cells to die, a process that happens in the spleen, liver and kidneys of patients, and that the virus relies on these molecules to replicate in the body. These lipids are also associated with cellular structures known as microvesicles, which can harm patients. Based on the PS findings, the team suggests that aggressive blood filtration to remove microvesicles is an option. "We have a lot of information about lipids; now we need to understand what those lipids are telling us. They have great stories to tell," said Kyle. "Lipid levels are one way of understanding exactly what a virus is doing in its environment - whether in early Earth history, or in the body during an infection," added Kyle, who began her lipids studies as a geomicrobiologist looking for signatures of life in extreme environments. Study background In November 2017 the same team published a study in Cell Host & Microbe that identified a handful of biomarkers which indicate the outcome of infection in patients. That work was based on the same set of blood samples, in which the virus was inactivated according to approved protocols before the samples were studied at PNNL. Funding for the PNNL portion of the latest work came mainly from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (grant U19AI106772). Other funders include the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (grants 16H06429, 16K21723, 16H06434); the Emerging/Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases Project of Japan; and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (grant P41 GM103493). Analyses of the lipids were performed using mass spectrometry instruments at EMSL, the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a DOE Office of Science User Facility located at PNNL. Additional PNNL authors include Thomas Metz, who along with Kyle is a corresponding author of the study, as well as Kristin Burnum-Johnson, Jason Wendler, Richard Smith, and Katrina Waters. Authors from the University of Wisconsin-Madison include Amie Eisfeld, Peter Halfmann, and Yoshihiro Kawaoka. Tokiko Watanabe from the University of Tokyo and Foday Sahr from the 34th Regimental Military Hospital at Wilberforce in Sierra Leone also contributed. ### ST. LOUIS, MO, February 11, 2019 - Small RNAs (sRNAs) are key regulators involved in plant growth and development. Two groups of sRNAs are abundant during development of pollen in the anthers - a critical process for reproductive success. One of these pathways for sRNA production, previously believed present in grasses and related monocots, has now been demonstrated to be present widely in the flowering plants, evolved over 200 million years ago, and is arguably one of the evolutionary innovations that made them so successful. The research, led by Blake Meyers, Ph.D., member, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and professor, Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri and his collaborators at South China Agriculture University, the University of Delaware, and the University of Maryland, published their findings, "24-nt reproductive phasiRNAs are broadly present in angiosperms," in the journal Nature Communications. "We've been studying this pathway extensively in maize as part of a project supported by the National Science Foundation. Quite unexpectedly, we found the pathway in the tropical tree that produces lychee fruit, which, as a eudicot, is distant from the grasses. When we analyzed other eudicot plant genomes, we found that this pathway was present in many of them - a complete surprise to us, since we thought it was only in the monocots," said Meyers. "There are some key differences between the pathway in eudicots and in grasses, and characterizing these in our study has given us insights into how sRNA and reproductive biology has diverged in these groups of plants." Meyers explained that the long-standing view was that this pathway was specific to the grasses. In a companion piece of work, Meyers and his colleagues have demonstrated that maize, a monocot and member of the grass family, requires this pathway for full male fertility. But their paper in Nature Communications upends this view, demonstrating that the pathway emerged prior to the split between eudicots and monocots. One of the big mysteries they are trying to address is the precise molecular function of these sRNAs in pollen development. To address this question in eudicots, Meyers and his team are using Fragaria vesca, a diploid, also known as woodland strawberries as a model for their experiments. The genome of Fragaria vesca was sequenced in 2010 and is often used as a model due to its small genome size, short reproductive cycle and ease of propagation. "The explosion of flowering plants was a remarkable thing in evolution, and they represent most species used for food and fuel," said Meyers. "Understanding the genetic mechanisms by which flowers develop will be important for improving crop yields and breeding better varieties, particularly for making the high-yielding hybrid crops that support modern agriculture." ### Collaborators include: Rui Xia, Chengjie Chen, Wuqiang Ma and Jing Xu, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Kun Huang and Parth Patel, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware; Fuxi Wang and Zhongchi Liu, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland; and Suresh Pokhrel, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. About The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center Founded in 1998, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a not-for-profit research institute with a mission to improve the human condition through plant science. Research, education and outreach aim to have impact at the nexus of food security and the environment, and position the St. Louis region as a world center for plant science. The Center's work is funded through competitive grants from many sources, including the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Follow us on Twitter at @DanforthCenter. Ancient fossils of the first ever organisms to exhibit movement have been discovered by an international team of scientists. Discovered in rocks in Gabon and dating back approximately 2.1 billion years, the fossils suggest the existence of a cluster of single cells that came together to form a slug-like multicellular organism that moved through the mud in search of a more favourable environment. The team, which included experts from Cardiff University, state that the new discovery places the first ever evidence of mobility on Earth to more than 1.5 billion years earlier than previously thought, and raises new questions regarding the history of life. Previous discoveries dated the earliest traces of locomotion in complex organisms in much younger rocks dated at around 570 million years ago from various localities. In a new study, published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team report finding similar trace movements for complex organisms that thrived 2.1 billion years ago in the Francevillian inland Sea. A detailed 3D analysis using a non-destructive X-ray imagining technique, alongside geometrical and chemical dating, revealed that the new fossils belong to an organism that likely spent most of its time in oxygenated waters, and was therefore oxygen-dependent. The fossils arepreserved as tubular structures running through the rock in thin layers with a consistent diameter of a few millimetres. Located next to these tubular structures were fossilised microbial biofilms which, the researchers believe, acted as grazing grounds for the multicellular organisms. Co-author of the study Dr Ernest Chi Fru, from Cardiff University's School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, said: "It is plausible that the organisms behind this phenomenon moved in search of nutrients and oxygen that were produced by bacteria mats on the seafloor-water interface. "The results raise a number of fascinating questions about the history of life on Earth, and how and when organisms began to move. Was this a primitive biological innovation, a prelude to more perfected forms of locomotion seen around us today, or was this simply an experiment that was cut short?" ### Notes to editors 1. For further information contact: Michael Bishop Communications & Marketing Cardiff University Tel: 02920 874499 / 07713 325300 Email: BishopM1@cardiff.ac.uk A major new EU Pilot Project will monitor population trends of butterflies to assess the health of the environment and to inform EU biodiversity and agricultural policies. Butterfly populations are highly sensitive to environmental change, providing an early warning of impacts on ecosystems. The new study of population trends in different habitats across Europe will assess biodiversity loss and the impact of climate change and land use intensification. The project, ABLE (Assessing ButterfLies in Europe), is a partnership between Butterfly Conservation Europe, the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UK), the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (Germany), Dutch Butterfly Conservation (The Netherlands) and Butterfly Conservation (UK). The team will work with partners across the EU. It is being funded by the EU for an initial period of two years. Butterflies are already regularly monitored with the help of thousands of volunteers in 11 EU countries. The new project will build on the data collected by these existing networks and expand monitoring to cover at least eight additional EU countries, focusing on those in southern and eastern Europe. This will provide more representative trends across Europe from which to assess the health of the environment and inform EU policies, including the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 and the Common Agricultural Policy. The data will also contribute to the assessment of the health of Europe's pollinators as part of the EU Pollinator Initiative. Dr David Roy of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, who leads the partnership, said: "By using data gathered systematically by thousands of volunteers, we will produce high-quality information on butterfly populations across Europe. We will use this to produce trends for species in grassland, woodland and wetland habitats as well as an overall measure of the state of Europe's butterflies. "We will also examine the impact of climate change and the impact of EU policies and initiatives such as the Natura 2000 network of protected sites and the Common Agricultural Policy." Mihail Dumitru, Deputy Director General of DG Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission, said: "Many important habitats for butterflies and other pollinators, such as semi-natural grassland, occur on agricultural land, and we welcome this Pilot Project to extend butterfly monitoring and work on developing new Indicators of biodiversity." Dr Chris van Swaay, Chair of Butterfly Conservation Europe, said: "Butterflies are highly sensitive indicators of environmental change. They also represent insects which are vital parts of the food chain as well as being important pollinators. There has been widespread concern about the decline of insects in recent years and the project will give us a more comprehensive assessment across several EU Countries of a high profile component of this critical group." Dr Pavel Poc, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, who proposed the pilot project in the European Parliament, said, "I am delighted that my colleagues have supported this ground breaking initiative. I am sure this will help develop new butterfly monitoring schemes in a number of Eastern and Central EU counties and enable valuable data to be incorporated in butterfly indicators for policy evaluation and improved biodiversity conservation." Anne Teller of the EU Directorate General for the Environment, European Commission said: "Butterflies are important indicators for policy evaluation at EU level and I welcome this pilot project to upgrade the approach, facilitate additional data collection, engage more volunteers and stimulate action in more EU Member States." ### Notes to editors Media contact information For interview requests or further information, please contact Simon Williams, Media Relations Officer, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, via +44 (0)7920 295384 or email simwil@ceh.ac.uk Butterflies factfile - Butterflies are accurate indicators of biodiversity loss or increase because their sensitivity makes them quick to react to environmental change. They are widely used by ecologists as model organisms to study the impact of habitat loss and fragmentation, plus climate change. - Areas rich in butterflies also have a wide range of other invertebrates, so are indicators of a healthy environment and ecosystems. - Butterflies form a key part of the food chain, being prey for birds and bats. - Butterflies pollinate a large range of flowering plants, travelling longer distances than many other insects. - There are almost 500 species of butterflies in Europe as a whole. - Butterfly Conservation Europe reports serious declines in butterflies in most countries of Europe. About Butterfly Conservation Europe: Butterfly Conservation Europe co-ordinates the efforts of 45 butterfly and moth organisations in 35 countries. It has produced a range of reports and strategies which can be downloaded from its website. http://www. bc-europe. eu @europebutterfly About the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) is a centre of excellence for integrated research into land and freshwater ecosystems and their interaction with the atmosphere. CEH is a Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) research institute, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The Centre's independent, impartial science addresses major societal and environmental challenges: how to protect and enhance the environment and the benefits it provides; how to build resilience to environmental hazards; and how to manage environmental change. Its core expertise is in environmental monitoring, measuring and modelling. http://www. ceh. ac. uk @CEHScienceNews About Butterfly Conservation (UK) Butterfly Conservation, a UK charity dedicated to saving butterflies, moths and our environment. Its research provides advice on how to conserve and restore habitats. Butterfly Conservation runs programmes for more than 100 threatened species and is involved in conserving hundreds of sites and reserves. http://www. butterfly-conservation. org @savebutterflies About Dutch Butterfly Conservation (The Netherlands) Dutch Butterfly Conservation (De Vlinderstichting), founded in 1983, carries out research and gives advice to those responsible for making decisions on the use, development and management of land in the Netherlands. https:/ / www. vlinderstichting. nl/ @vlinderNL About Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) is one of the world's leading centres in the field of environmental research, enjoying high social recognition. It demonstrates ways in which a sustainable use of our natural resources is possible for the benefit of both humans and the environment. UFZ, jointly with the German Society for Butterfly & Moth Conservation (GfS), co-ordinates the German butterfly monitoring scheme (http://www. tagfalter-monitoring. de ) http://www. ufz. de @UFZ_de Funding The ABLE (Assessing ButterfLies in Europe) project is run under a Service Contract for supporting EU butterfly monitoring and indicators, funded by the European Union. The Contract value is 800,000 Euros over 2 years. Contract no. 07.027742/2018/790285/SER/ENV.D.W BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - The quality of your marriage could be affected by your genes, according to new research conducted at Binghamton University, State University of New York. A research team led by Binghamton University Associate Professor of Psychology Richard Mattson evaluated whether different genotypes (i.e., possible genetic combinations) of the Oxytocin Receptor gene (OXTR) influenced how spouses support one another, which is a key determinant of overall marital quality. OXTR was targeted because it is related to the regulation and release of oxytocin, which is a hormone associated with feeling love and attachment. Oxytocin also appears to be relevant to social cognition and a wide range of social behavior. "Prior research has hinted that marital quality is, at least partially, impacted by genetic factors, and that oxytocin may be relevant to social support -- a critical aspect of intimate partnerships," said Mattson. "However, we are the first to provide evidence that variation on specific genes related to oxytocin functioning impact overall marital quality, in part, because they are relevant to how partners provide and receive support from each other." The research team, which included Binghamton's Matthew D. Johnson and Nicole Cameron, recruited 79 couples. Each partner was asked individually to come up with an issue to discuss involving something they identify as their most salient personal problem that was not related to their partner or partner's family (e.g., problems at work). The selected topics were discussed for 10 minutes, recorded, and later coded for how support was provided and received by each partner. Couples were also asked to separately respond to several questionnaires, including the index of perceived quality of support during the prior interaction, and saliva samples for genotyping were taken at the end of the study session. The team's findings highlight that particular genes may impact marital quality by influencing important relational processes, but that context shapes when particular genotypes are more or less beneficial to the marriage. "We found that variation at two particular locations on OXTR impacted the observed behaviors of both husbands and wives, and that differences in behavior across couples had small but cumulative effects on overall evaluations of support, and thus marital quality in general," said Mattson. "However, what emerged as most relevant to overall marital quality for both partners was genotypic variation among husbands at a specific location on OXTR. Husbands with a particular genotype, which other researchers associated with signs of social deficits, were less satisfied with the support they were provided. Being less satisfied with the support they got from their wives was also associated with being less satisfied with their marriage. The researchers hope their findings provide the foundation for replication and additional study of OXTR as an enduring determinant of marital functioning, as well as encourage research more broadly evaluating the role of genetic factors in interpersonal processes important to overall marital quality. "Genes matter when it comes to the quality of marriage, because genes are relevant to who we are as individuals, and characteristics of the individual can impact the marriage," said Mattson. "Our findings were the first to describe a set of genetic and behavioral mechanisms for one possible route of the genetic influence on marriage. In addition, we added to the increasing awareness that the expression of genotypic variation differs greatly depending on context." ### Frank A. Middleton of SUNY Upstate Medical University, Joanne Davila of Stony Brook University, and Lisa R. Starr of the University of Rochester also contributed to this paper. This research was sponsored by the SUNY Collaborative Grant Fund. The paper, "Oxytocin Receptor Gene (OXTR) Links to Marital Quality via Social Support Behavior and Perceived Partner Responsiveness," was published in the Journal of Family Psychology. The BfR and BfR Committee for the Assessment of Intoxications advise parents to keep batteries out of the reach of children "We therefore advise all parents to keep button cells out of the reach of infants and small children. Once a button cell has been swallowed, the person should be treated in hospital without delay," recommends BfR President, Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel. Due to the increasing distribution of battery-operated devices in all walks of life, children can come more and more in contact with button cells and swallow them. Complications could arise if the battery gets stuck in the oesophagus, because current starts to flow when contact is made with the moist mucosa. Hydroxide ions, which can cause severe chemical burns, are formed in the border area between the button cell and the mucosa. There is a special risk for small children if they swallow large button cells (over 20 mm in diameter), because it is highly likely that these will get stuck in the narrow oesophagus of small children. If the button cell can pass through the oesophagus, complications are rarely to be expected. In cases of this kind it is usually sufficient to wait for the natural excretion of the battery under medical supervision. If the button cell gets stuck in the oesophagus, no symptoms or only slight discomfort are developed initially. Vomiting, loss of appetite, fever or coughing set in after several hours. As time progresses, more and more tissue damage is caused at the contact point between the battery and the oesophagus which can lead to bleeding and necrotisation of the tissue. The oesophagus can scar and constrict as sequela. In rare cases, the complications can result in death. The more the battery is charged, the more severe the health damage can be. The BfR recommends immediate examination in a children's clinic if there is justified suspicion that a button cell battery has been swallowed. Doctors must report cases of poisoning, including suspected cases, to the documentation and assessment point for intoxications at the BfR. In addition to cases of poisoning through chemical substances and poisonous plants, this obligation to notify also covers the swallowing of button cells and the risk of chemical burns that this involves. The basis for the obligation to notify is Art. 16e of German Chemicals Act. ### Important tips and information on cases of intoxication and asphyxiation in infants and small children are contained in the BfR brochure "Risk - Cases of Intoxication in children" (in German): https:/ / www. bfr. bund. de/ cm/ 350/ risiko-vergiftungsunfaelle-bei-kindern. pdf The free BfR app "Poisoning accidents with children" contains on-site first aid measures for cases of poisoning and asphyxiation (in German): https:/ / www. bfr. bund. de/ de/ apps_vergiftungsunfaelle. html About the BfR The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is a scientifically independent institution within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) in Germany. It advises the Federal Government and Federal Laender on questions of food, chemical and product safety. The BfR conducts its own research on topics that are closely linked to its assessment tasks. This text version is a translation of the original German text which is the only legally binding version. For the first time, scientists from ASU's School of Molecular Sciences in collaboration with colleagues from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City have captured snapshots of crystal structures of intermediates in the biochemical pathway that enables us to breathe. Published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - Snapshot of an Oxygen Intermediate in the Catalytic Reaction of Cytochrome c Oxidase - their results provide key insights into the final step of aerobic respiration. "It takes a team to conduct such a sophisticated experiment," explains SMS's associate professor Alexandra Ros who, together with her graduate student Austin Echelmeier and former intern Gerrit Brehm, developed the hydrodynamic focusing mixer making these experiments possible. The mixer is a microfluidic device, which is high-resolution, 3D-printed and enables two streams of oxygen saturated buffer to mix perfectly with a central stream containing bovine cytochrome c oxidase (bCcO) microcrystals. This initiates a catalytic reaction between the oxygen and the microcrystals. In the beginning This research was instigated by a conversation between SMS's professor Petra Fromme, director of the Biodesign Institute's Center for Applied Structural Discovery (CASD), Raimund Fromme, SMS associate research professor, and professor Denis Rousseau from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City who works on the structure of cytochrome c oxidase, a key enzyme involved with aerobic respiration. Cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) is the last enzyme in the respiratory electron transport chain of cells located in the mitochondrial membrane. It receives an electron from each of four cytochrome c molecules, and transfers them to one oxygen molecule (two atoms), converting the molecular oxygen to two molecules of water. Researchers at CASD including ASU's Richard Snell professor of physics, John Spence, helped to pioneer a new technique called time resolved serial femtosecond (millionth of a billionth of a second) crystallography (TR-SFX). This technique takes advantage of an X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) at the Department of Energy's (DOE) SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford. SFX is a promising technique for protein structure determination, where a liquid stream containing protein crystals is intersected with a high-intensity XFEL beam that is a billion times brighter than traditional synchrotron X-ray sources. While the crystals diffract and immediately after are destroyed by the intense XFEL beam, the resulting diffraction patterns can be recorded with state-of-the-art detectors. Powerful new data analysis methods have been developed, allowing a team to analyze these diffraction patterns and obtain electron density maps and detailed structural information of proteins. The method is specifically appealing for hard-to-crystallize proteins, such as membrane proteins, as it yields high-resolution structural information from small micro- or nanocrystals, thus reducing the contribution of crystal defects and avoiding tedious (if not impossible) growth of large crystals as is required in traditional synchrotron-based crystallography. This new "diffraction before destruction" method has opened up new avenues for structural determination of fragile biomolecules under physiologically relevant conditions (at room temperature and in the absence of cryoprotectants) and without radiation damage. CcO reduces oxygen to water and harnesses the chemical energy to drive proton (positively charged hydrogen atom) relocation across the inner mitochondrial membrane by a previously unresolved mechanism. In summary, the TR-SFX studies have allowed the structural determination of a key oxygen intermediate of bCcO. The results of the team's experiments provide new insights into the mechanism of proton relocation in the cow enzyme as compared to that in bacterial CcOs, and paves the way for the determination of the structures of other CcO intermediates, as well as transient species formed in other enzyme reactions. ### Other coauthors on this paper, not previously mentioned, include Izumi Ishigami, Ariel Lewis-Ballester and Syun-Ru Yeh, all from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Nadia Zatsepin and Stella Lisova (both ASU physics), Jesse Coe, Zachary Dobson, Garrett Nelson and Shangji Zhang all from SMS and CASD. Thomas Grant from University at Buffalo, State University of New York, as well as Sebastien Boutet, Raymond Sierra and Alexander Batyuk all from SLAC. 1. Low physical fitness and obesity during teen years linked to disability later in life Being physically fit was an important marker of health, regardless of BMI Video available: B-roll and soundbites from obesity specialist, Christina Wee, MD, are available to view and download at http://www. dssimon. com/ MM/ ACP-disability . Abstract: http://annals. org/ aim/ article/ doi/ 10. 7326/ M18-1861 URLs go live when the embargo lifts Low physical fitness, obesity, and a combination of the two are strongly associated with chronic disability later in life due to a wide range of diseases and causes. A study of more than 1 million Swedish men is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. In many countries, disability pensions are granted to working-aged persons who are likely to never work full-time again because of a chronic disease or injury diagnosed by a physician. In addition to serving as an important indicator of chronic disease, disability pensions are associated with high societal costs, both clinically and economically. Thus, identification of early and potentially modifiable risk factors for later disability is of great public health importance. In the largest study of its kind, researchers from Karolinska Institute, Sweden, and University of Granada, Spain lead a study assessing cardiorespiratory fitness and weight for more than 1 million men between the ages of 16 and 19 and then followed them to see who would later receive a medical disability pension. Over a median follow-up of 28.3 years, the data showed that low cardiorespiratory fitness was strongly associated with later receipt of a disability pension due to all causes. Obesity was also associated with a risk for disability, with the greatest risks observed for severe/morbid obesity. However, the researchers noted that compared with being unfit, being moderately or highly fit was associated with reduced risk for disability, regardless of body mass index. According to the researchers, these findings suggest that being physically fit is an important indicator of health irrespectively of body weight. Media contact: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Lauren Evans at laevans@acponline.org. To interview the lead author, Pontus Henriksson, PhD, please contact him directly at pontus.henriksson@ki.se. 2. Facebook's suicide prevention efforts raise concerns about using consumer data for medical research Abstract: http://annals. org/ aim/ article/ doi/ 10. 7326/ M19-0366 URLs go live when the embargo lifts Facebook's innovative suicide prevention algorithm may help to identify users who are at risk for self-harm, yet the approach raises concerns about ethics and transparency when using consumer data in this manner, which some would classify as research. A commentary on this issue is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Recently, Facebook began using an algorithm that assesses an individual's risk for suicide based on interactions on the social platform. If a user is deemed at risk, the company calls local emergency services. While Facebook has offered some details on its algorithms, less is known about the credentials of its Community Operations who review the data or about the outcomes of its approximately 3,500 notifications to local emergency services so far. Authors of a commentary from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School argue that more transparency is needed for this effort, as they believe it is medical research. While Facebook does not claim that its suicide efforts are research, it has conducted experiments on users before and denied it was doing so. The authors suggest that Facebook's efforts need to be subject to the rules and principles of research. Considering the amount of personal medical and mental health information Facebook accumulates in determining whether a person is at risk of suicide, the public health system they activate through calling emergency services, and the need to ensure equal access and efficacy for all, the scope of the research seems more fitting for public health departments than to a publicly traded company. Media contact: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Lauren Evans at laevans@acponline.org. To interview the lead author, John Torous, MD, please contact Jacqueline Mitchell at jsmitche@bidmc.harvard.edu. 3. Case suggests melanoma as a possible diagnosis for patients with autoimmune encephalitis Abstract: http://annals. org/ aim/ article/ doi/ 10. 7326/ L18-0593 URL goes live when the embargo lifts An unusual case suggests melanoma as a possible diagnosis for patients with autoimmune encephalitis. The case report is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. The receptor for a-amino-3hdroxy-5methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) is a glutamate receptor that mediates synaptic transmission in the central nervous system. Antibodies against the AMPA receptor are found in encephalitis associated with lung, breast, and thymus tumors, but had never had been seen with melanoma. Clinicians from Mayo Clinic; Rochester, Minnesota saw a 61-year-old woman for symptoms of autoimmune encephalitis. A cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed anti-AMPA receptor antibodies and a positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) scan confirmed active lymph nodes in the patient's left cervical and axillary regions. The patient had no skin lesions and the origin of the tumor was not clear, but further testing confirmed a diagnosis of melanoma. Her mental status was poor due to the encephalitis, so the clinicians treated her with a BRAF inhibitor (vemurafenib) and an MEK inhibitor (cobimetinib). She did not improve in 2 weeks, but improved 2 weeks later at home in hospice care on continued treatment. She also started on a regimen of methylprednisolone and intravenous immunoglobulin. After 3 months, a PET-CT scan found no recurrence of melanoma and a neurologic evaluation reveled excellent clinical recover from the encephalitis. She remained cancer-free at 9 months. According to the authors, this case suggests that clinicians should consider melanoma as a possible diagnosis for patients with anti-AMPA receptor encephalitis because some patients with this disease can respond exceedingly well to appropriate therapy. Media contact: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Lauren Evans at laevans@acponline.org. To interview the lead author, Ali Daneshmand, MD, MPH, please contact the Mayo Clinic newsroom at newsbureau@mayo.edu or 507-284-5005. Also New in this issue: Ominous Reversal of Health Gains in the United States: Time to Rethink Research Priorities? K.M. Venkat Narayan, MD; Shivani A. Patel, PhD; Solveig A. Cunningham, PhD; and James Curran, MD Ideas and Opinions Abstract: http://annals. org/ aim/ article/ doi/ 10. 7326/ M18-3653 Selective Use of Coronary Artery Calcium Testing for Shared Decision Making: Guideline Endorsed and Ready for Prime Time Rhanderson Cardoso, MD; Khurram Nasir, MD, MPH, MSc; Roger S. Blumenthal, MD; and Michael J. Blaha, MD, MPH Ideas and Opinions Abstract: http://annals. org/ aim/ article/ doi/ 10. 7326/ M18-3675 ### Elisabeth Gwinn, Professor of Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, is the winner of the 2019 Lifetime Mentor Award, presented by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The award honors researchers who have mentored a significant number of underrepresented Ph.D. students, impacting the climate of a department, college or institution. Since becoming the University of California, Santa Barbara's first female physics professor in 1989, Gwinn has played a pivotal role in improving the atmosphere of her department towards one of respect and increased opportunity for those traditionally absent from the world of physics. "Beth's commitment to ensuring that anyone, regardless of race, gender or economic status, should be able to succeed in STEM careers has transformed her department and improved the lives of countless students," one of Gwinn's former mentees, Stacy Copp, now a postdoctoral fellow at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, wrote in the award nomination letter. "Her excellence as a mentor is apparent in the success of her former Ph.D. students and in the many programs she established to provide financial support for female and underrepresented minority Ph.D. students and science education to underserved communities." Half of Gwinn's Ph.D. students have been women, a proportion that far exceeds the national average for women in physics. Likewise, nearly 20% of her undergraduate researchers have been underrepresented minority students, and nearly 30% have been women. Many underrepresented students outside of her research group have also benefitted from Gwinn's guidance. She has long advised the Women in Physics group in the Physics Department at UCSB doing so on her own time -- and often donating her own money to fund events -- for 16 years before her department acknowledged this as a formal faculty advising role. The Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need program, a federal program that Gwinn led on her campus, provided fellowships to women and underrepresented minority Ph.D. students in the university's physics department. And her research group has provided undergraduate transfer students from two-year community colleges with the research experiences needed for admittance to STEM graduate programs. In addition to her direct mentorship, Gwinn established programs to train the next generation of STEM role models. Working with graduate students, K-12 teachers and UCSB staff, she initiated the "Let's Explore Applied Physical Science" program at the university and directed it throughout its 12 years of National Science Foundation funding. Under her leadership, LEAPS awarded graduate and undergraduate fellowships to UCSB students in the physical sciences and engineering to serve as scientist role models for children in local public elementary and high schools. As NSF funding for such programs came to an end, Gwinn oversaw LEAPS' transformation into the ongoing School for Scientific Thought at UCSB. This program provides STEM graduate students the opportunity to design and teach classes to 9th-12th graders who come primarily from public high schools with high underrepresented minority enrollments. "We are proud to recognize the work of mentors who contribute to expanding and diversifying the talent pool for STEM," said Shirley Malcom, senior adviser to AAAS. "Especially critical are those who make this kind of decades-long commitment to guiding students from underrepresented groups through rigorous programs by supporting their work and encouraging their success. The science community is indebted to Beth Gwinn and other faculty mentors who promote such promise and potential." The AAAS Lifetime Mentor Award was established in 1991 and is directed toward individuals who have demonstrated scholarship, activism and community building over at least 25 years of mentoring experience. The award includes a $5,000 honorarium, a commemorative plaque and complimentary registration and travel to the AAAS Annual Meeting. Gwinn will receive the award during the 185th AAAS Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 17, 2019. ### About the American Association for the Advancement of Science The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world's largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science, as well as Science Translational Medicine; Science Signaling; a digital, open-access journal, Science Advances; Science Immunology; and Science Robotics. AAAS was founded in 1848 and includes more than 250 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. Science has the largest paid circulation of any peer-reviewed general science journal in the world. The nonprofit AAAS is open to all and fulfills its mission to "advance science and serve society" through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, public engagement and more. For the latest research news, log onto EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS. For more information on AAAS awards, see http://www. aaas. org/ awards . AAAS is the world's largest general scientific society, dedicated to "Advancing science; Serving society." Turkish, Russian officials to discuss Syria in Ankara Turkey's defense minister to host Russian counterpart in capital Ankara ahead of Sochi summit on Syria slated for Thursday. Russian defense minister will arrive in Turkey on Monday to discuss Syria with his Turkish counterpart, according to Turkish National Defense Ministry sources. SHOYGU WILL PAY A VISIT Russias Sergey Shoygu will pay a visit to the capital Ankara upon the invitation of Turkeys Hulusi Akar, said the sources, speaking anonymously due to restrictions on speaking to the media. The two ministers are expected to discuss latest developments in Syria, particularly in Idlib, before a planned summit on Syria between Turkey, Russia and Iran in the Russian resort city of Sochi on Thursday. Last September in Russias resort city of Sochi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed to establish the Idlib de-escalation zone. The following month saw all heavy weapons withdrawn from the de-escalation zone by Syrian opposition and anti-regime groups. AT LEAST 30 PEOPL IN IDLIB WERE KILLED Nevertheless, according to the White Helmets, at least 30 people in Idlib were killed in January, including women and children, while another 180 were injured- in Idlib, Hama and Latakia- by regime drone attacks and artillery fire. Last month also saw the regime targeting Idlibs southeastern countryside, along with rural parts of the Aleppo, Latakia and Hama provinces. Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on demonstrators with unexpected severity. Turkish forces take part in Pakistan-hosted naval drill Organized by Pakistans navy, AMAN-2019 kicked off last week in Karachi. Turkish forces are participating in AMAN-2019, a multinational naval exercise that is being hosted by Pakistan from Feb. 8 to 12 in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. THE EXERCISE WILL IMPROVE NAVAL COORDINATION AMAN is an Urdu word meaning peace, while the drills are being conducted under the slogan, Together for peace. Organized by the Pakistani navy, the biennial maritime exercise kicked off in Karachi on Friday with the participation of forces from Turkey, the US, Britain, China, Australia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Oman. In this years drill, Turkey is represented by the TCG Gokceada, a naval frigate. The exercise is intended to improve naval coordination between participant states and promote maritime peace and stability. The exercises will see a host of training activities in various fields, including search-and-rescue and anti-piracy operations. The first AMAN drill was conducted in 2007. Since then, it has been held regularly every two years. Turkish naval forces participated in the exercise in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2017. The TCG Gokceada will also provide support to the Combined Task Force (CTF-151) in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, North Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. The CTF-151 is a multinational naval task force established in 2009 to fight piracy in the region. Turkish defense minister meets his Russian counterpart Turkey talking with Russia at all levels to restore peace and stability in the region says Turkish defense minister. Turkey's National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Monday met his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoigu in the Turkish capital Ankara. "BILATERAL RELATIONS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO PEACE" Akar chaired talks with his Russian counterpart and the delegations at the Defense Ministry. "Turkey is talking with Russia at all levels to restore peace and stability in the region and protect interests of both countries," Akar said. He also said that efforts to boost bilateral relations are "valuable" and will contribute to peace and regional stability. The meeting comes ahead of a planned summit on Syria between the leaders of Turkey, Russia and Iran in the Russian resort city of Sochi on Thursday. Maduro launches large-scale war game Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro launched what he described as the "most important" military drills in the history on Sunday amid an ongoing political crisis in the South American nation. The large-scale military exercise, which is being held in the country's 200-year history, will continue until Feb. 15. "GET OUT DONALD TRUMP, GET OUT HIS THREATS" "We must prepare to defend Venezuela's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence," said Mauro, during his speech to soldiers at the Guaicaipuro Military Base in Miranda, central northern and coaster state of Venezuela. "Here are armed forces and here are the people to defend the honor, dignity and decorum of a country that has over 200 years of fighting for its future." He also voiced against US President Donald Trump who aggressively backed Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido and called for a regime change. "Get out Donald Trump, get out his threats!" Maduro said. THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF BOLIVAR'S ANGOSTURA SPEECH Washington's aggressive support to self-proclaimed 'acting president' Guaido might escalate into a direct military invention. The war game is believed to be held for preparing to repel any potential invasion from the US and its allies. The military ceremony was attended by the commanders of the land and air forces, as well as the Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez. The military exercise began on the 200th anniversary of Simon Bolivar's Angostura Speech, which led the independence movement against the Spanish rule in Latin America. PONCA CITY The Memorial Service celebrating and honoring the life of Carl Kerfoot, of Ponca City, are pending. Condolences may be shared with the family online at www.EnidCremation.com. Hungary's government is greatly increasing financial aid and subsidies for families with several children, the country's prime minister said Sunday. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban delivers his annual "State of Hungary" speech in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2019. The inscription reads: "For us Hungary is the first!"[Photo: AP] The measures announced by Viktor Orban during his "state of the nation" speech are meant to encourage women to have more children and reverse Hungary's population decline. The benefits include a lifetime personal income-tax exemption for women who give birth and raise at least four children; a subsidy of 2.5 million forints ($8,825) toward the purchase a seven-seat vehicle for families with three or more children; and a low-interest loan of 10 million forints ($35,300) for women under age 40 who are marrying for the first time. Orban, who has made "zero tolerance" for immigration his main theme in the past four years and was elected to a third consecutive term in April, said the initiative is meant to "ensure the survival of the Hungarian nation." "This is the Hungarians' answer, not immigration," Orban said. The prime minister also listed some of his government's economic achievements such as low unemployment and vowed to fight poverty. Orban then turned his attention to May's European Parliament elections, repeating his accusation that the leadership of the European Union wants to fill the continent with migrants, most of them Muslim. "We have to understand that the European peoples have come to a historical crossroads," Orban said. "Those who decide in favor of immigration and migrants, no matter why they do so, are in fact creating a country with a mixed population." Europe's left-wing has become "the gravedigger of nations, the family and the Christian way of life," Orban said. After his speech, several hundred members and supporters of Hungary's main opposition parties held an anti-Orban rally that started in Buda Castle. The event also was aimed at protesting recent heavy fines the state audit office imposed on several opposition parties. A small group of protesters used their cars to block traffic from crossing the Chain Bridge over the Danube River for most of the day. Opposition leaders said the fines, which cannot be challenged in Hungarian courts, were politically motivated and meant to hinder their campaigns for the European Parliament and municipal elections in Hungary later this year. State Rep. Mickey Dollens, D-Oklahoma City, changes his 8-month-old sons diaper on his desk at the state Capitol. Dollens said the mens bathrooms at the state Capitol were not equipped with changing tables when his son visited him at work last month. (Photo provided) I was born near Denver, later moved to Selah, Washington and then attended the University of Kansas, graduating in May 2017. Prior to Enid News, I interned with the Yakima-Herald Republic and wrote arts and features for the University Daily Kansan. Follow Ryan Miller | area 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 You will receive full, ad-free access to ElkValleyTimes.com as well as full access to the Electronic Edition of the newspaper. ONLY $3.00 per month for the first 3 months! Only $3.25 per month after promotional period. Or ONLY $33.75 per year for the 1st year Only $36.75 per year after promotional period. Spearfish, SD (57783) Today Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 60F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 60F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Stay up to date on COVID-19 Get Breaking News Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Sponsored By: St Anthony's Hospital At least three Democrats who have announced plans to seek the White House in 2020 might get into some sticky moments with primary voters when it comes to positions theyve taken over the years on education issues such as school choice, corporate involvement in schools, and the connection between education and criminal justice. Those stances from Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kamala Harris of California, and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts probably wont top many voters list of concerns as a crowded Democratic field takes shape. But at a time when U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and rolling teacher strikes have thrust schools into more national political discussions, the presidential hopefuls will probably have to bob, weave, and otherwise clarify why those positions door do notmatter to their presidential runs. Each such instance will showcase how the candidates think about different constituencies of the Democratic Party. Will they have to spin their education records and past policy statements? And if so, how will they do it? See Also: Lining Up for 2020: Potential Candidates and Education Patrick Riccards, whos worked with both Democrats and Republicans on communications and policy in education, said that in the early stages of the Democratic primary, its likely that candidates and their surrogates will call out [other] candidates for not perfectly aligning with the progressive mantle. One general strategy for these or other Democrats put under the microscope could be to use their education records to ultimately talk about other, preferred topics, he said. I would wrap the issues of education into the larger issues that will rally [Democratic] voters to primaries and caucuses, Riccards said, including the larger social justice and equity discussions, as well as talk of guns and safety; weaving it into economic policy, as part of a stronger commitment to workforce development. To Spin or Not to Spin As the mayor of Newark, N.J., Booker made a host of decisions that many in todays Democratic Party find problematic at best. Those decisions include the promotion of charter schools, clashing with teachers unions (even as he worked with them to craft a new contract), and promoting the prominence of Wall Street executives in education initiatives that angered teachers unions. He also worked with Mark Zuckerberg when the Facebook founder, not beloved among many Democratic base voters at this point in the 2020 cycle, gave $100 million to Newark schools to assist in what turned out to be a controversial initiative to provide merit-pay bonuses and open charter schools, among other major changes. Then theres DeVos. In 2016, Booker delivered a fired-up speech at a gathering of the school choice advocacy group, American Federation for Children, where DeVos was chairwoman at the time. He also previously served on the board of the Alliance for School Choice, a different group also led by DeVos. Last fall in The 74, an education news website, Booker defended his Newark record in detail, pointing to a 20 percentage-point jump in graduation rate and schools that outperformed nearby suburban districts. I can find no other urban district with high povertywith high numbers of kids who qualify for free school lunchesthat has shown this kind of dramatic shift in a 10-year period, he told The 74. Booker was not asked specifically about DeVos or vouchers, although around the time of her confirmation as education secretary he expressed concerns about her impact on education civil rights. One view is that Booker simply cant cleanly spin his way out of the situationor rather, if someone calls him out for his record, he should embrace it and not sidestep it. Matt Frendewey, an education and political consultant who handled communications for the American Federation for Children when DeVos was the chairwoman, pointed out that many of the families Booker helped in Newark are black and Hispanic, and thus sit at the core of the Democratic electorate. Disowning instead of underscoring his work for them, he said, would probably be in vain and would only tarnish his authenticity, Frendewey said. He loses the ability to attract those families who are looking for a champion to fight for their kids. And he gains very little on the teachers union side, because theyre more likely to go with someone whos always been on their side, Frendewey said. Its also possible that Booker follows in the footsteps of Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat who strongly backed and helped run charter schools. Polis, who left the U.S. House of Representatives to run for governor, was not in lockstep with many progressive Democrats in the last few years about choice, yet he won the Colorado gubernatorial primary and general elections last year. Then again, statewide elections are not the same as national elections. As for DeVos, Booker voted against her confirmation as education secretary. He also could contrast his work in Newark, which included more money for public schools, with DeVos work in Detroit, said Charles Barone, the chief policy officer at Democrats for Education Reform, which has had a close relationship with Booker and supports school choice. The Booker campaign did not respond to requests for comment. Education Not Incarceration Harris might have a different rhetorical challenge. As a senator and presidential contender, she has persistently emphasized how bolstering education is a cost-beneficial solution to problems of incarceration. Yet in a speech at the Chicago Ideas Week event in 2012, when she was Californias attorney general, she made light of posters that proclaimed, Build more schools less jails and Put money into education not prisons. While she said she agreed with those sentiments conceptually, she criticized what she deemed were their tenuous connection to peoples fears: You have not addressed the reason I have three padlocks on my front door. Elsewhere in the speech, however, she talked about the challenges facing innovation in criminal justice policy, and how the knee-jerk reaction to lock people up regardless of the types of crime is misguided. And Harris has also attracted attention for her support for California legislation in 2014, when she was still the states top law-enforcement officer, that included a provision that could lead to parents arrest if their children were chronically truant. (At the time, a spokesman for Harris stressed that these arrests were extremely rare.) Harris also discussed her support for taking a tough approach to elementary school truancy in a 2010 speech when she was serving as the San Francisco district attorney, when she said, I believe a child going without an education is tantamount to a crime. The Harris campaign did not respond to requests for comment. Its tough to boil down her stance on that issue into one neat sound bite. In that 2010 speech, somewhat contradicting her later Chicago remarks, Harris called it a myth to assume that tackling problems in education was a small issue not related to criminal-justice policy. That stance calls to mind some Democrats emphasis on breaking the so-called school-to-prison pipeline. She also said that, It is a myth to assume and think that children are resilient. Still, her approach to criminal justice issues has come under attack from some portions of potential Democratic primary voters, and these previous positions on education could be folded into that stream of ongoing criticisms. Warren might face a similar but more limited conundrum to the one Booker might confront. In a book published in 2003 when she was a Harvard Law School professor, she advocated for what might be called interdistrict enrollment, in which students could enroll in public schools outside the traditional boundary areas. Arguing that quality schools were inextricably linked to high property values in wealthy neighborhoods, Warren said that breaking this connection would help many families. At the core of the problem is the time-honored rule that where you live dictates where you go to school, Warren and her co-author, Amelia Warren Tyagi, wrote in The Two-Income Trap, adding that while voucher had become a loaded word due to its association with private schools, A well-designed voucher program would fit the bill neatly. However, as a U.S. senator since 2012, Warren hasnt backed private school vouchers or tax-credit scholarships. Shes been a huge critic of DeVos, who has made choice her signature issue. And in 2016, Warren came out against a Massachusetts ballot initiative to increase the number of charter schools in the state. (It was defeated.) Senator Warren does not support private school vouchers and never has, a Warren aide said in response to a question to her campaign about her 2003 proposal, a response that didnt address her previous idea of interdistrict public school choice. Shes also knit tighter connections with the teachers unions in recent years. She quickly praised the recent teachers strike in Los Angeles (like many Democratic power players), and last year told an American Federation of Teachers convention that, America is failing its teachers. Still, in the end, Riccards warned the candidates against trying to spit-shine every talking point about their education records. Current Democratic candidates are largely writing doctoral dissertations to counter the Trump sound bite, he wrote. Diving deep into education policy will only make them worse. (Photo: REUTERS / Alexei Druzhinin / RIA Novosti / Kremlin)Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) speaks with Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill during a visit to St. Sergius of Radonezh Cathedral in Tsarskoye Selo, outside St. Petersburg, December 8, 2014. After a Russian court sentenced a Jehovah's Witness to six years in jail, human rights activists have warned the case will start a crackdown on other religious minorities. Dennis Christensen from Denmark on Feb. 6 became the first Jehovah's Witness convicted for extremism after Russia's Supreme Court banned the religious group in April 2017, The Moscow Times reported. "This is a precedent that will give [the authorities] a push for the other cases being heard and for them to go after other religious groups," Valery Borshchev of the Moscow Helsinki Group said Friday at a press conference in Moscow in support of Christensen. "We will see a wave that will target not only Jehovah's Witnesses after this," he noted. President Vladimir Putin in December called the labeling of religious groups as extremist "complete nonsense." The persecution of the Jehovah's Witnesses group has, however, continued. Armed police detained Christensen, a 46-year-old builder, in May 2017 at a prayer meeting in Oryol, some 200 miles (322 kilometers) south of Moscow after a court in the region outlawed the local Jehovah's Witnesses a year earlier, Reuters reported. UN RIGHTS CHIEF DEEPLY CONCERNED In Geneva, on Feb. 7 UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said, "We are deeply concerned about the sentencing in a Russian court on Wednesday of a Jehovah's Witness to six years in prison on charges of 'organizing the activity of a banned extremist organization.'" Dennis Christensen was detained in May 2017, a month after Russia's Supreme Court declared the Jehovah's Witnesses to be an extremist group. The court accused Christensen of continuing to ensure the work of the organization in Oryol, in the west of the country, despite knowing it had been banned. Criminal cases have since then opened against more than 100 members of the Jehovah's Witnesses, including at least 18 who in pre-trial detention said the UN rights office. Others have been subjected to various measures of restraint, including house arrest and travel restrictions. At the Moscow press conference on Feb. 8, Alexander Verkhovsky, the head of the Moscow-based SOVA Center which tracks extremism, noted that six additional Jehovah's Witnesses had been charged with extremism since Putin made the comments. "[Christensen] was convicted for his faith," Yaroslav Sivulsky, a representative of the European Association of Jehovah's Witnesses, said. Sivulsky explained that there are 24 Witnesses currently in jail awaiting trial in Russia. Another 5,000 people have fled the country for fear of persecution, he said. 'HUMAN RIGHTS CHAOS' Human rights activist Lev Ponomaryov, who was sentenced to 25 days in prison over a Facebook post in December, said at the conference that Russia was in a state of human rights "chaos." "Putin wants an authoritarian regime," he said. "But who is listening to him?" Bachelet said, "The harsh sentence imposed on Christensen creates a dangerous precedent, and effectively criminalizes the right to freedom of religion or belief for Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia." The action contravenes "the State's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights." Russia is a signatory of the covenant and says it is in force. Various UN human rights bodies, including the UN Human Rights Committee and UN Special Rapporteurs, have raised similar concerns in recent years. "We urge the Government of Russia to revise the Federal Law on Combating Extremist Activity with a view to clarifying the vague and open-ended definition of 'extremist activity,' and ensuring that the definition requires an element of violence or hatred," said Bachelet. "We also call on the authorities to drop charges against and to release all those detained for exercising their rights to freedom of religion or belief, the freedom of opinion and expression, and the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association." Christiansen had pleaded innocent, saying he was exercising freedom of religion guaranteed in Russia's constitution, according to the Reuters report. Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen called on Moscow to respect religious freedom and criticized it for classifying Jehovah's Witnesses on a par with terrorist groups. The U.S.-headquartered Jehovah's Witnesses has faced pressure for years in Russia, where President Vladimir Putin champions the dominant Orthodox Church. Orthodox scholars have cast the Jehovah's Witnesses as a dangerous foreign sect that erodes State institutions and traditional values, allegations rejected by the Witnesses. (Photo: Peter Kenny)Flags of the world at the UN in Geneva in January 2017. GENEVA U.N. human rights experts have called on Iran to ensure a fair and transparent final hearing for three Iranian Christians due to appear before the Revolutionary Court in Tehran this weekend. "We are deeply concerned by the long jail sentences imposed at a previous hearing on Pastor Victor Bet Tamraz, Amin Afshar Naderi and Hadi Asgari for allegedly "conducting evangelism" and "illegal house church activities." They say such charges according to the authorities, amount to acting against national security, but what they are doing is completely contrary to Iran's international obligations under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. "We are additionally concerned about the lack of healthcare made available to them while in detention and, in particular, about the current health condition of Mr. Asgari who remains in prison," they noted in a Feb. 2 statement. "We strongly call on the Government to ensure that the final review hearing on Sunday is fair and transparent, in accordance with Iran's obligations under international human rights law," the experts said. The Revolutionary Court judge has the power to end the case, confirm the sentences or refer the case to the Supreme Court, with the men either freed on bail or jailed in the meantime. The three Christians were given provisional jail sentences of 10 years at a previous hearing in July. Naderi received an additional five years for blasphemy. The experts say they are also concerned that the prosecution of the three Christians is not an isolated case. "We are aware of several other reported cases in which members of the Christian minority have received heavy sentences after being charged with 'threatening national security', either for converting people or for attending house churches," they said. "This shows a disturbing pattern of individuals being targeted because of their religion or beliefs, in this case a religious minority in the country. "Members of the Christian minority in Iran, particularly those who have converted to the faith, are facing severe discrimination and religious persecution." The UN experts stressed that it was "of paramount importance" for the Iranian government to abide by its obligations under international human rights law. "The authorities must ensure fair trials for all, including the religious minorities in the country," they said. "We also urge the Government to immediately and unconditionally release all those who have been arrested and detained for exercising their right to freedom of religion or belief." The UN experts notified the Iran government about their concerns. Authorities in northern Russia's Novaya Zemlya islands declared a state of emergency this weekend after a "mass invasion" of polar bears in the settlement of Belushya Guba, the BBC reported. Media reports and video footage show the bears eating garbage, appearing near school grounds and entering buildings and residential homes. Officials said they've never seen anything like it. "I have been in Novaya Zemlya since 1983, but there has never been so many polar bears in the vicinity," said Zhigansha Musin, a local administrative head, according to Russian news agency TASS. The bears are considered an endangered species in Russia, so killing them is prohibited. But officials said that if non-lethal means cannot drive the animals away, they might have no choice but to cull them, the BBC noted. The officials said the bears no longer fear either police patrols or the signals used to scare them away. Bear invasion - 3 www.youtube.com Some 52 polar bears have been counted near the settlement since December. Local official Alexander Minayev said the bears were exhibiting "aggressive behavior," including "attacks on people and entering residential homes and public buildings," AFP reported. "There are constantly six to 10 bears inside the settlement," he said. "People are scared, they are afraid to leave their homes ... parents are frightened to let their children go to schools and kindergartens." This story is unfortunate all around, for the village and for the polar bears that might be killed. But the underlying threat, as The Washington Post pointed out, is clearly climate change. In the Russian Arctic, the polar cap and permafrost is melting twice as fast compared to a decade ago due to rising global temperatures. The dwindling sea ice has forced polar bears to abandon their usual habitats and descend upon human settlements in search of food. In a statement to TASS, researcher Ilya Mordvintsev of the Severtsev Institute of Ecology and Evolution said the bears were migrating north but stopped in Belushya Guba to find food. "Compared to previous years, they come ashore in the southern part of the archipelago, where the ice is changing. They migrate through Novaya Zemlya heading north, where the ice is solid," the expert said. "It is migration from the south to the north. They are staying in that location [near Belushya Guba] because there is some alternative food. They could have gone past but for the food. But as there are bins with edible waste, they stop to flock." Federal authorities in Moscow are sending a team of investigators to look into the situation, AFP reported. So far, they have refused permission to shoot the bears but they have not ruled out a cull. By Tara Lohan More than 1,000 people lined the banks of the Kennebec River in Augusta, Maine, on July 1, 1999. They were there to witness a rebirth. The ringing of a bell signaled a backhoe on the opposite bank to dig into a retaining wall. Water trickled, then gushed. The crowd erupted in cheers as the Edwards Dam, which had stretched 900 feet across the river, was breached. Soon the whole dam would be removed. The Kennebec hadn't run free here since 1837. Those who advocated for the dam's removal promised that devastated fisheries would return, and the city of Augusta would benefit from new recreational opportunities and a revitalization of the riverfront. They were right. But it wasn't just Augusta where change was felt. The removal of Edwards Dam became a pivotal moment in the history of the environmental movement and river restoration in the United States. It was the first functioning hydroelectric dam to be removed and the first time the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ever voted, against the wishes of a dam owner, not to relicense a dam. But most importantly the demolition signaled a shift in thinking about how we balance environmental and economic interests and that had a ripple effect. "It was the first big dam that came out that demonstrated to the country that our rivers had other values beyond industrial use," says John Burrows, director of New England Programs for the Atlantic Salmon Federation, which was a key player in the dam-removal effort. "It helped folks recognize that our rivers, which we've not taken good care of for several hundred years, could be a different asset for communities. And for society." Killing a River Building the Edwards Dam was never a popular idea. Even in the 1830s there was concern that the robust fisheries of the lower Kennebec River would be wiped out. But the cheerleaders of industrialism prevailed, and the dam was built in 1837 to bring power to local mills. The consequences were immediate. The dam's construction shut the door on the migration of nearly a dozen sea-run fish species that used to swim up more than 40 miles from the Atlantic Ocean in search of prime spawning habitat in the Kennebec and its tributaries. "The river was transformed from being a thriving producer of millions of sh such as shad, herring, striped bass, Atlantic salmon, sturgeon and alewives and supporting a wide cornucopia of other species ranging from otters to eagles into a wastewater drainage system," Jeff Crane, a dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Saint Martin's University, wrote in a paper published in 2009. Within a few years, the alewife run on the Sebasticook River, a tributary of the Kennebec just upstream from the dam, was gone. Where once you'd been able to catch 500 salmon a season in Augusta, by 1850 you were lucky to get five. The state reported that the shad industry there was completely lost by 1867. And the sturgeon catch on the lower Kennebec declined from 320,000 pounds a year before the dam to just 12,000 pounds a year by 1880. In the 1900s the river's problems got even worse. The Kennebec River became a dumping ground for toxic waste from paper mills and municipal sewage. Log drives from the upstate timber industry choked the river's flow, and declining oxygen levels from sewage caused major fish kills. By the 1960s no one wanted to fish or swim in the Kennebec anymore. Brian Graber, who now works as the senior director of river restoration at American Rivers, grew up in Massachusetts and spent his summers in a family cabin outside Augusta. The Kennebec River of his childhood wasn't a place to have a good time or even to live. "I think what struck me the most as a kid was that all the buildings in downtown Augusta were facing away from the river and were either boarded up or just didn't have windows at all along the river," Graber recalls. But things began to gradually improve after the passage of the national Clean Water Act in 1972. The state of Maine spent $100 million on water-treatment facilities between 1972 and 1990 to clean up the river and meet modern environmental laws. Improvements in water quality triggered a new interest in expanding river restoration. The Kennebec wasn't hopeless after all. But one hurdle remained. Thinking Big During the 1980s efforts to improve fish passage at dams and water quality in the river continued. Even though many environmental groups thought dam removal was the best ecological hope for restoring the Kennebec, few believed it was a winnable campaign. "At that time removal of dams was a pretty outlandish concept and most people who we were interacting with did not see us prevailing," says Pete Didisheim, senior director of advocacy at the Natural Resources Council of Maine. The only other talk of dam removal happening then in the United States was across the country on Washington's Elwha River. (The Elwha's two dams wouldn't end up being removed, however, until 2011 and 2014.) In 1991 the owners of the Edwards Dam, Edwards Manufacturing Company, applied for a 50-year renewal license to operate it. The newly formed Kennebec Coalition jumped in to convince the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the agency in charge of the relicensing, to deny that permit. The coalition was made up of the nonprofits American Rivers, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, the Natural Resources Council of Maine, and Trout Unlimited and its Kennebec Valley chapter. "People began to not only imagine what dam removal would do for the benefit of the fish, but also what it would do for the benefit of the town if they had a functioning, free-flowing river running through it," says Andrew Fahlund, currently senior program officer at the Water Foundation, who was working for American Rivers during the push for dam removal. The coalition had a strong argument. The dam produced only 3.5 megawatts of power, providing less than 0.1 percent of Maine's electricity. It employed only a few people and was aging and unsafe, having been breached numerous times. It blocked critical upstream fish habitat, including the migration of endangered sturgeon. And a restored fishery would bring economic as well as ecological benefits profits that could be more widely shared than those of the small company that owned the dam. But taking down a functioning hydroelectric dam for the benefit of fish had never been done before. "Initially the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staff issued their proposal that the dam should be relicensed," says Burrows. "It took our organizations doing a lot of work with some experts to actually demonstrate that the ecological values of removing the dam outweighed the power generation." The coalition produced 7,000 pages of documentation on the impacts of the dam and the economic importance of a restored fishery. At the same time, they worked to educate the public and earned national attention and the support of Maine's governor, Angus King, who said that the removal of the dam would help the Kennebec "reclaim its position as both an economic asset and an ecological miracle." Dam proponents countered that removal would be too expensive and would cause riverbank erosion, bring more downstream floods and lower property values for those along the riverfront. But in 1997, after mounting evidence from the coalition, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission voted to deny license renewal. It ordered that the dam be removed. People campaigning for removal were ecstatic, while dam owners across the country were shocked. This was the first time the commission used its authority to deny a permit against the wishes of a dam owner. And it hasn't been done since. It wasn't just the commission's ruling that was groundbreaking; it was also the first time a dam was coming down on the main stem of a river and not a smaller tributary, which Graber says was a significant achievement. "It was a pivotal moment for us to build a national movement to take out dams," he adds. A crowd gathers on the banks of the Kennebec River of the breaching of Edwards Dam in 1999. NRCM The battle wasn't yet won, though. It took another year for a negotiated settlement to be reached with the dam owner, conservation groups and federal and state agencies that managed to stave off the threat of lengthy lawsuits from Edwards Manufacturing Company. Much of the funding for the removal ended up coming from Bath Iron Works, a downstream shipbuilder that was expanding its operations into prime sturgeon habitat. The company paid into the dam-removal settlement as part of its environmental mitigation. The decision had far-reaching impacts. "The success of this effort would serve as an example of what could be accomplished for other river restoration activists around the nation, thereby contributing to the dramatic growth of dam removal efforts and sheries restoration projects," wrote Crane. A River Reborn The removal of Edwards Dam in July 1999 turned out to be a chance for Augusta to rebuild its relationship to the river. "Like most towns in New England of that era, their backs had been turned to the river for more than 100 years," says Fahlund, who was on the banks that day. He remembers it feeling electric and the atmosphere festive music played, commemorative T-shirts were sold and reporters from around the world showed up. It was also, he says, a day of mixed emotions for some residents. The dam had been a piece of the town's history for more than 160 years, both infrastructure and monument, but part of the campaign to remove it had been to counter the notion that dams are meant to last forever. That echoed beyond the town limits. "Even though it wasn't a huge dam, it had somewhat of a seismic impact on people's thinking about dams that they're not necessarily permanent fixtures in eternity on the landscape," says Didisheim. As soon as the dam came down, the river rebounded. Fish immediately had access to 18 more miles of habitat, up to the town of Waterville at the mouth of the Sebasticook River. Atlantic sturgeon began to swim past the former dam site, and alewife and shad soon returned. Within a year seals could be seen chasing alewives, a type of river herring, 40 miles upstream from the ocean. Alewives returned by the millions after the Edwards and Ft. Halifax dams were removed. John Burrows / ASF And with alewives coming back, so did everything that eats themriver otters, bears, mink, bald eagles, osprey and blue herons. But the best indicator of the ecosystem's recovery was the resurgence of aquatic insects like mayflies and stoneflies, which signaled improved water quality. "They all rebounded and the diversity just skyrocketed," says Fahlund. "And so we knew something great was happening and that it was going to lead to everything we had hoped." Within a few years the river began to meet higher water-quality standards. "The water is now that much healthier because it's no longer sitting still and dead," stated a 2009 editorial in the Kennebec Journal Morning Sentinel. "Instead, it bubbles and spills its way downstream across rediscovered gravel bars and river ledges, collecting and absorbing oxygen as it moves toward the ocean. The river is alive in a way it hasn't been for generations." The benefits spread to the community as well. A park and trails were built along the waterfront. "People are out on the water, mostly paddling a kayak or canoeists," says Graber. "The downtown is starting to make use of the river more. The buildings that have been redeveloped are now using the river as an amenity. The river's really just come back to life both for humans and the ecology." Ripple Effect The success didn't end in Augusta, though. The removal of Edwards Dam ignited efforts to take out the next obstacle up-river, the Fort Halifax Dam on the Sebasticook River in Waterville. After eight years of work that dam was removed in 2008, further extending habitat for native fish. "We have species like sturgeon, striped bass, rainbow smelt and other key sea-run species which now have access to all of their historic habitat in the watershed," says the Atlantic Salmon Federation's Burrows. The breaching of Ft. Halifax Dam on the Sebasticook River. NRCM The removal of both dams, in conjunction with active stocking of alewives into lakes and ponds upriver and in other parts of the watershed, has helped the river herring population rebound dramatically. The number of alewives returning to spawn jumped from 78,000 in 1999 to 5.5 million last year. And the downstream estuary has reaped rewards, too. When those billions of juvenile river herring leave the freshwater lakes and rivers, they head for the sea and may spend between three and five years in the marine environment. There they serve are a food source for everything from cod and haddock to whales and seals. "They are really a kind of keystone ecological species for the Gulf of Maine," says Burrows. The river herring are also a valuable source of bait for commercial lobstermen, who in recent decades have had such a deficit in securing local supplies that they've had to turn to importing bait from southeast Asia, introducing a host of new environmental problems and costs. "We've now got the largest river herring population on the east coast of the United States, maybe even on the entire eastern seaboard of North America, but that population could easily be three, four times what it is now," says Burrows. "And so we're continuing to work on restoring more habitat and we're hoping to see those populations continue to increase." Didisheim says an estimated 27 million alewives have reached spawning habitat since the Ft. Halifax Dam was removed, and none of it would have happened without first removing the Edwards Dam. The Edwards Dam also helped propel a large restoration project a couple hours northeast of Augusta on the Penobscot River. Conservation groups worked with the dam operator on the Penobscot to increase hydropower generation on some other dams and then remove a series of lower dams that opened up more than 1,000 miles of river access for fish, especially critically endangered Atlantic salmon. While that project was being developed, its proponents could point to the Kennebec River restoration as an example of what could be achieved. "The Kennebec River activists and city and state leaders did not have the advantage that later river restoration activists would have namely, the Kennebec River restoration itself as powerful example of how quickly river restoration could work and how successful it could be," wrote Crane. "This is the one reason that the Edwards Dam removal is so important; it showed other communities the process required and how successful it could be." A Movement Grows Dam removals followed outside Maine. When the Edwards Dam was removed, about five dam removals were taking place nationwide each year. Last year it was 80. Since Edwards, more than 1,100 dams have come down. Many of these have been small dams, but there have also been high-profile projects, like the two Elwha River dams that were the largest dam-removal project so far in the world. The removal of the 125-foot-tall Condit Dam in 2011 on the White Salmon River, a tributary of the Columbia River in Washington, was a big step in aiding threatened salmon and steelhead. The Condit was removed because adding modern requirements for fish proved to be uneconomical it was cheaper to remove the dam than build fish passage. Overall there's been a shift in public thinking about dams over the past two decades. "It's not just something that conservationists and environmentalists are advocating for anymore," says Amy Souers Kober, communications director at American Rivers. "Dam removal also makes sense for economic reasons and public safety in a lot of cases." That includes Bloede Dam on the Patapsco River in Maryland, where nine people have drowned, she says. Efforts to remove the dam there began in September. There are also a number of big projects on the horizon, including on the Middle Fork Nooksack River, which Kober says is the number-one salmon-recovery project on the Puget Sound that conservationists hope will help struggling Southern Resident killer whales. And all eyes are on the Klamath River as plans come together to remove four dams in 2021 in what would become the largest dam-removal and river-restoration project in the world. Dam-removal proponents don't think we need to take out all of our dams, and of course we couldn't. The United States has more than 90,000 dams, and many still serve crucial functions. But where dams have been removed, the past two decades have shown the environmental results are unparalleled. "There's no faster or more effective way to bring a river back to life than taking out a dam," says American Rivers' Graber. "That's why we focused on it for 20 years. It's a win for environmental reasons, public safety and a relief from liability for dam owners." Ultimately, dam removals are much bigger than the dams themselves, says Kober. "Dam removals are really stories about people reclaiming their rivers." Those stories started with the Edwards Dam. Reposted with permission from our media associate The Revelator. Climate change is seen as the biggest international threat facing many nations, according to a 26-country survey released by the Pew Research Center on Sunday. Thirteen of the countries surveyed listed global warming as their top security concern. Other major concerns were the Islamic State or ISIS, listed as the top threat by eight countries, cyberattacks, picked by four including the U.S. and Russia's power and influence, which was chosen as the top threat by Poland. "Overall we've seen that general climate concerns and specifically global climate change had been at the top of the list or near the top of the list along with terrorism in the five years in which we've been doing these questions," Pew Research Center Associate Director Jacob Poushter told U.S. News & World Report. However, the number of respondents worried about climate change has risen substantially over the past five years. In 2013, a median of 56 percent of respondents across all 23 countries surveyed that year rated it as a top concern. That number rose to 63 percent in 2017 and 67 percent in 2018. Overall, climate change is seen as the top threat by a median of respondents across all 26 countries surveyed in 2018, closely followed by ISIS. The biggest change in opinion over the past five years was the rise in respondents who listed U.S. power and influence as a major threat. A quarter of 22 nations saw the U.S. as a threat in 2013, but that number rose to 38 percent after President Donald Trump was elected in 2017 and climbed to 45 percent in 2018, two years into his presidency. In 17 countries surveyed, those who have little confidence in the current U.S. president are more likely to list U.S. influence as a threat. The survey did not assess whether Trump's hostility to climate science and decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris agreement contributed to respondents' view of the the U.S. as a global threat. While climate change is a top concern across many nations, the survey did agree with many other recent polls in recording a partisan divide on the issue within individual countries. In the U.S. and Europe, those on the ideological left are more likely to see climate change as a threat than ISIS, while on the right, this is flipped. For example, Republicans in the U.S. are 56 percent less likely to list climate change as a threat than Democrats. Those who support Germany's right wing Alternative for Germany and the UKIP in Great Britain are 28 percent and 22 percent less likely to see climate change as a threat, respectively, compared to those who don't. On a country-by-country basis, climate change was seen as a major threat by 90 percent of respondents in Greece, 83 percent in France and 80 percent in Mexico. However, ISIS actually beat climate change as France's top threat, with 87 percent of respondents listing it. All three Latin American countries surveyed listed climate change as their top concern, whereas six out of 10 European countries surveyed picked it as the number one threat. The survey was conducted between May 14 and Aug. 12, 2018 and had 27,612 respondents. Under mounting public pressure, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may finally set a national limit on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl compounds, or PFAS, concentrations in drinking water. "A decision is expected soon," the Associated Press reported Monday. PFAS are a class of man-made chemicals found in a wide range of products, from non-stick cookware to firefighting foam. The remarkably persistent compounds have been found in military bases and in many species of wildlife around the world. A Harvard 2016 study found that 6 million Americans get drinking water from sources that exceed current EPA guidelines for the chemicals. In June, an agency under the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a damning toxicology report for PFAS, and concluded that the chemicals pose a greater risk to human health than previously thought. For one chemical, it recommends exposure limits 10 times lower than those currently set by the EPA and for another it recommends exposure limits seven times lower, according to ProPublica. The study linked PFAS to health issues such as cancer, liver disease, fertility problems, thyroid issues and asthma. Even extremely low, daily doses of the substances showed an adverse impact on lab animals. Incidentally, officials with the White House and EPA tried to suppress the CDC report after a Trump administration aide warned that a "potential public relations nightmare" would ensue after the report's release, according to emails reported by POLITICO. In community hearings around the country, residents have offered sometimes tragic testimonies of living in cancer clusters or raising children with chronic illness and urging rapid government action. A significant federal regulation on PFAS will help stop pollution and hold polluters liable for its cleanup, they say. Setting nationwide limits for PFAS in drinking water has bipartisan support. Members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, including ranking member Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Sen. Shelley Moore-Capito (R-WV), pushed acting EPA head Andrew Wheeler to take action at a hearing last month, Ohio's WFPL reported. Wheeler said the recent partial government shutdown delayed the agency's PFAS management plan. "Our PFAS management plan we were hoping to unveil it next week with the shutdown it's going to be delayed slightly," he told the committee, according to WFPL. "It's in the middle of inter-agency review." As it happens, POLITICO reported earlier this month that David Dunlap, a deputy in the EPA's Office of Research and Development, who worked for chemical giant Koch Industries for more than eight years, has played a lead role in crafting the Trump administration's plan to address the nation's PFAS contamination crisis. Although Koch told POLITICO that the chemicals were involved with his work during his tenure with the Koch conglomerate, environmentalists are wary. "This is truly the fox guarding the henhouse, as Koch Industry's Georgia Pacific is still engaged in manufacturing products with these chemicals," Wenonah Hauter, the executive director of Food & Water Watch, told EcoWatch in a statement. "We have zero confidence that this will shake out well for people affected by these and other dangerous chemicals. Day in and day out, the Trump administration is shaping up to be an enterprise bought and paid for by industry at the expense of our public health." Without a nationwide standard, states such as New Jersey and Vermont have already set regulations more stringent than the EPA, and New Hampshire and New York will likely follow, the AP noted. Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Washington state and Michigan have also made various efforts to monitor, treat and or even ban the chemicals for certain uses, according to the AP. Meanwhile, a bipartisan bill was introduced in the House last month to list PFAS chemicals as hazardous substances, thus allowing the EPA to clean contaminated sites under the Superfund program, according to MLive. An estimated 500,000 are feared dead after historic floods inundated Queensland, Australia, according to News.com.au, citing the state's cattle industry. Financial losses are estimated at $300 million Australian dollars (about $212 million U.S.). Days of "unprecedented" rainfall earlier this month led to widespread flooding across the state, causing power outages, damaging roads and buildings and prompting evacuations, according to AccuWeather. Some areas, the Guardian noted, received three years' worth of rain in about a week. Tragically, farmers in northwest Queensland initially welcomed the rains, as the region had suffered years of back-to-back drought, according to Michael Guerin, the CEO of Queenlands agricultural body AgForce. "The loss of hundreds of thousands of cattle after five, six, seven years of drought, is a debilitating blow not just to individual farmers, many of whom have lost literally everything, but to rural communities," he said in a press release. Guerin said the cattle industry could take decades to recover after the entire herds of cattle were wiped out from the extreme weather. "There is no doubt that this is a disaster of unprecedented proportion," he said. He urged governments of all levels and other agencies to help the farmers with recovery efforts. Local farmers expressed heartbreak at the sheer scale of destruction caused by the floods, not just for cattle but to other native wildlife and to infrastructure. "As we begin to access our paddocks we are being confronted with death and devastation at every turn," Kate Hunter, who works at the Gipsy Plains Brahmans farm, wrote in a widely shared Facebook post. "There are kangaroos dead in trees and fences, birds drowned in drifts of silt and debris and our beloved bovine family lay perished in piles where they have been huddling for protection and warmth. This scene is mirrored across the entire region, it is absolutely soul destroying to think our animals suffered like this." "The true scale of destruction this disaster has left in its wake we are only just beginning to discover," she continued. "The sheer amount of water that engulfed the region has demolished fences, exposed pipelines, destroyed water infrastructure, created huge gullies that were once only small seasonal streams, turned roads into rivers and completely washed dam banks away." Hunter wrote that graziers around the district are "working tirelessly" to save all the animals they can and also to humanely euthanize the ones that are "sadly beyond saving." "This is an absolutely gut wrenching time for all of us out here, these cattle are not just our source of income, firstly they are our family and for many of us our life's passion," she continued. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Monday that the federal government will provide an immediate non-gratia payment of $1 million to each of the affected Queensland shires. "This payment will be for them to use on priorities they deem most urgentwhether that be rate relief for impacted properties, infrastructure, or the disposal of cattle which have perished," he said, as quoted by the Australian Associated Press. 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Close More Deals. Our full-service marketing programs deliver sales-ready leads. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee! Learn more. Apple on Monday suspended its Group FaceTime application following reports that a bug in the software allowed callers to eavesdrop on the people they were calling. The flaw let a person making a FaceTime call listen through the phone of the person called before the call was accepted or rejected. It also allowed access to the front-facing camera in an iPhone, both 9 to 5 Mac and BuzzFeed reported. After making a FaceTime call from an iPhone X to an iPhone 8, a user could hear audio from the iPhone 8 before any action was taken on the call, BuzzFeed explained. Then, when the volume down button was pressed, video streaming from the front-facing camera could be seen on the iPhone X, even though the call on the iPhone 8 hadn't been acted upon. A user could activate video functionality from a called phone by pressing the power button from the lock screen, 9 to 5 Mac reported. The eavesdropping bug didn't seem to work on phones in "Do Not Disturb" mode, BuzzFeed noted. Serious Issue Although Apple acted quickly once news of the bug went viral, the flaw is a grave one. "The bug is serious, but thankfully Apple was in a position to mitigate it by forcing the feature to be inoperable on their server-side end," said Will Strafach, president of the Sudo Security Group, an iOS security company in Greenwich, Connecticut. "I don't see a long-term impact, since Apple has now disabled the functionality and is quickly pushing an update," he told TechNewsWorld, "but I am sure this will be joked about for some time, similar to the 'goto fail' bug a few years ago." What makes the bug so serious is that it allows any user to be spied on without their knowledge, said Mike Murray, chief security officer for Lookout, a San Francisco maker of mobile security products. "All software has bugs and every company makes mistakes. What impacts a company's reputation in the long term is their ability to respond to these issues," he told TechNewsWorld. "Apple has already published an initial mitigation and rumors have a patch being released in short order," Murray continued. "This is what should be expected from a company that takes user privacy and security seriously." Sky Not Falling Not everyone is wringing their hands over the "fly on the wall" bug. "According to the rest of the world, the sky is falling right now," observed Tyler Reguly, manager of security R&D at Portland, Oregon-based Tripwire, a cybersecurity threat detection and prevention company. "This FaceTime bug is the most critical defect we've ever encountered if social media is to be believed. I'm not sure I buy into that," he told TechNewsWorld. "Is this bug a really stupid mistake and evidence that maybe Apple doesn't put as much thought into features as they should? Definitely," Reguly continued. "As a colleague put it, 'How do you design a communication protocol such that it allowed communication before the connection is established?" he wondered. "There is no doubt that Apple has some egg on their face over this one," Reguly said. "The simple fact is that stupid bugs exist everywhere because code is written by people, and people make mistakes and bad choices. It would be nice if we lived in an infallible society, but we don't." Twitterverse Speaks The FaceTime bug became a source of levity on Twitter. "I am not responsible for #FaceTime's bug. Although, I do intend to take full advantage of it," wrote @immortalhuey. Another user imagined what the bug could do for family relations. "I love this #facetime bug," wrote @Pornhub. "Imma call you and spy on you while you ignore me....MOM." @Taylorownsme13 added this tongue-in-cheek comment to the bug feed: "So are you telling me that my friends will hear me talk about how much I hate them and how their calls annoy me before I answer and be a fake bitch?" Other denizens of the twittersphere, though, had more serious thoughts about Apple's snafu. "So everyone freaks out over this #FaceTime bug that basically let's anyone turn your phone into a listening device, BUT nobody gives a fuck that the Government does this to almost ALL 'smart' devices as a matter of course," declared @Socal_crypto. "Never wanted iPhone. After this never will," added @theBeganovich. Delayed Reaction? Twitter is also where questions about Apple's responsiveness to bug reports have been raised. "It has been alleged that this bug was reported days ago," Sudo's Strafach explained. "My hope is that this will be a teachable moment on how their bug report triage processes can be improved in order to get reports to the right people more quickly," he said. "I believe this bug serves as a reminder that mobile phones may be powerful tools these days, but they are created by humans who can make mistakes sometimes," Strafach added. "I think a lot of people already understand that, but incidents such as this bug serve as a visceral reminder which can be easily understood." Pocket Protection While access to Group FaceTime has been suspended, Lookout's Murray still recommends disabling the application until Apple provides a more permanent fix to the problem. "More important than this single issue is to remember that the phone in our pocket is a powerful computer with access to all of your private life, and it should be protected like it," he cautioned. "Many mobile malware families have the ability to listen in through the microphone, just like this Apple bug," Murray added. "A vulnerability like this reminds us how easily phones can be used to steal personal information. The malware authors and nation-state attackers already know that." The FaceTime bug illustrates that even the most diligent companies can falter from time to time, noted George Gerchow, CSO of Redwood City, California-based Sumo Logic, an analytics company focusing on security, operations and business information. "Even though Apple has gone through great strides to protect their users' information," he told TechNewsWorld, "this latest bug is yet another reinforcement that privacy continues to remain a major concern, regardless of your company's size or security and privacy investments." John P. Mello Jr. has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, IT issues, privacy, e-commerce, social media, artificial intelligence, big data and consumer electronics. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including the Boston Business Journal, the Boston Phoenix, Megapixel.Net and Government Security News. Email John. A Brand's Guide to Digital Shelf Analytics | eBook What can you do to improve your digital commerce game? The first rule of the digital shelf is to make sure your products can be found. Some might say its mission impossible. Unless, of course, you use digital shelf analytics (DSA). Get the eBook Today! A new year means a fresh start, but it doesn't mean that old threats will go away. In fact, in the world of cybersecurity things could get far worse before they get better. Cybercrime continues to increase, as it allows nefarious actors to operate at a safe distance from victims -- and more importantly, law enforcement. Because it rarely is violent in nature, cybercrime often doesn't get the same response from international law enforcement as other types of crimes. It is far from victimless, however. It is a threat of enormous magnitude, with the potential to affect nearly every company in the world. It even ranks as one of the biggest problems plaguing mankind. On a global basis, cybercrime will cost US$6 trillion annually by 2021, double the toll of 2015, according to the Official 2019 Annual Cybercrime Report from Cybersecurity Ventures. This is the largest amount of money generated by illicit means, and it could represent the greatest transfer of economic wealth in history. Cybercrime soon will be more profitable than the global trade of all major illegal drugs combined! Cybercrime is not one thing. It is many -- and fighting it requires understanding the various shapes it comes in. Following is a look at the various types of cybercrime, and things that can be done to fight it. Phishers Continue to Cast Their Lines One of the original cybersecurity threats hardly has evolved, but it is unlikely to go away anytime soon. "Phishing will always continue as long as it works," warned Satya Gupta, CTO of Virsec, a developer of data security software. In 2019 we can "expect it to become more targeted and specific to organizations," he told the E-Commerce Times. "Phishing is here to stay because it's simple, it's cheap, and it will work as long as people continue to read their emails," noted Matan Or-El, CEO of Panorays, a provider of third-party security management. "Users should be on guard against downloading applications from untrusted sources," warned Will LaSala, director of security solutions at OneSpan. "Phishing remains an easy mechanism to harvest logins and email addresses and potentially passwords, and users should continue to adopt multifactor authentication for all their accounts to help protect against phishing attacks," he told the E-Commerce Times. This is among the biggest cybersecurity threats, but it also could be one of the easiest to stop, as it relies on human error to work. It is typically just social engineering, rather than complex coding. "Companies should train their employees on the risks of phishing attacks and how to avoid them," said Mike Bittner, digital security and operations manager for The Media Trust, a firm that provides real-time security for digital properties. "This type of training should be part of creating a culture that makes cybersecurity a strategic imperative across the organization," he told the E-Commerce Times. Ransomware on the Rise Tied closely to phishing scams is the growing threat of ransomware, which can lock a user, or even an organization, out of a computer or network. Even more concerning, it may not be just computer systems or networks that are at risk. "Ransomware isn't going away; in fact, we will probably see even more of it targeting consumers in 2019," said Hank Thomas, CEO of Strategic Cyber Ventures. "This will be ransomware at scale, targeting a wider swath of middle class Americans that are equally eager to make the problem go away with a quick payment as corporate America was," he told the E-Commerce Times. Corporate targets likely will remain in the crosshairs of those who find this an effective illicit business strategy, and due diligence may not be enough to stop all the threats. "Healthcare remains, by far, the No. 1 target for ransomware, with more than half of all attacks targeting healthcare directly," warned Pravin Kothari, CEO of cloud security software company CipherCloud. "Ransomware will also continue as long as there are underprotected systems with data that hasn't been adequately backed up," said Virsec's Gupta. "However,ransomware threats are increasingly being used as red herrings to distract from other types of attacks on critical infrastructure," he added. The greatest danger of ransomware, once again, isn't that it will block user access to data, but that it could make the leap to any connected device -- from automobiles to smart homes. The Internet of Things has opened a brave new world for hackers to lock users out of! "Businesses need to begin to secure their IoT mobile and Web applications with the same controls that are being deployed for other markets, like multifactor user authentication, and application shielding and secure user onboarding," said OneSpan's LaSala. So far that hasn't happened, and many users may not expect that their cars, thermostats and doorbells need the same level of security as their PCs. "People have already been affected by IoT and automobile exploits, but so far there isn't big money to be had from it, so the scale of this activity remains small," noted Jim Purtilo, associate professor in the computer science department at the University of Maryland. "We'll see just how weak are IoT protections, just as soon as it is in the interests of an aggressor to trigger chaos," he told the E-Commerce Times. Here is where healthcare could face a one-two punch. "In the case of healthcare, many medical devices are also IoT devices," CipherCloud's Kothari told the E-Commerce Times. "They have closed operating systems, proprietary code, and wireless connectivity," he added. "These devices are essential to healthcare operation and are likely to be targeted as the cyberwar on hospitals escalates." Protecting the Cloud The movement of more and more data off site to cloud-based services could direct cybercriminals to the cloud as well. Because their data is off site, many businesses wrongly may assume that it is secure, but that faith may be unwarranted. Choosing a cloud provider should come down to the level of security it provides, and its track record in keeping data secure. "The cloud is really more like a swamp of data, and it's not this idealistic place of security rainbows and data unicorns," warned Strategic Cyber Ventures' Thomas. "Nobody really wants to trudge through it, but you know it's where the best treasure probably is," he added. "So it just might be worth it to spend a lot more time there, since the security is often really just a bunch of annoying mud, mosquitoes and thorns that are more of a nuisance than real security." The question now is whether enough really is being done to keep data secure. The cloud holds treasures comparable to those of Fort Knox, but in many cases it lacks the same level of security. "Effective cloud security requires strong protection at the application layer, particularly with externally facing Web, mobile and API application assets," suggested Franklyn Jones, CMO at Cequence Security, a venture-backed cybersecurity software company. "These are prime targets for the growing number of automated bot attacks," he told the E-Commerce Times. "These attacks are nearly impossible to detect with traditional security tools because they involve the use of legitimate user names and passwords, not malware or APTs," Jones added. "Therefore, cloud security architectures need to include tools that can detect the underlying behavior and intent of application transactions, which is essential to stop malicious automated bots." The Rising Threat of Digital Ad Fraud One of the lesser-known types of cybercrime is one few people know much about, but one that affects more and more people each year. Digital ad fraud makes it difficult for online content publishers to generate revenue. Advertisers lose an estimated $19 billion to fraudulent activities each year -- equivalent to $51 million daily -- according to a report from Juniper Research published last year. More worrisome is the forecast that ad fraud could reach $44 billion by 2022. The bulk of fraudulent ads affect video, but all content providers online, including newspaper publishers, are potential victims of ad fraud. This has reached a point where law enforcement is taking it seriously. The Department of Justice last year announced a 13-count indictment against eight men for various cybercrimes, including what the FBI identified as the biggest-ever ad fraud investigation. The group, which has been dubbed "3ve" (pronounced "eve"), included six Russian nationals and two Kazakhstani citizens. "In digital advertising, the most common scams take the form of malicious or hijacked ads redirecting Internet users to phishing pop-ups that enable bad actors to commit identity and credit card theft," said The Media Trust's Bittner. "In such attacks, bad actors pose as legitimate advertisers and use a compromised site to propagate phishing scams," he said. "All organizations are vulnerable to these attacks, which can have multiple phases as the first attack opens up the organization to later ones." The (Crypto) Currency of Cybercrime It is now probably safe to say that 2018 didn't exactly become the year of cryptocurrency -- at least to the degree many had suggested. However, it was the year that cryptocurrency became a key tool in many ransomeware schemes -- including the threats that personal data would be released online unless the hacker was paid. That particular threat turned out to be bogus, but it highlighted the fact that bitcoin and other digital currencies could offer a less-traceable way for criminals to be paid -- at least in theory. "Cryptocurrencies remain the exchange mechanism of choice for cybercriminals who need whatever direction they can get while fleecing victims," suggested University of Maryland's Purtilo. However, bitcoin and its rival digital currencies aren't the perfect solution for cybercriminals -- at least not yet. "Rampant use of cryptocurrencies for illicit use is a glaring misconception," explained Strategic Cyber Ventures' Thomas. "Bitcoin, the most widely used and secure cryptocurrency, is pseudonymous and easily traceable -- making cash a much more logical choice for many criminals," he added. "Other more privacy-centric cryptocurrencies do exist and can be used for these purposes. However, privacy is never entirely rid of traceability, and attribution is often inevitable." There are other reasons cybercriminals may shy away from bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. "Many of these are faced with illiquid markets, making cashing out to fiat currency incredibly difficult and costly," said Thomas. The bigger threat in cryptocurrency might not be in how it is used, but rather how it is created -- as in "mined." Bitcoin and other currencies are created by having computers solve complex mathematical equations, and this is dubbed "mining." Criminals often remotely control computers or computer networks to take on some of the computer processing. This ties to other nefarious threats, such as phishing or ad fraud, in which users are directed to an illicit website that runs Javascript on a webpage that then turns a user computer into a remote miner. "Cryptojacking attacks played a very major role in cybersecurity last year," said The Media Trust's Bittner. "Cryptojacking has surpassed ransomware as a pervasive digital threat in many countries. Although cryptocurrency has failed to reach the critical mass many had earlier predicted, malicious actors will continue to use cryptojacking for its stealth and relative ease," he warned. "The fact that cryptojacking requires no interaction with the unknowing victim makes attacks easier to deliver and possible to repeat," Bittner said. "Cybercriminals may draw from the well again and again." The Next Thing in Cybercrime A pressing concern with cybercrime and cybersecurity is not what criminals are involved with today, but what they might target tomorrow and beyond. "The scams I would worry about the most are the ones the good guys haven't dreamt up and prepared for yet," said Thomas. "The scenarios are essentially limitless, with the number of criminals and intelligence services around the world constantly looking to gain access to Western enterprises and users," he added. "Consumers -- average-Joe Americans without much of any real security -- will remain most vulnerable, but aren't the biggest target," noted Thomas. "Lucrative business and government targets will keep that honor in 2019. Phishing will continue to be a popular and efficient avenue of approach to gain entry to both consumer and business targets." It appears that what works today, sadly, will continue to work for cybercriminals as 2019 unfolds. Peter Suciu has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2012. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, mobile phones, displays, streaming media, pay TV and autonomous vehicles. He has written and edited for numerous publications and websites, including Newsweek, Wired and FoxNews.com. Email Peter. If an airline treated one dog the way this administration treated thousands of kids, it would be wiped off the face of the earth. A member of the Trump Administration has now admitted under oath to Congress that when this president ordered children to be taken from their parents at the border, there was no system set up to track the children. Clearly, there was no plan or intention to return them. And that lack of a plan is now being used as justification for making these kidnappings permanent: BREAKING: Tonight the Trump administration filed documents that dont dispute the recent report that there may have been thousands more separated kids. Theyre arguing it would take too long to figure out where those kids are because they have no tracking system. ACLU (@ACLU) February 2, 2019 This intentional orphaning be attributed to cruelty, incompetence, or as is usually the case in this administration both cruelty and incompetence instrumentalized for a crypto-fascist agenda. But what is clear is that Donald Trumps Nazi-like propaganda campaign against immigrants that began in 2015 after a lifetime of depending on undocumented labor has resulted in mass trauma to children that will last at least through the rest of this century. And if an airline treated even one dog the way this administration treated thousands of kids, the backlash would wipe it off the face of the earth. Instead, not even one elected Republican quit the party. There was a moment when the outrage of a nation almost matched the depravity of these atrocities, thanks to the excellent work of reporters like Jacob Soboroff. Trump was forced to publicly back off family separation in public, while refusing to comply with court orders to reunite families in the background. And he knew wed move on to the next outrage. Since then, Trump has continued his obviously racist smears against immigrants for a simple reason racism is what he has to offer his base. If Trumps base actually cared about undocumented immigration, reports that he employed scores of undocumented immigrants for years possibly even as he shut down the government over undocumented immigration twice would piss them off at least as much as someone speaking Spanish at a Macys. If youre running giving a massive platform to parents who blame the deaths of their children on undocumented immigrants while employing undocumented immigrants to care for you and your guests proves youre at the very least an amoral monster. But Trumps followers dont care if Trump got rich off of undocumented immigrants as long as they never doubt his support of white supremacy. And with him joking about the genocide of Native Americas, why would they? The rights tolerance for Trumps personal exploitation of the undocumented seems hypocritical but its perfectly in line with how America treats undocumented immigrants. The immigrants risk everything, could see their lives destroyed in minutes imprisoned indefinitely or sent back to a land theyve never known or where they can never survive. And the employers may get a fine. So what do we have to fight back with against Trumps propaganda? Fact checks have the bizarre effect of normalizing these racist lies. Because once you take these slurs seriously, youre automatically inviting in a frame of racism. We scream, The border is actually safe, safer than ever and they want the wall less than anyone! And all weve done is shift the conversation to the one Trump wants to have that smears immigrants just by how the discussion is framed. Thus only talk about an invented scare and not the immense benefits of immigrants, though not all are perfect some do terrible things like work without a visa and then marry Donald Trump. I struggle to put the horribleness of what Trump is doing in context and why it works. But think about this: Imagine trying to fact check Hitlers smears about the Jews. Or if you dont like invoking a genocide, imagine a presidential candidate starts saying that the great mass of gun deaths in America were caused by Christianity. I mean, look at the numbers. Most of those crimes were committed by Christians. Most of the people who commit suicide by firearm? Christians! Would the media treat this claim seriously, even though its likely far more statistically correct than Trumps claims about immigrants? Hell, no. The candidate would be blasted as a bigot by the media left, right and center. Because this is how power works in America. It gets to decide who frames the debate and who gets to lie. Trumps endless Nazi-like smears seem to have no precedent in recent history but theyre similar in function to the lies that led to the Iraq War and that have smeared African-Americans as the source of Americas drug problems. That doesnt excuse Trump, of course. But his obvious hypocrisy does provide an opportunity to point out that racism as practiced by the powerful isnt about just rage or hate: Its strategic. Trump loves to divide us with racism. He also loves cheap labor. Thats what makes him a Republican. How we respond to this propaganda that hijacks our debate when we should be focused on the inequality, climate crisis and organized corruption that made Trump possible expose the lie at the heart of these attacks. The right may not care when immigrants kids are stolen from their parents with no plan to return them. They may love the smears that justify this behavior and get a sick thrill knowing its based on a lie that even Trump believes. And they may think this kind of caprice will never happen to them. But this is how radical evil spreads. When all life is disposable, everyone can get burned. [Image by ajay_suresh] Where are the best places to shop? Who gives the best haircut? Who cooks the best burger? Join our readers in selecting the "Best of Windham." Make your picks! Readers Survey As our valued readers, we want to hear from you. Please take a moment to fill out the survey below. - Thank you, Eastern Arizona Courier Click Here Entrepreneurs Mario Hasanakos and Alex Badran have revolutionised the piggy bank with Spriggy, a banking app for families to encourage children to turn pocket money into practical life lessons. Since its launch in November 2016, Spriggy has welcomed more than 200,000 members to its Spriggy family. The app provides children with a digital piggy bank, which is managed by their parents. Children receive their own app and a prepaid card giving them the opportunity to learn about managing personal finances. Mario and Alex were both working in the finance industry when their paths crossed and their ideas aligned the idea of building a better kind of bank from the ground up. We were always inspired by the idea that technology could help people be self-sufficient and better off. Our collective experiences within technology, finance and academia triggered a fascination with the intersection of technology, finance and education. A product that helped improve the issues we saw in finance was appealing, particularly when we had both seen the way the financial services actually operated. From this simple idea, Spriggy was born and is revolutionising the way Australian families do their banking, as well as providing a learning experience and encouraging children to become money smart in the future. Dynamic Business had a chat with Alex and Mario about being named in the Top10; lessons learnt on their entrepreneurial journey and what is new and exciting about Spriggy. How does it feel to be named one of Dynamic Businesss Top10 Entrepreneurs? For both of us, to be named jointly as Dynamic Business Top10 Entrepreneurs is a great feeling! Its especially gratifying, because its a testament to the hard work of the entire Spriggy team. They bring so much passion and commitment to the work they do every day. Were lucky to work with such a talented and supportive team and they have played such a huge part in the success that the Spriggy business has enjoyed so far. Its great to see that recognised. What are the top three lessons youve learnt so far? 1: Surround yourself with good people that you trust and form a talented team individuals dont build great businesses, great teams build great businesses. Trust is the foundation for open and honest communication its important to have people around you that are genuine and to protect these relationships by treating them well. 2: Keep showing up and keep moving forward. Things never go smoothly or to plan, especially when you first start out. There are always highs and lows along the way and mistakes are going to happen it comes with trying to do something new and moving fast. Even on the hardest days, just keep at it and keep learning. 3: Have a purpose and follow through on your word. Weve had to get pretty creative to build the service we offer, while staying independent and true to our purpose of helping families. Sharing this really strong purpose has built trust with our members, team and investors making Spriggy what it is today. What is new and exciting about Spriggy? We recently celebrated our 200,000th member joining Spriggy and we have around 1,000 new members joining each day there are no signs of this slowing down. Our focus for the next 12 months at Spriggy is to continue to invest heavily in product and growth. Weve got a lot of really exciting new product features coming and thats a big focus for us in the next year. Were planning on extending the financial controls available to parents and to continue to deepen engagement beyond parents and kids, to the entire family group. All families are unique, and we are developing a range of solutions to meet the varied goals they have beyond pocket money. Most importantly, were showing that the next generation of Australians that they can develop great money habits without needing to deal directly with a bank. Its a revolution that is tremendously exciting and we are proud to be one of the few startups spearheading innovation in this space. What are you currently up to in your business? Were only just getting started with Spriggy! It feels like we went from our first family to over 200,000 members overnight, but its really just the start of our journey. Spriggys families are our biggest fans they are highly engaged and very vocal in providing feedback, which helps inform us in building the things they need and spread the word for us across the country. Spriggy has experienced phenomenal growth over the last quarter, which has required the entire team to be all-hands on deck. In response to this strong growth, we have decided to accelerate our capital plans and will be raising our Series A round early this year. ADA [ndash] Wanda Lee Brewer, 91, of Ada, Oklahoma passed away Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Ada. Services for Wanda will be held Thursday, June 17, 2021, at 10 a.m. at the Estes-Phillips Funeral Home Chapel, with Bro. Roger Arter officiating. Interment will follow at New Bethel Cemetery. For up Discuss this article with your neighbors or join the community conversation. Click here to get access Four months after it landed, Hurricane Michael is causing Houston County Road and Bridge Department officials to potentially spend $370,000 they had not planned to. A fuel line ruptured on one of the countys five excavators Wednesday while an operator worked in a debris pit, causing the excavator to burn up, chief county engineer Barkley Kirkland told the Houston County Commission Thursday. Despite the best efforts of the county employee and the Ashford Volunteer Fire Department, the fire spread quickly, destroying the 2009 model excavator. No one was injured in the incident, but given the importance of excavators to the Houston County Road and Bridge Department, Kirkland has requested to spend some of his budget on a replacement. They are the backbone of our department, he said, adding that it has been quite some time since the department has experienced an incident that claimed a piece of heavy machinery. The operator was using the excavator to gather some debris for a controlled burn in the debris pit, but the fuel line ruptured while the excavator worked away from the fire. A Marianna, Florida man is charged in connection to a Jan. 8 burglary in the 300 block of Mona Drive, and a separate crime of unlawfully breaking and entering a vehicle in the 100 block of South Edgewood Drive in December 2018. On Jan. 8, Trice allegedly approached a residence located in the 300 block of Mona Drive, knocked on the door and as the victim opened the door, Trice was armed with a firearm, Dothan Police Lt. Lynn Watkins said. A tussle began between the victim and Trice, and Trice struck the victim in the jaw area with the firearm. An unknown white male wearing a hoodie entered the home searching for items to steal. Both Trice and the unknown suspect left the residence without any items. BLOUNTSTOWN, Florida The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) arrested a Blountstown police officer, Thursday, Feb. 7, on sex crimes involving minors. Officer Christian Rashad Smith, 30, charged with unlawful sexual activity with certain minors and contributing to the delinquency of a child. According to FDLE, an investigation began after the state agency received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Smith was having inappropriate conversations with a 16-year-old female on social media. During the investigation, it was determined Smith had multiple sexual conversations on different social media platforms with the child and also engaged in sexual activity with the child. Blountstown Police Chief Mark Mallory said the allegations against Smith do not reflect the character and standards that the department has for its employees. Not only does this violate the publics trust, but the trust that I place in the officers of this agency, said Mallory. I am committed to transparency and to policing our own personnel. Upon notification of the allegations made against Sgt. Smith, this agency began working with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on this matter. Xem them ... Tin bai cuoi cung Khong con du lieu e load Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr. Seamus ODomhnaill has today welcomed the launch of the SIRO Fibre to the premises broadband roll-out for Donegal Town, Ballyshannon, Bundoran, Ballybofey/Stranorlar and Buncrana, describing it as a very good news story for County Donegal. He said: The announcement, which will see a further 14,000 premises passed throughout County Donegal in addition to the 11,000 premises already passed by SIRO in Letterkenny, marks an important milestone in Donegal County Councils journey over the last 20 years." Following the closure of the Fruit of the Loom and the loss of thousands of jobs in the Donegal textile industry in the late 90s, an Employment Task Force Report established amongst other things, the poor state of telecommunications services in County Donegal. Minister for Education Joe McHugh, TD with Stephen O'Connor (SIRO's Director of Corporate Affairs), Cllr Seamus O'Domhnaill, Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council and Cllr Martin Farren (Cathaoirleach Inishowen Municipal District) at the announcement Picture: North West Newspix Donegal County Council has worked with Government, Telecommunications Service Providers, the EU and others to encourage investment in the provision of high speed resilient backhaul and end user telecommunications services. In addition, the Council applied substantial own resource funding to a range of telecommunications initiatives including the Metropolitan Area Network development, and community based wireless broadband services serving rural areas. Cllr. ODomhnaill said: Those years of effort are now paying significant dividends. Letterkenny has developed a very substantial digital cluster supported strongly by high speed telecommunications services, including direct connectivity to North America. Now the sixth largest FINTECH cluster in Ireland, our objective is to grow the Letterkenny cluster even further but also to extend it out to other parts of the County. Our view as a Council is that the provision of open access, fibre to the premises, resilient telecommunications networks is the best way to provide high speed broadband services to businesses and citizens countywide. Todays SIRO announcement will see a further 14,000 premises passed throughout County Donegal in addition to the 11,000 premises already passed by SIRO in Letterkenny. When these figures are added to the Eir rural fibre project passing 25,000 premises in the county, it is clear that deployment of Gigabit speed broadband in Donegal is progressing very rapidly. Cllr. Martin Farren Chair of Inishowen MD also welcomed this announcement and was particularly pleased that the announcement was made in Buncrana in Inishowen: This is a very important announcement not just for Buncrana but for the entire county. The importance of high speed broadband cannot be overstated in todays world and the Digital agenda is especially important for Donegal in terms of job creation and business development and I wish SIRO every success in the roll out of this infrastructure. In addition to prioritising high speed broadband roll-out, Donegal County Council is leading out on the implementation of a Digital Strategy for County Donegal. Brian Boyle, Head of Information Services with the Council said: Donegal Digital is a unique Inter- Agency project led by the Council with active engagement from Enterprise Ireland, the IDA, Udaras naGaeltachta, Failte Ireland, Letterkenny Institute of Technology and Pramerica. Strongly supported by ERNACT, Donegal Digital is promoting a range of ICT & digital initiatives to drive innovation, economic development and job creation in the county. Brian Boyle added: One project of note is the creation of a network of Digital Innovation Hubs county-wide, including a very substantial facility on the site of the former Town Council offices in Buncrana. The Inishowen Innovation Hub is of strategic importance to the entire Inishowen peninsula as it will provide a range of innovation, technology transfer and digital enterprise support services to potential start-ups, and existing businesses in the region and it is expected that construction of this new hub will start in the coming months. Another Donegal Digital initiative is the provision of public Wifi and work is underway on planning the deployment of free public WiFi services throughout Donegal following the recent announcement under the Wifi4EU Scheme at the end of last year. The Donegal Digital programme has been recognised by the Department of Rural and Community Development with the approval of two funding proposals under the Digital Innovation Programme. The first project is designed to address a mobile phone blackspot at Malinbeg in south west Donegal, whilst the most recently funded project seeks to establish a trial Internet Of Things network which will allow the council to monitor river levels, air quality, road temperatures and so forth, using specialist sensors. Cllr ODomhnaill added: None of these initiatives can happen without high speed broadband, and in that context, I want to thank the team at SIRO for their investment in and commitment to Donegal and we will continue to work with them to hopefully carve out other potential projects downstream as we strive to implement our Donegal Digital vision for the future. Mukesh Ambani is top Indian philanthropist with Rs437-cr donation Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, the richest Indian, is also the top philanthropist in the country by the amount of money donated for social causes, even as the number of people becoming millionaires is increasing every day across the country. The number of people becoming millionaires is increasing every day across the country. In the Income-tax Assessment Year 2017-18, as many as 61 individuals declared an annual income of over Rs100 crore, according to the latest Hurun India list. "Hurun Indian Philanthropy List 2018 prepared by the Hurun Research Institute says that as many as 39 Indians donated Rs10 crore or more between 1 October 2017 and 30 September 2018. The number has increased by 12 from the last year. Mukesh Ambani donated Rs437 crore in the same period, while Ajay Piramal of Piramal Group was distant second with Rs200-crore donation, in the list of top 10 philanthropists. Manju D Gupta and family is the only woman philanthropist among the top 10 in the list. The Hurun India Philanthropy List 2018 included 22 self-made and 17 inherited entrepreneurs. Ambani made donations mainly towards education, rural development and healthcare. Piramal also donated towards education and healthcare. Education received 30 per cent of the donations, while healthcare received a mere 1 per cent of the total estimated donations of Rs1,560 crore during the year. Average donation per philanthropist stood at Rs40 crore. The philanthropic landscape of India is changing and evolving because of the active participation and contribution of the top Indian entrepreneurs. Some of the most amazing global wealth creation stories of this century will be from India. Consequently, in the next 5-10 years, I expect to see an exponential increase in active philanthropy emanating from India, Anas Rahman Junaid, managing director and chief researcher, Hurun Report India, said while releasing the report. Assam to be an oil & gas hub as Modi pushes energy security Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday laid the foundation stone for North East Gas Grid in Guwahati. As part of a visit to North-eastern states of Arunachal, Assam and Tripura, he also unveiled several other development projects in the state. The oil and gas pipeline project is being implemented by five public sector oil companies - Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), ONGC, GAIL, Oil India Limited and Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL),at an estimated cost of Rs6,000 crore. He said the North East Gas Grid will ensure uninterrupted availability of natural gas across the region and boost industrial growth in the region. He inaugurated Hollong Modular Gas Processing Plant in Tinsukia, which will deliver 15 per cent of the total gas produced in Assam. The prime minister also inaugurated LPG capacity augmentation of mounted storage vessel in North Guwahati. The prime minster laid the foundation stone of the Numaligarh Refineries Lts (NRL) bio refinery at Numaligarh and a 729 km gas pipeline from Barauni-Guwahati passing through Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim and Assam on the occasion. Numaligarh will be the largest among 12 bio refineries to be built across India, he said, adding that these facilities will transform Assam into an oil and natural gas hub and boost Indias economy. Modi spoke about government plans for blending ethanol by up to 10 per cent. He also laid foundation stones for city gas distribution networks in Kamrup, Cacher, Hailakandi and Karimganj districts. In 2014 there were around 25 lakh PNG connections which became 46 lakh in just four years. The number of CNG refuelling stations also increased from 950 to 1,500 in the same period, the PM pointed out Besides the PM laid the foundation stone of a six-lane bridge over the mighty river Brahmaputra, which, he said, will reduce travel time between the two river banks - from 1-1/2 hours to just 15 minutes. Speaking on the occasion he said, Today is a new chapter in the history of the Northeast and the fast-paced development of this region has been a top priority for my government," Assam, he said, is on the path to progress. Our dedication to North East has been proven in the interim budget as allocation to North East has been increased by more than 21 per cent, he added. On Citizenship Bill, the PM urged people not to be carried away by rumours related to the citizenship bill. 36 years have passed Assam accord has not been implemented yet and only Modi-led government would fulfill this, he said. The PM today visited Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh and unveiled three major projects. He also dedicated the 1.33 million metric tonne strategic petroleum reserve in Visakhapatnam to the nation The facility, being implemented by Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve Limited (ISPRL), at a cost of Rs1,125 crore, has the largest underground storage compartment in the country. He also laid the foundation stone for setting up Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltds (BPCL) coastal installation project at Krishnapatnam. The project, spread over 100 acres, is estimated to cost Rs580 crore. The project will be commissioned by November 2020. The fully automated and state-of-the-art coastal installation project will ensure security of the petroleum products for Andhra Pradesh. Giving a major push to the gas-based economy, the PM also dedicated to the nation, ONGCs S1 Vasishta development project located in the Krishna-Godavari (KG) offshore basin in Andhra Pradesh. The cost of the project is about Rs5,700 crore. This project will contribute significantly in realising PMs vision of reducing oil imports by 10 per cent by 2020. On Monday, the prime minister will inaugurate Petrotech - 2019 at India Expo Centre, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Petrotech-2019, the 13th International Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, being organised under the aegis of the ministry of petroleum and natural gas, is considered to be Indias flagship hydrocarbon conference. The three-day mega event, from 10 to 12 February 2019, will showcase the recent market and investor friendly developments in Indias oil and gas sector. Over 95 energy ministers from partner countries and 7,000 delegates from around 70 countries are expected to be part of Petrotech-2019. The Petrotech-2019 exhibition being organised over 20,000 square meters at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida, will have over 13 country pavilions and around 750 exhibitors from over 40 countries, with exclusive areas on the Make in India and renewable energy themes. My vision for Indias energy future has four pillars: energy access, energy efficiency, energy sustainability and energy security, Prime Minister Modi said while inaugurating the 12th edition of Petrotech in December. Pakistan signs offshore pipeline agreement with Gazprom Pakistan has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Russian energy giant Gazprom on a feasibility study for an offshore pipeline that would supply natural gas from the Middle East to Pakistan and other parts of South Asia. (The agreement) provides for a joint feasibility study regarding gas supplies from the Middle East to South Asian countries, Gazprom said in a statement on Wednesday, without specifically mentioning Iran or India. The MoU was signed during a visit by a Gazprom delegation headed by Vitaly Markelov, deputy chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan last week. Vitaly Markelov and Mobin Saulat, managing director of Pakistans Inter State Gas Systems (Private) Ltd, signed the Memorandum of Understanding. Russias ministry of energy and the Pakistans ministry of energy had in September 2018 inked an MoU that provides for a joint feasibility study regarding gas supplies from the Middle East to South Asian countries. Pakistani officials had earlier discussed an offshore pipeline from Iran, but its viability is in doubt due to the delicate geopolitical situation in South Asia and Pakistans rivalry with India and US sanctions against Iran. The offshore pipeline from Iran to Pakistan and India was set to cost an estimated $10 billion, according to Pakistani media. Pakistans petroleum ministry said it would take three to four years to complete the pipeline, which would include other ancillary projects such as underground gas storage, desalination and other power projects. Pakistan will import some 500 million to 1 billion cubic feet of gas a day from Middle East sources as per the agreement signed with Gazprom, the ministry said. Islamabad previously signed an intergovernmental agreement with Russia to discuss the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Pakistan, but the proposal for a $2 billion North-South pipeline to deliver gas from Pakistans coastal regions to industrial areas in the north has been held up since 2015 due to a disagreement over fees and US sanctions against Russian state conglomerate Rostec. Inter State Gas Systems (Private) Ltd, a subsidiary of Government Holdings Private Limited (GHPL), operates under the petroleum division of Pakistans ministry of energy and implements strategic infrastructure projects in the gas sector. Twitter CEO, officials refuses to appear before Parliament panel: report The chief executive and top officials of social media Twitter have declined a summons to appear before the Parliamentary Committee on IT over the issue of safeguarding citizens rights on social media platforms, reports citing sources in the panel said on Saturday. The Parliamentary Committee, headed by BJP MP Anurag Thakur, had issued summons to Twitter via an official letter on 1 February to appear before a parliamentary committee meeting. The meeting, originally scheduled for 7 February, was also postponed to 11 February to allow the Twitter CEO and senior officials more time to make themselves available. However, Twitter cited short notice of the hearing as the reason, despite the panel delaying its meeting, reports quoting sources said. It may be noted that the Head of the Organisation has to appear before the Committee, the Parliament panel in its communication to Twitter said. It had also further stated that that the CEO (he/she) may be accompanied by another representative. However, on 7 February, the Parliament panel on IT received a letter from Vijaya Gadde, Twitters global lead for legal, policy, trust and safety, stating, No one who engages publicly for Twitter India makes enforcement decisions with respect to our rules for content or accounts in India. Twitters decision not to send any senior official to appear before the Indian Parliamentary IT Committee and instead dismiss the summons with a letter from Gadde, a junior functionary, is seen as an affront on the Parliament panel. Twitters move comes at a time when there are growing concerns about safeguarding citizens data privacy and election interference through social media platforms. India is the fourth country after the US, Singapore and EU to look into Twitters conduct, which is being watched globally and their response is being seen with concern. Boeing delivers first four Chinook helicopters for IAF American aerospace major Boeing Co has delivered the first batch of four Chinook heavy-lift military helicopters for the Indian Air Force. The four Chinook helicopters arrived at the Mundra airport in Gujarat on Sunday. A statement from the company said the CH47F (I) Chinooks will be ferried to Chandigarh, where they will be formally inducted into the Indian Air Force later this year. The Chinook is a multi-role, vertical-lift platform, which is used for transporting troops, artillery, equipment and fuel. India has procured 15 of these helicopters from the United States. It is also used for humanitarian and disaster relief operations and in missions such as transportation of relief supplies and mass evacuation of refugees. The CH-47F (I) Chinook is an advanced multi-mission helicopter that will provide the Indian armed forces with unmatched strategic airlift capability across the full spectrum of combat and humanitarian missions. The Indian Air Force currently has 15 Chinook helicopters on order, the statement said. India had finalised a mega contract with Boeing to procure 22 Apache helicopters and 15 Chinooks for the Indian Air Force in September 2015. Boeing has strengthened its supply chain with over 160 partners in India, and a JV to manufacture fuselages for Apache helicopters. Annual sourcing from India stands at $1 billion, it said. With the addition of the Chinooks, the air forces capability to deliver payloads to high altitudes will be enhanced as it currently has a solitary Soviet-origin Mi-26 chopper to carry out such operations, defence officials said. The Chinooks primary roles include artillery, battlefield resupply and transportation of troops. The United States is Indias second largest arms supplier after Russia. Since 2008, India has bought or ordered military equipment worth $15 billion from the United States, including C-130J special operations planes, C-17 transport aircraft, P-8I submarine hunter planes, Harpoon missiles, Apache and Chinook helicopters and M777 lightweight howitzers. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government had, in September 2015, placed a $3.1-billion order for 22 AH-64E Apache Longbow attack helicopters as well to scale up IAFs capabilities. Alstom looks at Bombardier as EU blocks merger with Siemens: report Frances Alstom is reported to be in talks to merge its rail business with Canadas Bombardier following the European Commissions decision to block a tie-up between Alstom and Germanys Siemens. The speculation over possible merger talks between the French rail business and Canadas Bombardier lifted shares of both companies on Wednesday last week. EU anti-trust regulators rejected the Alstom-Siemens deal over fears that it would hurt competition and lead to higher prices for consumers. And, despite concessions offered by the companies, the deal collapsed. A possible merge with Alstom would help Bombardier create the worlds largest rail company. It also gives the Canadian plane and train maker a better set of options. The merger moves follow increasing threat by Chinas state-owned CRRC, the worlds largest train maker, which currently dominates the market. Bombardier aims to turn its transportation unit, the companys largest division by revenues, into a $10 billion business by 2020, even as it weighs sale of its plane business to Boeing. For Alstom, however, a merger with Siemens would have created more strategic value than a tie-up with Bombardier, as the German giant is strong in higher-margin signalling assets. Bombardier had in 2017 held a failed merger talks with Siemens. Alstom also said any future rail consolidation in Europe would be examined in light of the failed Siemens-Alstom tie-up. If the rules do not change, it is difficult to imagine the consolidation of our sector in Europe, he said. Last year alone, 91 million tourists visited Italy. And while the worlds pizza and pasta capital has always been popular, lately there has been a strong uptick in tourist arrivals, which hasin some casesstrained relations between visitors and locals. And while cities like Venice and Polignano a Mare have tried to solve the problem by introducing city-wide cover charges, one Italian mayor, who presides over a World Heritage listed town in the south, has a simpler approach. We dont want tourists. In an interview with the New York Times, the mayor of Matera, Raffaello De Ruggieri, made his feelings quite clear. Under his governance, Matera will not tolerate tourism. While this sounds quite harshextreme, eventheres more to it than meets the eye. But before we get to that, what the heck is Matera? Essentially, it is one of the most interesting, unusual and memorable tourist destinations in Italy; the title of European Capital of Culture in waiting, and the Basilicata regions primary attraction. Why is it so sought after? Well, in this age of oversaturated tourism, Matera is one of the last remote, picturesque, culture rich regions of Southern Italy yet to be (completely) turned into a selfie factory by foreign travellers. That and its strascinati pasta, tossed with breadcrumbs, parsley, tomato sauce, olive oil and crunchy-dried red peppers. Curious visitors can stay in caves, wander the lanes alongside the picturesque cave-filled cliffs, and learn the history of this fascinating place, (Italy Heaven). Matera is also known for its manmade caves, set into the breathtaking mountains. These districts are known as the sassi, and although these areas have historically dipped in and out of squalor, they have since been restored to fascinatingmonetisedreminders of the past. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Enchanted Italy (@alluring_italy) on Feb 9, 2019 at 11:54pm PST Daniele Kihlgren, the owner of Sextantio Le Grotte Della Civita, the most luxurious hotel in Matera, is one such monetiser. However, to his credit, he is prioritising the maintenance of the regions character over profit. Or at least: thats what he told The New York Times. To be fair: there is some weight to this claim. As reported by The Times, Mr. Kihlgren is largely credited with advancing the albergo diffuso movement in Italy the idea that disparate structures, as opposed to a single, monolithic building, can comprise a hotel. This diffused hotel movement has played a big role in preserving ancient towns and structures, the businessman-conservationist told the Times, Tourism screws up the identity of a place The only way to solve this contradiction is to make sure you are obsessive about the identity of the place. Once you clean it too much, you lose the character. You lose the soul of the house, the souls of the people who lived there These are ancient historical nests they should provoke an emotion. They are not supposed to be beautiful. When I bought the hotel, the caves were black, he went on, We had to clean it, but we didnt want to clean it too much. The poor, historical villages of Italy were never thought to be worthy of saving. But to preserve the history is very important. There are 2,000 abandoned villages in Italy. We are not competitive with Silicon Valley or the mass production in China but we are rich in this history. It could be a model for us: to preserve our heritage. And here is where the supposedly clashing interests of business and conservation are reconciled: if Matera can maintain its natural charm, it will be a long term business opportunity. Lacking the artistic fame, nightlife and population of a city like Rome or Milan, Matera could do worse than protect its assets. Fortunately, the Mayor, and his friend Salvatore Adduce, president of the Matera Basilica 2019 Foundation, largely agree, with Mr Adduce describing his plan to differentiate Matera from other Italian holiday destinations thusly: It should not be, Lets see a church and eat pasta and try those crunchy red peppers and leave a few pieces of plastic behind, (NYT). I will be brutal: we do not want tourists I want people to have an experience that will change their lives, change the world. In practical terms, what does this mean? For starters, for this years exhibitions, Matera will sell passes 19 euros, good for one year. The visitors will be temporary cultural inhabitants, and they will be asked to leave a personal item behind. At the end of the year, these items will become their own exhibition. Even this, though, some of the locals are not sold on. With one revealing his split feelings to The Times as such: One side of me thinks its important for the world to discover it (the Basilicata region). The other side knows the Lucani (the locals) dont want a connection with the rest of the world. In any case, if youre after, A view that will transport you to the ancient past and a caffe macchiato that will bring you right back to the five-star present, you could do a lot worse RELATED: Amalfi Coast Destinations Only Locals Know About SETAC to Open New Office in Old Town Puerto Vallarta Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - S.E.T.A.C., a local community and wellness center whose mission is to reduce HIV and other STDs in the Banderas Bay area, will soon open a satellite office on the south side of Puerto Vallarta, thanks to Timothy Real Estate Group's Fourth 'House Hunters International' charity event, which raised $334,000.00 pesos for SETAC. Though the new office has yet to open, the ribbon was cut on February 5, 2019, so that SETAC's long-time friend and benefactor, Tom Viola, the Director of the New York-based Broadway Cares / Equity Fight AIDS organization, could be part of the ribbon cutting ceremony during his Puerto Vallarta vacation. Located at Calle Lazaro Cardenas #379-C in Old Town, the new SETAC clinic will offer free condoms, HIV testing, medical referrals and education for HIV and other sexual transmitted illness, along with information about the free PREP program in Puerto Vallarta, supplementing the wide range of services offered at the SETAC LGBTQ Wellness & Community Center in Colonia Versalles. This addition of this satellite office will make it easier for the LGBTQ community to get the attention and resources they need to stay healthy, thanks to Carl Timothy and his team's continuous support of S.E.T.A.C. and Puerto Vallarta's most vulnerable. Located at Aldanaca 178 4A & 4B, in the Colonia Versalles of neighborhood of Puerto Vallarta, SETAC is a non-profit community and wellness center whose mission is to reduce HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in the greater Banderas Bay region through education, detection and prevention. Free counseling, testing, treatments and referrals for HIV and other sexual transmitted illness are just some of the free services SETAC provides to the entire population, without prejudice or discrimination. For more information, follow SETAC on Facebook, visit the website, call (322) 224-1974 or email contacto(at)setac.com.mx. Subscriber content preview QUINCY, Mass. (AP) A Massachusetts cab driver is being praised by police for helping an 87-year-old woman from being taken by a classic scam. Richard Spencer, who drives for Yellow Cab of Quincy, tells The Patriot Ledger he sensed something was wrong when the woman he was driving Wednesday told him she was going to Walmart to purchase thousands of dollars in gift cards. . . . Subscriber content preview FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) The University of Alaska is expecting Gov. Mike Dunleavy's administration to make substantial slashes to university state funding, officials said. The Republican governor's amended state budget is set to be released Wednesday and will then require the state Legislature's approval, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported . . . . Subscriber content preview PORTLAND (AP) The Oregon College of Art and Craft will close its doors in May after a 112-year history after suffering from low enrollment and administrative turnover in recent years. Oregon Public Broadcasting reports Friday that talks with Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland State University and other entities over the past year did not yield a solution. . . . Published : 2019-02-11 Author : EESC Press Unit - Contact: eesc.europa.eu Synopsis: EESC hearing revealed almost a million EU citizens may be deprived of their right to vote in the upcoming European elections as a result of their disability, and many more may face obstacles casting their ballots. Main Digest No stone should be left unturned in ensuring that EU elections are accessible to all... An EESC hearing has revealed that almost a million EU citizens may be deprived of their right to vote in the upcoming European elections as a result of their disability, and many more may face obstacles when casting their ballots Despite the existing international legal framework for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, legal and technical barriers persist in all EU Member States that may prevent or make it difficult for many Europeans with disabilities to cast their vote or run for office in the European elections this spring. The obstacles they face are manifold, and include technical barriers such as polling stations that are poorly adapted to their needs, electoral information and campaigns that are inaccessible to deaf or blind people, and legal barriers such as automatic loss of voting rights following the removal of legal capacity or upon the appointment of a guardian, to name but a few. The participation of persons with disabilities in European elections was the main theme of the hearing held by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on 5 February. With fewer than four months to go until the election for the new European Parliament, the aim of the hearing was to explore the situation on the ground as regards the right of persons with disabilities in the EU to participate in these elections. The accessibility of election campaigns was also discussed. The hearing brought together EESC members, MEPs, NGOs representing persons with disabilities, the European Disability Forum (EDF) and the European Agency for Fundamental Rights. "The EU and all Member States have ratified the international convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, which very clearly refers to civic and political rights. This means that the EU as a whole and individual Member States have taken on the obligation to introduce changes that would make it possible for persons with disabilities both to vote and to participate in the elections," said Polish MEP Marek Plura, of the EP's Disability Intergroup, in his opening remarks. "This needs to take place in time for the EU's 2019 elections. We must leave no stone unturned in making sure that the upcoming election will be a model of accessibility," Mr Plura stressed. Yet the situation on the ground is far from ideal, despite some best practices and good solutions in several Member States. "Persons with disabilities are not treated as equal voters and even less as equal candidates. We have first-hand experience of this," said Gunta Anca, an EESC member from Latvia and herself a person with disability, who recently announced that she would run in the EP elections in May. She added that evidence for the many difficulties faced by persons with disabilities can be found in the EESC's new information report which should be presented in its March plenary. The report "Real rights of persons with disabilities to vote in EP elections" has been compiled by the EESC member Krzysztof Pater, on the basis of two surveys he carried out between 2016 and 2018 in 27 Member States. The report contains over 200 examples relating to legal and technical barriers faced by persons with disabilities who want to exercise their voting rights, as well as examples of solutions found in different Member States. According to the main findings of the report presented by Mr Pater at the hearing, in each of the 27 EU countries laws or organisational arrangements exist that will exclude some voters with disabilities from participating in the EU elections. The vast majority of polling stations in the EU are not fully or consistently adapted to the needs of persons with various types of disability. In eight Member States there are no alternative forms of voting, which means that anyone unable to come to the polling station will not be able to cast their ballots. In as many as 18 Member States, blind voters will not be able to vote independently without any assistance whereas in almost one third of EU countries people undergoing long-term treatment in hospitals have no opportunity to participate in elections. The speakers singled out the deprivation of voting rights as being particularly worrisome. "About 800 000 EU citizens from 16 Member States are, on account of the national rules, deprived of the right to participate in EP elections because of their disabilities or mental health problems," Mr Pater said. "In nine EU countries, they automatically lose their right to vote when their legal capacity is removed or when they have a guardian appointed." In seven countries - Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Malta, Portugal and Slovenia, their voting ability is individually assessed. This can lead to absurd situations, said Alejandro Moledo from the EDF. He described the case of a Spanish citizen who, when assessed as to whether his voting right should be reinstated, had to answer questions such as "what is the speed of light". Raising awareness about people who are being deprived of their voting rights is one of the aims of the EDF's #EUDisabilityVote campaign, said Mr Moledo. Other campaigns launched by the EDF include efforts to make election campaigns accessible to everyone, as well as personal stories of persons with disabilities and their endeavours to exercise their right to vote. Stephen Clark, who is responsible for the EP's "This time I'm voting" campaign, said the EP was taking great care to ensure that its campaign was accessible to all, by providing subtitles for video material as well as making voice overs and sign-language interpreting available for all types of information. Likewise, guidelines are being provided to staff and volunteers so as to prevent any kind of discrimination against persons with disabilities. Mr Pater said that, despite the fact that his report may paint a bleak picture of the EU with regard to the participation of persons with disabilities in the upcoming elections, the future may still be bright. Several Member States have come up with solutions allowing persons with disabilities to exercise this right. For example, in eight EU countries they are allowed to vote by post; moreover, Estonia and Belgium have introduced electronic voting. "We should focus on positive achievements. If the best practices from all the countries were implemented, an ideal system would emerge in which every EU citizen with disabilities would not only enjoy full voting rights, but would also be able to choose the most convenient way to cast his or her vote," Mr Pater said. "It is time for us to roll up our sleeves. Now it is time for action," he concluded. Source/Reference Upcoming EU Elections Must Be Accessible to Everyone | EESC Press Unit (eesc.europa.eu). Disabled World makes no warranties or representations in connection therewith. Content may have been edited for style, clarity or length. You're reading Disabled World. See our homepage for informative disability news, reviews, sports, stories and how-tos. You can also connect with us on social media such as Twitter and Facebook or learn more about Disabled World on our about us page. Disclaimer: Disabled World provides general information only. Materials presented are in no way meant to be a substitute for professional medical care by a qualified practitioner, nor should they be construed as such. Any 3rd party offering or advertising on disabled-world.com does not constitute endorsement by Disabled World. View our Advertising Policy for further information. Please report outdated or inaccurate information to us. Highlights: Samsung to launch 8K QLED TVs in 60 more countries by March 2019. A top company executive claims that Samsung will account for over half of 8K TVs sold this year. He also claimed that 5G technology will pave a way for high-quality content and games. 8K content may not be available for consumers to enjoy, but that isnt stopping Samsung from launching its 8K TVs in the market to get first-mover advantage. The company launched its 8K TVs in South Korea, the US, Europe and Russia in late 2018. According to the Korean news agency Yonhap, the South Korean tech company is now set to launch its 8K QLED TVs in 60 other countries by March 2019. There is no information on the specific countries where the premium TVs will launch and we're not sure if they will be headed to India. Samsung said it will release QLED 8K TVs in six sizes globally, ranging from the base 55 inches to 98 inches. Display should come first followed by content. The opposite case never happens. The 8K QLED TV presents the best image quality for any content. We are confident in its quality, Han Jong-hee, President of Samsung's Visual Display Business, was quoted as saying. QLED TVs are LED TVs that use quantum dots to enhance the picture quality. Samsung claims that its new lineup will have an image resolution four times more vivid than its 4K counterparts. The executive highlighted these televisions have the Artificial Intelligence (AI) features enabled by Quantum Processor 8K, which upscales lower-quality content to appear close to 8K resolution. The AI capabilities also automatically optimise the sound corresponding to the scene. The executive said that the commercialisation of 5G technology will pave a way for high-quality content and games, leading the increase in demand of the TVs that offer high resolution. Once 5G networks are commercialized in South Korea and the U.S., there will be more 4K and 8K videos as well as augmented and virtual reality content, Han was quoted as saying. The executive also claimed that the company will account for over half of 8K TVs sold this year. Samsung has been a leader in TV business, however, ZDNet says that its homegrown competitor LG is closing the gap between them. Samsung has been reported to change strategies not only in the smartphone market, but also in TV segment. Yonhap reports that Samsung is looking to take a two-track strategy for its premium portfolio to cover both QLED and MicroLED TVs. For MicroLED TVs, we will first target the corporate sector and set the strategy for the mass market after looking into consumer reception and the ability to provide products at competitive prices. If the market shifts toward large televisions faster than expected, it will drive up demand for MicroLED as well, Han said, adding that Samsung aims to ship 5 million units by 2022. At CES 2018, Samsung unveiled an 85-inch AI-powered 8K TV as well as a 146-inch 4K modular MicroLED TV called 'The Wall'. At this years event, Samsung released a 75-inch version of The Wall. It competitor LG introduced a new line-up of LG TVs, which includes an 88-inch 8K OLED TV. Sony also announced additions to its Master Series line-up of TVs at CES 2019. These include the Z9G 8K LCD and A9G 4K OLED televisions. Related Read: Best 4k TVs in India Highlights: NASA plans to resume manned mission to the Moon. The plans involve having humans stay on the moon. NASA working with 9 American companies for the mission. Space Exploration has once again taken the forefront of the American dream, with Jim Bridenstine, the 13th Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Association, announcing that the agency will once again send humans to the moon. He penned a column on the website OZY in which he states that this mission to the Moon will be much different from the previous one, where Neil Armstrong left an imprint of his foot on the moon. In his post, Bridenstine details that NASA plans to not only send humans to the Moon but to also have them stay. The only specifics given by Bridenstine about the means of achieving this goal is that there will be a Lunar orbiting outpost called the Gateway, from where astronauts will deploy to the surface of the moon and back. The Gateway will be the home base for the first reusable human lunar lander system. Its a sustainable approach that creates more commercial opportunities, which is necessary for long-term human space exploration. Crews will use our powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft to travel to the Gateway and return safely home, said Bridenstine. The mission to have prolonged human presence on the moon is part of NASAs larger vision for space exploration and the Gateway will be the key to achieving it. Bridenstine says that NASA has already agreed to work with 9 American companies to send scientific equipment to the surface of the moon. NASA plans to award the first contract for the Commercial Lunar Payload Services missions within this year, with the first mission being launched by 2020. The Space Agency is also in talks with private companies for the development of human lunar landers. NASAs goal of prolonged human presence on the moon may not be far-fetched. Using a space station as the base of operations for the lunar expedition makes a lot more sense than setting up bases on the moon. This is mostly so because it avoids any geopolitical uproar regarding one nations presence on the moon. While we do have space law which expressly prohibits the establishment of military bases or the placement of nuclear weapons on the moon, it also states that "the placement of personnel, space vehicles, equipment facilities, stations and installations on or below the surface of the moon, including structures connected with its surface or subsurface, shall not create a right of ownership over the surface or the subsurface of the moon or any areas thereof." It would be the opportunity of a lifetime to witness man go back to the moon once again. However, whether our presence on the moon is a long-standing one or not remains to be seen, given the massive scope within which it needs to occur. Related Read: Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies are set to collide later than expected, reveals new data from Gaia mission Highlights: GTA V Elusive cheat creator ordered to pay $150,000 fine to Take-Two as damages. Take-Two Interactive won a default judgement against the cheat creator. As per the company, the cheat caused at least worth $500,000 of damages. Games and cheats have gone hand in hand for as long as one can remember. However, it was not a big deal back in the day when most titles were offline single player. Now, things have changed drastically since most games these days are online and multiplayer, where using cheats puts honest players at a disadvantage. Grand Theft Auto V is one of the most popular online games that, on an average, has around 55 thousand players, as per Steam charts. With cheats and mods, some players gain access to unlimited resources and the creator of one such famous cheat called Elusive for GTA V has been ordered to pay $150,000 in damages to Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games. Take-Two Interactive has won a default judgement against the Elusive cheat creator Jhonny Perez. As per a report by TorrentFreak, the court said that the cheat caused irreparable harm and Perez, against whom the video game company had filed a case in August last year. Perez was accused of copyright infringement by creating and distributing the cheating tool that could be used to cheat and bully or interfere with other players gameplay. As per the report, Elusive cheat was priced between $10 to $30 depending on the level of functionality one opted for. Take-Two reportedly tried negotiating a settlement before dragging Perez to the court and also tried to find out how much he earned by selling the cheat. However, as he is said to have not responded to the complaint, Take-Two filed for a default judgment. The company then asked the New York federal court to fine Perez with the maximum statutory damages, amounting to $150,000 (Rs 1.06 crore approx), along with $69,686 in attorney fees. As per the company, the cheat is estimated to have caused damages of at least worth $500,000 and this ruling by the court should act as a deterrent against other cheat developers. Take-Two has been irreparably harmed by Mr. Perezs infringing conduct and will continue to be harmed unless enjoined, US District Court Judge Kevin Castel writes the court order. Mr. Perezs Elusive program creates new features and elements in Grand Theft Auto which can be used to harm legitimate players, causing Take-Two to lose control over its carefully balanced plan for how its video game is designed to be played. Perez has also been issued a permanent injunction that bans him from making any cheats or hacks based on Take-Twos games. Related Reads: 12 Professional Players banned for PUBG radar hacking PUBG bans 30,000 players, 16 professional players after new anti-cheating measures take effect: Report Tanaiste announces launch of Ireland-Palestine Scholarship Programme Press release Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney T.D. has announced the launch of the Ireland-Palestine Scholarship Programme. In 2018, the Tanaiste increased funding for scholarships offered to Palestinian students and signalled Irelands intention to establish a dedicated scholarship programme. Todays announcement of a dedicated Ireland-Palestine Scholarship Programme delivers on that commitment. Speaking ahead of the launch of the new programme the Tanaiste said: Improving the opportunities for young Palestinians to access quality education has been a priority for Ireland in our work in Palestine for many years. We are well aware from our own experience in Ireland of the important role that education plays in economic and social development. Education increases access to jobs. It instils greater confidence and empowers people to better articulate their own needs. Todays launch of the Ireland-Palestine Scholarship Programme is a further step forward in Irelands support for education in Palestine. The new scholarship programme offers a wide variety of Masters level courses in higher education institutions in Ireland. It is my hope that it will facilitate enhanced academic and professional opportunities for Palestinian students and deepen the strong bonds that exist between the Irish and Palestinian people. The Tanaiste concluded: We look forward to welcoming an increased cohort of Palestinian students to study in Ireland this year and to growing the programme further in the years ahead. The Ireland Palestine Scholarship Programme will offer over twenty full scholarships this year to Palestinian students to study a wide variety of courses in higher education institutions in Ireland for one year at Masters level, beginning in the academic year 2019/2020. Full details of the new programme and how to apply are available on the Irish Aid website www.irishaidfellowships.ie. A formal launch ceremony will take place later today in Ramallah, with the participation of the Palestinian Authority Minister for Education and Higher Education, Dr. Sabri Saidam, and the Representative of Ireland in Palestine, Mr. Jonathan Conlon. ENDS Press Office 10 February 2019 Notes for Editors: Irelands funding to the Palestinian people has traditionally had a strong focus on the education sector which is crucial to Palestines long-term economic viability. Funding is provided to the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in support of their education programmes. Support to the Palestinian Authoritys Education Sector Strategic Plan is provided through a Joint Financing Arrangement along with other donors. 2.5 million was provided in 2018, bringing Irelands total contribution since the establishment of the Joint Financing Arrangement to 15.85 million. Ireland also provides annual funding of 4 million to UNRWAs Programme Budget, which provides a full range of social services including health and education services, to Palestine refugees across its five areas of operation. Approximately 54% of the Programme Budget is disbursed on UNRWAs education programme. Irelands total funding to the Palestinian people in 2018 amounted to 15.38 million its highest level ever. This funding addresses both humanitarian and development needs, providing emergency assistance to the most vulnerable while also supporting the Palestinian Authority in public service delivery and civil society organisations in advocating for human rights. Previous Item | Next Item I was volunteering with the Dilley Pro Bono Project. I met with asylum-seeking mothers to help prepare them for a credible fear interview with an asylum officer, which would determine if they could stay in the U.S. and apply for protection. We volunteers tried to explain the complexities of asylum law to these mothers in minutes what suffering mattered and what didnt, which perpetrators our laws protected against, and which ones it didnt. All the while, their toddlers fussed, cried, sneezed, coughed and dirtied their diapers. I always brought in a pen and paper in case their kids wanted to draw. Crayons were no longer allowed according to the guard because the kids were drawing on everything and no one seemed to care. Minister Ciaran Cannon visits Boston for diaspora consultations Press release Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Ciaran Cannon T.D., today Monday Feb 11 begins an intensive two-day programme in Boston to consult with the Irish diaspora. Minister Cannon will meet with representatives of more than 20 Irish-American organisations during a structured consultation as part of the preparation for the Governments new diaspora policy. In addition, Minister Cannon will visit some of the six Irish community organisations which together receive funding of more than 700,000 from the Irish Government to provide legal, welfare and cultural activities to the diaspora in New England. The Minister will also hold political meetings; discuss international relations with students of Northeastern University and lead a discussion on women in science at Boston College to mark St Brigids Day. Speaking ahead of his visit, Minister Cannon said: Boston is at the heart of Irish America and Massachusetts is the most Irish State in the US. Irish culture and tradition are deeply embedded there and a range of vibrant and dynamic organisations represent our diaspora. I am very much looking forward to hearing from them about the opportunities they see for greater engagement and collaboration and also learning of the challenges they face in delivering crucial services to the Irish and Irish-American communities. This will be my first visit to Boston as Minister for the Diaspora and International Development and I look forward to the discussions which will inform our work on a new strategic policy for diaspora engagement as part of Global Ireland 2025. ENDS Press Office 11 February 2019 Notes to the Editor Irish Government Emigrant Support Programme The Irish Government Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) is a tangible expression of the Governments support, commitment to, and interest in, global Irish communities, as outlined in The Global Irish: Ireland's Diaspora Policy. In 2018, the ESP budget was 11.595 million. In 2018, $3,730,356 was allocated to 76 organisations across the US; of this $716,910 was allocated to organisations in Boston. Through the Programme the Government provides financial support to organisations engaged in the delivery of front line advisory services and community care to Irish emigrants, particularly to the more vulnerable and marginalised members of our community abroad, including the elderly. In addition, the ESP also facilitates Irish Government investment in a range of cultural, community and heritage projects, which foster a vibrant sense of Irish community and identity, as well as strategic capital projects. Global Ireland 2015 In 2019 the Government of Ireland published Global Ireland 2025, the most ambitious renewal and expansion of Irelands international presence ever undertaken in terms of diplomacy, culture, business, overseas aid, tourism and trade. The key aim of the initiative is to double the scope and impact of Irelands global footprint in the period to 2025. As part of this initiative the Government has committed to develop a new diaspora policy in 2019 for introduction in 2020. This requires developing a new policy and strategic approach to supporting our citizens overseas and our diaspora networks internationally, including our traditional, affinity and return diaspora. Global Irish Irelands Diaspora Policy was Irelands first written diaspora policy and introduced a number of new initiatives in Irelands diaspora engagement. At that time Ireland was one of the first countries in the world to publish a diaspora policy and since then has been recognised as world leader. Previous Item | Next Item Bharti Airtel and Telkom Kenya have agreed to merge their Kenyan operations, enabling them to compete more effectively with the dominant Safaricom. The two operators have agreed to set up a joint venture known as Airtel Telkom comprised of their respective carrier services, enterprise and mobile units. The deal is subject to regulatory approval and no financial information has been disclosed. The merger has come close to happening in the past, with two months of negotiations last year coming to nothing. Airtel walked out on the talks in June after the companies failed to reach an agreement on strategies for future investments, among other points. However, Reuters last month reported that merger discussions had resumed. Telkom Kenyas shares are split 60:40 between Helios Investment Partners and the Kenyan government. The former was reportedly looking to divest the holding for cash. With Airtel planning an IPO of its African business in May or June this year, the merger will be a boon as it is likely to increase Airtel Africas overall value. Airtel Telkom will be an entity with enhanced scale, operational efficiency and strategic brand presence, according to a statement from Airtel. It added that the unit would receive investment from both its parent firms to further accelerate rollout of future technologies. At the end of the last quarter, figures from the Communications Authority of Kenya showed Airtel Kenya as having 9.7 million mobile subscribers, while Telkom Kenya had 3.9 million. Their combined total will not put them ahead of Safaricom, which had 29.7 million. Brookfield Asset Management is in talks with Reliance Industries that could see it acquire a controlling stake in Reliance Jios telecom assets. Jio is planning to spin off its fibre and tower assets which have an estimated value of as much as $15 billion - into two separate businesses, reported The Times of India. The operator accrued debts of around $40 billion as it rolled out its fixed and mobile networks. Currently Jio has 300,000km of fibre and 220,000 towers, but it could acquire more towers when the Indian Companys Authority begins selling off the assets from Reliance Communications shuttered mobile unit. Canadian group Brookfield has had its eye on the Indian infrastructure market for a while, and was mooted as a possibly buyer for the 76,000 tower sites offloaded by Vodafone India and Idea Cellular ahead of their merger. However, American Tower emerged as the eventual buyer. Last year, the investment firm acquired a gas pipeline from another Reliance Industries subsidiary for $2 billion. Globally, it controls assets with an estimated value of over $330 billion. SALT LAKE CITY Parents who alleged their teen daughter was raped in her hotel room on a Juan Diego High School trip to Europe have reached a settlement with the school, court documents show. The terms of the agreement have not been made public. On Monday, a judge dismissed claims of negligence against the school, the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City and the teacher who led the trip. Court documents indicate a travel company will also be dismissed from the suit as part of the settlement. The parents, identified in court documents by initials, sued in Salt Lake City's 3rd District Court in 2017, alleging the teacher didn't check on the girl or know where her hotel room was. They contended she also didn't seek out medical help or report to police on the final night of the trip in Germany. The girl awoke to what she thought was a burglar and pretended to sleep, court documents claimed, but the intruder instead raped her and held her there for several hours. The instructor allegedly told her, "Unfortunately, this kind of thing happens all the time." The teen's parents rushed her to a hospital after she got off the plane in Salt Lake City, and doctors found indications of sexual assault, the lawsuit claimed. The school referred comment to the Salt Lake Diocese, which did not immediately return a message left Monday. The teacher who led the trip was not listed on the school's employee webpage. BOUNTIFUL A man responsible for igniting a fire on the Bountiful bench nearly two years ago has agreed to pay suppression costs in a settlement with the federal government. Jayson Ross Orvis, of Bountiful, will pay $395,914, including, $14,123 for environmental remediation associated with multiple encroachments on U.S. Forest Service property in addition to the fire damage, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. "This settlement fully compensates the public for the expense of fighting the fire and restoring these public lands, U.S. Attorney John W. Huber said. James Troy Golden, a man Orvis hired to do work on his property, sparked the blaze while using a power grinder in August 2017. The flames quickly spread to the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, consuming 75 acres. Federal prosecutors filed criminal charges against Golden and Orvis for starting the fire. Orvis also faced four counts of altering roads or structures on forest land without a permit for allegedly building a shooting pavilion, 50-foot target shooting rail, outfitter tent and utility vehicle road. Prosecutors have dropped the criminal case. Orvis also agreed to $560 for two Forest Service violations that prohibit constructing, placing and maintaining structures without a permit on national forest land. Golden paid $280 for a violation for carelessly and negligently placing an ignited substance that may cause a fire, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The fire did not threaten homes and no injuries were reported but it closed parts of City Creek Canyon, Bonneville Shoreline, Mueller Park and North Canyon trails. SALT LAKE CITY The GOP leadership-backed replacement for the voter-approved full Medicaid expansion ballot initiative easily cleared its final legislative hurdle Monday and was signed into law by Gov. Gary Herbert a few hours later. The Senate voted 22 to 7 to concur with changes made in the House last week to the more limited Medicaid expansion in SB96 amid protests from supporters of the initiative known as Proposition 3, sending the bill to the governor. "I think we are doing the long-term, responsible thing," the sponsor of SB96, Sen. Allen Christensen, R-North Ogden, said earlier Monday before the bill's final passage, following about 20 minutes of debate in the Senate. Herbert signed the bill during in a private ceremony in his office midafternoon, before a group that included Republican lawmakers and state officials, along with community and faith leaders. The ceremony was closed to the news media and not announced publicly. The bill, which now includes what's being called a fallback plan that resembles Proposition 3, took effect as soon as it was signed into law. Before signing the bill, the governor met with a small group of faith leaders to discuss the bill. Late last month, representatives of some 40 faiths added their names to a letter opposing efforts to "delay or limit" full Medicaid expansion. The Right Rev. Scott B. Hayashi, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Utah, a Proposition 3 sponsor who signed that letter, said after meeting with the governor that SB96 "is significantly greater than (where) I feared we would be." The Rev. Hayashi, who also attended the governor's bill signing, said he "would prefer, of course, the full expansion. And at the same time, I recognize the forces that were at play. So where we got to now, as opposed to a complete repeal, I'm very pleased." Also at the bill signing was Matt Slonaker, executive director of the Utah Health Policy Project. Slonaker said while the bill is "not perfect," he wanted to recognize those working for Medicaid expansion and to protect Proposition 3 from repeal. The House added the fallback plan Friday to the bill in case the needed federal approval fails to come through from Washington for the more limited Medicaid expansion called for in the original Senate bill. In the Senate, Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, compared the full Medicaid expansion passed by voters last November to someone wanting a Maserati when there's only money for a Ford, as a result of the 0.15 percent sales tax increase in Proposition 3. "The challenge is, they didn't approve a large enough tax increase to do everything they wanted," Bramble said. He said if voters wanted full Medicaid expansion, they should have approved more money to pay for it. Senate Minority Whip Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, said even if the "magical waivers" being sought from the federal government are granted, the state could still face lawsuits over trying to implement only partial expansion. Escamilla said she is concerned lawmakers are "still not giving the people of Utah what they voted for" and expressed doubt that the limited expansion will be allowed to go forward. Past efforts by Utah and other states to win federal approval for covering fewer people than full Medicaid expansion at the same federal-to-state funding match of 90 percent to 10 percent have been rejected. But Christensen and others have said they believe the Trump administration is ready to act and the fallback plan adopted in the House won't have to be used. Christensen called the House's efforts an answer to "what if, what if." Monday's Senate vote was the same as the first time the bill passed the chamber, with all six Democrats opposed along with a single Republican, Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross. Weiler did not speak on the floor Monday, but has said he previously voted against SB96 because Proposition 3 was approved in his Senate district. A senator who tried unsuccessfully to run a bill repealing any Medicaid expansion, Sen. Jake Anderegg, R-Lehi, voted in favor of SB96 again Monday even though he was critical of the concept. "I hate this bill," he said, describing it as "going to do some good things for people" but at a risk. "It is the first step to universal health care. So I'm going to fight that by voting for a bill that stinks." The new state plan for limited Medicaid expansion begins April 1, just as Proposition 3 would have. But the bill extends Medicaid coverage for Utahns earning only up to 100 percent of the approximately $12,000 federal poverty rate not up to 138 percent covered under the full expansion in Proposition 3. Utahns earning between 100 percent and 138 percent of poverty have the option of buying federally subsidized insurance at what Christensen and others have said are rates below $30 a month. SB96 also initially provides a federal-to-state funding match of 70 percent to 30 percent while needed waivers are sought from Washington for the higher 90-10 match available under full Medicaid expansion. The House added language to the Senate bill that reverts to full Medicaid expansion, with some modifications, if the waivers are not granted. The Senate's action Monday was to concur with that change. "I look at it as absolutely fulfilling our responsibilities as a legislature. There was nothing personal about this thing," SB96's sponsor, Christensen, told the Deseret News before the vote. "We're just simply doing our job." Christensen, the chairman of the Social Services Joint Appropriations Subcommittee, said members heard requests Monday for more than $200 million in new spending. "People say, 'Why can't you spend an extra $100 million for Medicaid expansion?' I say, 'Fine, then all those other places don't get it then.' It's not like we're hoarding this money. We just have to put it where it's best spent." Some proponents of Proposition 3 expressed disappointment. "This is a dark day for democracy," said Andrew Roberts, spokesman for Utah Decides, the group behind Proposition 3. "State legislators turned their backs on voters and on families in need." Roberts said as "special interests and politicians celebrate the success of their backroom deal, Utah families will be up late tonight knowing they just lost the ability to afford lifesaving care." Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, said voters had "significant input" on the issue. Adams said had voters not approved Proposition 3, many lawmakers would have not approved Medicaid expansion. Lawmakers already took action in a special session last year to replace the medical marijuana initiative approved by voters. Adams said he expects work is already underway to make changes to the remaining proposition on the ballot. That anti-gerrymandering proposition established an independent redistricting committee to recommend new boundaries for congressional, legislative and state school board seats based on the once-a-decade census. SWAN LAKE, through Feb. 23, Capitol Theatre, 50 W. 200 South (801-869-6900 or www.balletwest.org); 2 hour 30 minute running time (two intermissions) SALT LAKE CITY Ballet Wests deliciously romantic and heart-wrenching program, Swan Lake, is back at the Capitol Theatre just in time for Valentines Day. Fridays opening night celebrated love and love lost with high drama, dazzling costumes and unmatched technical vivacity. At the epicenter of the massive production was real-life couple Beckanne Sisk and Chase OConnell (one of four casts), who announced their engagement via social media on Jan. 3. OConnell starred in the lead male role of Siegfried, opposite Sisk, who starred as Odette and her characters evil lookalike, Odile. Swan Lake is the tragic tale of Princess Odette, who, with her handmaidens, succumbs to the spell of an evil sorcerer. Cursed to live as a swan during the daylight, Odette must earn the pledge of a mans love in order to undo it. When Prince Siegfried and Odette fall in love by moonlight, the sorcerer, Baron von Rothbart, intervenes. Using black magic, he transforms his own daughter (Odile) into the image of the princess and tricks Siegfried into pledging his love to the wrong woman. Their fate sealed, Odette and Siegfried throw themselves off the rocky cliffs into the sea below freeing the other maidens from the spell while the pair walks together in heaven, united for eternity. Like glimpsing the Mona Lisa or hearing Hamlet deliver his To be or not to be soliloquy, Swan Lake is one of the most widely disseminated cultural symbols of our time and thus ranks high on most artistic bucket lists. It stands as the enduring image of ballet even to the point of parody and ballet caricature. Beholding Swan Lake when its done right as was the case Friday feels magical and surreal, like being transported into another era. Its luxuriously dramatic sense of impending doom, its famous "white acts" with picture-perfect swan tableaus, its romantic death plunge that unites the couple eternally and frees the maidens and a score that could be renamed Tchaikovskys Greatest Hits all combine to create an iconic work of art. Artistic Director Adam Sklutes production honors the original choreography of Marius Petipa with white gloved-delicacy, while also making the production distinctly his own. He adds technical dancing for his strong male corps wherever possible and has created some additional leading parts for the overabundance of talent at Ballet West. Even young trainees took part in the cast of 50 dancers. Katlyn Addison and Sayaka Ohtaki radiated in their lead courtier roles, Lillian Casscells lit up the stage, dancing in a breakout role as the Polish princess. Emily Neale and Gabrielle Salvatto as lead swan maidens were breathtaking, and Jenna Rae Herrera and Alexander MacFarlans energy in the Neopolitan variation was contagious. The three Spanish escorts, danced by Hadriel Diniz, Christopher Sellars and Jordan Veit, wowed the crowd with their high jumps and lightning-fast footwork. Everyone and everything orbited around the lead couple, their entourage of swans and courtiers brilliantly launching them into an otherworldly realm. Even the contrasting dark malevolence of von Rothbart the sorcerer, danced with melodramatic growl by Rex Tilton, was intensified by the loving couples luminous chemistry. Sisk was a dazzling and astonishing technician not to mention a stickler for detail. Take her arms, for instance; for the better part of two hours as she danced as a swan, they undulated fluidly to resemble a graceful bird fluttering slightly from the shoulder to the very tips of her uncurling fingers. They seemed works of art completely separate from the intricate and sometimes flash-fast movement produced by her legs. This tiny detail, as with many others, must have taken months, even years to perfect and perfected it was. As her characters evil twin, she switched gears to play a cunning vixen flirting shamelessly not just with Siegfried, but with the audience as well. Bewitching the entire theater with her knowing eyes, incredible extension, crisp technique and flawless 32 fouette turns, Sisk proved once again why she is truly one of the crown jewels of the company. OConnell, too, was a force to be reckoned with. His long limbs launched him to the sky with ease and utterly filled the stage. Each turn was landed with seasoned grace. He has mastered the gravitas of the role Siegfried is a deeply conflicted soul but he hasnt quite mastered the abandon of the desperate lover. Still, his strength and technique are masterful. Chances are, most audience members have watched everyone from Bugs Bunny to Bart Simpson portray the Swan Queen or heard parts of the legendary Tchaikovsky score in an ad for fabric softener or a favorite romantic comedy. Even those signature swan-like movements have become symbolic of the art form itself. Yet watching a well-executed iteration of the quintessential ballet is not only heart-stirring it feels profoundly important. If you go to one Ballet West performance this year, make it Swan Lake. Bring a box of tissues not because of the plots forbidden love or even tragic death (the exaggerated drama and supernatural framing dont really compel you to read your own story into it) but rather because its sheer and overwhelming beauty will quite possibly break your heart. If you take a look at the businesses that have been starting up in Utah lately, youll notice a clearly defined and very encouraging trend. Were becoming a hotspot for tech and business startups. In fact, a recent study named the area the fourth best place for tech jobs. As tech jobs continue to come to Utah, one things for sure: companies that service and capitalize on tech growth will come as well which will certainly bring economic growth and new opportunities to our region. WeWork, the co-working office space company, seeks to capitalize on many startup scenes across the country. WeWork has successfully snatched up real estate locations and transformed them into swanky co-working spaces catered specifically to startups. The company is expanding, announcing the opening of three locations in the Salt Lake area. WeWork is a pioneer in the co-working office space sector and has housed many startups and organizations. However, in spite of WeWorks success, the company is not without its internal problems. According to Business Insider, WeWork was recently offered a massive $16 billion investment deal from the Japanese-owned Softbank, which would have been another in a long line of investments from the firm. However, recent market volatility forced Softbank to slash the deal down to $2 billion at a lower valuation. One big reason for this slash? According to Fast Company, WeWorks margins have been slim to say the least. While they excel at raising money, WeWork also spends it a lot. As stated by Fast Company, For the first three quarters of 2018, WeWork generated $1.25 billion in revenues, but lost $1.22 billion. And then there is the recent controversy surrounding the companys CEO, Adam Neumann, with regards to Neumann allegedly purchasing properties and then leasing them to his co-working business, creating what many people would categorize as a conflict of interest. Aside from the financial problems WeWork has faced, just this past year, the company also received national media attention for claims that the company allegedly mishandled sexual assault reports in the workplace. WeWork issued a response, stating that these claims were inaccurate. Whats WeWorks solution to help alleviate these problems? Apparently, to change the name of the company altogether. Recently, WeWork has embarked on a rebranding effort, calling itself the we company and appears to be using this brand name as a vehicle for shifting away from being viewed strictly as a co-working real estate company, but rather an organization that can operate in other sectors as well. Typically, a rebranding campaign by a company would not receive much flak in the press. However, the new branding efforts by WeWork have opened a fresh new line of criticism particularly given that WeWorks new brand name already exists. Not only is the WE name already owned by the well-known Toronto-based global charity the WE Organization WeWork appears to be using this name to move into the same sectors in which WE (the nonprofit organization) already has a presence. WeWork, for example, is apparently using business lines, such as WeLive and WeGrow, that sound very similar to WEs businesses. Companies certainly have the right to pursue opportunities in other sectors from which they initially were formed. However, given WeWorks efforts to champion the companys social climate as well as WeWorks track record of lawsuits and other branding-related issues, the mere appearance of WeWork trying to steamroll a charity that operates in similar sectors out of its long-established brand is not the best look for WeWork at the moment. There is support among members of the Utah business community for WeWorks expansion into the state. However, as WeWork looks to continue to grow, the company should focus on fixing its internal infrastructure not what name appears on the sliding glass doors of its co-working office spaces. RIVERTON After becoming nationally recognized as a stalwart "Mama Bear" on behalf of her son Josh Holt, who spent two years in a Venezuelan jail before being released last May, a family social media posting Sunday announced Laurie Moon Holt has died. The statement on Laurie Holt's Facebook page Sunday afternoon did not indicate a cause of death. We are devastated to announce the tragic passing of our sweet Mama Bear Laurie Holt this morning," the post read. "She had a gigantic heart and we will miss her dearly. We ask for privacy as we mourn her passing and will provide more details on funeral arrangements as soon as possible. Utah elected officials who advocated on behalf of Josh Holt's release also took to social media Sunday evening, sharing remembrances. Former U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch tweeted: "In my entire Senate service theres no memory I cherish more than seeing Laurie hug her son Josh when they were finally reunited. Our hearts ache at news of her passing, but Elaine and I send our prayers and our love to Jason and the Holt family tonight." Former Rep. Mia Love, who counted the Holts among her 4th Congressional District constituents and worked on behalf of the Holt family to get government help to secure his release, shared her memories of Laurie Holt. "My dear friend Laurie Holt passed away today and I am just devastated," Love said. "She was a beautiful person and always had a smile. Laurie would always end our phone calls with, 'OK, love you lady.' My prayers and love are with her husband Jason, her children and grandchildren that she has left for now. Laurie, I will miss you, love you lady." And Josh Holt also took to Facebook on Sunday to share a thought about his mother. "I love you so much mommy," Holt wrote. "You will be missed more than you know!" Holt was arrested and jailed in the summer of 2016 following a raid of the Caracas neighborhood where he and his Venezuelan wife, Thamy, lived. Holt met his wife through online Spanish lessons after returning from a Spanish-speaking LDS mission to Washington state. In early July 2016, Holt's family announced it had gone more than a week without hearing from him, and suspected he was being framed and held as a spy. They received a Facebook message from his wife's mother, stating that her daughter and Josh Holt were in prison. The message had little information about the arrest but included a local news article about the alleged crime, including photos of guns, a grenade, cash, Josh Holt's passport, credit cards and IDs allegedly taken from the apartment where the couple was living. After two years of captivity, their release came about abruptly, through a small window in which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was willing to talk to U.S. officials. Early last year, Hatch had a Senate Foreign Relations Committee staff member carry a letter to the president of Venezuela that opened a correspondence that he says led to the release of Josh Holt and his wife. The Venezuelan government unexpectedly released Holt from jail last May after U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, met with Maduro in Caracas. After his release, Corker accompanied Holt, his wife and stepdaughter to Washington. Upon their return, Holt and his wife and parents met with President Donald Trump at the White House before being taken to a Washington hospital for medical care. A few days later, they returned to Utah. Holt and his family received a hero's welcome in Riverton on May 28, 2018. In an interview with NBC News shortly after her son and his family had returned to the U.S., Laurie Holt noted the toll the ordeal had taken on her. "(Before Josh's imprisonment) I was a very energetic person, very fun-loving," Laurie Holt said. "Im still that way, but the funs not there as much, the laughters not there. Ive had a lot of emotional roller coasters Ive had to overcome and be strong for him and to get him home. "So now, a weights been lifted off my shoulders, obviously, but now I just need to find myself again." The family has established a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral expenses. Hopkins has listened to the community through several carefully curated forums noticeably lacking transparency or feedback. The first had a panel of police officials who already endorsed the police force. Other forums on constitutional policing and alternatives to police did not receive the same fanfare and occurred during the day, when most students and workers could not attend. At community forums at Homewood and East Baltimore, President Daniels and other administrators talked for over an hour before community members could respond. Audience members overwhelmingly expressed intense skepticism of Hopkins and a desire for real alternatives to private police. Yet, Hopkins has portrayed these forums as productive dialogues on the future of a private police force, not whether one should exist at all. SALT LAKE CITY Former First Lady Michelle Obama made an appearance at the Grammy Awards on Sunday night. The shows host, Alicia Keys, welcomed the quartet of Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Lopez and Obama onto the stage. The four stars talked about how music unites the world and brings to peace to people who are struggling. "Whether we like country or rap or rock, music helps us share ourselves: our dignity and sorrows, our hopes and joys. It allows us to hear one another, to invite each other in, Obama said. See the clip below. .@MichelleObama makes a surprise appearance at the #GRAMMYs: "Whether we like country or rap or rock, music helps us share ourselves: our dignity and sorrows, our hopes and joys. It allows us to hear one another, to invite each other in" https://t.co/pEHw6h7hdE pic.twitter.com/AE9y2PG6Wy Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 11, 2019 Twitter had a positive reaction: when Michelle Obama shows up three minutes into the #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/ECduv7YhIl Betches (@betchesluvthis) February 11, 2019 Queen Michelle Obama: *breathes* Us: pic.twitter.com/3OCdBlcAws Renee Bracey Sherman (@RBraceySherman) February 11, 2019 Obama is still on an author tour for her book "Becoming." She reportedly canceled recent appearances due to weather. WASHINGTON Sometime early this week the Natural Resources Management Act will come to the floor for a vote in the Senate. There is much to like about the bill. And many good people have worked very hard on it. Unfortunately, after a lengthy review and much negotiation, it has become clear that this is not legislation I can vote for in good conscience. On balance, the bill moves federal lands policy in the wrong direction by failing to reform federal land acquisition programs and adding new restrictions to how Americans are allowed to use land already under federal control. As mentioned earlier, the bill does have some good policies in it, particularly for Utah. It gives 80 acres of Bureau of Land Management Land to Hyde Park for the construction of an underground water tank and trailhead. It also gives 2.61 acres of Forest Service land to Juab County and helps celebrate the upcoming anniversary of the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad by redesignating the Golden Spike National Historic Site as the Golden Spike National Historical Park. At the national level, the bill includes a sportsman package that makes it easier for hunters and fisherman to enjoy public lands. It also includes the Good Samaritan Search and Recovery Act, which requires the Interior Department and Forest Service to grant expedited access to volunteers helping with search and recovery efforts on federal lands. These are all good commonsense policies which improve federal land management. Unfortunately, they have been stuffed into the same bill with bad federal land management policies that are particularly harmful to Utah. First, the legislation permanently reauthorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund, an admirably intended program enacted to preserve access to recreation opportunities on public lands. When the program was first passed in 1964 it promised to direct 60 percent of its funds to states and 40 percent to federal purposes. Sadly, this is not how the program has been implemented, just 25 percent of all LWCF have been given to states while 61 percent of the funds have been spent on federal land acquisition. Worse, the LWCF keeps on buying new federal lands without securing any method for maintaining the land they already own. According to a 2017 Congressional Research Service report, the maintenance backlog on federal land is up to $18.6 billion, including significant backlogs at Arches, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands and Zions National Parks. When the federal government fails to maintain the lands it owns, ill-kept roads and trails make it harder for citizens to enjoy our national treasures and wildfires become more likely. Second, the bill creates another 1.3 million acres of wilderness in the West half of it in Utah. At first blush, wilderness designations sound like a good thing. And sometimes they are. But this highly restrictive designation limits far more activities than is necessary to actually protect the land. In fact, a wilderness designation prohibits almost all activity, including all commercial activity, all infrastructure development and any travel by car or bicycle. And in a state like Utah, where the federal government owns more than two thirds of the land, these designations have big consequences. Citizens must go to the federal government, hat in hand, to ask permission for any use of the land at all whether to dig a well, build a road, bury a cable or do virtually anything on it. So designating more than half a million acres of wilderness most of which is in Emery County is a big blow. Finally, this bill does nothing to address the imminent threat that Utah faces from unilateral executive land grabs through the Antiquities Act. The Antiquities Act was intended to give a president the power to protect specific historic and cultural objects by implementing severe restrictions on select federal lands. According to the original law, these National Monuments were supposed to include only the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected. This is not how the law has been used. Instead, presidents have abused the law by designating vast million-acre swaths for monument protection. These vanity projects can hit local communities hard. For example, when President Clinton created the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, many local ranchers lost their right to build fences, secure water resources and maintain roads for their herds. Many families were forced to reduce their herds, sometimes by half. And local church groups were prevented from walking down the very roads their ancestors built during remembrance treks. Other states have been given protections from these Antiquities Act power grabs. In Wyoming, for example, any monument designation must be approved by Congress. A simple fix to federal law, adding just the words or Utah to the Antiquities statute, could solve this problem. But this bill did not contain those words. No legislation is perfect. Every bill that becomes law in Washington requires compromise. But at some point, too much compromise can lead to a deal doing more harm to your community than good. Regrettably, the Natural Resources Management Act has reached that point. It simply shifts too much power away from Utah communities and to bureaucrats in Washington. And I have heard similar views from many state legislators, county commissioners and rural constituents. Utah communities should not be forced to accept harmful policies to the state and their communities just so they can make some commonsense land transfers that communities in non-western states are free to do without congressional permission. With more hard work and cooperation, I know the next lands bill will be different. Many Utah legislators now claim they have a God-given right to own a gun. The Second Amendment right is no longer good enough since it is limited to ownership of a gun in the home for self defense. They need to invent a heretical claim to justify passing more permissive gun laws. Fake claims, like fake news, should be replaced by cold hard facts. The gun violence epidemic needs a solution. Utah has a suicide epidemic that attacks many teenagers, and too often a gun found in the home is used. Many lives could be saved by compliance with a law that requires gun owners to lock up their guns in their absence. Responsible gun owners do this automatically. The proposed Safe Storage Law does not violate the Second Amendment, nor do any of the other gun reform bills before the 2019 Legislature. According to the Declaration of Independence, we do have a God-given right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." These could be brought to a timely end by a gun in the wrong hands. Saving lives is where our focus should be, and intelligent, well-crafted gun regulations can make a huge difference. Ron Molen Salt Lake City "In my country the people can do as they like, although it often happens that they don't like what they have done." Winston Churchill, 1946 LONDON During the Second World War, as U.S. power was eclipsing Britain's, Harold Macmillan, a future prime minister, reportedly said, "These Americans represent the new Roman Empire and we Britons, like the Greeks of old, must teach them how to make it go." Today, Britain's Brexit agonies its two-and-a-half-year struggle to disentangle itself from the European Union indicate that America's Founders could teach 21st-century Britain something: Direct democracy is dangerous because public sentiments need to be refined by filtration through deliberative institutions. A June 2016 referendum endorsed (52 percent to 48 percent) exiting the EU. Implementing this has, however, become messier than anyone, especially voters, anticipated. European unification was conceived in fear Europeans' fear of themselves, a residue of wars produced by various atavisms, including unhinged nationalism. For decades, Britain's Tories have been bitterly divided about the project of "harmonizing" political practices and economic policies, with a probable consequence of homogenized national cultures. The embryo of the EU was a free trade zone a single market. But as the unification project became more ambitious, it required the derogation of national parliaments and hence of nations' sovereignties. So in 1988, Margaret Thatcher voiced what became Conservative Euroskeptics' cri de coeur: "We have not successfully rolled back the frontiers of the state in Britain, only to see them re-imposed at a European level with a European super-state exercising a new dominance from Brussels." Hoping to cauterize the Conservative Party's long-festering wound, in 2016 then-Prime Minister David Cameron succumbed to the plebiscitary temptation, scheduling the referendum that he thought Remain would win. It lost, he resigned, and Theresa May, who had voted Remain, became prime minister. She called an election expecting to increase her parliamentary majority and thus her leverage negotiating terms of divorce from the EU. Instead, she lost her majority and was forced into an alliance with a Northern Ireland party. It is dismaying that most of the binding law in Britain comes from the European Commission in Brussels. But why, with its primacy at stake, did Parliament punt one of the most momentous decisions in British history to a referendum? The bedrock principle of representative government is that "the people" do not decide issues, they decide who shall decide. And once a legislature sloughs off responsibility and resorts to a referendum on the dubious premise that the simple way to find out what people want is to ask them, it is difficult to avoid recurring episodes of plebiscitary democracy. Last October, 700,000 marched in London demanding a second referendum, which would indeed be based on better information: Few who voted Leave 30 months ago had any inkling of the complexity of unwinding decades of ever-thickening legal relationships. May contends that another referendum would "break faith with the British people." This, however, postulates a false clarity about what the Leave-voting majority willed. May favors "delivering the Brexit people voted for," but even the political leaders who favored Brexit voted simply for leaving, the details wherein the devil always is be damned. A second referendum would have to offer a binary choice, lest there be an unhelpful plurality outcome. But should the choice be "Hard Brexit" (no agreement about future relations with the 27 EU members) versus May's agreement? Her agreement versus remaining in the EU? Hard Brexit versus remain? Although the deal May negotiated addresses immigration anxieties by ending the free movement of people between Britain and the EU, and limits payments to the EU and subjection to the European Court of Justice, Britain would remain indefinitely subject to many EU regulations and some assessments but without the ability to shape them. On Tuesday, Parliament probably will resoundingly reject the deal. The 73 days until the March 29 deadline for leaving the EU will be eventful. In 2016, a majority of voters over age 43 favored leaving, a majority of those younger favored remaining. Since then, mortality has taken many Leavers, and many young people have joined the electorate. So, demography, combined with a new understanding of Brexit's certain costs and myriad uncertainties, could cause 2016's big bang that began Brexit to end with a 2019 whimper of a referendum saying, "Oh, never mind." Letter to the Editor: Be careful about call for fixing education funding In Maryland, investigations into police misconduct are shrouded in secrecy. The states public information laws treats details of such investigations as personnel records and, therefore, sealed. The outcome of the case and whether the officer is disciplined is the only thing made public. Wonder whether the outcome was just or whether the punishment was too harsh or too light? Well, thats too bad. Marylanders are not privy to how thoroughly a complaint was investigated and what evidence was considered, which means the police arent accountable to anyone but themselves. And we see where that got us in Baltimore where police officers have been allowed to run rogue and abuse power with no repercussions. editorial The high public cost of the decline of newspapers Editor of Town Talk, News & Press of Delaware County Call me wife, mom, daughter, granny, writer, neighbor, sister, aunt, editor, Godmother, niece, friend, acquaintance, co-worker, cousin, news junkie, diva, funmeister... call me them all, just call, text or e-mail me-- especially when there's "a scoop!" Prince Philip, the 97-year-old husband of British Queen Elizabeth II, has voluntarily surrendered his driving licence, weeks after the duke miraculously escaped unhurt in a terrifying accident that injured two women in another car. "After careful consideration, the Duke of Edinburgh has taken the decision to voluntarily surrender his driving licence," Buckingham Palace said in a brief statement. He surrendered his licence on Saturday, the palace said. The Prince's decision to hand over his driving licence was entirely his own and he will be driven from now on, it added. The move means the royal is likely to escape being charged and prosecuted for careless driving after injuring two women in a crash outside the Queens Sandringham estate in Norfolk on January 17. Norfolk Police confirmed that the duke had surrendered his licence to officers and it would now be returned to the DVLA. "We will follow the standard procedure and return the licence to the DVLA. The investigation file for the collision has been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)," a Norfolk Police spokesperson said. The CPS said it would take the latest development into account. It is believed that bringing a prosecution over the crash will not be deemed in the public interest. Officers from local Norfolk Police have been investigating the crash since January 17, when the Duke pulled out of a side road onto the main road and collided with a Hyundai Kia driven by Ellie Townsend. The impact of the crash flipped his Land Rover onto its side. Townsend, a 28-year-old teacher, suffered cuts to her knee, while her friend and passenger Emma Fairweather, 46, broke her wrist. Townsends nine-month-old son escaped without injury. 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. Two days after the accident, the duke was pictured back behind the wheel of the new Land Rover without a seatbelt, which is illegal in Britain. Later, Norfolk Police gave him "suitable words of advice". Philip, who formally retired from public life in 2017, has been seen behind the wheels on numerous occasions over the decade. The Duke later sent a note to Fairweather apologising for his part in the accident. "I would like you to know how very sorry I am for my part in the accident," he wrote. "The sun was shining low over the main road. In normal conditions I would have no difficulty in seeing traffic coming... but I can only imagine that I failed to see the car coming, and I am very contrite about the consequences." 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. Lahore: A Pakistani television host accused of making defamatory remarks against the government, judiciary and intelligence agencies has been freed on bail. Rizwan Razi, who hosts a talk shown on Din News, was arrested on Saturday from his residence in Lahore by the cyber crime wing of the Federal Investiga-tion Agency (FIA). The FIA sought extension of Razis remand but the court rejected it and granted bail against a surety bond of PakRs 1 lakh. He said the magistrate said the suspect should avoid discussing armed forces and judiciary in his programmes and it is a test for him, and his shows and posts on social media will be monitored. Razi's counsel argued that the arrest was against the freedom of expression.and that he did not commit any crime as he was arrested without any complaint. Islamabad: Expressing concern over education becoming a business, the Pakistan Supreme Court on Monday said private schools were not a money-making industry and hinted at directing the government to take control of such institutions. A three-member bench comprising Justices Gulzar Ahmed, Faisal Arbab and Ijazul Ahsan made the remarks during the hearing of a case regarding the use of contemptuous language in a letter addressed to the top judge by the administrations of two private schools in Islamabad, Geo TV reported. How did you have the audacity to term the courts decision regarding hike in school fee a draconian judgment? Your letters to parents are in contempt of court, Justice Ahsan told the school. Justice Gulzar added, What kind of things do you write? We should close your schools and can even nationalise them. We can ask the government to handle the administrative affairs of your schools. The letter pertained to the apex courts decision ordering a 20 per cent decrease in the fee charged by private schools, Express News reported. The December 13, 2018. order was applicable to private schools charging over PakRs 5,000 per month. It restricted them to a maximum 8 per cent increase per year with the permission of a regulator. The apex court directed administrations to return half the fee charged for summer vacations or adjust the amount. Riyadh does not know the location of dissident Jamal Khashoggi's body. (File Photo) Washington: Riyadh does not know the location of dissident Jamal Khashoggi's body, despite having detained the Saudi team that murdered him, a high-ranking foreign affairs official in the kingdom said in an interview broadcast on Sunday. The dissident journalist was dismembered after his murder October 2 in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul but his remains have yet to be found. Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, said the murder was carried out by Saudi officials "acting outside their scope of authority" and that 11 people have been charged with the crime. But asked where Khashoggi's body is, he told CBS's "Face the Nation," "We don't know." Jubeir said the public prosecutor responsible for the case had sought evidence from Turkey but had received no response. Questioned why those in custody couldn't tell them where the body was, Jubeir responded: "We are still investigating." "We have now a number of possibilities and we're asking them what they did with the body, and I think this investigation is ongoing, and I would expect that eventually we will find the truth," he said. Jubeir was interviewed Friday, the same day President Donald Trump ignored a congressional deadline for reporting on who assassinated Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post who had been openly critical of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The CIA has concluded the Saudi operation was likely directed by the powerful crown prince, but the White House has sidestepped that finding amid strenuous denials by Riyadh, a key US ally. On Friday, The New York Times said the CIA had intercepted communications of the crown prince telling a top aide in 2017 that he would go after Khashoggi "with a bullet" if the journalist did not return to Saudi Arabia. "I'm not going to comment on reports based on anonymous sources," Jubeir said. "The crown prince, we know, did not order this. This was not a government-sanctioned operation." And make no mistake there will be plenty of individuals trying to muddy the waters. There will be those who care more about killing STAT than about preserving classroom instruction. And others who will refuse to believe that the school board cant simply cut elsewhere, like paring senior staff never mind that the superintendent has all of 40 top-level executives supervising a system with 18,000 employees. Parents and teachers are going to have to be vocal in their call for a new source of funding make that loud and shrill and angry. And that campaign might start with the school board whose members talk a big game about transparency but have not released the draft audit (the most damning finding, sources say, is a pattern of overdue financial disclosure forms, with school board members among the worst offenders). Times have changed in Baltimore County, and now its up to those who long for higher quality schools to fight for them. Washington/Beijing: The US sailed two guided-missile destroyers close to the disputed islands in the South China Sea on Monday to challenge Chinas excessive maritime claim, drawing the ire of Beijing which accused Washington of trying to stir up trouble. The USS Spruance and the USS Preble sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Spratly Islands as part of what the US Navy calls a freedom of navigation operation, CNN reported. The move angered Beijing at a time when the US and China are locked in a trade war and are negotiating a deal ahead of a March 1 deadline when US tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports are expected to increase to 25 per cent from 10 per cent. Reacting to the US ships, China accused Washington of trespassing in its territorial waters. The US is determined to stir up trouble in the South China Sea, create tension and undermine peace, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a press briefing. She urged the US to cease the provocative actions. The Spratly Islands are a disputed group of islands, islets and cays and more than 100 reefs, sometimes grouped in submerged old atolls, in the South China Sea. China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. The US carried out Mon-days operation to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law, Commander Clay Doss, a spokesman for the US Navys 7th Fleet, said. The US sailed two guided-missile destroyers close to the disputed islands in the South China Sea on Monday to challenge Chinas excessive maritime claim, drawing the ire of Beijing which accused Washington of trying to stir up trouble. The USS Spruance and the USS Preble sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Spratly Islands as part of what the US Navy calls a freedom of navigation operation, CNN reported. The move angered Beijing at a time when the US and China are locked in a trade war and are negotiating a deal ahead of a March 1 deadline when US tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports are expected to increase to 25 per cent from 10 per cent. Reacting to the US ships, China accused Washington of trespassing in its territorial waters. The US is determined to stir up trouble in the South China Sea, create tension and undermine peace, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a press briefing. She urged the US to cease the provocative actions. The Spratly Islands are a disputed group of islands, islets and cays and more than 100 reefs, sometimes grouped in submerged old atolls, in the South China Sea. China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. The US carried out Mon-days operation to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law, Commander Clay Doss, a spokesman for the US Navys 7th Fleet, said. Washington: Donald Trump pushed back on Monday at the suggestion he spends much of his work day taking it easy, as the White House kept up the hunt for the person behind an embarrassing leak of the president's schedule. According to details published last week by Axios, 60 percent of Trump's work life is categorized as executive time, meaning unstructured time to make phone calls, read newspapers, tweet and watch television. Seeking to set the record straight, the president said such free time should be viewed as positive, not negative. When the term Executive Time is used, I am generally working, not relaxing, Trump tweeted. In fact, I probably work more hours than almost any past President. The fact is, when I took over as President, our Country was a mess, Trump continued. Depleted Military, Endless Wars, a potential War with North Korea, V.A., High Taxes & too many Regulations, Border, Immigration & HealthCare problems, & much more. I had no choice but to work very long hours! added the president, who rarely has official work before 11:00 am, according to the daily guidance issued to the media by his press office. Quizzed about what appeared to be a rather easy typical day at the office for the world's most powerful man acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney also pushed back on Sunday. That executive time is on there to allow the president to prep for the next meeting, to debrief from the previous meeting, Mulvaney told NBC's Meet the Press. The phone calls start at 6:30 in the morning, and they go until 11:00 at night. So I can assure you that the gentleman is working more than what's on that calendar, he said. Trump has reportedly ordered an aggressive search for the source of the leak. US negotiators were in Beijing on Monday for another round of talks on a trade deal. (File Photo) Beijing: US negotiators were in Beijing on Monday for another round of talks on a trade deal with the clock ticking towards a March 1 deadline set by President Donald Trump. Preliminary discussions by lower-level officials were to be held, before US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin step in for the main event on Thursday and Friday. Washington suspended plans in December to increase tariffs on USD 200 billion worth of Chinese imports - to 25 per cent from the current 10 per cent - to give negotiators space to resolve a trade spat that has triggered fears of a global economic slowdown. A previous round of talks in Washington last month ended without a deal. Deputy trade representative Jeffrey Gerrish would lead the US delegation in preparatory meetings to begin on Monday, the White House has said. The talks will include officials from the agriculture, energy and commerce departments. Gerrish left his hotel in downtown Beijing on Monday morning without talking to the media. Mnuchin and Lighthizer will be joined by David Malpass, Trump's nominee for president of the World Bank. The Chinese delegation will be led by Vice Premier Liu He, who will be joined by central bank governor Yi Gang. Liu, China's chief trade negotiator, met last month with Trump, who announced that a final resolution of the trade dispute would depend on a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping "in the near future." But Trump said Thursday he did not expect to meet his Chinese counterpart before the trade truce expires on March 1. The Trump administration is demanding far-reaching changes from China to address commercial practices that it says are deeply unfair, including theft of American intellectual property and myriad barriers that US and other foreign companies face in the Chinese domestic market. The RIA Novosti news agency quoted Roskomnadzor as saying it has established a constructive dialogue with Google. Russian news reports say that Google has agreed with national authorities to delete links to websites banned in Russia. The daily Vedomosti reported Thursday that Google has reached an agreement with the Russian state media oversight agency, Roskomnadzor, to regularly receive updated lists of banned sites and delete links to them upon review. The newspaper says Google has already removed about 70 percent of the banned websites from its search results. The RIA Novosti news agency quoted Roskomnadzor as saying it has established a constructive dialogue with Google. Last December, Roskomnadzor fined Google 500,000 rubles (USD 7,600) for failing to delete links to the banned sites. It threatened to cut access to Google if it fails to comply with the demand. Were committed to enabling access to information for the benefit of our users in Russia and around the world, Google spokesman Nu Wexler said. The company offered no further official comment. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has toured the north-eastern parts of the country and the three southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in recent days, principally attacking the Congress Party, Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu and Karnataka CM H.D. Kumaraswamy, he has not sought to dwell on any claimed achievements of his tenure as PM. This is causing some surprise as the next Lok Sabha election is approaching. His opponents, on the other hand, are challenging the PM on unfulfilled promises. Perhaps taking a cue from his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee, the Andhra Pradesh CM played this hand to perfection on Monday when he moved to the nations capital for a sit-in protest to highlight the BJPs and Mr Modis betrayal of Andhra Pradesh. Mr Naidu recalled the special package for five years promised by former PM Manmohan Singh when Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated. The BJP, then in Opposition, had deemed this too little and demanded a package for 10 years. But on coming to power the saffron party overlooked this commitment. The same was true, Mr Naidu noted, of the Centres commitment as bifurcation compensation to Andhra Pradesh in the form of aid for making a new state capital at Amravati, the Polavaram irrigation project and a steel plant at Kadpah. In election season, it became evident that the Telugu Desam Party leader wasnt taking on either the YSR Congress or the Congress, the parties he will be pitted against at the state level, but firing salvos at the BJP, which is a minor force in Andhra. This stance once again underlined the national role the CM has already begun to play as the virtual coordinator for common action for the Opposition parties against the BJP. The message was underlined when Congress president Rahul Gandhi visited Andhra Bhavan, the venue of Mr Naidus New Delhi sit-in protest. Other Opposition leaders also arrived to reinforce the basic point being made by Mr Naidu against the BJP more broadly, and against the PM. It was noteworthy that the CM recalled the importance of the venue. Andhra Bhavan was the staging ground for the late NTR when he had mounted his assault on the Congress, then the pre-eminent and all-powerful national party. Mr Naidu also recalled his own crucial role as the coordinator for the United Front of Opposition parties which came into being after the end of the Congress government led by late PM P.V. Narasimha Rao. Its no secret that in that era Mr Naidus name was speculated on for the PMs post, though he didnt thrust his own case forward. Unlike some other Opposition leaders, Mr Naidu is at this stage pushing for common action by the Opposition parties against the BJP. The rest will doubtless depend on how the Lok Sabha polls turn out. Experience has made Indians too cynical to accept at face value the official plea that the confidentiality clause in the Rafale agreement bars the buyer and the seller from talking about the pricing and forbids the government to reveal details about defence deals. (Representational image) Too many cooks spoil the broth. That central message of the Rafale controversy also explained the uproar in the late 1980s over Indias Rs 1,437-crore purchase of 400 155-mm Howitzer guns from the Swedish manufacturer AB Bofors. Fears of scams and scandals demoralising the armed forces and affecting national security would be lessened if the end user alone selected the weapon, chose the seller and settled terms using his professional judgment. Jawed Ashraf, high commissioner to Singapore, would then be free to serve those neglected aspects of the India-Singapore connection from which so much was expected at one time without being nagged by ghosts from his stint in the Prime Ministers Office. That wont ever altogether eliminate either corruption or suspicion of it. That endemic feature of defence deals became glaring when after protracted bargaining, Washington at last agreed to sell Rajiv Gandhi a single-processor XMP-14 Cray computer, but not the more advanced double-processor XMP-24 model that Rajiv wanted. The Americans complained that high-ranking Indian officials (including from the Defence Research and Development Organisation) who had played no part in the negotiations demanded a cut of the $20 million price when they were sent to collect the machine. Those officials may not have expected Cray to pay the commission out of its own pocket. But Cray could sell India an inferior model costing less than the agreed $20 million, so that the loss would ultimately have been borne by the unsuspecting Indian consumer. The same logic probably motivated the Indian minister whose demand for an exorbitant bribe scuttled the ambitious Tata-Singapore Airlines joint venture project in the mid-1990s. He would have expected the proposed airline to make good the loss by cutting back on services and facilities. The deal fell through because, no doubt to the politicians astonishment, neither the Tatas nor Singapore Airlines was unprincipled enough to shortchange the Indian public. Such abuse being more the norm than the exception, it was no secret that voluntary recruitment to the Armys ranks fell in the aftermath of the Bofors controversy. Rumour swept the wide swathe of territory from Bihar to Haryana and down to Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh from where most jawans come that bribes to the tune of `60 crores which gossip doubled and trebled had to be paid only because the deal was fishy and the product sub-standard. Lusty village lads who enlist would not trust their lives to guns that were said to be defective and shells that were believed not to explode. Experts like Maj. Gen. Jagjit Singh, author of Artillery: The Battle-Winning Arm, have since given a clean chit to the 155-mm Bofors gun, but there was genuine concern at the time that venal politicians, unprincipled bureaucrats and greedy middlemen had seriously compromised Indias security. That fear rides again. Experience has made Indians too cynical to accept at face value the official plea that the confidentiality clause in the Rafale agreement bars the buyer and the seller from talking about the pricing and forbids the government to reveal details about defence deals. Given the ruling partys tub-thumping about the Prime Ministers Make in India slogan, all but fervent Bharatiya Janata Party loyalists will wonder why Narendra Modi abandoned the Manmohan Singh governments much more nationalistic plan in 2012 to assemble 108 of these multi-purpose fighters at Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd after buying only 18 of them off-the-shelf from Frances Dassault Aviation. Instead, Mr Modi announced after meeting the then French President, Francois Hollande, that India would pay about `58,000 crores (7.8 billion euros) for 36 Rafale fighters. Why? Rahul Gandhi may or may not be right in claiming that each aircraft will now cost three times more than the Manmohan Singh government had negotiated, but Mr Modi must have known that the choice of Anil Ambanis Reliance Defence Ltd as the French manufacturers Indian partner was bound to raise hackles. Its absurd to pretend that the Indian government has no role to play in a bilateral agreement between two private companies like Reliance Defences subsidiary, Reliance Aerostructure, and Dassault Reliance Aerospace forming a joint venture called Dassault Aviation. French industry may enjoy that freedom but no defence company in India has any existence outside the realm of official sanction and patronage. In the lay publics thinking, we are back to the days of the Hindujas, Win Chadha and Ottavio Quattrocchi, innocent though they may have been. These developments would have caused anxiety about the countrys defence even if Mr Gandhi had paid heed to Arun Jaitleys worry about seriously compromising Indias security and kept his lips sealed. The new purchase terms, abandonment of Mr Modis Make in India boast, and Mr Ambanis precise role excite curiosity and concern. If grave matters of national security are indeed at stake, a responsible government should take the principal Opposition leader which means the Congress president into confidence. True concern for security demands bipartisan cooperation. That rules out PMO activism. If L.N. Jhas or P.N. Haksars one-man PMO once used to be a power in the land, it was mainly because at that time the PM was not. Now, Make in India, Swachchh Bharat, demonetisation and the timing of the Goods and Services Tax are all attributed to the PMO, not because the PM is weak but because he prefers immediate subordinates who carry out orders to established organs of authority manned (or womanned) by near equals. Yashwant Sinha, who held the finance and external affairs portfolios under Atal Behari Vajpayee, calls todays PMO the most potent and powerful office in the whole government. If that is what Mr Modi is most comfortable with, he can upgrade and formalise its status. After all, the Roman emperor Caligula made his horse a consul! Those whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad Ancient Greek proverb, originsdisputed, but often attributed to Euripedes (Greek playwright BCE 408-406) The actual schedule has not been announced yet, but as the general election of 2019 draws closer, Indias polity and political class appear to be regressing further into what can only be described as a state of collective hydrophobia. Nothing else can really explain the sheer frenzy of the intensely personalised, venomously vituperative political dogfights between the government and the Opposition parties lighting up television screens on every channel and blaring forth in every waking moment throughout the country. Any bewildered and intensely irritated citizen can be forgiven for demanding to know: What is going on here? The intense friction between the Opposition parties and the ruling side on all conceivable issues has quickly built up a head of steam, and generated enough ill-will and political tension all around to bring the confrontation to a head, which has the potential to finally explode into the ultimate internal security nightmare, a physical faceoff between the state and Central police and investigative agencies, each acting under the instructions of their own political masters. In Kolkata, just such a drama was almost played out in real life around the drab and mildewed complexes of the Nizams Palace and the CGO Complex in Salt Lake, which between them house the offices of several Central government organisations and agencies based in West Bengal, including the branch office of the Central Bureau of Investigation. Protection and security cover is provided at these places by the state government concerned, in this case West Bengal, through state and metropolitan police forces. There is a diffused perception amongst the public that in an environment of steady deterioration of Centre-state relations, these complexes have come to be regarded in the perception of the ruling classes almost as enemy enclaves on the autonomous soil of West Bengal. With the approach of elections in 2019, such perceptions can be extremely dangerous for national security in a border state. As the elections loom, the state government, apparently in a fit of pique, took the unheard-of step of abruptly withdrawing its police deployment from these premises. Political rivalry and personal civilities between the Prime Minister and the state chief minister sharply deteriorated to flashpoint levels after back-to-back political rallies were held in North Bengal organised by the cadres of the political parties they respectively lead. The two leaders, both formidable political personalities in their own right, and owning their own turf, have been on a collision course over a long time. The causus belli of this latest West Bengal vs Centre confrontation was a raid by the CBI on the official residence of Kolkatas commissioner of police, while conducting an investigation into the Saradha chit fund ponzi scheme, which had claimed the entire savings (and in some cases by suicide, the lives) of many desperately poor people, mostly residents of West Bengal, as well as the Narada sting operation. In this instance, Central Reserve Police forces had to perforce be rushed to Nizams Palace as well as CGO complexes to take over the responsibility for their security. To the open-mouthed audiences devouring this high-tension action drama on their television screens, the CBI raid on the official residence of the commissioner of police looked almost like some of the scenes from a popular war thriller which had recently played to packed theatres across the country. The Saradha-Narada cases are well known now, though interesting details continue to be regurgitated in the media as titillating titbits. In the currently tangled political scene, the press and media reports on the investigations underweigh into the Saradha/Narada ponzi scheme carry a warning parable. Officers of the Indian Police Service (IPS) will sometimes find themselves in actively adversarial roles with their own counterparts when called upon to work with the political principles of opposing ideologies. The media too must be restrained and not harshly confrontational in their pronouncements. Raid conjures up visions of the Indian Army Special Forces slithering down from darkened helicopters in a hunter-killer mission on terrorist bases across the Line of Control in Kashmir. The police do not raid the official residence of a commissioner of police of a major metropolis, who would be a senior member of the Indian Police Service. Service courtesies and professional civilities have to be mutually maintained, not coarsened by the political discourse and activities of their political principals. The issue at hand is a photograph of a police commissioner of a major metropolis, who is also responsible for the overall security of the chief minister, accompanying his principal when the latter chooses to sit on a dharna. The minister is a political creature, the police commissioner is an IPS officer bound by the regulations and discipline of the service. The two are certainly poles apart. It is a dilemma no police officer should find himself or herself in. Police personnel must preserve the izzat of their uniform. Misuse, mistreatment or prolonged neglect of police personnel have resulted in a series of major cases of collective insubordination and disciplinary breakdowns, which ultimately required armed intervention by paramilitary reinforcements, or in some cases, even the Army. This happened repeatedly in the past era of coalition governments after the electoral rout of Indira Gandhi. In 1979, under the first Janata Party government of Morarji Desai, the Army had to be called out repeatedly to put down disturbances in the CRPF and CISF camps at Jharoda Kalan in Haryana, and Bokaro in Jharkhand. At Bokaro, 26 mutineers had been killed after an Army major was killed when he went forward under a flag of truce to negotiate with mutinous CISF personnel. Governments at the Centre and the states must always contain and defuse any situation where the end result might lead to fratricide between its own Army, paramilitary and police forces. The lessons from Brexit for democracy and the democratic process are significant and general enough to repay attention to even for those whose interest in British politics might be limited. First, it should be clear that meta-issues involving complex economic and political dimensions with uncertain outcomes are not suitable for referenda offering binary yes or no choices. Representative democracy exists for the sensible exercise of judgement on such issues by those elected by the voters to act in their interest. If the latter conclude that their interests are being ignored for any reason, they can change their representatives rather than take decision-making into their own hands. Consider also how unstable the outcome of such a referendum can be with just a slight alteration. Suppose the choices to be voted on in the case of the UK had been, instead of a straightforward yes or no, the following: Remain, Leave unilaterally, or Leave with a deal that ensures X, Y, and Z. Can anyone guarantee that the outcome would have remained unchanged? There does remain a place for referenda even within representative democracy for choices of a much simpler nature, say, on whether a bridge ought to be built at a particular location in a city. The residents could well provide a yes or no input into that decision. But a referendum on leaving a customs union involving something as tricky as the future of the Irish border does not belong in the same category. The referendum called by David Cameron was a cynical, self-serving ploy that backfired with huge unintended consequences; such ploys ought to be ruled out of order in any system of representative democracy. Second, there is sufficient evidence that the Leave campaign involved financing irregularities, false advertising, and lies to manipulate voters. It is a surprise that there has been no Mueller-like inquiry to determine the very legitimacy of the referendum. The triggering of all decisions consequent on the outcome of the referendum ought to have been put on hold till the conclusion of a thorough investigation clearing the process. Third, Theresa Mays insistence that the verdict of voters has to be honoured no matter what is itself problematic. Quite independent of the fact that the Leave campaign may have involved criminal irregularities, it gives no weight to the cost of the decision to the national economy and political order. Suppose it is determined that the costs are of an order of magnitude higher than anticipated, would one still insist of honouring the will of the voters, or would one go back to them with an accounting of the possible consequences? Recall that the representative of the voters rejected the best deal Ms May was able to get from the EU by the biggest margin in recent parliamentary history. As one who voted Remain, Ms Mays single-mindedness seems less a devotion to democracy than a way of saying you asked for it so lump it. In a representative democracy, Parliament must be more in control of such decisions than the executive. Fourth, what is to be done in the kind of situation that exists now, presuming, as seems the likely case, that the deal Ms May has is the best she can get because the EU will make no more concessions. Given what has been said about referenda here, the option of a second referendum ought to be ruled out. It would be just as problematic as the first one for the same reasons. Whatever the outcome, it would polarise the polity further and set a terrible precedent. One alternative would be to leverage the strength of the parliamentary system in finding a way forward. Each representative could take back the best deal negotiated over two years to his or her constituency and have it debated transparently in a series of open townhouse forums. The constituents would then be asked to vote on the three available options: Accept the deal, reject the deal and withdraw unilaterally, or Remain as per the status quo ante. The representatives would then take these verdicts back to Parliament and vote as instructed by their constituents in a decision that would be binding on the executive. From the perspective of the democratic process, this alternative has at least two aspects in its favour. First, the representatives will truly voice the will of their constituents and not be whipped into voting contrarily by the will of the executive. Second, it would not polarise the polity in the same way that a direct referendum would simply because of an extended roll-out and its intermediation through representatives seen to be bound to the will of the voters. The EU would have to be asked for an extension but that would be well justified by obtaining the informed consent of the citizens. Recent events across the world have highlighted many problems with modern democracy but the system retains sufficient strengths to repair the damage if leveraged with a minimum amount of good sense. By arrangement with Dawn Bengaluru: Has the state government gifted state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa a handle, which he could deploy to his advantage in LS polls, by ordering a SIT probe into the audio tape episode? At least two MLAs from north Karnataka region suspected that Mr Yeddyurappa could use the decision of the state government to announce a SIT probe to gain political advantage. In north Karnataka, this could again be played out as an instance of CM H.D. Kumaraswamys vengeful act to end the political career of Mr Yeddyurappa. It is too early to conclude, but if this issue is dragged for long, it might be used to reap political gains by Mr Yeddyurappa. He could accuse the family of Mr Deve Gowda of hatching a conspiracy to finish his political career, said one of the MLAs. Many Lingayat pontiffs too expressed similar views. It is not appropriate to favour any political party or leader. But, I can say it is an attempt at character assassination of Lingayat leader and state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa. The government is trying to suppress the Opposition leader by hatching a conspiracy against him through the audio tape episode. People will take suitable decision against it during the coming LS polls . It is also not good for all parties to indulge in political slugfest instead of focusing on welfare of downtrodden and providing infrastructure, said Rambhapuri seer Veerasomeshwara Shivacharya Swamiji. Dr Siddarama Swamiji of Naganur Rudrakshi Matha said, Lingayat leaders in politics had never indulged in attempt to topple the government by adopting such strategy. Such development will cause embarrassment to the BJP leaders at national level including PM Modi. We cannot accept state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa as Lingayat leader if he resorts to such attempt. Meanwhile, Umakanth Nigudagi, former president of Hyderabad Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, Mr Yeddyurappa, who is a simple and straightforward leader, has been trapped by the Gowda family which is known for cunningness and also backstabbing, through this audio tape issue, Vijayawada: A day after his bitter war of words with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Andhra soil, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday took his fight to the national capital, where he sat on a day-long fast that ended at 8.20 pm when former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda offered him juice. On behalf of five crore people, I am warning this government. I came here to remind you of the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act, he said. Speaking after the protest ended, Mr Naidu dismissed accusations by Mr Modi that his government was not giving accounts of funds released by the Centre for Andhra Pradeshs development. Mr Naidu said, Modi is lying. I have given all accounts and submitted all utilisation certificates. Niti Aayog, too, has recommended release of funds to Andhra Pradesh. But the Centre has never released these funds. In an apparent reference to Mr Modis accusation that the AP government was splurging public money, Mr Naidu said Mr Modi had conducted a similar deeksha in September 2011 for three days, using government money in Gujarat. Mr Naidu said his deeksha was not for personal gains but for justified demands of AP for special status. Mr Naidu said there was no better actor than Mr Modi and faulted him for saying that he was going to Delhi for a photo opportunity. He said that for the BJP, he and the TD were good as long as they were allies. The ruling came after two of Hogan's rivals in the Republican primary filed complaints with the State Board of Elections in May. The candidates alleged that Hogan broke election rules by turning the corporation behind his conservative advocacy operation along with its resources into the foundation for his campaign for governor. Vijayawada: The Dharma Porata Deeksha launched by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in Delhi, to press his demand for Special Category Status (SCS) for AP, attracted support from several opposition leaders and Chief Ministers on Monday. More than 20 leaders arrived at the venue of the fast and expressed solidarity for the demand of special category status for AP, and most of them came down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for destroying the federal system. All India Congress Committee president Rahul Gandhi was also present and said that the Prime Minister is a liar and should honour the assurances given at the time of the bifurcation of the state such as SCS. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh addressed those assembled and said the present government has the responsibility of fulfilling the decisions taken during the last Parliament session. He said all parties were in favour of the SCS. He said he supported fully Mr Naidus position on seeking special category status. Former Union minister and architect of the state bifurcation bill, Jairam Ramesh, said that Mr Modi cannot speak the truth even by mistake. He said Mr Modi should take VRS. If the Congress comes to power, its first decision will be to accord SCS to AP, and the second decision will be to complete the Polavaram project, he said. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who also came out in Mr Naidus support, said that the Prime Minister has been trying to suppress state governments that question the decisions of his government. He reminded Mr Modi that he is not the Prime Minister of the BJP but the Prime Minister of India. Mr Modi is trying to encroach upon the powers of the Delhi government by acting like Pakistan, he said. He added the ACB has been under the Delhi government for the past 40 years, but the BJP government has grabbed the ACB from the purview of the Delhi government just as it has used the CBI against police officials in West Bengal. Meanwhile, the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also extended her support to the deeksha in a call she made to Mr Naidu. Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said that it is the responsibility of the central government to fulfill the promise made to AP on special category status, and that his party was in favour of it. Sharad Yadav of the Loktantrik Janata Dal said all opposition parties came together during the internal Emergency and the same situation prevails now. He said that the central government should fulfil the demands of AP. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu during Dharma Porata Deeksha, a day-long fast to demand special status for the state of Andhra Pradesh, in New Delhi on Monday. (PTI) Vijayawada: A day after his bitter war of words with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Andhra soil, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday took his fight to the national capital, where he sat on a day-long fast that ended at 8.20 pm when former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda offered him juice. Mr Naidu was demanding Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh and implementation of provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act. Senior national leaders, including former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav came to AP Bhavan where Mr Naidu was sitting on a fast. Leaders of almost all Ppposition parties were in attendance. BJP ally Shiv Senas Sanjay Raut also made a surprise appearance at the protest venue in the morning. Speaking before beginning his Deeksha, Mr Naidu accused Mr Modi of not following raj dharma. Atal Behari Vajpayee had said raj dharma was not followed in Gujarat during the 2002 riots. Now, raj dharma is not being followed in the case of Andhra Pradesh. We have been denied what is rightfully ours, the Chief Minister said. Rs 20 lakh ex gracia to kin of deceased, state funeral Claiming that a disabled man Davala Arjun Rao from Srikakulam had committed suicide, demanding Special Category Status in Delhi, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced Rs 20 lakh ex gratia to the deceased family. He also said that the deceased will get a state funeral. He added that since he sacrificed his life for the cause of Andhra Pradesh, government had decided on ex gratia and a state funeral. Mr Naidu said that Arjun Rao who became disabled due to a mishap had come all the way to Delhi on his own to take part in Naidus deeksha and committed suicide. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, left, and a NTR lookalike during Dharma Porata Deeksha, a day-long fast to demand special status for the state of Andhra Pradesh, in New Delhi, Monday. (Photo: AP) Vijayawada: TD supremo and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had lambasted BJP National president, Amit Shah for writing an open letter to people of Andhra Pradesh in which he had accused Mr Naidu of taking U-turn. He said Amit Shah is a professional liar and asked him to stop humiliating Andhra Pradesh public by writing such letters. Mr Naidu said BJP had cheated Andhra Pradesh and victimising and causing suffering to people of the state. He threatened that TD will continue the attack if the BJP doesnt stop attacking them and stressed that he will not leave Modi-Shah duo. Mr Naidu who had ended his day-long deeksha at AP Bhavan in Delhi had said it was not he who had taken U-turn but the Modi-Shah duo had taken wrong side and wrong turn by not granting special category status to Andhra Pradesh which was also demanded by their BJP leaders at the time of state bifurcation. He said that he had agreed on special package only after the Centre had said that the special category status will not be given to any other state but Centre later taken U-turn and extended the status to other states. He said that funds that were released by the Centre were part of the Finance Commission provisions and no special funds were released to Andhra Pradesh. He said that none will believe such letters and asked not to provoke Andhra people. Vijayawada: BJP national president Amit Shah described TD supremo N. Chandrababu Naidus fast in Delhi on Monday as theatrics and histrionics. In an open letter to the people of AP on Monday, Mr Shah said Mr Naidus desperation for grabbing headlines is understandable as he is aware that his political fortunes are declining rapidly. Naidu knows that he has lost complete credibility among the people of Andhra Pradesh and as a result is announcing a series of sops to woo different sections. Sensing defeat in the coming elections, he has made multiple U-turns and is carrying on a malicious propaganda against the Centre and BJP leadership to divert peoples attention from his failures. He is going too far by personally attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and even did not have the courtesy to receive the Prime Minister when he came to the state, Mr Shah said in the open letter. The BJP president said the enlightened and politically conscious people will see through Mr Naidus desperation to retain power. He said people of AP will teach a lesson to Mr Naidu in the elections for having joined hands with the Congress, which has bifurcated the state in a unilateral, hasty and unscientific manner. Hyderabad: Taking on the mahagathbandan that is being formed to oppose the BJP at the Centre, Union minister Smriti Irani said it was meant to loot the nation. Parties that neglected the poor and gave importance to their families have formed a Grand Alliance and are trying to loot the country, Ms Irani in Mahbubnagar. Ms Irani had come to Mahbubnagar, about 85 km from the city, to address BJP workers from Mahbubnagar, Nagarkurnool and Chevella Lok Sabha constituencies. She said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had done a lot for the country and every party worker had the responsibility of explaining it to the voters. The Opposition is unable to tolerate the overwhelming response for the welfare schemes implemented by Narendra Modi for the poor and is levelling allegations against the government. The Opposition leaders are now struggling for their political existence, she said. She said India had emerged as a powerful nation under the leadership of Mr Modi and asked: What did the Congress do for the development of the nation all these years. She said that to help people to overcome their financial crises, Mr Modi had given loans ranging between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 50 lakh to about 15 crore people. Though the opposition is trying hard to bring down Mr Modi, the people have decided to vote for Narendra Modi once again, Ms Irani said. Taking on the TRS, Ms Irani said it was unfortunate that the state government had not considered Ayushman Bharat, the medical insurance scheme that provides treatment up to Rs 5 lakh. The TRS government has not taken this up as the Prime Minister will get the credit and support of the people. The people of Telangana are in favour of Narendra Modi, Ms Irani said. Kashmiri politicians tend to call Kashmir an integral part of India when in power and raise questions on its identity when not in power, said Singh. (Photo: PTI | File) New Delhi: A war of words erupted between Minister of State (MoS) in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, after Singh said that Kashmir-based politicians have a tendency to "speak in the language of Pakistan" when they were out of power. Singh also took a jibe at Mehbooba Mufti's People Democratic Party (PDP), claiming that along with Abdullah's National Conference (NC), they shared the same character in heaping praises on Pakistan. "I have said this before that since decades, it has been the tendency of Kashmir-based politicians that they call Kashmir an integral part of India when in power and raise questions on the identity of Kashmir and begin seeing positives in Pakistan when their governments are out of power," he told ANI. Questioning Abdullah's duplicity stand over Pakistan, Singh added, "This is not restricted to only one party PDP, National Conference has shown the same character. When Farooq Abdullah was the chief minister, he used to complain to the Centre that why are terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) not bombed? We all know what he is saying now when he is not in power." In response, a combative Abdullah called Singh a "Pakistani", and claimed that such people came to power by "lying". Taking a jibe at Singh, Abdullah told reporters in New Delhi, "What has Jitendra Singh got? What minister is he? What work has he done? Holding a ministerial post and talking is a different matter but he should also have something to show. Tell me when did I say 'we are not Indians'?" "People like Jitendra Singh are Pakistanis, not Farooq Abdullah. Such people have come to power by lying," he added. Earlier on Sunday, Singh hit out at Mehbooba by saying that the mainstream politicians of Kashmir "sing the song of Pakistan" when they are out of power, but swear by India when in power. Taking to Twitter, Singh attacked the PDP chief for praising Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan while criticising the governance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India. The reaction from the MoS came after Mehbooba praised Khan after he announced to rename Baloki Forest Reserve in Pakistan after Guru Nanak Dev, the Sikh community's holy figure and expressed his wish to build a university in his name. In a tweet, Mehbooba said that while Indian government's "top priority" is seemingly renaming historic cities and building Ram temple in Ayodhya but on the other hand, "it is heartening to see that Pakistan has initiated steps to name Baloki forest reserve after Guru Nanak Dev and create a university in his name." On Saturday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP chief Raosaheb Danve had claimed that their party would win 43 seats. (File Photo) Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Monday mocked the BJP's claim that it would win 43 out of the total 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in the upcoming general polls, calling it "far-fetched" and "bereft of reality". The Shiv Sena claimed the situation was grim in the state and wondered how could the BJP think of winning so many seats when the party-ruled state was staring at a slew of problems and the alliance talks with the Uddhav Thackeray-led party were still not completed. On Saturday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP chief Raosaheb Danve had claimed that their party would win 43 seats, one more than in 2014, in the Lok Sabha polls in the state. Maharashtra accounts for the second highest number of 48 Lok Sabha seats in the country after Uttar Pradesh, which has 80. The Shiv Sena, which is currently a constituent of the NDA at the centre and the BJP-led government in Maharashtra, had last year announced to go solo in all future elections. However, the BJP has time and again expressed confidence of stitching up a pre-poll alliance with the Shiv Sena. The Shiv Sena, in an editorial in party mouthpiece ''Saamana'' on Monday, claimed that several issues were plaguing the state at present. "The BJP-led government tried to crush the agitation of farmers'' daughters in Ahmednagar. There are no good returns for onion growers and milk producers. Teachers are agitating over their demand for filling 24,000 vacant posts in government-run schools, while over 1,000 children have died in state-run shelter homes in last four years," it claimed. The government has no solution for these issues, but it was sure of winning 43 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the Marathi publication said. "Politics is given more importance than people's issues. The way dew sometimes turns into frost because of cold conditions, the minds of rulers have also frozen," it said. The Sena admitted that the issue of tie-up between the two parties ahead of the Lok Sabha polls was hanging fire. "But, such a situation has not been created by us. The BJP has sown the seeds of such a sin," the editorial said. It was referring to the BJP parting ways with the Sena ahead of the 2014 state Assembly elections. The Sena once again raised its demand for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya and lashed out at the BJP over it. "If the BJP has electronic voting machines (EVMs) and over-confidence on its side, it can win all 48 seats in Maharashtra," the Marathi daily taunted. "The BJP's lotus can bloom even in London and the US, but it should tell why Ram temple has not been constructed so far," it said. The TDP president is on a fast here demanding that the Centre fulfil all promises made during Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation in 2014. (File Photo) New Delhi: Expressing support for Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's daylong fast, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Monday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stolen from the people of the state and given the money to industrialist Anil Ambani. The TDP president is on a fast here demanding that the Centre fulfil all promises made during Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation in 2014 and alleging that the prime minister was not following 'raj dharma' by denying the state special status. "The prime minister has stolen from the people from Andhra Pradesh and he has given that money to Anil Ambani. That is the fact of the matter," Gandhi said at the venue of the hunger strike in Andhra Bhavan. The government and Ambani have rejected Gandhi's allegations of corruption in the Rafale fighter jet deal with France. "Mr Narendra Modi, wherever he goes, he goes to Andhra Pradesh, he lies about special status. He goes to the North-East, he tells another lie over there. He goes to Maharashtra and he tells another lie over there. He has absolutely got no credibility left," Gandhi said. There is a very vindictive and vicious political atmosphere... But I know, its her duty to serve the people and now we hand her to the people of India. Please keep her safe, Robert Vadra also wrote. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee in charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadras husband Robert Vadra has appealed to the people of India to keep his best friend, a perfect wife and best mother safe on Facebook and wished her luck. This is the second post by Robert Vadra, who is being questioned by the ED for three consecutive days last week in connection with a probe into allegations of money laundering to purchase assets abroad, in support the AICC general secretary in charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Before this Vadra had posted his congratulations to Priyanka Gandhi after she was appointed the general secretary of the Congress party along with senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia. Congratulations P... always by your side in every phase of your life. Give it your best, Robert Vadra wrote on Facebook moments after Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was given her first official role in the party headed by her brother Rahul Gandhi. Priyanka, who is been hailed as the big game changer for the Congress party in the crucial electoral state of Uttar Pradesh, launched the roadshow in the state capital along with brother Rahul Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia. She is in Lucknow for a four-day visit, her first trip since formally joining politics two weeks ago, as she started making preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Shortly before arriving in Lucknow, Priyanka joined Twitter and has already amassed close to 52,000 followers. On February 7, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra dropped off her husband at the Enforcement Directorate office in Delhi and also picked him up after his questioning. "I stand by my husband," Priyanka Gandhi told NDTV that day, delivering what she called a "clear" message to those targeting her family. I would like to appeal to Bainsla Ji to send team for dialogue, will discuss how their demands can be met within Constitutional limits, Rajasthan Minister Bhanwar Lal said. (Photo: ANI) Jaipur: Rajasthan Minister Bhanwar Lal on Monday urged the protesting Gujjar community, demanding five per cent reservation in government jobs and educational institutes, not to resort to violence and protest peacefully. The protest launched by the Gujjar Community entered its fourth day today. Lal stated, Would like to appeal to Gujjar community that please do not resort to violence, protest peacefully. I would also like to appeal to Bainsla Ji to send his team for dialogue, and we will discuss as to how their demands can be met within limits of Constitution. He also urged the protesters to pressurise the Centre to give the reservation. Would like to appeal to the Gujjar community that they pressurise the PM to give five per cent reservation, the way they gave 10 per cent reservation to General Category. Our government is 45 days old, we're not saying no. If they will block roads then the government will also do its work," he said. Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla: We will leave only after getting 5% reservation. Its my personal request to govt, dont do anything which can provoke people of Rajasthan, people are waiting for my instructions. lets sort it out in a peaceful manner. The earlier the better. pic.twitter.com/LWJnXxMq3H ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2019 On Sunday, the protesters turned violent as three police vehicles were torched in Dholpur district and around 10 shots were also fired. As per the railway authorities, as many as 18 trains were cancelled in Kota division of Central-West Railway on Sunday. However, between February 11 and 13, the railway authorities have already announced to cancel the movement of 37 trains, scheduled to pass through Kota division, in view of the ongoing quota stir. According to police, unidentified miscreants fired around 10 shots in the air during the blockade on Agra-Morena highway. Three police vehicles including two jeeps and a bus were torched by the agitators, said the police, which had to use tear gas shells to disperse them. Since the people of the Gujjar community have squatted on rail tracks for the last three days, the movement of trains has adversely been affected. Ten trains plying on February 11 in Kota division areas have been cancelled while 12 trains scheduled for plying on February 12 also stand cancelled. Also, 15 trains scheduled for plying on February 13 have been cancelled well in advance. Also, several trains have been diverted. As per the railway authorities, 13 trains commencing on February 10 were diverted while five trains commencing on February 11 have been diverted in Kota division. The movement of vehicles on the National Highway-8 was also affected on Sunday at Ajmer as protestors blocked the National Highway-8 (NH-8) in support of the ongoing reservation stir. In an appeal to Gujjar community, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has asked them not to sit on the rail tracks and has urged them to submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On Saturday, agitators erected tents on railway tracks Sawai Madhopur district. Last year on October 26, the BJP government led by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje had passed a Bill, which increased Other Backward Classes (OBCs) quota from 21 per cent to 26 per cent. In December 2018, the state government had also approved one per cent reservation for Gujjar and four other OBCs as per the Supreme Court-imposed 50 per cent quota ceiling. This will ensure that the public has visibility into how the courts are dealing with violent criminals and bring the same standards of fairness and openness that apply to the executive and legislative branches to the judiciary, according to the governors statement on the bill. Two workers from each booth in the country should contribute Rs. 1,000 through the NaMo app. (Photo:ANI) New Delhi: Pitching for "purity" in poll funding, BJP president Amit Shah on Monday said the party must run with contributions from its workers and not on donations of "money bags, builders, contractors and those with black money". Addressing a party event to mark the 51st death anniversary of its ideological guide Deen Dayal Upadhyay, Mr Shah said the BJP should take up the responsibility of guiding other parties on the path of probity. Two workers from each booth in the country should contribute Rs. 1,000 through the NaMo app, he said. "BJP workers should say with pride that we run this party from our money and no industrialist, contractor, money bag or builder can run it," Mr Shah said. He, however, added that as party president he cannot say the BJP can fund all its organisational and election expenses from its workers' contributions. "This is not possible today," he said. "If means are not pure, then our goals cannot be attained in a good way. If the party has to be kept pure... If the party starts running from the money of money bags, builders, contractors, those with black money, then it will malign our means to realise our goals," he said. There should be a public discussion on how election expenses can be brought down and how to bring probity in poll funding, he said, expressing confidence that such an exercise will begin under the BJP's leadership. The Modi government, he asserted, has taken steps to clamp down on the influence of black money in politics by limiting cash donations to Rs. 2,000. Laws against corruption have been made so stringent that those breaking it will be caught and that those who were involved in scams are sweating even in this Delhi winter, he said. Fugitive businessmen Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi had escaped the country because the Modi government started putting accused like them behind bars, he claimed. During the resumed hearing, Mr. Gupta informed the Bench that the new dam would not be constructed without the nod and approval of Tamil Nadu as provided in the 2014 verdict. New Delhi: The Kerala government on Monday informed the Supreme Court that a new Mullaperiyar dam to replace the existing one would not be taken up for construction without the consent and approval of the Tamil Nadu government. Senior counsel Jaideep Gupta for Kerala made this submission before a Bench of Justices A.K. Sikri and Abdul Nazeer hearing a contempt petition filed by Tamil Nadu challenging the permission granted by the centre to Kerala for undertaking a study and approving the terms of reference for the new dam project. Tamil Nadu had strongly objected to the approval contending that it amounted to contempt when the Constitution Bench in its 2014 judgment had clearly ruled out construction of a new dam. Any permission to study the proposal for a new dam would go against the spirit of the 2014 verdict. During the resumed hearing, Mr. Gupta informed the Bench that the new dam would not be constructed without the nod and approval of Tamil Nadu as provided in the 2014 verdict. He said it was only a preliminary study undertaken by the state. Recording this submission, the Bench closed the contempt plea and disposed of the petition. In its application, Tamil Nadu submitted that pursuant to the 2014 verdict, a meeting of the expert committee was held in June 2015 and it was recorded that the construction of new dam has to be in accordance with the 2014 verdict. But despite this, Kerala sent a proposal to the centre seeking environment clearance for the new dam project on the assumption that the existing dam is not safe and that it had outlived its purpose, which is not correct. The centre granted approval for the project study and the terms of reference for the project without taking consent from Tamil Nadu and thereby committed a contempt. To a query, the centre informed the state government that approval of the terms of reference is only a preliminary step. No environmental clearance has been issued for the project. Hence, Tamil Nadu urged the court to issue contempt to the Kerala government as well as to the centre for approving the study. The official said that there are several fake websites that have been created to cheat the public by luring them with huge monthly rents for installing cellphone towers on their premises. (Representational Image) Hyderabad: A city-based businessman was conned by a group who created a fake website and lured the public by promising huge monthly rents if they installed cellphone towers on their rooftops. The businessman deposited over Rs 8 lakh in the bank accounts provided by the scamsters. The incident occurred at Bholapur in Musheerabad and the victim, Vikas (name changed) approached the Hyderabad cybercrime police requesting justice. Vikas owns a house in Bholakpur and has open space in his roof measuring about 500 sq yards. Like other neighbours, he also wanted to install a cellphone tower on the rooftop to earn some money by leasing out the space. He searched on the Internet and found a website styled www.towersjio.in, where he saw that he could earn Rs 25,000 per month by leasing the open space to cellphone companies. The victim filled the form provided in the website and shared the details. A stranger called him asking for a security deposit and details of the space, including the blueprints of the plot, the investigating officer said. Soon, the stranger asked Vikas to deposit money towards TDS, GST, clearance from the government and other taxes, and squeezed over Rs 8 lakh within a span of one month. Vikas realised that he was being cheated when the stranger asked him for more money. He then lodged a complaint, the officer from the cybercrime wing of Hyderabad city police commissionerate said. The official said that there are several fake websites that have been created to cheat the public by luring them with huge monthly rents for installing cellphone towers on their premises. A case has been registered and a probe is on to identify the bank account holders in which the money was money deposited, he said. Robert Vadra with his mother arrives to appear before the ED officials in Jaipur. Jaipur: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrived on a chartered plane on Monday evening to meet her husband Robert Vadra, who is scheduled to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a probe into an alleged land scam in Rajasthans border town of Bikaner. According to airport authorities, Priyanka left the airport under tight security for the hotel where her husband had reached earlier in the day. Priyanka had on last Wednesday strongly come out in support of her husband, whom she had dropped off at the Enforcement Director-ates office in Delhi on the first day of his questioning in another case. He is my husband, he is my family... I support my family, she had said when asked whether she was sending a message by dropping off her husband. Mr Vadra is scheduled to make a fresh appearance before the Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday in Jaipur in connection with a probe into an alleged land scam in Bikaner. Mr Vadras mother Maureen is also likely to appear before the central probe agency at about 10 am at its zonal office on Bhawani Singh Road in Jaipur. The duo landed at Jaipur airport on Monday noon. This will be the fourth time that Vadra appears before the agency. On the last three occasions, he appeared before the ED in Delhi in connection with a money-laundering probe against him for his alleged role in procuring assets abroad in an alleged illegal manner. Tuesday's appearance before the ED in Jaipur is directed by the Rajasthan high court which asked Mr Vadra and his mother to cooperate with the agency after they approached it seeking directions that no coercive action is taken against them by the agency. Sources said the investigating officer (IO) of the case would record the statement of Mr Vadra and his mother under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The investigating agency has grilled Mr Vadra for about 24 hours over three sessions last week in the national capital. Twitter team including Twitter India representatives arrive at Parliament to appear before Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology today. Earlier Twitter had refused to appear citing 'short notice' of the hearing. (Photo: ANI | Twitter) New Delhi: The CEO of Twitter and other top officials have been summoned by the Parliamentary panel on information technology to appear before it by February 15 over safeguarding citizens rights on social media. The head of the panel, BJP lawmaker Anurag Thakur, on Monday said Twitter has been given a 15-day deadline. On Monday, the parliamentary panel passed a resolution that they will not meet any Twitter officials till the top executives of the global team deposed before them. Earlier, the Twitter CEO and senior officials had refused to appear before the Committee citing short notice period. Twitter team including Twitter India representatives on Monday arrived at Parliament to appear before the Committee, which had called Twitter team through an official letter on February 1 to discuss issues concerning the use of social media platform. The letter sent to Twitter by the Parliamentary Committee stated: "It may be noted that the head of the organisation has to appear before the Committee." He/she may be accompanied by another representative," the letter further said, as per the sources. Representatives from Twitter India had reached the parliament annex to attend the panel's meeting but they were not called in. The Committee meeting was scheduled to be held on February 7 and was later postponed to February 11 to allow the Twitter CEO and senior officials more time to make themselves available, sources said. The BJP had warned Twitter of "repercussions" on Saturday, saying no agency has the right to disrespect institutions of the country. 'No sovereign guarantee, no bank guarantee, no escrow account, yet a huge amount was paid as advance,' Chidambaram alleged. (Photo: File) New Delhi: The Congress on Monday said the Rafale deal is "unravelling" faster than the government thought, with issues such as "parallel negotiations" by the PMO and changes in the standard defence procurement procedure coming to the fore. The opposition party's attack on the government came after a report in The Hindu newspaper claimed that the deal between India and France involved "major and unprecedented" concessions from the Indian government, with critical provisions for anti-corruption penalties and making payments through an escrow account dropped days before the signing of the inter-governmental agreement (IGA). Senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram said the Rafale deal is unravelling faster than the government thought. "First, it was the loading of the India Specific Enhancement costs on 36 aircraft instead of 126 aircraft giving a bonanza to Dassault. Then it was the revelation that 'parallel negotiations' were being carried on by PMO undermining the efforts of the Indian Negotiating Team," he said in a series of tweets. Now it is revealed that crucial changes were made to the clauses in the standard Defence Procurement Procedure, he said. "No sovereign guarantee, no bank guarantee, no escrow account, yet a huge amount was paid as advance," Chidambaram alleged. Lashing out at the Modi government, he said, "No penalty clause for undue influence, no clause against agency commission, no clause for access to suppliers' accounts, and Dassault goes laughing all the way to the bank." Citing the media report, Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Modiji, after waiving off sovereign guarantee in Rafale deal, you also waived off the 'anti-corruption measure' of a 'safeguard Escrow A/c'! What is the corruption you wanted to hide?" The whole country is abuzz that "chowkidar chor hai", he said. The Congress has been alleging irregularities in the Rafale deal but the government has vehemently rejected all allegations. Chennai: Visiting Tamil Nadu as the middle leg of his 3-southern states visit on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the crucial last leg link of the Chennai metro, from AG-DMS to Washermenpet. The state capital gets a complete Metro Phase-1 from Sunday with the airport to Central Station line via Anna Salai. The Prime Minister also flagged off an ESI hospital in the hosiery and weaver town of Tiruppur, besides mega schemes for the State. The Prime Minister also laid a foundation stone for modernisation of Chennai International Airport, (Phase-II) besides a new integrated terminal building at Tiruchy airport. More importantly for Chennai commuters, the opening of the last leg 10 km stretch of phase-1 of Chennai Metro linking eight underground stations, including the underground transit hub at Central Metro, facilitated true Metro connectivity for the whole city. Commuters will be charged Rs 60 for the airport to Central ride while currently they can reach most of the stations with ticket fare of Rs 40 including stations like Thousand Lights, AG-DMS, Teynampet and Nandanam from Central Metro and Airport. Phase-1 connects a portion of North Chennai including Washermenpet and Mannadi via the High Court. The PM launched the last leg of the Chennai metro rail Phase I and declared open six underground metro stations through video-conferencing from Tiruppur in the presence of Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and Governor Banwarilal Purohit. Tiruchy airport can cater to 3,000 passengers: The Prime Minister who laid a foundation stone for modernisation of Chennai International Airport, (Phase-II) besides a new integrated terminal building at Tiruchy airport, said Tiruchy airport could cater to about 3,000 passengers during peak hours after completion of a new integrated building. At present, the Tiruchy airport caters to only less than 500 passengers during peak hours, he said. Referring to all such new initiatives which he inaugurated today including the Chennai Metro rail, Mr. Modi said while addressing a rally in Tiruppur that all such initiatives would go a long way in boosting ease of living for the people of Tamil Nadu. On Tiruppur, he said that the city, which has a strong association with the MSME and unorganised sector, would be quite happy to know that the Centre has come up with the `3,000 pension under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan Pension Yojana. Mr. Modi also dedicated BPCL Ennore Coastal installation - state-of-the-art and fully automated oil storage and distribution facilities, with a project cost of `393 crore and a crude oil pipeline from Chennai Port to Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltds Manali refinery. The pipeline, built with enhanced safety features, will ensure safe and reliable supply of crude oil and would meet the needs of TN and neighbouring States. The state-of-the-art ESI hospital will have 100-bed facility and it would cater to the requirement of one-lakh workers and their family members in Tiruppur and surrounding areas covered under the ESI act. The 470-bedded, Chennai, which he also dedicated to the nation, would provide quality treatment on all disciplines of medicine. CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure equal participation by State and Central governments in executing the Chennai Metro rail phase-II project costing about Rs 69,180 crore. Contending that the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) has already approved a loan of Rs 20,196 crore and agreement for the first tranche of loan has also been signed, the CM said the Department of Economic Affairs has also recommended funding for this project to the tune of Rs 10,351 crores from ADB, AIIB, NDB and World Bank. I request the Prime Minister to direct the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to sanction Phase II of Chennai Metro Rail Project under 50:50 joint venture partnership between Government of India and Government of Tamil Nadu, as was done for Phase I, Mr. Palaniswami said in a letter to the PM on Sunday. Referring to his earlier letter addressed to Mr. Modi on Jan. 21, he said the Phase I of Chennai Metro Rail (CMRL) project was implemented on a 50:50 joint venture partnership between the Centre and State governments. This phase has now been completed entirely, though passenger services were functioning since 2015. The last underground section of 10 km was inaugurated today, the CM said. The phase II project was approved by Tamil Nadu government and recommended to the Central government for approval in April 2017. After the introduction of New Metro Rail Policy by Government of India, the State government revised the Detailed Project Report (DPR) by updating the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) and alternative analysis for mode of transport for a length of 118.9 km and it was sent to the Union Housing & Urban Affairs Ministry with its approval and recommendation for due consideration under the 50:50 joint venture partnership on Jan.11. Out of the total project cost of Rs 69,180 crores, the land cost and State taxes amounting to Rs 13,723 crores is being met by the State government and the balance cost of Rs 55,457 crores has to be funded by Government of India (20 %), Government of Tamil Nadu (20 %) and the funding agencies (60 %) respectively. Hence the GOI may be to the order of `11,100 crores spread over 6 years. Bengaluru: An innocuous confession by BJP state president B.S. Yeddyurappa's on his alleged meeting with a JD(S) MLA's son who has figured in the audio tape episode, has come as a shot in the arm for the ruling coalition partners Congress and JD(S) who launched a stinging attack on Mr Yeddyurappa as well as on Prime Minister, Narendra Modi who is on a state visit. Mr Yeddyurappa's confession has not only come as a blessing in disguise for the coalition but has also left his partymen in an embarrassing situation. No sooner than Mr Yeddyurappa admitted to having met the Gurmitkal MLA's son Sharanagouda at Devadurga inspection bungalow, the Congress and JD(S) demanded his immediate resignation from the Leader of the Opposition post. Launching an acerbic attack on Mr Yeddyurappa who had alleged that the audio tape released two days ago was doctored, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy caustically remarked, "I congratulate him (Mr Yeddyurappa) for admitting that it was his voice in the 'Operation Kamala' audio. It was he who had rubbished these tapes as work of mimicry, but today, he has admitted to it (meeting Sharanagouda). It looks like Dharmasthala's Manjunatha Swamy must have given him some wisdom to make this admission." On the BJP's threat to release an audiotape, in which he is purportedly heard demanding Rs 25 crore to give party leader Mr Vijugouda Patil a ticket to the Legislative Council, in the Legislative Assembly on Monday, Mr Kumaraswamy nonchalantly said, "They (BJP) have said they will expose me in the House tomorrow. Let them do it. I am ready for it. That is an old case, I myself had raised that matter in the Assembly five years ago. It was a conversation which took place within the party." "My party MLAs have contested elections by borrowing money. As chief minister, I haven't summoned anybody from a different party and offered them Rs 10 crore or Rs 20 crore. Mine is a regional party - where will I have the money? I have to beg and borrow to run my party. But Mr Yeddyurappa has looted, so he can afford (to buy MLAs)," he taunted. Responding to BJP's allegations that he had tried to poach on its MLA Subhash Guttedar, Mr Kumaraswamy contended that he had never tried to do such a thing. "Mr Guttedar was our party leader and then he left to join BJP. He had come to me to give a representation. It is true that at that time I told him that he could have become a minister if he had stayed on in the JD(S), instead of defecting to BJP. But I didn't try to lure him with money. I haven't asked any BJP MLA to help save my party by joining me. I would never ruin the political future of any of my BJP friends, so that I can stay in power. I am not so selfish. I will be happy if Mr Yeddyurappa understands this," he added. Reacting sharply to Mr Yeddyurappa's remarks, former CM Siddaramaiah tweeted daring him to retire from politics as he had promised. "Mr Yeddyurappa had said that he would retire from politics if the contents of the tape were found to be true. In this case, he has accepted it, so he should now walk the talk - retire from politics," he tweeted. Water resources minister, D. K. Shivakumar sarcastically noted that Mr Yeddyurappa can't hide from the truth for long. "It looks like Mr Yeddyurappa's conscience has woken up - I appreciate it. May God bless him. This proves the audiotape is not doctored. The BJP can rubbish allegations made by the CM as bogus. But nobody can hide the truth. Chennai: Two youngsters were charred to death and two others grievously injured when two bikes collided head-on and caught fire near Thirukalukundram in Kancheepuram on Saturday night. Police said V Hariharan (28) a resident of Senthamangalam village at Chengalpattu and Praveen Kumar (25) from Malalinatham village near Nenmeli were the ones who died. The incident happened around 8.30 pm at Puller on Tiruthani -Arakkonam highway. Sources said V Hariharan was riding a motorbike with his nephews D Diwahar (16) and D Nitheesh (14) riding pillion. "They were travelling towards Thirukazhukundram to attend a family function while Praveen Kumar was driving towards Chengalpattu in the opposite direction. Both the riders were at top speed and while manoeuvring they collided head-on. The handles of both the bikes got entangled and the two bikes were dragged for a few metres, the police said. Due to the impact, the fuel tanks of both the bikes scraped along the road and the fuel started leaking. Sparks flew due to the friction triggering a fire. Passersby alerted the police and fire service personnel, who rushed to the spot, doused the fire, the police said. Hariharan was charred to death on the spot while Praveen Kumar, Diwahar and Nitheesh were taken to the Chengalpattu government hospital where Praveen Kumar was declared dead on arrival. The Thirukazhukundram police registered a case and further investigations are on. Lewis was attempting to cross from the right shoulder to the left side of the Interstate 95 southbound lanes at Maryland Route 216 when he was hit by a silver Volkswagen Jetta. Ms Sumalatha refused to comment when her attention was drawn to Janata Dal (Secular) MLC K.T. Srikantegowda statement that she was not a 'Gowdati ' of Mandya. Bengaluru: Making her intentions loud and clear, Ms Sumalatha Ambarish, wife of former minister late M.H. Ambarish said if she contests in the coming Lok Sabha polls, it will be on the Congress ticket from Mandya, a seat represented by her husband two times. Till recently, she was said to be in two minds on her entry into politics but there has been a lot of pressure from Ambarish's fans on her to contest from Mandya. On Sunday, Ms Sumalatha paid a surprise visit to Adichunchanagiri matha in Nagamangala taluk of Mandya district to seek the blessings of Nirmalananda Swamy. She was accompanied by her son Abhishek Gowda and noted Kannada film producer Rockline Venkatesh. She offered special prayers to Sri Kalabhairaveshwara-the presiding deity of the matha. Me Sumalatha's visit to the matha gains special significance at a time when Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has plans to launch his son, Mr Nikhil Kumaraswamy by making him contest from Mandya in the LS polls. Talking to reporters, Ms Sumalatha clarified that her late husband did not have intentions of bringing his family into politics. But, his sudden demise and constant pressure from his fans had made her think of plunging into politics. " I am not a seasonal politician. Well-wishers of my husband want me to contest from Mandya- the karma bhumi of the 'Mandyada Gandu'. Since my husband had been associated with the Congress party I want to contest on the Congress ticket and only from Mandya Lok Sabha constituency. I will not contest from any other constituency and on the ticket of any other party".Replying to a question, she said she was yet to make up her mind and was holding consultations with her friends and well-wishers before taking a final call for her debut into politics "I was supposed to come here two months ago but it didn't happen due to some reason. The teaser of my son 's debut Kannada movie Amar is slated to be released on Feb 14. So, I am here to seek the seer's blessing. I haven't discussed any politics with the seer", she added. Ms Sumalatha refused to comment when her attention was drawn to Janata Dal (Secular) MLC K.T. Srikantegowda statement that she was not a 'Gowdati ' of Mandya. Sunday's statement by Ms Sumalatha is likely to create a flutter in the JD(S) camp since it wanted the Mandya seat for itself to bring Mr Nikhil into politics. State JD(S) President A.H. Vishwanath told Deccan Chronicle that the Mandya seat was reserved for his party and it would not be given to the Congress party at any cost. Rajendranagar inspector G. Suresh said, Adeeb did not have valid documents issued either by the Republic of Sudan or from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. (Representational Image) Hyderabad: A Sudanese national residing in the city illegally was arrested by the Rajendranagar police on Monday. A Blue Colts team nabbed him at P&T Colony at Sun City during patrol. Adeeb Hassan Gallabai Faraha, 29, from Sudan, told that he was staying with his friend in a rented flat. Rajendranagar inspector G. Suresh said, Adeeb did not have valid documents issued either by the Republic of Sudan or from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. He was not willing to share details about how he entered India and where his passport was. Letters adressed to the UNHCR, Foreigner Regional Registration Office and the Sudan embassy are being sent to get more details, he said. He added that the police was investigating to find out the purpose behind his visit. Adeeb was booked under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act and produced before a court for remand. Hyderabad: A Class IX residential student at Shantiniketan Vidyalaya in Shamirpet fractured his hand after a hostel warden hit him with a stick on Tuesday. The student alleged that the warden threatened him against informing his parents, telling him to give some other reason for the fracture. A police case was registered at Shamirpet police station on Monday after his parents lodged a complaint. I had switched on the lights around 9.30 pm to look for my lost key when suddenly the warden arrived with a stick and began shouting at me, Vivekananda said. He did not believe me when I said that I was searching for my keys and hit me with the stick on my left hand. When I said I would inform my parents, he hit me even harder. My hand began swelling and the next day I was sent to hospital with the help of a medical assistant from school. Vivekanandas parents were told that he got hurt while playing. When I asked him, he told me the hostel warden had hit him, Mr K. Sathish Kumar said. My son was to appear for exams now, but he is unable to do so with a fractured hand. This is not the first time that students are being brutally beaten up here. Earlier, we were told that a teacher had punched a student on his tooth clips. Schools must take strict measures to avoid such incidents. These schools are interested only in collecting fees and not in students welfare, he said. When contacted, sources in the school management said they were in talks with board members and parents and would take necessary action if needed. Shamirpet police station house officer B. Naveen Reddy said they received a complaint on Monday from the boys father and are investigating the matter. No action has been taken against the warden yet. Child rights experts called for stronger action against corporal punishments as these continue to be reported despite a ban. Hyderabad: The Gachibowli police is seeking medical and legal assistance in a case in which a woman, allegedly suffering from a psychological disorder, threw her one-and-a-half-month-old baby girl into a water sump while her husband and other family members were asleep. During investigation, the police found that Deepthi had thrown the baby, Akshita Sai, into the water tank and gone to sleep. She confessed the same before police and told family members she was driven by some external force. It is clear that Deepthi threw the baby into the tank, a Gachibowli police official said. She reportedly suffered a psychological problem after delivery. She twice attempted suicide after delivery and claims somebody told her, while she was asleep, to throw the baby into the tank or they would take her husbands life. Shocked by Deepthis answers, the police is confused how to proceed further. The investigation will proceed after taking legal advice and assistance from medical experts. The incident took place at Serlingampally in Gachibowli on the night of February 9. Gachibowli police received a complaint from Deepthis husband T. Mahesh saying unidentified persons killed their baby girl. Mahesh and Deepthi lived with Maheshs parents in a rented house on Street No. 3 in Serilingampally under Gachibowli police station. Around 11 pm on Saturday, Maheshs father Narasimha Rao and his mother noticed Akshita was missing. They immediately woke up others and searched for the baby. After around 30 minutes, they found the girl in the water tank in the front of their house. The baby was rushed to KIMS hospital and later to Niloufer Hospital in an unconscious state. The family members initially thought some unidentified person had carried out the inhumane act and lodged a complaint with Gachibowli police. The police initially registered a case of attempt to murder, but later changed it to murder as the girl died during treatment on Sunday. Chennai: One of three men accused of hefty cash withdrawals through fake ATM cards and arrested by the Kolkata cybercrime wing in Chennai in the early hours of Sunday escaped from the police station in the evening. The accused trio had been brought back from court to the Triplicane police station when the man, who had asked to go to the toilet, broke free just as he was being escorted by a cop. The Cyber Crime wing of the Kolkata Police had on Sunday arrested three North Indian men at Triplicane, allegedly for swindling money using fake ATM cards. The arrested were identified as M Vijay Kumar Mandal (22), S Baskar Kumar (25) and R Juhendaer Kumar Mandal (23), all hailing from Jharkhand. According to the local police, the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime wing of the Kolkata Police was looking for the accused for almost a year. Sources said the trio had hacked ATM numbers and passwords of more than 100 people and used fake cards they had prepared to withdraw money. "The Bidhannagar cyber crime police of Kolkata police arrested one of their gang members at Kolkata and the trio learning about his arrest fled the state and reached Chennai a month ago," said a police officer. Based on a specific tip-off, the Kolkata police got to know that the trio were staying at a hotel at Chepauk in Triplicane, the police said. With the help of the Triplicane police, a team of six police officers from Kolkata, led by Inspector Choudhury, arrested the trio in the early hours of Sunday. The police said that the men had used one of the fake ATM cards in the hotel and were staying in a room. On searching their room, the police recovered `25 lakhs and 32 fake ATM cards which they had prepared to swindle money. After being produced before the magistrate at Egmore and receiving the transit warrant, the men were handed over to the Kolkata police. Sources said when the three policemen were at the Chennai central railway station, the accused were at the Triplicane police station. Meanwhile, at around 5 pm, Baskar Kumar had gone to the toilet, escorted by a policeman and he pushed him and fled the police station after jumping over the compound wall. A senior police officer confirmed that Baskar had escaped and said that a team has been formed to nab him. Further investigations are on. When work is worship, workplace should be the most serene place where one feels confident, safe and comfortable. But not all workplaces are. At many places, the employees are often harassed and threatened; its not rare to hear about sexual harassment in corporate companies and offices. The Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act, 2013 (POSH Act) has been effective in bringing down harassment cases to a great extent, so is the role of Rainmaker. Since Antony Alex set up his initiative in 2016, he has been assisting the corporates in creating an ethical workplace for employees. Their flagship programme WorkSafe helps assist the corporates to fulfil POSH act. We aim for an ethical workplace for women whichs against corruption and abide by the best corporate governance practices, stresses Antony, the CEO and a lawyer who has worked with leading brands like ICICI and Kochhar & Co. Antony was also in the founding team of Pangea3, the worlds largest and most successful Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO). He ventured into Rainmaker due to his passion for training. Through online modules and workshops, they offer proper training to the entire workforce, management and members of the Internal Committee (IC), setup under the POSH Act, comprising employees of the company. The training is interestingly imparted through short films and design workshops. A lot of online training content available in the country were very boring like the Power Point presentations, animation videos, etc. People love to see movies and hear stories. So, we wanted to create an organisation which actually gives entertaining training through short films and stories, and at the same time creating awareness in the process. Our unique training module covers law and compliance, which connects to my background as a lawyer as well. The aim is to make everyone aware that a law exists and whoever misbehaves will be punished, he says. Antony says that it is very important for the people to differentiate between right and wrong in a workspace. Sexual harassment is a sensitive subject. It is very important to train everybody and create awareness on what they shouldnt do in a workspace. Other areas we focus on are anti-corruption and corporate governance. As a country, we need to get better in these areas too. WorkSafe also creates awareness among men and women as there is a general misinterpretation about the law that it is only for women. If a woman is sexually harassed, she has the provision to complaint. Likewise, if a man sends work-unrelated messages to a colleague continuously after 11 pm, then he too will be in trouble. The idea is to make people aware on how to behave right. There are certain lines one shouldnt cross at a workspace. If understood in the right way, workspace will be so good and productive for men and women. Antony affirms that they have a good number of clients and they frequently get calls from women reporting sexual harassment by their superiors. Many have an idea about neither the law nor what to do in such situations. They might be on the verge of quitting the organisation, but after watching our online videos and attending the workshops, many got empowered enough to file a complaint against the offenders, he adds. Their training has now reached out to around seven lakh employees and has their presence in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, etc. The government has been very supportive of their venture. A lot of companies had showed no enthusiasm to comply with the law when it was passed, but now they take it very seriously. Social media has become a strong presence now. Earlier, all large companies and MNCs used to comply with the law. Nowadays, we get a lot of calls from midsize and small companies too. After all, no company would like to lose its reputation. So every firm, be it be large or small, has fallen in line of the law, he says. Though the law is strong, there are still many who hesitate to open up about sexual harassment or other problems. There are two reasons for that. One is that before many werent aware about the law or what protection does the law offer for them. But as time passes, through workshops and other activities, the employees are well aware of the law and its consequences. In tier-2 cities or towns, there is a fear among women that if they complaint against someone, when their families will come to know about it, their financial independence would come to a halt. Another fear is retaliation. Women fear that they may be thrown out of job in some ghastly way. Even if they dont lose the job, they will be made to suffer in their workspace. This is the reason why women are still uncomfortable in many of the organisations. However, he feels that POSH is a success. Many cases of sexual harassment have been reported from many firms. People have garnered the courage to speak up. These laws can create awareness such that such nasty incidents can be avoided. Many are feeling empowered, Antony signs off. Washington: With marijuana being legalised across North America, there is a changing perception that sees people believing that weed is the safest recreational drug. However, those assumptions are now challenged in an article in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology that examine the story of a patient who developed chest pain and myocardial ischemia after consuming most of a marijuana lollipop. Speaking about it, expert Alexandra Saunders said, Marijuana can be a useful tool for many patients, especially for pain and nausea relief. At the same time, like all other medications, it does carry risk and side effects. In a recent case, inappropriate dosing and oral consumption of marijuana by an older patient with stable cardiovascular disease resulted in distress that caused a cardiac event and subsequent reduced cardiac function. According to the report, a 70-year-old man with stable coronary artery disease, taking appropriate cardiac medications at most of a lollipop infused with 90 mg of THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) to relieve pain and help sleep. However, it led him to have a potentially serious heart attack. He consumed a much larger dose than the 7 mg that is typically ingested by smoking a single joint or taking the 2.5 mg starting dose of dronabinol (Marinol), a synthetic THC marketed for nausea and appetite stimulation in AIDS and cancer patients. While the patient had smoked marijuana in his youth, he had not done so since the THC content of the substance had increased significantly from three percent to 12 per cent. He was also not familiar with the time-delayed and extended effect of oral THC dosing. The cardiac event was likely triggered by unexpected strain on his body from anxiety and fearful hallucinations caused by the unusually large amount of THC he ingested. After the psychotropic effects of the drug wore off, and his hallucinations ended, his chest pain stopped. Notably, a number of earlier case reports have described the association between cannabis use and acute cardiovascular (CV) adverse events, including myocardial infarction, stroke, arrhythmias, and sudden death. Speaking about it, the editorial author Neal L. Benowitz said, The legalisation of cannabis has considerable public support but also raises public health concerns. Benowitz added, "Some users may benefit from the social and medical effects but others will be at risk for adverse health outcomes. Little information has been disseminated to patients or healthcare providers about cannabis use in older patients, and in particular those with cardiovascular disease. For better or worse, providing advice and care to such patients who are using cannabis is now necessary for the provision of optimal medical care to these patients." After making a brief appearance in Arjun Reddy, actress Jia sharma will be seen as the one of the leading ladies in the forthcoming Telugu film, Edureetha, directed by Balamurugan. The Mumbai actress will be seen as a college-goer in the breezy entertainer. I am glad to be working on this project. The film has an undercurrent message that what eventually matters is the legacy and the impact you leave, shares Jia, adding, I play Varsha, a college-goer and my life transforms as the narrative progresses. Working for the film has been a great learning experience. Jia states that her earlier theatre experience came in handy for her part. I did not have much time to prepare for the role, and I directly came to the sets. Since I worked for some time in theatre, it had helped me deal with the nuances of acting. I believe this background polishes the actors skills, explains the actress. Jia is new to the language (Telugu), but shes making all efforts to hone her skills. I am trying to learn the meaning of my lines (dialogues) so that I can better express myself. My entire team is also helping me. Shraddha Kapoor who has three projects in her kitty right now is all set to kick start the first schedule of Street dancer in London on Tuesday. The actress who was in Hyderabad to finish the final schedule of Saaho, and her other commitments dashed into the city only for an hour before flying off to London. A source reveals, London schedule is an extensive one and hence Shraddha wanted to ensure she duly completes all her commitments before flying off. She headed to Hyderabad over the weekend to finish an important portion for Saaho alongside Prabhas. She landed in Mumbai only for an hour to pick up bags and bid goodbye to her family as shes gone for 20 days straight. She has been rehearsing and gearing up for Remos next in between breaks amidst movie and brand shoots. Once Shraddha is back, shell be resuming shooting for Nitesh Tiwaris Chhichhores second schedule in Mumbai. The veteran actor-turned-filmmaker Amol Palekar is miffed at being interrupted by members of the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) during his speech. At the inauguration of an exhibition Inside the Empty Box, in the memory of the renowned artist Prabhakar Barwe, Palekar took a critical view of the Union Ministry of Cultures decision to remove the advisory committee of local artists in the Mumbai and the Bangalore branches of the gallery. But before he could wrap up his speech, the curator and the director of the gallery interrupted him and asked him to stick to talking about Barwe. I was disturbed. Theyre breaking all norms of decency, so I was disturbed. But I kept my composure and maintained my decorum although the line of decency was crossed on stage, recounts Palekar on what he felt at the moment. As the video recording of the incident went viral on the Internet, it also sparked a debate on the strengthening breach of the freedom of expression and political censorship. While in the video, the curator Jesal Thacker is heard telling him not to digress from the topic, according to Palekar, the occasion was apt for him to address these issues. My argument is, in fact, this was just the right platform to raise the issue because I was raising questions related to the NGMA. I mean, if I dont raise questions on the workings of the NGMA at the NGMA, then where should I raise them? Should I raise them at a private dinner at the dining table? he quips. Moreover, he expressed his disappointment by revealing, One of them recited some of my lines from one of my films. I think they expected me to recite some lines from my Golmaal and all that. I think I was expected to say my bit as an actor and disappear. The actor-activist has been critical of censorship for decades, fighting the first case against it in the late 1960s or early 1970s and has also filed petitions in Supreme Court. Talking on the subject, the veteran actor feels that the hold of censorship has increased, Id say censorship now is increased manifold as compared to earlier on. I have petitioned in the Supreme Court against censorship in cinema. In the Mumbai High court, Ive petitioned against censorship in theatre. Ive been fighting censorship all my life. And I will continue to do so. Harrison offered few details about how he would get a handle on one of the most challenging policing jobs in the nation. He enters a department in the midst of imposing civil rights reforms under the watch of a federal judge and battling rampant violence on the streets with what commanders and rank-and-file officers alike say are too few resources. Before making any decisions, Harrison outlined a period of study getting to know the officers he leads and the communities they patrol. Mumbai: The latest episode of Koffee With Karan 6 saw Karan Johar welcoming young actors Kriti Sanon and Kartik Aryan ahead of their film's release. The episode saw some funny moments, unabashed statements and several tongue-in-cheek revelations. Kriti Sanon who is currently making all right noise owing to the line up of her films shared tidbits from her journey as a model to a known face in the Hindi film industry. An engineer, she had never planned to venture into acting but took it up after someone suggested it, she revealed. During the rapid fire round in the show, Kriti was asked on whom would she want to ask out and the actress instantly replied saying, Hrithik Roshan. She added saying, I think he is the only person from Bollywood whose posters I have had in my room as a teenager when Kaho Na Pyar hai had come. I had 2 big posters of him". She added saying, I think he is the only person from Bollywood whose posters I have had in my room as a teenager when Kaho Na Pyar hai had come. I had 2 big posters of him". Kriti was then asked a question on which Khan she would love to work with and Kriti Sanon replied, Salman Khan. Kriti Sanon has a hectic schedule ahead with her 4 films releasing this year and multiple brand shoots on which the actress is working on simultaneously. The actress is doing to and fro from Karjat where she is shooting for her next and then to locations of the other projects which Kriti has in her kitty. Over the years, Kriti is known to portray characters that have resonated with her audience. The actress' last outing Bareilly Ki Barfi garnered a lot of critical acclaim and love from her viewers. Only 4 films old, actress Kriti Sanon has an exciting film line up to look forward to with projects like Housefull 4, Luka Chuppi, Panipat and Arjun Patiala. The young actress is leaving no stone unturned to treat her fans with her versatile performances in varied genres of films. Sebi will subsequently examine whether there was any violation of regulations relating to insider trading and disclosure norms. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Market regulator Sebi is looking into allegations and counter-allegations related to the sale of pledged shares of Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group's three listed firms by two lenders, senior officials said Monday. Reliance Group has accused L&T Finance and Edelweiss Group entities of "illegal" and "motivated" actions in invoking the pledged shares of Anil Ambani group firms and selling them in open market causing a steep fall in share values. L&T Finance and Edelweiss Group have refuted the allegations and have counter-alleged that Reliance Group failed to make timely payments, which they said necessitated sale of pledged shares. Officials said the regulator has asked exchanges to look into the trade details and seek clarifications from the concerned entities regarding open market sale of shares to ascertain whether any norms were breached in the process. The regulator will subsequently examine whether there was any violation of regulations relating to insider trading and disclosure norms, the officials said. Reliance Power has already written to Sebi to investigate the matter and impose restrain on entities that pressed huge sale orders significantly below the prevailing market price and and in-depth investigate the matter. Similar complaints are expected to be filed by Reliance Capital and Reliance Infrastructure as well, sources said. When contacted, a Reliance Group spokesperson said, "As resolved by the boards of various group companies, we will take all legal steps necessary to protect and enhance the value of our stakeholders, including pursuing the matter with an appropriate regulator." Earlier on Saturday, boards of three listed companies of the group -- Reliance Power, Reliance Infra and Reliance Capital -- had approved and recommended "all appropriate legal steps" to protect shareholders' value. When contacted, L&T Finance and Edelweiss referred to their statements issued on Friday in which they had strongly refuted the allegations of Reliance Group. In its regulatory filing, Reliance Power had said its board reviewed the events leading to a sharp fall in market capitalisation and destruction of wealth due to "illegal, motivated and unwarranted actions of L&T Finance Limited and Edelweiss Group impacting its over 3.1.75 lakh shareholders". Reliance Capital, on the other hand, said its over 7 lakh shareholders have been impacted by what it termed as "illegal, motivated and unwarranted actions of L&T Finance". Reliance Infrastructure blamed L&T Finance for market value erosion, saying it has impacted its over 8 lakh shareholders. In its letter to Sebi, Reliance Power has requested the regulator to issue a "cease and desist" directive to the concerned entities from engaging in "market abuse", prohibiting them, from trading in the securities markets, which allegedly led to sharp plunge in the group's share price. It also asked Sebi to investigate the disruption of Reliance group shares that includes examination of the dealing room records, including records of phone calls and SMS of all persons at the broking firms where the majority of the sale transactions took place, and the relevant fund flows. The promoters of Reliance Power had raised resources by pledging their shareholding in the company from Sebi regulated funds and NBFCs all belonging to Edelweiss Group. A few NBFCs, "substantially L&T Finance and certain entities of Edelweiss Group, have invoked pledge of listed shares of Reliance Group and made open market sales of the value of approximately Rs 400 crore from February 4 to 7," the Reliance Group had said earlier on Friday. "The illegal, motivated and wholly unjustified action by the above two groups has precipitated a fall of Rs 13,000 crore, an unprecedented nearly 55 per cent, in market capitalisation of Reliance Group over just these four short days," it had alleged. The group said the actions have caused substantial losses to 72 lakh institutional and retail shareholders, and harming the interests of all stakeholders. Refuting the allegations, L&T Finance had said it had granted loans against pledge of shares to Reliance ADAG Group companies and it had to invoke its rights of invocation after defaults continued despite various notices in past few months. Edelweiss said it had granted credit facilities against pledge of shares to Reliance Group and it reached out numerous times to the group to address concerns on shortfall in margins and resultant fall in collateral valuation. It said liquidation of collateral was necessitated after Reliance Group continued to breach contractual obligations, and did not reply to an offer for remediation. Industry experts say these deals could amount to almost 10 per cent of the Rs 15 lakh crore assets under management (AUM) of MF debt funds. Mumbai: Sebi will soon ask domestic mutual funds to furnish details of their exposure to securitised debt papers issued by promoter group companies. It is suspected that several debt mutual funds have entered into questionable deals with promoters of companies like Yes Bank and Sun Pharma, providing funds by circumventing rules on loan against shares. Industry experts say these deals could amount to almost 10 per cent of the Rs 15 lakh crore assets under management (AUM) of MF debt funds. Sources say the regulator will ask all debt MF managers to disclose all the structured deals involving investments in securitised debt paper/bonds issued by promoter/related/associate entities that have promoter shares as only underlying asset against which these loans are backed. The amount involved in these effectively loan-against-shares transactions is estimated to be in the region of Rs 1.5-1.7 lakh crore, that is about 10 per cent of the entire AUM under debt funds and almost a fifth of the banking industry non-performing assets, or NPAs, sources said. The suspicion is that these transactions have been ingeniously structured to circumvent extant Sebi and RBI guidelines on loan against shares. The net inflows into mutual funds have thinned last month as investors are waking up to their funds net asset value shrinking, partly on market volatility caused, to an extent, by questionable investment deals done by debt fund managers. The fund managers have knowingly invested in illiquid securitised debt and failed in their fiduciary duty of protecting and enhancing investors' funds. According to sources, mutual funds and rating agencies are under the Sebi lens for indulging in fraudulent transactions of securitisation of debt papers issued by promoter holding companies. The sources say regulators are examining if debt fund managers have circumvented the loan against shares rules of RBI and Sebi. Yes Bank and Sun Pharma episodes, where MFs investing in firms like Yes Bank promoter Rana Kapoors Morgan Credits and Sun Pharma promoter-linked firm Suraksha Realty, have brought out fraudulent practices by promoters in nexus with debt mutual funds. Holding company of promoters for example Morgan Credits, which is holding Yes Bank shares and nothing else securitises its equity share holdings in a private company vehicle and goes to the rating agency for a favourable credit rating on the back of excess shares given as margin to take care of any decline in the share price and places the bonds issued by the holding company with debt MFs. According to legal eagles, the SCs rejection of the operational creditors plea means that the NCLT will have to approve ArcelorMittal's bid. Mumbai: The decks have been cleared for ArcelorMittal to acquire debt-ridden Essar Steel. The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the plea by the operational creditors of Essar Steel for a stay on the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) order that asked the NCLT Ahmedabad to take a decision on bids selection by February 11. The NCLAT had said if the orders are not passed by February 11, it would result in them taking over the proceedings. According to legal eagles, the SCs rejection of the operational creditors plea means that the NCLT will have to approve ArcelorMittal's bid. The petition before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) was moved on February 1 by the former managing director of Essar Steel Dilip Oommen, along with its project director Rajiv Kumar Bhatnagar, as well as Revant Ruia. This fresh move by the Essar Steel directors came after the NCLT-Ahmedabad had on January 29 rejected the bids put forth by the Essar Steel Asia Holdings (the holding company of Essar Steel that was controlled by the Ruias) proposing to the committee of creditors upfront payment of Rs 54,389 crore to retake the management of Essar Steel. Their bid was higher by Rs 12,000 crore than the bid proposed by ArcelorMittal at Rs 42,000 crore. The proposal of the Ruias was sent on the day when the committee of creditors of Essar Steel concluded its e-voting with more than 90 per cent of the votes cast in favour of the ArcelorMittal bid, which was the only eligible bid. According to the Supreme Court, the Essar Steel promoters are acting through operational creditors, people and proxies to delay the process, as it has been 571 days since the start of the insolvency proceedings. Earlier on January 3, NCLAT had asked the Ahmedabad bench of the NCLT to take an early decision in the insolvency case of Essar Steel as per the order passed by the Supreme Court where ArcelorMittal emerged as the highest bidder. Besides, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, or PMFBY, has also not reflected substantial growth owing to stiff competition, resulting in very low premiums realisation. New Delhi: General insurance companies may turn in tepid performance this financial year. While the industry posted business as high as Rs 1.5 lakh crore in 2017-18, it is struggling hard to touch this mark this year due to lukewarm growth. In the first nine months this fiscal year ending March 2019, general insurers have not even crossed Rs 1.2 lakh crore in business. Ayushman Bharat, the governments flagship health insurance-cum-health care project that was expected to drive rapid growth, was an utter disappointment as many states have opted for trustee or hybrid models, leaving very little room for the insurers. Besides, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, or PMFBY, has also not reflected substantial growth owing to stiff competition, resulting in very low premiums realisation. Over and above, states like Bihar have also opted out of the scheme due to political reasons. Worse, the Rs 4,000-crore re-capitalisation as announced by Centre for the three public sector insurance firms before their merger as a precursor to listing, didnt happen so far. This also came as a jolt for the industry. The interim Finance Minister Piyush Goyal kept mum on the `4,000-crore re-capitalisation package, chief of a public sector general insurance firm told Financial Chronicle on condition of anonymity. Though the sector is trying hard to add growth, I think the industrys aspirations would not be met and at current pace we are likely to end up bad, he added. Financial performance of general insurance companies, especially state-owned companies, have seen low growth in the current financial year too. At least two firmsNational Insurance India (NII) and United India Insurance (UII) significantly lost their market share. While NII lost market share from 10.78 per cent in December 2017 to 8.63 per cent in December 2018, UII witnessed a slide from 11.02 per cent to 9.27 per cent. For UII, the loss before tax in Q2FY19 was `868 crore as against `36 crore in same quarter last fiscal. For NII, the loss was `707 crore in Q2FY19 as against a modest profit of `90 crore in Q2FY18. For Oriental Insurance Company (OIC), the loss figure stood at `240 crore in Q2FY19 against a profit of `200 crore in same quarter last fiscal. Overall, the three insurance companies have posted huge losses in Q2FY19, given their tepid growth in premium and enhanced provisions. There were various factors that led to their losses, including manpower crunch and lack of clarity on merger. Further, the firms had to make huge provisions over third party motor losses, said a senior official of the public sector general insurance sector. If segment-wise growth is analysed, commercial vehicle insurance has been the most hit in their businesses. Last year, the government made amendment to the Motor Vehicle Act, 1998 that stipulated almost ten-fold increase in the minimum compensation for injury or death in road accidents. While higher provisioning norms apply to both private and public sector firms, the private sector companies have been more prudent in selecting the category mix. For example, they remained cautious in exposure to riskier insurances such as commercial vehicles, said a top UII official, who looks after motor insurance wing of an insurer. ShivOm Dayal Energies (P) Ltd., is setting up two biofuel projects worth Rs 800 Crore. The two biofuel plants will be set up in the districts of Saharanpur and Bijnor. Left to Right: Dr. Chao - Director - Chemical Division, INER Taiwan, Dr. Henry Chen - Director - Science and Technology Division, Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre, New Delhi, Mr. S K Mishra - Director - Project Implementation, ShivOm Dayal Energies, Dr. Anup Chandra Pandey - Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Ashish Ahuja - Chief Executive Officer, ShivOm Dayal Energies, Ms. Bainu Anand Ahuja - Director, ShivOm Dayal Energies, Dr. Wang - Senior Scientist, INER Taiwan, Dr. Guo - Senior Biotechnologist, INER Taiwan The UP government in its cabinet meeting held on 7th February 2019, approved the two second-generation ethanol plants which will incur an investment of INR 400 crore each. The state government will also offer the company with facilities including stamp duty waiver, capital subsidy as well as SGST rebate. Each of the sanctioned biofuel facility is expected to utilise about 200 tonnes of agro-waste per day for the production of 50,000 litres of second-generation ethanol. The plants will be set up under technical collaboration with the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER), Taiwan. The facilities will be utilizing agro-waste including rice straw, wheat straw and bagasse as raw materials to produce second-generation ethanol. The benefits of the project include additional income for farmers, reduction in stubble burning, socio-economic upliftment of farmers, saving on foreign currency and lowering bills of crude. The two plants are also expected to reduce carbon footprint and increase employment generation. The sanctioning of the mega-plants also strengthens our core mission of becoming the largest cellulosic ethanol producer in India and offer support to rural development and agricultural sectors. Going forward we will strive to contribute towards our honourable Prime Ministers vision of 10% ethanol blending in petrol by the year 2022, said Ms. Bainu Anand Ahuja, Director, ShivOm Dayal Energies. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard was signed during the two day UP investors Summit 2018 held on 21-22 February 2018. A high-level committee headed by the state chief secretary had recently approved the project. Further Ernst & Young has been appointed as the transaction advisors of the company. Disclaimer: This article has not been edited by Deccan Chronicle and is taken from a syndicated feed. Photos: NewsVoir. Kochi: One of the key factors to attract investors was time-bound quality service, said top officials who shared the policies and best practices of various states at a plenary session at a conference here on Monday. An ambitious initiative of the Kerala government, the one-day ASCEND Kerala 2019 conclave was aimed at positioning the state as an investment hotspot by showcasing the administrative and policy measures taken to improve the Ease of Doing Business. The officials from Haryana and Telangana, besides the top bureaucrats of the home state, shared their success stories while attending a session on "Ease of Doing Business-sharing of best practices." Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary (Industries), Telangana said the state has accomplished getting $21 billion in four-and-a-half years since it came into being. More than 60 per cent of the ventures, many of which are expansion investments, had reached the stage of commercial production, he said, adding that state had received investments from 23 different countries. "We have given 15 days for giving approval for applications from investors. If the permission is not given within the time-frame, the investor can start their ventures on the 16th day," he said. The official said an inquiry would be conducted on the delay and the salary deducted from the official concerned as penalty. On the facilities available for the industry, Jayesh said that they ensure uninterrupted power supply to industry. The government also takes the responsibility of providing skilled manpower to entrepreneurs, he said. As part of the industrial policy, there are multiple kinds of incentives to the industry, he said. Dr Christy Fernandez, Chairman of the Kerala state industrial development Corporation (KSIDC), who chaired the session, opined that it was necessary to improve the social milieu for the investors who wish to do business in the state. Meanwhile, Dr Sharmila Mary Joseph, Kerala Industries Secretary and Managing Director, KSIDC, said the government has amended seven acts, 10 rules and issued a large number of executive orders and standard operating procedures aiming at the growth of industry. The reform exercise would continue to take Kerala to the top list of industry-friendly states, she said. Devender Singh, Additional Chief Secretary (Industries), Haryana, said high quality time-bound service delivery,putting in place strong policy and institutional frameworks,continuous investor engagement through various ways are the secrets that helped Haryana make it to the third position among industry friendly states. "There are 80-plus enterprises related services and 20-plus departments in one office. Clearances are guaranteed in 45 days (30 days and 15 additional days for clarification) and there is a central inspection system to monitor the process," he said. New Delhi: As it were 28,594 families have been cleared out to be energised over the nation, according to the official data by Ministry of Power. Of the number, whereas 20,134 households units are cleared out in Chhattisgarh, 8,460 are however to be zapped in Rajasthan, the Saubhagya dashboard appeared. To date, 16,94,616 and 7,07,727 family units have been electrified in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, respectively. The Saubhagya Scheme envisages giving final mile network and electrification to all remaining families in rural as well as urban regions to realise widespread household electrification. Accomplishing 100 per cent family jolt was one of the points of the show government. Be that as it may, it might not meet the self-imposed due date of December 2018 for the Scheme. For a town to qualify as electrified under the Scheme, control cables from the network got to reach a transformer in each town and as it were 10 per cent of its households, counting open places (schools and wellbeing centres) ought to be connected. The task of household electrification is almost complete. As many as 2.5 crore unelectrified households were identified. All willing households will (under Saubhagya scheme) be provided electricity connection by March 2019, Finance Minister Piyush Goyal had said in his budget speech, adding that till the financial year 2014, only about 2.5 crore households in the country were without electricity. The Saubhagya Scheme or Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana may be a government venture to supply power to all families. The venture was reported in September 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said that the point was to total the jolt process by December 2018. On November 16, 2017, the government propelled website saubhagya.gov.in to spread data about the Scheme. after years of exploratory reserves, India has failed to find significant resources. (Photo: File) New Delhi: India is looking to expedite discovery efforts to establish the countrys shale oil and gas potential and has asked companies to submit a plan, two industry sources said on Sunday. In late 2013, India gave rights to Oil and Natural Gas Corp Ltd to explore for shale oil and gas reserves. However, after years of exploratory reserves, it has failed to find significant resources. In January, Indias oil and gas regulator Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) held a meeting with representatives from various private and government companies to urge them to pursue shale resources in the oil and gas blocks already held by them, a source at the regulator said. The idea is to bring shale on the map of India or just close the chapter once and for all within three years, an executive from one of the companies who attended the meeting said. India is a gas-starved country and imports almost half of its annual natural gas consumption. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants India to be a gas-based economy and increase the share of gas in the countrys energy mix to 15 percent by 2030 from 6.5 percent now. All coal bed methane (CBM) developers were invited to the meeting in January, the executive said. A joint group plan is also being explored which will act as a platform of knowledge and infrastructure sharing which could help in expediting shale development, according to the executive. Currently CBM gas is produced by three companies in India - Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries Ltd, Ruia brothers owned Essar Oil & Gas Exploration and Production Ltd and Great Eastern Energy Corp Ltd. CBM is a kind of natural gas which is found in coal deposits. State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp Ltd also has CBM blocks. Currently the most promising region of shale deposits is around the eastern part of India called as Damodar Valley basin, where the first exploration for shale is expected to start. In 2017-18 growth rate of foreign direct investment recorded a five-year low of 3 per cent at USD 44.85 billion. New Delhi: Defence industries have attracted a meagre USD 0.21 million foreign direct investment (FDI) during April-September 2018, Parliament was informed on Monday. In 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2017-18, defence industries received USD 0.08 million, USD 0.10 million and USD 0.01 million foreign inflows, respectively. In 2016-17, the industries in the sector failed to attract FDI, according to the data provided by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry C R Chaudhary in his written reply to the Lok Sabha. India imports 70 per cent of its military hardware from various countries. Overall, FDI in the country dipped 11 per cent to USD 22.66 billion during April-September this fiscal. In 2017-18 also, the growth rate of foreign direct investment recorded a five-year low of 3 per cent at USD 44.85 billion. In a separate reply, the minister said funds provided to Invest India have increased to Rs 33,19,42,631 in 2018-19 as against Rs 1,18,78,380 in 2013-14. Invest India, a non-profit company, acts as a national investment promotion and facilitation agency. The current shareholding pattern of Invest India is 51 per cent of industry associations (Ficci, CII and Assocham) and the remaining 49 per cent of central and state governments. As commissioner, hes expected to help reduce violent crime in a city that has seen more than 300 homicides in each of the past four years. Hes expected to lead court-mandated reforms under the consent decree reached between the city and U.S. Justice Department to address unconstitutional and discriminatory policing. And theres also an immediate issue with a force that Tuggle said Thursday was understaffed across the board. With four more months to go for the fiscal-end, industry insiders expect exports to double this year. Chennai: The trade war between the US and China has come as a blessing for India. Indian agro commodity export to China has grown close to 70 per cent till November and is expected to double this fiscal. Between April and November, agri commodity exports to China stood at `453 crore against `267 crore a growth of 69 per cent, as per Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority data. With four more months to go for the fiscal-end, industry insiders expect exports to double this year. This high double-digit growth has come after a de-growth last year. In 2017-18, exports to China were down by 12 per cent. Indias export to China has been increasing by high double digits for the last many months. We have witnessed both month-on-month growth as well as year-on-year growth, said Pawan Gupta, founder of Connect2India. He expects that the growth will continue in the coming months as well. The USChina trade was has opened up additional outbound shipment opportunity of up to $8.7 billion a year for SMEs, specifically for agro producers. China has brought down the import duties on several agri commodities and agro products shipped from India However, the awareness about this favourable duty structure is still low among the SMEs he said. A large basket of agri commodities have benefitted from the new duty structure. China has imposed a 25 per cent tariff on US produced soybean, while removing all tariffs on imports from Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement countries, which includes India. Chinas annual soybean import is of around 100 million tonnes. This presents opportunity producers to export to China. Similarly, China is worlds biggest importer of rice, buying more than five million tonne per year. Recently it has allowed exporting of non basmati rice from India. A year ago, a comparative PSU-PSU bargain where ONGC obtained the Center's 51 percent stake in HPCL had an extensive part of obligation subsidizing; while the exchange was worth Rs 37,000 crore, the state-run traveler turned to obligation to raise some Rs 25,000 crore. (Photo: File) New Delhi: In spite of a prior arrangement to support its obtaining of the Center's 52.63per penny stake in Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) fundamentally through borrowings, state-run Power Finance Corporation (PFC) will probably draw Rs 10,000 crore from its 'stores and surplus' to do the Rs 14,000-crore buy. The arrangement will appear in the not so distant future, making a noteworthy commitment to the Center's disinvestment kitty for the year. Sources said the obtaining is probably going to be obligation subsidized by just to the tune of Rs 4,000 crore. A year ago, a comparative PSU-PSU bargain where ONGC obtained the Center's 51 percent stake in HPCL had an extensive part of obligation subsidizing; while the exchange was worth Rs 37,000 crore, the state-run traveler turned to obligation to raise some Rs 25,000 crore. The sources concluded that regardless of spending such an extensive total, PFC won't get the tag of the advertiser of REC and the legislature would keep on holding the status to stay away from a conceivable reaction from its abroad securities holders, who could request higher yields on these instruments if the sovereign support is weakened. Bond issuances by state-run firms abroad have a proviso that speculators will be redressed if the administration of India's shareholding in these organizations go underneath 50 percent. By chance, ONGC has likewise not been named as the advertiser of oil advertiser HPCL up until this point. Supported by the law service, the oil service has now asked HPCL to perceive ONGC as its advertiser and put the equivalent on record with the stock trades. Utilization of stores, be that as it may, could compel PFC's loaning capacity to the power division if extra capital isn't injected into the organization. Among REC and PFC, they loan an extensive Rs 1,50,000 crore/annum to the power part. "This is probably going to come down to Rs 80,000 crore or something like that," an official acquainted with the issue said. The procurement will likewise confine the breathing space of loan specialists, for example, LIC or banks or shared assets to put resources into these organizations the loaning edge in a gathering organization (PFC) will be ruptured a lot quicker than in these as free organizations. Commentators of the arrangement had hailed three results of the arrangement a conceivable rating minimize, capital disintegration and intensifying of obligation value proportions relying upon the structure of the arrangement. Worldwide rating office Moody's will 'survey for minimization' of PFC's independent credit profile by concentrating on the degree of decrease in the post-exchange merged capital proportions of PFC. As Icra would see it, the proposed procurement by PFC is probably going to affect its capitalisation profile antagonistically as the firm would need to knock off its proposed interests in REC from its net claimed assets, for capital ampleness figurings. PFC will probably utilize general stores and surplus assets totaling '13,428 crore stopped in settled stores as on March 31, 2018 for the exchange. Its absolute stores and surplus were '37,221 crore. As on March 31, 2018, PFC's Tier I Capital to Risk Assets Ratio (CRAR) was 16.98 percent (this tumbled to 14.9 percent as on September 30, 2018) against administrative necessity of a base 10per penny while its general CRAR was 19.99 percent (this has since declined to 17.91 percent) against 15 percent required. Contingent on the measure of venture and portfolio development in H2FY19, the Tier I percent for PFC could go under further weight, Icra said in a note. In any case, it is probably going to stay over the administrative limit of 10 percent. PFC had a Tier I capital of '36,477 crore as on March 31, 2018, against hazard weighted resources of '2,14,881 crore. A '10,000-crore decrease would cut down the Tier I CRAR to around 12 percent from the March 31, 2018, level. Moreover, if the obtaining is for the most part obligation supported, the designing dimensions for PFC would likewise increment from current dimensions of 6.4 occasions as on September 30, 2018, to around multiple times in the close term, Icra said. Ascend in the equipping level would result in the requirement for capital mixture by the administration, which it might not have any desire to do at this crossroads. In FY18, PFC revealed a net benefit of '5,855 crore against '2,126 crore in FY17. As on September 30, 2018, PFC had an all out credit book of '2,92,648 crore. In FY18, REC revealed a net benefit of '4,647 crore on an advantage base of '2,46,484 crore against benefit of '6,246 crore on an advantage base of '2,09,236 crore in FY17. Modi said the challenge before nations is to deliver affordable, efficient, clean and assured energy supplies to their citizens. (Representational Images) Greater Noida: With volatile oil prices in the past playing havoc on economies of importing nations like India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday made a strong case for a responsible pricing of crude oil that balances interests of both producers and consumers, saying people must have universal assess to clean, affordable and equitable supply of energy. Speaking at the Petrotech 2019 conference here, he said the world for long has seen crude prices on a roller-coaster. For a nation dependent on imports to meet more than 80 per cent of its oil needs and half of its gas requirements, the volatility last October jacked up retail petrol and diesel prices to record highs. The same has led to natural gas not being used as a fuel in power plants despite it having enormous environmental advantage over polluting coal and liquid fuels. "We need to move to responsible pricing, which balances the interests of both the producer and consumer," he said. "We also need to move towards transparent and flexible markets for both oil and gas. Only then can we serve the energy needs of humanity in an optimal manner." Modi said the challenge before nations is to deliver affordable, efficient, clean and assured energy supplies to their citizens. "Suitably priced, stable and sustainable energy supply, is essential for rapid growth of the economy," he said, adding that "it also helps the poor and deprived sections of society to partake of economic benefits." Oil and gas are not only a commodity of trade but also of necessity -- whether it is for the kitchen of a common man or for an aircraft, energy is essential, he said. The Prime Minister said India is the fastest-growing large economy in the world and a recent report has estimated that it could be the second largest world economy by 2039. At present, India is the sixth-largest economy in the world and is the third-largest energy consumer in the world, with demand growing at more than five per cent annually. "India remains an attractive market for energy companies with energy demand expected to more than double by 2040," he said. Stating that the energy sector is a pivot and key enabler of growth, he said energy supply, sources and consumption patterns are changing. "Perhaps, this could be a historic transition." "There is a shift in energy consumption from west to east. The United States has become the world's largest oil and gas producer after the shale revolution. Solar energy and other renewable sources of energy have become more competitive. They are emerging as sustainable substitutes for traditional energy forms. Natural Gas is fast becoming one of the largest fuels in the global energy mix. "There are signs of convergence, between cheaper renewable energy, technologies, and digital applications. This may expedite the achievement of many sustainable development goals," he said. While the world is entering an era of greater energy availability, more than a billion people across the globe still do not have access to electricity and many more do do not have access to clean cooking fuel. "People must have universal access to clean, affordable, sustainable and equitable supply of energy," he said. Listing out his government's achievements in the energy sector, he said electricity has reached all our rural areas and the target of 100 per cent electrification of households will be achieved this year. While electricity generation has been raised, effort is on to cut transmission and distribution losses. India's World Bank Ease of Getting Electricity Ranking, improved from 111 in 2014 to 29 in 2018. "LED bulbs distributed across the country under the UJALA scheme, have resulted in an annual saving of Rs 17,000 crore," he said adding more than 6.4 crore free LPG connections to poor have helped expand the coverage of cooking gas to over 90 per cent of the population from 55 per cent five years ago. Modi said major reforms in oil and gas sector have been unleashed in last five years. While upstream oil and gas exploration and production policies and regulations have revamped, gas pricing reforms have been introduced and incentives offered for use of enhanced oil recovery techniques to raise domestic output. In the downstream sector, petrol and diesel prices have been freed from government control and the deregulated refining sector has catapult India to being the fourth largest refining capacity in the world. "This will further grow by about 200 million metric tonnes by 2030," he said. Also, the government is aggressively pushing for use of bio-fuels with 12 second-generation bio-refineries in processing of being set up in 11 states. "Our government has encouraged private participation across the entire oil and gas value chain. India is becoming an attractive FDI destination. Companies like Saudi Aramco, ADNOC, TOTAL, Exxon-Mobil, BP and Shell are looking to increase their investments across the value chain," he said adding that gas infrastructure is being doubled to usher in a gas-based economy. "Cooperation in the field of education as well as in Research and Development was also discussed during the meeting. (Photo: File) New Delhi: India on Monday sought German investments in sectors like food processing, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, automobile and engineering to boost economic relations. Ways to promote trade and investments were discussed during the meeting of Minister of State for Commerce and Industry C R Chaudhary with a German delegation led by Wolfgang Tiefensee, Minister of Economic Affairs, Science and Digital Society of the State of Thuringia, Germany. Chaudhary also sought all round support of the German government for investment, guidance and exchange of best practices for the startups in India. "Cooperation in the field of education as well as in Research and Development was also discussed during the meeting," the commerce ministry said in a statement. IOB's tier-I capital ratio was 6.95 percent below the minimum regulatory requirement of 7 percent. (Photo: File) Mumbai: International rating agency S&P Global on Monday affirmed credit rating of state-run Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) at 'BB' and 'B' on expectation of government's capital infusion. The lender's outlook has also been kept stable. The bank breached its regulatory capital requirements after a loss in the third quarter of FY19. Its tier-I capital ratio was 6.95 percent below the minimum regulatory requirement of 7 percent. It's capital shortfall to meet that regulatory minimum was about Rs 62.5 crore as of December 31, 2018. "We expect IOB to receive substantial capital from the government before the end of this fiscal year in March 2019 to materially improve the bank's headroom above the regulatory minimum tier-I capital ratio of 7 percent," the rating agency said in a note. The bank's capital position improved in Q4 of FY19 through an employee stock purchase scheme (ESPS) and sale of non-core assets for which it has received initial payment. The agency said any lengthy delay in capital infusion from the government may leave the bank unable to meet its regulatory capital requirement at fiscal year-end. "As a result, we would likely to lower the issuer credit rating by at least two notches," the agency said. The bank made improvements in the past few quarters on parameters such as operating profits, cost efficiency, and growing low-cost deposits, among others. The agency, however, said it expects the bank to make losses in the current fiscal year. It said the bank's poor asset quality reflects weakness in its underwriting standards and aggressive growth in the past. The agency said it could lower the rating on the bank by at least two notches if capital support is delayed or the capital injection is lower than our expectation. The NCLAT was hearing the government plea over IL&FS group. (Photo: File) New Delhi: The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal on Monday allowed 22 companies of crisis-hit IL&FS group to service their debt obligations. Besides, a two-member bench headed by Justice S J Mukhopadhaya approved appointment of former Supreme Court judge Justice D K Jain to supervise resolution process of IL&FS group. The appellate tribunal also lifted moratorium and allows 133 IL&FS firms incorporated outside India to continue with the resolution process. "We allow (companies under green categories) the board to permit the company to service debt obligations as per schedule," the firm said. The NCLAT was hearing the government plea over IL&FS group. New Delhi: Healthcare major Apollo Hospitals Enterprise on Monday blamed "certain market operators" for the crash of its share price and assured investors that there is no real long term cause for concern. Shares of the company shared tanked 10.64 per cent to close at Rs 1,124.95 on the BSE on Monday, amid reports of promoters' pledging more shares. "There is nothing to worry. The pledge has not been invoked. There is enough collateral that they have," Apollo Hospitals Enterprise CFO Krishnan Akhileswaran told PTI. According to him, the amount of pledged shares has increased to 78 per cent from 73 per cent. "There is significant elbow room and cushion. There is significant collateral and Apollo is a very strong growing company. So there is no real long term issue. There is no issue on (the) ground," he said. About the steep fall in share price on Monday, he said, "I don't know what was the trigger for the shares to come down. Some market operators were clearly at it". Additional shares were pledged by the promoters on account of unwinding of a deal with private equity major KKR. We have a real chair, I dont have to work out of a lawn chair. I have a real dental light, I dont have to work with a headlight strapped to my head, he said. They forgot to bring gowns once, so I improvised and put a trash bag over me as a gown. The first patient we had was scared of dentists and I was like, yeah, its come down to this. They just thought that was funny. 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. Scrisoarea este pentru sustinerea Laurei Codruta Kovesi, USR fiind increzator ca Laura Codruta Kovesi ar contribui semnificativ la intarirea increderii in sistemul de justitie european. Totodata, in scrisoarea mentionata este specificat ca-n cele doua pozitii cheie de procuror-general al Romaniei si de procuror-sef al DNA, Laura Codruta Kovesi, chiar si intr-un mediu politic ostil, a reusit sa asigure un sistem de justitie independent si sa demonstreze ca lupta impotriva justitiei trebuie sa fie inradacinata ca o conditie fundamentala pentru orice stat democratic. USR spune ca mandatul lui Kovesi de la DNA si experienta sa ar putea fi o inspiratie, un exemplu de urmat pentru statele membre si alte state vecine. Iata scrisoarea USR, semnata de Dan Barna, presedintele USR: Dear Mr. We are writing to you in support of Ms. Laura Codruta Kovesi's candidature for Chief Prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO). Save Romania Union (USR) is confident that the appointment of Ms. Laura Codruta Kovesi in this position will be a success, significantly contributing to strengthening the trust in the European justice system among citizens across the EU and non-EU member states in the region. In her capacity as the General Prosecutor of Romania (2006-2012) and, subsequently, Chief Prosecutor of the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) in Romania (2013-2018), Ms. Laura Codruta Kovesi succeeded in proving that even in an hostile political environment the justice system can be independent and that the fight against corruption must be entrenched as a fundamental condition for any democratic state. She has proven that changing the justice system for the better is possible. Ms. Kovesi's experience and dedication during her mandate at the helm of the DNA could stand as an inspiration, an example to follow for both EU members states, as well as for neighboring countries such Serbia, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova or Georgia, in the process of internalizing EU values while aspiring towards European integration. We call on you to endow her with a vote of confidence in the European Parliament. Kind regards, Dan BARNA President of Union Save Romania Member of Parliament Vezi si: Ciolos, sustinere Kovesi. Chirieac: Cine decide! Sansa fostei sefe DNA Dayton Ballet is thrilled to present Perspectives, a repertory dance program comprising four distinct ballets from four incredibly talented choreographers. Two of these ballets will make their world premieres on the historic Victoria Theatre stage, in keeping with Dayton Ballets international acclaim as The Company of Premieres. Considered culturally ahead of its time, Trinity is a ballet choreographed by the late Gerald Arpino, co-founder and former Artistic Director of the Joffrey Ballet. While the Vietnam War was raging, America's youth united through protests and celebrations with a new sense of freedom and exhilaration. The word trinity in this work represents three sentiments prevalent in the culture of the late 60s and early 70s: love, power, and peace. Trinity became the most famous of the Arpino pieces known as The Berkeley Ballets. Created during the Joffrey Ballet's residence at University of California at Berkeley, Trinity is a joyful tribute to youth, their passions and their rituals. Violin Concerto is a classical ballet choreographed by former Dayton Ballet dancer Justin Koertgen. Set to excerpts from Bruchs Violin Concertos Nos. 2 and 3, this beautiful ballet features four couples in classical ballet attire. Having danced in the premiere of this work, Dayton Ballets Paul Gilliam will set this ballet for the four couples presenting this exquisite piece. DPO Concertmaster Jessica Hung will be the violin soloist, providing the irresistible combination of dance to live music. The spotlight also shines on two choreographers who will introduce world premieres in this program: Former Dayton Ballet dancer Case Bodamer was born and raised in Blue Point, New York, where he began his ballet training with Kathleen Kairns-Scholz at the American Dance Theatre of Long Island. He spent summers training at The Juilliard School, Ballet Austin, and New York State Summer School of the Arts. He also studied at The Ailey School and with The Ailey/Fordham BFA Program until he accepted a traineeship with Ballet Austin. Professionally, Case spent his summers dancing with Ballet Montana, The Dayton Arts Project, and Boulder Ballet. While at Dayton Ballet, he was an honored recipient of the prestigious Josie Award, established by Dayton Contemporary Dance Company founder Jeraldyne Blunden to recognize individual excellence in the art of dance. Named in tribute to Josephine Schwarz, the Josie Award acknowledges the significant contributions of dancers to the Dayton community, while paying homage to a pillar in the dance world. Case danced with Dayton Ballet for ten seasons, and he is thrilled to be returning to Dayton Ballet to choreograph this world premiere, his first major work since retiring as a dancer this past May. Mariana Oliveira is the Choreographer and Artistic Director of The Union Project Dance Company. Originally from Brazil, Mariana studied at the Royal Academy of Dance in London and was a trainee dancer at the National Dance Company of Wales. At the age of 19, she was invited to perform with the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami. In 2007 she moved to New York, and two years later she founded The Union Project Dance Company. Since then, Mariana has been commissioned to create new works for the Richmond Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Joffrey Ballet Academy, National Choreographers Initiative, Ballet Arkansas, and A&A Ballet. Mariana is a recipient of the NYU Center for Ballet and the Arts Fellowship as well as the Kansas City University Choreographic Fellowship. Her works have also been presented at the Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival, and for two consecutive years she has been a finalist of the McCallum Theatre Choreography Festival. Mariana taught at the Bolshoi Ballet School in Brazil, the only Bolshoi School outside Russia, for the dancers of the Youth Company. She makes her first visit to Dayton with a world-premiere work for Dayton Ballet. Before each performance, Dayton Ballet Artistic Director Karen Russo Burke will hold a pre-performance talk called The First Step, giving audience members a more in-depth look at the upcoming performance and a behind-the-scenes peek at Dayton Ballet. The First Step will be held 45 minutes prior to curtain time for each performance in the Burnell Roberts Room at 126 North Main Street, beside the Victoria Theatre. Behind the Ballet, a Q&A with dancers that gives audiences the opportunity to learn more about the life of a dancer with Dayton Ballet, will follow each performance in the theatre. A statement from the Mayor and Council says that they have agreed upon a plan of action that will address both their concerns and those of the citizens of Taneytown and that additional information will be provided at the councils upcoming meeting on Monday, Feb. 11, at City Hall. A FEMA spokesperson said the agency is still on the ground in Maryland and working with 20 applicants to develop plans for 111 possible projects. FEMA has obligated $2.2 million under a disaster declaration, but cost estimates for projects across the state including nine projects that the Department of Natural Resources has applied for are still being developed and no money has been committed to any specific project, the spokesperson said. As plans are developed, FEMA will disburse money to the state, which will reimburse the cost of individual projects to applicants. In January this year, there were at least two electrical issues at the school: a malfunctioning motor on an air handling unit and an electrical outlet that had to be replaced after a phone charger caught fire. Lisa Mack, who represents District One on the Board of Education, said Monday shes asked school system staff to facilitate an inspection of Lansdowne's electrical system to ensure that students and faculty are safe. Towson University students complained to school police officers about a woman approaching them in two campus buildings last week and asking if they were interested in dating her son. The aim of the Entrepreneurs of Color Fund is to make loans from $50,000 to $150,000 to those who would otherwise have difficulty obtaining financing because they have no credit history, uneven cash flow, a blotch on their credit score or some other issue, said Ted Archer, head of Small Business Forward at Chase who is leading the effort. The Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District (TJWSDC) is offering financial incentives to homeowners to maintain, fix, upgrade or replace their septic systems. The benefits of doing so are numerous and hard to pass up. Homeowners who live in parts of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Nelson and Amherst Counties who are dealing with a failing septic system, are eligible to have at least half of the cost for repair or replacement covered. In some cases, up to 80 percent of their costs will be covered. In addition to these failing systems, financial assistance is also available for septic pumpouts that help maintain functioning systems and prolong their expected lifespan. But not everyone is aware we are offering these incentives, said Anne Coates, District Manager of the TJSWCD. Three years ago, the conservation district received a grant from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to address the high levels of E. coli in the Hardware and Tye rivers. E. coli is a type of bacteria that can be found in human and animal feces and can be harmful to humans. Livestock and failing septic systems in our rural areas are the two main culprits of the bacteria ending up in our streams, rivers,and lakes. In an effort to clean up the waterways, the TJSWCD launched two programs, one for the Hardware River Watershed in Albemarle and Fluvanna Counties and one for the Tye River Watershed primarily in Nelson County and a small portion in Amherst County. It means that every homeowner who lives inside those watershed areas and has a septic system, is eligible for considerable financial assistance. Without any financial help, replacing a septic system can be pretty expensive, said Lisa Hyatt, who spearheads the project for the conservation district. Thats where we come in. No matter what your income is, if you live inside the Hardware River or Tye River Watershed, we offer to pay at least half of the costs and in some cases we pay up to 80 percent of the costs. Thats a big deal, because not only is replacing a failing septic system now doable for many people, you also greatly improve the value of your home. The benefits for homeowners are plentiful, as well as the benefits to the environment; failing septic systems can release bacterial pollution into waterways. In other words, by offering to help pay for repairs on failing septicsystems, residents can make huge savings, improve the value of their home, and improve water quality at the same time. As part of this program, we have thousands of dollars left that we would like to invest back into the community, said District Manager Coates. This really is win-win. Its good for homeowners, supports the economy and its good for our waterways. Hyatt said that the financial assistance regarding septic tank upkeep is not offered to businesses, churches and owners of newly built homes. The project is part of a larger effort to not only clean up local watersheds, but also greatly improve the overall health of the Chesapeake Bay. The financial assistance thats being offered to homeowners in both watersheds ends on December 31st 2019. Are you a homeowner and interested in repairing, replacing or maintaining your septic system? Call Lisa Hyatt at the Thomas Jefferson Water and Soil Conservation District: 434-975-0224 ext. 110. Find out if you live in the Hardware River or Tye River Watershed European diplomats have convinced themselves that they must abide by the flawed 2015 nuclear deal with Iran to demonstrate their credibility. Their latest attempt to keep the deal alive despite U.S. opposition shows otherwise. Behold the special-purpose vehicle, unveiled recently by the European Commission and Europe's three signatories to the 2015 deal. The SPV, now christened the Instrument for Supporting Trade Exchange (or Instex), is supposed to allow European Union companies to keep trading with Iran under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Instex will do this by managing complex barter transactions to avoid running afoul of sanctions the U.S. re-imposed last year when it withdrew from the nuclear deal. The EC, Germany, France and the United Kingdom are clinging to the flawed agreement out of fear that Tehran might start developing the nuclear weapons Tehran intends to develop eventually anyway. They also hope to demonstrate European independence from American economic influence. Yet already Instex is shaping up to be a major flop. To ensure it doesn't run afoul of Washington, it will facilitate only trade in humanitarian goods not covered by U.S. sanctions. Most large companies are likely to avoid trading via Instex in any case, for fear of legal problems in Washington if Iran misdirects the proceeds. Hope's reversal came after a tense phone call Sunday night with his Democratic colleagues, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the call. Other lawmakers raised concerns that Hope had announced his plan Friday without consulting them first. Some Democrats had already said publicly that they felt it would be inappropriate to begin an impeachment process based solely on allegations that Fairfax has adamantly denied. "I believe it was well-intended," Del Lamont Bagby, D-Henrico, the chair of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, said of Hope's effort. "But we need to explore other avenues to getting that investigation." Several lawmakers have raised questions about how a General Assembly probe would work procedurally and legally. The legislature is not set up as an investigative body, and it's not clear if lawmakers would have the ability to compel testimony and evidence about events that didnt happen in Virginia. Fairfax's office had voiced skepticism about a legislative investigation. A Fairfax spokeswoman said the lieutenant governor "believes that an inherently political process is not the most likely path for learning the truth." By 1705, all black, mulatto and Indian slaves were considered real property. Several members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, including its chairman, Del. Lamont Bagby, D-Henrico, could not immediately be reached for comment on Sunday. Northam told CBS that he had thought about resigning amid calls from Democrats and Republicans for him to step down. Virginia needs someone that can heal. Theres no better person to do that than a doctor, said Northam, a pediatric neurologist. Virginia also needs someone who is strong, who has empathy, who has courage and who has a moral compass. And thats why Im not going anywhere. The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus first called for Northam to resign on Feb. 1, the day the governor said: I am deeply sorry for the decision I made to appear as I did in a 1984 yearbook photo that featured one man in blackface and another man in Ku Klux Klan robes. The next day, after Northam walked back his statement at a news conference, saying he was not in the photo, the caucus issued a new statement, amplifying its call for Northam to resign. The most glaring reason is financial insecurity, Wallmeyer said. With the decline of the coal, textile and agriculture industries, southern Virginia has struggled to provide jobs and economic opportunities, especially for young people. As a result, they move out of the state or to northern parts of Virginia to find work and settle down. Wallmeyer said other reasons people are leaving could include drug problems in the southern part of the state, lack of higher education and a lack of high-quality health care. The state has known about these problems for quite some time and is taking efforts to put programs in place to make better opportunities available, particularly for young people, he said. One effort involves the move by Amazon to invest $2.5 billion in Northern Virginia and open a headquarters in the area. With that initiative, the state will help community colleges provide trade and technical training so that workers can qualify for jobs in todays more modern economy, Wallmeyer said. A big part of that package deal is a significant commitment by the state to drastically increase its training of computer engineering people, he said. Thats going to help all of Virginia, not just Northern Virginia. Police are seeking information about a Friday car crash and assault. Around 6:30 p.m., a car driven by an elderly man hit a girl near the Jefferson School on Fourth Street Northwest, authorities said. According to a news release, the girl ran into the street after a group near the school became disorderly, and was struck by the vehicle. The driver remained on the scene after the crash, and was assaulted by the group, police said on Monday. Police said the identity of the assailant is still under investigation. The man and the girl were taken to the University of Virginia Medical Center for treatment but have since been released, according to the release. Anyone with information is asked to call the Charlottesville Police Department at (434) 970-3280 or Crimestoppers at (434) 977-4000. Send news tips to news@dailyprogress.com, call (434) 978-7264, tweet us @DailyProgress or send us a Facebook message here. 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. Fogel said he also wants the information to determine who is being stopped and released to see why they werent arrested. Burke wrote that raw data is only one small part of our work and research. As an oversight agency tasked with determining the best model moving forward, we have to know the current status of affairs in our City and Police Department. We believe that part of our task is not only to review the CPDs analysis of its own data but also to understand what data is collected by the CPD, why it is collected, how it is collected, how it is cleaned or processed, and how it has been analyzed to get to the final products that we are seeing in, say, the Investigative Detention PowerPoint presentations, Burke wrote. Burke wrote that its important for the board to be able to review how the department gathers data and its analysis methods. She wrote that Brackney has offered to provide training and further information on the departments data-collection techniques. In 2018, almost 21 percent of high school students reported using an electronic smoking device in the past 30 days, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a significant, and concerning, increase from the 2011 data, where 1.5 percent of high school students reported using an ESD in the past 30 days. Why are we concerned about JUULs? Each JUULpod (the mouthpiece containing e-liquid) contains the same amount of nicotine as one pack of cigarettes. This is especially dangerous for teens and young adults, because the nicotine can harm brain development, which continues until age 25. According to the Truth Initiative (a non-profit working on reducing tobacco use in youth): 63 percent of JUUL users (between the ages of 15 and 24) did not know that JUULs always contain nicotine. Youths who use e-cigarettes are four times more likely to also smoke regular cigarettes. What are JUUL trends among teens? JUULing (the act of using a JUUL) is especially popular among teenagers and young adults, who do not consider it to be vaping, when in fact it is. The following companies are subsidiares of Tyson Foods: APF Legacy Subs LLC, Advance Food Company LLC, AdvancePierre Foods, AdvancePierre Foods Holdings Inc., AdvancePierre Foods Inc., Aidells Sausage Company Inc., Allied Specialty Foods Inc., American Proteins Inc, Artisan Bread Co. LLC, Australian Food Corporation Pty Limited, Australian Food Corporation Trust, BRF, Barber Foods LLC, Bosco's Pizza Co., Bryan Foods Inc., C.S. Grain LLC, C.V. Holdings Inc., CBFA Management Corp., Central Industries Inc., Chefs Pantry LLC, Clovervale Farms LLC, Cobb (Hubei) Breeding Co. Ltd., Cobb (Shanghai) Enterprise Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Cobb Ana Damizlik Tavukculuk Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Cobb Columbia S.A.S., Cobb Europe B.V., Cobb Europe Limited, Cobb Peru (Andina) S.A.C., Cobb-Heritage LLC, Cobb-Vantress Brasil Ltda, Cobb-Vantress Inc., Cobb-Vantress New Zealand Limited, Cobb-Vantress Philippines Inc., Coominya AFC Pty Limited, Coominya AFC Trust, DFG Foods Inc., DFG Foods L.L.C., Don Julio, Egbert LLC, Equity Group - Georgia Division LLC, Equity Group - Kentucky Division LLC, Equity Group Eufaula Division LLC, Equity Meat Corp., Flavor Corp., Flavor Holdings Inc., Foodbrands America Inc., Foodbrands Supply Chain Services Inc., Gallo Salame Inc., Global Employment Services Inc., Grow-Out Credit LLC, Grow-Out Holdings LLC, Haimen Tyson Poultry Development Co. Ltd, Hudson Foods Company, Hudson Midwest Foods Inc., Hybro Genetics Brasil Ltda, IBP Caribbean Inc., IBP Foodservice L.L.C., IBP Inc., International Affiliates & Investment LLC, Jiangsu Tyson Foods Co. Ltd, Keydutch Finance B.V., Keydutch Holdings I LLC, Keydutch Holdings II LLC, Keydutch Investments B.V., Keystone CLJV Holdings Limited, Keystone County House Road LLC, Keystone Foods, Keystone Foods (AP) Limited, Keystone Foods Holdco LLC, Keystone Foods Intermediate LLC, Keystone Foods LLC, Keystone Foods Pty Limited, Keystone Management Inc., Keystone Trading (Shanghai) Company Limited, LD Foods LLC, M & M Express LLC, M&M Restaurant Supply (MI/OH) LLC, MFG (USA) Holdings Inc., Mac Food Services (Malaysia) SDN. BHD., Madison Foods Inc., McKey Food Services (Hong Kong) Limited, McKey Food Services (Shandong) Limited, McKey Food Services (Thailand) Limited, McKey Food Services Limited, McKey Luxembourg Holdings APMEA S.a.r.l., McKey Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., McKey Luxembourg S.a.r.l., McKey VI Holdings Limited, Myung Seung Food Company Ltd., National Comp Care Inc., New Canada Holdings Inc., Oaklawn Capital Corporation, Oaklawn IT Solution Private Limited, Original Philly Holdings Inc., PBX inc., Pierre Holdco Inc., River Valley Ingredients LLC, Rizhao Tyson Foods Co. Ltd, Rizhao Tyson Poultry Co. Ltd, Rural Energy Systems Inc., Sara Lee - Kiwi Holdings LLC, Sara Lee Diversified LLC, Sara Lee Foods LLC, Sara Lee Household & Body Care Malawi Ltd., Sara Lee International LLC, Sara Lee International TM Holdings LLC, Sara Lee Mexicana Holdings Investment L.L.C., Sara Lee TM Holdings LLC, Sara Lee Trademark Holdings Australasia LLC, Saramar L.L.C., Shandong Tyson-Da Long Food Company Limited, Smart Chicken, Southern Family Foods L.L.C., Southwest Products LLC, TF 20 B.V., TF 5201 B.V., TFA Leasing LLC, TFA Opportunity Zone Fund LLC, TFI of California Inc., Tecumseh Poultry LLC, Texas Transfer Inc., The Bruss Company, The Hillshire Brands Company, The IBP Foods Co., The Pork Group Inc., TyNet Corporation, Tyson (Shanghai) Enterprise Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Tyson Americas Holding Sarl, Tyson Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Tyson Breeders Inc., Tyson Chicken Inc., Tyson China Holding 2 Limited, Tyson China Holding 3 Limited, Tyson China Holding Limited, Tyson Deli Inc., Tyson Europe Holding Company, Tyson Farms Inc., Tyson Farms QOZB LLC, Tyson Foods Brasil Investimentos Ltda., Tyson Foods Canada Inc., Tyson Foods Europe (Netherlands) B.V., Tyson Foods Europe GmbH, Tyson Foods France S.A.R.L., Tyson Foods Germany GmbH, Tyson Foods Group Limited, Tyson Foods Holland B.V., Tyson Foods Huadong Development Co. Ltd, Tyson Foods Iberia Alimentos S.L.U., Tyson Foods Italia S.p.A., Tyson Foods Korea, Tyson Foods Netherlands B.V., Tyson Foods Products Limited, Tyson Foods Scotland Europe Limited, Tyson Foods Scotland Sales (Europe) Limited, Tyson Foods UK Limited, Tyson Foods Wrexham Limited, Tyson Foods oosterwolde B.V., Tyson Fresh Meats Inc., Tyson Fresh Meats Sales and Distribution LLC, Tyson Global Holding Sarl, Tyson Hog Markets Inc., Tyson India Holdings Ltd., Tyson International APAC Ltd., Tyson International Company Ltd., Tyson International Holding Company, Tyson International Holding Sarl, Tyson International Service Center Inc., Tyson International Service Center Inc. Asia, Tyson International Service Center Inc. Europe, Tyson Mexican Original Inc., Tyson Mexico Trading Company S. de R.L. de CV., Tyson New Ventures LLC, Tyson Opportunity Zone Fund LLC, Tyson Pet Products Inc., Tyson Poultry Inc., Tyson Prepared Foods Inc., Tyson Processing Services Inc., Tyson Refrigerated Processed Meats Inc., Tyson Sales and Distribution Inc., Tyson Service Center Corp., Tyson Shared Services Inc., Tyson Storm Lake Holdings LLC, Tyson Warehousing Services LLC, Tyson of Wisconsin LLC, Uninex SA, Universal Meats (UK) Limited, WBA Analytical Laboratories Inc., Wilton Foods Inc., Xamol Consultores e Servicos, and Zemco Industries Inc.. Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd. provides telecommunication services in Taiwan. It operates through Domestic Fixed Communications Business, Mobile Communications Business, Internet Business, International Fixed Communications Business, and Others segments. The company offers local and domestic long distance telephone and leased line, broadband access, Wi-Fi, and multimedia on demand services; information and communication technology (ICT) services; and interconnection with its fixed-line network to other mobile and fixed-line operators. It also provides mobile; HiNet Internet, data communication, and cloud; application value-added and Internet data center; international long distance telephone, leased line, and data; and satellite services. In addition, the company distributes and sells mobile handsets, tablets, wearable devices, data cards, electronic materials, ICT products, and computing and business machinery equipment and software; designs, develops, produces, sells, and services semiconductor testing components, printed circuit boards, and electronic components and finished products, and automatic license plate recognition software and hardware products. Further, it offers property development and management; system, network, and communications integration; intelligent buildings and energy network; digital information supply and advertisement; property and liability insurance agency; family education; computing equipment installation; management consultancy; data processing; telecommunications engineering; Internet identify; and information and communication solution services. Additionally, the company engages in the investment; software design services, and internet contents production and play; motion picture production and distribution; and provision of energy saving solutions and international circuits, and services for electronic parts and machinery processed products. The company was incorporated in 1996 and is based in Taipei City, Taiwan. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Cummins: Anvl, Apollo FC Holdings Ltd., Atlantis Acquisitionco Canada Corporation, Atlantis Holdco UK Limited, Brammo, CIFC Worldwide Partner C.V., CMI Africa Holdings BV, CMI CGT Holdings LLC, CMI Canada Financing Ltd., CMI Canada LP, CMI Foreign Holdings B.V., CMI Global Equity Holdings B.V., CMI Global Equity Holdings C.V., CMI Global Holdings B.V., CMI Global Partner 2 C.V., CMI Global Partners B.V., CMI Group Holdings B.V., CMI Group Holdings Cooperatief U.A., CMI International Finance Partner 1 LLC, CMI International Finance Partner 2 LLC, CMI International Finance Partner 3 LLC, CMI International Finance Partner 4 LLC, CMI International Finance Partner 5 LLC, CMI Mexico LLC, CMI Netherlands Holdings B.V., CMI PGI Holdings LLC, CMI PGI International Holdings LLC, CMI Turkish Holdings B.V., CMI UK Finance LP, CMI UK Financing LP, Cherry Island Renewable Energy LLC, Consolidated Diesel Company, Consolidated Diesel Inc., Consolidated Diesel of North Carolina Inc., Cummins (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Cummins (Xiangyang) Machining Co. Ltd., Cummins Africa Middle East (Pty) Ltd., Cummins Afrique de l'Ouest, Cummins Americas Inc., Cummins Angola Lda., Cummins Argentina-Servicios Mineros S.A., Cummins Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Cummins Aust Technologies Pty. Ltd., Cummins BLR LLC, Cummins Battery Systems North America LLC, Cummins Belgium N.V., Cummins Botswana (Pty.) Ltd., Cummins Brasil Ltda., Cummins Burkina Faso SARL, Cummins CDC Holding Inc., Cummins CV Member LLC, Cummins Canada ULC, Cummins Caribbean LLC, Cummins Center of Excellence Singapore Pte. Ltd., Cummins Centroamerica Holding S.de R.L., Cummins Child Development Center Inc., Cummins Colombia S.A.S., Cummins Comercializadora S. de R.L. de C.V., Cummins Corporation, Cummins Cote d'Ivoire SARL, Cummins Czech Republic s.r.o., Cummins Deutschland GmbH, Cummins Diesel International Ltd., Cummins Distribution Holdco Inc., Cummins EMEA Holdings Limited, Cummins East Asia Research & Development Co. Ltd., Cummins Eastern Marine Inc., Cummins Electrified Power Europe Ltd., Cummins Electrified Power NA Inc., Cummins Emission Solutions (China) Co. Ltd., Cummins Emission Solutions Inc., Cummins Empresas Filantropicas, Cummins Energetica Ltda., Cummins Engine (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cummins Engine (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Cummins Engine (Shanghai) Trading & Services Co. Ltd., Cummins Engine Holding Company Inc., Cummins Engine IP Inc., Cummins Engine Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Cummins Engine Venture Corporation, Cummins Enterprise LLC, Cummins Filtration (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Cummins Filtration GmbH, Cummins Filtration IP Inc., Cummins Filtration Inc., Cummins Filtration International Corp., Cummins Filtration Ltd., Cummins Filtration SARL, Cummins Filtration Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Cummins Filtros Ltda., Cummins Franchise Holdco LLC, Cummins Fuel Systems (Wuhan) Co. Ltd., Cummins Generator Technologies (China) Co. Ltd., Cummins Generator Technologies Americas Inc., Cummins Generator Technologies Germany GmbH, Cummins Generator Technologies India Private Ltd., Cummins Generator Technologies Italy SRL, Cummins Generator Technologies Limited, Cummins Generator Technologies Romania S.A., Cummins Generator Technologies Singapore Pte Ltd., Cummins Ghana Limited, Cummins Ghana Mining Limited, Cummins Global Financing LP, Cummins Global Technologies LLP, Cummins Grupo Comercial Y. de Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Cummins Grupo Industrial S. de R.L. de C.V., Cummins Holland B.V., Cummins Hong Kong Ltd., Cummins India Ltd., Cummins Intellectual Property Inc., Cummins International Finance LLC, Cummins International Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Cummins International Holdings LLC, Cummins Italia S.P.A., Cummins Japan Ltd., Cummins Korea Co. Ltd., Cummins LLC Member Inc., Cummins Ltd., Cummins Maroc SARL, Cummins Middle East FZE, Cummins Mining Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Cummins Mobility Services Inc., Cummins Mongolia Investment LLC, Cummins Mozambique Ltda., Cummins NV, Cummins Namibia Engine Sales and Service PTY LTD, Cummins Natural Gas Engines Inc., Cummins New Zealand Limited, Cummins Nigeria Ltd., Cummins Norte de Colombia S.A.S., Cummins North Africa Regional Office SARL, Cummins Norway AS, Cummins PGI Holdings Ltd., Cummins Power Generation (China) Co. Ltd., Cummins Power Generation (S) Pte. Ltd., Cummins Power Generation (U.K.) Limited, Cummins Power Generation Deutschland GmbH, Cummins Power Generation Inc., Cummins Power Generation Limited, Cummins PowerGen IP Inc., Cummins Research and Technology India Private Ltd., Cummins Romania Srl, Cummins S. de R.L. de C.V., Cummins Sales and Service Korea Co. Ltd., Cummins Sales and Service Philippines Inc., Cummins Sales and Service Private Limited, Cummins Sales and Service Sdn. Bhd., Cummins Sales and Service Singapore Pte. Ltd., Cummins Sinai ve Otomotiv Urunleri Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Cummins South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Cummins South Pacific Pty. Limited, Cummins Southern Plains LLC, Cummins Spain S.L., Cummins Sweden AB, Cummins Technologies India, Cummins Trade Receivables LLC, Cummins Turbo Technologies Limited, Cummins Turkey Motor Guc Sistemleri Sats Servis Limited Sirketi, Cummins U.K. Holdings Ltd., Cummins U.K. Pension Plan Trustee Ltd., Cummins UK Global Holdings Ltd., Cummins UK Holdings LLC, Cummins Vendas e Servicos de Motores e Geradores Ltda., Cummins Venture Corporation, Cummins West Africa Limited, Cummins West Balkans d.o.o. Nova Pasova, Cummins XBorder Operations (Pty) Ltd, Cummins Zambia Ltd., Cummins Zimbabwe Pvt. Ltd., Distribuidora Cummins Centroamerica Costa Rica S.de R.L., Distribuidora Cummins Centroamerica El Salvador S.de R.L., Distribuidora Cummins Centroamerica Guatemala Ltda., Distribuidora Cummins Centroamerica Honduras S.de R.L., Distribuidora Cummins S.A., Distribuidora Cummins Sucursal Paraguay SRL, Distribuidora Cummins de Panama S. de R.L., Dynamo Insurance Company Inc., Efficient Drivetrains, Efficient Drivetrains (Beijing) New Power Technology Co. Ltd., Efficient Drivetrains (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Hilite International, Hydrogenics, Hydrogenics Corporation, Hydrogenics Europe N.V., Hydrogenics GmbH, Hydrogenics Holding GmbH, Hydrogenics USA Inc., Markon Engineering Company Ltd., Nelson Burgess Ltd., Nelson Industries, Newage Engineers GmbH, Newage Ltd. (U.K.), Newage Machine Tools Ltd., OOO Cummins, Petbow Limited, Power Group International (Overseas Holdings) B.V., Power Group International (Overseas Holdings) Ltd., Power Group International Ltd., Quickstart Energy Projects SpA, Shanghai Cummins Trade Co. Ltd., TOO Cummins, Taiwan Cummins Sales & Services Co. Ltd., Worldwide Partner CV Member LLC, Wuxi Cummins Turbo Technologies Co. Ltd., Wuxi New Energy Automotive Technologies Co. Ltd., and ZED Connect Inc.. SunTrust Banks, Inc. operates as the holding company for SunTrust Bank that provides various financial services for consumers, businesses, corporations, institutions, and not-for-profit entities in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer and Wholesale. The Consumer segment provides deposits and payments; home equity and personal credit lines; auto, student, and other lending products; credit cards; discount/online and full-service brokerage products; professional investment advisory products and services; and trust services, as well as family office solutions. This segment also offers residential mortgage products in the secondary market. The Wholesale segment provides capital markets solutions, including advisory, capital raising, and financial risk management; asset-based financing solutions, such as securitizations, asset-based lending, equipment financing, and structured real estate arrangements; cash management services and auto dealer financing solutions; investment banking solutions; and credit and deposit, fee-based product offering, multi-family agency lending, advisory, commercial mortgage brokerage, and tailored financing and equity investment solutions. This segment also offers treasury and payment solutions, such as operating various electronic and paper payment types, which comprise card, wire transfer, automated clearing house, check, and cash; and provides services clients to manage their accounts online. The company offers its products and services through a network of traditional and in-store branches, automated teller machines, Internet, mobile, and telephone banking channels. As of December 31, 2018, it operated 1,218 full-service banking offices located in Florida, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia. SunTrust Banks, Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Read More Ad Legacy Research 1,416 Recent Views To Any American Who Owns a Cell Phone If you own a cell phone, then mobile service providers hope you never get to see this video that could soon go viral. His experiment could strike a bad chord with mobile phone companies. But youve got to see what this man discovered and what it means for phone users in the weeks ahead. Rogers Communications Inc. operates as a communications and media company in Canada. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Cable, and Media. The company offers mobile Internet access, wireless voice and enhanced voice, device and accessory financing, wireless home phone, device protection, text messaging, e-mail, global voice and data roaming, bridging landline, machine-to-machine and Internet of Things solutions, and advanced wireless solutions for businesses, as well as device delivery services; and postpaid and prepaid services under the Rogers, Fido, and chatr brands to approximately 10.9 million subscribers. It also provides Internet and WiFi services; smart home monitoring services, such as monitoring, security, automation, energy efficiency, and smart control through a smartphone app. In addition, the company offers local and network TV; on-demand television; cloud-based digital video recorders; voice-activated remote controls, and integrated apps; personal video recorders; linear and time-shifted programming; digital specialty channels; 4K television programming; and televised content on smartphones, tablets, and personal computers, as well as operates Ignite TV and Ignite TV app. Further, it provides residential and small business local telephony services; calling features, such as voicemail, call waiting, and long distance; voice, data networking, Internet protocol, and Ethernet services; private networking, Internet, IP voice, and cloud solutions; optical wave and multi-protocol label switching services; IT and network technologies; and cable access network services. The company also owns Toronto Blue Jays and the Rogers Centre event venue; and operates Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet World, Citytv, OMNI, FX (Canada), FXX (Canada), and OLN television networks, as well as 55 AM and FM radio stations. Rogers Communications Inc. was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More 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 Raymond James Financial, Inc., a financial holding company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the underwriting, distribution, trading, and brokerage of equity and debt securities, and the sale of mutual funds and other investment products in the United States, Canada, Europe, and internationally. The company operates through Private Client Group, Capital Markets, Asset Management, RJ Bank, and Other segments. The Private Client Group segment provides securities brokerage services, including the sale of equities, mutual funds, fixed income products, and insurance products to their individual clients; and borrowing and lending of securities to and from other broker-dealers, financial institutions, and other counterparties. The Capital Markets segment offers securities brokerage, trading, and research services to institutions with a focus on sale of the United States and Canadian equities and fixed income products; and manages and participates in underwritings, merger and acquisition services, and public finance activities. The Asset Management segment engages in the operations of Eagle, the Eagle Family of Funds, Cougar, the asset management operations of Raymond James & Associates, trust services of Raymond James Trust, and other fee-based asset management programs. The RJ Bank segment provides corporate loans, SBL, tax-exempt loans, and residential loans. The Other segment engages in private equity activities, including various direct and third party private equity investments; and private equity funds. Raymond James Financial, Inc. was founded in 1962 and is based in St. Petersburg, Florida. Read More 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.. Brunswick Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets recreation products worldwide. It operates through Propulsion; Parts & Accessories; and Boat segments. The Propulsion segment provides outboard, sterndrive, and inboard engines for independent boat builders and governments through marine dealers and distributors, specialty marine retailers, and marine service centers; and propulsion-related controls, rigging, and propellers to original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket retailers, distributors, and distribution businesses. This segment offers its products under the Mercury Marine, Mercury, Mercury MerCruiser, Mariner, Mercury Racing, and Mercury Diesel brands. The Parts & Accessories segment provides engine parts and consumables, electrical products, boat parts and systems, engine oils and lubricants, marine electronics and control systems, instruments, trolling motors, fuel systems, and electrical systems, as well as specialty vehicle, mobile, and transportation aftermarket products for aftermarket retailers, distributors, and distribution businesses, as well for as for the original equipment manufacturers in marine and non-marine markets; and supplies parts and accessories through the distribution business. This segment offers its products under the under the Mercury, Mercury Precision Parts, Quicksilver, and Seachoice brands. The Boat segment provides Sea Ray sport boats and cruisers; Bayliner sport cruisers and runabouts; Boston Whaler fiberglass offshore boats; Lund fiberglass fishing boats; Crestliner, Cypress Cay, Harris, Lowe, Lund, and Princecraft aluminum fishing, utility, pontoon, and deck boats; Heyday tow/wake boats; and Thunder Jet heavy-gauge aluminum boats, as well as shared access boat club and dealer services to the marine industry through dealers and distributors. Brunswick Corporation was founded in 1845 and is headquartered in Mettawa, Illinois. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Kellogg: 545 LLC, AQFTM Inc., Afical - Industria e Comercio de Alimentos Ltda, Afical Holding LLC, Alimentos Gollek S.A., Alimentos Kellogg S.A., Alimentos Kellogg de Panama SRL, Argkel Inc., Austin Quality Foods Inc., BDH Inc., Bear Naked Inc., Bisco Misr, CC Real Estate Holdings LLC, Canada Holding LLC, Cary Land Corporation, Eighteen94 Capital LLC, Favorite Food Products Limited, Gardenburger LLC, Gollek Argentina S.R.L., Gollek B.V., Gollek Inc., Gollek Interamericas S. de R.L. de C.V., Gollek Servicios S.C., Gollek UK Limited, Illinois Baking Corporation, Instituto De Nutricion y Salud Kellogg A.C., Insurgent Brands LLC, K (China) Limited, K Europe Holding Company Limited, K India Private Limited, K-One Inc., K-Two Inc., KBAR SRL, KECL LLC, KELF Limited, KJAL Limited, KPAR Limited, KT International Finance SRL, KTRY Limited, Kashi Company, Kashi Company Pty Ltd, Kashi Sales L.L.C., Keebler Company, Keebler Foods Company, Keebler Holding Corp., Keebler USA Inc., Kelarg Inc., Kelcone Limited, Kelcorn Limited, Kellman S. de R.L. de C.V., Kellogg (Aust.) Pty. Ltd., Kellogg (Deutschland) GmbH, Kellogg (Japan) G.K., Kellogg (Osterreich) Gesellschaft GmbH, Kellogg (Schweiz) GmbH, Kellogg (Thailand) Limited, Kellogg Activation Services Company, Kellogg Argentina S.R.L., Kellogg Asia Inc., Kellogg Asia Marketing Inc., Kellogg Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Kellogg Asia Products Sdn.. Bhd., Kellogg Asia Sdn. Bhd., Kellogg Australia Holdings Pty. Ltd., Kellogg Belgium Services Company BVBA, Kellogg Brasil Inc., Kellogg Brasil Ltda., Kellogg Business Services Company, Kellogg Canada Inc., Kellogg Caribbean Inc., Kellogg Caribbean Services Company Inc., Kellogg Chile Inc., Kellogg Company East Africa Limited, Kellogg Company Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Kellogg Company Subsidiaries, Kellogg Company of Great Britain Limited, Kellogg Company of Ireland Limited, Kellogg Company of South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Kellogg Costa Rica S. de R.L., Kellogg Ecuador C. LTDA., Kellogg El Salvador Ltda. de C.V., Kellogg Espana S.L., Kellogg Europe Company Limited, Kellogg Europe Finance Limited, Kellogg Europe Services Limited, Kellogg Europe Trading Limited, Kellogg Europe Treasury Services Limited, Kellogg European Logistics Services Company Limited, Kellogg European Support Services SRL, Kellogg Fearn Inc., Kellogg Funding Company LLC, Kellogg Group LLC, Kellogg Group Limited, Kellogg Group S.a.r.l., Kellogg Hellas Single Member Limited Liability Company, Kellogg Holding Company Limited, Kellogg Holding LLC, Kellogg Hong Kong Holding Company Limited, Kellogg Hong Kong Private Limited, Kellogg India Private Limited, Kellogg International Holding Company, Kellogg Irish Holding Limited, Kellogg Italia S.p.A., Kellogg Kayco, Kellogg Latin America Holding Company (One) Limited, Kellogg Latin America Holding Company (Two) Limited, Kellogg Latvia Inc., Kellogg Lux I S.ar.l., Kellogg Lux III S. ar L., Kellogg Lux V S.a.r.l., Kellogg Lux VI S.ar.l., Kellogg Management Services (Europe) Limited, Kellogg Manchester Limited, Kellogg Manufacturing Espana S.L., Kellogg Marketing and Sales Company (UK) Limited, Kellogg Med Gida Ticaret Limited SirketiI, Kellogg Netherlands Holding B.V., Kellogg North America Company, Kellogg Northern Europe GmbH, Kellogg Pakistan (Private) Limted, Kellogg Rus LLC, Kellogg Sales Company, Kellogg Services GmbH, Kellogg Servicios S.C., Kellogg Snacks Financing Limited, Kellogg Snacks Holding Company Europe Limited, Kellogg Superannuation Pty. Ltd., Kellogg Supply Services (Europe) Limited, Kellogg Talbot LLC, Kellogg Transition MA&P L.L.C., Kellogg Treasury Services Company, Kellogg U.K. Holding Company Limited, Kellogg UK Minor Limited, Kellogg USA LLC, Kellogg de Centro America S.A., Kellogg de Colombia S.A., Kellogg de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Kellogg de Peru S.R.L., Kellogg's Produits Alimentaires S.A.S., Kelmill Limited, Kelpac Limited, Klux A Sarl, Klux B Sarl, Mass Food, Mass Food International SAE, Mass Food SAE, Mass Trade for Trade and Distribution SAE, McCamly Plaza Hotel Inc., Multipro Consumer Products Limited*, Multipro Private Limited*, Multipro Singapore Pte. Ltd*, Nhong Shim Kellogg Co. Ltd.*, Nikko Industries*, Nordisk Kellogg's ApS, PRUX S.a r.l., Padua Ltda, Parati Group, Parati Industria e Comercio de Alimentos Ltda, Portable Foods Manufacturing Company Limited, Prime Bond Cyprus Holding Company Limited, Prime Bond Holdings Limited, Pringles, Pringles (Shanghai) Food Co. Ltd., Pringles Australia Pty Ltd, Pringles Hong Kong Limited, Pringles International Operations Sarl, Pringles Japan G.K., Pringles LLC, Pringles Manufacturing Company, Pringles Overseas Holdings Sarl, Pringles S.a r.l., Pronumex S de R.L. de C.V., RX Bar UK Limited, RXBRANDS Canada ULC, Ritmo Investimentos, Rondo Food Manufacturing S.A.E., RxBar, Saragusa Frozen Foods Limited, Servicios Argkel S.C., Shaffer Clarke & Co. Inc., Specialty Cereals Pty Limited, Specialty Foods L.L.C., Stretch Fibres*, Stretch Island Fruit Sales L.L.C., Sunshine Biscuits L.L.C., The Eggo Company, The Healthy Snack People Pty Limited, Trafford Park Insurance Limited, Uma Investments sp. z o.o., Vita+ Naturprodukte GmbH*, Wimble Manufacturing Belgium BVBA, Wimble Services Belgium BVBA, and Worthington Foods Inc.. Ad Legacy Research 3,281 Interested This Week [URGENT] MAJOR BUY ALERT Since 2016, Teeka Tiwari has trumped the stock market. His investment recommendations have each averaged 281%. Thats 17 times the S&P. And 112 times the average investor, according to JPMorgan! However, one investment Teeka just uncovered could top them all It involves former President Biden, billions of dollars, several large banks, and a super-rich family. As well as a MAJOR potential upgrade to our credit cards. Teeka, who ended up correctly picking the last investment of the decade, is declaring this his top pick for the 2020s. HFF, Inc. provides commercial real estate and capital market services to the consumers and providers of capital in the commercial real estate industry in the United States. The company offers debt placement services, such as construction and construction/mini-permanent loans, adjustable and fixed rate mortgages, bridge loans, entity level and mezzanine debts, forward delivery loans, and tax exempt and sale/leaseback financing to the owners of various properties comprising office, retail, industrial, hotel, multi-housing, student housing, self-storage, nursing homes, condominiums and condominium conversions, mixed-use properties, and land, as well as senior, independent, and assisted living facilities. It also provides investment advisory services to commercial real estate owners; and equity placement, as well as assists clients in the sale of their commercial real estate debt note portfolios. In addition, the company offers private equity, investment banking, and advisory services, including equity capital to establish joint ventures relating to identified properties or properties to be acquired by a fund sponsor; structured finance; institutional marketing and fund-raising services for public and private commercial real estate fund sponsors; advisory services for mergers and acquisitions, sales and divestitures, management buyouts, and recapitalizations and restructurings; and private placements of preferred securities. Further, it provides loan sales and commercial loan servicing to life insurance companies. The company was founded in 1982 and is based in Dallas, Texas. 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 Credit Suisse X-Links Monthly Pay 2xLeveraged Mortgage REIT ETNs 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 Credit Suisse X-Links Monthly Pay 2xLeveraged Mortgage REIT ETNs wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Legend Who Bought Amazon In 1998 Says: Now Is The Time (Ad) Wall street legend Chris Rowe says theres a huge stock market event looming - and hes revealing his #1 pick for free. Click here to find out more. 10 Million People Started Trading Last Year Heres What to Do Next (Ad) How do you make money trading? What are the secrets pros use to beat the market day after day? Former Chicago Board Options Exchange trader reveals all the insider tricks... Get the Full Report Now (No Credit Card Required... Limited Time Only) 5G blockchain electric vehicles There are enough tech opportunities out there to make your head spin! But which ones should you own for the coming tech boom? Louis Navellier the analyst who found Microsoft at .38 cents just released a new report detailing six tech stocks to own today. Dont miss your chance to get his latest picks ticker symbol and all completely free of charge. 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 Finance PhD: Move your money BEFORE June 30th (Ad) The clock just started on the biggest financial event in 20 years. And the next months could decide your wealth in 2021. Heres what to do now. Could This Be the Biggest US Gold Discovery in Years? (Ad) See how this tiny, unknown gold company secured a prime land package right next door to the worlds two largest gold producers in Nevadas famed Carlin Trend where 84 Million gold ounces have already been extracted. Best of all, investors can still get in well below US$0.50 per share. Details Here. Truist Financial Corp. operates as a financial holding company, which engages in the provision of banking services to individuals, businesses and municipalities. The firm offers a variety of loans and lease financing to individuals and entities, including insurance premium financing, permanent commercial real estate financing arrangements, loan servicing for third-party investors, direct consumer finance loans to individuals, credit card lending, automobile financing and equipment financing. It also markets a range of other services, including deposits, life insurance, property and casualty insurance, health Truist Financial Corp. operates as a financial holding company. It engages in the provision of banking services to individuals, businesses and municipalities. The company operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking and Wealth; Corporate and Commercial Banking; and Insurance Holdings. The firm offers a variety of loans and lease financing to individuals and entities, including insurance premium financing, permanent commercial real estate financing arrangements, loan servicing for third-party investors, direct consumer finance loans to individuals, credit card lending, automobile financing and equipment financing. It also markets a range of other services, including deposits, life insurance, property and casualty insurance, health insurance and commercial general liability insurance on an agency basis and through a wholesale insurance brokerage operation, merchant services, trust and retirement services, comprehensive wealth advisory services, asset management and capital markets services. The company was founded on December 6, 2019 and is headquartered in Charlotte, NC. insurance and commercial general liability insurance on an agency basis and through a wholesale insurance brokerage operation, merchant services, trust and retirement services, comprehensive wealth advisory services, asset management and capital markets services. The company was founded on December 6, 2019 and is headquartered in Charlotte, NC. Read More The BIG CON Screwing Americans (Ad) The rich and powerful are thrilled... Inflation is GREAT for them. Its everyone else wholl get screwed. But according to an ex-Wall Street vet, theres actually a way for YOU to turn the tables just make this one move before July 29th. Click here to see why Suncor Energy Inc. operates as an integrated energy company. The company primarily focuses on developing petroleum resource basins in Canada's Athabasca oil sands; explores, acquires, develops, produces, transports, refines, and markets crude oil in Canada and internationally; markets petroleum and petrochemical products under the Petro-Canada name primarily in Canada. It operates in Oil Sands; Exploration and Production; Refining and Marketing; and Corporate and Eliminations segments. The Oil Sands segment recovers bitumen from mining and in situ operations, and upgrades it into refinery feedstock and diesel fuel, or blends the bitumen with diluent for direct sale to market. The Exploration and Production segment is involved in offshore operations off the east coast of Canada and in the North Sea; and operating onshore assets in Libya and Syria. The Refining and Marketing segment refines crude oil and intermediate feedstock into various petroleum and petrochemical products; and markets refined petroleum products to retail, commercial, and industrial customers through its other retail sellers. The Corporate and Eliminations segment operates four wind farm operations in Ontario and Western Canada. The company also markets and trades in crude oil, natural gas, byproducts, refined products, and power. The company was formerly known as Suncor Inc. and changed its name to Suncor Energy Inc. in April 1997. Suncor Energy Inc. was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More In Calcutta the celebrations for the 27th Day are underway, entitled "You received without payment; give without payment". The prefect of the Dicastery for Integral human development spoke about the role of health workers in the care of the suffering. The sick "are not only recipients of the work of evangelization, but also active subjects of this same apostolic action". Calcutta (AsiaNews) - All of us Christians, as disciples of Christ, "benefit from God's unconditional love and are called to bring it to others in equal measure". This is the focus of the long speech that Card. Peter A. Turkson, prefect of the Dicastery for Integral human development, gave at celebrations for the 27th World Day of the Sick, in progress in Calcutta. The official date of the Day is today, the theme " You received without payment; give without payment". The occasion was a study conference on the theological foundations of health pastoral care, the New Charter of health workers and the new frontiers of service to the marginalized poor, which took place on 9 February. To those present, the Cardinal recalled that "the Church, since its origins, has always witnessed a special care for the sick and suffering people through the work of its members and its institutions, confirming the inviolable human dignity of these people in such a special moment of their existence ". The "guidelines" of the way Christians are called to take care of the sick have been outlined in the parable of the Good Samaritan, which invites us "to love one's neighbor", because "in the light of Christ, the mankinds suffering acquires a new meaning ". Pain, the cardinal continues, is "neither minimized nor ignored [...] but opens up to a new form of life. While advancing in history, Christians do not ignore evil and pain, but know that in them God - through the incarnation of His Son - places the seeds of eternity and salvation ". The prefect emphasizes that Pope Francis is among those who first invite us to give ourselves freely in service, to "see Christ in the face of the sick and the suffering". In fact, the Pope often returns to underline the sub-culture of "rejection and waste, that is, indifference towards many who suffer because of illness, poverty and abandonment". Recalling that suffering cannot be eliminated, the Cardinal turns to health workers and invites them "to go beyond mere accompaniment, beyond the duty of solidarity, and really appreciate the presence and witness of the weakness and suffering of people, who are not only recipients of the work of evangelization, but also active subjects of this same apostolic action ". Finally, he outlines the practical characteristics of accompaniment by operators: to adopt a specific lifestyle, which is "generous devotion"; to leave aside the search for power because "true power is service"; listen to the sick person; have joy in their heart. Concluding, Card. Patrick D'Rozario, archbishop of Dhaka and Vatican representative at the events, read a message from the Holy Father in which he recalled the figure of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, a model of "exceptional Christian charity". (Nirmala Carvalho collaborated) National Research Corporation provides analytics and insights that facilitate measurement and enhancement of the patient and employee experience in the United States and Canada. Its portfolio of subscription-based solutions provides actionable information and analysis to healthcare organizations across a range of mission-critical, constituent-related elements, including patient experience, service recovery, care transitions, health risk assessments, employee engagement, reputation management, and brand loyalty. The company also offers market insights solutions that allow the tracking of awareness, perception, and consistency of healthcare brands; assessment of competitive differentiators; and enhanced segmentation tools to evaluate needs, wants, and behaviors of communities through real-time competitive assessments and enhanced segmentation tools. In addition, it provides experience solutions, such as patient and resident experience, workforce engagement, health risk assessments, transitions, and improvement tools. Further, the company offers health risk assessment solutions that enable clients to segment populations and manage care for those who are most at risk, engage individuals, enhance preventative care, and manage wellness programs; and transitions solutions, which enable organizations to identify and manage high-risk patients to reduce readmissions, enhance patient satisfaction and support safe care transitions. Additionally, it provides transparency solutions that allow healthcare organizations to share picture of their organization and ensure content informs in consumer decision-making; and governance solutions for not-for-profit hospital and health system boards of directors, executives, and physician leadership. The company serves integrated health systems, post-acute providers, and payer organizations. National Research Corporation was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. Read More Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. engages in the exploration, development, and recovery of minerals and precious metals located primarily in Africa. It explores for platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, gold, rhodium, zinc, silver, germanium, and lead deposits. The company's projects include the Platreef project located in the Northern Limb of South Africa's Bushveld Complex; the Kipushi project located in Haut-Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of Congo; and the Kamoa-Kakula project located within the Central African Copperbelt. It also holds a 100% interest in the Western Foreland exploration project covering an area of approximately 2,550 square kilometers located in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It has a strategic partnership agreement with China Nonferrous Metal Mining (Group) Co., Ltd. to examine exploration, development, and acquisition of mineral projects, as well as production, smelting, and logistics opportunities in Africa. The company was formerly known as Ivanplats Limited and changed its name to Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. in August 2013. Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. was incorporated in 1993 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Read More American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved. 326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected] | (844) 978-6257 MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security. Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. This Is By Far My #1 Income Stock (Ad) This company owns the bestselling drug in the world, which brought in $19.9 billion in revenue last year. And today, I want to give you the name, the ticker symbol and my full analysis completely free - no strings attached. Click here to get it. 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See how this tiny, unknown gold company secured a prime land package right next door to the worlds two largest gold producers in Nevadas famed Carlin Trend where 84 Million gold ounces have already been extracted. Best of all, investors can still get in well below US$0.50 per share. 17 hours ago | June 23rd | 2021 5:00 AM You Quit Your Job Good for You! But How Does that Impact Your Investments? As companies make plans to return employees back to the office, millions of workers have made a decision not to go back at all. In fact, the number of people who quit their jobs increased to four million in April and increased 2.7%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The largest increases in employees leaving their jobs occurred in retail trade and professional and business services. Wall Street Legend Who Picked Bitcoin in 2016 Shares #1 Pick for the 2020s (Ad) Picking the right investment of the decade can transform your life Microsoft in the 80sAmazon in the 90sApple in the 2000sBitcoin in 2016... Any one of these could have made you a millionaire many times over. Today, the Wall Street legend who picked the last investment of the decade The answer will surprise you. It is about 8.2% more than a previous five-year agreement, which expired at the end of last year. The agreement is valid only for one year. President Trump had repeatedly complained about Seoul's contribution, considered to be derisory. More than 28,000 US troops are stationed in South Korea. Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - South Korea has agreed to increase contributions to the upkeep of US troops in its territory by US $ 924 million. The move ends a dispute with its long-time ally in view of a second summit between Washington and North Korea. South Korea and the US formed security alliance after the Korean war of 1950-53, which ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty. Over 28,000 American soldiers are stationed in the south to protect it from Pyongyang's threats. US President Donald J. Trump has repeatedly complained about the cost of keeping a the contingent there and the contribution of Seoul, which he considered ridiculous. The negotiations ended yesterday with the announcement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea: Seoul will pay about 8.2% more than a previous five-year agreement, which expired at the end of last year. The ministry said that although the United States demanded a "huge increase" in payments, they were able to reach an agreement that reflects "the security situation on the Korean peninsula". "The two countries reaffirmed the importance of a strong Korean-US alliance and the need for a stable deployment of US troops," reads a statement released after the signing ceremony. Since the agreement is only valid for one year, the two parties may soon return to the negotiating table. Last year, Seoul contributed about 960 billion won - more than 40% of the total - to the construction of American military facilities and the remuneration of South Korean civilians working in the US bases. The agreement will come into force after approval in the South Korean parliament, which according to local media should come in April. Advance Auto Parts, Inc. provides automotive replacement parts, accessories, batteries, and maintenance items for domestic and imported cars, vans, sport utility vehicles, and light and heavy duty trucks. The company offers battery accessories; belts and hoses; brakes and brake pads; chassis and climate control parts; clutches and drive shafts; engines and engine parts; exhaust systems and parts; hub assemblies; ignition components and wires; radiators and cooling parts; starters and alternators; and steering and alignment parts. It also offers air conditioning chemicals and accessories; air fresheners; antifreeze and washer fluids; electrical wires and fuses; electronics; floor mats, seat covers, and interior accessories; hand and specialty tools; lighting products; performance parts; sealants, adhesives and compounds; tire repair accessories; vent shades, mirrors and exterior accessories; washes, waxes and cleaning supplies; and wiper blades. In addition, the company offers air filters; fuel and oil additives; fuel filters; grease and lubricants; motor oils; oil filters, part cleaners and treatments; and transmission fluids for engine maintenance. Further, it offers battery and wiper installation; engine light scanning and checking; electrical system testing; video clinic; oil and battery recycling; and loaner tool program services. Additionally, the company sells its products through its Website. It serves professional installers and do-it-yourself customers. The company operates stores under the Advance Auto Parts, Autopart International, and Carquest brands, as well as branches under the Worldpac name. As of January 2, 2021, it operated 4,806 stores and 170 branches in the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada; and served 1,277 independently owned Carquest branded stores in Mexico, Grand Cayman, the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, and the British Virgin Islands. The company was founded in 1929 and is based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Read More Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated provides connected commerce solutions to financial institutions and retailers in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Latin America. The company operates through Eurasia Banking, Americas Banking, and Retail segments. It offers cash recyclers and dispensers, intelligent deposit terminals, teller automation tools, and kiosk technologies, as well as physical security solutions; and front-end applications for consumer connection points and back-end platforms that manage channel transactions, operations and integration and facilitate omnichannel transactions, endpoint monitoring, remote asset management, customer marketing, merchandise management, and analytics. It also provides banking product-related services comprising proactive monitoring and rapid resolution of incidents through remote service capabilities or an on-site visit; first and second line maintenance, and preventive maintenance and on-demand services; managed and outsourcing services, such as business processes, solution management, upgrades and transaction processing; and cash management services. In addition, the company offers DN Vynamic software suite; mobile point of sale and self-checkout terminals; printers, scales, and mobile scanners; and banknote and coin processing systems. Additionally, it provides retail customer's product-related services, such as on-demand and professional services; maintenance and availability services; implementation services; managed mobility services; monitoring and advanced analytics; and store life-cycle management services. Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated has strategic relationship with Accenture. The company was formerly known as Diebold, Incorporated and changed its name to Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated in December 2016. Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated was founded in 1859 and is headquartered in North Canton, Ohio. Read More Malaysian former premier Najib Razaks trial over the 1MDB mega-scandal was postponed on Monday to allow an appeal to be heard, in the latest blow to slow-moving efforts to bring the disgraced politician to justice. Najib had been due to go on trial on Tuesday for the first time over allegations he was involved in the looting of Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB in a fraud that stretched around the world. But his lawyers filed an application for the trial to be delayed pending an appeal on a technicality related to the transfer of charges between different courts. The court of Appeal on Monday agreed to the postponement to allow for the appeal to be heard, V Sithambaram, a criminal lawyer on the prosecution team, told AFP. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched her roadshow here on Monday on her first visit after becoming the General Secretary in charge of East Uttar Pradesh along with her brother and Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Congress General Secretary in charge of western Uttar Pradesh, also accompanied them. Priyanka Gandhi was welcomed by senior party leaders including Uttar Pradesh Congress unit chief Raj Babbar when she landed at the airport. The state capital has been decked up by Congress supporters. The Congress office at Mall Avenue has been painted afresh and decorated with hundreds of kilos of marigold and other flowers. The entire route which the motorcade of the Gandhi scion will weave through the city has been plastered with posters, hoardings and banners. "Aa gayi badlaav ki aandhi, Rahul sung Priyanka Gandhi" (Change is coming, Rahul along with Priyanka Gandhi), was a favourite slogan. Many Congress activists wore caps and T-shirts with Priyanka's picture embossed on them. She along with Rahul Gandhi and Scindia then boarded an open truck decorated with garlands for the road show. Setting out from the airport, it will go around the city and culminate at the party headquarters. On Saturday when BJP president Amit Shah spoke of the saffron alliance winning 45 out of 48 seats in Maharashtra, his colleague and Maharashtrea Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis struck a contrary note, when he said that the BJP would contest all the 48 seats in the State on its own strength. Ruling out the possibility of a tie-up with the Shiv Sena, Fadnavis who shared the party platform with Shah said in Pune said: The BJP will contest all the 48 seats in the state. We will win all the three seats Pune, Shirur and Baramati this belt. We are confident that Lotus will bloom in Baramati ( the home constituency of Pawats) this time. Fadnavis statement should be seen in the light of the delay in the commencement of the seat-sharing talks with the Shiv Sena. On January 28, both the Shiv Sena and BJP had indicated that they might contest the Lok Sabha polls as an alliance. However, there has not been much of a movement in terms of ground breaking for seat sharing talks between them. It may be recalled that in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls which the two saffron parties had contested as an alliance, the BJP and Shiv Sena had contested 26 and 22 seats respectively in the State. The two parties had put up a spectacular performance in the polls by together winning 40 seats (BJP-22 and Sena-18 seats) out of total 48 seats. A Congress MLA has written to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath demanding the setting up of an SIT and transfer of the Khandwa district collector for invoking National Security Act (NSA) on three persons accused of cow slaughter. Bhopal Central MLA Arif Masood, in his letter sent on Friday, termed the NSA move as "one-sided", adding that the kin of the three accused had met him and had alleged that the collector had not heard their side. He said cow slaughter was "shameful" but reiterated that the collector's move to invoke the stringent NSA was unjustified. He demanded constitution of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the case and the collector's transfer in order to have a "fair" probe. Talking to PTI Saturday, Masood said, "I have written to the Chief Minister and urged him to intervene in the matter. The action taken by police and district officials was on the basis of information given by an informer. The side of the accused should have been heard before invoking NSA." Masood claimed minority community leaders from different parts of the country have also spoken to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi in this regard. Earlier last week, authorities had slapped NSA on three accused, identified as Shakeel, Nadeem and Azam, for allegedly killing a cow at Khandwa, and jailed. Justifying the action, Khandwa Superintendent of Police Siddharth Bahuguna had said Nadeem, alias Raju, was a habitual offender and had been held earlier in a cow slaughter case as well as other criminal cases. Khandwa is a communally sensitive area and such an incident might affect its peace and harmony and therefore, he had said, such a move was made against the three. After State food and civil supplies minister and Jamshedpur West MLA Saryu Roy questioned the Government style of functioning for last few years in a letter submitted at Amit Shahs Delhi office on Friday, BJP National General Secretary, Arun Singh on Monday said that he will meet Roy to clear differences. Singh, who was in the city to attend BJP Kolhan level party workers meet at Agrico ground, said, We are a democratic party and we can have difference of opinion. We are not like Congress where voices of opposition are expelled. I will meet Saryu Ji soon and am confident he will understand our view. However, I feel party leaders should not go to media with their grievances and instead sort it out in the party. Our party leaders have right speak but on right platform. It is time for everyone to be united and ensure that Modiji as Prime Minister work for development of country and the state, said Singh. Saryu Roy has been speaking against Governments style of functioning for last few years in a letter submitted at Amit Shahs Delhi office on Friday, had sought advice by February end whether to continue in the State cabinet, as it was not possible for him to continue as a minister in the cabinet with his dignity intact. The Minister had in his letter to Amit Shah had also informed that he had informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August 2017 about the unsatisfactory working style of Jharkhand Government. However, the BJP national secretary expressed satisfaction over functioning of Raghubar Das led Government. Raghubar Das led Government has played key role in the progress of the State. The State Government has taken some good initiatives like registration of land at a price of Rs 1 for women, providing 1 lakh Government jobs, taking the GDP rate to 8.2 per cent, which is the second in the country and opening of five new medical colleges, said Singh. The BJP leader expressed confidence that party will win more seat than the 2014 elections. We are confident of winning all the Lok Sabha seats from Jharkhand this time than the 12 in 2014. People are very much aware of the parties in the mahagathbandhan and the performance of Centre and State Government will yield dividends in the elections. We have increased our party base in the State and from only 3 lakh members in 2014 we have increased to 21 lakh members now, added Singh. Arun Singh, who is also BJP in-charge for Odisha since 2014, said that they are working on a mission of winning 121 Assembly seats in Odisha in the next assembly polls. He also attacked Mamta Bannerjee for killing of innocent BJP workers. Lab test reports of a suspected Swine Flu case at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) will arrive on Wednesday, RIMS officials said. RIMS superintendent Dr Vivek Kashyap said that there is only one suspected Swine Flu patient at the hospital at present. He was admitted in RIMS around five days ago, he added. The reports have been delayed. They will be with us the day after tomorrow, he said on Monday. Swine Flu has already claimed one life in Ranchi this year. Hitesh Kumar, who worked in the merchant navy in South Korea, died of Swine Flu in the city on January 25. Kumar returned to Ranchi in mid-January after being taken ill and lived in an apartment on Kanke Road. After complaining of high fever, chills and severe body aches, he was admitted in Medanta Hospital in the last week of January. The patient, whose blood samples have been sent for H1N1 test, has responded to the treatment so far and as of now it seems that he has not contracted the infection, RIMS doctors said. Sources said that he is a resident of Lohardaga and he was undergoing treatment in Vellore. However, he came to Ranchi because of financial crisis. He was tested positive in preliminary test. RIMS Director Dr. DK Singh confirmed that the sample has been sent for test but refused to make any further comments about suspected Swine Flu cases in the hospital. According to the figures mentioned in the official website of Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP), at least eight patients in Jharkhand have been tested so far for H1N1 flu but none of the reports came out positive. The figures were last updated on the website on February 3. However, IDSPs district surveillance officer Rajeev Kumar said that the number of samples collected has gone up to 12, but all were negative. The Health Department has issued strict instructions that no hospital in Jharkhand should take any case of suspected Swine Flu lightly. Hospitals in all the 24 districts have been asked to immediately report if any patients symptoms mimic that of H1N1 Flu. Meanwhile, the State Animal Husbandry department has issued a Bird Flu alert after mysterious death of several crows and poultry in Bokaro. Test of samples have confirmed that the birds died due to Avian Flu. However, Dr Kashyap denied the rumours about Bird Flu cases reported in the hospital. No Bird Flu cases have been reported yet, he said. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that the Supreme Court should not take more than 24-25 hours to settle the Ayodhya dispute as the 3-judge bench of the Allahabad High Court has already upheld that the disputed site at Ayodhya was the birthplace of Lord Ram The Allahabad High Court has already settled the dispute as it has stated in the September 2010 judgement that the place of Ram Lala Virajman is the birthplace of Lord Ram. The dispute is not over the division of the site but the birthplace of Lord Ram and the high court has settled this issue. The judiciary should respect the religious sentiments of the people and it should take not more than 24-25 hours for the adjudication of the dispute, Yogi Adityanath said on Monday while replying to the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governors address to the state legislature on February 5. The opposition benches were empty when the CM delivered the speech. Ayodhya is an ancient town and renowned place for being the birthplace of Lord Ram and not because a foreign invader who attacked, looted and vandalised the Ram temple and the holy town, the Chief Minister said. Training his guns at the Samajwadi Party for its attempts to corner the BJP over the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya, the CM said, SP has no business to ask when the temple will be constructed at Ayodhya as it was during the SP regime in 2005 that terrorists had attacked the Ram Janmabhoomi temple and the Akhilesh Yadav government had made a futile attempt to withdraw the charges of terror against the accused lodged in jail. In a jibe at the SP-BSP alliance, the CM said that both the parties had shared seats for the Lok Sabha polls and hoped that they would also share the cost of the statues of elephants, if directed by the Supreme Court. Both Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati have no dearth of money as they have minted money when in power. Akhilesh Yadav has invested the money in Australia, London and also in India. He earned money from the financial irregularities in Agra-Lucknow expressway and Purvanchal highway and the Gomti Riverfront projects, Yogi said, adding that against the original estimate of Rs 347 crore, over Rs 1,400 crore were spent on the Gomti Riverfront project. Slamming the opposition for staging walkout from the House, the CM said, Opposition has no moral courage to face the truth. The SP, BSP regimes built the corridors of crime, corruption, loot and mafia while the BJP has built the corridor of security, development and astha. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would formally lay the foundation of the defence industrial corridor at Jhansi on February 15. In his 80-minute speech, Yogi Adityanath listed the achievements of his government for the development of the state and particularly for the welfare of farmers, like hike in procurement of wheat, paddy and payment of cane arrears, electricity supply, completion of long-pending irrigation projects. The CM said by the end of this year, additional irrigation potential of 20 lakh hectare land would be created in the state that it would transform the rural economy. On the stray cattle menace in rural areas, the CM said the government was committed to protecting the standing crops from cattle. He said the number of destitute cows had increased as the government had banned the operation of illegal slaughterhouses. He said arrangements had been made for housing three lakh cattle in cow shelters. Virtually the last sitting before the parliamentary polls, Punjab Vidhan Sabha is all set to turn into a session of blowing ones own trumpet and running the rivals down by the political bigwigs. With the State already switching into an active poll-mode, the legislators, cutting across the party lines, are all set to use the floor of the House as a stage for electioneering during the 10-day budget session starting from Tuesday. The session, which would conclude on February 21, would begin with the governors address on Tuesday morning, through which the Congress-led State Government would congratulate itself while listing its achievements regarding farm loan waiver, controlling drugs, providing employment and job fairs, its recent decision to release dearness allowance to employees despite financial crunch, enhanced investment in the state, among other things. At the same time, the Congress would pinpoint the apathetic attitude of the BJP-led Central Government towards Punjab. On the other hand, the opposition parties Aam Aadmi Party, Shiromani Akali Dal, Bharatiya Janta Party, and Lok Insaaf Party would leave no stone unturned to take on the ruling regime, especially for not fulfilling its promises despite being two years in power in Punjab. Among the issues that are expected to find mention during the session would include teachers regularisation, unabated farmers suicide, unsuccessful loan waiver scheme, mounting unemployment, employees issues, besides others. The Finance Minister Manpreet Badal would present the Congress governments third budget on February 18, which is likely to make some significant announcements, largely focussing on partys pre-poll promises. It may be mentioned here that the states financial situation continues to remain precarious in view of low revenue mobilisations and rising committed liabilities, coupled with the total debt estimated to be Rs 2.10 lakh crore. In fact, the 15th Finance Commission during its recent visit to the state, had expressed concern over Punjabs rising outstanding debt to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) ratio, declining tax revenues. It had also took note of the situation where states gross borrowings were not even enough to meet its expenditure on repayment of principal and interest payment, leaving little scope for spending on developmental works. Punjab is suffering on all parameters. Health and education facilities are in a mess. Social welfare scheme are not being implemented and the government is even proposing to privatise rural healthcare services. Even the crop damage compensation is not being paid to the farmers. Investment into the State has become zero with investor confidence coming down to an all time low. Even the ordinary youth has no faith in the government and is shunning the so-called job fairs which have also turned out to be a big scam, said the former Finance Minister and SAD MLA Parminder Singh Dhindsa. Apart from that, it would be interesting to see whether Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who was elected on AAP ticket, would attend the session. Notably, Khaira has been avoiding the Speaker Rana KP Singhs show-cause notice asking why he shouldnt be disqualified from the Assembly. Khaira has, in fact, instructed his staff to not accept any notice or letter from the Vidhan Sabha to evade initiation of any proceedings against his disqualification from the House. Suspended by AAP, Khaira had resigned from the party on January 6 and went on to float his own party Punjabi Ekta Party. However, he had not resigned as MLA and had dared the AAP to get him disqualified. AAP, on the other hand, had requested the Speaker to disqualify Khaira as he was no more AAP member. Speaker had issued first notice, issued under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, on January 21 to Khaira asking him to reply within 15 days of receiving it. The notice had been issued after one Harsimran Singh, a resident of Bholath constituency and AAP MLA Harpal Singh Cheema asking the Speaker, through their representations, for Khairas disqualification. Cheema had argued that Khaira had voluntarily given up AAPs membership and floated his own political outfit. SAD DEMANDS TO EXTEND SESSION TO 21 WORKING DAYS SAD on Monday asked the Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana KP Singh to hold a three-week operative budget session so that burning issues of the State including unprecedented increase in farmers suicides, failure to implement Ghar Ghar Naukri yojna, discrimination against Dalits, manhandling of women teachers, not releasing DA to state employees and increased tax burden on people could be discussed threadbare in the interest of public welfare. The demand was made by party delegation including former ministers Bikram Singh Majithia, Daljit Singh Cheema and MLA NK Sharma submitting a letter demanding the present seven-day budget session be extended to 21 operative days. The party requested the Speaker to ensure that the Congress party did not ride roughshod over the aspirations of the common man and ensure all public issues were allowed to the raised in the forthcoming budget session. The delegation also demanded an urgent discussion on the violence unleashed on women teachers who were holding a peaceful protest on Sunday at Patiala. Majithia demanded immediate registration of criminal cases against the police officials responsible for this, adding that no elected government could behave in such a manner with teachers who had been entrusted with the responsibility of moulding future generations. A detailed discussion is also required on the oppression unleashed on the common man during elections to local bodies and panchayats. Corruption unleashed by Congress legislators including creation of sand and liquor mafias and complete breakdown of the law and order machinery witnessed by large scale robberies, dacoities and targeted killings also need to be discussed on the floor of the house, he said. AAP TO TAKE ON CAPT GOVT ON PEOPLE-CENTRIC ISSUES The principal opposition party, AAP, has declared to bring the Capt Amarinder Singh-led Government on its knees over the public-centric issues in the budget session. AAP leaders would remind Capt Amarinder for lying to the people of the state making false promises to them ahead of the Assembly elections, said AAP MLA and the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Vidhan Sabha. He said that all sections of the people were suffering under the mis-governance of the government, leaving them with no option but to taking to the streets to stage protest for their genuine issues. Capt Amarinder had made tall promises to the people, including farmers, daily wage earners, the youth, prior to the elections to do a precious little to ameliorating their lot once the party was voted to power. It is a matter of surprise that even after two years of power, the government has failed to live up to the peoples aspirations, he said. Cheema said that AAP would raise the issues related to farmers and farm labourers, Punjabi language, transport mafia, trade, education, women empowerment, Dalit, MNREGA, health, travel agents, drugs, law and order, youth and employment. Apart from this, the issues related to SSSB test pass candidates, 2500 pension announced by Capt Amarinder, Rs 51,000 Shagun to girls and higher rates of electricity will also be raised, said Cheema. by Mathias Hariyadi The local bishop, Mgr Aloysius Murwito, also ordained three deacons. Religious vocations in the diocese are rare because of the lack of a minor seminary and ethnic Asmats nomadic lifestyle. Last year, more than 70 children died from measles and malnutrition-related diseases in the area. Jakarta (AsiaNews) Fr Moses Amiset is the first ethnic Asmat to be ordained priest. This is a source of joy for the entire Catholic Church in Indonesia, but above all for the Diocese of Agats, in Papua, Indonesias easternmost province whose population is predominantly Christian. The ceremony took place on 2 February at Holy Cross Cathedral in Agats. The local bishop, Mgr Aloysius Murwito, also ordained three deacons during the service: Br Laurensius A. Kupea, Br Innocentius Nurmalay and Br Yohanis Laritembun. Religious vocations are rare in the diocese, Papuas poorest and remotest area, for a number of reasons, starting with, unlike other ecclesiastic provinces, the lack of a minor seminary. Most seminarians who eventually come to the diocese are born into local families who moved to the Maluku (Moluccas) and Flores islands, Indonesias two "Catholic territories. For ethnic Asmat, the religious vocation is made that much harder by their nomadic lifestyle. Fr Bobby Harimapen, parish priest at Agatss cathedral, told AsiaNews that Mgr Murwito assigned Fr Moses to Kamur parish. Born in 1982 in Pau, Asmat Regency, the future priest later moved to Tual (in the South-Eastern Moluccas) to attend high school. Between 2005 and 2006, he completed his preparatory year for the religious life in Sorong, the largest city in West Papua province. Fr Moses went to study Philosophy and Theology at Jayapura, the capital of Papua, before performing pastoral work in Bayun parish, between 2013 and 2014. He was ordained deacon in 2017 in Atsj parish. The Diocese of Agats covers a very isolated territory, with unique characteristics, found nowhere else in the huge country. Last year, the region was hit by a severe humanitarian crisis, with more than 70 children dying from measles and malnutrition-related diseases. The local Catholic Church was among the first institutions to help the local indigenous population. Mgr Murwito coordinated two teams of volunteers who hand ed out aid in several villages of the hard-to-get-to territory. Moving around in the area is very dangerous physically and expensive. In 2013, AsiaNews 's reporter accompanied the Bishop of Agats on a trip to its most distant settlements on a pastoral mission. Vehicles in Shimla have more than doubled in the last 14 years, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur informed the state assembly on Monday. Replying to a question regarding the government's plan to minimise traffic congestion in Shimla, the CM said a committee headed by principal secretary (transport) had already been constituted to prepare 'Shimla Mobility Plan'. He said, "Shimla is an internationally known tourist destination and traffic jams in the city at a regular interval are a matter of concern." Several steps have been taken to check traffic jam but the number of registered vehicles and the number of vehicles plying daily on Shimla city roads have more than doubled in the last 14 years, he added. He said the number of registered vehicles in the city has risen to 77,939 till date from 31,228 in 2005. Similarly, the estimated number of vehicles plying daily here has increased to 1,65,878 compared to 66,617 in 2005. On being asked if the government had any plans of launching sky transport system in Shimla on the lines of hilly areas of several other countries to ease traffic congestion, the CM said his government would consider to set up this system after getting report on its viability. Haryana Vidhan Sabha session from Feb 20 Chandigarh: Haryana Vidhan Sabha has been summoned to meet in the hall of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, Vidhan Bhawan, Sector-1, Chandigarh, at 2 pm on February 20. Walgad given additional charge Chandigarh: Haryana Government has given IAS officer Shrikant Walgad, currently posted as Principal Secretary (Housing Department), the additional charge of Principal Secretary (Social Justice and Empowerment Department) with immediate effect. IOB celebrates 82nd Foundation Day Mohali: Indian Overseas Bank, SAS Nagar (Mohali) branch on Sunday celebrated its 82nd Foundation Day at branch premises and organised a BSBDA/PMJDY account opening camp. During the celebration, staff members also distributed sweets and cake to the elderly people at Budha Ashram (old age home) at Sector-55, Mohali. Chief Regional Manager Anand Bhandiward, Chief Manager RD Singh, Senior Manager Aman Kumar and other officials from Mohali branches and Regional office participated in the event. PNB achieves rs 246.5 cr profit Chandigarh: Punjab National Bank has announced its financial results for December quarter 2018 and achieved profit of Rs 246.5 crore in the said quarter. On the occasion, Zonal Office Chandigarh has organized a cake-cutting ceremony wherein Zonal Manager Dilip Kumar Jain, Deputy Zonal Manager RK Mehta, all senior officers and other staff members of the Zonal Office participated and celebrated the Banks success. Prof Bhandari passes away Chandigarh: Panjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Raj Kumar on Monday expressed his deep condolences on the demise of Prof AK Bhandari, Department of Mathematics. He said that Prof Bhandari served the University in various capacities like Dean of University Instructions, Registrar and Controller of Examination. His contribution has been immense and his passing away has left a great void for PU fraternity, he said. Apurva Jindal Designer Studio launched Panchkula: Apurva Jindal Designer Studio was launched on Monday at Panchkulas Sector-9 with a focus on luxury handmade clothing. Apurva, the designer is the wife of Chandigarh City Centres director Arun Jindal, and is also a mother of a two-year-old daughter. Keeping in mind the ongoing valentines week, the designer studio is offering special discounts to the married couples. Karo Sambhavs school prog on e-waste Chandigarh: Karo Sambhav, a tech-enabled Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO), engaged in developing and implementing responsible electronic waste (e-waste) management solutions across India, organised a felicitation ceremony at Government Model High School RC-2 in Chandigarh on Monday. The event was organised in conjunction with the successful culmination of the four-month-long school programme aimed at building awareness and inspiring students towards recycling of e-waste. Demanding resignation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the Excise Minister over sale of spurious liquor which has claimed over 100 lives in Saharanpur and Kushinagar since last weekend, the opposition boycotted the proceedings of the UP assembly on Monday after the government refused to order a probe either by the CBI or a sitting judge of the high court into the matter. The state government, however, claimed that only 49 people had died in UP and the investigation had been handed over to SIT which would submit its report within 10 days. The opposition members were on their feet as soon as the House assembled on Monday. They forced Speaker Hriday Narayan Dikshit to adjourn the House. When the House re-assembled, the Speaker allowed the opposition members to speak on the hooch tragedy for which all opposition parties had given adjournment notices. Sanjay Garg, the Samajwadi Party MLA from Saharanpur, alleged that 88 people had died in Saharanpur and the guilty officials were getting patronage from the ruling party leaders. He demanded a high court-monitored CBI probe into the hooch tragedy and adequate compensation to the families of the victims. Leader of BSP Legislature Party, Laji Verma, demanded a probe by JPC. He also demanded that the district magistrates and district police chiefs of Saharanpur and Kushinagar be suspended. Verma said the traders involved in the manufacture and sale of spurious liquor were still at large and the government had failed to take any action. He demanded the resignation of Excise Minister Jai Prakash Singh Congress leader and MLA from Kushinagar, Ajay Kumar Lalu, alleged that 115 people had died so far in the hooch tragedy and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on moral grounds. Rejecting all the demands, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said the government had already set up a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the matter and it would submit its report within 10 days. The government has taken the matter seriously and FIRs have been registered under Section 60(A) of the Excise Act that has a provision of capital punishment for the convict, he said, adding that the circle officers of Saharanpur and Kushinagar had been suspended along with the police and excise officials concerned. The minister confirmed that there were 49 deaths because of spurious liquor 39 deaths in Saharanpur and 10 in Kushinagar. Khanna said that during 2008-17, there were 357 deaths due to consumption of spurious liquor but the governments at that time had done nothing against the culprits. He asked how many CBI probes had been ordered by that previous governments in such cases. Not happy with the reply, the opposition members announced the boycott of the House for the entire day. With Delhi Government encouraging people to report corruption, the Department of Administrative Reforms (DAR) has received a total number of 2,19, 994 calls pertaining to corrupt practices last year. It would be pertinent to mention here that DAR had received 70,000 calls in the year 2017. As per the data shared by the Department of Administrative Reforms (DAR) to an RTI query filed by activist Zeeshan Haider, it has shown a rise in the number of abandoned calls related to corrupt activities. Soon after, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led Government came to power after landslide victory in 2015 in the national Capital, it launched a special drive against corruption and put a dedicated helpline number 1031 in 2015 for the public to deal with the cases of public grievance, corruption and others. As per the data, in 2017 a total of 5,110 abandon calls were received while it has increased thrice in the year 2018 i.e, 37,020. The number of abandon calls received last year is 37,020. Further, 2, 19,994 calls related to corrupt activities were received in 2018 out of which 208408 were answered and remaining 11,586 were fake calls. The data, a copy of which is with The Pioneer shows that the large numbers of calls were received between September to December of the corresponding period. Delhi Government has been proactive against corrupt practices and has taken corrective measures in many cases. The Government has taken action against many officers involved in corrupt practices. Such cases take time in being probed and complainants back out, said an official. The data of abandoned calls are analysed to understand the reasons behind it. It has been found that persons who abandon their calls, face fear, risk to their lives. Many a times we receive multiple calls from the same number but the caller remains silent and that queers the pitch for the officials as they can not initiate any action in absence of details. Such calls are regular occurrences but we can not do much, said a Government official on condition of anonymity. Dr Raman Kumar Agrawalla, Senior Consultant, Tata Consultancy Services,currently serving in its Analytics and Insights Unit, is a PhD in Economics and Management Studies. He has more than a quarter of a century of academic and industry experience. He started his career as a faculty in the famous Shri Ram College of Commerce in 1995 after a small stint at the Satyawati Coed College, Delhi University. He has delivered invited lectures and keynote addresses at many reputed business schools, universities and national and international forums including in cities like Berlin, Rome, Greece, Colombo, Florida and Alabama. He has published many scientific papers in international journals. He has some award winning research papers to his credit. He is a life member of All India Management Association, Indian Science Congress Association and Indian Econometrics Society. He is well-known as a senior economist, a poet and a storywriter and a systems thinker. He was the editor of Vani Vikas, a literary journal of Utkal University. He is named as a Leading Scientist of the World 2013 by International Biographical Centre, Cambridge. In an interview to The Pioneer, he spoke to Sugyan Choudhury at Bhubaneswar on many economic issues including the scenario on the aftermath of the Union and State Budgets 2019. Are the Interim Budgets recently passed in Parliament and Odisha Assembly pragmatic and strategically equipped to boost our economy? Talking of the budget of the Modi Government, I would say that there have been credible efforts to increase disposable income for small and marginal farmers, lower and middle income classes and workers in the unorganised sector hitherto the neglected sections of our society. Income transfer to farmers, particularly through Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries through online bank transfer, is a welcome step to ameliorate the immediate agrarian distress. However, it is not enough though it reflects a good start. Being fiscally prudent while budgeting for the economy is one of the greatest requirements of being pragmatic. In this front, the Finance Minister has done a worthy job. The budget has fixed the fiscal deficit at 3.4% of GDP for 2019-20, same as the revised estimates of 2018-19. The fiscal math in the budget expects gross tax revenue to increase by 13.5%, direct tax revenue to increase by 15% and indirect taxes to increase by 11.8%. This, with an optimistic nominal GDP growth of 11.5%, keeps the tax buoyancy above 1%, indicating tax revenues to increase more than proportionately in response to a rise in national income. To sum up, the Centre has a fiscal consolidation roadmap; and as per it, the aim is to bring the fiscal deficit down to 3% in 2020-21. It is likely to remain unachieved now given the uncertainties involved in the revenue projections in the budget. Thus, as an economist, one can see dilution in the commitment towards fiscal consolidation. However, this makes sense and reflects pragmatism given the desirable need for direct income transfers of Rs 6,000 a year to marginal farmers having cultivable land up to two hectares (Rs 75,000 crore per year allocated for it) to contain immediate farmers distress countrywide. Whats about the Interim Budget passed in the Odisha Legislative Assembly? In our Odisha also, farmers and agriculture are at the centre-stage in the Interim Budget or Vote-on-Account for 2019-20. Rs 19,557 crore has been allocated to the agriculture sector in the State Budget of Rs 1.32 lakh crore. A whopping Rs 4,461 crore is allocated to Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA), a scheme for farmers announced earlier with much fanfare that gives an annual assistance of Rs 10,000 to small, marginal and tenant farmers. The budget also allocates Rs 800 crore towards subsidy on interest on farm loans, Rs 1,777 crore for lift irrigation projects, Rs 260 crore for seeds and fertilisers and Rs 295 crore for farm mechanisation. Interestingly, the State economy has been an economy of dole-outs over the years. In this budget, the Government has given Rs 1,028 crore to its Rs 1-per-kg rice scheme, Rs 864 crore to Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana, Rs 301 crore to Mission Shakti to help womens self-help groups and Rs 400 crore to its so-called people-connect scheme PEETHA (Peoples Empowerment-Enabling Transparency and Accountability of Odisha Initiatives). However, I strongly believe that we need to move from an economy of dole-outs to an economy of designed interventions and decisive steps to improve the quality of life and standard of living of all the people. Can you please elaborate on the point of moving our economy from doles to designed interventions? The Governments, however, simultaneously require more sound strategic measures and not only fancy, alluring schemes or surgical strikes. No doubt, the direct income transfers for the needy are better than doles and much better than loan waiver of any kind. I think it is time to do away with the loan waivers as a policy instrument. This could be done for all and sundry, including the borrowers in agriculture or industry. Doles and loan waivers or prospects of these breed moral hazard problems and debilitate the genuine enterprising people and weaken the system and the economy. As part of designed intervention, the Governments should work towards building a robust social security programme, deftly and aptly designed, and means and mechanisms are to be put in place for its efficient and effective execution. For instance, I suggest a full-scale long-term agrarian strategy with the following elements, among others -- Small and marginal farmers, tenant farmers and landless labourers, needy senior citizens should be given adequate benefits of direct income transfers. A system should be devised and implemented to identify and create a database of such beneficiaries as early as possible. The income transfers should eventually replace the subsidies to agriculture like input subsidies, price support, etc. Efforts should be made to slowly bring the rich and ultra-rich farmers to the tax net, taxing the agricultural income beyond, say Rs 10 lakh. This way, the rich non-agriculturists can be taxed for their farm, agricultural income for the benefits of the nation; and that extra tax revenue from agricultural income may be earmarked for developmental activities to boost agricultural productivities and provide cushion to farmers to withstand sudden fall in farm prices, from time to time. Further, any designed intervention, in the current time, should comprise more and more technology-based solutions. It should get the political class, policy masters, senior bureaucrats and experts on the same page to formulate and implement sound policies, shunning short-termism; towards long-term growth and development. India and our Odisha need a multipronged socioeconomic strategy focussed on economic development coupled with equitable distribution of income, creation of ample gainful employments and rich and robust farm and MSME sectors. India adds 1.25 crore population to its demography every year. How do you visualise the economic scenario fifty years ahead with another India added to it? It would be difficult, may even be dangerous, to hazard a guess for such a long period of time. Instead of being in crystal ball gazing, let me wear my futurist hat and look at it dispassionately. We cannot underestimate the human ingenuity. Given the tremendous technological developments unfolding, given the rise of democratic values and democratisation of digital technologies and the death of distance; I feel great famines, disasters, holocausts are things of the past. They wont ever occur again anywhere in the world. Humanity in one part of the world will come to rescue of humanity in any other part facing such problems. Further, technology and newer and newer digital technologies are friends of mankind and they can harness the technology better and better over the years for the benefits of humanity so that the future challenges can be tackled effectively for our benefits. One does not know; you may find varieties of wonder pills in the market to tackle different kinds of health and other problems. Added to all these, you will find nature as a great leveller to rescue population from all sorts of problems in its own way to establish a natural equilibrium. Accusing Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of making misleading calls to several voters in Delhi about the deletion of their names from the electoral roll, a delegation of Delhi Congress on Monday called on Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Delhi Dr Ranbir Singh and lodged protest against AAP Government in Delhi for misleading the voters. The Congress delegation demanded that the Delhi Election Commission should immediately take strict action against those spreading such misleading information. Meanwhile, Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit criticised the AAP Government for making false promises to the people of Delhi to influence the voters with an eye on the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The Government has done nothing except making noise by claiming that it was providing subsidy to the power consumers up to 400 units, which is a big lie as this system was already in place, she said. Sheila demanded that the AAP Government should fulfil its promise of giving power to the consumers at half of the rate without any dilution and withdraw the hike in the fixed charges and security amount which has been intentionally done to squeeze the power consumers. A 5-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 35-year-old sanitation worker in public toilet in Naraina area. The accused was arrested on Monday after the family lodged a formal complaint with the police on Monday. The mother of the victim knew about the sexual assault but she kept quite despite the deteriorating condition of her daughter who was bleeding since the horrendous incident. Investigations revealed that the girl, who lived nearby, had gone to the public toilet when its cleaner allegedly grabbed her and raped her. The girl narrated the ordeal to her parents following which they approached the police, they said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Monika Bhardwaj said that the incident took place on February 6 last, however police were informed about the incident on Monday. Following which, the child was taken for medical examination. A case was registered and the accused has been arrested. The condition of the child is stable, said the DCP. The accused was identified as Kailash (35), a sanitation worker employed with sulabh sauchalaya. Earlier, on Sunday a 7-year-old girl was allegedly brutally raped and murdered in Outer Delhis Nihal Vihar area. A 21-year-old man identified as Rajender was arrested for luring the child with food and raping her. His father Ram Saran (51) was also arrested for being involved in murdering the child. Delhi Commission for Women Chairperson also met the 5-year-old rape victim at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital. Taking to twitter she wrote, Now, 5-year-old girl raped in Naraina by a 40 year old man. The child has suffered terribly and has bled a lot. On my way to the hospital to see her. Delhi is truly the RAPE CAPITAL of the world. God help us all!!! (sic). On the claims of the victims father that on Saturday, he filed a missing report at the police station, but local police didnt take immediate action, Delhi Commission for Women has issued a notice to Delhi Police. There is good news for thousands of MBBS interns associated with various private medical colleges across the country. Taking up their long pending demand, the Medical Council of Indias Board of Governors (BOG) is planning to make it mandatory for all private medical colleges to pay them stipends what is offered to interns of State-run institutions. The stipends to all Government medical students is paid for one-year period of their compulsory internship after completion of their four-year and six-month academic course. During the internship, students assist in running the medical colleges and hospitals. However, interns in private medical colleges are either denied stipends or paid a paltry sum. Stipend parity has been a long-standing demand of MBBS interns practicing at different private medical colleges in the country. There has been several complaints from these hapless over-strained junior doctors alleging that they feel cheated since they work long hours in the hospital with hardly any days off. Now, taking up their cause, the MCI Board of Governors is considering to amend the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997. It has invited suggestions from the public, a move if approved will help the MBBS interns in private colleges to meet their basic needs. In a statement, the BOG said, The Board of Governors in supersession of Medical Council of India are considering to include the following provisions in the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997. All the candidates pursuing compulsory rotating internship at the institution from which MBBS course was completed, shall be paid stipend on par with the stipend being paid to the interns of the State Govt. Medical Institution / Central Government Medical Institution in the State / Union Territory where the institution is located. All concerned are requested to give their comments / suggestions within 15 days to bring the above amendment in regulations for payment of stipend to interns, added the statement. Though the issue was raised several times earlier too before the then Medical Council of India (MCI) but the MCI had refused to intervene . In most states, private colleges either dont pay anything well below what is stipulated by the Government. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has tracked a dozen Swiss bank accounts in the name of Rajiv Saxena, who is key accused in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam. The ED has also found out accounts held by his family members and associates where the kickbacks in the now scrapped deal were allegedly parked. Two bank accounts are in the name of Rajiv Saxenas associates Pankaj Jain and Sumita Jain who are also the authorised signatories. The third is in the name of another associate Ajit Singh Bubber, but Rajiv and his family members are authorised signatories. The remaining nine accounts are largely owned and operated by Rajiv, his family members and associates. Rajiv Saxena was deported by the UAE authorities on January 30 and the ED formally arrested him the next day and a court later granted his remand to the agency. He is currently undergoing custodial interrogation by the ED. The agency had in 2017 arrested his wife Shivani who is now enlarged in bail. The ED probe has revealed that AgustaWestland International Ltd, UK paid an amount of Euro 58 million as kickbacks through Gordian Services Sarl, Tunisia and IDS Sarl, Tunisia. These companies further siphoned off the kickback money/ Proceeds of Crime in the name of consultancy contracts to Interstellar Technologies Ltd., Mauritius and others, which were further transferred to UHY Saxena, Dubai, Matrix Holdings Ltd. Dubai and others. The probe also revealed that Rajiv Saxena is owner of Interstellar Technologies Ltd., Mauritius. Rajiv Saxena and his wife Shivani are partners/ Directors in UHY Saxena, Dubai and Matrix Holdings Limited, Dubai. Both these companies received proceeds of bribe in their respective Dubai bank accounts from Interstellar Technologies Ltd. Mauritius. Investigation by ED also revealed that Rajiv Saxena and his wife Shivani have remitted/ transferred huge amount of money through their companies at Dubai to various other accounts including in the Swiss Bank accounts, sources said. The ED is probing why Rajiv Saxena is maintaining a dozen Swiss bank accounts if he and his family members were the only beneficial owners, the sources further said. Britain's Defence Minister Gavin Williamson on Monday called for closer ties with India as the UK prepares to leave the European Union (EU) next month. In a speech on modernising the UK's armed forces at the Royal United Service Institute (RUSI) in London, Williamson said plans for a "Global Britain" involve using the country's capabilities to strengthen its global presence and taking action to shore up the worldwide system of rules and standards. "Brexit has brought us to a moment. A great moment in our history. A moment when we must strengthen our global presence, enhance our lethality, and increase our mass," said Williamson. "So, as well as our relationships with Europe, we need to build on our established relationship with the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Canada as part of the Five EyesWith other ASEAN nations, with Japan, the Republic of Korea and India," he said. The enhanced global engagement is not a "reflex reaction" to leaving the EU but about building a "permanent presence", he added. Naming Russia and China among the states that pose a threat with their increasing military might, the minister warned that while Britain tackled the extremism of Al Qaeda and Islamic State (ISIS), state-on-state competition from these countries has been on the rise. "Today, Russia is resurgent rebuilding its military arsenal and seeking to bring the independent countries of the former Soviet Union, like Georgia and Ukraine, back into its orbit. All the while, China is developing its modern military capability and its commercial power," he warned. As part of investment plans for the armed forces, the Secretary of State for Defence revealed that the UK would be making a "significant additional investment" on the 1.9-billion pounds being spent on cyber warfare capabilities. "It will give us extra money to protect our network resilience from online attacks," he said. In reference to threats from terrorist groups, the minister revealed that the country's Royal Air Force (RAF) would be doubling its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability in order to be able identify and neutralise such targets far faster. "The Venom kinetic strike capability will mean those who wish to do us harm have more to fear," he said. The speech, seen as a pre-Brexit intervention on highlighting the country's military capabilities, outlined some of the plans for the 1.8-billion pounds in extra funding the defence minister was able to secure from the UK Treasury department last year. "It will not always be the role of the traditional Western powers to act as a global policeman but nor can we walk-on-by when others are in need. To talk, but fail to act, risks our nation being seen as nothing more than a paper tiger," he said. In Lhasa, Chinese officials urge Tibetans to be loyal to Beijing, complaining about those who harbour religious faith and worship in secret. In Markham County, police have been deployed in Tibetan neighbourhoods "to assess the mood of the people. In Chamdo, visiting monasteries is banned, whilst in Sichuan, Tibetan government workers cannot go home for the holiday. Lhasa (AsiaNews) Chinas policies restricting Tibetan movements during this weeks start of Losar, the Tibetan lunar New Year, have cast a shadow over traditional celebrations, with police filling the streets of the Tibetan capital Lhasa and government workers forbidden to visit monasteries, Tibetan sources told Radio Free Asia (RFA). This years Losar was preceded by public speeches by Chinese officials urging Tibetans to be loyal to the central government and denouncing Tibetan government workers caught harboring religious faith and worshipping in secret, one Lhasa resident said. Fearing unrest by Tibetans hostile to Chinese domination, the Communist Party has put restrictions on celebrations in other parts of the Autonomous Region. RFA reports that in Markham County, Chinese police have been deployed in Tibetan neighbourhoods "to assess the mood of the people and the situation on the ground, while in Chamdo city, a clampdown is under way to prevent possible incidents. A source in Chamdo said that Tibetans working for the Chinese government have been barred from visiting monasteries to worship during Losar, which began this year on 5 February and is set to end in four days. Despite everything, some government workers did defy the ban and visited monasteries on the third day of Losar, which ends the holiest part of the holiday. Meanwhile, in Serthar County (Sichuan), home to a sizable Tibetan community, Tibetan government workers were required to report to work during the holiday so that they cant go back to their hometowns for the traditional Losar celebrations. Senior diplomat Ruchira Kamboj has been appointed as India's next ambassador to Bhutan, the External Affairs Ministry said Monday. Kamboj, a 1987-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is presently India's High Commissioner to South Africa. She is expected to take up the assignment shortly, the ministry said in a statement. Even as the Government is hastily drafting the quota Bill for the EWS section, like most predecessors, it has orphaned the Womens Reservation Bill The recent Bill, reserving 10 per cent quota for the economically weaker sections (EWS) among the upper castes has been intensively debated over its utility, propriety and Constitutionality but discussions have roundly ignored the group that has once again been given the short shrift in prioritising the policy of reservation. The obvious reference here is to the Womens Reservation Bill or the Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill of 2008, which seeks to reserve 33 per cent of the seats in Parliament and all State legislative Assemblies for women. Although the Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha in 2010, it is still not a law as the Lok Sabha is yet to ratify it. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had in its 2014 election manifesto promised to ensure its passage as part of its commitment towards womens empowerment and welfare. In fact, in a chapter titled, Women The Nation Builders, the BJPs manifesto had highlighted the crucial role of women in the development of society and growth of the nation. It had claimed that one of its first tasks on assuming power would be to ensure one-third seats would be reserved for the women in both Parliament and Assemblies. This commitment, forgotten through almost the entire tenure of the Modi Government, has ostensibly lost out to political exigency and the need to appease a significant section of the electorate ahead of a do-or-die election. While the jury is still out on the actual benefits of any reservation policy for intended beneficiaries, there is widespread consensus that an affirmative action to empower women, politically, does yield desirable results. And there is data to back this belief. With less than 12 per cent representation in Parliament, as compared to a corresponding global average of 22.4 per cent, Indian women trail their counterparts in many parts of the world. While Nordic nations lead the way with an average of 41.5 per cent, as many as 42 countries in the world have 30 per cent or more women MPs. Among these, Sweden leads the way with 50 per cent reservation for women. It is not a mere coincidence that these nations are symbols of not only economic prosperity but also progressive social policies. Many others such as Rwanda (30 per cent), Nepal (28 per cent), Pakistan (20 per cent) and Bangladesh (13 per cent) have quotas for women in Parliament. Even sub-Saharan Africa has an average female representation of 22.6 per cent in Parliament. Research published by the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) in May, 2018, found that Assembly constituencies in India helmed by women representatives show significantly higher economic growth than those under men. Based on data for 4,265 State Assembly constituencies across four election cycles spanning the period 1992-2012, the authors of the study found that women legislators in India enhance economic performance in their constituencies by about 1.8 percentage points per year, more than their male counterparts. The study also noted womens efficiency in creating vital infrastructure, especially because they are less likely than men to succumb to corruption, temptation for self-aggrandisement and criminal tendencies. These figures are substantiated by another 2017 research study by Guilhem Cassan, University of Namur, Belgium, and Lore Vandewalle, The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva. Using two data sets collected by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), the 2005-06 edition of the Rural Economic and Demographic Survey (REDS) and the 2011-12 edition of the India Human Development Survey (IHDS), Cassan and Vandewalle document gender norms in variations across castes and how mandated political reservations for women lead to path-breaking changes in their lives. The REDS data from rural India, which lists respondents preferences for public goods such as water, sanitation, roads and electricity, shows that gender quotas enable women to rise to the position of president in gram panchayats 95.4 per cent of the presidents in gram panchayats reserved for women were female. The IHDS data, on the other hand, provides quantitative evidence of restricted mobility and stricter gender norms among high-caste women, underscoring the need for policy to bring more women into the political mainstream. In an Employment Policy Paper of 2017 on MGNREGA and its impact on women, the ILO, too, highlighted the gender dynamics of affirmative policies. Using both waves of IHDS data (2004-05 and 2011-12), it shows that work provisions under MGNREGA have helped shift social and economic outcomes in favour of rural women engaged in wage labour, thereby contributing to transformative equality. Coming back to the quota Bill for the economically backward upper castes, unlike gender-based findings, there is no substantive evidence that preferential treatment based on financial status has the desired effects. While assessing the redistributive effects of affirmative action on poverty in 2010, which they claim is the first such study, Aimee Chin and Nishith Prakash of the National Bureau of Economic Research aver that policies aimed at improving socio-economic outcomes for poor sections are not only highly controversial but also inconclusive in indicating any real benefits. It remains an open question whether affirmative action policies successfully reduce poverty, they concluded. Significantly, a major roadblock in putting the new quota into effect on the ground could be the legal tangle. In the 1992 Indra Sawhney judgement by the Supreme Court, a majority (six) of the nine judges on the Bench averred that economic criteria cannot be exclusively used for deciding on reservation. The court consequently barred such reservations based on poverty alone, arguing that social and educational backwardness should also be addressed to counter the historic injustice faced by several generations of the countrys population here again women literally fit the Bill. Irrespective of its eventual denouement and fate on the legal front, it is clear that the hastily drafted quota Bill, which arguably has little data to support, has the weight of the Modi Government behind it; whereas the long-pending womens reservation Bill, which is rooted in extensive research, remains the orphan that nobody wants to adopt. Does this indicate another opportunity lost, both for redemption of past neglect and for improving the metrics of performance in a nation riddled with low-performance outcomes? (The writer is, Editor at the National Council of Applied Economic Research. Views expressed here are personal) All leaders, who indulge in dharna politics, must pay heed to BR Ambedkars advice, who strongly believed in the Constitutional scheme to attain social and economic objectives While there have been several instances of confrontation between the Union Government and a State over jurisdictional issues over the last seven decades, what happened in Kolkata recently was clearly unprecedented. The hostility displayed by the West Bengal Police towards officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the political street theatre that followed could have serious ramifications for the survival of the Constitutional scheme of things if this were to be emulated by other States. Although the CBI is investigating the chit fund scams in West Bengal and some other States on the directions of the Supreme Court, its officers were treated like an alien force by the Kolkata police. The central agency told the apex court that its officers went to the residence of Rajeev Kumar, the Kolkata Police Commissioner, on February 3 because it found substantial material against him. However, events took a bizarre turn. The local police not only surrounded the CBI officers, who went to Kumars residence, but they also laid siege to the CBI office in the city and the official residence of the Joint Director of the central agency. The officials, who went to the Police Commissioners residence, were held captive and their mobile phones were taken away. As if all this was not enough, Rajeev Kumar and other senior police officers of the State joined Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee when she began a dharna, which the CBI said was indicative of absolute anarchy. There is no parallel to this kind of lawlessness. But what is even more unconstitutional is that the State police behaved in this manner despite the fact that the CBI was investigating these cases on the explicit orders of the Supreme Court. The CBI came into the picture only because the court directed it in May, 2014, to investigate the Saradha and other chit fund scams in West Bengal and other States. The court had also directed the West Bengal Government to hand over all the chit fund scam cases to the CBI. In that judgement, the court noted that more than 25 lakh claims had been received by various commissions of inquiry set up in Odisha and West Bengal and this was indicative of the magnitude of the scam in terms of the number of citizens who had been defrauded by ponzi companies. The court observed that the investigation conducted until then revealed involvement of several political and other influential personalities, who wielded considerable clout and influence. It said that it wanted the State Government to hand over the cases to the CBI because of the sensitivity of the issues involved, the inter-state ramifications of the scam and because of the need to ensure credibility of the investigation. Investigation by the State police in a scam that involves thousands of crores collected from the public allegedly because of the patronage of people occupying high positions in the system will hardly carry conviction especially when even the regulators who were expected to prevent or check such a scam appear to have turned a blind eye to what was going on. Since Banerjee and several other leaders, who are part of the coalition against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claim that the actions of the CBI indicate that the federal structure is under assault, it is best to look at the foundations on which the Indian Constitution rests. While introducing the draft Constitution in the Constituent Assembly, BR Ambedkar, the Chairman of the drafting Committee, had this to say in regard to the federal structure in India. He said there were special features in the Indian federation, which made it distinct from the American federation and from all other federations. He said all federal systems are placed in a tight mould and no matter what the circumstances, it cannot change its form and shape. It can never be unitary. On the other hand, the Indian Constitution can be both unitary as well as federal according to the requirements of time and circumstances. Further, responding to criticism that the Centre has been given the power to override the States, Ambedkar said, in a moment of crisis, a conflict of claims may arise and it is then apparent that ultimate allegiance cannot be divided..(and) the bare question is, what authority commands the residual loyalty of the citizen? Is it the Centre or the Constituent State? Answering this question, he said, There can be no doubt that in the opinion of the vast majority of the people, the residual loyalty of the citizen in an emergency must be to the Centre and not to the constituent States. For, it is only the Centre which can work for a common end and for the general interests of the country as a whole. Herein lies the justification for giving to the Centre overriding powers to be used in an emergency. And after all what is the obligation imposed upon the constituent StatesNo more than this that in an emergency, they should take into consideration alongside their own local interests, the opinions and interests of the nation as a whole. Those objecting to the arrival of CBI officials at the doorstep of the Kolkata Police Commissioners residence need to be reminded of the investigative bodys actions in Gujarat, when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance ran the country between 2004 and 2014. The CBI arrested three senior police officials before arresting BJP chief Amit Shah in the Sohrabuddin case. Later, the special CBI court discharged Shah from the case. Narendra Modi, then the Chief Minister of Gujarat, was interrogated for nine hours in the Gujarat riots related cases. Throughout this period, the CBI functioned from Ahmedabad without any hindrance from the State Government. Also, there was no street theatre to mock at the Union Government and the CBI. Even after the higher judiciary passed orders in his favour, vendetta politics of the Sonia Gandhi-Manmohan Singh combine continued against Modi. Chief Ministers like Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal, who indulge in dharna politics, need to be reminded of Ambedkars advice when he summed up the debate on the Constitution in the Constituent Assembly. He said: If we wish to maintain democracy not merely in form, but also in fact, what must we do? The first thing in my judgement we must do is to hold fast to Constitutional methods of achieving our social and economic objectives. It means we must abandon the bloody methods of revolution. It means we must abandon the method of civil disobedience, non-cooperation and satyagraha. When there was no way left for Constitutional methods for achieving economic and social objectives, there was a great deal of justification for unconstitutional methods. These methods are nothing but the grammar of anarchy and the sooner they are abandoned, the better for us. All political leaders, who were supporting Banerjees dharna the other day need to ponder over this. (The writer is Chairman, Prasar Bharati) Priyanka Gandhi Vadras formal debut in politics is the latest example of why Indian dynastic politics is regressive, entitled and corrupt. Those who defend dynastic politics employ two spurious arguments. The first: even a democracy like the United States has political dynasts the Bushes, the Clintons and the Kennedys. The second: just as lawyers children become lawyers, doctors children become doctors and actors children become actors, so politicians children also become politicians. Right? Wrong. It's all about loving the family: Priyanka's formal entry into politics is proof to many of the Congress' reliance on dynasty. (Photo: AP) Let me quote from a chapter 'Political Dynasties Beget Poverty' in my book The New Clash of Civilisations: How the contest between America, China, India and Islam will shape our century (2014). Researchers at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Centre in Manila set out to test the 'causal' relationship between dynastic politics and poverty in the Philippines. Their findings are significant. The AIM Policy Centre found that constituencies in the Philippines with dynastic candidates were 26% poorer than those with non-dynastic candidates. Nearly 68% of legislators in the Philippines parliament are dynasts. In sharp contrast, only 6% of senators in the United States Congress are dynasts. The per capita income of the Philippines (a former US colony) and the US are respectively $2,200 and $48,000. The first president of the United States, George Washington, took office in 1789. Since then, in 225 years and through 44 US presidents only thrice has a single family produced more than one US president: John Adams (1797-1801) and his son John Quincy Adams (1825-1829); William Harrison (who died in office after serving for just a month in 1841) and his grandson Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893); and of course, most recently the two George Bushes exceptions that prove the centuries-old rule in American politics: dynasties dont work. The purpose of democracy is to widen voter choice not narrow it. By choosing dynasts over professionals, parties limit the choice voters might have had otherwise and lower the overall level of competence in Parliament. They changed the world for sure: Father and son, and both former US Presidents, George HW Bush and George W Bush. (Photo: Reuters) The pioneers The Congress pioneered dynastic politics in India. The die was cast when Jawaharlal Nehru, an unflinching democrat in public, turned out to be a closet dynast in private. He appointed his 42-year-old daughter Indira as president of the Congress in 1959. The transformation of the Congress, from a party of freedom fighters into a family-owned enterprise, began barely a decade after the Mahatma said it should be disbanded after Independence and remoulded as a party relevant in a democratic India, not a British colony. While Nehru, a refined and sensitive man, took the first hesitant steps to introduce dynasty in India, Indira Gandhi cast it in stone. It is a misnomer to call Priyanka Vadras formal entry into politics her 'debut' that conceals the truth. Long compared to her grandmother for political nous, Priyanka has been politically active since 1991 when she was just 19 years old. Throughout the 1991 Lok Sabha election, Priyanka campaigned tirelessly for her father Rajiv Gandhi. Rajiv was then still hurting from his defeat in the 1989 General Election. The Congress had plummeted from over 400 Lok Sabha seats in 1984 to less than 200 seats in 1989. The extent of that fall would be exceeded only 25 years later, when the Congress plunged from 206 seats in 2009 to 44 seats in 2014. The Nehrus, the Kennedys: The transformation of the Congress began with Jawaharlal Nehru who appointed his daughter its President. (Photo: AP) Again, it was Priyanka (brother Rahul was away in the United States) who flew to Chennai in the early hours of May 22, 1991, along with mother Sonia, to bring back her fathers body to Delhi in a special aircraft from Sriperumbudur, the temple town where Rajiv was assassinated. She showed steel then, comforting her mother, standing by her brother when he flew back from the US, and appearing composed during the funeral. Over the next nearly 30 years till today, Priyanka has remained a strong but silent presence. When the Congress was decimated in the Lok Sabha election in 2014, a photograph of her walking back home with a comforting arm around Rahuls shoulder, captured her role as the familys quiet, behind-the-scenes support system, absorbing everything, awaiting the right moment to emerge from the shadows. But even in that quiet phase, her writ ran large over the Congress. The decades-old clamour from Congress loyalists for her to enter politics never died down. In the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly election, Priyanka played a key role in selecting candidates. Loyalists shielded her, as they did Rahul and Sonia, from criticism following the Congress humiliating defeat in UP as the BJP coasted to a landslide victory. Priyanka: For years, she was known as the Gandhi family's behind-the-scenes support system. But she was in fact much more. (Photo: PTI) Mrs Vadra But make no mistake. Behind Priyankas easy demeanour lies a shrewd mind. Her marriage in 1997 to Robert Vadra, then a small-time businessman, surprised many in her closed circle. Within a decade, Vadra had transformed himself into a real estate mini-tycoon, cutting deals, sculpting himself at gyms, and gate-crashing Delhis nouveau riche Page 3 circuit. It was evident even back then, a decade ago, that Vadra would pose the biggest risk factor to Priyankas putative political career. Vadras reportedly controversial real estate dealings began to be exposed in the early 2010s by investigative journalists in leading newspapers. The Congress-led UPA government was still in power. Vadra had become an embarrassment. Worse was to follow. Investigations in Haryana and Rajasthan over the past few years revealed shady real estate deals. Multiple charges have now been levelled against Vadra by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Vadra has undergone nearly 20 hours of grilling by the ED. The email trail between Vadra and his former aide Manoj Arora has purportedly revealed links with 'benami' properties in London bought allegedly with money laundered from kickbacks in petroleum and defence deals during 2005-2010. That was a steroid-driven period for the UPA1 and UPA2 governments, replete with alleged scams in telecom spectrum, the Commonwealth Games, AgustaWestland VVIP helicopters and Scorpene submarines. The EDs interrogation of Vadra could reveal his alleged links with absconding arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. Bhandari was pitching the Eurofighter against the Rafale during 2007-2012 but kickbacks were allegedly not forthcoming. The negotiations for buying a medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) mysteriously ground to a halt in 2012. These are serious political landmines for Priyanka. Apart from the EDs allegation of Vadra laundering bribes from illicit deals, Priyanka will have to confront the challenges of an India increasingly hostile to political entitlement and privilege. Having inherited her native shrewdness from mother Sonia, Priyanka has cultivated an image of the stoic victim standing by her persecuted husband, forgiving her fathers killers, subtly playing up her likeness to grandmother Indira Gandhi. Since her foray in politics, the Congress has been playing up Priyanka's likeness to grandmother Indira Gandhi. (Photo: DailyO) Will it work? Priyanka, like Rahul, has never held a real job apart from voluntary NGO work. She is now the partys operational number two after Rahul, leapfrogging over Congress leaders who are decades older. But, despite her road show with Rahul in Lucknow on February 11, the family has lowered expectations of Priyankas impact in Uttar Pradesh by saying she is expected to make only a long-term difference. Thats wise. Amethi and Rae Bareli, despite being Nehru-Gandhi fiefs for over 60 years, are backwaters unlike the constituencies of other less heralded leaders. If elections were fought on development alone, both Rahul and Sonia (and Priyanka when she inherits Rae Bareli) could lose. Fortunately for them, elections in Indias feudal backwaters are fought on emotion not development. Priyankas formal political entry has ensured that the Congress will win at least two Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh in May 2019. Dynasty can take you that far though but no farther. It is a lesson political dynasts across parties, who have gleefully followed in the footsteps of the Nehru-Gandhis, will learn the hard way in the fullness of time. Also read: Priyanka Gandhi's focus should be Varanasi. Not Robert Vadra Abdurehim Heyit is/was a renowned musician, a master of playing the Dutar the famously difficult two-stringed musical instrument. Around 2010, one of his songs offended the Chinese government. Heyit, an ethnic Uyghur, was arrested. Almost nine years later, on February 10, reports emerged that the artist had died in custody. Stories of China illegally detaining, torturing and homogenising its Muslim Uyghur population were flagged by the UN in August 2018. However, outrage and action from the rest of the world have built up notably slowly. After reports of Heyits death, Turkey, with which the Uyghurs share linguistic and cultural ties, protested. The Chinese state that usually shrugs off criticism was moved enough to lash back, even releasing a video showing Heyit apparently alive. Im in the process of being investigated for allegedly violating the national laws, the artist can purportedly be heard saying in the video. Im now in good health and have never been abused. Some rights groups, however, have alleged that the video is fake with Chinese expertise in technology, putting together such videos is not particularly difficult. So, what exactly are these prisons, or re-education camps, as China likes to call them, and whats going on in them? What are these camps? The short answer is that China is none too fond of diversity, and these camps are a way to peel off the Uyghurs identity religious, cultural, linguistic layer by layer, using manipulation, brainwashing, and where need be, outright torture. Disunity in Diversity: Uyghur Muslims dress, talk, pray differently from the majority. And the Chinese government doesn't like that. (Photo: Reuters/file) Uyghurs live in Xinjiang technically an autonomous province within China. Over the past few decades, Chinas majority community, the Han Chinese, moved to Xinjiang in great numbers, and the Uyghurs felt their identity and culture were under threat. Some of them decided to oppose this violently. In 2009, around 200 Han Chinese were killed in riots in Urumqi, the areas capital. The crackdown on Uyghurs had begun before that. But the retaliation was now more brutal, and more comprehensive. According to the official version, these camps give the inmates vocational and skill training, teach them Mandarin, and try to take them away from the path of religious extremism into joining the mainstream. According to the few inmates who have managed to speak to the foreign press, the camps are torture chambers. They wouldn't let me sleep, they would hang me up for hours and would beat me. They had thick wooden and rubber batons, whips made from twisted wire, needles to pierce the skin, pliers for pulling out the nails. All these tools were displayed on the table in front of me, ready to use at any time. And I could hear other people screaming as well, one former inmate told the BBC. Another woman said her facility was so overcrowded that inmates would have to take turns standing or sleeping. This woman claims she saw nine inmates die in front of her eyes one 23-year-old after suffering menstrual bleeding non-stop for two months without adequate medical attention. Because these camps are not officially prisons, the state doesnt even need to make up charges to detain people. There is, of course, no question of legal representation. Torture camps? Oh no, these are actually 'schools', say the authorities. Schools with very heavy security around them. (Photo: Reuters) Things like having an unusual name or beard, speaking in the local Uyghur language, sending Eid greetings or contacting people outside Xinjiang can make one land up in these camps. The last is especially significant the locals are being cut off from the outside world, virtually making Xinjiang a prison. There are QR codes outside homes, so authorities can know how many people are inside the house. Uyghurs living outside, whose relatives have been taken to the camps, have few avenues of getting any news of their loved ones. Whats the world doing? Largely, nothing. The US has spoken of sanctions, the UN has mildly criticised China. None of the powerful Muslim-majority nations have done much. The world wants to do business with China, and for that, a prerequisite is ignoring what goes on behind the counters. An easy excuse is that China has none too great a record of listening to others. Yet, when Turkey protested, China responded. When the outcry over the camps grew, China, in January this year, invited a group of foreign diplomats and journalists to visit the facilities. Falling on Deaf Ears: People protest against China near the UN Office in Geneva, Switzerland, in November 2018. (Photo: Reuters) The reports that emerged are chillingly cheery inmates were found to be studying, singing, dancing (to If You Are Happy And You Know It Clap Your Hands) in a macabre, choreographed Happy Home performance. 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 of the inmates told journalists. As family members point out, most detainees are adults with successful careers, who needed no educational or vocational training. What then is the 'lesson' the 'schools' are imparting? That identity is a dangerous luxury, that citizens are not to be trusted with liberty, that people should not be individuals but faceless masses, whom the government will teach what to eat, wear, say, think. And while this goes on, the Western self-appointed guardians of democracy and liberty will turn a blind eye to it. China has shown it is sensitive to criticism, at least to some degree. The onus is now on the international community to up the pressure. The mighty Yuan cannot be allowed to become a cover for all of Chinas ills. Also read: I love my country. Why the Faizabad sit-in verdict makes me hopeful about Pakistan's tomorrow About 20 kilometres from the pristine hill station of Chakrata in Uttarakhand, on the other end diagonally opposite to the entry from Kalsi, we hit the dirt road that would take us to the very historic lost city of Lakhamandal situated on the banks of river Yamuna. The road is moderate in size neither too tiny, nor of urban proportions and carved out of the side of a mountain. It moves in an undulating fashion along the natural curves and bends. The drive is sandwiched between the mountainside and a ravenous dip into the valley and is both hair-raising and adventurous at the same time. As is often the case in the hilly terrain of the beauteous Uttarakhand, the drive is the most charming part. The road is dotted with small huts not a settlement, sporadic huts in ones or twos, sheds for cattle, dried-up trickles of waterfalls and sudden shacks doling out lip-smacking pakoras and paranthas. There is never a dull moment as you take in the beautiful surroundings of the hills, wave in merriment at the village folk who reciprocate with equal gusto and become an attraction for the mountain kids excited at the sight of urban vehicles and their strange occupants. The pit stops are something to look forward to as you refuel yourself with delectable fare churned out with a lot of pride and attention. While we got to Lakhamandal from Chakrata, covering an 66 kilometres, Lakhamandal itself is 125 kilometres from Dehra Dun via Herbertpur and 111 kilometres via Mussoorie. Lakhamandal is only accessible via road. Dehra Dun is the last station and Jolly Grant Airport in the outskirts of Dehra Dun, the only airport in the vicinity. This means that a trip to Lakhamandal, inevitably, becomes an extended vacation as you cross through at least three major tourist attractions in as many directions of this spiritual spot. Yet another tourist spot is Tiger Fall, about 52 kilometres from Lakhamandal, ideal for nature lovers. Mahabharata to Modernity: The charm of Lakhamandal. (Photo: Aruna Dhir) Lakhamandal instantly gives credence to the belief that India still presents a magical confluence of mythology and spirituality just as it surges ahead to chart a new course in a technologically advanced world. At first glance, Lakhamandal can be dismissed as a small village tucked away in the gut of a mountain. But it is when you go further that the historic site unravels its mythological past and spiritual essence. The village is charming, with its stone-topped roofs and houses with exquisite wood carvings. And the people, extremely warm, honest and welcoming. It is easy to befriend these simple folk, engage them in animated conversation about the history they seem to be custodians of, saunter into their houses for a warm broth or a platter of home-style food. These people are proud of their heritage, extremely congenial, shorn of urban prejudices and honest to the core. While walking through this quaint region, we forgot our handbags with our cameras, mobiles and wallets, in the main temple complex for a good hour or so. A shocked realisation led to a frantic search before we reached the spot where wed left our bags it was a big relief to see them untouched while unmonitored for all this time. Definitely a rare phenomenon in Indias other tourist destinations. We opined that perhaps the influence of the Mahabharata, with its overriding principles of Dharma and Karma, had something to do with the inherent morality in the keepers of its tradition here. Lakhamandal figures prominently in the pages of Mahabharata one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. The Mahabharata, as we all know, chronicles the story of the dynastic struggle between the sibling clans of the Kauravas and the Pandavas for the throne of Hastinapura. There was intense enmity between the Kauravas and the Pandava brothers, from their youth, well into manhood. Legend has it that the Kauravas ordered a Lakshagriha (House of Lac) to be built in order to burn alive their cousins, the Pandavas. The Pandavas, however, escaped unscathed, aided by Lord Krishna. The Pandavas escaped by digging tunnels with the help of a miner. There are a number of cave formations near Lakhamandal. It is believed that the Pandava brothers took refuge in these caves. You can still see the cave openings on the face of the hill range in front of you. If you are adventurous enough to walk through a colony of bats hanging there eerily, you can explore these dingy cavities with the help of a local guide. The temple structure boasts of fine architecture, decorated with carved figures of gods and goddesses. (Photo: Pankaj Asundi) Old temples of Shiva, the Pandavas and Parshuram are aplenty in this area. There is a historic cave and an eighth-century temple with a number of carved stone figures and two big Shivalingas, all of which are of considerable archaeological importance. The temple has gigantic statues of Gods, royal guards and musical instruments cut from large blocks of shining grey and granite-like stone. The temple structure itself boasts a fine architecture, decorated with carved figures of gods and goddesses. The figures in myriad poses seem to tell the story of the great epic. Just as you enter the temple complex, you are greeted by the priest who performs the traditional puja for you. There are giant drums atop a loft from where the temple drummer spreads the news of your arrival to the entire region. Sometimes, the village kids, tiny in size and dwarfed by the drums but robust in spirit, merrily beat away on the drums in a surprisingly mellifluous rhythm. A local assumes the role of a guide as he walks you through the complex, spanning from the main temple to the area dedicated to the large Shivalinga at the far end. The area falls under Jaunsar-Bawar, a tribal land where people practice polygamy and polyandry, in keeping with the customs of the Pandavas (the five Pandava brothers were married to a single woman, Draupadi). The Jaunsaaris are known for their sharp features, big eyes, rosy cheeks and flawless peaches and cream complexion. Their language is certainly different. And coupled with decidedly different mannerisms of the denizens, this exotic region transports you to an alien land of folklore in an entirely different era. The village tots dwarfed by the drums but robust in spirit merrily make a mellifluous rhythm! (Photo: Pankaj Asundi) There is a saying in Sanskrit Atithi Devo Bhava (a guest is God). The people here seem to live this dictum. There are enough invitations that spring up from our new-found friends of breaking bread with them and spending a night under their modest, yet beautifully wood-carved roofs. The people are extremely hospitable. It is quite interesting to watch the villagers go about their daily chores a young tyke herds his tribe of goats, an elderly man puffs away on his chillum as another sips from an earthen cup, a young girl beats the grain from the husks in a giant mortar and pestle, a group of traditionally clad women huddle away perhaps to share the gossip of the day, but all beam at the sight of the visitors, atithis (guests) for them, and pose for some happy memories. If you visit the historic St. Mary's City in Maryland, USA, you will see that they have created a premier outdoor living history museum and archaeological park, located on the site of the state's first capital and the fourth permanent British settlement in the New World. Within the 835-acre site, visitors may step on board a tall ship, explore a Woodland Indian Hamlet, help Godiah Spray in his tobacco field, tour the 1676 State House and watch the ongoing reconstruction of the original brick chapel. This is a reenactment of 17th century America. Splendour in the heart of the Himalayas: Lakhamandal temple. (Photo: Pankaj Asundi) Now think about the period of the Mahabharata. Scientific calculations date the Mahabharata war to around circa 3130-3140 BC. Imagine the ancient setting, the mythological legend, the naturally beautiful environs, the mystical caves and the living of its people, and you immediately see possibilities for turning a visit to Lakhamandal into an exquisite and alluring trip. While a quick Google search reveals that there is a Tourist Rest House at Barkot, about 27 km. from here and a Forest Rest house at Kawa, 6 km. away, our local guide promises that there is a very habitable hotel' within the village that would not disappoint us. So, a word of advice is to go with minimum expectations in order to enjoy the unpretentious, yet clean hospitality. The places around Lakhamandal are as pleasing, making the region a nature lover's delight. You could drive to Bernigaad and continue the journey to Nowgaon, a small town about 12 kilometres from Bernigaad that offers the best view of the Bandarpoonch Peak (6315 meters) one of the prominent peaks of the Great Himalayas. Or move onto the Purola/Jarmola regions through one of the most beautiful pine forests in Asia, with spectacular views of the Purola valley and the Kedarkanta Peak (3813 metres). And just 16 kilometres downhill, through pine forests and apple orchards are the village Mori, the gateway of Tons valley in north-western Garhwal and purportedly the legendary realm of Duryodhana himself. Also read: Why the Ganga must become a political issue like Ram Mandir Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan (front 2nd R) arrived in Afghanistan Monday to meet Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan Monday, where he met with President Ashraf Ghani as the United States leads a push for peace talks with the Taliban. The visit comes after Washington held major talks with Taliban officials in Qatar last month that negotiators hope could herald a breakthrough in the grinding 17-year conflict. US President Donald Trump is pushing to end US involvement in Afghanistan, where 14,000 American troops are still deployed -- raising Afghan fears that Washington could exit before securing a lasting peace between the Taliban and the Kabul government. Shanahan told reporters earlier that he had no instructions from Washington to begin a withdrawal, however. "I have not been directed to step down our forces in Afghanistan," Shanahan said. "I think the presence we want in Afghanistan is what assures our homeland defence and supports regional stability." He said it was crucial Kabul, whose representatives were not at the talks in Qatar, was involved in discussions over the future of Afghanistan. "The Afghans have to decide what Afghanistan looks like in the future. It's not about the US, it's about Afghanistan," Shanahan said. "The US has significant -- significant -- investment in ensuring security, but the Afghans decide their future." Shanahan met General Scott Miller, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, to discuss the situation on the ground before visiting Camp Morehead where Americans train Afghan special forces. Later he sat down with Ghani, who has vented frustration at talks occurring without him about the future of Afghanistan and warned against rushing into a deal. "Both sides said that the peace process and the fight against terrorism will continue, and the military and security alliance between Afghanistan and US will continue until peace is achieved," the president's palace said in a statement after Ghani's meeting with Shanahan. US troop numbers in Afghanistan since 2001 Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special envoy leading the talks, has expressed hope of finding a deal before Afghan presidential elections scheduled for July, but has emphasised that any troop withdrawal would depend on conditions on the ground. Khalilzad is set to lead a large delegation on a six-nation tour, including Afghanistan, to boost the peace process and seek to bring all Afghan parties to the table. - 'Constructive' - The months-long push by the US to engage the Taliban has ostensibly been aimed at convincing them to negotiate with Kabul, which the insurgents consider a US puppet. Ghani spoke last week with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who also stressed the importance of the Afghan government being at the centre of the peace process. But the insurgents, who ruled Afghanistan from 1996-2001, have steadfastly refused. Instead they met directly with US negotiators in Doha last month for peace talks described by US President Donald Trump as "constructive". The US is expected to commence a second round of talks with Taliban officials on February 25 in Qatar, where they have their political office. The militants, who were toppled by US-led forces in 2001, last week held separate talks in Moscow with a senior delegation of Afghan politicians -- including chief Ghani rivals. The two-day talks were the Taliban's most significant engagement with Afghan leaders in years, and saw former president Hamid Karzai, among others, dining and praying with the insurgents -- though without the involvement of the government it was unclear what impact they will have. Patrick Shanahan said it was crucial Kabul was involved in discussions over the future of Afghanistan Ghani described the Moscow talks as "nothing more than fantasy". The Taliban have outlined their vision for Afghanistan, proposing an "inclusive Islamic system" of governance and demanding a new Islam-based constitution for the country. Both parties released a statement at the conclusion of the talks promising to advance negotiations at a later date. Shanahan was elevated from deputy defense secretary to the Pentagon's top spot January 1, after Jim Mattis quit amid long-running disagreements with President Trump. His visit to Afghanistan comes as the United Nations said it was investigating "credible" reports of Afghan civilian deaths and injuries from an airstrike over the weekend in Helmand, a Taliban stronghold. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said late Sunday it would share its findings once an inquiry into the "aerial operations" in Sangin district was completed. The Taliban are responsible for about half of civilian casualties, with the remaining deaths attributed to the Islamic State group and coalition strikes, according to a UNAMA report. But airstrikes have stepped up and the UN has warned civilians continue to pay a disproportionate price in the fighting. The US dropped 7,362 weapons during airstrikes in 2018 in Afghanistan -- approaching double the number of 2017, US Air Forces Central Command figures show. The main fire is believed to have been accidentally started by farm equipment A large New Zealand wildfire is expected to burn for weeks longer but has moved away from some inhabited areas, allowing residents of an evacuated village to return home soon, firefighters said Monday. About 3,000 inhabitants of Wakefield, just outside Nelson at the top of South Island, were ordered out Saturday as flames razed bushland within two kilometres (1.2 miles) of their homes. The fire erupted early last week amid scorching conditions in the heavily forested area and by early Monday had swept through an estimated 2,300 hectares (5,700 acres). So far one home has been destroyed by the fire and there have been no reported deaths or injuries Fire chief John Sutton said that although conditions had eased, the blaze remained unpredictable and it was too early to say it was under control. "There's still an enormous amount of heat there and there's a lot of unburned areas," he told reporters. "So although we might be turning a corner, there will be firefighters working on that fire until well into March." Civil Defence regional chief Roger Ball said Wakefield residents could return home as early as Monday evening but the area was still under a state of emergency. The fire erupted early last week amid scorching conditions "Returning residents need to understand and accept that they need to be prepared to evacuate again if conditions change," he said. He said residents of valleys outside the village, which are much closer to the fire front, would have to remain in emergency accommodation until further notice. The main fire is believed to have been accidentally started by farm equipment, although there have also been two minor blazes which police said were deliberately lit. So far one home has been destroyed by the fire and there have been no reported deaths or injuries. LIFE AND TIMES OF DRUG LORD TONY MOKBEL EARLY LIFE Born Antonios Sajih Mokbel in Kuwait to Lebanese parents in 1965, his family migrated to Australia when he was eight. He grew up in poverty in Melbourne's northern suburbs. As a teenager, Mokbel started out at his brother's pizza shop but within six years became the head of a multi-million dollar drug empire. EARLY CONVICTIONS 1980s - From the early 1980s, Mokbel was convicted of a variety of offences, including assaults, threats to kill, resisting arrest, possessing a gun. 1992 - Sentenced to 12 months for trying to bribe a County Court judge. 1998 - Convicted for amphetamine manufacturing. DRUG TRIAL AND ESCAPE 2006 March 20 - Disappears during Victorian Supreme Court trial over the importation of 2kg of cocaine from Mexico to Melbourne. March 31 - Mokbel sentenced in absentia to a minimum of nine years' jail for trafficking cocaine. Mokbel hid in rural Bonnie Doon in Victoria for eight months before driving to Western Australia and fleeing on a yacht via the Suez Canal to Greece where he arrived on Christmas Eve, 2006. 2007 Feb 28 - Mokbel charged with the murder of gangland patriarch Lewis Moran, gunned down by two men in Melbourne in 2004. Mokbel is alleged to have ordered the hit on Moran for $140,000. June - Police arrest him at a cafe in Athens RETURN TO AUSTRALIA TO FACE JUSTICE 2008 May 17 - Mokbel lands at Melbourne Airport and is taken to Barwon Prison. May 20 - Appears in court for the first time via video link from prison. 2009 April - A murder charge laid against Mokbel for the 2003 murder of Michael Marshall is dropped. August - Trial begins for Mokbel over the murder of Lewis Moran. September - Mokbel acquitted of murdering Moran. 2011 April - Mokbel pleads guilty to two counts of trafficking a large commercial quantity of drugs. 2012 July - Jailed for 30 years a with a minimum of 22 years after pleading guilty to drug trafficking charges 2018 February 11 - left in a critical condition after being stabbed in Barwon Prison. Shares in rail operator Aurizon have lifted despite a $30 million tariff refund weighing on first-half earnings after a tussle with regulators. Aurizon said on Monday its first half underlying net profit was down 19 per cent to $227 million, with the deadline for a judicial review of the Queensland Competition Authority's tariff decision passing last month. Chief executive Andrew Harding said Aurizon will, in ending its fight against the regulator, accelerate a $61 million refund to customers to compensate for higher transitional tariffs during 2017/18, with $30 million to be repaid in the first half. The coal and bulk freight carrier said it will continue to work with stakeholders and expects to make a formal response to QCA next week. The company's total first-half revenue fell 7.0 per cent to $1.46 billion. Shares in Aurizon were trading 0.23 per cent higher at $4.44 at 1400 AEDT, down from $4.69 a year ago, and about 20 per cent below a three-and-a-half year peak of $5.50 in May 2017. Aurizon declared an interim dividend 11.4 cents per share, 70 per cent franked, which it said represented a payout of 100 per cent of the company's underlying net profit after tax. The interim dividend is down from 14 cents the same time last year. Aurizon's underlying full-year earnings guidance for non-network businesses remains between $390 million and $430 million - excluding redundancies - contingent on no other major weather impacts after the north Queensland flooding over the past month. The name of the monarchs 67-year-old elder sister does not appear on the official list of candidates. For the Election Commission, members of the royal family must be above politics". Pro-monarchy activist calls for the dissolution of the Thai Raksa Chart Party for violating the election law. Bangkok (AsiaNews/Agencies) Thailand's Election Commission has disqualified Princess Ubolratana Mahidol, sister of the Thai king, from running for prime minister in the upcoming elections. This morning's announcement puts an end to a candidacy that the monarch, Maha Vajiralongkorn, had described as "inappropriate". The commission released the official list of candidates for the general election of 24 March, where the name of the kings 67-year-old elder sister does not appear. The princess had accepted the nomination of the Thai Raksa Chart Party. In a statement, the Commission said that members of the royal family should be "above politics" and therefore cannot "hold any political office". Involvement of a high-ranking member of the royal family in politics, in whatever way, is an act that conflicts with the countrys traditions, customs, and culture, and therefore considered highly inappropriate, the king said in a statement. A pro-royal activist on Sunday said he would file a petition to disqualify the Thai Raksa Chart party. "The royal announcement made it clear that the party violated electoral law," noted Srisuwan Janya, secretary-general of the Association for the Protection of the Constitution. Thailand has been a constitutional monarchy since 1932, but the royal family still exerts great influence and is the object of the devotion of millions of Thais. On 23 January, King Maha Vajiralongkorn issued a royal decree to hold the first general elections since the military overthrew the administration of Yingluck Shinawatra in May 2014. The princess wanted to represent a party loyal to the still influential Shinawatra family, who dominated Thai political life for years. Thailands current Prime Minister and former Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, Prayuth Chan-ocha, announced that he will run as the candidate for the pro-military Palang Pracharat party. With a population just tipping over 100, Watchem could well be one of Australia's quietest hamlets and now a slice of it can be yours for $49,000, with the old bakery and post office thrown in. The "renovate or detonate" job is about 300km north west of Melbourne and includes more than 3250 square metres of land, a weatherboard house and brick shop on the town's main drag, located between Donald and Birchip. "It's got a pub, it's got a small general store and it's got a swimming pool and a lovely lake. It's certainly, quiet," selling agent Rob Lehmann told AAP. The site is powered and features remnants of the old bakery's ovens, believed to be more than 100 years old. "It's in pretty poor state. It's in the eyes of the beholder as to what some people may think what they can do with it," Mr Lehmann said. However, potential buyers should note the lawn mower pictured in the selling ad - possibly the only working object - is not included. Watchem's population was 114 as at June 30, 2017, according to the Bureau of Statistics. She lost out to Olivia Colman who scooped the BAFTA for Best Actress in a Leading Role at Sunday night's awards ceremony. But on Monday, Glenn Close, 71, appeared to be completely unfazed by her loss as she led the stars stepping out to attend the premiere of the re-cast Everybody's Talking About Jamie, which now stars Shane Richie, 54, in London's West End. Shane - who is arguably best known for playing Alfie Moon in EastEnders - has taken on the role of Hugo / Loco Chanelle in the award-winning musical at the Apollo Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue. Chic: Glenn Close, 71, led the stars stepping out to attend the premiere of the re-cast Everybody's Talking About Jamie, which now stars Shane Richie, 54, in London 's West End (Pictured with Hayley Tamaddon) Transformation: Shane has taken on the role of Hugo / Loco Chanelle in the award-winning musical at the Apollo Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue (Pictured with Jessie Wallace, 47) In photos taken in his dressing room, the actor can be seen spending time with former EastEnders co-star Jessie Wallace, whilst clad in an emerald green gown, festooned with intricate black beads. His garish frock also featured feathery black cuffs, and the chest of the dress had been purposefully designed to mimic the shape of a woman's curves. Shane's fishtail gown trailed onto the floor with a feathery finish and was finished off with exaggerated shoulders. The actor wore a fiery red wig atop his head, which featured a mound of curls piled high. Glam: In photos taken in his dressing room, the actor can be seen clad in an emerald green gown, festooned with intricate black beads Details: His garish frock also featured feathery black cuffs, and the chest of the dress had been purposefully designed to mimic the shape of a woman's curves Wow! Shane was almost unrecognisable, with a heavy layer of expertly-applied stage make-up transforming his looks Playing up to the camera: Jessie couldn't resist copping a feel of Shane's false breasts Shane was almost unrecognisable, with a heavy layer of stage make-up transforming his looks. The soap star had a flawless base with heavy dusting of blusher contouring his cheeks and thin eyebrows dramatically arched higher than his own. Completing his make-over, Shane wore glamorous false eyelashes and a pillar-box red lipstick on his full pout. Unrecognisable: The actor wore a fiery red wig atop his head, which featured a mound of curls piled high Dramatic: The soap star had a flawless base with heavy dusting of blusher contouring his cheeks and thin eyebrows dramatically arched higher than his own Pucker up: Shane and Jessie puckered up in front of the camera Switching it up: Shane changed up his appearance in the show, slipping into wet-look trousers and a sequinned jacket Glenn flashed a wide smile whilst holding her chic camel coloured waterfall jacket closed at the front as she posed for photographs outside the theatre. The Wife star kept the rest of her ensemble fairly muted, with all-black items of clothing teamed with a crisp white shirt. The actress styled her silver locks into a effortlessly curly hairdo, and added a slick of glamorous make-up. Emotional: Shane appeared to be emotional as he strode across the stage with his hand over his mouth Backstage access: The A-list actress was taken backstage for photographs with Shane Delighted: The new cast of the West End show appeared to be delighted that Glenn had chosen to show her support Happy times: Jamie Campbell who inspired the West End musical shared a hug with Glenn Centre place: Glenn Close crouched down on her knee to pose with the entire cast Presenter Laura Whitmore, 33, ensured she looked stylish by adding a large leopard print handbag to her outfit. The Irish beauty wrapped up warm with a long black double-breasted trench coat atop a denim shirt. The blonde beauty strolled along the red carpet in a shiny pair of chunky black boots as she made her way into the theatre. Chic: Glenn added some Hollywood glamour to the press night Elegant: Glenn kept the rest of her ensemble fairly muted, with all-black items of clothing teamed with a crisp white shirt and a camel coloured waterfall jacket Glam: Presenter Laura Whitmore, 33, ensured she looked stylish by adding a large leopard print handbag to her outfit Stylish: The Irish beauty wrapped up warm with a long black double-breasted trench coat atop a denim shirt Laura styled her tresses into a simple up-do with strands of dishevelled locks left to drape down, framing her face. Accentuating her natural beauty, the star opted to draw attention to her piercing blue eyes with lashings of mascara, and applied a slick of glossy lipstick to her pout. Ensuring she was polished to perfection, Laura also sported a pearlescent blue manicure. Stunning: Liverpudlian stunner Claire Sweeney, 47, made a style statement in a burgundy velvet trouser suit and a shimmering gold cami Beauty: With her hair styled into voluminous waves and a flawless make-up look, Claire looked utterly radiant Fashionista: Former EastEnders actress Louisa Lytton, 30, demonstrated her flair for fashion in an on-trend ensemble Liverpudlian stunner Claire Sweeney, 47, made a style statement in a burgundy velvet trouser suit. The former soap actress injected an extra dose of glamour into her look with a shimmering gold cami. With her hair styled into voluminous waves and a flawless make-up look, Claire looked utterly radiant. Beaming: The brunette beauty flashed her pearly whites as she posed for photographs Mish-mash: Former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips, 75, opted to clash prints, with a black and white floral skirt and a furry animal print jacket. All smiles: Arlene went for a relaxed hairstyle and sported smudgy black eye make-up with a slick of lip-gloss on her pout Former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips, 75, opted to clash prints, with a black and white floral skirt and a furry animal print jacket. The television personality wore a white funnel-necked sweater underneath the leopard print coat and slipped on a pair of white and silver brogues. Arlene went for a relaxed hairstyle and sported smudgy black eye make-up with a slick of lip-gloss on her pout. Pretty: Jessie Wallace, 47, stepped out in a pretty black and white print dress, with a black trench coat adding an extra layer of warmth Glamorous: The EastEnders actress sported a heavy make-up application, complete with dramatic smokey eyes and a red lip Dapper: Jake Wood, 46, put on a stylish display in indigo jeans and a black coat Duty calls: The actor waited patiently outside the theatre whilst his photograph was taken Gemma Oaten, 34, commanded attention in a vibrant chain print dress as she arrived at the theatre. The former Emmerdale star stood out in the pillar-box red shirt dress, which fell to just below her knees. Her eye-catching midi dress featured a coordinating waist belt, which highlighted her slim physique. Turning heads: Gemma Oaten commanded attention in a vibrant chain print dress Stunning: Ensuring she was polished to perfection, Gemma opted for a glamorous application of make-up, complete with a heavy dusting of bronzer and fluttery lashes Statement? Gemma was joined at the opening night by her best friend Joff Powell, who turned heads by wearing a T-Shirt with the words: 'Mr Oaten' splashed across his chest Gemma added height to her enviable frame with a pair of shiny gold peep-toe heels and accessorised her ensemble with a smattering of metallic jewellery. Ensuring she was polished to perfection, Gemma opted for a glamorous application of make-up, complete with a heavy dusting of bronzer and fluttery lashes. The soap star styled her blonde tresses into elegant curls and posed confidently on the red carpet. Gemma was joined at the opening night by her best friend Joff Powell, who turned heads by wearing a T-Shirt with the words: 'Mr Oaten' splashed across his chest. The television producer teamed the light blue T-shirt with cropped black trousers and a pair of Converse. Best friends: The pair looked delighted as they posed together for photographs Casual: The television producer teamed the light blue T-shirt with cropped black trousers and a pair of Converse After the performance, Shane switched into a sleek black suit, teamed with coordinating shirt and shoes, to enjoy the after-party. The actor had attempted to remove his dramatic stage make-up, but remnants of black eyeliner could still be seen. The actor beamed with joy as he posed alongside his celebrity pals who'd come to support him on his big night. Dapper: After the performance, Shane switched into a sleek black suit, teamed with coordinating shirt and shoes, to enjoy the after-party Tell-tale signs: The actor had attempted to remove his dramatic stage make-up, but remnants of black eyeliner could still be seen Happy chappy: The actor beamed with joy as he posed alongside his celebrity pals who'd come to support him on his big night (Pictured with Jake Wood and Tanya Franks) Couple goals: Shane's wife Christie Goddard, 39, oozed sex appeal in an all-black ensemble as she cosied up to her husband Shane's wife Christie Goddard, 39, oozed sex appeal in an all-black ensemble as she cosied up to her husband. The blonde beauty showcased a hint of her washboard abs in a sheer lacy black top, which she teamed with skin-tight shiny animal print trousers. Adding a classy finish to her look, Christie wore a sleek black blazer atop her eye-catching top. Fabulous: The blonde beauty showcased a hint of her washboard abs in a sheer lacy black top Man of the hour: Shane's pals were keen to show how proud they were of him Good times: The trio happily posed together for the photographer Leading ladies: Stars of the show L-R Hayley Tamaddon (Miss Hedge), Sabrina Sandhu (Pritti Pasha) and Sejal Keshwala (Ray) Meanwhile, Glenn Close was nominated for the Best Actress in a Leading Role at Sunday's BAFTAs, with the award going to Olivia Colman for The Favourite. Talking about The Wife on the red carpet, the actress revealed that the Me Too movement brings another dimension to the movie. Speaking on the red carpet at the EE British Academy Film Awards on Sunday, she said: 'That's another thing you just can't plan because we filmed it in the fall of 2016 and it was held for a year by Sony and meanwhile, the Me Too movement started up and all these issues around women and all that. This movie just adds to that dialogue.' Quirky: Tamya Franks showcased her unique sense of style in a floral embroidered coat Happy: The soap actresses couldn't hide their delight at being at the West End show Simple: The actress and producer opted for minimal make-up for her outing to the theatre In the past, Glenn has shared her hopes that The Wife will encourage Hollywood to make more women-centric movies. She said: 'I've been a part of two films that took 14 years to make. The first one was "Albert Nobbs" and the second was "The Wife". 'It was actually hard to find actors who wanted to be in a movie called "The Wife". It's two women writers. And, you know, starring a woman. 'No one wanted to make it and, most of the money, if not all the money, came from Europe.' Buddies: Arlene Phillips and Laura Whitmore posed together for a quick snap on the red carpet High spirits: Jessie beamed with delight as she shared a cosy hug with screen star Hayley, who plays Miss Hedge in the production Coming To America 2 will be released in August 2020. The hotly-anticipated sequel to 1988's Coming To America has been given an official release date of August 7, 2020, exciting Eddie Murphy fans everywhere. Murphy has been confirmed to return to his role as Prince Akeem but it is not yet known whether the film's other stars including James Earl Jones, Shari Headley, John Amos and Arsenio Hall will return to their roles. Coming To America 2 confirmed for release in August 2020... after Eddie Murphy says he will return as Prince Akeem; he is seen with Arsenio Hall in the 1988 original Craig Brewer is set to direct the sequel to the 1988 comedy, in which Eddie plays Prince Akeem, the prince of a fictional African country who travels to America to escape an arranged marriage and find a wife. In a statement, Murphy said of Brewer's appointment: 'After many years of anticipation, I'm thrilled that Coming To America 2 is officially moving forward. 'We've assembled a great team that will be led by Craig Brewer, who just did an amazing job on Dolemite [Is My Name], and I'm looking forward to bringing all these classic and beloved characters back to the big screen.' He's coming back: Murphy, seen in October, has said he's 'thrilled' about the remake Black-ish's Kenya Barris will rewrite a script by Coming To America original writers Barry Blaustein and David Sheffield. Barris added: 'Craig's ability to create a distinct cinematic world with each of his films is not only impressive but also what made him exactly the voice and vision we needed to bring this story to life. 'From Hustle & Flow to his work with Eddie on Dolemite Is My Name, he never fails to blow me away. He is a true auteur and we couldn't be more thrilled to have him on board.' Andy Cohen carved out some time for a workout session in New York a week after the birth of his son Benjamin Allen. The 50-year-old bundled up in a Grateful Dead tour hoodie and showed off his toned legs in casual shorts, rounding off the look with Nike sneakers. He welcomed his bouncing baby boy via surrogacy last Monday and posted a touching photo on Sunday of the newborn holding his finger. Active: Andy Cohen was glimpsed in casual workout wear as he stepped out in New York a week after the birth of his son Benjamin Allen This Monday, he fired up his Insta Stories to reveal a present he got from two of the stars of Bravo's Vanderpump Rules, which he produces. Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval gifted Andy a themed baby onesie advertising the bar they opened in West Hollywood last year, TomTom. Vanderpump Rules was spun off from The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills, which Andy also produces along with the rest of the Housewives franchises. So sweet: On Monday, he fired up his Insta Stories to reveal a present he got from two of the stars of Bravo's Vanderpump Rules, which he produces He's a fan: The 50-year-old bundled up in a Grateful Dead tour hoodie and showed off his toned legs in casual shorts, rounding off the look with Nike sneakers Receiving everyone's well wishes: Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval have gifted Andy a themed baby onesie advertising the bar they opened in West Hollywood last year, TomTom Busy man: Vanderpump Rules was spun off from The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills, which Andy also produces along with the rest of the Housewives franchises The single father was trolled on social media last week after he posted a snapshot of himself on a plane with his then four-day-old child. Andy posed standing up with his hands at his hips, and Benjamin was strapped to him in a baby carrier, prompting the dad to caption: 'Digging the #DadGear !!!' Social media commentators were quick to criticize him for bringing a newborn onto a plane, as well as for how he was holding the baby. Proud papa: Andy's little pride and joy was born 20 inches long, weighing in at nine pounds and two ounces Across generations: Andy revealed on Instagram that his firsborn 'is named after my grandfather Ben Allen' Breaking the news: Andy publicly revealed that his child would be a son while hosting CNN's New Year's Eve broadcast with Anderson Cooper from Times Square The Watch What Happens Live host announced Benjamin's birth with a heartwarming black and white Instagram photo of himself swaddling his child. 'WOW! This is my son, Benjamin Allen Cohen. He is 9 lbs 2 ounces !! 20 inches !! Born at 6:35 pm, PT He is named after my grandfather Ben Allen,' Andy wrote. The doting father continued: 'Im in love. And speechless. And eternally grateful to an incredible surrogate. And Im a dad. Wow.' 'Heaven': He welcomed his bouncing baby boy via surrogacy this past Monday and posted a touching photo on Sunday of the newborn holding his finger 'Digging the #DadGear !!!': The single father was trolled on social media last week after he posted a snapshot of himself on a plane with his then four-day-old child Sam Burgess spent the night at his marital home on Saturday, all but confirming he has reconciled with wife Phoebe following their brief split. And according to the Sydney Morning Herald, the English-born NRL star is officially moving back into the family's $3.8million property in Maroubra, Sydney. After patching things up with Phoebe, Sam decided to leave the $11.5million Dover Heights mansion owned by high-profile accountant Anthony Bell, where he had been staying during the couple's two-month separation. Back to the burrow! Rabbitohs star Sam Burgess is moving out of Anthony Bell's $11.5million mansion and back in with wife Phoebe and their children following the couple's brief split Sam isn't the first celebrity to reside in Anthony Bell's ritzy property, as the home was previously owned by The Morning Show's Larry Emdur. Boasting five bedrooms and 360-degree ocean views, the clifftop mansion no doubt proved a salubrious location for the rugby league star to heal his broken heart. 'He's been staying at Anthonys, it was a private place for him to get his life back on track,' a source told The Daily Telegraph. Sam and Phoebe split in December last year, sometime before Christmas, less than a month after welcoming their second child. Heartbreak hotel! Boasting five bedrooms and 360-degree ocean views, Anthony Bell's clifftop mansion in Sydney's Dover Heights (pictured) no doubt proved a salubrious location for the rugby league star to heal his broken heart Home, sweet home! But after patching things up with Phoebe recently, Sam has moved back into their $3.8million family home (pictured) in Maroubra, Sydney Familiar faces: Anthony Bell is pictured with Kelly Landry on December 15, 2010 in Sydney At the time, it was widely reported that the couple's marriage split was 'messy'. A close friend told The Daily Telegraph 'things [had] been bad for a while' before Sam and Phoebe decided to part ways. But on Sunday, the Burgesses all but confirmed they had reconciled when they were pictured on a family outing in Coogee with their daughter Poppy, two, and newborn son Billy. Back on? Sam and Phoebe split in December last year, sometime before Christmas. However, it seems they have since reconciled after Sam was spotted in the family home Sam had apparently spent his first night back in their marital home on Saturday, and was seen answering the front door the following morning. Phoebe and Sam first met at an Avicii concert in Sydney in January 2014. They tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in the Southern Highlands town of Bowral in December 2015. It sounded like a dream lineup for the Victoria's Secret fashion show. But when Jasmine Sanders, Shanina Shaik, Josephine Skriver, Lais Ribeiro and Jasmine Tookes showed up to the shows at Gallery II at Spring Studios in New York City on Monday, it was for an entirely different designer. The catwalk queens were the highlights of the Nguyen Cong Tri event. On the verge: Josephine Skriver tried her best to stay inside a pink gown when at the Cong Tri fashion show during New York Fashion Week: The Shows at Gallery II at Spring Studios on Monday in New York City Daring: Josephine was stunning in a strapless iridescent pink gown that had pleats everywhere, a ruffle on the hips and a sweetheart neckline. The top portion did not cover much skin, making her on the verge of a wardrobe malfunction Josephine was stunning in a strapless iridescent pink gown that had pleats everywhere, a ruffle on the hips and a sweetheart neckline. The top portion did not cover much skin, making her on the verge of a wardrobe malfunction. The 25-year-old lingerie model had her hair pulled back in a severe hair style and wore little makeup with no jewelry. Skriver, who was born in Denmark, appeared to be in a serious mood, but she may have just have been focusing hard on not spilling out of her dress. All wrapped up in a bow: Shanina Shaik wore a very different style. Her dress was short, making the most of her toned, long legs. And this number was strapless too. But instead of a simple, classic design, this outfit had a massive bow in front Delightful dress: The cover girl also wore this stunning one-shoulder gown with a slit up the front and silver heels Shaik wore a very different style. Her dress was short, making the most of her toned, long legs. And this number was strapless too. But instead of a simple, classic design, this outfit had a massive bow in front with ruffles flowing down around and also behind her. Silver heels with ankle straps added even more allure. Ultra elegant: Jasmine Sanders looked ready for the Academy Awards in her slinky, ultra feminine gown. The shiny dress was strapless with a wide piece of fabric falling down her right arm Floral delight: Sanders also had on this mini dress with yellow and gold flowers The cover girl also wore this stunning one-shoulder gown with a slit up the front and silver heels. Shaik is a 28-year-old Australian model who is married to DJ Ruckus. Sanders looked ready for the Academy Awards in her slinky, ultra feminine gown. The shiny dress was strapless with a wide piece of fabric falling down her right arm. The 27-year-old German model also had her hair pulled back and wore little makeup with no jewelry. A knockout: Daphne Groeneveld made quite the impression in the strapless light green dress with silver stars on front and a sheer black coat. Also at the show was this model in a silver dress with wings on back Daphne Groeneveld made quite the impression in the strapless light green dress with silver stars on front and a sheer black coat. The 24-year-old is a Dutch model best known for appearing on the 2010 December/January cover of Vogue Paris alongside Tom Ford. She is currently the face of Jean Paul Gaultier Classique Fragrance and Tom Ford Beauty. Tookes, 28, looked ready for a cocktail party in her fun low-cut white and grey mini dress. Open the champagne! Tookes, 28, left, looked ready for a cocktail party in her fun low-cut white and grey mini dress. Winnie Harlow, right, had on a very eye-catching pink mini dress with short sleeves Cong is one of the newer faces in fashion but he already has a strong following. His biography online reads, 'Nguyen Cong Tri is a self-taught fashion visionary and a respected name in the Vietnamese fashion industry. 'His signature aesthetic and craftsmanship are influenced by his origins while imbued with a contemporary spirit. Easy on the eyes: Jasmine also wore this beautiful gunmetal grey gown with a slit up the front 'In 2014, he was the first Vietnamese member of the Asian Couture Federation. Each of his collection is state-of-the-art and a fascinating story to be told. 'Most recently, celebrities such as Katy Perry, Gwen Stefani and Rihanna have worn his stunning pieces.' He already has had shows in Tokyo, Vicenzam London and Paris. The man of the hour: Lais Ribeiro (L) and designer Nguyen Cong Tri back stage 'Fashion is where I could plant, nurture and express my inspiration from the beauty of every little thing in life,' he has said. Perry wore one of his designs - a leopard print catsuit - at the Ace Theater in LA in September. Stefani wore a red and silver striped leotard made by him in December 2017 when she performed at the festive one-hour You Make It Feel Like Christmas show that featured appearances by her boyfriend Blake Shelton, Seth McFarlane, Chelsea Handler, Ken Jeong and a younger version of herself. Heidi Klum and Mel B will be departing the America's Got Talent as they will be replaced by Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough. There will be a shake-up in the all-star judging panel when the NBC reality competition series comes back for season 14 according to a Monday report from Variety. Gabrielle, 46, and Julianne, 30, will be joining returning judges Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel. Moving on: Heidi Klum and Mel B will be departing the America's Got Talent judging panel as they are pictured with Howie Mandel and Simon Cowell who will be staying on The replacements: Gabrielle Union, 46, (left) and Julianne Hough, 30, will be joining the series for season 14 according to a Monday report from Variety That is not the only big change coming as Terry Crews will take over hosting duties from 45-year-old Tyra Banks. The 50-year-old actor is currently the host of spin-off America's Got Talent: The Champions. Heidi, 45, and Mel, 43, joined the panel back in 2013 for season eight and have been on every season since including The Champions edition. There were rumblings that a major overhaul was coming last month as it was reported by Page Six that all judges could be replaced other than 59-year-old producer Cowell. We were all rooting for you! The judging panel is not the only thing being shaken up as host Tyra Banks, 45, (center) will also be departing the reality competition series It ain't easy being cheesy! Terry Crews, 50, will take over hosting duties as he is currently the emcee of spin-off America's Got Talent: The Champions 'The word on the street is they are replacing all AGT judges except Simon. It started with [talk about replacing] Mel B and now it's everyone. Tyra [Banks] is gone,' said a source at the time. An insider told the New York Post newspaper: 'There hasn't been much buzz about who's replacing them ... Simon's ready for new judges.' It was reported back in December that Tyra opted not to return as host. Pretty in pink: It was reported back in December that Tyra - pictured in November - opted not to return as host. Hough has experience in judging on reality television as she appeared on the panel for seasons 19-24 from September 2014 to May 2017. Gabrielle has not appeared on reality television but she has starred in BET series Being Mary Jane over four seasons since 2013. She is also set to star in Bad Boys television spin-off L.A.'s Finest alongside Jessica Alba which will air on the Spectrum network later this year. America's Got Talent: The Champions airs Mondays at 8pm on NBC. Lisa Oldfield has broken her silence following her split from husband-of-17-years David. The newly-single 44-year-old, who rose to fame on The Real Housewives of Sydney, shared a post to her private Facebook post last week addressing the separation. She thanked her mother, whom she has been living with following her marriage breakdown, for supporting her over the past few months. Speaking out: Lisa Oldfield, 44, has broken her silence following her separation from husband-of-17-years David. Pictured together on April 14, 2007 in Sydney 'I am so blessed and grateful to my wonderful mum,' Lisa captioned a photo of herself and her mother. 'These last few months have been so difficult and would have been impossible to face on my own. 'I'm so excited and so happy to be now planning a new future. With my mum beside me, I can do anything!' 'These last few months have been so difficult': The newly-single 44-year-old shared this post to her private Facebook post last week addressing the separation 'With my mum beside me, I can do anything!' She thanked her mother, whom she has been living with following her marriage breakdown, for supporting her over the past few months Lisa previously alluded to the separation in several telling Facebook posts, including one which poked fun at single people celebrating Valentine's Day alone. In January, she also hinted at the split when she referred to her 'fancy free single life'. It comes after, New Idea reported on Monday that Lisa 'isn't coping very well' in the wake of her split from David. 'She's currently living with her parents at the moment and is extremely fragile,' a source told the magazine. Single life: Lisa previously alluded to the separation in several telling Facebook posts, including this one which poked fun at single people celebrating Valentine's Day alone Marital woes: The Oldfields - who share two sons, six-year-old Bert and eight-year-old Harry - have made no secret of the fact their marriage has faced significant troubles in the past. Pictured together on August 31, 2006 The Oldfields - who share two sons, six-year-old Bert and eight-year-old Harry - have made no secret of the fact their marriage has faced significant troubles in the past. Last year, Lisa confessed to self-medicating with alcohol to deal with anxiety and checked herself into rehab to address the problem. Furthermore, they have often complained about each other publicly. Claims: Lisa, 44, recently left the marital home in Sydney and 'isn't coping very well' amid the split, said a source with knowledge of the situation. Pictured: Lisa, David and their children They had bitter arguments while on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in 2018, leaving the other contestants visibly uncomfortable. After being evicted from the jungle, Lisa actually vowed to divorce the former One Nation politician - but later backpedalled on her remarks. 'He's a t**t,' she told I'm A Celebrity hosts Dr Chris Brown and Julia Morris at the time. Warring spouses: Lisa and David have often complained about each other publicly, but have not previously followed through on their threats to leave each other 'I will be speaking to a divorce lawyer. I feel like David is a boat anchor around my neck and after 17 years I've had a revelation,' she added. Lisa declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia earlier this week. News of the split comes after it was confirmed that The Real Housewives of Sydney would not be returning for a second season. Foxtel's executive director of television Brian Walsh told TV Tonight last week: 'Sydney won't happen again. Once bitten twice shy.' He's currently in Tenerife in the hopes of finding romance on Celebs Go Dating. And Jack Fowler looks to have struck up a bromance with Sam Thompson after he was spotted helping the Made In Chelsea star apply suncream on Monday. The former Love Islander, 22, sported a huge smile as he appeared on the Canary Island clad in just a pair of floral printed swim shorts. Pals: Jack Fowler looks to have struck up an unlikely bromance with Sam Thompson after he was spotted helping the Made In Chelsea star apply suncream on Monday He showed off his hunky frame and bulging muscles as he and Sam, 25, caught up poolside before taping of the E4 show's final episode. At one point Jack leaned over apply some lotion to Sam's back with the pair in peals of laughter after. The duo were joined by Georgia Steel and David Potts on the Spanish resort. Looking good: The former Love Islander, 22, sported a huge smile as he appeared on the Canary Island clad in just a pair of floral printed swim shorts Beach ready: He showed off his hunky frame and bulging muscles as he and Sam, 25, caught up poolside before taping of the E4 show's final episode Unlikely friends: At one point Jack leaned over apply some lotion to Sam's back with the pair in peals of laughter after Jack's display comes as earlier in the day he took to Instagram Stories to share a video of himself getting love advice from a Spanish waiter. The reality star told fans: 'I'm here with my Spanish boyo, I just need to know how do you say I love you?' The waiter replied before announcing to a shocked Jack that in Spain there are two different kinds of love: 'When you are madly in love you say Te Amo'. Hunk: Jack showed off his slender frame from different angles as he rubbed himself down with tanning oil Language barrier: Earlier in the day he took to Instagram Stories to share a video of himself getting love advice from a Spanish waiter An impressed Jack responded with: 'That's the one I'm dealing with'. Earlier this month Jack was spotted locking lips with a mystery lady when he joined fellow single Islanders Wes Nelson and Josh Denzel in Essex. The night seemed to end well for Jack at least who was later spotted surrounded by girls at Faces in Essex, appearing to share a smooch with one dark-haired beauty. Hailey Bieber suited up in Zadig & Voltaire for the French designer's New York Fashion Week runway presentation in Manhattan on Monday. Rather than walking in the show, the 22-year-old IMG Model held court in the front row alongside other models and glitterati figures. The Drop the Mic co-host paired her business attire with a cozy pink-knit turtleneck sweater and white spike-heeled pumps selected by stylist Maeve Reilly. Like a boss: Hailey Bieber suited up in Zadig & Voltaire for the French designer's New York Fashion Week runway presentation in Manhattan on Monday In the hot seat: Rather than walking in the show, the 22-year-old IMG Model held court in the front row alongside other models and glitterati figures The back of Bieber's blazer read: 'Zadig jacket, Fashion Show 19-20, Zadig & Voltaire, established 1997.' Hailey - whose father is Stephen Baldwin and uncle is Alec Baldwin - later ditched her outerwear following the fashion festivities. Hairstylist Jen Atkin coiffed the waves in the Bible-quoting blonde's middle-parted flaxen locks. Make-up artist Robert Sesnek for Pat McGrath Labs used products by the brand in order to create a rosy look that perfectly coordinated with the starlet's pink turtleneck sweater. 'The inspiration behind todays look for Hailey was inspired by her clothing and the pink turtleneck sweater, as well as the weather,' Robert said. 'We wanted to make the eyes, skin and lips pop and come alive. 'Being cloudy and cold we decided on moving toward something brighter and pink around the eyes. We wanted to add some depth, but not be too much make-up for daytime.' Iced coffee to-go! The Drop the Mic co-host paired her business attire with a cozy pink-knit turtleneck sweater and white spike-heeled pumps selected by stylist Maeve Reilly The back of Bieber's blazer read: 'Zadig jacket, Fashion Show 19-20, Zadig & Voltaire, established 1997' Warm winter day? Hailey - whose father is Stephen Baldwin and uncle is Alec Baldwin - later ditched her outerwear following the fashion festivities Pretty in pink: Make-up artist Robert Sesnek used Pat McGrath products to create a rosy look that coordinate with the bareMinerals brand ambassador's jumper Beachy: Hairstylist Jen Atkin coiffed the waves in the Bible-quoting blonde's middle-parted flaxen locks The focus of the look was the eyes, with Robert relying on shades from the Pat McGrath Labs Mothership III: Subversive Palette in order to create the perfect rosy hue for Hailey's lids. 'Using VR PINK then layering LAZARUS on top from the Mothership III: Subversive Palette, gave the perfect amount of interest and pop,' he explained. 'After we finished the makeup, we felt this was a perfect daytime look with some edge and brightness. Its modern, fun and very chic during the drab winter months.' The eyes were finished off with Pat's newest product, the FetishEyes Mascara, with Robert revealing that this was a particular favorite of Hailey's. 'Hailey and I both were going crazy at the amount of volume and length we were able to achieve with this amazing mascara,' he added. To give Hailey that stunning glow - even on a cloudy cold day - Robert used the Skin Fetish: Highlighter + Balm Duo, one of Pat McGrath Labs' most popular products. On Sunday, Bieber - who boasts 18M followers - tuned into the CBS broadcast of the 61st Annual Grammy Awards and she gave Insta-story shout-outs to pop star Miley Cyrus and rapper Cardi B. Her husband Justin Bieber will compete against 11 other celebrities for the best fan army trophy for his 'Beliebers' at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, which air March 14 on Fox. But don't expect the Grammy winner - turning 25 next month - to attend any more awards shows as he called them 'fake' and 'hollow' in a 2016 Instagram post. 'I don't feel good when I'm there nor after,' the Canadian crooner confessed at the time. 'Ain't nobody got a voice like Miley!' On Sunday, Bieber tuned into the CBS broadcast of the Grammy Awards and she gave Insta-story shout-outs to Miley Cyrus and Cardi B Airing March 14 on Fox! Her husband Justin Bieber will compete against 11 other celebrities for the best fan army trophy for his 'Beliebers' at the iHeartRadio Music Awards Turning 25 next month! But don't expect the Grammy winner to attend any more awards shows as he called them 'fake' and 'hollow' in a 2016 Instagram post (pictured Sunday) 'These award shows seem so hollow. I get the premise is to award people for their accomplishments, but is it really? Because when I look in the audience I see a bunch of fake smiles so that when the camera hits them they look happy.' Hailey's NYFW sighting came four days after the couple confessed to Vogue that they remained celibate until after securing their marriage license at a New York courthouse on September 13. 'I wanted to rededicate myself to God in that way because I really felt it was better for the condition of my soul,' Justin told the mag. 'And I believe that God blessed me with Hailey as a result. There are perks. You get rewarded for good behavior.' 'God blessed me with Hailey as a result': Hailey's NYFW sighting came four days after the couple confessed to Vogue that they remained celibate until after securing their marriage license at a New York courthouse on September 13 'You get rewarded for good behavior': The Hillsong Church duo only rekindled their on/off romance in June - three months after he ended his on/off relationship with pop star Selena Gomez (pictured November 23) The Hillsong Church duo only rekindled their on/off romance in June - three months after he ended his on/off relationship with pop star Selena Gomez. 'I'm not going to sit here and lie and say it's all a magical fantasy,' the pretty presenter noted. 'It's always going to be hard. It's a choice. You don't feel it every single day. You don't wake up every day saying, "I'm absolutely so in love and you are perfect." Thats not what being married is. 'But there's something beautiful about it anyway - about wanting to fight for something, commit to building with someone. We're really young, and that's a scary aspect. We're going to change a lot. But we're committed to growing together and supporting each other in those changes.' Catch more of Hailey and Method Man co-hosting the third season of celebrity rap competition Drop the Mic, which airs Wednesdays on TNT. The Pakistan Armys total focus is on the proxy war launched against India using India-specific militant outfits under its control. In both Syria and Afghanistan the prime theatres of the American-led offensive against Islamic radicals triggered by 9/11 a stalemate is setting in to the advantage of the ISIS and Taliban-Al Qaeda axis respectively, and this must cause concern to the democratic world in general and India in particular. This has unmistakably happened due to three developments. First, the war on terror that was launched on two premises failed on both the counts the expectation that the moderates in the Muslim world would fight the radical extremists at home and the presumption that the liberal funding from the US would push forth the cause of democracy in the Islamic countries. Second, the burden of taking down the Islamic terrorists fell solely on the United States and made the war a project of diminishing returns for the latter, primarily because of Pakistans role on the Afghan front and the reappearance of the Cold War legacy in Syria that had made Hafez al-Assad, the father of Syrias current President Bashar al-Assad, such a formidable opponent of the West and a friend of the erstwhile Soviet bloc. In the present civil war in Syria only a section of the Muslims backed by the US are taking on President Bashar, while the ISIS continues to confront the Americans in pursuit of its goal of establishing a caliphate. The third paradigm shift in relation to the war on terror and this is the cumulative outcome of the first two factors is the silent endorsement that Islamic radicals were enjoying on considerations of faith, across the Muslim world. The radicals are revivalists who carry the historical memory of the Wahhabi movement of the 19th century that was led by the Ulema in the format of jihad against the Western encroachment on Muslim lands. Their slogan is to revive the puritanical Islam of the golden period of the first four caliphs for restoring its glory. This gives them an acceptable place in the Islamic spectrum and leaves little ground for the rest of the Ummah to reject them. Pakistan is an example before the world of how a country, while pretending to be on board with the US-led international coalition against the new global terror, did not take on the Taliban entrenched in Khyber Pakhtunwa (KP) from where it has been organising attacks in Afghanistan. The Pakistan Armys total focus is on the proxy war launched against India using India-specific militant outfits under its control. Pakistan had taken advantage of the American soft-pedalling on this Pak-sponsored cross-border terrorism making a distinction between good terrorists and bad terrorists. Pakistans game is now exposed, and US President Donald Trump has suspended aid to that country, which unsurprisingly has led Prime Minister Imran Khan to publicly declare that Pakistan had committed a mistake in fighting the American war. The Pakistan Army is looking at Islamic militants of all shades as its strategic assets, and this is clearly in evidence in Afghanistan, where it is cleverly playing on Mr Trumps impatience over the continuance of US troops in that country to position itself as a mediator between the US and the Taliban. It is Pakistan that had installed the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in 1996 under Taliban chief Mullah Mohammad Omar. Left to themselves, Pakistan and the Taliban had no problem with each other. Although the US and India are talking of an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, Pakistan is looking for an outcome that would enable it to hold sway in Afghanistan and keep India out of the frame there. The latest Taliban attack on the training establishment of the Afghan security forces outside Kabul in which at least 125 personnel were killed signals the intrinsic inadequacy of Afghanistan to defend itself against the covert offensive of Islamic radicals. The war on terrorseems to be tapering off notwithstanding the induction of drones for intelligence-based elimination of terrorist leaders. The Taliban enjoys a tacit understanding with the Pakistan Army, which has sensed victory is in the offing. India could be in for an enhanced threat from the Pakistan-Afghanistan belt because of the ease with which the Pakistan Army and its Inter-Services Intelligence would be able to spread radicalisation in India and manoeuvre Al Qaeda-Taliban groups to target this country. The geopolitical dimension of the war on terror worked for India so long as the presence of US troops in Afghanistan helped the process of reconstruction of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) and provided scope for India to contribute to that countrys development. As it is, the government of President Ashraf Ghani has its writ running only on just half of Afghanistans territory. China and Russia, for their own reasons, want to be on the Afghan table for peace negotiations their wishful thinking is that a friendly Pakistan would be helpful in keeping the Muslim-dominated areas on their periphery free of Islamic extremism and radicalisation. They have not forgotten the importance of Afghanistan as the geographical pivot of history since the days of the Great Game. India had enthusiastically supported the US-led war on terror because it had seen how the Taliban regime of Afghanistan had apart from its historical animosity towards the West and the Shias, started taking out its wrath on the world of idolatrous people by destroying the Buddhist statues of Bamiyan. It is in this backdrop that the declaration by the US special envoy for Afghan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalizad, on January 26 at the end of his six-day talks with Taliban representatives at Doha that the two sides were close to an agreement on a ceasefire by the Taliban in lieu of a phased withdrawal of American troops, is to be scrutinised carefully. The Taliban is yet to agree on talks with the Afghan government. The US has the comfort of distance which India does not have as far as the threat of Islamic extremism is concerned, and Pakistans designs of fishing in Indias domestic politics on the issue of the alleged insecurity of the Muslim minority here gives an added dimension to the threat to our internal security. A multi-pronged strategy must be worked out without delay, of which countering radicalisation on our own soil is a matter of the utmost priority. Mr Khalizad had recently met Mr Ashraf Ghani after visiting China, the UAE and India for furthering the process of Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace negotiations involving the Taliban. The test for the US special envoy is now to bring around the Pakistan Army to play its part in restoring democracy in war-torn Afghanistan. This is a tall order, to say the least. A half-baked formula of bringing Islamic radicals into the national mainstream will only serve the interest of Pakistan and not decrease Indias security concerns. India cant do anything about this except to prepare for the possible emergence of a hostile Pak-Afghan region in the near future. George Clooney plans on tapping into what he calls 'shared global anxiety' in his television adaptation of Catch-22. The icon joined a panel of stars at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour at The Langham Huntington on Monday in California - the same day a teaser was released for the series. There, the 57-year-old silver fox opened up about his latest project which will see him primarily behind the camera. Star power! George Clooney talked his new series Catch-22 at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour at The Langham Huntington on Monday in California Clooney, ever the dapper gentleman, looked spiffy in a tailored grey suit with a black button up shirt, black socks and black shoes. The husband of world renowned human rights attorney Amal Clooney was sporting his signature short coif with a salt and pepper beard. Alongside the star sat Grant Heslov, Christopher Abbott, Kyle Chandler, Ellen Kuras and Luke Davies who all opened up about working on their adaptation of Joseph Heller's 1961 novel for Hulu. On screen in the series, the Up In The Air actor has a more minor role as Scheisskopf, an Air Force Lieutenant from World War II. World War II: Hulu released the first trailer for the series on Monday Return to television: The 57-year-old silver fox opened up about his latest project which will see him primarily behind the camera as he adapts novel Catch-22 for TV However, the Oscar winner also serves as both executive producer and director for two episodes of the project. When he was first approached about the project, Clooney apparently said 'no,' reported Deadline. 'It seemed ridiculous,' the father of two said during the panel. 'I didn't want to get into the middle of all that.' TCAs: On stage sat Grant Heslov, George Clooney, Christopher Abbott, Kyle Chandler, Ellen Kuras and Luke Davies (left to right) Handsome: Clooney, ever the dapper gentleman, looked spiffy in a tailored grey suit with a black button up shirt, black socks and black shoes 'We all wake up every morning these days in shared global anxiety condition and this novel is a great distillation of that,' George said of Catch-22 After reading a few scripts from the six-episode series, the star and his producing partners signed on. 'We all wake up every morning these days in shared global anxiety condition and this novel is a great distillation of that,' George said of Catch-22. Adding: 'I love the film, don't get me wrong. But the film re-creates the kaleidoscope chaos of the novel,' he further explained. Struggle: During the panel, Clooney said his biggest hurdle was getting the audience to like the main character Off the field: Playing opposite the HBO star is Friday Night Lights and Bloodline star Kyle Chandler Departing slightly from both the novel and the 1970 film version, the series will be told from the point of view of main character, Yossarian, who is played by 33-year-old Christopher Abbott of Girls fame. During the panel, Clooney said his biggest hurdle was getting the audience to like Abbott's character '[He] does some pretty despicable things along the way,' the producer said. Back in time: The series, based on the famed novel, is set in World War II era 'Insanity is contagious,' Abbott says in the action packed teaser A trailer for the series shows high octane scenes that appeared some how both dramatic and, at times, almost slapstick. 'Insanity is contagious,' Abbott says in the action packed teaser. Clooney, Abbott and Chandler feature prominently in the video clip as well as actor Hugh Laurie. The show: A trailer for the series shows high octane scenes that appeared some how both dramatic and, at times, almost slapstick '[He] does some pretty despicable things along the way,' the producer said of Abbott's character Direction: On screen in the series, the Up In The Air actor has a more minor role as Scheisskopf, an Air Force Lieutenant from World War II but will also direct and produce Adding that the pressure was on Abbott: 'It came down to casting. We put out a lot of offers and [he] was much cheaper - and kind of likable.' Playing opposite the HBO star is Friday Night Lights and Bloodline star Kyle Chandler. Hulu describes the series as 'the story of the incomparable, artful dodger, Yossarian, a US Air Force bombardier in World War II who is furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. Plot point: Departing from both the novel and the 1970 film version, the series will be told from the point of view of main character, Yossarian, who is played by 33-year-old Christopher Abbott 'If Yossarian makes any attempt to avoid his military assignments, he'll be in violation of Catch-22, a hilariously sinister bureaucratic rule.' 'If Yossarian makes any attempt to avoid his military assignments, he'll be in violation of Catch-22, a hilariously sinister bureaucratic rule which specifies that a concern for one's own safety in the face of dangers which are real and immediate is the process of a rational mind,' the network said. Colonel Cathcart (Chandler) is responsible for dramatically raising the number of missions Yossarian and his team will have to complete. During the chat Clooney was asked an off topic question about Grey's Anatomy breaking ER's record as the longest running medical drama on television. Hulu describes the series as 'the story of the incomparable, artful dodger, Yossarian, a US Air Force bombardier in World War II who is furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him.' Step down? Being an actor's actor, Clooney didn't turn his nose up at returning to television after cementing his status as a movie star The star, who played Dr. Doug Ross in the series, quipped: 'I did know that. That's got to stop. We gotta go back and do some more!' He went on to call the drama that made him famous a 'nutty moment' as the six main actors 'were suddenly thrust into the stratosphere.' Being an actor's actor, Clooney didn't turn his nose up at returning to television after cementing his status as a movie star for Catch-22. Way back when: During the chat Clooney chimed in on Grey's Anatomy breaking ER's record as the longest running medical drama on television 'I don't care about the medium, I care about the quality of work, and television is doing some amazing things,' he explained. Adding that he: 'Just [wants] to work.' Catch-22 is slated to premiere in the Spring. Bethenny Frankel showed two million Instagram followers the early Valentine's Day treat she got from her 41-year-old beau Paul Bernon. The 48-year-old Real Housewife Of New York City uploaded a photo Sunday of a heart shaped flower arrangement on a bed of crystals. 'Love is in the air #luckylady,' she captioned the snapshot, which showed the floral display sitting on a balcony in front of a view of the city skyline. 'Love is in the air': Bethenny Frankel showed two million Instagram followers the early Valentine's Day treat she got from her beau Paul Bernon The Skinnygirl tycoon's film producer boyfriend was on hand when she nearly died in December of what she described on Twitter as 'a rare fish allergy'. Bethenny arrived at the hospital in the nick of time and was 'told if 5 mins later Id be dead,' she tweeted to her her 1.6 million followers. She shares her daughter Bryn, eight, with her second ex-husband Jason Hoppy, whom she married in March 2010, two months before their child was born. They split in 2012 and finalized the divorce in 2016, and though they initially had joint custody, Bethenny now wants full custody and is locked in a legal battle with him. Close companion: The Skinnygirl tycoon's film producer boyfriend was on hand when she nearly died in December of what she described on Twitter as 'a rare fish allergy' This past August, Bethenny's on-off boyfriend Dennis Shields died at 51 at his residence in Manhattan's Trump Tower of a suspected overdose. The reality star, who also had a yearlong marriage to her friend Peter Sussman in the 1990s, put out a self-help book on love in 2016. Co-written with Eve Adamson, it is charmingly titled I Suck At Relationships So You Don't Have To: 10 Rules For Not Screwing Up Your Happily Ever After. Bethenny was in Los Angeles late last month giving the keynote speech at the Nazarian Institute's conference about the luxury business. A place in the sun: The showbiz couple are pictured together enjoying a view of the ocean during a recent holiday to the Dominican Republic It was her commitment to this conference that reportedly kept her from attending the baby shower of Real Housewives producer Andy Cohen. Although several of the other Real Housewives from various franchises were in attendance, an insider told People 'Everyone knew' Bethenny would not be there. 'The speaking engagement was booked way before Andys party and it was at the same time. All the Housewives knew she was not going to be at the party because of this,' the source explained to the magazine. Victoria's Secret catwalker Winnie Harlow got wet and wild in plastic and water-resistant pieces from designers Norma Kamali, Akris, and more for a new spread shot by photographer Max Paprendieck. The 24-year-old Women's Management Model also flaunted her slim 5ft9in figure in a $1,560 Dries Van Noten raincoat and $118 Live the Process shorts for the action-packed ELLE pictoral. Hairstylist Hos Hounkpatin had his work cut out for him keeping the Canadian beauty's raven locks looking fierce and her water-proof make-up was applied by Virginia Young. Making a splash! Victoria's Secret catwalker Winnie Harlow got wet and wild in plastic and water-resistant pieces from designers Norma Kamali, Akris, and more for a new spread shot by photographer Max Paprendieck ELLE pictoral: The 24-year-old Women's Management Model also flaunted her slim 5ft9in figure in a $1,560 Dries Van Noten raincoat and $118 Live the Process shorts '[More] magazine covers!' Winnie told Vanity Fair in November of her career goals. 'You can never have enough. Ever.' It's hard to believe Harlow (born Chantelle Brown-Young) wanted to be a ballerina or a journalist rather than a model as a child, and now she's strutting down runways for Prabal Gurung and Kenzo. 'There's more pressure. I like to have a lot of structure, and I have to build a good team,' the Promises video vixen - who has vitiligo - told the mag. Bucket hat: Hairstylist Hos Hounkpatin had his work cut out for him keeping the Canadian beauty's raven locks looking fierce and her water-proof make-up was applied by Virginia Young Winnie told Vanity Fair in November of her career goals: '[More] magazine covers! You can never have enough. Ever' (pictured Sunday) Catwalker: It's hard to believe Harlow wanted to be a ballerina or a journalist rather than a model as a child, and now she's strutting down runways for Prabal Gurung and Kenzo Born Chantelle Brown-Young: Winnie was famously discovered by America's Next Top Model host Tyra Banks on Instagram and finished sixth place on cycle 21 in 2014, but she's since bad-mouthed the reality show for its 'irrelevance' 'When those types of things start to fall in line, it makes things easier. Obviously, there's more pressure [now]. It's more high stakes, but the better that you build your team and your support system to be, the more fun it becomes.' Winnie was famously discovered by America's Next Top Model host Tyra Banks on Instagram and finished sixth place on cycle 21 in 2014, but she's since bad-mouthed the reality show for its 'irrelevance.' On the romance front, it's unlikely Harlow is still dating 10-time Grammy-nominated rapper Wiz Khalifa as the couple have not been pictured together since November 10. She signed up for Celebs Go Dating after her romance with Sam Bird failed to last. And Georgia Steel looked like she was a woman on a mission as she arrived in Tenerife on Monday to film the final episode of the hit E4 series. The Love Island beauty, 20, was dressed to impress in a pink vest to highlight her slender frame paired with baggy tracksuit bottoms of the same shade. Strutting: Georgia Steel looked like she was a woman on a mission as she arrived in Tenerife on Monday to film the final episode of the hit E4 series Celebs Go Dating She finished off her casual look with white socks and trainers while shielding her eyes with her large sunglasses. The petite brunette left her long locks in curls, before taking to Instagram to tell fans she's piled some of her hair into a scrunchie 'as usual'. Georgia took to Instagram earlier in the day to admit she had left her passport at home and only realised when she got to the airport. Casual: The Love Island beauty, 20, was dressed to impress in a pink vest to highlight her slender frame paired with baggy tracksuit bottoms of the same shade Style: She finished off her casual look with white socks and trainers while shielding her eyes with her large sunglasses Looking good: The petite brunette left her long locks in curls, before taking to Instagram to tell fans she's piled some of her hair into a scrunchie 'as usual' Oh no! Georgia took to Instagram earlier in the day to admit she had left her passport at home and only realised when she got to the airport Hunk: Also taking part in this year's series was Georgia's fellow Islander Jack Fowler, 22, who looked like he was settling into life in the warm climates well But, she was in high spirits when she boarded the plane and arriving at the luxury hotel, she showed fans the grounds saying 'this is what I call work with a view'. Also taking part in this year's series was Georgia's fellow Islander Jack Fowler, 22, who looked like he was settling into life in the warm climates well. The unlucky-in-love hunk arrived for filming flexing his mucles in a white t-shirt and Hugo Boss tracksuit bottoms. Stepping out: The unlucky-in-love hunk arrived for filming flexing his mucles in a white t-shirt and Hugo Boss tracksuit bottoms Reunion: The fellow Islanders had an impromptu reunion, joined by Made In Chelsea's Sam Thompson Bromance: The pair looked like they'd hit it off and even dressed in similar outfits Hot stuff: He later got comfortable and stripped down to a pair of flower printed swim shorts Need help? Jack helped Sam apply his sun cream to keep him protected from the Spanish sun Pals: Serial romancer Sam, 22, was a barrel of laughs as he greeted his fellow contestants at the Tenerife hotel Buddy up: The group was joined by Ibiza Weekender's David Potts (right) who looked to have struck up a tight friendship with Georgia He later got comfortable and stripped down to a pair of flower printed swim shorts before later helping pal Sam Thompson apply his suncream. Serial romancer Sam, 22, was a barrel of laughs as he greeted his fellow contestants at the Tenerife hotel. The group was joined by Ibiza Weekender's David Potts who looked to have struck up a tight friendship with Georgia. The group are currently filming series six of the hit show which sees celebrities paired for dates with members of the public. It will air on E4 later this year. She's a highly sought after supermodel with an impressive resume. But Lily-Rose Depp was keen on keeping things casual as she stepped out on a shopping adventure in New York on Monday morning. The 19-year-old fashion phenom flaunted her long legs in a short white mini skirt as she wrapped up in a leather jacket. Bundled up: Lily-Rose Depp was keen on keeping things casual as she stepped out on a shopping adventure in New York on Monday morning Despite the chilly weather, Lily-Rose rocked a white mini skirt paired with black hose and brown leather boots. Her city-chic ensemble was complete with a heavy leather coat cinched around her waist, with a brown leather monogrammed Louis Vuitton bag worn on her wrist. Depp kept her light brown hair slicked back into a tight bun and wore a pair of small-framed Chanel sunglasses. City slicker: The 19-year-old fashion phenom flaunted her long legs in a short white mini skirt as she wrapped up in a leather jacket She carried a brown paper Love Adorned bag in one hand, with earbuds positioned in her ears. The daughter of Johnny Depp recently graced the cover of Vogue Australia wearing a straw sun hat and black lace gown. In the magazine, Lily-Rose, now known as both a model and an actress, spoke candidly about having to prove herself in the public eye. 'I've always been under the impression that I have to work twice as hard to prove to people that I'm not just here because it's easy for me,' she said. Fashion: Despite the chilly weather, Lily-Rose rocked a white mini skirt paired with black hose and brown leather boots 'If you're not right for something, they're not just going to hire you because your name looks good on the post,' she added. She is set to appear in her sixth motion picture venture later this year with Netflix's The King, which also features her rumored beau Timothee Chalamet as well as Robert Pattinson. The pair first sparked romance rumors back in early October when the couple were spotted putting on a cuddly display around New York. Later in the month, Lily and Timothee, who act as a couple in The King, seemed to confirm their relationship over a series of PDA-packed outings. As well as a budding career in acting, Paris-born Lily is a successful model and first joined Chanel in 2014 where she starred in a number of campaigns for its fragrance line as well as striding down the catwalk for the brand. They're two of the best momagers in the business. Kris Jenner, 63, and Lisa Rinna, 55, likely shared a few tips with each other about raising their children in the Hollywood spotlight while filming in Los Angeles on Sunday evening. The ladies were both dressed to thrill in leopard print ensembles on the '90s-inspired set complete with a retro Mercedes and Blockbuster VHS tapes. Talk about it: Kris Jenner, 63, and Lisa Rinna, 55, likely shared a few tips with each other about raising their children in the Hollywood spotlight while filming in Los Angeles on Sunday Kris stayed warm underneath a massive fuzzy coat with peeks of an electric green blazer popping out. Her throwback ensemble looked complete with a chic black turtleneck top and matching leggings. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians matriarch added inches to her frame with a pair of platform sandals. Fashion: Kris stayed warm underneath a massive fuzzy coat with peeks of an electric green blazer popping out Matching: The ladies were both dressed to thrill in leopard print ensembles on the '90s-inspired set complete with a retro Mercedes and Blockbuster VHS tapes Fashion: Her throwback ensemble looked complete with a chic black turtleneck top and matching leggings Casual: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians matriarch added inches to her frame with a pair of platform sandals Her short brunette bob was worn slightly tousled with massive dangling earrings perched above her shoulders. Lisa's supremely slender figure was on display in a leopard print jacket paired with matching trousers. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star wore a pair of pointy black clogs to match a black blouse as she pounded the pavement with her gal pal. A look: Her short brunette bob was worn slightly tousled with massive dangling earrings perched above her shoulders Classic: Lisa's supremely slender figure was on display in a leopard print jacket paired with matching trousers Action: The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star wore a pair of pointy black clogs to match a black blouse as she pounded the pavement with her gal pal New gig? It's unclear what the ladies were filming, but Rinna made her way through the set carrying a bunch of old VHS tapes which appeared to be from Blockbuster, the former video rental service which has been out of business for decades It's unclear what the ladies were filming, but Rinna made her way through the set carrying a bunch of old VHS tapes which appeared to be from Blockbuster, the former video rental service which has been out of business for decades. The women were certainly styling behind the wheel of a white Mercedes SL convertible to film a few scenes. Kris recently celebrated her granddaughter Stormi Webster's first birthday with a carnival-themed soiree. Good times: The women were certainly styling behind the wheel of a white Mercedes SL convertible to film a few scenes Relax: Kris recently celebrated her granddaughter Stormi Webster's first birthday with a carnival-themed soiree Success: Jenner has six children from two marriages, and often boasts of her nine grandchildren in total Jenner has six children from two marriages, and often boasts of her nine grandchildren in total. Rinna starred on Days of Our Lives and Melrose Place before becoming a mother to Delilah Belle and Amelia Gray Hamlin. She took on the role of momager to her two daughters with husband Harry Hamlin after the girls expressed interest in modeling. Both of her girls have seen success on the runway and in print since storming the scene just a few years ago. Working mom: Rinna starred on Days of Our Lives and Melrose Place before becoming a mother to Delilah Belle and Amelia Gray Hamlin Steven Tyler is going strong with girlfriend Aimee Preston. The two were seeing kissing on Sunday evening at his Grammy Awards viewing party to benefit Janie's Fund held at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. The two look good together even though there is a large age difference between them. While the rocker is 70-years-old, his lady love is only 30-years-old, which is 11 years younger than his actress daughter Liv Tyler, 41. Smooch: Steven Tyler is going strong with girlfriend Aimee Preston. The two were seeing kissing on Sunday evening at his Grammy Awards Viewing Party To Benefit Janie's Fund held at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood Age is but a number: The two look good together even though there is a large age difference between them Aimee was the rock god's personal assistant before they started dating. They went public with their May-December romance in February 2016. The pair revealed their relationship at an Oscar viewing party for Elton Johns AIDS Foundation in February 2016, and have been going strong ever since. Tyler has a total of four kids: In addition to Liv he has daughter Mia with wife Cyrinda Foxe, as well as daughter Chelsea and son Taj with clothing designer Teresa Barrick. It just works! Aimee was the rock god's personal assistant before they started dating. They went public with their May-December romance in February 2016 Also at the event was Sharon Stone. She looked nearly half her age wearing a sheer black gown that made the most of her slender frame. The 60-year-old actress rocked a black bodysuit underneath see-through fabric on the star-studded red carpet at Raleigh Studios. Star power: Sharon Stone looked nearly half her age wearing a sheer black gown Sharon was a vision wearing a high-cut black bodysuit underneath a mesh long-sleeved dress. She appeared to wear black socks with strappy heels and carried a matching leather bag by her side. Her short blonde hair was tousled to the side with a bright red shade swiped across her lips. Wow! The 60-year-old actress rocked a black bodysuit underneath see-through fabric on the star-studded red carpet at Raleigh Studios Lovely: Caitlyn Jenner showed off her tanned and toned legs in a vibrant floral mini dress and black heels Caitlyn Jenner showed off her tanned and toned legs in a vibrant floral mini dress and black heels. Jenner, 69, paired her flirty gown with a black leather jacket and carried a leather purse in one hand. Gal pal Sophia Hutchins, 22, was a vision in white with sparkling silver accents lining her shoulders and bust Beaming: Jenner, 69, paired her flirty gown with a black leather jacket and carried a leather purse in one hand Mellow: Audrina Partridge rocked a canary yellow frock which featured a turtleneck, rouging around her waist and long sleeves Festive: Rumer Willis was certainly feeling the rock 'n' roll vibes as she rocked a black leather jacket and a black pencil skirt Audrina Partridge rocked a canary yellow frock which featured a turtleneck, rouging around her waist and long sleeves. Rumer Willis was certainly feeling the rock 'n' roll vibes as she rocked a black leather jacket and a black pencil skirt. Her short brown hair was worn straight underneath a black newsboy cap with smokey shadow lining her lids. Stylin: Julianne Hough showed off a shaggy haircut with her bejeweled jumpsuit as she attended the party with husband Brooks Laich Glitzy: The 30-year-old dancer rocked a plunging neckline attached to satin trousers Family: Chelsea Tyler cozied up to dad Steven and supermodel sister Mia on the red carpet Julianne Hough showed off a shaggy haircut with her bejeweled jumpsuit as she attended the party with husband Brooks Laich. Chelsea Tyler cozied up to dad Steven, 69, and supermodel sister Mia on the red carpet. Jane Lynch was on hand wearing a long blazer paired with black slacks and a matching blouse. Kayte Walsh opted for a long-sleeved navy number while Kelsey Grammer went without a tie in a black suit. Jesse Metcalfe was certainly rocking a look all his own wearing an all-black ensemble complete with a leather jacket and aviator sunglasses. Supportive: Kayte Walsh opted for a long-sleeved navy number while Kelsey Grammer went without a tie in a black suit Bold hues: Jane Lynch was on hand wearing a long blazer paired with black slacks and a matching blouse Interesting: Jesse Metcalfe was certainly rocking a look all his own wearing an all-black ensemble complete with a leather jacket and aviator sunglasses Rockstars: Billie Paulette Montgomery and Joe Perry lent their support to buddy Steven's event Once inside, Caitlyn and Sophia caught up with David Foster, a former husband of Caitlyn's ex-wife Linda Thompson. In addition to the interesting relationship, the trio also used to share the same zip code as residents of Malibu. Steven made sure to talk shop with Mark Wahlberg who was casually clad in a grey sweatshirt and jeans. Terry Crews looked dapper in a sweater and tie combo as he enjoyed the night with musician wife Rebecca King-Crews. Pals: Once inside, Caitlyn and Sophia caught up with David Foster, a former husband of Caitlyn's ex-wife Linda Thompson Buddies: Steven made sure to talk shop with Mark Wahlberg who was casually clad in a grey sweatshirt and jeans Good times: Terry Crews looked dapper in a sweater and tie combo as he enjoyed the night with musician wife Rebecca King-Crews Style: Adam Levin, Casey Harris and Sam Harris of X Ambassadors enjoyed the night out to celebrate music Legends: Steven posed with fellow rocker Alice Cooper Famous friends: Preston, Steven, Ashlee Simpson and Evan Ross took a group snap Daddy's girl: Steven's daughter Mia Tyler gave a speech for the fundraiser She had fun on Saturday evening as she attended Jennifer Aniston's 50th birthday party at the Sunset Tower hotel in West Hollywood. It was quite the blow-out bash with A listers like Gwyneth Paltrow and Katy Perry there, as well as a surprise appearance from Aniston's ex-husband Brad Pitt. But the next day the Almost Famous star looked far from hungover as she went shopping alone at Bonjour Fete, a party supply boutique in Studio City, California. On the town: Kate Hudson was seen shopping alone at Bonjour Fete - a party supply boutique - in Studio City, California on Sunday Money to burn: The 39-year-old actress hand her hands full carrying a variety of shopping bags. She was wearing a black turtleneck, matching cropped trousers, and black loafers The 39-year-old actress hand her hands full carrying a variety of shopping bags which were filled with heart-print wrapping paper for Valentine's Day. She was wearing a black turtleneck, matching cropped trousers, and black loafers. The daughter of Goldie Hawn appeared to leave her three kids at home. Kate and beau Danny Fujikawa welcomed their first child last year, daughter Rani Rose Hudson Fujikawa. The A-list actress is also mother to 15-year-old son Ryder with rocker Chris Robinson, and seven-year-old son Bingham with her former fiance, Muse's Matt Bellamy. Hudson appeared to be in fine form on Saturday. She was seen in the series of Instagram photos where she admitted she 'got permish' from Aniston to post the images. She likes the big labels: Hudson is seen here with her small Gucci purse on her shoulder The blonde beauties cuddled up to each other in the series of photos where Kate played with what appeared to be a dirty martini and stick of olives. 'Love these ladies,' Hudson wrote on Instagram. 'Celebrated this beauty last night. Happy Bday JA! We all love you sooo!' Perry was quick to note 'NO SOCIAL MEDIA' with more than 600 hundred followers liking the comment before Kate quickly responded, 'got permish' with a host of emojis. Drink up! Kate appeared to be in fine form in the series of Instagram photos where she admitted she 'got permish' after Katy Perry called her out for sharing scenes from the private soiree Good times: The blonde beauties cuddled up to each other in the series of photos where Kate played with what appeared to be a dirty martini and stick of olives Gwyneth wrote, 'Happy birthday (last night and tomorrow) to #jenniferaniston our ray of sunshine, example of perpetual goodness.' We love you so much and you make 50 LOOK [fire emoji].' Jennifer's birthday party was the main event on Saturday night with a host of celebrities in attendance. Ex-husband Brad, who's reportedly been quietly dating Charlize Theron since January, went incognito in a flat cap as he rushed inside Jennifer's favorite West Hollywood spot. Besties? Gwyneth gushed over Jennifer, calling her a 'ray of sunshine' Trio: 'Love these ladies,' Hudson wrote on Instagram. 'Celebrated this beauty last night. Happy Bday JA! We all love you sooo!' After several years of being celebrated as one of Hollywood's most glamorous couples, Jennifer and Brad shocked fans when they announced that they were divorcing in 2005. He wasn't alone, with stars including Ellen DeGeneres, Barbra Streisand and Jason Bateman joining the celebrations. Also among the attendees was George Clooney, who arrived in style with his glamorous wife Amal, while Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber also made their way into the party. Dennis Rickman's time on Albert Square came to a tragic end well over a decade ago, when he was stabbed to death on New Year's Eve in 2005. And he is set to be the focus of upcoming episodes on EastEnders, as Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) and Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton) were recently photographed visiting his grave in emotional new scenes. They were seen hugging one another as they made their way through a cemetery to pay their respects to Dennis, breaking down in tears before leaving a bunch of flowers on his headstone. Emotional scenes: Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) and Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton) were recently photographed visiting Dennis Rickman's grave in emotional new scenes for EastEnders The shots come just days after actor Nigel Harman, 45 who played Dennis on the long-running BBC show revealed that he could well return to the popular soap. During an appearance on ITV's Loose Women late last week, he said of the possibility of returning: 'We would have to come up with a story line, but I loved it. It would be difficult to find a storyline that was believable. Maybe a twin?' On the show, Dennis was ordered killed by his nemesis Johnny Allen (Billy Murray) who also happens to be Ruby's father in a revenge attack. Tragic end: Dennis Rickman's time on Albert Square came to a tragic end well over a decade ago, when he was stabbed to death on New Year's Eve in 2005 Revenge attack: On the show, Dennis was ordered killed by his nemesis Johnny Allen (Billy Murray) who also happens to be Ruby's father in a revenge attack Shedding tears: They were seen hugging one another as they made their way through a cemetery to pay their respects to Dennis, breaking down in tears His death came ahead of the birth of his son Dennis Jr. (Harry Hickles), from his romance with adopted sister Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean). Sharon went on to tie the knot with Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), who set up Dennis against Johnny, leading to his untimely death. Pictures of the new EastEnders scenes come days after it was revealed that original characters Mary 'The Punk' Smith and George 'Lofty' Holloway would be back on Albert Square after 30 years' absence as part of a new storyline. Actors Linda Davidson, 54, and Tom Watt, 62, will be returning when fellow original castmember Dr. Harold Legg (Leonard Fenton) is killed off. Layered outfits: They staved off the chilly temperatures in layered ensembles for their outing Lean: During a break in filming, Lacey was seen leaning on one of the gravestones on the set Coming to a screen near you: An air date for the emotional scenes has yet to be revealed Casual: Lacey wore a casual ensemble, including a black fluffy coat, skinny jeans and boots In new stills recently released by the BBC, the memorable duo who left the soap for good in 1988 are seen catching up with old friends in the Queen Vic. The characters are deep in conversation with Dot Cotton Sharon Watts at the wake, paying their respects after Harold's death. A soap source previously told The Sun: 'Lofty and Mary The Punk are two of the most memorable characters of the original set of stars. 'Its staggering to think its been more than 30 years since they were last on the Square but soap fans will be delighted to hear of their comeback. Return? The shots come just days after actor Nigel Harman, 45 who played Dennis on the long-running BBC show revealed that he could well return to the popular soap 'Regular viewers will know Dr. Leggs health is bad and its thought his death will play out in February next year, and these two will be back around the time of his funeral.' Viewers will undoubtedly remember Mary, the drug-taking, fast-living punk rocker with a distinctive sense of style. The young mother's wild lifestyle put her baby at risk and she even turned to prostitution to support herself. Following her role as Mary, who last appeared on the Square in May 1988, Linda quit acting to work in web design and now owns a social media agency. Making a comeback: EastEnders is set to welcome Mary 'The Punk' Smith and George 'Lofty' Holloway back to Albert Square after 30 years' absence as part of a new storyline Original cast members: Actors Linda Davidson, 54, and Tom Watt, 62, will be returning when fellow original cast member Dr. Harold Legg is killed off She said: 'EastEnders was my first proper family. It gave me stability and a fantastic foundation from which to build an incredible life. 'The people of EastEnders have been a consistent thread throughout the intervening years. I am so thrilled, and very proud to be returning to that family 35 years later. Its going to be a blast!' Meanwhile, Lofty was the original barman at the Queen Vic and madly in love with Michelle Fowler. He offered to bring up Michelle's illegitimate child as his own when she fell pregnant with Dirty Dens baby in 1985. Welcomed back into the fold: In new stills released by the BBC, the memorable duo - who left the soap for good in 1988 - are seen catching up with old friends in the Queen Vic Controversial: Viewers will undoubtedly remember Mary (centre(, the drug-taking, fast-living punk rocker whose wild ways put her baby at risk He was dumped at the alter but eventually made it down the aisle with Michelle, only to leave the soap in April 1988 when their relationship ended. Actor Tom - who has since moved into journalism and has ghostwritten David Beckham's autobiography - said he was 'delighted' to be asked to return. He commented: 'I was delighted they asked me if I would return to EastEnders for Dr Leggs funeral. Dr Legg is an iconic character so it feels fitting that Lofty should return to say goodbye. 'I have nothing but good memories from my time on EastEnders so it will be lovely to set foot back in Albert Square all these years later.' Unlucky-in-love: Meanwhile, Lofty (left) was the original barman at the Queen Vic and madly in love with Michelle Fowler Advertisement World On Fire has been billed as an 'adrenalized, emotionally gripping and resonant' drama detailing the first year of World War II. Filming was underway for the the upcoming BBC programme on Monday as the cast and crew took over St Anne's Beach in Lancashire in an extravagant recreation of the Battle of Dunkirk. There was no sign of A-list actors Sean Bean and Helen Hunt on location as filming got underway for Peter Bowkers historical epic. On location: Filming was underway for new BBC drama World On Fire on Monday morning as the cast and crew took over St Anne's Beach in Lancashire in an extravagant recreation of the Battle of Dunkirk WWII epic: There was no sign of the main cast members on location, A-list actors Sean Bean and Helen Hunt, as filming got underway for Peter Bowkers historical epic Men were spotted dressed in full military uniform as they sat around on the beach, perching on trunks as debris lay at their feet. Extras were seen performing stunts on the sand, with one man mimicking an explosion as he dived off a trampoline and onto a crash landing pad. There were also several tanks set up around the beach, as well as a makeshift camp with several tents flanked by vintage WWII vehicles. Surrounded by the grassy dunes, the beaches Lancashire could be mistaken for the very same shores of Normandy where the Allied forces took on Nazi Germany. On set: Men were spotted dressed in full military uniform as they sat around on the beach, perching on trunks as debris lay at their feet Picturesque: Surrounded by the grassy dunes, the beaches Lancashire could be mistaken for the very same shores of Normandy where the Allied forces took on Nazi Germany Makeshift camp: There were also several tanks set up around the beach, as well as a makeshift camp with several tents flanked by vintage WWII vehicles New drama: World On Fire has been billed as an 'adrenalized, emotionally gripping and resonant' drama detailing the first year of World War II A-list cast: Award-winning duo Sean Bean (left) and Helen Hunt (right) are fronting the historical drama, but it has not been revealed what roles they will play The drama follows the intertwining fates of ordinary people drawn from Britain, Poland, France, Germany and the United States, as they deal with the war's effect on their lives. Filming for the series kicked off in September last year in Prague, with other locations including Paris and Manchester. At the time that he was announced as a cast member, Yorkshire-born Sean said in a statement: 'I am thrilled to be part of this ambitious drama. 'Peter Bowkers study of the human stories that thread through this huge global conflict is fascinating and something I look forward to being part of on screen.' No expenses spared: The new drama is pulling out all the stops to recreate the Battle of Dunkirk as accurately as possible Peaceful: It was a beautiful day for filming, with extras enjoying the sunshine during a break from the camera Synopsis: The drama follows the intertwining fates of ordinary people drawn from Britain, Poland, France, Germany and the United States, as they deal with the war's effect on their lives Busy schedule: Filming for the series kicked off in September last year in Prague, with other locations including Paris and Manchester The show will see Sean and Helen share screen time with a number stars, Lesley Manville, Blake Harrison, Yrsa Daley-Ward, Ansu Kabia and Ewan Mitchell. Peter Bowker divulged more about the plot in his official statement when the BBC snapped up the rights. He explained: 'World On Fire tells the hidden human stories within the big historical events we think we know. 'From Harry, a young English translator in Warsaw caught up in negotiations with the Nazis and trying to smuggle his Polish lover Kasia out of the country, to Lois, the girl who is waiting for him at home, a young Mancunian factory worker who will come to take all the opportunities the war can offer to live a different kind of life. Cast: The show will see Sean and Helen share screen time with a number stars, Lesley Manville, Blake Harrison, Yrsa Daley-Ward, Ansu Kabia and Ewan Mitchell Brainchild: Writer Peter Bowker divulged more about the plot in his official statement when the BBC snapped up the rights Discussing the plot, he said: 'These are the stories of the ordinary people who shaped our world' He continued: 'Stories of loyalty and brutality, courage and fear, hopes, stories of love and loss, hopes and dreams forged in extraordinary times' In high spirits: Cast members gathered on the dunes as they filmed scenes for the upcoming programme 'To Nancy, a female US war correspondent who cant find peace unless her life is at risk, to the Rossler family in Berlin, worried for their soldier son and willing to do anything to protect their disabled daughter from the attentions of the ruling Nazi regime. These are the stories of the ordinary people who shaped our world. 'Stories of loyalty and brutality, courage and fear, hopes, stories of love and loss, hopes and dreams forged in extraordinary times.' The evacuation of Dunkirk was the largest military evacuation in history, taking place between May 27 and June 4, 1940. Known as Operation Dynamo, it saw an estimated 338,000 Allied troops rescued from northern France. 11,000 Britons were killed during Operation Dynamo, and another 40,000 were captured and imprisoned. History: Dunkirk was the largest military evacuation in history, taking place between May 27 and June 4, 1940 Military operation: Known as Operation Dynamo, it saw an estimated 338,000 Allied troops rescued from northern France Sad loss: 11,000 Britons were killed during Operation Dynamo, and another 40,000 were captured and imprisoned Landmark operation: Described as a 'miracle of deliverance' by wartime prime minister Winston Churchill, it is seen as one of several events in 1940 that determined the eventual outcome of the war The achievements and failures, the contradictions and anomalies are spread out in both the Central and state budgets. The Central government is not the lone torch-bearer of the nations economic growth. The achievements and failures, the contradictions and anomalies are spread out in both the Central and state budgets. Many of us in the news business, especially those based in New Delhi, fail to take note of the state budgets, and give overriding importance to the Union Budget. It does not give an accurate picture of what is happening in the countrys economy and what the governments are doing. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his colleagues speak of cooperative federalism, there is not much talk of economic federalism. The Central government is not the lone torch-bearer of the nations economic growth. The achievements and failures, the contradictions and anomalies are spread out in both the Central and state budgets. Three state budgets presented on February 7 and 8 provide an interesting view on what is happening on the economic front in some parts of the country. The Uttar Pradesh and Odisha budgets were presented on February 7 and that of Tamil Nadu on February 8. The political thrust of these three state budgets are conspicuous. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said that budgets should be welfare-oriented (lokkalyankari) and not populist (lok-lubhavni)! Tamil Nadu and Odisha have projected growth rates of eight per cent, which is higher than the 7.1 per cent average of the national growth rate. And all the three governments have laid out expansive allocations in terms of infrastructure and the welfare of different sections of people. In Odisha, the Naveen Patnaik government has announced Rs 10,000 assistance to farmers in its interim budget compared to the Rs 6,000 per annum of Union finance minister Piyush Goyals interim budget and the Rs 8,000 that the Telangana government is offering to farmers. The Odisha government rejected the Central governments Ayushman Bharat scheme and introduced the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana and allocated `864 crores for the scheme. Both in Tamil Nadu and in Uttar Pradesh outlays for education are quite impressive, Rs 28,757 crores has been allocated to the education department, Rs 1,656 crores for school education, Rs 1,072 crores for the laptop scheme in Tamil Nadu. In Uttar Pradesh, Rs 910 crores has been allocated for scholarships to students from the minority community, and Rs 549 crores for Arab-Farsi madrasas in the state. While the per capita income in Tamil Nadu is Rs 1,42,267 per annum, in Uttar Pradesh it is Rs 55,500. There is the curious fact in the Uttar Pradesh budget that tax on liquor, which is expected to fetch Rs 165 crores, will be spent for the upkeep of stray cattle. A total of Rs 612.6 crores has been earmarked for stray cattle and the construction of gau-shalas, or cattle shelters. The other interesting fact is that UP has declared its share of Goods and Services Tax (GST) to be Rs 77,000 crores Rs 31,000 crores from excise and Rs 78,000 crores from Motor Vehicle Tax. This should make the economists sit up and analyse that the tax earnings of the most populous state in the country have this topsy-turvy picture where state taxes outstrip that of the GST, though the states share of the GST should be commensurate with its total tax earnings of the pre-GST period. It does not seem to be the case. Its GST share cannot be its share of the Central pool of taxes, but much more. It is also interesting that all three states have managed to rein in their fiscal deficits. Former Union finance minister Yashwant Sinha had argued in 2013 that it was the good performance of the states economies that was buoying up the nations economic growth rate, and that the Central government cannot take the credit for this. There is reason then to look closely at the states economies because every once in a while we hear the economists groaning that it is the fiscal deficit of the state governments that threatens to sink the national economy. There has also been the argument that centralised planning is not right and that the states should have the freedom to set their own development and economic priorities. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP believe in a centralised state, and cooperative federalism is nothing but a euphemism of the Central government setting the national economic agenda, which is an anomaly in a federal setup. If the states are left free to do what is best for them, then there would not be much need for the Central government to preen about is management of the national economy. A close and comparative scrutiny of the states and Central budgets would reveal that many of the Central welfare schemes are overlapping with those of the state governments, and that the Central government should end this indulgence. This would free up the Central budget to focus on defence, currency and foreign policy. India has come to a stage when the Central government need not play the big brother in guiding the states to manage their economic affairs. While Prime Minister Modi had done the right thing in closing the Planning Commission, he has not yet given up the imperial project of the Central government to set the national economic agenda. India has grown because the states are doing well, and it is time that the states take the credit for the good and the bad that is happening in their states. The states budgets and their economies present a truer picture of the national economy than the outlays in the Central budget. The trend of state governments seeking foreign investments goes back to the late 1970s, when chief ministers in then Andhra Pradesh like M. Channa Reddy and N.T. Rama Rao sought investments from non-resident Indians (NRIs) in North America. They did not always succeed, but they showed the way. Economic federalism is the flavour of the moment. She's no stranger to looking radiant and youthful on the red carpet. And Amanda Holden has revealed the secret to her glowing appearance by applying a Crystal Skincare face mask while preparing for the final Britain's Got Talent auditions in Manchester on Monday morning. The TV judge, 47, took to Instagram to share the skincare routine with her fans ahead of another day of filming for the long-running talent show. Fresh-faced: Amanda Holden, 47, rocked a youthful appearance on Instgram as she showed off the results of her face mask on Monday ahead of the final Britain's Got Talent auditions In a video shared on her page, Amanda is seen getting her luxury mask removed, with her fresh-faced look revealed underneath. Looking radiant, the presenter let her natural beauty do the talking by going make-up free. With her blonde hair spilling across a pillow she cracked a smile, evidently pleased with the results of her treatment. The big reveal: Amanda shared a video of her getting a Crystal Clear Skincare face mask ahead of filming for the ITV talent show Sensational: Amanda previously wowed in a stunning blood-orange gown with caped detailing as she continued with the Britain's Got Talent auditions Clearly appreciative of her beauty post, fans of Amanda quickly rushed to comment on how good she looked. One person commented: 'You look sensational without makeup.' While another shared: 'Its looking good Amanda you look gorgeous already, with a third supporter writing: 'Your skin looks amazing.' Glamorous duo: Amanda and co-star Alesha Dixon cut a stylish figure as they attended BGT auditions in Manchester on Wednesday Amanda's video comes just days after she stunned in a bold blood-orange gown as she stepped out for previous auditions in Manchester. The mother-of-two looked sensational in the one-shouldered midi dress complete with a caped detail down one side. She finished her look with her blonde locks curled to perfection and rocked pointy white stilettos. Top talent: Amanda stars on BGT with fellow judges Simon Cowell, David Walliams and Alesha Dixon alongside hosts Declan Donnelly and Ant McPartlin Amanda is currently filming the 13th series of Britain's Got Talent alongside fellow judges Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams. Joining the judges are hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, with Ant resuming his presenting duties after taking an extended break last year following his drink driving conviction. Britain's Got Talent is expected to return to ITV1 in April. Ariana Grande was angry on Sunday evening when her late beau Mac Miller did not win a Grammy award. But the day before the big show, the beauty appeared to be in great spirits. The former Disney princess was seen celebrating her big success with her latest album Sweetener - which came it at number one during its first week on sale - as she downed champagne in Beverly Hills with friends. Cheers to me: Ariana Grande toasted to her pals with champagne on Saturday in Beverly Hills Here's look at you: The 25-year-old songbird was celebrating the success of her latest album Sweetener, which made a fortune its first week The siren had her brunette hair in a long ponytail, her usual look, with a beige jacket over a beige tube top and a black choker on. And the star added green cargo pants and platform boots with a Chanel belt purse. She was made up to the nines with black eyeliner and pink lipstick suggesting she was ready for a photo shoot. And the petite wonder wore her nails long and light pink. There were several friends around her, both men and women. Pop star chic: The siren had her brunette hair in a long ponytail, her usual look, with a beige jacket over a beige tube top and a black choker on Snazzy: She was made up to the nines with black eyeliner and pink lipstick suggesting she was ready for a photo shoot. And the petite wonder wore her nails long and light pink Monday morning, Ariana lounged in bed as she reflected on her first Grammy win, following six nominations. 'It's me your tiny, highly emotional, italian, and now grammy award winning friend. i'm super tarnished lol. but super grateful,' she wrote. She then shared a photo of herself lying in a darkened room, writing: 'sry if im up n down a lot'. This was swiftly followed by yet another apology - this time for saying sorry too often. 'n sorry if i say sorry way too much,' wrote the 25-year-old. Monday blues; Grammy winner Ariana shared a photo of herself lying in a darkened room, writing: 'sry if im up n down a lot' Overthinking this: 'n sorry if i say sorry way too much,' added the 25-year-old On Sunday, Grande took to Twitter to vent about the Grammys and her late ex Mac Miller on Sunday, then later deleted the tweets. The Boca Raton, Florida native, boycotted attending the ceremony amid a creative rift with producers, but was active on social media throughout the day - showing fans the Zac Posen gown she would have worn - before later deleting most of the stream-of-consciousness content she had posted. Grande hit a boiling point when Miller was not named as the winner in the Best Rap Album category for his album Swimming, losing out to Cardi B's Invasion of Privacy. Speaking out: The beauty took to Twitter to vent about the Grammys and her late ex Mac Miller on Sunday, then later deleted the tweets The posthumous nomination was the only one for Miller, who died at the age of 26 in September as result of a fatal overdose from alcohol, cocaine and fentanyl. Grande posted a series of tweets and subsequently deleted them, making clear that she was upset at the Academy officials for inviting Miller's parents Karen Meyer and Mark McCormick to the occasion without a banner moment to celebrate the late Pittsburgh native. 'They invited Mac's parents out for basically no reason,' Ariana wrote, also tweeting out phrases such as 'literal bull****,' 'trash' and 'f***' out of frustration. She clarified that her hostility was not directed at Cardi B, saying in a (since-deleted) tweet that it had 'nothing to do w her.' Tweet and delete: Grande posted a series of tweets and subsequently deleted them, making clear that she was upset at the Academy officials for inviting Mac Miller's parents to the occasion without a banner moment to celebrate the late Pittsburgh native Snub: Grande was angered when her late ex-boyfriend Mac Miller was not named as the winner in the Best Rap Album category, in what was his only nomination of the evening. He was acknowledged and remembered during the show's In Memoriam segment later in the evening Grande said of Cardi B: 'good for her. i promise. i'm sorry. she's not at all and that's not what i mean and u know that.' Miller was acknowledged and remembered during the show's In Memoriam segment later in the evening. Grande began dating the late star in August 2016, but they split early in 2018, months before he died from an accidental overdose in September. Responding to a tweet questioning why the late rapper hadn't received the award when his parents were there, she replied: 'This. this is what i meant. karen was gonna have a green suit made.' Miller's mom attended the ceremony with Larry David's daughter Cazzie, who she has bonded with in the wake of the rapper's passing last fall. Memories: Miller's mom Karen Meyers attended the ceremony with Larry David's daughter Cazzie, who she has bonded with in the wake of the rapper's passing last fall. David shared the shot on her Instagram account with music professional Kelly Clancy It's a small world after all: Cazzie David was snapped with ex Pete Davidson, who dated Grande after her breakup with Miller; the two were pictured in 2017 A source explained to E! News of their friendship: 'It's still a relatively new friendship, and primarily limited to social media, but Cazzie and Karen think very highly of each other. Cazzie reached out to Karen with her condolences after Mac died and since then she and Karen have been exchanging messages. 'Through their chats the two have discovered they have much more in common than just Mac, Ariana and Pete. Karen thinks Cazzie is an intelligent and sweet person.' As for Cardi B, she didn't respond to the comments but she took to her Instagram account to share a screenshot of a January US story that claimed Mac's family wanted her to win the award if he didn't. She captioned the post: 'WE WON A F***IN GRAMMY.' Ariana liked the post and added three hearts in the comments. Grande herself was a winner on the day, as she was awarded the Best Pop Vocal Album for Sweetener, prevailing against a talented field that included Taylor Swift (Reputation), Camila Cabello (Camila), Kelly Clarkson (Meaning Of Life), Shawn Mendes (Shawn Mendes) and P!nk (Beautiful Trauma). Grande was one-for-two on the night, as she did not take home the Pop Solo Performance honors she was nominated for, with Lady Gaga's Joanne capturing the honors. The Recording Academy collected the award on behalf of the Dangerous Woman beauty, who took to social media (prior to her Miller remarks) with a number of posts commemorating the historic win, expressing both joy and regret about the way the evening's events were unfolding. Clarification: Ariana said that she wasn't upset over anything to do with Cardi B Way back when: Miller and Grande were snapped collaborating in Paris in 2017 Big win: Cardi B beamed as she held her Grammy, and acknowledged that she considered it a win for Mac Miller as well Grande also tweeted about her absence at the show, which came amid a disagreement with producers who did not want her to sing 7 Rings as part of a set at the show, and wanted to dictate what her second song would be, Variety reported. The star and her reps were also upset that her image was aggressively used to advertise the award show, despite never having actually committed to the occasion, the outlet reported. Following the announcement she had won, Grande wrote: 'F*** ... i know i'm not there tonight (trust, i tried and still truly wished it had worked out tbh) and i know i said i try not to put too much weight into these things .... but f*** ....... this is wild and beautiful. thank you so much.' Support: Also on Sunday, Dua Lipa defended Grande for snubbing the Grammy Awards. Lipa - who won the Best New Artist and Dance Recording prizes - told Rolling Stone magazine: 'Every artist has their own right to decide what they want to do and how they would like to perform and be perceived' Ken Ehrlich, the producer of the annual ceremony, said that regardless of the circumstances, he was focused on making music's biggest night a memorable one. 'I've always believed at the end of the day, on Sunday night between 8 and 11:30, if we deliver, the rest goes away,' he told Variety Saturday. 'All I can do is put good stuff up there. I'm able to put all the other mishegas out of my mind.' Also on Sunday, Dua Lipa defended Grande for snubbing the Grammy Awards. Lipa - who won the Best New Artist and Dance Recording prizes - told Rolling Stone magazine: 'Every artist has their own right to decide what they want to do and how they would like to perform and be perceived.' While Ariana wasn't at the Grammy Awards she scooped the Best Pop Vocal Album for her record Sweetener and used Twitter to admit she was still delighted to have won. She posted: 'I know I'm not there tonight (trust, I tried and still truly wished it had worked out tbh) and I know I said I try not to put too much weight into these things .... but f**k ....... this is wild and beautiful. Thank you so much.' Grammy Awards 2019: The Winners RECORD OF THE YEAR This Is America - Childish Gambino - WINNER ALBUM OF THE YEAR Golden Hour Kacey Musgraves - WINNER SONG OF THE YEAR This Is America - Donald Glover and Ludwig Goransson, songwriters (Childish Gambino) - WINNER Best New Artist Dua Lipa - WINNER Girl power: British songstress Dua Lipa picked up Best New Artist Pop Field Best Pop Solo Performance Joanne (Where Do You Think You're Goin'?) - Lady Gaga - WINNER Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Shallow - Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper - WINNER Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album My Way - Willie Nelson - WINNER Best Pop Vocal Album Sweetener - Ariana Grande - WINNER Best Dance Recording Electricity - Silk City and Dua Lipa Feat. Diplo and Mark Ronson - WINNER Best Dance/Electronic Album Woman Worldwide - Justice - WINNER Fab: Lady Gaga scooped Best Pop Solo Performance for Joanne Country Field Best Country Solo Performance Butterflies Kacey Musgraves - WINNER Best Country Duo/Group Performance: Tequila - Dan + Shay - WINNER Best Country Song Space Cowboy - Luke Laird, Shane McAnally & Kacey Musgraves,songwriters (Kacey Musgraves) - WINNER Best Country Album Golden Hour - Kacey Musgraves - WINNER Unstoppable: Kacey Musgraves picked up Best Country Solo Performance ALTERNATIVE FIELD Best Alternative Music Album Colors - Beck - WINNER R&B FIELD Best R&B Performance Best Part - H.E.R. Feat. Daniel Caesar - WINNER Best Traditional R&B Performance Bet Aint Worth The Hand - Leon Bridges - WINNER - TIE How Deep Is Your Love - PJ Morton Featuring Yebba - WINNER - TIE Best R&B Song Bood Up - Larrance Dopson, Joelle James, Ella Mai & DijonMcFarlane, songwriters (Ella Mai) - WINNER Best Urban Contemporary Album Everything Is Love - The Carters - WINNER Best R&B Album H.E.R. - H.E.R. - WINNER Victorious: Best R&B Album went to H.E.R. for her eponymous album Contemporary Instrumental Field Best Contemporary Instrumental Album Steve Gadd Band Steve Gadd Band - WINNER Rock Field Best Rock Performance When Bad Does Good - Chris Cornell - WINNER Best Metal Performance Electric Messiah - High On Fire - WINNER Best Rock Song Masseduction - Jack Antonoff & Annie Clark, songwriters (St. Vincent) - WINNER Best Rock Album From The Fires - Greta Van Fleet - WINNER Posthumous: Best Rock Performance went to Chris Cornell for When Bad Does Good, with his children accepting the award Reggae Field Best Reggae Album 44/876 - Sting & Shaggy - WINNER Children's Field Best Childrens Album All The Sounds - Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats - WINNER Latin Field Best Latin Pop Album Sincera - Claudia Brant - WINNER Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album Aztlan - Zoe - WINNER Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano) Mexico Por Siempre! - Luis Miguel - WINNER Best Tropical Latin Album Anniversary - Spanish Harlem Orchestra - WINNER Well done: Best Reggae Album was won by Sting & Shaggy for 44/876 Comedy Field Best Comedy Album Equanimity & The Bird Revelation - Dave Chappelle - WINNER Musical Theater Field Best Musical Theater Album The Bands Visit - Etai Benson, Adam Kantor, Katrina Lenk & ArielStachel, principal soloists; Dean Sharenow & DavidYazbek, producers; David Yazbek, composer & lyricist(Original Broadway Cast) - WINNER MUSIC VIDEO/FILM FIELD Best Music Video This Is America Childish Gambino - WINNER Best Music Film Quincy Quincy Jones SURROUND SOUND FIELD Best Immersive Audio Album Eye in The Sky 35th Anniversary Edition Alan Parsons, surround mix engineer; Dave Donnelly, PJ Olsson & Alan Parsons, surround mastering engineers; Alan Parsons, surround producer (The Alan Parsons Project) - WINNER HISTORICAL FIELD Best Historical Album Voices of Mississippi: Artists and Musicians Documented by WIlliam Ferris William Ferris, April Ledbetter & Steven LanceLedbetter, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Various Artists) - WINNER One to watch: Best Music Video went to This Is America by Childish Gambino PRODUCTION, CLASSICAL FIELD Best Engineered Album, Classical Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11 Shawn Murphy & Nick Squire, engineers; Tim Martyn, mastering engineer (Andris Nelsons & Boston Symphony Orchestra) - WINNER Producer Of The Year, Classical Blanton Alspaugh - WINNER Notes Field Best Album Notes Voices of Mississippi: Artists and Musicians Documented by WIlliam Ferris - David Evans, album notes writer (Various Artists) - WINNER RAP FIELD Best Rap Performance Kings Dead - Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future & James Blake - WINNER - TIE Bubblin - Anderson Paak - WINNER - TIE Best Rap/Sung Performance This Is America - Childish Gambino - WINNER Best Rap Song Gods Plan - Aubrey Graham, Daveon Jackson, Brock Korsan, RonLaTour, Matthew Samuels & Noah Shebib, songwriters (Drake) - WINNER Best Rap Album Invasion Of Privacy - Cardi B - WINNER New Age Field Best New Age Album Opium Moon - Opium Moon - WINNER Well deserved: Cardi B picked up Best Rap Album for Invasion Of Privacy Jazz Field Best Improvised Jazz Solo Dont Fence Me In - John Daversa, soloist - WINNER Best Jazz Vocal Album The Window - Cecile McLorin Salvant - WINNER Best Jazz Instrumental Album Emanon - The Wayne Shorter Quartet - WINNER Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album American Dreamers: Voices Of Hope, Music Of Freedom - John Daversa Big Band Featuring DACA Artists - WINNER Best Latin Jazz Album Back To The Sunset - Dafnis Prieto Big Band - WINNER Earned it: Best Gospel Performance/Song went to Never Alone by Tori Kelly Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Field Best Gospel Performance/Song Never Alone - Tori Kelly Featuring Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin & Victoria Kelly, Songwriters - WINNER Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song You Say - Lauren Daigle; Lauren Daigle, Jason Ingram & Paul Mabury, songwriters - WINNER Best Gospel Album Hiding Place - Tori Kelly - WINNER Best Contemporary Christian Music Album Look Up Child - Lauren Daigle - WINNER Best Roots Gospel Album Unexpected - Jason Crabb - WINNER Emotional: American Roots Performance went to The Joke by Brandi Carlile American Roots Music Field Best American Roots Performance The Joke - Brandi Carlile - WINNER Best American Roots Song The Joke - Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth & Tim Hanseroth, songwriters (Brandi Carlile) - WINNER Best Americana Album By The Way, I Forgive You - Brandi Carlile - WINNER Best Traditional Blues Album The Blues Is Alive and Well Buddy Guy - WINNER Best Bluegrass Album The Travelin McCourys The Travelin McCourys - WINNER Best Contemporary Blues Album Please Dont Be Dead Fantastic Negrito - WINNER Best Folk Album All Ashore Punch Brothers - WINNER Best Regional Roots Music Album No Anei Kalani Pea - WINNER Listen: Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media went to Greatest Showman Spoken Word Field Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling) Faith A Journey For All - Jimmy Carter - WINNER Music For Visual Media Field Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media The Greatest Showman - (Various Artists) - WINNER Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media Black Panther Ludwig Goransson, composer - WINNER Best Song Written For Visual Media Shallow - Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper) - WINNER Sweeping the board: Best Song Written For Visual Media went to Shallow Composing/Arranging Field Best Instrumental Composition Blut und Boden (Blood and Soil) -Terence Blanchard, composer (Terence Blanchard) - WINNER Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella Stars and Stripes Forever - John Daversa, arranger (John Daversa Big Band Featuring DACA Artists) - WINNER Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals Spiderman Theme - Randy Waldman, arranger (Randy Waldman Featuring Take 6 & Chris Potter) - WINNER Package Field Best Recording Package Masseducation - Willo Perron, art director (St. Vincent) - WINNER Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package Squeeze Box: The Complete Works of Weird Al Yankovic - Meghan Foley, Annie Stoll & Al Yankovic, art directors (Weird Al Yankovic) - WINNER Talented: Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical went to Pharrell Williams PRODUCTION, NON-CLASSICAL FIELD Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: Colors Julian Burg, Serban Ghenea, David Elevator Greenbaum, John Hanes, Beck Hansen, Greg Kurstin, Florian Lagatta, Cole M.G.N., Alex Pasco, Jesse Shatkin, Darrell Thorp & Cassidy Turbin, engineers; Chris Bellman, Tom Coyne,Emily Lazar & Randy Merrill, mastering engineers (Beck) - WINNER Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical: Pharrell Williams Best Remixed Recording Walking Away (Mura Masa Remix) Alex Crossan, remixer (Haim) - WINNER CLASSICAL FIELD Best Orchestral Performance Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11 Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra) - WINNER Best Opera Recording Bates: The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs Michael Christie, conductor; Sasha Cooke, Jessica E. Jones, Edwards Parks, Garrett Sorenson & Wei Wu; Elizabeth Ostrow, producer (The Santa Fe Opera Orchestra) - WINNER Best Choral Performance McLoskey: Zealot Canticles Donald Nally, conductor (Doris Hall-Gulati, Rebecca Harris, Arlen Hlusko, Lorenzo Raval & Mandy Wolman; The Crossing) - WINNER Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance Anderson, Laurie: Landfall Laurie Anderson & Kronos - WINNER Best Classical Instrumental Solo Kernis: Violin Concerto James Ehnes; Ludovic Morlot, conductor (Seattle Symphony) - WINNER Best Classical Solo Vocal Album Songs of Orpheus Monteverdi, Caccini, DIndia & Landi Karim Sulayman; Jeannette Sorrell, conductor; Apollos Fire, ensembles - WINNER Best Classical Compendium Fuchs: Piano Concerto Spiritualist; Poems of Life; Glacier; Rush JoAnn Falletta, conductor; Tim Handley, producer - WINNER Best Contemporary Classical Composition Kernis: Violin Concerto Aaron Jay Kernis, composer (James Ehnes, Ludovic Morlot & Seattle Symphony) - WINNER World Music Field Best World Music Album Freedom - Soweto Gospel Choir - WINNER Advertisement She has just turned 50 after celebrating with hundreds of friends in Hollywood on Saturday. And one of Jennifer Aniston's oldest friends, hairstylist Chris McMillan, was first to wish her happy birthday on Monday and shared a throwback photo of the duo embracing topless. 'Happy Birthday Jen. To my friend. To my inspiration. To my teacher. I love this girl to the moon and stars.' Chris wrote in the caption of the black and white photo. The image is from a photoshoot the pals did together n 2014 which appeared in the January 2015 edition of Allure. McMillan is the man behind her famous Friends haircut named 'The Rachel' and has tended to her locks over the years as she went from sitcom sweetheart to Hollywood icon. Meanwhile, Jennifer celebrated with dozens of pals on Saturday night at the Sunset Tower Hotel in Hollywood. The bash was jam-packed with A-listers including her best girlfriends Gwyneth Paltrow, Reese Witherspoon and Kate Hudson. Her ex-husband Brad Pitt was also in attendance who snuck inside discreetly, with his driver dropping him off right outside the door. Popular: Jennifer turned 50 on Monday and celebrated on Saturday night with a big Hollywood bash with 200 pals Golden girls: Jennifer was joined by pals including Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson (seen in a photobooth snap from Saturday night) The duo were widely thought to have remained in communication in the years since their 2005 split, but they have not been seen together. Over 200 guests enjoyed mini burgers and tacos and a huge towering layered vanilla cake with cream and berries, which was presented to a delighted Jen, according to DailyMail.com's insider at the party. According to our eye-witness, Brad spent three and a half hours at the party, arriving around 8pm and leaving around 11.30pm. Brad slipped out of the venue via the underground garage, with security using an umbrella to shield him from waiting photographers. Other A-list guests included Ellen DeGeneres, Robert Downey Jr, Chelsea Handler, Sandra Bullock, Demi Moore and Katy Perry. Leonardo DiCaprio also managed to slip in unnoticed. Feeling merry: Many of the Friend star's pals bundled up in the photo booth with her including Reese Witherspoon, Sara Foster, Jennifer Meyer and Gucci Westman Bundle in: Katy Perry and boyfriend Orlando Bloom joined Jennifer for this snap as well as her longtime BFF and fellow Friends alum Courteney Cox Star-studded: Jennifer's BFF Reese Witherspoon and actress Demi Moore are pictured at the bash She said: 'Jen looked so happy, she was glowing. The food was fantastic and everyone was dancing, it was just the best party.' A source told People on Sunday that Jen wanted to make sure all the people she holds near and dear to her heart attended her big party. 'Basically, every single person who Jen loves attended. That included Brad,' the source told the, adding: 'The party was a celebration of Jens life.' The insider continued: 'Brad, for long, was a very important part of Jens life. She debated back and forth with friends if she should invite him. 'She was very happy that he showed up. Many of his close friends were at the party too.' She appeared on Friday's This Morning segment to defend her decision to send 16-year-old Harvey into full-time care at his school. And Katie Price put her troubles out of her mind when she stepped out in a loose hoodie and tracksuit bottoms with a female pal on Monday. The mother-of-five, 40, swamped her sexy curves in an over sized pink hoodie and she shoved her hands in her pockets to keep them warm. Styling it out: Katie Price slipped into a tracksuit on Monday after she defended her decision to put her son Harvey, 16, in full-time care Always seen out wearing tracksuits as she goes about her day-to-day life, of course Katie was spotted wearing another casual pair of khaki pants and trainers. But unlike her usual image, the reality star ditched her heavy made up looks to showcase her natural glowing complexion. The glamour model-turn-businesswoman looked delighted as she joined her friend for some fresh air, albeit a little chilly. Wrapping up: The mother-of-five, 40, swamped her sexy curves in an over sized pink hoodie and she shoved her hands in her pockets to keep them warm Signature style: Always seen out wearing tracksuits as she goes about her day-to-day life, of course Katie was spotted wearing another casual pair of khaki pants and trainers Katie's outing comes after she defended her decision to send her son into full-time care at his school on national television. The mother-of-five said as Harvey grows older, stronger and more aggressive, she was considering this option and appeared on Friday's This Morning to reveal she has decided to go ahead with it. 'He is now six foot two, 24 stone and he's still growing,' she said. 'And he kicks off. The other day he kicked a chair across a room over a muffin. Fresh faced: But unlike her usual image, the reality star ditched her heavy made up looks to showcase her natural glowing complexion Explained: The brunette put her troubles out of her mind when she stepped out in a loose hoodie and tracksuit bottoms with a female pal 'On Instagram, I only show him when he's good. But he's got a side to him. My house is smashed to bits. This year he has broken eight iPads and four TVs. Someone might bang the door and he'll chuck something. 'Some people think I'm out of order [sending him into care] but people don't understand the situation.' The former glamour model insisted she 'doesn't want sympathy' but that things are very difficult at home, especially as she has four other smaller children. 'Harvey wanted to come with me [to This Morning]. He thinks I am out getting him a carbonara. He'll be waiting by the window for it,' she said. 'He is like a nightmare newborn. He goes into the kids' room at night, says "boo", and scares them.' What's going on? She appeared on Friday's This Morning segment to defend her decision to send 16-year-old Harvey into full-time care at his school Happy: The glamour model-turn-businesswoman looked delighted as she joined her friend for some fresh air, albeit a little chilly Katie is mother to Junior, 13, Princess, 11, Jett, five and Bunny, four, and has made the decision to move Harvey into accommodation at his school with a heavy heart. 'I love him so much, he's my life. It has taken me ages to be convinced this is the best place for him,' she said. 'I would never want him to think I am palming him off - but I have no choice.' She went on to explain: 'I can still go, have dinner, tuck him into bed, he will only be there Monday-Friday. Pictured: Katie's outing comes after she defended her decision to send her son into full-time care at his school on national television 'But he is so obsessed with me and I have never done respite [care] and when he triggers off it scares the [other] kids. And I can't tell him off as he doesn't understand. He gets into a rage.' Katie explained that the arrangements have been made and she is just waiting now. 'He was supposed to start on Monday but it didn't happen, obviously,' she said. 'I am really nervous - I have asked if I can have him back if I don't like it. But I can't. I need to do this.' For the best: Katie Price has defended her decision to send son Harvey, 16, into full-time care at his school Choices: 'He is now six foot two, 24 stone and he's still growing,' she said. 'And he kicks off. The other day he kicked a chair across a room over a muffin' Harvey is partially blind, autistic and has Prader-Willi syndrome. She first revealed that things were trying at home earlier this week when she appeared on BBC's Victoria Derbyshire show, initially to talk about her pursuit for Harvey's Law - a motion that would make online trolling a criminal offence. As talk turned to her own experience parenting a disabled child, Katie admitted she has to consider the safety of her four other children when it comes to Harvey staying at home, explaining they sometimes are scared of the teenager. Married At First Sight 'relationship expert' Mel Schilling sparked a viewer backlash on Sunday after she lectured Bronson Norrish over his use of the C-word but failed to also address Ines Basic's 'abusive' behaviour. And a Change.org petition demanding that she is either fired from the program or issues a public apology is rapidly gaining momentum, having already received more almost 30,000 signatures in just under 24 hours. The petition calls 'so-called expert' Mel Shilling to make a formal apology or be sacked for the show. 'Married At First Sight's so-called expert Mel Schilling lashed out at Bronson for using foul language,' the petition states. ' 'This so-called psychologist is a biased feminist who has made it clear that she thinks it's okay for a woman to behave the way Ines does.' Scroll down for video A petition calling for Married At First Sight 'expert' Mel Schilling to be sacked has reached more than 25,000 signatures in just HOURS, as viewers complain about her 'double standards' 'Bronson has been a victim of [Ines'] verbal and emotional abuse all week, and the second he decides it's enough, "expert" Mel comes in and says he shouldn't be using that language. 'The thing is, Ines is exactly what he said, a nasty, abusive piece of work. 'Mel needs to make a formal apology or be sacked from the show. The show doesn't need a one-sided feminist as an "expert".' Backlash: A Change.org petition demanding that Mel (left) is either fired from the program or issues a public apology is rapidly gaining momentum, having already received more than 25,000 signatures in 24 hours. Pictured right: Bronson Norrish In a statement on Monday, Channel Nine publicly supported Mel. MAFS' executive producer John Walsh told Daily Mail Australia: 'There were 12 women in the room that night and a man used language that was highly insulting and inflammatory in reference to his wife. 'Mel acted in the only way appropriate by calling out the language - language that is not ever considered acceptable anywhere, anytime. 'We are shocked at the backlash Mel has received for defending another woman.' 'Mel needs to make a formal apology or be sacked from the show. The show doesn't need a one-sided feminist as an "expert"': Many fans are NOT happy 'Don't use language like that if you want a relationship with a woman!' During the first commitment ceremony, Bronson said his 'wife' Ines Basic (pictured) was 'acting like a c**t', prompting psychologist Mel to criticise him in front of the whole group Following the backlash, Mel locked down her social media accounts and Channel Nine restricted comments on the show's official Instagram page. She also told 9Honey that she is 'gender blind' when it comes to giving relationship advice to MAFS contestants. 'Abusive or harmful behaviour is something Im going to call out whether its men or women doing it,' she said. On Sunday's explosive episode of Married at First Sight, Bronson called Ines the C-word during the first commitment ceremony. He went there! Bronson's castmates, including Elizabeth Sobinoff (pictured), were shocked by his colourful language While Ines voted to leave the experiment, Bronson decided to stay, forcing her to endure another week with him. Explaining his decision, he said: 'When we did the questionnaire thing, Ines was amazing that night, like, really amazing. I loved her to pieces that night. 'Next morning, the Hulk came out. Straight back to a c**t. I'm not calling her a c**t, I'm saying she acts like a c**t'. A stunned Ines replied: 'I don't think this could get any worse.' Relationship expert Mel was horrified by Bronson's slur, saying: 'Don't use language like that if you want any chance of a relationship with a woman.' Ranting: Mel Schilling (pictured) was horrified by Bronson's slur, saying: 'Don't use language like that if you want any chance of a relationship with a woman' The pair were then told they would be forced into counselling, with fellow expert John Aiken insisting that Bronson needed to learn 'respect'. While he was criticised on the show, Bronson was widely praised on Twitter for standing up for himself. Many viewers claimed he was justified in calling Ines a 'c**t' after she had verbally abused him - including telling him repeatedly to 'shut the f**k up' - during their honeymoon in Port Douglas. Justified? While he was criticised on the show, and sternly disciplined by Mel, Bronson was widely defended on social media 'She's been mouthing him off all week and she didn't even get told off?' one person tweeted, addressing the double standard. 'The "experts" didn't even mention her abusive tendencies but sure let's go off about the word c**t'. Another viewer wrote: 'So verbal abuse is okay if it's directed at a man, but it's not okay to call the abuser out as a c**t?' Married At First Sight continues Tuesday at 7:30pm on Channel Nine Revenge? Viewers claimed Bronson was justified in calling Ines a 'c**t' after she had verbally abused him - including telling him repeatedly to 'shut the f**k up' - during their honeymoon Love Island's Zara McDermott has confirmed her split from Adam Collard after eight months of dating. The former government adviser, 22, told her Instagram followers on Monday afternoon she is 'heartbroken' to have parted ways from the personal trainer, 23, after 'trying so hard to make it work' - but hinted she 'just wasn't enough'. Adam and Zara's split means only one couple from the 2018 series of Love Island remain together; show winners Dani Dyer, 23, and Jack Fincham, 27. It's over: Adam Collard and Zara McDermott have split after eight months together, a source has exclusively revealed to MailOnline Zara's impassioned post read: 'I am heartbroken to announce that Adam and I have parted ways. 'I love him very much and will always have a special place in my heart for him & our time spent together. I have tried so hard to be the best person I can possibly be and to make it work. 'Sometimes in life, you just aren't enough for someone; no matter what you do for them or how much you try to be. 'For everyone asking if I'm ok, I don't know that I am. But I know that soon I will be. I will be strong and prove to myself that I can get through this. Love always, Zara x.' Breaking point: Just days ago, Adam and Zara were said to be 'on the rocks' over his recent night out with Instagram model Brittany Archer, according to The Sun Heartbroken: On Monday afternoon, Zara, 23, took to Instagram to confirm news of the split The exes who recently returned from a break in Dubai have taken the ultimate step in cementing their split by unfollowing each other on Instagram. While Adam has yet to release a public statement on his split, the reputed Lothario hasn't wasted any time getting back onto the social scene. On Sunday night, he was seen out and about in his native Newcastle, cosying up a mystery brunette, while partying with a group of pals. The musclebound hunk grinned broadly as he walked into the popular Empress Bar with his pretty companion on his arm. Last week, Zara took to Instagram to share a defiant snap of herself hand-in-hand with Adam, adding a heart emoji to the picture. Cosying up: On Sunday night, he was seen out and about in his native Newcastle, cosying up a mystery brunette, while partying with a group of pals Grinning broadly: The musclebound hunk grinned broadly as he walked into the popular Empress Bar with his pretty companion on his arm Waiting no time: While Adam has yet to release a public statement on his split, the reputed Lothario hasn't wasted any time getting back onto the social scene Things were reportedly uncertain between the pair after a night of wild partying with Instagram model Brittany Archer according to The Sun. A source told the publication that they were spending time apart following a huge row between the couple, after it was revealed he enjoyed the raucous evening with Brittany in Maidstone last week. Adam and Zara were one of only two Love Island 2018 couples that are still together along with Jack Fincham and Dani Dyer and surprised many fans of the hit reality show with their relative longevity. Zara was reportedly furious when she heard that Adam was on the night out with Jack and Instagram model Brittany at a hotel in Maidstone earlier this month. Jaw-dropping: A source claimed that Zara was furious to discover Adam had been a raucous night out in Kent with Instagram model Brittany Archer (above) Going the course: They got together on Love Island last summer, with many fans believing they wouldn't go the course, as musclebound Adam became known for his roving eye Brittany no stranger to a scantily clad social media snap boasts 19,000 followers on Instagram, and regularly posts updates around her latest shoots and holidays. The night out in question was the same time when Adam's Love Island co-star Jack Fincham confessed he had snorted cocaine, and went onto brand it a mistake after 'mixing in the wrong circles.' Following an argument regarding his evening with Brittany, Adam was said to have travelled back to Newcastle for a break, days before their split was announced. A source said at the time: 'As a girlfriend it isn't always comfortable to see your partner partying with other women you don't know. Social media: The pair were featured heavily on each other's Instagram accounts over the past several months, as their romance blossomed and they enjoyed many a lavish getaway Scary: A source has also claimed that after a furious row Adam recently travelled back to Newcastle for a break from his relationship 'Their fall out has come at a really bad time as they are due to fly to the Maldives next week as part of a lucrative deal. 'They do still love each other and are trying to make their relationship work but things have not been good recently.' The source added that the pair were trying to show that all was well in their romance by posting loved-up snaps, but their relationship remained at breaking point. MailOnline previously contacted representatives for Adam Collard, Brittany Archer and Zara McDermott for comment. Unfollowed: As of Monday, the exes who recently returned from a break in Dubai are still on each other's social media accounts, although they have unfollowed one another She sparked national outcry as last year's MAFS villain, receiving death threats and endless trolling after having a secret 'affair' with her co-star Dean Wells. And Davina Rankin has now issued a warning to her successor - this season's legal assistant Ines Basic - telling her to 'stay quiet' and 'walk away' from the online bullies. The Instagram model, 27, urged viewers to bear in mind that producers could be showing Ines' 'worst bits' to portray her in a negative light. Scroll down for video 'They're showing her worst bits!' Davina Rankin has insisted producers are 'guiding' Ines Basic to be new MAFS villain... and advised her to 'stay quiet' 'It's fantastic that there is a Davina this year, it takes the heat off me,' she joked to The Sydney Morning Herald. 'Remember, we are guided in a certain way [by producers] so they could be just showing her worst bits.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted a Channel Nine spokesperson for comment. The reality star added that she can 'see right through the bulls**t' and claimed she could pinpoint in minutes who the new Davina is. Sceptical: 'It's fantastic that there is a Davina this year, it takes the heat off me. Remember, we are guided in a certain way [by producers] so they could be just showing her worst bits,' Davina said. Pictured, Ines Basic Low profile: Discussing what advice she would give to Ines, Davina said: 'I got myself out of doing a lot of publicity when I started getting labelled the villain, which was good and kept me out of that spotlight' Ines has faced backlash for her treatment of 'husband', former stripper Bronson Norrish - which included chastising him for his eyebrow piercing within seconds of meeting him and screaming at him to 'shut the f**k up' on their honeymoon. The trolling has become so severe that producers stepped in to disable comments on an Instagram photo of Ines, and the Bosnian beauty will not be making any media appearances this week. Discussing what advice she would give to Ines, Davina said: 'I got myself out of doing a lot of publicity when I started getting labelled the villain, which was good and kept me out of that spotlight.' Outcry: Ines has faced backlash for her treatment of 'husband', former stripper Bronson Norrish - which included chastising him for his eyebrow piercing within seconds of meeting him and screaming at him to 'shut the f**k up' on their honeymoon (pictured) She added that the 28-year-old should try to 'stay away' from social media and 'switch off' the trolls. Davina came under fire last year, when she plotted to have an 'affair' with Dean Wells - the 'husband' of her co-star, Tracey Jewel. The fitness fanatic, who received death threats at the time, has moved on and has been in a relationship with boyfriend Jaxon Manuel for a year. 'I am now the happiest I have ever been in my life so you have to take the good with the bad,' Davina told New Idea magazine in December. Oh dear: Davina came under fire last year, when she plotted to have an 'affair' with Dean Wells - the 'husband' of her co-star, Tracey Jewel Having learned a harsh lesson from her first time on Married At First Sight, she said she would never do another show like it again. During a recent Instagram Q&A, a fan asked if she would ever consider appearing on Married At First Sight again, to which Davina bluntly responded: 'HELLLL F***ING NO.' 'I can't even watch reality TV the same anymore after I know what happens behind the scenes compared to what the public see's [sic]!!' she continued. Holly Willoughby almost hit the This Morning medic when she popped a bottle of prosecco while cooking with Phillip Schofield for the first time ever on Monday. The TV presenter, 38, and her co-host, 56, were roped in to cover for show chef Gino D'Acampo after he called in sick on his way to work. During the Valentine's Day themed cookery segment, Phil joked that Holly had 'hit the show medic' when she cracked open the prosecco live on air in the hilarious segment. Oops: Holly Willoughby narrowly missed This Morning medic as she popped prosecco during hilarious cooking segment after Gino D'Acampo calls in sick Phil joked: 'You nearly hit the medic... You've knocked the medic out!' The huge blunder came just moments after Phil admitted the pair couldn't be 'trusted' so there was a doctor to hand incase they burnt themselves. Phil said: 'First time ever on the air cooking by ourselves. We've got Julia our economist to tell us if we do anything wrong. She will not appear on the television. 'Because we can't be trusted because there is a doctor on site.' Awkward: During the Valentine's Day themed cookery segment, Phil joked that Holly had 'hit the show medic' when she cracked open the prosecco live on air in the hilarious segment Hilarious moment: Holly almost hit the This Morning medic when she popped a bottle of prosecco while cooking with Phillip for the first time ever on Monday The pair were tasked with making Gino's special crab linguine for the segment in a first ever for This Morning. Holly questioned: 'Why are we using fresh pasta?' Phil mimicked Gino's thick Italian accent saying: 'Much better texture.' Disaster: The TV presenter, 38, and her co-host, 56, were roped in to cover for show chef Gino D'Acampo after he called in sick on his way to work The doctor can see you now! The huge blunder came just moments after Phil admitted the pair couldn't be 'trusted' so there was a doctor and economist on site to assist them Sick Gino even called into the London-based studios to scold Phil and Holly when they were making some crucial errors. At first, the blonde mother-of-three insisted the TV chef wasn't 'sick enough' to not be in work to assist them. However, Holly was quick to change her tune as she joined Phil in begging Gino to stop shouting at them over the phone and to go back to bed. Hilarious: At first, the blonde mother-of-three insisted the TV chef wasn't 'sick enough' to not be in work to assist them Holly said: 'You dont sound sick enough not to be here by the way. Stop shouting.' Gino simply added: 'Put in more prosecco.' Phil gave Holly a playful telling off when she chucked the spaghetti at the fake window to see if it was cooked. He said: 'Stop thats a plasma.' More prosecco! However, Holly was quick to change her tune as she joined Phil in begging Gino to stop shouting at them over the phone and to go back to bed While the doctor was there to ensure Holly and Phil incase they hurt themselves, the economist was there to help with the recipe if they come across any problems. Holly and Phil were left in hysterics as they tried to help each other out while tackling their first ever cooking segment together. She instructed him: 'Put in the crab.' He responded: 'Put in the what?' Holly clarified: 'I said crab!' Funny: Holly and Phil were left in hysterics as they tried to help each other out while tackling their first ever cooking segment together Phil replied: 'Well I hope so because I am not putting THAT in this. It might be that afterwards though.' Holly introduced their segment with: 'This is happening! Hot stuff in kitchen next. Gino was going to help tonight go off with a bang but looks increasingly like us.' Phil claimed Gino's absence wasn't a problem because he insisted they do 'most of it anyway', referring to sampling the goods once the chef has cooked up a storm. Bold claims: Phil claimed Gino's absence wasn't a problem because he insisted they do 'most of it anyway', referring to sampling the goods once the chef has cooked up a storm Earlier on, Phillip dropped the bombshell that Gino wasn't going to make it into work when he discussed the upcoming Valentine's Day cooking segment. He said: 'We were getting in the mood for "amore" today, in fact we booked a gondola, and because who better to plan your Valentine's than Gino D'Acampo? 'He's not made it in yet and there is every possibility that he may be poorly.' Do it yourself: Earlier on, Phillip dropped the bombshell that Gino wasn't going to make it into work when he discussed the upcoming Valentine's Day cooking segment Holly probed Phil: 'So he may not be able to make it in at all?' Phil responded to his golden-haired co-presenter: 'Which means we've got a great big cookery slot at the end of the show.' Later on in the show, the This Morning presenter revealed there were claims the Italian hunk had been seen throwing up outside his car. Pointing towards the kitchen, he said: 'He is not coming I dont think.' Holly added: 'I don't think he's very well at all.' Phillip said: 'There have been reports of him getting out of his car and being sick.' She turned heads when she walked the red carpet at the 72nd British Academy Film Awards at London's Royal Albert Hall on Sunday evening. And Salma Hayek was given the full movie star treatment as she received a helping hand back to her car after a night of partying at Grosvenor House Hotel. The actress, 52, was aided by a male assistant, who wrapped an arm around her waist and guided her towards her waiting taxi. Homeward bound: Salma Hayek was given the full movie star treatment as she received a helping hand back to her car after a night of BAFTA partying at Grosvenor House Hotel Ensuring she was wrapped up against the winter chill, the screen star threw a black faux fur coat over her shoulders. The siren turned heads earlier in the evening as she slipped into a skintight black gown while giving an edgy touch with a huge brooch on her shoulder. Salma stood out from the crowd with a chic beaded headdress. The actress looked sensational for the outing as she slipped into the one-shouldered black gown which clung to her figure flawlessly. A helping hand: The actress, 52, was aided by a male assistant, who wrapped an arm around her waist and guided her towards her waiting taxi Chic: Ensuring she was wrapped up against the winter chill, the screen star threw a black faux fur coat over her shoulders Homeward bound: Salma breathed a sigh of relief as she got into a waiting car to get a good night's sleep Good night: The siren turned heads earlier in the evening as she slipped into a skintight black gown while giving an edgy touch with a huge brooch on her shoulder The brunette beauty scraped her hair into a high bun with tendrils loosely framing her face. On Friday evening, Salma attended attended the Charles Finch x Chanel pre-Bafta dinner, in Mayfair, with husband Francois-Henri Pinault. Salma and Francois-Henri began dating in 2006, and just 11 months later the pair became engaged. The couple welcomed their daughter Valentina into the world in September 2007 in Los Angeles. The pair, who now live in London, tied the knot on Valentine's Day in 2009 in Paris, France, before hosting a second ceremony in Venice, Italy, that April. A vision: Salma proved she is one of the world's most fashionable women as she graced the red carpet at the 72nd British Academy Film Awards at London 's Royal Albert Hall Out and a pout: She flashed a peek at her staggering crocodile heels worn beneath the dress The Frida star also shares stepdaughter Mathilde Pinault, 17, and stepsons Augustin Evangelista, 11, and Francois Pinault, 20, with her husband. Salma has been busy with her thriving acting career and will next be seen in comedy Limited Partners about two friends who start a beauty company together, due out on June 28. The mother-of-one is presently filming an Untitled Sally Potter Project for release in 2020. The actress is also due to star with Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson in upcoming comedy thriller The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard, the sequel to the 2017 movie, The Hitman's Bodyguard. Wow: Salma Hayek, 52, and husband Francois-Henri Pinault, 56, enjoyed a night out on the town as they attended the Charles Finch x Chanel pre-Bafta dinner in London on Saturday Busy bee: Salma has been busy with her thriving acting career and will next be seen in comedy Limited Partners about two friends who start a beauty company together, due out on June 28 Beaming: Her gown made the most of her figure as she hit the red carpet in style All star faces: She revealed celebrity make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury was behind her beauty look An eventful month came to an end on Sunday evening as Gemma Collins became the fifth celebrity to be eliminated from Dancing On Ice. And the TV personality has signed off by hitting out at acid-tongued judge Jason Gardiner for 'fat-shaming' her as she laboured to keep up with consistently better skaters on the hit show. Appearing on Monday's edition of This Morning, she admitted the Australian dancer's constant barbs prompted their memorable one-air spat. Hitting out: Gemma Collins has criticised acid-tongued judge Jason Gardiner for fat-shaming her as she laboured to keep up with consistently better skaters on Dancing On Ice Adopting a conciliatory stance towards Gardiner, her most outspoken critic, she said: 'He is there to do a job after all. Its just when he body shamed me, the first form of defense is attack. 'He body shamed me so I went on the defensive. I would have loved to have been spun around for a count of eight, but I couldnt. 'When he said I wouldnt be able to be lifted - yeah, we know that Jason, no need to say it.' Looking back: Appearing on Monday's edition of This Morning, she admitted the Australian dancer's constant barbs prompted their memorable one-air spat Outspoken: Gardiner was Gemma's biggest critic during her time on the talent show Opening up: 'He is there to do a job after all. Its just when he body shamed me, the first form of defense is attack,' she told hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby Looking back: The TV personality spoke out the morning after her elimination from the popular celebrity talent show While openly relieved that her time on the show has come to an end, Gemma admitted there were positives to be taken from her month on the ice. Reflecting on on her working relationship with professional skater Matt Evers, she revealed their gruelling daily rehearsals has kick-started a new fitness regime - and helped her lose weight. 'I didnt realise I was so unfit, but I came out and said Ill give it a go,' she explained. 'I wont skate anymore but I will one hundred percent keep up with the fitness. I feel so much better. Happy it's over: While openly relieved that her time on the show has come to an end, Gemma admitted there were positives to be taken from her month on the ice Fit and healthy: Reflecting on on her working relationship with professional skater Matt Evers, she revealed their gruelling daily rehearsals has kick-started a new fitness regime - and helped her lose weight 'I had three tyres around my middle and theyve gone. I've lost two and a half stone, it just doesnt go off my face.' She added: 'I can tie my shoes now. I'm just feeling fit, climbing the stairs and feeling OK. I might take to the rink once a week, but for fun.' However Gemma's new lifestyle was temporarily forgotten on Sunday evening as she cut loose with boyfriend James Argent after weeks of rigorous discipline. Letting her hair down: However Gemma admits her new lifestyle was temporarily forgotten on Sunday evening as she cut loose with boyfriend James Argent after weeks of rigorous discipline Busy girl: The TV personality followed her This Morning interview with an appearance on Loose Women Candid: Gemma revealed she had an ulterior motive for losing weight while appearing on Dancing On Ice 'I drank myself silly last night,' she said. 'I havent been able to let my hair down for weeks. Arg was there singing away. I arrived at the hotel at 3am... sorry if you can smell brandy!' The TV personality also dismissed claims that the awkward fall during the closing elements of her week three performance was staged. 'Come on, why would I fake that?' she said. 'I was in pain, crying for days. As they say, its the knocks in life that make you stronger.' Let's talk: 'I was told I needed to lose weight to help with having kids,' she told the panel Pleased: 'I only have positive memories from the show. There were hard times but I did bow out gracefully. The fact that I went out wearing leopard print was everything,' she added Broody: Gemma also admitted that boyfriend James Argent is desperate for them to start a family Say cheese: She later posed for a photo with panellists Andrea McLean, Nadia Sawalha Saira Khan and Jane Moor She added: 'People were cruel, thats why I stood my ground with Jason. There are a lot of girls out there who are bigger who dont feel confident at the gym or starting exercise' Appearing on Loose Women later that day, Gemma revealed she had an ulterior motive for losing weight while appearing on Dancing On Ice. 'I was told I needed to lose weight to help with having kids,' she told the panel. 'Thats the reason I did Dancing On Ice. I can now fit into high street clothing.' Stylish: Gemma sported a monochrome printed dress as she took her place on the panel on Monday afternoon Plenty to talk about: Gemma is doing the TV circuit as she reflects on her Dancing On Ice experience She added: 'I only have positive memories from the show. There were hard times but I did bow out gracefully. The fact that I went out wearing leopard print was everything.' Gemma elimination from the show came little more than week after she celebrated her 38th birthday with boyfriend James, who she admits is increasingly broody. But she insists she will not pressure herself into having a family with her former TOWIE co-star just because of her age. 'Arg is the one that keeps going on about kids, I want to get married first,' she admitted. 'I said just go and get that ring. We will definitely marry. 'Jennifer Aniston has given me the confidence to have a child at 40. I want to be in a position where I am 100% settled. Brutally honest: Gardiner has insisted he had no idea who Gemma Collins was before she joined the show and said her infamous on-screen feud with him was 'libellous' 'I dont know where we are one day to the next. When I have that baby I will never want to let it go.' Gemma's latest TV appearances come shortly after Gardiner insisted he had no idea who she was before she joined the show and said her infamous on-screen feud with him was 'libellous'. Speaking on ITV's Lorraine after Gemma's elimination, he said: 'I didn't know who Gemma was before the show. What she said to me was libellous. It shows a lot about her character.' Sent home: He added that he was 'relieved' for the other contestants at Gemma's elimination as it meant they can receive more attention now she's finally gone Speaking on Lorraine, he said: 'All the other contestants have been blooming and Im glad they can have their time to shine now' Gardiner, 47, added that he was 'relieved' for the other contestants at Gemma's elimination as it meant they can receive more attention now. He said: 'I regret [that is all been about Gemma and him]. All the other contestants have been blooming and Im glad they can have their time to shine now.' Known for his brutally honest remarks to contestants, he made no apologies for being a tough judge. He said: 'I am honoured that I can [be a harsh judge] they are in a bubble and Im outside the bubble. Truth: Known for his brutally honest remarks to contestants, Gardiner makes no apologies for being a tough judge She's gone!: Gemma was eliminated from Dancing On Ice after a mixed five weeks on Sunday night 'I come in from the outside, Im rink side, I get it, they do train hard. Nothing surprises me anymore. I know how to make skaters better.' While former Strictly Come Dancing star James Jordan has been dominating the leader board, Gardiner thinks it's impossible to determine who the winner will be. He cited Love Island's Wes Nelson and his skating partner Vanessa Bauer as a couple who could give the dancer some competition. He said: 'We cant call it, its so close. James is a foregone conclusion, but no he isnt, we have got Wes, he has great chemistry and relationship with Vanesssa.' It was collected by a group of 100 students from SST College, Ulhasnagar in association with MGM group. Mumbai: Around 4000 cigarettes buds were collected at Juhu beach on Sunday as part of a beach clean up activity carried out by Mission Green Mumbai (MGM) group. Surprisingly, these buds were collected from an area of only 100 meters and within one hour long clean up drive. It was collected by a group of 100 students from SST College, Ulhasnagar in association with MGM group. Our group collects garbage from Juhu beach every weekend from an area of 1 km. On the occasion of World Cancer Day, we decided to collect only cigarette buds from the garbage. To create awareness hundred college students joined us. It was shocking that we collected 4000 cigarette buds from an area of 100 meters, said Subhajit Mukherjee, founder of MGM. We collect garbage every weekend and hand it over to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for proper management. However, seeing the high number of cigarette buds in the garbage, we want to urge Mumbaikars to not make beaches their smoking destination. Smoking is injurious to health and the buds mixed with sea water damages marine life too, Mukherjee added. He further said that the BMC has been helpful with their initiative. The condition of the beaches in the city has changed while making the citizens aware. BMC on the other hand has appointed contractors for cleaning of Juhu, Versova, Chimbai and Waringpada beach while the contract for cleaning Dadar and Mahim beach will start from April 2019. The annual contract for the beach cleaning is Rs 11 crore. Brigitte Nielsen has discussed her relief at welcoming daughter Frida last June, aged 54, following a decade-long IVF battle. The now 55-year-old movie star, who married to Italian TV producer Mattia Dessi, 39, in 2005 told The Guardian that she was trying [to get pregnant] until there were no embryos left. Doctors had only given her a 2.5% chance to conceiving but Brigitte never gave up hope, saying, 'someone has to win the lottery.' 'I was trying until there were no embryos left': Brigitte Nielsen discussed her relief at welcoming daughter Frida at 54 in June last year following a decade-long IVF battle Her gift: Doctors had only given her a 2.5% chance to conceiving but Brigitte never gave up hope, saying, 'someone has to win the lottery' Brigitte said that having Mattia completely on-board with her journey, meant that she was able to endure all she had to go through. She said: 'You're on a lot of medication. It is very expensive. Hormones will do different things to different women. 'You always think you are going to get pregnant, but most of the time, the phone call comes and it's "I'm sorry". It's devastating.' Mother of the year: Brigitte is also mother to four sons from previous marriages Happily married: Brigitte married Italian TV producer Mattia Dessi, 39, in 2005 and said people mocked their romance due to their age difference Brigitte was advised by her doctor not to tell anyone when she did fall pregnant, until she was 27 weeks along, so she didn't even tell her own mother. She admits to having to fight against some of the criticism she has faced after becoming a mother later in life. She said: 'Some find it ridiculous, some find it awful and some love it. I don't think it's anyone's business. It's my husband and my life and we love what we do.' She said of her later in life pregnancy: 'Some find it ridiculous, some find it awful and some love it. I don't think it's anyone's business. It's my husband and my life and we love what we do' Nielsen was previously married to Raoul Meyer from 1993 to 2003, Sebastian Copeland from 1990 until 1992, Sylvester Stallone from 1985 until 1987 and Kasper Winding from 1983 until 1984. She already has sons Julian, 34, Killian, 28, Douglas, 25, and Raoul, 23. Brigitte only revealed her pregnancy news to the public just three weeks before she gave birth to her 5 lbs. 9 oz bundle of joy. She said: 'We are overjoyed to welcome our beautiful daughter into our lives,' she told the site. 'Its been a long road, and so worth it. Weve never been more in love.' Her ex: Nielsen was previously married to Sylvester Stallone from 1985 until 1987 Olivia Colman proved she was true to her word as she made an unsteady exit from a late night after-party on Sunday evening, hours after vowing to celebrate her triumphant night at the 72nd British Academy Awards by getting drunk. The celebrated actress, 45, was justifiably bleary eyed as she left Londons Grosvenor House with husband Ed Sinclair after celebrating a triumphant night at the annual awards ceremony. Olivia was named Best Actress for her role as a reclusive Queen Anne of Great Britain in The Favourite, with the film winning seven awards in total throughout the night. Here she comes: Olivia Colman proved she was true to her word as she made an unsteady exit from a late night after-party on Sunday evening after vowing to get drunk following her Best Actress win at the BAFTAs Looking suitably regal in a sweeping black and white gown, the actress - who will also play a middle-aged Queen Elizabeth when HBO show The Crown returns later this year - the star was in high spirits as she made her way towards a waiting car. Chaperoned by a security guard, Olivia gave waiting onlookers a beaming smile ahead of the journey home. The appearance capped a successful night for the actress, who veered away from royal demeanour in her emotional acceptance speech at the Royal Albert Hall as she promised 'to get so p*****' with a few celebratory drinks. Let's go: The celebrated actress was justifiably bleary eyed as she left Londons Grosvenor House after celebrating a triumphant night at the annual awards ceremony High spirits: Olivia offered a beaming smile as she was chaperoned towards her waiting car Ready for bed: The star's weary expression suggested the night had got the better of her as she prepared for the journey home Striking: Olivia, who will also play a middle-aged Queen Elizabeth when HBO show The Crown returns later this year, looked suitably regal in a sweeping black and white gown Don't mind me: But the star was centre of attention as she departed Grosvenor House Hotel The film about the eccentric 18th century British monarch, which now seems bound for Oscars glory, was beaten to the best film prize by Mexican drama Roma. But it won other BAFTAs for outstanding British film, original screenplay, costume design, production design and hair and make-up, while Olivia's British co-star Rachel Weisz was best supporting actress The film's Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos said: 'We made a very British film, the story is very British. I don't know what else to say about Olivia, she's just an amazing human being, actor and she's a joy to work with. Successful: Olivia was named Best Actress for her role as a reclusive Queen Anne of Great Britain in The Favourite, with the film winning seven awards in total throughout the night The party's over: Rachel Weisz was also seen leaving the after-party on Sunday evening She's pleased: Olivia's The Favourite co-star was in a jubilant mood after winning the award for Best Supporting Actress 'I think she doesn't take herself too seriously, and just enjoys what she's doing a lot and that's why every time it's all new to her.' Olivia gushed: 'I do know what to say, I've actually written something down. To my fellow nominees, to be in the same company as you is an extraordinary honour. I'm very shaky, sorry. We're having an amazing night aren't we? We're going to get so p***** later.' She added: 'Emma and Rachel, [thank you] for your performances and what you did after the camera stopped rolling. We've never talked about this and I find it very emotional, but I love you.' Overjoyed! The actress was delighted as she took home the gong for her sensational display in the critically acclaimed film at the 72nd British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday evening Speech: Following her win she congratulated her 'extraordinary' fellow nominees while joking that she is going to get 'p***ed' to celebrate her incredible win along with her 'classy' co-stars Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone During her speech she said: 'To be in the same company as my fellow nominees is simply extraordinary. I'm very shaky and card read this, sorry. We're having an amazing night aren't we? Lost out: The film about the eccentric 18th century British monarch, which now seems bound for Oscars glory, was beaten to the best film prize by Mexican drama Roma Touching: Olivia and Rachel put on a touching display as they celebrated their wins together holding up their shining awards Hooray! The winners of the night stood together for an incredible group shot after receiving their gongs Earlier in the evening Rachel Weisz put on an emotional display with her co-star Olivia as she collected the prestigious gong. Olivia, 45, looked delighted with her friend's achievement, as they shared a sweet kiss as she congratulated the actress for winning the sought after award. Rachel looked much younger than her years as she sported her dark chocolate brown tresses slicked behind her ears, while her features were enhanced with rosy blusher and deep pink gloss. As she collected the award for Best Supporting Actress, Rachel said: 'I played this opposite two of the most glorious women, Olivia Colman and Emma Stone, and didn't we have the most glorious time? Hats off to you ladies!'. Speaking about their on-screen kiss, Rachel said they were very unprepared: 'My mouth met hers and our lips opened and there's not really preparation involved in kissing someone I don't think. I don't know of any. Glowing: Olivia took a moment to pose with fellow winners Rami Malek and Spike Lee following a successful night Sweet: Thelma Schoonmaker picked up the Fellowship award for her commitment to film as she caught up with presenter Joanna Lumley Touching: Rachel put on an emotional display with her co-star Olivia Colman after her awards win as the friends shared a sweet kiss Winner! Rachel Weisz collected the prestigious gong at the 72nd British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday evening Friends: Olivia, 45, looked delighted with her friend's achievement, as they shared a sweet kiss as Olivia congratulated the actress for winning the sought after award (pictured right in The Favourite during an intimate moment) 'My character was in love with her, they'd been lovers since they were girls teenagers. There was no age of consent for women anyway! No preparation she's just gorgeous and lovely.' 'Its an extraordinary piece of writing. Theyre both just so extraordinary the whole cast theres too many people to make,e the main story is this three women its just a joy everyday to watch and work. We had alo fun. 'I didnt know when we saw the final film that it was going to be a tragic love story, I think he faced all those challenges he just allowed us to play our parts. 'A challenge I just remember the dance that Joe and I did. Ive never danced professionally, before so it was quite a complicated dance to learn, but when I saw the finale film I saw the scene was really about the queen, she realises shes wheelchair bound and has gout and frail and watching her face turn from enjoyment to envy to utter tragic pain is just shes such an extraordinary actress. Gorgeous: Rachel looked much younger than her years as she sported her dark chocolate brown tresses slicked behind her ears, while her features were enhanced with rosy blusher and deep pink gloss Speech: As she collected the award for Best Supporting Actress, Rachel said: 'I played this opposite two of the most glorious women Olivia Colman and Emma Stone and didn't we have the most glorious time? Hats off to you ladies!' 'I would speak for myself, my performance completely relied on the other two, it would be fair to say each one of us relied on The other two.' The Crown actress looked effortlessly chic in an Emilia Wickstead monochrome gown with a stunning empire neckline and two-tone white and black effect as her film The Favourite picked up seven gongs. Olivia accessorised her simple but effective ensemble with a chunky glitzy bangle and a pair of dainty jewel drop earrings, while toting a black leather clutch bang in her hand. Stunning: The Crown actress, 45, looked effortlessly chic in monochrome gown with a stunning empire neckline and two-tone white and black effect as her film The Favourite picked up two gongs in the early stages of the evening Wow: Olivia Colman joined her fellow A-listers on the red carpet at the 72nd British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday evening Winner! Rami Malek was awarded the Best Actor gong by a glamorous Margot Robbie, as he took to the stage wearing a sharp white suit and thanked Freddie Mercury as he address the ceremony Glam: Olivia accessorised her simple but effective ensemble with a chunky glitzy bangle and a pair of dainty jewel drop earrings, while toting a black leather clutch bang in her hand Rami Malek was awarded the Best Actor gong, as he took to the stage wearing a sharp white suit and thanked Freddie Mercury as he address the ceremony. He gushed: 'I can't believe am I included in this group of actors, I've entered this world, as an outsider you Brits do it so well and it's not lost on me how sacred your musical heritage is, so thank you so much for including me. 'Thank you so very much to Queen, and to the greatest outsider of them all, for being so unwavering, so uncompromising, and so wonderful in every which way, Freddie Mercury.' He gushed: 'I can't believe am I included in this group of actors, I've entered this world, as an outsider you Brits do it so well and it's not lost on me how sacred your musical heritage is, so thank you so much for including me. Thank you! 'Thank you so very much to Queen, and to the greatest outsider of them all, for being so unwavering, so uncompromising, and so wonderful in every which way, Freddie Mercury' Dapper: Rami appeared more than keen to showcase his award at the ceremony as he put on an animated display at the winners conference Olivia appeared radiant as she showcased her glowy complexion, wearing a glamorous coat of make-up with lashings of mascara and eye-liner and a glossy lip. Yorgos Lanthimos's The Favourite has swept the nominations with 12 nods in top categories including a Best Actress chance Supporting Actress and Best Film and managed to take home over half of its nominations. The Favourite picked up Outstanding British Film and Best Production as well as Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress/ Best film: Yorgos Lanthimos's The Favourite has swept the nominations with 12 nods in top categories including a Best Actress chance Supporting Actress and Best Film Glamorous: Lucy Boynton and Joseph Fiennes made a handsome pair as they took to the stage to present an award Amazing accolade: Daniel Sudick, Craig Hammack, Geoffrey E. Baumann and Jesse James Chisholm hold their award for Special Visual Effects for the film Black Panther Bright stars: Lauren Dark and Michael Pearce hold their awards for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer Director or Producer Netflix drama Roma took home the top prize at the awards ceremony, pipping other nominees BlacKkKlansman, The Favourite, Green Book and A Star Is Born to the Best Film post. Taking to the stage alongside the whole of the Roma cast, the film's director Alfonso Cuaron said: 'This time I'm going to read because as you can tell, I blanked and can't think what to say. 'I just want to thank Participant Media and Netflix for their faith and courage and I share this award with my amazing cast and crew.' Dazzling: Melissa McCarthy dazzled in a sparkling floor-length gown as she awarded a recipient with a desired BAFTA Well done! Melissa handed the BAFTA to Yorgos Lanthimos for Outstanding British Film The Favourite Purple rain! Spike Lee picked up the award for Best Adapted screenplay for BlacKkKlansman Elated: Mahershala Ali looked elated to be awarded his Best Actor in a Supporting Role Bafta for Green Book Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse, which has previously done well at earlier awards ceremony's, was given the Best Animation accolade at the glitzy awards ceremony. The audience were treated to a spectacular display from Cirque du Soleil, who wowed crowds by performing a series of expertly executed tricks as performers shot up into the sky. Bradley Cooper looked dapper as he picked up the award for Best Soundtrack for his directional debut, A Star is Born, where he credited his wife Irina Shayk and his leading lady Lady Gaga. Spectacular: The audience were treated to a spectacular display from Cirque du Soleil, who wowed crowds by performing a series of expertly executed tricks as performers shot up into the sky while others waited to catch them Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse, which has previously done well at earlier awards ceremony's, was given the Best Animation accolade at the glitzy awards ceremony (Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman and Phil Lord picked up the gong) Sirens: Lily Collins looked beautiful in blue as she presented an award alongside Olga Kurylenko at the ceremony Following A Star Is Born's Best Soundtrack win, Lady Gaga tweeted: 'I can't believe we just won Best Original Music @BAFTA 's . I wish so much I was there but I'm at the Grammy's to show them our love as well. We made a film about music. This means the world to me. Thank u to all our fans we love u so much, we wouldn't be here without u #BAFTAs,' Letitia Wright spoke of how she nearly quit acting due to a 'deep depression' as she picked up the Rising Star Award at the EE awards The Black Panther star took home the honour at the annual awards ceremony, Speaking to accept her prize, she said: 'A few years ago I saw myself in a deep depression and I wanted to quit acting. Thankful: Bradley Cooper looked dapper as he picked up the award for Best Soundtrack for his directional debut, A Star is Born, where he credited his wife Irina Shayk and his leading lady Lady Gaga Following A Star Is Born's Best Soundtrack win, Lady Gaga tweeted: 'I can't believe we just won Best Original Music @BAFTAs' Anticipation: Eleanor Tomlinson and Henry Goldin looked stunning as they presented the award 'The only thing that pulled me out of that was God, my belief, my family, and an email from BAFTA telling me they wanted me to be a part of BAFTA Breakthrough Brits and it inspired me to keep going. I'm still a work in progress. I want to encourage young people - matter of fact you don't even have to be young - anybody that is going through a hard time, God made you and you're important. Let your light shine.' The 25-year-old actress beat fellow nominees Barry Keoghan, Cynthia Erivo, Jessie Buckley and Lakeith Stanfield to the crown. Smashed it! Black Panther star Letitia Wright looks elated after collecting the award for Rising Star Collecting his award: Jason Isaacs made a slightly lewd joke presenting best Short film awards talking about how you can get the pleasure at home that you get from animation.... in 15 minutes On Monday night's episode, Married at First Sight's Lauren Huntriss revealed to husband Matthew Bennett that she 'used to be a lesbian.' But fans have taken to Twitter fan to slam the reality blonde's 'bombshell' confession as 'dangerous'. One wrote: 'Just wanna say using language like 'used to be' is dangerous and gives the illusion that being gay is a choice.' 'Are they going to refer to her as 'ex-lesbian' now?' Fans slam MAFS bride Lauren Huntriss after 'bombshell' revelation leaves 'husband' Matthew Bennett speechless Another commented: 'Please don't trivialise our identity. Makes me think one day, if I try reeeally hard, maybe I'll get a husband.' Meanwhile, another enraged fan referenced the Nine show's decision to refer to Matthew as an 'ex-virgin' earlier in the episode. 'Are they going to refer to her as 'ex-lesbian' now,' they ranted. Not impressed: Fans have taken to Twitter fan to slam the reality blonde's 'bombshell' confession as 'dangerous' Another enraged fan referenced the Nine show's decision to refer to Matthew as an 'ex-virgin' earlier in the episode Earlier this month, viewers watched as Lauren and Matthew fell head over heels for each other after meeting for the first time at the altar. While other couples on the show struggled to hit it off, their romance continued to blossom after embarking on their honeymoon. Matt, who was a 29-year-old virgin at the start of the experiment, lost his virginity to his 'wife' during filming. Fairytale: Earlier this month, viewers watched as Lauren and Matthew fell head over heels for each other after meeting for the first time at the altar Rite of passage: Matt, who was a 29-year-old virgin at the start of the experiment, lost his virginity to his 'wife' during filming Lauren's 'bombshell' wasn't the only dramatic moment from the explosive episode on Monday night. Ines Basic 'cheated' on her 'husband' Bronson Norrish by sending a 'flirty' message to Sam Ball, asking him to meet her in the sauna. Ines began by testing the waters with a hello text, before quickly offering a secret hook up between them. 'She wants to meet up in the sauna!' Married at First Sight's Ines Basic (pictured) makes a move on Elizabeth Sobinoff's 'husband' Sam Ball by offering a steamy secret hook-up Into it! 'Ines is more a girl I would go for in the real world. The temptation's there,' Sam admitted, staring at the message Sam wasn't sure how to take the initial 'hello' message, which was accompanied by with a chicken and egg emoji, sent over Instagram. 'Ines is more a girl I would go for in the real world. The temptation's there,' he admitted, staring at the message. He went on: 'I think Ines has definitely reached out 'cause we both said leave. So, she's probably just jumping on the opportunity to get to know me. I don't think Elizabeth's attracted to me.' He agonised over replying, however gave into temptation. 'She's actually quite close by. Wants to meet up in the sauna and [wrote], "Come over, bubba." I'm her bubba, apparently. Hey there! Ines began by testing the waters with a hello text, before quickly offering a secret hook up between them 'So she wants me to obviously come over and... I don't know what to do about this situation. I don't know. She seems pretty keen, though,' he quipped. His TV wife Elizabeth Sobinoff arrived home before anything happened, and the pair embraced, making peace in their 'marriage' for now. However, a preview for an upcoming episode shows Sam and Ines spending time together, embracing in a doorway. Wanted: Finding herself alone in the house, Ines found Sam on social media and began lusting after him Earlier in the episode, despite going to couple's therapy with 'husband' Bronson, Ines admitted she was 'thinking about another husband'. 'I'm definitely disappointed. I did come here to fall in love with someone, and I did make a commitment to Bronson. 'But I have been thinking about another husband. Obviously, that's Sam. Like, he's hot. If Bronson can change his ways, I might stop thinking about someone else'. Happy days? 'I know Sam's unhappy, I'm unhappy,' Ines complained of her marriage What's going on? A preview for an upcoming episode shows Sam and Ines spending time together alone Close: One scene shows the pair embracing in a doorway, with Sam giving Ines a kiss Finding herself alone in the house, Ines found Sam on social media and began lusting after him. 'I know I said to John [Aiken] that I'm gonna take this opportunity and give Bronson a chance, but I'm still thinking about Sam, and I found him on social media. He is so hot! It's crazy! Like, he is stunning!' she said. After scrolling through pictures, she decided to send him a message. Oh dear! Bronson, while also moving into an apartment solo, said: 'At the moment I don't feel like I have a wife. Me and Ines is the most toxic relationship I have ever been in' 'I feel like I was supposed to be matched with him. Like, I'm serious. Like, I think he would make me a lot more softer and just happier. 'I know Sam's unhappy, I'm unhappy. So, I was like, you know, why not go for it? So, I sent him a message. So, hopefully he texts back, and, you know, we can get a bit flirty' she said with a cheeky grin. Earlier, the couples faced one of their greatest challenges as they moved in together in a shared apartment complex. Ouch: Bronson used a strong slur to describe his bride, and she says he 'humilated' her Jules, 36, revealed she had not lived with anyone for ten years, but was really excited to set up home with her groom Cam. As they moved in together, Ning meanwhile worried that her partner, Mark, has commitment issues and fears she may end up being abandoned again. However, the couple have grown closer and Ning revealed she wished she could 'turn back the clock' and start over. First times: Matt revealed that he was delighted to be living with a partner for the first time after losing his virginity on his honeymoon to 'wife' Lauren Ines meanwhile revealed she was moving in on her own after she and partner Bronson clashed at the commitment ceremony. Bronson used a strong slur to describe his bride, and she says he 'humilated' her. As a result, the pair are spending time apart, and won't be moving in together for now. Tough! Ines and Bronson head to couple's therapy and try and work out the issues occurring between them Bronson, while also moving into an apartment solo, said: 'At the moment I don't feel like I have a wife. Me and Ines is the most toxic relationship I have ever been in'. He added that he was glad to be living alone as he feared 'waking up with a pillow on his face'. 'This is complete uncharted territory for me. Living together is gonna be a total test. We've been in the honeymoon bubble,' he said. 'And I feel like we're gonna probably see things about one another that we weren't expecting. I'm more scared about this than the wedding.' War! Things went very wrong for Cyrell and Nic after he refuses to hold her hand in public after dinner. The resulting argument became heated, and causes her to flee their apartment in the middle of the night Happy now: Cyrell came back to the apartment several hours later, and Nic realised during the time apart that he realised he missed her Loved up: The pair then revealed they had feelings for one another and had a cuddle to make up from their argument Elsewhere, things went very wrong for Cyrell and Nic after he refused to hold her hand in public after dinner. The resulting argument became heated, and causes her to flee their apartment in the middle of the night. 'He goes, "Well, why even bother waiting until the morning? Why don't you just f**k off now?" You think I'm gonna stay if my partner straight away is turning around and saying f**k off?' a furious Cyrell ranted when recounting the fight. Making friends? Elizabeth turns up to apologise to Ines, who is unimpressed, calling her a 'big noisy bird' Cyrell came back to the apartment several hours later, and Nic realised during the time apart that he missed her. 'Spending time apart makes you realise how you feel about someone. I don't wanna lose her, and I'm glad that she did come back,' he said. The pair then revealed they had feelings for one another and had a cuddle to make up from their argument. Not a chance! Elizabeth shows up and interrupts Sam texting steamy messages with Ines Everything was going well for Jules and Cameron, who bonded over a cricket session. Cam was pleased that his new bride was willing to get involved in one of his greatest passions. Happy together: Everything was going well for Jules and Cameron, who bonded over cricket Bonding: Cam was pleased his new bride was willing to get enjoy one of his great passions Meanwhile, Elizabeth turns up to apologise to Ines, who is unimpressed, calling her a 'big noisy bird'. 'I was an idiot, and, look, I'm all about female empowerment,' she said, trying to make peace between them, and offered Ines a block of chocolate. 'I'm gonna eat this tonight in bed. I'll eat the chocolate and think of her husband' Ines quipped. Later, Ines makes her move on Sam with a saucy text message, and he appears conflicted but receptive. Married At First Sight continues Tuesday at 7:30pm on Channel Nine They only recently arrived back from their Indonesia getaway and attended Stormi's epic first birthday party. Yet Caitlyn Jenner and Sophia Hutchins were back on the showbiz scene to attend Steven Tyler's GRAMMY Awards Viewing Party, in Los Angeles on Sunday. The former Olympic athlete, 69, and her partner, 22, were inseparable once again as they posed together in front of the cameras. Close pairing: Caitlyn Jenner, 69, and her partner Sophia Hutchins, 22, were inseparable at Steven Tyler's Grammy Awards Viewing Party in Los Angeles on Sunday Caitlyn looked amazing in a busy floral patterned dress which ensured she stood out as she paired it with a trendy leather jacket. Sophia highlighted her slender pins in a white minidress embossed with golden discs and steep nude heels when she hit the red carpet with her partner. The pair, who met through a make-up artist in 2015, joined Hollywood's elite at the gathering befitting Janies Fund and hosted at Raleigh Studios. Caitlyn and Sophia have recently returned from their Indonesian getaway at the end of January, just weeks ago. Christmas served as a milestone for the couple as they spent their first Xmas day together at Caitlyn's Malibu home. Going strong: The pair, who met through a make-up artist in 2015, joined Hollywood's elite at the gathering befitting Janies Fund and hosted at Raleigh Studios Rumours have been swirling that the pair have got engaged but the duo are reluctant to share any details of their romance, despite being inseparable. In October last year, Sophia described Caitlyn as her 'partner' and admitted they were 'inseparable' as she talked about their relationship for the first time. The blonde shared details about their lives, saying they share a dog and a family as well as living together but she insisted it wasn't a romantic coupling. She told The Hidden Truth With Jim Breslo: 'I wouldn't describe it as a romantic relationship. 'We're partners in everything we do, we're inseparable, we're business partners, we live together, we share a dog, we share family, we share a life together. 'I would not use the word "girlfriend," I would not use the word "dating." We're partners.' Good pals: The close partners joined forces with Nikki Lund on the red carpet as they got their glam on for the star-studded affair Sophia has been welcomed into Caitlyn's extensive and infamous reality star family and she even accompanied the star to Stormi's first birthday party. Caitlyn and Sophia posed for a sweet social media snap with Kylie Jenner and daughter Stormi inside the bash. The former athlete who shares Kendall and Kylie with ex-wife Kris praised her daughter Kylie for being an 'amazing mom' to her one-year-old daughter. She wrote: 'Beyond proud of my amazing daughter for all of her accomplishments, but especially proud of what an amazing mom she is to her little girl! And what a great birthday party!! Happy first birthday Stormi!' Later at a pre-Grammy bash, Caitlyn shed some light into the dazzling party as she said it was a 'huge' event attended by 'everybody'. She told E! news: 'We just left Stormi's first birthday. My family's very good at that. It was great, everybody was there, we had a lot of fun. The theme was big. 'They took over a whole lot in Universal, turned it into Stormi's world, it was so perfect.' He finally had sex for the first time Married at First Sight last week. But viewers have slammed the Nine reality series for continually describing Matthew Bennett as a 'ex-virgin' during Monday night's episode. Taking to Twitter, one fumed: 'Ex-Virgin Matt?!? Doesn't that descriptor fit MOST people??? 'Doesn't that describe most people!' Married at First Sight fans mock Nine reality series for branding Matthew Bennett an 'ex-virgin' Another wrote: 'OMG now he's 'ex-virgin Matt. Please explain why that is necessary?' Meanwhile one more fan humorously commented: 'Matt the virgin, Matt the ex-virgin. What's next, Matt the sex maniac?' Earlier this month, viewers watched as Lauren and Matthew fell head over heels for each other after meeting for the first time at the altar. 'Why is this necessary?' Fans were incredulous in their criticism over the description While other couples on the show struggled to hit it off, their romance continued to blossom after embarking on their honeymoon. Matt, who was a 29-year-old virgin at the start of the experiment, lost his virginity to his 'wife' during filming. However, reports have suggested the golden couple have already broken-up. Fairytale: Earlier this month, viewers watched as Lauren and Matthew fell head over heels for each other after meeting for the first time at the altar Channel Nine has apparently banned them from speaking to each other following an unspecified 'incident'. But on Monday, claims surfaced on The Kyle and Jackie O Show, when producer Sonia Jahshan interrupted a discussion to reveal the pair were 'not allowed' to contact each other. Rite of passage: Matt, who was a 29-year-old virgin at the start of the experiment, lost his virginity to his 'wife' during filming 'Something weird is happening, we've been told that they are not allowed to talk to each other, Lauren and Matt. They used the word "banned",' Sonia explained on air. Adding fuel to the fire, Lauren, 31 left the country to spend some time away in Europe without Matthew, two months after saying 'I do'. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for comment. Married At First Sight continues Monday at 7:30pm on Channel Nine Mick Gould reportedly wanted to leave Married At First Sight 'multiple times' because he couldn't stand to be around Jessika Power. The farmer, 31, who branded the part-time model, 27, a 'spoiled little brat' in Sunday's episode, allegedly thinks Australia hasn't 'seen the real Jessika yet'. 'She is actually a party girl and loves to be the centre of attention and Mick can't handle it,' sources told New Idea. 'The producers had to convince him to stay': MAFS' Mick Gould 'wanted to leave the experiment several times... and thinks Australia hasn't seen the real Jessika Power' 'So much so, that producers were called in to convince the country larrikin to stick around after he revealed he wanted out of the experiment.' The insider added: 'He wanted to leave multiple times. It got to a point where he just didn't even want to be around Jess or in the same vicinity as her.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for comment. It comes after Jessika, who berated Mick during last week's dinner party, tried to apologise for her bad behaviour. She begged her beau for a second chance, before he bluntly replied: 'You abuse me in front of everyone last night. How do you think that makes me feel? Over absolute crap, [you're] a spoiled little bloody brat!' Claims: 'She is actually a party girl and loves to be the centre of attention and Mick can't handle it,' sources told New Idea 'You're a spoiled bloody brat!' On Sunday, Mick BLASTED 'wife' Jessika for her bad behaviour at last week's dinner party It appeared that the future of the couple's relationship was up in the air, with Mick questioning whether he should stay with Jessika. 'I actually can't deal with all that sort of drama and negativity and it sort of left me thinking that I just want to bloody pack and go home,' the farmer told producers in a piece to camera. However, a contrite Jessika pleaded for more time with her 'husband' as they discussed their' 'marriage' in a hotel room. 'I was embarrassed with the way that I acted. I can be bratty and I can be self-centred and this is why I've been matched with somebody that's older than me,' the blonde explained. 'You abused me in front of everyone last night!' Mick was less than impressed with Jessika's antics 'For you to even come in and speak to me like this, it's just made my respect for you grow so much more. Give me three days. I want this to work with you.' During last Thursday's episode of the program, Jessika exploded at Mick for failing to defend her during an argument with a co-star. Tears streamed down the irate blonde's face as she screamed at her shocked spouse, blasting: 'Every time it comes down to something hard you sit there and say, 'I don't know what to say'. 'Why don't you pour yourself another f**king beer and f**k off! I had to deal with a whole situation on my own, and you were acting like you weren't even there for me as a partner! 'I had to deal with a whole situation on my own, and you were acting like you weren't even there for me as a partner!' Jessika berated Mick on last Thursday night's episode of the show Any lingering belief that Cardi B's marriage to rapper Offset was on shaky ground appeared to be quashed on Sunday evening as the couple took to the stage at the 61st annual Grammy Awards. Offset, real name Kiari Cephus, joined his wife as she accepted the award for Best Rap Album with an emotional speech in front of a star-studded audience at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Referring to the rapper as her husband, Cardi, 26, confirmed the couple were very much back together after debut album Invasion of Privacy beat Pusha T, Travis Scott, Nipsey Hussle and the late Mac Miller to the coveted prize. Scroll down for full list of winners Close: Any lingering belief that Cardi B's marriage to rapper Offset was on shaky ground appeared to be quashed on Sunday evening as the couple took to the stage at the 61st annual Grammy Awards Accepting the award, the performer, real name Belcalis Almanzar, also credited the couple's infant daughter Kulture for helping her complete the album during a prolonged period in the recording studio. 'Im not just saying thank you because shes my daughter,' she said. 'Its because, you know, when I found out I was pregnant my album was no complete. 'I had three songs, and then you know how it was we was like we have to get this album done, I can shoot these videos while Im still not showing.' By her side: Offset, real name Kiari Cephus, joined his wife as she accepted the award for Best Rap Album with an emotional speech Delighted: Cardi's debut album Invasion of Privacy beat Pusha T, Travis Scott, Nipsey Hussle and the late Mac Miller to the coveted priza My man: Referring to the rapper as her husband, Cardi, 26, confirmed the couple were very much back together Turning to her husband, who performed with rap trio Migos on the album, she added: 'You, husband, thank you. He was like You gonna do this album girl. We gonna have this baby and were gonna make this album. Thank you so much everybody. Earlier that night Cardi was accompanied by Offset and four other handlers on the red carpet outside the Los Angeles venue. The rapper looked absolutely stunning in the eccentric oyster and pearls vintage outfit by French designer Thierry Mugler from 1995. I've got you: Offset held is wife;s hand as she addressed the star-studded audience on Sunday evening Special credit: Accepting the award, the performer, real name Belcalis Almanzar, also credited the couple's infant daughter Kulture for helping her complete the album Opening up: 'Im not just saying thank you because shes my daughter,' she said. 'Its because, you know, when I found out I was pregnant my album was no complete' Well done: A clearly smitten Offset kissed Cardi's hand during her acceptance speech Shining star: Cardi B was accompanied by Offset and four other handlers on the red carpet of the 2019 Grammy Awards on Sunday Going for it: The 26-year-old rapper looked absolutely stunning in the eccentric oyster and pearls vintage outfit by French designer Thierry Mugler from 1995 Cardi stunned in a bustier bodysuit, ruffled fanned-out black skirt with pink satin lining. She completed the look with layered pearl necklaces and matching beehive headpiece. Pink and black smokey eye makeup dovetailed perfectly with the outfit's color palette. I like it: The mother-of-one stunned in a bustier bodysuit, ruffled fanned-out black skirt with pink satin lining. Seen here with husband Offset Who wore it best? Cardi [L] in Sunday night's Thierry Mugler dress and [R] Simonetta Giarfelici in the 1995 original The Migos star and Cardi put on an unfiltered display of affection with Offset, with both openly touching tongues as they posed for photos on the red carpet. In a recent Harper's Bazaar interview, the Bronx-born beauty spoke of her resistance to healing her broken marriage following cheating allegations against her husband. 'I decided on my own,' she said of leaving her husband. 'Nobody makes my decisions about my life but me. I didn't want to go to marriage counseling. It must be love: Cardi put on an interesting display of affection with her husband as they posed for photos on Sunday evening 'He suggested it, but it's like, "I don't want to go." There's no counselor or nothing that could make me change my mind.' However, the red carpet display and the fact the pair were seen together during the Big Game Weekend Party in Atlanta, Georgia last weekend suggests a reconciliation may be on the cards. Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Travis Scott, Diana Ross, and Cardi B are among a crowded field of performers scheduled for Sunday night's Alicia Keys-hosted Grammy Awards. Tongues out Tuesday: Following marital woes, the rapper recently told ET she was 'working it out' with the Migos star Gaga will perform with Mark Ronson, with whom she collaborated on the song Shallow, while her A Star Is Born co-star Bradley Cooper represents the BAFTA Awards which also take place that same night. Gaga tied for the third-highest number of nominations this year with five, for record of the year, song of the year, best pop duo or performance, and best song written for visual media for Shallow; and best pop performance for Joanne (Where Do You Think You're Goin'?). She's previously won six Grammy awards, including two in 2010, three in 2011, and one in 2015 for her collaboration album with Tony Bennett. A little help from my friends: Cardi was assisted by her entourage as she made her way across the red carpet Big night: Cardi was up for three awards in total on Sunday evening Other performers include Beyonce's proteges Chloe x Halle, fresh from their performance of America The Beautiful at the Super Bowl, Dua Lipa, St. Vincent, Andra Day, Camila Cabello, Dan + Shay, Post Malone with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Shawn Mendes, J Balvin, Arturo Sandoval, Young Thug, Janelle Monae, Kacey Musgraves, H.E.R., Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Little Big Town, Ricky Martin, Fantasia and gospel great Yolanda Adams. Dua Lipa will be making her Grammy stage debut on the show, where she'll be joined by St. Vincent for a special performance, while Adams will sing alongside Fantasia and Day in a tribute to late Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin. However one star who will not be on stage - either performing or accepting an award, is Ariana Grande. This is despite Ariana featuring prominently on billboards promoting the event throughout Los Angeles, and being nominated for both Best Pop Vocal Performance (for God Is a Woman) and Best Pop Vocal Album (for 2018's Sweetener). Turn, turn, turn: The rapper showed off her limited movement in the elaborate gown as she prepared to make her appearance at the event Breaking ground: Later in the night the rapper became the first solo woman to take home the Best Rap Album award Excited: Never one to keep her emotions hidden, the ex stripper took to social media to express her excitement over the win The move comes due to a disagreement with Grammy producers over which songs she would perform, according to sources close to the situation. An insider tells Variety that Grande felt 'insulted' after producers initially refused to allow her to perform 7 Rings,' the latest single from her forthcoming album Thank U, Next. A compromise was reached whereby 7 Rings would be part of a medley, but Grande pulled out after producers insisted that the second song be of their choosing. The source added that such stipulations were not imposed on other performers at the show. The 61st annual Grammy Awards are produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures for the Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich is executive producer, Ben Winston is executive producer, Louis J. Horvitz is director, Chantel Sausedo is the producer, and David Wild and Ehrlich are the writers. Sophie Turner and fiance Joe Jonas appeared to be having a whale of a time as they prepared to party at the Republic Records' Grammy after party on Sunday. The fashionable duo headed to the event, held at Spring Place in Beverly Hills, where they were pictured cosying up to one another and giggling. Sophie, 22, looked incredible wearing a black bustier top which had detached oversized sleeves, which gave her look a dramatic flourish. Happy: Sophie Turner wore a bustier with giant sleeves as she shared a laugh with fiance Joe Jonas at the Republic Records' Grammy after party at Spring Place in Beverly Hills on Sunday Date night: Sophie lovingly placed one hand on Joe's shoulder as they prepared to let their hair down She wore a pair of leather trousers and shoe boots, adding a rock and roll edge to her look with a slicked back elegant up-do and grey eyeshadow. Joe, 29, was dressed in a casual fashion, teaming a blue bomber jacket with an oversized buttoned up white shirt, black jeans and Converse trainers. Sophie cuddled up to Joe and lovingly placed one hand on his shoulder, before the couple headed inside and posed for some snaps together. Leather look: She wore a pair of leather trousers and shoe boots, adding a rock and roll edge to her look with a slicked back elegant up-do and grey eyeshadow In October, Joe got a tattoo with his fiancee. The lovebirds got the phrase 'To infinity & beyond' on their inside wrist; on Joe's hand it read 'To infinity' and on Sophie's it read '& beyond.' The saying is the Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear's catchphrase. The sweet inking was done by tattoo artist Mr. K at Bang Bang Tattoos in New York City. Power couple: Once inside, Sophie and Joe posed together on the red carpet Casual cutie: Joe teamed an oversized shirt with a bomber jacket as he cosied up to his love According to Page Six, the DNCE frontman and the actress also got matching tattoos in July 2018. They both inked their hand with tributes to their grandfathers. Joe and Sophie got engaged in October 2017 after dating for a year. Richard Gere and his wife Alejandra Silva have reportedly welcomed their first child together, a son born in New York City. The 69-year-old actor and his 36-year-old wife became the proud parents of a newborn baby boy 'a few days ago', according to Spanish magazine Hola!. News of their bundle of joy's arrival comes seven months before Hollywood screen veteran Gere celebrates his 70th birthday. Oh baby! Richard Gere and his wife Alejandra Silva have reportedly welcomed their first child together, a son born in New York City. Pictured together in May 2017 Richard and Alejandra, who have yet to publicly release the name of their son, revealed that they were expecting their first child together back in September. Alejandra shared a photo of herself and husband Gere meeting the Dalai Lama - who put his hand on her bump to bless the unborn child. Gere is a long-term friend of the Dalai Lama, Tibets exiled spiritual leader. A Buddhist himself, Gere is a a prominent advocate for human rights in Tibet - something he says led to him being blacklisted in Hollywood. His support for the state also led to him being banned from entering China. News: The couple announced they were expecting their first child together back in September, when Alejandra shared a photo of herself and husband Gere meeting the Dalai Lama Their baby news comes after screen icon Richard tied the knot with Alejandra in April, after four years together. Respected Madrid-based daily newspaper ABC broke the news of Geres wedding to the pretty Spaniard, 33 years his junior, earlier this year and first reported the pregnancy last month. Pretty Woman star Gere tied the knot with Alejandra at a civil ceremony in Spain in April before celebrating the occasion with friends and family at his home near New York the following month. Love and marriage: Their baby news comes after screen icon Richard tied the knot with Alejandra in April, after four years together. Pictured together in October 2018 Both Alejandra and Richard are already parents to a child each from previous relationships. Richard has a son called Homer who celebrates his 19th birthday this month with former wife Carey Lowell. They married in 2002 and split 14 years later. He had previously been married to first wife Cindy Crawford for four years between 1991 and 1995. Alejandra, who met her current husband while divorcing her first husband Govind Friedland, the son of mining magnate Robert Friedland, has a five-year-old son called Alberto, who she affectionately she calls Albertino. Gere met wife Alejandra back in 2014 at a luxury Italian boutique hotel Alejandra bought with her former husband and was managing at the time. Winnie Harlow took command of the catwalk on Sunday at the Prabal Gurung show as part of New York Fashion Week. The 24-year-old Canadian model showed off a grey houndstooth jacket with a matching below-the-knee skirt with a side slit at Spring Studios. The outfit by the Nepali-American designer featured sheer sleeve panels, a black tie and black ruffles off the shoulders. Catwalk star: Winnie Harlow hit the catwalk on Sunday for the Prabal Gurung show as part of New York Fashion Week Winnie completed her outfit from the designer's Women's Ready-to-Wear collection for Fall/Winter 2019-2020 with white platform heels and had her long dark hair pulled back. The former America's Next Top Model contestant teamed up backstage with the designer and model Bella Hadid, 22, who also walked in the fashion show. Winnie changed into an all-black ensemble before leaving Spring Studios after the event. She wore a black crop top along with a shiny black jacket and matching trousers. Canadian model: The 24-year-old model wore an outfit from the designer's Ready-to-Wear collection for Fall/Winter 2019-2020 In demand: Winnie has been an in-demand model since appearing on America's Next Top Model in 2014 Winnie finished her looks with black boots and accessorized with small black sunglasses and carried a black purse. The in-demand model was diagnosed with the chronic skin condition vitiligo at age four. Vitiligo is characterized by depigmentation of parts of the skin. Fashion week: The model was walking in New York Fashion Week after previously participating in London Fashion Week and the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Spring and summer: Winnie looked ready for spring/summer in the outfit by the Nepali-American designer The designer: Prabal Gurung got a kiss from Bella Hadid while backstage with Winnie Group shot: Winnie, Bella and other models flanked the designer backstage She was discovered by America's Next Top Model host Tyra Banks, 45, on Instagram and competed on cycle 21 of the show in 2014. Winnie finished in sixth place on the show and has since walked in London Fashion Week and in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. She has become a public speaker about her experiences with vitiligo and also speaks out against bullying. Post show: The model switched to an all-black outfit after the fashion show at Spring Studios Sleek style: Winnie looked effortlessly chic in her all-black outfit The rally will be attended by all those who had attended Mamata Banerjees Kolkata rally last month. New Delhi: In the run up to the Lok Sabha polls, Delhis ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will host a mega rally of non-BJP leaders in the national capital on February 13 against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre. Tanashahi Hatao, Desh Bachao (Remove Dictatorship, Save Country) rally will be organised at Jantar Mantar on February 13. All Opposition leaders will attend the rally against the Modi government, said senior AAP leader Gopal Rai. It will be attended by all those who had attended Mamata Banerjees Kolkata rally last month, he said. However, sources said, the Congress is unlikely to participate in the rally that will be attended by Mamata Banerjee and Chandrababu Naidu among other Opposition leaders. Moreover, the AAP is not in favour of forming an alliance with the Congress in Delhi for the upcoming polls. With the Lok Sabha elections months away, the rally will help to bring the Opposition leaders together and firm up a mahagathbandhan to challenge the BJP-led NDA, said the AAP leader. Delhi chief minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal had also attended the Kolkata rally, where he gave a call to defeat the Modi government. Mr Kejriwal has been a fierce critic of Mr Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. Ariana Grande took to Twitter to vent about the Grammys and her late ex Mac Miller on Sunday, then later deleted the tweets. The Boca Raton, Florida native, 25, boycotted attending the ceremony amid a creative rift with producers, but was active on social media throughout the day - showing fans the Zac Posen gown she would have worn - before later deleting most of the stream-of-consciousness content she had posted. Grande hit a boiling point when her late ex-boyfriend Mac Miller was not named as the winner in the Best Rap Album category for his album Swimming, losing out to Cardi B's Invasion of Privacy. Scroll below for video Speaking out: Ariana Grande, 25, took to Twitter to vent about the Grammys and her late ex Mac Miller on Sunday, then later deleted the tweets The posthumous nomination was the only one for Miller, who died at the age of 26 in September as result of a fatal overdose from alcohol, cocaine and fentanyl. Grande posted a series of tweets and subsequently deleted them, making clear that she was upset at the Academy officials for inviting Miller's parents Karen Meyer and Mark McCormick to the occasion without a banner moment to celebrate the late Pittsburgh native. 'They invited Mac's parents out for basically no reason,' Ariana wrote, also tweeting out phrases such as 'literal bull****,' 'trash' and 'f***' out of frustration. She clarified that her hostility was not directed at Cardi B, saying in a (since-deleted) tweet that it had 'nothing to do w her. Tweet and delete: Grande posted a series of tweets and subsequently deleted them, making clear that she was upset at the Academy officials for inviting Mac Miller's parents to the occasion without a banner moment to celebrate the late Pittsburgh native Snub: Grande was angered when her late ex-boyfriend Mac Miller was not named as the winner in the Best Rap Album category, in what was his only nomination of the evening. He was acknowledged and remembered during the show's In Memoriam segment later in the evening Grande said of Cardi B: 'good for her. i promise. i'm sorry. she's not at all and that's not what i mean and u know that.' Miller was acknowledged and remembered during the show's In Memoriam segment later in the evening. Grande began dating the late star in August 2016, but they split early in 2018, months before he died from an accidental overdose in September. Responding to a tweet questioning why the late rapper hadn't received the award when his parents were there, she replied: 'This. this is what i meant. karen was gonna have a green suit made.' Miller's mom attended the ceremony with Larry David's daughter Cazzie, who she has bonded with in the wake of the rapper's passing last fall. Memories: Miller's mom Karen Meyers attended the ceremony with Larry David's daughter Cazzie, who she has bonded with in the wake of the rapper's passing last fall. David shared the shot on her Instagram account with music professional Kelly Clancy It's a small world after all: Cazzie David was snapped with ex Pete Davidson, who dated Grande after her breakup with Miller; the two were pictured in 2017 A source explained to E! News of their friendship: 'It's still a relatively new friendship, and primarily limited to social media, but Cazzie and Karen think very highly of each other. Cazzie reached out to Karen with her condolences after Mac died and since then she and Karen have been exchanging messages. 'Through their chats the two have discovered they have much more in common than just Mac, Ariana and Pete. Karen thinks Cazzie is an intelligent and sweet person.' As for Cardi B, she didn't respond to the comments but she took to her Instagram account to share a screenshot of a January US story that claimed Mac's family wanted her to win the award if he didn't. She captioned the post: 'WE WON A F***IN GRAMMY.' Ariana liked the post and added three hearts in the comments. Grande herself was a winner on the day, as she was awarded the Best Pop Vocal Album for Sweetener, prevailing against a talented field that included Taylor Swift (Reputation), Camila Cabello (Camila), Kelly Clarkson (Meaning Of Life), Shawn Mendes (Shawn Mendes) and P!nk (Beautiful Trauma). Grande was one-for-two on the night, as she did not take home the Pop Solo Performance honors she was nominated for, with Lady Gaga's Joanne capturing the honors. The Recording Academy collected the award on behalf of the Dangerous Woman beauty, who took to social media (prior to her Miller remarks) with a number of posts commemorating the historic win, expressing both joy and regret about the way the evening's events were unfolding. Clarification: Ariana said that she wasn't upset over anything to do with Cardi B Way back when: Miller and Grande were snapped collaborating in Paris in 2017 Big win: Cardi B beamed as she held her Grammy, and acknowledged that she considered it a win for Mac Miller as well Grande also tweeted about her absence at the show, which came amid a disagreement with producers who did not want her to sing 7 Rings as part of a set at the show, and wanted to dictate what her second song would be, Variety reported. Grande and her reps were also upset that her image was aggressively used to advertise the award show, despite never having actually committed to the occasion, the outlet reported. Following the announcement she had won, Grande wrote: 'F*** ... i know im not there tonight (trust, i tried and still truly wished it had worked out tbh) and i know i said i try not to put too much weight into these things .... but f*** ....... this is wild and beautiful. thank you so much.' Ken Ehrlich, the producer of the annual ceremony, said that regardless of the circumstances, he was focused on making music's biggest night a memorable one. 'Ive always believed at the end of the day, on Sunday night between 8 and 11:30, if we deliver, the rest goes away,' he told Variety Saturday. 'All I can do is put good stuff up there. Im able to put all the other mishegas out of my mind.' Grammy Awards 2019: The Winners RECORD OF THE YEAR This Is America - Childish Gambino - WINNER ALBUM OF THE YEAR Golden Hour Kacey Musgraves - WINNER SONG OF THE YEAR This Is America - Donald Glover and Ludwig Goransson, songwriters (Childish Gambino) - WINNER Best New Artist Dua Lipa - WINNER Girl power: British songstress Dua Lipa picked up Best New Artist Pop Field Best Pop Solo Performance Joanne (Where Do You Think You're Goin'?) - Lady Gaga - WINNER Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Shallow - Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper - WINNER Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album My Way - Willie Nelson - WINNER Best Pop Vocal Album Sweetener - Ariana Grande - WINNER Best Dance Recording Electricity - Silk City and Dua Lipa Feat. Diplo and Mark Ronson - WINNER Best Dance/Electronic Album Woman Worldwide - Justice - WINNER Fab: Lady Gaga scooped Best Pop Solo Performance for Joanne Country Field Best Country Solo Performance Butterflies Kacey Musgraves - WINNER Best Country Duo/Group Performance: Tequila - Dan + Shay - WINNER Best Country Song Space Cowboy - Luke Laird, Shane McAnally & Kacey Musgraves,songwriters (Kacey Musgraves) - WINNER Best Country Album Golden Hour - Kacey Musgraves - WINNER Unstoppable: Kacey Musgraves picked up Best Country Solo Performance ALTERNATIVE FIELD Best Alternative Music Album Colors - Beck - WINNER R&B FIELD Best R&B Performance Best Part - H.E.R. Feat. Daniel Caesar - WINNER Best Traditional R&B Performance Bet Aint Worth The Hand - Leon Bridges - WINNER - TIE How Deep Is Your Love - PJ Morton Featuring Yebba - WINNER - TIE Best R&B Song Bood Up - Larrance Dopson, Joelle James, Ella Mai & DijonMcFarlane, songwriters (Ella Mai) - WINNER Best Urban Contemporary Album Everything Is Love - The Carters - WINNER Best R&B Album H.E.R. - H.E.R. - WINNER Victorious: Best R&B Album went to H.E.R. for her eponymous album Contemporary Instrumental Field Best Contemporary Instrumental Album Steve Gadd Band Steve Gadd Band - WINNER Rock Field Best Rock Performance When Bad Does Good - Chris Cornell - WINNER Best Metal Performance Electric Messiah - High On Fire - WINNER Best Rock Song Masseduction - Jack Antonoff & Annie Clark, songwriters (St. Vincent) - WINNER Best Rock Album From The Fires - Greta Van Fleet - WINNER Posthumous: Best Rock Performance went to Chris Cornell for When Bad Does Good, with his children accepting the award Reggae Field Best Reggae Album 44/876 - Sting & Shaggy - WINNER Children's Field Best Childrens Album All The Sounds - Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats - WINNER Latin Field Best Latin Pop Album Sincera - Claudia Brant - WINNER Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album Aztlan - Zoe - WINNER Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano) Mexico Por Siempre! - Luis Miguel - WINNER Best Tropical Latin Album Anniversary - Spanish Harlem Orchestra - WINNER Well done: Best Reggae Album was won by Sting & Shaggy for 44/876 Comedy Field Best Comedy Album Equanimity & The Bird Revelation - Dave Chappelle - WINNER Musical Theater Field Best Musical Theater Album The Bands Visit - Etai Benson, Adam Kantor, Katrina Lenk & ArielStachel, principal soloists; Dean Sharenow & DavidYazbek, producers; David Yazbek, composer & lyricist(Original Broadway Cast) - WINNER MUSIC VIDEO/FILM FIELD Best Music Video This Is America Childish Gambino - WINNER Best Music Film Quincy Quincy Jones SURROUND SOUND FIELD Best Immersive Audio Album Eye in The Sky 35th Anniversary Edition Alan Parsons, surround mix engineer; Dave Donnelly, PJ Olsson & Alan Parsons, surround mastering engineers; Alan Parsons, surround producer (The Alan Parsons Project) - WINNER HISTORICAL FIELD Best Historical Album Voices of Mississippi: Artists and Musicians Documented by WIlliam Ferris William Ferris, April Ledbetter & Steven LanceLedbetter, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Various Artists) - WINNER One to watch: Best Music Video went to This Is America by Childish Gambino PRODUCTION, CLASSICAL FIELD Best Engineered Album, Classical Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11 Shawn Murphy & Nick Squire, engineers; Tim Martyn, mastering engineer (Andris Nelsons & Boston Symphony Orchestra) - WINNER Producer Of The Year, Classical Blanton Alspaugh - WINNER Notes Field Best Album Notes Voices of Mississippi: Artists and Musicians Documented by WIlliam Ferris - David Evans, album notes writer (Various Artists) - WINNER RAP FIELD Best Rap Performance Kings Dead - Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future & James Blake - WINNER - TIE Bubblin - Anderson Paak - WINNER - TIE Best Rap/Sung Performance This Is America - Childish Gambino - WINNER Best Rap Song Gods Plan - Aubrey Graham, Daveon Jackson, Brock Korsan, RonLaTour, Matthew Samuels & Noah Shebib, songwriters (Drake) - WINNER Best Rap Album Invasion Of Privacy - Cardi B - WINNER New Age Field Best New Age Album Opium Moon - Opium Moon - WINNER Well deserved: Cardi B picked up Best Rap Album for Invasion Of Privacy Jazz Field Best Improvised Jazz Solo Dont Fence Me In - John Daversa, soloist - WINNER Best Jazz Vocal Album The Window - Cecile McLorin Salvant - WINNER Best Jazz Instrumental Album Emanon - The Wayne Shorter Quartet - WINNER Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album American Dreamers: Voices Of Hope, Music Of Freedom - John Daversa Big Band Featuring DACA Artists - WINNER Best Latin Jazz Album Back To The Sunset - Dafnis Prieto Big Band - WINNER Earned it: Best Gospel Performance/Song went to Never Alone by Tori Kelly Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Field Best Gospel Performance/Song Never Alone - Tori Kelly Featuring Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin & Victoria Kelly, Songwriters - WINNER Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song You Say - Lauren Daigle; Lauren Daigle, Jason Ingram & Paul Mabury, songwriters - WINNER Best Gospel Album Hiding Place - Tori Kelly - WINNER Best Contemporary Christian Music Album Look Up Child - Lauren Daigle - WINNER Best Roots Gospel Album Unexpected - Jason Crabb - WINNER Emotional: American Roots Performance went to The Joke by Brandi Carlile American Roots Music Field Best American Roots Performance The Joke - Brandi Carlile - WINNER Best American Roots Song The Joke - Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth & Tim Hanseroth, songwriters (Brandi Carlile) - WINNER Best Americana Album By The Way, I Forgive You - Brandi Carlile - WINNER Best Traditional Blues Album The Blues Is Alive and Well Buddy Guy - WINNER Best Bluegrass Album The Travelin McCourys The Travelin McCourys - WINNER Best Contemporary Blues Album Please Dont Be Dead Fantastic Negrito - WINNER Best Folk Album All Ashore Punch Brothers - WINNER Best Regional Roots Music Album No Anei Kalani Pea - WINNER Listen: Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media went to Greatest Showman Spoken Word Field Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling) Faith A Journey For All - Jimmy Carter - WINNER Music For Visual Media Field Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media The Greatest Showman - (Various Artists) - WINNER Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media Black Panther Ludwig Goransson, composer - WINNER Best Song Written For Visual Media Shallow - Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper) - WINNER Sweeping the board: Best Song Written For Visual Media went to Shallow Composing/Arranging Field Best Instrumental Composition Blut und Boden (Blood and Soil) -Terence Blanchard, composer (Terence Blanchard) - WINNER Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella Stars and Stripes Forever - John Daversa, arranger (John Daversa Big Band Featuring DACA Artists) - WINNER Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals Spiderman Theme - Randy Waldman, arranger (Randy Waldman Featuring Take 6 & Chris Potter) - WINNER Package Field Best Recording Package Masseducation - Willo Perron, art director (St. Vincent) - WINNER Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package Squeeze Box: The Complete Works of Weird Al Yankovic - Meghan Foley, Annie Stoll & Al Yankovic, art directors (Weird Al Yankovic) - WINNER Talented: Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical went to Pharrell Williams PRODUCTION, NON-CLASSICAL FIELD Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: Colors Julian Burg, Serban Ghenea, David Elevator Greenbaum, John Hanes, Beck Hansen, Greg Kurstin, Florian Lagatta, Cole M.G.N., Alex Pasco, Jesse Shatkin, Darrell Thorp & Cassidy Turbin, engineers; Chris Bellman, Tom Coyne,Emily Lazar & Randy Merrill, mastering engineers (Beck) - WINNER Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical: Pharrell Williams Best Remixed Recording Walking Away (Mura Masa Remix) Alex Crossan, remixer (Haim) - WINNER CLASSICAL FIELD Best Orchestral Performance Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11 Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra) - WINNER Best Opera Recording Bates: The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs Michael Christie, conductor; Sasha Cooke, Jessica E. Jones, Edwards Parks, Garrett Sorenson & Wei Wu; Elizabeth Ostrow, producer (The Santa Fe Opera Orchestra) - WINNER Best Choral Performance McLoskey: Zealot Canticles Donald Nally, conductor (Doris Hall-Gulati, Rebecca Harris, Arlen Hlusko, Lorenzo Raval & Mandy Wolman; The Crossing) - WINNER Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance Anderson, Laurie: Landfall Laurie Anderson & Kronos - WINNER Best Classical Instrumental Solo Kernis: Violin Concerto James Ehnes; Ludovic Morlot, conductor (Seattle Symphony) - WINNER Best Classical Solo Vocal Album Songs of Orpheus Monteverdi, Caccini, DIndia & Landi Karim Sulayman; Jeannette Sorrell, conductor; Apollos Fire, ensembles - WINNER Best Classical Compendium Fuchs: Piano Concerto Spiritualist; Poems of Life; Glacier; Rush JoAnn Falletta, conductor; Tim Handley, producer - WINNER Best Contemporary Classical Composition Kernis: Violin Concerto Aaron Jay Kernis, composer (James Ehnes, Ludovic Morlot & Seattle Symphony) - WINNER World Music Field Best World Music Album Freedom - Soweto Gospel Choir - WINNER Advertisement Sam Ball shocked the country when he claimed he'd never dated a woman as 'big' as his Married At First Sight bride Elizabeth Sobinoff. But now, the tradesman now says his spouse who the one doing the fat-shaming. Speaking with NW on Monday, 26-year-old Sam says Elizabeth called him 'tubby' - a remark that may have left him with post-traumatic stress disorder. 'It feels like PTSD': On Monday, Married At First Sight's Sam Ball told NW magazine that he's COUNSELLING after being called 'tubby' by wife Elizabeth Sobinoff (pictured) 'I've got a counsellor. I'm trying to sort my s**t out': Sam says he's hurt by Elizabeth's description of his physique Sam said he has been seeking psychological help in the wake of Elizabeth's comment. 'I've got a counsellor. I'm trying to sort my s**t out,' he told NW. Additionally, the star says he's been hitting in the gym in the wake of Elizabeth's hurtful jibe. 'I've been on the treadmill daily!' Sam says he's been hitting in the gym in the wake of Elizabeth's hurtful jibe He told the magazine: 'I've been running ever since she made that comment - I've been on the treadmill daily!' It comes after Sam was the one accused of fat shaming - caught on camera saying that he would want Elizabeth to lose weight. The tradie has mainly dated slim brunettes in the past, and told producers on his wedding day: 'Elizabeth's got a beautiful face... [But] maybe I'll get her running in the mornings'. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Elizabeth for comment on Sam's 'tubby' claims. She's known for her sophisticated red carpet glamour. And Renee Bargh certainly didn't disappoint in an eye-catching bright pink number on the red carpet at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Monday. The 32-year-old stunned as she flaunted her trim pins in the thigh-skimming mini dress. Pink Lady! Extra host Renee Bargh flaunted her endless legs in a thigh-skimming mini dress at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday night The frock boasted puffy long sleeves and a marble-esque print, and the Extra host teamed it with metallic pumps. Working a dramatic make-up palette, Renee accentuated her gorgeous features with dark brows and a deep plum lip. The TV presenter also kept her sandy locks flirty and fun with teased half-pony. Flirty: The frock boasted puffy long sleeves and a marble-esque print, and the Extra host teamed it with metallic pumps Beauty: Working a dramatic make-up palette, Renee accentuated her gorgeous features with dark brows and a deep plum lip Fun! The TV presenter kept her sandy locks flirty and fun with teased half-pony The glam display comes as things appear to be going strong between Renee and her new beau, Glen Powell. After US Weekly confirmed their romance in November, the couple have since enjoyed a pre-Christmas Mexican getaway. Reportedly together for eight months, a source close to the couple in December revealed 'Renee has been staying at Glen's place.' Star power: Renee got her showbusiness start in the pop group Girlband before transitioning into hosting Glen, 30 is known for his work on Scream Queens as well as roles in the Oscar-nominated Hidden Figures and the Netflix hit Set It Up. He'll next appear in Top Gun: Maverick, which is slated for a 2020 release. Renee got her showbusiness start in the pop group Girlband before transitioning into hosting. She graced the Grammy stage with several legends of gospel music to honor Aretha Franklin. But before her big moment, Fantasia Barrino was the one who commanded attention, in a ruffled statement gown, which featured a large sculptural embellishment at it's shoulder. For her big night, the mother-of-two was joined by husband Kendall Taylor, 34. Standing out: On Sunday, Fantasia Barrino, 34, commanded attention in ruffled gown, which featured a large floral-like applique at its shoulder Change up: Fantasia switched out her black-and-white gown in favor of a long-sleeve, sold one, adorned with icicle-like fringe on the sleeves The North Carolina native accessorized with a velvet glove, where she proudly displayed her wedding ring. The Grammy-winner sported dramatic eye make-up, which highlighted her brown eyes. Joining the star on the carpet was husband Kendall Taylor, 38, who looked sharp in a patterned jacket, slacks and dress shoes. On display: The North Carolina native accessorized with a velvet glove, where she proudly displayed her wedding ring 'Im Here!': Fantasia couldn't contain her excitement over her big night, which she documented on Instagram Fantasia couldn't contain her excitement over her big night, which she documented on Instagram. In one post, the beauty shared a Boomerang of herself posing on the red carpet. 'In Life, things arent always as simple as Black & White. But tonight its exactly that! Simply put....Im Here!,' she wrote, alongside a collection of hashtags. Supporting his special lady: For her big night, the mother-of-two was joined by husband Kendall Taylor, 34 Once inside the venue, Fantasia joined Yolanda Adams and Andra Day to sing a melody of hits from Aretha Franklin. The group ended with her iconic song, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman. Aretha passed away from pancreatic cancer last August at the age of 76. She is thought to have found love on Married at First Sight with Mike Gunner, 43. And Heidi Latcham, 38, has another reason to celebrate after she recently landed a new job at Sea FM. On Monday, the radio announcer was pictured arriving at her new workplace on the Sunshine Coast, where she will co-host the BarRat and Heidi for Breakfast show. Back to reality! MAFS' Heidi Latcham flaunts her trim pins in white shorts as she arrives at Sea FM radio job on the Sunshine Coast... after wrapping up filming The Queensland-native showed off her trim pins in white shorts and matching platform sandals, paired with a bright orange T-shirt. She arrived with a large white tote, a small black suitcase and a lanyard with her security pass attached. Heidi, who began filming MAFS in September, was on cloud nine during Sunday's episode, which saw the couples participate in their first commitment ceremony. New gig! Heidi will co-host the BarRat & Heidi for Breakfast show Despite her rocky start with her 'husband'' Mike, which saw them clash on their honeymoon, the couple looked smitten and both chose to 'stay' to work on building their romance. Earlier this month, viewers slammed Gold Coast electrician Mike after he dismissed Heidi's attempts to open up to him. 'I'm not your therapist. This isn't therapy,' he snapped at the stunned blonde. Drama: On their honeymoon, Heidi and Mike clashed when he rejected her attempt to have an intimate conversation. He said, 'I'm not your therapist' He later told 9Honey that he regrets coming across as cold-hearted. 'You know what, I have to own that. It was a mistake in the moment,' he said. 'I just became a bit overwhelmed with the subject that we were speaking about and it just wasn't for me -- the time or the place and I was a bit impatient and I don't know why. I normally wouldn't have said anything like that to a woman. 'I am normally a really good listener, but in that particular moment for some reason I just lost it and I don't really have a good answer for that, but I have apologised endlessly and hopefully that's enough to clear the air.' Lady Gaga reminded us she's a true music sensation at the Grammys on Sunday. The 32-year-old triple threat performed her hit Shallow from A Star Is Born at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. And Gaga turned up the tempo for the ballad - which won a BAFTA earlier in the day - as she slayed the song and the stage in a bejeweled catsuit. Superstar: Lady Gaga reminded us she's a true music sensation at the Grammys on Sunday Daring to impress, the Born This Way Songstress gave her fans a charge as the futuristic ensemble featured a plunging design. Her flawless figure was thrust on center stage as the one-of-a-kind body suit fit her form tightly. The song is usually performed in a reserved manner, but Gaga kicked it up a notch as she commanded the stage with kicks, hair flips, and animated faces. She slithered up to Mark Ronson - one of the song's co-writers - as she wailed in a guitar for the jam session. Triple threat: The 32-year-old triple threat performed her hit Shallow from A Star Is Born at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Slayed: And Gaga turned up the tempo for the ballad - which won a BAFTA earlier in the day - as she slayed the song and the stage in a bejeweled catsuit Perhaps the artist's high energy levels came from the three Grammy trophies she won before the performance. Gaga won Song Written for Visual Media and Best Pop/Duo Performance for Shallow,' and Best Pop Solo Performance with Joanne (Where Do You Think Youre Goin?). She even took home a BAFTA earlier in the day for Shallow, which Bradley Cooper scooped up at the show in London. Impressive: Daring to impress, the Born This Way Songstress gave her fans a charge as the futuristic ensemble featured a plunging design Slither: She slithered up to Mark Ronson - one of the song's co-writers - as she wailed in a guitar for the jam session The BAFTA was presented when Gaga was still getting ready to attend the Los Angeles show, with the tearful winner tweeting that 'I'm not gonna be able to wear any makeup'. Taking to Twitter, she gushed about her first win of the night, her trophy from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, which was taking place in London. 'I cant believe we just won Best Original Music at Baftas,' she wrote. 'I wish so much I was there but am at the Grammys to show them our love as well. We made a film about music. Flawless: Her flawless figure was thrust on center stage as the one-of-a-kind body suit fit her form tightly 'This means the world to me. Thank u to all our fans we love u so much, we wouldnt be here without u.' Then just an hour later as she prepped for the Grammys, there was more good news. She won best song written for visual media for Shallow from A Star Is Born. Kick it up: The song is usually performed in a reserved manner, but Gaga kicked it up a notch as she commanded the stage with kicks, hair flips, and animated faces 'Im not gonna be able to wear any makeup tonight. We just won our first of Grammy nominations for the night. Im in tears with honor and gratitude. Thank you @RecordingAcad #Grammys #Grammy and my co-writers and Bradley I love you so much thank you.' And then another triumph, this time for Gaga alone, as she was named best pop solo performance for Joanne (Where Do You Think You're Goin'?). 'A Grammy for Joanne is more than me & my family could ever dream of. I sang that version in one take, & poured my entire life & soul into it. Thank you so much for this gift I am completely shocked. 2nd Grammy win of the night I am so overwhelmed by this kindness.' High energy: Perhaps the artist's high energy levels came from the three Grammy trophies she won before the performance Accolades: Gaga won Song Written for Visual Media and Best Pop/Duo Performance for Shallow,' and Best Pop Solo Performance with Joanne (Where Do You Think Youre Goin?) Gaga tied for the third-highest number of nominations this year with five, for record of the year, song of the year, best pop duo or performance, and best song written for visual media for Shallow; and best pop performance for Joanne (Where Do You Think You're Goin'?). She's previously won six Grammy awards, including two in 2010, three in 2011, and one in 2015 for her collaboration album with Tony Bennett. Other performers include Beyonce's proteges Chloe x Halle, fresh from their performance of America The Beautiful at the Super Bowl, Dua Lipa, St. Vincent, Andra Day, Camila Cabello, Dan + Shay, Post Malone with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Shawn Mendes, J Balvin, Arturo Sandoval, Young Thug, Janelle Monae, Kacey Musgraves, H.E.R., Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Little Big Town, Ricky Martin, Fantasia and gospel great Yolanda Adams. Dua Lipa will be making her Grammy stage debut on the show, where she'll be joined by St. Vincent for a special performance, while Adams will sing alongside Fantasia and Day in a tribute to late Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin. Big winner: She even took home a BAFTA earlier in the day for Shallow, which Bradley Cooper scooped up at the show in London Disney used tonight's Grammy Awards on CBS to promote several of its upcoming movies, including its live-action remake of Dumbo. The new trailer begins with Danny DeVito's Max Medici welcoming fans to the Medici Family Circus, along with shots of the massive circus itself. Medici tells the crowd that his circus is, 'where anything can happen and miracles happen,' along with a shot of Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins) giving Dumbo a hug. Dumbo trailer: Disney unveiled a new trailer for its live-action version of Dumbo during the Grammy Awards on Sunday Circus: The new trailer (courtesy of Walt Disney Studios YouTube ) begins with Danny DeVito's Max Medici welcoming fans to the Medici Family Circus, along with shots of the massive circus itself The trailer then reveals the title elephant on a pedestal, which visitors watch being raised into the air, with Medici calling him their, 'world-famous flying elephant.' The trailer then cuts to a scene with Michael Keaton's V.A. Vandevere saying, 'Just when I thought I had seen everything.' There are also a number of random shots from the circus including a number of different performers, plus a scene with Vandevere and Alan Arkin's J. Griffen Remington asking Medici, 'What do you think of that?' There is also a brief shot of Joe handing a feather to Eva Green's Colette Merchant, telling her, 'he won't fly without a feather,' as Merchant eyes it curiously. Flying elephant: The trailer then reveals the title elephant on a pedestal, which visitors watch being raised into the air, with Medici calling him their, 'world-famous flying elephant' Seen everything: The trailer then cuts to a scene with Michael Keaton's V.A. Vandevere saying, 'Just when I thought I had seen everything' Attentive crowd: There are also a number of random shots from the circus including a number of different performers Feather flight: There is also a brief shot of Joe handing a feather to Eva Green's Colette Merchant, telling her, 'he won't fly without a feather,' as Merchant eyes it curiously Colin Farrell's Holt Farrier is also seen saying, 'All right, Dumbo, give me a show-stopper,' while Milly says, 'Fly Dumbo,' before the elephant takes to the skies. Dumbo is seen taking an aerial lap around the circus tent, which astonishes both the assembled crowd and even Medici himself. An astonished Vandevere proclaims, 'It's made me a child again' along with quick shots of the circus. The trailer comes to an end with a scene where Medici keeps closing his desk drawer that the monkey inside it keeps opening. Holt: Colin Farrell's Holt Farrier is also seen saying, 'All right, Dumbo, give me a show-stopper,' while Milly says, 'Fly Dumbo,' before the elephant takes to the skies Circus magic: Dumbo is seen taking an aerial lap around the circus tent, which astonishes both the assembled crowd and even Medici himself Circus look: An astonished Vandevere proclaims, 'It's made me a child again' along with quick shots of the circus Colosseum: The trailer comes to an end with a scene where Medici keeps closing his desk drawer that the monkey inside it keeps opening Vandevere asks, 'Is there a monkey in your desk?' while we can see that the monkey is holding a flask, as Medici responds, 'Just for emergencies.' Disney will release Dumbo on March 29, just a few weeks after Disney releases the Marvel Studios adventure Captain Marvel on March 8. The studio also dropped eight new character posters for the live-action reboot. Aside from the titular, big-eared pachyderm, there was a poster featuring the 42-year-old Irishman as war veteran-turned-caretaker Holt Farrier. Vandervere: There is a scene with Vandevere and Alan Arkin's J. Griffen Remington asking Medici, 'What do you think of that?' DeVito: The trailer comes to an end with a scene where Medici keeps closing his desk drawer that the monkey inside it keeps opening Monkey: Vandevere asks, 'Is there a monkey in your desk?' while we can see that the monkey is holding a flask, as Medici responds, 'Just for emergencies' Fans got another glimpse of the French 38-year-old as the French trapeze artist Colette Marchant in two different posters. The 67-year-old Oscar nominee is one cool silver fox as exploitative entrepreneur V.A. Vandemere on the poster. And the 74-year-old Oscar nominee appeared on two posters as ringmaster Max Medici. Excited? The studio also dropped eight new character posters for the live-action reboot Handsome: Aside from the titular, big-eared pachyderm, there was a poster featuring the 42-year-old Irishman as war veteran-turned-caretaker Holt Farrier Meet Colette Marchant! Fans got another glimpse of the French 38-year-old as the French trapeze artist Villain: The 67-year-old Oscar nominee is one cool silver fox as exploitative entrepreneur V.A. Vandemere on the poster She rose to fame on the last season of Married At First Sight. And Sarah Roza proved she still knows how to court attention as she attended the Aron Katona Couture Fashion Show in Melbourne on Sunday. Sara, 40, flaunted her sensational curves in a shimmering rose gold gown. Scroll down for video Still in the spotlight! Former Married At First Sight star Sarah Roza proved she still knows how to court attention as she attended the Aron Katona Couture Fashion Show in Melbourne on Sunday The TV star glowed in the designer dress, which featured an intricate metallic design. Sarah also opted for a high-glam makeup for the outing, revealing her heavily bronzed and highlighted complexion. All that glitters: Sara, 40, flaunted her sensational curves in a shimmering rose gold gown Strike a pose: The TV star glowed in the designer dress, which featured an intricate metallic design Bronzed: Sarah also opted for a high-glam makeup for the outing, revealing her heavily bronzed and highlighted complexion She also applied a generous application of blush on her cheeks and a dark pink lipstick to her pout. Sarah contrasted the glossy look with a dark eye make-up, which included lashings of mascara and eyeliner. She wore her wavy rose gold tresses out, with them falling elegantly around her shoulders. Double delight: Sarah posed with socialite Brynne Gordon, 35, at the fashion event Inside the event, she was spotted spending time with socialite Brynne Gordon, designer Aron Katona and fellow Married At First Sight star, Clare Verrall. The appearance comes after Sarah hit out at reports she was turned away from the Bumble marquee at the Portsea Polo, last month. A spokesperson for Sarah told Daily Mail Australia she was invited to the event and 'spent a considerable amount of time' in the Bumble marquee. They said: 'She was never denied entry to any marquee ... nor was [she] asked to leave by any staff member of the Bumble Marquee, or any marquee for that fact.' Party time: Inside the event, she was spotted spending time with Brynne, designer Aron Katona and fellow Married At First Sight star, Clare Verrall Meanwhile, Sarah has been open about her bid to become a mother, publicly revealing she was freezing her eggs in September last year. After being paired with Telv Williams on last year's Married At First Sight, Sarah's relationship with the 34-year-old FIFO worker crumbled in spectacular fashion. Following their split in February 2018, the pair became embroiled in a very public slinging match. Fifi Box, 41, made the joyous announcement that she's expecting her second child on Sunday. And the star looked every inch the glowing mother-to-be when she stepped out with her daughter Beatrix 'Trixie' Belle, five, in Melbourne later that day. Grinning from ear-to-ear, Fifi proudly showed off her baby bump in a black-and-white shift dress while taking Trixie to dance practice. Mum on the run! Fifi Box, 41, revealed her baby bump for the first time since announcing her pregnancy on Sunday when she stepped out with daughter five-year-old Trixie The Fox FM announcer certainly had her hands full as she strolled next to her adorable mini-me, clutching a mobile phone in one and a stuffed unicorn toy in the other. Her look was completed with a pair of tangerine flip-flops and a slouchy tote bag in tan leather. Meanwhile, Trixie looked ready for class in a fluffy pink tutu and matching ballet shoes. Bumping along nicely! Fifi proudly showed off her baby bump in a black-and-white shift dress while taking Trixie to dance practice The sighting came not long after Fifi announced her pregnancy by sharing a video of herself breaking the happy news Trixie as they sat on the couch. She began: 'Can I tell you something? You know how Mummys been really really sick lately... Did you know that its good sick Do you know whats in my tummy?' After a pause, Trixie said: 'A baby?' Juggling act! The Fox FM announcer certainly had her hands full as she strolled next to her adorable mini-me, clutching a mobile phone in one and a stuffed unicorn toy in the other Fifi squealed with delight: 'Yes, were having a baby! A doctor told me. Sweetheart, theres a for real baby in my tummy!' She added: 'Youre going to have a little brother or sister can you believe that?' before letting Trixie feel her baby bump. The radio personality captioned the clip: 'Were having a baby! Yes Trixie and I are over the moon/jumping out of our skin/cant stop smiling/floating on air/dancing in the streets/walking on sunshine and every other metaphor that conveys absolute pure joy.' 'Yes, were having a baby!' The sighting came after Fifi announced her pregnancy by sharing a video of herself breaking the happy news Trixie as they sat on the couch She went on: 'How did this happen you might ask? Well, a few years ago I made an appointment to see an IVF specialist, the amazing Dr Sameer Jatkar at Monash IVF, and I began an IVF journey to extend our little family. 'After a series of egg retrievals and freezing, last year I started the process to become pregnant via an anonymous donor.' Fifi continued: 'I am still pinching myself that I have been this blessed and that this little miracle is growing within me, a much wanted and longed for sibling for a very excited big sister! Ecstatic: Fifi captioned the clip: 'I am still pinching myself that I have been this blessed and that this little miracle is growing within me, a much wanted and longed for sibling for a very excited big sister!' 'I know the value of this miracle because I have seen first hand the heartbreak, tears and sacrifices so many women and couples suffer on their IVF journeys and my heart goes out to those who are facing that pain and struggle. It is not lost on me that I am one of the lucky ones. 'Being a mum is my greatest joy in life, it is quite simply everything to me. Trixie has brought me more happiness and love than I ever imagined possible and to feel my heart expanding to include this little angel kicking and rollicking within me, I am overwhelmed with how much love and happiness the future holds.' She concluded: 'I will cherish Trixie and this little angel forever, and hold them so close for the rest of our lives #family.' Fifi and Grant, 55, split in 2012 after a brief romance. A few months later, the radio star gave birth to Trixie. She did not publicly confirm that Grant was Trixie's father until the child was three years old. New York Fashion Week is in full swing with some of Hollywood's biggest stars in town to catch a glimpse of the latest designs. On Sunday Naomi Watts braved the winter chill and stepped out in a quirky bright blue jacket, embroidered with colourful floral detailing. The Australian star, 50, sat front row of the Tory Burch Autumn Winter 2019 Fashion Show alongside fellow actresses Zoe Saldana, 40, and Isabelle Huppert, 65. Naomi Watts braved the cold and stepped out in a quirky bright blue jacket, embroidered with colourful floral detailing for the Tory Burch runway show during New York Fashion Week Winter chill: Naomi kept herself warm and rugged up in the blue woven jacket which she tied at the hip Naomi arrived to the A-Lister event with a statement woven jacket draped across her shoulders as she held a stylish tan clutch. The mother-of-two styled her blonde bob in loose waves and added a pair of square shades. Looking youthful as ever, Naomi sported a neutral make-up palette consisting of a sheer layer of luminous foundation and a dark pink lip. A touch of sparkle: The Oscar-nominated star opted for another bold colour choice wearing a dress in the shade of olive green, adorned with sequin detailing which glimmered in the light Friends in the front row: Naomi (centre) sat alongside fellow actresses Zoe Saldana (left) and Isabelle Huppert (right) Stylish: Naomi posed with fashion designer Tory Burch (right) who described her Fall/Winter 2019 collection as being 'inspired by Black Mountain College, known for its unconventional approach to education and for shaping the trajectory of modern art in America' Underneath the knee-length jacket, the Oscar-nominated star opted for another bold colour choice wearing a dress in the shade of olive green. The ankle-skimming dress was adorned with mirrored sequin detailing which glimmered in the light. Naomi polished off the outfit with a pair of matching vivid blue heels with a chunky wooden heel. Famous faces: Former Victoria's Secret Angel Karolina Kurkova, Ethiopian-born model Liya Kebede and comedian Mindy Kaling were also in attendance All smiles! Naomi (left) was all smiles as she posed for cameras next to the show's designer Tory Burch (centre) and fellow actresses Zoe Saldana (right) Front row: A star-studded front row viewed designs described as 'a mix-match of revamped classics - floral prints, graphic stripes, menswear materials and romantic silhouettes' Other famous faces in attendance included former Victoria's Secret Angel Karolina Kurkova, Ethiopian-born model Liya Kebede and comedian Mindy Kaling. Naomi was all smiles as she posed for cameras next to the show's designer Tory Burch. The American fashion designer described her Fall Winter 2019 collection as being 'inspired by Black Mountain College, known for its unconventional approach to education and for shaping the trajectory of modern art in America'. Catching some sunshine! The Australian star stopped to talk with French actress Isabelle Huppert (right) as the pair left the runway show Autumn shades: Naomi's ankle-skimming dress was adorned with mirrored sequin detailing which glimmered in the light 'This season is a mix-match of revamped classics floral prints, graphic stripes, menswear materials and romantic silhouettes,' she wrote over her website. 'There's a modern eccentricity to raw fringe, exaggerated ruffles, knife pleats, cut-glass jewellery, deconstructed bags and sharp boots,' the designer added. Tory Burch launched in 2004 and has become a NYFW staple. The brand has played with innovative ways to reinvent the runway experience, having models walk down a grassy runway filled with 14,000 pink carnations for the Fall 2018 show. Outfit inspired: Naomi was certainly on theme with the runway designs by wearing bold colour choices and statement prints Busy Naomi recently promoted her two new films, Luce and The Wolf Hour at the Sundance Festival. Luce is described as a psychological thriller that deals with issues around race and identity. In The Wolf Hour, Naomi plays a former counter-culture figure who experiences the New York blackout riots of 1977. She will also next be seen alongside Mel Gibson in the sci-fi film, Boss Level. The case of Jeff Bezos exposes billionaires' vulnerability to hackers. The National Enquirer had previously also obtained racy texts from Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, to his mistress, Lauren Sanchez. (Photo: AFP) US: The stunning revelation that a tabloid obtained below-the-belt selfies of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the world's richest man, suggests that even billionaires are not out of the reach of hackers. Bezos came out fighting this week, accusing the National Enquirer of blackmailing him with lurid pictures of him and his mistress and pre-empting the threat to publish by releasing details of the images himself. But for Mark Johnson, CEO of Sovereign Intelligence, the incident makes clear that "no one is beyond the reach of cyber exploitation." Johnson sees billionaires and top executives as especially vulnerable because their personal information is a gold mine for criminals, intelligence agencies and competitors. "It's a curious irony that billionaires demonstrate astounding acumen related to their own industries, and yet seemingly ignore the minutiae of common-place security measures. Obtaining their personal data is like having keys to the kingdom," said Johnson, potentially providing priceless insight into the thinking and strategies of the world's most powerful business leaders. Ian Bremmer, the founder of the Eurasia Group think tank, put it more bluntly. "If the National Enquirer has @JeffBezos dick pics, don't tell me China doesn't have @Amazon IP and strategy," he tweeted. Since the revelations about Bezos, whose fortune is estimated at more than USD 130 billion, computer security experts interviewed by AFP report an increase in calls from wealthy clients asking them to verify that their computer systems and devices were not hacked. "Today's threats however are not necessarily trying to breach the walls of the castle, they are already inside, residing on personal devices," said Kris Coleman, the founder of Red Five Security. "Experience has shown that the typical breach is not discovered for eight months." In this ever-more connected age, more and more personal data is stored online, from social security numbers to bank details, driver's license numbers and personal addresses. The super-wealthy will typically have their own computer security service and also call on external companies for regular evaluation of their devices because a large number of hacks are detected by third parties, according to observers. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's CEO, spent USD 7.3 million on his security in 2017, up from USD 4.2 million in 2015, astronomical sums that the social network deemed justified due to his prominence. Last July, Facebook said it would give him $10 million more per year to strengthen his security. "Protection from colluding insiders working from positions of trust; or, against an intelligence agency trying to attack from the outside is going to require a large investment, a lot of experience, and vigilance," said Coleman. Just days before Bezos disclosed that a tabloid had obtained his intimate selfies, a fellow billionaire, Joe Ricketts, the founder of the broker TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation, was ensnared in scandal following the release of private messages. The American news site Splinter published a series of racist emails from Ricketts, without saying how it obtained them. The exchanges, some of which date back to 2009, show the 77-year-old sharing and apparently endorsing racist jokes and conspiracy theories. He has since apologised. Glenn Close looked effortlessly chic as she walked the red carpet at the British Academy Film Awards held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Sunday. The 71-year-old actress, who was nominated for the Best Actress in a Leading Role for The Wife, stunned in a black tailored dress. Glenn looked incredible in the figure-hugging gown with a fishtail skirt and a ruffled waist with silver embellishment on the sides. Chic: Glenn Close looked effortlessly chic as she walked the red carpet at the British Academy Film Awards held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Sunday She accessorised her ensemble with long silver pendant earrings and an elegant black clutch bag. The star styled her silver locks into a curly sweptback hairdo, she added a slick of glamorous make-up. Glenn later posed with her The Wife co-star, Jonathan Pryce, on the star-studded red carpet. Elegant: The 71-year-old actress, who was nominated for the Best Actress in a Leading Role for The Wife, stunned in a black tailored dress Details: Glenn looked incredible in the figure-hugging gown with a fishtail skirt and a ruffled waist with silver embellishment on the sides Glamorous: She accessorised her ensemble with long silver pendant earrings and an elegant black clutch bag The veteran stars play a husband and wife - Joe and Joan Castleman - who are preparing to travel to Stockholm, Sweden, where Joe is to be presented with the Nobel Prize for Literature. But on the eve of the biggest honour in her husband's life, Joan reaches her breaking point after 40 years of living in her husband's shadow. Glenn's daughter Annie, whose father is producer John Starke, appears alongside her famous actress mother in the Bjorn Runge directed flick. Red carpet ready: The star styled her silver locks into a curly sweptback hairdo, she added a slick of glamorous make-up Leading stars: Glenn later posed with her The Wife co-star, Jonathan Pryce, on the star-studded red carpet The movie, based on the bestselling book by Meg Wolitzer, also stars Max Irons, Harry Lloyd, Annie Starke, Elizabeth McGovern and Christian Slater. Glenn was nominated for the Best Actress in a Leading Role at Sunday's BAFTAs, with the award going to Olivia Colman for The Favourite. Talking about The Wife on the red carpet, the actress revealed that the Me Too movement brings another dimension to the movie. Speaking on the red carpet at the EE British Academy Film Awards on Sunday, she said: 'That's another thing you just can't plan because we filmed it in the fall of 2016 and it was held for a year by Sony and meanwhile, the Me Too movement started up and all these issues around women and all that. This movie just adds to that dialogue.' Plot: The veteran stars play husband and wife - Joe and Joan Castleman - who are preparing to travel to Stockholm, Sweden, where Joe is to be presented with the Nobel Prize for Literature Storyline: But on the eve of the biggest honour in her husband's life, Joan reaches her breaking point after 40 years of living in her husband's shadow In the past, Glenn has shared her hopes that The Wife will encourage Hollywood to make more women-centric movies. She said: 'I've been a part of two films that took 14 years to make. The first one was "Albert Nobbs" and the second was "The Wife". 'It was actually hard to find actors who wanted to be in a movie called "The Wife". It's two women writers. And, you know, starring a woman. 'No one wanted to make it and, most of the money, if not all the money, came from Europe.' The Wife: Glenn was nominated for the Best Actress in a Leading Role at Sunday's BAFTAs, with the award going to Olivia Colman for The Favourite (pictured in the film) 2019 BAFTA WINNERS Best Film Black KkKlansman Green Book The Favourite WINNER: Roma A Star Is Born Outstanding British Film Beast Bohemian Rhapsody WINNER: The Favourite McQueen Stan & Ollie You Were Never Really Here Best Actor in a Leading Role Bradley Cooper - A Star Is Born Christian Bale - Vice WINNER: Rami Malek - Bohemian Rhapsody Steve Coogan - Stan and Ollie Viggo Mortensen - Green Book Lavish: Olivia Colman is nominated for Best Leading Actress, while Rachel Weisz is also up for Supporting Actress Best Actress in a Leading Role Glenn Close - The Wife Lady Gaga - A Star Is Born Melissa McCarthy - Can You Ever Forgive Me? WINNER: Olivia Colman - The Favourite Viola Davis - Widows Best Direction Black KkKlansman Pawel Pawlikowski - Cold War Yorgos Lanthimos - The Favourite WINNER: Alfonso Cuaron - Roma Bradley Cooper - A Star Is Born Best Actor in a Supporting Role Adam Driver - Black KkKlansman WINNER: Mahershala Ali - Green Book Richard E Grant - Can You Ever Forgive Me? Sam Rockwell - Vice Timothee Chalamet - Beautiful Boy Winner this time? Gaga will again compete with Glenn Close for The Wife, who beat her at the Golden Globes result Best Actress in a Supporting Role Amy Adams - Vice Claire Foy - First Man Emma Stone - The Favourite Margot Robbie - Mary, Queen of Scots WINNER: Rachel Weisz - The Favourite Outstanding Debut by a British Director, Writer or Producer Apostasy - Daniel Kokotajlo WINNER: Beast - Michael Pearce and Lauren Dark A Cambodian Spring - Chris Kelly Pili - Leanne Welham and Sophie Harman Ray & Liz - Richard Billingham and Jacqui Davies Best Film Not in the English Language Capernaum Cold War Dogman WINNER: Roma Shoplifters Legendary: Incredibles 2 will compete for Best Animated Film Best Short Film WINNER: 73 Cows Bachelor The Blue Door The Field Wale Best Short Animation I'm OK Marfa WINNER: Roughhouse Best Animated Film Incredibles 2 Isle of Dogs WINNER: Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse British hope: Christian Bale is the favourite to take home Leading Actor for playing Dick Cheney (above) in Vice Honoured: While Bohemian Rhapsody was snubbed for Best Film, Rami Malek will compete for Leading Actor Best Documentary WINNER: Free Solo McQueen RBG They Shall Not Grow Old Three Identical Strangers Best Cinematography Bohemian Rhapsody Cold War The Favourite First Man WINNER: Roma Best Sound WINNER: Bohemian Rhapsody First Man Mission: Impossible - Fallout A Quiet Place A Star Is Born Best Film Music BlackkKlansman If Beale Street Could Talk Isle of Dogs Mary Poppins Returns WINNER: A Star Is Born Important: Peter Jackson's acclaimed war film They Shall Not Grow Old is up for Best Documentary Best Production Design Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald WINNER: The Favourite First Man Mary Poppins Returns Roma Best Costume Design The Ballad of Buster Scruggs Bohemian Rhapsody WINNER: The Favourite Mary Poppins Returns Mary Queen of Scots Best Editing Bohemian Rhapsody The Favourite First Man Roma WINNER: Vice Best Special Visual Effects Avengers: Infinity War WINNER: Black Panther Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald First Man Ready Player One Nods: A Star Is Born has scored the same number of BAFTA nominations as its rival Bohemian Rhapsody, with seven chances Best Makeup and Hair Bohemian Rhapsody WINNER: The Favourite Mary Queen of Scots Stan & Ollie Vice Best Original Screenplay Cold War WINNER: The Favourite Green Book Roma Vice Best Adapted Screenplay WINNER: BlacKkKlansman Can You Ever Forgive Me? First Man If Beale Street Could Talk A Star Is Born BAFTA Rising Star Award WINNER: Letitia Wright Lakeith Stanfield Barry Keoghan Cynthia Erivo Jessie Buckley Advertisement Endeavour (ITV) Rating: David Bowie: Finding Fame (BBC2) Rating: Some programmes demand a widescreen telly the size of a ping-pong table, filling a wall. So big that if you open the curtains the neighbours in the next street could see what youre watching. The pleasure of Endeavour (ITV) is the opposite. This period crime drama, not merely set but immersed in the Sixties, deserves to be viewed through a jewellers eyeglass, the better to enjoy the precision mechanism of its plots. Morse (Shaun Evans, above) has been kicked out of CID and left to rot in a country police-house as a uniformed sergeant, investigating rural mundanities: a stolen collection of silver snuffboxes, a drug addict dossing in church doorway, a missing horse Every whirring cog meshes perfectly with all the other spinning parts. As the series returned, its lead characters had been demoted and dispersed, following catastrophic mistakes in their last investigation. Morse (Shaun Evans) has been kicked out of CID and left to rot in a country police-house as a uniformed sergeant, investigating rural mundanities: a stolen collection of silver snuffboxes, a drug addict dossing in church doorway, a missing horse. How satisfying that these trifles all had a crucial bearing on a much bigger case, the disappearance of a ten-year-old girl. Even the registration number of the panda car driven by the opera-loving policeman had a secret relevance: 264 HZ is the frequency of middle C. The connections didnt stop there. For nearly 30 years, fans of John Thaw as Inspector Morse have wondered why their hero was not a more senior detective. His boss, Superintendent Strange, wasnt half the copper that Morse was, even when steeped in real ale. Surely his preference for the pub over the Freemasons lodge couldnt have cost him that dear? Now we know. Morses career was hamstrung when he was cast out of the plain-clothes division. Strange (Sean Rigby) was censured, too, but managed to wangle himself a desk job. Shaun Evans as Endeavour and Roger Allam as DI Fred Thursday. This period crime drama, not merely set but immersed in the Sixties, deserves to be viewed through a jewellers eyeglass, the better to enjoy the precision mechanism of its plots [File photo] Chief Supt Bright (Anton Lesser) was sidelined into traffic policing, where he made road safety films for children . . . accompanied by a pelican on a leash. What seemed like a touch of humour turned out once again to have a direct relevance to the solution of the case. And what of DCI Fred Thursday (Roger Allam), the dependable coppers copper? Hes now suffering a double humiliation too hard-up to retire, too old to be playing the sidekick to his new boss . . . swaggering Jack-the-lad DCI Ronnie Box (Simon Harrison). Without uttering a word of complaint, Allam conveyed how intensely Thursday despises the man he has become. Self-contempt was in every little word, never more than when he tried to sound jolly and sympathetic with his wife: Cup of tea, love? Traffic cop of the weekend: Ade Adepitan encountered a giant solar-powered robot in Kinshasa, capital of Congo, directing cars on Africa (BBC2). Its arms waved green lights while its chest glowed red. That beats a bobby in white gloves. As if all this wasnt good enough, we were treated to a marvellous collage of images crystallising life in Britain in 1969, the innocent alongside the disintegrating: children skipping in the playground while junkies dealt heroin in the park. That was the year a persistent pop hopeful who changed his name from Davy Jones recorded Space Oddity, the song that defined his career. David Bowie: Finding Fame (BBC2) traced his repeated efforts to break into the charts, with years of failed attempts at R&B, music hall, childrens ditties and mime . . . not to mention a dire heavy rock album after his Top Five hit. Unfortunately, it couldnt face the plain fact that, until Major Tom went floating in his tin can, I believe that just about all Bowies output was dross. Bowie is pictured above [File photo] This was the third feature-length documentary on Bowie from director Francis Whately, after trenchant accounts of his zenith and his decline. Unfortunately, it couldnt face the plain fact that, until Major Tom went floating in his tin can, I believe that just about all Bowies output was dross. It also failed to interview Bowies wife, Angie, who helped invent the Ziggy Stardust look. Shes not exactly a recluse she did Celebrity Big Brother the week Bowie died in 2016. So why ignore her? She is no stranger to making a dazzling red carpet appearance. And it was business as usual for Laura Whitmore, who put on a sensational display as she arrived at the 72nd British Academy Film Awards on Sunday evening. The 33-year-old Irish beauty stood out from the crowds in a glitzy semi-sheer gown as she attended the event held at the Royal Albert Hall. Angelic: Laura Whitmore put on a sensational display as she arrived at the 72nd British Academy Film Awards on Sunday evening The stunning presenter sported the high-necked gown with was adorned in beaded detailing all over, especially focusing on her bust area. Opting for maximum glamour, the star wore her blonde locks in loose elegant waves, which she clipped back with glitzy decorative hair accessories. Laura looked sensational, choosing to rock a natural pallet of make-up in copper tones, which only further accentuated her natural beauty. Wow: The 33-year-old Irish beauty stood out from the crowds in a glitzy semi-sheer gown as she attended the event held at the Royal Albert Hall Flawless: The stunning presenter sported the high-necked gown with was adorned in beaded detailing all over, especially focusing on her bust area Laura covered her gown with a classic cream coat, which she slung over her shoulders as she posed on the red carpet. Recently, the Irish star claimed she had grown more confident in her good looks over the years as she used to wear a lot more make-up when she was younger. The blonde bombshell put wearing heavy make-up in her youth down to 'insecurities' she suffered with but now she insisted she recognised beauty is about expression. Radiant: Opting for maximum glamour, the star wore her blonde locks in loose elegant waves, which she clipped back with glitzy decorative hair accessories Glowing: Laura looked sensational, choosing to rock a natural pallet of make-up in copper tones, which only further accentuated her natural beauty Elegant: Laura looked sensational, choosing to rock a natural pallet of make-up in copper tones, which only further accentuated her natural beauty She told The Irish Sun last year: 'I probably wore a lot more make-up when I was younger and it was an insecurity thing. 'But at some stage you go: "Do you know what? F**k it." There are so many other millions of things to worry about. 'Beauty shouldnt be about hiding yourself its about expression, and I think we all need to learn that were highlighting and accentuating what we already have.' Growing in confidence: Recently, the Irish star claimed she had grown more confident in her good looks over the years as she used to wear a lot more make-up when she was younger Eleanor Tomlinson looked sensational as she attended the BAFTAs 2019 Vogue and Tiffany & Co. Fashion and Film after-party at Annabel's in Mayfair on Sunday night. The 26-year-old Poldark beauty looked sensational in a plunging black lace jumpsuit with a backless embroidered back and wide-leg trousers. Eleanor styled her fiery red locks into a blow-dried tousled hairdo, she added a slick of make-up. Chic: Eleanor Tomlinson looked sensational as she attended the BAFTAs 2019 Vogue and Tiffany & Co. Fashion and Film after-party at Annabel's in Mayfair on Sunday night The Colette star was joined by her brother, Ross Tomlinson, as they posed together for a picture at the star-studded event. Earlier in the evening, Eleanor arrived in absolutely sensational style at the 2019 British Academy Film Awards held at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The actress looked phenomenal in her as she hit the red carpet in an asymmetric gown by Ralph & Russo complete with a one-shouldered top and a slashed skirt. Eleanor looked sensational in the dress which boasted a trio of hues and a number of materials combined to stunning impact. Siblings: Eleanor was joined by her brother Ross Tomlinson at the bash with the pair looking in high spirits as they carried their goodie bags Style: The 26-year-old Poldark beauty looked sensational in a plunging black lace jumpsuit with a backless embroidered back and wide-leg trousers In demand: Fans waited outside Annabel's to greet Eleanor and Ross as they made their exit The skirt featured dazzling adornments in pink and red colours while a black curve moved with her figure to give an optical illusion. She scraped her trademark flame red tresses into an elegant chignon while dripping in De Beers jewels to add to the elegance of the ensemble. The stunner allowed her alabaster complexion to stand out boldly against her flame red hair and her dewy make-up. Ensemble: Accessorising with a multi-coloured clutch bag, Eleanor showed off the intricate lace detail on the back of her outfit Glamour: Eleanor styled her fiery red locks into a blow-dried tousled hairdo, she added a slick of make-up Sensational: The actress effortlessly turned heads with her stylish attire at the event Family: Ross, who is also an actor, looked dapper in a black velvet blazer which he paired with a black waistcoat, matching trousers and a bow tie Eleanor has kept her clothes on for five seasons of Poldark as the feisty redhead Demelza yet the star candidly discussed finally stripped off for her first sex scene in Colette after staying in her corset for five seasons of Poldark. She bared her naked breasts in the movie as she played out a number of raunchy sex scenes in the character of Georgie Raoul-Duval. Joanna Lumley has returned for a second stint behind the podium for the 72nd annual awards after impressing last year in place of Stephen Fry while Cirque de Soleil will also be back with another performance. Yorgos Lanthimoss The Favourite has swept the nominations with 12 nods in top categories including a Best Actress chance for its star Olivia Colman, Supporting Actress nominations for Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz and a shot at Best Film. Earlier in the evening, Eleanor arrived in absolutely sensational style at the 2019 British Academy Film Awards held at the Royal Albert Hall in London Stunner: The 26-year-old Poldark beauty looked phenomenal as she hit the red carpet in an asymmetric gown complete with a one-shouldered top and a slashed skirt Jewelled delight: Her stunning De Beers earrings added a further dazzling feel to the look Alabaster stunner: She contrasted her pale complexion with the hues The Favourite will compete with A Star Is Born, BlacKkKlansman, Green Book and Roma for Best Film but surprisingly, after its success at last month's Golden Globes, Bohemian Rhapsody was snubbed in the category. The Favourite is nominated in 12 categories. Bohemian Rhapsody, First Man, Roma and A Star Is Born each have seven nominations; Vice has six, BlacKkKlansman has five, and Cold War and Green Book have four each. Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Mary Poppins Returns, Mary Queen of Scots and Stan & Ollie have three nominations each. The 2019 nod marks Olivia's sixth BAFTA nomination but her first for a film role after previously winning for TV hits Twenty Twelve, Accused and Broadchurch. Chic: She scraped her trademark flame red tresses into an elegant chignon while dripping in jewels to add to the elegance of the ensemble Strutting her stuff: The pink gown contrasted boldly against her red locks Sexy and stunning: She looked incredible in the gown which made the most of her frame Olivia competes against Glenn Close for The Wife, Lady Gaga for A Star Is Born, Melissa McCarthy for Can You Ever Forgive Me?' and Widows star Viola Davis, but in another shock snub, Mary Poppins Returns lead Emily Blunt has missed out on a nomination. In fact, Mary Poppins Returns only received nominations in the technical categories for BAFTA, with three nods in total for Best Film Music, Best Production Design and Best Costume Design. Olivia's chances at scoring her first film BAFTA have only increased after she took home the Best Actress Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy for The Favourite at the Golden Globes. Olivia's critically-acclaimed film was released last month and follows the love triangle Queen Anne forms with two of her female courtiers, played by Emma and Rachel, who are both nominated in the Best Supporting Actress Category. The Favourite is also nominated for Outstanding British Film, Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Make Up & Hair, Editing and Yorgos Lanthimos for Director. Sensational: The flame-haired beauty ensured she was topping the best dressed stars Out and a pout: She was dazzling as she hit the red carpet alongside the top stars of Hollywood She frequently attends glitzy industry events in head-turning ensembles. And Jenna Coleman maintained her sophisticated fashion sense at British Vogue and Tiffany & Co.'s BAFTA afterparty at London's Annabel's club on Sunday evening. The Doctor Who actress, 32, wowed at the event as she donned a black structured skater dress, embroidered with red floral details throughout. Demure: Jenna Coleman maintained her sophisticated fashion sense at British Vogue and Tiffany & Co.'s BAFTA afterparty at London 's Annabel's club on Sunday evening Living up to her stylish ways, the screen star enhanced her height in a pair of chic platform heels, embellished with a shimmery chain strap. The Cry actress ensured focus remained on her outfit as she accessorised with pearl-drop earrings and a dainty diamond bracelet. Brunette beauty Jenna swept her tresses into an elegant updo to reveal her stunning visage, enhanced with matte rose-tined make-up, winged eyeliner and lashings of mascara. Looking good: The Doctor Who actress, 32, wowed at the event as she donned a black structured skater dress, embroidered with red floral details throughout Walk this way: Living up to her stylish ways, the screen star enhanced her height in a pair of chic platform heels, embellished with a shimmery chain strap All in the details: The Cry actress ensured focus remained on her outfit as she accessorised with pearl-drop earrings and a dainty diamond bracelet At the glitzy ceremony, The Favourite swept the board with seven gongs, including Outstanding British Film and Best Production as well as Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. Jenna recently attended a BAFTA film screening of BBC One mystery drama The Cry in the Big Apple, which is adapted from the novel of the same name, written by Helen FitzGerald. In the series, Joanna (Jenna), who is married to Alistair, travels from Scotland to a town in Australia, to fight for custody of Alistair's daughter, Chloe, against his ex-wife, Alexandra. As they drive from Melbourne to Geelong, their baby son Noah goes missing suddenly from the side of the road. Mane attraction: Brunette beauty Jenna swept her tresses into an elegant updo to reveal her stunning visage, enhanced with matte rose-tined make-up, winged eyeliner and lashings of mascara Heading off: Jenna donned a black wool coat as she left the party Drama series: Jenna recently attended a BAFTA film screening of BBC One mystery drama The Cry in the Big Apple, which is adapted from the novel of the same name, written by Helen FitzGerald In the aftermath of the tragedy, under public scrutiny, their marriage collapses and Joanna's psychology disintegrates. Meanwhile, Jenna recently admitted playing roles similar to her personality makes her feel 'self-conscious' in a recent interview with The Guardian. She explained: 'I dont really enjoy playing myself at all. I love anything that feels more removed from myself. 'I have a lot more freedom But using my own voice and being me? I feel self-conscious. If people ask me to do a speech or something, its like my worst nightmare. I cant bear it.' As one of Australia's most outrageous socialites, Brynne Edelsten is no stranger to stealing the spotlight. And on Sunday, the 35-year-old had jaws on the floor after slipping into a bedazzled jumpsuit for designer Aron Katona's runway show in Melbourne. Unfortunately for Oklahoma-born beauty Brynne, the jumpsuit featured an unfortunate patch on the crotch that was impossible to miss. Oh no! Brynne Edelsten suffered a wardrobe malfunction in a jumpsuit with an awkward patch on the crotch at designer Aron Katona's runway show in Melbourne on Sunday The former reality star didn't seem to be bothered by the wardrobe malfunction as she proudly walked down the runway and posed for photos. To give the ensemble an extra pop of glam, Brynne wore strappy stilettos and painted her toenails a bright teal. The former cocktail waitress was joined by a handful of other glitzy stars at the event, including Married At First Sight rejects Sarah Roza and Clare Verrall. Where to look? It was hard to look the 35-year-old in the eye due to her risque ensemble On the prowl! The former reality star didn't seem to be bothered by the wardrobe malfunction as she proudly walked down the runway and posed for photos Also showing up to support Brynne's runway debut was her boyfriend, Leno Cachia. Last November, reports emerged claiming that the blonde and her beau could be ready to tie the knot soon. 'I have been really quiet lately, very domesticated playing wife at home with the boyfriend,' the 35-year-old gushed to the Daily Telegraph. Girls' night out! Brynne was joined by Married At First Sight reject Sarah Roza (L) How romantic! Also showing up to support Brynne's runway debut was her boyfriend, Leno Cachia (pictured) Brynne explained that Leno isn't into Melbourne's social scene and that she's looking for stability. 'My partner hates going to events,' she stated. 'I guess I have been through a lot of craziness the last few years and so I have been trying to create stability in my life.' He is an acclaimed actor who picked up the Best Actor Oscar back in 2015 for his role in Stephen Hawking biopic, The Theory of Everything. And Eddie Redmayne was back on the awards season circuit as he attended the British Vogue BAFTA after-party held at Annabel's, London on Sunday. The My Week With Marilyn actor, 37, cut a quirky figure in a two-tone suit as he posed with his glamorous wife Hannah Bagshawe at the prestigious party. Cute couple: Eddie Redmayne was back on the awards season circuit as he attended the British Vogue BAFTA after-party held at Annabel's, London on Sunday Date night: On their way into the venue, Hannah flashed her husband a sweet smile The hunk looked dapper in a tailored suit jacket, which was half white and half black, worn over a crisp white shirt. He paired this with black trousers and patent leather shoes. His gorgeous wife slipped on a racy semi-sheer lace dress, with black brocade detail and cut out sections, which showcased her toned frame. Sharing a sweet look in the taxi with her man on the way to the party, she walked tall as she boosted her height with black stilettos. Stylish: The My Week With Marilyn actor, 37, cut a quirky figure in a two-tone suit as he posed with his glamorous wife Hannah Bagshawe at the prestigious party Edgy: The hunk looked dapper in a tailored suit jacket, which was half white and half black, worn over a crisp white shirt Her ombre tresses were styled in soft waves while her pretty features were enhanced with fluttery lashes and a slick of scarlet lipstick. Hannah and Eddie wed four years ago in December 2014, six months after announcing their engagement and two years after they first began dating. They share two children; daughter Iris, two, and 11-month-old son Luke born in March 2018. Dynamic duo: The star joined supermodel Naomi Campbell at the event Fashion forward: The duo also posed with British Vogue editor Edward Enninful The Favourite swept the board at the BAFTAs, taking home seven awards. Olivia Colman was delighted as she took home the gong for Best Actress. Following her win she congratulated her 'extraordinary' fellow nominees while joking that she is going to get 'p***ed' to celebrate her incredible win along with her 'classy' co-stars Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone. Earlier in the evening Rachel Weisz put on an emotional display with her co-star Olivia as she collected the prestigious gong. Olivia, 45, looked delighted with her friend's achievement, as they shared a sweet kiss as Olivia congratulated the actress for winning the sought-after award. Having a blast: Eddie looked like he was ready to hit the tiles as he enjoyed the journey there with Hannah Smart choice: Hannah had draped a tuxedo jacket across her shoulders making sure she kept warm A bold look: Eddie wore a monochrome jacket and smart black trousers for the night out Flashbulbs: Hannah looked fabulously flawless as she prepared to party with her man Rami Malek was awarded the Best Actor gong, as he took to the stage wearing a sharp white suit and thanked Freddie Mercury as he address the ceremony. He gushed: 'I can't believe am I included in this group of actors, I've entered this world, as an outsider you Brits do it so well and it's not lost on me how sacred your musical heritage is, so thank you so much for including me. 'Thank you so very much to Queen, and to the greatest outsider of them all, for being so unwavering, so uncompromising, and so wonderful in every which way, Freddie Mercury.' Handsome: Eddie looked gorgeous as he arrived at the party Yorgos Lanthimos's The Favourite has swept the nominations with 12 nods in top categories including a Best Actress chance Supporting Actress and Best Film. The Favourite picked up seven prestigious awards during the ceremony, including Outstanding British Film and Best Production, while Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody was awarded with the Best Sound gong. Netflix drama Roma took home the top prize at the awards ceremony at London's Royal Albert Hall, pipping other nominees BlacKkKlansman, The Favourite, Green Book and A Star Is Born to the post. Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse, which has previously done well at earlier awards ceremony's, was given the Best Animation accolade at the glitzy awards ceremony. Letitia Wright spoke of how she nearly quit acting due to a 'deep depression' as she picked up the Rising Star Award at the EE awards The Black Panther star took home the honour at the annual awards ceremony, Speaking to accept her prize, she said: 'A few years ago I saw myself in a deep depression and I wanted to quit acting. 'The only thing that pulled me out of that was God, my belief, my family, and an email from BAFTA telling me they wanted me to be a part of BAFTA Breakthrough Brits and it inspired me to keep going. I'm still a work in progress. I want to encourage young people - matter of fact you don't even have to be young - anybody that is going through a hard time, God made you and you're important. Let your light shine.' The 25-year-old actress beat fellow nominees Barry Keoghan, Cynthia Erivo, Jessie Buckley and Lakeith Stanfield to the crown. She recently revealed she's dating Ercan Ramadan, just months after calling off her engagement to ex John Noble. And Vicky Pattison looked as smitten as ever with her new boyfriend Ercan as she shared a sweet snap on her Instagram account on Sunday evening. The Geordie Shore star, 31, bravely returned to Dubai for her pal's birthday party, months after her former fiance cheated on her during a lads' break in the holiday hotspot. Budding relationship: Vicky Pattison looked as smitten as ever with her new boyfriend Ercan Ramadan as she shared a sweet snap on her Instagram account on Sunday evening With his hands wrapped around her shoulders, TV personality Vicky cracked a coy smile as she appeared in high spirits with the former TOWIE star. The brunette beauty proved to be in the throes of love as she captioned the image: 'Everything has changed, and yet Im more me than I have ever been...'. In another post, the reality star shared a sweet cuddle with her close friend DJ Chris Wright during her trip to the United Arab Emirates, where businessman John was spotted cosying up to a female companion, while in a relationship with Vicky. Insisting she's moved on from her heartache, the Newcastle star penned: 'I could have quite easily never come to Dubai again- but I could never have missed this ones birthday!! Defiant: The Geordie Shore star, 31, bravely returned to Dubai for her pal's birthday party, months after her former fiance John Noble cheated on her during a lads' break in the holiday hotspot 'And now Im here Im so glad I came- i will not ever let anyone take things away from me and I know just how lucky I am to have amazing people like @djchriswright in my life!! I love you! Happy birthday you dream!!!', she added. Meanwhile, Vicky recently revealed she's taking things slow with new partner Ercan, and won't be flat-hunting or getting engaged any time soon. She told the Mirror: 'We are officially dating but it's not love yet. I do still believe in love, though. Brave: The reality star shared a sweet cuddle with her close friend DJ Chris Wright during her trip to the United Arab Emirates, where businessman John was spotted cosying up to a female companion, while in a relationship with Vicky Having fun: The TV personality treated herself to a glass of champagne on her flight to sunny Dubai Vicky went on: 'I have to or I would be very sad. I am worried about rebound, I want to make sure I'm doing things for the right reason and not just to feel better'. Last month, she revealed her ex blames her profession for his infidelity during an interview on Heart Breakfast show with Jamie Theakston and Lucy Horobin. Detailing the moment she confronted him, the reality star told hosts Jamie, 48, and Lucy, 39: 'Essentially he blamed it on me. 'If I hadnt got the job I was in and wasnt in the position I am then he wouldnt have been set up. So essentially my career got in the way of his cheating', she shared. Shortly before entering a relationship with Ercan, Vicky revealed she has since signed up to celebrity dating app Raya, but admitted she's been put on their waiting list. Raya, also known as Tinder for A-listers, is a members' only app which charges a fee for use and access. 'Right, listen to this I tried to get on, have yous heard of Raya? Its like this special one for people in the industry', she said. 'I heard Jeremy Piven was on it and I love Mr. Selfridge so I thought, Im gonna get meself on that, and get meself back out there. And they waitlisted us', a shocked Vicky shared. Her star-studded birthday party was given a strict social media ban. But Kate Hudson apparently got approval from birthday girl Jennifer Aniston as she shared a photo partying with Gwyneth Paltrow at the 50th celebration on Saturday night in Los Angeles. Hudson, 39, appeared to be in fine form in the series of Instagram photos where she admitted she 'got permish' after Katy Perry called her out for sharing scenes from the super private soiree. Don't worry, Katy! Kate Hudson apparently got approval from birthday girl Jennifer Aniston as she shared a photo partying with Gwyneth Paltrow at the 50th celebration on Saturday night in Los Angeles The blonde beauties cuddled up to each other in the series of photos where Kate played with what appeared to be a dirty martini and stick of olives. 'Love these ladies,' Hudson wrote on Instagram. 'Celebrated this beauty last night. Happy Bday JA! We all love you sooo!' Katy Perry was quick to note 'NO SOCIAL MEDIA' with more than 600 hundred followers liking the comment before Kate quickly responded, 'got permish' with a host of emojis. Drink up! Hudson, 39, appeared to be in fine form in the series of Instagram photos where she admitted she 'got permish' after Katy Perry called her out for sharing scenes from the super private soiree Good times: The blonde beauties cuddled up to each other in the series of photos where Kate played with what appeared to be a dirty martini and stick of olives Gwyneth wrote, 'Happy birthday (last night and tomorrow) to #jenniferaniston our ray of sunshine, example of perpetual goodness.' We love you so much and you make 50 LOOK [fire emoji].' Jennifer's birthday party was the main event on Saturday night with a host of celebrities in attendance. Ex-husband Brad Pritt, who's reportedly been quietly dating Charlize Theron since January, went incognito in a flat cap as he rushed inside Jennifer's favorite West Hollywood spot, the historic Sunset Tower. After several years of being celebrated as one of Hollywood's most glamorous couples, Jennifer and Brad shocked fans when they announced that they were divorcing in 2005. 'Love these ladies,' Hudson wrote on Instagram. 'Celebrated this beauty last night. Happy Bday JA! We all love you sooo!' He wasn't alone, with stars including Katy Perry and boyfriend Orlando Bloom, chat show host Ellen DeGeneres, Barbra Streisand and Jason Bateman joining the celebrations. Also among the attendees was George Clooney, who arrived in style with his glamorous wife Amal, while Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber also made their way into the party. Kate and Danny welcomed their first child last year, daughter Rani Rose Hudson Fujikawa. The A-list actress is also mother to 15-year-old son Ryder with rocker Chris Robinson, and seven-year-old son Bingham with her former fiance, Muse's Matt Bellamy. It looks like Married At First Sight's golden couple Matthew Bennett and Lauren Huntriss have broken up. Channel Nine has apparently banned them from speaking to each other following an unspecified 'incident'. The claims surfaced on The Kyle and Jackie O Show, when producer Sonia Jahshan interrupted a discussion to reveal the pair were 'not allowed' to contact each other. MAFS' Lauren Huntriss and Matthew Bennett have been 'banned from contacting each other and have cancelled all media interviews' - as the future of their relationship looks uncertain 'Something weird is happening, we've been told that they are not allowed to talk to each other, Lauren and Matt. They used the word "banned",' Sonia explained on air. KIIS FM presenter Jackie 'O' Henderson then suggested: 'Oh, maybe one of them has gone stage-five clinger?' Earlier in the broadcast, Jackie and her co-host Kyle Sandilands complained that they were struggling to secure interviews with the MAFS cast. Separated? The claims surfaced on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Monday, when producer Sonia Jahshan (centre) interrupted a discussion to reveal Lauren and Matthew were 'not allowed' to contact each other Cancelling interviews? Earlier in the broadcast Jackie O (left) and Kyle Sandilands (right) complained that they were struggling to secure interviews with the MAFS cast 'Ines [Basic] is freaking out because this is what happened to Davina [Rankin] last year,' Jackie said, explaining why the legal assistant wouldn't appear on their show. Kyle replied: 'So, the ones we want to talk to all of a sudden are not available?' Jackie added: 'The virgin [Matthew] is not available either!' Is the fairytale over? Earlier this month, viewers watched as Lauren and Matthew fell head over heels for each other after meeting for the first time at the altar While it's unclear if Lauren and Matt are still together, the couple looked smitten while on a lunch date in Sydney in October last year. The sighting took place several weeks after they filmed their wedding day. But two months after saying 'I do', Lauren left the country to spend some time away in Europe without Matthew. Fan favourites: The couple's picture perfect-romance has captivated viewers, but the latest development seems to suggest they have split Earlier this month, viewers watched as Lauren and Matthew fell head over heels for each other after meeting for the first time at the altar. While other couples on the show struggled to hit it off, their romance continued to blossom after embarking on their honeymoon. Matt, who was a 29-year-old virgin at the start of the experiment, lost his virginity to his 'wife' during filming. Falling apart? It's unclear whether or not Lauren and Matt are still together 'I think it was worth the 29-year wait. Loz is just amazing. We are so close... I just want to be with her,' Matthew said the morning after having sex. 'Me touching Loz, Loz touching me, it was a beautiful moment, and I'm so glad it was Loz,' he added. Meanwhile, Lauren also appeared to be on cloud nine after their first night together. Solo trip? Two months after filming her wedding to Matthew, Lauren left the country to spend some time away in Europe without her 'husband'. Pictured in London in December 2018 'I'm feeling closer to Matt than ever. The chemistry is back. I can't stop smiling, actually!' she said. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for comment. Married At First Sight continues Monday at 7:30pm on Channel Nine Today, there is great work happening in villages at grass-root level, where structures are being put into place. Arth, the annual culture fest has always aimed at finding meanings of the Indian civilisation and discover its soul. The three-day mega cultural festival was organised in Delhi to celebrate the essence of "Indic thought and philosophy". The festival lays its focus on literature, culture, society, music, traditions, history and art. The national leg of the festival is being held in Delhi from 8-10 February. Smaller satellite shows will be hosted in Kolkata and Pune in December and January respectively. The first day of the multi-cultural event was graced by some of the countrys most celebrated and respected scholars, intellectuals, journalists, authors, performers, artists and members of Parliament. Rajya Sabha MP Subhash Chandra, motivational strategist Gaur Gopal Das, British economist Lord Meghnad Desai were some of the speakers who took part in the plenary session on 'Dharmic Capitalism: A new economic model for emerging world order.' The topics for others sessions were 'Are Bhakti and and the arts mutually exclusive in India', 'History as the new battleground', 'The 3 Ts of tradition: Temples, textiles, travel', 'Devabhasha: Sansique the language of the gods', 'The importance of interfaith dialogues', 'Clear are the paths of India: Cultural and political encounters of Indian and Jews', among others. It was carefully designed keeping in mind the current socio political situation of the nation. The second day saw some really hard-hitting panel-discussions and talks by the most prominent speakers in India on burning topics. Day two saw discussions on topics like 'Activism via the Arts: Legitimate or Opportunistic?', 'Demystifying Tantra', 'Jaat Na Poocho Sadhu Ki: The Scourge of Caste', Feminism and Tradition: Compatible or at Odds?', 'Alternative Narratives of India's Freedom Struggle', 'Ayodhya & Sabarimala: Where Faith Intersects the Law'. There was a conversation with BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy and an address by journalist Arnab Goswami along with a performance by Bombay Bairaag. Union textiles minister Smriti Irani felt, As a movement that began in the 1800s for political rights, you seek to see from the prism of tradition, religion and faith and that is where the dichotomy stems from. It also depends from which prism you look at the tradition. Our traditions warn us that the capacity to nurture, protect and fulfil all the vows is that of a woman so there is not greater celebration about the potential and capacity of a woman than we find in Indian traditions and text. Talking about reservation for women, Smriti added, It is not seeking or reflecting a desire ensure men vacate their space. It is a desire to give women equal opportunity to compete basis sheer hard-work and talent. Another panel - Great Minds from Bengal: Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurbindo was anchored by Hindol Sengupta and Sounak Chattopadhyay. The audience was addressed by Arnab Goswami. It was to connect with the ongoing panel discussion on Feminism and Tradition by Smriti Irani, Raveena Tandon, Lavanya Vemsani. The Epic Saga: Mahabharata, the Tale of Human Nature was anchored by Nilesh Oak & Vishwa Adluri. According to Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon, women are standing on their own feet, pursuing whatever they want and are getting equal job opportunities. But there is a lot more to do in that aspect. While talking about faith and religion, she said Faith is a broader aspect which an individual should be allowed to practice the way they want. We have a lot of communities in our country and they all follow their own practices and have different tradition. We should respect that. As long as anyone is not harming, hurting or mutilating, bloodletting or creating any nuisance, a person should be allowed to practice harmlessly what they want to as an act of love. Other leading speakers included Kishwar Desai, Prasenjit Basu, Sanjeev Sanyal & Saradindu Mukherji on alternative narratives of Indias freedom struggle. The panel discussed film premier, Blood Buddha by Nikhil Singh Rajput followed by a discussion. Amish Tripathi, Anurag Saxena, David Frawley, Domenic DiGovanni, Karen Attiah & Tess Davis spoke on bringing our gods home. Speaking on the huge success, Shreyasi Goenka, founder & director of Arth said, I am delighted by the tremendous success of our event. Its amazing to see the passion and love for culture and art amongst the audience. I want to thank all the speakers and performers that have joined hands with us and have extended their support to spread the vision behind Arth. The panel discussion was followed by some engaging and learning masterclass - Sanjhi paper cutting of Uttar Pradesh, Kangra Miniature of Himachal Pradesh, pottery from Rajasthan, Chittara Painting from Karnataka. The evening was followed by a Pandavani performance by the award winning personality, Teejan Bai, in which she enacted tales from the Mahabharata, with musical accompaniments and enthralled the audience. Talking at a panel on activism via arts, film maker, Vivek Agnihotri said, We live in a very mixed kind of world. Lets look at the film industry where 70- 80 per cent come from the glamorous world so that they get media attention and coverage but, nobody gives coverage to betibachao and betipadhao. Today, there is great work happening in villages at grass-root level, where structures are being put into place. There are so many beneficiaries. This is real genuine activism, but since its come from the government, so many NGOs Nobody talks about it. Talking on feminism in the film industry, Raveena said, I see a very positive change as well as more inclusiveness in the industry. Today, there are a lot more women at the helm of affairs in every department of film making which is a very positive sign, and because of this there are a lot more opportunities for women. The pay disparity is also reaching an equal situation now. About 5,000 Denver teachers will take to the picket lines on Monday in a fight over the districts performance-pay model. Bargaining teams from the Denver Classroom Teachers Association and the school district met on Saturday for a last-ditch negotiation session, but didnt come to an agreement. Union officials said the districts latest offer, which cut about 150 central office positions in order to free up more money for teacher pay and raised the financial incentive for working in a high-poverty school, made the situation worse and the strike inevitable. The union has asked for bigger base salaries and fewer incentives. See also: Denver Teachers to Strike Over Merit-Pay System We will strike Monday for our students and for our profession, and perhaps then DPS will get the message and return to the bargaining table with a serious proposal aimed at solving the teacher turnover crisis in Denver, said Henry Roman, the teachers union president. The last teacher strike in Denver, which is the largest school district in the state, was in 1994. Heres what you should know about this years protest: 1. The strike is over a performance-pay system thats been in place for 14 years. The pay model in Denver, known as ProComp, was once heralded as a revolutionary way to pay teachers as professionals . The system rewards teachers not for their number of years in the classroom, but for their work raising student achievement and for teaching where they are needed most. It was a collaborative effort between the district, the union, and taxpayers, who passed an annual property tax increase to fund the program in 2005. Now, teachers say the pay structure is confusing. There are about 10 different incentives and bonuses that reward teachers for their students growth and for working in hard-to-staff positions and schools. Both the district and the union agree that ProComp needs to be streamlined, but they disagree on the details. The union wants across-the-board pay raises and smaller, fewer incentives, while the district says that the key to reducing student achievement gaps is to give bigger financial incentives to teachers working in the citys poorest schools. The average teacher salary in Denver, which includes incentives, is $62,095. Thats well above the national average teacher salary, which is $55,100, according to federal data. However, housing prices in Denver have skyrocketed in recent years. 2. Schools will remain open during the strike. The district has pledged to keep educating students during the strike. According to the Denver Post , the district has hired 300 new substitute teachers and has an active roster of 1,200 substitutes. The Los Angeles school district also kept schools open during the six-day teacher strike last month, relying on substitutes and administrators to keep classes running . Many principals complained that they were overworked and understaffed during the strike, forced to simultaneously manage school operations and classroom instruction. Ultimately, many parents kept their children home from school. (That is likely to be the case in Denver, too: The Denver Post reported that Superintendent Susana Cordova said shes not sure if shell send her own daughter to school on the first day of the strike.) See also: Susana Cordova: A Perpetual Fighter Looking Out for All Kids 3. This strike could be a sign that teacher activism is moving to more big cities and blue states. The wave of teacher activism that started last year primarily took place in red states, and mostly occurred as statewide protests. Now, Denver will be the second big school district in a liberal city to see a teacher strike. Teachers in Los Angeles went on strike last month and came away with a pay raise, smaller class sizes, and more support staff . Also last month, teachers from across Virginia rallied at the state Capitol last month to call for higher pay. One of the main themes of these protests has been growing anger from teachers toward their state legislatures for not putting more money in schools. Indeed, Cordova has pointed to a lack of state investment in education as a reason why the district cant afford to meet all of the unions demands. According to an Education Week Research Center analysis thats adjusted for regional cost differences, Colorado spends about $9,700 per studentbelow the national average of $12,500. Image: A teacher holds a placard during a rally outside the state Capitol in Denver on Jan. 30. Public school teachers across the city plan to go on strike Feb. 11. David Zalubowski/AP He has won universal acclaim for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody. And Rami Malek was congratulated by Margot Robbie as he picked up the award for Best Actor at the 72nd British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday evening. The American actor, 37, paid tribute to the 'uncompromising' late Queen frontman as he accepted the gong and added to his awards season haul. Well done: Rami Malek was congratulated by Margot Robbie as he picked up the award for Best Actor at the 72nd British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday evening Winner: The American actor, 37, paid tribute to the 'uncompromising' late Queen frontman as he accepted the gong and added to his awards season haul Margot, who was nominated in the supporting actress category for Mary, Queen of Scots, looked divine in a silver knitted dress with statement shoulderpads as she presented Rami with the award. An emotional Rami praised Queen and the team behind Bohemian Rhapsody. He said: 'This is truly extraordinary. Thank you BAFTA for this gorgeous gift. I cannot believe I am included in this group of actors. Ive entered this world as an outsider. 'You Brits do it so well and its not lost on me how sacred your musical heritage is so thank you so much for including me. Congrats: Margot, who was nominated in the supporting actress category for Mary, Queen of Scots, looked divine in a silver knitted dress with statement shoulderpads as she presented Rami with the award Yes! An emotional Rami praised Queen and the team behind Bohemian Rhapsody 'Thank you so very much to Queen and to the greatest outsider of them all for being so unwavering, so uncompromising and so wonderful in every which way. Thank you Freddie Mercury.' The star was later seen enjoying time at the awards with his film co-star and real life girlfriend Lucy Boynton as the pair walked the red carpet hand-in-hand. The glittering night saw The Favourite win seven awards.Olivia Colman was delighted as she took home the gong for her sensational display in the The Favourite at the awards. Following her win she congratulated her 'extraordinary' fellow nominees while joking that she is going to get 'p***ed' to celebrate her incredible win along with her 'classy' co-stars Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone. Star: He said: 'This is truly extraordinary. Thank you BAFTA for this gorgeous gift. I cannot believe I am included in this group of actors. Ive entered this world as an outsider Much missed: 'Thank you so very much to Queen and to the greatest outsider of them all for being so unwavering, so uncompromising and so wonderful in every which way. Thank you Freddie Mercury,' he said Earlier in the evening Rachel Weisz put on an emotional display with her co-star Olivia as she collected the prestigious gong. Olivia, 45, looked delighted with her friend's achievement, as they shared a sweet kiss as Olivia congratulated the actress for winning the sought-after award. Yorgos Lanthimos's The Favourite has swept the nominations with 12 nods in top categories including a Best Actress chance Supporting Actress and Best Film. The Favourite picked up seven prestigious awards during the ceremony, including Outstanding British Film and Best Production, while Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody was awarded with the Best Sound gong. Gorgeous: The star was later seen enjoying time at the awards with his film co-star and real life girlfriend Lucy Boynton as the pair walked the red carpet hand-in-hand Netflix drama Roma took home the top prize at the awards ceremony at London's Royal Albert Hall, pipping other nominees BlacKkKlansman, The Favourite, Green Book and A Star Is Born to the post. Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse, which has previously done well at earlier awards ceremony's, was given the Best Animation accolade at the glitzy awards ceremony. Letitia Wright spoke of how she nearly quit acting due to a 'deep depression' as she picked up the Rising Star Award at the EE awards. Iconic: Rami has already won a SAG and Golden Globe award for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury The Black Panther star took home the honour at the annual awards ceremony, Speaking to accept her prize, she said: 'A few years ago I saw myself in a deep depression and I wanted to quit acting. 'The only thing that pulled me out of that was God, my belief, my family, and an email from BAFTA telling me they wanted me to be a part of BAFTA Breakthrough Brits and it inspired me to keep going. I'm still a work in progress. I want to encourage young people - matter of fact you don't even have to be young - anybody that is going through a hard time, God made you and you're important. Let your light shine.' The 25-year-old actress beat fellow nominees Barry Keoghan, Cynthia Erivo, Jessie Buckley and Lakeith Stanfield to the crown. She's the Hollywood-based actress who is known for starring in smash-hit American comedies such as Bridesmaids and Instant Family. But Rose Byrne, 39, proved that she still calls Australia home when she stepped out in her Sydney hometown wearing a Bunnings Warehouse sunhat on Thursday. Joined by her partner Bobby Cannavale, 48, and their three-year-old son Rocco, Rose made her way down the sidewalk in the iconic $5 headwear. She still calls Australia home! Rose Byrne, 39, proved that she still calls Australia home when she stepped out in her Sydney hometown wearing a Bunnings Warehouse sunhat on Thursday The beauty kept the rest of her ensemble breezy and laid-back, donning a floral midi-dress in blue and a pair of white sneakers. Handsome Bobby also looked relaxed yet stylish as he pushed cherubic Rocco in a stroller down the pavement. He wore a grey T-shirt that clung to his bulging biceps, a pair of denim shorts and a cap worn backwards. Budget headwear! Rose teamed her branded sunhat with a breezy blue floral midi-dress No frills! Joined by her partner Bobby Cannavale, 48, and their three-year-old son Rocco, Rose made her way down the sidewalk in the iconic $5 headwear Little Rocco was also dressed for the summer climes, wearing an adorable sunhat emblazoned with a cartoon face and a white T-shirt. Rose, who is also stepmother to Bobby's son Jake from a previous relationship, has been enjoying time in Sydney in recent weeks as she films scenes for Peter Rabbit 2. The star often refers to Bobby as her husband and has previously said they will get married 'one day'. Back on home soil! The beauty has been enjoying time in Sydney in recent weeks as she films scenes for Peter Rabbit 2 'He's practically my husband, so calling him that is easier,' she told ES magazine in May 2017. 'The formality isn't a draw for me, but we'll do it one day. Once you have children, I just think, why not?' The actress made her screen debut in the 1992 Australian film Dallas Doll, before landing her first leading role in The Goddess of 1967, which was released in 2000. Married At First Sight viewers rallied behind Bronson Norrish on social media after Sunday night's explosive episode. And the 34-year-old entrepreneur has revealed he has no regrets about calling out his 'wife' Ines Basic during the commitment ceremony, despite being scolded by relationship expert Mel Schilling. Speaking to TV Week on Monday, the former stripper said while he regrets calling Ines the C-word, he believes he was justified in standing up to her. 'I've never had anyone treat me so badly in my life': Married At First Sight's Bronson Norrish (left) has defended standing up to Ines Basic (right), after he was scolded by the experts for calling her the C-word 'I probably could have used a better word, but I've never had anyone treat me so badly in my life,' Bronson said. 'I wanted to find the best word to describe what she was doing to me, and that was the worst one I could think of. I don't regret calling her out, but I do regret using the word,' he added. 'My family and friends wanted me to leave on the night of the wedding and come home with them. They're better judges of character than I am - they can see the stuff you can't see yourself.' 'Don't use language like that if you want a relationship with a woman!' Bronson (right) received a stern warning from relationship expert Mel Schilling (left) but was widely praised on Twitter Blunt: Ines (pictured) has been critical of Bronson ever since their wedding day, when she complained about his appearance and later described him as 'bottom of the barrel' Justified? While he was criticised on the show, Bronson received widespread praise on social media for calling Ines a 'c**t' It comes after Bronson received a stern warning from Mel on Sunday's episode for calling Ines a 'c**t'. While Ines voted to leave the experiment, Bronson decided to stay, forcing her to endure another week with him. Explaining his decision, he said: 'When we did the questionnaire thing, Ines was amazing that night, like, really amazing. I loved her to pieces that night. 'Next morning, the Hulk came out. Straight back to a c**t. I'm not calling her a c**t, I'm saying she acts like a c**t'. A stunned Ines replied: 'I don't think this could get any worse.' Ouch! 'I'm not calling her a c**t, I'm saying she acts like a c**t', Bronson said of his 'wife' Ines during the first commitment ceremony He went there! Bronson's castmates, including Elizabeth Sobinoff (pictured), were shocked by his colourful language Psychologist Mel was horrified by Bronson's slur, saying: 'Don't use language like that if you want any chance of a relationship with a woman.' The pair were then told they had to go into counselling, with fellow expert John Aiken insisting that Bronson needed to learn 'respect'. While he was criticised on the show, Bronson was widely defended on social media. Many viewers claimed he was justified in calling Ines a 'c**t' after she had verbally abused him - including telling him repeatedly to 'shut the f**k up' - during their honeymoon in Port Douglas. 'She's been mouthing him off all week and she didn't even get told off?' one person tweeted, addressing the double standard. 'The 'experts' didn't even mention her abusive tendencies but sure let's go off about the word c**t'. Ranting: Relationship expert Mel Schilling (pictured) was horrified by Bronson's slur, saying: 'Don't use language like that if you want any chance of a relationship with a woman' Sticking together: While Ines voted to leave the experiment, Bronson decided to stay, forcing her to endure another week with him Another viewer wrote: 'So verbal abuse is okay if it's directed at a man, but it's not okay to call the abuser out as a c***?' A similar comment read: 'Ines, call him whatever you want, shame him, take the p**s out of his piercings, call him a d**k... Bronson, don't ever call her out... or you'll be shot down!' Married At First Sight continues Monday at 7:30pm on Channel Nine Advertisement Forget the famed Clive Davis party, the biggest bash in Los Angeles on Saturday was across town at the Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood. It was there that popular Friends star Jennifer Aniston was celebrating her 50th with a who's who of Hollywood, with the 200 guests including everyone from her A-lister girl gang (Gwyneth Paltrow, Reese Witherspoon, Kate Hudson) to Oscar-winners such as Leonardo Dicaprio. But the biggest guest of the night was surely a discreet 55-year-old, who hid beneath his driver's cap as he snuck inside in front of a wall of photographers, as the party hit it's peek - Jen's ex-husband, Brad Pitt. Small world: Jennifer Aniston celebrated with girl friends including Kate Hudson and Gwyneth Paltrow (who also dated Brad Pitt) as well as hugging her ex husband The actress was surprised and happy to see Brad after agonizing over inviting him. For while the two were widely thought to have remained in communication in the years since their 2005 split, they have not been seen together. She wasn't the only one with anxiety over the very public reunion - Brad was just as unsure over whether he should attend, a fellow party guest told DailyMail.com exclusively. DailyMail.com's insider tells us: 'Wed heard he was invited but was unsure of whether to go or not, he didnt know whether he could get in and out discreetly. 'In the end he just had his driver drop him off at the front door, he didnt care. Everyone was shocked to see him there and they chatted but he mostly kept himself to himself.' Surprise! Brad snuck into the party wearing a flat cap after initially being unsure if he should attend Once inside Brad and his fellow guests enjoyed mini burgers and tacos and a huge towering layered vanilla cake with cream and berries, which was presented to a delighted Jen, according to DailyMail.com's insider at the party. According to our eye-witness, Brad spent three and a half hours at the party, arriving around 8pm and leaving around 11.30pm. Brad stayed slipped out of the venue via the underground garage, with security using an umbrella to shield him from waiting photographers. And while Jen was pleased to see her ex, Brad certainly wasn't the center of attention. Instead the birthday girl 'spoke to Brad briefly. At one point she hugged him and thanked him for coming' a source told USWeekly. Having fun: Gwyneth Paltrow also shared pictures from the photo booth Having fun: Jen reportedly spent more time with her girl friends than with Brad Gal Pals: Kate Hudson and Gwyneth Paltrow were also celebrating with Jennifer Aniston Jen spent most of her time 'mingling with her girlfriends' at the bash. A separate guest described it as 'the best party', which had a star-studded guest list of more than 200 guests including Ellen DeGeneres, Robert Downey Jr, Chelsea Handler, Sandra Bullock, Reese Witherspoon, Demi Moore and Katy Perry. Leonardo DiCaprio also managed to slip in unnoticed. She said: 'Jen looked so happy, she was glowing. The food was fantastic and everyone was dancing, it was just the best party.' No social media: Katy Perry told off Kate Hudson for posting from the party Aniston gave a speech, ahead of her actual birthday which is on Monday. DJ Prince, a 17-year-old rising star, played dance and hip hop for Jen and friends with many throwing shapes on the floor of the terrace. Reese Witherspoon was the biggest party-goer of the night and emerged after midnight looking bleary-eyed before tumbling down a flight of stairs. An onlooker said: 'Her husband Jim Toth had left more than an hour before with one of her friends and it seems they just left her to it, she didnt want to stop drinking. 'She looked as though shed had a big night and was helped to her feet after falling to her hands and knees in giant heels.' George Clooney, who is a longtime friend of Pitts, Ellen DeGeneres, Robert Downey Jr., and her Friends co-stars - as well as another one of the birthday girls exes, John Mayer were among the celebrity guests. How you like me now? Jen looked fantastic in a slinky jumpsuit PVC: Katy Perry looked prepared for a rain storm as she showed up with boyfriend Orlando Bloom Life was gonna be this way: Her Friends co-stars were celebrating with her, including Lisa Kudrow Good genes: George and Amal Clooney made a handsome couple as ever, as they attended She's one of us! Reese Witherspoon appeared to have had quite a good night as she took a tumble down the stairs at the end Bling: Gwyneth Paltrow dated Pitt first, she was also at the party and was wearing sequins Guests at the star-studded celebration 'were surprised to see Brad there and were making a big deal of it,' according to Us. Their insider added: 'But it didnt seem like that big of a deal to Jen. The invite went out to a ton of people and he accepted. She was happy he was there, but that was it. She was busy making the rounds and excited to see so many people near and dear to her.' 'Brad seemed to have fun and everyone loved seeing him. He was catching up with old friends and enjoyed himself,' the insider told Us of the 55-year-old Fury actors time at the event. 'He saw a lot of people he hadnt seen in years. Any negative feelings seem to have been put aside by Jens friends. Its been a long time and everyone has moved on. Brad didnt stay all that long and ducked out before most people.' Still friends: Jen's ex Brad Pitt was the surprise guest at her 50th on Saturday night (pictured 2004) A source told People on Sunday that Jen wanted to make sure all the people she holds near and dear to her heart attended her big party. 'Basically, every single person who Jen loves attended. That included Brad,' the source told the, adding: 'The party was a celebration of Jens life.' The insider continued: 'Brad, for long, was a very important part of Jens life. She debated back and forth with friends if she should invite him. 'She was very happy that he showed up. Many of his close friends were at the party too.' Married At First Sight viewers are calling for 'relationship expert' Mel Schilling to be fired after she delivered a self-righteous speech to Bronson Norrish over his use of the C-word on Sunday's episode. During the first commitment ceremony, 34-year-old former stripper Bronson said his 'wife' Ines Basic was 'acting like a c**t', prompting psychologist Mel to criticise him in front of the whole group. After the show aired, outraged fans accused of her of having double standards when it comes to bad language, as she made no reference to how Ines, 28, had verbally abused Bronson while on their honeymoon. 'This so-called psychologist is a biased feminist!' Married At First Sight viewers are calling for expert Mel Schilling (left) to be SACKED after she lectured Bronson Norrish (right) over his use of the C-word but failed to criticise 'abusive' Ines Basic A Change.org petition demanding Mel be sacked or at least issue a formal apology has already attracted hundreds of signatures overnight. The petition states: 'Married At First Sight's so-called expert Mel Schilling lashed out at Bronson for using foul language. 'This so-called psychologist is a biased feminist who has made it clear that she thinks it's okay for a woman to behave the way Ines does. 'Bronson has been a victim of her verbal and emotional abuse all week, and the second he decides it's enough, "expert" Mel comes in and says he shouldn't be using that language. 'The thing is, Ines is exactly what he said, a nasty, abusive piece of work.' It concludes: 'Mel needs to make a formal apology or be sacked from the show. The show doesn't need a one-sided feminist as an "expert".' 'Don't use language like that if you want a relationship with a woman!' During the first commitment ceremony, Bronson said his 'wife' Ines Basic (pictured) was 'acting like a c**t', prompting psychologist Mel to criticise him in front of the whole group In a statement on Monday, Channel Nine publicly supported Mel. A network spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'There were 12 women in the room that night and a man used language that was highly insulting and inflammatory in reference to his wife. 'Mel acted in the only way appropriate by calling out the language - language that is not ever considered acceptable anywhere, anytime. 'We are shocked at the backlash Mel has received for defending another woman. 'Tonight, Bronson and Ines will go into couples' therapy, where the actions of both participants will be called into account.' Ouch! 'I'm not calling her a c**t, I'm saying she acts like a c**t', Bronson said of his 'wife' Ines Justified? While he was criticised on the show, and sternly disciplined by Mel, Bronson was widely defended on social media On Sunday's explosive episode of Married at First Sight, Bronson called Ines the C-word during the first commitment ceremony. While Ines voted to leave the experiment, Bronson decided to stay, forcing her to endure another week with him. Explaining his decision, he said: 'When we did the questionnaire thing, Ines was amazing that night, like, really amazing. I loved her to pieces that night. 'Next morning, the Hulk came out. Straight back to a c**t. I'm not calling her a c**t, I'm saying she acts like a c**t'. The backlash begins: A Change.org petition demanding Mel be sacked or at least issue a formal apology has already attracted hundreds of signatures overnight He went there! Bronson's castmates, including Elizabeth Sobinoff (pictured), were shocked by his colourful language Ranting: Mel Schilling (pictured) was horrified by Bronson's slur, saying: 'Don't use language like that if you want any chance of a relationship with a woman' A stunned Ines replied: 'I don't think this could get any worse.' Relationship expert Mel was horrified by Bronson's slur, saying: 'Don't use language like that if you want any chance of a relationship with a woman.' The pair were then told they would be forced into counselling, with fellow expert John Aiken insisting that Bronson needed to learn 'respect'. Sticking together: While Ines voted to leave the experiment, Bronson decided to stay, forcing her to endure another week with him While he was criticised on the show, Bronson was widely praised on Twitter for standing up for himself. Many viewers claimed he was justified in calling Ines a 'c**t' after she had verbally abused him - including telling him repeatedly to 'shut the f**k up' - during their honeymoon in Port Douglas. 'She's been mouthing him off all week and she didn't even get told off?' one person tweeted, addressing the double standard. 'The "experts" didn't even mention her abusive tendencies but sure let's go off about the word c**t'. Another viewer wrote: 'So verbal abuse is okay if it's directed at a man, but it's not okay to call the abuser out as a c**t?' Married At First Sight continues Monday at 7:30pm on Channel Nine Wes Nelson has broken his silence on his split from Megan Barton Hanson in this week's OK! magazine. The Love Island star, 20, has hit out at his former girlfriend for blaming him for their break-up as he has revealed it was a 'mutual decision', after the 24-year-old former glamour model claimed he 'didn't love her back'. TV personality Wes also detailed his current stint on Dancing On Ice with professional partner Vanessa Bauer, insisting he doesn't 'fancy' her after viewers praised the pair on their 'perfect' chemistry. Speaking out: Wes Nelson has broken his silence on his split from Megan Barton Hanson in this week's OK! magazine The former design engineer and the ex-stripper formed their whirlwind romance on last year's edition of Love Island, but shocked fans by splitting just six months later. Squashing Megan's claims that he didn't 'fight' for their romance, Wes shared: 'To say I didnt fight for her is silly because it was a mutual decision. 'I didnt just say, "Thats it. Im done." Fight for what? We both ended the relationship. If she wanted me to say more or do more that day I didnt know that', he added. Former lover: The Love Island star, 20, has hit out at his former girlfriend for blaming him for their break-up as he has revealed it was a 'mutual decision', after the 24-year-old former glamour model claimed he 'didn't love her back' Candid: TV personality Wes also detailed his current stint on Dancing On Ice with professional partner Vanessa Bauer, insisting he doesn't 'fancy' her after viewers praised the pair on their 'perfect' chemistry Despite their bitter break-up, the hunk revealed he still loves the blonde, but insisted the pair weren't right for each other. 'Of course I still love Megan. You cant just drop the feelings after a week of being split up, but loving someone doesnt mean that they are the right person for you', he added. Towards the end of their split, Essex beauty Megan slammed skater Vanessa for 'tactically breaking up' with her beau Louis Nathaniel ahead of her dance stint with Wes. Megan also claimed ITV bosses 'deliberately stirred things up' by partnering Staffordshire native Wes with the 'youngest, hottest girl' Vanessa. Wasn't meant to be: The former design engineer and the ex-stripper formed their whirlwind romance on last year's edition of Love Island, but shocked fans by splitting just six months later Insisting he doesn't hold any feelings for 22-year-old German beauty, he detailed: 'People have said, "Why dont you get with Vanessa?" 'I see it in my comments all the time, but for one has anyone ever asked me if I fancy her? No I dont. Vanessa is not my cup of tea', he admitted. He also explained how the ITV competition series has impacted his life: Dancing on Ice is very intense. 'It affects every aspect of your life your relationship, your family, your social life. I didnt expect it as much as this', he confessed. Break-up: Squashing Megan's claims that he didn't 'fight' for their romance, Wes shared: 'To say I didnt fight for her is silly because it was a mutual decision' Hard times: Despite their bitter break-up, the hunk revealed he still loves the blonde, but insisted the pair weren't right for each other Uh oh: Towards the end of their split, Essex beauty Megan slammed German skater Vanessa for 'tactically breaking up' with Louis Nathaniel ahead of her dance stint with Wes Wes' interview comes after Megan admitted she thinks her Wes and Vanessa will get together and their romance 'will be rubbed in her face'. Read the full interview with Wes in this week's OK! magazine, on sale now Speaking to The Mirror, she said: 'It wouldnt shock me if they got together. Theyre both so career driven. They do have a lot in common. 'If thats what they do, then its up to them. It would sting a little bit. It wouldnt be nice.' The bombshell also admitted her worry that their romance could be rubbed in her face and that a lot of people would be smug and laugh at her. Megan's concerns come after Vanessa has told The Sun that she wants a face-to-face meeting with the feisty blonde to end the tension between them. She said:' I have acted very professional [but] I honestly don't know her, I bet she's a lovely girl. 'I would love to meet her. She would be welcome to any of our training sessions but I never got the chance to meet her.' A relationship might be on the rocks for one of the couples on Temptation Island. Kady Krambeer's romance with her longtime beau John Thurmond appeared to be out of sight, out of mind in a new exclusive clip from Tuesday's episode of the hit reality show. The blonde beauty spoke with DailyMail.com to shed some light on the clip and whether she was seriously ready to stray from her beloved while dirty dancing on the laps of men in the villa. Flirting! Kady Krambeer was seen packing on the PDA with several men in her villa in a sneak peak of the latest episode of Temptation Island but she tells DailyMail.com exclusively that it was all 'innocent' In the sneak peek, the graphic designer called her flagrant PDA simply 'innocent flirting' and told DailyMail.com that it didn't go further than that. 'Im a very flirtatious person in general, as is John,' she explained. Adding: 'Most of the guys had a clear understanding that thats all it was. Playful fun and enjoying the experience.' It didn't seem, however, that the men saw things as Kady did. Nor did her castmates. On the rocks: Couple Kady and John struggle to stay faithful on Temptation Island Letting loose: In the sneak peek, the graphic designer called her flagrant PDA simply 'innocent flirting' and told DailyMail.com that it didn't go further than that 'Im a very flirtatious person in general, as is John,' she explained 'Kady's my girl but she's in a pickle right now,' Kaci Campbell said in a confessional. 'I don't want to say she's forgetting about John, but Temptation Island is starting to get to Kady for sure.' As it turns out, Kaci was right on track with her assessment. 'When Im flirting and drinking and letting loose Im likely not thinking of him too much in that exact moment,' Kady admitted to DailyMail.com. 'Kady's my girl but she's in a pickle right now,' Kaci Campbell said in a confessional During the clip, Kady was spotted tossing back cocktails and getting flirty in a pair of denim Daisy Dukes and a ruffled bikini top. The reality star flaunted her assets while grinding on a few of the men in the villa and even shared some PG cheek kisses. Later, the Texan sat sandwiched between several of the men vying for her attention as they told her to forget about her relationship. When Im flirting and drinking and letting loose Im likely not thinking of him too much in that exact moment,'Kady admitted to DailyMail.com Innocent? Kady was spotted tossing back cocktails and getting flirty in a pair of denim Daisy Dukes and a ruffled bikini top Meanwhile, Kady's longtime boyfriend John was at a nearby villa trying to remain faithful. Kady and John have been together for three years after meeting on the dating app Bumble. 'You really get caught up in your own little bubble of reality in that villa,' she revealed, 'and its easy to forget about the "real world."' Two of the guys at the girls' villa, Johnny and Wynn, were actively trying to tempt Kady away from John. Wow: The reality star flaunted her assets while grinding on a few of the men in the villa and even shared some PG cheek kisses Loving in: A few of the men at the villa were enjoying their time with Kady as she let loose 'I know who I was leaning towards,' Krambeer quipped as it appeared she was about to give in to the temptation. 'I was also still trying to have fun and still get to know the guys and everyone a fair chance,' Kady said. 'Trying to be open to possibility and flirty while still walking on that tight rope. Its a very hard balance.' The show follows four dating couples at vulnerable time in their relationship who travel to Hawaii where they join 24 sexy single men and women anxiously waiting to find 'the one.' Trouble: Meanwhile, Kady's longtime boyfriend John was at a nearby villa trying to remain faithful with temptations of his own 'I went on the show seeking answers,' Kady revealed. 'But, actually deep down doubted that Id get them. I had the utmost confidence that John and I would get through this together at the end.' While filming, the couples have no contact with one another save for a few snippets of video shown to them by host Mark L. Walberg. Ultimately the pairs will decide whether they want to be together or give into temptation. 'The only time I was doubting our decision to take on this experience was in the first few days after landing on the island,' Kady recalled. Forget it: A few of the men told Kady to forget about her boyfriend while she was kicking back at the villa with them Love woes: The show follows four dating couples who travel to Hawaii where they join 24 sexy single men and women anxiously waiting to find 'the one' Despite Kady looking like a single woman on the town in the clip, she said she and John were confident their relationship would be 'unfazed' by the temptations on the show. 'We both arent really jealous in our relationship so we had no problem with each other going out on dates and innocent flirting,' she explained. However things like kissing, hand holding and anything intimate were off-limits for the pair. Kady didn't divulge whether her dirty dancing or John's behavior in a previous episode that showed him licking peanut butter off the chest of a woman fell into that off-limits category. Giving in: Ultimately the pairs will decide whether they want to be together or let temptation win Eyes on the prize: Two of the guys at the girls' villa, Johnny and Wynn, were actively trying to tempt Kady away from John And, despite the outward flirtation, the star said she was worried about John. 'I remember wondering if he was taking care of himself, eating right, working out, getting what he needed, and worrying how he was doing emotionally,' admitted Kady. 'I hated not being able to be there for him.' While the four couples struggle to come out of the other end of the experience unscathed, according to the star, the strongest relationships were surprisingly with the other women in the house. Support system: Kady said her biggest surprise on the show were the bonds formed with her female castmates (Left to right: Shari Ligons, Kady Krambeer, Nicole Tutewohl and Kaci Campbell) 'Our support of one another saved us in so many different ways. I really didnt expect to even get along with all of the girls, although I desperately hoped for it, let alone form such a strong bond and sisterhood with them,' she said of her three castmates. Adding: 'Theres something magical that occurred as this experience became so real and raw deep emotions were brought out of us that we never saw coming. We found ourselves [confiding] in one other and pouring out some very personal and sometimes painful aspects of our lives as we gained trust in one other. The latest episode of Temptation Island airs Tuesday February 12 at 10 PM on USA. Passenger airlines could be forced to install secondary security doors between the cabins and the cockpit on all aircraft to prevent another 9/11-style terror attack. Lawmakers in the US are pushing for stronger aviation security and have drafted a bill with the proposal. Hijackings remain a threat despite improvements in global aviation safety since September 11, 2001, when hijacked planes flew into New York's World Trade Center and the Pentagon, four U.S. representatives - Democrats Andre Carson and Josh Gottheimer and Republicans Brian Fitzpatrick and Peter King - said in a news release. All passenger airlines may have to install secondary security doors between cabins and the cockpit to prevent another 9/11-style terror attack US Congress last year imposed a requirement for secondary barriers, aimed at preventing would-be hijackers from rushing the cockpit when pilots take bathroom breaks or meals, for future, newly manufactured commercial airplanes. But that legislation did not address existing aircraft. The new bill, introduced last week, would extend the requirement to all passenger jets. Secondary barriers would allow a pilot to close the cockpit door before opening another door to the rest of the plane. Current measures to protect the flight deck include stationing a flight attendant or food cart in front of the cockpit. A study by the Federal Aviation Administration, which oversees aviation security, concluded that cockpits are vulnerable when pilots step out and cited secondary doors as the most efficient, cost-effective form of protection, according to the news release. The lightweight, wire-mesh barriers would cost $5,000 (3,870) to $12,000 (9,300) per aircraft, the lawmakers said. Airlines for America - an industry trade group representing large commercial carriers like American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United - said individual carriers should be the ones to decide whether to install such systems. Lawmakers in the US are pushing for stronger aviation security and have drafted a bill with the proposal for the doors, which would allow a pilot to close the cockpit door before opening another door to the rest of the plane Association spokesman Vaughn Jennings said the airline industry has worked closely with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to implement a multilayered security system following 9/11 and noted that some U.S. airlines have determined that secondary cockpit barriers are appropriate on some aircraft. The pilots union, The Air Line Pilots Association, did not immediately comment on the new bill. Following the 9/11 attacks, airlines reinforced cockpit doors and the TSA rolled out advanced airport screening equipment. The TSA also oversees the Federal Air Marshal Service, which deploys armed U.S. air marshals on flights across the world. But critics have questioned the effectiveness of passenger screening and the air marshal programme. The new bill for secondary barriers is called the Saracini Enhanced Aviation Safety Act after pilot Victor Saracini, who was killed when his plane was hijacked during the 9/11 attacks and flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center. His widow, Ellen, has been an advocate of legislation for aviation safety. Advertisement Paris, I have a confession. Ive been seeing somewhere else. Its Berlin a couple of times recently. And while Im confessing, theres been Amsterdam and Copenhagen too. Im greedy you see, but when it comes to food I find you a bit, well, intimidating. Thats why I devoted my last long-weekend trip to overcoming my French foodie fear to explore the most delicious dishes you have to offer. I quizzed friends, I Googled food blogs, I set up a cookery class and food tour, I chose hotels with strong culinary links, I read guide books, I contacted the tourist board and I polished up my French with a smartphone app (Frantastique). My first stop after Eurostar (where the Raymond Blanc menu was on offer in Business Class) was afternoon tea at Le Meurice Hotel on Rue de Rivoli (dorchestercollection.com). Afternoon tea (from 57) does not sound very French, but the attraction, other than the splendidly ornate mirrored-and-marble setting, was partly the chance for people watching while I pondered Le Fooding, Pariss annually updated food guide (in French and English, which you can pick up locally at newsagents, 11.50). Foodie heaven: A waiter writes up la carte du jour at a restaurant in Le Marais. Will had an evening food tour of the district Instead of tea, I chose gloopy hot chocolate rich like soup and tucked into delicious croque monsieur finger sandwiches, a very French take on scones (almost like brioche), the worlds meltiest chocolate chip cookie and meringuey lime-flavoured cakes fashioned in-house by Cedric Grolet, a tattooed chef whose exquisite pastries are a work of art. No wonder he has more than a million followers on Instagram (@cedricgrolet). I was not disappointed. They were tender, gooey morsels that dissolved on the tongue. Curiously, the menu offered an afternoon tea and a 60-minute massage combo for 223 (although I dont think you could do both at the same time). Delicious: The dining room at bistro Bouillon Racine near the Sorbonne with its Art Nouveau mirrors. Will said it was a great people-watching spot I didnt gorge too much because hours later Id booked my evening food tour of Le Marais, one of Paris trendiest neighbourhoods, where narrow lanes are packed with artisanal stores, cafes, bars and Parisians ambling around being fashionable and cool. Id been before but needed a guide. That person was Stephane Planchais, a Frenchman who splits his time between Paris and Bath and speaks perfect English. The tour (originalfoodtours.com, 89pp) was a leisurely process as he seemed to know everybody, so there were lots of double kisses and chat. Over four hours we paused to try ham, cheese, wine, jams, choux buns, pistachio spreads, chocolates and falafels, eventually ending up at LAlivi (restaurant-alivi.com), a Corsican restaurant on Rue du Roi de Sicile, where we devoured warming bowls of stew containing lentils and figatellu, a feisty Corsican sausage, perfect for a cold winter night (10.50). The herb-roasted pork chop with mashed potatoes (18) looked just as tempting. Passing the Eiffel Tower aboard Ducasse Sur Seine For a nightcap, I chose the intimate Little Red Door (lrdparis.com), a 15-minute walk away on Rue Charlot. It was the perfect speakeasy to end the night; lit by candles, comfy seats, a convivial crowd, friendly multi-lingual staff and inventive cocktails: I loved the Self Direction (12.50), concocted of gin, aquavit, vermouth, oyster leaf, kombu and black radish. It doesnt close till 3am, so if youre planning breakfast in bed next day, its an easy place to linger. That night I stayed at Le Bristol (oetkercollection.com, room-only doubles from 832), my favourite treat hotel. Its punchy prices come with traditional, chic rooms, stellar service, a fantastic roof-top pool and the chance to catch up with Fa-Raon, the in-house Burmese cat. The breakfast is not to be missed in its three-Michelin-starred Epicure restaurant, which adds an air of theatre to the art of dining. As jacketed waiters attended to my every need, I slowly sipped my fantastically priced 13.50 cup of coffee. I devoured pain perdu (French toast, 26) which came with strawberries, vanilla sauce and gold leaf. With every cut, cream oozed out of it like a leaking dam, and it was so spongy small Parisian children could have lined up to use it as a trampoline. Utterly delicious. Late morning, I caught the metro to Rue Boursault in the 17th arrondissement for a home cookery lesson with Francoise Guida-Davin, a glamorous ex-advertising-agency art director and anglophile who now teaches visitors to Paris like me how to cook (travelingspoon.com, from 60pp, minimum two people). Today I was to learn how to make the perfect cheese souffle and iles flottantes (meringue floating islands) in her sunny, orange-hued designer flat so I could take the recipes home and wow friends with my new skills. Francoise was the perfect, ever-smiling hostess who realised that the key to any recipe success included popping a bottle of champagne as I stepped through the door. She was encouraging with her praise and soon had me beating eggs whites (arder Wiiiiill, you need more than stiff peaks) and grating Comte cheese (less acidic than Emmental and more rich and fruity) and made custard from scratch, as we discussed her favourite things from across the Channel; Fawlty Towers, Scotch eggs and pork pies. Afterwards we sat down to eat my efforts, which I have to boast were delicious. Viola! Francoise Guida-Davin teaches French cuisine in her stylish flat. Will learnt how to make the perfect cheese souffle That night there was only one place I wanted to loosen my belt: the newly Michelin-starred Frenchie (frenchie-ruedunil.com) on Rue du Nil in the 2nd arrondissement, which is owned and run by Gregory Marchand, a chef who trained at Jamie Olivers 15 restaurant in London, where he picked up his imaginative nickname. Its a plucky French chef who opens up in the centre of Paris with nods to British and American cuisine, but he offers modern bistro fare with all the stuffiness stripped out to a cool mix of locals and tourists in a intimately lit, perfect date-night setting. What an experience to be at the counter-top chefs table to see the dishes for the ever-changing five-course tasting menu (from 59pp) come together, with waiting staff who were as knowledgeable as they were friendly. I made my way through so many intriguing flavour combinations line-caught meagre-fish tartare with cauliflower dashi, blood orange and hazelnuts, roasted pork belly with miso-braised endive, kumquat and walnuts, as well as cheese from Neals Yard in London, and a homemade take on a Bounty Bar with chocolate, coconut and yuzu. Indulge: Paris is awash with great places to buy and try cheese I checked in that night at the recently opened Hotel Fauchon (hotel-fauchon-paris.fr, room-only doubles from 350), a sister to the luxury grocer of the same name in Place de la Madeleine that opened more than 130 years ago. In-room mini-bars are stocked with Fauchon goodies, including its famous macarons, which are yours to take home for free. Greed got the better of me the following day, and I squeezed in several ports of call that had been recommended, one of which was literally a port, in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. A river cruise is not really my thing, unless the catering is by Alain Ducasse, the first chef to own three Michelin-starred restaurants in three cities. Last year he launched his own boat called Ducasse Sur Seine with both lunchtime and dinner trips (ducasse-seine.com, from 88pp including three-course lunch). Lightly smoked salmon with sorrel condiment and the Pont Neuf? Pan-seared scallops with baby leeks cooking jus and Notre Dame? Why, merci, yes, thats my kind of sightseeing. For my last night I booked the Hotel Amour (hotelamourparis.fr, room-only doubles from 121), with a lobby thats also an intimate cafe just around the corner from the very foodie Rue des Martyrs with its host of family-run shops and restaurants. Some of the creations on offer for afternoon tea at Le Meurice Hotel En route to my final dining destination the next day, I snuck into the exquisite food halls of La Grande Epicerie du Bon Marche (lagrandeepicerie.com) on Rue de Sevres, a department store that opened in the 1850s. This is absolute foodie heaven with whole sections devoted to preserved duck, cheeses, wine, chocolates, regional yogurts, macarons, bottled water and teas. Its the perfect place to pick up souvenirs for friends and family back home, with seductively lit shelves that beg to be Instagrammed. Before catching the Eurostar home, I wanted to dine in the ultimate classic Paris bistro, but quizzing five friends offered up 15 options. It has to be Paul Bert, said one. No, you have to go to La Bourse et La Vie, said another, while a third chipped in with La Fontaine de Mars. I plumped for Bouillon Racine (bouillonracine.fr) near the Sorbonne, founded in 1906, and was glad I did. What a great people-watching spot, a place to catch every gesture in its Art Nouveau mirrors. Service was friendly its amazing how much better youll get on in Paris if you make an effort with the merest smattering of school French and the food delicious. Its tourist-friendly without being touristy and I watched chic locals tuck into the likes of cream of chestnut and buckwheat soup (7), millefeuille of crispy lamb shoulder with mashed potatoes (17) and dark chocolate cake with crunchy praline (7). It was the perfect place to rekindle my love affair with the city. Paris, Im back and this time its for keeps. There is no finer way to experience the wonders of Italy than on this unique eight-day holiday with tall-ship cruise specialists Star Clippers. Your special guest will be the chef and restaurateur Aldo Zilli, best known for his popular restaurants Signor Zilli and Zilli Fish. And as Royal Clipper sails down the spectacular Italian coast from Rome with stops en route to explore Ponza, Palmarola, Sorrento, Sicily and Lipari you will meet Aldo, hear about his remarkable life, and enjoy a cooking demonstration on board and a second one as part of a special lunch in Amalfi. Breathtaking: Aldo Zilli will join you for a special lunch in Amalfi (pictured above) Royal Clipper (above) is a beautiful five-mast, full-rigged sailing ship that combines the glamour of the golden age of travel with the comfort and first-class facilities of a private yacht Aldo says: Im over the moon to be travelling to some of my favourite parts of Italy. Ill be teaching and learning about the different foods this amazing region has to offer. OUR SPECIAL GUEST You will be joined by Aldo Zilli (above) Aldo Zilli is an award-winning chef and restaurateur who specialises in Italian, vegetarian and seafood cuisine. One of nine children, he was born in the seaside town of Alba Adriatica and first learnt Italian home cooking from his mother. Aldo, right, is the founder and chef-patron of a number of restaurants including Signor Zilli, Zilli Green, Zilli Cafe and Zilli Bar. He has written ten books, including two autobiographies, Being Zilli and My Italian Country Childhood, and has featured in many TV series, including Celebrity MasterChef. Advertisement Reasons to book Meet Aldo Zilli Born in Abruzzo, east of Rome, Aldo will be passing on his culinary knowledge and insights during this exclusive trip. He will give a special talk and Q&A on board Royal Clipper, as well as joining readers for a private lunch at Restaurant Sensi in Amalfi. Cooking demonstrations with Aldo Aldo will also give two cooking demonstrations during your holiday, in which hell guide readers through the secrets of preparing some of his favourite Italian recipes. Sail on Royal Clipper There is no better way to enjoy the Mediterranean than on the spectacular Royal Clipper, a beautiful five-mast, full-rigged sailing ship that combines the glamour of the golden age of travel with the comfort and first-class facilities of a private yacht. These include luxurious cabins, expansive on-deck spaces, three swimming pools, a three-tiered dining room and a health club and spa. The best of Italy and the Amalfi Coast Your magical eight-day itinerary includes some unforgettable destinations and experiences, including stops at the unspoilt town of Ponza and beautiful Sorrento, a walking tour of Amalfi, sailing through the famous Straits of Messina and an optional excursion to Barone di Villagrande winery on the slopes of Mt Etna, where a member of the aristocratic di Villagrande family will give you a private tour of the winery before you enjoy a traditional Sicilian meal in the old stables. This is the second post by Robert, first one being right after Priyankas appointment as the AICC general secretary in charge of eastern UP. There is a very vindictive and vicious political atmosphere... But I know, its her duty to serve the people and now we hand her to the people of India. Please keep her safe, Robert Vadra also wrote. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee in charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadras husband Robert Vadra has appealed to the people of India to keep his best friend, a perfect wife and best mother safe on Facebook and wished her luck. This is the second post by Robert Vadra, who is being questioned by the ED for three consecutive days last week in connection with a probe into allegations of money laundering to purchase assets abroad, in support the AICC general secretary in charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Before this Vadra had posted his congratulations to Priyanka Gandhi after she was appointed the general secretary of the Congress party along with senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia. Congratulations P... always by your side in every phase of your life. Give it your best, Robert Vadra wrote on Facebook moments after Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was given her first official role in the party headed by her brother Rahul Gandhi. Priyanka, who is been hailed as the big game changer for the Congress party in the crucial electoral state of Uttar Pradesh, launched the roadshow in the state capital along with brother Rahul Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia. She is in Lucknow for a four-day visit, her first trip since formally joining politics two weeks ago, as she started making preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Shortly before arriving in Lucknow, Priyanka joined Twitter and has already amassed close to 52,000 followers. On February 7, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra dropped off her husband at the Enforcement Directorate office in Delhi and also picked him up after his questioning. "I stand by my husband," Priyanka Gandhi told NDTV that day, delivering what she called a "clear" message to those targeting her family. Scientists have discovered what could be a 22-mile-wide impact crater buried deep beneath Greenlands ice. If so, it would be the second such discovery announced in the last few months. A NASA glaciologist spotted signs of the possible crater in northwest Greenland just 114 miles from the recently-discovered crater beneath the Hiawatha Glacier while scouring satellite imagery and topographic maps of the area. Exactly how and when it formed still remain a mystery, though the researchers suspect it may be more than 80,000 years old. Scroll down for video A NASA glaciologist spotted signs of the possible crater in northwest Greenland just 114 miles from the recently-discovered crater beneath the Hiawatha Glacier (pictured) while scouring satellite imagery and topographic maps of the area The researcher analyzed images from NASAs Terra and Aqua satellites along with those from NASAs Operation IceBridge and discovered what appeared to be a bowl-shaped depression in the bedrock. The suspected crater is estimated to be 22.7 miles wide (shown) Weve surveyed the Earth in many different ways, from land, air, and space its exciting that discoveries like these are still possible, said Joe MacGregor, a glaciologist at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center, who participated in the discovery of a crater previously announced in November 2018. That crater, estimated to be 19 miles wide, sits beneath the Hiawatha Glacier and is now the first impact crater ever to be found beneath Earths ice sheets. It was previously thought that most evidence of ancient impacts would have been erased by erosion of the overlying ice over many years. After the first discovery, however, the team began to suspect there may be others. I began asking myself Is this another impact crater? Do the underlying data support that idea? MacGregor said. Helping identify one large impact crater beneath the ice was already very exciting, but now it looked like there could be two of them. The researcher analyzed images from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instruments on NASAs Terra and Aqua satellites along with those from NASAs Operation IceBridge and discovered what appeared to be a bowl-shaped depression in the bedrock. The suspected crater is estimated to be 22.7 miles wide. According to the team, it would be the 22nd largest impact crater known on Earth, if it really turns out to be one. The only other circular structure that might approach this size would be a collapsed volcanic caldera, MacGregor said. But the areas of known volcanic activity in Greenland are several hundred miles away. Also, a volcano should have a clear positive magnetic anomaly, and we dont see that at all. Though the new crater sits just 114 miles from the one announced in November, the researchers say they dont appear to have formed at the same time. Scientists have discovered what could be a 22-mile-wide impact crater buried deep beneath Greenlands ice The ice in the area is at least 79,000 years old, the team says. If this really is an impact crater, the researchers say it either happened more than 79,000 years ago, or, if it was more recently, all of the ice from the time eroded. The ice layers above this second crater are unambiguously older than those above Hiawatha, and the second crater is about twice as eroded, MacGregor said. If the two did form at the same time, then likely thicker ice above the second crater would have equilibrated with the crater much faster than for Hiawatha. The team says its possible that the two neighboring craters were simply formed by entirely separate impact events. WHAT IS THE HIAWATHA IMPACT CRATER FOUND IN NOV 2018? A 19-mile-wide (30 km) impact crater left by the event remained hidden for at least 12,000 years beneath the Hiawatha Glacier in remote north-west Greenland Scientists recently identified what's said to be the first known impact crater found beneath one of Earth's ice sheets. The giant meteor crater five times the size of Paris was been found half a mile (0.8 km) under the ice in Greenland. It is one of the largest impact craters on Earth, and suggests a 3,300ft-wide (1,000-metre) object made of iron smashed into our planet during the last Ice Age. It is believed the resulting explosion threw debris several hundred miles in every direction, reaching as far as modern day Canada . The 12-billion-tonne meteor landed with the power of 47 million Hiroshima bombs, obliterating all life within a 60-mile (100 km) radius, scientists said. The crater measures 19 miles (31 km) across, covering an area five times the size of Paris. Scientists examined the size and shape of the crater to predict the impact that the meteor might have had A 19-mile-wide (30 km) impact crater left by the event remained hidden for at least 12,000 years beneath the Hiawatha Glacier in remote north-west Greenland, although scientists have not categorically dated the event. It could be as long ago as three million years when Greenland's ice sheet had already begun to form. The crater was identified with data collected between 1997 and 2014, supplemented with more collected in 2016 using an advanced form of radar sounding. Advertisement This is consistent with Earths cratering record, they say. This does not rule out the possibility that the two new Greenland craters were made in a single event, such as the impact of a well separated binary asteroid, but we cannot make a case for it either, said William Bottke, a planetary scientist with the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. The existence of a third pair of unrelated craters is modestly surprising but we dont consider it unlikely, MacGregor said. On the whole, the evidence weve assembled indicates that this new structure is very likely an impact crater, but presently it looks unlikely to be a twin with Hiawatha. An intricately carved oak bed once dumped in a hotel car park has been revealed by DNA testing as the likely place where Henry VIII was conceived. The testing was undertaken by DoubleHelix, a DNA testing firm in Singapore which applied a method normally used to detect illegal wood logging. This revealed that the wood was oak from central Europe and the paint contained ultramarine, a pigment more precious than gold when the bed was crafted. The oak bed had been in the honeymoon suite of a hotel in Chester for 15 years before it was discarded and subsequently rescued by an antiques dealer. Scroll down for video An intricately carved oak bed once dumped in a hotel car park has been revealed by DNA testing as the likely place where Henry VIII was conceived. The bed is described as measuring nine-feet tall, and six feet long. Antiques dealer Ian Coulson, who has restored hundreds of such beds over the years, bought the bed online for 2,200 ($2,800) in 2010, with no idea it would turn out to be historically significant. The bed had been left to wither in a hotel carpark in Chester, after which Mr Coulson bought it and proceeded to restore the astonishing find. Mr Coulson told National Geographic last week: 'At that stage I thought it was a supreme example of the Arts and Craft movement,' referring to a a design popular in Victorian England in the 1800s. But Mr Coulson would research his suspicions for the next nine years, during which various tests were carried out to show the bed dates from the Tudor period as is an original. DNA testing was undertaken by a DNA Helix, a DNA testing firm in Singapore applied a method normally used to detect illegal wood logging The Langely Collection that now owns the bed calls it 'The First State Bed of Henry VII & Elizabeth of York' on their website and dates it to between October 1485 and January 1486 Henry VII (pictured) was declared king and he was officially crowned at a coronation ceremony on 30 October 1485. As the first king of the Tudors, he reigned for nearly 24 years before being peacefully succeeded by his son, Henry VIII The Langely Collection that now owns the bed calls it 'The First State Bed of Henry VII & Elizabeth of York' on their website and dates it to between October 1485 and January 1486. The bed is described as measuring nine-feet tall, and six feet long. Scientists were previously unsuccessful at carbon dating the oak wood due to the varnishing. Attempts at dendrochronology, a process to work out its age by examining the rings in the wood, could not yield conclusive results. The technology for extracting DNA from wood samples used in its latest DNA test was developed by Germany's Thunen Institute of Forest Genetics and usually used to detect illegal logging. The test showed that the wood is not American White Oak which would have placed the bed in the Victorian age and made it a copy of a Tudor antique. A Russian satellite designed to monitor the atmosphere for high-energy cosmic rays has detected mysterious explosions of light miles above Earths surface, Russian scientists say. While numerous examples of unusual space weather phenomena have been spotted in the upper atmosphere before, the team operating the Lomonosov satellite say what theyve found may be something entirely new. Despite the occurrence of several powerful bursts, Russian scientists say there were no signs of storms in the area, according to Sputnik. Scroll down for video A Russian satellite designed to monitor the atmosphere for high-energy cosmic rays has detected mysterious explosions of light miles above Earths surface, Russian scientists say. File photo The satellite, named after scientist Mikhail Lomonosov, launched in 2016 and is integrated with the Kanopus-B spacecraft. Its goal is to study high-energy cosmic rays, including gamma rays, magnetospheric particles, and transient light phenomena in the upper atmosphere. And, the scientists now say its spotted something odd. With the help of the telescope, we have obtained even more important results than we expected, Mikhail Panasyuk, Director of the Research Institute of Nuclear Physics at Moscow State University, told Sputnik. It looks like we have encountered new physical phenomena. We do not yet know their physical nature. For example, during Lomonosovs flight at an altitude of several dozen kilometers, we have registered several times a very powerful explosion of light,' the director said. The satellite, called Mikhailo Lomonosov, launched in 2016 and is integrated with the Kanopus-B spacecraft But everything was clear underneath it, no storms, no clouds. In recent years, unusual electrical discharges have been captured on film by satellites and even astronauts aboard the International Space Station. There are several types of luminous flashes, most notably red sprites and blue jets. These bursts of electricity, however, are always associated with storm clouds, making the latest discovery all the more baffling. The Lomonosov Project is working to get to the bottom of short-lived phenomena such as that recently detected in the upper atmosphere to understand processes beyond cosmic rays and gamma bursts. While they may occur high above Earth, the effects of space weather can trickle down and interfere with activity down at the surface. WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF 'SPACE LIGHTNING'? While numerous types of space and weather phenomena have been spotted in the upper atmosphere before, the team operating the Lomonosov satellite say what theyve found may be something entirely new. The team reported 'explosions' of light, though no clouds were seen in the skies below. In the past, similar luminous events have been linked to 'space lightning' - but, these events are always associated with storm clouds. Blue jets are enormous bursts of electrical discharge spiking upward from storm clouds in the upper atmosphere. They emerge from the electrically-charged cores of thunderstorms and rise up to 30 miles upwards in the shape of a cone. Red sprites are electrical bursts of light that occur above highly active thunderstorms. They only last a few milliseconds and are relatively dim compared with other lightning. The late experimental physicist John Winckler accidentally discovered sprites, while helping to test a new low-light video camera in 1989. They show up red at higher altitudes and fade to blue at lower heights. Advertisement We must take into account that the Earths radiation belts the charged particles trapped by the magnetic field, can disappear, precipitate from the magnetic trap into the Earths atmosphere, producing in it extensive regions of ionization, the projects website states. The energy of the radiation belt particles is sufficiently high, for instance, there are relativistic electrons with energy of several MeV among them, which can penetrate deep in the atmosphere and by rate of ionization can easily compete against Auger showers. Besides space factors physical processes near the Earths surface also have an effect on the atmosphere. Samsung has released a new ad giving consumers another look at its long-awaited folding phone. The video, titled 'The Future Unfolds,' was published by Samsung on Monday ahead of its big Unpacked event next week. The Korean tech giant is widely expected to debut the folding phone at the San Francisco-based event on February 20th, along with the Galaxy S10. Scroll down for video Few details about the folding phone are given in the ad, like how it will fold, what it will look like or even the device's name. Instead, the words 'The Future Unfolds' are shown wrapping in a book-shaped orientation. Samsung has described its folding phone as the 'future of mobile,' giving consumers a detailed glimpse for the first time in November. However, the folding phone they showed off was just a prototype, while Samsung pledged to make it available for consumers 'soon.' The device was shown on a dimly lit stage, with a Samsung executive demonstrating how the phone can be flipped open and closed. When closed, the phone is a small, square-shaped device with a sizable front-facing screen. Samsung has released a new ad giving consumers another look at its long-awaited folding phone. The video, 'The Future Unfolds,' comes ahead of its big Unpacked event next week Samsung has described its folding phone as the 'future of mobile,' giving consumers a detailed glimpse for the first time in November. Few details about the device are currently known The phone then flips open to reveal a massive, tablet-sized screen, with the device handling the transition seamlessly. Should Samsung release the folding phone next week, it would mark the first commercially available folding phone that consumers can purchase. Rival Xiaomi has shown off its own folding phone, but it remains an engineering concept for now. Samsung revealed its first folding screen, called the Infinity Flex Display, at its developer conference in November. It's unclear how much Samsung's folding phone will cost, but previous reports have pegged the price tag at approximately two million Korean Won, which is around 1,370 ($1,760), before taxes. During a demo in November, a Samsung exec showed how, when closed, the phone is a small, square-shaped device with a sizable front-facing screen. It then opens to become a tablet A previous teaser posted by Samsung Vietnam showed off a concept design for the firm's folding phone. More details are expected to come at the firm's Unpacked event next week Samsung is also expected to take the wraps off the Galaxy S10 at the Unpacked event. Recent images reportedly show the Galaxy S10 'in the wild,' according to noted leaker Evan Blass. The photo shows the 5.8-inch 'Beyond 1' version of the upcoming phone, which features an all-screen design and a 'hole-punch' in the display. While parts of the screen and its icons are blurred out, some details are distinguishable, like the nearly bezel-less screen, a slight chin on the bottom, as well as a camera cutout in the top-right corner. Bezels are a border around the edge of a phone screen and house chunkier technology such as home buttons, sensors, cameras and a speaker. Should Samsung release the folding phone next week, it would mark the first commercially available folding phone that consumers can purchase. Pictured is the device in November Samsung first debuted this camera cutout design in the Galaxy A8S phone, released in China late last year, which features the 'Infinity O' display. 'Infinity O' is what Samsung calls the O-shaped cutout, used to house the front-facing camera. Samsung is also expected to launch a larger variant of the Beyond 1, likely to be named the Galaxy S10 Beyond 2. It'll likely feature a 6.4-inch screen, two front cameras and two rear-facing cameras, as well as many of the same features of the Beyond 1. The world's first ever moving lifeform has been discovered in Gabon and dates back to around 2.1 billion years ago. Scientists say the primitive creature was likely 'slug-like' and exhibited the earliest known signs of motility. The fossil takes the earliest estimate of mobile multicelular organisms back from a previous guess of 570 million years ago to almost four times this, to when the planet was only half its current age. The fossils are preserved in thin layers of rock and look like tubes with a consistent diameter of a few millimetres (pictured). The fossil takes the earliest estimate of mobile multicelular organisms back from a previous guess of 570 million years ago to almost four times this, to when the planet was only half its current age An international team, coordinated by Professor Abderrazak El Albani, of the University of Poitiers in France, made the discovery in the black shales of the Paleoproterozoic Francevillian Group Fossil Formation in Gabon. It was discovered by Professor El Albani's team and allowed scientists to re-date the appearance of multi-cellular life on Earth to 1.5 billion years earlier than previously thought. In a new study, published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team report finding trace movements for complex organisms that thrived in the Francevillian inland Sea. A detailed 3D analysis using a non-destructive X-ray imagining technique to reveal the new fossils belong to an organism that likely spent most of its time in oxygenated waters, and was therefore reliant on the element to survive. The fossils are preserved in thin layers of rock and look like tubes with a consistent diameter of a few millimetres. Co-author of the study Dr Ernest Chi Fru, from Cardiff University's School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, said: 'It is plausible that the organisms behind this phenomenon moved in search of nutrients and oxygen that were produced by bacteria mats on the seafloor-water interface. The world's first ever moving lifeform has been discovered in Gabon and dates back to around 2.1 billion years ago, Scientists say the primitive creature was likely 'slug-like' and exhibited the earliest known signs of motility (pictured) 'The results raise a number of fascinating questions about the history of life on Earth, and how and when organisms began to move. 'Was this a primitive biological innovation, a prelude to more perfected forms of locomotion seen around us today, or was this simply an experiment that was cut short?' Professor El Albani said the traces of life are located next to fossilised microbial biofilms, which formed carpets between the different sedimentary layers. He said said: 'It is plausible that the organisms behind this phenomenon moved in search of nutritive elements and the dioxygen, both produced by cyanobacteria. 'What did these living elements look like? Though difficult to know for certain, they may have been similar to colonial amoebae, which cluster together when resources become scarce, forming a type of slug, which moves in search of a more favourable environment.' The scale of the industrial slaughter of elephants for their tusks was laid bare after officals seized 750 ivory tusks hidden in treetrunks worth 6.5million. A scanner funded by Britain is being used to scan shipping containers being carried by road through Africa. Around 325 elephants would have been slaughtered to provide the ivory found in the containers. The scale of the industrial slaughter of elephants for their tusks was laid bare after officals seized 750 ivory tusks hidden in treetrunks worth 6.5million. Customs officers display some of the seized elephant tusks to the media, in Kampala As well as ivory, scales removed from endangered pangolins were also found on the shipment. Two Vietnamese men who were transporting the illegal goods were arrested. The scanners were provided by the Department for International Development to the Ugandan Revenue Authority. The illegal wildlife goods were seized in a town called Elegu, in northern Uganda, on the border with South Sudan on January 31. Ugandan customs officers suspect the goods originated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and were then smuggled via South Sudan into Uganda. The scanners are called non-intrusive cargo inspection scanners, which act like x-rays and mean that customs officers dont physically have to open up the lorries to search inside. They can scan through the metal cargo containers. A scanner funded by Britain is being used to scan shipping containers being carried by road through Africa. Around 325 elephants would have been slaughtered to provide the ivory found in the containers As well as ivory, scales removed from endangered pangolins were also found on the shipment. Two Vietnamese men who were transporting the illegal goods were arrested Aside from tackling illegal wildlife goods the scanners can also help stop other illicit items from crossing borders, such as drugs and illegal immigrants. They can scan up to 200 trucks per hour meaning each scan takes about three minutes per truck. Despite a ban on trade in ivory, poaching of African elephants is still rampant. China is the biggest market for the tusks. There are an estimated 415,000 elephants remaining on the continent, compared with as many as five million in the early part of the 20th century, according to the WWF. Advertisement Captivating slow motion footage shows millions of tiny iron fillings swirling and dancing around a large magnet after being thrown towards it in a series of tricks. The mesmerising video, which is set to music, shows tiny iron beads being poured onto a bouncy blue surface before a magnet is then dropped into the pool, causing them to artfully swish and circulate around it. The tiny beads move rapidly around the magnet as it bounces up and down creating the enchanting swishing effect they make while they fly around the magnetic fields. In the footage, magnetite sand glitters around the array of magnets, which are dropped into the beads and, in other shots, even coating the entire block. The footage was captured by Mirko Pafundi, whose YouTube channel, Magnetic Games, shows a collection of experiments and tricks with magnets. Mr Pafundi, 44, from Italy, said the project gave him the most satisfaction of anything he's ever worked on, as the 'dancing powder' makes for an engrossing spectacle when shot in slow motion. He plans to add similar slow-motion videos to his channel, which has garnered more than 270 million views altogether. 'I was quite satisfied with the final result of the slow motion video. 'Soon I will do a video on all the ways to view magnetic fields it will be a compilation of the various videos I have made previously,' he said. 'The strength of magnets is scientifically explainable, but there's also something magical about their interaction with the world.' Mr Pafundi's channel is so successful his magnetic videos have now become his full-time job. Captivating slow motion footage shows millions of tiny iron fillings swirling and dancing around a large magnet after being thrown towards it in a series of arty tricks The mesmerising video, which is set to music, shows tiny iron beads being poured onto a bouncy blue surface before a magnet is then dropped into the pool, causing them to artfully swish and circulate around it WHAT IS A MAGNETIC FIELD AND HOW IS IT CREATED? A magnet is any object that has a magnetic field. It attracts ferrous objects like pieces of iron, steel, nickel and cobalt. These days magnets are made artificially in various shapes and sizes depending on their use. One of the most common magnets - the bar magnet - is a long, rectangular bar of uniform cross-section that attracts pieces of ferrous objects A magnetic field is the space surrounding a magnet, in which magnetic force is exerted. If a bar magnet is placed in such a field, it will experience magnetic forces. However, the field will continue to exist even if the magnet is removed. The direction of magnetic field at a point is the direction of the resultant force acting on a hypothetical North Pole placed at that point. When current flows in a wire, a magnetic field is created around the wire. From this it has been inferred that magnetic fields are produced by the motion of electrical charges. A magnetic field of a bar magnet thus results from the motion of negatively charged electrons in the magnet. Advertisement The tiny beads move rapidly around the magnet as it bounces up and down creating the enchanting swishing effect they make while they fly around the magnetic fields In the footage, magnetite sand glitters around the array of magnets, which are dropped into the beads and, in other shots, even coating the entire block The footage was captured by Mirko Pafundi, whose YouTube channel, Magnetic Games, shows a collection of experiments and tricks with magnets The strength of magnets is scientifically explainable, but there's also something magical about their interaction with the world, Mr Mirko said Magnetism, a fundamental force of nature, is a class of physical phenomena that are mediated by magnetic fields, or the force exerted by magnets when they attract or repel each other. One of the most common magnets - the bar magnet - is a long, rectangular bar of uniform cross-section that attracts pieces of ferrous objects. Magnetic fields are the space around the magnet are polarised with two magnetic poles called North and South. This type of magnet-themed activity is common on Youtube and other platforms. Other magnetic tricks on Mr Pafundi's Magnetic Games channel include magnetic sculptures and even levitation tricks. As people peer into DNA for clues to health and heritage, man's best friend is under the microscope, too. Genetic testing for dogs has surged in recent years, fueled by companies that echo popular at-home tests for humans, offering a deep dive into a pet's genes with the swab of a canine cheek. More than a million dogs have been tested in little over a decade. The tests' rise has stirred debate about standards, interpretation and limitations. But to many dog owners, DNA is a way to get to know their companions better. Murray, a mixed-breed dog, lay on a sofa in Ann Arbor, Mich. Rennie Pasquinelli, who is Murray's owner, recently got the dog's DNA tested to learn what breeds are in his background. Genetic testing for dogs has grown rapidly in recent years HOW RESEARCHERS GET DNA FROM DOGS An Arizona State University team recently genotyped shelter dogs in Arizona and California and compared the genetic information to the breed labels assigned in shelters. They collected DNA from over 900 shelter dogs housed at the Arizona Animal Welfare League and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (AAWL) in Phoenix, AZ, and the San Diego Humane Society and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SDHS) in San Diego, CA. For the genetic testing, the researchers used the Wisdom Panel Canine DNA Tests from Mars Veterinary, which is a commercially available product. A small brush was used to collect cells from the dog's cheeks and gums, and the samples were sent to a lab for processing. At the lab, DNA was extracted from the dog's cells and compared to over 300 sites in the canine genome that have been matched to specific breeds. Advertisement 'It put some pieces of the puzzle together,' says Lisa Topol, who recently tested her mixed-breed dogs Plop and Schmutzy. Plop was the top-scoring mixed-breed, and Schmutzy also competed, in Saturday's agility contest at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. Judging toward the coveted best in show prize begins Monday. A test by Embark - which this fall became Westminster's first DNA-testing partner - confirmed Topol's guess that her high-octane pets are more Australian cattle dog than anything else. But Schmutzy's genetic pie chart had surprise ingredients, including generous amounts of Labrador retriever and Doberman pinscher. Huh? Topol thought at first. And then: Maybe Schmutzy's love of water and fetching is her inner Lab coming out. And doesn't she walk a bit like a Doberman? 'They are the dogs that they are ... They're unique, and they're special,' said Topol, a New York advertising executive. But the testing 'makes me understand them better.' Canine DNA testing for certain conditions and purposes goes back over two decades, but the industry took off after scientists mapped a full set of dog genes and published the results in 2005. Lisa Topol poses for a photo with her two rescue dogs, Schmutzy, right, and Plop, in New York. Topol recently had the DNA tested for both dogs. More than a million dogs have been tested in little over a decade Wisdom Health, part of pet care and candy giant Mars Inc., launched a breed-identification test in 2007, added a health-screening option a few years later and says it has now tested over 1.1 million dogs worldwide. Numerous other brands are also available. Mass-market tests have fueled research and helped animal shelters attract adopters by providing more information about prospective pets. DNA can back up purebred dogs' parentage and help breeders try to eliminate certain diseases. The technology has been used to identify dogs whose owners don't pick up their droppings, to pursue accused biters and to free a Belgian Malinois from dog death row after he was accused of killing a Pomeranian in Michigan. And some veterinarians feel DNA testing enhances care. 'I want to know as much about my patients as possible,' says Dr. Ernie Ward, a veterinarian and TV personality in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. He recommends testing all puppies. Above, Plop, left, and Schmutzy, rescue dogs owned by Lisa Topol, are seen in New York. Canine DNA testing for certain conditions and purposes goes back over two decades, but the industry took off after scientists mapped a full set of dog genes in 2005 A test by Embark - which this fall became Westminster's first DNA-testing partner - confirmed Topol's guess that her high-octane pets are more Australian cattle dog than anything else But qualms about the dog DNA boom spilled into the prestigious science journal Nature last year. 'Pet genetics must be reined in,' a Boston veterinarian and two other scientists wrote. Their commentary opened with a troubling story: a pug being euthanized because her owners interpreted DNA results to mean she had a rare, degenerative neurological disorder, when in fact her ailment might have been something more treatable. 'These (tests) should be used in a limited way until we get a lot more information,' says co-author and vet Dr. Lisa Moses. One concern is that tests can show genetic mutations that are linked to disease in some breeds but have unknown effects in the breed being tested. It also may be unclear how often dogs with the mutation ultimately get sick. That means tests, in themselves, can't necessarily tell pet owners how much they should worry. Or tell breeders whether a dog shouldn't reproduce. Some in dogdom fear that DNA test results could keep animals from passing on otherwise good genes because of an ambiguous possibility of disease. Mass-market tests have fueled research and helped animal shelters attract adopters by providing more information about prospective pets. DNA can back up purebred dogs' parentage and help breeders try to eliminate certain diseases 'The risk for overinterpretation is great,' but DNA testing can be useful along with other tools, says veterinarian Dr. Diane Brown, the CEO of the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation. It has invested almost $20 million in genomic and molecular research and supports an international effort to promote standardization for dog DNA tests. The initiative, led by the nonprofit International Partnership for Dogs, provides searchable data on test labs' procedures and breed-specific health test information. Test companies say their work can help researchers address the unknowns and provides immediately useful information, such as whether a dog's genes suggest bad reactions to certain medications. Companies including Embark and Wisdom have veterinarians assigned to help people understand worrisome results. 'We're here to help you care better for your dog,' says Embark Veterinary Inc. CEO Ryan Boyko, whose company has breed-and-health-tested nearly 100,000 canines in its 3 years. The alliance with Westminster - for which Embark is paying an amount neither would disclose - stands to give the company exposure, particularly to breeders. Longtime Belgian sheepdog breeder Lorra Miller, who has had dogs compete at Westminster, was initially skeptical about consumer-oriented canine DNA tests. They struck her as a novelty for mixed-breed pets. For Rennie Pasquinelli, the benefit is a new perspective on her dog, Murray (pictured). He was pegged as a border collie-Boston terrier mix when she adopted him. But an Embark test detected just a smidgen of border collie mixed with six breeds, mainly American pit bull terrier Now she hopes they can help Belgian sheepdog fanciers build up a body of genetic data to spark more research on the protective herders. 'Even if I don't get immediate benefit ... it's for the future of the breed,' says Miller, who lives near Monroe, Washington. For Rennie Pasquinelli, the benefit is a new perspective on her dog, Murray. He was pegged as a border collie-Boston terrier mix when she adopted him. But an Embark test last month detected just a smidgen of border collie mixed with six other breeds, mainly American pit bull terrier. And no Boston terrier at all. 'Obviously, I don't love him more, or less,' said Pasquinelli, a graduate student in cognitive science at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. 'It's like when you know something new about someone. 'That doesn't negatively or positively change your opinion on them, but you still look at them in a different way.' U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Monday announcing the 'American AI Initiative.' The order will ask federal government agencies to dedicate more resources and investment into research, promotion and training on artificial intelligence (AI), a senior administration official said. Under the American AI Initiative, the administration will direct agencies to prioritize AI investments in research and development, increase access to federal data and models for that research and prepare workers to adapt to the era of AI. Scroll down for video Trump's 'American AI Initiative' will ask federal government agencies to dedicate more resources and investment into research, promotion and training on artificial intelligence HOW WILL AI CHANGE THE WORKPLACE BY 2022? The World Economic Forum has unveiled its latest predictions for the future of jobs. Its 2018 report surveyed executives representing 15 million employees in 20 economies. The non-profit expects robots, AI and other forms of automation to drastically change the workplace within the next four years. By 2022: Jobs predicted to be displaced: 75 million Jobs predicted to be created: 133 million Share of workforce requiring re-/upskilling: 54 per cent Companies expecting to cut permanent workforce: 50 per cent Companies expecting to hire specialist contractors: 48 per cent Companies expecting to grow workforce: 38 per cent Companies expecting automation to grow workforce: 28 per cent Advertisement There was no specific funding announced for the initiative, the administration official said on a conference call. Congress is expected to be in charge of appropriating any funds. Instead, the initiative calls for better reporting and tracking of spending on AI-related research and development. The initiative aims to make sure the United States keeps its research and development advantage in AI and related areas, such as advanced manufacturing and quantum computing. An early look at the initiative lays out five key focuses, according to MIT Technology Review. The focuses include a call for federal funding agencies to prioritize investments in AI, to make federal data, computer models and technological resources available to AI researchers, to prioritize preparing workers for changes in the economy generated by the rise of AI and for greater international collaboration to ensure AI is developed in a way that's in alignment with American 'values and interests. Additionally, the initiative implores the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish standards that foster the development of 'reliable, robust, trustworthy, secure, portable, and interoperable AI systems,' the MIT Technology Review noted. Another component of any future standards will involve concerns around protecting data privacy, Science reported. Critics noted that the proposal lacks many concrete details, beyond assigning a series of 'deliverables' to federal agencies. Kate Crawford, a co-director of AI Now, told Science that while AI should be a 'major priority for US policymaking,' the American AI Initiative currently lacks input from academic and civic experts. AI and deep machine learning raise ethical concerns about control, privacy, cybersecurity, and is set to trigger job displacements across industries, companies and experts say She also questioned the initiative's focus on data privacy, given the Trump administrations' 'troubling track record' in this area, Science noted. More information is expected to be released about the American AI Initiative in the coming months. Trump, in his State of the Union speech last week, said he was willing to work with lawmakers to deliver new and important infrastructure investment, including investments in the cutting-edge industries of the future, calling it a 'necessity.' 'AI is something that touches every aspect of people's lives,' a senior administration official said on the call. 'What this initiative attempts to do is to bring all those together under one umbrella and show the promise of this technology for the American people,' the official said. AI and deep machine learning raise ethical concerns about control, privacy, cybersecurity, and is set to trigger job displacements across industries, companies and experts say. Insects could become extinct within a century if their rapid rate of decline continues, according to the first global scientific review. A damning study found 41 per cent of all insect species are in decline and the loss of these animals will trigger a 'catastrophic collapse' in the planet's ecosystems. Scientists at the University of Sydney revealed the total mass of insects was found to be falling by 2.5 per cent a year and may go extinct within a century. The startling claims rely on no conservation efforts being successful and the famously durable and adaptable insect phylum failing to adapt to the ongoing natural flux. Insects have long been heralded as the 'great survivors' of the animal kingdom and it would require an astonishing degree of destruction to eradicate them permanently. Researchers have defended the hyperbolic claims and insist they are not alarmist - saying they are hoping to raise awareness of the ongoing issue facing insect conservation. The findings build on previous claims that Earth has entered its sixth mass extinction - the first since a giant asteroid slammed into modern-day Mexico and triggered the demise of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. The speed at which insects are dying out is eight times faster than that of mammals, birds and reptiles. Scroll down for video A University of Sydney study says insects could become completely extinct within 100 years as a 'sixth mass extinction' beckons, scientists claim. They say industrial agriculture, climate change and urbanisation are to blame (stock) Forty-one per cent of insect species have experienced decline in the last decade (pictured). Since 1990, butterfly numbers dropped by 27 per cent in farmland and by 58 per cent in woodland and neonicotinoids has seen numbers of bees plummet Insect numbers were found to be dwindling at an unprecedented rate and this prompted the researchers to issue a stark warning to the public as part of their scientific conclusions. Writing in the ground-breaking paper, the researchers used an unusually forceful manner to drive the message home. Its condemning tone is against the norm for scientific papers but was deemed necessary by both the authors of the study and the editors of the journal in order to bring the global crisis into view. Figures show that 53 per cent of butterfly species have dropped over the past decade, while 46 per cent of bees species are in decline. The worst hit group of all is the caddisfly with 68 per cent of species declining, but dragonflies and beetles have also seen a significant drop of 37 per cent and 49 per cent, respectively. Intensive agriculture was found to be 'the root cause of the problem', but a host of issues were identified by the researchers as contributing to the insect genocide, such as climate change, urbanisation, habitat loss, disease and the introduction of invasive species. Dr Andrew Bladon, a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Cambridge, told MailOnline that it is unlikely all insects will ever die out, but their numbers will dwindle to such a low their ecological function will be minimal. He said: 'It is probably very unlikely that you would lose every single insect, but highly likely that if we do not change agricultural practices we will lose the vast majority of species and individuals. 'An important point to make is that long before the last one died it would be ecologically extinct and unable to perform their function. 'They would offer no pollination or pest control services and be an insufficient food source for many animals. 'If this was to happen, humanity would be in a poor place.' Insects are 'essential' to all ecosystems because of their role in pollinating plants and flowers, and as a food item for other creatures, the researchers say. Any major decline in the amount of insect species will ultimately have a huge impact on humans too. There have been recent reports of heavily declining insect numbers in Puerto Rico and Germany but the review claims the problem is a worldwide crisis. Writing in the study, the researchers laid out their damning conclusions. It read: 'The [insect] trends confirm that the sixth major extinction event is profoundly impacting [on] life forms on our planet. 'Unless we change our ways of producing food, insects as a whole will go down the path of extinction in a few decades. 'The repercussions this will have for the planet's ecosystems are catastrophic to say the least.' Francisco Sanchez-Bayo was one of the authors of the study and defended the use of the strongly-worded claims, insisting they are not alarmist. Instead, he hopes the review's dire outlook will 'really wake people up'. Francisco Sanchez-Bayo, at the University of Sydney, Australia, who wrote the review with Kris Wyckhuys at the China Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Beijing, said: 'If insect species losses cannot be halted, this will have catastrophic consequences for both the planet's ecosystems and for the survival of mankind.' Butterflies and moths are among the worst hit. For example, the number of widespread butterfly species fell by 58 per cent on farmed land in England between 2000 and 2009. Any major decline in insect species will ultimately have a huge impact on the wider ecosystem and humans (stock) He described the 2.5 per cent rate of annual loss over the last 25-30 years as 'shocking'. He said: 'It is very rapid. In ten years you will have a quarter less, in 50 years only half left and in 100 years you will have none.' Insects are an essential part of the world's ecosystem and are more plentiful and varied than any other group of animals. There are more than 17 times the amount of insects than humans by weight alone. Industrial farming and the associated use of chemical pesticides has been identified as the primary cause of decline but urbanisation and climate change have also been slated as key barriers to the revival of insects. 'If insect species losses cannot be halted, this will have catastrophic consequences for both the planet's ecosystems and for the survival of mankind,' Dr Sanchez-Bayo told The Guardian. He added that the 2.5 per cent loss of insects annually is 'very rapid' and 'shocking'. Mark Wright, Director of Science, at WWF said: 'This is not about a summer without the chirp of crickets - this is about the disappearance of the foundation of life on Earth. 'The collapse of insect numbers is another sign that our planet is in crisis and we need urgent action, on a global scale, to protect nature. Our future depends on it.' Puerto Rico has served as a long-running example of the devastating impact insect loss can have on the wider ecosystem. WHAT IS EARTH'S SIXTH MASS EXTINCTION? The world has experienced five mass extinctions over the course of its history, and experts claim we are seeing another one happen right now. A 2017 research paper claimed a 'biological annihilation' of wildlife in recent decades has triggered the sixth mass extinction and says the planet is heading towards a 'global crisis'. Scientists warn humanity's voracious consumption and wanton destruction is to blame for the event, which is the first major extinction since the dinosaurs. Two species of vertebrate, animals with a backbone, have gone extinct every year, on average, for the past century. Currently around 41 per cent of amphibian species and more than a quarter of mammals are threatened with extinction. There are an estimated 8.7 million plant and animal species on our planet and about 86 per cent of land species and 91 per cent of sea species remain undiscovered. Of the ones we do know, 1,204 mammal, 1,469 bird, 1,215 reptile, 2,100 amphibian, and 2,386 fish species are considered threatened. Also threatened are 1,414 insect, 2,187 mollusc, 732 crustacean, 237 coral, 12,505 plant, 33 mushroom, and six brown algae species. More than 25,000 species of 91,523 assessed for the 2017 'Red List' update were classified as 'threatened'. The number of invertebrates at risk has also peaked. Scientists predict insects may go extinct within 100 years as a result of crippling population decline. The dawn of the mass extinction coincides with the onset of the Anthropocene - the geological age defined by human activity being the dominant influence on climate and the environment. Advertisement The widespread use of pesticides and, more specifically, neonicotinoids, has caused the numbers of bees (pictured) around the EU and US to drop dramatically. EU courts stepped in last year to prevent these from being used but it comes after the number of honeybee colonies in the US has dropped by 2.5 million since the end of the Second World War (stock) It has seen the number of insects fall by 98 per cent in the last 35 years and the various fish, reptiles, amphibians and mammals that rely on them as a food source have since been in decline. In order to get an accurate look at the state of the declining animal numbers around the world, the researchers collated 73 of the leading studies done in recent years. Most were conducted in western Europe and the US, with some focusing on Australia, China, Brazil and South Africa. Dr Bladon told MailOnline that the methodology provided an extensive assessment of the world's ecosystems. He said: 'There are inevitable gaps in the data collection, with there being far more information for Europe and the US than some regions of Africa, for example. 'Despite this, I doubt any scientists reading this scientific study would collect any data that would rebuff the findings and come to a different conclusion. 'It is important to collect more data but I don't think any scientists reading this report would expect it to change and the expectation would be that the trend is the same regardless of any further data collection. 'Whilst yes we knew more certainty would strengthen the message, the conclusion would remain the same. 'The issue now lies at the door of the general public and politicians to do something. 'Scientists have identified the concerns and conservationists have found a solution which would fix the issue but they fail to be implemented. 'Scientific understanding absolutely underpins government policy. 'I would argue the natural world and wildlife is a human right, as much as other things we take for granted in the developed world, and this ought to be top of the political agenda.' EARTH HAS HAD FIVE GREAT EXTINCTION EVENTS WITH THE MOST FAMOUS A DINOSAUR KILLING ASTEROID Five times, a vast majority of the world's life has been snuffed out in what have been called mass extinctions. End-Ordovician mass extinction The first of the traditional big five extinction events, around 540 million years ago, was probably the second most severe. Virtually all life was in the sea at the time and around 85% of these species vanished. Late Devonian mass extinction About 375-359 million years ago, major environmental changes caused a drawn-out extinction event that wiped out major fish groups and stopped new coral reefs forming for 100 million years. Five times, a vast majority of the world's life has been snuffed out in what have been called mass extinctions. The most famous may be the End-Cretaceous, which wiped out the dinosaurs. Artist's impression End-Permian mass extinction (the Great Dying) The largest extinction event and the one that affected the Earth's ecology most profoundly took place 252 million years ago. As much as 97% of species that leave a fossil record disappeared forever. End-Triassic mass extinction Dinosaurs first appeared in the Early Triassic, but large amphibians and mammal-like reptiles were the dominant land animals. The rapid mass extinction that occurred 201 million years ago changed that. End-Cretaceous mass extinction An asteroid slammed down on Earth 66 million years ago, and is often blamed for ending the reign of the dinosaurs. Advertisement Leafhoppers (pictured) constitute a large proportion of flying insects in Europe but numbers of the animal have plunged by 66 per cent by 1950 (stock) The analysis included a fresh look at a study released in June 2018 which discovered that since 1990, butterfly numbers dropped by 27 per cent in farmland and by 58 per cent in woodland. This UK-focused study was part of a long-running research project and provided a wealth of data and information for analysis. The report from the UK's department for environment, food and rural affairs (DEFRA) called this an 'ecological Armageddon'. Nigel Bourn, director of science at Butterfly Conservation, told The Times at the time that keeping perspective is crucial. 'That the worst five years ever for butterflies have all been in the last decade should ring major alarm bells,' he explained. Butterflies and moths are among the worst hit but another high-profile casualty of the insect Armageddon are bees. The widespread use of pesticides and, more specifically, neonicotinoids, has caused the numbers of bees around the EU and US to drop dramatically. WHAT ARE NEONICOTINOIDS? Neonicotinoids are neuro-active chemicals similar to nicotine that have proved to be highly effective at protecting crops from pests, especially aphids and root-eating grubs. They can either be sprayed on leaves or coated on seeds, in which case they infiltrate every part of the growing plant. Years of research have shown that under controlled conditions the chemicals are toxic to honey bees and bumblebees, causing brain damage that can affect learning and memory and impair their ability to forage for nectar and pollen. The chemicals are a key battleground in the environmental movement with campaigners demanding a 'complete and permanent' ban on the pesticides as they are suspected to be harmful to bees. Only two to 20 per cent of the neonicotinoids, which are still used on crops such as wheat, are taken up and the rest is left on the soil. Samples taken in October revealed 75 per cent of samples from around the world contain the chemicals. Researchers tested 198 honey samples and found three out of four were laced with at least one of the neonicotinoid chemicals. For the study, an international team of European researchers tested almost 200 honey samples from around the world for residues left by five different neonicotinoids. While in most cases the levels were well below the EU safety limits for human consumption, there were exceptions. Honey from both Germany and Poland exceeded maximum residue levels (MRLs) for combined neonicotinoids while samples from Japan reached 45 per cent of the limits. Samples from England had neonicotinoid levels that were no more than 1.36 per cent of the amount thought to be safe for human consumption. Advertisement EU courts stepped in last year to prevent these from being used but it comes after the number of honeybee colonies in the US has dropped by 2.5 million since the end of the Second World War. Neonicotinoid eradication was heralded as a 'major victory' by campaigners but remains a small positive step in the face of overwhelming decline. While areas of agricultural activity are likely seeing insects disappearing as a result of chemical usage, the tropical areas are being more heavily impacted by climate change, the researchers say. Conditions in these areas have remained relatively constant and predictable for a long time, with the animal inhabitants poorly adapted to changing conditions. In the wake of declining populations some adaptable species have found a way to overcome the widespread misery and thrive, but these pockets of success are unable to offset the wider decline. Matt Shardlow, chief executive of wildlife charity Buglife, said: 'It is gravely sobering to see this collation of evidence that demonstrates the pitiful state of the world's insect populations. 'It's not just about bees, or even about pollination and feeding ourselves, the declines also include dung beetles that recycle waste and insects like dragonflies that start life in rivers and ponds. 'It is becoming increasingly obvious our planet's ecology is breaking and there is a need for an intense and global effort to halt and reverse these dreadful trends - allowing the slow eradication of insect life to continue is not a rational option.' He said insects made up more than half the species on Earth, but the research showed they were disappearing much faster than birds and mammals. 'There is not a single cause, but the evidence is clear, to halt this crisis we must urgently reverse habitat fragmentation, prevent and mitigate climate change, clean up polluted waters and replace pesticide dependency with more sustainable, ecologically-sensitive farming,' he urged. The study is published in the journal Biological Conservation. The government and Mr Ambani have earlier rejected Mr Gandhis allegations of corruption and favouritism in the fighter aircraft deal. New Delhi: After a brief hiatus, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was back in the national capital with the demand for special category status for his state as he sat on a day-long hunger strike on Monday and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not following the raj dharm. A special category status ensures preferential treatment to a state in getting grants which need not be repaid. At the time of Andhra Pradeshs bifurcation in 2014, the UPA government had proposed to give special status to the state for five years. Mr Naidus dharna at Andhra Bhawan turned into a show of Opposition unity with several top leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Mulayam Singh Yadav, joining him. Mr Gandhi, who reached Andhra Bhavan before leaving for Lucknow where he held a roadshow with his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, attacked Mr Modi over the Rafale jet deal. The Prime Minister has stolen from the people from Andhra Pradesh and he has given that money to Anil Ambani. That is the fact of the matter. I want to let you know that we are all standing together. We are going to defeat the BJP-Mr Narendra Modi, Mr Gandhi said. The government and Mr Ambani have earlier rejected Mr Gandhis allegations of corruption and favouritism in the fighter aircraft deal. Dr Singh, who was the Prime Minister when Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated, said that he stood by the people of the state. This demand had support of all parties when it was discussed in Parliament. I stand in solidarity with Naidu. These demands should be met immediately without any more loss of time. Attacking the Narendra Modi government, Mr Naidu said, (Former PM) Atal Behari Vajpayee said raj dharm was not followed in Gujarat (during the 2002 riots). Now, raj dharm is not being followed in the case of Andhra Pradesh. We have been denied what is rightfully ours. If you dont get it done, we know how to get it done. The Andhra chief minister, who started his protest around 8.30 am after paying respects to the Mahatma Gandhi memorial at Rajghat, was pointing to Vajpayees reference to raj dharm to remind then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi of his duty during the 2002 Gujarat riots. Whenever there is an attack on our self-respect, we wont tolerate it. I am warning this government and particularly the PM to stop attacking an individual, Mr Naidu said. Other leaders present at included National Conference chairperson Farooq Abdullah, NCPs Majeed Memon, Trinamool Congress Derek OBrien, DMKs Tiruchi Siva, Loktantrik Janata Dals Sharad Yadav and Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav. Senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel and Anand Sharma were also present. Addressing the gathering, Mr Sharma attacked the Prime Minister over the language used by him against Mr Naidu at a rally in Guntur on Sunday. Its unbecoming of the Prime Minister. He has dragged the political discourse to such a low level. Therefore, we decided to unite against him. Standing together is the need of the hour. TMC leader Mr OBrien also took on the PM for a personal attack on Mr Naidu. Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others... BC is Before Chaiwala and AD is After Dhoka... Modi has lost all his allies and formed a new ally in CBI, he alleged. Mulayam Singh Yadav said he is not well but has come to endorse Mr Naidus stand. Naidu is fighting the battle for the poor, farmers and all those who are oppressed, he said. Delhi chief minister Mr Kejriwal hit out at the Prime Minister over the alleged ill-treatment meted out to states being run by governments of Opposition parties. One may have voted for any party but after elections, whoever wins and becomes the chief minister, is the chief minister of the entire state and not of a particular party. Similarly, when one becomes the PM, then he is the PM of the entire country, not just one party, he said. Air pollution causes a 'huge' reduction in intelligence, scientists say. Shocking new research suggests air pollution has a serious impact on mental capabilities as well as physical health in human beings. High levels of pollution can trigger a decrease in language and arithmetic skills with the average impact of 'dirty air' equivalent to losing a year in education. The United Nations has blamed air pollution for seven million deaths worldwide each year, while campaigners have urged local government to take more action. Scroll down for video Air pollution causes a 'huge' reduction in intelligence, according to a new study. Earlier this month it was revealed London's pollution is now so bad it's equivalent to smoking 251 cigarettes An international team of researchers led by Beijing Normal University analysed language and arithmetic tests conducted on 20,000 people across China between 2010 and 2014. However, the study is relevant worldwide, as the latest figures show around 95 per cent of the global population are now breathing unsafe air. Scientists conducted the tests across China in areas with varied levels of pollution. According to the latest findings, air pollution is a significant cause of loss of intelligence roughly equating to the impact of losing a year of education. Although previous research had found air pollution is capable of harming cognitive performance in students, this latest study is the first to examine people of all ages. It also analysed the difference between men and women. 'Polluted air can cause everyone to reduce their level of education by one year, which is huge,' researcher Xi Chen of Yale School of Public Health told the Guardian. 'But we know the effect is worse for the elderly, especially those over 64, and for men, and for those with low education. 'If we calculate [the loss] for those, it may be a few years of education', he said. Worse still, the researchers found that the longer people are exposed to dirty air, the greater the damage to their intelligence levels. 'We find that long-term exposure to air pollution impedes cognitive performance in verbal and math tests', researchers wrote in their paper, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 'We provide evidence that the effect of air pollution on verbal tests becomes more pronounced as people age, especially for men and the less educated. 'The damage on the aging brain by air pollution likely imposes substantial health and economic costs, considering that cognitive functioning is critical for the elderly for both running daily errands and making high-stake decisions'. For the latest study, scientists accounted for the gradual decline in cognition seen as people age. They also ruled out the possibility that people are more impatient or uncooperative during tests when the pollution levels were especially high. It is now believed 95 per cent of the world's population breathes in polluted air. The longer people are exposed to dirty air the greater the damage to their intelligence HOW MUCH PLASTIC POLLUTION DO WE BREATHE IN PER DAY? Plastic pollution has become so widespread that we may be inhaling up to 130 tiny pieces a day, research found. Fibres from fleece and polyester clothing and particles from urban dust and car tyres are the biggest sources of so-called microplastics in the air. Microplastics are small plastic pellets ranging in size from 0.5 millimetres that have accumulated in the marine environment following decades of pollution. They include polyester fibres generated from laundry The tiny specks are lighter than air and could cause asthma, heart disease and auto-immune conditions, the research, published in December 2017, found. The study, a review of a number of recent plastics studies, revealed washing a single polyester garment can produce 1,900 plastic fibres. Plastic pollution has become so widespread that we may be inhaling up to 130 tiny pieces a day, research found (stock image) This plastic pollution is on the rise as more and more synthetic clothing is produced. While only people working with plastic fibres are known to develop respiratory problems, experts say the pollution is so widespread that it may now pose a risk to everyone's health. The study's author, Dr Joana Correia Prata, of Fernando Pessoa University in Portugal, said: 'The evidence suggests that an individual's lungs could be exposed to between 26 and 130 airborne microplastics a day, which would pose a risk for human health, especially in susceptible individuals, including children. 'Exposure may cause asthma, cardiac disease, allergies and auto-immune diseases.' Advertisement Following the publication of the latest study, Aarash Saleh, a registrar in respiratory medicine in the UK and part of the Doctors Against Diesel campaign, told the Guardian: 'This study adds to the concerning bank of evidence showing that exposure to air pollution can worsen our cognitive function. 'Road traffic is the biggest contributor to air pollution in residential areas and the government needs to act urgently to remove heavily-polluting vehicles from our roads.' Earlier this year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released the results of its study into fine particle air pollution in nearly 110 countries. These microscopic particles are invisible to the human eye but can penetrate deep into the lungs, and also cause heart disease and cancer. The WHO report revealed every corner of the globe is dealing with air pollution. However, poorer countries fare worse than richer nations, with outdoor pollution levels highest in the Middle East, North Africa and South-East Asia. Earlier this month, it was revealed London's pollution is now so bad it's equivalent to smoking 251 cigarettes a year. Spending a long weekend in Europes 10 most popular but polluted cities could have the same health impacts as smoking between one and four cigarettes over just several days, the European Transport and Environment Association revealed. A boy retrieves an item from a rubble-strewn street of East London after German bombing raids in the first month of the Blitz, September 1940 The Blitz began on September 7, 1940, and was the most intense bombing campaign Britain has ever seen. Named after the German word 'Blitzkrieg', meaning lightning war, the Blitz claimed the lives of more than 40,000 civilians. Between September 7, 1940, and May 21, 1941, there were major raids across the UK with more than 20,000 tonnes of explosives dropped on 16 British cities. London was attacked 71 times and bombed by the Luftwaffe for 57 consecutive nights. The City and the East End bore the brunt of the bombing in the capital with the course of the Thames being used to guide German bombers. Londoners came to expect heavy raids during full-moon periods and these became known as 'bombers'moons'. More than one million London houses were destroyed or damaged and of those who were killed in the bombing campaign, more than half of them were from London. In addition to London's streets, several other UK cities - targeted as hubs of the island's industrial and military capabilities - were battered by Luftwaffe bombs including Glasgow, Liverpool, Plymouth, Cardiff, Belfast and Southampton and many more. Deeply-buried shelters provided the most protection against a direct hit, although in 1939 the government refused to allow tube stations to be used as shelters so as not to interfere with commuter travel. However, by the second week of heavy bombing in the Blitz the government relented and ordered the stations to be opened. Each day orderly lines of people queued until 4pm, when they were allowed to enter the stations. Despite the blanket bombing of the capital, some landmarks remained intact - such as St Paul's Cathedral, which was virtually unharmed, despite many buildings around it being reduced to rubble. Hitler intended to demoralise Britain before launching an invasion using his naval and ground forces. The Blitz came to an end towards the end of May 1941, when Hitler set his sights on invading the Soviet Union. Other UK cities which suffered during the Blitz included Coventry, where saw its medieval cathedral destroyed and a third of its houses made uninhabitable, while Liverpool and Merseyside was the most bombed area outside London. There was also major bombing in Birmingham, where 53 people were killed in an arms works factory, and Bristol, where the Germans dropped 1,540 tons of high explosives and 12,500 incendiaries in one night - killing 207 people. Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax has been placed on leave by his Washington D.C. law firm as it investigates the sexual assault allegations against him and most of his state staff have quit in the wake of the accusations. In Virginia, the lieutenant governor's job is a part-time position and additional outside employment is common. Fairfax's employer, Morrison Foerster, 'has retained outside counsel to conduct an investigation. During the investigation, Justin Fairfax has taken a leave of absence from Morrison & Foerster. Justin has agreed to cooperate with the firm's investigation,' chairman Larren Nashelsky told the Washington Examiner in a statement. In his state job, Fairfax has few official duties - he presides over the state Senate and is a potential tie-breaker vote but has few other obligations. The number two job in Virginia pays $36,321 annually and is often a spring board to the gubernatorial mansion. Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax presides over the Senate Monday Fairfax arrives with personal refreshments on the floor of the Senate Fairfax joined Morrison Foerster in September 2018, seven months after becoming Virginia's lieutenant governor, which was his first elected office. He is a former prosecutor and 'advises clients on a variety of white collar and commercial litigation matters,' according to his page on the firm's website. Fairfax is one of the three top Democrats in the state to be engulfed by scandal after the emergence of two women who accused him of rape in the 2000s. Gov. Ralph Northam is dealing with the fallout of a blackface photo that appeared in his medical school yearbook and state Attorney General Mark Herring admitted to wearing blackface in the past. All three are dealing with potentially career ending scandals but all have resisted the call from multiple Democratic leaders to resign from office. Fairfax has vehemently denied the accusations against him and called for an investigation. Piling on, two of his three state staffers resigned as did the director and the fundraiser of his political action committee, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. His communications director and chief of staff remain in their jobs. Fairfax spokesman Lauren Burke said in a statement the lieutenant governor 'wishes them well.' But an impeachment effort against Fairfax, the state's highest ranking African-American politician, lost steam on Monday. State Delegate Patrick Hope, who is white, told The Associated Press that he called for an impeachment proceeding because he thought it would trigger an investigation into the allegations against Fairfax. But Hope relented after getting feedback from other state lawmakers and said he will speak with his colleagues about the best way for the state to conduct an investigation into the allegations. Hope acknowledged to the AP that 'people are concerned' about him as a white person leading the call for impeachment proceedings against Fairfax. Virginia Delegate Patrick Hope withdrew his impeachment measure against Fairfax A second woman, Meredith Watson, came forward on Friday to accuse Fairfax of raping her while they were students at Duke University in 2000, according to a statement issued by her attorney Fairfax, meanwhile, told The Washington Post that he doesn't plan to resign. He said he attended church with his wife on Sunday in Alexandria, Va., and received an 'outpouring of support.' He also told news website The Root that he's been able to continue his official duties despite the allegations. He noted that 'being able to focus on my official duties has actually helped.' He also said he respects his accusers' rights to be heard, but that he deserves due process. The pressure on Fairfax to step down increased on Friday when a second woman accused him of rape. Meredith Watson released a letter through her lawyer on Friday calling for Fairfax's resignation claiming he sexually assaulted her in 2000 when they were both students at Duke University. 'Mr. Fairfax's attack was premeditated and aggressive. The two were friends but never dated or had any romantic relationship,' the letter states. Watson's attorney does not provide specific details of the attack but states the assault was 'similar' to that of Vanessa Tyson, who on Wednesday, publicly accused Fairfax of raping her in 2004. Watson was 'upset' to learn Fairfax, 39, had assaulted another woman and reluctantly decided to come forward 'out of a strong sense of civic duty.' 'At this time, Ms Watson is reluctantly coming forward out of a strong sense of civic duty and her belief that those seeking or serving in public office should be of the highest character,' the letter continued. Watson has provided emails and Facebook messages with friends and classmates which her lawyer says prove she told them of the incident immediately after it happened. Those witnesses have also provided statements corroborating Watson's allegations. Her lawyer said her client is not looking to become a media personality nor is she seeking financial damages, but rather, is hoping Fairfax will resign. Stanford University fellow Vanessa Tyson suggested in a private Facebook post that Virignia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax sexually assaulted her in 2004; she said Wednesday that he 'forced me to perform oral sex on him' This photograph, from Tyson's Twitter account, shows the college professor at a conference of the American Politicla Science Association Fairfax released a statement shortly after the allegations emerged saying he does not intend to step down. 'I deny this latest unsubstantiated allegation. It is demonstrably false. I have never forced myself on anyone ever,' he said. 'I demand a full investigation into these unsubstantiated and false allegations. Such an investigation will confirm my account because I am telling the truth. 'I will clear my good name and I have nothing to hide. I have passed two full field background checks by the FBI and run for office in two highly contested elections with nothing like this being raised before. 'It is obvious that a vicious and coordinated smear campaign is being orchestrated against me. 'I will not resign.' Fairfax is also dealing with the fallout of the first allegation against him. Vanessa Tyson alleged on Wednesday that Fairfax raped her during the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. Tyson issued a stinging statement through her lawyers, saying: 'What began as consensual kissing quickly turned into a sexual assault. Mr. Fairfax put his hand behind my neck and forcefully pushed my head towards his crotch. Only then did I realize that he had unbuckled his belt, unzipped his pants, and taken out his penis. He then forced his penis into my mouth.' Vanessa Tyson, (pictured) publicly accused Fairfax of raping her in 2004 'Utterly shocked and terrified, I tried to move my head away, but could not because his hand was holding down my neck and he was much stronger than me. As I cried and gagged, Mr. Fairfax forced me to perform oral sex on him. 'I cannot believe, given my obvious distress, that Mr. Fairfax thought this forced sexual act was consensual. To be very clear, I did not want to engage in oral sex with Mr. Fairfax and I never gave any form of consent.' Democratic Rep; Jennifer Wexton became the first member of Virginia's congressional delegation to weigh in on the Fairfax scandal, tweeting Wednesday afternoon: 'I believe Dr. Vanessa Tyson.' The 39-year-old Fairfax's political future seemed to unravel in slow-motion on Wednesday as sources told NBC News that he had snapped out of his normal mild manner to condemn Tyson during a private meeting with staff shouting: 'F**k that b***h!' Lawrence Roberts, Fairfax's chief of staff, insisted to a Washington Post reporter that the lieutenant governor never said those words: 'Absolutely not true. I was there.' An Air New Zealand flight was reportedly denied permission to land in China because the airline's paperwork referenced Taiwan as an independent country. Flight NZ289 left Auckland shortly before midnight on Saturday only to land at the same airport ten hours later, leaving 270 passengers furious. The airline said on Monday that China denied the plane permission to land in Shanghai due to an administrative error on its part. But on Tuesday it was reported that China was angry about a reference to Taiwan in filed paperwork. Air New Zealand passengers were left fuming when their flight to Shanghai was turned around after five hours (stock image) Flight NZ289 left Auckland shortly before midnight on Saturday only to land at the same airport ten hours later, leaving 270 passengers furious. Pictured: A map of the flight Pictured: Members of the Chinese army, called the People's Liberation Army, stand guard as passengers walk through the main hall of Hangzhou east railway station Taiwan, a large island territory to the east of China, has been self-governing since 1949 - but China claims it is part of the country and fiercely opposes the idea of independence. China refuses to have diplomatic ties with governments that recognise Taiwan and has been cracking down on airlines that do so. Last year, for example, Qantas was pressured into changing the way it described Taiwan from a 'country' to a 'territory' on its website. Sources told Stuff that Air New Zealand officials were supposed to do the same in their flight paperwork - but someone forgot and this is why the plane was denied landing permission. Why does China not recognise Taiwan? In 1949 the Chinese communists won a civil war against the nationalist government. The nationalists fled to Taiwan - but still claimed they were the legitimate government of China. The territory calls itself the Republic of China and does not recognise the communist government called the People's Republic of China. China claims Taiwan is a rogue province and is part of the country. It refuses to have diplomatic ties with governments that recognise Taiwan. The Taiwanese government has been careful to avoid any official declaration of independence as this may spark a war with the mainland. All major powers, including the US, Britain and Australia, do not recognise Taiwan as a separate country. Eighteen governments do, including Paraguay and the Vatican City. Advertisement Air New Zealand said in a statement: 'This issue relates to a particular aircraft (a Boeing 787-9 with the registration NZQ) which is not yet certified to operate to China but was unfortunately assigned to operate our Shanghai flight on Saturday night. 'This new aircraft entered our fleet at the end of last year and it's standard requirement for a new aircraft to be registered with the relevant authorities in territories it will operate to. 'Yesterday Air New Zealand was advised that the original application to have this aircraft registered to operate to China had expired and a fresh application was submitted. As is required, the application includes a list of destinations the airline operates to, including Taipei. We're very grateful for the Chinese regulator's assistance in resolving this matter.' The airline apologised to passengers and said a special service would fly them to Shanghai at 11pm on Sunday. 'We know customers will be deeply disappointed and frustrated by this situation and we are very sorry for the disruption to their travel plans,' a statement read. Dozens of passengers fumed on social media about the 'serious administrative cock-up'. One posted a picture on Twitter of the onboard flight map showing the aircraft turning around. 'I've just experienced a new level of China Bad: midway through our flight from Auckland to Shanghai, the pilot informs us that Chinese authorities had not given this plane permission to land, so we needed to turn around. 'A permitting issue, supposedly,' the passenger commented. The same flight, NZ289, was turned back on a flight to China on August 24 last year, although an airline spokeswoman said that was due to an engineering issue, not a permitting one. The flight was reportedly denied permission to land in China because the airline's paperwork referenced Taiwan as an independent country. Pictured: Shanghai railway station Andrea Leadsom has ratcheted up pressure on the Prime Minister to ditch HS2, expressing fears that the business case for the rail link may no longer exist. In the latest sign of mounting opposition to the scheme at the heart of government, the House of Commons leader revealed growing concerns about spiralling costs. Downing Street yesterday insisted HS2 is on track and on budget. But a letter written by Mrs Leadsom to HS2s boss Mark Thurston outlined the absolute dismay felt by some of her constituents in South Northamptonshire. HS2 is set to carve through the region without stopping there while on its route from London to Birmingham. The letter, dated January 31, was written following the admission by HS2s former chairman Sir Terry Morgan to the Lords Economic Affairs Committee that nobody knows what the final cost of the high speed rail link will be. Andrea Leadsom has ratcheted up pressure on the Prime Minister to ditch HS2, expressing fears that the business case for the rail link may no longer exist. Mrs Leadsom said she had been contacted by several constituents who were incredulous at the statement, as well as Sir Terrys refusal to reject the assertion by the committees chairman Lord Hollick that billions more will have to be spent on HS2 for it to deliver the benefits promised. Mrs Leadsom is said to be part of mounting opposition in government against HS2, alongside Theresa Mays effective deputy David Lidington and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss. A Dispatches investigation aired by Channel 4 last night claimed ministers are so alarmed by HS2s price that they are increasingly minded to kill off the scheme. The report claimed ministers fear HS2 will cost up to 6billion a year over the next decade equivalent to Network Rails annual budget to maintain and upgrade Britains entire rail infrastructure. It also suggested officials believe HS2 easily exceed its current 59billion budget. Mrs Leadsoms letter raised Mr Thurstons admission that HS2 may run slower and less frequent trains in order to save costs and stick to its 56billion budget. Last month it emerged that officials have considered plans to lower train speeds of up to 225mph by around 30mph and reduce the number of trains per hour in both directions from 18 to 14. Mrs Leadsom said her constituents had warned that if the speed of the HS2 line was reduced to 186mph in line with the top speed for Eurostar this would shave just 15 minutes from the current journey time between London and Birmingham on the West Coast Main Line. HS2 had promised to cut the time taken for this journey by about half an hour, from one hour 21 minutes to 49 minutes. A Dispatches investigation aired by Channel 4 last night claimed ministers are so alarmed by HS2s price that they are increasingly minded to kill off the scheme. Pictured an artist impression of a HS2 train Mrs Leadsom wrote: You will appreciate why my constituents who are directly affected by the construction and operation of HS2 but will see no benefit are increasingly concerned that the business case is being undermined from all angles, and the basis for which Parliament gave its support to the project may no longer exist. Although the first leg of HS2 from London to Birmingham has been approved by Parliament, the next stage to link it to the North has yet to be put to a vote. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling recently claimed that stopping HS2 at Birmingham would be a betrayal of the Midlands and the North. Liz Truss raised speculation over the future of HS2 last month after declaring that the Government must be prepared to junk white elephant projects. But yesterday the Prime Ministers spokesman dismissed claims that HS2 could be scrapped or scaled back, and said the organisation was working to control costs. Rachael Maskell, Labours rail spokesman, said the Department for Transport needs to get a grip on HS2s costs urgently and set out a detailed plan for the costs for MPs to review. A spokesman for the troubled rail project said: HS2 continues to work to the scope and budget requirements that have been set out by government. j.salmon@dailymail.co.uk Only the flintiest of hearts could not have sympathy for the Duchess of Sussex. For nine months she has had to endure in silence as her family have traded cheap shots at her expense. Half-brother, half-sister, nieces, nephews and distant cousins have toiled away to come up with the most lurid of claims. Yet with commendable grace, Meghan has largely managed to stand aside from many of these insults. But her estrangement from her father has been an altogether different matter. One foolish act his mistake in conniving with paparazzi photographers ahead of last Mays Royal wedding was followed by another: informing Meghan he wouldnt attend her wedding via the showbusiness website TMZ. Now, trust has eroded to such an extent that there is an impossible chasm between father and daughter. Trust has eroded to such an extent that there is an impossible chasm between father and daughter (pictured Meghan with her father Thomas Markle) Time after time, Thomas Markle has used the platform of publicity through the media both television and newspapers to communicate with Meghan. At first there was some fellow-feeling for this lonely divorce who found himself drawn into the extraordinary world of the British Royal Family following Meghans engagement to Prince Harry. There was sadness, too, when ill health forced him to pull out of the wedding after the fake photos scandal emerged. But the leaking of the heart-breaking letter Meghan wrote to her father, one that revealed the depth of her despair over their rift, is a new low. For this was much more than the private thoughts of a wounded young woman. It was a cry for help from someone adjusting to a bewildering new life many thousands of miles from home. At the moment there seems no end in sight to this painful tit for tat between father and daughter. We know Mr Markle decided to leak extracts from the letter in reaction to last weeks article in the U.S. celebrity magazine People, in which he felt he was unfairly maligned. That article, apparently based on the testimony of five of Meghans friends, was a clumsy attempt to set the record straight about the former actresss troubled relationship with her father, and to address criticism of her style as a duchess. So clumsy, in fact, that seasoned royal watchers wonder if it was done without any input from the duchess at all. As I wrote on Thursday, I feared that if that was the case, Meghan was playing with fire as Diana had done before her. One close friend not one of the five has since let it be known that Meghan was not, in fact, aware of what they were doing. Unfortunately, the reaction from Mr Markle, at his modest home on the U.S.-Mexico border, has been to do what he has done throughout this whole sorry business: he delivered another broadside. This time he stirred hypocrisy into the pot, claiming that far from being a conciliatory gesture, her letter written last August had left him feeling devastated. At first there was some fellow-feeling for this lonely divorce who found himself drawn into the extraordinary world of the British Royal Family following Meghans engagement to Prince Harry (pictured) In it, she blamed him for breaking her heart into a million pieces by giving interviews to the Press, fabricating stories and attacking her new husband. She also admonished him for siding with his elder daughter, Samantha, who has relentlessly attacked her half-sister in the media, while Meghan silently suffered at the hand of her vicious lies. She went on to complain that Mr Markle had made no attempt to contact her and chastised him for falsely claiming he is the one who has been shunned, a criticism he flatly denies. Meghan also accused her father of rejecting her and Harrys offers to help when he pulled out of attending their wedding following two heart attacks, and suggested he had been ungrateful for financial help she had given him. Naturally, the former Hollywood lighting director said he never intended to make the handwritten letter public out of respect for Meghan but said he had been obliged to do so because its contents have been falsely portrayed. As contemptible as his retaliation undoubtedly is, one thing is clear: there is a pattern of betrayal in Mr Markles behaviour, and it has sparked the deep distrust his daughter now feels towards him. This surely explains the carefully calibrated language Meghan uses in her letter. She knew, or at least those around her did, that there was every chance her father might make its contents public. As contemptible as his retaliation undoubtedly is, one thing is clear: there is a pattern of betrayal in Mr Markles (pictured) behaviour, and it has sparked the deep distrust his daughter now feels towards him What is perhaps more intriguing is that he has chosen not to release its full contents. One reason, I am told, is because the rest of the letter is more revealing about his bizarre behaviour and presents him in a less than flattering light. So what on earth will happen next? Is it too late to repair this rift, and is it time for the duchess to cut off all links with her father? I, for one, fear that moment has arrived. There is no question that the matter could have been handled better. Few people now remember, but when Harry and Meghans engagement was announced, a joint statement was put out by Kensington Palace on behalf of her mother and father. At that stage, Thomas Markle had not uttered a single word in public about his daughter, and it was clear he would willingly do whatever Meghan wished. Quite what happened next has never been made clear. Mr Markle later complained that no one reached out to him as they did to his ex-wife, Doria Ragland, who has behaved with impeccable dignity since her daughters romance with Harry became public. I understand that an official believed to be from the British embassy in Mexico City travelled to Mr Markles home in Rosarito. Mr Markle was also given contact details for Harry and Meghans palace staff. Nine months on, exactly who did and said what hardly matters. The fact is that matters were not handled well, leaving one royal insider to observe that never before had George Bernard Shaws maxim about America and Britain being two nations divided by a common language been more appropriate. Meghan, too, cannot wholly escape blame. The fact she chose to invite only two family members to the wedding her mother and father was, of course, up to her. Meghan, too, cannot wholly escape blame. The fact she chose to invite only two family members to the wedding (pictured) her mother and father was, of course, up to her But the absence of her wider family was bound to provoke media interest and resentment among her relatives. If they needed any spur to speak out, the wedding snub was just such encouragement. For the Palace, how to handle the Markle clan was another problem. Their most recent experience of outsiders marrying into the royals had been the Duchess of Cambridges family, the Middletons. Kates parents, Michael and Carole, have barely put a foot wrong, the only black mark being the duchesss lively uncle Gary Goldsmith. Yet compared with the Markles, Uncle Gary who has never revealed any secrets about Kate has been a saint. All this still begs the question of why Harry and Meghan have never travelled to Mexico to see the duchesss father. Their failure to do so has only added to the sense of isolation that Mr Markle feels. Of course, the duchess has been on the sharpest of learning curves. Shes not just taking on a new nationality, a new religion (before the wedding she was baptised into the Anglican church) and a new husband, but shes having to embrace a way of life. She hasnt always got it right writing messages for sex workers on bananas might seem a little gauche but it is surely just a matter of learning the ropes. Meanwhile, her work with the Grenfell Tower survivors has been compassionate and genuine. She has one other trump card: marriage to the most popular young member of the Royal Family. And, contrary to the views of those five friends who spoke to People magazine, Meghan is much liked by the British people. But for now, the Duchess of Sussex has another more pressing matter. Does she make one final attempt at reconciliation with the father she clearly loves, or does she give him up as a lost cause? After his latest stunt, many will feel the latter is rapidly becoming her only sensible option, if only to protect herself. Four men faced court on Monday over the killing of 44-year-old Duane Hutchings (pictured) A father-of-five was allegedly shot in the head with a sawn-off shotgun over a dodgy Gumtree deal involving DJ equipment. Duane Hutchings, 44, was found with critical injuries inside a house in Oakleigh East, Melbourne, before 5.30am on Saturday. He was rushed to hospital after his devastated partner called police - but later died. Four men faced court on Monday over the killing - while others remain on the run. Hutchings was allegedly confronted by a hit squad inside his home and shot with a sawn-off shotgun. Tony Panagiotou, 56, has been charged with his murder. He faced Melbourne Magistrates Court along with sons John, 18, George, 22, and 24-year-old Jonathan Atalalis, who are each charged with trespassing with intent to assault while carrying metal batons. The trio is also accused of intentionally and recklessly causing injury to Mr Hutchings, and assaulting him with a baton. The court was told John Panagiotou operates a sound equipment hire company called Love It Loud - Dj Equipment & Party Hire. Equipment was dropped to a woman's home on Saturday, who then allegedly advertised it for sale on Gumtree. A man who went by the name 'Steven' contacted the woman and went to her home about 5.30am, saying he was happy with the equipment and would retrieve cash from his car. However, 'Steven' allegedly returned with a group of about six other men, who assaulted Mr Hutchings with a metal pole before Tony Panagiotou allegedly shot him in the back of the head. Mr Hutchings died later that day in The Alfred Hospital. Three of the men then visited Doncaster Police Station, saying they had equipment stolen valued at up to $30,000. Hutchings (pictured) died in hospital on Saturday after allegedly being confronted by a group of men inside a home in Oakleigh East and shot with a sawn-off shotgun John Panagiotou was refused bail on the basis the shotgun and two or three alleged co-offenders were still at large as his 'very distressed' mother sobbed loudly in court, comforted by her daughter. 'I don't know who's got that gun,' a concerned magistrate said of the missing firearm. George Panagiotou will return to court on March 7 to apply for bail. Atalalis did not apply for bail and his matter was adjourned along with those of Tony and John Panagiotou to June 3 for committal mention. A man shot dead his wife, baby daughter, and his wife's grandparents before turning the gun on himself in a horrific murder-suicide at a Texas ranch. Five people were found dead from gunshot wounds in Blanchard on Monday morning. Family friends have identified Randy J Horn, 54, as the shooter to DailyMail.com. They also identified his victims as his wife Ashley Horn, their 15-month-old daughter Ranly, and Ashley's grandparents Lynda and Carlos 'Gene' Delaney, both 72. Randy J Horn shot dead his wife Ashley Horn, 27, and their one-year-old daughter Ranly before killing himself on Monday in Blachard, Texas Horn also murdered Ashley's grandparents Lynda and Carlos Delaney (pictured here with Ranly). All five bodies were found at Lynda and Carlos' ranch on Monday morning Authorities arrived at the scene after receiving a call around 10.30am reporting that there were multiple assault victims at the Blanchard home, called 'Delaney Ranch' (pictured) Police cars could be seen pulling up to a property that was called 'Delaney Ranch' (pictured) following reports of gunshots Authorities were called to the scene at 10.30am after receiving a call reporting that there were multiple assault victims at the Blanchard home, called 'Delaney Ranch'. The home was owned by Lynda and Carlos, their friend Terri Robinson told DailyMail.com. Ashley had been visiting with her grandparents with daughter Ranly on Sunday night. Horn and Carlos' bodies were found inside the house, Polk County Chief Deputy Byron Lyons said during a press conference. Ashley had been visiting with her grandparents with daughter Ranly on Sunday night. She is pictured here with Ranly and Horn Ranly, one of the victims in the horrific mass shooting, was just 15 months old Ashley, Lynda, and Ranly's bodies were discovered outside of the residence. Multiple firearms were also found at the scene. Lyons revealed that the sole survivor of the mass shooting was Ashley's mother, who had been in a back bedroom when she woke up around 5.30am and heard 'popping noises'. She called her son, who then called police. She was found unharmed in the locked bedroom after police arrived at the scene. Lyons said Ashley's mother is being questioned so that authorities can better understand the timeline of events. She is not considered a suspect. Authorities would not say whether Monday's shooting was a murder-suicide but said they are not looking for a suspect. Terri Robinson, who was close friends with Lynda and Carlos, told DailyMail.com that Ashley had been married to Horn for 'three or four years now' Robinson said that Ashley was very close to her grandparents and visited them often at their ranch. Lynda is pictured here with Ranly Terri Robinson, who was close friends with Lynda and Carlos, told DailyMail.com that Ashley had been married to Horn for 'three or four years now'. Robinson said that Ashley visited her grandparents a lot and that she had heard speculation over why she had gone to Delaney Ranch on Sunday night. 'I was told that she was probably leaving him,' Robinson added. Robinson said she had met Horn once and immediately had a bad feeling about him. 'He was a lot older than her,' she said. 'I didn't know Randy, so I couldn't make a judgement on him at the time. It's just a vibe I had.' Robinson said she had met Horn once and immediately had a bad feeling about him. 'He was a lot older than her,' she said. 'It's just a vibe I had' Misty Robinson said Ashley and Horn had named Randy after a mixture of both of their names 'It just breaks my heart... to know that little precious girl is gone too. She didn't even get to really start her life,' Robinson said Misty, Ashley's best friend of 16 years, told DailyMail.com she had once seen Randy become aggressive after a night of drinking Misty Robinson, Ashley's best friend of 16 years, told DailyMail.com she had once seen Randy become aggressive after a night of drinking. 'I hung out with them both but I didn't know him that well,' she said. 'He got drunk when I hung out with them once and kept wanting to fight someone in the bar.' Just hours before he turned a gun on his family, Randy had been at a bar called Players to play poker. He posted a photo of the floor at the bar covered with splotches of blood. Just hours before he turned a gun on his family, Randy had been at a bar called Players to play poker. He posted a photo of the floor at the bar covered with splotches of blood On the same day, Horn wrote a chilling Facebook post about how it was 'time to pay up for all the bad decisions you made in life'. It's unclear who the post was directed at 'And this is why I can't be out in the bars at night...blood on the floor!' he wrote in the caption. DailyMail.com has reached out to Players for comment. On the same day, Horn wrote a chilling Facebook post. 'It's time to pay up for all the bad decisions you made in life,' he wrote. 'Never bet your life on someone because you never know.' Robinson said she hopes Horn 'rots in hell' for what he did. Robinson said that the Delaneys were 'the most giving, deserving family I know' and would 'give you the shirts off their backs' Robinson said that the Delaney family had been touched by tragedy before. Ashley's brother died of cancer when he was nine years old in 2006 Ranly's mother and grandparents posted dozens of photos of her on their social media pages, as did her father 'Because that family was the most giving, deserving family I know,' she said. 'They would give you the shirts off their backs. 'It just breaks my heart. It wasn't long ago that Lynda and Ashley came over with Ranly and to know that little precious girl is gone too. She didn't even get to really start her life.' Robinson said that the Delaney family had been touched by tragedy before. Ashley's brother had died of cancer when he was just nine years old in 2006. Ashley's parents had lost another child before that to SIDS. 'Ashley was strong, so strong,' Misty added. 'We've been through the worst walks in life together.' Robinson described Carlos and Lynda as 'country people' who were 'very intelligent, funny, and happy-go-lucky' Robinson said that when Ashley smiled, 'everyone smiled'. 'She had a very beautiful smile,' she added. Misty said Ashley was 'so strong' Robinson described Carlos and Lynda as 'country people' who were 'very intelligent, funny, and happy-go-lucky'. 'Gene had been fighting cancer,' she said, using Carlos' nickname. 'And Lynda was a great, great person. She could bring a smile to your face.' 'When Ashley smiled, everyone smiled. She had a very beautiful smile.' 'They are going to be very, very, missed. And Gene and Lynda's three children are going to have to pick up the pieces and go on.' Gender-neutral bathrooms, toilets and showers should be made available after catastrophic bushfires and floods, a taxpayer-funded health booklet says. The Gender and Emergency Management Guidelines, developed in 2016, call on authorities to consider amenities 'beyond male and female'. 'These guidelines are designed to address the needs of women, men, and everyone of diverse gender and sexual identities, including LGBTI people, and to minimise the negative impact of gender stereotypes on all members of the community,' it said. Gender-neutral bathrooms, toilets and showers should be made available after catastrophic bushfires and floods, a taxpayer-funded health booklet says (stock image) The 'Australian government initiative' guidelines, developed by Monash University and the rural Victorian group Women's Health Goulburn North East, said gender-neutral bathrooms were 'an option for transgender and intersex people to reduce fears and vulnerability'. It also recommended that official forms for natural disaster survivors include an 'x' category for those of 'indeterminate' or 'unspecified' sex. The androgynous rules didn't end there, with the guidelines recommending gender-neutral instructions on how to prepare for an emergency. 'Employ professional support to update household guides for emergency preparedness with a gender lens to ensure the different needs of women, men, and everyone of diverse gender and sexual identities, including LGBTI people, are covered in preparing for an emergency,' it said. The Centre for Independent Studies, a centre-right think tank, said the emergency management guidelines were a form of divisive identity politics pushed by hard-left lobby groups. 'It's a weird priority to have for emergency services dedicated to protecting life and limb of everyone regardless of their identity,' the group's senior research fellow Dr Jeremy Sammut told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday. Gender and Emergency Management Guidelines call on authorities to consider amenities 'beyond male and female' (Townsville 2019 floods, left, and Tasmania's Gordon Dam bushfires, right) 'At some point in society, we need to focus on what we have in common rather than the constant drive to divide us by sensitising everybody to these issues in a way that is fundamentally divisive and basically unhelpful to the core purpose of what emergency services should be doing.' Dr Sammut said the guidelines also wrongly assumed most people were bigoted towards those who were different, with human resources departments of government agencies and big corporations often driving this agenda. 'The best way to deal with these things is to promote the old-fashioned belief you treat everybody in a respectful fashion in a way you would want to be treated yourself,' he said. 'I don't think we need to have gender-sensitivity training. 'It's a matter of trusting in the basic decency of people to do the right thing.' Advertisement Black cab drivers brought parts of central London to a standstill today as they continued their ongoing protest about the Mayor of London's plans to ban them from driving on roads in parts of the capital. The drivers caused gridlock for the third time in a week by lining their cars along Parliament Square and surrounding streets. The cabbies are demonstrating against plans - supported by Sadiq Khan and Transport for London - to make key routes in the capital open to only buses and bikes. The black cab caused gridlock for the third time in a week by lining their cars along Parliament Square and surrounding streets. It is proposed black cabs should be banned from a section of Tooley and Tottenham Court Road. They have already been banned from the Bank junction in central London Black cab drivers brought central London to a standstill today as they continued their protest about plans to ban them from driving on roads in parts of the capita The plans form part of Sadiq Khan's 'Healthy Streets' strategy which aims to enable more people to walk, cycle and use public transport by making London's streets healthier, safer and more welcoming. Pictured two protesters hold up a banner which appeals to TFL to stop banning black from London's roads All other vehicles, including black cabs, will be banned from roads including Tottenham Court Road, Tooley Street near London Bridge and a major junction in the City of London. Cabbies, many waving placards declaring 'where buses go, we go', demand to be allowed to use the roads as well. The controversial road changes are driven by individual London boroughs, but are supported by the mayor-controlled TfL as part of City Hall's desire to clamp down on air pollution. They include Camden Council's 35million project to reduce congestion and improve air quality by banning cars, lorries and black cabs from Tottenham Court Road. Only buses and bicycles will be permitted to use the road between 8am and 7pm from Monday to Saturday, with drivers who breach the restriction facing a 130 fine. Pictured: The proposed boundaries of the original zone would leave outer London boroughs such as Brent in the west and Barking and Dagenham in the east out of the area Planners hope that the zone will stretch out o the farthest flung reaches of London by October 2020, when it will take in boroughs such as Bromley and Enfield Southwark Council is also proposing to change the layout of Tooley Street near London Bridge which would see a section of it restricted to buses and cycles only. There is also anger by drivers over the decision in 2017 to ban all traffic except buses and bicycles from Bank junction in central between 7am and 7pm on weekdays. The drivers believe that bans on them using the roads are threatening their livelihoods and could make congestion and levels of pollution worse. The plans form part of Labour mayor Mr Khan's 'Healthy Streets' strategy which aims to enable more people to walk, cycle and use public transport by making London's streets healthier, safer and more welcoming. Ben Plowden, director of strategy and network development at TFL, said: 'The Mayor's Healthy Streets programme is making London's streets more attractive, accessible and people-friendly, encouraging Londoners and visitors to walk, shop and enjoy their streets. '[Camden Council's] decision to reduce motor traffic in the area, alongside our investment in roads and public spaces, will reduce danger to the most vulnerable road users as well as helping to clean up the area's toxic air.' Some of the taxi protesters appeared to be objecting to being made to pay the mayor's new Ultra-Low Emission Zone charge when it comes into force in April. But TFL have confirmed on Twitter that black cabs will be exempt from the 12.50 charge - although most other vehicles will have to pay it. Last year, Mr Khan implored the government to give him the power to put a New York-style cap on how many licensed vehicles are allowed on London's streets. In a letter to transport secretary Chris Grayling, Mr Khan said back in August: 'Unlike New York, I don't have the power to cap the number of private hire vehicles in London. 'I am writing to again urge the Government to grant me that power as the mayor of London - alongside appropriate restrictions on cross-border hiring, to enable Londoners, like New Yorkers, to breathe better air and live in a less congested city.' Tens of thousands of cars and vans will face daily pollution charges of 12.50 in London as Mayor Sadiq Khan confirmed plans for a large-scale emissions zone. The ultra-low emission zone, being brought in for central London in April 2019, will be expanded to the North and South Circular roads from October 2021, Mr Khan has announced. They are protesting about the Mayor of London's Sadiq Khan's plans to ease traffic on London's roads in a bid to improve air quality and reduce fatalities, by banning them from certain areas There is also anger by drivers over the decision in 2017 to ban all traffic except buses and bicycles from Bank junction in central between 7am and 7pm on weekdays. Pictured, a poster placed in one of the cab's windows during the protest Last month the Daily Mail reported on the case of Ella Kissi-Debrah, a girl who died aged just nine years old following a battle with asthma. The youngster died six years ago after attacks that were linked to pollution spikes near her home in Lewisham, south-east London. Her mother, Rosamund, has spent four years since first inquest fighting to reduce toxic fumes. The child lived just 80ft from a notorious pollution 'hotspot' on London's South Circular Road. She visited five different hospitals 27 times collectively within three years after having multiple seizures. Professor Stephen Holgate of University Hospital Southampton said last year there was a 'real prospect that without unlawful levels of air pollution, Ella would not have died'. Meanwhile, Kashmir valley was shut on Monday to commemorate the 35th death anniversary of Butt. Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) MP Muhammad Fayaz Mir has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking return of the mortal remains of pro-independence Jammu Kashmiri National Liberation (JKNLF) co-founder Muhammad Maqbool Butt and Parliament attack convict Muhammad Afzal Guru to their families. Butt and Guru were hanged in Delhis Tihar jail on February 11, 1984 and February 9, 2013, respectively. Meanwhile, Kashmir valley was shut on Monday to commemorate the 35th death anniversary of Butt. Mr Mir, in his letter to the Prime Minister said, In a country where killers of an elected Prime Minister were granted clemency and their death sentence was commuted, I do not think it is appalling or disrespectful to seek return of mortal remains of two Kashmiri men to their families. He has asked, How can dead bodies of two Kashmiri men, who lost their dignity in gallows be a threat to a democracy like India? Is the collective conscience of India sans the collective conscience of Kashmiris? The letter further read, I can with utmost responsibility say that should the government of India decide to act upon this request, the animosity of Kashmiris and their sense of alienation can be brought down by several notches. Mr. Mir said that Kashmir today stands on the edge, the reality no one can overlook. In this troubled time, granting our request would be like a balm on old wounds that are unhealed even after so many years. This will also be in line with religious practices of the deceased persons, the letter read. A shutdown called by joint resistance leadership (JRL), the alliance of key separatist leaders on the anniversary of Butt brought life to a standstill in major parts of the valley. Butts supporters joined pro-independence activists also in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, Pakistan and in different parts of Europe, the Gulf and the US to hold rallies to commemorate his martyrdom. Neel Kanth Ganjoo, the judge who had sentenced Butt to death on the charge of murdering an Indian intelligence officer Amar Chand in Bomai area of Sopore in Baramulla district way back in mid-1960s was shot dead from point blank range in Srinagars Hari Singh High Street allegedly by the JKLF militants in 1990. On Monday, the local police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) enforced strict security restrictions in some sensitive parts of Srinagar including Maisuma to thwart protests planned by separatists on Butts anniversary. However, a group of second-rung leaders of the JRL and supporters including women emerged of the dark alleys of Maisuma in the afternoon, chanting We want freedom and Return the mortal remains of Maqbool Butt to us. The police quickly swung into action and detained them for the rest of the day. Earlier the authorities had placed key separatist leaders and activists under house arrest or detained them in police stations ahead of the death anniversaries of Butt and Guru. A newborn baby girl was starved and neglected for the first 10 weeks of her life while her drug-addict parents binged on meth. The mother did not want to have a girl, the Hervey Bay District Court heard according to the Fraser Coast Chronicle. She allegedly refused to breastfeed and would often not attend to the baby when she cried. The father, 43, only provided food for the couple's two older sons and allegedly didn't buy baby formula so to avoid upsetting his partner. A newborn baby girl was starved and neglected for 10 weeks because her drug-addict parents were on a meth-binge (stock picture) He had allegedly focused his energy on improving the health of his partner so she would be well enough to breastfeed. The father eventually called 000 after watching his daughter's health deteriorate, the court heard. The baby was found severely malnourished, underweight and with extremely low blood pressure at her parent's Craignish property in the Fraser Coast region of Queensland in 2016. She was rushed to hospital where doctors observed the girl had endured 'prolonged starvation'. Even when she was placed into the care of her grandmother, the traumatised baby would wake up in hysterics. The court heard this was because the newborn baby recalled the sensation of severe hunger. The girl and her brothers only lived with their grandmother for 18 months until they were made to move back in with their mother. The father had pleaded guilty to child cruelty and was sentenced to 16 months in jail with a parole period of four months. The mother has been charged with child cruelty and assault, but her matter has been referred to a mental health court. Two teenage girls accused of stealing a car and crashing it into a home in Sydney have been pictured sheepishly trying to hide their faces after being arrested. The girls, both 15 years old, were arrested on Monday evening after allegedly stealing a silver Hyundai Excel and crashing it into a residence on Harris Street, in Guildford, Sydney. The joyride is believed to have taken a dangerous turn when the driver of the vehicle, thought to be one of the girls, lost control and smashed the car into a fence of a nearby home. The teenage girls are alleged to have stolen a car (pictured) and crashed it into a property in Sydney The unnamed teenagers attempted to flee the scene but were detained by a resident on Lucas Street, while local police arrived about 10.50pm. Paramedics treated the driver and passenger for cuts and bruises they had suffered during the crash. The girls attempted to conceal their identities from onlookers as they were led away by paramedics One girl tried to hide underneath an over-sized hoodie, and the other girl held an item of clothing over her face. The girls (one pictured, left) where led away by authorities and attempted to conceal their identities Both girls (one pictured, left) are believed to have suffered cuts and abrasions in the alleged car crash Both girls were taken to the Children's Hospital in Westmead for further treatment. Police claim the car had originally been stolen in January from a residence in the Smithfield suburb of Sydney. The Cumberland Police Area Command have since released the girls from custody pending an investigation. In New South Wales you must be at least 16 years old to apply for a learner driver licence. Prosecutors on Monday asked Illinois' highest court to review the less than seven year prison sentence for white Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke who was convicted in the shooting death of black teenager Laquan McDonald (pictured) Prosecutors on Monday asked Illinois' highest court to review the less than seven year prison sentence for the white Chicago police officer who was convicted in the shooting death of black teenager Laquan McDonald. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Kane County State's Attorney Joseph McMahon said they believe Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan improperly applied the law last month when he sentenced former officer Jason Van Dyke to six years and nine months in prison. In a rare move, Raoul and McMahon, who was the special prosecutor who won the conviction against Van Dyke, filed a request with the Illinois Supreme Court seeking an order that would send the case back to Gaughan for a new sentence. 'This is the first step in asking the court to declare that the trial court improperly sentenced Jason Van Dye for the murder and aggravated battery of Laquan McDonald and to order a new sentencing hearing,' Raoul said at a news conference. Scroll down for video Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul (left) and Kane County State's Attorney Joseph McMahon (right) said they believe Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan improperly applied the law last month when he sentenced former officer Jason Van Dyke to six years and nine months in prison. Jason Van Dyke, left, was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison and two years supervised mandatory release for second-degree murder. He broke down in tears, right, after sentencing and: 'The last thing I wanted to do was shoot Laquan McDonald' Monday's court filing was the latest chapter in an ongoing saga that has included massive demonstrations, the firing of the police superintendent by the mayor and the ouster of the county's top prosecutors by voters a few months later. Dashcam video of the shooting released by the city in 2015 showed Van Dyke continued to fire after the 17-year-old McDonald fell to the ground. The sentence was the first imposed on a Chicago police officer for an on-duty shooting in a half century. It followed a jury's decision in October to convict the officer of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery - one count for each bullet fired into McDonald. Van Dyke's attorneys did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday but planned to hold a media availability later in the day. The central issue in the petition is an Illinois law that allows a judge to sentence a person for only the most serious crime when he is convicted of multiple crimes for what amounts to a single act. Gaughan determined that second-degree murder was the more serious crime, even though it carries a lighter sentence than aggravated battery - between four and 20 years in prison versus six to 30 years in prison. Both Raoul and McMahon steered clear of saying whether they believed the sentence handed down by Gaughan was too short, but their filing sets in motion a legal battle that could ultimately result in the court forcing the judge to impose a longer sentence. In a brief he filed before sentencing, McMahon sought a sentence of at least 18 years in prison, arguing that even if the judge determined that just two of the 16 bullets that struck McDonald caused 'serious bodily injury' the law clearly states that the minimum sentence had to be 18 years. Former Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke reads a statement at his sentencing hearing at the Leighton Criminal Court Building Many legal experts say Gaughan was wrong and have pointed to a 2004 Illinois Supreme Court ruling in which a majority of justices concluded that aggravated battery is the more serious charge because it has a higher sentence. In fact, of the two charges, only aggravated battery with a firearm carries a mandatory prison sentence. A judge can place a person convicted on second-degree murder on probation, something that Van Dyke's attorneys sought. Prosecutors cannot directly appeal a sentence but are seeking what is called a writ of mandamus, which can result in an order from the Illinois Supreme Court telling a judge to adhere to the correct law. 'This is the only way for us to challenge the legality of a sentence,' McMahon told reporters Monday. In one of his first moves after taking office in January, Raoul announced he would review the sentence Gaughan had handed down just days earlier. Previously, Daniel Herbert, one of Van Dyke's attorneys, said Raoul was exploiting 'the tragic death of Laquan McDonald for his own political gain'. Raoul bristled when asked Monday whether politics played a role in his decision, as was suggested by one of Van Dyke's attorneys when Raoul announced he was evaluating the case. 'This is not a political question,' he said. 'This is a question of law.' Judge Vincent Gaughan had said at sentencing: 'I assume 100 percent of people will be disappointed.' Activist William Calloway speaks to reporters after former Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke was sentenced to six years for the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald With good behavior Van Dyke, 40, could be released in three years due to the second-degree nature of the charge. Laquan's great-uncle Marvin Hunter said it was the sentence for a 'second-class citizen'. 'That's a slap in the face, to us, and a slap on the wrist to him,' activist William Calloway said. Van Dyke broke down in tears after he sentenced to six years and nine months in prison and two years supervised mandatory release for second-degree murder Herbert said after the sentencing it was the first time he'd seen his client 'happy'. He explained: 'He was happy about the prospect of life ahead of him.' Van Dyke - the first Chicago officer to be charged with murder for an on-duty shooting in about 50 years - got off lightly after the 16 counts of aggravated battery for each time he shot McDonald, were given less weight. If the aggravated battery counts were given as much weight Van Dyke was expected to be sentenced anywhere from 18 to 20 in prison. But the state could have allowed up to 96 years, six years for each gunshot. Van Dyke said minutes before his sentencing: 'The last thing I wanted to do was shoot Laquan McDonald.' The 17-year-old was seen crumpling to the ground in a hail of 16 bullets as he walked away from officers in shocking dashcam footage that stoked outrage nationwide. The video appeared to show the teen collapsing in a heap after the first few shots and moving in large part because bullets kept striking his body for 10 more seconds. Police were responding to a report of a male who was breaking into trucks and stealing radios on the city's 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 video's release. A different judge acquitted three officers accused of trying to conceal what happened to protect Van Dyke. 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. A popular celeb Costa del Sol beach club where Eva Longoria and Pamela Anderson have partied, has gone up in flames. Firefighters were called to Playa Padre in the upmarket resort of Marbella, owned by a friend of Desperate Housewives star Eva, around 7pm on Monday. They managed to bring the blaze under control but initial reports were that the fashionable venue, which boasts a beachfront open-air restaurant and is well-known for its summer parties, was completely gutted. Texas-born Eva Longoria was wrongly named as one of the owners of Playa Padre when it opened in 2017. Footage taken from nearby shows a huge plume of dark smoke rising from the site of the club A firefighter attempts to quell the flames during the inferno on Monday night Spanish pal Maria Bravo went public to insist the actress, pictured lapping up the sun with her husband Jose Antonio Baston in July 2017 during a visit to Marbella, had no financial interest in the beach club. She showed off her figure in a tangerine high-cut swimsuit with a white shirt tied around her waist. Weeks earlier Pamela Anderson was pictured at the opening of the popular summer spot. She turned heads in a gown with see-through panels around her chest. Former Made in Chelsea babe Ashley James was also at the opening, showing off her exuberant figure in an extremely low-cut black mini dress. Other angles show flames engulfing a large area on the beach in Marbella as the venue burnt to the ground Pamela Anderson attending the star-studded Playa Padre opening event back in May 2017 There were no reports of any injuries in the blaze at the beach club, which was closed at the time. An investigation has been launched into why the fire started. Footage from the scene showed flames devastating the venue's wooden frontage and huge plumes of black smoke rising into the air. British expats were among those who took to social media to comment. One said of the fire at the beach club, on a stretch of sand known as Playa del Cable to the east of Marbella town centre: 'It was a great place to listen to music. What a terrible shame.' Made in Chelsea's Ashley James (left) at the venue. Right: Eva Longoria attending an event at the club Several fire engines were in attendance as emergency services attempted to salvage the burning venue A 66-year-old woman suffering from multiple dog bites was found dead outside her Texas home last week. Houston police were sent to the home of Elaine Richman on Friday to conduct a welfare check around 8am. Authorities conducted the welfare check after it was reported that Richman had missed two dog training classes. When authorities arrived to the residence in the 12800 block of Susanna Lane, they found Richman in the backyard with dog bites on her face, arms and hands. Elaine Richman (pictured), 66, was found dead outside her Texas home last week. Authorities said conducted a welfare check after it was reported that Richman had missed two dog training classes When authorities arrived to the residence (pictured) in the 12800 block of Susanna Lane, they found Richman in the backyard with dog bites on her face, arms and hands Richman, who taught dog obedience classes, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Houston Fire Department. Detectives also found two Doberman Pinschers inside the home. According to people who worked with Richman, she was training her dogs for American Kennel Club (AKC) obedience titles. Authorities did not say if those dogs were responsible for the bites on the womans body or her death. Police also haven't revealed the status of the dogs as of Monday evening. According to Chron.com, Richman died of sharp force injuries, and her death has been ruled accidental. Detectives also found two Doberman Pinschers (pictured) inside the home. According to people who worked with Richman, she was training her dogs for American Kennel Club (AKC) obedience titles Richman had been suffering from health issues over the past few months. The cause of death is pending. This photo shows the backyard where Richman was found last week Photos on Richman's Facebook page, shows her with two Doberman's that appear to regularly compete in dog shows and competitions. Richman also belongs to a group called the North Texas Nosework Club. 'Some very sad news. Elaine Richman has died. Read it from a couple of posts. I met her at the OK Classic in November, crated next to her & her Doberman,' Georgann Hughes wrote in the group. According to Hughes, she had just seen Richman in Tyler, Texas, last weekend. 'I dont know any details, but in November she had talked about upcoming heart surgery to get a stint. Please keep her & her family & friends in your prayers,' Hughes added. Several people in the group who had worked with or met Richman in the past commented on Hughes' post One Facebook user said Richman had fallen during the 'Paris trials' last November. Another user said Richman had 'another recent fall with bad complications'. Theresa Nail, who has handled one of Richman's Dobermans in competitions, told Chron.com that Richman's dogs were 'champions' that were very well-behaved and sweet. Richman's cause of death is pending. are within their rights to stop working if the mercury exceeds 35C Tradesmen in Sydney are being encouraged to take today off as a scorching heatwave continues. Most of Sydney, including the city and east, is forecast to reach a top of 38C on Tuesday. Workers have been advised they are within their rights to stop working if the mercury reaches 35C - and bosses are powerless to stop them. Scroll down for video Tradies across Australia are encouraged to take the rest of the working week off as a heatwave approaches (stock image) The nationwide Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) previously told its 100,000-plus members to avoid working in 'dangerous' heat. 'Once the temperature reaches 35C or a humidity level above 75 per cent, there will be an orderly cessation of work and preparations for safe completions of critical tasks currently underway,' a guide produced by the union reads. 'Work should be programmed in such a way as to reduce the risk of heat stress. 'Sufficient numbers of workers should be engaged to allow rotation of workers in periods of heat.' Employers will also be required to provide easy access to cool drinking water for workers, and to reduce physical activity where possible. Bondi Beach is sure to attract thousands of beach goers the next few days due to Sydney's heatwave (stock image) 'In addition, rest breaks [to be provided] as needed by an individual. Individuals should not be discouraged from taking needed rest breaks,' the CFMEU guide said. 'Is it expected mandated breaks of ''smoko'' and lunch be adhered to.' An OHS Reps guide to working in the heat advises workers that employers are 'expected to prevent your workplace being uncomfortably hot'. 'Your employer has a duty of care under the Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Act (2004) to provide a healthy and safe workplace,' the guide reads. '35C to 40C is considered to be the 'limit of high temperature tolerance' for most people.' Forecasters are predicting Sydney's hottest February day 'for a couple of years' - with temperatures of 38C in the west of the city and 37C in the CBD. Brisbane is also due to boil, enduring 35C on Tuesday and 36C on Wednesday. There is serious danger of bushfires across New South Wales because of the combination of 70km/h winds and high temperatures. The dry winds are expecting to cause dust storms in western New South Wales where the ground is dry after recent drought. NSW Rural Fire Service has implemented a total fire ban across the state. A tweet read: 'A statewide Total Fire Ban is now in force. 'There are difficult and dangerous fire conditions across NSW today so remember: No fires out in the open. 'All fire permits are suspended. Don't throw lit cigarette butts. Report any unattended fires quickly to Triple Zero (000)' Newcastle will be even hotter than Sydney with the mercury hitting 39C. Sky News meteorologist Tom Saunders said: 'Right now we have a hot north westerly airstream spreading heat from the interior right down the south east coast with Sydney looking at hottest February day for at least a couple of years.' 'For the NSW coastline, those maximums are more than 10 degrees above average'. In Victoria, however, the conditions are rather wintry. Melbourne's CBD will only reach 21C on Tuesday while Ballarat will fall to as low as 8C at night. Sydney will swelter in 38C heat today while Melbourne cools to a lowly 21C. Forecasters are predicting Sydney's hottest February day 'for a couple of years' - with temperatures of 38C in the city's west and 37C in the CBD. Brisbane is also due to boil, enduring 35C on Tuesday and 36C on Wednesday. There is serious danger of bushfires across New South Wales because of the combination of 90km/h winds, low humidity and high temperatures. There are also fears lightning strikes could trigger fires as danger levels are upgraded to severe. The dry winds are expected to cause dust storms in western New South Wales where the ground is dry due to the recent drought - and they may blow eastwards. Heating up: Sydney will swelter in 38C heat today while Melbourne cools to a lowly 21C Contrast: Conditions in Victoria are more suited to winter, with Melbourne's CBD only reaching 21C on Tuesday On Tuesday morning Sydney heated up while Melbourne struggled to reach 20C The NSW Rural Fire Service has implemented a total fire ban across the state. A tweet from the service read: 'A statewide Total Fire Ban is now in force. 'There are difficult and dangerous fire conditions across NSW today so remember: No fires out in the open. 'All fire permits are suspended. Don't throw lit cigarette butts. Report any unattended fires quickly to Triple Zero (000)' Newcastle will be even hotter than Sydney with the mercury hitting 39C. The NSW Rural Fire Service has implemented a total fire ban across the state. Pictured: Bondi Beach Ballarat in central western Victoria will fall to as low as 8C at night. Pictured: A pedestrian crosses Victoria Parade in Melbourne Sky News meteorologist Tom Saunders said: 'Right now we have a hot north-westerly air stream spreading heat from the interior right down the south east coast with Sydney looking at its hottest February day for at least a couple of years. 'For the NSW coastline, those maximums are more than 10 degrees above average.' In Victoria, however, the conditions are more suited to winter. Melbourne's CBD will only reach 21C on Tuesday while Ballarat will fall to as low as 8C at night. There will also be winds of up to 100km/h and the Alps could even see snow and temperatures as low as -3C come nightfall. 'As the cold front comes through, precipitation and strong gale force winds could whip across Alpine areas and there could be widespread showers,' Mr Saunders said. The Bureau of Meteorology issued a weather warning due to the winds. A statement read: 'Damaging winds, averaging 50 to 70km/h with peak gusts of around 100km/h are expected to develop during Tuesday morning over Alpine areas of the North East, East Gippsland and West and South Gippsland districts.' Perth will be sunny and 27C at peak temperature on Tuesday while Hobart will be 20C. There will also be winds of up to 100km/h and the Victorian Alps could even see snow and temperatures as low as -3C come nightfall. Pictured: Melbourne 'As the cold front comes through, precipitation and strong gale force winds could whip across Alpine areas and there could be widespread showers,' a forecaster said. Pictured: Melbourne Meanwhile, north Queensland is set to see temperatures of 36C and sunshine - a huge relief after the area was hit by 1.4 metres of rain in two weeks. Residents are still recovering after an unprecedented two-week weather event dumped more than a year's rain on large swathes of the state. Exhausted graziers have been left with a grisly clean-up after receding floodwaters in north Queensland left behind hundreds of thousands of rotting cattle carcasses. Bodies are lying in swampy paddocks and there are concerns over a plague of vermin that may come to feed on the dead livestock. On Eddington Station, near Julia Creek west of Townsville, where about 2,000 cattle died, Rachael Anderson says the loss of so many animals will affect the station's ability to survive. 'We (won't be able to) get loans because we've got nothing to borrow against, none of us have got anything left,' she told AAP. 'I can provide for my family right now. But in six months time or when the bank comes for their repayment, I don't know what I'm going to do.' Farmers across flood-ravaged Queensland could be left millions of dollars out of pocket as receding waters leave behind destroyed crops, livestock (pictured) and livelihoods The rotten stench has well and truly set in on Ms Anderson's station, and farmers are still trying to work out what they will do with their dead livestock. 'There are feral pigs that will come and eat that, there are feral cats that will come and eat that, and there will probably be a plague of them after this,' she said. Max temperatures on Wednesday Sydney - 37C Melbourne - 21C Brisbane - 35C Perth - 28C Aledaide - 20C Hobart - 20C Canberra - 31C Darwin - 33C Advertisement The financial hit to farmers in the state's northwest and the industry more broadly may not be known for weeks but it's expected to run into the hundreds of millions of dollars. Some rural properties remain underwater, making it hard for those graziers to get feed to their surviving animals. The federal government has noted the problem and will provide an immediate non-gratia payment of $1 million to affected shires, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told the National Press Club in Canberra on Monday. Meanwhile, the Insurance Council of Australia has defended the behaviour of insurers in flood-ravaged Townsville amid complaints they are not paying up. As of Monday, insurers had received 13,900 claims from Townsville, with losses estimated at $170 million. At Groper Creek, south of Townsville, police are still searching for a 35-year-old man who disappeared in floodwaters on Friday. Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris, who launched her presidential campaign last month, said Monday that she won't waste time and energy defending herself against claims that she's not 'black' enough to represent African-Americans in the White House. Harris is the daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants and spent her high school years living in Canada. She has ducked the label 'African-American,' identifying as 'black' or, simply, as 'American.' But her Indian mother, she writes in her autobiography 'The Truths We Hold,' always 'understood very well that she was raising two black daughters. She knew that her adopted homeland would see Maya and me as black girls, and she was determined to make sure we would grow into confident, proud black women.' Harris said Monday on 'The Breakfast Club,' a New York City hip-hop morning radio program, that 'I'm black and I'm proud of being black. I was born black. I will die black, and I'm not going to make excuses for anybody because they don't understand.' Sen. Kamala Harris said Monday morning during a New York City radio interview that she doesn't have to justify being 'black' to anyone, despite being half-Jamaican in a country that regards dark-skinned people as 'African-Americans' Donald Harris, the senator's father, is a Stanford University economics professor Shyamala Gopalan (center) is Harris's Indian-born mother; they're pictured with Harris's sister Maya (right) She claimed confusion from journalists and critics about her ethnicity is an effort to tear her down likening them to early detractors of Barack Obama, 'powerful voices trying to sow hate and division' who slighted him because of his biracial heritage. 'This is the same thing they did to Barack,' Harris said Monday. 'This is not new to us, and so I think that we know what they are trying to do.' 'We need to recognize when we're being played," Harris said. The senator's immediate family is now multiracial: Her husband of five years, San Francisco attorney Douglas Emhoff, is white. He has two dauthers from a previous marriage. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, another black Democrat, is also in the mix for the party's 2020 nomination. Harris created an instant news cycle with her 'Breakfast Club' interview when she acknowledged smoking marijuana in college, said she wants it legalized and told the audience that she remembers what it felt like to be high. 'I inhaled. I did inhale. It was a long time ago, but yes. I just broke news!' Harris said through a cascade of laughter. 'You know, I joke about it half joke but half my family's from Jamaica! Are you kidding me?' Kamala Harris' parents, Shyamala Gopalan and Donald Harris, are pictured with her when she was a baby Harris also became the first 2020 presidential candidate to say she has smoked weed and call for its nationwide legalization 'It was a joint,' Harris recalled, saying that she remember what it felt like to be high on the drug. 'Listen: I think it gives a lot of people joy, and we need more joy!' she laughed later in the interview. Harris said she has long been an advocate for states legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes, and now ants ot legalized in general. 'I think we need to legalize marijuana,' she said Monday, adding that 'we need to move it on the schedule so that we can research the impact of weed on a developing brain.' 'Not all drugs are the same,' she insisted, while suggesting that criminalizing weed has disproportinately affected black men in America's criminal justice system. Bill Clinton famously claimed in 1992 that while he had experimented with weed in college, he 'didn't inhale' it Barack Obama proudly declared during his first presidential campaign that he had smoked pot in his youth and inhaled because 'that was the point'; he, like Sen. Harris, is biracial 'We have incarcerated so many, particularly young men and young men of color in a way that we have not for the same level of use, other young men. And we've got to deal with that,' she said. Recreational marijuana use is legal in 10 states and the District of Columbia. Thirty-three states have legalized medical marijuana. But the drug is still illegal under federal law turning the pot trade into a volatile cash-only business that can't use FDIC-insured banks for deposits. It has been nearly 29 years since presidential candidate Bill Clinton admitted that he had smoked weed but insisted that he 'didn't inhale.' More than a quarter-century later, Libertarian Party presidential nominee Gary Johnson, a former New Mexico governor, said he was a regular pot smoker but stopped during the campaign: 'I want to be completely on top of my game, all cylinders.' President Donald Trump has softened his 1990s-era view that states should legalize marijuana. He has said he has never taken an illegal drug or drunk alcohol, with the exception of communion wine. His predecessor Barack Obama was famously open about his drug use, recalling in a memoir his teenage friendships in a group he called 'The Choom Gang.' 'I inhaled frequently. That was the point,' he told NBC News in 2006. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton claimed in 2016 when she ran against Trump that despite surrounding herself with counter-culture figures in her twenties, she has never smoked marijuana. 'I didnt do it when I was young,' she said in a 2014 town hall. 'Im not going to start now.' Other presidnetial hopefuls have admitted toking in the past, including former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. After letting the cat out of the bag during a 2015 primary debate, he tweeted: 'Sorry Mom.' Texas Sen. Ted Cruz's presidential campaign told DailyMail.com in 2016 that 'when he was a teenager, he foolishly experimented with marijuana. It was a mistake, and he's never tried it since.' 'Teenagers are often known for their lack of judgment, and Sen. Cruz was no exception,' the spokesperson said. Georgia police have arrested DeMarvin Bennett (pictured), 24, in connection to the shooting death of philanthropist, Jack Hough Georgia police have arrested a man in connection to the shooting death of a millionaire philanthropist who was killed last week. Jack Hough, 73, was sitting inside his Mercedes in a CVS Pharmacy parking lot in Gainesville, Georgia, while his wife shopped on Thursday night. According to the Gainesville Police Department in Georgia, Hough had his windows rolled down when the suspect, identified as DeMarvin Bennett, approached his vehicle around 7.45pm. Gainesville Police Chief Jay Parrish said during a press conference that authorities arrested Bennett, 24, Sunday morning in connection to the attempted 'armed robbery'. 'While Mr Hough was approached, he resisted the suspect's attempt and a struggle ensued,' Parrish said. Hough was then shot twice in the torso. Parrish said forensic evidence at the scene led them to Bennett, of East Point, Georgia, where he was arrested without incident. Authorities said Bennett is cooperating with the investigation. 'We have recovered what we think to be the murder weapon in this case,' Parrish said, adding that more forensic testing will be done on the weapon. Hough (pictured), 73, was sitting inside his Mercedes in a CVS Pharmacy parking lot in Gainesville, Georgia, while his wife shopped on Thursday night Gainesville Police Chief Jay Parrish (center) said during a press conference that authorities arrested Bennett, 24, Sunday morning in connection to the attempted 'armed robbery' Bennett had recently traveled to Gainseville with his girlfriend. They are believed to have been 'seeking employment and housing opportunities'. 'And after this heinous act, they fled back to Atlanta,' Parrish said. East Point is a little over seven miles from Atlanta. Hough, the founder of MSE Branded Food Systems, was pronounced dead at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center about an hour after the shooting, according to the Gainesville Times. Over the weekend, police released a surveillance camera image showing a man wearing dark clothes and sneakers. Witnesses reported that the suspect fled the scene on foot. At the time, it was believed that the suspect may have had a getaway driver nearby. Authorities did not say whether or not Bennett's girlfriend will face and charges. Over the weekend, police released a surveillance camera image (above) showing a man wearing dark clothes and sneakers. Witnesses reported that the suspect fled the scene on foot. At the time, it was believed that the suspect may have had a getaway driver nearby Authorities said Bennett is cooperating with the investigation. 'We have recovered what we think to be the murder weapon in this case,' Parrish said, adding that more forensic testing will be done on the weapon. Pictured: Authorities at the crime scene Bennett was taken to Hall County and booked into the jail on a charge of murder. 'I hope this arrest brings comfort to Mrs. Hough, his immediate family, his close friends and our community,' Chief Parrish said. Hough's friend, Ron Clary, told accesswdun.com that Jack was a fine Southern Gentleman'. '[He was] always trying to help others. A great community volunteer.' Hough's close friend, Andy Piucci, called his death 'senseless'. 'I'm numb. I mean, my wife last night said she couldn't cry anymore,' Piucci told WSB-TV. 'He was a great friend and just a wonderful person. It's just horrible.' Hough was said to have been in a parking lot, waiting for his wife, Gail Davis, to come out of the CVS at when he was fatally shot Hough (left) headed up MSE Branded Foods for 23 years. He was also an Air Force veteran (right), a member of the Rotary Club of Gainesville and also active in charity work Hough is said to have been well-known within the Gainesville community. The Air Force veteran headed up MSE Branded Foods, which developed and operated food courts in malls and airports around the country, for 23 years. Additionally, he was president of the Wall Street Club, a member of Rotary Club of Gainesville and a founding director of the Chattachoochee Bank of Georgia, according to his obituary. He and his wife, Gail, were said to have been very involved in local charities, particularly We Care. A Massachusetts woman who sent her suicidal boyfriend a barrage of text messages urging him to kill himself has been taken into custody to start her 15-month prison sentence nearly five years after he died. Michelle Carter, 22, was taken into custody on Monday after a top court last week upheld her manslaughter conviction in the 2014 death of her 18-year-old boyfriend Conrad Roy III. Carter was sentenced to 15 month in prison in 2017 after a judge ruled that she caused Roy's death after telling him to 'get back in' his truck that was filling with toxic gas after he told her he was scared. Scroll down for video Michelle Carter, 22, was taken into custody on Monday after a top court last week upheld her manslaughter conviction in the 2014 death of her 18-year-old boyfriend Conrad Roy III Carter, who was sentenced to 15 month in prison in 2017, showed no discernible emotion as she was taken into custody on Monday The judge had allowed her to remain free while she appealed, but Massachusetts' highest court upheld her manslaughter conviction last week. Carter's lawyer had urged the judge to allow the young woman to stay out of jail while they take her case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Her attorneys said in court documents that she has no prior criminal record, hasn't tried to flee, and has been receiving mental health treatment. But a judge ruled on Monday that she should start her sentence. Carter, who was sporting a new cropped hair cut, showed no discernible emotion as she was taken into custody but her shoulders did sag as she stood and prepared to be led away. Earlier in the day, Massachusetts' highest court denied an emergency motion filed by her lawyers to keep her out of jail. Carter was 17 when her 18-year-old boyfriend took his own life in Fairhaven, a town on Massachusetts' south coast in July 2014. Carter's lawyer on Monday had urged the judge to allow the young woman to stay out of jail while they take her case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Her mother Sandra sat behind in court as she was taken into custody The judge had allowed her to remain free while she appealed, but Massachusetts' highest court upheld her manslaughter conviction last week. She pictured above being taken into custody Her case garnered international attention and provided a disturbing look at teenage depression and suicide. Carter and Roy both struggled with depression and Roy had previously tried to kill himself. They both lived in Massachusetts but met in Florida in 2012 while both were on vacation with their families. Their relationship consisted mainly of texting and other electronic communications. In dozens of text messages revealed during her sensational trial, Carter pushed Roy to end his life and chastised him when he hesitated. As Roy made excuses to put off his plans, her texts became more insistent. 'You keep pushing it off and say you'll do it but u never do. It's always gonna be that way if u don't take action,' Carter texted him he on the day he died. 'I thought you wanted to do this. The time is right and you're ready - just do it babe,' she wrote. 'You're finally going to be happy in heaven. No more pain. It's okay to be scared and it's normal. I mean, you're about to die,' Carter wrote in another. But the juvenile court judge focused his guilty verdict on the fact that Carter told Roy over the phone to get back in his truck when it was filling with carbon monoxide. The judge said Carter had a duty to call the police or Roy's family, but instead listened on the phone as he died. Carter was 17 when Conrad Roy III was found dead of carbon monoxide poisoning in July 2014. The judge said Carter had a duty to call the police or Roy's family when she knew the 18-year-old was killing himself Conrad's father, Conrad Roy Jr., embraced the teen's aunt Becky Maki outside court on Monday after Carter was jailed Carter, pictured above during her sentencing in 2017, sported a new shorter haircut when she was taken into custody on Monday 'After she convinced him to get back into the carbon monoxide filled truck, she did absolutely nothing to help him: she did not call for help or tell him to get out of the truck as she listened to him choke and die,' Supreme Judicial Court Justice Scott Kafker wrote in the court's opinion affirming her conviction. At trial, Carter's lawyer argued Carter had initially tried to talk Roy out of suicide and encouraged him to get help. Her attorney said Roy was determined to kill himself and nothing Carter did could change that. Her appellate attorneys said there was no evidence that Roy would have lived if Carter had called for help. They also argued there wasn't enough evidence to prove that Carter told Roy to get back in his truck. Her phone call with Roy wasn't recorded, but prosecutors pointed to a rambling text that Carter sent to a friend two months later in which she said called Roy's death her fault and said she told Roy to 'get back in' the truck. Daniel Marx, who argued the case before the Supreme Judicial Court, said last week that the court's ruling 'stretches the law to assign blame for a tragedy that was not a crime.' 'It has very troubling implications, for free speech, due process, and the exercise of prosecutorial discretion, that should concern us all,' he said. The Rafale deal not only strengthens the combat ability of the Indian Air Force but saved thousands of crores for the exchequer, says Arun. New Delhi: Calling Congress president Rahul Gandhi a failed student whose speeches in Parliament, including on the Rafale deal, have college-level lumpenisation in content. senior BJP leader and Union minister Arun Jaitley accused the Opposition party on Sunday of launching fake campaigns. He said a new emerging breed of institution protectors has emerged, which criticise the government the most and simultaneously argue that free speech is in danger and shed crocodile tears for democracy and make every effort to convert the worlds largest democracy into a dynastic one. The past two months have witnessed several fake campaigns. Each one of them has failed to cut much ice. Falsehood doesnt have longevity. The compulsive contrarians continued to jump from one falsehood to another. The Rafale deal not only strengthens the combat ability of the Indian Air Force but saved thousands of crores for the exchequer. When its falsehood collapsed, a half document was produced to perpetuate the falsehood. Little did the creators of this falsehood realise that the cost of producing half a document is the loss of full credibility, Mr Jaitley wrote on his Facebook page. Mr Jaitley further said history will record that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehrus great-grandson has singularly damaged Indias Parliament as an institution more than anyone else, with the Congress attempting to disrupt both Houses, and cited examples of how the Opposition party had attacked and interferred in the judiciary, the Election Commission, the armed forces, the RBI and the CBI. If we analyse Rahul Gandhis two speeches on Rafale, they are based on a personal hatred for the Prime Minister emanating from envy. A failed student always hates the class topper. Additionally, the context of the speeches points more to college-level lumpenisation in content, said the senior BJP leader, while praising two MPs of Opposition parties, BJDs Bhartruhari Mahtab and RSPs N.K. Premachandran, for filling up the intellectual vacuum lrft by the Congress in Parliament. Lashing out at the Congress over its self-contradictory stand on multiple issues, Mr Jaitley said while it slaughters a cow before the cameras in Kerala, it invokes the National Security Act against cow killers in Madhya Pradesh, and labelled the opposition as institution protectors who support the legitimising of illegal infiltrators into India and aligned with Maoists in the recent Chhattisgarh elections. Rahul Gandhi stood shoulder to shoulder with the Tukde Tukde gang at Jawaharlal Nehru University. The Congress was in the forefront of defending the urban Naxals in court. And yet it claims to be a friend of both the idea of India and its institutions. It is about time India and its institutions are protected from these institution wreckers, the Union minister noted. Accusing the Congress of organising the loot of banks between 2008-2014, Mr Jaitley said the party was now alleging industrial loans had been waived. He said the government had consistently maintained an arms length distance with the EC and the attack on EVMs was not merely to allay defeat, it was an attack on the EC. He also said it was the Opposition which first questioned the existence of the surgical strike and then played it down as a routine action which had also taken place in the past. On the RBI, Mr Jaitley said Congress governments in the past had been liberal in asking governors of the countrys central bank to step down. Tony Mokbel (pictured in 2007) is fighting for life after being viciously stabbed with a homemade knife in prison Tony Mokbel is fighting for life after being viciously stabbed with a homemade knife in prison - as it's revealed the attack may have been sparked by a news report which claimed the drug lord was a 'top enforcer' in jail. The 53-year-old gangland figure was set upon by two inmates on Monday in the exercise yard of Victoria's Barwon Prison - the same jail where his mate Carl Williams was murdered nearly a decade ago. Bleeding from his mouth and chest, Mokbel was airlifted to Royal Melbourne Hospital and was considered to be in a serious but stable condition. A hospital spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday morning his condition deteriorated overnight and he was now critical. A police source said it was understood the attack was in response to a front page report which suggested Mokbel had 'lost none of his power' in jail. The 53-year-old gangland figure was set upon by two inmates on Monday afternoon at Victoria's Barwon Prison and airlifted to hospital Family members and friends of Tony Mokbel are pictured at Royal Melbourne Hospital on Monday Mokbel reportedly disrupted an extortion racket being run in the prison by Pacific Islanders, who had targeted a teenager locked up on assault charges. 'All he has to do is say the word, and people listen,' a source told the Herald Sun. Commissioner of Corrections Victoria, Dr Emma Cassar, said on Tuesday morning Mokbel's attackers were of Islander appearance. Before the stabbing, Mokbel was said to be getting under the skin of fellow inmates by talking about his plans to walk free from prison amid the Informer 3838 saga. Informer 3838 was a high-profile Melbourne barrister who had for years been giving information to police while representing Mokbel and six of his associates, potentially bringing their convictions into question. Dr Cassar was asked on Tuesday morning if Mokbel had been bragging about being released. 'He was very confident he'd get out of jail,' she told 3AW, adding that was 'probably' annoying other inmates. Mokbel was airlifted to Royal Melbourne Hospital and was originally considered to be in a serious but stable condition A hospital spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday morning his condition deteriorated overnight and he was now critical. Mokbel is pictured in 2007 after his arrest in Greece Mokbel, who is believed to have been stabbed three times, was one of two people attacked just before 4pm on Monday. A 31-year-old inmate was transported by road ambulance to hospital in a serious condition. The second man was injured when he tried to put himself in between Mokbel and the two men who attacked him. Prison guards are said to have responded to the attack 'within seconds'. Dr Cassar said good quality security camera footage of the incident has been handed to police showing Mokbel walking back towards a unit in the mainstream compound of the jail when attacked. Mokbel is escorted by plain clothes police officers after appearing in court in 2007 in Athens Paramedics (pictured) were called to maximum security Barwon Prison in Victoria to reports of a stabbing at 3.45pm 'He was approached by two prisoners who assaulted him, knocked him to the ground and you can see the footage very clearly, showing a number of stabbing actions,' she said. 'Another prisoner did come to Tony Mokbel's aid it seems, and he was also injured. In terms of the relationship between those two people, it's too early to tell.' Dr Cassar said the jail remained in lockdown on Tuesday morning. 'Barwon Prison will remain in lockdown until we are confident we have assessed it as safe to unlock,' she said. 'This is under 24 hours since the incident, Victoria Police still need time to complete their investigation and then we need to finalise our arrangements before we take any action.' Pictures from the prison showed Mokbel lying on a stretcher wearing shorts and with his top half bare as he was treated by paramedics near an ambulance. Police are seen at Royal Melbourne Hospital after Mokbel was flown there on Tuesday Mokbel remains at the hospital in Melbourne in a critical condition after he was stabbed three times with a homemade knife Anxious family members including brother Horty Mokbel were pictured outside the entrance to the hospital on Monday evening as they waited for news on his condition. Police said in a statement: 'A man in his 50s was airlifted to hospital in a serious condition. 'A second victim, aged in his 30s, was taken to hospital by road ambulance also in a serious condition. The investigation is ongoing.' It is not the first time an inmate has died after appearing in the media. Brother Horty Mokbel was seen inside of the Royal Melbourne Hospital after Tony Mokbel was rushed to the hospital after being stabbed just before 4pm on Monday Williams' killing came on the same day as a newspaper report outlining that taxpayers paid for the multiple murderer, drug dealer and underworld figure's child to attend an exclusive private school through a deal with police. Mokbel was handed a 30-year sentence in 2012 for masterminding a drug trafficking empire. As arguably one of the most infamous men in Australia's gangland wars, Mokbel was extradited from Athens, Greece after fleeing the country in 2006. Police said in a statement: 'A man in his 50s was airlifted to hospital in a serious condition (pictured a police car outside the hospital on Monday) Mokbel was in such a bad way that an air ambulance was called to fly him to hospital. Pictured: Paramedics at the scene He spent more than a year evading police after skipping bail during his trial for importing cocaine. He fled after becoming aware of police investigating his possible links to gangland killings. He was arrested 15 months after fleeing the country and extradited back to Australia to face trail. Investigations into Mokbel's stabbing are continuing, police said. Mokbel was stabbed at the same jail where his mate Carl Williams was murdered nearly a decade ago UBS executive Shele Danishefsky (pictured) was in the midst of divorcing her much younger husband Rod Covlin when she was killed on New Year's Eve in 2009 Jurors in the murder trial of backgammon pro Rod Covlin saw for the first time on Monday grisly crime scene photos of the bathroom where his UBS financial whiz wife died. Several gruesome shots showed Shele Danishefsky's polished toes peeking out from under a comforter and a bathtub partially filled with apparent blood-tinged water. Covlin is accused of strangling Shele in December 2009 and staging the scene to look as though she slipped in the tub, struck her head and drowned in the bathwater. The jurors sat stoically as Hyacinth Reid, the Covlin children's nanny, identified items throughout the bathroom. Among them were a child's potty floating in the bloody water in the tub and Shele's pants on the bathroom floor near a pool of orange-red water. Neither Assistant District Attorney Matthew Bogdanos nor defense attorney Robert Gottlieb mentioned Shele's body, part of which was visible in several photos, including her left foot with red-painted toenails. Covlin is accused of accused of strangling Shele in December 2009 and staging the scene to look as though she slipped in the tub, struck her head and drowned in the bathwater. Pictured: Crime scene photo that shows Shele's foot peeking out from underneath a comforter that her body was wrapped in Several gruesome shots showed Shele Danishefsky's polished toes peeking out from under a comforter and a bathtub partially filled with apparent blood-tinged water Later Monday morning, an analyst from the District Attorney's office told the jury she had combed through Covlin's (pictured) Facebook messages and internet searches for 2009 and found the accused killer had contacted more than 1,000 women over Facebook for that year and that 28 percent of his internet searches involved looking for women and escorts Later, Reid drew laughs from the jury when Gottlieb asked her what a bathroom floor mat was made of. 'How do I know what it made of?' Reid asked. 'It's a mat.' Later Monday morning, an analyst from the District Attorney's office told the jury she had combed through Covlin's Facebook messages and internet searches for 2009 and found the accused killer had contacted more than 1,000 women over Facebook for that year and that 28 percent of his internet searches involved looking for women and escorts. Analyst Aspara Iyer said that Covlin had contact 30 different women about backgammon and another 24 regarding 'official separation.' Of his internet searches, 22 percent of the searches involved backgammon while the unemployed Covlin made job-related searches just 7 percent of the time. On Monday afternoon, a financial analyst with the Manhattan DAs office told the jury that both Covlin and Shele took hits in 2008 when the financial markets collapsed. But Shele recovered the next year while Covlins finances went into freefall. Shele began 2008 with net assets on $1.5 million, while Covlin was worth just under $200,000, according to Biagio Rosano, a financial analyst with the DAs office. At the end of 2008, Sheles comparative net worth was just above $700,000 while Covlin plummeted into the red with a net worth of minus $15,000. His recovery in 2009 was slight he was still $10,000 in the hole at the end of the year, but Sheles fortunes had recovered completely, ending 2009 at $1.6 million, Rosano testified. He said the net worth calculation did not include several big money insurance policies on Shele, who died just days after talking to a lawyer about preventing Covlin from getting any money from her estate. Also testifying Monday was Kathleen Walsh, another analyst from the DAs office, who said she documented Covlins attendance at American Backgammon Tour events during 2009. He attended every event 14 in all between January and early August 2009, but none for the rest of the year, Walsh said. Earlier testimony indicated Colvin was barred from the events by the judge in the couples divorce after Covlin complained he could not afford to pay child support. Pictured: Shele's pants on the bathroom floor near a pool of bloody water The jurors sat stoically as Hyacinth Reid, the Covlin children's nanny, identified items throughout the bathroom. Among them were a child's potty sitting in the bloody water in the tub Last Wednesday prosecutors released video depicting the last time Shele was seen alive. The surveillance video was taken at 155 W. 68th St. in Manhattan, the Upper West Side building where Shele and her estranged husband both lived on Dec. 30, 2009. The videos depict Shele leaving the building in the morning through the front lobby and returning during the evening, entering a service door on the 69th Street side of the building. The later video also captures Shele striding through the ground-floor corridor of the building as she heads to the elevators to take her to her fifth floor apartment. It was in that apartment the following morning, December 31, where the couple's daughter Anna, then 9, found Shele face-down in the bathtub, the victim of an apparent drowning. Biagio Rosana, financial investigator for the DA, examined the Covlins net worth. He told the jury that both Covlin and Shele took hits in 2008 when the financial markets collapsed. But Shele recovered the next year while Covlins finances went into freefall Kathleen Walsh, documents analyst for the DA. She documented Covlins attendance at American Backgammon Tour events during 2009. He attended every event 14 in all between January and early August 2009, but none for the rest of the year The last images - Shele Danishefsky (pictured above) enters her apartment building through a service entrance at 730pm on December 30, 2009. She was found dead the next morning In testimony Wednesday afternoon, the Covlin children's babysitter, Hyacinth Reid, gave an account of the family tensions in the months leading up to Shele's death. Reid told the jury that Shele had related to her that Covlin threatened to 'move her permanently' should she try to take the children from him. The exchange came two days after Covlin blew up at Shele during a Mothers Day 2009 visit with his parents during which Covlin felt Shele had slighted his mother, according to earlier testimony in the trial. 'She [Shele] could hardly hold back the tears,' said Reid, a native of Jamaica whose nickname is Rose. 'She said she and Rod had a fight on Sunday. She said, 'Rose, Rod said if I ever tried to take the kids them away from him he gonna move her permanently.' Reid also said that a few weeks earlier she had heard Covlin shouting from outside the apartment and when she entered the apartment, Shele was sitting on the carpet with her son in front of her. 'She said Rod throw her down on the floor,' Reid testified. Reid also gave a harrowing account of the day she found out Shele had died. After Anna found her mother in the tub she called her father, who lived in a separate apartment across the hall, and Covlin hauled the lifeless Shele out of the tub. Hours earlier - Video footage from 11am on December 30 2009 shows UBS executive Shele Danishesky walking along a corridor and leaving her apartment building earlier that day Reid said she arrived at work to find Shele's apartment door open with Covlin and two police officers inside the apartment. She said she was 'shocked and stunned' when Covlin told him Shele had an accident in the bathroom and had died. 'I just fell to the carpet screaming and crying,' Reid said. 'I was screaming, 'No, no. Shele did not have an accident.' At the time of her death, Rod was 36 and Shele, a UBS executive from a wealthy background, was 47. She was the sole breadwinner and he was pursuing his backgammon passion Shele's Orthodox Jewish family waived an autopsy and Shele was buried a few days later. But as suspicions about the circumstances of Shele's death mounted, her body was exhumed and a post mortem examination revealed a fractured hyoid bone in her neck, a telltale sign of strangulation. Covlin was indicted in 2015 for murder and his trial began last month in Manhattan Supreme Court. Prosecutors have said Covlin was motivated by 'pure, unadulterated greed' in Shele's death, which occurred just days after she contacted a lawyer to remove Covlin from her will. If convicted of murdering Shele, Covlin faces 25 years to life. A bullied teenage girl has taken her own life by jumping from the roof of a Connecticut mall parking garage after posting a tragic final Snapchat video where she 'contemplated' suicide. Hailey Nailor, 16, died on Saturday afternoon after leaping from the roof of the Danbury Fair Mall. Friends say that moments before she died, she broadcast a final video on Snapchat where she deliberated if she could go through with taking her own life. Trolls cruelly seized on the video and reposted it on their own accounts. One wrote: 'Haha. Rest in peace b****' and 'I am so f****** happy right now,' according to posts on social media. Hailey Nailor, 16, died on Saturday after jumping from the roof of a mall parking garage in Connecticut.Trolls cruelly seized on the video and reposted it on their own accounts. One wrote: 'Haha. Rest in peace b****' and 'I am so f****** happy right now,' according to posts on social media Danbury Police would not confirm whether the posts were being looked into but a spokesman told DailyMail.com on Monday that Hailey's death was still under investigation. The teenager was found shortly after 1.20pm, when police officers were called to check on someone who was 'threatening suicide' at the mall. It is not clear if the person who called 911 had done so after viewing her Snapchat or not. By the time police arrived, she had jumped. Luis Lopez, 18, was one of the friends who viewed her Snapchat video before it was removed. 'Before she did it, she recorded herself contemplating if she should go through with it. 'She sadly did go through with it,' he told The Connecticut Post. Hailey was found after jumping from the roof of the parking garage at Danbury Fair mall Karina Rivadeneira, 17, said Hailey did not deserve the abuse she suffered. 'She was kind, funny, and so silly but in a good way. My heart breaks knowing shes gone, but I know shes in better place now. 'My prayers go to her and her family,' she said. It is unclear if Hailey was bullied at school or if the girl who relished her death is also a student. In a statement on Facebook, Danbury Public Schools described the girl's death as 'untimely'. 'Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are extended to family and friends at this most difficult time,' it said. Hailey's parents are yet to comment. For confidential support, contact the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255 or visit their website here. Justin Sampsel, 39, was arrested by Rancine County Police on Saturday after his wife dialed 911, claiming he intentionally crashed her car into a tree A husband from Wisconsin allegedly tried to kill himself and his wife by grabbing the steering wheel of her car and directing the vehicle into a tree. Justin Sampsel, 39, was arrested by Racine County Sheriff's Office on Saturday night, shortly after the crash in Salem, 30 miles south of Milwaukee. Sampsel's wife, Sara, 40, dialed 911 telling officers her husband had intentionally grabbed the steering wheel and steered her car towards a tree. Sara told police her husband had remarked that 'he hoped she crashed and killed them both', before grabbing the wheel. Deputies arrived at 10.45pm to find the car with 'heavy front end damage' and its airbags deployed, having struck the tree head-on. Sara (left), 40, told officers that Sampsel had grabbed the wheel of her car just moments after remarking that he 'hoped she'd crash and kill them both' (pictured: the pair visit London in April 2018) In a public statement, police say they've filed charges of Attempted First Degree Intentional Homicide against Sampsel. He's currently being held at the county jail Officer's now say they're seeking charges of attempted first-degree intentional murder against the 39-year-old. A witness described the ordeal as 'nuts' in an interview with FOX 6. 'If the guy tried to kill both him and his wife, it's pretty obvious he wasn't thinking right,' Jeff Schimek said. 'People don't want to die. 'We've got too much going on in this world, and people don't think enough of each other.' Sara was rushed to a hospital in Burlington, where she was treated for non life-threatening injuries. Sampsel told officers he wasn't hurt in the crash Sara Sampsel was rushed to Aurora Memorial Hospital in Burlington, where she was treated for 'non life-threatening' injuries, police revealed. Justin Sampsel reportedly told police he wasn't hurt in the crash. He is currently being remanded in custody at the Racine County Jail on a cash bail bond of $50,000. Carl Jones, a teaching assistant who sexually exploited a former pupil A 'predatory' teaching assistant who enticed a former pupil to perform sex acts on webcam after grooming him over Instagram has been jailed. Twisted Carl Jones, 38, used the social media site to target the youngster and convinced him to send 'highly graphic' explicit images. A court heard how the victim's father alerted police when he discovered perverse messages between Jones and his son on Instagram. Jones, who has worked with children for 20 years, was arrested and officers also found a stash of sick child abuse images on his phone. Police forensic experts examined his mobile device and discovered 38 indecent images of children, including five at the worst category A. These included four videos ranging from an 18-second clip of a child aged five being sexually abused to a two-minute movie involving a nine-year-old. Jones pleaded guilty to a total of seven offences, which also included pleasuring himself in front of the teenage boy online and possession of child sex abuse videos. On Friday he was jailed for three-and-a-half years by a judge who branded him 'truly disgusting'. At Chester Crown Court sentencing Judge Steven Everett said teaching and council staff could not have known about his sexual attraction to children but added that it was 'worrying' the pervert managed to 'slip under the radar' of education bosses. The judge said: 'These are terrible offences. You have done terrible things. You knew full well what you were doing. 'You are a disgusting man who perpetuates child sex abuse. You have shown grooming and predatory behaviour.' Mandy Nepal, prosecuting, said Jones had told the complainant 'you are amazing' and made references to school uniforms in their correspondence. The boy told officers Jones had initiated the online exchanges. At Chester Crown Court sentencing Judge Steven Everett said it was 'worrying' the pervert managed to 'slip under the radar' of education bosses Jo Maxwell, defending, said Jones was extremely remorseful and had shown empathy following his actions. He suffers with depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder. She added: 'He says there isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't think about the effect his actions have had on the victim, the victim's family and others affected by the case.' She told the court that his arrest had come as a relief as he could now address his sexual 'predilections' and had been engaging well with counselling services. The barrister also said there was no implication that Jones had ever abused his position as a teaching assistant to groom children. Jones, of Chester, was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order. After the hearing, Detective Constable Victoria Hazlewood, of Cheshire Police, said: 'I am delighted that Jones is now behind bars where he can no longer sexually exploit and pose a threat to boys. 'He took advantage of a boy he knew to be under the age of 16 for his own sexual gratification. 'This was a boy that had previously attended a school that Jones was working at as a teaching assistant. 'Jones sent the boy indecent images and videos and messages of a highly graphic sexual nature and incited his victim to do the same. 'He also downloaded and possessed more than 40 indecent images of children. 'I would like to thank all the officers involved in the investigation for their hard work in revealing the extent of Jones' offending and I hope that the sentence he has been handed deters others from committing similar offences.' Chief Inspector Carlos Brunes, of the Chester Local Policing Unit, added: 'This case highlights the need for parents and guardians to warn their children of the dangers of communicating with people via social media, to check that they are using those things safely and to keep an eye out for any warning signs of sexual exploitation.' Labour has expelled just 12 members for anti-Semitism after almost 700 accusations against party members it emerged tonight. Party general secretary Jennie Formby released the figures to MPs tonight a week after infuriating them by saying racism was impossible to eradicate entirely. Labour insisted the number of anti-Semites found equate to less than 0.1 per cent of members. But the figures are likely to fuel claims amid some Labour MPs that leader Jeremy Corbyn has been too slow to react to the anti-Semitism crisis. Party general secretary Jennie Formby (file) released the figures to MPs tonight a week after infuriating them by saying racism was impossible to eradicate entirely The new figures relate only to the period April 2018 to January 2019 and Ms Formby admits the party did not record data before this. Of the group, 96 members were immediately suspended and 146 received a written warning Another 220 cases were dismissed because of a lack of evidence, and 211 were issued with a 'Notice of Investigation'. A total of 42 party members were referred to Labour's quasi-judicial National Constitutional Committee, with five leaving before their case was heard. Of the 18 NCC decisions which have been made so far, 12 members have been expelled, six were sanctioned and the rest are waiting a decision. One Labour MP told PoliticsHome: 'The stain of anti-semitism and bullying is alive and well in Corbyn's party and as long as he continues to turn a blind eye to what is going on the worse it's going to get. 'He's allowed the Labour party to become a culture of intolerance and bullying and he should be ashamed.' But the figures are likely to fuel claims amid some Labour MPs that leader Jeremy Corbyn (pictured on Friday in Coventry) has been too slow to react to the anti-Semitism crisis In the email releasing the figures, Ms Formby said: 'It is clearly of the utmost importance that everyone feels welcome in our party and we must ensure that includes all members of our Jewish communities.' A Labour Party spokeswoman said: 'Jennie Formby, after obtaining the NEC's agreement, has published the figures on antisemitism complaints handled by the Party and published a report on the work the Party has done and is doing to speed up and strengthen our procedures, increasing transparency. 'These figures relate to about 0.1 per cent of our membership, but one anti-Semite in our party is one too many. 'We are committed to tackling antisemitism and rooting it out of our party once and for all.' President Donald Trump weighed in on the controversy swirling around Rep. Ilhan Omar, saying the first-term lawmaker 'should be ashamed of herself' for her 'all about the Benjamins' comment connecting support for Israel to cash. 'I think she should be ashamed of herself. I think it was a terrible statement. And I dont think her apology was adequate, the president told reporters aboard Air Force Once en route to a Texas campaign rally. Trump spoke hours after the lawmaker apologized facing a flood of criticism, following a flood of criticism from both Republicans and Democrats in Congress, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Asked what Ilhan should she say, Trump responded: 'She knows what to say,' without commenting further. It was the only part of a discussion with reporters the White House allowed on record reflecting the political potency of the clash and Trump's desire to weigh in. Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, apologized for using old anti-Semitic tropes about Jews and money in recent tweets - a move that comes after a phone call with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a statement from the entire party leadership team blasting the freshman lawmaker. 'Anti-Semitism is real and I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes,' Omar said in a statement Monday afternoon. 'My intention is never to offend my constituents or Jewish Americans as a whole,' she added. 'We have to always be willing to step back and think through criticism, just as I expect people to hear me when others attack me for my identity. This is why I unequivocally apologize.' Powerful lawmakers including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi hit back at Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. over her remarks about Israel Rep. Omar apologized Monday afternoon for her previous tweets People left post-it notes of support outside Rep. Omar's office 'You rock' and 'mazel tov' the notes read 'I think she should be ashamed of herself. I think it was a terrible statement. And I dont think her apology was adequate, the president told reporters aboard Air Force Once en route to a Texas campaign rally. Trump is pictured at the rally Omar, however, stuck to her guns in blasting the problems of lobbyists and their financial influence in politics. 'At the same time, I reaffirm the problematic role lobbyists in our politics, whether it be AIPAC, the NRA or the fossil fuel industry. It's gone on too long and we must be willing to address it,' Omar said. She tweeted out her statement with the words: 'Listening and learning, but standing strong.' The freshman Democrat caused outrage with a tweet Sunday night linking support for Israel to financial contributions with her words: 'It's all about the Benjamins.' Pelosi and her entire leadership team issued a blistering statement after Omar, in her first months in office, penned successive tweets on matter. 'Anti-Semitism must be called out, confronted and condemned whenever it is encountered, without exception,' Pelosi and her team wrote. 'We are and will always be strong supporters of Israel in Congress because we understand that our support is based on shared values and strategic interests. Legitimate criticism of Israel's policies is protected by the values of free speech and democratic debate that the United States and Israel share. But Congresswoman Omar's use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel's supporters is deeply offensive. We condemn these remarks and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologize for these hurtful comments.' Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) sit during a photo-op with members of the House Democratic leadership team on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., November 30, 2018. All three signed a statement calling Rep. Ilhan Omar's 'use of anti-Semitic tropes' New York Reps. (and committee chairs) Jerold Nadler and Eliot Engel each issued statements criticizing Rep. Omar's comments Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. mentioned AIPAC and wrote 'it's all about the Benjamins' in tweets about support for Israel The statement was co-signed by Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Lujan, Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries and Caucus Vice Chair Katherine Clark the entire House Democratic leadership team. Pelosi also called Omar to speak with her one-on-one about the matter. The move from leadership followed Judiciary Chairman Rep. Jerold Nadler of New York, who issued his own scorching statement Monday. 'It is deeply disappointing and disturbing to hear Representative Ilhan Omar's (MN) choice of words in her exchange with a journalist yesterday, wherein she appears to traffic in old anti-Semitic tropes about Jews and money,' Nadler wrote. 'Her words are deeply hurtful and offensive, particularly as they build on a previous comment she made about Jews 'hypnotizing' the world in support of Israel another old trope born of hate-filled texts like the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.' Multiple Jewish Democrats, including powerful committee chairs, called out freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar for using anti-semitic 'tropes' after her tweets linking support for Israel to money. 'It is deeply disappointing and disturbing to hear Representative Ilhan Omar's (MN) choice of words in her exchange with a journalist yesterday, wherein she appears to traffic in old anti-Semitic tropes about Jews and money,' wrote Judiciary Chairman Rep. Jerold Nadler, in a public rebuke of Omar, one of the two first muslim women elected to Congress and a member of his own caucus. Nadler continued: 'Her words are deeply hurtful and offensive, particularly as they build on a previous comment she made about Jews 'hypnotizing' the world in support of Israel another old trope born of hate-filled texts like the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.' Rep. Max Rose, a Jewish combat vet who represents a district that includes Staten Island in New York, tweeted, 'When someone uses hateful and offensive tropes and words against people of any faith, I will not be silent. Congresswoman Omar's statements are deeply hurtful to Jews, including myself.' Omar on Sunday reacted to a Twitter post by journalist Glenn Greenwald, who slammed the Republican House Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy, for criticizing the Somali-American lawmaker and another anti-Israel critic, Rep. Rashida Tlaib Omar responded to Greenwald's thread by tweeting: 'It's all about the Benjamins baby.' The tweet is a reference to the title of a Puff Daddy song of the same name which was released in 1997 Rose continued: 'Implying that Americans support Israel because of money alone is offensive enough. But to go a step further, and retweet someone declaring their pain at her sentiment is simply unacceptable.' 'At a time when anti-Semitic attacks are on the rise, our leaders should not be invoking hurtful stereotypes and caricatures of Jewish people to dismiss those who support Israel,' Rose tweeted. Rep. Eliot Engel, who chairs the Foreign Relations panel on which Omar recently was awarded a seat, also called her out. 'I fully expect that when we disagree on the Foreign Affairs Committee, we will debate policy on the merits and never question members' motives or resort to personal attacks,' Engel said in a statement. 'Criticism of American policy toward any country is fair game, but this must be done on policy grounds.' Engel also said Omar had resorted to 'the anti-Semitic trope of 'Jewish money.'' The House Republican campaign arm jumped on the extraordinary brushback from leadership against one of their own members. The NRCC sent out the Pelosi statement, commenting: 'Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team have made clear there are no consequences for the anti-Semites in their caucus.' The barrage of criticism came after Omar suggested on Sunday that supporters of Israel in effect buy off political support from lawmakers to get them to back Israel. Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton also blasted the move, and also wrote Omar that she planned to 'reach out' to her directly. 'Democratic Leadership Statement on Anti-Semitic Comments of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar' 'Anti-Semitism must be called out, confronted and condemned whenever it is encountered, without exception. 'We are and will always be strong supporters of Israel in Congress because we understand that our support is based on shared values and strategic interests. Legitimate criticism of Israel's policies is protected by the values of free speech and democratic debate that the United States and Israel share. But Congresswoman Omar's use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel's supporters is deeply offensive. We condemn these remarks and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologize for these hurtful comments. 'As Democrats and as Americans, the entire Congress must be fully engaged in denouncing and rejecting all forms of hatred, racism, prejudice and discrimination wherever they are encountered.' - Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Lujan, Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries and Caucus Vice Chair Katherine Clark Advertisement Omar, of Minnesota, who is one of two Muslim women elected to Congress. On Sunday, she came under fire from Republicans and pro-Israel supporters for her Twitter post that some say advances anti-Semitic tropes about Jews and money. 'It's all about the Benjamins,' she wrote in reaction to a journalist's tweet remarking that it was 'stunning' how much time US leaders devote to defending Israel 'even if it means attacking free speech rights of Americans.'' Clinton responded that she was 'trafficking in anti-Semitism' by insinuating that members of Congress were being paid money - presumably by wealthy Jews - to maintain support for Israel. Rep. Ilhan Omar (left) of Minnesota, who is one of two Muslim women elected to Congress, came under fire from Chelsea Clinton (right), Republicans, and pro-Israel supporters for a Twitter post that some say advances anti-Semitic tropes about Jews and money Omar had reacted to a Twitter post by journalist Glenn Greenwald, which slammed the Republican House Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy, for criticizing the Somali-American lawmaker and another anti-Israel critic, Rep. Rashida Tlaib. McCarthy vowed to 'take action' against Omar and Tlaib, who is Palestinian-American, over their past comments allegedly criticizing Israel. The GOP leader said comments by Tlaib and Omar were worse than those made by Steve King, the Republican congressman from Iowa who was reprimanded by his colleagues for questioning why the term 'white supremacy' was considered offensive. Greenwald, the journalist who won a Pulitzer Prize for breaking the Edward Snowden NSA story, slammed McCarthy on Twitter for his comments. 'Equating @IlhanMN & @RashidaTlaib's criticism of Israel to Steve King's long defense of white supremacy is obscene (McCarthy said it's worse),' Greenwald tweeted. Omar was then asked on Twitter by Batya Ungar-Sargon, the editorial page editor of the Jewish Daily Forward: 'Would love to know who Omar thinks is paying American politicians to be pro-Israel, though I think I can guess.' Omar then responded to Ungar-Sargon: 'AIPAC.' AIPAC stands for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a lobbying group that advocates pro-Israel policies to Congress and the White House Ungar-Sargon replied: 'Please learn how to talk about Jews in a non-anti-Semitic way. Sincerely, American Jews.' 'In the US, we're allowed to criticize our own government: certainly foreign governments. The GOP House Leader's priorities are warped.' Greenwald wrote in a subsequent tweet: 'Sorry, but you're not going to turn the two first Muslim women to serve in the US Congress into overnight Jew-haters because of their criticisms of Israel. 'What's actually anti-Semitic is conflating the Government of Israel with Jews, so those of you doing that should stop.' Omar responded to Greenwald's thread by tweeting: 'It's all about the Benjamins baby.' 'Benjamins' is a reference to Benjamin Franklin, whose portrait appears on the $100 bill. So the term 'all about the Benjamins' implies money. The tweet is also reference to the title of a Puff Daddy song of the same name which was released in 1997. Omar was then asked on Twitter by Batya Ungar-Sargon, the editorial page editor of the Jewish Daily Forward: 'Would love to know who Omar thinks is paying American politicians to be pro-Israel, though I think I can guess. 'Bad form, Congresswoman. That's the second anti-Semitic trope you've tweeted.' Omar then responded to Ungar-Sargon: 'AIPAC.' AIPAC stands for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a lobbying group that advocates pro-Israel policies to Congress and the White House. Omar's implication that AIPAC was dictating to members of Congress what kind of speech is permissible when it comes to Israel is considered by some to be anti-Semitic. Chelsea Clinton then responded to Ungar-Sargon, tweeting: 'Co-signed as an American. We should expect all elected officials, regardless of party, and all public figures to not traffic in anti-Semitism.' In response to Clinton's post, Omar tweeted: 'Chelsea, I would be happy to talk. We must call out smears from the GOP and their allies. And I believe we can do that without criticizing people for their faith. 'I look forward to building an inclusive movement for justice with you.' To which Clinton replied: 'Hello Congresswoman! Completely agree. I will reach out to your office tomorrow. Looking forward to connecting about this thread and more, Chelsea.' Historically, anti-Semites have played on fears that nefarious Jews are 'pulling the strings' of government and the world finance system to sow chaos and unrest. Ungar-Sargon replied: 'Please learn how to talk about Jews in a non-anti-Semitic way. Sincerely, American Jews.' Chelsea Clinton then responded to Ungar-Sargon, tweeting: 'Co-signed as an American. We should expect all elected officials, regardless of party, and all public figures to not traffic in anti-Semitism.' When Clinton was criticized on Twitter for 'piling on' Omar, she replied: 'I will reach out to her tomorrow. I also think we have to call out anti-Semitic language and tropes on all sides, particularly in our elected officials and particularly now.' In response to Clinton's post, Omar tweeted: 'Chelsea, I would be happy to talk. We must call out smears from the GOP and their allies. And I believe we can do that without criticizing people for their faith. 'I look forward to building an inclusive movement for justice with you.' To which Clinton replied: 'Hello Congresswoman! Completely agree. I will reach out to your office tomorrow. Looking forward to connecting about this thread and more, Chelsea.' Omar has been criticized in the past for making statements deemed by some as anti-Semitic. Aside from her criticisms of Israel, she has come under fire for a tweet she posted in 2012 which read: 'Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel.' The tweet, which is dated November 16, 2012, was posted during a period of open warfare between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Christian Louboutin won a seven-year dispute Luxury footwear designer Christian Louboutin has won a landmark victory over claims a rival was ripping off its distinctive red-soled shoes. Following a seven-year dispute, Dutch shoemaker Van Haren has been ordered to stop selling copycat versions of the upmarket high heels. Louboutin has been locked in a legal battle with Van Haren since 2012 after discovering the retailer was selling high-heeled shoes with red soles. The shade used by Louboutin is trademarked in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Last year Van Haren argued that the trademark is invalid because EU law does not allow shapes in trademarks - like shoe soles. But Louboutin has now won the case, meaning that it will be the only company in the region awarded the trademark to make and sell the signature shoes, which go for up to 1,965 online. Van Haren has been ordered by a Hague court to destroy all existing copies of its footwear, which was designed as part of a collection with actress Halle Berry, and provide details of outlets in which they were sold. French designer Louboutin, 55, opened his first shop in 1991 with Princess Caroline of Monaco as his first customer. Louboutin, 55, opened his first shop in 1991 with Princess Caroline of Monaco as his first customer He came up with the idea for the red-soled heels after reaching for an assistant's 'Chinese Red' nail polish to add the finishing touches to a pair of high heels. Most famous for his stiletto heels, Louboutin's shoes have been worn by celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez and Tina Turner. The heels also featured prominently on Sex in the City, worn by the television show's main character Carried Bradshaw played by Sarah Jessica Parker. A spokesman for Christian Louboutin said: 'Christian Louboutin warmly welcomes this new judgement, which further strengthens the favourable decisions regarding the validity of the red sole trademark already issued in many countries.' Louboutin has faced a series of legal battles over the distinctive soles in recent years. A Paris appeals court in May ordered the French shoe firm Kesslord to pay Louboutin damages after it sold similar red-soled shoes. In 2012 a US court also said that Louboutin could trademark the red soles, reversing an earlier ruling that would have allowed rival Yves Saint Laurent to paint its outsoles scarlet. But one year before that Louboutin lost a separate case in France against the Spanish clothing chain Zara. A New Jersey mother-of-two accused of killing her toddler son confessed to police she fatally struck the boy because he wouldn't eat or listen, then dismembered his body and reported him kidnapped to cover up the murder. Nakira Griner, 24, is charged with first-degree murder; endangering the welfare of a child; desecration of human remains, and tampering with evidence. Cumberland County prosecutors have said the Bridgeton woman initially reported that her eldest son had been violently abducted just after 6.30pm Friday. Scroll down for video Shocking: Nakira Griner, 24 (left), has been charged with first-degree murder in the beating death of her 23-month-old son, Daniel Jr (right) The young victim's cut-up and burned remains were found in his mother's purse and trash bags hidden under a shed Griner's home on Woodland Drive in Bridgeton, New Jersey A response team began a search aided by city and state police, prosecutors, and bloodhounds from New Jersey State Park Police. The child's burned and dismembered remains were found in a purse and garbage bags at around 3am on Saturday, buried under a shed in the yard of Griner's home on Woodland Drive, reported the Vineland Daily Journal. When questioned by police, Griner admitted that she hit Daniel because he wouldn't 'eat nor listen to her', according to a criminal complaint. The complaint said Griner admitted striking the child so hard that she left bruises on his face and also said he fell down a flight of stairs. After striking the child, she didn't call for help, but placed him in a stroller and left him alone. Griner told police responding to the abduction report that a stranger had attacked her while she was walking with her toddler in a stroller and her infant son strapped to her chest along Atlantic Street, according to the complaint. Griner told police she hit Daniel so hard he fell down a flight of stairs because he wouldn't eat or listen to her Nakira has been married for two years and delivered a second child, also a son, in May 2018 Before Daniel was found dead, his mother claimed a stranger had violently attacked her while she was pushing the toddler's stroller, with her youngest son (right) strapped to her chest She said her assailant kicked her and she fell to the ground as the attacker continued to kick her in the head and right side. When she looked up, the stroller and Daniel was gone, she told police. Officers soon found the stroller, containing only a pair of red sneakers, a few blocks away. Griner's story began to change during subsequent interviews with police, authorities said. Police said the 24-year-old also failed a polygraph test with New Jersey State Police. Griner (left) came clean about hurting her eldest son after changing her bogus kidnapping story and failing a polygraph test Griner is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday for a detention hearing. A co-worker of Griner's husband of two years, Daniel Griner Sr, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the man, whom she described as a registered nurse working two jobs. As of Monday afternoon, more than $3,000 has been raised. The Griners welcomed their second son in May of last year. Chris Grayling insisted he spent no money on a contract with a no deal Brexit ferry firm that owned no ships today. The Transport Secretary is facing calls for his resignation over 'off the Richter scale incompetence' after he humiliatingly cancelled the deal with Seaborne Freight. Mr Grayling refused to apologise as furious MPs demanded he quit over the incident. The start-up firm had been commissioned to run lorry ferries from Ramsgate harbour if a no deal Brexit leaves the main Dover-Calais route in chaos. Mr Grayling dumped the contract yesterday after Seaborne's backers, Arklow Shipping, pulled out. The Transport Secretary faced further embarrassment this afternoon after his decision to award the contracts at all was challenged at the High Court Eurotunnel, which operates the Channel Tunnel, says the contracts totalling 108 million were awarded through a 'secretive and flawed procurement process'. But the Department for Transport (DfT) argues that the 'extreme urgency' of preparations for Britain's departure from the EU on March 29 justified the process. Chris Grayling (pictured today in the Commons) insisted he spent no money on a contract with a no deal Brexit ferry firm that owned no ships today During an emergency debate on the 'debacle' today shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald (pictured today in the Commons) said it was a 'Whitehall farce' During an emergency debate on the 'debacle' today shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald said it was a 'Whitehall farce'. He claimed the Department for Transport 'took shortcuts' in the procurement process with Seaborne Freight and blasted: '(Mr Grayling) points the finger at Arklow for the contract cancellation - is it really a good time to further insult the Irish?' Mr McDonald asked how much cancelling the contract will cost taxpayers, adding: 'He simply cannot keep blaming others for his own mistakes. This disastrous decision sits squarely with him and his office. 'Isn't it the case that this Transport Secretary's approach to transport and wider Brexit contingency planning is off the Richter scale? 'And for the good of the nation, and for the sake of some semblance being restored to this shambolic Government, shouldn't he now do the decent thing and go?' In response Mr Grayling said: 'I have to say that he brings a new meaning to the words utter hogwash. 'He clearly wasn't listening when I said we've spent no money on this contract.' He defended his department's no-deal Brexit planning, adding the Seaborne Freight contract was 'assured jointly' by DfT and Treasury officials. Tory backbenchers queued up to defend Mr Grayling. Robert Goodwill told MPs any suggested scandal was 'nonsense'. He said: 'We've heard a lot of nonsense about this company not owning any ships. 'Isn't it the case the majority of rail operators in this country don't own any trains and that many airlines... lease aircraft, which means not only do they not own the planes themselves but they don't employ the crew directly?' Mr Grayling agreed and added: 'The fact is many members on those benches will go on holiday this year on airlines that own no planes because that is the way business works. Seaborne Freight was initially handed a package worth 13.8million to run services between Ramsgate (pictured) and Ostend if there is a no-deal Brexit This morning Downing Street insisted Theresa May still has full confidence in Mr Grayling despite the embarrassing climbdown. At a hearing in London on Monday, Eurotunnel's barrister Daniel Beard QC said the procurement process for 'additional capacity for transport of goods across the English Channel' had been 'undertaken without any public notice being issued'. Mr Beard said Eurotunnel only found out 'when contract notices were published three days after Christmas', adding that it was 'quite remarkable' his client had not been informed given its recent history in running cross-Channel services. He submitted that Eurotunnel was 'an operator who actually ran a ferry service three years ago', and was therefore not 'speculating' about its ability to run cross-Channel services but 'has actually done it'. He also said Eurotunnel had 'no knowledge' of the 'advanced talks with a number of companies to secure additional freight capacity', which a spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May said the Government was already engaged in, despite the fact his client had taken legal action. Mr Beard told Mr Justice Fraser that two of the companies awarded contracts, French firm Brittany Ferries and Danish group DFDS, are already 'in the business' of offering cross-Channel services. He said the third, Seaborne Freight, 'apparently intended to do so' before the 'collapse' of its contract with the DfT over the weekend. The plan was designed to ease pressure on shipping capacity at nearby Dover if the UK crashes out of the EU without a deal next month A DfT spokeswoman said yesterday: 'Following the decision of Seaborne Freight's backer, Arklow Shipping, to step back from the deal, it became clear Seaborne would not reach its contractual requirements with the Government. We have therefore decided to terminate our agreement. 'The Government is already in advanced talks with a number of companies to secure additional freight capacity, including through the port of Ramsgate, in the event of a no-deal Brexit.' Mr Grayling last month defended the Seaborne Freight contract, insisting it was 'not a risk'. It was one of three firms awarded contracts totalling 108million in late December to lay on additional crossings to ease the pressure on Dover when Britain leaves the EU, despite having never run a Channel service. The department said it had been Arklow Shipping's backing that gave it confidence in the viability of the deal, and that it stands by the robust due diligence carried out on Seaborne Freight. It added no taxpayer money had been transferred to the company. Mick Cash, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, said: 'The whole exercise is a complete and utter shambles, with the Government ignoring union calls on what needs to happen. 'Instead they are blundering on from crisis to crisis.' Students union warns of unrest, says govt should not introduce Bill in RS. Guwahati: The National Peoples Party (NPP) led by Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma has threatened to sever ties with BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) while the North East Students Organisation (NESO) has warned of unrest in the whole of the Northeast if the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is passed in the Rajya Sabha. Mr Sangma, who left for New Delhi on Sunday, said that he would be making this announcement if the Centre decides to go ahead with the contentious bill in the Rajya Sabha. He pointed out that the NPP is part of the government in four states in the Northeast and the people of the region have trust that his party would take the lead in addressing the issues. It is significant that if the party pulls out of NDA, it may affect the stability of the government in Manipur as four NPP members are supporting the BJP-led government. The NPP leader and deputy chief minister of Manipur, Y. Joykumar Singh, said that if the NPP pulls out of the NDA government, it may lead to the collapse of the government in his state. Meanwhile on Sunday, a delegation of NESO left for New Delhi to mobilise support among the various political parties to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Bill. Earlier in a statement, NESO chairman Samuel Jyrwa reiterated that the government should not introduce the bill in the Rajya Sabha and in case it is passed, there will be unrest in the Northeast. The government of India should take the blame and be responsible for any eventuality and it will also further alienate the people of the Northeast, he said. Reiterating its strong opposition to the bill, the NESO leadership added that this is another example of political injustice and only goes to show that the Centre has no regard for the indigenous people of the region. It added that the move is intentionally made to reduce them to a minority in their own land. The bill was passed in the Lok Sabha in spite of wide protest not only by the indigenous people of the Northeast, but also by some state governments and various political parties. A judge praised the 'remarkable bravery' of an 85-year-old Korean veteran and his wife who sat on a violent house burglar when he tried to steal his prized model railway collection. Former railway worker John Headington, and his wife Susan, 57, managed to sit on intruder Robert Barnes, 28, for ten minutes until police arrived at their South Lincolnshire detached cottage. Barnes was carrying a metal butter knife in the front pocket of his jacket and had used a brick to smash his way in to the rural property while the couple slept, a court heard. Korean veteran John Headington (pictured), 85, and his wife Susan, 57, managed to sit on intruder Robert Barnes, 28, for ten minutes until police arrived at their South Lincolnshire cottage Mrs Headington was woken at 1am by the sound of Barnes breaking in through their kitchen door, Lincoln Crown Court was told. Andrew Scott, prosecuting, said Mrs Headington saw the light on in the upstairs room where her retired husband kept his prized model railway collection and decided to ring the police. Mr Headington, who served in the Korean War and has had two hip replacements, got Barnes in a bear hug as he emerged from the room carrying some of his most valuable model trains. 'Barnes barged past Mr Headington who fell backwards against the landing wall, Mr Scott told the court. 'As Barnes continued down the stairs he ripped the phone from Mrs Headington but then fell down and rolled on to the floor near some cupboards. 'Mrs Headington sat on Barnes and was joined by her husband who had blood on his arm. He also sat on Barnes and they remained on top of him until the police arrived.' Barnes was found to be drunk and told officers he had to commit the burglary to survive because he was homeless. A metal butter knife and some of Mr Headington's train collection were recovered from Barnes on his arrest. Barnes, 28, was sentenced to two years imprisonment for burglary and an extra four months for the knife offence During interview, Barnes claimed to have no memory of the burglary after drinking a litre of vodka and whiskey. The court heard Barnes had previous convictions for obstructing a police officer, possessing criminal property and supplying cannabis. Moving victim impact statements from Mr and Mrs Headington were read out during the hearing. Mr Scott added: 'Mr Headington was a lifelong railway worker and since his retirement has expressed his affection for his job through two model railways in his home. 'Four of the engines taken in the burglary were valued at 500 and five of the carriages at 200. 'The engines were of particular sentimental value as they were models of trains Mr Headington worked on as a young lad. 'Mr Headington has sought an expert to examine the damage but has been told the parts can not be replaced which has left him heartbroken. 'Mrs Headington says the couple were both injured during the confrontation and now struggle to sleep.' Barnes, of no fixed address, admitted carrying out the burglary on November 20 and a second charge of possessing a bladed article. Passing sentence Judge Simon Hirst described the couple's bravery as remarkable. The judge told Barnes: 'Mr and Mrs Headington must have been terrified by the presence of you in their home, purporting violence against them. 'They have behaved with remarkable bravery. It is a testimony to them that they managed to hold you until the arrival of the police.' Judge Hirst sentenced Barnes to two years imprisonment for the burglary and an extra four months for the knife offence. The judge added: 'The occupants were at home, you took highly sentimental items and damaged them beyond repair. 'Violence was used against the Headington's. It is right to say it was not punches, but you barged past an 85-year-old man. 'People who carry knives, even if they are not produced when committing a burglary, must receive a consecutive sentence of imprisonment.' Neil Sands, mitigating for Barnes, said he did not punch or kick his victims. 'This was a man who was clearly very drunk,' Mr Sands added. A psychiatrist who was suspended after he was accused of having sex with his patients is still practicing in Missouri. Brian Patrick Lahey's license was suspended by the Kansas Board of Healing Arts in July because he reportedly tested positive for marijuana and amphetamines during drug screenings he was required to take after violating a protection order granted to his ex-wife. According to The Kansas City Star, the suspension also came during an investigation into claims he had sex with patients and improperly prescribed opioids. But it was revealed Monday that Lahey is still practicing and remains fully licensed in Missouri. Brian Patrick Lahey's (left and right) license was suspended by a Kansas medical board in July 2018 because he reportedly tested positive for drugs. Around the same time, he was accused of having sex with at least three patients A spokeswoman for Missouri's medical board told the newspaper that Lahey's Missouri license 'is active and expires on January 31, 2020'. 'There is no public discipline on his (Missouri) license,' spokeswoman, Lori Croy, said. According to Lahey's LinkedIn account, he left Overland Park Wellness located in Kansas in July 2018. He's now listed as a medical practitioner at Up + Up Solutions in Kansas City, Missouri. A DailyMail.com request for comment to Up + Up Solutions was not immediately returned. Lahey allegedly violated the protected order granted to his ex-wife in 2017. He pleaded no contest in the incident and served 30 days in jail, according to the Star. At the time, Lahey caused a scene at his ex-wife's place of work and was subsequently arrested. He was then required to undergo drug testing. Lahey reportedly tested positive for amphetamines and marijuana. The Kansas medical board said Lahey 'used marijuana while on-duty and actively working'. Lahey was suspended while also being investigated into allegations of sexual misconduct with a patient. Lahey is now listed as a medical practitioner at Up + Up Solutions (pictured) in Kansas City, Missouri. Lahey has denied the allegations against him. His license remains suspended in Kansas, but it's unclear if an investigation is ongoing The patient, who later became his co-worker, was allegedly receiving opioid painkillers while working in his office. According to the woman's family, the painkillers caused her to overdose, but she survived. The Star reports that Lahey told investigators he was no longer the womans psychiatrist when they started having sex. He said he would 'occasionally refilled her prescriptions when there was a lapse in followup with her prescriber'. There were two other complaints against Lahey, both involving him having sexual relationships with two other women, who were also his patients. Lahey has denied the allegations against him. His license remains suspended in Kansas, but it's unclear if an investigation is ongoing. Talks to keep the government open beyond Friday took a nosedive as negotiators and the president clashed over the number of beds the administration wants Congress to authorize in detention centers on Monday. Democrats want to introduce a 16,500 cap in beds for illegal residents who are detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in the U.S. They see as a way to rein in the administration's aggressive deportation policies. Trump characterized the demand that wasn't part of negotiations before as 'crazy' in a morning tweet and unloaded on Democrats for raising the bar for a deal at an afternoon event. The president suddenly called reporters into the Diplomatic Reception Room before his trip to El Paso, Texas, to witness him blast Democrats, who 'want to allow criminals into our society,' including convicted felons and 'people of tremendous, like big problems,' he claimed. 'These are people who kidnap people. The Democrats want them to come into our society. I don't think so!' Trump raged. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell dubbed it an eleventh-hour, 'poison-pill demand' in a speech on the floor of the upper chamber. 'Its a new demand. And it is extreme,' he charged. This is a poison pill that no administration would -- or should -- ever accept. Think about the absurdity of this.' Talks to keep the government open beyond Friday took a nosedive as negotiators and the president clashed over the number of beds the administration wants Congress to authorize in detention centers. Trump is pictured holding a fact-sheet on crimes committed by illegal immigrants His administration admitted Monday that detention is the 'number one determinitive factor of an individual being removed' and that is why it needs the 52,000 beds it requested. 'They are trying to undermine our ability to do interior enforcement and enforce immigration law,' ICE Deputy Director Matt Albence told reporters on a White House call. He said that the 52,000 beds the administration is requesting is 'really what we need to get the job done.' He accused Democrats of pushing for an 'artificial cap' on the number of detention beds. 'ICE is being asked to ignore the laws that Congress has already passed,' he said. 'It will be extremely damaging to the public safety of this country. If we are forced to live within a cap based on interior arrests, we will immediately be forced to release criminal aliens that are currently sitting in our custody.' Trump claimed after a meeting with sheriffs at the White House that 76,000 illegal immigrants who were detained last year had committed drug offenses. Another 20,000 committed larceny, 63,000 were charged with assault, 12,000 have robberies on their rap sheets. 'Were up against people that want to allow criminals into our society. You explain that one,' he said. 'Most things you understand, but if you want to allow criminals into our society, convicted felons, people of tremendous, big problems.' It was a total turnabout from last Thursday, when Senate Appropriations chairman Richard Shelby claimed after a meeting with Trump that a deal was on the horizon. He was hopeful it could be done by Monday. Then, over the weekend, lawmakers on the Democratic side began pushing for a cap on detention beds. 'I think talks are stalled right now,' Shelby said on 'Fox News Sunday.' Commenting on the Feb. 15 deadline for a deal, he said, 'I'm not confident we're going to get there.' It happened so quickly that Rep. Tim Ryan, a Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, was seemingly blindsided on national television. He told 'Sunday Morning Futures' host Maria Bartiromo that he was hearing about the proposal for the first time. A House Democratic source confirmed that a detention bed cap was part of Democrats' new request by email shortly after. 'To enhance national security and encourage more efficient immigration enforcement, Democrats have proposed a cap on the number of ICE detention beds associated with interior enforcement. This cap will force the Trump administration to prioritize arresting and deporting serious criminals, not law-abiding immigrants,' the person said Sunday of the party's demand. The aide said Monday that Democrats wouldn't accept a continuing resolution mirroring last year's funds for the Department of Homeland Security without the detention bed cap. On Fox News, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer insisted that Democratic negotiators' demand did not come up 'out of the blue,' as it had long be a desire of lawmakers in his party to cut the number of detention beds, 'This did not come out of the blue,' Hoyer said twice after Trump's surprise appearance on camera. 'This is not a tactic.' Hoyer said that Democratic conferees to the committee that's negotiating a deal believe the number of beds they have put forward is 'sufficient' for taking criminals off the streets. He said the Trump administration wants to 'randomly take people who are obeying the law,' other than the fact that they are living in the the country without the proper papers. 'We ought not to have these round-ups,' he argued. Asked if it's a dealbreaker for Democrats, Hoyer was non-committal. 'We didn't want wall money,' he reminded, saying that Democrats preferred to invest in in personnel and technology. He said it is only fair that Democrats have one of their demands met if Trump is going to get somewhere in the range of the $2 billion that's been discussed for his border wall. Trump had read off a list of crime statistics in his Diplomatic Room event immediately prior to Hoyer's Fox hit. The Democratic leader said Trump 'way, way over states' how many violent criminals that ICE is rounding up. The president said he received the fact sheet from Homeland Security. 'These are the people coming into the country, that we are holding and we dont want in our country, and the Democrats wants them to go into our country. Thats why they dont want to give us what we want with beds. Its much more complicated than beds, but we call them the beds,' he said. President Donald Trump is pressuring Democrats to come to a deal on border security after negotiations stalled over the number of beds can be used for detained illegal immigrants He called Democrats' demand for a cap on beds 'crazy' Bunk beds set up in a tent city to hold immigrant children separate from their parents Trump had been pressuring Democrats to come to a deal on border security that included funds for his border wall, which he plugged again on Monday at the White House and planned to make the case for more dramatically in the evening at a Texas campaign event. He was the one whose head was spinning on Monday, though, as he was confronted with the Democratic deal that proposes to limit the number of ICE detention beds. 'The Democrats do not want us to detain, or send back, criminal aliens! This is a brand new demand. Crazy!' the president tweeted Monday morning. Republicans want to exclude immigrants charged with or convicted of certain crimes from the cap, and the issue has become a sticking point in stalled border security talks. They face a midnight deadline on Friday for another extension or a full resolution order to avoid another government shutdown. Conferees were meeting again Monday to try and push forward on the issue. The president is expected to pile on the pressure during his rally in El Paso, on the U.S.-Mexico border, on Monday night. The 17 lawmakers on the bipartisan, bicameral border security negotiation team had given themselves an informal deadline of Monday afternoon to have a proposal completed in order to give it time to work its way through the legislative process and onto Trump's desk. That was clearly not going to be the case as the sun set in Washington. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (left), seen with fellow border security negotiators Rep. Nita Lowey and Sen. Patrick Leahy, said the next 24 hours are critical Trump is slamming Democrats for behaving 'irrationally' He's complained about Democratic negotiators working on a deal to keep the government open A U.S. Border Patrol agent speaks with Central American immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso; Trump holds a rally in the Texas border town Monday evening Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, said Sunday morning that the president will not sign legislation that caps the number of beds. 'I promise you this. Donald Trump is not going to sign any bill that reduces the number of bed spaces available to hold violent offenders who come across our border. He can't do that. He won't do that. And you can you can take that to the bank. I think,' he said on Fox News Channel's 'Sunday Morning Futures' program. Trump chimed in on Twitter to accuse Democrats of acting 'irrationally' at the last minute in negotiations. 'The Border Committee Democrats are behaving, all of a sudden, irrationally. Not only are they unwilling to give dollars for the obviously needed Wall (they overrode recommendations of Border Patrol experts), but they don't even want to take muderers into custody! What's going on?,' he tweeted Sunday. Trump alleged Democrats want to make a deal but leadership won't let them and he blamed them for wanting a 'cap on convicted violent felons to be held in detention' in his messages. Appearing on NBC, acting White House Chief of Staff Mulvaney blamed Democrats for the chaos surrounding the talks. 'It's all over the map, and I think it's all over the map because of the Democrats,' Mulvaney said on 'Meet the Press' on Sunday. Pressed to rule out another shutdown, he said he 'absolutely cannot' say the president won't allow it to happen. Mulvaney declined to say for certain whether Trump would sign compromise legislation during an appearance on 'Fox News Sunday.' 'There's going to be a lot of different moving pieces, so I'm not in a position to say the president will absolutely sign or will not sign,' Mulvaney explained. 'Here's what we do know, the president has to sign a piece of legislation in order to keep the government open. He cannot sign anything that they put in - cannot sign everything they put in front of him. If there will be some things that simply we couldn't agree to.' Shelby said Sunday on Fox that talks were stalled but he was hoping to jump start them on Monday. 'We got some problems with the Democrats dealing with ICE, that is detaining criminals that come into the U.S. and they want a cap on them, we don't want a cap on that,' he said. 'I think the next 24 hours are crucial,' he added. Good Samaritans were caught on camera rushing to the aid of a truck driver moments after a helicopter carrying an award-winning Brazilian television anchor crashed into a tractor-trailer on a busy highway, instantly killing the newsman. Ricardo Boechat, 66, was returning from a university in the city of Campinas when his helicopter crashed onto a truck on the left lane of Anhanguera Highway in northwestern Sao Paulo on Monday. Police also confirmed that the pilot died. Ricardo Boechat, a TV anchor in Brazil, has been killed after the helicopter he was travelling in crashed onto a truck on a highway in Sao Paulo on Monday The front of a truck is wrecked after a helicopter crashed into a busy highway in Brazil A woman attempts to pry open a jammed door and save the trapped truck driver moments after the harrowing accident on Monday afternoon Alarming cell phone images capture the moment a woman and man are scrambling to clear the debris from wrecked truck. The woman attempts to pry the door open but she gives up after noticing it's jammed. The driver was later freed. The helicopter, a PT-HPG model from 1975, crushed the big rig's front hood and shattered its windshield. The chopper's tail was spotted on the ground near the trailer's right side. Investigators hold the tail of the helicopter that smashed directly into a truck. The tail was found on the ground to the right side of the truck The helicopter is covered in flames and smoke shortly after it crashed into the front of a tractor-trailer travelling along a busy highway in northwestern Sao Paulo Television images capture the horrifying scene of a helicopter accident that killed a popular television anchor in Brazil Part of the helicopter ended up in covered flames in the highway's median The rest of the helicopter was engulfed in flames on the shoulder lane and on the highway median. Boechat who was born in Argentina while his father was serving a diplomatic mission in the neighboring Brazil later became a news star in Brazil. The veteran journalist anchored TV Band's main nightly news, as well as hosting a radio program and writing a column for IstoE magazine. The station cut into its scheduled programming to announce his death at 1.51pm. Boechat was also a frequent mediator of presidential debates for his network. During his distinguished career, Boechat won three Esso Award, Brazil's most prestigious journalism prize, for his reports on corruption. He was noted for poking fun at politicians across the political spectrum. Police Captain Augusto Paiva said the truck driver suffered only minor injuries. 'The helicopter tried to land in an access road close to a toll station. But then the truck came and they crashed. The fire occurred because of the collision,' Paiva said. President Jair Bolsonaro, a frequent target of Boechat's criticism, expressed his condolences on Twitter. Boechat is survived by his wife, Veruska, and six children. Veteran Brazilian television newscaster Ricardo Boechat died Monday after a helicopter he was travelling in crashed directly into a truck. He is pictured here with his wife Veruska German airline Lufthansa is trying to sue a passenger for using a trick to get a cheaper fight by missing the final leg of a two stop flight they booked. The airline claims the passenger exploited the ticketing system which places a premium on non-stop flights to get a bargain by buying a multiple-stop ticket. The man was supposed to fly from Seattle to Frankfurt and then to Oslo - but he failed to fly from Frankfurt to Oslo and flew to Berlin instead in April 2016. Lufthansa has been granted permission to appeal after an original ruling found in the passenger's favour, it has been reported. The man booked a return ticket from Seattle to Oslo via Frankfurt, but instead took a separate flight to Berlin during the changeover in Frankfurt. Lufthansa jets are seen at Germany's largest airport in Frankfurt - a major hub which is hit hard by 'tariff abusers' The passenger saved 1,873 when he made the original booking by buying a multiple stop ticket rather than a single stop. He paid 6,224 Norwegian Krone (556) for his return ticket to Seattle. But Lufthansa claims that he should have paid 2,769 (2,429), and have demanded 2,112 (1,852) plus interest. According to German court documents, the case was thrown out because the airline failed to fully explain how it had arrived at the compensation figure of 2,112 (1,852). The court documents said the pricing was 'lacking in transparency' in a summary of their verdict. Lufthansa is taking a stand because it is hit harder than most other airlines by the practice. That is because so many of their flights are routed through the hubs of Frankfurt and Munich. Terms and conditions when buying tickets through Lufthansa do, however, make it clear the practice is not allowed. There is an increasing market among passengers, with companies like Skiplagged helping customers to find deals, the Independent reported. Skiplagged's website even boasts: 'Our flights are so cheap, United (Airlines) sued us... but we won.' There is a risk to such travel, with seasoned 'tariff abusers' travelling with only cabin baggage, because hold luggage is often checked through to its final destination. A Lufthansa Airbus A380 is pictured coming into land over Frankfurt Another risk is that if you miss the first leg of a flight you will be considered a no-show for the others. For example, if you booked a New York - London - Bangkok flight but tried to join the journey out of London, you would have already nullified the ticket by not boarding in New York. However, it is uncommon for passengers to be challenged and Lufthansa will be hoping to set a precedent, as well as deter other customers from trying the same technique. According to Forbes, Lufthansa is the third largest airline company in the world and made nearly $3bn (2.33bn) in profit in 2017. They are the largest European operator, surpassed globally only by American Airlines and Delta Airlines. A Lufthansa spokesperson told Simple Flying: 'As this is a running court case, we do not comment on this case at this stage.' Marquel Anthony Carter, 20 (pictured), who goes by 'Plainpotatoess' on social media is charged with 21 counts of harassment and trespassing in connection with the making of his viral videos in Baltimore A Baltimore man who goes by 'Plainpotatoess' on social media has been charged with 21 counts of harassment and trespassing in connection with the making of his viral videos. Marquel Anthony Carter, 20, who has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers online with 349,000 on Instagram alone, where he shares videos of himself approaching and making fun of people, was charged on Thursday. The charges resulted from the efforts of a member of City Council who had grown tired of Carter's antics, and took matters into his own hands. 'Mr. Carter films his victims with a camera in their face and then posts videos of these interactions on social media to garner likes, retweets, followers, etc,' council member Eric T. Costello said in a Facebook post shared on Thursday. 'He has continually harassed people using ethnic, racist, sexist, homophobic, and other forms of hateful speech and intimidation.' Carter said he 'didn't mean to hurt or traumatize anyone', and that he thought people were being overly sensitive and couldn't take a joke, according to The Baltimore Sun. WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC LANGUAGE 'I know yall really hate me and whatever I say probably isnt going to change a darn thing, but I didnt mean to hurt anyone or traumatize anyone,' Carter said. 'I was very oblivious to what I was doing and was very cocky.' Court records show that Carter, whose Twitter account is now suspended, has two petitions for peace orders filed against him. One video of Carter shows him confronting a white man who he repeatedly calls 'Shaggy,' asking him, 'What you doin' man? You calling the cops again?' It's not immediately clear whether the white man in the video is in on a skit, or is actually being harassed by Carter, as their encounter is filmed. As Carter gets closer and closer to him, the white man says, 'You touch me, I get to hit you. You realize that? If you assault me.' 'If I kiss you?' Carter asks, seeming to try to bait the other man into making a homophobic-sounding statement. Court records show that Carter, whose Twitter account is now suspended, has two petitions for peace orders filed against him One video of Carter shows him confronting a white man who he repeatedly calls 'Shaggy,' asking him, 'What you doin' man? You calling the cops again?' before he kisses the man, who does not appear to give his consent 'If you touch me in any way,' the white man says. 'No, if I kiss you. Just answer the question. Just say, "If you kiss me, I will hit you,' Carter says. 'If you touch me, I'm gonna...' the man says, before being cut off by Carter. 'So you gonna let me kiss you?' Carter asks, before getting closer and closer to the man, and then quickly kissing the man on the face, right next to his lips, before running off, as the man yells out, 'F**k you, man!' after him. 'So you gonna let me kiss you?' Carter asks, before getting closer and closer to the man, and then quickly kissing the man on the face, right next to his lips, before running off, as the man yells out, 'F**k you, man!' after him Carter said he intended to get people to react to him in his videos, and that's exactly what happened. 'I remember growing up watching prank videos, and the funniest ones were the ones where people get all bent out of shape,' Carter said. 'I said, "What if theres content of people getting bent out of shape and getting upset?" That was my goal just to get reactions out of people.' Costello said he received a dozen complaints about Carter in the fall, which prompted his attention to the matter. 'About four months ago, after dozens of complaints and seemingly no end to this harassment, I reached out to Baltimore Police Department to ask for their assistance in building a case and getting charges pressed,' Costello said. 'My staff viewed all of his online videos to identify local businesses where the activity occurred.' Carter said he intended to get people to react to him in his videos, and that's exactly what happened. He added that he 'didn't mean to hurt or traumatize anyone,' that he was playing a character in the videos and that he thought people were being overly sensitive and couldn't take a joke. Carter is pictured at left and right running from the man who he kissed Baltimore City Council member Eric T. Costello (pictured) said he received a dozen complaints about Carter in the fall, which prompted his attention to the matter According to the council member, most of the alleged harassment took place in Baltimore's 11th District, including Mount Vernon, Midtown, Downtown, and the South Baltimore Peninsula. 'Enough was enough,' Costello said on Friday. 'Its not just that hes making jokes. Hes making jokes about race, gender, religion. We noticed in a lot of these videos he was being asked to leave and wasnt doing it.' Costello singled out one police detective in particular while thanking those who helped him address Carter's actions in his statement on Facebook. 'I am grateful to everyone involved in starting to bring an end to Mr. Carters disgusting harassment, and would especially like to thank Detective John Gregorio (who deserves the lions share of credit here),' Costello said. 'This is a shining example of the community and law enforcement working together to make our community safe and welcoming to all.' Costello added: 'Beyond Detective Gregorio, who has gone above and beyond here, a huge thank you is in order to the Baltimore City State's Attorney Office and Court Commissioner for working so closely with BPD to ensure these charges were filed. 'Most importantly, none of this would have been possible without the strong participation and support of our small business community, their employees, and our residents.' Carter told the Sun that he was playing a role when he recorded the videos that have led to him facing criminal charges. 'Nobody thinks Im acting as a character,' he said. 'Plainpotatoess' wont get charged with 21 charges, but I will.' While the case proceeds, Baltimore Police Department is asking anyone who has been victimized by Carter to contact Detective Gregorio by email at John.Gregorio@BaltimorePolice.org or by telephone at 410-396-2499. President Donald Trump got in a shot at Beto O'Rouke ahead of their dueling rallies in El Paso Monday night, claiming more people were going to attend his event than the competition's. Without mention O'Rourke by name, Trump got in his dig during an event with sheriffs at the White House on Monday afternoon. Were going to El Paso. We have a line that is very long already. I mean, you see whats going on. And I understand our competitions got a line, too, but its a tiny, little line, he said. President Donald Trump heads to El Paso Monday for a speech on border security The U.S./ Mexican border wall is seen on February 10, 2019 in El Paso, Texas. U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit the border city as he continues to campaign for a wall to be built along the border and the Democrats in Congress are asking for other border security measures Ticket holders begin lining up outside the El Paso County Coliseum for Trump's rally Workers prepare the coliseum for Trump's rally Trump also claimed 75,000 people signed up for the event in the El Paso County Coliseum, which holds only 8,000. 'We have a tremendous crowd, tremendous. They have 75,000 people signed up. I think the arena holds like 8,000 people, unfortunately. I like the old days when I was allowed to make outdoor speeches. It was a lot easier because you could have very big crowds,' he said. He also promised 'screens on the outside of the arena' for those who can't make it inside. Trump's supporters did appear to sell out the arena, which was decked out with 'Finish the Wall' signs. O'Rourke is holding a counter rally across the street from Trump's event at the Chalio Acosta Park on Shelter Place, a community rec center. The Democrat, who became a social media darling and rising national star during his Texas Senate race, will celebrate the diversity and culture of El Paso while Trump argues for his border wall as they go mano-a-mano in the town on the edge of the United States and Mexico. Earlier Monday Trump promised a 'big speech' on border security, as another government shutdown looms amid a standoff among budget negotiators in Congress. 'Will be heading to El Paso very soon. Big speech on Border Security and much else tonight. Tremendous crowd! See you later!' Trump tweeted on Monday, hours before he is set to speak at the El Paso County Coliseum. The president mentioned the city in Tuesday's State of the Union address, claiming it used to 'have extremely high rates of violent crime one of the highest in the country, and considered one of our nation's most dangerous cities.' 'Now, with a powerful barrier in place, El Paso is one of our safest cities,' Trump said. Fact-checkers soon reported data revealing that crime in the city had reached historic lows by 2006, when Congress authorized border fencing. Crime increased slightly during and after construction of the fence, then dropped again beginning in 2010. It is below the national average on crime despite being across from Juarez, Mexico, which experiences drug related gang violence. The president touted a 'big speech' on the issue, with negotiators yet to forge a deal on border security that would avoid another government shutdown Former Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke is counter-programming Trump's event with his own speech and demonstration march In this Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019, photo, a new barrier is built along the Texas-Mexico border near downtown El Paso. Such barriers have been a part of El Paso for decades and are currently being expanded, even as the fight over President Donald Trump's desire to wall off the entire U.S.-Mexico border Migrants from Central America are seen escorted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials after crossing the border from Mexico to surrender to the officials in El Paso, Texas, U.S., in this picture taken from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico February 10, 2019 O'Rourke, a favorite of Democratic activists who has yet to say whether he will run for president, added to the political drama by organizing his own rally and demonstration as counterprogramming. O'Rourke, who lost his bid to take down Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018, called on supporters to join him at a counterdemonstration Monday evening. He is set to speak at 7 pm Mountain Standard Time, just when Trump is to take the stage. Trump made clear what his emphasis would be in a fundraising email to supporters that went out late Monday morning. 'Im headed to El Paso, Texas, today for a huge rally at our Southern Border to show Democrats how much Americans demand THE WALL,' Trump wrote. He referenced the looming deadline for parts of the federal government to shut down. 'With Congress deadline to fund the wall on February 15th, I need you to help put pressure on the Democrats and become an Official Build the Wall Member,' he wrote in a solicitation for campaign funds. Trump foreshadowed that his speech would be filled with more emotional anecdotes describing crimes committed by illegal immigrants, as well as attacks on Democrats. 'Just last week, an MS-13 gang member was taken into custody for a fatal shooting on a subway platform in New York City. Were removing these gang members by the thousands, but until we secure our border they're going to keep streaming back in,' Trump wrote his supporters. 'Even with this knowledge, Democrats have chosen petty games over the safety of Americans,' he said in the fundraising appeal. Jussie Smollett's neighbors do not believe the attack he suffered last month happened the way he claimed Jussie Smollett has still not turned over his phone to the police in order for them to check that he was talking to his manager when he was attacked, according to police, and neighbors of the Empire star in Chicago are suspicious he was jumped the way he says he was. Smollett, 36, was attacked at 2am on January 29 as he walked home to his apartment from a Subway in Chicago. He told police afterwards that the assailants called him 'Empire f****t n****r' and placed a noose around his neck, shouting: 'This is MAGA country!' before dousing him in bleach. Chicago PD has found surveillance footage of Smollett walking towards his apartment, before the attack, and afterwards but no video of the actual incident has been uncovered. Smollett's manager, Brandon Z. Moore, came forward after the attack became public and questions arose to say that he was on the phone with the actor at the time and that he heard the attackers' remarks. When officers asked Smollett for his phone to check that claim, he refused to hand it over. On Monday, Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told DailyMail.com investigators were yet to receive it or any phone data. 'We have yet to receive phone records from anyone,' he said. But Smollett insisted he had given it to them. In a statement, his representative told DailyMail.com: 'Jussie is the victim here, which has been stated by the Superintendent of Police. 'These types of false stories are wrong and damaging to the investigation. 'Jussie has provided his phone records and multiple statements to police, and Chicago PD has repeatedly informed us that they find Jussies account of what happened that night consistent and credible. Smollett said he was on the phone with his manager, Brandon Z. Moore, at the time of the attack. He will not give his phone to police for them to verify 'Any reports to the contrary are simply false and misrepresent the Chicago Police Superintendents remarks regarding the status of the investigation. 'Superintendent Johnson has been clear from day one that Jussie is a victim. 'We are continuing to work closely with the Chicago PD and remain confident that they will find Jussies attackers and bring them to justice.' In the initial police report, there is no mention of the fact that the attackers shouted 'this is MAGA country'. Smollett performed a sold-out show at The Troubador in Los Angeles on Saturday and declared himself the 'gay Tupac' Moore, who previously declined invitations to speak about the incident, is said to have given his phone data to the police last week and Jussie turned his over this morning, a source close to the pair revealed. Now, the star's neighbors say they do not believe the attack took place quite like he said it did. 'I dont believe it happened the way he said it did. Ive been in this neighborhood five years. I dont believe it, not around here Half the people are gay and the other half are black,' neighbor Agin Muhammad told The New York Post. Another man, who would not give his name but spoke to the newspaper in a bar near where the attack is said to have taken place, accused the star of making it up entirely. 'Its a lie, because Chicago is the most liberal city around. They have cameras everywhere Why cant they find the attack?' he asked. Chicago PD has told DailyMail.com repeatedly that it has no reason to believe that Smollett or anyone else who has given statements about the attack is lying. Other neighbors have also given statements to the police to say they saw two suspicious men outside the apartment building the night of the attack including one who seemed to be carrying a rope that was similar to the one Smollett had around his neck when the police found him at his apartment 40 minutes afterwards. Investigators are working round the clock to find the assailants but are yet to catch a single break in the case. Last week, a hot-sauce bottle containing what smelled like bleach was handed in to the department after being found on the street. It is not clear if that bottle contained the liquid that was used to attack Smollett on the night in question. Brandon Z. Moore, the manager who said he was on the phone with Smollett in an interview with Variety within days of the attack, declined to speak with DailyMail.com. During his first public appearance since the attack on Saturday, Smollett said he was the 'gay Tupac' as he addressed a sold-out show at The Troubador in Los Angeles. It was his 60-year-old friend Frank Gatson who called 911 after Smollett returned home. He had collected the star from the airport then driven him back to his apartment and stayed at home while he went out to get his sandwich. Gatson then insisted Smollett report the attack despite the actor's reluctance to involve the authorities. The United States is still probing the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday, as U.S. lawmakers continued to demand stronger U.S. action to punish the perpetrators. 'America is not covering up for a murder,' Pompeo said during a visit to Hungary, adding that the United States would take more action to hold accountable all those responsible for the U.S.-based journalist's death inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October. After initially denying his death, Saudi Arabia has confirmed that its agents killed Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of the Saudi government. Riyadh denies its senior leaders were behind the killing. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday in Hungary that the U.S. is still investigating Jamal Khashoggi's death, insisting that 'America is not covering up for a murder' Saudi Arabia admits that its agents killed Khashoggi (pictured) in their Istanbul consulate U.S. lawmakers, Democrats and some of Trump's fellow Republicans, have sought a strong response by Washington to Khashoggi's murder and to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The Trump administration had faced a Feb. 8 deadline to send a report to Congress on who was responsible for Khashoggi's death and whether the U.S. government would impose sanctions on those behind the killing. Ahead of the deadline, a group of Republican and Democratic senators on Thursday renewed their push to penalize Saudi Arabia, unveiling legislation to bar some arms sales and impose sanctions. President Donald Trump has resisted such legislative efforts, viewing weapons sales as an important source of U.S. jobs and standing by Saudi crown prince and Trump's ally, Mohammed bin Salman. President Donald Trump (right) continues to treat Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman (left) as an ally, drawing condemnation from advocates of transparency and vengeance Trump is also reluctant to disturb the strategic relationship with the kingdom, seen as an important regional counterbalance to Iran. Eleven suspects have been indicted in Saudi Arabia for Khashoggi's murder, and on Friday a top Saudi official rejected accusations that the crown prince ordered the killing. On Friday, a State Department representative said Pompeo had briefed U.S. lawmakers on the murder investigation but gave no other details. Democratic U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, on Sunday said the required report was not submitted and accused the Trump administration of complicity in covering up the killing. 'This amounts to the Trump administration aiding in the cover-up of a murder,' Kaine said in a statement. 'America should never descend to this level of moral bankruptcy.' Beijing has voiced its 'strong dissatisfaction' with the United States on Monday after two US warships sailed near islands claimed by China in the South China Sea. Guided-missile destroyers USS Spruance and USS Preble entered the waters without permission from China, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing in Beijing. She demanded the US 'immediately stop its provocative actions' after the two destroyers conducted what Washington called 'freedom of navigation' exercises in the area. The guided-missile destroyer USS Preble departs Naval Base San Diego for a scheduled underway in February 6, 2013. Beijing has voiced its 'strong dissatisfaction' with the US on Monday after two US warships sailed near islands claimed by China in the South China Sea Beijing and Washington are locked in a trade war and the two sides are trying to hammer out a deal ahead of a March 1 deadline when US tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports are scheduled to increase to 25 per cent from 10 per cent. Escalating tensions between the United States and China have cost both countries billions of dollars and roiled global financial markets. 'Spruance and Preble sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Spratly Islands in order to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law,' said Commander Clay Doss, a spokesman for the US Navy's Seventh Fleet cited by CNN. 'The relevant actions of the US warships violated Chinese sovereignty, and undermined peace, security, and order in the relevant sea areas,' Hua said. 'The Chinese side expresses strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition.' Guided-missile destroyers USS Spruance (pictured) and USS Preble entered the waters without permission from China, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Aerial view on the The Spratly Islands, one of the major archipelagos in the South China Sea. China has been rapidly expanding its naval capabilities to increase its influence abroad, especially in the disputed waters of the South China Sea 'China has indisputable sovereignty over islands in the South China Sea, including the Second Thomas Shoal, Mischief Reef, and the adjacent waters,' Hua said. The operation was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijings efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, where Chinese, Japanese and some Southeast Asian navies operate. In January, the destroyer USS McCampbell sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Paracel Islands. China claims almost all of the strategic South China Sea and frequently lambastes the United States and its allies over naval operations near Chinese-occupied islands. China and the United States have repeatedly traded barbs in the past over what Washington says is Beijing's militarization of the South China Sea by building military installations on artificial islands and reefs. China claims nearly all the oil and resource-rich waters of the South China Sea and has ignored counter-claims from the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia China defends its construction as necessary for self-defense and says it is the United States that is responsible for ratcheting up tensions in the region by sending warships and military planes close to islands Beijing claims. Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan have competing claims in the region. Fears have grown in recent months that the US-China trade dispute is just one element in a bilateral relationship that is fast cooling across the board, with top US administration officials sharply criticising Beijing for everything from human rights abuses to cyber espionage in the United States. The two countries are also at odds over regional security, including Washingtons overtures to the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which China claims as its own. Naths wife, Alka, had once represented Chhindwara LS seat when he withdrew from the polls. Bhopal: Chief minister Kamal Nath is most likely to leave Chhindwara Lok Sabha (LS) seat in Madhya Pradesh, which he currently represents, to his son Nakul in the forthcoming general elections due in March-April this year. A senior Congress leader disclosed to this newspaper here on Sunday that Mr Nath, who won Chhindwara parliamentary constituency a record nine times, has made up his mind to field his elder son in the seat in the upcoming general elections. Mr Nath is mulling to get elected to Madhya Pradesh Assembly from Chhindwara Assembly constituency and leave the Chhindwara parliamentary constituency to his son to keep the seat with his family, the Congress leader said on condition of anonymity. Mr Nath has already made it clear to the Central leadership that he wants to keep the LS seat with his family by fielding his son in the general elections, sources said. Mr Naths wife, Alka, had once represented Chhindwara LS seat when he withdrew from the polls. Another Congress leader, Jyotiraditya Scindia, was believed to be planning to vacate his Guna parliamentary constituency in MP for his wife Priya Darshani Raje Scindia in the ensuing LS elections. Incidentally, the Scindia-bahu was scheduled to attend a women Cong-ress meet at Shivpuri in MP, which is scheduled to be held on February 19. Mr Scindia, who was given charge of Uttar Pradesh (West) in the coming general elections, was said to be worried that he may not be able to devote enough time for his constituency during the elections since he would be busy in UP. A pensioner who stabbed a career criminal to death when he broke into his home is now facing threats from the burglar's traveller criminal associates. Richard Osborn-Brooks, 78, and his wife Maureen fled their house in Hither Green following the death of Henry Vincent, who died of a stab wound after struggling with the homeowner during a break-in. Mr Osborn-Brooks and his wife, who suffers from severe arthritis, were kept under police guard in a safe house after the attack. But now friends of Vincent are reportedly 'hell bent' on avenging his death and have 'put a price on his head.' Richard Osborn-Brooks, 78, was held on suspicion of murder after stabbing the intruder in his home In April 2018 Mr Osborn-Brooks was arrested on suspicion of murder before being told that no action would be taken following discussions between the Met Police and Crown Prosecution Service. Henry Vincent was killed during a break-in in Hither Green in 2018 His house was boarded up and CCTV cameras were installed amid fears the pensioner might be attacked. It is understood the couple subsequently sold the home where they have lived for more than 20 years in the wake of the death which shocked the nation. Vincent was a traveller who lived on the Star Lane caravan site in St Mary Cray, Kent. Now his criminal associates are said to be 'hell bent' on revenge. A source told the Daily Star Mr Osborn-Brooks 'will have a price on his head for life.' The source added: 'They don't care that it was self defence. They see it as one of their own being killed and they want to even the score. 'Richard and his wife will have to stay in protective custody for the rest of their lives.' Speaking shortly after Vincent died, a family friend said Mr Osborn-Brooks and his wife had been told they faced reprisals from associates of the burglar. The man, who once beat the career criminal in a bare knuckle fight, told MailOnline his relatives are seeking revenge after Mr Osborn-Brooks 'killed one of their own'. Mr Osborn-Brooks and his wife sold the home where they have lived for more than 20 years in Hither Green (pictured), where Vincent died The traveller who knew Vincent told MailOnline: 'I know that Henry Vincent would have killed the pensioner first if he could have got away with it, but they will act like he's the victim in all of this. 'This poor man and his wife won't be safe going back into their own home. Anything could happen. 'There is nothing that they won't do to get their own back on this pensioner for taking Henry from them, even though he broke into the pensioner's house armed with a screwdriver. 'They won't get over a death of one of their own and they won't rest until they get their revenge against anyone who takes a cherished loved one. 'And when I say revenge, I mean they'll go armed with whatever they've got guns, knives, anything that they can lay their hands on.' Michel Barnier today vowed that the EU will not make any more concessions on the Brexit deal - insisting the UK must give ground. The chief negotiator launched a combative attack on the 'negative' British stance ahead of a meeting with Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay. Meanwhile, Luxembourg PM Xavier Bettel jibed that the UK was actually a 'disunited kingdom', accusing Eurosceptics of only being willing to say 'no, no, no'. The intervention came as Theresa May desperately battles to find a way through the political deadlock, with less than seven weeks to go until the exit date. Chief negotiator Michel Barnier launched a combative attack on the 'negative' British stance ahead of a meeting with Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay Mr Barnier was speaking after holding talks with Xavier Bettel (pictured right) - who jibed that the UK was a 'disunited kingdom' Mrs May was today forced to quell Tory fears that she is about to cave into Jeremy Corbyn's demand for a permanent customs union with the EU. Mrs May had caused panic in Tory ranks by appearing to open the door to a grand bargain in a letter to the Labour leader. But her hopes of finding a way through that satisfied Tory Brexiteers was dealt another blow this afternoon as Mr Barnier said 'something has to give on the British side'. Up to 60 Labour MPs 'looking for ways' to back May's Brexit deal Up to 60 Labour MPs are 'actively looking for ways' to support the PM's Brexit deal, it was claimed today. Wigan MP Lisa Nandy said she would not support Theresa May's plans in their current form. But she said many of her colleagues were keen to get a package agreed. The comments came as Mrs May confirmed she is ready to give commitments on the environment and workers' rights as she woos Opposition backing. There have also been claims the government is looking to pump money into Brexit-voting areas to secure votes. Ms Nandy told the BBC's Politics Live 40-60 Labour MPs were 'actively looking for ways to support this at the moment'. Advertisement Mr Barnier is due to meet Mr Barclay for dinner later but warned 'clarity' on the fate of the deal must 'come from London'. Speaking in Luxembourg this afternoon, he said: 'It's in London where they have to find the ways and means to build a positive majority between the two negative majorities that exist today in the House of Commons. 'We stand ready to give all necessary explanations and all necessary guarantees on the withdrawal agreement act, as have already done the two Presidents Juncker and Tusk. 'We stand ready to rework with the British the content of the political declaration that sets the frame. 'Maybe there's a way to explain better, to have more ambition, to put into perspective the content of the accord, and the backstop.' Urging Mrs May to consider the 'interesting in tone and in content' Labour position, he warned 'something has to give on the British side'. Meanwhile, Mr Bettel told the same press conference that the UK is a 'disunited kingdom' where pro-Brexit politicians lack ideas and courage. He moaned that the ongoing uncertainty in London 'puts us in a position where we don't know what is likely to happen tomorrow'. 'The position of the Brexiteers today, to sum it up in one sentence is `No. No, no and no.' There aren't any alternative proposals from them,' Mr Bettel said. Laughing, he added: 'It is, in fact, the same protagonists for Brexit and a no-deal who do not have the courage either to put the issue to a peoples' vote.' Theresa May (pictured in Downing Street today) has been forced to quell Tory fears that she is about to cave into Jeremy Corbyn's demand for a permanent customs union with the EU What are the options for reworking the Irish border backstop? The EU has flatly dismissed calls for the Withdrawal Agreement to be reopened. But Theresa May has promised MPs that she will somehow get legally-binding changes that satisfy concerns about the Irish border backstop. Here are some possible options for how the PM might seek to get through the impasse. A unilateral exit clause Prominent backbenchers including former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has pushed Mrs May to seek a unilateral get-out from the backstop. The current mechanism can only be deactivated through a joint review system - although the EU insists it is technically 'temporary'. But Brussels has insisted that an 'insurance policy' that can be ended by one side is not acceptable. Expiry date A hard end date to the backstop would allay the fears of most Tory MPs - as long as it is not too far in the future. Boris Johnson has suggested he could vote for the deal if she manages to get a time limit, although he also said it should conclude before the next election in May 2022. The former foreign secretary also unhelpfully insisted a legal 'codicil' - an amendment which would run alongside the Withdrawal Agreement - would not be enough to win him over and he wants the whole thing unpicked. Again, the EU has insisted it will not agree to a backstop that is time limited. The 'Malthouse Compromise' Tory Remainers and Brexiteers have been working on a proposal to replace the backstop with a looser, Canada-style free trade arrangements. The plan would deploy technology in a bid to avoid a hard border. But Brussels has already dismissed the technogical solutions as 'magical thinking', saying the systems needed do not yet exist. Guarantees that the backstop will only be 'temporary' The EU's top official, Martin Selmayr floated the idea of 'unzipping' the Withdrawal Agreement and inserting new guarantees about the 'temporary' nature of the backstop during meetings with MPs. He suggested the text of recent letters from Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker could be cut and pasted in without reopening other terms. But that would be highly unlikely to satisfy Brexiteers. Advertisement Hillary Clinton has been counseling prospective 2020 candidates, including Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Kamala Harris, on their bids for the White House. The women spoke to Clinton, who is poised to play queenmaker next year, before making their presidential announcements. Harris' campaign confirmed that a conversation took place between the women before the new year, as the freshman senator sought advice on a presidential bid. A spokesperson for Klobuchar declined to comment for DailyMail.com's story. Hillary Clinton has been counseling prospective 2020 candidates, including Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Kamala Harris, on their bids for the White House Harris' campaign confirmed that a conversation took place between the women before the new year, as the freshman senator was contemplating a presidential bid Clinton wasn't able to break the 'highest and hardest glass ceiling' in America, as she described it. With her help, one of a record-number of Democratic women seeking the Oval Office just might finish the job, however. Five women are seeking the presidency this year. They outnumber of male, Democratic candidates openly competing for the job for the very first time. Klobuchar joined Harris, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Kirsten Gillibrand in the competition when she announced her bid under a veil of snow from her home state of Minnesota on Sunday. The women briefly overlapped in the United States Senate, where Clinton represented New York until she joined the Obama administration as secretary of state in early 2009. Klobuchar has been a Minnesota senator since the beginning of 2007 legislative session. Prior to the declaration, she had a discussion with Clinton, a source told DailyMail.com. Sen. Harris also spoke to Clinton before announcing her bid, the person said. The women did not work together in the Senate, but Harris endorsed Clinton in 2015 when she was the attorney general of California and now employs some of Clinton's top-level campaign staffers. The California Democrat sought out Clinton's advice in the lead-up to her Jan. 21 announcement that she's all-in. A record-number of Democratic women seeking the Oval Office. They include Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who is pictured enthusiastically greeting Clinton in New Hampshire at an event in October of 2016 Philippe Reines, a close ally of Clinton's, told DailyMail.com that it should come as no surprise that the former secretary of state and New York senator is being sought after by candidates trying to oust Trump. He said noted that 65 million people voted for Clinton in the last election, even though she fell short of victory. 'Assuming a few like her and a couple of those are Democrats, the weight of her endorsement is second only to President Obama's,' he asserted. Clinton helped her own husband win the presidency twice before vying to become the nation's chief executive herself in 2008 and 2016. She defeated Sen. Bernie Sanders the second time around to become the first woman in American history to represent a major-party as their nominee for president. That year she also outpaced Donald Trump by nearly 2.9 votes in the general election, winning the popular vote. He bested her in the Electoral College fight, though, and in American presidential politics, that's the only one that counts. Clinton still commands a powerful network of donors and allies, who put an unprecedented $1 billion behind her candidacy, collectively, three years ago. She has opted not to put it to use challenging Trump for the presidency a second time, making way for women who supported her in the past to give the presidency a shot. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gets a hug from Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. during a campaign rally on Feb. 5, 2016, in Manchester, N.H. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota flank them from left to right Clinton has ties to many of the announced and expected 2020 candidates such as Cory Booker, who is pictured campaigning for her at a Jan. 2016 rally in Iowa Castro, a former Housing secretary to Barack Obama, was said to be on Clinton's shortlist for vice president. He stumped for her early on in her last race, in San Antonio, in October of 2015 Clinton has ties to many of the announced and expected 2020 candidates. Booker campaigned for Clinton in Iowa. Klobuchar and Gillibrand were at her side in New Hampshire. Gillibrand also holds Clinton's former Senate seat. Warren endorsed Clinton and campaigned with her in the summer of 2016. After a hard-fought race, Sanders eventually did the same. Castro, a former Housing secretary to Barack Obama, was said to be on Clinton's shortlist for vice president. He stumped for her early on in her last race, in San Antonio, in October of 2015. Despite the political scandals that cratered her own campaign, Clinton remains an influential party leader, alongside former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden, another potential 2020 candidate with whom Clinton once served in office. Wayne Kubsch, 49, of St. Joseph County, Indiana pleaded guilty to two counts of murder in a 1998 triple homicide, having already been tried and convicted twice previously An Indiana man has pleaded guilty to two counts of murder in a historical triple-slaying, having already had two previous convictions overturned for the murders. The unexpected announcement came on Monday, as Wayne Kubsch, 49, accepted a plea deal in relation to the murders of his wife, Beth Kubsch, and her ex-husband, Rick Milewski. Kubsch was twice convicted and sentenced to death in the killings of the pair and their 10-year-old son, Aaron Milewski - however both convictions were overturned on appeal. Jury selection was being carried out by the court for Kubsch's third trial when the deal was struck. His plea agreement dismisses the charge of murder in Aaron's killing. Kubsch is expected to serve a life sentence without the possibility of parole. All three of the victims were found stabbed to death in Kubsch's home in St. Joseph County, in September 1998. Beth Kubsch (left) was found stabbed to death and wrapped in duct tape in the basement of the home. She was murdered on her birthday. Beth's ex-husband Rick Milewski (right) had been stabbed several times and then shot in the head As part of his plea deal, Kubsch will face no charges in the death of Aaron Milewski, 10, who was stabbed to death and shot alongside his father, on September 18, 1998 According to court documents, Kubsch owned the family home and 11 other properties in the local area, which he had been renting out. By mid-1998, the then 28-year-old was encumbered with a total mortgage value of $456,000 which prosecutors say he was struggling to meet the payments for. In addition, Kubsch also had a mounting credit card debt, believed to be in excess of $23,000, just one month before the trio were killed. Falling drastically behind on his tax and mortgage payments, Kubsch took out a life insurance policy for his wife Beth, in the September. Kubsch listed himself as the sole beneficiary and was set to receive $575,000 - nearly $100,000 more than his listed debt - in a payout from the company, should anything happen to his wife. On September 18 1998, Beth's birthday, her son from her first marriage, Anthony Earley, waited outside his South Bend school for his mother to pick him up. But Beth never showed. Beth's son from a previous marriage, Anthony Early, arrived home from school to find blood stains on the carpet, and the bodies of the Milewski's at the bottom of the basement stairs Kubsch was arrested for the murders three months later, having told friends privileged information 'only the killer could've known', court documents show (pictured: Kubsch is photographed after been charged with the murders for the first time, on August 31 2000) Hitching a ride with a friend, Anthony walked through the font door to find bloodstains on the carpet, and the lifeless bodies of Milewski and Aaron at the foot of the basement. A bloodied kitchen knife was also found near the doorway. The pair had been stabbed several times and both suffered a fatal gunshot wounds to the head. Police were called to the property and Kubsch returned that evening to find his home surrounded by squad cars. Kubsch was questioned momentarily by police but wasn't arrested on suspicion of the crimes. Officer's say he was calm and showed no signs of distress. According to arrest records, Kubsch was only detained the following day after sharing what they deemed to be incriminating - and privileged - information about the murders. In two different phone calls, Kubsch allegedly told a friend that Beth was 'gone', despite police yet to find any trace that she'd been killed or was even in the property at the time of the murders. On another occasion, he told a different friend that Milewski and his son had been shot - a fact police only discovered the following day. Returning to the property, police found Beth's body wrapped in duct tape in Kubsch's basement, near where the other victims were found. She had been stabbed 11 times and bled to death from her wounds. A roll of duct tape matching the type used on Beth was found in Kubsch's car, and another was found at the top of the stairs. A receipt for three rolls of duct tape was also found in Kubsch's vehicle, matching the date of the murders. The knives used in the brutal slayings were determined to belong to a set found in the family's kitchen. In the preliminary stages of his third trial, Kubsch accepted the plea deal from prosecutors. He will now serve live in prison without the chance of parole Kubsch was arrested in the December and charged with all three of the murders, later being found guilty and sentenced to death in 2000. However, the Indiana Supreme court overturned his conviction in 2003, after ruling an inadmissible and prejudicial video had been shown to the jury at the trial by prosecutors, showing Kubsch exercising his right to remain silent during police questioning. He was retried, convicted and sentenced to death again in 2005, but the Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago overturned that conviction in 2016, finding that a videotaped police interview with a neighbor of Rick and Aaron Milewski should have been admitted as evidence. The appeals court ruled that excluding that evidence, which challenged prosecutors' timeline of the killings, violated Kubsch's constitutional right to a fair trial. The evidence had originally been excluded because of Indiana's trial rules. St. Joseph County prosecutors dropped their pursuit of the death penalty against Kubsch in September. After a hearing, he is expected to serve life in prison without any eligibility for parole. A British tourist has been jailed for eight years for swallowing a 31,000 diamond ring at a jewellery shop in Turkey. Ian Campbell, of Newry in County Down, tried to steal the ring during a holiday to Marmaris in October, but put it in his mouth after realising he was about to be found out. Campbell told prosecutors he had become obsessed by diamonds since his wife died in a traffic accident in which her car had gone into a lake. Her diamond ring had never been found and Campbell claimed that every time he saw a diamond in a shop he could not stop thinking about his wife. This prompted him to 'fall into a trance' when he saw the ring in the Marmaris jewellers, he told prosecutors. A British tourist has been jailed for swallowing a 31,000 diamond ring in Turkey. Ian Campbell (pictured) is seen at Marmaris State Hospital in Turkey after downing the 2.5 carat diamond ring Ian Campbell (right), of Newry in County Down, was sentenced to eight years and nine months in jail for the theft, during his annual holiday to Marmaris He was stopped by shop staff, arrested and taken to a local hospital where he was given laxatives and monitored for two days as he ran, jumped and drank liquids in an attempt to move the ring. When that did not work he gave his consent to a surgical procedure which recovered the diamond ring. Campnell told prosecutors: 'The jewellers was telling me something but I couldn't even hear him because I was in a trance. Campbell tried to steal the 2.5-carat diamond ring from a jewellers last October but, realising he was about to be found out, he swallowed it. He is pictured seen inspecting the ring at the jewellers. Campbell claimed he had become obsessed by diamonds since his wife died in a traffic accident in which her car had gone into a lake. After the theft, he was taken to Marmaris State Hospital in Turkey (pictured) 'When I was conscious again I found myself hiding a diamond in my pocket and I swallowed it in panic as jewellers started to search me.' Campbell said he had been going to Marmaris on holiday every year since 2004. He was sentenced by a court in Marmaris for eight years and nine months for 'qualified theft'. He is expected to appeal against the sentence. A rich Chinese businessman surprised villagers in his hometown in south-west China by showering them with lavish gifts worth 12 million yuan (1.37 million) during the Lunar New year. 60-year-old Zheng Daqing, the chairman of conglomerate Xinjiang Tiandi Group, flew into Dingziqiao town, Sichuan province on a helicopter and brought presents for those aged over 50, according to Chinese media. The generous tycoon gave away about 9 million yuan (1 million) in cash and 3 million yuan (343,000) worth of electrical appliances, including air conditioners, refrigerators and television sets. He also gave villagers aged 60 or above free tours on the helicopter. Zheng Daqing, 60, the chairman of conglomerate Xinjiang Tiandi Group, flew into Dingziqiao town, Sichuan province on a helicopter and brought presents for those aged over 50 The generous tycoon also gave villagers aged 60 or above free tours on the helicopter 'Many of our village elders have never been on or seen a plane before,' he was quoted as saying in Chengdu Business News. 'Planes are very common nowadays, so it would be a pity if they never got to fly in one.' Video footage shows the excited residents boarding the helicopter as staff helped them put on their seat belts. They were required to undergo a health check before being allowed to fly, the report added. Another clip shows Deng handing out bundles of cash tied with a red ribbon to the grateful villagers during a 100-table banquet. Another clip shows Deng handing out bundles of cash tied with a red ribbon to the grateful village elders during a 100-table banquet to celebrate Chinese New Year An excited resident gets off the helicopter after a free tour around the village Zheng was born into a poor family in the town in 1959 before joining the army in 1977 In 2005, Zheng was ranked 146th on Forbes magazine's list of the 400 richest Chinese, with an estimated fortune of US$154 million (120 million) Zheng was born into a poor family in the town in 1959 before joining the army in 1977, according to the report. He then spent some time back home working as a former before leaving for Urumqi in Xinjiang region to start his own business in 1985. In the next decade, Zheng expanded his company into a conglomerate with 16 subsidiaries in property, energy and other sectors. In 2005, Zheng was ranked 146th on Forbes magazine's list of the 400 richest Chinese, with an estimated fortune of US$154 million (120 million). 'Following the success of my company, the first thing that comes to my mind is to repay my country and repay my hometown,' Zheng was quoted as saying. Donald Trump's job approval rating among likely U.S. voters hit 52 per cent on Monday in a daily tracking poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports, the polling organization he uses most frequently to promote himself. That number is his highest since March 6, 2017, less than seven weeks after he took office. It has been even longer since Trump's 'strongly approve' and 'strongly disapprove' numbers weren't under water. They were even at 39 per cent on Monday. Overall, 47 per cent of likely voters disapprove of Trump's Oval Office performance. That's a low water mark since November 2, 2018. Monday's numbers came from surveys conducted during the three weekdays following the president's State of the Union address. It's not unusual for presidents to get a polling 'bump' after the high-profile annual address. Trump could use the groundswell now more than ever: A Friday deadline looms for the White House and congressional Democrats to hash out a budget deal to avoid a second government shutdown. Asked what Monday's numbers mean, a senior Democratic House aide confided on background: 'I don't know yet if it's horrible, but it sure isn't good.' The White House, however, seemed pleased. Trump himself tweeted an image of this story at the top of The Drudge Report, an influential news aggregation website. Donald Trump is gaining ground in the nation's only daily presidential approval tracking poll, surging to 52 per cent a higher level of popular support than he had on Election Day 2016 and his best poll showing since less than seven weeks into his presidency Rasmussen's poll had Trump at 46 per cent on the day the three-week government shutdown began; he dipped to a low of 43 per cent in mid-January, but is now at 52 per cent after his State of the Union address President Trump boasted his latest approval number by tweeting an image of this story at the top of The Drudge Report The principal battle is shaping up, as it was in December, over the preisdent's demand for money to continue construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Democrats are pledging to yank their purse-strings tight, while Trump has an ace up his sleeve: a threat to declare a national emergency and build the wall with existing funds Congress appropriated last year. Trump often cites Rasmussen as a rare example of a trustworthy poll, suggesting others are operated by 'fake news' outets that are slanted against him. The president won 46.1 per cent of the votes cast in the 2016 election, prevailing on the strength of a commanding majority in the Electoral College. Rasmussen's Monday numbers suggest Trump could have a majority of Americans behind him and a leg up on his winning position from two years ago. The president's approval had been sliding in recent weeks, reaching a low of 43 per cent in the Rasmussen poll as the recent government shutdown wore on. An average of presidential approval polls maintained by Real Clear Politics now has the president at 42.4 per cent. That suggests he still has a steep hill to climb at a time when most Americans still blame him and congressional Republicans for the shutdown and Washington is growing skittish about the possibiity of a repeat performance Friday night. Trump's State of the Union address appears to have earned him a 'bump' in his approval rating The most dire polls included in the current RCP average belong to Reuters and Quinnipiac University, which found last week that just 38 per cent of Americans approve of Trump's work in the White House. There are three recent polls that show a whopping 57 per cent disapproving of the president. Leaders of Congress from both parties, however, consistently fare even worse in national polls. Unlike most broad samples, which draw from all American adults, Rasmussen surveyers accept responses only from self-described 'likely voters.' The Rasmussen survey since November has been the only national poll that records the public's assessment of the president's performance every weekday. Gallup ended its competing daily tracking poll last year and now only reports monthly averages. Sen. Amy Klobuchar on Monday slapped back at President Donald Trump's calling her a 'Snowman(woman)' with a shot of her own, asking 'I wonder how your hair would fare in a blizzard?' Trump welcomed Klobuchar to the Democratic presidential primary on Sunday with a tweet jousting her for talking about climate change while announcing her White House bid during a snow fall. She snapped back with a tweet of her own Monday: 'Science is on my side, @realdonaldtrump. Looking forward to debating you about climate change (and many other issues). And I wonder how your hair would fare in a blizzard?' Sen. Amy Klobuchar slapped back at President Donald Trump's calling her a 'Snowman(woman)' in his mocking of her presidential announcement 'Looking forward to debating you about climate change (and many other issues). And I wonder how your hair would fare in a blizzard?' Sen. Klobuchar tweeted to President Trump She also used her tweet as a fundraiser, directing supporters to her website and asking them to donate. And she told ABC's 'Good Morning America' that climate change is happening. 'Okay. That is so wrong,' she said. 'I'm sorry if it still snows in the world but the point is that we know climate change is happening. Just this last year it was one of the four hottest years in the history of the world. That's what's happening right now,' she noted. Kloubuchar also brushed aside his name calling and said she wouldn't let it distract from her campaign message as it did for Hillary Clinton. 'You don't go down the rabbit hole with everything he says. You have to have your own optimistic agenda. Hillary had that. It got lost in the campaign. You have to pick your battles with him. And I think you have to use some humor, like I got to do yesterday, right away. Because, you just can't take everything seriously. He's trying to get into every story that you have. You have to set your own agenda,' she said. Klobuchar made her announcement on a snow-filled day in Minneapolis, in a speech that countered the president's policies on climate change and immigration along with knocking his divisive tone in politics. Trump mocked the senator's snow-filled presidential announcement when his tweeted: 'Well, it happened again. Amy Klobuchar announced that she is running for President, talking proudly of fighting global warming while standing in a virtual blizzard of snow, ice and freezing temperatures. Bad timing. By the end of her speech she looked like a Snowman(woman)!' Klobuchar did mention climate change in her remarks, vowing to reverse the president's policies when it comes to the environment. 'The people are on our side when it comes to climate change,' she said as snow poured down around her. 'Why? Because like you and I, they believe in science. That's why, in the first 100 days of my administration, I'll reinstate the gas standard mileage and put sweeping legislation to invest in green jobs and infrastructure. And we will enter into a mutual climate agreement.' Sen. Amy Klobuchar made her announcement on a snowy day at an outdoor event on Boom Island, a park that juts into the Mississippi River in Minneapolis Trump slammed Klobuchar's entry into the 2020 race Klobuchar's announcement speech also focused on her humble roots and Midwest no-nonsense personality as she introduced herself to the nation. 'I stand before you as the granddaughter of an iron ore miner, as the daughter of a teacher and a newspaperman, as the first woman elected to the United States Senate from the State of Minnesota, to announce my candidacy for president of the United States,' she said as snow poured down on her. She described herself as a candidate with 'grit.' 'I'm asking you to join us on this campaign. It's a homegrown one. I don't have a political machine. I don't come from money,' Klobuchar said. 'But what I do have is this: I have grit. I have family. I have friends. I have neighbors. I have all of you who are willing to come out in the middle of the winter, all of you who took the time to watch us today, all of you who are willing to stand up and say people matter.' She made her announcement Sunday on a cold, snowy day at an outdoor event on Boom Island, a park that juts into the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Snow poured down on participants and whited out the coverage of the event, obscuring the red and blue 'Amy' signs that filled the crowd. 'We don't let a little snow stop us. We don't even let a little cold stop us,' said Klobuchar, speaking without a hat or gloves. Sen. Amy Klobuchar became the latest Democrat to join the race for the nomination on Sunday She started off her speech by thanking her 'incredible team and staff' The combined North and Patrick Henry High School drum corps keeps warm in the parking lot before Klobuchar's announcement Bands played and state officials touted Klobuchar's record for 45 minutes in the snowy conditions before the senator finally took the stage. Klobuchar, 58, started her speech by offering her thanks to her staff on behalf of herself and her husband John. 'Now, John and I want to first thank our amazing and incredible team and staff for putting this together,' she said. The run up to Klobuchar's announcement has been marred by reports she mistreats her staff. She addressed those rumors to reporters on the ground in Minnesota. 'You know, I love our staff,' Klobuchar said, according to Politico. 'And yes, I can be tough. And yes, I can push people. I know that. But in the end, there are so many great stories of our staff that have been with me for years who have gone on to do incredible things. I have, I'd say, high expectations for myself. I have high expectations for the people who work for me. But I have high expectations for this country, and that's what we need.' In her remarks, Klobuchar touted her record of working with Republicans and said the country is tired of what she calls 'the shutdowns and the putdowns, the gridlock and the grandstanding.' She vowed her candidacy would be focused on 'getting things done.' 'I am running for this job for every person who wants their work recognized and rewarded. I am running for every parent who wants a better world for their kids. I am running for every student who wants a good education. For every senior who wants affordable prescription drugs. For every worker, farmer, dreamer and builder, I am running for every American. I am running for you. And I promise you this. As your president, I will look you in the eye. I will tell you what I think. I will focus on getting things done. That's what I've done my whole life, and no matter what, I'll lead from the heart,' she said. Her speech followed the trail of Mississippi River as she touted political heroes in the states it goes through, such as former President Barack Obama in Illinois and the Rev. Martin Luther King's work in Tennessee. 'The Mississippi river, all our rivers, they connect us to one another, to our shared story. For this is how our country was founded, with patriots who saw more that united them than divided them,' she said. Supporters came out on a cold, snowy day to see Klobuchar The senator spoke without wearing a hat or gloves Klobuchar's volunteers set up a warming station for crowds She emphasized her immigrant roots, speaking of her grandparents who came from Slovenia and Switzerland. 'They made a home here. It was cold - okay, maybe not as cold as this. They didn't know anyone. But like so many immigrants, they wanted a better life for their families,' she said. Klobuchar may have gotten in a subtle dig at one of her primary opponents, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, when she thanked the highest-ranking Native American official in the nation, Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, for being at her announcement. Warren has apologized for over-emphasizing her Native American heritage. She didn't mention President Trump by name but did get in a knock at him when she praised Americans working overseas. 'They deserve better than foreign policy by tweet,' she said, adding it was time to 'stop the fear mongering and stop the hate.' Klobuchar's remarks were designed to appeal to the working class, a group of voters that helped put Donald Trump in the White House and will be an influential voting bloc in the early caucus state of Iowa. She also threw in red meat for liberals, pushing an agenda that would invest in green infrastructure, net neutrality, comprehensive immigration reform, universal health care and bringing down the cost of prescription drugs. Klobuchar's team ordered 100 gallons of hot cocoa and 100 gallons of apple cider for supporters, CNN reported, and volunteers handed out small American flags and packs of Little Hotties hand warmers as people entered the park on the cold day. She tweeted a photo on Sunday morning of her out with her staff the night before at a local brewery Snow falls as rally goers arrive at Boom Island Park for Amy Klobuchar's announcement Snow covered supporters as they waited on Sen. Klobuchar's announcement Supporter cheered and waved flags for Klobuchar The senator has work to do to introduce herself the Democratic base. She barely registers in early opinion polls of 2020 candidates. Klobuchar was accused of being demeaning and cruel to her staff last week. Multiple former staffers told the Huffington Post that the senator, who cultivates the image of a nice, laid-back girl from the MidWest, is quite the opposite and that at least three people have turned down the chance to run her campaign because of the stories about her. The report came as Klobuchar was set to announce her decision to pursue the Democratic nomination. She has been setting the stage for her chance to win the right to take on President Donald Trump next year. She tweeted a photo on Sunday morning of her out with her staff the night before at a local brewery. 'Good time last night with our great team at Boom Island Brewery. Good jazz and I'm glad we got out of the cold for a few hours to visit this local homegrown neighborhood brewery!,' she wrote. Sen. Amy Klobuchar has been accused of being demeaning and cruel to her staff in days before she's expected to announce her presidential campaign Staff describe Klobuchar as a demanding boss who accuses of them of bad work and uses aides to perform personal tasks such as washing dishes But staff describe the senator as a demanding boss who sends dozens of emails over night accusing of them of bad work, ccing multiple colleagues on said emails to publicly embarrass them with her floggings, and using aides to perform personal tasks such as washing dishes at her home or picking up her dry cleaning. One staffer even recalled how the senator would write out tardy slips to staffers who came to the office late. Long hours, being pulled into personal tasks, and temper tantrums can and does happen in offices on Capitol Hill where the political pressure turns the professional environment into a pressure cooker. And staffers are generally over worked and under paid compared to members of Congress. Klobuchar's Senate salary is $174,000. But the criticism comes as Klobuchar prepares to enter the national spotlight as part of the crowded Democratic presidential primary field, where the tiniest infraction can be multiplied into days of bad news. Other former staffers, however, defended the senator, saying she puts in long hours and demands that her office meet the high standards she sets for herself. And some questioned whether former co-workers who thought she was abusive were falling for sexist stereotypes about female leaders with high standards. 'I've heard people say she's tough to work for and I sometimes cringe when I hear it because I rarely hear that said about male bosses in Congress despite the fact that half of Congress is tough to work for,' Tristan Brown, a former legislative aide who called Klobuchar 'probably the most brilliant, hardworking person I've had the privilege to work for,' told the Huffington Post. A troubling sign, however, is that Klobuchar's office has one of the highest rates of staff turnover in the Senate. Amy Klobuchar has been laying the groundwork for a presidential campaign From 2001 to 2016, she was No. 1 in the Senate for staff turnover as measured by LegiStorm, a widely used database of congressional staff information. She's now third. Her campaign defended the senator as someone who 'loves her staff.' 'Senator Klobuchar loves her staff - they are the reason she has gotten to where she is today,' a campaign spokesperson told Huffington Post. 'She has many staff who have been with her for years - including her Chief of Staff and her State Director, who have worked for her for 5 and 7 years respectively - and many who have gone on to do amazing things, from working in the Obama Administration (over 20 of them) to running for office to even serving as the Agriculture Commissioner for Minnesota. She is proud of them and the work they have done for Minnesota.' Despite the bad press her campaign is going forward. Klobuchar will be in the early caucus state of Iowa on February 21 to headline the Ankeny Area Democrats Winter Banquet, Politico reported Tuesday. Klobuchar, 58, was a local prosecutor and county attorney before she ran for the Senate in 2006. She's in her third term and garnered national attention recently for her interactions with two men: her questioning of then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings and her statement on Al Franken, her then fellow senator from Minnesota who was revealed to have touched women inappropriately during his 'Saturday Night Live' days. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (left) in Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing with Senate Judiciary Committee members Sen. Chris Coons, (seated right), Sen. Cory Booker (top left), Sen. Kamala Harris (top center), and Sen Richard Blumenthal (top right) Sen. Amy Klobuchar with Vice President Joe Biden, then-Senator Al Franken and former Vice President Walter Mondale During Kavanaugh's contentious hearing, she patiently questioned him on his alcohol use. She noted that her father had long battled alcoholism and used that to ease into her questioning about the nominee's alleged drinking. Kavanaugh lost his temper when she probed him as to whether he had ever drank to the point of blacking out, asking the senator if she had a drinking problem. 'I have no drinking problem, Judge,' she said. 'Yeah, nor do I,' he snapped back. He later apologized to her for his comments. As for Franken, when the allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior came out November 2017, Klobuchar condemned his actions but did not call on him to resign. She, instead, spoke with him privately. Her name was conspicuously absent in a coordinated effort among her female colleagues, who called for Franken to step down rapidly, one after another. 'I had condemned his conduct early on when the first allegation was made,' she told CNN at the time.' 'I felt I was in a different role as his colleague, that I'm someone that has worked with him for a long time, there's a lot of trust there, and I felt it was best to handle it in that way.' She joins several of her Senate colleagues in the Democratic primary: Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Cory Booker and Kamala Harris have all already announced bids. ALSO RUNNING: Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris are also running Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard round out the five women running She'll be the fifth woman in the campaign (Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has also announced her bid), an increasingly diverse field that includes two African American candidates - Harris and Booker - an opening gay candidate with South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and former Housing Secretary Julian Castro, a Hispanic. She would be the first candidate from the Midwest, which is the home to several battleground states including Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio. And the field of contenders may grow. Former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, former Vice President Joe Biden, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Sen. Bernie Sanders could all join the race for the Democratic nomination. Embattled Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is defending his use of the word 'indentured servants' to describe the first Africans believed to have reached Virginia's shores, saying he got the information from a historian and is 'still learning.' The Democrat sat down with CBS News host Gail King as he repeated his determination not to resign despite the page on his medical school yearbook that shows one person dressed in blackface and another in a Ku Klux Klan robe. During the interview, as Northam repeatedly expressed his regret and insisted he would stay in office to help heal racial wounds, King cut him off after the 'indentured servants' remark inserting dryly: 'also known as slavery.' She read from Northam's statement attempting to explain the remark Monday morning. 'During a recent event at Fort Monroe I spoke about the arrival of the first Africans in Virginia and referred to them in my remarks as enslaved,' Northam said in a statement King displayed on the screen on CBS 'This morning.' Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam was lectured on slavery during an interview where he explained why he wasn't resigning. He issued a statement on his comment following the interview 'A historian advised me that the use of indentured was more historically accurate the fact is, I'm still learning and committed to getting it right, 'Northam said. Northam brought up the remark as his state which was home to the Jamestown colony and later served as the capital of the confederacy prepares to mark the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first Africans in Hampton. According to a paper prepared last year for the Hampton History museum, those Africans arrived on an English privateer ship called the White Lion, and were exchanged with colonists in return for food and supplies. 'On board were 20 and odd captives taken from the Kingdom of Ndongo in west central Africa. They were sold to Sir George Yeardley (Virginias governor) and Abraham Peirsey (the Cape Merchant, the colonys supply officer and trade agent) in return for food and supplies' wrote curator Beth Austin. Northam said following his comment on indentured servants he is 'still learning' A historical marker in Hampton states that it was 'uncertain' whether the first Africans to arrive there were slaves or indentured servants. Either way, their arrival foreshadowed the growth of the transatlantic slave trade in Virginia and other colonies 'Surviving documents do not describe the first Africans coming ashore, but they probably were taken off White Lion at Point Comfort, either temporarily before the White Lion sailed to Jamestown or to be transferred to smaller crafts to be resold elsewhere,' she added. They had been captured from a Spanish slave ship, and appeared on a 1620 census but not identified by name, only as 'Others not Christians in the Service of the English.' Davidson College professor Michael Guasco told PBS some historians in the 1970s through the 90s described the initial small group of Africans as indentured because some became free decades later. But he added that historians have confirmed they arrived as slaves and most remained so through their lives. Northam repeatedly expressed regret and said he is not the person he was during his youth, after attending a desegregated school in Virginia's rural Eastern Shore. 'I was born in white privilege and that has implications to it. It is much different the way a white person such as myself is- is treated in this country versus,' he said. 'Did you not know that you were born into white privilege?' King asked him. 'I knew I was. Ms. King. but I didn't realize really the powerful implications of that. And again talking to a lot of friends that has come crystal clear to me this week. I have also learned why the use of blackface is so offensive and yes I knew it in the past. But reality has really set in,' Northam said. 'But Governor it's hard for people listening to you, an educated man, at the age of 59 to say that you're just learning about the history of it. You didn't know the history,know that it was offensive before?' King pressed. 'I think we're all on a learning curve and certainly Ms. King I am not the same person now at age 59 that I was back in my early 20s,' he responded. During a key moment of the interview, King lectured Northam on slavery as he explained why he wasn't resigning in the wake of a racially offensive photo that set off a series of scandals in his state. 'Well it has been a difficult week,' he told CBS of the scandal that resulted in several Democratic leaders calling for his resignation. 'And you know if you look at Virginia's history we are now at the 400 year anniversary, just 90 miles from here in 1619. The first indentured servants from Africa landed on our shores in Old Point Comfort what we call now Fort Monroe and while-' 'Also known as slavery,' interviewer Gayle King interrupted. nterviewer Gayle King told him it was 'slavery' when Northam talked about 'indentured servants from Africa' coming to America Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam: "We are now at the 400-year anniversary just 90 miles from here in 1619. The first indentured servants from Africa landed on our shores in Old Point Comfort, what we call now Fort Monroe, and while"@GayleKing: "Also known as slavery" pic.twitter.com/AiX96MU1rJ CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) February 10, 2019 'Yes,' Northam said. 'And while we have made a lot of progress in Virginia, slavery has ended. Schools have been desegregated. We have ended the Jim Crow laws, easier access to voting. It is abundantly clear that we still have a lot of work to do and I really think this week raised a level of awareness in the Commonwealth.' Northam is still reeling from last week's revelation of a photo of a man in blackface in his 1984 medical school yearbook. The man is at a Halloween party, holding a beer and standing next to another man dressed as a member of the KKK. He immediately apologized for appearing in the photograph, saying he could not 'undo the harm my behavior caused then and today.' The next day, however, in a bizarre press conference the governor reversed course and said he wasn't in the picture. He said he would remember dressing in that because he remembered he once dressed in blackface as Michael Jackson and noted the make up used to color his skin was difficult to remove. The head-scratching explanation did not help his cause among Democrats and Northam hunkered down behind the closed doors of the gubernatorial mansion as he weighed his political future after party big wigs like Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Joe Biden, former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, former Attorney General Eric Holder and several 2020 presidential candidates called for his to resign. Northam told CBS News - in his first televised interview since the scandal - that he's aware most Democrats have called for his head. 'You know, I don't live in a vacuum. And so yes, I have heard it,' Northam said. 'I have thought about resigning, but I've also thought about what Virginia needs right now. And I really think that I'm in a position where I can take Virginia to the next level.' 'Virginia also needs someone who is strong, who has empathy, who has courage and who has a moral compass. And that's why I'm not going anywhere,' Northam added. He said he could help the state heal in his capacity as a doctor and noted he's learned a lot from the situation. The yearbook page from Northam's 1984 medical school yearbook is seen above Northam, in a bizarre press conference last Saturday, said he admitted to being in the photo because didn't buy his school yearbook and hadn't seen it but realized on reflection he wasn't in the picture Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (center) walks with Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (right) and Attorney General Mark Herring (left) at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., in January 2018 'Virginia needs someone that can heal. There's no better person to do that than a doctor. Virginia also needs someone who is strong, who has empathy, who has courage and who has a moral compass. And that's why I'm not going anywhere. I have learned from this. I have a lot more to learn. But we're in a unique opportunity now,' he said. The photo set off a flurry of scandals in Virginia that engulfed its top three Democrats and left the political establishment reeling. Poll numbers show Northam's support is strong among African Americans and running even in the wider margins of the state. A Washington Post-Schar School poll this weekend found that a majority of black residents of the state say Northam should remain in office by a margin of 58 percent to 37 percent. Overall, Virginians are split on Northam: 47 percent want him to step down and 47 percent said he should stay on. With his decision to stay in the gubernatorial mansion, Northam defied practically the entire Democratic Party. The pressure on Northam to resigned eased up in the wake of scandals that engulfed his lieutenant governor and the state attorney general. The potentially career-ending scandals involving the top three Democrats in the state capitol in shambles. On Friday, a second woman accused Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax of rape. Northam said if the allegations against his number two are true, then Fairfax should resign. From left, Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax, Attorney General Mark Herring and Governor Ralph Northam in a 2017 photo; all three men are engulfed in potentially career ending scandals A photo on Northam's yearbook page depicts a man in blackface and another in a KKK robe; Northam originally apologized but then said the photo was not him 'If these accusations are determined to be true, I don't think he's going to have any other option but to resign,' he told CBS News. Asked if Fairfax should go ahead and resign, Northam said: 'That's going to be a decision that he needs to make.' Fairfax was one of the few Democrats not to call for Northam's resignation from the start. He would have been elevated to the gubernatorial mansion if Northam resigned. Northam said he supported Fairfax's call for an investigation into the allegations. 'I can only imagine that it must take tremendous courage for women to step forward and and talk about these things that are just so hurtful. And these accusations are very, very serious. They need to be taken seriously. As you know, Governor Fairfax has called for an investigation. I really think where we are now, we need to get to the truth,' he said. Northam did defend his Attorney General Mark Herring, who is the third Virginia in trouble after admitting that he had worn blackface to imitate African-Americans decades ago. 'Well I know Attorney General Herring well, as I do Lieutenant Governor Fairfax, and you know we have all grown. I don't know what the attorney general was thinking, what his perception was of race, of- of the use of blackface back then. But I can tell you that I am sure, just like me, he has grown. He has served Virginia well and he and I and Justin, all three of us have fought for equality. And so again I regret that our Attorney General is in this position but this is a decision that he's going to need to make,' he told CBS News. Although the Democratic Party has taken almost a zero-tolerance approach to misconduct among its members in this #MeToo era, a housecleaning in Virginia could be costly: If all three Democrats resigned, Republican House Speaker Kirk Cox would become governor. Before his own potentially disqualifying scandal erupted, Herring stood to become governor if Northam and Fairfax found the political heat too much to bear and quit. Herring told members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus during an emergency closed-door meeting Wednesday morning that he wore blackface on at least one occasion while he was a University of Virginia student in 1980. Herring had previously called on Northam to resign and came forward after rumors about the existence of a blackface photo of him began circulating at the Capitol. A second woman has accused Democratic Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Justin Fairfax of rape Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, greets, Bishop Felton Hawkins, Full Gospel Kingdom Church, Newport News, right, as well as State Sen. Lionel Spruill, Sr., D-Chesapeake, front, prior to the start of the Senate session at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., Friday In a letter released by her lawyer on Friday, Watson called for Fairfax's resignation claiming he sexually assaulted her in 2000 The attack allegedly took place in 2000 when Watson and Fairfax were students at Duke University. Pictured above is Fairfax in his university yearbook photo But his scandal was overshadowed by the controversies swirling around Fairfax with the second accusation of rape against him. Meredith Watson released a letter through her lawyer on Friday calling for Fairfax's resignation claiming he sexually assaulted her in 2000 when they were both students at Duke University. 'Mr. Fairfax's attack was premeditated and aggressive. The two were friends but never dated or had any romantic relationship,' the letter states. Watson's attorney does not provide specific details of the attack but states the assault was 'similar' to that of Vanessa Tyson, who on Wednesday, publicly accused Fairfax of raping her in 2004. Watson was 'upset' to learn Fairfax, 39, had assaulted another woman and reluctantly decided to come forward 'out of a strong sense of civic duty.' 'At this time, Ms Watson is reluctantly coming forward out of a strong sense of civic duty and her belief that those seeking or serving in public office should be of the highest character,' the letter continued. Watson has provided emails and Facebook messages with friends and classmates which her lawyer says prove she told them of the incident immediately after it happened. Those witnesses have also provided statements corroborating Watson's allegations. Her lawyer said her client is not looking to become a media personality nor is she seeking financial damages, but rather, is hoping Fairfax will resign. Stanford University fellow Vanessa Tyson suggested in a private Facebook post that Virignia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax sexually assaulted her in 2004; she said Wednesday that he 'forced me to perform oral sex on him' This photograph, from Tyson's Twitter account, shows the college professor at a conference of the American Politicla Science Association Fairfax released a statement shortly after the allegations emerged saying he does not intend to step down. 'I deny this latest unsubstantiated allegation. It is demonstrably false. I have never forced myself on anyone ever,' he said. 'I demand a full investigation into these unsubstantiated and false allegations. Such an investigation will confirm my account because I am telling the truth. 'I will clear my good name and I have nothing to hide. I have passed two full field background checks by the FBI and run for office in two highly contested elections with nothing like this being raised before. 'It is obvious that a vicious and coordinated smear campaign is being orchestrated against me. 'I will not resign.' Fairfax is also dealing with the fallout of the first allegation against him. Vanessa Tyson alleged on Wednesday that Fairfax raped her during the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. Tyson issued a stinging statement through her lawyers, saying: 'What began as consensual kissing quickly turned into a sexual assault. Mr. Fairfax put his hand behind my neck and forcefully pushed my head towards his crotch. Only then did I realize that he had unbuckled his belt, unzipped his pants, and taken out his penis. He then forced his penis into my mouth.' Vanessa Tyson, (pictured) publicly accused Fairfax of raping her in 2004 'Utterly shocked and terrified, I tried to move my head away, but could not because his hand was holding down my neck and he was much stronger than me. As I cried and gagged, Mr. Fairfax forced me to perform oral sex on him. 'I cannot believe, given my obvious distress, that Mr. Fairfax thought this forced sexual act was consensual. To be very clear, I did not want to engage in oral sex with Mr. Fairfax and I never gave any form of consent.' Democratic Rep; Jennifer Wexton became the first member of Virginia's congressional delegation to weigh in on the Fairfax scandal, tweeting Wednesday afternoon: 'I believe Dr. Vanessa Tyson.' The 39-year-old Fairfax's political future seemed to unravel in slow-motion on Wednesday as sources told NBC News that he had snapped out of his normal mild manner to condemn Tyson during a private meeting with staff shouting: 'F**k that b***h!' Lawrence Roberts, Fairfax's chief of staff, insisted to a Washington Post reporter that the lieutenant governor never said those words: 'Absolutely not true. I was there.' On Saturday, Northam made his first official public appearance since he his press conference where he denied being in the photo, attending the funeral for a state trooper killed in a shootout. But he made no public comments upon arriving in Chilhowie, four hours west of the tumult in Richmond. In his first interview since the scandal erupted, a chastened Northam told The Washington Post on Saturday that the uproar has pushed him to confront the state's deep and lingering divisions over race, as well as his own insensitivity. But he said that reflection has convinced him that, by remaining in office, he can work to resolve them. He said: 'It's obvious from what happened this week that we still have a lot of work to do. There are still some very deep wounds in Virginia, and especially in the area of equity.' Northam said he planned to work for the rest of his term to address issues stemming from inequality, including improving access to health care, housing, and transportation. He also repeated his contention that he is not the one pictured on his yearbook page in blackface. But he could not explain how it wound up there, or why he had taken responsibility for it. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, left, and his wife Pam, attend the funeral of Virginia State Trooper Lucas B. Dowell at the Chilhowie Christian Church in Chilhowie Virginia State Trooper Lucas B. Dowell was killed in the line of duty earlier in the week and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam today attended his funeral He added: 'I overreacted. If I had it to do over again, I would step back and take a deep breath.' Northam has now also said he can't be man in blackface because he's left handed and both people are holding beers in their right, according to reports. In his initial apology, Northam, a pediatric neurologist, said that the photo does not represent who he is now. But a day later he denied being in the photograph at all. 'It has taken time for me to make sure that it's not me, but I am convinced, I am convinced that I am not in that picture,' he told reporters at the Executive Mansion in Richmond, calling the picture offensive and horrific. Andrea Baber, 30, was sentenced to 20 months in prison in Oregon on Friday after she pleaded guilty to having sex with a 15-year-old male student A Christian school teacher who was caught by her husband having sex with her 15-year-old male student has been sentenced to just 20 months in prison. Andrea Baber, 30, was sentenced in Douglas County on Friday after she was caught having sex with the student in 2017. She pleaded guilty to three counts of third-degree rape and six counts of contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor. As part of her plea deal, 20 other charges including sodomy and giving marijuana to a minor were dropped. She will also have to register as a sex offender. Baber, who was a teacher at Logos Christian Academy in Springfield, was arrested in 2017 after the victim's father received an anonymous email alerting him to the relationship. The email asked the boy's father if he knew his son was in a sexual relationship with Baber. Baber, who was a teacher at Logos Christian Academy in Springfield, was arrested in 2017 after the victim's father received an anonymous email alerting him to the relationship Baber on Friday pleaded guilty to three counts of third-degree rape and six counts of contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor Several photos were attached to the email that showed Baber and the victim in bed together. The boy's father reported it to police. Separately, Baber's husband also filed a report with child protective services after he found his wife and the boy partially clothed in the couple's bed. Police later found that Baber had sex with the student 'on a regular basis' from 2016 onward. During her sentencing, Baber apologized to the victim and his family. 'I want to extend my apologies to the victim and his family, and I am happy to serve this sentence if it satisfies the victims family, but I know I was not justified,' Baber said, according to the News-Review. In addition to jail time, Baber has also been ordered to pay the victim $1,100 for counseling. The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notice to controversial meat exporter Moin Akhtar Qureshi on a CBI plea. Recently, Qureshi was allowed by a trial court to travel to the UAE. (File Photo) New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notice to controversial meat exporter Moin Akhtar Qureshi on a CBI plea to enhance the security amount he has to pay to travel abroad. Justice Chander Shekhar sought the response of Qureshi on the agency's plea seeking enhancing of security from Rs 2 crore to Rs 6 crore which Qureshi, accused in a cheating and corruption case, has been asked to furnish to travel to the UAE and Pakistan. Recently, Qureshi was allowed by a trial court to travel to the UAE from February 15-23 for attending the Gulf Food Festival and to Pakistan from March 6-20 to attend his niece's wedding. The court had also directed him to furnish an additional security of Rs two crore in the form of bank guarantee and warned that in case of violation of any of the conditions imposed, the amount would be forfeited. The court had in 2017 granted him bail in a case in which the ED had alleged that Qureshi was involved in hawala transactions through Delhi-based hawala operators Parvez Ali of Turkman Gate and M/s South Delhi Money Changer (DAMINI) in Greater Kailash-1. Parents at a Long Island, New York, middle school are outraged after learning of a collage depicting nooses that has been on display in a classroom for months. Arthur Mackey Jr, a pastor at Mount Sinai Baptist Church Cathedral in Roosevelt, shared the offensive image showing a pair of nooses jokingly dubbed 'back-to-school necklaces' on his Facebook page last week. The clergyman said he got a photo of the collage from a local teacher and called on the Roosevelt school superintendent and the Board of Education to address what he characterized as an 'unacceptable display of racially offensive images.' Scroll down for video This image depicting nooses dubbed 'back to school necklaces' was found in a classroom at Roosevelt Middle School in Long Island More than half of the students enrolled in Roosevelt Middle School are Hispanic or Latino, and about 45 per cent are African-American The classroom collage also included a pink smiley face sticker, and the words 'ha ha' and '#yes.' The Roosevelt Union Free School District said in a statement the Board of Education was made aware of 'the inappropriate conduct at Roosevelt Middle School' last Thursday. Arthur Mackey Jr, a pastor at Mount Sinai Baptist Church Cathedral, was the first to raise the alarm about the offensive collage The statement went on to say that an investigation was immediately launched and appropriate action taken,' adding that 'the Board of Education has zero tolerance for the display of racially offensive images.' More than half of the students enrolled in Roosevelt Middle School are Hispanic or Latino, and about 45 per cent are African-American, according to data from the New York State Department of Education. The news comes as African-Americans across the country are celebrating Black History Month, and it follows the scandal in Virginia, where two state officials, including the governor, have admitted to wearing blackface decades earlier. Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen called for those responsible for creating and displaying the collage to be fired, arguing that besides being racist, the image could also incite someone to suicide. This imagery that was on display in a Roosevelt Middle School classroom is undoubtedly racist and should not be tolerated in our town, or any other community, Gillen told WNBC. According to Urban Dictionary, the phrase 'back to school necklace' is another name for a noose. 'This is due to the utter despair you feel when school starts back up again,' the entry for the term reads. The Roosevelt Union Free School District said in a statement that action has been taken The community was split about the meaning of the imagery in the collage. This is evidence that racism still goes on, Roosevelt student Dante Hawkins said. Local resident Savitri Lekhram told News 12 Long Island that its probably a joke, it probably has nothing to do with African-Americans but at the same time, they could still draw that connection. Roosevelt mother Yvette Hudson told News 12: I'm just glad my kids are out of there right now. In a follow-up post, Pastor Mackey identified by name three Roosevelt teachers pictured in the collage and called for their immediate termination. That is a pure, outright discrimination, whether they realize it or not, Mackey told CBS New York. Three men in Florida were arrested on Saturday for trying to extort $80,000 from an elderly Long Island man by posing as his grandson's attorneys. Leevansky Lambert, 22, and Eghosasere Auboraye, 24, of Florida, along with Keon Smith, 24, of Maryland, have allegedly been targeting elderly people in so-called 'grandparents scams,' ABC News reports. The three suspects allegedly posed as lawyers for 'Austin' the grandson of Norman Geller, 78, from East Norwich, New York, and claimed over the phone on February 5 that he needed money after getting into a car accident. Geller was instructed to send $9,800 via FedEx to an address in Florida address to bail out him out, according to the police. Scroll down for video Leevensky Lambert (shown), 22, is one of the three men arrested for the attempt to defraud 78-year-old Norman Geller He then received another phone call from someone posing as an attorney, according to an arrest warrant, where 'he was informed that one of the passengers in the vehicle were pressing charges and they needed more money.' The grandfather was then contacted to send $18,000 to different Florida address, and then another two times to send $30,200 and $22,000 to even more locations. Geller said he sent $80,000 in total in those FedEx shipments, before being asked to send another $32,000 or there would be an arrest warrant out for his grandson. Eghosasere Auboraye (shown), 24, of Florida, was arrested along with two others for attempting to extort more than $80,000 from Norman Geller Keon Smith, 22, the member of the trio from Maryland, seen here Leevansky Lambert is charged with with grand theft over $20,000, burglary of a dwelling and conspiracy to commit extortion along with his two compatriots At times these callers identified themselves as attorneys 'Marc Rockwell' and 'Michael Spencer,' according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. After being contacted by Geller's daughter, Florida detectives eventually staked out the vacant home in Lake Worth where the three suspects were caught picking up the money. Lambert, Auboraye and Smith were charged with grand theft over $20,000, burglary of a dwelling and conspiracy to commit extortion. Police were able to recover some of the cash that Geller had sent to the men Russia is set to disconnect from the internet temporarily as part of preparations for a potential cyber-war in the future, it has been claimed. The test - set to take place before April - will see data passing between organisations and Russian citizens remain inside the country instead of being routed internationally. It comes after a law was introduced to Russia's parliament last year mandating technical changes required to allow Russia's internet to operate independently. Russia will disconnect from the internet as part of planning for a potential cyber-war in the future, it has been claimed (file picture) April 1 has reportedly been set as the deadline for submitting amendments to the draft law - dubbed the Digital Economy National Program - but the timing of the test has yet to be set in stone, it has been reported. Under the law, Russia's internet service providers (IPSs) would be required to ensure the independence of the country's Runet internet space should foreign powers attempt to isolate the nation online. Russia has been accused of carrying out a series of cyber-attacks in recent years, prompting NATO and its allies to threaten sanctions. The country's ISPs are said to be broadly supportive of the goals of the law but disagree over how it could be implemented. There are, however, fears among the providers that such a test could also cause 'major disruption', according to ZDNet. The law could also see Russia creating its own version of the internet's address system, or DNS, with the idea being it could still operate if links to servers located abroad are disconnected. A dozen organisations oversee the root servers for DNS - none of them based in Russia, the BBC reports. In October, Britain publicly accused Russia's military intelligence service of carrying out a campaign of reckless and destabilising cyber-attacks across the world. Pictured: Russian President Vladimir Putin In October, Britain publicly accused Russia's military intelligence service of carrying out a campaign of reckless and destabilising cyber-attacks across the world. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the Kremlin had been working in secret to wage indiscriminate and illegal cyber-attacks on democratic institutions and businesses. In a damning charge sheet, the Government firmly pinned the blame for a string of cyber-attacks on the GRU, the organisation also accused of poisoning double agent Sergei Skripal. The Foreign Office said the National Cyber Security Centre had assessed with 'high confidence' that the GRU was 'almost certainly' responsible for multiple attacks which have cost economies millions of pounds. It added: 'Given the high confidence assessment and the broader context, the UK Government has made the judgment that the Russian government the Kremlin was responsible.' Hacks included those on the governing body of the Democratic Party in the US, the World Anti-Doping Agency, metro systems and airports in Ukraine, Russia's central bank and two Russian media outlets. Five former members of the evangelical christian group once know as New Tribes Mission have spoken out about the horrendous sex abuse they suffered as children. The women attended mission schools in both the Philippines and Senegal between 1980 and the early 1990s. In an exclusive interview with NBC News, they say two 'dorm dads' entrusted with caring for them instead exploited their positions as caretakers to sexually molest and assault them. 'Dorm dads' - and moms - would conduct nightly bible readings for the boys and girls at the boarding schools, with some as young as six, in their bedrooms. But as the lights went out, the women say two men - at two separate schools - stayed and lingered in the room, waiting for the children to drift off to sleep. After Mikitson (left) went public with the allegation in a blog-post back in 2009, New Tribes launched an independent investigation into the school, confirming Brooks as a serial sexual offender. Cheshire (right) tearfully described her encounters with Brooks Under the cover of darkness, the men would reportedly forgo their religious beliefs and instead act on their depraved urges. One of the 'dads' also invented a game where he would hide a seashell in his bathing suit and ask young girls to feel around and find it. Though 30 years have passed since the attacks were alleged to have taken place, one victim says 'it's a hell' she still lives with today. 'He put his hands under the covers and would touch me,' said a separate victim, Joy Drake to NBC, who claims she was abused from age nine. 'I would pretend that I was sleeping because I was terrified that he would get angry or something worse would happen if I moved. 'So I'd hold my breath and wait till it was over.' Drake was a student at the Aritao school in the Philippines in the late 80s, once ran by the New Tribes Mission, which have since changed their name to Ethnos 360. The Florida-based missionary group was founded in 1942 and work all over the world, often in some of the most hard-to-reach and impoverished places. Drake identifies caretaker Leslie Emory as her attacker - and she isn't alone in her allegations. Leslie 'Uncle Les' Emory was identified as a serial offender by three women - of of whom is his daughter. He admitted to sexually abusing eight girls during is time at New Tibes Three women who stayed at the Aritao school in the Philippines, which was once run by New Tribes, said Emory would assault them in their bedrooms at night Jaasiel Mashek says she too was repeatedly abused by 'Uncle Les', at the Aritao school, when she was just six. Mashek says she was too young to remember the specifics of her abuse, but a letter written by Emory in 1993 confirmed he did molest her. His daughter, Kelly Emory, slept in the same dorm as Drake and Mashek - and she says she was abused by her father, who portrayed himself as a devout Christian, as well. According to her claims, Leslie began raping her at aged six in an ordeal that lasted for three years. 'It's a hell I still live with,' she told NBC's Kate Snow. Just like Drake, Kelly says she pretended to be asleep during the assaults. After a suicidal episode, she finally plucked up the courage to report the allegations when she was 15, but says New Tribes failed to adequately address the problem. 'They told me not to say anything. It was "my duty" to protect my family, to protect my dad. 'If I did tell anybody, [New Tribes said] my dad would be thrown in jail.' Joy Drake (left), Jaasiel Mashek (middle), and Kelly Emory (right) all detailed their individual assaults at the hands of the former's father to NBC this week (pictured: the three women walk together to NBC's Today Show studio) Pictured: Jaasiel Mashek (left) stands in a plaid dress in August 1989. She says she was six when the abuse took place. Joy Drake (seen right) says she still sleeps with pillows at her sides - a technique she used to try and deter her attacker as a child Leslie Emory admits he sexually abused girls at the school. He apologized for his actions to NBC, saying he should've been 'decapitated' for what he did Kelly says she was sent away from the mission to a counseling session in Missouri, where she was declared 'healed' after two weeks. In an phone interview with NBC, Emory admits to repeatedly abusing eight girls at the school, saying he should've been 'decapitated' for his depraved acts. He denied ever abusing his daughter Kelly, though. 'I am so externally sorry for what I did to them girls and I have no excuse,' he said. He was eventually banished from the organization, but the reason behind his departure was kept quiet. Kelly says New Tribes tried to silence her claims, when she tried to do 'the right thing'. Several years before the abuse detailed by Drake, Emory and Mashek, a two-year-old Bonnie Cheshire arrived in Senegal with a different fleet of New Tribe missionaries. The first five years at the school, Cheshire describes as 'magical', but after she turned seven 'dorm dad' Richard Brooks allegedly began preying on her. It began with a game Cheshire once thought was innocent, she said. Called the 'seashell game', Cheshire says Brooks would hide a shell in his bathing suit and urge young girls at the camp to rummage around and find it. Not long after, Brooks - whose wife was acting as 'dorm mom' - would start coming into her room late at night. She says Brooks started touching her sexually, and though she knew it 'wasn't right', she wasn't sure what else she could do but accept it. David Brooks (pictured in 1986) served as a 'dorm dad' alongside his wife in a Senegal New Tribes school in the 1980s. Two girls under his care say the were sexually abused by him from the aged of six and seven Kari Mikitson (middle) shared a room with Brooks' daughter, but claims that wasn't enough to deter the alleged attacker. Bonnie Cheshire (right) said she was abused for two years by Brooks An 8-year-old Kari Mikitson found herself in the same sickening position, despite sharing a room with Brooks' daughter, she says. '[Brooks' daughter] would fall asleep and he would just sit on my bed and stay too long,' she said. It's 'our secret' Brooks allegedly told her. After Mikitson went public with her story in a blog in 2009, an independent investigation of the Senegal school sanctioned by New Tribes confirmed an alarming history of sexual abuse at the school. Up to 27 children claimed to have been abused during their stay at the supposed holy facility, and Brooks was found to be on of the most prolific culprits. 'David Brooks often talked with these children about his close walk with the Lord while simultaneously abusing them,' the report details. 'He told these children not to tell, because bad things would happen and no one would believe them.' Brooks was removed from the organisation in 1990. When approached by NBC at his home in Williamson, Georgia, Brooks refused to comment on Mikitson and Cheshire's claims. When confronted at his home in Georgia by NBC's Megan Frost, Brooks refused to comment on the report Neither of the two men have ever been prosecuted for the allegations, as none of the crimes had been reported to local police, and laws making it possible to seek punishment for crimes committed against American children abroad only came into effect in 2003. New Tribes changed its name to Ethnos 360 in 2017. It now only runs three schools, with a total of eight students. Responding to NBC's interview on Thursday, a spokesperson said: 'As we watched the interviews of the victims of horrific abuse, we are heartsick. 'The actions of the perpetrators go against everything we believe about the value of children and our responsibility to protect them. 'Since those early days, our organization has incorporated significant child safety training, updated policies and extensive screening. These are mandatory for all members. 'Again, we are heartbroken for the women who shared their painful stories on the recent Today Show. We remain committed to cooperating with any new or ongoing pursuit of prosecution of those who have harmed children.' New Tribes changed their name to Ethnos 360 in 2017. They say they're heartbroken by the five women's stories and say over the last 30 years, new safety measures have been implemented to ensure the safety of children under their care Thirty years on, Drake says she still sleeps at night with a pillow at each of her side - a tactic she used to try and protect herself from Emory. She's stayed true to her religious faith in the years since her time at the Aritao school, but says she's lost faith in 'people that claim to be godly.' Kanye West's associate, accused of forging the rapper's signature on a $750,000 contract for a one-off performance during New York Fashion Week, has denied the allegations. G.O.O.D. Music affiliate Malik Yusef claims he had mandate to arrange and negotiate a deal with German designer Philipp Plein and that Kanye was aware of the performance, which would've taken place today. In a statement, Yusef, 47, says that it had later emerged that the husband of Kim Kardashian-West would not be able to perform after all, and that he had then returned the $750,000 to Plein. Denial: Malik Yusef, 47, was accused of forging Kanye West's signature on a $750,000 deal with German designer Philipp Plein, but he has denied accusations saying he had mandate to arrange and negotiate on the rapper's behalf Despite Yusef's assurances that West was aware of the arrangement and the contract, he has not explained how the rapper's signature ended up on the deal. A copy of the deal with Plein, which was obtained by TMZ, shows the rapper's 'forged' signature on it. Both representatives for Kanye West and his wife Kim, deny that the rapper had any knowledge of the Philippe Plein contract, with the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star tweeting that the performance was 'just a rumour'. An unnamed representative for Kanye West told TMZ: 'Malik Yusef is certainly in no position to negotiate a deal, receive money, or forge Kanye's signature or sign any contracts on his behalf.' Despite Yusef's assurances that West was aware of the arrangement and the contract, this has been denied by Kanye's representatives No show: Kanye's wife Kim Kardashian-West tweeted a denial, saying 'He [Kanye] is not performing at any fashion show this season. Just a rumor' In an official statement published on his Twitter, Yusef writes: 'Contrary to reports in various media outlets there was no theft or fraud involved by my team or myself in the Philipp Plein's New York Fashion Week event deal.' He goes on to explain that he and Kanye had agreed that he would contact several designers about creating 'fashion t-shirts that would fill the world with positivity,' in exchange for a $750,000 donation to their non-profit organisation DONDA Social. The organisation, named after Kanye's late mother Donda West, aims to help neighbourhoods in Chicago that are facing serious problems with housing, education, gun violence and drinking water. Yusef, 47, says once he became aware that Kanye West would not be able to perform after all, he returned the $750,000 to Philipp Plein In his statement Yusef explains that he and Kanye had agreed to 'move forward' with designer Philipp Plein, who subsequently donated the money. 'As I found Kanye to be incapulant [sic] for unknown reasons, well before any media was contacted and these stories started circulating, I immediately contacted Philipp Plein and made him aware of Kanye's intent to withdraw from the arrangement. 'At that time the 750-thousand dollars he donated was returned from the foundation, Kanye West and me.' The mistress of Patrick Frazee only helped him dispose of Kelsey Berreth's cell phone because she feared for her life, a friend has claimed. 'She had very, very good reasoning for whatever it is she may or may not have done,' said a very emotional Michelle Stein on CBS This Morning. When pressed for further detail she added: 'I can't really comment completely, but fear. And legitimate fear.' Stein was then asked if Krystal feared that Frazee might murder her next, to which she replied: 'Yes, that's what I believe, yes.' She also noted that Krystal had once said 'that she's never seen that kind of evil in anybody' when speaking about Frazee. Scroll down for video Defending a friend: Michelle Stein (above) sat down for an interview on CBS This Morning about her friend Krystal Lee Kenney, who disposed of Kelsey Berreth's cell phone Victim?: 'She had very, very good reasoning for whatever it is she may or may not have done,' said a very emotional Stein (above with Krystal Lee Kenney) Scared: She also noted that Krystal had once said 'that she's never seen that kind of evil in anybody' when speaking about Frazee (mugshots above) One topic Stein would not address is whether or not Krystal and Frazee had been having an affair at the time of Berreth's death. She did say that the two previously had a relationship after they met 15 years ago, while also suggesting that Krystal might not have even been aware that she was having an affair if the two had recently been together. That is because Kelsey was unaware that Frazee was engaged or had a child, according to Stein. Victim: It as also revealed that Krystal did not know that Frazee was engaged or had a child until very recently, according to Stein Stein also explained why Krystal would have helped Frazee if this was the case, saying that he was a 'dangerous person.' When asked if Krystal had ever stated that she was fearful of Frazee, Stein replied: 'She did tell me that she's never seen that kind of evil in anybody.' That is why she agreed to not only dispose of Berreth's phone, but also make texts to her employer and Frazee from the cell. 'I will just tell you Krystal was very, very scared,' said Stein. 'Krystal is a level headed, kind, fun-loving, happy-go-lucky person. She's a tough cowgirl. She was absolutely scared and extremely upset.' At this point in the interview Stein begn to cry a bit while thinking about her friend. 'She had very, very good reasoning for whatever it is she may or may not have done,' said Stein. One thing she did not do however was participate in the actual murder. 'I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever,' said Stein on that subject. Stein was not asked and did not address, however, when Krystal learned about the planned murder, with court documents suggesting it may have been as early as September. Krystal broke down in tears as she confessed to destroying Berreth's cell phone after learning that the young mother, 29, had been murdered by her fiance. While agreeing to testify against Frazee at his murder trial, the former nurse, 32, told the judge that she learned about the homicide of November 22. She will be sentenced after Frazee's trial for her own involvement after pleading guilty to one felony count of tampering with evidence. Krystal did not provide any additional information as to how she destroyed the cell phone while in court. 'I learned that Patrick Frazee has committed a homicide on approximately Nov. 22, 2018 in Teller County. I knew that law enforcement would be investigating that crime,' said Krystal on Friday, reading from a prepared statement. 'I moved the victims cell phone with the intent to impair the phones availability in the investigation. I had no right or authority to move the victims cell phone. That occurred between Nov. 24 and Nov. 25, 2018. In Teller County.' Berreth's body has still not been found. Target: Stein was then asked if Krystal feared that Frazee might murder her next, to which she replied: 'Yes, that's what I believe, yes' (Krystal leaving court on Friday) Shackled: Frazee has been accused of murdering his fiancee Berreth, and Krystal has agreed to testify against him in court (Frazee leaving court in December) Frazee was in court for a custody hearing on Friday, arriving in a ballistics vest and surrounded by a small team of police and security, who hurriedly shuffled him into a courtroom after getting him out of a police cruiser. At the same time, press was ordered out of the courtroom for the hearing, which was held in response to Frazee's mother requesting custody of his daughter Kaylee. The 16-month-old is temporarily in the custody of her maternal grandparents and it remained that way on Thursday ahead of Frazee's murder trial. There will be another status haring in the custody case in two months. Two individuals who worked with Krystal said that she and Frazee had been in a romantic relationship for months. DailyMail.com spoke with two people who know the nurse professionally, and they both said that they had been told that Frazee was having an affair with Krystal. Krystal divorced her husband a few years back and has two children. Neither of those individuals knew exactly when the relationship started, but they believed it could have been as early as 2016 - prior to the birth of Frazee's daughter with Berreth. That would have been the second time the pair dated after an earlier romance as teens. One of the the people DailyMail.com spoke with also said that Krystal was in Colorado around Thanksgiving. That would explain how Frazee was able to get the cell phone to Idaho while never leaving the state. It was reported back in December that police in Idaho had discovered information pertaining to the missing mom's cell phone. The Twin Falls Police Department revealed that officers from the force played a role in the investigation by obtaining search warrants and examining evidence in the case. Berreth's cell phone pinged off a tower in Gooding, Idaho, on November 25, three days after she went missing and around the same time her employer received a text stating that she would not be in for work that week. The location it pinged is about 800 miles from where Berreth was last seen. The complaint that was filed in the case states that Frazee plotted the murder of Berreth with at least one other individual in the three months before she went missing. A woman whose terrifying abduction was captured on surveillance cameras outside a Miami tire shop has been found safe but police are still searching for her kidnapper. Police said the woman had been located 'safely' and 'in good condition' on Sunday. The suspect was still on the loose on Sunday night. Authorities have not released the identity of the woman or the kidnapping suspect. Police released the surveillance video showing the woman being forced into a car at gunpoint outside the La Ceiba Tire Shop in Miami on Friday night. Police said the woman had been located 'safely' and 'in good condition' on Sunday after surveillance cameras captured her being abducted by a man in a white car outside a tire shop in Miami on Friday night The African-American woman was screaming 'Call 911, he's going to kill me' as she was dragged away. Just moments earlier, the woman was captured on video speaking to two men outside the tire shop before taking refuge inside. Witnesses said the woman tried to hide in a restroom. A white Nissan Altima was shown in the surveillance video speeding up to the shop before the driver got out. Moments later, the man and woman emerged from the shop in a struggle. The man's arms appeared to be clasped around the distressed woman's chest. He physically attacked the woman as he forced her into the vehicle and the drove away from the scene. A witness said he hit her '20 times' with the car door to force her inside. Police released the surveillance video showing the woman being forced into a car at gunpoint outside the La Ceiba Tire Shop in Miami on Friday night The man's arms appeared to be clasped around the distressed woman's chest as he dragged her towards the car. Moments earlier, she had tried to hide in the shop's restroom 'She told me, 'Call 911, he's going to kill me',' said the anonymous witness to Miami 7 News. 'He was running over here. He takes her from the restroom and hit her like, I don't know 20 or 50 times. 'And then he put her in the drivers seat; he hit her 20 more times with the door.' The witness described the 'fighting and screaming' as disturbing, and believed the man was armed with a gun. Police released the footage in a bid to find the victim, who they described as black woman in her mid 20s or early 30s, and between 5 ft 4 inches and 5 ft 8 inches tall. 'This is someone's daughter, this is someone's sister, someone's family member. We need to apprehend this individual. We need to bring this young lady back home to safety,' police said prior to her being found. The assailant's car had a temporary license plate attached to it, with the partial tag of either 'CFJ7', or 'CFF7'. Police said he may be armed and dangerous and urged the public to keep their distance if seen. Anyone with information should contact the Miami Police Department at 305-603-6370 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. He physically attacked the woman as he forced her into the vehicle and the drove away from the scene. A witness said he hit her '20 times' with the car door to force her inside This is the terrifying moment cops manage to pull two girls from a water tank after their mother allegedly locked them inside. Rosa Alccahua Huaman, 29, was arrested Saturday after neighbors reported the mother-of-three for the harsh form of punishment she reportedly handed her two daughters, ages two and 10. She was charged with exposure to endangerment and animal cruelty. Villagers also told cops Alccahua Huaman tossed her children's pet dog from the third floor of the family home Puente Piedra, a district in Lima, Peru. The dog landed on a flight of steps but survived the cruel treatment. A police officer rescues one of the two children that were allegedly locked in a water tank by their mother as a form of punishment in Lima, Peru A young girl (pictured) is lifted from a tank atop a home in Peru. One of the two children that were found locked in the water tank told police investigators that they climbed in as a prank and not because their mother forced them to do so Peruvian TV station Antenna 3 reported that Alccahua Huaman had beaten her two daughters and forced them to climb down inside the steel structure, which is located on the roof of their home. The concerned residents also told the responding officers that it wasn't the first time Alccahua Huaman had confined her daughters inside the tank, which holds up 1,100 liters of water. Shocking cell phone footage recorded by the neighbors showed the moment a police officer rises from the water tank with each of the girls. Rosa Alccahua Huaman is accused of punishing her two daughters by locking them inside a water tank According to La Republica, the mother lied to the police about her name and claimed the girls went into the tank on their on will. 'The lady says that the girl has climbed on her own, but how is she going to get up if she is two years old and the tank is big, it holds 1,100 liters, and it even took the policeman time getting in there,' a police source said. The 10-year-old child told investigators that her mother never beat her and it was a prank on their part to climb into the tank. Both girls as well as their four-year-old brother received medical attention. The 10-year-old was placed under the care of a shelter for abused children. The two- and four-year-old were placed in the custody of their father. A prosecutor ordered the parents to undergo psychological and psychiatric evaluations. This is the hilarious moment when pigeons are spotted attacking men walking past a South American hotel. Maria del Rocio Tafur, 22, returned to her native Peru to visit family members when she came across the birds swooping on people outside the Selina Hotel in Miraflores, a vibrant district in capital city of Lima. The viral video posted on her Twitter account, lifeasro, shows how the birds seem to only target men. Three pedestrians, including the man pictured in the green shirt, apparently were recently attacked by a pigeon while walking near a hotel in Lima, Peru A bird is set to land on an unsuspecting man's back (center) before it pecks him and flies away Three women are in shock moments after a male pedestrian (second from left) ducks after he was attacked by a pigeon in Lima, Peru One victim drops his phone and an organizer as a bird swoops in. He looks around in disbelief in front of three shocked women as the bird then takes off. Tafur was enjoying a meal with her mother at a hotel across the street on February 3 when she filmed the footage. Maria del Rocio Tafur was enjoying a meal with her mother at a restaurant in Lima, Peru, when she recorded the hilarious moment pigeons attacked male pedestrians walking near a hotel 'At the beginning we were scared but we saw that the bird continued attacking every man who passed, which was strange,' Tafur told DailyMail. 'After a while, we started to be laugh and even more so when a hotel waiter approached us when he heard our conversation.' Another pedestrian (pictured) rubs his neck area after a bird swooped in and pecked him in the neck Two armed men stormed a Mexican resort and made off with 1.658million Mexican pesos ($86,000). The suspects entered Generations Riviera Maya in Playa del Carmen on Saturday at about 11am local time - one rode a yellow motorcycle while the other was on a green moped. The robbers, who each wore an employee work vest, threatened the staff who handed over the cash. The money was from the payroll. The armed suspects abandoned their motorcycles and fled the high-end hotel, where the average rate for a double occupancy suite is around $574. The suspects entered Generations Riviera Maya in Playa del Carmen (pictured) on Saturday at about 11am local time A suite at the popular resort hotel in Playa del Carmen has an average price of $574 per night based on double occupancy According to Mexican newspaper El Sol de Mexico, police investigators interviewed a hotel administrator and a bricklayer, but both men were unable to properly offer a description of each suspect. No arrests have been reported. Hotels along Mexico's Caribbean coast continue to draw millions of tourists despite the constant dangers that have engulfed the immediate areas of these popular resort cities. In January, Taylor Kristopher Meyer, 27, was in town from California for his friend's birthday festivities and was found stabbed to death just one block away from the Playa del Carmen sands. The armed suspects were spotted dressed in employee work vests. Inside the hotel above Taylor Kristopher Meyer's body was found stabbed to death on the street in Playa Del Carmen In August 2018, the State Department issued an update to its Mexico travel advisory, urging tourists to 'exercise increased caution' when visiting the country. The update came after authorities confirmed the discovery of eight bodies outside the resort areas of Cancun, which is located just north of Playa del Carmen. The State Department says the area 'experienced an increase in homicide rates compared to the same period in 2016.' 'While most of these homicides appeared to be targeted, criminal organization assassinations, turf battles between criminal groups have resulted in violent crime in areas frequented by U.S. citizens,' the advisory notes. 'Shooting incidents injuring or killing bystanders have occurred. Naidu's 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice), which began at 8 am, is likely to end at around 8 pm. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Congress chairperson Farooq Abdullah, NCP's Majeed Memon, Trinamool Congress' Derek O' Brien, DMK's Tiruchi Siva and Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav were among those who met the TDP chief to express their support. (Photo: ANI | Twitter) New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's daylong fast demanding special status for his state on Monday became a rallying point for various opposition leaders who visited the protest venue to back him and attack the Central government. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Congress chairperson Farooq Abdullah, NCP's Majeed Memon, Trinamool Congress' Derek O' Brien, DMK's Tiruchi Siva and Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav were among those who met the TDP chief to express their support. The TDP president is demanding that the Centre fulfil promises made during Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation in 2014 and alleges that Modi was not following 'raj dharma' by denying the state special status. Read: PM not following raj dharma: Andhra CM, on fast seeking special status "The prime minister has stolen from the people from Andhra Pradesh and he has given that money to Anil Ambani. That is the fact of the matter," Gandhi alleged at the protest venue Andhra Bhavan in an apparent reference to the Rafale fighter jet deal with France. Also Read: PM stole from Andhra Pradesh, gave it to Anil Ambani: Rahul Gandhi The government and Ambani have rejected Gandhi's allegations of corruption in the deal. O'Brien recalled Modi's speech in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday and said he didn't talk about development or special category status but "started a personal attack". "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others," he said. The PM said in his rally that Naidu was indeed a senior, but only in losing elections, switching alliances and ditching his father-in-law N T Rama Rao. Lashing out at the Prime Minister, Abdullah said, Modi has stooped so low, he's making personal attacks against Naidu, who is doing a great service to the country. "The Jammu-Srinagar highway is closed for six days. They cannot clear the 30km road, but they want to rule the country," he added. Adding his voice to the chorus of criticism, Memon alleged that the Central government was meting out step motherly treatment to the state and the BJP was attacking Naidu because he has taken the lead in uniting rival parties against it. We will show the BJP its place in the elections. I assure you on behalf of Sharad Pawar ji, Memon stated. Mulayam Yadav said he was not well but had come to show endorse Naidu's stand. "Naidu is fighting the battle for the poor, the farmers and all those who are oppressed," he added. Stating that Naidu was fighting for a just cause, DMK leader Siva said the Modi government would be ousted in three months. "The powers of the state are being encroached upon...the rights of the minorities are being violated." The TDP had walked out the BJP-led NDA last year protesting the "injustice" done to Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation. The Constitution is being systematically destroyed, added former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Gegong Apang, who gave the BJP its first government in the Northeast 16 years ago. Congress leaders Anand Sharma, Ahmed Patel and Jairam Ramesh were also at the venue to express their support. Naidu's 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice), which began at 8 am, is likely to end at around 8 pm. He will also submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on February 12. Naidu paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat and also to the Ambedkar Statue at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan before sitting on the hunger strike. It seems romantics across the country are turning to Google for some Valentine's Day inspiration ahead of the holiday, just days away. Valentine's related searches, broken down state by state, show a degree of diversity with love poetry on the minds of some, while dating apps are on the minds of others. A map, created by Satellite Internet, shows the top searches in each state. Valentine's related searches, broken down state by state, show a degree of diversity as shown by the map produced by Satellite Internet Edible arrangements crops up as top search items in three states including New York What food to serve up is clearly of interest in a number of States. Vermont is looking for its native 'Ben and Jerry's' ice-cream while Alabama is searching for fancy Filet Mignon recipes and Michigan, heart-shaped pizzas. Edible arrangements crop up as the top search items in three states including New York while Oregon wants Cheese Fondue Recipes. Lobster seems to be the dish of choice for a romantic Valentine's Day dinner if you live in Montana and Alaska Alabama is looking for fancy 'Filet Mignon recipes' to serve on Valentine's Day Idaho and Wyoming are searching for dating apps like Tinder Lobster seems to be the dish of choice for those looking up Valentine's Day culinary inspiration in Montana and Alaska. Chocolate and candy still remain firm favorites with Colorado Googling Russell Stover and New Hampshire, Lindt Chocolate. Idaho and Wyoming are not so concerned with what food they'll be eating on the big day and are searching for dating apps, perhaps a sign they are looking for love ahead of Thursday. Those googling in Michigan are wanting to know more about heart-shaped pizzas Vermont stays true to its native Ben and Jerry's In Arizona and Tennessee the top search was for 'venereal disease' While in California and Florida, friendship is a high priority with the most searches for 'Friendship Day.' Kansas doesn't appear to be as lucky in love as some other states with 'broken heart syndrome' the top Valentine's related search. Meanwhile, the rather less romantic Arizona and Tennessee apparently want information on STI's, Googling 'venereal disease.' North Dakota and Minnesota appear to be looking to send Valentine's wishes a little further afield and are searching for free eCards. Searchers in Oklahoma and Missouri are looking for 'poetry' while Texans are a little more racy searching for 'Dirty Valentine's Poems.' Up in the North Wisconsin specifically wants 'Dirty Valentine's.' Old postcards from more than a century ago are turning up again at their original destinations thanks to an amateur historian and his 'random acts of kindness'. Ben Curran, 45, buys antique cards from second-hand shops and sends them to the address on the back in a bid to combat loneliness and isolation. The mental health worker, of Norwich, Norfolk, has sent 40 of his 'Postcards From Time' since he dreamed up the idea in 2017 - but has only had one response. Among the vintage cards is one from a British soldier fighting at the close of the First World War, scolding his daughter for not keeping in touch with him. Ben Curran, 45, buys antique cards (pictured) from second-hand shops and sends them to the address on the back in a bid to combat loneliness and isolation This First World War era postcard depicts a soldier writing home to his lover. It is among several Ben Curran has accumulated to send to its original addressee Mr Curran said: 'It all started from my interest in history. I was doing some research into Edwardian actors and actresses and realised that a lot of actors from that period were on postcards. 'It just occurred to me to send them back to the original addresses. 'I was just interested in the concept of how isolated people are these days, and how receiving letters means a lot to people and shows there are people out there who care. I just do it as a random act of kindness.' Ben, who works for mental health charity Julian Support, said: 'There was a father writing to his daughter back home saying to her 'I haven't heard from you'. 'That is something a parent would feel when their child goes off to university, and here is a father sat on the front line in Belgium or France feeling this way.' The mental health worker, of Norwich, Norfolk, has sent 40 of his 'Postcards From Time' since he dreamed up the idea in 2017. This one depicts a scene in Scarborough town centre The back of the Scarborough postcard reads: 'Hear you are enjoying yourself. I hope you will have a jolly good time and fine weather' Mr Curran sends the cards with a message saying he is 'returning this little piece of history to the place where it belongs'. The message suggests that people tell a neighbour about their card, or write a comment on the project's website. He added: 'A few postcards were from soldiers in WW1 writing back to their loved ones letting them know that they were okay. 'Others were just from people on holiday saying that they were having a nice time and that the weather was good or bad. 'There were a range of different messages - I guess the postcards were like the text messages of their day.' An antique postcard shows the church in the north Cornwall seaside resort of Bude The back of the Bude postcard is addressed to Hammersmith in west London This is the back of a postcard Mr Curran has collected of Ashstead Church in Surrey Mr Curran wants to set up a bigger community project to help bring lonely people together. He said: 'They don't have to respond and there is no monetary value. 'They are just given an opportunity to talk to other people who may feel isolated. 'I don't know who these people are but it just felt like a nice thing to do. 'I have had one response so far but the importance for me is just trying to create connections in a world where people feel disconnected.' He also sees the scheme as a way of sparking people's curiosity about the history of their street or local area. He said: 'I have to check whether the addresses still exist - but even that in itself is interesting. 'The urban landscape has changed - there have been times I look up an address and it is now a car park or a shop.' A mother claims she has been forced to home school her two young daughters after they were repeatedly attacked by bullies. Michelle Murray said daughters Aimee-Rose Reynolds, six, and Lilah-Grace, four, have come home with bruises, grazes and covered in mud after being shoved around in the playground at Ark Kings Primary Academy in Kings Norton, Birmingham. Mrs Murray claims Aimee-Rose even had a clump of hair pulled out of her head by a group of boys which left her with a huge bald patch. The mother added she has had meetings with the school and has written to Ofsted and Birmingham City Council but claims no one is prepared to help her children. But teachers at Ark Kings Primary say they have never received a formal complaint from her. Michelle Murray, centre, says she has been forced to home school daughters Aimee-Rose, six, right, and Lilah-Grace, four, left, after constant bullying at their Birmingham school The mother of three, who lives in Kings Norton with plumber husband Daniel, said she made the decision to home educate her girls two weeks ago after more than a year of 'bullying'. She said the torment began in September 2017 when Aimee-Rose was just five and in Year 1. Mrs Murray said: 'Everything was fine when she started in reception. Then in Year 1, she was physically assaulted by a group of boys who pulled a clump of hair out of her head. 'She came home with a bald patch that bad I had to cut her hair to cover it up. To see someone hurt your child like that, well, it just broke me.' Mrs Murray said she went to speak to the Academy Head, the Head of School and the Safeguarding Teacher about the incident. 'They said it was my daughter's fault, that she was in the wrong place at the wrong time,' said the full time mum, who also has a one year old son called Jax. 'And that they weren't going to do anything about it.' She claimed the problems continued when Lilah-Grace started reception in September 2018 when the bullies also turned their attention to her. Mrs Murray said: 'Lilah-Grace was born premature so she's small and has learning difficulties which means she can't talk properly. 'She said she was playing on the playground at lunchtime and a girl came and said she didn't want to play with her and threw her across the playground into the mud. 'Lilah-Grace was smothered in mud, it was all up one side of her body and she had grazes on her arms, legs and her face where she'd been pushed across the floor on her chin. She was just four.' Mrs Murray said she went to the teachers again but the girls continued to be bullied, both verbally and physically. Mrs Murray said Lilah-Grace, pictured, was thrown into mud despite being just four years old. Her bruises are pictured left and right She also claimed she began to suffer bullying herself at school drop off and pick up times too from other parents. Mrs Murray said: 'One of the girl's mums started harassing me on the playground and her friends joined in too. 'In the end, I had to stop going to pick up the girls after school because I didn't want to be in that atmsophere. My husband had to go instead. They never said anything to him.' Mrs Murray said she considered going to the police but felt reassured when the headteacher and safeguarding teacher said they would investigate the situation. But she claims this did not resolve the issue. Mrs Murray said: 'I was called into a meeting and told it was my daughter's fault because she didn't want to be friends with the people who were bullying her any more. 'They said they had talked to my daughter and she said she'd fallen out with this girl. 'I expressed how concerned I was and that I didn't think this response fitted with their bullying policy, which is supposed to be all about ensuring pupil safety. 'I said I didn't feel safe at the school myself, let alone my children and that I was going to take them out of school. 'Their response was simply that if I was going to home school them, I'd need to write a letter to take their names off the admissions register, which I did.' The Reynolds sisters left Ark Kings in the middle of January 2018 and have been home schooled ever since. A spokesman for Ark Kings Academy said: 'We take the safeguarding and wellbeing of our pupils very seriously at Ark Kings. 'We have extensive feedback from parents who feel their children are well-supported by the school. 'To help with this, we have robust complaints and anti-bullying policies that we follow at all times. 'Whenever concerns are raised by parents or pupils, we investigate them thoroughly and resolve them promptly. 'In this instance, we have not received a complaint from the parent.' Mrs Murray claims she sent two handwritten letters of complaints to the headteacher but 'got no response'. Mrs Murray, who also has a one-year-old son, said she had no option but to remove the girls due to the abuse. Pictured left and right is bruising on Lilah-Grace's arm She added: 'I even wrote a letter asking for a response about removing the girls off their registers so I had a copy to show the home ed team at the council if they got in touch with me. 'I still haven't heard anything from them.' Mrs Murray said she also wrote to Ofsted but was told the government education standards body does not investigate individual cases so her complaint was referred to Birmingham City Council. An email from the council said: 'The Education Safeguarding team has received a copy of the complaint you sent to Ofsted regarding Ark 'Kings Academy school as Ofsted do not investigate individual cases. 'We are therefore reluctant to investigate your particular case. In order to ensure that all complaints are dealt with fairly and appropriately there is a formal process in place that should be followed with school complaints. 'The school you are concerned about should have their formal complaints procedure published on their website. 'Before your complaint can be looked at by the Local Authority (in the case of maintained schools) or the Regional Schools Commissioner (in the case of Academies) in the majority of instances a complaint will need to be investigated by the Head Teacher and /or by the Governing Body. 'Therefore you will need to raise your complaint directly with the school for them to action, you mention that you have already spoken to the Heads, but you need to raise your concerns with them formally and ask for an investigation and written response. 'If you remain unhappy with the outcome of their investigation and feel that there are remain outstanding safeguarding concerns you then challenge the Head's report and ask the Governing Body to formally investigate. 'It is only after this stage that the Education Safeguarding team can consider an investigation into your complaint.' Mrs Murray said she was still concerned for her daughters if she moved them to a different school. She added: 'They are both scared in case they get bullied again at another school. 'I'm really upset because you do everything for your children, you fight for them. I've gone to these people for help and they've refused it. 'Home schooling is really hard. I have a one year old son and it's difficult to try to get the girls to focus on what they should be doing at school. 'My eldest daughter keeps saying "Bullies are really horrible, I just can't take it Mummy". 'And my youngest has changed, becoming so shy and timid and clingy to me. It's heartbreaking to see.' Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris, who launched her presidential campaign last month, said Monday morning that she smoked marijuana in college, wants it legalized and remembers what it felt like to be high. 'I have. And I inhaled. I did inhale. It was a long time ago, but yes. I just broke news!' Harris said through a cascade of laughter on New York City's hip-hop radio program 'The Breakfast Club.' 'You know, I joke about it half joke but half my family's from Jamaica! Are you kidding me?' Sen. Kamala Harris said Monday morning during a New York City radio interview that she smoked marijuana in college Harris is the first 2020 presidential candidate to say she has smoked weed and call for its nationwide legalization Harris said her pot delivery method of choice in her college years at Howard University was a joint 'It was a joint,' Harris recalled, saying that she remember what it felt like to be high on the drug. 'Listen: I think it gives a lot of people joy, and we need more joy!' she laughed later in the interview. Harris said she has long been an advocate for states legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes, and now wants it legalized in general. 'I think we need to legalize marijuana,' she said Monday, adding that 'we need to move it on the schedule so that we can research the impact of weed on a developing brain.' 'Not all drugs are the same,' she insisted, while suggesting that criminalizing weed has disproportinately affected black men in America's criminal justice system. Bill Clinton famously claimed in 1992 that while he had experimented with weed in college, he 'didn't inhale' it Barack Obama proudly declared during his first presidential campaign that he had smoked pot in his youth and inhaled because 'that was the point' Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (right) said during a September 2015 presidential primary debate that he had smoked pot, later tweeting: 'Sorry Mom'; President Donald Trump has said he never partook of drugs or alcohol other than communion wine 'We have incarcerated so many, particularly young men and young men of color in a way that we have not for the same level of use, other young men. And we've got to deal with that,' she said. Recreational marijuana use is legal in 10 states and the District of Columbia. Thirty-three states have legalized medical marijuana. But the drug is still illegal under federal law turning the pot trade into a volatile cash-only business that can't use FDIC-insured banks for deposits. It has been nearly 29 years since presidential candidate Bill Clinton admitted that he had smoked weed but insisted that he 'didn't inhale.' More than a quarter-century later, Libertarian Party presidential nominee Gary Johnson, a former New Mexico governor, said he was a regular pot smoker but stopped during the campaign: 'I want to be completely on top of my game, all cylinders.' President Donald Trump has softened his 1990s-era view that states should legalize marijuana. He has said he has never taken an illegal drug or drunk alcohol, with the exception of communion wine. His predecessor Barack Obama was famously open about his drug use, recalling in a memoir his teenage friendships in a group he called 'The Choom Gang.' 'I inhaled frequently. That was the point,' he told NBC News in 2006. Top 2016 Democrat Hillary Clinton continues to insist, despite her interactions with the 1960s counter-culture, that she hever smoked marijuana; Bernie Sanders (right) was never is denial 2016 Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson, a former New Mexico governor, is a regular pot user but paused his smoking in order to be sharp on the campaign trail Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton claimed in 2016 when she ran against Trump that despite surrounding herself with counter-culture figures in her twenties, she has never smoked marijuana. 'I didnt do it when I was young,' she said in a 2014 town hall. 'Im not going to start now.' Other presidnetial hopefuls have admitted toking in the past, including former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. After letting the cat out of the bag during a 2015 primary debate, he tweeted: 'Sorry Mom.' Texas Sen. Ted Cruz's presidential campaign told DailyMail.com in 2016 that 'when he was a teenager, he foolishly experimented with marijuana. It was a mistake, and he's never tried it since.' 'Teenagers are often known for their lack of judgment, and Sen. Cruz was no exception,' the spokesperson said. Sidique Kamara, 23, who was high up in south Londons Moscow 17 music gang, was stabbed to death in Camberwell on the evening of August 1 last year. He is pictured in an Instagram post on July 17 A knifeman who said he accidentally stabbed the drill rapper Incognito to death after being robbed of his fake Cartier watch has been cleared of murder. Sidique Kamara, 23, who was high up in south Londons Moscow 17 drill music gang, was stabbed to death in Camberwell on the evening of August 1 last year. The Old Bailey heard Kenneth Umezie, 32, pulled out a lock knife after his watch, a counterfeit Cartier, was taken. Mr Kamara, the father of a four-year-old girl, was pronounced dead at the scene in Warham Street around 40 minutes after the altercation. The Old Bailey heard Umezie ran into Mr Kamara, and a youth who cannot be identified, on a nearby housing estate. Trouble flared between the trio, with CCTV appearing to show Mr Kamara and the juvenile, who were out selling drugs, trying to rob Umezie of his watch. The defendants response to the trouble was to get hold of a knife and go on the attack, prosecutor Timothy Cray said. Umezie pulled out a lock knife and chased Mr Kamara, who was unarmed, out of the small side street they were in, across a nearby park and into a neighbouring road, the court heard. The pair briefly faced off before the powerfully-built Umezie lunged towards Mr Kamara and stabbed him twice as he lay curled up on the ground, jurors were told. Mr Kamara was able to get up and stagger a short distance along the street but soon collapsed as a result of the two major wounds - one of which pierced his heart. Relatives of the victim tie flowers to a lamp post near to the where the rapper was killed on August 1 Despite the arrival of emergency services who treated him at the scene Mr Kamara died from blood loss and shock less than an hour after being knifed. But Umezie told jurors he only gave chase to get his stolen watch back. He insisted he pulled his blade out in self-defence and was unsure whose knife eventually caused the fatal wounds, adding that he could only have done so accidentally during a struggle on the ground. Jurors deliberated for almost 12 hours before finding Umezie not guilty of both murder and manslaughter. The court had heard how Mr Kamara and the youth were out together selling drugs and regarded that part of the estate as their particular turf. Mr Kamara, being the elder of the two, was the more senior man. In fact, all of the evidence points to the fact that he was high up in a local gang which goes by the name of Moscow17, the prosecutor said. Mr Cray told jurors that the teenager, maybe because of his youth and therefore lower status, was armed with a large Rambo-style knife so that he would take the rap if the pair happened to be stopped by the police. He faces trial in due course charged with robbery and GBH with intent after stabbing Umezie during the same incident. Like the juvenile, jurors heard Umezie was also powerfully-built and was older than the other two. He had earlier been to visit a friend in the area. Police on Warham Street in Camberwell shortly after Mr Kamara was stabbed to death Just before the confrontation he appears to have called a number connected to Mr Kamara. Within moments CCTV footage shows Mr Kamara gripping Umezies arm whilst the teenager looks on, focussing on his watch. The youth can then be seen placing the timepiece in his pocket once it had been removed, the court heard. Mr Cray said: At this stage it looks like the other two were trying to carry out some sort of robbery on this defendant, because his watch gets taken. Whether this was a drug deal that turned into a robbery or whether, just by chance, the defendant ran into two drug dealers who thought they could rob him, well probably never know. Umezie, of Camberwell denied murder and manslaughter and was cleared of both charges. A woman has been arrested in India over claims that she raped her nine-year-old nephew. The 36-year-old was arrested by police in Kerala, southern India, after the child told a local doctor he had been abused. Officers later revealed that the suspect was the wife of the boy's uncle and that there had been a 'dispute' between the family of the youngster and the accused. A woman has been arrested in India over claims that she raped her nine-year-old nephew (file picture) A doctor raised the alarm and told Childline, which said it had recorded the boy's statement. The NGO said he had been subjected to sexual abuse for more than a year and that his mental health had been affected, The Times of India reports. But police said they had yet to speak to the accused. Thenhippalam sub-inspector Binu Thomas said: 'We have learnt that there was a dispute between the family of the survivor and accused. 'We have to check whether the allegation is linked to the dispute. Police will record the statement of accused in the coming days'. Christopher Rogers, 45, has been charged with assault on a public servant for allegedly biting off a piece of a police sergeant's ear during a DWI traffic stop in Denton, Texas A Texas man who was pulled over on suspicion of driving under the influence is accused of attacking a police sergeant and biting off a piece of his ear. The gruesome incident began unfolding just after 11pm on Friday, when an officer with the Denton Police Department pulled over a car after observing it weaving from lane to lane in the 1500 block of Interstate 35E. The driver, identified as 45-year-old Christopher Rogers, pulled over on the shoulder of the northbound lanes near North Texas Boulevard but refused to get out of the car, according to a statement from the police. An arrest affidavit stated that police noticed an empty bottle of vodka inside Roger' car, reported Fox 4. As the officers tried to remove Rogers from the driver's seat, the motorist allegedly punched one of them in the face. A backup officer and Sergeant Michael Rose then attempted to handcuff Rogers, but he resisted the officers and a struggle ensued. Police said that during the melee, the officers and Rogers fell to the ground on the shoulder of the highway, and the suspect began to bite the sergeants head and ear, ultimately chewing off a chunk of Roses ear off. Scroll down for video Rogers was pulled over Friday night after police observed his car weaving from lane to lane in the 1500 block of Interstate 35E in Denton The missing portion of the ear measuring 1 inch in width and a half inch in depth could not be recovered for the purpose of reattachment, so the damage to the sergeant's head will be permanent. One of the officers on the scene had to repeatedly use a Taser on Rogers in order to subdue and restrain him. Rogers was then taken to a hospital by ambulance. While he was being transported, the 45-year-old man allegedly kicked a paramedic attempting to treat him. Following his release from the hospital, Rogers was booked into the Denton city jail on charges of DWI - second offense; resisting arrest, and two counts of assault on a public servant. Sergeant Rose was treated at a hospital and released to continue his recovery at home. 'Hes ready to hit the streets again as soon as hes healed up,' Denton police officer Bryan Cose told WFAA. A mother decided to leave her squabbling son on a high-speed train in central China after she got fed up with his bad behaviour. The mother, surnamed Wu, was travelling from Beijing with her son, aged around four, when he wouldn't stop crying and yelling on the train. Exasperated, the mother decided to leave the child behind and got off the train without him at Handan East railway station in Hebei province on Thursday. A police officer comforts the child after his mother decided to leave him behind on a high-speed train at Handan East railway station in central China's Hebei province The boy's grandparents alerted authorities after they didn't see the child with his mother when they came to pick him up, according to China News. Police officers eventually located the boy on the G4567 train at Anyang East railway station, an hour away in a different province. However, despite being 'abandoned' by his mother, the boy appeared to be very clam as police officers try to locate his family. Eventually, two police officers accompanied the boy on the train and returned him to his grandparents in Handan. The boy's grandparents alerted authorities after they didn't see him with his mother when they came to pick him up at Handan city, according to China News Two police officers accompanied the boy on the train and returned him to his grandparents 'Thank you officers, thank you so much!' his relieved grandmother was heard saying in a video showing their reunion 'Thank you officers, thank you so much!' his relieved grandmother was heard saying in a video showing their reunion. Some net users questioned the mother's parenting methods while others called her actions 'savage'. 'Isn't this too much? Leaving him all alone on the train? What if he was kidnapped?' one user commented on Chinese microblogging site Weibo. 'Isn't that against the law?' another said. 'Such a waste of police resource!' 'I'm sure the child will behave from now on,' one user said. 'Sometimes these kids really do need a lesson. They are so loud on the trains!' another said. Thomas Peter has been jailed for life for strangling his estranged wife to death and setting fire to her body A jealous husband who strangled his estranged wife to death and set fire to her body after taking out a 300,000 life insurance policy was jailed for at least 25 years. Thomas Peter, 50, forced a cloth down Karen Peter's throat to silence her cries for help before throttling her at their semi-detached home in Romford, east London. He was enraged after learning that the mother-of-three had finally had enough of his years of violence and affairs and about to start a new life with her lover. The Common Serjeant of London, Judge Richard Marks QC, jailed Peter for life and ordered he serve a minimum term of 25 years behind bars at the Old Bailey today . The judge told him: 'You are an arrogant, egotistical, chauvinistic and controlling bully.' He added: 'I am satisfied from the evidence that for a long time you treated Karen quite abysmally. 'According to one of your daughters, whose evidence I accept, you always started arguments with her, calling her names like slag, slut and c**t, and saying to her "Who would want you?" and that she was fat and a bad mother. 'A bad mother - what an outrageous lie that was. She was, as you well knew, an outstanding mother.' Mother-of-three Karen Peter (pictured, right, with her daughters) was killed after she finally vowed to leave him following years of violence at his hands Job centre worker Mrs Peter, 50, had recently ditched her wedding and engagement rings, got a number of tattoos and told friends she had 'met someone special'. Just a month before killing her, Thomas took out the maximum 310,000 life insurance policy available in the event he or his wife should die. He also stood to be the sole beneficiary from her pension. 'We thought dad was our protector, but we needed protecting from him' In a moving victim impact statement, victim Karen Peter's eldest daughter said: 'I find it hard to describe the devastation that blew our world apart on 2 August 2018. 'When they told us my mum's body had been found inside the house time stood still; frozen. 'People talked but nothing made sense.' She described desperately searching the house since for one of her mother's possessions only to find 'everything gone; destroyed due to fire damage, just like her'. The couple's daughter said that her parent's frequent rows had 'become normal'. 'I always thought dad was our protector, that he would protect us from the outside world,' she continued. 'The irony; it was him we needed protecting from and him who took our mother from us.' Advertisement Peter claimed to have accidentally strangled his wife when they both fell over during a row in the bedroom in the early hours of 2 August last year. He claimed he was so shocked he said he lit a number of candles around her body 'to calm the mood' accidentally setting her body and possessions ablaze too. But prosecutor Gareth Patterson QC said Peter set the series of fires to cover up the injuries and obliterate the tattoos he hated along with the phones his wife used to contact her new man. Peter was convicted of murder and arson being reckless as to whether the lives of his three daughters were endangered last week. Jurors heard the couple's three daughters woke up to the sound of their mother's 'muffled screams' but Peter kicked their bedroom door shut each time one of the girls tried to peer in. The court heard the three girls have since tried to repair the damage caused by the fire and renovate the poorly-maintained house to give 'Mum the home that she always wanted'. But she added that her callous father has since sent a number of emails and letters 'threatening to sell the house if we continued with the renovation works'. Karen's 80-year-old mother Margery McDonald, who sat alongside her husband Dennis, 81, throughout the trial, added that she now feels 'lost' without her 'best friend'. Mrs Peter's daughter told the court how the fire her killer lit to hide the attack destroyed many precious objects that could have reminded them of her The victim's mother also described racking her memories 'for clues' about the real nature of the problems in her daughter's marriage. 'On 2 August 2018 I stood outside [Karen's house] watching helpless as it burned,' Mrs McDonald said. 'All the while my daughter Karen lay trapped inside. This day will torture me forever.' Defending, Kerim Fuad QC, told the court: 'It is so very sad that a relationship that started so long ago, that began full of promise, love and laughter, which bore the three bright and lovely children from whom this court has heard, should end in such a devastating and ugly fashion.' Jurors heard during the trial how the pair married in 1994 but 'it had been a far from happy relationship for Karen'. She finally applied for a divorce in February 2010 citing her husband's adultery and stating that the relationship had broken down irretrievably. But they continued to live together under the same roof with their three daughters. Their divorce was granted weeks later, in September 2010, but they remarried in February 2012. Peter, formerly of Romford, was convicted of murder and arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered. Anti-EU populist parties could do well enough in the upcoming European Parliament elections to 'paralyse' the bloc a report says. The European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) - a pro-EU think tank - warns of a threat to functioning European government in their report on the upcoming May elections. Their report - titled How Anti-Europeans Plan to Wreck Europe and What Can Be Done to Stop It' - describes how nationalist parties could win over a third of seats. If those populist parties unified they could 'paralyse decision-making at the centre of the EU.' Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called for 'anti-immigration forced' to seize control in May's elections - Hungary was sanctioned by the EU under Article 7, powers which the ECFR say could be jeopardised by populist parties in the EU Italian Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini is a member of the League party which stands against the EU - he has called for a 'European Spring' in May One of their chief concerns is how they could block Article 7 implementation - the law which allows the EU to freeze countries out. The most recent example was the imposition of Article 7 sanctions on Viktor Orban's Hungary with concerns over freedom of the press and judicial independence being highlighted. If anti-EU nominees were to pick up seats this would grant them influence over the European Commission - the main executive arm of the EU. The report says that this presents 'a significant opportunity for disruption' because just over a third of votes are needed to reject a country's proposal for the Commission. The ECFR say that this is worsened by growing anti-EU sentiment at a national level in European governments meaning there is more chance of anti-EU ministers being proposed for the Commission. They say that 'the stakes of the May 2019 election are unusually high.' They warn of ramifications in trade, foreign policy, budget, migration and law and order. Specifically they say that the EU's common foreign policy on Russia is put at risk by the League (Italy), the Freedom Party of Austria, AfD (Germany), Golden Dawn (Greece), as well as Hungary's Jabbik and the Czech Republic's Freedom and Direct Democracy. The think tank accuse all of these parties of calling for an end to sanctions on Vladimir Putin's Russia. They further accuse populist parties of seeking to destabilise efforts to curb climate change and of spreading intolerance and nationalism across Europe. Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of Poland's PiS party, their anti-immigration stance is seen as a threat to the EU In combating the anti-EU rise the ECFR propose exposing the divisions between the parties and turning them against one and other. For example they say that Orban, Jaroslaw Kaczynski (Poland's PiS leader) and Matteo Salvini (the League, Italy) differ in their proposals for dealing with immigration. The ECFR say: 'The Hungarian and Polish governments refuse to accept the relocation of immigrants to their countries, while the Italian government seeks greater cooperation and solidarity between European states in relocating immigrants.' The paper follows Orban calling for 'anti-immigration forces' to seize power last month. Orban welcomed a 'Warsaw-Rome axis' as he echoed calls for a 'European Spring' made by the Italian Deputy Prime Minister Salvini who challenged the 'French-German axis' last month on a visit to Warsaw. He even made a call to filmmaker Pahlaj Nihalani asking for a role in the film Rangeela Raja. News that actor Mahesh Anand was found dead in his Mumbai apartment appeared in newspapers yesterday. Apparently, the actor was out of work for almost a decade and was desperate to bag an acting offer. He even made a call to filmmaker Pahlaj Nihalani asking for a role in the film Rangeela Raja. Pahlaj says, He said he wanted to be part of Rangeela Raja. I told him only the climax of the film remained to be shot. He asked to be fitted into the climax. I sensed his need and I made a role for him at that last moment of shooting. The problem is, Mahesh didnt look for work hard enough. He lived in his own world. Here, you have to be pushy when you need work. The filmmaker, who has worked with him in the past, adds, I always liked Mahesh. He was straightforward in his dealings, friendly and courageous. In his heydays, his physique was the envy of many heroes. The minute he would take off his shirt for a fight some heroes would get insecure. Sushant Singh, General Secretary of the Cine & TV Artistes Association (CINTAA) reveals that Mahesh Anand had contemplated suicide in the past. Our Executive Committee member Nupur Alankar talked him out of a suicidal bout last year, she was in touch with him even after that. Its a freelancers responsibility to be prepared for the day opportunities start drying up. I dont think Mahesh Anand ever approached anyone for financial help, he had become a recluse and its only now that we are discovering about various issues he was facing, he says. Marvin Roberts, 18, pleaded guilty to first degree murder, robbery and other charges on Friday over the 2017 shooting death of 38-year-old Gerard Grandzol A teenager has been sentenced to 35 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to murdering a Philadelphia father in front of his two-year-old daughter during an attempted carjacking. Marvin Roberts, 18, pleaded guilty to first degree murder, robbery and other charges on Friday over the 2017 shooting death of 38-year-old Gerard Grandzol. Roberts was given the mandatory minimum sentence following a plea deal with the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office. His older brother, Maurice Roberts, 21, pleaded guilty earlier this month to third degree murder and robbery in relation to the fatal shooting. Maurice was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in state prison. Grandzol's widow, Kristin Grandzol, declined to go to trial to seek a longer sentence, according to NBC10. 'I understand why everyone wants more time, because I do,' she said. 'I don't want to take any chances. I feel like justice will be served in prison.' Roberts, who was 16 at the time, shot the victim in the face at point-blank range after he parked his SUV outside his family's Philadelphia home on September 7, 2017. Gerard Grandzol was shot dead in front of his two-year-old daughter during an attempted carjacking outside their Philadelphia home in 2017 Grandzol had just returned home from the park with his two-year-old daughter and their dog at the time of the shooting. His wife had stayed home with their five-week-old baby Grandzol had just returned home from the park with his two-year-old daughter and their dog. The victim's wife had stayed home with their five-week-old baby. The brothers confronted Grandzol outside his home and forced him to hand over his wallet. When Roberts also demanded the keys to the car, Grandzol refused because his daughter was in the backseat. Grandzol was trying to get her out of the car when Roberts shot him twice in the face. Police said the shooting was captured on a neighbor's surveillance camera, which also had audio. His daughter and the family dog, Oscar, were both found unharmed in the car by police. The father-of-two was a community activist in his neighborhood and served on its development board. Police are on the hunt for a mom turned matchmaker who seems to have taken matters into her own hands in a bid to find her son a date. The mother, described as a woman in her 50s, approached an unknown number of students in two campus buildings at Towson University in Maryland. She produced her cell phone and showed students a picture of her son, before asking them if they were interested in going on a date with him, as reported by The Baltimore Sun. University police issued an 'incident advisory' following the mom's matchmaking efforts that included surveillance footage of the mother (pictured above) The mother, described as a woman in her 50s, approached an unknown number of students in two campus buildings at Towson University in Maryland The students complained to school police officers who issued an 'incident advisory' that included surveillance footage of the mother. The alert asked for help in identifying the woman who 'may frequent Cook Library and Center for the Arts' at the university. The woman is being asked to stop playing cupid but isn't facing any criminal charges. The mother's actions led to a number of comments and jokes on Twitter There was speculation the mom was trying to find her son a match before Valentine's Day Police are asking the woman to stop playing cupid but she isn't facing any criminal charges An email was sent out to students from Charles Herring, chief of the university police department. 'This incident advisory is being provided in order to make the TU Community aware of an incident on campus that may cause concern,' the email read. The mother's actions led to a number of comments and jokes on Twitter from people speculating she was trying to find her son a match before Valentine's Day. The police alert asked for help in identifying the woman who 'may frequent Cook Library and Center for the Arts' at the university A woman seduced and scammed by a Nigerian con artist has finally come face-to-face with the US army veteran she believed she'd fallen head over heels with. Queenslander Chyrel Muzic thought her dreams had come true when she met retired US colonel Bryan Denny online two years ago. She became so besotted with him she borrowed $40,000 to send to him. Ms Muzic was devastated to find out three weeks ago that she had been conversing with a Nigerian conman, 29, who had been using Mr Denny's photos as part of an elaborate romance scam. Queenslander Chyrel Muzic (pictured) thought her dreams had come true when she met retired US colonel Bryan Denny online two years ago A Four Corners investigation aired by the ABC on Monday night revealed some of the shocking tactics used by scammers target millions worldwide, leaving victims broke. Some victims are used to launder money or are conned into trafficking drugs. One popular tactic used by romance scammers is using the photos of military personnel on fake social media and dating profiles as they're considered highly regarded and trustworthy. Mr Denny, a married father who spent half his life in the military has reported more than 3,000 accounts to Facebook of scammers using photos of him to trick women worldwide. But Ms Muzic is the first victim he has met through a recent webchat, where she admitted she'd been in love with him for the last two years. Retired US colonel Bryan Denny (pictured) has reported more than 3,000 accounts to Facebook of scammers using photos of him to trick women worldwide She doesn't blame Mr Denny and holds no ill feeling towards the scammer. 'I tell you something now. He gave you some service. He's been the most beautiful person that God ever put breath into,' she told Mr Denny. The pair publicly shared their stories to warn others from being sucked into similar scams. 'These guys are thieves. These guys are cockroaches, and when you shine a light on them, cockroaches scatter,' Mr Denny said. Ms Muzic added: 'I just want to have other women who are getting men- and there are thousands of them - getting men talking to them, romancing them, and then asking them for money - please don't give it to them, because they don't love you, they don't care about you, they are only after the money.' Kweiku (pictured) doesn't believe what he's doing is a crime and regards his victims as clients In Ghana's capital of Accra, Kweiku claims to use stolen photos to create fake identities to fool victims. He claims the best targets are divorced and widowed women. He doesn't believe what he's doing is a crime and regards his victims as clients. 'A client is somebody, a business partner who, who maybe will bring money or something,' Kweiku claimed to Four Corners. Meanwhile in the US, a Change.org petition has been set up urging president Donald Trump to crackdown on scammers stealing the identities of active, retired and deceased military personel in romance scams. It also hopes to encourage social media sites to provide more public service announcements. 'Scammers are the cancer to the social media world and it's time our companies and legislature took a stand and initiative to help prevent such illness within our military community and every day victims,' the petition states. Gun-loving Russian 'spy' Maria Butina has spoken out from prison for the first time to insist she is not working for the Kremlin and share photographs of the day the FBI raided her apartment while she was baking banana bread. Butina, who last year pleaded guilty to infiltrating political groups, is incarcerated in Alexandria, Virginia. In December, she gave a series of recorded interviews to James Bamford. They are detailed in The New Republic on Monday and were featured on Good Morning America on Monday. Among them are recordings of Butina saying that her ordeal has caused 'so much pain' for her family. Scroll down for video Maria Butina, 30, is shown in a photograph she had taken on the day FBI agents raided her Washington DC apartment in April while she was baking banana bread. She is now incarcerated in a Virginia prison awaiting sentencing for infiltrating political groups but insists she has never worked for the Russian government as she is suspected of Butina said she was stunned when the FBI arrived at her apartment last April and claimed the agents were shocked by the 'picture' they received of her when they arrived She also denied the allegation that she was working for the Russian government by trying to infiltrate the Republican party through her connections to the NRA, saying: 'If I would be invisible Russian spy, you would never see me in public. I would be the most unseen person on earth. 'Truth is my best defender here.' When the FBI raided her Washington DC apartment in April, she was wearing an apron and baking banana bread, she said. Photographs she had taken after agents had left show her posing in her kitchen with a loaf of bread, wearing the apron, and looking stunned as she opened the door. She said the wholesome domestic image shocked the agents who 'pounded on her door'. 'I was completely shocked. They pushed me in and realized that I'm wearing an apron. She also shared photographs of inside her apartment from after the raid which show her belongings in order. She claims she was studying at the time in Washington 'Me, making banana bread. That was the picture,' she said. Butina, who was in a relationship with conservative political operative Paul Erickson, 57, also lamented her prison life. Butina is pictured in her July mugshot. She is cooperating with the authorities while she awaits sentencing 'So I eat in my cell, I exercise in my cell, I read, I sleep, I do everything. I am locked for 22 hours, I get 2 hours at night to do everything, including shower.' In other interviews with Bamford, she complained that she was now hated by her home country, which believes she is working for America, and in America. 'Look, I imagined I could be in prison in Russia. I could never imagine I could go to jail in the United States. Because of politics? 'I didnt know it became a crime to have good relations with Russianow its a crime. 'They hate me in Russia, because they think Im an American spy. And here they think Im a Russian spy,' she said. Butina is facing a maximum of five years behind bars but her sentence has not yet been confirmed. She is cooperating with officials but she has not been interviewed by Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller's team as part of its probe into the Trump campaign. Erickson, Butina's boyfriend, was indicted last week on charges of money laundering and wire fraud. Hiding in plain sight? Butina argues that she would be the 'worst' spy because she led such a visible life and planted herself at the heart of NRA events where she posed with weapons (left) and also lobbied The 30-year-old's 57-year-old boyfriend, political operative Paul Erickson, has been indicted on fraud charges The par are pictured recording a song together. His case is not thought to be related to Butina's Butina's interviews are in the March issue of The New Republic He is a well-known figure in Republican and conservative circles and was a senior official in Pat Buchanan's 1992 Republican presidential campaign. Prosecutors said Erickson defrauded 'many victims' from 1996 through August 2018. The indictment accuses Erickson of concocting a variety of schemes to carry out well over $1 million in fraudulent transactions in South Dakota and elsewhere. He is accused of recruiting investors for a string of elder care homes, developing a wheelchair that allowed a person to use the bathroom from the chair, and home-building in North Dakota's booming oil fields. Erickson made false representations to get people to invest in the schemes, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. An Australian teenager sent to the Middle East under false pretenses to be a child bride has dedicated her life to campaigning against the process. Melbourne-born Tasneem Fakhoury, now 20, was told she would be going on a holiday at the age of 14. Instead, she found herself trapped in Lebanon for four years, held captive by an abusive husband. Tasneem Fakhoury (left) says she suffered extreme abuse after she was sent to the Middle East as a child bride Tricked into thinking she was visiting her grandparents, Ms Fakhoury boarded a flight out of Australia bound for a remote village near Tripoli. Instead of her grandparents meeting her at the arrivals gate, a man a decade her senior whisked her to his home. Her new husband, a 24-year-old, had a history of violence, crime and drug use. But she says she ignored the red flags, instead picturing her perfect wedding. 'I was 14, all I was thinking of was the beautiful white dress and that amazing wedding I'm going to get,' Ms Fakhoury told 7News. But her dreams of an idyllic marriage were quickly shattered when her new husband' began to physically abuse her. Under the guise of visiting her grandparents, Ms Fakhoury boarded a flight bound for a remote village near Tripoli where she became a child bride (stock image) After being beaten, she says her attacker would tell her that he only hurt her because he loved her and wanted the best for her. That's when she decided she needed to leave. Neighbours and friends of the couple laughed at her desire to go, telling her there was no escape. She says she would stand in the kitchen and just stare at a knife, lamenting how 'pathetic' her life was. She is now actively campaigning against the process of child brides (stock image used) Eventually, her father helped her escape, and she dropped all contact with her estranged captor last August. She is now championing freedom for other child brides. 'That's absolutely disgusting and disgraceful. A 10-year-old with like a 70-year old. Did they run out of women?' she asked, referring to one dozens of cases documented by the Australian Federal Police. Of the 70 incidents investigated between January 2017 and September 2018, six involved children ten and under, and three of those children were only six years old. Ms Fakhoury is now planning to write a book to highlight her experience and raise awareness for other little girls. A top US commander has issued a warning saying there are 'tens of thousands' of ISIS fighters spread across Syria and Iraq - despite President Donald Trump's declaration that the terrorist organisation had been defeated. General Joseph Votel said ISIS fighters are 'dispersed and disaggregated' in the Iraqi-Syria border area, but that there is 'leadership', 'fighters' and 'facilitators' there. His comments came as the US is set to begin its withdrawal of troops from Syria, following a surprise announcement by Trump in December. The top US commander in the war against ISIS says there are 'tens of thousands' of fighters spread across Syria and Iraq 'We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency,' Trump tweeted in December in announcing his intention to bring back U.S. troops 'NOW.' The shock tweet helped trigger the resignation of his defense secretary, Jim Mattis, and sent U.S. military officials scrambling to construct a withdrawal plan that preserves as many gains as possible. Hundreds of additional troops have been sent to Syria to facilitate the withdrawal. A few weeks after the announcement, four American citizens - two U.S. service members and two civilians - were among 16 people killed in an ISIS terror attack in the U.S.-patrolled town of Manbij. U.S. officials have long estimated that the Syria pullout could take until sometime in March or April to execute fully, but have been reluctant to set an exact timeline given hard-to-predict battlefield conditions. His trip comes just as the US plans to withdraw troops out of Syria and will include meetings with foreign leaders to thank them for support President Donald Trump announced in December that all US troops would be withdrawn from Syria as he claimed ISIS had been 'defeated' Votel has just embarked on a two week farewell tour in the Middle East to thank foreign leaders for support as he prepares to step down from a 40-year career. The commander said he is 'very proud' of the force team helping the Syrian Democratic partners in 'difficult fighting', according to CNN. He said: 'Urban terrain, high density of explosive hazards in the area, and the presence of displaced persons and others who are attempting to depart the area.' Votel said that all US troops would leave Syria but has been tight-lipped on when it will be completed. Asked whether the withdrawal of America's more than 2,000 troops would begin in days or weeks, Votel said: 'Probably weeks. But again, it will all be driven by the situation on the ground.' 'In terms of the withdrawal ... I think we're right on track with where we wanted to be,' Votel told reporters traveling with him during a trip to the Middle East. 'Moving people is easier than moving equipment and so what we're trying to do right now is again (to) kind of clear out those materials, that equipment, that we do not need.' He said: 'The President's orders are very clear to us. We understand exactly what he has directed'. Meanwhile Syrian fighters backed by artillery fire from a US-led coalition is battling a a fierce jihadist fightback as they pushed to retake a last morsel of territory from ISIS. Mushrooming black clouds rose over the embattled jihadist holdout in eastern Syria, as missiles and a warplane streaked through the sky. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Saturday announced the final push to expel hundreds of diehard jihadists from that patch on the Iraq border. The US-led coalition maintained a steady beat of bombings on the last IS pocket on Monday after an early morning IS counterattack caused several SDF casualties. 'IS launched a counterattack on our forces and we are now responding with rockets, air strikes and direct clashes,' SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali told AFP. A Virginia lawmaker on Monday backed off his plans to swiftly introduce an impeachment bill seeking the ouster of the state's leading black elected official as Democrats struggled to address revelations of past racist behavior and allegations of sexual assault roiling its highest levels of office. The effort to impeach Democratic Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax was prompted by the emergence of two women who accused him of rape in the 2000s. Fairfax has vehemently denied the claims and called for authorities, including the FBI, to investigate. Democratic Del. Patrick Hope tweeted early Monday that he got 'an enormous amount of sincere and thoughtful feedback' from colleagues after circulating a draft of his impeachment bill, and that he sees that 'additional conversations ... need to take place before anything is filed.' There's been little sign of broad appetite for impeachment, with lawmakers set to finish this year's session by the month's end. But the Legislature is swirling with questions about lines of succession and the political fallout for Democrats should their governor, lieutenant governor or attorney general leave office, willingly or not. Two women have accused Democratic Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Justin Fairfax of rape, prompting some from his own party to float the idea of impeaching him Stanford University fellow Vanessa Tyson suggested in a private Facebook post that Virignia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax sexually assaulted her in 2004; she said last Wednesday that he 'forced me to perform oral sex on him' Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said if the allegations against his lieutenant governor are true, then Justin Fairfax should resign his office Virginia lawmaker Patrick Hope had filed articles of impeachment against Fairfax but pulled them back after fellow Democrats intervened with him to stop the party's reputational bleeding Gov. Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring are still trying to regain their political standing after awkwardly acknowledging that they each once wore blackface as young men in the 1980s . Calls for Northam's resignation raised the prospect of Fairfax taking over, which prompted his accusers to come forward. All three scandals involve events that happened long before these leaders took office, but they've become a full-blown crisis for Democrats. The party counts on the support of black voters and has taken an almost zero-tolerance approach to sexual misconduct in the #MeToo era. A housecleaning could be costly: If all three Democrats resign, Republican state House Speaker Kirk Cox would become Virginia's governor. A second woman, Meredith Watson, came forward on Friday to accuse Fairfax of raping her while they were students at Duke University in 2000, according to a statement issued by her attorney Northam, a pediatric neurologist, said that he considered quitting, but has decided he's 'not going anywhere' because the state 'needs someone that can heal' it. Northam said on CBS' 'Face the Nation' that it's been a difficult week since a racist photo in his 1984 medical school yearbook surfaced, showing a person wearing blackface next to another person in a Ku Klux Klan hood and robe. Northam initially said he was in the photo, then denied it the next day, while acknowledging he did wear blackface to a dance party that same year. 'Virginia needs someone that can heal. There's no better person to do that than a doctor,' Northam said. 'Virginia also needs someone who is strong, who has empathy, who has courage and who has a moral compass. And that's why I'm not going anywhere.' Virginia Lt. Gov Justin Fairfax looks over a briefing book prior to the start of the senate session at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., on Thursday, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, left, and his wife Pam, watch as the casket of fallen Virginia State Trooper Lucas B. Dowell is carried to a waiting tactical vehicle during the funeral at the Chilhowie Christian Church in Chilhowie, Va., on Saturday Political considerations will be key to what comes next. Virginia is among a handful of states electing lawmakers this year, and Democrats had hoped to flip the Republican-controlled General Assembly. Democratic Del. Patrick Hope said he wants to introduce articles of impeachment Monday against Fairfax, who is black. Meredith Watson and Vanessa Tyson have accused him of sexual assault and offered to testify at any impeachment hearing. The Associated Press generally does not name people who say they are victims of sexual assault, but both women have come forward voluntarily. Watson alleges Fairfax raped her while they were students at Duke University in 2000, her attorney said in a statement. Tyson, a California college professor, accused Fairfax of forcing her to perform oral sex on him at a Boston hotel in 2004. The lieutenant governor issued a statement Saturday again denying he ever sexually assaulted anyone and making clear he does not intend to immediately step down. Instead, he urged authorities to investigate. In a letter released by her lawyer on Friday, Watson called for Fairfax's resignation claiming he sexually assaulted her in 2000 The attack allegedly took place in 2000 when Watson and Fairfax were students at Duke University. Pictured above is Fairfax in his university yearbook photo 'Frankly, we really want any entity with comprehensive investigative power to thoroughly look into these accusations,' Fairfax spokeswoman Lauren Burke said. 'There needs to be verification of basic facts about these allegations. It feels like something bigger is going on here.' Some political observers noted that the threshold to start an impeachment process is remarkably high in the House of Delegates. The lawmakers are set to leave town before February ends, and have limited time and resources to immediately take on the complicated issue. Still, 'a clear sign of the depth of LG Fairfax's political crisis is the near-absence of voices in Virginia politics this weekend publicly urging him to remain in office,' University of Mary Washington political science professor Stephen Farnsworth said in an email. If the Legislature is in session, the House would need a simple majority to vote to impeach Fairfax, said A.E. Dick Howard, a University of Virginia law professor. The Senate would then review evidence and hear testimony. That chamber would need a two-thirds vote to convict among senators who are present. Another possibility: Fairfax simply hangs on as he disputes the allegations. 'Before Donald Trump, I would say with this kind of stuff, it's impossible for a person to just hang on, put their head down and ignore it,' said Quentin Kidd, a political science professor at Christopher Newport University. 'Post-Donald Trump, I think what elected officials are willing to do has changed in some ways. So can he hang on? Certainly he can hang on.' If Fairfax were to leave, it's unclear who could replace him. Northam may try to appoint a Democrat, while Republicans could mount a legal challenge with the goal of getting Senate Pro Tem Steve Newman to serve as both a voting senator and temporary lieutenant governor. This photograph, from Dr. Vanessa Tyson's Twitter account, shows the college professor at a conference of the American Politicla Science Association Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, the third-in-command statewide official, said he wore brown makeup and a wig in 1980 to look like a black rapper during a party as an undergraduate at the University of Virginia The attorney general's future also remains in question. Herring, who would become governor if both Northam and Fairfax leave office, initially made a forceful call for Northam to step down, but then he too acknowledged wearing blackface at a party in 1980. Herring has apologized but has not indicated he would resign. Asked Sunday for his opinion on his subordinates, Northam told CBS it's up to them to decide whether they want to stay. He said he supports Fairfax's call for an investigation into the sexual assault allegations. Of Herring, he said that 'just like me, he has grown.' Northam's pledge Sunday to work on healing Virginia's racial divide was his second in as many days. In his first interview since the scandal erupted, he told The Washington Post on Saturday that the uproar has pushed him to confront the state's deep and lingering divisions, as well as his own insensitivity. But he said that reflection has convinced him that, by remaining in office, he can work to resolve them. 'It's obvious from what happened this week that we still have a lot of work to do,' Northam said. 'There are still some very deep wounds in Virginia, and especially in the area of equity.' Anniquta Wright, 31, was arrested in Kentucky after two of her young children tested positive for cocaine A woman has been arrested after her four-year-old daughter and two-year-old son tested positive for cocaine. Anniquta Wright, 31, was arrested after her daughter passed out at school on Thursday and was taken to the hospital and tested positive for the drug. The little girl was rushed to the hospital after staff struggled to wake her up after nap time. The woman's toddler son was tested afterwards and also had traces of it in his system. Upon questioning, Wright, who lives in Winchester, Kentucky, told police that she allowed a friend to come to her home and sell cocaine while her children were at home. Courtesy of WKYT The night before her daughter passed out, she said the friend had been there until 3am. It is not clear if she knew that the children had ingested the drug or not. According to WKYT, the girl told authorities that she found something on the floor and ate it. The woman has another child who was not harmed. She was taken into custody on two counts of first-degree criminal child abuse and is being held on a $25,000 bond. Dozens of supporters of President Donald Trump took part in an anti-immigration protest in New Mexico this weekend, forming a 'human wall' along the southern border. Demonstrators, many wearing 'Make America Great Again' hats, held hands while chanting 'build a wall' at the border between Sunland Park, New Mexico, and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua state, Mexico. Their protest took place just days after President Trump tweeted that the US 'will build a Human Wall if necessary', as the federal government shutdown continues over the disagreement of funding his border wall. Protest: Trump supporters hold form a 'human wall' to demonstrate in favor of the construction of the border wall between the United States and Mexico this weekend A male protester wearing a 'fund the wall' hoodie, is seen waving a Texan flag with a rifle and the text 'come and take it' written across it The protest took place at the border between Sunland Park, New Mexico, United States and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua state, Mexico Several children took part in Saturday's protest, some carrying placards reading; 'stop child trafficking' and 'stop the drugs that destroy our youth' while waving US flags. The demonstrators stood hand in hand for 45 minutes in honour of Trump, the 45th US President, Epoch Times reported. 'We are here to bring attention to that fact that there isn't a wall here,' said Anthony Aguero, a resident from El Paso, Texas, said according to the news website 'We have to secure our nation and at the same time we are securing the nation, all of these people will be able to live in peace because all the drug and human trafficking that passes through here won't happen here. 'They will have to find somewhere else.' Pro-Trump: Protesters were seen wearing red 'Make America Great Again'-hats and waving US flags during their gathering The group gathered for 45 minutes in honour of the 45th President - Donald Trump Supporters held hands to form a 'human wall' following a rallying call by President Donald Trump on Twitter Tremendous numbers of people are coming up through Mexico in the hopes of flooding our Southern Border. We have sent additional military. We will build a Human Wall if necessary. If we had a real Wall, this would be a non-event! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2019 Meanwhile, Democrat and Republican budget negotiators remained separated over how much to spend on President Trump's promised border wall. A Friday midnight deadline is looming to prevent a second partial government shutdown, and while key negotiators plan to meet today, the mood is not hopeful. The White House has asked for $5.7 billion, a figure rejected by the Democratic-controlled House. 'You cannot take a shutdown off the table, and you cannot take $5.7 (billion) off the table,' Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvane told NBC's 'Meet the Press'. But Mulvaney did signal that the White House would prefer not to have a repeat of the last shutdown, which stretched more than a month, left more than 800,000 government workers without paychecks, forced a postponement of the State of the Union address and sent Trump's poll numbers tumbling. As support in his own party began to splinter, Trump surrendered after the shutdown hit 35 days without getting money for the wall. A video of exhausted Chinese firefighters taking a break after battling a forest fire for nearly 34 hours has reaped praise from citizens and social media users. A team of 535 firemen were first dispatched on Saturday afternoon to tackle a massive blaze ripping through the hills of Haidong Town in Dali, south-west China's Yunnan province, according to the local government. Later in the evening, another 970 first responders joined in the firefighting efforts. The raging fire, which spread across about 63 hectares of forest, was finally extinguished on Sunday at 10:45pm. According to a preliminary investigation, the fire was caused by a short circuit in high-voltage lines, according to Xinhua News Agency. No one was hurt in the incident. A video of exhausted Chinese firefighters taking a break after battling a forest fire in Yunnan province for nearly 34 hours has reaped praise from citizens and social media users A team of 535 firemen were first dispatched on Saturday afternoon to tackle a massive blaze ripping through the hills of Haidong Town in Dali, south-west China's Yunnan province The firefighters worked tirelessly to put the flames out, which changed and grew by the hour under shifting wind conditions and dry weather The blaze started on top of the mountain in Haidong at 1:25pm on Saturday, according to the Dali government press office. Flames and thick smoke were visible for several miles as the strong winds carried the blaze across the mountains, videos and photos released by Chinese media show. The firefighters worked tirelessly to put the flames out, which changed and grew by the hour under shifting wind conditions and dry weather. The blaze started on top of the mountain in Haidong at 1:25 pm on Saturday After battling through the night, the exhausted firemen were finally able to take a break by sleeping on the grass outside after the fire was largely contained Video shared by Chinese media shows firefighters lying on their equipment, bags and each other as they sleep on the grass outside on the hills after batting the fire throughout the night After battling through the night, the exhausted firemen were finally able to take a break by sleeping on their equipment on the grass outside after the fire was largely contained, according to the post published by the Dali press office on Sunday. 'We are very proud of our first responders,' the post on Weibo said. About 700 firefighters remain on standby at the site on Monday to monitor any remaining fire hot spots. Net users praised the first responders and expressed their gratitude for their hard work About 700 firefighters remain on standby at the site to monitor any remaining fire hot spots Wang Yuqi, deputy mayor of Haidong Town, was among the first group of people to arrive at the site on Saturday afternoon. He told Chuncheng Evening News that at least 50 residents from nearby villages participated in battling the fire. Four helicopters were also mobilised to dump water on the flames due to the rugged terrain. The fire, which spread across about 63 hectares of forest, was finally put out on Sunday at 10:45pm. An investigation showed the fire was caused by a short circuit in high-voltage lines Four helicopters were also mobilised to dump water on the flames due to the rugged terrain The firefighters worked tirelessly to put the flames out, which changed and grew by the hour under shifting wind conditions and dry weather Net users praised the dedicated first responders and expressed their gratitude for their hard work. 'Kudos to our firefighters who risk their lives to protect our homes,' one user said on Weibo. 'Thank you for all your hard work! Please take care and have a good rest,' another commented. 'Thumbs up and a big salute to our country's heroes!' one user said. Out of Rs 2,500 crore investment funds yearly, one fourth i.e, Rs 625 crore are representative benefits. BSNL has been battling to oversee its financials since of a tremendous worker base that stands at around 1.8 lakh with yearly costs of Rs 15,000 crore. State-run telecom player BSNL has solidified its representative benefits and is undertaking other measures to cut down its use radically, pointing to support itself within the current advertise situation, its chairman and overseeing executive Anupam Shrivastava told DNA Cash. With all the taken a toll cutting exercices put together, the company has been able to spare Rs 2,500 crore final year and a comparative sum is anticipated to be spared within the continuous fiscal. Out of Rs 2,500 crore investment funds yearly, one fourth i.e, Rs 625 crore are representative benefits. BSNL has been battling to oversee its financials since of a tremendous worker base that stands at around 1.8 lakh with yearly costs of Rs 15,000 crore. BSNL has too submitted a preparatory report by IIM Ahmedabad for the restoration of the company. A last report will be submitted before long. Among other measures, the report proposes giving VRS (deliberate retirement plot) to approximately 35,000 representatives at a taken a toll of Rs 13,000 crore. "We are cutting costs in terms of electricity, administrative expenses and freezing our employee benefits. For the time being, we are not giving any LTC (leave travel concession) benefits, etc. The medical expenses are also being controlled," Shrivastava said. "We are working on various models on how to meet the costs (for VRS package), it could either come from the government support or through a soft loan. All these modalities are being worked on," he said. One of the greatest challenges for BSNL has been its huge workforce. Indeed with the alter in innovation, the headcount stands has been on the next side. Whereas other telecom players have almost 25,000-30,000 workers, BSNL has over five times that number. When inquired on the off chance that there have been challenges from workers on this move, he said, luckily, workers have come forward on their possess. "They said if you (BSNL) have to really survive, we need have to do various such activities to ensure that company survives the turmoil in the market and benefits to employees can come when the company is profitable." The passage of Dependence Jio within the telecom space in late 2016 has pushed the financials of officeholders, counting that of BSNL, on a descending winding, separated from triggering a combination stage within the industry where now only three private players are cleared out at the side BSNL/MTNL. BSNL and MTNL have been posting misfortunes and battling to outlive in a hyper-competitive showcase. Agreeing to Telecom Administrative Specialist of India's information for July-September 2018 quarter, excepting Dependence Jio, all the telecom players posted a drop in AGR (balanced net incomes) from get to administrations. Vodafone Thought detailed a decay of 8.49 per cent at Rs 7,528.37 crore, Bharti Airtel saw a plunge of 1.31 per cent at Rs 6,720.88 crore and BSNL recorded a 15.32 per cent drop at Rs 1,925.33. With declining normal income per client and benefit, the telecom players are continually looking at ways to discover modern streams of incomes and sparing costs. "Our focus is preserving market share. In the industry, a trend always comes where you have to preserve your market share and take a hit on your financials. So last year, we went ahead with this strategy of preserving the market share and match tariffs with the competition. As a result, we have taken a hit on our financials and with our employee costs being so high, it had become really difficult to remain in positive territory. Last year, we also booked losses," he said. Students develop the foundation for lifelong reading skills in early elementary school, and a new neuroscience study suggests they may be particularly hindered in that learning by background noise. People often have trouble discerning one persons voice amid many conversationsthink of trying to follow a conversation at a partybut generally adults easily distinguish a voice from other background noises. A new study in the Journal of Neuroscience finds that we develop the ability to track voices over time , and children may be hampered more by additional noise than adults. Researchers measured the brain activity of adults and children ages 6 to 9 as they listened to four recorded stories, each with different levels and kinds of background noise, either other people talking or just general sounds. As the chart below shows, both children and adults showed brain activity in the auditory cortex the portion of the brain associated with processing soundswhich tracked the speech of the storyteller in the recordings. However, children were significantly worse at distinguishing syllables generally, and they struggled much more than adults to follow the speaker as noise increased from other voices in the background. Source: Ghinst et al., JNeurosci (2019) Early reading instruction in the United States focuses heavily on teaching students phonics. These results seem to suggest that students may have a more difficult time distinguishing phonemes and following speech or instructions as classroom noise rises, and highlights the importance of quiet classrooms while children are learning to recognize language, said Marc Vander Ghinst, the lead author and a researcher at a developmental neuroscience center at the Free University of Brussels, in Belgium. The more teachers take time to do a correct pronunciation, the better the student understands, he said. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that this also brings a better speech representation in the brain. My advice would be: Take the time to do a correct pronunciation, and try to do it in a calm atmosphere. Prior studies have identified similar differences in how children with and without dyslexia track speech in noisy environments, but Vander Ghinst said researchers still need to track students throughout their teenage years to tease out whether dyslexia-related listening comprehension problems are related to a developmental delay, or a separate issue. We know that some differences persist in dyslexic adults, so we can probably hypothesize that a difference in their speech processing lasts, he said. Some languages may be easier to follow than others, too. This study involved students who spoke French as their native language, and Vander Ghinst noted that there are likely differences in how students learn to process English, which has more rhythmic syllable accents, or to process tonal languages such as Mandarin. Related: Do you have a question about education research, or just want to know what the evidence says about that pesky instructional problem? Let me know! Drop me a line at ssparks@epe.org, or A 'family man' who was stabbed to death in south London in a reported row over cigarettes 'didn't have a bad bone in his body', friends have said. Dennis Anderson, 39, died in East Dulwich in the early hours of Sunday morning when he was reportedly confronted in a corner shop. His friends have said Mr Anderson was a painter-decorator who was devoted to his teenage daughter and had never even been in a fight before. Mr Anderson is said to have been returning home from a friend's party when he was asked for a cigarette in a convenience store. Witnesses said an argument ensued in which he was attacked and killed. Dennis Anderson was stabbed to death in East Dulwich over the weekend after a man confronted him in a corner shop in an apparent row over a packet of cigarettes Friends said Mr Anderson was popular in the area and was known as a family man who doted on his daughter. He is believed to have been returning home from a party when he was killed The scene on Lordship Lane in East Dulwich, south London where Mr Anderson was killed Friend Luke Roche, 29, told The Evening Standard: 'He loved his daughter. He was a family man and very popular, no one had a bad word to say about him. I honestly can't think of anyone he'd had a fight with. He just wasn't part of that life.' The assistant manager of the store, Muhammad Khan, said a fight broke out over a cigarette which ended with the customer being stabbed to death just 20 seconds later. He said: 'They had an argument about cigarettes. My cousin was here, he was manager. The guy who had the knife came in about five or six minutes after the man who then got stabbed. 'The guy with the knife asked the other for free cigarettes, like as a favour or something. 'They had an argument and he took out a knife. Everyone was trying to stop him. 'A member of staff behind the counter and other customers tried to stop him too.' He added: 'We have had no trouble around here before- it's very nice, all educated and wealthy people living around here.' The brutal killing came on a night of horrific violence in the capital. A policewoman stands by the cordon of the scene of the stabbing early yesterday In what is becoming a common sight in London, forensics teams were again out this weekend In Neasden, North West London a 23-year-old man was critically injured in another stabbing. On the same evening, a 16-year-old boy received knife wounds in a fight in Hayes, West London. In an unrelated attack, a 17-year-old boy was fighting for his life in hospital yesterday after being shot in Isleworth, west London. Yesterday, MPs and local politicians called for an end to the bloodshed after the fifth murder in the last fortnight. Helen Hayes, Labour MP for East Dulwich tweeted: 'Appalled to learn of a fatal stabbing on Lordship Lane during the night. Another family now devastated due to knife crime. This has to stop.' Medical equipment remains on the floor, at the scene of the fatal stabbing in Dulwich MP for the area, Helen Hayes tweeted that the knife crime 'has to stop'. The scene is pictured Police forensics at the scene of the stabbing in East Dulwich where the victim was said to have had his throat slit with a large knife Police forensics and officers outside Payless Food & Wine which remains behind a cordon Florence Eshalomi, London Assembly Member for Lambeth and Southwark, said: 'Sad to wake up to yet another stabbing in Southwark. This has to end.' Eleven people have been murdered in London so far this year, at least seven of whom have been fatally stabbed. It follows the deadliest year in a decade in the capital with 134 killings in 2018. Last Thursday, the Office for National Statistics revealed that the number of fatal stabbings is now at the highest level since records began in 1946. Some 285 people were stabbed to death in the year ending March 2018, with attacks 'most pronounced' in young men. Highlighting a worrying increase in violence plaguing Britain, there were 726 killings recorded overall - 20 more than the previous year. Already this year at least nine people have been murdered in the capital including Lejean Richards, 19, who was stabbed near Prince George's school earlier this week The homicide figures are more pronounced when excluding mass murders such as the London Bridge, Westminster and Manchester terror attacks, which claimed the lives of 35 innocent victims in 2017. Taking those deaths out, the number of killings increasing by 89, or 15 per cent, from 606 to 695. London witnessed the starkest concentration of crimes involving knives and sharp instruments, highlighting the capital's ongoing crisis. So far in 2019 at least nine people have been murdered in the capital including Lejean Richards, 19, who was stabbed to death near Prince George's school. His mother Lavern Joseph said: 'Lejean was a loving son and brother, a young man determined to turn his life around.' The parents of a former junior state speed boating champion critically injured in a freak accident say their beautiful and determined girl will fight hard to return to the sport she loves. Phoebe Knudsen, 17, was competing in a WA Speed Boat club race meet on the Swan River in Perth on Sunday when her boat capsized. She was trapped underwater for several minutes as rescuers frantically tried to free her. Phoebe was given CPR at the scene and rushed to Royal Perth Hospital, where she remains in the intensive care unit in an induced coma. Phoebe Knudsen (pictured) is fighting for life after a freak accident on the Swan River on Sunday In a statement provided to Daily Mail Australia on Monday, Phoebe's parents Alison and Lennart said she has been racing for more than three years. 'Our beautiful Phoebe was doing what she loved doing when this tragic, freak accident happened,' the family statement read. 'While she is quite reserved and quiet, she is a very determined and strong young lady. She will be fighting hard to recover and get back to the sport she loves. She loves a challenge and she will take this as a challenge to overcome.' Her dad has more than 10 years experience as a competitor, while her sister Kayla was the first female to win a junior speedboat title more than 10 years ago. 'While she is quite reserved and quiet, she is a very determined and strong young lady,' Phoebe's parents said in a statement Phoebe, who will celebrate her 18th birthday in April, was the 2017 WA 15-horsepower junior speedboat champion. The boat Phoebe was racing in on Sunday was similar to the vessel she won her junior state title in. The family said Phoebe was wearing all the required safety gear at the time. 'As it was a sanctioned race, the safety gear of all competitors and the actual race conditions is scrutinised by elected scrutineers,' they said. 'The family has always prioritised safety.' Phoebe was the 2017 WA 15-horsepower junior speedboat champion and will turn 18 in April Her parents thanked the first responders at the scene who helped keep Phoebe alive and don't blame anyone for the tragic accident. 'The circumstances leading to the incident are still being investigated but we don't hold anyone responsible,' the statement read. 'The WA Speed Boat Club has been very supportive to the family and that is greatly appreciated.' The freak accident happened during a WA Speed Boat Club meet on the Swan River The club race meet was cancelled immediately following Phoebe's accident. 'It was horribleshe was trapped underneath there for some time, apparently I think her clothing got stuck, she couldn't be released from the boat,' witness Grant Lauterbach told Nine News. 'She was doing very well and she hit some rough water and unfortunately the boat overturned. Water Police are currently investigating the incident, while the WA Speed Boat Club will launch its own investigation. 'The committee and members of the WASBC wish a speedy recovery to Phoebe after yesterday's Race Day accident,' the club posted on Facebook on Monday night. 'We look forward to seeing her back on the water racing soon.' Club Commodore Mark Motzouris said the club adhered to the highest safety standards. Water Police are investigating while the WA Speed Boat Club will launch its own investigation 'Power boat racing is a very well-controlled sport and we have strict policies and safety procedures in place and we'd like to assure everybody that all safety measures were in place at the time of the accident,' he told reporters. 'We always have two rescue boats on the water at any given time. Each rescue boat has a driver manning the boat and then we always have a safety diver.' WA Department of Transport director of waterways safety Chris Mather said the event was approved on the condition a detailed safety management system was in place. A teenager has finally received vaccinations that he should have had as a young child and criticized his parents for refusing to give them to him. Ethan Lindenberger, 18, from Norwalk, Ohio, has now had shots to immunize him against six diseases including mumps and hepatitis. His parents refused to give them to him because they are part of the anti-vaxxer movement which believes that vaccinations cause illnesses such as autism. However, Ethan decided to have the shots when he turned 18 because he came to the conclusion that the overwhelming scientific evidence is that they do work. His mother, Jill Wheeler, who owns a children's theater company, described the move as 'insulting' and a 'slap in the face'. Ethan Lindenberger, Norwalk, Ohio, 18, was denied shots for diseases such as rubella, mumps and hepatitis growing up because of his mother had read debunked online theories Ethan with mother and six siblings. Jill Wheeler (top centre) described the move as insulting and a 'slap in the face' The Stars Who Have Supported The Anti-Vax Movement Andrew Wakefield and Elle Macpherson Elle Macpherson, 51, has struck up an unlikely romance with the father of the anti-vaxxer movement Andrew Wakefield, 61. Wakefield was banned from practicing medicine in Britain eight years ago after claiming the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine causes autism and bowel disease. The General Medical Council stated his research had shown a 'callous disregard' for children's health. Elle has a penchant for alternative health practices and lives on 'wellness shakes', a passion she reportedly shares with Wakefield. Elle Macpherson Donald Trump President Donald Trump has tweeted on more than 20 occasion suggesting that he believes Wakefileld's theory about a link between vaccinations and autism. In 2014, he Tweeted: 'If I were President I would push for proper vaccinations but would not allow one time massive shots that a small child cannot take - AUTISM.' President Donald Trump Robert De Niro De Niro, whose son has autism, approved the controversial documentary Vaxxed to be screened at Tribeca Film Festival. It was eventually pulled after backlash from the scientific community. The film was directed by Andrew Wakefield. Robert De Niro Jim Carrey In 2009, Jim Carrey said that vaccines haven't really been studied for safety. He said: 'The truth is that no one without a vested interest in the profitability of vaccines has studied all 36 of them in depth.' In June 2015 he took to Twitter stating that 'California Gov says yes to poisoning more children with mercury and aluminum in mandatory vaccines. This corporate fascist must be stopped'. He went on to call the CDC 'corrupt,' but also explained that he isn't against all vaccinations. 'I am not anti-vaccine. I am anti-thimerosal, anti-mercury. They have taken some of the mercury laden thimerosal out of vaccines. NOT ALL!,' he tweeted. Jim Carrey Jenny McCarthy Carrey's ex-girlfriend McCarthy may be the most vocal anti-vaxxer celebrity. She believes her son's autism was caused by vaccinations. She said: 'I don't think it was just the MMR shot that caused any kind of trigger with autism. I think it was a compilation of so many shots to a kid that obviously had some autoimmune disorders.' Jenny McCarthy Charlie Sheen In 2008, Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards were tangled in a legal dispute regarding the vaccination of their children Lola and Sam. Sheen stated that he did not consent to allow a Beverly Hills doctor to give his daughters the MMR vaccine. The actor was reportedly furious when a pediatrician immunized his daughters. He demanded he no longer treat them and paid a bill of $380 in nickels. Charlie Sheen Advertisement The mother-of-seven said: 'It was like him spitting on me, saying 'You don't know anything, I don't trust you with anything. You don't know what you're talking about. You did make a bad decision and I'm gonna go fix it'.' It comes as an outbreak of measles were confirmed in ten states and a public health emergency was declared in an anti-vaccination 'hot spot' in Portland, Oregon, last month. Growing up, Ethan said his parents would tell him about the negative effects of getting vaccinated - including that they could cause brain damage and autism. But it wasn't until speaking with friends that he realized he was the only one out of his peer group to not have had the life-saving vaccinations. The teenager ended up missing out on shots for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), chickenpox and even polio - a disease that can cause paralysis and lead to death. Ethan said his mother was influenced by theories such as the work of discredited physician Andrew Wakefield and his study linking the MMR vaccine to autism. Ms Wheeler said: 'I did not immunize him because I felt it was the best way to protect him and keep him safe. 'The oral vaccine started giving people polio. And it went from almost completely eradicated, to the numbers were shooting, sky-rocketing back up, from immunizations.' The teen decided to do some research and presented new information to his mother to try and change her mind, including a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that debunked the autism myth. Ethan told NPR: 'Her response was simply 'that's what they want you to think'. 'I was just blown away that you know, the largest health organization in the entire world would be written off with a kind of conspiracy theory-like statement like that.' Ethan said his mother 'kind of fell into this echo chamber, and got more and more misinformation'. Ethan says that his father was less harsh about his decision despite having the same beliefs as his mother. He told him that now he was 18 he 'could do what he wanted'. 'I'm a very obedient child,' Lindenberger said. 'I don't really try and go against my mom. Even though I'm 18, I don't pull that card.' Last year, Ethan asked for advice on how to get vaccinated on Reddit. He wrote: 'God knows how I'm still alive'. The post got more than 1,000 responses including from other unvaccinated teenagers trying to work out how to get shots without their parents consent. Ms Wheeler says that her experience with Ethan has convinced her to start talking to her younger children about exempting them from vaccinations. She said: 'It has opened my eyes to say 'I better educate them now. Not wait until they're 18.' Ethan said he has also tried to discuss the issue with his siblings and has gotten mixed reactions. His brother, 16, wants to get shots but his sister, 14, agreed with their mother. Since Ethan is now legally an adult his parents cannot stop him from getting vaccinations. However there are no federal laws regulating the issue for minors who wish to get shots and it varies between different states. States often allow parents to exempt their children from vaccinations due to religious and sometimes even personal or philosophical reasons. In Ohio, where Ethan lives, the age of consent to vaccinations is 18 and parents have the right to make medical decisions for their children. The state allows parents to exempt their children, and Ms Wheeler said she hasn't received much 'push back' after her decision was for personal reasons. Non-medical exemptions from vaccinations are seeing an increase in states such as Oregon, Idaho, and North Dakota, putting those areas at risk of a disease outbursts. It comes as a measles outbreak in an anti-vaccine community in Washington state has been declared a public health emergency by health officials. So far, 23 cases of the highly contagious disease have been confirmed in Clark County since January 1, according to a Clark County Public Health report published on Tuesday. Twenty of the cases are in children who have not been vaccinated. Eighteen of the cases are in children age 10 and younger. Many parents are citing belief-based reasons rather than medical exemptions for choosing not to vaccinate their children. Clark County - which sits across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon - has led Oregon officials to warn residents about potential areas of exposure. People infected with the virus have visited several locations including elementary schools, high schools, churches, urgent care facilities, a Costco and a Dollar Tree. Measles is a highly contagious infection caused by the measles virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends children receive the first dose at 12 to 15 months old and the second dose at four to six years old. The vaccine is about 97 percent effective. But those who are unvaccinated have a 90 percent chance of catching measles if they breathe the virus in, the CDC says. Before the measles vaccine was available, more than 500,000 cases were diagnosed in the US every year, with about 500 annual deaths. Growing up, Ethan (left) said his parents would tell him about the negative effects of getting vaccinated - including that they could cause brain damage and autism IS ANDREW WAKEFIELD'S DISCREDITED AUTISM RESEARCH TO BLAME FOR LOW MEASLES VACCINATION RATES? Andrew Wakefield's discredited autism research has long been blamed for a drop in measles vaccination rates In 1995, gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield published a study in The Lancet showing children who had been vaccinated against MMR were more likely to have bowel disease and autism. He speculated that being injected with a 'dead' form of the measles virus via vaccination causes disruption to intestinal tissue, leading to both of the disorders. After a 1998 paper further confirmed this finding, Wakefield said: 'The risk of this particular syndrome [what Wakefield termed 'autistic enterocolitis'] developing is related to the combined vaccine, the MMR, rather than the single vaccines.' At the time, Wakefield had a patent for single measles, mumps and rubella vaccines, and was therefore accused of having a conflict of interest. Nonetheless, MMR vaccination rates in the US and the UK plummeted, until, in 2004 the then-editor of The Lancet Dr Richard Horton described Wakefield's research as 'fundamentally flawed', adding he was paid by attorneys seeking lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers. The Lancet formally retracted Wakefield's research paper in 2010. Three months later, the General Medical Council banned Wakefield from practicing medicine in Britain, stating his research had shown a 'callous disregard' for children's health. On January 6 2011, The British Medical Journal published a report showing that of the 12 children included in Wakefield's 1995 study, at most two had autistic symptoms post vaccination, rather than the eight he claimed. At least two of the children also had developmental delays before they were vaccinated, yet Wakefield's paper claimed they were all 'previously normal'. Further findings revealed none of the children had autism, non-specific colitis or symptoms within days of receiving the MMR vaccine, yet the study claimed six of the participants suffered all three. Advertisement Jack Shepherd's Georgian lawyer has claimed the speedboat killer could support his extradition to Britain if he could be convinced of his safety in a British prison. Mariam Kublashvili said she fought the original extradition request out of the belief that 'all the extradition procedures in Georgian and international law should be respected and followed'. She told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire Programme today: 'If there is a reason to fight extradition, we will fight. But if there is a reason to support his extradition, we will [support it].' Jack Shepherd (right, at a court in Georgia on January 29) is facing extradition to the UK over his killing of Charlotte Brown (left, image undated) in a speedboat accident A Georgian judge ruled against a petition to extradite Shepherd to the UK in January, and Mrs Kublashvili said a decision about the next step will be made within 10 days. The lawyer also revealed her client regretted his decision to flee his original Old Bailey trial over the death of 24-year-old Charlotte Brown, saying the decision was 'caused by fear'. She also claimed Shepherd was innocent and criticised the UK government and politicians for making him look like a 'serious and dangerous criminal'. 'He wants to explain that it was not his fault and that he could not prevent what eventually happened,' she said. Mrs Kublashvili said Shepherd is building a bird table in his prison cell to pass the time because he is unable to understand Georgian TV. Shepherd was sentenced to six years in jail in his absence for the manslaughter of Miss Brown following a speedboat crash on the Thames in 2015. He is being held for three months at Gldani No 8 maximum security prison, where he hopes to fight extradition and serve his six-year sentence for manslaughter. Mariam Kublashvili (pictured today) said she fought the original extradition request out of the belief 'all the extradition procedures in Georgian and international law should be respected' During a court hearing near the end of last month, the killer spoke in Georgian giving his name as 'Jack Sebastian Shepherdi'. The judiciary in Tbilisi is under pressure to send him back to Britain to serve his sentence here, but Shepherd has blocked attempts to extradite him swiftly. Police in Britain are also hoping to speak to him in relation to claims he glassed a barman with a vodka bottle at a pub in Devon last March. The speedboat case sparked anger when he claimed legal aid to appeal against his conviction while he was on the run. A paedophile who has been convicted of raping young children is trying to block a ban preventing him from associating with boys under 16, claiming he only targets underage girls. Brian Alan Bowdidge, 58, was granted parole in September 2018 before being released into a Sydney Corrective Services centre that reintegrates high risk offenders back into the community. He was removed in less than a month due to complaints from other residents, including claims he peeped on them through gaps in the bathroom door. Brian Alan Bowdidge, 58, was granted parole in September 2018 before being released into a Sydney Corrective Services centre that reintegrates high risk offenders back into the community He was then moved to a motel in Minchinbury. But five days later, he was sent back to jail on an emergency Detention Order due to an 'imminent risk of committing a serious offence' after allegedly telling a supervisor he was fixated on having sex with the female cleaner of his room. Bowdidge was convicted in 1992 of having sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 10 and then in 2001, after being released, he raped an eight-year-old girl and was sentenced to just three years non-parole. On Monday, the Supreme Court heard that Bowdidge was now staying in Smithfield and the State has abandoned its continued Detention Order, according to The Daily Telegraph. Instead of the Detention Order, the State is trying to amend three conditions of his Extended Supervision Order, which includes an order preventing him from associating with boys under 16. He is already prevented from associating with girls under 16, but the State of NSW barrister James Emmett argued that boys are also at risk. His defence lawyer argued against the claims, saying her client had previously said he was only interested in adult males, adult females and underage girls. She said the order would inconvenience him. A gay couple suffered through a six year hate campaign of 'the most vile abuse imaginable' from their neighbour who smeared faeces on their door and even posted a sign through their letterbox saying 'The cure to AIDS? Kill gay people.' Michael Killackey, 46, has lived in Derby for nine years but for six of those he and his partner suffered torment. As well as the disgusting human faeces incident, and the revolting sign, they have also had prostitutes sent to their home and been called 'paedo scum.' But he claims that Derbyshire Police did nothing to stop the 'attacks' which only ceased when the woman neighbour moved away. Michael Killackey, 46, has lived in Derby for nine years but for six of those he and his partner suffered torment, including this highly offensive sign 46-year-old Mr Killackey slammed police for their inaction in dealing with the allegations against their neighbour In one of the vile incidents human faeces was smeared on the couple's front door at their home in Derby He described the nightmare he and his partner had endured during a Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel meeting last Friday involving Derbyshire Police, Derbyshire LGBT+ and Disability Direct. He said: 'It was just shocking. I didn't know what to do. I have been subject to the most vile abuse imaginable. 'I've been called f****ng paedo scum and even been spat at. I've had men sent to my home for sex. 'A man came to my door and I said 'What are you here for?' and he just said "I must have got the wrong address" but I saw his phone and noticed he was from an escort site.' 'At one point, we had 17 different takeaways delivered in one night. Chinese, Indian, pizza...you name it. We just kept telling them that we didn't order it.' At the meeting he launched a scathing attack on Derbyshire Police, claiming 'you don't do anything' and that many of the allegations against his neighbour were dropped. He told senior officers 'You just don't deal with it. I didn't know where to go and I had this for six years. So what about others?' After the meeting, he said that if it wasn't for the support of Derbyshire LGBT+, he would have continued to suffer. 'I didn't know what to do. I kept being batted away with the excuse of mental health and that the neighbour suffered with mental heath issues. 'I fully understand that but why was she living independently and what about my mental health, having to put up with it? 'I didn't know where to go and I was sad. But I eventually came to Derbyshire LGBT and spoke to John. 'It was like my rockets had been refuelled. He helped me and made me realise I wasn't alone. 'You always think that you're the only one that it happens to but that's so wrong. Coming here and hearing other people's stories made me understand that.' He said he 'felt like a new man' when his abusive neighbour moved away from his apartment block in November. During the meeting, Inspector Rich Buxton, from Derbyshire Police, said he did not personally know about Michael's ordeal but the police response to his case was 'disappointing'. He said 'It appears that it could have been handled far better but that's why we are here today because hate crime is becoming a larger part of what we do. 'We get many more reports of hate and people report it to us. That's what we're there for. 'I accept that hate crime has not been dealt with in the past as it is now but that is changing.' Reports have claimed that allegations of hate crime against the LGBTQ+ community in Derbyshire have increased by 100 per cent since 2013. Derbyshire's police and crime commissioner Hardyal Dhindsa has previously said that 'more needed to be done' to tackle hate crime generally in the county and the UK. On social media, 'Annoymous Ashley' posted today 'I am actually a resident in this building and I can categorically say that this does not portray the full extent of the problems we all experienced. 'I have lived here since 2012 and we have put up with cannabis, screaming, banging doors, electric being turned off, bomb threats, threats to harm, verbal abuse, countless police turning up...you have no idea the amount of stress this caused the 12 apartments in the building and surrounding people.' Rapper 21 Savage's mother was given Grammy tickets following her son's arrest in a deportation row, but she did not attend the ceremony. The 26-year-old star is still in custody after ICE officials claimed he was born in London and had illegally overstayed his youth visa after arriving in Atlanta as a 12-year-old. Born Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, the entertainer was forced to cancel plans to perform at the awards, despite earning two Grammy nominations for featuring on Post Malone's single, Rockstar. In his place, his mother, Heather Joseph, was offered the chance to attend, but she did not go to the awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles last night. Despite his high-profile potential deportation from the United States, his case was largely unmentioned at the Grammys. Even Post Malone did not mention his collaborator while performing onstage with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Heather Joseph wither her rapper son, Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, known as 21 Savage. She did not attend the Grammys in his place after he was arrested and threatened with deportation Post Malone and Toni Braxton at last night's Grammys, where the entertainer did not mention his collaborator 21 Savage, even when performing their hit Rockstar Before going on stage Post Malone wore a t-shirt with '21 Savage' on, but did not wear it on air Instead he wore a T-shirt that had 21 Savage's name on it, which he wore under an embroidered jacket backstage, before going on to perform. Many social media users criticized Post Malone for not speaking out about 21 Savage during his performance. Post Malone did not win a Grammy Award on Sunday. 'Big missed opportunity for @PostMalone to advocate for @21savage's release from #ICE during his performance of 'Rockstar,' which features 21,' the civil rights group Color of Change wrote on Twitter. Twitter user, Venus Sisi Eko, wrote: 'The only person to shout out 21 Savage all night was a white boy from Sweden. No. One. Else. Not even Post Malone, with whom he shares a Grammy-nominated song. SHAMEFUL.' Another tweeter added: 'I cannot believe Post Malone just performed rockstar with no "free 21 savage" shoutout.' Swedish composer Ludwig Goransson included the rapper among those he acknowledged. He said in an acceptance speech for his contribution to Childish Gambinos Grammy-winning record This Is America that 21 Savage 'should be here tonight'. 'No matter where you're born or what country you are from, you connect with "This Is America", he told the audience. Flea and Anthony Kiedis of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Post Malone perform onstage at the Grammys in Los Angeles The rapper, 21 Savage, often posted images on social media with flash cars, money and guns 'It speaks to people, it connects right to your soul; calls out injustice, celebrates life and reunites us at the same time', he added. 'We want to thank all the rappers on the song. 21 Savage he should be here tonight.' More than 435,000 people signed an online petition created by Patrisse Cullors, one of the founders of the Black Lives Matter movement, calling for 21 Savage to be allowed to stay in the United States. He was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on February 2, over accusations that he had overstayed his visa after he came to the United States from Britain in 2005, officials said. According to his birth certificate, he was born on October 22, 1992, at Newham Hospital, in east London, to British parents in parents, Heather Joseph and Kevin Emmons, and lived in the UK for 12 years before moving to Atlanta, Georgia. Savage is being held in federal custody pending removal proceedings 21 Savages attorneys have disputed the grounds for his arrest and detention, saying it was based on 'incorrect information' about his past, which has caused an uproar in the US hip-hop community. His attorneys said in a statement last week that Savage arrived in the United States aged seven and has been in America for most of his life, . Earlier in the day, 21 Savages co-manager tweeted that the Grammys would not release his clients tickets to his mom to go on his behalf. Following outcry online, manager Justin 'Meezy' Williams Williams said the Recording Academy did end up giving 21 Savages mother the tickets, but no one from his camp attended. Best-new artist winner Dua Lipa told USA TODAY: 'It's quite upsetting given he actually hasn't done anything and how much he's done for American culture. Even for being a Brit.' Police claim the musician has been is in the country 'unlawfully' since 2006 - but in those 13 years he has made $8 million from his hit rap songs, toured the world and was even prosecuted for a drugs offence in 2014 before his immigration status came to light. According to his manager, the rapper remains in custody on lock-down for '23 hours of the day, with no TV or any communication besides our 10 minute phone calls'. 'Everything I've told him that has been happening made him happy and makes this time fly by thank y'all for the support,' the manager added in a tweet, alluding to high-profile efforts and petitions to secure Abraham-Joseph's release. ICE officials said the rapper is a British citizen who entered the US legally in July 2005 at the age of 12 but overstayed his visa which expired in 2006 The rapper's birth certificate shows he was born in London on October 22, 1992 at Newham Hospital, to British parents An ICE spokesman said: 'His whole public persona is false. He actually came to the US from the UK as a teen and overstayed his visa'. His fans are in shock because they believed that he was born and raised in Atlanta - because he has a thick Georgian accent and has never denied claims he was born and bred in the city, where he has three young children. The rapper quickly rose in the Atlanta underground music scene after a pair of 2015 mix-tapes. Collaborations with Atlanta artists including Metro Boomin and Offset of rap group Migos raised his profile. He has also collaborated with Drake, Cardi B, as well as Post Malone. But ICE officials have accused him of living a 'false' life in the US and say aged 12 he came legally to America in July 2005 - but his visa expired a year later and has lived there illegally ever since. They have also said he's guilty of felony drug charges dating back to October 2014. On Tuesday Savage called himself a 'Dreamer' before describing how he had 'three US Citizen children' and had been working on a U Visa before he was detained by ICE, in a statement released by his legal team. (Pictured: Savage with his father and two sisters as a child) 21 Savage is pictured as a young boy. His birth certificate reveals he was born in London, as were both of his parents and his family have said that his British background was not a secret UK authorities have said they are in contact with a lawyer for Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage, who is in federal immigration custody in the US as he is allegedly there illegally. 21 Savage has 'told everyone back home not to talk,' after he was detained by immigration officers in the US. Speaking in London his cousin said today the rapper managed to get word back to Britain to friends and family to keep quiet. His relative, named by friends as 'Tahir', arrived with three other men at a maisonette in Brixton, south London, believed to be home to the rap star's paternal family. The cousin said: 'I am not saying anything. He told everybody at home not to talk. 'He has already sent the message round to everybody.' 'Tahir' was seen telling friends not to 'give away anything.' The rapper has got word back to relatives in the UK not to speak with officials if questioned over his life in Britain, MailOnline was told by family members One group member, who referred to himself as Cameron, said: 'He has been told not to say anything and it's not his business to tell. 'He is his cousin but it's not his place to say anything.' They made reference to his dad 'Kevin'. A spokesman for the British Foreign Office confirmed he is British and said: 'Our staff are in contact with the lawyer of a British man following his detention in the US.' Critics, including his family in Britain, have claimed his past was not a secret. Advertisement These perfectly-timed pictures show dogs flying through the air as they leap towards the camera in search of treats. The hilarious snaps are the result of a year-long passion project by amateur photographer Daniel Sheridan. He started appealing for pet pooches to photograph on social media last year and ended up with a fantastic collection of mid-air images. After much trial and error, Daniel, of Bournemouth in Dorset, has created the perfect system, whereby dog owners release their hounds from one end of a run while he waits at the other end with treats to lure them in. Logs and other obstacles placed in between force the dogs to jump over them, creating the perfect opportunity for an action shot. Daniel, who has seven dogs, said: 'They're not going to just run into a log so getting them to jump is actually fairly easy.' This hilarious picture of Frasier the Shetland Sheepdog is the result of a year-long passion project by amateur photographer Daniel Sheridan from Bournemouth. He takes pictures of dogs as they leap over obstacles and captures them mid-air Through a combination of trial and error, the lure of treats and good luck, Daniel manages to capture the hairy animals at the very moment they hang in mid air. Pictures is Buzz the Pomeranian who looks like a ball of fur as he jumps over a pile of logs Daniel started appealing for pet pooches to photograph on social media last year and ended up with a fantastic collection of mid-air images. This one shows Dexter the flying pug who appears to have surprised himself at how high he can jump Daniel, from Bournemouth, Dorset, started taking the heat-warming photos last year and it has developed into a passion. This picture shows Einstein the Husky leaping over a fallen branch in the woods near his home in Dorset It's Prince the Boston Terrier! This hilarious image was captured by tricking the pesky pooch into running for some treats and placing obstacles for him to jump over along the way Commenting on this picture of Holly the Staffie flying through the air, Daniel said: 'I have a few techniques on how to get the shots but there is no fool proof method. I'll usually be stood at the end of the run with a pocket full of treats and I'll have someone known by the dog on my shoulder.' Sickening footage shows the mouse strapped to a bottle as it is beaten with a stick until it urinates after it chewed up a phone charger. The man from Mandya in southern India can be heard cursing the little mouse as he wacks it on the nose, head and belly. The rodent was strung up by its limbs to a plastic water bottle to expose it to the foul punishment. He shows the severed chord of his charger to the mouse and says: 'Why did you bite this causing me a loss of eighty rupees (one pound). Will your father or mother pay me for the loss now?' The mouse is strung up by its limbs on a water bottle, reminiscent of a medieval torture rack, as the man from Mandya in southern India strikes it with the stick As he continues to beat the mouse, he accuses it of eating rice, tomatoes and soap at his home. In a particularly disturbing segment of the video, the mouse urinates in terror only to get more beatings. 'Why are you p***ing, will you do it again?' he asks. Indian animal rights activists are outraged after the video emerged earlier this month and have urged officials to trace the man and arrest him for cruelty towards animals. Noted animal rights activist Subhendu Mallik said: 'While killing a mouse is not illegal, this kind of torture is unwarranted. 'This is a crime under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and officials should act.' Three officers detained Kate Scottow, 38, at her home in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, before quizzing her at a police station Boris Johnson has hit out at police after a mother was arrested in front of her children and locked up for seven hours after referring to a transgender woman as a man online. The former Foreign Secretary spoke out after three Hertfordshire Police officers detained Kate Scottow at her home, kept her in custody and quizzed her at a police station about an argument with an activist on Twitter. Mrs Scottow is accused 'harassment' transgender activist Stephanie Hayden. As well as potential police action, she is facing a 25,000 civil lawsuit over alleged defamation, use of private information and 'harassment'. She has also agreed to been made the subject of an injunction that bans her from writing about Hayden online. High Court papers, filed by Miss Hayden, accuse Mrs Scottow of a 'campaign of targeted harassment' against Miss Hayden between September and December last year, allegedly motivated by her 'status as a transgender woman', including messages sent from two separate Twitter accounts. But Mrs Scottow's has filed a defence insisting: '[Mrs Scottow] holds a genuine and reasonable belief, which is fundamental to her existence and worthy of respect in a democratic society that a mammal, specifically a human, cannot practically change sex.' Mrs Scottow's arrest came after a complaint by transgender activist Stephanie Hayden (left). Boris Johnson said sending three officers to deal with the case and holding Ms Scottow for seven hours was an 'abuse of manpower' at a time when violent crime is increasing Mrs Scottow has denied harassing or defaming Miss Hayden, but has agreed to an interim injunction by Deputy Judge Jason Coppel QC issued that bans her from posting any personal information about Miss Hayden on social media, 'referencing her as a man' or linking her to her 'former male identity'. Miss Hayden was previously behind a police verbal harassment warning given to Father Ted writer Graham Linehan following a seperate Twitter spat. She also campaigned against Sussex University over perceived 'transgender hostility' and was among those who pressurised a billboard company to remove a poster in Liverpool, which said the dictionary definition of 'woman' was an 'adult human female'. Boris Johnson today branded the investigation in Mrs Scottow an 'abuse of manpower and police facilities' at a time when violent crime is on the rise. Transgender wings are planned for British jails Johnson waded into the row over resources used investigating transphobia on the day it emerged transgender wings could be introduced in British jails. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) review comes amid the high-profile case of Karen White, a convicted sex offender who is yet to undergo gender reassignment surgery, who was placed in women's prison HMP New Hall after telling authorities he identified as a woman. He subsequently sexually assaulted two female prisoners. The 52-year-old, who was previously convicted in 2001 for indecent assault and gross indecency with a child, was ordered at the end of last year to serve a life sentence for the jail sex attacks and two rapes carried out when he was still a man. In a question asked about the case in parliament earlier this week, justice minister Ed Argar said the matter was being reviewed and that 'new guidelines' on the issue would be announced soon. Advertisement Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he asked: 'Is this really the right way to fight crime? Is this what our brave police officers signed up to do? 'Are you really telling me that it is a sensible ordering of priorities to round up Twitter-borne transphobes and chuck them in the clink, when violence on the streets would seem to be getting out of control?' Johnson said members of the public would be upset at 'the considerable expenditure of public money on what would seem to be a silly (if nasty) Twitter spat'. He said of Mrs Scottow: 'It would seem that her attitude towards transgender people is antediluvian and offensive - but if, and only if, you can be bothered to read her tweets, and if, and only if, you can be bothered to take offence.' In a further development, Donald Trump Jr, the son of the US President, tweeted about the case, commenting: 'Are we getting to the PC tipping point yet? This is insane and has to stop.' Mrs Scottow, from Hitchin, Hertfordshire, had her photograph, DNA and fingerprints taken and remains under investigation. More than two months after her arrest on December 1, she has had neither her mobile phone or laptop returned, which she says is hampering her studies for a Masters in forensic psychology. A High Court judge imposed an injunction on Mrs Scottow banning her from personal information about Miss Hayden on social media, 'referencing her as a man' or linking her to her 'former male identity' Writing on online forum Mumsnet, Mrs Scottow who has also been served with a court order that bans her from referring to her accuser as a man claimed: 'I was arrested in my home by three officers, with my autistic ten-year-old daughter and breastfed 20-month-old son present. 'I was then detained for seven hours in a cell with no sanitary products (which I said I needed) before being interviewed then later released under investigation ... I was arrested for harassment and malicious communications because I called someone out and misgendered them on Twitter.' Confirming the arrest, Hertfordshire Police said: 'We take all reports of malicious communication seriously.' The court papers filed by Miss Hayden claim that, as a 'toxic' debate raged online over plans to allow people to 'self-ID' as another gender, Mrs Scottow tweeted 'defamatory' messages about Miss Hayden. Mrs Scottow is also alleged to have used accounts in two names to 'harass, defame, and publish derogatory and defamatory tweets' about Miss Hayden, including referring to her as male, stating she was 'racist, xenophobic and a crook' and mocking her as a 'fake lawyer'. The case comes after former local journalist Margaret Nelson, 74, was phoned by police after a blog in which she said people's birth gender was clear after death upset a transgender person The case is the latest where police have been accused of being heavy-handed in dealing with people who go online to debate gender issues. Sitcom writer Graham Linehan was given a verbal harassment warning by West Yorkshire Police after transgender activist Miss Hayden reported him for referring to her by her previous names and pronouns on Twitter. The case came in the same week as police faced a backlash for phoning a 74-year-old woman to warn her that her online posts about gender identity had offended transgender people. Former local journalist Margaret Nelson wrote in her blog that if a transgender person's body was dissected post-mortem, 'his or her sex would be obvious to a student or pathologist'. But she was later contacted by Suffolk Police, who woke her with a morning phone call, telling her the comments had provoked complaints from members of the trans community. Mrs Scottow has declined to comment when approached by MailOnline at her home this evening. Reliance Communications surprised all by moving for filing for insolvency on February 1. In the past, chairman Anil Ambani had claimed that the plot had a development potential of Rs 25,000 crore. Mumbai: Bankrupt Reliance Communications on Monday said it will develop a 132-acre land parcel on the outskirts of the city as a fintech centre. The 132-acre land parcel called Dhirubhai Ambani Knowledge City (DAKC) in the satellite city of Navi Mumbai used to serve as a corporate nerve centre for the company, which filed for insolvency earlier this month. In the past, chairman Anil Ambani had claimed that the plot had a development potential of Rs 25,000 crore. In a statement Monday, the company said its wholly-owned subsidiary Reliance Realty will be developing what it claimed as Maharashtra's first 'smart fintech centre'. It has received the go-ahead from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation and the Department of Information Technology to develop the land under the state's fintech policy, the statement said. As per the fintech policy, the plot will have total saleable/leasable area of over 30 million square feet, it said, claiming that the space available is double the size of the Bandra Kurla Complex business district in the island city. It said there is a "growing demand" from the fintech, banking, financial services, insurance, NBFC, information technology services and knowledge sectors over the next 20 years and "major infrastructure development" has already been initiated in the regard. Reliance Communications surprised all by moving for filing for insolvency on February 1. Saddled with a debt of over Rs 46,000 crore, bankers were trying to resolve the account under the Strategic Debt Restructuring route earlier, while operational creditors like Ericsson had dragged the company to the National Company Law Tribunal and also to the Supreme Court. The European company has ensured that Ambani appears in person next week in the apex court for a contempt case filed by it after the group failed to meet the court order of paying back Rs 550 crore to it. The insolvency petition was filed following its failure to sell assets like spectrum for paying back its lenders, the company had said. Its 40 lenders, including domestic ones and Chinese banks, have received zero proceeds from the proposed asset monetisation plans, and the overall debt resolution process is yet to make any headway. This is the incredible moment a newborn baby was pulled alive from a storm drain in South Africa after a passer-by heard the girl screaming. Footage shows rescuers lifting the tiny child to safety after digging down to a pipe and cutting through it near a home at Newlands East, north of Durban, on the country's east coast. Emergency crews spent three hours trying to reach the infant, who was lodged some 23ft down the drain. Incredible footage has emerged of the moment a newborn baby was pulled alive from a storm drain in South Africa A resident who was out for an early morning walk thought he could hear a cat mewing from beneath a steel drain cover and lifted the lid up to look inside. Lyron Lovdale climbed down inside the drain when he realised the noise might be a baby crying and shone a light into the pipe and saw the naked new born. He immediately raised the alarm and a full rescue operation swung into action involving the police, ambulance and fire brigade in Durban, South Africa. The team confirmed that a baby girl was stuck and was being washed further down the pipe. When they finally got to the baby they broke into the pipe and managed to reach in and grab her. Three hours after first getting the call one of the rescuers shouted up that he had the baby girl and that she was still alive and she was pulled up and out to safety. The naked baby can be heard screaming as she is brought out into the sunlight and gently placed into a towel held by a paramedic. She was examined and rushed to a waiting helicopter before being taken to a nearby hospital for care. Medics said she may be suffering from hypothermia but otherwise appeared unhurt. Emergency Medical Services spokesperson Robert McKenzie said paramedics worked for three hours to get to the baby and were delighted to rescue her alive. He said: 'Currently she is in a stable condition and our helicopter has taken off with the child to get her to hospital where doctors are waiting to receive her. Footage shows rescuers lifting the tiny child to safety after digging down to a pipe and cutting through it near a home north of Durban, on the country's east coast 'Police will now be trying to investigate the circumstances that led to the baby being in the drain in the first place and will also be trying to trace the mother,' he said. Mr McKenzie said when rescuers first arrived she was around 6ft down the drown but was then washed about 18ft further down the 1ft diameter drain. He added:' It is great news she has been rescued and she is currently in a stable condition so a great ending for all the rescuers and personnel and paramedics who did this. The community was also very supportive and helpful which was great.' The baby, who locals have named Storm after the water drain in which she was found and her tempestuous start to life, will go into the South African care system. Some 3,500 babies are abandoned a year and the social services will take over now and allocate the baby to a nursery and then try and find parents who wish to adopt. A Republican lawmaker has called the LGBTQ community 'a modern day version of the Ku Klux Klan' in a bizarre hate-filled tirade during an interview with a local newspaper. Republican Eric Porterfield, who sits in the West Virginia House of Delegates, claims he is being 'persecuted' by the gay community, branding them 'a terrorist group'. 'The LGBTQ is a modern day version of the Ku Klux Klan, without wearing hoods with their antics of hate,' Porterfield told the Charleston's Gazette-Mail. Anti-LGBTQ: Republican Eric Porterfield, who is blind, has called the gay community 'a modern version of the Ku Klux Klan' Porterfield's harangue came after he had been criticised for comments he made during a committee meeting last week. Declaring homosexuality a 'lifestyle', the conservative Christian politician called LGBTQ rights groups ' discriminatory bigots'. He was arguing in support for an amendment which would have prevented members of the LGBTQ community to be protected from discrimination. The comments saw him criticised by fellow delegates, and - he claims - threatened by individuals who had contacted him on social media. Porterfield describes himself as 'pro-family, pro-life, pro-second amendment and pro-business/industry'. On his campaign website he writes that he decided to 'step up' and submit his name to run on the Republican ticked for the House of Delegates 'due to legislative bills proposed by a social liberal'. 'If the constituents of District 27 elect me, it will guarantee a true conservative Republican to defend the constitution and protect against the onslaught of oppression against Christian principles and people of faith.' Advertisement The Polish butcher arrested on suspicion of abducting Libby Squire performed a sex act on himself on her street and burgled a nearby house for sex toys and knickers just days before she vanished, a court heard yesterday. Pawel Relowicz, 24, a married father-of-two, appeared at Hull Magistrates Court and pleaded not guilty to voyeurism, burglary and outraging public decency. It comes as police cordoned off an area of her local park close to what is believed to be a derelict boathouse as part of their ongoing investigation into Libby's disappearance. The Hull student, 21, vanished after a drunken night out in the East Yorkshire city ten days ago and was last seen on a bench near her house on January 31. Relowicz, who moved to the UK from Poland five years ago, was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of abducting her. Police say today's court appearance is unrelated - but he remains a suspect after being bailed last night. The Humberside bacon factory worker was swept into court in a prison van today where he faced five charges dating back to Christmas 2017 up until the eve of the student's disappearance last month. The charges include pleasuring himself on Wellesley Avenue, Hull, on January 19 this year - the same street where Libby lived and was last seen 12 days later. It is also alleged Relowicz burgled a house near his family home in Raglan Street between January 25 and January 28 this year and stole sex toys, condoms, knickers and photographs from inside. As the search for philosophy student Miss Squire entered its 11th day officers have been searching his home using heat-seeking infra-red cameras while zoning in on her local park including a large pond as they hunt for clues about her whereabouts. Her bereft parents Lisa and Russ, from High Wycombe, are in Hull anxiously waiting for news and attended a church vigil in the city on Sunday. Polish butcher Pawel Relowicz (left) was arrested over the disappearance of Libby Squire, 21, (pictured right) in Hull ten days ago - but has been charged with unrelated sexual offences including pleasuring himself on the street where she lived It comes as police cordoned off an area Oak Road Playing Fields close to what is believed to be a derelict boathouse as part of their ongoing investigation into Libby's disappearance Relowicz is accused of several sex offences around Hull - including one just 12 days before missing student Libby Squire vanished. The alleged crimes (pictured) date back to Christmas 2017 up until the eve of the student's disappearance The prison van carrying Pawel Relowicz arrives at Hull Magistrates' Court where he was remanded in custody to appear at the city's crown court next month Police officers armed with infra-red cameras search the gutter of the property where the butcher lives in Hull, as they look for clues about the disappearance of Libby Police officers carrying out searches of Relowicz' home leave the property with bags and boxes of evidence today as the suspect was bailed over her alleged abduction. Forensics teams continue to work inside today Police rake through the undergrowth at Oak Road Playing Fields - Libby's local park - as the search for her enters its 11th day Missing student Libby Squire's mother Lisa is pictured left hugging a police officer outside Hull Community Church after a vigil yesterday, where her husband Russ, Libby's father (right), was also there as they wait for news Police say the sexual offences and burglaries are not related to her alleged abduction but have bailed him over her alleged abduction. What has Pawel Relowicz been charged with? Between December 7 and December 10, 2017, he allegedly entered a property in Raglan Street and stole three vibrators Between December 1 and December 4, 2017, in Hull, namely Lambton Street, he entered as a trespasser and stole a PlayStation 4 console, a controller and 25 in cash On January 23, 2018, in Edgecumbe Street he observed another person doing a private act knowing that person did not consent to being observed for your sexual gratification On January 19, 2019, in a public place namely Wellesley Avenue, he committed an act outraging public decency by behaving in an indecent manner by performing a sex act in a public place Between January 25 and January 28, 2019, he entered as a trespasser in Ventnor Street and stole a computer laptop, a Kindle, a speaker, a quantity of sex toys, condoms, knickers and photographs Advertisement The three counts of burglary from December 2017 to January 2019 relate to accusations he stole sex toys, vibrators and condoms from properties in Hull. Relowicz, of Raglan Street in Hull, is also accused of committing an act outraging public decency by performing a sex act on himself in a public place on January 19, 2019. On January 23, 2018, Relowicz allegedly observed another person doing a private act knowing that person had not consented for his own sexual gratification. Relowicz stood in the dock throughout the hearing wearing a grey sweatshirt. Speaking through a Polish interpreter, he confirmed his name, address, date of birth and not guilty pleas to the five charges. Members of the media filled the two rows of seats in the public gallery and stood crowded at the back of the courtroom. Bill Waddington, representing Relowicz, said he would not be making a bail application for his client. District Judge Fred Rutherford told the defendant: 'You have entered your not guilty pleas before this court. 'The matters are too serious for this court and will be sent to Crown Court. You are remanded in custody to Hull Crown Court.' Relowicz was remanded in custody and will appear at Hull Crown Court on March 11. Marzena Relowicz, mother of Pawel Relowicz (pictured), sobbed as she told MailOnline at her home in Warszewice, Poland that 'her son is no killer' and 'does not recognise' the man charged with sexual offences Police are again searching the area around a pond in Oak Road Playing Fields and the riverbank of the River Hull that runs through it Detectives are still searching Relowicz' terraced home in Raglan Street, which he shared with his wife and two children - it is now being boarded up Police stopped the public entering an area around a giant pond near Libby's home in Hull (circled in red top right) - days after already searching the area and appear fully focussed on the park nearest her student digs where they sealed off the car park Libby suspect's mother tells MailOnline: 'I'm devastated' Pawel Relowicz, 24 was tonight charged with voyeurism, burglary and indecency. His mother, Marzena Relowicz (pictured), 52, reacted with astonishment to the news, saying: 'I don't know what to say,I am just speechless' Pawel Relowicz's mother Marzena was left devastated after being told her son was remanded in custody on sex charges and burglary. The mother of eight said she was desperate to travel to England to see her son, but said she could not afford the air fare. 'I so want to see Pawel to find out what has been going on. I want to go to England, but do not have the money', she said. 'I was told by my daughter we had to get 2,000 for bail money but we do not even have those means. I do not have that money. Marzena, 52, said she had only spoken briefly to her daughter in law since her son's arrest on suspicion of abducting student Libby Squires. 'When I ask her how Pawel is and what is happening she just tells me it is fine. I do not know any more, I am in the dark.' Speaking at the family home in the village of Warszewice, Marzena said she did not understand why her son was charged with voyeurism and public indecency. 'I am a Catholic. I do not understand what he has done.' She added: 'It's the first time in my life I have even heard of someone doing something like that. I have children, I know what they get up to, never in my life did I see anything like that in my son. That's not my boy. I don't recognize anything about that behaviour. He had a girlfriend, he got married and has children, why would he do that? I'm in shock. ' Advertisement Last night his mother, Marzena Relowicz, 52, told MailOnline: 'I don't know what to say, I am just speechless. Why are they keeping him jail? There is something wrong here. I just do not understand this and it is all too much to take in.' Humberside Police said 'a 24-year-old man' - known to be Relowicz - remained 'of interest to the investigation' over Libby's disappearance but has not been charged. MailOnline informed his mother that her son had been charged with the offences. Relowicz had been held for 96 hours by police investigating the disappearance of Libby - the maximum amount of time allowed before charges were brought or he was released. Earlier, Mrs Relowicz, speaking at the family home in the village of Warszewice, Poland said she had to take medication because she was so stressed by the arrest of her son. Marzena had insisted he son could not have been involved with the disappearance of the 21 year old student from near her home in Hull, saying: her son 'is no killer'. Mrs Relowicz said she had been told that her son had offered a girl a lift in his silver Vauxhall Astra on the night Libby went missing. 'Pawel was driving home and saw a girl crying,' she said. 'He had given her a lift as she wanted to go home. He had put her address into his satnav system. 'I know in my heart that Pawel did not do anything to this girl. He is a good boy who respects women and would not do anything to harm anyone.' In a tearful interview, the devout Catholic said: 'If something isn't right, God forbid, then there must be punishment.' Mrs Relowicz, 52, insisted her son was not capable of harming Miss Squire, 21. High-tech cameras were used to search outbuildings in Hull near the home of the philosophy student. Placing a hand on her heart, she said: 'My son Pawel did not abduct that girl. I would rather die than know he is guilty. My heart is breaking over this and I feel so sad for the girl's parents and what they are going through. 'I can't imagine their pain. I desperately hope they find her alive.' Police officers search the gutter of Relowicza's property on Raglan Street in Hull using infra-red cameras Police are pictured today removing items from the house of Polish butcher Pawel Relowicz in Hull Police are pictured outside the property in Hull, East Yorkshire, as the search for missing student Libby Squire continues Police are seen removing objects from the property in Hull and searching outside Relowicz's home as the investigations continue Detectives used infra-red cameras to search the area near the 21-year-old's home and searched a gutter outside Relowicz's home. Timeline: The hunt for missing Libby Squire 11pm Thursday, January 31: Libby is refused entry at Welly Club around two miles from her home and put into a taxi 11.30pm: Libby was dropped off on Wellesley Avenue - but does not go inside her house 11.45pm: Libby was seen sitting on a bench around the corner on Beverley Road. A witness says she was seen speaking to the driver of a car. 12.09am: Detectives believe Libby stayed in the area for about half an hour - but is then gone. 12.30am, Friday February 1: A near-neighbour says she woke up after hearing 'blood-curdling' screams. February 6: Pawel Relowicz is arrested on suspicion of Libby's abduction February 8: Police ask for more time to interview abduction suspect. February 10: Relowicz is charged with voyeurism, burglary and indecency - but no charges related to Libby's disappearance. February 11: The butcher appears in court and pleads not guilty. Advertisement Police have been seen removing computers from Relowicz's house and the front and back doors of his home were today sealed with metal sheets by officers. The investigation into Miss Squire's disappearance took a dramatic turn on Wednesday when police arrested Mr Relowicz at the rented home in Hull where he lives with his wife and two young children. At 11pm the night she disappeared, Libby was refused entry at Welly Club nightclub around two miles from her home and put into a taxi by her friends. At 11.30pm was dropped off by the taxi but did not go inside her home and at 11.45pm Libby was last seen sitting on a bench around the corner on Beverley Road. Detectives think Libby stayed in the area for about half an hour and was wandering the streets near her student digs. At 12.30pm a neighbour said that they were woken up by a 'blood-curdling scream'. High-tech cameras were used to search outbuildings in Hull near the home of the philosophy student. The infra-red cameras are capable of detecting people who are obscured by cover and are equipped with a microphone to hear hidden subjects. And neighbours were quizzed by detectives who handed them a form with seven questions to complete. Detective Superintendent Matt Hutchinson said: 'We are continuing to investigate the disappearance of Libby Squire and a 24-year-old man remains of interest to the investigation. 'Our priority remains to find Libby and support her family at this incredibly distressing time.' A woman has described the fear she saw in a young girl's eyes after the 11-year-old was almost abducted by an unknown man. The girl had just been tackled to the ground by the silent stranger in broad daylight as she walked to her friend's house in Brisbane on Saturday. The bravery of bystanders, who shouted out to the man, gave the girl the chance to break free and run to the nearby home. Her friend's older sister, Lina Asiata, answered the door to find the panicked girl standing outside. Lina Asiata (pictured) has spoken about the moment a panicked 11-year-old girl smashed on her front door after narrowly avoiding an abduction in broad daylight 'When she got to my house she was shaking really bad. I cannot imagine the fear she was feeling at the time,' she told The Courier Mail. 'She was absolutely scared, the fear she had in her eyes was just the saddest thing I have ever witnessed in my life.' Ms Asiata said she did her best to reassure her that she was safe. 'I brought her inside my house, sat her down and... touched her shoulder and reassured her that she was safe, and that nothing is going to happen to her,' she said. The bravery of bystanders, who shouted out to the man, gave the girl the chance to break free and run to the nearby home (pictured is the car police allege the man fled the scene in) Ms Asiata then called the police and the girl's parents. The suspect has not yet been caught and the incident has prompted local schools in the Brisbane to reiterate stranger danger to students. The attacker, who is believed to be in his early 20s, fled the scene on foot before allegedly getting into a black Holden Captiva parked nearby. He is described as Caucasian with a shaved or bald head and a slim build. He was wearing a blue T-shirt, running shoes, black shorts and a chain around his neck. Detectives have urged anyone in the area who may have seen someone, or drivers who have dashcam footage, to contact police. No demands were made of the girl and she was left physically unhurt, though mentally distraught. Thousands of foreign criminals could abscond if Britain crashes out of Europe with no deal leaving fugitives fleeing UK justice beyond the law, the national police lead on Brexit warned today. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Richard Martin said police will be powerless to arrest fugitives wanted overseas for crimes like murder or rape without getting a warrant from magistrates if existing EU agreements are scrapped. The senior officer, who leads the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) on Brexit, said even if officers stopped a wanted foreign criminal on the streets, they would have to let them go as police would have no longer have any power to hold them without European arrest warrants. He predicted that scores of offenders could flee as officers will have to wait days for a court hearing to get permission to make an arrest and it will take a further 66 days to get criminal records from EU countries, instead of an average of six days at present. Mr Martin also predicted that British offenders like Stephen Lawrence murder suspect Jamie Acourt could escape arrest if they flee abroad as many European forces do not regularly check Interpol data so they would not know he was wanted in Britain. Thousands of foreign criminals could abscond if Britain - and convicted drugs kingpin and Stephen Lawrence suspect Jamie Acourt (pictured) would have been harder to bring back to Britain is there is a no deal Brexit, a police chief has warned Acourt was jailed for nine years for a 3 million drugs plot last year after he was found hiding in Spain following a major international investigation involving Spanish Police and the National Crime Agency. Met Deputy Assistant Commissioner Richard Martin said police will be powerless to arrest fugitives wanted overseas for crimes like murder or rape But Mr Martin said British police would have no power to compel other European forces to look for similar British fugitives who had fled overseas or even to provide information. Currently officers can find out within minutes of making an arrest or stopping a suspect whether they are wanted in Britain or Europe using the SIS 2 database. Police made around 539 million name checks to see if a suspect had a criminal record here or in Europe in 2017. Around 17 per cent of arrested suspects are born overseas. But if there is no deal, officers will have to wait for Interpol to confirm whether that individual is wanted and then it will take months to obtain their criminal record. To complicate matters, many European forces do not update Interpol about all their criminals, preferring instead to use European databases which Britain will no longer have access to. Mr Martin said: If an officer checks someone on Interpol and if that comes back with what they call a red notice, which is where somebody is wanted, we would then have to go to a magistrates court to get a warrant to go and arrest that person. We could not arrest that person in front of us. Mr Martin said there is a real risk individuals could abscond. If they know they are likely to be incarcerated or charged, then I think thats a very real possibility, he added. If there is no deal police officers will have to wait for Interpol to confirm whether that individual is wanted and then it will take months to obtain their criminal record, it has been claimed The Scotland Yard officer said failing to secure a deal will put the public at risk as British police face being locked out of systems for exchanging data such as criminal records, alerts on wanted individuals, DNA, fingerprints and airline passenger information. Britain will lose access to tools including the Second Generation Schengen Information System (SIS II), a vast database of alerts allowing EU countries to share real time information about wanted or missing people and the European Criminal Record Information System, which is used to exchange tens of thousands of pieces of information about criminal convictions. Officers will have to fall back on slower information-sharing agreements, arrest and extradition procedures. Every year around 1,800 foreign offenders are held on European arrest warrants, but Mr Martin predicted the number kicked out of the country will fall dramatically as police and prosecutors will have to go through a lengthy extradition process negotiating individually with each country which could take months. He used the extradition of speedboat killer Jack Shepherd from Georgia, which is likely to be held up by months of legal wrangling, as an example of what future EU extraditions will look like. Mr Martin pointed out that police in Europe also may not tip off Britain about their wanted criminals. This would leave foreign criminals potentially free to roam Britains streets with police blind to their criminal past. Our borders will also be less secure as guards will have less information about suspects sneaking into the UK, he said, adding that criminal gangs will attempt to exploit the gap. A team of 50 officers in the newly formed International Crime Coordination Centre are currently preparing for the worst-case scenario of a no-deal exit, drawing up plans for a safety net using older legislation such as extradition conventions dating from 1957. It is estimated that the loss of EU tools will cost police around 20 million a year. It will also have an impact on frontline policing as officers are tied up in bureaucracy trying to establish a suspects criminal history. Mr Martin said: If something takes two or three times as long as before, thats probably another couple of hours where you are not back on the streets. He added: There is a tool behind any that we might lose but its not a one for one capability. Every fall-back we have is more bureaucratic, it is slower. Mr Martin said criminal gangs will capitalise on intelligence gaps. He said: I do not think we will have hundreds of people coming to be here. I do not see us being a haven, but criminal gangs will try to exploit this.. When asked whether officers will be going around effectively blindfolded without the EU tools, he answered: Officers will not have a clear picture, yes. This is the heartwarming moment a daughter who has been away travelling for a year poses as a waitress to surprise her mum. The touching scenes were filmed at the Jolly Postie pub in Royston, Herts, and shows the young woman, Emily Brason, don a waitress's uniform and walk up to her mother's table. Emily, who had spent a year travelling through Asia, had returned to the UK and arranged the surprise reunion for her mother Tina Jarred who was not expecting to see her until the following day. Emily Brason's mother looks on in awe as her daughter stands in front of her posing as a waitress in Royston, Herts In the footage, which has been posted to Twitter, Emily walks through the pub and up to her mother's table and stands there, as though ready to take food orders. She says: 'Hi guys, can I take your orders?' But incredibly when her mother sees her beloved daughter stood in front of her, it is as if she cannot take in what's happening and is slow to react. After staring at her daughter for several seconds, Tina Jarred springs up and embraces her The penny finally drops and Tina breaks out into a massive smile and cannot stop laughing. She jumps up and gives Emily a massive hug before jokingly berating her for her sneaky plan. Tina can be heard saying 'Oh my God' as she grabs Tina and gives her another hug. She then lets her go for long enough to say 'you little b*****' before pulling her in for another big cuddle. Emily smiles to the camera as she executes her sly plan to perfection in the Holly Postie pub The 44-second clip has been posted to the McMullens twitter feed with the caption: 'What an amazing moment caught on camera at the Jolly Postie in Royston - being reunited with your family after travelling! 'Hitting us right in the feels on a Friday morning.' May Simpson, trainee assistant manager at the Jollie Postie said: 'We didn't actually know what was going on until they got here and asked us on the night. 'Emily's other family members who were with her had booked the table and were in on the surpirse. 'She was waiting outside to her mum did not see her but she ended up waiting for 10 minutes and was freezing cold because her mum was 10 minutes late.' Both Emily and her mother live in Royston, North Hertfordshire. An 11-year-old girl has died three days after being hit by a car, police said today. Emmie Huang was taken to hospital with critical injuries following a collision with the vehicle on February 5 in Eltham, South East London. Emergency crews were called to the scene at 4.42pm to Westmount Road, at the junction with Elibank Road, following reports of a road traffic collision. The crash happened on February 5 at this junction (file image) in Eltham, South East London Emmie was taken by London's Air Ambulance to hospital where she died from her injuries on February 8 despite the efforts of medical professionals. The car's driver stopped at the scene and was not arrested. He continues to help police with enquiries, and investigators are appealing for information. A young mother-of-one fought for her life as her drunken boyfriend threw things at her and tried to gouge her eyes out with a broom handle. Samantha Jenkins, 33, was left with sickening injuries after Kevin Owen beat her up for well over an hour in November 2014. He threw an ashtray and television set at her before attempting to strangle and gouge her eyes out with a broom handle. Ms Jenkins, of Caerphilly, south Wales, had her two front teeth knocked out and had to spend two days in hospital having stitches after the brutal assault. Owen was sentenced to nine years in prison after being convicted of wounding with intent at Cardiff Crown Court in July 2015. But Ms Jenkins is terrified he could soon be on the streets again after being told he could get early release. Samantha Jenkins, 33 (pictured before the assault, left and after in hospital, right) was left with sickening injuries after Kevin Owen beat her up for well over an hour in November 2014 Owen (pictured) was sentenced to nine years in prison after being convicted of wounding with intent at Cardiff Crown Court in July 2015 Now in another relationship, the young mother says the emotional scars of the incident will stay with her forever and she still suffers with trust issues. The carer said: 'I knew he wasn't exactly 'the one' but I had no idea he would turn on me. 'I was fighting for my life when he attacked me - I could easily have died that night. 'What he did has left me insecure and paranoid in my new relationship, I definitely have trust issues after what I've been through. 'Now he's being released I'm even more terrified - it isn't fair that he gets to come back to Caerphilly after what he did to me.' Ms Jenkins started to see Owen's true colours after they moved into together a few weeks into their relationship. She said: 'At first he seemed fine but he soon became jealous and controlling. 'He was always picking at me and he could be violent and aggressive - he'd hit me on previous occasions - but it got worse and worse the longer we were together, becoming a daily occurrence. 'On the night of the attack a friend was hanging out and drinking at the flat with us when Kevin started to get jealous and argumentative.' Ms Jenkins is now in another relationship with new partner Kyle, 32 (pictured with her) Ms Jenkins, of Caerphilly, south Wales (pictured in hospital after the assault) had her two front teeth knocked out and had to spend two days in hospital having stitches after the attack Used to Owen's controlling behaviour, she told the friend to leave and that she'd be fine, unaware of what was about to happen. She said: 'I'd become quite numb to the abuse and didn't expect anything truly bad to happen, but something changed in him that night. 'He wasn't just shoving me around, he was giving it everything he had. 'He grabbed a mirror and hit me over the head with it, then he was on top of me and beating me with a broomstick. 'He was putting so much force into it that he literally snapped it in half - then he started trying to gouge out my eyes with the handle.' She didn't know the full extent at the time, but was later told Owen had thrown a glass tray and even a television set at her during the attack. Ms Jenkins continued: 'I was fighting for my life, and it lasted for well over an hour, it was endless and I had no idea if I'd make it. Moving on: Ms Jenkins is happy with her new partner Kyle (pictured with her) but still admits having trust issues The mother-of-one (pictured) has since happily moved on with partner Kyle, 32 (right) but finds it hard to trust him and men in general 'Eventually, I spotted a piece of cracked mirror next to me on the floor and I hit him with it so he'd get off. 'I grabbed my phone and ran upstairs to call the police. He was still coming at me the whole time but was bleeding heavily, so combined with how much alcohol he'd drank he was a bit hazy. 'I even tried to get out of the bathroom window and was screaming for help, desperate for one of my neighbours to hear what was going on.' The police arrived to a blood bath and immediately arrested Owen, while an ambulance arrived for his terrified girlfriend. She spent two days in Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil recovering and having scans to see if any bones were broken. Ms Jenkins said: 'My two front teeth had been knocked out, my face was completely swollen and I had to have stitches in my head. 'It was awful - my mum Pam, 56, rushed to be with me and she just cried her eyes out, it must have been so upsetting for her to see.' Samantha decided to press charges and a court date was set. She had to relive the attack via video link. She spent two days in Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil recovering and having scans to see if any bones were broken She said: 'He wrote to me to apologise and beg me to drop the charges, but I was determined to see the nutcase put away. 'He could have killed me, and probably would have if I hadn't got to the phone in time.' The mother-of-one has since happily moved on with partner Kyle, 32, but finds it hard to trust him and men in general. She explained: 'Kyle is nothing like Kevin, he's a real man and looks after me. It's been hard because I get insecure and paranoid - luckily he knows what I've been through and understands.' Ms Jenkins was recently told her former partner was set for release in May 2019 and is now terrified he could move back to Caerphilly. She said: 'I can't even imagine just bumping into him while I'm at the shops. He shouldn't be allowed back, it just isn't fair. 'I still have scars from that night. I'm not allowed to forget, so why should he?' This is the adorable moment a baby cant contain her excitement at meeting her tiny new puppy for the first time. Sweet eight-month-old Paulina Rose cant believe her eyes as her mom Ashlyn Davis approaches holding Coco, a Yorkshire Terrier puppy, cupped in her hands. Ashlyn, from New Mexico, holds Coco out in front of Paulina Rose who stares wondrously at the cute pup wide-eyed and open-mouthed, before eagerly reaching out to touch her. Ashlyn Davis shows Coco the puppy to eight-month-old Paulina Rose at home in New Mexico Paulina Rose lets out a few baby screams while almost hyperventilating with excitement as Coco looks back at her equally as captivated by her new human sister. Her parents move her from her baby chair to the floor so she can meet Coco properly. She continues to show her excitement, raching out as far as she can with her mouth wide open in wonder. Her parents move Paulina Rose from her baby chair to the floor so she can meet Coco properly Her parents tell her to be careful as Paulina Rose swings her arms in excitement at the dog. Experts at the American Kennel Club say that both puppies and children have a strong lust for companionship and a desire for a playmate. This may explain the off-the-charts excitement from Paulina Rose and set up a strong bond for years to come. Film-maker Guy Ritchie (pictured) has been given the go ahead to build overnight lodges for 'internationally wealthy guests' going shooting at his 9million estate in Wiltshire Film-maker Guy Ritchie has been given the go ahead to build overnight lodges for 'internationally wealthy guests' going shooting at his 9million estate. Mr Ritchie, 50, was given the 1,200-acre Ashcombe Estate near Salisbury in Wiltshire as part of his 50million divorce settlement with Madonna. Last year he was given planning permission to add two 'sporting' lakes to enhance the shooting experience for guests visiting the 9million country manor. But now council bosses have given him the green light to create overnight accommodation so he can 'compete locally and nationally' for wealthy guests from all over the world. The film director now has permission to create facilities for guests to stay before and after they go shooting and further buildings to store guns in. The planning application submitted to Wiltshire Council reads: 'The estate needs the ability to provide accommodation the day before and after a shoot with partners if required.' It adds that: 'In some key respects the estate now needs to improve its offering to remain in the top league.' Mr Ritchie, 50, was given the 1,200-acre Ashcombe Estate near Salisbury in Wiltshire (pictured) as part of his 50million divorce settlement with Madonna Plans show the design for Ashgrove Farmyard - part of the wider Ashcombe Estate in Wiltshire A site map shows the scale of the proposals, which will see overnight lodges and gun storage facilities added to the 1,200-acre estate 'The Ashcombe shoot has a national reputation and has been able to charge premium rates. The design and access statement continues: 'However the days of the relaxed shoot are now over and whilst the top end of the shoot market has survived the downturn competition is now intense. 'Paying guests have become very much more discerning when deciding how to spend their money. 'A day on a premium estate now costs more than 15,000 and for that the standard of accommodation, food, game condition, the quality and variety of drives needs to be of an ever increasing standard.' It says: 'To match the competition the Ashcombe shoot needs to provide shoot lodge accommodation for visiting guns with the appropriate facilities for secure gun storage.' He has since converted derelict farm buildings on the estate into facilities for shooters Ritchie was handed Ashcombe House as part of a near-50million divorce settlement with his ex-wife Madonna 10 years ago Plans show the scale of the lakes on Mr Ritchie's estate near Salisbury in Wiltshire Ashcombe House was originally built in 1686, although the house situated there now is from the mid-18th century. The new facilities will be known as the Ashgrove Farmyard, part of the wider Ashcombe Estate. Mr Ritchie was given planning permission for his first sporting lake and it is now a top game bird shooting venue. Last year the council approved plans for a gin still that came just weeks after the Gritchie Brewing Company unveiled its four per cent pale ale English Lore, now being sold in pubs across the area. The microbrewery was built from a dilapidated barn in just over 12 months, employs 12 people, and brews 'beer in the traditional form'. In October 2017, David Beckham joined Mr Ritchie on the estate for a day shooting partridges. The brewery is completely self-sufficient, as it also grows its own barley and uses water collected on the farm. Advertisement While Democrat and Republican negotiators remain at odds over border security, dozens of migrants attempt to enter the United States to escape starvation, poverty and political instability in their home countries. Dramatic photos show a family with young children braving the waters of the Rio Bravo, also known as Rio Grande, on the US-Mexico border and failing to make it across. The family, believed to be from Honduras, had to be rescued by a U.S. border patrol boat as they tried to cross the river with their three children on Sunday. Out of the water: A U.S. border patrol boat rescues migrants crossing the Rio Bravo towards the United States, seen from Piedras Negras, Mexico on Sunday Emergency care: A child, rescued from Rio Bravo together with a group of migrants from Honduras while trying to cross towards the United States, is held by a paramedic inside an ambulance in Piedras Negras Back in Mexico: A migrant from Honduras looks through the window of an ambulance after being rescued from the Rio Bravo after failing to cross it towards the United States Meanwhile, Democrat and Republican negotiators clashed over whether to limit the number of migrants authorities can detain, creating a new hurdle for a border security compromise Congress can accept. With a Friday deadline looming to prevent a second partial government shutdown, the two sides remained separated over how much to spend on President Donald Trump's promised border wall. But rising to the fore on Sunday was a related dispute over curbing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, the federal agency that Republicans see as an emblem of tough immigration policies and Democrats accuse of often going too far. People involved in the talks say Democrats have proposed limiting the number of immigrants here illegally who are caught inside the U.S. - not at the border - that the agency can detain. Republicans say they don't want that cap to apply to immigrants caught committing crimes, but Democrats do. Struggle: Migrants are watched by U.S. border patrol agents while crossing the Rio Bravo towards the United States, seen from Piedras Negras Trying: A migrant carrying a child waits to be picked up by a U.S. border patrol boat while crossing the Rio Bravo towards the United States All on board: The migrant family pulled from the river are taken by a U.S. border patrol boat Stranded: A group of migrants from Honduras are seen trying to cross the Rio Bravo late at night Democrats say they proposed their cap to force ICE to concentrate its internal enforcement efforts on dangerous immigrants, not those who lack legal authority to be in the country but are productive and otherwise pose no threat. Democrats have proposed reducing the current number of beds ICE uses to detain immigrants here illegally from 40,520 to 35,520. But within that limit, they've also proposed limiting to 16,500 the number for immigrants here illegally caught within the U.S., including criminals. Republicans want no caps on the number of immigrants who've committed crimes who can be held by ICE. Trump used the dispute to cast Democrats as soft on criminals. 'I don't think the Dems on the Border Committee are being allowed by their leaders to make a deal. They are offering very little money for the desperately needed Border Wall & now, out of the blue, want a cap on convicted violent felons to be held in detention!' Trump tweeted Sunday. Advertisement Crowds chanted 'Death to America, death to Israel' as hundreds of thousands of Iranians gathered at rallies to mark the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. Ceremonies were held across Iran today to observe the anniversary of the fall of the Shah and the triumph of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Shiite cleric who led the coup. Iran's army declared its neutrality on February 11, 1979 which paved the way for the collapse of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi - and ousted the United States' most important ally in the Middle East. Crowds gathered in the rain in Tehran Azadi, or Freedom Square, on Monday, waving Iranian flags and chanting 'Death to America' - a mantra that has been standard fare at anti-US rallies across Iran. Chants of 'Death to Israel' and 'Death to Britain' followed, and demonstrators were caught on camera burning US and Israeli flags. Rallies were held across the state to observe the anniversary of the fall of the Shah and the triumph of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Shiite cleric who led the revolution (Pictured, Iranians burn US flags in Tehran) Men gather to burn American flags during a ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution - which ousted the United States' most important ally in the Middle East Large crowds were seen carrying Iranian flags and chanting 'Death to Israel, Death to America' - trademark chants of the revolution An Iranian woman holds up a portrait of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as she makes the victory sign during a rally marking the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Tehran Soldiers, students, clerics and women holding small children flocked to the streets of Tehran, many carrying portraits of Khomeini and Iran's current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Yadollah Javani, a senior commander in Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, threatened to burn two of Israel's cities 'to the ground' if the US attacked Iran when speaking at a rally on Monday. He said: 'The United States does not have the courage to shoot a single bullet at us despite all its defensive and military assets. But if they attack us, we will raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground.' The 6-mile-long downtown Enghelab, or Revolution Street, in Tehran was decorated with huge balloons as loudspeakers blared out revolutionary and nationalist songs to encourage people to join the rallies. Soldiers, students and clerics flocked to the streets of cities and towns across Iran - many carrying portraits of Khomeini and Iran's current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. One banner read: 'Much to the dismay of America, the revolution has reached its 40th year.' Another said: 'Down with USA, Down with Israel, Victory to Islam'. One group were even caught on camera burning a statue of US President Donald Trump. Every year, the anniversary festivities start on February 1 - the day Khomeini returned home from France after 14 years in exile to become the supreme leader as Shiite clerics took power - and continue for 10 days, climaxing on February 11. This year's anniversary comes as tensions rise with the United States and Iran grapples with the aftermath of President Donald Trump's pullout last May from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. Tough US economic sanctions were also re-imposed on Iran in November. Numerous US and Israeli flags burn in a heap as attendees of a rally to commemorate 40 years since the Islamic Revolution gather Crowds hold signs reading 'Down with USA', 'Down with Israel' and even 'Down with England' as they attend the busy rally Speaking from a podium in central Tehran, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani addressed the crowds for nearly 45 minutes, lashing out at Iran's enemies - America and Israel - and claiming their efforts to 'bring down' Iranians through sanctions will not succeed. 'The presence of people in this celebration means that plots by the enemies ... have been defused,' Rouhani said. 'They will not achieve their ill-omened aims.' In the backdrop to Monday's marches, the military displayed Iranian-made missiles, which authorities showcase every year during anniversary celebrations and which now have a range of up to 2,000 kilometers and are able to Israel and US military bases in the region. Over the past decade, Iran has frequently test-fired and displayed missiles, sent several short-lived satellites into orbit and in 2013 launched a monkey into space. Washington alleges Iran's launches defy a UN Security Council resolution calling on Iran to undertake no activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. Tehran denies the charge, insisting its satellite launches and rocket tests do not have a military component. 'We do not and we will not ask permission for producing any type of missiles from anybody,' Rouhani said in his speech Monday, though he stressed that Iran would 'continue constructive engagement' with the international community. Rouhani also promised the crowds that Iran would overcome the economic hardship amid the country's spiraling economy and the newly imposed US sanctions. What was the Iranian Revolution? The Iranian, or Islamic, Revolution was a popular uprising which took place in Iran between 1978 and 1979. This coup, which resulted in the collapse of the country's monarchy on April 1, 1979, led to the establishment of an Islamic republic in Iran. It was the result of increasing social discontent in the country throughout the 1970s - with economic difficulties, and sociopolitical repression under the regime of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, adding to restlessness in the masses. There was also a strong opposition to the Shah due to US support for his regime. The Shah had introduced a series of unpopular liberalization policies in order to retain the support of America in 1977. Demonstrations against the US-backed monarchy began the same year and very quickly developed into a campaign of civil resistance which intensified throughout the year. Between August and December 1978, the country came to a near-standstill due to mounting strikes and demonstrations across Iran. A few months later, on January 17, 1979, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi was forced to leave Iran as the political unrest had transformed into a revolution. He was granted asylum in Egypt where he died in 1980 - knowing he would likely have faced execution had he ever tried to return to Iran. After the Shah's exile, the monarch's duties were left to a regency council and Shapour Bakhtiar - who served as the last Prime Minister of Iran under Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlav. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, an Iranian politician who spent 14 years in exile for opposition to the Shah, was then invited back to the country by the government. Iran's monarchy eventually collapsed on February 11, 1979 when rebels overwhelmed troops loyal to the monarch in the street. The country then voted by national referendum to become an Islamic republic on April 1 - and Khomeini became Supreme Leader of the state in December. Advertisement Iranians burn flags of Israel during commemorations of the 40th anniversary of Islamic Revolution in the capital Tehran Many held umbrellas as they sheltered from the rain during a rally to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution An Iranian woman holds a cardboard cutout of Donald Trump, holding a sign that reads 'I was wrong', at the rally in Tehran In a speech at Tehran's Azadi Square, President Hassan Rouhani said Iran was determined to expand its military power An Iranian holds up a poster showing a portrait of the country's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei with a small portrait in the corner showing Islamic Revolution founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini 'We have not asked and will not ask for permission to develop different types of missiles and will continue our path and our military power,' President Hassan Rouhani said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks to crowds of thousands on a flower-covered stage during a ceremony on Monday Elsewhere, the head of the elite Quds Force of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard, General Qassem Soleimani, attended the rally in the southern city of Kerman. In Tehran, 27-year-old medical student Hossein Hosseinpour, walked with his wife and their 18-month son Amir Ali. He said he wanted to teach his son to support the revolution. 'I see a bright future for him and our nation,' Hosseinpour said. Mahmoud Hemmati, 35, was pushing his 68-year-old mother, Parivash Fakheri, in a wheelchair. He said: 'My mother, despite her illness, asked me to bring her out'. Hassan Rouhani speaks to a crowd of thousands at Azadi Sqaure in Tehran as soldiers in bright adornments stand to attention Five women smile as they hold posters bearing the picture of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Iranian flags The large turnout at these state-sponsored rallies comes as Iranians faces rising prices and food shortages which have triggered waves of protests (Pictured, crowds at the Azadi Square in Tehran) Last year, Iran cracked down on protests over poor living standards in over 80 cities and towns that posed the most serious challenge to its clerical leadership since a 2009 revolt over disputed elections (Pictured, Iranians assemble in Tehran's Azadi Square) One banner, held by a group of Iranians in Tehran's Azadi Square, read 'USA overshadowed by Islamic Republic of Iran heavily for last 40 years and soon will collapse' Dozens of men in green raincoats watch as Iranian President Hassan Rouhani makes a speech on a stage in Freedom Square In January, President Hassan Rouhani said Iran was facing its worst economic crisis since the Shah was toppled. But he remained defiant as Iranians recalled the end of a monarch who catered to the rich and unleashed secret police on dissenters A woman holds up a sign showing portraits of the country's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his predecessor above the rally The coup, which resulted in the collapse of the country's monarchy on April 1, 1979, led to the establishment of an Islamic republic in Iran (Pictured, Iranians in Tehran) An elderly man stands under an umbrella with a sign reading 'Down with the USA' as he attends the rally in Iran's capital Ms Fakheri, who was one of the revolutionaries on the streets of Tehran in 1979, said she would defend the revolution all over again. 'I know there are many economic problems today, but that is something different from our revolution,' she said. 'It has been moving forward over the past 40 years and making Iran stronger.' Last week, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei defended the 'Death to America' chants, saying they are aimed at America's leaders such as Trump and not its people. The Iranian people 'will not stop saying "Death to America" as long as the US acts malicious' toward Iran, Khamenei said. February 11 is considered a victory day in Iran as it marks the fall of the monarchy and the formation of an Islamic Republic Two boys hold up posters of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (right) and late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini (left) during the rally Students dressed in black, white and gold each wave an Iranian flag as they commemorate the fall of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi Young girls have the colours of the Iranian flag painted on their fingers and writing on their hands as they attend the rally Numerous Iranians hold flags, posters and banners as they attend a rally at Azadi Sqaure in Tehran on Monday, February 11 In January, President Hassan Rouhani said Iran was facing its worst economic crisis since the Shah was toppled. But he remained defiant as Iranians recalled the end of a monarch who catered to the rich and unleashed secret police on dissenters. In a speech at Tehran's Azadi Square, Rouhani said US efforts to isolate Iran would fail. 'We will not let America become victorious. Iranian people have and will have some economic difficulties but we will overcome the problems by helping each other,' he said. Washington and its Arab allies have viewed Iran with great suspicion since the Islamic Revolution, fearing Khomeini's radical ideology would inspire militants across the Middle East. Today, the United States and its Arab allies are trying to counter Tehran's growing influence in the Middle East, where it has proxies in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. Harold Jones, 15, outside Mortimer's shop in Abertillery, Monmouthshire, where he was wearing a gold watch to celebrate being acquitted of the murder of Freda Burnell New evidence has pointed to a metalworker who murdered two young girls in the 1920s as being 'Jack the Stripper', a serial killer behind the horrific deaths of six prostitutes in the 1960s. In 1921 Harold Jones was a 15-year-old shop assistant when he killed Freda Burnell, eight, in Abertillery, Monmouthshire, before being acquitted due to a lack of evidence - prompting locals to give him a gold watch to celebrate. Two months later he lured Florence Little, 11, back to his parents' home before hitting her over the head with a piece of wood, slitting her throat, and hiding her body in the attic. He pleaded guilty and went to prison, where he also admitted to killing Freda. Jones was released from Wandsworth Prison in 1941 aged 35 and joined the Army, where he stayed for five years. Jones has now been named a suspect in the Jack the Stripper killings, which saw an unknown serial killer remove the clothes and teeth of his strangled victims before dumping their bodies near the Thames in west London between 1964 and 1965. David Wilson, a criminology professor at Birmingham City University, makes the claim on the new BBC documentary Dark Son: The Hunt For A Serial Killer. He discovered that Jones was living on Hestercombe Avenue in Fulham, west London around the time of the murders under an assumed name, and has handed a file of evidence to the Metropolitan Police. Professor Wilson was tipped off about Jones by Abertillery historian and author Neil Milkins, and began to see a connection to the 'sexual sadist' he was investigating. Jack The Stripper victims: The first body, that of 30-year-old Hannah Tailford (left), was found by the River Thames at Hammersmith in February 1964. Irene Lockwood (right), 25, was found in April on the same stretch of riverbank where Hannah's corpse had been dumped Several weeks later, passers-by came across the body of 22-year-old Helen Barthelemy (left) in an alley. In July, just up the river at Chiswick, the remains of Mary Fleming, 30, were found in a garage forecourt. The corpse of a fifth victim, Frances Brown (right), 21, was discovered in Kensington during November the same year A Daily Mail newspaper report after the body of Catherine Barthelemy was found in April 1964 Jones was living locally, had changed his name to Harry Stevens, and had links to an industrial estate where police say the bodies were kept before being thrown into the Thames. His work as a panel beater could also explain the paint flecks found on the bodies of four of the victims. Professor Wilson says he hopes his 15-month investigation will help get justice for the families of the victims. 'This is the biggest unsolved serial murder case in British criminal history with a killer who's even more prolific than Jack the Ripper,' he said. Officers discovered the corpse of Bridget 'Bridie' O'Hara near an industrial estate in Acton The first victim was 30-year-old Hannah Tailford, who was found by the River Thames at Hammersmith in February 1964. Irene Lockwood, 25, was found in April on the same stretch of riverbank where Hannah's corpse had been dumped Several weeks later, passers-by came across the body of 22-year-old Helen Barthelemy in an alley. In July, just up the river at Chiswick, the remains of Mary Fleming, 30, were found in a garage forecourt. The corpse of a fifth victim, Frances Brown, 21, was discovered in Kensington during November the same year. Professor Wilson's team eventually tracked down Jones' daughter, who had no idea of his background, describing him as 'an unassuming family man' who kept a 'terribly dark secret' until he died of cancer in 1971. His team are now seeking a cold case review. Numerous other people have been named as suspects in the Jack The Stripper case before Harold Jones. Jones' victims: Freda Burnell, eight, and Florence Little, 11, who he murdered in 1921 Jones as a child around the time of the murders in 1921 (left) and in an undated photo taken later in life Jack The Stripper: The scene at Old Wapping Stairs where the body of Bridget O'Hara was found in February 1965 This map shows where some of Jack The Stripper's known victims' bodies were found - highlighting their geographical proximity. The bodies of two other women, Gwyneth Rees and Elizabeth Figg, were also found in the area These include security guard Mungo Ireland, 46, who worked on the Heron Trading Estate, where Bridget O'Hara was found. But he was in Scotland when Bridget was O'Hara was found and there was no evidence linking him to the other killings. On 27 April 1964, Kenneth Archibald, a caretaker at the Holland Park Lawn Tennis Club, admitted to police that he had murdered Irene Lockwood. Timeline: The crimes of Harold Jones and Jack The Stripper 1921 - Jones murders Freda Burnell, eight, in Abertillery, Monmouthshire. Two weeks later, he kills 11-year-old Florence Little. He is found guilty and sent to prison 1941 - He is released from Wandsworth Prison and serves five years in the Army. 1940s - Jones moves to Hestercombe Avenue in Fulham, West London. February 1964 - Hannah Tailford, first Stripper victim, discovered in Hammersmith. Followed by: April - Irene Lockwood and Helen Barthelemy July - Mary Fleming November - Frances Brown 1971 - Jones dies of cancer. Advertisement He was charged but acquitted at the Old Bailey after retracting the confession. He was acquitted and no further evidence was found. Another prime suspect was a former detective, who was jailed for a year after faking burglaries to embarrass his colleagues. The man, who is still alive, lived near the Heron Trading Estate and had a grudge against police, but no more evidence was discovered linking him to the murders. Other people interviewed include a mortuary assistant and a dental surgeon. One theory advanced by former crime reporter Michael Litchfield suggests the killer was former boxer Freddie Mills. He believes that Mills admitted his guilt to the Scotland Yard detective - and fellow Freemason - in charge of the investigation. According to Litchfield's sources, the prize-fighter left the meeting to visit the Kray brothers, whom he had got to know during his boxing career. There, in what the author thinks was a cowardly bid to evade justice, Mills offered the brothers 1,000 for them to organise a hit man to gun him down. After agreeing to Mills' terms - the death would be quick and he would not be told of the time before - the Krays split the cash and gave the rest to 24-year-old Jimmy Moody. Mills then borrowed a .22 calibre FN automatic rifle from a friend by pretending it was for a fancy dress party - a move he hoped would make his death look like suicide. He was later shot in his car. A policeman and a group of boys near the spot on the Thames towpath where the body of murder victim Gwynneth Rees was discovered, November 1963 Police with a tracker dog during a search of the area where a naked body of a woman, later identified as Helen Barthelemy, was found Detective Superintendent Bill Baldock and his team of officers searching for a body, which was later identified as Helen Barthelemy Staff Sergeant John 'Jock' McKelvie (pictured) died when the Jackal overturned in Catterick A soldier has died after an 'insane' vehicle that an expert branded a 'death trap' overturned during a training exercise. Staff Sergeant John 'Jock' McKelvie was killed aged 51 despite warnings about the Jackal armoured vehicle being raised 10 years ago. The vehicle rolled over Mr McKelvie in Catterick, North Yorkshire, the Daily Record revealed on Saturday. Yesterday Dr Richard North, who wrote Ministry of Defeat: The British War in Iraq 2003-2009, said the design has been 'flawed from day one'. 'I saw pictures of the Jackal before it was unveiled and thought, 'This vehicle is a disaster waiting to happen',' he said. 'It is a death trap and useless.' Dr North says that touring soldiers are left 'very vulnerable to improvised explosive devices' while using the Jackal because the driver sits over its front wheels. He added that the mobility of the vehicle tempts drivers to 'thrash' it about. He branded the Jackal a 'massively expensive mistake' and said it is not what the Army wants or needs. The defence expert believes the model is partly to blame for many deaths and injuries suffered in Afghanistan and says the Ministry of Defence spent more than 45million on 140 Jackals under the coalition administration of David Cameron and Nick Clegg. The Jackal (pictured at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan) has been criticised for its design, which places the driver in an 'exposed' position over the front two wheels It was first deployed to the Middle East in 2007 because it was seen as a safer option than the Snatch Land Rover. Dr North told the Independent in 2009 that it was 'particularly worrying' that three soldiers died in an explosion while travelling in a Jackal in Helmand and said making people use them was 'manslaughter'. The same year one soldier blogged about his experience driving in the armoured vehicle. They said: 'I was out there using them last year they are very dangerous and very difficult to work on! You would think that in the 21st century we could develop a MRAP [mine-resistant ambush-protected] vech with an open top.' Mr McKelvie's death sparked hundreds of tributes on social media, with serving and retired soldiers changing their profile pictures to show the badge of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards with which he served. A spokesperson for the Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry said his service with their unit established him as 'a giant of a man'. The Jackal overturned during a training exercise in Catterick, North Yorkshire (pictured, the Army barracks) 'He was well-known and respected as a dependable, honest, robust and highly capable operator and a mentor to our more junior people,' they added. Jock was at the wheel when the Jackal overturned in the fatal accident. His passenger was left with a broken arm. Mr McKelvie was airlifted to hospital, where he died. Police are investigating the incident. A North Yorkshire Police spokesman confirmed that it is investigating a 'serious single-vehicle collision'. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said 'the Jackal fleet remains safe and in use' but said additional checks are now being conducted on all Jackals and a full investigation into the incident is underway. The Duchess of York has compared how trolls pit women against each other on social media to how she and Princess Diana were painted as 'rivals'. Sarah Ferguson, 59, claimed in an open letter published today that much of Twitter and Instagram 'terrifies' her and that social media has become a 'sewer'. It comes after it emerged Kensington Palace staff spend hours moderating hundreds of thousands of sexist and racist online comments aimed at Kate and Meghan. Sarah, Duchess of York (left in Cologne, Germany, on January 28) has spoken about how she was compared to Princess Diana (right, together on Christmas Day at Sandringham in 1988) The mother of Princesses Beatrice, 30, and Eugenie, 28, claimed the likes of bullying, sexism and racism are 'commonplace', adding: 'It seems that online, anything goes.' She spoke out as she joined celebrities including the Beckhams, Liam Payne and Ronan Keating to support Hello! magazine's new #HelloToKindness campaign. Writing in Hello!, Sarah said: 'We need to pay more attention than ever to what we're all being exposed to online. It's time to confront head on the fact that much of social media has become a sewer. 'I'm on Twitter and Instagram, and I'm grateful for the fact that they allow me to communicate directly with people who are interested, promote my charitable causes and let people read my own words rather than someone else's slant on them. 'But the truth is, a lot about these sites terrifies me. I rarely if ever go 'below the line' on social media or news websites and read people's comments. Kate (left) and Meghan at Sandringham on Christmas Day last year. Palace staff spend hours moderating hundreds of thousands of sexist and racist online comments aimed at them 'I know that a lot say nice things, but there's a large minority who seem to think that all the normal rules of society don't apply to the internet. 'Take a look at any website, and you'll see extraordinarily abusive comments aimed not only at people in the public eye but also other internet users. 'Bullying, sniping, bitching, even the most appalling sexism, racism and homophobia are commonplace it seems that online, anything goes.' She added: 'Women, in particular, are constantly pitted against and compared with each other in a way that reminds me of how people tried to portray Diana and I all the time as rivals, which is something neither of us ever really felt. 'People feel licensed to say things online that they would never dream of saying to someone's face, and that encourages others to pile in. It's so ubiquitous that we've all become numb to what's going on. Sarah, with her ex-husband Prince Andrew (right) at the wedding of her daughter Princess Eugenie to Jack Brooksbank (centre) at Windsor Castle on October 13 last year 'There is good evidence that this online culture is having a detrimental impact on people's mental health, particularly vulnerable young people.' Sarah spoke out after it emerged violent threats have been made towards the Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex across Kensington Palace's social media channels, while other trolls have been targeting 'rival' fans in a spate of vicious personal abuse. Neither Kate nor Meghan have social media accounts, with Meghan having closed her Instagram account a year before her marriage to Prince Harry. While royal aides have stressed that the majority of comments being left on the official Kensington Palace social media accounts are positive, a Palace source told Hello! that they have also highlighted that teams are spending hours reviewing old material and moderating comments under posts. Kensington Palace's social media accounts are a vital source of information for fans of the royals and its Instagram page has over seven million followers, while its Twitter account has nearly 1.6 million. The Duchess of York with her daughters, Princesses Beatrice (left) and Eugenie (right) at University College Hospital, London on September 30 last year The Palace is now said to be moderating comments from both Instagram and other social channels. Some of the worst personal abuse, according to insiders, is seen in exchanges between rival 'fans' of the two duchesses. Some claim Meghan is targeted because she is of mixed race and American. Others try to say Kate is 'threatened' by the arrival of her sister-in-law into the senior ranks of the Royal Family. Both narratives are given short shrift by royal insiders, but there is concern that supposed difficulties between the two young royal couples is being used as a springboard for abuse online. In some posts Kate has been called 'boring', while Meghan has been targeted for being 'too slim' and for 'touching her baby bump too much'. Much of the aggression on social media from fans has been from those who have taken sides between the Kate and Meghan following reported tensions in the royal household last year. Father-of-two Dr Michael Ross, 44, (pictured outside a tribunal in Manchester) slid his hand under a midwife's dress as they sat together at a staff party in 2016 telling her: 'This is what happens at Christmas parties' A married doctor ran his hand down a midwife's inner thigh at a staff Christmas party, 'making her skin crawl' at thought of being 'felt up by a disgusting guy', a tribunal heard. Father-of-two Dr Michael Ross, 44, slid his hand under the shocked woman's dress as they sat together, telling her: 'This is what happens at Christmas parties'. When the woman, known as Miss A, realised what was happening she fled, calling her husband in distress. Dr Ross was also accused of groping her leg three months later saying: 'We have to look after your legs,' when they were sharing an office together. Miss A reported him to senior staff at University of Edinburgh Hospital, where he works as a senior clinical lecturer. His career was left in tatters after a panel at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester found him guilty of sexually motivated conduct. The tribunal heard he touched Miss A's back on two other occasions, which she claimed 'made her skin crawl'. She said she had been 'felt up by a disgusting guy', but he claimed he had 'accidentally' placed his hand on her knee and removed it as soon as he noticed. The Christmas party took place on December 16 2016 just four months after Miss A who has a PhD began helping with staff academic training at the hospital. After a meal they went to the Hanover Tap pub in Edinburgh where Ross bought sparkling wine and joined Miss A and her colleagues as they sat on cramped benches either side of a table. In a statement Miss A said: 'I then felt Dr Ross' hand on my thigh. I was wearing a black dress and Doc Martens but it was nothing revealing. Dr Ross (pictured outside a tribunal hearing in Manchester) works as a senior clinical lecturer at University of Edinburgh Hospital and as a part-time GP in Fife 'My legs were uncrossed and I remember this because his hand was able to go right up my inner thigh. 'I could feel his skin through the fabric of my tights. He slid his hand up and down my inner thigh and was stroking under my dress. It was done in a very sexual way and not a friendly way. 'I remembered I looked at my boss opposite me and just thought I need to get out of this situation. 'I felt so humiliated and I just thought I can't tell the woman opposite who's both mine and his boss that he's just put his hands up my skirt. 'I felt frozen and so frustrated and was in a state of shock. I felt humiliated and ashamed and didn't want anyone to know what happened because I was mortified. I stood up and walked away'. She added: 'I am fully aware the effect it could have on his job and career but I don't want Dr Ross to do this to anybody else. Nobody has ever done that to me before at a Christmas party. 'I had a discussion with my colleague about the fact that people are normally happy and relaxed at a Christmas party and sometimes people drink too much - but I do not expect that to happen. Dr Ross is pictured in an undated photo before he was found guilty of sexually motivated conduct 'I asked my husband to come and get me and I was wandering about and wondering when he was going to get there. 'I was so muddled by the fact I was shocked by what happened and I wanted to go home. 'I was waiting for a text message when my husband arrived. It was an upsetting evening. I kept going back from one table to another to check my phone. 'It was a really stressful evening and I wanted to go home. It was horrific and a bit of a blur. 'I can remember thinking 'great, I've just been touched by this disgusting guy'. I was absolutely not flirtatious and I certainly did not ask for what happened to me. 'I had been having a nice time and I didn't want to drink too much on the night out as I was going to be picked up by my husband. 'There is no reason or excuse for somebody to do that. Dr Ross came and spoke to me after and said he was sorry for touching my knee. 'I just wanted to get away from him as quickly as possible. I was completely and utterly humiliated and I felt violated. 'He was senior to me and I felt completely humiliated and that I couldn't say anything.' Panel chairman Dr Nigel Westwood said: 'The Tribunal did not find Dr Ross to be a credible witness. 'His demeanour was polished and, at times, his evidence gave the appearance of having been rehearsed. 'His credibility in the eyes of the Tribunal was also diminished by the sheer implausibility of some of his evidence. 'His assertion that he inadvertently rested his hand on the thigh or knee of Miss A and that he did not notice that he had done so for 'some time' was improbable - no matter how distracted he was at the time. 'It is not inherently improbable that a male would attempt to sexually touch a female and do it inconspicuously when there are lots of people around. 'It is plausible that someone would attempt to behave in that way in a social setting, and that Dr Ross was opportunistic in his approach with Miss A. 'Dr Ross's attempt to apologise to Miss A was to assess her response to his touching and to show contrition should her response indicate to him that the contact had been unwelcome. 'The tribunal found Miss A's testimony to be very persuasive and believable.' Charles Garside QC lawyer for the General Medical Council said: 'There is a power dynamic to the allegation, given the nature of Dr Ross's assault on Miss A, to whom he was superior. 'His behaviour, is behaviour that is notoriously likely to be repeated.' Ross, who is also a part-time GP at the Primrose Lane Medical Centre in Rosyth, Fife, and who plays cittern with a five-piece ceilidh band denied wrongdoing and produced testimonials from other female colleagues which said they were 'comfortable in his presence.' In a statement he said: 'I noticed my left hand was resting on Miss A's thigh or knee, to my left. 'My hand was palm down in a natural resting position. As soon as I noticed this, I removed it. 'My hand was not up her skirt or dress, it was never between her legs, and there was no stroking involved.' He will face a further hearing in July which will decide what sanction he faces. Mothers with four children will be exempt from income tax and will receive 7,000 towards the cost of a new car in an attempt by Hungary to boost its birth rate. The country's prime minister Viktor Orban announced the measures during his annual state of the nation address yesterday. Mr Orban, who was elected for a third consecutive term in April, said the initiative is meant to 'ensure the survival of the Hungarian nation', adding: 'This is the Hungarians' answer, not immigration.' Hungary's prime minister Viktor Orban announced the measures during his 'state of the nation' speech on Sunday The benefits include a lifetime personal income tax exemption for women who give birth and raise at least four children. A subsidy of 2.5 million forints (6,821) will also be available towards the purchase of a seven-seat vehicle for families with three or more children. The country will also offer a low-interest loan of 10 million forints (27,286) for women under the age of 40 who are marrying for the first time. In the address, the prime minister also listed some of his government's economic achievements, such as low unemployment, and vowed to fight poverty in the speech. He then turned his attention to May's European Parliament elections, repeating his accusation that the leadership of the European Union wants to fill the continent with migrants. 'We have to understand that the European peoples have come to a historical crossroads,' Mr Orban said. The benefits include a lifetime personal income tax exemption for women who give birth and raise at least four children 'Those who decide in favour of immigration and migrants, no matter why they do so, are in fact creating a country with a mixed population.' Europe's left-wing has become 'the gravedigger of nations, the family and the Christian way of life', Mr Orban said. After his speech, several hundred members and supporters of Hungary's main opposition parties held an anti-Orban rally in Buda Castle. The event was a protest against heavy fines the state audit office had recently imposed on several opposition parties. A small group of protesters used their cars to block traffic from crossing the Chain Bridge over the Danube River for most of the day. Opposition leaders said the fines, which cannot be challenged in Hungarian courts, were politically motivated and meant to hinder their campaigns for the European Parliament and municipal elections later this year. A criminal enquiry has been opened in France after anti-Semitic graffiti recalling the darkest days of the Holocaust appeared in Paris. The word Juden German for Jew was sprayed in yellow paint on the window of a bagel shop in the citys 4th arrondissement on Saturday night. This is the historic area of the capital city where thousands of men, women and children were rounded up by collaborating French police and German soldiers during the Second World War. Many had to wear yellow stars identifying their religion, and their businesses were tagged with the word Jew, before they were taken to their deaths in concentration camps. The Bagelstein shop on the Ile St Louis (St Louis Island) was spray painted in yellow with the word 'Juden', meaning Jew in German The shocking graffiti invokes the memory of the anti-Semitic activity of the Nazis, who worked alongside the rulers of Vichy France to round up Jews in Paris and beyond (pictured: Jewish businesses are attacked in Germany in 1933) An anti-Semitic tag in the middle of Paris, said Frances Interior Minister, Christophe Castaner, as he reacted to the latest outrage. He added: One too many. Juden in yellow letters, as it the most tragic lessons of history no longer enlighten consciences. Our answer: to do everything to make sure the perpetrator of this outrage is prosecuted. Our pledge dont let anything pass. Gilles Abecassis, the owner of the Bagelstein shop on the Ile St Louis (St Louis Island) said: We discovered this tag on Saturday morning and it was probably done overnight from Friday to Saturday. A Jewish-run shop is tarnished with anti-Semitic graffiti in June 1938 in Berlin, Germany This was the day that the Yellow Vests the social movement threatening President Emmanuel Macrons government went on the rampage around Paris for the 13th Saturday in a row. They have been associated with a number of anti-Jewish incidents, and are known to number neo-Nazis in their ranks, but there was no immediate evidence linking them with the bagel shop incident. The Paris prosecutor's office has now opened an investigation for aggravated voluntary damage and provocation to racial hatred. LICRA, Frances league against racism and anti-Semitism, posted a photo from Nazi Germany in 1938, contrasting it with an image of the Bagelstein graffiti. French President Emmanuel Macron caused a row last year when he called Philippe Petain - who led Vichy France - a 'great soldier' for his role in the Great War Far-Right parties in France including the National Rally which used to be called the National Front have a history of anti-Semitism, and their members are regularly convicted for crimes including Holocaust denial. Ariel Weil, mayor of the 4th arrondissement, said the perpetrators of the latest attack were among those who were nostalgic for the Third Reich. Some 67,000 French, Polish and German Jews were deported from Paris between June 1942 and July 1944. They were brutalised not just by the Nazis, but by French police and paramilitaries, and then entrained on wagons belonging to SNCF, Frances national railway. It is only in recent years that the French have begun to acknowledged the part they played in the Holocaust. It was as recently as 1995 that the then conservative president Jacques Chirac finally publically admitted that French police and other authority figures had helped arrest 13,152 Jews on two days July 16 and 17 1942 in Paris. They included more than 4,000 children, and all were held at the so-called Vel dHiv cycle stadium before being entrained to camps such as Auschwitz. Mr Chirac said in 1995: Yes, French people, the French state, assisted the occupier in its criminal madness. The release of crucial records including those of the collaborating Paris police have made the work of historical researchers far easier. Russia has vowed not to shoot dozens of polar bears terrorising an Arctic town amid fears a plan to relocate the predators will end in disaster. Officials are preparing an urgent operation to sedate and remove the 52 bears after they invaded Belushya Guba on Russia's Novaya Zemlya archipelago and started 'chasing' frightened locals. The beasts will be transported a long distance away from the town - but critics of the scheme warn they could rapidly come back. Extraordinary pictures and video show how people are living in fear in the settlement with polar bears stalking apartment blocks and scavenging at dumps. Russia has vowed not to shoot dozens of polar bears terrorising an Arctic town amid fears a plan to relocate the predators will end in disaster. More than a dozen polar bears are pictured searching through a pile of rubbish amid a state of emergency and fears that the animals no longer feel scared of patrols Invasion: A polar bear prowls inside a building, one of more than 50 of the endangered animals who have been terrorising residents in a remote Arctic archipelago in Russia The head of the local settlement said that Russia's nature conservancy agency Rosprirodnadzor - which bans slaughtering the endangered wild animals - is sending a team to the remote islands to sedate and move the animals. 'We have introduced a state of emergency in the settlements for an unlimited time,' said Zhigansha Musin. 'We asked Rosprirodnadzor to provide us with people. They will catch the bears. 'The predators will be put to sleep and taken out of the settlement. We will not shoot them. We already have a group of four people.' The operation to clear the town of polar bears should begin within days after the specialists fly in on Tuesday, he said. Aggressive: A polar bear at a playground on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in northern Russia, with parents left worried about sending their children to schools and kindergartens Lurking: One of the polar bears, who cannot legally be shot because they are endangered On Sunday his deputy Aleksandr Minayev warned that residents are 'afraid to go outside' and 'daily life is in turmoil'. 'Parents are wary of letting children to go to schools and kindergartens,' he said. Footage shows the bears entering apartment blocks. But a WWF expert in Russia blamed the country's defence ministry - which controls the territory around the settlement - for failing to act sooner. And he forecast the plan to move the bears would end in disaster. 'Everyone knew this might happen,' said Mikhail Stishov, WWF coordinator for Arctic biodiversity projects. 'There are many more polar bears on shores because of lengthy absence of ice. 'They come to the shore, attracted by human settlements which they specially like when the rubbish disposal system is not set up properly.' Archipelago authorities had known a problem was coming, he said. But the Defence Ministry earlier banned WWF experts from visiting the restricted military area, he said. Presence: Two of the dozens of polar bears regularly spotted in the area. People are 'afraid to go outside' and 'daily life is in turmoil', a local official said He warned: 'It's not at all cheap and easy, to sedate and move them away. 'We have to transport them really far, because if we just take them some 20, 30 kilometres they will be be back very soon to an area which they know has food. 'So we are talking about a minimum of a two or three hour flight to the other side of the island. 'And of course it will be next to impossible to move all 50 bears. But if the scientists identity a pack of leaders, or the most daring bears, then taking just them away might be worth trying. 'The experts who will travel there have all necessary equipment and means to solve the problem.' Alexey Kokorin, head of the WWF climate programme, said: 'These are males, because females and cubs are hibernating. 'But in fact both males and females see humans for just one thing - food. Playground: One of the animals roams around a Russian yard on the Arctic archipelago 'I think there is no other animal like polar bears that so deliberately chases humans. 'Once they see these strange-looking two-legged seals, they know 'Ok, this is food'.' Musin said: 'I have been in Novaya Zemlya since 1983, yet I've never seen such a massive polar bear invasion.' The animals are 'literally chasing people and even entering the entrances of residential buildings'. Shooting in the air, sounding car horns and erecting fences have all failed so far to quell the bar invasion. Russian laws forbid the slaughter of polar bears except in specific cases where they attack humans. The besieged town is five miles from a Russian military base. Some experts say climate change is to blame for the bears behaviour - because the ocean is no longer frozen. Prince Philip's police file has been placed in an inspector's locked drawer, sparking fears that officers are giving him 'special treatment' following his crash. It is expected the Duke of Edinburgh will not be prosecuted for the collision at Sandringham last month, when his Land Rover hit another vehicle. The 97-year-old Royal has surrendered his driving licence but witnesses have reported their fears of a 'deal' being done after the incident. Just two days after the crash, Prince Philip was back behind the wheel, which one witness said was 'two fingers to the public' Victoria Warne was first on the scene of the crash and told The Sun that the police officer who took her statement said anything related to the crash was in an inspector's office for 'security reasons'. The 72-year-old told the paper: 'That doesn't sound like normal treatment, purely because of the fact it is a Royal - which I don't think is fair at all.' She added that the fact Prince Philip was pictured behind the wheel just two days after the incident was 'appalling' and 'two fingers to the public'. Emma Fairweather, 46, has welcomed the news that Prince Philip has surrendered his driver's licence Pictures from the scene revealed how the Prince was a split-second from slamming into the side of the car where a nine-month-old baby was sitting. Ellie Townsend, 28, and her child walked from the wreck with Emma Fairweather, 46, who was left with a broken wrist. Prince Philip will still be able to drive on private roads at Sandringham and other royal estates despite giving up his licence after the crash. The Duke of Edinburgh voluntarily surrendered his driving licence just weeks after he flipped his Land Rover in Norfolk which sent two women to hospital. What is the legal limit on driving ages in Britain? The horror accident involving Prince Philip last month sparked a debate on whether he should still be driving. In the UK there are no legal limit on driving ages but motorists have to renew their licences at least 90 days before turning 70. After turning 70, drivers are expected to renew their licence every three years. But a licence can only be renewed if the minimum eyesight requirement is met. DVLA figures show that 100,281 people over the age of 90 hold a valid license. Only 248 people over 100 years own one. Source: Sky News and DVLA Advertisement Motoring lawyers believe he may not be charged for careless driving because there is little public interest in bringing a 'costly prosecution' if he has given up his licence, according to the Sunday Times. But the 97-year-old will still be able to drive on royal grounds despite the woman involved in the car crash saying the 'roads will be safer'. Emma Fairweather, 46, was a passenger in the Kia that was involved in the collision with the Duke's Land Rover last month. She broke her wrist in the crash and has said that the Duke's decision is 'sensible and the right thing to do', before adding that it was a 'shame he didn't make the decision sooner'. A file has been handed to prosecutors who are now weighing up whether to bring a case against the Duke. A CPS spokesperson said: 'We review each file carefully before a decision is made and will take this development into account.' Buckingham Palace confirmed Prince Philip relinquished his licence on Saturday. The 97-year-old apologised for his role in the accident after his vehicle hit another car before landing on its side. Ms Fairweather told the Sunday Mirror: 'He's making the most sensible decision he can. It's a shame he didn't make it a bit sooner but it's the right thing to do. Prince Philip left two people requring hospital treatment after his Land Rover rammed into a Kia 'Undoubtedly the roads will be safer now. It won't have been easy for him to make as it is a loss of independence. But he can work around it.' She also added that she has done nothing but cry' this week after having an operation to screw a metal plate into her arm. Just two days after the crash, the Duke was spotted driving without a seatbelt, sparking widespread backlash. A statement from Buckingham Palace said: 'After careful consideration the Duke of Edinburgh has taken the decision to voluntarily surrender his driving licence.' The retired barrister who pulled the Duke from the wreckage said he might have been overly cautious giving up his licence. Roy Warne said: 'No one should be driving if they don't feel safe to do so however old they are but in the Duke of Edinburgh's case we don't have the full facts so it is very difficult to express a view.' Mr Warne, who with wife Victoria helped free the royal and tend to the injured women driver and passenger, said: 'He's surrendering his licence but maybe the accident wasn't his fault. We simply don't know. 'He's done what he felt was best and maybe he had been under pressure so I can't be surprised either way. But younger drivers are much more dangerous than older drivers.' Philip is believed to have just left Sandringham, marked in red, and was turning on to the A149 at this junction when he collided with a Kia and his car cartwheeled on to the other side of the road, circled blue A driver claims Prince Philip almost crashed into her as near Sandringham estate before his shocking crash on Thursday (pictured) A Norfolk Police said: 'We can confirm that the 97 year old driver of the Land Rover involved in the collision at Sandringham on Thursday 17 January 2019 has today voluntarily surrendered his licence to officers. We will follow the standard procedure and return the licence to the DVLA. The investigation file for the collision has been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service for their consideration. Witnesses revealed Philip was shaking and pleading 'get me out' after his Land Rover crashed while he was out driving alone without a protection officer. He escaped injury but Emma Fairweather, 46, broke her wrist and called for Prince Philip to be prosecuted if found to be at fault. According to one eyewitness, the Kia, driven by a 28-year-old mother, 'T-boned' the duke's car and ended up in a hedge with smoke coming from the engine. On January 21, Prince Philip sent her a letter wishing her a 'speed recovery' and that he 'failed to see the car coming', the Sunday Mirror reported. The sun was blamed for hindering his vision and he wrote he was 'very contrite about the consequences' of the collision. A motorist who swerved around the wreckage (aftermath of crash pictured) said the duke was 'hanging from his seat' and saying 'my leg is trapped'. Four rescuers had to free him from his upturned Land Rover He said he was 'deeply sorry' and explained while he was familiar with the junction he could 'only imagine' the low sun stopped him seeing her approaching. The Duke appeared to admit responsibility in a letter to Ms Fairweather several days after the accident. In his 181-word typed letter, Prince Philip wished her a 'speedy recovery from a very distressing experience'. Two days ago, Norfolk Police confirmed they were still investigating Prince Philip's crash on January 17 when his Land Rover rolled over after being hit by a Kia. The accident happened as Philip pulled out of a side road on to the 60mph limit A149 road. The Duke, who has given a police statement, could be charged with careless driving. Witnesses yesterday revealed the 97-year-old was shaking and pleading 'get me out' after his Land Rover crashed (aftermath pictured) while he was alone and without a protection officer A fisherman accused of murdering a man with a screwdriver has argued he was acting in self-defence when the intoxicated stranger charged at him and accidentally impaled his head on the tool. Andrew Doan had been fishing with a friend on Swan River in East Fremantle, Perth, when he became embroiled in an argument with Charles McCarthy. McCarthy had been out drinking at a Christmas party with his wife and a male friend before the altercation in the early hours of December 23, 2017. Charles McCarthy (left with his wife) died two days before Christmas in 2017 Defence counsel Michael Perrella told the West Australian Supreme Court on Monday his client, who is Asian, became angered after Mr McCarthy's friend made a racist comment. A verbal argument and scuffle ensued, and Mr Doan was holding his arms up to protect his face - screwdriver in hand - when an enraged Mr McCarthy charged, impaling himself in a 'freak and tragic accident', Mr Perrella said. Mr McCarthy emigrated to Australia from Ireland over a decade ago. The Irish father-of-two (pictured with his family) died after he was rushed to hospital Fisherman Andrew Doan, 34, (pictured) is on trial and says he is innocent Described as a 'quite but very popular' man, Mr McCarthy had two young children aged five and two. The 32-year-old's family flew from Ireland to Perth to be by his bedside in the intensive care unit before Mr McCarthy's life support was turned off at Royal Perth Hospital. The father-of-two moved to Australia in 2000 and worked as a cable layer in Perth, according to his Facebook page. Mr McCarthy's sister Karina Dolan told Independent that she last saw her big brother at her wedding last year. 'He was beautiful inside and out. He was just the best, you couldn't put it into words. He had a heart of gold and he was never once in an ounce of trouble,' Ms Dolan said. 'His beautiful wife and his kids were everything to him.' The 32-year-old's family (Mr McCarthy pictured with his sister Karina Dolan) flew from Ireland to Perth to be by his bedside before his life support was turned off at Royal Perth Hospital Pictured is the scene of the incident. Mr McCarthy was rushed to hospital where he died Advertisement Hundreds of mourners have gathered to farewell the rookie police officer killed in a horrific four car crash. Liverpool probationary constable Timothy Proctor, 29, died in hospital earlier this month, just three days after he was critically injured when a car veered onto the wrong side of the road and crashed into him head on at Lucas Heights in Sydney's south on January 31. The former volunteer firefighter was just nine months into his policing career after he graduated from the NSW Police College last April and was about to become a father for the first time. Constable Proctor was given the grand send off he deserved in Sydney's south-west on Monday, with a police funeral procession including VIP motorcycles, mounted police, a uniformed marching contingent and a marching band. NSW Police officers farewelled much loved colleague Constable Timothy Proctor at his funeral in Liverpool on Monday The former volunteer firefighter was just nine months into his policing career after he graduated from the NSW Police College last April and was about to become a father for the first time The Liverpool probationary constable's coffin was draped in an Australian flag and topped with his officer's cap The former volunteer firefighter (pictured) had been a police officer for just nine month when he was killed off-duty Draped in an Australian flag, his coffin was carried into All Saints Catholic Church by police colleagues to a cover version of The Proclaimers' smash hit I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles). NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller and police minister Troy Grant were among the many mourners who packed the Liverpool church and spilled into the streets outside. Mourners were given service booklets adorned filled snapshots of the officer's life from a toddler dressed in a Santa Claus outfit, to his first day as a policeman and his wedding to wife Dianne, who's currently pregnant with their first child. The funeral procession included VIP motorcycles, mounted police, a uniformed marching contingent and a marching band Dignataries, including police minister Troy Grant was among the many mourners who packed All Saints Catholic Church 'Constable Proctor was well respected as a police officer and his loss has deeply affected the entire police family, especially his classmates at the academy and his colleagues at Liverpool who affectionately remember his kindness and ability to see the brighter side,' Commissioner Fuller addressed mourners. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with Tim's family today. Please know that you are and always will be part of the police family. Tim, we thank you for your dedication and service as an officer of the NSW Police Force. Our prayers are with you. May you rest in peace.' He added Constable Proctor was hard working and was well on the way to becoming an outstanding police officer. The constable's coffin entered All Saints Catholic Church to a cover version of The Proclaimers' hit I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) Hundreds of mourners packed the church and spilled into the streets outside to farewell Constable Timothy Proctor He was the 'what if' guy in the class, and his supervisors had a tough time keeping up with the questions he asked ... His enthusiasm was second to none and the only thing greater than his love for his job was his love for his family,' Commissioner Fuller said. Constable Proctor was posthumously awarded two police medals by Commissioner Fuller, who also made him a fully fledged police constable at his hospital beside before he died. He was awarded the National Police Service Medal, a medal normally awarded after 15 years of service with the consent of the Governor General. He was also awarded the NSW Police Medal ethical and diligent service in protecting the community. Constable Proctor's colleagues affectionately remembered his kindness and ability to see the brighter side on Monday Constable Proctor died in hospital earlier after he was critically injured when a car veered onto the wrong side of the road His pregnant widow, Dianne Proctor, told mourners she was 'blessed to be his wife' and he would been the perfect father. 'Tim made mundane daily chores fun and was someone you could always depend on,' Mrs Proctor said. 'I'm a better human being because of him and I'm so blessed to be his wife. His passing from this life has left an immense void in all our lives.' NSW Police officers lined the streets of Liverpool on Monday to give the fallen constable the send off he deserved Constable Proctor's coffin was carried out of the church by his policing colleagues for the final journey through Liverpool Constable Proctor was remembered on Monday as the 'what if' guy in the class with an enthusiasm was second to none Hundreds of mourners gathered in Liverpool on Monday to farewell the rookie police officer killed in a horrific four car crash Mrs Proctor placed a police teddy bear on her husband's casket in honour of their unborn child. 'Goodbye my love, and I will see you again,' she said. Liverpool then came to a standstill as the hundreds of mourners then lined the streets, saluted and bowed their heads in silence as Constable Proctor's coffin made its final journey through the CBD led by a funeral procession. His widow Dianne Proctor told mourners her husband (right) would have been the perfect father to their unborn child VIP motorcycles and mounted police led the funeral procession trough Liverpool for Constable Timothy Proctor on Monday The streets of Liverpool in Sydney's south-west came to a standstill as mourners farewelled Constable Timothy Proctor 'Honoured to attend as the Minister for Police the very sad commemoration of Constable Timothy Proctor also a RFS Volunteer,' NSW politician Troy Grant later posted on Facebook. 'Service before self for this young newly married and expecting father was tragically ripped away while journeying home from a career he loved. RIP and God Bless his family who will be forever more be supported by their police family.' Officers walked alongside their fallen colleague's coffin on his final journey through Liverpool, where he was stationed The funeral procession included VIP motorcycles, mounted police, a uniformed marching contingent and a marching band Constable Proctor was posthumously awarded two police medals by NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller (pictured) 'Tim, we thank you for your dedication and service as an officer of the NSW Police Force,' Commissioner Fuller said He had only been in the police force for nine months but Timothy Proctor won the hearts of his policing colleagues One of Australia's most notorious gangsters is fighting for his life after being stabbed in jail. Tony Mokbel was stabbed multiple times in Victoria's maximum security Barwon Prison at just before 4pm on Monday. The 53-year-old was in such a bad way that an air ambulance was called to fly him to Royal Melbourne Hospital at about 5pm. Anxious family members including brother Horty Mokbel were pictured outside the entrance to the hospital on Monday evening as they waited for news on his condition. The kingpin was reported to be in a critical condition as of 9.30pm. One of Australia's most notorious gangsters (pictured) is fighting for his life after being stabbed in jail Brother Horty Mokbel was seen inside of the Royal Melbourne Hospital after Tony Mokbel was rushed to the hospital after being stabbed just before 4pm on Monday Police said in a statement: 'A man in his 50s was airlifted to hospital in a serious condition (pictured a police car outside the hospital on Monday) Paramedics (pictured) were called to maximum security Barwon Prison in Victoria to reports of a stabbing at 3.45pm Pictures from the scene showed Mokbel lying on a stretcher wearing shorts and with his top half bare as he was treated by paramedics near an ambulance Mokbel was in such a bad way that an air ambulance was called to fly him to hospital. Pictured: Paramedics at the scene Channel 7 helicopter footage appeared to show Mokbel shaking paramedics' hands as he arrived at the hospital. It is believed he was stabbed with a shiv, The Herald Sun reported, but the motive remains unclear. Criminals in the jail had been irked by the gangland figure speaking about getting out, it is believed. Drug lord Tony Mokbel (pictured) has been airlifted to hospital in a serious condition after being stabbed multiple times Mokbel had previously been placed in the Acacia unit of the jail which has some of the strictest living conditions in Victoria. He was attacked in the Diosma unit - a mainstream area of the prison. Pictures from the prison showed Mokbel lying on a stretcher wearing shorts and with his top half bare as he was treated by paramedics near an ambulance. A second stabbing victim, a man in his 30s, was also treated by paramedics and driven to hospital. He was reportedly injured when he tried to put himself in between Mokbel and the two men who attacked him. Police said in a statement: 'A man in his 50s was airlifted to hospital in a serious condition. 'A second victim, aged in his 30s, was taken to hospital by road ambulance also in a serious condition. The investigation is ongoing.' Mokbel was handed a 30-year sentence in 2012 for masterminding a drug trafficking empire. His stabbing comes after a new report revealed he was a peacekeeper in prison. Sources have suggested prison authorities were so worried about Mokbel's safety they considered moving him into a protection unit. It is understood the decision was made to keep Mokbel in general population where he was allegedly set upon by a gang. A spokeswoman for Corrections Victoria refused to comment on the alleged attack on Mokbel. A spokeswoman for Corrections Victoria refused to comment on the alleged attack on Mokbel (pictured police officers stand inside hospital doors) It is understood the decision was made to keep Mokbel in general population where he was allegedly set upon by a gang (Mokbel pictured at court in July) Morkbel is currently serving his 30 year jail sentence, with a minimum parole period of 22 years, after being sentenced in 2012 for masterminding a multi-million dollar drug trafficking empire The Sunday Herald Sun reported Mokbel most recently intervened in a prison standover scheme, disrupting an extortion racket being run by Pacific Islander inmates. The men were reportedly demanding $50 a month from a young prisoner, in custody for the first time on assault charges stemming from a love spat. When Mokbel received word of the extortion, he reportedly arranged for the men to be spoken to and the young man was immediately left alone. 'He's lost none of his power since being locked up,' an anonymous source said. 'All he has to do is say the word, and people listen.' The life and times of 'Fat Tony': Who is former drug lord Tony Mokbel? By Daniel Piotrowski 'Fat' Tony Mokbel is a notorious Victorian mobster serving a 30 year jail sentence for masterminding a Melbourne drug empire. Mokbel, now 53, was once the Ferrari-driving 'king' of the city's underworld and Australia's most wanted fugitive. Before he was finally locked up for good, Mokbel's life of crime involved tonnes of amphetamines and some mean feats. One incident that stands out is Mokbel being blown out the door of his Brunswick amphetamines lab when it exploded in 1997. But he is best known for making one of the country's great escapes from the long arms of the law in 2006. Despite being amidst a cocaine trafficking trial, Mokbel fled Melbourne, hid in a Bonnie Doon farmhouse, drove across the country to Fremantle, Western Australia, and sailed from there to the sunny Mediterranean coast. He kept running his drug empire from Athens, Greece, with his syndicate reportedly trafficking more than 45 kilograms of MDMA and $4million worth of speed over three years. But it all ended in handcuffs and mockery when police finally caught him with him while he attempted to disguise himself in a floppy wig. One of Victoria's top policemen famously described the headpiece as a 'shocker'. Mokbel was hauled back to Australia and in 2012 the Victorian Supreme Court sentenced him to 30 years imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 22 years. At the weekend he was described in media reports as a 'highly respected figure' among his fellow inmates at Barwon prison. Advertisement It is not the first time an inmate has died after appearing in the media. Gangster Carl Williams was famously murdered in Barwon while reading a front page story revealing he was a prison rat. As arguably one of the most infamous men in Australia's gangland wars, Mokbel was extradited from Athens, Greece after fleeing the country in 2006. He spent more than a year evading police after skipping bail during his trial for importing cocaine. He fled after becoming aware of police investigating his possible links to gangland killings. He was arrested 15 months after fleeing the country and extradited back to Australia to face trail. Shocking footage has emerged showing revellers brazenly selling and using drugs in the open at a Melbourne festival. The video shows the lengths at which partygoers are willing to go to so they can consume drugs within festival gates. The footage was captured covertly by A Current Affair at the controversial Let Go Fest held in Mornington, south-east of Melbourne, last Saturday. Shocking footage has emerged showing revellers brazenly selling and using drugs in the open at a Melbourne festival In one clip, two young women crouch beside a stage as one scoops up a white powder with a rolled up banknote. One of the girls reaches for the note more than once before her friend eventually offers it to her. She snorts the line and then licks her friend's hand, where some of the powder has fallen out. According to ACA, the girls, who said they were 18-years-old later admitted they were not sure what the substance was and had bought it off stranger. 'I don't believe that kids are getting the message, any young teenager, if you say no, they do the complete opposite and that's what's happening,' Adriana Buccianti, who lost her son to an overdose at Victoria's Rainbow Serpent Festival in 2012, told ACA. 'It's so overt, it's just such risky behaviour. It's actually really disgraceful.' The video shows the lengths at which partygoers are willing to go to so they can consume drugs within festival gates In another clip, reportedly filmed just an hour after the crew arrived at the festival, a man can be seen holding two capsules between his fingers. He talks with another young man before pulling a sandwich bag filled with capsules out of his pants. The same dealer then approaches a group of young women and swaps cash for some of the capsules. Recently, both the Mountain Sounds Festival and the Psyfari festival were cancelled due to increasing controversy surrounding festival drug culture. Not only is there concern that some of the substances in street drugs may be dangerous but also that the drugs raise body core temperature, and when combined with hot weather and dancing this can be dangerous, health authorities warn. The Let Go Fest was held on the Mornington Peninsula just outside Melbourne on Saturday The cancellations come after six people died over four months due to suspected drug overdoses. Most recently, Alex Ross-King, 19, died after attending the FOMO music festival on January 12. Just weeks before, university student Callum Edwards, 20, fell critically ill at Beyond the Valley music festival in Lardner, Victoria, on December 29. He was flown to hospital and died three days later. His family refuted claims he died of a drug overdose after tiger snake venom was found in his blood. On the same day, 22-year-old Joshua Tam died after taking an unknown substance at Lost Paradise in Gosford, New South Wales. Mr Tam, from Toowong in Brisbane, was rushed to Gosford hospital at 8pm on December 29, but died soon after arriving. Earlier in December, 19-year-old Callum Brosnan was found in a 'distressed state' at the Knockout Games of Destiny Dance Party at Sydney's Olympic Park. He was rushed to Concord Hospital with a suspected drug overdose just before 1.30am on December 9, but died just 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. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has repeatedly denied pill testing, but indicated in January she would consider it if shown evidence it could save lives. A 16-year-old boy has been arrested after he briefly took control of a small plane during a short commercial flight over western Alaska. The teen was in the front passenger seat of the Piper Cherokee Six on a Yute Commuter Service flight from Napakiak to Bethel last week, according to KYUK-AM. The flight between the two remote communities usually takes about four minutes. A 16-year-old boy was arrested after he briefly took control of a Piper Cherokee Six during a short commercial flight over western Alaska, authorities said. The teen was in a plane operated by Yute Commuter Service flight. The plane above is a Piper Cherokee Six operated by Yute The teen grabbed the aircraft controls shortly after takeoff, causing the 'plane to enter a steep climb and then a dive toward the ground,' Alaska State Troopers said. A woman sitting behind the teen grabbed him around the neck, pulling him away from the controls, authorities said. The pilot stabilized the aircraft and returned to Napakiak. There were also three other passengers onboard the flight. An agent for the regional airline contacted the village public safety officer to detain the teen. He slipped away before the officer could take him into custody, but was arrested the next day in Bethel. Authorities have not released the teen's name because he is a minor. Interfering with the duties of a flight crew is a federal offense. The aircraft model used in this flight does not have a mechanism to lock out passenger flight controls, said Keith Henthorn, the airline's business manager. The airline will continue to allow passengers to sit in the front seat, he said. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan arrived in Afghanistan on an unannounced visit today as the US pushes for peace talks with the Taliban. The Pentagon chief will meet President Ashraf Ghani who has warned against rushing into a deal with the group after Washington held major talks in Qatar last month. Negotiators hope the talks with Taliban officials could herald a breakthrough in the grinding 17-year conflict. President Trump is pushing to end US involvement in Afghanistan, where 14,000 American troops are still deployed. Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan arrived in Afghanistan Monday to meet Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani Negotiators hoped the talks with Taliban officials could herald a breakthrough in the grinding 17-year conflict But it raises fears in Afghanistan that the US could exit before securing a lasting peace between the Taliban and the Kabul government. Shanahan, who is also due to meet General Scott Miller, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, told reporters aboard his flight to Kabul that he had no instructions from Washington to begin a withdrawal. Shanahan said: 'I have not been directed to step down our forces in Afghanistan. 'I think the presence we want in Afghanistan is what assures our homeland defence and supports regional stability.' He said it was crucial Kabul, whose representatives were not at the talks in Qatar, was involved in discussions over the future of Afghanistan. He said: 'The Afghans have to decide what Afghanistan looks like in the future. It's not about the US, it's about Afghanistan. 'The US has significant - significant - investment in ensuring security, but the Afghans decide their future.' Shanahan was appointed as acting president of Pentagon in December after Trump forced Defense Secretary James Mattis to leave his post early. US troop numbers in Afghanistan since 2001. Some 14,000 American troops are still deployed in the country Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special envoy leading the talks, has expressed hope at finding a deal before Afghan presidential elections scheduled for July. But he has emphasised that any troop withdrawal would depend on conditions on the ground. Khalilzad is set to lead a large delegation on a six-nation tour, including Afghanistan, to boost the peace process and seek to bring all Afghan parties to the table. The months-long push by the US to engage the Taliban has ostensibly been aimed at convincing them to negotiate with Kabul, which the insurgents consider a US puppet. Ghani spoke last week with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who also stressed the importance of the Afghan government being at the centre of the peace process. But the insurgents, who ruled Afghanistan from 1996-2001, have steadfastly refused. Instead they met directly with US negotiators in Doha last month for peace talks described by US President Donald Trump as 'constructive'. Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special envoy leading the talks, has expressed hope at finding a deal before Afghan presidential elections scheduled for July The US is expected to commence a second round of talks with Taliban officials on February 25 in Qatar, where they have their political office. The militants, who were toppled by US-led forces in 2001, last week held separate talks in Moscow with a senior delegation of Afghan politicians -- including chief Ghani rivals. The two-day talks were the Taliban's most significant engagement with Afghan leaders in years, and saw former president Hamid Karzai, among others, dining and praying with the insurgents -- though without the involvement of the government it was unclear what impact they will have. Ghani -- who has vented frustration as his friends and enemies were pictured negotiating the future of his country -- has described the Moscow talks as 'nothing more than fantasy'. The Taliban have outlined their vision for Afghanistan, proposing an 'inclusive Islamic system' of governance and demanding a new Islam-based constitution for the country. Both parties released a statement at the conclusion of the talks promising to advance negotiations at a later date. Juan A. Barquero, 57, is accused of attempted felony murder among other charges after allegedly firing seven shots at men trying to repossess his Mercedes Benz A Florida man has been charged with attempted felony murder for opening fire at repo men after they mistakenly tried to tow his Mercedes. Juan A. Barquero, 57, allegedly shot at the two men who were repossessing his 2010 Mercedes Benz E350 from his home in Southwest Ranches, Florida, on Thursday at about 1am, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported. He is charged with attempted felony murder, aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony and firing a missile into an occupied vehicle, records show. During Barquero's court appearance on Saturday, his lawyer claimed that Barquero's car wasn't supposed to be repossessed. As a result, Barquero didn't know his car was being repossessed when the two repo men broke through the gated fence surrounding his home and hooked up his car to their tow truck. Police said in their report that Barquero, armed with a handgun, and a second man exited Barquero's home and confronted the repo men, demanding that they drop the car. During the incident, police said Barquero approached the repo men and demanded, at gunpoint, they release his black Mercedes Benz, which was already hooked up to the tow truck When the repo men declined to release the car, Barquero allegedly fired seven bullets at them, six of which shattered the tow truck's rear window Barquero's seventh bullet was said to have hit his own Mercedes Benz (pictured) The tow truck driver (shown) said that he felt 'the heat of the bullet' as it whizzed past his neck The repo men then supposedly identified themselves as being employees of Gryphon Recovery, a Miami-based asset recovery firm, and showed their credentials to Barquero and his friend, before stating that a bank had instructed them to take his car. Police wrote in their report that Barquero supposed said 'he did not care,' pointed his gun at the repo men and told them to release his car. As the men drove off, Barquero allegedly fired seven shots at the tow truck, one of which hit his own Mercedes, while the other six shattered the truck's rear window. The driver of the tow truck. who is not being named, told NBC 6 that he felt one of the gunshots go behind his neck and that he felt 'the heat of the bullet.' The repo men stopped their car a short distance away and called police. Neither of them were said to have been injured during the incident. Police caught up with Barquero later in the day on Thursday during a traffic stop. He was driving a white Mercedes. He was said to have been carrying a concealed weapons permit at the time, although no firearms were found in the car. A search of his property was said to have uncovered multiple guns and accessories, as well as seven 9mm bullet casings outside his home. Authorities did not find a 9mm gun, however. During his court appearance, the judge failed to buy Barquero's lawyer's claim that the shooting was just a misunderstanding, the Sun Sentinel reported. The judge noted that the crime was 'punishable by life' in prison and stated that the allegations included the fact that one of Barquero's shots hit the driver's side headrest, which indicated that there was probable cause for the charges against Barquero. Barquero is being held without bond. A severely dehydrated five-month-old Labrador found covered in flies and infested with meat ants is now recovering. The puppy, named Taylor, was unable to move when she was discovered on the side of a road in 40C on January 25. He was rushed to Ranc Pet Services, in Brisbane, and given pain relief and anti-inflammatory injections. Five-month-old Labrador Taylor (pictured) was covered in flies and infested with meat ants when he was found on the side of the road in 40C heat He was rushed to Ranc Pet Services, in Brisbane, and given pain relief, anti-inflammatory injections where an X-Ray also revealed a broken hip (pictured) Staff at Ranc Pet Services said on Facebook the puppy has received treatment for worming and fleas. He has also been given a probiotic to help with the damage caused by dehydration and starvation over long periods of time. The pup underwent an X-ray, where it was discovered he was suffering from a broken hip. 'He is unable to move, walk or even go to the toilet at this stage and will need to undergo hip surgery when he his stable,' they wrote, noting he will also require round the clock care. Staff at Ranc Pet Services took to Facebook and explained the pooch was receiving treatment for worming and fleas but have also started a GoFundMe to help the pooch recover properly Followers commented on the post, including one who wrote: 'This absolutely breaks my heart.. looks so much like my little pup, couldnt imagine what he went through.' Another added: 'What is wrong with people how they deserve punishment jail time!!!!' A GoFundMe page was set up by First National Real Estate to take care of the expenses, with $2,950 of the $3,950 goal already accomplished. Ranc Pet Services recently shared an update on the pup's condition, telling followers: 'Taylor is slowly getting stronger everyday but is not out of the woods yet.' 'We can not express how heart warming the response on sharing Taylors story as well as the generous donations people have already made! We will continue to keep you all posted on Taylors progress.' A New York City Council is refusing to apologize for saying that the legislative body is 'controlled by the homosexual community.' Ruben Diaz Sr.'s own son, Ruben Jr., and the Council Speaker have condemned the councilman for his comments, saying they 'have no place in New York City' and urged the Bronx Democrat to apologize to his colleagues and the LGBTQ community. But Diaz Sr. remained indignant. 'Apologize? No, for what?' he said to New York Post, on Saturday night. 'I didn't say anything wrong. I am speaking the truth and the victim here is me. I'm the one.' Sen. Ruben Diaz, Sr. ho is currently a New York City Council member, said on a Spanish language radio program that the homosexual community controls most of the 51 council members So far, Diaz Sr. has said that he won't apologize and has stood by his remarks and asked what the problem is Diaz Senior's own son came out against his father and urged him to apologise In a Spanish-language radio program, Diaz, who is a Pentecostal minister, said the homosexual community controls most of the 51 council members. The 75-year-old, Puerto Rican-born politician, who opposes same-sex marriage, called Johnson a 'homosexual married to another man.' The speaker is openly gay and single. Diaz is the father of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. The younger Diaz took to social media Saturday night advocating for unity and calling his father's statement 'unnecessary.' The younger Diaz, pictured, took to social media Saturday advocating for unity and calling his father's statement 'unnecessary.' 'NYC is a place where we celebrate our diversity and inclusivity,' Diaz Jr. wrote on Twitter. 'The LGBTQ community is unequivocally an essential voice in our City. @revrubendiaz's sentiments are antagonistic, quarrelsome and wholly unnecessary. He should apologize.' Johnson and Diaz Sr. did not immediately respond to messages however according to the New York Post, Diaz Sr., who goes by 'Reverend' and who is also a Pentecostal minister, stood by his remarks, insisting Saturday night that he won't apologize and that it's he who's the victim. The councilman then later tweeted that he 'misspoke' by referring to Johnson as being married. 'He still single,' Diaz Sr. wrote. He also tweeted a question on Saturday: 'What's homophobic about saying that the gay community controls the nyc city council? (sic) I'm giving them credit for the power and influence they have.' After that tweet, demands came in pushing for Diaz to apologize or resign including from his son, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. 'NYC is a place where we celebrate our diversity and inclusivity,' Diaz Jr. tweeted Saturday. Diaz, who has represented the 18th Council District in the New York City Council since January 2018, said he's felt unwelcome in the chamber because of his more conservative policy views James G. Van Bramer, Deputy Leader of the New York City Council, is one of a number of politicians called for Diaz's resignation 'The LGBTQ community is unequivocally an essential voice in our City,' the son's tweet continued. '@revrubendiaz's sentiments are antagonistic, quarrelsome and wholly unnecessary. He should apologize.' Other council members including Carlos Menchaca and Mark D. Levine joined in to demand an apology while gay Council member Jimmy Van Bramer demanded Diaz's resignation. 'When I was a closeted gay kid I never saw out, proud & powerful Queer people,' he tweeted. 'Had I seen that it might have stopped my suicidal thoughts then. It's partly why I ran. To see this hatred of us makes me livid. I don't want an apology. I want him to resign.' Councilman Robert Holden agreed, tweeting, 'Jimmy, I'm with you!' Diaz's comment prompted the openly gay Speaker of the city council, Corey Johnson, to demand that the Bronx Democrat apologize to his colleagues and the LGBTQ community Scott M. Stringer, the current New York City Comptroller, tweeted how Diaz had a history of 'bigoted hate speech' and that such language would not be tolerated City Comptroller Scott Stringer tweeted that Diaz had spewed 'hate speech' for long enough. 'This is not the first time this has happened,' Stringer tweeted. 'Rev Diaz has a practice and pattern of bigoted hate speech that has gone on way too long. 'Let's send a loud message he will understand: strip him of his chairmanship and show New Yorkers this won't be tolerated.' But Diaz used called for his resignation to reassert his original point once again. 'I'm the one that is being harassed,' he claimed. 'Seeing all those elected officials joining against me, asking for my resignation and my apology, that shows how powerful and feared the gay community is in New York.' The victims of a once-in-a-century flood crisis have discovered a genius way to help get rid of mould in their water-damaged homes, and it costs less than $2. As damages reach $124 million in Townsville, Queensland, one woman is organising supplies to assist home owners in the clean up. Melbourne mother, Bea Tomlin, described vinegar as 'liquid gold' and said many locals are struggling to get their hands on the product following the floods. A mother is organising supplies to assist home owners to get rid of the mould (stock) Melbourne mother, Bea Tomlin, described vinegar as 'liquid gold' and said many locals are struggling to get their hands on the product following the floods 'I heard about it through a friend who was desperately trying to get some to help with the mould in their home,' she told news.com.au. 'They are going to need so much more in the coming days and weeks. So many people are displaced. They have no places of work to go to, no real reliable supply of groceries and the overwhelming devastating clean-up.' Ms Tomlin turned to Facebook asking for help with delivering supplies for cheaper or free. According to Choice, a leading consumer advocacy group, vinegar causes mould to overeat and die. According to Choice , a leading consumer advocacy group, vinegar causes mould to overeat and die Townsville Public Health Unit Director Dr Steven Donohue warned that with soaring temperatures expected in the next few days it could make clean up operations dangerous Townsville Public Health Unit Director Dr Steven Donohue told Townsville Bulletin that with soaring temperatures expected in the next few days it could make clean up operations dangerous. 'Going too hard too early on this recovery to the detriment of your health isn't going to help anyone,' he said. 'We've got some seriously hot North Queensland summer weather on the way and with all of the water around the humidity is going to be extremely high. 'The last thing we need is for people to make themselves sick by biting off more than they can chew.' If youd like to help Bea on her quest to get vinegar to northern Queensland, you can contact her on help@floodrelief.com.au Amy Murray, 40, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her husband A Missouri woman is accused of poisoning and killing her husband so she could marry her inmate lover. Amy Murray, 40, was charged Friday with first-degree murder after her husband Joshua Murray, 37, was found dead in a fire at the couple's home on December 11. The State Fire Marshalls Office and the Miller County Sheriffs Department determined that an accelerant was used to start the fire in the master bedroom. Joshua was found in the room on the bed, but an autopsy determined that he died of antifreeze poisoning before the blaze. Investigators then learned that Murray was a nurse at the Jefferson City Correctional Center and had engaged in a romantic relationship with inmate Eugene Claypool, 40. Investigators allege that she killed her husband Joshua Murray (left) to marry inmate Eugene Claypool (right) who has been in prison for more than 18 years for murder Murray allegedly started the fire, then left the home with her son, 11, and two dogs and went to a McDonald's According to a probably cause state, Murray said the home was on fire when she returned home and the smoke was too heavy for her to go inside. However, court documents show a McDonald's sandwich was found on the kitchen counter inside the home and a McDonald's food bag was in the trash. In a recorded phone conversation, Murray told the inmate that she no longer wanted to be married to her husband. In another conversation she told Claypool she could marry him because her husband was dead and 'out of the picture', Fox 22 reported. They also spoke of getting Claypool an attorney so he could be released from prison early. Claypool was arrested in 2000 and has been behind bars for more than 18 years in the deadly stabbing of a 72 -year-old man who won $1.7million in the lottery. Amy and Joshua had been married since 2003 and share a son together. In addition to the murder charge, Murray is also charged with armed criminal action. She is scheduled for a bond-reduction hearing on February 13. Her bond is set at $750,000. A Democratic congresswoman was accused of anti-Semitism on Twitter by Chelsea Clinton after she suggested on Sunday that supporters of Israel pay lawmakers money to support the countrys policies. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, who is one of two Muslim women elected to Congress, came under fire from Republicans and pro-Israel supporters for a Twitter post that some say advances anti-Semitic tropes about Jews and money. 'It's all about the Benjamins,' she wrote in reaction to a journalist's tweet remarking that it was 'stunning' how much time US leaders devote to defending Israel 'even if it means attacking free speech rights of Americans.'' Clinton responded that she was 'trafficking in anti-Semitism' by insinuating that members of Congress were being paid money - presumably by wealthy Jews - to maintain support for Israel. Rep. Ilhan Omar (left) of Minnesota, who is one of two Muslim women elected to Congress, came under fire from Chelsea Clinton (right), Republicans, and pro-Israel supporters for a Twitter post that some say advances anti-Semitic tropes about Jews and money Omar on Sunday reacted to a Twitter post by journalist Glenn Greenwald, who slammed the Republican House Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy, for criticizing the Somali-American lawmaker and another anti-Israel critic, Rep. Rashida Tlaib Omar responded to Greenwalds thread by tweeting: Its all about the Benjamins baby. The tweet is a reference to the title of a Puff Daddy song of the same name which was released in 1997 Omar had reacted to a Twitter post by journalist Glenn Greenwald, which slammed the Republican House Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy, for criticizing the Somali-American lawmaker and another anti-Israel critic, Rep. Rashida Tlaib. McCarthy vowed to take action against Omar and Tlaib, who is Palestinian-American, over their past comments allegedly criticizing Israel. The GOP leader said comments by Tlaib and Omar were worse than those made by Steve King, the Republican congressman from Iowa who was reprimanded by his colleagues for questioning why the term white supremacy was considered offensive. Greenwald, the journalist who won a Pulitzer Prize for breaking the Edward Snowden NSA story, slammed McCarthy on Twitter for his comments. Equating @IlhanMN & @RashidaTlaib's criticism of Israel to Steve King's long defense of white supremacy is obscene (McCarthy said it's worse), Greenwald tweeted. Omar was then asked on Twitter by Batya Ungar-Sargon, the editorial page editor of the Jewish Daily Forward: Would love to know who Omar thinks is paying American politicians to be pro-Israel, though I think I can guess.' Omar then responded to Ungar-Sargon: AIPAC. AIPAC stands for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a lobbying group that advocates pro-Israel policies to Congress and the White House Ungar-Sargon replied: Please learn how to talk about Jews in a non-anti-Semitic way. Sincerely, American Jews. In the US, we're allowed to criticize our own government: certainly foreign governments. The GOP House Leader's priorities are warped. Greenwald wrote in a subsequent tweet: Sorry, but you're not going to turn the two first Muslim women to serve in the US Congress into overnight Jew-haters because of their criticisms of Israel. What's actually anti-Semitic is conflating the Government of Israel with Jews, so those of you doing that should stop. Omar responded to Greenwalds thread by tweeting: Its all about the Benjamins baby. 'Benjamins' is a reference to Benjamin Franklin, whose portrait appears on the $100 bill. So the term 'all about the Benjamins' implies money. The tweet is also reference to the title of a Puff Daddy song of the same name which was released in 1997. Omar was then asked on Twitter by Batya Ungar-Sargon, the editorial page editor of the Jewish Daily Forward: Would love to know who Omar thinks is paying American politicians to be pro-Israel, though I think I can guess. Bad form, Congresswoman. Thats the second anti-Semitic trope youve tweeted. Omar then responded to Ungar-Sargon: AIPAC. AIPAC stands for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a lobbying group that advocates pro-Israel policies to Congress and the White House. Omars implication that AIPAC was dictating to members of Congress what kind of speech is permissible when it comes to Israel is considered by some to be anti-Semitic. Chelsea Clinton then responded to Ungar-Sargon, tweeting: Co-signed as an American. We should expect all elected officials, regardless of party, and all public figures to not traffic in anti-Semitism. In response to Clintons post, Omar tweeted: Chelsea, I would be happy to talk. We must call out smears from the GOP and their allies. And I believe we can do that without criticizing people for their faith. I look forward to building an inclusive movement for justice with you. To which Clinton replied: Hello Congresswoman! Completely agree. I will reach out to your office tomorrow. Looking forward to connecting about this thread and more, Chelsea. Historically, anti-Semites have played on fears that nefarious Jews are pulling the strings of government and the world finance system to sow chaos and unrest. Ungar-Sargon replied: Please learn how to talk about Jews in a non-anti-Semitic way. Sincerely, American Jews. Chelsea Clinton then responded to Ungar-Sargon, tweeting: Co-signed as an American. We should expect all elected officials, regardless of party, and all public figures to not traffic in anti-Semitism. When Clinton was criticized on Twitter for piling on Omar, she replied: I will reach out to her tomorrow. I also think we have to call out anti-Semitic language and tropes on all sides, particularly in our elected officials and particularly now. In response to Clintons post, Omar tweeted: Chelsea, I would be happy to talk. We must call out smears from the GOP and their allies. And I believe we can do that without criticizing people for their faith. I look forward to building an inclusive movement for justice with you. To which Clinton replied: Hello Congresswoman! Completely agree. I will reach out to your office tomorrow. Looking forward to connecting about this thread and more, Chelsea. Omar has been criticized in the past for making statements deemed by some as anti-Semitic. Aside from her criticisms of Israel, she has come under fire for a tweet she posted in 2012 which read: Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel. The tweet, which is dated November 16, 2012, was posted during a period of open warfare between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. A murder investigation is under way after a five-month-old baby was found dead with a woman suffering serious injuries in a horrific scene at a remote property in New Zealand. Emergency services were called to a house in Motueka on New Zealand's South Island about 8.40pm on Sunday. A young Asian couple lived at the house, according to a neighbour. An older female relative also lived with them. The 41-year-old woman was flown to Nelson Hospital by a rescue helicopter after she was found seriously injured (stock image) According to the neighbour, the husband arrived at the house on Sunday night before running onto the road screaming. Another neighbour then ran to help the man. 'We sometimes saw the husband pushing the baby pram down the road but he never wanted to engage or look at you. You never saw her,' the neighbour told Stuff. The older woman did not speak English. Detective Inspector Craig Scott said police are speaking to someone in relation to the baby's death. Charges are yet to be laid, he said. Emergency services were called to a house in Motueka on New Zealand's South Island about 8.40pm on Sunday The 41-year-old woman was flown to Nelson Hospital by a rescue helicopter after she was found seriously injured. A heavy police presence was seen outside the house on Monday, as officers in white boiler suits inspected inside. A forensics trailer was parked outside the front of the house. Vigilantes have vowed to hunt down a man accused of trying to lure a little girl into his car outside a Kmart after police said they could not arrest him. Sarah Lollback said the man rolled down his window and called her daughter 'beautiful' at the Toowoomba Plaza car-park in southern Queensland on Wednesday. Since her story was reported on the front page of the local newspaper, vigilantes online have been trying to track him down and have threatened to harm him. In one Facebook group they shared his address, pictures of him in public and the registration of his car before the posts were removed by administrators. Sarah Lollback said the man rolled down his window and spoke to her daughter (stock image) Johnathan Crew, who runs the group, said he had been 'driven nuts' by moderating the discussion to prevent anyone falling foul of the law. 'I am glad (users) are promoting vigilance but it doesn't warrant six posts a day about this person,' he told the Warwick Daily News. 'That's exactly what I am trying to avoid, the whole sharpening of pitchforks and people getting in line.' Police have said they could not arrest the man because there was no evidence of any crime - and warned vigilantes not to share the man's details online. A Toowoomba police statement said: 'Police investigated the matter with no evidence existing to substantiate an offence occurring. 'The matter has since been finalised with no further police action being taken. 'Officers treat every complaint of this nature seriously, conducting numerous inquiries and taking action when an offence has been identified. 'Local police are concerned with numerous posts on social media identifying the man involved and are urging the public to be mindful of their actions. 'They are warning those engaging in vigilante activities online that their actions may constitute an offence, cause others to commit an offence, or render themselves civilly liable.' Recalling the incident last Wednesday, Mrs Lollback told The Chronicle the man rolled down his window while she was walking with her daughter to their car. Sarah Lollback said she encountered the man sitting in his vehicle at the Toowoomba Plaza carpark (pictured), in southern Queensland, at about 4.45pm on Wednesday She said: 'He started saying "hi beautiful, hi sis, do you want to hop in the car with me?" 'I was just in shock. I didn't know what to do. I just wanted to hurry up and get in the car.' She said the pair quickly got to their car where they were forced to drive past the man. As they drove past, she said the man gestured 'I'm watching you' by pointing two of his fingers at his eyes and then towards the girl. 'I wasn't game enough to go straight home. I went straight to the police station and reported it,' Ms Lollback said. The concerned mother took to social media as 'a warning to all parents'. She explained the man told her daughter to get in his car but she told her daughter to keep walking. Mrs Lollback said the community response from her social media post was incredible. A recently married woman has stressed the importance of booking overseas hotels direct 'whenever possible' after her recent honeymoon was almost turned upside down. Sydney-based Rochelle Dryden and her husband Ben arrived at the luxury hotel in South Africa last December overjoyed to be on their honeymoon. Their upbeat mood soon changed when they discovered their booking had been cancelled 18 hours earlier. 'I honestly sat there crying at one stage because I was so frustrated,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald. Rochelle Dryden (pictured) almost had her recent honeymoon in South Africa 'ruined' Rochelle Dryden (pictured right) was 'crying out of frustration' after encountering dramas with a hotel she booked in South Africa Ms Dryden booked their December stay at Cape Grace Hotel through HotelQuickly, a Hong Kong based booking website. The business, which is now closed, has been subject to numerous complaints from customers in Australia as well as overseas. Ms Dryden, from Sydney's northern beaches, 'triple checked' with the Cape Grace Hotel before their arrival to see if their booking was finalised. 'They (hotel) said ''yep we've received your payment it was all fine and good to go'',' she said, only to discover the booking was cancelled by the booking website just before they arrived in Cape Town,' she said. The relieved couple did eventually secure a room at the at the waterfront hotel - but at a higher rate. 'We ended up having a fantastic time, it didn't destroy [the honeymoon] for us, but I'm so p***ed off with HotelQuickly,' she said. Sydney based Rochelle Dryden said her honeymoon could have been ruined after securing a hotel room via a online business based in Hong Kong Rochelle Dryden (pictured right) now knows to book directly with hotels when travelling abroad 'I don't think anyone else should have to go through this experience.' Dryden then stressed organisation is key for couples or individuals travelling abroad. 'It's hard, no matter what sometimes you unfortunately get put in these positions where you get stung,' she said. 'My biggest advice would be to make sure you research any of the third-party companies that aren't well known, to triple check who you're booking through and see if you can book direct with the hotel.' Daily Mail Australia reached out to HotelQuickly for comment. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has taken the extraordinary step of grilling a Muslim candidate on video following a backlash from her supporters. The Queensland senator has copped flak on social media after One Nation chose Muslim businesswoman Emma Eros to run at the upcoming New South Wales election. Ms Eros, a 39-year-old mother-of-two born in Australia to Lebanese-Muslim parents, argues Sharia law has no place in Australia and has backed Senator Hanson's call to ban the burqa. In a 26-minute Facebook Live video, Senator Hanson acknowledged some of the comments about her party's Muslim candidate 'weren't kind'. 'I can understand your antagonism,' she told her 247,922 Facebook followers on Sunday. Senator Hanson then grilled Ms Eros, and came to the conclusion her party's state candidate for Hornsby would not desert One Nation, like senators Brian Burston and Fraser Anning, and disqualified federal lawmaker Rod Culleton had done. 'There's no guarantees in life but I'll tell you now, and I'll tell you direct from me: I like Emma. She's got my full support. She will not be disendorsed,' Senator Hanson said. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson (left) has taken the extraordinary step of grilling Muslim candidate Emma Eros (right) on video following a backlash from her supporters In a video with her party's candidate for Hornsby, on Sydney's upper north shore, Senator Hanson said Ms Eros would not be 'jumping ship'. 'Emma could have had a choice. If she wanted to push her views, the real Muslim ideology, she should have joined the Greens or the Labor Party,' Senator Hanson said. 'Not One Nation. Because she won't have a chance with me. And if you think she will, you're under-estimating me. 'I haven't worked my guts out for these years to get other people elected to Parliament to think they're going to turn it around and control me. 'So no one is going to do that.' Senator Hanson, who wore a burqa into federal Parliament in August 2017 to highlight her push to ban the Muslim facial covering, declared she had spent two decades campaigning against Islamic fundamentalism. Senator Hanson, who wore a burqa into federal Parliament in August 2017 (pictured), declared she had spent two decades campaigning against Islamic fundamentalism Senator Hanson's video has failed, it appears, to have assured her critics, with several people declaring they could no longer support One Nation One man said she had lost the goodwill of One Nation voters 'Who was the one who wore the burqa in the Parliament? Who's the one who says terrorists shouldn't come back here? Who's the one who's fighting on these issues? Myself,' Senator Hanson said. Senator Hanson's video has failed, it appears, to have assured all of her critics, with several people declaring they could no longer support One Nation. 'Pauline, you have committed political suicide,' one man said on her Facebook page next to the video interview. One man said she had lost the goodwill of One Nation voters. 'Lost me Pauline,' he said. 'Sorry, you were on the right track but you've veered off it.' The far-right True Blue Crew has also urged its Facebook followers to boycott One Nation for preselecting a Muslim woman to run as a candidate. In early February, Daily Mail Australia revealed One Nation NSW leader Mark Latham, a former federal Labor leader, would announce Emma Eros (pictured) as its star candidate Despite Senator Hanson's opposition to Muslim immigration, her One Nation party is running Ms Eros in Hornsby, a safe Liberal electorate held by state Liberal minister for better regulation Matt Kean. In early February, Daily Mail Australia revealed One Nation NSW leader Mark Latham, a former federal Labor leader, would announce Ms Eros as its star candidate. The 39-year-old businesswoman and daughter of Lebanese migrants grew up in Sydney's west and runs a plumbing and construction business. In an exclusive interview, Ms Eros said many women gave 'lame excuses' for wearing the traditional Muslim head coverings. 'I am a believer that one needs to show their face,' she said, backing Mr Latham's new policy to ban the burqa in government buildings, banks and airports. Ms Eros has also received the endorsement of U.S.-based right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos (pictured), who had rubbished her in November 2017 during his Australian tour 'Any government building, anything like that, that's relevant to identification then yeah, bloody hell, remove it'. Ms Eros has also received the surprise endorsement of U.S.-based right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, who had rubbished her in November 2017 during his Australian tour. Speaking from Miami in Florida, Yiannopoulos sent her his best wishes to the mother-of-two as she sat down for a Facebook Live interview with Senator Hanson on Sunday. 'You're probably quite surprised to hear from me, after we had our little run in,' he said. 'But I just had to take a couple of minutes out of my day to send you a message to wish you all the very best. 'It's 3am here in Miami, and I'm struggling through a throat infection, but I wasn't going to let that stop me sending you a message to say: 'go for it girl'. Sir Philip Green (pictured) could face a police investigation after allegations emerged of him groping a female executive and making a racial slur at an employee Sir Philip Green could face a police investigation after allegations emerged of him groping a female executive and making a racial slur at an employee. MP Peter Kyle on Sunday wrote to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick asking for officers to investigate claims made by former members of staff against the billionaire Topshop tycoon, the Daily Telegraph reported. The letter detailed allegations previously published by the newspaper that Sir Philip groped a female executive and bought her silence with more than 1million. It also reported an allegation that Sir Philip referred to a black employee 'throwing spears in the jungle' while drawing attention to his dreadlocks. The newspaper revealed five employees had signed Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) to keep their complaints confidential after the Arcadia owner's High Court action ended. Sir Philip denied his behaviour was criminal or amounted to gross misconduct. MP Peter Kyle (left) on Sunday wrote to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick (right) asking for officers to investigate claims made by former members of staff against the billionaire Topshop tycoon Mr Kyle, the Labour MP for Hove who sits on the business, energy and industrial strategy committee, wrote to Scotland Yard saying 'it is clear that some of his behaviour warrants criminal investigation'. 'Sir Philip Green is accused of monstrous acts which must have inflicted unimaginable fear into his subordinates, particularly women and people belonging to minority groups, who seem to have attracted the most vicious of his alleged attacks,' the letter continued. Mr Kyle encouraged Ms Dick 'in the strongest possible terms to investigate these allegations with a view to criminal prosecution'. He added: 'When it comes to upholding the law there should be no place to hide, including yachts in the Mediterranean and erroneous use of non-disclosure agreements in British courts.' The call for police to investigate has reportedly been backed by several fellow MPs as well as anti-racism and womens rights campaigners. Peter Kyle, the Labour MP for Hove who sits on the business, energy and industrial strategy committee, said: 'It is clear that some of his behaviour warrants criminal investigation' Meanwhile, Treasury Chief Secretary Liz Truss called for a change in NDA laws to prevent their abuse. 'I do think it is disgraceful that he (Sir Philip) has been able to use non-disclosure agreements to effectively silence victims of sexual and racial abuse,' she told Sky's Ridge On Sunday. 'I think we need to look seriously at those non-disclosure agreements and get changes to them because I think it's completely wrong that people like Philip Green have been able to flout the law.' The publication fought a long legal battle to report the allegations, after being banned by a court injunction sought when Sir Philip and an executive at his Arcadia firm were contacted for comment in July. Sir Philip's lawyers told the newspaper: 'It is further denied that any of Sir Philip's conduct towards employees amounted to any type of crime, or anything that would amount to gross misconduct, or a serious risk to health and safety.' Ms Howell pictured celebrating in Mexico during her 50th birthday celebrations A mum's 50th birthday holiday of a lifetime turned to disaster - as she was left fighting for survival thousands of miles from home. Maxine Howell was struck down with pneumonia and bronchiolitis in Cancun, Mexico. Now her holiday insurer Axa has told her family it will not cover the bulk of her treatment costs - leaving them battling to raise 200,000 and her at risk of losing her home. Ms Howell's family said the refusal was because she had not declared her medication for bipolar disorder. They have launched a desperate fundraising appeal. Ms Howell's daughter, Elle Lowe, said: 'She flew out to Mexico with her friend to celebrate her turning 50. 'But within a couple of days she started to feel unwell, her breathing was heavy and we told her to take it easy. 'The next thing I knew, she was in hospital and medics carried out a procedure to take fluid off her lungs and put her in a medically-induced coma. 'Knowing my mum went on a dream holiday and could never return is terrifying. 'Days after her procedure, the insurance firm asked us to send her documents. 'Then it phoned to say they it read the medical reviews and, because she didn't disclose she was taking medication for bipolar disorder, or that she was prescribed an inhaler two years ago, it would only pay 10.25 per cent of the costs. Her family are now attempting to raise the 200,000 required to pay for her medical treatment 'We've spent more than 150,000 already - she may even lose her house.' Axa said in a response to the family: 'We continue to reserve all the rights of the insurer to pursue at a future date recovery of the non-covered medical costs of 89.75 per cent of the final amount of the claim. 'We confirm we are prepared to accept liability for 10.25 per cent of the covered amount.' The family's fundraising page has set a 200,000 target to cover MsHowell's medical bill and her return to her West Bromwich home. Donations stood at just under 5,000 on Sunday afternoon, February 10. Elle, from Darlaston, added: 'I'm speechless about it. I feel like it's her life on the line. 'I just want to thank everyone who has donated so far - it means the world to us.' The family's gofundme appeal said: 'As a family we are absolutely desperate to get my mom home but this is beyond our financial ability having already spent over 15,000 to secure hospital treatments. 'We would appreciate any help at this difficult and desperate time.' For the second time in two weeks, President Trump's private schedule has been leaked to a news site despite a White House effort to track down the 'mole'. The schedule from this past week shows the president's schedule was half comprised of 'executive time' - the unstructured bloc of time during which Trump is either watching television, making phone calls, or tweeting. Monday's schedule indicated that Trump's day began at 8am with three hours of executive time, according to Axios. After a 30-minute meeting with the acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, Trump had 15 additional minutes of executive time. For the second time in two weeks, President Trump's private schedule has been leaked to a news site despite a White House effort to track down the 'mole'. The schedule from this past week shows the president's schedule was half comprised of 'executive time' - the unstructured bloc of time during which Trump is either watching television, making phone calls, or tweeting The above image shows the schedule from Tuesday, the same day Trump delivered the State of the Union address Trump had at least seven hours of executive time on Tuesday Just as he had done the previous two days, Trump began his day on Wednesday with three hours of executive time By Wednesday evening, Trump had more than two hours of executive time Trump had at least six hours of executive time on Wednesday and nearly four hours of executive time on Thursday Executive time is the unstructured bloc of time during which the president makes phone calls, tweets, and watches television On Tuesday, the day Trump delivered his State of the Union address, the president had at least seven hours of executive time. Trump had at least six hours of executive time on Wednesday and nearly four hours of executive time on Thursday. Trump, on a tweet-filled Sunday spent in the White House with nothing on his public schedule, defended his excessive amount of 'executive time' as periods when he is 'generally working, not relaxing.' He noted in a series of tweets that because the 'country was a mess' when he became president, 'I had no choice but to work very long hours!' Trump spent Sunday tweeting on the need for a wall on the Southern border, accusing Democrats of wanting a second government shutdown to change the subject and slamming his rivals for the situation with their top officials in the state of Virginia. 'When the term Executive Time is used, I am generally working, not relaxing. In fact, I probably work more hours than almost any past President,' he tweeted earlier on Sunday He noted in a series of tweets that because the 'country was a mess' when he became president, 'I had no choice but to work very long hours!' But he was particularly defensive of his 'executive time' - what aides call the period when the president is watching TV, calling friends and tweeting. 'The media was able to get my work schedule, something very easy to do, but it should have been reported as a positive, not negative. When the term Executive Time is used, I am generally working, not relaxing. In fact, I probably work more hours than almost any past President.....,' he wrote on Twitter. He added: '....The fact is, when I took over as President, our Country was a mess. Depleted Military, Endless Wars, a potential War with North Korea, V.A., High Taxes & too many Regulations, Border, Immigration & HealthCare problems, & much more. I had no choice but to work very long hours!' His tweets on executive time were his seventh tweets of the day. Last week, in an unprecedented leak to Axios, Trump's daily schedules showed the president spent 60 percent of the last three months in 'executive time.' Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney defended the use of the president's executive time in an interview with NBC's Chuck Todd on 'Meet the Press' on Sunday.' 'You and I have had this conversation I think before, which is this show lasts an hour. Does that mean you only work for an hour a week? No, there's a lot of stuff that goes on in order to make this happen. That executive time is on there to allow the president to prep for the next meeting, to debrief from the previous meeting. The phone calls start at 6:30 in the morning, and they go until 11:00 at night. So I can assure you that the gentleman is working more than what's on that calendar,' he said. Trump ordered staff to track down the White House mole who leaked his private schedules. White House officials said they have enlisted computer specialists and IT professionals in their search, which they say is progressing, Politico reported. A Trump aide told the news site that it is believed the culprit is a career government employee and not someone appointed by the president, though no evidence to this effect has surfaced as of yet. Trump's personal secretary, Madeleine Westerhout, was not amused by the embarrassing report. What a disgraceful breach of trust to leak schedules, she tweeted, adding that the leaked documents in Axios don't show "the hundreds of calls and meetings @realDonaldTrump takes everyday." This POTUS is working harder for the American people than anyone in recent history, she tweeted. Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney defended the use of the president's executive time in an interview with NBC's Chuck Todd on 'Meet the Press' Trump's personal secretary, Madeleine Westerhout (seen right as Trump speaks in the Oval Office in February 2018), was not amused by the embarrassing report Westerhout called the leak a 'disgraceful breach of trust' last Sunday afternoon The leak angered White House officials because the schedule leaves some with the impression that Trump does little actual work. In past administrations, the presidents schedule was structured much more tightly than that of the current occupant of the Oval Office, according to Business Insider. Bill Clinton began his days at 9am, when he met with White House staff. His work days were considered long and he kept busy until late at night before getting five hours of sleep. George W. Bush woke up at 5:15am, arrived at the Oval Office by 6:45am, and finished his first meeting of the day by 8:15am. Trumps immediate predecessor, Barack Obama, was also known to work long hours into the night. Seventeen Australian residents have been detained in China as part of a crackdown on Muslims, an activist group said on Monday. Up to one million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities are believed to be held in camps in China's far-west region of Xinjiang, according to the United Nations. Among them are 17 Australian residents - 15 with permanent residency and two on spouse visas, campaign group Uighurs in Australia has said. They are believed to have been detained while visiting family in China and many have children and partners still in Australia who are desperate to see their loved ones again. A perimeter fence is constructed around what is officially known as a vocational skills education centre in Dabancheng in Xinjiang in China's far west region. There is mounting evidence to suggest that Muslim inmates are being used as forced labour, reports claim Dozens of students are shown at their desks learning Chinese and law in a programme that introduced the 'professional vocational training institutions' in Hotan Activist Nurgul Sawut has been petitioning the Australian government to do more to help the Uighurs, 3,000 of whom are living in Australia. 'Our community members feel let down,' she told The Guardian. In December Ms Sawut met with officials at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) - but says the only answer they had for her was 'we are talking to our Chinese counterparts'. 'What does that mean exactly?' she said. 'As an Australian embassy you need to do more to locate these people, to tell us if they're alive or dead. 'The language [the department] is using is very dire. The Australian government is basically saying we can't do anything right now.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted DFAT for comment. A statement from the Chinese embassy in Canberra did not address the issue of the 17 Australians who are allegedly detained. It read: 'It is a wish shared by people of all ethnic groups for Xinjiang to maintain enduring social stability, since it serves their fundamental interests. 'The series of measures implemented in Xinjiang are meant to improve stability, development, solidarity and people's livelihood, crack down on and prevent ethnic separatist activities and violent and terrorist crimes, safeguard national security, and protect people's life and property.' A building of what is officially called a vocational skills education centre in Hotan, Xinjiang The Xinjiang detention centres first appeared in 2014 shortly after officials launched a new 'strike hard' campaign against 'terrorism' after deadly violence in the region. China says people are at the camps voluntarily and describes them as 'professional vocational training institutions' used to counter terrorism while improving employment opportunities for citizens guilty of minor offences. But Uighur activists believe people are being detained against their will and badly mistreated inside. There are approximately 12 million people who belong to Muslim minorities in Xinjiang - with as many as one million detained. Patrick Poon, China researcher at Amnesty, told MailOnline the group hasn't seen this many people detained in camps in recent Chinese history. 'The camps are similar to the wartime concentration camps, the scale is comparable and the repressive environment is similar,' he said. Muslim trainees work in a factory in the Hotan Vocational Education and Training Center 'There are brainwashing political classes in the camps, where people are beaten up if they don't follow orders. The overall atmosphere is very repressive,' he added, citing accounts from ex-detainees. An AFP report in October revealed that thousands of guards at the camps were equipped with tear gas, Tasers, stun guns and spiked clubs, according to publicly available government documents. The centres should 'teach like a school, be managed like the military, and be defended like a prison', said one document, quoting Xinjiang's party secretary Chen Quanguo. To build new, better Chinese citizens, a document argued, the centres must first 'break their lineage, break their roots, break their connections, and break their origins'. In previous reports, people who have been detained at the centres have said they were forced to eat pork and drink alcohol, as well as denounce Islam and profess loyalty to the ruling Communist Party. Satellite images purported to show the camps where Muslim minorities are held in Xinjiang The Hotan Vocational Education and Training Center sits behind barbed wire in Xinjiang They also found themselves incarcerated for transgressions such as wearing long beards and face veils or sharing Islamic holiday greetings on social media, a process that echoes the decades of brutal thought reform under Mao Zedong. After undergoing indoctrination at the camps, detainees are sent to the new factories built inside or near the internment camps in an emerging system of forced labour, according to the New York Times. Satellite imagery suggests that production lines are being built inside some internment camps. Another image of a camp featured in a state television broadcast shows 10 to 12 large buildings with a design commonly used for factories, according to the report. Commercial registration records show several companies including a printing factory, a noodle factory and at least two clothing and textile manufacturers were established at addresses inside interment camps. A Turkish researcher told The New York Times that the detainees 'provide free or low-cost forced labour for these factories,' based on the various inmate accounts he has collected through interviewing their relatives. Inmates told their relatives that they were forced to make clothes under tough working conditions and earned low wages, according to Atajurt Kazakh Human Rights, an organisation in Kazakhstan that helps ethnic Kazakhs who have left neighboring Xinjiang. Muslim trainees seen working in a garment factory at the Hotan vocational centre China has admitted to the alleged use of internment camps for Muslim minorities in Xinjiang One detainee was sent from a camp to work in a carpet factory and another was sent to work at a textile factory for US$95 (75) a month. They are not allowed to leave the factories and communication with relatives, if permitted, is heavily monitored, according to a Financial Times report. However, since August, the Chinese government has defended the camps by arguing that they are vocational training centres that will provide detainees the skills needed for a job in Chinese society, including learning Mandarin. Participation is voluntary, according to state-broadcaster CCTV in a report in October, releasing footage purportedly showing 'contented' Muslim trainees wearing matching uniforms, studying Mandarin and learning trades like knitting, weaving and baking. 'Xinjiang has established a training model with professional vocational training institutions as the platform, learning the country's common language, legal knowledge, vocational skills, along with de-extremisation education,' the chairman of Xinjiang's government, Shohrat Zakir, said in an ardent defence of the use of the centres. Security guards stand at the gates of what is officially known as a vocational skills education centre in Huocheng County in Xinjiang in September 'Through vocational training, most trainees have been able to reflect on their mistakes and see clearly the essence and harm of terrorism and religious extremism,' he said. China has said Xinjiang faces a serious threat from Islamist militants and separatists who plot attacks and stir up tension between the mostly Muslim Uighur minority and the ethnic Han Chinese majority. Zakir previously reiterated: 'Today's Xinjiang is not only beautiful but also safe and stable. No matter where they are or at what time of the day, people are no longer afraid of going out, shopping, dining and travelling.' However, critics have warned that mass incarcerations and forced cultural assimilation of China's western Muslim minorities risk further inflaming and perpetuating separatist anger. TV naturalists and other celebrities are giving their support to the Great British Spring Clean. Steve Backshall and Michaela Strachan yesterday praised the litter picking campaign by the Daily Mail and Keep Britain Tidy as the number of volunteers passed 45,000. Astronaut Tim Peake and comedian Bill Oddie also gave their backing. The Mail hopes to enlist 500,000 volunteers to help pick up litter between March 22 and April 23. Making a difference: Steve Backshall and pupils pick litter during a previous Spring Clean Astronaut Tim Peake (left) and comedian Bill Oddie (right) also gave their backing Wildlife show presenter Backshall said: Travelling around the world, I have seen first-hand the damage litter can do to wildlife but this is something that isnt just happening in far-off places. 'Shocked at the amount of litter': Michaela Strachan, presenter of the Really Wild Show and Springwatch Litter in our country kills or injures thousands of animals every year and once it goes into our seas the damage continues. Every one of us can surely spare a few minutes or even a few hours to make a difference. Miss Strachan, presenter of the Really Wild Show and Springwatch, said: Having recently done a tour that took me to many of our cities in the UK, I have been really shocked at the amount of litter. We need to start a war on waste and litter. Major Peake who spent 185 days on board the International Space Station said he often picks up litter. I totally support Keep Britain Tidys Great British Spring Clean, he said. Its hugely important, it goes back to looking and caring for the environment and to how we minimise human impact on the planet we live in. Former Goodies member Oddie added You may well think that a litter pick is worthy, but tedious. Not a bit. It is fun meeting and working with others, of all ages, and you never know what you will find shells, old coins, bottles from America, even fossils. Walter B Jones, a 24-year veteran of US Congress, has died on his 76th birthday. The Republican congressman died in his Greenville, North Carolina, home Sunday, his office said in a statement, three weeks after he suffered a broken hip and underwent surgery. His health began deteriorating and on January 26 his family announced that he had entered hospice care and asked for their privacy. Jones was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1995 and had been a member of the House Committee on Armed Services, instrumental in sponsoring legislation about veterans. 'Congressman Jones was a man of the people,' his office said in a statement. 'With a kind heart and the courage of his convictions, he dedicated his life to serving his Savior and to standing up for Americans who needed a voice.' North Carolina Republican Walter B Jones died in his home Sunday on his 76th birthday Jones had battled a multiple illnesses recently and was granted a leave of absence from Congress late last year after missing House votes since September. 'He was known for his independence, and widely admired across the political spectrum,' his office said in a statement. North Carolina Democratic Rep GK Butterfield, tweeted that Jones 'was my friend of over 40 years.' 'I will miss his humility and unwavering love of his community,' Butterfield said. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a release that Jones' 'relentless work on behalf of our men and women in uniform, veterans, military families and caregivers honored our American values and strengthened our country.' Jones, who is survived by his wife and daughter, was re-elected in November after running unopposed. He was sworn in remotely due to his illnesses. He was the son of conservative Democrat Congressman Walter Jones Sr, and switched parties to win as a Republican in 1994. Jones was known for his support of the Iraq War and the US-led invasion in 2003. HE later became an equally outspoken critic of the war. North Carolina Rep GK Butterfield said the two were friends for 40 years Rep Mark Meadows expressed his sadness at the passing of Jones Sunday He was also involved in the effort to change the name of 'French fries' to 'freedom fried' in menus as a dig at France for not supporting US troops entering Iraq. Jones also was a relentless advocate for campaign finance reform and controlling the national debt. 'Congressman Walter B. Jones, Jr. was the true embodiment of a public servant,' North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis said in a statement. 'He will be long remembered for his tireless advocacy for Eastern North Carolina, which he loved dearly, and for always following his convictions, no matter the political cost. 'He always did what he felt was right for his constituents, his district, and his country, and it was no wonder why he was so widely admired and trusted. It was a true honor to serve with Walter Jones.' 'Deeply saddened by the passing of Walter Jonesa beloved colleague and friend who had a profound impact on all through his graciousness, character, and committed Christian faith,' Rep. Mark Meadows tweeted. 'God be with and keep his family. We will miss him. Lauren Sanchez's brother Michael was the person who leaked the sexts between her and Jeff Bezos to the National Enquirer, it has been revealed. Multiple sources at AMI, the magazine's parent company, confirmed to Daily Beast that Michael was the one who helped blow the lid off the couple's affair. AMI previously refused to reveal who leaked the texts, but on Sunday Elkan Abramowitz, a lawyer for the company, hinted that Sanchez was behind it. 'The story was given to the National Enquirer by a reliable source that had given information to the National Enquirer for seven years prior to this story,' he said on ABC's This Week. Lauren Sanchez's brother Michael was the person who leaked the texts between her and Jeff Bezos to the National Enquirer, it has been revealed 'It was a source that was well known to both Mr Bezos and Ms Sanchez,' he added, although he refused to give the source's name. AMI refused to comment to the DailyMail.com regarding Daily Beast's revelations. Confirmation of Michael's involvement comes as it was confirmed that Bezos has closed his investigation into the leaker of the texts. 'Our investigation into who initially provided texts to the National Enquirer, and why it was done - that investigation is now complete,' Gavin de Becker, the security consultant Bezos hired to lead the investigation, told the Daily Beast. 'We have turned our conclusions over to our attorneys for referral to law enforcement. Our investigation into what the National Enquirer and [publisher] AMI did after they received the initial texts - that investigation is ongoing.' De Becker would not disclose any findings of his investigation, including whether he had individually confirmed that Sanchez was the source of the leaked texts. The security consultant previously made no secret about the fact that he and Bezos suspected Sanchez's brother could be involved with the leak. Multiple sources at AMI, the magazine's parent company, confirmed to Daily Beast that Michael was the one who helped blow the lid off the couple's affair. He is pictured here with Lauren and their mother at Amazon headquarters in June Michael has said he knew about Lauren and Bezos' affair since April of last year. The couple are pictured here in November 'I would be blind if I didn't register the fact that Michael Sanchez is an associate of people like Roger Stone, Carter Page and Scottie Nell Hughes,' he told the Washington Post. 'Learning that was a major surprise in our investigation. Naturally, that raised questions about whether [Enquirer publisher and Trump friend] David Pecker, the National Enquirer and others intended to do a hit piece on The Washington Post and Jeff Bezos.' Michael revealed he knew about his sister's affair since April but denied the allegations, claiming the texts got to the Enquirer via 'spying by foreign governments, rival tech companies or 'deep state' actors within the US government'. He even claimed to have discussed with de Becker a potential theory that Trump enlisted the help of British intelligence or the Israeli Mossad to get the texts. When asked if there was any Saudi involvement in the leaking of Bezos' texts on Friday, the Saudi Minister for Foreign Affairs Adel Jubeir said 'I doubt it,' and then a short while later said 'no.' Meanwhile, Abramowitz continued to deny that the tabloid committed extortion or blackmail by threatening to publish the Amazon CEO's explicit photos. Bezos' investigation team previously said they suspected Michael could have been the one who leaked the couple's texts to the tabloid Elkan Abramowitz, who represents American Media Inc. chief executive David Pecker, said the on Sunday that the person who leaked the text messages between Jeff Bezos and his mistress Lauren Sanchez is 'well known' to both of them EXCLUSIVE: Attorney representing AMI CEO David Pecker responds to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' allegations of extortion and blackmail: "It absolutely is not extortion and it is not blackmail ... the story was given to the National Enquirer by a reliable source." https://t.co/9KeIOBBrVQ pic.twitter.com/vG0rlWOpDi GeorgeStephanopoulos (@GStephanopoulos) February 10, 2019 The denial comes after Bezos published an extraordinary Medium blog post revealing that AMI had threatened to expose his revealing photos if he didn't have his private investigators back off. Bezos did not say the tabloid was seeking money - instead, he said, the Enquirer wanted him to make a public statement that the tabloid's coverage was not politically motivated. AMI's attorney defended the tabloid's practice on Sunday, saying it was a 'negotiation'. And Abramowitz refuted allegations the story was politically motivated because of Pecker's close friendship with Trump, who has repeatedly railed against Bezos. 'It absolutely is not extortion and not blackmail,' he said. 'Bezos didn't want another story written about him or those pictures published, AMI did not want to have the libel against them that this was inspired by the White House, inspired by Saudi Arabia or inspired by The Washington Post. 'It had nothing to do with it. It was a usual story that National Enquirer gets from reliable sources.' Bezos claimed on Thursday that AMI later threatened to expose his revealing photos if he didn't have his private investigators back off. The Amazon boss has been investigating how the tabloid obtained his private exchanges with his mistress Elkan Abramowitz refused to answer when asked if the leaker was Lauren Sanchez's brother Michael. Lauren is pictured above at Santa Monica Airport When asked if it was a 'take down' to please Trump, Abramowitz replied: 'Any investigator knew it was not the White House.' Bezos' accusations from earlier in the week added another twist to the high-profile clash between the world's richest man and the leader of America's best-known tabloid. His investigators have suggested the Enquirer's coverage of his affair - which included the release of risque texts - was driven by dirty politics. 'Of course I don't want personal photos published, but I also won't participate in their well-known practice of blackmail, political favors, political attacks, and corruption,' Bezos wrote of AMI, in explaining his decision to go public. 'I prefer to stand up, roll this log over, and see what crawls out.' AMI has admitted in the past that it engaged in what's known as 'catch-and-kill' practices to help Trump become president. Trump has been highly critical of Bezos and the Post's coverage of the White House. The Bezos affair became public when the Enquirer published a January 9 story about his relationship with Sanchez, a former TV anchor who is also married. Bezos then hired a team of private investigators to find out how the tabloid got the texts and photos the two exchanged. Several days ago, someone at AMI told Bezos' team that the company's CEO David Pecker was 'apoplectic' about the investigation, Bezos said. AMI later approached Bezos' representatives with an offer. American Media has defended their dealings with billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in a statement, saying the company 'acted lawfully' (AMI owner David Pecker on left, Chief Content Creator Dylan Howard on right) The National Enquirer's cover story on Bezos' divorce and relationship with Sanchez 'They said they had more of my text messages and photos that they would publish if we didn't stop our investigation,' Bezos wrote. Bezos wrote that this week, the tabloid's editor, Dylan Howard, emailed an attorney for Bezos' longtime security consultant to describe photos the Enquirer 'obtained during our newsgathering.' The photos include a 'below the belt selfie' of Bezos, photos of him in tight boxer-briefs and wearing only a towel, and several revealing photos of Sanchez, according to the emails Bezos released. According to the emails, an attorney for AMI offered a formal deal Wednesday: The tabloid wouldn't post the photos if Bezos and his investigators would release a public statement 'affirming that they have no knowledge or basis' to suggest the Enquirer's coverage was 'politically motivated or influenced by political forces.' Bezos said he decided to publish the emails sent to his team 'rather than capitulate to extortion and blackmail,' despite the 'personal cost and embarrassment they threaten.' In its initial story, the Enquirer said reporters followed Bezos and Sanchez 'across five states and 40,000 miles' and 'tailed them in private jets, swanky limos, helicopter rides, romantic hikes, five-star hotel hideaways, intimate dinner dates and 'quality time' in hidden love nests.' It reported that Bezos sent 'sleazy text messages and gushing love notes' to Sanchez, months before Bezos announced he was splitting up with his wife, MacKenzie. Jean-Claude Juncker and his right hand man will head to Dublin to toast the night Britain leaves the European Union, it can be revealed. The president of the European Commission plans to spend the March 29 in the Republic of Ireland to show solidarity with the Irish people. Negotiators in Whitehall had hoped that Brussels would put pressure on Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to compromise as the prospect of a No Deal Brexit approaches. The president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker plans to spend March 29 in the Republic of Ireland to show solidarity with the Irish people But EU figures have sought to put on a public show of loyalty with Ireland, whilst rejecting Theresa Mays demands for changes to the controversial backstop, which is designed to ensure there will be no return to a hard border with Northern Ireland. As Mr Varadkar visited Mr Juncker in Brussels on Wednesday, they posed together with a giant thank you card sent to the Commission president by a Dublin that declared: For the first time ever, Ireland is stronger than Britain thanks to the EU. In contrast, the next day Mr Juncker and Theresa May appeared awkward as they greeted each other in front of the cameras before sitting down for talks. EU figures will put on a public show of loyalty with Ireland, whilst rejecting Theresa Mays demands for changes to the controversial backstop Mr Junckers second in command, Martin Selmayr nicknamed The Monster, also plans to be in Dublin, raising fears that he is secretly pushing for the EU to maintain its uncompromising negotiating stance. Cabinet ministers have in private accused the European Commission secretary-general of secretly plotting the reunification of Ireland as punishment for Brexit. Britain has been reluctant to set out any plans to commemorate the countrys departure from the EU. Last May it was revealed that Big Ben will not sound its famous bongs after a Commons committee led by John Bercow decided it was not an important national event. A European Commission spokesman last night said Mr Junckers travel plans will be announced a week in advance. A spokesman for European Council president Donald Tusk, who this week caused outrage after he suggested there would be a special place in hell for Brexit campaigners, said he was unaware of any plans for him to spend Brexit night in Ireland. An alleged high-range drink driver has escaped unscathed after he lost control of his car and crashed on to one of Australia's busiest train lines. The unidentified driver avoided injury in the horror crash which saw his 4WD smash into a fence and land on its roof on top of the Sydney to Newcastle train line. Police and the local fire brigade attended the scene in Dora Creek in the Lake Macquarie Area of the NSW Central Coast around 7pm on Sunday. Scroll down for video The horror crash saw a 4WD smash into a fence and land on its roof on top of the Sydney to Newcastle train line (pictured) When the emergency services arrived they found the white Toyota Landcruiser abandoned on the tracks, while the driver had allegedly fled the scene. The vehicle was blocking the southbound train line, which caused the closure of the line in both directions. Shortly after, New South Wales police apprehended a 36-year-old male in a nearby street. The man, believed to be from the nearby suburb of Balcolyn, was then subjected to a breath test at Morisset Police Station. The police and fire brigade (pictured) found the white Toyota Landcruiser abandoned on the train tracks He allegedly failed the test with a reading of 0.153, which is over three times the legal limit. The man had his licence suspended and is faced with charges of high-range drink driving, negligent driving and not giving particulars to the owner of damaged property. He is due to appear in court tomorrow. The main road alongside the incident and both train lines have since been reopened. New South Wales Trains are also working to repair the broken fence. High-range drink driving offences carry an automatic suspension period of three years and a maximum fine of $3,300. Other drink driving offences including driving under the influence can result in a $2200 fine and an automatic licence suspension of 12 months. A prison sentence is also applicable for both offences. The wife of celebrity chef Justin Bull has promised to keep his memory alive through their son, days after he was found dead in his cafe. The 46-year-old travelled the world working for actor Russell Crowe and billionaire casino magnate James Packer before opening Huxton's in Bronte, Sydney. His wife of 14 years Justine Kendall said she didn't believe he 'intentionally left' her and his six-year-old son Felix. Justine Kendall penned two emotional farewell posts to her husband, celebrity chef Justin Bull, after he was found dead on Friday morning Ms Kendall praised Mr Bull as a husband, father, chef, and musician as she marked their 14-year marriage (pictured on their wedding day in December 2004) and 20 years together 'I believe you didn't intentionally leave us. But that in a clouded moment you just couldn't see a clear path through,' she said. Police said they were not treating Mr Bull's death as suspicious after his body was found on Friday morning inside Huxton's. 'I will do everything I can to make sure your memory stays alive with Lixy and he achieves and experiences all the things we talked so much about. As a team and family we had so many dreams,' Ms Kendall continued. 'I'm just so sorry I couldn't help you feel better but I hope your mind is now at rest and you are at peace. And you continue to look over us and help guide us through life.' In two lengthy farewell posts on her Instagram, Ms Kendall praised Mr Bull as a husband, father, chef, and musician in their 20 years together. 'Juz, you were an energetic, passionate, talented charismatic, funny, hardworking and generous man,' she wrote. The couple pictured in 2002, two years before their marriage, after meeting four years earlier when Mr Bull acted as Ms Kendall's chef Floral tributes and messages of support left at Huxton's after Mr Bull's staff rallied together and opened the cafe the day after his death as a celebration of his life 'My best friend and partner in life for almost 20 years, the most wonderful father to Felix I could have hoped for, a fantastic son, brother and loyal friend. 'When Lixy was born your love was immediate and so fierce.' Ms Kendall recalled how even when he was travelling for work and in different time zones, he would always make time for a video chat with his family. 'You didnt want to miss out on a thing. You were the most amazing and fun dad and Lixy idolized you. You were the best of mates, you are his hero,' she wrote. 'Felix says he will look up for you as a shooting star.' Ms Kendall said she didn't believe Mr Bull 'intentionally left' her and his six-year-old son Felix (pictured) Police said they were not treating Mr Bull's death as suspicious after his body was found on Friday morning inside his cafe Huxton's in Bronte, Sydney Ms Kendall wrote about how they met two decades earlier when he was her chef, and how proud she was of the business they built together. 'Your loyal, awesome staff have rallied together and opened the cafe for us today as a celebration of your life,' she wrote. 'It was rocking today and if you could see it you would realize how loved you were by so many.' Mr Bull was known for his cooking skills, but his wife drew attention to his lesser-known prowess with a guitar. 'When you were on stage you were the happiest Ive ever seen you. You commanded the room, was so charismatic and oh so sexy,' she wrote. Russell Crowe is pictured with Mr Bull's father during a visit to Huxton's cafe Mr Bull is pictured with his wife in a snap he shared on his cafe's Instagram account Finally, she spoke of her heartbreak at his sudden death and how she was struggling to accept that he was really gone. 'We are so heartbroken and devastated and still in shock. I cant believe I wont ever see you again,' Ms Kendall wrote. 'I keep expecting you to come down the stairs or hear your infectious and raucous laughter from the top of the hill. 'I know my heart will never heal, the void you have left is too great to fill. We were soulmates and while we were so different, we just had this love that kept us together no matter how we were tested.' Ms Kendall ended her second post, which included two photos of Mr Bull on holiday with Felix, with the hope that he was in a better place. 'Everyone is so blessed and lucky to have had you in our lives. I hope you are kicking back up there somewhere with some rocking tunes, a red wine and cigar in hand and smiling peacefully,' she wrote. After giving up his jetsetting lifestyle in recent years, Mr Bull set up his own cafe which he ran with his wife As a top chef, Bull made several appearances on television where he could pass on his expertise. He is pictured on channel seven's The Morning Show After giving up his jetsetting lifestyle in recent years, Mr Bull set up his own cafe which he ran with his wife before cooking for the New South Wales Blues rugby league team ahead of State of Origin last year. Mr Bull and Crowe kept in touch and the Gladiator actor has been seen enjoying meals at the chef's cafe. In December, Crowe helped out his friend by sharing CCTV of two men allegedly breaking into the cafe on Twitter. 'Two blokes breaking into Huxton's in Bronte Sunday morning. Anyone recognise them?' he wrote. Mr Bull said the alleged thieves stole an iPad and a speaker just before Christmas. Mr Bull's cafe attracted several celebrities including rock star Jimmy Barnes (left with Bull) Two blokes breaking into Huxtons in Bronte Sunday morning . Anyone recognise them ? pic.twitter.com/cZipfOyc9i Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) December 17, 2018 The renowned chef also kept in touch with Mr Packer, and they remained close enough that the billionaire flew into Sydney on Sunday for his funeral. It was believed to be the first time Mr Packer had returned to Australia since stepping down from the Crown board a year ago. In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph in December, Mr Bull said working for James Packer made him hungry for success. 'The great thing I learnt from working for and spending time around people like James Packer is that they woke up every day with a fire in their bellies to be better each day,' he said. 'They knew exactly what they wanted and worked bloody hard to get it.' He also told how he was determined to pass on his love of healthy eating to his six-year-old son. 'My boy Felix loves cooking and helping in the kitchen and I try to teach him as much as I can,' he said. For confidential support call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14 Couples are deciding not to start a family because they fear their children will face an unsafe future due to global warming. Climate change organisation 1 Million Women and the Australian Conservation Foundation surveyed thousands of women to find out what their thoughts are on changes to the environment. The survey of 6500 people found 33.4 per cent of women under 30 were apprehensive about having children as they are anxious about the future of the planet. Rachael Schnurr, 32, said she and her husband Dan, 35, (pictured together) have discussed having children but 'lean further and further away from it every year' Felicity Lochhead, 28, is concerned about the kind of future her children could face due to climate change Felicity Lochhead, 28, said she is concerned about the effects humans are causing in relation to climate change. 'I'm at the stage of my life when everyone is asking when we are going to have children,' she said. Ms Lochhead and her husband Hayden, 30, live in Illawarra, south of Sydney. The couple said they were trying to balance their desire to start a family with the impacts of global warming. 'I am constantly learning about and focused on the damage we have done and continue to do. It is depressing,' she said. 'I am very, very apprehensive to have children, even though I feel like I could be a great mother... I don't know what to do.' Rachael Schnurr, 32, her husband Dan, 35, live in Michigan in the US, and have discussed having children but 'lean further and further away from it every year'. Mrs Lochhead (pictured) and her husband Hayden, 30, live in Illawarra, south of Sydney 'Initially that was our plan, a big biological family, but things have evolved,' she told Daily Mail Australia. Ms Schnurr said not wanting to contribute to overpopulation was one of the factors they have considered. 'Right now we figure we're good and if we ever really wanted kids, we would rather adopt because it would be better for the planet in multiple ways,' she said. 'Once we started to really think about how ridiculous it is to continue reproducing on this overburdened planet, it was hard to think about it any other way.' 1 Million Women was set up by Natalie Isaacs with the goal of bringing about a 'global movement of women' to 'empower them to act on climate change'. The brother of a convict who was gunned down in his apartment has said 'no-one deserves to die like that' as four men are charged over the murder. Duane Hutchings, 44, was found with critical injuries inside a house in Oakleigh East, Melbourne, before 5.30am on Saturday. He was rushed to hospital after his devastated partner called police - but later died. Duane Hutchings (pictured), 44, was found with critical injuries inside an Oakleigh East property in Melbourne before 5.30am on Saturday Police believe four men broke into his home before Mr Hutchings, a father of five who had just been released from prison, was shot during an 'altercation'. On Monday his shattered sibling Liam said 'my brother didn't deserve to die like that. No-one does.' His cousin Sharni told 9News: 'It's just horrid, really. 'He was a beautiful person who looked after his mum and his family, he cared about his children and just wanted to progress to a better life.' A 56-year-old Doncaster East man was arrested along with three others, aged 18, 22, and 24, in police raids at Doncaster and Park Orchards on Sunday afternoon. The eldest man was charged with murder and aggravated home invasion, while the others have each been charged with aggravated home invasion and assault. All are due to face the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday. Police believe four men broke into his home before Mr Hutchings, a father of five, was shot dead during an 'altercation' Some 42 million Latin Americans want to migrate to the United States, according to a new Gallup poll. The survey was taken to gauge the opinions of some 450 million residents of the 33 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Of those who participated in the survey, 27 per cent said they would like to permanently move to another country if they could. The 27 per cent represents about 120 million people, according to Gallup. When the respondents were asked where they would like to move, 35 per cent - or 42 million - said they preferred to come to the U.S. Gallup also found that 5 million people from Latin America and the Caribbean say they would like to relocate to America within the next 12 months. Donald Trump seized on the Gallup poll results on Sunday, saying they boost his case for a wall along the border with Mexico. The president tweeted: 'Gallup Poll: 'Open Borders will potentially attract 42 million Latin Americans.' This would be a disaster for the U.S. We need the Wall now!' A metal fence marked with the US Border Patrol sign prevents people from getting close to the barbed wire covering the US-Mexico border fence in Nogales, Arizona on Saturday. A new poll found that 42 million Latin Americans want to immigrate to the United States Trump, who has disparaged Latin American countries over immigration, narcotics and trade, will head to the region later this week for a summit that diplomats say is likely to be awkward and tense. Trump will arrive in the Peruvian capital, Lima, on Friday for the Summit of the Americas with an agenda of encouraging commercial ties and urging allies to take a hard line on Venezuela, according to U.S. officials who briefed reporters on the trip. But the U.S. president's divisive rhetoric and fraught relationships with leaders such as Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto make it unlikely he will make big strides towards his goals, experts said. 'He is going in profoundly unpopular in the region, and that obviously complicates the ability of leaders to work with him,' said Mark Feierstein, who managed hemispheric issues for President Barack Obama's White House, and is now an adviser with the Albright Stonebridge Group. The visit is stirring nostalgia for Obama, the Republican president's Democratic predecessor, a Peruvian diplomat said. The diplomat added, however: 'Nobody has lost any sleep over Trump,' saying: 'We all know how to smile and nod along, so we're not too worried.' Trump has complained about US job losses to Mexico, threatened to rip up the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada and began his presidential bid with a speech describing Mexican immigrants as 'rapists' and drug dealers. Trump has also taken aim at migration from Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and other Latin American countries and threatened to cut off aid to Colombia and Peru over the drug trade. As he prepares for his trip, which includes a stop in Colombia after the summit, Trump has ramped up his rhetoric on illegal immigration with a plan to send National Guard troops to the U.S. border with Mexico. Mexico's Pena Nieto on Monday ordered a review of all cooperation with the United States, a sign of growing frustration with Trump. Many Mexicans want to see their government take a harder line. After Trump's first year in office, only 16 percent of poll respondents in Latin America approved of Trump's performance, according to Gallup. A Central American migrant poses outside a warehouse used as a shelter in Piedras Negras, Mexico on Sunday. Piedras Negras is right on the border with Texas Sergio Montenegro, 40, who works at an insurance company in Lima, compared Trump with some populist leaders who gained power in Latin America in recent decades. 'Being loud, always at the center of attention, constant scandals ... that's been our reality for many years,' Montalvo said. 'The United States isn't respected as much now ... before, whatever Americans said seemed to be the right thing - the voice of reason. Now whatever they say is questioned.' Asked about how confrontational Trump might be at the summit and if there was discussion about countering his low regional popularity, a U.S. official on the briefing said: 'He speaks what's on his mind. And I think he will speak to issues of shared values and shared goals within the region.' A source in the Brazilian government told Reuters on condition of anonymity that a positive agenda from Washington 'is badly needed if the Trump administration wants to keep productive relations with the region.' At the summit, leaders will try to build consensus around cracking down on corruption in the region, a theme brought into focus last month by the resignation of Peru's former president, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, over ties to a scandal involving Brazilian construction conglomerate Odebrecht. The White House also wants to turn up regional pressure on Venezuela's socialist president, Nicolas Maduro - disinvited from the summit - who called an election for May that his opposition and Washington have cast as a sham. Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans have fled to Colombia and other neighbouring countries to escape hunger and poverty. President Donald Trump seized on the Gallup poll results on Sunday, saying they boost his case for a wall along the border with Mexico The president tweeted: 'Gallup Poll: 'Open Borders will potentially attract 42 million Latin Americans.' This would be a disaster for the U.S. We need the Wall now!' Republican Senator Marco Rubio is set to meet with Trump on Wednesday before the trip to urge more humanitarian aid for Venezuelans, tougher financial and economic sanctions on Maduro, and to 'lay the groundwork for an international cooperative effort to rebuild post-Maduro Venezuela after free, fair and open elections are held,' an aide said. Rubio, who is holding a hearing about the summit on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, also wants Trump to boost support in Cuba for democracy and human rights, the aide said. The United States, a major buyer of Venezuelan oil, has weighed ramping up economic sanctions. A US official told reporters last week that no decisions were imminent but could be made over the next several months. At the summit, diplomats from countries critical of Maduro might formally condemn the election and discuss ways to help Venezuelan migrants, according to a source at Argentina's Foreign Ministry. Such a statement would be 'unprecedented,' said Ana Rose Quintana, an analyst with the conservative Heritage Foundation in Washington. 'The statement would be the groundwork for additional sanctions later on,' Quintana said. Samantha Markle has once again hit out at Meghan Markle, claiming her half-sister would care about her if she had $600million. Her newest Twitter rant came hours after a letter Meghan sent to their father Thomas Markle was published in the Mail on Sunday. Meghan specifically hit out at Samantha in the letter, which illuminated just how estranged her relationship with her father has become. 'I pleaded with you to stop reading the tabloids. On a daily basis you fixated and clicked on the lies they were writing about me, especially those manufactured by your other daughter, who I barely know,' the letter read. Hours later, Samantha was ranting about Meghan on her private Twitter account, calling her half-sister a 'narcissist'. Samantha Markle has once again hit out at the Duchess of Sussex, claiming Meghan Markle would care about her if she had $600million During the Twitter rant on Sunday, Samantha also called her half-sister a narcissist 'Some narcissits (sic) were 'only children', otherswish they were,' she wrote. One Meghan supporter hit back that Samantha needed to 'help herself'. 'It is not Meghan's responsibility to keep Samantha in the lifestyle she thinks she should have. Also I have seen people with worse disabilities than her's and they work #excuses,' they wrote. One of Samantha's supporters replied: 'Samantha should be black, then Me'again might care'. 'if I had 600 mil she would care,' Samantha responded. Samantha claimed that Meghan 'would care' about her if she had $600million after one of her followers claimed the Duchess, who is biracial, would care about her if she was black Her writing is elegant and distinctive. Over five pages, the Duchess of Sussex pours out her heart to her father in a letter written last August three months after their bitter rift began Samantha also had a war of words with one Twitter commenter who accused her of changing her last name back to Markle to 'cash in' after Meghan became engaged to Prince Harry. 'Actually my name was Markle from birth my last name Markle is on my degrees and Grant was only a pen name to protect my address. Markle is my maiden nameI had it since 1964,' Samantha responded. 'A lot of writers use pen names u moron (sic)' she shot back in another tweet. 'My name has never legally been Grant so chew on that for awhile. Oh and stop reading tabloids you're totally misguided.' Samantha also had a war of words with one Twitter commenter who accused her of changing her last name back to Markle to 'cash in' after Meghan became engaged to Prince Harry In yet another tweet, Samantha responded that Meghan had not been 'branded' by their father. 'She created her own brand and the rest of the world sees that,' she added. Meghan's bombshell five-page letter, sent in August last year, lays bare the true depths of the Duchess's estrangement from her father. In elegant script, she accuses him of breaking her heart 'into a million pieces' by giving interviews to the press, fabricating stories, and attacking her new husband. The Duchess also admonishes her father, in anguished tones, for siding with Samantha while she 'silently suffered at the hand of her vicious lies'. Earlier this week it was revealed that Meghan burst into tears after discovering Samantha is planning to write a book about her. In the five-page letter to her father, Meghan admonished Thomas for siding with Samantha while she 'silently suffered at the hand of her vicious lies' Meghan also specifically hit out at Samantha for manufacturing lies about her to the press The Duchess of Sussex, who is around seven months pregnant, was upset because she felt she was being 'taken advantage of', according to a close friend with knowledge of the situation. Samantha, 54, first revealed her literary ambitions in April 2016 and initially said the book would be called, 'The Diary of Princess Pushy's Sister.' Earlier this month, she announced she would be writing a second book which, like the first, will be called, 'In the Shadows of the Duchess'. The first installment is slated for publication in April around the time that Meghan, 37, is expected to give birth and will, Samantha said in a recent interview with the Daily Star, 'cover everything from behind the scenes that the world does not know about.' In her letter to her father, the Duchess begged him to stop attacking 'patient, kind and understanding' Prince Harry Meghan has told friends that she stopped reading interviews with members of her family after finding out about the first book two years ago and tries not to look at gossip about herself. 'She stopped reading things after finding out about her sister's book,' the friend told DailyMail.com. 'She cried when she found out about it. 'Out of everything that's been said, the one thing that really upset her was that [the book]. She and Samantha never had a very good relationship and she feels her sister is using her position for profit.' Meghan is last thought to have seen her sister, who lives in Ocala, Florida, in 2008 and her brother Thomas Markle Jr, 52, of Grants Pass, Oregon, in 2011. A snorkeler has been found dead on the seafloor off the Mornington Peninsula on Sunday. Police were alerted after 5pm when the snorkeler failed to return to shore from Daveys Bay in Melbourne's south-east. A water and air search was conducted by police and the man was found just after 6pm. Police were alerted after 5pm when the snorkeler failed to return to shore from Daveys Bay, Victoria (pictured) The man is yet to be formally identified. Police will prepare a report for the coroner. Daveys Bay, an hour south-east of Melbourne, is a picturesque stretch of beach often frequented by fishers and members of the local yacht club. The secluded beach is said to be a safe spot for swimming, although warnings online mention strong rip currents during westerly winds. According to Life Saving Victoria, there were 22 reported fatal drowning incidents in the state from December 1, 2018 to February 4, 2019. Surfing legend Mick Fanning will spend his retirement seeking out the most perfect waves in the world thanks to an extraordinary new deal. The world champion has signed a 10-year agreement worth millions of dollars to be the face of Rip Curl's The Search, a new adventure that will see him surf in some of the most remote parts of the world. The surfwear company has already sent him to ride a secret break known as 'the snake', which is thought to be a perfect wave, and surf swells made by glaciers. Fanning says he is excited for the new opportunity, which will see him continue his close relationship with the surfing brand, which has been his major sponsor for decades. Mick Fanning will spend the next 10 years chasing the perfect wave for Rip Curl in a new multi-million dollar deal The world champion surfer will explore some of the most remote locations in the world in search of a good wave 'Having the relationship I have had with the company and the people in it has been a huge part of my career and the last 20 years of my life,' he said. 'This deal is another cornerstone in that relationship, and I cant wait to get out there and get on The Search.' Fanning will also work on his own softboard business, as well as Balter Breweries, which he founded with other pro-surfers Bede Durbidge, Josh Kerr and Joel Parkinson. The 37-year-old announced his retirement last February, telling fans in a social media post he could no longer 'find the motivation and dedication' to continue competing. The deal continues a decades-long partnership with the surf brand, and will see Fanning continue to be a prominent face in the world of surfing He said he would remain an avid fan of the sport, and was looking forward to seeing it from a new angle and finding new ways to experience the swell. 'I cant wait to watch it all go down as one of the sports biggest fans,' he said in the heartfelt post. 'Im also looking forward to evolving my own surfing in new ways, visiting unfamiliar places and taking on different experiences.' Fanning won world surfing titles in 2007, 2009 and 2013. In 2015, Fanning punched a shark, thought to be a great white, in the nose on live television. The predator had swum up behind him and pulled him off his board by his leg strap at Jeffries Bay in South Africa. Sen Amy Klobuchar has addressed claims from former staffers that she mistreats and embarrasses her aides. 'Yes, I can be tough, and yes I can push people, I know that' Klobuchar told reporters following her snowy Minnesota rally Sunday where she announced her bid for president. 'I have high expectations for myself, I have high expectations for the people that work for me, but I have high expectations for this country, and that's what we need' Klobuchar, 58, did not deny the accusations but instead said 'I love our staff' after multiple former staffers painted her in a light far from her kind and laid-back persona. Sen Amy Klobuchar announced her bid for the presidency Sunday in Minnesota 'In the end, there are so many great stories of our staff that have been with me for years who have gone on to do incredible things,' Klobuchar told reporters. Multiple former staffers told the Huffington Post Wednesday that at least three people have turned down the chance to run her campaign because of the stories about her. Staff describe the senator as a demanding boss who sends dozens of emails over night accusing of them of bad work - CCing multiple colleagues to publicly shame them - and using aides to perform personal tasks such as washing dishes at her home or picking up her dry cleaning. One staffer even recalled how the senator would write out tardy slips to staffers who came to the office late. Long hours, being pulled into personal tasks, and temper tantrums can and does happen in offices on Capitol Hill where the political pressure turns the professional environment into a pressure cooker. And staffers are generally over worked and under paid compared to members of Congress. Klobuchar's Senate salary is $174,000. Other former staffers, however, defended the senator, saying she puts in long hours and demands that her office meet the high standards she sets for herself. Klobuchar was been accused of being demeaning and cruel to her staff just says before she announced her presidential campaign Staff describe Klobuchar as a demanding boss who accuses of them of bad work and uses aides to perform personal tasks such as washing dishes Some questioned whether former co-workers who thought she was abusive were falling for sexist stereotypes about female leaders with high standards. 'I've heard people say she's tough to work for and I sometimes cringe when I hear it because I rarely hear that said about male bosses in Congress despite the fact that half of Congress is tough to work for,' Tristan Brown, a former legislative aide who called Klobuchar 'probably the most brilliant, hardworking person I've had the privilege to work for,' told the Huffington Post. A troubling sign, however, is that Klobuchar's office has one of the highest rates of staff turnover in the Senate. From 2001 to 2016, she was No. 1 in the Senate for staff turnover as measured by LegiStorm, a widely used database of congressional staff information. She's now third. Her campaign defended the senator as someone who 'loves her staff.' 'Senator Klobuchar loves her staff - they are the reason she has gotten to where she is today,' a campaign spokesperson told Huffington Post. 'She has many staff who have been with her for years - including her Chief of Staff and her State Director, who have worked for her for 5 and 7 years respectively - and many who have gone on to do amazing things, from working in the Obama Administration (over 20 of them) to running for office to even serving as the Agriculture Commissioner for Minnesota. She is proud of them and the work they have done for Minnesota.' Klobuchar made her announcement to run for president on a snow-filled day in Minneapolis, in a speech that countered the Trump's policies on climate change and immigration along with knocking his divisive tone in politics The mother of a butcher arrested on suspicion of abducting Libby Squire has told MailOnline she is 'speechless' after her son was charged with a string of unrelated offences including burglary and outraging public decency. The missing Hull student vanished after a night out in the East Yorkshire ten days ago. Pawel Relowicz, who moved to the UK from Poland five years ago, was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of abducting her and officers have been searching his home ever since. Relowicz, 24, was last night charged with voyeurism, burglary and indecency and will appear at Hull Magistrates Court this morning. His mother, Marzena Relowicz, 52, told MailOnline: 'I dont know what to say,I am just speechless. Why are they keeping him jail? There is something wrong here. I just do not understand this and it is all too much to take in. Last night Humberside Police said 'a 24-year-old man' - known to be Relowicz - remained 'of interest to the investigation' over Libby's disappearance but has not been charged. Pawel Relowicz, 24 was tonight charged with voyeurism, burglary and indecency. His mother, Marzena Relowicz (pictured), 52, reacted with astonishment to the news, saying: 'I dont know what to say,I am just speechless' Police have raided the home of Polish butcher Pawel Relowicz (left) over the disappearance of Libby Squire, 21, (pictured right) in Hull ten days ago - but have not charged him with any offences related to her disappearance Timeline: The hunt for missing Libby Squire 11pm Thursday, January 31: Libby is refused entry at Welly Club around two miles from her home and put into a taxi 11.30pm: Libby was dropped off on Wellesley Avenue - but does not go inside her house 11.45pm: Libby was seen sitting on a bench around the corner on Beverley Road. A witness says she was seen speaking to the driver of a car. 12.09am: Detectives believe Libby stayed in the area for about half an hour and was wandering the streets near her student digs. 12.30am, Friday February 1: A near-neighbour says she woke up after hearing 'blood-curdling' screams. February 6: Pawel Relowicz is arrested on suspicion of Libby's abduction February 8: Police ask for more time to interview abduction suspect. February 10: Relowicz is charged with voyeurism, burglary and indecency - but no charges related to Libby's disappearance. Advertisement Detective Superintendent Matt Hutchinson said: 'Twenty-four-year-old Pawel Relowicz has today been charged with voyeurism, outraging public decency and three counts of burglary. 'An offence of outraging public decency was reported to have taken place on 19 January 2019 and an offence of voyeurism was reported on the 26 December 2018 in Hull, East Yorks. 'The three burglaries were reported between December 2017 and January 2019.' MailOnline informed his mother that her son had been charged with the offences. Relowicz had been held for 96 hours by police investigating the disappearance of Libby - the maximum amount of time allowed before charges were brought or he was released. Earlier, Mrs Relowicz, speaking at the family home in the village of Warszewice, Poland said she had to take medication because she was so stressed by the arrest of her son. Marzena had insisted he son could not have been involved with the disappearance of the 21 year old student from near her home in Hull, saying: her son 'is no killer'. Marzena Relowicz, mother of Pawel Relowicz (right in a family photo), sobbed as she told MailOnline at her home in Warszewice, Poland that 'her son is no killer' Detectives are still searching Relowicz' terraced home in Raglan Street, which he shared with his wife and two children Police stopped the public entering an area around a giant pond near Libby's home in Hull (circled in red top right) - days after already searching the area and appear fully focussed on the park nearest her student digs where they sealed off the car park Mrs Relowicz said she had been told that her son had offered a girl a lift in his silver Vauxhall Astra on the night Libby went missing. Pawel was driving home and saw a girl crying, she said. He had given her a lift as she wanted to go home. He had put her address into his satnav system. I know in my heart that Pawel did not do anything to this girl. He is a good boy who respects women and would not do anything to harm anyone. In a tearful interview, the devout Catholic said: If something isnt right, God forbid, then there must be punishment. Mrs Relowicz, 52, insisted her son was not capable of harming Miss Squire, 21. High-tech cameras were used to search outbuildings in Hull near the home of the philosophy student. Placing a hand on her heart, she said: My son Pawel did not abduct that girl. I would rather die than know he is guilty. My heart is breaking over this and I feel so sad for the girls parents and what they are going through. I cant imagine their pain. I desperately hope they find her alive. Missing student Libby Squire's mother Lisa is pictured hugging a police officer outside Hull Community Church today Libby's father Russ was also at the church and was pictured leaving with her mother. The area was monitored by police Detectives used infra-red cameras to search the area near the 21-year-old's home and searched a gutter outside Relowicz's home. Police have been seen removing computers from Relowicz's house and the front and back doors of his home were today sealed with metal sheets by officers. The investigation into Miss Squires disappearance took a dramatic turn on Wednesday when police arrested Mr Relowicz at the rented home in Hull where he lives with his wife and two young children. At 11pm the night she disappeared, Libby was refused entry at Welly Club nightclub around two miles from her home and put into a taxi by her friends. At 11.30pm was dropped off by the taxi but did not go inside her home and at 11.45pm Libby was last seen sitting on a bench around the corner on Beverley Road. Detectives think Libby stayed in the area for about half an hour and was wandering the streets near her student digs. At 12.30pm a neighbour said that they were woken up by a 'blood-curdling scream'. Police officers search the gutter of Relowicza's property on Raglan Street in Hull using infra-red cameras Police officers search the gutter of the property where the butcher lives in Hull, as they look for clues about the disappearance of Libby Police are pictured today removing items from the house of Polish butcher Pawel Relowicz in Hull High-tech cameras were used to search outbuildings in Hull near the home of the philosophy student. The infra-red cameras are capable of detecting people who are obscured by cover and are equipped with a microphone to hear hidden subjects. And neighbours were quizzed by detectives who handed them a form with seven questions to complete. Pieter Pickering, 43, said his 'whole world' was destroyed with the death of Megan Kirley The boyfriend of a mother fatally shot in the head at the weekend says his 'whole world has been destroyed' by the tragic incident. Megan Kirley, 40, was found dead at her rural property in Karawatha, south of Brisbane, in the early hours of Saturday morning. Her boyfriend, Pieter Pickering, 43, rang 000 at 3.16am to report Ms Kirley had died by a gunshot wound. Detective Inspector Craig Morrow said Mr Pickering - who is known to officers - was interviewed by police and released without charge at the weekend. He has 'assisted us with our inquiries right since the word go' and it's not clear whether he was the only other person at the property when the gun went off. Queensland mother Megan Kirley (pictured) was shot dead in the early hours of Saturday morning, with Mr Pickering calling the police Mr Pickering has posted a series of tributes to his late partner since the tragedy. 'Somebody help me my Megs is gone ... my whole world is destroyed,' he wrote on Facebook. When friends asked what had happened, he replied bluntly: 'My Mrs was shot on Friday night.' He added that Ms Kirley, a passionate motorcyclist and one-time council worker, was the 'greatest woman this world was ever graced with'. Mr Pickering has previously documented his tumultuous relationships with women on social media in detail. He confessed to taking domestic violence classes in two separate Facebook posts and has admitted being violent towards women. Mr Pickering said Ms Kirley, a council worker, was the 'greatest woman this world has ever been graced with' Mr Pickering shared this post about being a 'real man' to Facebook in the middle of last year Last June, he posted to Facebook about the collapse of a relationship with another woman who 'saved my life', describing her as his 'world'. When friends told him he needed to prove he wouldn't hurt the woman, Mr Pickering agreed. 'I am taking DV (domestic violence) classes every week now n ur right anger is a choice,' he said. 'Sadly for all the love she gave me it is no longer, she's moved on.' In August, he shared a meme saying that 'real men don't hit women' and admitted he had failed in that respect in the past. 'Publicly will admit to failing this am (doing) DV classes seeing a (counsellor)/shrink to get rid of past demons.' He said he would spend time alone in order to find himself 'properly' and wouldn't be 'gettn smashed n pickn up randoms (sic)'. 'Early days, watch this space bro,' he said. Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Mr Pickering was responsible for Ms Kirley's death. Mr Pickering (pictured) told media at the weekend that he had been preparing to propose to Ms Kirley Mr Pickering posted a series of tributes to Megan Kirley on social media at the weekend At the weekend Mr Pickering told The Courier Mail he had been preparing to propose to Ms Kirley on Valentine's Day this week. 'I loved her so much and planned to ask her to marry me on Valentine's Day, Mr Pickering said. I'm lost now she is gone. 'She was the greatest woman this world has ever been graced with. 'She was strong yet kind and caring, she was understanding and my best friend. She made an impact on every person's lives that were privileged enough to meet her.' Police are still conducting searches of the semi-rural property, about 30 minutes drive south of the Brisbane CBD. Detective Inspector Morrow has urged anyone who drove past the property on Wembley Rd between 2.45am and the Mr Pickering's 000 call to contact police. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson (pictured speaking in London today) has said it is time to increase our 'lethality' and warn Russia and China there will be a high price for flouting international law Britain's new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth will sail to the Pacific on its first mission, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson revealed today. Mr Williamson revealed the deployment as he said Britain must demonstrate its commitment to 'hard power' when standing up to Russia and China. At a speech in London, Mr Williamson revealed a 7.3million plan to buy 'swarm drones' which can be used to overwhelm enemy defences. He also said two ferries will be bought and converted into warships to bolster the Royal Navy. The projects will be funded from a 'transformation fund' intended to create state of the art technology for the Armed Forces. In a speech to the Royal United Services Institute Mr Williamson warned Britain was prepared to use 'hard power' against its enemies. He told China and Russia there was a price to flouting international law and insisted Brexit was a moment for Britain to step its international leadership role. The Defence Secretary was branded an 'embarrassment' and accused of offering a 'second hand Navy' this afternoon. In a speech to the RUSI in London (pictured), Mr Williamson announced the deployment of the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier to the Pacific to deter the Chinese The Defence Secretary insisted the new 'Littoral Strike Ship concept' boats would create a rapid response capability for Royal Marines that can be deployed globally. The ships would be stripped to their hulls and adapted so they can deploy fast boats, landing craft or special forces. The idea is they could be used in cases such as humanitarian disaster or hostage rescues. He said: 'These globally deployable, multi-role vessels would be able to conduct a wide range of operations from crisis support to war fighting. 'They would support our future Commando force, our world-renowned Royal Marines - they will be forward deployed at exceptionally high readiness and able to respond at a moment's notice - bringing the fight from the sea to land.' He said the two ships - one of the first investments from the Transformation Fund - could be based to the east of Suez in the Indo-Pacific and to the west of Suez in the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Baltic. It is understood the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is considering using cargo ships or ferries, with the existing hulls converted and ultimately able to deploy assets from them including fast boats, landing craft, helicopters and special forces. They could be used in hostage rescue situations, humanitarian disasters, intelligence surveillance and could intervene in situations in an agile way, the Press Association understands. The vessels may be bought outright or leased, with the adaption carried out by British companies. The cost is believed to be into the tens of millions. Labour MP Martin Whitfield, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign, said: 'The Defence Secretary can't help but embarrass himself. This is the safety of our country we're talking about, not overselling the credentials of a fireplace. 'Brexit Britain means a secondhand navy made up of old ferry ships. It's not going to scare Russia and it's not going to see us rule the waves once more. 'If we want the world to turn to us for leadership, then we should be leading - not running away from our responsibilities in the EU.' The diminished strength of Britain's famed Royal Navy can be seen in comparison to the rest of the top world powers Mr Williamson also announced plans to 'develop swarm squadrons of network-enabled drones capable of confusing the enemy and overwhelming their air defences'. The devices could be deployed as soon as the end of this year, Mr Williamson claimed. Mr Williamson claimed actions by China and Russia have blurred the boundaries between peace and war. Warning 'state-on-state competition was reviving' Mr Williamson said: 'Russia is resurgent - rebuilding its military arsenal to bring the independent countries of the former Soviet Union like Georgia and Ukraine back into its orbit. 'All the while China is developing its modern capability and commercial power.' The tone of his speech is likely to frustrate Whitehall officials who have urged ministers to play down Russia's strength and not encourage Moscow's propaganda machine. He added: 'We have to be ready to show the high price of aggressive behaviour,' Mr Williamson said. 'To talk but fail to act risks our nation being seen as little more than a paper tiger. Against adversaries upping their spending and advancing technology, we have to respond. 'If we do not, we will find ourselves with fewer options when we face threats in the future. 'As uncertainty grows we must be ready to act and bring others with us. Our adversaries are increasingly using cyber-attacks, subversion and information operations to challenge us and the rules-based international order.' The Defence Secretary said Britain's Armed Forces are ready to use 'hard power' against aggressors as he announced HMS Queen Elizabeth (pictured in December) would be deployed to the Pacific Mr Williamson urged Nato allies to step up to the challenge of spending 2 per cent of GDP on defence. Just six nations scrape over the threshold (pictured) Mr Williamson urged Nato allies to step up to the challenge of spending 2 per cent of GDP on defence. He added: 'The alliance also must develop its ability to handle the kind of provocations that Russia is throwing at us. 'Such action from Russia must come at a cost.' In his speech, Mr Williamson fuelled speculation about his leadership ambitions with a pitch aimed at Tory Brexiteers. He said leaving the European Union gives Britain an 'unparalleled opportunity' to consider how to maximise its influence. 'Brexit has brought us to a great moment in our history,' he claimed. 'A moment when we must strengthen our global presence, enhance our lethality, and increase our mass. 'We shouldn't be shy about our ambition for our forces.' He added: 'We will build new alliances, rekindle old ones and most importantly make it clear that we are the country that will act when required. 'We should be the nation that people turn to when the world needs leadership.' The Royal Navy's 3.2billion Queen Elizabeth will be deployed to the Pacific with two squadrons of UK and American F-35 fighters to reinforce freedom of navigation rights in the South China Sea. Beijing has been accused of increasing maritime aggression in the region. The aircraft carrier deployment will also take in the Mediterranean and Middle East. The Defence Secretary said the ship's mission its first will help make 'Global Britain' a reality. 'Significantly, British and American F-35s will be embedded in the carrier's air wing, enhancing the reach and lethality of our forces and reinforcing the fact that the US remains our very closest of partners,' he said. Mr Williamson confirmed plans for new British bases in the Caribbean and Asia-Pacific. Britain and its allies must be ready 'to use hard power to support our interests', Mr Williamson told the Royal United Services Institute think-tank. But Nia Griffith, Labour's defence spokesman, said: 'The Conservatives have slashed the defence budget by over 9billion in real terms since 2010 and they are cutting Armed Forces numbers year after year. Instead of simply engaging in yet more sabre-rattling, Gavin Williamson should get to grips with the crisis in defence funding that is happening on his watch.' In March last year Mr Williamson told Russia to 'go away and shut up' after the Salisbury novichok nerve agent attack. 'It is absolutely atrocious and outrageous what Russia did in Salisbury,' he said. 'We have responded to that.' He has also warned that Russia could cause 'thousands and thousands' of deaths by crippling UK infrastructure. l.brown@dailymail.co.uk A band of veteran militant green activists are fuelling a campaign to encourage thousands of children to skip school. On Friday, thousands of pupils will walk out of lessons across the country in a mass protest over climate change. Children as young as nine will be taking part in the day of action which is being quietly supported by some teachers while organisers say the strike is the beginning of a wave of youth protests of increasing intensity. They expect several thousand to join Fridays walkout but hope this will rise to tens of thousands of pupils over the next few months. So far, pupils from more than 40 towns and cities have signed up, including Leeds, Bristol, Oxford, Exeter, Stratford-upon-Avon and Winchester. They are planning to leave lessons at 11am and join a number of larger protests which are being held in London, Cardiff and Truro in Cornwall. Student strike action, organized by 'Youth For Climate', taking place in Brussels, Belgium last month Thousands of children are being encouraged to skip school for the protests across the UK Remarkably, the National Association of Head Teachers, which has 28,500 members, initially appeared to be supportive. A spokesman said: When you get older pupils making an informed decision, that kind of thing needs to be applauded. A day of activity like this could be an important and valuable life experience. However, last night the union tried to row back, saying while it supported the right for young people to express themselves, it did not back them missing lessons. The National Association of Head Teachers appeared to support the idea A second union, the Association of School and College Leaders, also urged pupils not to take part and warned the strikes would be extremely disruptive and cause them to miss out on important learning time. Fridays protests are part of a global movement of walkouts which have been gathering pace in recent months all sparked by a 16-year-old schoolgirl. Greta Thunberg, who is Swedish, held a solo strike outside her countrys parliament in Stockholm for several weeks during August. Since then, protests involving thousands of young people have taken place in Germany, France, Switzerland, Netherlands and Australia. But there are concerns that, behind the scenes, the walkouts in the UK have already been hijacked by hard-line climate groups and career activists. They include Extinction Rebellion, whose roadblocks brought parts of London to a standstill in November and an academic who specialises in empowerment struggles. Jake Woodier, who is helping to organise the walkouts, said: Weve got over 40 towns and cities which are taking part in the action, and within those towns and cities there are multiple institutes which are going to be taking part. This is the first UK-wide action. Where theres been the first action in other countries its started out fairly small and then escalated quite dramatically. Schools in Australia, Belgium and Switzerland as well as the UK will see walkouts after marches were organised through social media The plan is for students to continue walking out and escalating the campaign to try to get more numbers walking out of class until theyre paid attention to. These are students at schools, colleges and universities. Based on the number of cities and towns we are expecting low thousands [to take part]. Just in the past two weeks weve seen the number of towns and cities for strike action to take place double from 20 to 40. Its really spreading fast. Were getting a lot of interest all the way down from a nine-year-old taking part up to university students. The walkout is being described as a warm-up for a much larger protest on March 15, to coincide with action in other countries. The Department for Education said it was a matter for individual schools This is being largely organised through social media and is expected to involve schools in Australia, Belgium and Switzerland as well as the UK. But Chris McGovern, chairman of the Campaign For Real Education, said: Im very pleased children are learning about the environment, and no way would we criticise that, but this is politicising education. Its taking children out on to the streets. The schools themselves have become politicised in a very strong Left-leaning direction. A lot of teachers are passively endorsing this Left-wing activism. Its very obvious that teachers are turning the other way. At the very least they are passively giving encouragement to it. The Department for Education said it was a matter for individual schools. But they stressed that pupils could take time off during term time only in exceptional circumstances when it had been authorised by a headteacher. A spokesman for the National Association of Head Teachers said: There is no reason why a young persons desire to get involved in social issues should get in the way of their schooling. While it will be for individual school leaders to decide how best to respond to any proposed protest, few would condone young people missing out on education as a consequence. Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: While we understand the strength of feeling over the very important issue of climate change, we would urge pupils against walking out of school on Friday. Neither the National Union of Teachers nor NASUWT, another major teaching union, would give their position on the strikes. Last night, Douglas Rogers. of Extinction Rebellion, confirmed the group was offering advice to the student protesters. We support it but are not directly related, he said. We are a separate movement but we absolutely share their goals and think its really important that people act in whatever way they can. At least 50 pharmacies in Britain are under investigation for helping funnel deadly prescription drugs to the black market. Eighty-six people, including 14 pharmacists, have been arrested or interviewed under caution for illegally supplying dangerous drugs such as Xanax and Tramadol stolen from the regulated supply chain. Senior business owners with a controlling interest in multiple premises are among the pharmacists arrested. It has emerged the number of active investigations into the theft of medicine by professionals has soared by almost 70 per cent in a year. At least 50 pharmacies in Britain are under investigation for helping funnel deadly prescription drugs to the black market Government watchdog the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency [MHRA], whose intelligence helps police make arrests, has now triggered 32 cases, up from 19 in 2018. The number of arrests has doubled from 40 in the same period. The watchdog investigations were sparked when it emerged that up to 200million worth of medication was diverted from the supply chain to the criminal market between 2013 and 2016. They have since led to 13 wholesale medicines dealers having their licences revoked or terminated, while some 485,000 pills were seized by MHRA investigators last year. There has been a 70 per cent increase in active investigations into the theft of medicine by professionals Drugs are stolen from pharmacies or wholesalers by professionals and typically passed on to dealers who sell them online via illegal internet pharmacies, the dark web, social media or on the streets. Alastair Jeffrey, head of enforcement at the MHRA, said: People need to be aware that if they get involved in this criminality they wont get away scot-free. They are dealing in controlled drugs. They are drug dealers its as simple as that. Last night Ash Soni, president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said: We condemn this activity and support the ongoing investigation to bring perpetrators to justice. Patient safety is paramount and the profession will be shocked that any of their number could be involved in this kind of activity. Up to 200million worth of medication was diverted from the supply chain to the criminal market between 2013 and 2016 Last year the Mail revealed how professionals were willing to sell prescription-only drugs over the counter. A pharmacist in central London sold an undercover reporter 60 Xanax tablets for 150 and 100 Tramadol tablets for 250 without asking to see a prescription. Labours community health spokesman Julie Cooper MP said rogue pharmacists need to be brought to book, adding: I take a very dim view of any health professional who risks the safety of the public. A notorious motorcycle gang have issued a rare public statement after a mammoth ice shipment that was headed for Australian shores was seized in the US. The Bandidos, based in Melbourne, said they had nothing to do with the huge amount of drugs seized in a record-breaking bust in America last week. Federal police allege a Mexican drug cartel and Australian bikies were working together to ship $1.29billion worth of meth across the Pacific Ocean to Australia. Scroll down for video The Bandidos bikie gang, based in Melbourne, have claimed they had nothing to do with the large amount of drugs seized (pictured) It's believed the cartel's overseas customers are organised criminal gangs, with one of them thought to be the Bandidos. However, the club have spoken out publicly to deny any involvement in the drug trade, which they dubbed as an 'insidious scourge on humanity'. 'We categorically refute any suggestion of involvement whatsoever, in this or any other matter concerning ice,' a club spokesperson told The Herald Sun. In a rare move, the Bandidos Motorcycle Club have spoken out publicly to deny any involvement in the huge drug shipment (pictured) 'The Bandidos Motorcycle Club vehemently distance ourselves from this insidious scourge on humanity, and in every way, shape and form,' the spokesperson concluded. They added that much like other Australians, the group share a 'sigh of relief' that the drugs were seized before they reached the country. They also insisted that such actions wouldn't 'ever be tolerated' within the organisation and anyone caught breaching the rules would be punished with a 'minimal penalty of instant dismissal'. The vast amount of drugs seized by authorities includes $1.29billion of ice, $9.5million of cocaine and $2.6million of heroin. The record setting 1.7-tons haul was found concealed in audio equipment in California and was believed to be bound for Melbourne. The drugs were hidden in metal boxes labelled as loudspeakers. It was the largest single seizure of methamphetamine in the United States and the biggest drug haul ever bound for Australia. Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Bruce Hill claimed the motorcycle gang were '100 per cent' involved with the Mexican drug ring. He added that the Mexican gang were targeting Australia due to the high price of drugs. Another individual who appears to be connected to the Bandidos Motorcycle club spoke out on social media to deny the allegations Despite Mr Hill's claims another person, believed to have connections to the motorcycle gang, has spoken out on social media to deny the allegations. 'The Bandidos Motorcycle club has and always will have the view that this drug has absolutely no place in our community,' the statement read. 'Our entire membership is aware of the clubs hardline stance in regard to this drug and anyone who contravenes this rule faces a minimum penalty of instant expulsion. (File picture) The Bandidos were originally founded in 1966 in San Leon, in Texas and now has a club in Melbourne 'Any suggestion by media reports that the Bandidos Motorcycle Club has [any] involvement in this drug interception are based on speculation only and the Bandidos Motorcycle Club deny any involvement in the sale manufacture and trafficking of this putrid drug. 'There are no current Bandido members who have convictions for ice still within the club, to the clubs knowledge,' the statement concluded. The Bandidos were originally founded in 1966 in San Leon, Texas. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Bandidos spokesperson for comment. Labor has unveiled a plan to provide free training for more than half a million tradies. More than 600,000 students will save thousands of dollars under a New South Wales Labor scheme to address skill shortages with free TAFE courses. Plumbing, electrical trades, disability, aged care and childcare will be among the courses initially covered by the 10-year plan, which Labor says will be modified each year to plug gaps. Labor has unveiled a plan to provide free training for more than half-a-million tradies. Pictured: Labor's TAFE and skills spokeswoman Prue Car The plan would allow tradespeople to gain the necessary skills and knowledge before embarking on their careers - without having to pay fees (stock image) The plan allows tradespeople to gain the necessary skills and knowledge before embarking on careers that could earn them lucrative salaries - all without having to pay fees. 'This government is deliberately killing TAFE and we need to rescue it,' NSW Opposition leader Michael Daley said. 'Free TAFE will not only help teach young people the skills they need but also offer older people who've lost their jobs the opportunity to retrain - and retrain free of charge.' Students will only be able to access one fee-free course. The first four years of the plan have been costed at $65 million by the parliamentary budget office. But Labor can't say how many places that money will cover. 'The 600,000 places will be phased in over time,' Labor's TAFE and skills spokeswoman Prue Car said. 'Everyone who applies to do a course in one of the areas identified will be able to study for free.' 'The 600,000 places will be phased in over time,' Labor's TAFE and skills spokeswoman Prue Car (pictured) said Private providers will only be able to make up 30 per cent of the total funding pool and will be overseen by a specific investigations unit to examine student complaints. Labor says the policy will apply from January 2020 and will replace the government's Smart and Skilled subsidy for 100,000 apprenticeships over four years. Mr Daley said he would sunset the current scheme to ensure those already enrolled aren't out of pocket. WHICH TRADES EARN $100,000 PER YEAR? Property maintenance contractors: $151,250 Painters: $140,000 Handymen: $139,375 Electrician: $137,059 Construction: $133,571 Source: ServiceSeeking.com.au Advertisement Deputy Liberal Leader Dominic Perrottet said the Berejiklian government was already delivering almost 80,000 fee-free TAFE places each year. 'Labor's announcement ... will fall well short of what we are already providing,' Mr Perrottet said in a statement. The auditor-general in July 2018 recommended the primary industries department use data better to ensure only high-priority qualifications were covered by the Smart and Skilled scheme. More than a quarter of Australian tradespeople earn upwards of $100,000 per year. Research carried out by ServiceSeeking.com.au in November showed electricians, handymen, painters, construction workers or those employed in property maintenance were most likely to earn six figures. Property maintenance contracting, which involves ensuring all aspects of a building are in top condition by repairing or maintaining fixtures, is the highest-earning trade according to the research with an average salary of $151,250 a year, followed by painting at $140,000 a year. More children will be able to attend grammar schools in the next three years as almost 3,000 new places will be created. However the 50million fund for new classrooms will focus on schools that prioritise poorer pupils to stop them becoming too socially exclusive. Announcing the extra cash today, schools minister Nick Gibb will say grammars are now returning to their original social mobility agenda after decades of being colonised by the middle classes. The number of children in secondary schools is currently growing following a baby boom in the 2000s. Grammar schools are popular with parents, with around 15 pupils choosing a selective school as their first preference for every ten places offered [File photo] It will mean many more bright children from hard-up families will get the chance of a grammar school education, as head teachers level the playing field for pupils from all backgrounds. Schools can only bid for the money if they set out how they will recruit disadvantaged children through measures such as quotas, or changing the catchment area. It comes after a similar scheme created 2,700 new places last year. Mr Gibb said: We do think that the children getting into grammar schools should more closely reflect the population that they are serving. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are just as capable of getting into grammar school. Schools can only bid for the money if they set out how they will recruit disadvantaged children through measures such as quotas, or changing the catchment area. It comes after a similar scheme created 2,700 new places last year [File photo] But because parents may not be able to afford tutors, or for other reasons, they are not doing as well in entrance tests. What we want grammar schools to do, is make up for that disadvantage in their application procedures. Modern grammar schools came into being after the Second World War, with the aim of giving a rigorous education to bright children whose parents could not afford private schools. However, many were closed from 1965 onwards, and now only 163 remain meaning it is fiercely competitive to get in. Critics such as campaign group Comprehensive Future have complained that middle class children have a huge advantage because their parents can afford to tutor them for the 11-plus entrance exam. Mr Gibb said part of the problem has been a shortage of places driving intense competition from applicants. As the population increased, the number of places wasnt increasing with it in those areas that have selective schools, he said. The number of children in secondary schools is currently growing following a baby boom in the 2000s. Mr Gibb said the Government is now trying to address this problem by allowing grammars to expand where there is a demonstrable need for more school places. Mr Gibb said part of the problem has been a shortage of places driving intense competition from applicants [File photo] If theyre not able to do that, they can end up being more socially exclusive than if you allow those schools to expand, he added. We need to make sure that when they do expand, they are addressing this unfairness. Mr Gibb, who attended Maidstone Grammar for a year before moving to a comprehensive in Yorkshire, hit out at campaigners who have tried to scupper his plans, saying they are motivated by a Left-wing agenda. He said: They have their own political viewpoint. Our view is that we want to make sure that every school that is rated good or outstanding [by Ofsted]... is able to allow more pupils to attend. And I dont think people should turn against one type of school compared to another. Grammar schools are popular with parents, with around 15 pupils choosing a selective school as their first preference for every ten places offered. To meet this demand, Prime Minister Theresa May had wanted to create a new wave of grammars targeted specifically at disadvantaged areas. However it would have meant overturning a law brought in by New Labour in 1998 banning new grammars, and the scheme was abandoned when Mrs May lost her Commons majority. Despite this setback, she has pledged to help existing grammars expand, so that more children have a chance of a place. But the meeting was called off, with Mr Watson calling on Labour general secretary Jennie Formby to suspend the constituency Labour party Labour's anti-Semitism crisis deepened yesterday as deputy leader Tom Watson accused activists of bullying a Jewish MP. Mr Watson repeated his call for the party in Liverpool Wavertree to be suspended over its treatment of Luciana Berger. He said it was being investigated and accused members of trying to drive out the MP after it had planned a motion of no confidence in her. Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson accused activists of bullying a Jewish MP. Mr Watson repeated his call for the party in Liverpool Wavertree to be suspended over its treatment of Luciana Berger [File photo] Liverpool Wavertree Constituency Labour Party was to discuss two confidence motions which accused Miss Berger of continually using the media to criticise leader Jeremy Corbyn. But the meeting was called off, with Mr Watson calling on Labour general secretary Jennie Formby to suspend the CLP. Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show yesterday, he said of Miss Berger: Shes being bullied. That motion should never have been moved. Wavertree CLPs executive said it had no control over motions submitted by its members, adding that suggestions of to bullying and anti-Semitism were false and slanderous. A two-year-old boy died after he supposedly shot himself with an unsecured gun while at a family friend's apartment. Authorities said Jayden James Piedra, two, of Jacksonville, Florida, was pronounced dead at a hospital on Saturday after sustaining a gunshot wound earlier in the day. The shooting was said to have occurred at about 10.16am while Jayden, his mother, and his seven-year-old brother were visiting a family friend. Jayden James Piedra, two, was pronounced dead at the hospital after having accidentally shot himself with an unsecured gun he found in a family friend's home Jayden's mother, Donna Crump-Piedra (left), said that her older son told her Jayden was bleeding. She then saw his head was swollen, but didn't know he'd found a gun at that time Jayden's mother, Donna Crump-Piedra, told Action News Jax that her son gotten hold of an unsecured gun and accidentally shot himself while he and his brother were playing in another room at the family friend's home. Crump-Piedra said that her seven-year-old son told her that Jayden was bleeding, prompting her to see what had happened. 'I go look, and Im not knowing, Im thinking he probably fell or something,' Crump-Piedra told the news station, adding that when she turned Jayden around, she noticed that his face was swollen, but at that point she didn't realize that he gotten hold of a gun. Crump-Piedra said that she didn't know whether the gun belonged to the person they were visiting. Jayden's godmother, Precious Vorters (pictured with the toddler), said that his death felt 'like god snatched my heart out' and asked for people to pray for the family The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office reminded gun owners to practice mandatory firearm safety measures whenever a minor is in the same area as a gun Jayden was said to have shot himself while visiting a home in this Florida apartment complex Police, meanwhile, said that they were interviewing the people who were in the apartment at the time of the shooting, but that there were not looking for any suspects, according to the Florida Times-Union. Relatives told the newspaper that Jayden's seven-year-old brother was among the people who detectives interviewed during their investigation into the shooting. It is unclear if the friend Crump-Piedra and her children were visiting at the time of Jayden's death will face any charges, as police are said to still be trying to determine who the unsecured gun belonged to. Crump-Piedra told Action New Jax that she didnt 'know what Im going to do without my baby! Thats my best friend! Hes everything to me! Both of my kids are,' and urged people to secure their guns appropriately. 'You never know who, or which little one, is going to get hold to it,' Crump-Piedra she said, going on to note, 'You could lose your child. I lost a 2-year-old.' At the time of the shooting, Jayden was said to have been playing in another room with his seven-year-old brother while their mother visited a family friend The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office also urged the public to practice appropriate gun safety measures in tweets informing the public about the incident, stating, 'Reminder to everyone: Make sure your firearms are secure.' In an official release about Jayden's death, police stated that under Florida law, it was necessary for people in possession of a firearm that could be picked up by a child under the age of 16, without a parent's permission or adult supervision, must put the gun in a securely locked box, use a trigger lock or place it somewhere that 'a reasonable person would believe to be secure.' Precious Vorters, who said she was Jayden's godmother, posted a tribute to the two year old on Facebook Saturday afternoon. 'Jayden baby boy this hurt go to a whole different level . My heart and everything is hurting,' Vorters wrote. 'We had a bond like no other my precious god baby ! Im losing my mind baby boy ! You didnt deserve this. I cant live like this . I feel like god snatched my heart out . This Neva gone stop hurting me . Rip dont feel right coming out my mouth . Pray for my family please. Im outta words...' Toni Barber, Jayden's other godmother, told News4Jax that the toddler was an active child who was both well-mannered and respectful. She also noted that Crump-Piedra 'is a good mother' and 'not a person to have her children in harm's way.' Police said their investigation into Jayden's shooting was still active and ongoing. A bobcat was caught running around an almost empty shopping center late at night in Essex Junction, Vermont. Kyle Stevens spotted the big cat in a parking lot and pulled over to capture the unusual moment, later sharing the footage with the Essex Police Department. The bobcat could be seen trying to enter a number of shops which were all closed at the time. A bobcat was caught running around an almost empty shopping center late at night in Essex Junction, Vermont However, the animal became even more agitated as Stevens trailed the animal in his car. Writing on Facebook, Stevens tried to explain what he had seen: 'I am a Native. I have spent a lot of time in woodlands, and I've seen plenty of natural wildlife up close, though I was shocked to see such a big cat in the middle of town last night. 'My intention wasn't to scare it, it was to document it, you can hear me say 'aww buddy' in the video when I realized how spooked it was getting. 'It was acting a little erratically when it first caught my eye leaving work last night, but I'm no Bobcat expert, so I won't speculate on it's health. A wild wildlife sighting in Vermont was caught on camera as a bobcat ran through a mall The cat ran the length of the shopping center trying to get into the stores which were shut 'I did witness it jump at least six feet straight up while it was crossing the parking lot for what seemed like no reason? (Bare pavement, no obstacle) Maybe it stepped on something sharp that hurt its paw, maybe it was rabid? I dunno, Again, I am not an expert, but it seemed unusual and I decided to try to get documentation. At the time, I wasn't sure if it were a Bobcat or a Lynx. 'I got this video to make sure I had documentation, then circled around to try to get a still photo, but I never ended up getting a good still pic, because I didn't want to spook it again, and was too far away. 'I then went to the Essex Police Dept to report the sighting, and show them the documentation. They said they contacted the State Police and Game Warden. They seemed appreciative and thought I did the right thing.' Donald Trump has once again teased that he might declare a National Emergency for his $5.7billion border wall if the Democrats don't give him what he wants. On Sunday, Trump tweeted out a quote from Republican Rep Tom McClintock, who has been one of his biggest supporters when it comes to the border wall. 'President is on sound legal ground to declare a national emergency,' the beginning of McClintock's quote in Trump's tweet reads. 'There have been 58 National Emergencies declared since the law was enacted in 1976, and 31 right now that are currently active, so this is hardly unprecedented.' Donald Trump has once again teased that he might declare a National Emergency for his $5.7billion border wall if the Democrats don't give him what he wants On Sunday Trump tweeted out a quote from Republican Rep Tom McClintock, who has been one of his biggest supporters when it comes to the border wall The 1976 law refers to the National Emergencies Act, which defines a national emergency as: 'Any occasion or instance in which, in the determination of the president, federal assistance is needed to supplement State and local efforts and capabilities to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in any part of the United States.' Barack Obama declared a national emergency in 2009 amid the H1N1 swine flu pandemic. And George W Bush declared one in 2001 to give him broad powers following the September 11 terrorist attacks. If Trump were to declare a national emergency over the border wall, he could activate the same law that Bush did that year - which would allow him to redirect allocated military construction funds for 'military construction projects not otherwise authorized by law'. Congress can only terminate a declared emergency with a joint resolution. McClintock hasn't been shy about his desire for the president to declare a national emergency. 'My strong advice to the president is to take the legal authority that he has to reprogram unobligated military construction funds and put them to use securing our borders,' he told Breitbart last week. 'I can't think of anything more important to national defense than the defense of our southern border.' McClintock (pictured on Thursday) hasn't been shy about his desire for the president to declare a national emergency, saying he 'can't think of anything more important to national defense than the defense of our southern border' It was nearly word for word what McClintock had said on the House floor two weeks ago as he urged Trump to declare a national emergency for the 'defense of our nation'. 'What is more fundamental to national defense than the integrity of our borders?' he continued. 'Using this authority would not only build the wall, it would avoid the need to meet any demands to further diminish or dilute our current immigration laws.' 'If the next three weeks produces the unreasonable demands and intransigence that we have come to expect from the Democratic leadership, I strongly urge the President to use his existing authority.' Trump's endorsement of McClintock's words came just hours after he claimed the Democrats wanted another government shutdown in the wake of the ongoing Virginia controversy. Dem. Gov. Ralph Northam has refused to step down after a yearbook photo emerged of two men dressed in blackface and as a KKK member. Northam has confirmed he is one of the men in the photo. On Sunday he sparked further controversy by referring to the first Africans brought to Virginia in 1619 as 'indentured servants.' Days after the original scandal, Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring admitted he had worn blackface while dressing as a rapper at a college party in 1980. On Friday, a second woman accused Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault. 'It was a very bad week for the Democrats, with the GREAT economic numbers, The Virginia disaster and the State of the Union address,' he tweeted on Sunday. 'Now, with the terrible offers being made by them to the Border Committee, I actually believe they want a Shutdown. They want a new subject!' Trump slammed Democrats over the political explosion they're facing in Virginia, which saw the party's top three leaders engulfed in career-ending scandals, as he touted his own State of the Union address and the strong U.S. economy. Trump's endorsement of McClintock's words came just hours after he claimed the Democrats wanted another government shutdown in the wake of the ongoing Virginia controversy The president spent part of his Sunday morning tweeting new arguments for his border wall ahead of his trip to El Paso on Monday and laying the ground work to blame Democrats should there be a second government shutdown on Friday. 'I don't think the Dems on the Border Committee are being allowed by their leaders to make a deal. They are offering very little money for the desperately needed Border Wall & now, out of the blue, want a cap on convicted violent felons to be held in detention!,' he wrote on Twitter Sunday morning. His latest round of tweets comes amid reports talks have broken down to prevent a second government shutdown ahead of Friday's deadline. 'The government shutdown is technically still on the table,' acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told 'Fox News Sunday.' A group of bipartisan lawmakers are in talks on a border security deal that would prevent a second shutdown from happening. They are said to be trying to find a number between $1.3 billion and $2 billion that would be acceptable to both sides - the full funding Trump wants versus the $1.3 billion Democrats were originally willing to spend. Trump alleged Democrats want to make a deal but leadership won't let them and he blamed them for wanting a 'cap on convicted violent felons to be held in detention.' Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, in appearances on 'Fox News Sunday' and 'Meet the Press' (pictured), said Trump can find the rest of his border wall funding else where in the government coffers Democrats are trying to limit the number of detention beds that the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency would have access to as a way to limit aggressive detention activities by ICE. 'To enhance national security and encourage more efficient immigration enforcement, Democrats have proposed a cap on the number of ICE detention beds associated with interior enforcement. This cap will force the Trump administration to prioritize arresting and deporting serious criminals, not law-abiding immigrants,' a House Democratic aide said of the party's demand. This demand to cap the number of beds led to the impasse in the talks, The Washington Post reported. Republican Sen Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, said the president will not sign legislation that caps the number of beds. 'I promise you this. Donald Trump is not going to sign any bill that reduces the number of bed spaces available to hold violent offenders who come across our border. He can't do that. He won't do that. And you can you can take that to the bank. I think,' he said on Fox News Channel's Sunday Morning Futures. Meanwhile, Mulvaney blamed Democrats for the chaos surrounding the talks while declining to say for certain whether Trump would sign the compromise legislation. 'There's going to be a lot of different moving pieces so I'm not in a position to say the president will absolutely sign or will not sign,' he said on Fox News Sunday. 'Here's what we do know, the president has to sign a piece of legislation in order to keep the government open. He cannot sign anything that they put in - cannot sign everything they put in front of him. If there will be some things that simply we couldn't agree to.' But, he noted, the president will get his border wall one way or another. 'The president is going to build the wall,' Mulvaney continued.' We'll take as much money as you can give us and then we will go off and find the money someplace else legally in order to secure that southern barrier. But this is going to get built with or without Congress.' Mulvaney said that doesn't necessarily mean Trump will declare a national emergency to get the full $5.7billion. 'There are certain funds of money he can get to without declaring a national emergency, and other funds that he can only get to after declaring a national emergency,' Mulvaney noted. 'How much good to get without declaring?,' Fox News anchor Chris Wallace asked him. 'That remains to be seen. Let's talk about the whole pot. The whole pot is well north of $5.7billion,' he responded. 'There are other funds of money that are available to him through what we call reprogramming. There is money that he can get at and is legally allowed to spend. And I think it needs to be said again and again: all of this is going to be legal. There are statutes on the books as to how any president can do this.' The president spent part of his Sunday morning tweeting new arguments for his border wall ahead of his trip to El Paso on Monday He's complained about Democratic negotiators working on a deal to keep the government open Mulvaney noted on 'Meet the Press' that if Democrats met the president in the middle on the money, Trump would likely sign the legislation to keep the government open and get the rest of the funds elsewhere. 'You cannot take a shutdown off the table and you cannot take $5.7 [billion] off the table. But if you end up someplace in the middle, yeah, then what you'll probably see is the president say, 'Yeah, okay. And then I'll go find the money someplace else,''' Mulvaney said. There is growing concern the talks among lawmakers may not come up with a fruitful solution. The 17 lawmakers on the bipartisan, bicameral border security negotiation team had given themselves an informal deadline of Monday to have a proposal completed, in order to give it time to work its way through the legislative process and to Trump's desk. But an aide familiar with the talks told The New York Times the lawmakers have stopped talking. 'I think the talks are stalled right now,' Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, the lead Republican negotiator in the talks, told 'Fox News Sunday.' 'I'm not confident were going to get there. I'm hoping we will get there,' he said of Friday's deadline. The former boss of Facebook in Australia has shared incredible drone footage of his exclusive Australia Day party - complete with a 100 metre water slide. Paul Borrud, who quit Facebook in 2012 after moving from California to Sydney to help launch the social networking giant, proudly showed off his slide online. The slide, set up on Mr Borrud's farm in NSW's exclusive Southern Highlands region, came complete with an exotic Tiki bar at the bottom of the bank. Dozens of children and adults were seen speeding down the slide on boogie boards, inflatables and donuts. Incredible drone footage has emerged showing speeding sliders travelling on boogie boards, inflatable jandals and donuts racing down a 100m-long slide Former Facebook Australia boss Paul Borrud organises the 'Annual Borrud Slip'n'Slide' each year, with more than a dozen people helping to create the slide His slide was made of an orange plastic sheet weighed down at the edges with sandbags, while sprinklers positioned on the edge kept the sheet wet His slide was made of an orange plastic sheet weighed down at the edges with sandbags, while sprinklers positioned on the edge kept the sheet wet. Two purpose-built splash pools kept sliders from suffering a bumpy landing on the grass. Despite sliders reaching high speeds while travelling down the hill, Mr Borrud said all those involved managed to avoid getting injured. Mr Borrud and his friends spent Australia Day enjoying drinks and a barbecue at their own homemade 'Tiki Bar' next to the slide. Despite sliders reaching high speeds while travelling down the hill, Mr Borrud said all those involved managed to avoid getting injured 'What a year for the Annual Borrud Slip'n'Slide!' Mr Borrud posted to Facebook. 'Australia Day with best friends and family. Adults being kids, non-stop smiles all around!' Mr Borrud thanked his friends for making the 2019 slide 'one of the best years ever!' In 2012, AdNews reported that Mr Borrud owned shares in Facebook thought to be worth tens of millions of dollars. His impressive slide pales in comparison the world's biggest - a monster 611m slip and slide built in Jordan in 2015. Historians researching the history of pizza are challenging the conventional wisdom behind who was the first to introduce the dish to America. It has long been thought that Gennaro Lombardi, an Italian immigrant, opened a grocery store on Spring Street in New York City that would become the first licensed pizzeria in the United States in 1905. But newly unearthed documents indicate that Lombardi was most likely an employee at the store, which means that his boss, Filippo Milone, may have been the first to operate a pizzeria to America. In fact, Milone is likely to have founded pizzerias in at least six different locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan in the late 19th century, according to the United States Pizza Museum. The above image is a historic photo of Lombardi's Pizzeria on Spring Street in New York City Gennaro Lombardi is the tall man standing behind his family members. This photo was taken around 1925. From left to right: Giovanni Lombardi, Filomena Lombardi, Genarro Lombardi (back row), and George Lombardi. Those on the left and right are unidentified Genarro Lombardi has long been considered the owner of the first licensed pizzeria in the United States, but researchers now say this is not true. The image above shows an original Lombardi Oven at his restaurant on Spring Street The new findings were the result of research conducted by Peter Regas, who is working on a book about the history of pizza in America. For a decade, Regas has been combing through archives researching the history of pizza in Chicago. The origin of pizza in the Windy City is fairly straightforward - it began with Pizzeria Uno, the deep dish pizza chain, which opened in 1943. They have more of a corporate history, even how that started was divorced from the local Italian-American community that existed there before the turn of the century, Regas told Gothamist. In New York, however, the culture of pizza grew out of the Italian-American immigrant community that brought it here from the mother country. So Regas looked for Lombardis name in the New York City directories from 1903 until 1908. Nothing came up. He then did a search of the 1910 business directory to see if Lombardi was listed as the proprietor of the Spring Street pizzeria. Once again, nothing turned up. Newly unearthed documents indicate that Lombardi was most likely an employee at the store, which means that his boss, Filippo Milone (above), may have been the first to bring pizza to America. Milone is believed to have founded six different pizzerias in Manhattan and Brooklyn Regas then searched for bakers thinking he may find Lombardis name next to the address of the Spring Street pizzeria. Instead, the address was listed under the name of Francesco DErrico. And that changed the whole direction of my project, because I never knew that name, Regas said. And I thought I knew the story well. While this doesnt invalidate Lombardis role in being a pizza trailblazer, he was likely one of a number of founding fathers. The image above shows an ad for a pizzeria at the same Spring Street address as Lombardi's - except the proprietor is listed as Giovanni Santillo Regas came across Milone, who is believed to have established at least six pizzerias in Manhattan and Brooklyn before Lombardi, by piecing together old advertisements and other records. It seems likely that [Milone] was operating pizzerias in Naples before coming to America, Regas said. He said Milone was likely one of several immigrants who came to America with previous pizza-making experience. Its not so much the heroic story of a young man who thought it was a good idea to start a pizzeria because they had them in Italy, Regas said. They had experience in Naples and came with knowledge and experience and a little bit of confidence that this product would be successful. Regas research was corroborated by pizza historian Scott Wiener, who also operates tours of historic pizzerias in New York. Wiener told Gothamist that new clues began to emerge which challenged the thesis according to which Lombardi was the one who introduced pizza to New York. I started to find there wasnt confirmation of the information that was out there, and since there wasnt confirmation, I started following the trail of the buildings, Wiener said. And when the ovens were put in, and who was living there at the time, and who was working there at the time. And I started to figure out there was more beyond this one guy Gennaro Lombardi. Milone was likely one of several immigrants who came to America with previous pizza-making experience, which means that we may never know who was the first to establish a pizzeria in America. The image above shows a pizza cooked in a brick oven at Lombardi's restaurant Wiener read over census data and business directories which showed that Lombardi wasnt the owner of the Spring Street pizzeria until 1908. So what we know is that Gennaro Lombardi is a huge, important figure in the history of pizza, but hes not the first owner, he said. And the story about him getting the first mercantile license is now totally blown out of the water. Since there is no confirmation that Lombardi had the first licensed pizzeria, Wiener is no longer claiming this on his tours. Both Wiener and Regas acknowledge that we may never know for sure who was the first to bring pizza to New York. What about all the people who were there even before that time and didnt survive, went back to Italy, died, or didnt have a business that survived for longer than a couple of years, how about them? Regas asked. I believe Filippo Milone was the first pizza man at 53 Spring Street, Regas said, though he added that it doesnt necessarily mean that 53 Spring Street was the first pizzeria in America. A scam artist who conned a pensioner out of his life savings later convinced him to import cocaine as part of an alleged global drug trafficking syndicate. Nigerian-born Patrick Nweke, 44, orchestrated the operation from Villawood Detention Centre in western Sydney, and landed American Peter Strand in jail on drug charges. The revelations are part of a Four Corners investigation which reports phone taps inside Villawood revealed Nweke's actions as part of a global scamming network fleecing victims of millions. Scam artist Patrick Nweke (pictured) conned a pensioner out of his life savings and later convinced the man to import cocaine as part of an alleged global drug trafficking syndicate Mr Strand alone was conned out of $400,000 as part of a romance scam and spent 18 months behind bars in Sydney accused of importing 2.5kg of cocaine in 2014. 'It was extremely well organised,' Mr Strand told Monday night's Four Corners. 'I was hoodwinked, I was coerced, convinced or otherwise led to believe that something was going to happen that never happened.' The retiree's woes began after he received an email in November 2013 from someone posing as a Nigerian Government official. Soon he was in almost constant communication with the scammer who referred to himself only as 'Bricks Manuel'. Peter Strand (pictured) was conned out of $400,000 and spent 18 months behind bars in Sydney accused of importing 2.5kg of cocaine in April 2014 Nweke was convicted of drug importation in 2018 and will be sentenced next month for his role in the network Mr Strand's ill-health and overt use of an oxygen pipe was cunningly targeted as it made him the perfect potential smuggler. He was told the drugs were chemicals used in producing money - a common tactic used to get naive victims to smuggle contraband. 'Supposedly this cash that I was going to be getting was marked with some type of dye, which needed to be cleaned off in order for me to get clean cash,' he said. Phone taps inside Villawood Detention Centre (pictured) reportedly revealed Nweke's actions as part of a global scamming network fleecing victims of millions Nweke was later recorded by NSW Police using smuggled-in phones to coordinate with accomplices across the globe to lure Mr Strand - and the cocaine - to Sydney. His arrest followed three similar trips to South America and involved police finding the cocaine inside two protein powder containers. Mr Strand was eventually found not guilty of drug importation after a trial in the NSW District Court - but not before spending 18 months in jail. Nweke was found guilty of drug importation in 2018 and will be sentenced next month. A group of white residents are threatening to sue for racial discrimination after being kicked out of an opal-mining town on Aboriginal land. Remote mining town Mintabie, in South Australia's north, had its residential lease terminated by the state government a year ago following an independent review. The damning report revealed the area had 'increasing lawlessness, drug trafficking and violence in the area' and recommended the Outback town's closure. But furious locals - some who have been given until today to leave their homes - say they are not to blame for the town's problems and are being 'treated like dogs'. Opal-mining town Mintabie had its lease terminated following a report released a year ago revealing the area had 'increasing lawlessness, drug trafficking and violence in the area' The report concluded that the control of the land would be returned to Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) on July 1, 2019 Lawyer Todd Grant, who is representing the Mintabie Miners' Progress Association, revealed he would be filing legal documents after a heated town hall meeting on Sunday. 'I would hope it doesn't come to this but sometimes you have to kick the schoolyard bully where it hurts, so to speak,' Mr Grant told The Australian. 'I think it's overwhelmingly likely we'll be filing documents in the Federal Court in the next two weeks.' The government commissioned independent review concluded that control of the land would be returned to Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) on July 1, 2019. The small dusty town is home to up to 60 residents, most who live in 'substandard buildings and shacks'. The report claimed that the residents were providing the Aboriginal people in neighbouring towns with drugs and alcohol. They deny the claims and told the publication that they feel 'unfairly demonised'. Several residents have received a letter informing them that they were in town with no authority and are required to vacate by 5pm Monday While most residents have been given until June 30 to leave their homes, those who are behind on their lease payments have been told they must leave by 5pm Monday. Robert Haanstra has been living in Mintabie since he was a young boy and is now facing eviction. He said he nor his parents have a criminal record and that he will remain in the town despite the eviction order. 'For us it's comfortable and we have the prospect of finding a million dollars whenever we go to mine opal. It's like having an uncashed lottery ticket in your pocket,' he told The Australian. A woman who drove her car at her boyfriend outside a restaurant because she believe he was was cheating on her has been fined $500. Tearne Maree Sorby fronted Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Friday on a charge of driving without due care, News Mail reported. The 26-year-old confronted her partner outside of a Guzman Y Gomez restaurant on Walla St, in September last year after finding out he had been unfaithful to her, the court heard. Tearne Maree Sorby, 26, faced Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Friday. She was fined $500 after she drove her car at her boyfriend in September last year She told police at the scene that she was upset and 'wanted some answers'. Police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Grant Klassen told the court the man had jumped out of the way, behind a skip bin, damaging a car door. Sorby's solicitor Ian Kendrick told the court she just 'wanted some answers'. He added that she did not 'intended to hit him... She just intended to scare him.' The ex-boyfriend declined to comment to Daily Mail Australia. Sorby's solicitor Ian Kendrick told the court she just 'wanted some answers'. He added that she never 'intended to hit him... She just intended to scare him.' A restaurant has been branded 'incredibly racist' after a young waitress from a rural town called a group of customers 'Asians' on their receipt. The new waitress used the description to identify a group in order to serve them because their table at The Falls Restaurant & Cafe in West Auckland had no number. Stuff NZ reported one woman from the restaurant group had found it 'racist' and said the restaurant didn't apologise or acknowledge it while they were there. 'As a group of 'Asians' born in this country, we were truly shocked at the restaurant for their incredibly racist service,' the unnamed woman was quoted as saying. A young new waitress called a group "asian" to identify them as their table had no number Daily Mail Australia rang the cafe and found a representative who wished to give their side of the story but was afraid to give his name. 'It was an unintentional and honest mistake,' the man said by telephone from the cafe on Monday morning. The man said the waitress was a 'newbie', a young girl who came to Auckland from a rural town 'up north' and had only recently started employment. 'It's a different area, not as sophisticated or advanced as Auckland,' he said. 'She's a newbie and we talked to her, retrained her, done an apology, we have given her a warning as well. 'We do not believe in racism. On the contrary, we are being targeted by people calling us "curry munchers" which we are thinking of taking action regarding. 'We do not believe in any way in any discrimination in operations or towards customers. We do not practice racism in the business in employing staff or in any way towards customers.' After media reports revealed a photograph of the receipt with the word 'Asian' typed near the top, social media exploded. Social media users branded West Auckland's Falls Restaurant & Cafe (pictured) 'racist' after the gaffe 'Casual racism is still racism' wrote one Twitter commenter, while others moved to defend the restaurant or criticise the media reports for making a fuss. 'This isnt racism and now this poor waitress might lose her job,' wrote Kim Brown on Facebook. 'I work in... a busy cafe. I write descriptions like this all the time,' wrote Janelle Taniwha, defending the restaurant. 'Asian lady with short hair. Blonde mum with child... and I most definitely am not racist. I am however describing how someone looks so my work mates can deliver the coffee/food to them. You have to identify people in hospo. Get over it,' she added. Social media was divided with some people wondering what all the fuss was about Some on social media spoke out against racism in response to the story The restaurant representative told Daily Mail Australia they had received a few nasty emails after the incident, but their regular customers had rallied to support them. 'Ninety-nine percent we got support as we know what we do for the community. I'm proud of my team and I will stand by them,' the man said. 'The customer [who was called Asian on the receipt] has been coming for seven years and she took the frequent coffee card and came back with the free coffee card, so she is regular.' Falls Restaurant manager Arvind Kumar told Stuff NZ that the new waitress had typed in 'Asians' on the customer receipt to identify the group. 'They had sat on an unnumbered random table,' Kumar was quoted as saying. Others were outraged by the fuss caused and turned their anger on the media Advertisement Body art enthusiasts descended upon the city of Milan in Italy over the weekend to take part in a three day international tattoo event. More than 400 hundred tattoo artists were seen taking to the Milano Tattoo Convention from February 8-10 to celebrate the world of body ink and its expanding history. The international event, which is now in its 24th year, also saw the tattoo admirers from across the globe display their flair for body ink through their colourful and elaborate designs. From body art enthusiasts observing the myriad of designs on display to others witnessing their favourite tattoo artists at work, the event, which was born in 1995, is among the first in the world to bring together artists and body art admirers from around the world. The convention also played host to an exhibition exploring the history of the tattoo industry from its birth in the early 1900s to today. Among the artists making an appearance at the popular event was GAKKIN, an artist known for his unique blackwork style, and the Sons of Anarchy star and tattoo artist David Labrava. Tattoo enthusiasts observe the multitude of designs on display at the Milano Tattoo Convention in Italy. The three day event was held from February 8-10 A tattoo artist uses his needle to apply a new design to a recipient's neck. The artist was one of many congregating at the international tattoo event Body art admirers (left and right) receive new additions to their body art designs during the tattoo event in Italy this weekend One person at the international convention is seen sitting with their arm outstretched as they receive a new tattoo on their arm The event saw tattoo admirers from far and wide descend upon Milan's streets to see their favourite tattoo artists at work A man stands in front of body art enthusiasts at the international convnetion as his tattoo artist inks his new design on his back More than 400 tattoo artists were at the Milano Tattoo Convention in Italy. The event saw hundreds arrive to receive a fresh new design on their skin A tattoo artist outlines his new design at the international convention. The event, which was born in 1995, is among the first in the world to bring together artists and body art enthusiasts from around the world Also available at the convention were a myriad of new and innovative designs for body art enthusiasts to choose from A woman stands on a platform as two tattoo artists carefully draw on her new body ink. The event is now in its 24th year A man, fully inked with tattoos from his neck down, stands in front of the camera's at the international tattoo event in Italy A tattoo artist applies ink to the arm of a body art admirer. The event saw hundreds of body ink enthusiasts descend upon the city of Milan A man sits patiently in a chair while his tattoo artist gets to work and applies his new black ink design to his back Arafat Erfaiyeh, 29, is being held on suspicion of murder A 19-year-old Israeli woman was stabbed to death as she walked through woods last week by a 'nationalist Palestinian,' security forces say. Shin Bet issued a statement saying that after questioning Palestinian suspect Arafat Erfaiyeh, 29, the agency believes the killing of Ori Ansbacher was 'nationalistic.' Ansbacher was volunteering at a youth centre in Jerusalem on Thursday when she disappeared after walking in the woods. Her body was found later that day. The intelligence agency say he reenacted the killing in front of them and that he had 'implicated himself definitively in the incident,' the Times of Israel reported. Police confirmed the suspect's account was that he had left his home in the West Bank in the morning armed with a knife and headed towards Jerusalem. On his way there he spotted the teenager walking through woods and carried out his fatal attack. Most details of the case remain under police gag order. The killing of 19-year-old Ori Ansbacher has outraged the Israeli public and drawn condemnation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Israeli police officers are seen near the place where the body of Ori Ansbacher was discovered last Thursday The Israeli paper also reported that Erfaiyeh had been arrested in 2017 for walking to the entrance of Temple Mount armed with a large blade. After being hauled in on that occasion he is alleged to have told interrogators that he wanted to be a 'martyr,' as well as expressing support for Hamas. Israeli forces arrested Erfaiyeh in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Saturday. He is a resident of the West Bank city of Hebron. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid his respects to Ansbacher's family at their West Bank settlement home on Sunday. Netanyahu offered his condolences and said the 'entire public embraces them in their terrible grief,' as he condemned her 'heinous' murder. Ansbacher's death has drawn widespread media coverage in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack and met with Ansbacher's family to pay his respects An Israeli officer blocks the area where the body of Ansbacher was was found close to Jerusalem Before her funeral in her hometown of Tekoa on Friday, her parents told Hebrew media outlets that she was 'a holy soul seeking meaning' who was 'sensitive to all people and creatures, and possessing unlimited desire to fix the world.' Earlier on Sunday the Israeli military said troops had surveyed the Erfaiyeh family home in Hebron 'in order to examine the possibility of its demolition.' Israel demolishes Palestinian attackers' homes as a policy aimed at deterring future attacks. A pick-up truck veered off the road and mowed into a crowd of pedestrians, trapping victims under the vehicle. Witnesses and emergency responders lifted the red Toyota Tacoma off people trapped when the driver plowed into a crowd on a sidewalk in Southern California in the early hours on yesterday morning. At least nine people were injured after the truck crashed into a popular area of Fullerton filled with people leaving bars and restaurants shortly before closing time, authorities said. Police arrested Christopher Solis, of Anaheim, California, on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs. The driver of the red Toyota Tacoma veered off the road and mowed into a crowd of pedestrians leaving bars and restaurants in the early hours of Sunday morning Heather Barclay (bottom left) an accident investigator with the Fullerton Police Department, gathers evidence from an early-morning accident involving a suspected DUI driver The 22-year-old was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI causing great bodily injury. 'It was a very chaotic scene,' police Lt. Jon Radus said. The Toyota Tacoma jumped the curb, struck pedestrians at around 1.48am and then crashed into a tree, Radus added. Some of the victims were trapped under the truck, with injuries ranged from moderate to critical, but all were expected to survive, police said. The victims are aged between 18 and 49 years old, the Orange County Register reported. Authorities said a suspected DUI driver was arrested after his pick-up truck plowed into a crowd on a sidewalk, injuring at least nine people, including some victims who were trapped under the vehicle Bystander Sohrab Gill said: 'One of the girls was screaming, "help, help". I saw some blood coming out of her nose.' Fullerton Police Department said in a statement: 'Hundreds of people were on the sidewalk, in the parking lots, and to the front of nearby restaurants and bars during bar closing time.' Passerby, Amanda Aguilar, said she jumped out of her car to try to help a woman she saw lying on the ground unconscious. She and another passerby with medical training started performing CPR on the victim. The area is often busy as the parking lot serves as an entrance for most patrons coming to drink at the area's bars. It wasn't known if Solis has an attorney. Saudi Arabia said it has 'absolutely nothing to do' with the National Enquirer's reporting on an extramarital relationship involving Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos. In a Medium post, Bezos on Thursday accused American Media Inc, the National Enquirer's owner, of trying to blackmail him with the threat of publishing 'intimate photos' he allegedly sent to his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez, unless he said in public that the tabloid's reporting on him was not politically motivated. In the blog post, Bezos alluded to Saudi Arabia's displeasure at the Bezos-owned Washington Post's coverage of the murder of its columnist and Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi Arabia's minister of state for foreign affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, denied any connection between Saudi Arabia and AMI while appearing on CBS' Face the Nation Sunday Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos accused AMI, the National Enquirer's owner, of trying to blackmail him with the threat of publishing 'intimate photos' he allegedly sent girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez Bezos also referenced media reports about alleged links between AMI and Saudi Arabia, writing that its CEO, David Pecker, had 'been investigated for various actions they've taken on behalf of the Saudi Government.' The killing of Khashoggi at Saudi Arabia's Istanbul consulate last October strained the country's ties with Western allies, exposed the kingdom to possible sanctions and tarnished the image of de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. On CBS' Face the Nation Sunday, moderator Margaret Brennan asked Saudi Arabia's minister of state for foreign affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, if the Saudi government was involved in the National Enquirer leaks. 'This is something between the two parties, we have nothing to do with it,' al-Jubeir said. Bezos (left) shared emails the AMI had sent, which appeared to threaten that they would publish nude photographs of him as well as pictures of his mistress, Lauren Sanchez (right) In a blog post, Bezos alluded to Saudi Arabia's displeasure at the Bezos-owned Washington Post's coverage of the murder of its columnist and Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi (pictured) Khashoggi's murder at Saudi Arabia's Istanbul consulate last October has tarnished the image of de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (left with Donald Trump in March 2018) 'It sounds to me like a soap opera,' he went on to say, speculating that, 'Maybe some of our citizens read The National Enquirer then they're in the United States but that's it.' Jubeir also said he was not aware 'And I believe I would be aware' of any links between the Saudi government and AMI or its CEO, Pecker. AMI said on Friday its reporting on Bezos was lawful and it would investigate his claims. Federal prosecutors are said to be reviewing the emails AMI sent to Bezos in an effort to determine whether AMI violated its immunity deal by attempting to blackmail Bezos over his personal photos. AMI's emails were sent just months after the company agreed to fully cooperate with the Department of Justice in its ongoing investigation involving President Trump. That agreement was made as part of an immunity deal with attorneys from the Southern District of New York, but that deal can be revoked if it is discovered that the company has committed an illegal act, such as blackmail or extortion. Air New Zealand passengers were left fuming when their flight to Shanghai was turned around after five hours. Flight NZ289 carrying about 270 passengers left Auckland shortly before midnight on Saturday only to land at the same airport about 10am on Sunday. The pilot was told to turn around because the type of aircraft did not have permission to land in China. Dozens of passengers fumed on social media about the 'serious administrative cock-up'. Air New Zealand passengers were left fuming when their flight to Shanghai was turned around after five hours (stock image) Flight instructor Warren Sattler told the New Zealand Herald that the airline may have registered a certain type of plane to land - but was denied permission because it took another type. 'The Chinese - because of all the military airspace up there - they're very, very particular,' he said. 'It might've been listed as a (Boeing) 777 and they might've taken a 787 instead.' Air New Zealand apologised to passengers and said a special service would fly them to Shanghai at 11pm on Sunday. 'We know customers will be deeply disappointed and frustrated by this situation and we are very sorry for the disruption to their travel plans,' a statement read. 'A technicality meant the particular aircraft operating this service did not have Chinese regulatory authority to land in China.' Disgruntled passengers voiced their disapproval on social media. One posted a picture on Twitter of the onboard flight map showing the aircraft turning around over Papua New Guinea. 'I've just experienced a new level of China Bad: midway through our flight from Auckland to Shanghai, the pilot informs us that Chinese authorities had not given this plane permission to land, so we needed to turn around. A permitting issue, supposedly,' the passenger commented. The same flight, NZ289, was turned back on a flight to China on August 24 last year, although an airline spokeswoman said that was due to an engineering issue, not a permitting one. Frank Sams Jr., 25, wanted on a second-degree murder warrant, spent nearly an hour on Wednesday pleading with police to arrest him before they actually did, an attorney said A Louisiana man found out that turning himself in on a second-degree murder warrant in New Orleans wasn't as easy as he thought. Frank Sams Jr., 25, spent nearly an hour on Wednesday pleading with police to arrest him before they actually did, his attorney said. Sams hoped to start the process of fighting the murder charge but lawyer Kelly Orians said deputies refused to process Sams because he didn't have a state ID on him, The New Orleans Advocate reported. The impasse ended after Orians produced a copy of a news article that featured Sams' picture and noted that he was wanted for second-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a gas station clerk in September. Orians said the whole situation was 'nothing short of absolutely bizarre.' Sams is being held on $500,000 bail. Orians accompanied Sams to the jail, but said the Orleans Public Defenders Office will handle his murder case. Orians could only laugh at the situation, despite her concern for Sams and the shooting victim's family. Sams (in black) was wanted in the fatal shooting of a gas station clerk in September New Orleans police supposed refused to arrest Sams because he didn't have a state ID on him. They finally acquiesced when he showed them a newspaper story with his face on it Police claim that Sams and a second man, Farnell Jackson Jr., were caught on video robbing the Fuel Express Mart, during which store clerk Olah Bessid, 58, was fatally shot Farnell Jackson Jr. has been in custody since he turned himself in to police in September 'This is all very serious to us, and yet we walked into an agency tasked with protecting our community, and it was like it was a joke,' she said. The Sheriff's Office's general counsel said it's unusual for someone to surrender directly to jail on a murder warrant, rather than through homicide detectives. Fuel Express Mart store clerk Olah Bessid, 58, was killed during the September incident 'However, our policy does not require any identification for booking. We are investigating the claims based upon the information provided by The Advocate,' Blake Arcuri said. Police allege that Sams and Farnell Jackson Jr. were caught on video robbing the Fuel Express Mart early on September 18. Store clerk Olah Bessid, 58, was fatally shot. Jackson has been in custody since he turned himself in to police in September. He and Sams face life imprisonment if convicted of second-degree murder, armed robbery and other charges in a January 10 indictment. 'Frank did the right thing,' Orians said. 'He was wanted by law enforcement, and he became aware of it. He made what is, I have to imagine, a tough decision to turn himself into police, and he did it. He's eager to fight and have his day in court.' Sams was on probation for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm by a felon. A female security guard at the Minnesota Sex Offender Treatment Program in St. Peter is accused of repeatedly having sex with a male patient. Claudia Kogo, 57, of Mankato, was charged on Friday with felony counts of criminal sexual conduct stemming from her alleged affair. Authorities say a patient who was committed as a 'sexually dangerous person' with a 'sexually psychopathic personality' reported that he had sex with Kogo more than two dozen times in late 2017. Claudia Kogo, formerly a security guard at the Minnesota Sex Offender Treatment Program, has been charged with felony counts of criminal sexual conduct stemming from her alleged affair with a patient The Mankato Free Press reported the patient said the relationship started with flirting a year earlier. Kogo allegedly took it a step farther when she began touching the patient's penis over the pants and sending him masturbation photos, condoms and instructions on how to collect his 'seminal fluid' for her, according to a criminal complaint cited by Bringmethenews.com. Kogo told a state investigator she kissed and groped the patient but denied having sex with him Eventually, the pair went on to have sexual encounters involving oral sex and, on three separate occasions, intercourse, the complaint stated. Prosecutors allege that Kogo told a state investigator she kissed and groped the patient but denied having a sexual intercourse with him. A St. Peter police detective who listened to recordings of phone calls between Kogo and the patient said many of the calls included conversations about their sexual activities, according to court documents cited by the Mankato Free Press. Kogo no longer works at the facility, a Minnesota Department of Human Services spokesman said. The Minnesota Sex Offender Program confines sex offenders who have finished their prison sentences in secure treatment facilities in St. Peter and Moose Lake. A patient at the secure facility in St Peter (pictured) who was committed as a 'sexually dangerous person' with a 'sexually psychopathic personality' reported that he had sex with Kogo more than two dozen times The US Supreme Court in October 2017 ruled against reviewing Minnesota's civil commitment program for sex offenders, which had been challenged as unconstitutional for rarely releasing patients. 'Sexual relationships between staff and patients or clients at DHS treatment facilities are unacceptable under any circumstances,' Department of Human Services Deputy Commissioner Chuck Johnson said in a statement. 'We immediately investigate all such allegations, which can result in discipline or termination of the staff person.' Donald Trump Jr praised a tweet by his father criticizing Senator Elizabeth Warren and her claims of Native American ancestry as 'savage' Donald Trump Jr praised a tweet by his father criticizing Senator Elizabeth Warren and her claims of Native American ancestry as 'savage.' 'On his Instagram account, Don Jr posted a screenshot of President Trump's tweet from Saturday, adding the caption: 'Savage! Love my president.' Hours after Warren, the senator from Massachusetts, formally kicked off her campaign on Saturday, the president renewed his criticism of her past claims of Native American heritage. In a tweet, Trump called Warren 'Pocahontas' and said he would see her 'on the campaign TRAIL.' The White House didn't explain what the president was referring to in his tweet, though some Democrats accused him of making light of the Trail of Tears - the forced removal of Cherokee and several other Native American tribes from their lands in the 1830s. Warren's campaign wouldn't say what the senator believes Trump was referencing. Back in Iowa as a full-fledged presidential candidate, Warren took aim at President Trump on Sunday, saying he 'may not even be a free person' by next year's election. The Massachusetts senator also urged fellow candidates to avoid letting Trump define the contours of the election with his personal and provocative attacks. On his Instagram account, Don Jr posted a screenshot of President Trump's tweet from Saturday, adding the caption: 'Savage! Love my president' 'Every day there is a racist tweet, a hateful tweet - something really dark and ugly,' Warren said as she opened an event in Cedar Rapids. 'What are we as candidates, as activists, as the press, going to do about it? We're going to chase after those every day?' Warren emerged as one of the Democratic Party's fiercest and most effective Trump critics during the 2016 election, campaigning vigorously for Hillary Clinton. But she's largely avoided talking about Trump since she began testing the waters for a presidential campaign more than a month ago, hewing more closely to the populist economic message that has long made her a favorite of liberals. That shift made her sharp, though brief, shot at Trump on Sunday all the more notable. 'By the time we get to 2020, Donald Trump may not even be president. In fact, he may not even be a free person,' she said. Back in Iowa as a full-fledged presidential candidate, Warren (seen above in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Sunday) took aim at President Trump on Sunday, saying he 'may not even be a free person' by next year's election Warren told reporters her comments were a reference to the multiple investigations that have shadowed Trump's presidency. Asked if she supported impeaching Trump, Warren was noncommittal, saying only that special counsel Robert Mueller needs to be allowed to finish his investigation and make his report public. 'If we go down that path, we're going to need to help pull this country together and have as many people as possible understand it was a legitimate process based on facts,' she said. Trump has not been charged with any crimes, but several of his former advisers have pleaded guilty to a variety of charges. The president's ability to create controversies and drive debate poses a challenge for Warren and other Democrats. While Democrats are eager for candidates to show they can handle Trump's aggression, they also risk overshadowing their own visions for the country if they respond to every attack or provocation. Warren's campaign launch has been shadowed by the controversy surrounding her past claims to Native American heritage. She's apologized for claiming Native American identity on multiple occasions early in her career. Trump has frequently taken digs at the senator by calling her Pocahontas, a reference to the native woman who lived in present-day Virginia in the 1600s and agreed to marry an English colonist to help ensure peace and protect her people. Voters in Cedar Rapids did not ask Warren about the controversy during a question-and-answer session, focusing instead on her stances on issues including tariffs and student loan debt. Recreational cannabis use may soon even more become common place in Australia, with experts clamming that it is only a matter of time before people can get legally high. Polls show that legalisation is slowly becoming more widely supported. Roughly 35 per cent of Australians support adults recreationally using cannabis while a whopping 91 per cent supported medicinal use. The number has increased by almost 10 per cent since 2004 when only 26.8 per cent of the population said they supported legalisation. The growing acceptance among Australians follows global trends. Industry experts are saying recreational cannabis use may soon be legal Roughly 35 per cent of Australians support the legalisation of cannabis Bloomberg predicts that by 2028, the vast majority of European countries will legalise medical cannabis programs and recreational cannabis. The industry is expected to be valued at $A182 billion. In the two years since Australia legalised medicinal cannabis, 1059 patients have been treated with the drug. Industry stakeholders are watching these figures closely with many comparing them to Canada, where medicinal use has been legal for 18 years and recreational use is about to become legal. Pharmacist and owner of Health House International Paul Mavor, who brought the first shipment of medicinal cannabis to the country this year, said patient numbers were above where Canada had first sat. 'In the first year of introducing it, Canada, which has a slightly bigger population to us, only had 150 patients, Australia had 300,' he told news.com.au. Industry experts are comparing Australia to Kannada where the drug was just legalised Medicinal cannabis is now widely supported in Australia 'Canada is now up 300,000 medical patients since legalising it 18 years ago and now they're just about to go legal for recreational (adult use) in a few months.' At the Future of Cannabis seminar at Advertising Week APAC in Sydney on Wednesday, Sharlene Mavor, medical scientist and director of Medical Cannabis Research Australia, was also using the North American country for guidance on a potentate timeline for legalisation here. She said that while the country needed to normalise it as a pharmaceutical, it would no doubt lead to recreational legalisation. 'Canada legalised it recreationally once authorities realised the sky didn't fall in and there were no major social issues.' In the two years since Australia legalised medicinal cannabis, 1059 patients have been treated with the drug In Australia, the movement to make legislative change has begun. In April, The Greens announced they would be adopting a policy to legalise recreational use. Announcing the policy, leader Richard Di Natale said the 'war on drugs has failed' and called for the establishment of an Australian Cannabis Agency that would oversee the supply of cannabis to licensed shops. It would follow similar legal guidelines to tobacco and alcohol in that it would only be available to customers over the age of 18, taxed heavily and prohibit advertising of the product. The policy has support from former Australian Federal Police (AFP) commissioner Mick Palmer. Global marijuana moguls are also optimistic. Announcing the policy, leader Richard Di Natale (pictured) said the 'war on drugs has failed' A Four Corners investigation into Australia's booming medical marijuana industry revealed major players believed it was only a matter of time till the legislation was changed. Cannabis industry analyst Matthijs Smith, whose investment bank Canaccord Genuity holds stock in one of Australia's largest medicinal marijuana companies, told the program that legalisation had followed a similar pattern in most countries. 'It's been interesting that a number of jurisdictions, such as Canada, Uruguay, and states in the US, once they have made cannabis available for medical purposes, and they've seen that that hasn't resulted in a whole deterioration of society, have become a lot more liberal and contemplated or indeed enacted the recreational use,' he said. Currently cannibals is only fully legal in a few places: Uruguay and parts of the United States. The Greens policy has support from former Australian Federal Police (AFP) commissioner Mick Palmer However dozens of countries have relaxed their marijuana laws over the years. Argentina, Cambodia, Canada, Spain, the Netherlands, Colombia, Peru and North Korea are just some of the countries that don't criminalize marijuana use. Change won't come overnight. Greg Hunt, the minister for health, has said the government is firmly against legalisation, labeling cannabis a gateway drug that leads to users trying harder substances such as methamphetamine. Argentina, Cambodia, Canada, Spain, the Netherlands, Colombia, Peru and North Korea are just some of the countries that don't criminalize marijuana use 'Our job is to protect the health of Australians,' he said. 'This action by the Greens risks the health of Australians.' But it is likely to come slowly. The 2016 National Drug Strategy Household Survey found that marijuana was the most commonly used illegal drug in Australia with 10.4 per cent of people consuming it in the previous 12 months. 'Community tolerance has increased for cannabis use, with higher proportions of people supporting legalisation and a lower proportion supporting penalties for sale and supply,' the report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare said. A deadly new breed of venomous snake has been discovered in Australia, after researchers stumbled upon the lethal reptile hiding in plain sight. Bryan Fry, from the University of Queensland, was leading a team of biologists on a search for sea snakes when they spotted the serpent - a never-before-seen species of a snake known as a 'bandy-bandy' - near the town of Weipa, far north Queensland. 'Bandy-bandy is a burrowing snake, so [we] were surprised to find it on a concrete block by the sea,' said Professor Fry. 'On examination... the bandy-bandy turned out to be a new species, visually and genetically distinct from those found on the Australian east coast and parts of the interior.' Scroll down for video A deadly new breed of venomous snake known as a 'bandy-bandy' (pictured) has been discovered in Australia The bandy-bandy or 'hoop snake' is a nocturnal, subterranean breed of snake, black with white rings, that typically hides beneath rocks, stumps and logs and is exclusive to Australia. It also packs a venomous bite. Queensland snake catcher Brydie Maro told Daily Mail Australia that a run-in with a bandy-bandy could prove fatal, and compared the toxicity of its venom to the much-maligned red-bellied black snake. Typical symptoms resulting from a bite include localised pain, swelling of the site of the wound and surrounding joints, tingling and numbness of extremities. Queensland snake catcher Brydie Maro told Daily Mail Australia that a run-in with a bandy-bandy (pictured) could prove fatal, and compared the toxicity of its venom to the much-maligned red-bellied black snake The researchers currently have a total of five specimens of the new species, known as Vermicella parscauda, after finding two more near the town of Weipa - one of which had been killed by a car. Scientists already fear, however, that heavy mining activity on the west coast of the Cape York Peninsula could be endangering the species. In a report published on Monday, the research team suggested that there was an 'urgent conservation concern' for the future of the species prompted by excessive mining of a material known as 'bauxite', the world's main source of aluminium. 'Bauxite mining is a major economic activity in the region, and it may be reshaping the environment to the detriment of native plants and animals,' said Professor Fry. Professor Bryan Fry (pictured), who discovered the new breed near Weipa, far-north Queensland, has grave fears that extensive mining in the area could be posing a threat to the species Moreover, researchers are suggesting that the new snake's venom could prove invaluable as a source of proteins that might be used in the production of future medications. 'Every species is precious and we need to protect them all, since we can't predict where the next wonder-drug will come from,' said Professor Fry. 'The discovery of this enigmatic little snake is symptomatic of the much more fundamental problem of how little we know about our biodiversity and how much may be lost before we even discover it.' Pharmacists acting like 'street drug dealers' are flooding the black market with potentially dangerous prescription drugs such as Xanax. A Daily Mail investigation has uncovered evidence of chemists illegally selling highly addictive medication for cash without asking for prescriptions. The drugs can then be swiftly sold on through social media to young people in schools and universities where they are increasingly being abused with devastating consequences. Suited, bespectacled and looking a little older than his 53 years, Anatolijus Kostiukevicius exudes the air of respectability you expect from a central London pharmacist He is approached by a stranger in his 20s asking for Xanax, the Class C controlled drug blighting the lives of teenagers across Britain. Immediately, it is apparent Mr Kostiukevicius is not as respectable as his appearance would suggest. 'Sixty tablets, 150,' he replies, without missing a beat Pharmacists are exploiting a growing trend among young people for prescription-only drugs such as the strong benzodiazepines Xanax and diazepam and the opioid tramadol. Drug dealers sell the Xanax tablets which are used to treat anxiety on social media for between 1 and 3 each. One pharmacist in London sold hundreds of dangerous Class C controlled prescription drugs to an undercover Mail reporter for prices higher than those on the 'street'. Another told a reporter in Manchester to buy the drugs with side effects including hallucinations and heart failure from the internet. He said they wouldn't be fake because 'people get them from the NHS and sell them on eBay.' The balding Lithuanian stands at the back of Al Razi Pharmacy in Edgware Road, surrounded by colourful medicine boxes stacked high on shelves. A large sign reads: 'Prescriptions' Despite breaking the law in supplying a controlled substance and breaching one of the fundamental tenets of pharmaceutical practice in supplying prescription-only drugs without a prescription, the pharmacist maintains a confusing professionalism, asking: 'Would you like a bag?' When confronted with the allegations, Mr Kostiukevicius admitted that selling the medication was illegal but said he 'did not know about the situation' Two pharmacists have been struck off the pharmaceutical register this year for selling thousands of tablets to dealers. It can also be revealed: Student hanged herself after suffering withdrawal from Xanax Student Raven Hunt hanged herself after suffering withdrawal symptoms from Xanax. Miss Hunt, 21, had been using the medication for six weeks after it was given to her by a fellow student to help cope with anxiety ahead of her final exams. But two weeks before her death, she decided to stop taking the drug and immediately struggled. Student Raven Hunt hanged herself after suffering withdrawal symptoms from Xanax In extreme cases, coming off Xanax following lengthy spells of abuse can lead to psychosis, depression and suicidal thoughts. Miss Hunt was told by her GP that any treatment could only start after a few weeks without the drug. On April 13 last year, the body of the sociology student at the University of the West of England was found in Leigh Woods, Bristol. She had been just weeks from graduating. Following an inquest which found traces of Xanax in Miss Hunt's blood, her family have called on the police to do more to combat the sale of the prescription drug in the area. They said: 'As a family, we will only be able to really come to terms with what has happened if the suppliers of Xanax are stopped as this will provide us with a sense of purpose and some closure.' Miss Hunt, one of four children brought up by their mother Emmy in Southampton, planned to become a social worker. She had broken up with a boyfriend and was drinking excessive amounts of alcohol while taking Xanax at the time of her death. Her mother, 42, added: 'She enjoyed her time in Bristol, and wanted to stay there after university and work with children. She was very passionate about it. I don't know why she would throw it away. I will never get over it or accept it. It's still so raw she meant the world to me.' It came as head teachers warned of the dangers of Xanax and other prescription drugs after a series of terrifying incidents involving youngsters. Earlier this month, teenagers at the prestigious Lord Williams's School in Oxfordshire passed out after taking Xanax and one was admitted to hospital. It came just days after a coroner warned of the 'pernicious influence' of Xanax after Georgia Jackson, 21, hanged herself two days after taking the drug in December. Last month, Andrew Halls, head of the independent King's College School in Wimbledon, South West London, wrote an open letter to parents warning of the dangers of Xanax, describing how several pupils had asked teachers how to break the 'dangerous habit.' He described a 'rising tide' of drug abuse in schools as he told how Xanax is becoming easier and cheaper to get hold of than alcohol. After a meeting of London headteachers, he said: 'Every single head around the table felt that drug abuse by young people was a central concern for schools and parents.' In February, six girls from Wandsworth, South London, were taken to hospital after suffering adverse side-effects to Xanax. Three ambulances were sent to Burntwood School after one witness said the students were 'all high and could not walk.' Police Scotland recorded at least 27 Xanax-related deaths last year. In January, Labour MP Bambos Charalambous warned the Commons about the growing danger of Xanax and other prescription medication. He described how in May last year, 20 children aged 15 and 16 required medical treatment in Salisbury, Wiltshire, after taking Xanax. Last week Barnaby Lenon, the former head of Harrow school, said parents should beware giving teenagers too much pocket money in case they spent it on drugs. For confidential support, log on to samaritans.org or call the Samaritans on 116123. Advertisement Twenty-three pharmacists of whom six are suspended are being investigated by the General Pharmaceutical Council for diverting prescription medication to the black market; Eight pharmacists have been arrested, and at least 50 pharmacies have been investigated as part of an ongoing operation; One drug dealer said he could obtain 280,000 diazepam tablets a week from the legitimate supply chain to sell to an undercover government investigator; Three websites selling drugs stolen from pharmacies made 55 million in just 15 months. After selling 60 Xanax tablets for 2.50 each and 100 tramadol capsules for 250 to a reporter at the Al Razi Pharmacy in London last month, a pharmacist acknowledged the prices were high 'because you need a prescription'. Anatolijus Kostiukevicius then handed over a business card including a mobile phone number and bragged: 'If you need any medicines call me any time.' Selling Xanax and tramadol without a prescription is illegal, as both are Class C controlled drugs. Supplying Xanax carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in jail. Young people who have become hooked on the pills for supposed feelings of relaxation describe horrific withdrawal symptoms when they try to come clean, including insomnia, tremors, vomiting and suicidal thoughts. Xanax is often mixed with alcohol and cough syrup in a cocktail known as 'lean', which can cause heart failure and memory loss. Julie Cooper, Labour's community health spokesman and a former pharmacy owner, said: 'These figures really are shocking. Obviously any pharmacists caught selling drugs in this way should be struck off. When these drugs find their way into the wrong hands they are very dangerous. Every step needs to be taken at every level to make sure this doesn't happen. 'Every decent pharmacist will want to get to the bottom of this issue because it could bring the whole profession into disrepute.' The Government's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority [MHRA] is working with the police to crack down on the diversion of drugs from the legitimate supply chain. Some 41 people, including eight pharmacists have been arrested. Between 2013 and 2016, up to 200million of medication was diverted from pharmacies and other legitimate supply routes and released on to the criminal market. UK Addiction Treatment Centres say admissions to their treatment facilities for Xanax addiction have doubled in the past year. Half of those seeking treatment are under the age of 25. Eytan Alexander, the centre's founder, said: 'The results of this investigation are absolutely appalling and those involved should be deeply ashamed of themselves. 'Pharmacists have a duty of care to ensure the safe and effective provision of medicine, but instead, they're abusing their position of power and mirroring the behaviour of street drug dealers. 'We help and treat the fallout of prescription drug street crime and if the actions of some pharmacists continues, this number will unfortunately continue to rise.' Ash Soni, president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said the body was 'deeply concerned' over the findings. 'People are put at serious risk when supplied unlawfully with prescription-only medicines and the scale of these allegations is shocking. 'Any deliberate practice that could cause patient harm must be dealt with robustly and we would like to see this matter investigated as swiftly as possible by the relevant authorities.' Duncan Rudkin, chief executive of the General Pharmaceutical Council, said: 'We are working closely with the MHRA on a major ongoing investigation into the diversion of prescription medicines away from the normal supply chain. 'We would like to thank the Daily Mail for raising with us the concerns identified through their undercover investigation; this is particularly useful as we do not have legal powers to carry out our own undercover investigations. We will investigate these new concerns as a matter of urgency.' Alastair Jeffrey, of the MHRA, said: 'The criminals involved are exploiting people when they are at their most vulnerable; their only interest is making money. Prescription-only medicines are potent and should only be taken under medical supervision.' No prescription but he sold us 60 tablets for 150... without batting an eyelid Suited, bespectacled and looking a little older than his 53 years, Anatolijus Kostiukevicius exudes the air of respectability you expect from a central London pharmacist. The balding Lithuanian stands at the back of Al Razi Pharmacy in Edgware Road, surrounded by colourful medicine boxes stacked high on shelves. A large sign reads: 'Prescriptions.' He is approached by a stranger in his 20s asking for Xanax, the Class C controlled drug blighting the lives of teenagers across Britain. Immediately, it is apparent Mr Kostiukevicius is not as respectable as his appearance would suggest. Mr Kostiukevicius has been registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council in Britain since 2005. The council said it would 'urgently investigate' the Mail's evidence 'Sixty tablets, 150,' he replies, without missing a beat. Alarmingly, the pharmacist has no interest in finding out whether the man an undercover Daily Mail reporter has a prescription. He doesn't even ask why he requires the medication. The reporter leaves to visit a cash machine and returns, counting out 150 in notes into Mr Kostiukevicius's hand. The pharmacist immediately hands over 60 Xanax pills the brand name for the anti-anxiety medication, alprazolam in a small white box branded with the logo of pharmaceutical firm Pfizer. The whole transaction takes 130 seconds. Despite breaking the law in supplying a controlled substance and breaching one of the fundamental tenets of pharmaceutical practice in supplying prescription-only drugs without a prescription, the pharmacist maintains a confusing professionalism, asking: 'Would you like a bag?' Before leaving, the reporter requests tramadol, another Class C controlled drug which is similar, but slightly less potent, than heroin. This time, Mr Kostiukevicius asks for 250 for 100 'capsules'. In an attempt to justify the price when told it is 'expensive', he makes an admission that proves the sale was something more sinister than a moment of naivety. 'These are controlled drugs that need a red prescription,' he says. 'Before two years ago it was like antibiotic, but then two years ago you need special prescription.' He does not ask to see one. 'Red' is thought to refer to the NHS 'traffic light' prescribing system, categorising drugs in order of potential harm. The reporter returns 40 minutes later and hands over 250. Mr Kostiukevicius has been registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council in Britain since 2005. The council said it would 'urgently investigate' the Mail's evidence. Al Razi Pharmacy failed to respond to requests for comment. Al Razi Pharmacy failed to respond to requests for comment. Pictured: Mr Kostiukevicius receiving the cash for the pills When confronted with the allegations, Mr Kostiukevicius admitted that selling the medication was illegal but said he 'did not know about the situation'. It comes after a pharmacy manager stole more than 20,000 prescription tablets, including Xanax and diazepam, to sell to a builder peddling drugs online. Pratik Buhecha, 32, ordered vast quantities of drugs to his pharmacy in Hove, Sussex, and sold them to a mysterious character called 'Cyrus'. Buhecha received a caution for the theft of medication, but only relating to drugs worth 579. He has been struck off the pharmaceutical register. Another rogue pharmacist, Niren Patel, was jailed for 12 months after stealing almost 5,000 of prescription drugs to sell on the street. The 39-year-old, who worked at pharmacies in Hornchurch and Dagenham, Essex, was also struck off the register. Patel was arrested when colleagues became suspicious of medicine and invoices going missing from the pharmacies. Have you been affected by the black market in prescription drugs? Contact the Mail Investigations Unit at: drugs@dailymail.co.uk A woman who was convicted of fatally poisoning her husband with antifreeze, attempting to kill her daughter and trying to frame her for his murder, has died in prison. Stacey Castor, 48, died Saturday morning while serving 51 years to life at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women in Westchester County, the Onondaga County district attorney's office said. Castor was pronounced dead at the prison at 6.48am.The cause of death investigation will be conducted by the Westchester County Medical Examiner's Office. She was convicted in 2009 of killing her second husband David Castor and trying to kill her daughter Ashley Wallace as part of a plot to pin the murder on her. Stacey Castor (pictured), 48, died Saturday morning while serving 51 years to life for fatally poisoning her husband with antifreeze and trying to kill her daughter and frame her for the crime Castor was pronounced dead at the prison at 6.48am. The cause of death investigation will be conducted by the Westchester County Medical Examiner's Office. She's pictured on March 5, 2009, with her attorney Charles Keller Castor (left) was convicted in 2009 of killing her second husband David Castor (right) and trying to kill her daughter Ashley Wallace as part of a plot to pin the murder on her Stacey Castor was also convicted of filing a fake will to inherit her second husband's estate and was suspected of fatally poisoning her first husband in 2000. The judge who sentenced Castor said she was guilty of the most reprehensible crimes he'd ever seen. Investigators originally said Castor's first husband, Michael Wallace (pictured) died of a heart attack until his body was exhumed and authorities ruled his death a homicide 'In my 34 years in the criminal justice system as a lawyer and a judge, I have seen serial killers, contract killers, killers of every variety and stripe,' Onondaga County Judge Joseph Fahey said. 'But, I have to say, Mrs Castor, you are in a class all by yourself.' Castor's 2009 trial is considered one of the biggest in recent Syracuse history, according to Syracuse.com. Castor's case spawned a two-hour 20/20 special on ABC and she earned the nickname 'The Black Widow' by some. The case was featured on an episode of 'Forensic Files'. David Castor's death at 48 in August 2005 was initially considered a suicide, but investigators later determined he didn't knowingly drink ethylene glycol, a toxic chemical found in antifreeze. Stacey Castor was charged in September 2007, just days after investigators in neighboring Cayuga County exhumed the body of Michael Wallace, her first husband and the father of her two children. His cause of death had originally been ruled a heart attack, but after the exhumation, authorities ruled the 2000 death a homicide caused by ingesting ethylene glycol. Stacey Castor wasn't charged in Wallace's killing, but prosecutors presented evidence during trial that she was involved as they built their case against her. Prosecutors said she killed her husbands to collect on their life insurance policies and estates. Prosecutors said Stacey Castor poisoned David Castor in September 2007 by using a kitchen baster to slip him the antifreeze, then staged the scene to make it appear he was depressed, had gotten drunk and killed himself by downing the toxic liquid. When authorities were closing in on her, prosecutors said, Castor decided to kill her daughter Ashley Wallace and frame her for killing both husbands. When authorities were closing in on her, prosecutors said, Castor decided to kill her daughter Ashley Wallace (right with her sister Bree) and frame her for killing both husbands. She knocked Wallace out with sleeping pills, then used a teaspoon to feed her vodka and prescription pills over a 17-hour window, prosecutors said She knocked Wallace out with sleeping pills, then used a teaspoon to feed her vodka and prescription pills over a 17-hour window, prosecutors said. Castor then wrote a 750-word suicide note on her computer that claimed to be from her daughter confessing to killing the men, prosecutors said. In the suicide note, which Wallace denied writing, the word antifreeze is written as 'anti-free' in four places. An investigator testified earlier that Castor said 'anti-free' during an interview. Castor acknowledged saying 'anti-free' but said she had cut herself off mid-word because she meant to say something else. Investigators also determined that the note was written while Castor was at home and her daughter was at school, prosecutors said. Is this the bed which launched the Tudors? Dumped in a hotel car park this four poster could be where Henry VIII was conceived and is worth 20million Bed was dumped in a hotel car park and bought at auction for just 2,200 Now identified as four-poster created for Henry VII and Elizabeth of York Highly likely couple's son, Henry, was conceived in the oak bed Under King Henry VIII's reign, England broke with the Catholic church Royal Navy also built up fleet of 50 ships and invaded France Bed now considered valuable piece of historical furniture, worth 20m This carved four-poster bed could be where Henry VIII was conceived - and may be worth a staggering 20million. Featuring oak wood, intricate carvings and a bible inscription the ornate bed was sold at auction for just 2,200 after being dumped in a hotel car park in Chester. But it is now considered one of the most valuable pieces of historical furniture in England after being identified as the bed which belonged to Henry VII. Fit for a royal? This four-poster could be the bed in which Henry VIII was conceived - and may be worth 20m Valuable: The bed (left) - featuring oak wood and intricate carvings (right) - was sold at auction for just 2,200 after being dumped in a hotel car park in Chester. But it is now considered one of the most valuable pieces of historical furniture in England after being identified as the bed of the royal's father, Henry VII, and his wife The impressive item was created for the marriage of the first Tudor King and his wife, Elizabeth of York, on January 18, 1486, according to the Sunday Times. It is highly likely that the couple's son, Henry, was conceived in the bed - meaning the item may have a physical link to the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. Born at Greenwich Palace in 1491, Henry VIII was the third child and second son of Henry VII and his wife. Powerful: Henry VIII, the second son of Henry VII, turned England in favour of Protestantism Only three of his six siblings survived infancy - and he succeeded his father as king following his death on 22 April, 1509. Under Henry VIII's reign, England turned in favour of P rotestantism and split from Rome , the Royal Navy built up a fleet of about 50 shi ps and the country invaded France . Jonathan Foyle, chief executive of World Monuments Fund Britain, said: 'This bed belonged to Henry VIII. It has to be the most important piece of furniture [in England' - and arguably, royal artefact.' He added: 'Even the Westminster coronation chair has less to say than this.' Experts believe Henry VII may have taken the bed north while on a royal tour following the birth of his son. More than five centuries later, it was discovered dismantled and dumped in the car park of Chester's Redland Hotel, which was being turned into flats. It was later bought at auction by Ian Coulson, a restorer of four-poster beds, where it was described as being 'Victorian'. In 2010, Mr Coulson approached Mr Foyle with a suspicion that the bed was, in fact, the only surviving Tudor bed - and Mr Foyle agreed. Since then, Mr Foyle has been trying to prove the artefact's historical roots. He has traced it back to 1495, when Henry VII went to Lathom in Lanchashire to see the Stanley family, who had helped him to victory in the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. King: The bed was created for the marriage of the first Tudor King, Henry VII (pictured left and right) and his wife, Elizabeth of York, on January 18, 1486. It is highly likely the couple's son, Henry, was conceived in the bed He has also discovered the bed features an inscription from the Matthew Bible of 1537 - reading: 'The stinge of death is sinne. The strength of sinne is the lawe' - which was added after 1547, when England had a Protestant monarch. Meanwhile, a Victorian furniture restorer's diary has suggested that the bed was at Lathom when it was damaged during a siege in 1644. Mr Foyle said he had proved that the item was not the work of Victorian revivalists by reflecting on the Tudors' belief that they had been chosen by God to save England from civil war. Proof? Jonathan Foyle, chief executive of World Monuments Fund Britain, has been trying to prove the artefact's historical roots since 2010. He said it was not made by Victorian revivalists because the headboard showed Adam (Henry VII) and Eve (his wife) transmuted into Christ Important rediscovery: Mr Foyle's views are backed by other experts, such as Diarmaid MacCulloch, professor of the history of the church at Oxford University, who deems the rediscovery 'exceptionally important' He said the headboard showed Henry VII and his bride as Adam and Eve transmuted into Christ - adding: 'It's arguably the cradle of the English Reformation. 'Look how the king and queen represent themselves as manifestations of Christ and Mary; it's Henry VIII's God complex in a nutshell.' And Mr Foyle is backed by other experts, such as Diarmaid MacCulloch, professor of the history of the church at Oxford University, who deems the rediscovery 'exceptionally important'. Portrayal: Under Henry VIII's reign, England split from Rome and the Royal Navy built up a fleet of about 50 ships. Above Henry VIII (Daniel Flynn) and Anne Boleyn (Tara Breathnach) in The Last Days of Anne Boleyn Mighty: Henry VIII (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) and Catherine Parr/Lady Latimer (Joley Richardson) in The Tudors The bed is not the only historical royal artefact to have been discovered abandoned or hidden in England. Last year, the battle-scarred skeleton of Richard III was discovered by archaeologists in a car park in Leicester. And earlier this year, explorers found a piece of a pelvis that could belong to Alfred the Great in the grounds of Hyde Abbey in Winchester. Finding: Last year, the skull (left) and bones of Richard III (right) were discovered in a car park in Leicester Meanwhile, last December, archaeologists uncovered a site in the Amazonian jungle believed to be the tomb of Atahualpa, the last emporer of the Incas. The bed will be on display at Auckland Castle in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, later this month. Lesbian vampire killer who 'lured a man with promise of sex' before killing him for his blood set to walk free after 20 years A lesbian vampire killer who stabbed a man to death and drank his blood from his almost-severed head is expected to be freed from jail soon after serving 20 years of a life sentence for her gruesome crime. Tracey Wigginton, now 46, drank the blood of her council worker victim Edward Baldock in 1989 after luring him to a dark river bank with the promise of sex. Instead she and other women with her attacked him, stabbing him so frequently and violently that his head was almost severed. Then, a court heard, Wigginton drank his blood. Released: Tracey Wigginton who killed a man before drinking his blood is set to walk free It was a crime that shocked the world but Wigginton is now expected to be released from prison in Queensland within weeks following an independent parole board decision. Her previous application last year had been denied, despite her lawyer's argument that she would not be able to harm anyone if released because she suffered fro a debilitating back condition, a knee injury and require crutches to remain mobile. She was the only one of the four women involved in the attack on the council worker to plead guilty to murder. According to evidence compiled by police 47-year-old Edward Baldock was walking home in Brisbane after a night out drinking with friends when he was offered a lift by Wigginton, her lesbian lover Lisa Ptachinski, and two other women. They drove him to a park beside the Brisbane river where, having enticed Mr Baldock from the car with the promise of sexual favours, he was brutally attacked. According to evidence provided by Ptaschinski, Wigginton, a self-confessed female vampire, then drank his blood. His body was found the following day - and in one of his shoes was a cash card bearing the name of Tracey Wigginton. Police made an early arrest. At her trial, Wigginton told the jury she did not live on solid food but drank the blood of pigs and cows which she obtained from her local butcher. Ptaschinski told the court that she would slit her own wrists so that Wigginton could drink her blood. Wigginton and her Ptaschiski were sentenced to life imprisonment while one of the other women, Kim Jervis was sentenced to 18 years jail for manslaughter. Online gift card shop, Zeek, has confirmed it is looking for a new buyer after customers complained they haven't received payments. Zeek Mobile Ltd allows users to buy and sell gift cards on its website, meaning sellers can get cash for their unwanted gift cards, while buyers get discounts. However, in the last week, some users have taken to social media to say they're still waiting for payments to be sent for gift cards they have sold or cannot access credit they have on their accounts. Some have even claimed to be left out of pocket by more than 1,000. Problems: Zeek, the online gift shop retailer, has confirmed that it's looking for a new buyer Zeek has now confirmed that it has 'temporarily paused' transactions while it works with its creditor to try and secure a buyer for the business even though its website is still working. This means existing transactions will be delayed and customers are unable to make any new transactions. A spokesperson for Zeek said: 'Zeek Mobile Ltd (an Israeli business) is currently working through a process with its major creditor Viola, part of this process will be to secure a buyer for the business short term. 'Transactions on the marketplace and shop have been temporarily paused while we resolve this issue over the coming days. 'We greatly appreciate the support of our consumers during the necessary changes we are making to the business ownership structure.' Customers have since taken to social media to express their frustration with their company as one user is even claiming to be short of 1,200. Waiting: One man said he was missing a payment due that was worth over a thousand pounds This user has said he has not been paid by the company & hasn't been able to make a complaint Another user asked the firm if it had gone bust & when they could expect to receive payment Losing money?: This customer is unable to use the credits that they have built up on the site A spokesperson for the UK Gift Card & Voucher Association said: 'The UK Gift Card and Voucher Association recognises that this is a frustrating situation for affected consumers. 'The UKGCVA is in contact with the Zeek team who have assured us that they are working hard to resolve the situation and will be updating customers as soon as possible.' This is Money has contacted Zeek for comment. The company is based in Tel Aviv, Israel but also has offices in London and Dusseldorf. Zeek proved a popular idea as the firm boasted over 100,000 customers within the first year of its launch in 2014. The company had employed 60 people up until recently, however, it let go of most of its Israeli employees in December due to financial difficulties, according to its creditor Viola. Viola also added that recent attempts by Zeek to raise capital from investors to cover its debts have failed. Zeek makes money by charging its customers a fee to use the site. It charges seven per cent commission when someone sells a gift card, meaning if a customer sold a card at 18, Zeek would bill them 1.26. There is a big market for gift cards with the UKGCVA's most recent study of 2,000 adults in 2017 revealing that 73 per cent of Britons had purchased a gift card within the past three years. It also found that 72 per cent of consumers spend more than the value on the card, adding on top of the average 55 per cent value of the card itself. Small shareholders in Flybe have discovered that investing in airlines can be risky. Investors who bought into the regional airline have lost thousands of pounds, after it accepted a 1p per share takeover offer. The company has struggled with high oil prices, which have been driving up fuel costs. Rapid expansion left it with empty seats and competition has pushed down ticket prices. Others such as long-haul low cost carrier Norwegian have also been feeling the strain. But should Flybe's struggles be raising red flags for the rest of the airline industry? Colin McLean, of Edinburgh-based investment firm SVM Asset Management, thinks not, even though shares in most London-listed airlines have tumbled recently. 'We've quite liked the airline sector for at least the last year,' he says. McLean likes Ryanair and Hungary-based Wizz Air, both of which offer budget fares, because their operations are focused on Europe and are low cost. Revenues are growing well. Ryanair, he says, may have hit upon a new way of making money as it has realised it can use the vast reserves of customer data it gains when travellers book tickets through its site. Information such as passengers' age, how frequently they travel and where they go could allow it to branch out into car rental and hotel booking. SVM decided to jump aboard airlines early last year when the soaring price of oil was alarming investors and causing shares to slide. The theory was that higher fuel costs would pile pressure on the weaker airlines, and their rivals would come out the other side even stronger. The first part of this prediction has certainly come to pass. Monarch, Berlin Air, Germania and Primera Air have all failed over the last 18 months. In favour: McLean likes Ryanair and Hungary-based Wizz Air, both of which offer budget fares Norwegian Air is struggling and Flybe's market value, following the 2.2million bid from a consortium including Virgin and Stobart Group, is on the floor. Thomas Cook this week put its airline up for sale after it reported a loss in the last three months of 2018. Even Ryanair issued a profit warning in January after winter fares were lower than expected. So not everyone is positive on the sector. Analysts at Berenberg are wary of low-cost carriers. The broker recently downgraded Ryanair to a 'sell' rating, saying the Irish airline is facing sustained pressure on prices from its rivals and that its ability to keep reducing costs was 'highly uncertain'. EasyJet is on Berenberg's 'sell' list for similar reasons. Although the budget flyer is continuing to take customers from flag-carriers like British Airways and Air France, analyst Adrian Yanoshik thinks it will find it harder to achieve the level of profit the City expects as the year unfolds. Wizz Air is one exception to his pessimism. It focuses on Eastern Europe, which is a less competitive market, while the customer base in Central and Eastern Europe is better placed to grow faster for longer than in the West. McLean adds that Wizz Air is also able to lease out its planes to other operators, helping to fill seats and bring in extra cash. Investors shouldn't forget about the likes of British Airways' owner IAG. In Berenberg's view, these are being viewed through an overly pessimistic lens. Whilst rapid expansion has left a large number of short-haul airlines vying for the same budget passenges, long-haul airlines have been less aggressive in adding new routes and extra seats on existing routes. It means they don't have to cut fares so much to fill their seats, making it easier to make a profit. For individual investors, trying to pick the right airline can be a challenge. One small shareholder, Muhamed Miah, a 34-year-old financial services worker, told the Mail he lost around 85,000 after he invested a chunk of his savings in Flybe last November. Even though he read the firm's accounts and recent announcements, he didn't see any warning signs. 'It's not a sector for the nervous,' says McLean. He recommends that more cautious savers who are keen on the broader travel sector should consider putting their money in a different type of business, like a hotel firm or booking site. Having said that, he does not think it is time for anyone who owns airline stock to sell up. For anyone who has the time and the money to bear a few tricky years, McLean thinks the budget airlines which have strong balance sheets, such as Ryanair and Wizz, could deliver gains in the future. When were not in front of a TV or computer screen, many of us spend the day attached to our phones, checking them long after natural light has faded outside. Its increasingly recognised that the blue light emitted from these devices can disrupt our body clocks and sleep patterns, but now doctors warn it may also damage our skin and eyesight. Much of the research is at an early stage but meanwhile, chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies has said that at the very least people should turn off their tablets, phones and computers before bed. Risk: Last year, U.S. scientists published research suggesting that blue light might damage vision and speed up the onset of blindness There is increasing concern about the impact of computer or smartphone screen use and blue light upon human health, she said in her annual report in March last year. Research is ongoing and this is an important area of investigation. Heres what emerging evidence suggests: IT MIGHT HURT MY EYES Blue light, also known as high energy visible light (HEV), is part of the visible light spectrum, which is formed of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet light. Blue to violet light has the shortest wavelength on the spectrum the shorter the wavelength, the higher its energy. Last year, U.S. scientists published research suggesting that blue light might damage vision and speed up the onset of blindness. Researchers at the University of Toledo found that prolonged exposure to blue light triggers toxic molecules in the eyes light-sensitive cells, killing them off a process that leads to macular degeneration, a common cause of sight loss. The lab-based study, published in the Journal Scientific Reports, found that blue light triggers retinal a protein in our eyes that senses light to create poisonous molecules in the photoreceptor cells (specialised cells which respond to light). There were no changes when the cells were exposed to green, yellow or red light only blue light affected them. Commenting on the findings, Dr Ajith Karunarathne, an assistant professor in the universitys department of chemistry and biochemistry, said: We are being exposed to blue light continuously and the eyes cornea and lens cannot block or reflect it. Its no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eyes retina. Our experiments explain how this happens and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration. Romesh Angunawela, a consultant eye surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital and co-founder of Ophthalmic Consultants of London, agrees: Blue wavelength light from digital devices carries more energy to the retina and in particular, the macula [responsible for central vision]. Dangers: Researchers at the University of Toledo found that prolonged exposure to blue light triggers toxic molecules in the eyes light-sensitive cells, killing them off Some ophthalmic scientists have suggested that this could increase the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. Long term studies are required to critically assess this proposed risk. It may be especially harmful to look at phones, glowing with blue light, in the dark, explains Dr Karunarathne: [When it is dark] your pupils are so dilated that everything coming from the device gets in. Yet while there is no conclusive evidence that blue light from our phones could cause vision loss, it is widely recognised that spending hours in front of devices can lead to digital eye strain. This is characterised by headaches, fatigue, blurred vision and dry eyes. Blue wavelength light scatters more than other wavelengths and can result in digital eye strain from extended use of devices, adds Mr Angunawela. Screen use is also linked to a raised risk of dry eyes. This is because we dont blink as much when staring at them we normally blink 15 times a minute, but a 2013 study published in the journal Optometry and Vision Science, suggested we blink half to a third that often when on our devices. Optometrists recommend the 20-20-20 rule look away from the screen every 20 minutes and then focus on an object 20 ft away for 20 seconds. SKIN DAMAGE Its thought that blue light, like UV light, can prematurely age and damage the skin indeed some dermatologists believe that they can spot someone who takes a lot of selfies, or identify which ear they hold their phone to, just by examining their skin. U.S. dermatologist Dr Zein Obagi has said: You start to see a dull, dirty looking texture on one side of the face. STEPS TO REDUCE YOUR EXPOSURE USE a blue light filter on your phone, tablet or computer to shield skin and eyes at night, advises Dr Alejandro Sanchez de Miguel, a postgraduate researcher at the environment and sustainability institute at the University of Exeter. Apps which filter blue light towards the evening include f.lux for your computer and phone. Others such as Twilight or the night mode setting on your device will reduce blue light emitted at any time. EVERYONE should wear factor 50 suncream with five-star broad spectrum protection, to block UVA and UVB light, as well as iron oxides, which protect against blue light, says Dr Andrew Birnie, a consultant dermatologist and skin cancer specialist at the William Harvey and Kent and Canterbury Hospitals. VITAMIN C serums can also provide antioxidant protection against blue light, says consultant dermatologist Dr Emma Wedgeworth. AVOID using your phone or PC in the dark, as your pupils will dilate and take in more blue light, says Dr Ajith Karunarathne, an assistant professor in the University of Toledos department of chemistry and biochemistry. Advertisement Dr Jean-Louis Sebagh, a private London-based dermatologist, says he sees examples of screen face in his younger patients, the selfie generation. He points to his own research in 2013 and 2014 exposing artificial skin cultures to blue light for six to 12 hours mirroring the amount of time that many of us spend in front of screens each day; this found considerable oxidative damage to the skin, through cell ageing, uneven pigmentation and inflammation. Blue light can penetrate down to the dermis, the deeper layer of skin where collagen and elastin are produced, making skin thinner and more fragile, explains Dr Stefanie Williams, a private London dermatologist. Dr Andrew Birnie, a consultant dermatologist and skin cancer specialist at the William Harvey and Kent and Canterbury Hospitals, adds: Its been found that blue light causes a degree of increased pigmentation. In particular, it seems to affect people with olive skin and darker skin tones, more than people with very fair skin. I suspect that the amount of blue light energy coming out of sunlight on a hot sunny day is going to be more than that coming from your phone but I would think that its the chronic exposure from phones that might have an impact. Blue light might damage skin by generating free radicals, explains Dr Emma Wedgeworth, a consultant dermatologist at 41 Harley Street and for the NHS. These are very active molecules which bind to skin and cause significant cellular changes. They affect the way DNA is repaired. She points to any potential harm likely to be linked to the amount of time that we are spending on our phones and the fact we are holding them in direct contact with our skin. One way to protect against this damage is to wear creams that contain iron oxides, she says. I advise people to use a combination of vitamin C serum which gives antioxidant protection and a broad-spectrum sunscreen that is tinted, with iron oxides, to protect against visible light. They say sharing is caring, but sometimes youre better off not towels, toiletries and toothbrushes can carry bacteria, viruses and fungi that can spread between people. In general, it is better not to share anything that goes on or in your body, says Lisa Ackerley, a chartered environmental health practitioner at thehygienedoctor.co.uk. The skin is an effective barrier, but any scratch or break in that barrier makes us vulnerable to those microbes. While it seems obvious to avoid sharing towels when were ill, here the experts reveal which other commonly shared items its healthier to be selfish with. Be careful what you share! Anything can carry bacteria, viruses and fungi which can spread A POT OF VASELINE If the cold weather has made your lips dry, dont dip into a shared jar of Vaseline. Theres a lot of bacteria around the mouth and dipping into a shared pot of cream is risky, says Dr Justine Hextall, a consultant dermatologist at Tarrant Street Clinic in Arundel, West Sussex. For example, the herpes simplex virus, which causes cold sores, is highly contagious and can survive for two hours on skin. Because of the risk of spreading this, and other, viruses which can sit dormant without causing symptoms in some people I would never share lipsticks or lip balms, says Dr Hextall. Whats more, many microbes including the herpes simplex virus may be fine sitting on the skin but can go through mucous membranes, such as those lining the mouth, eyes and nose, and cause infections, which can even lead to inflammation of the brain in at-risk individuals, adds Dr Manal Mohammed, a lecturer in microbiology at the University of Westminster. It is feasible that microbes can survive in a tub of Vaseline, because the temperature is just right and it remains moist, adds Robin May, a professor of infectious disease at the University of Birmingham. Fact: The herpes simplex virus, which causes cold sores, is highly contagious and can survive for two hours on skin Also, it is made from a fatty compound, and lots of bacteria and fungi can use this type of environment to survive, he says. But no studies have tested how well bugs survive in Vaseline. The big issue with lip balms, he adds, is that they are used on cracked skin, so theres an entry point for the infections. And its a similar issue with pots of cream, too, which can spread bacteria that trigger skin infections such as impetigo, and reactions such as folliculitis, where hair follicles become inflamed. Once a water-based cream is open to air, that environment also makes bacteria multiply, adds Dr Hextall. Thats why a lot of creams have pump dispensers. If youre sharing a pot of cream, experts recommend using a disposable cotton bud to dip into it instead of fingers. IN-EAR HEADPHONES Sharing earphones is a bad idea, suggest the experts. Theyll often have ear wax on them, which carries dirt and germs too some of which will be pathogenic, or disease causing, says Dr Mohammed. People who use earphones regularly have thousands of times more bugs than those who used them infrequently, according to a study in the Online Journal of Health and Allied Sciences in 2008. Listen up: Sharing earphones is a bad idea, suggest the experts. Theyll often have ear wax on them, which carries dirt and germs The researchers said bacterial transfer does increase with use and the chance of it being transferred is high [when] people share earphones. Sharing also increases the chance of otitis externa, inflammation of the external ear, they wrote. It is thought that blocking off part of the ear makes it warm and moist, which makes it easier for microbes to flourish. Also, if you constantly shove something in your ear, it can cause damage to the skin and this increases your risk of infections if the bacteria get under the skin, adds Sally Bloomfield, an honorary professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Few harmful microbes live naturally in the ear; problems arise when new ones are introduced as this disrupts the normal balance of microbes recently a patient complained of an ear infection and tests revealed testicle bacteria on his earphones transferred from his hands, says Professor May. SOUP AND POPCORN Sharing food is part of day-to-day life for many; whether its movie popcorn, party snacks or finishing your childs leftovers. Before sharing food, ask yourself: Would I share this persons saliva? says Dr Mohammed. When we eat, droplets of our saliva transfer to the food, as well as our cutlery. Itll also be on our hands, which we will then use to touch surfaces. Saliva can transmit viruses such as those that cause cold and flu; and bacteria that cause strep throat. These will be transmitted to others who come into contact with the saliva whether they develop the infection is down to their immune response to those pathogens. Saliva can transmit viruses such as those that cause cold and flu; and bacteria that cause strep throat If the infectious cell can transfer from the mouth to the air, then it can be transferred between people through saliva droplets, according to Paul Dawson, a professor of food science at Clemson University, and Brian Sheldon, a professor emeritus in food microbiology at North Carolina State University in the U.S. In experiments for their book, Did You Just Eat That?, the two experts looked at the way that bacteria are transferred on foods. For example, if two people share a bowl of chicken soup, they found that bacteria were transferred back to the bowl from each persons spoon after it had been in their mouth, with between 70,000 and 90,000 bacteria being transferred to the soup after six mouthfuls (around 10,000 bacteria a time). The transferred bacteria in a soup may not automatically cause problems, says Professor May. I would happily share hot soup with someone, but if it has cooled down then I wouldnt. The key here is that very few microbes survive at 50c or more. If youre serving steaming hot soup, even if you cough directly into it, most microbes wont survive, says Professor May. Once it has cooled to 37c lukewarm these conditions would support bugs to survive more, so avoid sharing. Meanwhile, the problem with popcorn is that people place their hands into the bag multiple times after theyve touched their mouths and many dirty surfaces in public places, said Professor Dawson and Professor Sheldon. In an experiment, they put deactivated E. coli (a bacterium that can cause gastroenteritis and urinary tract infections) on peoples hands and found 85 per cent of the handfuls of popcorn touched with these hands contained these bacteria, while 79 per cent of the popcorn remaining in the bowl had them. By the time youre scraping the bottom of the bag, you might as well be kissing the person sharing the bag with you, they said. WASHING-UP GLOVES Did you know? The environment inside washing-up gloves is conducive to bugs The environment inside washing-up gloves is conducive to bugs, says dermatologist Dr Hextall. We tend to use them with wet hands so they get warm and moist inside, which means microbes can flourish. They will harbour bugs on the outside too, including those that cause food poisoning and these can easily then be transferred to your hands and other surfaces. Id also be cautious about using gloves near food were going to eat, so Id store them under the sink, and wash my hands after using them. As well as different rubber gloves per person, youd also need a different pair for different chores, such as for the kitchen and bathroom. TOOTHPASTE Sharing a toothbrush is a complete no-no, says Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Oral Health Foundation. Thats because they pick up a large load of bacteria and viruses from the mouth and the bathroom; these gather in the brush and can easily be passed on as it remains warm and moist. In particular, bacteria linked with gingivitis (gum inflammation) and blood-borne infections can be shared. Store toothbrushes in separate pots, too touching can spread harmful microbes from one mouth to another. Sharing a toothbrush is a complete no-no, says Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Oral Health Foundation They should also be kept in a cabinet to minimise the number of microbes that latch onto them from the loo. (Flushing the loo has been shown to spray millions of bacteria into the air, and these can land up to 10ft away.) Meanwhile, if you have a sore throat or any viruses, you should even avoid sharing toothpaste, says microbiologist Dr Mohammed. These contagious germs can spread from your mouth to the toothbrush then to the tip of the shared toothpaste, where they may survive for some time and can be caught by someone else. Most mouthwashes contain antimicrobial compounds, but while its fine to share a bottle, dont swig from it: Use the cap then rinse it to wash out microbes, says Dr Carter. SOFAS If youre chilling out on the sofa after a long day, you may unknowingly be exposing yourself to flu. Recent as yet unpublished research shows the couch could be another shared item that can easily spread harmful bugs. We found the influenza virus will survive for two or three days on a couch, and when you sit on it, itll create aerosols that will contaminate your clothes and hands and you can also inhale the virus, says Charles Gerba, a professor of microbiology and environmental sciences at the University of Arizona in the U.S. By using so-called tracer viruses, compounds that attach to viruses and help track their movement, he found that when people sit on a couch with flu droplets on it, the virus spread all over them. The best thing is only to sit on vinyl or leather couches as you can disinfect them if you need to, says Professor Gerba. In some cases it is safer to sit on the floor, as it is cleaned more often. SAFETY RAZORS Dont share a razor as theres a chance you will cut the skin, which opens you up to infection as bacteria can spread through the blood, says Professor Bloomfield. Dont share a razor as theres a chance you will cut the skin, which opens you up to infection as bacteria can spread via blood Some germs may be able to get through cuts we cant see with the naked eye, says Dr Mohammed. For example S. aureus, which normally lives on the skin without problems, can gain access through the tiniest cut and cause folliculitis or impetigo. It is a similar case with bacteria that cause warts, some yeast infections and Trichophyton, a fungi that can cause athletes foot, ringworm, and jock itch. And if you do bleed, theres the risk of sharing blood-borne viruses too, such as hepatitis C, adds Dr Hextall. MASCARA & EYELINER Anything that comes into direct contact with your face should be kept to yourself, says Professor Bloomfield. In particular, she says, mascara or eyeliner should never be shared as microbes can get through the mucous membrane in the eye. A brush is dry, so microbes may not survive for long, but in a mascara they would, as it is wet and warm inside, adds Dr Hextall. Dr Mohammed agrees, noting that brushes and mascaras may carry bacteria that spread acne and cause conjunctivitis. They can also carry microbes that cause cold, flu and measles and these can be transferred through the eye membrane. Many of us will carry disease-causing bugs on our skin without problems as we may have an immune response but if shared, someone else may be more vulnerable and react badly, adds Dr Hextall. HAND TOWELS After two days, if you dry your face on a hand towel, youre probably getting more E. coli on your face than if you stuck your head in a loo, says Professor Gerba. For a 2017 study, his team went door-to-door and collected 500 hand towels tests found nearly 90 per cent carried coliform bacteria (the type that originates in faeces); around 14 per cent carried E. coli; and 4 per cent carried Salmonella (a cause of food poisoning). The issue is people dont wash their hands properly, so when they dry them on towels, they transfer dangerous microbes to them. The issue is people dont wash their hands properly, so when they dry them on towels, they transfer dangerous microbes to them Soggy towels then sit in a damp bathroom this environment becomes a breeding ground. Pathogens such as those that cause flu, norovirus and skin infections need moisture and an ambient [warm] temperatures to flourish, so a towel hanging in the bathroom is perfect, says Professor May. For an average person a soggy towel doesnt pose a huge risk, but if you had any scratch or open wound or used it near your mouth or eyes its a different story. For example, S. aureus can cause infections such as impetigo and if skin has eczema or acne, it may trigger flare-ups, adds Dr Hextall. In my house, anyone with any cold, infection or stomach bug has their own towel and puts it in the wash straight after. Another issue is cleaning towels because it is difficult to get rid of this harmful bacteria you need to use the hottest water and bleach, adds Professor Gerba, who also suggests individual hand towels in the family. Meanwhile, bath towels should never be shared at all, adds Dr Ackerley. Everyone in my family has different-coloured towels and they know which is theirs we dont share. A CHILDS HAIRBRUSH Shared brushes and combs can obviously transfer nits, but they can also carry bacteria and yeast infections that form on the scalp, says Dr Hextall. Theres also a risk of catching scabies and fungal infections such as ringworm [which can give you a yellow, crusty scalp and even temporary baldness] from someone who carries these microbes, adds Professor Bloomfield. In particular, dont share brushes with young children as they are likely to carry some of these infections on their scalp, says Dr Hextall. After puberty, the pH of the scalp changes, which makes it less conducive to fungal infections. NAIL FILES If youre having your nails done, beware of shared nail files, clippers and anything thats used close to the nail, says Dr Hextall. They must be sterile or single use to prevent infections spreading. In particular, fungal nail infections can spread this way, and they are very difficult to treat, she says. Once the nail is damaged, there is a portal for entry for other infections, such as bacterial ones. Those with conditions such as diabetes are at risk of cellulitis [an infection in the deeper layers of the skin]. If you know someone has a fungal nail infection, dont share anything with them, including nail files and shoes. A fungal nail is identifiable by a yellow, slightly thicker nail that often has an odd shape. A 70-year-old Canadian man suffered a nearly fatal heart attack after trying a marijuana lollipop for the first time. In the case report, published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, researchers said the man, who lives in St John, New Brunswick, has osteoarthritis and wanted to see if the lollipop could ease his joint pain and help him sleep Half an hour after trying the edible, the man started having 'fearful hallucinations' and 'crushing chest pain', according to the report. He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors discovered he had suffered a heart attack. The man told medical staff he had eaten almost a whole cannabis lollipop, which has nearly 13 times as much THC - the psychoactive component that gets users 'high' - as a regular joint. The 70-year-old man, from St John, New Brunswick, Canada, started having 'fearful hallucinations' and 'crushing chest pain' after eating the marijuana lollipop. Doctors at the hospital discovered he had a heart attack (file image) There have been several reports of people who claim marijuana was responsible for inducing strokes and heart attacks. In Colorado, an 11-month-old baby boy allegedly died from myocarditis, inflammation of the heart muscle, after overdosing on marijuana. According to the report, before arriving at the hospital, the man called a family member and said he thought he was dying. He arrived at the St John Regional Hospital drenched in sweat. Doctors performed blood work and a cardiogram, which indicated the man had a heart attack. More specifically, he had suffered a myocardial ischemia, which is when a buildup of plaque in the coronary artery prevents blood from reaching the heart partially or completely. The man had a history of heart problems, in particular hardened arteries and a triple bypass surgery, but said he hadn't experienced any problems in two years. Lead author Dr Alexandra Saunders, of Dalhousie University's Internal Medicine Program in New Brunswick, did an internet search of cannabis dispensaries and discovered just how much THC the lollipop had, reported the National Post. Marijuana's two main components are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), which are both derived from the cannabis plant. THC is the psychoactive compound responsible for the euphoric, 'high' feeling often associated with marijuana. It interacts with CB1 receptors in the central nervous system and brain and creates the sensations of euphoria and anxiety. The lollipop the man had eaten contained 90mg of THC compared to a regular joint that contains just 7mg. The authors of the report said they believe the high amount of THC caused his hallucinations and anxiety and overexcited his sympathetic nervous system, which triggers the fight-or-flight response. This led to his heartbeat and blood pressure rapidly rising and resulted in a heart attack. 'After the psychotropic effects of the drug wore off, and his hallucinations ended, his chest pain stopped,' the authors wrote. They said the patient has not tried marijuana lollipops since and has been advised from being careful if he does so in the future. As recreational cannabis becomes legalized in more places - as it has in nine US states and Canada - the authors say more research is needed about how the drug affects heart conditions. 'Marijuana can be a useful tool for many patients, especially for pain and nausea relief,' said Dr Saunders in a statement. 'At the same time, like all other medications, it does carry risk and side effects.' This is not the first time that marijuana has been named the cause of cardiovascular problems. In 2014 a 21-year-old man from Wales reportedly suffered a heart attack after smoking pot, reported Live Science. However, a review published in February 2018 determined there was insufficient evidence to conclude that marijuana raises the risk of heart problems or stroke. In an editorial that accompanied the case report, Dr Neal Benowitz, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, said that cannabis can cause heart attacks in three ways. The first is by inhaling marijuana smoke, the second is from THC's direct effect on the cardiovascular system and the third is from THC's indirect effect, causing hallucinations or anxiety that leads to a heart attack. 'The legalization of cannabis has considerable public support but also raises public health concerns,' wrote Dr Benowitz. 'Some users may benefit from the social and medical effects, but others will be at risk for adverse health outcomes. 'For better or worse, providing advice and care to such patients who are using cannabis is now necessary for the provision of optimal medical care to these patients.' Editors Note: In todays education reform landscape, there is an emphasis on making change through systems-level policies. However, as David Andrew Tow, an English and social-science teacher at Terra Linda High School and the Marin School of Environmental Leadership in California, explains, smaller reforms at the classroom level can be impactful as well. In my 10-plus years of classroom teaching, I have gotten a chance to collaborate with ambitious and innovative policymakers and change agents from all levels of education across the globe. I have walked the streets of Jerusalems Arab Quarter and discussed multicultural education with activists building Jewish-Muslim elementary schools. I met Turkish community leaders in Stuttgart who were candid about the need to retain their cultural identity while also participating in broader German society. More importantly, I have met hundreds of teachers with wonderful, inspiring, and useful experiences that carry their own vital takeaways. Unfortunately, partially because of the difficulty of implementing education policy and partially because of the competing demands of school staff, those innovations rarely, if ever, make it to the classroom. In the current political climate, where high-level policy solutions are either stymied or slow in coming, perhaps teachers, researchers, and those in the broader education community globally ought to look smaller and focus more closely on the site of instruction. I argue that if we focus on the classroom as the location for reform, not only will the changes be more immediate and widespread, but also the studentsthe true and only constituency in education that matterswould benefit. Here are five strategies for classroom-level reform: 1. Scale Down the Takeaways The appeal of system-level reform is significant, and most education programs I am familiar with around the world aim at governmental solutions, such as legislative action, district-level policy shifts, or developing the perspectives of education department workers. However, the most useful strategies are ones that have far less ambitious desired outcomes. All of us in the education community can easily rattle off a handful of changes we would make tomorrow; however, we must resist the temptation to aim for these big changes. There is something to be said for incrementalism, and if we can enact change at the classroom level, then the students will have a richer learning experience. In education, practicality and utility trump magnitude on most days. I have written before about my frustration upon my return from Finland as a Fulbright Distinguished Teacher at the lack of acceptance of international best practices in the United States. But now, three years later, I have implemented many, if not most, of the classroom-level changes I hoped would be possible. Rather than deploying them all simultaneously, I unrolled them one by one, communicated what I was doing differently and why to students and their parents, and explained my process to colleagues who expressed interest. 2. Make It Clear and Free of Jargon Too often, education reforms are couched in the same kind of academic jargon that defines any other specialized field. While this language is vital for scholarship and useful for conversation, because education exists as a space shared by theorists, practitioners, and constituents, it might be more advantageous to discuss reform, especially reform at the classroom level, in plain English and in terms of specific changes rather than philosophical shifts. This is especially challenging for teachers like me who enjoy participating in abstract conversations about theory and policy, but it does little to make our broader mission easier and often serves as a barrier for those outside academic settings who could be allies. For students especially, sophisticated language makes them think the conversation is not for them. At my school, where we have a large population of first-generation students and an even larger population of parents with limited English proficiency, our ability to communicate to them in a way that seems inclusive and positive directly correlates to how involved they remain in the school community and how important they view their students success here. Conversations about PISA scores, German-style vocational training, or polyglot multiculturalism are intimidating for everyone except the people who coined those terms. From my vantage, educators would be well served by sacrificing sophistication for accessibility. 3. Import the Teacher-Researcher American teachers largely do not participate in active research. Perhaps it has to do with workload, the hierarchy within education, or the isolation of the profession. It is no secret that, for the most part, our classrooms, subjects, and grade levels operate as independent principalities many days. However, given the right set of strategies, systems, and a way to assess their effectiveness, even the most isolated teacher can produce a significant and meaningful body of reflective research. Therefore, I propose that we rehabilitate and restore the role of the teacher-researcher, where teachers use their classrooms as laboratories to experiment with and incorporate best practices from other countries and then share the results of this research with others. Too often, good ideas stay in the classroom and do not make it back to the wider educational community. Good ideas, regardless of nation or context of origin, deserve to be shared widely, experimented with, and modified freely and frequently. That, to me, is the heart of the international education reform community and what I love most about it. I am currently blessed with teaching four sections of the same class and tend to vary my delivery and lesson structure each time using a different method I have seen in my research, gained from a contact, or learned about online. I will often, for example, alter either the content, objectives, or instructional strategies between my classes. This kind of adaptation is common. However, from there, I will discuss and examine the results of these various approaches with my studentsoften in the next classand identify both successes and failures, as well as things to remember for next time. More frequently, I will try and situate these effective approaches within a broader conversation with my students about reform. I want them to recognize that school reform is not a distant task but one that occurs in our classroom. 4. Students Are Researchers, Too As a corollary, teachers and other educators must remember that students can be active participants in the research process as well. Of course, students are limited by their age, experiences, and perspective, but the same can be said for many adults. Involving students explicitly in design, execution, and reflection is largely inspired by Paulo Freires critical pedagogy but also works without the political overtones. It means being clear and direct with the students about the how and why of a particular strategy as it is being deployed. At its best, using this approach, students are driving and guiding the curriculum. Teachers, I have found, are very good at being responsive to student needs, whether it is in terms of content or structure. For the implementation of broader or different goals, use student behavior and performance to evaluate how well a particular method works. At its best, this approach allows students to become policymakers, organic intellectuals capable of offering nuanced solutions to complex, real-world problems. For example, after a recent meeting with the new Finnish minister of education about how to meaningfully address the growing cultural difference within Finnish schools, I brought the scenarios back to my classrooms to brainstorm solutions with students. Combined, my students have decades of experience living, learning, and thriving in wildly diverse environments and have more in the way of practical wisdom than I. I did not use every one of their suggestions in my proposal, but they helped shape my thinking and gave me greater insight into how my own class works. 5. Ask the Experts and Look at Outcomes Lastly, it is important that teachers, regardless of location, level, or subject, look beyond the lesson plan and learning day. For those of us participating in the international education community, we have a worldwide network of expertsfellow teachers, administrators, researchers, policymakers, and professionalswho can help verify and modify our work. It is one thing to walk down the hall and see if German-style oral-language practice is being properly implemented; it is another thing to call or email a colleague in Germany to check. The goal is not to be borrowing and incorporating these practices with fidelity. Instead, it is the outcomes that matter. Verification from colleagues near or far can lend perspective on practices and confirm what works and why. At the end of the dayor school yearthat is the most important thing. This kind of cross-border collaboration is fun. Not only does it make our students ready for the world outside the school doors, a world where globalization and legislation have made distances feel smaller, but it also teaches them to be reflective, flexible, and critically engaged in their own learningat least if we do it right. It is my hope that the best strategies gleaned from abroad are the ones that make it to the classroom and that we can help our students realize this, tooand, as a result, they and we become adults who are even more invested in the lifelong project of global cooperation. Connect with David and Heather on Twitter. Image created on Pablo . The Department of Health has insisted on approving all texts, tweets and emails sent out by the NHS concerning Brexit. A leaked email from the director of communications at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) revealed any 'external communication' must be cleared to ensure the public gets 'consistent and clear information'. This comes after the NHS Blood and Transplant Authority tweeted earlier this month about blood donor sessions being moved from Dover for six months to avoid traffic disruption during Brexit. Department of Health must approve all messages sent out by the NHS about Brexit (stock) In an email leaked to the HSJ, Rachel Carr said of the tweet - which has since been removed: 'This was not cleared either through the EU exit comms team or through the secretary of state. 'At a time of some uncertainty, it is important the public gets consistent and clear information. 'We have been very clear with your EU exit leads that every piece of external communication must be cleared through us.' Ms Carr stressed every piece of communication - from emails to suppliers to phone calls to members of the public - must be flagged and cleared. And some even have to get the go-ahead from ministers and the Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU). OFFICIALS SCRAMBLING FOR 50 'CRITICAL' DRUGS IN CASE OF A NO-DEAL BREXIT The Dutch government is desperately trying to get access to life-saving medicines from the UK in case of a no-deal Brexit. Lives could be put at risk in the Netherlands if drug supplies across the Channel are interrupted, hospitals there have warned. The country's health minister, Bruno Bruins, said the government had identified 50 vital medicines which have no suitable alternatives on the Dutch market. But he refused to reveal the names of the drugs out of fear other countries would hoard them. Advertisement Although Ms Carr acknowledged waiting for approval can be frustrating, she stressed her team is working as fast as it can to get things cleared. She added sharing as much information as possible when making requests would speed up the process. The procedure involves all arm-length bodies - a common term for public departments or agencies - sending information to communications officers at the DHSC. Arm-length bodies include the Care Quality Commission, NHS England, NHS Improvement, Public Health England, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Staff will then check this over with the department's EU Exit policy team, before it gets cleared via the head of EU exit communications and ministerial private office. Communications that require clearance by ministers must be sent before midday. And anything that needs approval by the DExEU should allow two days. A DHSC spokesperson said: 'We are in charge of ensuring the health and care system is prepared as we exit the EU including making sure our partners are communicating accurate and up to date information. 'Government Departments routinely clear external messaging of their ALBs and this is part of our well-established assurance process.' Supermarket chain Tesco has more advanced technology than the NHS, the Health Secretary has said. Matt Hancock said it is essential that the health service embraces new technology to deliver better performance and help save lives. Speaking at the launch of a major report on preparing the health workforce for a digital future, he called for improvements in the way patient data is shared and used. Future: Conservative politician said it's essential that health service embraces new IT 'Right now, Tesco has a more sophisticated and more efficient technological system than the NHS,' he said. 'They know who you are through loyalty cards, where you shop, through store IDs, what you buy, the items scanned at the checkout. 'That wealth of information means they run their operations with just-in-time deliveries, and they shape their offers with a personalised service in order to deliver for you, the customer.' 'And they are delivering groceries,' he added. 'The NHS doesnt have anything like that yet.' In contrast, he said, the NHS does not know which hospitals patients have visited or which medicines they have been given in the past. 'We dont even know what we already know,' Mr Hancock said. 'And if Tesco can do this with groceries, by God we need to do it for the life-saving operations of the NHS.' The independent review into the pending technological health revolution, led by US academic Eric Topol, was launched this week. It comes just two months after an official review warned that England's breast cancer screening programme is running on 'ageing' and 'risky' IT systems. Last December, faulty NHS computers and a 'lack of clarity' among staff were blamed for 450,000 women not being invited back for their final breast cancer screening appointment. The error dated back to 2009, meaning huge numbers of patients were at risk. Those who were still alive were invited for urgent screening appointments to make up for that which they were never invited to. Mr Hunt admitted between 135 and 270 of them developed breast cancer that shortened their lives. An AI doctor can recognise the symptoms of childhood diseases more accurately than many human medics, research suggests. The artificial intelligence model was inputted with information from more than 1.4million health records. It then drew on this data to diagnose everything from flu and gastroenteritis to bacterial meningitis - with some cases having more than 90 per cent accuracy. When tested, the system performed better than junior doctors but was not as reliable as more experienced medics. The researchers believe AI could help sort hospital patients according to their severity, as well as improving the diagnosis of complex, rare conditions. An AI doctor recognises childhood diseases more accurately than many human medics (stock) The research was carried out by Guangzhou Medical University in China and led by Dr Kang Zhang, professor of ophthalmology and genetics. 'Our study provides a proof of concept for implementing an AI-based system as a means to aid physicians in tackling large amounts of data, augmenting diagnostic evaluations, and to provide clinical decision support in cases of diagnostic uncertainty or complexity,' Dr Zhang said. To 'train' the AI model, the scientists exposed it to the electronic health records of 1,362,559 outpatient visits to the Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Centre - a major government hospital in China. The records covered the appointments of children and teenagers from January 2016 to July 2017. In total, 101.6million pieces of data 'trained' the programme, which allowed the AI model 'to mimic the clinical reasoning of human physicians'. Specific words and phrases - as well as data such as patient temperature - were also input into the system. AI WILL MAKE DOCTORS 'OBSOLETE' A scientist warned AI will eventually make doctors 'obsolete'. Artificial intelligence has a 'near unlimited capacity' to diagnose diseases and perform surgery more accurately than medics, according to Dr Jorg Goldhahn. Dr Goldhahn - from ETH Zurich - also argues robots may help overcome healthcare funding shortages due to them being cheaper to hire and train than humans. But while Dr Vanessa Rampton acknowledges AI may be a useful aid to medics, she argues it will never completely replace human healthcare. 'Computers aren't able to care for patients in the sense of showing devotion or concern for the other as a person, because they are not people and do not care about anything,' Dr Rampton - from McGill University - said last November. Advertisement The programme therefore identified keywords like 'abdominal pain' and 'vomiting' as symptoms of gastroenteritis. When tested against 20 doctors, the AI system made more accurate diagnoses than junior medics. Although the results sound promising, sceptical experts insist AI will never take the place of human physicians. Professor Duc Pham, from the department of mechanical engineering at the University of Birmingham, said the study was an 'excellent application of deep learning'. But, he added, such systems cannot guarantee 100 per cent correct results no matter how much training they have received. 'Although the authors' results show that on average their system performed better than junior doctors, it will not replace clinicians,' Professor Pham said. 'Critical judgments or decisions must always be left to qualified human experts to make.' Dr Paul Tiffin - a reader in psychometric epidemiology at the University of York - added: 'The authors have shown the potential for machine learning to help support rapid diagnosis of illnesses in children. 'However, it should be stressed the machine learning system used still relied on the quality of the recording of symptoms and other findings by clinicians. 'Thus, human health practitioners are not likely to be made redundant any time soon.' Medical professionals are being urged to 'hide' their families on social media to avoid attacks from abusive patients. The advice, issued by the Medical Defence Union, comes after reports that some people have been targeted with death and rape threats. The Medical Defence Union says it receives hundreds of calls each year from staff with 300 recorded cases since 2014. And, although the annual number of incidents has remained consistent over the past five years, experts believe they're becoming more 'disturbing' and aggressive. Fear: The Medical Defence Union says it receives hundreds of calls each year from staff - with three-hundred recorded cases since 2014 Dr Ellie Mein, a legal adviser for the MDU, told GP Online: MDU members enquiries about inappropriate behaviour took a wide range of forms. 'In some instances threats were sent to home addresses, personal emails or personal mobile numbers of GPs, nurses or other practice team members. 'Occasionally these mentioned family members or details of the recipients personal life indicating that the person had carried out research into their background. Specifically, she stresses that doctors and practice staff should never disclose their home address, email address or familial connections. And they should also limit what sensitive data they publish in research papers. Even if your social media security settings are high it is helpful to check what parts of your profile are publicly visible are you happy to have family members included in public profile pictures for example? 'Sometimes your social media profile is private but you can appear in lists of friends or tagged in photos on friends pages which are publicly available. Alarming: Recent research found that 78 per cent had experienced assault, threats or both Earlier this year, a survey conducted by Doctors.net.uk found that three-quarters of doctors say they have been assaulted or threatened by a patient or their relative. More than 400 doctors were quizzed for the research, which found that 78 per cent had experienced assault, threats, or both. A total of 34 per cent (134 doctors) reported experiencing assault, while 59 per cent (233) said they had been threatened, the poll found. A dying nurse recorded a devastating final message condemning health chiefs for blunders that cost her life. Julie OConnor, who worked for the NHS for 13 years, was mistakenly told six times that she did not have cervical cancer. In the heartbreaking video, the 49-year-old sits propped up in her hospice bed and is able only to whisper. Its disgusting I have been suffering the way I have and I continue to suffer, the mother of two says. As she struggles to continue, her husband Kevin tells the camera that a series of doctors failed over three years to diagnose her illness. We hold them fully accountable, he says. The pathologist and the gynaecologist, who had several opportunities to intervene, I hold them responsible, and I do hold the board of directors at North Bristol Trust accountable. They put me and Julie through this. What we want to do with this video is to show the board of directors what theyve done. What theyve done to me and Julie and our family. And I just hope this doesnt happen to anybody else. We want a wider review. The O'Connor family (Julie, Kevin and their two children) were devastated by the cancer diagnosis after the hospital said it was something else Misdiagnosed: Kevin O'Connor (right) and his wife Julie, who died of cancer earlier this month Mrs O'Connor (pictured with her daughter) was insisting she needed more tests but was ignored as she was misdiagnosed Mrs OConnor died just three days after filming the video. She was assured she did not have cervical cancer following a smear test, biopsies and numerous clinical examinations. It was only when she went to see a private consultant three years after the original missed diagnosis that she learned the truth. By then it was terminal. She died last week at St Peters Hospice in Bristol. Her family, who believe other cases of cancer in women may have been missed, are campaigning for an independent review into cervical smear screening at Southmead Hospital, which is run by North Bristol NHS Trust. Mr OConnor, a public safety regulator, said: We dont think its isolated. We think there is a systemic problem there. No one person can be that unlucky to have a misdiagnosed smear, missed biopsies and all these clinical examinations and were talking senior members of staff. We want to look forward, but we also have to look back and work out if there are other victims out there thats what Julie wanted to do. Its been so frustrating just to get the trust to listen. It has just felt like they are in denial. There needs to be an independent public inquiry that is the only way we are going to get to the bottom of it. She was let down by the NHS. Thats why we went private in the end. We dont want it to happen to anyone else. It was the arrogance of the board of directors which did upset Julie as well, the pointing the finger at the GP and at everyone else. Mrs OConnor went to Southmead for a smear test in September 2014 after moving to Thornbury in South Gloucestershire. The test came back negative, although samples sent later for independent analysis showed signs of cervical cancer. A year after the smear test Mrs OConnor suffered persistent bleeding and her GP referred her for further assessment. Despite biopsies and medical examinations over the next two years she was repeatedly told she did not have cancer. In 2017, when doctors put her on a cancer pathway to test for the disease for a third time, Mrs OConnor decided to see a private consultant. Her husband recalled: Within ten seconds of being there the senior gynaecologist said How could anybody have missed this? He said it was a 4.5cm tumour and he had actually struggled to get a camera inside, it was that bad. He added: Whilst North Bristol Trust have accepted negligence they need to look at the bigger picture now. Are there more victims out there? There are seriously, fundamental failings within North Bristol Trust cervical cancer screening and we just dont want this to happen to anyone else. Mrs OConnors daughter Sophie, 22, said her mother was really passionate about women being smear tested. She added: People are scared to have it done, but mum has always been really passionate. She didnt understand why people didnt get it done. I know some people think its scary, but after seeing my mum I just think its curable if you catch it in time. Too late: Ms O'Connor was finally given a correct diagnosis when assessed privately, some three years after her initial smear test in 2014 North Bristol NHS Trust later admitted liability and offered monetary compensation, but now the family fear other women may also be at risk Mrs OConnor, who attended Liverpool John Moores University, spent 13 years working for the NHS Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral, where she was a sister on an intensive care unit. After moving to Germany with her husband, she took up a position as an international school nurse, where she worked for almost six years. When they returned to the UK, Mrs OConnor worked as the theatre recovery lead at Emersons Green Treatment Centre, an NHS healthcare centre which is run by Care UK. North Bristol Trust has commissioned an independent review of the investigation it carried out into Mrs OConnors care. It has admitted negligence relating to the delayed diagnosis of cancer and a spokesman said solicitors were working towards a settlement. Dr Chris Burton, the trusts medical director, said: We are extremely sorry to hear that Mrs OConnor has died. We have her family in our thoughts at this very difficult time and we send our deepest condolences. We are committed to understanding the full circumstances of the care we provided so we can improve our services for the future, and we will be publicly open with the overall findings of the independent investigation we have commissioned. I have met with Mr OConnor and will remain in contact with him. Women aged between 25 and 49 are invited for screening every three years, rising to every five years for women aged 50 to 64. But a National Audit Office report earlier this month found that just a third of patients received their test results within the recommended two weeks, with some left waiting an agonising four months. The cervical screening uptake in Britain is at an all-time low of just 71 per cent, with five million women overdue for testing. Has your cancer been missed or misdiagnosed? Email cancer@dailymail.co.uk The pill may blur a woman's judgement and even impact her relationships, research suggests. A study found taking the oral contraceptive causes subtle emotional changes to a woman's brain. This makes her 10 per cent less likely to be able to read other people's facial expressions and feelings. Although unclear why this occurs, the pill's impact on a woman's oestrogen and progesterone levels is thought to influence her empathy. The pill may blur a woman's judgement and even impact her relationships (stock) The research was carried out by the University of Greifswald in Germany and led by Dr Alexander Lischke, from the department of biological and clinical psychology. 'More than 100 million women worldwide use oral contraceptives, but remarkably little is known about their effects on emotion, cognition and behaviour,' Dr Lischke said. 'However, coincidental findings suggest that oral contraceptives impair the ability to recognise emotional expressions of others, which could affect the way users initiate and maintain intimate relationships.' Dr Lischke argues that on top of birth control, a lot of emphasis is placed on the benefits of the pill - such as improving acne and easing heavy periods - but the downsides are often glazed over. DOES HORMONAL BIRTH CONTROL INCREASE A WOMAN'S RISK OF DEPRESSION? Hormonal birth control does not increase women's risk of depression, research suggested in February 2017. Contrary to popular belief, contraceptive pills, implants or injections do not make women more likely to suffer from the mental-health condition, a study found. Lead author Dr Brett Worly from Ohio State University, said: 'Depression is a concern for a lot of women when they're starting hormonal contraception. 'Based on our findings, this side effect shouldn't be a concern for most women, and they should feel comfortable knowing they're making a safe choice.' The researchers blame platforms such as social media for making contraception complications seem more common than they are. Dr Worly said: 'We live in a media-savvy age where if one or a few people have severe side effects, all of a sudden, that gets amplified to every single person. 'The biggest misconception is that birth control leads to depression. For most patients that's just not the case.' The scientists add, however, certain women are at a greater risk of the mental-health disorder and should be monitored closely. Dr Worly said: 'Adolescents will sometimes have a higher risk of depression, not necessarily because of the medicine they're taking, but because they have that risk to start with. 'For those patients, it's important that they have a good relationship with their healthcare provider so they can get the appropriate screening done - regardless of the medications they're on.' The researchers reviewed thousands of studies investigating the link between contraceptives and people's mental health. Such studies included various methods of contraception, including injections, implants and pills. Participants in the trials were made up of teenagers, women with a history of depression and those who had given birth in the past six weeks. Advertisement To determine the contraceptive's emotional side effects, the scientists analysed the emotion recognition of 42 women who take the pill, compared to 53 others who do not. 'We assumed these impairments would be very subtle, indicating we had to test women's emotion recognition with a task that was sensitive enough to detect such impairments,' Dr Lischke said. 'We, thus, used a very challenging emotion recognition task that required the recognition of complex emotional expressions from the eye region of faces. 'Whereas the groups were equally good at recognising easy expressions, the [pill] users were less likely to correctly identify difficult expressions.' Results - published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience - suggest women who take the pill are less likely to recognise both basic emotions - such as sadness and happiness - as well as more complex ones, like pride and contempt. While the researchers admit these findings show only 'subtle changes', they warn such side effects could have a larger impact on a woman's social interactions and relationships. 'If oral contraceptives caused dramatic impairments in women's emotion recognition, we would have probably noticed this in our everyday interactions with our partners,' Dr Lischke said. 'Cyclic variations of oestrogen and progesterone levels are known to affect women's emotion recognition, and influence activity and connections in associated brain regions. 'Since oral contraceptives work by suppressing oestrogen and progesterone levels, it makes sense that oral contraceptives also affect women's emotion recognition. 'However, the exact mechanism underlying oral contraceptive induced changes in women's emotion recognition remains to be elucidated.' Dr Lischke insists more research is needed before there can be any changes to how the pill is prescribed. 'Further studies are needed to investigate whether oral contraceptive-induced impairments in emotion recognition depend on the type, duration or timing of use,' he said. 'These studies should also investigate whether these impairments actually alter women's ability to initiate and maintain intimate relationships. 'If this turns out to be true, we should provide women with more detailed information about the consequences of oral contraceptive use.' A pregnant woman has become one of the first in the UK to have pioneering surgery on her baby's spine while it is still in the womb. Bethan Simpson, 26, of Burnham, Essex, was first advised to terminate her pregnancy when doctors discovered her baby had the birth defect spina bifida during her 20-week scan. Refusing to give up on her little one, Mrs Simpson and her husband, Kieron, opted for foetal repair. This involves doctors operating on the baby's spinal cord while it is still in its mother's uterus. The surgery was a success and Mrs Simpson is now due to give birth to a baby girl in April. Until now the operation has been mostly carried out in Belgium, where a handful of British babies have been successfully treated in recent years, with all doing well. Bethan Simpson (pictured left with her mother in hospital) is one of the first women in the UK to have pioneering womb surgery before giving birth. She discovered her baby has spina bifida during a scan and was offered foteal repair surgery to position the little one's spinal cord to its spinal canal while in the womb. She is pictured right after the operation with her scar visible Mrs Simpson's routine 20-week scan (pictured) revealed her baby's head was not the size it should be. She was then referred to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex, where doctors diagnosed the youngster with spina bifida. Doctors at first recommended a termination Mrs Simpson discovered her baby's head was not the right size during a routine scan. She was sent to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex, where doctors diagnosed the youngster with spina bifida. 'Fast forward 48 hours and we were in London having scans on her head and spine,' Mrs Simpson said. 'With that we were told our little girl had spina bifida. 'We were offered continuing pregnancy, ending pregnancy or a new option called foetal surgery fixing her before she is born. We agreed to do it.' WHAT IS FOETAL REPAIR FOR SPINA BIFIDA? Foetal repair for spina bifida is a delicate operation in which surgeons open the womb and close the opening in the back of the baby's head while it is still in the uterus. Spinal cord damage worsens during pregnancy, therefore this procedure can help prevent the condition becoming more severe. It does not cure the condition but studies show it can lead to significantly better results than surgery carried out after the baby has been born. The procedure also boosts the child's chances of having good mobility and being able to walk independently. It takes place between 19 and 25 weeks into the pregnancy. The mother requires a general anaesthetic that relaxes the uterus and acts as a painkiller for the baby. A surgeon then cuts an incision across the mother's abdomen and positions the baby's spinal cord to the spinal canal. The doctor also closes surrounding tissue and skin to protect the spinal cord from exposure to amniotic fluid. Source: Children's Hospital for Philadelphia Advertisement Mrs Simpson then underwent numerous scans and fluid tests to see if she was eligible for the operation. The criteria for the procedure is strict, including the mother not having any placenta problems, a short cervix or an obese BMI. 'We got approved and we planned for surgery,' she said. 'Our lives were such a rollercoaster for the next few weeks.' Around 24 weeks into Mrs Simpson's pregnancy, she underwent foetal repair for spina bifida. Mrs Simpson is believed to be among the first women to have the procedure done in the UK. 'I had the most recognised surgeons from around the world from University College London Hospital and Belgium looking after me,' she said. The operation involved repositioning the baby's spinal cord. Mrs Simpson is said to be doing well and is looking forward to welcoming her baby girl in two months' time. Speaking of the ordeal, she said: 'Sadly 80 per cent of babies in England are terminated when their parents get told their baby has this condition. 'It's not a death sentence. She has the same potential as every one of us. 'Yes, there are risks of things going wrong but please think more about spina bifida, it's not what it used to be. 'I feel our baby kick me day in and day out, that's never changed. 'She's extra special, she's part of history and our daughter has shown just how much she deserves this life.' Refusing to give up on her pregnancy, Mrs Simpson (pictured left while in hospital for the procedure) had an incision made across her abdomen so doctors could correct the birth defect while her baby was still in her uterus. Pictured right after the operation, Mrs Simpson is thrilled the surgery was a success and is looking forward to welcoming her daughter in April A lack of sleep could permanently damage DNA and increase the risk of cancer, scientists believe. Sleep deprivation can also reduce DNA's ability to repair itself, possibly leading to genetic diseases, findings from a study suggest. Researchers believe it is the first study of its kind to look into the effects of sleep deprivation on genes in young adults. The research focused on doctors who had to adjust their sleep patterns due to night shift work. Scientists do not know why a lack of sleep damages DNA. The recommended amount of sleep is generally seven hours a night, but figures suggest adults routinely miss out on an hour or two. A lack of sleep could damage DNA and increase the risk of cancer, scientists at the University of Hong Kong believe on the back of a study (stock image) The study at The University of Hong Kong looked at 49 working doctors from two local hospitals, 24 of whom had to work overnight on-site calls. When a doctor receives such a call on average they get five to six per month they must work from late afternoon to early morning the next day. In the study the participants got between two and four hours of sleep during calls, with three getting as little as a single hour's shut-eye. The remaining 25 doctors were not expected to work these hours. Researchers took blood samples from all doctors after they had had three nights of healthy sleep. Then blood samples were taken the morning after a night shift when doctors were sleep deprived. The findings, published in the journal Anaesthesia, showed doctors who worked night shifts had 30 per cent more breaks in their DNA compared to those who did not. What's more, the DNA damage increased a further 25 per cent after a night of sleep deprivation. WHAT IS INSOMNIA? Insomnia means you regularly have problems sleeping. It usually gets better by changing your sleeping habits. You have insomnia if you regularly: find it hard to go to sleep, wake up several times during the night, lie awake at night, wake up early and can't go back to sleep, still feel tired after waking up Everyone needs different amounts of sleep. On average, adults need 7 to 9 hours, while children need 9 to 13 hours. You probably don't get enough sleep if you're constantly tired during the day. The most common causes of insomnia are: stress, anxiety or depression, excessive noise, an uncomfortable bed or alcohol, caffeine or nicotine. Insomnia usually gets better by changing your sleeping habits. For example, going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, and only going to bed when you feel tired. Source: NHS Advertisement DNA repair was also lower in the doctors who didn't get adequate sleep, which can cause cell death. The study authors wrote: 'DNA damage is a change in the basic structure of DNA that is not repaired when the DNA is replicated. 'Doublestrand breaks are particularly hazardous, as repair failure causes genomic instability and cell death, whereas disrepair can lead to inappropriate endjoining events that commonly underlie oncogenic transformation [cancer formation]. 'Sleep deprivation in shift workers is associated with adverse health consequences. 'Increased DNA damage has been linked to the development of chronic disease. 'This study demonstrates that disrupted sleep is associated with DNA damage.' Although the findings are preliminary, Dr Gordon Wong Tin-chun, co-author of the study and an associate professor at HKU's department of anaesthesiology, said there is an indication the sleep disruption is 'not good' for your genes. He said: '[Such conditions] may increase chances of developing diseases from genetic mutations such as cancers.' It is not clear, according to the researchers, why DNA damage occurs due to a lack of sleep. Dr Wong Tin-chun said the findings of the study might be applicable to people who had shift patterns similar to doctors. They hope the study will raise awareness on the importance of getting enough sleep. The study also highlighted the doctors it focused on were 'young and healthy', and therefore more tolerant of a lack of sleep. 'Maybe you should consider looking into your [sleep habits] and treating sleep with a bit more respect,' Dr Wong Tin-chun said. The recommended hours of sleep for people vary across age groups. An adult aged between 18 and 60 should get at least seven hours of sleep per night, according to the website of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Figures from the Royal Society for Public Health estimate the average person sleeps for 6.8 hours a night, but the the NHS recommends people get eight hours. Regular poor sleep puts you at risk of serious medical conditions, including obesity, heart disease and diabetes. It shortens your life expectancy, according to the NHS, and has previously been linked to a greater risk of cancer. More than 40million people suffer from long-term sleep disorders in the US, data from the CDC shows. While it is estimated there are 1.5million patients in the UK. A woman with cystic fibrosis who is unable to have children has been left disappointed after being denied NHS funding for IVF and surrogacy. Sophie Gannon, 30, who has already had a double lung transplant, has been told by doctors she could die if she gets pregnant. Therefore, the school office data controller and her partner, Josh Thomas, 28, must use IVF and a surrogate mother. However, because the couples' fertility is not affected, they do not fall under the criteria for the NHS to pay for IVF. The desperate couple are now fundraising for the costs of their private treatment - at least 8,000 - before finding a surrogate. Sophie Gannon, 30, and her partner Josh Thomas, 28, must use IVF and a surrogate mother to have the child they have always dreamed of After a lung transplant due to cystic fibrosis, Ms Gannon has been told by doctors she cannot go through pregnancy, as there is a risk she 'could die' due to the pressure on her body Ms Gannon was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at birth. Pictured, using a nebuliser as a child Ms Gannon said: 'We need to raise between 7,000 to 8,000 for making the embryos and then up to 2,000 each time an embryo is transferred to a surrogate. 'We have to find our own surrogate but we won't give up, surrogacy is our only chance of having a baby.' Ms Gannon was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at birth, a life-shortening, inherited disease that causes the body to produce thick mucus. WHEN IS IVF OFFERED AND HOW CAN YOU GET A SURROGATE? IVF is only offered on the NHS if certain criteria are met. If you don't meet these criteria, you may need to pay for private treatment. In 2013, the NICE published new fertility guidelines that made recommendations about who should have access to the treatment on the NHS in England and Wales. However, individual NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups make the final decision about who can access it in their local area, and their criteria may be stricter. According to NICE, women aged under 40 should be offered three cycles of IVF treatment on the NHS if: They've been trying to get pregnant through regular unprotected sex for two years, or they've not been able to get pregnant after 12 cycles of artificial insemination. If you turn 40 during treatment, the current cycle will be completed, but further cycles should not be offered. If tests show that IVF is the only treatment likely to help you get pregnant, you should be referred for IVF straight away. Surrogacy is legal in the UK, however, it cannot be advertised. If conception is taking place at a fertility clinic, there will be a cost. No third parties are allowed to be involved and surrogates can only receive payments to cover expenses incurred as a result of being pregnant. Advertisement The condition, of which 30,000 people are living with in the US and 10,400 in the UK, affects the lungs and digestive and reproductive systems in particular. At the age of 23, in 2011, Ms Gannon underwent a life-saving double lung transplant. But it would crush her dreams of having a child - due to complications, her body would be under more strain during pregnancy. Lung transplant recipients have an increased risk of maternal and neonatal complications associated with pregnancy, with a risk of premature birth and rejection of the new lungs. Writing on a blog, Ms Gannon said she spoke to a consultant in June 2018: 'They strongly advised that I do not get pregnant. I know many CF patients who have had babies and this just depends on how well you are. 'However, becoming pregnant once you have had a lung transplant is a different issue. 'If you become pregnant after a transplant, no matter if you are in good health or not, your antibodies will raise which can cause your lungs to reject. 'This is something that both me and my family do not want me to even risk. It would also be unfair and selfish for me to get pregnant and risk dying basically after everything that both me, my family, friends and medical team have done to keep me alive.' Ms Gannon and Mr Thomas were told their best option was a gestational surrogacy, which would mean a surrogate carry their embryo through an IVF clinic. But they have been refused funding for IVF from the NHS on the basis that they do not fall under the criteria. NHS trusts across England and Wales work to provide the same levels of service. But the provision of IVF treatment varies across the country, and often depends on local clinical commissioning group (CCG) policies. The guidance from the National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) said surrogacy, which is legal in the UK, lies outside the remit of the guidance. Ms Gannon said: 'They have sent me the criteria and it is because my medical condition and treatment doesn't affect my eggs or Josh's sperm. 'The surrogacy hospital basically said the council were we live don't fund surrogacy even though they agree that we need to take that route.' Ms Gannon and Mr Thomas, a breakdown recovery driver, were told their best option was a gestational surrogacy which would mean a surrogate carry their embryo through an IVF clinic Because Ms Gannon and Mr Thomas' fertility are not affected, they are not eligible for IVF treatment under their CCG's criteria Ms Gannon is still affected by cystic fibrosis despite her lung transplant The couple are fundraising to pay for the costs of their treatment - up to 10,000 The couple have said they are hoping to apply through another GP in a different borough after moving house to see if they have different criteria. Ms Gannon said: 'I really don't hold out much hope as I feel the criteria will still be the same but it is definitely worth a try of course. 'Surrogacy will give me the chance of becoming a mum and having a family of my own. 'It's not my right or expectation, all we're asking for is some help. It's completely devastating.' The couple have already begun the process to screen their eggs and sperm in the hope of becoming parents. Ms Gannon said: 'I've already begun screening my eggs and preparing as much as possible. 'I owe a lot to the NHS - I wouldn't be here without them. I just feel let down that they don't judge each case individually and that if there was something I could do to change my situation so that I could carry a child then I would.' Ms Gannon added that despite her condition and the current outlook, she's trying to keep as positive as she can. She said: 'My condition varies from day to day. I still have cystic fibrosis and I take 30-40 tablets a day. 'I still suffer with stomach and breathing issues, have CF related diabetes and still get more tired than "normal". But I'm stubborn and carry on.' A spokesperson for NHS Bexley Clinical Commissioning Group said: 'We are unable to comment on individual cases. 'But all clinical commissioning groups in south east London adhere to a common policy that sets eligibility criteria for a number of specific treatments. 'This... is designed to ensure that resources are used in an equitable and effective way for all patients and that clear, consistent and fair procedures are in place. 'The Policy states the implications of a number of legal points related to surrogate pregnancy mean fertility treatment involving a surrogate mother will not be funded.' The couple are raising money on GoFundMe to help pay for their IVF treatment. A man was so pleased to find a bouquet of flowers on his desk during his first day at a new job that he proudly posed for a series of photos with the floral arrangement only to find out later that it was actually meant for someone else. San Francisco-based digital marketer Jon Cana, 25, was delighted to see a bouquet of fresh flowers awaiting him on his new desk at his brand new job that he started last October. It was only after he shared several images of himself on social media that he learned the gift was intended for another person, and his new office mates couldn't bring themselves to break it to him. Say cheese! Jon Cana (pictured) started a new job at a San Francisco-based media company in October 2018, and posed for photos with a bunch of flowers that were left on his desk Disaster! Last week, the 25-year-old digital marketer was at a company party when a co-worker told him that the flowers were never actually meant for him Jon posted the photos online on October 23 when he started a new job at a media company based in San Francisco. After taking several photos with the flowers in his new office space, Jon posted them on Twitter, where he accompanied them with a caption that read: 'First day feels'. However, it wasn't until last week that Jon was informed that the flowers were never intended for him. On February 8, Jon re-shared the original post, this time accompanying it with a caption that revealed that the flowers were for a woman who was having a baby. Makes sense: Jon found out that the bunch of flowers were, in fact, left for a woman who was going on maternity leave 'I found out these flowers were misplaced on my desk and supposed to be for someone going on maternity leave because they don't give flowers to new hires. 'But they saw me taking pics with them and felt too bad to take them away,' he added. 'I'm cackling.' Jon told BuzzFeed that on his very first day back in October, he was given a card and a box of company-related things, which he said made him feel welcome. After a couple of hours, he noticed the bunch of flowers sitting on his desk, and presumed that it was another nice gift from his new co-workers. 'I just assumed they were kind of part of this whole first day experience. I was like, "Wow, this day just keeps getting better and better,"' he said. After taking a few photos to remember his first day, Jon didn't think much of the flowers. However, last week Jon attended a company party, during which the office manager told him the flowers were never meant for him, but no one had the heart to tell him. Viral! Jon posted about the incident on Twitter in a post that has since gone viral, gathering thousands of comments, likes and retweets 'They had seen me go around the office having this mini photo-shoot and and they just felt too bad to say anything,' he added. Jon thought the whole situation was hilarious, and decided to share it with his followers on Twitter. And it wasn't just Jon that found the ordeal entertaining. Since he posted about the incident, the tweet has gone viral, gathering over 260,000 likes. One Twitter user, @TheAnnatations, commented on the post, saying: 'What must life be like having so much confidence you staged a photo shoot on your first day at a new job?' Another user, @FanTrash_Tweets, wrote: 'This will be your legacy in the company now... You will have to buy a bouquet for every new hire.' 'The fact you posed with the flowers in different positions is just cracking me up too,' @k_r_1987 added. Anecdotes: While many Twitter users simply laughed at the situation, others decided to share similar stories of their own Meanwhile, the post encouraged others who had experience similar situations to share their experiences. Twitter user Laurie Boeshart revealed that she once mistook a flower delivery meant for her daughter for herself. Another user @WonderGoddess51 wrote: 'I started a new job years ago and when I walked in on the first day there was a big bowl of chocolate candy on my desk. 'I was really happy about it until I found out it was for the whole office and was only on my desk because they didn't know where else to put it.' Similarly, another user added: 'One time I got roses, chocolate and a stuffed bear delivered to me on my birthday and was so excited that I had a "secret admirer" until I read the card and saw they were actually for my neighbor from her ex husband, trying to win her back.' by I enjoyed seeing the Brooklyn Museums Frida Kahlo: Appearances Can Be Deceiving, but as regular readers of this blog know, its always all about the art for me. And while there were plenty of excellent photographs, costumes and MesoAmerican artifact on view there, the exhibit was about Fridanot about her art. To be sure, thats what the exhibit was about her, not about her art, and it succeeded at its goal. But as I wrote in the concluding paragraph of my review, which appears in todays Wall Street Journal, This engaging and sometimes engrossing exhibition will delight Kahlo fans, but for me its a missed opportunity to dilute the fixation on her biography and engage them with more of her path-blazing, idiosyncratic art. The balance between her life and her art is, as ever, askew. Kahlos Self-Portrait with Monkeys So what is in the show? The photographs of Kahlo create the narrative of the exhibition, and they range from family photos to works of art by the likes of Tina Modotti, Edward Weston and Lola Alvarez Bravo. Theres Fridas jewelry, shawls, bags, costumes. Theres a cabinet full of objects from Brooklyns permanent collection. There are a few fine paintings here by Kahlo, which I mention in my review. I wish there had been more and better. Oddly to my eyes the very best painting in this exhibition is by an unknown artist. Portrait of Dona Maria de los Angeles de Cervantes Ozta y de Velasco was painted in Mexico around 1935 and purchased by the museum in 1952. Its so unheralded that the BM website shows only a black-and-white picture of it. (I took the photo posted here, from an angle only because the lighting obscured a frontal photo.) It has this label: Dona Maria in three-quarter length and view facing to the left side of the picture in which she is seated. Her black hair is parted in the center and she has curls at either side under her ears with some flowers in her hair over her left ear. Her black velvet dress is off-the-shoulder and edged with white lace like the sleeves which come to the elbow. The bodice is pointed and the skirt gathered. She wears white gloves and there is a heavy gold chain ornament around her neck. It is in the exhibit because that gold ornament is identical to one worn by Kahlo in a nearby photo. Kahlo had a big exhibition of her work in Philadelphia in 2008. Maybe that was on Brooklyns mind when it took this exhibit. Or maybe Kahlo is just to big a draw to turn away any legitimate show. A young woman was shocked when her expertly-applied makeup unexpectedly turned her face bright purple during an outing with friends but luckily, the discoloration was only visible under black lights. Amanda Whitrock from Missouri, was playing a game of laser tag at a local facility on Sunday, February 3, when her friends noticed that her face had turned a deep purple color under the black lights in the room. The 22-year-old quickly realized that her Huda Beauty makeup must have been to blame, and shared photos of her purple face to warn others about the unintended side effect. Not a berry good look? Amanda Whitrock (pictured), 22, shared photos of her face on Facebook before and after it turned a deep purple color during a game of laser-tag Warning: The Missouri native revealed in the Facebook post that an ingredient in her Huda Beauty baking and setting powder was to blame for the funny incident 'Dont use the Huda baking powder if you plan on doing laser tag,' Amanda wrote in her Facebook post, which has since gone viral, adding a string of emojis to show she found the whole thing quite funny. In her post, Amanda included three photographs of her wearing the Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder ($34). Cause: It is likely that an ingredient in the Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder ($34) may contain fluorescent properties, causing it to appear purple in black lights In one, taken with under normal lighting, her face looks perfectly normal and her complexion looks quite clear. But in the other two, taken during laser tag, she looks like she is covered in purple face paint. Amanda revealed that she was wearing the Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation underneath the powder. However, it wasn't the foundation that caused the purple hue, as she had previously worn it while playing laser tag. Speaking to Allure, she said: 'Ive done it while wearing the same foundation but using a different setting powder. 'Ive never seen this happen before,' she added. Luckily, the color change was only visible under black lights and didn't change the pigmentation of her skin, Since Amanda posted the photos on Facebook, her post has been shared over 18,000 times. The post has also garnered roughly 7,000 likes and approximately 14,000 comments. One Facebook user compared Amanda's face under the laser tag lights to the 'red demon from Insidious'. Others thought the 22-year-old resembled different characters from from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, with different comments comparing her to Violet Beauregarde and an Oompa Loompa. Her makeup looks grape to us! Amanda's post went viral. Several users compared her purple face to Violet Beauregarde from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory One wrote: 'Oh my lord she look like Violet from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.' 'The type of reviews I look for! Lol thanks for the heads up!' another added. Despite receiving thousands of comments as the post took off, Amanda told the publication that her favorite came from her mother, who wrote: 'Not exactly how I wanted my child to go "viral" but there she is KILLING IT!' While many found the incident hilarious, others were curious as to how the powder would have caused her face to turn purple. Allure reported that it is likely the purple hue was caused by an ingredient in the product called synthetic fluorphlogopite. Because the ingredient contains fluorine, it could contain fluorescent properties that are only seen under dark light. However, despite possibly containing such properties, the ingredient was deemed completely safe in a study that was published in the US National Library of Medicine. From a phallic potato to an unfortunate-looking steak, these photos will reveal whether you've got a dirty mind. The hilarious online gallery has captured some of the cheekiest snaps on the web that are guaranteed to leave you blushing. The hair-raising images from around the world feature some rather rude-looking objects, from vegetables to furniture and even children's toys. And in one cheeky snap, an unfortunately-placed travel cushion makes it look as though a brazen traveller is walking through the airport with her trousers down. This unfortunate looking Naked Neck chicken is totally devoid of feathers on its neck Optical illusion? An unfortunately placed travel cushion made it look like this woman had decided to drop her trousers Put it away! This woman appears to be showing more than she intended, but a closer look reveals she is in fact holding a piece of fruit underneath her t-shirt Not child friendly! These two toy dinosaurs appear to be getting up to monkey business When seen from this angle, this air freshener reminded its owner of something else entirely Peep show! The sight of this man's bald head sticking through a wall calls to mind a glory hole These two children may be innocently holding hands but they look like they're holding onto a part of the dog's body This doll set makes it look as though the man is getting rather intimate with his pet horse Her winter break in Sandringham has finally come to an end, so it's little wonder the Queen appeared a little sombre as she boarded a train back to King's Cross this morning. The 92-year-old monarch has been based at her beloved Norfolk estate since late December and is thought to be returning to London to resume royal duties. Flanked by protection officers and dressed in a grey embroidered coat, she was escorted into Kings Lynn station through a side entrance known as the Royal Gate on Monday amid tight security. The monarch was not joined by the Duke of Edinburgh - who has been installed in his own cottage in Sandringham since retiring in 2017 - as she boarded the Great Northern service. The holiday's over: The Queen appeared rather sombre as she boarded a train back to London from King's Lynn this morning, marking the end of her Christmas break in Sandringham The Queen catches a train back to London on Mondaymorning. The 92-year-old monarch has been based at her beloved Norfolk estate since December where she was joined by family The Queen will spend spring between her residences in south England before heading to Balmoral, in Aberdeenshire, for the summer. Her Majesty made the journey just days after it was confirmed Prince Philip, 97, had 'voluntarily' surrendered his driving licence. The Crown Prosecution Service is considering whether to bring charges over a crash that injured two women. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had a full house over the Christmas period, with everyone from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to the Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie joining them. The Queen and Prince Philip travelled to Sandringham on 21 December, the day after they hosted the Royal family for festive lunch at Buckingham Palace. Back to reality: The Queen is thought to be returning to Buckingham Palace where she will resume her royal duties, while Prince Philip is understood to be staying at Wood Farm Sombre: Dressed in a grey embroidered coat, the Queen was escorted into Kings Lynn station through a side entrance known as the Royal Gate on Monday The couple ravelled first class on the 10.45 am Great Northern service from London King's Cross to King's Lynn, just a 30-minute drive from the country estate. In previous years, the Queen has passed the time on the 1 hour 37 minute journey by browsing her iPad mini after being given a crash course by her grandsons William and Harry. Sandringham has been owned by the royal family since 1862 when it was purchased by Queen Victoria at the request of her son Edward, then Prince of Wales. Since then, the house has been in continuous use by the royal family and it was there that King George VI died on the 6th February 1952. It is also from Sandringham that the Queen's annual Christmas speech is broadcast. Police officers secured King's Lynn station on Monday. The Queen and Prince Philip travelled to Sandringham on 21 December, the day after they hosted the Royal family for a festive lunch A police search team securing the station ahead of the Queen's arrival. In previous years, the Queen has passed the time on the 1 hour 37 minute journey by browsing her iPad mini Police officers at King's Lynn as the Queen swaps Norfolk for London. Sandringham has been owned by the royal family since 1862 when it was purchased by Queen Victoria Since retiring from public duties in autumn 2017, the Duke of Edinburgh is understood to be based Wood Farm, the spacious but modestly furnished cottage on the Sandringham estate. Insiders say Philip loves it there and has made it his retirement base, reading, painting watercolours, writing letters and having friends to stay. An old friend told the Mail's Richard Kay: He is enjoying reading things hes always wanted to read and gets up to what he wants without an equerry telling him he has to be elsewhere, or a camera following him. Princess Tessy of Luxembourg has leapt to the Duchess of Sussex's defence after the latest chapter in Meghan's ongoing family feud. Tessy Antony, the estranged wife of Prince Louis of Luxembourg, took to Twitter on Sunday night to say that the duchess 'did not deserve' her treatment by members of her estranged family who have repeatedly hit out at her in the press. The 33-year-old was responding to an article in Royal Central that criticised Meghan's estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr. and sister, Samantha Markle, for repeatedly selling stories and giving negative interviews about the royal. It also detailed the horrific trolling levelled at Meghan and her sister-in-law the Duchess of Cambridge on social media in recent weeks. Responding to the furore last night, Tessy tweeted: 'No one deserves that. One should never assume. Either you know or be [quiet].' Scroll down for video Tessy Antony, the estranged wife of Prince Louis of Luxembourg (pictured in London in a recent social media snap) has leapt to the Duchess of Sussex's defence on Twitter Meghan pictured with her father Thomas Markle in happier times. A recently unearthed letter reveals she accused him of breaking her heart 'into a million pieces' after her wedding She added: 'It's not nice to talk badly about someone else just because one can, as he or she takes advantage of the anonymity of the web. Stay Kind!!! Its the new cool! She does not deserve that.' Mr. Markle this weekend shared 'devastating' details of a letter sent to him by his daughter last summer with the Mail on Sunday. The letter shows how Meghan, 37, begged him to stop his 'painful' attacks on her 'kind and patient' husband. In the deeply personal missive, Meghan accuses her father of breaking her heart 'into a million pieces' by giving interviews to the press, fabricating stories and attacking her new husband. Meghan also admonishes her father for siding with her half-sister Samantha who has attacked her in the press while she silently suffered at the hand of her vicious lies. Tessy was responding to an article in Royal Central that criticised Meghan's father, Thomas Markle and sister, Samantha Markle, for repeatedly selling stories about her (pictured) Tessy tweeted: 'It's not nice to talk badly about someone else just because one can, as he or she takes advantage of the anonymity of the web. Stay Kind!!! Its the new cool!' The bombshell five-page letter (pictured), sent in August last year, saw Meghan accuse Thomas Markle of breaking her heart into a million pieces by giving interviews to the press She goes on to complain that Mr Markle has made no attempt to contact her and chastises him for falsely telling journalists he is the one who has been shunned a criticism her father refutes. Meghan also accuses her father of snubbing her and Prince Harrys offers to help when he pulled out of attending their wedding following two heart attacks and accuses him of being ungrateful for money she has given him. The former Hollywood lighting director, who now lives in Mexico, said that he never intended to make the handwritten letter public out of respect for Meghan but says he has been forced to do so now because its contents have been falsely portrayed. A worried man has turned to the internet for advice after discovering his girlfriend 'stealing' his sperm after sex. The baffled boyfriend from New York revealed on Reddit that he had gone to the bathroom after having sex with his girlfriend, and returned to find her 'pouring the contents of a used condom inside her vagina'. Asking if anyone knew if what she'd done was legal, he added: I'm nervous as f*** honestly.' And it appears the unfortunate man may not have the law on his side. Despite being obviously morally wrong, the US legal system considers the passing of sperm during sex a gift even if it was not intended. A series of cases have found that it cannot be classed as theft, including one couple who had a baby after the woman kept semen after they had oral sex then used it to get pregnant. The Reddit post, which gained over 12,500 upvotes, prompted other users to react with horror. One wrote: 'Well, number one I would assume that she is now your ex-girlfriend? Stay away from her and if she tells you that she is pregnant, get a paternity test.' The user stunned Reddit with his revelation as others warned him to dump his girlfriend (stock image) Elaborating on their relationship, the man explained: 'My girlfriend and I are both late 20s. About an hour ago we had sex. She is not on the pill, so we use condoms. 'I had just finished and removed the condom and I went to the bathroom after that. She screamed at me to the bathroom "peeing or pooping?", which I thought was weird. 'Jokingly I said "pooping", but really I was just peeing.' On his return, the man discovered what she was up to and tried to pull the condom away. The user's full post on the Reddit forum detailed the young man's troubles, as he begged for advice from others on what he should do next 'She started screaming bloody murder and screaming "rape". I had to leave her alone before someone in my apartment hears and calls the police,' he said. He then begged other users for legal advice, writing: 'Is this legal at all? What happens if she gets pregnant? 'I did not consent to her doing this - do I legally own my sperm and what are the odds of her getting pregnant?' Is 'stealing' sperm against the law? According to the law in the US, if you have consented to having sex, the law considers that to be consent for the consequences thereof, including at least 18 years of child support payments. The case of Hermesmann v. Seyer (1993) set the precedent in Kansas, where it was settled the woman could still sue the father of her child for child support even if conception occurred as a result of a criminal act committed by the woman. In the past it has also been ruled that the kind of act can't be claimed as theft as sperm could be seen as a gift from one person to another. That was the case for one couple in Chicago in 2005. Dr Richard Phillips accused Dr. Sharon Irons of a "calculated, profound personal betrayal" after an affair, saying she secretly kept semen after they had oral sex, then used it to get pregnant. The court decided that although it had caused him extreme emotional distress, Dr Phillips should pay child support for their five year old child. "Dr Sharon Irons [She] asserts that when plaintiff 'delivered' his sperm, it was a gift - an absolute and irrevocable transfer of title to property from a donor to a donee," the decision said. "There was no agreement that the original deposit would be returned upon request." Source: Law.Justia.com, NBC Advertisement Reddit users reacted with horror at the post, begging him to break up with his girlfriend and seek legal advice One user recommended getting legal advice, stating: 'Document this - make detailed notes to yourself describing what you observed, and write the date/time of the events, and the date/time you wrote those notes. 'If she gets pregnant, she carries the child to term, and a paternity test proves the baby's yours, get a lawyer. The lawyer may be able to help you sue for full custody if you want that, or for termination for paternal rights.' Another also suggested a paternity test, saying: 'Cut the crazy out of your life immediately. Do not contact her in any way. If she claims to be pregnant demand a paternity test.' A woman who reunited with her school crush through a Facebook message after years apart went on to have a whirlwind romance with him - buying a house after two weeks and having three babies in just nine months. When Rachael Kirkwood first spotted her now husband, Paddy, in the corridors of the secondary school they both attended in Manchester, she fell head over heels but was too shy to speak to him. Then, in April 2015, Rachael, now 34, sent Paddy, now 35, a message after stumbling upon his Facebook profile. After meeting for a first date around a week later, things moved fast, with the pair buying a house together after two weeks, before getting engaged in July 2015, and marrying in the December. In September 2016, Rachael gave birth to their daughter Mollie, now two, and just six weeks later she fell pregnant with identical twins Niall and Luke - who were born six weeks early in June 2017. They went on to have another daughter after the twins, and now share six children - four together and a child each from previous relationships. Rachael Kirkwood, 34, and Paddy, 35, both from Manchester, enjoyed a whirlwind romance, marrying and having three children together in under a year. The couple tied the knot in a romantic ceremony in Paris, and posed for photos in front of the Eiffel Tower, pictured. The busy mother and father now share six children, including two from previous relationships Rachael had son Oliver (left) from a previous relationship and twin boys Niall and Luke (right) with husband Paddy. Before welcoming the twins, Rachael feared she would have difficulties having children after suffering a molar pregnancy with her first son Paddy and Rachael, pictured in Madrid on their first holiday together as a couple, sparked up a romance after she found her crush on Facebook, years after they left the Manchester secondary school they both attended Rachael, who previously worked in highway design and as a photographer, has admitted she was warned her relationship was moving 'too fast', but after spending years pining over Paddy she knew he was the one. The full-time mother said: 'People thought it was way too fast and told me it wouldn't last, but I was sure we were meant to be together.' When she first met Paddy at school, Rachael was overcome with shyness and never plucked up the courage to speak to him, instead admiring him from afar and sending anonymous Valentines Day cards every February 14th. In time, they both left school and began their adult lives, with Rachael even living in New Zealand for two years, and having a son, Oliver, now seven, but she never forgot about her first love. 'I believe in love at first sight. I loved Paddy as soon as I saw him back at school, and still felt the same after years apart. If something feels right, you have to go for it. 'I saw his profile pop up as he'd commented on a mutual friend's post, so I had a look through his photos and plucked up the courage to message him. I said, 'You haven't changed a bit.'' Rachael (pictured as a schoolgirl, left) used to send anonymous love letters to Paddy on Valentine's Day when she was a teenager. Right: Paddy (pictured as a schoolboy) was one year ahead of Rachael at school, but they didn't speak until connecting on Facebook years later Rachael had long admired Paddy ever since she was at school, and despite people telling her she was moving too quickly with her now husband she always believed in love at first sight. Pictured, Rachael and Paddy enjoy a romantic meal in Paris, where they became engaged Rachael was asked to move in with Paddy just weeks after their first date (left, Rachael that night). Paddy proposed to Rachael on a romantic trip to Paris, France, and she has described the romantic moment as a 'fairytale'. Right, Rachael's glittering diamond engagement ring After she took the plunge and reached out to Paddy, she feared he wouldn't remember her - especially as they never interacted at school. She continued: 'I wasn't even sure if he'd remember me, given that we'd never spoken. But he replied right away saying, 'Neither have you.' From there, Paddy and Rachael began to speak every day over Facebook, swapping tales about life, love, and everything in between. After a week, the father-of-four asked the question she'd longed to hear ever since she was a teenager, as he asked Rachael on a date. Rachael explained: 'We'd arranged something for the following week, but in the end, we couldn't wait. I ended up texting him a few days later when I was on a night out in Manchester city centre to see if he wanted to come and join me. 'He did, and as soon as I saw him, it was like we'd known each other forever. Which we had, I suppose.' The spark between them clear to see, Paddy and Rachael spent virtually every day together from then onwards. Their romance progressed quickly, and within two weeks Paddy mentioned he was house-hunting, and suggested she join him for a viewing of a property near to where Rachael was living at the time. Rachael and Paddy married in Paris just months after getting engaged in the city. The couple were joined by 60 guests on their wedding day, pictured, where Rachael wore a stunning gown She recalled: 'He asked me what I thought of the place, and I told him I loved it.' But Paddy then posed another huge question, and asked Rachael to move in with him. She continued: 'Then he turned to me and said, 'I don't want to get it unless you move in too. 'I thought, "Is he mad?". It had only been two weeks. But part of me just knew it was right.' The couple swiftly jetted to Madrid, Spain, to celebrate the milestone. Just moments after they returned from their city break they found out their offer on their first home together had been accepted. Paddy and Rachael tied the knot shortly after the tragic news they had lost their child at 12 weeks into the pregnancy. Pictured, they pose for a beautiful photo in front of the Eiffel Tower On their wedding day the couple enjoyed a trip down the River Seine, which took them pass the iconic Eiffel Tower, pictured. They pulled out all the stops with an elegant car A swift six weeks later, in early July, Paddy had another important question for Rachael, as he asked her to marry him in Paris. 'It was like something from a fairytale,' Rachael recalled. 'People thought it was way too fast and told me it wouldn't last, but I was sure we were meant to be together', she remembered. Shortly before their trip to Paris, Rachael had discovered she was pregnant, meaning she had gone from single to engaged and expecting within a rapid three months. Rachael dispelled comments that she was rushing her relationship with Paddy, as she insisted she knew her now husband was the one. Pictured, the bride on her wedding day in Paris However, things took a turn for the worse when 12 weeks into her pregnancy Rachael was rushed to hospital after feeling dizzy, and found out she was experiencing a molar pregnancy. The condition occurs when a lump of abnormal cells, rather than a healthy foetus, grows inside the womb. In some cases, when the cells do not go away on their own, they can lead to a condition called persistent trophoblastic disease (PTD), which the NHS says is similar to cancer, if untreated. Sadly Rachael's baby had to be removed. She said: 'I couldn't take it in. I had never even heard of a molar pregnancy.' In the wake of the molar pregnancy, Rachael feared the same thing could happen again and she would never be able to start the family with Paddy that they both so desperately wanted. The couple enjoyed a ride on the merry ground after they tied the knot with views of the Eiffel Tower, pictured. They couple had been together for under a year by the time they wed Shortly after the heartbreaking ordeal, the pair decided to tie the knot in Paris that December, with a guest list of 60 loved ones. Speaking about her wedding day, she said: 'We hired a boat afterwards and sailed down the Seine, past the Eiffel Tower. The way we saw it, we wanted to be together, so there was no point in waiting even though we hadn't even been together a year. When you know, you know.' In early 2016 a month after their wedding - the duo found out they were expecting again. In September Rachael gave birth to their daughter Mollie and just six weeks she fell pregnant again - and discovered it was twins. Shortly after Rachael gave birth to her and Paddy's first child, Mollie, pictured, she found out she was expecting twins Niall and Luke (seen in the sonograms). Rachael also has son Oliver, while Paddy also has another son from another relationship Rachael feared how she would cope with five children when she found out she was expecting two more children Luke and Niall, pictured in their 20 week scan images She said: 'We couldn't believe it. We were basically doubling the size of the family. 'At first, I was terrified about how we'd cope, but Paddy said it was like winning the lottery. 'I knew then that we'd get through it together.' The twins were born early in June 2017, meaning Rachael had given birth three times in nine months and the children will all be in the same school year. Luke and Niall, pictured, were born in June 2017, which meant Rachael had given birth three times within nine months Mollie, Luke and Niall, pictured together, will be in the same school year when they grow up as they were born within a short time frame of one another Rachael has admitted she found it 'hard work' having three newborns to look after, but she has praised Paddy for being a 'fantastic' parent during this time. 'It was hard work having three tiny babies. The twins had colic, so would cry a lot, then Mollie would wake up wanting a feed. Even getting out the house for five minutes took rigorous planning. We got a nanny to come and help two times a week, which was amazing. Plus Paddy was fantastic.' Rachael added to her brood once again, with baby Orla, who was born in November 2018, despite taking the contraceptive pill. Rachael and Paddy admitted she struggled having three children with quick succession and hired a nanny to help her cope, although she has praised husband Paddy for being a great father. Pictured, Mollie with twin brothers Niall and Luke The mother - who also has a stepson from Paddy's previous relationship - has said her personal experiences, giving birth and motherhood, have encouraged her to start up a charity, as well as her own mum and baby blog. Pictured, Rachael while pregnant with youngest Orla Rachael and Paddy welcomed their baby daughter, Orla, pictured, in November 2018, despite being on the contraceptive pill. She describes her family as unconventional but wouldn't change her life for the world Rachael's 'fairytale' romance has inspired her to set up a charity called Wish For A Wedding, which helps provide weddings to couples dealing with a terminal illness. The parent's own pregnancy experiences has also encouraged her to set up a blog called MumToBe.com, where she shares advice and candid posts, especially aimed at those who may feel isolated as they don't have many friends with children. Rachael and Paddy - who have celebrated their third wedding anniversary - has hit back at the naysayers who insisted the couple's relationship would not last. Rachael and Paddy's oldest child together, Mollie, cradles her little sister, Orla, in her arms. The couple were surprised by how quick their family has grown A defiant Rachael said: 'I know we aren't conventional, but I wouldn't change the way we did things for the world. Paddy and I are like teenagers together, still as in love now as we were on day one. 'I've never met anyone like him, and know that, given all we've been through and not been broken, I'll be with him forever. 'To anyone out there doubting whirlwind romances, I'd say this - If something feels right, go for it.' For more information on Rachael, visit www.wishforawedding.co.uk or www.mumtobe.com or follow www.instagram.com/the_kirkwood_triplets Doting parents are leaving heartwarming notes in their children's lunchboxes to give them an added boost of confidence during the school day. A single dad in New Zealand was praised for writing 'Hi darling have a good day at school' on a piece of paper and putting it next to his daughter's packet of chips. But a collection of Australian mothers are doing the same and including photos of the family and fun facts about animals. One woman even included a list of what her son should aim to eat at recess and lunch, something he told her he thoroughly appreciated. Here, FEMAIL looks at the sweetest notes left in children's lunchboxes so far. A single dad in New Zealand was praised for writing 'Hi darling have a good day at school' on a piece of paper and putting it next to his daughter's packet of chips Not bad for a children's snack! And the inspirational quote is rather sweet too So excited my little man starts 3 year old kinder tomorrow!! It only goes for 3 hours one day a week but this is such an exciting big step for us! I thought I would add the little note and a photo of him, myself and his brother just in case he misses us Today's lunch should put big smiles on their faces! Child one has donut inspired fairy bread - crackers - rice balls - cheese & bacon roll & some fruit Kelsie's mother said she could hardly read yet at the age of four, but would appreciate this little show of love Scotch finger biscuits, bread sticks and chicken with a side of OMG Facts Jokes were also a popular addition to the lunchbox snacks, with this container featuring wafers, a muffin, mandarin, pancakes and cucumber With the average wedding in Australia now a staggering $51,245, couples are often looking for creative ways to cut down the budget. So to help make the process a little cheaper, food delivery service Deliveroo have now launched a wedding catering service across the country . The company will cater to all budgets - big or small - depending on what the bride and groom are looking for. Deliveroo has announced that they are allowing future brides and grooms in Australia to have their wedding catered through Deliveroo This service will work outside of the app, with the engaged couple receiving a dedicated account manager Poll Would you use Deliveroo to cater your wedding? Yes No Would you use Deliveroo to cater your wedding? Yes 10 votes No 6 votes Now share your opinion Any restaurant on Deliveroo is available for catering including Mexican, Asian and Italian so happy couples have the ability to select their desired menu from multiple cuisine types. This will give brides and grooms a simple and quality choice for their guests. This service will work outside of the app, with engaged couples receiving a dedicated account manager who will help them discover great options that are perfect for the big day. Happy couples have the ability to select their desired menu from multiple cuisine types 'We want to make our customers lives as easy as possible when it comes to quality food choices,' Juan Diego Farah, Global Head of Deliveroo For Business said. 'So we jumped at the chance to help our customers getting married create an amazing menu for their guests.' All that people need to do is email love@deliveroo.com.au to inquire about the service. The DNA behind Levete Room is a seamless merging of Scandinavian cool with Parisian chic. Founded in Copenhagen in 2017, its collections mix soft, drapey tops and floaty skirts with tailored trousers and coats. Its pronounced like levity, meaning lightness of mind. The Danish brand says its aimed at the feminine woman who isnt afraid to experiment with mens tailoring. Working from a Twenties villa, the design team creates timeless pieces from a palette of muted pastels and fun prints. Prices range from 60 for a classic shirt to 200 for a sophisticated blazer. Stockists include 30 independent boutiques across the UK, with the brand set to expand into leading department stores and online. Are you ready for Galentines Day? No, not a typo February 13, the eve of Valentines, is now the day when youre supposed to celebrate your gal pals, showering them with cards and knick-knacks, perhaps even going on a friends date. Galentines may be the invention of a character in American sitcom Parks And Recreation, but in recent years it has been creeping into the mainstream, complete with gift guides. Oh help! Why do women do this to each other? Now, we have not one but two days to dread this week. Emma Rowley revealed why she's against the growing trend for celebrating Galentines Day on the eve of Valentine's Day (file image) Has BFF Sophie popped a card in the post? Has old pal Kate bothered to send a text? If not, why not? No, thank you. You dont see grown men being encouraged to give each other matching bracelets to celebrate their bromance. The whole Galentine thing seems immature and a sure-fire way to strain a friendship. We all know how fraught gift-giving is gaily handing over a regifted bottle of plonk only to be shamed by the pricey treat that is handed back to you. On top of that, we are now encouraged to add another fraught round of negotiations at Galentines. February 13 is now the day you celebrate your gal pals. That makes two days to dread this week The whole thing has the suspicious whiff of being a sop to the singletons: no dozen red roses for you from Mr Right, sorry dear, but heres a glittery pink card from your school friend in Scotland. What about the marrieds: Do they join in too or is it just the love-lorn who are expected to shell out? Ive a better idea: Id like everyone to give us faithful singletons a token of acknowledgment for all the wedding presents and baby gifts. Ive my eye on a set of Le Creuset. Pink, of course. Happy Galentines after all! MADRID - European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides presented the European Solidarity Corps on Monday, during the 3rd meeting of national civil protection general directors of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) member states, said UfM sources. The two-day meeting is taking place Monday and Tuesday in Barcelona. The European Solidarity Corps is an initiative that allows young people between the ages of 18 and 30 to participate in solidarity activities in various fields throughout the European Union. The meeting, jointly organised by UfM and the EU, opened with a report from Stylianides; followed by a speech by Yousef Bataineh, the Jordanian ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, the EU and NATO; and Secretary General of the UfM, Nasser Kamel. The meeting aims at facilitating exchange and cooperation in the field of humanitarian aid and in the shared challenges of crisis management. The frequency and intensity of disasters, which have increased on a global scale in the last decade, is also hitting the Mediterranean region and is putting significant pressure on national authorities, with an increasing number of victims as well as economic and environmental losses. These factors gave rise to the need for cooperation between UfM member states to share information and a coordinated, shared approach, which has been shown to be more efficient, in managing the risk of catastrophes. If you're looking for a statement festival outfit ASOS is usually the one-stop shop for all things eccentric. And the global online retailer has truly outdone itself with its latest offering, which is one of the most bizarre pieces yet. The Flounce London sheer organza combat pants are see-through trousers that cinch in at the ankle, and are not dissimilar to shower curtain material or 'cling film'. Scroll down for video The Flounce London sheer organza combat pants are see-through trousers that cinch in at the ankle, and are not dissimilar to shower curtain material or 'cling film' At $80 the look doesn't come cheap - but it's already sold it in an Australian size 4. A number of users on Twitter have voiced their confusion over the ensemble which would require a certain amount of bravery to wear. One woman shared an image of the combat pants online, captioning the image with: 'I love ASOS but why on earth would you wear that?' At $80 a pop the look doesn't come cheap, but it's already sold it in an Australian size 4 Someone quickly replied: 'Might as well wear cling film'. A third tagged their friend and wrote: 'Just in case you still need outfit options may I present these, the worst pants on earth, for your consideration'. The piece, which is made entirely from polyester, is described by the online brand as 'smooth, crisp organza' and 'wafer-thin and sheer as you like'. One woman shared an image of the combat pants online, captioning the image with: 'I love ASOS but why on earth would you wear that?' It's also said to be for days that 'call for something a little bit extra'. Although the model on the website is pairing the pants with a black turtleneck bodysuit and sky-high heels, it could easily be kept casual with sneakers. At present they are still available in sizes 6-16. As someone who loves to wear colour, it feels hypocritical heretical even to be writing a column in praise of beige. But if you are hitting the shops this weekend in search of something to get you out of the winter slump and give you a much-needed hint of spring, the High Street is awash with neutral colour. From sensual shift dresses (35, marksandspencer.com) to oversized trench coats (Topshops slouch coat is on my wish list, 75, topshop.com), there is no use fighting it. The much-maligned neutral is back. You dont need to me to tell you beige is the colour with the worst PR ever, a byword for blah, boring and meh. And if, like me, you lived through the Seventies, your childhood was likely touched by some nightmarish beige associations from leatherette sofas and wardrobes full of unbreathable synthetics to inexplicable macrame items. Sarah Bailey shared advice for embracing the head-to-toe beige trend as seen on Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex (pictured) So what, then, has sparked the beige renaissance? Look no further than Riccardo Tisci, the new creative director at Burberry. Many expected Tisci, an Italian gothic romanticist whose dark creations brought him fame at Givenchy, to bring 50 shades of noir to the Burberry catwalk. But he confounded expectations by presenting his Spring/Summer 2019 collection last September in what every fashion critic was excited to note was 50 shades of beige. From models Stella Tennant in slightly kinky, shiny caramel-toned separates, to Natalia Vodianova in frothy latte hues, there was no escaping the colour. And as the new season clothes start to hit the stores, its Burberrys unmissable ad campaign that has the fashion world abuzz. The cool status of beige looks unassailable. Conscious or not, you can see why Tisci might have been inspired to embrace all things raw and neutral as he takes the Burberry brand back to its origins and begins to shape his signature at the house. The houses iconic raincoat is, of course, beige. The pitfalls of beigeness still exist, mind you. Remember: youre channelling Lauren Huttons classic Seventies trench look (I like Massimo Duttis double-breasted wool coat 249, massimodutti.com); or perhaps Anjelica Huston in a Halston cashmere cape (Zara has a fantastic cape on the camel side of the beige spectrum. Its in the sale at 29.99, so hurry! (zara.com). Also, the shade of beige you go for is absolutely key. What will look fresh and flattering on one skin tone will be draining on another. Kendall Jenner (pictured) wore head-to-toe beige down Burberry's catwalk for their Spring/Summer 2019 collection From my spin around the High Street last weekend, I can tell you that the more clotted cream tones look better with my colouring (blonde, pinkish complexion), while olive and dark skins look great with the more camel and tan shades of beige. And make sure you look for fabrics with a heavier texture that fall well. There are a lot of beige-on-beige looks around, but bear in mind that a head- to-toe ensemble often works best when you mix up your neutrals. The Scandi fashion set are the masters of this kind of dressing. In fact, And Other Stories has a brilliant capsule collection of winter white pieces, designed in Stockholm, that are perfect for layering. Ive got a crush on their oversized plaid overshirt in shades of coffee and cream (159, stories.com). Taupe: the new rules Consider mixing shades of beige if you are wearing it top-to-toe its more flattering. A white ankle boot will give a pop of modernity to a beige look. Beige can wash you out, so look for a shade that works well with your skin tone. And take a fresh eye to your make-up. A bright lip can lift your whole look. Advertisement Thats not to say you cant mix beige with other colours: A black rollneck (try layering it under a white shirt) continues to look good with beige pants or an A-line skirt. White boots look fresher and more modern with a beige outfit than matchy beige shoes. As the weather warms up, you can mix in the tobacco and turmeric shades that fashion dictates will be spicing up our summer wardrobes. And should I feel a bit meh, Ill be adding a slick of bright, coral-red lipstick to all of the above. Once a colour lover... Sarah Bailey is executive brand editor at Porter. A filmmaker has captured the touching moments grooms break down as they see their bride walking down the aisle. British videographer Emma Wilson, who runs award-winning global wedding and event filming company Story Of Your Day and is based in Switzerland, has created an emotional montage of wedding videos. The former ITV and BBC camerawoman has caught the moment happy husbands-to-be become emotional at the sight of their future wives, in heartwarming moments that show newlyweds' raw reaction on their special day. From a groom in Suffolk holding back tears before the ceremony even starts, to the moment anxiety turns to relief when a man's future-wife appears, seven couples- from England to France and New York, have shared their most memorable moment. Vicki and Hayden married 2017, in Paris Celebrity doctors Vicki Belo and Hayden Kho, 38, jetted into the French capital of Paris at the start of September 2017 for a lavish wedding, which saw Hayden break down twice as he declared his love for her Celebrity doctors Vicki Belo and Hayden Kho, 38, jetted into the French capital of Paris at the start of September 2017 for a lavish wedding. The celebrations began with a 'welcome cruise' on the River Seine and signed off with a grand ball at the Palais Garnier opera house. This was a much-anticipated wedding with hundreds of fans waiting outside the American Church in Paris, eager to take a picture of the couple and their famous guests. Emma said: 'During the ceremony Hayden cried as he told Vicki: 'You are my beloved, you are the cherisher of my heart and I can't live without you', before breaking down again when Vicki declared her love for him. Lizzie and Nick married 2018, in Suffolk Nicholas (Nick) and Elizabeth (Lizzie) tied the knot at the stunning Hengrave Hall in Suffolk in June 2018 When Lizzie entered the church and walked down the aisle, Nick was seen holding his hand to his face as he struggled to control his emotions. Nicholas (Nick) and Elizabeth (Lizzie) tied the knot at the stunning Hengrave Hall in Suffolk in June 2018. When it came to showing emotions, the groom was overwhelmed even before the ceremony started. When Lizzie entered the church and walked down the aisle, he was seen holding his hand to his face as he struggled to control his emotions. Mathilde and Helio married 2018, in Switzerland Mathilde and Helio decided to have a 'First Look' moment before their wedding ceremony, which was held in the Swiss town of Payerne, in central-western Switzerland Mathilde and Helio decided to have a 'first look' moment before their wedding ceremony, which was held in the Swiss town of Payerne, in central-western Switzerland. A first look is a moment a few hours before the ceremony, where bride and groom see each other for the first time on the wedding day. It is usually pre-arranged with their wedding videographer and photographer in a private place away from family and friends to capture that moment just for them. As Mathilde approached, Helio called out: 'Hurry up, I am so busy like you wouldn't believe. I have a lot to do today', before exclaiming that she looked 'magnificent'. Angela and Richard 2017, in York Besotted couple Angela and Richard married at Allerton Castle in York in 2017. Angela is seen entering with her father 'As Angela walked down the aisle to the sounds of Trio Vivo a brilliant trio of violin, cello and piano, the look of pride and adoration on Richard's face (left) was so romantic and moving', Emma said Besotted couple Angela and Richard married at Allerton Castle in York in 2017. Emma said: 'This was another very emotional moment following the bride's entrance. 'As Angela walked down the aisle to the sounds of Trio Vivo a brilliant trio of violin, cello and piano, the look of pride and adoration on Richard's face was so romantic and moving. Katie and Harold 2018, in France Katie and Harold are from New York, and married in France in October 2018- with the groom breaking down when she said: 'I have loved you for 1, 901 days and I promise to love you until the very end' Katie and Harold are from New York, and married in France in October 2018. British journalist Emma Wilson, who runs award-winning global wedding and event filming company Story Of Your Day and is based in Switzerland, has created an emotional montage of wedding videos Emma said: 'They travelled from the US to a village in the South of France in the Cathare region, Ginestas, for their wedding at Chateau du Puits es Pratx. 'Katie and Harold wrote each other's vows to one another on the morning of the wedding, but Katie's words were just too much for Harold during their traditional Jewish ceremony. 'She finished off with the words'I have loved you for 1, 901 days and I promise to love you until the very end'. 'Harold's response made the congregation laugh and he found it difficult to compose himself to say his own vows in reply.' Jane and Chuck 2018, in France Californian couple Jane and Chuck travelled from America to the South of France for their wedding in 2018, and made the crowd laugh when he attempted to kiss her before the ceremony was finished Californian couple Jane and Chuck travelled from America to the South of France for their wedding in 2018. Emma said: 'After 17 years Jane and Chuck decided it was time to 'tie the knot tighter'. 'They travelled all the way from California to Divajeu a small village in the Drome Valley in the south east of France for their beautiful and romantic destination wedding at Le Domaine de Vincenti, their chosen venue. 'Their close friend held the outdoor ceremony but Chuck was so keen to be married that he jumped in to kiss Jane as soon as she finished saying her vows- an amusing moment during a gorgeous ceremony.' Rich and Sally 2016, in North Yorkshire Rich and Sally got married in 2016 at Allerton Castle in North Yorkshire, and Emma captured Rich's look of intensity as he waited for Sally, and the complete relief as she stood beside him Rich and Sally got married in 2016 at Allerton Castle in North Yorkshire. Speaking about their raw emotions, Emma said: 'This was another emotional bridal entrance. 'I captured the intensity of Rich waiting at the top of the aisle for Sally and the complete relief as she stood beside him.' Some readers of newspapers, whether print or online, may be unaware that the industry is in the grip of a crisis. Local papers are especially vulnerable, but the national Press is also badly affected. As a result of the rise of the internet, print circulation has fallen, in many cases dramatically. Most publishers have launched online newspapers, some of which have built up vast new readerships. But revenue has decreased significantly across the board. As a result of the rise of the internet, print circulation has fallen, in many cases dramatically However successful some online news operations may be, they have been unable to make up the shortfall caused by the seemingly inexorable circulation decline of printed newspapers, which have traditionally enjoyed revenue from both advertising and copy sales. It was against this background that Frances Cairncross was asked to write her report. Even in government, some are alarmed by the prospect that a weaker Press, whether national or local, will find it harder to fulfil its democratic role of holding the powerful to account. For example, as Dame Frances notes, there are already some towns where court proceedings, or the behaviour of dodgy businessmen, are unexamined because the local newspaper has closed. How successful is this review in analysing the problems facing the Press? In terms of its understanding of the crisis and its causes, it could scarcely be bettered. Dame Frances has brought to bear all her forensic skills as a distinguished former journalist. She is aware that publishers with reduced resources will be unable to undertake time-consuming and costly investigative journalism. The fact is that newspapers break many more important stories than the habitually cautious BBC. What will happen if they are no longer able to? However, Dame Frances does not go far enough in recommending curbs for the web giants in particular Google and Facebook who are the rogues of this story, though she does put forward some proposals. While traditional publishers struggle, these behemoths are laughing all the way to the bank. One of their obvious advantages is that they pay much less tax than established media companies. But they also enjoy massive advantages in global and national advertising markets, which they increasingly dominate to the detriment of newspapers. News is filtered by Google and Facebook through the opaque use of algorithms thats little understood in the wider world Crucially, there is so-called programmatic advertising which is sold through multiple intermediaries many controlled by all-powerful Google who operate online auctions where they are sometimes both a buyer and a seller. Also, news is filtered by Google and Facebook through the opaque use of algorithms thats little understood in the wider world. An online publication may be discriminated against by these web giants in other words, its website may effectively be censored. And, of course, Google and Facebook refuse to pay for disseminating papers news coverage. While they make money out of this operation, publishers who bore the original cost of newsgathering get nothing. On all these tangled but vital issues, Dame Frances gives a mixed response. Unfortunately, she rejects the idea that publishers should be paid for having their stories recycled by the likes of Google and Facebook, on the grounds that such a process would be too complex. To be fair, she addresses the vexed subject of programmatic advertising by proposing that the Competition and Markets Authority should take a long-overdue look at it. But as far as the algorithms are concerned, she suggests a pledge might be made by Facebook and Google to give publishers early warning of changes to algorithms that may significantly affect the way in which their content is ranked. Thats fine as far as it goes, but its not far enough. Her report is also too indulgent of the BBC, whose publicly-funded, all-singing website is read by 43 per cent of the adult population every month, and inevitably undermines online newspapers. Dame Frances once again ducks the issue by suggesting that media regulator Ofcom should consider it. One worthy suggestion is that government subsidy of local and regional newspapers be increased. That sounds fine until one reflects that its far from ideal for newspapers to be dependent on the State, however benevolent the reasoning. Wouldnt they benefit more if Google and Facebook and the other web giants were cut down to size? And that really is the logical conclusion of this report, even if Dame Frances somewhat shies away from it. Despite what some pundits say, the future of the printed and online Press need not be one of contraction. Decline is not inevitable. Newspapers can still have a successful and profitable future. But only if the Government has the courage and single-mindedness to stand up to these utterly unscrupulous multinational leviathans. Heres the news: a very wealthy man changes his marital status two days before his death and, as a result, manages to avoid 11 million of inheritance tax which would otherwise have been available to fund public services. You might think this crafty fellow would (posthumously) now be vilified. If so, you would be wrong. For the man in question is Sir Ken Dodd, and it was he who married his partner of 40 years, 77-year-old Anne Jones, in March last year when he was 90 and on his deathbed. This we knew: what is new is that probate on his estate has now been granted and his will made public and at 27.5m, his fortune was much bigger than anyone (except perhaps Sir Ken) had imagined. A wealthy man changes his marital status two days before his death and, as a result, manages to avoid 11 million of inheritance tax Aversion Anyway, the couples last-minute marriage has snatched 40 per cent of that sum from the clutches of the Revenue, as inheritance tax is not payable on money and property transferred to a surviving spouse. And to judge from comments I have read in online forums, there is universal approbation for Dodds last laugh on the taxman. Indeed, his aversion to paying taxes was the source of many of the jokes which made him such a popular figure. This stemmed from his trial for tax evasion 30 years ago. The prosecution had seemed cut and dried. It revealed how the comedian had made cash and carry flights to the Isle of Man and Jersey to deposit his earnings in 20 different accounts. After the trial, Dodd paid back the money owed in taxes, along with a penalty but he had been acquitted by the jury, who clearly sympathised with him more than they did with the State. Doubtless this was because he had entertained them so royally during the weeks the case dragged out. Thus, when asked by the judge what it felt like to carry the hundreds of thousands of pounds of cash found in suitcases in the attic of his house, Dodd replied: The notes are very light, MLord. There was also a memorable encounter when the prosecuting barrister confronted the comedian with an apparently damning affidavit from an accountant. But, Sir, the man is dead, Dodd appealed to the court. The prosecutor hit back: What matters is his evidence. Whether hes alive or dead is entirely irrelevant. Dodd reduced the court to uncontrollable laughter with his instant retort: Its very relevant to him, Sir. For the rest of his career, Dodd made his tribulations with the Inland Revenue, and his own now notorious miserliness, a staple of his stage act. The man in question is Sir Ken Dodd, and it was he who married his partner of 40 years, 77-year-old Anne Jones, in March last year Shirkers For example: I thought it would be a good idea to go into politics. Maybe I am a little old, but you know, Id love to be Chancellor of the Exchequer. That way Ill be reunited with my money. And, referring to the Inland Revenue and income tax self-assessment: They stole that idea from me. This gag hits home with all those who have to fill in their own self-assessment forms. We freelancers have a more vivid sense of the proportion of our earnings that we forgo in tax, since we write the cheques ourselves, having (perhaps with the help of an accountant) worked out exactly how much of the money in our bank account is not for our family to enjoy after all. PAYE is painless by comparison. It is, of course, morally as well as legally imperative to pay our due taxes. The more people who behaved like Ken Dodd, the more the burden would increase on honest taxpayers. But despite what Jeremy Corbyn and the Left would have you believe, the well-to-do in the UK are not shirkers when it comes to funding the welfare state. Far from it. The tax burden in the UK, as a percentage of GDP, is at its highest level in more than 30 years. The top one per cent of earners now pay 28 per cent of all income tax a third higher than the proportion they paid at the turn of the century. And the top 10 per cent of earners are paying nearly twice as much in real terms towards the countrys tax take as the wealthiest 10 per cent did in the 1970s. Punitive There is a lesson in this. The Thatcher governments abolition of punitive rates of tax on the highest earners had the effect of boosting the income the State collected because of the policys beneficial impact on the economy as a whole, not least in ending what was known as the brain drain. We are constantly being told that people would be happy to pay more in tax to fund public services. Real-world evidence suggests otherwise. A year ago, the Financial Times revealed that since 2000, only 200 people had made bequests to the Inland Revenue (above what they were required to pay). The bequests totalled 8.3m. That piddling sum compares with the roughly 10 billion which Britons give every year to their chosen charities. An entertaining insight into this was provided by a recent BBC documentary which asked passers-by to say if they would be prepared to pay more in taxes to fund public services. To those who said yes, the reporter handed a form on which the allegedly willing volunteers could indicate how much more they would pay, with room for their signature, and which would then be passed to HMRC. Not one of them would do so. No wonder the public is with Ken Dodd. Corbyn's simply too dim to be PM How dim is Jeremy Corbyn? Shatteringly so, judging from Tom Bowers biography of the Labour leader, extracts of which were published in yesterdays Mail on Sunday. Admittedly, it was already public knowledge that Corbyn, despite coming from an intelligent, middle-class home, managed only two bottom grade Es at A-level (failing a third) and then flunked out of North London Polytechnic. But Bower goes on to reveal based on the accounts of Corbyns first wife and former associates that our would-be PM seems not to have read a single book since abandoning his education. Not even ones on socialism, handed to him by well-meaning comrades attempting to instil some rigour, but returned still in their wrapping. I wonder what the great Labour figures of my youth would have thought of being led by such a wilfully ignorant man. Labour was then the party of Harold Wilson, Richard Crossman, Tony Crosland, Roy Jenkins and Denis Healey. How dim is Jeremy Corbyn? Shatteringly so, judging from Tom Bowers biography of the Labour leader, extracts of which were published in yesterdays Mail on Sunday All of these most of them via grammar schools won first class honours from Oxford University. The first three all became dons there before entering politics. Nor does intellectual brilliance exclude commonsense practicality. Wilsons academic record, according to one historian, put him among prime ministers in the category of Peel, Gladstone and Asquith, yet the Yorkshireman was perfectly at home in the rough and tumble of doorstep debate. Of these Labour MPs, only Healey had been a Communist, but he left the party in 1940. And all of them modified the socialism of their youth. They had the intellectual capacity to absorb the lessons of history that any version of Marxism leads to immiseration and oppression. Yet Corbyn still stands by the Venezuelan regime of Nicolas Maduro, even as that nations population starve in the name of socialism. Only an ignorant person could still be a doctrinaire socialist and it is Corbyns ignorance that is most terrifying in a prospective prime minister. How could such a person begin to cope with the challenges of the most difficult and demanding job in the country? It would be dreadful to find out. Infrastructure Work to improve Route 796 and Old Baltimore Pike intersection begins BEIRUT - UN special envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths said there is an urgent need for making grain silos accessible in the port city of Hudaydah, otherwise the grain stored there will spoil and no longer be suitable for consumption. The port city on the Red Sea is being fought over by Houthi rebels and their Saudi-backed rivals loyal to the Yemeni government, but a UN-mediated ceasefire has been in place since December. Griffiths said the World Food Programme has over 50,000 tons of grain in storage in Hudaydah, which could feed more than 3.5 million people. "It expires after a month, but it has been blocked in storage for five months," Griffiths said. From left, Marc Rider, Pat Ryan and Patrice Courtney Strong applaud during Sunday's forum at Kingston City Hall. The fourth candidate for the Democratic Party's nomination, Jeff Moran, was unable to attend the event because of a family obligation, according to party representatives. Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa smiles during his swearing-in ceremony on Dec. 28, 2018, at the Ulster County Courthouse in Kingston, N.Y. Man in Lebanon dies after setting self on fire in protest Against high cost of private schools (ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, FEBRUARY 11 - Anger is still rampant in Lebanon on Monday following the funeral on Sunday for George Zreik, who died as a result of burns he suffered when he set himself on fire in protest of the high cost of his daughter's private school. Many families in Lebanon send their children to private schools, which are costly, because they maintain public schools do not offer an adequate level of education. Zreik, who lived in a town in the country's north, in the district of Kura, set himself on fire after the principal of his daughter's school refused to issue him a permit he needed in order to enrol his daughter in a less expensive school. Members of Lebanese civil society organised a sit-in protest in solidarity with Zreik's family in front of the education ministry on Sunday. The protesters called on authorities to intervene to regulate the cost of private schools. (ANSAmed). ACADEMY GREEN QUEST FOR FUNDING Kingston was turned down in one bid to get money for improvements to the park, but it is pursuing other opportunities for grants Ethos is a nationally recognized, award-winning independent student publication. Our mission is to elevate the voices of marginalized people who are underrepresented in the media landscape, and to write in-depth, human-focused stories about the issues affecting them. We also strive to support our diverse student staff and to help them find future success. Ethos produces a quarterly free print magazine full of well-reported and powerful feature stories, innovative photography, creative illustrations and eye-catching design. On our website, we also produce compelling written and multimedia stories. Ethos is part of Emerald Media Group, a non-profit organization thats fully independent of the University of Oregon. Students maintain complete editorial control over Ethos, and work tirelessly to produce the magazine. Since our inception as Korean Ducks Magazine in 2005, weve worked hard to share a multicultural spirit with our readership. We embrace diversity in our stories, in our student staff and in our readers. We want every part of the magazine to reflect the diversity of our world. ROME - An Italian photographer has been hurt in a battle at Syria's last ISIS bastion and is already returning to Italy, sources said Monday. Milan-born Gabriele Micalizzi, 34, was injured in the battle between hundreds of ISIS militiamen and advancing pro-US forces at Dayr az Zor, sources said. Micalizzi was taken to a local hospital before being flown by helicopter to Baghdad, sources said. "He was seriously injured in the face by RPG shrapnel but does not seem to be in a life-threatening condition, said the CesuraLab collective he is co-founder of. Micalizzi will be flown back to Italy as soon as possible, the Kurdish Syrian Rojava Information Center said. "He will be shortly repatriated to Italy on board a medical plane of the (US-led) coalition" that is fighting ISIS, Kurdish forces said. The sources said he had been hurt "in a non-serious way by shrapnel from a rocket". Kurdish Syrian forces are leading the offensive on the east bank of the Euphrates. Micalizzi is well-known internationally for his war reportage. An art school graduate, he initially covered local news in Milan and went on to focus on the Middle East and other crisis areas, according to his online bio. His photos have been published in the New York Times, New Yorker, Newsweek, Wall Street Journal and, in Italy, by Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica, L'Espresso and Internazionale. He is the founder of the CesuraLab collective together with Luca Santese and Andrea Rocchelli, who was killed during the war in Ukraine in 2014. Ms. Annette "Honey" Brock age 96 of Dalton, GA, went to be with the lord Tuesday June 22, 2021. She was born October 21, 1924 in Memphis, TN a daughter of the late Edwin Douglas and Ann Louise Johnson. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Paul "Pete" Brock, sisters and brothers, da John Bacon The Daily American Gov. Ralph Northam vowed to remain in office Sunday while Virginians appeared split on whether the besieged Democrat should resign. "I have thought about resigning, but I've also thought about what Virginia needs right now,"Northam told CBS's "Face the Nation." "Virginia also needs someone who is strong, who has empathy, who has courage and who has a moral compass. And that's why I'm not going anywhere." Northam was clingingto his job amid indications that he might not be forced out if he refuses to quit amid the firestorm that began over racist yearbook photos from more than three decades ago. Northam spoke a day after apoll conducted by the Washington Post and George Mason Universityshowed 47 percent of Virginians want Northam to resign and 47 percent believe he should not. Six percent had no opinion. The survey also showed strong support among African Americans, with58 percent expressing support while 37 percent wanted him out. White voters said he should step down by a narrow, 48-46 margin. More than half of Republicans 56 percent thought Northam should go, while only 40 percent of Democrats agreed. The poll surveyed 706 Virginia adults last week and has a margin of error of 4.5 points. Northam told "Face the Nation" that his statehas a "unique opportunity" to bring about meaningful change in the face of scandal. The commonwealth is celebrating its 400th anniversary this year. "I'm a leader. I've been in some very difficult situations. Life and death situations, taking care of sick children," Northam said. "And right now, Virginia needs someone that can heal. There's no better person to do that than a doctor." Northam was asked about whether his lieutenant governor, Justin Fairfax, should resign. Days after Northam's blackface controversy began, two women accused Fairfax of sexual assault in the early 2000s. Fairfax denied the allegations, called for an FBI investigation, and said he won't resign. Northam said it took "tremendous courage" for the women to come forward. "These accusations are very, very serious. They need to be taken seriously," Northam said. "And if these accusations are determined to be true, I don't think he's going to have any other option but to resign." More: 'Sick, deeply toxic' culture: Ralph Northam hails from a time of troubled race relations in Virginia, US The furor surrounding Northam began 10 days ago, when a photo from his page in his 1984 medical school yearbook surfaced. The photo showed one person in blackface, another in Ku Klux Klan robes. Northam initiallyapologized for being in the yearbook photo, but the next day, he said he did not believe he is in the "racist" photo. He did admit to wearing blackface as part of a Michael Jackson costume he wore for a dance contest in Texas in the early 1980s. Northam spoke to the Post on Saturday,sidestepping calls for his resignation and promising tospend the rest of his time in office focused on mending racial tensions. "Its obvious from what happened this week that we still have a lot of work to do. There are still some very deep wounds in Virginia, and especially in the area of equity," Northam said, citingeducation, health care, homeownership andentrepreneurship. "And so this has been a real, I think, an awakening for Virginia ... and so were ready to learn from our mistakes." Northam also said he was planning a "reconciliation" tour across the state to talk with constituents about what happened and address the issue of race. Contributing: Christal Hayes This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Poll: Virginia split on whether Gov. Ralph Northam should resign; he insists, 'I'm not going anywhere' Bill Keveney The Daily American PASADENA, Calif. Dr. Ruth Westheimer isn't worried about younger generations having sex. Her concern is more about basic human connection. "I do not get any more questions these days about premature ejaculation or women not being able to have an orgasm," she toldthe Television Critics Association Monday, as she promoted the Huludocumentary"Ask Dr. Ruth," streaming May 10. "Today, most of the questions I get (are) about loneliness, about not finding somebody to share their life and experience with, not just sex. I'm very concerned that young people are going to lose the the ability, the art of conversation." Computers are off limits during her classes at Columbiato promote more human interaction. "In my classroom, they have to talk to each other." The documentary, directed by Ryan White, charts Westheimer's life, from her childhood in pre-World War II Germany toher survival of the Holocaustandlife in Switzerland and Israel, including details of her experience as a sharpshooter. Of course, "Ask Dr. Ruth" also explores her long career as sex therapist, including radio and TV appearances that made her famous,answering thousands and thousands of questions about intimacy. Westheimer, "90-and-a-half,"offered wit and wisdom on a variety of topics during the panel, her responses evidence of a "zest for life" that has propelled her after tragedy early in her life. More: George Clooney on his 'Catch-22' TV series, and the 'life-changing' experience of 'ER' On enjoying a long, meaningful life: "I'm fortunate that I'm very healthy. I skied until a few years ago," she said. "I have two wonderful children (and) the best four grandchildren in the world. The main issue with me is I'm really interested in what all of you are doing," displaying a lifelong curiosity. On a perk of aging: "These days, I hold onto good-looking guys instead of walking with a cane." On setting personal boundaries, even asa documentary subject: "You will never know how much money I have, (or) with whom I'm sleeping." On whether there are any sex-advice questions she won't answer: "Sex with an animal. I said, 'I'm not a veterinarian.'" Questions about violent sex "are not my cup of tea. I used to say, 'Ask me the next question.'" Surprisingly, Westheimer said she didn't have the famed "sex talk" with her grandchildren, but she did talk about sex to a fourth-grade class attended by her grandson, who's now 27. "He said he hasn't recovered since," she said. Asked if there might be a sequel to the documentary, Westheimer was on board: "I have plenty more to say." She proved her point when asked who and what she finds sexy today. "You come forward and I'll look at you and I'll tell you if you're sexy," she told the reporter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dr. Ruth: Today's advice is more about loneliness than sex Staff reports The Daily American Meals on Wheels delivers a hot meal Monday through Friday to Somerset, Edie, Quecreek, Acosta, Gray, Jennerstown, Jenners, Jenner Crossroads, Ferrellton, Bsowell, Jerome, Thomas Mills, Stoystown, Kantner, Hooversville, Friedens, Geiger, Listie, Roxbury, Brotherton, Berlin, Davidsville, Seanor, Carpenters Park, Tire Hill, Hollsopple, Old Somerset Pike, Lavansville and Rockwood. Mostoller United Methodist Church will provide desserts for Feb. 1115. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, sharing your time helping others in your community obtain the food they need on a daily basis, call 814-443-2787. Monday hamburger casserole, baked apples, beets, carrot-raisin salad, dessert, homemade soup, egg salad sandwich, mandarin oranges, raisins Tuesday chicken w/gravy, stuffing, mixed vegetables, tossed salad, dessert, homemade soup, ham sandwich, bananas, apricots Wednesday macaroni and cheese, stewed tomatoes, green beans, church slaw, dessert, homemade soup, peanut butter sandwich, pineapple, apples Thursday roast pork, mashed potatoes, broccoli, pickled beets, dessert, homemade soup, turkey salad sandwich, oranges, mixed fruit Friday fish w/white sauce, parsley potatoes, minted carrots, pasta salad, dessert, bread, pears, melon The Biggest International Cybercime Offenders Cyber criminals at the top level are as technologically sophisticated as the most advanced IT companies and like them, have moved quickly to adopt cloud computing, artificial intelligence, Software-as-a-Service and encryption. Cybercrime remains far too easy, since many technology users fail to take the most basic protective measures, and many technology products lack adequate defenses. Cybercrime also leads in the risk-to-payoff ratio. It is a low risk crime that provides high payoffs. A smart cyber-criminal can make hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars with almost no chance of arrest or jail. Criminal activity on the internet is much broader than cybercrime as essentially all elements of human criminal activity have moved into cyberspace. A senior British official reported, for example, that half of all reported crime in the UK is cyber-related. Over the last 20 years, we have seen cybercrime become professionalised and sophisticated. Cybercrime is a business with flourishing markets offering a range of tools and services for the criminally inclined. The most important area for the cost of cybercrime is in the theft of intellectual property and business confidential information. Internet connectivity has opened a vast terrain for cybercrime, and IP theft goes well beyond traditional areas of interest to governments, such as military technologies. One way to measure the cost of intellectual property theft is to look for competing products that take market share from the rightful owners. If hackers steal intellectual property, such as product designs, from a small or medium-size enterprise, it can be a fatal experience. For big companies, it can be an unexpected source of revenue lost as competing products enter the market. The theft of intellectual property accounts for at least a quarter of the cost of cybercrime and, when it involves military technology, creates risks to national security as well. These losses can often be invisible to the victim. They still have access to the IP that has been copied by the criminals and may attribute a decline in revenue to growing competition rather than theft. As much as $600 Billion is lost annually to cyber-crime as attackers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their approach, adopting new technologies and leveraging black markets and digital currencies. A few countries, however, stand out as the most active sources of attacks in cyberspace. According to a Report produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a think tank based in Washington, 2018 was an active year for cyberattacks, with more than 100 significant incidents occurring in the past year. Looking at publicly available data on cyber-espionage and warfare but excluding cybercrime, the CSIS study reveals that China and Russia have been the largest source of attacks in cyberspace since 2006. In December of 2018 alone, four major incidents were reported involving China, while three involved Russia. From 2006 to 2018, China was involved in 108 cyber incidents with losses of more than $1 million each, compromising communications across Europe, conducting cyber-espionage spying on 12 countries and stealing information from hundreds of millions of customers of a US hotel chain, according to the CSIS report. Russia has been responsible for 98 major cyber incidents since 2006 with losses of more than $1 million each, the CSIS report said, and is accused of hacking Ukraine's government, NATO operations, the Czech security service and the German Parliament. The CSIS report examined data on China, North Korea, Iran, India, Russia, the UK, the US, Germany, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Ukraine, Israel and France, with the rest of the world listed as a separate category. The study named the rest of the world as the third-worst offender, with 67 incidents. Next in the ranking came Iran with 44 incidents, and North Korea with 38. India was listed as guilty of 16 important cyber incidents from 2006 to 2018, while the US was accused of nine. Just two countries were identified as having not been the source of cyber-attacks in the past 12 years: Japan and Australia. "Cyber-attacks are a global-phenomena, and it's only growing." says Kurt Baumgartner, principal security researcher in the Global Research and Analysis Team at Kaspersky Lab. "There are hot spots in the world that both source cyber activity and attract that activity, and (this) is only growing to the point that more and more nations are budgeting offensive cyber-security operations." The CSIS report found the "rest of world" category was the victim of no fewer than 165 incidents from 2006 to 2018, while US government agencies, defense and tech companies, and other entities were the target of 117 cyberattacks with losses of more than $1 million each. There have been 35 major cyber incidents targeting India and 34 targeting South Korea. China was attacked 25 times in major cyber incidents from 2006 to 2018, according to the report, including one involving an Indian group hacking Chinese government agencies and research institutions. The United Kingdom also reported 25 important cyberattacks, including one reported in May 2018 that had targeted its electric utility networks since 2017. In Israel, 24 important cyberattacks have occurred since 2006, while Ukraine saw 23. Russia was the victim 16 major cyberattacks in the past 12 years, the report said, with that figure including an attack by a state-sponsored Middle Eastern hacking group that targeted a Russian oil company with operations in Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and North America. Experts warn that regardless of the type, cyberattacks come at a great cost economically and in public regard. Organisations that expose users to such attacks are more likely to lose their customer's trust, while cyber-crimes may also deter those interested in investing in new technologies. "Over the past decade we've seen all sort of cybersecurity challenges and issues and they range anywhere from massive financial crime, sometimes performed on behalf of groups that are known to be sponsored and associated with state-owned groups, to events that affect people's daily lives," says Baumgartner. "It's a huge problem when money is just flushing around because of cybersecurity issues." USNews: Mcafee: You Might Also Read: Australian Defence Chief Issues Cybercrime Warning: Cyber Criminals Are Aiming At Business: Eugene Crow, age 91, of Cullman, went home to be with his Lord on Saturday, June 19, 2021. He was born June 13, 1930 to Felix and Pearl Stowe Crowe. He was preceded in death by his loving wife Irene, his parents, two brothers and a sister. Mr. Crow served his country and is a veteran of The (ANSAmed) - ROME, FEBRUARY 11 - An Italian photographer has been hurt in a battle at Syria's last ISIS bastion and is already returning to Italy, sources said Monday. Milan-born Gabriele Micalizzi, 34, was injured in the battle between hundreds of ISIS militiamen and advancing pro-US forces at Dayr az Zor, sources said. Micalizzi was taken to a local hospital before being flown by helicopter to Baghdad, sources said. "He was seriously injured in the face by RPG shrapnel but does not seem to be in a life-threatening condition, said the CesuraLab collective he is co-founder of. Micalizzi will be flown back to Italy as soon as possible, the Kurdish Syrian Rojava Information Center said. "He will be shortly repatriated to Italy on board a medical plane of the (US-led) coalition" that is fighting ISIS, Kurdish forces said. The sources said he had been hurt "in a non-serious way by shrapnel from a rocket". Kurdish Syrian forces are leading the offensive on the east bank of the Euphrates. Micalizzi is well-known internationally for his war reportage. An art school graduate, he initially covered local news in Milan and went on to focus on the Middle East and other crisis areas, according to his online bio. His photos have been published in the New York Times, New Yorker, Newsweek, Wall Street Journal and, in Italy, by Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica, L'Espresso and Internazionale. He is the founder of the CesuraLab collective together with Luca Santese and Andrea Rocchelli, who was killed during the war in Ukraine in 2014.(ANSAmed). Welcome to episode four of The CUInsight Experience podcast. Hosted by Randy Smith, co-founder and publisher of CUInsight.com. In each episode we have wide ranging conversations with thought leaders from around the credit union community. What issues are facing credit unions? What are they working on to help? What leadership lessons and life hacks have they learned along the way? Whats the greatest album of all time? These questions and more will be asked and answered. The goal of The CUInsight Experience is to dive deeper with the people of the credit union community and find gems from their experiences that add value to all of us. Our guest today is Jill Nowacki (@jillnow). Jill is the president and CEO of the Credit Union League of Connecticut (CULCT), a statewide non-profit trade association serving credit unions throughout Connecticut. In her current role, she champions an environment that helps credit unions succeed as the best financial partner for consumers. Since joining the industry in 2001, Jill has also worked in communication and advocacy for Montanas Credit Unions (MCUN); for CUNA as Executive Director of Credit Union House; and as VP-Development at Maps Credit Union in Salem, Oregon, where she was also the founding Executive Director of the Maps Community Foundation. Read more about Jill and find her writing here and on Medium. In this episode we discuss whole human integration, balanced teams and how credit unions can impact members and their communities. And as always we wrap up this episode getting to learn more about Jills leadership style, life hacks and what life looks like outside of the office. Listen to the full episode or scroll down past the short video and show notes to read the full transcript. Enjoy. How to find Jill: Jill Nowacki, President and CEO of Humanidei jill@humanidei.com Twitter | Linkedin Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher Show notes from this episode: Article mentioned: Being Human is not a Liability Book mentioned: Let My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard Article mentioned: Patagonia to Donate Trump Tax Cut to Environmental Groups Previous episode mentioned: Gigi Hyland The art of giving a damn Shout-out: Montana Credit Union Network Matched Education Savings Account (MESA) Find Jills writing here on CUInsight and her outside credit union writing on Medium (Do it. Shes an amazing writer and will make you feel things) Follow Jill on Instagram: @seat_atthe_table Article you should read: Mansplaining, Mentoring and #MeToo Shout-out to Jills team: League staff at the Credit Union League of Connecticut Credit union shout-out to Leo Ardine: United Teletech Financial FCU The journals Jill and I are fond of: Moleskin Classic Notebook and Shinola Soft Linen Journal Best album of all time: Tim McGraw Everywhere Song mentioned: Tim McGraw Where the Green Grass Grows Other favorite: Taylor Swift Reputation Book mentioned: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho Book mentioned: Dare to Lead by Brene Brown Article mentioned: The Philosopher Redefining Equality Find all past episodes of The CUInsight Experience here. Full episode transcript: Randy Smith: Hello boys and girls of credit union land. Welcome to the fourth episode of The CUInsight Experience. My name is Randy Smith. I am one of the co-founders and publisher of CUInsight.com, and it is my job on the show to have conversations with the best and the brightest of the credit union community. I get to pick their brains and find a few nuggets that we can all learn from. I must start by saying that my guest on this episode is my favorite guest, my favorite contributor, my favorite person in the credit union community and my human. Nothing against Jim, Gigi, and Dan, but she is my human and my partner so they just cant compete. Ms. Jill. Nowacki is the president and CEO of the Credit Union League of Connecticut. Instead of doing this interview at our dining room table or the island in our kitchen, we decided to record it in Key West after Jill had finished a talk to credit union CEOs on diversity. Randy Smith: I knew that Jill and I would have a blast on this. Many of the things we talk about in this episode are conversations that weve had at home. One of her answers caught me completely off guard. Im sure youll be able to notice when you hear my reaction to it, so listen through for that one. Its a lot of fun. I know Jill will be a regular on The CUInsight Experience. She is one of the most thoughtful, kind and intelligent people I know. I am one lucky dude. We talked about whole human integration at work. We talked about diversity in leadership, expanding the economic capacity of communities and people in those communities and much, much more so. Without further ado, I give you my conversation with Ms. Jill Nowacki. Randy Smith: Jill, welcome to the podcast. Thank you for joining us today. Jill Nowacki: Im excited to be here. Randy Smith: Thank you for allowing me to do this while were on vacation in Key West. Lets just jump right into the questions. Something you and I have talked about a lot, whole human integration at work. You wrote an article on it. Being human is not a liability that was published on CUInsight, we will link to that in the show notes below. Will you explain what whole human integration is to our listeners? Jill Nowacki: Whole human integration is something that I thought about as I was looking more and more the use of artificial intelligence and workplace and particularly how credit unions are starting to automate a lot of their processes. It came to this idea that in order to get the most out of the data we have and the processes we have in place, we also need to have humans that can take care of that and the skills that humans bring to the table are incredibly different than what we can now automate. The other part that goes along to that though is making sure we recognize that what is human about our employees is what differentiates them from the robots and that those strikes need to be acknowledged and integrated and worked with in the workplace. So when we have people coming to work who are also parents and hobbyists and do things outside of work, in addition to being employees, we have to recognize that and give them the room to be humans while at work. Randy Smith: That is true. Weve talked about that quite a bit. Do you think thats even more important than the hyper competitive recruiting environment and work environment? Jill Nowacki: Absolutely, and I think thats the reason why we need to. Were not in the industrial revolution anymore. I think we may be on the cusp of a different type of employment revolution. I dont know what it would be called but we are definitely in a situation where employees have the opportunity, people have the opportunity to craft their lives much more how they want to through, the example I cite the most is if you could be a teller for $15 an hour, whos on a super strict schedule or you could go drive Uber and do it when you want to and change your hours when your kids are sick, youre absolutely going to choose the one that gives you the flexibility and the trust and the ability to set your own hours and right now the way credit unions, employee tellers, frontline staff, that flexibility isnt there in most cases. So I do think well see some changes with that and I think credit unions are going to need to figure it out if they want to be able to keep employing people in this role. Randy Smith: Over the summer when you were laid up from foot surgery, you actually, quite a bit, youve told me the story of the guy who worked for Pepsico and he was basically making more money driving the Uber part time. Its interesting. Can you give any examples of whole human integration in action or credit unions specifically doing a good job of this? Jill Nowacki: So youve told me a lot about reading the book, Let My People Go Surfing, which is from the Patagonia CEO, founder. Thats a great example of a company that is living their values consistently across all channels, so in addition to I think many people probably saw recently, they got their tax refund back and ended up donating it all to cause to protect the environment, I think, which is consistent with what they do. In addition to that though, it sounds like they flex their workdays and their employees hours to let them go out and enjoy what the brand stands for as far as outside. Randy Smith: To let their people go surfing. Jill Nowacki: Ill have to read the book. Randy Smith: To switch gears a little bit. Something else I know youre deeply passionate about is expanding the economic capacity of communities and people. What does meaningful community development in member development look like to you? Jill Nowacki: So yes, I am firmly believing that credit unions, primary role is to expand the economic capacity of the individuals and the communities that they serve. And what that means to me is that when credit unions are looking at writing new programs or products or services or engaging with their community, its not about just writing a sponsorship check for the local little league team, its about trying to make an investment into that community that pays forward. So its increased access to affordable capital. Its providing match savings programs that get people to receive their next level education where they can go out and get jobs where they make more money. So its the investments in opportunities in areas that allow the people in the community to do more themselves as well. To me, thats what the meaningful community engagement looks like or meaningful community interaction looks like. Its being able to connect with others, whether its the members themselves or the community organizations in order to help build the communities complete capacity for economic well being greater. Randy Smith: I think you just kind of answered this, but is there a difference between the community development and the member development? Jill Nowacki: I think it can tie together really well, but when I think about member development, I think about the products and services that the credit union actually builds. When I think about the community development, I think more about what may happen in the broader community, so if you have a community where affordable housing is a really big issue, you may work with individuals on providing counseling or down payment savings assistance programs, but then you work with other organizations in the community that are addressing that problem as well. So maybe the community outreaches and connecting with a local housing agency and maybe theres even a third kind of more for profit arm where youre beginning to fund lending programs for developers to put more local housing a place too. So its kind of an all encompassing way where you start with the community problem thats there and then work towards solving that in order to make the community a healthier place. Randy Smith: On a previous show, I read the report that Gigi Hyland wrote talking about credit unions and the healthcare system offering whole health programs. Would that be a community development program? Jill Nowacki: Absolutely, and obviously Gigi is the expert on that. Im more familiar with the idea of how education and poverty can link together, but I think what Gigi has found in her report, and shes clearly the expert on it, but I think what she found is theres a really clear link between poor financial health and poor overall physical health with people too, and so one of the findings in that that was really surprising to me is that if youre living in poverty or living kind of on the margin, you wont go get preventative healthcare and if thats the case then things get worse and end up costing far more. Or if you cant make ends meat, you dont pay for health insurance and then when a problem arises, you dont have health insurance to cover that. So absolutely. I think theres a connection. I think theres also a connection with the ability to access things that contribute to healthy living conditions, so access to fresh fruits and vegetables, living in an environment that can be appropriately climate controlled for whats going on outside. Like having air conditioning or heat and living in places that dont have mold in them that dont create like asthma and little children too. Randy Smith: So thats the community side. Is this something that you see starting an individual credit unions or is it systematic? Jill Nowacki: I think individual credit unions can and should do it with the communities they serve and I think as far as system wide, I do think it should be a bigger part of the conversations were having. Randy Smith: Do you think this is an area that were dropping the ball a little bit? Not to call anybody out. Jill Nowacki: As a system, I dont think that that has quite moved to a point yet where its become prominent and a major area focus, as an example, I think this is the type of thing they have a breakout session for, not a keynote session and so I think that it would be interesting to see us move towards that and I think it would be an excellent way for credit unions to really differentiate from other financial services providers that are out there. Randy Smith: Is there anybody that you want to give a shout out? Is there somebody whos doing this well? Jill Nowacki: There are many people who are doing it well. I think that we see great examples. I know at the state level Ive always been really impressed with and of course my career started in Montana, so its easy. Its kind of my my home place in my heart is there, but what the Montana Credit Union Network has built as far as statewide opportunities for their credit unions to really engage with specifically in this case its a student loan program where they built a public private partnership in student lending where the credit unions were providing match savings accounts to people wanting to go to college for the first time. System wide I think we know and acknowledge that the student loan burden right now that people today hold is, is crazy and definitely crisis level and I think what they did as a state with come together and try to solve that problem with something that was meaningful and it has made a difference in Montana. Randy Smith: How can this make credit unions more relevant? Increase the longterm viability of the system? Jill Nowacki: When we take efforts that expand the economic capacity of those we serve, we create healthier members, so we have members who are more financially sound, more financially stable. Were accessing people right now and moving them toward the next level of financial stability, so when we build a better base of members, it increases the likelihood of that financial success from the credit union too. It also can increase these feelings of ownership and loyalty that our members have that may cause them to stay with credit unions rather than go to alternative choices. Randy Smith: This is the question that I just added. What are the current beliefs held by credit unions that you think will significantly change in the foreseeable future? Jill Nowacki: I think there are two widely held beliefs right now that I reject both of them and theyre completely different. One is the idea that fintech startups are going to ruin the credit union industry. I dont think that fintechs are something to be scared of. I think theyre an opportunity to partner with and I think they could even searve as inspiration because so often in this kind of ties into my next thought that I think is a falsely held belief for credit unions, we get so terrified that some fintech startup is going to come in and take us out of business and theyre all these little startup companies that many of them are starting in their parents basements where theyre not coming out with loads of capital. Theyre coming out with great ideas and great innovation, but they dont have scale when they launch and yet were terrified of them. Simultaneously. Were also seeing, oh my gosh, if my credit unions not $500 million, 1 billion, 10 billion in assets. Were not relevant because were not big enough. So I think thats almost a contradiction to this idea that Fintechs, theyre going to come in and be nimble and take us all over and put us all out of business, but were too small. We cant thrive and be relevant and I think we could see some really cool things happen if some of our credit unions, including the small ones sort of realign their thinking and tried to be more like that fintech startup when they move forward with the programs. Randy Smith: Weve talked about it before that weve seen fintechs change trying to go directly to consumers. Theyre actually like we want the credit unions, we need the members? Jill Nowacki: I think when the first few people moved onto the landscape and you know, I should be careful because I think Quicken Loans, its like technically a fintech startup and certainly Paypal is and theyve reached some scale, I guess. But I think a lot of the early innovators who came up with products and programs in fintech thought, oh, you know, this is gonna be amazing and Im going to build the next paypal. And then as they got into it, they realize I have a great product. I have something thats meaningful to a niche group of people, but Im not going to make them the next paypal. I can make this product available through partnerships too, and I think thats the mindset that credit unions are going to adopt more widely is that they too can get into those partnerships and make some amazing things happen. Randy Smith: Okay, so I want to switch gears a little bit. This is the leadership and lifehack part of the episode. What was it about credit unions that inspired you to take the job? As president and CEO of the Credit Union League of Connecticut? Jill Nowacki: Im really excited about what credit unions can do for their communities and how they can serve their members and I think theres tremendous potential at the state level for credit unions to come together with meaningful collaboration and introduce programs that can solve the economic problems in a state and so I was excited about having the chance to be able to help try to bring those credit unions together and move them forward into that place. Randy Smith: Has that inspiration changed with time on the job? Jill Nowacki: The inspiration hasnt changed. The approach maybe has a little bit. Its been about five years, just a little over five years, that Ive been in Connecticut. When I started in my job interview, one of the questions they asked me was, you know, half of our credit unions are losing money right now. What are you going to do to help that? So two or three of my five years it was, it was tough. We were having tough financial performance. We were having tough member growth. The good news in Connecticut is thats turned around a lot. Weve seen a lot of improvements with that, but it definitely, I think thinking I was going to walk in the first day and be like new programs that ideas and everybody would be right there with me. It didnt really work out that way. There was a lot more necessity to focus on earnings. Focus on increasing compliance burden and some of those day to day areas of focus, keep those bigger collaborations from happening and taking off. Randy Smith: Speaking of change, Im going to stick on that for a little bit here. You mentioned Montana earlier where you got your start credit unions. How have credit unions changed since 2001 when you started in Montana? Jill Nowacki: I spent almost half my life and credit union now and to answered the question about how credit unions have changed since I started. Has me kind of stop and wonder how much credit unions changed versus how much has my perception changed and personally Ive also changed a lot since I was 22 and the way I think has changed a bit too, so Im not sure how much of the change has been me versus being credit unions. At that time I had a much different role too. I was doing marketing for credit union and most of what I did with producing these eight and a half by 11, two sided newsletters that credit unions would mail out with their statement inserts and we would check to see if members read them by hiding account numbers in there so that they can then call the credit union if they found their account number for an extra $5 deposit. Right about that time email marketing was starting to hit the stage and I remember being terrified that if email marketing took off I would be irrelevant and could never be employed again because my entire career experience was credit union related at age 22. So I think that Ive seen a lot change in credit unions and my outlook as far as we can do has changed too. Randy Smith: As you know, Im a big fan of your writing. Often you write about diversity in leadership teams, giving more people see that the table and everybody should follow you on instagram as well @seat_atthe_table. As a CEO that happens to be female, what do you see as the biggest roadblock to leadership teams basically having a look more like the general public? Jill Nowacki: So this is great because I just gave a talk on this this morning, so I have all sorts of statistics in my mind for it. Something that surprised me as I was doing research for this talk on balanced teams and I completely see it in practice and its this idea that 50 percent of male respondents to a survey say that a team is well balanced or women are well represented on a team if one out of 10 members are female. So that 10 percent, not 50 percent and and not actually balanced. I think that what that feeds to or what that supports is the idea that I think the biggest roadblock to gender balance is a blind spot to it. Where if we think that one out of 10 is balanced, if thats what we see and therefore we perceive there balance, we arent going to try to solve that problem because we think we did it good, for us, and I think we need to identify about the blind spots are there. And then also the unconscious and conscious biases that exist in trying to move that toward a place of balance too. Randy Smith: Is there any quick tip to get the conversation going, that you want to throw out there? Jill Nowacki: Well, to get the conversation going, I just want to say dont be afraid to have the conversation. I think the most well intended men who I talked to will say, I dont feel like its my place. Id like to help and Id like to do something, but what do I know about being in this situation? What do I know about solving this problem? There are so many things that I could say and could suggest starting the conversation is critically important and then what research has found to be true is that the single best way to get a woman on her best career path possible is for her to be mentored by a man. So there unfortunately it has been some backlash in light of #metoo where men are actually increasingly less likely to mentor a female subordinate or colleague. And so overcoming that fear, pushing through and looking for opportunities as a male leader where you can mentor a female subordinate or colleague is a fantastic first step. Randy Smith: As a leader, is there something that your team has heard you say so many times they can finish your sentence? Jill Nowacki: I hope that what theyve heard me say more than anything else is, thank you for all you do for Connecticuts credit unions. 2018 has been a tough year for my team and weve been really lean and putting out a ton of work, so my teams been super human in that capacity in the work thetve done. I hope they hear me say thank you a lot. Randy Smith: Hopefully theyre listening. Has there been a piece of advice or a life lesson that youve held on to and go back to often? Jill Nowacki: So when I started out at that job I was doing producing all those newsletters in Montanas credit unions, I had a lot of ideas for how we could do different marketing. My supervisor at the time said to me, you know what Ive realized is that every time you have a new idea it means more work for me and youll outgrow this enthusiasm one day, I promise. It was a bit frustrating to me and I was talking with the CEO, whos still the CEO now, Tracey, and Tracey and I were in a conversation and I told her about some of the ideas I had and she said, well, why dont you just go for them? And I said, well, I think the supervisor kind of wants me to be a little more cautious and be a little more hesitant and Traceys advice was do it anyway and let the chips fall. And so I find that even today when I end up in a situation where I sort of second guessed the new initiative I want to start or how I want to move forward and think, oh, well maybe its too hard. Maybe theres not enough time. I ended up self talking myself with that. Let the chips fall. Well see what happens. So I go back to that a lot and I still have all that enthusiasm too. I havent outgrown it. Randy Smith: When you run into a wall is there something that you do to take a step back and get some different eyes on it? Jill Nowacki: So as youre probably more than aware, Im an analyzer. So I spend a lot of time in my own head and with my problems. Typically by the time I come across an actual problem, Ive already figured out 30 different perspective solutions to it and I tend to fall into this trap of thinking if I could just think about it a little more ill come up with a solution. Recently and hed be another great guest for your show. So Leo Ardine, whos the CEO at United Teletech Financial in New Jersey, he came and did a session for my executive education program we put on where he did a mindfulness and emotional intelligence session for our upcoming leaders in Connecticut and he shared this visual during the session about this idea of like a brain. So visualize a root bound pot found plant, thats potted, but in too small of the plot and the roots are all tangled up on itself and tightened up. And talked about how we dont stop and give our brain space, thats essentially what happens with our thoughts. I do try to keep that in mind and look for ways where I can create a little space in there, like take that pot out, let the roots stretch out a bit, and I do find that running gives me that help when Im looking for it. Randy Smith: If you have a free day, nothing on the calendar, what passions do you have outside of credit unions? What do you do to recharge? Jill Nowacki: Its hard because my first thought when you say if you have a free day is Im a working mom, I dont have a free day. Im a big fan of this idea of work life integration, and I think that goes back a little bit to recognizing the humans that we work with and what their needs are, but I do get energy from time with my son when its the right kind of time. To often I think what I ended up getting into a struggle with on a regular day is going through this routine of pressuring on homework and trying to make sure everything gets done and making sure all the chores get it done and thinking, well, you know, well have fun once all the work gets done. So I do try to step back from that and try to introduce other sort of activities and opportunities that can be more memorable. But I do find that for me, the way to find that time and that space is I do have to remove myself from the situation. Its hard for me to do it when Im at home because when Im at home I always feel like theres something calling me dragging me. So I do find that Im far better when we get out of town and bring Crosby with us. Randy Smith: We do like to travel. As a leader, how do you make sure that your message stays fresh to your team? And in your position, how do you make sure that the leagues message stays fresh to credit unions? Jill Nowacki: So its important to have a fresh message and though I also think its important to you make sure that that message resonates. Theres that whole you have to hear something seven times before it hits. My bigger fear is we wouldnt have a consistent message for long enough that that message is what resonates with people. Im concerned that the, whether its my team or my credit unions or its my politicians that when they think Connecticuts credit unions, they dont think of the same kind of message consistently. So Im really in a point where I would prefer to be coming up with that kind of easy, clear value statement and then Ill worry about how to keep that fresh. So at this point, I think I want to make sure it lands in a way thats meaningful. I feel like the best area so far in that is by using really personal stories. That seems to be the thing that helps people connect. Its definitely what works with our lawmakers. When we go in and we talked to them about how there is a provision that will allow credit unions to be able to help teachers who live in multifamily housing. Thats something that theyll remember and ask us about the next time we come in their office, in a way that saying if you could please give us one to four family lending, thatd be great. Is not as resonant at all. Randy Smith: Telling them about the individual Jill Nowacki: Humanizing it Randy Smith: Youve heard me putting these together, so now you get to go through the rapid fire question. As you know, theyre rapid fire, that means the questions are, but the answers dont have to be. Do you have any daily routines? That if you dont do at the end of the day, you just feel off? You feel like the day was a little bit off. As you know, I journal and keep mentioning moleskin until they send us free ones, but what is it for you? Jill Nowacki: I have an ideal day for sure. It goes back a little bit to that kind of working mom, CEO thing. It doesnt always play out how I wanted to. A perfect day would be waking up, immediately going running or doing yoga and then coming home, drinking coffee and journaling and then my son deciding to wake up after I finished doing all of those thing. That happens about never so, but thats a great way for me to just start the day really balanced. What I find works on those days when I dont get that in, it was just being able to say, okay, what are the three wins and have today, and then making sure those things get done so that at the end of the day I can reflect back and still feel like it was a good day. Randy Smith: The random question, and I know the one that I think you were stressing about the most, whats the best album of all time? Jill Nowacki: Oh, I did stress about this. Im not cool. I dont know cool music. Its a bummer. So music for me is probably far less about somebody whos a musician, would they make good music. Its really nostalgic for me and so as much as I thought I was going to answer that, it was Taylor Swifts Reputation album. Because I was at a really happy place in my life when I played that over and over for four months and my car. But I think its probably Tim McGraws Everywhere. And the reason for that was really significant to me. It was the time when I moved from high school into college. So its a big life change. I was starting to feel independent and grown up and meeting my new friends who are still my good friends today. And then in 2008 it was actually also the Green Grass Grows was the song that my dad chose to play at my moms funeral as well. So its kinda had lasting staying power and nostalgia for my life too. Randy Smith: We have a stack of books in our house thats been growing, recommended to us, other people have told us about. its been fun asking this question on the podcast. Is there a book that you have gifted over time that you recommend that you think everybody should read? Jill Nowacki: The Alchemist is above that I encourage people to read. Professionally though Ive been spending a bit of time with Brene Brown and recently her newest one that Ive read is called Dare to Lead and that one was so filled with so many just aha moments for me, particularly in the work she did around understanding what your personal values are, defined those personal values and then hold onto those two personal values and craft your life around those two values in a way that is absolutely just relentless. I actually loved that book so much that I put a challenge out to my team that if they would read the book and then if they would come up with two ideas from the book for how our team could improve how were serving. There was an insensitive and I loved the book so that I even put myself out there and said they came up with a third idea that was specifically related to how I personally could improve as a leader. There was an additional incentive for that. I do hope theyll come back with some stuff because there is some great tidbits, good step to apply as leaders at work, and good steps for individuals to apply to their lives. Randy Smith: Its a good book, you had me read it. When you hear the word success, whos the first person that comes to mind? Jill Nowacki: Well, I have a good friend from college. Her name is Genevieve Priebe, and whenever I hear the word success I think of Genevieve and its because early on, shortly after my son was born and she and I met for dinner. Our lives at that time I had a pretty big job. I was a mom. Im married. I had a house. And it kind of felt like I was racking up all the things that youre supposed to have for success and she was going through her life and all that she was doing to you and she was actually making some big professional transitions at that point that would give her a lot more time to travel and to spend time training for ironman races and she was just changing her life a lot and as we were having this conversation, she said, as Ive gotten older, Ive learned that individuals have different success metrics. And so every time I found myself feeling like Im doing things to check them off the list, its given me that moment to be like, is this my success metric? Or is this what I think I should be doing? And reevaluate from that perspective. Randy Smith: This ties right into that, for sure. As youve gotten older whats become more important to you and whats become less important to you? Jill Nowacki: Whats more important to me now is space. To define my time and making sure that Im spending that time on the things that i value and that are important to me. And for me I recognize that is seeing the world. I want to go out and have the chance to be inspired by what else is out there. Where I see that importance come out the most is in like how I spend my money, for example, and so at a point five years ago, I was far more focused on what my house would look like and how that would be and now Im far more focused on how can I use the house thats a good base and that takes care of my needs, but that provides me with the disposable income to go out and see the world and spend time knowing what else is out there and to spend time when Im home rather than worrying about things like lawn maintenance and housekeeping. Being able to really focus on time with the people I love. Randy Smith: Is there anything that you think of that just became much less important? Jill Nowacki: I think its material possessions from that perspective, so I definitely still, you know, I still have an attraction toward certain luxuries, but I think Ive become much better at sort of taking the critical eye to examine, is this something I want because I wanted it or is this something I want because I feel like its what Im supposed to want to do at this point in my life and my career. Randy Smith: So to add one more Tim Ferriss question, what advice would you give to your 25 year old self? Jill Nowacki: I wouldnt tell the 22 year old marketer that shed be able to keep up with the market. She figured it out. But the life advice that I would give back, life advice I would give back and Id certainly give it to anyone who I talked to you right now is you know, defining those values, defining those two personal core values and making sure youre really looking at it through the filter of not what you think people want you to say. Not like if your family found your list, are they going to disown you because they werent high enough up on it. But really what is it that drives you, and pushes you and, and lights you up everyday? Randy Smith: That is a great way to end. Thank you again so much for being on the show. Do you have any final thoughts or asks of our listeners? Jill Nowacki: Yeah, I think the final thought I would share. I just would reiterate the importance of knowing and being able to define the values that someone has. I was reading an article in the New Yorker. I actually read it so I think I should be able to keep my magazine subscription now. It was an interesting article with a professor from University of Michigan and she was talking about the way to reach social equality, economic equality, is by being able to better understand the values that are brought by different people, to different areas. And that as a society we so often look at just a very limited number of things that we consider to be high value contributions and the reality is that there are so many different ways to contribute and by us as individuals being able to recognize what our values are, the value we add to the world and by being able to look and recognize those and others too I think is really critically important. It goes back to that whole allowing the pursuit of being a whole human in life and that whole human integration. So I guess the final ask would just be too, to know those values, know what it is that lights you up as a human. The world needs that. They need more lights in it. And so that would be the ask, is do what lights you up. Randy Smith: That is the perfect way to end, do more of what lights you up. Is @jillnow on twitter. The best way to get ahold of you if people have additional questions? Jill Nowacki: @jillnow is great. My email address directly is fantastic too. Ill take text messages, phone calls. Yeah, anything is good. You have my contact info. Randy Smith: We will link to all of that in the show notes. Again, thank you very much for being on the podcast and I hope everybody has a great day. Jill Nowacki: Thank you. Randy Smith: Enjoy. Of the many outsiders who have emerged in Latin American politics of late, young Nayib Bukele stands out. El Salvador's president-elect is 37 years old, favors jeans and leather jackets, and Facebook Live to press conferences. Having trounced contenders from the party duopoly that has controlled national politics for 30 years, he cast his victory as "the destruction of bipartisanship" and a national tipping point. "Salvadorans were angry at their politicians," Giancarlo Morelli, an analyst with the Economist Intelligence Unit, explained. "And here's this guy who seems like a leader of the 21st century, talking about the 4th industrial revolution." Encouraging as that may be, El Salvador will have to get to the 21st century as well. While the end of the civil war in 1992 cleared the way for national reconciliation, economic opening and robust growth, familiar miseries remain that neither social media nor sound bites can fix. Chronic public overspending blights the economy, which still awaits important upgrades to a languishing fiscal responsibility law. With one former president in jail for embezzlement and another on the lam, corruption abounds. Hence Bukele's talk of inviting international investigators to help his country prosecute crooked officials. Whether he'll remain resolute in the event the imported corruption-busters turn a gimlet eye on his own government, as they did in Guatemala and Honduras, is another matter. And while the Central American cold war is over, violence has soared, no longer fomented by guerrillas and military strongmen but digitally savvy criminal gangs, who flourish in the state security apparatus's blind spots - one of the big drivers of migration. Bukele, promisingly, would counter these woes and more by leveraging technology and big data. "His security manifesto invoked the words 'new technology' over 17 times," noted Robert Muggah, a public safety expert at the Igarape Institute, in Rio de Janeiro. Yet Bukele will inherit a bureaucracy that in many ways still runs on analog. "The state gathers lots of data, but departments aren't used to sharing it for public policy," Morelli said. "You have government employees who've never worked in the cloud." One of El Salvador's biggest challenges received scant attention during the campaign: How to make the most of its challenging demographics. Like neighboring Guatemala and Honduras, El Salvador has become an exporter of people. At least one in five Salvadorans live outside the country, a trend bemoaned as a hemorrhage of youth and energy. Yet that lament may be shortsighted. Salvadoran migrants send back a fortune in hard currency: Some 22 percent of gross domestic product owes to emigrant remittances, and the cash inflow is growing at around 10 percent a year, according to economist Manuel Orozco, a specialist in remittances at the Inter-American Dialogue. That's critical in a land where capital is scarce and loans are dear. Most policy makers and international wonks fret over the human capital lost to emigration. They ought instead to worry about how to put those squandered resources to work. "Government has to stop seeing migration as just a problem and thinking that ending it will make El Salvador better and mend relations with the U.S.," Orozco told me. By putting remittances to better use, government could address its short-term fiscal emergency and tap a huge pool of money for development. First, though, Salvadorans need to rethink some economic shibboleths. "There's an assumption that lack of growth is related to insecurity, but El Salvador has had chronic slow growth throughout the postwar period," said Orozco. "What growth we've seen is largely down to remittances." His research shows that one in three households receive remittances of $1,000 a year on average, for an annual total of around $800 million. Although some of that cash goes straight to consumption, most is squirreled away inefficiently, due to the large numbers of unbanked Salvadorans who toil in the informal economy. That's a missed opportunity for El Salvador, where the chary banking sector favors lending to bigger companies. "Three-quarters of the country's businesses are in the informal sector, meaning they don't pay taxes," said Orozco. "El Salvador is so small it should be putting credit everywhere, not just in large capital companies." Retooling the credit market to scoop up the great unbanked is difficult, but Bukele ignores that challenge at his peril. Research shows that Central American nations that formalize savings are only half as likely to see their populations migrate. Advancing that goal would be a 21st-century win for El Salvador's new president, its struggling economy, and its vexed relations with the would-be wall-builders up north. - - - Margolis is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Latin and South America. He was a reporter for Newsweek and is the author of "The Last New World: The Conquest of the Amazon Frontier." Freedom House says Syria least free country worldwide Saudi Arabia and Somalia also cited as least free countries (ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, FEBRUARY 11 - Syria is the least free country in the world, according to an annual report by international organisation Freedom House. Among Arab countries, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Libya and Yemen were cited among the least free, while Tunisia was ranked the most free. Each year Freedom House publishes its "Freedom in the World" report, which takes into consideration various factors of individual and collective freedom based on the principles of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.(ANSAmed). WASHINGTON - Virginia Democratic lawmakers began circulating a draft resolution Sunday to begin impeachment proceedings against Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax over the allegations of sexual assault that have been leveled against him by two women. Fairfax, a Democrat, has fended off calls from the state Democratic Party and some state and national lawmakers to resign after Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson publicly came forward last week to accuse him of sexual assault. Tyson accused Fairfax of sexually assaulting her in 2004, at the Democratic National Convention in Boston. Watson on Friday accused Fairfax of assaulting her in 2000, while they were students at Duke University. Fairfax says the encounters were consensual, and he has characterized the allegations as a smear campaign against him. He has said repeatedly that he will not step down and wants the FBI or others to investigate the accusations. Shortly after the second woman came forward Friday, Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, said he would introduce articles of impeachment if Fairfax did not resign by Monday. Hope emailed a draft of a resolution that would initiate impeachment proceedings to his Democratic colleagues for review Sunday afternoon. The Washington Post obtained a copy of the email and resolution. "Whereas the House of Delegates believes all allegations of sexual assault must be taken with the utmost seriousness; and whereas the House of Delegates believes the allegations made by Dr. Vanessa Tyson and Ms. Meredith Watson (Fairfax's accusers) to be credible in nature, while also respecting the principles of due process; now, therefore, be it resolved by the House of Delegates that proceedings for the impeachment of Lieutenant Governor Justin E. Fairfax shall be initiated," the draft resolution says. A spokeswoman for Fairfax said he is opposed to the impeachment process and wants an independent investigation. "The Lt. Governor is aggressively exploring options for a thorough, independent, and impartial investigation of these allegations," spokeswoman Lauren Burke said in a statement. "We hope, for example, that the FBI will show a willingness to investigate," Burke said. "It is especially important in the most difficult of times that we pay attention to our fundamental Constitutional values. He believes that an inherently political process is not the most likely path for learning the truth. The Lt. Governor is confident in the truth that will emerge from an independent impartial investigation." A vote on the resolution, which could come as early as Tuesday if it is introduced Monday, would direct the House Committee for Courts of Justice to hold hearings on the allegations against Fairfax, with the support of legislative staff and state agencies. Such an investigation would be the precursor to the committee's recommendation for impeachment and a vote of the full House. In his email to colleagues, Hope stressed that his proposed resolution is not an impeachment, but the start of an investigation into the allegations that could lead to impeachment. "It is not impeachment," Hope said in the email, underlining the words for emphasis. "It is a process to investigate whether the Courts Committee would recommend impeachment." Hope told The Washington Post that the timing of introducing the resolution is under discussion with legislative leaders. It's unclear how much support there is for an impeachment effort in the Republican-controlled General Assembly. Aides to House Speaker Kirkland Cox, R-Colonial Heights, and House Minority Leader Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax County, who have both urged Fairfax to resign, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Del. Robert Bell, R-Albemarle, who chairs the Courts Committee, also did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Committee member Del. Marcus Simon, D-Fairfax, said there are serious questions about the House's ability to conduct an investigation into the allegations, including whether it could compel witnesses to testify and subpoena documents. "There are process questions," Simon said. "Whether this the right move or not politically, we have to figure out whether we are doing this right or not." Sen. Richard Saslaw, D-Fairfax, who leads the Senate Democratic Caucus, said he opposes attempts to impeach the lieutenant governor and did not expect them to gain traction. "Impeachment implies high crimes and misdemeanors while you are in office; that's what it's for," Saslaw said in a brief interview, noting that the allegations against Fairfax are for actions that allegedly occurred before he was elected. Senate Republican leadership previously called on law enforcement to investigate the allegations against Fairfax; a spokesman for Majority Leader Tommy Norment, R-James City, declined to comment Sunday on impeachment. Norment was the center of controversy himself last week, when he acknowledged that he was an editor of a 1968 yearbook that featured racial slurs and photos of students in blackface. He said he was not responsible for the content. The Virginia Constitution says that "offending against the Commonwealth by malfeasance in office, corruption, neglect of duty, or other high crime or misdemeanor" is grounds for impeachment. It vests the House of Delegates with the power to impeach with a simple majority vote and the state Senate with the power to prosecute elected officials and remove them from office with a vote of two-thirds of the senators present. Dick Howard, the University of Virginia Law School professor who led the commission that wrote the current version of the state constitution in 1971, said there is disagreement about whether conduct unrelated to an elected office can be grounds for impeachment. "There are competing interpretations, but I really don't think it's open-ended, and I think it's difficult to argue anything that casts disrepute on the office would be an impeachable offense," Howard said Sunday. "That would make the impeachment process another tool of political combat." An attempt to impeach Fairfax appears to be unprecedented; there has been no attempt to impeach an elected official in the state in modern times, that Howard and political observers could recall. Tyson and Watson, who have separate legal representation, have indicated through their lawyers that they are willing to testify during impeachment proceedings. Tyson, a California professor, says Fairfax forced her to perform oral sex on him after they met at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. Watson, who lives in Maryland, says Fairfax sexually assaulted her when they were both undergraduate students at Duke University. Neither reported the alleged assaults to law enforcement. Some high-profile Democrats, including Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., stopped short of an outright call for resignation, but they say Fairfax should step down if the allegations are proved true. Northam and Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring are embroiled in separate controversies after they have admitted to wearing blackface in the 1980s, but neither faces threats of impeachment. That has created another uncomfortable dynamic for Democrats as they ponder whether to force out Fairfax, a black rising star in their party, while white men accused of racism stay in office. As the part-time lieutenant governor, Fairfax presides over the state Senate during the legislative session and can cast tie-breaking votes. NORWALK A teacher will soon receive a $5,000 grant for a project that will ask elementary school students to tell human rights and social justice stories through the lens of a camera. Gifted and talented teacher Jessica Stargardter came up with the idea in 2018 while working in Cos Cob. After the gifted and talented students there responded favorably to the project she decided to continue it, this time, at Tracey and Cranbury elementary schools in Norwalk. My project will be focused on human rights and social justice and kids can choose a topic theyre interested in and that impacts their lives, she said. Theyll document an issue they see in their own community and hopefully be inspired to take action. Part of the grant money will purchase disposable cameras for 30 fourth- and fifth-graders, a deliberate decision on Stargardters part. Students are forced to shoot intentionally as they use disposable cameras, something they might take for granted with digital equipment. The University of Connecticuts Neag School of Education has named Stargardter its 2019 Rogers Educational Innovation Fund Award recipient. Designed by Neag School of Education professor Vincent Rogers, the grant supports innovative projects led by Connecticut teachers at elementary or middle schools. Rogers, who spent 40 years teaching and writing about education, led the Neag Schools Department of Curriculum and Instruction and served on its faculty before retiring in 1990, according to UConns website. Its the second year the award will be presented. Students need access to resources that present multiple viewpoints and narratives in order to become effective, empathetic members of our global society, Stargardter wrote in her project proposal. Students will gain access to books and technology to research social issues such as racism, sexism, climate change, food insecurity and so on. Additionally, they will be given the skills to recognize and analyze problems within their own community. Suzanne M. Wilson, department head of curriculum and instruction at the Neag School of Education and one of the three judges that selected Stargardters work, said the committee looks for projects that are timely, compelling, innovative, untraditional and rigorous. The fact Stargardter taught a similar project in Cos Cob helped her advance in the competition, Wilson said. You could see that she had worked on it for a while, that these were ideas that were bubbling up and had been evolving over time, Wilson said. Thats often the case with teaching. It takes you a while to shape it into something productive. Theresa Rangel, principal at Tracey Elementary School, said that by noticing what problems exist, students can become empowered to make a difference. Any time students can be aware of whats going on in the world and can have real life things to explore it just makes an authentic learning experience for them, she said. I think in general were working on creating good global citizens. Im super excited for her, she said of Stargardter. Stargardter, a class of 2016 and 2017 graduate of the Neag School of Education, will receive the grant at Neag School Alumni Awards Celebration on March 16. The funding is to be used during the 2020-21 school year. tatiana.flowers@thehour.com RICHMOND, Va. - Black lawmakers threatened to scuttle the General Assembly's budget deal Monday, and staffers resigned from the lieutenant governor's office as Virginia's political scandals began affecting the operation of government. The executive branch seemed frozen in a state of suspended calamity, with its three leaders holding onto office despite widespread calls for resignation and no clear mechanism for moving them out. An effort to consider impeaching Democratic Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax over sexual assault allegations went nowhere as lawmakers pointed out that he denies the charges and that there is no obvious way to commission an investigation. Gov. Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring, both Democrats, are under fire for racist incidents from their past, but they have not been accused of crimes that would rise to the level of impeachment. Because Virginia is the only state to prohibit a governor from serving consecutive terms, Northam won't have to answer to voters again. It's up to each man to decide his own political fate, and none is budging. Four staffers working for Fairfax quit on Friday, leaving him with a skeleton crew. Two were from his government office - policy director Adele McClure and scheduler Julia Billingsly - and they were joined by the two employees of his We Rise Together political action committee, David Mills and Courtney McCargo. Mills, a former executive director of the Democratic Party of Virginia, is married to state Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, the vice chairwoman of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, which has called on Fairfax to step down. He confirmed his decision to quit but would not elaborate. McClure, Billingsly and McCargo did not return messages Monday. "The lieutenant governor's office is a tiny office," said Lawrence Roberts, chief of staff for Fairfax. "The governor's office has 100,000 state employees. The lieutenant governor has four. So half his staff remains, and his two most senior people remain." Roberts said the incessant pace of the past two weeks is taking a toll on employees. "The pressure of constant incoming press, political (matters) and calls - our phones ring every five seconds, and just trying to clear your voicemail is impossible," he said. The staffers left for individual reasons not related to Fairfax's performance or abilities, he said. They were were valuable but could be replaced "if we have the time and space to make intelligent decisions," he said. The departures were first reported by Richmond Times Dispatch. Fairfax has been accused by two women of sexual assaults in 2000 and 2004, and he strongly denies both allegations. He has called for an investigation, but he otherwise continued with his usual duties Monday of presiding over the Senate. "Due process is at the heart of our constitutional democracy in order to get to the truth and be true to what we are as Americans. . . . Everyone deserves to be heard," Fairfax said Sunday night in a telephone interview with The Washington Post. "Even when faced with those allegations, I am still standing up for everyone's right to be heard. But I'm also standing up for due process." Fairfax sounded upbeat and relaxed during the interview. Asked whether he was going to resign, he said flatly, "No." He spent the weekend in Northern Virginia with his family. He and his wife went to services at Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria on Sunday morning, where he said the couple were well received. Meanwhile, the law firm where Fairfax has been a partner since September, Morrison & Foerster, has hired an outside firm to conduct its own investigation into the allegations against Fairfax, and Fairfax has taken a paid leave of absence while it is pending, the firm said. An attempt by Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, to introduce articles of impeachment against Fairfax was shut down by House Democrats after an emotional conference call Sunday night, in which they debated the proper procedure and viability of such a plan, given that the alleged assault - which Fairfax describes as consensual sexual conduct - did not take place during his tenure as lieutenant governor, according to people on the call. The situation has created another uncomfortable dynamic for Democrats as they ponder whether to force out Fairfax, a black rising star in the party, while white men accused of racism stay in office. The allegations against Fairfax inspired BET co-founder Robert Johnson to step in with a proposal for how to settle the dispute. He is offering to spend up to $150,000 to hire a law firm jointly selected by Fairfax and his two accusers - Meredith Watson and Vanessa Tyson - to undertake an impartial investigation into the sexual assault allegations. He would like the parties to choose a firm with a black attorney to lead the probe, results of which would be made public. "If I can play a minor role in getting at the truth wherever the truth lies," Johnson said, "then this will benefit the African-American community and it will benefit the parties involved because they have said they want the truth and nothing but the truth." Tyson's representatives said no to Bob Johnson's offer, and Watson's lawyers sent a statement saying she wants the General Assembly to hold public hearings. "Meredith Watson asks the Virginia legislature to hold hearings, regardless of what they are called, and to reject a secret and delayed proceeding," lawyer Nancy Erika Smith said. "Both victims of his sexual assault have agreed to testify, and they will produce witnesses and documents to show their honesty and good character." Democrats who had struggled over the weekend with the impeachment question spent most of Monday huddling over the state budget. A deal hammered out last week by Republican leaders of the House and Senate, brokered by Northam's office and endorsed by top Democrats had seemed to solve an impasse that was preventing Virginia from processing tax returns filed by residents. But members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus who studied the deal said recent events put it in a new light. Northam said in interviews Saturday and Sunday that he wants to stay in office to use the rest of his term to seek racial reconciliation and equity. He has been ignoring calls from nearly every state and national Democrat to resign over a photo on his 1984 medical school yearbook page that shows one person in blackface and another in KKK robes. Northam initially took responsibility for the photo. But the next day, he said it wasn't him, although he admitted to darkening his face for a dance contest later that same year. Several days later, Herring admitted to darkening his face for a college party in 1980, when he was 19. Members of the Black Caucus, who have called on Northam to step down, said the first test of the governor's rhetoric is the spending plan - the biggest legislation they face this year. And, they said, it doesn't measure up. Where Northam had initially proposed increasing the amount of Earned Income Tax Credit returned to low-income working families, the compromise deal eliminates that idea. The budget proposals tied to the package are stingier in many categories that affect low-income and minority communities - with cuts in school funding for at-risk students, for instance, and bigger cuts in school districts with large numbers of minority students than majority white districts. "Equity looks like taking a long and hard look at policies that we are passing and how it impacts all Virginians. Equity does not look like the deal before us," Del. Marcia Price, D-Newport News, said in a floor speech when the tax bill came up for a vote. "And there will be space for reconciliation talks, maybe even some kumbaya moments. . . . (But) right now, our first step that we can take towards true racial and economic equity is to vote no on this bill." All 16 members of the Black Caucus voted against the tax bill, joined by a handful of other Democrats to deprive it of the 80 votes needed to go into immediate effect. Without that support - a procedural move to allow an emergency clause - the measure would not become law until July and would delay tax refunds for millions of Virginians. Faced with the rebellion, which seemed to catch Democratic leaders off guard, the House went into recess multiple times. Members of the Black Caucus met with Republican leadership - including Speaker Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights - and eventually swung around and supported the House version of the bill. But they said they did so only after securing verbal commitments to pursue funding in the state budget for areas that affect low-income and minority populations. That could happen either through amendments to the budget bill, the tax bill or in budget negotiations between the two chambers. "It's really, really in negotiations right now," one Black Caucus member said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations. "Now that they know what the priorities are, it's the budget staff now that has to make it work." "We had a good conversation about where our funding priorities are and a good, healthy conversation about where we can find common ground and what we can agree on," Del. Jeffrey Bourne, D-Richmond, said. "A lot of focus is oftentimes on where we disagree, but we wanted to keep our conversation on those areas where we agree and where everybody agrees we need more investment." - - - The Washington Post's Fenit Nirappil, Jenna Portnoy and Patricia Sullivan contributed to this report. --- Video Embed Code Video: Virginia's Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax told reporters last week that he's "confident in the truth" after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2004.(Lee Powell/The Washington Post) Embed code: (ANSA) - Rome, February 11 - Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero has said that Italy needs to "intensify institutional contacts and manage political meetings" to patch things up with France after Paris recalled its ambassador to Rome, Christian Masset, for consultations last week. The diplomatic crisis was set off by Deputy Premier and 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Luigi Di Maio's meeting last Tuesday in Paris with members of the Yellow Vests protest movement. "Luigi Di Maio said he did it in his role as a leader of a political group," Moavero said in an interview published Monday by Italian daily La Repubblica. "The fact that he is also a member of the government has probably created a short circuit". Moavero said the situation ahead of May's European elections is "showing for the first time direct conflicts between the two countries' politicians," he said. Moavero said politicians need to "immediately clarify" when they are acting on behalf of their own political party and not as a member of the government. HARTFORD With a new attorney general, Connecticuts Democratic Senators believe they have a better chance of passing legislation that seeks to limit what employers can say to employees in the workplace. Connecticuts former Attorney General George Jepsen tossed cold water on a similar captive audience bill in 2011 following an 11-hour debate in the House. Years later, Jepsen issued a formal opinion last April, that said similar legislation was preempted by federal law and warned lawmakers about passing it. In the formal opinion, Jepsen said states can impose things like worker safety protections and the minimum wage, But the exercise of traditional police powers is preempted when it traverses into those areas Congress has determined states should not be permitted to regulate. We conclude that HB 5347s prohibition, if enacted, would do just that, and a court would likely determine that it is preempted. HB 5347 was last years bill number. This year Senate Democrats have proposed SB 64 and SB 440, which include the same prohibition for businesses looking to speak to employees about the their views on political or religious matters. Most often the meetings Senate Democrats find objectionable involve scaring employees out of organizing a union. Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven, said they have not asked Attorney General William Tong for a formal opinion, but will be discussing the issue with him. We think it is clearly constitutional and that there should be no bar to it, Looney said. This is really an issue of basic fairness. Former Attorney General Richard Blumenthal informally told lawmakers in 2007 that he would defend the legislation in court and saw a path to victory. Looney is hoping Tong sees it that way, too. The Attorney General strongly believes that state law must protect workers from threats, intimidation, and abuse by their employers, Elizabeth Benton, Tongs spokeswoman, said. As a legislator and over many years, the Attorney General has worked hard to protect workers when their rights to organize have been under attack, and he stands shoulder-to-shoulder with working people and their families across Connecticut. There are various proposals under discussion by the legislature and the Office of the Attorney General is monitoring and will provide guidance as appropriate. Looney said there are still reasonable ways for employers to contact employees outside of forcing them to attend a meeting. They can call them on the phone. They can visit them at home. They can give them fliers, Looney said. With the exception of forcing them into a room to have a meeting that they would rather not be in. Sen. Julie Kushner, D-Danbury, said they would never tolerate it if an employer called an employee in before a November election and asked them how they were going to vote. We would say thats infringing on a persons rights at work, Kushner said. But we do let them do that when a person is trying to exercise their rights under the federal law to establish a union. Kushner, who retired as New England regional director for the United Auto Workers last year, said shes seen workers come out of those meetings in tears. We have to put an end to this. We can make our workplaces much fairer, much safer, much happier places for workers, Kushner said. They have the right organize lets give them the right to do that without interference or fear of retaliation. The Connecticut Business and Industry Association has maintained that the legislation is unnecessary and an impermissible restriction on the free speech rights of employers. If enacted, the proposal would prevent discussions in mandatory workplace meetings between employers and employees of any issues related to community engagement, unionization, wages and benefits, working conditions, and even legislation or regulations that could impact the business, the organization said last year following Jepsens formal opinion. Hailey Nailor, a 16-year-old student at Danbury High School, died Saturday after she jumped off a parking garage at Danbury Fair Mall. Heres what we know and what we dont know yet about this tragic and complicated story: What we know: It was a suicide: Nailors parents confirmed her identity and police confirmed that she jumped voluntarily. She recorded herself on Snapchat: Nailor contemplated whether or not she could jump off the garage in a video shared with followers on the video and photo social media app Snapchat, according to Luis Lopez, 18. She sadly did go through with it, he said. More News News Hailey Nailor ID'd as Danbury suicide victim Counselors were at Danbury High School Monday: The district is encouraging parents to contact their childrens school principal, counselor or social worker if their children are struggling. Counselors and support staff are also available for students to talk to at school. Where the incident occurred: Nailor jumped from the parking garage at the Danbury Fair Mall. On Monday morning, barricades and police tape blocked the entrance to the fifth level of the garage. Loved ones described Nailor as funny and selfless: She wrote her own rap lyrics and enjoyed spending time with friends. She was born in White Plains, N.Y., but lived most of her life in Danbury with her mom and younger brother. She attended King Street Intermediate School and later Broadview Middle School, where she took an interest in basketball and music. Nailor battled mental health issues: She suffered from anxiety, mood disorder and depression and had been hospitalized several times for acute care or threats to harm herself or someone else, her father said. What we dont know: Was bullying involved? The school is investigating, but her parents suspect it was not. Why was Nailor released from the hospital on Friday night? Nailor was transported to Danbury Hospital on Friday afternoon after threatening to harm herself, but she was released later that night, her father said. Hospital leaders would not disclose any information about Nailors visit, citing patient confidentiality laws. When are services? The family has not yet set a date for a funeral. Whoever killed Valerie Reyes and dumped her body in Greenwich, bound by the hands and feet and stuffed in a suitcase, may have crossed state lines in order to confuse investigators. Theyre behind the 8-ball because they dont have a crime scene. We dont know where she was killed, Vernon Geberth said of Greenwich Police. The killer wanted to complicate the investigation and separate himself from the event by jurisdiction. Geberth, a retired New York City Police Department lieutenant-commander, has spent a lifetime investigating murders, and teaching police officers the craft. As commanding officer of the Bronx Homicide Task Force, he managed over 400 murders a year. Hes not involved in this case, but he knows that the logistics and jurisdictional issues would be a difficult challenge to overcome. Reyes was from New Rochelle, which means thats going to be tough for the Greenwich guys because they have to come down into Westchester. The dynamics of the homicide are in Westchester, he said. Connecticut has the body so they get stuck with the case. Reyes had been reported missing from New Rochelle on Jan. 29. Her body was found in Glenville on Feb. 5, bound by the hands and feet and stuffed into a suitcase. Geberth said police are likely poring over Reyes friends, family and acquaintances. He said all signs point to a crime of passion. Its an interpersonal type of thing, he said. Every suitcase body I ever had they were known to each other, with the exception of the Mafia. That suspicion is hightened by the fact that family members have said Reyes was in a state of anxiety and fear before she went missing. Reyes mother, Norma Sanchez, said her daughter was afraid, the night before she disappeared, that she would be murdered. The fact that the young woman told her mother that she was afraid for her life indicates that she knew her her murderer, Geberth said. Sanchez told The Journal News newspaper that her daughter did not mention being afraid of a specific person. She was very scared, very frightened. She didnt mention anything or no one specific. She just said, Im scared. Im paranoid, mommy. Im getting anxiety attacks. Sanchez told the newspaper. I asked her, Why do you feel this way? Was there someone at your house? ... And she said, No. Sanchez concluded: We wonder, Who made her feel this way? If he were involved in the case, Geberth said he would take a close look at the luggage in which Reyes was found. Whose luggage was it? Was it new or old? What happens with a crime of passion is a person hasnt thought about what theyre going to do with the body, he said. Fans of true crime shows on television may jump to the conclusion that a serial killer is responsible, but Geberth said its unlikely. Everybody is serial killer happy. Like I tell the classes that I teach, before you go for the serial killer look at the interpersonal type of crime, he said. Just from the presentation of the body, thats not usually the M.O. of a serial killer. Geberth, by the way, has some experience working with the Greenwich Police Department. He worked as a consultant with the department after the body of 13-year-old Matthew Margolies was found on a Pemberwick hillside in 1984. That case remains unsolved. They get hit with some horrible cases, he said. Jordan Fenster is digital products editor for Hearst Connecticut Media. BRIDGEPORT James Bulerin III has dreamt of following in his fathers footprints and becoming a city firefighter. But city officials have dashed those dreams because Bulerin has a medical marijuana card and tested positive for the drug. The city has disqualified him from being a firefighter which is a clear violation of the state law, said Bulerins lawyer, Thomas Bucci, who this week filed a discrimination lawsuit against the city on his clients behalf. As long as he is not using the drug during working hours, he cant be denied an employment opportunity, Bucci said. A hearing on the suit is scheduled for Feb. 21 in Superior Court here and, depending on a judges decision, the case could end up before the state Supreme Court which has not yet reviewed the states medical marijuana law. Assistant City Attorney John Bohannon confirmed that he will argue the case for the city but declined comment until the hearing. On May 31, 2012, Connecticut became the 17th state in the country to approve medical marijuana when Gov. Dannell Malloy signed HB 5389, "An Act Concerning the Palliative Use of Marijuana, or PUMA. Under the state law, No employer may refuse to hire a person or may discharge, penalize (,) or threaten an employee solely on the basis of such persons or employees status as a qualifying patient or primary caregiver. There is no exception for public safety positions, Bucci said. And while the states highest court has yet to render an opinion on the law, Bucci said a federal judge has already upheld it. That case involved a Connecticut woman who used marijuana to treat PTSD. She received a job offer from a nursing home, but when she tested positive for cannabis on a pre-employment drug test, her job offer was rescinded. She then sued under PUMA. There are currently 27,340 patients in the states medical marijuana program, nine dispensing facilities and 30 conditions approved for medical marijuana. In his lawsuit, Bucci stats that Bulerin passed all the eligibility requirements to become a city firefighter but then volunteered that he has a medical marijuana card after a medical exam determined he had marijuana in his system. In a letter obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media to Bulerin on Jan. 23, City Personnel Director David Dunn states: You were offered conditional employment as an entry level firefighter with the City of Bridgeport, contingent upon passing all pre-employment screens. This is to advise you that you tested positive for marijuana and this conditional offer is being rescinded effective immediately. You will not be moving forward in this process and your name has been removed from the eligibility list. Bucci said his client has been using medical marijuana for six months. He would not disclose the condition Bulerin takes the marijuana for but said that condition would not affect his ability to serve as a firefighter. The plaintiff did not lack any of the established qualification requirements for the position of firefighter in the Bridgeport Fire Department; the plaintiff is physically fit to effectively perform the duties of the position of firefighter, the lawsuit states. He has satisfied the physical requirements for the position and passed the physical agility component of the selection process; the plaintiff is not addicted to the habitual use of drugs or intoxicating liquors. Bulerins father, James Bulerin Jr., became a city firefighter since 2009 after initially being rejected for having a minor criminal record. At first glance, Sunday's "Non Sequitur" comic strip just showed bears dressed up like Leonardo da Vinci. The syndicated strip opens with Bear-Vinci holding a picture of a Virtruvian Bear. It ends with the ursine artist painting a Mona Lisa, who is also, you guessed it, a bear. They are all characters in the "Bearaissance," and the format invites readers to color in the drawings. But much like Leonardo himself, Wiley Miller, whose work often tackles politics and has occasionally drawn controversy, inserted a secret message into his latest work. Hidden at the bottom right corner of the second panel, beneath a drawing of the Italian inventor's flying machine, a semi-legible scribble appeared to read, "Go f--- yourself Trump." Miller has since apologized, saying he never intended for the public to see the statement. On Monday, multiple newspapers said they dropped the comic. The Butler Eagle, a family-owned newspaper north of Pittsburgh, decided to pull the strip after an irate reader alerted the newspaper. "One of our readers has a young daughter who reads the comics. This family sits down with this comic, and they stumble across this hidden message," Ron Vodenichar, the paper's publisher and general manager, told The Washington Post. He said the newspaper has been publishing the comic for a few years and received "Non Sequitur" in a package with other syndicated comic strips that was already laid out. The decision to pull the comic, Vodenichar said, was about the profanity and "has nothing to do with who it was aimed at." Dallas Morning News editor Mike Wilson accused Miller of going "around his editors and even his own syndicate to publish something he must have known we wouldn't accept." "We'll have no trouble finding a better way to spend the $8,000 we would've paid for that strip," Wilson said. According to the comic strip's publisher, Andrews McMeel Syndication, "Non Sequitur" goes out to more than 700 newspapers, including The Washington Post, which ran Sunday's comic in print and online. A spokesperson for The Post did not immediately comment. Kansas City-based Andrews McMeel Syndication apologized for the "vulgar language" in a statement Monday. "We are sorry we missed the language in our editing process," the company said. "If we had discovered it, we would not have distributed the cartoon without it being removed. We apologize to 'Non Sequitur's' clients and readers for our oversight." Miller, who frequently criticizes President Donald Trump on his Twitter feed, says he forgot all about the scribbled profanity until Sunday. "When I opened the paper Sunday morning and read my cartoon, I didn't think anything of it, as I didn't notice the scribbling that has now caught fire," Miller said in a statement to The Post, noting that the scribble had been done several weeks ago at a time when he was frustrated by a White House action and forgot to remove it. "It was not intended for public consumption, and I meant to white it out before submitting it, but forgot to. Had I intended to make a statement to be understood by the readers, I would have done so in a more subtle, sophisticated manner," he said. But on Sunday, he still teased the "Easter egg" in the "Non Sequitur" comic on Twitter, inviting people to look for a message. GoComics.com, which hosts Miller's comics, had replaced the original cartoon with a version without the Trump insult by Monday afternoon. This is not the first time a cartoonist has come under scrutiny for their political work in the Trump era. Last year, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette fired editorial cartoonist Rob Rogers, who had been critical of the president in his work. The move earned a rebuke from Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, though a spokesman for the Post-Gazette insisted to The Post the firing had "little to do with politics, ideology or Donald Trump." Editorial cartoonists such as Bill Bramhall, Ann Telnaes, Tom Toles, Mike Luckovich and others frequently comment on the Trump administration through their art. Miller's comics often carry a political message. A July 2016 comic depicted a character wearing KKK robes emblazoned with the message "I'm with Trump." "Non Sequitur" won the National Cartoonists Society's Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year in 2014. Launched in 1992, the comic has gone through several iterations since. "I developed the strip to go into any direction my creativity would take me," he told The Post in a 2014 interview. "[It's] very open-ended. It's like creating a new strip all the time." "I'm always trying to push things," when it came to his art form, he said. "I haven't had to apologize yet." Miller has faced controversy before for his work. In 2010, some newspapers decided not to run one of his cartoons depicting Muhammad, the founder of Islam who is seen as a prophet and holy figure by members of the religion. (The Post ran the edition online but not in print.) "All I can do is surmise that the irony of their being afraid to run a cartoon that satirizes media's knee-jerk reaction to anything involving Islam bounced right of their foreheads. So what they've actually accomplished is, sadly, [to] validate the point," he told The Post at the time. On Monday, however, Miller was more apologetic. "In all that time, I have never done anything like this, nor do I intend to do so in the future," he said. His apology did not sway the editors at the Columbus Dispatch, who canceled the comic strip and said that they "must be able to trust that the people who provide content to The Dispatch will uphold the high standards we have set for this newspaper." "Wiley Miller has lost our trust. Therefore, we will not publish his work going forward." After slashing more than 270 jobs last year to reduce its total workforce below agreed levels that had triggered incentives from the state of Connecticut several years ago, Crius Energy is taking a $436 million buyout offer from a Dallas-area company. Under CEO Michael Fallquist, Crius bills electricity and natural gas service to about a million customers in Connecticut and several other states, under multiple brands including Public Power and Viridian Energy. Vistra is offering $328 million for Crius, while absorbing debt of $108 million as part of the deal it indicated will nudge the Irving, Texas-based company ahead of NRG as the largest seller of residential electricity services in the nation. Massachusetts is the lone New England state where Vistra sells power. Crius built its business initially through thousands of independent agents who sold service on a commission basis. In recent years as federal lawmakers and regulators have scrutinized the disruptions caused by marketing calls to homes, Crius has experimented with other channels, including salespeople going door-to-door. Crius $178 million acquisition of US Gas & Electric brought it under pressure from a Houson investment firm for debt it took on to complete the transaction, with Crius having pledged to cut costs, wind down a solar energy subsidiary and shed offices. The company reported to investors last month that it has cut its employee base to less than 230 people from 500 after the USG&E deal, while consolidating seven offices to three in Connecticut, Florida and Texas. In 2016 under former Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, Connecticut extended Crius more than $10 million in incentives to add 225 people to its workforce in moving its headquarters to Norwalk from Stamford, with the company employing 200 people locally at the time. In a headcount timeline published last month by Crius, the company reported that it its workforce had peaked at less than 325 people employees prior to the USG&E deal, and the company paring jobs dramatically at USG&E and other divisions starting in August with the goal of achieving $25 million in annual savings to its bottom line. The company reported $17.3 million in profits through the first nine months of 2018, enough to wipe out a $15.9 million loss over the same stretch in the preceding year. Over 12 months through September, Crius revenue totaled $1.2 billion, putting it on pace to cross the 10-digit plateau in 2018 for the first time in its history. Crius reported it takes it about 14 months to break even after signing up a homeowner or small business. The company renews 80 percent of those contracts on average, the company disclosed, versus just 10 percent among larger commercial customers. Last year, Crius agreed to pay $18.5 million to settle litigation in Connecticut federal court over its billing practices, with the company disputing plaintiff claims but agreeing to instruct its agents not to make unsubstantiated claims as to what customers might be able to save versus purchasing power from utilities. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman Princess Cruises has announced the leadership team for the new Sky Princess, with Captain Heikki Laakkonen in command of the new ship when she debuts later this year. Announcing details today, Jan Swartz, group president of Princess Cruises and Carnival Australia, said Captain Laakkonen would sail on Sky Princess inaugural voyage on October 20, 2019 in Europe, and would remain at the helm as the 143,700-ton ship offers a series of European cruises before sailing to the Caribbean. Captain Laakkonen will be joined at the launch by Chief Engineer Officer Fabio Braccelli, Hotel General Manager Terri Cybuliak, and Staff Captain Giovanni Cardile. Captain Michele Tuvo, Chief Engineer Officer Mladen Ratkovic, Hotel General Manager Richard Harry and Staff Captain Brian Whelan will complete the leadership team. We are confident the deep seagoing expertise of these officers will allow our future guests to safely enjoy all that a Princess experience offers, and their strong leadership will support our crew in our commitment to create lasting memories, Swartz said. Captain Laakkonen said he was proud to be bringing Princess Cruises newest ship into service. Sky Princess will be a magnificent addition to Princess Cruises fleet and I am deeply honored to have been chosen to introduce this awe-inspiring ship to our guests, Captain Laakkonen said. Leadership Team: Captain Heikki Laakkonen - Captain Heikki Laakkonen was born in the coastal town of Kotka, Finland and began his career in the Finnish Navy in 1991. After completing military service, he studied at the Maritime College of Rauma, Finland and graduated as a Master Mariner in 1999. Captain Laakkonen joined Princess Cruises in 2001 and first served as Captain aboard Pacific Dawn in 2013. He has since commanded Pacific Pearl, Crown Princess, Island Princess, Caribbean Princess, Coral Princess, Golden Princess and Sapphire Princess. Captain Michele Tuvo - Captain Michele Tuvo hails from Levanto, Italy. After completing naval college and serving on container ships, Captain Tuvo joined Princess Cruises in 2000 as a 3rd Officer on the Sun Princess. He worked his way up through the ranks on Sea Princess, Grand Princess, Golden Princess, Dawn Princess, Sapphire Princess, Diamond Princess, Emerald Princess, Star Princess, Coral Princess and Island Princess. He served his first command onboard Star Princess. Chief Engineer Officer Fabio Braccelli - Fabio Braccelli lives in Cerri di Arcola in Northern Italy and joined Princess Cruises in 1990. In 2004, Fabio began his first contract as Chief Engineer Officer aboard Sun Princess. He has since sailed as Chief on Sapphire Princess, Caribbean Princess, Pacific Princess and Royal Princess. He has been part of the Royal Princess crew since 2013. Chief Engineer Officer Mladen Ratkovic - Mladen Ratkovic lives in Zadar, Croatia and started his career with Princess Cruises in 2003. Mladen was promoted to Chief Engineer Officer on Pacific Princess in 2014. After his time on Pacific Princess, he has also served as Chief on Ocean Princess, Star Princess and Sea Princess. Hotel General Manager Terri Cybuliak - Terri Cybuliak hails from White Rock, B.C., just south of the port of Vancouver. She joined Princess in 1998 as a Junior Assistant Purser on the original Crown Princess. Her career has progressed through the ranks, and she has traveled with Princess Cruises to all seven continents. Hotel General Manager Richard Harry - Richard Harry was born in Farnborough, England and now resides in Bristol. He joined Princess Cruises in 1988 as a Front Desk Receptionist and worked on the original Sky Princess in 1989. Richard has been part of the newbuild teams for five Princess ships. Staff Captain Giovanni Cardile - Giovanni Cardile was born in Messina in northeast Sicily. Following a family tradition of seafaring, he joined the Merchant Navy as a Deck Cadet, then after service in the Italian Navy, worked on tanker and cargo ships. Giovanni joined Princess Cruises in 2005 and advanced through the ranks to be appointed Staff Captain on Regal Princess in 2014. He has since served as Staff Captain on Regal Princess, Sea Princess, Emerald Princess and Ruby Princess. Staff Captain Brian Whelan - Brian Whelan was born and raised in Galway on the west coast of Ireland. His interest in cruise ships started with some early family cruises, including onboard the S.S Canberra. Brian started his cadetship with Princess Cruises in 2000. He has worked his way up the ranks, including working in the head office, before taking the position of Staff Captain. Norfolk is looking forward to the Carnival Sunrise, which will start her cruise career out of the port at the end of April, offering five- and six-day Bahamas sailings. Weve also added American Cruise Line to our schedule with 12 stopovers in 2018 and more coming in 2019, said Katie Elder, manager of cruise operations and marketing. They are a great addition to our schedule and we welcome them every call. Other highlights on the 2019 calendar include port calls by the Silver Cloud and Sagas new Spirit of Discovery, which calls on Norfolk a day after Christmas. In 2020, Carnival will up the ante in Norfolk with a sailing to Cuba on the Carnival Radiance. Downtown Norfolk has been revitalized, with a remodeled Waterside District with premier shopping and fine dining. Among key shore excursions are visits to Naval Station Norfolk and Colonial Williamsburg including time at Jamestown. There is also dolphin watching in Virginia Beach and walking and bike tours of downtown Norfolk. Also on Norfolks cruise schedule has been a growing business from German operators including AIDA, TUI and Phoenix Reisen. The attraction stems from their love of American history and our exceptional shopping, said Elder. We are in a prime location to experience the birth of American history from Norfolk to Williamsburg and the surrounding areas. (ANSA) - Rome, February 11 - Interior Minister Matteo Salvini on Monday assured Italy's attention that the safety of self-proclaimed Venezuelan interim president Juan Guaido should be preserved. Salvini had a "cordial" phone call with national assembly president Guaido during a meeting with a Venezuelan delegation sent by him to Rome Monday. Salvini, the interior ministry said, "confirmed the tough stance taken regarding (President Nicolas) Maduro" and "full support for the constitutional course to arrive at free elections as soon as possible". Deputy Premier Salvini also "assured the utmost attention that the safety of Guaido and his family be protected in this delicate phase". Articles Sorry, there are no recent results for popular articles. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Please review our list of best credit cards , or use our CardMatch tool to find cards matched to your needs. Dear Your Business Credit, I was on a business trip a couple of months ago and had my corporate credit card stolen and soon thereafter fraudulent charges on my corporate account. I noticed the charges the day after they occurred (the same time I noticed my card was missing) and disputed them immediately. Unsure if it matters toward the dispute, but I also filed a police report. Today, I finally received a conclusion to the dispute: They will only replace $70 of $2,000 in disputed charges. I immediately redisputed the charges and the dispute manager responds: Consumer credit cards and corporate credit cards are different in respect to the dispute process. Liability of the disputed transactions is first determined upon how the transactions were processed through Visa. Unfortunately, these transactions are non-recoverable for us through Visa due to the fact that the chip card was present and read before the card being closed. After that, liability is then determined by your companys contract with our bank. After doing research on CreditCards.com and other sites, I keep seeing again and again that, business cards or consumer cards, your max liability for fraudulent charges (not billing errors) is $50 if reported within two days. I see nothing about the use the chip being a disqualifier to dispute charges (and why would it be if the chip isnt able to prevent fraud?) or a company contract voiding fraudulent claims. Is my research correct? Is the dispute representative correct? Thanks in advance for any help. Jacob Check out all the answers from our credit card experts. Ask Elaine a question. Dear Jacob, Grrr! Hearing about situations like yours makes me want to tear out my hair. This is an example of an issue Ive been noticing more often recently: Some banks are trying to foist the problem of dealing with business-card fraud on to innocent cardholders like yourself, rather than investing in better cybersecurity. See related: Do zero liability rules apply to corporate cards? Corporate card fraudulent charges: Seeking banks help If you otherwise have had good relations with this bank, you might try reaching out to the banks ombudsman and asking for his or her help. Its possible that with this intervention, you can get this issue fixed quickly. A good bank wont want to drive out honest small-business owners with policies like this. Who would want to entrust the bank with any of his accounts if this is how theft and fraud are handled? Although the fraud totaled $2,000 in this case, what if it reached $200,000? Many business owners would be at risk of bankruptcy. But what if the bank wont help you? Zero liability: Consumer cards versus corporate cards I ran your question past two experts to see what you can do to rectify the situation. One of the experts is Brian J. Crow, executive vice president of TCA, a Chicago-based company that helps banks monitor their compliance obligations. As he explained in an email, the Truth in Lending Act governs the issuance of credit cards to consumers who use their cards for personal and household expenses. According to Crow, as implemented by Federal Regulation Z, Section 1026.12(b)(1)(ii) limits consumer liability for unauthorized use of a credit card to $50.00. VISAs Zero Liability protections further reduce this liability to $0, he said. However, he went on to explain, section 1026.12(b)(5) of the regulation enables the card issuer to modify liability based on the card agreement with the business. Visas Zero Liability Policy notes that it may exclude certain commercial card transactions, Crow noted. Visa, in fact, states that its Zero Liability Policy does not apply to Visa corporate or Visa purchasing card. When zero-liability protections dont apply to your card Crows recommendation is that you carefully review the card agreement to see if Zero Liability protections are included. If they are and the card issuer did not provide them, then the reader could have a claim for breach of contract citing that the bank did not abide by the terms of the contract, he explained. If the card agreement states that the business is liable for all unauthorized transactions, then the business owner is likely not able to recover any more funds and would be advised to look for a business credit card that provides more favorable terms to its customers. As Crow noted, Most of our banking laws are written to protect consumers and there appears to be a higher standard expected of businesses to protect themselves from losses associated with fraud. When you need to take action for loss of fraud protection What if you conclude there was a breach of contract and want to take action? You can try bringing the bank to small claims court, file a claim through the Better Business Bureau or file a complaint through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Crow wrote. The CFPB may not get directly involved, but depending on the size of the bank, they will refer the complaint to the banks primary regulator, Crow notes. If youre considering applying for a business credit card, make sure to understand the main differences between these credit products and a consumer credit card. Business card issuers can, for example, instantly raise rates. Read 10 ways business credit cards are different to learn more. Seek help from ID theft resolution organizations I also reached out to Brett Montgomery, manager of resolution services at CyberScout, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based provider of solutions that protect consumers, businesses and institutions against hackers, thieves and human error. He explained that under 15 U.S. Code \xa7\u202f1645, you should not be liable because you reported the stolen card the day you discovered it was missing. He recommended working with a professional organization that offers services like identity theft resolution and breach response to handle the dispute. Other options include contacting the Attorney Generals office or the Department of Consumer Affairs. In the event you are an employee of the business rather than the owner, your employer cant hold you responsible for the unauthorized charges, according to Montgomery. See related: 5 business expense card options for employers It may be that the business has to take the unauthorized charges as a loss, he wrote. That would not sit well with many employers who issue business cards, but if thats the case, perhaps your next project could be helping your employer find a card that does a better job of protecting the businesses it serves. There are some excellent, customer-friendly cards out there, but in todays climate, youll have to read the fine print. Milk has long been viewed as a skin-soothing ingredienttake for example milk baths, a home remedy for eczema sufferers. An upcoming range of skin care products out of beautys incubator, South Korea, utilizes deer milk to harness similar benefits. The deer milk will be used to create a range of products including a moisturizer and serum. Pamu, a New Zealand farm, signed with South Korean pharmaceutical company, Yuhan, to supply the milk. The ingredients benefits were discovered based on anecdotal observations by a Pamu technologist with rough, dry and calloused hands; after she had cleaned the filters used for deer milking, she reportedly noticed the milks soothing effect on her skin. "It is incredibly important that we partner with strategic companies like Yuhan, who are committed to research and development and the commercialization of products containing unique ingredients such as deer milk," said Steve Carden, Pamu chief executive, in a statement published late last year in the NZ Herald. The cosmetic products using the ingredients are expected to be available in South Korean New Origin stores in early 2020. Pamus deer milk has also been used as a silky, richly flavored ingredient for the food industry, for which the company was awarded for its innovation in 2018. (ANSA) - Rome, February 11 - An Italian photographer has been hurt in a battle at Syria's last ISIS bastion, sources said Monday. Milan-born Gabriele Micalizzi, 34, was injured in the battle between hundreds of ISIS militiamen and advancing pro-US forces at Dayr az Zor, sources said. Micalizzi has been taken to a local hospital in serious condition, the sources aid. He is not in a life-threatening condition, and will be flown back to Italy as soon as possible, the Kurdish Syrian Rojava information center said. "He will be shortly repatriated to Italy on board a medical plane of the (US-led) coalition" that is fighting ISIS, Kurdish forces said. The sources said he had been hurt in a non-serious way by the shrapnel from a rocket". Kurdish Syrian forces are leading the offensive on the east bank of the Euphrates. Micalzzi is well-known internationally for his war reportage. An art school graduate, he initially covered local news in Milan and went on to focus on the Middle East and other crisis areas, according to his online bio. His photos have been published in the New York Times, New Yorker, Newsweek, Wall Street Journal and, in Italy, by Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica, L'Espresso and Internazionale. He is the founder of the Cesura Lab photographic collective together with Luca Santese and Andrea Rocchelli, who was killed during the war in Ukraine in 2014. By Guest Blogger Sasha Jones Following the Los Angeles teachers strikes, California Governor Gavin Newsom has asked state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond to convene an expert panel on the effects of charter schools on the finances of traditional public schools. Newsom asked that a report be due by July 1. A spokesperson for Thurmond said that the state department of education is in the process of deciding what the panel will look like and who will be involved. As Governor Newsom stated in his first budget proposal, rising charter school enrollments in some urban districts are having real impacts on those districts ability to provide essential support and services for their students, Newsoms spokesman Brian Ferguson said in a statement reported by the Los Angeles Times . In addition to striking for higher wages and smaller class sizes, United Teachers Los Angeles called for the end of the growth of charter schools . The strike resulted in a tentative agreement that led the district to increase salaries, hire more staff, reduce assessments, and protect district neighborhood schools from charter co-locations. Co-located charter schools are those that share a building or campus with a traditional school. Still, the contract did not define what protections the district will put in place against charter co-locations, and whether additional protections will be established against other charter schools. The Los Angeles Unified School District is the second-largest district in the nation, serving 640,000 students. Approximately one in five students in the district attends a charter school. 81% Website meintretroller.de uses latest and advanced technologies. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of 162 bytes (0.16 kb uncompressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2019-09-30, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. 100% Website dryorkies.com uses latest and advanced technologies. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of 69573 bytes (67.94 kb uncompressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2019-09-29, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. 02/11/2019 Photo (c) Tzogia Kappatou - Getty Images Net neutrality found itself at another fork in the road over the weekend, with the Texas State House of Representatives considering a bill to make throttling data during emergency situations unlawful. Specifically, State Representative Bobby Guerras proposed bill lays out that, effective September 1, 2019, mobile Internet service provider(s) may not impair or degrade lawful mobile Internet service access in an area subject to a declared state of disaster. Having had its fill of recent disasters like Hurricane Harvey, Texas wants to make sure it doesnt suffer the same money grab that California did in the midst of its 2018 firestorm. During the Golden States incendiary ravage, Verizon was heavily criticized when it throttled the data plans of firefighters working at the Santa Clara County fire department. This throttling has had a significant impact on our ability to provide emergency services, Santa Clara County Fire Chief Anthony Bowden said at the time. Verizon imposed these limitations despite being informed that throttling was actively impeding County Fires ability to provide crisis-response and essential emergency services. Money over sense? Reportedly, Bowden's staff approached Verizon to try to remedy the situation. While Verizon confirmed that throttling did occur, it agreed to restore the fire department to essential data speed if -- and only if -- the fire department upgraded to a new plan. If that situation sounds slightly ridiculous to you, you certainly aren't alone, wrote Techspot. The fire department was frustrated by Verizon's response, to say the least, and sent Verizon account manager Silas Buss a series of hectic emails in a desperate attempt to get the restrictions lifted. Reports say that Buss finally relented somewhat and offered a $99 plan that would cost the fire department an extra $8 per gigabyte once it reached its 20GB cap. Ars Technica reported the fire department decided that plan was the best fix, but only for the short-term. Evan Greer, deputy director of the nonprofit advocacy group Fight for the Future, points out that Texas' proposed law could be a good first step towards restoring protections that were overturned by the current Federal Communications Commission (FCC). "Telecommunications companies like Verizon, Comcast, and AT&T hold tremendous power. We saw during the wildfires in California that, without proper oversight, they can abuse this power in ways that not only undermine free speech but also public safety. It's great that states like Texas are pushing for legislation to hold these mega-corporations in check, but it's not a replacement for a functional FCC that is actually doing its job and protecting the public," Greer said in a statement to ConsumerAffairs. "Congress should act immediately to reverse Ajit Pai's repeal of basic open internet protections, and demand that the FCC engage in proper oversight of internet providers to ensure they don't behave in ways that put people in danger." Debate over an even internet playing field continues All of this push-and-pull goes back to net neutrality -- the assumption that internet service providers should treat all transmission of data over the internet equally and not discriminate or charge differently based on user, content, website, platform, application, type of equipment, or method of communication. In its power to the people stance, California has spared no effort to try to reverse the FCC's controversial decision to roll back Title II net neutrality protections. However, the states attempts might be an uphill climb. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai claims that net neutrality, as envisioned by California law, hurts consumers. Pai says that under the law, large service providers like Verizon would be prohibited from offering some free data plans that he says allow consumers to stream video and music, exempt from any data limits. They have proven enormously popular in the marketplace, especially among lower-income Americans, Pai said. But notwithstanding the consumer benefits, this state law bans them. 02/11/2019 Photo (c) utah778 - Getty Images If your car insurance rates are going up, you aren't alone. The Zebra, an insurance rate search engine, reports that 83 percent of drivers paid more for insurance over the last 12 months. The company says insurance rates are the highest they've ever been, rising 23 percent since 2011. The researchers say the average motorist in the U.S. is paying $1,470 a year for car insurance. They arrived at that number by analyzing more than 61 million auto insurance rates in every zip code. That method breaks down the criteria insurance companies use to set rates and how that pricing is unique to every individual. "Some people are paying $500 a year while others are paying $5,000. Why? It could be weather in your state, your driving habits, or even your gender, marital status, or credit score," said Alyssa Connolly, director of Market Insights at The Zebra. "Car insurance is a major expense for most Americans, and drivers want to know how much their rates are changing especially as new technology comes into play." Every state is different Car insurance rates vary widely from state to state since every jurisdiction has its own set of policies. The least expensive states in which to insure a car are Michigan, Louisiana, and Rhode Island. The most expensive cities for car insurance are Detroit, New Orleans, and Hialeah, Fla. In Colorado, auto insurance rates have surged 80 percent since 2011. But during that same time, they have fallen 20 percent in Oklahoma. The Zebra analysis also found that, even within a state, rates can vary as much as 265 percent depending upon the zip code. One reason rates can vary so much by state is that some states have different rules for insurance providers. For example, some states have barred insurance companies from using non-driving factors such as credit scores to set car insurance rates. Insurance companies say they use zip codes to measure a customers risk by looking at the number of vehicle crimes -- things like theft and vandalism -- within specific areas. Some providers also consider credit scores -- where allowed by law to do so -- because they believe the score is an accurate reflection of risk. Type of coverage affects cost The rate consumers pay also depends on the extent of coverage they select. Policies with a high deductible -- meaning the consumer pays for most minor damage and doesnt file a claim -- cost less with low deductible policies with features like accident forgiveness. Rates also tend to be higher for motorists with speeding tickets and other moving violations. The Zebra report found that a crackdown on distracted driving such as texting behind the wheel has resulted in an average rate increase of 20 percent. Insurance companies are also making wider use of apps and plug-in devices to monitor how a driver operates their vehicle. This monitoring has resulted in some drivers seeing their rates go down while others are paying more. Sometimes changing insurance providers will result in a lower rate. Read what consumers have to say about car insurance companies in these ConsumerAffairs reviews. What does the EU want? Imagine for a moment that the EU had refused last week to engage in further Brexit talks with the UK. There would now be less of a prospect, if any, of the two parties agreeing to a revised deal. It follows that a new wind would have been blown into the sails of Yvette Coopers amendment to give the Commons control of the negotiation (or into those of a similar amendment proposed by someone else). She and her supporters would have been able to argue that the talks were definitely getting nowhere, and that the legislature should take them over from the executive. Her amendment was beaten by only 23 votes late last month. In these circumstances, it might well have passed. Control of the negotiation would thus have been wrested from the Government. The EU knows all this perfectly well. So why didnt it move to deliver the coup de grace to the Prime Minister last week rather than, instead, help both to prop her up and kick the can down the road? A plausible answer is that the conventional wisdom is turning out to be wrong. It holds that the EU couldnt care less who governs Britain, and is willing to press, in all circumstances, for the softest of Brexits or else for the whole project to fold. But were this so, it surely wouldnt be acting as it is now. For all Donald Tusks antipathetic rhetoric, EU references to Gibraltar as a colony and Jean-Claude Junckers brandishing of an anti-British card from Ireland, the EU is effectively keeping Theresa Mays Government on life support with the possibility in turn of a full recovery. It has behaved in this way before. When the two sides of the negotiating table were gridlocked late in 2017, it conceded enough ground to allow the joint report to be signed. Here is a possible explanation. Rather than help punt the negotiation into the Commons hands, the EU prefers to stick with the devil it knows. It doesnt want a disorderly Brexit on its north-west frontier. It is busy enough as it is with a coming new Commission, difficult European Parliamentary elections, populist turmoil in France, a row between that country and Italy, worries about migration everywhere, and the grisly prospect of recession which a No Deal Brexit would make worse. All this might help to explain why the EUs arrangements for No Deal are less punitive than some expected. At any rate, it has helped to craft a timetable which will deliver the Prime Minister an offer on the backstop. She will report progress on February 27. And the backstop plus a codicil, say, may then be offered to the EU in the wake of the next Council meeting on March 21. Now you may well argue that this plan wont work that the Commons would reject anything short of the removal of the backstop. And you may well be right. But that doesnt mean that the EU and the Government arent preparing to try precisely this. If and we repeat if the ploy succeeded, the way would be prepared for a short technical extension to allow time for a Withdrawal Bill, following a Commons vote on the deal, to pass Parliament. This type of extension with a clear aim and endpoint would be very different to a three month or nine month or two year one with neither. As we say, we are not betting the ConservativeHome ranch on the EU aiming to prop up May at almost all costs, and making a concession on the backstop that is arguably meaningful against the wishes of an unhappy Leo Varadkar and the Irish Government. But what we have set out is a persuasive reading of current events. Obtaining an accurate one is made very hard by the limitations of British journalism, at least when it comes to covering Brussels rather than Westminster. Media outlets devote more resources to Westminster than Brussels. The culture that governs coverage of the former is more critical than that of the latter. Some of the Brussels correspondents are superb, but they are not well set up to know what Berlin is saying to the Commission, or Berlin to Paris, or what the latest Brexit take is (if any) in southern or Eastern Europe. This unevenness of reporting is a constant barrier to understanding. And for all the relative unity of the EU during the negotiation,.different bits of it have different perspectives and interests: consider, for example, French and Irish perspectives on border checks. Which is why we ask again: what does the EU want? Six years ago, the TaxPayers Alliance reported that in the last year, five times more Labour people were appointed to public bodies than Tories. Since then, the figures have varied, and some Conservative members or supporters have been selected to fill important posts. Nonetheless, it remains the case that, since it took office in 2010, our Party has punched beneath its weight when it comes to public appointments. One of the reasons seems to be that Tories simply dont apply in the same number as Labour supporters. To help remedy this, every week we put up links to some of the main public appointments vacancies, so that qualified Conservatives might be aware of the opportunities presented. Civil Nuclear Police Authority Independent Members The Civil Nuclear Police Authority (CNPA) is a body corporate established by the Energy Act 2004 and an executive non-departmental public body (NDPB) of the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). The CNPA has a statutory responsibility for maintaining an efficient and effective Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC). The CNC provides an armed response capability for the UKs civil nuclear industry, operating from units based at licensed nuclear sites throughout the UK and providing armed escorts road and marine for movements of nuclear materials within the UK and overseas. The CNPA sets the strategic direction for the CNC and ensures that its policing meets the needs of the nuclear operating companies. This could mean denying unauthorised access to nuclear material or recovering control of nuclear material lost to unauthorised persons. Time: 35 days per annum. Remuneration: 17,500 per annum. Closes: 17 February Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC) & Electricity Settlements Company (ESC) Chair The LCCC delivers key elements of the Contracts for Difference (CFDs) scheme, established to incentivise investment in low carbon electricity generation. In all its operations as the counterparty to CFDs, the LCCC is led by its principle of maintaining investor confidence in the scheme and to minimise costs to consumers. The role of the ESC is to maintain a healthy surplus of electricity capacity. It oversees settlement of the Capacity Market to ensure that regular payments are made to capacity providers who have agreed to provide capacity at times of system stress. In carrying out its activities ESC seeks to maintain participants confidence in the Capacity Market whilst minimising costs to consumers. LCCC and ESC are private limited companies wholly-owned by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The companies have day-to-day operational independence, subject to certain limited exceptions which require shareholder consent. The Boards of LCCC and ESC comprise the same members so we are seeking to appoint an individual to be Chair of both companies. Time: Two days per week. Remuneration: 100,000 per annum plus expenses. Closes: 18 February Department for Education Chair of the SEND System Leadership Board The newly formed SEND Leadership Board will: clarify and communicate the principles which should underpin all SEND commissioning and the good outcomes we are seeking to achieve for children and young people with SEND; encourage improved joint working, commissioning and planning by and between education, health and social care partners; identify where partners can better share data, insight, guidance, good practice and peer support to help encourage improved commissioning and planning, working to alleviate the long-term high needs budget pressures We are looking for a person who has: the ability to use authority, make decisions with, and set direction, in a board environment; a strong understanding of commissioning in Clinical Commissioning Groups and/or Local Government, and will have knowledge of the legal requirements in the 2014 Children and Families Act, in relation to SEND Time: 60 days per annum. Remuneration: 500 per diem, plus expenses. Closes: 21 February Great Britain China Centre Independent Board Members The Great Britain China Centre is a public body under the auspices of, but independent from, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Its remit is to promote understanding between the UK and China. It works to strengthen the UK-China relationship by building trust and supporting dialogues between government, judiciary and policy making actors on key governance, rule of law and reform issues. It has developed a reputation as an international leader for its project work with influential Chinese partners. With forty-five years of experience, GBCC has established unique networks in Chinese, British and European legal, judicial, academic and political spheres. Our relationships and influence have provided a trusted and consistent mechanism for exchange throughout changing political climates. The Board of Directors comprises independent non-executives, including Members of Parliament, and is attended by representatives of the FCO, the British Council and the China Britain Business Council. Our Chairman is Sir Martin Davidson and our Honorary President is Lord Mandelson. Time: Two days per month. Remuneration: None. Closes: 24 February Ofsted Board Member The Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) is a force for improvement through intelligent, responsible and focused inspection and regulation, and an organisation committed to putting children and students first. Ofsted is recruiting up to four individuals to its board. The board agrees Ofsteds strategic priorities, targets and objectives. Its members provide constructive and supportive advice and challenge to Her Majestys Chief Inspector (HMCI) on Ofsteds activities and performance, and monitor Ofsteds performance and spending. Successful applicants will be strategic thinkers able to lead and influence at Board level. You will be able to consider issues from a big picture, macro perspective, and to support and challenge the executive in its strategic planning. Practical experience in a relevant sector, and theoretical understanding of the challenges and issues facing Ofsted will be crucial to your ability to contribute across the breadth of Ofsteds activities. Time: Up to 20 days per annum. Remuneration: 8,282 per annum. Closes: 26 February Regulator of Social Housing Chair Those who serve on the Boards of public bodies play a vital role in the life of this country, whether by improving the delivery of public services or providing independent advice to Government. Many people from a wide range of backgrounds across the whole of the UK participate in public life by being members of the Boards of public bodies. They are involved in making decisions that develop, shape or deliver government policy and public services. The information pack sets out the requirements for the RSH Chair position along with information on the work of the RSH and the appointment process. On 1 October 2018, through a Legislative Reform Order, the RSH became an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), sponsored by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which is responsible for the regulation of social housing. The successful candidate will have experience and understanding of how to operate effectively at Board level, and have knowledge of the social housing sector, regulation and finance. Time: 104 days per annum. Remuneration: 65,000 per annum. Closes: 03 March Ofqual Board Member Ofqual wishes to recruit up to five, high calibre individuals to the Board. We are looking to appoint at least one in each of the following areas: assessment and qualification design, regulation, finance and apprenticeships. You will be expected to support Ofquals aims and objectives and act as ambassadors for the organisation. We are looking for independent thinkers who will offer challenge and guidance to Ofquals executive to support their decision making. We seek applicants who have significant experience and expertise to bring to Board discussions and are committed to driving forward the work of the organisation. You will have: the ability to think strategically and to contribute to strategic development in different organisational contexts; the ability to build effective relationships at senior levels and/or between organisations; and the ability to support and provide challenge to Ofquals executive on both strategy policy and organisational matters. Time: Up to 20 days per annum. Remuneration: 6,000 per annum. Closes: 10 March Defence Electronics & Components Agency Board Chair The Defence Electronics and Components Agency (DECA) is an executive agency of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), whose world-class workforce is proud to provide Defence with long-term agile sovereign capability. It delivers maintenance, repair, overhaul, upgrade and obsolescence management services for a range of avionic and electronic equipment. Run along commercial lines, it also grows profitable business streams through the supply of electronics components products and services to its customers, the Army, Navy, RAF, Defence Equipment & Support (DES) and industry. The current Chair is standing down after four years successful stewardship of this complex organisation and a successor is now being sought to continue leading the Board in overseeing its important delivery programme and in transforming the organisations capabilities. Time: 30 days per annum. Remuneration: 22,500 per annum. Closes: 11 March Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Chair Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) is an executive agency of the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The highly-skilled 4,000 strong workforce is committed to providing sensitive and specialist science and technology research, advice and analysis for MOD and the wider UK government. The context is exciting and demanding, with continuing globalisation and the rapid development and emergence of new technologies, against a backdrop of ongoing shifts in economic and military power, all influencing our customers and, by extension, DSTL. It plays a central role in helping MOD respond in a rapidly evolving and complex setting, and our advice to the Departments Chief Scientific Advisor and other MOD stakeholders makes a major contribution to keeping our country safe. Time: 30 days per annum. Remuneration: 28,000 per annum. Closes: 11 March Ciaran Cadden graduated from University of Manchester in PPE, and is co-editor of @tweetyouthvoice. He currently teaches English in Taipei. Any onlooker to the current political discourse in the United Kingdom would perhaps be forgiven for thinking that all aspects of public policy within the country are running so smoothly that we can afford to give all our attention to an amicable divorce from the European Union. Alas, they would be mistaken, and in the most north-westerly corner of the UK we have been without a functioning devolved government since January 2017. Thats well over six-hundred days, but whos counting? Unfortunately, and rather embarrassingly, the world is counting, and watching with despair as a sustained, yet fraught, peace agreement with shared governance is disintegrating before our very eyes. By no means is the Belfast Agreement of 1998 perfect. In fact, I and many others have reservations in particular about the concept of a shared executive and its ability to succeed in an increasingly-polarised electoral environment. The middle ground in Northern Ireland is shrinking, and this may require a fundamental re-think on how to progress with representation at Stormont. I have previously floated the concept of voluntary coalition, but this has been taken up with little to no enthusiasm. The failure to grasp this nettle has resulted in a rather depressing false false: a sustained lack of representation at Stormont or Direct Rule from Westminster. Yet another way is possible. As an ideological conservative ,I and many others adhere to the philosophy of small government and the promotion of individual liberty, empowering the individual and the local community in making decisions they see as justified. Why cant we make a similar case for governance in Northern Ireland? At least, perhaps, to solve the outlying issues which are ensuring that the locks on the Stormont gates are there for the foreseeable future. If we are to believe the rhetoric from the DUP and Sinn Fein, alongside the swathes of media reports, governance is being blocked due to two distinct subjects: an Irish Language Act, and social issues pertaining to same-sex marriage and abortion rights. Perhaps it is time to ask the people of Northern Ireland to decide on these issues, and then for the main two parties of the DUP and Sinn Fein to come together and decide on a way forward on health, tourism and a business strategy for a post-Brexit Northern Ireland. Sinn Fein have stated that refusal to back an Irish Language Act is a red line in their negotiation strategy, yet commanded only 27.9 per cent of the vote at the last assembly election in 2017. Even if other parties were advocating for a standalone act, it seems illogical to allow this one issue to block governance for everyone in Northern Ireland who rely on Stormont for important decision-making. For example, the Institute of Directors (IoD) have claimed the Stormont stalemate has risked 1 billion of infrastructure projects not going ahead. By contrast, the DUP and others do not have a majority anymore and thus cannot utilise a Petition of Concern. However, if Stormont does not sit then no vote can be had on the introduction of same-sex marriage. Something ought to give way. It is unfair yet easy to shrug ones shoulders and not legislate for matters which appear popular to the Northern Irish electorate. For example, a Sky Data poll in April found 75 per cent of respondents supported the introduction of same-sex marriage. It is also counter-productive to hold the institutions to ransom over a language act. However, I do not agree that MPs in Westminster should rail-road decision making for the Northern Irish people no matter how much virtue-signalling they utilise. Thus, to break the impasse one ought to advocate for one or more referendums. Referendum is now a dirty word, particularly on the British Isles for people who didnt get their way on the Brexit referendum (even though these people advocate for another referendum to correct the original verdict!). But they are democracy in action, a direct application of people power which has worked from ancient Greece to modern-day Switzerland and even in the Republic of Ireland, where use of such a means has changed their constitution beyond recognition. Even though Sinn Fein have weaponised the ancient language, Irish is not necessarily a one-sided issue, and nor indeed are social issues such as same-sex marriage. Allowing for the electorate to rise above divisive rhetoric of election time, and vote for an issue at face-value, will cultivate that sense of togetherness and cooperationwhichNorthern Irish politics is so desperately lacking. Empowering the electorate to decide on such issues, and thus issuing a mandate to legislators for governing, should allow talks to continue without so-called red lines. Instead we could look to a governing institution which will advocate and deliver prosperity for all in Northern Ireland. Last weeks pause in the parliamentary shenanigans over Brexit provided an opportunity to hear what the voters made of it all. This I did with a round of focus groups, conducted in London, Plymouth, Leeds and Newcastle. Though few have the time or patience to digest every morsel of Westminster news, their summary of the state of play was always succinct: Theresa has had to go back to Europe, but theyve said non, was a typical summary. Shes just collecting air miles. Shes going round in circles; As a country we now look very weak and very silly to the rest of the world. Its come to the point that its almost embarrassing. Theyve left their homework until Sunday night. People knew that the main sticking point was the backstop, and therefore the Irish border an issue that seems to many to have been adopted as a convenient obstacle to Brexit and thus blown out of all proportion: Its just something for the politicians to talk about, something for the EU to hang their hat on. Though some were frustrated that a problem for the Irish which had barely been mentioned during the referendum campaign was holding up the whole enterprise, people accepted that the problem needs solving. Even so, many doubted the supposed impossibility of the task: Its an absolute red herring. Theyve made it into something it doesnt have to be; Technology can definitely do it. They can find a way. Other people dont seem to have a problem. While people knew what the backstop was for, few could explain how it worked though some had picked up that as things stood we would never get out of the customs union, they wont set a date. But if the border and the backstop were the proximate cause of the current impasse, the more fundamental reason was that theyve left their homework until Sunday night. Remainers especially argued that the referendum had been embarked upon with little thought given to the potential consequences, let alone a proper plan for leaving the EU: David Cameron cocked it up. He thought he would win but he lost and off he went. Everything since had been the ripple effect. For many Leavers, the plan should have involved serious preparations for a no-deal exit from the outset. Despite the now-discarded mantra that no deal was better than a bad deal, no deal has never really been discussed. If it had been more on the table and the Government had been planning for no deal, it would have put more pressure on the EU; When they started digging in their heels, they started backtracking. It was an idle threat that we would leave with no deal. (As such, it would be foolish to take no deal off the table: Shed have no bargaining power whatsoever. Its like someone ringing your doorbell and saying theyre not going until theyve bought your house. Youd say it was ten million quid.) Some felt that for all her exertions, the problem was that Theresa May remained a remainer at heart: Id rather have had someone doing it who believed in it. This had prevented her being tougher in the negotiations and more willing to threaten to leave with no deal if the right terms could not be agreed: She should have done a Donald Trump. Another thing that should have started much earlier was the effort to build a cross-party consensus. Europe did not take us seriously because we were divided; a united front, many argued, would have clarified Britains position and put the government in a stronger position to negotiate: What theyre doing in parliament now, thats what they should have been doing before they even invoked Article 50, so parliament agreed on what we were going to the EU with. Theyve done it back to front really; People like Jacob Rees-Mogg should be the extremists in the corner, they shouldnt be leading the debate. As it was, shes now having to bribe Labour MPs up north, to give more money to those councils. Its crazy really. This is history youre living through. You should have been talking from the start, you petulant child. Of course, a cross-party consensus is not something a government can build by itself. Most thought Jeremy Corbyn was himself a Brexiteer, but that Labours own divisions had forced him to appear ambivalent, while the demands of party politics had made him obstructive: Its because its a Conservative-negotiated deal. It doesnt matter what the deal is, there is no way they were going to back it because they want to push for a general election. Thats whats frustrating people whatever is on that piece of paper is utterly irrelevant, theyre not going to pat her on the back and say well done. Labour would want to avoid losing votes from either leavers or remainers, so in interviews he will dodge the question in a quite funny obviously dodgy way. The party seemed to want to avoid being associated with whatever happened: They think its going to be a mess, so they dont want to own it. So theyre going to hang back and when it goes pear-shaped, blame the Tories. If this was understandable, it was not particularly commendable: We elected them to have an opinion and theyre just not; hes used the UKs future, the Brexit debate, to score political points. His refusal to meet the Prime Minister after the vote on the Withdrawal Agreement had stuck in peoples minds on all sides: Why make that stand then, when everyone else was agreeing to it? When he said he wouldnt talk to her, that was ridiculous; He wouldnt meet the Prime Minister, but he meets terrorist groups! Some had noticed that Corbyn had belatedly joined in discussions, but you should have been talking from the start, you petulant child. From the moment the country decided, there should have been a cross-party consensus that OK, this is happening, lets work together. But they havent, theyve worked against it. Several people in different groups not least 2017 Labour voters said their initially positive view of Corbyn had waned in recent months as he seemed more and more like just another politician: The thing that sticks in my mind is when he got on that Virgin train and completely bullshitted, saying it was rammed, and was proven wrong. He had so much egg on his face; And when he called Theresa May a stupid woman and said he didnt. An idiot could see he said stupid woman. Why would you do that, because everyone knows youre a liar? Id like to be a fan of his, I really would, but my instinct is that hes trying to pretend to be something different to the norm, and actually hes exactly the same; My whole family, we loved him. Its like when you first see Boris, you think hes really cool, you really warm to him, but both of them have just descended into madness. Its sad, its really sad. May Deal Number 42. Most people had at best a hazy understanding of the contents of Mays Brexit deal. Apart from 39 billion in reparations and an attempt to keep some kind of trading arrangement with Europe and, of course, the ubiquitous backstop very few details had sunk in. There were four main reasons for this. First, people had long ago started to tune out of Brexit news. Second, most of the coverage people did notice seemed to concentrate on the various objections to the deal, making it hard to pin down what was actually in it: No-ones any the wiser about what she has worked out. I think everyones switched off. Third, the deal still did not feel like a final proposal: Its like a constant working document; They keep flipping and changing everything. There is literal Brexit fatigue, where you say OK, shes got a deal, fine, May Deal Number 42, just get it through. Its the moving forward I want now, not the whatever deal it is. Fourth, and perhaps most tellingly, people no longer believe it matters what they think: Even if we do know everything about it, it doesnt really make any difference. Weve got no control over it, have we? What people do know is that the deal has been attacked from nearly all sides, which suggests to some that they wouldnt be objecting if there wasnt something that wasnt quite right with it and prompts others to reflect that it was always going to be like this given that the EU were never going to make it easy, the Conservatives were never going to do anything brilliant and the other parties are just going against them and causing chaos; after all, no-ones ever going to say its an amazing deal, unless we somehow get out of the EU, dont pay for the divorce and get all the luxuries, which is never going to happen. At the same time, for all the talk of Norway Plus Plus and Canada Minus, few on either side believed there was any prospect of the EU agreeing to substantially improved terms: the choice was between this deal or something very much like it, and no deal at all. Its not the apocalypse. Calm down. Most Remain voters were not as terrified about a no-deal Brexit as might have been expected given the increasingly frantic tone of some coverage. There were some qualms, however: People stranded at airports, suddenly you cant get avocados, people cant get antibiotics or insulin. Cant get Marmite from Unilever. Cant get literally anything because of just-in-time manufacturing; The farmers will be weeping into their smocks, or whatever farmers wear; It would be absolute chaos for a good month; If we couldnt get bananas we would get over it but it would be damned annoying. I like bananas. More often, people tended to think that predictions of disaster were either wildly pessimistic the Millennium Bug was regularly invoked or deliberate scaremongering: Things are sensationalised to make us feel uneasy. They want people feeling fed up, feeling that theyve made a mistake, questioning their choices, questioning the reasons they made that decision in the first place. Any disruption would probably be shortlived: If and when it came to it, I think the country and the companies within these other countries would pull together; If its imports or holidays, other countries would soon kick off if all that stopped; Its not the apocalypse. Calm down. Real problems were more likely to come from peoples reactions to the scare stories than as a direct result of Brexit: The country will go into panic mode. It will be Joe Public who causes the chaos. Like when you get an inch of snow and suddenly all the shelves in your corner shop are empty. Leave voters were rather more bullish about the idea of leaving without a deal: Weve had all this stuff about taking the Queen out of Buckingham Palace in a helicopter because of all the looting. Its all made up; They said it would be a disaster if we didnt join the euro! They also argued that it simply wasnt in Europes interests for trade to be disrupted: Everyones making out that were going to be ostracised but they still want to trade with us as much as we want to trade with them indeed, some argued, the EUs current intransigence actually confirmed how much they wanted the UK to stay and therefore how much they needed us: Were the front wheel of a Reliant Robin. Even so, not all Leave voters were gung-ho on this point. On both sides there was a widespread feeling of uncertainty: I just feel like weve got no idea. Though some plans for no deal may be in place, the whole process hasnt instilled confidence. Unfortunately the government doesnt fill us with confidence, and thats the problem. This has to come to an end. Despite this, very few Leavers and surprisingly few Remainers supported the idea of extending Article 50 to give more time for negotiations. Some said this might help if there were honest negotiations, with a clear way forward and a real chance that the situation would be resolved, but otherwise its just dragging it out, prolonging the agony. Moreover, the new deadline would then be no more real than the old one: whats stopping you the next day voting for another extension? We will punt it every time. What, then, did people expect to happen in the end? They had noted the huge defeat for the deal in the Commons, the lack of movement on the EU side, the seeming intractability of the Irish border question and the continuing divisions within and between the parties at Westminster. Yet most of the people in most of our groups remain and leave, Conservative and Labour thought we would end up leaving with some sort of deal. And whether there was a delay or not, it would probably look more or less like the deal currently on the table, with a few small changes at the very last minute to allow it to get through parliament, even if a few loose ends remain to be tied up afterwards: It will be at the eleventh hour, but theyll come up with something; The EU will always compromise towards the end. They want their 39 billion; Theyll give her the legal assurances she needs to get it through at the very last minute. Weve seen them do it so many times, like when Greece went bankrupt; I think things will move in the next couple of weeks, quite dramatically possibly. I think minds will focus. Facebook emerged from 2018 bruised from a series of revelations that undermined trust in the popular social media platform and raised questions about its commitment to privacy. There were the Cambridge Analytica revelations last March, security bugs later in the year that compromised data for millions of users, and a host of smaller privacy concerns. Perceptions of the company and its stock price took a beating. At the same time, the company continued to push its Workplace by Facebook enterprise software, touting ease of use and familiarity as selling points for companies looking to get their employees better connected. Its not clear yet how high-profile troubles on the social media side of things might spill over to the companys collaboration suite. But theyre likely leading to greater scrutiny by at least some customers, analysts said. Facebooks privacy and data issues have cast a long shadow over the Workplace business, which is trying to move further into the sunlight, said Wayne Kurtzman, a research director at IDC. Enterprises have to weigh user trust, corporate trust, and ease of use in the platform, knowing the platform itself may keep some users from adopting it. Meanwhile, other enterprises have made the jump quite successfully. (ANSA) - Rome, February 11 - An Italian photographer has been hurt in a battle at Syria's last ISIS bastion and is already returning to Italy, sources said Monday. Milan-born Gabriele Micalizzi, 34, was injured in the battle between hundreds of ISIS militiamen and advancing pro-US forces at Dayr az Zor, sources said. Micalizzi was taken to a local hospital before being flown by helicopter to Baghdad, sources said. "He was seriously injured in the face by RPG shrapnel but does not seem to be in a life-threatening condition, said the CesuraLab collective he is co-founder of. Micalizzi will be flown back to Italy as soon as possible, the Kurdish Syrian Rojava Information Center said. "He will be shortly repatriated to Italy on board a medical plane of the (US-led) coalition" that is fighting ISIS, Kurdish forces said. The sources said he had been hurt "in a non-serious way by shrapnel from a rocket". Kurdish Syrian forces are leading the offensive on the east bank of the Euphrates. Micalzzi is well-known internationally for his war reportage. An art school graduate, he initially covered local news in Milan and went on to focus on the Middle East and other crisis areas, according to his online bio. His photos have been published in the New York Times, New Yorker, Newsweek, Wall Street Journal and, in Italy, by Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica, L'Espresso and Internazionale. He is the founder of the CesuraLab collective together with Luca Santese and Andrea Rocchelli, who was killed during the war in Ukraine in 2014. Columbia, MO (65201) Today Partly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low near 70F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low near 70F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%. The most recent feud between Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren and President Donald Trump has further highlighted the mudslinging and divisiveness surrounding the current political climate. Trump sent out a tweet in which he referred to Warren as Pocahontas and made light of the Trail of Tears, which saw the United States relocate and slaughter tens of thousands of Native Americans. Trump's tweet was sent out in response to Warren announcing her bid for President of the United States and the controversy surrounding Warren's Native American heritage or lack thereof. Today Elizabeth Warren, sometimes referred to by me as Pocahontas, joined the race for President. Will she run as our first Native American presidential candidate, or has she decided that after 32 years, this is not playing so well anymore? See you on the campaign TRAIL, Liz! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2019 According to a DNA test, Warren does in fact have Native American ancestry, but it goes back as far as six to 10 generations, which prominent members of the Cherokee Nation feel doesn't automatically ingratiate her in the ranks of the community. Warren's mischaracterization of her Native American heritage goes beyond simply overstating it. She's made a career out of using what she felt was genuine Native American ancestry to further her own advancement. While working University of Pennsylvania Law School and Harvard Law School, Warren changed her ethnicity from white to Native American though a report by the Boston Globe revealed that many people in hiring departments and human resources viewed Warren as a white woman. Now, running for President, Warren has once again made an issue of her Native American ancestry while further marginalizing one of the most disadvantaged minority groups in the United States. According to the National Congress of American Indians, Native Americans die of diabetes at a rate that is 189 percent higher than the national average and of alcoholism at a rate that is 510 percent higher than the national average. The disparities aren't just in the healthcare field, as only nine percent of Native Americans have received a bachelor's degree as of 2008 compared to 19 percent nationwide, and as of the 2010 Census, the poverty rates on reservations was 28.4 percent. It's clear that Native Americans are often the most marginalized group but it seems like no one talks about it. It's also clear that Warren is incredibly out of touch by trying to paint herself as this bastion of progressivism while lacking the political acumen to use her heritage to her advantage and paint herself as a champion for Native Americans at a time when the government has continued to subjugate and ignore them. She could have used it as an opportunity to raise awareness and underscored her responsibility as an incredibly powerful and influential politician to not forget about the plight of Native Americans not exploit it for political convenience. And for Warren not to expect questions surrounding her ethnicity while running for President is naive and shows she likely overestimated her heritage. It's important to also underscore the racism present in the Trumps tweet, mocking the Trail of Tears, seemingly a no-brainer for a president not to make light of. His racism and vitriol toward Warren has also made this a story a lot longer than it might have normally been and has forced Warren to play defense, which she hasn't done well. It also deals with the asinine fact that it's two incredibly white people dictating what constitutes someone being Native American, as if they'd have the first clue about what that entails. Secretary of State of the Cherokee Nation Chuck Hoskin Jr. said using a "DNA test to lay claim to any connection to the Cherokee Nation or any tribal nation, even vaguely, is inappropriate and wrong." Yes, Warren has apologized for her remarks and yes, Trump's racist rhetoric will still persist, but if both sides decide to air on the side of civility and stop bloviating for 30 seconds, they could score a real and meaningful victory by addressing the plight of Native Americans. Opinions Editor Jake Aferiat can be reached by email at jxa5415@psu.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @Jake_Aferiat51. An assault and robbery occurred between 7:30 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. on Feb. 10 in the Nittany Apartments area. Penn State Police received a report of the assault and robbery at around 8:15 p.m. According to a university-issued Timely Warning, the incident occurred in the outdoor area surrounding the Nittany Apartments. The student who reported the crime said they were assaulted and robbed by an unknown male. Police ask that anyone with information regarding the incident to contact them. In January, Penn State announced Judith Hardes, a graduate of the Class of 1952, will donate $500,000 to create the Judith Hardes Fund in the College of the Liberal Arts to help fund the Department of Womens, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Hardes donation will be used as scholarships for students in the department, and to fund experiential learning opportunities such as research, conferences and lectures, according to press release from Penn State. Originally, the department started as a womens studies program and was later expanded to become the Department of Womens Studies in 2006, William Hessert Jr., the director of Strategic Communications, said. The department later changed its name in 2015 to the Department of Womens, Gender and Sexuality Studies. The departments faculty engages in research, pedagogy and service with attention to social justice to contextualize and challenge sexism, transphobia, ableism, classism and racial oppression, according to the departments website. Hardes said she originally thought of creating a scholarship for female graduate students who are studying Letters, Arts and Sciences in the College of the Liberal Arts, as she had received her bachelors degree in that major. After talking to Susan Welch, the former dean of the College of the Liberal Arts, Hardes said she discovered the college created a women's studies program and decided to focus her donation efforts there. I wanted any scholarship to go to a woman who had some of the same principles and ideas that I have, one of which was of course pro-choice, Hardes said. Hardes said she hopes the donation will not only go to scholarships, but to cover expenses for upper-class[men] women, graduate students, to attend specific conferences that would advance their careers, and allow them to interface with women that had already made some successes in their lives in the field. RELATED Melissa Wright, the head of the Department of Womens, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, said the department is proud to receive Hardes donation. Her fund supports our long-standing commitment to scholarship into womens reproductive health and rights, Wright wrote via email. Wright said Hardes fund provides opportunities for students to pursue their studies in this vital area, professional development and mentorship. Without a doubt, the Judith Hardes fund in WGSS will have a transformative impact on many students lives, Wright said. Danae Blasso, the associate director of alumni relations and development for the College of the Liberal Arts, said the gift demonstrates the importance of issues such as womens health and reproductive rights. Its really a gift that is going to encourage students who are majoring in that department that what theyre doing is good work and makes sense for todays time, Blasso said. Hessert said Hardes contributions is a wonderful example of someone who combined her passion for her alma mater and her passions in her personal life. This was not a program that existed when Judith was a student here, Hessert said. But to recognize what Penn State and what the [College of the Liberal Arts] are trying to accomplish with the program and to want to help spur that on I think is a wonderful testament to her love for Penn State and helping students in that program. Blasso said the criteria for the gift is that the donation is an endowment, where every year around four and a half percent, or around $23,000, will be given to students in the department. [Hardes donation] just demonstrates to people in the community what students are doing in that small department, Blasso said. Theyre using their time, theyre using their energy and working with faculty to solve and research issues that are happening today that are a big deal. RELATED Tenured professor misgenders students. Complaints follow. Change may not. Several complaints have been filed against tenured English professor Christopher Reed after multiple incidences of misgendering. SHOWS February 22, 2021 10.00 am Bazaar Corporate Radar Bazaar Corporate Radar is your window into the minds of top CEOs, Boardrooms, global economists, fund managers and sector analysts. If it?s making news, you?ll find it on Bazaar Corporate Radar. Legendary investor Warren Buffett has seen it all in the financial markets. After all, he bought his first stock during World War II. With that kind of long-term track record, the 88-year-old has a special perspective on market sell-offs. Buffett does not believe they are something to be feared, rather they are an opportunity. He explained during the 1994 annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway: "We are going to be buyers of things over time. And if you're going to be buyers of groceries over time, you like grocery prices to go down. If you're going to be buying cars over time, you like car prices to go down. We buy businesses. We buy pieces of businesses: stocks. And we're going to be much better off if we can buy those things at an attractive price than if we can't." The "Oracle of Omaha" has a simple long-term value philosophy. For the regular investor, he says you should be a steady buyer of an equity index fund over the long term and be agnostic to the market or economic environment. Buffett believes this simple kind of investing will always pay off over the long term because you're making a long-term bet on the American economy. "So we don't have any fear at all," Buffett added during the '94 meeting. "I mean, what we fear is an irrational bull market that's sustained for some long period of time." Buffett would go on to show he really meant what he said when he put this philosophy to work during the financial crisis, when many investors were panic selling. In October 2008, he wrote an Op-Ed for The New York Times saying he was buying American stocks and other investors should, too. The S&P 500 is up more than 270 percent since he penned that piece. Berkshire Hathaway shareholders benefited from astute investments made by Buffett during the crisis in financial stocks. "You, as shareholders of Berkshire, unless you own your shares on borrowed money or are going to sell them in a very short period of time, are better off if stocks get cheaper, because it means that we can be doing more intelligent things on your behalf than would be the case otherwise," he told the audience at his annual meeting. Because of Buffett's disciplined value approach to buying stocks and other businesses, Berkshire has returned 20 percent annually the last 40 years, double the return of the S&P 500 over that same time span, according to FactSet. For more classic Warren Buffett advice, see CNBC's Buffett archive. With reporting by CNBC's Alex Crippen. WATCH: Warren Buffett's best investing tips A fledgling female- and minority-led activist hedge fund said Monday it had backing from the California State Teachers' Retirement System, which has agreed to provide a $250 million investment for a six-year term. The sizable and lengthy capital commitment from the largest educator-only pension will allow the firm, Impactive Capital, to begin investing. It was founded by Lauren Wolfe and Christian Asmar, who have 20 years of combined experience in activist investing and most recently worked at Clifton Robbins' Blue Harbour Group. Wolfe explained in a press release on Monday that the new fund's strategy will be to make long-term investments while being engaged with management teams and boards to improve returns for shareholders by focusing on how they spend their capital and on their policies related to environmental, social and governance issues. "The pendulum has swung too far toward a hyper-focus on short term results," she said in the release. "Our strategy is unconventional. We take a longer-term view of our investments and improve capital allocation and ESG where it drives real value. We do this using a range of tools that we believe positively impact multiple stakeholdersshareholders, customers, employees to create superior, sustainable returns." Socially responsible investing, long the bastion of faith-based activists and civic do-gooders, can now count several high-profile activists including Robbins and Barry Rosenstein of Jana Partners. Christopher Ailman, CalSTRS CIO said: "We are thrilled to be backing Impactive. Their compelling strategy aligns with our long-term investment horizon and our commitment to promoting good governance and sustainable business practices that enhance returns for our members." Assets under management in U.S.-based socially responsible investing strategies climbed to $12 trillion by 2018, roughly 25 percent of all investment under professional management and an increase of 38 percent from the start of 2016. Those numbers are published every two years by US SIF: the Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment, a Washington, D.C., trade group whose members include numerous pensions and mutual funds. U.S. government debt yields rose Monday as investors looked ahead to a widely-anticipated meeting between U.S. and Chinese trade officials later this week. At around 9:45 a.m. ET, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note was higher at around 2.657 percent, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond was also higher at 2.998 percent. Yields move inversely of bond prices. There are further trade meetings between the U.S. and the Chinese administrations later this week. Time is running out for the two economic powerhouses to reach a permanent pact ahead of the self-imposed deadline of March 2. Failure to reach an agreement will raise U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods to 25 percent from 10 percent. That deadline could be moved, however, a White House official told CNBC last week. Axios reported on Sunday, citing two administration officials, that President Donald Trump's advisors have discussed holding a casual summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping next month at Mar-a-Lago, Trump's private club in Florida. The reported meeting could take place as soon as mid-March, though the officials cited in the story added that nothing has yet been set. (ANSA) - Brussels, February 11 - European Commissioner for the Euro Valdis Dombrovskis said Monday Italy's budget trajectory was wrong and before it was corrected thanks to talks with the EU "the damage to the economy had already been done". He said "we revised downwards the growth forecasts and it has to be said that also previously we had said that the chosen budget trajectory did not help confidence, financial stability, led to the increase in rates, the fall in indicators on confidence, and slowed growth". He said "the government corrected this trajectory considerably, but the damage had already been done". Energy industry leaders issued calls for a greater commitment to developing renewable energy sources during the 2019 World Government Summit in Dubai and some honed in specifically on the U.S. coal industry as an obstacle to those goals. Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser and United Arab Emirates Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei criticized coal consumption in the U.S., stressing that it was time to move on to cleaner fuel sources and a more diversified energy mix. "What we need from the U.S. is lower coal and higher gas and higher contributions from gas and solar," al-Mazrouei told CNBC's Hadley Gamble during a panel discussion on the future of energy. "That is what the world expects from leading industrial country like the United States. And I think there are good signs of that, it's happening no matter how we look at it." Kaeser, CEO of German industrial conglomerate Siemens, had stronger words for the Donald Trump administration's aversion to climate change legislation and staunch promotion of the coal industry, though refrained from criticizing the president directly. "The U.S. has more than 100 gigawatts of coal-fired power plants, and they've got abundant gas right around corner, whether it's shale or natural gas so there is no point in complaining about climate change, whether people think it's invented by the Chinese or not," Kaeser said, when asked about political obstacles to cleaner energy goals. Supporters of President Donald Trump attend a political rally at Charleston Civic Center in Charleston, West Virginia, on August 21, 2018. MANDEL NGAN | AFP | Getty Images "The facts are the facts and people come and go, so we need to just go by the facts and get something done. So in the short term, it is about gas for coal, with some renewable energies on the side," the CEO said, adding that steps taken in this direction would lead to "a better world." Coal, considered the dirtiest fossil fuel, was the second-largest source of U.S. electricity generation in 2017 at about 30 percent of the energy mix, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Trump has made reviving the U.S. coal industry one of the cornerstones of his presidency, in turn enjoying significant support from voters in coal mining regions of the country. Critics accuse Trump of dismantling the previous administration's efforts on green energy legislation, particularly after his 2017 withdrawal from the COP21 Paris accord. Trump has regularly decried climate change as a hoax, often claiming it was conjured up by the Chinese to blunt U.S. energy competitiveness. He has more recently conceded that he believes the phenomena exists, but dismisses warnings that it is as harmful as climate scientists warn and in November Trump rejected a government-led report outlining devastating consequences on the global economy. Studies show that more than 90 percent of climate scientists believe climate change is not only real, but a threat to the planet and to the economy. 'It's a natural choice' The EIA reports that the three major fossil fuels petroleum, natural gas and coal accounted for about 77 percent of primary energy production in the U.S. in 2017. But al-Mazrouei was optimistic that the tide was turning in the U.S., emphasizing that the world's largest economy is an ally, and as the largest producer and consumer of oil today, played a major role in the future of global energy. "We don't look at it as a political issue We look at whatever the U.S. has to say, and we weigh it toward the overall challenges of energy," the minister said, pointing to California's push ahead in renewables as a positive example. He added that in the U.S., trends were pointing toward increased use of natural gas, the cleanest of the fossil fuels. United Arab Emirates' energy minister Suhail Mohammed Al Mazrouei Seong Joon Cho | Bloomberg | Getty Images What strikes al-Mazrouei as the most important development in energy use is the fact that renewable energy is becoming cheaper. "It's not just something governments have to support for it to succeed. It's a natural choice," he said, adding that the key remaining challenge is availability, and making power generation cheaper and more efficient. Renewable power generation costs are coming down by the year. The period between 2010 and 2016 saw a 69 percent decrease in the cost of electricity from solar photovoltaics and an 18 percent cost decrease for onshore wind, putting the former "well into the cost range of fossil fuels," according to the international Renewable Energy Agency. Renewable energy use growing worldwide Its vice chairman will be Yehuda Shmidman, former CEO of Sequential Brands, the brand licensing company that runs labels like Martha Stewart Living and The Jessica Simpson Collection. Tru Kids is headquartered in Parsippanny, New Jersey, a 20 minute drive from Toys R Us' former headquarters in the town of Wayne. Other employees include former Toys R Us and Babies R Us workers, though it will be a "much tighter team overall" than those employed by its predecessor, Barry said. As of Jan. 20, several former Toys R US executives began running a company called "Tru Kids" to manage those brands, said Richard Barry, new president of Tru Kids and former chief merchandising officer of Toys R Us. Toys R Us liquidated its business last year , unable to emerge from bankruptcy after a crippling 2017 holiday season. Its lenders, including Solus Alternative Asset Management and the Angelo Gordon investment firm, took control of the company's intellectual property, which include the Toys R Us, Babies R Us and Geoffrey brand names. Some former Toys R Us executives are looking to bring back the iconic retailer Geoffrey the Giraffe and all. The full business plan for Tru Kid is still a work in progress, Barry told CNBC. The new company is exploring multiple options, including stand-alone stores, pop-up shops or a partnership like the one Solus and Angelo Gordon previously explored with Kroger. When asked whether Tru Kids would partner with Amazon, Barry said he would "not take anything off the table at all." Its focus will be on growing the Toys R Us name in the United States. Globally, the brand continues operations across 900 stores, generating more than $3 billion in overall retail sales in 2018. "The U.S. is the biggest toy market in the world," said Barry. "Fundamentally, this is the place where the business began [with] Charles Lazarus." Lazarus, Toys R Us' founder, died at age 94, shortly after the company liquidated. Tru Kids will look to avoid some of the pitfalls that brought down its predecessor. Unlike Toys R Us, which was criticized for failing to invest in its stores and digital strategy, Tru Kids will put an emphasis on technology, in-store experiences and customer service, Barry said. Still, to be successful, Toys R Us will need to win over toymakers, many of which had fractured relations with Toys R Us following its U.S. demise. During its bankruptcy, the retailer had continued to order toys throughout its abysmal holiday season. When it liquidated, vendors like crayon maker Crayola weren't paid in full and lost money. "We fully appreciate the impact the bankruptcy had on our vendor partners, and fact that it left our vendors impaired," said Barry. Although they were upset, Barry said toymakers "recognize the value" Toys R Us brought to the industry. This Christmas, the first without Toys R Us, toy sales fell 2 percent, according to market researcher NPD Group. Efforts by Target, Walmart, Amazon and drug stores to expand their toy sections didn't fully replace lost Toys R Us sales, with still far fewer shelves showcasing toys in 2018 than years prior. NPD's figures imply that retailers were able to recapture about 35 percent of the market share, according to Jefferies analyst Stephanie Wissink. Shares of Hasbro dropped as much as 10 percent on Friday, when its missed its estimates by a wide margin because it was unable to recapture as much of the Toys R US business as it anticipated. But even if Target, Walmart and Amazon were unable to fully replace Toys R Us, they continue to have one strong weapon in their arsenal: the ability to compete on price. Big box stores helped drive Toys R Us' downfall by slashing toy prices to draw shoppers into the stores, hoping they would spend money on more profitable products like TVs, washing machines and other hard goods. "If you bring differentiation, you can find that price can be neutralized to a significant degree," said Barry. "But price will always be factor." "If you are a member of Congress, you are going to try to extract everything you can from the opposite party; however, you realize that the political cost and the economic cost are simply just too high," Cantrill told CNBC's " Closing Bell " on Monday. Talks to avoid the partial shutdown have stalled, with members of Congress unable to find common ground on border security. The deadline to reach a deal is end of day Friday. The odds of another government shutdown are "quite low," Libby Cantrill, the head of public policy at Pimco, told CNBC on Monday. The last shutdown in December and January, which lasted 35 days and was the longest in history, cost the economy $11 billion, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The sticking point was President Donald Trump's demand for $5.7 billion to construct his border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The president has appeared to back off that demand but is still asking for physical barriers on the border. Congressional Democrats have offered $1.3 billion to $2 billion for those physical barriers, according to a Democratic source. In return, they want to cap the number of detention beds that Immigration and Customs Enforcement uses for interior enforcement at 16,500. Currently there are about 20,700 beds. Republicans, however, have rejected that idea. "We're not in a good place," the Democratic source told CNBC. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala.; House Appropriations Committee Chairman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y.; Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, were all expected to meet on Monday afternoon to continue talks. Cantrill said while she expects Congress to find a resolution, the big question is what Trump will do and whether he will sign any deal into law. She said the president may actually declare a national emergency to get funds for the wall without congressional approval, which he has threatened to do. "It would allow him to declare victory on that singular issue, which is, of course, very important for him and for his base," she said. "At the same time, he would allow the government to stay open." As for how the markets would react to a shutdown, Cantrill said while it isn't necessarily positive for risk assets, it isn't much of a negative either. However, it could have implications down the road. "The markets will start extrapolating what does a government shutdown this time around mean for things like the debt ceiling, mean for things like the fiscal cliff," she pointed out. "Those actually could have meaningful impacts both on markets and the economy." CNBC's Ylan Mui and Jacob Pramuk contributed to this report. Chinese investors have continued pouring their money into Thailand's property sector even as the kingdom barrels toward an uncertain national election. That underscores the Southeast Asian nation's enduring popularity with the Chinese tourists from Asia's top economy have for years seen Thailand as a top spot for holidays. According to recent data from online Chinese real estate portal Juwai.com, Thailand was its most popular country when it comes to inquiries from potential real estate buyers in 2018 climbing up from the sixth spot in 2016. Thailand will hold general elections on March 24, but Juwai CEO Carrie Law said the company hasn't seen "a link between the Thai election and Chinese property buying." "While the election is momentous for Thailand, most of the buyers we work with are unconcerned about the outcome," she told CNBC. Thailand's economy has been powering ahead since its 2014 coup, reaching 3.9 percent GDP growth in 2017. That was its best in five years, but that growth is expected to slow a bit this year due to weaker global growth, the World Bank projected. Even though that recent coup was the second in less than a decade, the political upheaval did little to cool Thailand's huge property increases. In fact, Sansiri one of Thailand's biggest developers set up its international business unit in 2014 after seeing growing interest from foreign buyers, said Nanmanas Jiwattanakul, the company's assistant executive vice president of international business development. Chinese buyers make up 70 percent of Sansiri's international sales, she said. The development not spurred by any marketing efforts prompted the developer to set up showrooms in Thailand and overseas catering to such investors, she told CNBC. "We started to drive (international sales) and also because we started seeing a number of foreign buyers in Thailand," said Nanmanas. CBD buds of chocolate by Chronic Candy are displayed at the Big Industry Show at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Aug. 31, 2018 The biggest mall owner in the country is about to open more than 100 shops selling products infused with CBD, short for cannabidiol. Simon Property Group on Monday said it was partnering with Ohio-based marijuana company Green Growth Brands to open 108 locations selling CBD products this year at Simon's U.S. malls, which include Roosevelt Field Mall in New York and The Galleria in Houston. "We are constantly on the lookout for cutting-edge new concepts," John Rulli, president of Simon Malls, said in a press release. "We are committed to adding new and dynamic retailers and uses to our shopping destinations, and the GGB shopping experience is exactly the type of innovation our customers want and expect from us." The two companies said the first location will open in March at Castleton Square Mall in Indianapolis. The others are slated to open later this year. Thanks to this partnership, GGB said it will be able to open more shops under its Seventh Sense Botanical Therapy ("Seventh Sense") brand for CBD-infused body care. Peter Horvath, the CEO of GGB, told CNBC the company is already in talks with five other major real estate developers and plans to have 300 locations open (including the 108 with Simon) by the end of 2019. "The mall developers ... are in the business of renting space. They need more food and personal care and less clothing," Horvath said. "We fit into one of the categories that's growing. That's not an accident." For GGB, the deal will help the cannabis company raise more awareness about its brands and promote education around the booming, albeit controversial, CBD industry at large. The increasingly popular compound, which comes from the cannabis plant, promises to deliver the calming benefits of marijuana without the high that comes from THC. Most CBD was legalized in December when President Donald Trump signed the farm bill. However, Food and Drug Administration regulations still prohibit CBD from being added to foods and drinks, which could present some hurdles for restaurant owners already selling it in coffee and cocktails. For Simon, landing GGB as a national tenant will help the landlord fill empty space at its properties. Mall owners have been struggling in recent months to fill storefronts, as brands such as Gymboree and Sears go bankrupt and shut stores or, like Gap and Victoria's Secret, scale back their real estate. Simon has been turning to non-retail tenants like apartments and hotels to fill that empty space. Also on Monday, luxury department store chain Barney's said it will be opening a "cannabis lifestyle shop" in its Beverly Hills store next month, promising more locations to come. The retailer said the space, known as "The High End," will sell an exclusive vaporizer pen, pastilles and other CBD-related items. "This is not a pop-up, [it's] not a temporary space," Barney's creative director, Matthew Mazzucca, said. "It's a category that we are embracing and getting behind." CNBC's Angelica Lavito contributed to this reporting. WATCH: Six experts on the cannabis craze On behalf of the Government and people of Barbados, I would like to express sincere and heartfelt condolences to the Government and people of Haiti in relation to the tragedy of Saturday 2nd February 2019 in which twenty-eight (28) of our Haitian brothers and sisters lost their lives when the boat on which they were travelling sank off the coast of the Bahamas. Our hearts go out to all of the grieving Haitian families, and I would wish to assure the people of Haiti that their Barbadian brothers and sisters are conscious of and troubled by this tragedy that has befallen one of our sister Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations. Indeed, we would wish our Haitian compatriots to know that, as members of the Caribbean family of nations, Haitis loss is our loss and that Haitis grief is our grief as well. I would also like to assure the Government and people of Haiti that this tragedy has served to bring even more forcibly to our attention in Barbados the need for all of us in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to redouble our efforts to reach out to and to engage with Haiti at all levels, as we seek to complete the historic mission of fully integrating Haiti within our Caribbean Community. -End- Note: On Feb 6th the number of dead bodies recovered in this tragic incident was increased to 30. The Royal Anguilla Police Force reports that at 03:35am on Saturday 09th February, 2019 officers of The Royal Anguilla Police Force responded to a call of a shooting incident in the The Valley area, opposite the area commonly known as The Strip. At this time, the RAPF can confirm that a young man has died as a result of a shooting incident which took place in the area. Dead is 30 yr old national of St Kittis and Nevis Jovann Rudolph Frances alias Shadow who resides in Cauls Bottom Anguilla. As the Police continues their investigation into this matter they are appealing to members of the public who may have been in the vicinity of The Brooks and Sons Complex during the time of this shooting incident, and may have witnessed or have any information regarding this shooting to contact the Valley Police Station with such information. The telephone number is 497-2333 and asks for the Criminal Investigation Department or to speak to any Police Officer of their choice. The Commissioner of Police and members of the Royal Anguilla Police Force would like to extend sympathy to the grieved family and friends of the deceased. As the Police investigation continues into this matter a Family Liaison Officer has been appointed to the family. What do Sen. Kamala Harris, Toyota, Charles Schwab and Jordan Peele's new movie "Us" all have in common? They all turned to Reddit to deploy ad campaigns and connect with consumers. The social network's growth in popularity with a broad range of advertisers has attracted new investors and is driving up its valuation. The company announced Monday it has raised $300 million at a $3 billion valuation. That's up from a $1.8 billion valuation when the company took in a $200 million in investment in 2017. Chinese giant Tencent is the newcomer in this series D round, investing $150 million and joining prior investors in the company. With this financing, the company says it plans to expand internationally and grow its ad platform, targeting the market dominated by Facebook and Google. News that Reddit was raising a round with Tencent as an investor was previously reported by TechCrunch. Reddit CEO Steve Huffman sat down with CNBC for an interview to discuss the financing and what's next for the company. "One of the things that's been very important to us is that we can now assure advertisers that you are going to have a positive experience on Reddit and potentially even a new experience, a new way of connecting with customers," Huffman said. He said Reddit's commitment to advertisers is to make that connection "free from abuse and other kinds of misbehaving." Since Reddit was founded in 2005, it has drawn criticism and concerns over abuse, harassment and piracy on the platform. But Huffman said the company has invested in better technology to catch abuse and better tools for its users to report it. The tools are working, he said. Reddit has grown its appeal to advertisers with 330 million monthly active users, half of whom are between the ages of 18 and 24, a valuable, hard-to-reach demographic. While the company won't reveal its revenue, it brought in more than $100 million last year. "We are reinventing the ads business, both on the technology side and our ability to sell it and to create a friendly home for users and brands alike," Huffman said. "So we've made steady progress on all of these fronts over the last year, and we feel pretty proud of where we are. And as a result we are seeing a lot of attention from both brands and investors." Tencent's investment is notable. Not only is Reddit blocked in China, but the platform is known as a bastion for free, unedited speech. But the investment makes more sense considering that Tencent is an investor in some of the video game companies that drive conversations on Reddit. Tencent owns 40 percent of "Fortnite" creator Epic Games. Tencent is also a big investor in another social service banned in China. The company became Snap's largest shareholder in late 2017, and currently owns nearly 15 percent of the public company. "They are investors in lots of video games companies," Huffman said. "And video games are one category that's really popular on Reddit." "We are the only company at our scale that's still a private company, so we've had a lot of investor attention in the last year. So we found ourselves in a good position to get something done right now," Huffman said. Now, with this additional financing, Huffman said he hopes to take a piece of Facebook's and Google's massive market share in online advertising. "When we are talking about competing for ad dollars, of course we are talking about Facebook and Google, who take up the vast majority of ad spend." He said that when it comes to competition for consumers, "We are competing with anybody, or anywhere people spend their free time." One key to growth, Huffman said, is making the Reddit website, which can be cluttered and hard to navigate, easier for newcomers to access. "When we think about internationalization, obviously that's our largest opportunity for user growth," Huffman said. "We still want to get the fundamentals of Reddit working perfectly in the U.S., where we understand the language and the culture, and I still think we have opportunities to do better there." Reflecting on a year dominated by negative headlines around Facebook and on Reddit's own work to make its platform safe, Huffman said Reddit's growth is predicated on eliminating the kind of abuse that can alienate users and brands. "We've learned many lessons over the years, and one of the most important ones is that user safety and trust is extremely important," Huffman said. "We've also seen in the last year how challenging things can be if you don't get that right and how high the stakes are. We do believe the stakes are increasing." Alongside Tencent, the other investors in this round include Sequoia, Fidelity, Andreessen Horowitz, Quiet Capital, VY and Snoop Dogg. Correction: Tacit Capital did not invest in this round. Quiet Capital did. Hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones issued a call for more responsible investing, saying that the craze over stock buybacks is causing troubling social ills. "I think we've got a mania going on in buybacks and a mania going on in terms of shareholder primacy," Jones told CNBC's Bob Pisani on the sidelines Monday of the Inside ETFs conference in Hollywood, Florida. He added that the focus solely on shareholder profits has helped cause major wealth disparities and is a departure from the way corporate boards used to behave. "Things have been different and can be different again, and if they're not I'm really nervous about what the ultimate social consequences are in this country," he said. U.S. companies bought back more than $1 trillion of their own shares in 2018, helping to keep afloat a market that turned in an otherwise lackluster performance as the S&P 500 was off more than 6 percent for the year. However, the propensity of companies to use the trillions in cash they are holding has caused controversy and calls for legislators to limit the practice. Specifically, Sens. Charles Schumer and Bernie Sanders recently proposed requiring companies to meet certain requirements before being allowed to do repurchases. Among the standards would be minimum employee pay of $15 an hour along with paid time off and health benefits. Jones said he wasn't sure if he wanted to go that far. He said he has been speaking with Schumer, a New York Democrat, for over a year on his ideas about socially responsible investing. "I don't know if I want to see a legislative outcome for this," Jones said. "I'd love to see this happen organically." Before companies make buybacks, board members should ask whether their employees are making living wages, and should look into how much the companies are contributing to charity, he said. As part of his push for more ethics in boardrooms, Jones touted the Goldman Sachs JUST US Large Cap ETF, which focuses on companies that comply with environmental, social and governance standards, or the so-called ESG investing philosophy. The fund is up more than 8 percent so far in 2019, about in line with the broader stock market performance. The fund administrators rank Russell 1000 companies on how they stand regarding ESG metrics, then take the top companies and include them in the ETF. The top holdings include tech giants Amazon, Microsoft and Apple. Jones is noted for making broad market calls and predicted the 1987 stock market crash. More recently, he warned at an investor forum in November of a "global debt bubble" that would be "very challenging." In June, he told CNBC that the stock market could go "a lot higher at the end of the year," but the opposite happened. Stocks fell into a near-bear market to end the year as investors recoiled on fears that the Federal Reserve was going to make a policy mistake and raise rates too aggressively. Morgan Stanley announced Monday it will buy Solium Capital, a Canadian company that prepares stock plans for start-ups, for $900 million. The Wall Street bank said it will pay $19.15 Canadian per share for Calgary-based Solium, adding it expects the transaction to close in the second quarter. The "goal will obviously be two-fold: 1) to run a profitable stock plan administration business and expand its distribution to the millions of MS clients, and 2) deliver MS's world class wealth management services into existing and future Solium stock plan clients," Evercore ISI analyst Glenn Schorr said in a note to clients. "Solium will add even more to the stability of the wealth mgmt. division as it's a subscription model with an 11% revenue [compound annual growth rate] over the last 5 years." The deal is Morgan Stanley's biggest since the financial crisis and comes three days after the largest bank merger in a decade was announced. BB&T agreed to buy SunTrust Banks for more than $28 billion in an all-stock deal. Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman told The Wall Street Journal he'd like to "do more" acquisitions. "Last year was the first time we felt comfortable that we could even consider" acquisitions. CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte (L) shakes hands with the President of the United States Donald Trump on the first day of the G7 Summit. There could be fresh tensions over NATO contributions with Italy's defense minister suggesting the rules should be changed on how countries contribute to the military alliance. Members are obliged to spend the equivalent of 2 percent of their own gross domestic product (GDP) on national defense. These payments are used "to meet the needs of its armed forces, those of allies or of the alliance," to pay pensions to retired military, to contribute to NATO-managed trust funds as well as research and development. However, Elisabetta Trenta, the defense minister of the southern European nation, said in an interview that this rule should be broadened out. "There are parts of our spending that are related to defense but are not in the defense budget," she told the Financial Times in an interview published Monday, suggesting that areas such as cybersecurity should feature in the target. A spokesperson for Italy's defense ministry was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC. A NATO spokesperson did not want to comment on the interview. Contributions to NATO are a highly sensitive topic. President Donald Trump has often criticized other NATO members for not respecting the spending rule. Speaking at a NATO summit in 2017, Trump said: "Over the last eight years, the United States spent more on defense than all NATO countries combined. If all NATO members had spent just 2 percent of GDP on defense last year, we would have had another $119 billion for our collective defense." Italian banking shares moved higher on Monday following reports that their capital positions are above the levels required by the European Central Bank in what analysts have described as "not so bad news." Italian banks have been at the forefront of many investors' concerns. Since the appointment of the current anti-establishment government and the subsequent promises to increase public spending, money managers have been worried that the country could be in trouble given its high level of public debt. These concerns have raised Italy's borrowing costs and added pressure on the profitability of Italian banks. Furthermore, recent data has also shown that the economy has entered a technical recession in the last quarter of 2018. Lower economic activity could restrict the bank's ability to make business. Credit rating agency Moody's warned last week that if the recession were to continue over the coming quarters there would be "negative consequences for banks including negative effects on performance, higher nonperforming loan (NPL) inflows, and ultimately banks' capital." However, news that the capital positions of certain banks are higher from what regulators have demanded has brought some relief. Shares in Banco BPM rose above 7 percent, Ubi Banca jumped 4 percent and UniCredit moved nearly 3 percent higher. "After consistent negative news impacting the whole European banking sector, we have finally seen some 'not bad' news," Tom Kinmonth, fixed income strategist at ABN Amro told CNBC via email on Monday. Chris Hughes, co-founder of Facebook and an advocate for wealth equality, told CNBC on Monday that he and other ultrawealthy Americans should be paying higher taxes to help make life better for everyone in society. "We have a free-rider problem. The top 1-percent and even more specifically the top 0.1-percent, those with household wealth above $50 million aren't paying their fair share," said Hughes. Hughes' argument echoes that of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who officially launched her 2020 Democratic presidential campaign on Saturday. The Massachusetts Democrat wants to impose an annual wealth tax of 2 percent on households with assets over $50 million and 3 percent on households with assets over $1 billion. Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a freshman socialist firebrand from New York, wants to slap a 70 percent marginal tax rate on income above $10 million. "As a member of that 1-percent, 0.1-percent, I can tell you, I can afford a little bit higher taxes and it would make my life better," Hughes said in a "Squawk Box" interview. "The point is clear my taxes should be higher." Hughes, a Harvard dormmate of co-founder and Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg, was the early spokesperson for the social network. Hughes said he made about $500 million for three years of work. He left Facebook in 2007 to work on Barack Obama's presidential campaign. In 2016, Hughes co-founded the Economic Security Project, an effort to explore how to provide financial security for all Americans through cash transfers. Appearing on CNBC in 2018, he said workers who make less than $50,000 per year should get a government stipend of $500 per month paid for by raising taxes on the top 1-percent. Rep. Eric Swalwell, speaks during a House Judiciary Committee hearing with acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, on Feb. 8, 2019. Bloomberg | Getty Images LOS ANGELES Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., told CNBC he expects to make an announcement "soon" about whether to run for president in 2020. He has already added staff and offices in some key early states as he builds out a national campaign infrastructure. "It's just making sure that we find the right moment when we're ready to go," Swalwell said of his 2020 plans last week. "But right now I see nothing but green lights." The north Silicon Valley congressman sees the focus on jobs and the economy and how Americans are struggling and feel "disconnected" and hurt by the policies of President Donald Trump. He proposes a variety of initiatives to create more jobs and opportunities, including workforce training, infrastructure investment and tax changes to boost growth in low-income communities. Swalwell has been to North Carolina, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Florida in recent days. And he plans over the next several weeks to return to Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, where he has been adding staff and some offices. The 38-year-old lawmaker, who sits on the House Intelligence and Judiciary committees, would be the youngest president ever elected if he were to win the Oval Office in 2020. He chairs the Intelligence Modernization and Readiness Subcommittee, a panel with oversight for the U.S. intelligence community's policies and programs, including information technology modernization. He has made headlines during House hearings and has become familiar face on news networks discussing Trump and the Russia probe. Talk of Swalwell's presidential ambitions came up Friday in an unlikely place: a televised House Judiciary Committee hearing where acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker was grilled by the California congressman. Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, the ranking GOP member of the panel, objected to a question Swalwell asked Whitaker and then blasted his colleague: "Ask questions instead of running for president." An Iowa native, Swalwell was raised in California and elected to his first term in Congress in 2012 by defeating Rep. Pete Stark, a 40-year Democratic incumbent. Swalwell previously was an Alameda County prosecutor and city councilman in Dublin, a suburb in the eastern San Francisco Bay Area. As a 2020 candidate, Swalwell would face competition from another Northern Californian who already has thrown her hat in the ring for the nomination Sen. Kamala Harris. Both worked in the same district attorney's office and got their start in the Bay Area. Here are some key issues Swalwell plans to run on as the field of Democratic presidential candidates grows nearly every week. Jobs and economy Swalwell said a top priority issue is creating new jobs and "connecting the disconnected. So many people feel disconnected from opportunities. Americans need a leader who can connect to them." To boost jobs and new opportunities, he supports workforce training, infrastructure investment and policies that encourage entrepreneurship in communities. He also believes the current tax code should be changed to spur economic activity in low-income communities. In addition, Swalwell said he's supportive of principles of the Green New Deal, the proposal unveiled last week to address climate change. "If you're a worker who is on a [gas or oil] pipeline, you should have a skills and wage guarantee as you transition from dirty fossil fuels to a green economy," he said. At the same time, he believes many workers are hurting due to a combination of flat wages and high health costs, and they deserve relief. He said Trump has "done nothing" for Americans who are struggling to make ends meet and instead is more concerned with "top-floor executives." Swalwell also rejects Trump's State of the Union claim of the nation being an "economic miracle," suggesting unemployment numbers and the stock market do not tell the full picture. "There may be some economic miracles on the top floors of buildings across our country," Swalwell said, "but for most workers on most floors who toil away, they're not seeing the benefits of this economy. They feel like yeah they're working but just running in place, and health care is eating up their paychecks and they're just one emergency of a flat tire or a washing machine going out or a kid going to the ER from being wiped out." Moreover, Swalwell said he's familiar with the everyday struggles of families. He was the first in his family to go to college, and he and his wife, Brittany Watts, have two young kids and nearly $100,000 in student loan debt. "We're very connected to grit and struggle and the belief that if you work hard, you do better and dream bigger," he said. "I think you need to have that in the Oval Office." Health care Swalwell supports a "health-care guarantee" that would offer all Americans guaranteed coverage and has been critical of the Trump administration's efforts to undermine the Affordable Care Act. "The president pointed out in the State of the Union this 10-year-old girl who has childhood brain cancer," Swalwell said. "And it was a really moving story how she had gone out on her own and had raised $40,000 for her treatments." Then again, Swalwell said that same story the president highlighted is "an unintended indictment on Washington's inability to have a health-care system that takes care of everyone. So when a young girl has to go out and raise money [and] her hope is based on the charity of others ... that's a failure of our health-care system." Swalwell said he's seen other examples of people struggling to pay for medical care, including noticing collection jars inside convenience stores in middle America. "You'll see a collection jar with a picture of someone in the community who has a catastrophic injury, or has an illness or diagnosis and they're relying on someone at the cashier's counter putting their quarters and dollar bills in the jar," he said. "And that's their hope. That's wrong. That shouldn't be someone's health-care plan in America." The lawmaker also is calling for a "cures in our lifetime" initiative that includes robust spending on medical research by utilizing the latest in advanced technology to find cures for debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and cancer. He called Trump's plan to spend $500 million over a decade on childhood cancer research "a drop in the bucket." "Innovation has to be a part of the health-care agenda," Swalwell said. "That will reduce costs, that will extend quality of life, and that would create jobs. I don't see anyone trying to unify us and reach for that goal." Gun violence Senator Amy Klobuchar waves to the crowd with her husband John Bessler and daughter Abigail Bessler after announcing her candidacy for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination in Minneapolis, Minnesota, February 10, 2019. Sen. Amy Klobuchar has joined the ranks of other Democratic 2020 presidential hopefuls who are rejecting campaign contributions from corporate political action committees, CNBC has learned. In a brief statement first given to CNBC, campaign spokeswoman Carlie Waibel said the Minnesota lawmaker is walking away from corporate PAC money. "The senator is not accepting contributions from corporate PACs during her campaign for president," Waibel said. Klobuchar announced Sunday in Minneapolis that she is running for president. She later tweeted that she's not influenced by super PACs or lobbyists. tweet The move by Klobuchar to distance herself from PACs governed by corporations across the country comes as a wave of other Democrats running for president, including Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Elizabeth Warren, say that they too will not accept campaign donations from big businesses in an effort to appeal to grassroots voters. Klobuchar has been no stranger to contributions from corporate PACs during her runs for Minnesota's Senate seat. In her 2018 re-election campaign, she raked in just under a quarter of her total haul from PACs, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. Of the $8 million Klobuchar raised in the last election cycle, $1.9 million came from PACs that represent industries ranging from agriculture to lobbying. The decision to reject corporate donations is the latest move by Klobuchar to paint herself as someone who will stand up to the titans of industry. At her snowy 2020 announcement, she made clear that one of her priorities is to regulate tech companies, such as Facebook, Google and Twitter. "We need to put some digital rules into law when it comes to people's privacy. For too long the big tech companies have been telling you 'Don't worry! We've got your back!' while your identities are being stolen and your data is mined," Klobuchar said. Demonstrators raise their fists in protest of President Trump's attempts to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), an executive action made by President Obama that protected minors known as Dreamers who entered the country illegally from deportation, outside of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, March 5, 2018. Samuel Corum | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images More than 100 major companies including Apple and Amazon are renewing their push for immigration reform as another potential government shutdown looms. In a letter to lawmakers, the coalition of companies urged Congress to pass bipartisan legislation that enables more than 700,000 immigrants, known as "Dreamers," to legally work and live in the U.S. The letter ran Monday as a full-page ad in The New York Times. CEOs who signed the letter include Apple's Tim Cook, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Google's Sundar Pichai, and Twitter and Square's Jack Dorsey. "With the re-opening of the federal government and the presumptive restart of immigration and border security negotiations, now is the time for Congress to pass a law to provide Dreamers the certainty they need. These are our friends, neighbors, and coworkers, and they should not have to wait for court cases to be decided to determine their fate when Congress can act now," they wrote in the letter. Immigration is one of the biggest sticking points between the parties as the government lurches toward another potential shutdown at the end of this Friday. President Donald Trump has been a big opponent of the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, which allows young immigrants who arrived in the U.S. illegally as children to stay and work in the country. Trump had proposed limited legal protections for "Dreamers" in exchange for money to build his proposed border wall, but Democrats quickly rejected the temporary solution as "inadequate." Losing DACA workers would cost the economy $350 billion in GDP and $90 billion in tax revenue, the companies said in the letter. Below is the transcript of a CNBC Exclusive interview with former President of Mexico Vincente Fox. The interview was first broadcast on CNBC's Squawk Box Asia on 11 February 2019. All references must be sourced to a "CNBC Interview'. Interviewed by CNBC's Hadley Gamble Hadley Gamble (HG): Vincente Fox thank you so much for joining CNBC. I want to kick off by asking you about what you see as the greatest challenges facing the world today. Vincente Fox (VF): Well, I think the main, main challenge to my point of view. I'm 77 I'm in the winter of my life, so you get a little bit of wisdom HG: The golden years, not winter! VF: When I look behind and I see that we have never been successful linking together to successful first world. Those who lead the world with the real guys. We have too many billions of people that don't have the opportunities. And they were the silent majority in the past but now they are loud raising their voices. A minority that is claiming their opportunity. So if we want to have a future of success, harmony, peace, unity we must be compassionate. We must have love as the main ingredient in anything we do. We can be entrepreneurs, we can be governments, we can be academy, we can be researchers, we can be innovators, but if we don't have a spirit of compassion, that compassion and leadership to share with others, we won't make it. HG: Well. Does Donald Trump have that kind of compassion? VF: Phew[in Spanish], as we say in Spanish it's double the rate. Yes, unfortunately he is not ... he doesn't seem to be a human being. He just looks like a machine and he doesn't have any compassion. We never seen him embracing an Afro-American kid, or embracing a disabled kid. You'll never see him sharing love except maybe, maybe with his wife and his son. But the rest of the world, he doesn't care about. HG: When you look at what's happening in France for example we have the yellow vests. We have riots in Paris for months. Is the government getting it wrong? VF: This is the world of today. Governments, each time, they have less legitimacy, less support. People has lost credibility about political parties, about government and this has to be change, again that's why I always claim, love, compassion - a humanistic attitude is what really will make this world better. And there is many, many, many people working on that side of the developing line. But, yet the leaders are not committed enough. They just want to see for themselves. They just want their place in history, but they don't care about the others. HG: You just spent a couple of days at a CEO summit right here in Dubai, and one of the things that they were really focused on was making the world a better place. And just how to do that? You're looking at housing and health care as well as the debt crisis. What was your key takeaway? VF: We came as a group, invited by, led by Kairos. And this is a fantastic group. People from all over the world, with warm hearts, with compassionate attitude. And we were requested by the world forum to present three driving ideas for what we think that could be changed on the side of entrepreneurship in the next five years. And yes, we came out a lot of things have to be happening. One is health. The health system is not working, is not delivering. Education in a way is obsolete; not the content but the access the corporates, the participation of everybody. And that number three environment. Very terrible problems with the environment so we came with ideas that entrepreneurs, that investors in the private sector can tackle and solve at least part of the problems that we're going to be facing in the next five years. HG: And when you look at what's happening between your country and the United States. A lot of people in the United States are divided about whether a wall could be the answer, what's your take? VF: That is the big, big problem of today in United States the divide. And when the leader is calling aggressive means for people, when the leader is not uniting. Then you have this divide and this is what we have all around the world. We don't need walls. We need bridges of understanding. We need bridges of sharing. And that's exactly what must be done in this very immediate future. HG: Do you think that they're going to let him get his wall? VF: Well, I think I'm sure we won't pay for it. We will never, ever pay for it. If he wants to build the wall with US citizens' money, his government's money let it be. But it's a useless wall. It's a waste of money. He said the fighting element so it's nonsense. HG: Thank you so much for joining CNBC. Thank you. END Media Contact: Clarence Chen Communications Manager APAC, CNBC International D: +65 6326 1123 M: +65 9852 8630 clarence.chen@cnbc.com About CNBC CNBC is the leading global broadcaster of live business and financial news and information, reporting directly from the major financial markets around the globe with regional headquarters Singapore, Abu Dhabi, London, and New York. The TV channel is available in more than 410 million homes worldwide. CNBC.com is the preeminent financial news source on the web, featuring an unprecedented amount of video, real-time market analysis, web-exclusive live video and analytical financial tools. CNBC is a division of NBCUniversal. For more information, visit www.cnbc.com Below is the transcript of a CNBC Exclusive interview with George Papandreou, Former Prime Minister of Greece. The interview was first broadcast on CNBC's Squawk Box Asia on 11 February 2019. All references must be sourced to a "CNBC Interview'. Interviewed by CNBC's Hadley Gamble Hadley Gamble (HG): Prime Minister, thank you so much for joining CNBC. I want to kick off by asking you about the CEO summit. What were some of your key takeaways? George Papandreou (GP): Well these are important, important summits. I think we need to see that some of the problems like for example inequality. There are lots of technical solutions. I remember, for example fighting corruption inequality in Greece and the medical sector we had over prescriptions of health care by doctors and they were getting kickbacks by multinationals. And finally the taxpayer was paying for this and it went to really huge costs. But we brought in transparency, we brought in e-prescriptions, and cut the costs by 50 percent, which some are pretty much about the amount we cut it was about the amount that people pay in property taxes in Greece. So there are solutions but I think what technology can do is it can tell people and tell the global elite, and our societies, that solutions exist. But what is missing right now is the actual political will to tackle these problems. HG: Such as what? GP: Well I think people are becoming much more aware, citizens are becoming much more aware. My fear is that some of this awareness this anger, is going in the wrong direction. So people are angry, and I can understand why. If you are the middle class and you can't meet your daily needs. You say well why when there this huge inequality in the global 1 percent or 10 percent. And they have amazing ways to avoid taxes and tax havens and so on. Well that's where you need political will. As awareness develops, I think we need to see that only through cooperation can we deal with these issues only through some global regulation can we deal with those issues. There are other forces however saying let's move towards isolationism, let's move towards ultra nationalism, let's move towards building walls. Well that's not going to solve the problems that is in fact going to make us much weaker in dealing with the global problems we have such as climate change or the issue of tax havens and so on. So I think what our message should be, what our understanding should be, is that we need to work together. That's where Europe is very important as an example for the world. Make yours stronger, not weaker. Let's work together more, then we can really solve this problem. We could have solved the refugee problem maybe not completely, but we could have dealt with it in a much more effective way. As for the financial crisis, when I was head of the Greek government, had we worked together and immediately, the pain would have been much less. It took a lot of soul searching, there was a lot of punitive measures, there was a lot of stereotyping, lazy young, southerners -- actually Greeks work more hours than any other European - according to the OECD. So this was simply too easy rhetorical types of phrases but the the question was can we work together to calm the global markets so that we can get moving on our reforms in Greece and in other countries, to be more competitive more transparent more vibrant economies. HG: And I think said during the financial crisis there wasn't an opportunity to really fundamentally restructure economies of scale. Have we missed the boat? GP: I think so, I think we really need to rethink capitalism at the global level. The national level what we had and many of our developed societies what we call a social contract it was basically the employees, employers, government together saying yes we want profits, employers get profits but there's going to be a better sharing and so we make sure that there's a good life for our people. Infrastructure, environment, education, health and so on. What happens now is capital can move away. Basically, moving away from its responsibilities. And society has left, and I was left and many other leaders are left. Taxing those who can't move. If you want to keep the country going. So middle class, lower class get hit. And those who can move. Move their capital. Move their profits. They don't have to pay it, they're not part of this global or this social contract. Can we do that at a global level? Can we say let's have a global social contract to make sure that our society, we have a lot of wealth there's a huge amount of resources great possibility with technology. But. It's not. It's not distributed well, it's not used well, because we don't have some sort of global system which will control this bring transparency. And fight these these issues such as tax evasion. HG: Do you believe that we have the right leadership in place in Europe and in the United States today to lead on these issues. GP: Good question and leadership of course and democratic this comes from our own societies. So I think there's what we need to watch what is needed now is people need to stand up and speak and talk against this type of leadership which says isolationism, or the migrants are bad, or China is bad OK. We have problems. HG: The rhetoric of Donald Trump. GP: The rhetoric of stereotyping the other, as the problem rather than looking at our own problems in our own societies. I mean if you look at the student debt in the United States it's huge. The Chinese are not to blame for that or neither are the migrants to blame for that. If you look at the healthcare system in the US they pay a lot more in the US than let's say in Canada where most of our European countries yet very badly distributed health services very badly for some of the middle and lower class. It's a nightmare to how to get good health care. That's not a problem that the foreigners have had to do it. We should deal with that. But there are issues we have to work together. So I think they will affect us. For example climate change and the issue of tax havens and so on. But that's why we need to stand up and say leadership is not saying somebody else is bad. Leadership is how we change, how our structures change. Leadership is looking at issues of justice, social justice. How we become more productive, how we help our education and health systems become improving, and not demonizing the others and see how we can work together at a global level. HG: Are you disappointed by what you're seeing in terms of the rhetoric among European countries today in regards to Brexit or to what's happening in France specifically with the breaking of diplomatic relations at this point between Italy and France? GP I'm very disappointed. I'm worried actually about a lot of the rhetoric on the ultra right which and also even some of the more moderate conservatives that are basically embracing people like Orban in Hungary, where radical rhetoric is undermining our capacity as Europe to be a strong voice, globally to deal with problems which we have in the world, think of Africa and their training in this area. This is one of the areas where maybe the highest population growth could be in the next decade. If we don't deal with that in a constructive way and we can only do that if we work together we will have more problems rather than less problems both in Africa but also in Europe. The issue of climate change and so on we cannot deal with this with the rhetoric of going it alone. We know no one is an island. I mean when I'm in Greece and when I was in the crisis I would say oh wouldn't it be great. I just go off to my Greek islands drink my drink my Greek wine, fish and have my yogurt. Great salads, dive in the water and so on. But then you realize I'm one of those Greek islands. If you dive in you'll see beside the ancient ruins you've got these modern ruins of plastic bottles. You'll see that you can be sitting there one morning and then all of a sudden you get thousands of refugees coming from somewhere in the world. You'll see that the ecosystem is changing because of global warming. These issues cannot be dealt as islands alone. We are no longer islands, and I think this is what's the problem with Brexit is there was a projection that you know we can go it alone, and we'll be much better. I can understand that sense of bring back control. We do need to bring back control, but we can only do it together now in a global system in a global economy where we work together to put in some kind of regulation underlying values and understanding and creating a system where much more just for our citizens. HG: When you look at the Brexit crisis Theresa May, really between a rock and a hard place. Do you believe that the Europeans should help her out given the stalemate? GP: Well, I, I HG: For the sake of unity GP: I may disagree with Theresa May, but I can feel for her. I empathize for a leader that has to deal with such a very difficult situation. I mean, I think in Europe there are different feelings but obviously the general consensus in Europe would be come back to us you know, come back, come back here. I would want to see somebody like Theresa May step up and say listen look what we tried we saw this. We actually voted for Brexit. Now we see what it means. These are the options. They're not very good options for the UK maybe we need to go to a second referendum. Maybe we need to ask the people again. They now have much more information. They have a very good view of what the options are. HG: Yeah GP: They know what the possible consequences are. Let's get away from the rhetoric. Let's let the people in a more let's say less emotional and more calm. HG: Sounds pretty Kumbayah to me. GP: Well there's nothing kumbaya on this. And I know that there's a huge divide in the UK and in any of our societies that's not happy. And I would want to see that in any a healing process. Obviously a second referendum could divide. But it also could heal if it's done in a proper way. And hopefully I would want to see you UK back with us again because they have a voice. One thing that the UK is actually giving up, which many people don't understand is, you will be influenced by Europe one way or another. You will be influenced by global events one way or another. In Europe you actually have a voice a voice to make your point and actually push your interests. If you're out of Europe you'll be influenced but you will have no voice. HG: Thank you so much for joining us on CNBC, I appreciate it. GP: Thank you. END Media Contact: Clarence Chen Communications Manager APAC, CNBC International D: +65 6326 1123 M: +65 9852 8630 clarence.chen@cnbc.com About CNBC CNBC is the leading global broadcaster of live business and financial news and information, reporting directly from the major financial markets around the globe with regional headquarters Singapore, Abu Dhabi, London, and New York. The TV channel is available in more than 410 million homes worldwide. CNBC.com is the preeminent financial news source on the web, featuring an unprecedented amount of video, real-time market analysis, web-exclusive live video and analytical financial tools. CNBC is a division of NBCUniversal. For more information, visit www.cnbc.com Below is the transcript of a CNBC Exclusive interview with Bruno Le Maire, French Finance and Economy Minister. The interview was first broadcast on CNBC's Squawk Box Asia on 11 February 2019. All references must be sourced to a "CNBC Interview'. Interviewed by CNBC's Hadley Gamble Hadley Gamble (HG): Minister thank you so much for joining CNBC. I want to kick off by asking you about what we've seen happening in France over the last several months; the riots, the general chaos -- can you ensure investors that France and your government have a handle on the situation. Bruno Le Maire (BLM): I'm deeply convinced that Emmanuel Macron will overcome those difficulties. But we-; you have to take into account what happened in France and what happened in many other countries. You have a lot of people in the European nations which have the feeling to be left out of globalization, which do not take any benefits from globalization. We have to take that into account. So the first response, we put on the table, was this grande debate which means that everybody has to make proposals to improve the current situation in France. And after these big debate, Emmanuel Macron and the government will take very strong decisions. We have listened to the people and we will give strong answers to what has been expressed during the last two or three months. HG: And given what we've seen over the last couple of weeks from the Italian government. Do you feel that they are betraying the ideals of Europe? BLM: I think that Europe needs solidarity more cooperation and not that kind of nasty or aggressive remarks against each other. I think that the key challenge for Europe is to be a strong continent from both the political and economic point of view between the United States on the one side and China on the other side. We have to face the rise of China on the economic fields, but also on the political and financial fields. If we want to be strong we have to be together. Dividing Europe, dividing European politicians would be a historical mistake for all the European countries. HG: Following on to that you're headed to Brussels tonight. Don't you think that should mean then that the Europeans should really help Theresa May when it comes to her Brexit negotiations. Because in terms of getting a clean Brexit here doesn't that mean that there would be more solidarity between the UK and Europe. BLM: The British people made a choice. I deeply regret the choice made by the British people to leave the EU and I strongly believe that it was a mistake. But this is a decision of the British people and we have to take that into account. We-; having negotiated an agreement, and I think that the agreement that is now on the table is a fine one, and a fair one. So it's up now to the British politicians and to the British prime minister to find a way out and hope that the agreement might be accepted by the British people. For the 27 member states of the EU; the key question is not the Brexit - the key question is the future of Europe. The key question is how we improve the current daily life of European citizens. How do we find more funding for innovation, for new technologies. How we build up an industry that we'd be able to face the American and the Chinese industry. These are the key questions and, I must confess, Brexit is not the key challenge for us. The key challenge is the reinforcements of the European continent and the European construction. HG: But Europeans; granted this isn't necessarily perhaps your biggest challenge, but for Theresa May she's between a rock and a hard place. Do you think that Europeans should then help her out or at least be open to the idea of it? BLM: We are not in favor of any opening of the agreement because it took a lot of time to negotiate that agreement and I really feel that this agreement is the best agreements that we can achieve. So reopening the agreement would lead nowhere, and I think it would be like selling new illusions to the British people. We have that agreement, maybe there is a need for clarifications and we are open to giving more clarifications to a British citizen, of course, but we opening the agreement would lead nowhere. HG: Right now a lot of people in Silicon Valley are very unhappy with Europe. They feel that they're being unfairly targeted when it comes to taxation and the moves by the European Parliament to really tap down on what they think are unfair practices by these technologies and internet companies. What's your take? BLM: I think there is no unfair behaviour. The question of taxation is the key question for the 21st century. We have to look at the current situation in the current situation you have a small SMEs being more taxed than the biggest Internet giants in the world. We can no longer accept to have the smallest SMEs being taxed 40 points more than the Internet giants, that's why France has decided to introduce a digital taxation for the internet giants, like Italy, like Spain, like the UK did. We hope that it will be possible to find a European agreement on digital taxation. For the sake of having a more efficient and fairer international taxation system. And there is another challenge which is a key one, we wanted to fight against tax avoidance from the biggest multinationals in the world and this will be one of the key priorities for the French G-7. We want to introduce a minimum level of corporate tax all over the world because we strongly believe that if we want to fight against tax avoidance we need the introduction of a minimum corporate tax levy. HG: One of the things, of course, that's hidden behind the problem that you've had in France over the last couple of months is of course rising inequality and people feeling that they've been unfairly played by the system. When you take a step back and look at the potential for the deal between Alstom and Siemens the EU said they're not going to let that happen. Do you think that's fair? BLM: No, I think it was a mistake from the European Commission to refuse that merger between Alstom and Siemens. Let's have a look at true reality. We are facing a huge challenge with the rise of the Chinese industry. What do we do? Shall we divide the open forces or shall we try to merge the open forces from the industrial point of view? I strongly believe that the right solution is not more division but more cooperation among French, German and other European companies. That's exactly what we proposed with the merger between Alstom and Siemens to have industrial giant being able to face the competition with the so-called [in French], the Chinese giants in segmentation and raw stock. The commission took that decision. Of course we would abide by that decision but we would make very strong proposals to change the world of competition and to allow the European industrials to merge and to be stronger. HG: Minister, final question for you we're right here inside the Middle East. Weapons Sales from France have doubled to the Middle East over the last year or so. Given what we've seen in terms of the situation in Syria, the destabilization of Yemen, the Khashoggi murder as well, do you believe that France will continue to sell weapons to the Middle East at the levels that we've seen. BLM: First of all I would like to recall, that France under the leadership of Emmanuel Macron is doing a lot to restore order, to preserve peace in the region. We have soldiers on the ground and we made a lot of public expenses to support peace in the region. That's the first point I wanted to recall, because I listened to critiques coming from countries which do not have soldiers on the ground. The second point is that there are rules when you want to export weapons. And France is abiding by the international and especially by European rules as far as weapons, exploitation are concerned. HG: Do you think that public opinion might change that in the coming year? BLM: I think that the public opinion wants to have protection and if you want to have protection you have to defeat terrorism on the ground. That's exactly what France is committed to do. HG: Your Excellency thank you so much for joining CNBC. BLM: Thank you. END Media Contact: Clarence Chen Communications Manager APAC, CNBC International D: +65 6326 1123 M: +65 9852 8630 clarence.chen@cnbc.com About CNBC CNBC is the leading global broadcaster of live business and financial news and information, reporting directly from the major financial markets around the globe with regional headquarters Singapore, Abu Dhabi, London, and New York. The TV channel is available in more than 410 million homes worldwide. CNBC.com is the preeminent financial news source on the web, featuring an unprecedented amount of video, real-time market analysis, web-exclusive live video and analytical financial tools. CNBC is a division of NBCUniversal. For more information, visit www.cnbc.com Chinese consumers queue up outside a time-honored grocery store to buy their Chinese New Year essentials in Shanghai. China's retailer and catering enterprises earned over 1 trillion yuan ($148.3 billion) during the Lunar New Year holiday, defying an economic slump to rise 8.5 percent from last year, the country's commerce ministry said late on Sunday. The increase was down to the rapid growth in sales of new-year gifts, traditional foods, electronic products and local speciality products over a six-day holiday period ending on Saturday, the Ministry of Commerce said in a notice on its website. Domestic tourism during the new year break generated total revenues of 513.9 billion yuan, up 8.2 percent on the year, with the number of trips rising 7.6 percent to 415 million, the official Xinhua news agency said on Sunday, citing official data. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has a solid case against the National Enquirer and its parent company, American Media Inc., for alleged blackmail and extortion, management expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld told CNBC on Monday. AMI and the Enquirer's alleged actions were "pure extortion," the senior associate dean at the Yale School of Management said on "Squawk Box." This is the way "anybody in the court of law or Webster's dictionary defines extortion," he said. Extortion is the practice of making a threat in order to force someone to take an action or give up something valuable. In a bombshell blog post Thursday, Bezos accused the Enquirer's publisher of threatening to post sexual pictures that the billionaire had texted to his mistress and news anchor, Lauren Sanchez. He accused AMI of blackmail and extortion but has yet to sue them. Meanwhile, federal prosecutors are reviewing the Enquirer's handling of the story, a source told NBC News. They want to determine whether the tabloid violated an immunity agreement its parent company struck last year in the investigation into Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer. That deal required the company to agree to "commit no crimes whatsoever." AMI denied Bezos' claims, saying in a statement on Friday, "American Media believes fervently that it acted lawfully in the reporting of the story of Mr. Bezos," but added that the board determined "it should promptly and thoroughly investigate the claims." A spokesman for AMI told CNBC on Monday the company run by David Pecker, a longtime Trump friend declined to comment beyond Friday's statement. Elkan Abramowitz, attorney for Pecker, denies Bezos' allegations. "It absolutely is not extortion and not blackmail," Abramowitz said Sunday on ABC's "This Week." "The story was given to the National Enquirer by a reliable source that had been giving information to the National Enquirer for seven years prior to this story. It was a source that was well known to both Mr. Bezos and Miss Sanchez." The Daily Beast, citing multiple sources, said Lauren Sanchez's brother, Michael, was the source of the texts. The news site said Michael Sanchez, a Trump supporter, declined to comment. Some suspect the story may have been politically motivated, including Stu Zakim, a former spokesman for AMI who last week on CNBC questioned the wisdom of attempting to use leverage on the world's richest man. Jerry George, who spent 28 years at the tabloid, including as senior editor and Los Angeles bureau chief, said on CNBC on Friday, "I think American Media and David Pecker tried to make amends and brought this divorce story to the president as a means of kissing and making up." Sonnenfeld, who views Bezos as a "victim" in this story, said the Amazon chief deserves a Pulitzer Prize in "courage" for making public AMI's actions. Sonnenfeld, an award-winning author, said some lawyers say Bezos could go for property damages in the Enquirer story. "Reputation is always considered property damage," he added. Last week, Sonnenfeld told CNBC the Enquirer saga is a "warning volley over the bow" to Amazon board to make a succession plan for Bezos. Amazon was not available to respond to CNBC's request for comment. CNBC's Michelle Fox contributed to this report. The Inside ETF conference, the world's biggest gathering of ETF professionals, is underway in Hollywood, Florida. Some 2,500 providers, registered investment advisors and media have gathered to discuss the latest trends in the investment world. The U.S. exchange-traded funds business expanded again last year, despite the down market, and now has $3.6 trillion in assets. The mutual fund industry saw outflows but is still sizable, at roughly $19 trillion. Here are the hot topics dominating the discussion in Florida: 1. Fund fees: The first zero-expense ratio ETF will launch in 2019. True, Fidelity introduced four zero-fee index mutual funds in 2018, but only Fidelity's own brokerage clients can purchase them. There are now 11 U.S. listed ETFs that charge a minuscule 0.04 percent net expense ratio and there are five charging an even tinier 0.03 percent, according to CFRA's Todd Rosenbluth. That's $3 or $4 per $10,000 invested, which means you need a lot of volume to make any money. Rosenbluth thinks a true zero-expense ETF is coming soon. 2. Low cost isn't the only thing that matters. For years, money has gravitated to the cheapest ETFs, whether they be passive or active. That won't change, but Brown Brothers Harriman's 2019 Global ETF Investor Survey noted that investors were increasingly paying attention to performance, trading spreads, and even the underlying ETF issuer as additional factors in deciding what ETFs to buy. 3. Google and Amazon getting into investment management? Dave Nadig from ETF.com is pushing an interesting idea at the conference: Investing is being increasingly automated, and the biggest challenge for the industry is no longer developing products, it's distribution. Cutting through the noise, Nadig notes, has been tougher, and nobody is better at cutting through the noise than Amazon, Apple and Alphabet. No financial brand, not even Vanguard or BlackRock, has that kind of reach. So what's it all mean? "I'm firmly convinced some, if not all, of these monster brands will enter the investment management business. It could happen in any number of ways: acquisitions, partnerships, home-grown beta products. It could be a new kind of robo, or a subscription-based direct indexing service. It could start with a little light banking and grow into financial education. But it's going to happen." Alibaba has launched world's largest money market fund. Admittedly, this is a highly regulated business. It's a software issue. If that is true, does it need to be a traditional asset manager. 4. Active management. The Brown Brothers Harriman survey noted that demand for actively managed ETFs is increasing globally. This is a natural evolution. There are far fewer actively managed products in the U.S., and if issuers can provide them at the lower cost that ETF buyers demand, then interest will naturally increase. The problem is there's not much evidence active management suddenly attracts large amounts of new investments when the market slows. Active management is still built around a cult of personality (think Jeff Gundlach). 5. Smart beta funds: an alternative to active management. Smart beta is a middle ground between passive investing and active management, which still usually involves old-fashioned stock picking done mostly by humans. Having conquered the passive world, which is largely tied to indexes that are weighted by market capitalization, ETF providers are turning to constructing funds that use alternative construction methods broadly known as "smart beta" that might weight by size, value or volatility. About one-third of the respondents in the Brown Brothers Harriman survey said they purchased a smart beta ETF to replace an actively managed mutual fund. "This is consistent with prior year findings that investors view smart beta and active ETFs as tools with multiple uses in portfolio construction and often lower costs than active funds," the study found. 6. Hot trend: Quality. It's the obsession of the moment, but what does it mean? It's a fuzzy term, but generally it refers to companies with growing earnings, high returns on equity, and low debt-to-equity ratios. Some will also add high dividends. The hope is that this magical combination will outperform plan-vanilla market cap weighted indexes. Astoria Portfolio Advisors' John Davi thinks quality ETFs will take in more assets this year than any other smart beta product. "The earnings cycle is slowing, so companies with EPS stability (or above average growth) will be rewarded more," Davi said. The iShares Quality Factor ETF (QUAL) has gathered more than $9 billion in assets, others including the WisdomTree Dividend Growth Fund (DGRW) and Invesco Quality ETF (SPHQ) have also attracted interest. 7. Hot trend: Environmental, social, governance (ESG). Paul Tudor Jones is giving a major speech promoting his role in Just Capital and the importance of ESG principles. Just Capital ranks companies based on social impact. Last year, Goldman Sachs rolled out an ETF (JUST) on the same topic. It's a tough sell: Everyone agrees on the growing importance of ESG principals, but investment flows have been modest, and there is still debate about whether the strategy can perform in the long run. 8. Hot trend: Disruptive technologies. Whether its robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, neurobiology or any other disruptive technology, there's an ETF for that now. Equally important, the ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) has been a rare active management success due to manager Cathie Wood, who has become a thought leader in this space. The problem is these funds are so new they are still untested. There has been a 10-year bull market. How will they do in an uneven investment environment? Amazon has shown that it is "antithetical" to New York values, and the company should not be allowed to build its second headquarters in Queens until it changes its ways, City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer told CNBC on Monday. Bramer, deputy leader of the 51-member council, said one reason he is against the HQ2 deal is because of the online shopping behemoth's stance on labor unions. "They remarkably came to the City Council last week and declared not only would they not remain neutral when it came to efforts of their employees ... to organize but that they would actually fight to crush any effort of their employees to unionize," the Queens borough representative said on "Squawk on the Street." "This is a union town. I grew up in a union family. We've got to stand up for our values there." Bramer, a Democrat, also called out Amazon's reported ties to federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Some Amazon shareholders have urged the tech giant to stop selling Rekognition, its facial recognition technology, to some government agencies. They have also said that Amazon is planning to pitch the service to ICE. "Obviously we're a sanctuary city. The mayor and all of us have declared that we want to be a safe haven for all immigrants, including the undocumented," Bramer said. "Amazon refuses to budge on that issue." The company has defended selling Rekognition to law enforcement. Amazon's HQ2 has stirred an intraparty party dispute among New York's Democrats, with criticism emerging from officials representing the Queens borough at the local, state and federal levels. Earlier Monday, Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., told CNBC that New York needs Amazon's presence so that it could become the tech center of the world. The 10-term Democratic lawmaker also said it's an opportunity for the company to work with the community to ensure that it benefits Queens residents. "We are a tech city and we are able to grow as a result of that," he said. "But we also look at what some of the headaches have been in some other cities and so we have a chance to make sure that we fix that here." Bramer believes Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio, also Democrats, "botched" the deal, which includes roughly $3 billion in tax incentives, to lure the Seattle-based company's investment. The plan is to bring part of its second headquarters and 25,000 jobs to the Long Island City neighborhood in Queens. "All of those reasons and more lead us to fight this deal because at the end of the day, it's a bad deal for New York," Bramer said. The Washington Post reported on Friday that Amazon is reconsidering the New York development due to local opposition. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the freshman firebrand who has been one of the most notable critics of the deal, welcomed news that Amazon could ditch the planned New York facility. The Queens/Bronx Democrat is worried the project could displace low-income and working-class families. In response to the report, Cuomo said "we have to make Amazon a reality" in New York and that "it is irresponsible to allow political opposition to overcome sound government policy." He equated such opposition to "malpractice" because the headquarters would create so many jobs in the city. De Blasio's office has defended tax incentives offered by the city for the project, saying it could generate $12.5 billion in future tax revenues. Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. CNBC also reached out to de Blasio's office for comment. Celebrate the Class of 2020 Submit a profile of your favorite graduate to have them featured in our Virtual Graduation 2020 special section. Tout their accomplishments, share their photos, and wish them well! Submit profile Beachwood, OH (44122) Today Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 58F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 58F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. ROCKY RIVER, Ohio - The internationally known Apollo's Fire played to a packed house of more than 300 at the Rocky River Presbyterian Church on February 3. Celebrating its 27th season, Apollo's Fire regularly brings world-class performances to Northeast Ohio as well as internationally. The audience members came from as far away as Akron, Erie, Parma and Oberlin for the concert. The chamber concert featured The Rosary Sonatas by Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber (1604-1744), an early composer of Salzburg, Austria. The sonatas are a collection of 15 short sonatas for violin according to the organization's information. "Each has a title related to the Christian rosary devotion practice and possibly to the Feast of the Guardian Angels...(and) are among the great and neglected masterpieces of music history." Violinist Johanna Novom demonstrates 17th century music at Apollo's Fire concert at Rocky River Presbyterian. No one knows the actual date of the sonatas, according to Jeffrey Grossman, Apollo's Fire keyboardist who gave the immensely interesting pre-concert lecture. But it is presumed they were completed somewhere around 1678, he said. However, they were not published until 1905, when they became Biber's most widely known music. The very technical music was considered difficult to play but not for Apollo's Fire. The difficulty in the music, said Grossman, is that Biber gave no tempo indications, no dynamics and no indication of instruments. Apollo's Fire played the pieces with a theorbo, which is a stringed instrument in the lute family, another large lute, a cello, an organ and four violins. The violins are central to the music. One of the violinists, Johanna Novom, demonstrated at the lecture the "re-tuning" the violinists must do during the performance that creates dissonant sounds on the instrument. The three other violinists include Adriane Post, Carrie Krause and Karina Schmitz. Carla and Bob Van Dale of Oberlin attended the concert as season ticket holders. Neither are musicians, they said, but they both sing. When asked what their attraction is for the musical group, they answered together: passion. Carla defined passion as "sometimes I am brought to tears or sometimes it is a feeling of fullness in my chest." Bob said they bring "a vitality and an engagement, an experience of the transcendent presence of God." Named for the classical god of music and the sun, Apollo's Fire was founded by Artistic Director Jeannette Sorrell, "to revive the baroque ideal that music should evoke the various Affekts or passions in the listeners." Apollo's Fire is a collection of creative artists who share Sorrell's passion for drama and rhetoric. PARMA, Ohio -- You don't have to watch "Grease," "Heathers" or "Mean Girls" to know how tough it can be for a teenage girl attending high school. In an effort to overcome peer jealousy, cruelty and pettiness, Parma Senior High School started extracurricular program Girl Power 15 years ago with the idea to empower female students by instilling leadership skills and a passion to help others. "When we first started, we asked teachers to recommend students who may not be the best students in the whole world but they showed leadership qualities," said Parma Senior High School Counselor Marian Armstrong, who is co-facilitator of Girl Power with Parma High School Transition Coordinator Michele Schneider. "Sometimes those leadership qualities are not in the best arenas, but they're still leadership qualities. If we can hone those and get them to do good things with them, then that's a good thing." Over the last decade and a half, roughly 600 girls have gone through the program, which includes monthly meetings featuring guest speakers (female police officers and attorneys), discussions about relationship building, mentoring and scheduled college visits. Parma Senior High School senior Eve Vishnick has been a member of Girl Power since the eighth grade. "I'm confident that it has shaped me into the person I am today," Vishnick said. "Girl Power has opened doors for me in the areas of community and school environment, as well as providing with me a basis for meeting many of my current best friends. "Overall, my involvement with Girl Power has been incredibly positive. I'm grateful for the opportunity." Late last year past members of Girl Power were invited back for a reunion visit during the group's monthly meeting. In attendance was former Parma Senior High School Principal Cassandra Johnson, who along with Armstrong started Girl Power. As the keynote speaker, the former school leader talked about the importance of empowering young women. Johnson said there were too many negative images in society and on social media about not only how women should be, but also tearing each other down instead of lifting each other up. "One of the alumni that came back was a student that was in our special ed program," Armstrong said. "At the end of the reunion, she said, 'I can't you tell how important Girl Power was to me. I didn't think anybody noticed me at Parma High until you guys asked me to be in Girl Power.'" Armstrong said another sign of Girl Power's impact was the fact all of the graduates who attended the reunion were now involved in some sort of community service. "I thought that was really neat that Girl Power impacted them so much that they incorporated it into their lives," Armstrong said. "I just love that whole philosophy of giving back." Girl Power has grown over the last decade to include chapters at Normandy and Valley Forge high schools, as well as a couple of Parma City School elementary buildings, including Renwood Elementary. "We actually are a little more structured than we used to be," Armstrong said. "We just try to put girls in a position to make better choices for themselves." Rotunda Rumblings The fire rises: U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat, continued his early-state tour this weekend in New Hampshire. Cleveland.coms Seth Richardson followed along and found voters in the Northeast were receptive to the Midwestern senator, with many describing him as electable. For your amusement: Pretty much everybody who knows of Brown has an impression of his distinct voice by now, but none may be as good as the one from Rob Sailer, a 22-year-old student from Amherst, Mass. If you think youve got a better one, send a video of it to us. Running man: U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, a Youngstown-area Democrat, told BuzzFeeds Henry Gomez hes planning trips to Iowa and New Hampshire as he contemplates running for president. Ryan didnt release any dates, but told Gomez he needed to make a decision soon. I dont know how much longer we can fall behind before we cant catch up, Ryan said. Turf wars: Brown and Ryan also found themselves in something of an awkward situation over the weekend, Richardson reports. While Brown was giving the keynote address to the New Hampshire Young Democrats annual fundraiser, full-sized advertisements of Ryan appeared on every table. What about Kasich? Ohio Democrats werent the only politicians getting some face time in the Northeast over the weekend. Former GOP Gov. John Kasich spoke to Amherst College, per the Daily Collegian. Kasich also apparently started doing yoga, per his Twitter, which means hes only a couple of steps away from growing dreadlocks and opening a health food store in Vermont. O-H-I-whoa: Campaigning in Iowa on Friday, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey (one of Browns potential rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination) mixed up the name of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes with that of Big 10 rival Ohio State Buckeyes, before again being corrected by the audience, according to Bloomberg News John McCormick. Bordering on reality: The Plain Dealers Michael Sangiacomo and Lisa DeJong traveled to Nogales, Arizona, to document the gap between reality and politics of the U.S.-Mexico border. The special report examined issues from drug smuggling to daily life to the current physical barrier between the two countries. Musical chairs: New Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder unveiled his House committee assignments late Friday afternoon. His picks, if nothing else, reveal an obvious truth: its good to be on the winning side. Many of Householders Republican supporters were rewarded with committee chairmanships, including Scott Oelslager (Finance), Derek Merrin (Health), Nino Vitale (Energy and Natural Resources), John Becker (Federalism), Paul Zeltwanger (Economic and Workforce Development), Kris Jordan (Financial Institutions), Jamie Callender (Public Utilities), Tim Schaffer (Ways and Means), and Scott Wiggam (State and Local Government). Interestingly: Householder named a number of rookie Democrats who backed him as the top Democrats on a number of committees, including Juanita Brent (Agriculture and Rural Development), Casey Weinstein (Armed Services and Veterans Affairs), Lisa Sobecki (Economic and Workforce Development), Sedrick Denson (Energy and Natural Resources), and Phil Robinson (Primary and Secondary Education). However: The list of new committee chairs also included many Republicans who backed Ryan Smith for speaker over Householder (which was perhaps inevitable given that a majority of House Republicans voted for Smith). Among them: Steve Arndt (Aging and Long Term Care), Rick Perales (Armed Services and Veterans Affairs), Steve Hambley (Civil Justice), George Lang (Criminal Justice), Gayle Manning (Commerce and Labor), Candice Keller (Higher Education), Tom Brinkman (Insurance), and Doug Green (Transportation and Public Safety). See the full list of committee assignments here. Goodbye government accountability: One committee that Householder abolished altogether is the House Government Accountability and Oversight Committee. It was a favorite committee of former speakers Smith and Cliff Rosenberger to send high-profile legislation most notably, new payday-lending rules that the committee sat on for more than a year until Rosenberger resigned amid an FBI investigation into a trip with payday-lending lobbyists. Stamp of disapproval: Ohios food banks have harshly criticized a costly new state system for applying for food stamps, saying its preventing vulnerable Ohioans from getting assistance they need, cleveland.coms Andrew Tobias reports. But county and state Job and Family Services officials say the roll-out of the new system, expected to cost $529 million in total, is going about as well as can be expected. Caregivers cannabis concerns: A Northeast Ohio company that provides Alzheimers care says state law has gaps that make it difficult for its employees to provide medical marijuana to patients. Specifically, KemperHouse executives tell cleveland.coms Laura Hancock that the provisions that a patient can only have two caregivers, combined with the federal prohibition on marijuana, are factors it is considering as it decides whether to offer the drug to patients. Time now for gerrymandering test: A three-judge federal panel on Friday rejected a request from the state of Ohio to delay a gerrymandering lawsuit that aims to put a new Ohio congressional district map in place in time for the 2020 election, reports cleveland.coms Rich Exner. The state wanted to delay the trial, scheduled to start March 4, until after rulings are released this summer in two gerrymandering cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. But the judges pointed out that delaying the trial could run out the clock on a meaningful decision in the Ohio case before the next election. Middlemen loopholes: Gov. Mike DeWine is working to fix the loopholes in the states pharmacy benefit manager system, but as Marty Schladen of the Columbus Dispatch reports, one analyst thinks the new system still allows the groups to overcharge the state. Clout deficit: Ohios Republican-heavy congressional delegation has cost the state influence in Congress after Democrats took control of the chamber following the 2018 midterm elections, the Dispatchs Jessica Wehrman reports. None of Ohios four Democrats chair any committees, and the 12 Republicans in the minority have little say in House affairs. Evergreen problem: Candidates for office who dont have a race to run are sitting on a Scrooge McDuck-ian pile of $2 million in cash, the Dispatchs Jim Siegel reports. That sets up politicians like Democrat Connie Pillich, who currently has $541,000 in her coffers, to either start her next race with some money or shower it on other candidates for office. This is the war room! DeWine is making moves to turn Ohio into a military powerhouse, the Dayton Daily News Kara Driscoll writes. That includes appointing a cabinet-level military position to attract defense and aerospace jobs to the state. Five Questions Ryan Gies is the new director of the Ohio Department of Youth Services. 1. Of all the positions you could go for in state government, why this one? I think I went for this position 25 years ago, when I got interested in public policy in graduate school particularly juvenile justice. I took this [job] because I love it. Its been my passion, and Im very driven by public policy. This has been about the best example I can think of, of making public policy work to address a social problem. 2. What will be your priorities in office? Weve got exactly 536 kids in our custody, whereas we used to have well over 2,000 A lot of that balance has been established by sharing resources with the community folks that are doing juvenile justice locally. So making sure that we preserve and further build those community continuum options is a major priority. SecondIm looking forward to working with my partner directors and their agencies and meeting the needs of multi-system kids and really being a lot more home-based and preventative. 3. That sounds similar to what Gov. DeWines been talking about with his childrens initiative. How is DYS going to be involved with that? A couple key ways. I firmly believe that we exist to support the folks that are doing the work, whether its out in the field in communities or out in the field working in our department. And we need to equip them with the ability and resources to do whats going to work best. For kids that are ultimately committed to our custody its our job to get them caught up in their educationand then equip them with skills that they can use as they go back in the community. 4. In 2015, federal monitoring of DYS ended. How do you think the department has fared since then? What weve really seen and come out of it is a really nice balance thats seen far fewer kids not only in the department, but far fewer kids reach the level of becoming felons in Ohio. Were on a continual progression to really work toward what model residential treatment and secure incarceration looks like. 5. Whats something interesting about you people might not know? My first job was at Walt Disney World. I worked four straight summers there, and ultimately, in addition to getting great customer service job experience, also met my future wife. I did outdoor food service in the Walt Disney World Shopping Village, which is now called Downtown Disney. On the Move Joy Mulinex, director of government relations for the Western Reserve Land Conservancy, will serve as the Governors Director of the Lake Erie Commission beginning Feb. 22. Birthdays Thomas W. Bartley, Ohios 17th governor (1812-1885) Straight From The Source Its one thing for you to talk about the dignity of work, but to be willing to lose your voice to sound like me while doing it, that shows real commitment @CoryBooker. -Sen. Sherrod Brown, ribbing possible Democratic presidential primary rival Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey on Twitter over Bookers use of the term dignity of work with a hoarse voice during a campaign stop in Iowa. The dignity of work was Browns 2018 Senate campaign theme and the motto for his early-state tour. Capitol Letter is a daily briefing providing succinct, timely information for those who care deeply about the decisions made by state government. If you do not already subscribe, you can sign up here to get Capitol Letter in your email box each weekday for free. COLUMBUS, Ohio State Sen. Nickie Antonio said Monday afternoon she is again introducing a bill that would protect Ohios LGBTQ community from discriminationlegislation that the Ohio General Assembly has seen for years but rejected. Antonio, a Democrat from Lakewood, said shes hoping to find a Republican to sponsor the bill with her. That would boost the bills chances of becoming law, since Republicans control both chambers of the General Assembly. Im getting a handful of people tell me if the bill was on the floor they would vote for it, she said. But Im still trying to get a Republican cosponsor. The bill would prohibit sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination in employment, housing or public accommodations. Last legislative session, when Antonio was a state representative, the Ohio Fairness Act received two hearings in a committee. Antonio, Ohios only openly gay state lawmaker, said she had been discussing with Republican leadership where the bill would go next. Then the bottom fell out of the speakers position, and the FBI, she said. We lost some momentum there. Former Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger resigned amid an FBI investigation into his travel with payday lenders. Rosenberger maintains hes done nothing long. But it took the House weeks to elect a new speaker. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce supports the bill. So does the Greater Cleveland Partnership, which identified the legislation as one of its priorities. Both of those organizations have supported non-discrimination legislation in the past. New support this time comes from the Ohio Manufacturers Association, Antonio said. Marty McGann of the Greater Cleveland Partnership said business owners want the bill because itll be easier to recruit and retain talent. We know that having LGBTQ protections helps the economic development agenda in our region, he said. We know our members are trying to find the best and brightest in our community, and workforce is an essential aspect of that. CLEVELAND, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said Monday hes making an extra effort to reach out to Ohioans who were recently purged from Ohios voting rolls. A spokesperson said Monday that LaRose plans to reach out to an estimated 267,000 Ohioans who were removed in January after not responding to a last chance notice from his predecessor, Jon Husted. LaRoses office is requesting information from county boards of election that can be used to get each of the purged voters last known address. LaRose, the states top elections official, then plans to send each one a voter registration card. In a Twitter post Monday, LaRose said: Its not the comprehensive update well be pushing for our antiquated system, but its a positive step that we can and are making NOW." Husteds office last month announced last month that 275,000 Ohioans would receive the last chance notices. Those who didnt respond were then removed under a process that has stoked controversy over the years. State officials say Ohios process of maintaining voter rolls is designed to keep the list accurate by removing people who have moved out of their voting precinct or died. But critics have said the method has resulted in people improperly being denied the chance to vote. The ACLU in 2016 sued on behalf of a Portage County veteran who was removed after not voting for eight years. The U.S. Supreme Court last year upheld Ohios voter-purge method as legal. Although his comments at times were ambiguously positive, LaRose during the 2018 campaign also gently criticized Ohios system of purging voters. He has said since being elected that he plans to keep it in place, but that he hopes to improve it to reduce the likelihood that someone will be removed. Both LaRose and Husted, who is now Ohios lieutenant governor, are Republicans. COLUMBUS, Ohio More the 300 physicians have been cleared by the state to recommend medical marijuana. On Wednesday, that number is expected to go up. The State Medical Board of Ohio is meeting and will likely approve more doctors who have applied with the state, said Tessie Pollock, a spokeswoman with the board. To apply for a certificate to recommend medical marijuana, medical and osteopathic doctors must have unrestricted licenses with the state and take a two-hour continuing medical education course. The medical board meets monthly and reviews applications at the meetings. Some users may need to use this link instead to search for doctors by last name and zip code. Of the 374 physicians who have certificates to recommend marijuana, only 177 have thus far issued recommendations, according to data provided last week to the Ohio Medical Marijuana Advisory Committee. State law says there must be a bona fide physician-patient relationship before marijuana can be recommended. A doctor can only recommend if the patient has any of the 21 qualifying medical conditions that could be helped with marijuana. Physicians must also review the past 12 months of a patients prescriptions, and describe the risks and benefits of cannabis with the patient, the law states. On Jan. 16, the first dispensaries opened in the states new medical marijuana program, selling dried flower, which must be vaped. State law prohibits marijuana to be smoked. CLEVELAND, Ohio --CLEVELAND, Ohio Lake Erie could break record high water levels in May, according to the latest forecast from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. If we have a wet spring, the lake could be about 2 feet over normal in May, breaking the 1986 record. However, the most probable forecast puts the lake about 5 inches below last springs level, said Keith Kompoltowicz, chief of the Corps watershed and hydrology branch in Detroit. The Army Corps releases forecasts every month. June is usually the high point of the lakes year; the highest level ever recorded was in June 1987. High water levels mean the Corps may not have to dredge harbors as much to make room for big boats. But high levels are bad for coastal property owners because waves destroy property, eroding bluffs and washing away docks. Lake levels generally depend on the amount of precipitation in each watershed, minus the amount of evaporation of water off the lake. Frozen lakes dont evaporate. Lake Erie levels are also affected by the amount of precipitation in the upper Great Lakes: Superior, Michigan and Huron. And all the lakes are high right now. Theyve been high for the last few years. Weve seen more seasons with more rain and snow combined with less evaporation over the last four to five years, Kompoltowicz said. Its not out of the question that we could return to very dry conditions soon, but the latest forecast does show Lake Erie remaining well above its long term average for the next six months or so. Water levels change very quickly on Lake Erie because its so small and shallow, Mackey said. High water intensifies a natural effect called a seiche, a change in water level across the lake because of wind or atmospheric pressure. Winds across Lake Erie can mean a 10-foot difference between Toledo and Buffalo. And when the lake is already high, that may mean ferries to the islands cant run because they cant safely load cars or passengers. The Army Corps can control outflow in the Great Lakes only from Superior and Ontario. But the impact is very small, Kompoltowicz said. Want more Lake Erie news? Follow RocktheLake on Facebook. CLEVELAND, Ohio The Joint Veterans Council of Cuyahoga County (JVCOCC) will honor Lyndhurst Navy veteran William Bill Conley as its 2018 Outstanding Veteran of the Year during its 94th anniversary luncheon on February 23. Conley, who served in the Navy from 1960-66, is being honored for his post-service volunteer work with the American Red Cross. This includes serving as a member of the Red Cross Northeast Ohio Disaster Action team, responding to emergences including hurricanes and wildfires. According to the JVCOCC, Conley also has assisted in training volunteers, and lending the Red Cross his expertise in such areas as commercial driving, warehousing and inventory control. The group said Conley has embodied volunteerism, service, dedication and compassion in his career. Featured speaker will be U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral June Ryan, who retired in 2017 after 33 years in the Coast Guard. The Bowling Green State University grad also served as the first woman commander of the Coast Guards Ninth District, based in Cleveland. The luncheon will be held at the Holiday Inn Cleveland South, 6001 Rockside Road, in Independence, starting with a social hour at 11 a.m. Cost is $35 per person and the reservation deadline is February 15. Tickets can be obtained online through https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jvcocc-veteran-of-the-year-luncheon-2019-tickets-54665328469 For additional information, e-mail info@jvcocc.org or call (216) 373-7799. CLEVELAND, Ohio President Donald Trump says there is a crisis at the border of immigration, crime and drugs. He says the nation should spend billions of tax dollars to build a wall. Yet sheriffs along the border in Arizona say a 1,954-mile wall is not the answer, noting that illegal immigration is at a historic low, crime is down and drugs mostly flow through legal points of entry. On Sunday, the Plain Dealer and cleveland.com published a special report about life on both sides of the border wall that separates Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Mexico. The work was based on a reporting in the area by Plain Dealer reporter Michael Sangiacomo and Plain Dealer photographer Lisa DeJong in late January. These are some of the takeaways: Sheriffs say illegal immigration is not the crisis Local law enforcement in Arizona agreed that the border crisis was not people coming into the country. They are more concerned with drugs coming across legal points of entry. While there is evidence of marijuana being transported across the harsh Sonoran Desert, drug traffickers are more likely to just drive right into the United States along with the 2,000 trucks that come through the Port of Nogales every day. Pima County Sheriff Mark Napier said the government needs to spend more money on additional manpower and new technology on the border to detect illegal substances. At one point, he noted that his deputies arrested a man carrying 11 pounds of heroin, six pounds of cocaine, nine pounds of methamphetamine and 10,000 fentanyl. He said the drugs were headed toward Ohio and that the seizure of the deadly fentanyl probably saved someones life in Ohio. Also last month, Customs and Border Protection announced the largest seizure of fentanyl in the agencys history, at a Norgales port of entry. The drugs were discovered in a truck packed with produce. Read more: There is already a wall In Nogales, the wall is between 18 and 24 feet tall. It is made of vertical steel beams and topped with coils of razor wire. On Feb. 2, the U.S. Army began installing the razor-sharp concertina wire all the way to the ground, after orders came from Washington D.C. to fortify the wall. They said they needed it to keep people in Mexico from snipping the wire along the top, allowing people to climb over. Mayor Arturo Garino, who says he knows of no such incidents, was furious about the addition of the razor wire. He says because it comes to the ground in areas close to where people live, it is dangerous and he said it makes his city look like East Berlin. Families divided by the wall The wall not only separates Nogales, Arizona, from Nogales, Mexico, it also separates families who live on both sides. Some Mexicans get visas to work in the United States but often it is difficult, if not impossible them to travel back and forth. Many gather along both sides of a wall for a glimpse of a new grandchild, or a conversation through the barrier. Until last year, they could stretch their arms through the four-inch gap in the beams for an awkward hug, but after the U.S. welded a heavy steel mesh, only their fingers could touch. With the addition of the concertina wire from top to bottom, they are barred from being near one another at all. Its been four years since I was able to hug any of my sons, said Norma Alicia Miranda Leyva, who moved into an apartment on West International Street, the last street in the United States, so she can catch a glimpse of them now and again. Ohioans help on both sides of the border Ohioans, like Rita Henninger Danks, of Kirtland, have traveled to the border to help with the hundreds, sometimes thousands of people, who have journeyed from their homes in Mexico or Central America to seek asylum in the United States. They man shelters and food centers and help to comfort families while they await their chance. Danks, a former Spanish teacher in Northeast Ohio, volunteers with the Green Valley Samaritans who, in addition to helping families waiting on the border, leave life-saving water, food and blankets in the Sonoran Desert for people that try to cross it. They know they are helping people who are trying to come into the country illegally, or may be smuggling marijuana, but lives are at stake and their work has been applauded by the Border Patrol. I keep thinking what would it be like if it were me? Danks said. What if I was stranded in the desert...and no one would help? On the day The Plain Dealer accompanied them into the desert, only one jug of water needed to be replaced. There has been very little activity out here in the last week or two, on Samaritan says. Surge in families from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador Historically, most of the people crossing into Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California came from Mexico. In recent months, the vast majority of the families trying to cross the Southwest border come from a group of countries called The Northern Triangle, which consists of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Migrants from these and other countries live in shelters or makeshift camps in Nogales, Mexico, waiting their chance to ask for asylum in the United States. They told their stories of beatings, threats, and of witnessing family members murders by gangs and drug cartels in their home towns and how they felt the need to leave. Fewer than 19 percent of the Central American refugees will be granted asylum, according to those who keep track, and it could take years. Rev. Rodger Babnew Jr., with St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Nogales, Ariz. said the wait for families to make their case for asylum has grown in recent months. In July, eight or nine families at one time, many groups in a single day could get into the U.S. Now, were down to eight or nine a week, he said. Finding bones in the desert The Sonoran Desert that surrounds Nogales is a harsh and deadly place, where temperatures can go up to 118 degrees in the summer and below freezing in the winter. That is also where the border wall become no higher than a fence that an average person could step over. Many have tried. Pima County sheriffs say they find 100 to 130 bodies, mostly skeletons, each year in the part of desert that falls in their jurisdiction. Its very sad, said Mark Napier, the county sheriff. The person may have left years ago to get a job, raise money, and return. The families wait for him year after year not knowing if he ever made it out of the desert. Border crime is down Part of the argument for the wall is that it is needed to keep dangerous criminals out of the country. And while nationally, some notorious crimes have been committed by people who came to the U.S. illegally, studies indicate that immigrants are less likely than native-born citizens to commit crime. Sheriffs note that crime across the board was down significantly in Pima County in recent years. A recent study by conservative think tank The Cato Institute found that native-born Americans are more likely than either legal or undocumented immigrants to be arrested or convicted for any kind of crime, including sexual assault and homicide. A longtime former sheriff said that people coming to the United States through legal channels or otherwise are by and large very good people who only want to come here to make money to send back to their families. Napier says Its hard for us Americans to understand what they go through. We have what we need, our bellies are full. Should these people come into the United States legally? Yes, but thats not always possible. Im not condoning illegal immigration, but I understand it. he said. TOLEDO, Ohio Police are searching for a 17-year-old girl and her 3-year-old daughter and believe they might be with the girls 21-year-old boyfriend. WTVG Channel 13 reports that police say its unclear if Amira Safi, 17, and her daughter, Amiyah Safi, are in danger, but officers believe they have left town with Timothy Palmer, 21. Reports do not indicate if officers suspect where they might have gone. Both have been listed as missing persons but no Amber Alert has been issued, WTOL Channel 11 reports. Toledo police have posted a photo on Twitter (see below) similar to a vehicle in which investigators believe the three are traveling. Police are asking anyone with information to call 419-255-1111. If youd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio A Cleveland man is charged in connection with an armed robbery that turned into a shootout that killed a newly-married store employee. Andre McKelvey, 18, is charged with aggravated murder the Tuesday shooting at the In & Out Beverage & Deli on Lakeview Road in Clevelands Glenville neighborhood. McKelvey was charged Sunday. He is being held in the Cuyahoga County Jail on $500,000 bond after his first court appearance on Monday. The shooting killed employee Mohamed Shahin of Rocky River. The 31-year-old man married in April, probate court records say. McKelvey and another armed robber, who police have not yet identified, stormed into the store about 8:45 p.m. McKelvey and the other man tried to rob a different employee in the store. McKelvey and Shahin fired several shots at each other. The other robber shot Shahin in the head, according to court records. Shahin shot McKelvey was shot in the neck, police reports say. Two other employees in the store ages 18 and 58 were not hurt. Its unknown if the other robber was hurt in the shooting. Officers found Shahin unconscious behind the counter, police reports say. He died after being taken to University Hospitals. Both robbers ran off, but police arrested McKelvey about a half-mile away on Kimberly Avenue. He spent several days being treated at the same hospital. McKelvey has prior criminal convictions in juvenile court for domestic violence, drug possession, assault and unlawful restraint. To comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio Cuyahoga County Jail Warden Eric Ivey, who has come under intense scrutiny in recent months after a scathing U.S. Marshals report detailed inhumane conditions inside the jail, was demoted Monday after the countys inspector general found he violated the countys nepotism policy. Ivey, a 27-year veteran corrections officer who was an associate warden for seven years before becoming the warden in 2017, was demoted back to associate warden, Cuyahoga County spokeswoman Mary Louise Madigan said. Madigan did not know if anyone has been appointed acting warden. Cuyahoga County Sheriff Clifford Pinkney said Wednesday during an interview with cleveland.com reporters and editors that Ivey faces a second human resources investigation in connection with accusations made in the U.S. Marshals report. A decision has not been made on discipline in the second investigation. Cuyahoga County officials have so far refused to release documents about the two probes. Iveys demotion stems from a nepotism complaint investigated by the countys inspector general, Mark Griffin, who found Ivey supervised his wifes supervisor for two months in 2018. Iveys wife, Kathy, is a corporal who works in the jails visitation area. In the report, the inspector general noted the nepotism investigation was a separate prong from a larger investigation into the countys jails, where eight inmates died in 2018. Ivey came to supervise his wifes boss after Sgt. Phillip Christopher was promoted to associate warden. The report does not name Christopher, but he was one of three associate wardens hired on Sept. 4 and was the sergeant in charge of visitation at the time. Christopher was Kathy Iveys direct supervisor. As a sergeant, he reported directly to then-jail director Ken Mills, who was one level above the warden. When Christopher was promoted to associate warden, he came under Eric Iveys direct supervision. Christopher continued to supervise his old departments, including visitation, where Kathy Ivey worked, until a new sergeant was promoted Nov. 7 to fill Christophers old job. Eric Ivey signed off on Christophers mid-year evaluation during that timeframe, the report says. He told the inspector generals office on Sept. 28 that Christopher reported directly to Mills; however, Christopher told the inspector general that he reported to Eric Ivey. Eric Ivey told the inspector generals office that he never exerted authority over his wife or anyone in her chain-of-command, the report says. The report also says Eric Ivey was removed from his wifes chain-of-command after a 2012 inspector generals report. The report said it was an inadvertent ethics violation and that Kathy Ivey was reassigned. Eric Ivey, who made $96,907 per year as the warden, also faces punishment in the second investigation stemming from the marshals report. That report says Ivey personally ordered guards to deprive inmates of food as punishment; that he failed to make required weekly checks of inmates held in isolation or segregation; and that he failed to adequately oversee the departments Special Response Team, which threatened and assaulted inmates. The marshals report found systemic issues with the way the jail is run and touched on nearly every aspect of the jail that was under Iveys control. Those issues included depriving inmates of medical and mental healthcare, locking down inmates in their cells for 27 hours straight and ordering inmates into be held in isolation or segregation from the normal population for minor infractions. Eric Ivey also violated inmates 5th and 14th Amendment Constitutional Rights by never allowing them to have a full disciplinary hearing if they were accused of wrongdoing while in lockup. County officials said Wednesday that inmates now have full hearings, and appeals are sent to an associate warden for review. LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- Mayor Mike Summers recently returned from Columbus where as a member of the Ohio Mayors Alliance he testified in front of the Governor's Advisory Committee on Transportation Infrastructure. The group is currently seeking solutions to the state's $1 billion-plus funding gap facing the Ohio Department of Transportation and local communities. "To the credit of our new Gov. Michael DeWine, he formed this commission to address transportation infrastructure," said Summers, who is a member of the Ohio Mayors Alliance. "They're holding a series of meetings to hear testimony about the state of the infrastructure and what Ohio ought to be doing about it. "While everybody else talked about the deplorable state of bridges, safety, potholes and road conditions, my unique opportunity was to speak about mass transit." Topics covered in Summers' report included the growing wealth gap, Ohio's population loss and how the state's economic competitiveness is directly proportional to workforce availability and readiness. Summers touted the importance of smart investment in public transit that not only connects the public with their jobs, but also is key to economic development growth statewide. "It was a reminder that mass transit in Ohio has lost ground," Summers said. "There's an awful lot of people that find themselves in a very vulnerable state in terms of their employability, access to jobs and their ability to maintain any kind of viability in the household level. "Whatever we think about, we must create the capacity for mass transit. Buses, bus drivers and light rail, that's all infrastructure as well. Ohio has been retreating from its investment for decades. We have to reverse that." The Ohio Mayors Alliance is part of the Fix Our Roads Ohio coalition advocating for a dedicated funding solution that provides long-term, smart investment in Ohio's transportation future. Also speaking before the Governor's Advisory Committee on Transportation Infrastructure was Ohio Mayors Alliance member and Middletown Mayor Larry Mulligan Jr. While Summers said he was tasked with speaking about mass transit in Northeast Ohio, Lakewood does have its own issues. "The (RTA Cleveland State Line) 55 that goes down Clifton is a fabulously effective transportation system, but mass transit availability on Detroit and Madison has almost disappeared," Summers said. "So the vulnerability for a lot of citizens is the first and last mile of their commute. That's the point I wanted to make. When we underinvest you make it impossible for folks to be able to reliably get to a job." After the public testimony, the Governor's Advisory Committee on Transportation Infrastructure deliberated possible solutions, including increasing the motor fuel user fee or gas tax. The Committee will submit a formal report to Gov. DeWine related to his transportation budget bill, which must be passed by the General Assembly by March 31. "The universal plea to this commission was Ohio has to raise its gas tax," Summers said. "It hasn't done so since 2004. It must raise revenues to be able to invest in our infrastructure. They need to have the courage to do that. "The gas tax won't necessarily directly yield money for mass transport, but it does free money up elsewhere in the budget for mass transit (investment)." FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio -- City officials were recently notified Fairview Park was awarded a $68,400 Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC) grant for energy efficiency and/or energy infrastructure projects in the community. "We haven't decided how we're going to earmark it," Fairview Park Director of Public Service and Development Shawn Leininger said. "There are a number of energy efficiency improvements we're considering. "One of the ideas kicked around has been looking at lighting improvements, whether that's streetlights -- converting some of those over to LED -- or lighting within our facilities. We also have some facility improvements needed elsewhere, including the service garage getting more energy-efficient doors and windows." Leininger said he's unsure when the city will decide where to focus the grant funds. "The recent ordinance was simply to allow us to accept the grant." Leininger said. "We'll be back in front of City Council once we find a place to slot it." The NOPEC grant is expected to be used in 2019; however, Leininger said communities are afforded the opportunity to use the funds the following year. For example, Fairview Park's 2018 NOPEC grant for $70,000 is going towards the Senior Center's $554,000 roof replacement. The city was also awarded a $150,000 Cuyahoga County Municipal Grant towards the project. "In addition to the roof replacement, we're also adding installation and attic ventilation to the building, which tied in nicely with the energy-efficiency improvements," Leininger said. "Right now the roof project is in a weather holding pattern. The old roof has been removed and a portion of the new roof -- basically, the vapor barrier -- has been laid down. "The roof is weather tight. The materials being used need to be put down when temperatures are above 40 degrees and it's dry. As soon as the weather breaks, hopefully they'll get cracking and get it wrapped up." CLEVELAND, Ohio Our weekly calendar of beer events has 3 Floyds featured at Ohio City Galley, a vegetarian dinner with beers at Thirsty Dog, craft beer nights at Akron's Canal Park and many others in Greater Cleveland. Deadline to send info on beer events is Thursday; email me. Most dinners do not include tax and tip. Always check on availability. February Through Thursday, Feb. 28: In honor of #FlagshipFebruary, Great Lakes Brewing Co. is serving $4 pints of Dortmunder Gold. It's at 2516 Market Ave., Cleveland. Through Thursday, Feb. 28: IPAlooza, TownHall's annual celebration of India Pale Ales, takes place. Each February the bar taps an assortment of special IPAs with a competition for customers to finish 28 drafts throughout the month. The $25 entry fee includes a hoodie, pint glass, your first IPA, halfway-point prizes and wrap-up party. It's at 1909 W. 25th St., Cleveland. Through April: Applebee's will have exclusive restaurant tap rights to Thirsty Dog Brewing Co.'s Blood Hound Orange India Pale Ale. A pint ($6.25), brewtus glass ($7.25) and growlers ($26) are available. Monday, Feb 11: Great Lakes Brewing Co.'s monthly Giving Monday will donate $1 of every beer sold to Providence House. It's at 2516 Market Ave., Cleveland. Monday, Feb. 11: Rozi's Wine House offers $2 off draft beer. It's at 14900 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Monday, Feb. 11: Terrestrial Brewing Co. hosts Guest Beer Mondays. The brewery will release which beer will be featured at noon. Guest beers will be $5; happy hour will be all day on house beers. Its at 7524 Father Frascati, Cleveland. Tuesday, Feb. 12: Deadline to order VIP tickets for the craft beer and music fest Local Brews Local Grooves at House of Blues on Feb. 16. Here's info on breweries, bands and tickets. Tuesday, Feb. 12: Platform Beer Co.s Charitable Tuesday beneficiary is Hiram House Camp at 3 p.m. A dollar sold of every Platform beer or cider will be donated. Its at 4125 Lorain Ave., Cleveland. Tuesday, Feb. 12: The Wine Spots Growler Discount Day offers 20 percent off what's on tap. It's at 2271 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. Tuesday, Feb. 12: Hoppin' Frog Brewery will hold Tower Tuesday 3-9 p.m. The folks at the brewery will be blending beers with unique ingredients to concoct interesting flavor combinations. Its at 1680 E. Waterloo Road, Akron. Wednesday, Feb. 13: Beerhead Bar & Eatery's brewery of the month is Founders of Michigan. A tap takeover is at 6 p.m. with reps from the brewery, giveaways and more. Its at 1156 W. 11th St., Cleveland. Wednesday, Feb. 13: Collision Bend Brewing Co. will hold its second of four beer-school classes. Cost is $30 per class, $100 for all four. Today: Vaughn Stewart (Bookhouse Brewing) and Corey Miller (Hansa Brewery). Tasting and paired apps included. It's at 1250 Old River Road, Cleveland. Wednesday, Feb. 13: Hoppin' Frog Brewery will hold pint night / meet the brewers. Pints and barrel-aged 1/2 pints are $5 3-7 p.m. Meet the brewers is 5-7 p.m. Its at 1680 E. Waterloo Road, Akron. Thursday, Feb. 14: Der Braumeister will hold a We HEART Beer Valentines Day pairing dinner at 6:30 p.m. A three-course seasonally inspired dinner will be paired with beers from Schneider Weisse, including Vintage Aventinus and Aventinus Cuvee Barrique 2018 (Chardonnay) and Aventinus Eisbock Cuvee 2017 (Pinot Noir). The event is aimed for couples, singles or groups. Cost is $50. Call 216-671-6220 to reserve. It's at 13046 Lorain Ave., Cleveland. Thursday, Feb. 14: HiHO Brewing will hold a five-course Valentine's Day Beer Dinner with Taproot Brewing Co. at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $50 and includes limited-edition 8-ounce tasting glass. It's at 1707 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls. Thursday, Feb. 14: Noble Beast Brewing Co.'s six-course Valentine's Day Beer Dinner is sold out. Thursday, Feb. 14: Hoppin' Frog Brewery will hold Throwback Thursday 3-9 p.m. Rare bottles will be 20 percent off for on-premise consumption only. Its at 1680 E. Waterloo Road, Akron. Thursday, Feb. 14: The Rail locations offer $10 Thirsty Dog Brewing growlers fills. Thursday, Feb. 14: Firkin Thursday at Goldhorn Brewery is at 5 p.m. The folks at Goldhorn will concoct a unique firkin, a small batch, one-time-only cask of beer with some added flavors. It's at 1361 E. 55th St., Cleveland. Friday, Feb. 15: Thirsty Dog East Bank will hold a four-course Vegetarian Beer Dinner - Thirsty Dog East Bank at 7 p.m. Cost is $55. It's at 1075 Old River Road, Cleveland. Friday, Feb. 15: Heinen's will hold a tasting of Fresh IPAs at 6 p.m. Cost is $15 via eventbrite. It's at 900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Friday, Feb. 15: Bad Tom Smith Brewing features a Flight of Four for $5 at 4:30 p.m. It's at 1836 W. 25th St., Cleveland. Friday, Feb. 15: The Rail locations offer $10 Thirsty Dog Brewing growlers fills. Saturday, Feb. 16: The craft beer and music fest Local Brews Local Grooves is 6 p.m. at House of Blues. Here's info on breweries, bands and tickets. It's at 308 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Saturday, Feb. 16: Butcher and the Brewer's Stout It Out Loud is sold out. Saturday, Feb. 16: Platform Beer Co. will release ChocoBanana Donut and NanaButter Donut. Both beers are Berliner Weisse, less than 6 percent alcohol, and have eight International Bittering Units. ChocoBanana Donut is brewed with banana puree and chocolate. NanaButter Donut is brewed with banana puree and peanut butter. Doors open at 10 a.m. at 4125 Lorain Ave. and 3506 Vega Ave. in Cleveland. Monday, Feb. 18: Ohio City Galley will hold Meet the Brewer: 3 Floyds at 7 p.m. The tap takeover will feature some of the Indiana brewerys core beers and limited releases including Cheer Team IPA, Gumballhead, Lazersnake IPA and Topless Wytch Baltic Porter. Receive a signature glass with purchase. Its at 1400 W. 25th St., Cleveland. Monday, Feb. 18: Rozi's Wine House offers $2 off draft beer. It's at 14900 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Tuesday, Feb. 19: Platform Beer Co.s Charitable Tuesday beneficiary is Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland at 3 p.m. A dollar sold of every Platform beer or cider will be donated. Its at 4125 Lorain Ave., Cleveland. Wednesday, Feb. 20: Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. will hold a beer dinner at 6 p.m. Cost is $35 Reserve by emailing taphouse@thirstydog.com or call 234-571-1456. It's at 587 Grant St., Akron. Beers to be served: Irish Setter Red, Barrel-Aged Wulver, Flanders Style Sour Ale, Rise of the Mayan Dog. Wednesday, Feb. 20: Collision Bend Brewing Co. will hold its third of four beer-school classes. Cost is $30 per class, $100 for all four. Today: Mike Napier of Barn Talk Hops with Matt Cole of Fat Head's and Jack Kephart of The Brew Kettle. Tasting and paired apps included. It's at 1250 Old River Road, Cleveland. Wednesday, Feb. 20: Beerhead Bar & Eatery will hold BIG BAD BEER at 8 p.m. Its at four-course tasting menu paired with beers. Cost is $40; advanced ticket purchase is required. Its at 1156 W. 11th St., Cleveland. Thursday, Feb. 21: Hoppin' Frog Brewery will kick off a three-day celebration of its recent ratebeer.com's honors as one of the world's best breweries. Beer releases, food specials, music and more are planned. It's at 1680 E. Waterloo Road, Akron. (More about the brewery's honors.) Thursday, Feb. 21: Rozi's Wine House offers growler night, with $2 off half-growlers and $5 off full ones. It's at 14900 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Thursday, Feb. 21: Noble Beast Brewing Co. will hold a Pint Night Fundraiser! at 6 p.m. The brewery will donate $1 from each of their house beers to Global Autism Project, whose supporters are hoping to travel to the Czech Republic and Indonesia to train educators in the field of autism. It's at 1470 Lakeside Ave., Cleveland. Friday, Feb. 22: The Oak Barrel will hold Flight Night at 5:30 p.m. featuring MadTree Brewing Co. It features four different coffee Porters made in conjunction with coffee roasters in four cities, including Cleveland's Phoenix Coffee. It's at 5979 Canal Road, Valley View. Friday, Feb. 22: Hoppin' Frog Brewery will continue its three-day celebration of its recent ratebeer.com's honors as one of the world's best breweries. Beer releases, food specials, music and more are planned. It's at 1680 E. Waterloo Road, Akron. (More about the brewery's honors.) Friday, Feb. 22: Heinen's will hold Big, Boozy and Beautiful at 6 p.m. Taste five beers that contain at least 10 percent alcohol. Cost is $15. It's at 900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Friday, Feb. 22: Rozi's Wine House will hold a tasting featuring beer from Masthead Brewing Co. of Cleveland and wines from Rutherford Ranch of California 6-8 p.m. Cost is $25. It's at 14900 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Saturday, Feb. 23: Big Brews in Akron sponsored by Akronym Brewing Co. is 2-6 p.m. at Lock 3 Akron. It will include Barleywines, Imperial Stouts, rare and barrel-aged beers. Cost is $40 (presale via eventbrite), $50 (day-of), $15 (designated driver). Includes glass, eight beer tickets and a food ticket. Participating breweries: Bells, Butcher and the Brewer, Dark Horse, Dayton, HiHO, Little Fish, Maize Valley, Masthead, Millersburg, Missing Mountain, Phoenix, R. Shea, Sandy Springs and Thirsty Dog. Its at 200 S. Main St., Akron. Saturday, Feb. 23: Its the final day of Hoppin Frog Brewerys three-day celebration of its recent ratebeer.coms honors as one of the worlds best breweries. Beer releases, food specials, music and more are planned. Its at 1680 E. Waterloo Road, Akron. (More about the brewerys honors.) Saturday, Feb. 23: Platform Beer Co. will hold Can Taproom Release: Tiki Tiki. The beer is a collaboration with Free Will Brewing Co. Tiki Tiki is a Hazy Brut-style India Pale Ale at 7.4 percent alcohol and 12 International Bittering Units. Doors open at 10 a.m. at 4125 Lorain Ave. and 3506 Vega Ave. in Cleveland. Saturday, Feb. 23: Heinens and Platform Brewings Collaboration Tapping of Cara Cara, a Milkshake-style IPA, is at noon. It will be available by glass or growler. Its at 900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Wednesday, Feb. 27: Collision Bend Brewing Co. will hold its fourth of four beer-school classes. Cost is $30 per class, $100 for all four. Today: Randy Thatcher of West Branch Malts with The Jolly Scholar's Aaron Wirtz. Tasting and paired apps included. It's at 1250 Old River Road, Cleveland. March Saturday, March 2: The Friends of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County and Mahoning Valley Flight Crew will host Brew Ha Ha! 6-9 p.m. Eight local breweries will compete for best library beers. The event features music, food, raffles and open mic for comedy. Cost is $25. Proceeds go to childrens programs at the library. Stand-up comics can call to register at 330-740-6086. It's at the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, 305 Wick Ave., Youngstown. Wednesday, March 6: Hofbrauhaus Cleveland will hold its monthly keg tapping at 6:45 p.m. It's at 1550 Chester Ave., Cleveland. Thursday, March 7: The Rail will hold beer school featuring Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. of Akron at 7 p.m. Cost is $12. It's at 400 Great Northern Mall, North Olmsted. Thursday, March 7: Great Lakes Brewing Co. will hold Hop College: Beer 101 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Cicerone-certified staffers will guide the educational tour and tasting. Cost is $40 and includes a nonic pint glass, discounts and more. It's at 2516 Market Ave., Cleveland. Email or call 216-771-4404. Saturday, March 9: The 13th annual Winter Warmer Fest is set in Cleveland's Flats. Here are details, prices and times. Saturday, March 9: The 12th annual Akron Art & Ale at the Akron Art Museum is scheduled. Here are details, prices and times. Monday, March 11: Great Lakes Brewing Co.'s monthly Giving Monday will donate $1 of every beer sold to Drink Local. Drink Tap. It's at 2516 Market Ave., Cleveland. Thursday, March 14: The Rail will hold beer school featuring Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. of Akron at 7 p.m. Cost is $12. It's at 17885 Southpark Center, Strongsville. Thursday, March 21: Forage Public House is holding More Than A Whiskey Dinner at 7 p.m. It's whiskey and barrel-aged beer paired with food. Cost is $75. It's at 14600 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Friday, March 22: Greater Cleveland Aquarium's Adult Swim will feature Ohio wines and beer 7-10 p.m. Cost is $40 ($30 for aquarium passholders, $20 for designated drivers). Includes light hors doeuvres, 20 tasting tickets and souvenir tasting glass. Tastings sell out. It's at 2000 Sycamore St., Cleveland. April Wednesday, April 3: Hofbrauhaus Cleveland will hold its monthly keg tapping at 6:45 p.m. It's at 1550 Chester Ave., Cleveland. Monday, April 8: Great Lakes Brewing Co.'s monthly Giving Monday will donate $1 of every beer sold to Parma Animal Shelter. It's at 2516 Market Ave., Cleveland. Wednesday, April 10: The Akron RubberDucks will feature a local brewery on Craft Beer Night on home Wednesdays at Canal Park. It's at 300 S. Main St., Akron. Wednesday, April 24: The Akron RubberDucks will feature a local brewery on Craft Beer Night on home Wednesdays at Canal Park. It's at 300 S. Main St., Akron. Friday, April 26: Der Braumeister will hold Maifest Flight Night featuring 11 bock beers on draft, available in full pours or flights. It's at 5 p.m. Weather permitting, the patio will open to taste the malty, roasted, sweet bocks around a fire pit. It's at 13046 Lorain Ave., Cleveland. May Wednesday, May 1: Hofbrauhaus Cleveland will hold its monthly keg tapping at 6:45 p.m. It's at 1550 Chester Ave., Cleveland. Wednesday, May 15: The Akron RubberDucks will feature a local brewery on Craft Beer Night on home Wednesdays at Canal Park. It's at 300 S. Main St., Akron. Wednesday, May 22: The The Akron RubberDucks will feature a local brewery on Craft Beer Night on home Wednesdays at Canal Park. It's at 300 S. Main St., Akron. Friday, May 17: Greater Cleveland Aquarium's Adult Swim will feature a beer tasting 7-10 p.m. Cleveland Animal Protective League folks will have adoptable dogs and cats. Cost is $40 ($30 for aquarium passholders, $20 for designated drivers). Includes light hors doeuvres, 20 tasting tickets and souvenir tasting glass. Tastings sell out. It's at 2000 Sycamore St., Cleveland. June Wednesday, June 5: Hofbrauhaus Cleveland will hold its monthly keg tapping at 6:45 p.m. It's at 1550 Chester Ave., Cleveland. Wednesday, June 5: The Akron RubberDucks will feature a local brewery on Craft Beer Night on home Wednesdays at Canal Park. It's at 300 S. Main St., Akron. Wednesday, June 12: The Akron RubberDucks will feature a local brewery on Craft Beer Night on home Wednesdays at Canal Park. It's at 300 S. Main St., Akron. Saturday, June 22: Akron Zoo will hold Brew at the Zoo 6:30-10:30 p.m. Today's theme: Decades Night. Includes eight samples and 4-ounce tasting glass. Admission: $33 ($27 for members). Designated drivers: $22 ($16 for members). VIP tickets are $50 ($40 for VIP designated drivers) and include early entrance at 6 p.m., appetizers, reserved seating, three additional tastings, ticket for full-sized beer and souvenir lanyard. It's at 500 Edgewood Ave., Akron. July Wednesday, July 3: Hofbrauhaus Cleveland will hold its monthly keg tapping at 6:45 p.m. It's at 1550 Chester Ave., Cleveland. Wednesday, July 3: The Akron RubberDucks will feature a local brewery on Craft Beer Night on home Wednesdays at Canal Park. It's at 300 S. Main St., Akron. Saturday, July 20: Akron Zoo will hold Brew at the Zoo 6:30-10:30 p.m. Today's theme: Paradise Island. Includes eight samples and 4-ounce tasting glass. Admission: $33 ($27 for members). Designated drivers: $22 ($16 for members). VIP tickets are $50 ($40 for VIP designated drivers) and include early entrance at 6 p.m., appetizers, reserved seating, three additional tastings, ticket for full-sized beer and souvenir lanyard. It's at 500 Edgewood Ave., Akron. Wednesday, July 31: The Akron RubberDucks will feature a local brewery on Craft Beer Night on home Wednesdays at Canal Park. It's at 300 S. Main St., Akron. August Saturday, Aug. 3: Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. will hold its annual Blues & Brews festival. Saturday, Aug. 10: The annual Brewfest Waterfront District will be held in Lorain. Saturday, Aug 10: Chardon Brew Fest is scheduled. Ticket discount is in place until Monday, Dec. 31. Wednesday, Aug. 14: The Akron RubberDucks will feature a local brewery on Craft Beer Night on home Wednesdays at Canal Park. It's at 300 S. Main St., Akron. Wednesday, Aug. 21: The Akron RubberDucks will feature a local brewery on Craft Beer Night on home Wednesdays at Canal Park. It's at 300 S. Main St., Akron. October Saturday, Oct. 5: Akron Zoo will hold Brew at the Zoo 6:30-10:30 p.m. Today's theme: Halloween Bash. Includes eight samples and 4-ounce tasting glass. Admission: $33 ($27 for members). Designated drivers: $22 ($16 for members). VIP tickets are $50 ($40 for VIP designated drivers) and include early entrance at 6 p.m., appetizers, reserved seating, three additional tastings, ticket for full-sized beer and souvenir lanyard. It's at 500 Edgewood Ave., Akron. December Thursday, Dec. 12: Akron Zoo will hold its first holiday beer and wine tasting 6-9 p.m. Taste assorted beers from local breweries as you stroll through the zoos Wild Lights. Its at 500 Edgewood Ave., Akron. CLEVELAND, Ohio A Cleveland man is accused of shooting another man five times in the arm and legs in the citys Central neighborhood. Arlander A. Wilson III, 26, is charged with felonious assault in the Feb. 4 incident on East 36th Street near Ali-Bey Avenue, according to court records. He is not in custody but a warrant was issued Wednesday for his arrest. Wilson is accused of shooting a 20-year-old man twice in the left thigh, twice in the right calf and once in the left shoulder, according to a police report. The shooting happened about 4 p.m. near the Arbor Park Village apartment complex. An Arbor Park security officer told Cleveland police officers the victim left the area in a white Audi with red hubcaps, police reports say. Officers learned the 20-year-old man was taken to St. Vincent Charity Medical Center for treatment. He was later flown by helicopter to MetroHealth. A 29-year-old woman who called 911 to report the shooting said she heard eight or nine gunshots before she saw people running away. The victim ran up to her door and told her that hed been shot, then left the area in the Audi, police reports say. Officers found a trail of blood leading to a garbage container. They also found three bullet casings near the garbage container. The 20-year-old man later told officers he was walking home from a store when someone shot him. He said he could not identify the shooter. High-definition surveillance cameras captured the shooting and helped detectives identify Wilson as a suspect, court records say. Wilsons criminal history includes prior convictions for robbery, domestic violence and carrying concealed weapons, according to Cuyahoga County court records. To comment on this story, visit Mondays crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio A federal judge on Monday refused to take the plea of a man accused of planning to park a van full of explosives near spectators at Clevelands Fourth of July fireworks as part of a terrorist plot. Demetrius Pitts was set to admit guilt to a charge of attempting to provide material support to al-Qaida. But after more than 30 minutes of questioning, U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. decided Pitts was denying the charge as it was lodged against him. Pitts, 49, was arrested July 1 and indicted last month. The FBI said Pitts, who has criminal convictions stretching back to 1989 for robbery, domestic violence and theft, corresponded with an undercover agent and scoped out an area to park a van full of explosives near Voinovich Park on Independence Day. His plea agreement said he faced up to 20 years in federal prison, and that both his attorney and the U.S. Attorneys Office were free to argue for any sentence they may choose, up to the maximum allowed by law. The key moment in Mondays hearing came when Oliver asked Pitts if he committed a crime in support of al-Qaida. Pitts characterized his actions by saying he went downtown and took pictures. Pitts also said the person he talked to while in Cleveland never mentioned al-Qaida. Instead, the person only talked about being a Muslim brother, Pitts said. I was just responding to what he was talking about, Pitts told the judge. He also said that while he was not threatened to plead guilty, prosecutors told him he may face additional charges if he did not do so. The judge said he wouldnt accept the plea of someone who adamantly denied committing a crime as described in an indictment. Mondays plea hearing was delayed as Pitts read over his plea agreement and held discussions with federal public defender Charles Fleming. When Oliver attempted to place him under oath, Pitts asked if it would be on the Quran because I dont believe in the Bible. The judge said he had never received such a request, but noted his courtroom does not use the Bible before sworn statements. Oliver had to explain portions of the plea agreement several times before Pitts said he understood them. The defendant said he was born in Cincinnati and raised in Chicago. He said he has a culinary degree and that he received treatment for anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia when he lived in Philadelphia. He said he takes medication for his mental health and that he also received physical therapy following a stroke in 2013. The hearing was the latest twist in Pitts case. On July 19, Pitts told a federal magistrate judge that I just want to get the case over with. He was also ordered to undergo a competency evaluation. A federal magistrate judge in November deemed him competent to stand trial. The statements the FBI said Pitts, who also goes by Abdur Raheem Rafeeq and Salahadeen Osama Waleed, made about violent attacks or an allegiance to al-Qaida were mostly to agents or confidential informants, according to court filings. An informant gave Pitts a bus pass to travel downtown and scope out potential targets, as well as a cellphone he later used to text an undercover agent, authorities said. Pitts was living at a Maple Heights rehabilitation facility at the time of his arrest. He is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Mondays crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio City Council President Kevin Kelley generally has a cordial relationship with Mayor Frank Jackson, but after being left out of the loop over the weekend, Kelley demanded answers on Monday from the administration. Kelley was fuming about changes to the drop-off and pick-up procedures at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, particularly since he didnt hear about them until after they were published on cleveland.com. On Monday, Kelley summoned Airport Director Robert Kennedy and Edward Rybka, Jacksons chief of regional development, to an emergency hearing and asked for an explanation. Its not that our feelings were hurt because nobody told us [about the policy changes], Kelley said. We got called on this [by constituents] and we didnt have the information. Kelley talks with Jackson several times a week and has described their interaction as cordial and a good working relationship. But the airport issue touched a nerve. It was the first time Kelley has called an emergency hearing since becoming president of City Council in 2014. The changes were outlined in a story written by The Plain Dealer writer, Susan Glaser. The story published on Saturday morning on cleveland.com and on the front page of The Sunday Plain Dealer. The changes, which will allow private-car services such as limousines and rideshare drivers for Uber and Lyft to again drop off and pick up passengers at the terminal curb. Several members were particularly miffed by the surprise because council spent hours in hearings with airport personnel discussing the issues as part of a plan to cut congestion on the upper and lower roadways in front of the terminal. The administrations decision is a reversal of those policies. Its very disrespectful to this body to put all that effort into this and just have it abruptly changed without a word, Ward 16 Councilman Brian Kazy said. Ward 3s Kerry McCormack noted that city council is a separate, equal branch of government under the citys charter. It makes no difference why a council person is asking for information, McCormack said. Whats important is we are a co-equal branch of government and if we ask for information, we should get it. Rybka and Kennedy each acknowledged communication could have been better. The decision was made late last week, and it should have been communicated better to the council, said Rybka, who was once a councilman from Slavic Village. Kennedy, too, pledged to do better. Sometimes you get caught up in the fire of the moment and things move faster than the communication, he said. At that, a clearly irritated Kelley interrupted. On the communication, yes, things move fast, Kelley said. But if you can call cleveland.com, you can call me. There have been some issues, though, that members of council have grumbled about not being kept up to date on. Among those: Placement of LED lighting on city streets Location of security cameras that are expected to be placed initially around recreation centers The collapse of a deal for a new police headquarters and where the department could relocate to now when it moves from the Justice Center complex. On those issues, Kelley said, there could well be more follow up with the administration, but none of them sparked irritation among members like the airport decision. Afterward, Kelley said he appreciated that Rybka and Kennedy appeared on short notice and answered questions and he said he accepted their explanations. For this one, Im satisfied, Kelley said. But if it happens again, that could be a different story. BROOKLYN, Ohio -- Workers at Keystone Tailored Manufacturing walked out Monday in an effort to ensure workers get a good severance package when the plant closes in March. Mark Milko, area director for the Workers United union, said he was unsure when workers would return to their jobs. The 140-employee mens suits factory at 4600 Tiedeman Road was a Hugo Boss plant until 2015. Since 2010, workers had been able to keep the plant from closing twice. Since they couldnt save it a third time, Milko said the union wants to make sure workers get a good severance package. He declined to be specific about the package, which the union is still negotiating. A good severance package is important because a lot of these people are going to be out of work for a certain amount of time, he said. We want to keep their health insurance going because many of our people are getting up there in age, and they need insurance. Keystone officials declined to comment for this story. Lydia Perez, who has worked at the plant for 25 years, is upset the plant is closing. Im depressed, she said. Im hurt. It feels like they dont care. This has been our home. Sonia Vera, who has worked at the plant for 35 years, will miss her job. I love it," she said "Its my life. Keystone workers also walked out in solidarity with Workers United members at a W Diamond Group plant in Des Plaines, Illinois, which is in contract negotiations. Keystone workers make Hart Schaffner Marx suits for W Diamond. The 450 workers at both plants walked out Monday in what they have termed an Unfair Labor Practice strike. Chris Rose, staff director for the Workers United union, based in Chicago, said it was important that Keystone workers were in solidarity. It was important to send a message because if the workers here didnt demand a severance package, and they werent in solidarity with workers in Chicago, it would be easy for them to be exploited, Rose said. Based on the situation of them losing their jobs in the near future, the company could have shifted a lot of work here and mandated overtime here. In the meantime, we would still be waiting for the company to come to the table and talk to us about a severance package. We werent going to let the workers basically become pawns for this corporation. Plain Dealer Photographer Lisa DeJong contributed to this story. BEREA, Ohio -- The first-ever Women Veterans' Appreciation Luncheon provided through the Berea Veterans Outreach Office achieved more than just gathering together for a free meal. The Feb. 9 event became the means for sharing heartfelt personal experiences only women who have been in the military would understand. There indeed was comfort in the camaraderie. "Women veterans are an audience that often has been ignored by other veterans organizations," said Air Force veteran and outreach volunteer Linda Kramer. "We want them to get used to being together, and we're hopeful it will lead to a monthly support group in the Veterans Outreach Office that provides the opportunity to discuss unique issues we feel more comfortable talking about with other women." More than a dozen female veterans of all ages and military branches was present inside the Berea Recreation Center. Whether their experiences were from the 1950s, the Vietnam War or Desert Storm, it was clear they served with pride. A retired major in attendance encouraged everyone to reach out to each other. "All of us have our own things that we have to deal with," she said. "When you get in combat, it's really hard to get that out of yourself." Berea Veterans Outreach Coordinator Chaplain Willie Springer, a Vietnam veteran, emphasized that good things can happen "when you step forward." "If you need healing, then that's what we are ready to provide," Springer said. "You have served your country to the utmost ... but things can still travel with you. It's time for you to step forward because you served just like the men served." Chaplain Willie Springer, who serves as coordinator for Berea's Veterans Outreach Office, enjoyed spending time with the women veterans that attended the Berea event. Other speakers included Joan Sweeny of Cuyahoga Community College's Veteran Services and Programs department, as well as Connie Duensing, outreach coordinator for healthcare at the Veterans Health Administration in Cleveland. Duensing addressed the difficult topic of "military sexual trauma." "You don't have to deal with it on your own or suppress it," Duensing emphasized. "It doesn't have to have been proven or adjudicated. You can come to the VA and receive treatment without any type of documentation. If you say it happened, we believe it did, and we're going to help you get through it." For more information, contact the Berea Veterans Outreach Office at 440-973-4567, or go to www.cityofberea.org. The support group is open to women veterans from any community. AVON, Ohio - The Avon Senior Center was the scene of an informative presentation on senior scams and how to avoid becoming a victim. The speaker was Geoff Myers, owner of a Right at Home franchise that provides "non-medical, quality in-home care for seniors and disabled adults who need some assistance to maintain their independence," according to the company information. Myers addressed the group of about 30 seniors on February 6. He said the slide presentation was from the Society for Certified Senior Advisors. Highlighted in the presentation was theft, scams, caregiver abuse and family perpetrators. For most of them, he said, the thieves are very creative and can take bits and pieces of your information to turn to their advantage. What they want is your personal information including your name, Social Security number, date of birth, address, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, driver's license information, passwords, family relationship information, professional licenses, business identity and military history and benefits information. All places where you store information about yourself and your life need to be followed and checked carefully on a regular basis. As a former banker, Myers said the financial criminals' goal is to drain your bank accounts. Each year, he said, about 15 million people fall victim with an average loss of about $3500. Tips to be safe include running your credit report regularly; opting out of solicitations; callling 888-567-8688 to be placed on the do not call national list, suspending your mail if away from your home, paying bills online and shredding anything that has your name on it. He recommends a cross-cut shredder as being more effective in shredding documents into tinier pieces. He also advises limiting what information you keep in your wallet. In particular, do not keep your Social Security card in your wallet. He said your Social Security card can even be used for someone to get a job or open credit lines. In "phishing" emails, designed to attempt to fool you into parting with your information, look for misspellings and bad grammar. Warnings signs to alert you include: mail sent to you that is addressed to someone else an unexpected denial of credit or a loan for which you didn't apply inflated earnings regarding business opportunities or sweepstakes Remember, Myers said, you are targeted more with scams coming in the US mail. "They (the perpetrators) see seniors as generous and trusting. They are career criminals who practice, practice, practice." For more information Geoff Myers can be contacted at 440-772-4017. AKRON, Ohio Akron residents are invited to a series of public meetings this month about the future of the citys snow removal. The meetings lead up to March 1, when the newly-appointed snow and ice task force is expected to issue recommendations. City Hall received a barrage of complaints from residents who said Akron failed to sufficiently clear about 15 inches of snow left in the wake of Winter Storm Harper in mid-January. During the last snow event, I received numerous calls and emails about this basic service, said Ward 8 Councilwoman Marilyn Keith. I heard primarily from Ward 8 residents during the event but want to be sure that I offered a number of opportunities for all residents to share. Keith, chair of the public service committee and member of the snow and ice task force, organized the forums to involve members of the public in the discussion. Information gathered at the forums will go back to the snow and ice task force, which will issue a full report on the citys weather event plan moving forward, Keith said. The meetings will be held at community centers throughout the city: Tuesday, Feb. 12, 6-7:30 p.m. at Lawton Community Center, 1225 Lawton Street Wednesday, Feb. 13, 10-11:30 a.m. at Ellet Community Center, 2449 Wedgewood Drive Wednesday, Feb. 13, 6-7:30 p.m. at Kenmore Community Center, 880 Kenmore Blvd. Thursday, Feb. 14, 10-11:30 a.m. at Firestone Park Community Center, 1480 Girard Street Thursday, Feb. 21, 10-11:30 a.m. at Patterson Park Community Center, 800 Patterson Ave. Tuesday, Feb. 26, 10-11:30 a.m. at Northwest Community Center, 1730 Shatto Ave. Anyone unable to attend a public forum can email Keith at ward8@akronohio.gov. In its apology for the slow snow removal, the city did not indicate how it fell behind. The city said all resources were dedicated to plowing and salting roads and that it had hired seven additional contractors. City Council President Margo Sommerville established the task force earlier this month. The last time the city review and revised its procedures for snow and ice control was in 2005, Sommerville said in a press release. The task force will take a deep dive into procedurally what occurred and find ways to improve that, City Council Vice President and chair of the task force Jeff Fusco said previously. The administration recognizes that were all in this together, so lets figure out ways we can improve. 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. By Julia Peffer, BEAT reporter Andrea Ryan Andrea Ryan is a middle school orchestra teacher in the Brunswick district. She has been teaching in Brunswick for about 3 years. She has also taught private lessons for about 7 years. "I started playing violin when I was 5," explained Ryan. "My mom started my brother and myself on instruments when we were really young. It was important to her that we were involved in music." Ryan went to the Conservatory of Music at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea Ohio. She does not remember what it was like the first time she played. However, she remembers that she enjoyed playing the piece, "Long, Long Ago." Currently, Ryan teaches grades six through eight at Edwards and Visintainer Middle Schools in Brunswick. "I love all my grades," she stated. "It's hard to compare them. They're just different. My 6th graders are so excited to be learning their instruments, and I feed off that energy. My 7th graders have a good handle on playing, and we get to delve into more technical components while exploring lyrical pieces. My 8th graders are at a level where they're playing pieces people recognize, which I think is rewarding for them." Ryan finds teaching to be rewarding because of the students. "I think people take music because they love music," she said. "Sometimes, I worry that my students get caught up in the process of learning, and forget to enjoy the music they are creating," she added. Julia Peffer, a sixth-grader at Edwards Middle School, A jury has awarded about $123 million to the victims and families of a 2015 duck boat crash that killed five college students and injured more than 60 others in Seattle. After a four-month civil trial, King County Superior Court jurors found that Ride The Ducks International bore 67 to 70 percent of the responsibility for the crash, The Seattle Times reported. The company, based in Branson, Missouri, is the manufacturer of the Duck amphibious vehicle that crossed the centerline of the Aurora Bridge and rammed into a charter bus full of international college students in 2015. The jury found that tour vehicle operator Ride The Ducks of Seattle was 30 to 33 percent at fault. Two additional defendants, the city of Seattle and the state of Washington, were found not to be at fault. The 2016 lawsuit, filed on behalf of 40 people who were injured or killed in the crash, claimed the former owner of Ride The Ducks International improvised flawed fixes for the World War II-era vehicles. Ride The Ducks of Seattle failed to properly inspect and maintain the vehicle, the suit claimed. In particular, the plaintiffs argued, the company ignored a 2013 service bulletin from the manufacturer warning of a flaw in the axle and recommending a fix. Attorney Jack Snyder of Ride The Ducks International claimed the company had identified the problem before the crash and issued an alert to other Duck-vehicle operators. All other Ducks licensees and franchisees, except for Seattle, made the fix, he said. Ride The Ducks of Seattle claimed that Ride The Ducks International peppered it with service bulletins and had a welding expert testify that the fix would not have prevented the axle failure that caused the crash. The crash killed North Seattle College international students Claudia Derschmidt, 49, of Austria; Privando Putradanto, 18, of Indonesia; Runjie Song, 17, of China; Mami Sato, 36, of Japan; and HaRam Kim, 20, of South Korea. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board determined the collision occurred after the front axle broke off the ducks vehicle due to improper manufacturing by Ride The Ducks International and improper maintenance by Ride The Ducks Seattle. After the incident, Washingtons Utilities and Transportation Commission suspended the local company from operating its 20 tourist vehicles. Ducks Seattle later acknowledged 159 critical safety violations and agreed to pay $222,000 in penalties to settle the state complaint before resuming operations. The Missouri-based Ducks company agreed to pay up to $1 million in civil fines for violating federal safety regulations. Last year, both Ducks companies settled a suit for $8.25 million that was filed on behalf of four plaintiffs, including the family of one passenger who was killed. In her closing argument, attorney Karen Koehler listed the names of her 40 clients, outlined their injuries and talked about what was taken from them. She asked jurors to award each victim $3 million or more. Attorneys for the two Ducks companies emphasized in their closings the need for jurors to be reasonable and fair in awarding damages. Most of the damages awarded Thursday, if not all, will be paid by the insurance companies that underwrite the companies. Awards to plaintiffs will vary. Ride The Ducks said in a statement Thursday that officials have made a series of changes to their vehicles and have removed the Aurora Bridge from their route. Ride The Ducks of Seattle owners, management and team members have always wanted to do right by everyone affected by the accident, but have been limited by constraints in the legal process, it said, adding that the jurys verdict moved it one closer to that goal. Named for their ability to travel on land and in water, duck boats have been involved in other serious accidents in the past. Thirteen people died in 1999 when a boat sank near Hot Springs, Arkansas. In 2018, 17 people drowned when a duck boat was swamped in a sudden storm in Branson, Missouri. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A man who was choked unconscious by an off-duty Los Angeles, Calif., firefighter who saw him handing out Halloween candy to children will receive $7.4 million to settle a lawsuit, his attorney announced Wednesday. Samuel Chang suffered a traumatic brain injury, nearly died and still has medical problems from the 2015 attack that was captured on video, attorney David Ring said. Chang, then 22, was visiting his grandmother in the Chatsworth area and was outside, handing out candy on Halloween night, when he was confronted by five men, including two off-duty firefighters, authorities said. The men were concerned about a stranger who was passing out candy, refused to go away and was acting suspiciously, their attorneys said after the attack. Video from Changs iPhone showed the men following him as he walked away and repeatedly accusing him of trying to give away drugged candy. Video shot by a bystander showed the group surrounding Chang. Video and court records indicate that firefighter Eric Carpenter, who lived nearby, placed Chang in a chokehold for six minutes while he struggled and the other men held him down, the Los Angeles Times reported. When he went limp, his attackers tried to revive him, but he was hospitalized for several weeks. Chang later told the Times that he still suffers from chronic headaches and has trouble reading and processing information. Carpenter was charged with felony assault in 2017 and could have faced up to seven years in prison. But he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault. The other off-duty firefighter, Michael Anthony Vitar a former child actor known for appearing in The Sandlot and two Mighty Ducks movies and a neighbor of Carpenters pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery. Two other men werent criminally charged. None of the men served jail time. The firefighters kept their jobs, although each was suspended for six months without pay. Changs 2017 lawsuit alleged assault, battery, false imprisonment, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Samuel was brutally beaten by these thugs, Ring said in a statement Wednesday. The civil settlement provides him with some justice for what he endured. Yet we remain incredibly disappointed that the district attorneys office failed to hold the defendants accountable for this horrific attack. The lawsuit was dismissed on Monday after the settlement, and the five men didnt acknowledge any wrongdoing, Ring said. Carpenters attorney for the lawsuit, Jeffrey Zinder, declined to comment Wednesday, saying that the lawsuit settlement was confidential. However, Carpenters attorney in the criminal case, Michael A. Goldstein, said he spoke to the firefighter Wednesday. This has been a very traumatic and trying time for both Mr. Carpenter and his family. He would prefer to put all of this behind him, Goldstein said. He wishes Mr. Chang the best in all his future endeavors. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre resulted in criminal and civil court cases and the creation of a state investigative panel examining the shootings causes. A look at where those stand: CRIMINAL CASE The murder case against 20-year-old Nikolas Cruz is moving slowly and could take years. Defense lawyers are gradually interviewing dozens of prosecution witnesses, and there have been several legal skirmishes over release of Cruzs medical and school records and attempts to obtain evidence. No trial date has been set, even as prosecutors have pushed to start this year. Cruzs lawyers have repeatedly said he will plead guilty to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in return for a life prison sentence, but Broward County prosecutors want his guilt and ultimate fate decided by a local jury. They are seeking the death penalty. Meanwhile, Cruz also faces assault and other charges for allegedly attacking a corrections officer in jail. CIVIL LAWSUITS The Parkland shootings spawned numerous lawsuits, including a negligence case brought by a victims family against sheriffs deputy Scot Peterson for failing to confront the gunman. More than 100 notices of intent to sue have been filed against the Broward County school system, again for negligence and similar allegations that officials failed to protect students and staff. Shooting survivors have sued in federal court claiming their civil rights were violated. And survivors and victims families alike have sued Cruz, the family he was living with at the time of the shooting, three mental health agencies who evaluated Cruz and the maker of the AR-15 rifle used by the shooter. More lawsuits are likely. MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION The 15-member commission issued a 458-page report in January after meeting periodically for nine months to investigate the massacres causes and examine how future school shootings can be prevented. Its most controversial recommendation: Florida teachers who volunteer, pass background checks and undergo extensive training should be allowed to carry concealed handguns. The members argue that seconds count, and waiting for police to arrive allows shooters time to kill more students. Opponents include the Florida teachers union and the state PTA. They say teachers should not also be security guards, and putting more guns on campuses will make schools more dangerous, not less. The commission found numerous failures in the school system, law enforcement and at Stoneman Douglas. Among them: failure of school officials statewide to examine and fix campus security shortfalls; poor training for Broward County sheriffs deputies in confronting mass shooters; and failures by Stoneman Douglas security officers that allowed the shooter to enter the campus. The commission is composed of law enforcement, education and mental health professionals and the fathers of two slain children. The panel will continue periodic meetings for the next four years. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The firefighters climbed one ladder, hand over hand, then shifted over to a second and sometimes a third ladder, hooked precariously from window ledges eight stories above bare concrete. The architecture typical of many Paris residences hidden central stairwells and enclosed courtyards may be charming to tourists, but it can be a deadly maze when on fire, feeding oxygen to flames and hindering access for firefighters. Ten people died early Tuesday in a blaze that engulfed a nine-story apartment building, where firefighters had no alternatives to the precarious rescue. The building had a narrow internal courtyard that was inaccessible to fire trucks, and the only staircase leading to the exit was in flames. The fire spread swiftly and there were no extinguishers in the common hallways where it started none are required in most Paris residential buildings. The building features create a pull from low to high that pushes up the gas and smoke and can spread the fire, even by nothing more than a simple broken window, climbing from apartment to apartment, said Francis Matarozzo, a former Paris firefighter who now works for the fire safety company Efectis. That may have been the case at the 1970s-era building on rue Erlanger, where police said the upper three floors suffered the worst damage. To escape the flames, residents climbed from balcony to balcony; one group huddled on a tiny ledge. The firefighters brought trapped residents down one by one with a combination of hooked ladders and rappelling equipment more commonly used in rock climbing. But they are standard in Paris and other French cities with similar architecture, said Didier Remy, a commander with the national federation of French firefighters. Meanwhile, a female resident with a history of mental illness was detained nearby as the building burned. She remained in custody Thursday. The prosecutors office opened an investigation into destruction by a flammable substance that caused deaths and injuries. However, the prosecutor said the exact circumstances of the blaze and whether it began in one or more parts of the building was not immediately known. Police had been alerted to the fire shortly after midnight by a former firefighter residing in the building, who had complained to the suspect about noise. Firefighters arrived in less than 10 minutes but by then it was too late. Remy said France is considering a system of ranking buildings by level of danger, especially given how many of Frances buildings are decades, if not centuries, old. This is truly specific to France and especially Paris. For these old buildings where there is no access, the law is not retroactive, Matarozzo said. You cannot tear down all of Paris to bring everything up to current norms. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Ralph Northam. Justin Fairfax. Amy Klobuchar. Elizabeth Warren. For the first time in the Trump presidency, multiple senior Democrats are facing sustained bouts of negative coverage all at the same time. The context for this coverage has ranged from the extraordinary (the crisis in governance in Virginia) to the routine (the early phases of presidential primary season), while its subject matter has spanned the extremely serious and the relatively trivial. Taken together, however, it has lent a markedly different tenor to a news cycle that has, since 2016, been saturated by scandals involving Donald Trump. Eleven days after Big League Politics, a pro-Trump website, dug up a racist photo on his medical school yearbook page, Northam, Virginias governor, continues to draw close media scrutiny as he clings to office. In detailed features published over the weekend, both The New York Times and The Washington Post scoured Northams rural upbringing for clues as to how he views race, in general, and blackface, in particular. Interviewers, meanwhile, elicited yet more dubious soundbites from the governor. His admission to the Posts Gregory S. Schneider that things that I did back in medical school and in San Antonio were insensitive was curious given Northams denial, last weekend, that he was pictured in the racist yearbook photo (his spokesperson later claimed that Northam misspoke and had only intended to refer to his residency in San Antonio, where he darkened [his] face for a Michael Jackson dance contest). And a preview clip from Gayle Kings interview with Northam, which aired on CBS this morning, circulated widely. The first indentured servants from Africa landed in Virginia 400 years ago, Northam said. King interjected: Also known as slavery. ICYMI: I was plagiarized by Jill Abramson Reporting has kept an aggressive pace, too, around Fairfax, Virginias lieutenant governor who is now facing two separate allegations of sexual misconduct. Big League Politics was at the origin of this story, too, but it spread quickly through the mainstream press early last week, before Vanessa Tyson, on Wednesday, and Meredith Watson, on Friday, came forward with public statements respectively alleging assault and rape. Diligent reporting has followed these claims, which Fairfax strongly denies: according to the Timess Stephanie Saul and Sheryl Gay Stolberg, for example, interviews and documentation show both Tyson and Watson recalled similar details in private exchanges going back several years. Yesterday, political journalists revealed that Fairfax could face impeachment proceedings in the Virginia Houseone day after the Times reported Democrats concerns about impeaching Fairfax, who is black, while white senior officials who admitted they wore blackface retain their posts. Away from Virginia, negative stories weighed on two Democratic presidential rollouts this weekend, albeit with a much lesser gravity. In the middle of last week, HuffPosts Molly Redden and Amanda Terkel reported that at least three people pulled out of the running to manage Klobuchars nascent bid due to the Minnesota senators past mistreatment of her staff. Former employees told Redden and Terkel that Klobuchar is habitually demeaning and prone to bursts of cruelty, which, according to a subsequent story by BuzzFeeds Molly Hensley-Clancy, have included hurling papers and objects, and berating staffers work in all-caps, early-morning emails. While stories about Klobuchars campaign launch yesterday mostly mentioned the allegations, however, few led with them, choosing, instead, to focus on her speechs setting in the middle of a snowstorm. And some observers reacted poorly to HuffPost and BuzzFeeds reporting, arguing that powerful men rarely face such questioning over their managerial style. Warren, for her part, merely formalized her presidential ambitions on Saturdayher intentions had been obvious since she took the first steps toward a candidacy on New Years Eve, becoming the first Democratic heavyweight to dip a toe in the race. As was true back then, Warrens widely panned decision, last October, to release a DNA test confirming her Native American heritage haunted coverage of her launch over the weekend. That was partly a response to new reporting: the Post wrote last week that Warren had identified as American Indian on her registration card for the Texas Bar. But it was Trump, as is so often the case, who rocketed the DNA test story up the news cycle on Saturday night: in a widely covered tweet, he repeated his Pocahontas nickname for Warren, then made an apparent reference to the Trail of Tears. Several outlets also ran stories on comments by Liz Cheney, the Republican representative for Wyoming, after she called Warren a laughingstock on CNN. Sign up for CJR 's daily email The crisis in Virginia, of course, has little substantively in common with the trials and tribulations of the campaign trail. Its at least noteworthy, however, that Democratic travails have driven the news cycle through the last week or so. Virginia has meritedand has seensustained, critical coverage. On the presidential front, however, reporters are clearly still working out which scandals deserve weight, and how much weight they deserve. In particular, the continued prominence of Warrens DNA testand media chasing after Trumps tweets about itdoes not bode well. Below, more on the Democrats: Bernie and Beto: Senator Bernie Sanders would begin a 2020 presidential bid with 2.1 million online donors, a massive lead among low-dollar contributors that is roughly equivalent to the donor base of all the other Democratic hopefuls combined, the Timess Shane Goldmacher, Lisa Lerer and Rachel Shorey report. Beto ORourke, the former Texas congressman who narrowly lost a Senate race last year, is also poised to be a fund-raising phenom if he runs for president. Senator Bernie Sanders would begin a 2020 presidential bid with 2.1 million online donors, a massive lead among low-dollar contributors that is roughly equivalent to the donor base of all the other Democratic hopefuls combined, the Timess Shane Goldmacher, Lisa Lerer and Rachel Shorey report. Beto ORourke, the former Texas congressman who narrowly lost a Senate race last year, is also poised to be a fund-raising phenom if he runs for president. Trash cliches: Writing for CJR in January, Todd Gitlin took issue with early coverage of Warrens bid. Her timing, her tactical acumen, or lack of it, were the journalistic obsession, he wrote. Writing for CJR in January, Todd Gitlin took issue with early coverage of Warrens bid. Her timing, her tactical acumen, or lack of it, were the journalistic obsession, he wrote. On the policy front: Away from the presidential race, WNYCs On The Media podcast assessed the messaging around the Green New Deal, the radical climate agenda touted by progressive Democrats like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Other notable stories: ICYMI: Meet the 26-year-old who has been laid off three times Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop. The recent success of Dreyers English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style, provides a good excuse to talk about one of author and Random House copy chief Benjamin Dreyers favorite words. He likes the word defenestratewith its vivid meaning of being thrown from a window, according to The New York Times profile of Dreyer, who told the paper, Its just so weirdly specific. A form of that word, defenestration, appears just once in Dreyers book, as part of a footnote wondering why English needs specific words like sesquicentennial and antepenultimate. For many, defenestration conjures medieval images, possibly because of its association with medieval times. As the Oxford English Dictionary says, the noun first appeared in 1619 to mean The action of throwing a person out of a window; (also) the fact of being thrown out of a window. RELATED: Why are there so many ways to leave? If you paid attention in history class, and if your history class covered it, you might recall the context. As the OED says, defenestration is frequently used with reference to the second Defenestration of Prague, an incident in which, on the 23rd of May 1618, a group of Protestant Bohemian protestors threw two Catholic imperial officials and their secretary out of a window in Prague Castle, thus helping to precipitate the Thirty Years War. (The defenestrees survived, thanks to a moat around the castle, but that was apparently not mitigating.) No mention is made of the first Defenestration of Prague, which occurred in 1419 when Czech Hussites threw seven city officials from the windows of the town hall, leading to the Hussite (or Bohemian) Wars. The Defenestration label for the 1419 incident was probably first applied hundreds of years after the fact, which may explain why there is no earlier citation in the OED. The German word Fenstersturz was first noted in 1626 or so, probably relating to the 1618 defenestration. The French, though, already had a verb for throwing things out the window, defenestrer, which the OED traces to 1564. Sign up for CJR 's daily email A colloquial usage of defenestration showed up around 1955, the OED says, to mean The dismissal or removal of a person from a position of power or authority. Throw the bums out, yes, but not necessarily through a window. Thats how the authors of a recent Op-Ed in the Times used it, saying that President Trumps followers defenestrate Republicans who defy or repudiate him. Often, one form of a word introduced into English is quickly followed by another; a noun becomes an adjective, verb, adverb, or any combination thereof once people adopt it. Indeed, the adjective defenestrated followed the noun in 1620, the OED says. Defenestration is a noun for an action, which is usually represented by a verb. But the verb defenestrate was not recorded until 1904, when it was used in an art magazine in the context of the Prague defenestrations: You may still see the windows through which were thrown town councillors and others, defenestrated with truly Slav impartiality. The quotation marks around the past-tense verb defenestrated might be the authors way of saying, This is not a real word, but Im using it as such. The OED says the verb defenestrate is usually humorous, but thats not how the art magazine used it, or how most people use it. Defenestrate used colloquially to mean dismiss, discard, or dispose of (a person or thing); esp. to remove (a person) from a position of power or authority first appeared in 1917, the OED says, predating the similar noun by almost 40 years. Aint English weird? The noun defenestration seems more popular than the verb defenestrate, at least in books tracked by Google: In modern journalism, the verb defenestrate seems far more popular than the noun, and is almost always used in a political context. Thats not to say any form is popular: Nexis shows fewer than 75 instances of the verb in the past six months. MySpace and Facebook used to have an application called SuperPoke, where you could send friends virtual kisses or virtual sheep, virtually hug them or virtually defenestrate them. That led to this Urban Dictionary definition of defenestrate: Most commonly recognized as an action performed on Facebook.coms superpoke application. Usually misinterpreted as a sexual activity, it actually means to throw something/one out of a window. SuperPoke is no longer available on Facebook. Google defenestrated it. ICYMI: Why journalists should avoid the word collective Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Merrill Perlman managed copy desks across the newsroom at the New York Times, where she worked for twenty-five years. Follow her on Twitter at @meperl. You will receive 5-day a week delivery of the Citizen Tribune newspaper to your home or business, plus full, ad-free access to CitizenTribune.com as well as full access to the Electronic Edition of the newspaper. ONLY $13.99 per month for the first 3 months! Only $16.00 per month after promotional period. Or ONLY $169.99 for a full year Only $198.95 per year after promotional period. Florida, FL (34429) Today Isolated thunderstorms during the evening. Mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Isolated thunderstorms during the evening. Mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. TravelSkills on SFGate is brought to you by Visa . See More Collapse Last week, a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800 took off from Oakland International Airport and landed safely in Honolulu, Hawaii five hours later. The successful test flight, with only Southwest crew and FAA inspectors on board, paves the way for the carrier to announce fares and schedules for its new Hawaii service, which could come as soon as this week. Southwest already has employees on the ground in Honolulu and they all turned out to welcome the flight, and even created a lei to welcome the new bird. Take a look at the slideshow at the top of this post to see the festive photos! Texas lawmakers are targeting fraud involving the states food stamp program with two bills that would require photographs of the recipients on their government-issued cards. Both House Bill 1250, filed by Beaumont Republican Rep. Dade Phelan, and Senate Bill 671, filed by Conroe Republican Sen. Brandon Creighton, would add the photo and name of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients to their Lone Star Cards and place a greater emphasis on reporting instances of food stamp fraud. Its a problem I see in my community every day, Phelan said. There are individuals who take advantage of a program thats designed for the most vulnerable Texans, and I want to make sure those taxpayer resources go to the people who actually need them. Lone Star Cards also referred to as EBT cards, short for electronic benefit transfer operate much like debit cards at the checkout stand and are refilled by the state on a monthly basis. As with users of bank-issued debit cards, EBT card users get PIN numbers to authorize purchases. The two bills would also add the states food stamp fraud hotline number to all Lone Star Cards. Current data dont suggest that food stamp fraud is a widespread problem. According to a 2018 congressional report, for every $10,000 paid out by food stamp programs nationally in fiscal year 2017, only $21 was determined by state agencies to have been lost because of fraud. Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox But Phelan said those numbers would be much higher if there were greater oversight on Lone Star Cards because the cards make it too easy to get away with fraud. Adding the name puts it on par with almost any other electronic currency, and the only reason I added the photo as well is because it just adds that extra layer of security, Phelan said. State officials would also be required to monitor how often participants request replacement cards. Neither bill has been assigned to a committee yet, but if approved by the Legislature, the law would take effect Sept. 1. More than 3.5 million Texans receive food stamp benefits, and the average monthly benefit for a household is $259. The program, which is funded by the state and the federal government, costs $400 million a month. People younger than 19, seniors, people with disabilities, the homeless and victims of domestic abuse would all be exempt if either bill were passed into law. Editors note: This story has been updated to correct an error in the total costs of the Texas food stamp program. Five family members among them a 15-month-old child were found dead of gunshot wounds Monday morning at a Polk County ranch, according to authorities. Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies found the two men inside a home and three women, including the child, outside in the 3600 block of FM 3126 around 10:30 a.m. after receiving a call of an assault. Each of the victims were suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. A sixth person had been locked inside a bedroom during the killings and woke up around 5:30 a.m. to a commotion that police described as popping noises, said Byron Lyons, chief deputy of the sheriffs office. She called her son, who then called the authorities. DOUBLE TRAGEDY: Houston families reeling after two die in Virgin Islands The woman was not hurt. The slain were identified as Ashley Delaney and her husband, Randy Horn, as well as their child. The great-grandparents of the child, Carlos and Lynda Delaney, were also those killed, Lyons said. The chief deputy declined to say whether or not the shooting was a murder-suicide. A firearm was recovered from the home, which is about 75 miles northeast of Houston, and no suspects are outstanding, he said. At HoustonChronicle.com: Solutions to gun violence from an NRA lifer [Opinion] "This has been a rough day," Lyons said during a press conference Monday night. "This is a horrible, horrific crime. I ask that the community pray for this family. This is something Polk County is not used to." The Texas Rangers is also investigating the shooting. 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. Elaine Richman lived for her Doberman Pinschers, her brother said. She had owned more than a handful of the dogs, and they were her world. On Friday, she was found dead in her backyard with several dog bite marks on her face, arms and hands, Houston Police said. While ruled an accident, Richman died by sharp force injuries, according to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. Two Doberman Pinschers were found inside her home. The 66-year-old's brother said it would be premature to talk about how she died, mentioning that full medical reports were not complete. It is tragic and unfortunate that shes leaving us at such a young age, Bruce Richman said. It is just a very, very sad event that has taken place, but you know you have to remember the joy that she brought to so many of these dogs. HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: US Postal Service says Houston is tops for dog attacks Authorities found the woman around 8 a.m. Friday after being dispatched to the 12800 block of Susanna Lane in Alief for a welfare check. When they arrived, they saw the unresponsive woman, later identified as Richman, in the backyard with her wounds, Houston police said. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Witnesses told police they hadn't seen the woman at her dog training classes for the last two days, authorities said in a news release. Richman prided herself on the animals, her brother said. What she liked to do was to be with her dogs, he said. I always say that whenever I talked to her, her voice would light up in discussion on what this dog or that dog did. Richman has had a number of the Dobermans all different sizes and colors. One of them, Oz, was a prize show dog, Bruce Richman said. Dog handler Theresa Nail, who has shown Oz in competitions, said that Richman's dogs were "champions," well-behaved and very sweet. Doberman Pinschers are known as protective dogs that are "royalty in the canine kingdom," according to the American Kennel Club. Originally bred by a tax collector in 19th century Germany, they're muscular and compact dogs weighing up to 100 pounds in males and 90 pounds in females. They're usually more than 2 feet tall and live between 10 and 12 years. Studies pointing to any potential danger of Dobermans are hard to come by, and efforts to categorize harmful behaviors of breeds have been criticized by several prominent animal organizations. Factors other than genetics play into harmful behavior of dogs, the CDC said in a 2001 report. MORE PREMIUM ANALYSIS: Houston Animal Control may not help if a stray dog attacks your pet No recent data was available, however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a study in the mid-90s that found eight Doberman Pinschers involved in dog bite-related deaths from 1978 to 1996. The number placed Dobermans in the top 10 of dog-bite deaths by breed, but still ranked below pit bull-type dogs, Rottweilers, German shepherds, huskies and Alaskan malamutes. Tom Pincus, the president of the Houston Kennel Club, said he was skeptical that Richman's dogs would have caused her death. He added that she wasn't a member of his organization. "That is extremely unusual, that a person is attacked by their personal dogs," Pincus said. "I would not believe that for a second until I heard that from a coroner's report." Its unclear what happened to Richmans dogs after she died. Her brother said that they are being handled properly right now, but declined to clarify any further. A Houston police spokesman said that investigators on the case were off work on Monday and couldnt provide an immediate update on the status of the pets. One neighbor, who declined to be identified, said that she saw a dog being led out of the house on Friday. Several other people who live on the street said they weren't familiar with Richman's home or the Dobermans. The only indication that she had pets was a sign on her fence that read, "Beware of dog." Richman has been affiliated with a number of Doberman groups, including the Katoba Dobermans breeders. They declined to comment for this story. HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: 'Dangerous Dogs' identified in unincorporated Harris County She had also been involved in the Doberman Pinscher Club of Houston and was accused of stealing from the organization, which was dedicated to the breed she so openly adored. Authorities said that between Nov. 10, 2011, and May 31, 2012, Richman stole $23,250 from the club while she was its treasurer, according to Harris County court records. She was also accused of falsifying financial statements, inflating the funds that were available. Richman agreed to deferred adjudication and was given probation for eight years, ending in November 2020. Her brother declined to comment on the matter, saying it has "zero relevancy to the situation at hand." She will be well-remembered by her family, her brother said. She had seven siblings. Richman's dogs were gorgeous, her brother said, and she could tell you anything you wanted to know about the breed. She was an accountant by trade, but the dogs were her life, Bruce Richman said. She, from a very young age, had a compassion and joy for dogs, he said. They were her children. Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@chron.com | 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. Police are looking for a man accused of killing his girlfriend soon after the bickering couple was kicked out of a northwest Houston club, court records show. The suspect was charged with murder in the death of 32-year-old Cindy Romero-Fajardo, who was shot in the head on Feb. 3 while leaving El Corral in the 8100 block of W. Tidwell Road, according to Houston police investigators. She died Thursday. Her 27-year-old boyfriend, Wilson Rivera-Madrid, is believed to be on the run. He was initially charged Monday with aggravated assault of a family member but was not apprehended. He was not home when investigators went inside an apartment he shared with Romero-Fajardo, before the first round of charges were filed. The door to the apartment "swung open" when police knocked and investigators were unable to find any of his clothes. HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Pasadena crime prevention course a lesson in neighborhood vigilance Investigators believe Rivera-Madrid at some point had "returned to his apartment and taken his belongings, leaving in a hurry," according to court documents. A club bouncer, who identified Rivera-Madrid as an El Corral regular, told police he saw the suspect brandish a gun in the parking lot as the couple left around 3 a.m., prior to the Feb. 3 shooting. The security guard then heard at least one gun shot as the couple drove away, charging papers show. Another witness said he saw a man in a black cowboy hat, who was believed to be Rivera-Madrid, dump a woman's body in the street a quarter of a mile from the bar and then speed off, police said. Romero-Fajardo was still alive when first responders found her in the 7900 block of Grow Lane, about a block away from her apartment. She spent the next four days hospitalized with her head wrapped in bandages, according to documents. During that time, a family member identified Rivera-Madrid as the woman's boyfriend of four years and provided his phone number. HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Trump immigrant crime hotline still faces hurdles, pushback Investigators called Rivera-Madrid and spoke to him through a translator. He alleged during the phone call that Romero-Fajardo was missing and he wanted to find her. Investigators told Rivera-Madrid that she was at Southwest Memorial Hospital and to meet them there. Police waited for more than an hour, but he never showed up. Rivera-Madrid does not appear to have any criminal history in Texas. 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. Kentucky authorities this weekend arrested a man wanted in the shooting death of a woman in Channelview last fall. Lexington police on Saturday arrested Jerry Wayne Greer outside a hotel where he was staying, the Harris County Sheriff's Office said. A historian, a pastor, volunteers and nonprofit leaders were honored Friday at the second annual Mayors History Makers Awards presented by Comcast and the City of Houston. Theyre making history now with the work theyre doing in our city, said T. Ray Purser, vice president of external affairs in the Houston region for Comcast. The ceremony, which ties in to Black History Month, recognized 10 black Houstonians for their personal impact in the community, helping further the mission of a nonprofit organization and overcoming personal obstacles, said Purser. All nonprofits that nominated the winning honorees received $1,000 each from Comcast. Patricia Smith Prather, historian and co-founder and executive director of the Texas Trailblazer Preservation Association, received the Living Legend award for her work highlighting the accomplishments of African-Americans in Texas and Houston. Her daughter, Keiba Stevenson, accepted the award in her place as Prather recovers from an illness. She was so excited, Stevenson said, and it takes a lot to get her excited. Stevenson added that she felt grateful for the recognition while her mother is still alive to enjoy as so often accolades are given posthumously. Mayor Sylvester Turner, who selected Prather as this years Living Legend recipient, said the ceremonys intent was to set an example for others to also give back to the community. Mayors History Makers Awards Honorees This year's 10 honorees were recognized at a ceremony held at The Houstonian Hotel. They were: Sam Alix, peer support mentor at the Military Veteran Peer Network's Gulf Coast chapter Darryl Blackburn, board member atBig Brothers Big Sisters Donna Brownlow, director of food services operations at Target Hunger Leonard Donaldson,volunteer at CanCare, a nonprofit that matches cancer patients with cancer survivors LaShonda Johnson, volunteer atthe Mission Continues, a veterans support organization Rev. William Lawson, pastor emeritus of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church and adviser for LULAC Howard Middleton, former commissioner of the Port of Houston and founding chairman of the H.E.A.R.T Program, which offers continuing education and work training for adults with special needs Patrick Purnell, volunteer atMental Health America Greater Houston Tiffany Sanders, board member of Kids Meals Inc. Patricia Smith Prather, historian and co-founder and executive director of the Texas Trailblazer Preservation Association who received the Living Legend Award See More Collapse You dont have to be a seasoned saint to make a vital contribution, he said. Additional honorees included the Rev. William Lawson, pastor emeritus of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, for his work in helping establish the Houston Chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC. Lawson, who played a leading role in the Civil Rights Movement through his church, said he felt honored to be nominated by LULAC. Ive always been concerned about minorities, and certainly about Latinos, he said. Several veterans were also honored including Patrick Purnell, a U.S. Air Force veteran and survivor of three cancer diagnoses and a stroke. Purnell volunteers regularly at four different nonprofits, and was nominated by Mental Health America Greater Houston for his mentorship of veterans struggling through difficult transitions into civilian life. When you work for your purpose, your purpose will work for you, Purnell said. There were also nonprofit leaders including Donna Brownlow, director of food services operations at Target Hunger, a United Way affiliate. Brownlow oversees the delivery of food to senior citizens in need, serving 600 seniors a month. Giving of her time and resources to others is a passion, she said. I really believe I was put on this earth to serve other people. ileana.najarro@chron.com Ileana.Najarro@chron.com Cassandra Hollemon took the bench in a sweep of Black Girl Magic, becoming part of the historic moment when 17 African-American women in Harris County won spots overseeing some of the busiest courtrooms in Texas. In the weeks since taking over Harris County Criminal Court of Law 12, Hollemon helped make a mark on local justice reform when she joined her colleagues in efforts to settle the landmark lawsuit over the county's cash bail system. She served on the Community Supervision and Pretrial Services Committee, and offered a keen sense of humor with friends and colleagues. On Monday, she died after weeks of struggling with "health issues," according to fellow misdemeanor Judge Darrell Jordan. She was 57. "We are saddened by the passing of Judge Cassandra Y. Hollemon," Jordan told the Houston Chronicle. "She was a compassionate judge who treated one in a respectful manner." Now, the Harris County Commissioners Court will have to pick a replacement, according to Barbara Armstrong, a managing lawyer at County Attorney Vince Ryan's office. Given the timing of Hollemon's death, her replacement would take the bench through 2020, with the option to run then in an election to complete Holleman's unexpired term ending in 2022. JAIL SUICIDE: Woman dies after misdemeanor arrest. How newly-elected judges are seeking to change the system at HoustonChronicle.com After graduating from South Texas College of Law in 1994, Hollemon spent more than two decades practicing criminal law, she told the Chronicle editorial board last year. In November's blue wave election, she bested Republican candidate John Spjut. "She was competitive; she was a fighter," said Judge Shannon Baldwin, the misdemeanor administrative jurist who sits on the bench in Court 4. "It's really sad and humbling that she's not here with us now." Also part of the Black Girl Magic, Baldwin met Hollemon in late 2017 as campaign season began ramping up. Hollemon offered humor and strength as the two got to know each other during the lead-up to the elections, Baldwin said. At one point, struggling with the death of her mother, Hollemon almost dropped out of the race but in the end decided to continue on. Sometime after taking the bench, Hollemon began having health problems, her colleagues said. Jordan didn't offer additional details on what that entailed, and was unclear whether she died in a hospital or at home. "It was a pleasure to serve with her and she will be missed by all," he said. As news of her death spread, members of the legal community offered prayers and condolences. "We have lost a promising judge, who had plenty of life experience, and had just realized her dream," said Harris County District Attorney's Office Chief of Staff Vivian King, who'd known the judge for years. "She was dedicated to using her new position on the bench to protecting crime victims and ensuring all defendants are treated fairly." The Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association took to Twitter to honor the jurist. "We are saddened to hear of this sudden loss," the group tweeted, "and send our deepest condolences to Judge Hollemon's family and friends." The judge leaves behind a son, a daughter, and a granddaughter. The funeral is set for Saturday. In the coming days, the appointment process will begin for filling Hollemon's bench. Since the majority on the court are Democrats, it's likely that the bench will go to another Democrat. In the past, county leaders have accepted resumes, letters and phone calls from people interested in the position and vetted them in executive session prior to a vote, said Pct. 3 Commissioner Steve Radack, who has served in the executive body for more than two decades. Those interested in applying must be U.S. citizens, 25 or older, county residents for at least two years and licensed attorneys who have practiced law or served as a judge for four years, according to the state's Office of Court Administration. During Radack's tenure, Commissioners Court has appointed more than 20 people to fill vacancies due to retirements, including sheriffs, constables, tax assessors, county clerks, justices of the peace and probate, civil and criminal judges and one county judge. keri.blakinger@chron.com 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. (Image source from: Twitter.com/IamKalyaanDhev) Kalyaan Dhev's Promises On His Birthday:- Megastar Chiranjeevi's son-in-law Kalyaan Dhev is struggling for success. His debut film Vijetha bombed badly at the box-office and he is now all set for his second project which has been announced officially recently. Puli Vasu is the director and Rhea Chakraborthy is the heroine in this untitled romantic entertainer that will start rolling from March. Kalyaan Dhev is celebrating his birthday today and on the occasion he pledged to donate his organs post his death. Its a day I have been looking forward to. Being on @Twitter is easy but I wanted to start with something worthwhile. Did my bit at @HospitalsApollo by pledging to donate my organs. After all, we carry nothing when we leave this world! With love@IamKalyaanDhev pic.twitter.com/hoAWGQhX0r Kalyaan Dhev (@IamKalyaanDhev) February 11, 2019 "Its a day I have been looking forward to. Being on @Twitter is easy but I wanted to start with something worthwhile. Did my bit at @HospitalsApollo by pledging to donate my organs. After all, we carry nothing when we leave this world!" posted Kalyaan Dhev along with the pictures on his official twitter page. Kalyaan Dhev posted the pictures after he signed the deal with Apollo Hospitals today. (Image source from: Twitter.com/JaiTDP) Chandra Babu Naidu's Dharma Porata Deeksha Updates:- Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu started a day long fast in New Delhi protesting against the Centre which ignored granting special status for Andhra Pradesh. Chandra Babu Naidu paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat after which he headed to AP Bhavan to observe fast. All the TDP leaders, MLAs and MPs participated in the protest. Several national leaders paid their visit to Chandra Babu Naidu to support his protest. A large number of supporters from Andhra Pradesh reached the national capital already through two special trains from the state. Several people have been protesting against the Centre from the state. Narendra Modi visited AP yesterday and made several comments on Chandra Babu Naidu. Babu after his fast will meet various crucial leaders to discuss about the future plans. Chandra Babu Naidu is in plans to build a strong platform for anti-BJP leaders in the upcoming Parliament polls that are scheduled this year. (Image source from: Dnaindia.com) Babu Drags Modi's Wife Name For His Comments On Lokesh:- The war of words between Chandra Babu Naidu and Narendra Modi seems to not end up soon. Narendra Modi received a lukewarm response for his AP tour that took place yesterday. During his Guntur rally, Modi addressed Chandra Babu as 'Father of Lokesh' which did not go well with the Chief Minister of AP. He stepped out with a counter by dragging Narendra Modi's wife into the row. "You have estranged your wife. Do you have any respect in the family system", Babu questioned Modi. Babu even reminded that Narendra Modi had no family and children. "Since you mentioned my son, I referred to your wife Mr Modi. He has a wife named Jashodaben" said Chandra Babu in a meeting yesterday in Vijayawada. Naidu once again claimed that YS Jagan and KCR are the unknown faces of Modi across Telugu states. While Chandra Babu said that the Centre ignored in granting funds for AP, Narendra Modi alleged that they granted all the promised funds and soon the records will be presented for public. (Video Source: ABN Telugu) (Image source from: Timesofap.com) Chandra Babu's Delhi Deeksha To Cost Rs 2 Crores:- Andhra Pradesh Chandra Babu who deferred with BJP and NDA alliance has been revolting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has been making sensational comments for ignoring AP in granting funds and special status. Chandra Babu even met various national leaders to form a strong anti-BJP front. Chandra Babu is all set to stage a protest in the national capital on February 11th to demand special status. This meeting will be attended by all the national and local leaders who are against BJP. The latest we hear is that the protest will be costing Rs 2 crores for the AP Government. AP Finance Department released the budget of Rs 2 crores to make all the necessary arrangements. Rs 1,12,16,465 has been released which is the expenditure for the massive event. This excludes the special air craft charges for Chandra Babu to fly to New Delhi. Two special trains are hired with 20 compartments from the South Central Railways. One of the train starts from Anantapur while the other one starts from Srikakulam. The trains will reach New Delhi by February 10th and they will participate in the deeksha on February 11th. The trains costed Rs 59,49,380 (Srikakulam) and Rs 42,67,085 (Anantapur). All the MLAs, MPs and other crucial leaders of TDP will attend the deeksha without fail. Chandra Babu will protest for one complete day in New Delhi for Special Status for AP. Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls brought his team of pilots to the Rotary Club of Richmonds program recently to share how the fleet has been assisting in various Sheriff County Department needs. Two helicopters were acquired through a federal program and the department was able to bring on three pilots from Houston Police Department to serve Fort Bend County. The pilots shared many instances of assistance to work in the field running chases, burglaries and missing children/elderly citizens, among others. Two Houston-area families are reeling after their loved ones died in a car crash over the weekend in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Marcus Roy, of League City, and Quinton Thomas, of Fresno, had been working as safety inspectors at an oil refinery in St. Croix at the time of the crash early Saturday morning, friends and family say. Charde Wilson, Thomas' girlfriend and mother of their 6-year-old son, said Thomas and Roy had been eating out after work Friday night. They drove home in a Jeep Wrangler and came across a blue Isuzu Rodeo heading north making a right turn eastbound, according to the Virgin Islands Free Press. Police said they tried to avoid a collision with the Isuzu and ended up hitting a rusty water tank, causing it to fall over, the outlet reported. They died from their injuries. "He was a great dad," Wilson said of Thomas, who had two other children from another relationship. "He really cared and still cares about his kids. We've been in each other's life for like eight years now. We definitely had plans of expanding our family. We were in the process of getting another home built for that." Thomas served in both the U.S. Navy and Army, she said. He was no stranger to traveling overseas. However, his trip to St. Croix was the first time doing so for Versa Integrity, the company that contracted him, she said. The company declined to comment when reached by phone Monday. Wilson said Thomas' duties included inspecting oil wells and tanks at the refinery, she said. During a Monday morning interview, she said she couldn't effectively describe the loss. "Today I just feel like I have to have a game face on, because there's so much to do," she said, referring to funeral arrangements. Roy was also described as a great father by his close friend, Shelby Nixon, who is the godmother to one of his two children. She said he was known as a cowboy who loved wearing his boots and hat with a T-shirt. Nixon helped create a GoFundMe page for Roy's family to make sure they're taken care of during the tragedy, she said. "Everything he did was for his girls and for his wife," Nixon told Chron.com, adding that his wife is still processing becoming a single mother. Roy and Thomas were both contract workers at Limetree Bay Refinery on the island, the Virgin Islands Free Press reported. Police said they were traveling at a high rate of speed before the crash, and the incident remains under investigation, the outlet reported. Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@chron.com | 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. UPDATE: Magdaleno Reyes was a 59-year-old Hispanic man who died February 11 from a gunshot wound at 7298 T C Jester Blvd, Houston. ORIGINAL STORY: A man was found shot to death Monday near an apartment complex near Acres Homes. Houston police were called to the 7200 block of T.C. Jester, north of West Little York, around 9 a.m. Just as they drove up, they saw a silver or gray Toyota Camry leave and then saw on the side of the road a man who appeared to be dead of a gunshot wound, said HPD sergeant Anthony Turner. The incident is linked to a report of a stolen vehicle in Spring and possible to a burglary reported downtown, Turner said. He offered no further information. Surveillance video showed the gunman, wearing a red shirt or hoodie, get out of the Camry and go over to the victim, then run back to the vehicle, Turner said. The victim was apparently working on a vehicle. The Camry was found abandoned about 5 files away, in the 3900 block of Creekmont, west of where the shooting occurred. Authorities are unsure if the victim was targeted, Turner said. The gunman was seen talking to a man in another car before the shooting. Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message A man was fatally shot Saturday with a gun that was believed to be unloaded while preparing for a surprise birthday party with family members at a southeast Houston home, according to police. The victim, 26-year-old Martin Lopez, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Houston police initially said in a press release that Lopez's common-law spouse was present at the time of the shooting. However, a family member told Chron.com on Tuesday that they were never considered husband and wife. The woman was the mother of his child, the family member said. Homicide investigators say Lopez, the mother of his child and her sister were all preparing for a surprise birthday party at the home in the 5700 block of West Airport Boulevard when the shooting occurred. His child's mother was with her sister in a bedroom when Lopez asked her to bring him his gun, which he legally purchased, police said. Police said the magazine was separated from the gun, and everyone believed the gun was not loaded. While the woman handed it to Lopez, the gun went off and fatally struck Lopez in the head, police said. No charges have been filed in the case. Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@chron.com | 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. Businessman Bill King kicked off his second campaign for mayor of Houston Monday, officially launching a challenge to Mayor Sylvester Turner, who narrowly beat him in a 2015 runoff. King has said his campaign will focus on cleaning up City Hall and getting the city back to basics. Last month, he launched a petition drive to amend the city charter by temporarily blocking political donors from doing business with the city. Its time to imagine a city where the streets are paved, the trash is picked up on time, homes dont flood, there are more police officers patrolling our neighborhoods and where the politicians work for the people and not special interests, King said. Houston is the city that put a man on the moon. Dont tell me we cant have decent streets, good drainage, and a balanced budget. We do not have to settle for what we are currently getting from city government today. Back to basics was the theme of his 2015 campaign, too. At his kickoff news conference, held at The Wynden in Houston's Galleria area, King cited crime, Harvey recovery and ongoing complaints about the city trash and recycling collection as key issues he would like to tackle if elected. Those issues, he said, are vital to Houstons African-American residents, whose overwhelming support of Turner in 2015 helped nudge him over King at that time. King said he spent time in Houston's Sunnyside neighborhood over the weekend, and has plans to visit Spring Branch, Kingwood, Houston's Fifth Ward, among others, in the coming days. "We didn't do a very good job in (the African-American community) last time," he said in an interview. "And this time, we're going there right out of the box." He is the second declared candidate to challenge Turner. Houston lawyer Tony Buzbee announced his bid last October. Buzbee, who is self-funding a campaign also focused on so-called "pay for play" deals, again questioned King's credentials on the matter Monday. Both King and Turner have been criticized for their ties to tax collection law firm, Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson, that has done business with the city and numerous other municipalities over the years. "It's amusing to me that Bill King thinks that's going to be the issue he's going to get traction on," Buzbee said. "All it's going to do is blow up in his face because he's the worst offender. "He has no credibility on the issue." Sue Davis, spokeswoman for Turner's campaign, declined to respond to specific critiques aired by King, but said little has changed about his platform in the four years since he squared off with Turner. "Everything he says about the city is negative," Davis said. "It's the same old rhetoric no vision, no ideas and no solutions. Brandon Rottinghaus, a University of Houston political science professor, said Monday that King's campaign definitely could be "worrisome" for Turner. However, he said, there is a chance that King and Buzbee could find themselves competing for the same coalition of voters, to the benefit of Turner. And while Rottinghaus agreed that "pay-to-play' will feature prominently in this election, he said it may be difficult for King and Buzbee to link that issue to the city services they have criticized. The issue "needs to be much more focused and much more concrete before its going to get too much traction," he said. "Putting those two things together is complicated, politically." Nor does Rottinghaus think that King's increased focus on minority communities will necessarily move the needle. "King's coalition isn't going to be that much different" than it was in 2015, he said. "This is going to be a turn-out game." robert.downnen@chron.com twitter.com/RobDownenChron Houston animal control officers removed a tiger found in a home in southeast Houston. The big cat, a female, was found in a residence in the 9400 block of E. Avenue J in the Harrisburg/Manchester area near East Loop 610 shortly after 1 p.m. on Monday. Lara Cottingham with the BARC Animal Shelter said an anonymous neighbor called 3-1-1 to report the tiger in the home. The person was reportedly concerned that it was being held in a cage too small for it, and was worried about its safety, according to Cottingham. CHRON PLAYLIST: Get the lighter-side of the day's news delivered to your email. Animal control officers arrived on the scene and spotted the cat. They called Houston Police for assistance in obtaining a warrant to enter the home. They entered and found the caged animal. The resident was reportedly not there at the time. BARC officers will remove the tiger, and find a place to house it. "Our shelter is not designed to house big cats," Cottingham told Chron.com She said BARC has contacted a wildlife refuge that can take in the tiger, but not until Tuesday. "We will keep it at our shelter for the night, safely secured from our other animals,"said Cottingham. As the sun went down on Avenue J Monday evening, neighbors were shocked to hear the news that a wild tiger was living down the street from them. "Maybe they had it like a pet," Pablo Briagas said as his guard dogs roamed up and down his driveway. "You know people these days." 'A COMPASSIONATE JUDGE': Newly elected Harris County misdemeanor judge dead at 57 The short block was lined with all sorts of guard dogs, each barking at every passing pedestrian. Briagas' 8-year-old son, Isaac, said he believed his guard dog could have protected him if the tiger were to break out. "It could break out of the cage and attack people," Isaac said on the dangers of housing such a big cat in a small neighborhood. "If it gets out of the cage and off the chain, it would be crazy." Pablo Briagas felt the same sentiment as his son. "I have my kids here," he said. "It's dangerous for them to have (a tiger down the street). Even if they had it as a pet, that's dangerous. They need to have that at the zoo." The tiger was long gone by 5:30 p.m. Its fate was not immediately clear, although it will have a cozy stay at Houston's BARC Animal Shelter overnight. This is a developing story. 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. A hospitalized man is facing intoxicated manslaughter charges after authorities say he caused a head-on wreck across a church Sunday afternoon in Montgomery that left a woman dead and two others in critical condition. Joshua Alan Mann, 39, is being charged with intoxicated manslaughter and two charges of intoxication assault. Mann is in stable condition at the Conroe Regional Medical Center under Montgomery Police Department custody pending his release and transfer to the Montgomery County Jail, said Montgomery County District Attorney Vehicular Crimes Chief Andrew James. Mann was driving a black Dodge Ram around 1 p.m. Sunday when the truck crossed the center line and struck a Kia SUV head-on. The Kia was carrying three Navasota women who were passing in front of the Lone Star Cowboy Church in the 21600 block of Eva Street when the truck struck their vehicle, said Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Judge Wayne Mack. A 36-year-old female passenger who was riding in the front of the SUV died at the scene. The Kias driver and a second passenger were rushed to Conroe Regional in critical condition, Mack said. The womans body was taken to the Montgomery County Forensics Center where an autopsy will be conducted. RELATED: 1 dead, 2 critically hurt in Montgomery head-on wreck It is unclear where the women in the SUV were coming from, but Mack said people on social media were saying their friends were attending the Lone Star Cowboy Church. Manns defense attorney, E. Tay Bond said his client suffered from multiple facial lacerations during the crash which took place as his client drove to work. Bond understood it was being reported by authorities that there was medication in Manns truck but he did not know whether it was prescribed. Toxicology has not been provided to him, he added. This alleged offense is not related to consuming alcohol, Bond said. THE NEWS YOU NEED: Chron.com Catch-up. Delivered to your email. Sign up now. Our prayers go out to those in need and hope those receiving treatment make a quick recovery, he added in a statement. Mann was convicted in August 2014 for a March 2013 driving while intoxicated charge in Montgomery County, according to public records. jose.gonzalez@chron.com twitter.com/jrgzztx The Conroe Industrial Development Corp. Board of Directors has approved a proposal with Austin-based TIP Strategies for a study on the Conroe-area workforce. Conroe Economic Development Council Executive Director Danielle Scheiner said the fee for the study will be $75,000 plus expenses, including travel. We havent ever done a study on the workforce in the area, certainly not to this extent, Scheiner told board members during their Jan. 18 meeting. TIP Strategies is a privately held firm providing consulting and advisory services to public and private sector clients, according to the companys website. Established in 1995, the firms core competence in strategic planning for economic development has broadened to include expertise in talent strategies and in organizational development. Scheiner said the CEDC has worked with TIP Strategies in the past with positive results. They are very familiar with the community, she said. The study, according to the proposal, will look at several areas including what drives workforce demand, what are the long and short term occupational demands, examine local staffing patterns, educations requirements and the demand for employers facing a wave of retirement. For me the most important piece of this study is the gaps and overlaps to really understand the extent of how the existing workforce align with projected need and if it doesnt where do we need to fill those gaps and how we propose to do that, Scheiner said. Board member and Conroe Mayor Pro Tem Duke Coon supports the study but questioned the unspecific expenses. It would be great to know what their estimated expenses are, he said adding that was important to know due to the length of the study. Scheiner said she would clarify that with the TIP Strategies officials. I dont anticipate those to be a huge expense, she said. Scheiner said the study would begin in February and would be complete by August. This is something we can use as a recruitment tool, she said. Our ultimate goal is to get everyone to work who is able to work and get them employed here. In other business, the board approved the sale of 75 acres to Minneapolis-based Ryan Companies US, Inc. for $6.3 million in the Conroe Park North Industrial Park. Ryan Companies is a national builder, developer, designer and real estate manager. City Attorney Marc Winberry said he did not know the intended use of the property. However, Ryan would be required to disclose the end users of the property for closing the deal with the city. cdominguez@hcnonline.com A Houston mother is out on bond after she was arrested for allegedly refusing to treat her one-year-old's second-degree burns. After deputies arrived at a home off Northpointe Ridge Lane for a welfare check Feb. 9, a witness reported that a one-year-old child living there had days-old second-degree burns that were left untreated, according to a release from the Harris County Constable Precinct 4. Hunters Creek 2/1/19 at 1515 Hours. 7500 Block of Riverview Way. Criminal Mischief/Attempted Burglary of a Habitation. 2 male subjects were (either Hispanic or Black) were observed driving in the area when the vehicle stopped at a residence and one of the male suspects approached the victims home. The vehicle then left the area and a short time later the victim returned home to find a broken out rear door glass. The suspects were not able to gain entry into the property. Video surveillance provided officers with a description of the suspects vehicle and bulletin was issued for the suspects vehicle. The neighborhood association was able to access the community surveillance camera system and obtain the temporary license plate off the suspects vehicle. Detectives have been able to identify the owner of the vehicle and are working with the DAs Office in obtaining a warrant for the arrest of the suspect. 2/3/19 at 1115 Hours. Voss and Beinhorn. Public Intoxication. Officers were dispatched to the area in reference to a male subject seen staggering in the street. Upon arrival to the area, officers located the suspect who was found to be heavily intoxicated. The 34-year-old male was placed under arrest and booked into the MVPD jail for his own safety. 2/6/19 at 0200 Hours. 300 Block of Voss. Evading Arrest. Officers initiated a traffic stop after observing a suspicious vehicle in the area. The vehicle quickly pulled into a private driveway at which time the driver exited the vehicle and ran on foot. Officers chased the suspect who was able to climb over several fences with the officer eventually losing sight of the suspect. The perimeter was secured and a K9 unit requested to search for the suspect. After an extended search the suspect could not be located. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed identification of the suspect who was found to also have outstanding warrants for his arrest. The vehicle was towed, and an arrest warrant was obtained for the arrest of the suspect for the evading charge. 2/6/19 at 0930 Hours. 1000 Block of Riverglyn. Identity Theft/Fraud. The victim was conducting a routine self-credit check when she located 2 accounts that had been opened up in her name without her authorization. A further check found that both accounts had outstanding unpaid balances. The accounts were to a cell phone company and a cable TV company and had ties to an address in Houston. Information about the accounts and associated address was obtained and provided to detectives for their follow up investigation. 2/6/19 at 1830 Hours. 700 Block of Pifer. Fraud. The victim learned that 4 unauthorized charges had been made against his credit card. The items had been ordered on-line and delivered to a third-party address. Information about the physical address of the delivery and the originating email account was obtained and provided to detectives for their follow-up investigation. 2/6/19 at 2015 Hours. 10700 Block of Memorial Drive. A 24-year-old-male subject drove up to the security booth seeking assistance for a gunshot wound. It was determined that the shooting had occurred in the City of Houston and the victim drove to this location. The victim was transported to an area hospital. MVPD processed the vehicle and is assisting HPD on the investigation. Bunker Hill 2/6/19 at 1145 Hours. 100 Block of Williamsburg. Theft. The victim reported that she recently learned that an acquaintance had sent a gift to her home that was delivered on Jan. 7, 2019. The victim did not know about the gift until the sender had made an inquiry about it. A report was generated documenting the incident. No video surveillance was available due to the delay. Piney Point No significant events. While residents were asleep, burglars are believed to have prowled around and stole items inside the homes. Now investigators with Constable Ted Heaps Office are asking for help in getting the burglars caught. One suspect is wanted for a home invasion and a garage burglary at two homes in the Memorial Forest neighborhood of West Houston. According to the Constables Office, the crimes were committed in the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday, Jan. 29. In the first case, the suspect entered a home in the 12100 block of Broken Bough Drive while the victims were in bed. While they were still sleeping, he stole a purse from the kitchen counter and a distinctive classic Gibson guitar from inside a closet. The victims discovered the burglary when they awoke later that morning. On the same day, the suspect is believed to have burgled a neighbors garage, stealing tools and equipment and rummaging through the victims vehicle inside the garage. THE NEWS YOU NEED: Chron.com Catch-up. Delivered to your email. Sign up now. Investigators report that surveillance video allowed them to link the two crimes. Security cameras captured images of the suspect carrying the stolen items away from the homes. Later, the suspect attempted to use stolen credit cards stolen from the first home at several local businesses. Images of the suspect and an alleged accomplice were captured on store surveillance cameras. The first suspect is described as a black male with a beard and a medium complexion. He is estimated to be between 35 and 45 years old, 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet tall with a medium build. He was wearing a brown shirt with white horizontal stripes underneath a dark hoodie. He was also wearing long dark pants and gray sneakers. The second suspect is described as a taller black male approximately 6 feet to 6 feet 4 inches tall, 40-50 years old with a dark goatee. He was wearing a dark do-rag, faded blue jeans, a gray shirt with yellow writing and a long-sleeve gray undershirt. The suspects left the store in a two-door white Toyota Camry. Anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area at that time or who may have any information that might help with the investigation is asked to contact Investigator K. Fesperman at 281-463-6666 or let the Constables Office know through its online crime tips webpage. In 2016, Racheal Denhollander became the first person to publicly accuse Larry Nassar of sexually abusing his patients under the guise of medical treatment. Now, Denhollander and other victims of sexual abuse are speaking out again after a Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News exclusive investigation revealed 700 victims of sex abuse in the Southern Baptist church. Denhollander tweeted, "I have known most of this for years, and spoken out about it. No one wanted to listen. It did not matter enough to investigate and act. Grief and repentance and silence to learn is the only proper response." EXCLUSIVE: 700 victims of Southern Baptist sex abuse, revealed. Her husband, Jacob Denhollander also echoed her call to read one of the important stories about a devastating betrayal of trust. "It was easier to shoot messengers for their "tone" than to deal with the problems and hide behind church autonomy." Tarana Burke, founder of the Me Too movement, also took to social media to react to the story. Click through the gallery above to see reactions from prominent victims of sexual abuse, including actor Terry Crews, to the Houston Chronicle's exclusive investigation. The cases tracked by the newspapers affected more than 700 victims over 20 years. Their stories are heartbreaking. Victims of sexual abuse had pleaded for the SBC to act, saying it was allowing predators to move from church to church. But the SBC in 2008 rejected all proposals to produce such a registry, saying the organization could not tell its 47,000 member churches whom to hire or ordain. 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. Southern Baptist Convention leader Russell Moore weighed in on the Houston Chronicle's exclusive investigation into sex abuse in the Southern Baptist church Sunday. "Nothing is worse than the use of the name of Jesus to prey on the vulnerable," Moore tweeted. Moore, the president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the SBC, added that the report uncovered "alarming and scandalous" stories of abuse. EXCLUSIVE: Abuse of Faith, Revealing 700 victims of Southern Baptist sex abuse Moore continued, "This is nothing short of a scandal and a crisis." Other church leaders have also weighed in on the devastating toll the past 20 years have taken on victims. Click through the gallery above to see reactions from church leaders to the Houston Chronicle's exclusive investigation. Michael Criner, Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Bellville, Texas, tweeted, "May there be peace upon the victims & may we do our part to make necessary changes as a convention." MORE REACTIONS: Nassar victim, 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' star react to investigation Pastor Marty Duren tweeted, "The lack of coordination in establishing a way for Southern Baptist churches to avoid hiring convicted or credibly-accused offenders is surpassed only by the lack of creativity in finding a way to do so." 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. They came. They danced. They raised a record $1.6 million for Houston Ballet. Co-chairs and real-life BFFs Kelley Lubanko and Leigh Smith put a devastatingly chic spin on twinning for the 2019 Houston Ballet Ball. Both shone in celestial sync ala the evening's "Heroes, Gods and Stars" theme; Leigh opted for a matching Marchesa frock and cape while Kelley dazzled in embellished Jenny Packham tulle. "I was a little worried that blue and gold could look like prom," Kelley confided of the decor's motif moments before Saturday's dramatic curtain reveal. Her own alma mater shares the same color scheme. "But, it's perfect." Indeed. No high school gym ever looked this good. Richard Flowers of the Events Company transformed a white tent adjacent the Ballet's downtown Center for Dance into a star-spangled scene straight out of "Sylvia." Artistic director Stanton Welch AM's rendition of the mythical production opens later this month. Under a canopy of foliage-dripping chandeliers, metallic fabric and towering white centerpieces, a record number of attendees flaunted their fashion A-game. Among the stylish 500, Hallie Vanderhider, last year's Ballet Ball chair, rocked a gilded cape look, hers by Christian Dior. Duyen Nguyen opted for edgy; her black sequined Naeem Khan featured the world's most elegant hood, and was flown in from Bergdorf Goodman just for the occasion. Stephanie Fleck also selected a sleek Naeem Khan design. And Kristy Bradshaw personified effortless Grecian glamour in a strapless Missoni knit. Others followed Kelley and Leigh's lead - naturally, the duo coordinated custom crowns - and went the royal route. Fady Armanious, Isabel David, Amanda Boffone, Beth Muecke and Nicole Lassiter sported golden wreaths in their tresses, too. In the "ballroom," a certain table of notable Houstonians caused a small ruckus without lifting a bejeweled finger. Mayor Sylvester Turner experienced his first-ever Ballet Ball - and he brought a date: Dr. Kathy Flanagan. The two posed for photos arm-in-arm and mingled with equally high profile dinner mates such as Lynn Wyatt and former principal dancer Lauren Anderson from their front-and-center perch. As City Kitchen servers doled out roasted duck and fig pies (followed later by sea bass, lobster risotto and vanilla panna cotta) the co-chairs kicked off the ball's famously succint program by thanking their husbands, Stephen Lubanko and Reggie Smith. "They're the real heroes, gods and stars for making this all possible," Leigh said to thunderous applause. Welch followed their remarks by introducing an emotional tribute video as a testament of the dance company's resilience. In 2018, after Hurricane Harvey flooded Wortham Center, the ballet's home stage, his team didn't miss a beat. They worked tirelessly to move productions, including the Nutcracker, to Hobby Center and Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land. Next year, Ballet Ball is slated to make a triumphant return to Wortham's Grand Lobby for its 50th anniversary gala. Party-goers celebrated with an all-night dance party fueled by the Big Beyond, graciously underwritten by Diane Lokey Farb, who struck a few well-executed moves herself. As did disco mainstay Bobby Tudor and first soloist Oliver Halkowich. The latter hopped onstage to boogie with the performers, much to the delight of cellphone-wielding onlookers. It's the Ballet Ball gift that keeps on giving. Well, that and the "Sylvia"-inspired bronze sculptures created by artist and jewelry designer Matthew Campbell Laurenza, whose familiar face was spotted getting down from center stage. Clothed by Faith, a Katy nonprofit, does more than provide clothing to those in need. Kindness and compassion are part of the package, too, as the group also raises community awareness of need. Abi Morton, founder/executive director of Clothed By Faith, talks of a huge blessing for the nonprofit which started from humble beginnings as she looks over newly renovated and expanded space across from Kingsland Baptist Church. I never envisioned this. Clothed by Faith will mark its sixth anniversary in July and now provides new and gently used clothing to those in need from two sites with talk of expansion to serve a greater number of people. Since July 2013, it has served more than 41,000 people. The nonprofit is funded by grants, foundations and donations. The charity website says a $10 donation is enough to provide a person with clothing for one week. And, Clothed by Faith is one of six charities that will benefit from proceeds raised by the third annual Katy Color Run 5k/10k/1k Kids Dash on March 23 at Kingsland Baptist Church. Morton and her family moved from the United Kingdom to Washington, D.C., and then moved to the Katy area. She describes herself as always having had compassion but it wasnt until she moved to Katy that she felt a real tug to serve the underprivileged. Her efforts initially were housed in a garage. The nonprofit also operated from Mason Creek Business Park and then more recently accepted an offer from Kingsland Baptist Church to occupy about 2,500 square feet in a center at 802 Dominion Drive, Suite 100. With the relocation in the center of Hope Impacts, a nonprofit serving the homeless, Clothed by Faith added another 1,500 square feet which it renovated last fall. Reopened in January, the nonprofit has more open working space. Rebecca Earnshaw, Clothed by Faith executive assistant to the executive director and marketing events and development manager, said a lot of walls came down during the renovation, which will allow us to work in a more efficient way and ultimately serve more people. Office space is on the left as one enters. Beyond that, the center now houses a new area where women clients can shop for their clothes. The clients 18 and older can make an appointment to pick out a combination of tops and pants/skirts and accessories. Its so new, were working through the kinks, said Earnshaw, For example, theyre trying to determine how many appointments per day they can accommodate. Visit www.clothedbyfaith.org for details. Clothed by Faith also has coats, jewelry and purses and can help a client prepare for a job interview. They also keep diapers, blankets and shoes on hand. Turning right as one enters the building, visitors see areas of bagged donated clothing designated by gender, age and size. Bags of clothing are prepared for clients. A bag designated for a woman could have five bottoms, seven tops, two dresses and a pair of shoes enough clothes for a week. At the rear of the building are long tables where donations are sorted. The nonprofit accepts gently used clothing to share with clients in addition to new underwear and socks that it provides. Certain age groups, such as boys and girls over age 12, are in need of more donations because of demand. Clothed By Faith works with schools to help students whose families are struggling. Its all about learning and understanding what is needed, said Morton. Weve come a long way. We partner with schools or churches, continued Morton. For example, after Hurricane Harvey hit the Katy area, Clothed by Faith assisted survivors through a partnership with CrossPoint Community Church. Clothed by Faiths Deer Park site serves southeast Houston from inside Deer Park First Baptist at 438 E. 8th St., Deer Park. It works great, said Morton. Its free space. It also has a mobile unit to extend its outreach and take to areas of need as it did after Hurricane Harvey when it loaded up and went to serve clients of Katy Christian Ministries. Volunteers were affected by Hurricane Harvey but turned up anyway to help, said Earnshaw. It touched us more and gave us a different insight. Clothed by Faith averages 200 volunteers. More volunteers are needed. Volunteer shifts are 10 a.m.-noon, noon-2 p.m. and 2-4 p.m. Volunteers are asked to sign up for a minimum of two hours. Warehouse volunteers must be at least 14 years of age. An adult volunteer must accompany all 14- and 15-year-old volunteers. Training is provided for volunteers who can sort donations, assemble client bags, participate in community outreach events or run errands and help with chores around the warehouse. We have high standards, said Earnshaw as she talked about the sorting of donated clothing. Clothed by Faith not only gives clothing to clients. We give love and dignity, said Earnshaw. Earnshaw talks, too, of offering a learning experience to groups, such as Scouts, who tour the facility. They learn what it means to volunteer and why people sometime have to come and ask for help. karen.zurawski@chron.com The city of Galveston has settled a federal lawsuit with the family of a woman shot and killed by a Galveston police officer nearly two years ago. The family of Toni Jo Collins filed the lawsuit last July against the city and Evan Fraley, an officer who shot and and killed Collins on March 9, 2017. Collins' family will receive $475,000 from the settlement, a city spokeswoman confirmed. The money will be paid out of a public entity risk insurance pool. HOUSTON SHOOTOUT: Squad of veteran officers take fire in botched drug raid, only on HoustonChronicle.com The lawsuit alleged that Collins' shooting was not justified as she was not fleeing, had not been a suspect in a serious crime and did not possess a weapon. Attorneys for Fraley responded that he "reasonably feared his life was in immediate danger" and that he shot Collins as she was resisting arrest and assaulting him. Fraley, who now works for the Hutto Police Department, was a three-year veteran in Galveston at the time of the shooting. While off duty, he reportedly responded to a call from his mother about a woman pointing a gun at people as they drove by on Broadway, according to the Galveston Police Department. Fraley eventually approached Collins and told her that he was a police officer as he got out of the car. He told Collins to drop her gun, later identified as a pink Daisy BB gun or air rifle, but the woman didn't initially give into the officer's requests. The officer's wife was also on the phone with 911 emergency dispatch asking for assistance for her husband, police said. Fraley managed to take the rifle from Collins' hands. However, a physical struggle with the woman ensued. Collins apparently approached Fraley in a "threatening manner" and was "wielding a piece of wood over her shoulder," police said. He shot her one time in the chest. Collins was transported to the University of Texas Medical Branch emergency room, where she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Collins and Fraley had several encounters in the past and he was calling the woman by her name during the shooting. Victor Mangum, Collins' boyfriend, was also present during the shooting. He originally told the Houston Chronicle that Collins was "pistol-whipped" and then shot as she held a stick in her hand as she faced the officer. However, the district attorney's office said Mangum later verified that Collins had a piece of wood in her hands when the shooting occurred and she was struggling with Fraley. The Galveston County Sheriff's Office completed a criminal investigation of the incident. The Galveston Police Department conducted a separate internal affairs investigation concerning Fraley. The Galveston County District Attorney's Office announced in December 2017 that a grand jury decided not to take any action against Fraley. Throughout the grand jury probe, witnesses were interviewed by investigators, recordings of the 911 calls were taken, a copy of the Medical Examiner's report was also secured, as well as other evidence. Collins was shot one time in the torso and was under the influence of alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana, according to the Medical Examiner's report. Nick Powell covers Galveston County for the Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and send him tips at nick.powell@chron.com 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. A committee of Friendswood City Council members, residents and experts in drainage and flooding has found that at least for the past 40 years in their community, you can throw out the traditional way of looking at the chances for severe rainfall each year. The committee, which has met nearly every week since July to develop recommendations for how the city should tackle flooding risks, has been researching how many extreme rainstorms had struck the area in 120 years, looking at the occurrence of weather that meets the threshold for 100-year storm or worse. A weather event deemed as a 100-year storm in regard to precipitation and flooding has a 1 percent chance of occurring in any given year. There have been three storms that have affected Friendswood in the last 40 years that have been in the 200- to 1,000-year probabilities, said City Councilman Steve Rockey, who is on the committee. Three storms that have well exceeded the 100-year probability in 40 years. So without assigning any reason to why thats happening, the reality of that is we are prone to these 25- to 30-inch rainstorms, and those are the ones that get us. You can sit here and say, Well, (Hurricane Harvey) was a fluke, (Tropical Storm Allison) was a fluke and it isnt going to happen again, but the data were looking at seems to indicate that this is a bad assumption and we need to have a long-term drainage plan, Rockey said. We need to do things to manage these potential monstrous storms so their impact isnt so bad. Thats echoed in findings of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration last fall that led that agency to reconsider definitions for 11-year rainfall in the Houston area. The 100-year estimates increased from 13 inches to 18 inches for a 24-hour period. Rainfall previously classified as 100-year events are now more frequent 25-year events. The committee, which is tasked with providing recommending what steps the city should take, will present its findings to City Council this spring. One goal is to determine how changes over the years to the Clear Creek watershed have affected the community and what changes might be needed to mitigate potential flooding. When Clear Creek was clear One finding answers why Clear Creek is no longer clear as it flows to Galveston Bay. We found that Clear Creek was substantially altered in the 1930s. Pearland was mostly swamps, and those swamps filtered and cleaned the water that flowed down into Friendswood, Rockey said. People write about swimming in Clear Creek and being able to see the catfish all the way down at the bottom of it. But those swamps were drained, most of them to make rice fields, and then there wasnt anything to filter the water anymore. While no final recommendations have been settled on yet, the committee is considering many options, including removing obstacles from the creek and its banks and raising bridges higher. When you have a bridge over the creek but the creek swells up past that bridge during a flood event, the bridge acts like a dam, slowing the water flow way down, Rockey said. Not only that, but they become impassable. Emergency crews cant use them anyway; so raising the bridges is something were looking at. Memories are fresh of the devastation from Hurricane Harvey in August 2017, when many homes flooded in the city for the first time. The city tallied that 194 homes and 155 apartment units were destroyed and that 2,216 homes were damaged out of the 13,254 in the community. Friendswood will have to work with nearby municipalities along the watershed if a long-term plan is to be developed and executed. Heres the problem with Clear Creek Water Shed, he said. If you own a home, its your responsibility to get water from your yard to the ditch. Its the citys responsibilty to get the water from your street to nearest creek or channel. Its the drainage districts responsibility to get it down the creek and out. But along the creek itself, there are so many fingers in the pie. The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for the bottom portion of the creek. Harris County has a portion of the creek, Brazoria and Galveston counties have a portion of the creek, and so does Fort Bend County. So, were all going to eventually have to work together to come up with a solution to get water out of the creek quickly and into the bay. Since going into effect Jan.1, the city of Friendswoods new policy of billing patients insurance companies for emergency medical services is so far working well, says a fire official who reflected on how unusual and problematic the citys previous policy was. As far as we can tell, everything is running very smoothly so far, Assistant Fire Marshal Brian Mansfield said of the new approach, which was approved in 2018 after seven years of discussion on how to best fund fire and emergency services. There havent been any hiccups, and everyone is adhering to protocol. Were still gathering data, but its going well. Mansfield said that the new billing system isnt that unusual among Lone Star municipal fire departments, but that the previous one in which the Friendswood Volunteer Fire Department didnt charge for calls and relied on donations and city property tax revenue was outside the norm. We were one of maybe two departments in the state of Texas that did it the way we did it before, he said. With our growth, it just wasnt feasible anymore. The EMS arm of the Friendswood department costs the city around $2 million per year to operate. In August, the city awarded a contract to Emergicon, a Dallas-based company, for medical billing services. The city projects that insurance payments will bring in anywhere from $500,000 to $1 million annually based on previous service levels. Apart from perhaps answering a few questions about their insurance, patients will see no difference in an emergency call now than before the switch occurred, Mansfield said. Under the new billing program, the city will bill the companies for ambulance service provided by the fire department as well as for calls that do not result in patient transport to a hospital. City officials have pledged not to target patients to pay if insurance policies dont cover the entire costs of services. Everyone still gets access to emergency services regardless of their insurance situation, Mansfield said. A sufficient, dependable flow of revenue is needed to meet staffing and equipment needs, he said. Staffing is typically the largest expense of any department, and thats true for EMS as well, he said. You have to have someone to come in and man a station anywhere from 12 to 24 hours, they go out on several calls, and in addition to that, our call volume is increasing. So, we need more staff on hand in order to properly manage the call volume. Fees range depending on the level of care provided. Through the plan, basic life support transport to the hospital costs $1,000. Previously, the citys EMS staff had not charged for calls. Officials from Grand Parkway Infrastructure announced to members of the Dayton Chamber of Commerce that field clearing and grubbing began last summer and continues as work progresses on the Grand Parkway heading toward the final phase in Liberty County. GPI is also conducting right-of-way acquisition on the project, company officials said. Janice Hays, public relations manager for GPI, described the company as a joint venture or a partnership with Ferrovial Agroman Construction, along with Webber, LLC and Granite Construction, Inc. The Segments H, I-1 and I-2 span approximately 52.8 miles from the north at New Caney and south to Baytown and will be a toll road. The GPI section of the toll road, Hays said, will cost $894 million and stretches through Chambers, Harris, Liberty, and Montgomery counties. Construction began in the summer of 2018 and will be complete Spring 2022, she told anxious chamber members. When completed, the SH-99 Loop will be the largest in North America equaling 184 miles and traverse through seven counties including Liberty County. Today, riders can get on in New Caney and travel to Spring, Tomball or Katy before it dead ends in Sugar Land. Some officials also believe the circumferential highway is the only place in the world where three loops circle a major metropolitan area. One of the interesting facts is that nearly 270 million cubic feet of earth will be moved, Hayes told chamber members. The project is expected to help improve mobility, improve safety and reliability, support new business and residential growth, and employ qualified subcontractors and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) subcontractors. James Martin, traffic control and maintenance manager for GPI, said work at the Hwy. 59 corridor has already begun where right-of-way has already been secured. We hope to begin work on I-1 between US 90 and I-10 sometime this summer, he said. Additional sections would get underway by summer of 2020. Since its a design-build job we would still need to acquire right-of-way, he said. Martin expected Dayton residents to begin to see more progress in the next 12-14 months. Dayton will receive four exits, the most of any other area in the final buildout section. Segments H and I-1 are approximately 38 miles of a two-lane toll facility with intermittent four-lane sections for passing. Segment I-2A will receive tolling equipment upgrades and other improvements for approximately 8.7 miles of an existing four-lane facility from FM 1405 to IH-10. Segment I-2B is approximately 6.1 miles of a new four-lane toll facility from SH 146 to FM 1405. Martin said the project will have 80 new or reconstructed bridges, utility relocations, and another approximate 200-plus right-of-way acquisitions The sticking point for some, including developers, is the two-lanes. Most believe it will not be near enough for the anticipated growth that accompanies the toll road. With an addition of thousands of new residents in the county and a census projection climbing to 110,000 in 2020, some are hoping the road will be widened while the project is underway. Liberty County Judge Jay Knight has already sent a letter requesting TxDOT reconsider and extend the highway. To learn more about the SH-99 project, visit the GPI website at: www.sh99grandpkwy.com. Safety Manager Pete Flores told chamber members that they had already encountered snakes, alligators, wild hogs and more as they prepared the land for construction. The work in construction is dangerous, but the No. 1 safety hazard on a site is falls, he said. Flores encouraged the public to say something if they see something unsafe being done while construction crews are working. dtaylor@hcnonline.com South Africa: President deposits SA's AfCFTA instrument of ratification President Cyril Ramaphosa has handed over South Africas deposit of instruments on the ratification of the African Free Continental Trade Area (AfCFTA) on the sidelines of the 32nd Ordinary Session of Assembly of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The development came after Parliament in December ratified the agreement of the establishment of the AfCFTA. The agreement will come into effect once 22 member states have deposited their instruments of ratification. South Africa, alongside Senegal, Sierra Leonne, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritius, who will also deposit their instruments, brings the number of countries that have ratified the agreement to 17. President Ramaphosa handed the deposits to AU chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat. The President said he was handing over the deposits as mandated by the people of South Africa and authorised by the countrys Parliament. We do so willingly having been mandated to do, becoming one of those African states who have now signed to become full participants of the Africa Free Trade. We therefore deposit this instrument with great pride and joy, President Ramaphosa said. It creates opportunities for all of us as Africans. He said the AfCFTA not only opens up a market of 1.2 billion people but also offers great opportunity for the South African economy. It opens opportunities for economic development and infrastructure progress for all the other countries on the African continent. We are very pleased that the AU has seen it correct to move the continent in this direct so that all countries can progress economically and in other ways, the President said. President Ramaphosa thanked Faki Mahamat for his leadership and all the work that has been done to bring to existence this free trade area. As South Africa we will participate with great commitment and enthusiasm, he said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-02-11. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. One person was killed and two were critically hurt after a head-on wreck Sunday afternoon in Montgomery, according to reports and officials. The driver of a Dodge pickup truck crossed the center line and collided around 1 p.m. with a KIA in front of the Lone Star Cowboy Church in the 21000 block of Eva Street, officials said. After fiery exchanges and confusion dominated a special meeting Monday by the Harris County Department of Education's board trustees voted to update the composition of an ancillary board charged with issuing bonds and overseeing construction projects for Texas' last remaining county department of education. Board members overseeing the department's Public Facilities Corporation will largely remain the same, with HCDE Superintendent James Colbert Jr. and CFO Jesus Amezcula earning enough votes to have their terms renewed, and HCDE's relatively new Executive Director of Facilities Rich Vela named as a new board member. HCDE Trustee Richard Cantu was also voted onto the ancillary six-member board. Those actions, however, came after trustees lobbed accusations of backroom deals and carelessness at each other during the contentious hour-long meeting. At one point, Trustee Eric Dick called new Board President Josh Flynn a "coward" and a "chicken" for not including public comment on the special meeting's agenda and implored county entities to examine actions proposed and taken by HCDE's board. "I beg the county attorney to have an investigation - I beg them to. I beg the county commissioners to look into this and to do something about it, I beg the county judge to do something about this," Dick said. "This is outrageous, this is unacceptable, and we shouldn't be doing this." RELATED: At Harris County Dept. of Education, critics take control of board Dick's frustrations resulted from the short notice given before Monday's special meeting. It was called by Flynn on Friday, giving other trustees and the public 72 hours of notice, the shortest amount of time legally required to notify others that a meeting will occur under Texas' Open Meetings Act. Trustee Don Sumners, part of a new board majority critical of some past HCDE actions, said the scheduling stemmed from a Friday meeting of the Public Facilities Corporation's board, which authorizes some HCDE expenditures and provides funding for its buildings. Such corporations are not uncommon among government entities for issuing debt, acquiring land and paying for construction projects. The City of Houston, for example, has four facilities corporations that help pay for cultural, healthcare, industrial and housing facilities. At issue was the ancillary board's membership. HCDE Board Attorney Sarah Langlois compiled a report about the corporation at the Board of Trustees' behest and found that the terms of some corporation board members had expired. Although the board members were still authorized to vote on official business thanks to a "hold-over" provision in state statute, Langlois said HCDE's board would need to update its membership at some point. HCDE Superintendent James Colbert Jr. said a corporation board meeting was called on Feb. 5, giving HCDE trustees 72 hours of notice before the corporation leaders convened on Feb. 8. Flynn said the move caught him flat-footed and did not give the HCDE board enough time to respond. Colbert, however, said the meeting was necessary to approve some construction business and to address the membership issues detailed in Langlois' report. "There was no attempt to circumvent the board's authority or to not inform the board," Colbert said. "I just wanted to stay in compliance with contracts that were already issued." READ ALSO: Lawmaker files bills targeting Harris County Department of Education Flynn said he tried to call an emergency meeting last week but was unable to due to how such meetings are defined by state statute. Instead, he called the special meeting for Monday and included proposals to change the composition of the corporation's board and to fire and replace Board Attorney Langlois with another attorney. Superintendent Colbert and Trustee Dick questioned why such changes needed to be pushed through and could not wait for the board's regularly scheduled meeting on Feb. 27. Others, including trustees Cantu, George Moore and Danny Norris, said they had not yet had enough time to study the PFC or potential candidates to serve on its board. That frustrated Trustee Sumners, who said they were each provided with all the information they needed to decide. "I hate to do this in public, but for all these trustees who say they haven't been informed, you haven't been reading your emails," Sumners said. "They're not wanting to vote about it because they don't know about it, but if they had read what was sent to them, they would." Ultimately, trustees voted 6 in favor, with Trustee Dick abstaining, to renew Amezcula's term and appoint Vela to the PFC board. Four trustees voted in favor of appointing Trustee Cantu to the board, while trustees Flynn and Sumner voted against his appointment and Dick abstained. Flynn also objected to renewing Superintendent Colbert's term as a member of the Public Facilities Corporation's board, saying having three HCDE employees serve on the board would be a conflict of interest because they earn their livelihoods from the department and are too vested in the ancillary board's decisions. Still, trustees voted 6-1, with Flynn opposed, to renewing Colbert's term. Although Monday's agenda included an item to fire Langlois and hire the law firm of Strahan Cain, PLLC to provide counsel to the board, all trustees except for Flynn and Sumners voted to adjourn early. READ ALSO: Harris County board votes to continue Head Start preschool programs shelby.webb@chron.com twitter.com/shelbywebb The team behind cocktail hot spot Better Luck Tomorrow has announced the name of their new Heights restaurant. Squable is what bartender Bobby Heugel, James Beard Award-winning chef Justin Yu and partner Steve Flippo will call their new baby, currently under construction at the former Southern Goods spot at 632 W. 19th St. in the Heights. Expected to open in the spring, Squable will feature a menu of familiar European and American dishes invested with Texas ingredients as well as a beverage program embracing classic cocktails and a wine list leaning on natural wines with bold flavors, according to a press release. The Squable team has been augmented with familiar faces from the Houston F&B community. Mark Clayton and Drew Gimma have been named as chef-partners. Clayton, former sous chef at Yu's Oxheart, and Gimma, who worked at Sullivan Street Bakery and Per Se in New York before moving to Houston to join the Common Bond team, will collaborate on the food menu. Terry Williams, the Anvil Bar & Refuge veteran who is director of operations at Better Luck Tomorrow, will serve as Squabble's general manager/partner. And Anna Wilkins, a BLT bartender, will be head bartender at Squabble. MAKE THE SLICK WATTS: Putting the craft in BLT's cocktails A few details from Monday's press release announcing the Squable team referenced the menu. Dishes will include handmade pasta with butter, braised onions and sheep's milk cheese; pork neck schnitzel, smoked grouper with pumpkin seeds, herbs and fried garlic; steak with Texas olive oil and arugula; Dutch baby pancake with fresh cheese, black pepper and honey; seasonal and dessert breads including caramelized pain di mie with maple and cream. Squable will have a bar window dedicated to guests waiting to be seated as well as a small food menu (think cold oysters and shellfish) for those who arrive without a reservation. Justin Vann, responsible for the wine programs at Theodore Rex and Public Services, will work with Williams to compile the wine list. The design, according to a release, will focus on the neighborhood nature of the restaurant and will source local elements and craftspeople. Look for trademark wood, metal, and handcrafted designs like those found at Yu's Theodore Rex and the former Oxheart and a brass bar top such as the ones at Anvil and Better Luck Tomorrow. "Our goal is to create a restaurant that reflects our backgrounds as Houstonians, while acknowledging our developing maturity through emblematic features in our spaces that remind people of our standards for hospitality," according to a statement from Yu, Heugel and Flippo. "Restaurant design isn't about impressing people it's about creating a visual promise of the experience you've created for your guests." Greg Morago writes about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Hear him on our BBQ State of Mind podcast to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture. Cherry Blow Dry Bar plans to open eight Houston-area salons after signing three new franchisees. Franchisees Tisha and James Adams plan to open a hair salon at 2162 Spring Steubner Road in Spring. They have committed to opening three additional locations over the next several years. Shazia and Hamza Darugar are opening a salon in Cypress, whose location is yet to be announced. Joe and Vanessa Greenwood have yet to sign a lease, but are looking to open a salon in Sugar Land, Missouri City or Katy. Both couples plan to open additional locations. RELATED: Cherry Blow Dry Bar franchise expanding into Houston Cherry Blow Dry Bar, launched in 2013, entered the greater Houston market last year with a salon in Bryan-College Station. The New Jersey-based hair salon franchise specializes in blowouts starting from $35. Consumers can choose from nine different hairstyles, including updos, braids and curls, as well as hair extensions, scalp massages and makeup services. Cherry has 18 salons in eight states: Alabama Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia. The chain is looking to expand rapidly and has 80 salons in the pipeline. On a cold and somewhat dreary Saturday, four days before its official opening in the San Antonio area, Ikea brightened the day for a handful of locals with a taste of its newest store. "Like moths to a flame," explained Roger Barrientos who was one of the chosen few who got in on the early Ikea fun. The special preview was made available only to members of Ikea's loyalty program. And Barrientos and his family were among the couple hundred who were first to reply to email invitations, sent out last month, that secured their spot for the early preview. RELATED: Ikea having 'tons of giveaways' at grand opening Attendees were issued special parking passes that allowed them onto the property. According to Barrientos, Live Oak police were not letting anyone near the Ikea unless you had one of those special passes. The lucky shoppers, estimated by Barrientos at close to 200, were the first to walk along the store's massive offerings of eco-friendly home furnishings and appliances that the retail chain is known for. And, of course, they got to sample the much-anticipated and hyped restaurant and foods. The restaurant area, which Barrientos described as massive, was "pretty much filled to capacity." Barrientos, his wife Teri Barrientos and 4-year-old daughter Arianna, are also "pretty much" Ikea veterans. "Pretty much every single room in the apartment is filled with Ikea stuff," he said. He says the atmosphere was exciting as shoppers were going about with deals in their bags and smiles on their faces. The Barrientos love affair with Ikea began many years ago when the couple visited the Round Rock location for the first time. Since then he has been to eight different stores across the U.S. RELATED: Here's how to avoid Ikea's notoriously awful return lines He says his family makes about three road trips a year to the Round Rock store. "It's pretty much an all-day event," Barrientos explained as he described the savory foods and posh homeware and appliances he and his family get every trip. "You get there and four hours later you look at your watch and are like - Wow! Time warp!" Road trips for the Barrientos are about to get a lot shorter as the Live Oak location opens for regular operating hours on Wednesday. Click through the gallery for a look at the early sneak peek opening of Ikea. Struggling Venezuela already is producing oil at a multi-decade low, but the socialist nation's crude output could fall another 50 percent by 2020, further imperiling the economic plight of its industry and citizenry, according to a new report. After producing 2.4 million barrels a day as recently as 2015, Venezuela already is down to 1.34 million barrels daily and those supplies are projected to fall below 1 million barrels a day by the end of 2019, according to the Norwegian research firm Rystad Energy. Win in transgender regret research case would be 'victory for freedom of speech' A psychotherapist challenging Bath Spa University after it refused to grant permission for research into transgender regret says a win in court this month 'would be a victory for freedom of speech in academia'. James Caspian, 59, was speaking to The Times before a High Court hearing on February 19 where he will ask for a judicial review into the university's decision. The university had initially accepted his research proposal into people who have detransitioned but the decision was later reversed by an ethics subcommittee which allegedly maintained that 'a potentially "politically incorrect" piece of research carries a risk to the university. Attacks on social media may not be confined to the researcher but may involve the university'. He has turned to the courts after the university upheld its decision to turn down the research proposal. 'A win would be a victory for freedom of speech in academia and for people to feel they can research . . . any controversial subject without fear of being vetoed,' he told The Times. Bath Spa said in a statement to the newspaper: 'His research proposal was not refused because of the subject matter, but because of his proposed methodological approach. The university was not satisfied this approach would guarantee the anonymity of his participants or the confidentiality of data.' Mr Caspian has previously said that challenges to detransition research is an 'endemic problem in universities'. Other researchers appear to share his concern. Last October, 54 academics published a letter in the Guardian decrying 'the suppression of proper academic analysis and discussion of the social phenomenon of transgenderism, and its multiple causes and effects'. 'Members of our group have experienced campus protests, calls for dismissal in the press, harassment, foiled plots to bring about dismissal, no-platforming, and attempts to censor academic research and publications,' they said. 'Such attacks are out of line with the ordinary reception of critical ideas in the academy, where it is normally accepted that disagreement is reasonable and even productive,' they said, adding that it was 'not transphobic to investigate this area from a range of critical perspectives'. The academics went on to express concerns about university ties to trans advocacy organisations and the training they provide. 'Definitions used by these organisations of what counts as 'transphobic' can be dangerously all-encompassing and go well beyond what a reasonable law would describe,' they wrote. 'They would not withstand academic analysis, and yet their effect is to curtail academic freedom and facilitate the censoring of academic work.' Signers of the letter included professors from some of Britain's top universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, University College, London (UCL), and the London School of Economics. Last month, Alice Sullivan and Judith Suissa, of the UCL Institute of Education, said that academics were being targeted by trans activists whose aim it was to shut down debate on transgenderism. Writing on the blog of the British Educational Research Association, they said that certain topics had become 'off limits' and that female students had reported feeling unable to speak up about their views in class. Feminists academics in particular had been targeted, they said, after defending the sex-based rights of women and questioning the 'trans-orthodox view that biological sex is a social construct while gendered identities are fixed and innate'. They claimed that academic study and critique around transgender issues had been 'derailed' by trans activists at a time when more research was needed because of the rapid growth in the numbers of young people presenting with gender dysphoria. 'For anyone concerned about language and meaning, and committed to democratic values, it is deeply troubling to see reasoned disagreement often motivated by a concern with rights and justice routinely labelled as "fascist",' they said. 'It is precisely within a climate of engaged, informed and intellectually rigorous debate, and not in some rarefied 'marketplace of ideas', that ethically and politically troubling ideas can be challenged and criticised. 'Part of the point of going to university is to be exposed to a range of ideas that may challenge, inspire and even unsettle, and to develop the ability to engage with, articulate, defend and criticise arguments on a range of topics. 'This involves developing the disposition to listen to and appreciate nuanced discussion.' Sacked cardinal issues manifesto in thinly veiled attack on pope A cardinal who was sacked from a senior Vatican post by Pope Francis has written his own 'Manifesto of Faith' in the latest attack on the pontiff's authority by a leading member of the Church's conservative wing. Cardinal Gerhard Mueller, 71, a German who was the Vatican's doctrinal chief until 2017, issued the four-page manifesto on Friday via conservative Catholic media outlets. He said 'many bishops, priests, religious and lay people' had requested it. He did not say how many and why he was issuing it now. However, conservatives balked this week when Francis made the first trip by a pope to the Arabian peninsula and signed a Document on Human Fraternity with a Muslim faith leader. Ultra-conservative Catholics are opposed to dialogue with Islam, with some saying its ultimate goal is to destroy the West. The manifesto was dated February 10, the sixth anniversary of the eve of former Pope Benedict's announcement of his resignation. Benedict, 91, remains an icon for conservative Catholics. Mueller said he wrote it 'in the face of growing confusion about the doctrine of the faith'. He said some Church leaders 'have abandoned the people entrusted to them, unsettling them and severely damaging their faith'. He warned against 'the fraud of (the) anti-Christ'. Mueller, who did not mention the pope, is one of a handful of conservative cardinals who have open accused Francis of sowing confusion. They say he is weakening Catholic rules on moral issues such as homosexuality and divorce while focusing excessively on social problems such as climate change and economic inequality. Their leader is Raymond Leo Burke, 70, an American who was demoted from a senior Vatican position in 2014. Mueller has ramped up his criticism of the pope since Francis removed him as head of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2017. Most of the manifesto was a re-stating of the Church's teachings, including several that Francis himself has strongly upheld, such as celibacy for priests and the ban on women's ordination. One section, however, was a clear jab at Francis' reaching out to Catholics who have divorced and remarried outside the Church. Francis believes some should be allowed to receive communion on a case by case basis, something that is anathema to conservatives. The Vatican has not commented on the document. Over 1,000 doctors voice concern over assisted dying poll Over 1,000 doctors have come out in opposition to a planned poll by the Royal College of Physicians that may lead to the organisation adopting a position of neutrality on assisted dying. The Express reports that 1,422 medics have signed the open letter organised by Dr David Randall and sent to RCP president Professor Andrew Goddard. The letter said it 'seems perfectly clear' that the survey 'has been designed to ensure the college drops its long-standing opposition to assisted suicide and move instead to a position of so-called "neutrality"'. 'Indeed, at a recent council meeting, a new default position of neutral was adopted prior to the announcement of the new poll, without any involvement of the wider membership,' the letter claimed. 'We acknowledge members may hold different views on this sensitive issue. But by going neutral, the college is sending a clear signal of support for a law change. Given the most recent poll of members showed a majority were opposed to assisted suicide, the approach the college is taking is extraordinary.' At present, the RCP opposes assisted suicide, but last month it announced that it would be polling its 35,000 members to decide whether there should be a change in the law to permit assisted dying. Controversially, the RCP said it would adopt a 'neutral position' unless a clear majority of 60 per cent voted for or against changes to the law. This was in spite of previous polls confirming more RCP members were opposed to assisted dying than in favour. In a 2014 poll, 58.4 per cent said they would not personally be prepared to 'participate actively' in assisted dying if it were legalised. Asked what the RCP's position should be, 44.4 per cent of respondents thought the RCP should be opposed to assisted dying, while only 31 per cent thought it should be neutral or have no stance. Only a quarter (24.6 per cent) said the RCP should be in favour. The RCP said a poll in 2006 yielded similar results. Despite the strength of opposition, there appears to be no plans to call off the poll, the results of which are due to be announced in March. RCP president Andrew Goddard told the Times: 'Because doctors are divided, the RCP wants to ensure that we only hold a position one way or another if there is a clear majority . . . The RCP has not campaigned on this issue and has no plans to do so.' In a separate letter to the Times, doctors and academics said the terms of the poll amounted to 'tacit support for assisted suicide'. 'We are worried that this move represents a deliberate attempt by a minority on [the college's governing council] to drop the college's opposition to assisted suicide even if the majority of the membership vote to maintain it,' they said, as they called for a 'more orthodox, justifiable and democratic approach'. The Christian Medical Fellowship has questioned the intentions behind the poll. Writing on the CMF blog, head of public policy Philippa Taylor said neutrality was a 'murky concept' that implies 'we are no longer opposed'. 'Why, despite the RCP polling all its members just a few years ago with the same question, has it decided it needs to poll members again? Could it possibly be part of a deliberate attempt to go officially 'neutral' on 'assisted dying' and from there, to support it?' she said. Dr Dermot Kearney, president of the Catholic Medical Association and an RCP fellow, told the Catholic Universe that the poll was a 'very strange way to conduct democracy'. 'It certainly is not the way that democracy is conducted in most of the Western world,' he said. 'It is gerrymandering, rigging. It will come out as a sham result and it is one that is highly predictable before the poll begins.' The debate over assisted dying has been reignited after Geoffrey Whaley, 80, who suffered from motor-neurone disease, took his own life in the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland last week. In a letter to MPs published posthumously, he called for a change in the law to allow assisted dying. Lib Dem leader Vince Cable responded to the call by saying he favoured the legalisation of assisted dying. MPs to debate right of parents to withdraw children from sex education lessons Parliament is to debate whether parents should have the right to opt their children out of sex-education lessons when they become mandatory next year. The debate is taking place later this month after a petition on the Government website was signed by more than 100,000 people in support of opt-outs from relationship and sex education (RSE) lessons. The petition calls on the Government to protect the 'fundamental right' of parents to withdraw their children from the RSE classes when they become mandatory across secondary schools in September 2020. Concerns are also raised about the content of the RSE lessons, which the petition says may 'cause more harm than good'. 'We have grave concerns about the physical, psychological and spiritual implications of teaching children about certain sexual and relational concepts proposed in RSE and believe that they have no place within a mandatory school curriculum,' reads the petition. 'We believe the above factors have not been given enough consideration and that many of the RSE resources being produced by lobby groups and external organisations will actually cause more harm than good, particularly when child development and psychological factors are considered.' After reaching the required 100,000 signatures, MPs are set to debate the issues raised in the petition on February 25. In its response, the Government clarified that although parental requests for opt-outs from sex education at the primary school level will be 'automatically granted', this will not be the case for secondary school students. 'The draft guidance advises head teachers that parents can request that their child be withdrawn from sex education as part of RSE and unless there are exceptional circumstances, they should agree the parents' request until 3 terms before the child turns 16,' it said. 'At that point, if the child wishes to receive sex education, they should be provided with it in one of those three terms. In line with the current position, there will be no right to withdraw from sex education taught in the science national curriculum.' It also said that schools would be required to consult with parents about the content of the RSE lessons and 'take into account the religious backgrounds of their pupils'. 'Schools with a religious character can build on the core content by reflecting on the teachings of their faith. All schools must comply with the relevant provisions of the Equality Act (2010),' it added. The Coalition for Marriage (C4M) has expressed strong opposition to the planned changes to RSE lessons, warning that they threaten to undermine the teaching of marriage, the rights of parents and the innocence of young children. While some limited rights to opt out are provided in regards to sex education, C4M said it was concerned that these did not apply to relationships education classes, which are to be mandatory for all primary school children. 'Marriage is rarely mentioned in the guidance, despite being the "gold standard" for committed relationships,' it said. 'When it is mentioned, marriage is redefined to include same-sex marriage, and it is usually placed alongside civil partnership as if the two are equivalent. Marriage is just given as one of a number of relationship options.' C4M added the concern that head teachers will be able to override the wishes of parents. 'It is absolutely imperative that parents retain the final say in deciding how and when children encounter complex adult relationships. As such, headteachers should not be given the power to overrule parental decisions,' it said. A new player has entered the discussion over the Club West Golf Course, adding new uncertain London council votes in favour of buffer zone around abortion clinic A London council has moved a step closer to introducing a buffer zone around an abortion clinic run by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service. Richmond Council voted in favour of a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) around a clinic in Twickenham which, if it receives final approval at the next council meeting, will be the second such buffer zone to be introduced around a UK abortion clinic. The PSPO will make it a criminal offence for pro-life groups and others to approach women going to the clinic with information about alternatives to abortion. The PSPO, which falls under Britain's anti-social behaviour laws, will also make it a crime to offer prayer and counselling, or display any text or images relating to abortion. The measures are set to be introduced despite no prosecutions ever being brought against people who have offered help outside the clinic. The PSPO has been met with dismay by pro-life group Be Here for Me, which said it would stop vulnerable women from receiving information about the help and support available to them. Spokeswoman for Be Here for Me, Elizabeth Howard, denounced the PSPO as she called for 'the return of common sense and better solutions' for women in need of help. 'The astonishingly broad nature of this PSPO shows that they are merely virtue signalling as opposed to protecting women, as they have deliberately chosen to outlaw charitable activity that has a profoundly positive impact for many vulnerable women,' she said. 'Harassment and intimidation is never acceptable outside abortion centres, and thankfully the council and police have wide powers to deal with any problematic behaviour. However, expelling pro-life vigil members at the behest of noisy activist groups in the absence of clear justification is extremely damaging for our society.' Last year, Ealing Council was the first to introduce a buffer zone around a Marie Stopes abortion clinic. That decision is being challenged in the Court of Appeal. In September, Home Secretary Sajid Javid dismissed calls for the implementation of buffer zones nationwide. He said at the time that a government review had found some instances of damaging behaviour outside abortion clinics but that these were not common. 'These activities are not the norm and, predominantly, anti-abortion activities are more passive in nature,' he said. 'The main activities reported to us that take place during protests include praying, displaying banners and handing out leaflets. Having considered the evidence of the review, I have therefore reached the conclusion that introducing national buffer zones would not be a proportionate response.' Alina Dulgheriu, who kept her baby after receiving help outside an abortion clinic, is spearheading the legal action against Ealing Council. She said she was devastated that Richmond was planning to introduce a similar PSPO. 'What kind of society criminalises help and limits the choices available to vulnerable women?' she said. 'I met a lady outside of an abortion centre at the most desperate time in my life, when I had no one to turn to for help. 'All I was offered by the abortion centre was an abortion, and yet these kind strangers gave me the support I needed to continue with my pregnancy.' She continued: 'Pro-life vigils offer life-changing support to vulnerable women at the gates of abortion centres, including financial and legal assistance, help with food and baby clothes, counselling and even accommodation. 'I am challenging Ealing in court because I cannot accept that women facing desperate situations will not be able to discover the extensive support that is available to them.' Girls' Brigade signs up for Big Pancake Party to fight UK poverty British charities have joined up with Great British Bake Off star Kim-Joy to highlight poverty in the UK on Shrove Tuesday. Girls' Brigade groups throughout England and Wales are running Big Pancake Parties with Church Urban Fund (CUF) to help fight food poverty. According to CUF, one in eight British adults say they are anxious about not being able to afford food. The charity says that all across the country there are children going to school hungry and parents skipping meals so their children can eat an evening meal. Nearly a million adults use a food bank every year in Britain and five per cent of British adults say they regularly miss a meal as they cannot afford to eat. This year Girls' Brigade England and Wales (GBEW) is joing CUF's Together Network of churches, schools and families to run pancake parties. Funds raised will support initiatives around the country such as 'holiday hunger' schemes, which provide free lunches for children during the summer holidays when the lack of free school meals means children often go hungry, 'Community Fridges', where surplus food is made available to those who need it, low-cost community food outlets at churches and running food banks. Great British Bake Off finalist from 2018, Kim-Joy, has added her support. She said: 'I've joined the Big Pancake Party because I don't want to just take for granted that I have food every day I want to help other people who don't have that. 'It's so sad to think that there are people who are hungry, that's a basic need. I think the Together Network does some amazing work it's not just about giving people a package of food, they empower people." GBEW president Rachel Gardner said: 'The best recipes are made up of great ingredients that work brilliantly together. Take the much-loved pancake and throw in some creative young people and enthusiastic leaders who care for their community, and you get an unforgettable event that eats away at food poverty. I know that many GB groups will take up the challenge of the Big Pancake Party and stand up to food poverty. Let's have fun and make a difference!' To find out how to run a Big Pancake Party or donate to the campaign click here. British mother-of-two was arrested and detained after referring to transgender woman as a man A 38-year-old British mother of two was arrested and detained for several hours after calling a transgender woman a man on social media. She remains under investigation. Kate Scottow of Hitchin, Hertfordshire, was arrested and detained by three officers, who took her photograph, DNA and fingerprints and confiscated her mobile phone and laptop. Although the incident took place on Dec. 1 of last year, Scottow remains under investigation and was served with a court order banning her from calling the transgender individual a man online. "I was then detained for seven hours in a cell with no sanitary products (which I said I needed) before being interviewed then later released under investigation," stated Scottow on the online forum Mumsnet, as reported by the Daily Mail last weekend. "I was arrested for harassment and malicious communications because I called someone out and misgendered them on Twitter." Hertfordshire Police confirmed the arrest in a statement to the Daily Mail, saying that they "take all reports of malicious communication seriously." Stephanie Hayden, a lawyer and transgender individual, filed a complaint against Scottow, accusing the mother of "deadnaming" Hayden, which is a term that means referring to a transgender person by their former name. According to court papers, Scottow was accused of posting "defamatory" tweets on the social media outlet and for referring to Hayden not only as male but also as a "racist, xenophobic and a crook." For her part, Scottow has denied harassing Hayden, adding that she holds a "genuine and reasonable belief" that an individual "cannot practically speaking change sex." The United Kingdom has extensive hate speech laws. In 2003, the nation banned online communication that may cause "annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety to another." According to an October 2017 article by The Times, approximately 3,300 people were detained and questioned for what they wrote online in 2016 alone. Of that number, The Times found that roughly half of the investigations into the complaints were dropped before prosecutors brought charges against the accused. Earlier this year, 74-year-old Margaret Nelson, a former humanist celebrant and blogger who lives in Suffolk, received a phone call by police to take down posts in which she was critical of transgender ideology. Later, a spokesperson for the Suffolk Police sent a statement to The Spectatorexplaining that the call was a mistake, noting that they "made a misjudgement in following up a complaint regarding the blog." "As a result of this we will be reviewing our procedures for dealing with such matters. We are sorry for any distress we may have caused in the way this issue was dealt with, and have been in contact with the woman who wrote the blog to apologise," stated the police. Courtesy of The Christian Post 40 years on, how is Iran celebrating its Islamic Revolution? 11 February 1979. Blondie's Heart of Glass reached number one in the UK charts, Jennifer Aniston celebrated her tenth birthday, and Ayatollah Khomeini seized control of the Iranian capital, Tehran. An anniversary of this kind could pass quietly in the international forum, but a public announcement of weeklong celebrations across Iran has brought it to the fore. Forty years ago today, the previously exiled Ayatollah made a victorious return to Iran, capturing the city of Tehran from prime minister Shapour Bakhtiar. Timeline 1951: Iran's first democratically elected party, the National Front, was given power with Mohammad Mosaddegh as leader. He was seen to be secular, progressive and very personable. 1952: Against the wishes of the Shah, Reza Pahlavi, Mosaddegh nationalised the previously British-owned Anglo-Iranian oil company, AIOC. In response, Britain and America sanctioned Iran, crippling the economy. 1953: A military coup d'etat, aided by British and American intelligence, overthrew Mosaddegh and returned the Shah to power. Oil was redistributed and AIOC became known as British Petroleum, or commonly, BP. 1960-2: Dissident groups as well as groups fronted by religious leaders began attacking government officials. 1963: Larger protests began in which Ayatollah Khomeini became a popular spokesman, speaking out in favour of Islamic law and denouncing western ideals. He was exiled for openly criticising the Shah, although his speeches and works were played in cafes and sold in bookshops across Iran. 1970-6: An oil industry boom accentuated the divide between rich and poor. Protests and dissident groups grew. 1977: The Shah granted amnesty to some political prisoners at the request of American president, Jimmy Carter. February 1, 1979: Ayatollah Khomeini makes a poignant and ultimately victorious return to Iran. Today Relationships with the western world, particularly with the United States, remain strained. The re-imposition of sanctions on Iranian oil as well as on financial transactions has caused more bad feeling among the Persian diaspora. The damage of this is felt around the world. The election of Hassan Rouhani as president in 2013 was supposed to herald a new revolution in Iran one of religious freedoms and democracy. However, although 72.2 per cent (this figure is widely disputed) of the voting Iranian public backed this reform, it appears that several of Rouhani's campaign ideals have not since come to fruition. The #MyStealthyFreedom movement in which Iranian women protest the enforcement of wearing the veil, and the imprisonment of British-Iranian citizen Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe demonstrate that religious law remains at the forefront of Iranian society. The Anniversary To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, the state has arranged a march to Tehran's Azadi (meaning freedom) Tower in the square of the same name. President Rouhani has, this morning, addressed the gathered crowds. He celebrated the 1979 revolution as a saving of Iran from 'tyranny, colonisation and dependence'. He not only renewed the country's allegiance to Islamic principles, but also to its missile development programme, stating, 'we will continue to pursue our path to military might'. The people of Iran have come out in their thousands, but not without trepidation. While some are heard chanting 'Death to America', 'Death to Israel' and 'Death to the al-Saud', others are more cautious. A military march in Ahvaz to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the revolution ended in disaster, with gunmen wounding more than 20 people. For Iranians who fled in 1979, feelings are not so clear. From one man, now living in Africa: 'The Iranian people wanted freedom, but do they think they are free now? It is hard to feel freedom with the weight of the thousands of lives lost.' This 40th anniversary is of particular significance. The number 40 is understood to be symbolic in Islamic tradition for several reasons, but particularly resembles the age of the Prophet Mohammad when he revealed his prophethood. It has also been announced, through state television, that Ayatollah Khamenei, the successor of Ayatollah Khomeini, will pardon a 'large number' of prisoners to mark the occasion. Iranian media have quoted this number to be as many as 50,000 individuals. The Islamic Republic of Iran celebrates a certain coming of age today. With relationships fraught and tensions high with parts of the Western world, it is thought that today will not only be a celebration of things past, but a demonstration of resilience to come. Nina Mattiello Azadeh studied music and philosophy and was a Faith in Politics media intern in 2016. She has a keen interest in interfaith relations, social action and is a classical ballet dancer. Follow her on Twitter @Ninamataz Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment In a very candid interview for Vogue, Justin Bieber explained that he abstained from sex for one year, wanting to get closer to God. He also said that he and his new wife Hailey Baldwin saved sex for marriage, which is one reason they got married so quickly. Not surprisingly, his interview has generated a torrent of comments, both positive and negative, including an article critical of Biebers call to abstinence. But why get mad at him for encouraging self-control? Why criticize a positive example? Or is his example really positive? On the conservative Christian side, its easy to throw stones. Justin and Hailey are hardly models of Christian purity! And were they so lacking in self-control that they rushed into marriage? I totally understand those concerns and I dont dispute them. But rather than condemn, how about we encourage? First, lets put things in context. A young pop icon like Justin Bieber has more beautiful women throwing themselves at him every day than most of us males will meet in a lifetime (or 100 lifetimes), let alone have these women offer themselves to us. For him to stop sleeping around is a lot bigger deal than it may seem. Second, lets not underestimate the amount of influence he has. Kids emulate his every move. What he does is cool. Maybe theyll copy him here too? Even if some young people say to themselves, If he can do it, I can do it, thats positive. Third, he realized that if he wanted to get serious with God, he could not engage in sexual immorality. (Again, Im not suggesting we parade him as the ideal model. Im simply saying we encourage what is positive.) For many today, God can be added to virtually any endeavor, be it gambling or prostitution or fornication or adultery. Just add God in, and Hell make everything better. Except He wont. He doesnt mix well with sin, and He certainly doesnt bless sin. He does, of course, save from sin, but thats the whole point. To be saved from sin is to leave it behind. To put it in the rearview mirror without looking back. To be saved is to be changed, even if not perfectly. Fourth, Paul himself taught it was better to marry than to burn (meaning, with lust; see 1 Corinthians 7:9). So, if this young couple felt they could not control themselves but they did want to spend the rest of their lives together, then marriage was better than fornication. Would it better to have more self-control and not rush into marriage? Would it better to take more time with godly counselors and work out lots of issues before tying the knot? Sure, that would be the best. But theyre not the first to push their wedding date up, and, given todays climate of casual sex, their example can encourage others to follow suit. (And for the oft-maligned pastors of Hillsong, to whom Justin and Hailey look, should we not credit them with having some positive influence here too?) As for non-conservative critics of Bieber, a headline in the UK Telegraphproclaimed, Celibacy before marriage is a terrible idea - Justin Bieber shouldn't preach it to his fans. Perhaps youre rubbing your eyes or saying out loud, What in the world? I dont blame you. But Rebecca Reid, who penned the column, is sure: As far as Im concerned, before you marry someone, you need to do four things. Go on holiday for at least a week, see each other through an illness (bonus points if its food poisoning), build something flat pack and have sex. Sex is a vital part of a marriage, she writes. And the only way to know if youre going to have good sex is by trying it out. Yes, try it out. Kind of like test-driving a car. And that leads to some obvious concerns. First, parents, how would you feel about your daughter being test driven for awhile by her prospective suitors? And women, how would you feel about being test driven to be sure your potential mate enjoys sex with you? Does anyone hear the words degrading or used? And how many times do you try the sex before concluding whether it will work for you or not? Second, theres a lot more to marriage than sex (a whole lot more). Not only so, but sexual intimacy can flow naturally out of emotional intimacy, and couples can grow and learn. Third, when you marry, you make a lifelong commitment, whether the sex is good or not. From Reids perspective, in order to make a solid, lasting commitment, a couple needs to experience life (and sex) together. And while thats commendable, its also confused: When two people truly love each other and commit themselves to each other, other things will fall into place. Reid also claimed that theres no real evidence that people who abstain from sex before marriage are more likely to stay together. But, as I documented in Saving a Sick America, on average, couples who live together before wedlock have less stable marriages than those who dont live together before wedlock. And thats why, A new study has found that women with between zero and one sexual partner are the least likely to divorce later on, with women who had 10 or more partners emerging as the most likely to see their marriages end, according to the Institute for Family Studies. In the Vogue interview, Justin said, I think sex can cause a lot of pain. Sometimes people have sex because they dont feel good enough. Because they lack self-worth. Women do that, and guys do that. He also explained, I wanted to rededicate myself to God in that way because I really felt it was better for the condition of my soul. And I believe that God blessed me with Hailey as a result. There are perks. You get rewarded for good behavior. Its true. We do reap what we sow (see Galatians 6:7-8). And God does reward purity and honor. Im personally praying for Justin and Hailey to come to know the Lord in an even deeper way, to experience an even more profound life transformation, and to set an even higher example. But I appreciate the steps they have taken, and Im praying their marriage endures and stays strong. As for their millions of adoring fans, if they can understand the sacredness of sex, they will also understand the satisfaction of sex. Statement Against Social Justice Marginalizes People Who Talk About Race and Justice, Tim Keller Says Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A controversial statement signed by more than 9,000 evangelicals and Christian organizations deploring social justice as a dangerous concept to the Gospel, belittles Christians who talk about race and justice, says Tim Keller, founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. "It's not so much what [the statement] says, but what it does. It's trying to marginalize people talking about race and justice, it's trying to say, 'You're really not biblical' and it's not fair in that sense," Keller said in a 3-minute clip from a recent session in the 2018-19 City Lab Series billed "Compassion and Justice: The Kingdom at the Margins." "If somebody tried to go down [the statement] with me, 'Will you agree with this, will you agree with this,' I would say, 'You're looking at the level of what it says and not the level of what it's doing. I do think what it's trying to do is it's trying to say, 'Don't make this emphasis, don't worry about the poor, don't worry about the injustice, that's really what it's saying.' Even if I could agree with most of it ... it's what it's doing that I don't like," he added. Keller evaluated the statement using a philosophical argument called the Speech Act Theory which, he explained, doesn't just analyze words by what they say but also by what they do. The Statement on Social Justice & the Gospel was released early this month with initial signers including John MacArthur of Grace Community Church, who recently denounced evangelicalism's "newfound obsession" with social justice. Among other things, the statement notes that: "Specifically, we are deeply concerned that values borrowed from secular culture are currently undermining Scripture in the areas of race and ethnicity, manhood and womanhood, and human sexuality. The Bible's teaching on each of these subjects is being challenged under the broad and somewhat nebulous rubric of concern for 'social justice.' "If the doctrines of God's Word are not uncompromisingly reasserted and defended at these points, there is every reason to anticipate that these dangerous ideas and corrupted moral values will spread their influence into other realms of biblical doctrines and principles. "The rapidity with which these deadly ideas have spread from the culture at large into churches and Christian organizationsincluding some that are evangelical and Reformednecessitates the issuing of this statement now." Keller said he is concerned that the statement is a reactionary response instead of a biblically sound one. "What I fear is it may be responding to some sins on the other side ... At this point I feel that the Christian Church is being, because our country is so polarized politically, that increasingly the Church is becoming an extension of the various political parties. I've said this before, I'm going to say it again, if you talk about the evangelical Church, for example, there has now become a red evangelicals and blue evangelicals. It's almost like our churches are sort of lining up to become more extensions of the political parties than they are really, bucking what the Word of God says," Keller noted. "If you really take a look at a lot of things that the Bible says about sex and gender that really come out sounding politically today conservative and a lot of things the Bible says about race and injustice and the poor today come out sounding extremely liberal." He said the Church cannot allow itself to align with one party because of this divide. Pastor staged his suicide to look like murder to save family from shame, say police Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Rev. Dale R. Cross Sr., a longtime pastor of Abundant Life Church in Wyoming, Michigan, who preached against suicide, took his own life but staged it to look like a murder to save his family from shame, local police and medical authorities have concluded. "None of the evidence points toward foul play," Kent County Sheriff's Detective Lt. Ron Gates told Wood TV in a recent interview. "It all points to it was self-inflicted." Cross, 66, was found dead just after 6 p.m. on Aug. 6. His body was lying near his SUV with a gunshot wound to the head just blocks away from his home, Fox 17 reported. While Cross family has maintained the belief that he was murdered, local police and the medical examiner in Kent County have ruled it a suicide. Despite the familys protest, Gates argued that based on the evidence that was reviewed, it appears Cross was trying to spare his family the shame that generally comes with suicide. "We feel that because of all the negative perceptions of someone that commits suicide, that he didn't want the public or the family or whoever to know that this was a suicide. So, we feel that he did stage this to look like a homicide," Gates said. Cross obituary describes him as a mentor, pastor, and friend who dedicated more than 30 years of service to his Lord and Savior. He served 24 years as the lead pastor at Abundant Life before retiring. He was also a U.S. Marine veteran who worked at General Motors for 10 years prior to going into full-time ministry. Pastor Dale was a man of integrity who lived for Jesus and his family. His greatest joy was taking the grandkids out on the boat to see who he could throw off the tube with his Jonah waves. His message to all of us today would come from his favorite hymn, It is well with my soul, the obituary states. While the late pastors family argues that he was murdered, Gates said they have found no motive for that crime. "No motive, nothing stolen, no sign of a struggle," Gates said. Cross' daughter, Tammy Blood, is struggling to accept this conclusion. "They said that this was suicide. He set it up to look like a murder, so my dad staged his own suicide to look like a murder, is what they said," Blood noted about her father, who, she said, had too many reasons to live. "I was dumbfounded. I mean, a happy man, a man that only cared about others, a man who preached the word and preached against suicide," she said. While there are no clear signs as to why Cross took his life, police say his medical records show he may have been suffering from depression. He was driving home after 5 p.m. after stopping at a gas station to get ice for his wife, Wood TV reported. His family said he was just running errands. When he was found dead near his truck about a mile away from his home it seemed as if he was fixing a flat tire. Investigators found that nothing was wrong with his tire and suggested it was a part of the pastor's plan to make it look like his death was a murder. He also shot himself with his left hand even though he was right-handed. His revolver, however, was found under his body. "If the theory was that somebody came out of the woods, or stopped to kill him, why would they place the gun under his body?" Gates said. His daughter continues to reject the idea that her father committed suicide and the family is seeking to raise $10,000 on Go Fund Me to hire a private investigator. The two-month-old campaign has raised only $687 so far. "If he did commit suicide and staged it like a murder and all that stuff, we would have found life insurance because he would have made sure my mom was set up," Blood told Wood TV. "We want his name cleared, because this isn't my father, and we want whoever did this to have justice," she said. Conservative Christians denounce Alabama, Supreme Court for denying imam to executed Muslim Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Evangelicals and conservative Christians denounced Alabama officials and the U.S. Supreme Court for denying a Muslim inmate the presence of a cleric when he was executed. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court vacated a stay of execution for Domineque Ray. As a result, last Thursday Ray was executed via lethal injection while the imam had to be in a separate room. While Holman Correctional Facility, where Ray was imprisoned, regularly allowed Christian chaplains to be present at the execution, they refused to honor Rays request for an imam. The high court officially granted to vacate the stay of execution due to the lateness in which Ray filed a petition. On November 6, 2018, the State scheduled Domineque Rays execution date for February 7, 2019. Because Ray waited until January 28, 2019 to seek relief, we grant the States application to vacate the stay entered by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, read the decision. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan authored a dissent, being joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, and Stephen Breyer. To justify such religious discrimination, the State must show that its policy is narrowly tailored to a compelling interest. I have no doubt that prison security is an interest of that kind, wrote Justice Kagan. But the State has offered no evidence to show that its wholesale prohibition on outside spiritual advisers is necessary to achieve that goal. Why couldnt Rays imam receive whatever training in execution protocol the Christian chaplain received? The State has no answer. Why wouldnt it be sufficient for the imam to pledge, under penalty of contempt, that he will not interfere with the States ability to perform the execution? The State doesnt say. Rod Dreher, an editor at The American Conservative, author, and an Orthodox Christian, took to his Twitter account to denounce what happened. This is a profound moral wrong, and should not be forgotten, tweeted Dreher last Friday, getting over a 1,000 retweets and more than 4,200 likes. Conservative evangelical writer David French of the National Review said that by denying Ray his preferred spiritual adviser, the high court had upheld a grave injustice. Since the majority didnt reach a decision on the merits, the case doesnt negatively impact substantive constitutional law, but it represents a grave injustice nonetheless. The court could have easily issued an injunction permitting Ray access to his imam of his choice, wrote French. Rays execution was just. The circumstances were not. The states obligation is to protect and facilitate the free exercise of a persons faith, not to seek reasons to deny him consolation at the moment of his death. In an op-ed for The New York Times, Alan Cross, a Southern Baptist pastor in Alabama, argued that Alabama officials worsened religious freedom even further when they decided to stop providing chaplains at executions altogether, in response to the case. "Religious liberty is inconvenient. It sometimes requires that we work together to accommodate the religious practices and needs of various groups. It creates problems for anyone looking for quick, efficient solutions to complex issues for example, whether a state that provides Christian chaplains in the death chamber must also provide an imam," he wrote. Cross was also alarmed that those on death row will not hear the Gospel one last time before they are executed in Alabama. "That message of last-minute mercy is regularly preached in churches all over Alabama. It is repeated by pastors and chaplains in hospitals and on death beds. And, until this week, it was available up until the last moment for those being executed by the state for their crimes. "But this offer of mercy could be in danger if the state removes all chaplains from the execution chamber. Any last-minute rush of repentance could be met with silence. Some will say that such an end is what the criminal deserves. But mercy from God gives us what we dont deserve: grace, even for the worst of offenders," he wrote. Michael R. Wear, former deputy director of President Obama's White House office of Faith Based initiatives, saw the decision as a good example of why liberal activists should stop trying to weaken the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Kagans dissent draws on the principles codified by RFRA. I wish the conservative justices would have heeded them here, noted Wear on Twitter. This case is about what happens when government believes its interests and perspective on theological issues ought to outweigh religious expression. The answer is not to weaken religious freedom for some, but to strengthen it for all. British woman arrested, investigated for calling transgender woman a man Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A 38-year-old British mother of two was arrested and detained for several hours after calling a transgender woman a man on social media. She remains under investigation. Kate Scottow of Hitchin, Hertfordshire, was arrested and detained by three officers, who took her photograph, DNA and fingerprints and confiscated her mobile phone and laptop. Although the incident took place on Dec. 1 of last year, Scottow remains under investigation and was served with a court order banning her from calling the transgender individual a man online. I was then detained for seven hours in a cell with no sanitary products (which I said I needed) before being interviewed then later released under investigation, stated Scottow on the online forum Mumsnet, as reported by the Daily Mail last weekend. I was arrested for harassment and malicious communications because I called someone out and misgendered them on Twitter. Hertfordshire Police confirmed the arrest in a statement to the Daily Mail, saying that they take all reports of malicious communication seriously. Stephanie Hayden, a lawyer and transgender individual, filed a complaint against Scottow, accusing the mother of deadnaming Hayden, which is a term that means referring to a transgender person by their former name. According to court papers, Scottow was accused of posting defamatory tweets on the social media outlet and for referring to Hayden not only as male but also as a racist, xenophobic and a crook. For her part, Scottow has denied harassing Hayden, adding that she holds a genuine and reasonable belief that an individual cannot practically speaking change sex. The United Kingdom has extensive hate speech laws. In 2003, the nation banned online communication that may cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety to another. According to an October 2017 article by The Times, approximately 3,300 people were detained and questioned for what they wrote online in 2016 alone. Of that number, The Times found that roughly half of the investigations into the complaints were dropped before prosecutors brought charges against the accused. Earlier this year, 74-year-old Margaret Nelson, a former humanist celebrant and blogger who lives in Suffolk, received a phone call by police to take down posts in which she was critical of transgender ideology. Later, a spokesperson for the Suffolk Police sent a statement to The Spectator explaining that the call was a mistake, noting that they made a misjudgement in following up a complaint regarding the blog. As a result of this we will be reviewing our procedures for dealing with such matters. We are sorry for any distress we may have caused in the way this issue was dealt with, and have been in contact with the woman who wrote the blog to apologise, stated the police. Doctors Could Be Forced to Perform Abortions Under Extreme N.M. Bill Share Tweet The New Mexico House of Representatives passed a bill last week that would legalize unrestricted abortion up to the day of birth and would remove conscience protections for doctors and hospitals who dont want to perform abortions. The bill, HB 51, would repeal a 50-year-old law that predates Roe v. Wade and prohibited abortion except in cases of rape, incest, grave mental or physical or mental defects, and to save the mothers life. The bill passed the Democrat-controlled House, 40-29, and now heads to the Senate, also controlled by Democrats. Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham supports it. Pro-lifers say the bill has two problems: 1) It mirrors bills in New York and Virginia by removing all restrictions on abortion, and, 2) It rolls back a section of New Mexico law that protected doctors and hospitals. That section of New Mexico law reads: This article does not require a hospital to admit any patient for the purposes of performing an abortion. ... A person who is a member of, or associated with, the staff of a hospital, or any employee of a hospital and who objects to the justified medical termination on moral or religious grounds shall not be required to participate. House Minority Whip Rod Montoya, a Republicans, criticized supporters of the bill. You are perfectly willing to allow hospitals and medical practitioners to refer or provide abortion services even if their conscience tells them they cannot do that? he asked one supporter during floor debate, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican. The bill would repeal three sections of New Mexico law: 30-5-1, 30-5-2 and 30-5-3. All three sections pertain to abortion. Supporters said the repeal is necessary in case Roe v. Wade and its companion decisions are overturned. This respects a womans personal decision to have an abortion, said Rep. Joanne Ferrary, a Democrat and a bill sponsor. Elisa Martinez, executive director of New Mexico Alliance for Life, said the bill is more radical than those in other states. HB-51 is the most extreme bill in the nation, Martinez told Fox News, because it keeps elective abortion-up-to-birth, and also seeks to force medical professionals to participate in this practice by stripping away explicit conscience protections from the current statute. Michael Foust is a freelance writer. Visit his blog, MichaelFoust.com. Photo courtesy: Edward Cisneros/Unsplash Mesa resident Hunter Stewart has opened one outlet for The Fix near the Tempe Auto Mall, and hes preparing to open a second in east Mesa later this year. Congresswoman Says Jews Bribe American Lawmakers to Support Israel, Sparks Outrage Share Tweet Rep. Ilhan Omar is under fire this week after she suggested that American leaders only support Israel because Jews pay them. According to CBN News, Omar had responded to a tweet from journalist Glenn Greenwald. Greenwald had said it was stunning how much time US political leaders spend defending a foreign nation even if it means attacking free speech rights of Americans. Greenwald was referring to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthys threat to take action against Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib for controversial statements they had made. Omar replied to Greenwalds tweet, saying, Its all about the Benjamins, baby. People then criticized Omar for her anti-Semitic comments and seemingly suggesting that Jews pay U.S. government leaders for support. "Would love to know who @IlhanMN thinks is paying American politicians to be pro-Israel, though I think I can guess," Ungar-Sargon tweeted. "Bad form, Congresswoman. That's the second anti-Semitic trope you've tweeted." She later tweeted that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee is one of the groups paying American politicians. Journalist Kassy Dillon, however, refuted that accusation, saying AIPAC takes absolutely no money from the Israeli government. So she's quite literally referring to Jews and pro-Israel advocates. This is anti-Semitic. Chelsea Clinton also chimed in on the criticism of Omar, saying, We should expect all elected officials, regardless of party, and all public figures to not traffic in anti-Semitism. Omar responded that shed be happy to talk and build an inclusive movement for justice with Clinton. Previously, Omar faced criticism for tweeting in 2012 that Israel has hypnotized the world. Photo courtesy: Pixabay 380 Southern Baptist Leaders Accused of Sexually Abusing 700 People over 20 Years Share Tweet After reviewing thousands of pages of legal documents over six months, the Houston Chronicle found that 380 Southern Baptist pastors and church officials were accused of a myriad of sexual assault charges including everything from groping to rape. The Houston Chronicle published a more than 5,000-word article on Sunday the first of three installments detailing the acts of sexual abuse by several prominent Southern Baptist Convention pastors and leaders on more than 700 victims over 20-years. The outlet notes that they took on this project in order to create a comprehensive list that details sexual abuse, assault and misconduct by SBC Church leaders after abuse victims demanded a list in 2007 and never got one. According to the Houston Chronicle, since 1998, approximately 380 SBC leaders and volunteers have faced allegations of sexual misconduct. Of the 380 SBC leaders accused, 220 have been convicted, nearly 100 are still in prison and more than 100 are now registered sex offenders. While some leaders did serve jail time, the Houston Chronicle reports that others of them some registered sex offenders are still working in SBC churches today. The newspaper found that at least 35 church pastors, employees and volunteers who exhibited predatory behavior were still able to find jobs at churches during the past two decades. Additionally, the outlet found that in some cases, church leaders failed to contact police and to inform other congregations after allegations were brought to their attention. The Houston Chronicle focused on nine specific men in Sundays article. 2016 SBC President Steve Gaines is listed with three other former SBC presidents Paige Patterson, 1998; Jerry Vines, 1988; Edwin Young, 1992 for being accused of mishandling allegations of abuse. Gaines admitted to waiting six months before firing a pastor who confessed to molestation, the Houston Chronicle wrote. Patterson was accused of ignoring allegations. Vines too, was accused of ignoring allegations, he was also accused of shaming victims. Specific examples are not provided for Young, though the Texas-based newspaper notes that his church was sued for mishandling of abuse allegations. Others accused of sexual misconduct include 2002 SBC Vice President Paul Pressler, 2006 SBC President Frank S. Page, and former Pastors Darrell Gilyard, John Forse and Chad Foster. One example of abuse happened at Houstons Second Baptist Church where Edwin Young has been the lead pastor since 1992. At 14-years-old, Heather Schneider admitted to her mother that she was molested in a choir room at church. According to the Houston Chronicle, the attacker pled no contest in court and the church denied responsibility, waiting five months before firing Schneiders attacker. Gwen Casados, Schneiders mother, told the Houston Chronicle that a day after the attack, in 1994, Schneider slit her wrists. The then teenager survived the suicide attempt but later died from a drug overdose. Casados blamed the attack for her daughters downward spiral saying after the abuse, "I never got her back. According to the Interim President of the SBCs Executive Committee August Boto, SBC churches operate autonomously and there is no means of authority to enforce rules over all 47,000 SBC churches as a whole. Boto credits this as a reason why abuse victim Debbie Vasquezs 2008 request for the SBC to track sexual predators and take action against congregations that harbored or concealed abusers as well as her request for prevention policies was rejected. Activist and victim Christa Brown told the Houston Chronicle that SBCs lack of protective policies for sex abuse victims is dangerous. She said, It's a perfect profession for a con artist, because all he has to do is talk a good talk and convince people that he's been called by God, and bingo, he gets to be a Southern Baptist minister. She continued, "Then he can infiltrate the entirety of the SBC, move from church to church, from state to state, go to bigger churches and more prominent churches where he has more influence and power, and it all starts in some small church. It's a porous sieve of a denomination, she added. Photo courtesy: Alex Boyd/Unsplash Local CHS FFA member earns prestigious, national award Rising through the ranks in any organization is a feat of endurance, determination and perseverance. Thats particularly true when the organization is the Future Farmers of America (FFA) and youve proven yourself worthy of a rare national award granted only to those exhibiting singular dedication and commitment. This is the case for Kelci Scharff, a 2017 graduate of Cheney High School who earned the highly sought-after National Degree from the FFA and was presented with the award at the organizations 2018 National Convention and Expo in Indianapolis, Ind. in October. Scharff joined FFA her freshman year of high school following a stint in the local 4-H club, she said. She called the step a natural progression, particularly since her father had been active in FFA in his youth. Getting the degree is kind of crazy it was something I saw older kids doing as a little freshman and now to have done it myself is exciting, Scharff said. According to the FFA website, the National Degree is awarded to less than 1 percent of the FFAs nearly 670,000 members. Students must first earn a green hand degree, then a chapter degree and finally a state FFA degree before becoming eligible for the prestigious National Degree. Cheney FFA adviser Allen Skoog said Scharff was the FFA president for three years, earning her state FFA degree as a junior. Scharff also held the state FFA reporter position for a year, serving Washingtons 10,000-plus FFA members. Kelci Scharff was the best FFA President Ive had in 25 years, Skoog said in an email. Students seeking a National Degree must log 540 hours of an agricultural education program or 360 hours of systematic agricultural education, and complete at least 2,250 hours of agricultural experience outside of regular class time. Fifty hours of community service spread between three different activities are also required, as is a C average in their regular school studies while meeting all FFA requirements. And dont forget the business and leadership element in which the applicant must exhibit comprehensive planning and managerial and financial expertise, earning at least $10,000 and productively investing $7,500. Scharff grew up on a small cattle ranch in rural Spokane County, raising her own herd of cattle and showing them at various fairs and shows around the region. She also served as an ambassador for the Junior Livestock Show of Spokane and the Spokane County Cattlemen Association. Leadership, follow-through, and helping to make others better by giving them the capacity to excel are what stand out to me regarding Kelci, Skoog said. She led with kindness and a smile. Scharff now attends Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming. Originally she majored in animal science, but after careful reflection she recently changed her major to nursing, she said. Scharffs bubbly personality can be heard even over the phone as she laughs about the journey shes taken to get to where she is now. It was really fun, she said. And a lot of hard work paid off. Shannen Talbot can be reached at shannen@cheneyfreepress.com. The Grammy Awards is known the world over for its strange and, in some cases, downright baffling choices when it comes to recognizing greatness in music. In recent years The Recording Academy, the governing body that nominates music artists, has come under fire for lack of diversity in their nominations. They have also been criticized for their inability to recognize new genres of music. Even with their track record of weird nominations, unbelievable snubs, and cookie-cutter winners, youll be surprised to find out these four musical artists have never won a Grammy. Bob Marley Reggae icon, Bob Marleys legacy is showing no signs of fading. The Jamaica-born artist who died in 1981, remains one of the most iconic and beloved musical artists in the world. Credited with popularizing reggae music, Marley has become a symbol of Jamaican culture. Marleys Legend album has sold more than 15 million copies. It still sells between 3,000 to 5,000 copies each week, 35 years after its release. His untimely death deprived the world of more music, but the Recording Academy has failed to recognize his talents. Marley never received a nomination during his life. He did, however, receive a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001. He was also nominated in 2001 and 2002 for Best Music Film and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals posthumously, but he did not win in those categories. Snoop Dogg With 30 years in the rap game, Snoop Dogg, real name Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr., has released 16 albums, and is credited with changing the style and flow of rap in influential ways. Beloved by the hip-hop world, he has sold over 25 million records, but that doesnt mean the Recording Academy recognizes his talent. Snoop Dogg currently holds the record for most Grammy nominations without a win. He has been nominated a staggering 17 times but has never brought home a trophy. While the 47-year-old artist and actor hasnt won one just yet, there is still time. He remains active in the music world. The Who As a British rock band, The Who are given credit for influencing the landscape of modern rock music. They were among the first musical groups to utilize synthesizers in a traditional rock structure, completely changing the sound of the genre. Their album Quadrophenia was number 2 on The Billboard Pop Music Chart in 1973 and They were the first band to introduce the use of non-musical sound into music recordings. Regardless of their contributions to the music world they have never received a Grammy nomination, although the group did receive a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001. They are also part of the Grammy Hall of Fame. Tupac Shakur Tupac, gunned down at just 25 years old, made waves in the hip hop world. He is credited with changing the landscape of hip hop and injecting political messages into rap music for the first time. His raps were so intricate that Ivy League schools have utilized his lyrics in classroom debates and have even dedicated entire classes to the late rappers work. Shakur, however, for all his accomplishments never took home a Grammy. Shakur was nominated in 1996, 1997 and again in 2000. In 1996 he was nominated for Best Rap Solo Performance for Dear Mama and for Best Rap Album for Me Against the World. In 1997 he was again nominated for Best Rap Album for his work on All Eyez on Me. He also received nominations for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for his work on How Do You Want It and California Love. In 2000 received a nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance for Changes. The song is the only song to receive a nomination in its category after the performers death, however, he did not win. Meghan Markle takes care of her face | Ben Birchall/AFP/Getty Images Before she shut down her chic lifestyle advice site, The Tig, Megan Markle explained to Birchbox how face yoga helps to keep her countenance sculpted and taut. Yes, face yoga is a thing. Why do the duchess and other celebrities do it? Heres what we know. I do facial exercises from one of my favorite aestheticians, Nicola Joss, who basically has you sculpt your face from the inside out. I swear it works, as silly as you may feel. On the days I do it, my cheekbones and jawline are waaaay more sculpted. Theres a reason she is in high demand around awards season when every actress wants to look A-plus. Origins of face yoga With original creation typically credited to New York yoga instructor, Annelise Hagen, the evolution of yoga for the face comprises a series of sometimes-silly expressions and specialized stretches that are said to improve facial flexibility while warding off the drooping effects of aging. According to CafeMom, when Hagen got wind of the fact that the duchess follows her original face yoga plan, she exclaimed Its super validating when someone like that is associating with the work Ive done. Im happy to hear Meghan is embracing it. Shes a positive role model for beauty, inside and out. With this in mind, numerous celebs currently tout face yoga and other non-surgical facelift techniques provided by UK celebrity facialist Nichola Joss and other talented aestheticians. Everyday people may also employ face yoga in their quest to stay as young-looking as possible. Megan Markle makes time for yoga every day Meghan Markle | Chris Jackson/Getty Images On any typical day, the young royal wakes up before dawn and greets the day with green juice and yoga stretches. Right now, she does her yoga routines at home but looks forward to owning a dedicated studio where she can do her Bikram hot yoga and other self-help pastimes in privacy. Of course, one doesnt have to be a super celeb to enjoy the numerous benefits of yoga. Meghan Markle isnt the only famous person that does face yoga In addition to Markle, celebs touting facial yoga to delay visible signs of aging include Gisele Bundchen and Kate Moss, who reportedly swear by holistic skin health. Other celebrities who use face yoga include Jennifer Aniston, Madonna, and Gwenyth Paltrow. According to Harpers Bazaar, A-List celebs who follow Joss savvy skin care tutorials have no need to turn to Botox and other invasive anti-aging strategies. Double-cleansing and super hydration are also essential to healthy looking skin. Celebs listen to expert advice Joss has been giving reliable cosmetic advice for a number of years, so it makes sense that Markle and other celebs would pay attention to what she says. In 2013, Joss told Cosmopolitan that the best tools to combat facial aging in wintertime are a high quality facial oil and a pair of clean hands. During the winter months I recommend massaging a skin boosting facial oil into your skin every evening before bed to replenish and repair skin. According to Joss, a dab of oil massaged into the face may benefit all skins types during harsh winter months. Of course, those who incorporate face yoga into their beauty routine stand a superior chance of retaining their youthful looks during any season of the year. Once you get the hang of it, Joss face yoga and DIY facial massage are easy to work into your morning routine. In fact, the Duchess of Windsor starts every day bright and early with a healthy helping of yoga for her body, face, and overall serene outlook on life. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry might be expecting their first child in just a couple of months, but they are just as busy as ever with their royal duties. Though many of us thought the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would be lightening their load and preparing for their big move from Kensington Palace to Frogmore House theyre actually gearing up to head overseas to Morocco at the end of February. Heres an inside look at their upcoming royal tour. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Tolga Akmen WPA Pool/Getty Images Inside Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys Moroccan royal tour The duchess and the prince will head to Morocco which is located in North Africa for three days, Feb. 23-25, 2019. They are traveling to the country on behalf of the British government. A Kensington Palace spokesperson explained to People, It will build on the close relationship between the U.K. and Morocco. The Duke and Duchess are looking forward to the visit which will highlight the vital roles that girls education and youth empowerment are playing in, and shaping, modern Morocco. During their two days of royal engagements, Markle and Prince Harry will meet Moroccos ruler King Mohammed VI, and the countrys prime minister Saad-Eddine El Othmani. They are also set to visit major tourist attractions. Why is this royal tour so important to Meghan Markle? The Duchess of Sussex did not want to sit this royal tour to Morocco out because the cause is near and dear to her heart. In 2016, former First Lady Michelle Obama wrote about the state of womens education in Morocco. In a piece for CNN, she said, While Morocco has made huge strides in education, and nearly all girls there attend elementary school many of them drop out of school by the time they turn twelve. Right now, only 14 percent of girls in rural Morocco attend high school. Markle is an avid feminist and has been outspoken about education for women and girls across the globe. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, visits a market in Suva, Fiji | Ian Vogler Pool/Getty Images Why is this royal tour to Morocco being rushed? With a baby on the way it seems off that Markle and Prince Harry would want to travel to a different country. However, this royal tour seems rushed because it is. Apparently, it was hastily arranged because a regional visit was canceled at the last minute. Is it safe for Meghan Markle to fly in her final trimester of pregnancy? Though shes due in late April or early May Markle still looks stunning and fresh. Shes attended numerous charity events with her husband and by herself while carrying what Prince Harry has said is a heavy baby. Since she is still feeling great, she can still fly. The flight time from the United Kingdom to Morocco is just over 3-hours which isnt terribly long. Though the duke and duchess are reportedly flying commercial, were sure theyll be in first class. According to Englands National Health Service women can fly until they are 37 weeks pregnant. A royal aide explained to The Telegraph U.K, The Duchess feels well and able to fly. Most airlines permit women to fly up until approximately the last month of their pregnancy. Though the royal aide did not confirm, it appears that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will also have a doctor accompanying them on the trip. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Meghan Markle is in her final months of pregnancy and though Baby Sussex will make his or her debut just as winter turns into spring, Markle hasnt slowed down one bit. The duchess has attended numerous charity events and engagements, and she and Prince Harry are even traveling to Morocco for a quick royal tour at the end of February. Markle doesnt seem the least bit nervous about giving birth for the first time, and it could be because she has a solid birth plan in place. Heres an inside look into Markles birth plan including her use of a doula, and the hypno-birthing technique. Will Meghan Markle have a natural birth? The former actress has been open about her healthy and holistic lifestyle, which is why we arent surprised that she is doing everything that she can to prepare for a natural at home birth. It was Markles mom Doria Ragland who encouraged her daughter to try and give birth without medication. Vanity Fair reports, Doria plans to be around a lot when the baby arrives, and there are plans for her to have a dedicated space at their new home. She wants to be on hand to help Meghan and Harry with the baby. Doria will be involved, and if shes involved she will be encouraging Meg to go for a natural birth. What is the hypno-birthing technique? Giving birth is a test in a womans endurance and pain management. This is where the hypno-birthing technique comes into play. When using the technique women are encouraged to use a combination of deep breathing, relaxation, and visualization to reduce the pain and length of labor. Is the Duchess of Sussex using the hypno-birthing technique? Like her sister-in-law Duchess Kate Middleton Markle is preparing to use the hypno-birthing technique during labor and delivery. Middleton used the technique to give birth to all three of her children. In addition to hypno-birthing, Markle has also been preparing her body for labor and delivery by visiting an acupuncturist. According to Vanity Fair, Meghan has been having regular acupuncture sessions to help her unwind and relax. Its brilliant for the blood circulation and boosting blood flow to the uterus. She plans to use acupuncture right up to her due date. Is Meghan Markle using a doula? In addition to her doctors, acupuncturist, and the hypno-birthing technique, Markle has also reportedly hired a doula. A doula is a non-medical professional whose sole purpose is to advocate on behalf of the mother to provide her with comfort and emotional support. According to US Weekly, Markle has reportedly been using a doula during her pregnancy who has visited her and Harrys homes multiple times. Meghan is focused on calm and positive energy around the birth shes a big believer in that. Will Meghan Markles birth plan make her labor and delivery easier? Though the Duchess of Sussex is obviously prepared for the birth of her first child no one can really know how smooth or difficult her labor and delivery will be until shes in the thick of them. As royal correspondent Duncan Larcombe explained to Town & Country, I think what we have to remember with the royals is that theyre just human beings. Like many, many expectant mothers before her, Meghan probably would like to have a natural birth, and it would all be wonderful and over in a few minutes. But like any expectant mother, she wont be in control of that, her body will be And just because shes going to give birth to a member of the royal family doesnt make that any different. Shes just a human being. An expectant mother. And the baby will have its own say on how easy the birth is or how difficult. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Alicia Keys is many things. Shes a wife to her music producer husband, Swizz Beats; a mother to her two children, Egypt Daoud Dean and Genesis Ali Dean; an actress; a songwriter; a pianist; and a Grammy-award winning recording artist. Alicia Keys | Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images The songstress recognized her talents at a very young age. So just how long has she been singing? Heres the answer to that plus some other information about the songbird including her age, her net worth, and the relationship with a family member that she needed to repair. How old is Alicia Keys? Keys was born Alicia Augello Cook in New York City on Jan. 25, 1981. She grew up in the Hells Kitchen section of Manhattan and was raised by her mother, who often worked multiple jobs to provide for her only child. While Keys father was not in her life, she was close to her paternal grandmother and after she got sick, Keys decided to mend her relationship with her father. The process started when my grandmother became ill, she explained. You realize whats important when you see a person you love dearly and youre not going to have them for long. It was important to her. And I saw [my fathers] love for her. I realized he wasnt an evil person so I said, Can we start from this point on? Can we be friends? I can start to understand you and you can start to understand me.' When did she start singing? Alicia Keys |Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images Keys developed a love for music at an early age as her mother always played jazz records on Sunday mornings. She sang her first song when she was 4 years old in the play Cats at her preschool. She later became interested in playing the piano and started taking lessons at the age of 7. By 14, she was writing her own songs. Keys attended Manhattans prestigious Professional Performance Arts School and not only was she musically talented, but she also excelled at academics and graduated early when she was 16 years old. She was accepted to and enrolled in Columbia University, however, she left the school to pursue a career in music. Keys initally signed with Arista Records in 1998 before she became one of Clive Davis first signings at his new label J Records. Her debut album, Songs in A Minor was released in 2001 and earned her five Grammy Awards. She has gone to release five more studio albums. What is her net worth? In addition to her successful music career, the Girl on Fire artist has also been acting since a young age. She appeared on The Cosby Show in 1985 and since then has been featured on several other television shows over the years including Charmed, American Dreams, The Backyardigans, and Empire. Keys has also been a judge on the reality singing competition The Voice and was reportedly paid $8 million per season for that gig. Today, she has a net worth of around $100 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook Prince William and Kate Middleton | Tim Ireland WPA Pool/Getty Images Kate Middleton found the smallest way to honor her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, and fans noticed immediately. Kate Middleton and Prince William were on hand for the weekends BAFTA Awards and the Duchess of Cambridge was simply stunning. Kate Middletons subtle tribute to Princess Diana While many fans admired Middletons classic one-shouldered flowing white dress and simple up-do, it was one small detail that won people over. With her hair pulled up, Middletons earrings were on full display. The elegant diamond and pearl drop earrings are significant because they belonged to Princess Diana. The late Princess of Wales wore the earrings on several occasions, including a 1990 event for the new Emperor of Japan Akihito. Middleton inherited some of Princess Dianas jewelry According to reports, Princess Dianas sons inherited her jewelry collection, including the gorgeous sapphire engagement ring that Prince William gave to Middleton when he proposed. Both the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, will likely wear more of their late mother-in-laws jewelry at events, with Markle spotted wearing Dianas aquamarine ring to her wedding reception. Markles engagement ring also contains two stones from Dianas collection. In Princess Dianas will, Dianas Letter of Wishes stated: But I would like you to allocate all my jewelry to the share to be held by my sons, so that their wives may, in due course, have it or use it. I leave the exact division of the jewelry to your discretion. Princess Dianas engagement ring When Prince William and Kate Middletons engagement was announced, the Duke of Cambridge noted: Its my mothers engagement ring, and its very special to me, as Kate is very special to me now as well. It was only right the two were put together. It was my way of making sure mother didnt miss out on today and the excitement. Middleton has worn other pieces from Dianas collection, including the diamond and pearl Lovers Knot Tiara, a pair of sapphire earrings, and a pearl bracelet. Middleton gives Princess Diana vibes In addition to sporting the gorgeous drop earrings that belonged to Princess Diana, fans found another parallel in the style of gown she wore to the BAFTAs. The Duchess of Cambridge wore a white gown by Alexander McQueen (who also designed her wedding dress), a style very similar to a dress Princess Diana wore in 1991. Diana wore a one-shouldered white chiffon gown by designer Gina Fratini to a charity gala in Sol de Janeiro, Brazil. Why were Prince William and Kate Middleton at the BAFTAs? The couple werent just making a red carpet appearance at the event, but were at the BAFTA awards for a specific reason. Prince William has been the president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts since 2010 and presented the BAFTA Fellowship award to film editor Thelma Schoonmaker. Prince William told the audience: Catherine and I are delighted again to join you this evening as we part with another amazing year in film. BAFTA is known for achieving excellence and championing creativity, but at its heart it is an organization that inspires and nurtures exceptional talent. He continued: I am a passionate supporter of BAFTA and I couldnt be more proud of its ambitious plans to dramatically increase the support for new talent over the coming years. Kate Chastain | Greg Endries/Bravo The last confetti has fallen on season 6 of Below Deck. But as the shows reunion is in our rearview, season 7 is just starting to heat upat least in real life. Next seasons crew appears to be jetting off to a new exotic Below Deck location. Previous job postings and casting calls for the upcoming season dropped hints about where the crew may be headed. Plus, current cast members may have given fans some clues that they are going to be part of season 7 of Below Deck. This is the likely destination Charter guest and casting calls indicated that filming would occur in remote Asian destinations for a string of high end (and high drama) Superyacht charters, according to YaCrew. The job posting also disclosed filming length and the type of vessel. The position will run for around 6 weeks of filming, 4th February 2019 to 27th March 2019 on a very prestigious charter vessel 50-60m in length. This cast member is a given The job posting for a chief stewardess gave away who would be at the helm for next season. Join C aptain Lee and his crew as they venture into remote Asian destinations for a string of high end (and high drama) Superyacht charters. Rosbach posted a picture of a sunset from his plane window. Sunset at 40K ft. Love it. The image is stamped with the location, Seoul, South Korea. and so was this cast member While fans were kept guessing about who would be chief stew (thanks to the job post), Kate Chastain is probably going to be back in charge of the interior. Chastain posted a series of goodbye type images and videos to her Instagram story. One video was with her adorable pup. Just because he has 4 legs doesnt mean he has to use them..leaving for another work trip and going to miss him so much. She also uploaded a video she took of a visit to her parents home before she left on her next adventure. Chastain recently posted a video to her Instagram story of a sunset view from her hotel room at an undisclosed destination. Will he return too? Another cast member that seems to be heading in Chastain and Rosbachs direction may be deckhand Ashton Pienaar. Pienaar recently posted about traveling home to Johannesburg, South Africa. He went to a friends wedding and hung out with his family. But Pienaar cryptically posted an image from an airplane. My visit home has been a treat. Time for the next adventure! And is this cast member ready for more too? Just recently, Chef Adrian Martin posted a picture of two sweet puppies to his Instagram. However, it wasnt the picture that possibly gave away that he could be the chef on the next season. It was what he wrote. Caught a glimpse of these sweet babies in southern China.. witnessing such love and compassion between animals shows an abundance of emotional intelligence we could learn a lot from nature if we just take the time to observe and listen! The image location was stamped, Xinping, Hunan, China. Coincidence Martin is in China? Probably not. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! An investigation by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has led to the indictment of a now former corrections officer on charges related to bringing contraband into the Hancock County Jail. In December, at the request of 3rd District Attorney General Dan Armstrong, TBI special agents began investigating allegations involving Marty Lee Ferguson, 41. During the course of the investigation, agents developed information that between April 2018 and December 2018, Ferguson used his position as a corrections officer to bring drugs and cell phones into the Hancock County Jail to give to inmates. On Monday, the Hancock County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Ferguson with one count of official misconduct and one count of introduction of contraband into a penal facility. He turned himself in Monday afternoon and was booked into the Hancock County Jail on a $30,000 bond. A number of speakers at a public hearing before the Planning Commission on Monday said allowing accessory dwelling units could bring needed infill development, promote diversity and boost affordable housing. However, some speakers said they fear the units would mainly be put into use for short term vacation rentals, bringing possible undesirables into their neighborhoods. Many said if ADUs are allowed, it should just be for on-site owners. The issue is expected to come before the Planning Commission in April for a vote before going to the City Council in May. Officials said it is likely there will be an additional public hearing, perhaps in front of the City Council. Ethan Collier, a builder who is chairman of the Planning Commission, said, "Diversity makes for great neighborhoods. Right now we are building monolithic developments where everyone looks exactly alike and everyone has the same jobs." He said, "Just a small, small percentage of the community can afford the houses that are being built now." Mr. Collier said neighborhoods like North Chattanooga, Highland Park and Ridgedale "do have that kind of diversity." He said ADUs can be helpful. "You just have to do it right." Mary Kay Hyatt, Planning Commission member, also spoke in favor of ADUs, saying, "Face it, the world is changing. There are a lot of collaborative living methods." She said "We Baby Boomers didn't save a lot of money, and this could be a tool that would really help." She also said, "All renters are not dangerous bad people." City Councilman Darrin Ledford said ADUs "are a wonderful idea if done right." He said it would allow families to remain together on the same compound. However, Planning Commission member Jason Farmer said he was concerned about "the property rights of neighbors." He said the units may start out for family members, then shift to short term rentals. He said, "This impacts a lot of people." Suhir Morehead said she owns a house with a large lot in Highland Park, but she found that she could not build a small home for her on the lot. She said she ended up buying a triplex next door and converting it for her mother. She said with the ADUs there could have been five people living next to one another, but now it is just two. Lisa Floden said she came before the Planning Commission six years ago asking for ADUs. The resident of the Hilltop community said she was told that the only way under the current regulation is to have an attached garage that can be fixed into a separate residence. She said ADUs should be allowed citywide. Several Highland Park speakers were in favor of the idea, while two from North Chattanooga were not. John Rowe said there are already short term rentals near his home. He said, "The influx of random people makes us uneasy." Another woman said the concept was not for North Chattanooga with its "postage size lots" and use of streets for parking, but might better be tried in East Chattanooga, saying that was an area that needs a boost. It was noted that ADUs are already allowed within the Form Based Code area. Some six or seven have been built in the almost two years with no complaints, it was stated. The work of Dr. Florence Hawley, a 30s-era TVA dendrochronologist, gains new relevance as TVA and University of Tennessee scientists draw on her work to assess future weather impacts in the Tennessee Valley. Its been a rainy winter following a year of record rainone thats had TVAs River Forecast Center on its toes keeping up with all the water. Flood prevention is top of mind for almost everyoneexcept lead hydrologist Curt Jawdy. His mind is fixed on drought. Mr. Jawdy is working with Laura G. Smith, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Geography at the University of Tennessee, to resurrect Dr. Hawleys pioneering research from the 1930s. Dr. Hawley worked at TVA in its earliest days studying the relationship between rainfall and tree rings. Her goal was to better understand precipitation cycles in the Norris Basin. And they are looking to the rings to show them a record of the wild weather of the pastthe good times and the bad. Past and Present Beginning in 1934, Dr. Hawley spent two years in East Tennessee collecting hundreds of tree samples in an effort to look back in time further than had been thought possible. Some of her samples were from red cedars that date back to the 1300s. A student of A.E. Douglass of the University of Arizona, who is considered the father of modern dendrochronology, Dr. Hawley was uniquely suited to her work. Nevertheless, she faced sexism on the job, and was never allowed to publish the results of her red cedar study. She abandoned the workand the samplesin the 1940s, but went on to have an influential career in the field of archaeology studying ceramics in the Southwest. Her red cedar samples would go on to have new life at the University of Tennessee, where Ms. Smith has picked up the work Dr. Hawley left off. Ms. Smith said, Were using her work to develop long-running reconstructions of precipitation and stream flow. What we do is look at the relationship that exists between tree ring width and precipitation. To oversimplify a bit, wide rings correspond with years of ample precipitation; skinny rings with arid years. Its a bit more complicated than that, especially here in the Valley where moisture from the forest floor must also be taken into consideration, but Ms. Smith is running the statistical analyses that will allow her to cut through the clutter. Once we establish that relationship, we can look back in time and estimate what the precipitation and stream flow were. While we have only about 100 years of instrumental records, the advantage with tree rings is that we can go back several hundred years to calculate periods of drought. The historical samples are being updated with modern cedar tree samples taken from several locations in the Valley. TVA Natural Resources Suzanne Fisher and Heather Hart have helped Ms. Smith find and sample specimen trees at several TVA natural areas, including sites noted for their unique cedar barren characteristics. Their in-depth knowledge of the regional ecosystem has been a good bridge between dendrochronology and hydrology. Looking Back to Look Forward Drought is particularly relevant now, when climate change is a topic of concern for many. And the way forward, Mr. Jawdy and Ms. Smith agree, is by first looking backward. The graph in the attached photos represents Valley precipitaion beween 1380 and 1990. The red line shows actual rainfail, whereas the black line represents the ongoing seasonal average. The goal of the project is essentially to understand what the historic variability of the stream flow is using tree ring data to make better decisions in the future, Ms. Smith says. Mr. Jawdy says, Looking at the past climate is a noncontroversial way for people to understand that the climate does fluctuatetree rings are a record of what has already happened. Forecasting the future is very hard, so first we are looking at the past and planning to cover the past extremes. We want to be able to handle the worst weve ever seen. When Smiths work is complete, Mr. Jawdy will take the analysis and test it within TVAs river management system to see how the system would react to different precipitation and runoff scenarios. We want to take those hundreds of years worth of historical data, and run it through our river policy model, look at each intake on our system and see if at any time they would have been dry, he said. What If? The Valley has faced plenty of dry times2007, for instance, was a year low on water. But even during the largest drought of record, no intakes within the TVA-managed system went dry. TVA works closely with the municipalities and industries that draw water from the river system to ensure their water supply stays reliable, mainly by instituting conservation measures when necessary. But Mr. Jawdy and Ms. Smith are looking for an epic droughtone that might put intakes at jeopardy and call for action. For those who might have vulnerability to these remote risks, we might work with the states to improve our drought planning, he says. We could know on a city-by-city and industry-by-industry basis what the probability is that they might run out of water, as has happened to many intakes in the west. If there is a risk, knowing now would ensure theres time to take action, Mr. Jawdy says. That might look like putting in a new intake lower in the reservoir or even hooking up to a neighbors water system to make them more resilient. The key is understanding our drought risk, and being able to plan for it. At this point, no results are in, though Ms. Smith is working to tell whether the Tennessee Valley was part of a drought experienced elsewhere on the Eastern Seaboard in the mid 1700s. Mr. Jawdy hopes not, and that Ms. Smiths work will verify what he suspectsthat theres no scenario in which a drought is more than the Tennessee River system can handle if we plan well. We have a better and more reliable water system than just about any place in the countrybut we havent really quantified that, he says. If we can, it will make our region even more attractive to industry. In other words, our drought resilience could turn out to be a strong economic development tool. With this study, we may learn that we need to sit down and do some minor adjustments to our drought plans, says Mr. Jawdy. And we may be able to go out and say to industries that the Tennessee Valley is one of the safest places to locate your business for a water-secure future. Either way, the hard work of Dr. Hawley in the 1930s and of women scientists today will shine a brighter light on the future of the Tennessee Valley. Community volunteers will host the second VICtory 10K/5K/Mile Fun Run on Saturday, Sept. 21 at Enterprise South Nature Park. All proceeds will benefit care for financially challenged patients with critical limb disease in Hamilton, Bradley and North Georgia counties. Once again we are proud to bring this an annual event back to the Tennessee Valley, said Dr. Chris LeSar, founding physician of the Vascular Institute of Chattanooga, the VICtory Runs event host. This event will help patients that need financial assistance for the treatment of severe lower leg circulation problems, and bring awareness to the regions growing amputation problem." "Critical Limb Ischemia, a severe obstruction of the arteries which drastically reduces blood flow to the bodys extremities, is one of the leading causes of amputation," officials said. "Patients with a history of smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol are most at risk for CLI. "The southeastern area of the United States has the highest amputation rates in the country, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Many of these surgeries could have been prevented with proper education and alternative treatment plans, which result in patients having better health, more active lifestyles, and longer life spans." All proceeds will benefit the Access for Care fund, managed by the Medical Foundation of Chattanooga. This fund will assist patients struggling with CLI and peripheral artery issues that have no access to health insurance. The VICtory Run is timed and monitored by event partner, Scenic City Multisport. Races will begin at 8 a.m. Early bird registration is available through June 15 at victory10k5k.itsyourrace.com. A teen charged in an aggravated robbery just over a year ago has been arrested in another holdup. Jordan Landon Roberts, 19, of 2201 Ooltewah-Ringgold Road, was charged with robbing a man during a drug deal on Rossville Boulevard on Saturday. A man said he had gone to meet someone he knew as Landon to buy some marijuana. He said Roberts pulled in beside him, backing in his black Nissan Sentra. He said there was the girlfriend of Roberts was in the back seat. He said Roberts pulled in beside him, backing in his black Nissan Sentra. He said there was the girlfriend of Roberts was in the back seat. The man said Roberts showed him a gram of marijuana. He said he then went back to his car to get his wallet. He said he had about $700 cash in the wallet. He said he is a waiter and has lots of cash. He said Roberts then pulled out some type of assault rifle and pointed it at him. He said he was asked to turn over everything, and he complied. He said the girlfriend then opened the door and told him to get out. He said he was halfway out of the vehicle when Roberts sped off. Shortly after this incident, a state trooper was on Rossville Boulevard and saw a black Nissan coming at him at a high rate of speed. This was about eight blocks from the robbery and in the same time frame. The vehicle did not stop and a chase pursued. The Nissan eventually crashed near 3200 5th Ave. The trooper said both Roberts and the girlfriend, Paula Coffin, fled from the vehicle. He was able to apprehend Roberts, but not the female. Roberts had $748 on him as well as some marijuana individually wrapped for resale. Police said Ms. Coffin left her ID in the vehicle. She was later arrested and charged with evading arrest, leaving the scene of an accident and DUI by consent. The robbery victim said he waited 24 hours before reporting the incident because he was scared. However, he said he "works hard for his money and did not want to just lose $700." The earlier robbery was a home invasion at a residence at the Laurel Cove subdivision in Hixson. Kevin Durrence was also charged. The homeowner at a residence on Summerwood Trail said an unknown white male wearing all black entered his home through an unlocked front door. He said the man held him at gunpoint with a semi-automatic pistol. The robber proceeded to steal a gun range bag containing two rifles and two pistols. One of the pistols was a 45 caliber. The victim said as the man left he gave chase and spotted a gray VW Jetta leaving his residence. He said he got a look at the driver. He was described as a white male with light skin tone and a thin black beard. Police said Durrence matched that description. The victim picked him out of a photo lineup. Police said nearby video showed two men in the VW Jetta as it entered the subdivision. A search of the trunk of the vehicle turned up some .45 ammunition. Durrence said it was not his. He said his friend, Landon Roberts, was driving his vehicle earlier that morning. I'm for Medicare for all provided that all pay what the current retirees pay. It ain't cheap. If you averaged $600 a week for 50 years, you and your employer paid 2.9 percent of your pay into Medicare. That's $45,240 you have paid by age 65. At 65 you will start paying $135 a month for Part B. That's $1,620 per year. But wait, there are copays and deductibles so you must have a supplement Part G which is another $3,000 a year. This is for each of you. I started using Medicare at 65. If I'm average I may get eight years of Medicare before I croak. So what will my Medicare cost for eight years? $82,200. $10,270 a year. But that doesn't include all that money contributed by my classmates who didn't make it to 65. All their money went into the same big bucket of money that's pays for my Part A. So yeah, let's give everybody Medicare at maybe $11,000 a year per person. Harry Presley * * * Mr. Presley, an outstanding assessment of the Alice in Wonderland Utopia proposed by new Bolshevik wing of the Democrat Socialist Party. They know they cant pay for it. The Soviets couldnt pay for it 100 years ago in Russia, but that didnt stop them from a complete takeover placing everything in the hands of small councils of incompetents-which is exactly what the bartender-turned-expert on the economy is proposing. She wants only people of low-income and frontline workers as she calls them, administering this New Order. Again exactly like the Soviets. They dont even try to hide it any more. Whether its political theater like red hand-maiden cowls or white costumes, they are all about drama to stir the emotions of the politically naive. But what do you expect when Hollywood writes their scripts? No air service? Replace all the buildings? This is the Twilight Zone. They know they wont be able to do any of this, but in the Delusional World of Alternate Reality these people thrive in, it doesnt matter, just promise it and get their vote. Who did they chose to make the response to SOTU? A failed gubernatorial candidate with zero foreign policy or economic experience. In fact she owed over $50,000 in back federal taxes when she started her campaign last year. That just proves Margaret Thatchers point that socialism works until other peoples money runs out. And again it highlights political theater with no substance. Listen carefully to the leadership of the party. They want more shared prosperity (thats wealth distribution) and more gun control. Its no coincidence the two are linked . And one possible presidential candidate, Hickenlooper, is tossing around the notion that the Trump economy really isnt as good as we think it is. Cue the Twilight Zone theme. Thanks to Mr. Presley clearly demonstrating the hidden costs of what Medicare is today, we can see what might sound good to a new socialist with limited experience in life, things like personal responsibility and independence from government actually are as remote as a vacation on Neptune. As long as people listen theyll heap on the promises and hope those who have limited knowledge of economics and government take the bait. Ralph Miller Marian Roides is a believer. Last week, a little more than a month since Netflix debuted Tidying Up with Marie Kondo its unlikely new hit show the Hixson woman showed up at Deja Nu Thrift Shop with a load of discards and a big smile. Inspired by the show, they have swept through their closets, unused rooms and other crannies, searching out and jettisoning clothing, knickknacks, books and hundreds of other items packed into their homes which do not spark joy. Her message, to keep only those things that speak to the heart, struck a chord with a virtual army of enthusiasticNetflix viewers across the nation. The show is inspired by Kondos book titled The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up which made her a guru of decluttering and spawned the Kon Marie method of organization promoted in the Netflixs new shows. The show is inspired by Kondos book titled The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up which made her a guru of decluttering and spawned the Kon Marie method of organization promoted in the Netflixs new shows. Mrs. Roides happily joined in. Further, like thousands of her fellow declutterers, shes hauled her discards to a thrift store where they found a warm welcome. At Deja Nu, she reached into her trove of donations and pulled a like-new California Innovations collapsible cooler. Ive had this for six years and its never been used, she said. Does it spark joy? I dont think so. Thanks to Deja Nu which raises money for Chattanooga Humane Educational Society by converting unwanted discards into sought-after merchandise the cooler got a new lease on life. The day after Mrs. Roides dropped off her castoffs, a delighted shopper spotted the container in the store and bought it on the spot. Donations and sales such as that are music to the ears of HES executive director Bob Citrullo and Deja Nu store manager Adrienne Koon. Deja Nus gross revenues average about $17,000 per month, Mr. Citrullo said. Since last March, the store has grossed a total of $182,000 in proceeds. That regular, reliable stream of revenue augments monies from the series of HES fundraisers held throughout the year, he said, and make it possible to afford to provide the life-saving surgeries and other expensive veterinary treatments needed by animals in its care. If you are a female scientist in Canada, seeking research grants, you are less likely to receive it if your application is reviewed based on the scientist involved in the project, rather than the topic of the proposed project. As unbelievable as this sounds, this is true, as a new Canadian analysis in The Lancet has found that womenare less likely to win grants when focus of the application is who leads the research. The report confirms the complaints that the awarding of research grants is biased against female scientists. According to the report on cbc.ca, the study, titled "Are gender gaps due to evaluations of the applicant or the science?", reviewedabout 24,000 applications which had been submitted to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) the federal government agency that awards approximately $1 billion in science grants annually. Holly Witteman, who led the study, says CIHR had in 2014, established two new funding streams the Project Grant Program, which focuses on funding "ideas with the greatest potential," while the Foundation Grant Program funds "research leaders." When the grant applications were analyzed using the project grants, men and women performed similarly. The male applicants scored 13.5 percent while 12 percent of female applicants were successful. However, when the foundation grant applications were analyzed 13.9 percent of male applicants won grants, while only 9.2 percent of women won. The analysis, which also considered applicants age and field of study, found that this difference is even more obvious in the field of public health, where even though the female applicants outnumber male applicants, but men are still twice as likely to win Foundation grants 14.1 percent to 7percent. Speaking on this issue, neuroscientist Jennifer Raymond who is a researcher at California's Stanford University, said female scientists might find the CIHR analysis both discouraging and vindicating. She started that the Canadian study is another indication that the research funding "system is broken and really needs to be fixed." "A lot of times women internalize and say 'Oh it's me, maybe, I'm not good enough, my male colleague is getting all of these awards and attention. I need to try harder,'" she told CBC News. Raymond who has also analysed grant applications for the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. equivalent of CIHR further stated that Witteman's research indicates women are being passed over. "And I think this shows that the system is biased, "I sometimes hear comments that I wonder if they would be saying that if the applicant was a male scientist instead of a female scientist. But in any one of those cases, you can never really know what's motivating the comment. You can really only see the bias in the statistics." She says. According to Raymond, this problem of gender bias in project funding, might be the reason why gender equality has been lacking in the sciences, especially at the leadership level. "Small advantages over time can become big advantages. Getting funding can lead to more publications which can make it easier to attract good scientists to your lab, which in turn can help you do more good science and get more funding. So you know there's all of these different levels at which these biases play out." A blinded application process to protect female researchers, would go a long way in fixing this problem. Algeria exports first shipment to Niger 11 February 2019 Algerias first exports to Niger were carried out on 9 February by El-Hamel Sidi Moussas cement plant in Timegtene, 270km east of Adrar. The cement works shipped 2000t. Going forward, exports from Timegtene are planned at a rate of 8000tpm, using trucks of Logitrans. "The group's services have mobilised significant human and material resources, including 50 trucks, to regularly deliver the goods produced to the region of Agades (Niger), over a distance of 2000km, via the border post of In-Guezzam, (wilaya of Tamanrasset)," said Boualem Kini, chairman and CEO of Logitrans. Further exports to Mali, Mauritania and Burkina Faso are planned. Algeria aims to increase its cement exports to US$0.5bn in the next five years, according to the Minister of Industry and Mines, Youcef Yousfi. In 2018 cement exports reached 1Mt and the ministry has set a target of export volumes of 2Mt for 2019. Published under Schenck Process to hold first public demonstration of e-nizing 11 February 2019 Schenck Process will publically demonstrating its new e-nizing.io platform from 25- 28 February at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. e-nizing.io is a newly-founded daughter company of Schenck Process and provides a solution to visualise, analyse and predict the status of all machines, no matter if they are manufactured by Schenck Process or by other equipment manufacturers. The platform sets limits for data points and enables actions to be triggered when limits are reached. Schenck Process wil be at booth 8.OK21, Hall 8.0. Published under Exshaw plant receives funding boost for low-carbon fuels project 11 February 2019 Lafarge Exshaw cement plant (LafargeHolcim group) will receive funding for environmental improvements from a new Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) innovations fund for industry in Alberta, Canada. The new fund is a US$70m scheme that derives from Alberta's climate leadership plan and will leverage more than US$200m in 11 provincial projects that are forecast to eliminate 5.3Mt of CO 2 leakage. Kate Strachan, plant manager for Lafarge Exshaw cement plant, said the money will help the company better understand environmental benefits. "The Exshaw low-carbon fuels project will go a long way in helping us reach our ambitious corporate goal to produce 40 per cent less net CO 2 /t of cement by 2030. This support from ERA helps us move this project forward," said Ms Strachan. "We hope that any positive results or lessons learned will encourage others in our industry to do the same, giving this investment a greater, far-reaching impact." Published under LafargeHolcim appoints new CEO of US Aggregates and Construction Materials business 11 February 2019 LafargeHolcim has announced the appointment of Jay Moreau as the new CEO of its US Aggregates and Construction Materials business. Mr Moreau joins the company from Martin Marietta, where he most recently served as senior vice president of Operations Services. "Jay has a proven track record in this industry, and his expertise and strong focus on commercial growth and operational excellence will be valued contributions to LafargeHolcim in the US," said Rene Thibault, group executive committee member and region head for North America, LafargeHolcim. Mr Moreau succeeds Guy Edwards, who was recently appointed as CEO of UK-based Aggregate Industries. Published under Lindsay Manriquez is accused of leaving her three young children alone in an abandoned home while she worked -- one of the children so sick first responders thought he was dead. (Source: WITI) This represents a toughening up of the plans announced last year. Company bosses who mismanage their employee pension schemes could face up to seven years in prison instead of the maximum of two years initially proposed. "However the required legislation has yet to be made and could be some years away before it passes into law and becomes effective. "There are also serious doubts as to how easy it will be to establish the new criminal offence of wilfully" or "recklessly mismanaging funds. These are ill-defined terms which a clever defence lawyer is more than likely to successfully challenge on the beyond reasonable doubt test needing to be satisfied in a criminal case. "It may well be that the government can expect to lose the first few prosecutions it takes in this area until such a time as precedents are established and a body of case law is built up. "It may be, of course, in the event that very few prosecutions will be undertaken and the government is relying on the very existence of the new legislation to act as a deterrent to any future employer who might otherwise be contemplating mismanaging their company pension scheme. The Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) through a notification release has invited online applications from eligible candidates for filling 25 vacancies to the post of Assistant Professors in multiple disciplines comprising Hindi, Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, Education, Sociology and Anthropology. The application process towards the same will start from 07 February 2019 and close on 12 March 2019. CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Assistant Professors in multiple disciplines Organisation Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) Educational Qualification PG/Masters Degree in relevant discipline/subject Experience Freshers can apply Job Location Arunachal Pradesh Salary Scale Rs. 57,700/- to Rs. 1,82,400/- per month Industry Civil Services Application Start Date February 7, 2019 Application End Date March 12, 2019 Age Criteria And Fees Candidates interested in applying for the post of Assistant Professors in multiple disciplines through APPSC Recruitment 2019 must not have exceeded 37 years of age as on 12 March 2019, with a relaxation in the upper age limit up to 42 years for APST and up to 47 years for Arunachal Govt. employees. All other candidates, other than APST must pay a prescribed fee of Rs 150/- towards application processing through online (Internet Banking/Debit/Credit payment gateways) mode only. APST candidates must pay only the examination fee of Rs. 100/-. Also Read: Sikkim Teachers Recruitment 2019 For 249 Post Graduate Teachers (PGT) In Multiple Disciplines Educational Criteria And Eligibility Desirous candidates applying for the post of Assistant Professors in multiple disciplines through APPSC Recruitment 2019 must possess a PG/Master's Degree in appropriate discipline/subject with minimum 55% marks from any University recognised by the Govt. of India as detailed in the notification provided at the end of the write-up. He/she must have cleared National Eligibility Test (NET) conducted by UGC/CSIR or similar tests recognised by the UGC like SET/SLET. Selection And Pay Scale The selection of candidates as Assistant Professors in multiple disciplines through APPSC Recruitment 2019 will be done based on the candidate's academic performance and Viva Voce (Personal lnterview) test to be conducted by the Arunachal Public Service Commission at ltanagar or at any place in the State, as designated by the Commission. Candidates selected as Assistant Professors in multiple disciplines will be paid as under Level 10 Pay Matrix in the scale of Rs. 57,700/- to Rs. 1,82,400/- per month. Also Read: BPSC Recruitment 2019 For 1284 Assistant Engineers (AE) Civil In Multiple Departments How To Apply Candidates applying for the post of Assistant Professors in multiple disciplines through APPSC Recruitment 2019 must submit their applications through the online mode only on or before 12 March 2019 by 4 pm. To Apply online click here https://appsconline.in/web/index.php For detailed notification about APPSC Recruitment 2019 for 25 Assistant Professors in multiple disciplines click on the "Assistant Professor under Rashtriya Uchchatar Sikhsha Abhiyan" Ad No R/(B)/26/2018 in the "Apply Now" section at https://appsconline.in/web/index.php or Click here https://appsconline.in/ui/adv_upload/Advt-AssttPro-RUSA_2019.pdf Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact. Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. 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 Everything you need to know about South Dakota government With an ageing population and an increase in the State Pension Age, the trend is for people to keep working longer. But research by retirement specialist Just Group reveals the high numbers of those aged 65+ who said they had to retire earlier than they expected, raising concerns about how long many workers can carry on. Nearly six in 10 who retired between age 50-65 said this was earlier than they had expected to retire and were forced to by events outside their control such as illness (25%), redundancy (21%) or to become a carer for a family member (10%). The results therefore indicate that 3.6 million retirees over 65 retired early due to circumstances out of their control. Only one in four (26%) said they retired early because they had enough pension or savings that they could afford to stop working. Our research shows that for many the dream of early retirement may actually be more of a nightmare. Illhealth can strike at any time and becomes more likely the older we are, while redundancies are a difficult point in many peoples working careers, said Stephen Lowe group communications director at Just Group. Being forced to stop work is difficult for anyone but can be especially difficult for those over 50 four in 10 fail to find new a job within a year, a far higher ratio than their younger counterparts. Unemployment also means people cannot bank their regular income into a pension and may even be tempted to dip into existing retirement savings. Its so important that those getting closer to retirement take stock of their financial situation and assess their retirement options. Just Groups research also showed that twice as many women (13%) were forced into retirement to care for a family member compared to men (6%). Women were also one third more likely to retire early due to illness while just one in five were able to choose to leave the workforce for positive financial reasons. The findings highlight the strain that providing care for family members can place upon households who are either entering residential care or require some other form of professional help with the result that many people are forced into giving up their own jobs or careers early to provide the necessary support, said Stephen Lowe. This is why it is vital that people do make financial plans as early as possible ahead of retirement and are aware of their options. It means they should be in a better position to manage any nasty shocks and mitigate the impact on their life and loved ones. The governments free, impartial and independent service, Pension Wise, provides help and support to people from age 50. Lowe continued; A call with the Pension Wise team can help people to understand their options of how to use their pension savings and help to minimise making decisions people may later regret * 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 The dog days of January, when the political class is at the beach and the news cycle is quiet, are a favourite time for journalists to dig around for political scandals. Two years ago, Health Minister Sussan Ley and her trip to visit investment properties on the Gold Coast offered a tempting opportunity. The story ran for weeks and eventually led to Ley's resignation from Malcolm Turnbull's cabinet and the establishment of the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority. This year, journalists tried the same tactic with an expose of Finance Minister Mathias Cormann's $37,000 special flight from Canberra to Perth via Adelaide in June last year. The flight's purpose was to allow Cormann to lobby South Australian crossbench senators on the supposed virtues of his proposed changes to corporate tax, changes the government later abandoned. This time, however, the public response was more muted. The minister's spokesperson said the flight had been approved in the normal way. While Cormann himself said nothing, one of his cabinet colleagues, Dan Tehan, spoke up and defended the lobbying effort as justified expenditure in the public's interest and in support of lower taxes. Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen refused to buy into the debate, saying the great majority of such flights by both sides of politics were within strict rules. It was up to Cormann, Bowen said, to outline why this flight was appropriate in the circumstances. Even Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, usually good for a lofty expression of moral outrage, could only say she "wasn't sure" if it would pass "the pub test". More significantly, though the media carried occasional rebukes from disillusioned citizens, there was no sustained outcry from the various integrity groups. No one argued this was another reason to establish a federal anti-corruption commission. The lack of strong public comment suggests that high levels of travel expenses incurred by politicians, especially ministers, are not necessarily seen as morally unjustifiable or as evidence of greedy snouts in the trough. The contrast with some other, previous, high-profile cases is instructive. Unlike Ley, who used taxpayer-funded travel, at least in part, for private gain, Cormann was clearly engaged in government business of no personal benefit to himself. Compared with Bronwyn Bishop's notorious helicopter trip from Melbourne to Geelong, Cormann's flight was on behalf of the government, not his party, and there were no alternative means of travel available, at least on that day. More generally, Cormann may have many critics but few, if any, would accuse him of being in politics for the perks. Overall, Hanson-Young was right to be cautious about the pub test. In this case, the drinkers propping up the bar might have a general grumble about fat-cat politicians but they would hardly work up any moral outrage. Use of "special-purpose aircraft", formerly known as "VIP" aircraft, is outside the normal range of travel entitlements, being administered by the air force under the defence minister. The latest guidelines are comprehensive, while allowing a necessary degree of discretion. In Cormann's case, the relevant principles were the availability of flights on major domestic airlines, the priority of the entitled person and the importance of the occasion. Consideration can also be given to the number of people travelling, which can affect the comparison of cost with regular commercial air travel. The misuse of VIP aircraft has a notorious place in the history of the Australian Public service. As Ian Hancock described in his excellent monograph, The V.I.P Affair, 1966-67, senior public servants at the time, including Sir John Bunting, who was secretary of the Prime Minister's Department and Robert Menzies' "prince of public servants", helped ministers to cover up evidence of questionable use of VIP aircraft. Since those days, the use of such aircraft has become much more tightly controlled. However, controversies can still arise. In the Gillard Labor government, for instance, the then defence minister, Stephen Smith (another West Australian), flew regularly on VIP jets from Perth to Canberra at an estimated cost of over $1 million. Questions were also raised about the frequency of ministerial flights along the eastern seaboard, where commercial services were very frequent. No surprises, then, when Labor refused to cast the first stone at Cormann. The Cormann case, though technically beyond the purview of parliamentary expenses and, therefore, the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority, provides a good illustration of how judgments in this vexed area should be made. In particular, discussion went beyond the standard rule-based approach that allows politicians to hide behind box-ticking processes conducted by administrators. This was the main weakness identified by the 2016 review of parliamentary expenses co-chaired by John Conde and David Tune. The review recommended a principles-based approach, according to which decisions depend on the application of general principles to particular cases, with responsibility taken by politicians themselves rather than by administrators. Cormann's initial response, via his office, was an outdated claim that all boxes had been ticked. But the debate soon widened to a consideration of the particular context and the minister's judgment. Though Cormann himself did not take public responsibility, his colleague, Tehan, by offering a personal justification on his behalf, effectively brought him into the discussion. The new legislative framework, set out in the Parliamentary Business Resources Act, which established the expenses authority, follows the Conde-Tune review in incorporating a principles-based approach. The main principles require parliamentarians to use parliamentary resources for the dominant purpose of parliamentary business, to consider value for money for the Commonwealth, to act in good faith, and to be prepared to publicly justify the use of public resources. In practice, few politicians are called on to give a public justification of their particular items of spending. The great majority of expenses, as summarised in the reports published by the authority, are routine and uncontroversial. Nonetheless, such transparency is an important safeguard and constraint. It guarantees that the potential for public discussion is ever-present, depending on the curiosity of scandal-seeking journalists or political enemies. Moreover, the authority itself now has the power to audit particular instances of questionable spending and to seek justification from the politicians involved. To date, the authority has conducted and published two such audits, into the controversial cases of former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, and his staffer and partner, Vikki Campion. The audits cover claims for travel expenses during the period from May 2016 to February 2018 and go into considerable detail. In Joyce's case, the inquiry was complicated by the fact that the period covered both the former regime for assessing expenses and the new authority framework, which required the application of somewhat different criteria or "threshold questions". For expenses up to December 2017, the main issue was whether the travel was "primarily occasioned" by parliamentary business. From January 2018, it was also important whether the travel represented value for money. The audits examined each trip and overnight stay, seeking evidence not only from the auditees themselves but also independent verification from relevant third parties and departmental records. Joyce's audit focused particularly on his use of car hire and his travel to Canberra during non-sitting weeks. The expenses authority wrote to him several times seeking clarification on particular items. It also interviewed him personally on two separate occasions. With Campion, the audit was more straightforward. The main issues were whether the travel was authorised by her employing parliamentarian and whether it was intended to support the employer's official business as determined by the employer. Nonetheless, she was asked a series of specific questions and given follow-up interviews. In the event, the audits cleared both Joyce and Campion of any wrongdoing under the act. Cynics might see this result as evidence that the authority is more lapdog than watchdog. But that judgment would be harsh. In the first place, the authority deserves credit for taking on such high-profile political celebrities as the subject of its first audits. Moreover, judging from the reported thoroughness of the inquiries, the two auditees themselves probably felt they were far from being let off lightly but were rather the victims of overzealous bureaucratic persecution. The one possible weakness in the process is that, while the two individuals were held responsible and required to give detailed reasons, they answered in full only to the authority. The wider public has not been given all the detailed reasons and often needs to trust the authority's judgment that it was reasonable. However, given the number of trips and overnight stays audited and the already considerable length of the audits (at over 20 pages in each case), such a level of detail may be impracticable. Besides, the audits do give sufficient evidence for suspicious or hostile members of the media or the public to pursue the discussion further. That the audits have not sparked any major controversy is probably due to a judgment that there is little here to shock the punters in the pub. Certainly, other parliamentarians and their staff, who will have examined the audits carefully, will be hoping to avoid provoking similar scrutiny for their own expenses. If so, that can be chalked up as a win for the fledgling authority. Richard Mulgan is an emeritus professor at the ANU's Crawford school of public policy. richard.mulgan@anu.edu.au /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/d40360a6-5de9-48f5-aead-eea96fe56bb7/r5_0_1917_1080_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg Intermin Signs Exclusivity Deed for potential acquisition Perth, Feb 11, 2019 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Intermin Resources Limited ( ASX:IRC ) ( FRA:I6R ) has entered into an Exclusivity Deed with Focus Minerals Limited ("Focus") relating to the potential acquisition of Focus' 2.1Moz Coolgardie Gold Project, which includes the 1.2Mtpa Three Mile Hill processing plant (currently on care and maintenance)Highlights:- A deferred payment structure has been proposed totalling A$40 million payable in cash and shares over a 3.5 year period- The five month exclusivity period allows the parties the opportunity to finalise formal transaction documentation and secure necessary approvals for the potential acquisition- Intermin's entry into the Exclusivity Deed was consented to by MacPhersons Resources Limited ("MacPhersons")Commenting on the rationale for the Company's interest in acquiring the Coolgardie Gold Project, Intermin Managing Director Jon Price said:"The potential consolidation of the Intermin and MacPhersons assets with the Coolgardie Gold Project would be a natural fit, delivering additional high grade open cut and underground ore sources to the base load Boorara Project and Intermin's satellite projects, as well as a conventional 1.2Mtpa processing facility.""We look forward to working with MacPhersons and Focus on progressing these transactions and embarking on an exciting new chapter for all shareholders and the regional communities in which we operate."To view further information, please visit:About Horizon Minerals Limited Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ) is a gold exploration and mining company focussed on the Kalgoorlie and Menzies areas of Western Australia which are host to some of Australia's richest gold deposits. The Company is developing a mining pipeline of projects to generate cash and self-fund aggressive exploration, mine developments and further acquisitions. The Teal gold mine has been recently completed. Horizon is aiming to significantly grow its JORC-Compliant Mineral Resources, complete definitive feasibility studies on core high grade open cut and underground projects and build a sustainable development pipeline. Horizon has a number of joint ventures in place across multiple commodities and regions of Australia providing exposure to Vanadium, Copper, PGE's, Gold and Nickel/Cobalt. Our quality joint venture partners are earning in to our project areas by spending over $20 million over 5 years enabling focus on the gold business while maintaining upside leverage. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- BYD Company Limited announced on February 1 that its board of directors agreed a proposal that allows BYD Auto Industry Company Limited, its wholly-owned subsidiary, to inject an additional RMB 200 million as registered capital into Shenzhen DENZA New Energy Automotive Co., Ltd. (DENZA), a joint venture in partnership with Daimler. BYD Auto Industry Company Limited's equity in DENZA will remain at 50% after the capital increase completes. The BYD's subsidiary had added RMB500 million in DENZA as early as May, 2017, which was mainly used as operational capital for the joint venture in order to alleviated the pressure of extended cycle to receive subsidy over the DENZA's business operation caused by the adjustment of national new energy vehicle (NEV) subsidy policy. The latest capital increase signals BYD's confidence in the NEV joint venture promising development. On March 26, 2018, Daimler and BYD Auto Industry Company Limited launched the new DENZA 500 battery electric vehicle from DENZA. Engineered and produced in and for China, the new DENZA 500 offers Chinese customers a comprehensive upgrade through a refreshed exterior design and extended electric range. In addition, BYD said in last May that the company and Daimler Greater China Ltd. would respectively pour an investment of RMB 400 million into DENZA to improve the joint venture's asset-liability ratio and expand the sales network. news, latest-news So far, only 500 people have moved into Denman Prospect, the new suburb in the Molonglo Valley, but it already has a gourmet supermarket and a $6 million park and playground, thanks to its developers, the Snow family. Denman Prospect director Nick McDonald-Crowley said the suburb would eventually be home to more than 8000 residents by the late 2020s but the Snow family's Capital Airport Group had wasted no time getting infrastructure up and running. The multi-million Ridgeline Park and playground has opened to the public, with play equipment imported from Germany and the Snow family's signature public art on display. Mr McDonald-Crowley said Ridgeline Park was part of the developer's dream to "create a suburb that broke away from the stereotype of Canberras newest suburbs row upon row of same-same houses with inadequate infrastructure and little to no public green spaces". The play equipment, reminiscent of that at the National Arboretum, was already a hit with local families - and others who travelled to Denman Prospect just to use it, such as Kate Hanley, of Waramanga, who visited often with her children Oscar, two, and Lucy, five months. "It's something different, it's not your typical playground," Mrs Hanley said. "There's a little bit of risk taking which is good for little adventurers like this one. "It's also good for adults. We were here Saturday and the number of adults who were going down the slide saying, 'This is really good'." The playground was designed by Cia Landscape and Colours and Calibre Consulting, taking advantage of stunning views from the hilltop vantage, and brought to life by RAM Constructions. "Getting the equipment was actually quite challenging, it's all imported from Germany and there are big lead times on its production. They actually ordered it going on nine months in advance of it going into place," he said. Mr McDonald-Crowley was reluctant to talk money, such was the Snow family's reluctance to do so, but eventually did confirm that more than $6 million had been spent on the park and playground. "We do work for an organisation totally focused on quality. So the brief was, 'Don't worry about the budget, just worry about the quality'," he said. "That's how we've gone about Ridgeline Park. Also the shops. You look at the shops and you can tell a lot of money has gone into them and it shows. Attention to detail is really good." Molonglo's first supermarket has also opened at the achitect-designed Denman Prospect shops. Other tenants will be moving in in the coming months including a cafe, beautician, dentist, medical centre, gym and childcare centre. A pub is also planned. "We've got most of the shops leased, it's just a process of getting the fit-outs completed," Mr McDonald-Crowley said. "Obviously, the main motivation was getting the supermarket up and operating." Dubbo father-of-four Steve Smith is running the supermarket, called the Farm IGA, opening on January 16, admitting it was a gamble with so much of Denman Prospect still to develop . But with no shops at either Coombs or Wright to date, it was a risk worth taking. "It's going extremely well,'' Mr Smith said. "The people of Coombs and Wright have been crying out for a supermarket for a long time and they're still saying it's a little bit far for them, but it's still closer than Cooleman Court. And the feedback about the shop has been absolutely fantastic." The 1000 square metre supermarket has a sushi bar and bakery. It is employing 45 people after starting with 21 less than a month ago. "I just didn't know how busy we were going to be. Last week 10 more on and then we were busy again so I put 10 more on, which is good," he said. Public art is also scattered throughout Denman Prospect including a striking yellow kinetic sculpture on Wyndham Avenue by Phil Price, who also designed a similar, but much bigger piece at the Canberra airport. The public art includes a large red piece outside the supermarket, which was commissioned through a competition for students in the sculpture department at the ANU School of Art. The winner was Naomi Taylor Royds who was inspired by the bush capital to come up with her piece, Eucalyptus Triad. It was a thrill to see her work in such a public place after graduating in 2017. "It's exciting and I feel very privileged," she said. "As a relatively new graduate and emerging artist, it's a wonderful opportunity." /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/4d01177e-7cdc-4b3c-8e72-3ef97286bee9/r0_293_5568_3439_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news States and territories should follow the ACT's lead when it comes to policies surrounding electric cars, a recent Senate report has recommended. The report into electric vehicle use in Australia praised the ACT government's current policy of aiming for 100 per cent of government fleet vehicles be electric by 2020-21. The Senate committee recommended that the federal government take up a similar target. "The committee is encouraged by the ACT government's action in mandating 50 per cent zero-emission vehicles by 2019-20 and 100 per cent by 2020-21," the report said. "The committee recognises that a higher portion of electric vehicles in government fleets would help stimulate growth in the sector and encourage manufacturers to bring a greater range of electric vehicle models to Australia." The ACT's current initiative of funding dozens of electric vehicle charging stations was also noted in the report, along with similar plans in Queensland, WA and NSW. It was recommended public charging systems be made readily available in Australia to make electric cars more accessible. The territory government last year announced 50 new charging stations in Canberra, tripling the amount available to motorists. Currently, there are 300 electric vehicles registered in the ACT. One of the cars registered belongs to Denby Angus, who owns a second-hand Nissan Leaf, imported from overseas. He said Canberra was a city tailor made for electric vehicles. "With the ACT being a small jurisdiction, people with electric vehicles are able to move about fairly easily," Mr Angus said. "Electric vehicle use is finding its way, and Canberra has a real opportunity to set a standard that the other states will follow." The Canberra resident has owned his electric car for the past six months. It can travel 100 kilometres on a single charge. While driving with the electric car is mostly limited to Canberra streets due to the battery life, Mr Angus said the technology would only improve. "I've been very excited to own a car that has low emissions and has all of the technology improvements as well," he said. "It's easier to drive, cheaper to maintain and it feels like a step in the future." The report said further infrastructure in capital cities and along major highways was needed in Australia to boost electric car take-up rates. The federal government was urged in the report to exempt electric vehicles from fringe benefits taxes between 2019 and 2026, following on from a similar strategy in the ACT. An exemption on stamp duty for electric vehicles is already in place in the ACT, along with a reduction in registration fees. ACT Climate Change Minister Shane Rattenbury said the decision to make all government fleet vehicles electric by 2021 would make electric cars more accessible to the public in coming years. "By making the commitment to fleet targets, it creates certainty to bringing vehicles into Australia, which will make them more available to private consumers," Mr Rattenbury said. "It would transform the market by having a greater range available and when the government lease of the vehicles runs out, they'll enter the second-hand vehicle market." Mr Rattenbury said increasing electric vehicle use was a way to counteract the city's low public transport use. He said further steps such as building charging stations in apartment complexes and other locations would also be a step forward. "We need charging stations not just in Canberra but in and out of the city, so if drivers want to go to Sydney or the snow or the coast they have charging points they can access," he said. While the Senate report praised the ACT's policies, Warwick Cathro, the convener of a working group on electric vehicle policy, said Canberra could go even further with rebates for owners to boost usage. "Temporary rebates would be an option that would only be in use for a few years to help kick start the market," Mr Cathro said. "Electric car use is going to increase significantly, but from a low base." The report warned Australia would be left behind the rest of the world if it did not keep up with an uptake of electric cars, and said a national strategy was needed. "Slow uptake will continue to result in EV manufacturers not prioritising the Australian market and fewer EV models being available to Australian motorists," the report said. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/bbee1ec0-b042-4f87-a9c4-a5ae5bb39160/r0_348_6720_4145_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, crime A man has been sentenced to a suspended jail term after he raped a Canberra sex worker during an appointment. Before the appointment in January last year Aaron John Miller, 40, and the woman agreed that the session would be for two hours, at a price of $780. The session would include various extra services including kissing, hair pulling, choking, spanking on the bottom and assorted sexual positions. The woman explicitly said she would not permit a particular activity. However, during the appointment Miller went outside the bounds of their agreement. The woman protested and left the room and the Victorian man left the premises shortly after. Police identified him through his credit card and when interviewed he said he had engaged in the offensive conduct because he got carried away. "If this was put forward as any form of justification it is entirely without substance," Justice Michael Elkaim said in sentencing Miller. "Ms CB was entitled to carry on her work with safety. She explicitly set the boundaries of the sexual activity she was prepared to engage in. The offender agreed to those limitations." Miller pleaded guilty to a single count of sexual intercourse without consent and was sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court last week. Justice Elkaim said he found sentencing the man very difficult. "My initial impression is that he must serve a period of full-time imprisonment," he said. "Sex workers, like any other employees, as I have said above must be able to carry on their professions in a safe environment where they are not in constant fear of being assaulted." He said while there was no victim impact statement the woman obviously suffered from the experience. A statement of facts said the woman felt "angry, shaken up and uncomfortable" by what happened as she had been anally raped years ago. The act had brought back flashbacks for her. But Justice Elkaim also saw strong subjective features in the matter, noting Miller was a family man, had full time employment in construction and the capacity to contribute to society. He accepted the conduct was out of character and influenced by alcohol. He said the man must deal with his alcohol problem. The judge also said he had been influenced by a Victorian pre sentence report that said Miller was suitable for a community corrections order administered in that state. The judge sentenced Miller to two years jail, suspended on him entering a good behaviour order. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/c5d1e84b-bef3-499c-90dc-e2cfdb34d8b6/r0_61_999_625_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news A City Services contractor ran over a fellow employee who was picking up litter on the side of the road when he was supposed to be looking out for them, but instead was using his phone behind the wheel. The May 2018 accident was one of a litany of workplace safety incidents reported to Transport Canberra and City Services. It was one of more than 400 safety risks recorded in 2017-18, 49 of which resulted in compensation being paid out due to injuries. Other incidents included a bus driver being stabbed with a syringe by a passenger, a Roads ACT contractor receiving an electric shock from a light pole and another Transport Canberra and City Services employee getting an electric shock from a power board in the directorate's Northbourne Avenue office. A further 45 incidents were lodged involving hazardous substances such as asbestos or biological material. One involved a Roads ACT contractor being exposed to potential asbestos in a damaged Telstra pit. Documents released under freedom-of-information laws showed the litter officer was run over by a City Services contractor driving a vehicle shadowing the officer on Yamba Drive. The driver bent down to pick up his mobile phone before accidentally accelerating forward over the officer. The officer was taken to hospital, and the driver was fired. The directorate wouldn't disclose what injuries the worker sustained but said they were not serious. The officer returned to work the following month and an alert was issued to all staff about not using mobile phones while driving. A review was held into the operating procedures for picking up litter by directorate staff. In another incident, a worker mowing grass in a public area was thrown from their ride-on mower in December 2017 when another worker crashed into them. In a separate incident, a worker riding a lawnmower was hit by a car on a street in Ngunnawal, rupturing the mower's fuel tank, after the car attempted to overtake. Due to the crash, all new mowers were fitted with equipment to make them more visible to passing drivers, and officer training was updated. Another City Services officer was taken to hospital and required multiple stitches after cutting their wrist with a chainsaw while removing a tree. Two cases were lodged in the first half of 2018 of Domestic Animal Services workers being bitten by dogs, resulting in one worker being taken to hospital, while the other suffered a punctured left hand. Directorate reports for animal services between June and September 2017 revealed $12,000 worth of protective clothing for staff was ordered, as existing uniforms did not provide adequate protection against animal bites or scratches. Members of the public were also included in the directorate's incident reports, after one person was locked inside the Mitchell Resource Management Centre after the facility was closed for the night. New protocols at the site were implemented as a result of the incident, including the facility's contractor doing more thorough checks before locking the gate. A separate report revealed a staff member reported a member of the public who was suspected to have dumped asbestos at the Mugga Lane tip. However, the allegations could not be proved as the dumped material had already been sent to landfill before inspectors arrived. Documents showed 790 accident reports were lodged in the 2017 calendar year, a three-year high, and a further 358 reports were made in the first half of 2018. A spokeswoman for Transport Canberra and City Services said the increased rate of reported accidents lodged showed a greater awareness of safety risks. "An increase in the number of incidents lodged is a reflection of Transport Canberra and City Services workers being better educated on the requirement to report all incidents, near misses and hazardous situations," the spokeswoman said. "Incident reports provide us with valuable information about the activities our workers undertake and which of those activities cause harm." The directorate spokeswoman said they had set up a safety and wellbeing branch to focus on workplace safety issues such as musculoskeletal injuries. Quarterly meetings of safety practices was also established for all employees last year, with this year's meetings focusing on occupational violence. "Ensuring the safety of our employees and the citizens of Canberra is a high priority for [the directorate]," the spokeswoman said. "A wide variety of competency based training programs, including courses for temporary traffic management, asbestos awareness, chainsaw operation and chemical safety are provided to support the development and maintenance of practical skills." /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/ca68a49e-bb50-454a-8b98-000bc6d45a27/r0_144_2544_1581_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg CAMEROUN :: The 8th annual World Pangolin Day shall be celebrated throughout the country on February 16, 2019 :: CAMEROON The 8th annual World Pangolin Day shall be celebrated throughout the country on February 16, 2019. Activities to mark this day shall include sensitization to draw public awareness to the plight of the pangolins that is facing existential threats. According statistics from wildlife law enforcement body LAGA, the organization has assisted wildlife officials in the seizure of 7.5 tons of pangolin scales during the past five years. 55 people were arrested during operations leading to the seizures. While some are facing trial at the moment, the majority have received varying prison sentences and fines. Last year, an international network comprising four countries; Nigeria, Cameroon, CAR and DRC, was dismantled in Douala with over 700kg of scales seized and six traffickers arrested. In January 2017, an illegal shipment of 5 tons of pangolin scales that was on the verge of being exported was seized from a two Chinese nationals who were arrested, tried and sent to prison. Faced with increasing illegal trade, pangolin enthusiasts, conservationists and the entire world shall next Saturday celebrate the World Pangolin Day. The alarming and sudden spikes in the illegal trade in pangolin scales is unsettling many conservationists who fully understand the devastation this is causing pangolin populations. According to Francis Nchembi Tarla, a wildlife specialist and coordinator of a bushmeat network called CABAG: three years after the CITES meeting in Johannesburg, there are still large seizures in Asia of African scales. After the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) meeting that held in Johannesburg in 2016 and upgraded the animal to a class of totally protected species, the government of Cameroon followed suit immediately and reclassified all three species of pangolins in the country to totally protected status. But the butchering is ongoing and Tarla agreed: In most local restaurants, pangolin meat is openly offered on the menu. At road points on the major highways, live pangolins are openly sold. In recent years, governments, institutions and organisations have been frantically initiating measures and structures for pangolin conservation following the realization that not much had been done to save the species. On the occasion of the World Pangolin Day and to face the ever-growing conservation challenges, pangolin lovers and conservationists shall be meeting, under the auspices of TRAFFIC a global wildlife trade monitoring network, to create a pangolin working group that shall specifically target measures aimed at the protecting the animal in the country. This is just one of the ways experts in the sector are trying to come to terms with the problem and Tarla declared: Our task is still immense and we need to build a lot more capacity and triple our sensitization campaigns to reduce demand. Apart from the tracking and arrest of pangolin scales traffickers, The Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife in February 2017, burnt over three tons of pangolin scales that were seized during wildlife law enforcement operations in recent years. It was the first time pangolin scales were publicly destroyed in Africa and is part of governments strategy to intensify the fight against pangolin scales trafficking by sending a strong message of zero tolerance. Pangolins are considered to be the most trafficked mammals in the world and the growing demand for the scales in China and other Asian countries have seen prices sharply increase posing serious threats to the animal whose populations are rapidly declining in range states across Africa and Asia. They are not only poached for their meat but equally for their scales. 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Appointment of Mal Randall as Non Executive Director Sydney, Feb 11, 2019 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Hastings Technology Metals Limited ( ASX:HAS ) ( FRA:5AM ) ("Hastings" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of experienced ASX company director Mr Mal Randall as Non-Executive Director.Mr Randall holds a Bachelor of Applied Chemistry Degree, is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and has more than 40 years' of extensive experience in corporate, management and marketing in the resource sector, including more than 25 years with the Rio Tinto group of companies. His experience has covered a diverse range of mineral activities including Iron Ore, Base Metals, Uranium, Minerals Sands and Lithium. Mal has held the position of Chairman and director of multiple ASX listed companies and is currently also on the board of Kalium Lakes Ltd (where he is the Chairman), Argosy Minerals Ltd, Magnetite Mines Ltd and Thundelarra Ltd.Charles Lew, Executive Chairman of Hastings commented that "I am delighted to welcome Mal Randall to our board who's qualifications and extensive experience will be invaluable as we progress with development of the Yangibana Rare Earths Project. Mal has a proven track record in mining project development and extensive ASX corporate experience."About Hastings Technology Metals Ltd Hastings Technology Metals Ltd (ASX:HAS) (FRA:5AM) is advancing its Yangibana Rare Earths Project in the Upper Gascoyne Region of Western Australia towards production. The proposed beneficiation and hydro metallurgy processing plant will treat rare earths deposits, predominantly monazite, hosting high neodymium and praseodymium contents to produce a mixed rare earths carbonate that will be further refined into individual rare earth oxides at processing plants overseas. Neodymium and praseodymium are vital components in the manufacture of permanent magnets which is used in a wide and expanding range of advanced and high-tech products including electric vehicles, wind turbines, robotics, medical applications and others. Hastings aims to become the next significant producer of neodymium and praseodymium outside of China. Hastings holds 100% interest in the most significant deposits within the overall project, and 70% interest in additional deposits that will be developed at a later date, all held under Mining Leases. Numerous prospects have been identified warranting detailed exploration to further extend the life of the project. Brockman Project The Brockman deposit, near Halls Creek in Western Australia, contains JORC Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources, estimated using the guidelines of JORC Code (2012 Edition). The Company is also progressing a Mining Lease application over the Brockman Rare Earths and Rare Metals Project. Hastings aims to capitalise on the strong demand for critical rare earths created by the expanding demand for new technology products. British Prime Minister Theresa May will pledge this week to give parliament another chance to voice their opinions on Brexit by Feb. 27 as she tries to buy more time to negotiate a new deal with the European Union. As the clock ticks down to Britain's scheduled exit on March 29, May is trying to persuade the EU to change a deal that was agreed between London and Brussels late last year but overwhelmingly rejected by parliament in January. May wants to win over lawmakers in her Conservative Party with changes relating to the Northern Irish border, but the EU has refused to reopen that part of the deal and instead wants May to pursue a compromise with the main opposition Labour Party by agreeing closer UK-EU ties. The impasse has left the world's fifth largest economy facing an uncertain future, rattling financial markets and businesses about the prospect of a disorderly exit from the bloc that could damage the economy. Housing minster James Brokenshire said on Sunday May would commit to giving parliament another debate on Brexit with the chance to vote on alternative options, if a deal had not yet been agreed and voted upon by then. May is already due to update parliament on her progress towards a deal on Wednesday and then on Thursday to give parliament a chance to express their opinion. The new pledge would be for a repeat of this process by Feb. 27. "That gives that sense of timetable, clarity, and purpose on what we're doing with the EU - taking that work forward and our determination to get a deal - but equally knowing that role that parliament very firmly has," Brokenshire told the BBC. Brexit minister Stephen Barclay will meet EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday to discuss changes to the part of the exit deal relating to the 'backstop', an insurance policy against the return of a hard border between EU member Ireland and British-ruled Northern Ireland. Labour's Brexit policy chief Keir Starmer told the Sunday Times newspaper that his party would seek to use the debate in parliament this week to prevent May from waiting until the last minute to come back with a deal, and compel her to present a fresh accord for lawmakers to consider before Feb. 26. "We shouldnt be put in a position where the clock is run down and the prime minister says it's either my deal or even worse. That isnt right in terms of the respect for parliament," said Starmer. The head of business lobby group the Confederation of British Industry warned that the chances of Britain leaving the EU next month without a deal have increased and the country has now entered "the emergency zone." May will ask lawmakers on Thursday to reaffirm that they support her bid to renegotiate the backstop, a government source said. The backstop is the main obstacle to securing agreement on the terms of Britain's withdrawal from the EU. May's opponents are expected to put forward a series of alternative approaches which will be voted upon, although it is not clear yet whether any will have sufficient support to pass, and if they do, whether they will force the government to act. Labour's plan, which has yet to be published in detail, will be among the options discussed on Thursday. An opinion poll published in the Independent newspaper on Sunday showed 53% of British voters would support a delay in Brexit, while 33% would back a no-deal Brexit even it that harmed the economy. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on Friday said he believed "a deal can be done" to avoid a disorderly British exit from the EU, after a meeting with a key ally of British Prime Minister Theresa May that he said went very well. Varadkar later hosted May for a formal dinner in Dublin that an Irish official described as "very warm" - in contrast to a relatively chilly reception given to May in Brussels earlier this week. Varadkar said talks with Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party in Belfast in the afternoon showed there was "more that unites us than divides us when it comes to Brexit," unusually conciliatory language in what has often been an acrimonious relationship. The DUP, which props up May's government, has been one of the fiercest critics of Britain's exit deal with the European Union, which parliament in London has rejected and more particularly the contentious "backstop" championed by Varadkar. The provision is an insurance policy meant to keep the border between Ireland, a euro zone member, and the British-run province of Northern Ireland open under any and all circumstances. The DUP says its terms are unacceptable as they would undermine trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. The EU has said it will not remove the provision or re-open the legally binding Brexit deal agreed with Britain over two years, but has said it is ready to rework the political declaration that accompanies it. After the meeting, DUP leader Arlene Foster said she had a "good engagement" with Varadkar and that the DUP wanted "to be as helpful as we can to try and get a deal that works for the United Kingdom and also works for the European Union." She declined to comment on the detail of the talks, saying both sides needed space to complete discussions. The support of the DUP's 10 members of parliament is seen as key to May's winning over skeptical members of her Conservative party and securing parliamentary approval for the withdrawal agreement. Asked by RTE how he envisaged a deal could be done between Britain and the EU after weeks of stalemate, Varadkar cited the common ground between the Irish government and the DUP. Both sides, he said, wanted to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland, ensure Britain left with a deal and enabled frictionless trade. "Often when you share all the major objectives, it is possible to come to a solution," Varadkar said. "I think that on balance we will secure a deal - whether it will be by the end of March or after an extension I can't say," he added. Speaking ahead of his dinner with May, which included cured salmon, beef filet and a selection of Irish cheeses, Varadkar said the meeting was aimed at seeing "confidence and trust restored." An Irish official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the meeting would not involve any formal negotiations, which are being led by Brussels. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie India's largest LNG supplier Qatar Sunday urged the central government to include natural gas in GST to help create demand for the environment-friendly fuel and raise its share in the country's energy basket. Speaking at Petrotech conference here, Qatar Gas CEO Khalid Bin Khalifa Al-Thani said India is a very important market for Qatar. "If there is change in demand worldwide we will see it in India especially in fossil fuel," he said. Qatar supplies 8.5 million tonnes a year of liquefied natural gas to India. It is the country's single largest source of imported gas, supplying about 40 per cent of all overseas shipments reaching India. He said the country needs to build infrastructure so that clean fuel can reach all corners. "LNG should be considered to get full benefits of GST," he said. "We would be working closely with the government". Qatar is the second big foreign investor to seek GST on petroleum products. In October last year, Russian oil firm Rosneft, the biggest foreign investor in India's energy sector, had criticised the country's taxation policy, saying it was a major hurdle in its expansion plans. Rosneft and its partners had in August 2017 completed a USD 12.9 billion acquisition of Essar Oil to enter the world's fastest-growing energy market. The company will, however, have to pay a 20 per cent withholding tax even after paying corporate tax and dividend, Rosneft's first vice-president for economics and finance Pavel Fedorov had said. Fedorov said the company was also not able to claim a credit of tax it pays on inputs in its Vadinar refinery in Gujarat. While the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which unified over a dozen central and state levies, came into effect from 1 July 2017, five petro goods crude oil, natural gas, petrol, diesel and aviation turbine fuel (ATF) were kept out of it. This means the tax, a user of natural gas pay on inputs cannot be offset by taxes paid at consumption end. State-owned gas utility GAIL India Ltd Chairman B C Tripathi, speaking at the same session at Petrotech, too favoured bringing natural gas under the ambit of GST, saying it is a low hanging fruit. Also, power plants must start using natural gas as it would be difficult to achieve the target of raising the share of natural gas in the energy basket to 15 per cent by 2030 from current 6.2 per cent. Al-Thani said natural gas demand worldwide is expected to grow at the rate of 1.5 per cent through 2035 and LNG demand is projected to grow by 4 per cent to 600 million tonnes from 290 million tonnes in 2017. Qatar, he said, will raise LNG production capacity to 110 million tonnes by 2023 from the current 77 million tonnes. Also Read: India launches third round of oil and gas blocks under its OALP Also Read: India asks companies to expedite efforts to establish shale oil and gas potential IndiGo has cancelled scores of flights in two days and will not be operating around 32 flights on Monday following the shortage of pilots, a source said. The country's largest airline has cancelled flights from IndiGo's from Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, the source in the aviation industry said. Also Read: Jet Airways cancels flights due to operational reasons Many flights have been cancelled by the airline since Saturday. The carrier cancelled around 15 flights on Saturday and around seven on Sunday, officials at the Delhi airport said. "The airline has been facing problems in crew management. Therefore, these flights - which had to depart from Delhi yesterday and today were cancelled," one of the airport officials said. In a statement, IndiGo said that due to a severe hailstorm in North India on February 7, 11 IndiGo flights were diverted and that disrupted operations across our network the following day. "As part of recovering our schedule, the positioning of the crew and aircraft had to be readjusted. As a result, a number of flights were cancelled. We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers," IndiGo said. Officials at Bengaluru airport officials said that around 16 flights of the airline were cancelled on Sunday. "The airline is facing the shortage of commanders and pilots and this is forcing the airline to cancel flights from across stations," the source told PTI. "As of now 32 flights from across the network have been cancelled for Monday by the carrier," the source said. A second query sent to IndiGo seeking its response on the cancellation of 32 flights for Monday due to pilots shortage did not elicit an immediate response. Operations at the Delhi airport saw massive disruption on February 7 as a total of 36 flights were diverted due to severe rain and hailstorm in the national capital. Also Read: India launches third round of oil and gas blocks under its OALP Also Read: India asks companies to expedite efforts to establish shale oil and gas potential India is looking to expedite discovery efforts to establish the country's shale oil and gas potential and has asked companies to submit a plan, two industry sources said on Sunday. In late 2013, India gave rights to Oil and Natural Gas Corp Ltd to explore for shale oil and gas reserves. However, after years of exploratory reserves, it has failed to find significant resources. Also Read: India launches third round of oil and gas blocks under its OALP In January, India's oil and gas regulator Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) held a meeting with representatives from various private and government companies to urge them to pursue shale resources in the oil and gas blocks already held by them, a source at the regulator said. "The idea is to bring shale on the map of India or just close the chapter once and for all within three years," an executive from one of the companies who attended the meeting said. India is a gas-starved country and imports almost half of its annual natural gas consumption. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants India to be a gas-based economy and increase the share of gas in the country's energy mix to 15 per cent by 2030 from 6.5 per cent now. All coal bed methane (CBM) developers were invited to the meeting in January, the executive said. "A joint group plan is also being explored which will act as a platform of knowledge and infrastructure sharing which could help in expediting shale development," according to the executive. Currently, CBM gas is produced by three companies in India - Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries Ltd, Ruia brothers owned Essar Oil & Gas Exploration and Production Ltd and Great Eastern Energy Corp Ltd. CBM is a kind of natural gas which is found in coal deposits. State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp Ltd also has CBM blocks. Currently, the most promising region of shale deposits is around the eastern part of India called as Damodar Valley basin, where the first exploration for shale is expected to start. Also Read: IndiGo to cancel 32 more flights today due to pilot crunch Also Read: Jet Airways cancels flights due to operational reasons Buoyed by the reception of Galaxy M10 and Galaxy M20 smartphones in India, Samsung is preparing to launch another M-series smartphone, Galaxy M30. The design language of the new Galaxy M30 is expected to be similar to the both Galaxy M10 and Galaxy M20 smartphones but there surely will be few new features and a higher price tag. A schematic diagram of the new Galaxy M30 has propped up online revealing what some of these new features might be. Also Read: Beware! These smartphones may pose health risks due to radiation The new Samsung Galaxy M30 diagram leaked by the Pricekart.com shows an Infinity-V display like the M20 and M10. However, there are very good chances that the Samsung M30 would get an AMOLED screen rather than the TFT screens that were seen on Galaxy M10 and Galaxy M20. The Samsung M30 is expected to come with a full-HD + screen measuring 6.38 inches with a screen resolution of 2210 x 1080 pixels. The leak also suggests a water drop notch for the Galaxy M30. A small bezel is visible at the bottom of the phone which could house navigation buttons. As far as the optics of the Samsung Galaxy M30 is concerned, the smartphone is expected to come with a 16 megapixel selfie camera. At the back, the Galaxy M30 is rumoured to come with a triple camera system, as per the drawings. Galaxy M30 can be seen with a vertical camera layout with the configuration as 13 megapixels + 5 megapixels + 5 megapixels. The rumours also suggest that the camera will have an ultra wide-angle lens together with a telephoto lens. The Samsung Galaxy M30 won't have an in-display fingerprint sensor. As per the design leak, the fingerprint sensor is located at the back. There is a USB Type-C port but there is no mention of 3.5mm audio jack. The Samsung Galaxy M30 will be powered by a 5000mAh battery and it would run on Samsung Experience 9.5 UX. As far as connectivity is concerned, the smartphone connectivity options include Bluetooth, 4G VoLTE, dual-SIM, GPS, GLONASS etc. Edited By: Udit Verma Also Read: Xiaomi lines up budget smartphones under Rs 10,000 for India; check out features, price Also Read: Reliance Jio vs Airtel vs Vodafone: Best prepaid recharge plans under Rs 200 The closure of runways at India's two busiest airports has led to a steep rise in last-minute airfares. Several flights are being cancelled and rescheduled by airlines facing problems due to the maintenance work at two runways of the Mumbai airport. These runways at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) in Mumbai will remain closed for revamping for six hours every alternate day beginning February 7 till March 30. The Bengaluru airport, however, will be closed for three hours -- from 1.30pm to 4.30pm -- for four days between February 14 and 17. The airport will be closed to allow practice sessions for the Indian Air Force's (IAF) biennial Aero India show. The Mumbai airport runways will be closed from 11 am to 5 pm for three days -- Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays -- every week till March 30. The maintenance work at the runways includes the laying of two asphalt layers. While around 100 flights could be affected due to the runway closure at the Bengaluru airport, the number could go up to 5,000 at Mumbai airport due to the restoration work, which will go on for more than a month; the Mumbai airport handles around 1,000 flights a day. Also read: IndiGo to cancel 32 more flights today due to pilot crunch On the first day of its closure, over 230 flights were cancelled at the Mumbai airport. Due to a constant delay and scarcity of flights, most airlines have been quick to increase their last-minute airfares. On Monday, a nonstop IndiGo flight from Delhi to Mumbai was priced at over Rs 16,612, while Jet Airways was charging Rs 14,357 for one-way flight. SpiceJet non-stop one-way flight ticket was priced at Rs 16,612, while Air India was charging up to Rs 17,014 for one-way flight. According to travel portal ixigo, the average airfare has been up by average 23 per cent on key routes to and from Mumbai. The routes with maximum fare hike include Ahmedabad-Mumbai, Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Bengaluru, Bengaluru-Mumbai, and stop over routes. In some case, the airfares have shot by 200 per cent, claims the travel portal. "Ahmedabad-Mumbai has seen a substantial hike in airfares of over 80 per cent as compared to last week. Last minute non-stop flights and stop overflights have been impacted the most, recording a growth of over 200 per cent in some cases. Around 33 per cent of all flights from Mumbai airport were delayed today and we expect a further increase in cancellations and delays over the next few days," PTI had earlier quoted ixigo co-founder and CEO Aloke Bajpai as saying. Edited by Manoj Sharma Also read: Alert! Delhi-Mumbai airfares shoot 200%; here's why With the upcoming launch of the Yamaha Motorcycles India's MT-15, dealers across the country have started to accept bookings for the new naked-sports motorcycle. The new Yamaha MT-15 is expected to be launched on March 15th, 2019, at the Buddh International Circuit. The new Yamaha MT-15 is expected to loosen the purse strings with around Rs 1.2 lakh (ex-showroom New Delhi), which is less than FZ25, priced at Rs 1.33 lakh, and slightly higher than R15S, valued at Rs 1.17 lakh. Yamaha dealers in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai have started advance bookings with a token amount of Rs 10,000. Bangalore dealers have kept the booking price at Rs 2,000, reports Autocar India. However, in Kerala, the dealers are still not accepting any bookings for the new MT-15. Yamaha, in October 2018, had stated that it is planning to launch the MT-15 in India. According to leaked information and spy images, the bike is expected to arrive with a conventional fork instead of the USD unit seen on the Indonesian variant. The Indian model has also replaced its aluminium swingarm for a box-section unit. However, the Indian make of Yamaha's R15 V3.0 carries aluminium swingarm. Interestingly, the naked-sports motorcycle will offer an engine identical to the R15 V3.0, which is a 155cc, liquid-cooled and fuel-injected. This engine is paired with a 6-speed gear-box, which generates 14.7Nm of torque at 8,500rpm and 19.3 horsepower at 10,000rpm. (Edited by Vivek Dubey) Also read: Priyanka Gandhi enters politics: 'I am happy my sister will work with me,' says Rahul Gandhi The Sensex and Nifty started on a negative note today amid mixed Asian markets. While the Sensex fell 222 points to 36,324 with 21 components in the red, the Nifty lost 83 points to 10,859. Tata Steel (1.31%), Kotak Bank (0.80%) and Infosys (0.63%) were the top Sensex gainers. Top Sensex losers were M&M (1.61%), ONGC (1.12%) and Hero MotoCorp (0.28%). On Friday, the 30-share index cracked 424.61 points, or 1.15 per cent, to finish at 36,546.48, while the broader NSE Nifty slumped 125.80 points, or 1.14 per cent to 10,943.60. Meanwhile, the mid cap and small cap indices were trading 172 points and 135 points lower in early trade. The Rupee opened higher at 71.21 per dollar compared to its last close of 71.33. Market breadth was negative with 494 stocks trading higher compared to 1137 falling on the BSE. Auto and Capital goods stocks led the losses with their BSE indices falling 352 points and 344 points, respectively. Consumer durables stocks also fell 194 points with their index reaching 21,460 level. On a net basis, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net of Rs 843.73 crore on Friday , and domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net sellers to the tune of Rs 960.04 crore, provisional data available with BSE showed. Global markets Asian stocks were mixed on Monday as traders watched for developments on a fresh round of trade talks with the United States this week in Beijing. Markets in China and Taiwan, reopening after a weeklong Lunar New Year break, edged higher on hopes that American and Chinese officials will make progress on a wide-ranging dispute that has weighed on the global economy. The Shanghai Composite index picked up 0.4 percent to 2,628.50. The Kospi in South Korea declined 0.1 percent to 2,175.04 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.2 percent to 27,991.49. Australia's S&P ASX 200 was down 0.5 percent at 6,040.00. Stocks rose in Taiwan but fell in Singapore and Indonesia. Japanese markets were closed for a holiday. Edited by Aseem Thapliyal Feb 11, 2019 | By Cameron Last year, we reported on the collaboration between French defense contractor Naval Group and French engineering school Centrale Nantes that led to the first full-scale 3D printed military propeller, and now that same collaboration has resulted in the worlds first 3D printed hollow propeller blade. The blade case study is part of the European H2020 project, RAMSSES (Realization and Demonstration of Advanced Material Solutions for Sustainable and Efficient Ships), which is funded by the European Commission and seeks to leverage new technologies such as 3D printing to reduce the environmental footprint of fabricating and operating large naval vessels. Using Wire Arc for Additive Manufacturing (WAAM), the group plans to 3D print steel propellers up to six meters in diameter, but the tested prototype was produced at one-third scale. The blade weighs approximately 300kg and took less than 100 hours of print time to fabricate. Their analysis indicates that 3D printing the blades at full scale could result in a weight reduction of 40 percent! That doesnt just require less material but also reduces the load on the engines, which could further reduce fuel consumption and thus the environmental impact of the ship. Additionally, the improved blade design from Sirehna, a Centrale Nantes spin-off and subsidiary of Naval Group, increases efficiency and durability while reducing radiated noise and vibrations that have negative effects on marine animals. Naval Groups Patrice Vinot, Propeller Package Manager for the RAMSSES project, relates some excitement about the proof of concept, stating: Although additive manufacturing is increasingly present in industry, the programming and design of complex parts, such as propeller blades for ships, represents a considerable challenge for our teams and our partners. The potential of the process revealed by this new case study means that we now anticipate unparalleled performance for the propellers of tomorrow. Taking part in projects such as RAMSSES and coordinating our network of academic and industrial partners will allow us to bring 3D printing into shipyards for the long term. Professor Jean-Yves Hascoet is head of the Rapid Manufacturing Platform at Centrale Nantes and an international expert in additive manufacturing; he explains: Additive manufacturing has been developed over the last 35 years on the Rapid Manufacturing Platform. All these years of research come to fruition through a project like RAMSSES, which represents a real transfer of our technologies into an industrial environment. The naval industry is slowly but surely adopting 3D printing, ensuring a future of smooth sailing. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Michael Fuselier wrote at 2/19/2019 4:08:30 PM:This link is broken. http://www.3ders.org/articles/Hexbot%20modular%20all-in-1%20desktop%20robot%20arm%20can%203D%20print,%20draw,%20engrave%20and%20pick%20objects.html Things may be getting a tad better for Make in India even as capacity utilization of factories remain low, a survey by The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has found. In the December quarter of 2018/2019, there was encouraging news on the output as well as the order books part. The industry body's quarterly survey assessed "the sentiments of manufacturers" across 11 manufacturing sectors -- automotive, capital goods, cement and ceramics, chemicals, fertilizers and pharmaceuticals, electronics and electricals, leather and footwear, metal and metal products, paper products, textiles, textile machinery and tyre. About 300 manufacturing units, of all sizes, are polled. FICCI reported that the proportion of respondents reporting higher output growth during the October-December quarter of 2018/2019 was 54 per cent compared to 47 per cent in the year-ago period. About 43 per cent of the respondents in the December 2018 quarter expected higher orders as against 42 per cent in the year-ago. Interestingly, overall capacity utilisation of the sector trended around 75 per cent - the industry body noted that utilization in India's manufacturing sector hasn't really changed in many quarters. This reflects a poor demand environment. "The future investment outlook, though moderate, is slightly better than what was perceived in Q-3 of 2017/2018. 47 per cent respondents reported plans for capacity additions for the next six months (46 per cent in Q-3 of 2017/2018)," the survey noted. "High raw material prices, high cost of finance, uncertainty of demand, shortage of skilled labor, high imports, requirement of technology upgradation, excess capacities, delay in disbursements of state and central subsidies are some of the major constraints which are affecting expansion plans of the respondents," it added. The body said that in sectors such as automotive, capital goods, leather, and footwear and textiles machinery, the average capacity utilisation has either increased or remained the same in the December quarter when compared to the September quarter of 2018. In sectors such as Chemicals, Fertilisers and Pharmaceuticals, Cement and Ceramics, Electronics & Electricals, Metals & Metal Products, Paper Products and Textiles the capacity utilization has fallen. In line with higher production and order books, manufacturers were slightly more positive on the employment outlook. The survey stated that while in the December quarter of 2017/2018, about 70 per cent respondents mentioned that they were not likely to hire additional workforce, this percentage has slid to 65 per cent in December 2018/2019. Flood-hit Kerala is planning to resurge with a slew of policy initiatives and new projects to attract investments into the state, Pinarayi Vijayan, the state's chief minister told Business Today. Talking on the sidelines of Ascend 2019, an investment summit' in Kochi, on Monday, he said the government will come out with a river basin authority to manage sustainable growth of the state along with many other initiatives with a long term vision. "Land availability is a big issue in ecologically sensitive Kerala. Therefore we are coming out with seven industrial parks with plug and play facilities in identified seven thrust areas like defence, biotechnology, petrochemical value added products, food processing etc. " For this, the government industry agencies will acquire 5000 acres of land in and around the Kannur airport. Another major project is a national coastal waterway connecting Kovalam and Bekal by 2020, covering 600 kilometres with tourism centres at every 25 kilometres. Another project is to launch a Malabar cruise project linking rivers in Kerala. At Kochi, the government will launch a Rs.1000 crore integrated canal rejuvenation, interconnecting 5-6 major canals of the region besides constructing a permanent exhibition centre in the city. He said the government is launching a new single window clearance project for investors linking 16 departments with a portal called K-swift, which will get them clearance within 30 days and they would not need to run around various individual departments separately. The government came out with an industrial policy last year and eased over 100 rules for ease of doing business, said the state's chief minister. If you have not filed your income tax return for financial year 2017-18, you can still do it before March 31, 2019, but with a penalty of Rs 10,000, and Rs 1000, if you earn less than Rs 5 lakh. One of the important parts of filing income tax return (ITR) online is digital signature-an electronic form of signature to authenticate the electronic documents-as it lets you file your ITR in an easier and more secure way. Besides, as per revised provisions under section 44AB of Income-Tax Act, it is mandatory for individuals and professionals having an annual gross receipt of Rs 25 lakh and above to e-file their returns. The business houses, with annual turnover of Rs 1 crore and above, are also required to file ITR online. For digital signature, you need a digital signature certificate (DSC) issued by licensed Certifying Authorities (CAs) approved by the Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA), Government of India. There are less than 10 DSC certifying authorities in India. These include Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), eMudhra, NSDL, National Informatics Center (NIC), Capricorn, and more. The DSC comes in the form of a USB token. The DSCs are typically issued with one-year or two-year validity. These are renewable on expiry of the period of initial issue. Pricing of DSC includes a one-time cost of USB, the cost of issuance of DSC and the renewal cost after the period of validity. The issuance cost varies and is market driven across all certifying authorities. One of the advantages of filing ITR via DSC is you need not verify the return using Aadhaar-based OTP or send the signed hard copy of ITR-V to the CPC Bengaluru. "DSC provides you a high level of security for your online transactions by ensuring absolute privacy of the information exchanged. You can use certificates to encrypt information that only the intended recipient can read," says Arvind Srinivasan, SVP, Strategic -Global Initiatives, eMudhra, a CCA-licensed digital signature provider. The company's 'emSigner' product, a cloud-based eSignature and paperless office solution, allows GST taxpayers to sign invoices easily in bulk or individually. "From a taxation perspective, the biggest use case is signing invoices for GST purposes, which require the use of legally valid digital signature certificates," Srinivasan adds. eMudhra has issued over 45 million digital signatures so far. It has presence in 38 countries across four continents. On enterprise side, its clients include Kotak Mahindra Bank, State Bank of India, Bharti Airtel, Flipkart, Hyundai, Deutsche Bank and DBS. The company recently launched emBlock, a Blockchain-based system that can help optimise trade finance and logistics and the information shared between different legal entities by streamlining the process, speeding up the response time, providing transparency, and better flow. For example, when a shipment of assets crosses borders, it requires approvals from multiple legal entities; customs, port authorities or rail transportation firms as goods move between exporter and importer. "Here, Blockchain can be used to sign approvals, notify all parties that the asset has arrived and ultimately transfer the money from the importer to the exporter's bank," explains Srinivasan. The eMudhra chairs the India Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Consortium, a body aimed at spreading awareness about digital signatures to drive the Digital India initiative. Under this forum, the company organises events where key stakeholders are invited, innovative solutions and use cases are showcased, and general awareness is raised towards the subject. The company actively focuses on the Chartered Accountant (CA) community to educate them of the benefit of going digital. "Since the CA community assists many end-clients (individual and corporate income tax filers), this proves effective in getting the message out," says Srinivasan. Also read: Have offshore investments? Get ready to face the music from IT Dept Expressing support for Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's daylong fast, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Monday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stolen from the people of the state and given the money to industrialist Anil Ambani. The TDP president is on a fast here demanding that the Centre fulfil all promises made during Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation in 2014 and alleging that the prime minister was not following 'raj dharma' by denying the state special status. "The prime minister has stolen from the people from Andhra Pradesh and he has given that money to Anil Ambani. That is the fact of the matter," Gandhi said at the venue of the hunger strike in Andhra Bhavan. The government and Ambani have rejected Gandhi's allegations of corruption in the Rafale fighter jet deal with France. "Mr Narendra Modi, wherever he goes, he goes to Andhra Pradesh, he lies about special status. He goes to the North-East, he tells another lie over there. He goes to Maharashtra and he tells another lie over there. He has absolutely got no credibility left," Gandhi said. Also Read: India launches third round of oil and gas blocks under its OALP Also Read: India asks companies to expedite efforts to establish shale oil and gas potential By Stephanie KellyNEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices edged lower on Monday as worries surrounding the resumption of U.S.-China trade talks overshadowed support from OPEC-led supply restraint.Brent crude futures lost 59 cents, or 0.95 percent, to settle at $61.51 a barrel.U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 31 cents, or 0.59 percent, to settle at $52.41 a barrel.Trade talks between the United States and China resumed with working-level discussions before high-level discussions later in the week.Beijing, however, expressed anger at a U.S. Navy mission through the disputed South China ... DUBAI (Reuters) - Louis Dreyfus said on Monday it expects an acceleration in switching between sugar and ethanol production in Brazil with shifts becoming more "dramatic". "Usually you have to see sugar playing a premium over ethanol or the opposite for a period of time before you start seeing the switch," Enrico Biancher, head of sugar trading worldwide, told an industry conference in Dubai."But recently the industry is learning to become more pragmatic and more economics driven...the switch will happen faster than we've seen in the past, it will be quite dramatic." (Reporting by Maha El ... By Foo Yun CheeBRUSSELS (Reuters) - Germany's Thyssenkrupp and India's Tata Steel will be warned this week that EU antitrust regulators could veto their planned European steel joint venture unless they offer concessions, people familiar with the matter said on Monday.The European Commission is expected to send a charge sheet known as a statement of objections to the companies, the people said. Such documents set out serious competition concerns which companies have to address with specific concessions or see their deal blocked.Thyssenkrupp said it was the group's understanding that such a ... By Foo Yun CheeBRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators will likely warn this week Germany's Thyssenkrupp and India's Tata Steel about their landmark joint venture unless they pre-empt the move by offering concessions, people familiar with the matter said on Monday.The European Commission is expected to send a charge sheet known as a statement of objections to the companies, the people said. Such documents set out serious competition concerns which companies have to address with specific concessions or see their deal blocked.The joint venture, announced in June last year, is the biggest ... By Rene WagnerBERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's trade surplus with the United States, a frequent source of tension with U.S. President Donald Trump, declined last year but nonetheless remained at around 49 billion euros ($55.37 billion), data seen by Reuters showed on Monday.Trump has frequently criticised the large trade surplus that Europe's biggest economy has with the United States and has threatened to put tariffs on German cars in return.But German Chancellor Angela Merkel has questioned Trump's analysis, saying that trade surpluses were calculated in an old-fashioned way and that the United ... By Maha El Dahan and Dahlia NehmeDUBAI (Reuters) - Commodities trading firm Louis Dreyfus expects faster switching between sugar and ethanol production in Brazil, with more flexible mills leading to "dramatic" price-driven shifts."Usually you have to see sugar playing a premium over ethanol or the opposite for a period of time before you start seeing the switch, " Enrico Biancheri, head of sugar trading worldwide at Louis Dreyfus, which has a controlling interest in Brazilian sugar and ethanol maker Biosev SA, said.Depressed sugar prices have led Brazilian companies to increase their ... By Jacob Greaves and Alexander CornwellDUBAI (Reuters) - The Beijing-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will maintain a prudent approach as it finances more projects, its president said on Monday.The AIIB aims to finance projects worth about $4 billion this year, about 20 percent more than the $3.3 billion it financed in 2018. "We expect to do more this year and beyond but I am not into rushing. I want to move forward on the basis of prudence and the basis of a meticulous feasibility study." Jin Liqun told Reuters in an interview in Dubai. "Quantity is important ... but ... BERN (Reuters) - Britain's economic slowdown should not be blamed entirely on Brexit, British Trade Minister Liam Fox said on Monday after data showed the economy last year grew at its slowest since 2012. "Clearly there are those who believe that Brexit is the only economic factor applying to the UK economy. I think you'll find that the predicted slowdown in a number of European economies is not disconnected from the slowdown, for example, in China," Fox told a news conference in the Swiss capital."The idea that Brexit is the only factor affecting the global economy is just to miss the ... A woman was detained at the Goa airport on Monday for illegally carrying gold paste worth over Rs 18 lakh, a senior Customs official said. The woman, a foreign national whose identity and nationality were not disclosed, had kept the yellow metal hidden in a pocket of her pants, Customs Commissioner R Manohar said. Based on intelligence inputs, Customs officials apprehended the woman after she arrived at the Dabolim International Airport here from Dubai in an Air India flight. During her personal search, the officials seized 590 gm of semi-solid gold, valued at Rs 18.08 lakh, the official said. "The gold paste was kept in a transparent polythene packet concealed in a pocket specially created for the purpose in her jeans around the waist band," he said. Since April last year, the Goa Customs officials have seized gold worth Rs 236.5 lakh and foreign currencies with a face value to Rs 67.5 lakh from international passengers at the Dabolim airport, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Director Zoya Akhtar says the buzz around her film "Gully Boy", which had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival, has been beyond expectations and now she hopes to live up to the hype surrounding the Ranveer Singh-Alia Bhatt starrer. The reviews after the packed Berlin premiere have been welcoming for the film, which revolves around an up and coming rapper from a Mumbai slum. "It was a crazy experience. It was an 1800 seater and the screen must have been 70-80 feet. I have never seen my film projected on such a large screen. From the beginning, they were clapping at entries, whistling through songs, gasping at things that upset them and completely silent in the serious moments. It was a very emotional moment and complete joy," Zoya told PTI in an interview. Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director, Toronto International Film Festival shared on Twitter that he had never seen such a response for any movie at Berlinale in past two decades. "Watched the GULLY BOY world premiere tonight in a packed house with @RanveerOfficial, @aliaa08 & @ZoyaAkhtarOff present. Biggest cheers I've heard in 20+ years at the Berlinale," he wrote alongside a picture of Ranveer meeting the audience post the premiere. Ranveer performed an energetic rap on film's track "Apna Time Aayega" at the screening and had a "memorable" night. The film has become one of the most anticipated projects in 2019, something that Zoya, known for films such as "Luck By Chance", "Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara" and "Dil Dhadkane Do", did not anticipate. "I knew that it will get certain attention because there is Ranveer and Alia in the film and my film is coming after three years. But I did not expect the buzz to be this much. We just hope we live up to it now," she added. "Gully Boy", produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar, also stars Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Vijay Raaz. It will release on February 14. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi Monday expressed his "deep grief" over the killing of Krishnaganj Trinamool Congress MLA Satyajit Biswas inside a Sarswati Puja marquee. Tripathi conveyed condolences to the bereaved family, Biswas' friends and supporters, a statement released from the Raj Bhawan, here said. Biswas was killed on Saturday at Phoolbari area, about 15 km from the Bangladesh border. BJP leader Mukul Roy and four others have been named in the FIR in connection with the killing of the TMC MLA. Two persons have been arrested in connection with the killing while the revolver that was allegdly used in the murder was sent for forensic tests. While the TMC has held the BJP responsible for the murder of their MLA, the saffron party has blamed the internal feud in TMC for it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump takes his politically explosive push for walling off the Mexican border to the frontier city of El Paso on Monday, four days before a deadline for Congress to meet his demands. The president's campaign-style rally in El Paso will give Trump the kind of populist platform he loves. According to Trump, illegal immigrants pose a national security risk to the United States and can only be stopped by dramatic extensions of current barriers. It's an argument he backs up with lurid warnings about rapists and people traffickers extending far into the American heartland -- a message that critics describe as blatantly xenophobic and based on heavily manipulated data. Trump chose El Paso as a historic crossing point where, he says, walls have eradicated an out-of-control influx of criminals from Mexico and made the city a model for what could happen elsewhere on the border. But there'll be a counter-message a short distance from where Trump speaks when rising Democratic star Beto O'Rourke -- a possible challenger to Trump in 2020 -- holds his own rally. A former congressman who excited grassroots Democrats last November with an against-the-odds near upset of Republican Senator Ted Cruz, O'Rourke is from El Paso. And his message will provide a stark contrast to that of the president. "While some try to stoke fear and paranoia, to spread lies and a false narrative about the US-Mexico border and to demand a 2,000 mile wall along it at a time of record safety and security, El Paso will come together for a march and celebration that highlights the truth," O'Rourke's office said. Trump has been leading chants of "build the wall" at rallies since his 2016 election campaign. But he has failed to persuade Congress to fund construction and the risk of being forced into a humiliating climb down has put him in a tight corner. In December, Trump retaliated by refusing to fund swaths of the government, leading to a five week shutdown of some 800,000 federal jobs. Now, Congress has until Friday to come up with wall money or Trump says he could impose another shutdown. Negotiations are on a knife-edge. The president is demanding USD 5.7 billion for the project. Democrats, who control the House of Representatives, and Trump's Republicans, who control the Senate, reported a setback over the weekend, with both sides haggling over the amount of potential money and what exactly it would be spent on. Trump could either hit back with a new shutdown or declare a national emergency, giving himself power to take the money from the military, although this would likely provoke lawsuits and even more political recriminations. "He's going to do whatever he legally can to secure the border," acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said on NBC on Sunday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) or Train 18's air conditioned chair car ticket would cost Rs 1,850 and the executive class fare will be Rs 3,520 for a Delhi to Varanasi trip, including the catering service charges, officials told PTI Monday. On its return journey, the chair car ticket will cost Rs 1,795 and the executive car ticket will be priced at Rs 3,470, they said. While the chair car fares are 1.5 times the price of Shatabdi trains running the same distance, the executive class fares are 1.4 times of first class air conditioned seating in the premium train, the official sources said. The semi-high speed train is scheduled to be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 15. The train has two classes of tickets -- executive class and chair car -- and will have differently priced meals, the sources said. While passengers travelling from New Delhi to Varanasi in the executive class will be charged Rs 399 for morning tea, breakfast and lunch, travellers in the chair car will need to pay Rs 344 for the same. Those travelling from New Delhi to Kanpur and Prayagraj will have to pay Rs 155 and Rs 122 for executive class and chair car, respectively. From Varanasi to New Delhi, the passengers will be charged Rs 349 and Rs 288 in the executive class and chair, respectively. (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.) Rep. Randy Bridges' Legislative Update By Representative Randy Bridges PADUCAH - After reconvening for the February portion of the 2019 General Assembly on Tuesday, legislators spent the majority of this week filing legislation and meeting with our committees to consider bills and resolutions. On Thursday night, legislators from the House and Senate convened a joint session to hear the Governors State of the Commonwealth Address.While there are numerous issues under discussion, there is no doubt that school safety is the top priority of this session. Thats why it carries the unique designation of both House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1 as securing our school buildings and providing more resources to troubled youth are among the most important actions that the General Assembly could take.This bipartisan priority began moving this past week, with SB 1 moving through committee and passing the Senate on Friday. The House Education Committee heard and discussed the bill in committee last week, and will be using feedback from stakeholders and other legislators to improve the measure. I look forward to fully supporting this legislation when we take it up to the House, as keeping our students safe in school is of the upmost importance.In keeping with a culture of openness and bipartisanship, the Public Pension Working Group has also continued to meet throughout January and February to tackle the Commonwealths pension crisis. This group was formed in January with the goal of coming to a solution to the states $43 billion unfunded liability, which not only threatens the retirement of our valued teachers and public employees, but weakens our ability to pay for other vital services like education, school safety, and more.Feedback from affected parties on this issue, including taxpayers, is critical to coming to a consensus that stops the bleeding of our pension systems. I hope to continue hearing from many of you on this issue, and the working group will also continue taking testimony from a wide range of stakeholders while working toward a solution.Some important bills began moving through legislative committees this week that will improve treatment options for our fellow citizens affected by the drug epidemic, boost job opportunities, and more. For example, House Bill 121 passed the Health and Family Services Committee, a measure that would eliminate waiting periods often imposed by insurance companies for medication-based treatment for substance abuse. This bill would allow patients to receive critical life-saving treatment right away, and is a critical step in the fight against the opioid epidemic.The Health and Welfare Committee also approved HCR 3, a resolution that calls on Congress to expedite research on medical marijuana. Medical marijuana has become a hot topic across the nation as 31 states have already legalized it in some form. The resolution calls on federal regulators to move forward with research into the benefits and risks of the drug in order to provide us with evidence-based and scientifically sound medical marijuana policies before we take any action on the issue.Among the bills filed this week is HB 4, legislation that would allow legislators more oversight into the states regulatory process, ensuring that the intent of the bills we passed is actually followed when state agencies make regulations. The legislature currently has the ability to monitor regulations and point out issues, but the agencies that write the regulations are under no obligation to actually address legislators concerns. House Bill 4 would require the legislature to issue an annual report on regulations that legislators feel do not meet legislative intent. The legislature would then have the opportunity to clarify the issue through new legislation.On another note, the Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet recently announced plans to allocate $20 million for maintenance and facility upgrades to Kentucky State Parks. These dollars were approved by the General Assembly in 2018 as a bond pool, and will be used to provide critical upgrades to replace dire maintenance needs. These include replacing aging lodge roofs, upgrading campgrounds, repairing swimming pools and more, as part of an effort to ensure that our parks are attractive to tourists from across the country.Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with your thoughts on all of the important issues facing us in Frankfort. It is an honor for me to serve as your voice in Frankfort, and I will continue to keep you informed as the 2019 session moves forward. TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee Monday said those involved in the killing of his party's MLA Satyajit Biswas will not be spared and they "will be pulled by the collar and brought back to Kolkata" even if they flee the city. "If someone feels that he can escape after the killing of TMC MLA Satyajit Biswas, then he is living in a fool's paradise," Abhishek told reporters after visiting the family of the deceased MLA. "If someone thinks that he can run away to Delhi and escape the law, then he can rest assured that we will pull him by his collar and bring him back to Kolkata," the TMC Youth Congress president and nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, without naming anybody. Four people, including BJP leader Mukul Roy, were booked on Sunday in connection with the killing of the Krishnaganj MLA in Nadia district. Roy has denied the allegation. The BJP has also denied any involvement in the killing of Biswas and claimed that it might be the result of infighting in the Trinamool Congress. Abhishek dubbed the BJP's claims as "propaganda" to "hide its sins". "If there is infighting (in the TMC), BJP should name the two groups. Why isn't it naming them? It should. The fact is that the BJP is trying to vitiate the atmosphere ahead of the Lok Sabha elections," he said. When contacted by PTI, Roy said, "He (Abhishek Banerjee) didn't name anyone so I won't say anything... But I will say that wherever TMC leaders and cadres are murdered, they are blaming the BJP. They (TMC) should first try to control their infighting." A former TMC MP and right-hand man of Mamata, Roy joined the BJP last year after his relations soured with the chief minister. Two of the four people booked for the killing -- Kartik Mondal and Sujit Mondal -- were arrested on Sunday and remanded to police custody for 14 days. The officer in-charge of local Hanskhali police station and Biswas' personal security officer were suspended amid allegations that there was no security cover despite the presence of the MLA and minister at the Saraswati Puja celebrations venue, where the killing took place on Saturday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) / -- The newest programme of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's SPJIMR, the Post Graduate Management Programme for Women (PGMPW), has won the 'MBA Innovation Award' at the 2019 edition of the Association of MBAs (AMBA) Excellence Awards. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/688342/SPJIMR_Logo.jpg ) The PGMPW is a 11-month course designed in partnership with industry leaders. It is the only programme tailored to the needs of women who seek to return to work after a career break. The programme prepares and positions mid-career women professionals and at the same time helps industry hire top talent and build a more gender diverse workplace. The PGMPW is into its second year at SPJIMR and is regarded as one of the Institute's notable innovations. AMBA said, "The prestigious award is a celebration of innovation and radical thinking in MBA delivery across all areas of the Business School and has been developed to recognise and reward brilliant new practices. It promotes the value of risk-taking in pursuit of the new." Some 200 B-School leaders representing 46 Business Schools across the world attended the glittering awards ceremony held earlier this month in London, the headquarters of AMBA. SPJIMR's PGMPW Chairperson and Professor of Marketing Dr. Ashita Aggarwal was at the ceremony to receive the award. Dr. Aggarwal later said, "SPJIMR positions itself as an institute that is known for two key attributes - courage and heart. Both of these words are at the heart of the PGMPW, and its unique positioning and purpose. The programme stands testimony to the fact that business decisions can be very courageous and can be taken from the heart. It takes a lot of perseverance for our participants to do a one-year, rigorous, fully-residential programme, leaving their kids and families back home." Among the first graduating cohort, 90 per cent of PGMPW students were placed with reputed organisations in roles higher than their most-recent positions. The candidates achieved an average salary increase of more than 50 per cent. SPJIMR Dean Dr. Ranjan Banerjee said, "The PGMPW is the beginning of a larger effort to support the cause of bringing talented women back to the workforce. While we are pleased to receive early global recognition, this is a long and difficult journey, and we have only just begun." Andrew Main Wilson, CEO of AMBA, said: "On behalf of the AMBA and Business Graduates Association (BGA) team, I would like to congratulate the Finalists and Winners of this year's AMBA Excellence Awards." "The quality of Award entries was once again very high this year and we are proud to celebrate the achievements and innovation so clearly evident in AMBA's network of Schools and their students," he added. SPJIMR's mission is to 'Influence Practice' and 'Promote Value-based Growth'. The School aspires to be Asia's most innovative and socially-responsive school of management. The finalists list was shortlisted by AMBA's senior management team who reviewed 76 entries. The judges reviewed 27 shortlisted entries. The judging panel was made up of AMBA board members, business experts, Deans, and management leaders. About SPJIMR: S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) (http://www.spjimr.org ) is a constituent of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and is ranked among the top ten business schools in India. As a premier school of management, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's SPJIMR is noted for pedagogic innovations and pioneering programmes, which have helped the Institute stand out for its unique and distinctive path in management The mission of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's SPJIMR is to 'Influence Practice' and 'Promote Value-based Growth'. The Institute currently operates from its 45-acre campus in Andheri, Mumbai, and a campus in New Delhi. To avoid confusing us with any other institution, look for the five strokes logo and the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan association. Source: S.P. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court Monday allowed NGO Naz Foundation Trust to withdraw its curative plea challenging the apex court's 2013 verdict that had again criminalised gay sex between two consenting adults. A bench headed comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna considered the plea of the NGO that its curative plea has now become infructuous in view of the five-judge constitution bench verdict in 2018 which had set aside the 2013 judgement. The trust, which had first knocked doors of the Delhi High Court with its plea in 2001, seeking decriminalising of the consensual sexual act, had filed the curative petition. After the 2013 verdict, the Supreme Court had dismissed the review plea that had laid the foundation to file the curative petition. However, a five-judge constitution bench headed by then Chief Justice Dipak Misra entertained fresh petitions seeking decriminalising of the consensual gay sex. The NGO said that the 2018 judgement had already set aside the earlier one, and hence it be allowed to take back its curative petition. The apex court allowed it. A five-judge bench had on September 6 last year unanimously struck down part of the British-era law and held that Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code that criminalised consensual gay sex was "irrational, indefensible and manifestly arbitrary". The bench had held that the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community possess the same constitutional rights as any other citizen and part of Section 377, which prohibits sexual relationship between consenting adults of the same sex, is violative of the right to equality and the right to live with dignity. The court referred to its 2013 verdict and said that upholding the validity of Section 377 on the ground that LGBTs comprised a minuscule fraction of the total population was constitutionally "impermissible" and the law was being misused. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Personal amenities of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have reached Islamabad, ahead of his two-day trip to Pakistan during which investment deals worth billions of dollars are expected to be signed between the two decades-old allies, according to a media report on Monday. The powerful heir to the oil-rich kingdom is expected to arrive in Pakistan this week, but the exact date of his arrival has not been disclosed due to security reasons. The crown prince's belongings, including his exercise equipment and furniture, reached Islamabad in five trucks, the Dawn reported quoting Saudi Embassy sources. His security team and Saudi media representatives also arrived in the capital ahead of his visit. This will be the first visit of Mohammed as the crown prince. He had earlier visited Pakistan as defence minister at the start of the Yemen conflict. While the prince himself is expected to stay at the Prime Minister House, two of the top hotels in Islamabad have been booked fully for members of his staff, while two others hotels have been partially booked. The crown prince is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan and other senior civil and military leaders. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A senior Russian diplomat says Venezuela hasn't asked Russia for military assistance amid the South American country's political crisis. Alexander Shchetinin, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Latin America department, said Monday that Moscow hasn't received any such request from Caracas, according to Russian reports. Asked to compare the situation in Venezuela to Syria, where Russia has waged a military campaign to shore up President Bashar Assad's government, Shchetinin said "there is a big difference" between Syria and Venezuela but wouldn't elaborate. At the same time, the Russian diplomat strongly warned the US against making calls on the Venezuelan military to drop support for President Nicolas Maduro, saying it represented an "unthinkable meddling into foreign affairs of a sovereign nation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Monday said the Rafale deal is "unravelling" faster than the government thought, with issues such as "parallel negotiations" by the PMO and changes in the standard defence procurement procedure coming to the fore. The opposition party's attack on the government came after a report in The Hindu newspaper claimed that the deal between India and France involved "major and unprecedented" concessions from the Indian government, with critical provisions for anti-corruption penalties and making payments through an escrow account dropped days before the signing of the inter-governmental agreement (IGA). Senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram said the Rafale deal is unravelling faster than the government thought. "First, it was the loading of the India Specific Enhancement costs on 36 aircraft instead of 126 aircraft giving a bonanza to Dassault. Then it was the revelation that 'parallel negotiations' were being carried on by PMO undermining the efforts of the Indian Negotiating Team," he said in a series of tweets. Now it is revealed that crucial changes were made to the clauses in the standard Defence Procurement Procedure, he said. "No sovereign guarantee, no bank guarantee, no escrow account, yet a huge amount was paid as advance," Chidambaram alleged. Lashing out at the Modi government,he said, "No penalty clause for undue influence, no clause against agency commission, no clause for access to suppliers' accounts, and Dassault goes laughing all the way to the bank." Citing the media report, Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Modiji, after waiving off sovereign guarantee in Rafale deal, you also waived off the 'anti-corruption measure' of a 'safeguard Escrow A/c'! What is the corruption you wanted to hide?" The whole country is abuzz that "chowkidar chor hai", he said. The Congress has been alleging irregularities in the Rafale deal but the government has vehemently rejected all allegations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States is likely just weeks away from starting the withdrawal of ground troops from Syria, the head of the U.S. Central Command, Army General Joseph Votel said. Votel cautioned that the exact timing would depend on the situation in Syria, where U.S.-backed fighters have launched a final assault against ISIS enclaves near the Iraqi border. Asked whether the withdrawal of Americas more than 2,000 troops would begin in days or weeks, the army general said: Probably weeks. But again, it will all be driven by the situation on the ground. In terms of the withdrawal ... I think were right on track with where we wanted to be, Votel said. Moving people is easier than moving equipment and so what were trying to do right now is again (to) kind of clear out those materials, that equipment, that we do not need," Reuters cited him as saying. Opposition party the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Monday urged the Punjab Assembly Speaker to extend the Budget session to 21 days so that state's "burning issues" are discussed in the House. A SAD delegation, including former ministers Bikram Singh Majithia, Daljit Singh Cheema and former chief parliamentary secretary N K Sharma, met Speaker Rana K P Singh and submitted a letter demanding the Budget session be extended to 21 days. "The burning issues like unprecedented increase in farmer suicides, discrimination against Dalits, manhandling of teachers, among others, should be discussed," the SAD said. The Punjab Assembly session will begin with governor's address on February 12, while the Budget estimates for 2019-20 would be presented before the House on February 18. The session will conclude on February 2. The SAD urged the speaker to ensure that the Congress did not "ride roughshod" over the aspirations of the common man and ensure all public issues are allowed to be raised in the Budget session. "Farm suicides have reached the 800 figure and that this issue should be discussed as the victim families were also not getting Rs 10 lakh compensation and a government job as promised to them," Majithia later told the reporters. He said farmers across the state were feeling "betrayed" as the government failed to implement the Rs 90,000 crore complete loan waiver. "Misleading figures of crop loan waiver are being issued by the government. Had the farmers benefitted from this scheme the suicides would have stopped and not go up," he said, adding, "even the poster boy of the Congress farm loan waiver scheme -- Budh Singh -- had also been betrayed by the government". The SAD delegation also demanded an urgent discussion on the "violence" unleashed on women teachers who were holding a peaceful protest at Patiala on Sunday. Several teachers were injured on Sunday when police lathicharged a group of teachers who were marching towards Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's residence to protest against conditions set for their regularisation. Majithia demanded registration of criminal cases against police officials, adding no elected government could behave in such a manner with teachers who had been entrusted with the responsibility of moulding future generations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Germany should not have taken a decision on the construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline in Europe single-handedly, Munich Security Conference chairman Wolfgang Ischinger believes. If we want a European foreign policy, then we should also have a common foreign energy policy. In the future, such decisions should not be taken single-handedly, an experienced German diplomat told Deutschlandfunk. According to him, if Europe is committed to a common European foreign policy, then energy policy cannot be bracketed. "The fact that we believed that we could complete it as a project which is not subject to a pan-European consensus and decision making was a minor inherent defect in Germanys policy on the Nord Stream 2 issue," Ischinger said. At the same time, he warned that allowing the failure of the project would be a violation of German policy's fundamental principles. If it is done by amending the existing rules, it will be a violation of the principles that have always been very important for Germany's political behavior, Ischinger said. The main lesson from the Nord Stream 2 controversy is that something like this should not happen again. In the future, such projects should be European-based, Ischinger stressed. A leading analyst of the National Energy Security Fund, a lecturer at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Igor Yushkov, speaking to Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that Wolfgang Ischinger rather advocates American interests, than European ones, and the factor of American influence will spoil any prospects of introducing a consensus energy policy in the European Union. "It would be really beneficial for the EU countries to introduce a common energy policy and ensure EU energy security together, but only if they defend their own interests, not foreign ones. Ischinger, who recently attended the Gaidar Forum in Moscow, pursued a rather critical line in relation to Russia, for example, he said that Russia should fulfill the Minsk agreements alone, after which the West would settle the Ukrainian crisis, and absolutely did not want to hear that Russia had already fulfilled everything she had to. He demanded that Russia should remain in the INF treaty after the U.S. exit and , things like that, Igor Yushkov said. If all EU countries defended only European interests and thought only of their own energy security, Russia would support the introduction of a common energy policy with both hands. Meanwhile, the experience of Nord Stream 2 shows that some EU countries often pursue policies in the interests of foreign suppliers, such as the U.S. In purely economic terms, Nord Stream 2 only strengthens the EUs energy security, as Russia diversifies gas delivery routes to Europe by building a completely new gas pipeline, which will work more reliably than 30-40-year-old Ukrainian gas pipelines that have not undergone modernization," the expert pointed out. "For some reason, they rarely say that LNG terminals for 200 billion cubic meters of gas have been built in Europe. Every year they are filled only by a quarter, that is, technically, the EU can purchase alternative gas in the volumes supplied by Russia. Theoretically Europe will be able to do without Russia's pipeline gas - but it does not happen, moreover, Gazprom has set records in terms of European gas exports for three years in a row. American LNG is more expensive than our pipeline gas," he explained. It is also important that the EUs common energy policy, in fact, already exists, and Nord Stream 2 is implemented by Gazprom strictly according to European rules. But Wolfgang Ischinger wants gas pipelines permits were issued by Brussels, not by the governments which will use these pipes. The EU energy union is being created precisely with a view to such regulation - indicating to each company who can buy gas and who cannot. It doesn't look like it was done in the interests of European countries and consumers," a lecturer at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation concluded. The Parliamentary panel on Information Technology has summoned the head of microblogging site Twitter to appear before it on February 25, the committee's chairman Anurag Thakur said on Monday. Committee members took a serious note about the Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey not appearing before it on Monday. While representatives from Twitter's India office reached the meeting venue here, they were not called in for deliberations by the panel, according to sources. The panel decided to call Twitter officials against the backdrop of growing concerns about safeguarding citizens' data privacy and possibility that social media could be used to interfere in elections. Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the government has been warning social media platforms of strong action if any attempt was made to influence the country's electoral process through undesirable means. On Saturday, Twitter in a statement had cited "short notice of the hearing" for its CEO Dorsey not being able to attend the Monday meeting. The committee's chairman and BJP MP Thakur Monday said Twitter head and other representatives have been "summoned" to appear before the panel on February 25. There was no immediate comment from Twitter. The panel was scheduled to hear the views of the representatives of Ministry of Electronics and IT and Twitter on 'Safeguarding citizens rights on social/ online media platforms'. Senior officials from the IT ministry were present at the meeting here on Monday. Earlier scheduled for February 7, the meeting was postponed to Monday to give more time to Twitter CEO and other senior officials to make themselves available, sources said last week. On Monday, sources said the panel would be meeting next on February 26. The heads of social media platforms like Facebook might also be asked to appear before it on February 26 but a final call is yet to be taken, they added. Facing heat over allegations of political bias in the country, Twitter last week said it was committed to remain unbiased and that its product as well as policies are never based on political ideology. The government has been taking a strong view of misuse of social media platforms and is also proposing to amend IT rules to curb fake and increase accountability of such apps. Over the last few months, Facebook, Twitter and Google have promised to infuse more transparency into political advertisements on their platform, and have since announced a slew of measures as part of election integrity efforts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistani troops Monday targeted forward posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting "strong and effective" retaliation by the Indian Army, officials said. The exchange of fire between the two sides continued for nearly seven hours, causing panic among the locals, the officials said. They said Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked firing from light and heavy weapons in Kerni sector around 8.15 am. Indian troops guarding the LoC, retaliated effectively and the cross-border firing between the two sides continued till 3 pm, the officials said, adding there was no immediate report of any casualty on this side. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's top court on Monday set a one-month deadline for the completion of any inquiry against Pakistan Army officers who allegedly distributed millions of rupees among politicians and public figures to manipulate the 1990 elections. A three-member bench headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed heard the implementation of court's decision given in 2012 in the Asghar Khan Case, which was initially launched in mid-1990s. During the hearing, Justice Ahmed asked why court martial proceedings were not initiated against the army officers. Attorney General Mansoor Ali Khan responded that no actionable evidence was found against anyone. The judge reprimanded the defence ministry for its failure to take action and ordered it to investigate the army officers in four weeks and file a reply. The order by the court came after the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) submitted its report in the court on February 9 and also sought its help to further probe the matter. In its report, the FIA highlighted several reasons due to which the investigation could not reach a logical conclusion. It said that "no army officer gave any statement of handing over money to any private person directly." The court in its 2012 judgment said that former army chief Gen Aslam Baig and former ISI chief Lt-Gen Asad Durrani were also involved in the case. Earlier, Durrani in one of his affidavits submitted in the apex court accepted that money was given to a group of politician to influence elections in 1990. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Nawaz Sharif was also allegedly among the recipients. As a result, Pakistan Peoples Party lost and an alliance led by Sharif won. Sharif became prime minister for the first time. Pakistan's powerful military has ruled the country through various coups for nearly half of the country's history since independence in 1947. The military plays an important role in the country's decision making. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Expressing concern over becoming a business in Pakistan, the Supreme Court on Monday said that private schools are not a money-making industry and hinted at directing the government to take control of such educational institutes. A three-member bench comprising Justices Gulzar Ahmed, Faisal Arbab and Ijazul Ahsan made the remarks during the hearing of a case regarding the use of contemptuous language in a letter addressed to the top judge by the administrations of two private schools in Islamabad, the Geo TV reported. "How did you have the audacity to term the court's decision regarding hike in school fee 'a draconian judgment'. Your letters to parents are in contempt of court," Justice Ahsan told the private school authorities. Justice Gulzar added, "What kind of things do you write? We should close your schools and can even nationalise them. We can ask the government to handle the administrative affairs of your schools." The letter pertained to the apex court's decision ordering a 20 per cent decrease in the fee charged by the private schools, Express reported. The December 13, 2018 order was applicable to private schools charging over Rs 5,000 per month. It also restricted them to a maximum 8 per cent increase per year with the permission of a regulator. The apex court also directed administrations to return half the fee charged for summer vacations or adjust the amount, it added. The private school's counsel clarified that the administration did not intent to disrespect the court. "We apologise to the court. No such thing will happen again." Justice Gulzar responded, "You can submit a written apology and we will take a look. We will get an audit done to check whether you have black or white money."" has been made into a business," he said and added, "Schools are not a money-making industry.""There's not a drop of shame in the eyes of private school owners," he added. The counsel of the private schools then told the court, "We did not intend to insult the court and have implemented court orders and reduced fee." However, Justice Gulzar said, "We are aware of the kind of comments that were passed after the court order. Why don't we deal with private schools and order the government to take charge of them. Schools are neither an industry nor a money-making sector." The court then adjourned the hearing of the case for two weeks. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's Finance Minister Asad Umar Monday expressed hope that ties with India will improve after the general elections as he underlined the need to increase regional trade and improve relations with neighbouring countries. The finance minister in his address to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Peshawar talked at length about his vision to build trade relations with all neighbouring countries. He said experts mostly from the western world rightly believe that increase in the regional trade including between Pakistan and India is important. But added that it was not immediately possible due to Pakistan factor in Indian elections. "As far as the east (India) is concerned, it seems that (there can be no progress) until elections are over in India. Half of their election campaigns are based on anti-Pakistan rhetoric, so right now they are busy with that. Once the elections are over, we hope that their behaviour will be better," he said. The Indo-Pak ties strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based terrorists in 2016 and India's surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The ties further nose-dived in 2017 with no bilateral talks talking place between them. India has made it clear to Pakistan that talks and terrorism cannot go together. Foreign Minister Umar said that Pakistan was looking to also deepen trade relations with Iran and Afghanistan. Umar said trade ties with China were moving upward due to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor but it was not enough as Pakistan needed "to improve relations and boost trade with (countries in) both the west and east of the region." The minister said that Pakistan and Turkey were working on a strategic economic framework to build long term economic ties. He said Pakistan wanted that Iran should also become part of the framework. He said Pakistan would facilitate Turkey to reach India and China and conversely use Turkey for trade with Europe. The finance minister also commented on the Afghan peace process and said that "Pakistan should play whatever role it can" in ensuring peace in the neighbouring country. The finance minister also said Pakistan was in favour of peace in Afghanistan as it there would be no peace in Pakistan unless there was peace in Afghanistan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian Air Force airlifted over 700 stranded passengers, including students, from Jammu to Srinagar on Monday, a defence spokesperson said. With this, the IAF has airlifted 1,431 people in the past four days, a defence spokesman said. For the first time, two C-17 Aircraft airlifted 707 passengers simultaneously from the Jammu Air Force Station, the spokesman said. Thousands of people were left stranded in Jammu following the closure of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, in the wake of heavy snowfall on Wednesday. The spokesperson said the relief effort has been undertaken jointly by the IAF and civil administration. "In first sortie, a total of 301 and in the second sortie 406 passengers, including students, were airlifted," he said. He said Jammu Air Commodore S K Mishra personally supervised the entire operation at Jammu Airbase. "All the passengers were also provided with food packets by the Jammu-based Tiger Division. The passengers were extremely thankful to the civil administration and armed forces for a great humanitarian relief in the time of dire necessity," the spokesperson said. As many as 538 persons, including 319 GATE aspirants, were airlifted in separate sorties by the IAF between the twin capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar, a defence spokesman had said on Saturday. The IAF launched special sorties of C17 Globemaster, airlifting a total of 538 persons, including 319 Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) aspirants, between the twin capitals on Friday and Saturday. Another group of 186 passengers, mostly the GATE aspirants, were airlifted by the IAF on Sunday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With opposition leaders coming in support of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu's fast here, the BJP Monday claimed that its rivals joining hands will help it as all of them are "in a dock" over one charge or another. BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao told reporters that his party opponents are coming together against the "honest" Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their political survival. "This sight will help us. They are all in a dock over some charges and fighting for their political survival. They have no agenda and no leader," he said. He said this is a sight of "maha-milawat" (high adulteration), a term used by Modi to describe the coming together of opposition leaders against him. Rao also hit out at Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Naidu dubbing his fast a "drama" and asserted he is certain to lose power in the assembly elections. Naidu was on a daylong fast demanding the special category status for his state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All "corrupt and opportunists" have united to form the 'Mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance), but their desire to oust Narendra Modi will not be fulfilled as the people of this country are standing with the prime minister, BJP national secretary Arun Singh said Monday. Addressing a press conference here, Singh said the opposition parties "do not have any agenda or policy, their sole intention was to grab power". "All corrupt and opportunists have united to form a 'Mahagathbandhan' out of fear of Narendra Modi. Their desire, however, will never be fulfilled as the people of this country are standing behind Modi ji like a rock," he said. The BJP leader, who was in the Steel City to take part in a conference of booth-level party workers, also highlighted the achievements of the NDA government under Modi's leadership. "The country is the fastest growing economy in the world with an average GDP growth rate of 7.3 per cent. The travel index has also improved in the past five years, attracting over one crore foreign tourists in 2017 against 69 lakh in 2013," he said. Describing the Congress as "factory of lies", Singh said its president Rahul Gandhi functioned as the chief executive officer of the factory. He also asserted that the saffron party will perform better than the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the next Assembly election in West Bengal. "A reign of terror has been unleashed in Bengal under the TMC. Over 70 BJP activists have been killed," he claimed. Asked about Monday's road show in Uttar Pradesh by Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, Singh said the fate of the show will be similar to the one that was organized by Rahul Gandhi and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav during the last Assembly polls. The BJP, along with its allies, had registered a thumping victory the 2017 Assembly election in Uttar Pradesh, winning 325 seats in the 403-member House. Singh, who is also the party in-charge of Odisha, said the BJP has set a target of winning 121 Assembly seats in the BJD-ruled state. "People of Odisha will support the BJP as they are fed up of 19-year misrule of the BJD government," he maintained. Talking about the upcoming general election, he expressed hope that the saffron party will get more seats than it did in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. In Jharkhand, the saffron party will win all 14 Lok Sabha seats, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 64-year-old man was killed and four persons, inclding three of his family members, were injured Monday when their car collided with another vehicle on the Mumbai-Goa national highway near Udhale Khed in Ratnagiri district, police said. The car was headed to Ambarnath in Thane district from Chiplun in Ratnagiri. The deceased is identified as Ghanashyam Juvekar, a resident of Ambarnath, and the injured persons as Avani (28), Anuradha (40), and Vishvesh, a police official said, adding that one Samadhan Pawar who was travelling in another car, also sustained injuries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lawyers of all the bar associations in Odisha, including that of Orissa High Court, joined the two-day nationwide demonstrations in response to a call given by the Bar Council of India (BCI). The State Bar Council last week had decided to extend its support to the BCI and accordingly it requested all the lawyers of the state to join the February 11 and 12 agitations in protest against alleged indifferent attitude of the Union government towards the cause of the lawyers. As part of the nationwide protest, lawyers in Odisha took out rallies from their respective bars, marched towards the offices of district collectors and tehsildars in their areas and submitted memoranda addressed to the Prime Minister, said State Bar Council, chairman, Tahali Charan Mohanty. Lawyers of Orissa High Court and other bars located here also took out a rally and submitted the memorandum to Cuttack district collector. Cuttack lawyers along with their colleagues of Bhubaneswar will also submit a copy of the memorandum to the state Governor on Tuesday. Among others, the lawyers are demanding better infrastructural facilities for courts across the country and a budgetary allocation of Rs 5,000 crore for financial protection, stipend and insurance cover for lawyers and their families. The lawyers are also demanding amendment to the Legal Services Authority Act so as to allow lawyers to head the authorities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu will make a visit to Ankara today upon the invitation of Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar. The ministers are expected to hold talks focused on the latest development in Syria, particularly in Idlib province, Daily Sabah reported. The talks will take place ahead of the trilateral leader's summit between Turkey, Russia and Iran that will be held in Sochi on February 14. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Honda delivered 136,483 vehicles in China last month with a year-on-year (YoY) growth of 8.2%, recording a new-high performance in January sales for its Chinese market, according to the Japanese automaker's China sales report. Both joint ventures achieved blooming outset in 2019 as well. GAC Honda saw its monthly deliveries rose 7% from a year ago to 75,792 units, while Dongfeng Honda also gained a YoY increase of 9.6% with 60,691 vehicles handed over in total. A total of 7 models got their respective sales exceeding 10,000 units in January, namely, the ACCORD, the CIVIC, the CR-V, the CRIDER, the FIT, the VEZEL and the XR-V. To be specific, GAC Honda-owned ACCORD, with 23,649 units delivered, had a YoY sales jump of 24.9%. Particularly, the deliveries of the ACCORD HYBRID, which is equipped with the dual-motor hybrid system dubbed SPORT HYBRID i-MMD, leapt 31% over a year earlier to 2,524 units. In addition, the deliveries of the CR-V climbed 14.2% year on year to 15,711 units, among which the sales of the CR-V HYBRID skyrocketed 88.5% to 2,094 units. The other Dongfeng Honda's model, the CIVIC, had a sales volume of 19,283 units with a remarkable YoY growth of 45.7%. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is campaigning for re-election, has vowed to freeze money transfers by Israel to the Palestinian Authority after a deadly Palestinian attack on a young woman. Israel collects around $127 million a month in customs duties levied on goods destined for Palestinian markets that transit through Israeli ports and then transfers it to the PA. The Israeli parliament, the Knesset, last year passed legislation to partially withhold funds, in response to PA payments to families of Palestinians jailed by Israel for attacks against Israelis. "By the end of the week, the staff-work necessary for implementing the law on deducting terrorists' salaries will be completed," Netanyahu -- who faces a general election in April -- told journalists Sunday at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting. "Next Sunday I will convene the security cabinet and we will approve the necessary decision to deduct the funds. Let nobody doubt, the funds will be deducted, at the start of next week," the Israeli leader said. Education Minister Naftali Bennett was among right-wingers who on Sunday pressed Netanyahu to iplement the law after a Palestinian was arrested at the weekend over the murder of 19-year-old Ori Ansbacher. "The law to offset terrorist funds passed... last July," he Tweeted. "I call on the prime minister - apply the law immediately." Palestinian civil affairs minister Hussein al-Sheikh said the PA would not go along with Israel withholding any part of the tax money due. "The Palestinian Authority will refuse to receive any cleared funds if Israel deducts a penny from it," he told AFP. He did not say what the PA's next step would be. The Israeli army said Sunday it had started preparations to demolish the West Bank home of the Palestinian suspected of Ansbacher's killing, named by security officials as 29-year-old Arafat Irfaiya from the flashpoint city of Hebron on the occupied West Bank. "Overnight, troops operated in Hebron, where the suspect in the murder of Ori Ansbacher is from," the army said. "During the operation, the troops surveyed the suspect's house in order to examine the possibility of its demolition." Ansbacher's body was found late Thursday in southeast Jerusalem, and she was buried the next day in her Israeli settlement of Tekoa. Israeli security forces arrested the suspect in a raid in the West Bank city of Ramallah. On Sunday, the Shin Bet security agency said the murderer had "nationalist" motives. Netanyahu visited Ansbacher's parents on Sunday evening, also telling them that the results of the investigation "determined that the murder was carried out for a nationalist motive," the prime minister's office said. Both the police and Shin Bet said previously that investigations had not concluded whether it was a "terrorist attack" or driven by another motive. But in the run-up to general elections in April, politicians and Israeli media appeared to have already made up their minds. "I have no doubts about the nationalist motives of the murderer," said Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan. Commenting on calls to execute Palestinian militant killers, Erdan said he was in favour of applying the death penalty in certain circumstances. "If it becomes clear that there is no possibility of rehabilitating the murderer and that he abused his victim, in such cases capital punishment should be applied," he said. "The time has come to employ the death penalty for terrorists, as the law allows us to do," the daily Maariv quoted MP Bezalel Smotrich of the far-right Jewish Home party as saying. Despite a court gag order, Israeli social media were abuzz over the weekend with what Yediot Aharonot newspaper called "graphic descriptions about the alleged nature of the murder". Police called on the public not to share "publications and reports, especially on social media, about the circumstances of the murder case -- including irresponsible horrific descriptions." "We hereby clarify that those are completely baseless publications," it said. Sponsors of July's law on Palestinian funds wrote at the time that the PA paid around $330 million a year to prisoners and their families, or seven percent of its budget. Israel has withheld payments in the past, notably in response to the Palestinians' 2011 admission to the UN cultural agency UNESCO as a full member. The PA, which has limited sovereignty in parts of the West Bank, relies heavily on outside financial aid. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nearly 2,000 posts of teachers in government colleges of Rajasthan are vacant, minister for higher Bhanwar Singh Bhati told the state assembly here on Monday. Replying to a question raised by Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP) legislator Rajkumar Raot, Bhati said the vacancies will soon be filled. He said nearly 2,000 posts of teachers are vacant in the state's 252 government colleges and RPSC has been designated to fill 850 of these posts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal Monday allowed 22 companies of crisis-hit IL&FS group to service their debt obligations. Besides, a two-member bench headed by Justice S J Mukhopadhaya approved appointment of former Supreme Court judge Justice D K Jain to supervise resolution process of IL&FS group. The appellate tribunal also lifted moratorium and allows 133 IL&FS firms incorporated outside India to continue with the resolution process. "We allow (companies under green categories) the board to permit the company to service debt obligations as per schedule," the firm said. The NCLAT was hearing the government plea over IL&FS group. Earlier this month, the corporate affairs ministry submitted the debt resolution plan for IL&FS. The entire resolution process would be based on the principles enunciated in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, as per the ministry. Under the plan, the government has categorised IL&FS group companies into green, amber and red based on their respective financial positions. Companies under the green category would be those that continue to meet their payment obligations. Amber category would be for those companies that would not be able to meet their obligations but can meet only operational payment obligations to senior secured financial creditors. Amber category entities "are permitted to make only payments necessary to maintain and preserve the going concern". "Companies falling in the red category are the entities which can not meet their payment obligations towards even senior secured financial creditors," as per the plan. Such companies would be permitted to make payment necessary to maintain and preserve the going concern status. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) Monday allowed 22 companies of crisis-hit IL&FS group, which were classified in green category based on their financial health, to service their debt obligations. Besides, a two-member bench headed by Justice S J Mukhopadhaya approved appointment of former Supreme Court judge Justice D K Jain to supervise resolution process of crisis-hit IL&FS and its group companies. The appellate tribunal also lifted moratorium and allowed 133 IL&FS firms incorporated outside India to continue with the resolution process. "We allow the boards (of the green companies) to permit them to service debt obligations as per schedule," said NCLAT. The NCLAT's direction came during the hearing over government's plan for the resolution of IL&FS group companies. IL&FS group companies are classified into three groups -- Green, Amber and Red, based on their respective financial positions. The companies falling under green categories will continue to meet their payment obligation. While, the companies which can not meet their obligations but can meet only operational payment obligations to senior secured financial creditors are classified as the amber category. And in the red category are those entities which can not meet their payment obligations towards even senior secured financial creditors. In an affidavit filed before the NCLAT, the government informed former Supreme Court judge Justice D K Jain has agreed to supervise the resolution process of the IL&FS group companies. As per the terms and agreement, Justice Jain will get a monthly remuneration of Rs 10 lakh per month and Rs 2.5 lakh per sitting, besides other expenses, which would be paid by IL&FS. During the hearing, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta appearing for the Ministry of Corporate Affairs submitted a list of 302 subsidiaries of IL&FS, which are jointly controlled entities, group companies and associates forming part of IL&FS group companies. Out of 302 companies, 169 companies are incorporated in India and the remaining 133 are incorporated outside India, he added. He further informed the NCLAT that out of 169 domestic companies, classification process under Green, Amber and Red categories has been completed for 69 firms as on February 9, 2019. Out of 69, the government has marked 22 companies under Green, 10 in Amber and rest 38 in Red category. Mehta sought permission from the appellate tribunal to allow the 'Green entities' to service their debt obligations as per scheduled repayment, to which the NCLAT agreed. However, over Amber and Red category, the appellate tribunal said that it would pass any order after hearing them in next hearing on March 12. "We want to know from the government and IL&FS as how they intend to resolve all entities particularly in 'amber' and 'red' group entities. Whether they would form a Committee of Creditor as normally done in the company insolvency resolution process," said the tribunal. It also said that moratorium against them "can not continue for an indefinite period". During the hearing, senior lenders such as Indusind Bank, L&T Finance and Aditya Birla & Capital Fund opposed the government's plea to make the Amber and Red companies to make payment necessary only to maintain and preserve their going concern status. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Indusind Bank submitted that any such payment would have a great cascading effect on the NPAs of the top five lenders of the group companies. The major group companies which are in green list include - IL&FS Investment Manager, IL&FS Security service, IL&FS Paradip Refinery Water, Tamil Nadu Water Investnent, IL&FS Asian Infrastructure Manager, IL&FS Urban Infrastructure Manager, IL&FS Infra Asset Management, North Karnataka Expressway, IL&FS Solar Power, Tadas Wind Energy, Khadke Wind Energy, Etesian Urja,Kaze Energy, Wind Urza India, Maytas Logiparks, Lalpur Wind Energy, Jharkhand Infrastructure Invest Company, IIML Asset Advisors, and IISL Settlement & Transmission Services. Still over 100 IL&FS group companies are remained under the assessment of the resolution consultants for classifications, the affidavit further informed. The government will file another affidavit in next two weeks, classifying these remaining 100 companies, it added. On February 5, the NCLAT had asked the government to provide a list of IL&FS group companies along with their categorisation based on their respective financial positions. The entire resolution process will be based on the principles enunciated in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. In its debt resolution plan, the corporate affairs ministry has fixed September 30, 2018 as the cut-off date for entertaining the claims submitted by the lenders. On October 1 last year, a newly appointed board took over the reins of IL&FS. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BSP president Mayawati on Monday cited a newspaper report to take a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale deal, saying honesty, national interest and national security can be compromised and ignored for the sake of the "chowkidar". Mayawati's attack came after The Hindu claimed the Rafale fighter jet deal between India and France involved "major and unprecedented" concessions from the Indian government, with critical provisions for anti-corruption penalties and making payments through an escrow account dropped days before the signing of the inter-governmental agreement (IGA). "Corruption & corrupt defence deal, No problem! Chowkidar is important for the BJP/RSS, not his honesty?" she asked on Twitter, referring to the prime minister as watchman, an epithet often used by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to describe Modi. People of the country have to decide as what to do with the "chowkidar and his so-called honesty", Mayawati said. "Corruption, honesty, national interest and national security etc. Everything can be compromised and ignored for the sake of Chowkidar," she added. According to her, the "chowkidar" was moving everywhere in the country on government expense claiming to be honest and not corrupt. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bringing his battle for special status for his state to the national capital, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu Monday went on a daylong fast that became a rallying point for opposition unity for the second time in less than a month to fight the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut also made a surprise appearance at Naidu's 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (day-long protest for justice) that began at 8 am. Raut said he came to attend the event as a representative of the Shiv Sena, amid strains with senior ally BJP. Naidu ended his fast at 8.20 pm, accepting a glass of juice from JD(S) supremo and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and TMC leader Derek O' Brien were among other opposition leaders who visited Andhra Bhavan to express their solidarity with Naidu, the supremo of Telugu Desam(TDP). The leaders in their brief speeches mounted a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a range of issues, notably the Rafale deal, with Kejriwal going to the extent of accusing him of behaving like "PM of Pakistan" and not of India in the way he treats state governments led by opposition parties. Reacting to Kejriwal's barb, BJP's national secretary and co-incharge for Andhra Pradesh Sunil Deodhar said the leaders of the 'grand-alliance' are competing with each other on who can be more abusive towards Modi. Naidu, who is trying to unite opposition parties, has over the last three months, held a number of meetings with opposition party leaders on forming an anti-BJP front. The TDP pulled out of the NDA government in March last year over its refusal to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh. Demanding that the Centre fulfil promises made during Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation in 2014, the TDP president alleged that Modi was not following 'raj dharma' by denying the state special status. "(Former PM) Atal Bihari Vajpayee said 'raj dharma' was not followed in Gujarat (during the 2002 post-Godhra riots). Now, 'raj dharma' is not being followed in the case of Andhra Pradesh. We have been denied what is rightfully ours," Naidu said. He alleged that the central government did grave injustice to Andhra and it would have "repercussions on national unity". "On behalf of five crore people, I'm warning this government... I came here to remind you of the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act." On January 19, 22 opposition parties came together at a rally convened by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee. Naidu's fast also came ahead of the mega rally of non-BJP leaders under the aegis of Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) against the Modi government on February 13 in the national capital. Against the backdrop of Naidu's dharna, BJP president Amit Shah wrote an open letter to people of Andhra Pradesh, saying the TDP chief knows that his political fortunes are declining rapidly and is back to theatrics in his desperation for grabbing headlines. Shah accused Naidu of breaking the trust of the people and said he is going too far by "personally" attacking the prime minister. Naidu's "delusional politics" is about to end, he said. The TDP leader Sunday dragged Modi's wife while attacking the prime minister. Naidu claimed he had done so as Modi had referred to his son in targeting him at a rally. Those who met Naidu also included National Conference chairperson Farooq Abdullah, NCP's Majeed Memon, DMK's Tiruchi Siva and Loktantrik Janata Dal's Sharad Yadav. No Left leader was present at the protest venue. "The prime minister has stolen from the people from Andhra Pradesh and he has given that money to Anil Ambani. That is the fact of the matter," Gandhi alleged in an apparent reference to the controversial Rafale fighter jet deal with France. The government and Ambani have rejected Gandhi's allegations of corruption in the deal. "Mr Narendra Modi, wherever he goes, he goes to Andhra Pradesh, he lies about special status. He goes to the North-East, he tells another lie over there. He goes to Maharashtra and he tells another lie over there. He has got absolutely no credibility left," Gandhi alleged. In just a couple of months, opposition parties will show Modi exactly what the sentiment in the country is, he said. "I want to let you know that we are all standing together. We are going to defeat the BJP...," he added. O'Brien recalled Modi's speech in Guntur in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday and said he didn't talk about development or special category status but "started a personal attack". Modi, who was on his first visit to the state after the TDP walked out of the NDA government, came down heavily on Naidu, whom he repeatedly referred to as "father of N Lokesh." Lashing out at the prime minister, Abdullah said, Modi has stooped so low. He's making personal attacks against Naidu, who is doing great service for the country. Memon alleged that the Central government was meting out step motherly treatment to Andhra and the BJP was attacking Naidu because he has taken the lead in uniting rival parties against it. Mulayam Singh Yadav said he was not well but had come to endorse Naidu's stand. "Naidu is fighting the battle for the poor, the farmers and all those who are oppressed," he added. Stating that Naidu was fighting for a just cause, DMK leader Siva predicted that the Modi government would be ousted in three months. Sharad Yadav blamed the Modi government for unemployment, joblessness which he said were a result of demonetization. Kejriwal hit out at the prime minister over the alleged mistreatment meted out to states being run by governments of opposition parties. The way PM Modi treats governments of opposition parties in states, he behaves like he is not the PM of India but PM of Pakistan, he said. Congress leaders Anand Sharma, Ahmed Patel and Jairam Ramesh were also at the venue to express their support. Naidu paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat and at Ambedkar Statue at the Andhra Bhavan before he began the hunger strike. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's daylong fast demanding special status for his state on Monday became a rallying point for the opposition, which got together for the second time in less than a month to present a united front against the government. Bringing state issues on a central stage, a series of opposition leaders made a beeline for Andhra Bhavan, where Naidu staged his protest. Those who met Naidu included former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Congress chairperson Farooq Abdullah, NCP's Majeed Memon, Trinamool Congress' Derek O' Brien, DMK's Tiruchi Siva, Loktantrik Janata Dal's Sharad Yadav, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav. The last time the parties came together the same way was on January 19, when 22 opposition parties supported West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her agitation against the CBI's alleged misconduct. The TDP president is demanding that the Centre fulfil promises made during Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation in 2014 and alleges that Modi was not following 'raj dharma' by denying the state special status. "The prime minister has stolen from the people from Andhra Pradesh and he has given that money to Anil Ambani. That is the fact of the matter," Gandhi alleged at the protest venue in an apparent reference to the Rafale fighter jet deal with France. The government and Ambani have rejected Gandhi's allegations of corruption in the deal. O'Brien recalled Modi's speech in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday and said he didn't talk about development or special category status but "started a personal attack". "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others...BC is before chaiwala and AD is after dhoka...Modi has lost all his allies and formed a new ally in CBI," he alleged. The PM in his rally had remarked that Naidu was a senior, but only in losing elections, switching alliances and ditching his father-in-law, N T Rama Rao. Lashing out at the prime minister, Abdullah said, Modi has stooped so low. He's making personal attacks against Naidu, who is doing great service for the country. "The Jammu-Srinagar highway is closed for six days. They cannot clear the 30km road, but they want to rule the country," he added. Adding his voice to the chorus of criticism, Memon alleged that the Central government was meting out step motherly treatment to the state and the BJP was attacking Naidu because he has taken the lead in uniting rival parties against it. We will show the BJP its place in the elections. I assure you on behalf of Sharad Pawar ji, Memon stated. SP leader, Yadav said he was not well but had come to show endorse Naidu's stand. "Naidu is fighting the battle for the poor, the farmers and all those who are oppressed," he added. Stating that Naidu was fighting for a just cause, DMK leader Siva said the Modi government would be ousted in three months. "The powers of the state are being encroached upon...the rights of the minorities are being violated." The TDP had walked out the BJP-led NDA last year protesting the "injustice" done to Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation. Loktantrik Janata Dal chief Sharad Yadav blamed the Modi government for unemployment, joblessness which he said were a result of demonetization. The Constitution is being systematically destroyed, added former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Gegong Apang, who gave the BJP its first government in the Northeast 16 years ago. Congress leaders Anand Sharma, Ahmed Patel and Jairam Ramesh were also at the venue to express their support. Kejriwal hit out at the prime minister over the alleged mistreatment meted out to states being run by governments of opposition parties. One may have voted for any party but after elections, whoever wins and becomes the CM, is the CM of the entire state and not of a particular party. Similarly, when one becomes the PM, then he is the PM of the entire country, not just one party. The way PM Modi treats governments of opposition parties in states, he behaves like he is not the PM of India but PM of Pakistan, Kejriwal said. Naidu's 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice), which began at 8 am, is likely to end at around 8 pm. He will also submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on February 12. Naidu paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat and also to the Ambedkar Statue at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan before sitting on the hunger strike. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's daylong fast demanding special status for his state on Monday became a rallying point for various opposition leaders who visited the protest venue to back him and attack the Central government. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Congress chairperson Farooq Abdullah, NCP's Majeed Memon, Trinamool Congress' Derek O' Brien, DMK's Tiruchi Siva and Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav were among those who met the TDP chief to express their support. The TDP president is demanding that the Centre fulfil promises made during Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation in 2014 and alleges that Modi was not following 'raj dharma' by denying the state special status. "The prime minister has stolen from the people from Andhra Pradesh and he has given that money to Anil Ambani. That is the fact of the matter," Gandhi alleged at the protest venue Andhra Bhavan in an apparent reference to the Rafale fighter jet deal with France. The government and Ambani have rejected Gandhi's allegations of corruption in the deal. O'Brien recalled Modi's speech in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday and said he didn't talk about development or special category status but "started a personal attack". "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others," he said. The PM said in his rally that Naidu was indeed a senior, but only in losing elections, switching alliances and ditching his father-in-law N T Rama Rao. Lashing out at the prime minister, Abdullah said, Modi has stooped so low, he's making personal attacks against Naidu, who is doing a great service to the country. "The Jammu-Srinagar highway is closed for six days. They cannot clear the 30km road, but they want to rule the country," he added. Adding his voice to the chorus of criticism, Memon alleged that the Central government was meting out step motherly treatment to the state and the BJP was attacking Naidu because he has taken the lead in uniting rival parties against it. We will show the BJP its place in the elections. I assure you on behalf of Sharad Pawar ji, Memon stated. Mulayam Yadav said he was not well but had come to show endorse Naidu's stand. "Naidu is fighting the battle for the poor, the farmers and all those who are oppressed," he added. Stating that Naidu was fighting for a just cause, DMK leader Siva said the Modi government would be ousted in three months. "The powers of the state are being encroached upon...the rights of the minorities are being violated." The TDP had walked out the BJP-led NDA last year protesting the "injustice" done to Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation. The Constitution is being systematically destroyed, added former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Gegong Apang, who gave the BJP its first government in the Northeast 16 years ago. Congress leaders Anand Sharma, Ahmed Patel and Jairam Ramesh were also at the venue to express their support. Naidu's 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice), which began at 8 am, is likely to end at around 8 pm. He will also submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on February 12. Naidu paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat and also to the Ambedkar Statue at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan before sitting on the hunger strike. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu sitting on a daylong fast here, BJP president Amit Shah Monday said the Andhra Pradesh chief minister knows that his political fortunes are declining rapidly and so he was back to theatrics in his desperation for grabbing headlines. In an open letter to people of Andhra Pradesh, Shah accused Naidu of breaking their trust and said he is going too far by "personally" attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Naidu's "delusional politics" is about to end, he said, adding that the BJP has full faith in 'Satyameva Jayate' (truth prevails). The TDP leader had recently taken the name of Modi's wife in attacking him. Naidu claimed he did so as the prime minister had referred to his son in targeting him in a rally. Naidu's daylong fast demanding special status for his state on Monday became a rallying point for the opposition, which got together for the second time in less than a month to present a united front against the government. In his letter posted on social media, Shah said people will teach Naidu a befitting lesson in the coming elections for joining hands with the Congress, which bifurcated the state in a "unilateral, hasty and unscientific manner, ignoring" its interests. The assembly elections in the state will be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. Lashing out at Naidu, Shah said his party is aware that Naidu has "Congress blood" in him but it never expected that he will go to the extent of even surpassing the Congress in speaking lies and in carrying a "hate campaign" against the central government, Modi and the BJP. The Andhra Pradesh chief minister had started his as a Congress member and joined the TDP, which was founded by his father-in-law N T Rama Rao, later. With Naidu now in an alliance with the Congress, Shah mocked him for joining hands with a party which imposed Emergency and dismissed the N T Rama Rao government in 1984. Sensing defeat in the coming elections, he has made multiple U-turns and is carrying out a malicious propaganda against the Centre and the BJP leadership to divert people's attention from his failures, the BJP president said. In his long letter, Shah cited a number of central projects being taken up in the state in addition to those mentioned in the Act that divided it in 2014 -- leading to formation of Telangana. Various ministries have approved additional projects to Andhra Pradesh with an outlay of more than Rs 3 lakh crores, Shah said, asserting this illustrates the manner in which the Union government prioritised its assistance to the state. Responding to demands of special category status to the state, he said the Centre has been constrained by the 14th finance commission's recommendations which, he added, did not make a distinction between special and general category states for financial support and tax devolution. As a result, the Centre in consultation with the state government worked out special assistance for Andhra Pradesh, Shah said. Hitting out at Naidu for his "U-turn", the BJP chief said he had hailed the special package announced on the assembly's floor and in several public forums, and had even declared that a special category status was not a panacea and did not help states' development. "In fact, the Andhra Pradesh assembly had passed a resolution thanking the Central government for approving a special economic package for the state," Shah noted. Apparently, panic has set in now and the TDP leader is scared that his omissions and commissions would be exposed, he claimed. "That is why he is going to the extent of accepting the leadership of the Congress which has ruled and ruined the country, compromised the integrity of every institution and is neck-deep in scams and scandals," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath Monday accused the Centre of dividing important institutions like the RBI and the CBI and vowed to expose it. Nath met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who is on a day-long protest here, and expressed his solidarity, according to an official statement. Naidu is on dharna against the central government for not granting special category status to Andhra Pradesh as envisaged in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014. While recollecting the proceedings of Parliament as Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Kamal Nath said he was not only the witness to the debates but also to the commitments made in Parliament for special status to Andhra Pradesh. "Non-fulfilment of the commitments made in Parliament is injustice to the people of Andhra Pradesh," he said. Describing the situation in the country, Nath said not only important institutions like the RBI, the CBI and the judiciary are divided, even the society is divided today. "This of division is today opposed by all of us and will fight till the end and expose the government which has betrayed the people of the country," Nath was quoted as having said in the statement issued by the Madhya Pradesh government. The central government has betrayed the youth, formers and states, Naidu said, expressing confidence that this dispensation will be thrown out of power in the next three months. Addressing the gathering, former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Digvijay Singh expressed commitment of the Congress party for the special status to Andhra Pradesh. He said former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had committed on the floor of the House to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh. "But now the central government due to political reasons are not honouring the commitments," Singh said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Twenty seven Russian children, whose mothers are serving prison terms in Iraq, have returned to Russia, a spokesman with the Emergencies Ministry said. "The IL-76 plane of the Russian Emergencies Ministry arrived from Baghdad at the Ramenskoye Airport with 27 Russian children aged from 4 to 13 years onboard," TASS cited the spokesman as saying. According to the ministry, the children had a good flight, they were accompanied by rescuers, pediatricians and psychologists. Earlier, an official with the press service of the Presidential Commissioner for the Rights of the Child Anna Kuznetsova said that children from 10 regions of Russia would be brought to Moscow from Baghdad. On December 30, the Russian Emergencies Ministrys flight evacuated 30 Russian children aged between three and 15 years from Iraq. According to Kuznetsovas press service, an inter-agency commission dealing with the return of children from combat zones has information about 699 underage Russian nationals whose parents took them to the Middle East. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who served Akshaya Patra's food to schoolchildren from underprivileged background on Monday, had opened its "first kitchen" in Gujarat in 2004 as the state's chief minister, a senior functionary of the NGO said. A mega event was held in the Vrindavan Chadrodaya Mandir complex in this holy city to mark "three billionth meal" offered by Akshaya Patra. "This is PM Modi's first visit to Vrindavan's Chardodaya Mandir campus... And, we are fortunate to have the prime minister himself serving the three billionth meal. Incidentally, he had inaugurated the foundation's first kitchen in Gandhinagar in 2004 as Gujarat's chief minister," said Bharatarshabha Dasa, Director, Strategic Relations, Akshaya Patra Foundation. Modi served as the state's chief minister from 2001 to 2014 and in May 2014 became the country's prime minister after his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the elections. The first billionth meal was served by Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy and the second billionth milestone was commemorated in the presence of then President Pranab Mukherjee in Bengaluru in 2016. Modi during the event here also unveiled a ceremonial plaque to mark the serving of "3rd billionth meal" by the NGO. Funded by International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Akshsya Patra is a Bengaluru-based not-for-profit organisation that works with the government on mid-day meal schemes. Akshaya Patra has a state-of-the-art kitchen in Vrindavan and Modi served food to children near the facility. The centralised kitchen in the Mandir complex caters to government schools in Mathura-Vrindavan as part of the mid-day meal scheme. The capacity of the kitchen is to feed 1.5 lakh children per day, and each meal includes rice, dal, chapatti and a vegetable, a senior official in the corporate communication department for the northern region, said. The programme was streamed live on the web across all 42 centres of Akshaya Patra in the country, Naveena Neerada Dasa, the head of strategic communications in ISKCON, said. "In Gujarat, where we are a partner for the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, all government schools hosted the streaming," he said. A silver 'patra' (container), as symbolised in the foundation's logo, was gifted to the prime minister, Dasa said. The event will commemorate the NGO's serving of cumulative three billion meals since its inception in 2000. Today, Akshaya Patra is the world's largest (not-for-profit run) mid-day meal programme serving wholesome food every school day to over 1.76 million children from 14,702 schools across 12 states, the foundation said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu launched into a tirade against the BJP-led central government on Monday, alleging Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not following 'raj dharma' by denying the state special status. Naidu, who began a day-long fast at Andhra Bhavan demanding that the Centre fulfil all promises made during AP's bifurcation in 2014, warned that Modi would be "taught a lesson" if he made personal attacks against the people of his state. "(Former PM) Atal Bihari Vajpayee said 'raj dharma' was not followed in Gujarat (during the 2002 riots). Now, 'raj dharma' is not being followed in case of Andhra Pradesh. We have been denied what was rightfully ours," he claimed. He alleged the central government did grave injustice to Andhra and it would have "repercussions on national unity". "On behalf of five crore people, I am warning this government... I came here to remind you of the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act," Naidu said. "I am warning you. Don't make personal attacks against me and my people. It's unwarranted. I am just doing my duty as the head of my state. We are only demanding what we were promised," he said. Naidu told the gathering that TDP founder NT Rama Rao had said "if somebody attacks your self-respect, teach them a lesson. So, we will not tolerate. We will give you a befitting answer". The chief minister alleged that Modi was "unfit" to rule the country and that he went to Guntur in Andhra Pradesh "only to rub salt into our wounds". "You think you can avoid us by sitting in Delhi. You're wrong. We will take help of friendly parties and achieve our aim," he said. The TDP chief alleged the BJP government unleashes central investigation agencies on rival parties if they fight for their rights. "The Manmohan Singh government promised special status to Andhra for 10 years. The BJP, which was in the opposition then, had seconded it. Now, their finance minister says it cannot be done," he said. Naidu said the BJP government had promised a special package for backward districts of the state on the lines of the Bundelkhand region, but the "BJP cheated the people". The TDP chief said the party was denied permission to stage a protest on Parliament premises. "So, we came here". A number of opposition party leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Conference's Farooq Abdullah and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, are expected to extend support to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief's fast. Before beginning the fast, Naidu offered tributes to Matama Gandhi at Raj Ghat and to B R Ambedkar at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan. A TDP delegation led by Naidu will submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday, party sources said. Naidu has been trying to unite opposition parties to take on the BJP in the general elections. Over the last three months, he has held a number of meetings with opposition party leaders on forming an anti-BJP front. The TDP had in March last year pulled out of the NDA government over its refusal to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh. The party has been accusing the Narendra Modi government of not releasing enough funds for the Polavaram irrigation project, the Kadapa steel plant and Amravati, the under-construction ultra-modern state capital. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Monday said he used to boast about his "56-inch chest", but the "hollowness" of his claims is now coming out in the open. Addressing Congress workers after a roadshow in Lucknow, where he was accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in her first public event after entering active politics, Gandhi claimed Modi's body language has also changed now and the entire country has got to know about his "hollowness". "When Narendra Modiji came, he had said he has 56-inch chest, he wants to be a chowkidar (watchman) and he wants to be prime minister of the country. But now, one after another truth is coming out," Gandhi said, citing recent media reports on the alleged "parallel negotiations" done by the Prime Minister's Office in the Rafale deal and the alleged dilution of anti-corruption clause in the jet purchase agreement. "The hollowness that was inside him has now come out before the entire nation. The entire nation and its youth and farmers now know that 'chowkidar chor hai'..." Gandhi said, while repeating his allegations about corruption and crony capitalism in the multi-billion dollar Rafale deal. The government and the BJP have repeated rejected these allegations. Speaking at Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said. "Chowkidar chor nahi, chowkidar pure hai. Next PM sure hai, problem ke liye cure hai ("The watchman is not a thief, he is a pure man. He is sure to be the next PM and is a cure for problems." Speaking in Parliament in the national capital, another Congress leader Veerappa Moily also referred to Modi's famous comments about his his "56-inch chest" to attack the government. "When bullet of corruption is hit, his broad shoulders cannot bear it," Moily said. In the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, it was in Uttar Pradesh that Modi as a three-term Gujarat Chief Minister at that time had famously said that it take a "56-inch chest" to convert UP into Gujarat in terms of development. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Goa Congress chief Girish Chodankar has claimed that BJP president Amit Shah's call to party leaders to reach out to minorities is nothing but an attempt to fool them. However, the minorities cannot be "fooled", Chodankar said, and reminded about BJP's criticism in the past of their eating and dressing habits. Shah last week asked the party leaders to reach out to minority communities to stress the "all-inclusive" character of the saffron party, Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik claimed on Sunday. Naik also said that Shah was not specific about Goa when he spoke about minority communities during a closed door interaction with BJP functionaries from the state on Saturday. Reacting to it, Chodankar, in a statement issued on Sunday, said, "Minorities cannot be fooled and will not forget BJP's silence despite protests, when the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) had called them (minorities) 'rahu-ketu' in Goa on October 07, 2004." "The BJP was further exposed when it started attacking the lifestyle of minorities by suppressing their dressing and eating habits," he said. Chodankar also claimed that the BJP and the RSS ignored then deputy chief minister Francis D'Souza for Goa chief minister's post when Manohar Parrikar was appointed the defence minister in 2014. The charge of the top post in Goa was then handed over to BJP MLA Laxmikant Parsekar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A four-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 35-year-old sanitation worker when she had gone to relieve herself at a public toilet in west Delhi's Naraina area, police said Monday. The incident took place on February 6 and was reported to the Naraina police station on Monday, they added. Investigations revealed that the girl, who lived nearby, had gone to the public toilet when its cleaner allegedly grabbed her and raped her. The girl narrated the ordeal to her parents following which they approached the police, they said. The victim was taken for medical examination. A case was registered and the accused arrested, Deputy Commissioner of Police (west) Monika Bhardwaj said. The minor's condition is now stable, she said. Police said the victim's father works as a driver and her mother is a housewife. Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal went to the hospital to meet the victim and her family. She also took to twitter to express her anguish over the incident. "Now, 5 year old girl raped in Naraina by a 40 year old man. The child has suffered terribly and has bled a lot. On my way to the Hospital to see her. Delhi is truly the RAPE CAPITAL of the world. God help us all!!! (sic)", she said in a tweet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A minor fire occurred Monday in the official residence of Maharashtra Food Minister Girish Bapat at Malabar Hills in south Mumbai, but nobody was injured, an official said. The blaze was spotted at around 8:20 PM in the staff quarters on the ground floor of'Dyaneshwari' bungalow. Fortunately, the fire didn't spread much and mainly remained confined to electric wiring, other installations and household articles, the official said. The fire was put out within 15 minutes due to prompt action by fire personnel, he added. It cannot be confirmed immediately whether Bapat, who hails from Pune, and his family members were present inside the bungalow at the time of the mishap. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tension prevailed here for a while Monday when a flag mast of the MDMK was found lying on the footpath, police said. Suspecting this to be the handiwork of the BJP and Hindu outfits for the demonstration of the MDMK against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tirupur Sunday, the local unit of the party lodged a complaint, the police said. Investigations and examining of CCTV footage have begun to trace the vandals. There was a minor scuffle between the cadre of the MDMK and the Hindu outfits during the demonstration at Tirupur, in which a BJP woman activist sustained injuries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will leave for New Delhi Tuesday to participate in the mega rally of non-BJP leaders convened by Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) on February 13 against the Narendra Modi government. She is likely to be in New Delhi till Thursday, a TMC leader said Monday. "As per the schedule Banerjee will leave for New Delhi on February 12 and attend the opposition rally convened by AAP on February 13. She will also meet leaders of various opposition parties," the leader said. AAP's 'Tanashahi Hatao, Desh Bachao' (Remove Dictatorship, Save Country) rally will be organised at Jantar Mantar on February 13 and all parties which had attended the January 19 mega opposition rally called by Banerjee will be present in it. Congress is, however, unlikely to participate in the AAP rally that will be attended by Telugu Desam Party chief, Chandrababu Naidu. Naidu is holding a day-long fast in Delhi Monday demanding that the Centre fulfil all promises made during the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014. Leaders of more than 23 political including Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal had attended the Kolkata rally held in Brigade Parade Grounds by Banerjee, who is a strident critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and one of the prime movers behind the efforts to cobble up an anti-BJP alliance ahead of the coming Lok Sabha polls. Kejriwal had expressed his support to Banerjee again when she was on a "Save the Constitution" dharna from February 3 to 5 here after the CBI's failed bid to question Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with chit fund cases." With the Lok Sabha elections just months away, the AAP rally would help to bring the opposition leaders together and firm up a 'mahagathbandhan' to challenge the BJP-led NDA, sources in the party had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday extended support to her Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu over his day-long hunger strike in New Delhi. He began his fast in the national capital demanding that the Centre grant special status to Andhra Pradesh and fulfil all the promises made before its bifurcation in 2014. "Our party chief Mamata Banerjee has expressed her support towards Chandrababu Naidu's hunger strike. She asked our party leader Derek O'Brien to visit Naidu at the venue of hunger strike and express solidarity. The opposition stands united in the fight against the Modi government," a senior Trinamool Congress leader told PTI. Brien will visit Naidu, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief, around 12 pm, the leader said. The TDP had walked out of the BJP-led NDA last year protesting the "injustice" done to the state after its bifurcation. Naidu had last week come down to Kolkata to express his support to Banerjee, who was on a dharna from February 3 to 5 to "save the Constitution" after the CBI's failed bid to question Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with chit fund cases. The Andhra Pradesh had also taken part in the mega opposition rally convened by her at the Brigade Parade Ground on January 19. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) has been encouraging "mass copying" in its examinations by "faulty" allocation of seat numbers to candidates, a state Youth Congress leader alleged Monday. Maharashtra State Youth Congress president Satyajit Tambe, speaking to reporters here, equated it to the Vyapam scam in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh and said he would go to court if the state government did not take action. "Candidates appearing for the Maharashtra Public Service Commission examinations have to register a mobile number while submitting the examination form. From 2017-18, the seat number is allotted to the applicant based on the last digit of his or her mobile number," he said. "However, it has come to light that many candidates have updated their mobile numbers in the form so that it closely matches that of candidates known to them. Using this trick, candidates get seat numbers allotted in such a way that they are seated close to individuals known to them. This was leading to mass copying," he explained. "MPSC examinations in the past have been conducted in the same manner. With such a faulty method of allocating seat numbers favouring some candidates, the aim to have impartial results is being compromised," Tambe claimed. He said the MPSC's method was easily comprehensible to some candidates, adding that there was a possibility of direct involvement of some people in the state government in this. "The government should come clean on this issue. How come a bunch of people, whose numbers are in serial order, are getting selected? It is suspicious," he claimed. "I am ready to take this matter to court if the state government ignores our demand for a thorough investigation," he told reporters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tehran "will raze Tel Aviv and Haifa" to the ground if Washington attacks Iran, Deputy Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps for Political Affairs Brigadier General Yadollah Javani said during a rally celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Islamic revolution. "The United States does not have the courage to shoot a single bullet at us despite all its defensive and military assets. But if they attack us, we will raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground," IRNA cited Javani as saying. The commander's statement comes after earlier in the day the IRNA cited an IRGC spokesman who stated that Tehran's military forces will "firmly punish" aggressors who attack Iran. Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Abdul Mannan was arrested Monday along with 59 Congress activists for staging a protest against "delay in action" in chit fund scam cases at Metro Channel here, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had recently held a sit-in over CBI's attempt to grill Kolkata Police chief. They were later produced before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in-charge, Judge Keya Sarkar, who granted them bail on a personal bond of Rs 300 each. A senior police officer said the Congress workers were initially persuaded to stop the demonstration, as they did not have permission to hold the protest at Metro Channel. When the agitators did not relent, the police had to use force to disperse the crowd, he said, adding that several Congress activists, including Mannan and Youth Congress leader Rohan Mitra, were arrested. The Youth Congress Monday convened a sit-in demonstration at Metro Channel area, in the heart of Kolkata, seeking immediate arrest of those involved in chit fund scams. They demanded that efforts should be made to return money to the defrauded investors. Carrying placards and posters against the TMC, whose leaders have been accused of involvement in the scams, and the CBI, which is investigating into the ponzi scheme cases, the Congress workers sought answers for delay in the arrest of culprits. "Lakhs of people lost their lifelong savings in the chit fund scams. We all know that the TMC leaders are involved in the scam. But due to a political understanding between the TMC and the BJP, the CBI investigation has not moved ahead," Mannan said while addressing the demonstration. Slamming the chief minister over her dharna, the senior Congress leader said Banerjee stopped the central probe agency from questioning the Kolkata Police chief as she wanted to shield him. The chief minister, however, never bothered to enquire about the defrauded investors who lost their savings, he said. Banerjee sat on "Save Constitution" dharna from February 3 to 5 to protest against the CBI's attempt to question Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with Saradha and Rose Valley chit fund scam cases. She accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah of organizing a "coup" in the state and alleged that National Security Adviser Ajit Doval had directed the CBI to harass political opponents. Following Supreme Court's order in the matter, the Kolkata Police chief was questioned by the CBI in Shillong for the third day Monday in connection with the scams. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kumbh Mela earlier used to be talked about only for Naga sadhu, saints and spiritual reasons, but this year's mega gathering has "succeeded in a big way" to send out a message of sanitation to the society, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Monday. Nearly 1.5 crore people gathered on Sunday for the third 'shahi snan' at the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati in Allahabad, even as the chill in the air failed to dampen the spirit of devotees. He was addressing a huge gathering, at an event in Vrindavan to mark the serving of the "3rd billionth meal" by the Akshaya Patra Foundation, a Bengaluru-based NGO which work with the government on mid-day meal scheme. "This year's Kumbh has succeeded in big way to send out a message of sanitation to society," he said. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in his address, expressed his appreciation for Akshaya Patra for serving safe, hygienic meals to pilgrims at Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. Modi said, this is the "first time" media and others are talking about 'swachta' (cleanliness) when it comes to Kumbh Mela. "Usually it is about Naga sadhus, saints and spirituality. But this time, sanitation is being talked about. The New York Times has published a report about sanitation at the Kumbh," he said. With Sunday's figures, the total number of pilgrims taking the holy dip during the Kumbh this year (up to February 10) has touched 16.44 crore, officials said. Madhu Pandit Dasa, Chairman, Akshaya Patra , said, "About 10,000 meals are being served daily through our kitchen at Kumbh Mela." "Besides, we have 'Kitchen-on-Wheels', which are also serving about the same number of meals at different locations," he said. Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, is being held in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj from January 15 to March 4. The popular fair draws lakhs of pilgrims over the course of approximately 55 auspicious days to bathe at the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The issue of alleged horse trading in Karnataka echoed in Lok Sabha on Monday as the Congress cited a purported audio clip of B S Yeddyurappa to accuse the BJP of trying to lure ruling coalition MLAs, a charge firmly rejected by Union Minister Sadananda Gowda. Congress members, including Sonia Gandhi, staged a walkout from the House over the issue but returned a few minutes later. During the Zero Hour, Congress leader in the House Mallikarjun Kharge levelled allegations of horse trading against the BJP leadership and also mentioned Yeddyurappa's purported audio clip in which he is allegedly seeking to win over an MLA of the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition in the state. About the situation in Karnataka, Kharge, who is an MP from the state, claimed that there are references that the Speaker of the state assembly and even a judge "could be managed". BJP members from the state, including Sadananda Gowda, objected to Kharge's remarks. Former prime minister and JD(S) leader H D Deve Gowda said that "things like 'Operation Kamala' should not happen in the country". 'Operation Kamala' is a reference to win over MLAs from rival parties into the BJP. Refuting the allegations, Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation Sadananda Gowda said there is already infighting between the Congress and the JD(S) in Karnataka and that both parties are doing "fake activities". Gowda claimed that the two parties were doing such things to save the chief minister's chair. JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy is the chief minister of Karnataka. "All things uttered (here)... are false and far from truth," Gowda said. For a brief time, Congress members trooped into the Well displaying placards with the message 'Operation Kamala. Death of Democracy' written on some of them. TDP members were also in the Well as they sought to raise issues related to Andhra Pradesh. Despite repeated requests from Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, they remained in the Well. Earlier, the Question Hour was adjourned for nearly 50 minutes due to protests over alleged horse trading in Karnataka and other issues. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Global investment firm KKR's NBFC arm has invested Rs 725 crore in real estate developer Embassy group's upcoming commercial real estate project in Bengaluru. KKR's real estate-focused non-bank finance company KKR India Asset Finance Ltd (KIAFL) announced that "it has extended Rs 725 crore (USD 102 million) to Embassy Group to finance a premium office development in Bangalore". KIAFL has been active since 2015 and has invested more than USD 1.5 billion in India's realty sector as of February 2019. It maintains a core focus on high-quality opportunities in cities including Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune. Sanjay Nayar, Member & Head of KKR India said, "KIAFL looks to provide tailored, flexible financing solutions to high-quality projects in strong micro markets. He said the company is supporting Embassy to meet the growing demand for quality office space in the city. Embassy Group, promoted by Jitu Virwani in 1993, is a leading real estate developer with a strong presence in the commercial office space sector, across key Indian markets. The Bengaluru-based group has delivered 53 million square feet of office, residential, retail, hospitality and industrial warehouses. Embassy-Blackstone JV Embassy Office Park plans to launch India's first Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) to raise more than Rs 5,000 crore as part of their objective to monetise rent yielding commercial assets. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kerala Women's Commission Monday registered a case against CPI(M) legislator S Rajendran for his remarks against Devikulam Sub-Collector Renu Raj. The Devikulam lawmaker had made the remark on February 8 after the young IAS officer tried to stop the unauthorised construction of a shopping complex in the tourist town of Munnar in Idukki district. Commission sources said the case was registered on the basis of media reports about the MLA's purported remarks against the official. Television channels had aired visuals showing the legislator making the disparaging comments that the sub-collector lacked brains, had no powers to intervene in the construction as building rules comes under the panchayat. "She doesn't have brains. She studied only to become a collector. Such people will have only so much brains. Should she not study the sketch, plans. A collector cannot intervene in a panchayat construction," the MLA had reportedly said on Friday after revenue officials tried to stop the construction. Raj, who was appointed as the Devikulam sub-collector in November last year, Sunday said a memo had been issued to the panchayat on February 6 to stop the illegal construction. But the work was still going on. The Kerala High Court had in a 2010 judgement said for any new construction in Munnar, a no-objection certificate had to be obtained. No NOC was obtained when the construction work of the four-storeyed shopping complex was taken up, she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kerala's successes with Responsible Tourism (RT) can catapult the state to a high rank in the attainment of the globally accepted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, internationally accredited tourism expert Harold Goodwin has said. "The most important thing for me is the success of the Responsible Tourism Mission and the way in which local communities have been enabled to earn from tourism as an additional livelihood. Local communities don't stop what they were doing before but have an additional source of income," Goodwin, who is the Founder and Managing Director of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism noted. During a recent visit to Kerala in connection with an international symposium on People's Participation for Participatory Planning & Empowerment through Responsible Tourism (PEPPER), he said the state can also favourably score in the aspects of alternative technologies, soil and water management. On partnerships for the SDGs, Kerala can be among the best places in the world, said Goodwin, an Emeritus Professor at Manchester Metropolitan University and Advisor to the World Travel Market. "When I see the relationship between the Tourism Minister or the Director and the Panchayats, I don't know anywhere else in the world where this is possible, except probably in a city like Barcelona," he said in a press release. On how tourism sector can contribute to the state's rebuilding after the August floods, Goodwin said the only way the tourism industry could help in the recovery is to get back on its feet and get tourists travelling here. "Kerala is a very beautiful place to visit," he added. He had also a word of appreciation for the political system and the Panchayats in Kerala who he said did not ignore the interests of the local people. "If you remember the tsunami, though it was a very different situation, what was striking there is that the opportunity was taken to remove the local people from the tourist areas. That has not happened here," he pointed out. On the disaster Goodwin said, "To be honest, I expected to see a lot more damage. One of the problems about natural disasters, when they hit tourism areas, is that the of the disaster travels very fast, the of the recovery does not." Cautioning Kerala against the risk of 'over tourism', Goodwin welcomed the growth of Vaikom as an RT destination, which has helped to shift the burden from Kumarakom. To sustain the successes in RT destinations, he stressed the importance of marketing so that the villagers reap the benefits of their investments. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Japan-based advanced materials manufacturer Toray Industries looks to expand its footprint in the country, a top company official said. As part of its expansion strategy, the company on Monday organised its first forum in India, showcasing its sustainability vision with innovative technology-enabled products, company Executive Vice President Yuukichi Deguchi said. Leaders from central and state governments, industry, academia, Toray's customers, suppliers, distributors and agents participated in the event held in New Delhi. PTI Automation Anywhere gets investment from Workday Ventures * Automation Anywhere, a provider of robotic process automation (RPA), Monday said it has received a strategic investment from Workday Ventures. In addition to the undisclosed investment, Automation Anywhere has joined the Workday Software Partner Program, a statement said. "The investment from Workday Ventures and our partnership with Workday cements our ability to help more organizations accelerate their digital transformations through the automation of repeatable work tasks, liberating employees to spend more time innovating," Clyde Hosein, chief financial officer at Automation Anywhere, said. In November last year, Automation Anywhere had announced it had raised USD 300 million from the SoftBank Vision Fund, expanding the company's series A financing round to over USD 550 million. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Jammu and Kashmir government Monday sought permission from the Supreme Court to circulate a letter to parties for adjourning upcoming hearing on pleas challenging the constitutional validity of Article 35A, which provides special rights and privileges to natives of state, saying there was no "elected government" in the state. The apex court is scheduled to hear during the week the petitions challenging the Article 35A. A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna was told by lawyer Shoeb Alam, representing the state government, that he was seeking its nod to circulate the letter to parties for getting the scheduled hearing deferred. "On the day of listing, the undersigned (Alam) shall be requesting for an adjournment in the matter since presently there is no elected government in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and the state is under President rule. "The present matter involves a sensitive issue regarding a challenge to Article 35A of the Constitution of India. A short reply has been filed by the state of Jammu and Kashmir in the lead matter 'We the Citizens' and notices have not been issued on the other petitions. It will therefore be requesting that the matter may kindly be heard when an elected government is in place," the state government said in its letter. Earlier, the apex court had deferred till January this year the hearing on pleas after the Centre and the state had said that local bodies polls there would go on till December. The Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government had said the issue of Article 35A was "very sensitive" and keeping in mind the law and order aspect, the hearing be held in January or March, 2019. "Let these matters be listed in the second week of January, 2019. All interlocutory applications shall be taken up along with the main matter," the bench had then said. Article 35A, which was incorporated in the Constitution by a 1954 Presidential Order, accords special rights and privileges to the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir and bars people from outside the state from acquiring any immovable property in the state. It denies property rights to a woman who marries a person from outside the state. The provision, which leads to such women from the state forfeiting their right over property, also applies to their heirs. The bench is hearing several petitions including the one filed by NGO 'We the Citizens' through lawyer Barun Kumar Sinha. On August 6, last year, the apex court had said a three-judge bench would decide whether the pleas challenging Article 35A should be referred to a five-judge constitution bench for examining the larger issue of alleged violation of the doctrine of basic structure of the Constitution. Several petitions including by political parties like the National Conference and the CPI-M, were also filed in the Supreme Court in support of Article 35A that also empowers the state assembly to define "permanent residents" for bestowing special rights and privileges to them. An NGO, 'Ikkjut Jammu', has also filed a plea seeking quashing of the provision. It has said that Article 35A furthers the "two nation theory which is against the theory of secularism". The state government, while defending the Article, had cited two verdicts of the constitution benches of the Supreme Court in 1961 and 1969, which had upheld the powers of the President under Article 370(1)(d) of the Constitution to pass constitutional orders. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court on Monday asked the CBI and the ED to provide documents to the accused including former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his son Tejahswi and wife Rabri Devi in IRCTC scam cases on February 14 and 25 respectively. Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj fixed February 14 as the date for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to provide the documents to the accused, while the Enforcement Directorate (ED) will have to submit them for scrutiny on February 25 at 2 pm. "On the request of learned senior public prosecutor for CBI, list for supply of deficient documents if any, now on February 14. Since the next date of hearing is only for supply of deficient documents, the personal appearance of the accused is exempted on the request of learned defence counsel for the next date of hearing," the court said in its order. While passing an order on the furnishing of documents by the ED, the court said, "List on February 25 at 2 pm for scrutiny of documents. Since the next date is for supply of deficient documents, on the request of learned counsels for the accused, all the accused are exempted from their personal appearance in the court on the said date". An advocate appearing for an accused argued that there are documents which are mentioned in the charge sheet but have not been provided by the agencies. However, the agencies in said that since these documents were not relied upon while framing of charges, furnishing them to the accused was not necessary. The cases relate to alleged money laundering in grant of operational contract of two Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotels to a private firm. Both the CBI and the ED had registered cases against Yadav and others including then group general managers of the corporation V K Asthana and R K Goyal. According to the CBI charge sheet, between 2004 and 2014 a conspiracy was hatched in which BNR hotels of the Indian Railways, located in Puri and Ranchi, were first transferred to IRCTC and given on lease to Patna-based Sujata Hotels Pvt Ltd for operations, maintenance and upkeep. Among others Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, both directors of Sujata Hotels and owners of Chanakya Hotel, are named in the charge sheet. According to an FIR flied by CBI, Yadav, the then railway minister, entered into criminal conspiracy with the owner of Sujata Hotels, Sarla Gupta, wife of his close associate Prem Chand Gupta, a Rashtriya Janata Dal MP in Rajya Sabha, and IRCTC officials for "undue pecuniary advantage to himself and others". The probe agency also alleged that BNR hotels were transferred to Sujata Hotels through a "rigged and manipulated" tender process managed by P K Goyal, the then managing director of IRCTC. The CBI inquiry shows that the railways sought bids for developing, operating and maintaining Rail Ratna Hotels on September 16, 2006. Yadav became Bihar's chief minister in 1990, but had to resign in 1997 following corruption charges in the multi-crore rupees fodder scam. From 1997 to 2005 his wife Rabri ruled as the chief minister of the state and was replaced by JD(U) president Nitish Kumar. Yadav also served as railway minister from 2004 to 2009. The RJD again came back to power after forging an alliance with its bitter rival Janata Dal (United), led by Kumar in 2015, and Tejashwi Yadav became the deputy chief minister. However, Kumar parted ways from the RJD in July last year. The RJD chief has been serving sentence in Ranchi jail since December 2017 following his conviction in fodder scam cases. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking a jibe at Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Union Minister Smriti Irani on Monday sought to know how those who "looted the poor" could criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She also asked how those who indulged in "corruption" and "filled the coffers of Congress" target the "pradhan sevak"?. Irani's comments came in the backdrop of Gandhi's attack on Modi over the Rafale deal. In a veiled reference to Gandhi's brother-in-law Robert Vadra's alleged acquisition of properties in London, she said, "Those who lived amidst the rich and looted the poor for years.. whose brother-in-law purchases assets in London, have the temerity to cast aspersions on the Prime Minister." Irani was addressing a party meeting at Mahabubnagar, in Hindi. The meeting was organised as part of BJP's preparations for the coming Lok Sabha elections. Modi had announced the procurement of a batch of 36 Rafale jets after holding talks with then French president Francois Hollande on April 10, 2015 in Paris. Opposition Congress has accused the Centre of choosing Reliance Defence over state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) as offset partner to benefit the private firm though it did not have any experience in the aerospace sector. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Slovakia, which took over the chairmanship of the OSCE this year, is firm in its support of Georgias efforts to deal with domestic and foreign challenges, the OSCE chair, Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak said. "The slogan of Slovakia as the OSCE chair country this year is People, Dialogue and Stability and we should use all levers available for dialogue and to support people affected by conflicts in Georgia, Lajcak said in Tbilisi. He noted that the meeting with Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani was very fruitful, where all important issues have been discussed. "We also identified fields where further encouragement of cooperation is required, Agenda.ge cited Lajcak as saying. Zalkaliani said that only the firm stance of the international community will provide opportunities for the resolution of the conflict. The eorgian Foreign Minister stressed that the fact that the Slovak Foreign Minister paid one of his first visits to Georgia as the OSCE chairperson confirms that Georgia is on the agenda of the OSCE. Iran's president on Monday blasted a US "conspiracy" against the country as vast crowds marked 40 years since the Islamic revolution at a time of heightened tensions with Washington. "The presence of people today on the streets all over Islamic Iran... means that the enemy will never reach its evil objectives," Rouhani told those thronging Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) square. Chador-clad women, militia members in camouflage fatigues and ordinary citizens marched through the capital in freezing rain to mark the day in February 1979 that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ended millenia of royal rule. Life-size replicas of Iranian-made cruise and ballistic missiles lined the route in a statement of defiance after Washington last year reimposed sanctions after pulling out of a deal on Tehran's nuclear programme. A pre-prepared resolution was read out that proclaimed "unquestioning obedience to the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei" and called US President Donald Trump an "idiot". The event Monday was the culmination of official celebrations called the "10 Day Dawn" that mark the period between February 1, 1979 and February 11 when Shiite cleric Khomeini retuned from exile and ousted the shah's last government. The state has played up this year's anniversary as 40 is symbolic of maturity in the Islamic tradition and the age at which Prophet Mohammed received revelations from God. But despite the official festivities today's Islamic republic faces acute economic challenges as it struggles with a mix of domestic hardships and US sanctions. State television offered blanket coverage of the commemorations, showing marchers in cities ranging from Abadan in southwestern Iran to Mashad in the northeast. Banners held by marchers or hung along the streets bore slogans including "Death to America", "Death to Israel", "we will trample on America", "forty yeas of challenge, forty years of US defeats". An anchor on state television warned of hostile foreign media trying to downplay the participation of Iranians in the march but expressed confidence that "they would be confounded by the unprecedented level of attendance". Those who took to the streets were bullish despite the economic problems in the country, made worse by Washington's punitive measures. Former public servant Saaghi insisted that it remained paramount for Iranians to stick by the revolution. "We are here to support the revolution," the 57-year-old pensioner, who refused to give his first name, told AFP at the event in Tehran. He compared the US sanctions and economic hardships to "riding a bicycle when someone puts a stick in the wheels" but pointed to advances in other fields as more than making up for them. "At the revolution's 40 anniversary we are on top of scientific achievements like nanotechnology or accurate missiles," he said. Extensive fireworks displays were held across Tehran on Sunday night. Before the fireworks, supporters of the revolution shouted chants of "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) from rooftops, recalling the protests that swept Khomeini to power four decades earlier. Current supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is set to publish "a detailed statement explaining the 'second step' of the progress of the Islamic revolution", his official website said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The International Association of Police Academies (INTERPA) president Yilmaz Colak Monday expressed concerns over growing use of internet by terrorists for radicalisation and secret communication. Colak, who heads Turkish National Police Academy, said terrorists are also trying internet to infiltrate various government organisations like police and judiciary to carry forward their ill designs. "Terrorist organisations use internet for radicalisation, threats and intimidation. They also use it for secretly communicating their plans," said Colak. He was speaking at the three-day 8th INTERPA conference on "Cyber Security and Combating Cyber Crime", which was inaugurated at the Gujarat Forensic Science University in Gandhinagar by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Colak said cyber crimes likes syohoning off money, child pornography etc. are the "extension" of the criminal behaviour. These crimes existed in the past when internet was not around, he added. Colak hoped that experts from 72 police academies from 56 countries who are attending the conference, will come up with some solutions to deal with the cyber crime. Rupani said cyber threats have manifested into dangerous forms over the last two decades, ranging from financial frauds to breach of national security institutions. "In today's digitally connected world, cyber crimes and cyber attacks affect the whole human civilisation," the chief minister said. He said criminals and their modus operandi are changing fast. "In order to deal with the rapidly changing crime scenario, we also have to develop newer techniques to ensure that criminals will not be spared," the chief minister said, adding that in today's developed era technology is changing the modus operandi of the criminals. He said it was the government's job to be equipped to deal with the menace. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Trade relations between India and the UK is not likely to be affected after Brexit, British trade commissioner to South Asia Crispin Simon has said. "Bilateral trade between Britain and India stands at USD 25 billion. India is an important trading partner and after Brexit, it is not to be affected", Simon told PTI. Britain had been allowed to establish new trading arragements outside the EU following Brexit, he said. The bilateral trade between Britain and India was growing at 17 per cent per annum, he said, adding "there is a nice momentum". Though the balance of trade was in favour of Britain, the "new trade deal will have a positive effect". The sectoral areas of bilateral trade between the two countries are technology, finance and renewable energy for which green finance was available, he said. Imports to India was USD 13 billion, while exports from India was USD 12 billion, he said. "There is demand for green finance in India", Simon said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India Monday sought German investments in sectors like food processing, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, automobile and engineering to boost economic relations. Ways to promote trade and investments were discussed during the meeting of Minister of State for Commerce and Industry C R Chaudhary with a German delegation led by Wolfgang Tiefensee, Minister of Economic Affairs, Science and Digital Society of the State of Thuringia, Germany. Chaudhary also sought all round support of the German government for investment, guidance and exchange of best practices for the startups in India. "Cooperation in the field of education as well as in Research and Development was also discussed during the meeting," the commerce ministry said in a statement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a bid to fight marine pollution, India Monday signed a letter of intent with the Norwegian government establishing the India-Norway Marine Pollution Initiative. The letter was signed by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) establishing the initiative with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a statement from the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) said. "In January, 2019, the Indian and Norwegian governments agreed to work more closely on oceans by signing an MoU and establishing the India-Norway Ocean Dialogue during the Norwegian Prime Minister's visit to India in January," it said. The joint initiative was signed by Anil Kumar Jain, Additional Secretary, MoEFCC, and Nils RagnarKamsvag, Norway's Ambassador to India. The statement from the EAC-PM said his is the first joint initiative under this new partnership and the India-Norway Marine Pollution Initiative will combat marine pollution, which is one of the fastest growing environmental concerns. In partnership, Norway and India will share experiences and competence, and collaborate on efforts to develop clean and healthy oceans, sustainable use of ocean resources and growth in the blue economy, it said. Among those present at the event were Marianne Hagen, Deputy Minister, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and M Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences. This initiative will seek to support local governments in implementing sustainable waste management practices, develop systems for collecting and analysing information about sources and scope of marine pollution and improve private sector investment, the government said. Support will also be directed towards beach clean-up efforts, awareness raising campaigns and pilot project using plastic waste as fuel substitution for coal in cement production and developing frameworks for deposit schemes, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All trade unions of the jute sector barring the Indian National Trinamool Trade Union Congress have announced an indefinite strike from March 1 on workers' various unmet demands. Bengal Chatkal Mazdoor Union general secretary Anadi Sahu told reporters that the strike call was the last option for them after the workers' charter of 22 demands were ignored and not been heard since long. "All the 21 trade unions of the industry have agreed to support the indefinite strike of jute mills, except INTTUC," he said. The jute sector employs over 2 lakh workers in 65 mills in the state. Sahu said the recent interim wage hike of Rs 70 with effect from February 1 2019 by West Bengal was a unilateral decision. The state government, in a meeting held on January 17 this year with the jute industry and trade unions, had decided to give an interim relief of Rs 70, raising the wage to Rs 327 per day till the new wage agreement was finalised. However, the relief would be applicable only to those workers who now get less than Rs 327 per day as wages. Sahu said that besides the interim relief, no other demands were considered. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Gujarat government has written to the Centre to include two of its health schemes in the latter's Ayushman Bharat initiative, state deputy chief minister Nitin Patel said Monday. He identified the two state government schemes as the 'Mukhyamantri Amrutam Yojana' and the 'Maa Vatsalya Yojana'. Under the Mukhyamantri Amrutam Yojana, financial help is given to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families for surgeries related to cardiovascular diseases, burns, polytrauma, cancer, renal and neo-natal ailments as well as neurosurgery. As part of the Maa Vatsalya Yojana, medical treatment of up to Rs 3 lakh is provided free of cost at government-empanelled hospitals. "The Centre has assured the Gujarat government that it will seriously consider its plea for inclusion of these two health schemes under the Ayushman Bharat initiative," Patel said. He added that financial help under both the state-run schemes will rise to Rs 5 lakh if the Centre accepts the Gujarat government's request. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had rolled out the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana-Ayushman Bharat in September last year. The Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme covers around 50 crore people providing coverage upto 5 lakh rupees per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. The Gujarat deputy chief minister also said the first instalment of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme will be given to 70 lakh farmers in the state by March 31 this year. The Centre had announced the direct income support scheme on February 1 in its interim budget. Farmers holding cultivable land up to two hectare would receive Rs 6,000 per year in three equal instalments under the PM-KISAN plan. Patel, who is also state health minister, said modern equipment would be bought to equip civil hospitals in Vadodara, Bhavnagar and Jamnagar to treat cancer patients. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ICAI Accounting Research Foundation (ICAI ARF) will oversee the process of reopening the books of crisis-hit IL&FS. The board of debt-laden Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) was taken over by the corporate affairs ministry last year after many group entities defaulted on their debt obligations. In a release, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) Monday said ICAI ARF has been assigned the task of "reopening" of the books of IL&FS. An official said ICAI ARF, a not-for-profit entity, would oversee the process of reopening the books of IL&FS along with the ministry. The ICAI ARF can outsource the assignment, so that it is over within a reasonable period of time, the release said. "It has been agreed to assign the task of reopening of the books and recasting of the financial statements of IL&FS, IFIN and ITNL from financial year 2012-13 to financial year 2017-18 to ICAI ARF," it added. This has been done in view of the substantial public interest involved in the matter and the requirement to keep the whole exercise independent. The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) is also probing the affairs of the IL&FS group. The IL&FS group has a total debt of over Rs 91,000 crore. Last month, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approved reopening of the books and recasting of the financial statements of IL&FS, IL&FS Financial Services Ltd (IFIN) and IL&FS Transportation Networks Ltd (ITNL) from the 2012-13 to 2017-18. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After decades spent in the shadow of a death sentence pronounced by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Salman Rushdie is quietly defiant. "I don't want to live hidden away," he told AFP during a visit to Paris. The novelist's life changed forever on February 14, 1989, when Iran's spiritual leader ordered Rushdie's execution after branding his novel "The Satanic Verses" blasphemous. Like a kind of reverse Valentine, Tehran renewed the fatwa year after year. Rushdie, who some say is the greatest writer India has produced since Tagore, spent 13 years living under a false name and constant police protection. "I was 41 back then, now I am 71. Things are fine now," he said in September. "We live in a world where the subject changes very fast. And this is a very old subject. There are now many other things to be frightened about -- and other people to kill," he added ruefully. Rushdie stopped using an assumed name in the months after September 11 2001, three years after Tehran had said the threat against him was "over". But armed plainclothes police nonetheless sat outside the door of his French publisher's office in Paris during an interview with AFP. Several others had taken up positions in the courtyard. Earlier, Rushdie had assured a sceptical audience at a book festival in eastern France that he led a "completely normal life" in New York, where he has lived for nearly two decades. "I take the subway," he said. "The Satanic Verses" was Rushdie's fifth book, he has now written his 18th. Titled "The Golden House" it is about a man from Mumbai, who much like the author, reinvents himself in the Big Apple in a bid to shake off his past. The dark years of riots, bomb plots and the murder of one of the book's translators and the shooting and stabbing of two others now "feels like a very long time ago," he said. "Islam was not a thing. No one was thinking in that way," he explained of the period when "The Satanic Verses" was written. "One of the things that has happened is that people in the West are more informed than they used to be," he added. Even so, the book was greatly misunderstood, he insisted: "Really it's a novel about South Asian immigrants in London." Rushdie's friend, the British Pakistani writer Hanif Kureishi, reckons no one "would have the balls today to write 'The Satanic Verses', let alone publish it." But even Kureishi, who wrote an acclaimed novel "The Black Album" in its aftermath about young British Muslims radicalising themselves, admitted that he never saw the controversy coming when he read a proof copy. He mused: "I didn't notice anything about it that might rouse the fundamentalists. I saw it as a book about psychosis, about newness and change."Indian author and journalist Salil Tripathi of PEN International, which campaigns for writers' rights, said he hoped major publishers would still be brave enough to publish "The Satanic Verses". "I have not totally lost hope, but undoubtedly the Rushdie case has created a mental brake. A lot of subjects are now seen as taboo," he conceded. Today, intimidation is carried out by foot soldiers rather than declared by governments, he said, suggesting that now all religious clerics have to do to rouse the angry masses is to voice their dislike for a publication. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madras High Court Monday passed an order stating that the Tamil Nadu government should give fishermen the maximum subsidy for transponders. A PIL was filed before a division bench comprising Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad by Fisherman Care, an NGO, seeking direction to the Centre to refer all cases of violation of human rights of Indian fishermen by Sri Lanka to the International Court of Justice. Based on the PIL, the bench, in its order, said that considering the safety and security of the fishermen who land in problems day in and day out, it is the desire of the court that the government extend its maximum subsidy to the fishermen and submit a report by February 20. The order was passed after the bench went through the report of the director of Fisheries, Tamil Nadu government, and the copy of the letter sent by the Ministry of External Affairs submitted by Assistant Solicitor General G Karthikeyan. The court was informed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) that it had no plans to provide satellite phones to fishermen. The ministry, in its letter to the assistant solicitor general, said that based on the directive of the National Committee for Strengthening Maritime and Coastal Security, it had undertaken a proof of concept (PoC) pilot study to evaluate the transponder technology developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). In this regard, the ISRO has informed that 1,050 MSS-based transponder terminals were being installed in 20-metre fishing vessels in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat (500 terminals each) and Puducherry(50 terminals). It further said that transponders are wireless satellite-based communication devices considered for fitment on the fishing vessels by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the ISRO. The Ahmedabad Earth Station hub (capable of handling upto 4,000 terminals) is supporting the PoC terminals. Subsequently, the operations would be migrated to the Delhi Earth Station. Stating further that presently 819 PoC are installed in the field in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and Gujarat, the ministry has informed that the Home Affairs Ministry has conveyed that it has no plans to provide satellite phones to fishermen. The MEA also informed that the transponders fitted in the mechanised boats were still in trial stage and their efficacy was being monitored by the ISRO. Further, the development of transponder hardware and the required back-end user utility software components were also in the trial stage. The fishermen have informed that the battery connected to the transponders drains out within 30 minutes after switching on. Further, the fishermen have said the system was not switching on due to interference between I-Com and transponders. Hence, it was suggested to conduct a field study at the Chennai Fishing Harbour to solve the issues. Recording this, the bench posted the matter for further hearing to February 20. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China condemned Turkey over its claim that a celebrated musician from Chinas Turkic Muslim Uighur ethnic group has died in custody. Chinese Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that a brief video clip of Abdurehim Heyit issued by state media shows he is still alive. She told a daily briefing that the Turkish side had made a very bad mistake which is quite irresponsible, the AP reported. Turkeys foreign ministry issued a statement Saturday calling Chinas treatment of Uighurs a great cause of shame for humanity, in a rare show of public criticism by a majority Muslim nation. China has interned an estimated 1 million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in re-education camps. Heyit had reportedly been sentenced to eight years over one of his songs. The Monday dismissed a petition seeking to allow movie-goers to take their own into cinemas by saying no writ of mandamus can be issued to consider the plea. A division bench, comprising Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramanium Prasad, before which the public interest litigation (PIL) moved by advocate S Tamizhventhan came up for hearing, said a movie hall is private property and the court cannot direct the authorities to consider his representation. The bench further said there were no Constitutional or statutory rights recognised under the law permitting the common public to carry their own into a theatre, which is private property. The petitioner, referring to the exorbitant ticket fee charged by the cinema owners, said not even water bottles, bread and biscuits, hot water for children and snacks for diabetics were permitted. Also, he said there was no law prohibiting carrying and other eatables into the movie halls. The petitioner said prohibiting the entry of even drinking water and food for children into the theatres violates the right to life guaranteed under Article 19 of the Constitution of India, and added that he had already made a representation to the authorities. Hence, he sought for a direction to the authorities, including the state chief secretary, to consider his representation. The Delhi High Court on Monday sought a response from controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi, accused in a cheating and corruption case, on CBI's plea to enhance from Rs 2 crore to Rs 6 crore the security amount he has to furnish to travel to the UAE and Pakistan. Justice Chander Shekhar issued a notice to Qureshi seeking his reply on the plea of the probe agency which has contended that the trial court ought to have mandated higher amount as was done by the high court for a co-accused in the case. The CBI argued the lower court order was perverse as it did not take into account the sensitivity of the case and the stringent conditions imposed on the co-accused, Pradeep Koneru, by the high court. The agency's lawyer sought that the matter be heard on February 13 as Qureshi was scheduled to leave the country on the night of February 14-15. The high court allowed the CBI lawyer's oral request and listed the matter for February 13. The judge, however, disapproved of the manner in which the lawyer had repeatedly urged the court for an early date of hearing. "Just because you are counsel for CBI does not mean you will keep arguing. I asked you to stop. You are first an officer of the court and then a lawyer for CBI," the judge said to advocate Sanjeev Bhandari, who appeared for the agency. The high court also said that amount to be furnished as security was a discretion of the lower court and there was "no perversity" in its decision allowing Qureshi to travel abroad. The high court further said that the lower court was "not incompetent" and the CBI ought to have come earlier with its plea. Qureshi, on February 1, was allowed by a trial court to travel to the UAE from February 15-23 for attending the Gulf Food Festival and from March 6-20 to Pakistan to attend his niece's wedding. The trial court had directed Qureshi to furnish an additional security of Rs two crore in the form of bank guarantee and warned that in case of violation of any of the conditions imposed, the amount would be forfeited. He was also asked to surrender his passport within 24 hours of his arrival in the country. While the CBI sought enhancement of the amount, Qureshi moved an application in the trial court to reduce the security to Rs 50 lakh, the agency told the high court during the brief hearing. The ED and the CBI had opposed before the lower court Qureshi's plea to travel abroad on the apprehension that he may not return to face the trial. The CBI had urged the trial court that stringent security conditions be put on him as was done in the case of the co-accused by the high court. Qureshi had sought permission of the trial court to travel to the UAE from February 9-24 to meet buyers and attend the Gulf Food Festival for purposes of promoting and growing his business and to Lahore and Karachi in March to attend a relative's wedding and to permit him to retain his passport between the trips to obtain visa for Pakistan. The court had in 2017 granted him bail in a case in which the ED had alleged that Qureshi was involved in hawala transactions through Delhi-based hawala operators Parvez Ali of Turkman Gate and M/s South Delhi Money Changer (DAMINI) in Greater Kailash-1. The ED has challenged the bail order in the high court which is pending. The CBI had lodged a case against him after the ED and Income Tax department's probe into money laundering allegations against Qureshi, in which ongoing investigations have allegedly revealed involvement of senior public servants. The probe agency had earlier alleged that money has been sent abroad by the accused from one of the witnesses in the investigation through hawala channels in exchange for help provided to him in a CBI case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "Hamid", a film about an eight-year-old Kashmiri boy's search for his missing father, is all set to release on March 1. Produced by Yoodlee Films and directed by Aijaz Khan, the film premiered at the Jio MAMI 20th Mumbai Film Festival in 2018. "It's a great feeling when you know that your labour of love will be finally be showcased to the entire nation. I'm excited and nervous in equal measures. This is an important story that needs to be told, and after travelling to different parts of the world, I hope this film continues to touch the hearts of the audiences all over, as it has been doing in its festival screenings," Khan said. Siddharth Anand Kumar VP Films and TV Saregama India and Producer at Yoodlee Films said they were looking forward to the the reaction of the viewers after a positive showing at film festivals. "The response we have got at various prestigious film festivals has been overwhelming and we are imbued with a new confidence to showcase the film to a wider audience. Engaging relevant content for a discerning audience is the cornerstone of Yoodlee Films, and Hamid is a true testimony to that," Kumar said in a statement. The story of the film is told through Hamid, who is looking for his missing father after his mother tells him that he has gone to Allah. The number 786, Hamid learns, is God's number and he decides to try and reach out to Him. Using his father's old mobile phone, after various combinations, he ?nally manages to connect to Abhay, a hard-knuckled CRPF Jawaan, who he believes, is the God he is looking for. Hamid and Abhay torn apart by politics and bound by a sense of loss, unknowingly and unintentionally, find a way to complete each other's life, against the rampant violence in Kashmir. The character of the child protagonist in the film has been played by a young kashmiri boy, Talha Arshad Reshi. The film also stars talented peformers like Rasika Duggal, Vikas Kumar and Sumit Kaul. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd Monday reported a 17.02 per cent decline in net profit to Rs 455.19 crore in the third quarter ended December 2018. It had reported a net profit of Rs 548.59 crore in the October-December quarter of the previous fiscal. In a filing on the exchanges, HAL said a fraud involving misappropriation of funds by a company official in collusion with six contractors has been noticed by the management and referred to the vigilance department for further investigations. "The vigilance department based on the investigations has lodged FIR with Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Bhubaneshwar. An amount of Rs 1,876 lakh has been provisionally assessed as fraudulent payments made to contractors during the period from December 2013 to September 2018, and reported in the FIR with CBI," the company said. It said the matter is under investigation by CBI. HAL's total income from operations stood at Rs 4,482.83 crore during the period, compared with Rs 4,462.92 crore in the corresponding year-ago period. Its total expenses rose to Rs 3,799.33 crore in the December 2018 quarter, against Rs 3,618.14 crore a year ago. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Claiming that Prime Minister would have been "number one accused" in the Rafale issue had been implemented, the Congress on Monday said in Lok Sabha that his broad shoulders cannot stand the "bullet of corruption". If anybody has to be held guilty in Rafale deal, "it is the PM and PM alone", Congress leader Veerappa Moily said launching a scathing attack against Modi and the Union government during a discussion on the He alleged that the Rafale issue has become a "household scandal" and that Modi may "escape" his responsibility today but not in the days to come. Moily cited recent critical media reports on the fighter aircraft deal to target the government. While the defence budget saw only a paltry increase in absolute terms and the allocation to the sector as percentage of the GDP has gone down, he alleged the ruling BJP is using money to "buy" MLAs, build "palatial" offices and filling its coffers. On the Rafale deal, in which the Congress has accused the government of corruption, Moily said, "Now it is crystal clear why (law) is not being implemented If it had been in place, the PM would be number one accused." He was referring to the law on setting up anti-corruption ombudsman. Due to this "guilty conscience", the Union government has been using investigative agencies against its rivals, he alleged. In an apparent reference to Modi's comments about his "56 -inch chest", Moily said, "When bullet of corruption is hit, his broad shoulders cannot bear it." Modi had earlier hit out the Congress over the Rafale issue, saying the party did not want the country's armed forces to be strengthened, and had asked if it was bidding for any private player. During his reply to the discussion on motion of thanks on the President's address, the Prime Minister had alleged that no defence deal under the Congress was without kickbacks. Moily on Monday also targeted the government over unemployment issue and accused it of "fudging" statistics. If the GDP is growing at 7.5 per cent, "can it be without creating jobs," he said, adding according to latest NSSO estimate, the country's unemployment stood at a 45-year high. There is a "job crisis", which they are not prepared to accept, Moily said. Citing various data, Moily alleged that the government has significantly reduced the budget for different programmes including for welfare of farmers and women. "Now Rafael will fail and Rahul will win," he said, alleging the ruling government has no respect for Parliament and Constitution. Supporting the demand of the TDP, he said the NDA government denied the "legitimate support" to Andhra Pradesh and did not grant it special status which was promised on the floor of Parliament. "This shows they have scant regard for Parliament, scant regard for Constitution of India. I want to tell you (TDP), the Congress party is fully with you and today or tomorrow we will implement it. "They (the government) believe only in Reliance, their integrity lies in relying on Reliance," he said. He said that Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has promised that "we will implement that". "After demonetisation, Rs 2 lakh crore worth of GDP was lost, industrial output and MSMEs suffered and now the government will pay for the sin committed against poor people," he said. They need to prove that they are a clean government and that is why they spend on advertisements, he said adding "If the youth are so enamoured by Mudra Yojana, then why are youths seeking jobs?" "40 per cent of Mudra funds are lying idle, Mudra loans are leading to rising NPAs. In five years of this government, NPAs have risen from Rs 2 lakh crore to Rs 12 lakh crore. "If you give then another five years, then the public sector banks will be wiped out or liquidated," he claimed. Moily said that the government is accumulating "sin after sin". ALSO READ: Clash between Modi govt and Mamata may capture zeitgeist of Lok Sabha polls He alleged the government has not addressed the serious problems of farmers and instead paid windfall to private players. He claimed that the government has cut budget allocations for all the women welfare schemes. "They do not care about women....This is the impression... if women started cursing you, you will never come again," he said. He also said that funds for 'Beti Bachao and Beti Padhao' have also decreased and it has been reduced to a slogan only as the amount was mainly spent on advertisements. "It is only for PM bachao," he said, adding huge amounts were spent on media advertisement and on chosen channels. He also alleged that the government did not release the caste-based census as it is not interested in it. Taking a swipe at the government, he said it is "good at manufacturing news, lies and web of lies. Nobel prize should be given to them for the web of lies". Gujjar community members blocked National Highway-11, which connects Jaipur with Agra, in Rajasthan's Dausa district on Monday, the fourth day of their agitation demanding 5 per cent reservation in government jobs and educational institutes. Their protest had turned violent on Sunday when shots were fired and police vehicles were torched in Dholpur district, forcing authorities to impose prohibitory orders under CrPc section 144 in Dholpur and Karauli districts. It still remains in force in the areas. On Monday, the agitators blocked NH-11 and continued their blockade from previous days at other places. Since the agitation began on Friday, it has affected the movement of more than 250 trains. "NH-11 was blocked at Sikandara in Dausa. A state highway was blocked in Bundi district's Nainwa on Sunday and Malarna road in Sawai Madhopur and Karauli-Hindaun road at Budla village in Karauli have also been blocked," DGP, Law and Order, M L Lathar said. Dausa SP Prahlad Singh said vehicles heading towards the blockade area on the national highway were diverted to alternate routes. "The traffic is being diverted and things are under control. The blockade is peaceful," the SP said. He said efforts were being made to clear the blockade. As of now, one national highway, one state highway and two arterial roads and Delhi-Mumbai railway tracks are blocked in Rajasthan, leading to cancellation and diversion of several trains. The North Western Railway said in a bulletin four trains had to be diverted on Monday. The trains are: Hazrat Nizamuddin-Udaipur (12963), Amritsar-Mumbai Central (12904), Firozpur-Mumbai Central (19024) and Dehradun-Kochiveli (22660). Gujjar agitation leader Kirori Singh Bainsla and his supporters began their sit-in on railway tracks in Malarna Dungar of Swai Madhopur on Friday. Bainsla is demanding 5 per cent quota for Gujjar, Raika-Rebari, Gadia Luhar, Banjara and Gadaria communities in jobs and education and has refused to clear the railway tracks. "We will not move from the tracks if the announcement is not made. There is only one demand and that is 5 per cent reservation," Bainsla's son Vijay Singh said. A state government delegation, including Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh and IAS officer Neeraj K Pawan, held talks with the protestors on Saturday but they refused to end their agitation until their demand is met through an official announcement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Monday extended support to Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's day-long fast for special status to the state and said the central government should fulfil the promise without any further delay. Singh, who headed the UPA government at the Centre when was bifurcated, said, "This demand had support of all parties when it was discussed in Parliament. I stand in solidarity with Naidu." He said the special category status promise must be implemented without any further delay and that he had always stood by the people of the state. Congress leader Anand Sharma said at the time of Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation, it was clearly announced that the residual state will be given special status to make up for the loss. He attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over "the language used by him against Naidu" at a rally in Guntur in the state on Sunday. "It's unbecoming of the prime minister. He has dragged the political discourse to such a low level. Therefore, we decided to unite against him. Standing together need is the hour," he said. Party leader Ahmed Patel alleged that the prime minister betrayed and that its people should expect not anything from this government as it is a dispensation of cheaters and "tod-jod" (patchwork). "We are solidly supporting Andhra. We are standing with Naidu," he said. A delegation of the Riyadh-based Islamic military coalition against terrorism, headed by former Pakistan Army chief General (retd) Raheel Sharif, arrived here for the first-ever visit to the country for talks with the top Pakistani leadership on issues like counter-terrorism. The trip by head of the 41-nation military coalition comes ahead of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's visit to Pakistan on February 17. Saudi Arabia acquired the services of Gen. Raheel, who retired in November 2016, as head of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) in 2017. The IMCTC was cobbled together in December 2015 to combat terrorism. A special plane carrying the delegation arrived at Nur Khan air base in the federal capital on Sunday, the Express Tribune reported. Quoting sources, the report said, during the two-day visit, the visiting delegation is likely to hold key meetings with the civil and military leadership of the country. The military officials are expected to meet Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmoood Qureshi besides Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mahmood Hayat. Pakistan's former army chief Gen. Raheel, who is now the commander general of the Saudi-led military coalition, will also hold a special meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan. Key affairs pertaining to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's upcoming visit to Pakistan will be discussed at the meeting, the report said, quoting sources as saying. Regional security situation and measures taken against terrorism will also be discussed in the meetings, it said. In December last year, Gen. Raheel dismissed the notion that the military coalition was aimed against any particular country, nation or sect without any mentions. He said this while briefing the Senate chairman, who was on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, on performance and objectives behind formation of the military alliance. The former army chief has said the basic objective of IMCTC was to fight against the menace of terrorism until its eradication. However, Iran and Saudi Arabia are regional rivals and have supported opposing sides in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen and different political factions in Iraq and Lebanon, the report said. During Crown Prince Salman's visit, Pakistan is likely to sign a number of investment deals, including the construction of a multi-billion-dollar oil refinery in the port city of Gwadar. The Saudi crown prince will follow-up on agreements signed between the two countries during Prime Minister Khan's visit to the Kingdom last year. Oil-rich Saudi Arabia agreed to provide USD 6 billion lifeline to Pakistan following the second visit of Khan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday launched national highways and waterways projects worth more than Rs 3,400 crore during his day-long visit to East Champaran and West Champaran districts of Bihar. Gadkari, who holds road transport and highways, and shipping, water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation portfolios, also addressed the concluding ceremony of a three-day farmers' conclave in Motihari, the district headquarters of East Champaran. The Union minister began his visit from Bagaha in West Champaran, where he inaugurated and laid foundation stones for projects worth Rs 366.62 crore, which included two road overbridge (ROB) approach roads for National Highway 28, an official release said. He also laid the foundation stone for a 300 km national waterway from Balmiki Nagar in Bagaha to the confluence of river Gandak and Ganga in Hajipur. At Motihari, Gadkari launched projects worth Rs 2,540 crore which included widening of an 83.24 km-long stretch on National Highway 227A, which would cost Rs 1,285 crore, and four-laning of an 81.11 km-long section on National Highway 74, which would cost Rs 1,254 crore. At the 'Kisan Kumbh', Gadkari spoke of pro-farmer measures taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre, including an increase in the minimum support price and promoting the blending of ethanol, produced as a by-product during the process of making sugar from sugarcane, in petrol and diesel. He said the government, in keeping with its commitment to cleanse Ganga, had launched schemes worth Rs 26,000 crore. The farmers' conclave was also attended by Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh. Later, the Union ministers left for Raxaul in East Champaran where projects worth Rs 505 crore were launched. These included widening of a 40 km-long stretch on National Highway 28B and a 69 km-long stretch on National Highway 28A. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A fresh tender issued recently by the Rajasthan government for ropeway at the Jalore Fort will open next month, School Education Minister Govind Singh Dotasara told the state legislative assembly Monday. He was replying to a question in the House on behalf of Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh. BJP legislator Jogeshwar Garg had raised the question whether the government intends to make available facilities like ropeway at the Jalore Fort for the convenience of tourists. Dotasara said a tender for ropeway was issued on August 13, 2018, but not a single firm applied for the project. He said a fresh tender has been issued by the government on January 30, 2019, which will open on March 5, 2019. Dotasara said Rs 700 lakh had been earmarked for the project on June 28, 2017. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Captain of Russias arrested Nord fishing vessel Vladimir Gorbenko, who was under investigation in Ukraine, has returned to Crimea. "There were no restrictions preventing me from going back home. I legally crossed the border using my Russian passport. I arrived in Kerch in the evening, when everybody was at home and they were all happy to see me. I just climbed the stairs and rang the doorbell. My daughters and wife were stunned, naturally," the Komsomolskaya Pravda Crimea newspaper cited the captain as saying. A week ago, Ukraines Interior Ministry issued a nationwide alert for Vladimir Gorbenko who had broken contact with his Ukrainian lawyers on January 26, TASS recalls. In March 2018, Ukraines State Border Service detained a fishing vessel flying the Russian flag in the Sea of Azov, whose crew includes ten Russian nationals. The vessels captain was charged under the Ukrainian Criminal Codes article on "violating the entry and exit rules to Ukraines occupied territory" and illegal fishing. On April 10, the Kherson City Court released Gorbenko on bail, while other Russian sailors were fined. Two of the crew members managed to leave Ukraine but the other seven were prevented from leaving the country with Russian passports as Kiev considers Crimean residents to be Ukrainian citizens. However, on October 30, Kiev handed the sailors over to Russia in exchange for seven Ukrainian crew members from the YaMK-0041 and YaOD-2105 ships, detained for illegal fishing off Crimeas coast. A French tourist has been arrested for flying a drone near Myanmar's parliament in the capital Naypyidaw, the French embassy and local police confirmed Monday, under a law that could see him imprisoned for up to three years. The man, named by police as 27-year-old Arthur Desclaux, tried to fly a drone over the government building, which is illegal in Myanmar. Three journalists and their driver were jailed in 2017 for the same offence. Local media published photos of the French detainee, including his passport details, and his drone. "(He) was arrested late afternoon on Thursday 7 February for having flown a drone over the parliament," the embassy said, adding that the man was still in detention in Naypyidaw. His family had been informed of his arrest and embassy staff were trying to secure his release, it added. He has been charged under section 8 of the export and import law, police officer Min Tin told AFP. Desclaux faces "up to three years imprisonment" if found guilty, said Min Tin. It remains unclear why he was flying the drone. Journalists Lau Hon Meng from Singapore and Mok Choy Lin from Malaysia were making a documentary for Turkish state broadcaster TRT when they were detained in October 2017 along with Myanmar reporter Aung Naing Soe and driver Hla Tin. Expecting to receive a fine, they confessed to flying the drone over parliament but were instead sentenced to two months in prison under Myanmar's aircraft act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four soldiers were killed on Monday after a Turkish military helicopter crashed in a residential area of Istanbul, the province's governor said. "Unfortunately four of our soldiers became martyrs," Istanbul governor Ali Yerlikaya told reporters at the scene. Yerlikaya said no other military personnel or civilian had been injured after the helicopter ploughed to the ground in the Cekmekoy district. The incident happened around 1851 (1551 GMT), he said in televised comments. Images on Turkish television earlier showed thick black smoke emanating from behind a white wall at the site on the Asian side of Istanbul. Yerlikaya said the Istanbul public prosecutor had launched an investigation into the cause of the crash. Four Turkish soldiers were killed last November after a military helicopter crashed in another residential area of Istanbul, hitting a four-storey building. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A brief shootout took place early Monday morning at a park in Rohini between police and associates of Neeraj Bawana gang members, after which five accused were apprehended, officials said. Three of the accused sustained injuries in the shootout which took place near Swarn Jayanti Park at sector 10 in Rohini. The accused are associates of Dushyant and Sonu, who are members of the dreaded Neeraj Bawana gang and are wanted in two cases of murder, police officials said. The Special Cell of the Delhi Police apprehended Sunil Bhura (21), Sukhwinder (24), Ravinder (34), Arpit Chillar (20) and a 17-year-old, they added. Two police personnel who were shot at had a narrow escape as the bullets hit their bulletproof vests. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said the three accused, Arpit Chillar, Sunil Bhura and Sukhwinder, sustained injuries on their legs during the shootout. Five weapons with cartridges have been seized from the possession of the accused persons, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A little Singapore, showcasing the most intriguing artworks including elaborate installations and graffiti of the island country, will be on display here in different parts of the national capital from February 15. The three-day festival, titled 'Singapore Weekender', will provide the visitors with a unique rendezvous with innovative art expressions laid at three different zones here in 'The Lodhi Art District' featuring the Singapore Lane, F(r)iction at KONA, Jor Bagh and antiSocial at Hauz Khas Delhi. The initiative, taken in collaboration with the St+art India Foundation, is a part of the Singapore Tourism Board's (STB) brand campaign called 'Passion Made Possible', launched in 2017. "Singapore has a rich art, culture and music scene that we wanted to bring to the fore, and our artists at the Singapore Weekender will help bring a glimpse of this to the Indian audience. "...India continues to be the third largest source market for tourist arrivals into Singapore. We want to continue enticing travellers from India with a storytelling approach for our brand 'Passion Made Possible'," Chee Pey Chang, Assistant Chief Executive (International Group), STB, said. Touted to be a true celebration of 'diversity, cultures and inclusivity', the festival will see participation of over 30 creators including artists such as Sam Lo, Yip Yew Chong, Yok and Sheryo, installation artist Tan Xi Zi, new media artists Brandon Tay and photographic artist Eugene Soh. While 'The Lodhi Art District' will feature a special Singapore Lane, where Singapore artists will be part of the transformation of walls between Khanna Market and Meherchand Market into a public art gallery of wall murals, an immersive art exhibition F(r)iction at KONA will represent the discourse on the changing nature of the relationship between art, nature, and technology. "The temporary exhibition will invite the public to dig into the complexities of our lives entangled in dichotomies and cross-pollinations between technology, art and nature," the organisers said. Also, giving a peek into Singapore's vibrant music and nightlife will be a pop-up cocktail bar by one of the south Asian country's most popular bars, Jigger and Pony, coupled with a performance by Singaporean rapper Yung Raja during the launch party at antiSocial, Hauz Khas. "The grand finale will be a 'rap battle' between Yung Raja and Indian rapper Prabhdeep Singh, a first collaboration between the two artistes," they added. The festival will come to a close on February 17. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senator Amy Klobuchar has officially joined a crowded field of Democrats vying to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020 - already shaping up to be one of the largest and most diverse ever. Klobuchar is now party of a group of White House hopefuls that includes other high-flying female US senators, charismatic military veterans and a young gay mayor. And it is likely to grow before the US primary season gets underway a year from now. Here are the first entrants in the presidential race, 21 months before the election. The 58-year-old granddaughter of an iron miner, Klobuchar is a former prosecutor with an unpretentious demeanor. She has quietly gained attention in Washington as a centrist. Klobuchar is known for putting partisanship aside to pass legislation, something that has earned her a devoted following in Minnesota, and something American voters regularly tell pollsters they want. Klobuchar has promised more stringent gun laws and set a target of universal health care, while calling for America to support its troops, diplomats and intelligence officers. But claims about her work ethic have cast a shadow over her goals. Several former aides have been quoted saying she is difficult to work for, with bouts of "explosive rage" leading to exceptionally high staff turnover. Her defenders say she is simply someone who demands excellence, and that the allegations against her would not be made against a man. Elizabeth Warren At 69, the US Senate's consumer protection champion from Massachusetts became the first high-profile Democrat to enter the race when she announced a presidential exploratory committee on December 31. She officially kicked off her White House run on Saturday. Warren is on the party's left flank, and built her reputation by holding Wall Street accountable for its missteps. She is considered to have one of the best campaign organizations of any Democrat. Trump has already taken aim at Warren, mocking her proclamation of Native American heritage. Cory Booker The 49-year-old US senator from New Jersey announced his candidacy February 1, evoking the civil rights movement as he promised to work to bring together a divided America. Often compared to former president Barack Obama, Booker began his career as a community activist and rose to prominence as mayor of Newark, New Jersey. He was elected to the US Senate in 2013, the first African-American senator ever from that state. A talented orator with a flair for the dramatic, he drew attention for his performance during confirmation hearings of Trump Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Kirsten Gillibrand This New York senator made a name fighting the battle to end sexual assault, especially in the military, before the #MeToo movement gained national prominence. The 52-year-old, a fierce Trump critic, is making gender and women's issues a hallmark of her campaign. Kamala Harris The barrier-breaking senator from California who aspires to be the nation's first black female president announced her candidacy on a day honouring slain civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. The daughter of an Indian immigrant medical researcher mother and a Jamaican economist father, Harris, 54, began her career as a district attorney in San Francisco before serving as California's attorney general. Julian Castro A cabinet member in the Obama era and grandson of a Mexican immigrant, Castro announced his candidacy in English and Spanish on January 12 in the heat of the debate on immigration and border security. At 44, the former mayor of San Antonio, Texas hopes to become the nation's first Hispanic president. Tulsi Gabbard At just 37, this congresswoman from Hawaii would be the first Hindu president if elected. A supporter of liberal Bernie Sanders in the 2016 race, military veteran Gabbard was criticised for meeting with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad during that country's civil war, and for anti-gay positions that she has since retracted and apologised for. Pete Buttigieg Nine months younger than Gabbard is the South Bend, Indiana, mayor who joined the race unveiling a resolutely future-looking and optimistic message to counter Trump's darker vision. A US Navy veteran who put his mayoral duties on hold to serve in Afghanistan, Buttigieg would become the first openly gay nominee of any major party. Andrew Yang The 44-year-old tech entrepreneur launched his campaign with little fanfare in late 2017, warning against the dangers that automation presents to US workers. He has advocated for a form of universal basic income as a way to reduce inequality. John Delaney An affluent Maryland businessman who served three terms in Congress, Delaney was the earliest Democrat to officially launch a bid, back in July 2017. He has crisscrossed the early-voting state of Iowa seeking to boost his name recognition. Waiting in the wings Several big Democratic guns have yet to commit, including former vice president Joe Biden and senators Bernie Sanders and Sherrod Brown. Former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke is considering a run, as are billionaire New York ex-mayor Michael Bloomberg and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. Current and former governors are in the mix, too: Washington's Jay Inslee, John Hickenlooper of Colorado, Steve Bullock of Montana and Virginia's Terry McAuliffe. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Exatron Servers Monday said it is setting up a manufacturing and assembly plant in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh and plans to invest Rs 360 crore over the next five years to scale its operations. The facility, located at the Industrial Park Electronic MFG Cluster - II in Tirupati, is spread across over 2 lakh sq ft area and will be the assembling and manufacturing centre for high-end servers and storage products, the company said a statement. Exatron Servers Manufacturing will commence construction of the facility by early March and expects the manufacturing unit to be ready for commercial shipments within the next nine months, it added. Citing industry reports, Exatron said the server market in India is poised to grow by 29 per cent and 15 per cent in terms of value and volume, respectively, in the next 4 years, helped by large-scale digital transformation initiatives at enterprise and government levels. "Exatron plans to invest Rs 360 crore over the next five years to scale the company's operations in Tirupati and also has plans to expand its presence across the country," the statement said. The initiative promises to create local employment opportunities for up to 900 employees in the next five years, it added. "We are excited to announce this endeavour in order to meet the rapidly growing needs of the Data centre and Cloud market in India. With the advent of lower mobile data costs and increasing awareness, there is a surge in demand for servers amongst the Indian enterprises," Exatron CEO Suryanarayanan B said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former IPS Officer Bharati Ghosh, who joined BJP last week, has moved the Supreme Court seeking protection from any coercive action by the West Bengal police in new corruption cases registered against her. Ghosh, once considered close to Mamata Banerjee, claimed police has registered seven FIRs against her including one lodged last week. The apex court had on October 1, last year granted her protection from arrest in a case of alleged extortion and illegal exchange of banned notes for gold. A bench of Justices A K Sikri and S Abdul Nazeer said that it will hear her application on February 19. At the outset, senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, appearing for Ghosh said that seven FIRs have been lodged against her in an incident which dates back to 2016 in which allegedly gold was taken for currency. He said police has been acting against her at different places and they should be restrained from taking any coercive action. Kumar said that protection from arrest should be granted to her like it was given last year. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for West Bengal government opposed the plea and said she wants stay of arrest on a writ petition, which cannot be done. He said Ghosh and her Personal Security Officer were involved in the gold extortion case and other cases and they both acted together. Sibal said she was already granted protection from arrest in October, last year. The bench said it will hear her plea on February 19 in detail on a non-miscellaneous day. On February 4, Ghosh has joined BJP in the presence of Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and senior party leader Kailash Vijayvargiya alleging that "thugocracy" has replaced democracy in the West Bengal. Ghosh, who was the West Midnapore superintendent of police for more than six years, was transferred as commandant of the third battalion of the state armed police on December 26, 2017. She resigned from service two days later. She was once considered close to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and was also awarded a service medal on August 15, 2014. Ghosh was transferred twice, once by the Election Commission before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and the second time by the state itself before the 2016 Assembly elections. She was, however, reinstated as West Midnapore SP as soon as the elections got over on both occasions. An arrest warrant was issued against Ghosh in February, 2018 in connection with an extortion case registered at Daspur police station in West Midnapore district, following her resignation. The CID, probing cases relating to alleged extortion and misconduct against Ghosh, had also conducted raids at various properties, including a house in Kolkata that belongs to her husband M A V Raju. A few police officers of inspector and sub-inspector ranks have been arrested by the CID in connection with the probe. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu Monday announced Rs 20 lakh ex gratia for the family of a differently-abled man who allegedly committed suicide outside Andhra Pradesh. He also announced a state funeral for the 40-year-old Davala Arjun Rao, a resident of Kinthali village in Srikakulam district, on Tuesday. While Naidu linked the suicide with the demand for a special status category for Andhra Pradesh, the Delhi Police said he consumed poison as he was facing financial crisis. Naidu is on a dharna to demand special status for his state and fulfilment of commitments made by the Centre under the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. Police said Rao killed himself on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bombay High Court on Monday extended Dalit scholar Anand Teltumbde's interim protection from arrest till February 22 and directed the Pune Police to release him on a personal bond and surety in case he is arrested before the next hearing. Teltumbde, who is facing arrest by the Pune Police in the Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case, was granted time till February 11 to exhaust all his legal remedies seeking protection from arrest. He had approached the high court earlier this year, seeking anticipatory bail. While his bail plea was opposed by the Pune Police, who urged that Teltumbde be denied any relief, the court accepted the scholar's request for an adjournment of the hearing, and protected him from arrest until the next hearing on February 22. On February 5, the Pune Police was directed by Justice N W Sambre to file an affidavit listing down the grounds on which it was opposing Teltumbde's anticipatory bail plea. Justice Sambre had also directed the police to give a copy of its affidavit to Teltumbde's counsel, Mihir Desai, by February 8. The state's counsel, Aruna Pai, who appeared for the Pune Police, however, gave the affidavit to Desai only on Monday and hence, Justice Sambre granted an adjournment to the defence counsel. In its affidavit, police reiterated that the court must not grant protection from arrest to Teltumbde as it had ample incriminating evidence against him. It added that the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) did not allow granting anticipatory bail to those booked under it. Advocate Pai told the court that earlier last year, Teltumbde had filed another plea in the high court in which he had denied all charges against him and had sought quashing of the FIR against him in the case. However, another bench had rejected the plea. Desai has maintained that the law provides for anticipatory bail even under the UAPA in "exceptional cases". On February 2, the Pune Police arrested Teltumbde from the Mumbai airport at around 3 am. His arrest was deemed illegal by a sessions court since interim protection from arrest granted to him by the Supreme Court had not expired. He was later released. The Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case was registered by the Pune Police following an incident of violence near Pune between December 31, 2017 and January 1, 2018. According to police, the Elgar Parishad event on December 31, 2017 led to violent clashes the next day at Bhima Koregaon. Police claim that the event was funded and supported by Maoists. Some activists made inflammatory speeches and provocative statements that contributed to the Bhima Koregaon violence at the event, the police said. Several activists were named in the FIR. Some of them, including Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj, P Varavara Rao and Gautam Navlakha, were initially put under house arrest on the directions of the Supreme Court. However, all of them, except Navlakha, were re-arrested and taken into custody by the police recently. In October this year, another FIR was registered by the Pune Police in the case, naming eight more activists, including Teltumbde and Stan Swamy. The police also claimed to have seized four letters from the houses of these activists in which they allegedly discussed a plan to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Egypt's parliament has rescheduled for this week its vote on proposed changes to the constitution that would allow President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to stay in office well beyond his current term, which ends in 2020. Parliament spokesman Ahmed Saad el-Din said on Sunday that the legislature would hold the crucial vote on Wednesday, instead of a scheduled meeting on February 17. The 596-seat assembly had given its preliminary approval to the changes last week. The motion is near-certain to be overwhelmingly approved by the legislature, which is packed with el-Sissi's supporters, but the amendments would also need to be put to a national referendum to become law. The proposed amendments also include the introduction of the role of vice president and the reintroduction of a Senate, or upper chamber. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The international exhibition of food products, beverages and raw materials for their production ProdExpo-2019 has opened at the central exhibition center 'Expocentre' in Moscow. The Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) is a general sponsor of the exhibition. According to the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza, Azerbaijani ambassador to Russia Polad Bulbul oglu addressed the opening ceremony of the exhibition. "Dear friends, dear colleagues! First of all, I want to congratulate all the exhibitors and thank the organizers for creating such an excellent opportunity for communication. I am very pleased that it was announced here that Azerbaijan is not just a member state, but also a sponsor of many events, which will be held here. I would like to inform you that 31 companies from Azerbaijan are participating in ProdExpo 2019. This is a great opportunity for our manufacturers to enter the Russian market, sign new contracts. As a result, it helps to increase commodity circulation, increase the welfare of our businessmen and, ultimately, ensure the food well-being of our countries' residents," he said. The ambassador reminded of Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Oreshkin's recent visit to Baku. "We visited the bridge under construction on the Samur River on the border between Azerbaijan and Russia. They promise to finish the construction at the end of the year. In the foreseeable future, even such distant countries as India and Afghanistan will be able to bring their goods to Russia through Iran and Azerbaijan by the North-South railroad for 15-16 days. We are pleased that, as Russia's friends and neighbors, we will promote the expansion of trade relations of other countries, being a transit country," Polad Bulbul oglu concluded. This year, Azerbaijan will please visitors with two stands, one of which is the national stand in the salon 'Alcoholic drinks. Wine. Beer'. Visitors will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the ancient tradition of Azerbaijani winemaking. The collective exposition 'Made in Azerbaijan' will unite 31 companies offering a range of products: from fresh agricultural products to canned food, from natural mineral water to a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, teas, nuts, dried fruits, confectionery and much more. The exhibition is organized by Expocentre with the support of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture under the patronage of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the country. In total, more than 2,300 companies will participate in ProdExpo-2019. Food and beverage manufacturers from 65 countries of the world will create an exhibition with a total area of more than 100,000 square meters. Promoting new trademarks, advanced technologies for the production and sale of food products, innovative packaging materials, the international specialized wholesale trade fair Prodexpo-2019 aims to enhance the competitiveness among the food manufacturers, expand the range of products, create new qualitative changes in the domestic food market, search new partners, and while determining the vector of activity in modern economic conditions to achieve new frontiers in business. The exhibition will be held on February 11-15, 2019. Former Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh, an accused in the Saradha chit fund cases, Monday urged political parties not to politicise the CBI probe into the ponzi scam. In a Facebook post on Monday morning, Ghosh also said the CBI should have questioned Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar long ago. Ghosh, along with Kumar, is presently in Shillong for questioning by the CBI in the Saradha chit fund scam. "I request all political parties not to politicise the matter. The steps that are being taken now for the sake of investigation should have been taken long back - during the time of investigation by the SIT set up by the West Bengal government. Unfortunately, it did not happen. However, better late than never," he wrote. As far as the investigation is concerned, Ghosh said, a lot of precious time has been lost as neither the CBI nor the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has not taken these steps earlier. "Neither the CBI nor any other investigating agency is above criticism. But it will not be wise to bring up those issues and create hurdles in the path of investigation of such a huge scam. The CBI should be allowed to perform its duty," Ghosh said in the post. In an apparent hint to Rajeev Kumar, Ghosh said whoever now comes for questioning before the CBI should fight it alone and refrain from taking any help from the state government in his case. His comments comes in the backdrop of TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's dharna in Kolkata last week in protest against the central government over the CBI's failed bid to question Kumar in chit fund cases. Ghosh was arrested by the SIT in November 2013 when he was a Rajya Sabha MP of the TMC. He was granted bail in 2016. When contacted, Ghosh said he will cooperate with the investigation and wants the truth to come out. "I have always cooperated with the investigation and this time too I will extend my full cooperation," Ghosh told PTI before entering the CBI office in Shillong. He would be questioned for the second consecutive day on Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) DMK president M K Stalin Monday alleged that the practice of playing Tamil and national anthems at government events was not followed in recent State functions in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated. Playing 'Tamizh Thai Vaazhthu,' (invocation song to mother Tamil) at the start and singing the national anthem after the conclusion of programmes at government events has been a long followed practice, he said. "When Modi visited Madurai and Tirupur such a practice was not followed and it is a matter of anguish," the DMK chief said here addressing a function. On January 27, Modi laid stone for AIIMS at Madurai and he inaugurated Chennai Metro Rail's last leg besides laying the foundation stone for other projects in Tirupur on Sunday. Referring to the Prime Minsiter addressing people as brothers and sisters in Tamil ('Sahodara, sahodarigaley,') at a BJP rally (immediately after the State functions) and his citation of Tamil classic 'Thirukkural,' the DMK chief said it was to "deceive" the people. People should lend their support to his party in the upcoming Lok Sabha election alongside which polls are also expected to be held for '21' vacant seats in Tamil Nadu for a new dawn, he said. Twenty seats fell vacant due to the deaths of incumbents in two segments (Tiruvarur M Karunanidhi-DMK and AK Bose of AIADMK who represented Tiruparankundram and due to the disqualification of 18 AIADMK MLAs. Hosur MLA P Balakrishna Reddy was convicted by a court here recently in a case of alleged rioting. In 2018, the Supreme Court had said that a legislator would be disqualified from the membership of the House if conviction was not stayed. According to the Tamil Nadu Assembly website, the current total vacancies are shown as 20. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi Jal Board on Monday approved the hiring of consultants to study the possibility of providing round-the-clock water supply to the residents of the national capital. The consultants would suggest creation of district metered areas to improve water distribution network, achieving better water pressure management, less contamination and less leakages among others. This will also lead to a reduction in the non-revenue water connections, which are as high as 47 per cent in Delhi. The decision was taken in the Delhi Jal Board's 144th meet held at the Delhi Secretariat under the chairmanship of Chief Minister and DJB Chairman Arvind Kejriwal. The Delhi Jal Board is supplying potable water to Delhi residents. Presently the DJB supply is about 900 million gallons per day (MGD) water through approximately 1,400 km of transmission and distribution network, an official statement said. "The Delhi Jal Board is working for augmentation of water supply in Delhi and the board today approved the hiring of a consultant to study the possibility of 24-hour water supply," it said. Also, in a major relief to the residents who have unauthorized water connections and want to get a regular one at a nominal rate, the board has extended the deadline of the scheme (regularization of Domestic/Commercial unauthorized water connection) for the purpose till June 30. The board approved the extension of the scheme of regularization of unauthorized water connection at a nominal amount of Rs 500 per connection for domestic consumers and Rs 1,500 for commercial/industrial connections till June 30. The board, among other decisions, also accorded approval to various projects to bring about an overall improvement in the waste water management system and treatment of sewage aimed at cleaning the Yamuna river. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Auto component maker Dhoot Transmission Monday said it has acquired Bengaluru-based wire harness and control panel maker, San Electromec for an undisclosed sum. The Aurangabad-headquartered manufacturer of wiring harness for two-wheelers said the acquisition will help it enhance its portfolio, especially in railways, defence, construction and specialty vehicle segments. The company, however, did not share financial details and the quantum of stake acquired. This is the fourth acquisition by Dhoot Transmission after taking over Parkinson Harness Technology (UK), TFC Cable Assemblies (Scotland) and a JV into automotive switches and controllers with Carling Technologies, US. "With this acquisition, we aim to expand geographically, while adding new capabilities and client markets. It is our endeavour to support the existing San Electromec facility in every way and grow the enterprise as best as we can together," Dhoot Transmission Managing Director, Rahul Dhoot said in a statement. He further said San Electromec has "tremendous capabilities, product knowledge and long-standing, strong relationships with many of the premier companies in the industry". The "acquisition helps us create synergies between Parkinson, UK, and San, both being strong players in the off-highway electrical segment; and to harness this synergy we have created Parkinson San Systems Pvt. Ltd," Dhoot added. San Electromec Managing Director Sanjeev Mehra said the deal will help the company "scale up on the existing client base in harness and control panels, while being supported by strong operations and expertise of Dhoot, coupled with economy of scale benefits that we intend to extend to our clientele". Dhoot Transmission has 15 manufacturing locations spread over India, United Kingdom, Europe and Thailand. It has presence in wiring harnesses, moulding and tooling for automotive, construction, farming, off-roading, specialty vehicle segment. San Electromec on the other hand offers solutions ranging from cabling systems, wiring harnesses and control panels and has clients including counts Wirtgen, Volvo, BEML and Tata Motors among others, the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Assembly will set up a research centre and introduce fellowship programme for youths who will be assigned to work with legislators, a move aimed at keeping MLAs well-informed on legislative affairs. According to an official statement, the Assembly Secretariat will set up 'Delhi Assembly Research Centre' (DARC), which will seek to engage 50 fellows and 90 associate fellows, initially for a period of one year and extendable by another year based on their performance. The move comes after AAP MLA Somath Bharti raised the issue in the House one-and-a-half months back about legislators not having any facility to do research and field works pertaining to legislative affairs. Following the concern flagged by Bharti, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel had ordered the General Purpose Committee (GPC) of the House to submit its report on the issue. "A consolidated sum of Rs 1,00,000 per month to fellows and Rs 60,000 per month to interns will be provided in the form of stipend. Delhi Technological University (DTU) will be managing the entire application process," the statement said. Interested applicants can apply online till February 25 and applications can be submitted at darc.dtu.ac.in. "DARC will create a repository of valuable research and reference material for use of the lawmakers and other stakeholders. It will also provide quality research and reference material to the legislators on demand," the statement stated. It said that fellows will be assigned to work with the legislators and Delhi Assembly Secretariat and in close coordination with the departments of the Delhi government. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Defence industries have attracted a meagre $0.21 million (FDI) during April-September 2018, Parliament was informed on Monday. In 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2017-18, defence industries received $0.08 million, $0.10 million and $0.01 million foreign inflows, respectively. In 2016-17, the industries in the sector failed to attract FDI, according to the data provided by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry C R Chaudhary in his written reply to the Lok Sabha. India imports 70 per cent of its military hardware from various countries. Overall, in the country dipped 11 per cent to $22.66 billion during April-September this fiscal. ALSO READ: Losing credibility In 2017-18 also, the growth rate of recorded a five-year low of 3 per cent at $44.85 billion. In a separate reply, the minister said funds provided to Invest India have increased to Rs 33,19,42,631 in 2018-19 as against Rs 1,18,78,380 in 2013-14. Invest India, a non-profit company, acts as a national investment promotion and facilitation agency. The current shareholding pattern of Invest India is 51 per cent of industry associations (Ficci, and Assocham) and the remaining 49 per cent of central and state governments. Thousands of Iranians gathered Monday in central Tehran to mark 40 years since the Islamic revolution, a political earthquake that ended millenia of monarchy and still reverberates around the region. Traffic was diverted from roads leading up to Azadi (freedom) square ahead of a march to remember the day in 1979 when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ousted the shah's last government. Stalls set up by state institutions handed out tea and cakes and choirs sang revolutionary songs, as crowds massed despite driving rain. Life-size replicas of Iranian-made cruise and ballistic missiles lined the route in a statement of defiance at a time of heightened tensions with the United States. The event Monday is the culmination of official celebrations called the "10 Day Dawn" that mark the period between February 1, 1979 and February 11 when the revolution's leader Khomeini retuned from exile and toppled the monarchy. The state has played up this year's anniversary as 40 is symbolic of maturity in the Islamic tradition and the age at which Prophet Mohammed received revelations from God. But despite the official festivities today's Islamic republic faces acute economic challenges as it struggles with a mix of domestic hardships and US sanctions. Extensive fireworks displays were held across Tehran on Sunday night. Before the fireworks, supporters of the revolution shouted chants of "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) from rooftops, recalling the protests that swept Khomeini to power four decades earlier. Current supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is set to publish "a detailed statement explaining the 'second step' of the progress of the Islamic revolution", his official website said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two senior CPI(M) leaders were attacked by miscreants in two different places in Tripura, police said Monday. CPI(M) MLA and former minister Ratan Bhowmick was attacked by miscreants in Gomati district on Monday while the convoy of Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Tripura Assembly, Badal Chowdhury was attacked by miscreants in South Tripura district on Sunday, police said. Chowdhury in a press conference here on Monday alleged that both he and Bhowmick were attacked by goons of the BJP. BJP Tripura unit Spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya denied the allegations of Chowdhury. He said BJP workers were not involved in the attack on Chowdhury and Bhowmick. Chowdhury said that Bhowmick went meet two CPI-M local leaders at Bagma in Gomati district, about 45 km from here on Monday who were earlier attacked allegedly by BJP supporters. "When Bhowmick along with two other CPI-M activists were returning, a group of about 15 goons belonging to BJP attacked them with lathis and damaged his vehicle," Chowdhury told reporters. When contacted, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Gomati, Dhiman Das Chowdhury said Bhowmick and two others received minor injuries when miscreants attacked them. The ASP said the incident occurred at about 10.30 am on Monday and Bhowmick informed him about the matter over phone and the matter is being investigated. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition said he along with party MP Shankar Prasad Datta and MLA of Rajnagar, Sudhan Das went to a constituency in South Tripura district on Sunday. A police team was escorting the CPI-M team. Chowdhury said "near Chottakhala Higher Secondary school, a group of BJP goons blocked our roads and tried to attack us, but police saved us. Three police constables were injured, when the BJP goons hurled bricks and attacked them." The SP of South Tripura district, Jaal Singh Meena said some police constables were injured when miscreants attacked them. The constables were treated in local hospitals and later released. The SP said police has registered a case and was investigating the incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Textile Industry body CITI Monday appealed to the Centre to include cotton yarn under Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS), to help boost India's exports and penetrate new markets. The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) noted that cotton yarn and fabric shipments are struggling because of the duty disadvantage faced by the Indian exporters in major markets and asked the Government to enhance MEIS rate for fabric from 2 per cent to 4 per cent. According to CITI, there has been continuous decline in exports of cotton yarn and fabric in recent years. "India's exports of cotton yarn declined by 25 per cent from USD 4,570 million in 2013-14 to USD 3,443 million in 2017-18. In the same period fabric exports declined by 7 per cent from USD 4,941 million to USD 4,598 million," CITI said in a statement. CITI Chairman Sanjay Jain requested the Government to cover cotton yarn under MEIS to help boost India's exports and penetrate new markets especially in Africa, while enabling the farmers get a better price for raw cotton. He said that cotton yarn is the only segment which is not covered under MEIS. "Hence, despite abundant raw materials availability and second largest cotton spinning infrastructure in the world, the cotton yarn exports are struggling in the absence of Government support," Jain observed. He also requested the Government to enhance MEIS rate for fabric from 2 per cent to 4 per cent at par with Made-ups. According to him, if the MEIS rate for fabrics is hiked from 2 per cent to 4 per cent, it is estimated that exports of fabrics will increase by USD 1 billion per annum. The CITI Chairman highlighted that China which is the largest importer of cotton yarn has shifted from India to Vietnam and Indonesia as these countries have duty free access while Indian yarn carries 3.5 per cent import duty. From 2013 to 2017, there has been a decline in India's cotton yarn exports to China by 48 per cent while exports from Vietnam and Indonesia have increased at a remarkable rate of 129 per cent and 55 per cent respectively during the same period, Jain said. He further stated that India's raw cotton is going to various markets at zero duty. India exported USD 1,894 million worth raw cotton in 2017-18. Exporting of raw cotton bales instead of value addition by converting to yarn and fabric is leading to loss of valuable foreign exchange, employment and better remuneration to farmers. Jain pointed out that fabric exports from India are at serious disadvantage as compared to exports from competing countries due to duty differentials in major exports markets. Markets like EU, China, Turkey and Vietnam impose an import duty in the range of 8-12 per cent on Indian fabric while duty free access is given to countries such as Pakistan, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Cambodia, he said. The exports of garments have declined from USD 17.4 billion in 2016-17 to USD 16.7 billion in 2017-18, CITI said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Corporation Bank has swung into the black with a profit of Rs 60.53 crore in December quarter 2018, as provisioning for bad loans saw a sharp decline, the lender said Monday. The bank had posted a net loss of Rs 1,240.49 crore in October-December 2017-18. Total income of the lender came down to Rs 4,112.32 crore in the latest quarter as against Rs 4,841.37 crore in the same period of 2017-18, it said in a regulatory filing. The bank said its provisioning for non-performing assets (NPAs) or bad loans was reduced to Rs 842.28 crore for the latest quarter as against Rs 2,494.71 crore in the same period a year ago. However, the bank's assets worsened with gross NPAs growing to 17.36 per cent of gross advances as at December-end 2018, against 15.92 per cent by December 2017. In value terms, gross NPAs were at Rs 21,921.42 crore as against Rs 21,817.96 crore earlier. Net NPAs surged to 11.47 per cent (Rs 13,521.22 crore) from 10.73 per cent (Rs 13,853.90 crore). The bank said it is maintaining higher provision in terms of NCLT (list 1 and 2 of RBI) and is holding a total provision of Rs 6,412.45 crore against outstanding amount of Rs 9,075.69 crore (or 70.66 per cent) on these accounts as on December 31, 2018. Provision coverage ratio of the bank as at December-end 2018 is 66.13 per cent, Corporation Bank said. Stock of the bank closed 0.80 per cent lower at Rs 24.75 on BSE. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The military oath-taking ceremony of young soldiers was held in the military units and formations of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense yesterday, according to the ministry's website. At ceremonies organized in all types of troops, in the military units and other logistic units, the Battle Flag was placed on the parade ground in accordance with the ritual and after the performance of the National Anthem the ceremony was declared open. Then the young soldiers solemnly took the military oath. The military oath-taking ceremonies were attended by the commanding staff of military units, members of families of martyrs, representatives of local executive authorities and the public, as well as veterans and parents of soldiers. Women who use birth control pills may have a poor judgement of subtle facial expressions, which could impact their intimate relationships, according to a study. Scientists from the University of Greifswald in Germany challenged women to identify complex emotional expressions like pride or contempt, rather than basic ones like happiness or fear. They revealed subtle changes in emotion recognition associated with oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use. The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience, found that OCP users were nearly 10 per cent worse on average than non-users in deciphering the most enigmatic emotional expressions. The finding raises questions over the possible impact of OCPs on social interactions in intimate relationships, researchers said. Women deciding whether to take an oral contraceptive have access to a lot of reliable information about the potential physical effects, they said. Besides birth control, hormonal contraceptives can help control acne, heavy periods and endometriosis -- as well as reducing the risk of ovarian, uterine and colon cancers, the researchers said. On the downside, the pill can increase slightly the risk of breast and cervical cancer, blood clots and high blood pressure, they said. However, the psychological effects of OCP use are less well documented. "More than 100 million women worldwide use oral contraceptives, but remarkably little is known about their effects on emotion, cognition and behaviour," said Alexander Lischke of the University of Greifswald. "However, coincidental findings suggest that oral contraceptives impair the ability to recognise emotional expressions of others, which could affect the way users initiate and maintain intimate relationships," Lischke said. The researchers administered a special emotion recognition task to two similar groups of healthy women: 42 OCP users, and 53 non-users. "If oral contraceptives caused dramatic impairments in women's emotion recognition, we would have probably noticed this in our everyday interactions with our partners," said Lischke. "We assumed that these impairments would be very subtle, indicating that we had to test women's emotion recognition with a task that was sensitive enough to detect such impairments," he said. The researchers used a very challenging emotion recognition task that required the recognition of complex emotional expressions from the eye region of faces. The results were subtle -- but very clear: OCP users were less accurate in the recognition of the most subtle complex expressions than non-users -- by nearly 10 per cent, on average. "Whereas the groups were equally good at recognising easy expressions, the OCP users were less likely to correctly identify difficult expressions," Lischke said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress in Telangana is likely to finalise its candidates for the coming Lok Sabha elections by this month end, party's leader in Legislative Assembly M Bhatti Vikramarka said Monday. "As far as candidates are concerned, Congress is planning to take a decision by the end of this month," he told reporters here. State Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, AICC incharge for party affairs in Telangana R C Khuntia are on the job and candidates are likely to be finalised as early as possible, said Vikramarka, who recently attended a meeting held by party Chief Rahul Gandhi in Delhi. Asked about alliances, he said the views of party's senior leaders would be taken into account and conveyed to the high command. The party has already invited applications from hopefuls to contest the Lok Sabha elections and many applications have already been received, Vikramarka said. Gearing up for the Lok Sabha polls after a shock defeat in the state Assembly polls, Congress is holding meetings of its newly-appointed district committee presidents and other party panels on Monday and Tuesday. "At the behest of the AICC, in order to prepare for the parliamentary elections and to rejuvenate the entire cadre, the leaders and organisation of the party, the DCC level meetings, contested candidates (MLA) meetings and various committees that have been constituted in the context of parliamentary elections... are being held," AICC spokesperson Sravan Dasoju told PTI. Among others, senior leader and former MP V Hanumantha Rao has sought a ticket from Khammam Lok Sabha seat. Congress had fought the December seven Assembly elections in alliance with the TDP, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS). Congress, however, managed to win only 19 among the total 119 Assembly segments. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala on Monday hit out at the BJP-led NDA government claiming that condition of farmers in the country has become worse under its tenure. Chautala, who is Indian National Lok Dal president, said the country's economy is basically farmer-oriented,but the peasants find themselves in miserable state. "Like the Congress, the BJP too did not care about farmers due to which their condition has turned worse today, he said addressing party workers' meeting at the grain market at Ladwa in this district. Chautala (84), was released on three-week furlough from Tihar Jail in Delhi last week. He along with his elder son Ajay Chautala is undergoing a jail term after their conviction in teacher's recruitment scam in Haryana, Over the next few days, Chautala is scheduled to address series of party meetings across the state, at a time when INLD finds itself in crises. INLD split recently and Chautala's elder son Ajay Singh and grandsons Dushyant and Digvijay floated a separate political partyJannayak Janata Party (JJP). INLD, which is the main opposition in Haryana, received a severe drubbing in the Jind bypolls after which BSP walked out of alliance with them. The Chautala led party's four of 17 MLAs have announced support to fledgling JJP. Addressing the workers, Chautala claimed that the present political situation which prevails in the country is like that of 1977 and 1989, when the people had voted out the Congress government. "Now, the people will throw out the BJP government in the upcoming election, he said. Speaking about BSP breaking its ties with INLD, Chautala said, "it is election time during which alliances are made and broken. We can make alliance with some party having like minded policies. He asked the workers to be ready for the elections. He claimed the "political atmosphere in the state is in favour of INLD and we will form the next government in Haryana. Chautala said while Lok Sabha polls scheduled to be held in April-May, there was a possibility that the ruling BJP could go for Haryana assembly polls, which are due in October, along with the general elections. INLD's Haryana unit chief Ashok Arora claimed that BJP government in the state had completely failed in all spheres. "Not only it failed to fulfill its promises but also atrocities over 'dalits' and poor sections increased during BJP tenure," Arora said. Without naming anyone, he said the efforts are being made to weaken the party but with the support of workers they would face the challenge and come out as winners. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Six women sustained injuries when the police fired tear gas shells and smoke bombs at a marketplace here to disperse protesters, who had enforced a road blockade in the city demanding immediate withdrawal of the citizenship bill. The women, all vendors of Khwairamband market, had put up posters and banners and set up tents, blocking roads, to press for their demand, despite imposition of section 144 of CrPc in the area in the wake of agitations against the contentious bill. Shantidevi, the president of a women's association at Khwairamband market, said police used force to disperse the agitators, who had been protesting peacefully. On Sunday, they tried to destroy the tents and pull down the banners that sought the unconditional revocation of the bill, she said. The women, however, refused to cow down, following which a clash broke out between the two sides. "The security officers fired tear gas shells and smoke bombs, which left six women injured. The situation turned uglier when they tried to take one of the injured women into custody and the agitators had to thwart the attempt," Shantidevi explained. The injured women were then taken to Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIIMS), she added. Criticising the use of "excessive force", Y Dillipkumar, the convenor of Manipur Peoples Against Citizenship Amendment Bill (MANPAC), said the women were "protesting in a democratic manner". "The assault on the women vendors indicates that the state government is acting under the command of the Union government," he said. MANPAC is an umbrella body of civil societies and organisations that had been protesting against the passage of the legislation. Dillipkumar asserted that protests against the bill will intensify in the days to come. "The members of MANPAC, along with common people, will hit the streets seeking withdrawal of the bill and implementation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in the state to weed out illegal immigrants," he added. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had earlier said that the BJP-led government in the state would not support the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill unless there was a provision to protect the people of the northeast. Meanwhile, security has been beefed up across Imphal Monday in the wake of agitation. A large number of security personnel belonging to state and paramilitary forces have been deployed in Imphal to avoid any untoward situation. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, passed by Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks to grant nationality to non-Muslims who fled religious persecution from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and entered India before December 31, 2014. Protests against the bill have rocked the entire northeast over the past six weeks, with several organisations and political parties claiming that the bill threatens the identity, language and culture of indigenous people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Security has been tightened in view of the 'Black Day' protests scheduled to be observed by the civil societies in Mizoram Tuesday against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill, a senior police officer said. Security has been beefed up in Aizawl and over 50 big towns and villages across the state for the protest rallies to be organised under the aegis of the NGO Coordination Committee - the umbrella organisation of major civil societies and students' bodies. NGO Coordination Committee leaders said that 'black day' would be observed in view of the Centre's intention of passing the proposed amendment to the Citizenship Act, 1955 during the week in the Rajya Sabha. The leaders said that stir would be intensified if the Rajya Sabha passes the amendment Bill. The Bill has created a furore in Mizoram and kicked up a storm in the northeast. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on January 8 and has been awaiting the Rajya Sabha nod. Indigenous people of the region are afraid that identity would be lost if the Bill was enacted. The civil societies are apprehending that the Bill would endanger the very existence of the sons of the soil -- Mizos -- as citizenship to around 1 lakh Buddhist Chakmas from Bangladesh would be granted. Meanwhile, all the political parties, including the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) and even the state BJP unit have expressed opposition to the proposed legislation. MNF leader and Chief Minister Zoramthanga has said that the ruling party would not hesitate to snap ties with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) if the Bill is passed. State BJP chief John V Hluna also warned that the state unit of the saffron party would be dissolved if the central leadership goes ahead with the proposed amendment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition Congress in Goa Monday demanded reservation in government jobs for 'Niz Goenkars' or ethnic Goans, on lines with the quota allotted to the Maratha community in neighbouring Maharashtra. Claiming "demographic changes" in the coastal state, the Congress also sought scrapping of a clause prescribing minimum 15-year domicile as an eligibility condition for government jobs. Goa Congress spokesman Agnelo Fernandes said even non-Goans can easily meet this criterion and produce domicile certificates. "The clause of 15-year domicile certificate should be scrapped because even non-Goans are producing certificates to be eligible (for government jobs). If we don't stop all this, there will be a day when you will not see a Goan in Goa," the former MLA added. He said those Goans whose forefathers hailed from the coastal state should only qualify under the 'Niz-Goenkar' category. "If the BJP government in Maharashtra can provide reservation for the Maratha community then why can't the Goa dispensation do it for Niz Goenkars?" asked Fernandes. The BJP heads the coalition government in Goa, which also comprises the Goa Forward Party, Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party and three Independent MLAs. It is the duty of the state government to protect the "welfare of each ethnic Goan who is succumbing to demographic changes in the state", he added. The BJP-led Maharashtra government recently granted a 16 per cent quota in government jobs and education to Marathas under a special category classifying them as a socially and educationally backward class. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Chinese man was apprehended at the Delhi airport Monday for allegedly carrying gold bars worth Rs 12 lakh in his baggage in violation of rules, officials said. They identified the man as Jian Zhang and said he was intercepted by the CISF personnel at about 3 am at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) when he arrived at the facility to take a flight to Paro in Bhutan. Four gold bars, each weighing 100gm, were recovered from his hand bag and he was handed over to Customs department officials as he could not produce required valid documents for carrying the yellow metal, they said. The estimated value of the gold bars is about Rs 12 lakh, they added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China hit back on Monday against Turkish criticism over its treatment of ethnic Uighurs and denied Ankara's claim that a renowned poet from the Muslim minority had died in custody. "China has already made solemn representations toward Turkey. We hope the relevant Turkish persons can distinguish between right and wrong and correct their mistakes," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said during a daily press briefing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister N began a day-long fast in Delhi on Monday, demanding that the Centre grant special status to the state and fulfil all promises made before its bifurcation in 2014. A number of Opposition party leaders - including Rahul Gandhi, Conference and Delhi Chief Minister - are expected to extend their support to the (TDP) chief's fast at the Bhavan. Before beginning the fast, Naidu offered tributes to Matama Gandhi at Raj Ghat and to B R Ambedkar at Bhavan. A TDP delegation led by Naidu will submit a memorandum to on Tuesday. Naidu has been trying to unite the opposition parties to take on the BJP in the general elections. Over the last three months, he has held a number of meetings with the opposition party leaders on forming an anti-BJP front. In March last year, the TDP had pulled out of the NDA government over its refusal to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh. The party has been accusing the of not releasing enough funds for the Polavaram irrigation project, the Kadapa steel plant and Amravati, the under-construction ultra-modern state capital. On June 2, 2014, Andhra Pradesh was split into two, and became the capital of the new state Telangana. Cash-strapped Pakistan's Finance Minister Asad Umar said on Monday said that Islamabad was close to striking a deal to secure financial support from the IMF following Prime Minister Imran Khan's meeting with the global lender's chief Christine Lagarde in Dubai. Pakistan's close ally the UAE has offered USD 3 billion to support its fragile economy. Saudi Arabia committed USD 6 billion to Pakistan as part of a bailout package to help shore up Islamabad's dwindling foreign currency reserves. Pakistan also reportedly received financial assistance from China. Addressing the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industries in Peshawar, Umar said a deal with the IMF looks imminent and that there was a convergence of views between the two parties on the need to implement structural reforms in the country, reiterating Khan's remarks in the aftermath of the meeting Sunday, Geo TV reported. "There has been a decrease in the difference we had with the IMF. The IMF has changed its position... It seems we have come closer to an agreement with the IMF. Insha'Allah (God willing) this will be the last agreement. This will happen when businesses grow," he was quoted as saying by the channel. He stressed that Pakistan's economy would be lifted by its people, not by anyone coming from the outside. "If we take the right decisions the economy would rise. It is the responsibility of the business and trading community to put Pakistan on the path towards progress." "Prime Minister Khan told the IMF that 'we want to sign on the package'," Umar added. Khan met Lagarde in Dubai on Sunday on the sidelines of the 7th edition of the World Government Summit and discussed the conditions of the bailout package for his cash-strapped country. After the meeting, Lagarde said that the global lender stands ready to support Pakistan. Khan also tweeted about his meeting with Lagarde. "There was a convergence of our views on the need to carry out deep structural reforms to put the country on the path of sustainable development in which the most vulnerable segments of society are protected," he said. Although the government has secured a breathing space from Saudi Arabian and the UAE loans, an IMF programme is essential to unlock access to resources from other multilateral lenders like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, as well as the global capital markets. Officials have said that Pakistan would seek around USD 8 billion from the IMF which would be the biggest package by the Fund for Islamabad. A team from the IMF visited Pakistan in November to discuss the bailout with officials, though the talks ended without agreement, but since then the government official said talks were still ongoing on a possible bailout. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The commission on the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear issue is expected to hold a meeting next month, Russia's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Ryabkov said. I think this will happen in March, TASS cited him as saying. There are a lot of issues to consider, the deputy foreign minister added. A day before the CAG report on the 2015 Rafale jet deal is likely to be tabled in Parliament, the Congress on Monday said that if the "overt acts of malfeasance" in the contract are ignored by the report, then it will "not be worth" the paper it is written on. The opposition party's statement came after a report in The Hindu claimed the Rafale deal between India and France involved "major and unprecedented" concessions from the Indian government. It reported that critical provisions for anti-corruption penalties and making payments through an escrow account were dropped days before the signing of the inter-governmental agreement (IGA). An escrow account is a provision under which the amount to be paid in a deal is held by a third-party in that account, on behalf of the transacting parties. "Never ever in any past transactions in the last three decades, has the govt dropped such mandatory clauses from a procurement contract. One thing is emerging clearly which requires investigation, which requires a joint parliamentary committee, that somebody has paid somebody in the fighter Rafale procurement," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said at a press conference. "We would again like to emphasise that if these very overt acts of malfeasance, if they can be documented by a newspaper...and if the Comptroller and Auditor General report ignores it because we believe that the CAG report is being tabled tomorrow, then that report will not be worth the paper it is written on," Tewari said. Former minister and senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Sunday had alleged conflict of interest and asked CAG Rajiv Mehrishi to recuse himself from auditing the deal as he was the finance secretary when the deal was negotiated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A high-profile honour killing case of a British Sikh woman who was taken to India by her UK-based family and then killed in Punjab over 20 years ago is set to be revived as a television documentary this week. Surjit Kaur Athwal was perceived as bringing shame on her conservative Sikh in-laws from west London and taken to Punjab in December 1998 on the pretext of attending family weddings, where she was killed. The 27-year-old's mother-in-law Bachan Athwal and husband Sukhdave Athwal were sentenced to prison terms of 15 years and 20 years, respectively, for their role in her murder in 2007. "She will (Bachan) be out in around three years. The thought makes me ill. She will still be welcomed in the Sikh community, meanwhile, I am in exile for turning on the family," said Sarbjit Athwal, one of the key witnesses in the murder trial who has since divorced her husband -- Sukhdave's brother. As Surjit's sister-in-law, Sarbjit had been her friend and confidante and is one of the key people interviewed as part of 'The Killer in my Family' documentary to be aired on Thursday. The series recounts the story of some of the high-profile murders in the UK from the perspective of those who knew the murderer best their family. "Whether it's their father, sister, brother or ex-wife, we hear up close and personal what life was like with the killer in their life," said Really, the channel set to air Surjit's story this week. "Surjit didn't want to marry Sukhdave and was pretty much pushed into it by her family. She had hoped, because of Bachan's false niceness at the beginning, the marriage would be bearable, but it was a nightmare," recalled 49-year-old Sarbjit. "I grew up in the Sikh tradition, but I had not seen this level of control and difficultySurjit and I were treated like slaves," she said. Surjit had begun to rebel against the strict family and religious rules, wearing western outfits and going out with friends. When this behaviour was discovered by her husband and mother-in-law, she was beaten by them both. However, it was when she finally demanded a divorce in 1998 that things came to a head. Her mother-in-law initially refused, but later agreed to the divorce on one condition that she accompany her on a trip to India as a final act as daughter-in-law before being granted her freedom. However, Sarbjit became aware of a sinister plan to have her sister-in-law murdered on this trip but was unable to warn her. Surjit's brother Jagdeesh Singh had also tried to dissuade his sister from going to India, but she assured him that Bachan just wanted company on her on the trip to show one final image of unity at two family weddings. Eventually, Sarbjit was able to free herself of her in-laws hold, which led to a Scotland Yard inquiry into Surjit's killing. "She gave a vivid account of how Surjit was tricked or drugged into going on a trip and then driven to a remote location where she was strangled and thrown into the River Ravi," Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector Clive Driscoll said in the documentary. Bachan's brother Darshan emerged as a suspect in India and was arrested by Indian police in 1999 in connection with Surjit's disappearance. Her son, Sukdhave, tried to make a claim on a life insurance policy on his dead wife, taken out the very day she left for India, incriminating himself. The mother and son, who denied the murder charges, were finally sentenced to imprisonment following a trial 12 years ago. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The British government is seeking to win more time to secure EU concessions on that could pass parliament and avert a chaotic split from the bloc on March 29. Businesses and governments are on edge because Britain is just weeks away from its scheduled departure from the European project after 46 years and still has no firm arrangements in place. The UK parliament last month roundly rejected a deal Prime Minister had sealed with the remaining 27 EU leaders. MPs are set to vote again on Britain's options on February 14. But a member of May's cabinet pledged Sunday to give parliament a further ballot two weeks later -- a measure meant to give the premier more time for talks with the EU. Her meetings in Brussels on Thursday made no breakthrough and fears of a "no-deal" scenario that gridlocks trade are running high. May's housing minister James Brokenshire insisted Sunday that the government had a clear strategy and timeline aimed at getting an agreement that Britain's splintered parliament can pass. "What gives certainty is a deal, and that's why we want to see people getting behind us, getting behind this process that we now have," Brokenshire told the BBC. He pledged to give parliament a fresh vote on Britain's options by February 27 if May does not come back with new concessions before then. In the vote this week lawmakers are set to have their say on amendments that could limit May's options and give parliament a broader say over the Brexit process. Brokenshire's promise of another vote two weeks later is designed to discourage lawmakers from binding the government's hands this week. It is also meant to postpone a revolt by cabinet ministers who want to take a no-deal Brexit off the table for good. The opposition Labour party has denounced May's strategy as time-wasting aimed at forcing parliament to vote through a deal at the last moment. "We shouldn't be put in a position where the clock is run down and the prime minister says it's either my deal or even worse," Labour's Brexit pointman Keir Starmer told The Sunday Times. In a letter to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn dated Sunday, May opposed his party's appeal for the country to remain in a customs union with Brussels. But in efforts to build cross-party support for a Brexit deal, she offered flexibility on Corbyn's calls to keep up with EU measures to protect the environment and workers' rights, asking for further talks with Labour "as soon as possible". There are few signs of concessions coming May's way from Brussels. May's Brexit minister Stephen Barclay will meet EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday and foreign minister Jeremy Hunt will visit Paris and Warsaw this week. The British premier is set to meet European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker again before the end of the month. The sides are stuck on the issue of how to keep the Irish border open after Britain leaves. Brexit backers in May's party think the so-called "backstop" arrangement in the current deal would keep Britain indefinitely tied to EU rules. May's Northern Irish coalition party also argue that it will splinter their province from mainland Britain. But Brussels calls the arrangement essential for both keeping the border open and preserving the European Union's integrity. May has been trying to win a legal assurance giving Britain the right eventually to drop the backstop and negotiate its own trade deals. Brazil has agreed to store tons of humanitarian aid at a centre near the border with Venezuela, envoys sent by opposition leader Juan Guaido said Monday after meetings with Brazilian officials. The centre, to be set up in Roraima state, would be the second on the Venezuelan border after one in Cucuta, Colombia, said Lester Toledo, the head of Guaido's aid distribution team. Guaido, who proclaimed himself Venezuela's interim president last month, is in a test of wills with the Venezuelan military and government of President Nicolas Maduro, which has blocked the aid from entering the country. Guaido's envoy to Brazil, Maria Teresa Belandria, said she had received assurances from Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo over the new aid centre. Toledo said "in coming days we will visit the state of Roraima to see where this storage center will be and from next week we will organize the arrival of this humanitarian aid." Several tons of medicine, food and basic items have been stocked since Thursday in Cucuta, close to the border crossing point of Tienditas which Venezuelan soldiers have blocked with freight containers. Maduro denies that any "humanitarian crisis" exists in his country, attributing severe lack of basic food and products to US sanctions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP's unit has sought permission from the Kolkata Police to conduct a dharna later this month at the same spot in the city where Chief Minister had organised a sit-in demonstration last week. The party has already sent a letter to the city police seeking permission for the dharna at the Metro Channel in the heart of the city between February 21 and 23, state general secretary Sayantan Basu told PTI Monday. An email would also be sent to the police on this matter, he said. The "Save Democracy" dharna will raise demand of "restoring democracy in the state", he said. Basu said, "Whenever in the past we had asked for permission to organise a sit-in demonstration at the Metro Channel, the police denied us permission citing traffic rules. But if the Trinamool Congress was allowed to organise a dharna there, why can't we do it?" Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, was on dharna from February 3 to 5 at the Metro channel in Esplanade area to "save the Constitution" after the CBI's failed bid to question Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with chit fund cases. "We hope that we will also get the permission. We will not use loudspeakers as it is examination time," the leader said. When contacted, officials of the Kolkata Police said they were yet to receive any such application from the "If we receive it, we will take a call," a Kolkata police official said. The Metro Channel is the same spot where Banerjee had held a 26-day fast against the acquisition of farm land for the Tata Motors small car unit at Singur in 2006. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wears jeans in Delhi but a sari and sindoor in rural areas, BJP MP Harish Dwivedi has said in a remark condemned as sexist and misogynistic. A video clip of the BJP MP from Basti in Uttar Pradesh making the comments on Sunday evening has been circulated widely on social media. "Priyanka Gandhi wears jeans and top in Delhi but when she comes to rural areas she is clad in a sari and wears sindoor," Dwivedi told reporters in his constituency, a day before she visited Lucknow for the first time after taking over as Congress general secretary. "For BJP or for me, Priyanka Gandhi is not an issue as Rahul Gandhi is already a failure and Priyanka will also prove to be a failure soon," he added. Congress leader M Veerappa Moily and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti were among those who criticised him for his anti-women remarks. "I strongly condemn sexist & inappropriate remarks made by @BJP4India MP Harish Dwivedi on Smt. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. BJP MPs are repeated offenders when it comes to sexist remarks. This just reflects their patriarchal & misogynistic mindset," Moily said on Twitter. What a woman chooses to wear is nobody's business but her own, added Mehbooba. "Sadly even in todays modern world, patriarchy plus brazen sexism always raises its ugly head & is normalised. What a woman chooses to wear is none of anybodys business. Anyone who indulges in such talk clearly needs therapy so I hope he gets well soon," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister tweeted. Last month, BJP MLA Surendra Singh called Priyanka Gandhi Surpanakha and her brother, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Raavan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition MLAs Monday protested in the Chhattisgarh Assembly accusing the Bhupesh Baghel government of "misusing" police to "target" their leaders and workers. BJP and Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) MLAs sought a discussion through an adjournment motion notice which was rejected by the Assembly speaker. Raising the issue after Question Hour, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Dharamlal Kaushik alleged that the Congress government was deliberately targeting opposition leaders and trying to create an atmosphere of fear and terror in the state. "After the formation of new government in the state, BJP leaders and worker are being threatened with jail and are being implicated in false cases," Kaushik said. He urged the Speaker to accept their notice for adjournment motion and allow discussion on the issue. Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) MLA Dharmjeet Singh said the Congress had got a mandate to carry out welfare works and not to target leaders of opposition parties. He mentioned the Antagarh bypoll audio tape row and said JCC(J) leaders were being targeted unnecessarily. BJP Legislators Brijmohan Agrawal, Ajay Chandrakar, Shivratan Sharma and others alleged that in Sukma, Korba, Kawardha and Gariyaband districts, the police was implicating party workers under false charges. After Speaker Charandas Mahant rejected the notice of adjournment motion, several MLAs from the opposition ranks indulged in sloganeering, following which the House was adjourned for five minutes. After the House resumed, Congress MLA Satyanarayan Sharma, who was on the Chair, said, if necessary, the state government would make a statement on it on Tuesday. Following uproar, the House was adjourned again till 3pm. After the House resumed, 15 protesting BJP and JCC(J) MLAs entered the Well of the House and got suspended. The suspension was revoked before the House was adjourned for the day. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Biju Janata Dal MP Bhartruhari Mahtab on Friday alleged that the government has "restrained" the Standing Committee on Finance chairman from sharing with the panel members three reports on black money. During the debate on the interim Budget 2019-20 in Lok Sabha, Mehtab said the Finance Ministry has also refused to make them public under Right to Information (RTI) citing breach of privilege of the House. Pointing to Veerappa Moily (Cong), who is the chairman of Standing Committee on Finance, Mehatab said even Moily has been restrained from sharing information with the members of the committee and questioned the motive behind it. The UPA government had commissioned in 2011 the studies by the Delhi-based National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) and the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), and the National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM) in Faridabad. The study reports of the NIPFP, NCAER and NIFM were received by the government on December 30, 2013, July 18, 2014, and August 21, 2014, respectively. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After Munger and Banka, outbreak of bird flu has been confirmed in this central Bihar district with samples of crows found dead here testing positive for the H5N1 virus, an official said on Monday. However, no humans have been found to be afflicted with the disease in any part of the state so far. According to Civil Surgeon, Dilip Kumar, more than a dozen crows were found dead inside the collectorate premises here on February 1, following which samples of two dead birds were sent for testing at a lab in Bhopal. "The samples tested positive following which we have directed the animal husbandry department to collect samples from poultry farms and send these to Bhopal to ascertain whether the virus has afflicted other birds, he said. "As a preventive measure, bleaching powder is being sprayed at various places including the collectorate. An isolation ward has been set up at the Sadar hospital which would be manned by a team of medical professionals equipped to conduct tests on any person complaining of symptoms related to bird flu, he added. Moreover, adequate supply of medicines for treating avian influenza has been ensured at the Sadar hospital, he added. The outbreak of bird flu was first confirmed in the last week of December in Munger district following which thousands of birds were culled as a preventive measure in the affected villages. Later, the virus was found to have afflicted birds in the adjoining Banka district leading to culling of birds there also. A couple of dead peacocks were also found to be afflicted with the virus at the Patna zoo which has been shut since Christmas as sanitisation of the sprawling campus and collection of samples for testing at the National Institute for High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal is underway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "Better late than never", is how Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday described the entry of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra into politics, as she began her maiden tour of Uttar Pradesh after she became the general secretary of the party. Priyanka was made in charge of Uttar Pradesh east by her brother and Congress President Rahul Gandhi last month. "The people expected her to come sooner. Der aaye durust aaye (better late than never). People are seeing her like (her grandmother and former prime minister) Indira Gandhi. She has a soft behaviour and she talks well and the people in the party see her as a big asset. "She will make Congress more powerful. If the country has to develop then it needs the leadership of both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi," Kharge told reporters at the venue of TDP leader and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu's fast in New Delhi. Priyanka made her debut in Uttar Pradesh's political arena as Congress general secretary with a grand road show on Monday, raising hopes of a turnaround in the party's fortunes, as her brother and party president Rahul Gandhi asserted that it was the time to uproot the BJP and form the government in the state. Virtually launching the party's Lok Sabha poll campaign, Priyanka, accompanied by Rahul and Jyotiraditya Scindia, party in-charge of the state's western region, was the cynosure of many eyes with thousands of onlookers, including enthusiastic party workers, jostling to get a glimpse and capture the image of the 47-year-old beaming leader in their phones. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In an address to the nation, U.S. President Donald Trump called for political unity. However, expert of the German Association of Foreign Policy (DGAP) Josef Braml told Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen that he doubted that these words would play a real role, since Trump is in full campaign mode. - How do you assess the U.S. President's State of the Union address in the light of the current rather complex atmosphere? - Trump delivered a very good campaign speech. He is in full campaign mode and did a lot to throw the Democrats into confusion. - What did you pay special attention to? - My attention was caught by the fact that he mentioned Israel in connection with Iran. It is about the security of Israel, and everything was skillfully connected with the Holocaust and the history of Germany. Trump said the United States stands with those who fight for freedom, by associating one with the other. Even the abortion issue (the next major topic) was related to the right to life, and have left the Democrats in a state of dismay as well. However, he succeed to lure his electorate, the Christian right. They elected him as president for precisely this reason.There is also a topic of wall on the border with Mexico. Here the Democrats will also have a tough time. - Let's dwell on the border wall issue. Why didn't Trump explain how he wants to finance its construction? - I dont know who could expect it from Donald Trump. He may continue to put pressure on Congress. He still has the opportunity to slow down the adoption of the budget in order to get nearly $6 billion. Trump made it clear why it should be done. And why do democrats should do more to ensure security. The Democrats' problem is that many democratic voters, trade union members do not want immigration, fearing that wages will continue to decline. And Trump got the best of it. - Was it a kind of curtsey to the Democrats? Is it possible that the wall issue is still a matter of discussion on the part of Trump? - If you believe in it, believe in Little Red Riding Hood Story. Donald Trump is Donald Trump. He is taking a hard line to split. He wants to be re-elected using his polarizing society topics. - If I understand correctly, you say that despite all his talk about unity everything is different in Realpolitik? - Have you ever heard the speech of any American president, who would not speak about unity? I haven't. Trump talks a lot about unity. In his speech, I concentrated on the subjective elements, and they point to a split. - The address to the nation was suitable for Trump, because his current rating is as low as ever. Was he able to take advantage of this opportunity? - Trump's approval rating is not so bad. He never enjoyed much popularity. He was elected because the Americans were choosing between pest and cholera. Hillary Clinton was even less popular. He must continue serving his electoral base in the face of right-wing evangelicals and conservative Catholics. These are judges who advocate the right to life - opposing abortion. And Trump continues to play a chauvinistic card. He maintains his base and may even expand it with democratic voters. The 420-year-old Bandel Church here observed the 27th 'World Day of the Sick' Monday with special prayers, the church said in a release. Apart from prayers for healing, it also anointed 50 sick people. Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament of the Catholic Church that is administered to a Catholic "who, having reached the age of reason, begins to be in danger due to sickness or old age". A commemorative 4x6 mural, created by Church Art of Kolkata - depicting the story of Good Samaritan, a parable of Jesus Christ - was unveiled by Papal delegate Cardinal Patrick DRozario of Dhaka. "Some 200 international and national delegates arrived in Kolkata," said Prior of Bandel Basilica Father T L Francis. The Bandel Church was chosen for the conclusion of World Day of the Sick as people of all faiths visit this Shrine to seek favours. February 11 marks the date of the miraculous apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Lourdes in France. On this day, sick people come in large numbers to experience miraculous healing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The crime-racked US city of Baltimore has got a new police chief, tasked with curbing a soaring murder rate and stamping out corruption within the force. Michael Harrison, 49, previously commanded the New Orleans police department, where he had also served on the narcotics unit and in internal affairs, the department that investigates police officers themselves. Harrison replaced Kevin Davis, who was sacked in January 2018 for failing to curb crime after 342 homicides were recorded in the city in a single year. Davis' former deputy Darryl De Sousa had been named as his successor, but he too was forced out over a tax-evasion scandal. Harrison, who was introduced by mayor Catherine Pugh on Monday, is to face a confirmation hearing in front of the city council on March 4. His main task will be to lower crime in the Maryland port city, which has since 2015 experienced more than 300 murders a year, making it one of the most violent US urban centers. The city was convulsed by violence in 2015 following the death of a young black man, Freddie Gray, who died of spinal injuries sustained while he was being transported in a police van. Harrison will also be responsible for cleaning house within the ranks of his new force, after an internal probe last year revealed that officers in a taskforce designed to seize illegal street weapons had gone rogue, reselling guns and drugs they had impounded and stealing cash from people's homes. He will also have to smooth relations between the police force and the city's mostly African-American population. At a press conference marking his first day on the job, Harrison promised his officers to "advocate for you to get you all the resources you need to be successful" and to "improve on good relationships and repair bad relationships." He also vowed to build up a "very robust, competent, efficient internal affairs division" and enforce "strict discipline." "There will be no tolerance for corruption," the new police chief said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Pakistani television host accused of making defamatory remarks against the government, judiciary and intelligence agencies has been released on bail. Rizwan Razi, who hosts a talk shown on Din News, was arrested on Saturday from his residence in Lahore by the cyber crime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). According to the FIA, the initial investigation revealed that Razi's social media posts were made through his Twitter account. The FIA sought extension of the journalist's remand on Sunday, but the court rejected it and granted bail to Razi against a surety bond of Rs one lakh, Razi's counsel said. He said that the magistrate said that the suspect should avoid discussing armed forces and judiciary in his programmes and "it is a test for him, and his shows and posts on social media will be monitored." Razi's counsel argued that the arrest of his client was against the freedom of expression and that he did not commit any crime as he was arrested without any complaint. The FIA said that the initial investigation had revealed that Razi's posts against the Pakistan Army and judiciary were made through his Twitter account. The journalist was booked under Sections 11 and 20 of the Pakistan Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, (PPECA) 2016, a cyber-crime law which had been widely criticised by civil rights campaigners as 'draconian' at the time of its passage by the Nawaz Sharif-led PML-N government. The section 11 pertains to hate speech and can carry a prison sentence of up to seven years, as well as a fine. Section 20 pertains to "offences against the dignity of a natural person" and carries "imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine which may extend to Rs 1 million". Apart from the PPECA, he was also booked under Sections 123-A and 500 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of the state. According to the FIR, an inquiry has been initiated against Razi for allegedly uploading "defamatory and obnoxious posts" through a social media account on Twitter against judiciary, government institutions and intelligence agencies. Razi earlier had joined the investigation, and in his statement, he confessed to having uploaded obnoxious posts against the judiciary and other departments through his Twitter account since 2011," the FIR said, adding that the suspect had apologised. However, he did not stop this practice, the FIA said. The journalist bodies as well as the opposition parties Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) PML-N and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have condemned the arrest of Razi and also demanded his immediate release. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The driver of an armoured cash delivery van disappeared outside Paris early on Monday along with an estimated one million euros, police sources told AFP. The 28-year-old man had stopped in front of a Western Union office at around 6:00 am (0500 GMT) in Aubervilliers, a suburb just north of the capital, and stayed behind the wheel as two of his colleagues went inside. "When they came back out, the van and the driver were gone," one of the sources said. The van was found soon afterwards a few blocks away with its doors wide open, but the driver and the bags of cash, worth some USD 1.13 million, were nowhere to be found. The two other employees had not been injured, the source said. Loomis, the armoured van company, did not return calls seeking comment. An inquiry has been opened by France's anti-gang squad. The last major such heist was in November 2009 when Toni Musulin fled in the armoured van he was driving with at least 11.5 million euros in cash collected from a Bank of France building in Lyon. He was caught after a little more than a week on the run. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu Monday ended his daylong fast with water offered by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda. Naidu started his fast in the morning at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan here, demanding the Centre grant special category status to his state and fulfil the promises made before its bifurcation in 2014. A number of Opposition leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Conference's Farooq Abdullah and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, extended their support to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav Monday extended support to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's day-long hunger strike in New Delhi. "We all are with Chandrababu Naidu, who is sitting on day long hunger strike in New Delhi," the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said in a tweet. He also posted pictures of his party MP Dharmendra Yadav and others with Naidu, trying to underline his party's support. Naidu began his fast in the national capital demanding the Centre grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh and fulfil all the promises made before its bifurcation in 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrived here on a chartered plane on Monday evening to meet her husband Robert Vadra, who is scheduled to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a probe into an alleged land scam in Rajasthan's border town of Bikaner. According to airport authorities, Priyanka left the airport under tight security for the hotel where her husband had reached earlier in the day. Earlier on Monday, Priyanka made her debut in Uttar Pradesh's political arena as Congress general secretary with a grand road show in Lucknow. Priyanka had on last Wednesday strongly come out in support of her husband, whom she had dropped off at the Enforcement Directorate's office in Delhi on the first day of his questioning in another case. "He is my husband, he is my family...I support my family," she had said when asked whether she was sending a message by dropping off her husband. Vadra is scheduled to make a fresh appearance before the Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday in Jaipur in connection with a probe into an alleged land scam in Bikaner. Vadra's mother Maureen is also likely to appear before the central probe agency at about 10 AM at its zonal office on Bhawani Singh Road in Jaipur. The duo landed at Jaipur airport on Monday noon. This will be the fourth time that Vadra appears before the agency. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Abu Dhabi is all set to get its first Hindu temple with the foundation stone laying ceremony of the place of worship going to be held in April, according to a media report. The plan to build the temple in the UAE's capital was approved by the Abu Dhabi government during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first visit to the country in 2015. BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, a worldwide Hindu religious and civic organisation, is building the temple, the Gulf reported. The foundation stone laying ceremony of the temple on April 20 will be presided over by Mahant Swami Maharaj, the present guru and president of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, it said. The spiritual leader will be in UAE from April 18 to 29. Dubbed as an icon of tolerance and religious harmony in the UAE, the temple is being built on a 13.5-acre land gifted by Abu Dhabi's crown prince Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. An equal area of land has also been gifted by the UAE government for building parking facilities in the temple premises. The temple with seven towers representing the seven emirates in the UAE will come up at Abu Mureikhah in Al Rahba area on the Abu Dhabi-Sweihan-Al Ain Road, close to the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway. The stones for the temple will be carved by temple artisans in India and assembled in the UAE. While the pink stone is being sourced from Rajasthan, the marble is being brought from the European nation Macedonia. The Shiva and Krishna Mandir in Dubai is currently the only Hindu temple in the UAE. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man, who was being pursued by police for five years in connection with several charges against him including criminal intimidation, was arrested on Monday in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, an official said. The accused, Mohammad Latief of Manwa-Teryath village, was arrested from Kalakote market, the police spokesman said. He said a case under various sections of the Ranbir Penal Code, including wrongful restraint, act endangering life or personal safety of others, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace and criminal intimidation, was registered against Latief in 2014. However, he was evading arrest, the spokesman said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police on Monday seized 800 kg cannabis from a truck in Odisha's Ganjam district and arrested three persons, a senior police officer said. The seizure was made at Singipur in Aska-Bhanjanagara road, about 60 km from here and three persons were arrested, said Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Bhanganagar, Utkal Keshari Das. The three persons were arrested under the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act. Besides ganja, three cell phones and Rs 3.24 lakh in cash were seized from the accused persons, the SDPO said. Das said the preliminary investigation revealed that the contraband was being transported illegally from Mohana in Gajapati district to New Delhi, when the police seized the narcotic substances. "We got a tip off about the consignment of ganja headed to New Delhi via Gangapur. The truck was intercepted and seized near Singipur," said SDPO. As many as 25 packets of ganja, packed in the plastic bags were hidden inside drivers cabin of the vehicle. The cabin was specially designed to keep the ganja packed bags, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China and the United States should stop thinking in terms of win and lose, and not overstate the challenges facing them, Beijings top envoy to Washington said, as US officials prepare to travel to the Chinese capital for the latest round of trade negotiations next week. As South China Morning Post writes, speaking at an event organised by the World Affairs Council of Western Michigan, Cui Tiankai, Chinas ambassador to the US, said that too much emphasis had been put on competition and that the two sides should focus more on cooperation for mutual benefit. Relations between the two countries and their companies would only suffer under the destructive nature of a zero-sum or winner takes all mindset, he said. The real story in business is not that black and white, Xinhua quoted him as saying. We need to develop even stronger relationships on the basis of coordination, cooperation and stability. China and the United States have been locked in a trade war since July that has seen them impose hefty tariffs on each others imports. Further punitive action is on the cards if a deal is not reached before the end of a truce agreed by Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump in Buenos Aires in December in less than three weeks time. Hopes for a resolution took a knock on Friday when Trump said he was unlikely to meet Xi before the March 1 deadline. Failure to reach a settlement could see the US increase the tariffs it imposed on US$200 billion worth of Chinese goods in September from 10 per cent to 25 per cent. The White House said on Friday that US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will travel to Beijing for top level negotiations on Thursday and Friday. The Chinese delegation will be headed by Vice-Premier Liu He. The meetings will be preceded by vice-minister level talks starting on Monday, with the US team for those headed by deputy trade representative Jeffrey Gerrish. The other members of the US delegation are: chief agricultural negotiator Gregg Doud, undersecretary for international affairs David Malpass, undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs Ted McKinney, undersecretary for commerce for international trade Gilbert Kaplan, deputy assistant to the president for international economic affairs Clete Willems, and assistant secretary for fossil energy Steven Winberg. Chinese government advisers said there was still an opportunity for the two sides to make a breakthrough next week, but stressed that deep divisions remained on issues such as intellectual property protection, Beijings subsidies for state-owned enterprises and forced technology transfer. The US has also been pushing for an enforcement mechanism for a potential deal. Chin Leng Lim, a specialist in international trade law at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said that in the absence of a meeting between Trump and Xi it was possible that the March 1 deadline could be pushed back, as although the negotiations were making progress, finishing [them] on time is another thing. First, China has to buy enough from the US. Farm, energy, industrial products have all been targeted, he said. Second, what kinds of pledges and actions would count as serious and enforceable Chinese structural reform? Beijing had sought to tackle Washingtons concerns about forced technology transfers and intellectual property protection by liberalising the mainland investment market and proposing reforms of its foreign investment laws, Lim said. [The] law would then treat US and Chinese investments equally, in principle, he said. That may not answer every US concern for now, but thats because there is not enough time to get into very detailed issues, including practical issues regarding enforcement. The Supreme Court Monday took on record the steps taken by six states -- Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Manipur, Mizoram, West Bengal and Nagaland -- for appointing anti-graft ombudsman, Lokayukta. All the six states apprised a bench headed by the Chief Justice through affidavits about the progress made by them. Nagaland Government, which on October 31 last gave an undertaking before the apex court that it would appoint the state Lokayukta within three months, said former high court judge, Justice Uma Nath Singh has already started functioning as the state's Lokayukta. Taking on record the submission, the bench, also comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna, asked Nagaland Government to inform it within three months about the action taken by the Lokayukta. The apex court, which was hearing a petition filed by BJP leader and lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay for appointment of Lokayukta in every state, granted search committee for Tamil Nadu government three months to complete shortlisting of the persons for appointment of ombudsman. The Odisha government informed the bench that the Lokayukta will take charge in the state on April 8 this year. Odisha Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi was present in the court. Its counsel submitted that the selection process of Lokayukta will be completed by March 31 and it will start functioning from April 8. West Bengal Government told the bench that it has already appointed former high court judge, Justice Ashim Kumar Roy as the Lokayukta of the state. Manipur government sought two months more to complete the exercise of asppointing the ombudsman. Mizoram Government also said it neededa little more time in this regard. The petitioner, through advocate Gopal Sankarnarayan has also sought a direction to states to provide adequate budgetary allocation and essential infrastructure for effective functioning of the Lokayuktas. According to the PIL, the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act 2013 had received presidential assent on January 1, 2014, and came into force from January 16, 2014, but the executive has not established a Lokpal yet. The petitioner has alleged that many state governments were "deliberately weakening" the Lokayukta by not providing adequate infrastructure, sufficient budget and workforce. The apex court has been dealing with the issue of appointment of Lokayuktas or the anti-graft ombudsmen in several states. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five suspected members of the Neeraj Bawana-led criminal gang, including a juvenile, were nabbed after a brief shootout on Monday morning in Rohini for allegedly killing two people from a rival gang, officials said. The Special Cell of the Delhi Police arrested Sunil (21), Sukhwinder (24), Ravinder (34) and Arpit Chillar (20), and apprehended a 17-year-old, they added. On February 1, Vikas Chauhan was allegedly shot dead by the accused near Mann Public School, Narela. On January 20, they had killed Mohit, another member of the rival gang led by Rajesh Bawana, near Lohia Camp, Haidarpur, a senior police officer said. The two gangs indulged in extorting money from businessmen, property dealers, builders, etc. During investigation, police got a tip-off on Monday that the accused would be coming to Swarn Jayanti Park in Rohini to meet some of their associates, Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North), said. Thereafter, a trap was laid and at around 5 am, a car was seen coming from KN Katju Marg side, he said. When they were asked to stop and surrender, five men got down from the car and started firing at the police, the DCP said. During cross-firing, Sunil, Sukhvinder and Chillar sustained bullet injuries on their legs while Ravinder and the juvenile were caught without any injuries. Two police personnel, who were shot at, had a narrow escape as the bullets hit their bulletproof vests, Yadav added. Five pistols and 11 live cartridges were recovered from the possession of the accused. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three persons, including two Indians, were arrested in two separate cases for allegedly being involved in smuggling of hashish, police said on Monday. In the first case, two Indian nationals were arrested from Birgunj during a security check at the Indo-Nepal border, they said. Police recovered a total of nine kg from Mohmad Sakil, 38, a resident of Kolkata and Mohmmad Bishal, 26, an Indian national living in Birgunj municipality of Parsa district, when they were going back to India, carrying 4 kg and 5 kg hashish respectively. In a separate incident, a 28-year-old Nepali citizen was arrested from Lalbandi Municipality of Sarlahi district for allegedly being involved in smuggling of the contraband, police said. Acting on a tip off, police raided a house and recovered five kg hashish hidden there, they said, adding that all the three were arrested and a matter is being probed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh minister Mohsin Raza Monday claimed that the 2019 Kumbh venue is cleaner compared to the 2013 event, and even the "Ganga is shining as bright as a pearl this time", as he asked SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to post pictures of him taking a dip during the previous mela to prove his point. Yadav had recently posted on social media photographs of him taking a dip in the Ganga during the ongoing Kumbh mela. Raza said the former chief minister posted photos from the Kumbh organised by the BJP government led by Yogi Adityanatah. "We also want him to post photographs of the Kumbh which was organised when he was chief minister (2012-2017) and Azam Khan was urban development minister." Raza "advised" Khan to visit the Kumbh mela venue and see "how a mega event like this is organised". "I would like Akhileshji to post his photos (if any) of taking a dip during the 2013 Kumbh. This time the water of Ganga was shining as bright as a pearl. The difference will be clearly visible," the Minister of State for Muslim Waqf and Haj told PTI in an interview. The Kumbh is an example of the strong willpower of the government and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath himself monitored it, he said. "My advice to Azam Khan is that he go to the Kumbh Mela area and see how a mega event like Kumbh is organised," Raza said, and accused the Samajwadi Party leaders of indulging in appeasement politics. The UP minister said that unlike the previous Kumbh, the ongoing event has become synonymous with cleanliness. "This has been clearly reflected in this Kumbh," Raza said. He said that Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, is not only a point of confluence of rivers, but also symbolizes the confluence of tehzeeb (culture). "I felt as if I am visiting the heaven on earth," he said of his visit to the Kumbh. He lauded the Yogi government for "successfully" organising the Kumbh Mela. Almost all the works pertaining to the Kumbh were accomplished by the UP government in a record time, he said. "Our endeavour is that the visitors and devotees return to their homes happy and with pleasant memories of the place and the event," Raza said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The chief ministers of two northeast states, Arunachal Pradesh's Pema Khandu and Manipur's N Biren Dingh, Monday voiced their opposition to the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill and urged Home Minister Rajnath Singh to ensure it was not passed in Rajya Sabha, officials said. During a 30-minute meeting, the two BJP CMs apprised the home minister about the prevailing situation in the Northeast, which has been witnessing continuous protests against the Bill, that seeks to provide Indian nationality to non-Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The two chief minister requested the home minister not to pass the Citizenship Amendment Bill before convincing the people of the Northeast and sought protection of their cultural and linguistic identity, an official said. The home minister asked the chief ministers not to worry and assured that the rights of the indigenous people of the Northeast would not be diluted, the official said. The bill provides for according Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after seven years of residence in India instead of 12 years, which is the norm currently, even if they do not possess any document. The legislation was passed by the Lok Sabha during the Winter Session on January 8 and has been awaiting Rajya Sabha nod. There has been strong opposition in Assam and other Northeastern states against the bill. Political parties have been protesting on the grounds that the bill seeks to grant nationality to non-Muslims who have come up to December 31, 2014, thereby, increasing the deadline from 1971 as per the Assam Accord. Also, according to the Assam Accord, all illegal immigrants who have come after 1971, irrespective of their religion, have to be deported and this bill violates that. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that the bill is an "atonement of the wrong that was done during India's Partition. India will safeguard all who had been victims of the Partition". On Saturday, addressing a rally in Assam, Modi said the citizenship bill won't harm the interests of the people of the region but will provide succour to those who have "embraced the idea and ethos of Mother India". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Normal life was affected in Nagaland on Monday during a 10-hour bandh called by civil society organisations in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. Schools and markets remained closed, vehicles were off the roads and people stayed indoors during the bandh which began at 6 AM. The BJP is a constituent of the National Democratic Peoples Party-led Peoples Democratic Alliance (PDA) government in the state. The bandh has been called by the Nagaland Gaon Burhas Federation (NGBF). To implement the bandh, a Joint Coordination Committee of civil organizations, tribal bodies and indigenous citizens was formed on February 6. The shutdown has been called in pursuance of a resolution adopted at a consultative meeting, called by the NGBF, at Dimapur on February 6. The meeting had unanimously resolved to oppose the bill. The opposition Naga Peoples Front (NPF) has extended its support to the bandh. The Nagaland Cabinet has also rejected the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which was passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8. "This mass agitation is necessary as the bill will have adverse impacts on the people of the state," the committee said in a release. The bill, being vehemently opposed in the Northeast, was passed in Lok Sabha on January 8 and the Centre has said it will try to get the Rajya Sabha nod in this budget session. The bill 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. The mass agitation, has also been called against the "lackadaisical attitude" of the Centre on the seven-decade-old Naga issue, the release said. "The government of India is expected to be more honest with its citizens rather than giving false hope," it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Speaking on floor of the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly, Adityanath underlined the core Ram temple issue was not about the division of land among the parties to the dispute, but whether it (the disputed site) is the birth place (of Lord Ram) or not. When the issue regarding the birth place has been settled then I feel the resolution of the matter should not take more than 24 hrs, the CM said while expressing views on topical ... 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 Let me begin with two incidents in two premium schools in Gurugram to illustrate my point. In one case, an expensive phone carried by one of the students against school rules went missing in a classroom of students in the 11-12-year age group. The parents asked the school principal to intervene and a search was conducted. The phone could not be traced but the needle of suspicion fell on two boys from the economically weaker section (EWS) quota who happened to be in the same class. The principal who narrated the story to me said that while the culprit could not be nailed ... A new temple Abu Dhabi is all set to get its first Hindu temple with the foundation stone-laying going to be held on April 20, in the midst of the Lok Sabha polls here in India. The plan to build the temple in the UAE capital was approved by the Abu Dhabi government during Prime Minister Narendra Modis first visit to the country in 2015. 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 Microsoft Corporation is making broader inroads into the cybersecurity sphere in Azerbaijan. On Tuesday, representatives from the American companys local subsidiary signed a strategic partnership agreement with Gilan Holding in Baku. As Caspian News reports, the agreement between Microsoft Azerbaijan and what is one of the largest holding companies in Azerbaijans economy is expected to lead to a strengthening of the overall network security environment in the Caspian country. The main purpose of the agreement is to support the policy of the Azerbaijani government in the field of information technology and the removal of pirated software and get support from the technology giant in the process of incorporating new generation information technologies into the business, according to a statement published by Marja.az. Businesses in Azerbaijan is, of course, expected to benefit from the deal, which leverages Microsoft products like Azure cloud computing platform and services. The agreement also takes into consideration licensing and anti-piracy concerns. Gilan Holding expects that with collaboration, the integrity of its business processes is strengthened, while also using predictive analytics and original software, and enhancing the reliability of information systems, including protection against IT-risks, cyber-attacks, and personal data theft. Cybersecurity, as an industry and professional practice, is on the rise. A 2018 Global Data Risk Report from Varonis Data Lab notes that 58 percent of companies across the world have over 100,000 data folders that are open to external cyber threats. An IBM-sponsored Cost of a Data Breach Study by the Ponemon Institute revealed that the average cost for each lost or stolen record containing sensitive and confidential information increased by 4.8 percent year over year, to reach $148 in 2017. The 2018 Internet Threat Security Report compiled by the cybersecurity corporation Symantec suggests that there are around 24,000 malicious mobile apps neutralized by blocking every day. In turn, the cybersecurity sector in Azerbaijan is growing. The country ranks 48 among 193 countries in the Global Cybersecurity Index compiled by the International Telecommunication Union, trailing only Russia in the Caspian region, which ranks number 10. In 2009, Azerbaijans parliament ratified the Convention on Cybersecurity, also as the Budapest Convention. The treaty is first of its kind, uniting international efforts for seeking ways to address Internet and computer crime by harmonizing national laws, improving investigative techniques, and increasing cooperation among nations. The government of Azerbaijan is currently developing a national cybersecurity strategy that will address comprehensive safeguarding intervention in the national ecosystem. The Central government on Monday told the Delhi High Court that Young Indian company, in which Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi are shareholders, was formed with an intention to take over Herald House. The court was hearing the Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) -- which publishes National Herald newspaper -- appeal challenging the December 21 order of a single judge dismissing its plea against the Urban Development Ministry's October 30 direction that AJL's 56-year-old lease on Herald House was over and that it should vacate. The single judge in its order on December 21 had noted that by transfer of AJL's 99 per cent shares to Young Indian company, the beneficial interest of AJL's property worth Rs 413.40 crore stands clandestinely transferred to Young Indian company. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a division bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V. Kameswar Rao that AJL "clandestinely" transferred its majority shares to Young Indian and requested the court to dismiss AJL's appeal. He also told the court that AJL has violated the lease agreement and asked the court to lift the corporate veil. He also said that the Gandhis are directly liable for the defaults in the company. However, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi defended AJL and denied the allegations. He also told the court that the digital version of the newspaper was started on November 14, 2016, while the publication of weekly "National Herald on Sunday" was resumed on September 24, 2017. The government has said that National Herald was revived only after the Centre sent a notice for inspection of the property in September 2016. The court listed the matter for further arguments on February 18. --IANS akk/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The World Government Summit in Dubai, attended by more than 4,000 delegates from 140 countries representing the business, cultural and political sectors, featured speeches and discussions on peace, development and the present and future of the global economy. The conference, organised annually by the government of the United Arab Emirates, included key international figures such as International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde, several heads of states and assorted Nobel Prize winners, Efe news reported on Monday. In the inaugural address of the conclave on Sunday, Lagarde warned the world economy is growing more slowly than anticipated because of various factors. Key factors, Lagarde said, are trade tensions, tax hikes, financial restrictions, the uncertainty over Brexit and the deceleration of the Chinese economy. In her speech, the IMF director laid out her vision of the future of the world economy, which - she emphasized - finds itself at a moment of "transformation." Lagarde said that many jobs will change "radically" as a consequence of globalization and new technologies, noting that many jobs will be adapted to "artificial intelligence." She also took advantage of her time at the speaker's podium to issue a call to all countries to fight against corruption, emphasizing that it creates a lack of confidence and puts the brakes on economic growth. Less convinced about the positive effects of technology on the organization of labour was Nobel Prizewinner in Economics Paul Krugman. The US economist emphasized that technology has changed a great deal in the past 25 years, but that has not meant much shift in the way people work, and so - in his judgment - the tech revolution has not been a truly "revolutionary" kind of change and the expected shifts in the workplace have not been as great as had been anticipated. Pope Francis, who just wrapped up a trip to the UAE, also participated in the summit via a video message sent to the forum attendees reminding them that "one cannot speak of sustainable development without solidarity." Via a video, the pontiff asked the attendees - in taking up "basic issues" like the challenges of and economic development - not to simply ask themselves what the best opportunities are to take advantage of, but rather "what kind of world we want to build together." "We could also say that the good, if it is not common, is not true good. Perhaps now more than ever thinking and acting requires real dialogue with others, because without others there's no future for me," he said. Peace and conflict were also among the issues discussed at the forum. Former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, in his remarks in a panel on the issue, discussed the peace process that he led in his country emphasizing that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia guerrillas had to be treated as "adversaries, not as enemies." "The most important thing is to convince the other party, especially the commanders, that for them personally it's better to negotiate peace than to remain at war," he said. Some heads of government took advantage of the forum to call attention to their countries, with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan appealing to foreign investors to back his country at a time when his government has undertaken a series of reforms that he admitted have been "painful." It is time for investors to come to Pakistan, Khan told the audience, which included many multinational business leaders. At the plenary session, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri talked about incorporating women into the labor forces and positions of responsibility in his country. Hariri said that not involving women and not training them to work in all sectors represents a "great loss" for a country's GDP. Also speaking on Sunday at the forum were Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas and French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire. The conference, which has been held in Dubai each year since 2012, is scheduled to wrap up on Tuesday. --IANS vin/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Punjab Police on Monday conducted raids at various places in Ludhiana district after a young woman alleged she was gang-raped by 12 men at a farmhouse near Jagraon town after she and her male friend were attacked and abducted. No arrests have been made so far. The victim, aged around 20 years, told the police that she and her friend were going in a car from South City area of Ludhiana city towards Issewal village on Saturday night when their car was attacked with bricks by two men on a motorcycle. The attackers, who were joined in by three others, then got into the car and beat up the man (male friend) and took the car to a farmhouse near Jagraon town, around 170 km from here. They also called up a friend of the man from his mobile phone and demanded a ransom of Rs 2 lakh. The friend approached the police following the call but the police did not take immediate action. The couple, who were abducted, were allegedly beaten up at the farmhouse and the woman was gang-raped by five men. She alleged that her attackers called seven other men who also sexually assaulted her. The couple were set free on Sunday following which they complained to the police regarding the gang-rape and the abduction. The police registered a case of rape at the Mullanpur Dhaka police station. Police officials said that raids were being conducted to nab the people behind the heinous crime. Senior police officers from Ludhiana district reached the crime spot (farmhouse) on Monday as police teams started investigating the incident. --IANS js/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All allegations levelled against NSA Ajit Doval's son by Jairam Ramesh of the Congress and The Caravan magazine are "incorrect and mala fide" and Vivek Doval is a "thorough professional", a business partner on Monday told a Delhi court. Recording his statement, Amit Sharma said all the allegation by the Congress leader and the author of a Caravan magazine article were defamatory. Testifying as a complainant witness, Sharma told Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal that the allegations have caused "irreparable damage" to Vivek Doval's reputation and career. Vivek Doval was a person of integrity and had a consistent value system, Sharma told the court, adding that he did not even know who was Vivek Doval's father when he became his business partner. "Subsequently I came to know of his father when he became the National Security Advisor. Vivek had made it very clear from the very beginning that his father or family background will not be used for any business purpose," he said. Another friend, Nikhil Kapur, also deposed as a complainant witness and said that he was disappointed after reading the article. After concluding recording their statements, the court listed the matter for next hearing on February 22 when arguments on the issue of summoning the accused would come up. The court was hearing a defamation case filed by Vivek Doval against Ramesh, The Caravan magazine and the author for publishing an allegedly defamatory article. The article referred to the Doval family as D Companies, whereas the term D Company had been used for Dawood Ibrahim, India's most wanted criminal, Vivek told the court in the last hearing. Vivek Doval has alleged that the article intended to harm his reputation and business and these were punishable under the Indian Penal Code. Earlier, Vivek Doval's counsel D.P. Singh told the court that a hedge fund cannot be set up overnight or in a matter of days and the very title of the article 'The D-Companies' itself was "scandalous and it is creating prejudice in the minds of readers against the complainant and his family". --IANS akk/in/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US on Monday sailed two warships close to disputed islands in the South China Sea, a move that is bound to draw the ire of Beijing. The guided-missile destroyers USS Spruance and USS Preble sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Spratly Islands as part of the US Navy's "freedom of navigation operation", a spokesman for the US Navy's 7th Fleet told CNN. The operation was carried out "to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law", he said. "All operations are designed in accordance with international law and demonstrate that the US will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows," the Commander said, adding "that is true in the South China Sea as in other places around the globe". Monday's operation was the second in the South China Sea this year. In January, the destroyer USS McCampbell sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Paracel Islands. Shortly after that operation, China accused the US of trespassing in its territorial waters and said it had deployed missiles "capable of targeting medium and large ships". Last September, the USS Decatur sailed within 12 nautical miles of Gaven and Johnson reefs in the Spratly Islands as part of a similar freedom of navigation operation. During that operation, a Chinese destroyer came within 45 yards of the US warship. Washington labelled the Chinese warship's actions unsafe and unprofessional while Beijing said the US was threatening its safety and sovereignty. --IANS ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two parallel peace processes on Afghanistan are underway. In Doha, Zalmay Khalilzad, US Special Representative for Afghanistan, has held extensive round of talks with Taliban leaders, spread over several days last month. The authorship of this process is, quite jealously, America's. But on February 5 and 6, Taliban and other Afghan political groups also met in Moscow. A roadmap for the future, titled the Moscow Declaration, was announced. Among its nine points is one which also suggests coordination with the Doha process - there is no jealous guarding of ownership of the peace process here. Anyone interested in peace is the joint author. The Declaration was immediately rubbished by the Presidential Palace in Kabul. "Moscow declaration will not have impact on the peace process in Afghanistan," said palace spokesman Haroon Chakhansuri. There are, meanwhile, doubts in many capitals on whether the US is truly contemplating total withdrawal. To some extent these doubts are a function of Donald Trump's confusing statements and tweets. Take his recent statement in Iraq. His troops in Iraq will enable him "to keep a check on Iran", something way outside the US-Iraq agreement. In Afghanistan too, while Khalilzad is ploughing the furrow promising one kind of crop, his President makes a totally confusing statement. Trump says he will leave behind in Afghanistan "intelligence elements". How many? I have Russian estimates of five years ago. They may have changed, but in those days the Russians were convinced of 30 US bases in Afghanistan. Of these, the ones at Bagram, Jalalabad, Kandahar, Helmand, Shindand (Herat) and Mazar-e-Sharif were, by the sheer volume of masonry and architecture, not temporary. These bases will remain. Are we then talking about a qualified departure? If the US is actually planning departure, why would it build a consulate in the heart of Mazar-e-Sharif on a scale which would dwarf large embassies? Renaissance is the only reasonable hotel in Mazar-e-Sharif. It does not take long for great powers to develop more than one point of interest once they have entered an area of strategic significance. It would therefore be fanciful to imagine an America-free Afghanistan in the foreseeable future. "All this blood and treasure was spent for what?" some Americans will ask. Also the chant in Kabul once was "We must remain in the vicinity to keep a watch on the world's only Muslim nuclear state." After Obama announced in a speech delivered on December 1, 2009 US intention to leave Afghanistan in July 2011, I had argued in a paper for the Observer Research Foundation that Americans can simply not leave Afghanistan. I have been proved right so far. And now once again the "We are leaving" story has been let loose. True, this time the circumstances are different, but let us take a look. Last July, Zalmay Khalilzad, and Morgulov Igor Vladimirovich, Russia's Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, (who was behind the scene in the Intra-Afghan dialogue in Moscow on February 5 and 6) attended a high-power meet in New Delhi on Regional Issues. In a more cooperative world order, one would have expected the representatives of the US and Russia to exchange notes on Afghanistan. What transpired was to the contrary. Vladimirovich made an allegation that startled the gathering. "ISIS fighters were being flown to Northern Afghanistan" from Syria. The Afghan air space is under the control of the US and the government in Kabul. "So, who is responsible?" Khalilzad offered a tepid denial. The denial lacked credibility because the Russian allegation had been preceded by another made by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatullah Khamenei. In the course of his Friday address in January 30, 2018. Khamenei said: "The US transfer of IS terrorists to Afghanistan is aimed at creating a justification for its (US') continued presence in the region." In countries surrounding Afghanistan, doubts about American intentions may be more muted but are quite as strong. It is deeply ironical that Jehadism, terrorism and Islamism manufactured in Afghanistan to fight the Soviets in the 80s may be returning to complete the circle. Indeed, there is a certain inevitability about Islamic militancy becoming a tool of American foreign policy. The triangular romance between Washington, Tel Aviv and Riyadh will ensure this state of affairs for as long as this romance lasts. Let me explain the inevitability. When Animal Rights groups forced the famous annual fox hunt to stop in South India's most Anglaise hill station, Ooty, I expressed my curiosity to the master of the Hunt: "What have you done to the hundreds of hounds of high pedigree trained diligently for the Hunt." The lovely canines had been transferred to an expensive kennel from where dog lovers could acquire them. So now we know what to do with redundant foxhounds of high pedigree. But what does a state like Saudi Arabia do with spare Islamic militants who have been heavily equipped and trained to kill at the cost of billions? They can only be relocated to newer theatres of conflict like Afghanistan. From here they can plague all the countries the US wishes to destabilize - Xinxiang in China, the Caucasus in Russia, Iran and Pakistan too if it does not behave according to the US diktat. To make confusion worse confounded, Erik Prince, founder of the world's biggest mercenary military company, which has mutated from Blackwater to Academi and Triple Canopy, is back in Afghanistan floating the idea of US troops to be replaced by Prince's mercenary army. His plan that Afghanistan be administered by a "Viceroy" was shot down by National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and Defence Secretary James Mattis. After the two were shown the door, Prince has been all over Afghanistan again in and Khalilzad's notice. The only person who has refused to meet him in Kabul is President Ghani. (Saeed Naqvi is a commentator on political and diplomatic affairs. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached on saeednaqvi@hotmail.com ) --IANS naqvi/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, who has officially launched her 2020 presidential campaign, said that President Donald Trump might be unable to finish his term by the time Election Day comes next year. "By the time we get to 2020, Donald Trump may not be President... In fact, he may not even be a free person," Warren told an audience at a campaign event on Sunday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Warren elaborated the remarks to the media later at another event in Iowa City, pointing to the ongoing investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, reports CNN. "Well come on. How many investigations are there now? It's no longer just the Mueller investigation," Warren said. "They're everywhere and these are serious investigations, so we'll see what happens." Asked whether she believes Trump should be impeached, the Senator said it was important to first see Mueller's findings. Warren formally kicked off her bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination before a crowd of about 3,500 supporters in Massachusetts on Saturday. She is part of a rapidly expanding Democratic White House field that includes Senators Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand and Amy Klobuchar, who announced her bid on Sunday. Also expected to join the race is Vermont Senator and former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. At the event in Cedar Rapids earlier on Sunday, Warren lamented that the country is in a "dangerous moment", and that, "what happens in 2020 is going to determine the direction of our nation, the direction of our people". "Every day, there's a racist tweet, a hateful tweet, something really dark and ugly," Warren said of Trump. "And what are we, as candidates, as activists, the press, going to do about it? Are we going to let him use those to divide us?" Warren's remark comes as Trump's legal woes mount and as Mueller's investigation on Russian election interference has closed in on several key members of the President's circle, reports The Washington Post. With last month's indictment of Roger Stone, Trump's longtime friend and adviser, 34 people have been charged in the Mueller investigation, and six Trump associates have pleaded guilty. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Narendra Modi government is keen to get parliamentary approval for the triple talaq bill but there is no certainty that it will clear the Rajya Sabha hurdle in the remaining two days of the budget session and the measure may again be implemented through an ordinance. Opposition parties and several leaders from the Muslim community are sticking to their stand against the bill, contending there is no need for it as the instant triple talaq has been banned by the Supreme Court. Most leaders IANS spoke to also opposed the criminalisation of triple talaq and the provision of three-year jail to the husband. The triple talaq ordinance was re-promulgated in January this year as the revised triple talaq bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in the last session but could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha where the government lacks majority. Communist Paty of India-Marxist leader Brinda Karat said the government should not bring a matter from civil to criminal law for a particular community. "We are in support of the striking down of triple talaq, which is instant and arbitrary, and which was duly struck down by the Supreme Court. Now the government wants to criminalise a practice that doesn't exist in law. If a man does leave the wife, it is desertion and abandonment, which falls in the purview of civil law. It is not a criminal offence. "Now the question rises: if the government want to bring a matter from civil law to the criminal law, why do it selectively for a certain community," Karat told IANS. "There are some very prominent public figures in the country who have deserted their wives. If there's to be a law it's these persons who should be first arrested and put in jail," she remarked. Kamal Farooqui, a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, termed the bill "a political gimmick" that was not needed when the practice of triple talaq itself has been struck down by the Supreme Court. "It is illogical. And it hurts the women as well as the unity of a family. How the two of them can reconcile when the husband is in the prison. May be (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi is trying to tell his followers see 'I can create problems for Muslims in this fashion'," he said. Congress MP Sushmita Dev has said the Congress would scrap the triple talaq bill if it comes to power and instead go for an alternative that emerges out of discussions within the Muslim community. "Our stand inside and outside Parliament is same. We are opposing criminalisation of triple talaq and will continue to do it. There are solid legal reasons behind it. The common man understands it," she had earlier told IANS. The Supreme Court had declared the triple talaq practice "unconstitutional" in August 2017. According to social activists, Muslim marriage is a civil contract between two adults and the procedures to be followed on its breakdown should also be of civil nature. Penal action to discourage the practice of instant triple talaq does not take into account issues of economic security of women, they add. The government should strengthen the negotiating capacities of women by providing them support and criminalising instant triple talaq was not the answer. It has also been suggested that the government should provide economic support to the affected women, children and other dependents if the husband is put behind bars. The bill allows the aggrieved woman as well as those related to her by blood to be the complainant. --IANS vn/ps/vd/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Charging the Centre with betrayal by not granting special status to Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday claimed there is a threat to democracy and the country under the Narendra Modi-led BJP regime. With a host of opposition leaders, including Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal extending their support, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President sat on the fast in the national capital demanding the Centre to accord Special Category Status and fulfil other commitments made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. A day after Modi addressed a rally in Andhra Pradesh and made a bitter attack on Naidu, a number of opposition leaders turned up at the Andhra Bhavan here and launched a scathing attack on the Prime Minister. Pointing to the issue being repeatedly raised in Parliament by the TDP, Naidu said his agitation was a way to communicate to the nation "the betrayal by the Modi government of Andhra Pradesh". "Modi is threatening everybody -- the opposition, bureaucracy, corporates and even the media. He is using the CBI, ED and the IT Department to crush the opposition and dissent," said Naidu claiming democracy and the nation was "under threat" under Modi. "We want to save democracy. Today there is a democratic compulsion for all political parties to join together to save the country," he said. Calling upon the opposition parties to unite, Naidu said: "We need to keep this in mind. Modi was given absolute majority. What did he do? Nothing. The BJP and Modi were playing games to divide the opposition by asking who's their leader. "He is responsible for the falling standard of public discourse. PM must stop first hitting below the belt. Then everyone will stop and then we will maintain dignity and discourse of " Naidu said his protest was against the injustice done to the state, to remind the Centre of its promises and to demonstrate the strength of Andhra Pradesh. Warning the Prime Minister to stop the attacks, Naidu said he should act immediately to fulfil the commitments as only "two days were left" to the ongoing Parliament session, which could be the last session before the Lok Sabha elections. "If you don't fulfil the promises you have made, we know how to get it done," he said, adding that the Centre failed to implement the provisions of Bifurcation Act, including funds to bridge the revenue deficit, railway zone in Visakhapatnam, steel plant in Kadapa and a petrochemical corridor. --IANS vv-and/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thailand's political landscape was gripped by uncertainty on Monday after King Maha Vajiralongkorn intervened in his elder sister Princess Ubolratana Mahidol's bid to run for Prime Minister, leading the Election Commission to reject her candidacy. The Commission said on Monday that it had accepted 45 prime ministerial candidates nominated by different parties, but had not yet decided whether to dissolve the party that nominated the King's sister, Efe news reported. Princess Ubolratana has been excluded from the list because "members of the royal family should hold themselves above politics", the Commission said in a statement. "They should remain politically neutral and should not hold any political office". The statement followed a late night announcement by the King on February 8, in which he called her bid to run in the election on March 24 "inappropriate", saying it would "defy the culture of the nation". The Thai Raksa Chart party could also be dissolved or banned for filing the nomination of the Princess as its sole candidate, as the Election Commission studied a petition that was filed on Monday to ban the party. Meanwhile, a member of the Thai Raksa Chart retaliated with another petition to the poll body to reject the candidacy of current Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha, the head of the military junta who led a coup in 2014 to overthrow the democratically-elected government. His nomination was accepted by the Commission on Monday. Princess Ubolratana's nomination last week as a candidate for Prime Minister caused a huge stir in Thailand, a country where the monarch is revered but whose members traditionally have stayed out of After the King called her candidacy "extremely inappropriate", the Thai Raksa Chart party announced that it would adhere to the royal order and withdrew the Princess' nomination, leaving them without a prime ministerial candidate for the elections scheduled for next month. Ubolratana's candidacy had initially been accepted by the Commission because she had formally relinquished her royal titles in 1972 following her marriage to an American, technically leaving her free to run in the election. The events of the last few days generated such political uncertainty that social media in Thailand on Sunday were rife with rumours of an imminent coup after several tanks were reportedly seen in a province to the north of Bangkok. However, military officials said the tanks were being moved amid preparations for the Asia-Pacific "Cobra Gold" defence exercises that are held annually in Thailand. Rungrueng Pittayasiri, an executive member of the Thai Raksa Chart party, on Monday submitted his resignation to the Election Commission, claiming he had nothing to do with the nomination of the Princess. Thai Raksa Chart party is linked to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose Puea Thai party has won every election that has been held since 2001. Shinawatra's sister Yingluck was Prime Minister when the government was overthrown in a coup in 2014. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In early February, American research center Freedom House published it's report on the state of civil and political freedom in 195 countries around the world. Of these 195 countries, 86 were recognized as free, 59 as partially free, and 50 as not free. This center criticized almost all republics of the former USSR. Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Ukraine were "partially free", and Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan were completely "not free." Due to this Baku accused Freedom House of trying to undermine Azerbaijan's authority, distorting existing realities, supporting position of the Armenian lobby and the entire anti-Azerbaijani network. Indeed, it's not clear which international organization invented criteria for defining not free country; for what purposes are organizations such as Freedom House being funded and who gives them the right to intervene in internal affairs of independent states. In an interview with Azertac, Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Ali Hasanov said that when some countries' citizens protest against state policy, smash everything in the streets, burn cars, rob shops, it's hailed as "free country" ... Even Armenian people consider Armenia "not free" country. When a speaker and deputies are shot in the Armenian parliament, when protesters are murdered for going against leadership that falsified presidential elections, how can Freedom House recognize such country as "partially free"?... When these organizations talk about protecting human rights and freedoms, first things they should do is declare Armenia an occupying state. As for Azerbaijan, it supports freedom of press, 80% of the population has access to the internet, social networks have no restrictions, there's no censorship. Azerbaijan is a pretty stable state considering the fact that wars are taking place in the region and in the world. Baku believes that with such biased reports can't exert pressure on Azerbaijan and hurt its authority in the world. The withdrawal of US troops from Syria will likely begin within weeks, the Pentagon commander in charge of American forces in the Middle East has said. General Joseph Votel, the chief commander of the US Central Command, made the remarks while speaking to the media on a military airplane heading to the region on Sunday. "Probably weeks. But again, it will all be driven by the situation on the ground," he was quoted by The New York Times as saying. "In terms of the withdrawal ... I think we're right on track with where we wanted to be." "Moving people is easier than moving equipment and so what we're trying to do right now is again (to) kind of clear out those materials, that equipment, that we do not need," he said, adding that the exact timing of the troop withdrawal was still not settled. Votel told the media that the overall US troops' number in Iraq was "going to remain more or less steady". CNN reported that Votel, who was retiring, was on a two-week "farewell tour." He was also reportedly going to meet key foreign military and government leaders in the region "to thank them for their support for the US-led coalition" and "find ways to reassure Syrian Democratic Forces' commanders that the US was not abandoning them". The US-led multinational coalition has been engaged in an operation to drive out the Islamic State (IS) militants from their last stronghold in the eastern Euphrates region in eastern Syria. In December, however, US President Donald Trump announced his decision to withdraw his troops from Syria, citing that the local IS force was largely defeated. Former US Defence Secretary James Mattis resigned shortly after the pullout decision. Several bombs have been detonated in Syria since then, claiming the lives of several US soldiers and local militants. Votel had earlier said that despite the progress of the multinational campaign against the IS in Syria, "it is important to understand that ... the fight against IS and violent extremists is not over and our mission has not changed". Noting that some remaining IS fighters had "dispersed" and "gone to ground," he said the IS forces had the ability of "coming back together". When asked whether he was asked for his advice about Syria withdrawal before Trump announced his decision last year, Votel said that "I was not consulted". --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least six stranded Kashmir Valley residents, including a woman, were injured when local students pelted stones on them as they were staging a protest against the administration here on Monday. With the Jammu-Srinagar Highway remaining closed for the sixth consecutive day on Monday, dozens of stranded Kashmiri passengers, staying in the Canal Road area, raised slogans against the state administration for its failure to arrange their passage home. It was then students from the nearby science college pelted stones at them, saying they were offended by the protesters allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans. The students among the stranded Kashmir residents, however, said they had only chanted religious slogans like "Allah-u-Akbar" (Allah is Great) and this appeared to have been interpreted by miscreants as pro-Pakistan slogans. Police reached the spot and baton-charged the local students to disperse them and bring the situation under control. Authorities then shifted the stranded Kashmiri passengers from Mufti hotel on the Canal Road to technical area of Jammu airport. Stranded passengers alleged that their buses were also stoned while they were being shifted. Meanwhile, authorities said 300 stranded passengers have already been airlifted to the Valley and similar arrangements were being made for others as well. --IANS sq/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A separatist-called shutdown on Monday in the Kashmir Valley to mark the 35th death anniversary of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) founder, Maqbool Bhat, has paralysed life across the region. Bhat was executed in the Tihar Jail on this day in 1984. He was buried inside the prison premises. The shutdown was called by the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), a separatist conglomerate headed by Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik, reiterating their demand to handover Bhat's remains to his family. Shops and business establishments remained shut in Srinagar and other major cities and towns of the valley. Public transportation was suspended. Authorities made heavy security deployment in law and other order sensitive places including Trehgam, Bhat's hometown in Kupwara district. --IANS sq/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a plea by a group of investors for court monitoring of the probe into the Rs 10,000-crore Saradha chit fund scam by the CBI and the Directorate of Enforcement. "We are not inclined to pass any order," said the bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi as senior counsel Vikas Singh appearing for a group of investors cited allegations of destruction of evidence and delay in the completion of the probe, which has been on since 2013. The Rs 10,000-crore scam refers to money collected by the West Bengal-based Saradha Group through Ponzi investment schemes from 25 lakh depositors not just in the state, but also from neighbouring Odisha, Assam, Bihar and Jharkhand. On February 5, the top court had directed Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar to cooperate with the CBI in the investigation, which is taking place in Shillong. Rajeev Kumar had headed the SIT constituted by the Mamata Banerjee government, which investigated the Saradha scam case for a year. Monday was the third day of his questioning by the CBI. Given the inter-state nature of the alleged scam, the top court had on May 9, 2014 handed over to the CBI the investigation into all its cases. Pointing to the quantum of money and its inter-state ramifications, the court had on May 9, 2014 said, "The possibility that such huge collections could have international money laundering dimensions cannot be ruled out and needs to be effectively investigated." --IANS pk/rtp/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saudi Arabia does not know where murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi's body is, the Kingdom's Foreign Affairs Minister Adel al-Jubeir has said, despite having in custody the Saudi team that killed him. In an interview to US' CBS' "Face the Nation" show that was broadcast on Sunday, Al-Jubeir said: "The death of Jamal Khashoggi was a mass-massive tragedy. It was a mistake.... committed by officials of the Saudi government acting outside their scope of authority." He said that 11 individuals have been charged with the crime and the trials have begun. "We have said we will investigate. We will hold those accountable- those responsible accountable and we will punish them." Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and a supporter-turned-critic of Saudi Prince Mohammad bin Salman, was murdered inside the Kingdom's consulate in Turkey's Istanbul on October 2 and his body was reportedly dismembered with a bone saw. His remains are yet to be found. Al-Jubeir told the US programme that "we don't know" where is Khashoggi's body and that the public prosecutor responsible for the case had sought evidence from Turkey but had received no response. "We are still waiting to receive any evidence they (Turkey) may have." On being asked why those in detention can't reveal where Khashoggi's body was, Al-Jubeir said: "We are still investigating. We have now a number of possibilities and we're asking them what they did with the body. "... I think this investigation is ongoing, and I would expect that eventually we will find the truth." The minister again denied the Crown Prince's involvement in the murder. "Nobody in Saudi Arabia knew about the murder except the people who did it." He also dismissed the New York Times' report detailing how US intelligence intercepted communications of Bin Salman telling a top aide in 2017 that he would "use a bullet" on the journalist if he did not return to the Kingdom. "This was not a government sanctioned operation. We have an investigation and we have a trial. And many things have been put out that turned out to be incorrect." The US' Central Intelligence Agency has, however, concluded the Saudi operation was likely directed by the Crown Prince. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday cancelled his meeting with Chief Ministers of Northeastern states to discuss the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which is likely to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha member Javed Ali Khan has assured the North East Students Organisation (NESO) that his party will vote against the Bill. Rajnath Singh was supposed to meet the Chief Ministers at 4.30 p.m. at his North Block office. The sudden cancellation of the meeting assumes significance in the wake of the ongoing widespread protests against the Bill in the northeastern states. Various civil society groups and political parties are opposing the Bill saying it will have a detrimental effect on the ethnic communities if it becomes a law. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to the people of the northeastern states that the Bill will in no way cause harm to their interests. Normal life was derailed in Nagaland and Manipur on Monday as civil society groups sponsored a shutdown in protest against the Bill which seeks to give Indian citizenship to six minority groups from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. "The Samajwadi Party has assured us that his party will vote against the Bill if tabled in the Rajya Sabha," NESO Chairman Samuel Jyrwa said. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, who reached New Delhi on Sunday, has made it clear that his National People's Party (NPP) will snap ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance if the Bill is passed in the Rajya Sabha. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on January 8. On January 7, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) snapped its ties with the BJP and pulled out of Sarbananda Sonowal-led Assam government over the Bill. --IANS rrk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The daughter of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on Monday called for a separation of religion and in Iran and criticized a lack of freedom and repression under the current regime. Rafsanjani (1934- 2017) was one of the founding fathers of the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979 and served as the fourth President of the country between 1989-97. "For several years now I have believed that religion and do not work together, because religion is a personal thing for each individual," Faezeh Rafsanjani told Efe news in an interview conducted at the Rafsanjani museum, which was inaugurated a few months ago to memorialize the late statesman. Faezeh Rafsanjani, who was a member of Parliament between 1996 and 2000, added that this separation would benefit religion itself. The founder of the Islamic system in Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, rejected such a separation describing it as "American Islam". The second and current Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei has also dismissed the idea. Faezeh Rafsanjani, however, has publicly expressed her criticism of the Iranian judicial and political systems for years and was even imprisoned for six months after being charged for promoting propaganda against Iran during the Iranian Green Movement in 2009, a pro-democracy protest. She said that the Islamic revolution, led by Khomeini alongside her father, had not completed its objectives but it had rather limited people's freedom. Faezeh Rafsanjani said the motto of the revolution was independence, freedom as well as the establishment of an Islamic state, stressing that it had not called for an "Islamic Republic". She also lamented compulsory hijab laws in Iran. Iran recently hit the global media spotlight after US President Donald Trump decided to withdraw from the 2015 international nuclear deal, which had seen the Iranian regime swap its nuclear programme for a partial lifting of sanctions. The remaining signatories, which included Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, Germany and the EU, criticized the Trump administration for the move as international monitors had consistently found Tehran was abiding by the pact. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Logging into the social media with a Twitter profile on Monday, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi has amassed over 1 lakh followers and the count is increasing every second. Priyanka's Twitter debut came on a day when she and her brother and Congress president Rahul Gandhi held a road show in Lucknow to sound their party's poll bugle in Uttar Pradesh, the state that sends 80 members to the Lok Sabha. Yet to post her first tweet, Priyanka is following only seven people -- all from her party -- on Twitter. These include the Congress official handle, her brother Rahul Gandhi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, his deputy Sachin Pilot, party chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, Rajya Sabha member Ahmed Patel and fellow general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia. Among her prominent followers are former Jammu & Kashmir chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, among the first Indian politicians to join the Twitter bandwagon, welcomed Priyanka Gandhi to the microblogging site. "Pleased to welcome @priyankagandhi to @twitter. It was once a lonely furrow for a Congressman to plough -- glad to see @INCIndia stalwarts now all take to it with enthusiasm," tweeted Tharoor who incidentally is yet to be followed by Priyanka. Realising the importance of social media in shaping narratives and sensitising the populace, politicians cutting across party lines have been using the platform to reach out to the people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a following of 45.4 million, tops the list of Indian leaders who use Twitter. Rahul Gandhi with 8.47 million followers is way behind Modi. Tasked with reviving the party's fortunes in eastern UP, the turf of Chief Minister and BJP's Hindutva posterboy Yogi Adityanath, Priyanka will be interacting with party leaders and workers in Lucknow for three days, starting February 12, along with Jyotiraditya Scindia, the general secretary in charge of western UP. --IANS and/rtp/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra landed in Jaipur on Monday night to accompany her husband Robert Vadra to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office on Tuesday after he was summoned for interrogation in connection with an alleged land scam in the state's Bikaner. Brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Robert Vadra was already in Jaipur when Priyanka Gandhi, who had carried out a road show in Lucknow with her brother and other leaders in her first visit to the state after being appointed party incharge for East UP, reached there. He had reached the Rajasthan capital in the afternoon along with his mother Maureen Vadra. Priyanka Gandhi was to address the party workers at the Congress's Mall Avenue office after Rahul Gandhi but she chose not to. An interaction with the media was also aborted last minute. She was slated to spend the night and three more days in Lucknow but flew to Jaipur. Sources privy to the development however said that she will be back again amid Congress workers on Tuesday and the remaining three days programme will be as per schedule. Robert Vadra was summoned in connection with an alleged scam concerning 275 acres of land in the Kolayat sub-division of Bikaner district. According to sources, he will have to answer 55 questions as being drafted by the Directorate. Last week in Delhi, Vadra was subjected to intense interrogation by the ED in connection with a money laundering probe against him for his alleged role in procuring assets abroad in an illegal manner. The fresh summon by the ED comes after the Rajasthan High Court directed Vadra and his mother to cooperate with the ED, as Vadra did not report to the agency even after being sent three summons in the land scam case earlier. Vadra and his mother's statements shall be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). A criminal case was registered by the ED in connection with the Bikaner land deal made in 2015 after studying FIRs and charge-sheets filed by the Rajasthan Police on complaints made by the Bikaner tehsil office about alleged forgery in the land allotment. The ED, sources said, will question Vadra about Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd, a firm allegedly connected to him, which purchased the said land in the area. --IANS arc-md/nir/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former US President Barak Obama promised to Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama that after him, he would carry forward the promotion of world peace and non-violence, said the elderly Buddhist monk on Monday. "I told him 'After me, you should carry forward the promotion of world peace and non-violence, and he (Obama) promised," the Dalai Lama, who would be meeting Obama again this year in India, told a delegation led by American-Indian author Deepak Chopra at his residence here. He further said that his plan is to hold a meeting with Indian Nobel peace laureate Kailash Satyarthi in Delhi this year, which will eventually finalise a Nobel laureates' gathering. "Obama will definitely come to the meeting," he said. The Nobel Peace Laureate also remembered his friend, former US President George Bush, with whom he would connect instantly as friends. About the relevance of ancient Indian tradition, he said: "India is the one country that has the potential to combine its ancient knowledge with modern education for the wider benefit of the world at large." He drew attention to the elimination of nuclear weapons throughout the world. "We should not only rely on the United Nations, on a public level, there should also be some movement calling for denuclearisation. "India particularly should lead these efforts in this and also in promoting religious harmony," he said, adding that it should be more active in the promotion of religious harmony, "ahimsa" (non-violence) and demilitarisation. About the world leaders whom he admires most, the Dalai Lama named leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, India's first president Rajendra Prasad and former German Chancellor Willy Brandt. The Dalai Lama has been holding his teachings most of the time in nearby McLeodganj, where the government-in-exile is based. McLeodganj is a quaint town in Himachal Pradesh about 500 km from New Delhi. It is home to thousands of Tibetans who found a second abode to preserve their unique faith, culture and identity. --IANS vg/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday introduced the Registration of Marriage of Non-Resident Indians Bill in the Rajya Sabha. The Bill seeks to provide safeguards to Indian women who are trapped in fraudulent marriages with Non-Resident Indians (NRIs). "Therefore, it is necessary that the marriage solemnized or otherwise in India or outside India shall be registered within a period of 30 days from the date of marriage," the Bill's objectives state. "It has been decided to bring in a legislation to provide for compulsory registration of marriage for better enforcement of rights of the deserted spouses under various family laws," it added. The Bill also seeks to amend the Passport Act, 1967 and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. The proposed amendment to the Passport Act, 1967 would empower the passport authorities to impound or cause to be impounded or revoke a passport or travel document of a, NRI, if it is brought to his notice that the person has not registered his marriage within a period of 30 days from the date of marriage. The proposed amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 would also empower the courts for issuance of summons and warrants through the specifically-designated website of the Ministry of External Affairs. It further provides for attachment of the properties, both movable and immovable, belonging to a proclaimed offender. --IANS mak/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is set to go on trial on Tuesday, faces years in prison if he is convicted on charges relating to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state fund scandal. Najib has been charged with 42 counts of corruption and he, along with his associates, are accused of diverting $4.5 billion from the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund. His trial is due to begin on Tuesday and is expected to last till the end of March, the first in a series of legal proceedings against the former Prime Minister, Efe news reported. If found guilty, Najib could be sentenced to between 15 and 20 years in prison. The scandal was a major factor that contributed to Najib's historic defeat in the May 2018 elections, when his party, the powerful United Malays National Organisation, suffered its first loss since the country's independence from Britain. The 65-year-old, who served as Prime Minister from 2009 to 2018, is accused of diverting 2.6 billion ringgit ($681 million at the time) to private accounts, an undercover investigation by the Wall Street Journal and the Sarawak Report found in 2015. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) formally charged Najib with criminal breach of trust and abuse of power last year, shortly after the polls. He denies the allegations, claiming the embezzled funds were a donation from a Saudi prince, an explanation that was initially accepted by 1MDB, the MACC and the then-Attorney General, who initially exonerated him. The case was reopened following his defeat in the election. In the weeks leading up to the trial, Najib has been in combative mood, publicly campaigning against his mentor Mahathir Mohamad's government, claiming he is a victim of political persecution. Investigators reopened the case after Najib lost the elections, with Mahathir banning his predecessor and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, from leaving the country. More than 12,000 pieces of jewellery, including 1,400 necklaces, 2,200 rings, 2,100 bangles, 2,800 pairs of earrings, 1,600 brooches and 14 tiaras, as well as cash in 26 currencies worth around 116 million ringgit ($28.5 million), were found at Najib's home during the investigation. The alleged embezzlement and laundering of funds diverted from 1MDB were being investigated in half a dozen countries, including the US, Switzerland and Singapore. According to the US Department of Justice, about $4.5 billion was diverted from the 1MDB, $1 billion of which may have been laundered in the country with the purchase of real estate, yachts, jewellery and works of art among other goods. Najib set up 1MDB in 2009 as a state investment fund to attract investment projects and other developments to the southeast Asian country. The fund ended up accumulating losses of 42 billion ringgit. --IANS soni/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Myanmar Army has bombed villages and are blocking civilians from accessing food and humanitarian assistance amid a crackdown targeting rebels in the troubled Rakhine State, the Amnesty International said on Monday. The non-profit, in its latest report, said soldiers were also using "vague and repressive laws" to detain civilians as part of the offensive that began on January 4 when Arakan Army rebels raided police stations and killed 13 officers, reports Efe news. At least 5,200 people, according to the UN, have been displaced by the fighting after the Army launched the operation to annihilate insurgents, described as terrorists by the government. "These latest operations are yet another reminder that the Myanmar military operates without any regard for human rights. Shelling inhabited villages and withholding food supplies are unjustifiable under any circumstances," said Tirana Hassan, Director of Crisis Response at Amnesty International. Hassan accused the Myanmar authorities of "deliberately playing with the lives and livelihoods of civilians". Authorities have established restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid from international agencies, except the Red Cross and the UN's World Food Programme, to five districts where clashes are ongoing, according to the rights group. A witness told Amnesty that the Army was also imposing restrictions on the purchase and sale of essential commodities such as rice. Amnesty said at least 26 people have been arrested for illegal association with the Arakan Army, a crime punishable by harsh prison sentences. The Arakan Army was formed in 2009 to achieve greater autonomy for the Buddhist minority in Rakhine State. Rakhine State is home to the Rohingya, a Muslim-majority community, who have been denied citizenship as the government calls them illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. More than 723,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since August 2017 following an Army offensive. Rakhine State, which occupies a long coastal strip in western Myanmar, is an area with rich natural resources and a key geostrategic location, but with also one of the highest rates of poverty in the country. --IANS ksk/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "world famous liar", Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday accused him of behaving like a Pakistani Prime Minister to subvert India's federal structure. Extending support to his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu in his demand for special category status to the southern state, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief also said Modi cannot be trusted. "It is unfortunate that the Chief Minister and thousands of people from Andhra have to demonstrate here for special status for the state. This poses a big question on the country's federal structure," said Kejriwal at the Andhra Bhavan here where the Telugu Desam Party President is on fast asking the Centre to give special category status and fulfil other commitments made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. "The PM at least thrice publicly declared he would give special status to Andhra. He is world famous for lying. Whatever he says, he never fulfills. Even (BJP chief) Amit Shah says that whatever they say is nothing but 'jumla' (fake promise)," he said. Claiming that Modi had pledged to give special status to Andhra Pradesh at the Tirupati temple, he said: "A person who backs out on his word given in front of god cannot be trusted." Attacking Modi over the CBI's showdown with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Kejriwal accused him of behaving like a Pakistani Prime Minister. "I want to tell Modi that he is not the Prime Minister of his BJP alone but of the entire India. The way he treats state governments run by non-BJP parties looks as if he is the Prime Minister of Pakistan. The AAP leader pointed out how Modi had the Anti-Corruption Branch of the Delhi government seized by paramilitary forces. "Now he sent 40 CBI officers to arrest Kolkata's Police Commissioner to send a message to the police and bureaucracy in all states that they should not be loyal to state governments but to the Centre," he alleged. Calling it a conspiracy, he said: "Had he succeeded, the federal structure of the country would have collapsed. I salute Mamata didi for the way she drove out those 40 CBI officers." Kejriwal called upon the people to defeat the Modi-Shah pair in the Lok Sabha elections. "This is an important election. If Modi and Shah come back again, the nation won't survive." --IANS vv-and/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 37-year-old Pakistani citizen has been sentenced to seven years in prison, to would be followed by his deportation for stabbing his Indian roommate to death in October 2018 over an argument on leaving the lights on, the media reported. The defendant was staying with the victim and others in a room at a workers' accommodation in Jebel Ali, on the southern outskirts of Dubai. On that day, the accused disturbed his sleeping Indian roommate and others by switching on lights and speaking loudly on phone, the Khaleej Times reported. The unidentified victim and other roommates asked the defendant to switch off the lights. It led to a verbal brawl. The victim attacked the Pakistani man, who then stabbed the former with a 20-cm knife, according to the report. The defendent admitted that he had consumed alcohol before the incident but did not intend to kill the victim. The Dubai Court of First Instance on Sunday convicted the accused and ordered his deportation after the end of jail-term. A 46-year-old Indian supervisor testified that the defendant was a visitor and staying in the room for two days. The defendant can appeal conviction within 15 days. --IANS soni/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 35-year-old sanitation worker was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl at a public toilet in west Delhi's Naraina area, police said on Monday. Police said the accused, identified as Kailash, 35, was arrested from a public toilet on Monday after the victim's parents reported the incident to the police. The incident occurred on February 6 when Kailash spotted the minor girl, 5, at a public toilet and took her to his room, where he sexually assaulted her. After raping her, he threatened to kill her if she disclosed about the incident to her parents. The victim's parents work as labourers and stay at JJ Camp in Naraina. "After returning from their work, they saw the girl bleeding. The victim's mother brought medicines from a government dispensary. However, when the victim's health started deteriorating, she took her to Deen Dayal Upadhyay hospital, where the doctors confirmed sexual assault," Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Monika Bhardwaj said. "Later, the victim's parents reported about the incident to the police, following which the accused was arrested," she added. --IANS sp/vin/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Interim Budget for the financial year 2019-20 after a day-long discussion. Finance Minister Piyush Goyal introduced the Appropriation Bill and the Finance Bill amid a din in the House by a voice vote. The Bills were passed by voice vote after the Finance Minister's reply. Goyal said the government has worked for all sections of the society and has taken care of them in this budget. "The poor, farmers and the middle-class are the government's priorities. Our government was the first to increase minimum support price (MSP) for farmers," Goyal said as his speech was interrupted by slogans from the Opposition benches. Goyal had presented the Interim Budget along with a vote-on-account on February 1. --IANS bns/arm/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian American filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan says he loves finding a new tone and telling new stories. "I love original movies. That for me is a challenge that I love to do," Shyamalan told IANS. "I love originality. I love finding a new tone, new way of telling stories and customising that particular story... That is what interests me. I enjoy not knowing. What it is going to be like when I start is the most fun challenge," he added. He converged the world of "Split" (a story about a man with over 20 different personalities who kidnaps three teenage girls) and "Unbreakable" (about David Dunn who gets superhero abilities after surviving a train crash) in "Glass". The sequel to "Unbreakable" and "Split" stars Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, James McAvoy and Sarah Paulson. Disney India releases the film in India in January. "'Glass' is in many ways a standalone movie because it has its own tone and own story. Hopefully the trilogy each of the movie can stand on its own," he added. --IANS sug/rb/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology (IT) on Monday yet again summoned Twitter's Global CEO to appear before it on February 25 over allegations of the social site discriminating against "nationalist" posts on its platform. The parliamentary panel headed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha MP Anurag Thakur had summoned the Twitter CEO to appear before it on Monday, but the Twitter sent a team of its officials led by its India and South Asia Policy Director Mahima Kaul. The panel refused to hear the officials and they were kept waiting outside the meeting room. "All the members took such disregard for the Committee by Twitter very seriously. What was the point in hearing those officials who have no authority?" an informed source told IANS. "We want to give them (Twitter) another chance. The CEO will be summoned to appear before the panel on February 25," he said. The panel also discussed widening the scope of its enquiry and may also summon the top brass of other social and messaging sites including Facebook, WhatsApp and others, sources said. The panel is mulling to hold a meeting on February 26 too in which it may call other social players. --IANS mak/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Central government on Monday rejected allegation of "conflict of interest" levied by the party against over the audit agency's proposed report on the Rafale deal, saying he never dealt with expenditure proposals from the Ministry of Defence as Finance Secretary. The development comes a day after the party accused Mehrishi of committing "gross impropriety" by auditing the Rafale deal, saying as the Finance Secretary he was involved in the deal announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2015. The CAG report is likely to be tabled in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Mehrishi had joined the Department of Economic Affairs under the Ministry of Finance as Secretary in October 2014. As the senior-most Secretary among the five secretaries of the Ministry that time, he was designated as the Finance Secretary on November 11, 2014. He continued as Secretary (Economic Affairs) and Finance Secretary till August 2015 when he demitted office. In a statement on Monday evening, the Ministry said: "Secretary (Economic Affairs) as Finance Secretary doesn't deal with expenditure proposals from the Ministry of Defence; rather it is Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, which deals with financial sanctions relating to all the ministries of the government of India." "To claim that Secretary (Economic Affairs) as Finance Secretary would have dealt with the expenditure proposals from the Ministry of Defence is totally a figment of imagination and stretch of facts." By Nikhat Fatima, TwoCircles.net Asaduddin Owaisi, the Member of Parliament from Hyderabad and President of the AIMIM launched LEARN Project on February 3 with the objective of educating the young people of Hyderabad about parliamentary democracy and encouraging them to voice their opinions, suggestions and even objections on the parliamentary democratic system. This project aims to make young men and women of Hyderabad aware of the constitutional democracy of India and engage in deliberations on different issues through democratic platforms. The project focuses on youth between the ages of 18 and 25 who can register online here to learn more. Support TwoCircles Owaisi believes that India, with a population of nearly 50% below the age of 25, needs to create consciousness among the youth about the democratic values that are enshrined in the constitution of India. The onus of safeguarding the democratic values is on the future generation which is the youth. Apart from engaging in discussions and debates, there are many events lined up to engage the youth. Events like Youth Parliament will engage young people in debates through procedures as practised in the Parliament. About 70 youngsters will get the chance to act as parliamentarians where private members bills will be placed and a mock parliament will be conducted. Heritage walk with the MP himself will see youngsters take a tour of the heritage sites of Hyderabad and learn to take pride in the rich heritage they have inherited. The first heritage walk was held yesterday 9th February with 50 young girls and boys who were taken to the Charminar where Owaisi explained to them everything about the historic monument, about the Dakani Urdu language spoken in Hyderabad which is a mixture of Marathi, Telugu and Kannada. The youngsters were students of MBA, Law, Engineering, Arts and other courses. Apart from these events, the event will also have an extensive social media presence. Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages have been created for LEARN project where the followers are updated about the upcoming events under the project and also given information on politics, history of Hyderabad, the constitution of India and its chief architect Dr. B R Ambedkar. There are already more than 1,000 followers on all of these social media accounts. TwoCircles.net spoke to the team handling the LEARN project at the office of the MP who said that there are more than 5,000 volunteers to take care of the registrations, logistics, plan the events and implement them. One of the team members also informed TwoCircles.net that the heritage walk was a huge success as the MP spent nearly 45 minutes with the students talking to them and answering their queries. They also had special access to the 2nd floor of the Charminar which is closed for tourists but accessible only with permission of the SI. The 2nd floor is the courtyard where the view of the city is even more beautiful. Our source at the office of the MP also shared that the students are invited on a first-come-first-serve basis as there are just too many youngsters eager to participate in the LEARN project. Another important aspect they take into consideration is selecting equal if not more number of female students to encourage young girls to be more articulate and participative in the public sphere. One of the participants for the heritage walk Meenal Rawat, a 2nd-year student of Masters in Public policy and Governance from TISS (Tata Institute of Social Sciences) said, Hyderabad is the city of rich cultural heritage and what could be the best way to engage with people than a heritage walk at Charminar. As expected, the walk was not only informative with regards to history but also the politics of our country. Mr. Owaisi interacted with the youth and highlighted the importance of parliamentary democracy with utmost patience. One of the best experiences I gathered from the walk was people from different backgrounds coming together and sharing experiences through questions, comments and conversation. It was the boost for youth intending to be the part of Indias development and I hope such initiatives continue where we get to interact with our leader representing us directly. She added that she is going to attend other programs under the LEARN project. With trade relations between countries being actualised at the state or regional levels, a Minister of the German state of Thuringia on Monday called for greater cooperation with Indian industry for the benefit of both. Speaking at an Indian industry chamber Ficci organised business interaction here, Thuringia's Minister of Economic Affairs, Science and Digital Society Wolfgang Tiefensee highlighted the advantages for Indian business in investing in his state located in the heart of Germany, as well as of Europe. Thuringia is a world leader in the optics industry, while its automotive industry boasts of leading global majors such as Daimler, Opel, Magna, Bosch and BMW. "Since 2012, there has been a major improvement in our business relations with Thuringia's exports to India jumping 34 per cent in 2018 over the previous year to touch 150 million euros," Tiefensee said. The Minister said Thuringia offers excellent conditions in mechanical engineering for generating innovations and launching internationally successful products and technologies. Around 10,000 scientists are doing research in the state in more than 40 institutes and universities in close cooperation with businesses, he added. An MoU was signed on the occasion between Thuringian firm Gramme-Revit and Indian distributor WB for a new food supplement against arthritis called DuoVital. In his address earlier, Jasper Weick, Charge de Affairs at the Germany Embassy here, said that India and Germany have strong commonalities in their adoption of democracy, federalism and the free market. He said that the India-Germany bilateral trade had risen at a healthy 10 per cent last year to touch nearly $22 billion. Investments in both directions were thriving and close to 1,700 German companies were doing business with and out of India, he added. --IANS bc/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A massive fire broke out at a factory outlet in West Bengal's Sodepur town in North 24 Parganas district - around 17 km from Kolkata - on Monday, and five fire engines have been deployed to fight the blaze, an official said. "The fire broke out at 12.02 p.m. and 25 engines are at the spot. It is still not clear if some workers are stuck inside as the firefighting is still in process," the official said. He mentioned that explosive materials inside the factory outlet of chairs are making the situation challenging. Sources suspect that some of the workers are still stuck inside. West Bengal Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose also reached the spot to inquire about the situation. --IANS bnd/rs/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Sharman Joshi says his forthcoming film "Fauji Calling" is an acknowledgment of what soldiers contribute to the society and the country. "'Fauji Calling' is a film that I am extremely excited about. It's the celebration or the acknowledgment of what the soldiers contribute to our society and to the country and in effect, what would a soldier possibly expect from the society towards him and his family is largely what this film is based on," Sharman said on Monday. The film, directed by Aaryaan Saxena, will tell the story of a soldier's family who has sacrificed his life in the line of duty. The "Hate Story 3" actor says he is looking forward to start work on the film. "This is the script that I have been really looking forward to work on and I am glad that we are now very close to starting work on this so, I am looking forward to this journey," he said. "Fauji Calling" also stars Ranjha Vikram Singh, Bidita Bag, Mugdha Godse and Zarina Wahab. It is being produced by Ovez Productions, Causeway Media Network Pvt Ltd and Running Horses Studio Pvt Ltd. --IANS iv/dc/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Export Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) would raise about $2 billion through a bond issue for business purposes, and its net non-performing assets (NPA) is only about 3.79 per cent, said the company on Monday. The bank has an exposure of about Rs 480 crore to overseas subsidiaries of the debt-hit IL&FS. Although the loans are being serviced, the Exim Bank would like its exposure reduced, according to a top official of the company. "We plan to raise about $2 billion this calendar year for our business purposes. We expect to get the additional capital of Rs 4,500 crore from the Central government by way of recapitalisation bonds this fiscal," David Rasquinha, Managing Director, told reporters here. According to him, the second tranche of capital infusion of Rs 1,500 crore will happen next fiscal. "The Rs 1,500 crore will come in two modes-cash of Rs 950 crore and recapitalisation bonds worth Rs 550 crore," Rasquinha said. He said the bank is on track to achieve net profit target of Rs 140 crore this fiscal. "We will be hiring a consultant to look back at our business lines and also chart out a new growth path. The RFP (Request for Proposal) will soon be issued for hiring the consultant," Rasquinha added. Speaking about Exim Bank's exposure to the debt-hit IL&FS, Rasquinha said: "Our exposure is about Rs 480 crore, 60 per cent in guarantee and 40 per cent cash. The bank has lent to IL&FS' subsidiaries in Ethiopia, Botswana and Spain for road projects. The loan accounts are being serviced and there has been no problem till now." However, if IL&FS sells its stake in the road project companies, then Exim Bank's exposure in the form of guarantee would come down, Rasquinha added. According to him, the company will be realising loans lent to domestic corporates that are now under debt resolution. Meanwhile, the Bank has decided to hire a consultant to chart a new growth path and is on track with its target closing this fiscal with a net profit of Rs 140 crore, he said. Queried about the global headwinds, trade wars between the US and China, Rasquinha said the bank will try to find a business opportunity there. Speaking about Exim Bank's plans to fund solar power projects in developing countries, he said the bank with the support of Indian government has extended a Line of Credit (LoC) totaling $226 million for financing 16 solar power projects. He said the bank will finance 27 solar power projects in 15 countries valued at about $1.4 billion. These projects were announced at the founding conference of International Solar Alliance (ISA). Rasquinha was here to participate in the outreach programme on India's LoC and solar projects jointly organised with the Ministry of External Affairs. --IANS vj/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Monday said that the criminal justice delivery system can't be allowed to veer exclusively to the benefit of the offender, thereby making it an unidirectional exercise and proper course of balancing the rights of the accused and that of the prosecution. "Individual rights of accused are undoubtedly important. But equally important is societal interest for bringing the offender to book and for the system to send right message to all in the society -- be it the law abiding citizen or the potential offender," Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Navin Sinha and Justice K.M. Joseph said in a judgment. Speaking for the bench, Justice Sinha said: "Human rights are not only of the accused but, extent apart, also of the victim, the symbolic member of the society as the potential victim and the society as a whole." "Law has to carter to wide variety of situations as appear in the society. Law being dynamic, the certainty of the legislation appears rigid at times whenever a circumstance (set of facts) appears which is not carried for explicitly. Expediency then dictates that the higher judiciary, while interpreting the law, considers such exception(s) as are called for without disturbing the pith and substance and the original intention of the legislature," the judgment said, reminding the higher judiciary of its responsibility in interpreting the law. This is required "primarily" for the reason to "strike a balance between competing forces -- justice being the end -- and also because the process of fresh legislation could taker a long time, which would mean a failure of Justice and with it erosion of public confidence and the trust in the justice delivery system." The court further said that a proper administration of criminal justice system requires the balancing of the rights of the accused and that of the prosecution. "We therefore, hold that all pending criminal prosecutions, trials and appeals shall continue to be governed by the individual facts of the case," the court said. The court said this while dismissing an appeal by one Varinder Kumar, a resident of Himachal Pradesh, assailing the order reversing his acquittal and convicting him under Section 20(ii)(c) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act B and sentencing him to 20 years in jail. Kumar was apprehended on March 31, 1995 for carrying 'charas' in two gunny bags with varying quantities. He was acquitted by the trial court on the grounds of non-compliance of Section 100(4) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, relating to independent witnesses. However, it was reversed by the High Court. --IANS pk/arm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) While female voters want crimes against women be given top priority by political parties, for men it is corruption that should get precedence in the next Lok Sabha elections, according to a new survey. The survey, by Change.Org, an online platform for social change that allows people to start and support campaigns on issues concerning them, found that there was a strong wave in favour of more women candidates. The online survey was conducted among 20,000 Change.Org users across the country, which included 4,000 women and 16,000 men. Among a list of 40 issues, most likely to impact the Lok Sabha elections, female respondents ranked crimes against women on top. Men ranked it much lower (at 15th position) on the priority list. Both men and women respondents said they would vote for women candidates, if equally qualified. They felt women were grossly underrepresented in Parliament despite the public opinion that women were "more likely to hear and connect with issues." "It is not that political parties do not talk about women's safety in their manifestos. Crime against women is certainly a matter of concern and is an issue, which is raised by all parties, but the problem lies in implementing solutions on the ground," Brinda Karat, Rajya Sabha MP from CPI, told IANS. Of the 40 issues given as options, women voters felt issues, like education, freedom of choice in religion and freedom to marry out of their choice, needed to be addressed. Marital rape, female participation in workforce, menstrual hygiene, girl child education, maternal health and infant mortality were also voted by the women as issues politicians must talk about. Environmental issues, waste disposal, air pollution and forest conservation too were concerns for women going into this year's elections. But apart from seeing more female participation in politics, none of the issues highlighted by women were given priority by the men. Other than corruption, men wanted politicians to discuss issues like infrastructure, job creation and roads. As per the survey, 17 per cent of women preferred to vote for candidates based on his/her track record as opposed to 21.9 per cent men. But 56.64 per cent of the respondents said they would vote for an equally-qualified female candidate over her male counterpart. The survey also showed people wanted to play a bigger role in the democracy that goes beyond just casting vote. Around 57.53 per cent of the respondents wanted to be able to provide public inputs in policy-making via public consultations and meetings, while 55.76 per cent wanted to participate through digital petitions. However, women were less likely to go for personal meetings with elected representatives and preferred digital petitions for public decision-making. "Change.org's #SheVotes survey finds that women want to directly engage with politicians but are still uncomfortable with face-to-face meetings. They prefer digital petitions as a significant way of connecting with their elected representatives. The survey also shows gender issues will play an important role in the upcoming general elections," said Nida Hasan, Country Director, Change.org India. --IANS som/arm/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Monday created a ruckus in the Lok Sabha and staged a walkout over alleged attempts to poach their MLAs in Karnataka, a charge that was rejected by the Centre, calling it an "internal fight" between the ruling Congress and the JD-S. Soon after the House reassembled at noon after the first adjournment over the issue, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge read out a transcript of a taped conversation between a senior BJP leader and the son of a Janata Dal-Secular MLA that was released by Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday. Kharge alleged that the BJP was trying to topple the state government by horse-trading. "One MLA of my parliamentary constituency was given assurance by a top BJP leader. They are indulging in horse-trading." Senior JD-S leader and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda said the BJP had earlier launched "Operation Kamala" in 2009 also to poach Congress legislators. He demanded that the government bring a law to stop such operations. "Such incidents shouldn't happen. That year, as many as 10 ministers resigned and the government fell," he said. Rejecting the charges, Union Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda dubbed the allegations as "baseless". "In Karnataka, there is a big internal fight between the Congress and the JD-S. There is grouping in Congress itself. One of their MLA's was beaten by their own party colleague and was hospitalised for 10 days. "Everything uttered by Kharge and Gowda is false," he said. Soon after the Minister's response, Congress members trooped near the Speaker's podium and started sloganeering. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) members were already protesting in support of their demand for a Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan urged the members to return to their seats and called Congress' Veerappa Moily to speak on the budget. To this, Kharge said Moily will participate in the budget discussion but the issue raised by them was not properly addressed. In protest, the Congress members walked out of the House. Earlier, the Question Hour witnessed a washout over the same issue. --IANS rak-bns/ksk/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Monday asked Karnataka Assembly Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar to disqualify its four rebel legislators for absenting themselves from the house in the ongoing Budget session in defiance of the party whip. "(Deputy Chief Minister) G. Parameshwara, (state Congress president) Dinesh Gundu Rao & I have petitioned the Hon'ble Speaker, to disqualify MLAs Ramesh Jarkiholi, Mahesh Kumathalli, B. Nagendra and Umesh Jadhav under the rules of the anti-defection law due to continued absence in spite of repeated notices & issuing of whip," Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah said in a tweet. The four legislators were issued notice by Siddaramaiah for skipping the legislators' meet held here on January 18 and for being absent since the Budget session began February 6. Though the four rebels had responded to Siddaramaiah's notice, the former chief minister earlier said the unanimous opinion of the CLP was for legal action against them under the anti-defection law, as sufficient opportunity had been given to them to fall in line. "All the four legislators have written to me informing their inability to attend the ongoing (Budget) session till February 15. Jharkiholi replied that he had a wedding to attend, Kumathalli said he was unwell, Jadhav explained he was preoccupied and Nagendra said that he was held up with personal work," Siddaramaiah had said. In the 225-member Assembly, which included one nominated Anglo-Indian member, the Congress has 80, including the Speaker, the Janata Dal-Secular 37, and the Bharatiya Janata Party 104. The remaining three comprise one each from the Bahujan Samaj Party and regional outfit KPJP and an Independent. --IANS bha/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China on Monday chided the US for sailing two warships in the disputed South China Sea, a move that comes ahead of the latest round of trade parleys between the countries this week. As the preparatory lower-level trade talks between the Chinese and US officials were underway on Monday, Washington sailed two guided-missiles within 12 nautical miles of the Spratly Islands as part of the US Navy's "freedom of navigation operation". Beijing reacted angrily, saying the US was provoking China and trying to harm its sovereignty and security on the pretext of freedom of navigation. "We firmly oppose this. China urges the US side to stop such provocations and respect our efforts to uphold the stability and peace in the region," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said here. "With the concerted efforts of China and Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries, the situation in the South China Sea is peaceful and stable, but now the US is making provocation and creating tensions and trying to harm and peace and stability there. "China has indisputable sovereignty over Nansha islands, Mischief reefs and neighbouring waters. We always respect the freedom of navigation by other countries under the international law but we firmly oppose any country's action to harm sovereignty and security under this pretext," Hua added. China claims nearly all of the South China Sea where countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan have competing claims. The issue has also emerged as a friction point between China and the US after an UN-backed tribunal rejected Beijing's territorial claims in the waters in 2016. China rejected the ruling, while Washington wanted Beijing to follow it. The US keeps sending warships in the resource-rich waters through which $5.3 trillion worth of goods passes through annually. Asked if Washington's move could cast a shadow on trade talks in Beijing this week, Hua said: "I believe you see through the small tricks by the US side. We believe solving trade issues through dialogue and discussion will meet the aspiration of the whole world and this also in the interest of China and the US." US Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin and trade representative Robert Lighthizer will meet Chinese Vice Premier Liu He on Thursday to clinch a deal before the March 1 deadline of the truce in the ongoing trade row. If there is no agreement, then the US will hike tariffs on Chinese goods worth $200 billion from the existing 10 per cent to 25 per cent. (Gaurav Sharma can be contacted at sharmagaurav71@gmail.com) --IANS gsh/soni/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nearly 300 women gathered on a global platform in Australia are promoting a "big bang" of women in science, to motivate more girls to take an interest in the field and strive for equality and visibility. On the occasion of International Day of Women and Girls in Science on Monday, a UN data revealed that despite 15 years of international effortto promote women in science, they continue to face barriers, Efe news said. "At present, less than 30 per cent of researchers worldwide are women," the UN said. "When I was pregnant my temporary contract was not renewed, and many potential employers told me that I was not suitable for fieldwork. "Some even said because I had to take care of my family I would not meet the deadlines," said Australian Beth Strain after returning from a trip to Antarctica under the women's leadership program Homeward Bound, in which Efe also participated. "I submitted hundreds of job applications and spent approximately two years looking for work as a researcher," added the marine biologist, who was currently a lecturer at the University of Melbourne and a driving force for green development in her country. Strain's experience was shared by many of the 300 engineers, doctors, astronomers, biologists and mathematicians in the global Homeward Bound program, who nonetheless see it possible to overcome obstacles with three objectives: becoming visible, working together and impacting the world. "I still remember the first conference I attended: I almost ran out, seeing only old men in the same dark suits," says Danish Mette Hoe, a leader in the transition to electric transport in her country. "But, on closer inspection, I discovered that the key to them was networking. I focused on it, I made mistakes like almost everyone else, but I improved, and today strategic networking is a central skill in my leadership role," the 45-year-old expert said. The main objective of the Homeward Bound program is to create a network of 1,000 women across nationalities within 10 years to address their low representation in leadership positions and in science. According to Unesco data (2014-2016), only around 30 per cent of all female students select STEM-related (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields in higher education. "I've never doubted the potential of women in science, but we've been losing that potential inside a leaking pipeline, where the higher the academic level, the fewer women we find," says Daisy Hessenberger, a 29-year-old Austrian geneticist and passionate member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). That dropout, according to engineers Kristen Howard and Kelsie Clarke, can be attributed to factors such as job bias, in which a man is more likely to be hired than a woman. What also contributes to that is the gender pay gap which increases with age, race or disability is the difficulty of being both a scientist and a mother. In line with the goals of Homeward Bound, which already includes scientists from some thirty nationalities, including Spanish and Latin American, the UN is promoting this year's campaign "Investment in Women and Girls in Science for Inclusive Green Growth". The theme is part of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, in which it has been stressed that future work will be driven by technology and innovation and if inequality in the field of STEM is maintained, the overall gender gap is likely to widen. Homeward Bound, a 12-month program created by Australian Fabian Dattner and whose annual ending has taken place in Antarctica with the support of Spanish firm Acciona, provides participants with tools to improve their leadership style. --IANS in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dubai-based hospitality management company Aleph Hospitality has signed a franchise agreement with Marriott International for the first Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Liberia. Located in the capital city, Monrovia, the hotel is due to become the first internationally branded hotel in the country upon opening in 2020 and will be managed by Aleph Hospitality under the Four Points by Sheraton brand. The landmark property is ideally situated in the citys central business district, adjacent to the United Nations mission and in close proximity to a number of government organisations and commercial offices. It will offer 111 stylishly appointed guest rooms to the capitals expanding business traveller base, along with meeting facilities and a multitude of food and beverage outlets, including one all-day-dining venue, one speciality restaurant, a beach bar and grill and a rooftop bar. Guests will also be able to take advantage of a gym, spa, swimming pool and access to the beach. The opening of the hotel will play a vital role in helping to realise the countrys tourism strategy, which aims to deliver 15 million international visitors by 2023. With president Weah announcing plans just last month to greatly simplify the visa entry system and look to develop a national tourism board to drive inbound visitor numbers, Liberia looks set to significantly grow its share of voice in the African tourism industry, commented Bani Haddad, managing director, Aleph Hospitality. The increasing number of international guests will bring with them a strong demand for international quality accommodation and we greatly look forward to managing the operations of the hotel to world-class standards and making the Four Points by Sheraton Monrovia the destination of choice in the city. Expected to create over 100 new jobs when open, the hotel, which is owned by Sea Suites Hotel, will be operated by Aleph Hospitality under a third-party management model. By appointing Aleph Hospitality to manage our hotel, we have secured not only one partner but two, with Aleph executing a franchise agreement for the Four Points brand which would not have been possible if we were managing the hotel ourselves, said Joe Barbar, president of Sea Suites Hotel. We look forward to the hotel opening and creating history as the first internationally branded hotel in the country. Founded in 2015, Aleph Hospitality is an approved operator of all of the major international hotel brands and serves clients across Africa stretching from Monrovia to Mombasa. Upcoming openings in addition to the Four Points by Sheraton Monrovia include, among others, the Best Western Plus Nairobi Westlands in Kenya, which is expected to open mid this year. The company also operates independent unbranded hotels such as the 115-room Getfam Hotel in Addis Ababa. - TradeArabia News Service The BJP and the Congress on Monday hit out at Delhi's Arvind Kejriwal government accusing it of misleading voters, a day after the Election Commission (EC) asked the Delhi Police to probe telephone calls to people claiming their names have been deleted from electoral rolls. Addressing a press conference here, Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said: "An internal survey by the AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) indicates that they are going to lose all the seats and thus they are indulging in these things to mislead the people." Tiwari referred to the phone calls being made to the people in the national capital, and claimed over 30 lakh names had been removed from the voter list. Hitting out at the AAP government in Delhi, the BJP leader said during the last four years Kejriwal and his party have done nothing with which they can seek votes from the people. "Had they done anything, there was no need to indulge in false propaganda," he said. Tiwari, who represents the Northeast Delhi parliamentary constituency in the Lok Sabha, appealed to the people to remain cautious about the phone calls. "Record it whenever you get one and send it to us. We will keep it confidential and file a complaint with the authority concerned," he said. Meanwhile, an 11-member delegation of the Delhi Congress led by its chief Sheila Dikshit met Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi Ranbir Singh and registered their protest against the Kejriwal government for misleading voters. The delegation claimed the AAP has been contacting voters, whose names are already in the final voter list, and propagating that though their names have been struck down from the list, it is getting them restored and as such they should vote for the AAP in the elections. It urged the Delhi Election Commission to immediately take strict action against those spreading such misinformation. It also pointed out that such irresponsible people were making allegations against an independent body like the Election Commission and questioning its integrity. --IANS aks/rtp/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Australian government on Monday announced the signing of a A$50 billion ($35 billion) agreement with the French Naval Group for the construction of its new fleet of 12 Attack class submarines. In a "defining moment for the country", the submarines "will help protect Australia's security and prosperity for decades to come and also deepen the defence relationship between Australia and France", a joint government statement from Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Minister for Defence Christopher Pyne and Minister for Defence Industry Steven Ciobo said. The statement said the submarines, which will be designed and built in Australia for the Navy, will generate an average of 2,800 jobs, reports Efe news. The Australian government is committed to maximising "local industry" involvement in the programme and "to ensure Australians get the most out of this important national investment", it added. It is expected to take more than 10 years for the first submarine to be ready. Australia decided in 2016 that the French Naval Group (formerly known as DCNS) would be responsible for the construction of its new submarine fleet after a tender, but it did not sign the contract until recently, after months of negotiations. The work on the submarines has taken place under the Design and Mobilisation Contract which will continue under the Strategic Partnership Agreement. The announcement coincides with China's growing civil and military presence in the South China Sea and the concern in the region about free navigation in the main passage between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka has alleged that the audio tape released by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy last week was a conspiracy hatched by him against BJP leader B.S. Yeddyurappa. "The audio tape having Yeddyurappa's alleged conversation with the son of a JD-S legislator is part of a conspiracy hatched by Kumaraswamy who is facing severe trust deficit from legislators of his party (JD-S) and its coalition partner, the Congress," said state BJP general secretary N. Ravi Kumar in a statement here on Monday. The purported audio tape in Kannada is said to be a conversation recorded on February 7 between Yeddyurappa and Gurumitkal JD-S legislator Naganagouda Kandakur's son Sharanagouda at a guest house at Devadurga in the Raichur district, about 480km northeast of the state capital. According to the contents of the audio tape, Yeddyurappa attempted to lure Kandakur to join the BJP by "paying" an unspecified amount to Sharanagouda and allegedly bribing Assembly Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar to prevent him from invoking the anti-defection law against the JD-S member (Kandakur). Yeddyurappa on Sunday again claimed that the audio tape was fabricated and its content doctored. "The making of the audio clip and releasing it in Bengaluru on February 8 by Kumaraswamy in the presence of Sharanagouda is a well-planned plot to tarnish the reputation of Yeddyurappa and the BJP," Kumar, who is also a member of the state legislative council, said in the statement. On Sunday night, a BJP supporter, M.B. Maramkal filed a criminal complaint with the state secretariat police station against Kumaraswamy and his associates, accusing them of committing offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 65 of the Information Technology Act. "We hope the police will investigate the conspiracy and press criminal charges against Kumaraswamy and his associates, and bring them to justice," Kumar said. Assembly speaker Kumar has also urged the Chief Minister to constitute a special investigation team to probe the audio tape and submit its report in 15 days. --IANS bha-fb/rtp/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP President Amit Shah on Monday hit out at Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and accused him of indulging in theatrics as he has lost credibility among the people of Andhra Pradesh. In an open letter to the people of Andhra Pradesh, Shah said: "The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader N. Chandrababu Naidu is back to theatrics and histrionics. His desperation for grabbing headlines is understandable as he is aware that his political fortunes are declining rapidly." Shah claimed Naidu knew that he has lost 'complete credibility' among the people of the state and was announcing a series of sops to woo different sections. "Sensing defeat in the coming elections, he has made multiple U-turns and is carrying on a malicious propaganda against the Centre and the BJP leadership to divert people's attention from his failures," Shah said. The BJP President said Naidu was going too far by personally attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and even did not have the courtesy to receive Modi when he came to the state. "The enlightened and politically conscious people will see through his desperation to retain power. They will teach a befitting lesson to him in the coming elections for having joined hands with the Congress, which bifurcated the state in a unilateral, hasty and unscientific manner, ignoring the interests of the state," he said. Shah also said people will always remember that the Congress had removed former Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao, in a most undemocratic manner in 1984. "In his lust for power, the TDP leader has destroyed the very anti-Congress foundation on which the party was built by NTR, its founder," he said, adding the Congress betrayed the people of the state while dividing it and now the TDP leader wants to work for bringing the Congress back to power. "His actions smack of political opportunism," the BJP chief said. Shah's remarks came on the same day when Naidu sat on a day-long fast in the national capital, demanding the Centre to accord special category status to Andhra Pradesh and fulfil commitments made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. Naidu's protest was supported by a host of opposition leaders, including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The BJP leader hailed the special packages announced by the NDA government on the floor of the Assembly, in party meetings, public forums and press conferences, and even declared that special status was not a panacea and did not help states develop. "At a time when other parties demanded special status, Naidu called them names and arrested many people agitating for such status. But he made a U-turn and is today raising this issue himself," Shah said. "It should be noted that Congress never bothered about the aspirations of the people of Telangana, coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh state," he said. --IANS aks/arm/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two days after a Trinamool Congress MLA was shot dead, the body of another leader of West Bengal's ruling party was found in Hooghly district on Monday, police said. Ritesh Roy, 45, a cooperative society chairman from East Midnapore district's Marishda village, was found dead near Hooghly's Dadpur village. He was missing since February 7. Police said Roy's body was recovered from a bush beside the highway, two kilometres from Dadpur. He was taken to Chuchura Imambara hospital, where he was declared brought dead. "There are two external injury marks on Roy's throat and eye. Post mortem report said he was killed by strangulation," police said. They said they are investigating what he was doing in Hoogly and who killed him. The Trinamool termed the murder as a "political killing" and alleged that the BJP was involved. "He was a young leader and an active member of our party. He certainly had political enemies. The miscreants, who used to torture people here during the Left Front regime, have now joined the BJP. Police should thoroughly investigate the matter," state Transport Minister Subhendu Adhikari alleged. "We have full faith in police. The family members have already lodged an FIR. His death is a loss for our party," he said. Family members said they last heard from Roy on February 7 when he informed that he was in Hooghly district for some personal work. "After we got the news from police in Hooghly, I went there and identified his body. We want strong action against the murderers," Roy's son said. His death comes on the back of political blame game between Trinamool Congress and BJP over the brutal killing of MLA Satyajit Biswas, who was shot dead from point blank range by a group of unidentified assailants in Hooghly's Krishnagunj on Saturday night. While the Trinamool accused BJP leader Mukul Roy and his associates of masterminding the killing, the saffron party refuted the charges and claimed that the leader was killed due to Trinamool's infighting. --IANS mgr/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister N launched into a tirade against the BJP-led central government on Monday, alleging Prime Minister was not following 'raj dharma' by denying the state special status. Naidu, who began a day-long fast at Andhra Bhavan demanding that the Centre fulfil all promises made during AP's bifurcation in 2014, warned that Modi would be "taught a lesson" if he made personal attacks against the people of his state. "(Former PM) Atal Bihari Vajpayee said 'raj dharma' was not followed in Gujarat (during the 2002 riots). Now, 'raj dharma' is not being followed in case of We have been denied what was rightfully ours," he claimed. He alleged the central government did grave injustice to Andhra and it would have "repercussions on unity". "On behalf of five crore people, I am warning this government... I came here to remind you of the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act," Naidu said. "I am warning you. Don't make personal attacks against me and my people. It's unwarranted. I am just doing my duty as the head of my state. We are only demanding what we were promised," he said. Naidu told the gathering that TDP founder NT Rama Rao had said "if somebody attacks your self-respect, teach them a lesson. So, we will not tolerate. We will give you a befitting answer". The chief minister alleged that Modi was "unfit" to rule the country and that he went to Guntur in "only to rub salt into our wounds". "You think you can avoid us by sitting in Delhi. You're wrong. We will take help of friendly parties and achieve our aim," he said. The TDP chief alleged the government unleashes central investigation agencies on rival parties if they fight for their rights. "The government promised special status to Andhra for 10 years. The BJP, which was in the opposition then, had seconded it. Now, their finance minister says it cannot be done," he said. Naidu said the government had promised a special package for backward districts of the state on the lines of the Bundelkhand region, but the " cheated the people". The TDP chief said the party was denied permission to stage a protest on Parliament premises. "So, we came here". A number of opposition party leaders, including Congress Rahul Gandhi, Conference's Farooq Abdullah and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, are expected to extend support to the (TDP) chief's fast. Before beginning the fast, Naidu offered tributes to Matama Gandhi at Raj Ghat and to B R Ambedkar at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan. A TDP delegation led by Naidu will submit a memorandum to Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday, party sources said. Naidu has been trying to unite opposition parties to take on the BJP in the general elections. Over the last three months, he has held a number of meetings with opposition party leaders on forming an anti-BJP front. The TDP had in March last year pulled out of the NDA government over its refusal to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh. The party has been accusing the government of not releasing enough funds for the Polavaram irrigation project, the Kadapa steel plant and Amravati, the under-construction ultra-modern state capital. Acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan arrived in Afghanistan on Monday on an unannounced visit. According to Defence Ministry officials, Shanahan will meet US troops and is likely to also hold talks with Afghan leaders and military officials, reports Xinhua news agency. The visit came as US Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, who held talks with Taliban representatives lately, started a trip to Belgium, Germany, Turkey, Qatar, Afghanistan and Pakistan on Sunday. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has publicly questioned the benefits of a continued military presence in Afghanistan and ordered the military to pull out of Syria in December. An official told CNN that Trump at the same time also decided to withdraw about half of the 14,000 troops deployed in Afghanistan. Shanahan said before departing that he had no orders to "step down our forces in Afghanistan", but was tasked with supporting the ongoing peace talks between Washington and the Taliban. --IANS ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five criminals from Haryana were arrested here before dawn on Monday after a brief shootout that left three of them wounded. The shooting occurred at 5 a.m. after a Special Cell team was tipped off that the criminals would be headed towards Rohini's Sector 10. "When the team spotted a car, it signalled them to stop but its occupants opened fire. The police retaliated," Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjeev Yadav said. Three of the accused were injured in the "encounter", Yadav added. Five weapons were seized from them. According to Yadav, the five criminals are affiliated to the gangster Neeraj Bawana. "During interrogation, it was found that the accused were involved in the February 2 murder of a driver in Rohini over personal enmity," the officer added. --IANS sp/ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On a consolidated basis, net profit of Tata Steel rose 54.33% to Rs 1753.07 crore on 22.33% rise in net sales to Rs 40457.11 crore in Q3 December 2018 over Q3 December 2017. The result was announced after market hours on Friday, 8 February 2019. Net profit of Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) declined 76.90% to Rs 495.14 crore on 30.59% rise in net sales to Rs 79168.84 crore in Q3 December 2018 over Q3 December 2017. The result was announced after market hours on Friday, 8 February 2019. Dr Reddy's Laboratories announced that the audit of its formulations manufacturing plant - 3 at Bachupally, Hyderabad by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) completed on 8 February 2019. The company has been issued a Form 483 with 11 observations. The company said it will address them comprehensively within the stipulated timeline. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 8 February 2019. Pharma major Lupin announced the completion of the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) inspection at its Goa manufacturing facility. The inspection was carried out between January 28 to February 8, 2019. The inspection at the Goa facility closed with 2 observations. The observations are procedural in nature and the company is confident of addressing them satisfactorily. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 8 February 2019. Bharti Airtel announced the signing of an agreement by its subsidiary, Airtel Networks Kenya ("Airtel Kenya") with Telkom Kenya ("Telkom Kenya") for merging their respective mobile, enterprise and carrier services businesses in Kenya to operate as - 'Airtel- Telkom'. The finalisation and closure of the transaction is subject to approval by the relevant authorities. As per the agreement, both the partners will combine their operations in Kenya and establish an entity with enhanced scale, operational efficiency and strategic brand presence. The entity will invest in networks to further accelerate roll out of future technologies. The enterprise and carrier services businesses should benefit from a larger fibre footprint and an increased number of enterprise customers - including both large corporations and SMEs who would have access to a diverse portfolio of world-class solutions. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 8 February 2019. Reliance Industries announced that Reliance Brands (RBL), a subsidiary of the company, has acquired a further stake of 2.5% in Future101 Design (Future101) on 7 February 2019, for a consideration of Rs. 1.99 crore, taking its total stake in Future101 to 15%. Reliance Retail Ventures (RRVL), a subsidiary of the company has acquired a further stake of 9.44% on 7 February 2019 in Genesis Colors (GCL), for a consideration of Rs 45 crore taking its total stake in GCL to 29.07% on the enhanced capital of GCL. Consequently, the stake of RBL in GCL shall be 43.66% and the aggregate equity shareholding of RRVL and RBL in GCL stands at 72.73%. The aforesaid acquisitions will help the company to strengthen its footage in the retail industry and support its long term strategy to enhance its value in the retail industry. No regulatory approvals were required for the said acquisition of shares. The investment does not fall within related party transaction for the Company and none of RIL's promoter / promoter group / group companies have interest in the above entities. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 8 February 2019. Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) announced that its board approved the proposal for incorporation of five project specific special purpose vehicles (SPVs), as wholly owned subsidiary companies of REC Transmission Projects Company for construction of projects. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 8 February 2019. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Alternative Airlines, a Gatwick-based flight-search website, has posted an 86 per cent increase in revenue in 2018, going up from 5.35 million ($6.9 million) in 2017 to 9.96 million ($12.8 million) in 2018. The website also posted a 117 per cent increase in bookings during the same period, the majority of which were from international customers. 2018 saw Alternative Airlines receive bookings from customers from over 160 different countries definitively positioning it as a global business. The top five countries for Alternative Airlines were the USA (39 per cent of customers), the UK (18 per cent), Canada (3 per cent), Australia (2 per cent) and Japan (2 per cent). Managing director of Alternative Airlines, Sam Argyle, stated: Its exciting to see the company continue to grow. Weve put a lot of focus on making the flight booking experience as quick and efficient as possible, as well as giving customers the ability to purchase flights in the best way suited to each individual no matter where in the world theyre buying from. Adding different currencies, localised payment methods and languages have been key factors in achieving this, along with many other personalisations that weve added to the website. Im excited to see Alternative Airlines continue to develop and grow over 2019. Alternative Airlines continues to make big strides to further benefit international customers, particularly those from non-English speaking countries. Earlier this year, the company launched its Spanish website (https://es.alternativeairlines.com/), which is the first translated version of the website as part of a larger initiative to have a version of the website in every major language. - TradeArabia News Service Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could rise 2 points at the opening bell. Overseas, most Asian stock were trading lower as concerns over global growth and US-China trade talks kept investors cautious. US stocks bounced off intraday lows to close mostly higher Friday as late afternoon buying offset pressure from lingering fears over U.S-China trade tensions. U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed reports that he had no plans to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping before a March 1 trade-deal deadline. However, the U.S. is reportedly likely to keep tariffs at 10% rather than raise them to 25% as scheduled. In Europe, with Brexit just 47 days away, the British government has reportedly asked lawmakers on Sunday to give Prime Minister Theresa May more time to rework her divorce deal with the European Union. Communities Secretary James Brokenshire said Parliament would get to pass judgment on May's Brexit plan no later than February 27. Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29, but Parliament has rejected May's divorce bill, leaving the prime minister to seek changes from the EU. Back home,the market ended with steep losses on Friday, 8 February 2019 amid broad based selling pressure. The Nifty ended below 11,000 mark after slipping below that level in morning trade. Negative leads from Asian markets and overnight slide on the Wall Street spoiled investors sentiment. The Sensex fell 424.61 points or 1.15% to settle at 36,546.48, its lowest closing level since 1 February 2019. The trading activity on that day showed that the foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 843.73 crore on Friday, 8 February 2019, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 960.04 crore on Friday, 8 February 2019, as per provisional data. Among corporate news,on a consolidated basis, net profit of Tata Steel rose 54.33% to Rs 1753.07 crore on 22.33% rise in net sales to Rs 40457.11 crore in Q3 December 2018 over Q3 December 2017. The result was announced after market hours on Friday, 8 February 2019. Net profit of Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) declined 76.90% to Rs 495.14 crore on 30.59% rise in net sales to Rs 79168.84 crore in Q3 December 2018 over Q3 December 2017. The result was announced after market hours on Friday, 8 February 2019. Dr Reddy's Laboratories announced that the audit of its formulations manufacturing plant - 3 at Bachupally, Hyderabad by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) completed on 8 February 2019. The company has been issued a Form 483 with 11 observations. The company said it will address them comprehensively within the stipulated timeline. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 8 February 2019. Lupin announced the completion of the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) inspection at its Goa manufacturing facility. The inspection was carried out between January 28 to February 8, 2019. The inspection at the Goa facility closed with 2 observations. The observations are procedural in nature and the company is confident of addressing them satisfactorily. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 8 February 2019. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ShivOm Dayal Energies (P) Ltd., is setting up two biofuel projects worth Rs 800 Crore. The two biofuel plants will be set up in the districts of Saharanpur and Bijnor. The UP government in its cabinet meeting held on 7th February 2019, approved the two second-generation ethanol plants which will incur an investment of INR 400 crore each. The state government will also offer the company with facilities including stamp duty waiver, capital subsidy as well as SGST rebate. Each of the sanctioned biofuel facility is expected to utilise about 200 tonnes of agro-waste per day for the production of 50,000 litres of second-generation ethanol. The plants will be set up under technical collaboration with the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER), Taiwan. The facilities will be utilizing agro-waste including rice straw, wheat straw and bagasse as raw materials to produce second-generation ethanol. The benefits of the project include additional income for farmers, reduction in stubble burning, socio-economic upliftment of farmers, saving on foreign currency and lowering bills of crude. The two plants are also expected to reduce carbon footprint and increase employment generation. "The sanctioning of the mega-plants also strengthens our core mission of becoming the largest cellulosic ethanol producer in India and offer support to rural development and agricultural sectors. Going forward we will strive to contribute towards our honorable Prime Minister's vision of 10% ethanol blending in petrol by the year 2022," said Bainu Anand Ahuja, Director, ShivOm Dayal Energies. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard was signed during the two day UP investors Summit 2018 held on 21-22 February 2018. A high-level committee headed by the state chief secretary had recently approved the project. Further Ernst & Young has been appointed as the transaction advisors of the company. This story is provided by NewsVoir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Voltas Limited plans to set up a new facility with an investment of more than Rs 500 crore for manufacturing air conditioners and related cooling products in south India. The facility at Tirupati will be spread over 65 acres and have a total capacity of more than one million units to start with. Voltas aims to start rolling out the products from the second half of 2020. The company will put together an OEM base for home appliances and simultaneously create local employment opportunities in the region. This manufacturing facility will be one of the first cooling appliances unit in Andhra Pradesh. The choice of Andhra Pradesh as the destination for the new manufacturing unit was due to the state's ease of doing and growing focus on Make in India. The location provides dual benefits of superior market access and cost-effective connectivity via road and port. Voltas will cater to the south, west and east markets through this manufacturing facility. Pradeep Bakshi, Managing Director and CEO, said: "We have always kept the customer at the core of all our decision making. This facility helps us in expanding our manufacturing capabilities while increasing our reach in the southern market." Voltas is among the top 10 companies within the Tata group and is the undisputed market leader in room air conditioners in India with market share of more than 24 per cent market share. . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amit Sharma, the business partner of Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval's son Vivek recorded his statement on Monday in connection with the defamation plea filed against 'The Caravan' magazine. Vivek had filed a plea against the magazine for an alleged defamatory article published and senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh for using content from the article. In his statement, Sharma said, "I know Vivek Doval (complainant) since 2004 when we both were semiconductor analyst at different banks. I was at Deutsche Bank and Vivek was at Bear Stearn Bank. Since then we became friends and had been in regular contact." "Later, Vivek and I discussed stock ideas very regularly and got along very well over the course of the next several years," he noted. "In 2012, when Boyer Allen shut down. Vivek was looking for what to do next. This is when we came up with the idea of the launching of a fund together," Sharma said. This development came to light after Vivek on January 30 recorded his statement before the same court. Vivek asserted that all charges made against him were "baseless and false" and references were made in "a demeaning manner" without trying to "ascertain the facts." He had recorded his statement before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal. "I was livid after reading the article published about me in a magazine and the manner in which the events were narrated. My family was referred to as D-Companies whereas we all know that in our country the D-Company refers to Dawood Ibrahim, a known criminal, who figures in the most wanted list," he told the court. "Questions were also raised on the integrity of my family, especially my father who has dedicated his life to the service of the nation and fighting against Dawood," Vivek further said. Vivek, who obtained CFA from the US in 2006 and did CAIA from CAIA institute in 2010, said: "Allegations were levied about money laundering and converting the black money into white, without there being any basis." "It was written that Rs 8,300 crore of black money has been round tripped to India thereby tarnishing my career and my venture GNY Asia Fund," he stated. Calling himself a proud Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) and citizen of the UK, Doval also asserted that "the article branded him and his family as anti- " Stating that Jairam Ramesh, a former Union Minister, had used the platform of the Indian Congress (INC) to propagate these charges, he said: "There were many derogatory comments spoken which raised numerous questions on the integrity of my family." "Unpleasantness was bestowed upon me and my family based on falsehood and mala-fide. Without trying to ascertain facts, references were made in a demeaning manner," he said. He also claimed that the repercussions of the article and press conference questioned his professional integrity, which is of critical importance for his career. " It has questioned my social standing as a fund manager. If I have dubious integrity, my career is over as a Fund manager." On January 21, Vivek had filed a criminal defamation case against Congress leader Jairam Ramesh and two journalists, contending that they had caused "irreparable damage" to his reputation "through calculated insinuations and innuendos." Vivek has contended that Ramesh and the two journalists "have committed the offence of defamation punishable under Section 500 of IPC (which provides for simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both) read with Section 120-B IPC (criminal conspiracy). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States and China have resumed trade talks here on Monday, in efforts to reach a deal before March 1. Deputy Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish is leading the US delegation here for the working-level discussions, reports NHK World-Japan. Previously, ministerial meetings were held in January in Washington, where US President Donald Trump pushed for a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Until now, Beijing has proposed to purchase larger quantities of farm produce from the United States during the ministerial-level talks. Furthermore, the next round of ministerial meetings is scheduled for February 14 and 15, accelerating current efforts to reach a deal before increased tariffs are slapped on Chinese imports by the United States. The meetings are a part of the agreement of a 'temporary truce' reached by Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during their dinner on December 1 on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh Minister Sidharth Nath Singh on Monday said the people of Lucknow will come to see the faces of those who looted the nation in today's "chor show". "They are calling this roadshow but the BJP sees this as 'Chor machaye shor'. Gandhi-Vadra family is out on bail. They can't hold roadshow but a 'Chor show'. People of Uttar Pradesh, especially Lucknow, will come to see corrupt faces of those who looted Rs 12 Lakh crores of this nation," Singh told ANI. Congress' general secretary for Eastern Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh West Jyotiraditya Scindia will conduct a road show in Lucknow. Congress President Rahul Gandhi will also accompany Priyanka and Scindia. A day ahead of her first maiden visit as Congress' eastern UP general secratary, Priyanka had said: "I am coming to Lucknow tomorrow and I wish that together we will begin a new and you be a part of it. Youth, women and marginalised, everyone's voices will be heard. Let's establish a new future and " Priyanka and Scindia would stay till February 14, while Rahul is expected to return on the same day. Since the announcement of SP-BSP alliance for the coming Lok Sabha polls in the state where two parties will contest on 38 seats each, the Congress leadership has been leaving nothing unturned to retain the party's lost ground in the state, where they won only two seats-Rae Bareli and Amethi-in the last Lok Sabha polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Elizabeth Warren, 2020 Presidential candidate from Massachusetts, on Saturday said that United States President Donald Trump will be behind bars before the 2020 Presidential elections. "By the time we get to 2020, Donald Trump may not even be President," CNN quoted Warren as saying while addressing a rally gathered at the Veterans Memorial Building in Lawrence city on the first day of her campaign for the 2020 elections for the White House, adding, "In fact, he may not even be a free person." The Democrat Senator said her nation was in a "dangerous situation". "Every day, there's a racist tweet, a hateful tweet, something really dark and ugly. And what are we, as candidates, as activists, the press, going to do about it? Are we going to let him use those to divide us?" the Senator questioned during her speech as referring to Trump. In a response to the above question, Warren went on saying, "Donald Trump is not the only problem we've got. Yeah. Donald Trump is the symptom of a badly broken system. So, our job as we start rolling into the next election is not just to respond on a daily basis. It's to talk about what we understand is broken in this country, talk about what needs to be done to change it and talk about how we're going to do that because that is not only how we win, it's how we make the change we need to make." Warren launched her campaign from Massachusetts on Saturday, where she asked her supporters to act against the wealthy power brokers who "have been waging class warfare against hardworking people for decades" and addressed Trump to be "just the latest and most extreme symptom of what's gone wrong in America." Warren is one of the first stalwarts from the Democrats to have announced her candidature for the 2020 Presidential elections, according to The New York Times. Warren would be contesting against incumbent President Trump, who on one occasion called her "Pocahontas" due to her alleged Native American ancestry. She has, in turn, labelled him as "a thin-skinned racist bully" and a "wannabe tyrant". Warren's campaign comes after senators, including Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar and Cory Booker has already jumped into the race for the Presidential bid. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday threw its weight behind Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who has launched 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' here to press for the demand of special status category for his state. TMC MP Derek O' Brien said that the no-confidence motion brought by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) "scared" Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Chandrababu Naidu ji, I would like to congratulate TDP. We started this fight four years back but there is a very important date--July 20, 2018--when the TDP brought in 'no-confidence motion' in the Lok Sabha. This scared Modi," he said at the 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' here. "After that on January 9, 2019, SP-BSP came together. After that, what happened on January 19, 2019--BJP is finished. On that day, senior leaders of 22 political parties came on the same stage. Why am I mentioning these dates? Because after all of these, the BJP got one new ally--CBI," said Derek. Chief Minister Naidu is observing 'Dharma Porata Deeksha,' a day-long protest for justice, demanding special category status for Andhra and other promises made by the Centre under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. As per an official statement, Chief Minister Naidu will be submitting a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday. Several leaders from opposition parties, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, and Loktantrik Janata Dal chief Sharad Yadav are participating in the dharna. Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Naidu, whose party pulled out of the NDA last year, alleged that the Centre is discriminating against Andhra Pradesh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "inefficient and unfit to rule the country." "The Modi government did not fulfill the assurances given in Parliament. Not even a single assurance given at the time of bifurcation is fulfilled. Even the Centre is showing discrimination, we have no option other than protesting. The funds given for backward states are taken back in the fourth year," Naidu said. "Today we came here all the way to protest against the central government. The Prime Minister went to Guntur yesterday. There are 18 acts under the Bifurcation Act which they need to fulfil. Manmohan Singh announced special status. (Vice President) Venkaiah Naidu demanded special to Andhra Pradesh for 10 years," he added. Naidu, who has been pressing for special category status for Andhra Pradesh for long, had earlier staged similar protests against the Centre. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts has been named as the UAEs heathiest hospitality brand according to the global brand health rankings released by YouGov BrandIndex. Data revealed by YouGovs global daily brand tracker shows the Jumeirah brand achieved the highest brand health perception scores among consumers in the Emirates, placing it ahead of competitor hospitality groups for the second year running. BrandIndex continuously measures the public's perception of thousands of brands across multiple sectors and countries. In the Middle East region, it is the only daily online brand tracker and currently monitors hundreds of brands in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The 600 brands in YouGov BrandIndex were ranked using the Buzz score which asks respondents: If you've heard anything about the brand in the last two weeks, through advertising, news or word of mouth, was it positive or negative? The Buzz Rankings chart shows the brands with the highest average Buzz scores between January and December 2018. BrandIndex operates both nationally and internationally allowing companies to track their brand's health in one country, across multiple countries or monitor a global picture. Every single day thousands of consumers are interviewed online, yielding over 2.5 million interviews a year around the world. Jumeirah Group offers exceptional guest experiences in 23 hotels across the world and has seen unparalleled success since its inception in 1997. In 2018, under the leadership of new CEO, Jose Silva, Jumeirah entered a phase of accelerated growth - both new and existing markets have been identified for expansion across the Middle East, Europe and Asia. Silvas vision is to take the brand global while focusing on three key pillars: Elevate the dining experience; offer service beyond expectations; and make every stay memorable in terms of product, architecture and design. - TradeArabia News Service Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Monday quashed rumours of a coup attempt, decrying it as "fake news". Rumours about the coup have been rife ever since the reigning monarch of Thailand, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, publicly disapproved of the political aspirations of his older sister Princess Ubolratana. In the viral Section 44 order - which has now been deemed false by the Prime Minister - Prayut had allegedly transferred chiefs of the Army, Air Force and Navy to positions of inspector at the Prime Minister's Office, reports Bangkok Post. "General Prawit ordered security authorities to monitor the situation and the transmission of fake information in violation of the computer crime law. We are looking for the source of the fake information," Lieutenant General Kongcheep Tantrawanit, the spokesman of the Defence Ministry stated. The spokesman of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), Colonel Winthai Suvaree opined that the fake order could have been circulated to create disunity in the nation in the wake of the impending March 24 elections. "It might have been organised especially to have an impact on national order during this important period for the country," Suvaree put forth. The Prime Minister has ordered investigations into the incident and has outlined his resolve to bring the perpetrators to book. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Thai Raksa Chart Party is prepared to seek a royal pardon in a bid to keep its MP candidates in the electoral race. This comes after the public reprimand by Thailand's reigning monarch over the party footing Princess Ubolratana as its Prime Ministerial candidate for the upcoming elections. Quoting sources, Bangkok Post also reported that executives behind the princess fiasco may resign to the keep the party's prospectives for the March 24 elections afloat. Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn, labelled his older sister, Princess Ubolratana's foray into politics as "inappropriate," because she is a part of the royal family. "Any attempt to involve a high-level member of the Royal Family in the political process - by whatever means, would be tantamount to breaching time-honoured royal traditions, customs and national culture. Such action must be deemed transgression and most inappropriate," a statement issued by Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs quoted the King as saying. The Thai constitution regards a special status to the royal family, which designates the monarchy to be above politics. "Hence, the Queen, the heir to the throne, every said member of the Royal Family would come within the application of the same rule requiring the Monarch to be above politics and to be politically neutral," the royal announcement issued in Thailand's King's name further mentioned. The same rule applies to the oldest Princess, even though she relinquished her royal title after marrying a foreigner - a fact that was reinforced by her after her campaign for the Prime Minister's post was announced on February 8. The party has shown its resolve to continue contesting the elections, despite the setback. Meanwhile, Thailand's Election Commission will meet on Monday to decide if the Political Party Act was breached when the party footed the princess as its Prime Ministerial candidate. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The customary "worship" of a "virgin tree" at Delhi University's Hindu College on February 14 has divided students of the university with some in favor of continuing with tradition while others objecting to the 'misogynistic' and 'patriarchal' tradition. For years, the tree has been a symbol of love for many students, who offer a puja to it on February 14 every year, in the belief that doing so will lead them to "land a girlfriend within six months." Students from the college and boys from the hostel surround the "Virgin tree" and worship a hypothetical Bollywood actor- 'Damdami Mai' (goddess and the most desirable actress of Bollywood chosen by senior students). They also decorate the trees with balloons and posters of film actress. "It is a very old tradition and over the years it has become an identity and culture of our college. It was started in the1953. All students, especially newcomers want to witness this Puja. However, this year a few students are seeking to get it banned as they say it represents male desperation, aggression and their misogynistic attitude towards women. "But the truth is that it is commemorated to spread awareness about the sexually transmitted disease, HIV and sex among the students," said Ankita Biswas , student of Hindu college. Some female students held a public discussion to raise objections on the V-tree ceremony saying it objectifies women. One student from the political science department, Siddhant said, "It is nothing but an attempt to politicise the whole issue. Every year we celebrate this Puja. We wait for this event for whole year. Students, who are affiliated with the left student wings are against it. They want to ban us from celebrating it, but they themselves say whatever they want to in the name of freedom of speech and expression no matter how obscene that would be." Deepika, student member of Internal complaint Committee (against sexual harassment) of Hindu College and Vice president of women development cell of the college claimed, "the Aarti which is sung by the male students has lewd lyrics describing female physique which is highly objectionable. We can't let it continue in the name of tradition." She further said, "The practice which is followed in the name of tradition declares women as a mere object." Another student of Sanskrit department, Shyam, shared similar concerns by asserting that it is incorrect to continue with such a practice in the name of tradition. "There should not be any tradition which makes female students uncomfortable in the university environment. How can students promote misogyny and sexual aggression in the college? The Aarti which they sing has nothing remotely to do with creating awareness on HIV, STDs and sex remotely. Moreover in the era of science and technology promoting such superstitions are condemnable," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad on Sunday embarked on his six-nation visit to facilitate a peace process that protects the national security interests of the United States and brings all parties in Afghanistan together into an intra-Afghan dialogue. In a press statement, the US Department of State on Sunday (local time) said, "Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad will lead an interagency delegation to Belgium, Germany, Turkey, Qatar, Afghanistan, and Pakistan from February 10 - 28." "This trip a part of an overall effort to facilitate a peace process that protects U.S. national security interests and brings all Afghan parties together in an intra-Afghan dialogue through which they can determine a path for their country's future. He will meet with our allies and partners to discuss mutual efforts to advance that goal and will consult with the Afghan government throughout the trip," the statement read. On February 2, Khalilzad had attended an International Contact Group meeting in London, which included officials from over 50 countries, along with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's Special Representative on Regional Affairs for Consensus on Peace Umer Daudzai, to announce support to the Afghan peace process. A statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan read, "In this meeting, Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs of Afghanistan Idrees Zaman noted with gratitude and appreciation, the support and cooperation of the international community provided to Afghanistan in various spheres over the last seventeen years. He provided information on the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned Peace Process, the upcoming third meeting of the Kabul Process, upcoming Presidential elections, and emphasized the importance of protection of Afghanistan's seventeen years achievements in the context of the peace talks." "At the end of the meeting, the international community reiterated its commitment to support Afghanistan and help fight terrorism in the region," the ministry added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shiv Sena, the disgruntled ally of NDA, on Monday joined the day-long protest called by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu against the Centre here over the denial of special status to Andhra Pradesh. With Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut sharing dais with the opposition leaders including Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, the event had seemingly political overtones ahead of the coming Lok Sabha polls. "We are with N Chandrababu Naidu for the demand he is pressing for his state. Every state has its own role to play and every state has its own demands. We may have ideological differences but if the chief minister of a state is sitting on 'dharna' for his state, we must support the cause," said Raut. "My leader Uddhav Thackeray told me to go and support N Chandrababu Naidu. We will think about later on," said Raut. Naidu said that Shiv Sena is not happy with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and thanked Shiv Sena for its support. "Uddhav Thackeray is the best friend of mine. Even Bal Thackeray was very affectionate towards me. I really appreciate Shiv Sena chief for extending his cooperation," said Naidu. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Monday slammed those states which had not appointed state Lokayuktas yet in the appointment of Lokpal Lokayuktas petition. Nagaland government will file an affidavit explaining the delay in appointment of Lokayukta till next hearing while the Tamil Nadu Government was directed to complete the process of Lokayukta appointment within four months. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi said, "We want to be harsh but are refraining from saying anything at this stage." The petition was filed by advocate and BJP leader, Ashwini Upadhyay, seeking a direction to expeditiously appoint Lokpal at the Centre, Lokayukta in states and provide a citizen charter in every department to ensure time-bound delivery of goods and services. As per provisions of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, a Lokpal as anti-corruption authority or ombudsman would be set up at the Central level, while a Lokayukta will be set up in each state. In July last year, the Supreme Court had expressed its displeasure over non-appointment of Lokpal by the central government. In September, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government had appointed a Search Committee to nominate the chairperson and members of the Lokpal. Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai was nominated as chairperson of the committee. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court asked the Lokpal Search Committee to complete its task of short-listing names for a Lokpal by February-end and submit the list for consideration to the Selection Committee. The apex court will hear the plea on March 7. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a plea of the West Bengal unit of BJP that set aside the Calcutta High Court's 2013 order, which had put a ban on use of loudspeakers in the residential areas in the state, stating that studies of children were more important than election campaigning. The West Bengal unit of BJP had filed the plea, claiming that it was an attempt by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government to "muzzle" its voice and "violated" the party's constitutional right to garner public support ahead of the coming Lok Sabha elections. The elections are slated to be held in April-May, according to reports. The setback by the BJP comes amid the party's bitter fight with the TMC in the run-up to the general elections. The ruling BJP-led central government and Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government were recently locked in a legal battle in the top court over the former's proposed 'rath yatra' in different parts of West Bengal. The BJP's rallies were not given permission by the state government, asserting that it would create law and order problems in the state. A full-blown face-off between the TMC government and the Centre erupted after a team of CBI moved to arrest Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar on February 3. The central investigative agency officials were denied entry to the top cop's residence and were detained briefly too. Escalating her confrontation with the Centre, Banerjee started her 'Save the Constitution' dharna on the same evening to protest against what the TMC called a 'coup' by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre. Banerjee ended her sit-in protest after three days, saying that she would take her fight against the central government to Delhi in the coming days. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A combative Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that the Ayodhya Ram temple issue should be resolved within 24 hours. In a fiery speech in the state Assembly, the chief minister said, "Ayodhya is well known in India and across the world due to Lord Ram and not due to a foreign invader like Babur. The beliefs of the people should be respected. I have said several times that the court should respect the sentiments of the people. The Allahabad High Court had specifically said that wherever 'Ram Lalla' is present, the temple will be built there." "I believe that the dispute should have ended then and there. There is no question regarding division (of land). The dispute exists only whether or not there is 'Ram Janambhoomi'. That dispute has already been decided upon and so now it should not take more than 24 hours to find a solution," he added. The Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute has been pending before the apex court for the last eight years. For a long time, parties in the case and various right-wing organisations have been asking for an early or day-to-day hearing in the matter. On February 6, a conglomerate of saints claimed that the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya will start on February 21. Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati said that the 'dharam sansad', after a three-day meeting in Prayagraj, decided that foundation stone for the temple will be laid on February 21. He added that the saints mobilised for the effort would not be deterred by arrests or any other kind of obstacles. The decision came after the central government last month approached the Supreme Court for permission to restore the "excess" land surrounding the disputed portion in Ayodhya to Ram Janambhoomi Nyas. The government, in a petition, sought direction for releasing to the Nyas 67 acres, which it had acquired about two-and-a-half decades back, leaving untouched 0.313 acres of disputed. In 2010, the Allahabad High Court had divided the disputed land in Ayodhya into three parts for each of the parties - the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar on Monday arrived at the CBI office here for questioning in connection with Saradha chit fund scam. This is the third day of his questioning by the central investigative agency. Earlier in the day, former Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh arrived at the CBI office in the state capital for the second day of interrogation in connection with the case. The CBI grilled Kumar and Ghosh for nearly twelve hours on Sunday in connection with the Rose Valley and Saradha chit fund scams. Ghosh was arrested on November 23, 2013, and sent to custody by the CBI on September 4, 2014, after it took over the investigation on the orders of the Supreme Court. In 2016, the Calcutta High Court had granted interim bail to Ghosh against a bail bond of Rs 2 lakh. The Kolkata Police chief, who has been accused of withholding some documents related to Saradha and Rose Valley chit fund cases, was questioned by the CBI in Shillong on Saturday as well. On February 5, the Supreme Court had directed Kumar to appear before the central investigative agency in connection with the matter. It had also said that no coercive step should be taken against Kumar. The top court's directive had come against the backdrop of a 'dharna' organised by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata earlier this month in protest against the CBI's attempt to arrest the top cop. Kumar has been serving as Kolkata's Police Commissioner since January 2016. He is said to have not responded to earlier summons from the CBI in connection with the probe into the Rose Valley and Saradha ponzi scams. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Even before Priyanka Gandhi Vadra could step her foot for the first time in Uttar Pradesh since after being appointed as general secretary of eastern UP, a poster war has started between her supporters and opponents with both going overboard in their portrayal of expressions. While posters by Congress workers installed in Lucknow portrayed Priyanka as Goddess Durga, the BJP workers took a jibe at her state visit by putting a flex reading that Congress general secretary is here to rob the state. The BJP poster had a large smiling picture of Priyanka Gandhi with a caption written in Hindi in big bold fonts, roughly translated to "I am coming here to rob the Uttar Pradesh." On the other hand, the Lucknow poster by Congress supporters portrayed Priyanka as Goddess Durga, with a declaration that "Sister Priyanka Gandhi is a form of Mother Durga", written largely beside the image. Another poster that is turning heads in the state capital is also posted at different locations of the city by the Indian Youth Congress and had a large image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Anil Ambani hugging each other. This poster outlines the alleged 'Rafale Scam' with large captions of 'Chowkidaar Chor Hai' written below the image. Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi on Monday made her debut on the micro-blogging site Twitter with a verified account. She, however, is yet to post her first tweet. Priyanka, UP West general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia and party President Rahul Gandhi's are on a visit to Lucknow today. Ahead of her maiden visit as the General Secretary for Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka had said: "I am coming to Lucknow tomorrow and I wish that together we will begin a new and you be a part of it. Youth, women and marginalised, everyone's voices will be heard. Let's establish a new future and " Priyanka and Scindia would stay till February 14, while Rahul is expected to return today. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A total of 1,310 exhibitors are expected to participate in the 2019 editions of International Defence Exhibition (Idex) and Naval Defence (Navdex) in Abu Dhabi, UAE compared to the 1,235 companies in the previous edition. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the events will run from February 17 to 21 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Increasing in growth year-on-year, Idex is set to celebrate its silver jubilee with the largest edition ever since the expos inception in 1993. Spanning the last 25 years, Idex has become one of the largest specialised defence exhibitions regionally and globally. The International Defence Conference (IDC 2019) will serve as a precursor to Idex/Navdex from 14 to 16 February at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi. Set to convene 1,200 experts and specialists from all over the world, the conference will discuss topics related to technology, science as well as the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) with relevance to bolstering peace and security in the world. Staff Major General Pilot Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei said: Patronised by key decision-makers, experts and specialists in the defence industries sector, Idex in its 25-year anniversary is set to become one of the largest specialised exhibitions globally. To its credit, in a short period of time, Navdex has also proved its unique position among the world's leading exhibitions in the maritime defence industry. Ahead of the two highly anticipated events, the International Defence Conference will take centrestage, bringing together prominent experts and military leaders to discuss important security and defence issues pertaining to the region and the world. Al Mazrouei said: Both exhibitions have been instrumental in developing the defence industry sector in the UAE a prominent objective of the UAE Centennial 2071 besides contributing to national capacity building and knowledge transfer. He further noted that more than 170 local companies from the defence and its supporting sectors will participate in the 2019 edition of the exhibitions. He added that both platforms will help shed more light on the national defence industry, creating new opportunities to engage with key international companies in this sector. Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Group CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) said: The Idex and NAVEX exhibitions are among the most prominent and successful events organised in the UAE. Over the years, Idex has witnessed qualitative and quantitative increases in terms of space, number of visitors and exhibitors. Over the past 25 years, the number of exhibitors frequenting Idex has increased by 400 per cent, with the number of participating countries rising by 250 per cent over the same period. Visitor footfall rose by 500 per cent, while the show floor dedicated for the event has gone up by 900 percent compared to the first edition in 1993. In 2019, the total area dedicated for Idex and Navdex will increase by 26 per cent to 168,000 square metres compared to 133,000 square metres in 2017. International companies will account for 85 per cent of the total number of companies, while the number of local enterprises exhibiting will reach 170, representing 15 per cent of the exhibitors. Moreover, the number of participating countries will also increase by nine per cent or 62 countries compared with 57 in 2017. Meanwhile, the 2019 edition will host 33 national pavilions or 18 per cent increase as compared to28 in the previous edition. Moreover, the exhibiting space dedicated for Navdex 2019 will increase by 52 per cent to 45,000 sq m, compared with 30,000 sq m in 2017. The number of exhibitors at Navdex will increase to 113 or 14 per cent, as against 99 in the previous year. The number of participating military units for Navdex is expected to increase by 66 per cent to 20 units from 15 countries. Idex and Navdex will feature several new components in the upcoming edition, including an Idex museum that details and celebrates the exhibitions 25-year journey. For the first time, IDC will be combined with the Abu Dhabi International Offset Conference (ADIOC) with the aim of creating a comprehensive global forum covering all defence and security issues, as well as relevant innovations of the 4IRunder the theme -- Shaping Our Shared Future: Strengthening Our Security and Prosperity through Innovation. The 2019 edition will also include a dedicated wing for artificial intelligence, focusing on advanced and smart systems participating at the exhibition. As part of its agenda, the conference will host interactive discussions on four key focus areas: offset, security and stability, knowledge economy, and innovation and artificial intelligence. The event will also seek to strengthen the leading status of the UAE as a global hub for such specialised conferences. TradeArabia News Service Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday (local time) initiated a 5-day military drill, lasting until February 15, calling it to be the 'most important' exercise in the 200 years of history of the South American nation. The Russian Times reported that President Maduro had launched the drill to "prepare to defend sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence" of Venezuela from any foreign intervention, especially after alleging Opposition leader Juan Guaido to be acting upon the orders passed by Washington. "Today the most important military exercises in the history of Venezuela have been successfully launched throughout the country in the midst of the situation in which we live we have been threatened by the empire!" the Presidential Press of Venezuela said on Twitter. "These are the most important military exercises in history because we are moving thousands of men and women and testing the entire defence system of our country," President Maduro said. "I call all the people of Venezuela: Women, youth, men, to join this comprehensive plan of defence of sovereignty, to love the country and defend the right to peace," Maduro added. Meanwhile, Guaido has refused to completely eliminate the possibility of authorising the US for a military intervention to oust President Maduro. On January 23, Guaido proclaimed himself to be the President of Venezuela, amid cheering protesters who supported Maduro's ouster. The United States immediately lent their support to Guaido, recognising him as the official interim President, a move which has since been backed by several Latin American and European countries. However, countries like China, Russia, Turkey, amongst others, have slammed foreign intervention in Caracas' internal affairs while supporting Maduro's leadership. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ahead of Eastern UP Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's visit on Monday, posters portraying her as Goddess Durga have emerged in some parts of the state capital. In the poster, Priyanka can be seen sitting atop a tiger in an apparent portrayal of Goddess Durga in her most iconic avatar. A Hindi slogan accompanying the picture reads, "Sister Priyanka Gandhi is the form of Mother Durga". The Congress workers have also decked up key roundabouts on the route of the road show with party flags. Similarly, party state office is also decorated with flowers and flags, with a number of posters dotting both sides of the lane leading to headquarter. Priyanka, UP West general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia and party President Rahul Gandhi's will be visiting the city today. Ahead of her maiden as General Secretary for Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka had said: "I am coming to Lucknow tomorrow and I wish that together we will begin a new and you be a part of it. Youth, women and marginalised, everyone's voices will be heard. Let's establish a new future and " Priyanka and Scindia would stay till February 14, while Rahul is expected to return today. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kurukshetra in Haryana on February 12 where he will participate in Swachh Shakti- 2019, and will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of several development projects in Haryana. According to an official statement, Prime Minister Modi will participate in Swachh Shakti-2019 and distribute the Swachh Shakti-2019 awards. He will visit the Swachh Sundar Shauchalay exhibition at Kurukshetra and address a public gathering. Swachh Shakti-2019 is a event to be attended by women Panches and Sarpanches from across the country. It is expected that 15,000 women will take part in the Swachh Shakti event this year. The event is aimed at empowering women. The first edition of Swachh Shakti programme was launched from Gandhinagar, Gujarat by Prime Minister Modi on the International Women's Day in 2017. The next edition was 'Swachh Shakti-2018' from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh and now the third edition is being inaugurated from Kurukshetra to empower the women. Prime Minister Modi will also dedicate to the nation the Cancer Institute (NCI), Bhadsa, Jhajjar. NIC is the state-of-the-art tertiary cancer care-cum-research institute, constructed on the AIIMS, Jhajjar campus. The 700-bed hospital will have different facilities like surgical oncology, radiation oncology, medical oncology, anesthesia, palliative care, and nuclear medicine, besides hostel rooms for doctors and attendants of cancer patients. He will also inaugurate ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Faridabad, through video conference. This will be the first ESIC Medical College and Hospital in north India. The 510-bed hospital will have state-of-the-art-facilities. ESIC, under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the government of India provides social security to the insured persons and their beneficiaries, especially to worker population and their dependents. Prime Minister Modi will also lay the foundation stone of Institute of Ayurveda (NIA), Panchkula, which is being set up at Shri Mata Mansa Devi Temple Complex. It will be a national level institute for Ayurveda treatment, education, and research. Once completed, it will be highly beneficial for the residents of Haryana and other nearby states He will also lay the foundation stone of Sri Krishna Ayush University, Kurukshetra. It is the first university related to the Indian system of medicine in Haryana as well as the first university of this kind in India. He will also lay the foundation stone of 'Battles of Panipat Museum' at Panipat through a digital link, and of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay University of Health Sciences at Karnal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "inefficient and unfit to rule the country." Naidu, who is observing a day-long hunger strike, said: "Modi is acting shameless and egotistically. He is thinking to win elections by colluding with some party. Modi is unfit to rule the country, he is inefficient. Rulers should keep in mind the aspirations of people. Our fight is not for us individually, we are fighting for the sake of 5 crore people of Andhra Pradesh. Modi had to admit his mistakes, make proper allocations in the appropriation bill (budget). Otherwise, the BJP will lose its base in Andhra Pradesh forever." The Telugu DesamParty (TDP) chief is observing a day-long dharna here today against the central government over the issue of special status to AndhraPradesh. While addressing the gathering, Naidu, whose party pulled out of the NDA last year, alleged that the Centre is discriminating Andhra Pradesh. "The Modi government did not fulfill the assurances given in Parliament. Not even a single assurance given at the time of bifurcation is fulfilled. Even the Centre is showing discrimination, we have no option other than protesting. The funds given for backward states are taken back in the fourth year," he said. The TDP Chief added: "Today we came here all the way to protest against the central government. The Prime Minister went to Guntur yesterday. There are 18 acts under the Bifurcation act which they need to fulfill. Manmohan Singh announced special status. Venkaiah Naidu demanded special to Andhra Pradesh for 10 years." The Chief Minister asserted that the TDP came to the capital to explain to the nation the "injustice" done by the Centre to Andhra Pradesh. Naidu "warned" the Centre and Prime Minister Modi to "stop attacking an individual" and said that the BJP will be washed out in Andhra Pradesh forever. He claimed that the BJP is trying to divide the nation while the TDP is in the capital to make people aware of the injustice being meted out to AndhraPradesh. "Yesterday, Modi went to Guntur and slammed me but did not announce anything for Andhra Pradesh. The BJP will be washed out in Andhra Pradesh forever. The BJP is dividing the nation. We are here for uniting the nation. We are here to explain to the nation the injustice done by the Centre to Andhra Pradesh. We are also part of this country. Our aspiration must be fulfilled. We will take the help of all parties and achieve our target," he said. The TDP pulled out of the BJP-led NDA over the "injustice" done to Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation. Termed 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice), the strike is being held at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in Delhi. It is expected to go on till around 8 PM. As per an official statement, Naidu will be submitting a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday. Naidu, who has been pressing for special category status for Andhra Pradesh for long, had earlier staged similar protests against the Centre. In October 2013, Naidu had staged an indefinite fast at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan here, demanding that if a separate state is carved out of then unified Andhra Pradesh, both should get equal rights. On the fifth day of his protest, he was forcibly shifted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital after his health deteriorated. He had also observed a fast in Vijayawada in April last year demanding special status for the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The city of Paris is suing tourist rental platform Airbnb for allegedly running illegal advertisements. The city is on a crackdown on Airbnb properties that are unregistered with the court. As part of the latest efforts, the city mayor, Anne Hidalgo, told Le Journal du Dimanche that Airbnb will witness a record fine for violating French laws. The company is accused of running over 1000 illegal ads, each inviting a fine of 12,500 euros. This could take the damage up to nearly USD 14.2 million if all the ads are deemed illegal. As Engadget reported, owners are allowed to rent out their homes only 120 days per year in the city. However, some multi-owners rent all year to tourists without declaring them, and Airbnb is accused of welcoming such a breach. Airbnb said that it had taken steps to ensure people follow the law, but claimed that the Parisian approach was in contravention of European rules. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All areas in Pakistan, except Punjab, have now been made colonies of the military establishment of Pakistan. In fact, these areas like Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan have been occupied by the demonic military establishment of Pakistan, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain said. While addressing a video press briefing from MQM International Secretariat in London, the MQM leader said, "undeclared Martial Law is being imposed over the country and even the incumbent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is just a sheer puppet of the ghoulish military in Pakistan. All areas in Pakistan except Punjab have now been made colonies of the military establishment. In fact, these areas like Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan have been occupied by the demonic military establishment of Pakistan." He added that even Seraikis and Kashmiris are equally victims of atrocities at the hands of the Pakistani military. In his briefing, Hussain noted, "If any country that utterly fails to secure the lives and rights of its citizens, then the citizens have a due right to claim their right of self-determination and they should approach the International Court of Justice to rid of the slavery and attain the right of self-determination." "The UN Charter allows people to claim their right of self-determination and Pakistan is among the signatories of that Charter of the UN," he added. Hussain said that he never talked of dividing Pakistan, but had simply suggested for the right of self-determination and it is per the international laws under the UN's aegis. While citing certain provisions from the UN Charter, he stated that since Pakistan is the signatory of the UN Charter on the right of self-determination, all the oppressed nations in Pakistan, including Mohajirs, Sindhis, Balochs, Seraikis, Gilgitis, Baltistanis and Pashtuns, can rise for their rights of self-determination. He asked the oppressed nations to explain under which law they are secure in Pakistan, especially when the armed forces of the country are kidnapping the citizens and enforcing them to disappear. Arbitrary arrest and extrajudicial executions are rampant in Pakistan and none of the authority is checking these blatant human right violations. The demonic military of Pakistan is apart from all sorts of atrocities and extrajudicial executions. The MQM leader also said that the oppressed nations should bear in mind that the atrocities, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings would not stop and none would rise against them for their security and secure future, but verily to do it by themselves. Hussain said that the oppressed nations have to rise for their secure future as the right of self-determination is the last remedy in this regard. For Pashtuns, he said, "The tribal people were in past, misused by the ghoulish military establishment of Pakistan and during the Afghan war, the entire population of Pashtuns was bathed in blooded and their properties were looted and finally they were forced to abandon their land and become internally displaced persons (IDPs). It was the military and not the Pashtuns that introduced the culture of Kalashnikov and narcotics. The ethnic riots among the Pashtuns and Mohajirs were all planned and executed by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan." For Sindhis, he stated that since they claim that their land is occupied by the Pakistani military so they should then come forward and claim their rights of self-determination. They should join the Mohajirs as they are the reality and joining them would be in Sindh's greatest interests. The Pakistani military would keep conspiring against the Mohajirs and Sindhis and would never like to see them united on one platform. Great Sain G. M. Syed had in his life said that only Altaf Hussain could help Sindh rid of the Punjabi military's occupation, the leader added. While addressing the Kashmiris, the MQM founder further noted that Kashmir only belongs to the Kashmiris and when they would get freedom from India, they should never join Pakistan but should choose an independent state's status or else they would keep bleeding. The ghoulish military of Pakistan draws and consumes huge funds in the garb of Kashmir cause and it proves that they are only concerned with the pecuniary goals. "The cities of overseas Mohajirs in Pakistan have been occupied, while Mohajir nation is facing genocide under the Pakistani military. All the Mohajirs living in foreign countries should join hands together and raise their issues before the international fraternity. Today, we have to utilise every single available tool like social media to fight our battle with the demonic military of Pakistan and secure the future of our coming generations," the leader added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two days after Amol Palekar had allegedly criticised the Ministry of Culture for scrapping the local artists' advisory committees at the gallery's centres in Mumbai and Bengaluru National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) Director General, Adwaita Gadanayak clarified that the committees have not been dissolved but their terms have ended recently. Speaking to ANI, Gadanayak said, "The Advisory Committees of NGMA Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi have not been dissolved. Their terms have ended recently. The committees are in the process of being reconstituted. The recommendations of previous Advisory Committees (which are upto December 2019 for NGMA, Mumbai) will be honoured and exhibitions of artists will happen as proposed. The new advisory committee will take a decision relating to future exhibitions." Palekar had on Friday attended 'Inside the Empty Box', an exhibition held in honour of renowned artist Prabhakar Barwe. While addressing the gathering, he had allegedly criticised the Ministry of Culture for scrapping the local artists' advisory committees at the gallery's centres in Mumbai and Bengaluru. This was interrupted by members present at the event, including artist and former chairman of the advisory committee in Mumbai, Suhas Bahulkar and show curator Jesal Thacker, who asked him to keep his discussion limited to the artist and the exhibition. This, Palekar said, was a form of censorship. A video of the incident has also surfaced on social media. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh chief minister and Telugu Desam Party(TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on Monday, ahead of his day-long protest. Naidu, along with his supporters, sported black shirts as a mark of protest while visiting Rajghat. He is observing a day-long dharna here today against the central government over the issue of special status to Andhra Pradesh. Termed 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice), the strike is being held at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan here. It is expected to go on till around 8 PM. The TDP chief will sit on a hunger strike along with his ministers, party MLAs, MLCs, and MPs. As per an official statement, he will be submitting a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday. In October 2013, Naidu had staged an indefinite fast at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan here, demanding that if a separate state is carved out of then unified Andhra Pradesh, both should get equal rights. On the fifth day of his protest, he was forcibly shifted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital after his health deteriorated. He had also observed a fast in Vijayawada in April last year demanding special status for the state. The TDP had pulled out of the NDA last year over the Centre's refusal to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Leaders of Congress, Trinamool Congress, NCP, Samajwadi Party, Conference, DMK, AAP and Shiv Sena joined the TDP chief at his agitation at Andhra Bhavan to express their solidarity for his demand for special status to Andhra Pradesh. Among those in attendance were Congress President Rahul Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Ghulam Nabi Azad, TMC MP Derek O'Brien, AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, NCP's Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel, and DMK's T Siva. Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena, as well as disgruntled BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha, former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, also attended. During the day, Naidu addressed the gathering a number of times, attacking Modi and accusing him of being "vindictive" and "inefficient and unfit" to rule the country. "Modi is acting shamelessly and egotistically. He is thinking of winning the elections by colluding with some parties. Modi is unfit to rule the country. He is inefficient. Rulers should keep in mind the aspirations of the people," the Andhra Chief Minister said. He said he came to Delhi to explain to the nation the "injustice" done by the Centre to Andhra Pradesh. "Yesterday, Modi went to Guntur and slammed me but did not announce anything for Andhra Pradesh. The BJP will be washed out in Andhra Pradesh forever. The BJP is dividing the nation. We are here for uniting the nation. We are here to explain to the nation the injustice done by the Centre to Andhra Pradesh. We are also part of this country. Our aspiration must be fulfilled. We will take the help of all parties and achieve our target," the Chief Minister said. Naidu had pulled out of the NDA in March last year on the issue of special status to his state. He had earlier staged similar protests against the Centre. Attacking Modi on the Rafale deal, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Prime Minister facilitated "loot" as according to a media report he had removed the anti-corruption clause from the controversial fighter jet contract. "Every Defence deal has an anti-corruption clause. The Hindu has reported that the Prime Minister removed the anti-corruption clause. It is clear that the Prime Minister facilitated the loot," Rahul told media at the event. Gandhi alleged that the Prime Minister has got no credibility left. Backing Naidu, he said: "I stand with the people of Andhra Pradesh. What kind of a Prime Minister is he? He did not fulfil the commitment made to the people of Andhra Pradesh. Modi tells a lie wherever he goes. He has got no credibility left." Derek O'Brien said the no-confidence motion brought by the TDP in the Lok Sabha in July last year "scared" Prime Minister Modi. "After that on Jan 9, 2019, the SP and the BSP came together. On that day, senior leaders of 22 political parties came on the same stage (to show opposition unity)," he said. He also attacked the BJP alleging that it had got a "new ally - the CBI". Meanwhile, the BJP claimed that Naidu was staging the protest without following any protocol for "political purposes". "He (Naidu) is doing this entire drama for political reasons. Without following any protocol, he has come to Delhi and sat on a dharna. Moreover, he is already very famous for his U-turn on many issues. Whatever he says, the people of both the Telugu states will not believe him because he is famous for lying to people on several occasions. Naidu is a failure and people will give no response on this," BJP leader Ram Chander Rao told ANI. Naidu is scheduled to meet President Ram Nath Kovind tomorrow and submit a memorandum. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to visit Delhi tomorrow to express solidarity with the TDP leader. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Majid Al Futtaim, in collaboration with I.AM+, has announced that the AI-powered Omega platform will be rolled out for the first time in English and Arabic through Majid Al Futtaims Carrefour and Vox Cinemas brands in the Middle East. Majid Al Futtaim is a leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Los Angeles-based technology company I.AM+ has chosen the Middle East as its English version launch market, following the partnership announcement with Majid Al Futtaim at the World Economic Forum, in January 2019. Majid Al Futtaim will introduce the AI-powered voice assistant to its customers this year, enabling an entirely new level of experiential retail at various customer touchpoints when shopping for groceries or booking movie tickets. The I.AM+ Omega platform, customised for Majid Al Futtaim customers, will engage consumers in localised conversational and contextual style interactions, available in English and Arabic, delivering deep cross domain knowledge for a seamless customer experience. The announcement was made at the seventh edition of the World Government Summit in the presence of Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, UAEs Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence. In line with Dubais growing reputation as a global hub for innovation and technological advancements, the introduction of the I.AM+ Omega platform is testament to the continually growing appeal of the region and the UAE as an entry market for international businesses. Al Olama said: Being home to the global launch of Omega as part of the Majid Al Futtaim and I.AM+ partnership, further showcases our commitment to the strategy for artificial intelligence under which we aim to position the UAE as a leader in the field of AI adoption in various sectors, and create a new vital market with high economic value. We provide our full support to such initiatives that advance the agenda and vision of Smart Dubai 2021 and we look forward to celebrating the success of this partnership in due course, he added. With an average of 33 apps installed on smartphones, research indicates users only use three apps 80 per cent of the time. Command driven, non-conversational technologies lead to lower usage rates and poor retention. The I.AM+ Omega platform will address a rising gap between what consumers want from their smartphone applications and the current level of satisfaction that they experience. Alain Bejjani, chief executive officer of Majid Al Futtaim - holding, said: We continue to implement cutting-edge technologies within our business to ensure that we are creating ground breaking experiences. Our partnership with I.AM+ indicates our commitment to pushing customer-centric solutions and ensuring that people in our region experience the true potential of AI and the opportunities of voice technology. We are excited to bring to life the Omega platform across our brands this year, he added. Founder and chief executive officer of I.AM+, will.i.am, said: The UAE is at the forefront of AI adoption and entrepreneurship so its a perfect location for the first bilingual version of Omega to be introduced globally. We recognise tremendous potential in this region as it holds one of the highest internet penetration levels in the world. Majid Al Futtaim is the leading lifestyle conglomerate across the region and is the ideal partner given the common vision we share to use technology for better human experiences, he added. Consumers will be able to utilise Omegas voice computing technology which understands context and is proactive in anticipating needs based on historical data. The technology is designed to support simultaneous multi-tasking use that combines features extracted from different modalities such as text, audio and image, allowing for seamless fusion of voice and user interface across multiple devices. Another differentiating factor for the Omega platform is the privacy and customer data protection the technology enjoys. In January, as part of the partnership announcement with Majid Al Futtaim, I.AM+ also announced Majid Al Futtaim as the first retail conglomerate to be a member of the Accommodation and Retail Coalition (A.R.C.), a confederation of travel suppliers, retail brands and service providers who will offer a neutral voice AI platform to consumers that is private by design. The coalition is intended to embrace the opportunity of voice technologies and address the challenges, collectively, to deliver a world-class AI experience for customers. Majid Al Futtaims digital transformation journey is driving the companys ability to merge physical and virtual experiences in a number of ways. The company continues to add digital dimensions to its business, enhance its seamless omnichannel offerings, and revolutionise its data and analytics capabilities. Majid Al Futtaims experiences will harness the power of I.AM+s Omega platform to drive brand loyalty, while building, maintaining and enriching direct customer relationships, it stated. TradeArabia News Service Former first lady Michelle Obama made a surprise appearance at the Grammy Awards. She was welcomed onstage by host Alicia Keys and joined Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith and Jennifer Lopez for an empowering opening address to the crowd, wrote The Hollywood Reporter. Speaking at the event, she said, "From the Motown records I wore out on the Southside to the 'Who Run the World' songs that fueled me through this last decade, music has always helped me tell my story." She further added, "Music helps us share ourselves, our dignity and sorrows, our hopes, our joys. Music shows us that all of it matters." Gaga too spoke on the power of music, saying, "They said I was weird, but music led me to all of you and to my little monsters, who I love so much," while Lopez quipped in, "Back in the Bronx, music gave me a reason to dance." Pinkett Smith added, "Every voice we hear deserves to be honoured and respected."Host Keys ended the segment by saying, "Who run the world?" which was met with applause from the audience and the start of the show. During the Grammys, Michelle Obama also posted about female friendship on Twitter, writing, "A big part of friendship is showing up for your girls-that's why I was thrilled to be there for the one and only @aliciakeys at the #GRAMMYs. She is one of the most genuine and thoughtful people I know-there's no one better to help us all celebrate the unifying power of music!" Notably, the move to include a female host along with four women who joined her onstage during the monologues comes a year after Recording Academy president Neil Portnow was heavily criticised over his comments that female musicians should "step up" to improve gender representation at the Grammys. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With marijuana being legalised across North America, there is a changing perception that sees people believing that weed is the safest recreational drug. However, those assumptions are now challenged in an article in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology that examine the story of a patient who developed chest pain and myocardial ischemia after consuming most of a marijuana lollipop. Speaking about it, expert Alexandra Saunders said, "Marijuana can be a useful tool for many patients, especially for pain and nausea relief. At the same time, like all other medications, it does carry risk and side effects. In a recent case, inappropriate dosing and oral consumption of marijuana by an older patient with stable cardiovascular disease resulted in distress that caused a cardiac event and subsequent reduced cardiac function." According to the report, a 70-year-old man with stable coronary artery disease, taking appropriate cardiac medications at most of a lollipop infused with 90 mg of THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) to relieve pain and help sleep. However, it led him to have a potentially serious heart attack. He consumed a much larger dose than the 7 mg that is typically ingested by smoking a single joint or taking the 2.5 mg starting dose of dronabinol (Marinol), a synthetic THC marketed for nausea and appetite stimulation in AIDS and cancer patients. While the patient had smoked marijuana in his youth, he had not done so since the THC content of the substance had increased significantly from three percent to 12 per cent. He was also not familiar with the time-delayed and extended effect of oral THC dosing. The cardiac event was likely triggered by unexpected strain on his body from anxiety and fearful hallucinations caused by the unusually large amount of THC he ingested. After the psychotropic effects of the drug wore off, and his hallucinations ended, his chest pain stopped. Notably, a number of earlier case reports have described the association between cannabis use and acute cardiovascular (CV) adverse events, including myocardial infarction, stroke, arrhythmias, and sudden death. Speaking about it, the editorial author Neal L. Benowitz said, "The legalisation of cannabis has considerable public support but also raises public concerns." Benowitz added, "Some users may benefit from the social and medical effects, but others will be at risk for adverse outcomes. Little information has been disseminated to patients or healthcare providers about cannabis use in older patients, and in particular those with cardiovascular disease. For better or worse, providing advice and care to such patients who are using cannabis is now necessary for the provision of optimal medical care to these patients. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Lohia Group marked its entry into the Aerospace and Defence sector with the acquisition of Israel-based Light and Strong Limited. Specializing in aerospace and military carbon fibre and glass fibre composite components production, the firm's established pedigree in military technology manufacturing is a synergistic fit with Lohia Group's decades long expertise in large scale manufacturing across sectors. The acquisition establishes Lohia Group as a key participant in the sector as it leverages Light and Strong's existing client base, which includes the Israeli Ministry of Defence among others, to build its own presence. The Israeli facility is a well-established aerostructures manufacturer for platforms such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and passenger and cargo aircraft. These customers will now be ably supported by Lohia Group with its facilities in Israel and India. Based in Kanpur, Lohia Group's India facilities will be part of the Uttar Pradesh government's new defence corridor, bringing in high-end key technologies into Aerospace and Defence composites domain. Working with the overarching vision of the Government of India's 'Skill India' and 'Make in India' initiatives, with this acquisition, Lohia Group will establish India as an exporter of customized composite products to global OEMs. We aim to become a successful vehicle for executing offsetobligations of global companies through this endeavor. The Group will also explore other opportunities in the sector which align with our experience and expertise. Anurag Lohia, Director - Lohia Group, stated, "Our acquisition of Light and Strong allows us to integrate our manufacturing expertise with cutting edge technology to help make India the exporter of choice for global OEMs. With our belief in 'Make in India', we are committed to supporting our indigenous Aerospace and Defence sector for its requirements of all things composite." This story is provided by NewsVoir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One more person was held in connection with Kushinagar hooch tragedy on Sunday, informed state excise and prohibition minister Jai Pratap Singh . Eight people died after consuming illicit liquor in Kushinagar. Giving details about the incident that took place in Kushinagar Singh told ANI, "In Kushinagar villagers have identified a person named Rajinder Jaiswal who was involved in illicit liquor business and he has been arrested. Officers of Kushinagar who were negligent towards their duty were suspended." "Reason behind incidents in Saharanpur and Kushinagar are different. People from Saharanpur went to Uttarakhand for a function where they consumed poisonous liquor. As they returned death toll rose. Both the incidents are unfortunate and painful," he added. The minister also alleged that in 2017 when he took charge of this ministry a similar incident occurred in Azamgarh and the people who were responsible for this incident were associated with the Samajwadi Party. "In 2017 when I took charge of this department an incident like this had happened in Azamgarh. The people who were held for that incident were associated to the Samajwadi Party and something similar happened in 2013 and in that too those who were held were members of the Akhilesh Yadav led party," he added. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has already announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of those who died after consuming spurious liquor and Rs 50,000 each to those who are undergoing treatment. Congress Eastern Uttar Pradesh General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too expressed grief over the death of more than 100 people in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh due to illicit liquor consumption and demanded an appropriate compensation and provision of government jobs for kin of the deceased. Consumption of spurious illegal liquor has claimed the lives of 70 people in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, forcing government officials to launch a major crackdown to nab those responsible for distribution of illicit liquor in the states and its neighbouring regions. While 13 people lost their lives in Uttarakhand, the death toll in Uttar Pradesh mounted to 56. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Madras High Court on Monday rejected a petition filed by Apollo hospital seeking a stay on the Justice Arumughaswamy Commission's proceedings until a medical board is formed in connection with former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's death probe. The next date of hearing in the matter is February 15. Apollo Hospital had on February 9 approached the Madras High Court seeking an interim stay on the proceedings of the panel probing the death of Jayalalithaa. The hospital claimed that the Justice Arumughaswamy Commission, which is probing the death of Jayalalithaa, is "prejudiced," adding that the hospital will be subjected to "grave hardship and irreparable harm" if the proceedings are not stayed. "The real danger of prejudice and bias is apparent in the manner in which the probe panel is conducting the examination of witnesses," a petition filed by the hospital read. The hospital further alleged that the Arumughaswamy Commission is "prejudging the facts and has concluded prematurely that the hospital is at wrong." Apollo also accused the probe panel of acting beyond its jurisdiction and in lack of expertise to understand complex medical conditions. Popularly known as 'Amma', Jayalalithaa was taken to Chennai's Apollo Hospital on September 22, 2016, and treated in the hospital for 75 days before she breathed her last on December 5. Following her death, allegations of foul play began to do the rounds and state Forest Minister Dindigul Sreenivasan even claimed that all Cabinet ministers had lied to the people about her hospitalisation and death. In September 2017, Justice A Arumughaswamy was appointed to head the probe into the death of the former Chief Minister. Over a year later, the hospital demanded the constitution of a medical board comprising doctors and medical professionals to examine Jayalalithaa's medical records. In an affidavit filed to the Arumughaswamy Commission, the hospital raised the demand citing that errors crept in due to the inability of a typist to comprehend and type correct medical terms.Apollo Hospital further said that words like 'intubation' were recorded as 'incubation' and other fatal errors. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Doctors of Resident Doctors Association on Monday observed two hours "pen-down strike" outside the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital in Shimla while protesting against the bank guarantee policy. In an efforts to prevent doctors from joining private hospitals, the Himachal Pradesh government has made it mandatory for the MBBS doctors, who wanted to pursue higher courses like MD/MS, to submit a bank guarantee of Rs 10 lakh until now. Recently, the government has reduced the bank guarantee to Rs 5 lakh. Over 100 doctors are demanding the complete removal of bank guarantee bond condition laid by the health department of the state. In addition to that, the doctors are also demanding to increase their stipend from Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000. During the protest, the doctors were seen making people aware of Swine Flu by holding placards. The doctors also donated blood at the hospital. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday constituted a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe recent deaths due to consumption of illicit liquor in the state. Meanwhile, two persons have been arrested in connection with Kushinagar hooch tragedy, which claimed eight lives, said Superintendent of Police Rajeev Narayan Mishra on Sunday. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has already announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of those who died after consuming spurious liquor and Rs 50,000 each to those who are undergoing treatment. Eastern Uttar Pradesh General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too expressed grief over the death of more than 100 people in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh due to illicit liquor consumption and demanded an appropriate compensation and provision of government jobs for kin of the deceased. Consumption of spurious illegal liquor has claimed the lives of 70 people in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, forcing government officials to launch a major crackdown to nab those responsible for distribution of illicit liquor in the states and its neighbouring regions. While 13 people lost their lives in Uttarakhand, the death toll in Uttar Pradesh mounted to 56. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh Police on a plea filed by the son of Qasim, the victim in the Hapur lynching case, seeking direction for an SIT probe under an officer from another state. The apex court also tagged the matter with earlier pending pleas. In September last year, the top court said that the investigation in the matter will be conducted under the supervision of Meerut's Inspector General of Police (IG). The apex court also said that the IG Meerut will adhere and follow the court's judgment while conducting the investigation in the case. In June last year, 38-year-old Qasim, a cattle trader, was lynched to death and 65-year-old Shamsuddin was severely injured in Uttar Pradesh's Hapur district after a group of people attacked them on suspicion of being involved in cow slaughter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajasthan Minister Bhanwar Lal on Monday urged the protesting Gujjar community, demanding five per cent reservation in government jobs and educational institutes, to not to resort to violence and protest peacefully. The protest launched by the Gujjar Community entered its fourth day today. Lal stated, "Would like to appeal to Gujjar community that please do not resort to violence, protest peacefully. I would also like to appeal to Bainsla Ji to send his team for dialogue, and we will discuss as to how their demands can be met within limits of Constitution." He also urged the protesters to pressurise the Centre to give the reservation. "Would like to appeal to the Gujjar community that they pressurise the PM to give five per cent reservation, the way they gave 10 per cent reservation to General Category. Our government is 45 days old, we're not saying no. If they will block roads then the government will also do its work," he said. Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla, on Monday, said: "We will leave only after getting 5 per cent reservation. It's my personal request to the government, don't do anything which can provoke people of Rajasthan, people are waiting for my instructions. Let's sort it out in a peaceful manner. The earlier the better." On Sunday, the protesters turned violent as three police vehicles were torched in Dholpur district and around 10 shots were also fired. As per the railway authorities, as many as 18 trains were cancelled in Kota division of Central-West Railway on Sunday. However, between February 11 and 13, the railway authorities have already announced to cancel the movement of 37 trains, scheduled to pass through Kota division, in view of the ongoing quota stir. According to police, unidentified miscreants fired around 10 shots in the air during the blockade on Agra-Morena highway. Three police vehicles including two jeeps and a bus were torched by the agitators, said the police, which had to use tear gas shells to disperse them. Since the people of the Gujjar community have squatted on rail tracks for the last three days, the movement of trains has adversely been affected. Ten trains plying on February 11 in Kota division areas have been cancelled while 12 trains scheduled for plying on February 12 also stand cancelled. Also, 15 trains scheduled for plying on February 13 have been cancelled well in advance. Also, several trains have been diverted. As per the railway authorities, 13 trains commencing on February 10 were diverted while five trains commencing on February 11 have been diverted in Kota division. The movement of vehicles on the Highway-8 was also affected on Sunday at Ajmer as protestors blocked the Highway-8 (NH-8) in support of the ongoing reservation stir.In an appeal to Gujjar community, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has asked them not to sit on the rail tracks and has urged them to submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On Saturday, agitators erected tents on railway tracks Sawai Madhopur district. Last year on October 26, the BJP government led by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje had passed a Bill, which increased Other Backward Classes (OBCs) quota from 21 per cent to 26 per cent. In December 2018, the state government had also approved one per cent reservation for Gujjar and four other OBCs as per the Supreme Court-imposed 50 per cent quota ceiling. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court on Monday issued a notice to meat exporter Moin Qureshi in CBI's application seeking enhancement of his additional security amount from Rs 2 crore to Rs 6 crore in response to his travel to Pakistan and UAE. Earlier this month, a trial court had allowed Qureshi to travel to the two countries. He had sought permission to travel to the UAE for the Gulf Food Festival from February 15 to 23, and to Pakistan from March 16 to 20 to attend his niece's wedding, according to reports. Qureshi was ordered by the court to furnish Rs 2 crore in the form of bank guarantee. The meat exporter, who was arrested in August 2017 after a case was filed against him under the money laundering Act for illegal forex dealings and tax evasion, was granted bail by a Delhi court on December 12 last year. Opposing Qureshi's plea in an earlier hearing, the ED contested that "questioning of his arrest was an abuse of the legal process" and told the court that there were serious charges of hawala transactions against him. Qureshi is accused of conducting illegal transactions through Delhi-based hawala operators. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The University of Manchester (UoM) Middle East Centre in Dubai has partnered with UAEpreneur, a new programme for entrepreneurs and startups, to pick top 10 startups and provide professional development opportunities for the winners. UAEpreneur is an initiative of Dubai-based Innovest Middle East and aims to identify 10 leading startups from the region and introduce them to angel investors at an investor day in Dubai. UAEpreneurs is also supported by Johnson & Johnson Middle East, Startupgrind, and MENACatalyst. The UAEpreneur programme is initially focusing on young entrepreneurs and has already attracted interest and applications from across the GCC and wider Middle East region. The screening and selection process of the top 10 startups is now underway, supported by experts from the Universitys Middle East Centre in Dubai. Many of the startups are digital businesses targeting the b2b and b2c sectors. Following the selection of the 10 startups, the young entrepreneurs will be invited to the Investors Day event in Dubai to present their ideas to angel investors and prospective industry partners within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The prospective investors are both individuals and entities willing to invest seed funding of $50,000-$250,000 to help start up or scale the businesses. Moatassem Moatez, partner at Innovest Middle East, said: UAEpreneurs is an initiative to support the fast growing startup community in the region. Our focus is on younger entrepreneurs and a practical approach to getting them the support, finance and skills they need to succeed. Our commitment goes beyond matching startups to investors and Innovest will offer additional professional support to the winning startups. Ideas are important of course but potential investors look first at the people and their skills to assess a startups viability, so the participation of The University of Manchester will be valuable. Randa Bessiso, Middle East director at The University of Manchester, added: From our own experience, we can see the very powerful attraction of entrepreneurial careers among professionals across the Middle East. Our aim is to support these innovators and our partnership with Innovest and the UAEpreneur programme is another way of doing this. The Middle East Centre will enable access for the 10 startups to our executive education programmes and our extensive network of students and alumni across the region. Investors invest in people first and so our support in personal and professional skills development will be valuable to startups. The University of Manchester Middle East Centre has developed into the largest and fastest-growing centre in the Universitys international network comprising six hubs in key business cities around the world. The centre has supported more than 2,300 part-time MBA students based in the region and has graduated more than 1,300 MBA students since opening in 2006. TradeArabia News Service Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday arrived in Delhi ahead of his strike at AP Bhawan on Monday demanding special status for his state. Naidu will stage the 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice) at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in the capital from 8 am to 8 pm later today. The chief minister will sit on a hunger strike along with his ministers, party MLAs, MLCs, and MPs. As per an official statement, he will be submitting a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday. Notebly, Naidu in October 2013 had staged an indefinite fast at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan here, demanding that if a separate state is carved out of then unified Andhra Pradesh, both should get equal rights. He, however on the fifth day of his protest was forcibly shifted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. Also on April 20 2018, on the occasion of his birthday, the TDP chief had observed fast Vijayawada demanding special status for the state. Earlier on Sunday Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on Naidu, calling him a master in backstabbing and destroying the dreams of people. His Telugu Desam Party had pulled out of the NDA last year over the Centre's refusal to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court on Monday fixed February 22 for hearing a pre-summoning argument in the defamation complaint filed against 'The Caravan' and Congress' Jairam Ramesh. The complaint was filed by Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval's son Vivek Doval against the magazine for allegedly publishing a defamatory article and Jairam Ramesh for using content from the article. Earlier in the day, Vivek's business partner Amit Sharma had recorded his statement before the court. In his statement, Sharma said, "I know Vivek Doval (complainant) since 2004 when we both were semiconductor analyst at different banks. I was at Deutsche Bank and Vivek was at Bear Stearn Bank. Since then we became friends and had been in regular contact." "Later, Vivek and I discussed stock ideas very regularly and got along very well over the course of the next several years," he noted. "In 2012, when Boyer Allen shut down. Vivek was looking for what to do next. This is when we came up with the idea of the launching of a fund together," Sharma said. This development came to light after Vivek on January 30 recorded his statement before the same court. Vivek asserted that all charges made against him were "baseless and false" and references were made in "a demeaning manner" without trying to "ascertain the facts." He had recorded his statement before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal. "I was livid after reading the article published about me in a magazine and the manner in which the events were narrated. My family was referred to as D-Companies whereas we all know that in our country the D-Company refers to Dawood Ibrahim, a known criminal, who figures in the most wanted list," he told the court. "Questions were also raised on the integrity of my family, especially my father who has dedicated his life to the service of the nation and fighting against Dawood," Vivek further said. Vivek, who obtained CFA from the US in 2006 and did CAIA from CAIA institute in 2010, said: "Allegations were levied about money laundering and converting the black money into white, without there being any basis." "It was written that Rs 8,300 crore of black money has been round tripped to India thereby tarnishing my career and my venture GNY Asia Fund," he stated. Calling himself a proud Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) and citizen of the UK, Doval also asserted that "the article branded him and his family as anti- " Stating that Jairam Ramesh, a former Union Minister, had used the platform of the Indian Congress (INC) to propagate these charges, he said: "There were many derogatory comments spoken which raised numerous questions on the integrity of my family." "Unpleasantness was bestowed upon me and my family based on falsehood and mala-fide. Without trying to ascertain facts, references were made in a demeaning manner," he said. He also claimed that the repercussions of the article and press conference questioned his professional integrity, which is of critical importance for his career. "It has questioned my social standing as a fund manager. If I have dubious integrity, my career is over as a Fund manager." On January 21, Vivek had filed a criminal defamation case against Congress leader Jairam Ramesh and two journalists, contending that they had caused "irreparable damage" to his reputation "through calculated insinuations and innuendos." Vivek has contended that Ramesh and the two journalists "have committed the offence of defamation punishable under Section 500 of IPC (which provides for simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both) read with Section 120-B IPC (criminal conspiracy). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Upbeat over the massive response to the road show here on Monday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that his party would contest the coming Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh with full force. "The Congress will fight (Lok Sabha polls) with full force in Uttar Pradesh. The party will fight for its ideology. It will fight to change Uttar Pradesh," said Rahul, while accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, RSS and BJP of pursuing the ideology of hatred and division. "On the one side is Congress' ideology of brotherhood, love and bringing people together, while on the other is RSS, BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ideology of dividing people, spreading hatred and making the country weak," said Rahul. "The Congress party is not going to play on the back foot in any state. We will play on the front foot everywhere. This is a fight of ideology," said Rahul, who along with his sister Priyanka Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia, general secretaries for east and west Uttar Pradesh respectively, conducted a road show, which received a huge response from the people. Talking about SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh, where 80 Lok Sabha seats are at stake, Rahul said: "I respect Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati, but the Congress party will fight with full force. The party will fight for its ideology. It will fight to change Uttar Pradesh." It is worth mentioning that SP and BSP have agreed to contest on 38 seats each while deciding not to field candidates in Rae Bareli and Amethi Lok Sabha seats which are currently represented by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi respectively. They have left two seats for the smaller parties. "The Congress party was started in Uttar Pradesh. It can't, therefore, be weak in the state. That's why I have given the job of strengthening Congress party in Uttar Pradesh to Priyanka Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia," he said. "I have told them that the Congress party needs good performance in the Lok Sabha elections, and should also win the UP legislative election and form the government in the state," said Rahul. The Congress had won 21 seats in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, but lost 19 seats in 2014 polls. The party was able to retain only Amethi and Rae Bareli seats. "The youth of Uttar Pradesh, its farmers, Dalits, backward caste people and poor, all of them want the Congress to come to power in the state. They have tried everyone, and all of them have failed in serving them," he said. Criticising Prime Minister Modi, Rahul said: "A few days back reports came out the 'Chowkidaar' did parallel negotiations in Rafale deal. Prime Minister Modi cancelled the negotiations of the Air Force. People of the Air Force and Defence Ministry say 'Chowkidaar chor hai." "In every defence deal, there is a clause against corruption that states if there will be corruption, then the Government of India can investigate the matter. It states the contract can be cancelled if required," he said. "Prime Minister Modi cancelled the clause over corruption. He gave people's Rs 30,000 crore to Anil Ambani," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu began his day-long hunger strike in Delhi on Monday. Dressed in black as a mark of protest, Naidu and his party members and ministerial colleagues paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat ahead of the strike. Naidu is observing a hunger strike or 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice) against the central government over the issue of special status to Andhra Pradesh. The chief minister is accompanied by his ministers, party MLAs, MLCs, and MPs in the hunger strike. As per an official statement, he will be submitting a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday. In October 2013, Naidu had staged an indefinite fast at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan here, demanding that if a separate state is carved out of then unified Andhra Pradesh, both should get equal rights. On the fifth day of his protest, he was forcibly shifted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital after his health deteriorated. He had also observed a fast in Vijayawada in April last year demanding special status for the state. The Telugu Desam Party had pulled out of the NDA last year over the Centre's refusal to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bombay High Court on Monday slammed Lieutenant Colonel Shrikant Purohit's plea challenging the validity of prosecution sanction for his trial under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Purohit is an accused in 2008 Malegaon blasts. The High Court has said that Purohit's appeal is not maintainable as it is an interlocutory order while permitting the applicant to convert appeal into a writ petition. In November 2018, a special court of the Investigation Agency (NIA) had rejected Purohit's application to access untruncated documents, on grounds that it is an attempt by him to prolong the trial. Col Purohit had asked for statements of all the witnesses from the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the NIA as mentioned in the charge sheet. On September 29, 2008, a bomb placed in a tiffin box tied to a motorcycle near a mosque in Malegaon exploded killing six people and injuring many. The court had framed charges against Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Major Ramesh Upadhyay, Sameer Kulkarni, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi and Sudhakar Chaturvedi, accusing them of a terror conspiracy, murder and other related offences. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Equity markets ended lower on Monday for the second consecutive session with selling pressure across the board. The S&P BSE Sensex closed 151 points lower at 36,395. The Nifty 50 closed 55 points down at 10,888. Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd slumped over 5 per cent after posting disappointing quarterly results. Reliance Industries was also a top drag on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and closed 1.8 per cent lower. Market experts said the selling pressure was witnessed across the board. Meanwhile, Asian stock markets closed mixed as investors awaited the outcome of a fresh round of trade talks between the United States and China in Beijing. Deputy Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish is leading the US delegation for working-level discussions in efforts to reach a deal before March 1. . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said the Army will airlift stranded students and others from Srinagar to Jammu and vice-versa as the highway, the only surface link that connects the valley with rest of the country, is blocked due to heavy snowfall. She said she acknowledged the phone call of PDP supremo and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti on this matter and also spoke with Deputy Commissioner of Jammu. "Army to help air-lift stranded students & others from Jammu to Srinagar & vice versa. Inclement weather affected their movement. Acknowledge the phone call of @MehboobaMufti on this matter. Also just spoke with DC Jammu. @PIB_India @ANI @SpokespersonMoD @DefenceMinIndia," the Defence Minister tweeted. Earlier today, Mehbooba Mufti said that she spoke with Defence Minister regarding the stranded passengers and was assured that arrangements would be made to airlift the people. "Spoke to @nsitharaman ji regarding passengers who have been stranded in Jammu for many days now. She has assured me that arrangements will be made to airlift them soon," Mehbooba tweeted.Indian Air Force on Saturday deployed C-17 Globemaster heavy-lift aircraft to transport 170 people stranded in Srinagar to Jammu. The Jammu-Srinagar Highway has been closed due to heavy snowfall in the state. Evacuated people also included students who have to appear for their GATE exams.Multiple avalanches in the state of Jammu and Kashmir have left the Jammu-Srinagar Highway closed. There has been complete disruption of transport services, leaving thousands of people stranded. Some people are reportedly trapped under snow at various locations across the region. As the 300-kilometre-long highway is closed, trucks carrying goods to the state are also stranded. Heavy snowfall has also led to depletion of fuel stocks following which administration directed fuel pumps on Thursday not to provide more than 3 litres petrol and 10 litres diesel per vehicle in a day.The heavy snowfall in the state has resulted in the loss of crops such as cabbage, apple, potatoes, etc. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Monday claimed that the party has not endorsed any anti-Modi posters at the venue of the ongoing protest at Andhra Pradesh Bhawan. "We don't endorse it. It is not correct and it should not be done. It must not have been put by our party people," TDP MP Jayadev Galla told ANI. Later, the posters which read: "In whose hand the used teacups were supposed to be given, people gave him the country" were removed from the venue of the dharna. Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu began his day-long hunger strike in Delhi on Monday. Dressed in black as a mark of protest, Naidu and his party members and ministerial colleagues paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat before starting his protest. Naidu is observing a hunger strike or 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice) against the central government over the issue of special status to Andhra Pradesh. The chief minister is accompanied by his ministers, party MLAs, MLCs, and MPs in the hunger strike. While addressing the gathering, Naidu, whose party pulled out of the NDA last year, alleged that the Centre is discriminating Andhra Pradesh. The Chief Minister asserted that the TDP came to the capital to explain to the nation the "injustice" done by the Centre to Andhra Pradesh. Naidu "warned" the Centre and Prime Minister Modi to "stop attacking an individual" and said that the BJP will be washed out in Andhra Pradesh forever. He claimed that the BJP is trying to divide the nation while the TDP is in the capital to make people aware of the injustice being meted out to Andhra Pradesh. The TDP pulled out of the BJP-led NDA over the "injustice" done to Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation. Termed 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice), the strike is being held at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in Delhi. It is expected to go on till around 8 pm. As per an official statement, Naidu will be submitting a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday. Naidu, who has been pressing for special category status for Andhra Pradesh for long, had earlier staged similar protests against the Centre. In October 2013, Naidu had staged an indefinite fast at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan here, demanding that if a separate state is carved out of then unified Andhra Pradesh, both should get equal rights. On the fifth day of his protest, he was forcibly shifted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital after his health deteriorated. He had also observed a fast in Vijayawada in April last year demanding special status for the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scores of people from the Khugakhel tribe had blocked the Pakistan-Afghanistan highway here in protest against the unavailability of electricity. The agitators also pelted stones in retaliation to law enforcement personnel firing shots in the air to disperse the demonstrators. The peaceful protests were being held by the tribe against the power unavailability in the Landi Kotal subdivision, reports The News International. The demonstrators held black flags and chanted slogans against Tesco officials for drawn-out load-shedding in the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) region when the police personnel were brought in to disperse the crowd. The situation went awry when shots were fired in the air by the Khassadar and Levies personnel. Angry protesters pelted stones in retaliation. They have threatened more protests if the incidents of firing are not investigated by the government. Activists, however, have alleged that the protests were held against the trading company, National Logistics Cell (NLC) which is owned by the Pakistani army. "Peaceful protest was held in Landi Kotal, Khyber Agency against the 'number one' trading company NLC's occupancy of transport services and lands. 'Number one' security forces lathi charged and did intense firing on the peaceful protesters. At Landi Kotal Bypass, 'Khassadars' fired upon the women protesters," Ismail Mehsud, a political activist tweeted on Sunday. Meanwhile, the incident has left two protesters injured, while three personnel have been wounded as well. The highway was reopened after four hours of the exchange, following talks between the administrative officials and protesters. An agreement has been inked following the incident, and Tesco has ensured to supply electricity for two additional hours in the area. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday condemned BJP president Amit Shah's open letter and said," They (BJP) are hitting me below the belt. PM and Shah have to maintain the decorum." Speaking to the media here, Naidu said, "I condemn all this. He has written a letter to the people of Andhra Pradesh. They are hitting me below the belt. PM and Shah have to maintain the decorum." "Tomorrow we are gathering here at 10:15 am. From here, we will rally and go to the President. We are 11 members only, we will give the representation to him," he added. Naidu made the remarks after Shah in an open letter slammed the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and said that the TDP chief has destroyed the trust of the people. The BJP president said, "Andhra Pradesh chief minister knows that his political fortunes are declining rapidly and so he was back to theatrics in his desperation for grabbing headlines. Naidu's "delusional politics" is about to end," "Chandrababu Naidu has broken the trust of the people of Andhra Pradesh. His delusional is about to end. He is going too far by personally attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he added. In his letter posted on social media, Shah said people will teach Naidu a befitting lesson in the coming elections for joining hands with the Congress, which bifurcated the state in a "unilateral, hasty and unscientific manner, ignoring" its interests. Naidu held a daylong protest at the Andhra Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday demanding special status for the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In Bali, a school built entirely from bamboo in a cleared patch of jungle is creating a generation of young people who attend UN climate conferences, start fashion companies to help Indian children buy school uniforms, and lobby the Balinese government to reduce the usage of plastic bags on the island. Halfway across the world, in Paris, a non-profit school without a single teacher, a curriculum or formal qualification is cultivating students who establish their own startups or find well-paying jobs. These are among the alternative educational models presented as part of the Future of Education stream at the seventh World Government Summit (WGS 2019) in Dubai to a group of educators and stakeholders from around the world. The Green School in Bali is the brainchild of John and Cynthia Hardy, former jewellery designers and longtime Bali residents whose lives were transformed by watching the 2006 American documentary An Inconvenient Truth. Inspired by its message, both set out to create a future generation of green leaders in a setting that defies every convention of traditional schooling. Green School is a school like no other. It has no walls, and the children are happy. This provides an incredible environment for growth, said John Hardy, addressing the delegates at WGS in a sarong and sandals. We thought it would take generations for our green leaders to manifest. We were wrong. Giving children freedom from boundaries teaches them to solve problems and think critically in ways we had never imagined possible. Nicolas Sadirac co-founded Ecole 42 in Paris as a short-term programme specifically for poor children and school dropouts. A computer programmer and hacker, he doesnt have a days training in education. But he has shaped a model where 4,000 children work peacefully in a building with no supervision, creating what he calls collective intelligence by working together to find solutions. Learning by rote is dangerous and makes you stupid. Information is freely available on the internet. What we need in todays world is the ability to create new stuff out of this knowledge by working together, said Sadirac. Its all about creating a safe place, and then providing an environment of trust. It helps to gamify the experience to make it fun. Then you step aside and watch the kids flourish. In the final session of the day, Dr Shefali Tsabary, a clinical psychologist and expert in eastern philosophy, talked about how to raise brilliant children. Offering a clue, she said: You are going to have to change your old thinking. In fact, conformity is the number one killer of creativity. The only way to transform your relationship with your child is to build a deep and empowered connection. This requires a new perspective and way of engaging but is imperative if we are to allow our children to be the best version of themselves rather than mirror images of our failed selves, she noted. The three-day World Government Summit 2019 runs until February 12 at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai. The landmark event has convened more than 4,000 participants from 140 countries, including heads of state and governments, as well as top-tier representatives of 30 international organizations. - TradeArabia News Service U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo on Monday (local time) refuted reports alleging that Washington has been covering up for the murder of former Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi and promised further action into the matter. Embarking on his bilateral visit to Hungary on Monday, Al Jazeera quoted Pompeo as saying, "America is not covering up for a murder," while adding that the US would take further action to hold accountable all those responsible for Khashoggi's assassination. The remarks came after President Donald Trump missed the deadline set by the US Congress, last week, to comment on reports whether Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of Khashoggi. While addressing the media, the Secretary of State stated that Washington has been "working diligently" to reach a final conclusion over the issue, the Japan Times reported. "The president has been very clear - couldn't be more clear - as we get additional information, we will continue to hold all of those responsible accountable," Pompeo said. Khashoggi was assassinated in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2 last year, where he had gone to obtain paperwork certifying his divorce with the ex-wife in order to be able to re-marry his Turkish fiance Hatice Cengiz. Washington, last year, had canceled the visas and froze the assets of 17 Saudi nationals involved in the Khashoggi murder. Meanwhile, President Trump has not replied to the US Congress over not meeting the deadline, however, sources were quoted as saying that Pompeo, in a letter to the Congress, had outlined actions over the killing. President Trump had earlier stated that Saudi Arabia is an important ally of the US; first, as a major oil supplier and weapon buyer, and second, to keep a check on the actions of Iran. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 40-year-old differently-abled man committed suicide by consuming poison outside Andhra Pradesh Bhawan in New Delhi on Sunday, said police. A suicide note has been recovered from his possession stating his financial condition as the reason for the suicide. Speaking to ANI, Deputy Commissioner of Police Madhur Verma said: "A 40-year-old differently-abled man from Andhra Pradesh committed suicide by consuming poison outside Andhra Pradesh Bhawan last night. A suicide note has been found stating his financial condition as the reason for the suicide" The police have registered a case. Further details in the matter are awaited. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday said that the upcoming meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump will become a critical turning point for achieving complete denuclearisation and long-lasting peace in the Korean Peninsula. The meeting is scheduled to be held at the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi on February 27 and 28. The two leaders are expected to discuss North Korea's progress of dismantling its nuclear weapons programme. "(The upcoming summit) will become a critical turning point that will advance to a specific and tangible level already agreed-upon principles, including the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, new US-North Korea ties and a peace regime in the peninsula," Moon was quoted by Yonhap News Agency while speaking to presidential secretaries and aides at a weekly meeting here. Insisting that the second US-North Korea summit will push the communist country's denuclearisation process forward, the South Korean President recalled that peace was "not even imaginable" a year ago. "The fact that we are at the centre of a change that was not even imaginable just one year earlier did not come by chance. It was possible because peace is the right path and our determination finally reached that path," Moon said. Noting the success of maiden meeting between Trump and Kim that took place in Singapore last June, Moon further said, "The first North Korea-US summit was a historic event itself that was a clear milestone in history. The upcoming second summit will take us a step further from here." Reiterating that the upcoming meeting would end confrontations between Washington and Pyongyang, the South Korean President put forth, "What's more important for us is that the meeting will be a critical chance that will help develop inter-Korean relations," adding that, "our future depends on stable peace." The second US-North Korea summit is seen as a breakthrough amid the prevailing impasse between Pyongyang and Washington over sanctions, which led to impeded growth in denuclearisation efforts in the Korean peninsula. During the first summit, held at Singapore's Sentosa Island, both Trump and Kim had agreed on a spectrum of issues, the most prominent being the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.However, the US and North Korea reached an impasse regarding sanctions relief for Pyongyang soon after the first summit, leading to extremely slow progress on the denuclearisation front. North Korea has sought relief in sanctions in light of the steps taken by the country towards denuclearisation. The US has repeatedly stated that there would be no sanctions relief until complete denuclearisation is achieved by North Korea. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mohammad Hanif Syed, one of the three convicts sentenced to death in the 2003 Mumbai twin bomb blasts, died at a hospital here on Sunday. Syed's health suddenly deteriorated on Saturday evening, following which he was shifted to a hospital. He was lodged in Nagpur Central Jail. Syed, his wife Fehmida and third conspirator Ashrat Ansari were put behind bars for planting bombs on August 25, 2003, near Vile Parle railway station. The incident claimed the lives of 54 people while 244 others sustained injuries. A special Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) court awarded the death sentence to all three accused for planting bombs at Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar. This was the first time that a married couple is being convicted by a POTA court for carrying out bomb blasts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned till July a plea of Zakia Jafri, widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, challenging the clean chit given by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several others in 2002 Gujarat riots. Ehsan Jafri was among 69 people killed in the Gulbarg Society massacre. The SIT, appointed by the apex court, conducted the investigation into the case and gave a clean chit to then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, other top politicians and bureaucrats. The clean chit was given citing lack of "prosecutable evidence" against them. Challenging the Gujarat High Court's order dated October 5, 2017 that upheld SIT's clean chit, Zakia approached the Supreme Court alleging a "larger conspiracy" in the riots. The Gujarat High Court had upheld the magisterial court's order, accepting the SIT's closure report. Earlier, Zakia had approached the Gujarat High Court in 2014 after the magisterial court rejected the petition challenging the SIT report. In her petition to the Supreme Court, Zakia has stated: "Grant ad-interim order to Special Investigation Team (SIT) to carry out further investigation under section 173(8) of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in regard to the petitioner's complaint dated June 8, 2006 and the evidence placed before the learned through the protest petition dated April 15, 2013. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States is likely just weeks away from starting the withdrawal of ground troops from Syria ordered by President Donald Trump, the top US commander overseeing American forces in the Middle East said on Sunday. US Army General Joseph Votel, head of the US Central Command, cautioned that the exact timing would depend on the situation in Syria, where US-backed fighters have launched a final assault against Islamic State enclaves near the Iraqi border. The US military has already started withdrawing equipment from Syria. Asked whether the withdrawal of America's more ... Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday (February 10) launched mega tourism projects in Al Ula region of the kingdom, including a resort designed by renowned French architect Jean Nouvel and a nature reserve, both called Sharaan. The first-of-its-kind sustainable resort project is part of the kingdom's mega plan to transform the home of ancient civilisations into a destination for visitors from around the world, reported Arab News. Prince Mohammed laid the foundation stone last night to announce the official inauguration of the ancient city as a world destination, it added. The resort, to be located in a valley deep inside the 925-sq-km Sharaan Nature Reserve, will boast several key amenities include residential estates, a summit centre, a spa and restaurants, said the report. Nouvel, who designed Louvre Abu Dhabi, will be in charge of the upcoming resort in the mountains of Al Ula, it stated. The full design work will be completed by the year-end and the construction will start early 2020 with a completion date of 2023, it added. Both take their names Sharaan from the surrounding canyon with its ancient rock formations. The reserve will conserve and restore the regions natural desert habitats, including the Arabian leopard, with the help of local rangers trained by international experts, said the Arab News report. Al Ula is home to spectacular sandstone rock formations and the archaeological site of Madain Saleh, the largest Nabatean settlement south of Petra that contains the ancient civilisations rock tombs with their carved facades, it stated. In 2008, it was designated as Saudi Arabias first Unesco World Heritage site, it added. Replying to the debate on the interim Budget for 2019-20 in the Lok Sabha, Goyal also said he could have easily kept the fiscal deficit for 2018-19 at 3.3 per cent of gross domestic product, but did not in order to present an honest Budget. ALSO READ: Review angel tax The demand for grants was later passed by the Lok Sabha by voice vote, amid a walk-out by ... Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor The Union government will, in March, begin a special audit of telecom companies for alleged understating of revenues, causing a loss to the exchequer, it is learnt. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has selected seven auditors to examine the books of mobile phone operators from 2011 to 2018, according to two persons privy to the development. The audit will be carried out on seven telcos including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Reliance Jio. State-run firms MTNL and BSNL as well as those which have exited or merged with other players will also be audited, one of the sources ... EU antitrust regulators will likely warn this week Germany's Thyssenkrupp and Tata Steel about their landmark joint venture unless they pre-empt the move by offering concessions, people familiar with the matter said on Monday. The European Commission is expected to send a charge sheet known as a statement of objections to the companies, the people said. Such documents set out serious competition concerns which companies have to address with specific concessions or see their deal blocked. The joint venture, announced in June last year, is the biggest shake-up in Europe's ... There is quite a good chance that we will have a recession late this year or next year, warned Nobel Prize Laureate Economist Paul Krugman at the World Government Summit in Dubai. Delivering a sober outlook for global trade to an audience of international policymakers, Krugman found little to be optimistic about amid a growing backlash against globalization. He was speaking at a session on Global Trade: Future Foresight and Analysis for Governments. Citing a general lack of preparedness among economic policymakers, he said: The main concern has always been that we dont have an effective response if things slow downwe dont seem to have a safety net. He further noted that central banks often do not have the tools available to insulate against market turmoil, and planning for risk has been minimal. Instead, trade wars and growing protectionism continue to dominate policy agendas, deferring attention and resources from what should be the real priorities. I dont see the iceberg out there, but if we do hit one, I know for sure this liner is not unsinkable, Krugman said, relating the state of the global economy to that of the Titanic. Krugman described a landscape in which stagnant wages, growing inequalities, and a loss of confidence in the worlds business leaders have created a spirited populist backlash against globalization. The result is clear: Forward motion on globalization has stopped, but it was slowing anyway. He noted that people feel they have been short changed by the last generation of economic growth, but the consensus around the problem is not mirrored in discussions of the solution. The question is what they want as the solutionturns out thats not as clear, Krugman said, pointing to the gap that leaders must fill in order to avert the next Great Depression. Running against the current, Krugman also shared his skepticism for the promise of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Technological change is actually relatively sluggish right now, he said. He also warned against the calls of an impending labor Armageddon at the hands of increasing digitalization. This is not a transformative revolutionary era, the economist pointed out. Going against the grain, Krugman declared that despite the technological advancements in the last 25 years, the way we work has not changed all that much. Closing on that note, Krugman leaves world governments with food for thought as they consider charting a course through the uncertainty of global markets. The three-day World Government Summit 2019 runs until February 12 at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai. The landmark event has convened more than 4,000 participants from 140 countries, including heads of state and governments, as well as top-tier representatives of 30 international organizations. - TradeArabia News Service Bankrupt on Monday said it will develop a 132-acre land parcel on the outskirts of the city as a fintech centre. The 132-acre land parcel called Dhirubhai Ambani Knowledge City (DAKC) in the satellite city of used to serve as a corporate nerve centre for the company, which filed for insolvency earlier this month. In the past, chairman Anil Ambani had claimed that the plot had a development potential of Rs 25,000 crore. In a statement Monday, the company said its wholly-owned subsidiary Reliance Realty will be developing what it claimed as Maharashtra's first 'smart fintech centre'. It has received the go-ahead from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation and the Department of Information Technology to develop the land under the state's fintech policy, the statement said. As per the fintech policy, the plot will have total saleable/leasable area of over 30 million square feet, it said, claiming that the space available is double the size of the Bandra Kurla Complex business district in the island city. It said there is a "growing demand" from the fintech, banking, financial services, insurance, NBFC, information technology services and knowledge sectors over the next 20 years and "major infrastructure development" has already been initiated in the regard. surprised all by moving for filing for insolvency on February 1. Saddled with a debt of over Rs 46,000 crore, bankers were trying to resolve the account under the Strategic Debt Restructuring route earlier, while operational creditors like Ericsson had dragged the company to the National Company Law Tribunal and also to the Supreme Court. The European company has ensured that Ambani appears in person next week in the apex court for a contempt case filed by it after the group failed to meet the court order of paying back Rs 550 crore to it. The insolvency petition was filed following its failure to sell assets like spectrum for paying back its lenders, the company had said. Its 40 lenders, including domestic ones and Chinese banks, have received zero proceeds from the proposed asset monetisation plans, and the overall debt resolution process is yet to make any headway. 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 An arm of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) will be reopening the books of the financially crippled infra lender The Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had on January 1 directed the reopening of the books and recasting of the financial statements of IL&FS, Financial Services, Transportation Networks between fiscal years 2012-13 to 2017-18. In view of the substantial public interest involved in the matter, Accounting Research Foundation ( ARF) will be carrying out the task, an official statement said. The whole exercise will be independent, it said, acknowledging the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) is also carrying out an investigation on IL&FS and its group/ subsidiary/associate Being a 'section 25' company, whose purpose is not for profit, ARF can outsource this assignment so that it is over within a reasonable period of time, the statement added. The had allowed for the reopening under Section 130 of the Act to ascertain financial mismanagement. The government, which took over the board of the diversified and complex IL&FS last year, wanted to check the balance-sheets of the crippled group and its two listed subsidiaries. Earlier, and ICAI reports had indicated that the accounts were prepared a fraudulently and negligently in the last five years by the previous management. The statutory bodies including, the the Reserve Bank, the markets watchdog Sebi and the Income Tax Department gave their no objection for restating the accounts. However, the auditors Ernst & Young owned SRBC & Co, Delloitte Haskins & Sells and KPMG affiliate BSR Associates had opposed the move citing that they had no role in the alleged frauds arguing financial accounts are made by the company and not the auditors. The had observed that based on the ICAI and reports though it cannot be concluded that the auditors and former directors had any role in preparing of the financial accounts, lets reopen it in the interest of fairness. After allowing the reopening and recasting the books of account of IL&FS, ITNL and IL&FS Financial Services, the tribunal clarified that the order is without any prejudice and will not affect the proceedings before ICAI and probe. The group owes over Rs 94,000 crore to lenders, mostly banks. Campus News UB Libraries exhibit recalls history of civil rights activism on campus This section of the "Revolution" exhibit in the Silverman Library features a timeline of events occurring throughout Buffalo and across the nation during the civil rights movement. Photo: Douglas Levere By MARCENE ROBINSON Part of the campus knows this history, but there is so much that has been forgotten. It is important that we both learn from and be inspired by our history. We have a responsibility to our legacy and to the people who spoke up to create a better environment for all of us. Long before the Distinguished Speakers Series, UB was a destination for powerful figures in the civil rights and political movements of the 1960s-70s, hosting influential guests that ranged from Malcolm X to Muhammad Ali. The university will revisit this era through a new exhibit, Revolution: Civil Rights at UB, 1960-75, an array of visual displays in libraries across the campuses that document the social transformation that occurred on campus and across Buffalo. The main exhibit will feature a 24-foot-by-4-foot structure in the Silverman Library in Capen Hall on the North Campus that showcases five transcendent leaders who visited UB: Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Angela Davis, Shirley Chisholm and Cesar Chavez. The wall will also include audio recordings of speakers and a timeline of events occurring throughout Buffalo and across the nation during the civil rights movement. Portraits of prominent figures of the era also will be on display in the Health Sciences Library in Abbott Hall on the South Campus, and a civil rights-themed book display will be exhibited in Lockwood Memorial Library on the North Campus. In addition, a series of oral histories collected from faculty, staff, alumni and members of the Buffalo community who were engaged in activism during the period will become available online following the spring semester. The project is a collaboration between the UB Office of Inclusive Excellence, UB Libraries and UB Honors College. An opening reception will be held at 4 p.m. Feb. 5, in Silverman Library. The reception will occur three weeks prior to human rights activist and author Angela Davis third visit to UB, this time as the 43rd annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Keynote Speaker of the Distinguished Speakers Series on Feb. 27. As a historian, I am struck by UBs incredibly rich and important history of students, faculty and staff who have fought for justice and civil rights, says Despina Stratigakos, vice provost for inclusive excellence. The 1960-70s for UB was this period of incredible engagement around issues of social justice, she says, noting that UB was known as the Berkeley of the East because of that engagement. Part of the campus knows this history, but there is so much that has been forgotten. It is important that we both learn from and be inspired by our history. We have a responsibility to our legacy and to the people who spoke up to create a better environment for all of us. UB during the 1960-70s frequently made national headlines for the protests held by students and faculty. At the time a single campus along Main Street in Buffalo, the university was a hotbed of activism and demonstrations regarding civil rights, womens rights, politics and the Vietnam War. One powerful myth that this exhibit can help challenge is that the civil rights movement was something that happened somewhere else, and that Buffalonians were simply observers, adds Victoria Wolcott, professor of history and an expert on race and civil rights in the U.S. Buffalo had its own ongoing racial struggles that directly interacted with the national civil rights and Black Power movements. It was likely these struggles that spurred student groups to invite major movement figures to campus. Latest News Queensland has Australias fastest growing property market They might be losing State of Origin, but there might be some good news for Queensland MFAA reveals top brokers, lenders in Victoria and Tasmania Check out the list of winners in this years MFAA VIC/TAS State Excellence Awards A non-bank lender has announced three new executives are joining the team to support its growth. La Trobe Financial partnered with Blackstone at the end of 2017 and has since grown to 320 staff and lending of $400m per month in loans to both residential and commercial borrowers. It has now said it is focusing on new market opportunities following the retreat by the major banks from various lending areas. Long serving 23-year distribution leader, Michelle Bannister, has been appointed executive general manager head of distribution. Bannister has held senior roles in both credit and sales during her career and will lead the 30-strong national BDM team of the group. La Trobe Financials vice-president - head of major clients, Steve Lawrence said, Michelles performance and track record of delivering for her clients and her colleagues is outstanding. Michelle is a great exponent of our company ethos of putting others before self. We look forward to Michelle leading our 30 BDM national distribution team as Executive GM with the 3,000 loan brokers we deal with across Australia. This appointment demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the third-party channel notwithstanding the potential impact of recommendations of the Hayne Royal Commission on broker remuneration. We are committed to continuing to assist quality brokers provide the best products for their customers, and we do not intend to make any pre-emptive changes to our broker remuneration model before Treasury and Government has had an opportunity to fully consider and reflect on the Royal Commission recommendations. We are listening to our loan customers who support the present model of lenders paying fees to brokers for the valuable services the brokers provide to their customers. La Trobe has also welcomed Ron Dunbar as executive general manager, head of commercial. Dunbar has more than 30 years experience in the banking and finance industry, including a 14-year career with Challenger. Chief lending officer at La Trobe, Cory Bannister said, We are delighted to have Ron join our team as an executive GM, his exceptional knowledge of commercial credit makes him a valuable addition to what is a strong performing asset class for us. We will continue to broaden our commercial product footprint in 2019 and Ron will play a major role in executing on that strategy in Australia largest team of experience commercial underwriters for any non-bank. The third appointment welcomes Luke Jones as executive general manager, head of residential operations. Jones has been at La Trobe Financial since 2010 and previously worked with Challenger and Westpac, before becoming a mortgage broker. Bannister said, Luke displays a passion for his broker and borrower clients leaving no stone unturned. Having walked in their shoes professionally for a number of years, Luke brings a highly valuable customers voice into our business. Luke will make a fantastic Executive GM for the residential underwriting team of 70 staff. Latest News Queensland has Australias fastest growing property market They might be losing State of Origin, but there might be some good news for Queensland MFAA reveals top brokers, lenders in Victoria and Tasmania Check out the list of winners in this years MFAA VIC/TAS State Excellence Awards In a letter to aggregators a major bank has affirmed its support of the broker channel, but also said it supports a "better model for broker remuneration". Acting group executive at ANZ, Mark Hand, said the recommended changes to broker pay was clearly a "major concern" for the businesses that make up the broking industry. But he said it was positive the government and opposition had acknowledged the sector's crucial role and were committed to consultation and gradul implementation. Hand said that even with changes to broker pay, ANZ would continue to rely on the industry to promote competition and help customers. He said, "We support a new broker best interest duty and a better model for broker remuneration. As the major parties have acknowledged, changes to remuneration need to take place over time and involve careful consultation with all affected groups. "Mortgage brokers have been an important partner for ANZ for almost thirty years. We dont see this changing. "You all play an important role in helping our customers navigate what can be a stressful and complex process. "We see brokers as integral to promoting competition and choice within the broader industry. If we work together, Im confident we can create a better future for both brokers and our customers "ANZ is committed to the broking channel and we will work with you to help ensure the industry continues to serve Australian consumers within any new regulatory framework." Vatican City: A delegation representing Venezuelan opposition leader and self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido met on Monday with Vatican officials as the Holy See weighs a request from socialist leader Nicholas Maduro to intervene in the country's political crisis. Antonio Ledezma, former mayor of Caracas, talks with Monsignor Edgar Pena Parra, deputy Vatican secretary of state, as a delegation representing Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, was received at the Vatican. Credit:AP Officials from the Secretariat of State expressed Pope Francis' proximity to all Venezuelans who are suffering, the Vatican said. Spokesman Alessandro Gisotti said "the grave concern was underlined that a just and peaceful solution be urgently sought to overcome the crisis, respecting human rights and seeking the good of all of the inhabitants of the country and avoiding bloodshed." The Vatican didn't say who participated, but the delegation was photographed with Monsignor Edgar Pena Parra, the Venezuelan-born "substitute" or deputy secretary of state. His boss is Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a Venezuela expert stemming from his years as the Vatican's ambassador to Caracas. One Democratic senator attracted rueful laughs with his line about the trial being like watching endless re-runs of The Fugitive, with the Republicans in the role of the obsessed - and wrong-headed - policeman. The pursuit in the House of Representatives was every bit as dogmatic, reflected in a Republican leadership that stubbornly refused to compromise on allowing a censure vote of the President and finally stunned the nation with the final vote to send the matter to trial. In the Senate, the trial became a stern morality play, with the prosecutors slowly becoming prophets of doom as they realised that not enough senators would vote to convict. Not as free as it used to be... A cartoon published the time of the article Credit:Ron Tandberg Such reluctance is hardly surprising. Two-thirds of the public do not share the prosecutors' view of Clinton as an unrepentant scoundrel who needs to be booted out to save America's soul, and this percentage has not shifted much since well before the impeachment process began. What has hardened over that time is the majority view of the Republicans as the party of a dangerous moral absolutism and divisive anger. The White House lawyer, Charles Ruff, rubbed this image in during his closing argument. "I believe their vision to be too dark, a vision too little attuned to the needs of the people, too little sensitive to the needs of our democracy," he said of the prosecutors and, by extension, the whole party. These points resonate with the public because they seem to reflect the plight of the Republicans at a time when pre-Monica logic would have suggested they could only benefit from Clinton's all too obvious failings. In part, this is thanks to the President's remarkable ability to steal the core of their favourite issues while removing some of the sharper edges. But it is already obvious that many Americans are also becoming increasingly sensitive to the idea of a party that seems overly moralistic and judgmental. One question will be whether the Democrats have succeeded in doing to conservatism what the Republicans did to liberalism in the 1980s - making it a dirty word. The term is becoming associated in the public mind with a particularly doctrinaire form of right-wing fundamentalism. Now that the impeachment struggle is over, the public may be more prepared to consider what else the Republicans have to offer. But the beginning of the Republicans' self-destructive pattern was evident well before Monica madness took hold. The seeds were contained in the triumph of the conservatives in the 1994 congressional elections, when Newt Gingrich's revolutionary army swept into Washington and took control of the House for the first time in 40 years. As it turned out, however, America was not really endorsing the type of revolution the Republicans had claimed. They just didn't like Clinton's liberal policies much and they appreciated the rhetoric about getting rid of the excesses of big government only as long as the cuts didn't affect them directly. The mood changed dramatically after the Oklahoma City bombing showed the dangers of anti-government fanaticism. The ever-agile Clinton also moved rapidly back into the centre - actually what used to be thought of as the Republican centre, in many cases - and conducted an extremely effective guerilla war against those still fighting out on the right. He co-opted their old issues such as fighting crime and drugs and reforming welfare and cutting the budget deficit. He spiced up his moderate appeal with pro-family gestures such as support for school uniforms and more paid leave to look after sick children. And all the while, the economy continued to boom. By 1996, Clinton had easily won re-election and the Democrats had come close to retaking the House. The Republican class of 1994 had still not got the message, propelled by a fury against a man who broke so many rules and kept getting away with it. The party machinery had also moved consistently further to the right, particularly thanks to a new generation of Christian activists who thought issues such as abortion and the right to prayer in school were the most fundamental questions facing the country. These activists had expanded into new areas of power, adopting the old feminist slogan of the personal being the political. They agreed with the feminist contention that personal morality and behaviour should determine fitness for public office. By the time Clinton was found to be a serial flasher, of course, the women's movement had preferred to sidestep such principles on the ground that the President's policies for women were so much better than his opponents'. The political was the personal, after all. But the radical Right instead saw in Clinton the tarnished proof of its contention that a strict morality (or at least the Right's idea of it) was the key to political and national salvation. I believe their vision to be too dark... too little attuned to the needs of the people, too little sensitive to the needs of our democracy. Charles Ruff, White House lawyer One reason these passions could grow was the absence of other big national and international threats. With communism safely interred and the economy booming, it was time for a new war against a new enemy. Ronald Reagan's apocalyptic 1980s battle against the Evil Empire was suddenly transformed into the struggle within the United States itself. And by infiltrating the tired party structures with their energy and commitment, the activists have assumed an influence well out of proportion to their numbers. This also reflected a change in the Republican Party's base away from the old North-East and towards the more fiery conservatism of the South. Its representatives dominate the leadership positions in the House, with the surviving moderates condemned to bit parts. Gingrich, formerly Speaker, has gone, quickly followed by the Speaker who wasn't, Bob Livingston, on the grounds of his adultery. But the non- descript Dennis Hastert will remain largely invisible in a party that has Tom deLay - aka the Hammer - as its House majority leader. It means a conservative grip on the party from both the top and the bottom. The 30 or so Republican moderates in the House who were supposed to save the President from the impeachment vote last December, for example, didn't suddenly evaporate because they were persuaded by the power of their colleagues' arguments that he did need to be so punished. They were listening to brutal messages from their party organisations back home. If these members voted against impeachment, they would face challengers in their primaries. They would never make it past the State party guardians who held the only key. The formal end of the trial won't end that sense of fury and rectitude cheated. Instead, it will stay around to complicate greatly the next election. The Republicans have a majority of only six in the 435- member House and their control of the Senate is at risk. Most Republicans concur that their best bet politically would be to fashion a new appeal based on tax cuts. Beyond that, they disagree vehemently. The obvious answer is an attractive presidential candidate who can unite the party while appealing to a more general audience. It shouldn't be impossible. The party already has the obvious model of success in the many Republican governors who are governing from the conservative wing of the party while still trying to emphasise more concern for individuals and a general sense of inclusion. George W. Bush, the Republican front-runner and an extremely popular Governor of Texas, calls it compassionate conservatism. He has done well attracting blacks and Hispanics and women - all normally weaknesses for the Republican party - without losing his right-wing credentials. But first he has to get through primaries dominated by the even more righteously right wing. So far, he has been fairly silent about impeachment and the evils personified by Clinton. Nor has he made a crusade out of issues such as abortion and adultery. His own personal history - before his marriage, he insists - was clearly full of wine and women and probably drugs. He is refusing to comment beyond saying he has learnt from his mistakes. London: The UK military is planning a major eastern expansion including a "littoral strike group" in the Indo-Pacific and a new permanent base in the Asia-Pacific region, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said on Monday. The moves were part of a mission to "increase lethality" and make post-Brexit "global Britain" a reality, he told the Royal Unified Services Institute, a defence and security think tank in London. But Williamsons speech came as a new report on global security warned national leaders should act prudently as the world entered a time of instability and uncertainty and a "new era of great power competition". The Queen attends the commissioning ceremony for HMS Queen Elizabeth. Credit:Chris Jackson In an assertive and patriotic speech, Williamson said Britain "cannot be satisfied in simply protecting our own backyard" and needed to take "action to oppose those who flout international law". Loading Four years since the move, and none of the "other bets" have exactly taken off. Combined sales last year was $US595 million, up 25 per cent from 2017 but less than half of 1 per cent of the main Google business. Richard Holway, chairman of TechMarketView, said: "So, for all the talk of driverless cars, Alphabet will be dependent on its advertising core for some time yet." Revenue is mostly generated from research and development licences, broadband, TV and phone services through its Access division, formerly known as Google Fiber, and the Verily health unit. While several of the divisions are nascent, others have been dealt setbacks. Verily, for example, canned an ambitious project to develop a smart contact lens last year. The lens detects glucose levels, but the team could not overcome watery eyes. Human tears thwarted the data collection and skewed the results and the project was paused. The unit suffered further difficulties with plans for clinical smart watches for the elderly. The interface proved ineffective in trials because patients struggled with touch screens. Another spin-out, Access, once promised to disrupt major telecommunications companies when it was known as Google Fiber. However, it has cut back on expansion as it struggles to figure out a way to make money. In 2016, under pressure to produce returns, it reduced staff and it is estimated to have fewer than half a million customers, hardly the fearsome challenger that broadband providers once feared. Some of Alphabet's non-Google businesses are spending more than they make. Operating losses at the "other bets" rose from $US2.7 billion to $US3.4 billion last year. Loading Alphabet is taking private funding to prop up its research and development. Verily was recently handed $US1 billion from Silver Lake, an investment company that has backed Alibaba Group, Tesla and gene testing kit company Ancestry. It is not clear how much of a stake the venture capital giant will take but its managing director, Egon Durban, has been handed a board seat. Verily received $US800 million from Singapore's Temasek in 2017, a sign that investors clearly see some potential. Calico, a separate health division that has been tasked with the small matter of "curing death", has had its own setbacks. But the bet that analysts believe makes the biggest loss might just be the next jewel in Alphabet's crown. Waymo, the company's driverless car division, is confident that it is on the cusp of a revolution. Autonomous vehicles could create a $US7 trillion-a-year industry by 2050, according to estimates from Intel. The company predicts a new "passenger economy" will create new opportunities for businesses, some of which sound almost hard to believe such as on-board beauty salons, mobile health clinics and even a "platoon" of driverless cars that form pod hotels and take passengers from A to B while asleep. Waymo cars can already be seen weaving through San Francisco. In December, the division started to earn revenue, as residents of Phoenix, Arizona, were able to order driverless car rides. On a recent call with analysts, Alphabet's finance chief, Ruth Porat, was asked whether it was correct to assume that Waymo was generating the biggest loss. She expressed few concerns about its heavy spending. For all the talk of driverless cars, Alphabet will be dependent on its advertising core for some time yet. "We are intently focused on safety first and ensuring a great user experience and that is why we are expanding methodologically." It is likely Waymo will be a case of going slow and steady, the antithesis of Google's chaotic and fast-moving roots. Porat hinted that other cities were interested in putting Waymo cars on their streets and that it was "continuing to explore" supplying driverless systems for logistics and delivery. The company is also in talks with the Renault-Nissan alliance that could see its driverless systems put in millions of cars. Queensland rape victims will be offered forensic examinations regardless of whether they plan to make a complaint to police. It comes after Brisbane Times revealed vital DNA evidence could be lost as a result of a Queensland Health policy not to collect forensic evidence from rape victims unless they agree to report the assault to police. Forensic evidence of rape will now be kept for 12 months, regardless of whether victims immediately decide to make a formal complaint. Credit:Jay Cronan It prompted Health Minister Health Minister Steven Miles to order his department to urgently review the "appalling" policy. Rape victims had a 72-hour window to have a forensic medical examination, or rape kit, before evidence was eroded, meaning they were forced to decide within that period whether to report the attack to police. Child killers will spend longer behind bars under laws to be introduced in the Queensland Parliament this week. It comes after a report by the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council found sentences for the manslaughter of a child were inadequate and did not reflect the vulnerabilities of children. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says child killers will spend longer in jail under laws to be introduced this week. Credit:Jono Searle Killers whose callous disregard led to the death of children will, if convicted, face life in jail. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the legislation would expand the definition of murder. Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has stepped back into the political fray and will campaign for Gladys Berejiklian and the NSW Liberals in the state election. Mr Turnbull will focus his attention on the must-win seat of Coogee, helping his former staff member Bruce Notley-Smith in the marginal eastern suburbs seat. Coogee, which is on a wafer-thin margin, is seen as the Liberals' most at-risk seat in Sydney and Mr Notley-Smith said he welcomed Mr Turnbull's help. "I have known Malcolm for a long time, I worked for him for 18 months and he has been a friend and mentor to me for a long time," Mr Notley-Smith said. "I am so grateful for his help and he has said he is happy to help me as much as he can." A new advertising blitz by unions ahead of the state election will focus on congestion, tolls and overdevelopment. Following the High Court striking down laws that put spending caps on third-party election advertising, unions will splash out on a new campaign that targets Sydney's growth pains. The McKell Institute report says Sydney is divided on geographical lines, with the suburbs in the west bearing the brunt of development. Credit:James Alcock The campaign, devised by advertising executive Dee Madigan, will highlight population growth and development, using findings from a new report by the McKell Institute. The report, commissioned by Unions NSW, describes Sydney as a city divided and calls for population targets to be more equitable, particularly on the north shore. This amendment follows warnings from Immigration Minister David Coleman that the bill in its current form could allow all asylum seekers coming by boat to apply for urgent medical help in Australia as soon as they arrived, without going to the offshore detention centres. Mr Shorten has cleared the three principles with shadow cabinet and gained approval from the Labor caucus on Monday night to negotiate on these terms with crossbench MPs ahead of a vote on on Tuesday afternoon. Two senior members of the Left faction, Pat Conroy and Andrew Giles, spoke in support of the changes in the caucus meeting, with no other MPs speaking after the Labor immigration spokesman, Shayne Neumann, outlined the changes. Mr Giles told the meeting the Labor principles did not change the principles of the Senate amendments. Mr Giles also emphasised the need to get the bill through the Parliament this week. Mr Conroy suggested that any significant changes to the principles, such as any agreement Mr Neumann made with crossbench MPs, should go back to a caucus committee for approval to ensure caucus had the final say. This was backed by the meeting but does not mean a full caucus meeting would be required. Loading But Greens MP Adam Bandt has rebuked Labor for putting forward the changes rather than passing the medical transfer bill in full. "I am angry that Labor is once again caving in when it comes to refugees," Mr Bandt said. Labor could need his vote to secure the changes in Parliament. Mr Morrison said there was no need to change existing law because it already allowed for medical transfers with the full discretion of the minister to make the final decision. "This bill is unnecessary, it is superfluous, it adds nothing to border protection it only takes away," the Prime Minister told the National Press Club. "And therefore its passage in any form takes us backwards. You dont need this bill to make sure Australia has control of its borders. We already do. "Im not going to find some middle ground. You cant split the difference on 1,200 deaths," he said, referring to the estimate of deaths at sea from asylum seeker boats in recent years. Some crossbench MPs are said to be "receptive" to the Labor proposals but negotiations are set to continue until Tuesday, when Parliament resumes on its first sitting day for the year. The combined effect of the changes is to strengthen the discretion of the minister in terms of the grounds for refusal and the time needed for a decision, without weakening the right of doctors to recommend a transfer on medical grounds for those who raise no security concerns. The bill will go to the House as a "message from the Senate" on Tuesday and is expected to come up between noon and Question Time at 2pm, but any vote would have to wait until after matters of public importance are debated after Question Time. Loading The supporters of the bill will not need an absolute majority that is, 76 of the 150 members of the lower house to win the debate. Labor has 69 members and is negotiating support for its changes from Mr Bandt and independents Julia Banks, Cathy McGowan, Kerryn Phelps, Rebekha Sharkie and Andrew Wilkie. This bloc of 75 would be enough to pass the bill and make it law over the governments objections. The government's failed citizenship crackdown introduced in 2017 caused a backlog of 83,000 unprocessed citizenship applications, making waiting times 10 times longer than previously experienced, an audit report has found. Home Affairs' handling of citizenship applications has been labelled neither time or cost efficient, and the impact of both the failed reforms and the increased integrity screening has been found to have blown out the time taken to assess applications. When then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull announced new tougher measures for those applying for Australian citizenship in April 2017, the number of applications increased immediately, but weren't processed as the department expected they were to be subject to the new laws that were yet to pass parliament. Around 83,000 applications for citizenship were received between the announcement in April and the concession from the government in October of that year that the reforms wouldn't pass parliament. Applications received the week before the announcement generally took 30 days to be invited for a citizenship test, while applicants in the week afterwards took 290 days on average to be invited for a test. The department has failed to keep up with an increase in applications in recent years, an audit report has found. A bid to legalise cannabis in Canberra will be slowed by new parliamentary rules, despite support from Labor and the Greens. The Greens and the Labor executive have already flagged that they will make amendments to the private members bill from Labor backbencher Michael Pettersson when it returns to the ACT Legislative Assembly for debate next week. Michael Pettersson on the ACT Labor backbench. Credit:Karleen Minney However, the Assembly's new standing order requires all amendments to bills to go through the parliament's scrutiny committee first. Under the old rules, only government amendments had to be dissected by the committee, which gets legal advice on the changes proposed then publishes a report for the Assembly to consider. Tony Mokbel has been stabbed in Barwon Prison. Credit:AP Notorious drug lord Tony Mokbel is in a critical condition in hospital after being stabbed at Victoria's maximum security Barwon Prison. It is understood the 53-year-old gangland criminal suffered multiple stab wounds to the chest about 3.45pm on Monday and was left bleeding from the mouth, head and upper body. Mokbel was one of two prisoners attacked on Monday afternoon. The second victim, aged 31, was taken to hospital by ambulance in a serious condition. A Queensland man accused of kidnapping a woman and four children then abandoning the kids in a moving car after a violent police chase has been remanded in custody. The 29-year-old, who cannot be identified, allegedly began a crime spree involving domestic violence at the home of his ex-partner and her four children in the Logan area on Saturday. He is accused of choking his ex and forcing her and the kids, all under 10 years old, into a car before driving them around for hours. Police allege he returned his ex partner to the house and then drove off with the children, despite a police attempt to stop him there. Officers allege he rammed a different police car when it tried to stop him at a petrol station in Daisy Hill about 8.15pm. A man who allegedly caused the evacuation of Brisbane International Airport after pulling out a knife and claiming to have a bomb has been remanded in custody. Gamal Elsaied Elboushi, 50, of Surfers Paradise, is facing a string of state and commonwealth charges related to the alleged incident in the terminal's food court on February 2. The device/item that the man had with him at the Brisbane Airport incident. Credit:Queensland Police Service The emergency was triggered after Elboushi allegedly pulled out a knife and began threatening a woman about 9pm. It's understood the woman is a relative of Elboushi. Interstate road trains carrying hay continue to arrive in north-west Queensland as aviation fuel supplies flown in by the military give a glimmer of hope to flood-affected farmers. However, the promised bulk military airdrop of fodder for the surviving cattle has been put on the backburner, nearly a week after it was promised by various levels of government. Up to 50 road trains are heading to north-west Queensland with fodder to help struggling farmers. Most are coming from South Australia and have been organised by Rural Aid. Credit:Buy a Bale of Hay - Facebook The north-west Queensland floods caused by the same monsoonal rain that put Townsville underwater, have killed up to 300,000 cattle and costs drought-ravaged farmers $300 million. Rural Aid chief executive Charles Alder said the hay trucks had arrived throughout the weekend and would continue to reach the likes of Winton, Cloncurry and Longreach this week. Cerner has been repeatedly contacted for comment and while acknowledging emails, has not provided a response. The letter In July 2017 senior clinicians at a Queensland hospital wrote to former eHealth Queensland chief executive Richard Ashby to express their concerns about the rollout of the software at their hospital. Dr Ashby resigned late last month after Queensland Health director-general Michael Walsh referred allegations of an undeclared personal relationship with an eHealth Queensland staff member to the Crime and Corruption Commission. In December Dr Ashby was stripped of oversight of the ieMR project after an Auditor-General report found the program was at critical risk of collapse if another $256 million was not approved by cabinet. Loading In the letter, clinicians outlined in detail their concerns about having Cerners integrated electronic medical record software for operating theatre management, called SurgiNet, installed in the hospital. SurgiNet allows clinicians and staff to manage patient information before and after surgery, including covering anaesthesia, medications and patient discharge. Our objections relate to the introduction of electronic systems, which are so inferior in functionality that they are not only a danger to patients, but also interfere with the workflow of clinicians trying to treat patients, the letter began. As you are aware, large numbers of critical issues affecting SurgiNet were identified after the rollout. Fixes are currently being pursued but are proving to be difficult and costly. In a letter obtained by Brisbane Times, dated September 2017, then-health minister Cameron Dick wrote to the clinicians about their concerns. Mr Dick wrote that Dr Ashby, Mr Walsh and other senior staff in Queensland Health had spoken with the clinicians and the hospital executive board to discuss the way forward. He wrote that Hospital and Health Services would not roll out the integrated electronic medical record unless there was a high level of clinical support for the process. However it will be made clear that any HHS choosing to retain any legacy systems rather than replacing them with the respective Digital Hospital system may do so; however will need to make local arrangements for the maintenance of the legacy system and also risk-manage the duplication and safety issues that may arise from non-integration, Mr Dick wrote. Mr Dick concluded his letter saying said he looked forward to the constructive partnership of clinicians in progressing the Digital Health agenda. A Queensland Health spokesman said hospitals with the ieMR installed often continued operating the "legacy systems", which are assessed by Queensland Health's clinical governance for patient safety risks. "Where a decision is made to continue using such a system (or systems), they will continue to be fully supported," the spokesman said. "Hospital and Health Services are independent statutory bodies, have their own budgets and have always paid, and continue to pay, support costs for their own legacy systems. "This would have been the case whether ieMR was being implemented or not." The ieMR Loading Although clinicians believe the use of an electronic medical record will improve patient care and safety, the use of Cerner software to implement the ieMR has caused serious concerns. eHealth Queensland wants Hospital and Health Services to stump up an additional $130 million to help cover the shortfall of $256 million, and will go back to cabinet this year to request the remaining finances. It also wants to see all hospitals paying a service charge-back to the department two years after the ieMR goes live, but doesnt know how much that charge will be. The Auditor-Generals report found that the ieMR had generally improved hospital performance, but the cost of implementing the ieMR for HHSs had far exceeded eHealth Queenslands original estimates. Part of that excess was because some HHSs had chosen to spend more to minimise the clinical risk of the rollout. Four HHSs have already spent $136 million on the rollout at 12 hospitals. The Auditor-General also warned that regional hospitals would be harder hit by the rising costs of the ieMR rollout than the larger city-based hospitals. The Queensland Health spokesman said many of the HHSs had invested their increased surpluses into the rollout. "As the ieMR is delivered across the state, net benefits are forecast to reach approximately $1.9 billion by 2025," the spokesman said. The cost to hospitals In 2014 Queensland Health changed course from an incremental approach to putting the ieMR into hospitals, and adopted a big bang approach fast-tracking the installation. Queensland Health now wants to see 27 hospitals operating the ieMR by March 2021. Hospitals also do not know how much the ieMR will cost to maintain after eHealth Queensland completes the project in 2025, according to the Auditor-Generals report. PricewaterhouseCoopers, which worked closely with Queensland Health on the rollout, has modelled forecasting that the hospitals with the ieMR had realised $181.9 million in benefits. Hospitals have already reported major financial deficits as they roll out the ieMR. I have never been punished for being a bad mother, for being careless, disorganised. I have been all those at one time or another over three decades. Yet an entire generation of Australian women is being punished for these failings, sold out by a government program seeking to coerce and control women with young children. What we know: ParentsNext is a scandalous misuse of the powers of those who run social security in this country. The program, designed to make parents work-ready, requires recipients of parenting payments to register for mandatory activities and appointments in order for payments from Centrelink to continue. If you want to continue getting your payments, you better turn up to your kids swimming lessons. School children take swimming lessons in North Sydney. Credit:Peter Morris The leading researcher in Australia on social security and human rights, UTS's Beth Goldblatt, says Australia must remove conditions attached to social security and urges a rights-based approach to social security entitlements, neither mandatory nor punitive. Social security is an entitlement and an international human right. Governments must stop seeing it as something able to be manipulated and controlled, she says. Plans to develop more than 3000 homes in buildings up to 18 storeys high at the Showground station precinct in Sydney's north-west have been thwarted after an independent panel rejected a controversial bid to rezone parts of the site. The Hills Shire Council had previously knocked back Showground Corporation's attempt to get the local environment plan for the precinct changed to allow higher-density development at two sites. Thousands of dwellings are planned for the Showground station precinct in Castle Hill. Under the corporation's planning proposal, two prominent sites at the development would be filled with up to 3040 dwellings, or 837 more homes than are allowed under existing planning controls. The proposal would also result in the maximum building height at those sites increasing from 12 to 18 storeys. The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option. The squabbling members of this countrys minor parties inevitably seem to fling themselves into electoral oblivion, dragging down even those who have a shot, for their own petty personal crusades. And, after Pauline Hanson's (original) One Nation and Clive Palmer's PUPs, it seems the Liberal Democrats are no different: another salutary reminder that no political outfit lacks its share of low aspiration party animals. One email said David Leyonhjelm was just an old man yelling at clouds. Illustration: John Shakespeare Credit: The partys sole elected official of any note, David Leyonhjelm, has departed its national executive after a nasty spat between various state-based apparatchiks, but not before reading out the most high-quality of slurs sent his way by fellow executives. Were told it all went down last Sunday at the Batmans Hill Hotel in Melbourne. I might not agree with Mark Latham but I believe the Latham Diaries are a very good insight into the machinations of internal Australian party politics. As much as it antagonises me Kevin Rudds latest tome is obviously a fair insight of Kevins view of his time in politics. Robert Hughes book is a brilliant analysis of the initial white penal colony which was paradoxically instrumental in our nation being the great democratic egalitarian society it is today. "Write about Australia in a way Australians will read": Barnaby Joyce. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Those in public life have a podium and a reason to reflect this nation in the way they see it; I have done this myself with my book Weatherboard and Iron. Costello, Bowen, Pyne, Abbott, Bob Brown have all written about their view of politics and the critical issues for our nation. The drought, the flood, the expansion of Chinese power; the more formal the discussion then the more considered the response. By their very nature books are the consideration of many views not the ephemeral bleating of one. Now, four years after Neil Thomas death, a group of women have launched legal action against his family-run ministry. While they are not accusing his son and successor, Peter Thomas, of any crimes, they say he failed to properly address the allegations once he and other church elders became aware of them in 2017. He laid his hands on many and demons fled. The sick were raised up, the lame walked, and the blind could see. Church website Peter Thomas repeatedly refused to answer questions from The Age and Sydney Morning Herald about how the church handled the matter, although it is understood from the womens lawyers that the church has denied liability. However, statutory declarations from three former church members who used to work for Neil Thomas allege a pattern of sexual abuse, spanning two decades. The women behind the legal action want the ministry to publicly apologise for what they believe was a fundamental breach of authority. And at a time when the new #ChurchToo movement is sweeping through faith-based communities, they have decided to share their stories in the hope that other survivors might also come forward. These women were abused by someone they trusted, someone who invoked religion to prey on the vulnerable, their lawyer, Gordon Legal associate Marina Leikina, told The Age and Herald. He preyed on their faith and knew there was little chance they would ever say no to such a powerful figure. Sadly, these women have had to carry the shame of what they were forced to do, and continue to live with that. 'Adored like the Pope' In an industrial precinct in Tullamarine, Melbourne, surrounded by car workshops and airport taxi centres, is a nondescript building that makes up the headquarters of Neil Thomas Ministries. It might not look like much, but beneath the dark facade and tinted windows sits a chapel, a bible college, a media studio and several offices. Today, NTM has followers across Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific, India and Africa. It has two Innerlife churches in Melbourne - one at Tullamarine, another at Taylors Hill - and more than 500 family worship centres around the world. Neil Thomas Ministries' global headquarters in Tullarmarine, Melbourne. Credit:Eddie Jim The churchs greatest footprint, however, is in Vanuatu, the highly religious nation where the ministry has helped build schools, clinics and orphanages, and Neil Thomas, according to insiders, is adored like the Pope. He laid his hands on many and demons fled, the church claims on its website. The sick were raised up, the lame walked, and the blind could see. Here, in this verdant pocket of the South Pacific, the life that Lisa (who did not want her surname published) had wanted changed irrevocably. She was only 24 years old when she first walked through the doors of the ministry that would soon become her family. The product of a difficult home, Lisa came to view Thomas as her spiritual father. Lisa, who did not want to be identified. Another alleged victim of pastor Neil Thomas. Credit:Justin McManus It wasnt until she became the secretary of a church women's ministry, known as Luke 8, that the abuse began. One night in 2008, on a trip to Port Vila, Thomas, then 73, directed her to come into his room and rub ointment on his back. Then he ordered her to perform sexual acts. She recalls him telling her, The horn of the Lord has been raised for my ministry, and there will be strength and power. Lisa recalls feeling powerless to stop it. He took me into a community where I felt loved and accepted, and made me feel I was special and serving God. So I did what he asked, she says. The abuse continued for about 18 months. What Lisa didnt know at the time was she was not his only victim. Another former church member, Jenny, says she was also forced to provide sexual favours while working as Thomas' secretary, first in the early 1990s when she was 26, and again in 2002. "I should have walked away but my fear and my ignorance of God's word held me there," she says. A third woman, Julie, has also accused Thomas of abusing her on overseas business trips to Vanuatu, and New Caledonia in 2005 and 2006. He'd direct her to share a room with him under the premise that he might become ill, then made her undress in front of him or touch him. She, too, was working as his personal secretary at the time, while her husband was one of the pastors friends and loyal lieutenants. All three women remained silent for years, too ashamed to tell their family or friends about what had happened, too scared that they would not be believed. Loading The turning point came in at least 2017, when Lisa told a member of the church she had been abused. That person, in turn, informed Peter Thomas. According to the women, church officials suggested she was crazy, telling some members of the congregation, including her children, that she had seduced their pastor. Jenny says this happened even though she had also told Peter Thomas of her own experience. "Enough is enough, Julie says now. It's important that the truth finally comes out." Dealing with it in-house While the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse shone a much-needed light on clergy assaults against children, an Age and Herald investigation last year revealed that countless adults who have also been the victims of sexual misconduct are yet to be properly recognised. Still, as the #MeToo movement slowly sweeps into communities of faith, much of the spotlight has centred on the Roman Catholic Church. In much of the often self-governing evangelical movement, a culture of secrecy prevails. There is a difference between loyalty, versus right and wrong. Alleged abuse victim Jenny Sometimes, though, that culture comes back to bite. Last year, Brian Houston - the revered Hillsong Church founder whom Prime Minister Scott Morrison cites as a mentor - became the subject of a NSW police investigation after a victim publicly accused him of not doing enough to expose the crimes of his father, Frank. Frank Houston was an Assemblies of God pastor who preyed on young boys in the 1960s and 1970s. But while Brian sacked his father as a pastor in 1999, the Royal Commission subsequently found he failed to inform police and had a "conflict of interest in assuming responsibility" for the allegations. Most Australian churches are changing their processes to deal with offences, but in Evangelical churches, there's a tendency to do it in-house, says Latrobe University cultural historian Timothy Jones, an expert in religious affairs. It becomes a family secret and they cover it up with those sort of dynamics, saying it's not the business of the law. Neil Thomas Ministries is also a family affair. Neils son, Peter, is now the churchs international leader, and along with his wife Sonia, one of NTMs senior pastors. When asked last week about the allegations, Peter Thomas initially claimed the matter was confidential. The Age and Herald then sent a detailed list of questions, asking when the church was told about the abuse allegations and how the allegations were handled, as well as questions regarding the churchs operations and treatment of members. He declined to respond. Bad investments The ministry's finances, too, are largely hidden in the Neil Thomas Family Trust, while the churchs charitable status ensures its assets and true wealth are not subject to full scrutiny. What is publicly available nonetheless tells an interesting tale of bold ambition, big donations, and bad investments, from a Christian radio station and a confectionery business to a home shopping service and internet solutions. All were partly financed by the generous tithes members were asked to donate: 10 per cent of their annual salary, along with so-called love offerings from people who wanted to contribute more. For years, businessman Tony Cardillo was among them. Cardillo reckons he gave more than $1 million to the church between 1995 and 2012, including the proceeds from the sale of a prime waterfront site in Vanuatu that was being developed into a Christian resort. Julie and Lisa are supporting one another, and seeking information from more women in the church. Credit:Justin McManus "For the sake of doing as my pastor wanted, I sold the resort at one-third of the value to help rescue NTM," Mr Cardillo said. "There are hundreds of families who have left over the past few years because they lost complete trust over how their money was lost and promises were never fulfilled. 'God wants to reach sinners' The video on YouTube shows Neil Thomas looking intently across the room, imploring his followers to "want what God wants". He is sitting on a chair behind a glass lectern, his grey hair partially obscuring the wireless microphone that projects his voice towards the audience. "Did you know that God wants to reach sinners?" he asks. "Do you know there's nothing more important to God than that?" The sermon was posted in February 2014 - 10 months before Thomas died, and more than three years before Peter Thomas was reportedly informed about the sins of his father. Geocon's bid to scale up its WOVA complex has been rejected amid renewed community opposition to the $400 million project. The ACT government's Planning and Land Authority has ruled there were "no grounds" to allow the construction giant to increase the height of one of four buildings planned as part of an 800-unit complex on the former Woden Tradies Club in Phillip. An artist's impression of Geocon's Wova development in Woden, which was approved in September. The developer now wants to tweak the height of one of the complex's four buildings. The local community council has welcomed the decision to reject the proposal, which it feared could have blocked sunlight to a neighbouring retirement village. Geocon last year won approval for 24, 16, 13 and 12-storey buildings on the site, after an original proposal was scaled back after a resident backlash over its height and scale. Is there anything better than gathering for an intimate dinner with a like-minded group of women, enjoying a nice meal, a couple of glasses of excellent wine, conversation flows, new friends are made. If this sounds like your thing - yes, me too - then make time in your diary for a new series of wine events held by the Canberra and District Wine Industry Association. Fran Marshall, Sarah McDougall and Carla Rodeghiero will host the inaugural Canberra Women in Wine Dinner. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong The inaugural Canberra Women in Wine Dinner will showcase the talents of Sarah McDougall from Lake George Winery and Carla Rodeghiero from Sapling Yard. Not only will it be a chance to talk to the winemakers and sample their wines, youll get to hear the stories of women who are making their mark in a mans world. Fran Marshall, who has facilitated the series, wants the dinners to be like having dinner with your friends. ACT chief minister Andrew Barr was critical of the ACCC, saying he had asked the commission to use its investigative powers to undertake a deep dive analysis of why the petrol market was failing in Canberra. But Mr Sims said the ACCC, while it would contribute to the inquiry in any way it could, would not be undertaking its own investigation into Canberra. He said it had recently completed four investigations into regional cities, and had a good understanding of the reasons behind discrepancies in fuel prices. We've got a pretty good understanding of why prices in some areas are the size they are, and I think we understand why Canberra prices are as high as they are, he said. Now our regional studies have now stopped and it's really as much a resourcing question, but I think the bigger issue is, what would it achieve? We feel we sort of know the answers, and we're happy to provide all that to the inquiry, we'll cooperate fully with whatever information we can provide and whatever perspectives. Loading I think trying to put some local pressure on is really the best way to deal with this as a first step. He said thanks to the presence of Costco, Canberra also had the widest price range of any city in the country, but there was enough of range between the highest and lowest priced to be able to send a message through consumption. There are many places where there's quite a difference in the price of fuel, and I think if people do keep some eye on that and just buy from the cheaper one of the two or three you've got to choose from on the way home, that starts to send signals, he said. I realise it's a long-term play, but I think it's helpful. The companies need volume as well as high prices. Take the volume off, it can affect the prices they pay [charge]. He said there was no single explanation for the fact that many small towns around Canberra, such as Gunning, Sutton and Gundaroo, had cheaper prices with little no competition. It was that question that got us to look at many of those regional centres, where you had the same sort of anomalies, and I guess the issue goes down to the motivation of the petrol companies to come extent, or the companies in those towns, he said. Sometimes they're part of the community, they feel part of the community, they want you to come in and buy the milk and the cigarettes and other things as well, so there's more to pricing. But he reiterated that Canberras main problem was the number of Coles outlets throughout the city, an issue that could possibly be addressed by zoning laws favouring independent outlets in more areas. Mr Barr said he hoped the inquiry would put pressure on retailers to justify their pricing strategies. "If there are issues that are identified that are within the control of the ACT government, and there may be some, the obvious one will be in relation to the number of petrol station sites that could be released in the future and their location, where we have influence on that, noting again that in this jurisdiction we don't tend to have petrol stations on major roads," he said. The Canberra Liberals also welcomed what it called Mr Barr's "newfound interest" in trying to reduce petrol prices in Canberra. "The ACT has got limited powers when it comes to controlling fuel prices, but there are certainly some things that we can," opposition leader Alistair Coe said. The ACT government has conceded its rules for overseeing building quality have failed to prevent examples of "serious non-compliance" during construction of new developments. The admission comes as the government acknowledges it has yet to fully implement reforms designed to increase scrutiny of building work, more than two years after they were promised. Building and Quality Improvement Minister Gordan Ramsay, pictured above, is responsible for overseeing reforms to building regulations in the ACT. Credit:Jamila Toderas In the ACT, work sites have to be supervised by licensed builders, and subjected to inspections from certifiers at different stages of construction. In its submission to the ACT Assembly's building quality inquiry, the government has acknowledged the regulations had generally failed to prevent poor construction work. As far as restaurant awards go, an Order of Australia is right up there. But then Moroccan Soup Bar has always been both deliciously good and good with a capital G. Maybe you only know it as the colourful Moroccan place on St Georges Road with the sweet mint tea, the heaving platters of mezze and the chickpea bake that could give you a coronary as fast as eating any beast. You know, that place where the queues used to be killer before they opened a takeaway branch and where they always required BYO containers long before ABC's War on Waste was broadcast. It's all those things, but it's why it rolls like this that's the thing. Hana Assafiri, the powerhouse behind Moroccan Soup Bar in Fitzroy North. Credit:Joe Armao Before owner Hana Assafiri opened the Moroccan Soup Bar in 1998, she worked in the women's domestic violence services sector (she has recently shared her own powerful #MeToo story, from her youth). At the time, a new government frustrated her ability to effectively assist women. Assafiri threw everything into creating a restaurant (key fact here: it was always a business) that would be a community hub, would serve affordable, sustainable food, and employ women who needed, not charity, but a job and a return to empowerment from cooking something they felt good at that often becomes a source of oppression in a domestic setting. Moroccan Soup Bar went against the grain in a lot of ways. It was and still is booze-free, menu-free (everything is spoken), bookings-free (they had the biggest queues around aside from nightclubs), all vegetarian and forced interaction through communal tables. With so few funds, Assafiri bought everything the golden lanterns, tagines, glassware from op shops and even made the paint from scratch with her father. Australia's startup community has issued a plea to the government to change its encryption legislation to stop it from "cannibalising" business growth, with heavyweights Atlassian and Canva backing the calls. It's a move to try to stem the damage ahead of the "pointy dagger over the heads of politicians" that is the upcoming federal election, says StartupAus chief operating officer Alex Gruszka. StartupAus chief operating officer, Alex Gruszka. "We would like it to be repealed, but right now weve taken the approach that we want to highlight the most egregious aspects of the bill," he says. The controversial "Assistance and Access" laws are designed to combat terrorism and serious crimes through allowing law enforcement to compel tech companies to help decode encrypted messages. The local startup scene has lobbied hard against the policy because of concerns over data and systems security. Texans who are not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a gun can carry handguns without a license or training starting Sept. 1, after Gov. Greg Abbott signed permitless carry bill into law. Will this spur handgun sales? You voted: Search giant Google has warned that the Australian competition watchdog's proposal for a regulator to oversee its algorithm could increase risks from spammers. One of the Google's top executives, vice-president of search Pandu Nayak, said the Australian Competition and Consumer Commissions proposal to impose oversight on the way search engines rank information and news articles through a review authority could invite trouble. Google fellow and vice-president of search Pandu Nayak. Credit:Ryan Stuart The more open you are about how the algorithm works the more tools you give spammers to mess with it and the very people youre trying to support with your transparency are the ones who get hurt, said Mr Nayak, who is visiting Googles Pyrmont offices from California this week. With this in mind he said he did not think algorithm oversight was a good idea, saying he wasnt sure what would be involved in making the concept workable. One of the biggest fears that the banks had in the early stages of the royal commission, stemming from its focus on responsible lending, was that they could end up with a lot more responsibility for the outcomes of their lending. The banks were criticised, harshly, in the hearings for alleged breaches of the National Consumer Protection Act and the responsible lending provisions in that legislation. Those provisions stipulate that the banks shouldnt enter into a credit contract without making reasonable inquiries about the borrowers financial situation and verifying the information. They are also prohibited from entering a credit contract or increasing a credit limit if the contract is unsuitable for the borrower. Had Kenneth Hayne decided that loans had to be ''suitable'' for customers it would have injected extraordinary moral hazard into the financial system. Credit:Eddie Jim There was a significant push from consumer groups for the commission to recommend that, rather than require that a loan contract should not be "unsuitable, the Act should be amended to require the loan to be "suitable for the customer. Bulgaria and the UK say they will jointly investigate possible connections between the poisoning of Russian former spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury and the poisoning of the Bulgarian owner of an arms factory in 2015. Britain's ambassador to Sofia, Emma Hopkins, said after a meeting with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and law enforcement officials that information about the possible poisoning of Emilian Gebrev had been discussed. "We are working in a joint team and a close partnership, and we are going to find out the facts in this case," Ms Hopkins told reporters. "All questions about the national security of the UK and Bulgaria are of paramount importance to us, and we will continue this investigation even after Brexit," she said. Bulgarian chief prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov said that a Russian citizen, Sergei Fedotov, made three trips to Bulgaria in 2015, one of them in April, when Mr Gebrev was poisoned. Mr Gebrev survived. According to investigative group Bellingcat, Fedotov was also suspected of being involved in the Novichok nerve agent poisoning of Mr Skripal and his daughter, Yulia. He arrived in Britain two days before the March 2018 attack, on the same day as the two suspected attackers. Mr Tsatsarov said prosecutors had compiled "significant" data on Fedotov's trips to Bulgaria as part of an investigation into the poisoning that was reopened in October. "We are establishing all moments while he was on Bulgarian territory, the hotels, the vehicles he used, contacts with Bulgarian citizens," Mr Tsatsarov said. Since then, we have been working in full co-operation and co-ordination with the British services. They have full access to all documents and all the materials in the case and the results of all investigative actions Mr Tsatsarov said Mr Gebrev had written to him in October saying that he had reason to suspect he might have been poisoned by a substance from the same family as Novichok, the nerve agent used in Salisbury. He acknowledged there was no scientific evidence, however. Mr Gebrev had requested and paid for blood and urine tests at Finland's Verifin institute. They confirmed the presence of organophosphorus compounds, which are used in some pesticides, but the exact pesticide was not identified. The tested samples were not found to contain any substances figuring on the list of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The use of Novichok in Salisbury has been confirmed by laboratories. Both Skripals survived after weeks in the hospital, and after their release they were taken to an undisclosed location for their safety. UK officials have blamed the attack on the Russian military intelligence agency GRU and charged two Russian suspects. The men travelled under the names Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov. Russian authorities have denied involvement and Moscow refused to extradite the men to the UK. - Press Association A strong storm has knocked out power, brought down tree branches and flooded coastal roads in Hawaii - and even brought snow. Snow is not unheard of in mountainous parts of the tropical island chain, but officials said the coating at 6,200 feet at a park on Maui could mark the lowest-elevation snowfall ever recorded in the state. Phil Mickelson was closing in on a fifth win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California when play was suspended due to darkness. The American, who started the final round at Pebble Beach three shots back, ended with a three-shot lead with two holes left to play. After a rain-delayed start, Mickelson had produced a blemish-free round and holed six birdies to move to 18 under before play was called off. Third-round leader Paul Casey, who mixed two bogeys with two birdies, was at 15 under with three holes remaining, tied with Scott Stallings who finished with a 66. Mickelson appeared unhappy about the decision to suspend play, insisting he could "see fine" as the cameras caught him shaking his head when the news was announced. "I totally get where (Casey) is coming from," he said in quotes on pgatour.com. "In all honesty, it's probably a good thing because now we'll play the last couple of holes in pure conditions and it will be helpful for both of us." Casey added: "The guy on the hot streak wants to keep going. The guy who's not, (thinks) 'let's stop'." Australian Jason Day and Si Woo Kim, of South Korea, were in the clubhouse on 13 under. Scot Russell Knox closed at nine under after a fourth-round level-par 72, one shot clear of Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell. Play will resume at 8am (4pm Irish Time) today. The ban on British-trained horses running in Ireland during the outbreak of equine influenza has been lifted with immediate effect, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board has confirmed. The sport was rocked last Wednesday after it emerged three horses - which subsequently rose to six - were found to have the highly-infectious disease at Donald McCain's stable in Cheshire, England. The ruling body quickly enforced a six-day shutdown of racing in Britain, but the IHRB confirmed racing would continue in Ireland - with all runners from Britain not be permitted to race until further notice. However, with the British Horseracing Authority due to decide late tonight whether racing can resume in Britain on Wednesday, the IHRB said in a statement: "Following on from the update issued on Friday, 9th February 2019, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) today announced that runners from Great Britain will be permitted to race in Ireland with immediate effect provided that the horses comply with the IHRB requirements." Dr Lynn Hillyer, chief veterinary officer at the IHRB, added: "They are fine (to run in Ireland), provided they can fill the requirements that we set out in our release on Friday night, which said that horses need to have received a vaccine for equine influenza which contains Clade 1 virus within eight weeks of their race. "As long as they can fulfil that requirement, they are fine. Obviously, by definition, they will only be coming from yards which aren't under restriction from the BHA. "Having had the opportunity to consider things over the weekend, the board have made the decision that we are able to support that movement - which is obviously good news for everybody. "There was a discussion whether to wait until after the BHA's announcement tonight - but we decided at this time the two things are independent. "The critical thing is they have to have had the correct vaccination within the eight weeks preceding the run." The British Horseracing Authority is to make a decision late tonight on whether racing can resume on Wednesday following the recent outbreak of equine influenza. In the latest update this afternoon, the BHA said no decision should be expected "before 10.30pm at the earliest", which will allow the industry veterinary committee - which includes representation from the BHA, Animal Health Trust (AHT), British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA), National Trainers Federation (NTF), Racehorse Owners Association (ROA), Racecourse Association (RCA) Thoroughbred Breeders Association (TBA) and independent expertise - "to have access to the most recent evidence". A statement read: "Analysis is ongoing at the AHT, in line with a prioritisation plan based on the potential exposure of horses to a horse that has tested positive (for example at the fixture at Ayr on February 6), or to a horse from a yard returning a positive test. "Swabs will continue to be collected and tested from other horses, but some have been fast-tracked to help inform this evening's decision-making process. "Separately, a specific plan is being formed as to what the clearance process will be for individual yards to return to racing. The details of this plan will be confirmed as part of the decision making process for any return to racing. "Should the decision be taken to return to racing on Wednesday, declarations for any fixtures staged will be at 10am on Tuesday. The BHA would provide further updates regarding the declaration process for any fixtures staged on Thursday and beyond." The news appeared positive after 720 initial tests for the virus came back negative on Saturday. However, although the BHA has revealed approximately 700 further tests carried out on Sunday also returned no other positive samples, there was a blow late on Sunday evening after the BHA announced that four vaccinated horses at the yard of trainer Simon Crisford had been found to have the virus. Crisford says there is "no obvious connection" between the horses that have tested positive and their stablemate who ran at a potential risk fixture last week. Crisford was one of the 174 stables to be placed in lockdown because he had a runner at Newcastle last Tuesday - after which trainer Rebecca Menzies, who had also had runners at the meeting, reported a "suspicious" case. Menzies' horses have subsequently returned negative results for equine flu, while Crisford confirmed his Newcastle runner, Sajanjl, is also clear of the virus. In a statement, Crisford said: "None of the four horses that have returned positive tests for equine influenza displayed any clinical signs of respiratory illness, including nasal discharge and elevated temperatures, prior to the mandatory swabbing that was undertaken last Friday, February 8. "The swabbing occurred following Sajanjl's race at Newcastle last Tuesday, February 5, and she has tested negative. There is no obvious connection between Sajanjl and the four identified horses. "All horses at Kremlin House Stables, totalling 92 boxes, undergo a strict vaccination check and programme on their arrival. "All four identified horses have been vaccinated within the last six months along with the rest of the yard and in line with vaccination protocol." Manhattan, KS (66502) Today Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Heavy downpours are possible. A few storms may be severe. Low 74F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Heavy downpours are possible. A few storms may be severe. Low 74F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Ahead of his sold-out headline date at 3Arena Dublin this Thursday, Post Malone announces a return to perform his first Irish outdoor headline show his Summer. The artist will play the RDS Arena on Thursday, August 22, 2019. Latest: The Tanaiste says a motion of no confidence in Simon Harris has "no chance" of passing. Sinn Fein is trying to force the Health Minister to resign, with Simon Coveney calling it a stunt. After a turgid week for the Health Minister, Sinn Fein put down a motion of no confidence in Simon Harris over his handling of overruns at the National Children's Hospital. "Micheal Martin has a decision to make," said Mary Lou McDonald. "Does he have confidence in Simon Harris, yes or no?" But Fianna Fail Health Spokesman Stephen Donnelly says they will not breach the confidence and supply deal propping the government up. Fine Gael ministers like Tanaiste Simon Coveney have been defending Minister Harris. "This is a stunt," said Mr Coveney, who added that the motion has "no chance" of passing. We have big things that we need to resolve as a country and what do Sinn Fein do? They try and pull the whole thing down. Sinn Fein do not have Dail time until next week to move this confidence motion. But the party is looking to swap time with others to get it on the floor of the Dail this week. "Our job as the real leaders of the opposition is to hold the government to account The hospital overspend is gross failure. Micheal Martin should not hide and should stop protecting fine Gael." - @MaryLouMcDonald pic.twitter.com/BhsCZL52ry Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) February 11, 2019 Sinn Fein to table no confidence motion in Simon Harris Update 9am: Sinn Fein plan to table a motion of no confidence in Health Minister Simon Harris. The party says his position is untenable because of his handling of the National Children's Hospital overruns. This morning Sinn Fein confirmed it will push a motion of no confidence in Health Minister Simon Harris. It calls for the Minister to immediately resign his position after his handling of the overruns at the National Children's Hospital. Last week it emerged Minister Harris knew in August of potential overruns of hundreds of millions of euro. But he did not tell his government colleagues until he had a final figure in November. This morning we publish a motion of no confidence in health minister Simon Harris. Mary Lou McDonald (@MaryLouMcDonald) February 11, 2019 Sinn Fein say Minister Harris misled the Dail, the government and the public by delaying. But the motion looks likely to fail at the moment. Fianna Fail say they will not support it as doing so would break the confidence and supply agreement. The party's health spokesperson Stephen Donnelly said they cannot collapse the government now in the teeth of Brexit negotiations. "We have to call out Sinn Fein for what they're doing because it is reckless," said Deputy Donnelly. "Sinn Fein are actually suggesting - 46 days out from a potential no deal Brexit and all of the consequences for our island and peace on this island and prosperity on this island - Sinn Fein are actually saying let's collapse the Irish government and leave Ireland completely exposed." Party Leader Mary-Lou McDonald dismissed the suggestions that the move is reckless. "The reckless thing is to allow a minister to withhold information from cabinet, from the Dail and from the people "The reckless thing is to allow a situation where huge amounts of taxpayers' money can be overspent, can be mismanaged and there is nobody accountable." Sinn Fein don't have Dail time until Wednesday February 20, and the motion will be moved then. There is growing disquiet and frustration within Fianna Fail over Micheal Martin's refusal to back a motion of no-confidence in Health Minister Simon Harris. Sinn Fein president Mary Lou-McDonald said Brexit cannot be the "catch-all excuse" to avoid accountability and allow bad governance. She called on Fianna Fail to support her party's motion of no-confidence in Mr Harris. Mr Martin has called on the Health Minister to provide a full explanation of the escalating costs around the national children's hospital and to correct the record of the Dail. Mr Harris is due to make a statement to the Dail this week clarifying a response he gave to Fianna Fail's Barry Cowen last September in which he said the cost of the children's hospital was "in line with the expected expenditure profile". This was after he had been informed that the overspend was running at 191m and that contractor BAM was seeking an additional 200m. But a number of backbenchers and grassroots members are frustrated by this approach and believe the confidence and supply agreement is no longer working. Sligo TD Marc McSharry has already called for Mr Harris to resign and believes it is now time for a general election, but yesterday he said it would be up to the party to reach a collective decision on the Sinn Fein motion of no-confidence. Bobby Aylward said: "There is a lot of disquiet in the party, there are mumblings. The grassroots feel we are being painted with the same brush as the Government. If this was normal times without Brexit we would probably be out knocking on doors. It's not just the hospital overrun, it's the nurses, the doctors, homelessness - this Government is not ruling. However, other Fianna Fail TDs including Margaret Murphy O'Mahony and Niamh Smyth said calling for a head will not deliver any answers and the party cannot risk a general election with a no-deal Brexit looming. But Ms McDonald said an apology from Mr Harris "falls well short" of the accountability that is now needed. "We will discharge our duties. The big question is will Micheal Martin discharge his?" she said. "If Micheal Martin is serious about good governance, serious about accountability, well then he will back our motion. If he is simply a mudguard for Fine Gael, if he is simply prepared to stand by and allow and facilitate bad government and to look the other way at incompetence and bad decisions, he will continue on the way he has thus far. She dismissed the claim that the Government would fall if a motion of no-confidence in Mr Harris were to pass in the Dail. A student suspended by a Dublin private school over allegedly selling 20 of cannabis to a fellow student has taken a High Court challenge over a planned disciplinary hearing. A stay applies on that hearing pending further order and the matter has been adjourned for two weeks. Mr Justice Seamus Noonan granted leave today to Feichin McDonagh SC to bring judicial review proceedings on behalf of the teenage student, suing through his father. It is claimed the boy's mother contacted the school late last year expressing concerns her son may have been smoking cannabis. In a further contact, she told the school her son had admitted sourcing cannabis online through Instagram. Days later, the school informed the parents it had received an allegation their son had supplied another student with cannabis. It is claimed allegations were put to the student at a meeting involving him, his parents and the school and he made a number of admissions. These included having smoked cannabis on weekends outside school and in woods near the school and having conversations with fellow students about smoking cannabis. He denied any allegation he offered or supplied cannabis for sale to anyone. Two days later, the student's father was informed his son would be suspended pending investigation of the allegations. In an email to the school three days later, the student apologised for his actions and said he wanted to stay in the school. The following day, the school head informed the parents by letter their son had breached the school's code of behaviour and substance use policy for having cannabis in his possession at a particular period; approaching another student in the school asking him if he wanted to buy cannabis and supplying about 20 of cannabis to that student. If was further alleged he brought cannabis to smoke with friends which he had hidden "out the back of the school". In view of the "very serious nature of the alleged misbehaviour" and as his continued presence in the school "represents a serious threat to the safety of students", the letter said the student would remain suspended pending the school head's investigation. The student remains suspended and has appealed his suspension under the Education Act in which context a facilitation process is due to take place shortly. It is claimed the parents have also been informed the school head has carried out a "thorough investigation" and, in a report, formed the view expulsion may be warranted and recommended the board of management consider that. The student claims the head, while "recommending the sanction of expulsion", has "manifestly made the essential finding of guilt necessary to justify such a sanction". The report, it is claimed, is based on "findings" by the head based on "incomplete circumstantial evidence" and without affording the student or his parents fair procedures or an opportunity to challenge the evidence. The boy's solicitor, Eileen McCabe, had written to the school voicing a range of concerns, including that the school board of management proposing to hold the disciplinary hearing was not properly constituted. Replies from the school stated, inter alia, no issue arose in relation to the matters raised, it is claimed. It is alleged the student has been refused a proper opportunity to challenge the evidence against him and this is unfair and breaches fair procedures, natural and constitutional justice and the school's own code. It is also alleged it was a breach of fair procedures for the board of management to meet last month to review the investigation carried out by the head and satisfy itself that was done in line with fair procedures. The State wants to settle through mediation several damages actions brought against it by retired Garda Sergeant and whistleblower Maurice McCabe. The High Court heard today the State is to write "an open letter" to Mr McCabe's solicitors in an effort to see if several actions brought by him against parties including the Garda Commissioner can be resolved through mediation. The mediation offer was mentioned when one set of proceedings brought by Mr McCabe against parties including the Garda Commissioner, the Minister for Justice, Ireland the Attorney General, and former Garda Commissioner Martin Callanan was mentioned before the court. Mr McCabe's lawyers had filed a motion seeking a judgement against the parties over their alleged failure to file a defence to his claim. Gerald Meehan Bl for the State defendants said his clients had not filed a defence as it would not help bring the sides together in a bid to see if a "conciliatory mediation" could take place. Counsel said the proposed mediation would involve all cases taken against the State by Mr McCabe. Counsel said the proposed mediation was being made not just in the interests of all the parties but also "in the public interest". Counsel said the State will write to Mr McCabe's solicitors Sean Costello & Co to see if mediation is possible. Emily Maloney Bl for Mr McCabe expressed her client's concerns about any further delays in the cases. The case was before Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds, who adjourned the case against the State for three weeks. The Judge said she understood Mr McCabe's concerns about delays, but in the circumstances she was prepared to adjourn the matter. Separately a number of pretrial motions in actions taken by the retired Sergeant, his wife and their four children against the HSE and Tusla the Child and Family Agency, (CFA) were also mentioned before the court. Maurice McCabe The McCabes had brought motions seeking judgements against the HSE and the CFA over an alleged failure to file defences to their claims. The motions in those cases where the McCabes seek damages over the false sexual abuse allegations made against him were struck out with the consent of the parties. It was also agreed that the defendants could have an additional four weeks to file their defences to the claims. Previously the State admitted liability in personal injuries claims and a defamation action brought by Mr McCabe. Last October Mr McCabe retired from An Garda Siochana, following 30 years service, weeks after the publication of the Disclosures Tribunal report in which Mr Justice Peter Charleton described the Cavan-based sergeant as having done the State considerable service. The Tribunal found former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan and Supt David Taylor had engaged in a smear campaign against Mr McCabe in response to his whistleblowing. The report found that Mr McCabe was a genuine person who had the interests of the people of Ireland in his mind at all times. The government is working to deepen ties with France post-Brexit, the Tanaiste said today as he helped launch the 30th Cork French Film Festival. It is preparing an Ireland-France strategy to cement and develop the relationship with what will be our nearest EU neighbour when Britain leaves on March 29, Simon Coveney said. And the Cork French Film Festival, which this year includes themes of unity, triumph over adversity, and love, and has as its overall theme Ensemble (Together), reinforces from a cultural point of view the existing connections and friendships between the two countries, he said. The French Ambassador in Ireland, Stephane Crouzat, said there is an incredible affinity between France and Ireland dating back centuries. And now in this new context, its all the more important to make the most of this special relationship that we have, he said. Cork, which is twinned with Rennes, hosted a delegation from Rennes university last week, which signed a memorandum of understanding with UCC. I hope that will translate not just into academia but also into cultural events, Mr Crouzat said. They were speaking at the official launch of this years Cork French Film Festival programme, organised by Alliance Francaise, which will see 20 films screened from March 3 to March 10. Combined, the films have 40 nominations for the 2019 Cesar Awards Ceremony - the French version of the Oscars. French beatmaker, producer and DJ, Jean du Voyage, will perform at the opening night gala at St Peters. The opening night film is Sink Or Swim (Le Grand Bain), one of this years box-office hits in France, which tells the humorous story of the adventures of an all-male synchronised swimming team in existential crisis. The closing film is a newly restored print of the original classic, Cyrano de Bergerac, starring Gerard Depardieu, as a romantic poet cursed by an impossibly large nose. As well as workshops with famous French actors, directors and DJs, there will also be a number of food events and a focus on environmental issues in partnership with the Cork Environmental Forum. Lord Mayor, Cllr Mick Finn, said the festival has become a huge part of the diverse local cultural scene and has brought the best of French cinema to the city for the past 30 years. I would like to acknowledge the work of Alliance Francaise de Cork which strives to bring the very best of French Cinema to Cork each year and which has contributed to the development of Franco-Irish relations since 1946. Jean-Christophe Trentinella, the director of Alliance Francaise de Cork, said it hopes this years programme will appeal to people of all ages. Some of the films might be difficult, with themes such as unemployment and social struggles, because these films give us a glimpse in other people's lives, their hopes and their challenges. There will be comedies of course, as well as family movies and classics, he said. The movies will be shown at The Gate Cinema. The programme for the 30th Cork French Film Festival has been curated by guest festival programmer, Marie-Pierre Richard. Gardai say an incident at a Roscommon school which led to a building being evacuated this morning was a hoax. 700 students and staff at St Nathy's secondary school had to leave the building after a "suspicious" phone call was received. A UK resident who repeatedly travelled to Dublin to have sex with a teenage girl who he claimed he was in love with has been jailed for four and a half years. The Central Criminal Court heard that then 25-year-old man and the 16-year-old became engaged at one point and he told gardai he was in love with her. Mr Justice Paul Coffey said that it wasn't love and said that the man was satisfying his sadistic urges by exploiting a mere child. He met the girl online in mid-2016 and began travelling here to have sex with her. She was 15 when he first have sex with her and then continued to meet her for sex after she turned 16. The pair met in hotel rooms and he recorded some of the sexual encounters on his phone. Mr Justice Coffey said the clandestine nature of the relationship between him and the victim indicated that he knew what he was doing was wrong. He said the defendant was controlling, possessive and manipulative and the victim only now has the clarity as to how inappropriate the relationship was. In a victim impact statement, the victim said: He was persuasive and demanding. I was 15 years old and he exploited this. I felt loved but realise this was not the case and he had control of me. Mr Justice Coffey said the fact that much of the sexual behaviour was elaborately discussed in text messages exchanged between them was evidence of premeditation and of the grotesquely age inappropriate nature of the relationship. The man, with an address in Manchester, was charged with 67 offences. He pleaded guilty to eleven sample counts of serial defilement of a minor on various dates in 2016 and 2017. He also admitted two counts of travelling with the purpose of exploitation of a child and one count of production of child pornography. The defilement acts involved the man spitting on and slapping the victim and calling her a slut. Some of the acts threatened the child's personal safety including one incident where he put a pillow on the child's head and she passed out and he continued to have sex with her. He told her that he had used her so much nobody else would want her. Mr Justice Coffey imposed a five-year prison term after allowing mitigation for his guilty plea, his expressions of remorse and his youth. He also noted the defendant has no other convictions and is held in very high regard in his community and described as decent, generous, valuable member of society. He suspended the last six months of the sentence on condition that the man have no contact whatsoever with the complainant. He also ordered three years post-release supervision if he chooses to remain here. The offending came to light when the girl arrived home inebriated, having spent time drinking with the man. Her mother took her phone and found thousands of text messages between her and the man. A garda witness told Caroline Biggs SC, prosecuting, that the video clips on the man's phone amounted to child pornography. In her victim impact statement, the girl revealed she found it hard to trust people and build relationships. She said she had become more argumentative as she felt people were manipulating her, similar to what the man did. She said she worried that the man knows where she lives and she was distressed about what he might do with the videos. She described him as being persuasive and demanding when recording these clips. The court ordered the destruction of the man's mobile phone, which was used to record the videos and takes photographs. These images were shared between the man and the victim. The garda agreed with Michael Bowman SC, defending, that a huge amount of photos uncovered in the investigation were not sexual in nature. He agreed these pictures depicted the two as a couple at different events and places from June 2016 to January 2017. The garda further agreed that at one point the two became engaged and an engagement ring was purchased. Mr Bowman submitted that the images in texts exchanged between the parties were reciprocal. Counsel said his client had been in custody for the past 19 months and had had time to reflect upon his wrongdoing. Mr Bowman said his client's emotion overwhelmed his better judgement in entering a relationship with the girl. Counsel asked the judge to take into account the former IT technician's guilty plea, previously unblemished character and the testimonials handed into court on his behalf. He told the court that after the offending came to light the child's mother began to text his client. In one text message, which was not ultimately sent, the defendant wrote that I'd do anything for your daughter even if that means serving a sentence. I realise I'm putting myself in danger and if you want to send details to police, fine. In July 2017 he asked the child's mother to meet him face to face to explain his affection, to rescue the relationship, Mr Bowman said. The mother arranged a meeting in Dublin city centre and informed gardai who were waiting to arrest him. He has been in custody since and all sentences were backdated to July 15, 2017. Minister of State John Halligan has described as grossly unfair and unnecessary the protest on Sunday outside the home of Minister for Health Simon Harris. Theres a way to deal with politicians wait for a chance at the ballot box, he told RTEs Today with Sean ORourke show. All politicians are firstly human beings, they have wives, husbands, lovers, children. Mr Halligan said there were other ways to protest and he fully supported the constitutional right to do so. He had no problem with protestors coming to his office door. But it was grossly unfair and unnecessary to go to a politicians home and having an impact on their family. The place to get into this is in debates on shows like this, on the street opposite the Dail. You dont go to the home of a politician inflicting pain on their family. If we have reached a state like that in Irish politics then were in trouble. He called on people to wait and lets hear what Simon Harris has to say and what the PwC report says. He said former Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald had been executed before trial. Mr Halligan said he had full confidence in Simon Harris. Its a tough job somebody has to do it. Lets not crucify the man. Lets be constructive. Its a very difficult time when we have the complexity of Brexit. Lets stand together. Dont agree . Direct action is democracy not landing outside the family home of a Minister , https://t.co/LES5NYifWI David Hall (@davidhall75) February 10, 2019 Veteran mortgage rights campaigner David Hall said the homes of politicians should be off limits and that while he understood that people were frustrated and there was great anger, it is not acceptable to run up at the house. "There are many means of protest. The HSE has abundant sites at which to protest. Liam Herrick of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties also criticised the protest outside the Ministers family home. There was a constitutional right to peaceful protest which is the absolute corner stone of democracy, but this was competing with the right to privacy, the family right to the inviolability of the family home. He said that yesterdays protest had been counter productive because the discussion today was about the protest and not the Ministers action. Fine Gael Senator Gabrielle McFadden told the programme that there was been a coarsening of political discussion because of social media. Yesterday was absolutely disgusting. She said she had protested herself in the past, but it had been respectful and peaceful, but yesterday a line was crossed. The Minister is a father and a husband first, a politicians second. To do that at his home, at this special time for his family with a new baby, he should be enjoying it. "I think it was disgusting. Just because he was elected doesnt mean he gave up his rights. Gardai are renewing an appeal for information on the murder of a man in Co Donegal 11 years after his death. Andrew Burns, who was 27, was killed at Donnyloop, Castlefin, Co. Donegal by persons linked to violent Dissident Republican activity in February 12, 2008. Andrew was shot between 7.05pm and 7.15pm and he was found on a roadway close to Donnyloop Church. He was pronounced dead at 7.58pm. One person has been convicted of this murder and a number of persons have been arrested in connection with the investigation. Gardai believe that a number of people were involved in the murder. Gardai urge anyone with any information to come forward as the investigation is still open. They added: It is never too late to come forward. Any information received by An Garda Siochana will be treated in the strictest confidence. Please contact the Incident Room at Letterkenny Garda Station on 0035374 91 67100/0035374 91 67170, any Garda Station or use the Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800 666 111. Herbal cannabis with an estimated street value of 90,000 has been seized at Shannon Airport. Revenue officers uncovered 4.5 kilos of the drug last Friday. The plight of homeless defence force veterans will be brought into sharp focus today. Three veterans will sleep out in a number of locations in Dublin in sleeping bags styled on the Irish flag. It is in a bid to raise awareness and funds for the organisation O.N.E., which also has operations in Athlone and Letterkenny. Dubbed "Sleeping Flags", this campaign The Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel aims to raise awareness of the plight of homeless veterans of the Defence Forces. Three veterans will sleep out in Dublin in specially created tri-colour sleeping bags to draw attention to the challenges faced by ex-servicemen who fall on hard times. O.N.E runs three homes for former members in Dublin, Athlone and Letterkenny where a range of services are provided. "It's about individuals who have served under that flag over different periods of time both at home and abroad and now they need help and we want to make the public aware", said Richard Dillon, House Manager at the Dublin facility. The organisation has a high success rate in finding long-term solutions to veterans' accommodation needs with 95% of those who turn to it for help end up in permanent housing. Richard Dillon says the use of the Irish Flag in today's campaign will strike a chord with service personnel. "It's not so much that the flag is on the ground, it's the person that's under the flag." O.N.E. provides 16,000 bed nights every year between the three locations around the country. A heightened awareness of consent is one of a number of reasons why there has been an increase in young people seeking help from rape crisis centres. 175 people are on the waiting list at the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre with some people waiting up to 8 months to be seen. A landline operator has agreed to cease billing customers for a phone service they never received, the Commercial Court has heard. Last month, the communications regulator, ComReg, sought orders restraining Germany-based Yourtel from this practice. Comreg claimed the firm had refused to co-operate and thwarted efforts to investigate its activities. Yourtel had also been convicted of repeated breaches of telecommunications legislation in relation to these activities. Today, Brian Murray SC, for Comreg, told the court Yourtel had consented to final orders requiring it to cease various contraventions of the 2002 Communications Regulations Act. Mr Justice Robert Haughton granted the reliefs sought by Comreg and gave it liberty to apply to the court again for the purpose of enforcement of the orders if necessary. He also granted Comreg its costs of bringing the case. In December 2017, Yourtel, with a registered Irish address at Kill Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, was fined 66,000 on 89 counts of charging mainly elderly people for services they never received. In June 2017, it was first convicted and fined 2,500 for this activity. In February last year, it was fined another 3,000 for two more offences. Yourtel, through unsolicited calls, offered discounted services to phone subscribers whose calls were supposed to be charged by the company while Eircom continued to bill for the line rental. In these cases however, Yourtel was providing no service whatsoever but sent out bills and even used a debt collection agency to go after unpaid bills. Last month, Mr Justice Haughton admitted ComReg's action against Yourtel to the fast track Commercial Court. In its application, Comreg said that between 2013 and 2018, the regulator received complaints from more than 2,400 Yourtel customers. Despite the repeated convictions and fines, ComReg was contacted some 50 times between February and September last by Yourtel customers. Following further investigations by ComReg, using information provided by Eircom, it was established 301 people who Yourtel maintained were still active customers, did not actually have an active service with Yourtel, it was claimed. Only 48 of 146 customers billed by Yourtel between December 2017 and March 2018 were actually provided with a service. IT service provider Version 1 has announced the opening of its Munster headquarters in Cork city centre, creating 40 specialist IT jobs for the region. The new office at Lapps Quay will see Version 1 increase its workforce to 75 technology professionals by 2021 in the region. Lord Mayor of Cork City Mick Finn said: "Cork's ICT sector is playing a central role in the economic engine of the city and county. "Cork is an attractive proposition for employers like Version 1 seeking a highly skilled IT workforce. "We welcome Version 1's expansion and commitment to job creation in the city, reinforcing Project Ireland 2040 and Cork's role as the fastest growing region in Ireland." The expansion will help the company provide enhanced Digital and Cloud services to its customer base, which includes the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, in Cork and the wider Munster region. The company employs over 1,200 people across ten office locations in Ireland, the UK and India, with 800 of its employees based in Ireland. Simon Coveney at the Version 1 opening in Cork. Picture: Darragh Kane. The 40 new roles in Cork will be created over the next 24 months and will include opportunities for experienced Digital and Cloud IT professionals and technology graduate roles. Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney TD said the company's expansion in Cork was a significant endorsement of Cork and Munster as a hub for the technology and innovation sector. Mr Coveney said: "The decision by Version 1 to expand its Munster headquarters here speaks volumes about Corks visibility as a location of choice for both Irish and international technology and IT employers. "Cork has a proud reputation as Ireland's second largest economic engine and has an enviable track record in investment attraction and Version 1s decision to open a new office there is recognition of that future growth potential. Version 1 Chief Executive Tom O'Connor said the company is looking forward to welcoming 40 employees in Cork. Mr O'Connor said: "Version 1 is an avid supporter of the ongoing efforts for Cork to be recognised as a vibrant hub for indigenous and international enterprise and we are proud to work collaboratively with many of the local business, technology and educational associations to support the attraction of more graduates and highly skilled IT talent in the region. Official figures show the UK economy slowed sharply in the final quarter of last year as uncertainties over Brexit intensified. Over 2018 as a whole, GDP was 1-point-4 percent - the last time it was lower was 2009 in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. British International Trade Secretary Liam Fox says there are lots of factors at play. Mr Fox said: "There are those who believe that Brexit is the only economic factor applying to the UK economy and I think you'll find that the predicted slow down in a number of European economies is not disconnected from the slow down for, example, in China." Liam Foxs Trade Department has secretly admitted to some of Britains biggest businesses that the 40 free trade deals the minister promised to have ready by Brexit day are unlikely to materialise. The admission, seen by the Press Association, is contained in the minutes of a meeting attended by senior figures at the likes of Burberry, Mulberry and Hornby at a behind-closed-doors event. At the meeting, Department for Trade officials were probed on the pledge by Mr Fox that he would sign free trade agreements to replicate the EUs 40 existing deals with countries around the world. However, the minutes read: A panel member asked whether it was true (as claimed by Liam Fox) that there were 40 FTAs ready to go, just awaiting a signature and that the only delay was the EU Exit date of 29 March. DIT [Department for International Trade] said that there was confidence that some of those agreements could be signed ahead of exit date, although it was unlikely they would all be signed before the leave date. This being so, there would not be continuity from day one of EU exit. Mr Fox has previously said that hed have 40 trade deals ready for one second after midnight on March 29. He also said that a free trade deal with the EU should be the easiest in human history. The private event was one of a number of sessions the Government is holding with businesses to assess their readiness for a no deal Brexit and to hear concerns. However, one company representative present said they felt left high and dry, adding that no real advice could be given because they havent got a clue what is going to happen. Among the countries the Department has signed a trade deal with include Switzerland, which guarantees future trading terms between the two countries following Brexit. The revelations come just weeks after Airbus chief executive Tom Enders branded the Governments handling of EU withdrawal a disgrace and said the company could pull out of the UK if Brexit undermines its ability to compete. British businesses are also stockpiling goods as March 29 draws nearer, when the UK will by default crash out of the block if a withdrawal agreement cannot be reached. - Press Association with additional reporting by Digital Desk Staff Eir has said a new 500m investment in so-called fibre-to-the-home broadband will provide coverage to every town in the country with more than 1,000 homes and businesses. The firm said its fixed network investment programme would provide coverage to another 1.4 million premises with speeds of up to 10 Gbps. Fibre-to-the-home is where fibre is connected directly to individual buildings such as houses, apartments or businesses, instead of the traditional broadband which uses so-called "cabinets", which are on the street. Connecting directly to a home is what allows superfast broadband, with movies downloaded in seconds. Eir said its new rollout would begin once its already underway 250m connection to 335,000 rural premises was completed in June. The firm's chief executive Carolan Lennon said the plan would "deliver not just the fastest and most extensive fibre network in Ireland, but also one of the most extensive in the whole world". Eir was one of the original bidders for the long-promised National Broadband Plan, which has been in limbo since first mooted in 2012, before pulling out. The plan, which promised to connect 540,000 hard-to-reach homes and businesses around the country, has still no start date, despite just one bidder being left. Finance Minister, Paschal Donohoe said last week the bid was still being examined by Department of Communications officials. Meanwhile, Siro, the joint broadband venture between the ESB and Vodafone, said it was investing 14m to cover six towns in Donegal. Dublin Business School (DBS) has partnered with data science training provider Metis for the college's first internationally delivered live online course, a machine learning module taught live in Dublin by Metis's New York City data science experts. The 12-week Machine Learning module is part of Dublin Business Schools new Master of Science Degree in Data Analytics. It was custom built by Metis data science experts to teach students how to use machine learning techniques and skillsets to achieve business goals. The masters degree program is accredited by Quality and Qualifications Ireland, the national agency responsible for qualifications and quality assurance in higher education. Metis was launched in 2014 by Kaplan, Inc. in the United States. All Metis bootcamp and corporate training programs are designed and taught by expert data science practitioners, and Metis alumni in the US have gone on to work at top companies including Instagram, IBM, Spotify, Tumblr, Facebook, BuzzFeed, Deloitte, Apple, Tinder, CapitalOne, Uber, and many more. Chief Data Scientist at MetisDr Deborah Berebichez said: Dublin has become a top European headquarters for technology multinationals, so the demand for data science expertise in the city is accelerating. As Metis expands internationally to cities where data science talent is needed, were not losing sight of what we do best: providing dynamic, engaging learning experiences taught by top practitioners in the field. Officially launched in January 2019, the first Machine Learning module cohort of thirty students includes learners from India, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Turkey. International students who receive masters degrees from DBS are eligible to live and work in Ireland for two years. Executive Dean of Dublin Business School, Andrew Conlan-Trant, said: We're really pleased to commence this very exciting collaboration with Metis. "The experience for students is hugely enhanced by bringing the deep expertise of Metis into the DBS classroom, and live online delivery has a very positive impact on engagement in the class. "This is a real example of the strength of Kaplan's scale and breadth and the benefit it delivers to students. State-owned forestry company Coillte is eyeing a quick return to the wind energy sector, through a potential joint-venture development company with the ESB. The two are in talks aimed at forming a renewable energy joint-venture solely focused on onshore wind farm projects. The aim is to generate around 1,000 megawatts of renewable energy, enough to power around 500,000 homes, by 2030. Coillte's renewable energy team would run the business and the wind farms would be built on the company's existing land bank across the country. In essence, the ESB will be acquiring a 50% stake of Coillte's renewable energy division for the full market value. Both companies hope to reach agreement on the deal by the end of May. Coillte sold the vast bulk of its wind farm interests to Greencoat Renewables for more than 280m last September. However, rather than reflecting a retreat from the sector, the sale was a mechanism to raise funds for a more concerted tilt at the renewable energy business. It is understood that development costs attached to the kind of output Coillte and the ESB are planning would amount to between 1bn and 1.5bn. A spokesperson for Coillte said the targeted output by the proposed joint venture would result in "a significant contribution to help Irelands energy transition". Coillte had owned 50% stakes in three wind farms, which it has now sold, and a 25% holding in one, Sliabh Bawn in Roscommon, which it has kept. Coillte has previously said it would explore a range of partnerships in relation to its future renewable energy ambitions. It has successfully collaborated on a range of renewable energy projects with the ESB since 2003. The joint venture would also be subject to normal regulatory and governmental approvals. Concerns about a hard Brexit has seen the highest rate of savers since 2010 in the border midlands region. That is one of the findings of the latest Bank of Ireland/ESRI index measuring attitudes to savings and investment. The Association of Chartered Certified Accounts (ACCA) has said that the European Union (EU) should transfer the 80% tax tariffs that it would receive from goods imported into Ireland from the UK if there is a no-deal Brexit scenario. All goods entering the EU, under the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) rules sees the country of entry receiving 20% of the tariff, with the vast majority, 80%, going to the EUs central revenues. WTO tariffs, if implemented under a no deal Brexit are expected to raise the costs of many UK goods and services in Ireland by between 5% and 30% with consumers paying the additional cost and this could reduce GDP by as much as 1%. ACCA has said the 80% of Irish duty on UK imports that would be retained by the EU under WTO rules, could be provided to Irish Revenue as part of a wider economic support package. The professional body has said that this resource could be targeted at supporting Irish consumers, businesses and farmers who are most impacted by a no deal Brexit. ACCA Chairperson Stephen OFlaherty said: Many people will be surprised that under international WTO rules, imports into the EU from any other international region sees only 20% being retained by the country of entry. "While Ireland was a net benefactor of EU investment during the financial crisis over ten years ago, with Brexit it now finds itself in the eye of an international storm and the EU must maintain its flexible support. "It can do this by ensuring that the revenue from UK WTO trade tariffs form an integral part of a far reaching economic support package that can help offset some of the financial upheaval of Brexit on businesses, communities and families throughout Ireland. In particular, this additional revenue could be redirected to support investment in sectors such as the agri-food industry which sees Irelands largest trading partnership (38%) with the UK, exporting 5.2bn of goods in 2017. In 2017, Irish imports from the UK cost 34bn (39bn) and ACCA has estimated that under the existing WTO trade system, import duty could add as much as 3.4bn to this bill meaning that the EU would take the vast majority (3bn) of this for its central budget. Within car imports alone, this would equate to the EU taking 80m out of the Irish economy with increased costs of 10% being borne by Irish consumers, according to ACCA. MONTREAL - The RCMP and other police forces arrested 15 people Monday in a series of raids in Montreal and Toronto targeting what investigators say is an extensive international money laundering network with ties to organized crime. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/2/2019 (863 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The RCMP logo is seen outside Royal Canadian Mounted Police "E" Division Headquarters, in Surrey, B.C., on Friday April 13, 2018. The RCMP say they've dismantled an international money laundering operation with a series of arrests in Quebec and Ontario today. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck MONTREAL - The RCMP and other police forces arrested 15 people Monday in a series of raids in Montreal and Toronto targeting what investigators say is an extensive international money laundering network with ties to organized crime. The RCMP, working with the Canada Revenue Agency, began the probe dubbed "Collector" in 2016 and wrapped it up last spring before launching raids Monday at around 6 a.m. More than 300 RCMP officers in Ontario and Quebec took part in Monday's operation, aided by officers from the Montreal, Laval and Toronto police forces. RCMP Cpl. Genevieve Byrne said the raids which involved 11 search warrants in Montreal and Toronto continued throughout the day. Byrne said the warrants target 19 people, but only 15 had been arrested. The four others being sought are Victor Vargotskii, 56, of Montreal, Mohamad Jaber, 51, of Laval, Que., Frederick Rayman, 71, of Toronto and Francisco Javier Jimenez Guerrero, 35, who place of residence is not known. RCMP officers escort a female suspect in a money laundering network off an airplane in St-Hubert, Que. on Monday, February 11, 2019. The RCMP and other police forces arrested 15 people Monday in a series of raids in Montreal and Toronto targeting what investigators say is an extensive international money laundering network with ties to organized crime. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson RCMP Sgt. Luc Thibault said Monday's operation "targets individuals who facilitated the collection of money from criminal groups in Montreal and laundered the proceeds of their illicit activities." He said in an interview that most of the money was drug-related but would not give details about the network's operations. Thibault also declined to say what other countries were involved in the network or where the allegedly laundered money ended up. The RCMP has scheduled a news conference to provide more details Tuesday in Montreal. Thibault said the suspects arrested Monday were transported for detention in Laval, just north of Montreal. An RCMP plane landed around 10:15 a.m. at the St-Hubert airport in the Montreal suburb of Longueuil carrying several suspects arrested in the Toronto area. The remaining people arrested in Ontario were expected to be brought to Laval later in the day. Police seized large quantities of cannabis, cocaine and methamphetamine and $1.7 million in Canadian and foreign currency. Thibault said the Canada Revenue Agency seized properties "owned by network members" valued at $15 million. The RCMP is not releasing the names of the suspects arrested Monday but said they will likely face charges including conspiracy, trafficking and laundering the proceeds of crime. The RCMP estimates that between $5 billion and $15 billion is laundered every year in Canada, but International Monetary Fund figures suggest the problem is much larger. "If we extrapolate (from international figures) for Canada, it could be a $100-billion problem," said Denis Meunier, a former senior executive with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada who now works as a consultant. He said tactics for covering the traces of illicit funds are becoming increasingly sophisticated. "They use lawyers and accountants to create shell companies, limited companies. And then these companies are multiplied," Meunier said. Ownership becomes harder to track with each new layer added, making it hard for investigators to identify who is responsible. A report published last year by an international organization combating money laundering revealed that criminal groups were laundering $1 billion a year in British Columbia through legal and illegal casinos. Meunier said the situation is no better elsewhere in Canada. "If the governments don't take their heads out of the sand, it is going to continue, and it is going to get even worse in all cities," he said. -- With files from Michelle McQuigge JAY, United States - A 68-year-old Quebec man has died in a ski accident at the Jay Peak ski resort in northern Vermont. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/2/2019 (863 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. JAY, United States - A 68-year-old Quebec man has died in a ski accident at the Jay Peak ski resort in northern Vermont. According to Vermont State Police, Bruce Charron of Montreal West lost a ski and then crashed into trees at the edge of a trail at around 12:45 p.m. Sunday. He was treated by emergency personnel but died at the resort. The state police have opened an investigation and are asking people who witnessed the accident to contact them. Jay Peak is just south of the Canada-U.S. border, about 130 kilometres southeast of Montreal. OTTAWA - Vice-Admiral Mark Norman's legal team has raised questions about the independence of federal prosecutors after the Crown and lawyers from the department that supports Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke several times last year about "trial strategy." Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/2/2019 (863 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Vice-Admiral Mark Norman arrives at the courthouse in Ottawa, Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019. Norman's legal team is pointing to several discussions between the Crown and top government lawyers about "trial strategy" as proof of political interference.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld OTTAWA - Vice-Admiral Mark Norman's legal team has raised questions about the independence of federal prosecutors after the Crown and lawyers from the department that supports Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke several times last year about "trial strategy." Partially censored copies of notes taken by the Crown during those talks with lawyers from the Privy Council Office were submitted in court Monday, as Norman's lawyers resumed their fight for access to thousands of government documents. In an email also filed in court, lead prosecutor Barbara Mercier explained to Norman's lawyer Christine Mainville that the handwritten notes were redacted because they dealt with "trial strategy." "As I recall, the portions of the attached documents which have been redacted deal with trial strategy, not witness preparation or discussion about their evidence," Mercier wrote. But Mainville told the court Monday that prosecutors should not talk strategy with the Privy Council Office, which she called the "right arm" to the Prime Minister's Office. The PCO first launched the investigation that ended with Norman being charged. "The PCO supports the prime minister. They implement what the prime minister's office wants. They execute on behalf of the Prime Minister's Office," Mainville said. "So it seems what we are being told is the prosecution service is devising their trial strategy with ... the body that reports to and executes the directions of the Prime Minister's Office." She went on to say the discussions between the Crown and PCO were "more concerning" than allegations the Prime Minister's Office tried to intervene in the criminal case against SNC-Lavalin. Trudeau's office is accused of trying to pressure former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould to direct federal prosecutors to negotiate a "remediation deal" with the Quebec company rather than move ahead with criminal prosecution. "By all appearances, this is a more direct influencing of the prosecution," Mainville said. "The attorney general is entirely bypassed. The Prime Minister's Office, via its right arm the PCO, is dealing directly with the (Public Prosecution Service of Canada). And the prosecution service is allowing this to happen." "So much for the independence of the PPSC," quipped Justice Heather Perkins-McVey, who ordered the Crown to deliver to her an uncensored copy of the notes, to be held under seal, before the case resumes Friday. Norman was suspended as the military's second-in-command in January 2017 and charged last March with one count of breach of trust for allegedly leaking government secrets to undermine cabinet's decision-making process on a major shipbuilding deal. The $700-million contract, in which a Quebec shipyard was asked to convert a civilian container ship into a temporary support vessel for the navy, was negotiated by Stephen Harper's Conservative government and finalized by Trudeau's Liberals in 2015. Norman has denied any wrongdoing and his politically charged trial is scheduled to start in August. Monday represented the ninth day of a pre-trial hearing that began in December over what government documents Norman's lawyers are allowed to see. His team wants access to potentially thousands of government documents about the contract, including records held by Trudeau's office, to prove their client was supporting the Tories in obtaining the ship before falling victim to Liberal political games. However, much of the proceedings have revolved around whether the government has tried to hide key documents, prevent access to witnesses, cherry-picked what information is made public or otherwise interfered in the case. Among the documents Norman's lawyers want to see are emails and other internal correspondence about their client and the case from officials in Trudeau's office as well as the Privy Council Office. Norman's lawyers will attempt to get the case thrown out entirely next month during what's called an abuse of process hearing by arguing there is no legitimate reason for the charge against him. Follow @leeberthiaume on Twitter. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/2/2019 (863 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer holds a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, Feb. 8, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Six stories in the news for Monday, Feb. 11 SCHEER DEMANDS PM LET WILSON-RAYBOULD TALK Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer has written to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asking him to waive solicitor-client privilege so former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould can publicly talk about what happened with SNC-Lavalin. It follows a report that members of Trudeau's office leaned on Wilson-Raybould to have prosecutors negotiate a "remediation agreement" with SNC-Lavalin rather than proceed with a criminal prosecution. The Quebec engineering and construction giant has been accused of paying millions of dollars in bribes to get government business in Libya. TRUDEAU SAYS LIBERALS WILL WIN BURNABY SOUTH Justin Trudeau promised the Liberal candidate in Burnaby South will be a strong voice for the community, as he campaigned on Sunday in the B.C. riding where New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh is seeking a seat. The prime minister told a crowd of supporters that Richard T. Lee served Burnaby for 16 years as a provincial legislator and continues to work hard every day to put the best face forward for the city. "Nobody make any mistake: The Liberal party is going to win this riding of Burnaby South" Trudeau vowed. The byelection is scheduled for Feb. 25. FEDS EXPECTS TRADE INTEREST IN CHINA TO SLOW Canada's trade minister says the government expects Canadian business interest in China to slow given current tensions, but Jim Carr predicts the two countries will eventually resolve their differences and allow economic ties to again flourish. Ottawa and Beijing have been locked in a diplomatic feud since the December arrest in Vancouver of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at Washington's request. China responded by detaining two Canadians it accused of endangering its national security, and it upgraded the drug-smuggling sentence of a third from 15 years in prison to the death penalty. FORMER FINANCE MINISTER MICHAEL WILSON DIES Michael Wilson, a former politician, diplomat and longtime mental health advocate, has died at 81. The University of Toronto, where Wilson served as chancellor from 2012 to 2018, confirmed his death Sunday evening. The school's president, Meric Gertler, called Wilson a "great Canadian" who improved many lives through his "comprehensive excellence, his unassuming generosity and his quiet compassion. Wilson served as finance minister and minister of international trade under then prime minister Brian Mulroney, and later as Canada's ambassador to the United States. DRAKE COLLECTS GRAMMY WIN, CRITICIZES AWARDS SHOWS Drake surprised many of his fans by showing up last night to collect his Grammy Award for best rap song. The Toronto native acknowledged his turbulent relationship with the Grammys as he accepted his award for the chart-topping song "God's Plan." Drake often shuns appearances at awards shows and boycotted last year's Grammys by not submitting anything from his previous release, "More Life." During his acceptance speech he said that working in the music industry is like "playing in an opinion-based sport, not a factual based sport." CALGARY WILDLIFE CENTRE AIMS TO 'PREVENT EXTINCTION' There should be a do not disturb sign at the hidden gate to the Devonian Wildlife Conservation Centre located on a remote parcel of land on the southern tip of Calgary. The centre operated by the Calgary Zoo is dedicated to saving endangered species, including a Mongolian wild horse, Vancouver Island marmots and whooping cranes. Zoo curator Colleen Baird says some of the species don't react well to visitors or outside stimuli, and as a result the centre will be moving to an even more private location east of Calgary within the next couple of years. ALSO IN THE NEWS: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will tour the Conrad rental housing development and make an affordable housing announcement in Vancouver, then meet with Telus CEO Darren Entwistle. Trade Minister Jim Carr and Infrastructure Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne hold a media scrum in Vancouver on the launch of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership TORONTO - Michael Wilson, a former politician, diplomat and longtime mental health advocate, has died at 81. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 10/2/2019 (863 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Governor General David Johnston stands with Michael Wilson after investing him as a Companion of the Order of Canada during a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on November 17, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld TORONTO - Michael Wilson, a former politician, diplomat and longtime mental health advocate, has died at 81. The University of Toronto, where Wilson served as chancellor from 2012 to 2018, confirmed his death in a post on its website Sunday evening, saying the school's flag will fly at half-mast until Wilson's funeral. The school's president, Meric Gertler, called Wilson a "great Canadian" who improved many lives through his "comprehensive excellence, his unassuming generosity and his quiet compassion. "From spearheading public policy of the highest significance to publicly confronting the challenge of mental illness, Michael Wilson was a true champion," Gertler said in a statement. "He bore the title, 'the Honourable,' by virtue of the public offices he held. But the description came spontaneously to all who had the good fortune to know him." Wilson served for over a decade as the Progressive Conservative MP for the Toronto-area riding of Etobicoke Centre, including time as finance minister and minister of international trade under then prime minister Brian Mulroney. From March 2006 until October 2009, he served as Canada's ambassador to the United States. Former prime minister Stephen Harper, who appointed Wilson to the post in Washington, said he served Canada with "exceptional skill and dedication. "From the Cabinet table to serving our country with dignity and wisdom as Ambassador in Washington, Mike embodied the best of public service," Harper wrote on Twitter. After losing his son Cameron to suicide in 1995, Wilson became a passionate advocate for mental health, and often spoke about the need for access to care. He was involved with a number of advocacy groups, including the Mental Health Commission of Canada and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and was a companion of the Order of Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wilson's "dedicated service" to Canadians will leave a lasting impact on the country. "We've lost a truly great Canadian. My condolences to his family and friends," Trudeau wrote on Twitter. Pre-veterinary medical students at Brandon University have started a petition to try to convince the province to not cut funding for seats to the only vet college they are able to attend. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/2/2019 (863 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us Pre-veterinary medical students at Brandon University have started a petition to try to convince the province to not cut funding for seats to the only vet college they are able to attend. "Its discouraging for the students," Catherine Beaupre, vice-president of the Western Manitoba Pre-Veterinary Medical Association (WMPVMA), said Sunday. "It makes me, honestly, think about applying to different professions," said Beaupre, who has dreamed of being a veterinarian since she was five years old. Realizing that dream has proved to be an uphill battle. Beaupre said she has applied twice and been rejected twice to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, the only college to which Manitoba students can apply. The province is considering funding only 10 seats to attend the college, down from 15. "I work at a vet clinic, right now," said Beaupre, 23. "Its not something Im going to give up on very easily." Beaupre is finishing a bachelor of science degree this year and has reapplied to the college. She wont know if she will get an interview until April or May. It takes three years at BU to complete the prerequisite courses in pre-veterinary medicine. "My grades are pretty darn good," she said. "Its very competitive, and to get an interview its really the best of the best." Only 26 per cent of Manitobans who applied for the 2018-19 year at the Saskatchewan college were accepted into the program. There are currently 25 pre-veterinary students at BU, seven of whom are set to finish their courses this year. "Its very competitive to get in, and then taking away those five seats ... are very much going to affect our chances of getting in," said association president Paige Schmitz, who has completed two years of the three-year course schedule. The association has sent letters to provincial politicians and others making their case, and started an online petition through change.org. As of Sunday, more than 115 people had signed the petition that was posted late last week. "Everybody needs their vets, so I am not surprised by people being supportive of that," Schmitz said. They hope to collect as many names as possible to present to Premier Brian Pallister before the 2019 provincial budget is released March 7. Douglas Freeman, dean of the veterinary medicine college, told the Winnipeg Free Press in January the school has been in discussions with government officials in Manitoba, British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan for about two years, focusing on a new funding arrangement. The current agreement expires after the 2019-20 academic year. Since 1963, the four western provinces have each contributed millions to WCVM, guaranteeing that some students from their regions are accepted into the competitive veterinary program. Manitoba contributes $6 million annually, but is considering clawing back funding that will reduce its numbers, Freeman said. The petition can be found at bit.ly/2WUBT8t. brobertson@brandonsun.com, with files from the Winnipeg Free Press Twitter: @BudRobertson4 SIGN UP TO GET BLACKLISTED NEWS DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR INBOX Enter your email address: District Media Group started with a single building wrap in the Johannesburg CBD five years ago and, this year, it has launched its first digital site in the heart of the Sandton CBD. The boards set in the heart of Africa's richest square mile are the first of its nationwide roll out. NEWSWATCH: It's been little over a month since Woolworths was accused of copying the design of a baby carrier produced by Cape Town-based small business Ubuntu Baba. Now, Michelle Legge, the owner of local beverage brand Superlatte claims that the retailer copied the idea for her superfood drinks and started selling their own version at Woolworths Cafes. Superlatte's beetroot, turmeric and matcha lattes. Credit: Superlatte A turmeric, beetroot and matcha latte at Woolworths Cafe. Credit: Superlatte Tarnishing category reputation #FutureFit Yourself: Marnus Broodryk and attorney weigh in on Ubuntu Baba Carmen Murray talks to Roy Taberer, a patent attorney from Taberer Attorneys, Kimberleigh Stark, an actress and producer from Stark SA, Shannon McLaughlin, owner of Ubuntu Baba and entrepreneur Marnus Broodryk of SME Africa to understand the lessons we can learn from this and how can we protect our ideas better... Menu refresh? We categorically deny the allegations that we copied this product. Super lattes, also known as rainbow lattes or unicorn lattes, is an international term for lattes made with so-called superfoods, and has been a global trend since 2016. Superlatte have not made contact with us. Woolworths SA (@WOOLWORTHS_SA) February 11, 2019 As if just making a living in South Africa isn't difficult enough - now startups have to keep an eye on #Woolworths constantly ~ https://t.co/4PP1kI1xGS ~ @Superlatte #PlayFairWoolworths @WOOLWORTHS_SA pic.twitter.com/MjDHvEv7MB Dianne Bayley (@dibayley11) February 11, 2019 Please spread the word, another reason I don't like shopping at WOOLWORTHS! I have supported Superlatte for a year now and hope to see them grow, but that won't happen... https://t.co/tzuzDfsO8D Shawn van Zyl Media (@Shawn_VZ) February 11, 2019 In June 2017, Legge says she discovered that Woolworths had launched a superfood latte concept to their cafe menu, with striking similarities to her brand. At the time, Legge had already launched three plant-based superfood drinks into the SA market a turmeric, beetroot and matcha latte powder blend.She'd also landed a national health food restaurant chain and several Cape Town coffee chains with her 750g catering format, and her 200g retail bags were on the shelves of a national health food grocery chain, and independent grocers were following suit."Woolworths had used a close variation of my registered brand name Superlatte to title a new section on their beverage menu," she writes in a blog post published on her website last week."The section featured just three beverages a turmeric, beetroot and matcha latte. Sure, theyd used a pause between the Super and Latte and added a plural S, but in the context of the menu items to follow near identical replications of my three blends in key ingredients and colours it looked liked Woolworths was attempting to ride my wave," she states.The business owner is asked regularly if its her product on the Woolies menu, and in her post describes having received complaints from customers who tried the Woolies version and mistook it for Superlatte. Customers and followers were sharing that theyd had one of my lattes at Woolies, or, that the lattes on offer tasted horrible. Of course, they hadnt had a SuperLatte but something which looked and sounded like it, Legge writes.She expresses concern about the "poor imitation" of her product because it could tarnish the fledgeling category in terms of quality and taste. "Its one thing to take inspiration, but at least do it well this category needs all the help it can get," she says.Why hasn't Legge taken action until now? Firstly, having grown up with Woolworths she's harboured a special affinity for the retailer.She also said she was discouraged and intimated by their size and realised that legally, they were within their rights. "They had, after all, split my registered trademark Superlatte into two separate words, with a plural s tacked on, to make Super Lattes.""As far as the latte flavours went, well its nearly impossible to copyright a recipe, and there were a couple of variations in the Woolworths version. My thinking was that rather than damage my chance to one day stock Woolies, I would keep calm and carry on, hoping that this would be a passing phase for the retailer."She goes on to say that Woolworths has since launched their own range of instant single serve superfood latte blends, a turmeric, beetroot and matcha pack. Again, the retailer appears to replicate two of her product names, Red Velvet and Golden Latte."Unlike Superlatte and the majority of similar brands overseas, the Woolworths blends are relatively high in sugar and are not plant-based, containing milk powder. More clouding of the category and cheapening of the movement towards healthy coffee alternatives, in my opinion, but ultimately to be expected from mainstream retail," Legge explains.Legge ends her post saying: "In 2019, turmeric lattes and the like are hardly a unique concept. We dont own the trend nor the flavour combinations, but we do own our name."Supporting the local startups Woolworths finds so inspiring would be a good start. But for now, perhaps Woolworths could consider a menu refresh?"Woolworths responded to a tweet by's Brent Lindeque saying that the retailer denies the allegations that it copied the product, and that Superlatte has never before made contact with the company.Some South Africans, however, don't seem to be buying the explanation. OurCrowd, a global investment platform and Israel's most active venture investor, has announced programming for the OurCrowd Global Investor Summit, to be held on 7 March 2019, in Jerusalem, Israel. Jon Medved, CEO and founder of OurCrowd at the 2018 OurCrowd Global Investor Summit Speakers and topics Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize-winning economist and author, on the behavior of impact entrepreneurs; Nuseir (Nas) Yassin, top Facebook blogger and entrepreneur, on what drives progress around the world; David Bonderman, founding partner of top-tier private equity firm TPG, on why he created the largest impact fund in history; Kira Radinsky, director of Data Science and Israel Chief Scientist for eBay, on applying her population research to global health solutions; and Ron Fisher, president of Softbank Holdings and cice chairman of Sprint, on how mature startups can solve global challenges Take part in discussions and information sessions The Great Tech Debates: Designer Babies, Big Brother, and the New Plagues , three face- offs between some of the leading minds in tech, business, and science, tackling the ramifications of genetic editing, the risks and opportunities of governments addressing a robotic future, and whether manufactured medicines will save the human race or wipe it out , three face- offs between some of the leading minds in tech, business, and science, tackling the ramifications of genetic editing, the risks and opportunities of governments addressing a robotic future, and whether manufactured medicines will save the human race or wipe it out Top 10 Tech Impact Trends for 2019 , predicting whats going to be impactful, disruptive, and actionable in the coming year , predicting whats going to be impactful, disruptive, and actionable in the coming year The OurCrowd Impact Master Classes , teaching the art and science (and business) of doing well by doing good, featuring eye-opening insight and nuts-and-bolts tutorials on investing models, defining and measuring impact, and building an impact business , teaching the art and science (and business) of doing well by doing good, featuring eye-opening insight and nuts-and-bolts tutorials on investing models, defining and measuring impact, and building an impact business The Cannabis Revolution: Saving Lives and Changing Society, first-person accounts of the incredible ability of cannabinoids to replace addictive painkillers, address development delays caused by autism, alleviate PTSD symptoms, and more. Two Truths and a Lie, an interactive, entertaining game featuring five masters of the VC world, which will shed light on the mechanics and opportunities of investing through VC funds an interactive, entertaining game featuring five masters of the VC world, which will shed light on the mechanics and opportunities of investing through VC funds Demo Theater, showcasing the coolest, most eye-popping technologies from the innovators themselves popcorn included showcasing the coolest, most eye-popping technologies from the innovators themselves popcorn included Hacked Cars, Stolen Identities, and Short-Circuited Pacemakers: Cybersecurity in a Connected World, in which professionals from five key sectors present rapid-fire presentations on tech defenses that could make the difference between prosperity and failure, life and death in which professionals from five key sectors present rapid-fire presentations on tech defenses that could make the difference between prosperity and failure, life and death OurCrowd University, a three-part intensive course on the fundamentals of investing and building startups There's more... Reflecting the summit theme of Startups: Making a Global Impact, the agenda will highlight the incredible power of breakthrough technologies to make a real and lasting difference in the world.This years Summit celebrates how in todays globalised climate, startups are able to amplify their know-how to tackle the critical, complex challenges facing society, said Jon Medved, founder and CEO of OurCrowd.Our event is the premier showcase of Israeli technology, and a golden opportunity for investors looking to meet the very best that Startup Nation has to offer the world.Keynote speakers include:Mainstage content includes eye-opening sessions on how startup technologies are addressing global challenges, such as AI drone software assisting first responders to locate flood victims, focused ultrasound enabling Parkinsons patients to walk, submarine-based HVAC systems improving air quality and reducing pollution, and innovative AgTech approaches increasing crop yield and conserving water in third-world countries.Throughout the summit, attendees will understand and engage in discussions of the risks and opportunities brought on by the innovation revolution.Some examples include:The OurCrowd Global Investor Summit is intentionally different from other conferences. Rather than the usual panels, breakout sessions have a variety of informative and entertaining formats, such as:Summit attendees will enjoy a 360-degree full-day experience, with real-time demos and dynamic sector spaces allowing them to interact with some of the coolest technologies on the market or not yet on the market. From virtual reality to medical diagnostic devices to consumer products, its a chance to personally experience the future, including: SportsTech Arena; MedCheck Lab; Cannabis Greenhouse; Korea Pavilion; Australia Tech Space; Italian Plaza; India Pavilion; Impact Alley (nonprofits and NGOs) and a full-scale model of the SkyTran mag-lev transportation pod.In keeping with OurCrowds model of democratising venture capital, the summit will once again host an Open Mic for Entrepreneurs, providing a stage for startup hopefuls to win over an audience, and a chance for investors to get a first look at some potentially overlooked opportunities.Reflecting the summit theme of Global Impact, attendees will also be treated to plant-based burgers and hot dogs presented by breakthrough startup Beyond Meat. All leftover food from the summit will be given to those in need, facilitated by summit partner, Leket Israel.For more information, go to https://summit.ourcrowd.com Microbiome discovery platform company selected to join leading AI community Microbiome discovery Platform Company Eagle Genomics has been selected to join the latest cohort of the Microsoft AI Factory, based at the world-renowned Station F startup campus in Paris. The Microsoft AI Factory accelerator programme launched in 2017 in partnership with French computer science and automation institution, INRIA. It has selected and supported a community of leading AI startups to drive and accelerate innovation in the field. The community, based at the world's largest startup campus, Station F, hosts pioneering companies from a wide range of sectors applying AI to solve some of the grand challenges of our age. The Eagle Genomics platform utilizes AI to analyze complex genomic and microbiomic data at scale, delivering new insight and allowing enterprise brands to assess the viability, efficacy and safety of products. The company is particularly focused on how the microbiome, the ecosystem of bacteria, fungi and viruses present in virtually all living organisms, is linked with health and affected by the products we use and consume. Eagle Genomics' selection into the AI Factory follows its participation in the European Microsoft ScaleUp programme and a recently announced partnership with Microsoft Genomics, which marked Microsoft's first venture into the microbiome. The company has also recently secured funding of $3.5M to accelerate the development of its award-winning platform. Left: Untreated patient breast cancer tissue was grown in three-dimensional culture. Right: Cancer tissue was treated with BCL-2 inhibitor and antidiabetic drug. Green color indicates the cancer cells, and red color is a marker for apoptotic cell death. MYC, a gene with high cancer-initiating potential, is overexpressed in over 40% of breast cancers. While MYC programs breast cancer cells to build more macromolecules (anabolic metabolism) it also creates a metabolic vulnerability by making them more sensitive to a type of cell death known as apoptosis. Research Director Juha Klefstrom, PhD, University of Helsinki, Finland, has worked for a long time to exploit this apoptosis-sensitizing effect of MYC in the battle against the cancer. Klefstrom and his research group found that, because of this vulnerability, cancer cells can be attacked with a "drug cocktail" that includes the diabetes drug metformin and venetoclax, a BCL-2 protein inhibitor that can induce apoptosis in cancer cells. The group identified metformin in a search for drugs that could boost the apoptosis-inducing action of venetoclax. Venetoclax has been approved to treat certain leukemias but not yet for the treatment of breast cancer. "This drug combo exploits specific metabolic vulnerabilities that high levels of MYC creates in tumor cells. Metformin and venetoclax, when given together, killed breast tumor cells in culture and blocked tumor growth in breast cancer animal models. Furthermore, the drugs efficiently killed authentic breast cancer tissue donated by breast cancer patients. The breast cancer samples were obtained fresh from surgeries performed in Helsinki University Hospital", Dr. Klefstrom says. However, the researchers soon discovered that the metformin plus venetoclax treatment only held tumors in check as long as the mice with implanted breast tumors were actively being treated with the drugs; once the treatment was stopped, the tumors grew back. The study shows that tumors were initially filled with tumor-killing lymphocytes; however, after the treatment they largely vanished and the remaining killer cells expressed PD-1, a marker of immune cell exhaustion. To help the immune cells better fight the tumor, the researchers developed a new treatment strategy. First, they hit breast tumors with apoptosis-inducing drugs metformin and venetoclax to reduce the tumor size and to wake up killer lymphocytes. After the primary tumors were surgically removed, the mice were then treated with a triple combination: metformin, venetoclax and a PD-1-targeted antibody, which is used in immunotherapies to keep killer cells active long-term. "With this combination the survival of mice carrying implanted tumors was extended dramatically in comparison to mice that were treated with only single or double combinations", Klefstrom states. Klefstrom highlights that this is a wonderful example of a translational study fundamentally aimed at taking research from bench to bedside. The key people from the University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital (HUS) - basic researchers, pathologists, surgeons and oncologists - were all involved at the earliest stages of the study. The first author of the study Dr Heidi Haikala notes: "It's quite amazing how we've been able to bring a discovery from the lab bench all the way to the doors of the cancer clinics within the time frame of one PhD project. We are very excited about our findings and hope that they will translate to benefit breast cancer patients." "This is a great example of how scientists in academia, leveraging highly specialized tumor models and applying their unique insights, can contribute to the discovery of potential new treatments for people with cancer. It is also a testament to the great research being done in smaller countries like Finland," states Joel Leverson, Ph.D., a Senior Scientific Director at AbbVie and one of the senior authors in the study. "We finally have a drug combination that efficiently exploits MYC's apoptotic function and most importantly, these drugs can be tested in the clinic in real patients. We are currently working hard towards this next step.", Klefstrom concludes. Media Advisory, February 11, 2019 Contact: Perrin de Jong, (828) 595-1862, perrin@biologicaldiversity.org Chapel Hill Council to Hear UNC Defense of Coal Plant on Wednesday CHAPEL HILL, N.C. University of North Carolina officials on Wednesday will try to explain to Chapel Hill town councilors why the college is indefinitely postponing the shutdown of a coal-fired power plant that threatens public health on and off campus. The hearing was triggered by UNCs decision to abandon plans to close its coal plant by 2020. The college is now seeking to renew its state permit and operate the coal-burning facility indefinitely. The coal plants existing permit allows the emission of four to six times the levels of nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide pollution found to be safe under the Clean Air Act, according to an analysis by the Center for Biological Diversity. The analysis found that such high levels of toxic air pollution pose health hazards across several Chapel Hill neighborhoods and nearly the entire UNC campus. Over-exposure to these pollutants is linked to respiratory diseases and premature death. Were glad to hear from UNCs leadership, but they need to understand why the community is so opposed to this polluting power plant, said Perrin de Jong, a Center attorney. Theres no valid excuse for letting this outmoded facility continue to contaminate the air we breathe. What: Presentation on the coal-fired plant by Bradley Ives, UNCs associate vice chancellor for campus enterprises and chief sustainability officer. When: 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 13. Where: Town Hall, Council Chamber, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Chapel Hill, N.C. Media Availability: Perrin de Jong, staff attorney for the Center, is currently available for interviews. He will also be available at Wednesdays Town Council meeting. Background UNC-Chapel Hill is the only institution of higher learning in North Carolina still operating a coal-fired power plant. In 2017 the university reneged on its 2010 pledge to stop burning coal and replaced it with a goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2050. In October 2018 the North Carolina Division of Air Quality initiated proceedings to renew the long-term air permit for the universitys coal plant, igniting a wave of dissent from students, town residents, conservation groups and officials from the town of Chapel Hill. Mayor Pam Hemminger complained about the lack of notice and meaningful opportunity for public input. The Center is urging the Division of Air Quality to hold a public hearing to allow residents to air their concerns about the renewed permit. Media Advisory, February 11, 2019 Contacts: Jim Warren, NC WARN, (919) 416-5077, jim@ncwarn.org Karen Bearden. 350 Triangle, (919) 844-9050, chickadeebirders@gmail.com Jean Su, Center for Biological Diversity, 202-849-8399, jsu@biologicaldiversity.org Groups in North Carolina Launch Campaign to End Duke Energy's Monopoly Control of Electric System, Public Officials RALEIGH, N.C. The Energy Justice NC Coalition will roll out a multipronged campaign with a press conference Wednesday, Feb. 13. The groups will call for fair competition in North Carolinas energy system and an end to Duke Energys monopoly stranglehold that is increasingly harming communities, businesses and the environment. Immediately following the press conference, the coalition members will hand-deliver a letter to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Senate President Phil Berger and General Assembly Speaker Tim Moore. The letter calls on the officials to publicly pledge to stop taking Duke Energys campaign contributions and begin a public process to open North Carolina to energy choice and competition. The event will be live streamed on Facebook. What: Press conference challenging Duke Energy monopoly When: Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 1 p.m. Where: Family Life Center at the First Baptist Church, 101 South Wilmington Street, Raleigh, NC, 27601 Speakers: Bobby Jones, Down East Coal Ash Coalition; Donna Chavis, RedTailed Hawk Collective, Friends of the Earth; Amy Adams, Appalachian Voices; Jean Su, Center for Biological Diversity The Energy Justice NC Coalition is a new collaboration of 15 local, state, regional and national organizations focused on promoting common-sense energy policies that will shift the state to a more affordable, safer and secure electric system. It is also calling for policies that create local jobs and community wealth through allowing consumer choice and competition. The coalition is anchored by leaders from communities devastated by worsening hurricanes, Duke Energys coal ash negligence, proposal for the massive fracked gas Atlantic Coast Pipeline, hog waste being labeled renewable energy and runaway rate hikes. The groups are rolling out an unprecedented effort by social justice and clean energy advocates to end monopoly control of a states electric system. Iran is marking the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled the Shah, overturned monarchical rule and brought the brutal clerical regime to power. The festivities, known as the Ten Days of Dawn, conclude on Feb. 11, the date Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's government collapsed after brief clashes between some army units and revolutionary gunmen, following nationwide protests. The Shah had already left the country in January '79. His authoritarian government had reformed the country, but also clamped down on opposition forces and was despised by many. What followed was not the democratic liberation many revolutionaries had hoped for but a tyrannic islamist regime engaging in mass killings, torture and brutal oppression of any opposition. Countrywide anti-regime protests and strikes are blazing up regularly since December 2017, with chants calling for an end of the mullah's dictatorship. To some observers, the Shah's son Reza Pahlavi (58) could be the ideal candidate to lead an Iranian government in exile. He has been an outspoken supporter of the democratic anti-regime forces in the country since many years. BILD spoke to the crown prince about his family's heritage, the future of Iran and his personal ambitions. Your family left Iran 40 years ago in which condition do you see your home country today? Pahlavi: Had it not been for the Islamic Revolution, Iran, by most analysts predictions, should have looked like South Korea today. Unfortunately, it looks more like North Korea. If you look at the state of poverty, pollution, environmental decay, infrastructure, and general despair it is as if the plague has taken our country over. This is all as a result of gross mismanagement and corruption and more importantly, an utter lack of care for Iran and Iranians. This regime has proven that it does not care about our country or her people, only about its poisonous ideology. Auch Interessant Lesen Sie auch 40 Jahre Islamische Revolution Wie die Frauen im Iran ihre Freiheit verloren Irans Frauen kampften an der Seite der Manner fur den Sturz des Schahs und wurden die ersten Opfer des neuen Islamisten-Regimes. Reporter ohne Grenzen Geheime Akten belegen die Mord-Justiz der Mullahs Zehntausende politische Gefangene, Massenhinrichtungen, Folter: Ein Datensatz belegt jetzt die Verbrechen des Iran-Regimes. How frequently are you in touch with people in Iran? Pahlavi: On a daily basis. Social media and technology have expanded my ability to stay in contact with my compatriots and to remain in touch with happenings in my country. What is your prediction, will the regime be able in the near future to stop these protests? Pahlavi: This regime will fall. History has proven to us that even the most totalitarian regimes, in the end, fall. So in case of a regime change: What impact would a secular democratic Iran have on the region? Pahlavi: Clearly a non-belligerent system which, first and foremost, cares about the welfare of its own citizens would also be keen to develop friendly relationships with its neighbors and with nations the world over. Iran was like this before the revolution. We were friends with just about every country and every people on the planet from Arabs to Jews, from Russians to Americans. We were also, as a result, respected by the world. A secular Iran will once again be devoid of the current totalitarian system which de facto, for its own survival, needs to export its ideology and destabilize the region. So when this regime is gone, Iran will contribute positively in the region. Some have described you as a Shah in waiting what are your personal ambitions in Irans future? Pahlavi: As I have said countless times and as I have written in several books, my ambition is to liberate Iran. My sole focus at this time is for Iran to be free so that the Iranian people, once free to choose for themselves, can decide their own fate and their own future. When your ambitions for Irans future are discussed in Europe, the dark parts of your fathers heritage come up. What is your response to this? Pahlavi: I invite you to look beyond 1979 and to fast forward your clock to 2019 and see what the people of Iran have to say about the past and about my father. In the streets the younger generation shout my fathers name. On the walls the youth glorify my grandfather's memory. They recognize the immense contributions that each made in building our nation. You can ask the people what they think, and they will give you a clear answer. What are your hopes for Iran's next forty years? Pahlavi: My focus is on revitalizing and reinvigorating my country. This regime has attempted to destroy it for forty years. So first we will rebuild it for our citizens so that they can once again live in dignity. This begins with rebuilding our economy based on economic justice and the free market, not based on a cartel system designed to fund domestic repression and global terror. Thereafter, our country can be a beacon of peace, stability, and development in the region and the world as it has been in the past. In your view, what should Europe or Germany in particular do to support a free Iran? Pahlavi: In your countries, you value liberty, freedom, human rights, and democracy. You must understand that Iranians desire and demand those every bit as much as Germans and Europeans. As people who have struggled under the oppressive grips of fascist and communist dictatorship, Europeans should feel the desires of the Iranian people even more tangibly. Solidarity as democratic nations has to go beyond lip service and general statements. You must actively decide whose side you are on. Either deal with the regime against the people's interest, or start supporting the democratic forces that are struggling against a repressive, dictatorial regime. You cannot conduct business with this regime and hope for democracy at the same time because this regime is not reformable. You must choose a side. Coming to the understanding that the regime and its actions cannot be changed is the first step in supporting a free Iran. Philippine security personnel lift a body bag containing the remains of a victim after two bombs exploded at a church in Jolo, in the southern province of Sulu, Jan. 27, 2019. Abu Sayyaf militants have executed a logger on the southern Philippine island of Basilan after he failed to recite a Muslim prayer, police said Monday. Heavily armed Abu Sayyaf members took seven loggers who were working on a coconut plantation in the jungles of Abong-abong village in Maluso town on Saturday. They then asked the men to recite the first seven verses of the Quran called Al Fatihah, police commander Inspector Robert Jay Bacalangco said. Six of the seven managed to recite the prayer properly, but the last, Eustiqui Auxtero, 39, apparently faltered. He was shot at close range and died instantly, Bacalangco quoted the six loggers as telling the police. The six loggers were freed unharmed and reported to us the incident, Bacalangco said, adding it took police two hours to walk to the site to recover Auxteros remains. Security officials in the south said they were treating the violence as a diversionary tactic by the Abu Sayyaf, whose members in the nearby island of Jolo are on the run from a massive military offensive after suspected militants carried out twin bombings at a church that left 23 people dead and dozens wounded. In 2007, Abu Sayyaf gunmen kidnapped seven loggers and killed them also in the same town. Brutal killings have been synonymous with the Abu Sayyaf, a ragtag band of self-styled militants blamed for some of the worst terror attacks in the Philippines during the past two decades. In 2004, the group bombed a passenger ferry on Manila Bay, killing more than 100 people in one of the deadliest terrorist strikes in the Philippines. On Jan. 27, the militants bombed a Catholic Church in Jolo as Mass was ongoing, leading to heavy casualties. President Rodrigo Duterte has blamed suicide bombers for the incident, and the police subsequently arrested five suspects. Police said the five men worked with a couple of Indonesians who blew themselves up, a claim that the Indonesian government has taken with a grain of salt. Arab bomber? Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano, a former army general, said the military and police are on the lookout for an Arab-speaking suicide bomber being harbored by Abu Sayyaf fighters in the jungles of Patikul in Jolo. Ano said the bomber is with the Sulu faction of the Abu Sayyaf led by Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, believe to be the mastermind of the recent Jolo church bombings and tagged by Washington as the acting leader of the terror network Islamic State (IS) in the Philippines. According to our sources he's also a suicide bomber. He is described as an Arab because he spoke Arabic, Ano said, without elaborating. A faction of the Abu Sayyaf headed by Isnilon Hapilon, then the acknowledged IS leader in Southeast Asia, took over the southern city of Marawi in May 2017 and led local militants, backed by an undetermined number of foreign fighters, in a five-month battle with government forces. Hapilon and other top IS commanders were among the 1,200 people who were killed, including Malaysians Mahmud Ahmad and Amin Baco, according to Philippine security officials. The two foreigners, however, were still included in a list of wanted terrorists by Malaysias Eastern Sabah Security Command as of early last year, due to lack of independent confirmation of their deaths in Marawi. Jeoffrey Maitem in Cotabato City contributed to this report. A police officer checks a line of vehicles in the town of Bacolod in the southern Philippine province of Lanao del Norte as thousands cast their vote for inclusion in a Muslim autonomous region in the south, Feb. 6, 2019. The United States has pledged $300 million to boost intelligence gathering in the Philippines, its long-time defense treaty ally, following a terrorist bombing that killed about two dozen people at a church in southern Jolo island last month, the Filipino government said Monday. Philippine presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Manila welcomed the American commitment in this particular matter in fighting terrorism, but he did not say when the aid money would become available. It only shows that our military alliance with the United States remains very strong. As we all know by now and the world, terrorism knows no boundaries, politics, religion and creed, Panelo said. It is the new evil in the world that strikes at every country and every continent, and all member-nations of the United Nations really should help and cooperate with each other to combat and crush terrorism, he said. Terrorists have gained a foothold in the southern region of Mindanao, Panelo said, stressing that twin bombs had killed at least 23 people at the church in Jolo. The government earlier said that 22 people were killed in the Jan. 27 attack, but it later adjusted the death toll upward. President Rodrigo Duterte had blamed suicide bombers working with the militant Abu Sayyaf Group, and other Filipino officials said they were looking at possible involvement by foreign bombers in the plot. But those angles have not yet been proven, and so far local police have taken only five Abu Sayyaf suspects into custody in connection with the attack. The suspects allegedly worked with Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, an Abu Sayyaf militant whom the U.S. recently described as the likely new de facto leader of the Islamic State (IS) in the region after the death of Isnilon Hapilon in October 2017. Hapilon, a former top Abu Sayyaf commander, was the acknowledged head of the IS extremist group in the Philippines when he and other militants took over the city of Marawi in May 2017. That led to a five-month battle with government forces that destroyed the Islamic city and left 1,200 people dead, a majority of them militants. The government was forced to accept the help of Australia and the United States in defeating the militants at Marawi. Both allies provided crucial intelligence support to the Philippine forces. A foothold in the region Since the hostilities ended in Marawi, the south has grappled with ongoing terrorist threats including a bomb attack on Basilan that left at least 10 dead in 2018, and a bombing at a mall in Cotabato City that killed two people on New Years Eve 2019. As was the case with the Jolo attack, IS claimed responsibility for the Basilan bombing, saying it deployed a foreign militant. The government, however, played down the claim and charged several top Abu Sayyaf militants for the incident. Of course, in Mindanao, as we all know, terrorists apparently have gained a foothold in that region and they have unleashed in fact bombs that killed our soldiers, as well as our civilians, Panelo said. But while the attacks created panic and fear, they were not enough to derail a crucial vote on Jan. 21 that expanded a Muslim autonomous region in the south. The Abu Sayyaf as well as other Muslim factions voiced anger over the vote and vowed to carry out attacks. However, in a second stage to the vote on Feb. 6, a majority of residents of six towns in Lanao del Norte province, who had not cast ballots in the first stage of the plebiscite, voted against ratifying the Bangsamoro Organic Law that frames the autonomous region, reports said. Panelo said the government and the military were relentlessly pursuing these mass murderers, even as some of them as we all know by now have been criminally charged and presently detained. And we call on the people of Mindanao specifically to be vigilant and to report to authorities any terroristic act or any suspicion that any act of terrorism will be committed so that this can be prevented, he said, urging everyone to be vigilant. New coast guard facility In other news related to the U.S.-Filipino alliance, the American embassy announced Monday that it and the Philippines had jointly unveiled a new maritime training facility in Bulacan province, near Manila. The new Outboard Motor Center of Excellence facility, funded with 39 million pesos (U.S. $746,911) in aid money from Washington will enhance the Philippine Coast Guards capacity to train its workforce and sustain its equipment, according to a statement from the embassy. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak (right) leaves the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya, Feb. 11, 2019. An appeal court panel on Monday postponed the opening of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razaks corruption trial, ruling in favor of the defense which sought the delay. No new date was given for the start of Najibs trial on seven of 42 charges against him, and which was to begin Tuesday with nine prosecution witnesses prepared to testify, according to reports. It is our unanimous view that if a stay is not granted and the trial proceeds, it will render the proceeding a nullity that would result in a waste of time and public money, a three-judge panel of the Malaysian Court of Appeal ruled Monday. Najib filed an application on Friday to postpone the trial after Attorney General Tommy Thomas had petitioned a day earlier to revert seven charges from the High Court to the Sessions Court. Thomas said that the procedure he used in August 2018 to transfer the charges to the High Court from the lower court could be legally challenged and that he would repeat the procedure to ensure that did not happen. These procedural steps are necessary to prevent any unnecessary postponement of the trial, Thomas wrote in his petition on Thursday, stating that his team would nevertheless be ready for the opening of the trial on Feb. 12. Najib faces trial on seven charges related to accusations that 42 million ringgit (about U.S. $10.3 million) was illegally diverted into his personal bank accounts from SRC International, a subsidiary of the beleaguered 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state fund. The charges include three counts of criminal breach of trust, three counts of money laundering and one count involving abuse of power. The former prime minister, who founded 1MDB in 2009, is expected to face additional trials on a total of 42 charges related to the funds loss of billions of dollars. The U.S. Justice Department, which has also filed criminal cases linked to the 1MDB scandal, called it the worst kleptocracy scandal in recent times. Thomas, who is the lead prosecutor, argued that the trial must not be postponed because it was a public interest case. He added that the stay application was a tactic to delay the trial. Appeals Court Justice Ahmadi Asnawi agreed with Thomas that the case was of public interest, but disagreed on his argument for moving ahead with the trial. We were of the view that we do not find any evidence of legal tactics to delay the hearing, Ahmadi said. Complex case Najib is facing 27 money laundering charges, nine criminal breach of trust, five power abuse and one for audit tampering. Since he was first charged in July 2018 in connection with the scandal, Najib has proclaimed his innocence and maintained that he never stole any of the Malaysian peoples money. On Monday, members of the public said they understood the complexity of the case against Najib and were not surprised by a delay. Security specialist Khen Han Ming said the prosecution and defense should be given enough time to build their arguments. This is a complex case. Give them time. If the defense has ground to appeal for a postponement, let them. At this point, we should not allow a trial by media, he said. Another Malaysian, Najma, 35, agreed. Everyone deserves a fair hearing, she said, adding, this is a first time the case has been delayed, anyway. Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim said Southeast Asian nations have to defend their territory amid Beijings aggressive moves to expand shoals into artificial islands and build military facilities in the South China Sea. Anwar, who is widely expected to take over eventually from Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, made his statement during an open forum near the U.S. capital on Sunday, the same day that Washington drew Beijings ire for sending two warships near the disputed Spratly Islands. On the South China Sea, we have taken a position that we will defend our territory, Anwar, 71, said in reply to a question that followed his speech at the International Institute of Islamic Thought, a nonprofit based in Herndon, Virginia, in the suburbs of Washington. The best option is to work with other small countries in ASEAN to defend our security position, particularly because we cannot expect the United States given situation now to be more positive with regard to the region, Anwar said, referring to the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Shortly after the American navy sailed the guided-missile destroyers USS Spruance and USS Preble within 12 nautical miles of the Spratlys on Sunday night, China accused the United States of trespassing in its territorial waters, warning that it had deployed missiles capable of targeting medium and large ships. The U.S. action violated the Chinese laws and international laws, infringed Chinas sovereignty, damaged regional peace, security, and order, Lu Kang, the spokesman for Chinas Foreign Ministry, told reporters in Beijing. China will take necessary actions to protect state sovereignty. Chinas warning came as officials from the two nations were in Beijing for a new round of trade talks scheduled for this week. The U.S. Navy said the destroyers sailed as part of freedom of navigation operation. In January, the destroyer USS McCampbell also sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Paracel Islands. Cmdr. Clay Doss, a spokesman for the U.S. 7th Fleet, was quoted by CNN as saying that Sundays operation was carried out to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law. The Spratly Islands, a chain of potentially mineral-rich islands and atolls in the South China Sea, are claimed in whole or in part by China, Taiwan and the Southeast Asian countries of Brunei, the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia. It is considered a flashpoint in the region. The claimants have agreed to desist from any actions that would complicate the matter, although China has been expanding and militarizing islands it occupies. Beijing claims nearly the whole of the South China Sea, insisting that it has indisputable sovereignty over the region. Keep negotiating with China, Anwar says During his remarks in Virginia on Sunday, Anwar also defended the Mahathir governments decision last month to keep negotiating with Beijing over controversial China-backed projects. With China, we have to continue to engage because its a very strong neighbor, powerful neighbor but strong economy, he said. For our survival, we need investments, trade with the Chinese. However, Anwar said, Malaysia must renegotiate contracts when the economy does not allow us to go through these huge mega projects because of exorbitant price increase. If we fail, we cancel because the country can ill afford, he said, underscoring the governments right to junk agreements that were signed under questionable or dubious circumstances. Anwar did not specifically mention the controversial U.S. $20 billion East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), a 688-km (430-mile) railway project to connect the western and eastern coasts of the Malaysian peninsula. In January, Malaysian Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said the Malaysian Cabinet had decided to adopt a statement from Mahathir that Kuala Lumpur would still keep negotiating the ECRL deal with Beijing. ECRL, the centerpiece of Chinas infrastructure push in Malaysia, was to be financed in large part by the Export-Import Bank of China. The project is a Malaysian component of Chinas massive One Belt, One Road (OBOR) international infrastructure expansion program. In my experience in the government in the past, we would always say we will honor all our commitments, but when we have reasons, compelling case that the agreement signed is dubious, or through bribery, et cetera, then we can always question, Anwar said. After he returned to power as a result of a stunning electoral triumph last May, Mahathir has issued statements implying that several China-backed projects approved by his predecessor, Najib Razak, would be placed on the back burner. Anwar, a twice-jailed 70-year-old former deputy prime minister, received a royal full-pardon after the May general election led to a landslide victory for the Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope), an upstart coalition of political parties that he led together with Mahathir. During the open forum, Anwar also defended Mahathirs decision in October last year to free 11 ethnic Uyghur Muslims, allowing them to leave for Turkey. Mahathir, defying Beijings request that they be repatriated, said the refugees had not broken laws in his country. This engagement with the Chinese should not bar us from raising questions or issues which affect not only the interest of the country but justice for any community, Anwar said. Anwar made the statement a day after Turkey denounced Beijing's controversial mass re-education camps in China's western region of Xinjiang, calling them a great shame for humanity. Turkey, in a strongly-worded statement issued by its foreign ministry spokesman, said thousands had been subjected to torture and brainwashing in the Chinese camps. Chinese state-run media has strongly refuted some of Turkeys claims, saying they violated the facts. A police officer guards the memorial for victims of the 2002 bombings in Bali, Indonesia, Jan. 15, 2016. Indonesian police arrested a militant who was planning to travel via Iran to join the Islamic State (IS) extremist group in Syria, and once served a six-year prison term for harboring a Bali bomber, authorities said Monday. The police counter-terrorist unit Densus 88 arrested the suspect, Harry Kuncoro (alias Wahyu Nugroho), at Jakartas Soekarno-Hatta airport as he was about to board a flight to Iran on Jan. 3, national police spokesman Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo said. Harry is an associate of the late Muhammad Saifuddin (also known as Mohammed Yusop Karim Fais and Abu Walid), an Indonesian militant who was said to be a close aide to IS supreme leader Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi, police said. In late January, the head of Indonesias National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) confirmed to BenarNews that Saifuddin had been killed in Syria. HKs motivation was to join the Abu Walid group in Syria, said Dedi, using Harrys initials. Dedi said police waited until there was strong evidence to charge Harry before announcing his arrest on Monday. The suspect has a long history of terrorism, starting with Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). He has been active since the era of Noordin Mohammad Top, Dedi told reporters in Jakarta, referring to a Malaysian-born senior JI recruiter who was killed in a standoff with police in the Central Java city of Solo in 2009. JI was the Southeast Asian affiliate of the al-Qaeda terror network. Saifuddin was among three Southeast Asian militants who were labelled last year by the U.S. Treasury Department as global terrorists for allegedly recruiting foreign fighters to pledge their allegiance to Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi, whose whereabouts remain unknown. The Treasury Department alleged that Saifuddin had appeared in an IS propaganda video in 2016 showing him, along with a Malaysian and a Filipino, beheading three captives. Those two other Southeast Asians have also been tagged as global terrorists. Saifuddin is believed to have been killed while fighting alongside IS militants in Syria in January, according to the National Counter-terrorism Agency (BNPT). Dedi said Saifuddin had invited Harry to come to Syria, and promised to help him with plane tickets and travel documents. Harry allegedly received 30 million rupiah (U.S. $2,137) in cash to travel to Syria, Dedi said. Dedi said Harry was known to have established communication with groups in Syria. Harry was released in 2016 after serving six years in prison after he was found guilty of helping to hide fugitive Bali bomber Dulmatin and smuggling firearms. Dulmatin, who allegedly made the bombs used in the 2002 attack on Bali, was killed in a police raid near Jakarta in 2010. The Bali bombings were the deadliest terrorist attack in Indonesias history. While in prison, Harry was said to be close to elderly militant cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, the alleged spiritual leader of the Bali bombers who is still serving a 15-year jail for funding a militant training camp in Aceh. Police said Harry was a very senior and dangerous militant. He was involved in acts of terrorism in Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and the last July 2018 attack. He has been in and out of prison three times, Dedi said. But a former Jemaah Islamiyah militant who has cooperated with the police, Nasir Abas, said Harry was not an important figure during his time at JI because he was still young. He was not part of the JI structure. Maybe he was just a supporter, Nasir told BenarNews. Nasir said there were cases where JI members were influenced by IS ideology while in prison. Some former JI members are active in ISIS. Some are in Syria and some are joining JAD, he said, referring to the local IS-linked group Jemaah Ansharut Daulah. The Bali bombings on Oct. 12, 2002, killed 202 people, including 88 Australians, and injured more than 200. Hollywood actor Liam Neeson, is welcomed by well-wishers to Ballymena town centre, in Co Antrim, his home town, where he was granted Freedom of the Borough. Race row movie star Liam Neeson's hometown honour is not under threat after his controversial "black b*****d" remark. The actor was handed the Freedom of Ballymena six years ago in recognition of his career. But despite the outcry over his comments- which saw the New York premiere of his new movie axed and a chat show appearance cancelled - his local council are standing by him. Ballymena Borough Council was absorbed into Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, which has confirmed that there have been no demands to challenge the award. A council spokesperson said: "Liam Neeson was conferred the Freedom of Ballymena in 2013 by Ballymena Borough Council. No requests for this to change have been made to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council." In order for the situation to change, elected members would need to vote on it - and Sunday Life can reveal that as yet no motion has been tabled by any councillor. Meanwhile, charity organisation UNICEF are refusing to comment on whether the race storm will have any impact on his position as a "Goodwill Ambassador". A spokeswoman said: "As it currently stands, we are not issuing a comment on this matter." Schindler's List actor Liam has been involved with them since 1997 as their National Ambassador before his current role was announced in 2011. At the time UNICEF declared it reflected "his long commitment to help save and improve the lives of children around the world affected by poverty, disease, abuse and neglect". Much of the work the charity does is in poor and war-torn countries in Africa that have mainly black populations, but there has been no reaction to his comments that he once wanted to kill a random black man after someone close to him was raped. Liam has denied he is racist after his remarks, published by The Independent newspaper last Monday, sparked outrage. He said: "She handled the situation of the rape in the most extraordinary way. But my immediate reaction was... I asked, did she know who it was? No. What colour were they? She said it was a black person. "I went up and down areas with a cosh, hoping I'd be approached by somebody - I'm ashamed to say that - and I did it for maybe a week, hoping some (uses air quotes with fingers) 'black b*****d' would come out of a pub and have a go at me about something, you know? So that I could kill him. "It was horrible, horrible, when I think back, that I did that... it's awful. But I did learn a lesson from it." Since the backlash Liam has gone on TV in the States to defend himself, telling Good Morning America: "I'm not racist." He said he would have acted the same had his friend's assailant been white, but admitted he had been "shocked" by his own response. Liam received the Freedom of the Borough from Ballymena Borough Council at a ceremony in the town in January 2013 - the highest accolade the council can award a citizen. Among those attending was former First Minister and DUP leader Ian Paisley, who was previously awarded the honour, and his son Ian Jr who is the MP for North Antrim. But back in 2000, DUP councillors had objected to a proposal to bestow the same honour because of alleged derogatory remarks made about his experiences growing up in the town. Liam had been quoted in an American magazine as saying that he felt "second class" as a Catholic growing up in the mainly Protestant town - but following the controversy he wrote a letter to the council. It said: "I will always remain very proud of my upbringing in, and association with, the town and my country of birth, which I will continue to promote at every opportunity." An ex-Love Island hopeful from Tyrone has been romantically linked to the former fiance of the show's presenter Caroline Flack. The Apprentice 2017 contestant Andrew Brady, who was engaged to Flack, appears to have moved on after his split as he cosied up to Castlederg woman Sinead Hegarty. The 28-year-old and Caroline (39) called off their engagement six months ago with him fleeing to Australia shortly afterwards. However, it seems it hasn't taken long for the former Celebrity Big Brother contestant to move on as he posted snaps of himself cuddling up to fashion and beauty influencer Sinead on his Instagram. Sinead, who lives down under, appeared on the 2016 series of ITV's Love Island. The 26-year-old missed out on staying in the villa after she failed to impress a panel of male contestants. Wearing a red one-piece swimsuit, Sinead described herself as "great banter" to the five blindfolded contestants who made the decision whether she - or one of the other glamorous contestants - would get to stay on Love Island, but it was not enough to do the trick. She and Andrew have made no secret of their Australian rendezvous as they partied at Coogee Beach, Sydney, sharing multiple videos with their arms wrapped around each other. The social media influencer shared a picture with her 51,500 Instagram followers explaining how the two met with the caption: "Hahah someone popped into my DMs and said me and @itsandrewbrady should meet up in Bondi because we have the same bants and here we are. Haha I love Instagram #SundaySesh." The stunning blonde has been shedding weight under a new fitness regime in Australia and has been posting regular updates of her progress and lifestyle tips. She also promotes a range of health and beauty products via her Instagram account including vitamins and protein shakes. Expand Close Sinead Hegarty from Love Island. Pictures of @sineadheg instagram / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sinead Hegarty from Love Island. Pictures of @sineadheg instagram Meanwhile, Brady's ex Caroline has also been very publicly moving on from their three-month engagement after she was reportedly spotted getting intimate with Strictly Come Dancing pro AJ Pritchard (24) at the National Television Awards. Despite the 15-year age gap, a source claimed that AJ and the Love Island host were "getting cosy" after the awards ceremony and "didn't seem to care" who was looking. Caroline has enjoyed romance with younger men before, famously dating One Direction's Harry Styles when she was 32 and he was just 17. With Lord (David) Trimble as the leading claimant, along with, so far, Lord (Paul) Bew, UUP councillor Jeff Dudgeon and me (under the banner of The Belfast Agreement Defence Group) a letter has gone to the British Government requesting a judicial review of the backstop in the proposed Brexit withdrawal agreement. The objective is to persuade the British and Irish Governments to honour the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement by dealing with the issue of a hard border, that no responsible person wants, by sorting out alternative arrangements through the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. The argument has been coherently and intelligently constructed by good legal minds who actually know what they're talking about (including Lord Trimble and barrister Dr Austen Morgan, author of The Belfast Agreement: A Practical Legal Analysis). It is late - but not too late - in the day to try to save us from the worst possible result for everyone in the United Kingdom, other than those who would be happy for us to be trapped as EU vassals in a farcical set-up that is in the interests only of those who want to frustrate the results of the referendum. What has been alarming is not just that the Irish Government has obediently consented to the Belfast Agreement being weaponised by Michel Barnier, Jean-Claude Juncker, Donald Tusk, Guy Verhofstadt, Martin Selmayr and all the other cynical Eurofanatics who have exploited a bogus problem, but that Theresa May - who calls all the shots on this in the British Government - and her team of Europhile civil servants, who seem to have no understanding whatsoever of the Belfast Agreement, have caved in on the principle, and have closed their ears to eminently practical suggestions from authorities like Dr Graham Gudgin on how to make a soft border work. The Prime Minister seemed to have paid no attention to the recent challenge from Lord Bew (a Remain voter) that London had unquestioningly accepted the Irish narrative about the Brexit threat to the Agreement. When last week I was asked to get involved I remembered the vow I had made in 2009 after the judgment in the civil case against some of those who bombed Omagh in 1998 that I would never, never, never again get involved in a law case. Through courage and endurance the families had won, but it had been a long and exhausting haul. I had been involved with it from the very beginning - when a bereaved father first had the idea - helping with organisation, fundraising and publicity over years of frustration and disappointment, then with months of boredom and irritation in courts in Belfast and Dublin. And while my side won, legal aid-financed appeals have dragged on over the years and the families haven't had a penny from the bombers. Nonetheless, I have no doubt whatsoever that it was worth it, for it opened a whole new way for victims to make terrorists face justice. I haven't forgotten that for years lawyers in London, Belfast and Dublin sneered that the case hadn't a chance. And as I read a sniffy article by a Newcastle legal academic dismissing the case as Lord Trimble's misguided "quest for relevance in his political twilight", I remembered that in the early days of trying to get the Omagh case off the ground David Trimble had sufficient faith and generosity to give us 5,000 - which is one of the reasons I agreed to break my vow and join with him on this. The other is that I care passionately about the importance to democracy in the United Kingdom of not letting down Leave voters who are now questioning if their votes mattered at all. At best, we will throw a legal spanner in the words leading to a destructive backstop. At worst we have given the Government ammunition to fight a permanent imposition. Crowd-funding (https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/judicial-review-of-irish-backstop/) is a wonderful thing, and as I write we are within sight of meeting way ahead of time the target for the first stage of proceedings. But we're not there yet, and if the case drags on, we'll be needing our supporters more than ever. Ruth Dudley Edwards is the author of Aftermath: The Omagh Bombing And The Families' Pursuit Of Justice. Lord Trimble believes the EU withdrawal agreement breaches the Good Friday Agreement and is raising money to test that claim in court. Others insist that it's the Agreement itself that demands a backstop be put in place. It's rather like medieval theologians arguing over how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. All in all, it's probably best to just leave the legal eagles to it. What was much more interesting about the former Ulster Unionist leader's eleventh hour intervention was the negative response it provoked from anti-Brexit campaigners in Britain, who leapt in indignantly to declare, in effect, that he didn't understand the 1998 Agreement. That's quite some statement considering that David Trimble helped to negotiate it. More remarkable still is the number of pro-Remain voices on the other side of the Irish Sea now prepared to assert that anyone who fails to get behind the backstop simply doesn't understand Northern Ireland itself. There have, down the decades, not been many obvious advantages to hailing from this part of the world; strangers often heard the accent and assumed the worst. But at least people in England back in the day tended to accept that, when it came to Northern Ireland, you probably knew a teensy bit more about the situation than they did. Brexit has changed all that. No longer is being from here deemed sufficient qualification to even express an opinion. Dare to criticise the backstop and suddenly you'll be accused of not having the faintest clue what makes your own country tick. Don't you understand that violence will inevitably break out if Northern Ireland leaves the customs union? How can you be so irresponsible as to give more credence to your own lived experience over the feelings of someone who's suddenly an expert on the border having read a few articles in The Guardian and seen a discussion on BBC Newsnight? This phenomenon has become much more pronounced in recent months as the Brexit deadline approaches and tension increases. I suppose we must call it "Britsplaining", after the practice known as "mansplaining", whereby men who don't know very much about a subject nonetheless take it upon themselves to explain it in patronising fashion to women who do. So it is with Britsplaining. You may have lived and worked in Northern Ireland your whole life. You may even, like Lord Trimble, have been a Professor of Law at Queen's University during the height of the Troubles, or served as First Minister in the inaugural devolved Assembly at Stormont. None of this will save you from the attentions of the Britsplainers. Open your mouth to speak and, as if by magic, up will pop some arrogant English Remainer keen to explain why they know far more about what it all means for Northern Ireland than you ever could. Some of these people have newspaper columns. Some host radio shows. Many work in the universities, where the presence of a few letters after their names has convinced them that they're innately superior to everyone else. All are feverishly active on social media where they Britsplain away to their heart's content. These people's view of Northern Ireland is generally a crude stereotype picked up from watching films about the Troubles. In their eyes we're all basically savages who will immediately revert to shooting one another if there's any semblance of border infrastructure post-Brexit. We might not want to, but we won't be able to help it because that's who we are. We need our Britsplaining betters to save us from ourselves, and are expected to listen politely and gratefully as they do. It's amazing that so many of these same people support a united Ireland, when they clearly have such a low opinion of us not to make a mess of things without their help. Perhaps that's because they place their trust in enlightened, sophisticated southerners to step in and take over the vital work of taming the Nordies in future. Because it's not just pro-Remain Brits who are like this. If only it was. In the Irish Republic annoyance at the DUP for opposing the backstop has led to a parallel phenomenon. I suppose we could call it "Dubsplaining", after well-spoken, middle class media types in the Irish capital who feel an overwhelming need to keep telling pro-Brexit unionists why everything they think about the backstop is wrong. There's a political show on RTE radio called Late Debate, in which politicians and pundits gather each night at ten o'clock to thrash out the issues of the day. Recently attention turned to DUP leader Arlene Foster's remark that there had never been a hard border - by which she meant, of course, that even a border patrolled by thousands of soldiers never stopped bad things getting through. The discussion in the studio quickly got heated. A Sinn Fein senator from Co Mayo declared that it "shows how detached she is from people in the north". Unlike those in the west of Ireland, who presumably have some direct line of insight into our thinking? To murmurs of approval from other guests, another speaker then piped up: "What (Arlene) means is that the border wasn't hard enough for her. She would have preferred a Trumpian wall right along the border. She probably still would like to see that happen." None of this one-sided gibberish was challenged in the studio. The same speaker went on to suggest that he knew what he was talking about because he had "crossed the border as a child, during the Troubles, going up and having holidays at the Giant's Causeway, etcetera". Oh well, if you went on holidays to the north, then clearly we must defer to your expertise. I suppose a couple of weeks sunning oneself in Aiya Napa also counts as a sufficient qualification to discourse on the partition of Cyprus. The southern Irish hate it when British politicians and commentators do this to them, blundering in to Irish affairs without doing their homework. Look at the reaction when Radio Four's Today host John Humphrys recently asked an Irish Government minister why the Republic didn't just "throw in their lot with this country" and leave the EU. That was regarded as ignorant and insulting. Does no one in Dublin have the self-awareness to realise that this is what they say to unionists in Northern Ireland all the time? Nobody likes being talked down to. It was this tone of paternalistic arrogance coming out of Brussels which led to Brexit in the first place. Those in the Irish Republic who now espouse such negative opinions of their unionist neighbours should beware that they don't generate the same backlash. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood and (right) Micheal Martin, leader of Fianna Fail, arriving for a joint press conference in Belfast last month The SDLP has a strong history of making tough decisions in the interests of the people we represent. Time and time again we have taken difficult but important decisions at important moments in our history. The decision of the SDLP membership to support a partnership with Fianna Fail was a decision to embrace change. We've done that many times before. We are proud of our history and proud of the massive change our party has brought to Ireland. We are also determined social democrats - everything we do, each and every day, is focused on creating a more prosperous and fair society. Those values remain. Our new departure is about offering a platform for change right across Ireland. We recognise that we cannot convince people that we know the way forward if we are continually looking back. This generation of SDLP leaders wants to write a new chapter and create a new legacy. I always think that one of the most remarkable moments in our modern politics came just before Dr Ian Paisley, after a lifetime of opposition, crossed the Rubicon and embraced power-sharing. Standing outside the door of Downing Street, Dr Paisley gave the pragmatic analysis that "... the time to take it is when the tide is running. There is a tide in the affairs of man taken at a flood, and I think the tide is running in people's minds and hearts and consciences this way." I believe the SDLP today must recognise the shifting context and changing hearts and minds of people here. Business as usual is no longer an option. People are crying out for something different, for a new political dynamic. One that is robust, all-Ireland and stands ready to meet the challenges of our changing world. I believe our partnership with Fianna Fail has the energy, drive and determination to match the growing appetite for change that is brewing across these islands. That is why on Saturday our membership overwhelmingly voted in favour of embarking on a new political journey with Fianna Fail. A partnership built on a genuine desire to deliver for people across Ireland, driven by an ambition to see power returned to local politicians and tasked with changing the lives of people who have for too long been let down by our politics here. Together, SDLP and Fianna Fail members, representatives and activists will forge a new relationship based on our proud and shared tradition of democratic struggle on this island. We will work together to begin in an unprecedented programme of public engagement in Northern Ireland, framing an ambitious and practical policy agenda for the future of this island and our people. And just to be clear. This new partnership is not about leaving anyone behind. It is the opposite. We want to create a space for all those, either newly awakened or long desiring of the New Ireland that Hume envisioned. Young and old and from all backgrounds. We are ready to begin that work. Kim Phuc is being honoured for her support of Unesco and children wounded in war (AP Photo/Nick Ut) Kim Phuc, known as the Napalm Girl in an iconic 1972 Vietnam War photo, is receiving a 10,000 euro (8,700) award in Germany for her work for peace. Organisers of the Dresden Prize say the 55-year-old, who now lives in Canada, is being honoured for her support of Unesco and children wounded in war, and for speaking out publicly against violence and hatred. Expand Close South Vietnamese forces follow after terrified children, including nine-year-old Kim Phuc, centre (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp South Vietnamese forces follow after terrified children, including nine-year-old Kim Phuc, centre (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File) Past recipients of the prize include former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and American civil rights activist Tommie Smith. Ms Phuc was nine when a South Vietnamese plane dropped napalm bombs on her village, believing it harboured enemy North Vietnamese troops. The scene of Ms Phuc running down a road crying, naked and with burns across her body was captured by photographer Nick Ut, winning a Pulitzer Prize in 1973. An Iranian woman holds an effigy of US president Donald Trump during anniversary celebrations (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) Hundreds of thousands of people, some of them chanting death to America, have poured onto the streets of Iran to mark the countrys 1979 Islamic Revolution. On February 11 that year, Irans military stood down after days of street battles, allowing the revolutionaries to sweep across the country while the government of US-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi resigned and the Islamic Republic was born. In Tehran, despite rain, crowds streamed in from the capitals far-flung neighbourhoods to mass in the central Azadi, or Freedom Square, waving Iranian flags and chanting death to America. Expand Close There was strong anti-US sentiment among the crowds (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp There was strong anti-US sentiment among the crowds (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) Chants of death to Israel and death to Britain followed, and demonstrators burned US and Israeli flags. Iranian state TV, which said millions participated in the celebrations, ran archive footage of the days of the uprising and played revolutionary songs. It later broadcast footage showing crowds across the country of 80 million. The six-mile-long downtown Enghelab, or Revolution Street, was decorated with huge balloons as loudspeakers blared out revolutionary and nationalist songs. Every year, the anniversary festivities start on February 1 the day Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned from France after 14 years in exile to become the supreme leader as Shiite clerics took power. The celebrations continue for 10 days, climaxing on February 11. Expand Close Iranian President Hassan Rouhani spoke from a podium in Tehran (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Iranian President Hassan Rouhani spoke from a podium in Tehran (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) This years anniversary comes as Iran grapples with the aftermath of US President Donald Trumps decision last May to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal and restore tough US sanctions. Speaking from a podium in central Tehran, President Hassan Rouhani addressed the crowds for nearly 45 minutes, lashing out at Irans enemies America and Israel and claiming their efforts to bring down the country through sanctions will not succeed. He said: The presence of people in this celebration means that plots by the enemies have been defused. They will not achieve their ill-omened aims. The Duke of Edinburgh surrendered his driving licence as prosecutors considered whether to bring charges over a crash that injured two women. Philip (97) voluntarily gave up his credentials to Norfolk Police on Saturday. The force said a file on the investigation into the crash last month had been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). A CPS statement said the file would be reviewed before a decision to charge or not was brought, and noted that prosecutors "will take this development into account". One lawyer had previously suggested the duke could avoid any potential prosecution for driving without due care and attention by giving up his licence. Philip has apologised for his part in the accident on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk when his Land Rover Freelander collided with another car, leaving two women needing hospital treatment. On Saturday a statement from Buckingham Palace said: "After careful consideration, the Duke of Edinburgh has taken the decision to voluntarily surrender his driving licence." Norfolk Police confirmed Philip had "voluntarily surrendered his licence to officers". Philip's driving woes began on January 17 when his car flipped over after he pulled out into a busy A road and was in a collision with a Kia, carrying a nine-month-old boy, his mother and another passenger. He escaped injury, but passenger Emma Fairweather broke her wrist and called for the duke to be prosecuted if he was found to be at a fault. She told the Sunday Mirror: "Undoubtedly the roads will be safer now. It (the decision) won't have been easy for him to make as it is a loss of independence. But he can work around it." Prime Minister Theresa May is to give a statement to Parliament on Tuesday on the latest developments in Brexit talks, Downing Street announced. The PM had been expected to deliver her statement on Wednesday ahead of a Commons debate on Thursday, but her official spokesman said the earlier timing would give Parliament a couple of days to digest the content. Labour will use a vote on Thursday to attempt to force Mrs May to bring her Brexit deal back to the Commons for a showdown by February 26 to prevent her running down the clock to the UKs scheduled departure date of March 29. But the Prime Minister is expected to offer MPs a further chance to vote on non-binding amendments on February 27. The move is aimed at postponing a rebellion by ministers who are committed to removing the possibility of the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal on March 29. On Monday, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay was meeting members of the Alternative Arrangements Working Group of Tories drawn from all sides of the party who have been seeking a compromise solution to avoid the need for the controversial backstop to keep the Irish border open. Mr Barclay will later travel to Brussels for talks over dinner with the EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier. I am looking forward to meeting @SteveBarclay in Brussels on Mon evening. I will listen to how the UK sees the way through. The EU will not reopen the Withdrawal Agreement. But I will reaffirm our openness to rework the Political Declaration in full respect of #EUCO guidelines. Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier) February 8, 2019 Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson indicated he would be willing to accept a time limit on the Brexit backstop as his price for backing the PMs Withdrawal Agreement. But Mr Johnson insisted that a separate codicil setting out amendments to the backstop plan would not be good enough, indicating that he is holding out for changes to the text of the agreement itself. The argument is now about how to get out of the backstop, Mr Johnson told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. And how to make sure that the UK isnt locked in that prison of the customs union. I think that you would need to have a time limit. Asked if changes to the backstop proposals could come in a separate codicil to the Withdrawal Agreement, Mr Johnson said: I dont think that would be good enough. Meanwhile, Mrs May has offered further talks with Labour in an attempt to secure cross-party consensus on Brexit. Expand Close Theresa Mays letter to Jeremy Corbyn (10 Downing Street/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Theresa Mays letter to Jeremy Corbyn (10 Downing Street/PA) In a letter to Jeremy Corbyn, she questioned his call for a customs union with Brussels, but offered concessions in other areas and said she wanted talks between Labour and Tory teams as soon as possible. Mr Johnson accused Mr Corbyn of trying to frustrate Brexit by demanding a customs union, which he said would prevent the UK from striking its own trade deals. And there were signs of unease in Tory ranks at the idea of Mrs May exploring means of bringing the Labour leader on board in her search for a Brexit deal. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) In her letter, Mrs May rejected Labours demand for the UK automatically to follow EU rules on workers rights and environmental protection. But she said the Government is prepared to commit to asking Parliament if it wishes to follow suit if standards change. Former Conservative chairman Grant Shapps warned in a tweet: (The) coalition worked hard to create a dynamic UK jobs market & we enjoy half the unemployment rate of France by being a more attractive place to hire people. No point winning Labour MPs, by losing Tories! .@Theresa_May's #Brexit letter to Corbyn woos Labour MPs with Workers' Rights. Coalition worked hard to create a dynamic UK jobs market & we enjoy half the unemployment rate of France by being a more attractive place to hire people. No point winning Labour MPs, by losing Tories! Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) February 11, 2019 Responding to the conditions for a Brexit deal set out by the Labour leader in a letter last week, Mrs May told Mr Corbyn: It is good to see that we agree that the UK should leave the European Union with a deal and that the urgent task at hand is to find a deal that honours our commitments to the people of Northern Ireland, can command support in Parliament and can be negotiated with the EU not to seek an election or second referendum. The PM said she wanted the Tory and Labour teams to consider alternative arrangements to the Irish backstop. But she insisted her deal already met many of the conditions he had set, without tying the UK in to a customs union arrangement which would prevent Britain from striking its own trade deals. The existing Political Declaration the part of the Brexit deal setting out the goals for the future UK-EU relationship explicitly provides for the benefits of a customs union no tariffs, fees, charges or quantitative restrictions across all sectors and no checks on rules of origin, said the PM. We need to break the Brexit deadlock. Will @theresa_may listen to our five demands? pic.twitter.com/o5SuGI64zD The Labour Party (@UKLabour) February 10, 2019 Mr Corbyns demand is for a customs union that gives the UK a say on future trade deals the EU might strike something Brussels appears unlikely to accept. The Prime Minister said: I am not clear why you believe it would be preferable to seek a say in future EU trade deals rather than the ability to strike our own deals? She also questioned whether the call for completely frictionless trade would mean reneging on Labours commitment to end free movement by requiring single market membership. Treasury Chief Secretary Liz Truss refused to rule out resigning if Mrs May backed a customs union. She told Sky News: I absolutely do not think that should be our policy. Theresa May has offered further talks with Labour in an attempt to secure cross-party support for a Brexit deal. The Prime Minister questioned Mr Corbyns key call for the UK to remain in a customs union with Brussels but offered concessions in other areas and said she wanted talks between Labour and Tory teams as soon as possible. Her offer came as Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay prepared for talks with European Union chief negotiator Michel Barnier as the Government stepped up efforts to secure changes to the Irish backstop measure in the Withdrawal Agreement. Expand Close Theresa Mays letter to Jeremy Corbyn suggesting further cross-party talks (10 Downing Street/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Theresa Mays letter to Jeremy Corbyn suggesting further cross-party talks (10 Downing Street/PA) In her letter to Mr Corbyn, responding to the conditions for a Brexit deal set out by the Labour leader, the Prime Minister said she wanted the Tory and Labour teams to consider alternative arrangements to the Irish backstop. In response to his demand for a customs union, Mrs May insisted her deal met many of the conditions he had set. She said the existing Political Declaration the part of the Brexit deal setting out the goals for the future UK-EU relationship explicitly provides for the benefits of a customs union no tariffs, fees, charges or quantitative restrictions across all sectors and no checks on rules of origin. But she said it also recognises the development of the UKs independent trade policy. We need to break the Brexit deadlock. Will @theresa_may listen to our five demands? pic.twitter.com/o5SuGI64zD The Labour Party (@UKLabour) February 10, 2019 Mr Corbyns demand is for a customs union that gives the UK a say on future trade deals the EU might strike something Brussels appears unlikely to accept. The Prime Minister said: I am not clear why you believe it would be preferable to seek a say in future EU trade deals rather than the ability to strike our own deals? She also questioned whether the call for completely frictionless trade would mean reneging on Labours commitment to end free movement by requiring single market membership. The Prime Minister has previously ruled out a customs union, which would restrict the UKs ability to strike trade deals, and could face Cabinet resignations if she changed her position. Treasury chief secretary Liz Truss refused to rule out resigning if Mrs May backed a customs union. She told Sky News: I absolutely do not think that should be our policy. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Mr Corbyn called for UK standards to keep pace with evolving standards across Europe. Mrs May rejected automatically following EU rules on workers rights and environmental protection but in the interest of building support across the House she said the Government is prepared to commit to asking Parliament if it wishes to follow suit if standards change. In her response to the Labour leaders letter setting out his conditions to support a Brexit deal, Mrs May said: It is good to see that we agree that the UK should leave the European Union with a deal and that the urgent task at hand is to find a deal that honours our commitments to the people of Northern Ireland, can command support in Parliament and can be negotiated with the EU not to seek an election or second referendum. Mr Corbyn has repeatedly said there should be an election if Mrs May cannot get a deal through Parliament and he has faced concerted pressure from some in his party to push for a second public vote. I am looking forward to meeting @SteveBarclay in Brussels on Mon evening. I will listen to how the UK sees the way through. The EU will not reopen the Withdrawal Agreement. But I will reaffirm our openness to rework the Political Declaration in full respect of #EUCO guidelines. Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier) February 8, 2019 There appears little prospect of an imminent breakthrough with Brussels, and Mrs May might not bring her deal back for a decisive vote this month. Labour will use a vote expected on Thursday to attempt to force the Prime Minister to bring the deal back for a showdown by February 26 to prevent her running down the clock before Brexit. But the Prime Minister is expected to offer MPs a further chance to vote on non-binding amendments which could influence her Brexit strategy on February 27. The move is aimed at postponing a rebellion by ministers who are committed to removing the possibility of the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal on March 29. Pro-EU Tories Heidi Allen and Sarah Wollaston both said ministers should step up this week to prevent a no-deal Brexit. And shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said Mrs May could not keep delaying. We will wait and see what the Government comes back with on Thursday, but we have got to put a hard stop to this running down of the clock, he said. The Prime Minister is pretending there is progress in the talks. However, the reality is that she is using up the remaining time to try and impose a binary choice between her deal and no deal. This week Parliament needs to say enough is enough -and take control of what happens next. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable said a further delay was deeply insulting to the country and to Parliament. Performers taking part in a parade involving costumes, lion dances and floats, during Chinese New Year celebrations in Chinatown, London, which marks the Year of the Pig. Londoners have welcomed in the Chinese New Year of the Pig with colourful celebrations in the city centre. Thousands of people lined the streets of the West End on Sunday to watch a vibrant parade make its way to Chinatown. Crowds braved the wet weather to be entertained by dancers, musicians and performers in traditional dress. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan claimed the new year celebrations in the city were the largest anywhere outside of Asia. Expand Close Performers dressed as pandas took part (Yui Mok/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Performers dressed as pandas took part (Yui Mok/PA) Londoners of Chinese origin have been contributing towards our city for decades, contributing economically, socially and culturally, he said. They make a massive contribution to our city being the greatest city in the world. Expand Close Performers taking part in a parade involving costumes, lion dances and floats, during Chinese New Year celebrations in Chinatown, London, which marks the Year of the Pig (Yui Mok/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Performers taking part in a parade involving costumes, lion dances and floats, during Chinese New Year celebrations in Chinatown, London, which marks the Year of the Pig (Yui Mok/PA) Flying dragons and dancing lions whirled around large handcrafted floats that made their way down Charing Cross Road and Shaftesbury Avenue. Chinatown bulged with visitors as restaurants and shops set up stalls selling Chinese cuisine and paper dragons. Expand Close The Year of the Pig began earlier this month (Yui Mok/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Year of the Pig began earlier this month (Yui Mok/PA) The streets constantly crackled to the sound of small snaps that pop when thrown to the ground. Chinese and British dignitaries, including the mayor, gathered on a stage in Trafalgar Square to give speeches, join in a traditional ceremony and watch an acrobatic flying lions performance. Expand Close Performers take a selfie during the Chinese New Year parade in central London (Yui Mok/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Performers take a selfie during the Chinese New Year parade in central London (Yui Mok/PA) Mr Khan said it was absolutely crucial that London showed itself to be a tolerant city through the event. And our open-mindedness and outwards looking approach is not going to change even if we do leave the European Union, he said. The mayor added: I want Londoners of all backgrounds to have a sense of belonging in our city. Expand Close The celebrations ended in Londons Chinatown (Yui Mok/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The celebrations ended in Londons Chinatown (Yui Mok/PA) One of the reasons why I support Chinese New Year celebrations in Trafalgar Square is to make sure those Londoners of Chinese origin feel welcome in our city. Its an auspicious time of year and we should celebrate the Chinese New Year with our friends, our neighbours and our family of Chinese origin. The New Year celebrations were organised by the London Chinatown Chinese Association (LCCA) with support from the Mayor of London and Westminster City Council. Transport Secretary Chris Graylings decision to award contracts to three ferry companies, including one with no ships, under no-deal Brexit plans, is being challenged at the High Court. Eurotunnel, which operates the Channel Tunnel, says the contracts totalling 108 million were awarded through a secretive and flawed procurement process. But the Department for Transport (DfT) argues that the extreme urgency of preparations for Britains departure from the EU on March 29 justified the process. At a hearing in London on Monday, Eurotunnels barrister Daniel Beard QC said the procurement process for additional capacity for transport of goods across the English Channel had been undertaken without any public notice being issued. Mr Beard said Eurotunnel only found out when contract notices were published three days after Christmas, adding that it was quite remarkable his client had not been informed given its recent history in running cross-Channel services. He submitted that Eurotunnel was an operator who actually ran a ferry service three years ago, and was therefore not speculating about its ability to run cross-Channel services but has actually done it. Expand Close Seaborne Freight had won a contract to run services between Ramsgate and Ostend (Gareth Fuller/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Seaborne Freight had won a contract to run services between Ramsgate and Ostend (Gareth Fuller/PA) He also said Eurotunnel had no knowledge of the advanced talks with a number of companies to secure additional freight capacity, which a spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May said the Government was already engaged in, despite the fact his client had taken legal action. Mr Beard told Mr Justice Fraser that two of the companies awarded contracts, French firm Brittany Ferries and Danish group DFDS, are already in the business of offering cross-Channel services. He said the third, Seaborne Freight, apparently intended to do so before the collapse of its contract with the DfT over the weekend. Seaborne Freights 13.8 million contract to run services between Ramsgate and Ostend in Belgium had attracted widespread criticism after it emerged the company had no ships and had never run a Channel service. The company was also accused of copying part of its website from that of a takeaway firm. Mr Grayling faced cross-party calls for his resignation late last week after the deal was cancelled. The DfT said it had decided to terminate the contract after Irish company Arklow Shipping, which had backed Seaborne Freight, stepped away from the deal. Ewan West, representing Mr Grayling, confirmed to the court that Seaborne Freights contract had been terminated. Mr West added that the procurement process was only for maritime freight services and, therefore, Eurotunnel could never have provided that capacity and could not have complied with the terms of the contracts. Mr Justice Fraser ruled that an expedited four-day trial will begin on March 1 given the obvious urgency of the case and the very important public interest matters involved. Sir John Major and Tony Blair in Derry in June 2016, shortly before the EU referendum Gregory Campbell last night dismissed as "scaremongering" claims by two former Prime Ministers that a no-deal Brexit would endanger peace. The DUP East Londonderry MP said Tony Blair and Sir John Major were "playing on the fears" of people who live near the border, and urged both to "dial down the rhetoric". Read More Mr Campbell's comments came after former premier Mr Blair claimed that a no-deal Brexit could be "devastating" for the peace process, while Sir John revealed that he feared a return to violence in such a scenario. Mr Blair, whose Labour Government was in office when the Belfast Agreement was signed, told Sky News that if the UK left the EU without a withdrawal agreement it would inevitably lead to a "really hard border" on the island of Ireland and cause a huge split within the UK. "No one could responsibly propose (a no-deal Brexit)," Mr Blair said. "It would be economically very, very dangerous for Britain, and for the peace process in Ireland it would potentially be devastating. "You would have a hard border, a very hard border. "A no-deal Brexit means a really hard border between north and south in Ireland, it's contrary to the Good Friday Agreement and it will cause an enormous fissure within the United Kingdom." The former Labour leader - a vocal advocate of the UK remaining in the EU - said he believed a second Brexit referendum might happen "when people see what the true Brexit alternatives are". In Saturday's Times newspaper, former Conservative Prime Minister Sir John echoed Mr Blair's concerns for the peace process. He said: "I remember people dying. I saw images of what happened after those bombings that I hope never to see again. "If we end up with a hard border in Northern Ireland it would be a betrayal of the 3,500 people who were killed and those who may well be killed if further violence were to start." But last night Mr Campbell hit out at the "extreme language" from the two statesmen. He said: "Two former Prime Ministers should be more responsible in their language. "This talk of violence and hard borders is careless in the extreme. "They are playing on the fears of genuine people who live on the border." Mr Campbell said that London, Dublin and Brussels have all committed to avoid a hard border in any circumstances, saying that this was a time for cool heads. "It looks to me that Blair and Major should dial down the rhetoric and stop talking a lot of hot air. "This is a time for cool heads and solutions, rather than scaremongering. "We want to get a deal and if the political will is there, I believe we can." The senior DUP MP said that the two former Prime Ministers had previously made "similar disgraceful comments" at the time of the European Union referendum. "And the two-and-a-half years since has proven their scaremongering to be completely inaccurate," he added. Ulster Unionist Party leader Robin Swann also hit out at the former Prime Ministers' comments. "Everyone - particularly those in positions of influence and authority - needs to be very careful in their choice and tone of language," Mr Swann said. "The type of people who are prepared to resort to violence will be only too willing to seize on any comments they can, and to try and twist them in order to give cover and some kind of spurious justification for terrorist activity." Meanwhile, former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams called on Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to "stand up to the Brits" on a border poll, and urged the Irish Government to now establish a forum to facilitate discussion on a united Ireland. Delivering the annual Pat Finucane lecture in Belfast, the Louth TD said the Irish Government should "learn from the lessons of history" and recognise that the UK Government "does not have friends". He said: "It has interests, and it always only acts in its own interests." A Limerick woman who was raped when she was 13 is leading the call for people to take to the streets of Dublin to mark International Womens Day. Leona OCallaghan, who has been critical of the way the judicial system deals with victims of rape and sexual assault, backed the world-wide demonstration. Her attacker was sentenced to 18 and a half years after pleading guilty to charges of sexual assault and rape. Events will be held across the globe to mark International Womens Day on March 8. Demonstrators will raise issues surrounding gender pay gap, gender-based violence, working conditions, abortion rights and sexual violence. I chaired the press conference for International Women's Day #Time4Equality campaign. Speakers Aisling Cusack (@TheUSI), Keisha Taylor (@RosaWomen), Leona O'Callaghan, Neil Moore (@unitetheunion). Details of protest action at 3pm on 8 March announced. #dubw pic.twitter.com/d7yvapDSfp Ruth Coppinger (@RuthCoppingerSP) February 11, 2019 Ms OCallaghan said that bias, blame and unfairness was at the heart of her judicial experience. Only a few months ago I stood in an Irish court where my abusers defence were permitted to indicate that I, as a child, had given a sign of consent because I did not physically fight back on those rapes, she said. The judge was asked to take this as a mitigating factor. A child cannot consent. We do not have sufficient legislation to adequately deal with the issues of consent. We remain participants in a victim-blaming Ireland where the perpetrator has the right to legal representation but victims and survivors do not. We remain in a country where there is inadequate education in our church-led schools that fail us by not providing the knowledge and the guidance needed to put an end to victim-blaming, and to highlight what consent is, and to teach men not to rapeLeona O'Callaghan We remain in a country where there is inadequate education in our church-led schools that fail us by not providing the knowledge and the guidance needed to put an end to victim-blaming, and to highlight what consent is, and to teach men not to rape. The lack of moral compass in the legal, school, government and judicial systems does not represent the morality of our country. Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger called on unions, community groups, young people and women to join the 3pm walkouts and protests. In recent years a global revolt of women has emerged, demanding freedom from violence, exploitation and, in the case of Ireland, for abortion rights, she said. On all these issues, it is movements on the ground that have forced change. Neil Moor, Unite organiser, said the gender pay gap was in both the private sector and public sector. Women in the hospitality industry are far more likely to be in part-time precarious contracts while women in other private sectors tend to have worse off contracts, he said. We have seen from the Repeal movement and the McDonalds strike round sexual harassment, that enough is enough and we are calling time on these issues. We want to see real equality, which means real zero-tolerance sexual harassment policies where bosses no longer hang the threat of losing your hours, the threat of not getting shared tips, over women that speak out against sexual harassment. Aisling Cusack, vice president for equality and citizenship at Union of Students in Ireland (USI), said that women who are at most risk of serious sexual violence are aged between 18 to 29. This is a core age group in our campuses, she said. Sexual violence and harassment is something deeply embedded in our culture and despite survivors bravely coming forward we have done little to change. We need to stop the victim blaming attitudes, we to stop saying they were asking for it, we need an end to slut shaming. We all need to to be participants in challenging a culture of sexual violence and this includes sexist jokes and calling out sexist behaviours of friends. Keishia Taylor from Rosa, a socialist feminist movement, said: In order to fight sexism and end oppression we have to take action and women all around the world are doing this. We need to participate in their international action so lets bring the city to a standstill at 3pm on March 8. Two women were assaulted and a petrol bomb thrown during a disturbance at a property in Lurgan. Police received a report at around 8.20pm that two females had entered a property in Headington Manor at around 7.30pm. The women, both aged in their 20s, were then assaulted. One of the women suffered facial injuries while the other sustained minor leg injuries. A short time later, around 8.40pm, five masked men attempted to force entry to the house. A petrol bomb was thrown at the property. Scorch damage was caused to windows at the front of the house. Damage was also caused to windows at the property and to a car parked outside. No injuries were reported. Chief Inspector Jon Burrows said: "I want to appeal to anyone who was in the area around the time either of these incidents were reported to us and saw any suspicious activity to get in touch. I would also appeal to anyone who knows anything about either of these incidents to call detectives in Lurgan on the non emergency number 101, quoting reference number 1145 of 10//02/19. "Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime." Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer has said that Westminster will be forced to step in to prevent Theresa May from running down the clock before the Brexit date. The Labour MP said that Parliament will have to intervene with a hard stop over concerns Mrs May will attempt to leave MPs with a choice of accepting her deal or crashing out of the European Union without any agreement. Speaking in Dublin ahead of a series of meetings with unions, business and political leaders, Sir Keir again called on Mrs May to have a vote on the customs union. Referring to her letter to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Sir Keir said the key question is whether Mrs May is prepared to move her red lines on the Brexit deal. In her response in the letter, the Prime Minister said she wanted the Tory and Labour teams to consider alternative arrangements to the Irish backstop. Is she indicating a willingness to drop her red lines or not?Sir Keir Starmer on Theresa May The point of the exercise is to say there is a majority for a close economic relationship if you are prepared to try to find it and I said we should test that by having a vote on the customs union, Sir Keir said. The Labour Party has some concerns about the backstop but we absolutely accept that its inevitable that we need a backstop. At this stage of the exercise, the Article 50 window is almost being closed now so we need a backstop. The letter was an agreed letter that was sent out. The critical question is, is she, in her response, indicating a willingness to drop her red lines or not and thats what needs to be tested sooner rather than later. The critical thing is which direction is the Prime Minister heading in. Is she firstly trying to get her own team back on board to put her deal yet again with some supposed changes, and thats what looks like she is doing, or is she genuinely looking to see a majority for Labours proposal of a customs union single market alignment. He also expressed concerns over the backstop arrangement and in particular the customs arrangements for England, Scotland, Wales saying they arent as good as they should be. Expand Close Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer has been visiting Belfast (David Young/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer has been visiting Belfast (David Young/PA) He added: I am concerned that with 46 days to go the Prime Minister is simply running down the clock, mindful that the next EU Summit is March 21 and if shes is trying to run the clock down Parliament has to step in with a hard stop to say we are not going to accept that. When asked his view on Labour Party colleagues calling for a second referendum, Sir Keir said: I say we have got a conference motion on this, we agreed in advance what we would do and we tried to foreshadow the decisions we would have to make and we thought we would have to vote on a deal first, if the deal goes down there would be a general election. If there cant be a general election then options including a public vote should be on the table. Thats what the Labour Party agreed and we agree unanimously and I think there is a good deal of support for that in the Labour Party. Sir Keir met with representatives from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, which represents workers across the island of Ireland, before he spoke with Irelands Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney. Owen Reidy, the unions assistant general secretary, said that workers on the island of Ireland cannot be collateral damage in Brexit. Mr Reidy said: Its really important that a consensus is built across the House of Commons but a credible consensus that also gets the assent and agreement of the EU27. Thats the critical issue here. Our view is Theresa May should look across the benches at the Labour Party and reach the softest possible Brexit and jettison the ERG (European Research Group) and try and make accommodation with Keir Starmer and his colleagues who it seems to me are announcing a very soft Brexit with a UK-wide customs union and a close alignment with the single market. We welcome that if there has to be a Brexit. Were very concerned because a hard Brexit is going to create as situation where WTO tariffs which are on average 22% so its going to lead to increases in costs for businesses and its going to lead to increases in cost for consumers and thats going to hit workers, he said. The former Nazareth House on the Ormeau Road in Belfast. A woman who claims she was repeatedly beaten by nuns and forced to bathe in barely diluted disinfectant at a children's home in Belfast is to receive a 50,000 payout. The settlement was announced at the High Court in a case which also involved allegations she was fed food unfit for human consumption. The woman, who is not being identified, sued the Sisters of Nazareth over her treatment while in their care decades ago. Her lawyers claimed she was subjected to assaults, neglect and humiliation at Nazareth House. It was alleged that the woman endured repeated beatings with a leather strap, stick and bunch of keys. She claimed fingernails were pressed into her arms and wrists, and clumps of hair pulled out. Papers in the case alleged she was forced to remain outdoors for lengthy periods in extremely cold weather while inadequately clothed. The woman further claimed that she was at times kept alone inside an unlit cupboard. Allegations of humiliating her in front of other residents for soiling her bed and making her bathe in "barely diluted liquid disinfectant" were raised. In court on Monday, however, the plaintiff's barrister, Patrick Lyttle QC, confirmed the terms of a resolution reached. Her case has been settled for 50,000 plus costs, Mr Justice Maguire was told. There is no admission of liability by the defendants. Following the outcome the woman's solicitor insisted the Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) Inquiry's recommendations for compensation for victims and survivors must be implemented. Claire McKeegan of Phoenix Law said: "Given the ongoing failure of the Secretary of State to implement a Redress package for Survivors and Victims in NI, we have no option than to litigate these matters before the courts. "The derisory amounts of compensation that have been recommended by the HIA report do not in any way reflect the cruelty and degrading treatment that was inflicted on children during their time in care and the profound and permanent effect that has had." John Finucane spoke at St Marys University College Belfast at an event to mark the 30th Anniversary of the death of his father, Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane (Kelvin Boyes/PA) The Taoiseach has offered his support to the family of murdered Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane as they continue their lengthy campaign for justice. Tuesday marks 30 years since Mr Finucane was shot 14 times by loyalists in collusion with British security forces while enjoying Sunday lunch at home with his family. He was 39. His wife Geraldine and her family met the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at Government Buildings in Dublin on Monday. Mr Finucanes sons John and Michael and brothers Seamus and Dermot attended the meeting as well as family lawyer Peter Madden. Expand Close Gerry Adams TD spoke at an event to mark the 30th Anniversary of the death of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane (Kelvin Boyes/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gerry Adams TD spoke at an event to mark the 30th Anniversary of the death of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane (Kelvin Boyes/PA) Speaking after the meeting, Mrs Finucane said: It was a very positive meeting and we asked the Taoiseach to reinforce the Irish Governments commitment to our campaign and request for an inquiry into my husbands murder. He was more than happy to support us. We did ask him if he would come to Belfast to speak and he gave us a very positive response to that so we are very happy with the meeting. He realises its very important and is at the very centre of legacy issues. The Irish Government sees the relevance of it. We've always had to fight, of course, for British support, but I was very happy with the Taoiseach's response to us todayGeraldine Finucane She added: The Irish Government sees the relevance of it. Weve always had to fight, of course, for British support, but I was very happy with the Taoiseachs response to us today. He is going to continue to bring the case up with all the politicians that he meets, not only British ones, but he has promised that when he goes to America he will talk about our case there to remind all our supporters in America that our case is still unsolved and unresolved. During a special event this weekend in Belfast to mark the anniversary John Finucane said his father was murdered to silence other human rights lawyers. John was a schoolboy when his father died in front of him. Mr Finucane said his father represented all sides, while others at the event said he spoke up for the voiceless. Mrs Finucane described Sundays event as emotional. Whilst it was a public event it remembered Pat as who he was and how he lived his life and that was very emotional, she said. Former prime minister David Cameron acknowledged the shocking level of state collusion in the 1989 Ulster Defence Association (UDA) killing after receiving a report on the evidence. Sir Desmond de Silvas review confirmed agents of the state were involved and it should have been prevented but ruled out an overarching state conspiracy. The Finucane family has engaged in years of litigation over what they say is the UK Governments failure to grant an independent public inquiry and strongly opposed the decision to order the de Silva review. A Supreme Court judgment on legal action connected to the case is pending. Mr Finucane was from working-class west Belfast and took advantage of the opportunities afforded by university education to become a lawyer during the Northern Ireland conflict. As a defence solicitor, he represented clients who included convicted members of the IRA and families involved in shoot-to-kill allegations against the former police force, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). During the Irish republican hunger strikes in prison during the 1980s he represented Bobby Sands. There have been calls for action after a number of chimpanzees escaped from their enclosure at Belfast Zoo on Saturday. The Chimpanzees used tree branches to scale the wall of their enclosure, with one walking along a path being used by members of the public. Read More Holywood man Dean McFaul was beside the enclosure with his family and said that at one point a chimpanzee was sitting "right beside my foot". Mr McFaul said that the animals were not aggressive and he was not concerned for his safety at any stage. However, Green Party leader Claire Bailey said that it was lucky no-one was hurt in the incident. "I've seen videos of the escape and it shows it was cool, calm and well executed," she said. "We need to really start looking at what's going on at Belfast Zoo. "I would be keen to meet up with the zoo and have these conversations." Former Lord Mayor of Belfast Nuala McAllister called for an urgent review into safety measures at the zoo following the second breakout of the year. Last month red panda Amber made her escape after two electricity fences failed at the zoo. She was eventually found safe and well in Collinbridge, a residential area within a mile of the zoo's grounds. Belfast Zoo spokesperson Alan Cairns said that the chimpanzees had been able to escape because the trees in their enclosure had been damaged by recent stormy weather. He said they only remained outside their enclosure for a short time before returning as they were "quite cowardly". Alliance Party councillor Mrs McAllister said someone could have been seriously injured in the incident. The Council has a duty of care around the welfare of animals at the zoo but we also need to ensure the safety at all times of the public. This incident could have easily resulted in an injury or worse while chimps are intelligent creatures, they have been known to attack people," she said. This is the second escape from the zoo this year and it is only February. While Belfast Zoo carries out good work in terms of conservation and breeding programmes, that is simply not good enough and we need to ensure it doesnt happen again." North Belfast SDLP representative Heather Wilson said that councillors from her party would be raising the safety issue at an upcoming council meeting. She called for improvements and investments in the zoo to prevent such incidents in future. "The zoo is an excellent asset to Belfast and attracts thousands of visitors to the North of our city each year," Ms Wilson said. "It is vital the future of Belfast Zoo is addressed at the next Belfast City Council meeting and I have been in contact with SDLP colleagues to ensure that is the case." Proposals to halt the non-emergency police phone line at night will not be extended to Northern Ireland Proposals to halt the non-emergency police phone line at night will not be extended to Northern Ireland. Other UK forces are considering halting the 101 service through the night. A letter sent to Policing Minister Nick Hurd by chief constables revealed they are reviewing the non-emergency police line and will be discussing whether the service should operate around the clock. However, there are no plans to change the service here. The PSNI said: "This is not being considered in Northern Ireland." The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) want the "same consistency" of the 999 and 101 services to be offered digitally. A spokesman said both phone lines need to "evolve", amid pressures on police resources. The spokesman said: "999 and 101 are national services used by millions every year. "Our ambition is to offer that same consistency in digital contact to better reflect changing public preferences. "While we aim to maintain an effective traditional 999 and 101 offer to the public, this will also need to evolve alongside the wider public contact and engagement offer to ensure quality, consistency and sustainability." Funding pressures mean chief constables are having to prioritise their resources, he said, adding: "There are 44,000 fewer officers and staff involved in policing than there were in 2010. "Resource within policing is under pressure as forces deal with rising crime, demand that is more complex, and an unprecedented terror threat with fewer officers and staff. "It is for individual chief constables to manage response from within their force and some have already made it clear that police can only prioritise their resources against the greatest harm." Home Office crime figures show a 14% rise in homicides in the last year to September, while violent crimes were up by 19% for the same period. The NPCC spokesman added: "Chief constables make decisions about how they prioritise their resources, always assessing threat, risk and harm. "We are working with colleagues and partners to address the increasing demand on policing, as officers often find themselves tied up dealing with issues which often fall out of the policing remit." PSNI specialist search team moves in after police launched a murder inquiry at McCrea Park in Clogher, County Tyrone. Picture by Alan Lewis PhotopressBelfast.co.uk Police have been granted an additional 36 hours time to question two people arrested in connection with a murder in Clogher, Co Tyrone. The body of 30-year-old Pat Ward was discovered in an alleyway at McCrea Park on Saturday morning. Read More A 23-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of Mr Ward's murder on Saturday. Police have now been granted an additional 36 hours by a court to question them. A PSNI spokesperson has confirmed that Mr Ward was from the Clogher area. A post-mortem examination on the body of Mr Ward has yet to take place but police are treating his death as murder. Firefighters rescued record numbers of people in Northern Ireland last year, in incidents ranging from floods to chemical spills. (Rui Vieira/PA) Firefighters rescued record numbers of people in Northern Ireland last year, in incidents ranging from floods to chemical spills. Non-fire rescues now outnumber fire rescues tenfold, figures show. Nearly 1,700 people were rescued here by the fire service between April 2017 and March 2018 - equivalent to 141 a month, or nearly 32 a week. This represents a 12% increase in rescues over the last year. Firefighters helped more than 1,500 people from non-fire incidents, while 176 were rescued from fires. The data was obtained by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) after Freedom of Information requests. Jim Quinn, FBU Northern Ireland executive council member, said: "While firefighters continue to protect their communities from fires, these figures show that their role has vastly expanded. They serve a vital role responding to flooding, hazardous chemical spillages, road traffic collisions, and lift rescues. "Firefighters are rescuing more people year on year, with non-fire incidents nearly outnumbering fire rescues tenfold. These figures show that need for firefighters in all their roles is increasing and reveal the immense value of their lifesaving work." Across the UK, more than 45,000 people were rescued by firefighters in the same 12 month period - nearly 38,000 people in England, around 2,500 in Wales and 3,500 in Scotland. UK-wide rescues ran at 3,800 a month, or more than 100 every day, representing a 4% increase over the previous year. Some 42,000 people were helped from non-fire incidents, while nearly 4,000 were rescued from fires. General secretary Matt Wrack said the figures were a reminder of the valued service firefighters are providing in the face of budget cuts. He added: "The Westminster Government needs to properly fund their vital role responding to flooding, hazardous chemical spillages, road traffic collisions, lift rescues and other hazardous incidents. "Firefighters are rescuing more people year on year, yet this Tory Government continues to cut fire and rescue services to the bone. "One in five firefighter jobs in England have been cut since 2010. It's the hard work of firefighters that is propping up the service. These figures make it clear that fire and rescue cuts put the public at risk to more than just fires. This is a matter of public safety." Bafta-nominated film director Stephen Fingleton at Isleworth Crown Court where he is accused of sexual assault on an actress at her London flat (Jonathan Brady/PA) A Bafta-nominated film director from Northern Ireland used his position to sexually assault an actress interested in a "professional opportunity", a court has heard. Stephen Fingleton, 35, allegedly attacked the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, on October 27 2017 during a lunch at her flat in west London. Isleworth Crown Court heard he grabbed the victim's head and pushed it towards his crotch then told her "you get down there". The woman, who had exchanged numbers with Fingleton at an industry party, reported him to police after telling a friend he was "totally Harvey Weinstein", a jury heard. In her closing speech, prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward rejected a defence claim that the allegation was a lie "of the zeitgeist, of the day, the current thing that was in the news". Ms Ledward said: "He has used her natural interest in the prospect of a professional opportunity to pursue his own sexual interest in her, setting up a meeting in intimate circumstances, under false pretences." Jurors heard that Fingleton, from Enniskillen, sent the woman a message after he left which said: "Thank you so much for making lunch. It was lovely spending time with you and seeing part of your film." Ms Ledward said the message was "a deeply calculated and manipulative message - a pre-emptive strike". She described Fingleton's denial in his evidence to jurors as "a rather more polished rewritten version from the master scriptwriter, as compared to what he told the police". The woman claims the attack happened as she hung washing. She said Fingleton also hugged her as she started crying, stroked her hair, put his hand under her T-shirt and tried to kiss her. Defending Fingleton, his barrister Orla Day said the lunch was not planned as a professional meeting and "he quite fancied" the woman. "He has been honest about why he wanted to see her. He thought she was attractive, it might go somewhere," Ms Day said. She told the jury: "You're not dealing with a Hollywood star director, mogul, of such terrifying reputation that any woman is going to be in awe and there's going to be an imbalance of power when he so much as speaks to her. "He's not Spike Lee, he's not Steven Spielberg. To be brutal, how many of us knew who Stephen was before this case?" Fingleton, who denies one count of sexual assault, previously told jurors that going to the woman's flat was "clearly a terrible decision". The trial, in front of a jury of six women and six men, continues. The inquest heard from the girlfriend of Rifleman Darren Mitchell (Liberty Human Rights/PA) A soldier who went on to take his own life said he wanted to be in a minor road crash to get some rest, an inquest has heard. Rifleman Darren Mitchell, 20, from London, was found hanged in his room at Abercorn Barracks in Ballykinler, Co Down on February 10, 2013. His death came three months after 30-year-old Lance Corporal James Ross, from Leeds, was also found hanged in his room at the base on December 8, 2012. Both men were serving with the Second Battalion the Rifles and had previously been on active service in Afghanistan. Expand Close Lance Corporal James Ross whose inquest, along with Rifleman Darren Mitchell, is taking place (Liberty Human Rights/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lance Corporal James Ross whose inquest, along with Rifleman Darren Mitchell, is taking place (Liberty Human Rights/PA) An inquest at Ballymena court house is examining both the deaths. It heard from Rifleman Mitchells girlfriend Cher Kiff on Monday. She told the inquest that following a false alarm pregnancy, the pair had been talking about getting engaged and having children. Ms Kiff described Rifleman Mitchell as someone who radiated warmth and could cheer anyone up. She said she had noticed a change in him in the months before his death, describing him as exhausted due to courses he was taking to become an adventure training instructor and suffering from panic attacks. He made a remark about a car accident, wishing for a non-serious accident to be able to rest and build himself up, she told the inquest. Expand Close Cher Kiff, girlfriend of Rifleman Darren Mitchell (Rebecca Black/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Cher Kiff, girlfriend of Rifleman Darren Mitchell (Rebecca Black/PA) Ms Kiff told the inquest that she had urged Rifleman Mitchell to seek help for his panic attacks and asked him if he had ever had suicidal thoughts, but she said he brushed it off and said he would never do that because he loved his mother too much and because he was a Christian. He made a remark about a car accident, wishing for a non-serious accident to be able to rest and build himself up, she told the inquest. He was not acting himself while he was home, kept having panic attacks. The way he reassured me, I just thought he was feeling down but I didnt think he would do anything like that. She also revealed that in January 2013, a medic had told Rifleman Mitchells boss he might be depressed and to keep an eye on him. The inquest saw Whatsapp conversations between the pair in the 24 hours before his death. In one, Rifleman Mitchell said: I spend 90% of my time on my own, I hate my life. It also heard that Rifleman Mitchell posted a message on his Facebook page before he died saying, tonights the night. Ms Kiff was tearful as she recalled how he told her he loved her before he stopped responding to texts. Expand Close Carol Mitchell (right), mother of Darren Mitchell, attends the inquest into his death (Rebecca Black/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Carol Mitchell (right), mother of Darren Mitchell, attends the inquest into his death (Rebecca Black/PA) Last week the inquest heard evidence from Rifleman Mitchells mother Carol Mitchell that a perfect storm of factors had led to her sons death. He thought everyone was leaving, he was exhausted, his back pay hadnt come through, he had had a row with Cher and he had just got back after being away for a long time, she told the inquest, adding that she did not blame the Army for his death, but felt more could have been done to help him. Earlier on Monday, the inquest heard from a soldier who had been based at Ballykinler in 2013, via video link from Leeds court house. Soldier D was a friend of Rifleman Mitchell and one of three who found him dead in his room. He later was one of several soldiers who were involved in self-harming in that period. The three were sent to another barracks in Lisburn for a week, twice, to help them cope with their loss. Soldier D claimed that Corporal Mark Farragher accused him and his two friends of bluffing to get out of work due to their trips to Lisburn. When asked how it had made him feel he replied: Horrible, they were meant to be there to help you, and talk to, when they are doing that, there is no one to talk to. He also detailed another incident during which he said Company Sergeant Major Roger Webb had called him a selfish dick in the guardroom after he had self-harmed. Philip Aldworth, counsel for the Ministry of Defence, put to Soldier D that other higher ranking officers had been supportive, and that he had received medical attention and support from the army. The inquest also heard about issues with paperwork within Second Battalion the Rifles. There is no record of whether Lance Corporal Ross or Rifleman Mitchell received the full post operational aftercare support following deployment in Afghanistan. Coroner Joe McCrisken told the inquest this underlines the importance of record keeping. The inquest continues. Climate change is the defining issue of our time, the Green Party leader in Northern Ireland has said. Clare Bailey said it was a bigger threat than current concerns in constitutional politics. Addressing her party's conference in Belfast on Saturday, she continued: "A border down the Irish Sea or across the island of Ireland matters little in the face of climate breakdown. The effects of climate breakdown know no national boundaries and do not recognise lines drawn on a map. "Many say they want a so-called new Ireland while others are concerned to maintain the United Kingdom at any cost. "There is a new reality dawning for all of us - it's called climate breakdown." The South Belfast Assembly member, who took over the party leadership from Steven Agnew in November, added: "I want those who promote the notion of a new Ireland to set out their position on mitigating climate change in this new dispensation, as well as protecting rights, providing health care and other public services, and creating a fairer and more just society. "I'd also ask the same questions of those who avow the protection of the Union, particularly in a post-Brexit Britain." She said Brexit and a lack of progress on equality matters were impacting on the lives of everyone across Northern Ireland, particularly those with little economic power and influence. Employment figures have been hit by Brexit uncertainty (Philip Toscano/PA) Employment has fallen for the first time in four years amid Brexit concerns in Northern Ireland, a business survey showed. The Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) said conditions were subdued at the start of this year, with reduced staffing levels primarily due to job losses in the services sector. Business activity rose at the weakest pace for more than two years while new orders increased only marginally, the survey of firms revealed. The latest survey reports that staffing levels fell for the first time in four yearsRichard Ramsey Ulster Bank chief economist for Northern Ireland Richard Ramsey said: Looking at the order books of firms, which have been broadly flat for the past two months, suggests that subdued growth might be with us for some time. Throughout 2018 the theme was one of ever-slowing growth, he said, with the final three months the weakest quarter in nine. This trend has continued into this year, with January seeing private sector growth at a 28-month low. The survey said the cooling of the economy was happening amid Brexit uncertainty. Mr Ramsey added: Whilst 2018 was characterised by a buoyant labour market, a record high in private sector jobs, and growing skills shortages, we are now perhaps at a turning point. The latest survey reports that staffing levels fell for the first time in four years. Indeed, the employment index dropped to a 67-month low. Danske Bank also said Brexit was weighing on peoples minds. Consumer confidence picked up slightly towards the end of last year but 17% of those surveyed said the EU divorce negotiations had negatively affected them. A further 12% said the Governments long-term Brexit objectives had impacted on confidence. Meanwhile, around 40% of Northern Irelands small or medium-sized firms cancelled or postponed investment plans due to Brexit, the Allied Irish Banks (AIB) said. More than half across the whole of Ireland have yet to begin planning even though around two thirds believe the divorce will have a negative impact. Plans published last September will see the number of parliamentary seats cut from 18 to 17. A Belfast man has won High Court permission to challenge proposals for redrawing electoral constituencies in Northern Ireland. He was granted leave to seek a judicial review of the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland's final recommendations. Plans published last September will see the number of parliamentary seats cut from 18 to 17, as part of a wider move to reduce MPs at Westminister from 650 to 600. But unlike earlier proposals which involved Belfast dropping to three constituencies, the city is to retain four seats under the final recommendations. Lawyers for the man claim the Commission has acted unlawfully and unfairly. Described as "a constituent affected by the changes to the electoral boundaries proposed by the Boundary Commission", he was given anonymity. The planned constituency shake-up provoked political controversy, with Sinn Fein criticising changes they claim would leave a number of constituencies without any nationalist representation. Central to the legal challenge is a rule within the relevant legislation which allows the Commision to deviate from a 5% range of the UK electoral quota when considering constituency size. David Scoffield QC, for the man taking the case, argued that the authority had shifted away from its provisional recommendations by relying on the rule without a proper legal basis. "Why has the Commission suddenly turned about face in such a radical way," he submitted. Tony McGleenan QC, for the body being challenged, insisted changes to the proposals were were in response to "a healthy and procedurally correct consultation process". However, Mr Justice McCloskey ruled that the man behind the challenge has established an arguable case on points of alleged unlawfulness, procedural unfairness and failure to consult. He granted leave to seek a judicial review and listed the case for full hearing in May. Stressing that the man is not to be identified, the judge pointed out: "This kind of subject matter can arise passions in this community." Outside court the man's lawyer, Eoin Murphy of O'Muirigh Solicitors, claimed the provisional proposals were "revolutionised" in the revised plans. He said: "We contend that the Commission made an error of law and misdirected itself in the application of this rule, with the consequence that its final report is legally flawed." PSNI sergeant James McLaughlin appealed for anyone who witnessed the fire to come forward. A fire at a derelict building in Co Tyrone was started deliberately, police have said. The blaze happened at around 10pm on Sunday at a building in the Derry Road area of Strabane. PSNI sergeant James McLaughlin appealed for anyone who witnessed the fire to come forward. "Police attended along with NIFRS who extinguished the blaze, the fire service has advised that this fire was started deliberately," he said. "I am appealing to anyone who was in the area around this time, or prior to when the fire was reported to us and has information that they believe could assist our investigation to call non-emergency 101, quoting reference 1249 10/02/19." Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. South Belfast MLA Claire Hanna has resigned the SDLP whip following the party's link up with Fianna Fail. She has also resigned as the SDLP's Brexit spokesperson but said she will continue to be a member of the party and as an MLA representing constituents in south Belfast. Read More The move comes after the SDLP members voted in favour of forming a partnership with Fianna Fail. The motion passed by 121 votes to 53 at a special party conference in Newry on Saturday. Ms Hanna had opposed the partnership. Ms Hanna said: "Following the conference on Saturday, I have thought long and hard about the outcome and implications. "I remain unconvinced that an exclusive partnership with Fianna Fail is the right vehicle with which to deliver the non-sectarian, transparent and social democratic new Ireland I believe in. "As such, after a discussion with Colum Eastwood, I have resigned from my position as SDLP Brexit spokesperson. This hasn't been an easy decision. I remain an SDLP member and MLA, and will be continuing to work hard for the people of south Belfast and alongside SDLP members and activists, with whom I still share political values and aspirations." SDLP leader Colum Eastwood MLA said: "At the SDLP Special Conference all members were afforded the opportunity to speak and delegates to vote on two motions. The SDLP membership overwhelmingly voted for the party to embark on a partnership with Fianna Fail. "It is with regret that we accept Claires resignation. The party membership has democratically spoken and difficult though that decision may be for some, their wishes must be respected and enacted." On Saturday, Mr Eastwood hailed the birth of a policy partnership he said would build for a better future in the years ahead. Within 24 hours, the chairpersons of the SDLP's youth, women and LGBT+ wings said they were stepping down in an open letter that was sharply critical of how the decision was reached. Matthew Corr (youth), Caoimhe McNeill (women) and Matthew Carson (LGBT+) wrote: "Calls for respect and party unity ring hollow when a coach and horses has been driven through the proper procedure which exists to facilitate a debate, on equal terms, and allow the party to come together after." They claimed Saturday's conference was called without proper notice being given. "Voting opened while the debate was ongoing, allowing people to vote before they had heard all points of view," the letter said. "This was extremely discourteous to speakers of every side. "There can be no reasonable debate when the terms of the debate are arbitrary and extra-constitutional." The Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) has called for extra powers to be given to councils in the absence of a functioning executive. NILGA, which represents the 11 councils in Northern Ireland, urged the UK government to undertake a review of the role of councils here and give greater decision taking powers to local authorities to address the democratic deficit caused by the collapse of Stormont more than two years ago. The association also called for an independent panel to be set up to take forward how devolution is progressed and funded below Stormont, to councils and communities. NILGA also called for a Brexit Support Found, which has been offered to local authorities in the rest of the UK to the tune of more than 60m, to be provided to councils in Northern Ireland. Councillor Dermot Curran, NILGA president, said: Councils in 2019 are faced with huge expectations on their time and expenditure, in part due to the suspension of the Assembly, Brexit, transfer of responsibilities like event traffic management costing around 900,000 this year alone to ratepayers without being offered budgets to deliver." Expand Close Councillor Dermot Curran, President of NILGA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Councillor Dermot Curran, President of NILGA He added: During the continued political impasse, councils are delivering more with less, taking on major infrastructure work as well as substantial, community led, preventative health work. "Coupled with the burden of meeting arbitrary targets, councils, the smallest part of the public sector, are being asked to take on more responsibility as the only functioning level of government in Northern Ireland, without the offer of additional resources required. The Stormont Executive collapsed more than two years ago following the resignation of then Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, with councils in Northern Ireland operating as the only fully function democratically elected government in the province. NILGAs council team met with John Penrose MP, Minister of State in for Northern Ireland, in order to look at how councils additional pressures to deliver are funded, as well as forward planning how Northern Irelands 21 billion public purse is given local, democratic scrutiny until the Assembly returns. Derk McCallan, NILGA chief executive, said: "Due to the current situation, members and chief executives across the 11 councils are becoming increasingly concerned about their ability to deliver on targets, with the threat of tick box bureaucracy in the background. Enough is enough. This is why NILGA is calling for devolved political scrutiny of how we as councils are funded, what the deficits are, and enabling a piece of legislation to get us on a proper democratic and value for money footing. These arent political or ideological matters, so we can get them sorted. "Local government elections take place in a matter of weeks and councils should not have to enter a new mandate over-burdened and under-resourced, trying diligently to deliver on many more expectations from a deserving public. Expand Close Derek McCallan, Chief Executive of NILGA. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Derek McCallan, Chief Executive of NILGA. This is a reality check and a plea for normality. When our counterparts in England, Wales and Scotland are allocated over 60 million in Brexit support, and we are offered an empty purse and a wish list, its time to wise up and give councils and communities the tools and the autonomy to get on with it. Local government is a resilient, democratic anchor in Northern Ireland, but cannot be expected to bare burdens which are sent to us without cash and in a manner which is neither efficient nor necessary. Lets use these elections to give choice, voice and control to communities, through councils. File photo dated 05/11/09 of the entrance to Ballykinler barracks in Co Down, Northern Ireland. An inquest into the deaths of two young British soldiers at their barracks is due to begin later. James Ross and Darren Mitchell died from suspected suicide within three months of each other at Ballykinler in Co Down. A young soldier who had self-harmed while based at a Co Down army barracks said a senior officer called him a selfish d**k afterwards, an inquest has heard. The incident took place at Abercorn Barracks in Ballykinler where two soldiers had taken their own lives within a three-month period from December 2012 to February 2013. Rifleman Darren Mitchell, 20, from London, was found hanged in his room at Abercorn Barracks in Ballykinler, Co Down, on February 10 2013. Lance Corporal James Ross, 30, from Leeds, was also found hanged in his room, on December 8 2012. Expand Close Rifleman Darren Mitchell who was found dead at Abercorn Barracks in Ballykinler (Liberty Human Rights) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Rifleman Darren Mitchell who was found dead at Abercorn Barracks in Ballykinler (Liberty Human Rights) Both men were serving with the Second Battalion the Rifles and had previously been on active service in Afghanistan. An inquest sitting at Ballymena courthouse is examining both deaths. On Monday the inquest heard from a soldier who had been based at Ballykinler in 2013, via video link from Leeds court house. He has been granted anonymity during the proceedings and is referred to as Soldier D. He was a friend of Rifleman Mitchell and one of three who found him dead in his room. He later was one of several soldiers who were involved in self-harming in that period. Expand Close Lance Corporal James Ross whose inquest, along with Rifleman Darren Mitchell, is taking place (Liberty Human Rights/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lance Corporal James Ross whose inquest, along with Rifleman Darren Mitchell, is taking place (Liberty Human Rights/PA) Soldier D described finding his friend dead as heartbreaking. The three were sent to another barracks in Lisburn for a week, twice, to help them cope with their loss. Soldier D claimed that Corporal Mark Farragher accused him and his two friends of bluffing to get out of work due to their trips to Lisburn. He also claimed the senior officer had made sly comments to them on parade and the other soldiers had laughed. When asked by Karen Quinlivan QC, counsel for the Mitchell and Ross families, how it had made him feel he replied: Horrible, they were meant to be there to help you, and talk to, when they are doing that, there is no one to talk to. He also detailed another incident during which he said Company Sergeant Major Roger Webb had called him a selfish dick in the Guardroom after he had self-harmed. When asked how hed felt after that, he said: even worse. Philip Aldworth, counsel for the Ministry of Defence, put to Soldier D that other higher ranking officers had been supportive, and that he had received medical attention and support from the army. Soldier D named two senior officers who were supportive. Expand Close Carol Mitchell (right), mother of Rifleman Darren Mitchell , attends the inquest into his death (Rebecca Black/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Carol Mitchell (right), mother of Rifleman Darren Mitchell , attends the inquest into his death (Rebecca Black/PA) Giving evidence to the inquest last week, Rifleman Mitchells mother Carol Mitchell said it was a perfect storm of factors that contributed to her sons death. He thought everyone was leaving, he was exhausted, his back pay hadnt come through, he had had a row with Cher (his girlfriend) and he had just got back after being away for a long time, she told the inquest, adding that she did not blame the Army for his death but felt more could have been done to help him. The inquest continues. It was a subject never mentioned during the pre-referendum debate on leaving the EU but subsequently has become a controversial issue causing hostility between London, Belfast, Dublin and Brussels, threatening to derail the process and cause the UK to exit without a favourable deal. It is, of course, the Irish border - the only land frontier between the UK and the EU - and as Prime Minister Theresa May tries to rescue her withdrawal agreement as the March 29 Brexit deadline approaches, a timely publication is hitting the bookshops. The Border: The Legacy Of A Century Of Anglo-Irish Politics is written by Diarmaid Ferriter, Professor of Irish Modern History at UCD (University College Dublin). He is also a regular television and radio broadcaster and newspaper columnist. Q. Why did you decide to write this book? A. I have always been fascinated by the border. It is a fascinating subject but we are also approaching the centenary of the state in Northern Ireland and Brexit came along. I wanted to write something that would be accessible. There is a fair degree of ignorance about the border and part of my mission is to enlighten without overwhelming. Obviously Brexit has put the border centre stage. Ironically there was no discussion about it during the referendum on whether to leave the EU or not and that tells us an awful lot about what people in Britain thought or knew about the border. Q. Do you think it is a good thing that the border is now attracting so much attention? A. It is a good thing in that it has provided a reminder that neither Britain nor Ireland can ignore a century of history. There is a tendency on the part of some in the Tory party to classify the issue as the tail wagging the dog, but what it is doing is proving how difficult an issue it is to solve. But it is also a bad thing in that it has brought back to the light a lot of issues we hoped had been solved or that people had reached an accommodation on. Q. What has worried you? A. The coarsening of the rhetoric and the provocations from all sides have reawakened many of the old animosities. For example, a couple of years ago Peter Robinson (former DUP leader) would have said that north-south relationships in Ireland had never been as strong and it was the same with relationships between the UK and Ireland. But there is always a undercurrent which could lead to violence and I feel it is important for a British audience to understand the meandering complexities of the border. Q. Was the border ever meant to be permanent? A. One of the reasons that Britain got involved in partition was because it wanted to get the Irish/Ulster question out of British politics. Philip Kerr, an adviser to David Lloyd George, wrote: 'It (the Government of Ireland Act) would at least accomplish two essential things: it would take Ulster out of the Irish question and it would take Ireland out of English party controversies'. The original idea from an English perspective was that the border would be temporary and Ireland would work out its own solution. Instead, the border hardened very quickly. Irish politicians need reminded what contributed to that situation - lazy rhetoric and a failure to engage with the unionist mentality. Q. What do Irish politicians and the Republic's population in general think of Northern Ireland? A. Many people still think of Northern Ireland as a foreign country even though Belfast is just 100 miles up the road from my office here in Dublin. This lack of engagement goes back decades and there is still a very strong element of that today. The DUP does not make the situation any easier by downplaying the complexities of the current situation. As well, the calls for a border poll and putting it centre stage at this time could be seen as very unhelpful. Those making those calls seem to assume that all nationalists in Northern Ireland are screaming for an united Ireland. Q. Has it always been daggers drawn on both sides of the border? A. In the 1950s a few Irish writers were posing the idea of consent when resolving differences. They said that there was always going to be a Northern Ireland and that people and politicians in the Republic would have to look at what they had in common with those north of the border, e.g. tourism, transport and trade. In their view this was the only way to ever get political union. Q. But that does not take account of the unionist mentality? A. There has always been a very strong siege mentality among unionists. Those in Northern Ireland described themselves as Ulster Unionists as opposed to the Irish unionists in the Republic. The Ulster Unionists didn't trust London. The first NI Prime Minister James Craig was very suspicious of Lloyd George. He knew that Lloyd George just wanted rid of the unionists. I believe there is still a feeling among unionists that they cannot trust the British Government. Q. Given the influential position of the DUP during the current Brexit negotiations, how do you see things playing out? A. There is a question that has to be answered: who speaks for Northern Ireland in this debate? The people there voted to remain in the EU but the DUP were strongly for leaving. Does the DUP really speak for Northern Ireland at Westminster? We have to realise there is a lack of voice for a broad swathe of opinion in Northern Ireland. There is quite a level of cross-community support for the backstop agreement and the DUP could be said to be on the wrong side of that argument. They have to remember that their position of influence at Westminster is fleeting. Q. Is the insistence on the backstop a result of Ireland not trusting the UK to stick by agreements? A. There are historical reasons for Irish politicians not to trust the UK. They remember promises made when partition was being discussed. They were led to believe that the Boundary Commission set up to examine the border would either get rid of it or make Northern Ireland so small that it would not be feasible. Lloyd George was speaking out of both sides of his mouth. The insistence on the backstop is because the Irish feel they cannot simply take spoken guarantees. Q. What do you make of Leo Varadkar's comments in December that nationalists will never again be left behind by Irish Governments? A. Northern nationalists feel they have been abandoned by successive Irish Governments. In the 1950s, for example, they were refused permission to address the Dail about their concerns. That has led to distrust by northern nationalists. Those people who live along the border on either side also have a distinct identity. They feel they don't quite belong to either jurisdiction. You also have to remember those who were left on the 'wrong' side of the border when partition occurred, such as Catholics in the north and Protestants in Monaghan, Cavan and Donegal. Q. What is the attitude to Irish unity among the Republic's politicians? A. It has changed but you have to wonder how deep the commitment to it is or whether it is just because the issue has been put centre stage by the Brexit debate. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael know that their titles indicate they want Irish unity but at the same time there is a nervousness about the prospect of taking on something which could be hugely problematic - the very substantial minority of people (in all-Ireland terms) who don't want unity. The parties may say they want unity but they talk about it as an abstract issue. Sinn Fein, of course, are going about demanding a border poll but the other southern parties are being more cautious, saying that demand is not helpful at this time. Q. What are your concerns about Brexit? A. We have to remember that the border is not just about politics or even trade. It is about people's everyday lives, for example, sending children across the border to school in Northern Ireland or people who take a heart attack in Donegal being treated in Derry rather than travelling down to Sligo. Q. Smuggling has been rife in border areas at various times. Your book has some entertaining anecdotes. A. There is the tale of the old woman who carried a hot water bottle across the border telling customs it was needed to ease her rheumatism. In reality the bottle was full of whisky. Then there were people who dressed up as customs or police officers and intercepted drovers smuggling cattle across the border. The drovers naturally fled and the bogus customs and police officers made off with their cattle. Q. How do you explain that Protestants have left the Republic in large numbers since partition yet Catholic numbers in the north have increased to almost parity with Protestants? A. It has to be accepted that Protestants felt the state after partition was a very alien place to them. By the 1920s Ireland was 93% Catholic. At that stage Protestants still had a high proportion of jobs in the professions, but the exodus had begun before the War of Independence. However, it cannot be denied that there was intimidation and that the atmosphere for many was menacing. But I don't go along with the idea that there was some sort of ethnic cleansing going on. To compare what happened in Ireland with what happened in other parts of Europe at that time would be a total exaggeration. It is ironic that many southern Protestants felt abandoned by their Ulster Unionist kin. Even Edward Carson described himself as an Irish unionist. Q. Do you think the current Brexit debate is harming the peace process? A. I feel it has put the process back. One of the major planks of the Good Friday Agreement is that the UK is required to be totally impartial in relation to Northern Ireland. Some people feel that has been undermined by Theresa May's reliance on the DUP. Tensions between north, south and Britain have been elevated and we are now hearing language which reflects pre-Good Friday Agreement mistrust. You have to remember that of the 650 MPs at Westminster only 108 were elected before the Agreement was signed. There may be a lack of appreciation among the rest about why and how it came about. The Border: The Legacy Of A Century Of Anglo-Irish Politics, by Diarmaid Ferriter, is published by Profile Books, price 12.99 The suspension of a number of Muckamore Abbey Hospital nurses by their regulatory body has been lifted following a legal challenge, but they cannot yet return to work. The seven staff had been suspended by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) amid allegations of physical and mental abuse against patients at the facility, which is located on the outskirts of Antrim. However, on Friday the High Court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to justify the suspensions. It is understood that the Belfast Trust, which runs the hospital, was unable to provide CCTV footage of alleged abuse to the NMC, due to the continuing police investigation. However, a spokeswoman for the Belfast Trust last night said that its own processes were unaffected by the ruling. "The staff remain on precautionary suspension from Belfast Trust whilst investigations are ongoing," the spokeswoman said. She said that the trust had agreed a system to provide any additional information required by the NMC. She said: "We are aware of the High Court decision and understand the impact this will have on families. "We have contacted families directly over the weekend to discuss concerns. "We appreciate that this is a difficult time. "Belfast Trust has been in contact with the NMC and has agreed a process to provide any additional information they require." Meanwhile, Matthew McClelland, director of fitness to practise at the NMC, apologised for the impact on patients' families. "We are continuing to investigate the very serious allegations about nursing care at Muckamore Abbey Hospital," he said. "In light of the court's decision, we urge the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust to provide us with the evidence we have previously requested, which we require so we can take appropriate regulatory action." Concerns over the safety and well-being of residents at Muckamore Abbey emerged last year, after CCTV footage showing healthcare professionals assaulting patients in the hospital's intensive care unit came to light. Families have since come forward to make shocking allegations about the conditions endured by loved ones living there, including a seclusion room which was described by one parent as "a dark dungeon". An independent investigation subsequently found that patients' lives had been put at risk, prompting the Department of Health's permanent secretary, Richard Pengelly, to speak out about the abuse suffered by residents. "There is no other way of describing the findings of the panel's report than truly shocking," he said. Mr Pengelly has been coming under increasing pressure to call a public inquiry into conditions at the hospital, while the chair of the Bamford Review - a major review of mental health services in Northern Ireland - has said that the crisis "could be the tip of the iceberg". He described testimonies from parents of adult children with profound learning difficulties as "a disturbing listen". Last month PSNI officers searched eight homes linked to hospital staff and seized mobile phones from properties in Co Antrim and Co Down. A detective confirmed that the police team is examining 158 alleged incidents of "ill treatment" and is committed to a "full and thorough" investigation. Detective Chief Inspector Jill Duffie said her team is "very sensitive" to the "trauma and impact" upon those families learning about horrific abuse of their loved ones. She said: "We will continue to work through every report made to us to establish if criminal offences have been committed." Of course, eliminating microbeads was a step in the right direction, but take a look at the average bathroom shelf and you'll discover there's still a long way to go, with manufacturers heavily dependent on plastic packaging to house all those lotions and lipsticks Last year, a law came into force banning microbeads - the tiny plastic particles used in products like facial scrubs - because they were being ingested by marine life, and the beauty industry patted itself on the back for a job well done. Of course, eliminating microbeads was a step in the right direction, but take a look at the average bathroom shelf and you'll discover there's still a long way to go, with manufacturers heavily dependent on plastic packaging to house all those lotions and lipsticks. The UK uses 13 billion plastic bottles each year, according to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee report, so, clearly, we need to reduce the amount of single-use plastic we use and send to landfill while also increasing the amount we recycle - and fast. While it may sometimes seem that the beauty industry is doing more harm than good in the battle against plastic pollution, there are a number of companies taking steps to improve their packaging and environmental impact. Lush, which has a long history in environmental and animal activism, has just opened its first 'Naked' shop in the UK, with the Manchester store selling only plastic packaging-free products, such as shampoo bars and solid cleansers. French brand L'Occitane has announced a commitment to use 100% recycled plastic for its packaging by 2025, while Urban Veda has partnered with Plastic Oceans Foundation UK, pledging 10% of all online sales to support the charity in its fight against plastic pollution. For some firms, change will take time, but plenty of others are already making strides towards a plastic-free future, from small independent names to cosmetics giants. Want to do your bit? Here are 11 brands that can help make your beauty routine more green... 1. Lush Expand Close Lush Amazon primer naked facial oil, 9.95 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lush Amazon primer naked facial oil, 9.95 In addition to the new shop, Lush's plastic packaging-free products are also available online, and the brand recently made its Naked skincare range permanent because of its popularity with fans. If you're looking for a sustainable alternative to face wipes, try the reusable and biodegradable 7 to 3 Cleansing Wipes. Lush Amazon primer naked facial oil, 9.95 Lush 7 to 3 cleansing wipes, 2 each 2. Natural World Expand Close Natural World argan oil shampoo / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Natural World argan oil shampoo "Did you know that plastic bottles take 450 years or more to decompose?" asks Michael Eggerton, director at Brodie and Stone, where bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic, with bio-based labels made from sugar cane. Eggerton admits that making the move to a recycled material wasn't easy. Because the new plastic comes from a mix of sources, it has a grey tint, rather than being completely clear. "We also faced the challenge of shininess, as the final bottles come matte, so we need to educate the consumers who think the product has gone off because as the packaging is not a bright as usual." Natural World argan oil shampoo, 3 (was 4), Tesco 3. Love Beauty and Planet Expand Close Love Beauty and Planet blooming colour shampoo / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Love Beauty and Planet blooming colour shampoo In response to consumer demand, Unilever has launched new vegan brand Love Beauty and Planet. Every bottle in the hair, body and skincare range is made from recycled plastic and is recyclable. Currently, the bottle tops aren't recycled, but the company is committed to finding a sustainable solution for the caps too. Love Beauty and Planet blooming colour shampoo, 7.49, Superdrug 4. Dr Bronner Bar soaps are best in terms of preventing waste, and Dr Bronner has a range of those, but even its liquid soaps are eco-friendly, coming packaged in a 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. Mike Bronner, president of Dr Bronner, says: "By turning used plastic bottles into new plastic bottles and products, we help conserve virgin resources, reduce landfill and capitalise on the energy already invested in making existing plastic products." Dr Bronner baby unscented pure-castile liquid soap, 7.69 5. Bramley Natural beauty brand Bramley made the switch from traditional plastic bottles to more sustainable biopolymer HDPE, which is derived from sugar cane, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. "We are really excited to be one of the first bath and body companies to change the material of our bottles to biopolymer HDPE," says founder Chloe Luxton. "Alongside the launch of our one-litre bottles online and the switch to fully recyclable pumps, we are proud that Bramley is working towards a greener future." Bramley body lotion, 4 6. Miild Lots of make-up companies are lagging behind in terms of packaging improvements, but there are some notable exceptions, such as Danish brand Miild, which makes allergy and eco-certified cosmetics. "We take our environmental impact very seriously - any products that can come in cardboard, do," says co-founder Tanja Gregersen. "That's all of our mineral powders, bronzers, blushers, concealers and eyebrow/eyeshadow kits. It's 12 of our 13-product range currently - the mascara comes in a tube with no outer packaging." Co-founder Tine Emilie Svendsen adds: "Today, when we meet our customers, we know we've made a difference to every woman who wants to wear make-up with a clear conscience for her body and the environment." Miild mineral blush in cherise splendid, 30, Klarify 7. Cosmydor Parisian eco luxe brand Cosmydor makes "virtuous cosmetics" and has a no-plastics policy. Packaging is made from glass, aluminium and cardboard, with a priority given to local producers in order to reduce carbon emissions from transport. Cosmydor E/2 essential care tonka face cream, 35 8. Clockface Yorkshire-based Clockface makes organic vegan products for women and men. All its packaging is recyclable, made from either amber glass or fully recyclable plastic, and wherever possible, is made from recycled material. Clockface enhanced recovery body oil, clary sage and geranium, 25 9. Natural Deo Co Looking for an eco-friendly deodorant? The Natural Deo Co creates natural, cruelty-free, vegan-approved balms that are packaged in plastic-free jars. Natural Deo Co clean deodorant balm orange and bergamot, 11, All Beauty 10. Little Beau Sheep Easily the most adorable plastic-free product on the market, Little Beau Sheep lanolin soaps come wrapped in 100% wool and adorned with a sweet little sheep face. When you wet it, the soap lathers up and acts as a flannel, and once the soap runs out, all you have left is a biodegradable ball of wool. Little Beau Sheep Suffolk sheep felted soap, 9.45 11. Isla Apothecary Isla Apothecary uses natural, vegan and ethically sourced ingredients for its bath, body, hair and skincare products, which are packaged in recyclable glass jars. The brand's plastic-free philosophy also extends to any orders placed online too, with recyclable boxes and biodegradable packing chips used for delivery. Isla Apothecary body exfoliant and balm, 34 Sir Philip Green was the subject of fresh calls to be stripped of his knighthood yesterday following allegations he groped a female executive and bought her silence with more than 1m. The retail tycoon also allegedly referred to a black employee "throwing spears in the jungle" while drawing attention to his dreadlocks, the Daily Telegraph reported. Details of the allegations against the Arcadia owner involving five employees were revealed by the newspaper after his legal action against the paper ended at the High Court. The Sunday Telegraph printed a further allegation, reporting that two executives corroborated a woman's complaint to a lawyer, but their comments failed to surface in a final report. Millions of pounds were allegedly paid out in settlements with staff members, while non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) were put in place to prevent them discussing the matters. Sir Philip denied his behaviour was criminal or amounted to gross misconduct. Theresa May's former policy adviser George Freeman has called for the businessman to be stripped of his knighthood if the allegations against him are true. When asked by the Sunday Times if Sir Philip should lose the honour, the MP for Mid Norfolk said: "Honours like knighthoods and peerages are granted to people in good faith on the basis of what seems at the time a distinguished public record. "If it transpires that there was indeed some fraud or misconduct or wilful misleading of people or abuse of office, then yes." Labour chairman Ian Lavery has also called for the Topshop owner's knighthood to be removed if the claims are accurate. "If the allegations are true, then Philip Green should be stripped of his knighthood," he said. "The honours system is clearly flawed and the Prime Minister should take steps to remove honours from people who bring their office into disrepute." The calls joined those from Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable. Sir Philip's lawyers told the Telegraph: "It is further denied that any of Sir Philip's conduct towards employees amounted to any type of crime, or anything that would amount to gross misconduct, or a serious risk to health and safety." Treasury Chief Secretary Liz Truss said NDA laws need changing to prevent their abuse. "I do think it is disgraceful that he (Sir Philip) has been able to use non-disclosure agreements to effectively silence victims of sexual and racial abuse," she told Sky's Ridge On Sunday. "I think we need to look seriously at those non-disclosure agreements and get changes to them because I think it's completely wrong that people like Philip Green have been able to flout the law." Here are key thoughts from five spine surgeons as they discuss the biggest opportunities for practice growth in the coming year. Key themes the surgeons discussed include: Taking more outpatient procedures into the ASC Incorporating cutting-edge technology Taking steps to engage in value creation and bundled payments Partnering with multidisciplinary spine specialists for patient-centered care Using technology such as social media for marketing and telehealth for follow-up visits Kern Singh, MD. Co-Director of the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute at Rush and Partner at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush (Chicago): 1. Increasing ancillary utilization will allow private practices to maintain autonomy. Orthopedists are learning quickly that relying solely upon professional revenues is not sustainable. Rather, other avenues for revenues will need to be maximized, including durable medical equipment, MRI and physical therapy. 2. Bundled Payments Care Initiative will be an area of significant growth for those practices that specialize in high volume acuity of care total hips, knees and spine and can provide these treatments in a cost-contained, low complication fashion. Margins are still large in BPCI, and with the correct infrastructure, this can still be a source of significant revenue for the private practitioner. 3. Social media and online marketing will continue to grow. The ability to capture large audiences with a smaller cost can allow all practices the ability to increase patient flow. Real time social media Facebook, Instagram and search engine optimization is key to the evolving world of healthcare marketing. Alpesh Patel, MD. Co-Director of the Northwestern Spine Center (Chicago): In general, growth for businesses entering spine is going to come from meaningful innovation that then creates product differentiation. Meaningful innovation will only occur if real clinical needs are met: safer, reliable and predictable spinal fusion as one example. Studies, like the upcoming Kuros study on Fibrin-Parathyroid hormone, will provide evidence as to whether or not these clinical needs are being met. Those facts, presented within a framework of improving patient outcomes, can be drivers of growth. Jocelyn Idema, DO. Orthopedic Spine Surgeon (Pittsburgh and Washington, Pa.): I see the best opportunities for growth are in the outpatient spine sector. I feel as though the surgical culture continues to move towards patient-centered healthcare, and thus we can really work out a lot of issues before and after surgery in the comfort of the patient's own homes. By utilizing home health and therapy teams effectively in the patient-centered mindset, I am beginning to see a lot of opportunity in telehealth and reaching out to patients across the country, but also when you can't wait for an appointment in four to six weeks. With videotaped exams we can at least initiate treatment electronically with PT, medications and ordering of X-rays, and then bring you in for a face-to-face follow-up appointment later. I do know of a few companies that are starting to work towards providing these types of services for patients. Charles Gordon, MD. CEO of Precision Spine Center and Founder of Texas Spine & Joint Hospital (Tyler, Texas): We believe that with interdisciplinary consolidation [there] is also an opportunity for value creation. Bringing like-minded physicians in complementary specialties together not only improves patient convenience, but [also] achieves some scaling efficiency and reduces overall costs. Finally, as readers of Becker's surely know, there appears to be continued regulatory and consumer support in favor of ASC-based procedures over those done in a traditional hospital setting, when appropriate. Technical improvements also are enabling this trend. We see this as a continued opportunity in select markets. Stephen Hochschuler, MD. Founding Physician of Texas Back Institute (Plano): Growth in spine: (1) Application of artificial intelligence using registries, information technology, predictive analytics. (2) Integration of telemedicine to streamline care and lower costs while increasing access. Proper hand hygiene practices protect both patients and providers from infection, making exam gloves a highly valuable product for health systems to ensure clinician safety. Since such a large pool of healthcare workers use exam gloves on a regular basis, expenses often add up. However, by purchasing an appropriate ratio of high-use to specialty exam gloves, health systems can save money without compromising clinician or patient safety, according to Mary Cross, RN, senior consultant of clinical operations and surgical gloves at Dublin, Ohio-based Cardinal Health. Here, Ms. Cross discusses how health systems can standardize their glove purchasing process to save money. She also shares what attributes to look for in a good high-use exam glove as well as the various resources available to help guide these decisions Editor's Note: Responses have been edited for length and clarity. Question: Given how broadly exam gloves are used throughout the healthcare system, the expense builds up. How can hospitals keep these costs down, without compromising protection? Mary Cross: It's about balancing fiscal responsibility, clinician safety and clinical need. The clinicians must have a glove that will protect them and allow them to complete their job. However, to keep costs down, the financial aspect must remain top-of-mind. Standardization is key in trying to find that balance of ensuring protection, determining need and being financially responsible. To standardize, it is important to look at staff members' needs. Most require an everyday, High-Use glove. But there is also a need to have gloves for special tasks in the operating room, pharmacy or lab area. There is not just one universal glove that will meet the needs of everyone. Cardinal Health has found that the optimal ratio of High-Use to Specialty glove is about 90 percent to 10 percent, respectively. Once customers get to that 90/10 ratio, you start looking at storage space improvements and glove-usage efficiencies that save costs without compromising protection. Q: What attributes should hospitals look for in a good high-use glove? MC: Hospitals need a glove that will provide protection and comfort. It needs to give the clinician the fit, feel and comfort they want so they can perform their jobs without even thinking about the glove. In terms of attributes, hospitals should look for a nitrile glove that is similar in terms of comfort and fit to latex. It must also be durable and tactile, so it is usable throughout most of the hospital. There is one particular High-Use glove from Cardinal Health that comes to mind the Esteem Comfort glove. It provides protection, is tactile and durable, and fits comfortably. This glove also has an FDA-approved low dermatitis potential claim and elongation like latex which can help reduce cuff tears during donning1. In addition, it has some chemotherapy and chemical resistance that allows the glove to be used not only as a High-Use glove, but also in some areas where a Specialty glove is needed. Q: How can a hospital determine if they are purchasing a clinically appropriate specialty glove? MC: There are special needs in almost every healthcare facility. For example, many places administer or compound chemotherapy drugs, including the oncology unit, the pharmacy and maybe even an outpatient clinic within the system. In this instance, when handling chemotherapy drugs, you need a glove that will help the facility comply with USP <800> standards. In addition, the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) has a very specific methodology for testing against chemo drugs, so a hospital can ensure the glove is clinically appropriate if it meets the ASTM standards. Cardinal Health also has resources available to help hospitals determine if a glove meets the various standards. Q: What resources are available to hospitals to weigh the differences between high-use and specialty glove options? MC: At Cardinal Health, we recently created a Clinical Application Matrix, which is a chart that compares all available glove options in our portfolio by outlining their characteristics and matching them to the various departments the glove could be used in. The matrix recommends gloves based on users' needs and helps to narrow down their choices. Additionally, the sales team at Cardinal Health is very knowledgeable and skilled at doing a glove-usage review and analysis. The team will not only review what the usage is per glove, but also analyze hospital-specific data to identify opportunities where they can standardize and improve the ratio to save costs. 1. Minimum Elongation is equal to the min ASTM standard for a latex exam glove which can help to reduce cuff tears during donning. To learn more about the Clinical Application Matrix and additional details on Cardinal Healths High-Use and Specialty exam gloves, click here. An internal review conducted by St. Petersburg, Fla.-based Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital found 13 cases in which patients in the facility's heart unit were harmed by care, according to the Tampa Bay Times. The cases should have been immediately reported to state officials, the hospital's interim president told staff during private town halls the week of Feb. 3. None of the cases were reported until recently. Additionally, former All Children's leaders failed to properly notify the board of trustees about safety concerns in the heart surgery department, which led to recent declaration by CMS that the hospital endangered patients, the interim president said. "Leadership knew there were quality and safety issues and did not elevate it in appropriate ways to the board," said Kevin Sowers, MSN, RN, president of the Johns Hopkins Health System, based in Baltimore. Mr. Sowers also has been the interim president at All Children's since December. Ms. Sowers said Johns Hopkins had "let this organization down." "Some of the people we put here did not act in the best interest of the children we were caring for or this organization," he said. Mr. Sowers detailed several lapses by former hospital leaders, saying they were "people that we trusted that hid the Heart Institute's problems from the internal and external oversight designed to keep patients safe." Those issues were publicized in November after a Times investigation revealed the unit's mortality had tripled in only two years. The investigation led to the resignation of CEO Jonathan Ellen, MD, two heart surgeons and the three vice presidents in charge of risk management, patient safety and communications. It also led to inspections by state and federal regulators, who visited All Children's in January and placed it in immediate jeopardy. CMS gave the hospital until Feb. 10 to submit a written plan to address the inspectors' findings. If Johns Hopkins All Children's does not correct these issues by Feb. 23, the agency will cut off federal funding. Rep. Marc Catlin, R-Colo., has proposed a bill that would allow rural Colorado residents to fill prescriptions covered by insurance at the pharmacy of their choice, according to The Journal. Under his bill, rural residents could pick a local pharmacy instead of traveling hours or miles to one that insurance covers. The bill, supported by rural residents, is likely to ignite a battle between lawmakers, pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers. Supporters say the bill would chip away at pharmacy and insurance company's networks, which restrict where people can get care and prescriptions. Opponents, including major pharmacies, say dismantling this network would drive up the cost of prescription drugs. Read the full report here. A Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth nurse filed a lawsuit worth more than $1 million against an elevator company after one of its elevators fell several stories and injured her, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Four things to know: 1. Rogena Wright, RN, who is also an administrative supervisor at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance in Fort Worth, sued the hospital's elevator company, Thyssenkrupp Elevator Corp., and two elevator inspectors for more than $1 million. She claimed in the lawsuit that the entities did not properly maintain the elevator or detect a dangerous condition in the elevator. 2. According to the lawsuit, Ms. Wright was riding in an elevator at the Alliance hospital on Jan. 23, 2018, when the elevator fell several stories and injured her in a "violent landing." Ms. Wright claimed she suffered herniated discs, lower back pain, an ankle injury, bruised arms and several other injuries that have kept her from working. 3. The lawsuit alleges the elevator company also had issues with elevators at other hospitals before and after the incident that injured Ms. Wright. While the lawsuit does not name any specific incidents, the CEO of Fort Worth, Texas-based John Peter Smith Hospital called out Thyssenkrupp in January for similar elevator issues at the hospital that are "unacceptable and [jeopardize] the safety of our patients and team members." 4. A Thyssenkrupp spokesperson told the Star-Telegram the company does not comment on pending litigation. To access the full report, click here. The Montana Nurses Association dropped its charges against Kalispell (Mont.) Regional Healthcare that alleged the system violated federal law with its employee restructuring plans, hospital officials confirmed to the Daily Inter Lake. "After review of the facts, the matter was withdrawn by the MNA and the NLRB closed the investigation," a Kalispell Regional spokesperson told the publication in a Feb. 7 email. The nurses association filed charges against the health system in December. Hospital administrators reportedly told nurses and directors their positions had been eliminated and invited them to reapply for newly created roles. They said the effort was part of a systemwide restructuring plan that would affect roughly 130 leaders within the health system. However, the MNA alleged in a press release that hospital officials sought to lay off more than 100 charge nurses and said the system's restructuring plans violated the National Labor Relations Act. The hospital spokesperson told the Daily Inter Lake that with the exception of five charge nurses who received severance pay, all affected nurses secured new clinical positions, and many were promoted. To access the full report, click here. Richmond-based Virginia Commonwealth University Health System and Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU announced plans to build a $350 million children's hospital connected to the outpatient Children's Pavilion at VCU's main campus in downtown Richmond. The facility will include 86 licensed beds and six observation beds, though it will have the capacity to increase to 125 beds. "A comprehensive children's pavilion that is designed in partnership with children's healthcare providers from across the region and state, as well as with families, will give all children a focus of hope during what may be the most difficult journey of their lives," said Marsha Rappley, MD, CEO of VCU Health System. Construction of the hospital will begin in the spring and is expected to be completed by the end of 2022. More articles on facilities management: New York hospital build pediatric mental health unit LCMC Health opens $30M medical complex in Louisiana ProHealth Care breaks ground on $55M Wisconsin hospital Boston-based Partners HealthCare has regained access to its EHR platform that was down for several hours Feb. 11, according to The Boston Globe. In a series of tweets early in the morning, Partners said it was experiencing "technical issues with some clinical and administrative information systems, including Partners eCare." Partners eCare is the health system's EHR system network launched in 2012 in partnership with Epic. Per the tweets, Partners noted that some nonurgent procedures may be rescheduled or delayed. A Partners spokesperson told the Globe that emergency medical procedures were not affected. Partners had not responded to Becker's Hospital Review's request for a statement at the time of publication. Editor's note: The article will be updated as more information becomes available. Mukul Mehra, MD, has worked as gastroenterologist for more than a decade. Like many physicians, one of his frustrations is the EHR he wants the systems to provide him with more information at the point of care, without leaving him overwhelmed by irrelevant data or intrusive alerts. Dr. Mehra was particularly frustrated by lack of information on the cost of care. "When someone tells me something is 'expensive,' that isn't good enough for me," he said during an interview with Becker's Hospital Review. "I want to know why something is expensive and how expensive. Think of going to a restaurant on a budget, but the menu has no prices. That's what it's like for doctors right now." "That's when IllumiCare was born a tool that helps clinicians understand the cost and risks associated with the things they order most often, like medications, labs and radiographic studies," he continued. Now, Dr. Mehra serves as co-founder and chief technology officer of IllumiCare. The startup developed Smart Ribbon, a product that places a ribbon image over a hospital's EHR, displaying relevant information on cost and risk from connected data feeds. For example, it might display information on a patient's opioid prescription history compiled from prescription drug monitoring programs. "Doctors want to make choices that benefit the patient overall, including being judicious with the cost and the risk you are imparting on them," Dr. Mehra said. "Most of the procedures, tests and medicines have risks of complications, side effects or false positive findings that lead down a clinical path with no value. With several providers all doing multiple things at the same time, these risks multiply." Since its launch in 2014, IllumiCare has raised $5.8 million in venture capital funding and has been deployed in more than 120 hospitals across the U.S. The startup has also partnered with various state hospital groups, including the Texas Hospital Association and the Georgia Hospital Health Services, a subsidiary of the Georgia Hospital Association. Becker's Hospital Review caught up with Dr. Mehra to discuss how he got IllumiCare off the ground and how the startup sets itself apart from other clinical decision support efforts. Editor's note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity. Question: How does IllumiCare fit into the broader healthcare landscape? Dr. Mukul Mehra: IllumiCare tackles some of healthcare's blind spots that lead to high spending, overutilization and increased risk. Physicians are the building blocks of value-based care, yet the cumulative human and financial costs of their decisions are mostly hidden from them. In this volatile healthcare environment, doctors should play a pivotal role in cost containment and cost reduction. Physicians are best equipped to play the decision-maker, synthesizing cost data, efficacy and patient advocacy, but they have to be informed about cost data and iatrogenic risk in order to become clinician-stewards. Q: What prompted you to found IllumiCare? MM: Here's the encounter that built the foundation to start IllumiCare: One day, I saw a patient that had undergone many CT scans. Before ordering yet another expensive test that exposed her to more radiation, I decided to calculate her total radiation exposure over time and I found it was the equivalent to her standing within one mile of ground zero at Hiroshima for a year. Over the years, none of the doctors she had seen wanted this for her or ignored the tally, it's simply that they didn't have the information available to them. We're working to provide doctors with important information to inform decisions like this one. Q: How does IllumiCare balance providing physicians with information to make care decisions, without overwhelming them with data? MM: The solution lies in giving clinicians more control over their workspace, so we can reduce the burden of the EHR while making it more useful, applicable to the user and insightful about a patient. Consider your smartphone and how many of us use it as our workspace every day: We can control the apps we put on it, where they are placed on the screen and the alerts we receive. This design philosophy has proven successful in the implementation of our Smart Ribbon technology. The Smart Ribbon is completely customizable, and it isn't a hovering nuisance it displays for only a handful of seconds before minimizing automatically without interaction from the physician. It doesn't require the physician to click through or accept any unnecessary alerts. Q: What's it like being a practicing physician, while also leading a technology startup? MM: As a practicing physician I get to field test all the ideas I have for my company, which is unique. I get to make rounds in the hospital and see patients, gather insights from other physicians and nurses, and take everything they say into consideration. This has allowed us to add new apps and features to the Smart Ribbon as a result of seeing real challenges in the hospital, such as the hospital's role in the opioid crisis. We saw how little visibility hospital staff had into inpatient opioid exposure, working under the typical, but often wrong, assumption that opioid addiction is something that happens in the outpatient setting with a prescription. We created the first controlled substance application that combines both inpatient and outpatient exposure from the state prescription drug monitoring programs to quickly give doctors a better idea of what has been administered to that patient. Q: What best practices have you learned when marketing your product to hospital executives? MM: The key is to respect physicians' autonomy. We're working to make the EHR more user-friendly by providing physicians with information that they wouldn't know otherwise, but I can't tell you how many clinical decision support tools hijack a physician's thought process, workflow and derail the intent of a physician. When I am thinking through why my patient's heart rate went up last night and the CDS system is telling me to consider entering a vancomycin level, that's annoying maybe I do need to enter that, but disrupting my workflow and chain of thought right then is frustrating. We at IllumiCare have taken painstaking steps to provide information in the workflow over the EHR, but not make suggestions unless the physician wants them. Every part of a city deserves a reasonable level of municipal services, but the need is particularly acute in Sabine Pass. That community was annexed by Port Arthur in 1978 for one reason only to obtain tax revenues from offshore oil rigs nearby. Anyone who doubts this could look at a map of Port Arthur and see a thin strip of Port Arthur territory trailing down Texas 87 to that small coastal community. Folks in Sabine Pass didnt want to join Port Arthur, but their wishes were overruled. Because of this history, Port Arthur officials should be extra vigilant about providing city services to Sabine Pass. As our story last week on the public meeting revealed, they have failed. Residents complained about potholed streets, overflowing sewage, gaping sinkholes and lingering drainage problems. It is important to note that these are not just someones opinion but visible facts. City officials, including several members of the City Council, did listen and promise change. Thats exactly what they should have done, and now they must follow up on their promises. They pledged to replace sewer pipes and manholes in Sabine Pass over the next three years, but not much beyond that. A bigger problem is the citys tight financial condition, which makes it hard to improve infrastructure in Sabine Pass or any part of Port Arthur. Councilwoman Charlotte Moses says the city has new leadership that wants to finally do something about these problems. Thats encouraging, but again it comes down to deeds, not words. One clear goal the council could accomplish is to finally replace interim city manager Harvey Robinson with an aggressive, experienced professional who could tackle these problems seriously. The city had someone like that in former manager Brian McDougal, who was forced to resign in November 2017. A job that important should not be left vacant for more than a year. If the City Council can improve the streets, drainage and water utilities in Port Arthur, it will increase property values and thereby generate more tax revenues. In turn, this will encourage more residents to stay there instead of moving out, as well as attract new families. Port Arthur was hit hard by Harvey. It lost several thousand residents, and there are fears that its total population could dip below 50,000 in the 2020 census, which would make it ineligible for many state and federal programs. The best way to avoid that is to make all parts of the city desirable and attractive, from Sabine Pass to Central Mall. A man accused of sexually assaulting a child in Mississippi may be hiding out in the Beaumont area after faking his own death, federal authorities said Monday. Jacob Blair Scott, 42, is said to have "significant ties" in the Beaumont area, an email from Deputy U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Texas Jim Fulcher said. "He may have moved to the area to avoid detection and prosecution," Fulcher said. The U.S. Marshals' Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force is asking for the public's help in finding Scott, who is wanted on multiple counts of sexual assault of a child in Jackson County, Miss. The U.S. Marshals Office said Scott disappeared on July 30, 2018, from Orange Beach, Ala. Law enforcement found a small boat floating in the ocean with a gun tied to the boat and a note with contact information for Scott's family that law enforcement described as a suicide note. U.S. Marshals said only a small amount of blood was found on the boat, which is contrary to typical suicides where brain matter, hair, skin or bone is often found. Additionally, bodies usually float to the surface and Scott's body was never found. Further investigation also showed Scott took $45,000 from his retirement account before his disappearance and investigators have received multiple reported sightings, according to authorities. Information on Scott's whereabouts can be called in to the U.S. Marshals at 409-504-5161, 1-877-926-8332 or emailed to usms.wanted@usdoj.gov. kaitlin.bain@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/KaitlinBain A week after a measles outbreak was reported in the greater Houston area and a possible case was investigated in Orange, parents at Newton Elementary School were told their children may have been exposed to another infectious disease with the potential to kill. Newton Independent School District has closed all three of its campuses elementary, middle and high schools for the week after an elementary school employee reported being treated for meningitis symptoms. "We personally contacted the family of every child that came into contact with the employee," Superintendent Michelle Barrow said. The employee's name and position were not released, and Barrow declined to say how many people were contacted directly. Parents said an automated phone message was sent out to all district families on Sunday. RELATED: Possible measles case reported in Orange Co. A local child-care facility decided to close Monday as a precaution, even though it is not part of NISD, because some of the students also attend the elementary school. Director Earlane Bowen said the Village Child Development Center will likely reopen Wednesday. Meningitis, the swelling of the protective outer membranes of the brain and spinal cord, comes in six varieties and each has many possible causes and varying levels of virulence and mortality rates, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The type of meningitis suspected in Newton County has not yet been confirmed, but the school district urged parents in a social media post to keep an eye on their children's health and seek medical attention if needed. Jasper County Urgent Care referred more than six patients to Christus Southeast Texas Jasper Memorial Hospital for meningitis testing on Monday, an employee said. Newton ISD plans to keep its schools closed until MondayFebruary 18, although Thursday and Friday were already scheduled holidays. Barrow said all three campuses will be thoroughly cleaned. District employees will clean the middle and high schools. But Aqua One Professional Solutions and Services, a disaster recovery and decontamination company based in Nederland, will handle the cleaning of the elementary campus on Tuesday and perhaps Wednesday. First, workers will wipe down every surface with a germicidal disinfectant cleanser that Aqua One co-owner Krin Mackenroth said is registered with the Environmental Protectant Agency and has a gold seal for safety and efficacy. It's commonly used to eliminate pathogens such as cold and flu viruses, as well as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, (MRSA) in hospitals, schools and other public areas, Mackenroth said. The school will then be "bombed" with a fine mist of a nontoxic, professional-grade cleanser, Mold100. The same process will be repeated throughout the school's heating and air-conditioning system. Krystal Davis, mother of a Newton Elementary sixth-grader, said she appreciates the district's prompt and aggressive action but worries it may not be enough. "People don't realize how many of these elementary school kids go home and have siblings at other campuses," Davis said. "Then those kids are exposed, and the parents they should really be deep-cleaning the middle school and high school campuses, too." Davis said she is not convinced the unnamed NISD employee actually has meningitis because, according to her, an alarming number of students, her daughter included, were out sick with flu-like symptoms, strep throat and other illnesses just two weeks ago. She said the similarity in symptoms is giving her pause, but she is still worried. "I'm scared," Davis said. "There's a measles outbreak in Houston and we're just getting over the flu outbreak here, and then this happens." RELATED: Five cases of measles confirmed in the greater Houston area Last week, health officials in Harris, Montgomery and Galveston counties confirmed five cases of measles there, making Texas the 11th state this year with known incidences. Last Friday, officials in Orange County said they were investigating a possible measles case there as well. Joel Ardoin, the county's emergency management coordinator, said Monday that test results have not come back from the Department of State Health Services. He said he expects to hear more Wednesday. A day after, health officials in Houston reported seven cases of mumps at an immigration detention facility there. RELATED: Mumps outbreak confirmed at ICE detention facility in Houston In Newton on Monday, Davis said she takes comfort in her hometown's sense of community. She trusts that Barrow and the principal are handling the situation appropriately and minimizing the risks. "They are parents, too," Davis said. "They are going to protect our children like they are their own. We are a community, and any child suffering is like it's happening to our own." Symptoms of bacterial meningitis include high fever, headache, stiff neck in anyone older than 2, nausea, vomiting, discomfort looking into bright lights, confusion and sleepiness, according to the Texas Department of Health and Human Services. The disease can cause death or result in brain damage or hearing loss. Its effects also can lead to limb amputation or learning disabilities, the CDC said. Bluefield, WV (24701) Today Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low around 55F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low around 55F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Marie Beth Jones, a published author and freelance writer based in Angleton, is a member and former chairwoman of the Brazoria County Historical Commission. Contact her at 1mbjones@nwcable.net. More than 200 of the 600 people injured in the Las Vegas massacre were from California, according to estimates. The grant, awarded to the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board, will help fund additional support services to assist in the healing process for victims. The board is a state agency tasked with helping crime victims pay relevant bills. Woman whose body was found in a suitcase had called her mother, said she was 'terrified someone would kill her' Matthew Ronald Aimers, 31, of Willingboro, New Jersey, is charged with false imprisonment of a minor, corruption of minors, two counts of indecent assault, indecent exposure, disorderly conduct, and two counts of harassment for his alleged behavior with the minor, and simple assault, terroristic threats, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, harassment, and public drunkenness for his alleged conduct later in the evening, charging documents say. Guptill set to return for NZ, Bangladesh to miss Shakib Guptill was ruled out of the ongoing Twenty20 series against India after aggravating a disc in his lower back, but was named for the three-game series against Bangladesh, which starts in Napier on Wednesday. "We're delighted to have Martin back on the park for this series. He's a world-class player and an integral part of our one-day side," selector Gavin Larsen said in a statement. Guptill will undergo a fitness test on Sunday after which a final decision will be taken on whether he can partner Henry Nicholls at the top of New Zealand's order. "He and Henry did a good job opening up in Hamilton against India and they're a combination we want to see some more of in this series," Larsen added. Mitchell Santner and Todd Astle are the specialist spinners in the squad, with Colin de Grandhomme and Jimmy Neesham taking the pace-bowling all-rounder spots. Skipper Kane Williamson is to be rested for the final ODI with Colin Munro standing in as captain. Bangladesh will be without all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who has been ruled out of the series after fracturing a finger during the Bangladesh Premier League final on Friday. "An X-ray was done after the match and the results have confirmed a fracture on the left ring finger. The affected area will now have to be immobilised for around three weeks," said Debashis Chowdhury, the Bangladesh Cricket Board's chief physician. New Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (captain), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Henry Nicholls, Ross Taylor, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee. By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade The prospects for the development of hunting tourism in Azerbaijan were discussed at the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources on February 9. The ministrys press service informed Trend that a meeting was held for the first time in connection with bringing the existing hunting farms in line with modern requirements. The meeting was attended by representatives of non-governmental organizations, companies specializing in hunting and its organization. During the meeting, a comprehensive presentation was held on the status of hunting farms, and also prospects for the development of hunting tourism in Azerbaijan were discussed. Following the meeting, it was decided to continue holding such meetings. It was also decided within three weeks to develop and submit to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan a comprehensive business plan to bring the hunting farms in line with modern requirements. According to Azerbaijan's Center for Economic and Social Development, the country is in 39th place among 148 countries in tourism competitiveness indicators. The World Travel and Tourism Council reported that Azerbaijan is among the top ten countries with the greatest increase in visitor exports from 2010 to 2016. Meanwhile, statistics on an increase in the tourist flow to Azerbaijan are also impressive. In 2018, 2,849,600 tourists from 196 countries arrived in Azerbaijan, showing a 5.7 percent increase compared to 2017. Looking at the origin countries, Russians make up the largest part of the tourists havin a share of 30.9 percent, while 21.4 percent came from Georgia, 10.2 percent - Turkey, 8.5 percent - Iran, 3.3 percent - the United Arab Emirates, 2.6 percent - Saudi Arabia, 2.4 percent - Iraq, two percent - Ukraine, 1.4 percent - Israel, 17.2 percent - citizens of other countries, 0.1 percent - stateless persons. In recent years, the main types of tourism as beach, rural tourism, ethno-tourism, excursion, ecological, medical, hunting have been actively developing in Azerbaijan. Currently, Azerbaijan is developing medical and winter types of tourism, but it is necessary to focus on the development of beach and rural - the latter is very popular among Europeans. The action plan for the development of beach tourism in 2017-2020, approved by President Ilham Aliyev, suggests a radical reform of the beach industry. The purpose of hunting tourism is to increase financial revenues by users of hunting areas. Traditionally, the basis of hunting tourism is made up of foreign tourists. However, hunt that violates the law qualifies as poaching. Modern legislation on the hunt of Azerbaijan Republic pursues the following goals: rationing of game hunting in the interests of its preservation, controlling the population (extermination) of predatory animals and birds, protecting public safety and the right of private owners, sometimes also deriving financial gain. Taking into account that fowling is very popular among the hunters in Azerbaijan and foreign tourist hunters, alternatively, there are also a lot of very rare and unique bird species which are included in Red Data Book of Azerbaijan Republic as flamingo, great white pelican, black stork, white-tailed, steppe, eastern imperial and golden eagles and also fastest member of the animal kingdom peregrine. So, hunting them is prohibited and shall be prosecuted under law. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Iranian Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Farhad Dejpasand has referred to the current high prices in the market, saying the government should not be blamed for the rise. "The government policy to reduce prices of basic goods was to assign official currency exchange rate to imports of basic goods, but some individuals abused this and sold the imported goods to the market for the free exchange rate," he said during a meeting with academic elites of Golestan Province, Trend reports citing IRNA. "The government will do its best to find these abusers and prevent further pressure on people," he said. Referring to the rise of meat prices, Dejpasand said that a cargo with meat has been recently seized, while its owner used the assigned official currency exchange rate (42,000 rials/USD) for imports, to sell the meat with higher rate in the free market. "The implementation of law to confront unfair trade can prevent the problems, so these tradesmen would not damage the economy for their gains," he added. He indicated reforming the consumption model is another solution for the current problems. "The annual consumption of goods in Iran is far more than the international standards, and this caused the rise of government budget, to provide these goods." --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Uzbekistan has become the first member of Global Green Growth Institute among CIS countries, Trend reports with reference to Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Profile ministries and departments of our country also intend to use the advanced experience and scientific potential of GGGI in developing programs to combat climate change, improve water and environmental security and introduce green technologies into the country's economy, conduct joint thematic round tables and conferences," Uzbek Foreign Ministry noted. Currently, it is planned to organize a visit by experts of GGGI in March to Uzbekistan to discuss practical cooperation and develop a joint strategy for interaction with donor organizations. During the visit, the Institute's experts will visit the Aral Sea region to familiarize themselves with the ongoing large-scale landscaping measures for the dried bottom of the Aral Sea, as well as the activities of the Multi-Partner Trust Fund for Human Security for the Aral Sea region under the auspices of the UN. Moreover, it is planned to open a GGGI representative office in Tashkent with accreditation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The South Korean company Evergreen Motors Group expressed its willingness to provide an office for the GGGI in Uzbekistan in the planned building of the Uzbek-Korean business center on Seoul Street in Tashkent. Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is an international intergovernmental organization established in 2012 and headquartered in Seoul with the goal of supporting and promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing and emerging market countries through the development of green economy in a changing climate. Currently, GGGI is implementing 54 projects in more than 30 countries. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Nithya Menen to join Abhishek, Amit Sadh in second season of Breathe Nithya Menen makes her digital streaming debut with the returning season. Prime offers incredible value with unlimited streaming of the latest and exclusive movies, TV shows, stand-up comedy, Prime Original series, ad free music listening through Amazon Prime Music, free fast delivery on Indias largest selection of products, early access to top deals, unlimited reading with Prime Reading, all available only for 129 a month. Following the announcement of Abhishek Bachchans digital on-screen debut with the second season of the Prime Original Series Breathe, Amazon Prime Video today confirmed that the talented and versatile Nithya Menen would play a key role in the thrilling sequel that also sees Amit Sadh returning in his award- winning role as Inspector Kabir Sawant. The second season of the show is already under production and will be released only on Amazon Prime Video across 200 countries and territories. By Trend Iran is not seeking permission from anyone to enhance its defensive capabilities and defend the interests of the country and the nation, said the Chief of Staff of Armed Forces Major-General Mohammad-Hossein Baqeri on Sunday, Trend reported citing IRNA. General Baqeri made the remarks speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a visit to an exhibition in Tehran where the 40-year achievements of the Islamic Revolution were put on display. The Europeans owe a big debt to the Iranian nation, the general said, adding that Iran has honored all its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal while the other parties to the deal that were expected to lift all the banking and economic restrictions on Tehran, failed to remain committed to their pledges. The United States withdrew from the accord and the other parties are hesitating to implement their commitments, Baqeri said. Noting that Irans defensive capability, including missile power, is not negotiable, he said that now the Europeans have to implement part of their commitments with resolving the issue of banking and economic exchanges with Iran. Referring to Irans advisory presence in Iraq and Syria, Baqeri said, We will continue with our presence as long as these countries want so and any time they no longer want (us to be present in their countries) we will leave there. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov was received by Tunisian President Mohamed Beji Caid Essebsi, Trend reports with reference to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry. At the meeting, special attention was paid to the development of relations in the trade and economic sphere. The head of Tunisia offered to organize visits of government and ministerial delegations, and also initiated the creation of a joint working group to expand bilateral cooperation, the ministry said. Meredov also held talks with his counterpart from Tunisia Khemaies Jhinaoui, during which the Turkmen foreign minister discussed issues relating to the political-diplomatic, trade-economic and cultural spheres. As a result, a memorandum on political consultations and cooperation was signed between the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Tunisia Diplomatic Institute for Training and Studies. The delegation of Turkmenistan also met with Minister of Development, Investment and International Cooperation of Tunisian Republic Ziad Al Azari. The parties stated that there are ample opportunities for the implementation of relations in such areas as investment activity, industrialization, trade and agriculture. An agreement was reached on the development of a legal framework regulating relations between the two countries in the investment and tax spheres. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov Over the last 15 years, UK companies have invested over $15 billion in Azerbaijan creating over 11,000 jobs, the Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) for the Faculty of Social Sciences and a Professor of International Business at Kent Business School, University of Kent, Fragkiskos Filippaios said in an interview with Azernews. He was talking about relations between UK and Azerbaijan after Brexit. "It has been declared by the UK government that the day after Brexit, the UK will seek to reposition itself in the global economy and form political and economic relations with other global players. This presents a big opportunity for countries such as Azerbaijan to form closer trade and economic ties with the UK and benefit from UKs infrastructure, knowledge creation and human capital. UK will have to offer access to its market to countries around the world to maintain its competitiveness. For companies like BP, this will only be an opportunity to strengthen their ties with countries like Azerbaijan and capitalising on the successful operations of the last 25 years," the expert noted. While describing how will the businesses of the two countries behave after Brexit occurs, the expert said that oil and gas, as well as transportation, are the two sectors that lead the investment trends with Metals and Warehousing following and companies like BP, Alegratrans, AstraZeneca, Harvey Nichols will see this as an opportunity to strengthen their presence in countries such as Azerbaijan. Filippaios went on to say that there is a very big opportunity here for Azerbaijan as UK will look to establish itself as an independent trade and investment partner globally. Commenting on relations with the South Caucasus region as a whole after leaving the EU, Filippaios said that it is not clear how far the UK will develop a completely separate foreign affairs policy in the post-Brexit era. "This will be determined by UKs need to remain part of the wider European safety and security agenda. Not aligning with the EU will have the danger of isolating the UK and this is not welcomed by any political party. We might see a gradual shift towards a more independent policy at the second part of the next decade when UK has settled in its post-Brexit global role. On the other hand, there is still a lot of potential in the region to further align with the EU as a key economic and political partner. This might actually have the opposite effect to what the UK is expecting by leaving the EU," he said. Speaking about the possibility to cancel the Brexit and preserve the UK in the EU, the expert noted that the United Kingdom is just a few weeks away from an unprecedented decision. "In the last 50 years of the European Union, the process has been to increase the number of members by expanding towards the East. This is the first time that a country has decided to leave the Union. Whilst the Lisbon Treaty has provided an overall framework for the process (this is the famous now Article 50) the detailed exodus is a far more complicated and time-consuming process. The UK will have to translate to national regulation all EU regulation and agree on the way all current arrangements which are governed by EU laws will become UK legislation. In addition, will have to pay the UKs contributions to the EU budget for the next couple of years. This has been agreed to a staggering 39 billion British Pound Sterling," he said. Regarding the question of re-referendum on Brexit, the professor noted that despite the limited time between now and the 29th of March (the final date UK remains a full member of the EU) it is unclear how the UK will leave the union. "The Withdrawal Agreement that was negotiated between the UK and EU and has been ratified by the European Council has failed to reach a majority in the House of Commons (the British Parliament). The main point of disagreement appears to be the so-called Irish backstop which aims to keep the UK Irish open and secure the free flow of goods and services between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Withdrawal Agreement will be discussed again in the House of Commons by mid-February and if it fails to receive a positive vote all outcomes are open. These include a no-deal Brexit, another referendum or even revoking Article 50 and remain a full member of the EU. European Court of Justice has already provided an interpretation of Article 50 and has confirmed that the UK can revoke this unilaterally, i.e. without seeking the agreement of the remaining 27 EU members," said the expert. He added that it is too early to say which of the above scenarios will become a reality as Theresa May takes one step at a time and does not reveal her intentions. Filippaios noted that May does so to maintain a strong negotiating position as the outcome of a no-deal Brexit is still on the table and this is possible through the worst outcome for both the UK and the EU. Commenting on the possible implications of Brexit for the UK and EU economies, he underlined that the economic relationship is clearly imbalanced and favours the EU. "The proportion of UK trade to EU is close to 50 percent whilst at the same time, UK represents less than 5 percent for the overall EU trade. Despite the relatively low numbers there it is important to appreciate that this 5 percent might be offering crucial intermediate goods and services that are important for the final assembly of products in the EU. Take Airbus and BMW for example. Both rely on their UK production for crucial intermediate products and any barriers in the supply chain can have wider implications for their operations. The UK will also find itself isolated and having to renegotiate a number of trade agreements that EU has with key players around the world. The most recent examples are the trade agreements between EU and Canada and EU and Japan. With the best intentions, these trade agreements take at least a few years and the UK will have to face trade under World Trade Organisation rules for at least the best part of the next decade," the expert said. He mentioned that the UK economy has shown signs of recovery. This is very fragile though and any change to the external environment can push the economy back into recession. Leaving the biggest trading block in the world will not come without any turbulence. The uncertainty that Brexit creates and its economic outcome has forced already a few companies to re-examine their presence in the UK or even put in place expensive contingency plans that draw resources from other profitable economic activities, Filippaios concluded. Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland were established on March 11, 1992. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Great Britain stood at $525.2 million in 2018, according to the State Customs Committee. Around $261.4 million of this amount accounted for the export of Azerbaijani products. The trade turnover between the two countries increased by 46.5 percent compared to the same period of 2017. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Serbia sees Azerbaijan as a potential cost-effective source of gas imports, Trend reports referring to a document from Energy Agency of the Republic of Serbia. The document argues that apart from Russian gas imported by Gazprom as the dominant supplier of natural gas to the countries of South East Europe, a "potentially cost-effective source of natural gas in the Republic of Serbia, as well as in the region of South-East Europe, is natural gas from Romania", as well as from Azerbaijan. Furthermore, LNG from Greece and Turkey are listed as potential sources, and gas from Iraq, Iran and the Mediterranean Sea are identified as hypothetical alternative sources. Moreover, AERS maintains that the construction of an entry point into the Hungarian transmission system from Serbia will enable importing of natural gas from various sources which would have a positive effect on competition on the Hungarian natural gas market. Azerbaijan is currently implementing the Southern Gas Corridor project, which will be able to transport gas to South-East Europe and Balkan region via interconnectors. The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority projects for the EU and envisages the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian region through Georgia and Turkey to Europe. The launching ceremony of the first stage of the Southern Gas Corridor was held in Baku on May 29, 2018, while opening ceremony of TANAP was held on June 12, 2018 in the Turkish city of Eskisehir. The gas from the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz field has already gone through the first segment of the Southern Gas Corridor - from the Sangachal terminal to the expanded South Caucasus Pipeline. Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) have been recently connected on the Turkish-Greek border. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Germany, like most European countries, supports the implementation of large-scale energy projects by Azerbaijan. Germany plays an important role in Azerbaijan-EU energy cooperation. Azerbaijan declared itself in the international arena as a guarantor of Europes energy security, and this fact is very important and valuable for Germany as the leading country of the European Union. The German Federal Government welcomes the construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), which is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor, envisaging Azerbaijani gas supply to Europe, German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy told Trend. "Azerbaijan has opened the Southern Gas Corridor for EU Member States with its natural gas supply contract via the TAP gas pipeline. But the purchase of gas lies entirely in the hands of the companies," said the ministry. Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy also talked about the prospects for German companies more active involvement in Azerbaijans oil and gas sphere. "We know that SOCAR is the main player in the Azerbaijani oil and gas sector and that Azerbaijan is pursuing an ambitious investment program in the Azerbaijani oil and gas sector over the next few years. Whether German companies will cooperate and invest in the Azerbaijani oil and gas sector is, however, entirely up to their decision. The German Federal Government has no influence on the investment decisions of German companies," said the ministry. The main share of Azerbaijan's exports to Germany is oil and oil products. The Federal Ministry said that for Germany in 2018 (including November), Azerbaijan was the ninth-largest supplier of crude oil. Oil imports from Azerbaijan increased compared to 2017 and amounted to 2.7 million tons (2017: 2.45 million tons), according to the ministry. The Southern Gas Corridor, $ 40 billion worth project, envisages the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of gas to Turkey and Europe through the pipeline, which will be operated within the second stage of the Shah Deniz gas condensate field project in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea. The Southern Gas Corridor consists of four projects: Shah Deniz 2, Expansion of South Caucasus Pipeline (Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum), the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) and Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). The launching ceremony of the first stage of the Southern Gas Corridor was held in Baku on May 29, 2018, while opening ceremony of TANAP was held on June 12, 2018 in the Turkish city of Eskisehir. Thus, the first gas from the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz field has already gone through the first segment of the Southern Gas Corridor - from the Sangachal terminal to the expanded South Caucasus Pipeline. Recently, TAP and TANAP successfully completed their connection on the banks of the Merich River on the Turkish-Greek border. It should be noted that very important aspects of cooperation related to the supply of gas to Europe, as well as the prospect of further ties in the energy sector were discussed in the framework of the visit of the German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Baku in August 2018. The German Chancellor emphasized that Azerbaijan is an important country for the EU in terms of the diversification of Europe's energy security and the launch of the Southern Gas Corridor project will play an important role in ensuring Europe's energy security. German energy provider Uniper is one of the buyers of Azerbaijani gas in the framework of the Shah Deniz-2 project and will purchase a total of 40 billion cubic meters of gas under the agreement. Since January 1, 2016, Uniper had a spin-off with German E.ON company which was one of the nine European companies that signed an agreement with Shah Deniz consortium in September 2013 on purchasing Azerbaijani gas. The gas trading business is now in the responsibility of Uniper. Uniper and SOCAR have been working in close cooperation for the past five years. Uniper and SOCAR will collaborate on projects aimed at improving the energy efficiency of oil and gas production in Azerbaijan. The two companies signed an agreement on the same day with German Chancellor Angela Merkels trip to Azerbaijan. The recently signed new agreement in the field of oil and gas production, energy efficiency, use of new technologies, optimization of energy consumption and reduction of carbon emissions will contribute to the development of this sphere in Azerbaijan. --- Leman Mammadova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend During the course of operational and investigative measures, Anar Alakbarov, a resident of the city of Mingachevir, was detained by the State Security Service of Azerbaijan, on charges of being suspected of state treason, Trend reports citing the information of the public relations department of the State Security Service. It was established that Alakbarov, while being in the territory of a foreign state, was recruited by secret service agents for an cooperation in exchange for financial resources in March 2016. These persons instructed Anar Alakbarov to collect information about certain citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan who have trade relations abroad, to link them under the pretext of business relations with intelligence agencies, and also to collect information about employees of intelligence agencies of Azerbaijan and representatives of embassies of specific countries operating in Azerbaijan, and the military units of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan. Anar Alakbarov took concrete steps to this end over the past period. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova Work is underway to restore the caravanserais of Shah Abbas and Ugurlu Khan in Ganja. Culture Minister Abulfaz Garayev and head of Ganja City Executive Authority Niyazi Bayramov got acquainted with the final work on the restoration and reconstruction of these ancient historical and architectural monuments. Then the minister and the head of Ganja City Executive Authority arrived at the Ganja State Philharmonic Society, Trend reported. Abulfaz Garayev inquired about the activity of the music center operating in the Ganja State Philharmonic Society. Information was provided on the activities of the Goygol State Song and Dance Ensemble, chamber orchestra, choir, Orchestra of Folk Instruments, as well as Khamsa Children's Dance Ensemble. The Minister of Culture and the head of the city executive power were then familiarized with the work on the construction of a new Ganja State Drama Theater on the right bank of the Ganja River. Shah Abbas was built in the 12th century by order of Shah Abbas and bears his name. This caravanserai is a part of the historical architectural ensemble created by the architect Sheikh Bahauddin, which also includes the Juma mosque (Shah Abbas mosque) and Chekyak-Hamam (medieval bath). A burnt brick and a mixture of egg white, lime and clay were used in the construction of the building. The two-story caravanserai, built in oriental style, includes 15 halls and 54 rooms. Ugurlu Khan caravanserai is made in the typical feudal style and contains two large courtyards in the complex. It is likely that the caravanserai was built at the expense of Ugurlu Khan I, the nephew of the Ganja beylarbek Murtuzagulukhan Ziyadoglu and bears his name. The title of Khan Ugurlu bey received after he became the next beylarbek (governor). After the capture of Ganja by Russian troops in 1804, the caravanserai, like all Khan's property, was confiscated and transferred to a treasury account. Later on, one of the buildings of the caravanserai was rented by "sherbatlars", kelagai headscarf manufacturers. Both caravanserais are interconnected by four internal passages. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova Narimanfilm Studio invites young people, aged 16-17 years, to take part in the Taoba International Youth Film Festival. The film festival will be held in Tbilisi on April 11-15, Trend Life reported. Taoba is co-organized by the National Youth and Children's Palace and will be held at its premises on 6 Rustaveli ave, Tbilisi. The first edition of festival will gather at least 2,000 young people, from the age of 13 up to 22, who will watch films, participate in discussions, take lectures, attend masterclasses and Meet&Greet famous personalities from various Art fields. Taoba Festival is an international project created with the support of the Georgian Foundation of Culture and Education. The festival aims to engage young people in social change through the cinematography. Public lectures on the open air, meetings with directors, producers, actors and numerous master classes will be organized for the event participants. The festival will be held at the National Palace of Youth. About 500 schoolchildren and students from different countries are expected to participate. For more information and to apply, please contact: 99455 6716335 E-mail: [email protected] --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade A conference entitled Innovative Development and Economic Reforms: the Role of Intellectual Property and Technology Commercialization was held on February 11. Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan Elmir Valizade said that the creation of the Innovation House will start in Azerbaijan this year. We believe that the Innovation House will be useful to everyone, because a center for the transfer of knowledge will operate in the House, he said. The state will assist in the commercialization of ideas. He noted that the creation of the regulation of the Agency for Innovations is also being prepared. The start of the agencys operation will contribute to the even greater development of innovation activity in Azerbaijan, he said. Among other projects being implemented and planned for implementation, Valizade also noted the creation of a state cloud, a DATA center, the development of the internet, as well as the creation of new specialties in educational institutions. Azerbaijan is moving towards data economy, he said. As noted in one of the reports of the Davos Forum, about 65 percent of students will work in the future in specialties that dont exist today. This is an indication of what steps we should take and which way we should follow. That is, it is necessary to introduce new specialties and technologies in the field of education. Addressing the conference, head of Intellectual Property Agency of Azerbaijan Kamran Imanov said that over the past year, the department of registration and register of industrial property of the Agency received about three thousand requests and applications. Imanov said that 64 patents for invention were registered in the state register of industrial property objects. Fifty-four of them belong to local legal entities and ten to foreign ones, he noted. Sixteen patents were registered regarding utility models. Fifteen of them belong to national legal entities and one to foreign one. In addition, 24 patents of industrial facilities were registered during this period, and 11 of them belong to local legal entities, while 13 to foreign ones. In 2018, Azerbaijans Copyright Agency received 171 applications for registration of a patent for discoveries, 41 for utility models, 16 for international applications and 39 Eurasian applications for examination of intellectual property, he said. Following the examination, 20 notifications were sent regarding Eurasian applications, 14 for international applications, 145 notifications of a positive response, 53 requests for preliminary examination, 5 notifications on the suspension of the work regarding applications, 2 notifications of refusal of consideration and 14 notifications of various types, he added. Also 182 search operations on requests were implemented. It also became known that during the past year, 568 works of 333 authors were registered at the Agency on Intellectual Property of Azerbaijan, 574 certificates of registration of works were issued, including through the section "Electronic Services", 16 works were registered on the basis of 21 applications and 16 certificates of registration of works were issued. In addition, during the reporting year, 15 contracts were registered. From the time of the official registration of works, from 1996 until January 1, 2019, 12122 works and objects of related rights were registered with the Agency for Intellectual Property, and 193 works of 97 authors were registered with the help of the Electronic Services section. Elmir Valizade, speaking to journalists later, talked about implementation of e-signatures and stressed that activation of electronic signature certificates in new identity cards in Azerbaijan is expected in the near future. As deputy minister noted this process requires the resolution of certain procedures that are currently being worked on. Certificates of an electronic signature, as it is known, are integrated into new ID cards. Today we are talking about their activation, and this issue is already being considered and will be resolved in the near future Valizade said. As for the cost of the certificate, the minister said that it has not yet been determined. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Russia regards the GAZ automobile assembly plant in Azerbaijans Hajigabul Industrial Park as a base for exporting to neighboring countries, Oleg Markov, GAZ Group LCV Division's Marketing and Sales Director, told reporters, Trend reports. "This is a very significant event for us. We have always considered Azerbaijan as the key market in the South Caucasus," he said. Markov said that there are prospects for the development of this enterprise in order to make it as accessible for customers as possible, and for the products to be as adapted to the needs and requirements of the market as possible. "We hope that the existence of factories here will not only facilitate the opening of additional workplaces, but also strengthen the economy overall, help localize the products here, through the production of special equipment," said the director. According to Markov, the meeting discussed issues of comprehensive cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan. The groundbreaking ceremony of assembly plant for GAZ cars was held in Azerbaijan's Hajigabul industrial area on Feb. 9. The volume of investments in the enterprise will be 14 million manats. At the initial stage, 100 people will be employed at the plant. The enterprise will assemble GAZel NEXT and GAZel BUSINESS light commercial vehicles, as well as GAZon NEXT medium trucks. AzEurocar, a AzerMash subsidiary, will deal with the distribution and maintenance of GAZ vehicles in Azerbaijan. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Looking for in-depth reporting on labor issues? You're in the right place. Subscribe to The Chief and get stories that cover every side of civil service in New York City and beyond. You can sign up in minutes for immediate access. By Trend An Azerbaijani production enterprise Gamigaya Barakat Gida Mahsullari LLC, operating in the country's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, plans to export its products to the Russian market, the company told Trend. The company plans to export fruit juices and nectars. "The company has almost completed work on a new business plan, which provides for the expansion of export opportunities and production volumes. We held a series of meetings with our Russian partners and following the results of the negotiations, we came to certain agreements," the company said. Deliveries are expected to start before the end of 2019. The company's products have an ISO 9001:2008 certificate and a certificate of conformity issued by the State Committee for Standardization, Metrology and Patents of Azerbaijan. The company operates equipment manufactured in Italy, Germany and Turkey. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Local wine products, the share of which is growing in non-oil exports of Azerbaijan strive for new markets. Sharg Ulduzu OJSC, Azerbaijans wine-making plant located in Shamkir district, is preparing to export its products to new foreign markets, head of the company Asgar Alirzayev told Trend. He said that this year the company plans to establish wine exports to India and Vietnam. "There are traditional markets in our reserve, such as Russia and China, where our alcohol products are in great demand," he noted. "We are trying to increase exports to these countries. Earlier we planned to start exports to Mongolia this year, but due to a number of reasons this question remains open. There is an interest in Azerbaijani alcoholic drinks in the Mongolian market, but there are also certain problems with logistics. We are looking for optimal variants for entering the Mongolian market, and we believe that in the mid-term we will be able to export our products to that country as well." The company uses the latest technology. Modern German and Italian equipment is installed at the plant. Another Azerbaijani wine-making company Aspi Agro LLC, operating in the country's Gabala district, plans to export "Savalan" wines to Turkey. "We plan to export "Savalan" wines to the new market. This brand is very popular in Azerbaijan, and is in great demand. Today we export alcoholic products to the Russian market, and in the future we are going to increase the volumes of these supplies," the company said. The company operates modern equipment made in Italy. It is also expected that Azerbaijani wine producer "Goygol Wine Plant" OJSC will start its exports to Europe this year. Winery occupies one of the most important areas in the food industry of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is famous for its high quality grape varieties. Five major wine-growing regions of the country are Shamakhi, Ismayilli, Gabala, Ganja, Tovuz. Local grape varieties in Azerbaijan include White Shani, Derbendi, Nail, Bayanshire, Gamashara, Ganja Pink, Bendi, Madrasa, Black Shani, Zeynabi, Misgali, Khindogni, Agdam Kechiemdzheyi, Tebrizi, and Marandi. The share of Azerbaijan in the wine production in the former Soviet Union has always been high. Nevertheless, the Alcoholism and Anti-Drinking Initiative of the former Soviet Union in 1985 caused the destruction of the vineyards of more than 130,000 hectares in Azerbaijan. One of the first steps towards the restoration of vineyard and winemaking in the country was the Law on Winemaking, adopted in 2001. In order to ensure sustainable development of winemaking in the country, increasing interest in wine production and exports, the State Program on the development of wine growing in the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2018-2025 has been approved in May this year, which will lead to development of wine tourism and increase the amount of loans allocated to the wine industry in Azerbaijan. According to the State Program, the export of wine from Azerbaijan should increase five-fold by 2025. Azerbaijan Wine Manufacturers and Exporters Association was established to coordinate activities between producers and exporters of wine and winery products with the support of the Export and Investment Promotion Foundation of Azerbaijan (AZPROMO) in 2016. Most of producers target Russian and European markets as well as new growing markets for Azerbaijani wine such as China. Azerbaijani Wine Houses are opened in foreign countries to promote national brands and exports of local products. The first wine house of Azerbaijan was opened in China this year. Production of wine and wine-making products in Azerbaijan exceeded 1 million decalitres in 2017, of which 375,000 decalitres were exported. Thus, wine products from the country were mainly sent to Russia (338,000 decals) and China (27,000 decals). --- Leman Mammadova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 25 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Feb. 11, 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 Authorities in Turkey have found and transported back to neighboring Armenia a tractor that was stolen from an Armenian farmer in September. Gor Karapetian, who lives in a village in the northwestern Shirak province, was cutting hay near an Armenian-Turkish border post when his tractor broke down late in the evening. The vehicle vanished before he came back to the grass field the next morning in hopes of repairing it. An Armenian law-enforcement body launched a criminal investigation after Karapetian alerted Russian border guards deployed along the closed frontier. The investigation was suspended three months later, with no suspects identified. The tractor was subsequently found in Turkish territory. Turkish authorities shipped it back to Armenia on February 6. We towed it back to the village, Karapetian told RFE/RLs Armenian service. They say that the tractor was found buried under hay. The farmer said that the 30-year-old tractor was looted and vandalized by the thieves. They also stole a hay rake that was attached to the tractor, he said, adding that he did not get it back. [The hay rake] is worth 2.5 million drams ($5,200) and the tractor 7.2 million drams, claimed Karapetian. He said he does not know who could compensate him for the damage. Turkey has kept its border with Armenia completely closed since 1993 because of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Despite tight security on the Armenian side of the frontier, residents of nearby Armenian villages have occasionally reported cross-border theft of their livestock. Xi may soon come to Mar-a-Lago. President Trump's advisers have informally discussed holding a summit there next month with Chinese President Xi Jinping to try to end the U.S.-China trade war, according to two administration officials with direct knowledge of the internal discussions. Both officials, who are not authorized to discuss the deliberations, described Trump's club in Palm Beach, Florida, as the "likely" location for the leaders' next meeting, but stressed that nothing is set. The meeting could come as soon as mid-March, these sources said. A third official cautioned that the team has discussed other locations, including Beijing, and that it's premature to say where they'll meet or even whether a meeting is certain to happen. The big picture: Perhaps the darkest cloud of economic uncertainty hanging over the Trump administration is the status of his trade war with China. Global markets are holding their breaths over the fate of hundreds of billions of dollars of trade. Behind the scenes: Trump's upcoming meeting with Kim Jong-un in Vietnam has complicated logistics for the Xi summit. Trump wanted to meet with Xi before his tariff ceasefire with China ends on March 1, but three sources with direct knowledge said the events couldnt be planned so close together. On March 1, Trump must decide whether to ratchet up tariffs from 10% to 25% on some $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. In early December, Trump told Xi he'd bump up those tariffs unless the Chinese showed "progress" on the big structural issues. (Trump hasn't been clear what would satisfy him here.) The Chinese are loath to see the tariffs go up on March 1. Their influential stateside allies especially on Wall Street have long helped them sell Washington on promises of reform that never materialize. The bottom line: It doesn't appear that the U.S. and China have made much progress, so far, on the biggest structural issues that Trump has promised to conquer. These include China's rampant theft of U.S. intellectual property, forced transfer of U.S. technology and trade abuses that China's leaders have used to grow their economy at Americas expense. This weeks Beijing talks with senior officials will focus on enforcement, as the White House China hawks doubt the Chinese will keep any promises. Trump plans to speak to Xi by phone before March 1, according to two administration officials familiar with his thinking. A long-term deal won't come before the two leaders meet. What to watch: Congressional China hawks are pushing Trump to hold the line on China. The Senate Small Business Committee, which Sen. Marco Rubio chairs, will release a report on Tuesday "laying out the challenges with Chinas campaign of industrial espionage and coercion," according to a source with direct knowledge. Our lead item in Axios Sneak Peek last week a leak of three months of Trumps private schedules enraged White House officials. The presidents secretary Madeleine Westerhout tweeted that the leak was "a disgraceful breach of trust." Then Politico scooped (and we confirmed) that the White House has launched an internal hunt to find the leaker. This crackdown has not stopped the leaking. Axios' Alexi McCammond obtained four of the president's private schedules from last week. You can view them here, retyped in their original format for source protection. About 10 days ago, a deputy to Trump's top trade negotiator gave a shockingly optimistic forecast on the political fate of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) the presidents renegotiated NAFTA deal. To the bemusement of two sources on the call, C.J. Mahoney, Robert Lighthizers deputy, said he figured the USMCA could get through Congress with huge bipartisan support by the end of April. Between the lines: Nobody we've spoken to on Capitol Hill thinks Mahoney's prediction is remotely possible. While the two sources on the call were impressed with his technical grasp of the trade deal, they called his comments on its political fate "naive," saying they betrayed only a tenuous comprehension of the USMCA's troubled standing with Congress. Other sources who've discussed USMCA with Mahoney privately say his comments on the call dont reflect his true opinions about the political troubles encircling the trade deal, saying that he was doing "happy talk" to keep things positive and instill a sense of urgency. The White House has also begun ramping up its congressional outreach. Why it matters: Regardless of Lighthizer and Mahoney's true convictions, the USMCA Trump's most urgent legislative priority besides government funding has a tough row to hoe. Influential House Democrats say they won't even negotiate with the White House until Trump stops threatening to withdraw from NAFTA and lifts his tariffs on Canada's and Mexico's steel and aluminum. Meanwhile, Republicans oppose important parts of USMCA, including its weakening of the NAFTA provision that lets foreign companies sue governments for mistreatment. What we're hearing: While the White House woos moderate Hill Democrats, the lawmakers are sending up emergency flares. Wisconsin's Rep. Ron Kind, a member of the trade subcommittee on Ways and Means, is one of those Democrats. Kind told me he gives Lighthizer credit for "doing a lot more outreach." But he added that, like many of his colleagues, he won't back the trade deal until Trump lifts those steel and aluminum tariffs. Retaliation for these tariffs is hurting Badger State farmers and manufacturers, he said. Trump, meanwhile, seems totally unwilling to budge on that point. "Time is of the essence," Kind said. "The later this drags into '19, or if it slips to '20, the presidential campaign is going to overwhelm things and make things so much more difficult to move forward." The bottom line: Nancy Pelosi is the most important person here. She'll decide when the USMCA comes to the House floor. And while she's indicated she's open to Trump's trade deal, Republicans anticipate she'll use her leverage over Trump to extract something substantial (and possibly unpalatable). Go deeper...Scoop: Republicans launch new group to lobby Congress on USMCA A secret deal for the sale of drones from an Israeli company to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that failed in 2009 caused a deep rift in relations between Israel and the Gulf state. Former U.S. and Israeli officials tell me the crisis was only resolved after two years of efforts by the Obama administration and Israel's Mossad intelligence service. Why it matters: Israel and the UAE had formed a secret alliance in the fight against Iran's nuclear program and activity across the Middle East, which was damaged when the deal failed. The backdrop: After Netanyahu assumed office in 2009, he was briefed by Mossad chief Meir Dagan about the proposed deal for the sale of sophisticated drones by a private Israeli company, former U.S. and Israeli officials told me. According to one account given by former Israeli and U.S. officials, Netanyahu saw the deal as an opportunity to advance future military options against Iran, and gave it the go ahead. According to another account, the private Israeli company signed a deal with the UAE government and only then notified the Israeli government pushing Netanyahu into a corner. The deal moved forward and the UAE even paid a down payment of tens of millions of dollars. But then trouble started. The Israeli ministry of defense is responsible for giving licenses for such deals. It was notified at a late stage and refused to approve the deal over concerns about giving sensitive technology to the UAE and because of U.S. reservations about the deal. When the deal was cancelled the UAE government, especially its de facto ruler Mohammed Bin Zayed (MBZ), was furious. Dan Shapiro, who was the Middle East director at the National Security Council at the time, told me MBZ felt betrayed by the Israelis. Former U.S. and Israeli officials told me the failed deal, combined with the assassination of a Hamas operative in Dubai, created a deep crisis between Israel and the UAE which lasted from 2010 to 2012. Shapiro told me the National Security Council staff and the U.S. intelligence community were talking to both parties in order to understand what each side wanted or was willing to do to end the crisis. Those talks lasted around two years. The deal that ended the crisis contained several elements, according to former U.S. officials: Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) "unequivocally" apologized Monday for her tweets on Israel, which used stereotypes often perceived as anti-Semitic, saying that she is "grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating [her] on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes." The backdrop: Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democratic leadership condemned Omar's comments earlier in the day and requested an apology, saying her "use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israels supporters is deeply offensive." In a Sunday night tweet, Omar insinuated political support for Israel is based on campaign donations from pro-Israel lobbying groups specifically AIPAC. In her apology, Omar said that she reaffirmed "the problematic role of lobbyists in our politics," adding that the U.S. "must be willing to address it." Throughout the day on Monday, a growing number of House Democrats called on Pelosi to respond to Omar's tweets. The response to Omar's comments highlights a flashpoint in today's Democratic Party between more traditional members, who often vocally support Israel, and the party's progressive wing, which is much more likely to criticize Israeli policies and occupation of the Palestinian territories. What they're saying: Reps. Josh Gottheimer (N.J.) and Elaine Luria (Va.) are gathering signatures asking Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (Md.) and other senior Democrats to confront Omar and Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib by "reiterating our rejection of anti-Semitism and our continued support for the State of Israel." are gathering signatures asking Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (Md.) and other senior Democrats to confront Omar and Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib by "reiterating our rejection of anti-Semitism and our continued support for the State of Israel." House Judiciary chair Jerry Nadler (N.Y.) called Omar's AIPAC comments "disappointing and disturbing." (N.Y.) called Omar's AIPAC comments "disappointing and disturbing." House Foreign Affairs chair Eliot Engel (N.Y.) called "Anti-Semitism in any form ... unacceptable, and it's shocking to hear a Member of Congress invoke the anti-Semitic trope of 'Jewish money.' ... I will make the case to Members on both side of the aisle that our alliance and friendship with Israel are important to our countries' shared interests, security, and values." (N.Y.) called "Anti-Semitism in any form ... unacceptable, and it's shocking to hear a Member of Congress invoke the anti-Semitic trope of 'Jewish money.' ... I will make the case to Members on both side of the aisle that our alliance and friendship with Israel are important to our countries' shared interests, security, and values." Rep. Donna Shalala (Fla.) tweeted,"There is no place in our country for anti-Semitic comments. I condemn them whatever the source. To suggest members of Congress are 'bought off' to support Israel is offensive and wrong." (Fla.) tweeted,"There is no place in our country for anti-Semitic comments. I condemn them whatever the source. To suggest members of Congress are 'bought off' to support Israel is offensive and wrong." Rep. Vern Buchanan (Fla.): "Anti-Semitism has no place in this country, let alone in the halls of Congress. Michigan congresswoman Ilhan Omar should apologize for her hateful and offensive remarks about Jewish money influencing public policy." (Fla.): "Anti-Semitism has no place in this country, let alone in the halls of Congress. Michigan congresswoman Ilhan Omar should apologize for her hateful and offensive remarks about Jewish money influencing public policy." Dan Shapiro, the U.S. ambassador to Israel from 2011 to 2017, tweeted that Omar's "outrageous comments equating politicians' support for Israel with being bought off by American Jewish money are a vile anti-Semitic trope. They need to be condemned by all in our party." the U.S. ambassador to Israel from 2011 to 2017, tweeted that Omar's "outrageous comments equating politicians' support for Israel with being bought off by American Jewish money are a vile anti-Semitic trope. They need to be condemned by all in our party." Chelsea Clinton: "Co-signed as an American. We should expect all elected officials, regardless of party, and all public figures to not traffic in anti-Semitism." Other Democrats defended Omar's comments: Rep. Jim Himes (Conn.) defended Omar, saying: "It's perfectly legitimate to criticize Israel or to criticize the pro-Israeli lobby. Just please be careful to do it in a way that can't be interpreted as being anti-Semitic," according to CNN. (Conn.) defended Omar, saying: "It's perfectly legitimate to criticize Israel or to criticize the pro-Israeli lobby. Just please be careful to do it in a way that can't be interpreted as being anti-Semitic," according to CNN. Rep. Dan Kildee (Mich.): "I wouldn't take it as anti-Semitism. We ought to be careful not to construe that in anything other than a concern about the fact that money has undue influence on political decision making." Flashback: In October, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) accused rich Jewish donors, including George Soros, of "buying" the midterm election in a since-deleted tweet. McCarthy is now on the forefront of urging Democratic leaders to condemn Omar and Tlaib and suggested the situation was worse than the racially charged comments of Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), the Washington Post reports. Yes, but: This isn't the first time Omar has been in the line of fire for her opinions on America's position on Israel, per CNN. Omar has been criticized for past anti-Israel tweets, which she apologized for in February on "The Daily Show." Go deeper: Accusations of anti-Semitism divide Women's March organizers High-level delegations from over 40 countries will meet in Warsaw, Poland, this week to discuss the future of the Middle East in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA). For Washington, represented by Vice President Pence and Secretary Pompeo, the meeting will be a major test for their vision of a Middle East that excludes diplomatic relations with Iran. Secretary of State Pompeo. Photo: Attila Kisbenedek/AFP via Getty Images Background: President Trump's decision to withdraw from the JCPOA last year has created one of the thorniest points of transatlantic division. The EU continues to support the agreement, and many Western Europeans view the conference as an uncomfortable dilemma between sticking to the EU's commitment and taking part in a summit that explicitly excludes Iran. Complicating matters, France, Germany, and the U.K. have a new point of leverage ahead of the talks: the launch of a mechanism that would circumvent U.S. sanctions and allow for trade with Iran. For Poland, this will be a chance to play a hosting role on a key international issue, and to further strengthen a growing alliance with the U.S. While Warsaw has so far remained within the EU consensus on the JCPOA, it has also been receptive to U.S. concerns over Iran's ballistic missile program and support for terrorist organizations. Reality check: For the summit to be a conducive forum for the U.S., Arab states, Israel and the EU to begin to work out their differences, it will require careful diplomacy, wide consultations with U.S. allies, and the perception that Washington can act as an honest broker. So far, quite a few key players remain unconvinced, with several of the foreign ministers of big EU countries still waiting until the last moment to decide on their participation. What to watch: The big challenges to Middle Eastern stability Syria, Iran, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict require, at the very least, agreement between the U.S. and its allies in both the Middle East and Europe. If the Warsaw conference is seen as a predominantly anti-Iranian summit, it will only exacerbate transatlantic divisions, leaving the U.S. with fewer allies in the Middle East, and Poland with a political price to pay within the EU. Michal Baranowski is the director of the German Marshall Funds Warsaw office. By Delana Isles HES an artist, a poet, a lawyer, an outspoken local activist for change, and whatever else he decides to get up to in his spare time, and, most recently, he is numbered among Vogue Italias feature photographers. If youve ever read a local magazine featuring anything Turks and Caicos Islands, or come across a bit of spine tingling spoken word poetry, you are probably already aware of the name Dominique Rolle. He goes by Dom for short. The multi-talented Bahamian and Turks and Caicos Islands native captured the interests and uncanny eye of editors of the Vogue recently with his Flora - Plants of the Turks and Caicos collection. Recognising his amazing talent for transforming photography into fine art, they immediately snapped up his Banana Punk image, one of many stunning images from his Flora collection, for publication among their pages. Speaking with the Weekly News on this amazing opportunity on Thursday (February 7), Rolle expressed how proud he is of the collection gaining both local and international recognition and acclaim. "Flora - Plants of the Turks and Caicos is my first fine art series and Im really proud to have all Turks and Caicos models, makeup artist, and set assistants create it with me. "It is currently the cover of Turks and Caicos magazine featuring a collaboration with Bradley Theodore, Rolle said. He added: "Its a huge honour to collaborate on such an international level in that regard. Vogue Italia is obviously another level and Im grateful for the editors of such a prestigious publication for featuring local TCI art. "I hope it leads to greater respect for local artists here at home. Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine covering many topics including fashion, beauty, culture, living, and runway. The publication began as a weekly newspaper in 1892 in the United States, before becoming a monthly publication years later. In 1916, British Vogue was the first international edition launched, while the Italian version was launched in 1965. Since then Vogue Italia has been branded the top fashion magazine in the world, with its photographs going beyond straight fashion to be about art and ideas. As of today, there are 23 international editions. The image the international magazine chose to feature is that of model Felicia Williams, artistically draped in huge banana leaves cinched at the waist with a crown of baby bananas adorning her head. The Banana Punk image was brought together by unique and thematic makeup applied by local makeup artist Jasmine Missick, whose application highlighted Williams naturally modelesque demeanour. On the local front, Rolle was most recently one of the artists whose work was on display for charity. He joined several other exceptionally talented artists at the Edward Gartland Youth Centres An Exclusive Evening of Art hosted at and in collaboration with the Shore Club resort, and several others. There he displayed several pieces of art from his Flora fine arts collection (pictured). Heads up: Motorists living in northern Metro Manila will experience a bit more traffic than usual as San Miguel Corporation's Citra Central Expressway has officially started work on Skyway Stage Construction 3 in NLEX Balintawak last February 9, 2019. With it, both the MMDA and NLEX Corporation will be implementing a major traffic rerouting scheme in and around the surrounding areas to make way for construction. This will allow the San Miguel Corporation-led Citra Central Expressway (CCEC) to proceed with construction immediately at the certain portions of NLEX Balintawak. Traffic along Balintawak, Cloverleaf, Camachile, Bagong Barrio, and east and west service roads will be affected by the road project. However, certain lanes along NLEX Balintawak were widened in order to accommodate a smooth flow of traffic still. The NLEX Corporation is extending its support to the project aimed at solving traffic congestion in Metro Manila as it is also one with the government in improving the countrys transport and logistics industry, said Raul Ignacio, NLEX Corporation Chief Operating Officer. Vehicles coming in from NLEX going to Quezon City may use Smart Connect Interchange heading to Mindanao Avenue as an alternate route. Meanwhile, private and public transport vehicles from Quirino Highway bound for EDSA via Camachile are advised to head to Camachile Flyover, turn right at West Service Road, then make a right towards EDSA. Public utility jeeps (PUJs), on the other hand, have to make a U-turn to Biglang Awa, turn right at Cloverleaf to A. Bonifacio (heading to Blumentritt), or take the southeast loop to return to Novaliches. Trucks coming in from Quirino Highway that are bound for A. Bonifacio will not be allowed at Camachile. Instead, these trucks will have to make their way to Mindanao Avenue, turn left at NLEX Mindanao entry going to Smart Connect Interchange, and head towards NLEX southbound. The same goes for trucks that will come from A. Bonifacio / Port Area. For cars and other vehicles heading to Port Area from EDSA Munoz, they will need to head to Monumento crossing Balintawak Cloverleaf, make a left at De Jesus Street, head straight to C3, then after reaching C3 intersection, make a right to Port Area. Besides the rerouting scheme, the MMDA, NLEX Corporation and CCEC will be working with local government units (LGUs) to guarantee that traffic enforcers will be deployed to manage the flow of traffic within the construction itself, and along the alternate roads. Moreover, additional traffic signages will also be put up to guide motorists. "We are appealing for the patience and understanding of the public, but we are also assuring them that MMDA, NLEX, and Skyway teams will exert all efforts to minimize travel delays despite the ongoing construction, said Jojo Garcia, General Manager of the MMDA. CCEC plans to complete the project by December 2019 in order to alleviate traffic congestion for motorists that travel from north to south and vice versa. Hi All, sorry if this posted more than once. My internet is really crappy and this is my third attempt to get through. My first time in a forum. Sorry, just found my first one in the introductions. hope this one is going in the visa section now. I am an Australian helping a Vietnamese friend apply for the subclass 462 visa. He has been told in Vietnam that he does not qualify for the gov.letter because he only has a diploma not a uni degree. Does anyone know differently? I am trying to get onto the VN embassy in Australia to clarify this point but cant get through. I understand that Australia will allow the diploma on the application so cant understand why Viet gov would not provide a support letter? Any help would be awesome Thanks. Hi all, hoping someone is online who can help. Sorry if I havent posted properly. First time. I am an Australian helping a Vietnamese friend with his application for subclass 462 visa. He has asked around In Vietnam and is being told that he doesnt qualify for this letter. He is told that he needs a 2 year uni degree. I see that the Australian gov. have relaxed their tertiary requirements to allow a diploma to qualify. My question is 1. Does the diploma qualify for this visa ? 2. And are there any Vietnamese who can advise whether you do need a 2 year uni degree to get the VN support letter? Any current advice would be much appreciated. Thanks. Sophie Eyre is a dispute resolution partner and specialist in crisis and fraud matters. She says that an issue can occur quickly and throw the business into crisis with potential for reputational damage. "Crisis response often needs to transcend jurisdictional borders, which is why we're offering an international service. In such cases its important to act swiftly to stop an attack on the business in its tracks. Were hopeful that this hotline provides callers with a quick way to do just that," she said. The hotline has two numbers, one based in the UK and the other in Hong Kong. Hong Kong partner is new global head of banking for Linklaters Davide Mencacci has begun a 4-year term as global head of banking for Linklaters. The Hong Kong-based partner succeeds Tony Bugg and will lead a team that has worked on some landmark deals in recent years including advising the financing banks on Bain Capitals $18bn acquisition of Toshiba Memory the largest-ever leveraged buyout deal in Asia - and BBVA on the worlds first syndicated loan on blockchain. By Olivia Rose ANOTHER fire erupted at the Providenciales dump site on Sunday (February 3) causing clouds of toxic black smoke to drift over homes in Blue Hills. According to residents, at about 4pm loud explosions could be heard coming from the site as thick smoke began to rise. Emergency services were called and firefighters came to tackle the blaze. They were assisted by bulldozer and excavator operators who used quarry to suppress the fire. However, this did little to dampen the smouldering rubbish which continued to emit plumes of smoke across Wheeland and Chalk Sound throughout the week. Hon. Delroy Williams, Minister of Home Affairs and Member of Parliament for Blue Hills and Wheeland, apologised to residents for what he dubbed a "blatant act of arson. In a statement on Wednesday (February 6), he said the Government will be pursuing those who have perpetrated this "unlawful and outrageous act and will see to it that they are prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The minister stressed that security staff have been posted at the dump site and they carry out several rounds of patrolling a day. The Joint Task Force has also identified and destroyed several illegal coal kilns. "Again, let me assure you that your health and wellbeing are of utmost importance to me, he continued, "and my Government colleagues and I want to give you the reassurance that we will be relentless in our commitment to ensuring that there are significant and effective improvements in the systems that are in place to manage the facility. Turks and Caicos Environmental Managements contract to manage the solid waste landfills in Providenciales and Grand Turk ended on October 28, 2018. The company turned the facilities over to the TCI Environmental Health Department and the Government regained management. On December 6, 2018, Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson revealed that operations and maintenance of the site would be put out to tender. "The Government is not going to be in a position to handle this job, the expertise and everything that is required is not within the Government, she said. "But the Government is maintaining the site and bringing it to a state of readiness and we are going out to tender. Anyone with relevant skills and expertise can apply before February 20. Further information, requests for clarification and queries can be requested in writing, directly to the Procurement Board at [email protected] The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) recently approved a whopping $672,500 loan to help the territory improve its inadequate and antiquated systems. The loan is aimed at developing a 20-year solid waste plan to address a myriad of waste management issues facing the territory. It will be used to prepare a feasibility study of solid waste management options that are unique to the TCIs problems. Following a huge fire at the dump site in July last year, Williams said the Government was actively exploring a more effective solid waste management programme. He stressed that "drastic and significant improvements needed to be made. Support local journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. In some parts of the United States, evidence of declining interest in organized religion is easy to spot. Church attendance is not what it used to be, and churches are desperate to fill their pews. Some have even closed or been repurposed to serve secular functions. I haven't seen any of this for myself, mind you, but I have been told repeatedly that it is happening. Here in Mississippi, located in the heart of the American bible belt, we have more churches per capita than anywhere in the United States. How fitting that our levels of illiteracy, child mortality, poverty, and all sorts of social ills are also among the highest in the nation. At least the solution to the many problems facing us is clear: we need more Christian churches. Back in 2006, the front page of my local paper ran a story on a $25 million expansion to a nearby church. I found myself thinking of several more productive uses for $25 million. In a town still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Katrina (e.g., some people were still homeless at the time this story appeared), it seemed criminal to squander these funds on something as pointless as expanding a church. At the time this was happening, I wrote: Instead of selecting any of a near infinite number of beneficial uses of $25 million, we will modify a monument to superstition and ignorance, making it larger so that more believers can be accommodated. Such are the consequences of faith. Since 2006, my views on this subject have changed little. Mississippi is so poor, and the need is so great that one would have to be willfully blind not to see it. We have far more churches than we need, but what are they contributing? Are they helping or hurting? As new churches are built and old ones are expanded or repaired, many other needs are being neglected. Some claim that we are lucky to have so many churches because they provide a number of services to their communities. Do they? The nature of these services is rarely clear and usually includes cryptic references to the "spiritual needs" of the community. I see little evidence that most of the local churches are providing any tangible good. Instead, I suspect that they may be part of the reason for our poverty, the sorry state of our education system, our crumbling infrastructure, and our backwards attitudes. A new church is being built very close to where I live, and it is a big one. Construction has been delayed several times. In fact, more than four years have passed since the land was cleared. It looks like the building is very close to being completed now. Like all the other churches, this new one will not be asked to pay any property taxes. That would have been a clear example of how a new church could have made a tangible contribution to the community. Instead, we will end up with yet another unnecessary monument to delusion. Perhaps the strangest thing of all is that this new church is literally next door to another church and directly across the highway from another. But of course, those are the "wrong kind" of churches (i.e., different denominations), so they won't do. What a waste! Laos often referred to as the Battery of Southeast Asia is one of the smallest nations in ASEAN. The countrys total population is less than ten million. Laos is strategically located between China and its economically more advanced ASEAN neighbors Vietnam and Thailand. In recent years, the countrys energy sector has experienced massive investments largely due to the countrys natural hydropower resources. Economic performance in 2018 at a glance With growth rates of around 7 percent in recent years, the country is one of the best preforming in ASEAN. Laos GDP rose from US$17 billion in 2017 to US$18.3 billion in 2018. FDI inflows increased from US$660 million in 2017 to US$1.6 billion in 2018. In 2018, however, the agricultural and export-based businesses experienced a setback due to several floods that hindered logistics and destroyed crops. Investment climate However, the electricity, construction and tourism sectors performed well. Several investment projects in hydropower and transport, including the railway link from China to the capital, Vientiane were launched in 2018. Despite the official government line, which is very welcoming of FDI, several obstacles remain. The local free market economy combined with a strong communist state control mechanism makes FDI partially complex. Requirement for foreign investors to comply with special rules in particular concerning strategic areas like mining and hydropower where the government largely has to approve projects increases the need to use a local partner while investing in large projects. Legal uncertainty specially lack of transparency may also deter investors. Many existing laws are unclear if not contradictory. However, the 2016 Law on Investment Promotion clarified investment policies and introduced comprehensive tax incentives. As in several other ASEAN nations, Special Economic Zones (SEZs) provide the main avenues for overseas investment. The Foreign Investment Law facilitates the establishment of SEZs. However, as of 2018, only 12 of 40 planned SEZs have been established. In April 2018, the new Law on Intellectual Property (IP) was enacted. The law makes it possible to oppose a trademark, industrial design and patent registration easily within 60 to 90 days. Overall, the law provides a clear regulatory framework that is reliable and transparent for foreign investors. End of Hydropower boom? The economic development of Laos is mainly backed by massive investments in the hydropower sector. However, in 2018, the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy dam collapsed and affected as many as 16,000 people. The government quickly said that substandard construction was the cause of the disaster. At the same time, it stated that it wants to make hydropower the largest source of state revenue by 2025. With 51 existing dams, 46 under construction and 112 in development phase, the sector already contributes heavily to the economy. While it is unclear if more strict rules will be framed for hydropower infrastructure projects, a significant change in the regulatory environment remains unlikely given the sectors potential as a high revenue earner for the government. Investment Opportunities in 2019 While the growth prospects for Laos in 2019 are positive, the countrys GDP growth rate is expected to slightly drop to around 6.5 percent. Laos economy is forecast to be mainly driven by the electronic parts manufacturing sector and the power sector. The tourism sector also has potential for growth due to an expected increase in tourists from countries outside ASEAN. Overall, hydropower will remain a major driver of growth in 2019. As the energy sector is largely based on exports, investments in projects for improving connectivity with the energy markets of China, Vietnam and Thailand will be an additional focus of FDI in 2019. Online Access for Print Subscribers. Do you have a print subscription with the Argus-Press? If yes, then click here to enjoy complimentary access to our Online Content! Oman Airports has welcomed new Iranian carrier Qeshm Air to Muscat International Airport. Services commenced on Tuesday February 5, 2019, landing at 3:45 pm as a direct scheduled route from Qeshm to Muscat. The Airline scheduled two weekly flights (Monday and Thursday) using a Fokker 100 aircraft accommodating 100 passengers. Sheikh Samer Al Nabhani, Oman Airports chief commercial officer, said: The airport has completed its preparations to welcome Qeshm Air's arrival at Muscat International Airport, strengthening, even more, the importance of Omani Irani relations established centuries ago, in addition to the continuous growth of Iranian inbound tourism in Oman. We are proud to announce that Qeshm Air has joined the Oman Airports family." Oman Airports has been working closely with Qeshm Air alongside Oman Public Authority for Civil Aviation to make the opportunity turn into reality. Iranian travellers are now welcomed into the Sultanate of Oman with a visa upon arrival process. OPERATION Drive Safe, sloop landings, street lighting and CCTV were all topics of discussion at the latest meeting of the TCI National Security Council (NSC). Governor John Freeman and Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson co-chaired the meeting on Friday, February 1, at the Hilly Ewing Building in Providenciales. In attendance as members were Deputy Governor Anya Williams, Attorney General Rhondalee Brathwaite Knowles, Home Affairs Minister Delroy Williams and the Commissioner of Police James Smith. A statement from the Governors Office on Thursday (February 7) said that at this meeting the commissioner of police explained: -Crime statistics for TCI overall had a fallen by six percent for the third quarter measured year-on-year, though there had been a concerning spike in reported crime levels in Grand Turk. -Operation Drive Safe had so far resulted in 376 tickets being issued, 45 people warned of prosecution and 11 illegal migrants arrested. -There will be a significant addition to the fleet of police vehicles from mid-February. Tenders for additional CCTV cameras and a replacement police plane have been issued. -Additional training for police supervisors is currently being delivered by the Miami Beach Police Force and new digital forensics laboratory training will commence shortly. -Reported on the need for additional resources to enhance border control and related operational needs of the police. The deputy premier went on to discuss: -Sloop landings in Salt Cay and Grand Turk January led to 187 and 132 illegal immigrants being detained respectively. Both police and immigration officers will be examining ways to increase maritime patrols, including through cooperation with the Bahamas. -How to ensure improved training for and vetting of privately employed security guards on Grand Turk. -Commitment to identify additional funds to boost border security infrastructure. - Operation Guardian is having a positive impact. The deputy premier and commissioner of police will together analyse how best to develop this operations impact going forward. -Given security-related concerns about the adequacy of street lighting in certain parts of Providenciales especially, the governor and the premier will seek an exploratory meeting with FortisTCI. The NSC received an update from the minister of home affairs on the situation at HM Prison on review of planned works, the disturbance in HM Prison on January 25, and staffing and security issues. Members also received an update from the premier on the draft National Security Strategy (NSS) She said strategy meetings have been conducted, and the draft NSS is due to be completed by the third week of February. The NSC received an update from the governor on security assistance from the UK, including for border security. The governor drew attention to training and other support already provided by the UK Government in support of enhanced border security. He noted that other training will be coming on stream and that an expert team will be examining maritime security in the course of a visit to TCI in March as part of a follow up to the earlier Security Needs Assessment Report. Posted on: February 11, 2019 3:13 PM Responding to accusations that arms manufacturer Smith and Wesson has refused to meet with young advocates of gun control, the US-based Episcopal Church has purchased shares in its parent company to carry out shareholder advocacy. The Diocese of Western Massachusetts has purchased shares in American Outdoor Brands Corporation (AOBC) after the US-based Episcopal Church lifted its ban on holding gun shares at its General Convention last year. Explaining the move, the Bishop of West Massachusetts, Doug Fisher, said that over the past year, young activists had sought on three different occasions to engage leadership in conversation about making our communities safer and theyve been ignored. . . Smith and Wesson can refuse to meet with those wonderful, young people, but it will be much more difficult to refuse a stockholder. The move follows the success of a Catholic religious community, the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, who filed a successful motion at the companys AGM last year requiring it to report on the Companys activities related to gun safety measures and mitigation of harm associated with gun products. Last week, the company published its report, which was heavily critical of the tactics used. It says: the Company wishes to make clear at the outset that any investment in the firearms industry carries with it the ultimate risk that opponents of the right of private citizens to own firearms may succeed in imposing restrictions or an outright ban on private gun ownership. In fact, the Resolution was the result of groups committed to increased gun control, admittedly pursuing their objectives through shareholder activism. It said that in order to address activists . . . who use their right to advocate to advance their political views in a way that the Company believes harms shareholder value, AOBC has adopted its Principles for Responsible Engagement. These Principles ask those that wish to engage with the Company to be transparent regarding whether they accept the Constitutional rights that underpin the Companys firearms business. Bishop Doug Fisher is a member of the 80-strong Bishops United Against Gun Violence group, which was established to advocate for gun safety since the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. He said: We are not against gun manufacturers. We are hoping to engage them in being part of the change we so desperately need. Investing in these companies is a follow-up to the success weve seen with Dicks Sporting Goods and several other companies who carry guns. He was referring to the retailer Dicks announcement last February that it would no longer sell firearms to anyone younger than 21; and would completely stop selling assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Positive strides for gun safety have been made, Bishop Doug said, and we hope to see more as people of faith address the public health crisis of gun violence in America. An eye surgeon from the Diocese of Peshawar, Khushbakht Peters, on how the united Church of Pakistan is called to exist and be a source of blessing for many despite the difficulties faced in the region. The real Church, believers in the unity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, will remain a minority group all over the World. Maintaining the existence, identity and developing the bridges with the majority community will always be an endeavor for the small Christian minority in the World. Any opportunity to sustain the identity and simultaneously sharing the Good News is a blessing to cherish. In December, before Christmas 2018, I was offered a rare chance, an opportunity that comes to the most once in a lifetime. I was invited to participate in the Christmas celebrations in the Presidency of our country at Islamabad. The Ministry of the Religious Affairs of the Government of Pakistan arranged the celebrations, the Chief Guest was Dr Arif Alvi, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. It was exciting to be there. The hall was decorated beautifully with Christmas ornaments and Christmas trees. The Choir was from Edwardes College, Peshawar, a prestigious college under the Church of Pakistans Diocese of Peshawar. Speeches at the occasion were by the Primate of the Church of Pakistan, the President Bishop Humphrey Peters, who talked about the importance of Christmas, linking it with the Prince of Peace, sustainer of global peace. The President of Pakistan delivered the message on the importance of religious tolerance and interfaith harmony. After the main event we were given some time to meet the President, who wished us all Merry Christmas. It was a wonderful evening indeed, and quite thought provoking as well. Pakistan has been added to the special watch list of governments, as a country engaged in severe religious freedom violations. As indigenous Pakistani Christians, we know the persecutions and challenges we face. At the same time we also know, there are some people and organisations, both Christians and non-Christians, who work hard to support and defend the Pakistani religious minorities. These are the people who believe in the dignity of human being, peaceful coexistence, religious tolerance, reconciliation, meaning of freedom, and the basic human rights. There is a vivid example of Supreme Court of Pakistans verdict in the case of Asia Bibi where the justice has prevailed. Such examples re-affirm our faith that our Holy Father wants the Church to exist in all the conditions even in the difficult situations and to become a source of blessing for many. Christians are the pioneers in education, health, community-directed rehabilitation, and the eradication of Leprosy in Pakistan. The Pakistani Church will continue helping and remain a source of blessing in Pakistan; cherishing Gods favour. Google is one of the largest entities in the artificial intelligence arms race right now, so its kind of a big deal that it recently, for the very first time, included a warning about how AI may affect its business in its annual report to the United States Securities And Exchange Commission. This report is usually a critical indicator of how a company thinks its fiscal year will unfold, so its quite telling that Google has predicted that AI flaws may have a negative impact on its operations. The warning in question isnt the doom-and-gloom variety usually touted by extreme realists and naysayers. Instead, it simply states that the companys heavy dealings with AI mean that the sensitive technologys inherent flaws and difficulties could cause headaches for the company, and by extension, for shareholders and analysts. To quote Googles nebulous warning, AI tech could raise new or exacerbate existing ethical, technological, legal, and other challenges. Background: Google has been on the AI train for a very long time now, and has of course been involved in a number of gaffes relating to the technology. Even so, its seemingly never felt the need to warn authorities and shareholders about AIs potentially volatile nature and how that may affect its business in any formal capacity before. Advertisement Thats not to say that AI screw-ups havent had a negative impact on Googles dealings in the past, nor is it the case that Google has painted a rainbows-and-butterflies picture of AI thus far. Bias scandals, product failures, and ethical issues are just a few of the many issues the company has had, very publicly, in the past. The fact that an AI warning made it into the risk section of its annual report could mean that Google is simply covering itself in case something bad happens, or it could mean that the company is looking to increase its emphasis on AI this year. Google is actually not the first company to include such a warning in its report. Microsoft did so last year, and many companies, or their leaders, have issued warnings of a similar sort in less formal ways. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Tesla mogul Elon Musk, and Skype co-founder Jaan Tallinn are among just a few in Silicon Valley to talk about the risks of AI from many different perspectives. Impact: The implication here should be pretty obvious. The fact that Google has seen fit to put an AI warning right there in its annual report means that the company now considers the risk of AI malfunction or mishandling to be a very real potential detriment to its operations. Advertisement Those who have a vested interest in seeing Google and other AI companies succeed have a few key things to watch for. Google warned that AI data sets may be biased or inadequate, AI may be badly trained, or could do totally unexpected things in self-training, just to name a few risks. Investors should watch for high-stakes AI experiments to come to fruition, such as public availability of self-driving cars, for one. Other things to watch closely, and possibly bail if things look bad, include AI experiments that involve a high degree of critical operation, such as implementing more AI use cases in data center workings, or AI use cases that may bring up an ethics quandary. Naturally, those same things could go far better than expected and cause stocks to surge. Risk and reward, of course, is just part of doing business. The Samsung Galaxy Sport, or rather the Galaxy Watch Active as its been referred to in the latest leaks is up for a new round of rumors, this time coming in the form of new hardware specifications passed along by SamMobile. It seems that the new specifications conflict with some of the previous reports, particularly in terms of screen size, and suggest that the device will have a 1.1-inch display instead of a 1.3-inch panel. In theory, it could be that Samsung has developed the next wearable in two sizes, as it has done before with previously-launched smartwatch models including the 2018 Galaxy Watch which became available with a 1.2-inch and 1.3-inch display. A 1.3-inch panel was also hinted at previously by a leaked firmware which indicated that the display should have a resolution of 360 x 360. According to the recent report by SamMobile, however, this is not going to be the case and Samsung will have only one smaller model up for sale later in March, following MWC 2019. Likewise, although the device has previously been referred to as the Galaxy Sport or Galaxy Watch, the device will apparently hit the market as the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active, making it a direct successor to the model launched last year while hinting at a more durable package. It will be water-resistant at up to 50 meters while the internals will be housed in a 13mm profile, just like the Galaxy Watch. Advertisement The smaller 1.1-inch panel may have also forced Samsung to power the upcoming Galaxy Watch Active with a smaller 236mAh battery. In contrast, the 1.3-inch Galaxy Watch (2018) relied on a 472mAh unit, whereas its smaller 1.2-inch counterpart concealed a 270mAh battery. Reducing the screen size of a smartwatch seems to take a considerable toll on the battery capacity and a 1.1-inch panel could translate into the smallest battery ever implemented by Samsung into its smartwatches; a close-second being the Samsung Gear S2 launched in 2015 with a 250mAh unit inside. To round things up, the latest rumors claim that the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active will be the smallest Samsung smartwatch to date, powered by the smallest battery yet. A compact wearable with a brand new design, ditching the rotating bezel in favor of a cleaner look embracing the 2.5D curved glass and possibly new gesture-based commands provided by Tizen OS 4.0. The chipset will be the same as last year, i.e., the Exynos 9110 housing two CPU cores clocked at up to 1.15GHz, and should be coupled with 4GB of storage. The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active is expected to be unveiled on February 20 along with the new Galaxy S10 smartphone series during the OEMs Unpacked event, and for the first time in Samsungs wearable portfolio, the new model should offer support for Bixby Reminders and possibly two-way wireless charging capabilities, or at the least, a newly-designed charging pad codenamed TX PAD for Pulse. The Korean chaebol has been very quiet regarding the next smartwatch and until it will be made official, information acquired through leaks and rumors remains subject to change. Some of the characteristics surrounding the upcoming Samsung Galaxy M30 have been revealed through a leaked schematic shared by PriceKart (as seen below). The device looks very similar to the Galaxy M20 introduced in India not long ago but carries three main cameras on the back panel instead of two. Otherwise, the smartphone has a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and a USB Type-C connector but the 3.5mm headphone jack goes unmentioned. The smartphone is expected to be based on the OEMs Infinity-V display design language, meaning that it will have a V-shaped display notch at the top. But unlike the Samsung Galaxy M10 and Galaxy M20, both of which have panels based on TFT technology, the Samsung Galaxy M30 is expected to sport an AMOLED display. The inclusion of TFT display technology for the two entry models has been the subject of ridicule, particularly from Xiaomi who maintains market leadership in India and may feel threatened by Samsungs latest offerings. Samsung is the second most popular brand in India and the Galaxy M series generally targets the budget segment in which Xiaomi usually thrives. Advertisement Other rumors indicated that the Galaxy M30 could feature an IPS LCD display but this is not the case according to the recent leak. Either way, the phone should have a 6.38-inch panel with a resolution of 2210 x 1080, and the glass covering the display should be curved around the edges. The recent schematic suggests that the phone will be 159mm tall and 75.1mm wide. Additionally, the source suggests that the Samsung Galaxy M30 will be powered by the same chipset found inside the Galaxy M20, i.e. the Exynos 7904 which features two ARM Cortex-A73 CPU cores clocked at up to 1.8GHz, and six additional Cortex-A53 cores operating at a frequency of up to 1.6GHz. The chipset will be coupled with the Mali-G71 MP2 graphics chip, 4GB or 6GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of internal storage. The V-shaped notch is said to accommodate a 16-megapixel camera, up from the 5-megapixel and 8-megapixel cameras employed by the Galaxy M10 and M20, respectively. The device should also include an additional 5-megapixel rear-facing depth sensor in addition to the dual-camera configuration employed by its smaller counterparts. The source also mentions that the Galaxy M30 should hit the market in two main color options including gradient black and blue, and reconfirms that it carries a generous 5,000mAh battery similar to the Galaxy M20. Advertisement At the time of writing, its unclear when the Samsung Galaxy M30 will be introduced to the Indian market and for what price, but in theory, it should follow closely in the footsteps of its smaller siblings. The Galaxy M20 has a starting price in India of Rs. 10,990 ($154) for the variant with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of memory, while the upper-tier model with an additional GB of RAM and double the storage is priced at Rs. 12,990 ($182). Having said that, its very likely that the Samsung Galaxy M30 will break the $200 mark regardless of what memory configuration it will have, particularly given the OLED screen and an additional rear-facing camera, among other upgrades. Samsung Philippines pre-order page has seemingly revealed the release date for the top-of-the-line Galaxy S10+ model. According to the provided info, the Ceramic Black Galaxy S10+ will become available for purchase on March 15. Now, Samsung usually syncs up its launch dates for a number of regions, as part of the global launch of the device, so its quite possible that the device will launch in other regions on the same date, +/- one day due to a different timezone, of course. Earlier rumors said that the Galaxy S10e, S10, and S10+ will become available on March 8, after being up for pre-order for two weeks, considering that Samsung will announce them on February 20 in San Francisco, and open up pre-order after the launch, basically, or a day after, at the latest. The top-of-the-line Galaxy S10+ variant, aka Ceramic Black Galaxy S10+, will be a bit different than the regular Galaxy S10+ unit. This variant of the device will not only support 5G, according to rumors, but it will also ship with a ceramic backplate and 1TB of storage. The phone will include more RAM than any other Galaxy S10 variant, as it will ship with 12GB of RAM on the inside. Those are pretty much all the differences between the regular and Ceramic Black Galaxy S10+ variants, while the Ceramic Black will also be more expensive, needless to say. Advertisement February 20 Unpacked Event Samsung had already scheduled its February 20 Unpacked event which will be hosted in San Francisco, and at that event, the company will announce its entire Galaxy S10 series, for sure. It seems more and more likely that the Ceramic Black variant of the Galaxy S10+ will become available a bit later than the rest of the pack, but all variants will be showcased on February 20. There is also a chance that Samsung may introduce its foldable smartphone during the event as well, some promo materials suggested it will happen, and even if it doesnt, the company will probably mention it one way or the other. If the company does not announce its foldable phone on February 20, it probably will during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, which kicks off soon after Samsungs Unpacked event, only a couple of days after it. Advertisement Other Galaxy S10 Variants Aside from the Ceramic Black Galaxy S10+, the company will also introduce the Galaxy S10e, S10, and S10+ units. The Galaxy S10e will be the most affordable Galaxy S10 handset, and the only one to ship with a side-facing fingerprint scanner, and a flat display. That phone will also include a smaller display than any other Galaxy S10 unit, as it will ship with a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED panel, though were still not sure if it will include a fullHD+ or QHD+ display. The device will also be the only Galaxy S10 unit to include two cameras on the back. The Galaxy S10 and S10+ will ship with 6.1-inch and 6.4-inch QHD+ Super AMOLED, curved displays, respectively, and both phones will include three cameras on the back. An in-display fingerprint scanner will be included in both of these phones, while both devices will be fueled by the Exynos 9820 or Snapdragon 855 SoC, depending on where you buy them that actually goes for every other Galaxy S10 variant, actually. All Galaxy S10 models (except the Ceramic Black variant) will ship with a glass back. Before there were cameras, people documented how the world and its inhabitants looked like through paintings. Oil on canvas was the medium of choice because of its vivid colors and the durability of the medium itself. But starting from the 18th century, many European artistsboth professional and amateurbegan to prefer watercolors, especially those who liked to paint outdoors. The materials required to paint in watercolor can be easily carried in a compact carrying case. Additionally, watercolor pigments are so thin and transparent that it allows light to reflect from the supporting surface producing a glow that artists can utilize to capture the effects of light and weather in a way oil paints cannot. The only shortcoming is its durability. View in the Serampore Road, Kolkata, India. 1848. Watercolours are fragile documents, explains Watercolour World, a UK-based charity that has digitized thousands of centuries-old watercolor paintings. Watercolors fade over time if exposed to daylight and are vulnerable to changes in temperature and humidity. For this reason, they are often kept hidden from view, safely stored away in albums or archive boxes. But as a result, they dont get the public attention they might deserve. Watercolours can easily fall into obscurity. Overlooked and undervalued, they become neglected, and are sometimes even lost or destroyed, There are far more watercolors in the world than there are oil paintings, and many of these were made by amateur rather than professional artists. In many cases, watercolors were made for the artists personal interest or as a way of sharing their travel experiences with a small group of family and friends. For example, an army officer making a set of pictures depicting the exotic places he was stationed. These sketches were then passed down through the family. Because these are first-hand observations of the places the artist visited and the people he or she encountered, they now form a valuable historical record. The project already has around 80,000 images, many of which have been digitized for the first time by The Watercolour World. Among the highlights are 19th-century paintings of the tomb of Seti I, which were used to create full-scale reconstructions of the ancient Egyptian site, and a wide range of images showing the long-term effects of climate change such as coastal erosion along Englands south coast and glacial retreat in the Alps. The Watercolour World will offer an extraordinary journey into the world in earlier times, to encounter our predecessors, and to observe how they lived, loved and played, said Fred Hohler, the founder of Watercolour World. With the world at risk from climate change, rising sea levels, and worse, the project will provide scientists and environmentalists with an accurate visual account of much of the natural world as it used to be. And to conservationists and historians, it will provide the evidence to conserve and rebuild structures, to find lost places and to see the roots of human progress. Rock-cut tombs, Beni Hasan, Egypt. Undated View of a glacier between high mountains covered with clouds; shepherd with goats in the foreground. Circa 1825-35 Battle of Bailen, 16th-19th July 1808. circa 1895. Allahabad, from the Right Bank of the Jumna, India. 1865 Harbour Street, Kingston. c.1821 The Thames at Cold Harbour, Blackwall. 1896 Lambeth Fair, Fore Street, Lambeth. c.1850 Grinding sugar cane in a windmill, Antigua. 1823. Rough Shooting in Windsor Great Park. 19th century Warren: Trump 'may not even be a free person' in 2020 Donald Trump is running for re-election. He will be on the ballot in every state in 2020. He will not be convicted by the Republican Senate even if the Democratic House impeaches him. These are facts that any junior high student who has even a passing familiarity with current events knows. So why is Senator Elizabeth Warren so delusional as to believe that Trump will be behind bars by 2020? Fox News: Warren, who officially announced her bid for the Democratic presidential nomination on Saturday, made the remark at the Veterans Memorial Building in Cedar Rapids in front of a crowd of several hundred. The Massachusetts senator argued that Democrats should resist the urge to respond to "a racist tweet, a hateful tweet, something really dark and ugly" when choosing whether or not to spar with Trump. "Are we going to let him use those to divide us?" Warren said, according to a report from The New York Times. "By the time we get to 2020, Donald Trump may not even be president," she continued. "In fact, he may not even be a free person." It's touching to see the childlike faith in the Mueller investigation that Democrats have. Unless the special counsel has documented evidence that Trump himself worked with the Russians to win the election, there is just no way that 20 Republican senators would join with the 47 Democrats and independents to convict the president in the Senate and remove him from office. Warren is delusional. If she really believes what she said, she should be disqualified from high office for being unable to do simple math. To so casually refer to a sitting president being convicted of a crime and thrown in jail in the space of less than two years bespeaks a separation from reality so profound as to call into question her sanity. Sure, presidential candidates say all sorts of untrue things. But none rises to the level of calumny that Warren has reached. If this is a sample of the campaigns that Democrats will run against Trump, the president may as well start planning the inaugural parade. A STUNNING property on Grace Bay and a luxury resort in South Caicos were among 14 TCI hotels named as best in the region by TripAdvisor. In its recently announced 2019 TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Awards, the travel review site recognised a host of properties in the territory. In the Top 25 Hotels in the Caribbean category Villa Renaissance on Grace Bay placed in position four. East Bay Resort in South Caicos nabbed the 13th position and Seven Stars came in at 14. The Tuscany on Grace Bay got spot 19, Windsong Resort in Providenciales scooped position 20 and Wymara Resort and Villas was placed at 24. In the Top 25 Small Hotels in the Caribbean category The Venetian placed 17th, while Sailrock Resort snagged position 18 on the leader board. Sailrock was also the only TCI hotel to make the list for the Top 25 Hotels for Service, coming in at number 21. Managing director Kashmie Ali said: "We would like to thank our team members for their tireless dedication and commitment to ensuring our guests are able to reset and realign in quintessential Turks and Caicos. Wymara Resort and Villas was placed number 9 in the Top 25 Luxury Hotels list, with Grace Bay Club at 15, The Shore Club at 17 and The Palms at 24. Seven Stars placed again at position 15 in the category of Top 25 Hotels for Romance. Beaches Turks and Caicos placed fifth in the Top 25 Hotels for Families in the Caribbean category. The Somerset on Grace Bay won position 15, The Tuscany position 19, and The Venetian on Grace Bay position 21. The Turks and Caicos Islands did not place in the list of Top 25 Bargain Hotels in the Caribbean, Top 25 B&Bs and Inns in the Caribbean or Top 25 All-Inclusive Resorts in the Caribbean. TripAdvisor said award winners were selected from the millions of reviews and opinions collected in a single year from travellers worldwide. In the 17th year of the awards, TripAdvisor has recognised 7,812 properties in 94 countries and eight regions worldwide. Yes, we expect places such as Russia and Iran to stick up for Venezuela's hellhole regime, along with its fellow Latin socialist hellholes Cuba, Bolivia, and Nicaragua. But Bloomberg is reporting that U.S. NATO ally Turkey seems to be all in for helping Nicolas Maduro spirit the nation's gold out of the country for his potentially comfortable retirement. The picture emerges of a dictator about to make off with the light bulbs on the way out. Back around when Maduro was eating that big steak dinner in Istanbul in front of Venezuelans for an Instagram post, here's what had been really going on, as Bloomberg reported: Two months after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro visited his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, a mysterious company called Sardes sprang into existence. The firm started business with a bang in January of 2018, when it imported about $41 million worth of gold from Venezuela, the first such transaction between the two countries in records that go back 50 years. The next month its volume more than doubled, with Sardes transporting almost $100 million worth to Turkey. By November, when President Donald Trump signed an executive order authorizing sanctions on Venezuelan gold after sending an envoy to warn Turkey off the trade, Sardes had shuttled $900 million of the precious metal out of the country. Not bad for a company with just $1 million in capital, according to regulatory filings in Istanbul. The country has a history of helping embattled dictatorships, such as Iran's, evade sanctions through the use of its financial system. Iran uses gold transactions to evade Western sanctions and continue its business-as-usual dictatorship. So, at a minimum, Maduro is likely using the gold transactions in Turkey to evade U.S. sanctions. But now there's a lot of talk of Maduro and his creepy drug-dealing cronies fleeing the country, and not surprisingly, Turkey's name is coming up. According to a separate Bloomberg report: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Maduro last month to assure him of his support, addressing him as "my brother!" The destination for tons of Venezuelan gold, Turkey has offered to take in Maduro, although only as a last recourse, according to a person familiar with the discussions. Any decision would be taken by Erdogan directly, and right now the priority is on backing him at home, a senior Turkish official said. What we are looking at is potential thievery, potential sanctions evasion, and potential exile plans with this strange series of gold transactions with the Turks. Bottom line: Turkey's crazy president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who's made himself Turkey's strongman and probably has a lot of democrats there out to get him alongside the Kurds, is risking Turkey's own interests with the West to aid Maduro, someone he seems to think is important to support. What kind of an ally is this? Why the heck is it in NATO? And why isn't the U.S. warning Turkey it's going to be sanctioned as hard as Iran and Venezuela if it doesn't get its act together? That and throwing this bogus ally out of NATO would be suitable consequences. Kirsten Gillibrand doubles down on stupid The 2020 Democrat field for president already has found its candidate useful for comic relief. It is hard to see Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's campaign for president going anywhere, but I do hope she hangs in to the bitter end if only to force the other candidates to take a position on her announced goals and policies. The RNC's research arm certainly knows how to spot idiocy, and it highlights what she said on a podcast Saturday: that it is an "urgent goal" to eliminate private health insurance. Sorry, Blue Cross, Aetna, and the rest of the companies and their hundreds of thousands of employees, not to mention the large majority of Americans who express satisfaction with their own insurance and health care. For a while there, it seemed as if Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez might personally make obsolete the dumb blonde jokes we've enjoyed for the past several decades. But thanks to Gillibrand, that cultural tradition is being preserved. Vimeo screen grab, cropped. Who knows? She may even end up with a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for her efforts in preserving a folk tradition. Dumb as a box of rocks: Democrats suddenly realize their Maduro-love will cost them Florida in 2020 For years, Democrats have fallen over themselves to defend Latin American communist dictatorships. Who can forget Rep. Maxine Waters's apology to the Castro regime for the U.S. on her pilgrimage to Cuba or Rep. Jim McGovern's secret collaborations with Colombia's Marxist FARC terrorists or New York mayor Bill de Blasio's "help" to the Nicaraguan Sandinistas or Sen. Bernie Sanders's open praise for Hugo Chavez's Venezuela? And don't forget Joe Kennedy's Dial Joe-4-Oil, which was a gusher of propaganda praise for Venezuela's oppressive socialist regime. They've always gotten away with it. Until now. They suddenly are realizing that the Maduro-lovers and Trump-resisters in their ranks, who happen to be some of their biggest "it" girls with the loudest voices Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard have supported Venezuela's detested Maduro regime in recent weeks ... and it's not just them. Other Democrats are also in their tree - think of old dinosaurs such as Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who was all worried about the U.S. invading Venezuela, and Silent Ted Deutch representing south Florida in Congress. Supporting a socialist regime just seems to come natural in the Democratic Party. And for that, they're all kissing the purple swing state of Florida goodbye for the Democrats in 2020. The New York Times reports this as an alarming development for Democrats: Venezuela, not Cuba, now dominates Miami's political conversation. A television anchor not long ago ended a somber segment with a promise to keep praying for the troubled South American country. Venezuelans in the city have gathered for demonstrations to coincide with protests back home. Even the Miami-Dade County Commission, a local body with no control over foreign policy, voted unanimously to recognize the opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's interim president. The shift has been coming on gradually for years, but it has accelerated in recent weeks as Venezuela has sunk further into crisis and its leftist president, Nicolas Maduro, has clung defiantly to power. The showdown in Caracas is reshaping Latino politics in South Florida, home to the highest concentration of Venezuelans in the United States. The change is not a mere demographic curiosity. In Florida, where major elections have repeatedly been decided by tiny margins, an inflection point around Venezuela's leadership could help define a generation of Venezuelan-American voters, who number in the tens of thousands in this state. President Trump is pushing Mr. Maduro to step aside, and if he succeeds, Democrats fear it could transform Venezuelan-Americans into loyal Republicans, much like Cuban-Americans. What politician of any smarts couldn't see that happening? In Omar's case, I think Russian sponsorship is worth looking at, but the others just don't seem to think about these politically strategic things at all. To ditzes such as Ocasio-Cortez and Gabbard, Venezuela is a cartoon drawing on a map mainly useful as a chit for beating President Trump with, even if it involves supporting Russia. And as for how Venezuelans feel about these things, well, the place is socialist and they support socialism, so 'nuff said. Not one of these people considers the feelings of the Venezuelans, or considers that there are living, breathing Venezuelans in Florida. Remember those three million Venezuelans who have fled their country? Well, yes, some have ended up in Florida, with a strong enough presence to swing the vote. The Times mentioned that the other Latinos in Florida tend to support them Colombians, Nicaraguans, Bolivians, Puerto Ricans, Argentines, and of course Cubans, which magnifies their numbers. These people are a critical mass in Florida, and they know the deal in Caracas. President Trump could see that and made a smart alliance with GOP senator Marco Rubio, a former GOP rival, and the pair of them worked as a tag team, with Venezuelan-Americans likely advising them on how to achieve the common goal of getting rid of Maduro. Maduro is on his way out due to that master squeeze from the U.S., with Venezuelans cheering (over in Caracas, they are actually cheering Trump) along with almost all of Latin America and Europe. Omar, Ocasio-Cortez, and Gabbard are going to be left with their Maduro endorsements and no Maduro to speak of in coming weeks, which suggests quite an absence of strategy. More important, they are going to lose their fellow Democrats the huge swing state of Florida. In soccer, this is recognized as kicking the ball into your opponent's net to give them the points, an 'own goal.' Talk about an 'own goal.' Image credit: Zakipedia via Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. She certainly gets points for resistance to cold and snow the white stuff visibly accumulated on her head, the podium, and the microphones as she spoke for 11 minutes: Senator Amy Klobuchar chose an outdoor rally in Minneapolis in the middle of February to announce her candidacy for president. Since there are plenty of indoor venues available, almost certainly, she wanted to stand out from the rest of the field and project an image of toughness, albeit leavened by the legendary "Minnesota nice" mode of personality on which she relies for image purposes. It does raise the question of if she knows enough to come inside out of the rain (or snow). She promises to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord that would impoverish Americans while allowing China and India to build huge numbers of coal-fired electricity generating stations for many years, and she came in for mockery from President Trump for the contrast between warmism and the facts on the ground in Minneapolis in February. In her response, she laid claim to a Minnesotan version of machismo, implying that others lack the strength to endure blizzards. CNN screen grab via YouTube. Science is on my side, @realDonaldTrump. Looking forward to debating you about climate change (and many other issues). And I wonder how your hair would fare in a blizzard? Everyone else can join my team and contribute at https://t.co/Hz91NGE8hB https://t.co/Xjjz9I2Fw7 Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) February 10, 2019 It's pretty clear that Klobuchar will be running as a moderate, in contrast to the extremism that has gripped her party's base. The odds are against her. As The Economist sympathetically notes: Is she a strong enough [sic] for this spark to spread? Just as it is hard to kindle a fire in wet snow, she could struggle to generate much heat or light in a busy Democratic field. She is not from a rich family and nor [sic] is she backed by big donors, most of whom are found in cities on the coasts. In a brief chat with The Economist, she says "I don't pretend that I'm the one with all the money right now", but [...] "we will raise the money that's necessary once people see me out in the snow I don't know how they can't help but give me money." Money is not her only problem. As a quietly industrious toiler, and sometimes dull speaker, she is not widely known. She has another problem: the Minnesota nice stuff is just a pose. The Huffington Post last week, in anticipation of her announcement, outed her reputation as a terrible, abusive boss of her staff and her consequent difficulty in recruiting staff for her presidential campaign. At least three people have withdrawn from consideration to lead Sen. Amy Klobuchar's nascent 2020 presidential campaign and done so in part because of the Minnesota Democrat's history of mistreating her staff, HuffPost has learned. ... [S]ome former Klobuchar staffers, all of whom spoke to HuffPost on condition of anonymity, describe Klobuchar as habitually demeaning and prone to bursts of cruelty that make it difficult to work in her office for long. It is common for staff to wake up to multiple emails from Klobuchar characterizing one's work as "the worst" briefing or press release she'd seen in her decades of public service, according to two former aides and emails seen by HuffPost. Although some staffers grew inured to her constant put-downs ("It's always 'the worst,'" one said sarcastically, "'It was 'the worst' one two weeks ago"), others found it grinding and demoralizing. Adding to the humiliation, Klobuchar often cc'd large groups of staffers who weren't working on the topic at hand, giving the emails the effect of a public flogging. Perhaps the worst offense is one relating to her allegedly using staff for personal errands: Three former staffers said Klobuchar has tasked them or their co-workers with performing personal errands, such as making her personal appointments, washing dishes at her home or picking up her dry cleaning. Senate staff are generally prohibited by Senate ethics rules from performing personal duties for members. She might want to look southward, toward Chicago, for a way to handle this. A police commander there has a creative explanation (hat tip: Peter von Buol). Via the Chicago Tribune: Facing allegations that officers under him were baby-sitting his special-needs son, the Chicago police commander gave a novel explanation: He was conducting a secret study. Grand Central District Cmdr. Anthony Escamilla acknowledged he had on-duty officers pick up his teenage son, who has autism, but insisted he worked as a volunteer in the community policing office. Pressed by investigators from the city's inspector general's office, Escamilla said he wanted to watch how his son did the work and interacted with his officers, taking mental notes he planned to share with the officers later. "I kind of wanted to just leave it to them, acting out in their job roles, and then him being a volunteer and seeing how it would go," Escamilla told an investigator. "It's not about my son and someone keeping an eye on him. This is about kids with his kind of disability and what we can do as a department to help them." Americans do face a crisis in getting personal errands done, so research would be a valuable contribution to the national welfare. Or something. After characterizing Farrakhan as an anti-Semite and a homophobe, View host Sunny Hostin asked Mallory, Why call him the Greatest of all time? Last month on The View, Meghan McCain confronted womens march co-president Tamika Mallory over her relationship with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. Mallory had attended Farrakhans recent Saviours Day sermon. Mallory also posted a photo on Facebook of Farrakhan with his arm around her shoulder. Mallory captioned it, Thank God this man is alive and doing well. He is definitely the GOAT. Happy Birthday @louisfarrakhan! I didnt call him the greatest of all time because of his rhetoric; I called him the Greatest of All Time for what hes done in black communities, Mallory responded, to applause from the studio audience. Meghan McCain spoke up, Let me just interject really quickly, I would never be comfortable supporting someone who called. McCain looked at her notes and quoted Farrakhan, Im not anti-Semite, Im anti-termite. Its the wicked Jews, the false Jews, who are promoting lesbianism and homosexuality. McCain went on to ask Tamika Mallory and her fellow marcher, Bob Bland, about a recent Tablet magazine expose of the Womens March. The Tablet article alleged that Tamika Mallory and Carmen Perez had privately claimed that Jews were responsible for the North American slave trade, a view shared by Louis Farrakhan. Mallory defended her relation with Farrakhan, I dont agree with many of Minister Farrakhans statements... I dont agree with these statements... Its not my language. Its not the way that I speak. It is not how I organize. While Hostin and McCain exposed Tamika Mallory as at best indifferent to Farrakhans anti-Semitism, their line of questioning demonstrated a fundamental misunderstanding of Farrakhans ideology. Hostin and McCain appeared to equate Farrakhans attitude toward gays and lesbians with his attitude toward Jews, when they arent comparable. ...the fornicator cant look at the lesbian or the homosexual and say, Im better than you. The liar, the thief, the gambler, the pimp, the prostitute, the lowlife, you cant look at those who are gay or lesbian or transgender and say Im better than you. Sin is sin, according to the standard of God. You say, well that was back then...you know...I mean, its a modern time now. Modern for you, but not for God. -- Louis Farrakhan, 2012 While liberals and progressives would likely deride Farrakhan as homophobic, there is no comparison between his traditional love the sinner, hate the sin, attitude toward homosexuals and his virulent anti-Semitism. Farrakhans 2018 Saviours Day sermon, which Tamika Mallory attended, touched on everything from sexual harassment in the workplace to the problem of obesity in the black community. However, Farrakhan saved his best for last. One and a half hours into his speech, Farrakhan launched into an extended rant against the Jews. Jesus 2000 years ago was not the messiah. He was a prophet. He was the last prophet to the Jews. What Farrakhan? Yeah, Im coming strong now. He was the last prophet to the house of Israel, the entire white race. They were made to raise hell. Everywhere they have gone, they have destroyed the peace of the human family... At this point, its not clear whether Farrakhan is referring to the ancient Hebrews specifically, or the white race in general. The Nation of Islam teaches that white people are the result of a selective breeding program, a project carried out by a black scientist named Yakub and his followers. In fact, he learned he was 2000 years too soon to end the civilization of the Jews. Wait, wait, now, end the civilization of the Jews? They the boss. This is their world. Oh wait, oh wait a minute, I know a few Jews, theyre not... see hes an anti-Semite. Stop it, Im a truth teller. In accordance with Nation of Islam theology, Farrakhan teaches that blacks exist at the bottom of an unjust racial hierarchy. The white race, the final product of Yakubs selective breeding process, sit at the top of this hierarchy. Further, within the white race, Jews form an elite that controls global affairs from behind the scenes. You have German Jews, Polish Jews, Ukrainian Jews, Russian Jews, Lithuanian Jews, Estonian, Latvian, Denmark Jews, Sweden, Norway, Finland Jews. You have Italian Jews; you have French Jews, and everywhere they are, they take on the language, the culture, but they run the money. They run the business. When theres a Jewish holiday, everything gets silent. Theyre very wise people. For decades, Farrakhan has promoted anti-Semitism, in sermons, in media appearances, and in writing. In his 2018 Saviours day speech, Farrakhan castigated Jews for rejecting Christ and accused them of promoting homosexuality in the black community. Despite his anti-Semitism, Farrakhan has avoided the type of ostracism that someone like David Duke experiences. In his Saviours day speech Farrakhan bragged about his connection to various Black leaders, including Barack Obama and Keith Ellison. Farrakhan was invited to speak at the funerals of Rosa Parks and Aretha Franklin. While, few black politicians would publicly endorse Farrakhan, they havent treated him as a pariah. Many liberals and African Americans attribute Farrakhans status in the black community to the Nation of Islams charitable works and message of black self-improvement. While there may be some truth to that, persistent anti-Semitism among African-Americans also contributes to Farrakhans popularity. For decades, surveys have consistently found higher levels of anti-Semitism among African Americans than among white Americans. A 2013 ADL survey found that only 8% of non-Hispanic whites were anti-Semitic. By comparison, 12% of U.S.-born Hispanics, 22% of African-Americans, and 40% of foreign-born Hispanics were anti-Semitic, according to the ADLs definition. When discussing black anti-Semitism, its important to remember that the overwhelming majority of African-Americans are not anti-Semitic; 78% of blacks surveyed did not meet the ADLs definition of anti-Semitic. Further, prominent African-Americans such as Henry Louis Gates have spoken out against black anti-Semitism, and some African-Americans could even be characterized as philo-Semitic. With that being said, black anti-Semitism is a painful fact for Jewish Americans. Many Jews believe that because both blacks and Jews have suffered discrimination, blacks will be more sympathetic toward them. However, the evidence suggests that blacks are not particularly sympathetic toward Jews, or if they are sympathetic, it doesnt translate into affection. If earlier such traditional performances were simply routine, and only a few people outside Washington were interested, then this year, the situation (thanks to Pelosi) was significantly different. She invited Trump to speak on January 3, 2019, then "canceled" her invitation on January 16. Then the partial government shutdown ended, and the SOTU was rescheduled to February 5. All of us have to thank Nancy Pelosi. She turned out to be not only the speaker of the House of Representatives, but also an excellent salesperson. Thanks to her ill conceived tricks, the advertisement of the annual presidential State of the Union (SOTU) address to the Congress reached unprecedented heights. Pelosi's request for a cancelation of this traditional presidential address was an unprecedented and unheard of scandal, which ignores a hundred-year-old tradition. She was successful in postponing the presidential address, but that was a classic example of a Pyrrhic victory (hat tip: Ronald Cherry). Trump could have used this opportunity for his advantage. He talked about the economy, record low unemployment numbers, legal immigration, and foreign policy. What he spent less time on than he should have is the State of Illegalia. Unfortunately, most Americans are not aware of such a state. No, it is not the 51st state in the Union; instead, it is a satellite substate within every legitimate state of the Union. For example, in the state of California alone, there are about 1.2 million children born out of "tourism" of pregnant illegal aliens. These are official hospital data. For comparison, the population of the legitimate state of Wyoming is about 600,000 people. That is, inside the state of California, there is a substate the State of Illegalia whose population is twice the state of Wyoming. California's State of Illegalia is not alone. All states of the Union contain within them, hidden from prying eyes, substates of Illegalia. In Illinois, there are 174,000 illegal children. For comparison, the popular among legal immigrants Chicago North Shore area contains just half of Illegalia's population 86,000. In the state of New York, there are 224,000 such children. For comparison, only 36,000 people live in the popular among legal immigrants Brighton Beach area of New York City. This confrontation is obviously a losing matter for the Democrats. They openly position themselves as a party that protects illegal aliens and distance themselves from the protection of American citizens. Pelosi did not want to give Trump the podium, which he could and did use to once again turn to the common sense of the American people. Whenever Trump speaks, he speaks directly to American citizens, and not through the filter of mass disinformation media. After the Democrats attempted to destroy a hundred-year-old tradition, Trump could have made some unconventional moves, too. In order to emphasize this talk about the States of Illegalia, he could have invited some non-traditional guests to the SOTU address. The composition of these guests would be the main headache of the Democrats. Imagine guest seats filled with parents of those American children who were killed by the citizens of the State of Illegalia by illegal aliens. Some of them were murdered directly, and some indirectly with the help of drugs transported across the border with Mexico in tons. Also, several crying 15-year-old girls from South America could be invited, who were secretly brought by human-traffickers across the southern border for underground brothels in the State of Illegalia. Moreover, President Trump could end the tradition of the one-man-show and give the floor to them all in turn. Trump could also give the floor to American doctors, who will tell the public what diseases they face in the states of Illegalia. Many of these diseases were practically eliminated in America soon after the Second World War measles, scarlet fever, lice, tuberculosis, syphilis. However, these diseases are returning to America, and they are penetrating initially through the open border with Mexico, and then through the States of Illegalia. Also, there are numerous cases of AIDS and hepatitis, plus widespread rape of women of all ages. The U.S. Border Patrol guards would then be invited to the podium. They would bring with them a few rugs the rugs Muslims use to pray. Recently, border guards have been finding more and more such rugs in the border zones of Arizona and Texas. Why should representatives of the "peaceful religion" get into America through the State of Illegalia? Why resort to such infiltration? What is the level of cooperation between sharia states and the State of Illegalia? Trump could also go to extremes and order a baker's dozen handcuffed MS-13 gang members, with the most evil faces, entirely covered with scary tattoos, to be seated right next to Democrats' guests for the SOTU. These bandits citizens of the State of Illegalia could play an excellent backdrop to Trump's pitch for the country's sovereignty. According to various estimates, American taxpayers spend from 110 to 260 billion dollars a year to support illegal aliens. This large discrepancy is due to exactly how to count, and who exactly counts. However, regardless of who makes the estimates and how, all calculations are one in one: the balance is negative. That is, illegal aliens receive more from American society than they give, at least 100 billion dollars a year. This number is the budget of the State of Illegalia. The Democrats have long represented the interests of the states of Illegalia, and not the citizens of the states of the Union. We must hope that Pelosi will play her role to the end. Gary Gindler, Ph.D., is a conservative blogger at Gary Gindler Chronicles. Follow him on Twitter. Before introducing the Voice, Douthat remembers a short story in which the term Scissor is defined. It is a statement, an idea or a scenario thats somehow perfectly calibrated to tear people apartnot just by generating disagreement, but by generating total incredulity that somebody could possibly disagree with your interpretation of the controversy, followed by escalating fury and paranoia and polarization, until the debate seems like a completely existential, win-or-perish fight. A recent piece by New York Times columnist Ross Douthat, The Covington Scissor, " presents a dialogue between him and a mysterious Voice, which he finds devilish, though it claims to be his conscience, and which culminates in dark laughter, echoing away into an abyss. The dialogue concerns the saga of the Covington High School boys, and it does illuminate what passes for conservative thought at the paper of record. The nature of the Scissor issue then is such that both sides are equally irrational and dogmatic. They are each unwilling to see matters through the opponents eyes. The Covington boys incident is an example. Still in advance of the Voices intrusion, Douthat characterizes the recent event before the Lincoln Memorial. He refers to videos of Catholic high school boys from Kentucky, in Washington to attend the March for Life, some of them wearing Make America Great Again hats, in some sort of confrontation with a chanting, drumming Native American activist who was intervening in another confrontation between the teenagers and a group of black nationalists. Proceeding from that summary of the facts, Douthat observes that what makes this incident so brilliant in its divisiveness is the tapestry in full, the tapestry consisting of abortion, race, MAGA, white boys, Catholicism, Native American ritual and automatically confirm[ing] priors on both sides of the divide. He calls the episode brilliant and a tapestry, but not in itself or its aftermath a tragedy for anyone concerned. Furthermore, even though we have a film of the whole thingsight and soundthat, it seems, resolves nothing. Postmodernism intervenes: what is reality but one viewers narrative? And so, the video itself, far from being a means to achieving consensus, is an amazing accelerant of controversy, because everyone who watches can pick up on a different detail and convince themselves [sic] that theyre [sic] seeing the whole tru[th]. It is at this point that the Voice interrupts, claiming to be Douthats conscience. It is really Douthats portrayal of a conservatives response to his ultimately unsympathetic treatment of the boys and their ordeal. The Voice is made to sound angry and in due course irrational, so Douthat by comparison can appear the true voice of equanimity and moderation. It also demonstrates the moral depth of Ross Douthat, who indeed has pondered and given due weight to the objections of his unseen interlocutor. The Voice accuses him of attempting to write one of [his] pretend-evenhanded, both-sides-do it, lets all get together and learn something columns about this incident. After the Voice introduces itself as Douthats conscience, it briefly summarizes the respects in which the initial press depiction of the incident was false and the ugly remarks about the boys, including the explicit wish by celebrities to do them harm, were foul. A summary of the other distortions pedaled by the media follows, as the Voice takes us through their failure for some time to disclose the anti-Semitism in the Womens March, to present honestly the horrors exposed in the Planned Parenthood undercover video, to treat fairly the Vice-Presidents wife, slammed by the Left for the crime of teaching in a Christian school (the kind that adheres to Christian precepts). Douthat says that he is inclined to agree, but nonetheless pushes back. The whole point, which the Voice is missing, is to see it from the other guys perspective. [Yo]u need to imagine how other people interpret the story, he tells us. But do we really have to imagine anything in this case? Did the other people, those who publicly reviled the boys, leave anything to the imagination? Douthat evidently thinks that there was justification for the eruption of hatred against these teenage boys, one in which television journalists, Hollywood celebrities, and the preening pharisees of diminished conservative journals all partook. The kids were rowdy too, Douthat says. His only proof is that a couple of them made tomahawk chops, but he is sure that some of them were being offensive in other ways. They must have been so, because to condemn them for making tomahawk chops would be to find guilty hundreds of thousands of Atlanta Braves fans and team officials, as well. The basis on which Douthat criticizes these very young men becomes clearer when he observes, Also, its dumb to wear MAGA caps to a march against abortion; to lots of people theyre a symbol of white-identity politics and a justifiably unpopular president. And so, the Covington lads are well rebukedmustnt do what makes the Left mad. Can it be that Mr. Ross Douthat, who wishes us to be so open-minded that we imagine how other people interpret the story and who like[s] writing for people who disagree with [him], which requires a little more charity than [the Voice] seem[s] capable of giving, nonetheless is not himself so open-minded or charitable as to countenance freedom of speech for those who do not regard the President as justifiably unpopular? May they not show themselves, those who believe Trump to be in the right, and not so unpopular, at any rate, as portrayed in Democrat newspapers? What, moreover, is the nature of the charity that Douthat claims to possess? To whom is it directed? He adduces no factual evidence to refute the impression of this writer, after viewing the entire tape, that the Covington boys did absolutely nothing wrongyouthful exuberance and good cheer in the face of unprovoked hostility, no more. For this they were subjected to a journalistic lynching, which, as of this writing, appears not to have culminated in an actual one, despite death threats leveled at the young men and their families. And yet Douthat shows little charity for these persecuted children, arguing to the Voice that plenty of white preppies are bad people deserving of media scrutiny. One wonders if the evenhanded and magisterial Douthat realizes that this dreadful statement is itself racist, aspersing an entire category of young people, at least in part, on the basis of their skin color. It places him momentarily in league with the bigoted vermin (the Black-Hebrew-Israelites) who first confronted the boys. Does Douthat have charity for them? This was no confrontation between men hurling racial and religious epithets and their teenage targets, or between the latter and the man obnoxiously beating his drum in one of their faces. This was a nasty harassment, met substantially with passivity. What Douthat presents as a middle ground between ignoble extremes is in fact one between right and wrong. His answers to the Voice within his head are but excuses for resting on that ground. Let us be diverted by none of these sophistical contrivances wherewith we are so industriously plied and belaboredcontrivances such as groping for some middle ground between the right and the wrong; vain as the search for a man who should be neither a living man nor a dead man. Lincolns admonition was made in the momentous context of the slavery issue, greater in import, no doubt, than the plight of some high school boys. But the inexorable devolution of our national affairs, occasioned by the Lefts taking control of the moral standards according to which we all are judged, will prove momentous in the end. There is a present crisis, in which we perceive all that is lovely about our country indeed echoing away into an abyss. In such times, equivocation will not serve. With the TV cameras on Alice Johnson, a tearful black woman, Trump said he was deeply moved by her story. In 1997, Alice was sentenced to life in prison as a first-time nonviolent drug offender. Over the next 22 years, Alice became a prison minister. She greatly impacted many lives in prison and beyond, inspiring others to make better choices. Watching President Trump's State of the Union speech, I thought, "This destroys Democrats', Hollywood's, and fake news media's lie that Trump is racist." And yet, I knew that these leftists would continue their evil, divisive Trump-is-racist deception. Trump said, "Alice's story underscores the disparity and unfairness that can exist in criminal sentencing and the need to remedy this total injustice." "In June, I commuted Alice's sentence. When I saw Alice's beautiful family greet her at the prison gate hugging and kissing, crying and laughing, I knew I did something right." Then Trump announced that he signed the First Step Act into law. This new law gives nonviolent offenders the chance to re-enter society as productive, law-abiding citizens. Trump introduced Matthew Charles. In 1996, 30-year-old Matthew was sentenced to 35 years in prison for drug-related offenses. Over 20 years, Matthew completed 30 Bible studies, became a law clerk, and mentored many of his fellow inmates. Matthew Charles, a black man, is the first person released under Trump's First Step Act. Folks, how in the world can leftists continue to effectively falsely brand Trump a racist? Trump's strong commitment to the pro-life movement is more glaring proof that he is not racist. In his speech to the March for Life 2019, President Trump said, "Together we will work to save the lives of unborn children so that they have a chance to live and to love." "Every child is a sacred gift from God." Trump signed a letter to Congress that if they send any legislation to his desk that weakens the protection of human life, he will veto it. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Democrats, Hollywood, and fake news media who worship Planned Parenthood are the true racists, the real nemesis of black Americans. Planned Parenthood's founder, Margaret Sanger, was a hardcore racist who believed that blacks were inferior weeds whose breeding needed to be controlled. This is why 79% of Planned Parenthood chop-shops are in black neighborhoods. Given that blacks are only 12% of the population, our abortions are disproportionately higher than whites. As a black American, I am sad to say we are engaged in self-genocide via abortion. Here's another example of Democrats not really giving a rat's derriere about blacks while continuously playing the racist card against Trump. This was the second State of the Union in which Trump announced record low unemployment for blacks. While everyone else in the chamber responded with enthusiastic applause, Democrats sat on their hands, stone-faced. Wait a minute aren't you Democrats supposed to be champions of blacks? Shouldn't you be excited about economic good news for blacks? The dirty, despicable secret is that Democrats care only about keeping blacks barefoot, stupid, feeling victimized, and voting for Democrats. This demonic political party's cruelty sickens me. Not only are Democrats, Hollywood, and fake news media relentless in deceiving blacks into believing that Trump is racist, but they are purposely creating racial division and hate by claiming that Trump-voters are also racists. This is pure evil. When Trump hit the campaign trail with his patriotic slogan, "Make America Great Again," it was the battle cry most Americans had been longing for. Instinctively, we believed that this regular-guy businessman would work to restore America to her rightful place as the world's moral and economic leader the Shining City on a Hill. Democrats, Hollywood, and fake news media played their old evil trick on blacks. They said MAGA is code for Trump's racist desire to return America back to the days of black suppression. Consequently, Americans who courageously wear "MAGA" caps are regularly physically assaulted. Democrats and their media operatives have played their everything-out-of-a-Republican's-mouth-is code-for-racism trick on blacks for decades. As a young black man, I sang at a President Reagan inauguration event. A white reporter appeared stunned when I said Reagan's speeches always inspired me to be all I could be and proud to be an American. I later learned that leftists claimed that everything out of Reagan's mouth was code for racism. Democrats and their fellow leftists will never back away from their America-is-a-racist-hellhole-for-blacks deception. For crying out loud, white voters gave Obama, the worst president in American history, two terms. And yet, black Democrats are still singing, "We Shall Overcome Someday." Nothing America does for blacks will cause Democrats to give up exploiting blacks to win black voters. Democrats seek to keep blacks feeling victimized, addicted to big government and voting for Democrats to keep evil white America at bay. Totally disgusting. Here's another under-reported truth. Blacks moved backward under Obama. Blacks are thriving under Trump. President Trump is not a racist. Democrats, Hollywood, and fake news media are racists disgusting distributors of racial division and hate. Our country deserves better. On Aug. 27, 2020, the eye of Hurricane Laura passed directly over Cameron (the town). The eastern eyewall, the most destructive part of the storm, made a direct hit on Rutherford Beach, destroying everything in its wake with wind, tornadoes and a water surge that rose to over 17 feet. Ruther COOPERATION on border control efforts, intelligence sharing and training are just some of the commitments that have been made by two high level Bahamian and TCI delegations. Meetings geared towards exploring opportunities to work together on border control and other matters of interest were held from January 24 to 26 in Providenciales. The Bahamas was represented by Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Darren A Henfield, Ambassador Captain Godfrey Rolle (retired) of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Lieutenant Commander Floyd Moxey of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Loren Klein, legal consultant at the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs, and Michael Guy, foreign services officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In opening the meetings, Hon. Sean Astwood, Deputy Premier and Minister of Border Control and Employment Services, thanked the Bahamas for its willingness to collaborate with the TCI. Both delegations noted that by bringing together experience and expertise from the two jurisdictions, a more effective border control regime could be implemented for their respective countries. "In this context, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas committed to continue discussions on practical actions to give effect to this initiative, a communique which followed the meetings stated. Other wide ranging issues the delegates agreed to collaborate and cooperate on were information sharing, joint operations and synergising of operational strategies. As a result of this, a technical working group has been established to make recommendations for a memorandum of understanding that will provide a possible legal framework for such cooperation, subject to the internal governmental approvals processes in each jurisdiction. The delegate agreed that the talks were very positive and constructive, and welcomed the opportunity to work together as neighbouring countries. The meetings were followed by a tour of the Detention Centre, the Radar Station, illegal development sites and a maritime tour around the island of Providenciales with the Marine Branch of the Turks and Caicos Police Force. Representing the TCI in the high level talks were Deputy Premier Sean Astwood, Attorney General Rhondalee Braithwaite Knowles, Susan Malcolm, Permanent Secretary at the Minister of Border Control and Employment Services, Sharon Taylor and Althea Been both Deputy Permanent Secretaries in the Minister of Border Control and Employment Services, Director of Immigration Derek Been, enforcement and compliance manager Tito Forbes, Commissioner of Police James Smith, ACP Rodney Adams, Chair of the Joint Law Enforcement Team, Operation Guardian ASP Darron Williams, Head of Secretariat Cynara John and Bernadya Smith, executive administrator at the Minister of Border Control and Employment Services. Some were deported, others feel safer in Afghan jail than home and little is known about a US-accused Egyptian prisoner. CARIBBEAN tourism officials are upbeat about 2019 and confidently expect another year of positive growth bolstered by increased airlift, improved sales, ongoing investments in hotel upgrades and refurbishments, and new properties coming on stream. Frank Comito, director general and CEO of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), spoke with regional reporters at the associations 37th annual Caribbean Travel Marketplace, which ended January 31 in Montego Bay. He shared the optimistic tourism forecast, including a second consecutive year of significant increases in new hires and capital improvements resulting from the stronger performance trend. In a subsequent press release to regional media, Comito announced the results of the fourth annual CHTA Industry Performance and Outlook Study, expressing high expectations about the immediate future. He indicated that 85 percent of the hotels surveyed expressed optimism about the year, with many citing a continuation of the positive performance they experienced in 2018. Increased capital investments are paying dividends for 61 percent of hotels, while strong revenues are generating new hires by 47 percent of respondents. Another 44 percent are maintaining existing employment levels. Seventy-six percent of hoteliers have reported increased revenue with 29 percent registering significant growth. "We are seeing high levels of investments in upgrades of existing hotels over the past three years, and the growth in new room inventory contributes to modest increases in room rates as the regions product continues to expand and improve, the CHTA CEO said. "This is a considerable shift from what we were seeing four years ago and is expected to continue this year. Comito added that a healthier hotel sector is contributing to growth in employment, higher tax revenues for governments, and helping more hotels to realise a net profit. Eighty percent of responding hotels anticipate net profits as they finalise their 2018 books. "A healthy hotel sector is paramount to economic growth. While every sector of our tourism economy is important, specifically cruise, marinas, and vacation home rentals, it is the hotel sector which has the greatest multiplier effect on economies. "They continue to have the greatest impact on employment generation, spin-off businesses, new airlift, and tax revenue. "We are pleased to see performance moving in this positive direction, he added. The tourism veteran said the CHTA survey will help the organisation gain a better understanding of the state of the tourism economy, its outlook and factors which could influence the sustained expansion of the regions visitor industry. The survey polled a representative sampling of hotels throughout the Caribbean looking at their 2018 performance and 2019 expectations. It examined areas such as employment levels, revenue, profits, capital spending, room occupancy and rates as a basis for assessing the state of the tourism economy. The residual impacts of the 2017 hurricanes were still affecting several destinations, and Comito urged tourism officials to address any lingering unfavourable marketplace perceptions by making greater marketing investments. "While we are definitely upbeat about the performance of tourism in the region, we cannot rest on our laurels this year, he said, while cautioning that changes in the global economy could adversely impact performance. "As we enjoy a very strong winter season, the industry should anticipate and plan for external factors which could curb growth in 2019. Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2019 was produced by CHTA in collaboration with co-hosts the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, the Jamaica Tourist Board and the Jamaica Ministry of Tourism. It is the leading event in the Caribbean tourism industry where delegates from Caribbean countries meet with buyers from more than 20 markets. Ukraines incumbent is lagging behind in polls, but he still has time to manipulate political events to his advantage. In Ukraine, incumbents tend to be underdogs in presidential races. Never in the 21st century has an acting Ukrainian president, or his appointee, been a frontrunner in a presidential election and, in fact, in the case of former President Viktor Yanukovych, the incumbent never even made it to the polls, having been toppled by a popular revolution. But President Petro Poroshenko seems dead set on breaking this pattern and winning a re-election. Just seven months ago, he was lagging far behind former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, and a few more candidates in the polls, but by the end of 2018 he was already breathing down her neck. January polls pushed both him and Tymoshenko back, elevating TV comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy to the status of the frontrunner. But, given his ability to shape the political agenda, Poroshenko still has a chance, if the stars align the right way. Accused by Ukraines progressives of corruption and hampering reforms, Poroshenko can hardly be described as someone who bears the torch of the 2014 Maidan revolution. However, the same is true about each of his main rivals: Tymoshenkos entire career is mired in corruption scandals; Zelenskiy is rumoured to be backed by oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyi, who has been accused of syphoning billions of dollars from a Ukrainian bank; former Defence Minister Anatoly Hrytsenko is a proponent of enlightened authoritarianism, and; Yury Boyko formally represents the Russia-friendly anti-Maidan opposition. With this line-up of candidates, the March vote invites parallels with Boris Yeltsins desperate effort to retain office at the backdrop of the disastrous Chechen war in 1996. He eventually succeeded, but only at the cost of undermining democratic procedure. In Ukraine, like in the rest of the former USSR, incumbents can manipulate the political agenda to boost their ratings and improve the chances of getting re-elected. In the post-Soviet era, no one has excelled more in such political manipulation than Russias Vladimir Putin. In 2014, after suffering an historical slump in popularity due to the 2011-2012 wave of protests in Russia, the Russian president sent his ratings soaring to 89 percent by annexing Crimea in the aftermath of Ukraines revolution, launching a war in the Donbas region and unleashing an unprecedented wave of chauvinism in the country. Poroshenko is taking a page out of Putins playbook, but hes applying it on a modest scale and within the constraints of democratic procedures. His aim is to rally nationalist-leaning voters in the Ukrainian-speaking regions of central and western Ukraine by resorting to the same right-wing populism currently dominating politics in neighbouring Hungary and Poland. Large billboards with his campaign motto Army, Language, Faith were lining almost every avenue in the country for most of 2018, months before he officially announced his decision to run for re-election. It wasnt empty sloganeering. Poroshenko worked hard on all three of these fronts: military affairs, the language question and the church dispute. The language issue came first. Millions of Ukrainians use Russian as their first language and prior to the Maidan revolution, Russian-speaking regions of Ukraine were free to proclaim it as the second official language in their territory. The nationalist wave that swept through Ukraine in the aftermath of Russias 2014 military aggression brought the question of national language to the fore and the far right started rallying for curbing language rights of the Russian-speaking population in the country. In 2017, the Ukrainian president oversaw the adoption of a law, which promotes the Ukrainian language by effectively phasing out secondary education in Russian. That didnt give the desired boost to his ratings but instead led to a diplomatic spat with neighbouring Hungary because the Hungarian-language schools were affected in the same way as Russian. Poroshenko fared much better on the military and religious fronts. By supporting a low-intensity trench war in the Donbas region with the help of its hybrid forces, Russia has made Ukraine bleed drop by drop something that inevitably affects the popularity of the current president, who was elected in 2014 on the promise to end the war soon. Poroshenko needed to be seen as proactive as possible, even though Ukraine is not capable of overcoming Russias war machine militarily. In the last couple of years, Ukrainian forces have been advancing into the buffer zone which divides the warring sides as per the Minsk agreements of 2015. Speaking at the end of 2018, Poroshenkos adviser Yuriy Biriukov said that Ukrainian armed forces have liberated practically the entire grey zone. Another front was opened at sea, when in March 2018 the Ukrainian border patrol seized a Russian fishing boat, threatening to do so with each vessel that leaves or enters ports in Crimea. Russia responded by beefing up its presence in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, prompting Ukraine and its Western allies to talk about a renewed Russian aggression. Ukraine continued testing Putins patience by sending small naval vessels under the newly built bridge over the Strait of Kerch, linking Crimea to Russia. Moscows paranoia was further inflamed by an article in Washington Examiner, an obscure US newspaper, suggesting that Ukraine should blow up the bridge. Then as the election campaign in Ukraine started in earnest, the standoff at sea reached its climax. On November 25, the Russian navy opened fire on three Ukrainian vessels, thereafter seizing them and arresting the 24 Ukrainian sailors on board. Putins decision to escalate played right into Poroshenkos hands. Claiming that a large-scale Russian invasion was imminent, the Ukrainian president went to parliament and after overcoming strong scepticism among MPs, managed to push through a month-long martial law period, which lasted till the end of December. It remains unclear what that measure, which theoretically gave the president sweeping powers, entailed beyond fomenting patriotic fervour among Ukrainian voters. It had no visible effect except for the severe restrictions imposed on Russian nationals visiting the country. Like language, religion also became a highly politicised issue in Ukraine after the outbreak of the war in the Donbas in 2014 and Poroshenko saw a political opportunity in that, too. He put in much effort to unify the divided Ukrainian Orthodox Church and wrest it out of the control of the Russian Patriarchate, which finally paid off on January 5, when the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I officially granted it independence. As soon as the announcement was made, Poroshenko set off on a tour of central and western Ukraine, where the bulk of his electorate is based, showing Bartholomews edict, known as Tomos, to large gatherings in cathedrals and churches. He successfully touted this achievement as Ukraines great victory over Russia, even though it remains incomplete since the largest number of parishes (around 12,000) remains under Moscow patriarchates control. There are still almost two months left till the election and Poroshenkos spin doctors will certainly need to devise more drama to secure his election victory. And it seems they are actively working on that front. A freshly adopted law requires all parishes aligned with the Moscow Patriarchate to reregister a measure designed to coerce church communities into switching to the newly created Ukrainian Church. If this measure is successful, Poroshenko would surely use it to boost his popularity on the campaign trail. Meanwhile, as Aleksandr Turchynov, the head of Ukraines National Security Council, told the BBC on December 19, Ukraine is preparing to send more naval ships to exercise its right to free passage through the Strait of Kerch. Set up at the right moment, a new dramatic standoff at sea may give Poroshenko a decisive edge over the rivals. Less than two months before Ukrainians cast their votes, we are yet to see what scriptwriters from the presidential administration in Kiev have envisaged as the culmination of the election drama, and whether it would be convincing enough to break the pattern of the incumbent president never getting a second chance in Ukraine. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Tehran, Iran Despite the rain and snow in the Iranian capital, thousands marched through Tehrans major streets to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Islamic revolution. Mondays turnout might have been affected by the weather but the intensity of rhetoric against the United States and its allies Israel and Saudi Arabia was still prominent in the banners carried by the demonstrators. The marchers were also seen setting on fire American and Israeli flags, and stepping on a caricature of US President Donald Trump, who in 2018 decided to reimpose economic sanctions on the country. Among those present at the march were President Hassan Rouhani and reformist members of parliament, Mohammad Reza Aref and Ali Motahari, as well as senior Muslim leaders. Rouhani said he will not seek permission from foreign powers to boost Irans missile programme, which he said is necessary to defend the country from external threats. Local reports say that similar demonstrations were held in other major cities, including Mashhad, the second largest metropolis in Iran. Mondays event, which is also referred to as the Ten-Day Dawn, marks the 10 days of protests, which followed the return from exile of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who led the 1979 revolution, which successfully overthrew the American-backed monarch of Iran, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. Earlier on Sunday, Irans foreign ministry declared that since 1979, the nation is now more mature, prudent, and powerful than ever. By Olivia Rose RESIDENTS have the opportunity to shape a strategy poised to position the territory as a global leader in prosperity and development. The Vision 2040 Strategy is a plan that will identify short, medium and long term goals for the TCI. And the Government is urging citizens to participate in an anonymous online survey to provide critical feedback. The electronic consultation will assess residents perspectives on national and community priorities and needs, as well as provide critical responses on the strategy. It will close on Friday, February 15. The Vision 2040 Strategy document articulates the aspirations for the territory over the next 20 years. It is intended to be a roadmap for a high quality of life and a more vibrant society and will be guided by extensive research and analysis. Five overarching pillars for the TCIs holistic development have been identified as: high national income and wealth, a socially cohesive society, healthy natural environmental, heritage and cultural assets, citizen security and justice, and good governance. According to the Governments online survey these pillars will be realised through a series of commitments and ongoing achievements. They include: "The further growth and diversification of the tourism industry, diversification of the economy into sectors other than tourism that may become increasingly viable as tourism flourishes and the economy expands. "Ensuring adequate access to development finance, incentivising micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), attracting appropriate levels of foreign investment, productivity improvements, adequate infrastructure development, skills enhancement and capacity development as well as ensuring access to decent work. "Maintaining an acceptable standard of healthcare and access to healthcare, ensuring sufficient access to decent housing and wholesome neighbourhoods, ensuring satisfactory social safety nets and protection from poverty and deprivation and social exclusion, ensuring good ecosystems, and proper management of marine and aquatic resources. "Good management of heritage and cultural assets, adequate rural and urban planning, inclusive of proper waste management and pollution control, improving the national security environment through effective policing, border management, surveillance of the territorial waters and effective administration of justice, and good technical and political governance. This week two town hall meetings were organised to present the plan, in Grand Turk on Tuesday (February 5) and Providenciales on Thursday (February 7). The full document can be viewed at www.gov.tc and comments can be emailed to [email protected] The "Phoebe Family" expanded by eight on Wednesday, as the Class of '24 Family Medicine Residents were introduced to their "siblings" and the community in a welcoming ceremony that has become a ritual for the new doctors. Click for more. Former Alabama Environmental Management Commissioner Scott Phillips and former Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Trey Glenn are facing fewer ethics charges regarding their alleged involvement with corruption in a Birmingham Superfund site. Court records show superseding indictments, made public Monday, for both Phillips and Glenn were signed by a grand jury on Friday. While the case is being handled through Jefferson County criminal court, the charges were brought by the Alabama Ethics Commission. Both men pleaded not guilty to the new indictments at a hearing Monday. The facts are the same, prosecutor Cynthia Raulston said, adding the superseding indictments changed the statute the charges were brought under and provided clarification to several counts. The two men were indicted in November on charges relating to violations of Alabamas Ethics Act, including soliciting a thing of value from a principal, lobbyist or subordinate, and receiving money in addition that received in ones official capacity. Under Alabama ethics law, it is illegal for a lobbyist or a lobbyists client, called a principal, to give a public official a thing of value, including a job. The charges against Glenn and Phillips, according to their indictments, center around their dealings with Drummond Company and Birmingham law firm Balch & Bingham in relation to the north Birmingham Superfund site. The original indictment charged Trey Glenn with 20 counts of wrongdoing. Six of the charges were for using his position for personal gain, while the remainder of the charges were misdemeanor ethics violations and included soliciting/receiving money and bribery/conspiracy to receive from a lobbyist. Phillips was indicted on 16 charges including three felonies using his position for personal gain and 13 counts of misdemeanor ethics violations for soliciting/receiving money. The superseding indictments charge Phillips and Glenn each with 15 counts-- 11 for soliciting/ receiving money from a lobbyist and four charges for using their offices for a thing of value and accepting a thing of value. The superseding charges are also brought under a different statute of the law. Glenn and Phillips co-owned a company called Southeast Engineering and Consulting that worked with Balch & Bingham and its client, Drummond Company, to fight the EPA efforts to test and clean up soil in north Birmingham neighborhoods and in the city of Tarrant from 2014 through 2017, records state. Raulston said the state believes Phillips and Glenn provided consulting at the same time Phillips served on the environmental commission, and that Phillips sought and obtained the contract. Raulston said for many months Phillips consulted with Drummond on the north Birmingham Superfund site, which the EPA wanted to prioritize and expand and which Drummond was fighting against. Glenn, the former director of the AEMCs controlling agency the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, was not a public official at the time, but Raulston said he was complicit in the situation. She said, He aided and abetted." Matt Hart, former Alabama Assistant Attorney General who prosecuted corruption cases, is one of the attorneys representing Glenn. Im getting used to being on this side of the table, he said in court. Its like turning around an oil tanker. Jefferson County Circuit Judge Stephen Wallace is presiding over the cases. He asked prosecutors to file a more definite statement as to the charges in their next court filing, and said he will schedule the cases for a motion hearing when both sides have had time to file the appropriate documents. Following the hearing, Phillips attorney Joe Espy said hes waiting on the government to tell his client what [they] claim we did wrong. He said he believes there is a very, very serious issue regarding if the state ethics commission can bring these types of charges, since neither the AGs Office or the local district attorney has charged the men. Hes an innocent man, Espy said of Phillips. John Lentine, one of the attorneys representing Glenn, said Glenn isnt guilty of anything. After working at ADEM and as an environmental consultant statewide, in 2017 Glenn was appointed by President Donald Trump to head Region 4 of the EPA, overseeing the eight-state Southeast region that includes Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina. He resigned from that position on November 18, after the indictments were made public. Phillips is also represented by Benjamin and William Espy. Glenn is also represented by Christopher Daniel, Bill Athanas, and Jess Nix. Last summer, former Drummond VP of Government Affairs David Roberson and former Balch partner Joel Gilbert were convicted on six federal, criminal charges related to the scheme intended to stop the Superfund expansion into Tarrant and thwart cleanup efforts. A former state legislator, Oliver Robinson, pleaded guilty to his part in the crime and testified for the government against Roberson and Gilbert. Roberson and Gilbert were sentenced to federal prison in October; Gilbert was sentenced to five years followed by a supervised release period of two years, and Roberson was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. Each were ordered to pay a $25,000 fine and complete 100 hours per year of community service while on supervised release. Authorities are asking for the publics help identifying two robbers who stormed a Hoover restaurant and ordered employees to the floor during a holdup. The robbery happened Sunday, Feb. 3, at Jim N Nicks on Montgomery Highway. Police were dispatched to the scene just after 9 p.m. and learned from witnesses that the pair entered the back door of the restaurant with their faces covered. Three employees were forced to the ground at gunpoint. The suspects then went into the office where they stole a safe. They fled out the back door. Hoover police Lt. Keith Czeskleba said the pair was last seen getting into a grey Mercury Grand Marquis headed northbound on Montgomery Highway. One suspect was described as wearing white hooded sweatshirt with black pants, armed with a handgun. The second suspect was wearing a white hooded sweatshirt, with black and white pants and red shoes. Hoover police on Monday release photos taken from surveillance video inside the restaurant. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Hoover police Sgt. Matt Savage at 205-739-6780. Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward can call Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama at 205-254-7777. A Cullman County man is under arrest after authorities say he threatened firefighters and tried to assault numerous lawmen during a weekend investigation. The Cullman County Sheriffs Office on Monday announced formal charges against 36-year-old Matthew Eli Aaron. The Bremen man is charged with second-degree arson, two counts of second-degree assault, third-degree burglary and resisting arrest. Deputies received a call Friday night from a fire department that a field was on fire at the intersection of County Road 8 and County Road 35. When the firefighters responded, a person - later identified to be Aaron - refused to allow them to extinguish the fire. Aaron also threatened several of the firefighters. Once on the scene, deputies learned Aaron had left the area of the field and had threatened several other residents who came to assist the firefighters. Deputies began to search for Aaron and determined he had left the immediate area. At that point, sheriffs officials said, Aaron had broken into several homes in the area of County Road 8 and County Road 35. As deputies were speaking with a homeowner whose home was reportedly damaged by Aaron, they noticed fire and smoke coming from another residence nearby. Deputies quickly arrived and saw the house was indeed on fire. They made entry into the home to make sure no one was inside the residence. As deputies made their way to the back side of the residence, they spotted Aaron inside a screened-in porch. Aaron discarded his gun but did not follow any other lawful orders and began to assault the deputies and investigators. After several minutes of resisting arrest and assaulting the deputies, authorities said, Aaron was handcuffed and taken to the Cullman County Detention Center. Once at the jail, lawmen said, Aaron still refused to comply with authorities and attempted to assault jail deputies, as well as Cullman police officers. Aaron is currently being treated at Cullman County Regional Hospital for drug-related issues and smoke inhalation. Once released from the hospital, he will be held without bond. More charges against Aaron are expected. I am very thankful for the deputies, detention deputies, as well as the CPD officers and many firefighters who assisted in the arrest of this suspect and also helping get him detained once he arrived here at the detention center, Sheriff Matt Gentry said. I have also spoken to District Attorney Wilson Blaylock about this incident and his office and the sheriffs office will do everything we can for the victims and citizens in the Prospect/Mt. Joy area. Im proud of the relentless effort by our deputies and assistance from community members in Mr. Aarons apprehension, Gentry said. President Trump is in very good health, according to his doctor. The president, 72, underwent a physical exam at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center last week. In memo, Navy Commander Sean Conley, physician to the president, said he anticipates Trump will remain (in good health) for the duration of his presidency and beyond. Over the course of approximately four hours, I performed and supervised the evaluation with a panel of 11 different board certified specialists, Conley wrote, adding the president did not undergo any procedures that required sedation or anesthesia. No details of the medical findings were released but Conleys memo said reports and recommendations are being finalized. The exam was Trumps second as president. Last year, former presidential doctor Navy Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson was criticized for a holding a news conference to release the results. Conleys findings were provided only in writing. Last years exam showed the president took medication for elevated cholesterol and the prevention of baldness. Doctors at the time advised him to lose between 10 and 15 pounds, The 2018 exam showed Trump was 6 foot, 3 inches tall and weighed 239 pounds. WH Physician: Trump in very good health... will remain so for the duration of his Presidency, and beyond. pic.twitter.com/iudGrh8LdF Jim Acosta (@Acosta) February 8, 2019 https://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2018/01/president_trump_physical_resul.html Budget negotiators will meet Monday to revive talks over border security issues that are central to legislation to prevent key parts of the government from shutting down on Saturday, but an air of pessimism remains after talks broke down over the weekend. They collapsed over Democratic demands to limit the number of migrants authorities can detain, and the two sides remained separated over how much to spend on President Donald Trump's promised border wall. A Friday midnight deadline is looming to prevent a second partial government shutdown. Key negotiators plan to meet on Monday, Democratic and GOP aides say, but for now the mood is not hopeful. Rising to the fore on Sunday was a related dispute over curbing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, the federal agency that Republicans see as an emblem of tough immigration policies and Democrats accuse of often going too far. Trump blamed Democrats in the migrant detention dispute, tweeting, "The Democrats do not want us to detain, or send back, criminal aliens! This is a brand new demand. Crazy!" The fight over ICE detentions goes to the core of each party's view on immigration. Republicans favor rigid enforcement of immigration laws and have little interest in easing them if Democrats refuse to fund the Mexican border wall. Democrats despise the proposed wall and, in return for border security funds, want to curb what they see as unnecessarily harsh enforcement by ICE. People involved in the talks say Democrats have proposed limiting the number of immigrants here illegally who are caught inside the U.S. not at the border that the agency can detain. Republicans say they don't want that cap to apply to immigrants caught committing crimes, but Democrats do. Democrats say they proposed their cap to force ICE to concentrate its internal enforcement efforts on dangerous immigrants, not those who lack legal authority to be in the country but are productive and otherwise pose no threat. Democrats have proposed reducing the current number of beds ICE uses to detain immigrants here illegally from 40,520 to 35,520. But within that limit, they've also proposed limiting to 16,500 the number for immigrants here illegally caught within the U.S., including criminals. Republicans want no caps on the number of immigrants who've committed crimes who can be held by ICE. Trump used the dispute to cast Democrats as soft on criminals. "I don't think the Dems on the Border Committee are being allowed by their leaders to make a deal. They are offering very little money for the desperately needed Border Wall & now, out of the blue, want a cap on convicted violent felons to be held in detention!" Trump tweeted Sunday. Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, in appearances on NBC's "Meet the Press" and "Fox News Sunday," said "you absolutely cannot" eliminate the possibility of another shutdown if a deal is not reached over the wall and other border matters. The White House had asked for $5.7 billion, a figure rejected by the Democratic-controlled House, and the mood among bargainers has soured, according to people familiar with the negotiations not authorized to speak publicly about private talks. "You cannot take a shutdown off the table, and you cannot take $5.7 (billion) off the table," Mulvaney told NBC, "but if you end up someplace in the middle, yeah, then what you probably see is the president say, 'Yeah, OK, and I'll go find the money someplace else.'" A congressional deal seemed to stall even after Mulvaney convened a bipartisan group of lawmakers at Camp David, the presidential retreat in northern Maryland. While the two sides appeared close to clinching a deal late last week, significant gaps remain and momentum appears to have slowed. Though congressional Democratic aides asserted that the dispute had caused the talks to break off, it was initially unclear how damaging the rift was. Both sides are eager to resolve the long-running battle and avert a fresh closure of dozens of federal agencies that would begin next weekend if Congress doesn't act by Friday. "I think talks are stalled right now," Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., said on "Fox News Sunday." ''I'm not confident we're going to get there." Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., who appeared on the same program, agreed: "We are not to the point where we can announce a deal." But Mulvaney did signal that the White House would prefer not to have a repeat of the last shutdown, which stretched more than a month, left more than 800,000 government workers without paychecks, forced a postponement of the State of the Union address and sent Trump's poll numbers tumbling. As support in his own party began to splinter, Trump surrendered after the shutdown hit 35 days without getting money for the wall. The president's supporters have suggested that Trump could use executive powers to divert money from the federal budget for wall construction, though it was unclear if he would face challenges in Congress or the courts. One provision of the law lets the Defense Department provide support for counterdrug activities. But declaring a national emergency remained an option, Mulvaney said, even though many in the administration have cooled on the prospect. A number of powerful Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have also warned against the move, believing it usurps power from Congress and could set a precedent for a future Democratic president to declare an emergency for a liberal political cause. As most budget disputes go, differences over hundreds of millions of dollars are usually imperceptible and easily solved. But this battle more than most is driven by political symbolism whether Trump will be able to claim he delivered on his long-running pledge to "build the wall" or newly empowered congressional Democrats' ability to thwart him. Predictably each side blamed the other for the stall in negotiations. "We were, you know, progressing well," Rep. Tom Graves, R-Ga., said Sunday on ABC's "This Week." ''I thought we were tracking pretty good over the last week. And it just seems over the last 24 hours or so the goalposts have been moving from the Democrats." House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth, D-Ky., countered by saying on the same show, "The numbers are all over the place." I think the big problem here is this has become pretty much an ego negotiation, Yarmuth added. And this really isnt over substance. Two men who were arrested in Mobile last week in connection with a 2013 Oklahoma double murder are being extradited after a hearing Monday. Specifically, Zachery Wilson,28, signed a waiver Monday morning while his co-accused Timothy Dees, 24, signed the documents that will send him back to Oklahoma on Friday, according to court documents. The pair are accused of killing 77-year-old Charles Nieman and his wife in Boise City in June 2013. Dees has prior charges from 2017, including giving a false name, obstructing a government operation, resisting arrest, according to arrest records. Wilson has a number of charges from 2013, including theft, burglary and possession of a controlled substance, according to his arrest records. Those charges predate the murder accusation. A third person is also accused of the 2013 killings. That person was arrested in Colorado last week, say investigators. LOCAL fishermen can breathe a sigh of relief after Marine Branch officers captured and arrested poachers who had been illegally fishing in TCI waters. The detection of the illegal vessel was made on Wednesday (February 6) at about 1.15pm by the police plane Airwing Sky Hawk, following which officers aboard the Marine Branchs Sea Pursuit were informed and subsequently gave chase. The now confiscated boat is a 30ft white and blue panga type fishing vessel. According to reports, the vessel powered by two 40HP outboard engines was fishing 11 miles southeast of Great Sand Cay and was carrying 57 pounds of marine products. Police said the vessel was taken to the marine base without incident or major issues. Four men who are nationals of the Dominican Republic were taken into police custody. Commenting on the seizure and arrest on the RTCIPFs Facebook post of the incident was Ruth Blackman, elected member for South Caicos which is considered the TCIs main fishing hub. Blackman said: "Good job, the fishermen were complaining just yesterday that the TCI banks are empty and that something needs to be done about the poachers on the banks. (Delana Isles) U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson ruled today that the Alabama Department of Corrections fails to adequately evaluate the mental health of inmates isolated in segregation cells, causing a risk of serious harm, and that the ADOC is deliberately indifferent to that failure. Thompson issued a 66-page opinion and order three days after attorneys for inmates said the suicide rate in Alabama prisons had reached a crisis level, with 13 suicides in 14 months. Thompson ordered lawyers for the inmates and for the ADOC to confer and submit a joint report with suggestions on how to fix the failure to monitor isolated inmates. The judge has also scheduled a hearing on suicide prevention for April 19. Thompsons order today comes in a lawsuit filed on behalf of inmates in 2014 by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy program alleging inadequate health care, mental health care and accommodations for inmates with disabilities. In June 2017, Thompson ruled that mental health care was horrendously inadequate and that the failure to diagnose and treat mental illness violated the Eighth Amendment prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. Thompson labeled todays opinion and order a supplement to that 2017 ruling. The judge wrote that the failure to monitor the mental health of inmates in segregation contributes to the Eighth Amendment violation. The SPLC issued a statement on todays ruling. It has been evident for years that ADOC has failed to identify, monitor, and properly care for people who have serious mental illnesses and who develop them in ADOC custody," SPLC senior supervising attorney Maria Morris said. "That systematic failure has led to needless suffering, especially for people in segregation. We are only sorry ADOC didnt do anything to remedy the situation during the last year and a half, as hundreds or thousands of men and women suffered in ADOC segregation units, and ultimately as 13 people took their own lives. We look forward to addressing the remedy with ADOC as soon as possible. Since Thompsons 2017 order, the Legislature has boosted funding for state prisons, partly to expand mental health care. ADOC Commissioner Jeff Dunn has asked lawmakers for a $42 million increase in the prison budget for next year, mostly to hire 500 new correctional officers and give correctional staff a 20 percent raise to help with recruitment and retention. Thompson found that the persistent shortage of correctional officers and overcrowded conditions in the prisons was a key factor in the lack of mental health care. Lawyers for the inmates have argued that the ADOC and its contractor have failed to meet the courts deadlines for expanding mental health staff. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said in her inaugural address on Jan. 14 that she would have an announcement soon on replacement of the states aging, overcrowded prisons. The ADOC has hired a project management team to design plans for three new prisons at an estimated cost of about $1 billion. Updated at 4:36 p.m. with statement from the SPLC. A man suspected of faking his own death off the coast of Alabamas Orange Beach to avoid child rape charges in Mississippi is being sought by police. Jacob Blair Scott, 42, of Moss Point, MS, is suspected of raping his now ex-wifes daughter, getting her pregnant, then setting up and elaborate scene on his abandoned dinghy to fool authorities into believing he was dead, according to the Jackson County Sheriffs Dept. in Mississippi and Orange Beach police in Alabama. While Scott has not been convicted of any crimes, DNA evidence has confirmed that he is the father of the baby, according to police reports. A grand jury later indicted Scott on 14 different sex charges, including filming the young girl simulating sex acts on him. The alleged fake suicide last July came just days before Scott, an Iraq war veteran, was due to face the serious charges. Investigators found his dinghy with a suicide note attached and a small-caliber handgun in the water tied to a rope. Written on the note was Scotts social security number and details of how to contact his mother. He also wrote Im sorry. Search and rescue crews from various agencies searched for seven days in the hopes of locating Scotts body. But investigators became suspicious when no body washed up and there was very little blood or bone/brain fragments on any part of the boat. Scott had also withdrawn $45,000 from a retirement account before he went missing. In interviews with the Sun Herald newspaper, Scotts wife, whose name was not released, said her ex-husband had threatened to kill her and her daughter after discovering she was pregnant. She knew he was violent and she knew he would follow up on his threats, her mother told the Sun Herald. He would say, Im going to blow your mommas head off and make you watch if you tell whats happened. Scott was married to his wife for about 10 years. She filed for divorce after Scott explained to her on a car ride that he would be going to jail for sexually assaulting her daughter. That day the couple had been summoned to the local hospital by police to discuss her daughters pregnancy. Scotts vehicle was found at Alabamas Boggy Point Park. Investigators found his license, credit cards and his dog tag. There were also empty liquor bottles in the car. In a plea Scotts ex-wife asked him to turn himself to law enforcement and hoped no one else would find themselves in the same position her and her daughter do now. If he did this to my child that he had been around since the age of 2, why wouldnt he do this to anybody elses kid? she said. I never want anybody else to go through what we did again. Its horrible. The Black Magic Project is a Facebook group where we talk about issues and stories concerning black Alabamians. During a Facebook live, parents talked about how they advise their children to interact with law enforcement due to the fatal police shootings of black individuals. Here are some of their comments. Mixed emotions surged through Roy Williams after he heard a Hoover police officer wouldnt face charges for the fatal Thanksgiving night shooting of Emantic Fitzgerald E.J. Bradford Jr. His mother, Pearl, was a black woman who walked the "blue line" for nearly three decades. She was the first black woman to serve with both the Anniston and Jacksonville State University police departments. But he is also a father of a 16-year-old son who will soon be driving himself to school. Although Williams described his son as a respectful young man, he is still afraid for his son and wants his son to be prepared if he is ever pulled over by an officer. Williams makes sure his son knows to keep his hands on the wheel and to call the officer "sir" or "ma'am." He wants to help his son avoid anything that would cause an officer to perceive him as a threat. "We are still going to have a talk about dos and donts if he is ever pulled over because I dont want the cop stereotyping him because he is 200 pounds," Williams said. Due to the high-profile cases of black individuals killed by police officers who are rarely criminally charged, many black families are having "The Talk" with their children. It's not the conversation about the "birds and the bees." Black parents say this talk is about how to respond when interacting with the police. Its an uncomfortable conversation to have, Sabrina Ndinenka said. Although she is white, her husband is black and she has a hard time explaining her 16-year-old daughter that she should avoid showing irritation about being pulled over. Ndinenka doesn't want to make her three children afraid of police, but she doesn't want them to get hurt either. "Being the white mother of dark-skinned biracial children in the Deep South is a hard thing. How do I teach my children that they arent free to do what they see me do because it may cost them their lives?" Ndinenka said. "I know there are more good officers than bad, but I also know that when my children are out in public, all theyll ever be to a lot of people is another black face to be hated. I want to fight that hate, but I dont want to risk losing my babies. Im not that strong," she said. Sabrina Ndinenka and her husband Brian. She has three children who are 16, 13 and 11. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall cleared the Hoover police officer on Feb. 5, which would have been Trayvon Martin's 24th birthday. Martin was 17 when he was fatally shot in Florida by neighborhood watch member George Zimmerman, who was acquitted of all charges related to the shooting. On the night of Marshall's announcement, Martin's mother spoke words of encouragement to Bradford's mom, April Pipkins, during a vigil at Kelly Ingram Park in Birmingham. Nadia Richardson, founder of an Alabama-based mental health group for black women called No More Martyrs, said the timing of the attorney general's announcement magnified the grief around fatal police shootings of black individuals. She said news about the shootings can revive feelings of anxiety, fear and hopelessness, but that shouldn't stop a parent from having an open conversation with their children about police. She sees a need for more spaces for kids and teens to talk about their emotions. "Speak honestly with children. They are aware," Richardson said. "They see what is happening. Invite them to share their feelings, thoughts and concerns." Jeanean Simon was raised to see police officers as people who help the community, but she is very cautious when she speaks to her 10-year-old twin boys about the police. She makes sure the police don't a chance stereotype them as trouble makers or thieves. "I speak to them about not doing things in stores. Don't pick up things, don't run around," Simon said. Jeanean Simon (middle) and her 10-year-old twin boys. Ndinenka said her daughter doesnt agree with changing her behavior for police officers. So Ndinenka said she will fight for her daughter and the other black individuals who were shot and killed by law enforcement. Ill demand justice and harsher punishments for police that kill, she said. I will hold officers to a higher standard than civilians and I will shout every day for those cases to be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted. But I will also, sadly, teach my children to be respectful. Dont question and dont get angry even when you have a right. Because Im scared. So here we go; Dr. Angela Davis is coming. Whether you like it, or you dont, shes coming. Whether youre euphoric about celebrating the iconicand, yes, controversial; I mean what black activist over 65 isnt controversialhuman and civil rights advocate, educator, poet and more, or youre all up in your feelings about some of her past actions, affiliations or statements, shes coming. Angela Davis is coming home. Shes scheduled to appear at two events in Birmingham next Saturdaythe Power to the People: Activism and Justice Forum between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. (at a yet-announced location) and the much-anticipated (and sold out) Conversation with Angela Davis at the Boutwell Arena at 8:00 p.m. Then what? Davis is coming, most of us know all too well, as guests of the Committee for Truth & Reconciliation, a coalition of local activist and political groups that converged to host Davis after the Birmingham Civil Rights Institutes Board of Directors caved to outside pressures and rescinded its invitation to honor Davis with the 2018 Fred. L. Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award. Full coverage of Angela Davis and BCRI Those outside pressures included, but were not exclusive to, members of Birminghams Jewish community who, among other matters, disagree with her long and public support of the Boycott, Divestiture and Sanctions movement in support of Palestine. Oh, some of them also trotted Davis past memberships to the Communist and Black Panther parties as other reasons for their trepidation, but lets all be grown thereit was her pro-Palestinian stance that prompted organizations like the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center and individuals like Richard Friedman, executive director of the Birmingham Jewish Federation, to reach out to members of the BCRIs Board of Directors, and its executives, and encourage them to reconsider honoring her. Which they did, in a panic. Even the boards interim chair, Rev. Thomas Wilder, described the clandestine vote at a hastily called telephone executive session board meeting on January 4 as reactionary. After a firestorm of reaction, the boardbless its heartapologized to pretty much everyone and rescinded its rescission of the award. Davis has not said whether she will accept the Shuttlesworth Award, but she should be here in a few days, nonetheless. Perhaps then well know. Then what? The events of the last few weeks exposed an unfortunate fissure between African-Americans and Jews in Birmingham, a divisionor, at a minimum, a disconnectthat quietly festered for decades, perhaps as economic disparity between the two communities grew. As did the chasm in the common ground that once boundmore intricately in the North than here in the South, of courseblacks and many Jews. MyJewishLearning.com, in an article called Jews in the Civil Rights Movement, writes: As far back as the 19th century, Jewish storekeepers were virtually the only Southern merchants who addressed black customers as Mr. and Mrs. and permitted them to try on clothing. By the early 20th century, a few Southern Jews even ventured to speak out against the evils of white supremacy. In 1929, Louis Isaac Jaffe, editorial writer for the Norfolk Virginia-Pilot won the Pulitzer Prize for his denunciation of lynching and the reactionary Harry Byrd political machine. Last October, when Sears (once Sears Roebuck and long chaired by Julius Rosenwald, who was also a long-time member of Tuskegee Universitys board of directors) filed for bankruptcy after 132 years as a veritable retail institution, The New York Times Published When Sears Made Blacks a Priority, which outlines, in part, how the Sears catalog empowered black consumers during Jim Crow. While many Southern Jews were said to struggle to coexist with their segregationist, sometimes Ku Klux Klan-member neighborssome were reportedly quietly punished if their businesses treated blacks equitablysome often quietly provided manpower and funds for civil rights causes, MyJewsishLearning.com wrote. The site added that Jews made up at least 30 percent of the white volunteers who rode freedom buses to the South, registered blacks, and picketed segregated establishments. Of course, some Jews, too, paid the ultimate price for their support, perhaps most notably Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman, Freedom Summer workers from New York who, along with Mississippian James Chaney, were brutally murdered by Klansmen in Mississippi and buried near a damn. In late January, journalist and entrepreneur Jeff Johnson came to town and delivered a stirring lecture at Samford University entitled This Very Moment. He called Birmingham one of the great foundational cities of civil-rights mobilization and progress. It also represents a place where blacks and Jews got together to develop strategies that changed the reality, through policy, laws and social engagement, for black people. Yet, he also asked: Why is it we tout this historical relationship between blacks and Jews, but we havent invested in it. He shared his upbringing in Cleveland Heights, a black and Jewish suburb of Cleveland. Journalist Jeff Johnson, during a lecture at Samford University, outlined why the fissure between blacks and Jews contradicts their history of being allies. I grew up with cousins asking me, Why you home from school today? I said, Dog, its Rosh Hashanah, why you in school? I did not grow up with an antagonistic relationship with the Jews in my community, he said. This is not some dude who is coming trying to Jew-bash. This is someone who understands the value of the relationship with the Jewish community. Im just saying we have not invested in it in a way where we are equal partners in the relationship. The Jewish communitys ability to leverage resources to create institutional infrastructures that they use to aggressively advocate for things that their community needs when we dont have those equal institutional infrastructures, when there are challenges within our community when we dont see eye-to-eye, those institutions have greater weight in social circles and political circles that we find ourselves as long as we pretend the relationship is what it used to be able to leverage that over what it is we want and we take it. So, we have somebody whos getting ready to be honored in this community for work theyve done for our community on multiple levels. My issue is not deifying anybody. If we have issues with stuff Angela Davis has done, put the issues on the table and lets talk about them like allies as opposed to making calls and forcing people to do things late in the midnight hour. Thats not allies; thats not a relationship. Thats intimidation. Youre not hearing me say Angela Davis should or not have gotten the award. Im challenging the messed-up process. If youre a community thats operating in transparency then put your issues with the sister on the table because she has done enough work to deserve it. If she doesnt pass the litmus test for what youve said is worthy of an award-winner, then now the community can see in a transparent process what has happened versus feeling like somebody was lobbying in the dead of night to remove somebody, to force people to have a vote really quickly when no one can pay attention. That does not an ally make. If this community is going to be the community it has the potential of being, then we have to be clear about who our allies are, and we have to communicate with each other as if we are a community. The community that is this cityat this very momentis in dire need of repair, in myriad ways, because a divided Birmingham simply cannot thrive. Angela Davis is coming home. Then what? Roy S. Johnsons column appears in The Birmingham News, the Huntsville Times, the Mobile Register and AL.com. Hit me up at rjohnson@al.com. Follow me at twitter.com/roysj or on Instagram at instagram.com/roysj/ Watch Jeff Johnsons complete lecture: This is an opinion column by Mike Oliver who writes about health, life and end-of-life issues for AL.com and his blog. Just say Yes to Medicaid expansion and more people will get health insurance and the economic benefit will be in the billions of dollars. Say no and the state gets no extra dough. Alabama said no in 2014, turning down full federal funding to expand the program to hundreds of thousands of people and the requisite economic benefit estimated to be in the billions of dollars. Although we cant go back and get that money -- the federal funding was at 100 percent for three years. We can still say yes to expansion and reap benefits going forward. The federal funding fixes at 90 percent of costs starting in 2020. The states investment of $1 billion in Medicaid would generate $11 billion in increased economic activity between 2020 and 2023, according to David J. Becker, professor in UABs School of Public Health. Becker has been at the forefront in studying the economics of an expansion. His reports have been cited by proponents, which include hospitals. We ask him six questions. 1. You were quoted by AL.com as saying the state missed out on the deal of the century. Elaborate on what you mean by that. The deal of the century line referred to the early years, particularly 2014-2016, when the federal government would have covered almost 100% of the cost of expansion. The state would have only been responsible for a share of the new administrative costs (around $20-30 million per year). The states $20-30 million annual investment would have generated nearly $3 billion in new economic activity per year and would have yielded tax revenues and cost savings to the state (from existing Medicaid and other health programs) that would have dwarfed those up front costs. Billions of dollars in new economic activity. Millions of dollars in net benefits to the state general fund. Improved health and financial well-being for the 225,000 Alabamians who would have gained coverage. Preservation of access to care from improvements in the financial status of Alabamas hospitals. From the states perspective, that is as good as it gets. Jefferson County's Cooper Green Mercy Hospital is now a walk-in clinic. Hospitals, especially rural ones are facing extreme financial problems due in part to the large segment of uninsured. 2. But its not too late to catch the tail-end, right? Id say this tail really has no end. The past is the past, and there is nothing we can do about decisions that were not made. The motivation for the updated report was to examine the economic case for expansion as the federal match rate reaches its long-term level of 90%. Yes, the state is still eligible for the 93% federal match through the end of calendar year 2019, but the new report is designed to look to the future when the state will indeed be responsible for 10% of the cost of expansion. It is perfectly reasonable for politicians and the public at large to ask how the state will finance its share of the cost. In the new report, I estimate that all but $20-25 million of the annual costs to the state would be offset by new state tax revenues, savings in the existing Medicaid program and savings in other state-funded health programs. With new local tax revenues included, expansion would have a $60 million positive impact per year on public budgets in Alabama. With the focus to the future, Medicaid expansion remains an economic development opportunity without equal. 3. When this prorated match was offered, 26 states opted out. Nine of those states since then have opted in, according to your report. What has been the experience of those states who have accepted the federal money? A silver lining to Alabama's cautious approach to expansion is that we are able to draw upon the actual experiences of other states which did expand. Although state-specific factors (existing Medicaid adult coverage, marginal tax rates, population, etc) complicate direct comparisons, the projected budgetary savings in the original 2012 Alabama study have been realized in expansion states including Louisiana which expanded its program in 2016. Although many of these studies focused on earlier years with higher Federal match rates, research using actual Medicaid expansion enrollment and spending suggests that there will be little or no cost to states in 2020 and beyond. 4. You have come up with economic benefit numbers attributed to the funding, describe what that is and how you came up with the numbers. The economic impact story begins with new federal dollars that would be spent on the health care services delivered to Medicaid expansion enrollees in Alabama. The share of health care costs paid by the Federal government (90%) represent new dollars in the Alabama economy, which either finance care that wouldnt have be received without Medicaid coverage or replacing private funding that previously funded such services. These new Federal dollars generate additional income to providers throughout the Alabama health care system. When this additional income is spent on other goods and services in Alabama (e.g. restaurant meals, clothing, home-repairs, etc.) this generates additional income for workers in those sectors, which is then spent on other goods and services, etc, etc. The economic impact of Medicaid expansion thus includes the direct impact of new Federal spending on health care and the indirect impact as the initial increases in spending flows through the states economy. 5. You say your works have provided compelling evidence of the economic case for Medicaid expansion. Obviously this is a big political issue in the state. Does it make you uncomfortable being involved in such a partisan political issue? As a professor of Public Health at UAB, how do you see your role in this whole affair.? As a health policy researcher, I recognize that there are partisan issues all around me. Health care reform is difficult not because of disagreements about facts, but because of the fundamental differences in our core values. Im not uncomfortable doing work on a topic that is partisan, because I accept that my role is to provide facts to an audience comprised of people who dont all see the world the same way. Our elected officials have been tasked with the responsibility of making important decisions on our behalf. My role is to ensure that those decisions are well-informed. 6. What is the most surprising thing you have seen or uncovered being involved in this issue I am a bit surprised by the lack of attention this issue receives nationally and in Alabama. During the final years of the Obama administration, the Democratic leadership in DC realized they had no leverage to push hold-out states toward expansion beyond the favorable match rate. In their opposition to the 2017 repeal and replace bills Democrats made little effort to negotiate on behalf of individuals caught on the Medicaid coverage gap. Here in Alabama, our states Constitution precludes the path taken by Utah, Idaho and Nebraska where Medicaid expansion was approved through the referendum process in the 2018 midterm elections. Since 1998, roughly 380 Southern Baptist church leaders and volunteers have faced allegations of sexual misconduct, according to an investigation by the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News. About 220 offenders have been convicted or took plea deals, and dozens of cases are pending including pastors, ministers, youth pastors, Sunday school teachers, deacons and church volunteers. Of the 220 convicted offenders, 17 were in Alabama, according to a database compiled by the newspapers. Former Lakeside Baptist Church of Birmingham youth minister Mack Allen Davis, who pleaded guilty in 2014 to six charges of sexually abusing minors in Jefferson County, was one of the 17 offenders included in the database from Alabama. Others include: That list does not include one of the more prominent ministers known to have spoken at Southern Baptist churches and youth events in Alabama, Evangelist Acton Bowen. Paul Edward Acton Bowen, 37, a Gadsden native, was charged in 2018 with second-degree sodomy, enticing a child to enter a vehicle or house for immoral purposes, and second-degree sex abuse. In June 2008, sexual assault victim Debbie Vasquez asked the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention to create a registry for its 47,000 churches to track sexual predators and take action against congregations that harbored or concealed abusers. Efforts to create a denominational registry were defeated. Since all Southern Baptist churches are autonomous and not under the control of a central authority, its difficult to track sexual abuse accusations and criminal convictions in the nations largest Protestant denomination. That has led to many churches hiring sexual predators. At least 35 church pastors, employees and volunteers who exhibited predatory behavior were still able to find jobs at churches during the past two decades; some registered sex offenders returned to the pulpit, the newspapers found in their report, called Abuse of Faith, which documented 700 victims of sexual abuse. Part one of the three-part series was published on Feb. 10. The Rev. Chris Crain, executive director of the Birmingham Baptist Association, said he saw the report. I am grieved to the core of my soul, he said. When I served as pastor, we placed cameras in classrooms, held strict policies about off-campus events, and conducted background checks for all staff and volunteers. The prevention and reporting of sexual abuse is a non-negotiable for those caring for a flock of people - especially the vulnerable. I advise extreme diligence to the 126 churches of the Birmingham Metro Baptist Association. We must minister to people in our fallen, broken world by making the local church a safe, compassionate environment; to do this, a church must never cover up abuse. Church leaders must cooperate with the authorities in making sure abusers - clergy or laity - are dealt with according to the law. Last year, an investigation by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram focused on independent Baptist churches and found 400 allegations against 168 leaders, including prominent pastors, spanning almost 200 churches and institutions. Bishop John McKee Kee Sloan, head of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama, has announced that he will retire next year. During the annual convention of the Diocese of Alabama on Feb. 9, Sloan called for the election of a bishop coadjutor, who would assist him and then succeed him when he retires at the end of 2020. I think its time for me to step aside for new leadership as we continue to share the Good News of the love of God in Jesus Christ in a changing world, Sloan wrote in a letter to the diocese. Sloan was ordained as a suffragan, or assistant, bishop in 2008 for the diocese. Sloan then won an election in 2011 to take over as head of the diocese when former Bishop Henry N. Parsley retired. Sloan presides over about 30,000 Episcopalians in 91 churches across the north-central part of the state. Sloan voted in favor of a new ritual of blessing for same-sex unions that the Episcopal Church approved during its 2012 General Convention. In 2015, the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama unveiled guidelines for blessings for same-sex unions. Sloan has been known for his outreach to the handicapped and for mission work with the poor of Honduras. Sloan was born and raised in Vicksburg, Miss., graduated from Mississippi State University in 1976 with a bachelor's degree in sociology and received his master of divinity degree in 1981 from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn. He worked as a priest in several small parishes in Mississippi and as a chaplain at the University of Mississippi for several years before becoming rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Huntsville in 1993. For 11 years, Sloan was director of a summer camp in Mississippi for people with special needs. In 1998, he helped start a similar program in Alabama, held every July at Camp McDowell. Sloan and his wife, Tina, have been married more than 30 years and have two children, John McKee Jr. and Mary Nell. Sloan said the details for electing his successor now need to be planned. We will release more details about the process of nominating and electing the 12th Bishop of Alabama when they become clear, but it will likely take a year and a half or so, and after we elect and ordain the next bishop, there will be a few months of overlap so that the transition is orderly and smooth, he wrote. He said he was not prompted to leave by any controversy. The part of us that is always on the lookout for something juicy or scandalous will have to be disappointed this time: I have loved being your bishop, and I still do, he wrote. Im not mad at anybody, I havent lost my faith, Im not quitting in a huff, and Im not being run out of town. Its just time. By the end of 2020, I will be 65 years old and will have been ordained for over 39 years, 13 as a bishop. By the end of 2020, I will have been married to Tina my sweet and patient wife for 33 years, and we want to have some time for travel and new adventures. Sloan said he wanted to make room for new leadership. The world is changing quickly, and the Church will either change with it or become a museum, he wrote. I find myself more and more thinking in terms of The Way Weve Always Done It, and I have loved the Episcopal Church too much for too long to get in the way now. U.S. Steels $215 million resumption of a delayed electric arc furnace steelmaking project in Fairfield got about $1.1 million in incentives from state officials. According to the Alabama Department of Commerce, the states incentives will be through Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT). It will provide recruitment, pre- and post-employment training support for the 150 new employees the company expects to hire. The AIDT commitment is estimated at $1,136,950. Jefferson County also granted tax abatements for 10 years. Any local incentives were immediately unclear. Earlier today, U.S. Steel Corp. announced construction would begin immediately on an electric arc furnace steelmaking project at Fairfield, which will include modernization of the plants existing rounds caster. This project was originally announced in March 2015 but was shut down in December of that year due to unfavorable market conditions, Upon the projects completion in the second half of 2020, the furnace will have an annual capacity of 1.6 million tons, the company said. Currently, the Fairfield operation has an annual capacity of approximately 720,000 tons of seamless tubular products, made mainly for the energy industry. As The Wall Street Journal stated, electric furnaces, which make steel from melted scrap metal instead of iron ore, can operate with fewer workers and are easier to stop and restart than traditional blast furnaces that must operate continuously to avoid damage. In response to the announcement, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell said, as a stronger supporter of American-made steel, she was thrilled. Manufacturing facilities like Fairfield Works are economic pillars in our community. While this expansion is a move in the right direction, Congress must do more to create jobs and strengthen manufacturing in states like Alabama. I look forward to continue working with steelworkers and U.S. Steel to promote growth and economic opportunity in Alabamas 7th District and across our state," Sewell said. Jefferson County Commissioner Lashunda Scales, who represents Fairfield and is vice chairwoman of the commissions Economic Development Committee, called the development exciting news in a statement sent to AL.com. The re-opening of US Steels furnace is exciting news for the city of Fairfield and Jefferson County, she said. Providing residents with good jobs and livable wages sustain communities while growing the local economy. The Cairo Metro is often described as an efficient and safe means of transportation in a city notorious for its anarchic traffic. For the millions of Egyptians who use the subway daily, it is the preferred way of getting around the congested city. Female-only cars allow women to avoid sexual harassment, which is all too common on Cairo's crowded buses and streets. Lately, however, the Cairo underground has been used by an increasing number of Egyptians for an entirely different purpose, albeit a deadly one. Since March 2018, at least eight people most of them under the age of 25 have attempted suicide by jumping in front of speeding trains. Six were killed by oncoming trains. The two who survived include a 17-year-old girl, who, before she jumped on the tracks, had been quarreling with her mother in the crowded Ezbet El Nakhl Station on Sept. 5. Though she survived, she suffered serious injuries. The other survivor, a 41-year-old telecom company employee, had his leg amputated as a result of his attempt to take his own life. On Jan. 15, Omar Hassan Ali, 22, a university student, threw himself under the wheels of a train approaching Mar Girgis Station in Old Cairo, the latest Metro suicide to shock the country. In Egypt's predominantly Muslim society, suicide is considered a sin. According to the hadiths, or sayings of Prophet Muhammad, those who take their own life "suffer eternal hellfire." They also bring shame upon their families. Those beliefs, however, have failed to deter the suicide seekers who apparently out of desperation, anger or frustration attempted to end their lives in this brutal manner. The fact that they have chosen to do so publicly, rather than privately at home, is believed by some sociologists to be a form of protest or a statement against the conditions that drove them to commit their act of despair. "It's a cry for attention; they were trying to send a message [about their plight] to the entire society. If they had quietly committed suicide at home, the message would have been lost," Saeed Sadek, a professor of political sociology at Ahram Canadian University, told Al-Monitor. He added that the Metro reaches poor areas, where the levels of stress and socio-economic pressures are high. "Public suicides are driven by social, political, economic and psychological factors," he said. "Taking one's life is often a backlash against the harsh circumstances a person has had to endure. Difficult living conditions often cause depression, especially if there is no way out. In most suicide cases, the person suffers from depression because he or she sees no hope and no future." Financial hardship also plays a role in the increasing public suicides in Egypt. Since the flotation of the Egyptian pound in November 2016, dire economic conditions have pushed up prices of fuel and basic commodities, piling pressure on Egyptians struggling to make ends meet. Compounding people's frustrations and low morale are high unemployment rates, especially among youths: 77.9% of youths aged 15 to 29 are without jobs, according to CAPMAS, the national statistics agency. Disappointment at the unmet aspirations from the 2011 revolution is another cause for depression among young people who participated in the uprising that unseated President Hosni Mubarak. Restrictions on freedom of speech, including arrests and detentions of anyone remotely critical of government policies, have made it difficult for citizens to express their grievances and vent their pent-up resentment. In Egypt's patriarchal society, girls and women are subjected to harmful cultural practices, including female genital mutilation and other forms of gender-based violence that often cause trauma and anxiety. Sexual relations outside of marriage are taboo and the high cost of marriage is beyond the means of the average Egyptian. A growing number of youths are resorting to substance abuse to help them cope with emotional distress and family issues. Those and other challenges have contributed to a rise in psychological disorders. And yet, many of those affected are reluctant to seek treatment, either because of the stigma associated with mental illness, or because they cannot afford to pay for medical help. A survey conducted by the Ministry of Health in April 2018 found that one-fourth of the population was suffering from some kind of mental health problem, particularly anxiety and substance abuse-related depression. Many of those affected are from rural communities, where poverty is rampant and opportunities are scarce, according to the survey. With an annual rate of four suicide deaths per 100,000 people, according to the 2019 World Population Review, Egypt is among the countries with relatively low suicide rates, ranking 143 out of 176 countries on suicide globally. But the statistics offered by this and other polls are up for dispute, given that many suicide cases go unreported or are misclassified due to the sensitivity of the issue. While subway suicides have attracted more media attention than other suicide cases, they are by no means the only method of suicide utilized in the country. Jumping off a bridge into the Nile River, with the intent of drowning, is not altogether a rare occurrence in Egypt. Depressed Egyptians are also known to commit suicide by hanging themselves or by overdosing on sleeping pills. Several reports have surfaced of people setting themselves on fire in public places. Such cases are reminiscent of and were likely inspired by the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi, the Tunisian fruit seller whose act of despair sparked the Arab Spring protests in late 2010. In a deeply disturbing incident in October 2016, Ashraf Mohammed Shaheen, a 30-year-old taxi driver, set himself on fire in Alexandria to protest the high prices and poor living conditions. It is unclear whether he survived. In yet another suicide, a 19-year-old student jumped to his death from the top floor of the Cairo Tower on Gezira island in June. He was about to take his Thanaweya Amma, or secondary school, exams, and had been facing enormous pressure from his parents to get good grades. Thanaweya Amma students often suffer a great deal of anguish and frayed nerves before their exams, as their future careers hinge on their scores. Their grades determine which universities will admit them and even, more importantly, the areas of study they are able to pursue. Three months earlier, another young man attempted to jump to his death from the top of the Pyramid of Cheops, the tallest of the three Pyramids of Giza. He was overtaken by security guards, who forced him to climb down and then arrested him, according to local media reports. The Metro suicides have spread alarm in Egypt, both for their unprecedented as well as violent nature. Transportation officials, however, downplay the suicides. Said Taimeh, a member of parliament's Transportation Committee, dismissed the Metro suicides as "acts by people who have strayed away from the faith," according to Asharq al-Awsat. Ali Fadali, director of the National Metro Authority, criticized the suicide attempts as irresponsible acts by selfish individuals. He added that the suicides disrupt the lives of millions of citizens and disturb public order. The harshest response came in a press statement from Ahmed Abdel Hadi, the spokesman for the Metro Authority. After a Sept. 2 suicide attempt during rush hour at the Gamal Abdel Nasser Station, he said that the transit system incurs huge losses as a result of suicides. He lambasted those responsible for the chaos, telling them that "the Metro is not a suicide instrument" and that they should go elsewhere to commit such acts. "Millions of people depend on the transit system to commute to and from work on a daily basis," he said. "The Metro should not be a suicide destination for people with mental illnesses." He added that surveillance cameras have been installed at all stations in a bid to prevent such incidents from happening. Skeptics doubt that the new surveillance system will curb the Metro suicides, but their increase has served as a wake-up call to Egyptian authorities: Egyptians need more access to mental health care. Given the continued political repression and struggling economy, stress and anxiety will likely increase in the period ahead. Without medical attention for depression and other mental health challenges, Egyptians could be headed for trouble. Selcuk Kozagacli, an outspoken human rights attorney and chairman of the Progressive Lawyers Association (CHD), appeared Jan. 29 at his father's grave handcuffed to a police officer. He had been brought to the funeral from his prison cell. A young attorney bending down handcuffed by his father's grave, shoveling soil with one hand, is regarded by many as a cruel and unusual punishment of critical voices in Turkey. Attorney Didem Baydar Unsal from the Peoples Law Office told Al-Monitor that Kozagacli was handcuffed for 26 hours while being transported to and from his fathers funeral. Although security personnel knew Kozagacli was not a flight risk, they did not unlock the handcuffs or let him mourn with his family for fear of their own superiors. Unsal said that their law office had been subjected to a major judicial operation in 2013, whereby 22 attorneys were taken into custody and nine others arrested. According to Unsal, the reason for those arrests was these lawyers opposition to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) policies. Kozagacli was imprisoned for a year along with the others. Unsal provided Al-Monitor with a list of cases that the Peoples Law Office handled in the past, some of which have been discussed in detail by Al-Monitor, such as police brutality, miners who died in work accidents and other human rights issues. Precise numbers are not available, but Gokmen Yesil, a lawyer and chair of the CHDs Istanbul chapter, said in an interview with Arti TV Feb. 2 that hundreds of lawyers are behind bars. In its 2017 report, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights wrote that "some 570 lawyers were arrested and 1,480 faced some kind of prosecution and 79 were sentenced to long-term imprisonment." The report issued on the occasion of the 2019 Day of the Endangered Lawyer states, Many human rights organizations, among them Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, IDHAE and the International Commission of Jurists, confirm that the Turkish authorities have moved beyond scaremongering, and are now rapidly taking concrete steps to shut down the last critical voices in the countrys human rights community." Unsurprisingly, the Day of the Endangered Lawyer this year focuses on Turkey. Since 2010, the independence of the legal profession is celebrated on Jan. 24, promoting solidarity with lawyers globally who perform their profession often under great pressure. The personal and professional safety of Turkish lawyers was also a focus in 2012. Yesil explained that the CHD has been working pro bono to help defend those in need of legal representation since 1974. He said, When we [lawyers] are arrested we are asked why are you defending workers? Miners? Students? He added that the CHD takes a thorough approach in the cases they handle. On Nov. 22, 2016, security forces stormed the CHD offices around Turkey and shut them down. They also confiscated case files, including those in the high-profile murder of Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink. Yesil also shared an anecdote. On May 13, 2014, the Soma mine disaster claimed the lives of 301 miners as the result of what was considered a preventable explosion. Yesil had traveled to Soma with his colleagues. He said, As we were trying to help rescue operations, special forces police came and took us to a room and kept us locked in there for hours without any explanation. Finally they released us. It was only then we learned that then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was visiting the town. We think they must have feared we may encourage the families to question government officials. On the seventh day after the incident, no one from the mining company had been taken into custody, but the lawyers were attacked for providing legal advice to the victims families. In a place where 301 miners had died, only lawyers were in custody and were brutally attacked by the police. Kozagacli suffered a broken arm resisting police brutality. Lawyers in Turkey are being prosecuted for the same crimes their defendants are charged with. They are accused of being a member of a terrorist organization, supporting a terrorist organization or assisting one. Defending someone charged with terrorism is considered aiding terrorist activities. Unsal said that in cases against lawyers there is no credible evidence, except for secret witnesses. In some cases, testimonies of these witnesses have been proven false during cross examination. As a result, defendants' lawyers are removed from the courtroom and not allowed to participate in the cross examination. Kemal Aytac, an attorney who is also the spokesman for Justice Watch, a weekly picketing protest against the arrests of journalists and activists, which lasted 85 weeks and ended at the end of December 2018, told Al-Monitor that defendants are being left without lawyers, as lawyers are being prosecuted systematically. The exhausting and arbitrary judicial harassment follows an odd pattern. For instance, journalists from Cumhuriyet daily went through a prolonged court case, with all the attorneys involved imprisoned. Aytac said, Three lawyers in the Cumhuriyet case were taken into custody for five months with no legal charges. During this time we started the Justice Watch protests at the Istanbul court. The police attacked us and we suffered physical injuries. Some of us were arrested and Justice Watch has been prosecuted. While the attorneys of the Cumhuriyet case were released, those who took part in the Justice Watch protests in support of them were taken into custody. He added that in the last three years the pressure on lawyers has been so intense that they can no longer perform their legal duties. Human rights lawyer Ramazan Demir, who is an honorary member of the Paris Bar Association and a representative for the Human Rights Committee of the European branch of the International Bar Association, told Al-Monitor, In the last 15 years government intervention in the judiciary has generated pressure on lawyers like never before. Lawyers can't visit their clients in prison nor represent them properly in court. Particularly in political cases, attorneys are no longer able to have a presence; they are banned. Oddly, lawyers who dare to defend their colleagues are also prosecuted and banned from the profession. Demir himself has been prosecuted multiple times, arrested for taking the human rights violations during curfews in the majority Kurdish southeastern towns to the European Court of Human Rights. The attorneys Al-Monitor interviewed stated two issues: The government is restricting their access to court files and they are not allowed to represent their clients in court, even if they are not imprisoned. Demir and other lawyers also observe that the governments efforts to leave political criminals without defense is aided by the ignorant compliance of justices. The government targets all lawyers, not exclusively Kurdish or left-leaning professionals, but anyone who attempts to practice law. For instance, imprisoned Islamist leader Alparslan Kuytuls attorney, Adem Tural, was brutally attacked by the police Jan. 25 while trying to inquire about his clients case. Murder is not an exaggerated fear, but a real concern for lawyers in Turkey. In 2015, prominent human rights lawyer Tahir Elci was murdered in front of the cameras. Erdal Dogan, another prominent human rights lawyer, has been receiving death threats since 2011. Dogan told Al-Monitor, There are verbal threats against my life. But also there have been men coming to my office [caught on camera] investigating about me, my life, my work habits and colleagues at the same office. Demir emphasized that the AKP government has used the courts to justify the curtailment of civil rights and liberties. Judicial harassment has been institutionalized, he concluded. By Delana Isles THE HOUSE of Assembly has passed the Hotel and Restaurant (Service Charge) Amendment Ordinance 2019 after much debate in the chamber. On Tuesday, January 29, many of the Opposition members who had opposed the bill as unworkable reiterated their opposition to the proposed law. They suggested that the 60/40 percent split between proprietor and employee remain the same. Opposition members then left the chambers and the bill was then passed without them voting on it. The new law took effect on February 1. It comes after months of protests by some in the Opposition, consultations by the Government, the repeal of the original ordinance and finally amendments being made and consulted on to the new bill. It promises hospitality workers 100 percent of the service charge collected from guests, but with deductions being made for National Insurance Board (NIB) and National Health Insurance Plan (NHIP) statutory payments as well as all credit card fees related to the payment of service charge. Proprietors of participating hotels, restaurants and villas will now apply a 10 percent service to their customers and guests bills, all of which, minus the aforementioned deductions will be paid to the workers. The new law ensures better compliance with the ordinance, and puts in place an uncapped facility fee that proprietors can apply to guests bills, all of which the business will retain. The law also makes provisions for proprietors to cover the costs associated with administering the service charge through the facility fee. The Turkish liras nearly 30% depreciation last year had a boosting impact on the countrys exports, while curbing its imports. Exports rose 7% from the previous year to hit a record level of more than $168 billion, while imports decreased 4.6% to some $223 billion, according to official figures released last week. The largest exports were in the land vehicles category, which includes motor vehicles, tractors, bicycles and motorcycles. Rising 11.8% from last year, exports in this category reached some $26.8 billion. In contrast, vehicle imports dropped 20.3% to about $13.9 billion, with luxury cars leading the decline under the impact of increased foreign exchange prices. Among the top 20 export categories, the biggest increase 40.6% was in iron and steel products, with the sales totaling some $11.5 billion. The rise came despite the US tariff increase on steel products from Turkey, which was widely expected to hit its exports. But evidently, Turkish exporters boosted sales to other markets, especially the European Union, and even expanded to new ones, including Latin American countries such as Chile, Panama, Colombia, Peru, Jamaica, Costa Rica and Mexico. The liras slump hit the importation of not only luxury products, but also intermediate goods, which in turn curtailed the exportation of items whose production relies on intermediate goods. The most striking example is in the category of precious and semiprecious stones, precious metals, pearls, imitation jewelry and metal money, in which imports dropped 28% to about $12.6 billion, and exports slumped 34.1% to some $7.2 billion. The increased foreign exchange prices caused a 21.7% drop in imports in the category of electric machines and devices, audio and television devices and related parts and accessories, including mobile phones. These imports were worth about $16.6 billion in 2018, down from nearly $21.2 billion the previous year. In some categories, imports increased despite the higher foreign exchange prices. Livestock imports, for instance, rose to nearly $1.8 billion from $1.2 billion in 2017, reflecting the downturn in Turkeys farming sector, which has led to an alarming surge in food prices. Orhan Saribal, deputy chair of the main opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) and an agricultural engineer by profession, said the livestock imports in 2018 were the largest ever, slamming the policies of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The imports have increased sixfold from $300 million in 2010. In the 2010-2018 period, Turkey spent $6,386,000,000 on livestock imports and $1,378,000,000 on meat imports, Saribal, who closely follows the husbandry and agricultural sectors, told Al-Monitor. The import policy is based on fatlings and slaughter animals rather than animals for breeding. Resources supposed to go to local farmers were [channeled] to foreign farmers by the AKP. Turkeys largest imports are in the energy category. They were worth nearly $43 billion last year, an increase of 15.6% from about $37.2 billion in 2017. Germany tops the list of Turkeys export markets, followed by Britain, Italy, Iraq, the United States, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Israel and Belgium. China and Russia, which are among the leading sellers to Turkey, are absent from Turkeys top 10 export markets but, perhaps in consolation, Turkish tomato sales to Russia an unlikely item in bilateral political tensions skyrocketed to $30 million last year. The top 10 exporters to Turkey are led by Russia, followed by Germany, China, the United States, Italy, India, France, Britain, South Korea and Iran. Given the shifts in Turkeys foreign trade last year, can one speak of an overall balancing? Faik Oztrak, another CHP deputy chair and former treasury undersecretary, told Al-Monitor, In the 2003-2018 period under the AKP, Turkeys exports totaled $1.9 trillion, while its imports climbed to $3 trillion. The gap between imports and exports, the countrys foreign trade deficit, stands at more than $1 trillion for the past 16 years. This means that Turkey posted a foreign trade deficit of $1.2 billion every week under the AKP. Thats the truth the government cannot bring itself to utter. Asked about the downtick in imports, Oztrak said, The composition of the decreased imports points to stagnation in the economy. The importation of capital goods dropped 11.5% in 2018, which means a serious decline in the importation of goods used in investments supposed to boost the countrys production capacity. Coupled with other indicators such as the decline in industrial output and the slowdown in the loan volume, this augurs a significant contraction in the Turkish economy. Former Finance Minister Zekeriya Temizel, for his part, stressed that Turkeys exports were largely dependent on imports. About 80% of Turkeys exports rely on imports, which is a disadvantage. If an increase in exports stems from the impact of exchange rates, this could be seen as [a sign of] recession, Temizel told Al-Monitor. If you fail to increase the export of goods with zero imported input or if you fail to produce a given product in an easier and more efficient way than other countries, you cannot be successful. Like you export flour but you import wheat thats wrong. Kursat Tuzmen, who served as the AKPs state minister for foreign trade from 2002 to 2009, said Ankaras target to boost exports to $500 billion by 2023 had slipped out of reach due to the fallout from the governments foreign policy, among other factors. Foreign policy has become an obstacle to trade. Problems in relations with Syria, Iraq, Iran, Russia and the EU, followed by negative trends in global trade, have unfortunately curbed Turkeys targets, Tuzmen told Al-Monitor. Exports were worth $36 billion in 2002 [when the AKP came to power], and we managed to increase them by nearly $100 billion in six years to bring them to $133 billion at the end of 2008. Had we managed to sustain that trend, the $500 billion target for 2023 would have been easily attainable. In sum, the foreign trade figures that the government is boasting about are seen as an omen of economic recession by its critics. In the last quarter of the year in particular, the increase in exports and the decrease in imports owe much to the impact of foreign exchange rates and shrinking domestic demand. This can hardly be described as an achievement. One can speak of success only if Turkeys economy grows for several years in a row with a simultaneous decrease in its current account deficit. Russias Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu met with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar in Ankara today ahead of a trilateral summit on Syria in Russias Sochi between the presidents of Turkey, Russia and Iran due to be held Feb. 14. Akar and Shoigu reportedly discussed the latest developments in Syria, notably in the rebel-held province of Idlib, where al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants are consolidating their hold after driving out rival Sunni Arab rebel groups, including ones backed by Turkey. Akar initiated the meeting, according to the pro-government Turkish daily Sabah. In a joint statement put out after their meeting, the ministers said decisive measures need to be taken to stabilize the situation in Idlib province, and despite provocations, to continue partnerships between our two countries. The statement also referred to Turkey's security concerns stemming from the Islamic State as well as the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) and its political arm the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the need to address them within the framework of a common understanding. Both Kurdish groups are considered terrorist outfits by Ankara though not by Moscow. In a show of the deepening friendship between the Black Sea powers, the ministers made appropriately positive noises ahead of their powwow. Akar said, We have various contacts with Russia at all levels to secure the interests and rights of our countries and to assure peace and stability and the cease-fire in the region. Shoigu said the sides had already agreed on key issues including on Idlib and the Kurdish-controlled northeast of Syria that is currently under US protection. The ministerial assignation follows calls from Moscow for Turkey to carry out its pledges to fulfill the terms of an agreement struck in September whereby the Syrian government forces would refrain from any full-scale operation to retake the province, allowing Turkey time to persuade HTS to cede control without a fight. But Turkey has failed to achieve that goal so far and according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, terrorist groups are operating in about 70% of the demilitarized zone where Turkish military observers stand between the regime and the rebels. Speaking at a news conference Feb. 7, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova piled on the pressure, saying, We expect our Turkish partners to activate their efforts to ultimately turn the tide and to fully carry out the obligations they took upon themselves. Despite Russian rhetoric and sporadic shelling and air attacks by Syrian regime forces, analysts air skepticism that any large-scale government offensive on Idlib is imminent. We dont see any massing of government forces of a kind that would suggest a major operation is at hand, a senior Western official told Al-Monitor on condition of strict anonymity. One cannot start an offensive without lots of preparation. Idlib is a huge area with more than three million people. Although the regime itself is in a hurry to regain control over the province, which remains one of the biggest thorns in its side, Haid Haid, a research fellow at the London-based think tank Chatham House, told Al-Monitor, There is no green light for this from Russia and without it there cannot be an offensive. The lack of Russian approval is principally because Moscow does not want to upset relations with Turkey on a number of counts. Haid observed, When it comes to Syria, Russia does not need Turkey for what it is seeking to achieve specifically, which is to help the regime reassert full control. But its courtship with Turkey allows Russia to pull Ankara further away from the United States and NATO while building a coalition in the region with other regional actors. Haid reckons that the other reason Moscow is willing to hold back is that it's waiting to see what the United States will do in northeastern Syria. Pressure from the European Union, which is terrified at the prospect of a fresh flood of Syrian refugees potentially pressing against its borders from Turkey, is another, if lesser factor, Haid said. President Donald Trump said he would withdraw US troops from the Kurdish-controlled zone in January and they are expected to be out by early May. Staving off a regime offensive on Idlib might be leveraged to encourage Turkey to favor a gradual return of regime forces to the northeast in lieu of other proposals being floated by Trumps Syria team. In January, Russian President Vladimir Putin evoked the 1998 Adana accord between Turkey and Syria that committed Damascus to insulate Turkey from any attacks from Kurdish militants operating on its side of the border after his meeting with Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The message was that Turkey could rely on Damascus to rein in its Kurdish foes. But who will rein in HTS? The senior Western official said, I think HTS is now out of the control of even Ankara, hence Turkey will not mind if the regime and the Russians eventually mount an attack. And according to Haid, Turkey lacks the means to halt one anyway, and at most can buy time by backing rival militants against HTS, a strategy thats borne little fruit thus far. In the meantime, Haid said, HTS is seeking to win hearts and minds in Idlib through a series of confidence-building measures described in detail in a recent essay he penned for Chatham House. These measures include imaginative deals to protect rival militants and their civilian supporters in recently captured territory. The groups coffers seem to be comfortably full thanks to business conducted through front operations such as the energy company Watad, which imports oil from Turkey via the Bab al-Hawa border crossing. Ultimately, however, with nobody prepared to engage with HTS as the non-state political actor it aspires to become, its future options remain limited. There is no way out of their troubles, Haid said. The ministers' statement gave no further details. The Palestinian Authority (PA) intends to impose new sanctions on Hamas involving money transfer companies in the Gaza Strip. Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar revealed Jan. 29 that the Palestine Monetary Authority (PMA) in Ramallah, the West Bank, told its licensed money transfer companies that the PMA plans to end or reduce its work in Gaza by the end of February. The PA has long pressured Hamas to give up the movement's control of the Gaza Strip. Reconciliation efforts have failed. PA sanctions in recent years have affected all aspects of life in Gaza, forcing 26,000 government employees into early retirement, reducing the salaries of 62,000 employees by 50% and cutting off the money paid to 277 released detainees. In addition, the sanctions delayed for six months the disbursement of social benefits to 76,000 families in the Gaza Strip, suspended the budgets of the health and education ministries, closed the bank accounts of orphanages covering the needs of 40,000 children and greatly reduced medical transfers abroad, especially for cancer patients. The PMA declined to comment to Al-Monitor about the Al-Akhbar report, giving no reason. However, a close associate of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, The PA will do everything to end Hamas control over Gaza as quickly as possible and this includes drying up its [support] sources. Hamas brings money into Gaza through money transfer companies in ways the PA cannot detect. These companies are essential to increasing the movements budget and revenues. Of the 500 money transfer companies operating in Gaza, only 60 are licensed. All 500 firms face obstacles in sending and receiving transfers. They can't transfer more than a few thousand dollars and can't receive any money from sources unknown to the PMA. Three types of transfers take place in Gaza. These include transfers from one bank to another. Second are "fast transfers," divided into two categories: licensed ones using operations such as MoneyGram and Western Union; and unlicensed ones that go through firms such as Xpress Money, Xpress Remit and Al Ansari Exchange. The third type consists of manual transfers outside the banking system and are tantamount to money laundering. These transfers often involve Palestinian organizations that Palestinian and Israeli security services prevent from opening bank accounts. Abed al-Khaleq, an employee at a money transfer company he did not name for security reasons, told Al-Monitor, The PMA [told] us early in 2019 to regularize our situation and get our licenses. We learned from the PMA that more sanctions will be imposed on Gaza, to include us. This will affect over 2,000 employees and thousands of people who benefit [from money transfer companies]. He added, Our company averages 5,000 transfers per month, worth millions of dollars. Strangely, the amount of money we send from Gaza abroad is greater than we receive. Money transfer companies conduct thousands of transfers daily to and from the Gaza Strip. Gazan families of students studying abroad send them money to cover tuition fees and accommodation costs. Meanwhile, Palestinians in Arab and Western countries send remittances to their families in Gaza to help them get by under the difficult circumstances resulting from the ongoing Israeli blockade imposed more than a decade ago. Usama Nofal, director of planning and policy at the Ministry of Economy in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, The PAs targeting of money transfer companies will bring the economic situation in Gaza further down, especially with the lack of foreign exchange in Gaza. The concerned Gaza government authorities don't know the amount of funds entering Gaza through these companies. We have no control over them; they aren't subordinated to a central bank. Gazas money transfer companies have operated smoothly in the past, but after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, more conditions were imposed on people using these companies' services. In January 2012, Western Union canceled the licenses it had granted to exchange and money transfer companies in Gaza. In May 2015, the Israeli army raided exchange companies in the West Bank cities of Hebron and Bethlehem, accusing them of transferring money to Hamas. That same month, Palestinian security services announced they had discovered financial sources transferring funds to Hamas worth tens of thousands of shekels to and from Gaza. (One Israeli shekel equals roughly 28 cents.) Former Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman in June 2018 classified Hamed Exchange Company in Gaza as a terrorist organization, accusing it of helping Hamas financially. On Nov. 22, the PA approved the National Strategy for Combating Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing aimed at identifying the reasons for transfers between banks and tracking their sources and beneficiaries. The process for individuals has evolved/devolved, depending on the point of view, over the years. Now, when clients want to receive transfers, the companies must ask for their ID card, cellphone number, details about the sender and the nature of the relationship between them, for example, whether they are related or coworkers. Still, it could be worse, and no doubt will be. Mohammed Abu Jayab, editor-in-chief of Al-Eqtesadia newspaper in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, Individual transfers via Gaza money transfer companies are simple, but they involve large amounts. During Ramadan 2018 [mid-May to mid-June], $30 million was transferred to Gaza. The PA and Israel are accusing these companies of funding Hamas. He added, Such accusations are hard to believe. These companies don't dare transfer large amounts of money to Hamas because they are licensed by the PMA. Also, restrictions are imposed on the parties transferring money from outside Palestine, who fear being pursued by their countries of residence. Whats more, Palestinian security services take action against any company transferring money to Hamas. Money transfer companies in the West Bank are also subject to tight control by both the Israeli and Palestinian security services. The economic department of the Palestinian Preventive Security Service controls all transfers to verify the sources and grant security approval before they are cashed. Atef Adwan, head of the Economic Committee of the Palestinian Legislative Council, told Al-Monitor, The expected PA step against the money transfer companies is very serious because it further reduces the little cash left in Gaza. This comes within the PAs intention to block the flow of money into the Gaza Strip and get rid of any and all financial resources. The PA wants to push the economic situation in Gaza to collapse. It's currently easier to receive funds through money transfer companies in the Gaza Strip than through banks, which impose complex procedures and are subject to Israeli and Palestinian control. The PA knows that these companies are the only outlet for Palestinian families in Gaza to receive money from abroad, and that these pending restrictions are designed to make citizens' economic situation even harder. Needy families receiving money from abroad will suffer and poverty rates in the Gaza Strip will rise. The Knesset passed the "pay-to-slay" law in July 2018, which enables the government to withhold tax money from the Palestinian Authority (PA) as long as it continues to pay stipends to Palestinian assailants in Israeli prisons and to their families. Although the Knesset passed the law seven months ago, the Israeli government continued to transfer taxpayer money it collects for the PA to the Palestinian authorities as usual. Not one shekel has been deducted from it. The defense establishment hoped that no one in Israel would notice. They were concerned that any attempt to deduct those costs would lead to an escalation of violence, a threat that was exacerbated when Congress passed the Taylor Force Act in March 2018, cutting American financial aid to the PA. On Feb. 1, senior PLO officials Saeb Erekat and Hanan Ashrawi exchanged angry and provocative tweets with President Donald Trumps envoy to the Middle East, Jason Greenblatt. In their own ways and using their own particular styles, both officials reminded him that Jerusalem is not for sale and the Palestinians have no interest in appearing before American courts, which can require them to pay compensation for American citizens killed by Palestinian terrorists. Greenblatt already has a miserable relationship with Erekat, so his response should come as no surprise: So let me get this clear: You want only benefits and no responsibilities? The 1994 Paris Protocol signed between the Israelis and Palestinians put some order into the various economic issues between the two parties. It included the provision that Israel would collect various taxes for the PA and transfer the money to it after necessary deductions such as import taxes on goods destined for the PA. The problem is that over the years, Israel exploited this agreement to apply pressure to the PA and manipulate it. The first Israeli leader to do this was former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. In January 2006, he decided to freeze the transfer of funds in reaction to the Hamas victory in the Palestinian parliamentary election. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the same approach, stopping the transfer of money whenever the right pressured him to impose sanctions on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Over time, many Israelis came to be under the false impression that the money being held back was a grant. In fact, the Paris Protocol reflected the interest of the Israeli government at the time, which wanted to avoid an economic border between the State of Israel and the PA. Such an economic frontier would have been perceived as a sign of Palestinian sovereignty. Both morally and as a matter of principle, Israel is opposed to paying compensation to any Palestinian who commits an act of terror against Israelis. It rightfully sees this as a way of incentivizing desperate young Palestinians to commit acts of terrorism in order to improve their families financial situations (as they know that their families will receive stipends after they are caught or hurt). Having said that, from the Palestinian perspective, the assailants are not terrorists but legitimate freedom fighters operating under occupation. When the Palestinians realized that Israel intends on leveraging the Paris Protocol to apply pressure on them, they launched a campaign designed to expose this unjustified link from their point of view. That is why on Feb. 7, Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs Hussein al-Sheikh transferred a clear message to Israel: The PA would refuse to accept any of the taxpayer money that Israel collects on its behalf if Israel links the Paris Protocol to the stipends paid by the PA to the families of Palestinian prisoners and "shahids" (martyrs). In other words, the PA rejects Israels intention of deducting these amounts from the due tax revues. The fact that this Palestinian appeal was leaked to the media instead of being made behind the scenes indicates that the crisis was planned in advance in an attempt to reshuffle the deck and release the Palestinians from the Oslo Accords (by which Israel collects tax money for the Palestinians), no matter what the outcome. It is as if they are saying, Lets see you Israelis and Americans deal with the collapse of the PA and the utter elimination of any security collaboration. Just one day after the Palestinian threat became public, on Feb. 8 a young Israeli girl named Ori Ansbacher was brutally raped and killed in Jerusalem. In an impressive joint operation, the Shin Bet and the Yamam Counter-Terrorism Unit caught Arafat Irfaiya, from Hebron, less than 24 hours later. He admitted committing the rape and murder during his interrogation and even re-created the crimes for his investigators. Although the Israeli security forces did not offer many details about the rapid operation to capture the terrorist, it is doubtful that such a speedy intelligence and arrest operation without any Palestinian casualties could have taken place without security cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian security forces. After the murder, New Right head Naftali Bennett criticized Netanyahus government for not implementing the law. In response to the criticism, Netanyahu used the Feb. 10 Cabinet meeting to commit to the quick implementation of the law to offset terrorist salaries. Of course, after making this commitment, Netanyahu will have a hard time walking it back. Public opinion in Israel was shocked by the murder. Under no circumstances would it agree that the family of a Palestinian assailant behind such a brutal rape and murder of a 19-year-old girl would receive payment from the PA for as long as the perpetrator sits in an Israeli prison. This is where the trap lies. The PA has announced that it would refuse to accept the taxpayer money owed to it if the salaries of terrorists are deducted. In other words, an economic crisis is right around the corner. As aforementioned, this is a self-imposed crisis, intended meticulously to bring about the economic collapse of the PA, which would, in turn, lead to calls of SOS to extricate it from the very crisis it was forced to bring on itself. What happens then? Apparently, no one in Israel, Ramallah or Washington can say with any certainty. Obviously, Abbas knows that on the day he stops payments to the families of the martyrs and prisoners, the Palestinians themselves will bring him down. As far as he is concerned, the imminent economic crisis is a way to alleviate the blow, which is coming no matter what. The northern Iraqi city of Mosul is on guard about the possibility of an outbreak of sectarian strife between Sunnis and Shiites following allegations that the Shiite Waqf (religious endowment) is seeking to seize Sunni-held land in the area. The head of the Iraqi Al-Qarar Coalition, Osama Najafi, said Jan. 30, The Shiite endowment in Ninevah [province] is trying to register hundreds of property bonds belonging to the Sunni Waqf in its name, using its influence through official books issued by the General Real Estate Registration Directorate. Najafi said the Shiite endowment was also pressuring and threatening staff in the real estate registration office in Mosul. The Sunni Waqf has demanded that the federal government put an end to the attempts by the Shiite Waqf to seize more of its real estate and property, as seen in a Jan. 26 statement by Shirwan al-Dubardani, a member of the Iraqi parliament from Ninevah. He told Al-Monitor, Rogue armed groups are trying to seize land in Ninevah in operations outside the law, adding, The fact-finding commission will identify the official entities involved. Dubardani said, Authorities in Ninevah filed a complaint to Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, requesting a swift intervention to stop violations against the Sunni Waqf and land belonging to them. Deputies from Ninevah will adopt a unified position in issuing a decision to halt these violations. Both the Sunni and Shiite endowments were established in 2003, shortly after the US invasion of Iraq, with the division of the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs into Sunni, Shiite and non-Muslim bodies. Following the Islamic States occupation of Mosul in 2014, the Shiite Waqf ceased its functions in the province, returning after the liberation of the city to open its headquarters in eastern Mosul on Dec. 19, 2017. In reality, the conflict is not a product of todays events. Former Ninevah Gov. Atheel Nujaifi said in January 2018, The Shiite Waqf office in 2010 requested the transfer of ownership of 20 historical mosques to its possession, all 20 of which are in the Old City and were destroyed by fighting. On Jan. 27, 2018, the director of the Sunni Waqf in Ninevah, Abu Bakr Kanaan, accused the Shiite Waqf of appropriating land even though documents show it is owned by the Sunni Waqf. Kanaan said the Shiite Waqf was trying to take over custodianship of property surrounding the shrines of the Prophet Seth and the Prophet Yunus (Jonah) that is often rented out; the shrines were destroyed by the Islamic State. In September, hundreds of vendors in the area of the Yunus shrine appealed to the local and central governments to intervene to stop the encroachment of investors contracted by the Shiite Waqf. Farqad al-Saudi, the director of public relations for the Shiite Waqf, told Al-Monitor, What was published on the website of the Sunni Waqf in Ninevah was lies from the mouth of its director, Abu Bakr Kanaan. Saudi said, There is real estate which is unresolved and registered in the name of the dissolved Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs. By law, the right of lease-holding lies with the Shiite Waqf in accordance with official protocols. Saudi said, Official decisions provide for the possibility of investing in properties until their status is resolved by dissolution committees. The director of the Shiite Waqf in Ninevah, Bassem al-Bayati, told Al-Monitor, The lease of the Prophet Seth site on the right side of Mosul by the Shiite Waqf is a fundamental right and is in accord with the regulations of the dissolved Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs. Wathiq al-Jabri, an adviser for the Iraqi Media Development Center, told Al Monitor, I have been continuously following the dispute between the Sunni and Shiite endowments even before the Islamic States invasion of Mosul in relation to the ownership of mosques and shrines. He said, Sources inside the two endowments have confirmed for me that there is an agreement that in the event property lies in a Shiite area, it belongs to the Shiites, and vice versa. So some property has been exchanged. Jabri attributed the conflict to the financial returns on some properties and their associated leases. He said, Another reason is the chaos caused by the Islamic State during its occupation of the city when it annexed some Shiite mosques to the Sunni endowment. Following these events, the Popular Mobilization Units went out with the intention of returning the mosques to their original owners. A third cause is parties who are seeking sectarian strife to prevent a Shiite-Sunni convergence in the city, portraying it as an attempt to spread Shiism in the city. A deputy from Ninevah province, Haneen al-Qaddo, denied the existence of Shiite takeover operations on property in the city. He told Al-Monitor, This is an issue of regulatory protocols. The Sunni and Shiite endowments must defer to the judiciary, providing evidence and documentation, away from the media. Former judge Ali al-Tamimi told Al-Monitor, Any seizure of property or land by either side reflects a violation of Article 27 of the Constitution and Article 124 of the Iraqi Civil Code, as well as the 2013 Law No. 21, which regulates the sale and circulation of state funds. The court can also nullify this, according to Article 141 of the Civil Code, under the concept of gross injustice, and restore the former circumstances. Shiite efforts to acquire Sunni endowments in the city of Samarra and Ninevah are fraught with political and sectarian conflict, particularly due to the mixed nature of these entities. Although both have a Sunni majority, they have dozens of Shiite endowments that pose an ongoing source of fervent conflict in particular those properties registered in the name of the dissolved ministry. While impartial laws may resolve the disputes between the endowments away from sectarian and political struggles, this remains a difficult matter in the current climate. Forty years after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the holy city of Qom is once again caught in a struggle over the future of the seminary and perhaps the country. But while the essence of the clash may not be novel, the camps and indeed the broader composition of the seminary have vastly changed. Sheikh Abdolkarim Haeri Yazdi established the Qom seminary in 1922. After his death, many senior Shiite clerics urged Ayatollah Seyyed Hossein Borujerdi to chair the institution, which he eventually accepted. Soon, Borujerdi became the sole "marja," which is the supreme religious authority in Shiite Islam. Like many of his predecessors, he largely avoided entering politics partly due to the persecution of activist clergy in the aftermath of the 1905-11 Iranian Constitutional Revolution. Hence, Borujerdi's priority was to rather focus on enhancing the stability and position of the seminary. In this vein, he did not enjoy a good relationship with a number of politically active clerics, such as Ayatollah Abol-Ghasem Kashani as well as the Fada'iyan-e Islam, a group led by cleric Navvab Safavi who was later executed by the shahs regime. Borujerdis largely apolitical posture earned him the Iranian monarchs respect, and yet he was also feared. For instance, following the Grand Ayatollah's positioning against the Bahai faith an "unacceptable" offshoot of Shiite Islam to the clerics the shah in 1955 ordered the destruction of the national Bahai center in Tehran. Yet after Borujerdis death in 1961, the shah decided to send his condolence message to a quietist ayatollah based in Iraq, Seyed Mohsen Hakim, rather than to any of the senior clerics in Iran in a failed effort to strengthen Najafs claim to supremacy in its rivalry with Qom. Around that time, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was a senior teacher at the Qom seminary under the umbrella of Borujerdi. Known as the "foreign minister" of the marja, he had met with the shah albeit only on religious matters since his patron had requested that he abstain from entering politics. Ayatollah Khomeini kept his word, only breaking his silence after the death of Borujerdi. In 1963, he issued a fatwa to forbid "taqiyya" the concept of precautionary dissimulation in Shiite Islam as he believed a number of clerics were resorting to it to keep silent over what he saw as objectionable actions on the part of the shah. Ayatollah Khomeini was at the time among the most influential teachers at the seminary, and when faced with an apparent plan by the shahs regime to prosecute him, he was backed by four grand ayatollahs as a new marja since the latter could not be prosecuted under the constitution. As such, Ayatollah Khomeini was prior to the 1979 revolution the leader of one of three main currents in the seminary, namely the clerics who were explicitly and wholly opposed to the shah. Formulating his theory of Islamic government in Najaf in 1970 where the shah exiled him other members of this circle included current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ayatollah Morteza Motahari and Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. There were other activist clergymen in these circles although they were reactionary such as Seyyed Monir-oddin Hosseini, the founder of the Academy of Islamic Science. These figures generally did not enjoy a good relationship with Ayatollah Khomeini. A second camp in the seminary consisted of the grand ayatollahs and traditionalists, who pursued the quietism of Borujerdi and remained anxious about a repetition of the aftermath of the Constitutional Revolution. Its most prominent figures included Ayatollah Mohammad Reza Golpaygani, Ayatollah Ahmad Khansari and Ayatollah Shahab al-Din Marashi Najafi. This camp also included traditionalists mainly preoccupied with countering Christianity and Bahaism in Iran. For instance, the On the Right Path institution, which was devoted to combating the promotion of these faiths, was managed by figures such as Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah-Yazdi, the spiritual head of Irans current hard-line camp. The Hojjatieh Society, set up as an anti-Bahai outfit by Sheikh Mahmoud Halabi in 1953, also belonged to this current. The latter organization in principle also opposed the notion of the Guardianship of the Jurist, and while active after the revolution, was nominally dissolved in 1983. The third current in the seminary consisted of what may be described as moderate opponents of the shahs regime. These clerics, including Ayatollah Mohammad Kazem Shariatmadari and Ayatollah Mohammad Hadi Milani, were critical of the monarchy but did not seek to topple it. Rather, they demanded the full implementation of the constitution to limit the shahs powers. Indeed, up until a few months before the revolution in 1979, Ayatollah Shariatmadari requested the holding of free elections. Of note, Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi and Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani the two current maraji based in Qom are among the students of Shariatmadari. After the 1979 revolution, the activist clergymen gained power for the first time. In the subsequent decade, the traditionalists were still committed to their own views, although some among its ranks who sought to enter the field were marginalized. Now, 40 years after the revolution, the struggle for dominance over the Qom seminary is between four main groups: Moderate and Reformist clerics loyal to the political system but advocating reform. Traditionalists, including Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, who fully back the political system but favor the seminarys financial independence and also a thin boundary between seminary and state. Hard-liners who advocate a more revolutionary clergy, led by Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi and the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom chaired by Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi. Clerics particularly among the younger generation who believe that the clergys involvement in politics is damaging Islam and religion ought to be the first priority. The heart of the current and ongoing clash at the Qom seminary centers on the nature of political activism among clerics. Hard-liners believe that the seminary has not done enough for the political system and thus want it to be more revolutionary. They are now charging the seminary with having become a center of secularism and accuse instructors of only teaching apolitical Islamic jurisprudence while they ought to focus on "theorizing religious civilization." As such, many of the current teachers have been labeled as "secular" while the hard-liners have nurtured their own instructors and groups to dominate the seminary. As part of this clash, there has been a parallel confrontation about history or rather the attempted rewriting of it. The latter has centered on the role of certain clerics in the revolution and thereby the credibility and legitimacy of their current activities. For instance, moderate clerics charge that Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi and other hard-liners had no role in the victory of the revolution. Here it is notable that a number of figures have been claiming that Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi and Halabi were in fact among the supporters of Ayatollah Khomeini prior to the revolution. What is vital here is that the fundamentalists who had been marginalized by Ayatollah Khomeini, as well as those traditionalists who did not believe in combating the shahs regime, appear to have formed an unannounced alliance with the aim of seizing control of the seminary. To be clear, the hard-liners of the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom led by Ayatollah Yazdi, the Academy of Islamic Science currently led by Ayatollah Mohammad-Mahdi Mir-Baqeri and the circle around Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi have been empowered in the past two decades and are now working hand in hand against the moderates of the seminary. The potential implications of the outcome of the struggle for control over Qom should not be underestimated. Once again, it may very well decide the future direction of Iran. Revolutions are often defined as mass-based movements that violently, over a relatively short span of time, bring down a regime and often lead to a restructuring of the polity and the transformation of the class structure of a society. As a result, it is commonly assumed that the country's foreign policy will also undergo fundamental changes. Yet, while the dominant understanding of revolution is heavily intertwined with change, there has been a good deal of continuity in regional policy when it comes to post-revolutionary Iran. To trace this continuity, it is important to understand the ways in which Irans regional policies are viewed by elites in the country. Their perceptions can be divided into two broad approaches: The defensive reactive approach argues that Iran must react to the instability and insecurity surrounding it by transforming such situations into more secure and stable environments. The revolutionary proactive approach argues that Irans engagement in the region is justified by the country's inherent attributes. With respect to the defensive reactive approach, to Irans west, Iraq poses highly multifaceted challenges and opportunities. Iran has a complex relationship with Iraq on four levels that are relatively independent of one another: state to state, parties/politicians to parties/politicians, clergy to clergy and military to military. In this equation, the priorities and policy orientations of all the respective actors, including their policy recommendations and strategies, are not necessarily identical or even coordinated. The management of such a relationship is thus a huge task for both countries. Further west, Syria and Lebanon are viewed in terms of Iran's strategic depth in the region due to the Islamic Republics threat perceptions. In this context, Tehran's ranking of threat perceptions puts the United States at the top, followed by Israel, broader chaos and instability in the region (including terrorism) and the prevailing world order. Saudi Arabia has recently emerged as a distant fifth threat. Irans presence in these countries is aimed at establishing effective deterrence and is justified as in principle being defensive and reactive in nature. In other words, its presence is seen as a necessary response to perceived threats. In this equation, Irans establishment of effective soft and hard deterrence requires both soft and hard infrastructure. To those who view Iranian regional policy as defensive reactive, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon are constitutive elements of Irans security complex. Notably, Yemen is not considered a part of this complex. Indeed, the current situation in Yemen is viewed primarily as a failure of Gulf Cooperation Council policy rather than the success of Iranian planning and policy. Thus, Yemen is seen as a target of opportunity that Tehran has taken advantage of and wants to translate into leverage against Saudi Arabia. Since Yemen is not a part of Irans security complex, it is much easier for Tehran to grant concessions to Saudi Arabia so Iran is relieved of sharing the burden of the humanitarian tragedy unfolding there and can create a conducive environment for a better relationship with Riyadh. In other words, Yemen is a low-hanging fruit that should be taken advantage of not only to address the tragedy in the war-torn country, but also to help find ways to better manage Iranian-Saudi relations. Of additional note, adherents to the defensive reactive view dismiss sanctions as changing any strategic calculus because once an issue becomes securitized, the cost-benefit logic to decision making is no longer applicable. Mindful of this ideational framework, a change possibly capable of altering Irans strategic calculus is the lowering of outside threats at the discursive and operational levels, particularly by the United States and Israel. Here, it is critical to bear in mind that governments oftentimes make decisions on the basis of their perceptions of reality rather than reality itself (assuming that such a distinction is possible or even desirable or useful). Therefore, recognizing Irans legitimate interests and perceived threats could be extremely helpful in moderating Iranian threat perceptions and thus policies. On the other side of the spectrum, those in Iran who favor the revolutionary proactive approach include the following as justification for Iran's engagement in the region: its large, educated population and rich natural resources; its long, imperial history; and, its geopolitical situation combined with a strong combat-ready military. These attributes are seen as attracting the attention of actors outside its borders. In this reading, the Islamic Republic has in principle been invited by concerned regional countries to have a presence in them in order to protect their territorial integrity and their national identity. As such, the argument is that without an Iranian presence, these countries would most certainly disintegrate. Those who adhere to the revolutionary proactive approach also argue that it is only natural for a country like Iran to project its power and expand its reach and influence. To them, Iran cannot merely be reactive and passive toward what occurs around it. As such, Irans regional presence is characterized as not only a request from those who persuade the Islamic Republic to establish a presence, but that such a presence at its core is the essence of Iranian power, which inherently expresses itself outwardly. Of these two broader approaches to Iranian regional policy, the revolutionary proactive view has much in common with that of pre-revolutionary Iran. Indeed, regardless of the jargon the shah employed in his Persianist articulations, his view of Iran and its role in the region was not fundamentally different from those of proponents of the current revolutionary proactive view. If anything, as time has passed, the continuities have become an increasingly significant part of the countrys foreign policy. That said, one should not forget that on the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, Irans polity, including its very nature, remains a contested and simultaneously evolving space. Revolutions stem from a belief among a sizable portion of the population that yes, we can. While it is certain that other conditions must be present to prompt a revolution, there is no doubt that a revolution's success indicates and implies the height of a potent mix of human agency and utopianism. The presence of structural or other impediments are merely obstacles to be overcome. In this equation, if such impediments cannot be vanquished, it is not due to their strength, but rather a weakness of will or agency on the part of those who seek to tackle them. As time passes as it has in Iran, like everywhere else these impediments are perceived as stronger, while the politys will to overcome them becomes weaker. Therefore, the emergence, and ultimately the prevailing, of pragmatism and rationality seem inevitable. Almost 40 years after the establishment of the Islamic Republic, revolutionary fervor is still strong among a significant segment of Iranian society. Among some, it is driven by belief in the cause. For others, it stems from personal or group interests and benefits or material and non-material investments they have made for the cause. Yet for some, of course, it is a sense of nostalgia. There is also another segment of society, particularly among those born after 1979, who do not understand why their parents pushed for the Islamic Revolution in the first place. On the issue of Irans regional policies, it appears that the rationalists and pragmatists in the country, including the moderate administration of President Hassan Rouhani, have a tendency to support the defensive reactive view of how Iranian foreign policy ought to look. Perhaps most paradoxically of all, those who tend to support the revolutionary proactive approach, the effective reincarnation of the shahs view of the country and its role in the region, are the revolutionaries. A huge billboard in the center of the Iranian capital often features images with a political agenda close to the hard-liners. But the space above Valiasr Square does not belong to Tehrans municipality; it is owned by Owj, an emerging media powerhouse with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that is branching out in Irans cultural space. On June 18, 2017, 11 days after the Islamic State (IS) launched unprecedented attacks on Irans parliament and the mausoleum of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the IRGC retaliated by firing multiple missiles at IS sites in northeastern Syria. Amid this rare display of Irans ability to directly hit its foes, Owjs flagship billboard featured a new image: The launch of five missiles in the palm of a man's hand wearing an IRGC uniform, with the caption, I am the Guardian of Iran. While this may appear as standard Iranian state propaganda at first glance, it in fact embodies an emerging and possibly tectonic shift in the official discourse of the Islamic Republic. For more than four decades, Iranian leaders have struggled with how to incorporate both nationalism and religious ideology in the political identity of the state. This duality and the ongoing effort to maintain a balance between its two components to achieve optimum political outcomes is evident in most instances of major political and military crossroads in post-revolutionary Iran. At this junction in the countrys history, it is apparent that a new nationalism is emerging. To be clear, the struggle surrounding the duality in Iranian identity is not new. In the years leading up to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, a generation of prominent intellectuals attempted to merge Shiism with revolutionary ideology and Marxism. The latter inspired some groups to take up armed resistance, which soon after the revolution became the embryo of the IRGC. The perhaps best representative of these groups is Mostafa Chamran, a Berkeley-educated engineer who left the United States in the mid-1960s, received initial training in Cuba and then joined the PLO and Amal camps in Lebanon as a skillful guerrilla organizer. His ideas of a transnational movement have lived on through Irans extraterritorial Quds Force, and still appeal to the loyal support base of the Islamic Republic. Indeed, all this is epitomized in the IRGCs very emblem that features an assault rifle in a raised fist and a globe suggesting expansion beyond borders. As professor and IRGC expert Afshon Ostovar has noted, this design was meant to represent a militant, Islamic and revolutionary organization, which is why it more closely resembles the standard of a resistance movement rather than the national army the IRGC has become. The turn toward nationalism first emerged amid the very heyday of Iranian Pan-Islamism: When Iraq invaded the country in 1980, the realpolitik of the war forced Tehran to take a step back from its Export of the Revolution. In fact, at the time, Ayatollah Khomeini insisted that all forces are needed to defend national borders and that the IRGCs transnational mission should take the back seat until the end of the conflict, thereby prioritizing nationalism over the revolutionary cause. The religious nationalist narrative played a crucial role in sustaining the human wave attacks through the creation of the Basij, the Peoples Militia, which had masses of volunteers charging into enemy positions and across minefields. The conduct of the eight-year-long war reveals that the Islamic Republics strategy became increasingly dependent on religiously motivated volunteers, which were considered Irans only advantage over Iraqs growing military capabilities. In this equation, Ayatollah Khomeinis leadership and his religious philosophy had an indisputable influence on this narrative. Iranian soldiers employed the seventh-century Battle of Karbala as a metaphor for a struggle in which they held positions similar to those of Hussein ibn Ali, the third Shiite imam, who was also isolated and outnumbered by numerous enemies. This reboot of Shiite history generated a new military ideology that was as powerful as nationalism. The redefinition of the religious, cultural and historical metaphors not only motivated Iranian society to fight, but also created the new strategy of martyrdom seeking. The emphasis was thus on self-sacrifice; young soldiers felt that they had to complete a religious duty, one that could only be accomplished through martyrdom. But since the end of the Iran-Iraq War, the IRGC has struggled to expand its public support beyond its religious base. In a diverse society such as Iran, many among the younger generation those born after the revolution or who did not live through the war have begun to question its mission abroad. At protests in recent years, common slogans have come to include Not Gaza, not Lebanon, [I sacrifice] my life [only] for Iran. There are many reasons for this. Perhaps one key factor may be that Irans support for Lebanese Hezbollah and Quds Force operations abroad was never articulated and explained as part of a strategic plan to achieve deterrence and boost national power. Enter the rise of IS in the summer of 2014. The fight against the vehemently anti-Iran and anti-Shiite group provided the perfect opportunity and platform for the IRGC to once again portray itself as a defender of the nation. It launched a massive publicity campaign, and at its heart was none other than Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force. Having previously kept a very low profile as a shadow commander, he became an overnight celebrity as the IRGC has increasingly publicized its key role in the war against IS. Soleimanis rise as a national hero has partly been the result of a subtle and calculated strategy on the part of the IRGC to adapt to the shifting political-cultural dynamics within Iran. It is true that the publicity campaign started with official media, but it quickly spread to a wide range of other Iranian outlets, including those without ties to the IRGC. Some of them put Soleimani alongside Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as two wings of Iranian foreign policy. Indeed, some opinion polls suggest that these two men are the most popular public figures in Iran, with the 2018 survey putting Soleimani even above Zarif, who gained fame while negotiating the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. It is important to remain mindful that the IRGC has a highly loyal core religious support base. In fact, the Quds Force had so many volunteers for the Syrian war who were driven by a holy conviction to defend sacred religious sites that it had to set a limit to one volunteer per family. However, the leadership in Iran also deeply understands that it is crucial to maintain a link to the middle class, which is growing less religious, and to adapt to the growing sense of nationalism. The strategy to seize on the rising nationalist sentiment has been highlighted in the Islamic Republics increasing discourse about forward-defense in Syria and Iraq, which explicitly argues that the fight must be taken beyond Irans borders to avoid bloodshed at home. The latter is notable given that Irans involvement in Syria was initially and still, in parallel referred to as a mission to defend the [holy Shiite] shrines. Iranian millennials have no memory of the Iran-Iraq War or the revolution, so a redefinition of revolutionary values and objectives is key for the Islamic Republic to maintain legitimacy. Who better fits this rebranding strategy than a mysterious and shrewd character such as Soleimani a man who embodies both religious values and nationalism? When 6-year-old Deema al-Shaqar from Gaza's Khan Yunis kept getting headaches and high fevers, her family finally decided in March 2018 to seek professional medical advice. Doctors concluded after lab tests that she had leukemia and referred her to the Huda Al Masri Pediatric Cancer Department, an oncology center for Palestinian children with a modern cancer ward at Al-Hussein Government Hospital. The problem is that this hospital is in the West Bank city of Beit Jala. There are no cancer treatment centers for children in Gaza, meaning that Deema's family members must get a permit from Israel to travel where they are searched at the Erez checkpoint and then repeat this process for each round of Deema's chemotherapy. While getting a permit for Deema isn't always difficult, the same can't be said about getting permits for her adult companions. Israeli military travel permit procedures are very difficult. It is next to impossible for a male who lives in Gaza to travel to the West Bank; even female adults need to be over a certain age. Deema's mother is only 32, a young age for the abhorrent policies of the Israeli security permit system. Normally, children especially sick ones get travel permits. Women over 45 years of age are eligible for permits in general. Deema's 45-year-old aunt, Karima Husnai Salameh a nurse in Gaza was asked by the family to accompany the sick child to the West Bank. She has to apply for a permit every time. Speaking to Al-Monitor by phone, Salameh repeated the problems all Gazans know by heart. Traveling from Gaza is not easy. First, you need to get approval for the sick person, and then each time the person going with her also needs to get approval. Normally, only women over 45 are considered for travel permits even if they are accompanying sick children. Her mother was once allowed, but the Israelis rejected her the second time. Salameh said that as a result, she and Deema's grandmother must alternate applying for a travel permit for an accompanying adult. Medical research reported in The Lancet in 2018 pointed out that cancer is the third leading cause of death in Gaza for both adults and children. In its monthly report, the World Health Organization reported that five child patients were denied permits to cross Erez, the military checkpoint separating Gaza and Israel, in December 2018 alone. A total of 130 children were delayed from traveling through Erez in time for hospital appointments outside Gaza during the same month. But the travel permit dilemma for young Deema, her family and other cancer patients might be addressed now that a state-of-the-art cancer ward is about to open in a Gaza hospital. Steve Sosebee, CEO and founder of the Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF), a US-registered charity that also built and opened the Huda Al-Masri department in Beit Jala in 2013, told Al-Monitor that the new $3.5 million ward is set to open Feb. 19 and will be named after Musa and Suhaila Nasir, co-founders of the PCRF. All of the over $3.5 million raised for this new department were through private donations. Deema will be one of two child cancer patients both of whom have had to travel to Beit Jala in the past for treatment to cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony of the new ward. We expect the new center to reduce referrals abroad and dependency on the Israelis to issue permits. [It will] also help cut the big financial costs to the Palestinian government, which has to cover the costs of children being treated in the West Bank and Israel. It will also alleviate the separation and suffering of children and their families. In many cases, family members have to be away from Gaza for weeks at a time. Sosebee noted that while the physical center will be running soon, other challenges continue. Cancer treatment without radiation therapy is fragmented and, in many cases, incomplete. The Palestinian Ministry of Health has not yet gotten Israeli permission to bring in radiation equipment. We also need permits for the staff to go abroad for training in the West Bank and Jordan in order to ensure the sustainability of this center," he said. Deema's aunt added, I hope that when they open the new cancer ward in Gaza, they will be able to provide the same humane care and quality assistance that we have seen in the hospital in Beit Jala. I went many times, [and] the medical team made sure the treatment is given with the aim of reducing side effects as much as possible." The new ward, which will be part of the Palestinian-run Al-Rantisi pediatric government hospital in Gaza City (all hospitals in Gaza are administered by the Ramallah-based ministry), will need support from the Palestinian Ministry of Health as well. Once we open the hospital, we will turn it over to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, which will be overall in charge of the longevity of the center, Sosebee said. Some of the problems that have regularly caused worry in Gaza have been the regular drug shortages and electricity cuts. The hospital will have emergency generators, but that will still require fuel, according to Sosebee. The health sector in Gaza has been impacted by fuel shortages over the past several years, and we worry that may also impact our new department as well. Setting up a cancer ward in Gaza will ease the travel pains of hundreds of Palestinian children and their families, but this will not be the panacea for all the troubles that include medical problems for the nearly 2 million Palestinians living in the besieged Gaza Strip. On the contrary, this should be a sign to the international community of its failure to bring about an end to the unjust siege and allow Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank to travel freely without having to obtain permission from the Israeli authorities. Though World War II ended almost 75 years ago, residents of Egypt's coastal city of Alamein still live with the danger of land mines left behind, a matter that prompted parliament to rekindle the call for more international cooperation. On Jan. 29, the parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee met with Ahmad al-Fadhli, director of disarmament affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They plan to review Egyptian diplomatic efforts to deal with the land mine issue in Alamein region, and interact with the relevant countries. During the meeting, they also discussed the importance of enhancing international cooperation to provide Egypt with the modern techniques needed to fully clear the region. Committee secretary Tarek el-Khouli said in a press statement that Egypt isn't using all its tools to deal with this vital issue, given its broad international relations. Khouli urged Foreign Ministry representatives to develop a new approach to the land mines issue and submit a comprehensive report. The Second Battle of Alamein began in October 1942 between the Allied forces, led by British Marshal Bernard Montgomery, and the Axis forces, led by German Gen. Erwin Rommel. The defeat of the latter was a turning point in World War II and prevented Adolf Hitler and his Italian ally Benito Mussolini from conquering Alexandria and the Suez Canal. Alamein, in northwestern Egypt, lies about 60 miles west of the port of Alexandria. Currently, a specialized unit of the Egyptian army based near Alamein conducts daily mine-clearance operations. According to the State Information Service, some 17.5 million land mines from World War II were left behind, covering more than 250,000 acres of arable land along Egypt's north coast and Sinai. The Egyptian-Israeli wars also left nearly 5.5 million mines in Sinai and the eastern desert. Of that total of 23 million, Egypt's armed forces' have removed about 1.3 million mines since 1995. Egypt is calling for international support for demining, especially around Alamein. The mines are hampering development of the area, in particular New Alamein city, one of the megaprojects being implemented under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Parliament member Mohamed el-Ghoul recently resubmitted a 2017 motion demanding financial compensation from the countries that participated in World War II, mainly Germany and Britain, for the massive effort necessary to remove the millions of mines planted in the western desert. Years have passed since the second world war, and despite the silence of the guns and the reconciliation among the enemies of yesterday, Egypt and its people are still paying the price of a crime they did not commit," said Ghoul, who is a member of parliaments Human Rights Committee. "Many people lost their lives or [were seriously wounded] because of a curse hidden in the sand: land mines." In April, one person was killed and another injured in Matrouh governorate when a land mine exploded as the men dug a well. Ghoul pointed out that parliament gave the Foreign Ministry a month to present a new way of dealing with the issues of compensation and international cooperation. It is time to call for compensation at all international conferences," he said. "At least we can ask these countries [Germany and Britain] to drop Egypt's debts. We have to draw international attention to this issue. Such mines have hampered Alamein's development process for a long time. As the government is planning to turn New Alamein into a tourist destination, it needs to clear all the mines to ensure safety. In 2007, the United Nations Development Program, in cooperation with Egypt's Ministry of International Cooperation, started the first phase of a demining program. It was funded by the governments of Germany, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia and Japan. The EU funded the second phase of the demining project in 2014 with a grant worth 4.7 million euros ($5.3 million). The project includes reintegrating mine victims into their communities, improving their livelihoods and raising awareness of the dangers of mines, according to the EU. That project succeeded in clearing mines from a total of 1,096 square kilometers (423 square miles). According to the EU, the project has helped raise the awareness of the population, especially children, about the dangers of mines and how to act when facing this danger. The project also helped with developing New Alamein, which is expected to boost to the country's economy by creating more than 279,000 jobs. In October 2017, Egypt marked the 75th anniversary of the Alamein battle. During the ceremony, Ivan Surkos, the EU's ambassador to Egypt, said 2,680 square kilometers of land along the northwest coast are still contaminated with explosives from WWII. The remnants of war pose a great danger to the population and to the development of the region in general, he stated. Surkos further stressed the importance of supporting mine victims medically and economically. In 2016, the Matruh Artificial Limbs Center was established with funds from the EU. Ayman Shabana, a political science professor at the Institute of African Research and Studies at Cairo University, told Al-Monitor that the Foreign Ministry is dealing with this issue with sensitivity, to keep its good ties with countries that participated in the Alamein battle. So, in my opinion, resorting to [more] international mediation is needed. The Alamein issue should be internationalized, since international pressure can lead to positive results, he said. Shabana added that it can be hard to get financial compensation for land mines since that could open the door for many countries suffering from the same situation, like Mozambique, to call for compensation as well. To find middle ground, it's better to ask the [concerned] countries for technical assistance, like providing satellite images of the mines locations. The old maps of land mines aren't enough, since many mines have moved due to floods, climate changes or the movement of sand dunes over half a century, he said. Sending experts to help with the demining process "would be another kind of compensation, he added. Egypt has sought international help for years to handle this issue. It reiterated its demand that the countries that planted mines in its territory be responsible for their removal during the UN General Assembly meeting in 1993, the Geneva Conference on Disarmament in 1996 and the meeting between the Egyptian defense minister and his German counterpart in 1998. This prompted Germany to provide Egypt with 110 mine detectors. Aerospace logistics provider B&H Worldwide has signed a three year warehousing deal with UK-headquartered Apex Aero, a specialist in parts supply for Airbus and Boeing aircraft. B&H will handle all forward stocking location (FSL) services for Apex Aero through its climate-controlled warehouse at London Heathrow. From there, the parts will be shipped to locations across the globe, to support Apexs network of airline customers and MROs. Apex Aero also supports other suppliers with high demand units to supplement stock shortfalls. B&H Worldwide group chief executive Stuart Allen said: "We are delighted that our flexibility and global capabilities will help Apex Aero move forward with the next stage in its long-term, global development plan". Added Apex Aero managing director Sam Darkin said: "Apex Aero believes in providing its customers with the highest quality parts and services and thats why we chose B&H to deliver the warehousing and logistics services for our large stock pool. "Their logistics experience, partnered with my teams aviation expertise and in-depth knowledge of the current spares aftermarket, enables us to provide an outstanding all round service to our customers around the world ". Share this story Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier? Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up! Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page. The soybean market during the summer growing season oftentimes takes its direction from the weather, and the way this summer is shaping up it Heathrow saw 5.9 million passengers travel through it as Januarys figures increased by 2.1%, marking the airport's 27th consecutive record month. Africa and East Asia continue to be amongst the best performing regions, up 9.7% and 5.6% respectively. The African nations to make the biggest gains were Morocco (+40%), Ethiopia (27%), Nigeria (13%) and South Africa (12%). In East Asia, China saw growth of 27%, due to the continued interest in new services to the country. Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: 2019 is off to a stellar start, with more passengers choosing to use Heathrow because of our improved service and lower costs. Over 130,000 metric tonnes of cargo travelled through Heathrow on the way to their final destinations in January. The best performing markets for cargo were Africa, with growth of 8.9%, and Latin America which saw an increase of 8.8% largely driven by an increase in movements to Brazil. Figures from the ACI show that Heathrow remains Europes busiest airport, even though growth continues to be hampered the airports current capacity constraints. The ACI also reports that aviation capacity issues are becoming more widespread and evident across Europe. Heathrow also kicked off their eight-week long consultation on Airspace & Future Operations asking the public to help shape the airports future airspace design both for the existing two runway airport and as part of the proposed expansion. In January, Heathrow became Britains first airport to launch a Shared Apprentice Scheme in construction, whilst NATS and Heathrow announced the start of a trial which aims to understand whether artificial intelligence could be used to help regain the landing capacity lost during times of low cloud or reduced visibility. One of the biggest advantages of print over a medium like TV is that consumers are allowed enough time to absorb the communication and process it at their own pace. Print news brands offer a breadth of opportunities to advertisers. No other medium can offer advertising in as many aesthetic variants as print can. Besides, as is commonly acknowledged, advertising in print can be more synergistic to content than any other medium. Through newspapers, brands in a way come in physical contact with their customers, adding a literal weight to brand communication. This tangible platform offers a medium to connect with the audience on their terms and at their time. The outcome is high impact and excellent consumer-connect. An excellent example of newspaper advertising to win back its consumers is the much awarded campaign by KFC in the UK last year. KFC had to temporarily close about 100 stores in UK due to a major supply chain issue. It not only led to 1 million loss of revenue per day, but also quickly became front page news, impacting the brand adversely. To demonstrate humility and in a bid to take control of the situation KFC used news brands to say were sorry. A timely and impactful message was delivered to a big audience, which resonated with the consumers. As newspapers are a more trustworthy medium than other media, there was excellent impact, and the campaign succeeded in generating a positive sentiment. Another very effective print campaign a year back was a Dainik Jagran campaign, which counselled people to be conscientious while clebrating Diwali. A powerful graphic of lungs completely engulfed in smoke sent across an impactful message and discouraged customers from using fire cracers. Sector watch For savvy marketers, print matters for excellent consumer-connect in the real world. We spoke to Mayank Shah, Senior Category Head, Parle Products, on print advertising. Excerpts of the conversation: Print matters in Parles overall brand communication strategy. Role of print in communication of evolved and elaborate messages is unparalleled. Be it communication about details of reason to believe (RTB) or detailing of brand claims, there is no other medium which can rival the effectiveness of print. In addition to this, the reach that brands can secure through print advertising is significant and spans a wide audience age group. Parle has traditionally used print as an advertising medium to great effect and success. We have advertisements ranging right back to the mid 1900s and have covered several brands through it, such as Poppins, Jeffs, Monaco, Melody, Parle-G, Krackjack and Hide & Seek, over the years. More recently, we have advertised the Milano range of cookies that featured Twinkle Khanna and currently we are advertising our Health range with ads revolving around Nutricrunch, which has multiple health benefits. Print becomes an ideal medium to communicate such messages for aforementioned reasons. Print advertising gives consumers ample time to understand the communication, especially in categories like Health Biscuits, Corporate ads and a few tactical ads. One of the biggest advantages of print over a medium like TV, where casual viewing may lead to loss of intended message takeout, is that consumers are allowed enough time to absorb the communication and process it at their own pace. Moreover, in a country like India, with a significant chunk of the audiences residing in villages with limitations such as power shortages, print media turns out to be a better option as the media consumption/ time spent on print is higher. Print, thus, as a medium is used by Parle for effective communication of elaborate brand messages that are critical to be retained in the consumers mind. Secondly, print enables us to reach consumers in the hinterlands that are power starved across geographies. In a way, it mobilises the brands communications despite physical challenges. Finally, without a doubt, print has better targeting capabilities in a country like India when compared to a medium such as TV, given the degree to which publications vary across zones and markets. Parle has gone the native advertising route too. It is a great way for rivalling impact properties on TV (Innovation). Moreover, due to reasons I mentioned earlier, it lends higher credibility to the brands communication when compared to other mediums of communications. In my opinion, communication in print, by virtue of it being mostly part of a newspaper, is perceived to be more credible. This is an observation that we have made in quite a few of our past campaigns. (WB) Top officials in the Department of Health & Human Services laid out details on Wednesday of President Trumps plan to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030, asserting significant new resources would be in the upcoming budget request for domestic HIV/AIDS programs after two years of proposed cuts. In a conference call with reporters, the officials fleshed out the plan announced by Trump this week during the State of the Union address, saying the goal was to reduce new HIV diagnoses by 75 percent within five years, and by 90 percent within 10 years. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, described the effort as a laser-focused program that will target 48 counties in the United States, D.C., and San Juan, Puerto Rico, as well as seven states where the epidemic is mostly in rural areas. (A map pinpointing those locations, including the seven states Missouri, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and South Carolina can be found online at hiv.gov.) Those areas, Redfield said, largely form the basis for where new HIV infections are happening in the United States. But Redfield also said minority communities, including LGBT people, are especially at risk for HIV infection. Recent data has showed our progress in reducing the numbers has plateaued, increasing the burden of new infections, particularly in African-American and Latino gay and bisexual men, transgender individuals, women of color and people living in the South, Redfield said. Now is the time to change this and we have the tools to end the epidemic and we have to apply them. Redfield said the targeted geographical areas were identified as a result of monitoring trends for much of the 38,500 new HIV/AIDS infections last year. I was shocked that it was only 48 counties out of over 3,000 counties in the United States, so it shows that we had a very geographically focused outbreak, that if we could augment the capacity of those 48 counties in response to these new infections, and begin to prevent new infections, we could drastically reduce the number of new infections, Redfield said. The additional seven states, Redfield said, were selected because new infections were happening there, but were in rural areas and less concentrated. The health officials said the new efforts will reenergize the fight against HIV/AIDS after a period of stagnation in which the effort to stop new infections has plateaued. Brett Giroir, assistant secretary of health, said 40,000 new infections are still happening throughout the United States each year. HIV has cost America too much for too long, Giroir said. We have lost 700,000 American lives since 1981, and unfortunately, despite the emergence of new tools and new techniques, we are at high risk of another 400,000 becoming infected with HIV over the next decade. In response to a question from the Washington Blade, Giroir said the new approach to fighting HIV/AIDS would take the form of increased funding for HIV/AIDS programs in the budget request Trump will submit to Congress next month. We absolutely want to confirm that there will be significant new resources to support the effort you just heard outlined, Giroir said. The scientific communityas well as our closest advisers and technical experts devised a plan, submitted a plan to the budget, and were very confident we will have the sufficient resources provided in the 2020 budget for us to begin this very aggressive plan. A budget proposal with increased funds for HIV/AIDS would be a change for Trump. His first two budget requests to Congress sought funding cuts for both domestic HIV programs, chiefly the Ryan White Care Act, and programs designed to fight the global epidemic, such as PEPFAR. Although the cuts to domestic programs were diminished in the second budget, the cuts to global programs were still considered draconian. Giroir, however, said the increased funds in the next budget request will be for domestic efforts, so the global fight is another matter. I was speaking specifically about the domestic programs, Giroir said. I dont have any information on global programs. In response to subsequent questions from reporters, the health officials wouldnt give details about the extent to which domestic funds would be increased, but affirmed new money would come from requesting additional funds as opposed to restructuring existing programs. Of course, those funds can only be appropriated by Congress despite whatever request the Trump administration, as evidenced by the recent war between Trump and Congress over funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall. Giroir emphasized the importance of Congress appropriating the funds for the Trump administration to pull off the HIV/AIDS plan. We are very confident the presidents budget, as will be proposed, will be sufficient to support our 2020 activities in this initiative, so we need Congress to support the budget and support the increased resources that we ask for, Giroir said. Key to the strategy, the health officials said, will be ensuring these communities have access to PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, for HIV prevention. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases, maintained the importance of PrEP and medications to reduce viral loads as part of this effort. You treat an individual and bring their viral load to a below detectable level, they will not transit their virus to another individual, and we know that pre-exposure prophylaxis works in more than 97 percent of the cases, Fauci said. If you put those two together, theoretically, then, if you get everyone thats infected on anti-retroviral and decrease the viral loads to below detectable levels, and give those who need PrEP PrEP, you can end the epidemic as we know it, and that is our goal. Although the U.S. government is already taking steps to confront HIV/AIDS, the health officials also billed the effort as a multi-agency approach to HIV/AIDS in coordination with local communities that hasnt been seen before. Fauci said NIH would contribute to work by the Centers for AIDS Research, which are 19 centers throughout the country that worked on the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. This is a five-to-10 year program, and we know when we do things in certain areas, we can do better as the years go by, so were committed to working very closely through our stakeholders with our colleagues to make sure that we implement to the best degree possible the program to make it successful, Fauci said. George Sigounas, administrator of the Health Resources & Services Administration, said two programs the Ryan White and HRSA health centers will play an essential role in the plan. Although Ryan White, which provides care to low-income people with HIV, will continue its role, Sigounas said HRSA health centers will play a major expanded role in providing pre-exposure prophylaxis to those populations at the greatest risk of acquiring HIV infection. Michael Weahkee, principal deputy director of the Indian Health Service, said his organization will also play an important role in the initiative. In partnership with Native communities, we can end the HIV epidemic in Indian country by strategically focusing on those communities that have been most impacted, Weahkee said. According to Weahkee, American Indian and Alaska Native populations have seen a 63 percent increase in new infections among young Native men who have sex with men. One reporter asked whether the plan reported by the New York Times within HHS that would eliminate transgender people from the definition of sex under the law would impact HIV/AIDS efforts. Redfield, repeating comments he made earlier when asked about the anti-trans proposal, denounced stigma as the enemy of public health and said the transgender population in particular needs to be reached out to. Fauci talked particularly about the importance of reaching the transgender community in fighting HIV/AIDS. Transgender people are certainly at high risk of infection and also are overrepresented in the group that are infected, so this programwill treat transgender people the way we treat any other patient, giving them the respect they deserve whether they are infected or whether they are at risk of infection, Fauci said. And thats a commitment that we all have very firmly. As part of its strategic review, iTV Network has restructured and strengthened its national editorial team. Sarvesh Tewari has been appointed as Managing Editor -News for INDIA NEWS, Indias leading Hindi news channel. In his new role, Tewari shall be responsible for managing day-to-day newsroom operations and strengthening newsgathering processes. He will be responsible for heading the news desk, news programming, news production and other input functions. With a career spread over 20 years, Tewari has worked with established names in the media domain such as Aaj Tak, NDTV, Zee News, Live India, Voice of India, HT Media and most recently at News Nation Network, as Executive Editor. Rana Yashwant has been appointed to the newly created position of Managing Editor Programming and Branded Content for India News. His responsibilities will include daily special shows, weekend programmes, branded content, brand integration, brand innovation and events. Kartikeya Sharma, Founder and Promoter of iTV Network, said, High-quality content is at the core of our work at iTV Network and this new structure is designed to meet the long-term needs of the business. Internally, it will allow swifter decision-making and better cross platform working. Externally, we will be better equipped to meet the challenges of the rapidly changing media environment. We are confident that Tewaris vast knowledge and domain prowess will hold INDIA NEWS in good stead and his entry will definitely help us consolidate our position further. He further added that I would like to congratulate Rana for his new responsibility. Rana is highly experienced in the television industry, and Im confident that these changes to structure will only add to the quality of content we provide to our viewers every day. On his appointment, Tewari said, I look forward to working with the talented and impressive pool of reporters and producers, and to reach the viewers through innovative, informative and credible content. Commenting on his new role, Rana said, I am thankful to INDIA NEWS for an opportunity as this one. The channel has been built on key pillars of integrity, speed and accuracy, and I am certain that we will continue to deliver value for all our viewers and stakeholders. Tewari is a graduate from Lucknow and holds a post-graduate degree in Mass Communication from Indian Institute of Mass Communication. He has also done screenplay writing for Doordarshan documentaries. Charlotte Moore, BBC Director of Content, has today unveiled a series of landmark natural history programmes to take the BBCs natural history offer into the next decade. There will be five new series in the globally renowned Planet strand, which have proved hugely popular with audiences. These landmark series will help audiences everywhere to better understand the greatest issues affecting our planet and our relationship with the natural world. They demonstrate the BBCs unique commitment to natural history programming of the highest quality. One Planet: Seven Worlds will showcase the seven extraordinary continents created when incredible forces ripped apart the Earths crust millions of years ago. This seven part series, presented by Sir David Attenborough, will reveal how each distinct continent has shaped the unique animal life found there. It will broadcast later this year. Green Planet will be the first immersive portrayal of an unseen, interconnected world, full of remarkable new behaviour, emotional stories and surprising heroes in the plant world. This is Planet Earth from the perspective of plants. It will broadcast in 2021. Perfect Planet will be a unique fusion of blue chip natural history and earth sciences explaining how the living planet operates. This five part series will show how the forces of nature - weather, ocean currents, solar energy and volcanoes drive, shape and support Earths great diversity of life. It will broadcast in 2020. Frozen Planet II will take audiences back to the wildernesses of the Arctic and Antarctica. Ten years on from the original Frozen Planet, this series tells the complete story of the entire frozen quarter of our planet thats locked in ice and blanketed in snow. It will broadcast in 2021. Planet Earth III will be the most ambitious natural history landmark ever undertaken by the BBC. Combining the awe and wonder of the original Planet Earth, the new science and discoveries of Blue Planet II and Planet Earth II, and the immersive character-led storytelling of Dynasties, the series will take the Planet Earth experience to new heights. It will broadcast in 2022. Since the launch of Planet Earth in 2006, the BBC Planet titles have become a huge global hit and over a billion people have watched Planet Earth II and Blue Planet II in the last 3 years. This new five-strong slate is expected to involve over 10,000 days of filming and will tell a truly global story. BBC Planet sits within BBC Earth, the global factual brand for BBC Studios. The BBC Earth brand is present in over 169 countries and across multiple platforms including branded channels, digital platforms, innovative AR and VR extensions, live events, cinema and giant screen releases, publishing and ancillary products. In Asia, the BBC Earth channel is available in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. It is available as a block in Japan on WOWOW, and as joint-venture channel Sony BBC Earth in India. Charlotte Moore, BBC Director of Content said: The BBC is world famous for its natural history programming and these new series will raise the bar even higher. We know that audiences want shows that bring them the richest narratives, the best camerawork and the highest quality production values and they look to us to deliver this. Viewers around the globe have been captivated by the incredible stories that the Planets series have told and now new technology allow us to explore even more of the natural world than ever before. These new series will look in depth at specific aspects of the natural world, giving revealing and sometimes surprising insights to animals and the habitats they live in. Its our biggest ever commitment to natural history and one we are proud of. Tom McDonald, Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Specialist Factual, said: Planet Earth II, Blue Planet II and most recently Dynasties reinvented landmark Natural History at BBC - delivering record breaking global audiences & receiving awards around the world. These new titles reveal the scale of our ambitions in Natural History - with a rich and innovative pipeline of titles up to 2022: the biggest commitment we have ever made in the genre. I am also delighted to be bringing the long awaited Frozen Planet back to our screens a decade after the first series was on air, and of course thrilled that Planet Earth will be back in the BBC's centenary year. Both will continue our pledge to reveal not just the world's greatest wonders and animal behaviour but reflect the very real challenges the natural world faces. Details of new programmes are below: ONE PLANET: SEVEN WORLDS (w/t) One Planet, Seven Worlds is a brand new, ambitious landmark series for BBC One, presented by Sir David Attenborough. Each one-hour episode will transport viewers to a single continent and tell the story of its spectacular wildlife and iconic landscapes. Millions of years ago incredible forces ripped apart the Earths crust creating seven extraordinary continents. This series will reveal how each distinct continent has shaped the unique animal life found there. We will discover why Australasia is full of peculiar and venomous wildlife; why North America is a land of opportunity where pioneers succeed; and what the consequences are for life racing to compete on the richest of all continents, South America. The series will feature remarkable, new animal behaviour from all the continents including the baking plains of Africa and the frozen waters off Antarctica. In Asia, the biggest of all continents, we will showcase life at the extremes, whilst in Europe we will reveal surprising wildlife dramas hidden right alongside us. The series will celebrate the diversity of life on each of these continents, but also the many challenges faced by animals in a modern world dominated by humanity. Epic landscapes and intimate behaviour have been filmed using the very latest techniques, allowing audiences to experience each continent like never before. By telling unknown, unseen and unexpected wildlife stories, we will uncover the fundamental truth about what makes each one of our seven worlds unique. By telling unknown, unseen and unexpected wildlife stories, we will uncover the fundamental truth about what makes each one of our seven worlds unique. One Planet, Seven Worlds (w/t), a 7x60 series for BBC One, is made by BBC Studios Natural History Unit, co-produced with BBC America, Tencent Penguin Pictures, ZDF and France Televisions. The Executive Producer is Jonny Keeling. It was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director, BBC Content and Tom McDonald, Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Specialist Factual. GREEN PLANET (w/t) Green Planet (w/t) will be the first immersive portrayal of an unseen, inter-connected world, full of remarkable new behaviour, emotional stories and surprising heroes in the plant world. This is Planet Earth from the perspective of plants. Using brand new technological advances and over two decades of new discoveries, we take the viewer on a journey into a magical world. We discover that plants are as aggressive, competitive and dramatic as animals - locked in desperate battles for food, for light, to reproduce and to scatter their young. They are social - they communicate with each other, they care for their young, they help their weak and injured. They can plan, they can count, they can remember. Plants are the stars of this series but there will also be box-office animals - plants are the arch-manipulators of the natural world. They bend the actions and lives of animals, including ourselves, to their own ends. We will use new developments in robotics, moving time-lapse, super-detail thermal cameras, deep focus frame-stacking and ultra-high-speed to travel beyond the power of the human eye and make visible the amazing, hidden life of the green planet. Green Planet (w/t) a 5x60 series for BBC One and PBS, is made by BBC Studios Natural History Unit. The Executive Producer is Mike Gunton. It was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director, BBC Content and Tom McDonald, Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Specialist Factual. For PBS the series is overseen by Bill Gardner, Vice President, Programming and Development. It was co-produced by The Open University. PERFECT PLANET Planet Earth is perfect. It orbits at the perfect distance from the sun; it tilts at just the right angle and has a decent sized moon to hold it in place. On top of that, the day-to-day workings of the planet naturally serve to nurture animals and plants. For instance, a global weather system circulates and distributes fresh water to all corners, and a cycle of marine currents delivers nutrients to even the deepest reaches of the ocean. As a result, there is literally no corner of our planet where life cant be found. Perfect Planet in a unique fusion of blue chip natural history and earth sciences -explains how the living planet operates. This five part series will show how the forces of nature - weather, ocean currents, solar energy and volcanoes drive, shape and support Earths great diversity of life. In doing so, it will reveal how animals are perfectly adapted to whatever the environment throws at them. From the white wolves of Ellesemere Island to bears in Kamchatka; vampire finches of the Galapagos to golden snub-nosed monkeys of China, the series will combine a global view of the planet from space with intimate animal stories from the most spectacular habitats. From the Indian Monsoon to Hawaiian volcanoes; tidal islands of the Bahamas to the extremes of the Arctic winter, Perfect Planet will take the audience on a stunning visual journey that will change the way we see our home. The final episode in the series looks at the dramatic impact of the worlds newest global force of nature humans and reveals what we need to do to in order to halt the dramatic loss of biodiversity Perfect Planet, a 5x60 for BBC One, is made by Silverback Films, co-produced by Tencent Penguin Pictures, France Televisions and The Open University. The Executive Producer is Alastair Fothergill, and the Series Producer is Huw Cordey. It was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, BBC of Director Content, and Tom McDonald, Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Specialist Factual. It will TX in 2020. FROZEN PLANET II Back in 2011 the BBC aired Frozen Planet, the massively popular natural history series, celebrating life in our Poles. Ten years on, Frozen Planet II tells the complete story of the entire frozen quarter of our planet thats locked in ice and blanketed in snow. In this epic six part series we explore this vast magical realm and discover frozen worlds of surprising variety and nature. From the frozen ocean of the Arctic, to the snowy forests and great plains of the far north, from the high-altitude peaks of our mountains to the ice-locked south of Antarctica. These are the last true wildernesses- so challenging for survival, that only a heroic cast of animals can live here. From polar bears to Siberian tigers, snow monkeys and penguins, each frozen world raises different challenges for the animals that brave the extreme conditions here. Today they are united by a new threat. As temperatures rise at an unprecedented rate, our frozen planet is literally vanishing before our eyes. What will be the true impact on humans and wildlife? In this series we will follow the heroic scientists, braving some of the most dangerous places on earth, in a bid to find the answers. With intimate new character stories, dramatic new behaviours and never-seen-before spectacles: Blue Planet II goes Frozen. Frozen Planet II, a 6x60 for BBC One, is made by BBC Studios Natural History Unit, co-produced by BBC America and The Open University. The Executive Producer is Mark Brownlow and the Series Producer is Elizabeth White. It was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, BBC Director of Content and Tom McDonald, Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Specialist Factual. It will tx in 2021. PLANET EARTH III Planet Earth III, the third in a trilogy, is a brand-new series for 2022 set to be the most ambitious natural history landmark ever undertaken by the BBC. Combining the awe and wonder of the original Planet Earth, the new science and discoveries of Blue Planet II and Planet Earth II, and the immersive character-led storytelling of Dynasties, the series will take the Planet Earth experience to new heights. It will take audiences to stunning new landscapes, showcase jaw-dropping newly-discovered behaviours, and follow the intense struggles of some of our planets most amazing animals. Across eight episodes, the series will have a truly global scale, with new technology central to its approach. Crews will spend longer in the field than ever before, and using the latest technology, including robotic cameras, stabilised rigs and deep submersibles, will take viewers from the highest mountains to the deepest oceans, from the darkest caves to the hottest deserts. Planet Earth III will also build on the approach of the BBC Studios Natural History Units most recent landmarks, by reflecting the new realities of the natural world. It will not only reveal the greatest wonders of life on earth, but will also show the new challenges faced in the 21st Century by the animals and plants with which we share on our increasingly fragile planet. Planet Earth III, an 8x60 series for BBC One, is made by BBC Studios Natural History Unit., co-produced by BBC America and The Open University. The Executive Producer is Mike Gunton and the Series Producer is Jonny Keeling. It was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, BBC Director of Content and Tom McDonald, Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Specialist Factual. It will TX in 2022. Butte County Leaders Holding Meeting to Discuss Housing Options Butte County leaders are holding a meeting Tuesday in Oroville to look for housing options for fire. They are also working to get an update on funding and programs to help with finding jobs for those who lost theirs because of the Camp Fire. The meeting is Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the chambers in Oroville. FEMA Deadline for Disaster Assistance Registration Friday Friday is the FEMA Disaster Assistance Registration Deadline. Right-of-Entry forms and a link to the FEMA website can be found by CLICKING HERE. Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office Investigating Homicide The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office is investigating the homicide of Hunter Sims of Texas. His body was found by a utility worker just northeast of Weed last week. His car was close by, near North Old State Road and Eddy Creek Road. Anderson Homicide Suspect Back in Court Monday An Anderson man accused of killing his roommate will be back in court Monday. Police say Michael Oconnell shot and killed Adam Mancebo at their home on Happy Valley Road last Wednesday. A judge set his bail at more than $1 million. His arraignment continues Monday. Gov. Newson to Withdraw Troops from Border Governor Gavin Newsom is set to withdraw several hundred troops from the U.S.-Mexico border. He plans to change their missions pending approval from the U.S. Department of Defense. Some would be redeployed to wildfire preparation and some would work on the state's counterdrug task force program. Rare Snow Sightings in Humboldt County Some rare snow was spotted in Humboldt County. The National Weather Service says the last time Humboldt County saw snow was back in the winter of 2003. CALIFORNIA - Governor Gavin Newsom is set to withdraw several hundred troops from the U.S.-Mexico border on Monday. Newsom plans to change the missions of around 350 California National Guard Troops pending approval from the U.S. Department of Defense. He plans to redeploy 110 troops to assist with wildfire preparation and 150 will work on the state's counterdrug task force program. About 100 troops will continue working with the federal government combating transnational drug and gun smuggling. Instagram Celebrity According to report, the 69-year-old actor and his wife Alejandra Silva welcomed their little bundle of joy in New York 'a few days ago.' Feb 11, 2019 AceShowbiz - Richard Gere is reportedly a second-time father, after wife Alejandra Silva gave birth to a baby boy "a few days ago". The "Pretty Woman" star and Alejandra wed in April (18), and rumours began that they were expecting their first child together in the summer - with the pair confirming the happy news in September. According to Spain's Hola! magazine, the pair welcomed a son in New York "a few days ago", with further details about the tot's name and birth weight yet to be revealed. Alejandra, who is an avid social media user, has also yet to comment on the reports on her Instagram page. Her last post on the site was three days ago, when she commented on her love of "recipes with new flavours that drive us crazy at home". The baby boy is Richard's second - he has an 18-year-old son, called Homer, from his marriage to model and actress Carey Lowell, which ended in 2013 after 11 years. Alejandra also has a child, a son named Albert, from her marriage to Govind Friedland. Richard, who will turn 70 in August, married the Spanish publicist and activist, 36, at his ranch outside New York City in April. "I'm the happiest man in the universe," he told Hello! magazine after the nuptials. "How could I not be? I'm married to a beautiful woman who is smart, sensitive, (and) committed to helping people, who's fun, patient, who knows how to forgive, who's a great cook - and who makes the best salads in the world!" The couple was introduced by a mutual friend when the Chicago actor stayed at Alejandra's family-owned hotel in Positano, Italy, in 2014. They reportedly became engaged in November, 2017. Instagram Celebrity 'Your mother was right. You did invited the devil into your Home...,' Kid Buu cryptically writes on Instagram. Feb 11, 2019 AceShowbiz - The back and forth between former couple Kid Buu and Blac Chyna has yet to be over. Following their alleged massive fight in Hawaii, the exes have been at each other's throats on social media. Kid Buu appeared to throw shade at the Lashed Bar owner in his recent Instagram Stories post. "Your mother was right. You did invited the devil into your Home...," so he wrote in his post. It seemed like Kid Buu was making a reference to Chyna's mom Tokyo Toni's remarks back in summer 2018 when she called the former "Rob & Chyna" star a "demon child." The rapper then added, "only thing is the devil isn't me." It didn't take long for Chyna to respond. Seemingly hitting back at her ex-boyfriend, she wrote, "Never go outta your way for other people(period)!" This arrives after Tokyo suggested that Dream Kardashian, Blac's daughter whom she shares with ex-fiance Rob Kardashian, should be in the custody of Rob instead, considering the wild news surrounding Chyna lately. "I don't think nothing is wrong with children going with their dad 'til their mothers get, you know, better," Tokyo said to TMZ on February 7. "I don't know if they should keep them, but I do believe that [they should] for a little while 'til she pulls her thing together. Because it's clear -- very clear, doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out -- that something is terribly wrong," she continued saying. The 47-year-old, whose real name is Shalana Hunter, then proceeded to blast Chyna for dating Buu, who had been booked on child abuse charges. "She's crazy for messing with him," Toni noted. "Second of all, you have him coming around my kids? That's crazy... He has accusations of child abuse My grandson don't need to see than, or my granddaughter for that matter." Recent weeks have been tough for Chyna. Following a police visit over report saying she neglected her children, the vixen got into a fight with Buu during their vacation in Honolulu, Hawaii. Cops confirmed that the case is currently under investigation. WENN/Lia Toby/Mario Mitsis Celebrity The Duchess of Cambridge oozes modern princess vibe in an Alexander McQueen gown, while the 'Mary Queen of Scots' actress wows in a bedazzled monochrome dress. Feb 11, 2019 AceShowbiz - Before the Grammys rolled out the carpet on Sunday night, February 10, celebrities flocked to the Royal Albert Hall in London for the 2019 British Academy Film Awards on the same day. Among the most-awaited guests were British royals Prince William and Kate Middleton. The Duchess of Cambridge was a real-life modern princess as she walked the red carpet in a one-shouldered white gown by Alexander McQueen. She paid homage to her late mother-in-law with the South Sea pearl earrings, which once belonged to Princess Diana. Her hair was styled in an elegant updo while she held a white purse. Meanwhile, Prince William, who is currently the president of BAFTA, looked dapper in a classic black suit and bow tie with a white shirt. Not to be outshined by the real-life British royal, Margot Robbie made a statement in a monochrome number which featured an embellished body. The dress featured a fitted bodice with ruffled black shoulder detailing and matching hemline. The Australian actress, who plays Queen Elizabeth I in "Mary Queen of Scots", wore strappy heels and minimum accessories, as her blonde hair was styled in an updo. She added a slick of electric blue eyeliner to the bold look, with peach lipstick. Also standing out on the red carpet were Lily Collins, Rachel Weisz, Olivia Colman and Viola Davis among others. See more photos below. 1. Real-Life Princess WENN/Lia Toby Kate Middleton was stunning in a white Alexander McQueen gown. 2. Honorable Guests WENN/Lia Toby The Duchess of Cambridge came with her husband, Prince William, who is currently the president of BAFTA. 3. Dress to Impress WENN/Mario Mitsis Margot Robbie rocked a bold monochrome dress with an embellished body. 4. Edgy Look WENN/Mario Mitsis Lily Collins showed her quirky side in a deep navy dress by Givenchy with a cropped structured blazer and eye-catching layered semi-sheer skirt. 5. Ethereal Dress WENN/Mario Mitsis Rachel Weisz wowed in a cream colored tulle layered dress which cinched in her tiny waist with a dazzling silver belt. 6. Making Statement WENN/Lia Toby Mary J. Blige stood out in a white pantsuit which featured silver detailing on half of the top, with a long train. 7. Looking Regal WENN/Lia Toby Olivia Colman wore a monochrome dress with a dramatic train. 8. Not to Be Missed WENN/Lia Toby Viola Davis opted for a figure-hugging black suede dress which featured a white satin bow neckline. 9. Vintage Glamor WENN/Mario Mitsis Michelle Rodriguez sizzled in a skimpy gold Grecian number which gave her a little trouble to maneuver on the red carpet. 10. Show-Stopping Look WENN/Mario Mitsis Thandie Newton looked sensational in a black strapless number with a huge skirt. 11. Literally Bejeweled WENN/Mario Mitsis Cate Blanchett wore a low-cut black dress with a jewel-encrusted bodice while debuting her newly-dyed brunette locks. 12. Looking Sharp WENN/Mario Mitsis Irina Shayk, who came with husband Bradley Cooper bared cleavage in a black sleek pantsuit with a deep V-neckline. 13. Elegant in Red WENN/Mario Mitsis Never failing to impress, Amy Adams oozed glamor in a form-fitting deep burgundy gown. 14. Simply Stunning WENN/Mario Mitsis Claire Foy donned a sleek green dress with a thigh-high slit. WENN/Adriana M. Barraza Celebrity In support of Jeff Bezos' revelation that he was targeted by American Media Inc. and CEO David Pecker, the 'Deadpool 2' actor claims that the company went as far as 'creating fake receipts.' Feb 11, 2019 AceShowbiz - Terry Crews has claimed he was blackmailed by the owner of U.S. publication National Enquirer over false reports he used prostitutes. The "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" star shared his experience in support of Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, who recently revealed he was targeted by American Media Inc (AMI) and CEO David Pecker. Bezos claims the National Enquirer, which is owned by AMI, threatened to publish a nude photo of him if he didn't stop probing the magazine's exposure of his affair and publicly admit that the reporting was in no way "politically motivated." Crews took to Twitter and told his fans and followers that he was targeted by AMI and Pecker after he launched legal action against his former agent Adam Venit, who he accused of groping him, and the William Morris Endeavor agency in 2017. "This same company, AMI, tried to silence me in my lawsuit against @wme and Adam Venit by fabricating stories of me with prostitutes and even went so far as creating fake receipts," the actor stated. "I called their bluff by releasing their threats online. They blinked." This same company, AMI, tried to silence me in my lawsuit against @wme and Adam Venit by fabricating stories of me with prostitutes and even went so far as creating fake receipts. I called their bluff by releasing their threats online. They blinked. https://t.co/S6lMZ5K6Tb terry crews (@terrycrews) 8 February 2019 Crews later shared tweets from 2017, in which he accused Radar Online of contacting him via email over the story. "@radaronline threatened me w/ a false story abt (about) me hiring 2 hookers at the 2015 Monte Carlo TV Festival. It never went 2 press because it was a lie," Crews wrote. "This was not a coincidence. I told u they were coming 4 me. I also told you I am ready." 1 day after my @GMA interview, @radaronline threatened me w/ a false story abt me hiring 2 hookers at the 2015 Monte Carlo TV Festival. It never went 2 press because it was a lie. This was not a coincidence. I told u they were coming 4 me. I also told you I am ready. pic.twitter.com/vqLAUknUiO terry crews (@terrycrews) 19 November 2017 Journalist Ronan Farrow was also among those who accused AMI and Pecker of blackmail. He said he and at least one other "prominent journalist involved in breaking stories about the National Enquirer's arrangement with Trump fielded similar 'stop digging or we'll ruin you' blackmail efforts from AMI.' " AMI and the National Enquirer deny any wrongdoing. Instagram Music Receiving the posthumous prize on behalf of the late 'Lonely Together' hitmaker, Klas Bergling describes his son as 'a friendly person with humour and very serious, humble and stubborn as sin.' Feb 11, 2019 AceShowbiz - Avicii was posthumously honoured at the Grammis in Sweden earlier this week (ends February 10). The "Lonely Together" hitmaker, real name Tim Bergling, was just 28 when he reportedly took his own life in April (2018), and on February 7 his father, Klas Bergling, was presented with an honourary award at the Grammis in Stockholm. "As Tim's father, I am very honoured to receive this great prize," Klas said. "Tim was a friendly person with humour and very serious, humble and stubborn as sin. When it came to the music, he was on the verge of obsessed to reach the optimal he had imagined." "He was a shy person who didn't want to be in the centre (of attention) and he had a hard time with the official role. He had a need to withdraw, find peace and find himself - something that many of us probably recognise." "Tim, we think your music will live and continue to delight people," he added. Avicii previously won an award at the prizegiving in 2012 for his song "Levels", according to Billboard. WENN/FayesVision Celebrity Wearing a flat cap, the 'World War Z' actor is caught on camera quickly making his way inside the Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood to join his ex-wife in celebrating her milestone. Feb 11, 2019 AceShowbiz - Brad Pitt was spotted arriving at ex-wife Jennifer Aniston's 50th birthday party. The former couple - who were married for five years before splitting in 2005- have remained friendly since their divorce, and have grown closer after Brad separated from his second wife Angelina Jolie in 2016. The 55-year-old arrived at the star-studded bash at the Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood on Saturday, February 09 wearing a flat cap and quickly made his way inside. Earlier in the evening, Jennifer, who turns 50 on Monday, stunned in a strappy black jumpsuit and heels as she entered the historic hotel, which is reportedly her favourite Hollywood hotspot. Brad's ex fiancee Gwyneth Paltrow was also at the bash, along with the birthday girl's former lover, John Mayer. Katy Perry, boyfriend Orlando Bloom, George Clooney and Amal Clooney, Reese Witherspoon, Ellen DeGeneres, Kate Hudson, Demi Moore and Jennifer Meyer were also on hand to celebrate the milestone with the former "Friends" star. Brad, who has been reportedly dating Charlize Theron since January, arrived solo at the bash. Jennifer, who split from Justin Theroux in 2017 after two years of marriage, recently opened up about her past relationships, and insisted she would never stay in a troubled marriage for fear of being alone. "My marriages, they've been very successful, in personal opinion. And when they came to an end, it was a choice that was made because we chose to be happy, and sometimes happiness doesn't exist within that arrangement anymore," she explained. "To stay in a marriage based on fear feels like you're doing your one life a disservice." (WB) Barbra Babs Siperstein, a transgender Democratic activist in New Jersey whos credited with taking a lead role in pushing a pro-trans state birth certificate law for her state, died over the weekend at age 76, according to local media reports. Siperstein died days after the law went into effect on Feb. 1. The Babs Siperstein Law allows individuals in New Jersey to change the gender marker on their birth certificate without proof of surgery and offer a gender-neutral option. The law was signed by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. The first openly transgender member of the Democratic National Committee, Siperstein was appointed in 2011 to the Democratic National Committees executive committee and served there until 2017. Siperstein was a superdelegate for Hillary Clinton at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Speaking with the Washington Blade at the convention, Siperstein was dubious of Trumps pledge to support LGBT people during his speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention. (Her prediction later proved true.) Theres nothing behind it, Siperstein said. He said unequivocally that he was going to appoint the most conservative Supreme Court justices. He will say anything. Although she was a Democrat, Siperstein wasnt afraid to take on members of her own party on the issue of transgender rights. In 2015, Siperstein told the Blade she was extremely disappointed in Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), now a U.S. senator and a 2020 presidential candidate, for her actions as California attorney general appealing a court order granting a transgender prison inmate in California access to gender reassignment surgery. I would think that any political candidate, or any public servant, that would fight to prevent basic and necessary medical treatment for any person would be incompetent to serve, Siperstein said. How can you trust any public servant, any elected official, who fights to prevent basic and necessary medical service for any person? Whos next? Sean Meloy, who served as the DNCs Director of LGBTQ Engagement and is now political director for the LGBTQ Victory Fund, said Siperstein built a strong legacy. For so many in the Democratic Party, Babs was the first openly trans person they ever met and she undoubtably changed the hearts and minds of many party leaders who were not yet committed to trans equality, Meloy said. She was a constant advocate for the entire LGBTQ community and helped make the Democratic Party more accepting not just of trans people, but trans candidates as well. Her presence in the DNC helped prepare the party and pave the way for trailblazing trans Democratic candidates like Danica Roem and Christine Hallquist and her impact will be felt for years to come. WENN/Ivan Nikolov Music While the Nickelodeon alum wins Best Pop Vocal Album, Mother Monster takes home Best Song Written for Visual Media and Best Pop Solo Performance. Feb 11, 2019 AceShowbiz - Before the 61st Grammy Awards finally kicks off, Recording Academy has announced the winners for several categories. Among them were Lady GaGa and Ariana Grande, the latter of whom nabbed her first ever win at the award-giving show after being nominated six times. Ariana, who decided to skip the event due to disagreement with Grammy producers, notched the coveted Best Pop Vocal Album for acclaimed 2018 "Sweetener". Addressing her win on Twitter, the Nickelodeon alum wrote, "I know I'm not there tonight (trust, I tried and still truly wished it had worked out tbh) and I know I said I try not to put too much weight into these things... but f**k.... this is wild and beautiful. Thank you so much." i know im not there tonight (trust, i tried and still truly wished it had worked out tbh) and i know i said i try not to put too much weight into these things .... but fuck ....... this is wild and beautiful. thank you so much. Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) February 10, 2019 On the other hand, GaGa already won two categories. In addition to taking home Best Song Written for Visual Media for her Bradley Cooper hit duet "Shallow", Mother Monster nabbed Best Pop Solo Performance for "Joanne (Where Do You Think You're Goin'?)". GaGa was sentimental when talking about her wins on Twitter, admitting that it brought her to tears. "A Grammy for Joanne is more than me & my family could ever dream of. I sang that version in one take, & poured my entire life & soul into it. Thank you so much for this gift I am completely shocked. 2nd Grammy win of the night I am so overwhelmed by this kindness," she said on the micro-blogging site. a Grammy for Joanne is more than me & my family could ever dream of. I sang that version in one take, & poured my entire life & soul into it. Thank you so much for this gift I am completely shocked. 2nd Grammy win of the night I am so overwhelmed by this kindness. #grammys Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) February 10, 2019 Other early winners which were announced prior to the live broadcast included The Carters (Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z), Kendrick Lamar and Childish Gambino a.k.a. Donald Glover. While the power couple notched Best Urban Contemporary Album for "Everything Is Love", the Pulitzer winner brought home Best Rap Performance for "King's Dead" which featured Jay Rock, Future and James Blake. On the other hand, the "Atlanta" creator won Best Rap/Sung Performance for his hit "This Is America". Hosted by Alicia Keys, the 61st Grammy Awards will be broadcast live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on CBS on Sunday, February 10. Kendrick leads the nominations with eight nods, followed by Drake with seven. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... When voters of deep-red Utah approved a ballot initiative to expand Medicaid in November, David Heslington, bishop of an inner-city congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was elated. He has seen firsthand that expanding health coverage to poor and working-class Utahns would save lives, having conducted funerals in the spring for two men who had overdosed on opioids after being unable to afford addiction treatment. Two weeks ago, as the Utah Legislature rushed to shred that initiative, Heslington implored lawmakers to reconsider: Do you feel any obligation to implement the will of the people you supposedly represent? On Monday, the Legislature gave its answer: It enacted a Medicaid plan that would cover tens of thousands fewer people than what voters called for, despite days of demonstrations by people carrying signs saying, Respect democracy, our vote matters. Republican Gov. Gary Herbert has said he is reviewing the bill, and he is expected to sign it. Just before Mondays final vote, state Sen. Allen Christensen, a Republican and the bills chief sponsor, said GOP lawmakers are doing the long-term responsible thing. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ What has been playing out within Utahs granite Capitol has ripple effects that stretch beyond the sparsely populated Western state. The actions of Utahs lawmakers are testing the legitimacy of the citizen initiative, a staple of small-D democracy in about half the states. Idaho lawmakers also are considering restrictions to a Medicaid expansion approved by voters there. Maine residents approved a similar ballot initiative in 2017 but had to wait for the arrival of a Democratic governor for the expansion to finally begin this month. At the same time, the legislation just approved by Utahs heavily Republican Legislature is unlike any the federal government has allowed before, and it would test the willingness of the Trump administration to rethink a central tenet of how the Affordable Care Act has been carried out. Until now, if a state chose to expand Medicaid under the federal health law as about three dozen states plus the District of Columbia have federal officials have required them to include people with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty line, nearly $17,000 for an individual or nearly $35,000 for a family of four. Utahs plan expands Medicaid only to people earning up to the poverty line and wants the federal government to pay the state the more generous reimbursement reserved for a full expansion under the ACA. The expansion would broaden coverage beyond the states stringent limit of parents earning up to 60 percent of the poverty level and no other adults unless they are homeless. Both the Obama administration and Trumps health care advisers have rebuffed states seeking to raise eligibility only partly including an earlier request by Utah in June. But that is what Utah is preparing to ask for. If the federal government goes along, health policy experts predict, requests from other Republican-led states will follow. According to Utahs expansion advocates, the legislation overriding voters will is almost certain to spawn litigation to try to stop it. Lawmakers immediately began considering plans to limit the ballot initiative when they convened in late January, leading to a rally outside the Capitol that was the biggest in the six years advocates have been pressing to expand Medicaid, according to Matthew Slonaker, executive director of the Utah Health Policy Project, a nonprofit that supported the initiative, called Prop 3. I have never seen people so furious, Slonaker said. Advocates of full expansion say this is a risky gamble that could end up costing the state millions of dollars because of the way the federal government reimburses for Medicaid. However, two members of the governors staff and a leading Republican lawmaker said they have received private assurances from officials at the top of the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees the Medicaid program, that they are receptive to Utahs plan. Paul Edwards, the governors deputy chief of staff for policy, and Nathan Checketts, the state Medicaid director, said in interviews that CMS officials had at first said they could not approve the states application in the summer for a partial Medicaid expansion. But after the November elections, CMS Administrator Seema Verma signaled to Herbert that she is open to that, Edwards said. Edwards and Checketts said that CMS officials said they would consider a partial expansion if Utah combined it with an even more unorthodox idea enacting per-person caps for Medicaid spending an idea long popular with conservatives and which represents a fundamental shift in the program from an entitlement available to anyone who is eligible, to a grant with a per capita dollar limit. This idea was part of the ACA-repeal legislation that failed in Congress in 2017. Republican Rep. Jim Dunnigan, sponsor of the House version of the Medicaid plan that passed Friday, said he talked to a senior CMS official at a recent conference who told him the same thing. We think there is a very good chance, Dunnigan said in an interview. A CMS spokesman declined to comment on the prospects for Utahs request, saying the agency does not comment on applications before they are evaluated. The prospect of a capped Medicaid program and a limited expansion has stirred anger. On Friday, as the House debated its version the bill, a quartet of faith leaders linked arms and sat on the floor outside the chamber. Carissa Monroy, a family physician at a community health center on Salt Lake Citys south side, has attended rallies and roamed the Capitols halls to meet with lawmakers. Some of her patients are refugees and, after qualifying for an initial eight months of health coverage, often become uninsured. Utahns in general are pretty caring and giving people, she said. It feels like its this mental block with not wanting to expand Medicaid, because so many of the Republican legislators have been opposed to it for so long. In the past week, the Utah Senate and House had different ideas about how far to stray from what voters approved by 53 percent in Prop 3. Under both the Senate and House versions, expansion up to the poverty line would allow perhaps 80,000 to 90,000 poor Utahns to join the program, but exclude perhaps another 40,000 who have incomes up to the ACAs threshold for the full expansion. Under the initial Senate bill, if the federal government didnt give permission for the higher reimbursement rate, Utah would not expand Medicaid at all. But the final version includes what lawmakers called a backstop. Medicaid would expand in April to include people up to the federal poverty line, with those with slightly higher incomes encouraged to sign up for private health plans through the ACAs federal insurance marketplace. To start with, the federal government would pay its normal share of Medicaid 70 percent while the state seeks permission for the richer, 90 percent reimbursement normally reserved for full Medicaid expansions. And if the federal government rejects that, then, the full expansion that voters approved would begin in mid-2020. For the governor, this Medicaid plan culminated years of attempts to extend insurance to more low-income Utahns in a way that is palatable to conservatives. In 2015, for instance, the state House rejected Herberts proposal, similar to an arrangement in Arkansas, to expand Medicaid by enrolling eligible people in private ACA plans. Heslington, who rotated out of a seven-year term as a Latter-day Saint bishop last year, believes the states restrictive policies have led to people with untreated mental illnesses sleeping on Salt Lake Citys streets. That leaves the churches, the nonprofit organizations with good volunteers, just trying to help people in need, he said, and they dont always succeed. Dunnigan said that steering people with slightly higher incomes into ACA health plans would give them better access to medical specialists, who can be reluctant to treat Medicaid patients at low payment rates. But Rep. Marie Poulson, a Democrat, cautioned her colleagues not to fall into the trap of thinking our voters are not informed. . . . We need to remind ourselves they voted for us. Slonaker, of the Utah Health Policy Project, said the legislative plan would cover fewer people at greater cost to the state, while the voters intent is playing second fiddle. In the meantime, his group plans to start enrolling who they can for coverage in April. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... EL PASO, Texas President Donald Trump charged ahead Monday with his pledge to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border, skimming over the details of lawmakers tentative deal that would give him far less than hes been demanding and declaring hes setting the stage to deliver on his signature campaign promise. In the first dueling rallies of the 2020 campaign season, Trumps Finish the Wall rally in El Paso went head-to-head against counterprogramming by former Rep. Beto ORourke, a former Democratic congressman and potential Trump rival in 2020, who argued that walls cause more problems than they solve. The rallies across the street from each other served as a preview of the heated yearslong fight over the direction of the country that has now begun in earnest. And they made clear that Trumps long-promised border wall is sure to play an outsized role in the presidential race, as both sides use it to try to rally their supporters and highlight their contrasting approaches. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Standing in a packed stadium under a giant American flag and banners saying FINISH THE WALL, Trump insisted that large portions of the project are already under construction and vowed to fulfill his 2016 campaign promise regardless of what happens in Congress. Walls work, said Trump, whose rally was repeatedly interrupted by protesters. Walls save lives. ORourke, meanwhile, held a countermarch with dozens of local civic, human rights and Hispanic groups in his hometown, followed by a protest rally attended by thousands on a baseball field within shouting distance from the arena where Trump spoke. With the eyes of the country upon us, all of us together are going to make our stand here in one of the safest cities in America, ORourke said. Safe not because of walls but in spite of walls. More than a half-hour in his rally, Trump had scarcely mentioned immigration, offering just a passing suggestion that those chanting Build the Wall switch to Finish the Wall. Instead, he mocked ORourke, insisting the Texan has very little going for himself except hes got a great first name and deriding his crowd size, even though both men drew thousands. That may be the end of his presidential bid, Trump quipped, adding: Youre supposed to win in order to run. The rallies began moments after negotiators on Capitol Hill announced that lawmakers had reached an agreement in principle to fund the government ahead of a midnight Friday deadline to avoid another shutdown. Republicans tentatively agreed to far less money for Trumps border wall than the White Houses $5.7 billion wish list, settling for a figure of nearly $1.4 billion, according to congressional aides. The funding measure is through the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. Three people familiar with Congress tentative border security deal have told The Associated Press that the accord would provide $1.375 billion to build 55 miles (90 kilometers) of new border barriers well below the $5.7 billion that Trump demanded to build over 200 miles (320 kilometers) of wall along the Mexican boundary. The money will be for vertical steel slats called bollards, not a solid wall. The talks had cratered over the weekend because of Democratic demands to limit immigrant detentions by federal authorities, but lawmakers apparently broke through that impasse Monday evening. Now they will need the support of Trump, who must sign the legislation. But Trump appeared oblivious to the deal, saying that hed been informed by aides that negotiators had made some progress but that he had declined to be fully briefed because he wanted to go on stage. I had a choice. I couldve stayed out there and listened, or I could have come out to the people of El Paso, and Texas, I chose you, Trump said. So we probably have some good news. But who knows? Trump, who has been threatening to declare a national emergency to bypass Congress, added, Just so you know, were building the wall anyway. Trump has insisted that large portions of the wall are already underway. But the work focuses almost entirely on replacing existing barriers. Work on the first extension 14 miles (23 kilometers) in Texas Rio Grande Valley starts this month. The other 83 miles (134 kilometers) that his administration has awarded contracts for are replacement projects. Trump has repeatedly pointed to El Paso to make his case that a border wall is necessary, claiming that barriers turned the city from one of the nations most dangerous to one of its safest. You know where it made a difference is right here in El Paso, he said Monday, adding: Theyre full of crap when they claim it hasnt made a big difference. But thats not true. El Paso had a murder rate of less than half the national average in 2005, a year before the most recent expansion of its border fence. Thats despite being just across the border from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, a city plagued by drug violence. The FBIs Uniform Crime Report shows that El Pasos annual number of reported violent crimes dropped from nearly 5,000 in 1995 to around 2,700 in 2016. But that corresponded with similar declines in violent crime nationwide and included periods when the citys crime rates increased year over year, despite new fencing and walls. The Trump campaign released a video showing El Paso residents saying the wall helped reduce crime. But many in the city have bristled at the prospect of becoming a border wall poster child. Trump advisers have long insisted that, fulfilled or not, the wall is a winning issue for the president, who has already sought to rewrite the Build the Wall chants that were a staple of his 2016 campaign to Finish the Wall. An AP-NORC poll conducted during last months shutdown found that more Americans oppose a wall than support it. But nearly 8 in 10 Republicans are in favor, with only about 1 in 10 opposed. Democrats, meanwhile, are adamant that Trumps insistence on a wall helps them and point to their 2018 midterm election gains in the House as proof that voters want to block Trumps agenda. ___ Associated Press writers Alan Fram, Zeke Miller and Kevin Freking in Washington and Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... SANTA FE New Mexicans would no longer spring forward each March under legislation heading to the House floor. Instead, New Mexico would join most of Arizona and stick with Mountain Standard Time all year long. That means that, for almost eight months of the year, New Mexico would share the same time as California and other states in the Pacific time zone. New Mexico would also be two hours different from Texas rather than just one hour during those months. Generally speaking, there would be an extra hour of light in the morning rather than the evening if New Mexico exempts itself from daylight saving. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Supporters of the bill said they hate changing their clocks twice a year because its hard on peoples health and sleep patterns. Rep. Roberto Bobby Gonzales, a Taos Democrat and retired educator, said the time change is particularly tough on children and can affect their performance at school. House Bill 73, sponsored by Gonzales, cleared the Judiciary Committee on a 10-3 vote Monday and now heads to the House floor. In the Senate, meanwhile, a separate proposal would put New Mexico on Mountain daylight time all year. That proposal is sponsored by Sen. Cliff Pirtle, R-Roswell. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... RENO, Nev. A northern Nevada woman who claims a neighboring tribe stole her horse during a roundup last month has dropped her lawsuit because shes convinced the horse had already been sold to a slaughterhouse in Mexico. A federal judge in Reno canceled a hearing scheduled Monday on Colleen Westlakes suit after the woman who lives in Palomino Valley north of the city withdrew the litigation. U.S. District Judge Miranda Du earlier extended a protective order preventing the slaughter of the horse named Lady that has been missing since the tribal roundup in early January. The judge signed an order late Friday dismissing the lawsuit. Horse advocates investigating the whereabouts of Lady and as many as 270 horses that were taken told the Reno Gazette Journal that they had discovered evidence the animals already had been shipped from Nevada and likely already transported to Mexico for slaughter. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Tribal officials insisted they never had Lady and suspected the horse was still roaming the high-desert range about 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Reno. Westlake and the American Wild Horse Campaign originally filed a lawsuit last month against the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, the state of Nevada and two Nevada Department of Agriculture officials and private contractor who helped with the roundup. Workers use a helicopter and motorcycle to herd horses in Palomino Valley. Horse advocates say the roundup by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe wrongly trespassed on tribal land and wasnt properly noticed. Suzanne Roy, director of the campaign, said that since then, they had discovered brand inspections from New Mexico, where the horses had been shipped from Nevada. In light of the fact that the horses are gone with no chance of recovery . there is now no remedy presently available to us in this federal court case, Roy told the newspaper. The roundup began Jan. 4 and lasted several days. Tribal officials called for it as part of an effort to reduce grazing pressure on their reservation land northeast of Reno. Wildfires have burned much of the tribes land in recent years and the tribes land management plan, developed with federal officials, is an effort to preserve what remains and restore burned areas. We are just following through with this management plan to protect the natural resources, Vice Chairman Alan Mandell said last month. The roundup was meant to include hundreds of tribally owned horses that roam freely on and around the reservation. Although the horses behave and live similarly to wild horses, their status as tribally owned means theyre not afforded protections under the Wild Horse and Burro Act and other federal regulations, including those meant to restrict wild horses from being sent to slaughter. ___ Information from: Reno Gazette-Journal, http://www.rgj.com .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... CHICAGO Prosecutors on Monday asked Illinois highest court to review the less than seven year prison sentence for the white Chicago police officer who fatally shot black teenager Laquan McDonald an unusual move in what was already a rare case. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the special prosecutor who won a murder conviction against former officer Jason Van Dyke, Kane County States Attorney Joseph McMahon, said they believe Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan improperly applied the law last month when he sentenced Van Dyke to six years and nine months in prison. Raoul and McMahon filed a request with the Illinois Supreme Court seeking an order that could ultimately result in the court forcing Gaughan to impose a longer sentence. This is the first step in asking the court to declare that the trial court improperly sentenced Jason Van Dyke for the murder and aggravated battery of Laquan McDonald and to order a new sentencing hearing, Attorney General Kwame Raoul said at a news conference. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Mondays court filing was the latest chapter in an ongoing saga that has included massive demonstrations, the firing of the police superintendent by the mayor and the ouster of the countys top prosecutors by voters a few months later. Police video of the shooting that the city released in 2015 under court order showed Van Dyke firing 16 bullets into McDonald, some of them after the 17-year-old fell to the ground. The sentence for Van Dyke was the first imposed on a Chicago police officer for an on-duty shooting in a half century. It followed a jurys decision in October to convict the officer of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm. The central issue in prosecutors petition is an Illinois law that allows a judge to sentence a person for only the most serious crime when he is convicted of multiple crimes for what amounts to a single act. Gaughan determined that second-degree murder was the more serious crime, although it carries a lighter sentence than aggravated battery. The murder charge calls for a sentence of between four and 20 years in prison, compared with six to 30 years in prison for aggravated battery. Both Raoul and McMahon steered clear of saying whether they believed the sentence was too short. But McMahon had argued in court documents ahead of the January hearing that Gaughan should impose a sentence of at least 18 years in prison. Defense attorneys had sought probation. One of Van Dykes attorneys, Darren OBrien, said Monday that prosecutors contention that the judge should sentence Van Dyke on the aggravated battery charge because it is more serious than second-degree murder doesnt make sense. Its common sense that the lesser harm of getting shot would merge into the greater harm of getting killed, OBrien said. At the January sentencing hearing, Van Dyke, Gaughan, too, had said it was common sense that second-degree murder was the more serious charge, calling it an easy answer. Prosecutors in their legal filing pointed to a 2004 Illinois Supreme Court ruling in which a majority of justices concluded that aggravated battery is the more serious charge because it carries a stiffer penalty. Prosecutors cannot directly appeal a sentence but are seeking what is called a writ of mandamus, which can result in an order from the Illinois Supreme Court telling a judge to adhere to the correct law. This is the only way for us to challenge the legality of a sentence, McMahon told reporters. Absent a new sentence, Van Dyke will likely serve only about three years, with credit for good behavior. Van Dykes attorneys have notified the court of plans to appeal the conviction, but OBrien declined to discuss what arguments they may make. Raoul took office in January, and Van Dykes attorneys have decried the decision to review the sentence as a political stunt. Raoul bristled at that suggestion. This is not a political question, he said. This is a question of law. ___ For the APs complete coverage of the Jason Van Dyke case: https://apnews.com/tag/LaquanMcDonald ___ This story has been corrected to reflect that Raoul and McMahon did not directly address whether they think the sentence was too short. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... SACRAMENTO, Calif. As a second partial government shutdown looms in Washington over border discussions, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed an order to withdraw and redeploy roughly 360 National Guard members from Californias southern boundary with Mexico, repudiating President Donald Trumps characterization of a recent influx of Central American refugees and migrants as a national security crisis. Speaking to reporters Monday, Newsom said he was giving the National Guard a new mission so that troops would not take part in the White Houses political theater in perpetuation of what he once more called a manufactured border crisis. This whole thing is the theater of the absurd, and California has had enough, and we will not perpetuate it, he said. We are, however, interested in doing the right thing and supporting efforts that are real, not manufactured. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Newsoms general order reassigns more than 200 troops to support wildfire prevention efforts and expand operations to counter drugs and cartels across California, with a group of forces trained in spotting narcotics to be stationed at the states international points of entry. A separate letter signed by the governor Monday requests funding from the federal government to add at least 150 troops to the California National Guards Counterdrug Task Force, which helps local law enforcement agencies identify and seize illegal marijuana farms that the governor said harm the environment and create fire hazards. The announcement comes just one day before the governor delivers his first State of the State address Tuesday, setting the stage for Newsom to counter Trumps State of the Union address from last week. Released excerpts of his speech echoed his remarks Monday to reporters. The Border emergency is a manufactured crisis, Newsom is expected to say Tuesday, according to prepared remarks provided by the governors office. This is our answer to the White House: No more division, xenophobia or nativism. Newsoms move is an escalation of a long-running battle over immigration between California and the federal government, with the states Democratic majorities pledging to serve as a buffer to Trumps hard-line rhetoric and policies. The president has threatened to invoke emergency powers to fund construction of a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border, a key promise of his 2016 campaign. A budget standoff between Trump and congressional Democrats over the proposal led to a 35-day government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history. Parts of the government could close again if Congress and the White House do not reach a spending deal by Friday. In his address to the nation last week, Trump showed little willingness to compromise, doubling down on calls for a wall and describing illegal immigration as a source of crime and a costly burden on taxpayers. Tolerance for illegal immigration is not compassionate it is cruel, he said. Newsom is the second governor this month to pull National Guard troops assigned to the southern border. Last week, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered the removal of most her states troops just hours before the presidents address, saying she rejected the federal contention that there exists an overwhelming national security crisis at the southern border. New Mexico will not take part in the presidents charade of border fear-mongering by misusing our diligent National Guard troops, she said. Democratic state legislators and civil rights groups applauded Newsoms order. Assemblyman Miguel Santiago, D-Los Angeles, said he and other members of the California Latino Caucus had long wanted the state to take an aggressive stance against the administrations anti-immigrant and inhumane crusade. The only way to beat a bully is to push him back and let him fall, he said. Patricia Gandara, co-director of the Civil Rights Project at the University of California at Los Angeles, commended the governors decision, pointing to the states own battles over immigration and its treatment of immigrants including 1994s fight over Proposition 187, which sought to cut off schooling and health services for immigrants here illegally. I think we grew up and we realized that immigrants were not a threat, Gandara said. Were the fifth-largest economy in the world. And we have the largest percentage of immigrants in our state. How do you reconcile that if you think immigrants are taking our jobs and bringing down the economy? Newsoms approach is a departure from that of former Gov. Jerry Brown, who in April granted Trumps request to send 400 National Guard troops to the border as other Democratic and Republican governors recalled some troops and equipment or refused to send any personnel. Brown said he agreed to the mission after persuading the federal government to commit to paying for it and kept the guard members under the direction of the state. He ordered that they not enforce immigration laws or participate in building a new border barrier. But the then-governor faced criticism from state Democrats and immigrant rights groups, who said providing support to the federal government could free up U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers to increase detentions and deportations. Counter efforts against Trumps immigration policies intensified last summer after his administration began separating migrant families at the border under a policy that required all adults who enter the country illegally to be prosecuted. At least five governors recalled troops or withheld resources. Then-California Senate leader Kevin De Leon and 26 state legislators urged Brown to end the National Guard agreement. Now, the Trump Administration is using the California National Guard to free up federal resources to pursue and lock up women and children fleeing violence, instead of focusing on serious drug cartel and human trafficking cases at the border, De Leon wrote in a June 2018 letter to Brown. The troops have remained at the border for 10 months. Trump later dispatched more than 5,200 active-duty military troops to the border in October before the 2018 midterm election as a caravan of migrants arrived in the U.S. from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. The federal government that month also stopped helping asylum-seeking families connect with their U.S. sponsors after being processed and registered at the border. Thousands of families have since been released into the San Diego area with nowhere to go, forcing nonprofits in the region to step up and offer temporary shelter. Newsom, who visited one of those shelters a month before he was sworn into office, and other California state leaders have described what Trump has called a crisis at the border as self-induced by the president. In his Spanish-language response to the presidents State of the Union address Tuesday, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra warned that he is prepared to take Trump to court if he declares a national emergency to fund a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border while cutting federal funds to fire-damaged communities in the state. Newsom said Trumps plans to deploy another 3,750 U.S. military troops to the border was yet another reason to realign the priorities of the National Guard. Newsoms general order Monday will assign 110 personnel to support the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in preparing for wildfire season. Another 100 members will be devoted to intelligence operations against drug cartels, with a small group of those stationed at points of entry. The governors office said the troops will be pulled back no later than March 31. California National Guard Maj. Gen. David Baldwin told reporters Monday that Newsoms order went further than Browns to make it clear that troops are not to enforce immigration laws. We have not been involved in the detention of immigrants. However, there is a gray area, Baldwin said. Camera operators and dispatchers report any illegal border crossing without knowing a persons intent or whether they are a criminal or a person in search of a better life, Baldwin said. Under Newsoms directive, he said, Guard members would stay away from those areas and not participate in border surveillance. (EDITORS: STORY CAN END HERE) Newsom has sharply contrasted the differences between state and federal immigration policy, describing California in his inaugural address as a place that provides shelter to all who need it and sanctuary to all who seek it where opportunity abounds for all who will work for it. Holding his 2-year-old son, Dutch, in his arms, Newsom said children shouldnt be ripped away from their parents at the border and nor should they be left hungry while politicians seek to pour billions into a wall that should never be built. (EDITORS: STORY CAN END HERE) He has pledged $25 million in his budget proposal to aid local nonprofits and community groups providing services to asylum seekers. And he has embraced other efforts to help immigrants, including an expansion of eligibility for Medi-Cal to young adults who are in the U.S. illegally at a cost some have pegged at about $250 million per year. (EDITORS: STORY CAN END HERE) In excerpts of his State of the State address released Sunday, Newsom says he plans to offer a contrast to the presidents vision of America, calling it fundamentally at odds with California values. We suffered enough from that in the (1980s and 1990s) with Props 187 and 227, the excerpts read. But then we repealed and healed. A quarter of a century later, were more united than ever, and were not going back. 2019 Los Angeles Times Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. - PHOTO (for help with images, contact 312-222-4194): Gavin Newsom .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. At 12:01 a.m. Monday another group of migrants, this one made up of 330 adults and children, was taken into custody by Border Patrol Agents working at Camp Bounds Forward Operating Base at the Antelope Wells Port of Entry in southern New Mexico. This the 28th large group of over 100 people since October in this Border Patrol area alone in the El Paso Sector, official said in a news release. Similar sized groups have been crossing at other area locations. This particular group was made up mainly of Central American families and unaccompanied juveniles, officials said, noting that smugglers continue to exploit innocent human lives in order to enhance their illicit activities without due regard to the risks of human life. Border Patrol EMTs determined that none ins this group required immediate medical attention. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE A proposal to require lobbyists to disclose what bills theyve worked on survived its first committee hearing Monday as New Mexico lawmakers wrestled with how much transparency to impose on a critical part of the legislative process. House Bill 131 would require lobbyists or their employers, after the session ends, to list each piece of legislation they lobbied on and whether they supported, opposed or took another position on the measure. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ New Mexicans want to pull back the curtain so they can see whats going on in government, said Sen. Jeff Steinborn, a Las Cruces Democrat and co-sponsor of the proposal. But members of the House State Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee expressed reservations about whats reasonable to require of lobbyists. In an amendment, they pushed back the proposed reporting requirement from one week after the session concludes to two weeks. And some members said they want to scrutinize the bill further, especially the definitions of lobbying. They didnt make any immediate changes to the proposal but said they may propose amendments before the measure is considered for final passage. Rep. Greg Nibert, R-Roswell, raised the question of whether an offhand, informal remark by a lobbyist to a legislator would trigger the reporting requirement. What if the lobbyist, he asked, is speaking as a constituent or a friend rather than on behalf of an employer? I dont want to cost people their job or a fine because they made some remark, Nibert said. Other members suggested requiring that only substantial lobbying be reported. Steinborn said the definition of lobbying is already well-covered in state law. Generally speaking, it involves being paid to influence legislation, officials said. You know when youre doing it and when youre not, Steinborn said. The proposal passed 4-2 along party lines, with Democrats in favor, and now heads to the Judiciary Committee, potentially its last stop before the House floor. House Bill 131 is jointly sponsored Steinborn and Democratic Reps. Elizabeth Thomson and Dayan Hochman-Vigil, both of Albuquerque. Earlier this session, lawmakers passed a bill that will require lobbyists to start reporting their cumulative spending on individual meals or other items that cost less than $100 each. Amounts over that are already reported. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the measure into law. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal Acknowledging that it must atone for past mistakes, the Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces on Monday said it has given the state Attorney Generals Office personnel files and other documents connected to 28 priests and other clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse of children and minors. We have sent these files to the attorney general for his review, and in those files are the allegations against these individuals and how the situation was managed by the diocese, Bishop Gerald Kicanas told a news conference in Las Cruces. The diocese said roughly 12,000 pages were turned over, although some of the documents were redacted. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Release of the documents comes three days after the AGs Office arrested and charged former Archdiocese of Santa Fe priest Marvin Archuleta, 81, on first-degree felony counts of criminal sexual penetration of a child under 13 and kidnapping in the rape of a 6-year-old boy in the 1980s at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Santa Cruz, near Espanola. And in September, federal agents extradited former Kirtland Air Force Base chaplain Arthur Perrault from Morocco and charged him with six counts of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of sexual contact in the molestation of an 11-year-old boy in the early 90s. Perrault has pleaded not guilty to all counts. The Diocese of Las Cruces, meanwhile, has also added the names of 13 priests credibly accused of sexual misconduct with minors to the list of 28 individuals released in November. The new names were of priests who had allegations against them but not during their time in the Las Cruces Diocese. One of the priests, the Rev. Nicholas Galvan, was convicted of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl in Colorado in 1990. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years of probation. In the past, the Diocese of Las Cruces did not always address allegations of sexual misconduct appropriately. Clearly, grave mistakes were made, Kicanas said, adding that the mistakes included allowing pedophile priests with credible accusations to continue serving in the church after undergoing treatment at the Servants of the Paraclete treatment center in Jemez Springs. Today we have learned, and I hope everyone has learned, that is absolutely not possible, Kicanas said. When a person has abused a child, they cannot be put in a position of trust. Attorney General Hector Balderas sent letters in September to all three of New Mexicos Catholic dioceses the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and the dioceses of Gallup and Las Cruces seeking all documents related to potential abuse by priests and other clergy in New Mexico. The request followed a grand jury investigation in Pennsylvania that concluded that 300 priests there had sexually abused children over seven decades. The grand jury reviewed more than 2 million church documents and reported that at least 1,000 children were victims of sexual abuse by clergy members. It also said several church leaders were involved in a cover-up. In his letter to bishops in New Mexico, Balderas noted that the Pennsylvania grand jury report revealed ties to New Mexico. Late Monday, Balderas office said in a statement that it will continue to fight for every survivor of horrific sexual abuse at the hands of the clergy and strongly urges anyone who is a survivor of abuse to come forward to law enforcement. Investigations for criminal acts should be conducted by proper independent authorities to ensure that all culpable actors are held responsible, spokesman David Carl said in a statement. The Office of the Attorney General has not received the disclosures outlined in the press release from the Archdiocese of Las Cruces to date but remains disturbed at (the) lack of immediate disclosures as requested September 4, 2018. Its unclear whether Balderas will take issue with the dioceses decision to redact some of the files. According to the diocese, the redactions were made to protect the names of victims who accused priests of sexual abuse. The diocese said it wanted assurance that the names of victims would be kept confidential before releasing the information. Weve been going back and forth quite a bit, Kicanas said. Publicizing the lists of credibly accused priests and voluntarily turning over personnel files to the Attorney Generals Office are two steps to uncover and account for past errors and to establish policies which will prevent their repetition, according to the Las Cruces Diocese. Kicanas said none of the investigations underway now involves children in the Las Cruces Diocese. A review board that includes parishioners and experts is now responsible for examining all complaints of sexual misconduct. Bishop Kicanas of Tucson is handling the release of the information because the Las Cruces Diocese does not have a replacement yet for Bishop Oscar Cantu, who was reassigned to the much larger Diocese of San Jose in California last fall. Material from The Associated Press was used in this report .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... MORE RIO RANCHO ROADS NEED SOME TLC: Mark emails that despite two different Rio Rancho road improvement bonds having passed in recent years, and the state currently having more money than it seems to know what to do with, Rio Rancho residential streets throughout the city continue to crack and crumble. After voters passed the first bond approximately three to four years ago, it was reported that street repairs were coming within months. But other than spending millions to rebuild portions of a few main roads Sara, Broadmoor and now Southern Ive seen nothing happening with respect to our smaller residential streets, which are now worse than ever. And so Mark asks for a construction update. And Annemarie L. Garcia, the citys communications and community engagement officer, has one. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ She explains that roads that are selected for the general obligation bond projects are roadways that serve the most people and the most traffic. Since G.O. Bond funds need to be voter-approved, it is a city of Rio Rancho policy decision to utilize those funds in the most impactful way serving the needs of the majority of the population. Garcia adds that, as Mark points out, in 2016, Rio Rancho voters approved $9 million of general obligation bonds for the purpose of road construction and rehabilitation. At that time, two roads were selected for road work: High Resort Boulevard and Sara Road. Those projects were completed under budget and on-time, and the remaining funds were put toward the Southern Boulevard Reconstruction Project. In 2018, voters reaffirmed their support of the road bond and approved $10 million of general obligation bonds for road construction and rehabilitation. Six roads were selected, one project was completed in 2018 and three roadways are currently under construction. According to rrnm.gov, G.O. bond road projects include Abrazo Road, Meadowlark Lane and Rockaway Boulevard under construction, Country Club Drive and Sundt Road in design, and Montreal Loop, which is complete. If these projects are completed under budget, Garcia continues, the governing body will determine how that money will be used for additional road-related work. And that could include the roads Mark is concerned about. Garcia goes on to say that in 2016, the governing body approved a resolution stating that if city revenues received were higher than projected, that money would go toward funding neighborhood roadway repairs. The Neighborhood Streets Improvement Project rrnm.gov/neighborhood utilizes these unanticipated funds to crack seal and crack patch residential roads. CANT WE CLEAN UP N.M.? That request comes from Amy, who emails Over the years many Journal readers have voiced their concerns about our states severe problem with trash, litter, eye-sores, etc. This email joins the fray. My hope is that you and the Journal have more pull than I do. There MUST be more that can be done by the departments that handle the beautification of our roadways. With the amount of extra money that the state has, can a portion not be appropriated to cleaning up our city, county, and state? Ive read the Journals stories regarding this, and it seems always to not be enough money, people, time, etc. My theory its not a priority. Any given moment of the day, there it is nestled in a bush, blowing across the road, scattered on a median TRASH, TRASH, TRASH. Who do I contact to REALLY get the job done? Someone at the top drives the same roads that we do. What arent they seeing that the rest of New Mexico is? Enough is enough. HOW TO CONTACT THE POWERS THAT BE: For the city of Albuquerque, folks can voice concerns to 311. The main number to Bernalillo County Public Works is 848-1500. The New Mexico Department of Transportation has six districts; District 3 covers Albuquerque and that number is 934-0354, the others are all at dot.state.nm.us. And state representatives and senators are busy listening to constituents and introducing bills in the Roundhouse. To find out who your state lawmakers are, go to nmlegis.gov, click on legislators, then on find my legislator, and type in your address to find your state representative and senator. Their contact information is also on the website. Editorial page editor DVal Westphal tackles commuter issues for the Metro area on Mondays. Reach her at 823-3858; dwestphal@abqjournal.com; or 7777 Jefferson NE, Albuquerque, N.M., 87109. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal A new diversion program in which police officers take low-level suspects to treatment instead of jail will soon be rolled out in Southeast Albuquerque. The police area command for that part of the city will be home to the first Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program, or LEAD. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The idea is this: Instead of filing criminal charges against those they arrest for a low-level crime like drug possession, shoplifting or prostitution police can take them to a detox facility where they will meet with a case manager who can coordinate services, such as Medicaid, housing vouchers and substance abuse treatment. Unlike other diversion efforts in the 2nd Judicial District, such as Drug Court, the LEAD program will send people to services before charges are ever filed. That allows them to avoid an arrest and a criminal record. Many of the judicial districts specialty courts are used as a term of a plea agreement and the defendant will often get a criminal record as a result of the case. You cant get more upstream than this, said Sam Howarth, the behavioral health services administrator for Bernalillo County. The program will also allow police to send people for help after a social contact, which means that the person wasnt at risk of being arrested but still wanted help. Similar programs exist in Santa Fe, Seattle and several places in Colorado. Albuquerque Police Department Deputy Chief Eric Garcia said city and county officials for several years have been planning a diversion program that officers can initiate. The department has tapped a Problem Response Team in the Southeast Area Command to be the first group of officers who will divert low-level criminals to treatment, he said. The team has about six officers. Weve all seen the revolving door. Well arrest someone, and theyll be back on the streets very soon, and we havent solved the problem, he said. Hopefully, this can put an end to that cycle. Since the program got started nearly a year ago in Colorado, more and more officers are sending people to the LEAD program there instead of jail, said Emily Richardson, the manager of co-responder services for the Colorado Department of Human Services. Officers arent mandated to make LEAD referrals. Its their discretion, she said. Being able to get them into a program that is going to hopefully make some longer-term changes is really the motivation that Ive seen so far. In Colorado, the Department of Human Services oversees several LEAD programs, which got underway last spring. There are active LEAD programs in Alamosa, Longmont and Pueblo. A program is about to launch in Denver. Richardson said that about 50 people in the state are in a LEAD program. Denver will open with four case managers who can handle about 80 to 100 participants. Most of the people in the program have substance abuse problems. In Albuquerque, Garcia said, APDs Crisis Intervention Unit will help create the curriculum to train officers on the new program. Its not exactly clear when the program will get off the ground. Because many of the people who will end up in the diversion program are homeless or have a mental illness, the police will have to get policies for the program approved by a federal monitor overseeing Albuquerques police reform effort, which could take a couple months to be finalized, Garcia said. Part of the police reform effort called for the department to revamp how officers interact with people with mental illnesses, who were too often at the end of a use-of-force by police, according to a Department of Justice investigation into the department. Howarth said the county is in the process of hiring the programs first case manager with the help of a one-time grant. The Bernalillo County Commission approved in November a $250,000 annual budget, which comes from a behavioral health tax, to hire as many as three case managers. They will work at the Metropolitan Assessment and Treatment Services detox center, or MATS, and will oversee LEAD participants, according to county documents. Howarth estimates each case manager can oversee about 25 participants. Its more humane, because it accepts that substance abuse disorders are brain diseases and it treats them as such. And, secondly, its been demonstrated to reduce criminal activity, County Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins said. I see it as a benefit both for the individual who is engaged in the LEAD program and it also leads to less victimization and lower costs for our community. The plan is to first roll out the program in APDs Southeast Area Command. The program will later expand into the South Valley, which is patrolled by Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office deputies, and then possibly Downtown, Howarth said. Suspects wont qualify for the program if theyve had convictions within the past 10 years for crimes such as homicide, vehicular homicide, aggravated arson, aggravated burglary, robbery, kidnapping, sex offenses or a case involving a firearm or deadly weapon. People found with more than 6 grams of drugs; who are dealing drugs for a profit as opposed to supporting their own habit; minors; and those suspected of promoting prostitution or the exploitation of minors will also be excluded from the program. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... On Thursday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY, and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., introduced what many news outlets described as legislation for the Green New Deal, a wildly ambitious plan to eliminate the American fossil fuel industry within a decade or so. Its worth noting that its not legislation as people normally understand the term. Its a resolution titled Recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal. In other words, even if it passed a considerable if nothing would really happen. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi isnt taking it too seriously. She didnt put Ocasio-Cortez on the new Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, and when asked about the resolution, she was dismissive. It will be one of several or maybe many suggestions that we receive, Pelosi said. The green dream or whatever they call it, nobody knows what it is, but theyre for it, right? I bring this up for the simple reason that a lot of people on the left and right have every incentive to make this thing a much bigger deal than it is. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Still, given that almost everyone running for the Democratic presidential nomination feels obliged to say theyre for it, its worth taking somewhat seriously. This raises the first of several problems: Its not a very serious proposal. The goal is to eliminate the fossil fuel industry over a decade and, perversely, phase out nuclear power over a slightly longer period. All of the jobs dependent on these industries would be replaced by government-guaranteed jobs. We set a goal to get to net-zero, rather than zero emissions, in 10 years, the backers explain in an outline, because we arent sure that well be able to fully get rid of farting cows and airplanes that fast, but we think we can ramp up renewable manufacturing and power production, retrofit every building in America, build the smart grid, overhaul transportation and agriculture, plant lots of trees and restore our ecosystem to get to net-zero. Well, at least the plan isnt too ambitious. Retrofitting every building in America can be done in 10 years, but eliminating all the gassy cows will take a bit longer. Maybe well move them all to Hawaii, which with the near-abolition of airplanes will be effectively cut off from America anyway. Even if you take these goals seriously, as a practical matter its a fantasy masquerading as green virtue-signaling. But its a fantasy based on a worldview that should be treated seriously because its so dangerous. NPRs Steve Inskeep asked Ocasio-Cortez whether she was comfortable with the massive government intervention critics say is required by such an undertaking. We have tried their approach for 40 years, Ocasio-Cortez replied. For 40 years we have tried to let the private sector take care of this. They said, We got this, we can do this, the forces of the market are going to force us to innovate. Except for the fact that theres a little thing in economics called externalities. And what that means is that a corporation can dump pollution in the river and they dont have to pay for it, and taxpayers have to pay. The fascinating thing is that Ocasio-Cortez thinks this is actually true. Thanks to the government intervention known as the Clean Water Act and other regulations, corporations cant pollute waterways. Ironically, the only entities that can pollute with impunity are government agencies such as the EPA, which did precisely that in Colorado (and New Mexico) in 2015. Closer to home, ExxonMobil has spent millions cleaning up Newtown Creek, which happens to run through Ocasio-Cortezs native Brooklyn, close to her district. Ironically, the city of New York is still allowed to pollute the creek whenever theres a heavy rainfall. Even if Ocasio-Cortez was speaking figuratively in her talk of externalities, the larger point remains. The free market hasnt been given free rein, and over the last 40 years the free market and government regulations alike have made laudable environmental progress. In 2017, the U.S. had the largest reductions of CO2 emissions in the world for the ninth time this century. Rather than celebrate and build on that reality, the Green New Dealers would rather embrace their fantasies and waste a lot of time and money in the process. E-mail at goldbergcolumn@gmail.com; Twitter @JonahNRO. 2019 Tribune Content Agency LLC. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... The five-week partial government shutdown was a trying time for USDA Forest Service employees and their families. But, with your help, we made it through. On behalf of Forest Service employees in the Southwestern Region, I want to thank you, our communities, for your expressions of care and concern for our federal workforce. It is heartwarming and humbling to know that you saw beyond the workforce to see the people and the impact on their lives. Times like these accentuate the importance of shared stewardship. Our mutual commitment to public lands and each other is invaluable. We are well aware of the partner, volunteer and community work that kept some of our visitor services functioning. We are grateful to and have great respect for our partners. We are so thankful for those strong partnerships we have in place to help deliver our mission of caring for the land and serving people. During the past five weeks, citizens, partners, elected officials, other public servants, tribal and land grant communities and the media showed up for us. For example, private citizens, businesses and providers of all types of services made extraordinary offers toward the nourishment, care and well-being of our employees; the media carried on our conservation conversation on social media, TV and newspapers; our partners carried on our shared conservation work; volunteer organizations picked up trash at trailheads and campgrounds; and citizens stocked outdoor restrooms with essentials. At the same time, many of our employees continued to perform work vital to public safety as well as ongoing permits and contracts, some without the guarantee of pay. Still others were not allowed to perform the work theyve dedicated their lives to. They are all grateful to you and the support the community has shown. Im grateful to work around so many resilient and dedicated federal employees and I know we are all appreciative of the role our communities played in supporting us. Across the Southwestern Region of the Forest Service, we manage 11 national forests and grasslands. There are over 2,200 Forest Service employees who work and live in communities across the four states of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Our communities have a special historical, cultural and spiritual bond with the land. This region is home to over 50 Native American tribes and pueblos, in addition to the many rural communities that continue to rely on public lands for traditional uses, such as food, heat, folk remedies and religious practices. Similarly, national forests and grasslands are an essential element in communities that provide goods and services such as clean water and world-class recreation opportunities. As community members, our shared values connect us and we share in lifes trials and triumphs. We cherish our part in the community connection and will continue to strive to be good neighbors. We thank you wholeheartedly for the outpouring of support, and we look forward to continuing our conservation mission with you in the future. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... I recently sat down for an interview with the Associated Press. The article that followed was aptly titled State Land boss ready to dance with oil industry. Its true. Im ready. As a lifelong educator, former state representative and New Mexicos first and only female land commissioner, I stand firm that it is time to put our money where it matters most: into our schools and into our classrooms. I was elected on a promise to leverage the mandate of the Land Office to raise more money for our beneficiaries, 94 percent of which are public schools. To follow through on that promise, I recently pushed for the introduction of HB 398, sponsored by Rep. Derrick Lente, D-Sandia Pueblo, to raise the amount of money that our most profitable oil and gas leases pay in royalties when oil and gas companies use our land to extract our resources. The dance has begun. What kind of dance it is, however, is yet to be determined. Oil and gas drilling activity is up nearly 50 percent from annual averages over the last decade, yet the royalty rate hasnt been touched in New Mexico since the 1970s. The Permian Basin, shared by New Mexico and Texas, is the largest continuous source of oil in the world. Texas charges a 25 percent royalty rate, yet we are stuck at 20 percent. HB 398 is not only about industry paying its fair share to use our land and resources, its about the long-term sustainability of our Land Grant Permanent Fund. In fiscal 2018, the Land Office received approximately $692 million in royalties from oil and gas. After hundreds of millions in deductions, including the payment of royalties, my office estimates that in that same fiscal year, oil and gas company profits totaled $3.816 billion dollars, or 5 times more than what went to our kids. Im asking for this modest increase because I am constitutionally obligated to use my position as land commissioner to raise funds for our schools. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The truth is, I probably wont see the impact of this new rate during my tenure. Lease rates are locked in for life. It is why our Permian Basin is only returning a 13 percent royalty rate average despite having the 20 percent royalty rate option for over 40 years. HB 398 is about future production only and guaranteeing that if any other areas are discovered to have an abundance of oil, that they are paying the premium rate on leases that produce at least 20,000 barrels a month. So, if this is a dance, I guess its a Sadie Hawkins. Im the first female land commissioner, asking the oil and gas industry to pay its fair share on future leases to ensure a better future for New Mexico kids. It takes people power to be successful. Legislators in the House and Senate will determine the fate of HB 398. If you are with me, and you want a better future for kids, please call or email your legislators today and ask them to support HB 398 to #RaiseTheRate. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... If youre an MMA fighter who hasnt won in his last four fights, and not since December 2016, it helps to have a fan in high places. More important, though, it helps to win a fight. Saturday in Melbourne, Australia, Albuquerque lightweight MMA fighter Lando Vannata defeated Brazils Marcos Rosa Mariano by first-round submission (Kimura) on UFC 234. Vannata, in improving his record to 10-3-2, secured the submission hold with just five seconds left in the round. Mariano is 6-5. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Though he had signed a new, four-fight contract before leaving for Australia, Vannata said after Saturdays fight that his four-fight victory drought (two losses, two draws) had been on his mind. (The victory) means everything, Vannata said. I love this game so much. I enjoy these moments so much. To go out there and get back in the win column was an absolute pleasure. The Vannata-Mariano fight, originally scheduled for an early prelim slot to be streamed on UFC Fight Pass, was elevated to co-main event status on Saturdays pay-per-view telecast. The event lost its original main event when Robert Whittaker was pulled from his scheduled fight against Kevin Gastelum after being diagnosed with a hernia. After Saturdays card, UFC President Dana White said the decision to upgrade Vannatas fight to the PPV telecast was a no-brainer. Tell me the last (bad) fight you saw that kid in, White said. It doesnt exist. The kids an animal. I love the way that kid fights. Of the fight itself, Vannata said it basically unfolded as he had expected. We kind of had a game plan to go in, take him down and do our work on the ground, Vannata said. But we just wanted to let it come naturally, just flow with it. We knew he had good standup, but I have good standup too. So I had no problem exchanging in striking. But we were looking to take it to the ground once it presented itself. LEO WINS: In Carson, Calif., Albuquerque boxer Angelo Leo dropped Alberto Torres twice en route to a victory by lopsided unanimous decision on Saturday night. All three judges scorecards read 79-71 after the eight-round bout. Leo improved his record to 16-0 with eight knockouts. Torres, of Sacramento, Calif., is 11-2-3 (four KOs). Torres was down in the second and fifth rounds as Leo, who now lives and trains in Las Vegas, Nev., remained unbeaten. The bout was contested at the 126-pound featherweight limit, although Leo intends to campaign principally at the 122-pound super bantamweight limit. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Only one living American bears comparison to Thomas Edison as innovator and self-promoter. Will the future look back on Elon Musk with anything approaching the awe with which hes regarded by our contemporary business press? On Aug. 7, he tweeted: Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured. The share price he picked (in part as a cannabis joke) represented a substantial premium over Teslas trading price. As pointed out in the subsequent complaint filed by the federal Securities and Exchange Commission, Musk published this tweet in the middle of the days official market trading. Immediately after this tweet, the trading volume and price of Tesla shares spiked. Subsequently Musk tweeted: Only reason why this is not certain is that its contingent on a shareholder vote. Back in 2013, Tesla had filed a Form 8-K with the SEC declaring that Musks Twitter account was a source of official company news. Unfortunately, Musk did not discuss his Aug. 7 tweets with his board of directors. Funding was not, in fact, secured. Taking the company private was never realistically in the cards. Six days later, in the words of the SEC complaint, Musk attempted to walk back his August 7 statements in a blog post. But by then it was too late. Federal law, embodied in SEC regulations, prohibits officers of public companies from making false and misleading statements about a publicly traded stock or to omit context that would make a statement not misleading, to use the regulations precisely calibrated construction. Absolute transparency isnt the standard here. Lawyers in every field mark a sharp distinction between the false and the not-false, while worrying a good deal less about the true. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Starting false rumors to influence share prices is a practice as old as Wall Street itself. In the early days of the stock market, trading was done outdoors, much like todays three-card monte games and with roughly the same level of honesty. Thats why the SEC places such strict controls over the release of market-moving information by public companies. Musks tweets produced a sensation, causing Teslas share price to hit a high of $379. (In January, it dipped below $290.) Suspicion that Musk was manipulating the price to hurt short sellers (investors who bet a stocks price will fall) was fed by Musk himself when he joked on Twitter that Tesla merchandise now included short shorts. Responding to these antics, the SEC filed civil complaints against Tesla and Musk personally, who both settled almost immediately. They agreed to pay a total of $40 million in penalties (to be distributed to harmed investors). Musk stepped down as Teslas chairman, and the company added independent directors. But not all false and misleading statements made on behalf of a public corporation are created equal. An investor in Walmart de Mexico (known as Wal-Mex), filed suit after an explosive New York Times report documented the companys involvement in a widespread bribery scheme. Reportedly, Wal-Mex illegally paid $24 million to mayors, city council members, urban planners, and low-level bureaucrats to issue land use permits and related licenses. The news raised the specter of liability under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, causing the market for Wal-Mex shares (technically, ADRs) to plunge, producing big losses for investors. But during the time bribes were being paid, the suit alleged, Wal-Mex and its parent were publicly saying such things as: We do not tolerate, permit, or engage in bribery, corruption or unethical practices of any kind. The suit claimed that statement and others like it were false and misleading under the same standard the SEC applied to Elon Musks tweets. But the federal District Court dismissed the suit and the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals recently affirmed. The federal courts concluded that Wal-Mexs statements were mere puffery, not assertions of fact. According to the 2nd Circuit, puffery includes all general statements about reputation, integrity, and compliance with ethical norms. You know, meaningless stuff like that. In an earlier case, the court had gone so far as to say no investor would take a banks claim of integrity seriously for the simple fact that almost every investment bank makes these statements. If casual deceit is the industry standard, that seems an additional reason for condemning it, not the reverse. But our courts see the matter differently, and their cynicism about business promotion is baked into the law. Still, its hard to miss the difference in specificity between Musks tweets and Wal-Mexs bland assurances. Anyone speaking on behalf of a public company needs to know where the line is drawn between puffery and false statements of fact and stay well on the puffing side. Joel Jacobsen is an author and has recently retired from a 29-year legal career. If there are topics you would like to see covered in future columns, please write him at legal.column.tips@gmail.com. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Here are a few aspects of Mario Burgos self-described bizarre life: He was a professional country-western dancer even though he once hated country music, he was part of an improv comedy troupe that called itself Mice and he had a small part as Chef Ramon in the B horror film Project Metalbeast. It was about a werewolf who has metal skin grafted to him as a science experiment, Burgos says. That was my big break. All that was a long time ago during my quarter-life crisis in my 20s, he says. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Now, Burgos, who is on the brink of turning 50, is known in New Mexico as a highly successful businessman who has turned a small marketing and consulting firm into Burgos Group, an Albuquerque business worth more than $22 million that does government contract work. Burgos, who says he always tries to look forward, now has his sights set on Cuba as he seeks international business for the company he owns with one of his two brothers. Burgos and brother David won a Small Business Person of the Year award from the U.S. Small Business Administration in 2017. His ease with other cultures comes from traveling the world he recently returned from a trip to Turkey and his diverse background. His father is from Ecuador, and his mothers family is east European. On the one hand, the fact that I had that different mix in background has meant its very easy for me to fit into lots of different cultures, Burgos says. On the flip side, I dont 100 percent fit in any of them. So someone will decide Im not Spanish enough, or someone will decide Im not Jewish enough. I think its a huge benefit. Life requires you to be flexible. Burgos is a natural in the business world because its how he was raised. He helped his parents with their seafood business in Somerdale, N.J., when he wasnt out hustling smaller jobs like mowing lawns and washing cars. His more lucrative career came at 13, when he landed a newspaper route and finagled his way to captain, a supervisory job usually held by a parent. The young Burgos was then able to increase his take-home pay by subcontracting routes to kids who couldnt legally get their own because they were too young. It was a win-win. The younger kids got to make some money, while Burgos got a share of their revenues. That same entrepreneurial spirit led Burgos to country-western dancing while he was living in Los Angeles at an acquaintances recommendation, even though he had never been a country music fan. (When I drove a car cross-country, from Oklahoma on, I was miserable because all that was on was country music or church music, and Im Jewish, so that didnt work.) But he says he got hooked after dancing at the now-closed Denim and Diamonds in L.A. at a time when country kind of first went mainstream. It was a right place, right time kind of thing. Choreographers were looking for dancers who could do the two-step on music videos, and they found Burgos. He says he appeared in Tim McGraw and Brooks and Dunn vidoes and landed a role dancing on Baywatch. It was crazy, he says. How did you get to New Mexico? I met my first wife in California. Shes a ninth-generation New Mexican, and apparently I missed the fine print that said if you married a ninth-generation New Mexican, youre going to raise a 10th-generation New Mexican. Do you have any mentors? Ive actually been fortunate to have lots of mentors in my life. One example would be my father. He lost his business right about the time I was going to college. I asked my dad, What are you going to do now? Youre a smart guy, but you dont have a college degree. You have a Spanish accent, the only thing youve ever done is run your own company, so you dont really have a resume. His response was, Well, Im going to do whatever I need to do. If I have to get two jobs, Ill get two jobs. If I have to get three jobs, Ill get three jobs.' Ive had plenty of ups and downs as Ive built these different companies, and the idea that hey, youre going to do whatever you have to do when something fails, because they do fail so he was a role model in that way. Youre working to find business opportunities in Cuba. Are there similarities to the way business is done in New Mexico? To me, theres a lot of similarities. In New Mexico, were one degree of separation from anybody you want to talk to. People lament that this is a hard place to do business. I couldnt disagree with them more. Its very similar to Cuba, and it ties in to both sides of my family. The way you do business in Latin America, in general, is that its not sending a text, sending an email, video-conferencing. People want to talk to you for a couple of hours before you even talk about business, and same on the eastern European side. Nobody wants to do business with somebody they dont know. So I grew up like that. What are your favorite places? I fall in love with places really, really quickly. Every place is very unique to me, but I just came back from Turkey in June and spent 12 days doing an adventure travel trip. Its an amazing country. I like Barcelona, just the vibe of the city. Its one of my favorite cities in the world. What do you do in your free time? I have two dogs (and) spend time with them. A lot of times, my week is so full, so on the weekends all I want to do is chill. I live in the mountains, so chill can be hiking. Chill can be going out for a bike ride. Im fanatical about going to the gym. Whats the best compliment youve ever received? My sister-in-law had said to my first wife at some point, Wow, he actually really knows a lot. I know a lot about a lot of different things. What are your pet peeves? Actually, a lot of my peeves have to do with airports. I dont know why they have carpet on the floors in the airport when everybody has wheeled suitcases. It just drives me nuts. Any regrets? No. Every part of my life and all these different things Ive ever done, when you look backwards, I could never do what Im doing without having done all that whether they failed or were hugely successful. Do you have any advice for the next generation? I got exposure to running a business, but I also learned that when you get engaged, you get involved and you roll up your sleeves and you show up, things happen. I dont think we teach kids that enough. Every board Ive ever sat on, professional, charitable or otherwise, is (trying to figure out), how do we engage young people? No matter where youre coming from, all you have to do is show up at these things clean and smile and say, Hi. THE BASICS: Mario Adam Burgos, 49, born in Queens, N.Y.; two children, Griffin, 20, and Ethan, 18; two pets, Freddy and Maggie (Little Mutt and Bigger Mutt, respectively); masters in counseling for business, industry and government; California State University, Northridge, 1999; bachelors in Latin American studies, New York University, 1992. POSITION: President & CEO of Burgos Group PREVIOUS JOBS: Director of PoliWorks; managing director of Mudhouse Advertising; president of Junior Achievement of New Mexico. OTHER POSITIONS: Junior Achievement of New Mexico, Board of Ambassadors; Society of American Military Engineers Albuquerque Post, board member; Society of American Military Engineers National, chair-elect of the Small Business Council. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal LAS CRUCES Leaders from across the state visited southern New Mexico to learn about the challenges and opportunities in the rapidly growing border region. Its been eye-opening, said Mary Homan, New Mexico Gas Co. economic development and community affairs manager, during a three day tour organized by Leadership New Mexico. The program itself, of course, is filled with community leaders from all walks of life, from all industries, all across the state so were coming at it with different eyes and different visions and of course different perspectives, Homan said. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Shes among 42 participants in the core class of Leadership New Mexico, a non-profit organization that fosters understanding of issues, challenges and opportunities across the state. The current group includes CEOs and top managers as well as emerging leaders from 16 communities in New Mexico. The whole idea is to take a group of people like this from around the state and educate them about different parts of the state and things they might not have thought of, said Leadership NM President Patty Komko. During the annual 10-month core class, the leadership group takes a series of trips across the state focused on specific themes. The visit to southern New Mexico was the third of six sessions and highlighted economic development. It included a tour of White Sands Missile Range and a scheduled visit to the bustling Santa Teresa border crossing, the states international trade hub. I think theres great value, and thats why weve been doing what weve been doing for years, taking people to places they may never have been before, said Komko, one of the founders of Leadership NM. Now in its 23rd year, the organization does not take a position on political issues but could not avoid the impact of the political battle over funding for the border wall during the January visit. Customs and Border Protection officials canceled a scheduled tour of the Santa Teresa port of entry because of the government shutdown, so the group drove down to the border in Santa Teresa on their own to get a firsthand look at the existing barrier. The trip to southern New Mexico included a series of talks by economic development experts and business leaders. Scott Maloney, CEO of technology company Seed Worthy and a senior partner with Crain & Co., a global consulting firm, discussed the challenges of building a skilled workforce. They are absolutely surmountable, and in a lot of ways, with a little bit of creativity and a little bit of hustle, are something you can turn into a benefit, Maloney, a self-described serial entrepreneur told the group. He credited the states Job Assistance Training program with helping him develop homegrown talent and create new opportunities. Now, were defining manufacturers as the builders of anything including software, including pharmaceuticals, anything, Maloney said. The leaders on the economic development tour of southern New Mexico said the experience was an opportunity to understand the region and each other better. This kind of gives us an opportunity to bring everybody together for shared experiences that creates new dialogue. So its exciting because through that dialogue there are so many opportunities for growth in the state, individually and for our companies, said Homan. Leadership New Mexico Class of 2019 .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Leadership New Mexico is proud to introduce its Core Program Class of 2019. These 42 leaders from 17 communities and a broad range of industries are passionate about one central goal and purpose: building a stronger future for all New Mexicans. In this edition of the Business Outlook, the class participants share their reflections on their Leadership New Mexico program experience and insights about the future of our state. The individuals are motivated to lead their organizations and communities with a deeper understanding and awareness of the most pressing issues facing our state. Leadership New Mexico was formed in 1995 by a small group of committed individuals who saw the need for a nonpartisan, statewide organization dedicated to the development of informed leaders. In its 23rd year, Leadership New Mexico has provided more than 1,600 business, community, and government leaders from 85 communities with valuable insights and perspectives on New Mexicos many opportunities and challenges. The organizations four programs the Core Program, the Local Government Leadership Program, the Connect New Mexico Program, and the Alumni Member Program educate participants and deliver experiences that foster lasting professional and personal relationships. Launched in 1996, the Core Program was designed to serve established, senior level leaders. It consists of six program sessions held in communities across the state over a 10-month period. Each session features presentations from respected experts who volunteer their time to share their knowledge with a group of 40 to 45 Core Program participants each year. The Local Government Leadership Program was created in 2003 for municipal and county officials, school board members, New Mexico National Guard members, and regional councils of government to help them gain the knowledge to undertake civic responsibilities with a passion for effective and ethical public service. It meets for two, 2-day sessions and is the product of a partnership with New Mexico Counties, the New Mexico Municipal League and the New Mexico School Board Association. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Connect New Mexico the Next Generation of Leadership Program, introduced in 2007, is tailored to the needs of young professionals (ages 25-40). This program combines elements of the Core Program and Local Government Leadership Program to develop participants personal leadership skills and gain a greater understanding of how New Mexicos systems and structures work. Since its launch in 2001, the Alumni Member Program has steadily grown and evolved. Graduates from all three Leader-ship New Mexico programs have the opportunity to continue their involvement and professional development through educational and social events throughout the state. This spring, the program will be hosting a behind-the-scenes tour of the Air Force Research Laboratory to learn about the Labs research efforts, STEM outreach, and tech transfer. Past tours include Meow Wolf, Virgin Galactic/Spaceport America, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, and many more. The enduring value that Leadership New Mexico delivers to participants beyond their initial program experience is reflected in the organizations enthusiastic member involvement. More than 225 individuals have become Lifetime Members and support Leadership New Mexicos endowment, which has enabled the organization to offer additional benefits such as program scholarships for individuals from small businesses and rural communities. While the focus and content of each Leadership New Mexico program differs, the organizations central goal and impact contains a common thread. Graduates from all three of Leadership New Mexicos educational programs go on to infuse their organizations and communities with new knowledge and understanding, and perhaps most importantly, become part of a statewide network of informed and dedicated leaders that put their insight to action. They serve countless hours on boards and committees, and advocate for critical issues in their communities and the state. Leadership New Mexicos graduates work tirelessly to lead the way to a stronger New Mexico; a place where individuals, families, and organizations can succeed and thrive. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... RIO RANCHO, N.M. The Vision Building is soon to become a reality in City Center. A reality, that is, when lessees are found for what could be a multi-story building encompassing up to 81,700 square feet of space. Originally known as a Virtual Building, Scott Throckmorton of Argus Investment Realty described the building at Thursday mornings NAIOP Roundtable at Presbyterian Rust Medical Center. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The Vision Building encompassed only a part of the discussion centered on City Center, which once back in 2004 was being targeted as a place not only for Santa Ana Star Center and City Hall, but also a museum and site for Lions Gate movie productions. The Star Center opened in 2006 and City Hall in September 2007, but those other ideas sputtered and disappeared when the 2008 recession occurred. Hopes for revitalization never died, and as two college campuses were built, plus UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center, more development has been a focus of Mayor Gregg Hull. The 23-acre site for The Vision Building is on the north side of King Boulevard, west of Center Drive and due west of the UNM Health Sciences Rio Rancho campus. Drawings for The Vision Building are 90 percent complete, Throckmorton said, noting the city would fast-track permitting for potential lessees, who would also be able to obtain Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) funds, possible industrial revenue bonds from Sandoval County, plus other incentives. We think that were very, very competitive, Throckmorton added. Jamie Silva-Steele, CEO for SRMC, gave an update on her facility, rosier with the passage of a mill levy in November. Erin Johnson-Kruft, an associate dean at Central New Mexico Community College (CNM), spoke glowingly of how her college is gearing up to provide medical workers to SRMC and other hospitals in the area, plus the soon-to-be transfer of mostly Emergency Medical Service classes from the AMREP building to CNMs City Center campus. Johnson-Kruft told of plans to build an observation deck, for a great view of the nearby arroyo and mountains, in the near future. Greg Campbell of West Wood Realty gave a quick update on housing developments in the City Center area, and Excalibur Realty land assembler Mike Skolnick elaborated on new neighborhoods planned mostly on Broadmoor Boulevard and north of Northern Boulevard, as well as two housing developments and a business park near Cleveland High School. Outgoing Sandoval Economic Alliance CEO Steve Jenkins told of a necessary rebranding of City Center to help target future economic development in there, an area that needs what he called a commanding address. Optimistic about The Vision Buildings success, Jenkins predicted once its completed, spaces within it will go very quickly. Also at the meeting, Sandoval County Commissioner Dave Heil asked for those in attendance and others to reach out to local state representatives to get them to kill House Bill 206, The Environmental Review Act. A three-page handout, prepared by SEA, said the bill will make it extremely difficult to recruit new employers, grow existing local businesses, diversify our states economy and create jobs. The act would substantially slow down the process of company locations and expansions, which in the competitive environment we find ourselves, would be even more crippling for new jobs and investments. Part of the bills wording that concerned Heil was that, If a project is proposed to occur within 15 miles of the boundary of the land of an Indian nation, tribe or pueblo, the lead agency shall request the Indian nation, tribe or pueblo to become a cooperating agency. This will kill everything weve talked about today, Heil said, warning potential new employers would have to go through a gauntlet of steps for approval. People wont even consider New Mexico. Its going to pit neighbor against neighbor. Stop this bill. A portion of the bills wording states the act is intended to require government agencies at all levels to consider qualitative, technical and economic factors of a project that may impact public health, ecosystems and the environment; long-term as well as short-term benefits and costs of proposed projects; the cumulative impacts of proposed projects; and reasonable alternatives to proposed actions affecting the environment, communities or public health. The next Rio Rancho NAIOP Roundtable is slated for March 7, and will feature SEAs strategic plan. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... BERNALILLO Because they believe it will harm the economy, Sandoval County Commissioners voted to oppose House Bill 206 on Thursday evening at their meeting in the county administration building. HB 206, or the Environmental Review Act, would require agencies to submit detailed reports of projects for which a starting evaluation shows the project would have significant impact on the environment. That means environmental analysis of a project needs to be conducted before permitting any of it to move forward, and a secondary analysis might be necessary. According to the bill synopsis, HB206 would provide for public-comment periods and rule-making authority to implement the legislation and judicial review, which would mean creating a regulatory board. Entities whose projects would be subject to review would be public agencies, including state agencies, higher-education institutions, counties and municipalities, or entities needing a permit or license from a public agency. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Certain projects would be exempt from the process, including law enforcement activities or emergency activities to protect public health and projects under $2 million, among many others. Commissioners Katherine Bruch and Kenneth Eichwald supported HB 206. Commissioners Jay Block, Michael Meek and Dave Heil pushed through the resolution to oppose it. Bruch said she stood with the values of protecting New Mexicos land, air, water and people and that the bill is designed to protect us all. Currently New Mexico does not have a uniform requirement for state agencies to notify the public of proposed projects, nor are there any requirements for environmental analysis before permitting significant projects, Bruch said. Eighteen other states and the federal government have these requirements in place. Mario Atencio, a representative for newly elected Navajo Nation Council Delegate Daniel Tso, relayed Tsos support of the bill. However, Block suggested the vague wording and openness of the bill could halt job creation, and said safeguards were already in place for projects. He also raised the question as to what would happen if one of the organizations or tribal nations would not accept the environmental impact statement. I would assume that if this passes, and they would actually create such a board that they would pass their own regulations and the regulations would state what the procedures were, but its not clearly laid out in the bill itself, county attorney Robin Hammer said. President and CEO of Sandoval Economic Alliance Steve Jenkins adamantly opposed the bill, saying it was vague, would stymie positive economic growth and repel companies and cause them to leave the state. In my 44 years, I have never seen a piece of legislation like this, Jenkins said. And Ill be bold and say this is just a plain stupid legislation. Short-sighted, it will be detrimental and destructive to this states economy. SEA adamantly opposes this and encourages you to pass a resolution in opposition. Heil said, The examples Im hearing are oil and gas, and open-pit mining. Well, write an ordinance for that, write a law for that, but dont write a law that applies to a housing development. Dont write a law that applies to a small business operation If you keep jacking the costs up the longer the process goes, you are driving businesses out of the state. God help us, if this bill passes, we can close the doors and go home. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... RIO RANCHO, N.M. Environmental groups, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and even Public Service Company of New Mexico want us to believe their plans to rapidly increase renewable energy are cost-competitive. New Mexicans voted for change in 2018 and, as a result, there are legislative initiatives to raise the states renewable portfolio standard, or RPS, from 20 percent to 80 percent. Unfortunately, voters havent been told this expansion will dramatically increase electric bills. To make way for rapid expansion of the RPS and bolster shareholder profits, PNM has decided to shut down the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station near Farmington more than 30 years early. For the last 50 years, PNM has credited this plant at the Public Regulation Commission as the reason why PNM has been able to provide New Mexicans with low-cost power. The plant was also just retrofitted, at a cost of $635 million, to remove more pollutants from its emissions and is now one of the cleanest plants in the country. PNM even admits closing it will increase our electric bills. Despite price declines in wind and solar, we believe the replacement of a coal-fired power plant with a combination of wind, solar and gas (supplemented by battery backup with unproven effectiveness at large scale) will not be cheap. A 2016 study produced by the Rio Grande Foundation estimated that from 2011-20, New Mexicos RPS would cost ratepayers $2.3 billion above what they would otherwise pay for electricity. We stand by this report and note that other sources indicate New Mexicos electricity prices rose about 30 percent since the RPS took effect in 2005. This increase is attributable to the RPS because it occurred when the prices of traditional electricity generation sources, like coal and natural gas, declined. The cost of switching to cheaper sources of renewable electricity shouldnt be borne by ratepayers or taxpayers. One would hope Lujan Grisham, the legislature and PRC share this view. They represent average New Mexicans and ratepayers, not just utilities and environmental groups. The economic viability of the Four Corners area of our state needs consideration. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ We at the Rio Grande Foundation embrace free-market economics and have no qualms about market corrections and corresponding impacts. But PNM is shielded from market corrections because it has a monopoly over its customers and a guaranteed rate-of-return. In exchange, PNM is bound to provide customers with reliable low-cost electricity and to conduct its business in a manner not detrimental to the public interest. Here, not only does PNM admit our bills will increase, but PNMs actions are also detrimental to our states budget. If the market truly is pushing PNM toward other electricity sources, policymakers, taxpayers and ratepayers should welcome that transition, but they shouldnt be forced to foot the bill in case their assertions prove wrong. For the good of New Mexicos economy and ratepayers, any effort to provide PNM a financial bailout for its move out of San Juan Generating Station should also include basic protections for New Mexico ratepayers. The best protection is a hard cap on electricity rates during the rapid RPS expansion. (Paul Gessing is the president of New Mexicos Rio Grande Foundation. The foundation is an independent, non-partisan, tax-exempt research and educational organization dedicated to promoting prosperity for New Mexico based on principles of limited government, economic freedom and individual responsibility.) .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... RIO RANCHO, N.M. Laura listened as I explained a year ago that middle-schoolers typically spend nine hours online each day, according to data collected by Common Sense Media in 2015. It seemed a ton of time to the seventh-grader, who had just enrolled in my media literacy elective class. Soon after, she got a smartphone and realized how her Snapchat social media account devoured her free hours. She was a citizen in a brave new world. Yet, early in the semester, she did not know what it meant to be a digital citizen. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ How much information should she reveal about herself online? Should she post photographs without checking to see if they were copyrighted? What are ways for her to distinguish between genuine and false news? In a world dizzy with technology, our students more than 80 percent of them have access to cell phones need tools to navigate media and become wise cyberspace citizens. Media literacy should be injected into all of our New Mexico schools. If not, recent schemes consuming school and police officials time will get worse. In Maryland a year ago, for example, middle school students were encouraged via Snapchat to send nude selfies to an anonymous user who posted them to a website viewable by the students. More states are offering digital citizenship instruction across elementary and secondary grades. Take California, which passed into law last fall a measure requiring the state department of education to publish media literacy resources online and provide teacher professional development opportunities. In Washington, a new law requires the state superintendent to create a website that details successful media literacy practices. We owe it to our students to help them tell the difference between news and advertisements. We owe it to our students to ensure their digital tattoo is one of which they are proud. We owe it to our students to remind them again and again not to divulge personal information online. It may be a matter of life or death. New Mexico needs to take a strong stance. There is not enough being done to shine the spotlight on media literacy. Now is the time to: require elementary and secondary schools to offer stand-alone media literacy courses or embed curriculum into content areas support Senate Bill 194, calling for $400,000 for media-literacy teacher education Adults, too, need to understand the ins and outs of the latest digital platforms and resources so they can empower students to do the same. In addition, it is vital to advocate for House Bill 400, which would fund a statewide survey to find out whether media literacy is being taught, as well as establish an advisory committee of educators to help inject media literacy across multiple content areas. provide education opportunities to help parents guide their children along the ever-changing landscape of social media. These days, Laura has fully embraced media literacy and each time she goes online, she is leery of social media posts and makes sure to check their legitimacy. The eighth-grader is back in my class this semester, because she knows she has more to learn. Its our responsibility to ensure all New Mexicos youth are digital detectives, just like Laura. (Kelly Pearce teaches media literacy at Lincoln Middle School in Rio Rancho.) Aberdeen News A Webster man is one of two people recently appointed to the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission, according to a news release from the governor's office. Robert Whitmyre of Webster and Travis Bies of Fairburn were appointed by Gov. Kristi Noem. Whitmyre is an East River farmer and has lived in Day County for more than 50 years. He and his wife, Tonia, have been married for 29 years and have three children. I am honored to accept this appointment from Gov. Noem, said Whitmyre in the release. Outdoor recreation and caring for the land are not just things we do around here; it is who we are. Serving for the next generation is important to me to ensure that we are continuously enhancing the quantity and quality of outdoor recreational opportunities with a peaceful and respectful approach. Both will attend their first commission meeting Feb. 28 in Pierre. Their terms expire Jan. 10, 2023. Staff reports George F. Will Washington Post Writers Group His tractor is so noisy that, when driving it, the man who calls himself just a farmer from Butler County puts his cellphone under his cap, set on vibrate. Charles Grassley, 85, who has served in the Senate longer than all but 11 of the 1,983 other senators and who still runs 3 miles four mornings a week does not have ample time for farming because he has visited all of Iowas 99 counties every year for 38 years, and last missed a Senate vote 8,300 votes ago, when Iowa was flooded in 1993. He is a non-lawyer who just left the chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee to become chairman of the Finance Committee. In his 45th year in Congress (he was in the House 1975-81), he will help this institution recover some of the power it has improvidently and perhaps unconstitutionally delegated to presidents. His committees purview is vast he intends to address prescription drug prices but trade policy will be at the top of the committees agenda. There is the revised agreement with Mexico and Canada to approve, and a developing agreement with Japan to partially undo the damage done by the presidents scrapping of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Recently, a representative of the European Union was in Grassleys office explaining why agriculture could not be included in a trade agreement. Grassley affably but unbendingly explained to her that there would be no agreement without agriculture. In order to dispel any fact-free superstitions about GMOs (genetically modified organisms), Grassley took from a small bag a genetically modified soybean and, to demonstrate its safety, chewed it as farmers do to test whether a beans moisture indicates the crop is ready for harvest. Grassley, who is the right Finance chairman for a Senate interested in clawing back powers, says: The Constitution tasks Congress with the authority to regulate trade with foreign countries. And: I do not believe that we should alienate our allies with tariffs disguised as national security protections. President Trump has imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from, among other places, placid, tranquil Canada, a military ally, because, he says, they threaten national security. This is absurd, and he might soon pioneer a new dimension of preposterousness by saying that automobile imports do, too. Perhaps some contemporary Longfellow will celebrate the president as a Paul Revere, spreading the alarm to every village and farm: The Audis are coming! The Audis are coming! Presidents can unilaterally impose taxes, which tariffs are, because 57 years ago, during the Cold War (11 days before President John Kennedy told the nation about the Cuban missile crisis), the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 became law. Its Section 232 empowers the president, upon a finding from the secretary of commerce (the presidents employee) that this or that import jeopardizes national security, to impose tariffs. The presidents decision is almost completely immune to review. Legislation sponsored by Sens. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Doug Jones, D-Ala., would require the Defense Department, not Commerce, to argue any national security rationale for Section 232 tariffs, and would empower Congress to disapprove Section 232 actions concerning tariffs on any products. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., proposes even better legislation that would require Congress to approve a presidential act under Section 232. Because 41 senators could filibuster a resolution of approval, that number could block Section 232 tariffs. And Toomeys bill is retroactive to require congressional approval of Trumps metals tariffs. Grassley, who thinks Congress has delegated too much power over trade, probably will be decisive regarding measures to narrow the scope of presidential discretion, thereby reclaiming some of Congress powers. Having served in Congress during eight presidencies, Grassley knows that they come and go, while Congress endures, although it has not always been conscientious regarding its responsibilities. The arguments for term limits on members of Congress are convincing, but Grassley, who in seven terms has developed a stronger attachment to the prerogatives of his institution than to any president, illustrates a benefit of long careers. When Daniel Patrick Moynihan a New York chauvinist, and properly so came to the Senate in 1977, he sought, and got, a seat on the Finance Committee. He considered it scandalous that no senator from the capital of American finance had been on the panel in 50 years. But Moynihan would be content that the committee is now chaired by the man on the tractor. "It was missing the human element and helping people, which was important to me," she said. "I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life." Matthews figured it out, in part, by volunteering at a local hospital. As a candy striper, she connected with elderly patients in an acute care unit, listening to their stories about the Roaring '20s and World War II while making beds and performing other basic tasks. That experience put her on a premedical path and gave her an opportunity to help people who need it. After Matthews completes her residency training at the Family Health Centers of San Diego in June, she'll stay in San Diego for a palliative care fellowship. "Palliative care appeals to me because I like the philosophy of focusing on quality of life rather than quantity," she said. "It gives patients control over their care. Our health care system is not very good at helping people transition to the end of life." by Thomas R. Wells There are people living among us who have done terrible things to other human beings murder and rape, for example yet who nonetheless deserve societys forgiveness. They have been convicted for their crimes and punished by the laws we collectively agreed such moral transgressions deserve. Now they deserve something other than punishment. They deserve to be treated with respect rather than resentment, contempt, and suspicion. They deserve a real chance to overcome their history and make something of their life. I When someone commits a morally terrible act against another that is a concern for the whole society rather than only the victim. Hence the institutions of police, courts and prisons administered by the state on behalf of the people. These systems are designed to discover the moral facts of each case: how bad the crime was, how responsible the perpetrator, and how much they deserve to be punished. This is important to make sure that we punish the people who do terrible things (and only those people), and also that we punish them to the degree that they deserve it and no more. The last point is essential. We have a duty to punish the people who do bad things, but we have no right to punish them more than they deserve. For the same reason that it is wrongful to punish the wrong person for a crime, it is wrongful to punish the right person in the wrong way. This is why it is important for us to leave the judging to specialist institutions with the resources and authority to do it properly. When we try to do it ourselves we get mob justice i.e. punishment only stops when those with the most extreme feelings about the case are satisfied. In most developed countries the criminal justice system is trusted well enough to decide who is guilty and deserves punishment, i.e. who is a criminal. However, it seems that some people hold a lingering belief in their personal right to decide how much punishment criminals deserve to receive, and to inflict that privately if they have the chance. Thus, people with convictions for murder are routinely harassed and denied employment or access to opportunities like university education. II This moral vigilantism does particular harm because prejudice against convicted criminals is so widely accepted. Heres an example of a murderer rejected from all but one law school he applied to, and almost chased out of that one by student protests: I think felons should get a second chance. But why at Tulane? What are we, the law school for murderers? Heres an example of a murderer who found a job at a charity. He was scheduled to make a presentation about adolescent addiction to a teachers conference, but a teacher spotted his name and called the press to prevent such a terrible thing from happening. I just think of the family of the murder victim People convicted of serious crimes are particularly vulnerable to mistreatment not only because a substantial minority hold lingering feelings of malice and resentment against them, but because many others feel disgust or fear towards them, and almost no one is willing to step up and defend them. This resembles good old fashioned racism, in which a minority of people motivated by hatred was able to determine the treatment non-whites received. It resembles racism further in the rage that punishers seem to feel about criminals rising above a state of abject humiliation, to get above their station in life by seeking a professional career or recognition for their achievements like a real person. Where the rights of an entire group of people are at stake, the cumulative effect of many peoples private but shared prejudices is gross injustice. In such cases we dont have the right to act on feelings like disgust or fear however sincerely we feel them and however compelling they may appear. For example, you dont have the right to refuse to share an office at work with a black man or complain to management about him on the grounds that you think they are dangerous. We have a positive responsibility not to let our workplaces turn into Jim Crow, and that means evaluating our feelings by our moral standards rather than allowing our feelings to dictate our behaviour as if it were just our personal business. Likewise, the cumulative effects of many peoples shared prejudices is that those with the word murder attached to them will never get a fair chance to get a job or succeed in what they attempt whatever values they are now trying to live by. III What does forgiveness look like? First of all it does not mean condoning what the criminal did. When we condone something we mean that there was nothing to forgive in the first place. We discover that the transgression was not bad (or not so bad) after all, like Alan Turings conviction for homosexuality or a conviction for smoking weed. What makes forgiving serious crimes like murder so difficult is that we have to acknowledge that this person really did do something truly terrible and yet still deserves a fresh start. Forgiveness has negative and positive requirements. The negative requirement is to renounce lingering feelings of resentment and malice towards criminals who have served their sentence and to refuse to act on such feelings if they continue to occur to us. We as a society have a duty to punish those who do terrible things but that includes a duty on us as individuals not to subvert the criminal justice system by trying to punish criminals ourselves. After all, it is not as if we were personally harmed by the crime or have some other grounds for claiming to know better. Our moral indignation all too often comes from something we saw on TV. The positive requirement is to do our part in restoring the relationship between the criminal and society that was ruptured by their behaviour. A murderer who has served his sentence shouldnt have to prove anything to deserve civil treatment and respect. He deserves not just basic human rights, but also fair and equal opportunity to participate in and contribute to society, to achieve meaningful goals such as a professional career, and to have any achievements publicly recognised. We are a long way from there. A first step would be to think of convicts as a suspect class because (like members of religious and racial minorities) they are subject to hostility and discrimination on the basis of features they cannot change and are politically powerless to defend themselves. This suggest a blueprint for protecting convicts from discrimination by the state itself (such as voting restrictions) as well as new laws curtailing the publics right to inflict their prejudices on them. In all this I have been talking of the responsibility of the ordinary citizen to forgive murderers, as an implication of organising our response to such moral atrocities via a criminal justice system. My analysis does not automatically extend to those who knew and loved the murderers victim, the people who actually suffered from the crime. For those people, forgiveness may have additional value for healing their moral trauma: renouncing justified anger so that their own lives can move on. Yet it may also depend much more closely on the moral progress of the criminal and his relationship with those he harmed, particularly his ability to sincerely repent for what he did. It is not reasonable to reduce the development of such relationships to a simple recipe or set of duties (such as I have outlined for the ordinary citizen). Nevertheless a criminal justice system that genuinely cared about repairing the harm wrought by violent crime would foster and encourage such relationships far more than it does at present. Thomas Wells is a philosopher in the Netherlands. He blogs at The Philosophers Beard. by Dwight Furrow The wine world is an interesting amalgam of stability and variation. As I noted last month, agency in the wine community is dispersed with many independent actors having some influence on wine quality. This dispersed community is held together by conventions and traditions that foster the reproduction of wine styles and maintain quality standards. Most major wine styles are embedded in traditions that go back hundreds of years and are still vibrant today. Although the genetic instability of grapes and their sensitivity to minor changes in weather, soil and topography are agents of change, most of these changes are minor variations within a context of stability. We create new varietals, discover new wine regions, and develop new technologies and methods but these produce minor deviations from a core concept that sometimes seems immune to radical change. There are, after all, only so many ways to ferment grape juice. Red and white still wine, sparkling wine, and fortified wine have been around for centuries and are still the main wine styles on offer. Every wine we drink is a modification of those major themes. Nevertheless, sometimes wine styles change, often massively. In a community so bound by tradition how does that change take place? One example of a massive change in taste took place in the U.S. in the decades following WWII, where in the course of about twenty years American wine consumers changed their preference from sweet wine to dry. How did such a revolution in taste occur in such a relatively short period of time? American wineries in the nineteenth century were widely acknowledged to produce quality, dry, European-style wines, but Prohibition virtually eradicated the domestic wine industry, except for the few wineries that survived making sacramental wine or growing grapes for private use. Gone were the winemakers, the vineyards, the knowledge, the culture and the equipment necessary to make quality wine. After the repeal of Prohibition in 1933 it took several decades to get Americans to drink wine again, although by 1960 we were consuming about 160 million gallons per year. In the 1950s and 60s 70% of the wine sold in the U.S. was cheap, sweet and with very high alcohol. People drank Thunderbird, Ripple, and Wild Irish Rose (remember those?) because it was a cheap high and producers such as E.J. Gallo were happy to satisfy that demand. Yet, by 1978, 70% of wine sold in the U.S. was dry (or relatively dry) table wine. And of course that trend continues today. In 2016 the percentage of dessert wine sold in the U.S. was just over 10% of total wine sales. What happened to produce such a dramatic shift? In essence, Americans began to emulate the French whose reputation for quality wine was unmatched at the time. Although the French made lovely dessert wine, most of the storied vineyards of Bordeaux and Burgundy were making wine with little residual sugar, modest alcohol levels, and nuanced aromas intended to be consumed with their refined cuisine. That French image of winedry, nuanced, food friendly, and a source of aesthetic experiencewas transplanted to the U.S. in a few short years albeit with important differences reflecting the changing context. It is often claimed that the U.S. had no wine traditions to act as a constraint on innovation. We didnt need them; we borrowed a tradition. The emergence of a fine wine culture in the U.S. cannot be disentangled from the simultaneous emergence of a food culture in the U.S. Even during the dreadful landscape of American cuisine in the 1950s, change was afoot. Julia Child was cooking her way through France. Soldiers returning from WW II and its aftermath in Europe had acquired a taste for European cuisine, and as air travel improved, prosperous Americans were traveling to France and Italy and being exposed to refined tastes and a focus on flavor. Furthermore, immigrant communities kept their ties to the old country alive by preserving some of their food and wine traditionsthe role of Italian immigrants will be especially important in this wine revolution. Thus, by the 1960s, the ingredients were in place for some Americans to begin a serious exploration of flavor. Importers and media as well as American commercial wine producers were quick to recognize this uptick in our interest in European style wine. Julia Child advised Americans on the finer points of wine and food pairing in her book Mastering the Art of French Cooking, while toasting bon appetite! with a glass of wine at the close of each episode of her long-running TV cooking show. Advertisements in magazines such as The New Yorker, Gourmet, and Time Magazine were instructing consumers on the nuances of wine appreciation and how to read wine labels. Airlines and fine hotels began to emphasize wine as a component of first-class service. Thus, in addition to advertising a product, the wine trade was in the process of creating an imaginative discourse around wine in which it came to symbolize a life of refinement, ease, aesthetic appreciation, and sophistication. As a result, wine gradually loses its reputation as a cheap way of getting drunk and separates itself from spirits and beer as a more civilized alcoholic beverage no longer associated with barroom brawls or so called bum wine. That image of quality wine as dry, refined and nuanced, a symbol of the good life, and a necessary accompaniment for food was a reproduction of European, especially French, conventions and traditions but in a new context. What appears to be a radical change in taste was in fact an extension and reinforcement of a long European tradition led by the French with important contributions from the Italians and Spanish among others. Nevertheless, that transplantation of European traditions in the U.S. did not occur without some variation. These differences would become magnified, ultimately producing a distinctly different style of wine. While Americans were discovering their palate, Californians were rediscovering how ideal their climate was for growing wine grapes. Although prohibition had put an end to most commercial California wine production, by the 1940s the foundation of a re-born wine industry in the Napa Valley was planted with 15-20 wineries active by 1950. French winemaker Andre Tchelisticheff had joined Beaulieu Vineyards in 1938 and introduced a variety of French winemaking techniques, emphasizing the planting of French varietals, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, the use of French oak barrels for aging wine, and the use of techniques such as malolactic fermentation and cold fermentation. Just as wine appreciation would later adopt the French image of wine, wine production, in those redoubts where quality mattered, had already done so. As American winemakers increasingly focused on quality, they were trying to emulate the best, and that was French wine. Even the Italian immigrant Robert Mondavi, a tireless promoter of improved quality in the Napa Valley in the 1960s planted French varietals and used French winemaking techniques. Yet there were two crucial innovations and some good fortune that modified that French model. One innovation was varietal labeling. Most European wineries labeled their wine with a brand name and the name of the place where the grapes were grown. With few exceptions, the name of the grape varietal never appeared on the bottle and few consumers knew or cared which grape was used to make the wine. It was the land and the winemaking tradition that mattered, not the varietal. The bulk wine market in the U.S. continued this practice calling their white wines Chablis and their red wines Burgundy, despite the fact there was no connection between what was in the bottle and these famous place names in France. But the influential importer Frank Schoonmaker had long advocated the use of grape varieties on the label and wineries increasingly adopted this approach. This made wine much more accessible to a mass market in which consumers lacked the knowledge or inclination to keep track of obscure vineyard sites and regions in France. This focus on varietals had some influence on winemaking as well as well as marketing, allowing wine science to experiment with measurable dimensions of particular varieties under controlled conditions rather than the less calculable historical traditions tied to the land in Europe. The second innovation was related. Americans were early developers of the modern technology of wine production. Without domestic traditions to define their approach, they were free to experiment, and experiment they did. Stainless steel, temperature-controlled, fermentation tanks were developed in the 1950s. Filtration techniques were improved, and reliable commercial yeasts manufactured. Mechanical harvesters, drip irrigation systems and laboratory testing of wine components came online with the help of the oenology and viticulture department at the University of California, Davis. Third, and most importantly, California was fortunate to have the sunlight and warmth to bring out even more fruit flavor and do so more consistently than the cooler sites in France, since the Californians had fewer bad vintages where the grapes wouldnt properly ripen. The cumulative result of these differences was clean, consistent wines with bold, bright fruit flavors and reliable secondary fermentations in red wine to soften the acidity. The role of technology was not only to increase production capacity to satisfy a mass market but had a discernible influence on wine quality. Americans were emulating the French but they were also trying to surpass them, an aspiration partially achieved in the famous Judgment of Paris event in 1976 in which French wine experts in a blind tasting gave first place to two Napa Valley winesthe Stags Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon and the Chateau Montelena 1973 Chardonnay. Ultimately, the focus on varietal, California sun, and advanced technology would lead to a distinctive new style of wine. When the Judgment of Paris took place, it is probably not correct to say the California style was radically new. After all some of the blind tasters in the Paris event mistook California wines for French, although the British wine writer Oz Clarke described the California wines as startingly, thrillingly different. But the small differences American winemakers were able to achieve with their methods were celebrated, worked on, and enhanced in the ensuing decades. California had the sun; why not use that as their competitive advantage? Grapes were left on the vines longer in the relatively dry, sunny early autumn months developing more sugar to convert to higher alcohol, softer tannins and less acidity. All of this innovation of course spread to other countries that also had the sun and technology. Australia was especially aggressive in pursuing these same developments. New world wines were born. Today, for blind tasters, one of the first judgments you make about a wines origin is new world or old world. They are distinctly different styles. So what can we conclude about change in the wine world from this brief history of 20th Century wine in the U.S? When traditions and conventions are reproduced they dont make exact copies. They are reproduced in different contexts and those differences beget more differences. [Fans of the French philosopher Gilles Deleuze might recognize the repetition of difference-in-itself in these events.] When traditions cannot be rigidly enforced by rules or norms, the constant demand for improvement encourages tinkering with new methods and techniques which induces driftminor changes in quality that become major when taken up, worked on and advanced. Yet even when a tradition is supplanted by something new, the old ways can reassert themselves. The influence of the French image of wine would continue in the U.S. as a return of the repressed. As California wines became richer, more dense, and more alcoholic, there was a powerful backlash as more restrained styles come back into fashion. The Anything but Chardonnay movement of the late 1990s, and the highly publicized but recently disbanded In Pursuit of Balance winery association, launched in 2011, were part of this backlash. The recent interest in very dry, Provence-style rose, and the generally lighter, less alcoholic wine styles we find today are all a re-assertion of the French image of wine. (This is an image the French are struggling to maintain in the face of climate change and market pressures) One problem with new wine styles is that they become popular. Demand increases and supply must follow suit. Thus, wineries begin using inferior grapes from inferior locations and take shortcuts in the winery to keep up. The result is an inferior product about which thoughtful people begin to wonder what was I thinking? Such was the fate of buttery Chardonnay and oaky, chocolate-like Merlot. It will shortly put the brakes on our fascination with Pinot Noir. Taste is a realm of never being satisfied. The new is never quite new, and the old is never quite gone. I cant wait for the revival of Thunderbird and Ripple. For more on the philosophy of food and wine visit Edible Arts or consult American Foodie: Taste, Art, and the Cultural Revolution The family of Ahmed Khalil, from the Souaada tribe, and hundreds of Sahrawis gathered Wednesday, February 6, in front of the UN representation in Rabouni, which also hosts the headquarters of the Polisario secretariat, to claim the truth about the fate of Ahmed Khalil, who went missing ten years ago in mysterious conditions in Algiers. Ahmed Khalils family handed the UNHRC a letter destined to be conveyed to the United Nations. The protests have become more and more frequent since the Polisario failed to set up an investigation commission, as it had promised on January 25. According to human rights observers, Khalil Ahmed, a former advisor to the Polisarios former secretary general, in charge of human rights, was secretly investigating the involvement of the Algerian military in several cases of kidnapping and torture of Sahrawis. He was kidnapped and reportedly executed by the very soldiers he was about to denounce. Now, the Polisario leadership, put before the fait accompli, cannot explain Ahmed Khalils disappearance. by Liam Heneghan The traffic had been slow all day but by four pm, it was reduced to a trickle. Those cars that passed him on the street did so in two and threes as if they were sticking together for safety like lumbering animals caught out in a storm. It was, in fact, a very harsh winter day. The afternoon temperatures dipped well below zero: one of the coldest days ever recorded in Chicago. The only sounds now were from an occasional plane passing overhead, and from distant cackling from those venturesome neighbors who had left snug homes to experience the cold. He could hear the sound of his feet crunching through the snow. The husband and wife had left the house to drop off a bag of groceries to a nearby homeless shelter. Peanut butter, cans of peaches, mandarin oranges in a light syrup, crackers, nuts, and so on: things that people accumulate in abundance for emergencies that rarely materialize. He stepped out of the car to drop off the goods, and walked down the short flight of stairs into a reception area in the basement of the church. The volunteer welcomed him with gusto; she had said Welcome, rather grandly, and looked at him expectantly. She seemed confused when he extended his shopping bag. Donations, he said. Ah! she replied as she realized that he would not be staying. Another volunteer elaborately produced a receipt and he was required to jot down the list of items he was leaving behind. He found that he could not remember all the items, and made a few of them up. As he left the shelter, he suppressed a smile and once back in the car he and his wife laughed at the confusion as she drove them away. It seemed like the sort of thing that always happened to him. The sort of thing that would also happen to his father, he reflected. After a few minutes, they fell silent, both ruminating, no doubt, on those now suffering without shelter. The husband abruptly declared he wanted to walk home and got out of the car. I am looking more and more like my father, thought the husband. The wife drove on. * Before he exited the car, he had protested when his wife had fussed over his clothing. He was however grateful for the extra scarf and the hand warmers after a few minutes outside. I must mention how grateful I am, he thought. Perhaps he had made too much of a fuss before leaving the car. She dropped him off near a beach. It was astonishingly cold. I will try to get close to the waters edge, he thought, so I can listen in on the lake. Perhaps the ice will be moaning. The thought pleased him, but as he walked towards where he thought the snow ended and the lake began, he became less certain that this would be sufficiently obvious. I might fall through the ice. Again, he thought of his father. Id like to live as long as he has, he thought. He had no plans for being buried in the Midwest, no matter how long he had lived there. Assuming, he thought gloomily, that they would recover his body. But, of course, they would. Once the ice thawed he would be there lolling about in the shallow waves. A truly ridiculous death. He shuddered. Despite his inclination to stay outside for a long time, he realized that this weather was unrelenting. Even the most tenacious flesh must yield to it. So he turned for home, having accomplished nothing. What am I even doing outside, he wondered. The route home was quiet. The cars slipped away. He paused to let a man walking his dog pass bythe animal stopped and gave him a querulous look, and then the man and dog went on. He let them get ahead a block or so before he moved again. Waiting there, he reflected how seldom it is to have a quiet moment in this city. He had become attentive recently to the sounds of the city. Why was it always so loud? One could seldom stop to listen in that city without a human noise intruding almost immediately. This thought had started to reoccur to him: if you were to go back a couple of hundred thousand years the sound of humans would have been one of the rarest on the planet. Imagine, hed said to his wife, that you went back to those ancient East African plains and overheard some guttural noises, those might be from the rarest animal on the planet. Humans! Shed seemed interested. But who can tell? Now of course this very animal is drowning out the sounds of most other things. He felt gloomy. We should just leave the city, he resolved. By now, his fingers were really quite cold and his sinuses started to throb ever so slightly. He determined not to mention this to his wife. * That sparrows are garrulous in wintertime is not surprising as they are always chatty, aggregative, birds. At first, he did not spot them though he heard them close-by. Then he noticed that they had congregated about a bird-feeder at a third floor apartment window. Two or three in flight at a time, the birds squabbled at the feeder. Below them, shivering on the ledge, a row of others were arrayed like early morning commuters waiting for a late bus. Below these, two stories down, were yet more sparrows clustered in a low hedge. Those congregating below had ruffled up their feathers and appeared twice the size of those at the feeders. The birds in the shrubbery chattered away and despite their almost globular shape, they seemed cold. He was frozen just looking at them. Every so often, one or two of those in the shrubbery would take off, alighting first on the ledge and then they would mount an assault on the feeder. The birds already there would object for a bit, but seemed to quickly relent. It was as if the needs of those frozen in the hedge gave them some priority. In reality, he reflected, those who had just fed were temporarily sated on seeds and did not have the will to withstand the assault from below. The dispossessed sparrows would either descend to the ledge, or descend all the way to the branches of the shrub. He watched and listened for a while to this little spectacle. It seemed like this cycle might continue for as long as the cold persisted, until the seed ran out, or conceivably until the birds dropped from the branches and froze on the ground. Happy with his little speculation he was about to continue on his way. He noticed then, however, that in addition to the birds at the feeder and those on the ledge and those in the recesses of hedge, there was one more bird. This one sat alone on a ledge on the second floor, a little off to the side from the others. In the time he stood there to watch this bird, she barely moved. She had not ruffled her feathers against the cold, she had not made a raid upon the feeder, nor had she descended to the ground. She was not part of this rotating wheel that sustained the other sparrows. Had this bird simply realized that she was dying, and had given up? Or was this yet another part of the cycle, a part that he found less easy to fathom. He took a mental note and then left. He would return the next day and see if she had indeed perished, though he wondered if he would recognize her body even if she had. Liam Heneghans briskly selling new book is Beasts at Bedtime: Revealing the Environmental Wisdom in Childrens Literature (University of Chicago Press, 2018) available here. He tweets @DublinSoil (Image of sparrow A male House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) in Palatine, Illinois, USA. Date 18 April 2011 by Joe Ravi; from Wiki Commons) by Joseph Shieber One of the biggest early 20th century philosophical challenges to the belief in God stemmed from the doctrine of verificationism. Roughly, according to verificationism, a claim has meaning just in case it is possible to verify the claim either through empirical evidence or logical proof. Now heres the problem for a claim that expresses belief in God. There is no empirical evidence that can prove the existence of God, nor is it possible, purely through logic alone, to prove Gods existence. So, according to verificationism, a claim like God exists is quite literally meaningless. Its just nonsense. Though grammatical, its no more meaningful than Colorless green ideas sleep furiously. What made me think of verificationism and theism recently is the fact that, in the last couple of weeks (and, indeed, years), a number of religious people have claimed that God had a particular interest in the outcome of the 2016 United States Presidential election. Now it seems to me that we can show that such claims are pretty obviously nonsensical. And it seems to me that we can do this without accepting anything as strong as the verificationist thesis. In fact, we can do this even according to the standards of a committed religious believer. We can demonstrate that claims like God wanted so-and-so to win are at the very least inconsistent with other things the committed religious believer accepts. And we can do so without relying on any of the assumptions that overly sophisticated philosophers like the early 20th century verificationists or even the more contemporary dreaded New Atheists might employ. Now its important to note that, when it comes to Gods interest in the 2016 Presidential election, it isnt always entirely clear what such a divine interest in electoral politics is taken to involve. It seems to me that there are two different claims that people might be making. First, they might simply be saying that God wanted a particular candidate to win in 2016, but that the outcome of the election was the result of human choices, rather than divine intervention. Ill refer to this as the Divine Desire thesis. Or, more strongly, some could be making the bolder claim that God didnt merely favor a particular candidate, but rather that the outcome of the election itself was a result of Gods will that is, that God made it the case that a particular candidate won in 2016. Ill call this the Divine Action thesis. Lets begin with the stronger Divine Action thesis, that God not only preferred a certain outcome in the 2016 US Presidential Election, but that God actually brought about the divinely preferred outcome. Now here again there seem to be two possibilities as to why you would embrace this stronger Divine Action thesis. Either you think that everything that occurs does so because God willed it, or you think that not all events occur because God wills them, although the 2016 US Presidential election did occur as it did because of divine intervention. Lets look at the first option that everything occurs because God wills it. This is a form of the philosophical position known as fatalism. Famously, there are a lot of difficulties for fatalism including, perhaps most significantly, problems caused by the incompatibility of fatalism with belief in the existence of free will. As promised, however, I wont drag this discussion through any of those dense philosophical thickets. It seems to me pretty obvious that that fatalist version of the Divine Action thesis is a non-starter. Thats because if you believe that every event is a result of Gods will, then you have to believe that not only was the 2016 Presidential election result one that God brought about, but also among other events the 2012 and 2008 Presidential elections. Given the number of people who think that the 44th President of the United States was literally the anti-Christ, thats not very likely. So were left with the weaker form of the Divine Action thesis. According to this view, God only sometimes actively brings about events here on earth, and one of the events that God felt strongly enough about was the 2016 US Presidential election. Lets call this weaker form of the Divine Action thesis the Intermittent Divine Action thesis. There are two big problems with this weaker view. Heres the first. If God only sometimes actively intervenes in events here on earth, how are we able to know which events are the result of Gods action and which are ones that God merely allowed to occur without actively intervening? One of the strengths of the stronger Divine Action thesis is that, if God is the direct cause of all events, then we are never faced with the question of whether a certain event is the result of Gods active intervention. If only some events are directly caused by God, as the weaker Intermittent Divine Action thesis would have it, then we are faced with the conundrum of figuring out, in any particular case, whether it is one of the events that God brought about through active intervention. A bit later well come back to some further implications of this problem of knowing Gods will well enough to know when active divine intervention would be appropriate and when it would not. Before we do that, however, one way of attempting to answer the first big problem for the Intermittent Divine Action thesis will help us to appreciate the second big problem for Intermittent Divine Action. One way to answer the problem of how we can know that God actively intervened in the 2016 US Presidential election would be to point to the enormity of the problems that the United States supposedly faced prior to that election. The country stood on a razors edge, and if it chose incorrectly, the result would be godless hordes surging into the country, abortion-on-demand at every corner drugstore, and billionaires stripped of their God-given dollars, among other un-Christian atrocities. When you put the situation this way, how could God refrain from actively intervening in the 2016 Presidential election?!? But this is where we get to the second big problem with the Intermittent Divine Action thesis. Suppose we grant that the problems facing the United States in 2016 really were that dire, and that the outcome of that years election would provide a solution. God is all-knowing, right? Can you guess the problem this presents? Suppose you think that the election of you-know-who in 2008 and his re-election in 2012 led to the enormity of the problems facing the country. Well, God would certainly have known this too, and could have prevented the problems in 2008 or at least minimized them in 2012. The question, in that case, is why God didnt actively intervene then. Or suppose you think that the problem was that the alternative to DJT was HRC. She was the catastrophe facing the nation. But again, there were plenty of situations in which God could have actively intervened prior to the 2016 Presidential election, to make it the case that the election wouldnt have involved a choice between those two alternatives. Now, you might argue that God had reasons for letting things develop to the point where they got so drastic that only active divine intervention would suffice. You might point to the way that parents sometimes hang back, letting a situation develop, to allow their children to try to deal with that situation on their own. Only when the situation becomes sufficiently threatening will the parents step in and directly intervene. Were getting dangerously close to a morass of issues involving the compatibility of divine action and human free will, and I promised I wouldnt bring up any abstruse philosophical debates. If you think that God did actively intervene in the 2016 US Presidential election, however, then you already accept that God sometimes overrides human choices in the same way, you might suggest, as the parent sometimes eventually has to step in and impose their will over that of a wayward child. So then the question is why, if the situation in 2016 really was as dire as the fans of the Divine Action thesis seem to suggest, did God wait so long to intervene, given that God presumably knew that intervention would at some point be necessary. And the difference between Gods situation and that of the parent with the wayward child is that the parent has to guess how far to let a situation develop before stepping in, whereas God, being all-knowing, knows exactly when to step in. Which makes the question pressing: if the situation in 2016 was as dire as to require such a drastic divine solution, couldnt there have been some earlier point at which active intervention would have been warranted? To which the answer, presumably, is that Gods ways are ultimately unknowable. Lets call this Divine Unknowability. So much, for now, for the Divine Action thesis. The stronger version is unworkable, while the weaker, Intermittent Divine Action, thesis faces two serious problems. This leaves us with the weaker version of the God wanted so-and-so to win thesis: the Divine Desire thesis. This is the claim that God merely desired a certain outcome in the 2016 US Presidential election, but that God didnt actively intervene to bring that outcome about. Now one worry here is that desire is an imperfection, and since God is perfect, it would seem problematic to speak of divine desire at all. And the worry is actually worse than that. Because even if we dont think that having a desire in and of itself involves an imperfection, nevertheless we would have to think that if an all-perfect, all-powerful, all-knowing being had a desire, then that desire would be immediately satisfied. For example, if I were all-powerful and I wanted a chocolate ice cream sundae, then, at the moment I became aware of my desire I would bring the chocolate ice cream sundae into existence. I know what youre going to say: maybe I desire the sundae, but I have a conflicting desire, like the desire not to gain weight. Lets leave aside the issue that if Im all-powerful then I should be able to satisfy my desire and prevent any undesired consequences that arise from my satisfying the desire. Theres a more basic problem here. Even if having desires doesnt constitute an imperfection, having conflicting desires certainly does constitute an imperfection. So the worry is that the Divine Desire thesis actually must collapse into the Divine Action thesis. Im afraid Im getting dangerously close to doing actual philosophy, though, so lets leave that worry aside. The other problem with the Divine Desire thesis is the same as the first problem with the Intermittent Divine Action thesis. How can we know what God desires? So heres where weve wound up. Both the Intermittent Divine Action thesis and the Divine Desire thesis face the problem of how it is that one can know either what God desired or why God chose actively to intervene in certain events but not in others. Furthermore, the only solution to the other problem for the Intermittent Divine Action thesis the problem of why God chooses to act precisely at certain times rather than others was to appeal to the Unknowability Thesis, the claim that Gods ways are ultimately unknowable. Notice a problem here? The person who wants to claim that God wanted so-and-so to win in 2016 seems to have to claim both (1) that they have privileged knowledge of Gods desires and (2) that Gods ways are ultimately unknowable. Hence my claim that the God wanted so-and-so to win in 2016 claim is utter nonsense. Perhaps whats going on here is something else, however. Remember that Im not appealing to any philosophical atheist arguments; in particular, Im not assuming the inexistence of God. Suppose youre a religious believer and you make a claim like God wanted so-and-so to win in 2016. Suppose further that what Ive argued so far is correct: strictly speaking, the claim is nonsense. Maybe, though, all youre really trying to say when you make that claim is something like Thank God that so-and-so won in 2016. And what you mean by that claim isnt literally an expression of gratitude to God for bringing about the result in the 2016 Presidential election, but simply Its great that so-and-so won in 2016. The technical term for this way of understanding certain utterances is expressivism. Rather than attempting to communicate a content that could be true or false, such utterances instead express an attitude. And even if youre a religious believer, and therefore think that some statements involving God like God exists, for example, or God is all-knowing do have content, you might still allow that some other statements involving God are expressions of attitudes rather than utterances intended to communicate true information. Charitably, thats what I think is going on in cases like prominent examples of religious believers claiming that God wanted so-and-so to win in 2016. But now I have a different, more serious problem. Why are such statements news? Why are they reported by supposedly serious news outlets? If, as I have suggested, the only charitable interpretation of such claims is that they are expressions of attitudes, then they are not newsworthy in the least. Those who made those claims were already on record as to their preferences for the outcome of the 2016 election. The God wanted so-and-so to win claim is just a forceful expression of that preference. Nothing to see here. Move along. This, then, is the deeper issue with the discussion of such literally nonsensical claims. Not that the claims were made, but rather that the news media wasted time and space reporting the claims. In doing so, the media amplify and validate those religiously-cloaked expressions of attitudes in ways that serve no legitimate news interest. Ultimately, thats perhaps the most damaging nonsense of all. Oslo-based architect Espen Surnevik has completed retreat cabins lifted 8m from the ground with slim steel columns to overlook the the forest area of Finnskogen, a woodland in east Norway. Called PAN Treetop Cabins, the metal cabins were developed for the client PAN, a project developed by a couple Kristian Rostad and Christine Mowinckel. They are living on a farm nearby and have built the cabins on their own property. "The western parts of Norway are known for steep mountains and fjords, and the north of Norway have the best possibilities in the world for observing the aurora borealis, the northern light. But for a tourist, Norway has a lot more to offer," they explained their idea. "The vision of the architect was to create something that would easily settle into the landscape without making a big change in the surrounding nature," PAN added. The cabins were planned for people who want to experience life among the trees inside the Hedmark forests, at Finnskogen. The cabins are lifted up from the ground by using slim steel columns. Each cabin is made of a small space at about 40-square-metre and they provide a space up to six accommodations. In the interior, they include bathroom, kitchen and living areas with fireplace. The modest size of the cabins gives the telescope's experience of living together in a community, but at the same time with the qualities of the dwelling. "The facility has a contemplative character in which the architecture will facilitate sensual experiences of both buildings and nature. The forest's "mystery" has been the subject of approach to the task and leading the design of all the various architectural elements," said the architect. For their structural system and materials, the architect used matte black steel and various metal alloys throughout the plant to give all the cabins a subdued contrast to the lush forests. Inspired by Finnish Tove Jnsson's forest universe, the design of the cabins are based on the relationship between culture and nature. "While there is a contradiction between the cabins and the forest, the project has at the same time emerged from a sense of cohesion between the built space and landscape," added Surnevik. The architects used pine wood for floors, walls and furniture, while the small rooms and materials create a warm environment inside. Designed as a simple geometry, they are shaped like a steep salt roof that gives the small living rooms an extraordinary height of over five meters. By providing large glass windows for each, they provide visibility and proximity to the forest. The designs are designed to make each cabin stand airy and light amongst the trees. It was important to minimize dimensions and study joints in a way that connects the cabins to the ground in a flimsy and structurally clear manner. The cabins' stairs are constructed as a self-supporting tube of perforated metal sheets. These are again tied into a foundation that causes the over ten meter high stair towers to stabilize themselves without burdening the cabins. A free-standing walkway is freely situated between the stair tower and the cabins. The cabins can be rented $1210 for 2 nights. Image Maren Hansen Project facts Engineer: Finn-Erik Nilsen Woodwork: Terje Nymoen AS Steelwork: Armec AS Owners: Kristian Rostad & Christine Mowinckel All images Rasmus Norlander unless otherwise stated > via Espen Surnevik RICHMOND, Va. Virginia Capitol Police officer, Sgt. Robert A. Stamm, 36, was placed on paid administrative leave last week for unknown reasons after the blog site, Antifa Seven Hills posted an article that links him to the Asatru Folk Assembly (AFA), which the Southern Poverty Law Center has listed as a hate group. Sgt. Stamm reportedly attracted the attention of the bloggers while on patrol during the controversy and protests over Virginia governor, Ralph Northams yearbook page that features one person in blackface standing next to another person dressed in a white, hooded-robe reminiscent of the a Ku Klux Klan. The blog post included pictures pulled from Sgt. Stamms social media accounts showing some of his tattoos and him lifting weights with various imagery in the background such as the German nationalist flag, a Raven banner, and a Marvel Punisher version of thin blue line flag, symbols that been co-opted by white supremacists. So far, no statement has been issued by Stamm, and the only statement issued by Va. Capitol Police was part of the media release concerning Stamms leave from active duty, There is a review policy in place, and we will follow that policy, said Col. Anthony S. Pike, the departments chief, as reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch. This is a developing story TWH will continue to follow and report on any new information as it becomes available. CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. In related news, Tyler Watkins Davis was found guilty of violently beating DeAndre Harris during the Unite The Right rally in 2017. Davis is the fourth person to be convicted in relation to this crime. The three others charged and convicted are already serving anywhere from four to eight years in three separate states. Davis is free on bond as he awaits sentencing in late August. * * * CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. NPR reported yesterday on the construction of a temporary temple to both honour the victims of the Parkland Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting and help members of the surrounding communities to channel their grief. The temple will be constructed of carved plywood panels and reach a height of 40 feet. Community members are encouraged to participate in the construction, as well include mementos of loved ones lost on the shooting. Once the Temple is completed, it will be set on fire in a ceremony sometime in May. David Best, an internationally acclaimed artist who has constructed similar Temple memorials at Burning Man Festival, and around the world was brought in by The Coral Springs Museum of Art with the help of Bloomberg Philanthropies and a $1 million grant. TWH will have full coverage on this story later this month. * * * In other news: LGBT Nation reports that a Canadian resident, Brady Grumpelt purchased the domain name for the WolvesofOdin.ca and has turned it into a site featuring furries. Furries in general, are enthusiasts in anthropomorphized animals. In particular, a person who dresses up in costume as such a character, or uses one as an avatar online. While the Wolves of Odin are not currently listed as a hate group, some of the groups they are affiliated with them are, like the AFA. Grumpelt has a link on the site for both a GoFundMe for Hate Free YEG, a group that removes hate speech graffiti, and included an offer to sell the domain to anyone who will make a $10K donation to the same organization. Hartford Manor Primary School in Cheshire in the Britain has cancelled a musical about Charles Darwin titled Darwin Rocks! after six parents of students complained about the productions portrayal of Christian views within the show. Simon Kidwell, the head teacher of the school told the BBC that he received complaints about the song lyrics bump and grind, which refer to sexually suggestive dance moves. The musical is aimed for an audience of 7-to-11-year-olds. The Moscow Times published a video showing Russian Witches conducting a ritual to pass on the magical energy raised to Russian president, Vladimir Putin. Russian Witch Alyona Polyn said the main intention of the gathering is to enhance quality of life in Russia, the whole world in general, and to support the president. TWH has been unable to verify the authenticity of the video. Last Friday a Muslim prisoner on death row in Alabama was executed without his request for imam to be present with him during execution. Only Christian clergy are allowed in the execution chambers. All other clergy of other faiths are prohibited. In a 5-4 vote, the US Supreme Court rejected an appeal filed on the prisoners behalf leaving some question as to whether this violates a prisoners constitutional rights of religious freedom and whether other prisoners of non-Christian faiths would be treated similarly. The Covenant of Christian Witches Mystery School, which was formed last fall has announced it is holding its first annual Christian Witches Conference in Salem, Mass. in April this year. CCW is spearheaded by Rev, Valerie Love, an ex-Jehovahs Witness and author of Confessions of a Christian Witch. One of two turtles that were found chained together and connected to a pouch containing two voodoo dolls in November on Miami Beach, was been released back into the wild last week. The other turtle is still being treated. TWH will have full coverage on this later this week. Tarot of the week by Star Bustamonte Deck: Fantastical Creatures Tarot, by D.J. Conway, illustrated by Lisa Hunt published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc. Card: Five (5) Wands Prepare for the unexpected this week. The potential for opposition or obstacles coming from out of the blue is high. This can also indicate that an opponent or competitor might not be above resorting to the use of unsavory or harmful gossip to get ahead. Decks generously provided by Asheville Raven & Crone. Two men get 15 years each for Moscow railway terror attack plot flickr.com/ sergej xarkonnen 17:38 11/02/2019 MOSCOW, February 11 (RAPSI) The Moscow District Military Court on Monday sentenced two Tajik nationals to 15 years in high security prison each for plotting a terrorist attack on the Moscow Central Circle (MCC) railway, RAPSI reports from the courtroom. Bakhtiyer Makhmudov and Zafarkhon Rakhmatov were found guilty of preparing a terrorist attack, abetting terrorism, participation in a terrorist group, illegal buying, producing and keeping weapons and explosives. Prosecutors earlier asked the court to sentence the defendants to 17 years in high security prison each. Makhmudov and Rakhmatov were arrested in December 2017. Two assault rifles, detonators, grenades and explosives were seized from them. According to prosecution, the defendants are members of the Islamic State terrorist organization banned in Russia. They planned to commit two terrorist attacks including a blast between two MCC stations and explosion in a Moscow Region mall. After the blasts they planned to bombard survivors with grenades. The would-have-been terrorists have pleaded guilty. WADENA --- A Wadena man was airlifted to a hospital following a crash near Wadena Friday. The Fayette County Sheriff's Office said the crash was reported about 2:50 p.m. near the area of Kornhill and Hill Roads. Upon arrival deputies discovered that the vehicle had rolled onto its side, the driver had sustained significant injuries, and was trapped inside his 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The owner of the vehicle was identified as Steven Brehme, 62, of Wadena. He was removed from the vehicle and flown by Gunderson Air Care to an unidentified hospital. The Fayette County Sheriffs Office was assisted by Fayette Ambulance, Fayette Fire and Rescue, Wadena Fire and Rescue, Fayette Police Department, and The Iowa State Patrol. The investigation remains ongoing and charges may be filed at a later time. The 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee was deemed a total loss. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 CEDAR RAPIDS Eleven years ago, before she was a senator, Elizabeth Warren was supposed to join presidential candidate Barack Obama in Cedar Rapids to talk about the home mortgage crisis. The historic flood of 2008 changed those plans. So Sunday, the Massachusetts senator brought her own presidential campaign to Cedar Rapids in the middle of a snowstorm. Warren wasnt surprised by the 200-plus caucus people a special breed of tough who showed up despite the snow and freezing temperature. Our countrys at a dangerous moment and what happens in 2020 is going to determine the direction of our nation, the direction of our people, Warren said on the first full day of her campaign. So the fact that youre here, the fact that you want to engage in this, the fact that you want to hear the details, you want to tell what you think is important, really matters. Warren, who spoke and took questions for more than an hour, described her campaign as an extension of my lifes work fighting to make America work for all families, not just a thin slice at the top. Thats what inspired Rep. Liz Bennett, D-Cedar Rapids, who introduced Warren to the crowd at Veterans Memorial Auditorium. Rosemary Thierer, executive officer of the Iowa Department on Aging Administration and Staffing, said ageism exists in the job market, as 40 percent of people aged 50 to 60 and wanting to work still are unemployed 12 months after theyve been laid off. People have a lot of preconceived notions about what older people can and cannot do, such as the inability to operate technology, Thierer said. If youre 50, youre probably not going to retire until 10 to 15 years later because youre forced to work longer in order to get more out of their Social Security benefits. Thierer said baby boomers have worked basic jobs in sales and food service, earning $7.25 per hour, and cannot afford to retire. Meanwhile, she said, Iowa is desperate for workers. While the unemployment rate in Iowa was 2.4 percent at the end of 2018, the average age of an Iowa worker is higher than the national average, according to The Center on Aging and Work. That means older workers not only are working longer but are the primary market for employers in Iowa with a 66.8 percent participation rate in the workforce. A group of about 14 Hoover students got on stage and performed in front of their peers as part of the clinic. They spent several weeks working on two songs, including several arrangements of Ode to Joy and a jazz version of the childrens rhyme The Muffin Man. Levine said they were modeling a new program he has started called Harmony Bridge that connects band students with people in senior living communities, currently operating in nine states. He expressed hope that the program could come to Waterloo. Two eighth graders, Lindsey Squire and Fletcher Gerrans, said they enjoyed the experience and were looking forward to the concert performance. Students have worked on their songs for the past three weeks. I think its really cool how they came from all over the country and go on tours, said Gerrans. Theyre really good guys and Im excited to work with them. Theyre very fun and very relatable, said Squire. Seems like they know how to interact with kids, added Gerrans. This was the second visit to West by the Dallas Brass, which first came in 2016. The bands have done some fundraising to make this appearance possible. Tickets sold at Mondays concert will also help raise money. There were a lot of those items I didnt look at at all, Murillo said. There were, in this particular case, about 150 fired cartridge cases ... and there was a lot of ammunition as well. A lot of those items were submitted, but I didnt look at them. Asked by Davis lead defense attorney Ken Duker if Murillo was able to determine who pulled the trigger, Murillo said theres no way to tell. The weapon prosecutors say Davis used in the killing was purchased by him June 12, 2015, from a store in Pierre, S.D. Don Schnitker, a special agent with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations major crimes unit, was one of the agents who recovered the rifle on the Davis farm Nov. 29, 2017, according to his testimony. The weapon was located by Iowa Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Matt Rush around 1 p.m. that day, hidden in a hay mower attachment. The weapon was unloaded, and no ammunition was found around it. Davis Hummer was found deep into the property, a spot not easily driven to, according to Appanoose County Sheriffs Office Chief Deputy Keith Glosser. WATERLOO A Waterloo man has been charged in connection with a 2017 bank holdup. A federal grand jury indicted Steven Lee Sisk, 54, on one count of bank robbery Feb. 5. The charge remained under seal until Monday, after Sisk was taken into custody by Waterloo Police. Sisk is currently in the Linn County Jail awaiting an appearance in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids. The investigation involved work by Waterloo Police and the FBI. Sisk, of 1049 Linn St., is accused of robbing Regions Bank, 412 Mulberry St., on Aug. 3, 2017. Authorities said the robber displayed a small handgun and left with an undisclosed amount of money. The suspect had a distinctive scar on an arm and gold in a front tooth. Images from the banks security cameras were posted through Cedar Valley Crime Stoppers, and court records indicate investigators received tips the suspect resembled Sisk. +5 Authorities release photos from Waterloo bank robbery WATERLOO --- Authorities are asking for the publics help in identifying a man who allegedly By January 2018, Sisk was implicated in an unrelated 2017 forgery case. He was allegedly one of several people who passed counterfeit checks on a seamless gutter businesss account. Bruce and Marlene Ehresman, appropriately known as Mr. and Mrs. Iowa Wildlife, will present "Iowa's Nesting Owls & Barn Owl Restoration in Iowa." They will discuss the status of Iowa's seven nesting owl species, then provide information on the life history of barn owls and how people can do their part to help this species recover and be removed from Iowa's Endangered Species list. All are welcome. Kiwanis Club meeting slated WATERLOO -- The Waterloo Noon Kiwanis will meet at the Elks Lodge for a noon luncheon Tuesday. Noel Anderson with the city of Waterloo will talk about the infill housing program. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers. Call Larry Cain at (319) 231-9871 for more information. Sullivan VFW plans events WATERLOO -- The Sullivan Brothers VFW Post 1623, 1406 Commercial St., will have several events this week. The $5 meal Tuesday includes chicken a la king, mashed potatoes, corn in butter sauce, homemade biscuits and dessert. Serving will be from 5 to 7 p.m. The eighth episode of the promotional anime of "Super Dragon Ball Heroes" finally has a release date. According to the official website of the Japanese card game, the episode will be broadcast on the web starting from February 24. The anime is currently in the midst of a multiple universe-spanning war as a league of strong new villains have arrived with the intent of eliminating the Omni-Kings, and fans are wondering what's to come next. Upcoming episode As had occurred in the first seven episodes of "Super Dragon Ball Heroes," the eighth will be available for streaming on the YouTube, and certainly in the following hours will be republished (by fans) with subtitles in English. In the meantime, what follows is the official synopsis. The upcoming episode of "Super Dragon Ball Heroes" is titled, "The invasion of the worst supreme warrior! The Sixth Universe is destroyed!" The ferocious combined attack launched by Oren and Kamin forces Trunks and others to support a very bitter fight. In the middle of the fight, a warrior belonging to the Core Area Warriors and called Hearts suddenly descends into the field, revealing his shocking plan. Judging from the synopsis, one would say that the Sixth Universe is one step away from total annihilation. Consequently, we can not help but wonder what happened to Lord Champa and why he has not yet intervened. Is it possible that Zamasu and his equally evil allies have already got rid of the God of Destruction? Fans will get every answer very soon. The fans who follow the series might already know that "Super Dragon Ball Heroes" is currently at the center of a huge conflict that involves more universes. The new enemies, of the series, are ready to bring the chaos in order to reach their goal of eliminating Zeno. The new narrative arc that will tell us about the aforementioned events is called " Universal Conflict." Goku on the verge of death Just to promote this new saga, makes have published a key visual that shows fans a very small glimpse into what we're going to see in the coming weeks. The images can be found at the bottom of the article (contained in the Twitter post of the user @Spytrue). In the front of the image, Vegeta and Trunks dal Futuro are clearly visible, and it is obvious that their role in this saga has become exponentially more important after the presumed departure of Goku, who was involved in the explosion that destroyed the Prison Planet. The historical protagonist has been ousted from the events, and it is almost confirmed that he will die in an accident. Corruption sentence of ex-deputy governor of Vologda Region reduced by 1.5 years flickr.com/ 401(K) 2012 12:44 11/02/2019 MOSCOW, February 11 (RAPSI) The Vologda Regional Court on Monday reduced sentence given to ex-deputy governor of the region Nikolay Guslinsky for taking bribes from 8 to 6.5 years in prison, RAPSI learnt from the United press service of Vologda Region courts. Moreover, the court decreased fine imposed on the defendant from 84.7 million rubles ($1.3 million) to 39.5 million rubles (over $600,000). The sentence was mitigated due to the double reduction of a bribery sum incriminated to Guslinsky, the statement reads. During the hearing of the defense appeal the court unfiled a bribe under the guise of financing the construction of a residing building and several other structures from the initial sentence. According to an expert evaluation, the sum of items in bribe including an apartment, BMW car and a garage was reduced from 16.9 to 7.9 million rubles. However, the court granted a prosecutors motion and prohibited the defendant from holding official posts for two years. A three-room apartment in Vologda received by Guslinsky as a bribe was forfeited to the State. A first-instance court earlier sentenced Guslinsky to 8.5 years in high-security prison and an 84.7-million-ruble fine for corruption. BMW X3, an indoor parking space, furniture, interior design items and home appliances have been seized. According to court records, from 2012 to 2016, the defendant aided a local company in receipt of commercial credits and budgetary subsidies worth 270.7 million rubles (over $4 million) in exchange for the said bribes. "My 600-lb Life" fans heard that Gideon Yeakley collapsed on Monday, February 4. Kayleigh, Gideon's wife shared on social media that he called her to return home after he felt bad. She found that he collapsed and passed out. Actually, this is so scary, so she got him to the hospital quickly. After a number of medical tests, it looks like he has internal bleeding and maybe some type of infection. Gideon Yeakley lost over 200-lbs since 'My 600-lb Life' debut Gideon tried very hard to lose weight. In fact, back in 2016, fans of "My 600-lb Life" saw that he and his family actually relocated from Oklahoma to Texas. At the time, the decision to move meant that Gideon could more easily access Dr. Nowzaradan. Back then, Daily Mail UK noted that the move held some risk for Kayleigh, who gave up a decent job. Initially, Gideon struggled with his weight-loss goals. First up, he needed to lose 50-lbs in a single month before the doctors would even attempt surgery. When he only lost 30-lbs, he seemed more determined. Towards the end of the "My 600-lb Life" episode, he lost weight, but then seemed to swap eating for sleeping. Understandably, Kayleigh grew angry as she carried the load of all the household chores. Actually, she threatened to leave him unless he shaped up. Still, it took a load of therapy for him to get his head around using sleep to escape pain the same way he previously used food. In time, he lost more than 200-lbs. Now, much healthier on the surface of things, and engaging with his family physically, things looked up. I had bypass Nov 6, 2015. Started the journey June 26 2015@ 640lbs. Ive lost almost half my starting weight. #bestdecisionIevermade https://t.co/Jxh118UBZ2 Gideon Yeakley (@MrWonderBeard) October 26, 2016 Sudden collapse a shock Given how hard Gideon worked to lose weight, it must be a terrible shock to suddenly find he's not well. Since his hospital admission, Kayleigh's kept friends and fans updated on social media. One good thing is that it seems the condition is not heart-related. Starcasm.net reported that "Gideons EKG results came back normal, suggesting that nothing was wrong with his heart." However, doctors seemed unable to find an immediate diagnosis. What "My 600-lb Life" fans do learn from Kayleigh's posts is that the doctors put him on antibiotics. Additionally, one medical doctor said that hopefully, no surgery's necessary as he felt, surgery's not ideal. Apparently, it wouldn't "be beneficial for [any] infection. Doctors also ordered a CT, and next week brings more tests. Gideon's internal bleeding InTouch Weekly also mentioned that the doctors found blood in his stool. Usually, this indicates some type of internal bleeding. Now, it seems that Gideon faces a GI scope and a colonoscopy. Kayleigh noted that they need to find out what's causing the bleeding. Hopefully, the diagnosis does not bring bad news for Gideon. However, his fans and followers hold him and his family in their thoughts. What do you think of Gideon Yeakley's collapse and the difficulty in establishing what the problem is? Do you think it's tragic in a way that he suffers internal bleeding just as things were going well for him and his family? Did you know he and Kayleigh had a baby daughter since the show in 2016? Remember to follow the Reality TV Channel on Blasting Pop for more news about Gideon and "My 600-lb Life." The current season airs Wednesdays on TLC. people eat and drink every day, but they buy stuff comparatively infrequently. So to build frequency of visits, if it makes sense, add food/beverage elements. Capital One Bank branches, at least in cities, are moving from the traditional teller window format to having relationship managers come up to you, offices, and coffee bars--run by third parties not offering free coffee (" Capital One Cafe plies you with coffee and pastry while selling you services ,")..This concept started with ING Bank in Philadelphia maybe 10 or more years ago. Capital One acquired ING a number of years ago.But First Bank & Trust, a three branch bank firm in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, probably learning from Capital One, is doing the same thing (" Open-concept bank renovation to add public spaces, coffee bar ,").It does leverage the point I make concerning linking food/beverage and retail:. Note that in commercial district revitalization planning, banks other than TD Bank, which is open 7 days/week, and usually with later hours than more traditional banks, as late as 7pm in some locations, can sometimes be seen as a negative because (1) they take high profile spots; (2) which are closed many hours per week; (3) and they drive up rents for traditional retailers, because banks will pay higher than normal rents for other reasons.But I doubt that the food/beverage element is open beyond the bank's regular hours, which is an issue, and dampens the overall positive effect.====There is a Starbucks in the lobby of a Wells Fargo Bank located on Orange Circle in Orange, California. Although it's closing because of another Starbucks being across the street and the recent opening of an independent (" Starbucks to close one of its 2 cafes in Oranges historic Old Towne Plaza ,").The store has been in operation since 1995 and stays open one hour past the closing of the bank. Labels: banks, cafes/coffee, commercial district revitalization planning, restaurants, retail planning Uprooted Palestinians are at the heart of the conflict in the M.E Palestinians uprooted by force of arms. Yet faced immense difficulties have survived, kept alive their history and culture, passed keys of family homes in occupied Palestine from one generation to the next. Six teams featuring a total of 12 University of North Georgia (UNG) students will compete in the innovateUNG Pitch Challenge on Feb. 20 for a cash prize and to advance to the statewide Georgia InVenture Prize competition in April. Full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students will present their inventions before a group of experienced and successful entrepreneurs, financiers and business professionals. InnovateUNG will be at 6 p.m. Feb. 20 in the UNG Dining Hall Banquet Room. The winner will advance to the Georgia InVenture Prize event set for April 3-4, when it will compete against teams from other colleges and universities in Georgia. Cash prizes will be awarded for first place ($2,000), second place ($1,000) and people's choice ($500) for those watching in person and through Facebook Live. The top two finishers are also eligible for the people's choice prize. "It really is going to bring to light the progress that we've made in the entrepreneurship program at UNG and how it has grown and how the excitement has begun to pick up," said Dr. Ruben Boling, director of UNG's Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. UNG President Bonita Jacobs echoed that excitement. "UNG has encouraged entrepreneurship for years, among our students and in the region, and the new Georgia InVenture Prize competition is an opportunity to showcase how innovative and resourceful our students are," Jacobs said. "I am very pleased with our students' enthusiasm for this competition, and I look forward to seeing their creations." "I would love to see as many people there as possible to cheer on these students who have worked really hard to put together their idea, to develop it into a true business opportunity and to let them know what they're doing is exciting and a good thing," Boling said. Samuel Herrera, a senior from Cumming, Georgia, pursuing a business management degree, is on a two-person team with Caleb Hearn taking part in innovateUNG. He looks forward to competing for the $2,000 prize. "To get the exposure and to have the chance to do that at UNG is exciting," Herrera said. The quality of the competing students' ideas impressed Boling. "These are ideas that students are making into businesses," Boling said. "That's the quality that we're looking for all our entrepreneurship students. We want them to get to that point where they understand they can create not just their own job, but a valuable business." This manner of job creation supports economic development in the communities surrounding UNG's five campuses. "When you have the ability to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem that enables entrepreneurs to create new businesses on a regular basis, it has a major impact on the economic condition of the community and region," Boling said. "These student startups add value and help create jobs." Boling expressed gratitude to Jacobs and the Mike Cottrell College of Business for their support, as well as the business leaders in the community who have provided aid to UNG's entrepreneurship students. The inaugural statewide competition is modeled off the Emmy-winning InVenture Prize at Georgia Tech, which has spawned Atlantic Coast Conference and K-12 competitions of the same name. The invention competition that began in 2009 at Georgia Tech has been dubbed "American Idol for nerds." The state competition will be televised. Prizes for the state competition will include $25,000 for first place; $15,000 for second place; $10,000 for People's Choice Award; and in-kind professional services such as legal assistance for U.S. patent filings, professional accounting services or acceptance into business accelerator programs. The teams and innovations for the UNG contest are as follows: PopStand Founders: Jacob Mahaffey, Nicholas Blake Morgan, Justin Maxwell The musical instrument and accessory industry have not experienced much innovation over the past years. PopStand provides a unique and innovative response to protecting, carrying and displaying your guitar. ProLeash Founders: Preston Kell, Anna Meriwether, Shane McMahon, Wesley Hardesty Dog owners are constantly concerned about their dogs running away and finding themselves in dangerous situations. ProLeash is an app that provides dog owners peace of mind without the use of a leash or fence. Opus Affinity Founders: Caleb Hearn, Samuel Herrera In modern times' constantly evolving technology and trends, businesses constantly look for the ability to communicate their unique story to their community. By using progressive and engaging technology, Opus Affinity is innovating a way for businesses to acquire immense customer growth and involvement. Brother Outdoors Founder: Madison Turner The turkey hunting industry is not very innovative and sometimes relies on cumbersome and outdated hunting aids. Brother Outdoors is introducing an innovative hunting aid that will forever change the way individuals hunt turkey by making the process easier and much more successful. Made in Brazil Founder: Gabriel Garcia Culturally speaking, Brazil is very diverse. Therefore, different flavors can be found in restaurants across the entire Brazilian nation. Made in Brazil offers an immersion into the Brazilian culture through a culinary experience that combines culture, flavor, and service. Auger Founder: Hevander Da Costa People want to connect, especially when they are sharing an experience at a football game or other gathering. Auger is an app that allows users to create custom, limited-time social networks on the fly within a designated range, providing an efficient way for a group of people to share without the need for personal information. Dr. Mary A. Gowan has been named dean of the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Mike Cottrell College of Business (MCCB). She began her new role Feb. 4. Gowan comes from James Madison University (JMU), where she had served as professor of strategic leadership studies since July 2018. Before that, she was dean and Kenneth R. Bartee endowed professor from 2013 through June 2018 at JMU's College of Business. "Dr. Gowan brings a wealth of experience to the position, having previously served as a dean at both James Madison University and at Elon University," interim Provost Chaudron Gille said. "We are happy to have her join UNG at this exciting time in the development of the Mike Cottrell College of Business." Gowan has known both of her predecessors, Dr. Donna Mayo and previous dean Dr. Max Burns. She said she has always been impressed with their and MCCB's efforts at UNG. She also enjoyed meeting MCCB faculty and staff during the interview process. "I was impressed with their spirit, their energy and their commitment to continuing to build quality programs," Gowan said. The MCCB is among the less than 5 percent of the world's business schools to have earned the hallmark of excellence with accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International. Gowan noted UNG's leadership in accounting, cybersecurity, entrepreneurship and supply chain logistics. Gowan is excited to help build on the strong foundation in those and other areas in the college. "A lot of good seeds have been planted," Gowan said. "I get to come in and help them to flourish." A first-generation college student herself, Gowan is delighted to serve a large number of first-generation students at UNG. "I have a special affinity for working with first-generation college students and building career preparedness," Gowan said. "UNG opens doors for students that might not otherwise be there." Gowan previously was dean and professor of management at Elon University's Martha and Spencer Love School of Business from 2007-2011, then continued as a professor through 2013. She was associate dean for undergraduate programs at George Washington University's School of Business from 2005-2007. Other schools Gowan has served on the faculty for include the University of Maryland, University of Central Florida, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of Texas at El Paso, and Mercer University. Gowan earned her Doctor in Business Administration degree from the University of Georgia, a master's degree in counselor education from Appalachian State University and a bachelor's degree in psychology from Southwest Baptist College. She said she looks forward to working with UNG President Bonita Jacobs, Gille and her fellow deans. Gowan replaces Mayo as Mayo steps into a faculty role with the college. Dr. Anne Duke served as interim dean in January during the transition. The Mike Cottrell College of Business, in support of its vision to build strong graduates and strong communities, serves more than 4,300 of UNG's nearly 20,000 students in an array of undergraduate and graduate programs across four of UNG's five campuses. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has denounced recent turmoil as part of a plot to overthrow his rule and rejected charges of human rights violations in an exclusive interview with RFI's ... During the interview, Mnangagwa also defended Zimbabwes bid to re-join the Commonwealth, slammed the UKs calls for new sanctions on the country and said former President Robert Mugabe and his wife should be respected, even though no one is above the law. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has denounced recent turmoil as part of a plot to overthrow his rule and rejected charges of human rights violations in an exclusive interview with RFI's ... During the interview, Mnangagwa also defended Zimbabwes bid to re-join the Commonwealth, slammed the UKs calls for new sanctions on the country and said former President Robert Mugabe and his wife should be respected, even though no one is above the law. One mother's experience coming to terms with her son's substance use disorder and recovery has led to an art exhibit, "Hiraeth: Recovery Through the Arts," at the University of Maine at Machias (UMM) for the month of March and a oneday workshop meant to shed light on the role art can play in recovery. Eastport resident Holly GartmayerDeYoung is the parent of an adult in recovery. She found an unexpected source of healing when she began to write a collection of poems and essays. "The 15 pieces were written concurrently as I was coming to understand my son's addiction," she says. GartmayerDeYoung is also the CEO of Eastport Healthcare Inc. and has pioneered the use of community circles in the county to create peer support groups geared towards action. She was a natural fit for starting a wider discussion about using the arts as a tool for healing. "I was confident that the arts would have a space," she explains. The conversation started a little less than two years ago. "I was talking to others about using arts to support recovery -- not just the individual in recovery but the family, too." The conversation spread, eventually reaching a Portlandbased artist, Michel Droge, who had started a body of work about recovery and loss almost a decade ago. "When I began working on Hiraeth in 2009 I felt like my world was unraveling," Droge says. "I was grieving the sudden death of my brother, who died of an opiate overdose, and I had just moved to Maine for graduate school. Everything familiar had come undone." Droge is in recovery and has been sober for 20 years. When GartmayerDeYoung saw Droge's work "and read her description, I wept. It was exactly what I was looking for -- a level of healing that complements treatment for recovery." In no time, UMM faculty members LoisAnn Kuntz and Bernard Vinzani became involved. "I'm a huge fan of Holly's," says Kuntz, who is UMM professor of psychology and the chair of the arts and letters division. "She'd reached out looking at ways to support Michel and the reasons behind her art." The two women brainstormed on gallery space and funding. "So I reached out to Bernie [Vinzani]," Kuntz says happily. Vinzani is professor of book arts and interdisciplinary fine arts as well as the UMM Art Gallery director. "Holly said something that resonated. She said that there's a lot going on in recovery [in the county], but nothing linking the arts to it," explains Kuntz. "No one I've met has not been touched in some way by addiction," says Droge. When she first started Hiraeth in 2009, she didn't tell people what it was about. All that changed when she gave a talk a number of years later at the Maine College of Art. "I never had had a reception like that before. The audience was riveted. People came up to me afterwards and talked to me about their experiences." In 2017 she had an exhibit in Brunswick and the same reaction happened. "I was very moved. This is what this work is for: how we walk through" recovery. Droge firmly believes that art heals and that it can be used as a way to break isolation, to find new ways to communicate and connect. When making art, such as at the workshop she will conduct at UMM on March 2, "people don't have to say anything if they don't want to." What she wants them to know is that they are not alone, that making the struggle known is the first step to healing rather than the end of the world. She also hopes that by talking about recovery and substance use disorder, those gathering will be freed to hope for the future, to remember that the disease is not the person. "Let's remember the wonderful qualities," she says of those who have been lost or who are in recovery. The exhibit, "Hiraeth: Recovery Through the Arts," will open at the UMM Art Gallery on Friday, March 1, with a reception and talk by the artist, Michel Droge, from 4 to 7 p.m. The exhibit will run through Friday, March 29. The public is welcome. Droge notes that any sales of her works at the exhibit will be donated to an area nonprofit to be determined over the next few weeks. In addition, the Hiraeth: Art in Recovery workshop will be held on Saturday, March 2, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon at the papermaking studio in the basement of UMM Torrey Hall. The workshop is open to the public and will be led by Droge and Vinzani. Each workshop participant is asked to bring an item of naturalfiber clothing or other natural or plantbased material from a loved one struggling or lost to the disease of substance use disorder that holds significance in relation to addiction and recovery. The items will be joined together to create handmade paper and will inspire a handwritten list of words that are significant in the healing process. The list will be embossed on the paper after it has set. A printed piece of the communal handmade paper will be given to each participant when the exhibition closes. The Libra Foundation has provided support for the exhibit and workshop. The government will today sign a trade deal with Switzerland, heralded as the most significant such agreement in the run-up to Brexit. The deal, known as a trade continuity agreement, will guarantee future trading terms between the two countries once the UK has left the EU. It will be signed, in the Swiss city of Bern, by International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and the Swiss federal councillor Guy Parmelin. The agreement is designed to remove the threat of additional tariffs in trade between the two countries and to also to lift the possibility of additional duties on "the vast majority of goods". The government says that "trading on these preferential terms", as opposed to sticking to the terms of the World Trade Organisation, "will deliver significant savings and help to safeguard British jobs". It is claimed that the deal will, for instance, avoid around 8m of tariffs being added to the price of cars exported from the UK to Switzerland, while British consumers will benefit from lowers prices on Swiss goods, "such as clocks, watches and pharmaceutical products". The trade between the two countries is reckoned to be worth more than 32bn per year, making this the biggest agreement signed since the UK voted to leave the European Union. Previous deals have been signed with Chile (Stuttgart: 704599.SG - news) , Israel and the Faroe Islands, but critics have claimed that too little progress has been made in securing agreements with vital trading partners. Britain has long traded around the world under the terms of deals agreed by the European Union, a procedure that will come to an end after Brexit. Dr Fox has been leading the process of either "rolling over" these deals - by mirroring their terms in new agreements bespoke to the UK - or negotiating fresh deals. The EU has 40 agreements, covering trade with 71 different countries, that would need to be rolled over. In the event of a no-deal Brexit, these would need to be completed by 29 March, an ambition that many in British business now believe to be almost impossible. Story continues Dr Fox says he has had assurances of support from dozens of countries around the world, but has so far only signed a handful of agreements. In particular, there are few signs of progress in negotiating deals with big trading partners such as Japan, South Korea and Canada. The UK cannot negotiate new free trade agreements, with countries such as the United States of America, while we are still an EU member. Dr Fox arrived in Zurich last night on a flight from Dubai. He had been attending an international trade conference in the United Arab Emirates, where he encouraged British businesses to "look beyond Europe". He has faced growing criticism for failing to sign more deals, and for appearing to criss-cross the globe to little effect. Last month, Dr Fox was accused of having "extremely low credibility" by the chief executive of Unipart, John Neill. A predatory teaching assistant who enticed a former pupil to perform sex acts on webcam after grooming him over Instagram has been jailed. Twisted Carl Jones, 38, used the social media site to target the youngster before convincing him to send highly graphic explicit images. A court heard how victims father alerted police after he discovered lewd messages between Jones and his son on Instagram. Jones, who has worked with children for 20 years, was arrested and officers also found a stash of sick child abuse images on his phone. Teaching assistant Carl Jones, 38, has been jailed for three-and-a-half years after grooming a boy via Instagram. (SWNS) He pleaded guilty to a total of seven offences, which also included pleasuring himself in front of the teenage boy online and possession of child sex abuse videos. On Friday Jones was jailed for three-and-a-half years by a judge who branded him truly disgusting at Chester Crown Court. Sentencing, Judge Steven Everett added that it was also worrying he managed to slip under the radar of education bosses. He said: These are terrible offences. You have done terrible things. You knew full well what you were doing. A general view of Chester Crown Court. The court heard Jones and the boy met on one occasion outside a local supermarket but no physical contact took place. Mandy Nepal, prosecuting, said Jones had told the complainant you are amazing and made references to school uniforms in their correspondence. The boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, told officers Jones had initiated the online exchanges. Police forensic experts examined his phone and discovered 38 indecent images of children, including five at the worst category A. These included four videos ranging from an 18-second clip of a child aged five being sexually abused to a two-minute movie involving a nine-year-old. A victim impact statement by the boy focused on his anxiety about giving evidence in a trial something that Jones spared him by pleading guilty. Miss Nepal said: He has started counselling sessions. Jo Maxwell, defending, said Jones was extremely remorseful and had shown empathy following his actions. He suffers with depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder. Story continues She told the court that his arrest had come as a relief as he could now address his sexual predilections and had been engaging well with counselling services. The barrister also said there was no implication that Jones had ever abused his position as a teaching assistant to groom children. Jones, of Boughton, Chester, was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and made subject of a sexual harm prevention order. After the hearing, Detective Constable Victoria Hazlewood, of Cheshire Police, said: I am delighted that Jones is now behind bars where he can no longer sexually exploit and pose a threat to boys. He took advantage of a boy he knew to be under the age of 16 for his own sexual gratification. This was a boy that had previously attended a school that Jones was working at as a teaching assistant. Saudi Arabia on Sunday appointed former media chief Turki Aldakhil as its ambassador to the UAE just days after it was revealed that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told him he would use a bullet on slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi. It was billed as the most detailed evidence to date that the Saudi crown prince considered killing Khashoggi long before the veteran journalist was brutally murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last year. Now the man who was privy to the incriminating conversation has been appointed the oil-rich Gulf kingdoms top envoy to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).In an explosive report published last week, the New York Times revealed that US intelligence intercepts had picked up a conversation between Crown Prince Mohammed and his aide, Aldakhil, during which Saudi Arabias de facto ruler said he would use a bullet on Khashoggi if he didnt return to the kingdom.Aldakhil was discussing ways to lure Khashoggi back to Saudi Arabia in September 2017 when the crown prince said he would go after the dissident journalist with a bullet if none of the other options worked, the US daily reported. Riyadh has denied Prince Mohammed was involved in the murder although the CIA has concluded the slaying could not have happened without the crown princes awareness or involvement.The revelation that Aldakhil was privy to the infamous bullet conversation, however, did not stop the former Saudi media chiefs appointment as Riyadhs top envoy to the UAE, a key coalition partner in the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen.In a tweet posted in Arabic Sunday, Aldakhil said he was honoured to present his credentials to Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed. The Twitter post included photographs of a beaming Aldakhil in a pristine white dishdasha, or flowing ankle-length robe, with the Emirati foreign minister. A former journalist and general manager of the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV network, Aldakhil has denied the US intelligence intercept report, calling it categorically false. In a statement to the New York Times, he said the allegations appear to be a continuation of various efforts by different parties to connect His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to this horrific crime. These efforts will prove futile.Sticking to the official lineThe pugnacious defence of the Gulf kingdom and its rulers has come to characterise Aldakhils style.In the immediate aftermath of Khashoggis murder, with pressure mounting for the imposition of US sanctions against Saudi Arabia, the kingdoms well-funded PR machinery was slow off the blocks as Riyadh appeared unprepared to handle the international response to the killing.Aldakhil, though, wasted little time by slamming calls on the Trump administration for US sanctions against Riyadh. In a column on Al Arabiyas English language website published weeks after Khashoggi disappeared, Aldakhil warned of catastrophic consequences of such a move. Sanctions would hit the US economy much harder than Saudi Arabias economic climate, wrote Aldakhil. He also envisaged dire global security implications, including a reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran.His arguments failed to convince experts, who told FRANCE 24 that an oil-dependent Saudi Arabia lacked the leverage today to wreck the US economy. The chances of Riyadh embracing its arch foe, Tehran, were deemed even less likely, but consistent with Saudi threats in order to get its way in Western capitals.Saudi journalists have always been wary of crossing red lines. After the crown princes ruthless crackdown on dissent, they have been sticking even closer to the official line. Theres no other way. If you want to stay in a good position it must entail espousing the official line hundred percent -- and also going the extra mile in defending the position, credibility and image of the kingdom, explained Cinzia Bianco, a London-based senior analyst at Gulf State Analytics.Charlie Rose and Larry King of the Middle EastA dynamic, photogenic TV journalist, Aldakhil, 45, made his mark on the Arabic language airwaves as the host of Al Arabiyas leading weekly show, "Edaat", or "Spotlight" in English.A prolific columnist whose work has appeared in Saudi-owned publications and news websites, Aldakhil rose to general manager at Al Arabiya in Dubai before he resigned last week to take up his first diplomatic posting.In 2014, Aldakhil was one of the recipients of the annual America Abroad Media (AAM) awards, an occasion marked with an AAM video hailing him as the Charlie Rose and the Larry King of the Middle East".The AAM video, which includes shots of Aldakhil as a panelist, print journalist and TV host, calls him one of the foremost champions of womens rights, civil society, and religious tolerance in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states".It also includes a clip of Aldakhil calling on women in the region to be the masters of your own affairs. If you dont defend your rights for yourselves, men wont do it for you, he says. The call, however, rings hollow for dozens of Saudi female right-to-drive activists languishing in jails despite the lifting of the ban on women driving last year. Human rights experts say the women have been detained, tortured and sexually harassed for demanding their rights instead of crediting the crown princes much-touted modernising mission.The difference between death and a promotionIn many ways, the paths that Khashoggi and Aldakhil chose -- and where that led them -- reflects the compromises that Saudi citizens with access or proximity to power are forced to make. For journalists, it can be a delicate balancing act, one that can make the difference between death and a promotion.Aldakhil and Khashoggi were both journalists straddling a line that, in mature democracies, would spark accusations of conflict of interest. Khashoggi served in Saudi consulates during a 2003-2007 spate as media advisor to the Saudi ambassador in the UK and then the US. The two men were also considered close to Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, the Saudi billionaire-prince who was one of the most high-profile figures detained in 2017 at the Riyadh Ritz Carlton in an anti-corruption crackdown. Journalistically, though, thats where the similarities end. Nearly 15 years older than Aldakhil, Khashoggi was a seasoned reporter who covered some of the biggest stories in the region, including the anti-Soviet jihad in Afghanistan -- which landed him an interview with Osama bin Laden and the 1990s Algerian civil war. He was also sympathetic to the Muslim Brotherhood and was interested in a space for Islam in a participatory democracy. "Jamal was much more of a political journalist for much longer, said Bianco. Turki Aldakhil is focused on a project of social liberalisation, promoting a modernised country opposed to political Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood.Critically, the two men reacted to the Saudi crown princes crackdowns very differently. In a September 2017 Washington Post column, Saudi Arabia wasnt always this repressive. Now its unbearable, Khashoggi wrote: I have left my home, my family and my job, and I am raising my voice. To do otherwise would betray those who languish in prison.A month later, in an Al Arabiya column, Aldakhil was lionising Crown Prince Mohammed for restoring Saudi Arabia by granting the kingdom vitality and stability".Pliant envoy in a friendly countryGiven Aldakhils focus on social, but not necessarily political, liberalisation, Bianco believes the former Al Arabiya general manager is a perfect fit for Saudi Arabias top envoy to the UAE. He has very strong connections to the UAE and he also fits the profile of what Saudi Arabia is trying to become, she said.As the owner of the Dubai-based Al Mesbar Studies and Research Center, Aldakhil has been promoting the more socially tolerant economic models adopted by Emirati city states such as Dubai. Political reform, however, is not part of the discourse.With no prior diplomatic experience, Aldakhil could be an asset for the Saudi crown prince in his new posting. Relations between Saudi Arabia and the UAE are very strong bilaterally at the level of the leadership and rely on ties between key players on both sides to ensure messages get across, said Bianco, noting that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed known by his initials MBS is close to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi who is commonly dubbed MBZ. In 2017, when MBS appointed his younger brother, Khalid bin Salman, as Saudi Arabias ambassador to the US, the choice of a 29-year-old as top Saudi envoy in Washington DC took Middle East circles by surprise. But Bianco noted that a lack of experience can be an asset for rulers trying to hold all the reins of power. If youre managing a dossier yourself then having a strong, experienced person who is a hardcore diplomat can make life more difficult. Saudi Arabia on Sunday appointed former media chief Turki Aldakhil as its ambassador to the UAE just days after it was revealed that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told him he would use a bullet on slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi. It was billed as the most detailed evidence to date that the Saudi crown prince considered killing Khashoggi long before the veteran journalist was brutally murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last year. Now the man who was privy to the incriminating conversation has been appointed the oil-rich Gulf kingdoms top envoy to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In an explosive report published last week, the New York Times revealed that US intelligence intercepts had picked up a conversation between Crown Prince Mohammed and his aide, Aldakhil, during which Saudi Arabias de facto ruler said he would use a bullet on Khashoggi if he didnt return to the kingdom. Aldakhil was discussing ways to lure Khashoggi back to Saudi Arabia in September 2017 when the crown prince said he would go after the dissident journalist with a bullet if none of the other options worked, the US daily reported. Riyadh has denied Prince Mohammed was involved in the murder although the CIA has concluded the slaying could not have happened without the crown princes awareness or involvement. The revelation that Aldakhil was privy to the infamous bullet conversation, however, did not stop the former Saudi media chiefs appointment as Riyadhs top envoy to the UAE, a key coalition partner in the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. In a tweet posted in Arabic Sunday, Aldakhil said he was honoured to present his credentials to Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed. The Twitter post included photographs of a beaming Aldakhil in a pristine white dishdasha, or flowing ankle-length robe, with the Emirati foreign minister. A former journalist and general manager of the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV network, Aldakhil has denied the US intelligence intercept report, calling it categorically false. In a statement to the New York Times, he said the allegations appear to be a continuation of various efforts by different parties to connect His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to this horrific crime. These efforts will prove futile. Story continues Sticking to the official line The pugnacious defence of the Gulf kingdom and its rulers has come to characterise Aldakhils style. In the immediate aftermath of Khashoggis murder, with pressure mounting for the imposition of US sanctions against Saudi Arabia, the kingdoms well-funded PR machinery was slow off the blocks as Riyadh appeared unprepared to handle the international response to the killing. Aldakhil, though, wasted little time by slamming calls on the Trump administration for US sanctions against Riyadh. In a column on Al Arabiyas English language website published weeks after Khashoggi disappeared, Aldakhil warned of catastrophic consequences of such a move. Sanctions would hit the US economy much harder than Saudi Arabias economic climate, wrote Aldakhil. He also envisaged dire global security implications, including a reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran. His arguments failed to convince experts, who told FRANCE 24 that an oil-dependent Saudi Arabia lacked the leverage today to wreck the US economy. The chances of Riyadh embracing its arch foe, Tehran, were deemed even less likely, but consistent with Saudi threats in order to get its way in Western capitals. Saudi journalists have always been wary of crossing red lines. After the crown princes ruthless crackdown on dissent, they have been sticking even closer to the official line. Theres no other way. If you want to stay in a good position it must entail espousing the official line hundred percent -- and also going the extra mile in defending the position, credibility and image of the kingdom, explained Cinzia Bianco, a London-based senior analyst at Gulf State Analytics. Charlie Rose and Larry King of the Middle East A dynamic, photogenic TV journalist, Aldakhil, 45, made his mark on the Arabic language airwaves as the host of Al Arabiyas leading weekly show, "Edaat", or "Spotlight" in English. A prolific columnist whose work has appeared in Saudi-owned publications and news websites, Aldakhil rose to general manager at Al Arabiya in Dubai before he resigned last week to take up his first diplomatic posting. In 2014, Aldakhil was one of the recipients of the annual America Abroad Media (AAM) awards, an occasion marked with an AAM video hailing him as the Charlie Rose and the Larry King of the Middle East". The AAM video, which includes shots of Aldakhil as a panelist, print journalist and TV host, calls him one of the foremost champions of womens rights, civil society, and religious tolerance in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states". It also includes a clip of Aldakhil calling on women in the region to be the masters of your own affairs. If you dont defend your rights for yourselves, men wont do it for you, he says. The call, however, rings hollow for dozens of Saudi female right-to-drive activists languishing in jails despite the lifting of the ban on women driving last year. Human rights experts say the women have been detained, tortured and sexually harassed for demanding their rights instead of crediting the crown princes much-touted modernising mission. The difference between death and a promotion In many ways, the paths that Khashoggi and Aldakhil chose -- and where that led them -- reflects the compromises that Saudi citizens with access or proximity to power are forced to make. For journalists, it can be a delicate balancing act, one that can make the difference between death and a promotion. Aldakhil and Khashoggi were both journalists straddling a line that, in mature democracies, would spark accusations of conflict of interest. Khashoggi served in Saudi consulates during a 2003-2007 spate as media advisor to the Saudi ambassador in the UK and then the US. The two men were also considered close to Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, the Saudi billionaire-prince who was one of the most high-profile figures detained in 2017 at the Riyadh Ritz Carlton in an anti-corruption crackdown. Journalistically, though, thats where the similarities end. Nearly 15 years older than Aldakhil, Khashoggi was a seasoned reporter who covered some of the biggest stories in the region, including the anti-Soviet jihad in Afghanistan -- which landed him an interview with Osama bin Laden and the 1990s Algerian civil war. He was also sympathetic to the Muslim Brotherhood and was interested in a space for Islam in a participatory democracy. "Jamal was much more of a political journalist for much longer, said Bianco. Turki Aldakhil is focused on a project of social liberalisation, promoting a modernised country opposed to political Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood. Critically, the two men reacted to the Saudi crown princes crackdowns very differently. In a September 2017 Washington Post column, Saudi Arabia wasnt always this repressive. Now its unbearable, Khashoggi wrote: I have left my home, my family and my job, and I am raising my voice. To do otherwise would betray those who languish in prison. A month later, in an Al Arabiya column, Aldakhil was lionising Crown Prince Mohammed for restoring Saudi Arabia by granting the kingdom vitality and stability". Pliant envoy in a friendly country Given Aldakhils focus on social, but not necessarily political, liberalisation, Bianco believes the former Al Arabiya general manager is a perfect fit for Saudi Arabias top envoy to the UAE. He has very strong connections to the UAE and he also fits the profile of what Saudi Arabia is trying to become, she said. As the owner of the Dubai-based Al Mesbar Studies and Research Center, Aldakhil has been promoting the more socially tolerant economic models adopted by Emirati city states such as Dubai. Political reform, however, is not part of the discourse. With no prior diplomatic experience, Aldakhil could be an asset for the Saudi crown prince in his new posting. Relations between Saudi Arabia and the UAE are very strong bilaterally at the level of the leadership and rely on ties between key players on both sides to ensure messages get across, said Bianco, noting that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed known by his initials MBS is close to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi who is commonly dubbed MBZ. In 2017, when MBS appointed his younger brother, Khalid bin Salman, as Saudi Arabias ambassador to the US, the choice of a 29-year-old as top Saudi envoy in Washington DC took Middle East circles by surprise. But Bianco noted that a lack of experience can be an asset for rulers trying to hold all the reins of power. If youre managing a dossier yourself then having a strong, experienced person who is a hardcore diplomat can make life more difficult. FILE PHOTO: A wreckage of a US-Bangla airplane is seen near the crash site at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal March 12, 2018. REUTERS/ Navesh Chitrakar By Gopal Sharma and Ruma Paul KATHMANDU/DHAKA (Reuters) - The captain of a Bangladeshi aeroplane "seemed to have an emotional breakdown" before a deadly crash last March, Nepali investigators said in a final report on the Himalayan nation's worst aviation disaster in 26 years. They blamed the crew's loss of situational awareness for the crash of the US-Bangla Airlines flight to the Nepali capital from Dhaka that caught fire on landing in Kathmandu, killing 51 of the 71 people aboard. "The pilot thought he could manoeuvre the aircraft and land. But he could not," panel official Buddhisagar Lamichhane, told Reuters on Monday, referring to the captain. The captain was under stress and "emotionally disturbed" because he felt that a female colleague who was not on board the flight had questioned his reputation as a good instructor, Nepal's Accident Investigation Commission said in the report. "This, together with the failure on the part of both the crew to follow the standard operating procedure at the critical stage of the flight, contributed to the loss of situational awareness," the investigators said in their report. This lack of awareness meant the crew did not realise the deviation of the aircraft, a Bombardier Inc Q400 turboprop, from its intended path, which in turn meant they could not sight the runway, they added. Having missed the runway, the crew was flying very low north of it in an incorrect position near hilly and mountainous terrain around the airport, it said. "Finally, when the crew sighted the runway, they were very low and too close to (it) and not properly aligned," added the investigators, saying the captain should have halted the landing and initiated a go-around. The plane skidded off the runway on to surrounding grass, quickly catching fire. Both pilots were among those killed. US-Bangla Airlines CEO Imran Asif said in a statement that the report focused almost entirely on the captain's state of mind and his distress over personal matters but disappointingly avoided recognising "serious lapses" on the part of air traffic control. Story continues The Nepali investigators found that decisions by air traffic controllers, such as not calling for the aircraft to carry out a missed approach, were among the accident's contributing factors, but not the cause. 'NOT DONE PROPERLY' The flight's captain, aged 52, was released in 1993 from the Bangladesh's air force because he suffered from depression but was later declared fit to fly civilian aircraft, the report said, with recent medical reports mentioning no symptoms. Citing the voice recorder and witness accounts of passengers, the report said the captain was smoking in the cockpit during the flight and "engaged in unnecessary, unprofessional and lengthy conversation even in the critical phase", violating the norm of maintaining a sterile cockpit. He shared the cockpit with a female first officer, 25, who had a total of just 390 hours of flying experience and had never landed at Kathmandu as crew, the report said, contradicting a US-Bangla spokesman who last year said she had made landings there before. Landing in Kathmandu, which is surrounded by hills, is considered difficult. In 1992, all 167 on board a Pakistan International Airlines aeroplane were killed when it flew into a hill as it tried to land. Bangladeshi investigators said on Monday the March crash could have been averted if air traffic controllers at Kathmandu had acted properly. "Nepal airport is risky due to hills," Air Vice Marshal Naim Hassan, chairman of the Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority, told reporters. "When the pilot missed the approach, it was the air traffic controllers' responsibility to guide him. But it was not done properly." On the US-Bangla flight, the disparity in experience and added authority of the captain probably deterred the first officer from being more assertive during significant phases such as the final approach and landing, the investigators said. They recommended that the airline emphasise proper crew resource management and set up a mechanism to monitor and assess the mental status of crew regarding professional development, financial, personal and psychological issues. Pilot mental health was spotlighted by a 2015 crash in Europe after a Germanwings first officer deliberately flew a jet into a mountainside. Last year, the European Commission adopted new rules on the mental health of pilots, for the first time requiring airlines to do a psychological assessment before hiring them. (Reporting by Gopal Sharma in Kathmandu and Ruma Paul in Dhaka; Editing by Jamie Freed and Clarence Fernandez) Angry French driving instructors have brought traffic to a standstill in many parts of the country to protest proposals they claim would destabilise their profession and compromise road ... Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux and Nice were among the cities affected by personnel of driving schools who slowed traffic in protest against recommendations contained in a parliamentary report.They also slowed cars on the A3, A6 and A13 national highways and at four points along the ring road surrounding the capital, essentially stopping the flow of traffic.For the sake of road safety, dont touch my profession, read signs attached to the windows of driving school vehicles as they crawled through Paris streets.Driving schools were affected by the 2015 Macron Law, passed when President Emmanuel Macron was Economy Minister, which sought to deregulate and cut red tape in a number of sectors.Last November, Macron announced a drastic reduction in the cost of getting a driving licence, saying it would allow young people to obtain the licence faster and at lower cost.A parliamentary commission submitted its report on the sector to Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on 2 February.Dangers involved in low-cost licence proposalsUnions approve of many of the report's recommendations, but have warned that two proposals would upset the current system of preparing for the theoretical and practical tests required for obtaining a licence.The first would streamline accreditation rules for driving schools, which unions fear will lead to a loss of oversight and competition for online platforms.A number of start-ups already exist that propose courses at half the price charged by traditional driving schools, leading the traditional schools to warn of low-cost drivers licences.The second point would reduce the requirement for candidates to access driving tests via driving schools and allow them to register on their own, which unions say would have consequences on candidates contacts with instructors.Unions also argue that driving schools are necessary for public awareness about the risks of driving.The licence to drive must not become a licence to kill, wrote union CNPA in its call to protest.The average cost for obtaining a drivers licence in France is about 1800 euros, according to the consumer advocacy group UFC-Que Choisir in 2016. That means France is among the most expensive countries in Europe for obtaining a licence.Unions say much of that cost could be brought down through reducing taxes and fees. Angry French driving instructors have brought traffic to a standstill in many parts of the country to protest proposals they claim would destabilise their profession and compromise road ... Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux and Nice were among the cities affected by personnel of driving schools who slowed traffic in protest against recommendations contained in a parliamentary report. They also slowed cars on the A3, A6 and A13 national highways and at four points along the ring road surrounding the capital, essentially stopping the flow of traffic. For the sake of road safety, dont touch my profession, read signs attached to the windows of driving school vehicles as they crawled through Paris streets. Driving schools were affected by the 2015 Macron Law, passed when President Emmanuel Macron was Economy Minister, which sought to deregulate and cut red tape in a number of sectors. Last November, Macron announced a drastic reduction in the cost of getting a driving licence, saying it would allow young people to obtain the licence faster and at lower cost. A parliamentary commission submitted its report on the sector to Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on 2 February. Dangers involved in low-cost licence proposals Unions approve of many of the report's recommendations, but have warned that two proposals would upset the current system of preparing for the theoretical and practical tests required for obtaining a licence. The first would streamline accreditation rules for driving schools, which unions fear will lead to a loss of oversight and competition for online platforms. A number of start-ups already exist that propose courses at half the price charged by traditional driving schools, leading the traditional schools to warn of low-cost drivers licences. The second point would reduce the requirement for candidates to access driving tests via driving schools and allow them to register on their own, which unions say would have consequences on candidates contacts with instructors. Story continues Unions also argue that driving schools are necessary for public awareness about the risks of driving. The licence to drive must not become a licence to kill, wrote union CNPA in its call to protest. The average cost for obtaining a drivers licence in France is about 1800 euros, according to the consumer advocacy group UFC-Que Choisir in 2016. That means France is among the most expensive countries in Europe for obtaining a licence. Unions say much of that cost could be brought down through reducing taxes and fees. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday signed an order withdrawing more than two-thirds of the state's National Guard troops from the U.S.-Mexico border, calling claims of an illegal immigration crisis there nothing but "political theatre." Newsom said most of the roughly 360 National Guard members deployed to the border would be reassigned to other duties in the state, with about 100 remaining behind as part of a task force targeting drug trafficking and cartels. "This whole border issue is a manufactured crisis. We are not interested in participating in this political theatre," Newsom said at an afternoon news conference in Sacramento. The governor, a Democrat who took office in January, said border crossings were at their lowest level since 1971 and that the state's undocumented population had dropped to a more than 10-year low. "This is pure politics, period full stop," he said. The move was a rebuke to President Donald Trump, who won election in 2016 partly on a populist pledge to build a wall on the southern U.S. border which he said in his campaign Mexico would pay for. Trump's demand for $5.7 billion to help build that wall was central to a 35-day partial U.S. government shutdown that ended last month. He agreed to reopen the government for three weeks to allow lawmakers time to find a compromise and avert another shutdown on Feb. 15. Newsom's predecessor, Governor Jerry Brown, agreed to send National Guard troops to the border last April after reaching agreement with the Trump administration that they would focus on fighting criminal gangs and smugglers and not enforce immigration laws. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham last week ordered the withdrawal of most National Guard troops deployed at the border by her Republican predecessor at Trump's request last year. Trump has deployed an extra 3,750 U.S. troops on the border this month. Story continues Newsom said some of the National Guard troops would be re-deployed to help fight what he said were mushrooming illegal marijuana farms following approval of a 2016 ballot measure to legalize recreational cannabis - legislation the governor helped champion. "We have to hold accountable those who are not participating in the legal cannabis market," he said. "These illegal grows are manifesting, getting bigger." (Reporting by Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, Peter Szekely in New York, Rich McKay in Atlanta and Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles; Writing by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall) BERN (Reuters) - Britain's economic slowdown should not be blamed entirely on Brexit, British Trade Minister Liam Fox said on Monday after data showed the economy last year grew at its slowest since 2012. "Clearly there are those who believe that Brexit is the only economic factor applying to the UK economy. I think you'll find that the predicted slowdown in a number of European economies is not disconnected from the slowdown, for example, in China," Fox told a news conference in the Swiss capital. The idea that Brexit is the only factor affecting the global economy is just to miss the point, he said. With just six weeks to go before Britain's scheduled departure from the European Union on March 29, Fox dismissed the chances of another popular vote that could overturn Brexit and also dismissed ideas put forward by opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn. The chances of having a second referendum are as close to nil as I could imagine, he said. He said the ideas put forward by Corbyn were "not workable", because it was impossible to subscribe to his proposal to have a customs union with the EU while also influencing EU policy. To pretend that you could do so is a dangerous delusion, Fox said. Fox was in Switzerland to sign a continuity trade deal with Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin, to ensure trading relations can continue with as little disruption as possible if Britain leaves the European Union on March 29 without a deal. About 12 percent of Britain's trade was currently covered by EU free trade deals, and Switzerland accounted for about a fifth of that, he said. Fox had previously said Britain would be able to roll over all of the EU's current trade deals, but so far he has only concluded agreements with Chile, the Faroe Islands and Switzerland. We are confident that we will be able to maintain a very high proportion of that continuity of trade. Of course its always dependent on other partners wanting to retain that continuity too. (Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Peter Graff) Prime Minister Theresa May has rejected Labours offer to support an amended EU withdrawal agreement. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote to the Prime Minister last week, outlining his partys conditions for backing any Brexit deal. In her response on Sunday, May refused to concede to Labours demands. But after her historic defeat in the House of Commons in January, and with less than 50 days until the UK leaves the EU, May does not have long left to secure the support of MPs and finalise the withdrawal deal. Corbyn's letter to May outlining Labour's demands for Brexit On Wednesday 6th February, Corbyn wrote to the Prime Minister and laid out the changes needed to the withdrawal agreement if she wanted Labours support. These changes were: A permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union, which allows the UK to have a say in future EU trade deals. Close alignment with the single market, with shared institutions. Dynamic alignment on rights and protections, so that UK standards match the EUs. Clarity about UK involvement in EU programmes and funding. Clear security arrangements. Corbyn called for these changes to be included in the withdrawal agreement so that they become UK law. This would mean that they could not be overruled or removed by a future Conservative leader. May's response to Corbyn's Brexit demands May responded to Corbyns letter on Sunday 10th February, making it clear that she would not agree to the five demands. Instead, she remains committed to amending the Irish backstop and securing agreement for the current withdrawal deal. The Prime Minister refused to agree with Corbyns first point, stating that the UK should not stay in the customs union. May argued that her current withdrawal agreement had the benefits of a customs union while allowing the UK to agree on independent trade deals. She wrote: I am not clear why you believe it would be preferable to seek a say in future EU trade deals rather than the ability to strike our own deals? However, there does seem to be some common ground between the two parties. May did make a concession on Corbyns third demand, regarding environmental and workers rights. Although she did not agree to align with EU standards automatically, she suggested that the Commons vote every time that these standards change. What's next for Brexit? Todays media reports suggest that May might be willing to further negotiate and discuss the customs union issue with Corbyn, perhaps exploring a softer Brexit approach. Conservative Minister Rory Stewart had disagreed with this suggestion. He stated that, although there is a lot of common ground between the two parties, there is not a shifting of red lines. In other words, May is not considering staying in the customs union. The Conservative party could risk splitting if the Prime Minister considers staying in the customs union. Liz Truss, chief secretary to the Treasury, has already suggested that she would resign should the UK remain in the customs union. Whatever route the Prime Minister takes, a conclusion needs to be reached quickly. The UK is due to leave the EU on 29th March; a date which is fast approaching. It has been suggested that, if May does not put an amended deal to the House of Commons by 27th February, MPs will again be able to vote on extending the Brexit deadline. Government Reporter Erin came to Tyler from Vermont, where she worked for VTDigger.org and previously the Rutland Herald. She received her B.A. in Economics and Spanish from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, where she also attended journalism school. It's the first quarter of the year, which means its time for the latest Liam Neeson punches things series. It began with Taken and its two sequels. Then we got The Grey, then A Walk Among the Tombstones and last year The Commuter. Now there is Cold Pursuit, a remake of the 2014 Norwegian film Kraftidioten, which basically translates to Prize Idiot in English. Its original English title was In Order of Disappearance, which is somehow worse. Rating: ***1/2 (out of 5) The film follows Nelson Nels Coxman (Neeson), a snowplow driver in the resort town of Kehoe, Colorado. On the night he receives the Citizen of the Year award, his son, Kyle (Michael Richardson), is kidnapped and given a lethal injection by a group of gangsters. Nels refuses to believe his son was a drug addict, while his wife, Grace (Laura Dern) emotionally shuts downs. When Nels finds one of Kyles co-workers, who escaped the gangsters, hiding in his shop, he learns that Kyle was murdered for something he wasnt involved with. Then Nels does what any sane, rational man would do seek bloody revenge. Nels reaches out to his brother, Brock (William Forshythe), a reformed gangster. Brock discovers that the men who killed Kyle were working for a crime boss named Viking, the alias for wealthy socialite and overly protective father, Trevor Calcote (Tom Bateman). As Vikings men begin to disappear, he wrongly assumes it is the work of White Bull (Tom Jackson), the head of a Native American drug operation that has a truce with Vikings father. While Nels continues his journey for vengeance, war breaks out between White Bull and Viking, leaving a trail of bodies and missing gangsters all over Kehoe. Cold Pursuit is directed by Hans Petter Moland, the Norwegian filmmaker responsible for In Order of Disappearance. Its nice when the director of the original makes the English remake, but it doesnt always work. I had never even heard of the original film, so I cant really compare the two, but it has a distinct Eurpoean flair. The most remarkable thing about Cold Pursuit is despite being billed as an action flick, its really not. There is action, but the film is more of a dark comedy. A streak of black humor running through the film includes an ongoing body count (half of the deaths are chuckle worthy). Cold Pursuit isnt life changing. Its not going to be analyzed for decades by film critics, except maybe for someone to put on a list of underrated gems. However, it is fun to watch. A movie doesn't have to be a classic to be enjoyed. Paul Murray Live will visit Toowoomba next week as part of its ten regional locations in ten months Our Town tour. The programme includes a partnership with Sony Music with first guest Adam Harvey. In each episode host Paul Murray will be joined by a Sony Music artist who will give a live, on location performance and interview during the broadcast. Artists joining the tour will include some of Australias biggest names in music and rising stars including Conrad Sewell, Jessica Mauboy, Samantha Jade, Daryl Braithwaite and Dami Im. Acclaimed country-music star Adam Harvey will join Paul Murray for the first Our Town show in Toowoomba. To nominate your town email [email protected] 9:00pm AEDT Wednesday 20 February on SKY News. Related Nine News Queensland has announced the Nine News Today Show Flood Appeal with a $50,000 donation to the St Vincent de Paul Society. St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland CEO, Peter Maher, said: We are an organisation with volunteers on the ground right now helping the people of North Queensland as we have for the last 125 years. Every dollar raised through the flood appeal will go directly to people affected by this terrible event, and we thank Nine and all who have donated so far for their generosity. Nine Queensland Managing Director, Kylie Blucher, said: The floods have put a huge strain on our fellow Queenslanders. Nine is one hundred per cent behind the North Queensland community and we encourage all to dig deep and help out as they struggle to recover from this disaster. How to donate: Phone: 1300 633 343 or visit www.vinnies.org.au/channel9 Related - Ilhan Omar tweeted that AIPAC plays a role in encouraging a lot of Jewish Americans to contribute campaign funds to congressional candidates? Is that a serious question? AIPAC is not a PAC in American law and thus cannot make political contributions, but it illegally controls a lot of real PACs and has a lot of political influence in the Jewish community. - Ralph Northam said on TeeVee that the very first blacks brought to Virginia were initially considered to be "indentured servants" in English law? He is correct although within a few decades the colonists realized that it would be more profitable to keep them permanently as slaves. One must remember that Northam is only now learning some actual Virginia history - Lindsey Graham is IMO correct in suggesting that Trump should "pocket" the barrier money in the negotiated bill, keep the government fully open, and then proceed to used additional funds available to him as CinC to continue to build the barrier system. - The National Guard of several states is probably serving on the border with federal funding support although still under state control. There is a law which provides for that. If the governors order a withdrawal from the border, Trump should IMO call these National Guard forces into federal service. The governors would then have no control over this matter at all. pl A Vietnamese man prevented police officers from handing free bottles of drinking water to passing motorcyclists on Sunday, the last day of the week-long Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, as people from the Mekong Delta rushed back to Ho Chi Minh City for work. On a section of the national highway passing Vinh Long Province, local traffic police officers on Sunday set up a free water station to help those heading to Ho Chi Minh City quench their thirst in the sweltering heat. Motorcyclists greeted the deed with gratitude but the owner of a roadside beverage shop at the location was unhappy. The man is seen in a video posted on Facebook using a stick to force the police officers, mostly females, to cease giving the free water in front of his house. He also broke and pushed water bottle boxes to the ground, according to the video seen by Tuoi Tre News. A man holds a stick attempting to ask police officers to stop giving free drinking water next to his roadside beverage shop in Vinh Long Province, southern Vietnam, on February 10, 2019, in this video taken from Facebook. Witnesses told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the man was vexed as the polices offering free water dented the income of his home-based beverage shop there. A leader of the traffic police unit under the provincial police department confirmed to Tuoi Tre that the incident took place on Sunday, adding that the aggressive man insisted that the police officers were placing the items on the land he owns. More police officers were then dispatched to the scene and worked with the mans family to stop his behavior. He seemed to be drunk at the time, police said, adding no physical harm resulted from the confrontation. The mans reaction has caused a storm of disapproval from Facebook users over the past day. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Society -- A man who ran a roadside beverage shop in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long was filmed on Sunday sabotaging a free water stall set up by the local traffic police force to help commuters quench their thirst on the way home after the long Tet holiday. -- Thousands of vehicles were stranded in a massive traffic jam on the My Thuan Bridge that connects Tien Giang and Vinh Long Provinces in southern Vietnam on Sunday evening, with congestion on the lifeline route expected to linger on to Monday as commuters continue to return to Ho Chi Minh City after enjoying the Tet holiday in their hometowns in Mekong Delta provinces. -- As many as 22 people were killed and 19 others injured in 22 traffic accidents that occurred nationwide on February 10, the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, while up to 183 lives were claimed in 276 accidents that occurred over the nine-day holiday. Business -- Some passengers who booked flights for the Tet travel rush in Vietnam have been scammed by air ticket agents, which printed out booking codes for their customers before canceling the tickets to get a partial refund, leaving the victims stranded at the airport as their names fail to show up in airlines systems. -- Analysts believe yearly banking credit growth in Vietnam will ease off in the next three to five years to around 14 percent, lower than the average rate of 18.1 percent in the 2015-17 period, while economic growth is forecast to remain unaffected by the trend. -- Vietnams textile and garment sector has set a target of US$40 billion in export turnover in 2019, up 10.8 percent compared to 2018, as the sector is expected to enjoy a trade surplus of $20 billion this year, providing jobs and improving income for around 2.85 million workers, the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association said in a report. -- There will soon be direct flights between the U.S. and Vietnam as the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is expected to announce its listing Vietnam as a category-1 destination in the coming weeks, a prerequisite for opening direct flights to and from U.S. soil. -- Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have remained among the global Top 10 most dynamic growing cities in JLLs Short-Term City Momentum Index (CMI) 2019, which tracks socio-economic and commercial real estate growth in 131 cities over a three-year period. Lifestyle -- An annual New Year tree planting festival was launched in the northern province of Yen Bai on Sunday, the sixth day of the Year of the Pig, by Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong, as Vietnam continues to uphold the tradition established by late President Ho Chi Minh in 1959. -- The 2019 Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival, held at Vietnams largest complex of Buddhist temples in the northern province of Ninh Binh, was launched on Sunday with the participation of tens of thousands of dignitaries, Buddhists, and visitors. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnam is in an early stage of implementing immune cell therapy in treating cancer patients, doctors say, as hope is high for more advances in the treatment approach after two scientists won this years Nobel in physiology or medicine for new discoveries in the area. U.S. national James Allison and Japans Tasuku Honjo discovered how to harness the bodys immune system to fight cancer, for which they won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine announced on Monday by the Nobel committee at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. The scientists groundbreaking work on the immune system has paved the way for a new class of cancer drugs that are already dramatically changing outcomes for patients, according to a press release by the committee. In Vietnam, early steps are being taken to implement the breakthrough cancer therapy in hospitals with some promising results, according to doctors. Prof. Dr. Ta Thanh Van, vice rector of Hanoi Medical University (HMU), said Vietnamese scientists have acquired the treatment approach from Japanese colleagues and are conducting their own research and tests on this new therapy to have it ready for clinical application. At first the Japanese side wanted to offer the treatment method for sale, but after some negotiation they agreed to have it transferred for free and only collect royalties when the therapy is officially applied in treatment, Dr. Van said. Van, who worked under Professor Tasuku Honjo during his fellowship in Japan between 1999 and 2003, said scientists at HMUs Gene-Protein Research Center have received Ministry of Healths permission to conduct a three-year scientific research, starting 2017, on the newly acquired cancer therapy. The study currently involves 70 patients diagnosed with five types of cancer who have their blood drawn for laboratory culturing of immune cells, which increase the cells number by many times. The multiplied cells are then transferred back into the patients body via autotransfusion for six times in three months, Dr. Van said. As of today, 15 cancer patients are undergoing this experimental treatment while hundreds are kept on waitlist, he added. Assoc. Prof. Tran Huy Thinh, one of the researchers involved in the study, says he has noticed improvement in life quality among these patients, but more time is needed to determine whether the treatment is effective in reducing tumor size, prolonging the patients life or curing the disease. The first transfusion of blood carrying lab-cultured immune cells only began in February this year, and eight months is not enough to adequately evaluate these parameters, he said. Among their patients is one over 70 years of age who is diagnosed with late-stage gastrointestinal cancer and could barely move or do without painkillers before undergoing treatment. Since receiving the therapy, the patient has stopped taking painkillers and can now play with their grandchild for five hours each day, Thinh said. The patient even recently traveled to southern parts of the country to visit relatives, which no one had thought would be possible before the treatment, he added. The biggest barrier between Vietnamese cancer patients and access to immunotherapy is probably the cost a treatment cycle lasting one to two years can cost roughly VND120 million (US$5,100). A full treatment regimen, consisting of 18 cycles, will set a patient back more than VND2.1 billion ($90,000) if they are not enrolled in a drug test, according to Dr. Le Tuan Anh, vice director of a cancer center at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnams average yearly income per capita was VND53.5 million ($2,300) in 2017, according to a General Statistics Office report. Despite some promising results, Prof. Dr. Andreas Beilhack from Germanys Wurzburg University Medical School believes we are still a long way from finding a cure-all therapy for the immensely varied group of diseases. Even approved immunotherapy drugs only work on certain types of cancer, and even then only a minor percentage of patients using those drugs show signs of improvement, he explains. For pulmonary and skin cancer, for example, the success rate is around 20-30 percent, Dr. Beilhack said. While immunotherapy is typically considered safer than chemotherapy or radiotherapy as it harnesses the bodys own immune system to tackle cancer, there have been cases in human tests where the immune system overreacts, leading to life-threatening conditions, he added. Nevertheless, patients in Vietnam have reasons to keep their hopes up that more lives will be saved thanks to these new discoveries in cancer treatments. Each new cancer therapy is invaluable, as it is another chance of survival for the patient, said V., whose sister has been battling breast cancer for the last three years. Only those with cancer and their relatives can fathom this pain, she said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Govt claims to have created over 3.79 lakh new jobs in two years Loading the player... Anil Ambani's Reliance Group loses Rs 13,000 crore in 4 days; blames L&T Finance, Edelweiss Group for stock fall Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group companies on Friday said that illegal, motivated and unwarranted actions by L&T Finance and Edelweiss group is responsible for nearly 55 per cent drop in market capitalisation in just 4 trading days. On February 1, Reliance Communications had filed for bankruptcy to resolve its debt position. As of March 2017, the company owed banks USD 7 billion. In strong retaliation to these allegations, Edelweiss Group said the claims made by Reliance Group are entirely unfounded and baseless. L&T Finance also came forth with its clarification that the sale of shares of Reliance Group companies is as per contractual rights and is legal. Out of 17 crore TV homes, nine crore migrate to new tariff regime: Trai chief Telecom regulator Trai has said nine crore out of 17 crore TV homes have made their channel preferences to onboard the new tariff regime, and it is constantly monitoring the situation to ensure that consumers do not face inconvenience.The regulator also plans to step up efforts on customer outreach and awareness programmes. The regulator has unveiled the new tariff order and regulatory regime for the broadcast and cable sector, which paves the way for consumers to opt for channels they wish to view, and pay only for them. Vodafone Idea plans Rs 20,000 cr network investment over next 15 months The country's largest telecom firm Vodafone Idea is planning to invest around Rs 20,000 crore in networks over the next 15 months, according to company officials. The company is also planning to raise Rs 25,000 crore through rights issue, in which the promoter shareholders -- Vodafone Group and Aditya Birla Group -- have reiterated to the board that they intend to contribute up to Rs 11,000 crore and Rs 7,250 crore, respectively as part of such rights issue. Starbucks to open 10 new stores in India within two months Tata Starbucks, a 50:50 joint venture between Tata Global Beverages and Starbucks Coffee of the US, is planning to add up to 10 new stores in the next two months, taking the total count to around 145 outlets, said a top company official. The premium coffee chain is increasing the number of roll outs as it is getting overall good consumer response, said Tata Global Beverages (TGBL). Two-wheeler exports from India rise 19.5% despite slow sales in April-January At a time when two-wheeler manufacturers are finding sales moving at a slow pace in the domestic market, their exports have risen by 19.49 per cent in the April-January period this fiscal, according to the latest data from auto industry body SIAM. The growth in exports of two-wheelers from the country is driven mainly by motorcycles and scooters. Recovery in markets such as Africa and Latin America has helped two-wheeler manufacturers crank up their exports from India, industry observers said. Amid no jobs chorus, govt claims to have created over 3.79 lakh new jobs in two years As debate intensifies over rising unemployment in the country, the Modi government claims to have generated over 3.79 lakh jobs between 2017 and 2019 in its various establishments, according to the interim budget for 2019-20. The data assumes significance as the Congress and other opposition parties have been targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over rising unemployment. The government has rejected the charges. SBI, Oriental Bank put on sale stressed accounts to recover dues of Rs 5,740 crore State-owned State Bank of India (SBI) and Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) have put on sale various financial accounts to recover dues of around Rs 5,740 crore. The country's largest lender SBI has invited bids from asset reconstruction companies (ARCs) and financial institutions (FIs) to recover an outstanding of Rs 4,975 crore. The recovery effort for the 82-year-old hiker who got lost while hiking in Madera Canyon last week was suspended Monday evening, officials said. Joe Smallwood called around 4 p.m. on Feb. 5 and reported he was lost. Shortly after, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office sent out a search-and-rescue team. After a week of searching, Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Lieutenant Gerardo Castillo said search crews, who came from all over the state, needed to recover and regroup before planing future recovery efforts. Castillo said as many as 120 people from 17 or 18 different organizations helped in the search, including agencies from Pima, Santa Cruz, Cochise, Pinal, Maricopa, Gila, Yuma, Yavapai and Coconino counties, as well as personnel from Fort Huachuca and with U.S. Border Patrol and volunteers with the Southern Arizona Rescue Association. Amphi teacher wins education honor Tucson Values Teachers has honored Amphitheater Public Schools Danielle Swartz as its January teacher of excellence. Swartz, an educator for seven years, teaches first grade at Amphis Innovation Academy, according to a press release. Her classroom projects have been recognized by the Southern Arizona Research, Science and Engineering Foundation and, last year, she was named a STEMAZing Teacher Leader by Pima County. Swartz is also the Innovation Academys 504, or student accommodation plan, coordinator and leads the schools Kindness Club. Whether it is excavating dinosaurs, finding the best solution to energy-efficient homes, or differentiating each lesson, she puts everything she has into teaching, said Capella Hauer, an Amphi social worker who nominated Swartz for the award. As part of the award, Swartz received a $100 Office Max/Office Depot gift card, $250 from the Helios Education Foundation and school supplies. To nominate a teacher for the TVT honor, visit TucsonValuesTeachers.org Six TUSD magnets honored nationally Pima County prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in the case of a man accused of slaying two Tucson girls. Christopher Clements, 36, was indicted in September in connection with the deaths of 6-year-old Isabel Celis and 13-year-old Maribel Gonzalez. Hes facing 22 related charges, including two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of kidnapping. Isabel was taken from her bedroom in April 2012, shortly after Clements was released from prison on federal charges. Court records show he was living about 2 miles from Isabels home when she was abducted. Clements was arrested on unrelated burglary charges five months later and released on bail. His case was still playing out in court in June 2014, when Maribel was reported missing. She had left her house to visit a friend, but never made it there. Her body was found in a desert area three days later. In March 2017, detectives found Isabels remains in the general area where Maribels body was discovered after receiving a tip that Clements had information. Clements agreed to tell detectives where Isabels body was in exchange for charges in another burglary case being dropped. Opinion Coordinator Sara Brown joined the Star in 2014 after working for the San Pedro Valley New Sun in Benson. She works with letters to the editor, produces Opinion Team chats, and curates columns such as Keeping the Faith, Business Awards and Adopt A Friend. Editor: I commend the Joint Judiciary Committee of the Wyoming Legislature for tackling the job of criminal justice reform with bills to change probation and parole lengths, sanctions and incentives. These bills will not only make probation and parole programs more effective at keeping people out of the state prisons by testing them and offering early-on rehabilitation, these programs will save the state millions of dollars spent on housing and feeding probation and parole violators. While these bills are commendable, the real work is yet to be done with more savings for the state. The ACLU is sponsoring a bill to do away with the death penalty in Wyoming, which is projected to save the state $750,000 in 2020. Even though Wyoming has not used the death penalty since 1992, it has cost the state millions of dollars to maintain the legal challenges. Its unfortunate, she added. Certainly, I think our city council here in Cheyenne might very well be taking up the nondiscrimination issue again. Maybe we can put up some good publicity over all the bad. Protections rolled back In December, the Legislatures Management Council which sets rules of conduct for members of the Legislature rolled back language instituting anti-discrimination protections for members of the LGBTQ community in cases of defamatory speech. While the complaint has been filed, with the new, vague language which includes no specific protected groups it is unclear whether Hutchings could face disciplinary measures. According to Legislative Service Office Director Anthony Sara, the language in statute would leave it up to Management Council leadership to decide how to enforce their own rules. Per Management Council policy, all proceedings are confidential. Spokespeople for both the Republican and Democratic delegations said there was no date yet for when the Management Council would meet. Opposed vehemently by the University of Wyoming, SF111 would allow community colleges to offer bachelors of applied science degrees, in part to meet the vocal demand of far-flung communities across the state with no resources to train a skilled workforce and without the funds to pay for a degree from the University of Wyoming. Now in the House, that bill is opposed by Speaker of the House Steve Harshman, who has introduced a bill of his own House Bill 263 that would allow the states community colleges to institute a focused UW program on their campuses something he described as a compromise between the two bills. Harshman noted that while his own bill was imperfect, SF111 has the potential to be quite expensive, and that the time it would take to implement three years would be ineffective for what the state is trying to accomplish. We could start this in the fall, Harshman said of his bill. That bill will take years. Im all for doing some kind of pilot that bill will be kicked out and worked on but I dont think anyone has any idea of the fiscal impact that bill will have, especially as were facing a community college deficit now. A Wyoming man who was being held in a private Mississippi prison died of an apparent suicide this weekend, a Wyoming Department of Corrections official said Monday morning. The man, Charles Edward Jones, died Saturday in the Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility, according to a statement from the Wyoming corrections department. He was incarcerated in the prison as part of a contract with CoreCivic, formerly known as Corrections Corporation of America, which has operated private prisons since the early 1980s. Jones, 38, was serving a sentence of life without parole handed down in 2010 by a Laramie County judge for convictions of first-degree murder and aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. According to media accounts published at the time of his conviction, prosecutors told jurors Jones and another man entered a Cheyenne house party in July 2009, demanded money from an insurance settlement from a 21-year-old man and then killed him. Wyoming prison officials began sending inmates last year to the Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility, in Tutwiler, Mississippi, to minimize staffing and space issues at Wyoming prisons. In the Monday statement, a corrections department spokesman said 89 Wyoming prisoners are being held in the Mississippi prison. Parkland survivor David Hogg was the subject of a widely viewed conspiracy video following the shooting at his school. Photo: Mike Stocker/TNS via Getty Images At the end of January, YouTube announced it will begin reducing recommendations of borderline content and content that could misinform users in harmful ways. It cited videos offering a phony miracle cure or declaring the Earth flat or lying about 9/11 as examples of content that fit this criteria. Thats great! Absolutely. If somebody is watching a genuinely educational video about the measles vaccine, the very next thing they are served shouldnt be an hours-deep rabbit hole of clips disseminating BS about the alleged dangers of vaccinating children against a disease they dont need to be susceptible to in the year 2019. The change got some press over the weekend after a former Google engineer who helped build the AI responsible for serving related videos to YouTube watchers tweeted a thread calling the change a historic victory. Guillaume Chaslot describes a fictional person named Brian who, depressed following a death in his family, spends a lot of time watching YouTube videos. This quickly leads him to conspiracy-theory videos, which Brian begins watching more frequently, triggering the AI to show him more of the same. This increases views on those videos, which prompts creators to make similar content. Its a vicious circle Chaslot says slowly biases YouTube. Chaslot also mentioned a man in Seattle who stabbed his brother to death with a sword because he believed his brother was a lizard. The mans YouTube presence involved an array of far-right conspiracy theories. YouTubes announcement is certainly good news. But its also as late as it is good. Im thinking here about people like David Hogg, who survived the Parkland school shooting that left 17 of his classmates and teachers dead, only to have to endure viral videos peddling a conspiracy that he was not a high schooler, but rather a paid crisis actor. Following the shooting, the video of Hogg spiked to the No. 1 trending spot on YouTube before the platform finally took it down. A different video from the same user purporting to show Hogg forgetting his lines was left up even after the other video was removed by YouTube. (It has since also been deleted.) This week, Valentines Day will mark one year since the Parkland shooting. Chaslot wrote that YouTube has two options when it comes to curbing conspiracy-theory videos: that people spend more time on round earth videos or that the company change the AI. YouTubes economic incentive is for solution 1, he continued. After 13 years, YouTube made the historic choice to go towards 2. It feels like were giving YouTube way too much credit here. YouTube didnt have to give Alex Jones, a man who claims the shooting at Sandy Hook didnt happen, a platform for as long as it did. (YouTube finally banned Jones in August 2018.) Just like (before January) it didnt have to let people continue posting scientifically debunked schlock about how vaccines cause autism just because those videos technically werent violating the rules. The company isnt going with option two at great cost to its bottom line. The company is going with option two because the cost of people calling it out for going with option one for so long is becoming untenable. Natural gas prices on the east and west side of Wyoming were driven widely apart this week. The Opal hub rose to $17.41 per MMBtu Friday, while the Cheyenne hub was just $2.97. Brian Jeffries, director of the Wyoming Pipeline Authority, said Canadian crude from British Columbia couldn't make it down to serve demand in the Pacific Northwest and Canada. Meanwhile, Wyoming pipelines aren't built to carry gas east to west. Companies have considered reconfiguring those lines so gas can flow either way, but none have moved such a project forward, he said in an email Friday. "Part of the issue is paying for the modifications has to be measured against how often and for how long do these dramatic price differences will occur in the future," he said. "If these circumstances are perceived as too infrequent, then it may be difficult for the pipeline companies to locate customers willing to sign the long term contracts to justify the capital expenses." Earnings talk At a press conference with Luxembourg prime minister Xavier Bettel, the EU's chief negotiator for Brexit asserted that the UK is responsible for enacting Brexit. Barnier met with Xavier Bettel briefly as part of a working visit before returning to Brussels to meet with Stephen Barclay, the UK Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. At the press conference, the EU's chief negotiator was candid. He said clearly that the United Kingdom alone is responsible for leaving the European Union. As for the D-Day of 29 March, he reminded the public that Theresa May herself had chosen that date. As Barnier explained, the EU is waiting for London to move on with the process. The point of the much-contested backstop is to provide a type of insurance concerning the Irish border. The key issue concerning the Irish border is to guarantee peace and not break the terms of the Good Friday agreement. Barnier also explained that the EU wants to protect its internal market and be able to guarantee its ability to check products coming from Northern Ireland into the Republic of Ireland. The EU is generally ready to begin an ambitious partnership with the United Kingdom, but requires the political willpower of the British government in order to do so. Luxembourgish prime minister Xavier Bettel reiterated Barnier's main point, explaining that Brexit was not the EU's choice or decision, and the responsibility to carry it out is consequently not on the European Union's one. He spoke of Brexiteers anxious to push Brexit forward, claiming they no longer have any logical arguments. He also believes that politicians lack the courage to pursue the People's Vote, which would revisit the question of Brexit in a second referendum. With only seven weeks to go until 29 March, the question of an extension is one that many have discussed. On his part, Barnier confirmed he had not yet received a request from London to extend Article 50. Regardless, if the request comes in, the heads of state of the EU member-states will be the ones to decide on the matter. The Luxembourg Old-timer Federation feels discriminated against by the SNCT's (national society for technical inspections) recent price hike. Jim Krier, a member of the Luxembourg Old-timer Federation, stated in an interview with RTL that the federation is confused by the fact that technical inspection prices for vintage and collector's cars are set to go up even though the technical inspection will remain the same. The federation can not understand the reason behind the SNCT's decision to up prices for vintage cars in particular. Owners of vintage cars used to pay 37.50 for a technical inspection, but this price has recently been significantly increased to 69. The vice-president of the Luxembourg Old-timer Federation Dan Medinger is just as clueless as to the SNCT's justification for this price hike. Medinger argued that the technical inspection of a vintage car is actually even easier and quicker to do than an inspection for a modern car with plenty of built-in electronics. The federation is also doubtful that the price increase could be politically motivated since old-timers are relatively sustainable. Jim Krier argued that the construction of new cars had the biggest negative impact on the environment. The Luxembourg Old-timer Federation however also criticise the UK system, in which vintage cars are not subject to technical inspections at all. Medinger stressed that it is important to make sure that vintage cars are safe on Luxembourg's roads and that they should absolutely be subject to technical inspection at regular intervals. Even though the Luxembourg Old-timer Federation agrees with the SNCT on this basic issue, they do not agree with their new pricing, For this reason, they have requested a meeting with Minister for Transport Francois Bausch. Bausch on the other hand already pointed out that he has nothing to do with the SNCT's price list. The first leg of his journey will take foreign minister Jean Asselborn to Ethiopia. Here he will meet with president Sahle-Work Zewde, the first female president of the country. After that, Asselborn will travel to Eritrea. The visit to the two African countries stands in an historical context since both countries are on course for a political rapprochement after years of conflict. Forget chocolate, flowers or a romantic dinner. A zoo in Texas is offering singles the chance to name a cockroach after their ex and see it fed to a meerkat live on camera on Valentine's Day. In a campaign dubbed "Quit Bugging Me!!!" the El Paso Zoo says the roach is a perfect Valentine's gift for those needing closure on a past relationship that didn't make the grade. It said a cockroach would be assigned to each nominee and the bugs would be fed to meerkats in an event streamed on the zoo's website and Facebook page on February 14. Zoo officials said Madagascar hissing cockroaches would likely be used for the feast. "They do actually hiss, they are a very large species of cockroach, definitely not the largest, but it is one that we actually do breed here at the zoo for feeding purposes," Sarah Murphy, an education specialist at the zoo, told the local ABC station. Ann C. Purvis, chose to publish her first novel under her birth name, Elizabeth Collums; this is her true roots and where she has drawn from many of the experiences she wrote about. She lives in Denham Springs, Louisiana and enjoys DIY projects. She has two daughters, a step daughter, son-in-law, two amazing granddaughters, and her dog Daisy. Q: Welcome to The Writer's Life! Now that your book has been published, wed love to find out more about the process. Can we begin by having you take us at the beginning? When did you come up with the idea to write your book? A: It was in my late twenties. I was given some ancestry info that showed that my great, great Grandpa William Ewing was born in 1820 in Londonerry, Ireland and immigrated to America during the potato famine. I clearly remember going to the library and checking out books about Ireland, particularly this time period. Reading those books started the process in my mind. Q: How hard was it to write a book like this and do you have any tips that you could pass on which would make the journey easier for other writers? A: This one wasnt hard for me. As a matter of fact, it was very therapeutic. Through this writing process I was able to create the kind of courage and integrity in some of my characters that I had longed for in my life. Writing Passengers simply flowed out once I started. Id thought so much about it over the years that I was just ready. My advice is that it has to be something that youre passionate about. Q: Who is your publisher and how did you find them or did you self-publish? A: I self-published. I did hire a publishing consultant who walked me through the process. Q: Is there anything that surprised you about getting your first book published? A: I didnt expect to be as excited about publishing Passengers as I was. I am also surprised at how fulfilling this process has been from start to finish. And the finish part is having someone tell me how much it touched them on a personal level in a positive way. Q: What other books are you working on and when will they be published? A: I have a few other books in my mind. Im trying to decide which one to go with next. Q: Whats one fact about your book that would surprise people? A: That I actually had that much to say. Im typically very reserved and a bit of a loner. My comfort zone usually encompasses small intimate gatherings. Q: Finally, what message are you trying to get across with your book? A: Those awful moments in your life dont' have to be the end of the story; the second half is in what you do with them. Q: Thank you again for this interview! Do you have any final words? A: Sometimes you have to be the root, be buried in the ground and let others be the fruit. Give what you didnt get and nourish others. In one way or another you always get it back. My comeback was the joy in writing this book and sharing it with my family and friends. About the Book: Title: PASSENGERS Author: Elizabeth Collums Publisher: Amite River Press Pages: 309 Genre: Historical Fiction/Family Drama BOOK BLURB: During the Great Irish Famine the Ewing family made their way from their rural cottage to the village of Highland Way . Annie, the oldest daughter was left to care for her mother and younger sister after her father left to find work in Dublin . A mysterious letter arrives from America forcing Annie, Lily, and Katy into a harrowing journey. The hand written note not only will expose deep secrets, it will also challenge the strength and fortitude of the Ewing women, leading each member into their own soul searching voyage. Follow this extraordinary passage that begins in Ireland and leads each woman to uncover their own courage and truths in this new world. ORDER YOUR COPY: SUMMER SPECIAL!!! - Sign up at 20% OFF for Full Access to all of the online content and E-Editions on the www.thewordlink.com website here! (The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement) Photo: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images Russia is reportedly planning to cut itself off from the rest of the internet temporarily. According to ZDNet (working off a report from the Russian news agency RBK Group), the goal is to see how Russias internet infrastructure would operate should the country be cut off from the rest of world digitally. The test is related to a draft law introduced last year, known as the Digital Economy National Program. The purpose is to ensure that Russian internet service providers can continue to operate should the country be sanctioned by foreign powers. As it currently stands, the root servers for the domain name system the system that lets you type in google.com instead of an IP address are all located outside of Russia, though copies of the DNS exist locally should access be cut off. The draft law also stipulates that domestic traffic should be routed through Russias telecoms regulator, Roskomnadzor. Officials want to route 95 percent of all internet traffic locally by 2020, drawing analogies to Chinas Great Firewall, an aggressive internet-traffic monitoring program. According to ZDNet, most Russian internet companies are supportive of the regulations, but worry that the preliminary test will cause major disruptions. The test, supposedly slated for some time around April 1, comes as Russia faces a growing international outcry over its efforts to disrupt other political events through coordinate information operations. Social-media companies like Facebook and Google have been investing heavily in trying to weed out deceptive accounts run by so-called troll farms. Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship. The (PURC) members did not provide specific reasons concerning each candidates finding of qualified or not qualified. The vote was unanimous regarding the finding of not qualified, Anderson said in an email to Carson, noting that there is no additional information I can provide. Carson told The Nerve she also had concerns how she was treated during her Jan 14. screening hearing. All these older gentlemen are just leaning back in their chairs with their arms crossed, she said. They didnt look like they were even interested. The Nerve in 2014 reported about another female candidate who was questioned during her screening hearing by Rep. Bill Sandifer, R-Oconee, and the PURC vice chairman, about whether she had discussed her candidacy with her children. There currently are no women on the PSC. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The Nerve requested comment from Sandifer and Sen. Thomas Alexander, R-Oconee, who is the PURC chairman, but did not receive a response. Anderson did not provide specifics to The Nerve about why PURC found Carson and Cole not qualified. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Based on what I see, cotton is set up to do well in 2019, Smith said. If we produce as much as expected, well need to increase our exports. In an update on cotton varieties, Jones said new lines are being bred to increase fiber length and strength. There are a lot of varieties available, Jones said. Variety selection is probably the most important decision you can make. Do your homework and know how a variety will do in your fields before you plant. Controlling insects is also important. Jeremy Greene, entomologist at the Edisto Research and Education Center, talked about current issues with insect management and what can be done to alleviate those problems. South Carolina has best management practices for thrips that will work just fine for now, Greene said. Bt technology also continues to provide decent control of bollworm many caterpillar pests. Greene noted plant bugs and whiteflies could be more of a problem in the state in the near future. In addition, Greene also talked about Cotton Leaf Dwarf Virus, also known as Blue Disease. This is a new virus transmitted by cotton aphids that could be extremely important in fields infected with the pathogen. In addition, it points to the growing number of women in state prison, and the unique needs of that population, as well as the need for better educational programs within the states juvenile correctional system. Beyond the prison system, the order calls for targeting poorer communities with economic development efforts that would improve access to professional licenses, state contracting opportunities, education and housing. And it calls for improving relations between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve by reducing the use of excess force, civil asset forfeitures and vehicle impoundments. Finally, the order also states that legalizing marijuana would be an economic benefit in communities that the administration said have been disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. For Illinois to truly lead on criminal justice reform, we must bring real and lasting economic opportunity to every corner of our state. Its no accident that this initiative puts Justice, Equity and, Opportunity side by side, Pritzker said. With decades of experience working to bring reform to our system of justice in Illinois, I can think of no better person to spearhead this initiative than our lieutenant governor, Juliana Stratton. The order calls on the new JEO office to report to the governor within 90 days with details about what it plans to accomplish in its first year, and then to file annual reports each Jan. 1 detailing what reform efforts have been put in place as well as the groups plans for the upcoming year. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MURPHYSBORO An Elkville man is accused of calling in bomb threats to schools, a health center and a police agency in Canada. Justin Bagley, 36, was arrested on Saturday after investigators tracked his phone number. He is charged with 11 counts of felony disorderly conduct for making false bomb threats, according to a news release from Jackson County State's Attorney Michael Carr. Jackson County authorities received a call from the police service of Taber, a small town in southern Alberta, Canada, on Saturday night. Taber police reported 10 bomb threats were made at numerous locations throughout the town over a 48-hour period. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Several locations in Taber were evacuated, and security measures were taken, according to the Jackson County Sheriffs Office. Bagley is currently being held in the Jackson County Jail. He was scheduled to make his first court appearance at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Carr indicated. Bagley faces two to five years imprisonment on each of the 11 counts, if convicted. In 2005, Bagley was convicted of a Class 3 felony for calling in a bomb threat at the Du Quoin Walmart 5G blockchain electric vehicles There are enough tech opportunities out there to make your head spin! But which ones should you own for the coming tech boom? Louis Navellier the analyst who found Microsoft at .38 cents just released a new report detailing six tech stocks to own today. Dont miss your chance to get his latest picks ticker symbol and all completely free of charge. Fortis Inc. operates as an electric and gas utility company in Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean countries. It generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 433,000 retail customers in southeastern Arizona; and 98,000 retail customers in Arizona's Mohave and Santa Cruz counties with an aggregate capacity of 3,233 megawatts (MW), including 59 MW of solar capacity. The company also sells wholesale electricity to other entities in the western United States; owns gas-fired and hydroelectric generating capacity totaling 65 MW; and distributes natural gas to approximately 1,048,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in British Columbia, Canada. In addition, it owns and operates the electricity distribution system that serves approximately 572,000 customers in southern and central Alberta; owns 4 hydroelectric generating facilities with a combined capacity of 225 MW; and provides operation, maintenance, and management services to five hydroelectric generating facilities. Further, the company distributes electricity in the island portion of Newfoundland and Labrador with an installed generating capacity of 143 MW; and on Prince Edward Island with a generating capacity of 130 MW. Additionally, it provides integrated electric utility service to approximately 67,000 customers in Ontario; approximately 270,000 customers in Newfoundland and Labrador; approximately 31,000 customers on Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; and approximately 15,000 customers on certain islands in Turks and Caicos. The company also holds long-term contracted generation assets in Belize consisting of 3 hydroelectric generating facilities with a combined capacity of 51 MW; and the Aitken Creek natural gas storage facility. It also owns and operates approximately 91,000 circuit Kilometers (km) of distribution lines; and approximately 49,500 km of natural gas pipelines. Fortis Inc. was founded in 1885 and is headquartered in St. John's, Canada. Read More The New York Post didnt miss on Friday, but the Daily Beast got the goods on Sunday. Photo: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images The source who provided the National Enquirer with personal text messages Amazon founder Jeff Bezos had exchanged with his mistress, news anchor Lauren Sanchez, was Sanchezs brother, Michael, the Daily Beast reported on Sunday night. Sanchez a Trump supporter who is friendly with Trumpworld dirty trickster Roger Stone and another Russia investigation target, former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page has denied that he had anything to do with the scandal, but multiple sources within American Media Inc., the Enquirers embattled parent company, have told the Beast that he was indeed the one who provided the messages which formed the basis for the Enquirers January expose. The apparent confirmation came less than three days after Bezos, who also owns the Washington Post, publicly accused AMI of trying to blackmail him in a Medium post. On Thursday night, the Amazon founder shared emails from AMI officials in which they threatened to publish several racy photographs Bezos and Ms. Sanchez had texted each other if he did not call off his investigation into why AMI had targeted him and how it had obtained his text messages. It is not clear how Mr. Sanchez obtained the texts or why he would have been willing to violate his sisters privacy in such a way, but the Beast reports that the act appears to have been politically motivated: Documents reviewed by the Daily Beast show that Michael Sanchez believed the Enquirer pursued its story about Bezos with President Trumps knowledge and appreciation a chase encouraged, in Sanchezs estimation, by Republican operatives who THINK Jeff gets up every morning and has a [Washington Post] meeting to plot its next diabolical attack on President Trump. Bezos has been a frequent target for President Trump, who regularly blames the billionaire for the Posts critical coverage of him and his administration. Trump has had a decades-long friendship and alliance with AMI CEO David Pecker, who has admitted to using the Enquirer to buy and bury damaging stories about Trump. The president gleefully celebrated Bezoss embarrassment after the Enquirer story was published last month. Working with former Trump fixer Michael Cohen during the 2016 presidential campaign, Pecker and AMI helped to catch and kill Playboy model Karen McDougals allegation that she had had an affair with Trump, and helped set up Cohens pay-off of porn star Stephanie Clifford, who had made a similar allegation. Last year, Pecker, Howard, and AMI were granted immunity from federal prosecutors in exchange for admitting that they had worked in concert with the Trump campaign, and testifying about the deals, which violated campaign finance laws. Security consultant Gavin de Becker, who led the Bezosfunded investigation into the source of the texts, told the Beast that his team had finished their investigation and forwarded their conclusions to law enforcement officials, but he did not reveal what those conclusions had been. The Beast had previously reported that de Becker had interviewed Mr. Sanchez, and that the Bezos team considered him to be the most likely culprit. On Thursday, Bezos shared emails from AMIs chief content officer, Dylan Howard, and a company attorney, in which they described the images of Bezos and Ms. Sanchez that they had including d*ck pics and indicated that the Enquirer would publish the intimate images if Bezos did not call off de Beckers investigation as well as the one being conducted by the Post. Its hardly a secret that AMI and the Enquirer employ such tactics, but its far from clear why anyone thought they would have leverage over the richest man in the world. According to the emails, the company was specifically focused on silencing suggestions that exposing Bezoss affair was instigated, dictated or influenced in any manner by external forces, political or otherwise. Bezos said that his investigators were examining the possibility that Saudi Arabia has been involved in the Enquirer expose, and that this inquiry appeared to have hit a particularly sensitive nerve at AMI. David Pecker has reportedly sought to do business in Saudi Arabia in recent years, and has leveraged his relationship with the president to raise his profile with Trumps wealthy allies in the Middle East. AMI even published a glossy magazine celebrating Saudi Arabia and its de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, ahead of the princes visit to the U.S. last year. The Saudi regime, meanwhile, is not only a major ally of President Trumps, but has also been defending itself against the Posts aggressive reporting about the brash and brutal assassination of Saudi dissident and Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, allegedly at the personal direction of the crown prince. The effort to push back against the Post reportedly included an online campaign targeting Bezos and Amazon by Saudi Arabias notorious troll army last November. The regime has denied having had any involvement in the Enquirer story, however, which is probably true if Michael Sanchez was the one who gave AMI the Bezos texts. On Sunday morning, David Peckers attorney, Elkan Abramowitz, appeared on ABCs This Week to defend Pecker and AMI following Bezoss bombshell blog post. He denied that Saudi Arabia, Trump, the White House, or Roger Stone had been the source of Bezoss texts, and instead insisted that the companys source was someone who had worked with the publication for years and was well-known to both Mr. Bezos and Ms. Sanchez. He also claimed that the threat to publish the sexted photographs was not extortion or blackmail, but journalism and a legitimate negotiation. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan indicated on Friday that they were looking into whether or not AMIs conduct towards Bezos violated its non-prosecution agreement. Their judgement, as well as what role anyone in the Trump camp may have had in pushing Sanchez or the story, will hopefully become clear soon. 16 hours ago | June 23rd | 2021 5:00 AM You Quit Your Job Good for You! But How Does that Impact Your Investments? As companies make plans to return employees back to the office, millions of workers have made a decision not to go back at all. In fact, the number of people who quit their jobs increased to four million in April and increased 2.7%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The largest increases in employees leaving their jobs occurred in retail trade and professional and business services. The Undead Archives I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world. Hes got a lot of reading to do. Photo: Katherine Frey/The Washington Post/Getty Images Virginias embattled Democratic governor, Ralph Northam, still wont resign after admitting to wearing blackface during a costume contest in the 1980s. (Northam still denies that he appeared in either blackface or a Klan robe in racist photos in his medical-school yearbook page.) On Saturday, the governor told the Washington Post that he overreacted when he initially apologized for the yearbook photos and said that he would commit the rest of his term to addressing inequality. Staffers have reportedly assigned him a reading list that includes Alex Haleys Roots and Ta-Nehisi Coatess famous essay The Case for Reparations. Reading might be fundamental, but it also takes time and the governor had apparently not yet absorbed his new lessons before giving an interview to Gayle King of CBS This Morning. Northam committed another serious gaffe on air, per the HuffPost: We are now at the 400-year anniversary just 90 miles from here in 1619, the first indentured servants from Africa landed on our shores in Old Point Comfort, what we call now Fort Monroe Northam began before he was swiftly corrected by King. Also known as slavery, she interrupted. Northam, nodding in agreement, responded, Yes. In fact, calling this a gaffe likely undersells it. If Northam hopes to transform himself into a beacon for reconciliation and redemption, he might at least familiarize himself more with the history of his own state. The governor has since released a statement apologizing for the interview: In response to the reaction from his use of the term "indentured servants," Gov. @RalphNortham tells @CBSNews "The fact is, Im still learning and committed to getting it right." Full statement below: pic.twitter.com/GiCTvpiSM3 Adam Verdugo (@AdamVerdugo) February 11, 2019 The incident probably wont do much to convince his party to retract its nearly unanimous call for his resignation. But Northam wasnt the only Virginia politician facing an escalating scandal. Democratic delegate Patrick Hope threatened to introduce articles of impeachment against Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, who is now the subject of a second credible sexual-assault allegation. Fairfaxs accusers, Dr. Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson, both announced that they would be willing testify during impeachment proceedings. On Monday morning, the Associated Press reported that Hope would not immediately move forward with impeachment, but Fairfax himself now faces party pressure to resign. Both Watson and Tyson have retained attorneys. Fairfax, meanwhile, says that he is the target of a coordinated smear campaign, though its not clear who could be responsible for the coordination. With Northam and Fairfax running out their political life spans, the partys left with Mark Herring, the state attorney general. Herring admitted to wearing blackface to a college party, and his apology was generally better received than Northams. Multimedia Reporter Staff writer Harry Funk, a professional journalist for three-plus decades, has been on the staff of The Almanac since 2015. He has a bachelors degree in journalism and master of business administration, both from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Applying just a bit of strain to a piece of semiconductor or other crystalline material can deform the orderly arrangement of atoms in its structure enough to cause dramatic changes in its properties, such as the way it conducts electricity, transmits light, or conducts heat. Now, a team of researchers at MIT and in Russia and Singapore have found ways to use artificial intelligence to help predict and control these changes, potentially opening up new avenues of research on advanced materials for future high-tech devices. The findings appear this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, in a paper authored by MIT professor of nuclear science and engineering and of materials science and engineering Ju Li, MIT Principal Research Scientist Ming Dao, and MIT graduate student Zhe Shi, with Evgeni Tsymbalov and Alexander Shapeev at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in Russia, and Subra Suresh, the Vannevar Bush Professor Emeritus and former dean of engineering at MIT and current president of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Already, based on earlier work at MIT, some degree of elastic strain has been incorporated in some silicon processor chips. Even a 1 percent change in the structure can in some cases improve the speed of the device by 50 percent, by allowing electrons to move through the material faster. Recent research by Suresh, Dao, and Yang Lu, a former MIT postdoc now at City University of Hong Kong, showed that even diamond, the strongest and hardest material found in nature, can be elastically stretched by as much as 9 percent without failure when it is in the form of nanometer-sized needles. Li and Yang similarly demonstrated that nanoscale wires of silicon can be stretched purely elastically by more than 15 percent. These discoveries have opened up new avenues to explore how devices can be fabricated with even more dramatic changes in the materials' properties. Strain made to order Unlike other ways of changing a material's properties, such as chemical doping, which produce a permanent, static change, strain engineering allows properties to be changed on the fly. "Strain is something you can turn on and off dynamically," Li says. But the potential of strain-engineered materials has been hampered by the daunting range of possibilities. Strain can be applied in any of six different ways (in three different dimensions, each one of which can produce strain in-and-out or sideways), and with nearly infinite gradations of degree, so the full range of possibilities is impractical to explore simply by trial and error. "It quickly grows to 100 million calculations if we want to map out the entire elastic strain space," Li says. That's where this team's novel application of machine learning methods comes to the rescue, providing a systematic way of exploring the possibilities and homing in on the appropriate amount and direction of strain to achieve a given set of properties for a particular purpose. "Now we have this very high-accuracy method" that drastically reduces the complexity of the calculations needed, Li says. "This work is an illustration of how recent advances in seemingly distant fields such as material physics, artificial intelligence, computing, and machine learning can be brought together to advance scientific knowledge that has strong implications for industry application," Suresh says. The new method, the researchers say, could open up possibilities for creating materials tuned precisely for electronic, optoelectronic, and photonic devices that could find uses for communications, information processing, and energy applications. The team studied the effects of strain on the bandgap, a key electronic property of semiconductors, in both silicon and diamond. Using their neural network algorithm, they were able to predict with high accuracy how different amounts and orientations of strain would affect the bandgap. "Tuning" of a bandgap can be a key tool for improving the efficiency of a device, such as a silicon solar cell, by getting it to match more precisely the kind of energy source that it is designed to harness. By fine-tuning its bandgap, for example, it may be possible to make a silicon solar cell that is just as effective at capturing sunlight as its counterparts but is only one-thousandth as thick. In theory, the material "can even change from a semiconductor to a metal, and that would have many applications, if that's doable in a mass-produced product," Li says. While it's possible in some cases to induce similar changes by other means, such as putting the material in a strong electric field or chemically altering it, those changes tend to have many side effects on the material's behavior, whereas changing the strain has fewer such side effects. For example, Li explains, an electrostatic field often interferes with the operation of the device because it affects the way electricity flows through it. Changing the strain produces no such interference. Diamond's potential Diamond has great potential as a semiconductor material, though it's still in its infancy compared to silicon technology. "It's an extreme material, with high carrier mobility," Li says, referring to the way negative and positive carriers of electric current move freely through diamond. Because of that, diamond could be ideal for some kinds of high-frequency electronic devices and for power electronics. By some measures, Li says, diamond could potentially perform 100,000 times better than silicon. But it has other limitations, including the fact that nobody has yet figured out a good and scalable way to put diamond layers on a large substrate. The material is also difficult to "dope," or introduce other atoms into, a key part of semiconductor manufacturing. By mounting the material in a frame that can be adjusted to change the amount and orientation of the strain, Dao says, "we can have considerable flexibility" in altering its dopant behavior. Whereas this study focused specifically on the effects of strain on the materials' bandgap, "the method is generalizable" to other aspects, which affect not only electronic properties but also other properties such as photonic and magnetic behavior, Li says. From the 1 percent strain now being used in commercial chips, many new applications open up now that this team has shown that strains of nearly 10 percent are possible without fracturing. "When you get to more than 7 percent strain, you really change a lot in the material," he says. "This new method could potentially lead to the design of unprecedented material properties," Li says. "But much further work will be needed to figure out how to impose the strain and how to scale up the process to do it on 100 million transistors on a chip [and ensure that] none of them can fail." Explore further Delivering pressure with an unconventional crystal interface More information: Zhe Shi el al., "Deep elastic strain engineering of bandgap through machine learning," PNAS (2019). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Zhe Shi el al., "Deep elastic strain engineering of bandgap through machine learning,"(2019). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1818555116 Good news to those of you who have been eyeing the Samsung Galaxy M series since it was launched exclusively on Amazon India. A quick check on the SIRIM database shows the device has been approved for Malaysia and will have dual SIM support. The Samsung Galaxy M series comes with an extremely low price tag with features such as a 5000mAh battery and an Infinity-V notch screen with a pretty huge screen to body ratio. Unfortunately, the device does not support 802.11ac 5GHz WiFi. Tech specs of the better variant of the Samsung Galaxy M20 include 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage (which is expandable) and is powered by the Exynos 7904. Display wise, it comes with a 6.4 inch FHD+ display with an Infinity-V notch. On the back, it has a dual triple camera setup with a 13MP main camera and 5MP ultra-wide angle sensor with a rear fingerprint scanner. To speed up charging of its whopping 5000mAh battery, the device supports 15W fast charging with USB-C. No Malaysia price or release date has been announced yet but in India, the Samsung Galaxy M20 is priced at Rs.12990 (~RM745) for the 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage variant and Rs.10990 (~RM628) for the 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage variant. So perhaps the prices may be around the same range when it arrives here in our shores. This phone starts sales tomorrow on Amazon India From what weve heard, Samsung is looking to launch a budget version (as if it's not cheap enough as it is) of the device which is the Samsung Galaxy M10 and a high spec version, the Samsung Galaxy M30. When all these devices drops here in Malaysia, rest be assured youll be the first to know when you follow TechNave.com! So will you be grabbing one of these devices? The two remaining members of a Kelso fraud ring that police said scammed thousands from Longview businesses in 2017 were sentenced Jan. 4 to a year on probation. Michael Franklin Chester, 35, and Virginia Kay Boggs, 26, were also sentenced to 364 days in jail suspended as long as they follows their terms of probation. They pleaded guilty in October to a total of 28 charges each, including forgery, second-degree theft, first-degree trafficking in stolen property, and third degree theft, as well as one count of possession of methamphetamine. A January risk assessment report found Chester and Boggs engaged in the scheme to raise money for a drug habit. They reportedly regretted the scheme, which involved fraudulent credit card purchases, and said they had paid the victims back the approximately $10,000 stolen in full, which the investigator confirmed was true. The investigator found that Chester and Boggs seemed to have turned a corner in their lives, largely because they understand the impact their behavior has had/will have on their children, and had earned a reduced sentence under the Family and Offender Sentencing Alternative (FOSA), which gives convicted felons with children an opportunity to take care of their family if they can demonstrate doing so would be a net benefit to their children. Amazon packages sit in front of a FedEx delivery truck in New York, on Monday, November 26, 2018. Photo: Christopher Lee/VII Mentor Program/Bloomberg via Getty Images Sometimes I play a fun game in my head and try to figure out which large technology company Im most scared of. Some days I go with Google, which hosts all of my emails, knows everywhere I go, and makes the software Google Docs with which Im composing this article right now. But most days its Amazon. Amazon not only has a very firm grasp on nearly all of my consumer spending outside of groceries, but thanks to Amazon Web Services, its the backbone of most of the internet (including the website youre reading this on right now). But its the companys voraciousness its insatiable hunger to expand into new areas that makes the company so frightening. Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, and even Google seem largely content with being technology companies. Amazon wants, to crib from the title of Brad Stones seminal book, The Everything Store, to be an everything company. (I express how scared I am of Amazon while also, of course, being in the sixth year of my Prime membership and planning to go to bed tonight by reading a book on my Amazon Kindle.) Still, my fears about Amazon put me very much in the minority. Per Georgetowns 2018 American Institutional Confidence Poll, Amazon is the second-most trusted institution in America, behind only the U.S. military. Its also the most well-liked and trusted of the big five tech companies; a survey conducted by Reticle Research and the Verge found that, compared to Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Twitter, Amazon is by far the most well-liked tech company, the one most trusted to keep users information safe, and the company users were most likely to recommend to their friends and family. A new poll of 1,013 Amazon shoppers from Investing.com shows how far that trust goes. Of the shoppers surveyed, 43 percent had stopped shopping at malls, and nearly half said they shopped for books exclusively through the retail site. Another 48 percent said they shopped for consumer electronics solely on Amazon. But what caught my eye was that a significant number of Amazon customers not only said that they would buy products exclusively through the service, but that they would exclusively buy products made by Amazon, whether by AmazonBasics or by any of the 20 and growing number of private labels Amazon owns. Nearly three out of four Amazon shoppers said they would buy an Amazonbranded computer, and half said they would use Amazon for GroupOnesque local coupons and deals. Perhaps more surprising were the other offerings: 15 percent of shoppers would buy health care coverage through Amazon, 13.5 percent would buy Amazonbrand medical marijuana, 13 percent would buy cryptocurrency through Amazon, and 9 percent would buy prescription drugs with the smiling Amazon logo on the bottle. Photo: Courtesy Investor.com Reading through the survey results, I was initially surprised at things like the nontrivial number of people who would buy some form of Amazon health insurance. Then I thought about my own health care companys website and customer service, a confusing mishmash of 404s, circular loops, and long hours on hold with customer service people trying to make sure all of my familys medical bills were covered. And then I thought about how quickly Amazon is able to get everything from TVs to diapers to my doorstep, and how easy it was to work with customer service should a package go missing or get delayed. With that slowly dawning horror that comes when one realizes the call is coming from inside the house, I discovered that if America is forced to continue to use private insurance, I very well might sign up for Amazon health care if the company should ever choose to offer it. Id still be terrified of the company, but apparently fear doesnt really affect my buying habits. For many Syrians who have lost their homes, rebuilding is a cost they cannot afford and securing the permit for construction is not an option for them reports Alsouria Net. The regime is working to facilitate some Iranian companies, such as the Al Jehad construction company, which opened in Syria in 2015. Iran is working in cooperation with the regime to change the demographic features of Syria by exploiting its material needs and the difficult circumstances for residents in destroyed areas by imposing taxes on reconstruction in return for Iranian companies making attractive offers for construction. In this context, Yahya (a 31-year-old refugee residing in Holland) spoke about the mechanism used by these companies based on his familys situation in Aleppo. Yahya said that his family owns a number of houses in Aleppo province, which were largely destroyed as a result of the regimes continuous bombardment. He said that about a year and a half ago, his relatives in Syria were contacted by an Iranian company, which made them an offer to rebuild the houses, making them modern and fully equipped, in exchange, the company would acquire the property for between seven and 10 years, and the family would receive a monthly rental of 50 to 100 dollars. He added, Many residents have submitted to the offer because of their material inability to rebuild their homes, especially given that the regime is tightening the screws on their ability to return to the area, and imposing various exhausting taxes on those who try to rebuild their homes. Finance employees mock residents who object to paying taxes on the destruction left to them after the war. The exhausting measures from the regime against refugee properties and homes are a worrying factor for refugees, as well as the host countries, and arbitrary decisions of the regime have received criticism from some of these countries, such as Germany and Lebanon, who say that the regime is intentionally preventing refugees from returning to their homes. This is likewise true for the ongoing arrests of those who return to Syria, and the conscription of people between the ages of 18 to 42 is a major reason that refugees fear returning to their country. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Despite the outcry by some Lebanese politicians, figures have shown that Syrian refugees living in Lebanon, are contributing to the economy and creating jobs writes Ana Press. The former president of the opposition Syrian National Coalition, Hadi al-Bahra, shared numbers and official statistics which indicate the role played by Syrians in the Lebanese economy. Bahra said in a post on his Facebook page that, the biggest benefits that the Lebanese state obtains comes from Syrians residing in Lebanon who are not registered by the United Nations, includes those who pay rent for houses, set up businesses, and create jobs. Another source of the income, according to Bahra, comes from, the deposits of Syrian businessmen in Lebanese banks and their banking operations there In addition to the fact that the most important source is circumventing the sanctions on the regime and importing many items and equipment to Syria through Lebanese businessmen. Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil has attacked the Syrians in Lebanon in successive tweets, saying that, A million and a half Syrian displaced, that is 200 sq km, have exhausted Lebanons material, with losses of up to 40 percent of its national product, and they threaten the countrys existence by tearing its social fabric apart. Bahra in his post pointed to a number of figures and statistics, including that, the total paid by the World Food Program to Syrian refugees in monthly food aid in 2017 and 2018 was about 53 million dollars per year, which is disbursed through deposits on bank cards, used to buy food from the local market. This amount, according to Bahra, does not cover the expenses of an individual for a single week and so, most try to find work to stave off hunger. He said that important aid went to the Lebanese state through programs to assist projects such as securing clean drinking water for refugees and supporting the Education Ministry to accept refugee children in government schools. International funding to Lebanon in 2017, including the amounts funded by the World Food Program, was 1.68 billion dollars, according to funding data from the office of the UN resident coordinator and the humanitarian coordinator in Lebanon. This amount includes 1.37 billion US dollars disbarred by donors in 2017 and 309.6 billion dollars carried over from 2016 by implementing partners. Bahra added that UN agencies and non-governmental organizations had reported a total of 1.24 billion dollars received under the framework of the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan (LCRP) in 2017. This represents 45 percent of the value of the public appeal needed to meet the needs of refugees and Lebanese in need for 2017. In addition, donors reported an additional amount of about 650 million dollars allocated and committed for 2018 and beyond in Lebanon. The total GDP in Lebanon for 2017 was 53.576 billion dollars. Notably, Syrians contributed 1.04 million dollars a day to the Lebanese economy, and 12,000 jobs were established by Syrian refugees in 2016 alone, according to statistics from the American University in Beirut. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. An 11-year-old Syrian found dead, SDF continue to close in on ISIS, Iranian plans for missile productions and Russian artillery kills six. Catch up on everything that happened over the weekend. 1. On Friday, an 11-year-old Syrian boy was found dead in a storage tent in a refugee settlement in Marjayouns Marj al-Khoukh. The boy, M.H. was found hanging from a rope. He was dead by the time his cousin found him and took him to the Marjayoun Governmental Hospital. A source at the Amel Association, which attends to refugee needs in the camp, told The Daily Star that the boy was found in a tent that is used to store wood, located in a relatively remote area, far from the other tents. The source said this particular camp is home to many families suffering from the psychological difficulties of adapting to their new situation. Multiple cases of bullying have also been reported in the camp. 2. Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by Washington, plan to attack the last Islamic State (ISIS) enclave in Syria once the civilians, who are still inside that area, have been evacuated, an SDF official said. The Middle East Eye reported that the besieged ISIS enclave centred around Baghouz on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River represents the terrorist groups last territorial foothold in the part of Syria where the SDF, supported by the US have been fighting. Mustafa Bali, head of the SDF media office, did not indicate how soon he expected the civilian evacuation to be completed, Reuters reported, noting that most of the civilians are family members of ISIS militants. We will launch an attack to end the presence of ISIS or they will turn themselves in. There are no other options for them. We confirm there are no negotiations and no intention to have negotiations, Bali said late on Friday. 3. Asharq al-Awsat reported that sources from the Israeli Directorate of Military Intelligence (AMAN) have said that Iran attempted to deceive Israel and established a factory in Syria instead of Lebanon to produce precision-guided missiles to avoid Israeli strikes. The sources told Channel 2 that because of the difficulties faced by Iran and Hezbollah to find the right infrastructure to produce missiles in Lebanon, the Iranians and Syrians discovered creative ways to provide the necessary equipment to Lebanon. Israeli military sources revealed that Iran is likely to move its weapons supply center for Syria from the Damascus International Airport to the Syrian air base known as T4, located between Homs and Palmyra. The alleged decision comes following the latest wave of Israeli attacks on the Damascus airport, which has caused tension between Iran on the one side and the Syrian regime and Russian on the other because it undermined the attempt by Damascus and Moscow to create the impression that the regime had restored stability to the country after scoring a series of victories. 4. On Saturday, many civilians were killed or wounded after the Russian shelling of the city of Khan Sheikhoun. According to Al-Souria Net, six were killed, including 2 children and one woman and several wounded. The eastern neighborhood, heavily populated by civilians, was targeted by 30 artillery shells and missiles, which resulted in the death of six people and injured many others, said Ahmed Khattab, a commander of the civil defense sector in Khan Sheikhoun. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Trot Insider has learned that former Standardbred owner/trainer Yves Desjardins of Saint-Jerome, Quebec passed away surrounded by his family on February 5, 2019 at the age of 90. Desjardins, who was a solid horseman in his day, is the father of Denis and Daniel, both of whom are trainer/drivers, and is also the father of veterinarian Yvan Desjardins. To view Yves complete obituary in French which also includes details for a February 23 visitation and funeral click here. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Yves Desjardins. It has been reported that Waco Hanover, the elderly Standardbred that has received mainstream media attention due to his long life, has passed away at the age of 42. News of Wacos passing has come courtesy of CBS Sunday Morning. The outlet also profiled the long-living son of Tar Heel back in 2017. Waco passed away on Saturday, February 9. The inspiring story of the former racehorse was covered in Standardbred Old Friends a few years back. To read an excerpt of the Waco Hanover section of the book, click here. The 2017 CBS Sunday Morning piece on Waco also explored the relationship that the gelding had with his caretaker, Donnie MacAdams. The two forged an important bond, one that was worthy of coverage by the mainstream press. I just talked to him one day for about a half an hour, MacAdams said at the time, and got him to accept the fact that I aint goin anywhere, Im your buddy. Its been going on now for eight years. To watch the CBS Sunday Morning profile from 2017, click here. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Waco Hanover. (With files from CBS Sunday Morning) Like so many of Americas smaller towns and second cities, Idahos capital has recently experienced a renaissance of specialty coffee shops, small roasters, and the kinds of spaces that look more San Francisco than Treasure Valley. But the city of more than 200,000 people has more than a half dozen colleges, an exceedingly welcoming view of immigrants, and far more progressive and forward-looking ideas than one may expect from an isolated mountain town. And at this moment in time, nowhere is that desire to keep up with the cutting edge of cities more obvious than the boom of coffee shops happening in Boise. In the last year, four new shops popped up to show the City of Trees just what it means to brew a great cupeven if the newspapers still compared the prices and wait times to Starbucks and Dutch Brothers when announcing the new kids in town. Neckar Before you've even had your first sip, this former farmers-market-stand-turned-bricks-and-mortar shop (as of July 2018) has revealed the kind of attention to detail it puts into every aspect of the shop. Owner Grant Shealy started roasting coffee (sourced from Oaklands Coffee Shrub) in his parents' garage a few years ago, before moving first to the back corner of a brewery, and now into his own 1,650-square-foot cafe. The space, with big windows in front and a long, white counter, is muted but modern, with spare decoration, drawing the bulk of its aesthetics from the coffee and related equipment. Custom walnut-wood handles gleam from Bosco Sorrento espresso machine levers, pastries from the James-Beard-Award-nominated Janjou Patisserie sit under spotless glass-like jewels in a case, and handmade ceramicware cups from Guten Co. hold the coffee in the most stylish of ways. Form and Function Like Neckar, Form and Function got its start serving coffee at the Boise Farmers Market before moving into its own, even larger, permanent shop. The subway tile backsplash, white walls, and matching white La Marzocco Linea keep the decor clean and spare, punctuated with color only by the labels on their bagged coffee. In the loft area upstairs, a black and white mural dominates the wall space, while the oversized menu board does the same on the main floor. Coffees come in HuskeeCups, vessels stylishly made from the hull of the coffee plant. In many ways, Form and Function and Neckar are quite similarminimalist, design-focused, and serving expertly roasted beansbut F&F does have a broader food menu, including a few porridges and a series of toasts, and also sources coffee with a strong social justice and sustainability bent in their approach. Caffeina Roasting Company What ifa brewery were a roastery? Thats the thinking behind this coffee shop from Boise coffee veterans Tammy Jenkins and her daughter Lyndsey Hopkins. Walking in, its a distinctly different feel from hyper-modern cafes: a large map covers one wall, theres dark wood and color (mostly blue) all around the room, and big, comfortable chairs. Though Caffeina roasts on-site on an Ozturk, offers multiple pour-over options, and makes its own cold brew, they also offer the full slate of coffeehouse classics, plus smoothies, beer, and winea far cry from the minimalism of many of the other newcomers to Boise. They also offer a full menu of toasts, breakfasts, and snacks. The mother-daughter team comes from a more Second Wave coffee generation, as owners of the local Coffee Studio chain, but took a new direction in this space, utilizing old brewery equipmenton which they brew their own kombuchaand whose industrial feel the shop is designed around. They also use brewery inspiration to form their specialty drinkthe brew-on-brew, which is espresso poured into a local stout. Push and Pour Professional skater Lucas Erlebach wanted to open a skate shop in the area when he moved back up from San Francisco, but there was already a good one. So he did the next best thing: he opened a coffee shop in a low brick buildinga former auto shopserving up his favorite local coffee, Maps, from Hailey, Idaho (though the shop is close to opening its own roastery next door). The coffee aficionado figured it was a way to participate in the community, to provide space for creatives, and still have his own business. His skateboarding background is part of the display, with old decks used as decoration, along with other vintage touchesincluding a bright red coffee grinder. Espresso tampers have custom handles made from old skateboards, and murals feature, among other things, a skateboarding fish, giving the place the kind of whimsical and lighthearted feel the owner intended, but within the clean, elegant aesthetic one expects from most modern specialty cafes. Naomi Tomky (@gastrognome) is an award-winning freelance writing for The Stranger, Saveur, Lucky Peach, Tasting Table and more. Read more Naomi Tomky on Sprudge. Prosecutor dismisses criminal complaint against For a Decent Slovakia The head of the National Criminal Agency has lost his position due to this case. An anonymous criminal complaint against the organisers of the For a Decent Slovakia protest gatherings has been turned down by the prosecutor. According to him, there is no reason to start a prosecution, the private broadcaster TV Markiza reported on February 10. Read also: UPDATED: Police investigate protest organisers over Soros allegations Read more The criminal complaint against the organisers was submitted in October 2018, claiming that there are suspicions of both a coup attempt and corruption and that the organisers are paid by the Hungarian-American investor and philanthropist George Soros. The National Criminal Agency (NAKA) invited the organisers to hearings where they were asked about finances and their bank accounts. The organisers considered the process to be one of bullying and intimidation, while the police claimed that they were only investigating corruption allegations and hearing from the people who were allegedly harmed. Read also: NAKA head leaves due to investigation by the For a Decent Slovakia initiative Read more However, such arguments did not work, particularly after the media reported on the interrogations. Then-NAKA head, Peter Hrasko, even lost his post as he failed to precisely inform acting Police Corps President Milan Lucansky. 11. Feb 2019 at 23:17 | Compiled by Spectator staff Bratislava roads will be closed again for Mike Pompeos visit He will be the first US secretary of state to visit Slovakia since 2005 when Condoleezza Rice accompanied then-US president George Bush to the Bush-Putin summit. Less than a week after the visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, drivers in Bratislava should prepare for another round of extensive traffic restrictions. This time, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit the Slovak capital on February 12 to discuss the role of China in central Europe and potential defence cooperation. The traffic restrictions will apply to the broader centre of Bratislava and the main access roads between 8:30 and 15:00. As a result, the police recommend that drivers planning a trip to the capital should use the cross-country D1 highway before 8:30, and then after 10:00. As for the afternoon, they should leave the capital either before 14:00, or after 15:00. We ask drivers to avoid these sections, if possible, or use alternative routes, and be patient, said Lucia Mihalikova, spokesperson for the regional police corps headquarters, as quoted by the TASR newswire. Traffic restrictions in Bratislava: 8:30-10:00 restrictions related to the transport of the delegation from Bratislava airport to the city centre; closure of D1 highway stretch between Zlate Piesky and Most Lafranconi junctions, Botanicka Street, Devinska Street 10:00-14:30 restrictions on various roads in the city centre, particularly Mlynska Dolina, Budkova, Mudronova, Palisady, Hodzovo Namestie, Namestie 1. maja, Banskobystricka, Stefanikova and Staromestska Streets 13:30-15:00 restrictions related to the transport of the delegation from the city centre to Bratislava airport; closure of D1 highway stretch between Einsteinova Street and M. R. Stefanik Airport junctions Meetings with former political prisoners and students Pompeos visit is part of his European tour, during which he will travel to Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Belgium and Ireland. He will be the first US secretary of state to visit Slovakia since 2005, when Condoleezza Rice accompanied then-US president George Bush to the Bush-Putin summit, the SITA newswire reported. Apart from security and foreign politics issues, Pompeo will also discuss Slovakias chairmanship of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) during his February 12 visit. The Slovak diplomatic service wants to use his visit to emphasise the importance and practical meaning of the transatlantic partnership and to present EU attitudes towards regional and global questions, SITA reported. Shortly after arriving in Bratislava, the US secretary of state is expected to lay a wreath at the Gate of Freedom Memorial close to Devin Castle, and will then meet with the Confederation of Political Prisoners in Slovakia. He will then hold discussions with President Andrej Kiska, PM Peter Pellegrini and Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak. He is also expected to talk with students about democracy, freedom and the victory over communism, SITA wrote. 11. Feb 2019 at 13:24 | Compiled by Spectator staff Weve come a long way in 27 years. In March of 1992, thenArkansas governor Bill Clinton admitted to experimenting with marijuana while he was a student at Oxford University. I didnt like it. I didnt inhale it, and never tried it again, he said. On The Breakfast Club, a New York Citybased radio show, California senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris admitted just the opposite. Asked if shes ever smoked marijuana, Harris said, I have. And I inhaled. I did inhale. Host Charlamagne tha God asked if she would smoke again provided marijuana is legalized. Harris, who said she smoked a long time ago, didnt answer, but she did use the language of Marie Kondo to endorse weed. Listen, I think it gives a lot of people joy and we need more joy in this world, she said. Harriss admission came after she was asked her about her stance on the legalization of marijuana. She said she supports it. Half my familys from Jamaica. Are you kidding me? she joked. Hear what #KamalaHarris thinks about legalizing marijuana pic.twitter.com/YGZlCAKUZ0 The Breakfast Club (@breakfastclubam) February 11, 2019 The former California attorney general added that shed like to see more research in order to better understand the impact of weed on a developing brain. She added: The other issue that weve got to address is how were going to measure impairment when somebody has been smoking weed, in terms of driving. Thats a subject shes raised before. In 2010, Proposition 19 was on ballots in California. The measure, which ultimately failed, would have made it the first state to legalize weed. Then the San Francisco district attorney, Harris, like many top California Democrats, opposed the ballot initiative and expressed concern that it would lead to more driving while high. Spending two decades in courtrooms, Harris believes that drug selling harms communities, her campaign manager said in 2010. Harris supports the legal use of medicinal marijuana but does not support anything beyond that. She remained opposed to legalization in 2015, when Ron Gold, her Republican challenger for AG, came out in support of recreational weed. Hes entitled to his opinion, she said, laughing off the issue to local news reporters. By January of 2018, Harriss public position began to change. She no longer opposed legalization, her spokesperson told Roll Call, and thought states should be allowed to do what they want. Just a few months later, Harriss evolution on the issue was complete. Making marijuana legal at the federal level is the smart thing to do and its the right thing to do, she tweeted. She also signed on as a co-sponsor of the Marijuana Justice Act, a bill to make marijuana legal at the federal level. Introduced by Senator Cory Booker, whos also running for president, the bill has been co-sponsored by 2020 hopefuls Elizabeth Warren and Kirsten Gillibrand. Likely candidate Bernie Sanders is also onboard. Harriss support for marijuana legalization is clearly not unique among the crowded Democratic primary. But neither is her admission to sparking a bit of joy in her youth. Ive done marijuana twice in my life when I was very young, Sanders said on the campaign trail in 2016. What it did for me, is it made me cough a lot. But I gather other people have had different experiences. The capital of a neighbouring country was voted first. More information about travelling in Slovakia Please see our Please see our Spectacular Slovakia travel guide Bratislava came ninth in a competition for the best European destination of 2019 among a pool of 15 cities. Bratislava left behind Athens, Riga, Florence and other European destinations. First place went to Budapest in Hungary, second to Braga in Portugal, followed by Monte Isola in Italy. In this 10th competition of its kind, organised by via the website of the European Best Destinations organisation with headquarters in Brussels, which supports tourism in Europe, more than half a million people in 153 countries cast their vote. Bratislava is a modern city on the Danube, where a centuries-old history combines with an exciting present, reads the evaluation of the Slovak capital. It is not just Bratislava's affordability and proximity to other capitals that attracts visitors to Slovakia's capital. If you are looking for a city break full of culture, exceptional cuisine, exclusive experiences and a unique atmosphere, Bratislava is the place to be, the press release continues. The dominant triangle Bratislava Castle, the UFO tower and St Martins Cathedral offers a combination of spectacular panoramic views over the town and wonderful culinary experiences, together with reminders of the citys rich coronation history, reads the press release. 11. Feb 2019 at 13:53 | Compiled by Spectator staff Company benefits are only one factor an applicant should consider when choosing a company. Font size: A - | A + You have been a part of Adients business centre since its beginning. What are the biggest changes you have observed over the 11 years you have worked for this company when it comes to new hires? Are there any? Are graduates better prepared for their roles when entering the business world? The situation on the market changed rapidly. When our centre was established, the phenomenon of business centres or centres of excellence was just starting in Bratislava and the rest of Slovakia. Bratislava currently employs about 20, 000 people in this field, a figure that is slowly increasing every year. The positions we filled in the past are still here, but the business is pretty much heading into an era of digitalization and automation. Therefore, a different set of skills is needed to succeed in such an industry. In the past, candidates had to have good finance and accounting skills, along with a willingness to complete transactional activities. Many graduates in the past also struggled with language skills and lacked some PC user skills such as working with emails and preparing presentations in PowerPoint. These skills have greatly improved, which is evident in almost all candidates today. Nowadays, we expect more knowledge of data analytics. People should also be able to stand behind their ideas, reason and negotiate, present the results and discuss whether they are positive or negative, look for a bigger picture and challenge the status quo. Peter Kovac, Finance Director of Adient Bratislava Business Center What types of positions does your business centre offer potential candidates? Our business centre only offered accounting positions in 2007. 11 years later, you can find a variety of jobs here in finance, accounting, taxation, procurement, sales, informational technology, human resources, and more. Broad analytical skills and result orientation are the key requirements for every job offered in the centre. Are you also hiring students who approach Adient right after high school? Are there any differences between them and university graduates? Yes, we are. We offer a couple of positions that are suitable for the candidates without university degrees, usually entry-level positions or those that do not require it. We help them complete their studies in the later stage of their career path. Moreover, our company has several internal trainings available for all employees to help them broaden their knowledge and learn new skills. In general, however, if someone is eager to learn and work hard, they have a great chance of success. Does your company cooperate with universities and schools in general? We are active in cooperation with students. For example, we organise internships on site and conduct specific lessons at universities, mainly in the field of finance, IT and taxation. Adient is also active in working with high schools; our Technology Centre in Trencin has excellent authorized programmes for this purpose. We also work with teachers, because they are the key element in forging a connection with students and this will help in the long-run. Is it possible for a new employee to become a manager in your business centre? Of course. A vast majority of our current leaders have worked for our company for several years and went through various experiences. Many of us started out in basic roles in the company, but the focus is still on good people. A manager cannot achieve anything without a good team of people working with him. What is the current structure of the Adient labour force in your business centre? The structure of our employees is well-balanced, and the team is truly diverse. About 60% of our labour force is composed of women, 40% men, with a total average age of 32. Our average age increases every year, a sign that our employees stay and grow with us. The highest managerial positions in our centre are also held by women, which is something I am particularly proud of. We also see a slow increase of employees of different nationalities. Currently, we employ about 25 different nationalities, and Slovaks, Czechs, Hungarians, Mexicans and Russians are among the most frequently represented. Most of our employees are university graduates, while 15 percent of total number of employees started their career right after finishing high school. Everyone is usually interested the benefits a company offers to its employees. What does your benefits package look like? Company benefits are only one factor a person should consider when choosing a specific company to work for. Every company, including Adient, offers a variety of benefits. But the most important thing to look for is work that is motivational and challenging, with the opportunity to learn a lot. You should also choose a company that makes you feel good with a good working environment and atmosphere. The rest will follow. 11. Feb 2019 at 6:00 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. The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless. The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well. By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism. Two years ago, President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning nationals from several predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States, in fulfillment of a campaign promise to enact a total and complete shutdown on Muslims entering our country. Thousands of people thronged to airports, and over the course of the next weeks and months, multiple courts blocked the order and its subsequent iterations from going into effect. Ultimately, however, the Supreme Court allowed a version of Trumps travel ban to be fully implemented. After that decision, many thought the legal fight was over. But its notmany of the families and groups who have been hit hardest by the ban are continuing to challenge this discriminatory policy and trying to get answers to questions about the travel ban that the high court left unresolved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, the District Court in Maryland will hear oral arguments on the governments motion to dismiss three pending cases, including the case IAAB v. Trump, which is being litigated by my organization, Muslim Advocates, and our partners. Although the Trump v. Hawaii decision was a setback, the Supreme Court did not settle the question of whether the ban violates the Establishment Clause in that decision. Instead, it sent it back to the lower courts, where we and our plaintiffs are renewing our legal challenge. First and foremost, we are continuing with this litigation to ensure that everyone in affected communities knows that there is still room to fight. Despite the high bar the Supreme Court has set for challenging the governments possibly discriminatory actions in the context of immigration law and questions of purported national security, this is not an ordinary case. Our Constitution still provides a fundamental guarantee against religious discrimination, and we continue to believe that this case presents extraordinary evidencesome of which has yet to be fully uncoveredof religious discrimination. Our clients deserve to see this fight through to its end. Advertisement Through our litigation, we will be demanding answers from the government about the process that led up to the ban. Our clients include Iranian Alliances Across Borders, a volunteer-driven organization that works with American youth of Iranian descent to help them build community and connect to their roots. In part, this happens through programming that includes both Americans of Iranian descent and members of the Iranian community from across the globe. Since the ban first went into effect, its members have experienced a range of harms relating to the ban, and the organization itself has become unable to bring in Iranian nationals or youth for their educational programs, conferences, and other activities. These Americans have clearly been punished by the government because of their perceived religious affiliation, in contravention of the First Amendments Establishment Clause. Advertisement Our individual clients, meanwhile, have had their lives put on hold indefinitely in some cases and continue to experience severe harm because of the ban. They include an American woman who is separated from her husband, who continues to live in precarious circumstances outside his home country; an American woman who has been separated from her fiance; and U.S. citizens and lawful permanent resident parents and siblings who are unable to be with their families. They and the broader communities they are part of are continuing to experience stigma and personal loss as a result of this indefinite ban. For them, the stakes could not be higher, and it is on their behalf that we continue on with this fight. Advertisement Through our lawsuit, we are sending a message to them and to all the affected communities that we have not given up, and neither should they. On the legal front, we continue in this fight because we want to ensure that the government does not shirk its obligation to provide the real justification, such as it is, for the policy. The ban has been shrouded in secrecy, and there still appears to be no meaningful reason for its existence. Dozens of experts from both parties have disputed the viability of any national security justification for the ban, and the government still has not provided anything other than a conclusory explanation on this front. Through our litigation, we will be demanding answers from the government about the process that led up to the ban. We will also be demanding answers about the implementation of the ban, which includes waiver provisions that appear to have been nothing more than a sham. This information should shed light on our claims that the ban is inherently discriminatory, and should ultimately provide us with the information we need to prove more fully that it is. Advertisement Advertisement Ultimately, through this lawsuit, we hope to shine a light on the secretive process by which the ban and its apparently ex-post facto justifications came into being, and in doing so, to give the communities it affects another chance to show that its unconstitutional. If the case moves forward, the District Court will have a fuller record on the basis of which it can decide, on the merits, whether the ban violates the Constitutions fundamental protection against discrimination on the basis of religion. Although the road has been long and hard, its not over yet, and we and our plaintiffs will continue our work to show that the ban is not just bad policy, but is also unconstitutional. Rep. Ilhan Omar set off a fierce controversy Sunday by injecting a classic Puff Daddy aphorism into a debate over Israels influence in Washington. This particular outrage cycle may be short-lived, but the underlying intra-Democratic divide it exposed is likely to persist through the presidential primary and beyond. Heres what started it: It's all about the Benjamins baby https://t.co/KatcXJnZLV Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) February 10, 2019 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Minnesota Democrat was responding to a tweet from journalist Glenn Greenwald criticizing House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy for promising to take action against Omar and fellow freshman member Rashida Tlaib over their criticism of Israel and support for the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement, which McCarthy likened to GOP Rep. Steve Kings recent defense of white supremacy. When an editor at the Jewish newspaper the Forward asked Omar who she thinks is paying American politicians to be pro-Israel, the congresswoman replied, AIPAC! referring to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the influential pro-Israel lobbying group. Critics quickly condemned Omars remarks as trafficking in stereotypes about Jewish money being used to buy American politicians. These critics included Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who issued a statement saying Omar had deployed anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israels supporters. Omar apologized Monday and thanked Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes. Advertisement Get The Angle in Your Inbox Every weekday, Slate's copy editors round up the stories you should read. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. This is not the first time Omars tweets have caused controversy. During her campaign for Congress, four-year-old tweets were circulated in which she said Israel had hypnotized the world and accused it of evil doings. Omar also professed ignorance about anti-Semitic rhetoric in apologizing for those remarks in a Twitter exchange with New York Times columnist Bari Weiss in January. Tlaib was also accused of anti-Semitism in January for a tweet saying that sponsors of anti-BDS legislation forgot what country they represent. So these dust-ups are becoming part of a pattern. Advertisement On the substance of Omars tweets, if she was implyingas she seemed to be from her second responsethat AIPAC gives money directly to politicians or their campaigns, thats factually inaccurate. Its offensive to say that politicians only hold pro-Israel views because of money they receive, and some of those members have made that clear. And there are only so many times Omar can claim ignorance of anti-Semitic tropes. Advertisement However, its undoubtedly true that AIPAC and other groups spend quite a bit of money to influence U.S. policy toward Israelsponsoring junkets to the country for members, for instance. Its not controversial to talk about that kind of influence when the group in question is the National Rifle Association or the fossil fuel industry, to use two examples Omar cited in her apology. To use another example, raising questions about Saudi influence in Washington does not make one Islamophobic. After the last election, it was clear that Congress range of opinions on U.S. policy toward Israel had widened considerably. BDS supporters like Tlaib and Omar had entered a congressional delegation led by pro-Israel hawks like House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who in recent years has co-led with McCarthy the AIPAC trip to Israel for incoming members. Other members like Eliot Engel, who leads the House Foreign Affairs Committee on which Omar sits, and Robert Menendez, his counterpart in the Senate, have what could be called AIPAC-friendly views. This seems like a recipe for a clash. Advertisement Advertisement Most elected Democrats are somewhere in the middle. The safe position for most Democrats is now to be pro-Israel but also critical, to varying degrees, of Benjamin Netanyahus government and its settlement policies in the West Bank. Tellingly, while 25 Senate Democrats voted for the recent bill encouraging state and local governments to pass laws discouraging the BDS campaign, nearly all of the seven senators who have announced or appear likely to announce bids for president opposed it. (Amy Klobuchar was the one exception.) Most cited free speech objections and were sure to distance themselves from BDS itself. With Democrats becoming in general less sympathetic to Israel as both countries governments have veered to the right, the need for Democratic candidates to demonstrate their pro-Israel bona fides may not be what it was. That said, the furor over Omars and Tlaibs tweets shows that the GOP is likely to try to paint the Democrats as the party of BDS and make the countrys first two female Muslim members of Congress the face of the movement. Amy Klobuchar has made it official. The third-term senator from Minnesota made the long-awaited announcement Sunday that she is running for president and has become, at least so far, the most prominent Midwestern candidate in the crowded field. With her announcement, Klobuchar becomes the fifth senator who is vying to become commander in chief after Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kamala Harris of California, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. When you take into account Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, Klobuchar is now the fifth woman currently serving in Congress to announce her candidacy for president. Advertisement I am running for every parent who wants a better world for their kids. Im running for every student who wants a good education, Klobuchar said. For every senior who wants affordable prescription drugs. For every worker, farmer, dreamer and builder. I am running for every American. I am running for you. Advertisement Advertisement Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar jumped into the crowded field of Democrats running for president in 2020, pledging to "lead from the heart" during a snowy announcement in Minneapolis. https://t.co/41G7WhwPDF pic.twitter.com/BzV7D3BQUM CNN (@CNN) February 10, 2019 Advertisement Considering most of the top Democratic contenders for the White House come from coastal states, Klobuchar is counting on her profile as a more moderate candidate known for Minnesota nice politics to help her stand out. That profile as someone who prides herself on being able to disagree without being disagreeable is seen as potentially particularly appealing to voters in Iowa. Yet at a time when she is trying to bolster her profile as a friendly and approachable politician, several former staffers have come out to portray her as a brutal boss who has no qualms about mistreating those who work for her. That reputation reportedly led at least three people from withdrawing their names from consideration to lead her campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Klobuchar didnt directly mention President Donald Trump during her campaign launch, although she did criticize the tendency to conduct foreign policy by tweet. And she did make it clear that part of her strategy in her campaign will be to contrast her style with that of the current president. We are tired of the shutdowns and the showdowns, the gridlock and the grandstanding, Klobuchar said to the large crowd that gathered despite the freezing weather and persistent snow. Our nation must be governed not from chaos but from opportunity. Not by wallowing over whats wrong, but by marching inexorably toward whats right. Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar launches her 2020 presidential campaign in Minnesota: "We are tired of the shutdowns and the showdowns, of the gridlock and the grandstanding" https://t.co/A12a0TRvg5 pic.twitter.com/J4gdA7iqlU ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) February 10, 2019 Advertisement Advertisement Klobuchar rose to national prominence last year during the confirmation hearing of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Klobuchar asked Kavanaugh whether he ever had so much to drink that he couldnt remember what happened. Have you? Kavanaugh asked Klobuchar. Kavanaugh later apologized. Yet despite that moment that made national headlines, Klobuchar remains largely unknown to voters and she has a lot of work ahead if she hopes to catch up to some of her better-known primary rivals. Some have also questioned whether her profile as a moderate, bipartisan dealmaker can really excite the Democratic base at a time when the progressive wing of the party seems particularly energized. Senator Elizabeth Warren. Photo: Michael Dwyer/AP Senator Elizabeth Warren was ready for claims that her proposed tax on wealth a 2 percent annual tax on fortunes over $50 million, plus an additional one percent on wealth over $1 billion would be unconstitutional. When she announced the plan, her Senate office produced two letters from groups of prominent legal academics, including specialists in constitutional law and tax law, saying her plan passes muster. Their position is plausible enough: Bruce Ackerman, a law and political science professor at Yale and one of the signers of one of Warrens letters, has been making scholarly arguments for the constitutionality of a wealth tax for two decades. A lot of academics agree with him. But there are others who do not. And this is a key implementation challenge for Warrens plan: Unlike obviously constitutional ideas like raising income tax rates, or expanding the taxation of capital gains, or raising estate taxes, this is the kind of proposal where you need to produce letters from legal academics to argue it would survive the courts. What they are making is just that an argument. And judges might disagree with it. I think a constitutional challenge to an actual tax on wealth is inevitable, says Michael Graetz, a professor of tax law at Columbia University. That it would fail does not seem to me to be obvious. When Graetz refers to an actual tax on wealth, he means to contrast Warrens proposal against a tax on income from wealth, which has been clearly constitutional since the enactment over 100 years ago of the 16th Amendment, allowing Congress to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several states. That amendment gave Congress more leeway than it had previously under a provision in Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution, which specifies that No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein before directed to be taken. That is, if the federal government is going to levy a direct tax, it has to do so in such a way that an equal amount of tax is collected per capita in each state except the 16th Amendment says Congress doesnt have to do this if the direct tax is an income tax. Okay. So. What the hell is a direct tax? That is a good question, and one about which the Supreme Court has not provided a clear and current answer, which is the reason there would be a debate about whether Warrens plan is constitutional. The gist of the usual answers is that a direct tax is a tax that applies to a state of being, while an indirect tax applies to an action. Lots of early federal taxes were taxes on transactions excise taxes, tariffs, and the like. Because these apply to people only when they engage in a specific commercial act, they are indirect taxes. Taxes on wage income are also indirect, as they apply to a transaction of labor for money. An obvious example of a direct tax is one cited explicitly in the constitution: a capitation, also known as a poll tax, which is charged in a fixed amount on each person. A more difficult question one on which the courts have periodically changed their minds, and one on which the survival of Warrens proposed tax would hinge is whether and which property taxes are direct taxes. The 16th Amendment only became necessary because, in 1895, in Pollock v. Farmers Loan & Trust Co., a closely divided Supreme Court struck down a federal income tax on the grounds that its taxation of income generated from property made it a tax on property, and therefore a direct tax. And because the tax was not apportioned across the states by population, it was therefore unconstitutional. That 5-4 decision was controversial at the time, in part because it not only extended the Constitutions direct tax restrictions to taxes on income from property, it also newly said direct taxes were not just those on real property land and buildings but also those on personal property, such as securities. In effect, the decision said the Congress could tax workers earned income but not the unearned income of the wealthy. Congress and the states reversed this unpopular decision by passing the 16th Amendment, and ever since the federal government has primarily financed itself through taxes on income. Because the question of what constitutes a direct tax has become mostly moot, the Supreme Court has rarely talked about it in the ensuing century. A new federal tax on wealth would make the question relevant again. In 1920, shortly after the enactment of the 16th Amendment, the Supreme Court showed in the Eisner v. Macomber decision that it continued to take a restrictive view of what Congress could tax without running afoul of the obligation to apportion direct taxes. The court threw out an income tax on dividends paid to shareholders in stock, finding the tax amounted to an unconstitutionally non-apportioned direct tax on personal property stocks because the tax was not limited to actual cash distributions. But there are reasons to believe the Supreme Court would not take such a stringent view today. There are aspects of the current federal income tax code that would appear to be unconstitutional under Eisner v. Macomber such as rules that require companies to mark assets to market and pay income tax when they rise in value, even if they do not sell them for cash but federal courts have allowed those provisions to stand. I think its fair to say virtually all the tax lawyers who have thought about this no longer regard the Macomber decision as good law these days, says Graetz. Daniel Hemel, a tax law professor at the University of Chicago, shares that assessment, saying he believes the Court likely would no longer hold, as it did in Pollock and Macomber, that taxes on personal property are direct taxes. But Hemel thinks it would be a much tougher sell to get the Court to agree that you can have an unapportioned wealth tax that also applies to land and buildings, since there was a long tradition of treating real-estate taxes as direct taxes prior to the controversial Pollock decision. And if you excluded land and buildings from a wealth tax, that would create a huge loophole: Very wealthy people would shift their wealth out of other investments and into real estate anything from opulent estates to commercial office buildings to timberland and working cattle ranches to avoid the tax. Hemel suggests you could have a work-around for that: To the extent Warrens wealth tax applies to land and buildings, you could rebate that portion of tax receipts to the state where the taxpayer resides. While apportioning the entire wealth tax would be impractical, only 7 percent of the wealth of Americans with net worth over $50 million is in real property. So the federal government would send about 7 percent of the overall total receipts from the wealth tax whatever portion applied to real property wealth back to the states where the taxpayers reside. Hemel has run the numbers and thinks a rule apportioning only that part of the tax would not lead to too large a divergence in fiscal benefits among states. Richer states would get more generous distributions than poorer ones he estimates North Dakota would get a rebate of $79 per person while West Virginia would get just $6 but because these rebates would be very small compared to total wealth tax collections, the overall result would still be reasonably equitable. Still, there are uncertainties. Any answer regarding the constitutionality of a wealth tax should come with the caveat that we have no idea what the Supreme Court would say, Hemel wrote to me. I think that rebates to states would satisfy the apportionment requirement but its conceivable that the Court would say apportionment applies to gross revenues rather than net revenues. The last Supreme Court case to deal with the direct tax issue at length was NFIB v. Sebelius, the case upholding the Affordable Care Act individual mandate as an exercise of Congresss taxing power. Since the Court held the mandate was a tax, they had to address the question of whether it was a direct tax, and whether it must therefore be apportioned. Even when the Direct Tax Clause was written it was unclear what else, other than a capitation (also known as a head tax or a poll tax), might be a direct tax, Chief Justice Roberts wrote in the opinion of the court. He provided a tour of other things the Court had called direct taxes over the course of its history: land taxes, real-estate taxes more generally, and, in Pollock and Macomber, taxes on personal property. He then went on to note that the ACA mandate penalty was none of these things, and therefore was not a direct tax, and therefore was constitutional. This does not address the question of which of the kinds of taxes the court has called direct taxes in the past it would still call direct taxes today. A matter that should worry advocates of a wealth tax is that judges, faced with truly ambiguous questions like whats a direct tax, can have a way of resolving those questions in the direction of their policy preferences and this is a conservative court. I am not a judicial nihilist: Sometimes, the meaning of the Constitution is clear, and that clarity forces judges of differing ideologies toward the same legal outcomes. The direct tax clause is not one of those instances of clarity. Warren hopes to collect about one percent of GDP each year from this tax, or about 5 percent of the current federal budget. The tax would not be a mere symbol, and it wouldnt be just a way to constrain the power of billionaires; it would be intended to serve as a real and enduring source of revenue to finance government programs. And unlike some other tax proposals, that endurance would face significant risk from the courts. Hong Kong: Govt monitoring flu situation The Government will continue to monitor influenza activity as students return to school following the Lunar New Year holiday, Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan said today. Speaking to the media, Prof Chan said most students are back in school but influenza activity remains high. While the influenza situation continues to be at a high level, the trend is actually going down in terms of the number of samples tested positive." Prof Chan said the Government will continue to monitor the situation to see whether there will be outbreaks. She appealed to high-risk groups such as the elderly and young kids to be vigilant about hygiene. If they still haven't got their vaccination, please go ahead to have flu vaccines, she added. This story has been published on: 2019-02-11. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Virginias slow-motion disaster of a governing crisis has now been dragging on for more than a week. On Feb. 1, Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam apologized for appearing in blackface in a 1980s yearbook photo, standing next to a man in a Ku Klux Klan robe. The next day, he announced in a press conference that, actually, he didnt appear in the yearbook photo after all, though he did use shoe polish to darken his face once for a Michael Jackson dance contest. Days later, state Attorney General Mark Herring, who is second in line to replace Northam if he resigns, confessed that he too had appeared in blackface at a costume party in the 1980s. (Meanwhile, two women have come forward to accuse the lieutenant governor of sexual assault.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blackface is both indisputably racist and a historical staple of white Americas performance tradition. As the New York Times crisply summed it up last week: A partial list of people who have appeared in blackface on screen and stage in the 186 years since [blackface pioneer Thomas Dartmouth] Rices performance on the Bowery includes: Desi Arnaz, Fred Astaire, Dan Aykroyd, Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll (from Amos n Andy), Ethel Barrymore, Milton Berle, Jimmy Cagney, Joan Crawford, Bing Crosby, Billy Crystal, Ted Danson, Marion Davies, Robert Downey Jr., Judy Garland, Alec Guinness, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Benny Hill, Bob Hope, Boris Karloff, Buster Keaton, Hedy Lamarr, Janet Leigh, Harold Lloyd, Sophia Loren, Myrna Loy, the Marx Brothers, David Niven, Laurence Olivier, Will Rogers, Mickey Rooney, Frank Sinatra, Grace Slick, Spencer Tracy, Shirley Temple, John Wayne, Mae West, Gene Wilder and the Three Stooges. Advertisement Embedded in that long list is one of the biggest, messiest blackface scandals of the modern eraone that still feels at once relevant today and like a startling relic of another era. In October 1993, actor Ted Danson appeared at a Friars Club roast of his then girlfriend, Whoopi Goldberg, with his face painted dark brown and a wide white stripe encircling his mouth. He used the N-word more than a dozen times in his bawdy routine, talked in explicit detail about their sex life, joked about having her clean his parents house, and ended the set by eating from a tray of watermelon. Before the performance, a reporter had asked him to preview his performance, which he had been told was closed to the press. My career would end, he joked. Advertisement Get Slate Culture in Your Inbox We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. It almost did. Danson bombedfirst in the room and then outside it, as word spread about the disastrous performance. Critic Roger Ebert was there and reported that each joke drew successively fewer laughs from the audience of some 3,000 people at the New York Hilton. Attendees including Halle Berry, Vanessa Williams, RuPaul, and Mr. T sat stone-faced in the crowd. Talk show host Montel Williams stormed off the stage and later announcedby telegram!that he was resigning from the club. New York Mayor David Dinkins, who also attended, issued a statement calling the jokes way, way over the line. The spectacle quickly became even messier. On Saturday, the day after the roast, the Friars Club issued an apology to anyone discomforted and offended by the racial remarks. On Sunday, Goldberg held a press conference in Beverly Hills in which she strongly defended Danson. On Monday, the all-male club reversed itself and withdrew the apology. We feel that the attention drawn to this recent private roast because of the strong reaction by people who apparently did not anticipate or understand our format was totally undeserved, the clubs dean said in a statement. Advertisement Danson himself mostly stayed quiet. But the scandal dominated headlines so thoroughly that Goldberg marveled it knocked Somalia off the cover of the New York newspapers just days after American forces had participated in a battle in Mogadishu. Dansons routine spawned think pieces and op-eds across the country; the New York Times called it a flash point for a national debate over the First Amendment, political correctness and interracial couples. The paper reported that Whoopi Goldberg (but not Ted Danson) was a popular Halloween mask that year. Advertisement No tape of Dansons performance has ever been made public. (There are, however, photos.) So why did it blow up the way it did? In part because Danson was such a huge star at the time. Earlier that year, 42 million households had watched the series finale of Cheers, the barroom sitcom that made him a star. His first big project after the show was Made in America, a sperm donor mix-up comedy co-starring Goldberg. The pair had fallen in love on set. By the summer of 1993, Danson was in the process of divorcing his wife, and People ran a cover story about his new relationship: TED & WHOOPI IN LOVE. Advertisement Danson might not have recovered from the disastrous performance were it not for the fact that Goldberg stood by him so unreservedly. When she appeared onstage after his performance, she fumed at the audiences obvious disgust. It takes a lot of courage to come out in blackface in front of 3,000, she said. I dont care if you dont like it. I do! She later said that she herself had written much of Dansons material, and called the backlash insane. She accused his critics of not understanding comedy. Whoopi has never been about political correctness, she told the Times. The couple announced their breakup less than a month after the roast. By then, the scandal had mostly died down. Danson rarely discusses the roast, but he reflected on it at some length in a 2009 interview on Fresh Air, calling it a graceless moment in my life. Advertisement Advertisement At first glance, the Friars Club scandal seems to have played out in 1993 exactly how it would have in 2019: The explosive early coverage, the hasty apology, the backlash, the backlash to the backlash, the rescinding of the apology, the talk show jokes, the op-ed tsk-ing, the think piece contextualizing, and finally the whole thing just peters out. But on closer examination, the 1993 coverage of Dansons debacle seems like a striking time capsule in one significant way: Its unbelievably simplistic. The controversy took place amid a burgeoning anxiety about political correctness, and many of the mainstream opinion pieces reacting to the routine were working out issues about comedy and offensiveness that now look almost infantile in their shallowness. Given the history of racism in America, its dicey whenever white people decide to poke fun at black people, an analysis in the Washington Post observed. Some believe that being funny is a greater social good than being politically correct. But others say the history is so painful that whiteseven in the pursuit of honest humorshould simply hold their tongues. The Los Angeles Times wrote, Race is no laughing matter. Advertisement Bill Mahers Comedy Central show Politically Incorrect had made its debut that summer, and Maher, ever desperate to the play the provocateur, defended Dansons routine. The whole point of a Friars roast is to be over the line, to be distasteful, he told the Washington Post. If [Goldberg] enjoyed it, thats all that mattered. If she wanted to see her boyfriend in blackface, thats all that mattered. So the point of the routine was to provoke the audience, he suggested, but also that audience should have interpreted the routine as a private act and therefore not taken offense. Advertisement Advertisement The controversy took place amid a burgeoning anxiety about political correctness, and the debate now looks almost infantile in its shallowness. Contrast this kind of gross oversimplification with the discussion around this disastrous week in Virginia politics. In the last week weve been able to read about the history of racism in Virginia specifically, in college yearbooks, and in medicine; other critics have traced blackfaces shift in the 20th century from public performance to private display of edginess and meditated on the question of whether all instances of blackface are really alike. And its no coincidence that in 1993, most of the outside voices weighing in on the Danson scandal were white; today, many of the sharpest dissections of the Virginia debacle have come from black culture critics, podcasters, and academics. On Sunday, Gayle King pointedly corrected Northam on CBS Face the Nation when he referred to slaves from Africa as indentured servants. Advertisement Today, the broad contours of the conversation might be similar to those around Danson, but the substance of the debate is so much more sophisticated. Even allowing for the fact that Danson was merely an actor, while Northam is a public official, the difference is marked. The moral clarity of the reaction to Northams yearbook can now coexist with subtle analyses of the context in which it appeared and the importance of disentangling individual acts of prejudice from systemic racism. As much as our age of cultural criticism gets pegged as stark and overly moralistic, theres something bracing about reading critical dispatches from a time when the culture was only just beginning to reckon with these questionswhen a blackface performance by a huge sitcom star got framed by prominent critics as a breezy choice between being funny and being politically correct. Janelle Monae didnt win any awards at the Grammys, but she did let the vagina have a monologue during the telecast. The artist performed a medley of songs from her album Dirty Computer, including Django Jane and Pynk, featuring backup dancers wearing the iconic pussypants from the latters music video. (Were still waiting to learn where we can buy a pair, by the way.) The medley began and ended with Make Me Feel, the song that Monae dropped early last year that cemented her as Princes natural successor. Though the music video for the song strongly hinted at Monaes sexuality at the time by featuring both male and female love interests, she had not yet explicitly come out when Make Me Feel was first released. In her Grammys performance, she made some subtle lyrical tweaks to the original version, alternating between Girl you make me feel and Boy you make me feel. She concluded with a shoutout to fans (I love you, dirty computers) before dropping the mic. Donald Trump was born in Queens, New York. But the Trump we knowthe arrogant real estate developer who rode his television appearances to the White Houseemerged fully formed from a cocoon of black-mirrored glass on the corner of Lexington Avenue and 42nd Street, an outer-borough caterpillar reborn as a Manhattan butterfly. The butterfly, unfortunately, was racist and reportedly did tax fraud and, on top of it all, was elected president of the United States. But the cocoon has, until now, remained the Grand Hyatt Hotel, a monument to Trumps emergence as a New York City mogul and a building he often cited as proof of the deal-making prowess that grounded his campaign. Advertisement On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reported that a group of developers has agreed to buy and demolish the Midtown hotel, constructing a skyscraper of 2 million square feet in its place. For New Yorkers, who soured on the developer-president long ago, it raises an awkward question: Are Donald Trumps buildings an important part of the historical record? Should they be preserved? The answer to those questions, Im sorry to say, is yes. Advertisement Advertisement Consider Trump Tower. Certainly, a building where a U.S. president lived for decades would warrant instant status as a National Historic Landmark under normal circumstances. Chester A. Arthurs five-story row house on Lexington Avenue was declared a landmark in 1965, though its probably better known to New Yorkers as the home of the Indian grocery store Kalustyans. Trump Tower, by any standard of historical importance, should get the same treatment. Advertisement One day, when we have to explain how all this happened, there will be no substitute for visiting what Ada Louise Huxtable once called that pink marble maelstrom, where Trump announced his campaign. It would be a deeply ironic designation, and not just as a totem to a hated hometown president. As Trump prepared to demolish the 11-story Bonwit Teller department store to build Trump Tower in 1980, the Metropolitan Museum of Art asked the developer to preserve a pair of bas-relief nudes flanking the entrance and a nickel panel of geometric grillwork. Instead, Trump hastily obliterated them in what the New York Times called an act of esthetic vandalism. What the developer had really destroyed, the editorial board idiotically proclaimed, was his own public image. Advertisement One day, when we have to explain how all this happened, there will be no substitute for visiting what Ada Louise Huxtable once called that pink marble maelstrom. When Trump later whined to the Times about how much he loved art, actually, a reporter observed there was no art in his office. Trump pointed to a rendering of Trump Tower. If that isnt art, he said, then I dont know what is. Its strange to think that Trump Tower is nearly as old now as the Bonwit Teller Building was in 1979. That is either a testament to Trump Tower architect Der Scutts timeless, stepped facade or to the architectural engine failure that left Manhattan increasingly awash in mirrored glass over the years, from Trump to One World Trade to Hudson Yards. But in any case, we are not saving Trumps buildings for his contributions to the arts. His public image, it turned out, was built on mirrored glass. Reviewing Trump World Tower in 2002, the critic Herbert Muschamp wrote that the building radiated aggression and desire, violence and sex. Advertisement America long ago passed the date when Goethe could jealously declare it a country untroubled by useless memory. Distressed by immigration, industrialization, and architectural turnover, Americans went preservation-mad around the midcentury with ventures like Colonial Williamsburg that in many cases restored historic structures by demolishing authentic modifications. Our tradition is no longer an organized historical corpus, lamented the late historian David Lowenthal, writing of the Western world at large, but a pot-pourri of everything that ever happened, in which a 1930s cinema attracts the same degree and type of interest as the Parthenon. Advertisement The preservation movement continues to muddle the distinction between its various raisons detre: historic significance, aesthetic value, community. Trumps work on the Grand Hyattcoating the fading Commodore Hotel in glassretained the old buildings funny shape, while obscuring the period facade that indicated why such a shape had been necessary in the first place (for light and ventilation in an era before air conditioning). This dark-glass armchair now fails miserably in the tests of design and community, though to be fair, with buildings of its vintage just now meeting the wrecking ball, theres little standing debate on their value or their potential for reuse. Advertisement As a history lesson, however, it makes a clear case for preservation: Trump pegged himself as a reformer who could make East Midtown great again, cajoled a shady tax abatement from beleaguered public officials, and ultimately cost the city hundreds of millions of dollars. If its tempting to wish it gone, its in part because its dull, and in part because of how easy it is to see in its mirrored glass the same dupes who bought the same scam 40 years later, when the stakes were much greater. Advertisement No one will save the Grand Hyatt, of course. No one will even save the nearby Union Carbide Building, a supremely elegant modernist skyscraper designed by the pioneering architects Natalie de Blois and Gordon Bunshaft for Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. It will be destroyed so that JPMorgan can build a larger headquarters on the site. Preservation is only as effective as the civic grandees who stand up for the principle, which explains why the pecking order ranks community, aesthetics, historical significance. When it should really be the opposite. Advertisement The Hyatt stands next to Grand Central Terminal, a building the Supreme Court decided in 1978 established the legal (and philosophical) groundwork for preservation. It was a building that neatly fulfilled Huxtables guidelines for why we might bother to save anything: So that the meaning and flavor of those other times and tastes are incorporated into the mainstream of the citys life. Implicit in that claim is the idea that we are better for it. When the bell tolls for Trump Tower, who will make the case? Its a tough one. But there is a certain upside to it. First, because it will frustrate the Trump Organization by prohibiting a profitable sale or teardown. Second, because it will punish us with a monument to the 45th president, instructive preservation broccoli to Grand Central Terminals delicious steak. Last May, Australian Liz Walsh, her husband and their 2-year-old twins moved into a 30-story apartment block in an upmarket residential area near Hong Kong's financial and business district. A few weeks ago, the family encountered some unusual neighbors: a trio of wild boars. The boars now regularly wander along the road that leads to the Walsh family's apartment complex, nap in a favored spot beside a nearby footpath and hang out in the local playground. "They're super tame and friendly," says Walsh, but adds that she always keeps a watchful eye on them when she has her twins in tow. Encounters like hers are becoming a regular part of Hong Kong city life. The number of boar sighting and nuisance reports has more than doubled in the past five years, according to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD). The beasts, which can weigh up to 200 kilograms (440 pounds) and can reach up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) in length, have recently run amok in Hong Kong's financial district, roamed among airplanes at Hong Kong International Airport and wreaked havoc in a shopping mall. Jungle in the concrete city Hong Kong is renowned for its dense urban areas and dazzling skyscrapers. But less than 25 percent of its land has been developed, and country parks and nature reserves make up 40 percent of the territory. Almost all the development on Hong Kong Island is squeezed into a narrow strip of usable land around its perimeter. For residents here, it is only ever a short step from the concrete jungle to the subtropical rainforest that flourishes on the steep, rocky hills of the interior. Thanks to this, snakes, monkeys and porcupines are all spotted in residential areas. In the 20th century, tigers still prowled parts of Hong Kong, but since they died out, the largest wild animal found here is the boar, a native wild pig. While nobody knows how many boars there are in Hong Kong, a spokesperson for the AFCD said that a survey is planned. What is clear is that the boars, which were once solitary and secretive, are starting to lose their fear of people. Rachel Duffell is a runner who frequently encounters boars on trails near her home in Quarry Bay, an urban district on Hong Kong Island. When she started running in Hong Kong in 2012, she rarely encountered boars. If she did, they would retreat, but now, "even if I clap and shout, they often just keep coming towards me and I'm the one to turn and run in the opposite direction," she says. "My fear is clearly greater than theirs." Are the boars dangerous? There have been only 10 recorded cases of wild boars injuring people since 2014, according to the AFCD, but half of those incidents occurred last year. In January this year, the University of Hong Kong warned staff and students to be on their guard following two wild boar attacks near the campus, according to local media. At the end of last year, two senior citizens were rammed and bitten by boars at a housing estate in Kowloon. Boars have sharp teeth, and large males are equipped with vicious tusks. The animals, however, are "not generally aggressive," says Howard Wong, director of the City University of Hong Kong's veterinary school. "But like most wild animals, if you corner them, they will react," he adds. "And you definitely want to avoid a mother with piglets." If a wild boar feels threatened, it will charge, says Wong, using its head "like a battering ram." Why are the boars coming to town? Garbage bins are a lure. The boars topple them in search of food, leaving rubbish strewn over pavements. "Pigs are creative. They're one of the smartest animals," says Wong. "Once they know it works, they will keep doing it." Last year, a clip of a monster-sized boar raiding a dumpster in Hong Kong went viral on social media. But the main reason for the urban invasion, says Wong, is that "well-meaning individuals are feeding them." He believes this reflects a cultural shift. As animal welfare has become a more prominent issue in Hong Kong, people are redefining themselves as animal lovers. Walsh says she has seen local workers feeding the three boars that live near her apartment complex. Veronique Che, an advocate with the Hong Kong Wild Boar Concern Group, believes that another factor is urban expansion. In the 1960s and '70s, the development of towns in the New Territories, Hong Kong's northernmost region, led to the boars' natural habitat being built over and converted to farmland, says Che. "Boars, along with Hong Kong's other wild animals, were squeezed out." Boar-busting strategies The government has considered some wacky solutions to the boar problem. One lawmaker suggested releasing natural predators into the wild, but as the AFCD points out, anything big enough to kill a wild boar such as a lion or tiger would threaten humans. Another official floated the idea of moving the boars to uninhabited islands, but that's not practical because they are good swimmers, according to the AFCD. Culling has also been discussed. Two civilian hunting teams were previously authorized to shoot wild boars, but that was halted in 2017 due to concerns about animal welfare and public safety. Instead, the AFCD has launched a pilot program to capture "nuisance-causing wild pigs" and relocate them to remote areas. The boars are micro-chipped, and some receive a collar equipped with a GPS tracker. Mature females are injected with a contraceptive that is effective for about five years, and the feasibility of surgical sterilization is also being explored. The government is also stepping up its public education campaigns and has commissioned research into boar-proof garbage bins. As the Chinese Year of the Pig kicks off, Hong Kong is hoping that its porcine residents won't become an unmanageable problem in the 12 months ahead. The-CNN-Wire & 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa Eleven years ago, before she was a senator, Elizabeth Warren was supposed to join presidential candidate Barack Obama in Cedar Rapids to talk about the home mortgage crisis. The historic flood of 2008 changed those plans. So Sunday, the Massachusetts senator brought her own presidential campaign to Cedar Rapids in the middle of a snowstorm. Warren wasnt surprised by the 200-plus caucus people a special breed of tough who showed up despite the snow and freezing temperature. Our countrys at a dangerous moment and what happens in 2020 is going to determine the direction of our nation, the direction of our people, Warren said on the first full day of her campaign. So the fact that youre here, the fact that you want to engage in this, the fact that you want to hear the details, you want to tell what you think is important, really matters. Warren, who spoke and took questions for more than an hour, described her campaign as an extension of my lifes work fighting to make America work for all families, not just a thin slice at the top. Thats what inspired Rep. Liz Bennett, D-Cedar Rapids, who introduced Warren to the crowd at Veterans Memorial Auditorium. SIOUX CITY -- Two area high school students will be headed to Des Moines in March to compete in the state finals of Poetry Out Loud, a nationwide poetry recital competition. Foster Johnson, a junior at Bishop Heelan High School, and Grace Kiple, a senior at Sergeant Bluff-Luton, were the winners of Sunday's Northwest Iowa Poetry Out Loud Recitation Contest at the Betty Strong Encounter Center. If they perform well at the statewide competition March 3, one of them could head to the national competition in Washington, D.C. Johnson read Noah Buchholz's "The Moonlight" and Juan Felipe Herrera's "Let Me Tell You What a Poem Brings." "The Moonlight" was originally written in American Sign Language, while "Let Me Tell You What a Poem Brings" is a poem about poetry. "I'm kind of more drawn to dramatic poems, I just like the style more," she said. She just selected her poems last week, giving her only a few days to rehearse them. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} This won't be Johnson's first poetry rodeo in Des Moines -- she went during her freshman year of high school. Kiple read "The Wish, By a Young Lady" by Laetitia Pilkington and "Their Bodies" by David Wagoner. Vermillion, S.D. Entrepreneur and agribusiness executive, Larry Shipley, 62, of Vermillion, died suddenly at his South Dakota home on Nov. 4, 2018. Shipley was the president of IBP Enterprises (1997-2001) and chief financial officer, IBP Inc. (1994-2001). Headquartered in facilities that Shipley designed and constructed in Dakota Dunes, S.D., IBP was a $17 billion Fortune 120 company known worldwide as the premier producer of fresh beef and pork. A reception and celebration of life will be 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15, at the Red Steakhouse, One East Main Street, in Vermillion. Condolences may be sent online to HansenFuneralHome.com. Shipley was born Fred L. Shipley Jr. in 1956 in St. Louis, Mo., the third of four sons to Fred Larimore and Virginia Lee (Daly) Shipley. He grew up in suburban St. Louis, where he attended Our Lady of the Pillar elementary school and graduated from DeSmet Jesuit High School in 1974. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering with an electrical engineering minor from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., in 1977 and graduated with a master of science in marketing (MBA) from Purdue's Krannert Graduate School in 1982. A Teens for Gun Reform protest in front of the White House. Photo: Zach Gibson/Getty Images On Valentines Day one year ago, a former student of Parkland, Floridas Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School murdered 17 classmates with an AR-15, following the blueprint laid out by the Columbine killers 20 years and more than 200 school shootings ago. When the Breaking News banner flashed about Parkland, journalist Dave Cullen went on CNN to comment yet again on the slaughter of American children. Cullen had written Columbine, an account of the April 1999 murders that ranks with In Cold Blood and Helter Skelter as one of the best nonfiction books on American crime. It turned Cullen into the go-to talking head on mass shootings, a distinction that took a severe emotional toll. Ive spoken to him about it, being one of a handful of others (along with British journalist Dan Hodges and The Onion) whose work pops up whenever theres another massacre. In 2017, Cullen sounded heartbroken, utterly defeated by the unending carnage. Which is why he surprised even himself by going down to Florida a few days after the Parkland murders to cover the aftermath for Vanity Fair an assignment hes expanded into the book Parkland, out this week from HarperCollins. This time, his focus wasnt on the killer or the dead but on the group that arose out of the tragedy, March for Our Lives. David Hogg and Emma Gonzalez would become the faces of a massive gun-safety coalition that spawned more than 450 rallies involving 1.2 million marchers a mere six weeks after the murders. I spoke to Cullen about his new book, his enduring personal trauma, Louis C.K.s vicious joke, and something different about Parkland, which he calls hope. Not sure this is the right choice of words, but Parkland feels like the perfect companion piece to Columbine They are companion pieces, and thinking of them in that way gave me the focus I needed. When Parkland evolved into a book project, I forced myself to ask, What is this book about? I had a realization: Oh fuck Columbine was 20 years ago, and an entire generation has lived through the school-shooter era. Its an idea I had never heard or used before. Even while working on Columbine, I didnt see this as a definitive, interconnected era. It takes distance. Its similar to the Forever War, which began on 9/11 and will continue until all the troops come home. And the kids of Parkland may finally show us a way out of this national nightmare. Its why Parkland has a disappearing subtitle, Birth of a Movement. Before we get into the new book, I wanted to ask, have the Columbine killings receded in significance two decades later? A month after the shootings, I wrote a piece for Salon about Littletons Evangelical community. I thought it was already old news, but I kept quietly working on Columbine stories. In 2004, I wrote The Depressive and the Psychopath for Slate, the first piece that explained the killers. It got a lot of play, but I only got one nontrivial book offer. I was told, Nobody wants to read about dead children, and, Its too late. Of course, we were all naive; Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold set the template. Nearly every shooter harkens back to them as the founding fathers citing them by name, taking inspiration in their writings, and modeling their costumes, tactics, weapons, etc. The Columbine death toll isnt even in the top ten anymore, yet sadly its grown in importance. When we talked in 2017, following, well, I dont even remember what shooting it was Happens to me all the time. Isnt it hideous, living in a culture where mass shootings run together? Dave Cullen. Photo: Justin Bishop It was Las Vegas. You were despondent. At least four or five times over the last 20 years Ive said Im never writing about school shootings again. When I signed off on the first book, the crying fits stopped immediately. But, of course, the shootings escalated and I became the fucking go-to murder guy. I have PTSD rules with my shrink to not watch survivor stories. I can feel when its spiraling out of control. Ive never really talked about it, but Ive been suicidal. Then why continue making TV appearances? I dont get paid for commenting; I feel like I have to do it. One week I did a bunch of shows, probably after Newtown, and a friend sent me screenshots from the beginning of the week to the end. It was like one of those presidential before-after shots. The sagging strain and vacant eyes made it look like Id aged five years in a week. But I feel like its a public service. I feel obligated to give back. Its different after Parkland though. I dont ever want to feel like Im falling off the cliff again. Whats different this time? Following Las Vegas, I cut way back on media appearances and was toying with a clean break. The morning after Parkland, I acquiesced again, and did New Day with Chris Cuomo. I was surprised to see him, hes usually on-site. Cuomo said he wasnt doing mass shootings live anymore because theyre too horrible and nothing ever changes. I agreed and swore I was calling it quits. Five minutes later, going down the elevator at Time Warner Center, David Hogg is being interviewed. I was floored. Ive seen a million first-day survivor interviews and I was like, This is different, what the hell is going on here? I went home and watched the news, one kid after another. I couldnt believe what I was seeing. Ive been working on a book about gay soldiers, and without telling my editors, I set it aside to dive back in. My psychiatrist would have been horrified, but the Parkland kids triggered something. These kids were my new heroes. I set aside five weeks for Vanity Fair and this is where all the years of experience helped. Im kind of a Method writer, so I take on all the grief following trauma. This time, it was about covering the response, a completely new phenomenon, unheard of throughout the school-shooting era. How did you go about embedding with the Parkland kids? When I got to Florida, a journalist from the Times of London Id helped in the past gave me Hoggs phone number. We talked for a little while; he gave me other names and numbers todays teenagers give everyone their number and it quickly snowballed. I knew the media horde would leave after a few days and then Id have a chance to understand what these kids were doing and how rapidly things were changing. When I first talked to David, he was a bubbly, silly guy and not just the angry young man he became known as soon thereafter. Angry David was authentic, but Im glad I got a glimpse of the playful kid. Emma was the face; David was the mouth. While reporting, were you fully aware of what these kids were accomplishing? I was in awe. Within a few days of the shooting, planning for the caravan to meet with legislators in Tallahassee and the March for Our Lives in D.C. was underway. My editor at Vanity Fair asked me to be on the lookout for who was really pulling the strings. Are Obama people down there? A group of high schoolers cant be this smart and organized. I had feelers up for a few weeks, but I realized, yes, they can. Watching the Parkland students figure it out as they went along was incredible. They took a hundred people to the state capital as a dry run for the 800,000 who showed up in Washington. A similar thing happened after Columbine. Officials believed the attack was too sophisticated to be pulled off by a couple of high-school doofuses. The FBI wasted a week looking into a bigger conspiracy. We adults underestimate our kids, for good and bad. You dont mention the killers name in Parkland and it dawns on me that I dont know it either. I had the same experience recently, a conversation where neither of us knew the names of the shooters in Las Vegas or Sutherland Springs. Thats how it should be. The media has been unintentionally complicit in these spectacle murders, which is what these are, performances that require an audience. Its drastically important that we stop. I didnt want to contribute to it anymore, so I left the killer out. Photo: HarperCollins Conversely, until reading Parkland, Id forgotten there was another school shooting in Texas last May, and the recent murders in the Florida bank havent gotten a lot of coverage. Weve had multiple mass killings in the past two weeks! Im conflicted on this because when spectacle killings cease to become news, it will dissuade gunmen. On the other hand, potential killers have already figured out the only way to get media coverage is to break the body-count record, or do something we havent seen before, dressing up like the Joker or carrying out the murders on live television. I recoil at the idea of ignoring the crimes because they arent spectacular enough for television. We should be screaming from the rooftops, demanding more of our elected officials, without rewarding the perpetrators. Its exactly what the Parkland kids are doing. There are so many wonderful little moments in Parkland. Whats one of your favorites? On the day of the school walkout, a sixth-grade girl named Aaralyn, who had rabbit ears on her head, came up and quietly asked me if she could talk during the speeches. I tried not to laugh when I said, Im not in charge here, and directed her to the high schooler who was an organizer of the rally. Aaralyn mustered up all her courage to ask if she could say something. And then her speech was fantastic. Im only in sixth grade and Im tired of watching the big kids cry! I almost lost it. The applause for Aaralyn was louder than David Hoggs. A video popped up earlier this month in which Manny Oliver whose son Joaquin was murdered took on Louis C.K. mocking Parkland survivors. What do you think of it? I think YouTube finally justified its existence. When the Louis C.K. thing happened, I expected to be ashamed at myself for giggling at whatever horrible thing he said. But it was just horrible. Louis wasnt even trying, not even really telling a joke, just a perplexing lashing out. I love Manuel Oliver. He is the most creative activist Ive ever come across. And thats incredibly valuable. The trouble with activism and the dirty little secret of anyone supporting them is that it can grow tiresome. We can only hear your pleas so many times without wanting it to stop, or we just lose interest. The Parkland kids are good, but Tio Manny is the master. He keeps blowing me away with his audacity, which he has standing to do in a way that even the kids dont. I dont think they could or would cross the line to Mannys morbid territory (like painting gun scopes on kids and then bashing holes through their hearts and spattering red paint). Because they had friends die, but not their own child. Manny can go there. And he does. God bless him. Cant wait to see what he comes up with next. Compared to our first conversation, you sound rejuvenated, which also comes through in Parkland. Are you? Definitely. I had a couple of brief freak-outs the first time I went to Florida, maybe one the second time, and no more. In fact, my PTSD was getting cured. I feel better than at any time since April 20, 1999. Their enthusiasm was contagious, everything the kids were doing had a palpable joie de vivre. Changing gun laws will take years, but politics is a momentum game and its now on our side. The 2018 midterms called bullshit on the NRA as the big, scary boogeyman. The House was holding hearings on gun violence last week. Elections matter. People in the United States are finally tired of this horrible fucking tragedy weve let go on for 20 years. These Parkland kids literally healed me. And what theyre doing for me is what I think theyre doing for America. I do truly believe this is the beginning of the end. The heart of the Parkland story is hope. This interview has been condensed and slightly edited. SIOUX CITY -- The U.S. Marshals Service Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force is seeking the public's help in locating the following person: * Anthony Irvin Sr., 54. He is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 185 pounds. Irvin has a tattoo of a man in a jail cell on his back and has been known to go by several names including Michael Pope and Byram Miles. Irvin is wanted by the Woodbury County Sheriff's Office for felony domestic assault and probation violation. He is on probation for robbery in the third degree. Anyone with information can call the Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force at 712-252-0211, email Siouxlands.MostWanted@usdoj.gov or text the keyword TEN99 and the tip to TEN411 (877411). Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY -- A Sioux City man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to striking another man with a gun and possessing marijuana. Brian Fuentes-Pacas, 18, pleaded guilty in Woodbury County District Court to willful injury, which was amended from first-degree robbery as part of a plea agreement, and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. A drug tax stamp violation charge was dismissed as part of the plea agreement. Fuentes-Pacas admitted that on Oct. 9 in the 200 block of 19th Street he hit the victim with a shotgun. Fuentes-Pacas also had been accused of taking the man's cellphone before fleeing on foot. Police located Fuentes-Pacas in the area and found the victim's cellphone inside Fuentes-Pacas' backpack, along with 368 grams of marijuana. Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 1 Funny 8 Wow 2 Sad 7 Angry 1 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY -- Two men who were wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force have been found. Phillip Jackson Jr., wanted by the Woodbury County Sheriff's Office for possession of a firearm by a felon, turned himself in Feb. 5. He posted bond and was released pending his court date. John Desart was wanted by the Iowa Department of Corrections for violating the terms of his parole by possessing a firearm as a felon. Desart was taken into custody after deputy U.S. Marshals took him into custody at a near northside apartment. He is currently being held in the Woodbury County Jail. Copyright 2019 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 3 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY -- Two people accused of robbing a Le Mars, Iowa, bank in December now face federal charges. Karen Merrick, 35, and Phillip White, 32, both of Sioux City, appeared in U.S. District Court in Sioux City Monday, and Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Kelly Mahoney ordered them to remain in custody. Mahoney scheduled preliminary and detention hearings for both on Feb. 20. A federal complaint filed Jan. 29 charges each with bank robbery for the Dec. 12 robbery of Iowa State Bank, 301 Plymouth St. NW. Federal prosecutors have 30 days to present the case to a grand jury, which will determine whether to indict the two. According to the complaint, White told police after his arrest that he had driven around the bank several times before parking in an alley. After visiting with a bank worker about opening an account, White approached a teller, told her he wanted a bag of money and said he had a weapon. SIOUX CITY -- Snow, possibly mixed with freezing drizzle, may be greeting Sioux Cityans driving home from work, Monday afternoon. "While new snow accumulation will likely be less than 1 inch on Monday, the introduction of ice may make streets slick," said Jeff Chapman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls. However, he said people around Spencer and Storm Lake will likely see as much as 3 inches of the white stuff. Luckily, the snow band is a fast-mover, likely to be out of Siouxland by midnight. "Tuesday will begin cloudy before a gradual clearing," Chapman said. "While sunny skies and a high of 24 might sound nice; a blustery northwest wind gusting to 40 mph will keep things chilly." Wednesday and Thursday will be dry, with highs mainly in the 20s. The next chance for snow will come Thursday night, lasting into Friday morning. "Following a pattern, patchy snow will move into Siouxland Thursday night," Chapman said. "After that, expect a windy Friday with areas of blowing snow to be likely." Copyright 2019 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 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. SIOUX CITY -- Pediatric dentist Jeff Howenstein, a certified specialist in children's dentistry, will be visiting Head Start classrooms Tuesday and Wednesday. According to Community Action Agency of Siouxland registered nurse Joan Hansen, Howenstein, of Dunes Dental for Kids, has been volunteering his time in Head Start classrooms for five years. "A healthy mouth and teeth are an important part of a child's wellness," Hansen said, "We are grateful to (have a great resource like Jeff) for our kids." February also happens to be National Children's Dental Health Month. The Community Action Agency of Siouxland has 22 early childhood classrooms that serve 384 children. Head Start promotes the school readiness of children ages 3-5 by supporting their development with a focus on education, nutrition, health and family well-being. Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. SIOUX CITY -- After a relatively mild snowfall Sunday, a more powerful snow system is expected to reach the Sioux City area by Monday. Lance VandenBoogart, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, said the system is expected to begin as a brief bout of freezing drizzle sometime in the late morning or early afternoon hours Monday. "(The freezing drizzle) still doesn't look to be a very big deal," VandenBoogart said, and total ice accumulation is not expected to be significant. The drizzle is forecast to become snow sometime in the early afternoon hours Monday, and the snow is anticipated to continue falling until the early morning hours Tuesday. A total of 3 to 5 inches is expected. The region will be under a winter weather advisory from noon Monday through 6 a.m. Tuesday. Wind speeds will be mild initially, though by Tuesday afternoon wind gusts could reach 25 to 35 miles per hour. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} "That could be enough to blow around that fresh snow," VandenBoogart said. At 6:30 p.m. Feb. 18, Entrepalooza heads to Makerspace at 1401 TriView for the Education Summit. Launch It: Startup Competition will be presented by Stacy Orndorff. Interested teachers, principals, superintendents and parents are invited to this event. This is sponsored by BCU Enactus and Makerspace. Entrepalooza will stop in Le Mars Feb. 19 for Ice Cream Cocktails and Biz Tales. From 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Ps Pizza House, attendees will have a chance to network and brain-pick fellow entrepreneurs from Siouxland while treating yourself to ice cream cocktails in the Ice Cream Capital of the World. On Feb. 20, Briar Cliffs Enactus team will host the annual Swimming with the Sharks competition. Presentations and judging for the contest will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Briar Cliffs St. Francis Center. Finalists will vie for mini-grants valued up to $4,000. Over the weekend, from Los Angeles to London, the showbiz A-list strutted their stuff on red carpets for the Grammys and Britain's Bafta film awards. Halfway between in New York, the style glitterati lined catwalks to preview the trends for next autumn and winter. The short answer? Lots of bright color and lots of sex appeal. Here are some highlights from the latest shows at New York Fashion Week, which culminates Wednesday with a presentation from Marc Jacobs: - Prabal Gurung looks home to Nepal - Gurung, who now has 10 years in the business behind him, looked home for inspiration to Nepal, where he recently spent some time. The result was a joyful, bright ready-to-wear collection -- a theme he had introduced last season after several years of more sober designs. He played with sari draping, especially in ikat and mandala-inspired prints. No monochromatics or tone-on-tone ensembles here: purple or mustard yellow and turquoise, red and pink -- women should use their imagination in Gurung's world. The designer said in his notes that he hoped to create a "multi-faceted, colorful and optimistic place where integrity, purpose, levity and love are our most celebrated virtues." - Longchamp: leather and short skirts - As more and more American designers flee New York for London, Paris or Milan, foreign fashion houses are flocking to the Big Apple to take advantage of the style vacuum. Case in point: venerable French label Longchamp, which is looking to develop its stateside presence and staged its second New York show at the weekend. The brand -- which is known for leather goods, handbags and riding gear -- has opened new stores in New York and along the US West Coast. "It's very important for us to be here," the company's vice president for retail, Olivier Cassegrain, told AFP, explaining that in Paris, the company had a hard time cracking into the jam-packed schedule of heavyweight houses. For next autumn, designer Sophie Delafontaine kept it classy but sexy -- embracing pleated short skirts, black studded leather and lots of looks in black and white. - Glamour from Christian Siriano - Even if foreign labels are rising in New York, some homegrown designers still generate buzz. Christian Siriano is one of them. From his beginnings as a winner on TV reality show "Project Runway," the 33-year-old has quickly become one of the go-to names in Hollywood. Just ask actresses Debra Messing ("Will and Grace"), Mariska Hargitay ("Law and Order: SVU"), Danielle Brooks ("Orange Is The New Black") and Christina Hendricks ("Mad Men"), who were all in the front row. Siriano is also known as a champion of diversity -- on the runway and in his designs. When no one would dress actress Leslie Jones for the "Ghostbusters" premiere, he stepped up. After a long wait to reach the show at Top of the Rock -- on the 67th floor of Rockefeller Center -- Siriano worked his magic, unveiling a series of evening gowns in silver, black, white and deep blue. Curvy model Ashley Graham closed the show in a transparent silvery confection, as the audience cheered. - 'Bill of rights' for models? - Federico Pignatelli -- the owner of Industry Model Group and Pier59 Studios, where many fashion shoots take place in New York -- wants to make sure the rights of the many models working at Fashion Week are protected. He's calling for the signing of a models' "bill of rights," which would require agencies and other industry professionals to sign clear contracts with fair and regular pay. For non-US citizens, the contract would stipulate that their visa status not be used as a weapon. Such contracts would put models "in a positon of strength, where they are paid regularly and it empowers them," he said, adding that it could also reduce possibilities for sexual harassment in the industry. But Pignatelli launched his initiative without the backing of power players like the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and he readily admits that so far, he hasn't had many takers. "They like the status quo cause it is profitable to them," he said. "But it is unfair and damaging to the models." Mike Pence speaking at an AIPAC conference. He wasnt there for the Benjamins. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images In the latest incident pursuant to a House Republican campaign to paint Muslim-American Democratic members of Congress as being as objectionable as their own Steve King, Representative Ilhan Omar seems to have walked right into their trap. CNN explains: Omar responded to a tweet by journalist Glenn Greenwald that reads, GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy threatens punishment for @IlhanMN and @RashidaTlaib over their criticisms of Israel. Its stunning how much time US political leaders spend defending a foreign nation even if it means attacking free speech rights of Americans. Omar replied, Its all about the Benjamins baby This allusion to money led to this exchange with a writer for Forward: The resulting firestorm has mostly been composed of critics from both parties accusing Omar of consciously promulgating the ancient smear of wealthy Jews buying influence, and some defenders suggesting shes accurately describing AIPACs vast power. I very recently defended Omar and her fellow Muslim representative, Rashida Tlaib, against McCarthys attacks, but I cannot countenance her attribution of pro-Israeli attitudes, within and beyond the Republican Party, to the Jewish lobby, however its defined. And while her remarks about AIPAC dont necessarily show shes anti-Semitic some of AIPACs best friends have good reason to exaggerate its importance as well she is playing into stereotypes that aid Republican efforts to suggest that any criticism of Bibi Netanyahus policies exist on a slippery slope that leads to passing around copies of Protocols of the Elders of Zion. She should not have gone there, because in fact there are much greater and simpler explanations for general and very specific pro-Israel attitudes in this country that bely the claim that its all about the Benjamins. Generally speaking, Americans tend to be pro-Israel thanks to acute and widespread awareness of the Holocaust and of Jewish statelessness as one of the principal reasons the Holocaust occurred (you could contrast this, by the way, with the average Americans very limited awareness of Palestinian history). Beyond that, there is a very specific set of religious perspectives that make America more pro-Israel than similar but more secular countries; many Christians from various traditions have a bad conscience over many centuries of Christian anti-Semitism. A particularly large and politically active group of conservative American Evangelical Christians, moreover, not only identify themselves with Jews thanks to a common scriptural legacy, but also place the State of Israel at the very center of their vision of global salvation. Indeed, many conservative Evangelicals believe that in consolidating their hold over a Greater Israel, the Jewish State is unwittingly setting the stage for the end of the world and the second coming of Jesus Christ. These conservative Evangelicals, who also dont tend to be fond of Muslims, have become the single most important constituency in the Republican Partys base, and that fact has more to do with the relatively recent GOP solidarity with a particularly aggressive strain of Zionism than all the AIPACs and all the Sheldon Adelsons you can name. And it would exist even if Jews were the poorest people on the planet. This phenomenon is so well known that it has alarmed many strong supporters of Israel, as this 2018 piece from Forward noted: Vice President Mike Pences on again, off again visit to Israel is apparently on again for next week, but the actual timing was never the real thing. Pence and other deeply conservative white Christian evangelicals now driving American policy toward Israel and the Palestinians are playing a very long game that extends far beyond one news cycle. They are turning public support for Israel which largely had been bipartisan and religiously pluralistic into an effort propelled by members of one political party and one religious worldview. Their belief that Jews, and only Jews, must rule over Jerusalem to herald the return of Jesus Christ influenced President Trumps decision last December to reverse nearly seven decades of American foreign policy and recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital. Their absolute fealty toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and their antipathy toward the Palestinians are reflected in the itinerary for next weeks trip: Pence is not scheduled to meet with any Palestinian leader, the first time in decades for a top American official. The idea that its Jewish money or the Jewish lobby or AIPAC thats the main reason Republicans have moved in this direction is an absolutely ideal distraction from the real reasons, and one that furthers the argument that you have to choose between Netanyahu, settlements, and Greater Israel on the one hand, or anti-Semitism on the other. To the very limited degree that AIPAC really matters, it does not do so by deliberately alienating Democrats or insisting that any criticism of the current government of Israel or of the United States is rooted in anti-Semitism. This Republican party line, which Id argue is as perilous for Israel as it is for Palestinians, comes from other sources. If Ilhan Omar understands that, she should make it clear before she inadvertently becomes a casualty in the war of anti-Muslim extremists against anyone seeking peace and justice in the Middle East. Ukrainian prosecutors said Monday they had charged a high-ranking regional official with organising a deadly acid attack on a prominent anti-corruption activist that prompted widespread outrage. Kateryna Gandzyuk, who worked as an adviser to the mayor of the southern city of Kherson, was an outspoken critic of corruption in law enforcement agencies. She was attacked in July and had about a litre of acid poured on her by several attackers. The 33-year-old died in November after months of treatment, including more than 10 operations. Her murder has prompted widespread outrage, with civil society activists accusing the authorities of failing to complete the investigation or find out who ordered the attack. On Monday, less than two months before Ukrainians go to the polls to elect a president, General Prosecutor Yuriy Lutsenko pointed the finger at the head of the local council in the southern region of Kherson. Vladyslav Manger is accused of "organising the murder of Kateryna Gandzyuk," Lutsenko said on Facebook. According to the charge sheet released by Lutsenko, Manger was guided by "personal animosity" towards Gandzyuk because she opposed "illegal logging" in the region. Lutsenko's spokeswoman Larysa Sargan said Manger was accused of "intentionally and unlawfully causing the death of another person... with special cruelty and by prior agreement with a group of individuals". Speaking to AFP, Sargan said that Manger was not yet arrested. "Searches are under way in Kherson," she said. - Expelled from the party - If found guilty, the 48-year-old faces up to life in prison. Manger was a member of the Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) political party of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, a key rival of President Petro Poroshenko in the March 31 presidential election. He was expelled from the party last week. Gandzyuk's death has sparked condemnation of the government and drew renewed attention to dozens of assaults on other anti-corruption campaigners in Ukraine over recent months. In August, police detained five people in connection with the case, three of whom were placed under house arrest. In November, a former aide to a ruling party lawmaker was arrested on suspicion of being involved in the attack. Both the European Union and the United States have called the attacks on activists unacceptable and urged authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice. Fellow activists accused police and prosecutors of reluctance to investigate the case, insisting the detention of those possibly involved in the attack was made only after a wave of protests across the country. Lutsenko in November submitted a letter of resignation to Poroshenko over the affair but the Ukrainian leader refused to fire him. More than 50 attacks on anti-graft activists, environmental and human rights campaigners including five murders were recorded last year. Also, Huawei sales soar in China and GrabFood Singapore merges with main app Vietnam logistics company LOGIVAN raises US$5.5 million from Alpha JWC Ventures [e27] LOGIVAN, a Vietnamese company that specialises in cargo transportation between Northern and Southern Vietnam, announced today it has raised US$5.5 million from Alpha JWC Ventures and Matrix Partners China Founding Partner David Su (through his family office) Todays news brings the companys total funding to US$7.9 million. The money will be used to finance data analysis and cross-platform integration. LOGIVAN was founded in November 2017 and at the end of 2018 had 22,000 transportation partners with every major commercial truck type and 10,000 shippers registered on its system. Co-working spaces Found. and Collision8 merge to form new co-working space [e27] Two of Singapores most prominent co-working spaces, Found. and Collision8, announced today a merger that will rebrand the company into Found8. The merger will combine the two companys investment war chest and give Found8 US$20 million of financing. The first major event post-merger will be the impending opening of a new 22,000 square feet space in Kuala Lumpur. The Kuala Lumpur project is part of a drive to build a large startup ecosystem in the heart of Sentral Station, a strategy that is being borrowed from Station F in Paris. Also Read: Our idea of a good Valentine: Free Echelon Asia Summit 2019 tickets Found8 will pursue further regional expansion. Grab Singapore to merge food and transport in same app in H1 2019 [Business Times] Southeast Asian ride-hailing giant Grab told the Business Times today that the company plans on integrating its food app with the rest of what it is calling its super app. As of now, Grab and GrabFood had been separate apps, a legacy from the acquisition of Uber from last year. The company is also looking into opening a centralised kitchen in Singapore, a strategy used by other food delivery companies. Story continues HAK wins hackathon hosted by Tokopedia and Indonesian coding school Binar Academy [e27] On Sunday, February 10, in South Jakarta, team HAK was named as the first prize winner of Hack of Thrones, a hackathon hosted by Indonesian coding school Binar Academy and e-commerce giant Tokopedia, in partnership with Proud Media Group. Consisted of three members Ahmad, Aulia Hakiem Noersedya, and Khalil Ambiya, the team built a platform called KYCepat, a blockchain-based peer-to-peer (P2P) network for banks, financial institutions, and other businesses to perform know-your-customer (KYC) tasks. The team beat 30 other participants in the competition and won a IDR25 million (US$1,782) cash prize. In addition to the cash prize, they also won the opportunity to join a Golang and Swift training with Tokopedias engineering team. They will also be put on a fast-track to the last stage of Tokopedias employee recruitment process. Huawei phone sales jump in China, Apple slides [South China Morning Post] Huawei registered a 23.3 per cent gain in China shipments in Q4 2018, a signal that consumers are working to support the company amidst its battle with the US, according to the South China Morning Post. Apple shipments dropped by 19.9 per cent a number the company had warned about in Q4 that led to a stock tumble. It will be worth watching the US trading day to see if that number is considered high or low by investors. Also Read: Found. and Collision8 merge in major co-working consolidation Xiaomi also got killed by the Chinese market, seeing a 34.9 per cent drop in shipments. Based on these shipment numbers, Huawei is the most popular phone company in China, followed by Oppo and Vivo. Apple comes in fourth and Xiaomi is fifth. The post Todays top tech news, February 11: Co-working consolidation and Vietnam raises again appeared first on e27. Top image: Nicky Loh/Getty Images As far as standard opposition members go, Dr Tan Cheng Bock doesnt appear to be like the rest of themdisgruntled, incoherent, and dying to have their 15 minutes of fame. For one, Dr Tan was well-liked during his extensive political career. The former PAP member served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayer Rajah SMC for 26 years from 1980 to 2006. He won each election with an average of 77% of the votes, making him one of the best performing candidates in Singapore. Aside from opposition stalwarts Chiam See Tong of the Singapore Democratic Party and Low Thia Khiang of the Workers Party, there are perhaps no other current opposition members who rival his popularity. Fighting for the opposition shouldnt come as a surprise for those familiar with Dr Tans political career. Even as a member of the ruling party, he harboured a rebellious streak. He once argued that the government should tone down its calls for the recruitment of foreign talent and reassure Singaporeans that they came first, apparently earning him a strong rebuke from Lee Kuan Yew. Since the now-retired medical doctor decided to return to politics, Dr Tan has been heralded as a saviour. But to convince more people of his appeal, he needs to demonstrate clearly how far his partys political agenda would deviate from the PAP, as well as establish a cogent understanding of deeper social issues and how he plans to tackle them through public policy. At this point, hes done neither. Dr Felix Tan, political analyst and associate lecturer at SIM Global Education, believes that Dr Tans wealth of political experience as part of the ruling party is precisely the reason many Singaporeans consider him a strong alternative to current members of the same party. Dr Felix explains, I think what Singaporeans yearn for is a political opposition that doesnt put Singapore at a weaker position or at risk, but rather strengthen the democracy that the country has been striving for. While Singaporeans might not want a leader from the PAP, they might not want new faces with a lack of political experience and/or that have not been tried and tested in local politics before. Story continues According to Dr Felixs observations, Dr Tan straddles a unique position within Singapore politics. Not only does Dr Tan have the experience of successfully running in local elections, he also possesses the political acumen that few opposition members have. Based on what we know of Dr Tans character, Dr Felix further posits that the good doctor may be seen as one who has the tenacity to withstand criticisms from the ruling party, having never minced his words or shirked away from a good fight. However, he adds that some people might still consider Dr Tan as part of the PAP regime that stifled political freedom and freedom of speech and opinion. It was, after all, only after failing the bid for the Presidency that Dr Tan took on a more heightened role in opposition politics. Nonetheless, when news broke that Dr Tan was considering a return to politics, the public saw him as a man willing to use his privilege to the peoples advantagethe essence of a true public servant. That said, the last time Dr Tan served was 13 years ago. The political climate changed since his time in office; critical issues like income inequality, climate change, fake news, and meritocracy that will likely dominate the mainstream narrative and shape Singapores near future werent as pertinent back then. It remains to be seen whether Dr Tans party can stop relying on his past track record to win them supporters. What matters is whether they can deliver convincing policy measures to tackle the big issues of today, and if they possess a comprehensive understanding of whats at stake for the future. In an article for Yale-NUS publication The Octant, concerning Dr Tans visit to the campus in October last year, executive editor Justin Ong writes that students who attended Dr Tans talk were left wanting more from the political veteran. Even though the liberal arts college represents a small portion of Singaporean Gen Z, its worth noting that the more politically conscious of our youth remain unconvinced about Dr Tans ability to build a future they want to see. Justin himself went for the talk hoping to learn about Dr Tans take on our meritocratic system that seems perfect on paper, but less so in practice. The 24-year-old thought Mr Tan addressed some important points that were very targeted at showing how meritocracy had some cracks, especially when he spoke about how Singaporeans seem to be allocated to their vocations in National Service partly based on their race. But Justin also points out that Dr Tan held an overly simplistic view that Singaporeans have learnt to see beyond race. An interviewee from Justins original article was also concerned about Dr Tans seeming blindspot regarding race. Justin adds, It doesnt take many conversations with my Chinese friends to know that racism is still alive and well. In order to talk about meritocracy, we have to address these issues of race rather than assume we are all happy as one Singapore. Another Yale-NUS student at the talk, Chew Huijun, was also unimpressed by Dr Tan. The 22-year-old and his friends are concerned about what jobs would look like in the future, how Singapore could be a more inclusive and equitable society, and how we plan to deal with the income and wealth gap. Unfortunately, Dr Tan gave shallow answers that wouldnt look out of place in a GP essay. For instance, when asked about how Singapore could deal with tuition contributing to inequality, Dr Tan simply said his grandchildren in Australia didnt need or have tuition, and that achieving a similar situation in our country would require a mindset change. Huijun adds, How do we change minds if the goalposts set by society doesnt shift? How do we convince parents to give up tuition? These were all questions he didnt or couldnt answer. Huijun also didnt get a satisfactory answer to his concerns about the changing nature of work in relation to automation, and the possibility of people getting left behind because of a lack of skills. Again, Dr Tan simply said there must be a special scheme to help these people, without specifying what that would look like. Dr Tan seemed to have poor technical knowledge of policy instruments, and wasnt well-versed in the concerns and conversations of the day. If you come to a liberal arts college to talk about meritocracy, you should expect people to ask about social safety nets, inequality and how to reduce it; sustainable growth, and how to fix our flawed version of meritocracy, to name a few aspects, says Huijun. I expected him to have some good answers, or at least good non-answers. But he had neither. More Singaporean youth like Justin and Huijun have begun to challenge the glossy narrative theyve been sold about our country and the government. They see respect and admiration as something that public leaders have to earn, and theyre no longer satisfied with what older generations wanted in the past, such as BTOs and stable office jobs. For a country to make significant progress, future leaders and politicians can no longer neglect youth voices like theirs. As Huijun puts, They need to decide if the youth vote is important for them to win. On our part, we probably also need to make ourselves relevant and less apathetic, in order to let politicians know that we will be willing to vote on these issues. Kuik Shiao Yin, former Nominated Member of Parliament, once said, As much as we love our pioneers and admire the times our country came from, we cannot go back. For they say, The past is like a foreign country: they do things differently there. She added that we are not Lee Kuan Yews, Goh Keng Swees, or Rajaratnamsand we need not pretend to be. But for many people, Dr Tan remains the best hope to break free from a largely one-party government, precisely because he hails from the era of Lee Kuan Yews, Goh Keng Swees, and Rajaratnams. While his past experience in the ruling party may be seen as advantageous, Singaporeans also have a tendency to filter the present and future through the lens of nostalgia. We seem to think political veterans will restore the simpler political climate of the past, painfully unaware that their methods of engaging the community years ago might not cut it anymore. Basically, the PAP of Lee Kuan Yews era might fail miserably in todays context. Justin, for one, doesnt believe that having experience in the PAP is necessarily a good thing for Dr Tans chances. This only conflates the varying needs and wants of all Singaporeans into something only a certain generation of Singaporeans would like to see. Furthermore, hanging out with the brother of our Prime Minister seems to serve no purpose besides to intimidate the ruling party. At best, its entertaining fodder for social media; at worst, its a red herring that only distracts from Dr Tans partys lack of impending policy change. Instead, we should demand more from our leaders, especially those who claim to share our values and represent our interests, instead of fawning over them when they meet the bare minimum checklist to be a perfect politician in this country. If we truly believe Dr Tan needs to win, we must hold him to higher standards. This means demanding that he shows a fundamental understanding of the current issues that plague Singaporeans more than a decade after his departure from politics, articulates feasible policy measures to address them, and details how his party plans to get the votes of those who are growing to be more politically and socially conscious. Then, even if we disagree with his partys policies, at least we finally see the values and ideals they stand for. Moreover, the lacklustre lineup of members in his party leaves little to be desired. We live in a society that perpetually enables the same, tired demographic to get involved in politics (i.e. old men). If anything, the dire lack of capable and willing millennial and/or female members should raise serious questions about whether politicians are truly cognisant of the nuances that come with being a representative of the people in this day. One cannot claim to represent Singaporeans when their party comprises only a specific privileged demographic. Otherwise, there are no two ways about it: Dr Tans party is simply version 2.0 of the PAP. With rumours of the General Elections coming up this year, we must be cautious to regard Dr Tan as the viable opposition that weve been waiting for, especially when there are other opposition parties who have already shown tangible results for the work they do. Again, neither Dr Tan nor his party has suggested any comprehensive policy changes, or fleshed out their ideals and beliefs for the future of our country. The last thing we want to do is vote for a candidate just because theyre charismatic or a symbol of hope, and therefore fragment the votes for other viable opposition parties. Perhaps Singaporeans ourselves are largely to blame for the reason that weve been stuck with mediocre opposition members who dont inspire greatness thus far. We simply dont know what we want in our leaders, our policies and politics, or our country, because we still dont know who we are or who we want to be as Singaporeans. When were not even clear about our identity, its easy to place all our hopes on any decent candidate that comes along. Yet they cant truly represent us if we dont even know what were hoping for. As a result, many Singaporeans are more than willing to revere political veterans whose reputation precedes them. In this case, they have placed Dr Tan on a pedestal. In politics at least, too much hype can have the opposite intended effect. Hype is usually built around certain anecdotes that we hyperbolise, such as assuming someone is a man of the people simply because they eat in a hawker centre or live in an HDB. This creates an unrealistic and unbelievable impression of the politician in question, alienating would-be supporters. Hype inadvertently flattens the complexities of being human. Through the lens of hype, a politician is one-dimensional, leaving them little room to reveal other possibly more problematic facets of their personality. In fact, we have to constantly hold politicians at a healthy reserve. Because they craft policies that affect our lives, they will always wield a certain power that prevents them from ever being one of us. That is to say, no matter the underprivileged background he used to come from, or how #relatable and empathetic Dr Tan is, we should judge his political acumen solely on how relevant it continues to be today. Policy impact should be the singular thing we allow our votes to be influenced by. As it is, his party lineup reflects a poor reading of ground sentiment, and that he might not really know how to bring about radical and informed change. For Justin, Huijun, and even myself, we expect more from Dr Tan, especially after everything that generations before us claim he can do. But perhaps its our fault for allowing cultural sentiment, from impassioned support to blind adulation, to shape our expectations of politicians as well. If we are disappointed by the reality, we are merely victims of our own hype. In any case, the answer should be obvious by now: no, Dr Tan wont save usleast of all from ourselves. Are you a fan of Dr Tan Cheng Bock, or are you not quite convinced? Write in to community@ricemedia.co. The post Can Tan Cheng Bock Really Save Us All? appeared first on RICE. With a head of grey hair and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, the casually dressed Chen Fu-men looks like a grandfather next door. But in intelligence circles on the two rival sides of the Taiwan Strait, he is a well-known figure. Chens involvement in the killing of a Taiwanese-American author 35 years ago shocked the United States, which angrily demanded that the self-ruled island hand over Chen and two others to the American justice system. The assassination also became one of the triggers for democratisation on the self-ruled island, which had been under authoritarian rule by Chiang Kai-shek and his son Chiang Ching-kuo since 1949. The author, Henry Liu, 51, a Taiwanese journalist who moved to the United States in 1967 and later became an American citizen, had published an unflattering biography of Chiang Ching-kuo and was an outspoken critic of Taiwans ruling party. Powerful officials in Taipei also believed that he was spying for the mainland. In 1984, vice-admiral Wang Hsi-ling, the head of the islands Military Intelligence Bureau, ordered his deputy Hu Yi-min and his top aide Chen to kill Liu, according to Chen. Chen asked the leader of Taiwans notorious Bamboo Union gang, Chen Chi-li, to eliminate the journalist. In October, he and two other gangsters gunned down Liu in the garage of his northern California home. The murder rocked the US, and its relations with Taiwan dropped to their lowest point after a furious State Department accused Taipei of sending killers to assassinate an American citizen. The FBI was involved in the search for suspects, and through a tapped phone traced a conversation between Wang and Chen Chi-li. Taiwanese authorities later arrested the gang leader and his aide. Threatening to cut off arms sales to Taiwan, Washington demanded that Chiang Ching-kuos government extradite the suspects to face trial in the US. The Chiang government finally allowed the FBI to question the three intelligence officials in Taiwan. Story continues In early 1985, the three officials and the two killers were given jail terms in Taiwan. Wang, the gang leader and his aide were sentenced to life, and the two officials got six-month terms for their roles in the killing. Wang and the two gangsters were released six years later, while Chen Fu-min and Hu Yi-min were freed in late 1987. The bureau officials collaboration with gangsters proved an embarrassment to Chiang, and his government grew concerned that the US might reappraise its policy of helping defend Taiwan. Though Washington had switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing from Taipei in 1979, it also enacted the Taiwan Relations Act to supply arms to Taiwan in its defence against Beijing. Beijing has threatened to use force to bring the island back into the fold since Chiang Kai-shek and his Nationalist, or Kuomintang (KMT), forces retreated to Taiwan after losing a civil war to the Chinese Communists in 1949. I was just doing my job, said Chen, 79, a former deputy director of the Military Intelligence Bureau unit responsible for gathering intelligence about China since 1949 and keeping track of Taiwanese activities in the US. In an interview with the South China Morning Post, he said they decided to bring justice to Liu because they had solid evidence that he was spying for Beijing while also receiving monetary rewards from the bureau. It had nothing to do with the book critical of Chiang, he said, adding when the FBI sent its agents to Taiwan to question them separately, he realised Liu also was an FBI informant. He said at the time that what Liu did was considered an act of treason by the bureau, which had a long-time practice of executing people considered to be traitors without needing the permission of top authorities. But after Helen Liu, the journalists widow, filed a US$250 million lawsuit against Taiwanese officials and former military leaders, the Chiang government paid her nearly US$1.5 million. News reports said after the killing, Chiang, who died in 1988, made changes that included banning the bureaus illicit execution practice. In 1987, he ended Taiwans long-time martial law, which eventually led to the islands democratisation. Chen said after he was released from jail, he returned to the bureau and served as a unit deputy director until his retirement in 2000. Asked how he became a military intelligence officer, Chen said his father had been an agent working for the KMT government on the mainland fighting against the Japanese invasion of China in the 1930s. I was taught to keep a low profile since childhood, and I still remember that whenever we moved to a new place, my dad would ask me to tell others that our surname was Bai or Wan instead of Chen, he said. He said that after moving to Taiwan with his father he studied at a maritime college in Kaohsiung and after graduating worked as a seaman. Himself a secret agent, the captain of the ship I worked for one day asked me if I wanted to join the intelligence service, and he introduced me to study at a military intelligence training class in 1962. In 1968 I was assigned to receive outfield training in the border of Yunlin and Burma for three years, Chen said, adding that at that time, the border was one of the major intelligence-gathering locations for both Taiwan and the United States. We were the second and the last group to receive training there, and three of the five in the first group were killed during their missions, said Chen, referring the fierce espionage war that has been waging across the Taiwan Strait since 1949. Actually, the ongoing cross-strait espionage war is as deadly as that of the real war, he said. Chen said Taiwans intelligence warfare had gone through three periods, which include sending formal and informal agents to the mainland during the presidencies of Chiang Kai-shek and Chiang Ching-kuo from 1949 to 1987 as part of the KMT governments plan to recover China. As much as the KMT wanted to recover the mainland, the Chinese Communists were eager to bring Taiwan back into the mainland fold. In this period, more than 100,000 people were killed or arrested, including thousands of those who did not follow the KMT forces to retreat to Taiwan and were asked to remain on the mainland as secret backups in the event of a KMT re-attack, Chen said. The second period involved the lure of Taiwans freedoms plus financial rewards to absorb key people from the mainland to spy for Taiwan during the presidencies of Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian, from 1988 to 2008. The Tiananmen incident, which saw the mainland crackdown on the pro-democracy students in 1989, helped facilitate Taiwans absorption of mainland Chinese who opted for freedom and democracy, Chen said. But this was also the time when a number of Taiwanese officers, including Lo Hsien-che, a former major general with the bureau, were recruited to spy for the mainland, Chen said. In addition to attractive monetary rewards, the sharp ideological differences between the KMT and the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party governments have made some people confused, Chen said. People, especially those from the military who had been brought up with the loyalty concept towards the Republic of China, might become confused when all a sudden they were asked to serve for the government advocating independence. Both Lee and Chen were known for their pro-independence stands and opted for ditching the islands official Republic of China title, referring to it as merely Taiwan a stand sharply different from the KMTs belief that Taiwan is a part of the ROC. When Ma Ying-jeou of the KMT served as president from 2008 to 2016, he adopted a policy of engagement with Beijing, resulting in a warming of cross-strait relations. During this period, the Ma government sharply cut back on espionage activities, changing the originally active offensive tactics into defensive, Chen said. Now our intelligence work is to look for signs of possible attack from the mainland, Chen said, adding that along with sharing information with the US, Japan, and other neighbours as well as using satellites and other hi-tech means to monitor mainland military movements, Taiwanese agents now mostly recruit mainland students either studying abroad or in Taiwan as well as mainland women married to Taiwanese men. Since they were not formal intelligence personnel, the agents main function was to observe if there were any major mainland military movements and send the information to their Taiwanese contacts, Chen said. Actually, the mainland side is doing the same thing, making use of Taiwans permission for mainland students to study on Taiwan by absorbing some of those students, or recruiting mainland-based Taiwanese students or businessmen to spy for them, Chen said, adding governments throughout the world would never ceased using the tactics of espionage. Chen said Taiwan once had the upper hand in its espionage war with Beijing after it recruited Liu Liankun, a major general in the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) who was the most senior officer to have spied for Taiwan in the 1990s, but it was undercut by his accidental exposure by then president Lee Teng-hui. To intimidate Taiwan and discourage voters from supporting Lee, whom Beijing has regarded as a pro-independence activist, the PLA launched a series of missile tests outside Taiwan as the island was holding its first direct presidential election in 1996. In a bid to pacify the jittery public and using intelligence provided by the bureau, Lee declared that the missiles had no warheads and that there was nothing to be afraid of. At the height of the tensions, the US sent two aircraft carriers into the Taiwan Strait to warn the PLA against any missteps, according to American and Taiwanese government reports. Liu, who had supplied much valuable information to Taiwan including Beijings purchase of warplanes and missiles from Russia, its military deployment from coastal areas to the South China Sea and border of India, and British plan for the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997 was arrested in 1999 and executed by lethal injection in Beijing. Also executed was senior colonel Shao Zhengzong, who spied for Taiwan and built a connection between Liu and the island. Soon after Lee revealed that the missiles were unarmed, then mainland president Jiang Zemin ordered that the secret informant be nailed at all costs as the dud missiles were supposed to be top secret and only those involved were able to have that information, Chen said, adding that with the help of a double agent Major Lee Chih-hao, who worked at the intelligence bureau the PLA eventually identified Liu and Shao. More than 200 PLA officers were investigated and 30 arrested, including Lius son, who was sentenced to 15 years in jail, Chen said, adding that Taiwans major espionage network on the mainland was also compromised. When Liu was arrested, we knew nothing about it until after we sent our trafficker Yang Ming-chung to Shanghai to try to contact him, Chen said. But after failing to do so, Yang sensed that something might have happened and tried to return to Taiwan. He was arrested at the airport, he said. It was only then that we knew our major network on the mainland had collapsed and our biggest asset [Liu] was down, Chen said, adding that Yang was subsequently sentenced to life in prison. But the lesson did not keep Lees successor tight-lipped. In 2003, when Chen Shui-bian of the DPP was president and proposed to hold a so-called defensive referendum to win support from pro-independence voters, he revealed that the PLA had been aiming 496 missiles at the island and that all Taiwanese must unite to guard against the mainland. The mainland was shocked to conclude that the Chen Shui-bian authorities must have had a reliable tip-off to know the exact number of missiles, and after an internal inquiry, it cracked another intelligence network and arrested a number of Taiwanese businessmen as well as a senior PLA officer, Chen Fu-men said. From then on, Taiwans once active intelligence networks were virtually uprooted from the mainland, and to avoid losing more people, Taipei sharply cut back on sending bureau agents to the mainland, he said. Yang, 62, was released on January 23 after serving 20 years in jail. His case is worth noting as it marked the downfall of Taiwans secret intelligence warfare and put the islands espionage capability on the defensive, Chen said. He called on the government to restore Yangs military rank and its accompanying honour before his scheduled retirement. He sacrificed his best years serving 20 long years in jail for the sake of Taiwan, so the government must at least grant him that, Chen said. Asked if he knew how many Taiwanese spies, formal or informal, were still serving jail terms on the mainland, Chen said: As far as I know, there are still about 100 there. Now president of a civic group helping retired secret agents and families of those who died during their missions, Chen owns a restaurant in Taipei and has hired a number of those people. I want to devote my time fighting for the rights of the retirees and families of those sacrificed in the missions because I understand how they feel, he said. This article Taiwanese spymaster looks back on killing that led to end of islands martial law 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: Indonesian authorities on Monday launched an investigation after a police force chief admitted an officer wrapped a live snake around a terrified suspect in a bid to force a confession. Shocking viral footage emerged online showing an alleged pickpocket -- handcuffed and sitting on the floor barefoot -- screaming hysterically as another officer shouts abuse at a police station in restive Papua province. "How many times have you stolen a mobile phone?" he yells at the unidentified suspected thief, who appears to be cowering in fear. "Only two times," the suspect says in response. At one stage, the officer appears to try to shove the snake into the man's mouth, while others are heard laughing in the background during the undated video. "An officer is now being questioned by Papua police internal affairs division," Papua police spokesman Ahmad Mustofa Kamal told AFP Monday. He did not identify the officer or say if others present would be investigated. Tonny Ananda Swadaya, the police chief in Jayawijaya district, where the incident took place, apologised in a statement Sunday. But he added that the suspect was not in physical danger from the snake. "The snake was tame and not poisonous or dangerous and the incident was their own idea so they could get admission of guilt as quick as possible," Swadaya said in a statement. "We will work more professionally in the future," he added. Police did not say what kind of snake was used. Indonesian security forces have been repeatedly accused of using excessive force and committing rights abuses against Papua's ethnic Melanesian population including extrajudicial killings of activists and peaceful protestors. Human rights lawyer Veronica Koman said the video confirmed what some jailed Papuan activists have reported in the past. "They have long known that snakes are being used by police and the military (in interrogations)," she said. "So they're not surprised" by the video. Papua, one of Indonesia's poorest region, has seen several spasms of violence over the past year, including in December when at least 16 employees of a state-owned company -- who were building bridges in a major infrastructure push for the impoverished region -- were killed by separatist rebels. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo voiced hope Monday that renewed American engagement with Hungary's Viktor Orban would help steer the increasingly authoritarian leader away from Russian and Chinese influence. But Hungary's foreign minister retorted that Budapest was tired of the West's "enormous hypocrisy". Hungary, Russia's closest friend within the European Union, agreed with Pompeo to seek closer defence ties and cast itself as a natural ally for President Donald Trump's brand of nationalist politics. Pompeo had dinner with Orban on the first visit in seven years by a US secretary of state to Budapest, the first leg of his Central European tour. The US top diplomat opened his trip by meeting representatives of Hungarian civil society groups, who praised Pompeo for the show of support as their ability to promote human rights and transparency is steadily curtailed. Pompeo later told Orban's government that he would be upfront about concerns with Hungary and voiced worries about inroads of influence by both Russian President Vladimir Putin and China. "We must not let Putin drive wedges between friends in NATO," Pompeo said. "An authoritarian Russia will never be a friend to the freedom and sovereignty of smaller nations." Alluding to former president Barack Obama's cold shoulder to Orban, Pompeo said the United States had pushed Hungary into the arms of "folks who didn't share our values" and vowed to "compete for positive influence in the region". Pompeo, standing next to Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto at a joint news conference, said the US was "increasing support to help Hungary in its fight against corruption" and highlighted US help to train an independent media -- under fire from Orban. - 'Patriotic worldview' - The two countries said that they had concluded negotiations on a defence cooperation agreement -- which would let the US military operate more freely in Hungary, already a NATO ally. Szijjarto said the deal would be presented next week to a committee of the Hungarian parliament and also promised without specifics to increase Hungary's purchases of US arms. Closer defence ties are likely to irritate Putin, who visited Hungary twice last year. But Szijjarto also denounced criticism of Hungary's diplomacy, saying that the country of fewer than 10 million people was not in a position to reshape world politics. "When it comes to Russia, I told the Secretary as well, there is an enormous hypocrisy and political correctness in the European political arena," he said. He said that Hungary relied on Russia for 85 percent of its energy needs -- and noted that French President Emmanuel Macron took part in a major economic forum in Saint Petersburg last year. "We are fed up in a legitimate way that you usually portray us as having a tight relationship with Russia," he said. But Szijjarto said he was hopeful for closer relations under Trump, saying that Orban shared the US leader's "patriotic" worldview that includes curbs on migration, an emphasis on Christian identity and hostility to multilateral organisations. Just days before Pompeo's visit, Orban's office issued a statement assailing Hungarian-born US philanthropist George Soros, also a bete noire for the US right-wing, as it accused him of trying to turn Hungary into an "immigrant country". Trump has also voiced admiration for Putin, although his stance is largely rejected by the US establishment. - Concerns over Huawei - Regarding China, Szijjarto said that British and German contractors were involved in Hungary's agreement with Chinese telecom giant Huawei to build a fifth-generation mobile network. Pompeo said he had raised concerns about Huawei, whose senior officers have been arrested in US allies Canada and Poland. "If that equipment is co-located where we have important American systems, it makes it more difficult for us to partner alongside them," Pompeo said. "We want to make sure we identify (to) them the opportunities and the risks with using that equipment. And then they will get to make their decisions," he said. The United States warns that China could come to dominate the next wave of technology, with grave repercussions for the protection of individual data and the safety of infrastructure. Critics say that the United States is equally concerned about maintaining its commercial edge in technology. After Hungary, Pompeo will proceed to Slovakia, another NATO ally that has seen few recent senior US visitors. When local news outlets first reported that Dr. Suwaibah Muhammad Nasir was seeking US$1 million (RM4.1 million) in order to complete a Humanitarian Tour to Conquer 30 of the Worlds Tallest Towers, more than a few eyebrows were raised. For the uninitiated, Dr. Suwaibah likes to run up buildings, which is apparently a sport. She doesnt do it all that often though we did manage to track down a first place finish at KL Tower back in 1998 though for some reason she does have the moral support of the minister of defense, who showed up at an event last week, adding some hype t0 her mission. If that seems like way more money than would be necessary to run up 30 of the worlds tallest towers, you are not alone. Dr. Suwaibah, an honorary major in the Malaysian army, explained last week that she needed the funds to cover the high costs of accommodation, airline tickets, visa applications, and related matter to complete the mission, which will apparently require a 10-person team, including several air force personnel. Not buying any of this is internationally recognized, tower-running athlete Soh Wai Ching, a fellow Malaysian whos actually an elite athlete in the sport. Posting an article outlining Dr. Suwaibahs funding objective to his Facebook page, Soh, the only top-level Asian entrant in the upcoming Eiffel Tower run, wrote that for all of his races around the world, he only needed about 1/50th of what the good doctor was asking for. Including travel and accommodation, US$20,000 is enough to get the top-ranking athlete to not only the Eiffel Tower run in France, but also the Seoul Lotte Tower in Korea, Tapei 101 in Taiwan, the Empire State Building in the United States, and many other international locations. Echoing the sportsmans observations, Keow Wee Loong, another Malaysian tower runner currently based in Poland, pointed out that after having personally completed more than 30 tower runs, nothing remotely close to RM4 million had been necessary to accomplish his dream. Story continues This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Taking his criticisms a step further, he pointed out a variety of ways you could usefully spend a million US dollars, including buying 200,000 bags of rice for the poor, or funding the education of impoverished children. More importantly, he wondered aloud why Malaysian Defense Minister Mat Sabu felt the need to publicly endorse someone like Dr. Suwaibah, when athletes like Soh, who were actually setting international records, were being largely ignored when it came to national press and funding. There is nothing humanitarian about this personal goal, he wrote, with many of his and Sohs followers agreeing. After days of swirling criticism, Dr. Suwaibah fired back in Free Malaysia Today to clarify that the RM4 million was not for her: I dont want to pocket it, she said. She added that the money would also be used to fund refugee camps and welfare in the countries she is planning to visit though she did not specify which countries or causes she planned to donate to. Many of the countries listed on the worlds tallest buildings index dont actually, yknow, have refugee camps. She also reminded the public that she was crowned by the World Peace Community as a global peace ambassador, its [her] responsibility to see this through. Coconuts KL was unable to find an organization bearing that exact name; however, we did find an international organization named the World Peace Council, although according to their detailed Wikipedia page, they have no affiliates in Malaysia. This article, Netizens balk at athletes request of RM4 million for humanitarian world tour, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company. Want more Coconuts? Sign up for our newsletters! King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Dona Letizia will pay an official visit to Morocco on February 13 and 14, at the invitation of King Mohammed VI, announced on Monday the Ministry of the Royal Household, Protocol and Chancellery in a statement. The two Sovereigns will hold official talks and will preside over the signing of several agreements between the two countries, the statement said, adding that King Mohammed VI will host a dinner banquet in honor of his guests and their accompanying delegation. This visit reflects the depth and quality of bilateral relations, and the shared desire to consolidate the multidimensional strategic partnership between the two neighboring and friendly countries, the statement said. A bold streak of feminism ran through the Grammys gala on Sunday, as women artists dominated in the competition and on the concert stage -- while rappers Cardi B and Childish Gambino delivered a history-making night for hip-hop. Gambino -- the musical alter ego of actor Donald Glover -- posted four big wins for his provocative hit "This Is America," but did not attend the star-studded ceremony in Los Angeles. In any event, the night belonged to the ladies. One year after they were largely snubbed in major categories, and the head of the Recording Academy sparked outrage for telling them to "step up," they made their presence felt -- and heard. Country star Kacey Musgraves, one of the genre's most critically praised artists who infuses her classic twang with psychedelia, nabbed four prizes including an upset win for top Album of the Year honors for "Golden Hour." "I think that women have a really necessary perspective to art, to music and it's really nice to see that getting a chance to be included," Musgraves told journalists after the show. "It takes women having the balls to put out art that might not always be liked by everyone, but it also takes people on the other side of that to reach out and give those things a chance to be heard." English synth-pop star Dua Lipa bested a crowded field of female talent to take home the Grammy for Best New Artist. "I guess this year we really stepped up," she said. And rap's woman of the moment Cardi B certainly put her art out there -- she made history as the first solo woman to win a Grammy for Best Rap Album for her debut "Invasion of Privacy." The trembling star, fresh off a rousing performance of her hit "Money," delivered an emotional speech alongside her husband Offset of the rap trio Migos about making the album in the early days of her pregnancy. Gambino's win marked the first time a rap track won either Song of the Year, which honors best songwriting, or the Record of the Year award for best overall song. Musgraves' third studio album bested a crowded field of heavyweights for top honors including rappers Kendrick Lamar and Drake -- both of whom ended the night with just one win each. Gambino and Lamar skipped the ceremony, but Drake showed up -- and the Toronto rapper vented his frustration over a common complaint in recent years, that black hip-hop artists are not always given their due. "We play in an opinion-based sport, not a factual-based sport," Drake said as he accepted his lone award for Best Rap Song for his inescapable "God's Plan." "This is a business where sometimes it is up to a bunch of people that might not understand what a mixed race kid from Canada has to say." - Women on top - Host Alicia Keys got the show at the Staples Center off to an emphatic start when she introduced a few of her friends -- including former first lady Michelle Obama. Obama delighted the audience when she came on stage alongside Keys, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez and actress Jada Pinkett-Smith to deliver a strong message about diversity and female empowerment. Brandi Carlile -- this year's most nominated woman -- won her first three Grammys ever, in the Americana and American Roots categories. "Tonight gives me hope as a mother of two young daughters," she told journalists backstage. Pop diva Gaga -- sporting an off-the-shoulder silver number with a bold ruffle and thigh-high slit -- meanwhile won an award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for her heart-pounding hit "Shallow" from the blockbuster film "A Star Is Born." The song also won in the visual media group, and Gaga scored a third trophy for best pop solo performance for "Joanne." "I'm so proud to be a part of a movie that addresses mental health issues," said a tearful Gaga, who thanked her co-star and duet partner Bradley Cooper. "A lot of artists deal with that. And we got to take care of each other." - Vagina monologues - The night struck a positive note that some change may be afoot at the Recording Academy, which has faced intense backlash over its apparent struggle to embrace diversity. Rising pop star Camila Cabello opened the show with Ricky Martin, J Balvin and rapper Young Thug for an electric bilingual performance. Pop futurist Janelle Monae wowed the crowd with an edgy performance backed by an entourage of female dancers, dropping the line of the night: "Let the vagina have a monologue." And Lady Gaga delivered a stunning rendition of her hit "Shallow" -- in a decidedly Gaga-esque bejeweled catsuit and sky-high disco boots. Songstress Keys, a 15-time Grammy winner, was the first woman to host music's biggest night in 14 years. She performed a rollicking medley of classics on two pianos, while country legend Dolly Parton took the stage with Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and others after being honored for her musical and philanthropic contributions. Disco legend Diana Ross performed a birthday tribute to herself before Jennifer Lopez wowed with an exuberant ode to Motown that included inflections of salsa. Keys ended the feel-good show with a line to match: "Let's keep listening and loving each other." UOB Plaza. (File photo: Reuters/Edgar Su) By Jonathan Browning A former official at United Overseas Bank Ltd.s London branch is suing for unfair dismissal after saying he was denied a new job because he isnt Asian. Daniel Smith, who worked at Singapores third-largest bank for 23 years, said a manager told him that a candidate from southeast Asia was a better fit for a role. Smith said the minutes of the meeting were later altered when he questioned the comments, and he lost his position shortly afterwards. To have been overlooked for an alternative role, and discriminated in the way I was, is such a big letdown given everything I had given to the bank over what has been most of my adult working life, Smith said in a court filing. In U.K. employment cases, an award is capped at around 84,000 pounds ($109,000) unless a worker can show discrimination or that they were blowing the whistle on improper actions. UOBs lawyer said that Smith was kicking up dust to get a larger payout, and that the other candidate was simply better qualified. Smith, who was a senior officer in the banks treasury business, was initially asked to apply for new roles as the London branch ceased to offer clearing services. He said that the general manager Andy Cheah told him that hed been unsuccessful because the bank had found an Asian candidate who would fit into UOB well. While Cheah acknowledged that he had used the descriptive term that the candidate was Asian, he said her race and nationality has absolutely nothing to do with her selection. Under cross examination from Smiths lawyer, Cheah said he wanted to mentally prepare Smith for the fact that the candidate would be working alongside him in a small office. With hindsight it wasnt a great idea, he said. A spokeswoman for UOB declined to comment. Smith said UOB changed the minutes of the meeting that originally described how the candidate needed to fit into UOB which had a strong Asian influence, to read that the candidate needed an ability to fit into UOBs banking culture. Smith, who worked at UOB from 1993 to 2017, said he felt that he wasnt good enough just because I was not southeast Asian. 2019 Bloomberg L.P LOGIVAN raises US$5.5M, the largest funding round it has raised to date LOGIVAN plans to invest in the implementation of AI, data analysis, and human resource Founder and CEO Linh Pham at Hong Kongs RISE 2018 Vietnam-based logistics startup LOGIVAN announced that it has raised a US$5.5 million funding round from angel investors and venture capital firms across Asia, including Matrix Partners China founding Managing Partner David Su through his family office, and Jakarta-based Alpha JWC Ventures. In a press statement, the company said that the funding round is the largest LOGIVAN has raised to date. Last year, LOGIVAN closed two separate rounds of funding: A US$600,000 round in April from Insignia Ventures Partners and a US$1.75 million round from Ethos Partners, Vinacapital Ventures, and Insignia. With the latest funding round, the company has raised a total of US$7.9 million in funding at an undisclosed valuation. Vietnam is the next rising star in the growing Southeast Asia region and it is well poised to experience a similar growth trajectory as we witnessed over the past years in China. Vietnams logistics industry is highly fragmented, logistics costs make up 23 per cent of Vietnams GDP, with 90 per cent of trucks in Vietnam being owned by individuals. Given the success of Manbang, we believe that Logivan has the potential to emulate its success, David Su explained his reason for investing in LOGIVAN. Also Read: An overview of Vietnams venture capital industry With the new funding round, LOGIVAN plans to invest in data analysis and cross-platform integration to increase supply chain efficiency and optimise user experience. It will also invest in artificial intelligence (AI) application, truck-matching and pricing algorithms (to optimise the utilisation of empty returning trucks) as well as in human resource. LOGIVAn was founded in November 2017 by Cambridge University graduate Linh Pham to provide cargo transportation services between Vietnamese Northern and Southern provinces. In 2018, LOGIVAN said it has connected more than 22,000 transportation partners with every major commercial truck type with 10,000 shippers registered on its system. Story continues Image Credit: LOGIVAN The post LOGIVAN raises US$5.5M, the largest funding round it has raised to date appeared first on e27. The agreement for a second summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un was a "remarkable breakthrough" for peace negotiations on the Korean peninsula, President Moon Jae-in said Monday, but he acknowledged doubts remained over denuclearisation. The US President and North Korean leader are due to meet in Hanoi from February 27 to 28 following their landmark first summit in Singapore last June. That meeting -- the first-ever between the leaders of the US and North Korea -- produced a vaguely-worded document in which Kim pledged to work towards "the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula". But progress has since stalled with the two sides disagreeing over it means and analysts say tangible progress on denuclearisation will be needed if the talks are to avoid being dismissed as "reality TV". With the high-stakes summit now two weeks away, Pyongyang has yet to provide any official confirmation of the meeting in the Vietnamese capital. "For us, the era of peace and prosperity on the peninsula has drawn closer," said Moon in his first comments since the summit was announced. The meeting was a "remarkable breakthrough in the peace process on the Korean peninsula", the South Korean president added. But he acknowledged there were "still many doubts about whether the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and peace process can be concluded successfully". The leaders of the two Koreas and the US have persisted in talks over the issue because of "strong confidence in the direction history should take", added Moon, who has taken on the role of middle man between Pyongyang and Washington, trying to bridge the gap on denuclearisation talks. Security allies Seoul and Washington have at times pursued divergent approaches toward Pyongyang, with the dovish South Korean leader pursuing engagement while the United States insists pressure must be maintained until the North denuclearises. But Moon expressed gratitude to both Trump and Kim for their "unprecedented, bold diplomatic efforts", saying they were "crossing a sea of deep mistrust". Iran's president on Monday insisted "enemy" plots against the country would fail as vast crowds marked 40 years since the Islamic revolution at a time of heightened tensions with the United States. "The presence of people today on the streets all over Islamic Iran... means that the enemy will never reach its evil objectives," a defiant President Hassan Rouhani told those thronging Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) Square, decrying a "conspiracy" involving Washington. Chador-clad women, militia members in camouflage fatigues and ordinary citizens marched through the capital in freezing rain to commemorate the day in February 1979 that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ended millennia of royal rule. The routes leading up to the square were packed with people as loudspeakers blared revolutionary anthems and slogans. Life-size replicas of Iranian-made cruise and ballistic missiles stood in a statement of defiance after the US last year reimposed sanctions following its withdrawal from a deal on Tehran's nuclear programme. Rouhani lambasted calls from the United States and Europe for a fresh agreement to curb Iran's missile programme. "We have not, and will not, request permission from anyone for increasing our defensive power and for building all kinds of... missiles," he told the crowd. Speaking from a flower-festooned stage overlooking the square, the president warned that Iran was now far stronger than when it faced off against Saddam Hussein's Iraq in a devastating 1980-1988 war. "Today the whole world should know that the Islamic Republic of Iran is considerably more powerful than the days of the war," Rouhani said. Seemingly reaching out to his political critics within the country, the president added: "The more we allow different ideas, beliefs and (political) factions the stronger our system will be." A pre-prepared resolution was read out ahead of his speech that proclaimed "unquestioning obedience to the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei" and called US President Donald Trump an "idiot". In a tweet written on the anniversary that he also sent out in Farsi, Trump said the revolution had been a complete failure. "40 years of corruption. 40 years of repression. 40 years of terror. The regime in Iran has produced only #40YearsofFailure," he wrote. "The long-suffering Iranian people deserve a much brighter future," the American president added. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran that this year could be the last time it celebrates the anniversary if it attacks his country. "If this regime makes the awful mistake of trying to destroy Tel Aviv and Haifa, it will not succeed," he said. "However, this would be the last anniversary of the revolution that they celebrate." The events Monday were the culmination of official celebrations called the "10 Day Dawn" that marks the period between February 1, 1979 and February 11 when Shiite cleric Khomeini retuned from exile and ousted the shah's last government. The state has played up this year's anniversary as 40 is symbolic of maturity in the Islamic tradition and the age at which Prophet Mohammed received revelations from God. But despite the official festivities today's Islamic republic faces acute economic challenges as it struggles with a mix of domestic hardships and US sanctions. - 'Support the revolution' - State television offered blanket coverage of the commemorations, showing marches in cities ranging from Abadan in southwestern Iran to Mashhad in the northeast. Banners held by marchers or hung along the streets bore slogans including "Death to America", "Death to Israel", "we will trample on America", "forty yeas of challenge, forty years of US defeats". A number of Israeli and American flags were set on fire by the crowds. An anchor on state television warned of hostile foreign media trying to downsize the participation of Iranians in the march but expressed confidence that "they would be confounded by the unprecedented level of attendance". Those who took to the streets were bullish despite the economic problems in the country, made worse by Washington's punitive measures. Former public servant Saaghi insisted that it remained paramount for Iranians to stick by the revolution. "We are here to support the revolution," the 57-year-old pensioner, who refused to give his first name, told AFP at the event in Tehran. He compared the US sanctions and economic hardships to "riding a bicycle when someone puts a stick in the wheels" but pointed to advances in other fields as more than making up for them. "On the revolution's 40th anniversary we are at the top for scientific achievements like nanotechnology or accurate missiles," he said. Cleric Hossein Firouzi told AFP Iran's revolution had achieved everything it set out to in terms of military power, political identity and scientific achievements. "Iran has changed from a backwards nation to a world power," said the 50-year-old. The currently standalone app will be joined as one Grabs super app Albeit doing well with separate apps, Grab announces that it will integrate its standalone GrabFood into its Grabs main app in a bid to become a super app, something thats been repeatedly coined by the unicorn company. It will be done in the first half of this year. Also Read: Indogen Capital reveals plan to make 10 investments for 2019 Head of Grab Singapore Lim Kell Jay highlighted the advantages of having the two joined, as told by The Business Times. Grab said that it targets to become the leading in order volume for food delivery app in Singapore, leveraging on its wide selection of merchants and short delivery time. We have been working hard to build a customer base thats actively transacting on our main app, which is an advantage for our merchants. By our own estimates, an average user transacts 100 times a month, and the top two use cases are transport and food. This is something that the other players arent able to do, Jay said. Aside from integrating into one app, GrabFood reportedly plans to possibly open a central kitchen in the country, following rivals Foodpandas central kitchens in Woodlands and Mandai, as well as Deliveroos kitchen in Katong and Lavender. Currently, the company has a kitchen in Jakarta, Indonesia, facilitating popular food merchants from outside of Jakarta. Also Read: Blockchain-based e-KYC platform claims the throne at Binar Academy and Tokopedias Hack of Thrones Currently, Grab offers free delivery on 30 orders for just S$7.99 (US$5.88) a month, under the newly launched GrabClub subscription packages. GrabFood currently has over 4,000 merchants, compared to Deliveroos 4,500 merchants and Foodpandas 6,000 merchants. The post GrabFood to be integrated into Grabs main menu app appeared first on e27. Courtesy of QPPO QUEZON PROVINCE, Philippines At least 15 members of the New Peoples Army (NPA) are now being chased by soldiers and police in Infanta, Quezon after the terrorists burned four heavy equipment on Friday (February 8). Quezon Province Police Director PSSupt. Osmundo de Guzman said the heavy-duty vehicles three backhoes and a bulldozer were owned by Northern Builders Corporation. The units were being used for the road widening operations as part of the governments Kaliwa Dam project, according to Quezon Police Provincial Office Public Information Office (QPPO-PIO) PCInsp. Elizabeth Capistrano. Government forces in the area have been consistent in reminding communities, especially businesses, not to remit revolutionary taxes to the rebel group. Capistrano said it has helped greatly in deterring the terrorists from harassing the villagers. Pinag-iingat po natin ang ating mga kababayan sa Infanta. Ini-encourage din po na maging vigilant sa lahat ng oras at i-report po, she said. Makipag-tulungan sa ating kapulisan at para po para po kung may kaduda-dudang tao silang matatagpuan o ma-e-encounter sa lugar ay maari pong ipagbigay alam, she added. Investigation on the burning incident is ongoing. Marje Pelayo (with reports from Japhet Cablaida) The post Govt forces pursue NPA rebels responsible for burning heavy-duty vehicles appeared first on UNTV News. Retired General Ronald dela Rosa (R) on the program Get It Straight with Daniel Razon QUEZON CITY, Philippines Retired General Ronald dela Rosa admits that law and order remains his top priority even as a private individual. Now that he is trying his luck in re-entering government service, the former chief of the Philippine National Police said he wants to propose measures that will maintain law and order in the country as this is one way of boosting the countrys economy and improving the lives of Filipinos. Mag-concentrate ako dito sa aking cup of tea, na law and order kasi alam natin, economy will follow. Pag maganda ang peace and order ng isang bansa, susunod ang investment, Dela Rosa said in an interview with the program Get It Straight with Daniel Razon on Monday (February 11). As the former top law enforcer in the country, Dela Rosa said he is in favor of lowering the criminal age of responsibility from 15 to 12 years old. However, he suggests that the government should provide more rehabilitation facilities for juvenile delinquents. Magkakaroon ng foreign investment, local investors. Magi-invest sila ng pera dahil confident sila. Kung may investment, may employment. Kapag may employment, may income ang tao. Kapag may income, may makakain sa kani-kaniyang pamamahay so gaganda ang buhay ng tao pag may laman ang tiyan, he added. To further intensify national security, he will propose the registration of subscriber identification module (SIM) cards and regulate its distribution as a way to counter terrorism. He also promised to campaign against loose firearms across the country. Meanwhile, Gen. Bato said he feels sorry for the deaths caused by the governments war on drugs under his leadership of the PNP. Nevertheless, he feels relieved every time there are people who thank him for the reform and improvements since the launch of the Duterte administrations campaign against illegal drugs. May lalapit sa iyo at yayakap: Sir, maraming salamat sa ginagawa ninyo. Malaki na po pagkakaiba ngayon. Noon po takot na takot kami. Ngayon hindi na po kami takot, baligtad na. Noon, nagtatago kami sa loob ng bahay, ayaw naming lumabas sa kalsada. Ngayon baligtad na, kami na nasa kalsada. Ang mga addict na ang nagtatago sa bahay dahil baka makita ng pulis, he said of the people who approach him to recognize his accomplishments. Very fulfilling. Napalapit ko, (ang) pulis sa taumbayan, he concluded happily. Marje Pelayo (with reports from Rosalie Coz) The post GIS EXCLUSIVE: Ret. Gen. Ronald dela Rosa eyes measures to maintain law and order if elected appeared first on UNTV News. (L-R) President Rodrigo Duterte and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe MANILA, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte expressed willingness to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo. The statement was made following Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kanos state visit to the Philippines from February 9 to 11 wherein he stated Japans plan of opening its labor market to qualified Filipinos. Meanwhile, there are no reports yet as to when the president plans to visit Japan again. We will be waiting for the response of the Japanese prime minister, Panelo said. Rosalie Coz The post Duterte wants to meet with PM Shinzo Abe anew appeared first on UNTV News. Morocco is among the top four fastest-growing international destinations for US travelers, according to travel insurance comparison site Squaremouth, which has released its latest list of the rising destinations worldwide. While last years top spots were Iceland, Portugal and Vietnam, this year has brought an entirely new list of popular destinations including Morocco as the 2nd most popular holiday destination. According to Squaremouth experts, Morocco boasts the stunning landscapes of the Sahara and the winding medina of Marrakesh, so its no surprise that travelers are flocking to the country. Last year, it saw a 72.81 pc increase in visitors. Its also a bit cheaper than its fellow North African countries, as the average trip for a US traveler cost $3673.32, a 6.76 pc increase. Egypt ranked first as US travelers are heading back to this country in huge numbers, the UN even declared it the fastest-growing tourist destination in the world in 2018. Tanzania got the 3rd place. This destination, which saw a 61.45 pc increase in US travelers, offers adventure tourists incredible wildlife in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro, a chance to climb Mt Kilimanjaro, or even hit the beach in Zanzibar. Colombia ranked the fourth best popular destination for US travelers. With landscapes ranging from mountains, beaches and jungles, this South American country is enticing more visitors, with a 59.33 pc increase. It is attracting tourists who want to explore the wealth of natural, archaeological and cultural sites throughout the country. In Parliament on Monday (11 February), Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen (right) shared more information on the military training incident that led to the death of local actor Aloysius Pang (left.) (PHOTOS: Reuters, Yahoo News Singapore) At the time of the military training incident that led to the death of local actor Aloysius Pang, the two other Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel who were servicing an artillery weapon with him were similarly qualified to carry out their duties, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen in Parliament on Monday (11 January). The two other men were a gun commander with the rank of Third Sergeant (3SG) and a regular technician with the rank of Military Expert 2 (ME2), said Ng who was delivering a Ministerial Statement on national service training deaths and enhanced safety measures to be undertaken by the SAF. The former was serving his eighth In-Camp Training (ICT) stint at the time, while the latter has eight years experience working on the vehicle a Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer (SSPH). They have since been removed from their operational roles and redeployed. At the time of the incident, the 28-year-old Pang, an armament technician from the 268th Battalion Singapore Artillery, was one of more than 500 soldiers participating in Exercise Thunder Warrior in New Zealand. He was serving his seventh ICT stint and had been trained to perform maintenance work and repairs for the SSPH since he was a full-time national serviceman. In his previous ICT, he attended a two-day refresher course, which covered safety procedures during gun movements, and also underwent refresher training on maintenance tasks in New Zealand prior to the incident that took his life. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Crush injuries to chest, abdomen Corporal First Class (CFC) (NS) Pangs death on 23 January was the the fourth SAF-training related fatality in 16 months, from September 2017 to January this year. He suffered crush injuries to his chest and abdomen on 19 January after being caught between the end of the gun barrel, known as a flick rammer, and the interior of a SSPH that he and the two other men were servicing. Despite undergoing three operations, his condition worsened and he was placed on artificial life support at the intensive care unit in New Zealands Waikato Hospital where he later died. Story continues Following Pangs death, top SAF commanders called for an army-wide safety timeout as well as a reduction in training tempo across the army, navy and the air force. The timeout, which was partially lifted last Thursday, is one of the longest ever imposed in the SAF. They also announced the formation of an Inspector-Generals Office (IGO), which will have the power to conduct inspections and audits of safety processes and practices across the SAF. The IGO will report directly to the Chief of Defence Force. A five-man Committee of Inquiry (COI) was convened on 25 January to investigate the circumstances leading to Pangs death. Qualified personnel, refresher training Photos showing the positions that should be taken by a Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzers four-man crew while the vehicles gun barrel is raised (left) and when it is lowered (right). (PHOTO: Mindef) Some 17 Members of Parliament had filed 20 parliamentary questions on the incident, covering issues such as the experience and state of the maintenance crew, safety procedures and whether there might be a design flaw in the SSPH. Dr Ng showed the House a video of the safety drill that must be carried out during the lowering of the SSPH gun barrel. It takes about nine seconds for the gun to be lowered to the horizontal position for maintenance, during which the members of the maintenance crew must occupy safe positions within the cabin. The safe positions are meant to be occupied by the gun commander, ammunition loader and charge loaders inside the vehicle. All three persons who were in the cabin in this incident had been trained specifically on the SSPH and had conducted similar maintenance on it in the past. During the exercise, both CFC (NS) Pang and the regular technician had conducted maintenance works on the guns daily, said Dr Ng. He noted that during Exercise Thunder Warrior, Pang had been involved in the preparation of more than 10 SSPHs, which included servicing and maintaining of the guns. Inspections of the SSPH have not detected any machine malfunction of the gun lowering mechanism, added the minister. Dr Ng noted that the SSPH was designed and developed to meet international military standards, and underwent extensive trials and evaluations from 2000 to 2002 before its introduction in 2003. Over the last 15 years, more than 1,000 national servicemen and regulars have been trained to operate the SSPH, and about 12,500 rounds fired. There has not been any reported injury of servicemen due to the gun lowering for maintenance, or operating in or firing of the SSPH. The minister pointed out that many other militaries operate tracked 155mm guns with similar gun lowering mechanisms, including the US, South Korea and Germany. Committee of Inquiry convened The COI panel comprises a judge nominated by the State Courts; a consultant medical specialist; a member of the External Review Panel on Singapore Armed Forces Safety (ERPSS); a member of the Workplace Safety and Health Council; and a senior-ranked NSman. While the COI has started its investigation, Dr Ng stressed that as CFC (NS) Pangs death occurred in New Zealand, neither the police force nor the State Coroner have jurisdiction for deaths outside Singapore. Investigations to determine any culpability in this case will be left to SAFs Special Investigation Branch (SIB) which has jurisdiction under military law. Based on SIBs investigations, the Chief Military Prosecutor will decide if any servicemen are to be prosecuted for criminal or military offences in a military court, said Dr Ng. He added, We owe it to CFC (NS) Pang and his family, indeed to all Singaporeans, to get to the bottom of what happened, and make things right, to ensure the safety of the NS training system as a whole. At a Parliamentary sitting last May, Dr Ng said that there has been an average of one NS training-related death a year over the past two decades. He also noted that there were no training-related deaths from 2013 to 2016. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Related stories: Timeline: Death of actor Aloysius Pang and his return to Singapore Aloysius Pangs death: Dont cry, mom. If you cry, I will cry too PHOTOS: Celebrities and fans mourn Aloysius Pang at his memorial Aloysius Pang suffered major trauma, complications were expected: Top army doctor Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer: What are the steps to operate it and who are involved? What to consider when building startups targeting expats Its more than just tourism and hospitality In the past few decades, Southeast Asia has played host to a significant number of expats from the east to the west. According to some estimates, there are 500,000 to one million expats in Thailand alone. Over a quarter of residents in Singapore, the financial powerhouse in the region, are expats. The Malaysian capital city of Kuala Lumpur has been regarded among the friendliest cities in Asia for expats. This is not a one-way street. Thousands of citizens from countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam have migrated to countries like the United States and the United Kingdom in search of opportunities. The expat populations on both sides have unique needs that traditional businesses may not be able to fulfil. For example, online health portals that enable customers to book health checkups are not exactly new. However, expats have a tough time ensuring the well-being of their old parents back in their home country. OurHealthMate is a startup targeted solely at Indian expats in countries like Singapore where they can book health checkups and keep tabs on the health of their parents back home in India. This service addresses a problem unique to expats that is not rectified by traditional health and wellness startups. For instance, take Dee Money, a mobile app startup that enables easy remittances from Thailand abroad. This is quite popular among expats in Thailand to send money to their families back home. Traditionally, remittances are carried out through banks that require the sender to be a citizen, a long-term non-immigrant, or a permanent resident. This is where the company brings in an easy on-boarding service by providing a single-document-registration process. Remitting money home can be incredibly bureaucratic, and the startup offers a seamless mobile app based process that enables customers to connect their bank accounts with the app or use the unique QR code for this purpose. Story continues In addition to such startups with a niche targeting, there are also a number of online community startups targeting expat communities from specific countries and regions of the world. These startups have enabled new immigrants to transition to their new lives much more smoothly than their predecessors. As evident, there is an incredible opportunity here in solving problems that uniquely impact expats in Asia or elsewhere. But, there are also challenges that come with regulations in international commerce. How do you go about identifying the problems and finding the right solutions? Here are a few tips. Assessing the size of the market One of the biggest challenges with operating a startup targeting expats is that you do not have complete control over your customer base. The best example here is the case of expats from countries like Syria and Iran who were banned from the United States earlier under the Trump regime. This regime also caused a steady decline in the number of expats from other countries like India, China, Philippines and Vietnam. Also Read: AI-based digital music discovery platform Musiio secures US$1M seed round If you are an American startup targeting one of these niche expat communities, your business may quickly turn volatile due to such external factors. It is a good idea then to target communities that have enjoyed a steady presence in the host countries. This could be Indian and Chinese communities in Singapore, or tourists in Thailand countries like Singapore and Thailand rely heavily on expats for their economy and are thus more unlikely to change policies impacting their cash cows. Navigating the regulations If you are a startup targeting Chinese expats in Malaysia, should you incorporate in Malaysia or China? Also, if your business is a sort of a marketplace that brings users from two different countries together, how do you go about doing this without having to be physically present in both countries? There are tons of regulations that every country has with respect to money moving out. This creates barriers that can affect your startup. For instance, using online ad networks in your incorporated country could be cheaper than advertising outside since that could incur additional taxes depending on your location. Each business is unique, and regulations differ based on where you are located, and which nationalities you want to target. It is a good idea to hire an international tax consultant to advise you on the regulations before you decide to incorporate. Talent acquisition Depending on your offering, your startup may experience challenges in finding the right talent. For instance, a niche Thailand startup targeting Chinese expats might need to hire workers who not only possess expertise in the industry you operate in but also proficient in Mandarin. This automatically brings down the size of your talent pool, and also potentially increase hiring costs. Also Read: IOT-based bike-sharing service GOWES launched in Semarang, Indonesia You may, of course, look at contract workers from abroad or open satellite offices in the target country. However, there is no denying the fact that these are less-than-ideal alternatives and may present new challenges. Building a startup targeting expats is not that easy. But these challenges also create a barrier to entry that helps you build a captive market that increases your probability of success. It is a good idea to consider all the technical and legal challenges of operating your startup before going ahead and incorporating your business. Photo by Tommaso Pecchioli on Unsplash e27 publishes relevant guest contributions from the community. Share your honest opinions and expert knowledge by submitting your content here. The post What to consider when building startups targeting expats appeared first on e27. SINGAPORE (Feb 11): APAC Realty said it is making headway in its Southeast Asia expansion plans. In Indonesia, the group has partnered with current ERA Indonesia CEO, Darmadi Darmawangsa, and the management team, to fund the acquisition of the Indonesia country master franchise operations from its current shareholders. In Thailand, the group has entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with Voradet Sivatachanon, CEO and Managing Director of Thailands master franchise operations, to collaborate on the growth and development of the real estate brokerage and franchise in Thailand. ERA Indonesia and ERA Thailand were established more than 25 years ago and are two of the groups longest running franchises in Asia. Jack Chua, CEO of APAC Realty, says, The latest developments in Indonesia and Thailand are a continuation of steady inroads that APAC Realty has made in deepening our regional business presence. These demonstrate the effectiveness of our strategic expansion plan that is built on the strength of the ERA global franchise network and the flexibility of the master franchise model, which enables us to grow our regional network and presence in a capital-efficient manner. Shares in APAC Realty last traded at 50 cents on Friday. Amid the slow pace of IPOs, the lure of private-equity funding, and a string of corporate scandals, it might seem like the local stock market has seen better days. Our distinguished roundtable panellists do not entirely share that perspective, but they do see some big challenges ahead. SINGAPORE (Nov 26): The health and vibrancy of the local stock market has always been close to the hearts of everyone at The Edge Singapore. Our reporting on the corporate sector has traditionally been done from the perspective of stock market investors. Unfortunately, it seems like the local market isnt the way it used to be, says Ben Paul, editor-at-large of the newspaper, as he kicked off a roundtable discussion, The Future of the Local Stock Market, held on Nov 13. Im not just talking about the level of stock prices, or even the trading volumes in the market. Im talking about the general interest that people seem to have in the market. Its not quite the way it used to be as in the 1990s and early 2000s. Indeed, the stock market hardly comes up in casual conversation the way it used to. When the topic does come up, the same questions are often asked: Are public markets losing out to private equity? Why have retail investors in Singapore lost interest in stocks? Are Singapore companies living up to the public markets expectations? Helping us understand what is happening to the local market was a distinguished panel of individuals from across the corporate sector. From the Singapore Exchange was Chew Sutat, executive vice-president and head of equities and fixed income, and Tan Cheng Han, chairman of SGXs regulatory arm, SGX RegCo. From the fund management sector were Nicholas Hadow, head of institutional sales, Singapore, at Aberdeen Standard Investments and chairman of Investment Management Association of Singapore (IMAS), and Lai Yeu Huan, senior portfolio manager at Nikko Asset Management. And rounding off the list of high-powered names were legal eagle Stefanie Yuen Thio, co-managing partner at TSMP Law Corporation, and Harold Woo, president of the Investor Relations Professionals Association of Singapore (IRPAS). Story continues Rose-tinted glasses Retail participation hasnt really declined, and is consistent with that at the Hong Kong Exchange, where retail participation is also about 20% of the market, Chew says. He adds that the 1990s and early 2000s were periods of the super bull run, with the Central Limit Order Book system and the dotcom bubble, respectively. Of course, everyone on the street was talking about stocks. Unfortunately, what tends to happen after these kinds of periods is a lot of tears and pain, he says. Its always easy to see the past through rose-tinted glasses When you look back, it all looks good, because it used to be exciting. The assertion that the capital markets havent grown over the last two decades is a false one. When I look at the markets today, where everyone bemoans a lack of liquidity, we actually have trading volumes that are far larger than in the 1990s or early 2000s. Picking up on Chews point, Hadow too disputes the commonly held view that Singapore has not grown as a capital-raising centre. While IPOs may have been a bit scarce, the secondary market raisings remain remarkably strong, he says. Were seeing in the institutional space, in our own business [at Aberdeen], that the investment chain is getting longer. According to Chew, capital markets in Singapore raised US$360 billion ($494 billion) last year, including fixed income and secondary fundraising. We look at capital markets quite narrowly, as just IPOs, he says. For companies, it is really the ability to access supportive secondary fundraising that is key to going public. Otherwise, why bother with AGMs and dealing with Joe Public shareholders? And while he concedes that the number of IPOs has indeed fallen over the years, he clarifies that this is not a Singapore-specific phenomenon. Globally, the number of IPOs over time as public equities has come down, he notes. Far from languishing behind other markets around the world, Chew argues that Singapore has over the years developed a unique marketplace, playing to its strengths. We have had, on average, better valuations than many of our peers in Asia, and some very strong sectors where we have built niches for ourselves, he says. One of these successes has been in the real estate investment trust sector, in which Singapore has grown to be an international hub. Singapore does have certain areas in which it shines, says Lai, noting that Singapore companies are generally well managed and have corporate governance standards that are superior to other regional markets. Within certain sectors, such as REITs, it is very well structured, very clear and delivers very predictable yields. Chew points out that international investors account for some 70% of Singapores REIT market, which is highly unusual. For example, he says, the REIT markets in Japan, Australia and the US are mostly domestic. Thats international investors cornerstones from Japan all the way through to Europe and the US doing international transactions in Singapore because international investors trust Singapore. The way Woo, who was formerly head of investor relations at property group CapitaLand, sees it, there are a number of success factors that have contributed to the growth of Singapores REIT sector. First of all, you had a very strong regulatory framework. And, obviously, there was a very good demographic of investors looking for yield. I think the third factor would be that you had very strong sponsors. Lastly, you have created a strong track record, he says. Even then, it has not always smooth sailing for Singapores REIT market. There is also the issue of small and mid-sized REITs in Singapore that have had trouble growing, and eventually give up trying to grow in the public market and drop out. As Woo explains, REITs often need to have deep pockets to succeed here. Its interesting that in real estate certainly in Asia a lot of real estate is actually held by family, big groups, and because of whatever reasons, its very difficult to acquire assets from a third party. Nobody wants to sell to you, he says. So, the only way is, you need the financial strength to grow your own tree, so to speak. Despite the relative success of certain niche segments, such as REITs, in propping up a vibrant market, the Singapore market still seems to have lost its lustre. Watching the pendulum swing I practise in the space of IPOs, [and] the talk on the street is a lot people would rather list in Hong Kong, for reasons other than the vibrancy of the stock market, says Yuen Thio. Theres also talk about how theres over regulation in the Singapore market. It costs too much to stay listed in the Singapore market; there isnt sufficient institutional or local investor base support in the Singapore market. I remember back then [in the 1990s] when the IPOs were so over-subscribed, there would be pictures of boardrooms filled with balloting envelopes and people would go in and pluck one from here and one from there. You dont hear of that in the IPO markets anymore. Nowadays, there is difficulty filling the book. It used to be 90% public tranche, 10% placement tranche. It is now the other way around. Chew explains that this is not a Singapore-specific phenomenon but can also be found in Australia, Hong Kong, the US and London. But the issue is a real one, because the perception and impression is: Hang on, if I go to a much larger market like Hong Kong, there are so many investors there, I would get something, he says. Companies that have gone to Hong Kong [find] its not El Dorado. Indeed, the way Tan sees it, the problem could be one of perception amid changing times. The reality of it is that the entire Singapore community has changed. When I grew up, frankly, we were looking at 7% to 8% growth every year. And you know, one year when you were talking 6%, it was such a disaster. Today, we can average just 3% every year, and you would think thats pretty good already, he says. In the past, you could throw a stone [at any stock in the market] and you would make money. Because everybody was being levelled up by a vibrant economy: Singapore in the growth phase. Today, its at a very, very different stage, so people are not so excited. He adds: [Now,] it just doesnt have the same buzz, because a lot of the plays today are much more dividend-based than growth-based, compared with the past. So, I think its partly a matter of perception But it is this perception and the changes that have perhaps driven companies to private-equity funding. To be sure, the slowdown in stock market activity has been in no small part attributable to the rise in preference for private-equity markets. In the last couple of decades, we have seen a lot of alternative ways of financing, says Chew. We are seeing certainly in the last five to six years a lot of capital allocated to private markets. But he thinks the pendulum will eventually swing back to the public market. The ebb and flow between the public and private markets have always been constant. There have been times in the past when public markets have done better, and there have been times in the past when private markets have done better, he says. There is always the right time, right place and right type of capital structure, he says. While private markets create the illusion of the opportunity to invest without the mark-to-market, Chew says this does not always pan out, as companies will still be subject to what investors are willing to pay for them both in the public or private spaces. What we do see certainly is there are a lot of different kinds of mechanisms and avenues available to investors to invest in new and different types of structures. And we at the exchange are obviously trying to ensure that we have the right levels of access to these opportunities, and the right levels of ability to create structures that can help many of these private companies eventually exit to the public markets, he says. He adds: At some point, private capital is going to require liquidity beyond can we please get Series D earlier? At some point, they are going to require liquidity options, which is why we work with CapBridge. We hope, through our interactions with CapBridge as a corporate finance fundraiser, that some of these companies will eventually be pipelined into listings. Private capital platform CapBridge on Nov 22 received approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to operate a securities exchange. At the same time, companies that have been forgotten by the public markets, so to speak [could] privatise the company, do something else with it and again be able to create new value and come back to the public markets, Chew says. Before the public market can flourish again, however, steps need to be taken to address a seeming lack of liquidity. While Singapore has grown rapidly as a wealth management hub, it still struggles to be seen as a capital-raising centre. Theres an argument on the street that theres insufficient internal sovereign wealth support for our listed companies. And SMEs [small and medium-sized enterprises] are not getting the support that they need, says Yuen Thio. There was a time when I first started out, that GIC was Singapore money that was invested overseas, and made sure that Singapores capital was well protected and diversified geographically [while] Temasek was invested internally here to develop the stock market. And there were Temasek-linked companies, which were the governments and the Singapore funds way of making sure that the Singapore market was well developed. Temasek has now gone overseas as well, for whatever commercial reasons it may have. According to Lai, the fact that Temasek has not really supported the listed environment is something that firms such as Nikko do take into account. I wish some of these larger assets that the government has can find themselves to the market companies such as Changi Airports and PSA, even though its challenged by many ports in Asia. But a structure like an infrastructure trust can be created out. I would like to see from the government a lot more consideration in developing the local capital markets, he says. Hadow brings up another point: monies held under the Central Provident Fund. One of our problems here is the whole structure and the whole thing about CPF, because thats where most retail wealth resides in this country. It is incredibly immobile, very static money, he says. Many of my competitors would come here thinking: There are billions in CPF, which should be available, addressable for investment. They are not. Yet, Hadow points out that the wealth management sector in Singapore is distinctive and offers some hope for the markets. Now, its not the fact that the money is here that is important, because that money is invested around the region, if not around the world The really important thing to attract companies here is that the wealth allocators, the capital allocators [are also here]. The way Hadow sees it, there are two hot spots for investors in Asia: Hong Kong and Singapore. I think my money will be on here longer term, [and] for more of it to be here. You go where the people who decide where the money goes [are], he says. And thats why I will still be relatively optimistic. With good regulation, with the growing ecosystem generally, we will do okay here, and the pendulum will swing. Gaps in the system Hand in hand with working up interest in the public market, Singapore also has to grapple with falling investor sentiment amid a spate of controversies. For instance, the penny stock crash saga of 2013 dubbed the largest stock manipulation case in Singapores history rattled investor confidence as $8 billion in value was wiped out from the stock market almost overnight. Then last year, Keppel Corp, one of the largest and most trusted Singapore conglomerates, was slapped with massive fines for paying bribes in Brazil. Meanwhile, minority shareholders who have exercised their rights to question the boards of companies they are invested in have been threatened with defamation suits. I think it is natural for a large business centre to have a lot of cases, to have things go wrong, says Yuen Thio. Singapore tends to be the holding company for a lot of these businesses, so it naturally flows up to the mothership. But I dont think Singapore is where the lawlessness is actually happening. Its just where its felt because this is where they are listed. Tan, who was formerly dean of the Faculty of Law at the National University of Singapore (NUS), believes the law does try to maintain a sensible balance when it comes to defamation suits. We are in a sense a litigious society when it comes to defamation, because of the philosophy behind it. [But looking] at defamation law, I dont think it really poses that much of a problem, he says. For example, he explains that investors or analysts can point out and pose fair questions, which the market can then draw inferences from. But the moment you go beyond that and allege as a fact that there is accounting fraud involved, youve got to be able to justify it. Because you cant say that, just because someone operates in the public space, that gives everybody the licence to make every allegation possible against such a person with no possibility of a comeback, he says. But does Singapore have the right sorts of laws and enforcement mechanisms to deal with issues as they come up? Or, do things need to be changed? And, how far can we go when it comes to keeping everyone in line? On this point, Yuen Thio believes there could be gaps in the system. What Singapore does rely too much on is to have MAS or [the Commercial Affairs Department] be the only enforcement agent, she says. We dont have sufficient laws that allow independent shareholder activism to come forward [unless] you have a minority shareholder with deep pockets, as Noble Group did Minority shareholders who think something has gone wrong in the company face a lot of hurdles. Among the difficulties, Yuen Thio says, is the high costs incurred to take legal action against a listed company. If you dont allow minority action lawsuits, class action lawsuits in Singapore, you will have a problem, because you will not be able to fund [the action against a listed company]. If you are not able to come to that, then shareholders again are hamstrung. So, unless you are a very rich private-equity or fund firm that is able to pay for the litigation it will take, you will have a problem. Thats the missing piece in Singapore. Adapt or die Looking ahead, Chew believes SGX displays signs of a healthy market. However, he says it takes a village for us to be able to create the market that we want, that we all want, here. I have listed companies that will come and say: You know what? My valuations and my liquidity suck. No one is buying my stock, no one is covering me, Chew says. He would like to pose these questions to them, in turn: Do you want, dear CEO of a listco, to talk to The Edge? Do you want to talk to brokers? Do you want to get yourself covered? Do you want to participate in our roadshows for different segments and investors? He continues: Very often, you find that the answer is No. Indeed, the problem for some companies might be that they are not ready to be a public-listed company in the first place. Woo explains that, often, smaller companies fail to see the value of investor relations. I think its the mindset. But I have handled a couple of companies recently, particularly the ones that entered the market through a reverse takeover I think they are not ready to be a listed company. They encounter a storm and they try to find a shortcut. They are limited in resources; they dont believe in committing to a good strategy because they are very impatient. And they want to get their money back to cover the premium they paid. [But] sometimes, life doesnt work out that way. That said, there is a general belief that SGX will continue to do well. In terms of quality, I would say that Singapore companies, compared with our Asean neighbours, are certainly of very high quality. They may not be the most exciting in terms of growth but from time to time, we would have very exciting stories, says Lai. We may just have to dig a little bit deeper. Says Tan: Sometimes I just wonder whether the complaints are really ultimately about the fact that the markets have changed, and the people involved in the market have not changed sufficiently together with it. But [if] that is in essence the complaint, then really its a complaint that can lead to no good outcome... People just have to adapt. This story first appeared in The Edge Singapore (Issue 858, week of Nov 26). Han Kwee Juan was CEO for Citibank Singapore from February 2012. Source: Citibank Citibank Singapore CEO Han Kwee Juan has resigned after 27 years with the bank. Vikas Kumar, Citibanks head of cards and personal loans, will be the interim country business manager while it seeks a replacement, according to a statement from the bank Monday (11 February). The news of Hans resignation was announced in an internal staff memo on Friday (8 February), a bank employee told Yahoo Finance Singapore. Han assumed the role of chief executive officer in February 2012. Before that, he was head of retail banking, where he led the overall strategy for the business, including wealth management, as well as the branch and ATM distribution network. Han started his career with the bank as an intern in 1990 before becoming a management associate in 1991. He has held various senior positions at the bank. Citibank said Han had served a member in various committees in the banking industry. He previously sat on the board of directors for Citicorp Investment Bank (Singapore) Limited and Citicorp Trustee (Singapore) Limited from 2006 to 2012, and was a board member of the Singapore Clearing House Private Limited from 2006 to 2010. During his long career, Kwee Juan held many leadership roles within Citis institutional and consumer banking businesses. He played a key role in building the Citi franchise in Singapore, said Amol Gupte, Head of ASEAN & Citi country officer, Singapore. Han holds a Bachelor of Computer Science and Information Systems degree from the National University of Singapore and a Masters of Banking and Finance from Nanyang Technological University. To join DBS in April In a separate statement, DBS Group announced Han will be joining the bank as group head of strategy and planning in April. Han will report to CEO Piyush Gupta and will also be a member of the group management committee, according to a statement Monday. He will assume the role previously held by Shee Tse Koon, who moved on to become DBS Singapore country head in December 2018. "State of Phone Justice: Local jails, state prisons and private phone providers" | Main | Acting AG Whitaker makes the case that "law enforcement works" Late last week, Judge Morris Hoffman penned this notable Wall Street Journal essay headlined "A Judge on the Injustice of Americas Extreme Prison Sentences: The duty to punish criminals comes with an obligation not to punish them more than they deserve." I recommend the piece in full, and here are excerpts: Many people have celebrated Congresss recent passage of the First Step Act, which, among other things, retroactively reduced penalties for some federal drug offenses. But it did very little to address the American epidemic of overly long prison sentences. Today, we lead the Western world in average length of prison sentences, at 63 months. According to the Justice Policy Institute, Canadas average is four months, Finlands 10, Germanys 12 and even rugged, individualistic Australias is just 36. These numbers are even more striking considering that the modern prison is an American invention and the average sentence started out at a few months, not years. The Quakers invented prisons in the late 1700s as a more humane alternative to death or banishment, then the punishments for virtually all serious crimes. But the penitentiary wasnt intended to be a criminal warehouse. Criminals were expected to work, pray and think about their crimes to be penitent about them in a kind of moral rehabilitation. Virtually every new American state that adopted this form of punishment soon passed laws requiring confinement to include hard labor, but for short durations. A 1785 New York statute was typical: It limited all nonhomicide prison sentences to six months. Alexis de Tocqueville, whose visits to America began with a tour of U.S. prisons in 1831, wrote, In no country is criminal justice administered with more mildness than in the United States. But over the next 150 years, America went from mildest punisher to harshest. The reasons for this shift are complicated, but they include a dash of progressive naivete, a bit of blind faith in the power of deterrence and large dollops of political neglect..... [T]the relationship between longer sentences and falling crime rates is complex and nonlinear. At some point, crime rates become unresponsive to increased punishment. If we sentenced aggravated robbers to 70 years, then increased that to 80, not even the most committed believer in deterrence would expect those additional 10 years to further reduce robberies. The enormous leverage of prosecutors in plea bargaining is undoubtedly a factor in the explosion of sentence lengths. But the real problem is the sentence ranges created by legislatures, not the particular sentences within those ranges imposed by judges or driven by plea bargains. Dont get me wrong. Im not one of those apologists who thinks that criminal law is fundamentally immoral or that a bad environment excuses bad actions. I am what we in the business call a retributivist. I dont punish people primarily to cure them or to deter others. I punish them mainly because those who intentionally harm others deserve to be punished, in no small part to earn their way back into the social fold. But if retribution offers a moral justification for punishment, it also imposes limits. W e have a duty to punish wrongdoers, but that duty comes with the obligation not to punish criminals more than they deserve. Much of our criminal-justice system has lost that moral grounding, and our use of prisons has become extreme. We dishonor victims of crimes that merit severe punishment when we sentence less serious crimes just as harshly. What do I tell the surviving relatives of a victim of second-degree murder when they see her killer sentenced to less time than someone who robbed a crowded restaurant?... It wont be easy. No one gets elected by calling for shorter prison sentences. Critics will warn that releasing prisoners earlier is unsafe, and in some cases it would be. But as a policy matter, there is simply no evidence that, say, a 70-year sentence for aggravated robbery does more than a 30-year one to deter other potential robbers. Moreover, violent crime rates decrease rapidly as criminals age out of their 20s. Releasing a middle-aged prisoner earlier does pose more risk, of course, than keeping him behind bars, but that marginal danger will be very small indeed when we are comparing 30- and 70-year sentences.... As state and federal legislators ponder their next moves after the First Step Act, they should consider lowering historically extreme sentences for some offenses, including violent ones. It would not only be sensible public policy but would also help return our criminal law to its moral roots. Experts from Safety Detective discovered thousands of refrigeration systems made by Resource Data Management (RDM) exposed to remote attacks. Thousands of instances of a temperature control system made by Resource Data Management (RDM) are exposed to remote attacks because they were using default passwords and failed in implementing other security measures. The vulnerable instances are used by organizations from several industries, including healthcare providers and supermarket chains such as Marks & Spencer, Ocado, and Way-On. The experts have found 7,400 devices exposed online by querying the Shodan search engine, most of them in Russia, Malaysia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Australia, Israel, Germany, the Netherlands, and Iceland. Systems exposed online could be accessed via HTTP on ports 9000, 8080, 8100, or 80. An attacker can easily access the vulnerable instances because they use a known default username and password combination. In many cases, the web interface can be accessed without authentication. They all come with a default username and 1234 as the default password, which is rarely changed by system administrators. reads the analysis published by Safety Detective. All the screenshots taken in this report didnt require entering the user and password but it came to our knowledge that almost all devices used the default password. Experts pointed out that many systems can be easily found using a simple Google search, they explained that the office secretary of the company quickly discovered a cooling factory in Germany and a hospital in the UK. Accessing the exposed refrigeration systems, an unauthorized attacker can change user and alarm settings. Imagine the damages that could be caused by activating the defrost function, especially when dealing with hospitals where refrigeration systems are used to store blood and drugs. Safety Detective reported its findings to RDM, but the vendor initially downplayed the report. RDM later acknowledged the risks but highlighted that the issues reported by the experts were caused by wrong installations made by users and installers. To clarify the situation from RDM we would confirm that the default passwords must be changed by the installer at the time of setup. RDM does not have any control over where our systems go and who install them. We clearly state in our documentation that the default passwords MUST be changed when the system is installed. Its similar to an off the shelf router with default user names and passwords Admin Admin, replied an RDM spokesman. We would also point out that we do not have remote connectivity to many systems and even though it is possible to upgrade our software remotely we are unable to do this without the consent of the owner. We will inform owners that we have new software available with new functions and features but ultimately it is up to them to request an upgrade which can be done via USB locally or by there installer / maintainer remotely, Pierluigi Paganini (SecurityAffairs refrigeration systems, hacking) Share this... Linkedin Share this: Twitter Print LinkedIn Facebook More Tumblr Pocket Share On Morocco has encouraged its companies to invest in Sub-Saharan Africa to an extent that its geared 90% of its foreign direct investments to the region in the period spanning from 2010 to 2018, the Financial Times reported. Ethiopia, Cote dIvoire and Cameroon were top destinations of Moroccan investments, the publication said. Moroccos exports to West Africa tripled between 2006 and 2016 said the UK newspaper in an insight on the Kingdoms financial and economic strategy in the continent. Building up on its geographic location in the cross roads between Africa and Europe, Morocco set up Casablanca Finance City as a financial hub for companies willing to tap into the business opportunities in the continent. Africa will be the motor of global growth in decades to come, even if today there are problem regimes in [one or two] economies, the paper said quoting Said Ibrahimi, CFCs chief executive. Today about 160 businesses have acquired the regulatory and fiscal advantages of CFC status, including international consultancies such as McKinsey and Boston Consulting Group, insurance market Lloyds of London and law firm Clifford Chance. CFC offers fiscal benefits including zero corporate tax for the first five years while employees of those companies, meanwhile, pay reduced rates of tax, and there are no limits on foreign exchange repatriation. At the launch of CFC, Moroccos ministry of finance estimated it would contribute about 2 per cent to gross domestic product and bring 35,000 new jobs. There is an ethereal, evanescent beauty to Anna Eborn's feature-length documentary Transnistra. Six teenagers casually frolic by the river banks in the heat of summer, skipping stones across the water, their silhouettes cast in the pinkish evening glow of the setting sun. On other days, they explore the recesses of abandoned industrial buildings, smoke on rooftops and swing from gymnastic-style still rings on trees in the woods. Shot in 16mm, its the typical picture of an idyllic summer, drenched in warm natural light and still rural landscapes, before transitioning to an unforgiving winter. But these are not teens from just any part of the world. They are a generation stuck in time, inhabitants of a country that does not exist Transnistria, an unrecognised, landlocked state that split off from Moldova in 1990 after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Set against this backdrop of uncertainty, Swedish filmmaker Eborns documentary gently explores the daily lives, anxieties and dreams of six underprivileged youths in the town of Kamenka, located in the north of Transnistria. Transnistra swept the VPRO Big Screen Award at the 2019 International Film Festival Rotterdam where it made its world premiere, and will be screened commercially across the Netherlands. Transnistra revolves around the wilful and troubled Tanya, who hangs out with five boys Tolya, Sasha, Denis, Burulya, and Dima. As the only female in the clique, Tanya is naturally the object of affection among her male friends; she is romantically involved with Sasha (on top of having a boyfriend abroad), while Tolya harbours tentative feelings for her on the side. Theres a playful and flirtatious dynamic among the group; Eborn, who discovered her subjects on the streets, follows them with intimate close-ups that reverberate with the unbridled, reckless and capricious spirit of teens on the cusp of adulthood, but not yet quite ready to grow up. Yet beneath this carefree atmosphere lies an undercurrent of anxiety and apprehension among her teenage protagonists, whose opportunities for future upward mobility are impeded by their stateless existence. With her documentary Eborn has captured a surreal twilight zone of sorts; an undefined nation still deeply rooted in a Soviet past, where the pursuit of modernity by the young is at odds with a conservative, nationalist community still holding on to outdated ideals. The films 4:3 aspect ratio (a model that is becoming an increasing fixture in todays coming-of-age narratives) fittingly encapsulates the closed-door, limited prospects of her subjects, who are physically cut off from the outside world the Transnistrian passport is not valid for international travel, though they still have cell phones and Internet access. We get glimpses of Transnistrias simple amenities the surrounding swathes of farmland (agriculture appears to be a key livelihood) alongside largely underdeveloped social infrastructure; ill-advised healthcare professionals in the local hospital direct Tolya, whose physical sight is failing due to a medical condition, to see a psychiatrist instead of an eye specialist. Tanya and her pals have hazy dreams and hopes, though they pursue them to varying degrees of success. Nothing changes here, laments Tanya, who plans to leave the country for greener pastures. The only thing thats good here is that its peaceful. Another one of her friends mentions how there is a shitload of work to be found in Italy and Greece. Reality is seemingly immutable here, though one way to move up the ranks of society is to join the military theres a scene where Tanyas brother is inducted into the military academy to a room booming with national pride and patriotic rhetoric. As the six youths in Transnistra search for identity, love and independence, their adolescent struggles and encounters with disappointment neatly parallel the push-pull relationship they share with their motherland, like an on-off lover. Theres a perfect encapsulation of this complex ambivalence in the films closing moments, when Tolya croons along to a song: I am completely mad about you, will you really forget me? Im afraid Im not going to return to you. Im afraid I wont come back to you. Its a haunting, plaintive elegy to a nation in limbo, there but not there. " " Wikimedia Commons ( CC By-SA 2.5 Valentine Cave, one of the lava tubes at Lava Beds National Monument in California. Ever since Neil Armstrong first set foot on the moon, scientists have been toying with the idea of forming potential colonies there (and more recently, uncovering potential signs of life on Mars). But extreme fluctuating temperatures, cosmic radiation and micrometeorite showers (colloquially known as space dust) pose challenges to human excavation of both the moon and Mars, writes Dr. Francesco Sauro from the European Space Agency's (ESA) Pangaea and Caves training program. However, astrobiologists are in the process of exploring nifty geological structures that could serve as natural shelter from these harsh elements: lava tubes. Advertisement What Are Lava Tubes? "Lava tubes are caves that are carved by flowing lava that is eventually drained out, leaving a subsurface void," Dr. Riccardo Pozzobon of the Department of Geosciences at the University of Padova, said via email. Pozzobon has been at the forefront of European research on lava tubes. Although there are different types of lava tube formations, these caves often form out of a type of fluid, basaltic lava, that flows down a slope like the side of a volcano. As the outermost portion of the hot lava flow comes into contact with the cold air, it cools rapidly, forming a hardened crust, explains Dr. Richard Leveille. Leveille is an adjunct professor at McGill University's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and a member of the McGill Space Institute. But liquid lava continues to flow like water in a channel underneath this newly hardened surface. At some point, that liquid lava runs out and cools underneath the surface, forming a curvy, tube-shaped structure. Boom a lava tube is born. "And these kinds of lavas we know have erupted on the moon and on Mars. So...we would expect to find lava tubes on the moon and on Mars," says Leveille. Advertisement Extraterrestrial Lava Tubes Geologists know lava tubes from volcanic areas in Hawaii or Iceland, but they've also become a hot commodity within the astrobiology community due to high-resolution images indicating that lava tubes may exist on the moon and Mars as well. Take, for example, these photos taken by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)'s SELENE/Kaguya spacecraft of a potentially collapsed lava tube in a feature of the moon known as Mare Ingenii. In 2009, JAXA also spotted a vertical pit about 262 to 295 feet (80 to 90 meters) deep a likely lunar lava tube in the volcanic Marius Hills region. Many sites thought to be lava tubes, like the Marius Hills Hole, are detected by the presence of "sinuous rilles" or curvy channels. And more recently, the SETI Institute announced the discovery of possible "skylights" or lava tube openings in the Philolaus Crater near the North Pole of the moon using images obtained from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). " " In 2010, while participating in a program that allowed students to use the camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter, seventh-grade students at Evergreen Middle School in Cottonwood, California, found this Martian pit that appears to be a skylight to a cave. NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU But lava tubes are a tricky business. Scientific technology is still playing catch up in identifying these underground habitats. "The main difficulty comes from the fact that lava tubes are essentially subsurface structures. Very few instruments are capable of performing direct measurements of underground structures," says Leonardo Carrer of the Remote Sensing Laboratory (RSLab) at the University of Trento in an email. But Carrer's team is working to modernize the technology and thus aid future human settlement of these lunar caves. The technology involves using radar, which can detect lava tubes from orbit based on their "unique electromagnetic signatures" to probe "below the lunar surface with low frequency electromagnetic waves and [measure] the reflected signals." The reflections offer insight into a lava tube's characteristics like shape, size and composition. But one thing is clear. Lava tubes on the moon and Mars are invaluable as natural potential habitats or at the very least, serve as convenient storage units between space missions. "These voids, if accessible, could be exploited not only for human settlement but also for material storage," says Pozzobon. Advertisement Using Earth's Lava Tubes to Explore Life on Other Planets Meanwhile, back on Earth, scientists are preparing for future missions to the moon and Mars through a little cave diving. Pangaea is a program developed by the European Space Agency that prepares European astronauts to explore other planets. One of its projects concerns the 4.9-mile (8-kilometer) long Corona lava tube in Lanzarote, Spain. According to Sauro, who is a course designer for Pangaea, the team has undertaken advanced mapping of the tube, which has produced "the most complete 3D model of a lava tube on Earth ... with a millimetric precision." They've also been testing out new robots or rovers to identify how best to navigate these tubes, developing a greater understanding of the challenges associated with incursions into lava tubes on other planets in the process. Other researchers have also taken an interest in exploring the microbiology of lava tubes by focusing their efforts on the Lava Beds National Monument in California. Leveille, who heads this project funded by the Canadian Space Agency, says that his team is looking to explore lava tubes as habitats of microorganisms, which may leave traces or "biosignatures" behind through certain minerals, and thus indicate the presence of life once upon a time on the red planet. "And of course, the big question is "'How would we ever get into one of these lava tube caves [on Mars], which are quite irregular here on Earth?'" Leveille says. So what's the difference between lava tubes on Earth and their lunar and Martian counterparts? Well, gravity, for one. Pozzobon cites a NASA Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission that he says detected "enormous subsurface voids" or potential lava tubes beneath the lunar surface. He describes how the lower gravity on the moon and Mars impacts the size of lava tubes significantly. Tubes on Mars can stretch for 820 feet (250 meters) in width, and tubes on the moon can reach more than a whopping 3,281 feet (1 kilometer) across. Pozzobon notes another important effect of lower gravity, which stabilizes the roofs of these tubes and causes fewer collapses especially on the moon thereby creating a potentially safer dwelling for human habitation. But otherwise, lava tubes on Earth are fairly similar in composition and structure to those on the moon and Mars and serve as excellent reference points for researchers. The potential for lunar caves and possible human settlements has many people excited. Even the White House is making a bid for moon colonies in the near future. And the possibility of answering whether life has existed or may still flourish in caves on Mars is a tantalizing one for space explorers. But if you're wondering whether or not Martians will be found hanging around these lava tubes on the red planet, the answer is likely no unless you count microbial critters. Radiation, a dry environment and frigid temperatures make the planet inhospitable to most forms of life. "There's no obvious indication of life, so most scientists would agree that if there was life in the subsurface, it would be microbial or bacterial in form," says Leveille. Now That's Interesting While using ground rovers to access lava tubes on the moon and Mars could be difficult due to surface conditions, other devices are being developed to aid these explorations, including climbing and hopping pit-bots and flying, helicopter-like vehicles, the likes of which may appear in NASA's Mars 2020 rover mission. Advertisement Originally Published: Feb 11, 2019 Its a tough time to be a financial institution, especially in the developed world. Not only do banks and other financial services organizations have to face the heightened threat of sophisticated cybercriminals breaking into their vaults, but they also have to contend with unprecedented regulatory pressure to keep dirty money dealers at bay. 2018 witnessed some landmark rulings with banks that were found guilty of failing or, in some instances, willfully failing to comply with the requirements laid out in the Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML) handed near-record fines and penalties. BSA/AML requires banks and related financial institutions to, among other things, demonstrate the ability to detect activity thats indicative of money laundering, terrorist financing and other related crimes and report such activity to the Department of Treasury. Money laundering is a particularly egregious crime, with shady transactions reaching as much as $2 trillion a year according to estimates by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Banks that sleep at the wheel or simply lack strong management or reporting structure risk being slapped with hefty fines and in some cases jail time for those found guilty of directly abetting these crimes. Related: Will Russia Be Left Holding The Bag If Maduro Is Ousted? Here are some of the most memorable cases of senior bankers not doing nearly enough to stop money laundering schemesand facing the full wrath of the law. #1 JPMorgan Fine: $2.05B JPMorgans $2.05 billion court settlement in 2014 will go down as one of the harshest in the history of the banking industryand for good reason. For 15 years or so, the giant bank blatantly ignored red flags surrounding Wall Street financier Bernard Madoffs fraudulent dealings. Madoff used his accounts at the bank to run a massive $65 billion Ponzi scheme, easily the largest ever uncovered in U.S. territory. #2 HSBC Fine: $1.9B One of Europes largest banks, HSBC Holdings was also caught napping at the wheel and failing to detect suspicious activity. The bank was found guilty of failing to monitor $670 billion in wire transfers that allowed Mexican and Colombian drug cartels to launder their ill-gotten proceeds. #3 Commerzbank Fine: $1.45B Germanys fourth-largest bank by total assets is not a stranger to controversy when it comes to money laundering activity. According to a consent order with the New York Department of Financial Services, Commerzbank was found guilty of failing to share relevant information surrounding $250 billion-worth of fraudulent transactions conducted on behalf of Iranian and Sudanese entities subject to U.S. sanctions between 2002-2008. #4 Standard Chartered Fine: $967M One of the UKs largest and most prestigious multinational banking institutions might just end up winning the ignominious title of one of the worlds most lucrative money laundering havens. In 2012, the bank was forced to cough up $667M in fines for violating U.S. sanctions against doing business with Iran. Two years later, StanChart was slapped with an additional fine of $300 million for the banks weak anti-money laundering controls. Apparently, that was merely the beginning of the banks troubles. Last year, reports emerged that the bank could face another $1.5B in extra fines for the same crime, which could take total fines somewhere in the vicinity of $2.5B. #5 ING Group Fine: $900M Perhaps you have noticed a recurring theme that the most elaborate money laundering schemes are conducted at some of the worlds largest financial institutions. This clearly shows that lack of adequate monitoring structures is an industrywide problem and not just underfunded organizations. In 2018, Netherlands-based ING Group, one of the worlds largest banking and financial services companies, was fined $900M by the Dutch authorities after it acknowledged serious shortcomings for failing to prevent illicit payments being made by VimpelCom to a company owned by an Uzbek government official (VimpelCom is a Russian telecom that is now called VEON). #6 Commonwealth Bank of Australia Fine: $700M In June 2018, CBA made history for all the wrong reasons after paying the biggest civil penalty in Australian corporate history after admitting to not 1, 5, 10 or 20 but a staggering 53,000 breaches of money laundering laws that allowed drug syndicates to funnel millions in dirty cash to offshore accounts. #7 Deutsche Bank Fine: $670M Banks with international operations not only have to comply with strict AML laws back home but also on foreign soil. And, sometimes money laundering can take an unfamiliar face. In 2017, Deutsche Bank was found guilty by UK authorities of condoning a series of illegal mirror trades through its Moscow office that allowed Russian nationalities to expatriate funds from their country by purchasing shares at home using rubles then selling them in London using euros or dollars. By Alex Kimani for Safehaven.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com: Email me any time: farrorita@gmail.com Sewing + Thrift store shopping = Frankensewing. I love vintage linens, hanging my sheets out on the line to dry...and creating adventures for my two Grandchildren. Doing those very ordinary things -- and then BLOGGING about it -- is how I work things out. King Arthur Popover Recipe Preheat oven to 425 degrees... then preheat the Popover Pan...it needs to be screaming hot. Butter the sides generously -- right before you pour the batter. 4 eggs 1 1/3 c. milk 1 1/3 c. all purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt 3 tbl melted butter Whisk eggs into milk. Make sure everything is room temp. Whisk in the flour & salt, add the melted butter at the end. Pour thin batter into Popover pan (2/3 full) and bake for 30 minutes. DON'T OPEN THE DOOR. When the popovers are done -- get them out of the pan ASAP and prick the top with a sharp knife to prevent collapse. Serve with REAL BUTTER...that's mandatory. Homemade jam is optional... The EU Google says the EU requires a notice of cookie use (by Google) and says they have posted a notice. I don't see it. If cookies bother you, go elsewhere. If the EU bothers you, emigrate. If you live outside the EU, don't go there. Abdelmalek Sellal, the ex-Algerian Prime Minister, will head the campaign team of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika who has officially announced his plans to run for a fifth term in office Sunday. According to the state-run news agency APS, which also announced Bouteflikas candidacy for a fifth five-year term in Aprils elections, Sellal was appointed to the task Sunday. Sellah played the same role for previous elections namely, in 2004, 2009 and 2014. Ruling FLN this week-end officially nominated 81-year old Bouteflika as its candidate for the April 2019 election. The new candidacy will be the fifth for Bouteflika since 1999. The ailing President who has made rare public appearances since 2013 after he suffered a stroke, also received the support of other allied parties including incumbent Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahias National Rally for Democracy. Sellal was Prime Minister two times, from September 2012 to 2014, and from April 2014 to May 2017. I may not be a farmer, but I know what its like to work hard. If you are a farmer during weeks like this one, where Antarctica looks balmy, there is no option to simply take the day off. Farmers endure. Agriculture endures. Agriculture is our states no. 1 industry. South Dakotas ag economy not only directly matters to farmers and ranchers but also supports our rural and urban communities. Our rich farming and ranching culture should make us all proud. Im particularly proud that 98% of farms in South Dakota are family-owned and operated, with over 2,500 South Dakota century farms. My work in Congress will make sure these traditions continue. However, the importance of agriculture goes much further. Federal policies, written and implemented correctly, provide farmers and ranchers the tools to continue producing the safest, most reliable food supply on the planet. To me, agriculture means food security for South Dakota and our nation. It means providing a safety net that sustains family farms through hard times and inclement weather, so we never become reliant on the politics of other nations to put food on the table. Republican Rep. Sue Peterson of Sioux Falls and Democratic Rep. Ryan Cwach of Yankton introduced separate bills in the House, with Republican Sen. Brock Greenfield of Clark signing on as a co-sponsor of Peterson's bill. "My hope and my belief is that this is a result of Republicans and Democrats wanting to work together to find solutions for families of autistic children," Cwach said. Avera notified families months ahead of the change, but families on Sanford's individual and small-group plans had their coverage yanked with little or no notice. Avera's statement said the provider led the industry in 2014 when it decided to cover Applied Behavior Analysis on individual plans. "We had hoped other insurers would follow suit to offer coverage, but none did, creating a financial burden shared with our other insurance members," the statement said. Sanford's coverage of the autism treatments in individual plans was a mistake, Zimmer said. "We had mistakenly paid some claims on a small amount of individuals," Zimmer said. Lindsey Janklow got a letter from Sanford just a week before coverage quit on her 2-year-old son's treatment. In 2017, she started producing her own line of handmade soaps. She first made gifts of them to friends, who encouraged her to open a business. At the time, Ackland was active-duty military, stationed in Georgia and serving as a translator with the U.S. Navy. She began Bestowed Essentials as a side endeavor, selling her first products through local farmers markets or through online sites, such as etsy.com. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} When she left the military, she traveled the country in a camper van, hoping to settle somewhere and open a full-time production studio for her growing business. She had never been to South Dakota, but was attracted to the state because of tax advantages offered to small businesses and entrepreneurs, she said. The proximity to the Black Hills ultimately swayed her decision to pick Rapid City. I just absolutely fell in love with the area as soon as I got here, Ackland said. Ackland, whose given name is Christianna, said her father came up with the business name. To bestow, she said, is to present someone with a great honor. The earth, she said, provides the plant-based materials she uses in her products. A weekend search party with more than 50 people, a helicopter and seven dogs was not able to find missing 9-year-old girl Serenity Dennard. Officials plan to regroup on Monday and hope for a break in a weather in order to melt some of the deep snow and make search conditions more bearable with warming temperatures. Dennard ran away from the Black Hills Children's Home near Rockerville around 10:45 a.m. on Feb. 3. Staff at the Children's Home searched for her before calling 911 at 12:26 p.m. More than 200 people and 14 specialty dogs have participated in the now week-long search for Dennard. On Sunday, 56 people and six dogs searched throughout the day. The Pennington County Water Rescue Team was called in on Sunday after some dogs showed interest in a small creek. Crews broke through the ice to search the water underneath but did not find Dennard. This weekend search crews were aided by seven new dogs from four states that specialize in finding both live and dead scents in the search for Dennard, according Willie Whelchel, chief deputy at the Pennington County Sheriff's Office. Two each came from South Dakota, Wyoming and Iowa, and one came from Colorado. Those dog teams are now headed home. British academy voters all but ignored superhero blockbuster "Black Panther," which is up for best picture at the Oscars and took top prize at the SAG awards last month. It had a single BAFTA nomination, for visual effects, which it won. One of its stars, Letitia Wright, was named Rising Star, the only category decided through a public vote. The London-raised actress spoke of her past struggles with depression and urged others not to give up. A 1984 fire severely damaged the building. After sitting empty for 11 years, former Homestake Mine engineer Jerry Aberle purchased it and began making structural improvements and planning for restoration. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} A nonprofit was organized in 1998 to continue raising money for restoration. In 2008, the first community-theater production in 25 years was held in the partially-restored theater. Restoration continues as the opera house hosts plays, concerts and other events. The theater was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 as part of the Lead Historic District. The Pearson Cabin, located about 1.5 miles east of Deadwood on private land owned for many years by the Pearson family, is believed to have been built from rough-hewn logs by a single individual around 1876. The cabin was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012 for its role in the exploration and settlement of the Black Hills in the 1870s. Nelson said the land owner is working with a private contractor on the cabins restoration. Also receiving grants were two other projects: Sioux Falls, the Grand Lodge and Library of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, built in 1924, received $12,500 for comprehensive facade masonry repairs. The application process is thorough. Students must complete applications for nominations, which includes an interview process with my military academy advisory board. Over four days, members of my staff conducted over fifty interviews in multiple locations throughout Nebraska. Once students receive their nomination, the application process begins with their respective academy. Cadets at service academies are the best of the best, and it would be an honor to challenge myself and other students, one applicant wrote. She continued, I believe that the military bonds people together in a way that is unmatched by any university or camp. When I saw all the platoons marching together between the stone buildings of West Point, the synced footsteps created an incredible echo against the buildings. It was in those moments I knew that I wanted to spend my college years at a military academy. Years of hard work has paid off for these nominees. They have shown leadership in their communities and readiness to serve our country. I am confident that if they are selected, the nominees will represent our state and the United States of America with distinction. I am grateful to these individuals for stepping forward to take part in Nebraskas long-standing tradition of service to our country. Two "dark money" groups are stepping up to separately promote and attack the new governor's agenda. "Think Big Illinois," a brand new 501(c)(4) organization which doesn't have to disclose its donors, will support Gov. J.B. Pritzker, whose 2018 campaign slogans included "Think big." The organization will be headed by Quentin Fulks, who served as Pritzker's deputy campaign manager. "A $15 minimum wage is the first in a series of progressive policies Think Big Illinois will advocate for in the coming months," a press release says. The group appears to be the likely conduit for Pritzker and others to fund a public push for the progressive income tax if it makes it onto the 2020 ballot. Both legislative chambers first have to approve the proposal with three-fifths majorities, and then voters get a crack at it. Neither step is guaranteed. Defeating that progressive income tax proposal at the ballot box is now the main goal of another dark money not-for-profit group which has been around for years. The Coalition for Jobs, Growth and Prosperity launched a new website last week called "Ideas for Illinois." The website is fairly innocuous so far, but the people who run it say their ultimate goal is to become the prime conduit for opposition to the governor's progressive income tax if and/or when it reaches the ballot. The 80 MW-capacity facility is planned to serve three countries, namely Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania. It should be completed in 2020, the authorities of the three countries affirm. We want to assure the public that the deadline will be respected, said Claver Gatete, Rwandan Minister of Energy. Once completed, the infrastructure will provide each country with 26.6 MW of electricity. The equivalent for Rwanda of about 13% of its installed capacity. A quantity that will allow it to feed 467,000 households. Rwanda that currently has an electrification rate of 46% also aims to achieve universal access to energy by 2040. The available electricity supply in Burundi and Tanzania will increase by 38% and 1.73% respectively. The infrastructure, which is built by a consortium of the Chinese CGCOC Group and JWHC JV, has been co-funded by the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB). The World bank contribute $340 million for the construction of the Power Plant while AfDB disbursed $121 million for the laying of the transmission lines that will evacuate power to the national grid in the three-member countries. Besides strengthening the regional power interconnection, the project provides job opportunities for over 500 skilled, non- skilled and casual workers from the three beneficiary countries. DAVENPORT --- Elizabeth Warren says she is ready for what might come her way in a potential 2020 general election fight with President Donald Trump. She was given a hint of what that might look like when, after making her candidacy for president official this weekend, she was promptly greeted to the race by the Tweeter-in-Chief, who made a reference to Warrens past claims of Native American ancestry. Iowa Democrats have said one thing theyre looking for in the expansive field of 2020 candidates is someone who can defeat Trump in the general election campaign. Im not afraid of anyone, and certainly not Donald Trump, Warren said. Warren discussed that, as well as health care, economic and agricultural issues in an interview with the Des Moines Bureau ahead of her campaign event in Davenport Sunday. She also held events Sunday in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. Warren said she is confident her populist economic message will be well-received in Iowa, which swung significantly from Democratic President Barack Obama in 2012 to Trump in 2016. A main theme of Warrens campaign has been creating a federal government that works for all Americans, not just wealthy individuals and large businesses. Tuesday, Feb. 12 Tuesday Meditation Class: 6:45-8 p.m., Quad-City Botanical Center, 2525 4th Ave., Rock Island. Each class will include an explanation of the benefits of meditation and how to meditate followed by a 10-minute guided breathing meditation. There also will be a brief instruction on how to keep a positive mind in daily life followed by another guided meditation. There will be chairs and meditation cushions to sit on. No experience necessary. $10 person, $5 students/senior citizens/unemployed. Thursday, Feb. 14 Thursday Meditation Class: 6:30-7:30 p.m., Lamrim Kadampa Buddhist Center, 301 E. 2nd St., Davenport. Participants can learn how to transform life in these weekly meditation classes with practical methods for maintaining peaceful and positive minds. The class will emphasize how to apply what is learned immediately into life in order to solve daily worries, problems and difficulties in a peaceful, positive and healthy way. Each class will include an explanation of the benefits of meditation and how to meditate as well as two short guided meditations. There will be chairs and meditation cushions to sit on. No experience necessary. $10 person, $5 students/senior citizens/unemployed. Saturday, Feb. 16 An event later this month will showcase and celebrate black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs in the Quad-Cities. The Q-C Empowerment Network, an African-American initiative that founded the event, is partnering with Exelon Generation, St. Ambrose University and Iowa American Water to host the fourth annual expo. From 1 to 5 p.m. Feb. 23, the public is invited to hear from local black-owned businesses and organizations at SouthPark Mall in Moline. The Black Business Expo highlights black-owned businesses in the Quad-Cities to showcase the diversity of the area's small business community. More than 50 vendors participated last year. The event will feature a keynote address from Willie Barney, founder and president of WDB Resultants, a national consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, communication, research and diversity and inclusion. With more than 28 years of experience, Barney is best known for his role as founder and president of the Empowerment Network. It's a collaborative of residents, leaders and organizations working to facilitate positive change in Omaha, Nebraska and other cities across the country. Gen. George Washington lacked the troops to confront the worlds most powerful military machine frontally. So, after several defeats, he played a defensive game from 1777 until 1780. The French, always happy to team up with opponents of their mortal adversary England, played a decisive role at Yorktown in 1781 in defeating the army of Cornwallis, causing the English to sue for peace. Laboring under the woefully inadequate Articles of Confederation, the Founding Fathers convened a convention in 1787 to write a charter that would bind the new states more tightly and increase national power. At the convention, there were basically three geo-political factions: New York and the Northeast; the slave-holding planter states led by Virginia, and the small states of New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware, which feared the big states would control all. The leaders of the factions felt, however, that unification was more important than fundamental differences, so they compromised. For example, Northern leaders, many of them fervent abolitionists, gave in on the slavery issue. As a result, Africans-Americans, mostly slaves, were not mentioned by name in the Constitution. These so-called other persons were counted as three-fifths of a person each for census purposes and allocation of seats in the new U.S. House. "You can tell Alexa to raise or lower the blinds 30 percent," Voltz said. "I didn't realize you could do that with the blinds. ... I always see stuff I want to dream about." Huffer said kitchen and bathroom renovations remain the best investment in a home. Drew and Jennifer Larson, of Bettendorf, said they came to the show to see what was new in the home improvement market. The Larsons said their kitchen is original to the house, which was built in 1992, and needs updating. "We might do an update on our house or some landscaping," Drew Larson said. "We're just getting some ideas. I'm always interested in seeing what's new and available." "We are thinking about updating our kitchen and carpeting," Jennifer Larson said. "We need fresh ideas." Ashley Boysen, lead interior designer for Elements Design in Bettendorf, was on hand to offer her services. It was the first year the business had attended the home show, and Boysen said they had already lined up several remodeling jobs. A one hour in-home consultation costs $55, she said. MILAN The Friends of the Hennepin Canal will hold its monthly Hike the Canal outing at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 17. This months hike is from Lock 30 to Lock 32. The 4.6-mile stretch has been named the Bald Eagle. Participants will meet at the steel dam in Milan by 1:30 p.m. and will be shuttled to the Mississippi River to begin the walk back. The hikes were developed by the Friends of the Hennepin Canal to educate people on the canal from the Illinois River to the Mississippi River, including the feeder canal. There is no fee; participants need not be a member of the group. For more details, contact Ed Herrmann at hikes@friends-hennepin-canal.org, 815-664-2403 or friends-hennepin-canal.org. The March hike is planned March 17 from Lock 22 to Bridge 23, 5.7 miles, meeting at Illinois 78 near Annawan. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MOLINE Due to forecasted winter weather conditions, a weather advisory has been issued for Western Illinois University's Quad Cities campus beginning at 5 p.m. Feb. 11 through 7 a.m. Feb. 12. WIU will be closed Tuesday in observance of Lincoln's Birthday. At this time, the campus will remain open and evening classes will be held. In general, the University will typically remain open provided campus buildings are accessible. In all weather situations, it is ultimately the personal responsibility of faculty, staff and students to make their own decisions regarding attendance and to use their judgment concerning travel conditions. The WIU policy on limiting University operations because of emergency conditions is available in the Administrative Procedures Handbook. According to WIU policy, if an advisory is issued due to weather and students consider travel to campus unsafe, they should arrange with faculty to complete academic course requirements missed during the time of the advisory. A Davenport man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on a charge of receiving child pornography. Kevin Dean Green, 35, was sentenced in the case Thursday during a hearing in U.S. District Court, Davenport. U.S. District Court Judge John Jarvey also sentenced Green to serve five years on supervised release once he has completed his prison sentence. Green is also ordered to pay nine victims $3,000 each in restitution. Green was arrested in connection with the case Oct. 31, 2017. He pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography on Sept. 19 during a hearing U.S. District Court, Davenport. Green was implicated in having child pornography based upon an FBI investigation into a Florida man who is a registered child sex offender. According to the criminal complaint filed by a local special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, an undercover agent in the Washington, D.C., FBI field office on June 29, 2017, identified a user of the Kik instant messaging app as kidluvrl during undercover activity as a trader and possessor of child pornography as well as a possible contact offender. South African state power utility Eskom said on Monday that it would implement controlled power cuts for a second day in a row because of a shortage of generating capacity in the southern African nation. The state power utility said it would cut 2,000 megawatts from the national grid from 07:00 GMT, likely until 20:00 GMT. In his state of the nation address to Parliament last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa said cash-strapped Eskom would be divided into generation, transmission, and distribution entities as part of a new business model to help turn it around. Ramaphosa acknowledged Eskom was in crisis and posed a significant risk to the South African economy, requiring bold decisions that would not affect the countrys sovereign credit rating. South African labor unions condemned the plan announced by the President, fearing that the move would threaten jobs. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) also vowed to fight the Eskom plans tooth and nail, saying the plans would ultimately only benefit the rich. The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) said it rejected any attempts to unbundle Eskom, a move it also fought in the late 1990s. Eskom is in a deep financial and operational crisis with a debt burden of R419bn which it is unable to service from the revenue it earns. It is also straining to keep the lights on with multiple breakdowns of its old plant due to neglected maintenance. About Me Scott Because prophetic scriptures are found throughout the bible, it is obvious that a comprehensive, systematic approach would be useful, if not necessary, for the understanding of prophecy. Past prophecies have been fulfilled in a literal manner, as confirmed by the dating of these writings and historical records of confirmation. These past prophecies also serve as a model of how to interpret future prophecies. A literal view of prophecy clearly indicates a certain sequence of events will occur within a single generation, concluding with the Tribulation and Second Advent and these events will be obvious. The prophetic signs appear to be present in this generation and we believe these signs are revealed in the news from around the world. View my complete profile Award winning journalist Sabina Fati is the Managing Editor of RFE/RL's Romanian Service, which was relaunched on January 14 , 2019 after closing its doors in the country a decade ago. The service had already attracted upwards of 18,000 followers on social networks even before its website went live. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis welcomed the return of Radio Europa Libera, as it is known locally, as good news, and declared in a statement that A free Romania cannot be imagined in a free Europe without the free press. HIAS is one of nine resettlement agencies in the U.S. and the only Jewish agency, Stein said. It began in 1881 as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, assisting Jews fleeing persecution in Europe. In the 1970s, it broadened its mission to include refugees of other faiths and ethnic groups. The injunction to welcome strangers occurs 35 times in the first five books of the Bible, Stein said. We welcome refugees not because they are Jewish, but because we are Jewish, she said. More than 50 percent of JFSs staff is in its resettlement program. Many were refugees themselves, Stein said. The program benefits from the generosity and engagement of the western Massachusetts community. We see immense gratitude from those who have been resettled, as well as profound anxiety for family members still in peril, Stein said. Several members of the audience asked how to approach people who are indifferent or opposed to refugees. Stein replied that people are more often uneducated about the issue than actually opposed. People who actively object to refugee immigrants may fear that refugees will take resources from American citizens jobs, education, social services. Police are trying to figure out who helped John B. Fleeman Jr. out of a pair of handcuffs after he ran from officers at Glens Falls Hospital late Friday, sparking a 20-hour manhunt. Fleeman, 21, will be charged with felony escape for his flight from Hudson Falls Police around 9 p.m., and multiple police agencies were looking into whether anyone should be charged for assisting Fleeman after he ran off. He was arrested by Washington County sheriffs officers around 5:30 p.m. Saturday in a car being driven by a relative in Fort Ann. Officers recognized him in the vehicle, and he was taken into custody without incident at that point. UPDATED: Police catch felon who fled from hospital GLENS FALLS The Hudson Falls man who fled from police as he was being escorted from Glens Falls Hospital late Friday was arrested Saturday n Hudson Falls Police Chief Scott Gillis said he no longer had on handcuffs he had been wearing when he fled from Hudson Falls Police Officer James Holcomb on Friday night, and they have not been recovered. Fleeman had been taken to the hospital after arrest Friday night by Hudson Falls Police on a felony probation violation warrant. He injured a Hudson Falls officer during the arrest and was injured himself, and was taken to the hospital for treatment of an arm injury. He had been treated and was on his way out of the hospital to be taken to Washington County Jail when he ran off, police said. BALLSTON SPA The illegal immigrant who accidentally shot and killed a man through a Wilton motel room wall one night last fall pleaded guilty Monday to two felonies, including criminally negligent homicide. Daniel A. Salas-Miranda, 40, will serve up to 10 years in prison for the shooting death last Oct. 7-8 of 61-year-old Michael Kornacki in his room at Crest Inn & Suites on Route 9 in Wilton. He pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The charges stem from him firing a shot from a handgun that went through a wall separating the two mens rooms, with the bullet hitting Kornacki as he lay in bed. He did not have a permit for the handgun. Salas-Miranda told Saratoga County Judge James Murphy that he fired a gun sometime between 6 p.m. Oct. 7 and 6 p.m. Oct. 8. He told the judge he was cleaning the 9mm Springfield Arms semiautomatic and did not know it was loaded, and it discharged as he removed its magazine. It was an accident, he said through an interpreter. I was not aware someone had been injured or died. FORT EDWARD A Hudson Falls man has been sentenced to state prison for his guilty plea earlier this year to a felony for illegal sales of prescription drugs. Michael D. Bentley, 27, of Main Street, pleaded guilty to fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance in connection with his arrest last October during a drug investigation by several local police agencies. He was one of three people arrested during the sweep that targeted those who sold drugs in the Hudson Falls area. Washington County Judge Kelly McKeighan sentenced him to 1 1/2 years in prison and 1 year on parole as part of a plea deal. Charges are still pending against the two other defendants. The cases were investigated by the sheriff's offices from Washington and Warren counties, Hudson Falls Police, Glens Falls Police and Washington County Probation Department. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A court in Tunis Saturday sentenced to life in prison seven people among 44 defendants suspected in separated terror attacks that killed 60 people in 2015. Charges included premeditated murder, threatening national security and belonging to an extremist-linked group. Three people received life sentences for participating in the first attack in March 2015 at Tunis Bardo Museum. Two commandos had stormed the compound, mowing down 22 people most of whom were foreign tourists. Four other suspects received the same punishment for a second attack few months later, in June at a seaside resort where 38 people, mostly British tourists, were gunned down. The Islamic State group (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attacks. The defendants told the court that fugitive Chamseddine Sandi was the mastermind of both. The ISIS fighter has been reportedly killed in an US air strike in neighboring Libya. The court also heard six police officers accused for failing to provide support to holiday makers during the attack in Sousse. Seifeddine Rezgui believed trained by ISIS popped up at the seaside resort with a Kalashnikov and shot people down before being slain by police. The Saturday verdict also handed jail sentences ranging from six to 16 years to several defendants while the court acquitted 27 people. Veterans can contact him on Facebook or email him at email@patriotimages.org or go to his website, www.patriotimages.org, or call 518-350-3119 to set up a photo session. He is also willing to photograph housebound veterans at their homes. Veterans can wear anything that is appropriate, uniform or plain clothes, and can include anything in the photo, like memorabilia, medals, flags, photos, service dogs or family. If theyre a veteran, I dont care if theyre in it for one year or 40 years, it doesnt matter, Willette said. If they have that title, then its open to them, and its free. Willette will spend the next two years trying to photograph veterans in all 62 counties in New York. Dont give me credit for it, he said, because Im just the person taking the picture. Its the veterans who did the work, he said, and deserve all the credit. Call me the good news girl. Send me your church functions, your library events, your school honor society induction photos Ill do my best to get it into the Sunday Hometown section of the paper. Are there special people in your community worthy of recognition? Tell me about them. Drop me a line, a tip, a note, or send a press release and photos to ghochsprung@poststar.com or simply call my desk at 518-742-3206. I look forward to hearing all your good news. 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. August 18, 1930 February 8, 2019 QUEENSBURY Martin R. Van Tassel passed away peacefully Feb. 8, 2019 at the age of 88, surrounded by the comfort and love of his family. He was born Aug. 18, 1930 in Utica, to Roland and Josephine (Kinney) Van Tassel. A graduate of Gloversville High School, Martin excelled in track and field events, setting a school record in high hurdles. He attended Cornell University and graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology in mechanical engineering. Martin served in the U.S. Army from 1954-1956, specializing in the development of advanced radio communications technology. Following his Army tour of duty, he held a number of positions with The R.T. French Company in Rochester, before becoming Plant Manager at R.T. Frenchs in Shelley, Idaho, where he met and married his wife, Janet (Wells) in 1958. All images, lyrics and music belong to their rightful owners. Nonetheless, if you own the rights to any of these images, lyrics or music and do not wish them to appear on the site please contact me and they will be promptly removed. Wrucke's attorneys, Assistant Public Defenders Ryan Asalone and Amanda Indorf, said after the hearing that they don't think Wrucke is malingering because that's something you see when defendants are facing more time. "Faking it, absolutely not," Indorf said. "When you see people malingering or being disruptive, that's usually because they don't want to be sentenced to life or death." "I would say that this is consistent with what we have seen from Northam over the past two weeks in terms of these responses that are overlooking the anti-black racism that is foundational to slavery and the history of this country" said Allison Page, an assistant professor of media studies at Old Dominion University who studies the representation of slavery in U.S. media culture. Omar had initially said she didn't understand why American Jews would be offended by the statement, which critics argued evoked ugly Nazi conspiracies about Jewish people's power to "hypnotize" the world. She then backtracked and apologized after a New York Times columnist explained to her why Jews could find it offensive. And she later expressed regret while on "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah," saying she had to "take a deep breath and understand where people were coming from and what point they were trying to make." Stan Morse, 59, at his home in Virginia Beach, Feb. 7, 2019. Six months after retiring from the Virginia Beach Fire Department, he was diagnosed with throat cancer. State law considers a number of cancers, including throat cancer to be occupational diseases but Morse was denied worker's compensation because he could not point to the specific carcinogen and date he got cancer. He is now urging state and local officials to review the law. (L. Todd Spencer) "We're going to pick him and his dad up and take them to Richmond on Thursday so he can talk about his project to the (Virginia Legislature) Sportsman's Caucus," Gillette said. "That's going to be a pretty big moment for him. We need more youngsters like him." Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast, a United Way agency, serves nearly 11,000 girls in kindergarten through 12th grade with the help of nearly 5,000 adult volunteers in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. The organization installed three new members to its board of directors during the annual council meeting at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton: Susan Blake, senior vice president for human resources at Dominion Enterprises; Luis Estrada, financial systems and general ledger supervisor for Westminster Canterbury; and Bonnie Purefoy, senior vice president and regional manager for Old Point National Bank. They join the following members who will continue to serve on the board of directors: newly appointed chair Barbara Tierney, newly appointed vice chair Carolyn Pittman, Tricia Hudson, Ann Campbell, Amy Coyne, Theresa Dozier, Tracy Ashley, Maria Herbert, Catherine Magill, Maria Mills, Lu Ann Klevecz, Ellis Pretlow, Rachel Szechtman and Carletta Waddler. Pro-Drugs like Valganciclovir (upper right) can use the peptide transporter (centre) in the cell membrane that usually transports nutrient peptides (upper left) into the cell. Credit: EMBL, Yonca Ural-Blimke Experiments at DESY's X-ray source PETRA III have revealed the first structure of a biological transporter protein loaded with a pro-drug. Prodrugs are inactive medications that are metabolized into an active, functional form within the body. They can hijack the human nutrient transporter proteins PepT1 or PepT2 that are located in the cell membrane and usually channel peptides derived from digested food into cells. This way, pro-drugs can hitch a ride directly into the cell, accelerating the drug's absorption. While the pro-drug concept is very effective, little is known at the molecular level about the peptide transporters' structure and how they recognize, bind and transport pro-drugs. The groups of Christian Loew and Jan Kosinski from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) working at the Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB) on DESY campus in Hamburg are now a step closer to understanding this. The scientists determined the first high resolution crystal structure of a peptide transporter in complex with the pharmacological relevant pro-drug valganciclovir; a medication that combats certain viral infections. Their results, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, could assist in the design of pro-drugs with improved absorption rates. CSSB is a co-operation of ten scientific institutions including DESY. The bacterial peptide transporter DtpA from Escherichia coli is a close homologue of the human PepT1 transporter and was therefore chosen by the scientists as a prototype. The spatial structure of a biomolecule can be determined by growing tiny crystals from many of the same biomolecules and illuminating them with X-ray. The crystals diffract the X-rays in a way that is related to their inner structure. This means, from the diffraction pattern, the inner structure of the crystal can be calculated, revealing the atomic structure of its constituents, the biomolecules. Growing sufficiently high-quality crystals from biomolecules can be very challenging. To produce well-diffracting crystals of DtpA, Loew teamed up with the group of Jan Steyaert from the Vrije Universiteit in Brussels to generate DtpA specific nanobodies. Nanobodies are specific single-domain antibody fragments. "They increase the stability of membranes proteins such as DtpA thus allowing us to generate high quality crystals," explains Loew. The Loew group then carried out the crystallisation experiments of DtpA in complex with a nanobody and a pro-drug molecule at the Sample Preparation and Characterization facility (SPC) and analysed the obtained crystals at the beamlines P13 and P14 which are part of DESY's X-ray light source PETRA III and operated by t EMBL. The scientists were able to determine a 2.65 Angstrom (0.265 nano meter) resolution structure of DtpA bound with the pro-drug valganciclovir that revealed an unexpected binding mode. "The orientation of the pro-drug in the binding pocket is flipped by 180 degrees relative to prior predictions," explains Loew. "We also discovered that DtpA preferably binds and likely transports tripeptides over dipeptides." The Kosinski group built a high-quality structural model of the human PepT1 transporter in complex with valganciclovir using the DtpA crystal structure as a guide. "The model shows that human PepT1 very likely binds the drug in the same way as DtpA and pinpoints the exact amino acid groups responsible for binding," clarifies Kosinski. Therefore, the insights generated by this model of PepT1 may facilitate development of new pro-drugs with improved absorption rates. Such improvements would not only lower the pharmacologically effective dose but could also reduce the negative side effects experienced by patients. Explore further Study resolves molecular structures of Spiegelmers for the first time More information: Yonca Ural-Blimke et al. Structure of Prototypic Peptide Transporter DtpA from E. coli in Complex with Valganciclovir Provides Insights into Drug Binding of Human PepT1, Journal of the American Chemical Society (2019). Journal information: Journal of the American Chemical Society Yonca Ural-Blimke et al. Structure of Prototypic Peptide Transporter DtpA from E. coli in Complex with Valganciclovir Provides Insights into Drug Binding of Human PepT1,(2019). DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b11343 TOKYO (AP) The Tokyo Olympics, already delayed by the pandemic, are not looking like much fun: Not for athletes. Not for fans. And not for the Japanese public. They are caught between concerns about the coronavirus at a time when few are vaccinated on one side and politicians who hope to s Noble false widow spider (Steatoda nobilis) at a public bus stop in the seaside resort of Lyme Regis, southern England. Credit: Rainer Breitling Spiders are one of the most successful groups of 'invaders' on the planet. Out of over 47,000 species of spiders known today, there are some that tend to follow humans across the globe and settle in habitats far away from their native homelands. A particularly notorious example is the species Steatoda nobilis, the Noble False Widow spider. Originating from Madeira (Portugal) and the Canary Islands (Spain), the Noble False Widow has been rapidly spreading around the globe over the last few decades. While the species is already well established in Western Europe and large parts of the Mediterranean area, it has recently spread into California, South America and Central Europe. Meanwhile, its populations in England, where the spider used to be restricted to the very southern parts of the country, are now seen to experience a sudden expansion northwards. As its name suggests, this is a relatively large species that resembles the well-known Black Widow and can inflict a painfulyet mostly harmless to humansbite. Naturally, its 'arrival' causes widespread concerns and public disruptions. Specifically, the Noble False Widow poses a threat to native faunas, since it can prey on nearly every smaller animal thanks to its potent venom and sturdy webs. Recently, experts and non-professional citizen scientists joined forces to reconstruct the invasion path of the Noble False Widow in Europe and the Americas, so that they could identify patterns and predict which regions are likely to be the next colonised by the spider. Global prediction of suitable regions for the Noble False Widow (Steatoda nobilis), published in Bauer et al. (2019). Credit: Stephan Feldmeier, Tobias Bauer By combining data from museum collections and the Spider and Harvestman Recording Scheme of the British Arachnological Society with published literature and their own observations from England, Germany, France and Ecuador, the researchers provided an unprecedented detailed view of the expansion of the Noble False Widow. The study, conducted by Tobias Bauer (State Museum of Natural History Karlsruhe), Stephan Feldmeier (Trier University), Henrik Krehenwinkel (Trier University and University of California Berkeley), Rainer Breitling (University of Manchester) and citizen scientists Carsten Wieczorrek and Nils Reiser, is published in the open-access journal Neobiota. While it had largely been assumed that the Noble False Widow turned up in Europe along with bananas traded from the Canary Islands, a new look at the data revealed that the spiders have most likely been transported via imports of ornamental plants. Further, rather than the result of climate change, the establishment of the species across new, large territories is rather linked to the fact that these habitats all share similar conditions to the spider's native localities. "Similar suitable False Widow habitats occur in quite specific regions all around the globe," explain the researchers. "Most importantly, South Africa, some areas in southern Australia, and a large part of New Zealand turn out to be highly likely targets for future invasions, unless appropriate import control measures are implemented." In conclusion, the authors call for enhanced monitoring of the Noble False Widow as well as its still little known ecological impact on the environment in newly colonised areas. They also urge scientists in the predicted potential invasion target regions to search for specimens, especially in coastal cities. Explore further Noble false widow spider marches north in the UK More information: Tobias Bauer et al, Steatoda nobilis, a false widow on the rise: a synthesis of past and current distribution trends, NeoBiota (2019). Journal information: NeoBiota Tobias Bauer et al, Steatoda nobilis, a false widow on the rise: a synthesis of past and current distribution trends,(2019). DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.42.31582 Credit: Henryk Ditze, Shutterstock Critics say that Facebook's controversies and criticisms in 2018 alone, from privacy concerns to the Cambridge Analytica data scandal, should be enough to get people to stop using it. However, over two billion of us around the world continue to spend about an hour a day on the social networking platform. Now a new study suggests there's an even better reason to log off: it's bad for your mental health. The positive side effects of quitting the habit According to a new study from Stanford University and New York University quitting Facebook for a month makes users happier. It helped some of them reduce their online activity and increase offline activities including socialising with family and friends. On the other hand they spent less time consuming news. Researchers studied 2,844 people who reported spending an hour on Facebook each day. They randomly assigned half the subjects to deactivate their accounts for 4 weeks, and paid them about EUR 90 for their efforts. The researchers monitored the accounts to spot any cheaters and sent SMSs to see how they were feeling during the abstinence. "If Facebook were like heroin that number would have gone way down. That was not the case for Facebook" Hunt Allcott study author and associate professor at New York University told 'CNN'. "The great majority of the Treatment group agreed that deactivation was good for them, but they were also more likely to think that people would miss Facebook if they used it less," the study said. It also noted: "We find that four weeks without Facebook improves subjective well-being and substantially reduces post-experiment demand, suggesting that forces such as addiction and projection bias may cause people to use Facebook more than they otherwise would." "Deactivation caused small but significant improvements in well-being, and in particular on self-reported happiness, life satisfaction, depression, and anxiety," the researchers concluded. "Effects on subjective well-being as measured by responses to brief daily text messages are positive but not significant." He considers the research important because it's the largest randomised study concerning Facebook. "Previous research mostly looked at correlation: How much do you use Facebook and how depressed are you?" Prof. Allcott added. "These studies show that people who use Facebook more are more depressed, but the problem is correlation doesn't create causation. We didn't know if Facebook was making people depressed or depressed people were retreating into Facebook." The study also acknowledges that there are clear benefits to Facebook. Delete Facebook forever? Findings should be treated with caution, say the researchers, mainly because the "effects could differ with the duration or scale of deactivation. A longer period without Facebook might have less impact on news knowledge as people find alternative news sources, and either more or less impact on subjective well-being." The study comes at a time when there's discussion everywhere about the risks of social networking sites, fake news and data privacy. Whether the good outweighs the bad when it comes to platforms like Facebook depends entirely on what's considered good and bad, and by whom. Explore further Love it and leave it: Social media effects explored by researchers More information: The Welfare Effects of Social Media. The Welfare Effects of Social Media. web.stanford.edu/~gentzkow/research/facebook.pdf EMBL-EBI researchers and collaborators used computational tools to identify almost 2,000 previously unknown gut bacteria species. Credit: Spencer Phillips/EMBL-EBI Researchers at EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute and the Wellcome Sanger Institute have identified almost 2000 bacterial species living in the human gut. These species are yet to be cultured in the lab. The team used a range of computational methods to analyse samples from individuals worldwide. The results, published in the journal Nature, demonstrate that although researchers are possibly getting closer to creating a comprehensive list of microbes common in the microbiomes of North American and European people, there is a significant lack of data from other regions of the world. The human gut is home to many species of microbes, collectively referred to as the gut microbiota. Despite extensive studies in the field, researchers are still working on identifying the individual microbial species that live in the gut and understanding what roles they play in human health. 'Reconstructing' bacteria There are many reasons that some microbial species among the gut microbiota have remained unknown for so long, such as a low abundance or an inability to survive outside it. By using computational methods, researchers were able to reconstruct the genomes of these bacteria. "Computational methods allow us to understand bacteria that we cannot yet culture in the lab. Using metagenomics to reconstruct bacterial genomes is a bit like reconstructing hundreds of puzzles after mixing all the pieces together, without knowing what the final image is meant to look like, and after completely removing a few pieces from the mix just to make it that bit harder," says Rob Finn, Group Leader at EMBL-EBI. "Researchers are now at a stage where they can use a range of computational tools to complement and sometimes guide lab work, in order to uncover new insights into the human gut." Geographical diversity The research highlighted the composition of gut bacteria differences between people around the world, and how important it is for the samples under study to reflect this diversity. "We are seeing a lot of the same bacterial species crop up in the data from European and North American populations," says Finn. "However, the few South American and African datasets we had access to for this study revealed significant diversity not present in the former populations. This suggests that collecting data from underrepresented populations is essential if we want to achieve a truly comprehensive picture of the composition of the human gut." Blueprint of the human gut "Computational methods allow us to get an idea of the many bacterial species that live in the human gut, how they evolved and what kind of roles they may play within their microbial community," says Alexandre Almeida, postdoctoral fellow at EMBL-EBI and the Wellcome Sanger Institute. "In this study, we leveraged the most comprehensive public databases of gastrointestinal bacteria to identify bacterial species that have not been seen before. The analysis methods we used are highly reproducible and can be applied to larger, more diverse datasets in the future, enabling further discovery." "Research such as this is helping us create a so-called blueprint of the human gut, which in the future could help us understand human health and disease better and could even guide diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases," concludes Trevor Lawley, group leader at the Wellcome Sanger Institute. Explore further More than 100 new gut bacteria discovered in human microbiome In this Friday, Feb. 8, 2019, file photo President Donald Trump arrives on Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. Trump plans to sign an executive order directing federal agencies to prioritize research and development in artificial intelligence. The plan, called the American AI Initiative, comes after China and other countries have pledged big investments to advance and apply AI technology in fields ranging from warfighting to health care. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File) President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing federal agencies to prioritize research and development in artificial intelligence. The plan, called the American AI Initiative, follows big investment pledges from China and other countries intended to advance and apply AI technology in fields ranging from warfighting to health care. The White House plan that Trump signed Monday doesn't include any funding details. The administration says it's up to Congress to appropriate money. That lack of specifics is troubling to AI experts such as Erik Brynjolfsson, a management professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "The good news is America's research infrastructure in artificial intelligence is leading the world," Brynjolfsson said. "But other countries are making much more aggressive investments and rapidly closing the gap, especially China." Trump's order directs federal agencies to make government data and computing resources more available to artificial intelligence experts while maintaining security and confidentiality. Creating such standards for capturing and sharing huge troves of data, such as medical records, could lead to breakthroughs in medical diagnosis and treatment, said Tom Mitchell, interim dean of Carnegie Mellon University's computer science school. The order also calls on agencies to "protect civil liberties, privacy and American values" in applying AI technologies, and to help workers gain relevant skills through fellowships, apprenticeships, training programs and computer science education. Tech leaders from industry and academia have pushed the Trump administration to develop a national AI strategy. The White House in December hosted a listening session with the CEOs of Google, Microsoft, IBM, Oracle and Qualcomm to field ideas for securing American dominance in AI and other fields such as quantum computing and faster wireless technology known as 5G. Trump made brief mention of technology in his January State of the Union address, pledging "investments in the cutting-edge industries of the future." Kate Crawford, a co-director of New York University's AI Now Institute for studying the social implications of artificial intelligence, said the directive takes some steps in the right direction but is too light on details. "AI policy isn't an autonomous vehicle," Crawford said. "You basically need a detailed plan or it's going to run off the road." Crawford said she welcomed the Trump administration's intention to accelerate research and regulate AI across different industrial sectors. But she said the administration also must ensure that AI's potential ethical challenges are taken seriously. AI-based technologies such as facial recognition can be used to enhance government surveillance, while studies have found that computers are susceptible to the same racial and gender biases as the humans whose data they learn from. Brynjolfsson said it's important for U.S. policymakers to not only push the AI technology frontier, but also think hard about values and how the technology is implemented. "China in many ways has very different values than we have in the West about things like surveillance, privacy, democracy, property rights," he said. "If we want Western values to thrive, we need to play a role in maintaining and even extending the technological strength we've long had." Economists have also warned that AI advances could displace many U.S. workers in the coming yearssomething that Trump's plan doesn't do enough to address, said Bradford Newman, an attorney who is pushing for a new regulatory body to govern AI issues. "We can figure out how to regulate and account for the downside risks now, or we can wait until it's too late and it's purely reactive and people are out of work," Newman said. Explore further Tech leaders push for more White House focus on AI 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. A trial of ways to cool turtle nests is underway in Queenslands Far North as global warming threatens turtle populations throughout the tropics. Image depicts a hawksbill turtle nesting in the evening. After nesting, researchers relocate eggs to trial sites where various shaded methods are tested to cool sand temperatures. Credit: Veronica Joseph / WWF-Australia A trial of ways to cool turtle nests is underway in Queensland's Far North as global warming threatens turtle populations throughout the tropics. Researchers from The University of Queensland and WWF Australia are testing techniques including cooling a small number of nests nightly with sea water, and shading others with structures made from palm fronds. UQ researcher Melissa Staines said the project was prompted by research indicating that more than 99 per cent of juvenile green turtles in the feeding grounds of the northern Great Barrier Reef stock were female. "The science is saying that hotter sand, linked to climate change, is to blame and this is causing concern for the future of that population," she said. "In the Far North, nest temperatures above 29.1 degrees Celsius generate mostly females, while sand temperatures above 34 degrees Celsius are fatal." Data loggers buried in the trial nests will indicate whether temperatures were kept cool enough to produce a healthy ratio of males and will be compared to a control nest left in full sun. Queensland government scientists have monitored green and hawksbill turtle nesting on Milman Island since 1990 in one of the longest running monitoring projects in the western Pacific. Credit: University of Queensland The tiny island was chosen so that researchers could test cooling methods on the nests of both species and because it was a suitable location to test shade structures. "On Raine Island, 120 kilometres south, the large numbers of green turtles coming ashore each night would knock over any shade structures," Ms Staines said. "There are an estimated 200,000 female green turtles in the northern Great Barrier Reef stock, and up to 90 per cent of those females nest on Raine Island or surrounding cays. "If our project is successful, cooling techniques could be trialled on Raine Island the largest green turtle rookery in the world." Hawksbill turtle on Milman Island. A trial of ways to cool turtle nests is underway in Queenslands Far North as global warming threatens turtle populations throughout the tropics. Credit: Veronica Joseph / WWF-Australia A shade structure made from palm fronds and drift wood could be an alternative cooling method for islands that lack the resources to build an irrigation system or have no access to shade cloth and other materials. "Every single sea turtle I meet is completely different to the last, and that's what keeps you going, knowing that these speciesthey need you," Ms Staines said. "That's why I'm here specifically looking into a management strategy that could potentially be used to save future generations of sea turtles all around the world." A trial of ways to cool turtle nests is underway in Queenslands Far North as global warming threatens turtle populations throughout the tropics. Credit: Veronica Joseph / WWF-Australia Explore further Too many turtles? Scientists may have solved the mystery of Raine Island Dr. Jason Huntley, associate professor in The University of Toledo Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology in the UT College of Medicine and Life Sciences. Credit: Dan Miller, The University of Toledo Before the 2014 Toledo Water Crisis left half a million residents without safe drinking water for three days, Dr. Jason Huntley's research at The University of Toledo focused on bacteria that cause pneumonia. After the harmful algal bloom prompted the city of Toledo's "Do Not Drink" advisory, the microbiologist expanded his research projects to target microcystin. "I live here, and I have a young son," said Huntley, associate professor in the UT Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology in the College of Medicine and Life Sciences. "I don't want toxins in the water, and I am committed to helping the water treatment plant protect the public." Huntley's research lab recently made major progress in his mission to create a biofilter that uses naturally occurring Lake Erie bacteria to remove microcystin released by harmful algal blooms from drinking water, reducing or eliminating the use of chlorine and other chemicals. "We've identified groups of bacteria in Lake Erie that can be used to naturally purify water. To our knowledge, these bacteria have not been previously used to fight harmful algal blooms in other parts of the world," Huntley said. The microbiologists successfully isolated bacteria from Lake Erie that degrade the microcystin toxin known as MC-LRthe most toxic, most common and most closely linked to liver cancer and other diseasesat a daily rate of up to 19 parts per billion (ppb). Water analysts and toxicologists measure microcystin and other contaminants using the metric of ppb; one ppb is one part in 1 billion. These ppb numbers are important for human health because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends that young children not drink water containing more than 0.3 ppb of microcystin and adults not drink water containing more than 1.6 ppb of microcystin. "The bacteria we've identified can degrade much more toxin than was reported in the 2014 water crisis," Huntley said. "Based on recorded toxin levels in Lake Erie in recent years, these rates would be able to effectively remove microcystin from water supplies." None of the 13 microcystin-degrading bacterial isolates has been associated with human disease, so their use in future water-purifying biofilters is unlikely to be a public health concern. The identified bacteria include Flectobacillus major, Pseudomonas lutea, Agrobacterium albertimagni, Leadbetterella byssophila, Pseudomonas putida, Flectobacillus major, Pseudomonas hunanensis, Runella slithyformis, Porphyrobacter sp., Pseudomonas parafulva, Sphingobium yanoikuyae, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Sphingobium yanoikuyae. The lab-scale biofilters used during Dr. Jason Huntley's research at The University of Toledo are sand filters that contain biologically active bacteria that break down microcystin toxins. Credit: Dr. Jason Huntley, The University of Toledo The research is published in the February issue of the Journal of Great Lakes Research. Researchers in Australia, China and other countries also have identified bacteria that can chew up and break down microcystin from algal blooms, however, Huntley said those specific types of bacteria were not found in any of his Lake Erie studies. Thirteen water samples used for the study were collected from visible algal blooms in the summers of 2014 and 2015 in the western basin of Lake Erie. The scientists added MC-LR to each water sample every three-to-four days for approximately four weeks, alongside a control group that did not receive additional MC-LR. The lab used multiple approaches to confirm the microcystin degradation results, including mass spectrometry and the ELISA test, which is the standard method water treatment plant operators use to measure microcystin concentration during algal bloom season. His lab is now in the process of identifying the enzymatic pathways the bacteria use to break down microcystin. Currently, municipal water treatment plants remove or degrade microcystin using methods such as chlorination, ozonation, activated carbon adsorption and flocculation. "Those techniques are not ideal because of high costs, limited removal efficiencies, and they lead to the production of harmful byproducts or hazardous waste," Huntley said. "Biofilters are a cost-effective and safe alternative to the use of chemicals and other conventional water treatment practices." "We're very excited about the research and the findings," said Andrew McClure, administrator for the city of Toledo's Collins Park Water Treatment Plant. "We've had preliminary talks with Dr. Huntley about ways we can implement it as a treatment technique in our plant's process." Huntley's team is developing and testing biofilterswater filters containing the specialized bacteria that degrade microcystin toxins from lake water as it flows through the filter. Huntley holds a provisional patent on this technology. The research was supported by grants from the Ohio Department of Higher Education through the state's Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative, which consists of 54 science teams at universities across the state seeking solutions to address toxic algae in Lake Erie. Explore further Underwater robot tracks toxic algae in Lake Erie Provided by University of Toledo The refitted Airbus A310 aircraft after take-off for a test-flight for weightless research. Although the aircraft can weigh up to 157 tonnes, skilled pilots angle its nose 50 upwards to create brief periods of weightlessness. At the top of each curve, the forces on the passengers and objects inside cancel each other out, causing everything to float in weightlessness. Credit: European Space Agency Gravity affects everything we do on Earth but we know surprisingly little about how it works and how it affects life. Until recently scientists had no way of experimenting without gravity to understand what life would be like without it. Credit: European Space Agency In May, engineers, pilots, researchers and scientists will convene in Bordeaux, France, for ESA's 71st parabolic flight campaign. Over the course of three days they will fly on a specially-fitted commercial aircraft, testing equipment and running research as the pilots put the plane through repeated parabolas, giving the passengers and their experiments brief bouts of microgravity. Classified as a test flight for safety reasons the parabolic flight campaigns mostly fly over the Atlantic Ocean and have been running for decades to offer researchers hands-on access to their equipment and test subjects in weightlessness. "Novespace, the company that runs the flights, prepared the plane by removing half the seats, adding safety padding, and installing mechanical and electrical connections for the experiments," says ESA's project coordinator Neil Melville, "It isn't really any different from a normal airliner, apart from the special way it is flown, needing a well-trained safety crew and three pilots simultaneously to fly parabolas. We always bring an interesting diversity of science on board, and this campaign promises to be no different with experiments on how our spines cope and how we judge distances in weightlessness, as well as testing experiments that will also fly to the International Space Station." Stiff back? Astronauts in space know the feeling. They have reported increased spinal stiffness in space and on the Moon. It is possibly due to the back muscles contracting to keep the spine in place the muscles kick-in to take over the job of gravity on Earth. On this campaign an experiment will measure the curvature of the spine in test subjects as they undergo the repeated parabolas inside the aircraft, enduring both weightlessness and hypergravity during the pull up phases. The research will help us understand back pain off Earth and at home. The refitted Airbus A310 aircraft after take-off for a test-flight for weightless research. Although the aircraft can weigh up to 157 tonnes, skilled pilots angle its nose 50 upwards to create brief periods of weightlessness. At the top of each curve, the forces on the passengers and objects inside cancel each other out, causing everything to float in weightlessness. Credit: European Space Agency Fundamental physics and space hardware Shake a packet of cornflakes and the smaller flakes will fall to the bottom. But how do granular physics behave in weightlessness? One experiment will vibrate granular media to see how they behave and create better computer models of the phenomena. Other experiments will look at testing heat pipes for possible use in spacecraft to keep them operating at the right temperature. Without convection to make heat dissipate other cooling mechanisms must be used and designing spacecraft to work in the extreme temperatures of space is always a priority. Parabolic flights are one of many platforms ESA offers for European researchers to run experiments for spaceflight. These flights are one of the few that allow the researchers to interact with their own experiments "hands-on" in a weightless environment. Send a proposal through our continuously open research announcements and you could be flying on the next campaign. During ten seconds of weightlessness Brynle Barrett from the Laboratory of Photonics, Numerical Sciences and Nanosciences at the University of Bordeaux monitors an experiment to test the weak equivalence principle or why a feather in a vacuum falls as fast as a hammer. Credit: European Space Agency Explore further European space agencies inaugurate altered-gravity aircraft Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Engineering and Applied Science have now demonstrated a new hardware platform based on isolated electron spins in a two-dimensional material. The electrons are trapped by defects in sheets of hexagonal boron nitride, a one-atom-thick semiconductor material, and the researchers were able to optically detect the system's quantum states. Credit: Ann Sizemore Blevins Quantum computers promise to be a revolutionary technology because their elementary building blocks, qubits, can hold more information than the binary, 0-or-1 bits of classical computers. But to harness this capability, hardware must be developed that can access, measure and manipulate individual quantum states. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Engineering and Applied Science have now demonstrated a new hardware platform based on isolated electron spins in a two-dimensional material. The electrons are trapped by defects in sheets of hexagonal boron nitride, a one-atom-thick semiconductor material, and the researchers were able to optically detect the system's quantum states. The study was led by Lee Bassett, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, and Annemarie Exarhos, then a postdoctoral researcher in his lab. Fellow Bassett Lab members David Hopper and Raj Patel, along with Marcus Doherty of the Australian National University, also contributed to the study. It was published in the journal Nature Communications, where it was selected as an Editor's Highlight. There are number of potential architectures for building quantum technology. One promising system involves electron spins in diamonds: these spins are also trapped at defects in diamond's regular crystalline pattern where carbon atoms are missing or replaced by other elements. The defects act like isolated atoms or molecules, and they interact with light in a way that enables their spin to be measured and used as a qubit. These systems are attractive for quantum technology because they can operate at room temperatures, unlike other prototypes based on ultra-cold superconductors or ions trapped in vacuum, but working with bulk diamond presents its own challenges. "One disadvantage of using spins in 3-D materials is that we can't control exactly where they are relative to the surface" Bassett says. "Having that level of atomic scale control is one reason to work in 2-D. Maybe you want to place one spin here and one spin there and have them talk them to each other. Or if you want to have a spin in a layer of one material and plop a 2-D magnet layer on top and have them interact. When the spins are confined to a single atomic plane, you enable a host of new functionalities." With nanotechnological advances producing an expanding library of 2-D materials to choose from, Bassett and his colleagues sought the one that would be most like a flat analog of bulk diamond. "You might think the analog would be graphene, which is just a honeycomb lattice of carbon atoms, but here we care more about the electronic properties of the crystal than what type of atoms it's made of," says Exarhos, who is now an assistant professor of Physics at Lafayette University. "Graphene behaves like a metal, whereas diamond is a wide-bandgap semiconductor and thus acts like an insulator. Hexagonal boron nitride, on the other hand, has the same honeycomb structure as graphene, but, like diamond, it is also a wide-bandgap semiconductor and is already widely used as a dielectric layer in 2-D electronics." With hexagonal boron nitride, or h-BN, widely available and well characterized, Bassett and his colleagues focused on one of its less well-understood aspects: defects in its honeycomb lattice that can emit light. That the average piece of h-BN contains defects that emit light had previously been known. Bassett's group is the first to show that, for some of those defects, the intensity of the emitted light changes in response to a magnetic field. "We shine light of one color on the material and we get photons of another color back," Bassett says. "The magnet controls the spin and the spin controls the number of photons that the defects in the h-BN emit. That's a signal that you can potentially use as a qubit." Beyond computation, having the building block of a quantum machine's qubits on a 2-D surface enables other potential applications that depend on proximity. "Quantum systems are super sensitive to their environments, which is why they're so hard to isolate and control," Bassett says. "But the flip side is that you can use that sensitivity to make new types of sensors. In principle, these little spins can be miniature nuclear magnetic resonance detectors, like the kind used in MRIs, but with the ability to operate on a single molecule. Nuclear magnetic resonance is currently used to learn about molecular structure, but it requires millions or billions of the target molecule to be assembled into a crystal. In contrast, 2-D quantum sensors could measure the structure and internal dynamics of individual molecules, for example to study chemical reactions and protein folding. While the researchers conducted an extensive survey of h-BN defects to discover ones that have special spin-dependent optical properties, the exact nature of those defects is still unknown. Next steps for the team include understanding what makes some, but not all, defects responsive to magnetic fields, and then recreating those useful defects. Some of that work will be enabled by Penn's Singh Center for Nanotechnology and its new JEOL NEOARM microscope. The only transmission electron microscope of its kind in the United States, the NEOARM is capable of resolving single atoms and potentially even creating the kinds of defects the researchers want to work with. "This study is bringing together two major areas of scientific research," Bassett says. "On one hand, there's been a tremendous amount of work in expanding the library of 2-D materials and understanding the physics that they exhibit and the devices they can make. On the other hand, there's the development of these different quantum architectures. And this is one of the first to bring them together to say 'here's a potentially room-temperature quantum architecture in a 2-D material.'" Explore further A two-atom quantum duet More information: Annemarie L. Exarhos et al, Magnetic-field-dependent quantum emission in hexagonal boron nitride at room temperature, Nature Communications (2019). Journal information: Nature Communications Annemarie L. Exarhos et al, Magnetic-field-dependent quantum emission in hexagonal boron nitride at room temperature,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-08185-8 Nongjian 'NJ' Tao, Ph.D., is the director of the Center for Bioelectronics and Biosensors at the Biodesign Institute and is a professor in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. Credit: The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University Noting the startling advances in semiconductor technology, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore proposed that the number of transistors on a chip will double each year, an observation that has been born out since he made the claim in 1965. Still, it's unlikely Moore could have foreseen the extent of the electronics revolution currently underway. Today, a new breed of devices, bearing unique properties, is being developed. As ultra-miniaturization continues apace, researchers have begun to explore the intersection of physical and chemical properties occurring at the molecular scale. Advances in this fast-paced domain could improve devices for data storage and information processing and aid in the development of molecular switches, among other innovations. Nongjian "NJ" Tao and his collaborators recently described a series of studies into electrical conductance through single molecules. Creating electronics at this infinitesimal scale presents many challenges. In the world of the ultra-tiny, the peculiar properties of the quantum world hold sway. Here, electrons flowing as current behave like waves and are subject to a phenomenon known as quantum interference. The ability to manipulate this quantum phenomenon could help open the door to new nanoelectronic devices with unusual properties. "We are interested in not only measuring quantum phenomena in single molecules, but also controlling them. This allows us to understand the basic charge transport in molecular systems and study new device functions," Tao says. Tao is the director of the Biodesign Center for Bioelectronics and Biosensors. In research appearing in the journal Nature Materials, Tao and colleagues from Japan, China and the UK outline experiments in which a single organic molecule is suspended between a pair of electrodes as a current is passed through the tiny structure. The researchers explore the charge transport properties through the molecules. They demonstrated that a ghostly wavelike property of electronsknown as quantum interference can be precisely modulated in two different configurations of the molecule, known as Para and Meta. It turns out that quantum interference effects can cause substantial variation in the conductance properties of molecule-scale devices. By controlling the quantum interference, the group showed that electrical conductance of a single molecule can be fine-tuned over two orders of magnitude. Precisely and continuously controlling quantum interference is seen as a key ingredient in the future development of wide-ranging molecular-scale electronics, operating at high speed and low power. Such single-molecule devices could potentially act as transistors, wires, rectifiers, switches or logic gates and may find their way into futuristic applications including superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUID), quantum cryptography, and quantum computing. For the current study, the moleculesring-shaped hydrocarbons that can appear in different configurationswere used, as they are among the simplest and most versatile candidates for modeling the behavior of molecular electronics and are ideal for observing quantum interference effects at the nanoscale. In order to probe the way charge moves through a single molecule, so-called break junction measurements were made. The tests involve the use of a scanning tunneling microscope or STM. The molecule under study is poised between a gold substrate and gold tip of the STM device. The tip of the STM is repeatedly brought in and out of contact with the molecule, breaking and reforming the junction while the current passes through each terminal. Thousands of conductance versus distance traces were recorded, with the particular molecular properties of the two molecules used for the experiments altering the electron flow through the junction. Molecules in the 'Para' configuration showed higher conductance values than molecules of the 'Meta' form, indicating constructive vs destructive quantum interference in the molecules. Using a technique known as electrochemical gating, the researchers were able to continuously control the conductance over two orders of magnitude. In the past, altering quantum interference properties required modifications to the charge-carrying molecule used for the device. The current study marks the first occasion of conductance regulation in a single molecule. As the authors note, conductance at the molecular scale is sensitively affected by quantum interference involving the electron orbitals of the molecule. Specifically, interference between the highest occupied molecular orbital or HOMO and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital or LUMO appears to be the dominant determinant of conductance in single molecules. Using an electrochemical gate voltage, quantum interference in the molecules could be delicately tuned. The researchers were able to demonstrate good agreement between theoretical calculations and experimental results, indicating that the HOMO and LUMO contributions to the conductance were additive for Para molecules, resulting in constructive interference, and subtractive for Meta, leading to destructive interference, much as waves in water can combine to form a larger wave or cancel one another out, depending on their phase. While previous theoretical calculations of charge transport through single molecules had been carried out, experimental verification has had to wait for a number of advances in nanotechnology, scanning probe microscopy, and methods to form electrically functional connections of molecules to metal surfaces. Now, with the ability to subtly alter conductance through the manipulation of quantum interference, the field of molecular electronics is open to a broad range of innovations. Explore further Single molecules show promise to optically detect single electrons More information: Gate controlling of quantum interference and direct observation of anti-resonances in single molecule charge transport, www.nature.com/articles/s41563-018-0280-5 Journal information: Nature Materials Gate controlling of quantum interference and direct observation of anti-resonances in single molecule charge transport, DOI: 10.1038/s41563-018-0280-5 Priscoculex burmanicus, a newly identified genus and species of anopheline mosquito, preserved in amber. Credit: George Poinar Jr. The anopheline mosquitoes that carry malaria were present 100 million years ago, new research shows, potentially shedding fresh light on the history of a disease that continues to kill more than 400,000 people annually. "Mosquitoes could have been vectoring malaria at that time, but it's still an open question," said the study's corresponding author, George Poinar Jr. of Oregon State University's College of Science. "Back then anopheline mosquitoes were probably biting birds, small mammals and reptiles since they still feed on those groups today." In amber from Myanmar that dates to the mid-Cretaceous Period, Poinar and co-authors described a new genus and species of mosquito, which was named Priscoculex burmanicus. Various characteristics, including those related to wing veins, proboscis, antennae and abdomen indicate that Priscoculex is an early lineage of the anopheline mosquitoes. "This discovery provides evidence that anophelines were radiatingdiversifying from ancestral specieson the ancient megacontinent of Gondwana because it is now thought that Myanmar amber fossils originated on Gondwana," said Poinar, an international expert in using plant and animal life forms preserved in amber to learn more about the biology and ecology of the distant past. Findings were published in Historical Biology. Most malaria, especially the species that infect humans and other primates, is caused primarily by one genus of protozoa, Plasmodium, and spread mainly by anopheline mosquitoes. Ancestral forms of the disease may literally have determined animal survival and evolution, according to Poinar. In a previous work, he suggested that the origins of malaria, which today can infect animals ranging from humans and other mammals to birds and reptiles, may have first appeared in an insect such as a biting midge that was found to be vectoring a type of malaria some 100 million years ago. Now he can include mosquitoes as possible malaria vectors that existed at the same time. In a 2007 book, "What Bugged the Dinosaurs? Insects, Disease and Death in the Cretaceous," Poinar and his wife, Roberta, showed insect vectors from the Cretaceous with pathogens that could have contributed to the widespread extinction of the dinosaurs some 65 million years ago. "There were catastrophic events that happened around that time, such as asteroid impacts, climatic changes and lava flows," the Poinars' wrote. "But it's still clear that dinosaurs declined and slowly became extinct over thousands of years, which suggests other issues must also have been at work. Insects, microbial pathogens such as malaria, and other vertebrate diseases were just emerging around that time." Scientists have long debated about how and when malaria evolved, said Poinar, who was the first to discover malaria in a 15- to 20-million-year-old fossil mosquito from the New World, in what is now the Dominican Republic. It was the first fossil record of Plasmodium malaria, one type of which is now the strain that infects and kills humans. Understanding the ancient history of malaria, Poinar said, might offer clues on how its modern-day life cycle evolved and how to interrupt its transmission. Since the sexual reproductive stage of malaria only occurs in the insect vectors, Poinar considers the vectors to be the primary hosts of the malarial pathogen, rather than the vertebrates they infect. The first human recording of malaria was in China in 2,700 B.C., and some researchers say it may have resulted in the fall of the Roman Empire. In 2017 there were 219 million cases of malaria worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Immunity rarely occurs naturally and the search for a vaccine has not yet been successful. Explore further An ancient killer: Ancestral malarial organisms traced to age of dinosaurs More information: George Poinar et al, Priscoculex burmanicus n. gen. et sp. (Diptera: Culicidae: Anophelinae) from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber, Historical Biology (2019). George Poinar et al, Priscoculex burmanicus n. gen. et sp. (Diptera: Culicidae: Anophelinae) from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber,(2019). DOI: 10.1080/08912963.2019.1570185 Inner structure of the Earth. Credit: DESY, Franziska Lorenz & Jochen Stuhrmann/illustrato An innovative X-ray method enables new high-pressure investigations of samples under deep mantle conditions. The technique, which was developed by a team led by Georg Spiekermann from DESY, the German Research Centre for Geosciences GFZ and the University of Potsdam, extends the range of instruments available to high-pressure researchers. Successful tests of the new method at DESY's X-ray light source PETRA III support the idea that heavy elements have to accumulate in magmas so that they could be stable at depths of Earth's lower mantle. The scientists present their work in the journal Physical Review X. The so-called standard conditions of chemistry, i.e. a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius and a pressure of 1013 millibar, are actually rare in nature. Most of the matter in the universe exists under completely different conditions. In Earth's interior, for example, pressure and temperature rise rapidly to many times the standard conditions. "However, even with the most elaborate deep drilling, only the uppermost part of the Earth's crust is accessible," Spiekermann emphasises. Researchers therefore simulate the conditions of Earth's interior in the laboratory in order to investigate the behaviour of matter under these conditions. Such experiments often involve determining the inner structure of the samples, which in many materials changes with increasing pressure. This inner structure can be explored with X-rays that are energetic enough to penetrate the sample and short enough in wavelength to resolve the tiny details of atomic distances. For this purpose, usually two X-ray based methods exist in high-pressure research: absorption and diffraction of X-rays through the sample. Based on X-ray emission, Spiekermann and his team have now developed a third method that can be used to determine both the bonding distances in compressed amorphous (disordered) matter and the so-called coordination number, which indicates how many direct neighbours an atom has. These parameters can be read from the energy and intensity of the radiation of a certain emission line of the sample, called K" ("K-beta-doubleprime"). The K" radiation is generated when the sample is excited with X-rays. The energy of the emission line depends on the coordination number, the intensity on the bonding distance. Experiments at the experimental station P01 at DESY's X-ray source PETRA III have confirmed the new method. "We have shown this, using the spectrum of germanium in compressed amorphous germanium dioxide, but this procedure can also be applied to other chemical systems," says Spiekermann. The energy of the emission line depends on the coordination number, the intensity on the bonding distance. Credit: Universitat Potsdam, Georg Spiekermann The method will provide scientists with an additional technique for investigating the structure of high-pressure samples. "The insight provided by a new measuring method is particularly welcome when different methods have so far produced significantly different results so far, as in the case of compressed amorphous germanium dioxide," explains DESY researcher Hans-Christian Wille, head of the measuring station P01 at which the experiments took place. For their experiments, the researchers exposed samples of germanium dioxide (GeO2) to a pressure of up to 100 gigapascals, about one million times as much as the atmospheric pressure at sea level. This pressure corresponds to a depth of 2200 kilometres in the lower mantle of Earth. The measurements show that the coordination number of germanium dioxide does not rise higher than six even under this extreme pressure. This means that even in the high-pressure phase, the germanium atoms each still have six neighbouring atoms as already at 15 gigapascals. This result is of great interest for the exploration of Earth's interior, because germanium dioxide has the same structure and behaves like silicon dioxide (SiO2), which is the main component of natural magmas in general. Since melts such as magma generally have a lower density than the solid form of the same material, it has long been a mystery why magmas at great depth do not rise towards the surface over geological periods. "There are two possible explanations for this, one chemical, the other structural," Spiekermann explains. "Either heavy elements such as iron accumulate in the melt, or there is a special compacting mechanism in melts that makes melts denser than crystalline forms of the same composition." The latter would be noticeable, among other things, by an increase in the coordination number under high pressure. "Our investigations show that up to 100 gigapascals the coordination number in non-crystalline germanium dioxide is not higher than in the corresponding crystalline form," reports the researcher. Applied to silicon dioxide, this means that magma with a higher density can only be produced by enriching relatively heavy elements such as iron. The composition and structure of the lower mantle have far-reaching consequences for the global transport of heat and the propagation of Earth's magnetic field. Explore further Simulating meteorite impacts in the lab More information: G. Spiekermann et al. Persistent Octahedral Coordination in Amorphous GeO2 Up to 100 GPa by K X-Ray Emission Spectroscopy, Physical Review X (2019). Journal information: Physical Review X G. Spiekermann et al. Persistent Octahedral Coordination in Amorphous GeO2 Up to 100 GPa by K X-Ray Emission Spectroscopy,(2019). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevX.9.011025 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Researchers have designed a machine learning algorithm for drug discovery which has been shown to be twice as efficient as the industry standard, which could accelerate the process of developing new treatments for disease. The researchers, led by the University of Cambridge, used their algorithm to identify four new molecules that activate a protein which is thought to be relevant for symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. The results are reported in the journal PNAS. A key problem in drug discovery is predicting whether a molecule will activate a particular physiological process. It's possible to build a statistical model by searching for chemical patterns shared among molecules known to activate that process, but the data to build these models is limited because experiments are costly and it is unclear which chemical patterns are statistically significant. "Machine learning has made significant progress in areas such as computer vision where data is abundant," said Dr. Alpha Lee from Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory, and the study's lead author. "The next frontier is scientific applications such as drug discovery, where the amount of data is relatively limited but we do have physical insights about the problem, and the question becomes how to marry data with fundamental chemistry and physics." The algorithm developed by Lee and his colleagues, in collaboration with biopharmaceutical company Pfizer, uses mathematics to separate pharmacologically relevant chemical patterns from irrelevant ones. Importantly, the algorithm looks at both molecules known to be active and molecules known to be inactive, and learns to recognise which parts of the molecules are important for drug action and which parts are not. A mathematical principle known as random matrix theory gives predictions about the statistical properties of a random and noisy dataset, which is then compared against the statistics of chemical features of active/inactive molecules to distil which chemical patterns are truly important for binding as opposed to arising simply by chance. This methodology allows the researchers to fish out important chemical patterns not only from molecules that are active, but also from molecules that are inactivein other words, failed experiments can now be exploited with this technique. The researchers built a model starting with 222 active molecules, and were able to computationally screen an additional six million molecules. From this, the researchers purchased and screened the 100 most relevant molecules. From these, they identified four new molecules that activate the CHRM1 receptor, a protein that may be relevant for Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. "The ability to fish out four active molecules from six million is like finding a needle in a haystack," said Lee. "A head-to-head comparison shows that our algorithm is twice as efficient as the industry standard." Making complex organic molecules is a significant challenge in chemistry, and potential drugs abound in the space of yet-unmakeable molecules. The Cambridge researchers are currently developing algorithms that predict ways to synthesise complex organic molecules, as well as extending the machine learning methodology to materials discovery. The research was supported by the Winton Programme for the Physics of Sustainability. Explore further Treatment for obesity and fatty liver disease may be in reach More information: Alpha A. Lee el al., "Ligand biological activity predicted by cleaning positive and negative chemical correlations," PNAS (2019). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Alpha A. Lee el al., "Ligand biological activity predicted by cleaning positive and negative chemical correlations,"(2019). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1810847116 The diademed sifaka (Propithecus diadema) is critically endangered and one of the lemur species endemic to the rainforests of Madagascar. Credit: Johanna Eklund Madagascar has been repeatedly identified as a top priority for biodiversity conservation globally and merits attention for its high levels of endemic species. Yet, the country struggles with high poverty levels and an unstable political environment, putting high pressures on the remaining forests and the islands biodiversity. Are protected areas only "paper parks?" Establishing state protected areas under such challenging circumstances does not automatically mean they protect biodiversity. Without active management inputs, such as demarcated borders, patrolling, monitoring, and collaboration with local stakeholders, protected areas risk ending up as "paper parks," i.e. protected on paper, but lacking active management and leaving biodiversity still at risk. A team of scientists from the University of Helsinki set out to investigate closer the management of protected areas, and what protected area managers on-the-ground face and experience in their day-to day work. Results were recently published in the scientific journal Conservation Science and Practice. More species monitoring The study was a collaborative effort between researchers of the University of Helsinki and the parastatal organization managing the protected areas in Madagascar, namely Madagascar National Parks (MNP). Using first questionnaires followed up with a workshop, in total engaging representatives of 26 national parks or special reserves, the team focused on exploring managers' perceptions of whether the PAs were successfully mitigating threats and protecting biodiversity. The managers generally reported that protected areas have been able to reduce the main threats to biodiversity, including deforestation, poaching, forest fires, and livestock grazing. However, managers lacked knowledge of trends in biodiversity, highlighting the need for ecological monitoring and knowledge transfer from scientific researchers. O'Shaughnessy's chameleon (Calumma oshaughnessyi) is threatened by deforestation and one of the chameleon species endemic to the rainforests of Madagascar. Credit: Ricardo Rocha "As it is now, local managers tend to benefit very little if at allfrom scientific research carried out in their area, even if they are the key authority implementing management practices. More collaboration and information sharing would be crucial for this, and something the local managers called for," says Dr. Aili Pyhala, one of the lead authors of the study. While research partnerships exist between some universities and protected areas in Madagascar, the lack of communication between researchers and local protected area managers means that valuable data and information rarely ends up informing actual management. "There would be so much potential for working together in developing research and species monitoring programs, but right now managers struggle on their own," continues Dr. Marissa McBride. Collaboration is perceived by managers to work better than using sanctions The Lined day gecko (Phelsuma lineata) is an endemic species found on Madagascar. Credit: Johanna Eklund Other challenges identified by the local protected area managers included problems with enforcing protected area regulations. Managers reported, for example, that collaboration with local communities can be challenging, yet most agreed that collaboration worked better than using sanctions or compensation schemes. The managers said they often felt like they had to carry the responsibility of the State, with very little support in enforcing and implementing the laws regulating the use of natural resources and protected areas. "To me this is indicative of the importance of the quality of governance in ensuring effective protected area management. Successful protected area outcomes are the result of a complex interplay of different institutions, practices and policies, working in conjunction at different levels to support the protection of biodiversity. We cannot expect that local managers in isolation manage to mitigate threats to biodiversity," says Dr. Johanna Eklund, other lead author of the study. The diademed sifaka (Propithecus diadema) is critically endangered and one of the lemur species endemic to the rainforests of Madagascar. Credit: Johanna Eklund This study has helped shed important light on where managers need greater support and it is clear that the focus should be on strengthening ties with other actors. "The outcomes are timely, calling for investments of the new presidency in improving the quality of governance says Dr. Mar Cabeza However, the responsibility does not only lie on the new government, increased collaborative support from the research community is urgently needed, she adds. More information: Aili Pyhala et al. Managers' perceptions of protected area outcomes in Madagascar highlight the need for species monitoring and knowledge transfer, Conservation Science and Practice (2019). Aili Pyhala et al. Managers' perceptions of protected area outcomes in Madagascar highlight the need for species monitoring and knowledge transfer,(2019). DOI: 10.1002/csp2.6 Simulations of different geometric states of fluid (red) in rock (tan). Using Titan, researchers validated a geometric model for characterizing fluid flow in porous rock and geologic materials from theory. Credit: James McClure Deep beneath the Earth's surface, oil and groundwater percolate through gaps in rock and other geologic material. Hidden from sight, these critical resources pose a significant challenge for scientists seeking to evaluate the state of such two-phase fluid flows. Fortunately, the combination of supercomputing and synchrotron-based imaging techniques enables more accurate methods for modeling fluid flow in large subsurface systems like oil reservoirs, sinks for carbon sequestration, and groundwater aquifers. Researchers led by computational scientist James McClure of Virginia Tech used the 27-petaflop Titan supercomputer at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF) to develop a geometric model that requires only a few key measurements to characterize how fluids are arranged within porous rockthat is, their geometric state. The OLCF is a US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility located at DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The team's results were published in Physical Review Fluids in 2018. The new geometric model offers geologists a way to uniquely predict the fluid state and overcome a well-known shortcoming associated with models that have been used for more than half a century. Around the turn of the 20th century, the German mathematician Hermann Minkowski demonstrated that 3-D objects are associated with four essential measures: volume, surface area, integral mean curvature, and Euler characteristic. However, in the traditional computational models for subsurface flow, the volume fraction provides the only measure of the fluid state and relies on observational data collected over time for greatest accuracy. Based on Minkowski's fundamental analysis, these traditional models are incomplete. "The mathematics in our model is different from the traditional model, but it works quite well," McClure said. "The geometric model is characterizing the microstructure of the medium using a very limited number of measures." To apply Minkowski's result to the complex, multiphase fluid configurations found in porous rock, McClure's team needed to generate a large amount of data, and Titan provided the extreme computational power needed. Working with international collaborators, the team selected five micro-computed tomography (microCT) datasets collected by X-ray synchrotrons to represent the microscopic structure of real rocks. The datasets included two sandstones, a sand pack, a carbonate rock, and a synthetic porous system known as Robuglas. The team also included a simulated pack of spheres. Within each rock, thousands of possible fluid configurations were simulated and analyzed, totaling more than 250,000 fluid configurations. Using the simulation data, the team was able to show that a unique relationship exists among the four geometric variables, paving the way for a new generation of models that predict the fluid state from theory rather than by relying on a historical set of data. "Relationships once thought to be inherently history-dependent can now be reconsidered based on rigorous geometric theory," McClure said. The team used the open source Lattice Boltzmann for Porous Media (LBPM) code, developed by McClure and named for the statistics-driven lattice Boltzmann method that calculates fluid flow across a range of scales more rapidly than calculations using finite methods, which are most accurate at small scales. The LBPM code, which uses Titan's GPUs to speed fluid flow simulations, is released through the Open Porous Media Initiative, which maintains open-source codes for the research community. "Lattice Boltzmann methods perform very well on GPUs," McClure said. "In our implementation, the simulation runs on the GPUs while the CPU cores analyze information or modify the state of the fluids." At exceptional computing speeds, the team was able to analyze the simulation state at about every 1,000 time steps, or at about every minute of computing time. "This allowed us to generate a very large number of data points that can be used to study not only the geometric state but also other aspects of flow physics as we move forward," McClure said. Larger simulations will be needed to study how the diverse properties and microstructure of real rocks influence the behavior of the geometric relationship across length scales. A new generation of supercomputers like the OLCF's latest systemthe 200-petaflop IBM AC922 Summitwill be needed to connect flow physics across length scales that range from nanometer- to millimeter-sized pores to reservoirs that can span several kilometers. "The release of the Summit supercomputer enables larger simulations that will further push the boundaries of our understanding for these complex multiscale systems," McClure said. Explore further Researchers mine information from next-generation subsurface flow simulations More information: James E. McClure et al. Geometric state function for two-fluid flow in porous media, Physical Review Fluids (2018). James E. McClure et al. Geometric state function for two-fluid flow in porous media,(2018). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevFluids.3.084306 In this Sept. 21, 2017, file photo, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Building is shown in Washington. There's growing evidence that long-term exposure to the perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl compounds, or PFAS, can be dangerous, even in tiny amounts. The Environmental Protection Agency is looking at how to respond to a public push for stricter regulation of the chemicals, in production since the 1940s. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) The chemical compounds are all around you. They're on many fabrics, rugs and carpets, cooking pots and pans, outdoor gear, shampoo, shaving cream, makeup and even dental floss. Increasing numbers of states have found them seeping into water supplies. There's growing evidence that long-term exposure to the perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl compounds, or PFAS, can be dangerous, even in tiny amounts. The Environmental Protection Agency is looking at how to respond to a public push for stricter regulation of the chemicals, in production since the 1940s. A decision is expected soon. At hearings around the country last year, local and state officials asked the agency to set a maximum level for PFAS in drinking water nationwide. It will take that, officials said, to stop contamination and hold polluting parties responsible. But it's more than a U.S. problem. In Europe, Australia, Asia and elsewhere, regulators and consumers are confronting discoveries of PFAS contamination, especially around U.S. military bases, where they're used in firefighting foam. ___ WHAT ARE PFAS? Industries use the chemicals in coatings meant to protect consumer goods from stains, water and corrosion. DuPont says its scientists invented the earliest form of the nonstick compound in 1938. They were impressed with how water and grease slipped off the new substance and how it seemed never to break downwinning it the name "forever compound." Various types soon were on the market, first in Teflon products. Thousands of variants have been produced since then, for a host of uses. By the 1970s, manufacturers conceded that PFAS were building up in the bodies of employees who worked with them. Recent scientific reports have estimated that nearly all people in the U.S. have some PFAS chemicals in their blood. Studies of workers exposed on the job and people who drank contaminated water, in addition to lab analyses of animals, have pointed to ties between some PFAS types and human illness. Industries have phased out two of the most-studied versions of PFAS. Manufacturers say newer forms are safer and don't remain in the human body as long as older types. Some researchers say too little is known about them to be sure of that. ___ WHAT DOES THE SCIENCE SAY? DuPont agreed to a court-supervised public health study after a farmer in Parkersburg, West Virginia, brought a lawsuit blaming runoff from a PFAS facility for the deaths of his cattle. The 2005-2013 study monitored and tested nearly 70,000 people who had been drinking water tainted with PFOA, one of two kinds of PFAS since phased out of production. The study found "probable links" between high levels of PFOA in the body and excessive cholesterol levels, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, testicular and kidney cancer, and problems in pregnancies. The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry said last year that medical studies pointed to "associations" between the industrial compounds and those ailments, and also to liver problems, low birth weight and other health issues. The federal toxicology report also says EPA's "advisory level" of 70 parts per trillion of PFOA and PFOSthe two older, phased-out versionsin drinking water is too weak. Before the report was released, a White House email disclosed by Politico called it a "potential public relations nightmare." ___ HOW WIDESPREAD IS EXPOSURE? EPA-mandated testing of about 5,000 of the roughly 150,000 public water systems in the U.S. that was completed in 2016 found dangerous levels of the same two PFAS compounds in 66 systems. Local and state testing since then has identified high levels in scores of additional systems. Contaminated materials are disposed of in landfills and sewage treatment systems. Firefighting foams are sprayed on the ground. The chemicals seep into soils, waterways, sediments and groundwater; some are incinerated, generating air pollution. Many states aren't waiting for the EPA, particularly regarding groundwater and, more recently, drinking water. New Jersey and Vermont are among those that have set standards more stringent than the EPA's; New Hampshire may join them. New York is considering the toughest standard yet. In December, a state drinking water commission recommended a maximum limit of 10 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS. That follows revelations of widespread PFAS contamination in several communities. Other states are trying to determine the extent of the contamination, according to the National Conferences of State Legislatures. North Carolina lawmakers approved money for monitoring and treatment. Washington state's Department of Health plans to test hundreds of water systems for any trace of the chemicals. Legislation in other states has proposed things such as banning use of PFAS in food packaging and prohibiting its use in firefighting foam. Dozens of military installations have been affected. Tests found drinking water contamination exceeding the EPA's health advisory for a lifetime of exposure for two PFAS compounds, PFOS and PFOA. __ WHAT ABOUT WILDLIFE? Unsurprisingly, the chemicals have turned up in a variety of wildlife species, including fish, bald eagles and mink. Michigan agencies plan to sample a variety of wild game, such as ducks and other waterfowl, for the chemicals. They already test fish and deer. The state issued a "do not eat" advisory last October for deer taken near a marsh polluted with PFASprobably from a former Air Force baseafter one of the animals registered 5,000 parts per trillion in its body. Michigan, Minnesota and New Jersey include PFAS chemicals in fish advisories, warning people to limit consumption of such popular game species as bass, walleye and brook trout. "If it's affecting human beings, it will be affecting wildlife as well," said Cheryl Murphy, a Michigan State University biologist. The harm to wildlife is unclear, partly because PFAS chemicals don't necessarily accumulate in animals the way other chemicals do, she said. Older, larger fish have higher levels of mercury and PCBs because those contaminants are passed up food chains, from smaller species to bigger ones. But high levels of PFAS are being found in middle-sized fish such bluegill. Explore further Industrial chemicals pass from mother to fetus throughout pregnancy 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Credit: Natalia Deryugina A team of scientists including a RUDN chemist has synthesized new molecules belonging to the class of calixarenes, bowl-like hollow structures. These substances appear to trap adenosine triphosphoric acid (ATP), the main source of energy in the body. The article was published in Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry. A team of Russian scientists including a RUDN employee was the first to synthesize calixarenes able to "catch" ATP molecules and trap them inside. ATP is a universal energy source for the majority of biochemical processes. Moreover, its molecules also play a role of an intercellular mediator. The authors of the work created a kind of a molecular sensor to recognize an ATP molecule among others and also to trap it. This is possible due to molecular receptors attached to the upper part of the bowl. The receptors are formed from groups of atoms that selectively bind only with certain types of compounds. Nitrogen-containing atom groups added by the scientists demonstrated high efficiency of binding with ATP in a solution. The scientists synthesized several types of calixarenes. The first included compounds with two or four receptors attached to the upper part of the molecule, and the second one to the lower part of the molecule. Other types contained combinations of the first two. Having analyzed the chemical properties of each type of compound in detail, the scientists identified differences in their behavior and properties. For example, when two specific groups are added to the lower part of the molecule, it starts to bind adenosine diphosphoric acid (ADP), a substance formed after partial disintegration of ATP, in a more efficient way. To determine how the newly synthesized molecule binds ATP or ADP, the chemists used the dye replacement method. They prepared solutions with synthesized molecules and added a dye called eosin Y to them. Afterward, the authors added ATP or ADP in different concentrations to the solution and compared their optical spectrums. When the acids were added to the mixes, the absorption band of the dye shifted. It meant that the concentration of the dye in the solution increased, and therefore, ATP/ADP molecules drove the molecules of the dye from calixarene receptors. This experiment showed better affinity of the newly synthesized calixarenes with ATP and ADP than with dye molecules. "In the recent two decades, many research groups focused on the synthesis of master molecules with high affinity with biologically important substances. An especially important area of this research is the recognition and transportation of nucleotides (ATP and ADP) because of their high biological value. Adenine-containing nucleotides are a universal source of energy and also act as intracellular mediators in many biological processes. We were the first to develop calixarene-based molecules able to identify ATP and ADP in a solution and bind with them even at small concentrations," says Viktor Khrustalyov, a co-author of the work, Ph.D. in Chemistry, and the head of the Department of Nonorganic Physics at RUDN. Explore further Chemists report a detailed description of azopyrazolonic dyes More information: Vladimir A Burilov et al. Synthesis of new p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene-based polyammonium triazolyl amphiphiles and their binding with nucleoside phosphates, Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry (2018). Vladimir A Burilov et al. Synthesis of new p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene-based polyammonium triazolyl amphiphiles and their binding with nucleoside phosphates,(2018). DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.14.173 A link is a mechanism for data to be delivered to your device. Credit: Unsplash/Marvin Tolentino Every day, often multiple times a day, you are invited to click on links sent to you by brands, politicians, friends and strangers. You download apps on your devices. Maybe you use QR codes. Most of these activities are secure because they come from sources that can be trusted. But sometimes criminals impersonate trustworthy sources to get you to click on a link (or download an app) that contains malware. At its core, a link is just a mechanism for data to be delivered to your device. Code can be built into a website which redirects you to another site and downloads malware to your device en route to your actual destination. When you click on unverified links or download suspicious apps you increase the risk of exposure to malware. Here's what could happen if you do and how you can minimise your risk. What is malware? Malware is defined as malicious code that: "will have adverse impact on the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of an information system." In the past, malware described malicious code that took the form of viruses, worms or Trojan horses. Viruses embedded themselves in genuine programs and relied on these programs to propagate. Worms were generally stand alone programs that could install themselves using a network, USB or email program to infect other computers. Trojan horses took their name from the gift to the Greeks during the Trojan war in Homer's Odyssey. Much like the wooden horse, a Trojan Horse looks like a normal file until some predetermined action causes the code to execute. Today's generation of attacker tools are far more sophisticated, and are often a blend of these techniques. These so-called "blended attacks" rely heavily on social engineeringthe ability to manipulate someone to doing something they wouldn't normally do and are often categorised by what they ultimately will do to your systems. Credit: Richard Matthews What does malware do? Today's malware comes in easy to use, customised toolkits distributed on the dark web or by well meaning security researchers attempting to fix problems. With a click of a button, attackers can use these toolkits to send phishing emails and spam SMS messages to eploy various types of malware. Here are some of them. a remote administration tool (RAT) can be used to access a computer's camera, microphone and install other types of malware keyloggers can be used to monitor for passwords, credit card details and email addresses ransomware is used to encrypt private files and then demand payment in return for the password botnets are used for distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks and other illegal activities. DDoS attacks can flood a website with so much virtual traffic that it shuts down, much like a shop being filled with so many customers you are unable to move. crytptominers will use your computer hardware to mine cryptocurrency, which will slow your computer down hijacking or defacement attacks are used to deface a site or embarrass you by posting pornographic material to your social media How does malware end up on your device? According to insurance claim data of businesses based in the UK, over 66% of cyber incidents are caused by employee error. Although the data attributes only 3% of these attacks to social engineering, our experience suggests the majority of these attacks would have started this way. For example, by employees not following dedicated IT and information security policies, not being informed of how much of their digital footprint has been exposed online, or simply being taken advantage of. Merely posting what you are having for dinner on social media can open you up to attack from a well trained social engineer. QR codes are equally as risky if users open the link the QR codes point to without first validating where it was heading, as indicated by this 2012 study. Even opening an image in a web browser and running a mouse over it can lead to malware being installed. This is quite a useful delivery tool considering the advertising material you see on popular websites. Fake apps have also been discovered on both the Apple and Google Play stores. Many of these attempt to steal login credentials by mimicking well known banking applications. Sometimes malware is placed on your device by someone who wants to track you. In 2010, the Lower Merion School District settled two lawsuits brought against them for violating students' privacy and secretly recording using the web camera of loaned school laptops. An example of a defacement attack on The Utah Office of Tourism Industry from 2017. Credit: Wordfence What can you do to avoid it? In the case of the the Lower Merion School District, students and teachers suspected they were being monitored because they "saw the green light next to the webcam on their laptops turn on momentarily." While this is a great indicator, many hacker tools will ensure webcam lights are turned off to avoid raising suspicion. On-screen cues can give you a false sense of security, especially if you don't realise that the microphone is always being accessed for verbal cues or other forms of tracking. Basic awareness of the risks in cyberspace will go a long the way to mitigating them. This is called cyber hygiene. Using good, up to date virus and malware scanning software is crucial. However, the most important tip is to update your device to ensure it has the latest security updates. Hover over links in an email to see where you are really going. Avoid shortened links, such as bit.ly and QR codes, unless you can check where the link is going by using a URL expander. What to do if you already clicked? If you suspect you have malware on your system, there are simple steps you can take. Open your webcam application. If you can't access the device because it is already in use this is a telltale sign that you might be infected. Higher than normal battery usage or a machine running hotter than usual are also good indicators that something isn't quite right. Make sure you have good anti-virus and anti-malware software installed. Estonian start-ups, such as Malware Bytes and Seguru, can be installed on your phone as well as your desktop to provide real time protection. If you are running a website, make sure you have good security installed. Wordfence works well for WordPress blogs. More importantly though, make sure you know how much data about you has already been exposed. Google yourself including a Google image search against your profile picture to see what is online. Check all your email addresses on the website haveibeenpwned.com to see whether your passwords have been exposed. Then make sure you never use any passwords again on other services. Basically, treat them as compromised. Cyber security has technical aspects, but remember: any attack that doesn't affect a person or an organisation is just a technical hitch. Cyber attacks are a human problem. The more you know about your own digital presence, the better prepared you will be. All of our individual efforts better secure our organisations, our schools, and our family and friends. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Rebecca Caravan, Sandia National Laboratories postdoctoral appointee, adjusts the Sandia Multiplexed Photoionization Mass Spectrometer that was used to conduct research on volatile organic compounds. Credit: Dino Vournas Volatile organic compounds can be found in the aireverywhere. A wide range of sources, including from plants, cooking fuels and household cleaners, emit these compounds directly. They also can be formed in the atmosphere through a complex network of photochemical reactions. Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories and colleagues from other institutions investigated the reactions of hydroxyl and methylperoxy radicals to understand their impact on the atmosphere's ability to process pollutants. This work, which was published in Nature Communications, showed that the reactions can impact levels of a key chemical marker used to assess the understanding of the processing and abundances of pollutants. This ultimately helps our understanding of how both nature and human activity affect the chemical composition of the atmosphere. Recent studies in this area had indicated that the reaction of methylperoxy with the hydroxyl radical occurs more rapidly than previously thought, and so this reaction could change the current understanding of chemistry in both low-temperature combustion and the Earth's atmosphere. The hydroxyl radical, an important molecule in combustion and atmospheric chemistry, initiates the oxidation, or processing, of fuel and pollutant molecules. When this radical reacts with fuel molecules in the presence of oxygen, a new class of radicalsknown as peroxy radicalsis formed. In the Earth's atmosphere, when the hydroxyl radical reacts with methane (which is both a greenhouse gas and the most abundant hydrocarbon), methylperoxy is created. Impacts to combustion Rebecca Caravan, a Sandia postdoctoral appointee and lead researcher of the collaborative new effort, said investigating the subsequent reactions of peroxy radicals is critical to understanding low-temperature combustion because the peroxy radical's fate determines to what extent fuel will undergo autoignition. The researchers wanted to understand how the reaction of hydroxyl and methylperoxy radicals could impact thisfor example, whether autoignition could be inhibited due to the removal of reactive radicals and the production of relatively unreactive chemicals. "Determining the impact of any specific reaction within any given environment requires knowing both how fast the reaction occurs and the products of the reaction," she said. "Carefully quantifying the products is often the more difficult task. A relatively small change in in these reactions can significantly change the magnitude and even the direction of the impact a reaction has in a given environment." Recent theoretical work indicated that a possible product of the hydroxyl radical and methylperoxy reaction could be methanol and oxygen. These products would have significant affect on our understanding of the chemistry in Earth's tropospherethe part of the atmosphere between zero to 10 kilometers (6 miles), which contains around 75 percent of the atmosphere's mass. Caravan said that methanol has long been significantly underpredicted in the troposphere by atmospheric modelers. Because methanol can be formed from multiple sequences of oxidation reactions in the troposphere, understanding how chemical reactions contribute to the levels of methanol in the atmosphere sheds light on how the atmosphere processes hydrocarbons emitted by both nature and human activity, therefore helping us understand the influence of both on the chemical composition of the atmosphere. Sandia combustion chemist Craig Taatjes, the principal investigator of this research effort, said, "We recognized that our fundamental measurements of methanol yield from the hydroxyl radical and methylperoxy reaction could have an impact on modeled atmospheric methanol abundance, so we brought in modeler colleagues who could focus on those consequences of our investigations." International collaboration The discrepancy between modeled and measured methanol is particularly significant in the remote troposphereregions with relatively limited influence from human activity. Dwayne Heard, professor of atmospheric chemistry at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom, said an understanding of these regions is needed before human changes can be understood. "We know that changes in man-made emissions are leading to a warming of the atmosphere and a deterioration in the quality of the air that we breathe," Heard said. "However, set against this are natural, dominant processes that occur everywherefor example, over the oceans where there is relatively little influence from humans." Studies of radical-radical chemistry are complicated; the multiple side reactions need to be understood along with the reaction of interest. To tackle this, researchers from Sandia and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory employed the world-renowned capabilities at Sandia's Combustion Research Facility and the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The researchers relied on the Sandia Multiplexed Photoionization Mass Spectrometer instruments developed by Sandia researchers David Osborn and Lenny Sheps. The team also used the tunable vacuum ultraviolet ionizing radiation from the Chemical Dynamics beamline at the Advanced Light Source to observe and characterize the chemistry and reaction products. The researchers then worked to interpret their experimental observations via models and calculations. They examined the role of longer timescale chemistry on the reaction products by collaborating with partners at the University of Lille in France, who used their atmospheric simulation chamber. Additional team members at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom used a global chemical model to assess the experimental results on the troposphere. "It was a highly collaborative, international project with each party bringing their own world-class capabilities," said Caravan. The Sandia team was funded by the Department of Energy's Basic Energy Sciences Office. The co-authors of the paper were supported by NASA and British and French agencies. Impact on the atmosphere Because of this collaborative effort, it is now understood that in the troposphere around 25 percent of methylperoxy radicals are removed by the fast reaction with the hydroxyl radical, meaning that fewer peroxy radicals undergo other reactions known to lead to methanol. To counterbalance that, the methanol yield from the reaction of hydroxyl radicals with methylperoxy would need to be about 15 percent, but the authors' measure yields in the range 6-9 percent. The implications of this result on the understanding of tropospheric methanol are significant. The hydroxyl radical and methylperoxy reaction fails to resolve the discrepancy between higher measured and lower modeled methanol abundances; in fact, this discrepancy is now exacerbated. Methanol in remote regions is now underpredicted by around a factor of 1.5 in global models of the atmosphere. "This work highlights our incomplete understanding of key tropospheric chemical reactivity. We are missing significant reactions, opening the door to further investigation," Caravan said. Alexander Archibald, a Cambridge University professor and an expert in the field, says the experiments led by Caravan demonstrate that methanol has additional secrets to reveal. "While the reaction between methylperoxy radicals and hydroxyl radicals may not be a major source of methanol, models still underestimate the amount of methanol," said Archibald. "The exciting work that Caravan and co-workers have performed closes one chapter in the story, but the book remains unfinished. Further work is required to help complete our understanding of this important compound in the atmosphere." More information: Rebecca L. Caravan et al. The reaction of hydroxyl and methylperoxy radicals is not a major source of atmospheric methanol, Nature Communications (2018). Journal information: Nature Communications Rebecca L. Caravan et al. The reaction of hydroxyl and methylperoxy radicals is not a major source of atmospheric methanol,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06716-x Bengal tiger. Credit: Dr Rakesh Narala A James Cook University scientist says the last coastal stronghold of an iconic predator, the endangered Bengal tiger, could be destroyed by climate change and rising sea levels over the next 50 years. "Fewer than 4,000 Bengal tigers are alive today," said JCU's Professor Bill Laurance, a co-author of the study. "That's a really low number for the world's biggest cat, which used to be far more abundant but today is mainly confined to small areas of India and Bangladesh," he said. "Spanning more than 10,000 square kilometres, the Sundarbans region of Bangladesh and India is the biggest mangrove forest on Earth, and also the most critical area for Bengal tiger survival," said lead-author Dr. Sharif Mukul, an assistant professor at Independent University Bangladesh. "What is most terrifying is that our analyses suggest tiger habitats in the Sundarbans will vanish entirely by 2070," said Dr. Mukul. The researchers used computer simulations to assess the future suitability of the low-lying Sundarban region for tigers and their prey species, using mainstream estimates of climatic trends from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Their analyses included factors such as extreme weather events and sea-level rise. "Beyond climate change, the Sundarbans are under growing pressure from industrial developments, new roads, and greater poaching," said Professor Laurance. "So, tigers are getting a double whammygreater human encroachment on the one hand and a worsening climate and associated sea-level rises on the other," he said. But the researchers emphasise there is still hope. "The more of the Sundarbans that can be conservedvia new protected areas and reducing illegal poachingthe more resilient it will be to future climatic extremes and rising sea levels," said Professor Laurance. "Our analyses are a preliminary picture of what could happen if we don't start to look after Bengal tigers and their critical habitats," said Dr. Mukul. "There is no other place like the Sundarbans left on Earth," said Professor Laurance. "We have to look after this iconic ecosystem if we want amazing animals like the Bengal tiger to have a chance of survival." Explore further Bangladesh doubles wildlife sanctuary to save its tigers More information: Sharif A. Mukul et al, Combined effects of climate change and sea-level rise project dramatic habitat loss of the globally endangered Bengal tiger in the Bangladesh Sundarbans, Science of The Total Environment (2019). Journal information: Science of the Total Environment Sharif A. Mukul et al, Combined effects of climate change and sea-level rise project dramatic habitat loss of the globally endangered Bengal tiger in the Bangladesh Sundarbans,(2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.383 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Small RNAs (sRNAs) are key regulators involved in plant growth and development. Two groups of sRNAs are abundant during development of pollen in the anthersa critical process for reproductive success. One of these pathways for sRNA production, previously believed present in grasses and related monocots, has now been demonstrated to be present widely in the flowering plants, evolved over 200 million years ago, and is arguably one of the evolutionary innovations that made them so successful. The research, led by Blake Meyers, Ph.D., member, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and professor, Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri and his collaborators at South China Agriculture University, the University of Delaware, and the University of Maryland, published their findings, "24-nt reproductive phasiRNAs are broadly present in angiosperms," in the journal Nature Communications. "We've been studying this pathway extensively in maize as part of a project supported by the National Science Foundation. Quite unexpectedly, we found the pathway in the tropical tree that produces lychee fruit, which, as a eudicot, is distant from the grasses. When we analyzed other eudicot plant genomes, we found that this pathway was present in many of thema complete surprise to us, since we thought it was only in the monocots," said Meyers. "There are some key differences between the pathway in eudicots and in grasses, and characterizing these in our study has given us insights into how sRNA and reproductive biology has diverged in these groups of plants." Meyers explained that the long-standing view was that this pathway was specific to the grasses. In a companion piece of work, Meyers and his colleagues have demonstrated that maize, a monocot and member of the grass family, requires this pathway for full male fertility. But their paper in Nature Communications upends this view, demonstrating that the pathway emerged prior to the split between eudicots and monocots. One of the big mysteries they are trying to address is the precise molecular function of these sRNAs in pollen development. To address this question in eudicots, Meyers and his team are using Fragaria vesca, a diploid, also known as woodland strawberries as a model for their experiments. The genome of Fragaria vesca was sequenced in 2010 and is often used as a model due to its small genome size, short reproductive cycle and ease of propagation. "The explosion of flowering plants was a remarkable thing in evolution, and they represent most species used for food and fuel," said Meyers. "Understanding the genetic mechanisms by which flowers develop will be important for improving crop yields and breeding better varieties, particularly for making the high-yielding hybrid crops that support modern agriculture." Explore further New research characterizes novel aspects of maize reproduction More information: Rui Xia et al, 24-nt reproductive phasiRNAs are broadly present in angiosperms, Nature Communications (2019). Journal information: Nature Communications Rui Xia et al, 24-nt reproductive phasiRNAs are broadly present in angiosperms,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08543-0 Design principle for anti-fatigue-fracture hydrogels. (A) Illustration of fatigue crack propagation in an amorphous hydrogel and in hydrogels with low and high crystallinities under cyclic loads. The yellow areas represent crystalline domains, and the blue areas denote amorphous domains. In the amorphous hydrogel and the hydrogel with low crystallinity, the fatigue threshold can be attributed to the energy required to fracture a single layer of polymer chains per unit area. In the hydrogel with high crystallinity, the fatigue crack propagation requires fracture of crystalline domains. (B) Illustration of measuring nominal stress S versus stretch curves over N cycles of the applied stretch A. The stress-stretch curve reaches steady state as N reaches a critical value N*. (C) Illustration of measuring crack extension per cycle dc/dN versus energy release rate G curves. By linearly extrapolating the curve to intercept with the abscissa, we can approximately obtain the critical energy release rate Gc, below which the fatigue crack will not propagate under infinite cycles of loads. By definition, the fatigue threshold 0 is equal to the critical energy release rate Gc. Credit: Science Advances. Doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aau8528 Hydrogels are polymer networks infiltrated with water, widely used for tissue engineering vehicles of drug delivery and novel platforms for biomedical engineering. Emerging applications for new hydrogel materials call for robustness under cyclic mechanical loads. Materials scientists have developed tough hydrogels that resist fracture under a single cycle of mechanical load, yet these toughened gels still suffer from fatigue fracture under multiple cycles of loads. The present fatigue threshold for synthetic hydrogels is reported in the order of 1 to 100 J/m2. In a recent study, Shaoting Lin and a team of materials scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) proposed the design of an anti-fatigue-fracture hydrogel. To develop the proposed hydrogel, the scientists needed the materials to have energies per unit area at a much higher value than that required to fracture a single layer of polymer chains. To accomplish this, they controlled the introduction of crystallinity in to hydrogels to substantially enhance their anti-fatigue-fracture properties. In this work, Lin et al. disclosed the fatigue threshold of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with a crystallinity of 18.9 weight percent (18.9 wt%) in the swollen state to exceed 1000 J/m2. The results are now published in Science Advances. The pioneering work of Gong et al has inspired materials scientists to engineer hydrogels that are increasingly tough to resist crack propagation in a single cycle of mechanical load for industrial and biomedical applications. Hydrogels are toughened via mechanisms to dissipate mechanical energy, such as the fracture of short polymer chains and reversible crosslinks into stretchy polymer networks. Yet, the existing tough hydrogels suffer from fatigue fracture under multiple cycles of mechanical loads. The highest fatigue threshold on record so far is 418 J/m2 for a double network hydrogel, poly (2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid) (PAMPS)-PAAm. The outcome is credited to the high intrinsic fracture energy of the PAAm network with very long polymer chains. Characterization of crystalline domains in PVA hydrogels. (A) Representative DSC thermographs of chemically cross-linked (Ch), freeze-thawed (FT), and dry-annealed PVA with annealing times of 0, 3, 10, and 90 min. (B) Water contents of chemically cross-linked, freeze-thawed, and dry-annealed PVA with annealing times of 0, 1, 3, 5, 10, and 90 min. (C) Measured crystallinities in the dry and swollen states of chemically cross-linked, freeze-thawed, and dry-annealed PVA with annealing times of 0, 1, 3, 5, 10, and 90 min. (D) Representative SAXS profiles of freeze-thawed and dry-annealed PVA, with annealing times of 0, 10, and 90 min. (E) Representative WAXS profiles of dry-annealed PVA with dry-annealing times of 0, 3, 10, and 90 min. a.u., arbitrary units. (F) SAXS profiles of 90-min dry-annealed PVA in the dry state and swollen state. The insets illustrate the increase of the distance between adjacent crystalline domains due to swelling of amorphous polymer chains. (G) Estimated average distance between adjacent crystalline domains L and average crystalline domain size D of dry-annealed PVA with annealing times of 0, 1, 3, 5, 10, and 90 min. (H) AFM phase images of dry-annealed PVA with annealing times of 0 and 90 min. Credit: Science Advances. Doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aau8528 Biological tissues such as cartilage, tendons, muscles and heart valves with extraordinary anti-fatigue properties are comparatively superior to synthetic hydrogels. For instance, the biomechanics of fracture energy in the knee joint after prolonged cycles of loads is above 1000 J/m2. This is due to the inherent, anti-fatigue properties of biological tissues based on highly ordered and partially crystalline collagen fiber structures. Lin et al. were inspired to develop biomimetic hydrogels centered on such anti-fatigue properties of biological tissues. Their hypothesis was that increased crystallinity in synthetic hydrogels could increase the fatigue threshold of the material, therefore the fatigue threshold in such biomimetic materials will be higher since crystalline domains had to be fractured for crack propagation. To test the hypothesis, Lin et al. used PVA in the study as a model hydrogel with tunable crystallinity. They increased the annealing time of the PVA hydrogel to confer higher crystallinity, larger crystalline domain size and smaller average distance between the adjacent domains. The increased crystallinity greatly enhanced the PVA hydrogel fatigue thresholds (for a crystallinity of 18.9 weight percent, the fatigue threshold exceeded 1000 J/m2.) The scientists then created kirigami hydrogel sheets that were highly stretchable and resistant to fatigue fracture. They based the hydrogel models on a strategy to maintain high water content and low moduli, while rendering the hydrogels resistant to fatigue fracture. The new work revealed a new anti-fatigue-fracture mechanism in hydrogel development, as well as a practical method to design such hydrogels for diverse practical applications. Top panel: Measurement of fatigue thresholds of PVA hydrogels. Nominal stress S versus stretch curves over cyclic loads for (A) chemically cross-linked hydrogel at an applied stretch of A = 1.6, (B) freeze-thawed hydrogel at an applied stretch of A = 2.2, and (C) 90-min dry-annealed hydrogel at an applied stretch of A = 2.0. Crack extension per cycle dc/dN versus applied energy release rate G for (D) chemically cross-linked hydrogel, (E) freeze-thawed hydrogel, and (F) dry-annealed hydrogel with annealing time of 90 min. (G) The fatigue threshold increases with the crystallinity of the hydrogel in the swollen state. (H) Validation of fatigue threshold as high as 1000 J/m2 in 90-min dry-annealed hydrogel using the single-notch test. Lower panel: Youngs moduli, tensile strengths, and water contents of PVA hydrogels. (A) Youngs modulus versus crystallinity in the swollen state. (B) Tensile strength versus crystallinity in the swollen state. (C) Water content versus crystallinity in the swollen state. Credit: Science Advances. Doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aau8528 To form hydrogels crosslinked by crystal domains during materials development, the scientists first froze a solution of uncrosslinked PVA at -20 degrees C for 8 hours and thawed it at 25 degrees C for 3 hours. This was followed by further drying in an incubator at 37 degrees C and annealing at 100 degrees C for a variety of time ranges from zero to 90 minutes. As a control, the scientists also fabricated a chemically crosslinked PVA without crystal domains (amorphous polymer network). To measure the crystallinities of the resultant PVA hydrogels in their dry state, Lin et al. used differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The crystallinity of the PVA samples increased in the dry state and further evolved with increased annealing time. To quantify evolving crystalline morphology of the samples, the scientists used small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). To validate tuning of the crystalline domains in the PVA hydrogel with increased annealing time with phase images, the scientists used atomic force microscopy (AFM). The resulting images showed bright areas of relatively high modulus (corresponding to the crystalline domain) and dark areas of relatively low modulus (corresponding to the amorphous polymer). To perform all fatigue tests in the study, Lin et al. used fully swollen hydrogels immersed in a water bath to prevent dehydration-induced cracks. Using dog bone-shaped material samples, the scientists performed cyclic tensile tests and systematically varied the applied stretch. As the stretch increased, the crystalline domains transformed into aligned fibrils along the loading direction. Patterning highly crystalline regions in PVA hydrogels. (A) Illustration of introducing a highly crystalline region around crack tip. Inset: Raman spectroscopy with bright color representing low water content and dark color representing high water content. (B) Comparison of crack extension per cycle dc/dN versus applied energy release rate G between the pristine sample and the tip-reinforced sample. The fatigue thresholds of the pristine sample and the tip-reinforced sample are 15 and 236 J/m2, respectively. (C) Illustration of introducing mesh-like highly crystalline regions. Inset: Digital image correlation (DIC) method shows large deformation in low-crystallinity regions and small deformation in high-crystallinity regions. (D) Crack extension per cycle dc/dN versus applied energy release rate G of the mesh-reinforced sample. The fatigue threshold of the mesh-reinforced sample is 290 J/m2. (E) Water contents of the pristine sample, the tip-reinforced sample, the mesh-reinforced sample, and the fully annealed sample. (F) Youngs moduli of the pristine sample, the tip-reinforced sample, the mesh-reinforced sample, and the fully annealed sample. (G) Illustration of introducing highly crystalline regions around cut tips in a pristine kirigami sheet. (H) Effective nominal stress versus stretch curves of the reinforced kirigami sheet under cyclic loads. Effective nominal stress versus stretch curve of the pristine kirigami sheet under a single cycle of load. (I) Images of the reinforced kirigami sheet under 1000th cycle and under 3000th cycle. (J) Comparison of fatigue thresholds and water contents among reported synthetic hydrogels PVA hydrogels with patterned highly crystalline regions, and biological tissues. (K) Comparison of fatigue thresholds and Youngs moduli among reported synthetic hydrogels, PVA hydrogels with patterned highly crystalline regions, and biological tissues. IPN in (J) and (K) represents interpenetrating polymer network. Credit: Science Advances. Doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aau8528 The energy required to damage the crystalline domains and fibrils was much higher than that required to fracture a single layer of the same polymer in its amorphous state. The scientists quantified the dependence of the fatigue threshold on the crystallinity. Both Young's modulus and the tensile strength of the hydrogels increased with crystallinity. Lin et al. then proposed another strategy to introduce specifically programmed, highly crystalline regions in the hydrogels. For this, they used computer-aided design of electric circuits to induce localized heat treatment to anneal selected regions of the hydrogels. As examples of the procedure, Lin et al. locally introduced a highly crystalline ring-shaped region around a crack tip. Despite the small area, the alteration caused a fatigue threshold of more than 236 J/m2 to delay crack propagation. As a second example, the scientists patterned mesh-like highly crystalline regions on the pristine hydrogel. The alternation conferred a fatigue threshold of 290 J/m2, relatively low Young's modulus (627 kPa) and high water content (83 weight percent), compared with the pristine unmodified hydrogel. Tension of the pristine notched sample and the tip-reinforced sample. The pristine sample fractures at the stretch of 1.2 with the fracture energy of 22 J/m2 . The tip reinforced sample can be stretched to 1.5 without rupture and reaches the fracture energy of 300 J/m2. Credit: Science Advances. Doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aau8528 Lin et al. then compared the fatigue thresholds, water contents and Young's modulus of hydrogels reported in literature. They showed that by patterning highly crystalline regions, tip- and mesh-reinforced PVA hydrogels could outperform the existing synthetic hydrogels. The materials can also maintain relatively high water content and low Young's moduli. The scientists aim to apply this strategy of patterning to highly crystalline regions of various structures of hydrogels to improve anti-fatigue performance. In this way, enhancing the anti-fatigue-fracture performance of hydrogels can contribute to a number of applications and research directions in advanced materials. In biomedical engineering, anti-fatigue hydrogels can be used for hydrogel-based, implantable tissue replacements of the meniscus, invertebral disc and cartilage. These medical translations require mechanical robustness for long-term interactions with the human body. The newly developed anti-fatigue-fracture hydrogels can offer a novel materials platform for biomedical and industrial applications. 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Book ahead for the best table, contact our Food & Beverage dining experience team. Tel +66 (0)76 338 000 or Email: fbdiningexperience@marriotthotels.com THE National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has removed over 650,000 campaign materials all over Metro Manila.NCRPO Director Major General Guillermo Eleazar urged the candidates to also do their AN INTELLIGENCE report has tagged some politicians in Mandaue City and their supporters as protectors of the Parojinog drug syndicate. The information came from the Ozamiz City police, according to Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) Director Julian Entoma. According to the report, some members of the Parojinog group have been hiding in the city. The group rents houses that it uses as warehouses to store shabu. Last Feb. 8, the Regional Special Operations Group caught Charlie Duhaylungsod Fortuna and seized P48 million worth of shabu inside his house in Vista Montana Subdivision in Barangay Casili. Fortuna is reportedly an underling of Romy Ramas, an inmate of the Mandaue City Jail. Ramas reportedly has links to the Parojinog group. Members of the Parojinog group who have warrants of arrest like a former barangay official of Ozamiz City and the nephew of the former mayor identified as Marlon Parojinog were reportedly spotted in Mandaue City and in neighboring cities. Appeal Dili nato mabalewala kon duna karoy gi-bodega diha sa Mandaue City (We cannot discount the possibility that there are drugs kept in warehouses in Mandaue City), Entoma said. Police had tagged members of the Parojinog group to be responsible for several shooting incidents in the city. Entoma said they obtained an intelligence report from Ozamiz City police that some members of the Parojinog group lived in Barangay Cubacub, including Renan Mabida and Mark Lester Castillo who were killed last year. These members, he said, are protected by politicians. Entoma urged barangay leaders to report to the police any member of a criminal group. If possible, they should report to us. They should not wait for us to arrest members of the group and their names just happened to be mentioned because that would only validate their links. It can be that they were enticed to protect these people during the barangay election. Maybe they were given funding by the group. Based on the information from the Ozamiz police, these barangay officials were mentioned as protectors, Entoma said in Cebuano. Story continues Validation When Entoma was asked if there were protectors among candidates in the midterm elections, he said, Wala sa mga nidagan (None from those who filed their certificates of candidacy). In an interview, Mandaue Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna said he was already informed about the involvement of some officials. We have been aware of that possibility. Thats why we have not slowed down in our campaign (against illegal drugs). Long before the barangay elections, we were made aware of the involvement of some officials. With the recent seizure of a large haul of drugs again in Barangay Cubacub, this makes it the second time that a capture and seizure were made of and from drug personalities in the same barangay. We reiterate our full support for the police and PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency). Very recently, the CPOC (City Peace and Order Council) has authorized the mayor to use the Citys intelligence funds for both anti-crime and anti-drug operations, he said. For his part, Mandaue City Association of Barangay Councils president Ernie Manatad said the information should first be validated. Whatever info that is, I believe it should pass through an impartial process of validation and verification because for me, that is a serious intelligence info, he said in Cebuano. (From FMD of SuperBalita Cebu, KAL) The EU launched a process on Monday that could temporarily strip Cambodia of its valuable trade privileges with the bloc over "serious and systematic" rights abuses. Brussels has repeatedly warned Cambodia it risks losing the highly preferential tariff arrangement it enjoys, known as "everything but arms" (EBA), a move that would cripple the country's billion-dollar garment industry, its largest formal employer. Cambodia's elections in July last year, which returned veteran strongman Hun Sen to power, were widely criticised internationally as undemocratic and prompted EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom to announce the start of punitive measures. The European Commission, which manages trade issues as the bloc's executive arm, said there was "evidence of serious and systematic violations of core human rights and labour rights in Cambodia, in particular of the rights to political participation as well as of the freedoms of assembly, expression and association". Monday's announcement begins a six-month period of intensive monitoring and after 12 months the commission will decide whether to suspend Cambodia's EBA deal -- which gives duty-free and tariff-free access to the EU market for all products except weapons and ammunition. "It should be clear that todays move is neither a final decision nor the end of the process. But the clock is now officially ticking and we need to see real action soon," Malmstrom said in a statement. "When we say that the EU's trade policy is based on values, these are not just empty words." In December, Cambodia said banned opposition members may be allowed back into political life and shuttered media outlets could reopen, in an apparent effort to appease EU concerns. Rights groups fear Cambodia is sliding towards authoritarianism with the help of China, which showers the government with loans and infrastructure while asking few questions about how Hun Sen runs the country. The leader has been in power for 33 years using a mix of wily political gambits and networks of alliances in the army and police. FILE PHOTO: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte MANILA, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte refused to sign Senate Bill 1976 and House Bill 8522 which seek to strengthen the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and manage the billion-peso coco levy fund for farmers. Malacanang argued that the P10-billion in annual appropriation for the development of an industry is susceptible to corruption akin to creating pork barrel funds because its implementation is handled by an agency that is not required to seek approval from the Executive Branch. With a reconstituted PCA, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said, there will be no checks and balances over its functions including the sale, disposition and dissolution of the coco levy assets. The Executive Branch is also not in favor of the bills composition of the 15-member PCA Board which employs seven members from the private sector which translates to permitting private persons to influence the disbursement of public funds. Lastly, the Palace argued that: The PCA is set up like the Road Board which is heavily criticized for allegations of corruption and misappropriation of funds. The PCA Board, like the Road Board which disburses the Motor Vehicle Users Charge, is given full authority to disburse PhP10-Billion every year in perpetuity without a terminal date, and subject only to review by Congress after six years, Panelo said. The measures author, Senator Cynthia Villar said it is unfortunate that President Duterte did not sign the bill but remains hopeful for the local farmers to soon benefit from the coco levy fund. Certainly, this will not discourage us until we see the day when our coconut farmers, who are among our countrys poorest, benefit from the fund that is rightfully theirs, Villar concluded. With these, the Chief Executive is asking Congress to redraft the bill and put more safeguards to the funds intended for the local coconut farmers. Marje Pelayo (with reports from Rosalie Coz) The post Duterte wants more safeguards; vetoes bill reconstituting PCA appeared first on UNTV News. THE National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has removed over 650,000 campaign materials all over Metro Manila.NCRPO Director Major General Guillermo Eleazar urged the candidates to also do their AUTHORITIES arrested on Saturday, February 9, a man charged with 193 counts of rape. Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director Chief Superintendent Amador Corpus identified the suspect as Anthony De Roma, 36, married, a resident of Daet Camarines Norte. De Roma, who was arrested in Angeles City, Pampanga, has a standing arrest warrant issued by Judge Evan Dizon of the Camarines Norte Regional Trial Court for 193 counts of rape. No bail was recommended. Corpus said a confidential informant had asked for assistance from the CIDG in Camarines Norte. A confidential informant asked the assistance of Camarines Norte CIDG PFU for the possible arrest of the accused since he had gone into hiding for the last two years, said Corpus. After CIDG detectives validated the information and able to secure a copy of his arrest warrant the information was shared to different CIDG Units nationwide and continuous operational research was done to ascertain the whereabouts of the accused. Until a witness known to the suspect tipped our detectives that he is in Angeles City, Pampanga, he added. (SunStar Philippines) THE National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has removed over 650,000 campaign materials all over Metro Manila.NCRPO Director Major General Guillermo Eleazar urged the candidates to also do their CEBU Landmasters Inc. (CLI) expects a significant increase in recurring revenues by 2023, as gross leasable area is seen to bolt past 200,000 square meters, contributing 10 percent to the total revenue. Jose Soberano III, CLI president and chief executive officer, sees the company expanding recurring income streams within the next four years as it completes other ongoing projects. Astra Centre Lifestyle Mall, located on AS Fortuna Street in Mandaue City with a gross floor area of 14,000 sqm, is its first lifestyle shopping destination and is targeted to be completed in 2021. Last year, CLI turned over 2,655 sqm of floor area in Base Line Center, to Robinsons Supermarket, increasing the companys gross leasable area by 33 percent from 6,297 sqm to 8,952 sqm. When fully operational, Base Line Center, CLIs first mixed-use project, will feature over 4,700 sqm of office spaces and 5,900 sqm of retail area. The company also offers retail spaces in its residential condominiums that contribute 500 to 1,000 sqm of CLIs gross leasable area. Our leasing business complements our residential developments, allowing us to provide complete and gratifying experience to the communities that we build and customers that we serve, said Soberano. In addition to leasing, CLI also looks at generating more recurring earnings from its ever-expanding hotel portfolio. The developer is set to operate over 1,000 hotel rooms within the next four years. With the continuous growth of the hospitality industry in VisMin, demand for hotel rooms will definitely rise. Cebu Landmasters is at the forefront in providing what the market needs, especially those that travel a lot, from hotel rooms to serviced residences, said Soberano. Citadines Cebu CityCLIs first of the four hotels to be managed by The Ascott Limitedwill be operational this 2019 with 180 hotel room units. Other hotels to be managed by The Ascott Limited are Citadines Paragon Davao, Citadines Bacolod City and lyf Cebu City. CLI also signed a partnership deal with the Radisson Hotel Group for the first Radisson Red in the Philippines, which will be in Astra Centre. Radisson Red is the international chains lifestyle brand for the millennial mindset. The linchpin to CLIs remarkable growth is its successful diversification effort in high-demand real estate sectors. (PR) Bangladesh security forces stopped 22 Rohingya Muslims from being smuggled to Malaysia by boat, officials said Monday, the second group in three days prevented from leaving squalid refugee camps. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) forces found 11 women, 10 children and a man at a village on the Bay of Bengal coast, near the border with Myanmar, on Sunday. The 22 had paid traffickers up to $1,200 each to get a place on a small boat for the dangerous journey, a BGB officer said. The people smugglers fled before security forces arrived. About 740,000 of the Muslim minority fled Myanmar for Bangladesh after a military clampdown in the Buddhist-majority nation in August 2017. There were already 300,000 Rohingya already in Bangladesh where they are largely confined to the overflowing camps. "The traffickers took whatever they could from the refugees," Lieutenant Colonel Asadud Zaman Chowdhury, BGB chief for the town of Teknaf, told AFP. He added that it was possible many of the young women would have ended up in "forced prostitution". It is the fourth time since November that Rohingya have been intercepted attempting to get a boat to Muslim-majority Malaysia. On Friday, border guards stopped 30 Rohingya from boarding a boat and sent them back to their camps. Authorities fear that more Rohingya will try to take boats to Malaysia while the Bay of Bengal is calm up until the end of March. Bangladesh's refugee commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam said "an internationally organised racket" was preying on desperation in the Rohingya camps. "The refugees are lured by false promises. They simply don't have any idea how dangerous these sea journeys can be," he told AFP. People smugglers sent tens of thousands of Rohingya from the camps to Malaysia before Bangladesh launched a crackdown in 2015. Yemens Saudi-backed government has plans to export crude oil at a rate of 75,000 bpd this year, according to oil minister Aws Abdullah al-Awd, who spoke to Reuters. We will maintain production from four blocks and are planning to build a pipeline to Arab Sea (Arabian Sea) to resume exports from these blocks, Al-Awd said. The plans also involve raising crude oil production to 110,000 bpd this year. The Saudi-backed government controls Yemens oil and gas fields, while the Houthi rebels supported by Iran holds the countrys capital, Sanaa, and an oil terminal on Yemens west coast. The war-torn country that is also suffering a dizzying humanitarian crisis in recent world history as a result of the war between the Houthis and the Saudi-led regional coalition last year produced only 50,000 bpd of crude oil even though its reserves stand at around 2 billion barrels, according to data from the Energy Information Administration. Related: Oil Rig Count Rises As Oil Prices Stabilize Exports last year were meager, restarting only in August with a 500,000-barrel cargo from a field in the southern Shabwa province bound for a Chinese company. This was the first outbound shipment of crude oil from Yemen since 2015 when the civil war broke out and quickly escalated into an international conflict. It was offered in an open tender, in which 35 companies from around the world took part, the Yemeni ministry of oil and minerals said in a statement. Before the war, however, Yemen produced around 127,000 bpd, as of 2014. Crude oil production and exports are not the only items on the governments energy agenda. According to Al-Awd, Yemen will also boost its liquefied natural gas production this year. The target is 6.7 million tons of the fuel, with half of that to be bound for exports. A year later, the minister said, We hope to export all of our LNG production, mainly to customers in Asia. The Yemen LNG project, worth US$4.5 billion, began operating in 2005 with a capacity of 6.7 million tons of gas annually. The project draws the gas from the Marib field, which has proven reserves of 9.15 trillion cu ft of natural gas. Total, Kogas, and SK Innovation are among the shareholders of Yemen LNG. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: South Sudan is looking to pump more than 350,000 bpd of oil by the middle of next year, compared to current production of 140,000 bpd, South Sudans Oil Minister Ezekiel Lul Gatkuoth told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference in India. South Sudan broke from Sudan in 2011 and took with it around 350,000 bpd in oil production. After South Sudans secession from Sudan, the two countries have been mutually dependent on oil revenues, because the south has 75 percent of the oil reserves, while the north has the only current transport route for the oil to international markets. But then civil war in South Sudan broke out in 2013 that further complicated oil production. The oil price crash the following year additionally affected oil income and oil production in South Sudan. South Sudans government and rebels signed a power-sharing agreement in August 2018, hoping to put an end to the civil war. Oil production at some oil fields that were shut in at the start of the conflict has resumed. At the end of August 2018, South Sudan resumed production from the Toma South oilfield at a rate of 20,000 bpd, adding to South Sudans total daily average of 130,000 bpd. By the end of this year, South Sudan expects its oil production to nearly double from the current 140,000 bpd to 270,000 bpd, minister Ezekiel Lul Gatkuoth told Reuters. By the middle of 2020, the country aims to restore production to the pre-civil war levels, he noted. Related: An Overlooked Opportunity In Natural Gas We used to produce 350,000 to 400,000 bpd. We expect to go back to those levels by the middle of next year, Gatkuoth told Reuters. South Sudan has signed a preliminary agreement with Russian oil firm Zarubezhneft to explore some blocks, while South Africa has committed to invest US$1 billion and to collaborate with South Sudan on pipeline construction and a refinery to be built next to the border with Ethiopia, the minister said. South Sudan hopes to significantly boost its production in the near term, but according to energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie, the extent of damage to infrastructure is unknown, as is the performance of wells that have been shut-in since 2013. The biggest challenge to South Sudans rising oil production, however, would be whether the peace deal would hold long enough to allow for a sustained increase in oil production, WoodMac said in September 2018. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Forces from the Petroleum Facilities Guard sent by the UN-recognized government of Libya have reached the Sharara field, which the Libyan National Army, affiliated with the rival government in Eastern Libya, took control over earlier this month, Reuters reports, citing a Libyan government source. Last month, forces loyal to eastern strongman General Khalifa Haftar and his self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) said that they had started a military operation to secure oil sites and facilities in Libyas south, where Sharara is located. Then last week, a unit of PFG forces loyal to Libyas UN-backed government in Tripoli was sent south to secure the Sharara oil field. Sharara has the capacity to pump 340,000 bpd, but has been under force majeure since December 9, 2018, after armed militia and tribesmen seized control and demanded ransom to re-open it. Nearly two months later, Sharara remains offline, and Libyas National Oil Corporation (NOC), which refuses to yield to ransom demands, said in December that, Oil production will now only restart at Sharara after alternative security arrangements are put in place. On Saturday, the National Oil Corporation called on all involved parties to make sure workers at the field are safe and to protect the production infrastructure. The Libya Herald quoted NOCs chairman, Mustafa Sanalla, as saying Worker safety remains our primary concern. We urge all parties to avoid conflict and the politicisation of key infrastructure. Any damage to the field could have serious consequences for the sector, the environment and the national economy. The LNA, meanwhile, has called for NOC to lift the force majeure from the countrys largest field, but Sanalla has refused to do so, citing the tense situation between the rival factions. Obviously, normal operations cannot restart until security is restored, he told local media. According to the latest Monthly Oil Market Report by OPEC, Libyas oil production fell to 928,000 bpd in December, from 1.1 million bpd a month earlier on the back of the Sharara disruption and severe weather that closed its oil terminals temporary. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Europes position as an arena for great power rivalry ended after the Cold War. In recent days, however, the continent has, again, become a theatre of conflict. Only this time energy is at the centre of the political clash. The construction of the subsea Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia to Germany is opposed by an alliance of countries and the European Commission, while Berlin adamantly supports the project. Washington has further raised the stakes by threatening to implement sanctions on companies involved in construction work. Last week, an essential gathering of energy ministers in Brussels decided Nord Stream 2's fate after a tumultuous and surprising 24 hours. It was expected that the pipeline would be operational starting from November this year. With every passing day, more pipes are welded together and sunk to the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Therefore, time was running out for the critics of the project to obstruct construction work. Last weeks vote was intended to extend EU energy regulation to extraterritorial pipelines such as Nord Stream 2. Germany relied on the support of several other member states to block the vote in its current form. However, news surfaced on Thursday concerning one of Berlins allies, France, which had changed its position in favour of extending EU law to include Nord Stream 2. Gazprom, who holds ownership over the pipeline, opposes any changes to regulation as the energy giant enjoys monopoly export rights for piped Russian gas. EU law, however, stands for a liberal energy market with a healthy degree of competition. What are the stakes and what went wrong? When finished, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline will transport 55 bcm of natural gas directly to Gazprom's most prominent customer Germany instead of the existing infrastructure through Central Europe. This would save the company $3 billion annually in transit fees and cost Ukraine approximately 3 percent of its GDP. Poland also stands to lose as some of the gas is transported through its pipeline infrastructure. Critics of the project also fear the eroding of Ukraines bargaining position vis-a-vis Russia regarding future energy deals. Related: U.S. Sanctions, OPEC Cuts Create Rare Oil Price Shakeup Nord Stream 2, however, is of vital importance to the German economy and its energy transition due to the phasing out of nuclear power until 2022 and coal-fired power plants until 2038. Although Berlin has approved the construction of the first LNG import terminal of the country, piped gas is still significantly cheaper than LNG. This is reflected in the participation of major German energy companies in the construction of Nord Stream 2 such as Wintershall and Uniper. Therefore, the news of France making the U-turn concerning support for Nord Stream 2 was met by surprise in Berlin due to the vital importance of the French vote to achieve a blocking minority' in the meeting of energy ministers. Paris is not hugely in favour of the project, but the French dont want to look as if they are caving in to pressure from Washington and support for their allies in Berlin is valued more than opposition towards the pipeline. Related: Green New Deal Critics See Red Last minute negotiations, however, resulted in a compromise which most likely closes this chapter within the European context. The two EU countries have now agreed on oversight that will come from the territory and territorial sea of the member state where the first interconnection point is located, according to a copy of the draft. This practically means that Berlin will decide Nord Stream 2s fate and that opposition from Brussels is muzzled. Controversy versus realism Assuming that Berlin and Paris hadnt come up with a compromise, would the pipeline have been finished? The answer is: most likely yes. According to Katja Yafimava, a senior research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, the European Commission believed the amendment would put it into a position of strength vis-a-vis Russia or Gazprom, in my view this is an illusion. Suspending or blocking Nord Stream 2 would have created problems down the road. Capacity for the EUGAL pipeline onshore in Germany to transport gas has already been booked by customers willing to buy Russian energy. All these commercial deals have been made according to existing legislation which would have created significant litigation in case these contracts were violated. A critical wild card' in the ongoing saga concerning Nord Stream 2 is the U.S. Despite Washington's rhetoric regarding its benign motives, most observers believe ulterior reasons are behind its opposition: substituting Russian gas with American LNG. President Trump's confrontational political style and troubled relations with German Chancellor Merkel dont make it likely that Berlin will cave in to pressure. Germany will not easily accept American sanctions meant to bloc Nord Stream 2 from reaching completion. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has called sanctions "not the way to go" and that "European energy policy must be decided in Europe, not in the U.S.". By Vanand Meliksetian for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: As the oil supermajors surpassed estimates with strong Q4 and 2018 earnings, Shell beat Exxonfor a second year runningto affirm itself as Big Oils biggest cash flow generator. Shell, which took Exxons cash crown with its 2017 earnings, continues to generate more cash flow than the U.S. supermajor, and analysts expect the Anglo-Dutch group to keep its lead in 2019, 2020, and 2021 as well. Exxon, however, has started to catch up as it invests in growing its production in new oil and gas production. Unlike Shelland all of the Big Oil packExxon has been growing capital expenditures over the past two years as it looks to seize favorable opportunities to boost production, profits, and cash flows. While Shell and the rest of Big Oil continue to vow strict capital discipline amid fluctuating oil prices, Exxon raised its 2018 capital expenditures (capex) from the previous year and will further boost investments in 2019. Shell, for its part, has been boosting cash flows in recent years thanks to its acquisition of BG Group completed in 2016. So the two major cash flow generators among Big Oil have adopted different approaches to boosting casha closely watched metric not only by analysts but also by shareholders who now want supermajors to reward them with more returns for having stuck with them in 2015-2016 through one of the worst industry downturns in recent decades. For 2018, Shell reported cash flow from operating activities of US$53.085 billion, up by a whopping 49 percent compared to 2017. Related: Oil Rig Count Rises As Oil Prices Stabilize Exxon said that its 2018 cash flow from operating activities was at its highest level since 2014. At US$36.014 billion, cash flow from operating activities was still way below Shells cash generation. According to estimates from HSBC, reported by Reuters Ron Bousso, Shell will continue to be the king of cash flows among the five supermajorsShell, Exxon, Chevron, BP, and Totalat least through 2021, but Exxon is set to shorten Shells lead. While Shell and other majors stick to capital discipline, Exxon is boosting investments to grow production. Shells capital investment in 2018 stood at US$24.779 billion, slightly up from US$24.006 billion for 2017. We will continue with a strong delivery focus in 2019, with a disciplined approach to capital investment and growing both our cash flow and returns, chief executive officer Ben van Beurden commented in Shells results release. Exxon, on the other hand, boosted its capital and exploration expenditures last year by 12 percent annually, to US$25.9 billion from US$23.080 billion, including incremental spend to accelerate value capture, the U.S. supermajor said. Exxon is betting big on the Permian, where it has vowed to triple its production by 2025 and expand infrastructure, as well as on its star oil discoveries offshore Guyana and projects in liquefied natural gas (LNG). A few days after the 2018 results announcement, Exxon said that together with its partner Qatar Petroleum, it had made a final investment decision to proceed with development of the Golden Pass LNG export project in Sabine Pass, Texas. The project, worth more than US$10 billion, is expected to start up in 2024. Speaking on the Q4 earnings call, Exxons chairman and chief executive officer Darren Woods said that Exxon would be boosting capital expenditures this year compared to last year. As I just said, going into 2019 we expect to be around 30 billion and that does reflect the progress and the opportunities that were seeing in Guyana, the upside that weve seen there as well as the Permian, said Woods. Related: Washington Eyes Crackdown On OPEC In divestments, Shell achieved last year its target to sell US$30 billion worth of assets, and Exxon is now looking to accelerate its asset sales as well. So I would expect to see more activity in divestments in the upstream side of the portfolio. Thats going to be driven really by the opportunities that the market brings. Weve got I think a pipeline of assets that we think would make sense to market, Exxons Woods said on the earnings call. Were not trying to hit some schedule associated with it. Were really trying to make sure that we can realize the maximum value out of the assets that we have in our portfolio, he noted. Exxon and Shell are both raising cash flows from the 2016 lows, but they have different strategies to achieve their goals. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Legislation targeting OPEC is suddenly gaining steam in the U.S. Congress, raising alarm bells for the cartel. On Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee passed a bill that would allow the U.S. Justice Department to sue members of OPEC for manipulating the oil market. The so-called NOPEC bill would remove sovereign immunity, exposing member countries to antitrust regulation. The bill has appeared in the past under prior administrations. But previous presidents from both political parties have opposed taking punitive action, fearing damage to the U.S.-Saudi relationship. Times have changed. President Trump has repeatedly posted angry tweets about OPEC, blaming it for high gasoline prices. That led to a revived push for the NOPEC legislation. The murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi may have also been a turning point, erasing a lot of goodwill for Saudi Arabia in Washington. In theory, OPEC members could face confiscation of their assets in the United States. Saudi Aramco, for instance, controls Motiva Enterprises, which owns the largest oil refinery in the country in Port Arthur, Texas. According to the Financial Times, the prospect of the NOPEC bill becoming law has raised alarm bells not just for OPEC, but also for international oil companies who fear reprisals abroad. Companies like ExxonMobil and BP have major stakes in projects in places like Nigeria and Iraq. These OPEC-member countries could retaliate if they face punitive action from the U.S. government. The FT reports that the oil majors, along with the American Petroleum Institute and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, are lobbying against the NOPEC legislation. Analysts speculate that Qatar exited OPEC in 2018 not just because of its rivalry with Saudi Arabia, but also because it has major interests in the U.S., and does not want to face antitrust action. Qatar Petroleum, along with ExxonMobil, just gave the final investment decision for the $10 billion Golden Pass LNG project in Texas. Related: Chevron Looks To Double Permian Production By 2022 So, what are the odds of passage for the NOPEC bill? Joe McMonigle, senior energy policy analyst at Hedgeye, told Reuters that low oil prices have removed some of the urgency. I dont see any kind of groundswell for it, McMonigle said. However, the takeover of the U.S. House of Representatives by the Democrats gave momentum to the bill. One of the first acts of the new House Judiciary panel was to take up the legislation, which it quickly approved on February 7. A full House vote is now possible. In fact, there is suddenly quite a bit of bipartisan support for the bill, making it closer to becoming law than at any point in history. Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican, has proposed a companion bill in the Senate. The oil cartel and its member countries need to know that we are committed to stopping their anti-competitive behaviour, Grassley said. Across the aisle, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, also representing a state with significant ethanol interests, came out in support of the bill. Given President Trumps known hostile stance towards OPEC it now looks like a very good chance that the bill will be voted through, Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodities analyst at SEB, said in a statement. The prospect of a passage of NOPEC legislation has added bearish pressure to Brent crude. It is still too early to say with any certainty, but if the NOPEC legislation were to become law, it could theoretically make it much more difficult for OPEC to set production limits with the aim of achieving certain price targets. It could also put in jeopardy the formalization of the OPEC/non-OPEC alliance with Russia, the so-called OPEC+ arrangement. OPEC and the non-OPEC group led by Moscow are currently negotiating such an entity. Related: The Next Big Threat For Oil Comes From China Still, countries could individually raise and lower production. Or, more specifically, Saudi Arabia the only country that can make massive changes to production levels could still tailor output to meet strategic goals. But it wouldnt be able to call upon other countries to chip in. The NOPEC legislation could end tactical, cooperative production cuts and increases orchestrated by OPEC, Schieldrop said. It will probably not hinder Saudi Arabia to move production up and down on its own in order to address tactical turns and imbalances in the global oil market. Othes see a more significant impact. We are just a tweet away from Nopec becoming law, Bob McNally of the Rapidan Energy Group told the FT. McNally said the legislation could lead to more volatility and lower prices if OPEC was unable to restrain supply. After a good dose of Nopec, if it was successful, we would end up begging them to reunite, get back into business and start controlling supply, he added. Maybe. But outside of oil companies themselves, there isnt a massive constituency in the U.S. for OPEC. The cartel is not exactly popular in the United States. Moreover, if the NOPEC legislation became law and pushed down oil prices, Trump could claim credit and millions of American motorists would probably be thankful. It seems unlikely that there would be a political price to pay in the U.S. for lower oil prices and a crackdown on OPEC, even if American oil companies faced reprisals. Nobody is going to shed a tear for ExxonMobil if the company suddenly runs into trouble in Iraq or Nigeria because of the NOPEC law. By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Due to tighter supply of medium and heavy sour crude oil, Middle Eastern benchmarks for sour crude grades have been trading higher than Brent Crude prices since the beginning of February in a rarely seen development in global oil prices. On February 1, the cash Dubai crude price edged above Brent Crude for the first time since August 2015, according to S&P Global Platts data. Three key factors have been tightening the global supply of heavy crude grades, thus pushing the prices of Dubai spot and DME Oman crude futures higher this month, traders and analysts tell Reuters. First, OPEC is currently on a mission to cut supply again in a bid to rebalance the market and lift prices, and many OPEC producers do pump and cut from medium to heavy grades. Then there are the latest U.S. sanctions on Venezuelas oiltypically of the heavy varietywhich drives demand for heavy grades from other regions as buyers seek alternatives. This has also helped push the Dubai and Oman benchmark prices higher than Brent Crudesan unusual occurrence on the market, where lower-sulfur, sweet grades from the Atlantic basin and the North Sea are typically more expensive than the sour grades from the Middle East or Latin America. Related: Green New Deal Critics See Red The third key reason for Middle Eastern sour crude to trade higher than Brent is the uncertainty over whether the U.S. will extend waivers (if any) to Irans oil buyers when the current exemptions expire in early May. According to traders who spoke to Reuters, prices of the U.S. Mars grade and of sour grades from Latin America like Colombias Castilla have jumped as interest has also significantly increased after the United States announced sweeping sanctions on Venezuelas oil sector at the end of January. After the sanctions were imposed, the heavy sour grade Castilla and Vasconia, a medium sour grade from Colombia, saw their prices jump last week to their highest since September 2017, as per S&P Global Platts data. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Nicolas Maduro has asked OPEC to support one of its founding membersVenezuelaagainst the U.S. sanctions on the Latin American countrys oil industry and denounce the shameless dispossession of Venezuelan assets, but Maduros plea has fallen on deaf ears, Reuters reported on Monday. At the end of January, the U.S. imposed sanctions on PDVSA to help prevent further diverting of Venezuelas assets by Maduro and preserve these assets for the people of Venezuela. The path to sanctions relief for PdVSA is through the expeditious transfer of control to the Interim President or a subsequent, democratically elected government, Secretary of the Treasury Steven T. Mnuchin said. The U.S. and many European countries have recognized Juan Guaido as the interim president of Venezuela, while Maduro is supported by Russia, China, and Turkey. The U.S. sanctions block all payments to PDVSA accounts, and buyers of Venezuelan crude are directed to deposit payments in a separate account, to which PDVSA doesnt have access. In a January 29 letter sent to OPECs Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo, which Reuters has seen, Maduro writes: Our country hopes to receive the solidarity and full support of the member countries of OPEC and its ministerial Conference, in the fight we are currently having against the illegal and arbitrary intrusion of the United States in the internal affairs of Venezuela. I seek your firm support and collaboration to jointly denounce and face this shameless dispossession of ... important assets of one of the members of OPEC, Maduro wrote. The Socialist leaders argument in seeking support from OPEC is that the sanctions would have impact on the global oil market and prices and that they represent a risk to other members of the cartel. According to an OPEC source, however, the cartel has declined to make any official statement on the issue, because it is concerned with oil policy, not politics. Last year, when asked by Iran for support, OPEC did not issue any formal comments on the U.S. sanctions on Iran either. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Get him sis! Reply Thread Link not that she isn't right or that i'm hating but why is this chris pratt specific? like doesnt half of hollywood go to this church? the other half obviously being scientologists Reply Thread Link Agreed. What does Greta Van Susteren, Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Laura Prepon, Jenna Elfman, Beck, Ann Archer, Kirstie Alley, Giovani Ribisi, Elizabeth Moss, Michael Pena, Nancy Cartwright... have to say about these teachings https://t.co/sCfGxS7GKY Leah Remini (@LeahRemini) February 9, 2019 Edited at 2019-02-11 03:38 pm (UTC) Because he went on Colbert and was going on about it. She also retweeted Leah Remini's tweet about famous scientologists. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Leah is such a badass.. really, I love her Reply Parent Thread Expand Link thank you! Reply Parent Thread Link good Reply Parent Thread Link Half of them probably say Scientology helped cover up my sexuality so Im cool with it! Reply Parent Thread Link oooh Leah naming names Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Because he happened to be on Colbert talking about his religion and church. Reply Parent Thread Link lmao love this Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link Her veneers look so good, not giant chicklet teeth Reply Parent Thread Link those are veneers??? i had no idea :O Reply Parent Thread Expand Link good Reply Thread Link you go girl! Reply Thread Link Quick maths tbh Reply Parent Thread Link lmao wow Reply Parent Thread Link the math checks out Reply Parent Thread Link Oh damn! Reply Parent Thread Link Hold up checking the math... and yes the alligator is eating the greater option. Math verified. Reply Parent Thread Link Love you and your commitmentphobic ass, Bryan Reply Parent Thread Link I second this. https://t.co/3pNfiNOYKi Dylan O'Brien (@dylanobrien) February 9, 2019 Edited at 2019-02-11 03:40 pm (UTC) Dylan O Brian also agreed with Ellen. Reply Thread Link Damn! Look at all these people coming out in support Reply Parent Thread Link Good for you Dylan. Reply Parent Thread Link I love DOB resurfacing to drag assholes on twitter then disappearing for 3 months. Reply Parent Thread Link What the hell does "affirm a gay lifestyle" even mean. You aren't being slick with that one. People who attend anti-LGBT religious services always have really warped opinions of LGBT people. I especially hate people who say "Hate the sin, love the sinner" because they ONLY say that in regards to LGBT people and don't really think of everyone else as sinners (even if the Bible contradicts them there.) Reply Thread Link I especially hate people who say "Hate the sin, love the sinner" because they ONLY say that in regards to LGBT people I've seen it applied to a lot of different types. It is a go-to when talking about LGBT issues though. Reply Parent Thread Link I probably shouldn't have said "only" but it definitely is a go-to like you said. It hits a nerve with me every time though since I don't see my or any LGB person's sexuality as a sin. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link when someone uses the word "lifestyle" it's honestly more triggering than most slurs, to me personally. Edited at 2019-02-11 03:46 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I had a friend who said the same thing. I asked if the church back in Indiana I used to attend with her affirmed LGBTQ+ people and she said "no, we believe that homosexuality is unbiblical" like just say y'all hate us and keep it moving! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link It means "we'll take gay money but you're still not getting into heaven" Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Thats my fam. They say this and then put on this false condescending, performative pity that comes across as like, sorry youre gonna burn in hell but they also use it on promiscuous women and women whove had abortions Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I fucking hate it Being LGBTQ isn't a choice and it's certainly isn't a sin so they can fuck right off the planet and into the sun Reply Parent Thread Link We think you're a sinner and will burn in hell, but if you want to show up and contribute to the collection plate as it gets passed around we're cool with that. Reply Parent Thread Link why is chris pratt the color of an unripe mango in that photo?! Reply Thread Link GET HER JADE Reply Thread Link Pretty sad that this even needs to be said. :[ Reply Thread Link Yessss I support you Ellen!! Reply Thread Link Crisp Rat doesnt exactly strike me as a thinking man or someone who gives a shit about anything that doesnt involve him. Ellen is a treasure though. Reply Thread Link Me and my 164 followers are hurt. Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lmaoo Reply Parent Thread Link Agreed! I hated that this hadnt been brought up and I hope it continues to be mentioned by even more celebs. Out all those fuckers. Reply Parent Thread Link Thank you for Reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Hungary on Monday, on the first leg of a European tour, hoping that economic and defence incentives will dissuade Prime Minister Viktor Orban from getting too close to Russia. Pompeo is set to meet Orban on the one-day trip to Budapest, from where he will proceed to Slovakia, another NATO ally that has seen few recent senior US visitors. The focus of Pompeo's trip to Europe is a US-driven conference on the Middle East in Poland later this week, which has been toned down after European allies were uneasy about promoting President Donald Trump's hawkish line on Iran. Orban is one of the few European leaders to praise Trump, sharing the mogul-turned-president's antipathy for migrants and his belief in promoting a Christian cultural identity. While the previous president, Barack Obama, tended to cold-shoulder Orban, the Trump administration has taken the opposite tack, but the strategy has little to show for it so far. US officials said that Pompeo will discuss ways to increase defence and economic cooperation with Hungary. While Hungary is treaty-bound to the United States through NATO, US officials are pushing for progress on a bilateral defence cooperation agreement, which would let US forces move freely in the country. Such an agreement could prove controversial if Hungary is the stage for a US military operation. And it would be sure to irritate President Vladimir Putin, who has considered Orban his closest friend in the European Union. Putin visited Budapest twice last year, with Orban welcoming him in defiance of Western efforts to isolate him over Moscow's support to separatist insurgents in Ukraine and its 2014 annexation of Crimea. The United States has also voiced worries over Hungary's growing relationship with China, including an agreement for telecom giant Huawei to develop the country's fifth-generation mobile networks. Washington has been ramping up pressure on Huawei -- with senior executives of the company arrested in US allies Canada and Poland. It warns that China could come to dominate the next wave of technology, with grave repercussions for the protection of individual data and the safety of infrastructure. Hungary has said it has no plans to revisit the decision to award the 5G networks contract to Huawei. And critics say that Washington's concerns have as much to do with preserving US commercial dominance as with security. - Alarm at Hungary's direction - Pompeo also plans to discuss expanding exchanges between the US and Hungary to strengthen Hungarian independent media and the ability of law enforcement to crack down on corruption, officials said. The US has voiced alarm over the direction Hungary has taken in these areas recently, including a decision last year to return two Russian arms dealers home rather than to extradite them to face charges in the United States. And the prestigious Central European University last year moved its key programmes out of Hungary after the government -- rejecting direct appeals from the US ambassador -- cracked down on educational institutions considered foreign. The university was founded by George Soros, the US-Hungarian billionaire and champion of liberal values, who has been vilified by the far-right in both countries with imagery that is at times anti-Semitic. Joerg Forbrig, an expert on Central Europe at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, doubted that the Trump administration could change Orban. The European Union has for years tried to use its power of the purse to reform Orban but to no avail, with Hungary wilfully exercising its veto within the 28-member bloc. "The Hungarian government has been completely defiant to anything that the US may have wanted and there seems to be very little that anyone can do about it," Forbrig said. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (left) is in Budapest for talks with Prime Minister Viktor Orban Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban delivers his state of the nation speech in front of his Fidesz party members and sympathizers Protesters hold a banner reading "It's enough!" during a march against the policies of Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban in January 2019 Buffalo mozzarella made from the milk of a herd roaming the green rolling hills of southern England is hoping to dethrone the Italian original in the UK thanks to Brexit. Some 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) from Campania in southern Italy is Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire -- owned by the 1979 Formula One motor racing champion Jody Scheckter. "The difference with the Italian mozzarella is that ours is better!" the South African, 69, boasted to AFP on a tour of his farm. Come milking time, the buffaloes leave their barn, straw still stuck to their hooves, and head to the milking sheds. Their milk, rich in protein and calcium, is transformed into white balls of mozzarella which are then sold to customers including supermarket chain Waitrose, online delivery giant Ocado and Pret a Manger sandwich shops. Scheckter turned to mozzarella 10 years ago with the aim of making it "better tasting, without compromise". Nowadays he produces 150 tonnes of organic mozzarella a year on his 2,500-acre (1,000-hectare) farm. The buffalo are pampered, grazing freely in pastures filled with different types of grass and clover. In winter, they can get a massage in the barn from a giant rotating brush. Scheckter said it took a while for the British palate to adjust to the new domestic delicacy. "At the beginning, it was difficult because my mozzarella was fresh and most of the people in England had never tasted fresh mozzarella. They tried Italian mozzarella, which is five days old and starts to get soft," he said. - Switching sources - With just weeks to go before Britain leaves the European Union on March 29 and much of the country in a state of confusion, Scheckter is optimistic. Potential new clients have been in touch, assessing their options as no deal has yet been agreed between London and Brussels on keeping goods from the EU flowing. "The interest is there," said Scheckter. Around a third of the food eaten in Britain comes from the rest of the EU and the industry fears supply chain disruptions if the UK crashes out without a deal. Some companies are stockpiling, while others are changing to domestic suppliers. Tim Martin, the chairman and founder of the UK pub chain Wetherspoon, has decided to stop selling champagne and other European products in favour of British equivalents. - UK mozzarella exporter - The Azzurri restaurant group, which owns the Zizzi and ASK chains, has switched from Italian to British suppliers for the 650 tonnes of mozzarella it gets through each year. The group's restaurants are now supplied by Glanbia Cheese, one of the largest mozzarella producers in Europe, which exports from the UK to more than 30 countries worldwide. The firm has two production sites, in Wales and Northern Ireland, and announced last year that it was investing 130 million euros ($147 million) in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in the Republic of Ireland. It will be able to produce 45,000 tonnes of mozzarella a year. "We did blind taste-tests and the British mozzarella came out as a winner. It had much better texture and much creamier profile," Kathryn Turner, director of food development at Zizzi, told AFP. "It is a really good product and not just from a taste and flavour profile... It is a more local product. "Brexit always comes into consideration at the moment with daily changes. It wasn't the sole reason why we did it but it was a consideration." Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire, which sells mozzarella to major UK suppliers, lies some 2,000 kilometres from Campania in southern Italy A dairy production assistant hand rolls the mozzarella cheese in the dairy at Laverstoke Park Farm, which is becoming a domestic delicacy in the UK Former racing driver and farm owner Jody Scheckter alongside the company logo drawn by his young son, sees the potential for more customers for his buffalo mozzarella after Brexit Come milking time, the buffaloes leave their barn, straw still stuck to their hooves, and head to the milking sheds The Azzurri restaurant group, which owns the Zizzi and ASK chains, has switched from Italian to British suppliers for the 650 tonnes of mozzarella it gets through per year Let the lawsuits flow, like a gushing natural spring refusing to be bottled. That's right, Fiji Water is countersuing the Fiji Water woman. The virally famous Fiji Water woman, whose real name is Kelly Steinbach, gushed into the spotlight at the 2019 Golden Globes for her uncanny ability to photobomb celebs. But things took a turn for the weird when we learned she was suing Fiji Water. Well, it turns out the purveyor of overpriced H2O can dish it out, too. SEE ALSO: Photobombing FIJI Water woman is suing FIJI Water and yes, you read that right According to the lawsuit, which BuzzFeed News dug up, Fiji Water and its parent, The Wonderful Company, argue that Steinbach "reneged on the valid agreement between herself and FIJI to serve as a Fiji Water Brand Ambassador and permit FIJI to use her likeness in its related advertising campaign, and instead, attempted to extort close to half a million dollars from FIJI because she wanted a better deal than the original $90,000 she had originally accepted in exchange for such rights." In other words, Fiji claims that Steinbach saw which way the viral winds were blowing, and decided she was due a little extra compensation. Again, that's Fiji Water's take on things. Steinbach, of course, sees things a little differently: she claims she was "pressured" to "sign away her rights in the moniker 'Fiji Water Girl'." Fiji's countersuit doesn't stop at allegations of extortion. The legal filing also takes a moment to, in effect, call Steinbach ungrateful. "[The] irony is not lost on FIJI that Ms. Steinbach has now bitten the hand that feeds her by suing the very company that is entirely responsible for providing her the opportunity and the means to capitalize on her fleeting 15 minutes of internet fame." Which, ouch. So what happens next? Well, if the parties can't agree out of court then judgment is likely to be left for the Superior Court of California to decide. Story continues Who would have thought viral fame could turn sour so quickly. Oh, wait. Bangladesh faced widespread international criticism over the conduct of recent elections, but the United States looks set for business as usual as it sees strong common interests with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. As the eighth most populous nation in the world, with a moderate Muslim population that largely welcomes cooperation with the West, Bangladesh has a warming relationship with the United States -- yet not one so close as to give Washington significant leverage. Sheikh Hasina's Awami League won an incredible 288 seats in the 300-seat parliament in the December 30 election, with opposition leader Khaleda Zia -- her bitter nemesis for decades -- in jail on charges her opponents say are politically motivated while the press faces draconian new restrictions. The US State Department voiced concern ahead of the election, accusing Bangladesh of foot-dragging on letting in electoral observers and urging greater efforts to ensure a free vote. The United States followed up after the election with a letter by President Donald Trump that wished Sheikh Hasina success but asked her to "renew her commitment to protecting human rights, individual freedom of expression and democratic institutions," a US official said. Sheikh Hasina is a sworn enemy of Islamists, mounting a crackdown on the Jamaat-e-Islami party that included hanging five of its leaders over charges related to Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence from Pakistan. She has also earned widespread praise in Washington for taking in more than 700,000 Rohingya refugees who fled from neighboring Myanmar in a brutal campaign the United States has called ethnic cleansing -- stopping the crisis from become more regional in dimension. Michael Kugelman, senior associate for South Asia at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, said that Bangladesh was effectively becoming a one-party authoritarian state -- but one whose orientation largely suits Washington. "I think the bottom line is that the US sees Sheikh Hasina as a useful partner. She's very tough on terror and she's presided over a remarkable degree of economic growth," he said. "I think, in that regard, the US sees her as a supporter and practitioner of stability in Bangladesh in spite of the tradeoff of having a very troubled domestic political situation in Bangladesh." - Seeking greater ties - Bangladesh's government has shown no sign it takes seriously the concerns about the election, also voiced by the European Union. Sajeeb Wazed, Sheikh Hasina's US-based son who serves as her adviser on information and communications technology, said the pre-election US statement was "disappointing" and blamed it on what he called opposition supporters among local staff at the US embassy in Dhaka. But he saluted the relationship with the United States and voiced hope for further ties, saying a top priority was to draw greater US investment in an economy that has been growing by more than six percent annually. "We have a huge consumer market. You have almost 80 million people in the middle class," he said. He said that Bangladesh has been "phenomenally successful in combatting terrorism," calling it "one of the few Muslim countries that is considered relatively terrorism-free." Wazed added that the government felt a genuine empathy for fleeing Rohingyas in light of Bangladesh's plight at independence and noted that the refugees have not seen the type of backlash experienced by migrants to Europe. - Limited scope to criticize - The United States see a friendly rapport with Bangladesh as vital to Washington's goal of an open, US-friendly Indo-Pacific region. Unlike neighbors such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh has not drawn high-profile infrastructure deals with China. Another country is even more critical to the US relationship with Bangladesh -- regional power and emerging US ally India, which has staunchly supported Sheikh Hasina, limiting the scope for Washington to take another approach even if it so chose. The opposition, however, is hopeful that US criticism can make headway. Humaiun Kobir, the international affairs secretary of Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party who met policymakers in Washington ahead of the vote, said the United States should make clear that relations will be limited "unless you show us you are democratizing." He said that Sheikh Hasina had turned Bangladesh into a country like Cambodia or Venezuela, where the United States to varying degrees had criticized strongmen. Kobir praised a US House of Representatives resolution that had urged free elections and noted the opposition's concerns. "The United States is the largest bilateral investor and largest trading market," he said. "The US will need to show that it is not business as usual, or otherwise it sends a totally wrong signal." Sheikh Hasina signs documents after being sworn in for her fourth spell as Bangladesh's prime minister Young Rohingya refugees play at Balukhali refugee camp in Ukhia, Bangladesh Bangladesh's main opposition leader Khaleda Zia looks on as she is escorted back to prison from a hospital visit in Dhaka in November 2018 Norway's foreign intelligence unit on Monday expressed renewed concerns that its GPS signals in the country's Far North were being jammed, as Oslo again blamed Russia for the "unacceptable" acts. In its annual national risk assessment report, the intelligence service said that in repeated incidents since 2017, GPS signals have been blocked from Russian territory in Norwegian regions near the border with Russia. The jamming events have often coincided with military exercises on Norwegian soil, such as the NATO Trident Juncture manoeuvres last autumn and the mid-January deployment of British attack helicopters in Norway for training in Arctic conditions. "This is not only a new challenge for Norwegian and Allied training operations," the head of the intelligence unit, Morten Haga Lunde, said as he presented the report. "Jamming is also a threat to, among others, civilian air traffic and police and health operations in peacetime." Norway has on several occasions raised the issue with Russian authorities, and is cooperating with other Nordic countries to gather as much information as possible, Defence Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen said. "It's important... to say clearly that this is unacceptable," he told television channel TV2 Nyhetskanalen. In November, neighbouring Finland summoned Russia's ambassador to Helsinki to answer to accusations that Moscow had disrupted geopositioning signals on its territory during the Trident Juncture exercises. Moscow has rejected the allegations as baseless. Oslo accuses Russia of jamming GPS signals in Norway's Far North when it hosted NATO exercises last year Here are three words I'll bet you'd never expect to see strung together: Space Force France. And yet, while much of the discussion regarding the "space force" concept lately has centered on President Trump's plan to split off the U.S. Air Force's space activities into a sixth branch of the military, it turns out there are other countries planning to build -- or already building -- space forces of their own. Countries such as France. Space ship in space No one's 100% certain what a space force should look like -- but that isn't preventing other countries from creating them. Image source: Getty Images. Vive la force spatiale francaise! Echoing calls in the U.S. Congress for the creation of a space force, in late June 2018 French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly recommended that France increase its investments in space surveillance. As Space Daily.com reports, France's National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), which operates France's military satellites, is currently awaiting a decision by French President Emmanuel Macron on whether to create a French "space force" to accomplish this. But why is France contemplating building a space force at all, given the ridicule the idea has received in the U.S.? Here's one clue: In September, Parly described recent "suspicious activities of [a] Russian space satellite" approaching the Franco-Italian Athena-Fidus satellite "too closely," for purposes unknown. The incident convinced Parly to back raising the profile of France's Joint Space Command, up to and including the development of a dedicated space force. Without a stronger space capability of its own, France is ill-equipped to defend its satellites against foreign interference, or even to be entirely certain what the Russians are up to. France's solution: The country plans to increase spending on its space program by some 14% this year. Then from 2019 to 2025 France will spend $4.2 billion upgrading its military satellite fleet, part of a broader effort by the country to boost its defense spending toward the 2% target required of all NATO members. According to SpaceDaily, even if an actual space force is never created, this money will fund French efforts to "update observation and communication satellites, modernize radar monitoring and develop anti-satellite weapons." Story continues France fears falling behind Are these efforts necessary? CNES president Jean-Yves Le Gall thinks they are. "China [and] Russia ... are launching many more military satellites than Europe," warns Le Gall, widening a gap in capabilities between Europe and potential rivals. China, for example, conducted 39 satellite launches in 2018, more than any other country on Earth, and many with military capabilities. China has the world's first "quantum satellite" in orbit -- reportedly immune to eavesdropping -- and may eventually build an entire "quantum internet" in space. It's also building a Chinese version of America's GPS satellite constellation, and plans to put a "global, 24-hour, all-weather earth remote sensing system" in place by 2020. On top of all that, China went ahead and created a "space force" in 2015, long before the U.S. (or France) began talking seriously about the idea. China's "Strategic Support Force" integrates the space, cyber, and electronic warfare capabilities elements of the People's Liberation Army into a unified space force, and possesses anti-satellite (ASAT) missiles and "co-orbital kinetic kill" weapons (killer satellites) as Defense One reports. Russian bears in space Meanwhile in Russia, Senate president Victor Bondarev has criticized Trump's plan to create a separate U.S. space force, equating the move with the kind of "militarization of outer space [that] is the path to disaster." Presumably, he won't be pleased if France follows the same path. Then again, a rose by any other name can still have thorns. Russia, which used to have separate "Space Forces" of its own, integrated these into its Aerospace Forces in 2015, mimicking U.S. Air Force Space Command's current structure, and that of the UK as well. Within these Aerospace Forces, Russia is working to develop hypersonic missiles -- against which the U.S. Air Force says America has no defense -- and plans to begin deploying them this year. Russia also tested ASAT weapons as recently as last year, yet another space technology the U.S. has not deployed. And in an echo of the Russian satellite that unnerved France last year, the U.S. State Department recently described another Russian satellite operating in a manner "inconsistent" with its stated mission of conducting in-orbit space inspections according to the Military Times. What this all means to investors When you get right down to it, whether we're talking about China, which has a dedicated "space force," or Russia, which says it doesn't, the race toward militarizing space has already begun. Even if the U.S. Air Force isn't entirely thrilled with the idea, it may have no alternative but to fall in line with the President's plan and back the creation of a U.S. space force just to keep up with what adversaries (and now allies like France) are doing. As then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said last summer, the threat from Russian and Chinese space forces "is a reality." The U.S. is "not initiating this." But "if someone is going to try to engage in space with military means, we will not stand idly by." What does this mean to investors? There are reasonable arguments for creating a separate, independent space force for the U.S. military, and reasonable arguments against. But whether American "space forces" are destined to receive their own separate military branch or remain housed within the U.S. Air Force, the need to develop space defenses is becoming pretty clear. As an investor, I'd expect this to translate into more dollars for military contractors such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, which have significant space operations -- spending that could potentially come at the cost of money for contractors such as General Dynamics and Huntington Ingalls, which have less space exposure. A second effect to keep watch for is the whole series of space start-ups -- companies with names like Vector, Planet, Rocket Lab, and Virgin Orbit -- that could potentially benefit from an increase in U.S. military space spending. Indeed, Vector in particular has already won a handful of Pentagon contracts, while Virgin Orbit recently set up a subsidiary dubbed "VOX Space" to compete for Pentagon work. Although none of this latter cast of companies is currently public, given sufficient Pentagon funding to scale up in size I wouldn't be at all surprised if we see an IPO or three emerge from this group in the very near future. More From The Motley Fool The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 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. The number of new print magazines started in the U.S. fell by more than half in 2020 to 60, compared t WELLINGTON (Reuters) - An Air New Zealand flight bound for Shanghai was turned back because of an "administrative issue" and the incident holds no political implications for ties with China, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday. The flight, with about 270 passengers, left Auckland just before midnight on Saturday but turned around several hours into its journey and landed in New Zealand on Sunday, the national carrier, part-owned by the government, has said. "I think it is important to be really clear and not confuse administrative and regulatory issues as issues to do with the relationship," Ardern told a weekly news conference. "This was very much an administrative issue," she added. "There's an expectation that inbound aircraft be registered, that the flight in question had not fulfilled the administrative requirements." In a statement late on Sunday, China's civil aviation regulator quoted the airline as having said the issue was due to "temporary improper allocation of the aircraft". In Beijing on Monday, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters her understanding was that the plane had never registered in China. Ardern's remarks followed questions by some politicians and analysts whether the incident pointed to broader issues in New Zealand's ties to its key trading partner. "We need to know what has happened here. Is it part of the ongoing deterioration in relations between this New Zealand government and China?" opposition National Party leader Simon Bridges wrote on social network Twitter on Sunday. In November, New Zealand's intelligence agency rejected the telecommunication industry's first request to use Chinese telecoms giant Huawei's equipment in its planned 5G mobile network, citing national security concerns. That followed a defence policy statement in July, in which New Zealand said Chinas rising influence in the South Pacific could undermine regional stability, and alluded to tension in the disputed South China Sea, sparking complaint from China. Story continues "Theres a heightened degree of sensitivity around the relationship right now," said David Capie, director of the Centre for Strategic Studies at Victoria University of Wellington. "On a range of issues with China this government has signalled its taking a different stance to its predecessor, so I think people are waiting to see if and how Beijing responds." The rescheduled flight landed in Shanghai on Monday, data from flight tracking website FlightAware shows. (Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield; Additional reporting by Michael Martina in BEIJING; Editing by Praveen Menon and Clarence Fernandez) For Immediate Release Chicago, IL February 11, 2019 Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Baker Hughes BHGE, Evergy, Inc. EVRG, Sunoco L.P SUN and Contura Energy CTRA. Here are highlights from Fridays Analyst Blog: Oil Rig Count Takes a Hit in the Month of January Baker Hughes, a GE company, declared the rig count for January 2019. In the United States, the total number of rigs fell from December 2018 figure, due to lower number of offshore rigs. North America Rig Count In January 2019, rig count in North America (the United States and Canada) totaled 1,241. The figure was higher than 1,219 in December 2019 and 1,215 a year ago. U.S. rig: Total number of rigs in the United States was 1,065. The figure is lower than 1,078 rigs in last December and higher than 937 a year ago. Of the total count, land rigs were 1,044. This is lower than 1,054 rigs in the prior month, but, higher than 919 rigs in January 2018. The number of U.S. offshore rigs in January 2019 was 21, down from 24 in December 2018 and up from 18 rigs in January 2018. Canada rig: In Canada, the total rig count of 176 was higher than 141 in December 2018 but lower than278 in January 2018. International Rig Count Total international rig count (offshore and land) in the month of January was 1,023. The count declined by 2 in December 2018. Nevertheless, the figure is higher than 960 recorded in January 2018. Offshore rig count in January 2019 was 241, higher than 234 in December 2018 as well as 196 in the prior-year period. Land Rig: The land rig count was 782 compared with 791 in December 2018 and 764 in January 2018. In a separate announcement, Baker Hughes stated that it has received a contract to supply turbomachinery equipment for the construction of the Golden Pass LNG export facility in Sabine Pass, Texas. Story continues The company will provide turbomachinery equipment for three LNG trains, comprising six gas turbines and 12 centrifugal compressors. The project is anticipated to produce about 16 million tons per year of LNG. Zacks Rank & Key Picks Baker Hughes carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). A few better-ranked players in the energy space are Evergy, Inc., Sunoco L.P and Contura Energy, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Evergy, through its operating subsidiaries Kansas City Power & Light Company (KCP&L) and Westar Energy, Inc provides clean, safe and reliable energy in Kansas and Missouri. The company reported average negative earnings surprise of 11.1% in the last four quarters. Headquartered in Houston, TX, Sunoco operates as a wholesale fuel distributor. The company is expected to witness year-over-year earnings decline of 38.9% in 2018. Bristol-based Contura Energy is a mining company. The company delivered average negative surprise of 17.9% in the trailing four quarters. The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All Last year, it generated $8 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $47 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early. See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >> Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Sunoco LP (SUN) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Paris (AFP) - Nearly half of all insect species worldwide are in rapid decline and a third could disappear altogether, according to a study warning of dire consequences for crop pollination and natural food chains. "Unless we change our way of producing food, insects as a whole will go down the path of extinction in a few decades," concluded the peer-reviewed study, which is set for publication in April. The recent decline in bugs that fly, crawl, burrow and skitter across still water is part of a gathering "mass extinction," only the sixth in the last half-billion years. "We are witnessing the largest extinction event on Earth since the late Permian and Cretaceous periods," the authors noted. The Permian end-game 252 million years ago snuffed out more than 90 percent of the planet's life forms, while the abrupt finale of the Cretaceous 66 million years ago saw the demise of land dinosaurs. "We estimate the current proportion of insect species in decline -- 41 percent -- to be twice as high as that of vertebrates," or animals with a backbone, Francisco Sanchez-Bayo of the University of Sydney and Kris Wyckhuys of the University of Queensland in Australia reported. "At present, a third of all insect species are threatened with extinction." An additional one percent join their ranks every year, they estimated. Insect biomass -- sheer collective weight -- is declining annually by about 2.5 percent worldwide. "Only decisive action can avert a catastrophic collapse of nature's ecosystems," the authors cautioned. Restoring wilderness areas and a drastic reduction in the use of pesticides and chemical fertiliser are likely the best way to slow the insect loss, they said. - 'Hardly any insects left' - The study, to be published in the journal Biological Conservation, pulled together data from more than 70 datasets from across the globe, some dating back more than a century. Story continues By a large margin, habitat change -- deforestation, urbanisation, conversion to farmland -- emerged as the biggest cause of insect decline and extinction threat. Next was pollution and the widespread use of pesticides in commercial agriculture. The recent collapse, for example, of many bird species in France was traced to the use insecticides on industrial crops such as wheat, barley, corn and wine grapes. "There are hardly any insects left -- that's the number one problem," said Vincent Bretagnolle, an ecologist at Centre for Biological Studies. Experts estimate that flying insects across Europe have declined 80 percent on average, causing bird populations to drop by more than 400 million in three decades. Only a few species of insects -- mainly in the tropics -- are thought to have suffered due to climate change, while some in northern climes have expanded their range as temperatures warm. In the long run, however, scientists fear that global warming could become another major driver of insect demise. Up to now, rising concern about biodiversity loss has mostly focused on big mammals, birds and amphibians. - Dung beetles in deep - But insects comprise about two-thirds of all terrestrial species, and have been the foundation of key ecosystems since emerging almost 400 million years ago. "The essential role that insects play as food items of many vertebrates is often forgotten," the researchers said. Moles, hedgehogs, anteaters, lizards, amphibians, most bats, many birds and fish all feed on insects or depend on them for rearing their offspring. Other insects filling the void left by declining species probably cannot compensate for the sharp drop in biomass, the study said. Insects are also the world's top pollinators -- 75 percent of 115 top global food crops depend on animal pollination, including cocoa, coffee, almonds and cherries. One-in-six species of bees have gone regionally extinct somewhere in the world. Dung beetles in the Mediterranean basin have also been hit particularly hard, with more than 60 percent of species fading in numbers. The pace of insect decline appears to be the same in tropical and temperate climates, though there is far more data from North America and Europe than the rest of the world. Britain has seen a measurable decline across 60 percent of its large insect groups, or taxa, followed by North America (51 percent) and Europe as a whole (44 percent). Watch the full episode 15 of Yahoo UKs show The Royal Box, here. Mental health is one of the young royals primary focuses within their charity work. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry launched their Heads Together campaign in 2017 to tackle stigma and to encourage people to speak about their own mental health. Historian Kate Williams says the campaign broke taboos and allowed William and Harry to be more open and talk about their personal experiences. Speaking on Yahoo UKs The Royal Box, she added: But also we heard the royals talk about what they had suffered, and as you say they live in a palace, its a gilded cage, they want for nothing, but still they made it clear that they too can suffer a lot of mental pain. And when you say they want to nothing, were talking about materialism there, what they want is a mother, and thats something that was taken away. Princess Diana pictured with William and Harry in 1995 [Photo: PA] Princess Diana was tragically killed in a car accident in Paris on 31 August 1997 when William and Harry were aged just 15 and 12. CNN royal contributor Victoria Arbiter says: They would trade it all to have her back. When the campaign launched, Harry also opened up about his own struggles with grief on Bryony Gordons podcast Mad World. Mental health continues to be a big focus for the Cambridges and the Sussexes, with Kate set to attend The Royal Foundations Mental Health in Education conference on Wednesday. William also recently revealed that no celebrities were willing to back the Heads Together campaign until shortly before it launched. During a trip to Bristol at the beginning of February, Prince Harry also cleared the room to speak to a young boy who had lost a parent and discussed his experience with grief. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for non-stop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyleUK. Read more from Yahoo Style UK: Sarah Ferguson says social media has become a sewer Prince Harrys touching moment in Bristol with boy who lost a parent Prince Harrys defensive of Meghan because he feels he could have done more to protect Diana The world is slowly but surely going cashless. When you think about the fintech innovations of the past few years that have become a part of your daily lives -- person-to-person payment apps such as Venmo, along with mobile deposits, easy card payment acceptance, and more -- you realize you probably use significantly less cash than you did just a couple of years ago. While the headlines tend to focus on the leaders in the fintech space such as Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Square, and others -- all of which I think are excellent long-term investments -- it's sometimes a good idea to look for some under-the-radar companies with the potential to be big winners. A person pulls a credit card out from a fanned-out stack of cards in her hands. As the world continues to transition to a cashless society, these two stocks could be big winners. Image source: Getty Images. This could be one of the biggest winners in the war on cash Green Dot (NYSE: GDOT) isn't a new company. It's been around for about two decades, and it was a pioneer in the prepaid debit card industry. For most of its history, prepaid debt cards and alternative checking accounts have served the underbanked population. However, there's reason to believe that Green Dot's growth could still be in its early stages. Here's why. While debit and credit card payments now account for the bulk of payment transactions in the U.S., smaller day-to-day transactions are still overwhelmingly dominated by cash. However, cash is getting far less convenient to use, and that trend is likely to continue. In fact, there have been several stories in the news lately about businesses that have gone completely cashless -- restaurants, airport shops, and more. It's easy to see why businesses might want to drop cash. There's less risk of theft or robbery in a cashless business, and there's no need to buy safes and cash registers, or to send managers on frequent trips to the bank. And yes, it's completely legal in most parts of the U.S. for a business to refuse to accept cash as a form of payment. Story continues In short, Green Dot's products are geared toward the subset of the population most likely to still use cash. Well, over the coming years, this group will have a growing need to find cashless solutions -- and that's where Green Dot shines. Finally, in addition to its own products, Green Dot has a large and fast-growing banking-as-a-service business. In a nutshell, if a company wants to offer a customized banking product, such as a person-to-person payment app or an instant deposit platform for its workers, Green Dot essentially uses its existing infrastructure to create it. With a list of customers that includes Apple, Walmart, Uber, Intuit, and more, it's clear that there's a lot of demand to be capitalized on. A high-margin and efficient business at an unbelievable price I've often referred to Synchrony Financial (NYSE: SYF) as the largest credit card company that most Americans haven't heard of. Synchrony was formerly the credit card arm of General Electric, and it's a leader in the store credit card business. Co-branding partners include Amazon.com, Sam's Club, and Lowe's, just to name a few out of the dozens in Synchrony's portfolio. Although Synchrony is already a big credit card operation, I think it could be just scratching the surface of its potential. There are two big reasons I feel this way. First, Synchrony is just starting to combine some of its partners into single products, such as a "home" credit card that can be used at a small network of retailers. Second, Synchrony's CareCredit healthcare-financing product could get much larger than it is. The card offers interest-free financing terms at participating healthcare businesses, and with healthcare affordability being such a growing problem, Americans are constantly looking for ways to make their out-of-pocket healthcare costs easier to pay. Synchrony's CareCredit product currently has a $9.5 billion loan receivables portfolio. Meanwhile, U.S. out-of-pocket healthcare spending is roughly $365 billion per year. And that doesn't include dental or veterinary spending, which is mostly out of pocket, and which the CareCredit network also extends to. In short, Synchrony has a massive addressable market opportunity and a unique product. Synchrony is an incredibly profitable business. Its net interest margin of roughly 16% is well ahead of its peers, and its efficiency ratio would make most online banks jealous. Plus, the business is growing rapidly. Year over year, Synchrony's loan portfolio has grown by 14% and net interest income grew by 11%. Surprisingly, Synchrony trades for a rock-bottom valuation of less than 7 times earnings. Double-digit growth, a profitable business, and bargain-basement valuation are a winning combination. 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. Matthew Frankel, CFP owns shares of Apple, General Electric, and Square. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon, Apple, Intuit, Mastercard, PayPal Holdings, and Square. The Motley Fool owns shares of Visa and has the following options: long January 2020 $150 calls on Apple and short January 2020 $155 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Looking for a stock that has been consistently beating earnings estimates and might be well positioned to keep the streak alive in its next quarterly report? Manulife Financial (MFC), which belongs to the Zacks Insurance - Life Insurance industry, could be a great candidate to consider. This financial services company has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 12.10%. For the last reported quarter, Manulife came out with earnings of $0.57 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.50 per share, representing a surprise of 14%. For the previous quarter, the company was expected to post earnings of $0.49 per share and it actually produced earnings of $0.54 per share, delivering a surprise of 10.20%. Price and EPS Surprise Thanks in part to this history, there has been a favorable change in earnings estimates for Manulife lately. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the stock is positive, which is a great indicator of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with its solid Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Manulife currently has an Earnings ESP of +3.03%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on February 13, 2019. Story continues Investors should note, however, that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss, but a negative value does reduce the predictive power of this metric. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Manulife Financial Corp (MFC) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research If you are looking for a stock that has a solid history of beating earnings estimates and is in a good position to maintain the trend in its next quarterly report, you should consider Molson Coors Brewing (TAP). This company, which is in the Zacks Beverages - Alcohol industry, shows potential for another earnings beat. This beer maker has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 9.69%. For the last reported quarter, Molson Coors came out with earnings of $1.84 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.57 per share, representing a surprise of 17.20%. For the previous quarter, the company was expected to post earnings of $1.84 per share and it actually produced earnings of $1.88 per share, delivering a surprise of 2.17%. Price and EPS Surprise With this earnings history in mind, recent estimates have been moving higher for Molson Coors. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the company is positive, which is a great sign of an earnings beat, especially when you combine this metric with its nice Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Molson Coors currently has an Earnings ESP of +2.35%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on February 12, 2019. Story continues With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Molson Coors Brewing Company (TAP) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research On April 13, 1934, Ford Motor Co. received a notorious endorsement. Dear Sir, read the handwritten letter addressed to Henry Ford. While I still have got breath in my lungs I will tell you what a dandy car you make. I have drove Fords exclusively when I could get away with one. Get away being operative words the letter was signed, Yours truly Clyde Champion Barrow. Barrow, whose given middle name was Chestnut, is among the most famous criminals in American history. With accomplice Bonnie Parker and other running mates, Bonnie and Clyde committed robberies, kidnappings, car thefts and killings from their native Texas as far north as Minnesota from 1932-34. 1930s bank robbers Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker. Barrows preference for Fords with what then was a powerful engine begs this question: What would be todays great getaway cars? We'll get to that in a moment. The letter, which is in possession of the The Henry Ford in Dearborn, went on to say: For sustained speed and freedom from trouble the Ford has got ever other car skinned and even if my business hasen't been strickly legal it don't hurt enything to tell you what a fine car you got in the V8 " (He was a criminal, not a spelling bee champion.) Ted Ryan, archives and heritage brand manager for Ford, notes that no one has every truly verified the handwriting to prove conclusively that it is Clyde Barrows. That is part of the fun of history. Personally, I think it is true. Bonnie and Clyde, being intensely hunted at the time of the letter, just a few weeks before being ambushed by lawmen and riddled with bullets in Louisiana, certainly were not publicity-averse. They posed for photos and were brazenly aware of their celebrity. Ryan said Ford had introduced the single block cast V8 engine just a few years before. The resulting engine was a modern marvel and provided the power the public was looking for at a price they could afford, he said in an email. Suddenly, higher powered engines were available to everyone, including Clyde Barrow. Story continues Now, what about today's getaway cars? The Free Press auto team came up with these possibilities: Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 Introduced at this years Detroit auto show, it's the most powerful street-legal Ford ever. It might also draw too much attention to itself. More: At 700-plus horsepower, 2020 Shelby GT500 is the ultimate Mustang More: 1st Mustang Shelby GT 500 found; experts crowd-source its history Jim Farley Ford President, Global Markets speaks while introducing the all-new 2020 Mustang Shelby GT 500 during the 2019 North American International Auto Show held at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit on Monday, Jan. 14, 2019. Blending in Try a Toyota Prius in California or a Subaru Outback in Colorado. You could hide on any parking lot or highway. Above suspicion Driving a Mercedes G-Wagen, a luxury off-roader that starts at $124,500, will make the cops think you are so rich you don't have to steal anything. Which probably is true. Bad idea The Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye is fast, with 797 horsepower. But Fiat Chrysler noted that at full throttle, you could drain your gas tank in 11 minutes. Not good. Plain power Finally, Free Press auto critic Mark Phelan offers this: "In the spirit of the last great chase movie, 'Baby Driver,' in which a banged-up old 4 wheel-drive Chevy Avalanche pickup ran rings around the entire Atlanta PD, Ill take a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. "It may look like just another SUV picking up little Charlotte from ballet practice, but with a 707-horsepower supercharged Hemi V8, the Trackhawk hits 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 180 mph. Thats faster than a BMW M3. Plus, you can use its ground clearance and 4wd when you head for the hills, going off-road when the heat closes in." * We do not endorse criminal activity, unsafe driving or trying to "get away" from anyone you shouldn't be trying to get away from. Because look what happens. Contact Randy Essex: REssex@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @randyessex. Read more on autos and sign up for our autos newsletter. Mark Phelan, Eric Lawrence and Phoebe Wall Howard contributed to this bit of frivolity. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Why criminals Bonnie and Clyde preferred Fords as a getaway car Having kids is hardly a walk in the park. Oftentimes it feels as if the only incentive in the incessant additional child caring workload is the occasional smile, cuddle, or unexpected kiss. Well, not in Hungary. Outspoken anti-immigration Prime Minister Viktor Orban is determined to raise the birth rate by waiving taxes completely for families with four children or more. In what sounds almost like gamification techniques for breeding children, controversial Orban announced a range of financial benefits for Hungarian families on Sunday. These include subsidized loans, help to buy houses and vehicles, and even the waiving of income tax completely. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Read the full story on CCN.com. By Gary Robertson RICHMOND, Va. (Reuters) - Virginia's embattled governor insisted he would not resign over a racist yearbook photo, but said the state's lieutenant governor would have to step aside if sexual assault allegations against him were found to be true. In a CBS interview to be broadcast on Monday, Governor Ralph Northam said he had learned from the controversy that erupted on Feb. 1 when a racist photo surfaced from his medical school yearbook, and that as a former pediatrician he could help Virginians heal. "There's no better person to do that than a doctor. Virginia also needs someone who is strong, who has empathy, who has courage and who has a moral compass," Northam told CBS "This Morning" co-host Gayle King. "And that's why I'm not going anywhere." According to excerpts of the interview provided on Sunday by CBS, Northam was asked about allegations of sexual crimes, including rape, that have been made by two women against Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, a fellow Democrat who is African-American and the state's second-highest elected official. Fairfax, who has denied the allegations, has also faced widespread calls from Democratic leaders to step aside. Northam told CBS it must have taken tremendous courage for the women to come forward, and that he supported Fairfax's call for an investigation. "And if these accusations are determined to be true, I don't think he's going to have any other option but to resign," Northam said. State Democratic House of Delegates member Patrick Hope has said he will introduce articles of impeachment against Fairfax on Monday unless the lieutenant governor resigns. Fairfax has said that encounters with both women were consensual. On Sunday, a spokeswoman for the lieutenant governor said he was "aggressively exploring options for a thorough, independent, and impartial investigation" of the allegations. "We hope, for example, that the FBI will show a willingness to investigate," the spokeswoman, Lauren Burke, said in a statement. "He (Fairfax) believes that an inherently political process is not the most likely path for learning the truth," Burke said. The political chaos surrounding the state's top two elected officials has extended to the second in line to succeed Northam, Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring, who admitted that he had once darkened his face to imitate a black performer. The possibility of all three top leaders of Virginia's executive branch having to resign raised the prospect of Democrats losing the governorship to the Republican speaker of the state House, who is next in the line of succession. (Reporting by Gary Robertson; Additional reporting by Letitia Stein; Writing by Daniel Wallis; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Peter Cooney) By Gary Robertson RICHMOND, Va., Feb 11 (Reuters) - Virginia's embattled Democratic governor vowed in an interview on Monday not to resign over revelations that he wore blackface at a 1980s party, as a web of scandals enveloped three top party officials. A Democratic state lawmaker, meanwhile, said on Twitter that he would not move immediately on his call over the weekend for impeachment proceedings against Virginia's lieutenant governor, who has been accused of sexually assaulting two women, charges he has denied. The accusations of racist behavior or sexual assault - hot button issues in a party that has embraced diversity as one of its key messages - targeting the three men have rattled party leadership in a swing state that likely will play a pivotal role in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. In the unlikely event all three men were to step down, the governorship would pass to the Republican speaker of the state house, which would be a stunning reversal in a state where Democrats have been gaining power in the last few election cycles. Party leaders in the state and across the nation have now called for Governor Ralph Northam and Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax over their separate accusations. They have been more forgiving of Attorney General Mark Herring, largely because he came forward on his own to admit having performed in blackface at a 1980 college party, rather than waiting for someone else to accuse him. RELATED: Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Northam and Herring are white; Fairfax is black. The Democratic state lawmaker said he might ask the state house to begin discussing impeaching Fairfax if he did not resign signaled on Monday he was in no rush to act. "Yesterday I sent draft language to my colleagues on the first step of an impeachment action regarding the Lt. Governor," state Delegate Patrick Hope said on Twitter. "There has been an enormous amount of sincere and thoughtful feedback which has led to additional conversations that need to take place before anything is filed." Story continues In a series of tweets he said that he believed Fairfax's two accusers but wanted lawmakers to "build more consensus on a path forward." Northam, meanwhile, insisted in an interview on CBS Monday, that he would not resign over the 1984 yearbook picture, which showed a person in blackface next to another wearing the robes and hood of the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan. Northam denied being in that picture but admitted to dressing in blackface for a social event that same year. Blackface traces its history to 19th-century "minstrel" shows that mocked African-Americans and is seen as offensive by many Americans. Northam said that Fairfax would have to step aside if sexual assault allegations against him were found to be true. "And if these accusations are determined to be true, I don't think he's going to have any other option but to resign," Northam said. Fairfax has said that encounters with both women were consensual. On Sunday, a spokeswoman for the lieutenant governor said he was "aggressively exploring options for a thorough, independent, and impartial investigation" of the allegations. (Reporting by Gary Robertson; editing by Scott Malone and Steve Orlofsky) By Gary Robertson RICHMOND, Va. (Reuters) - Virginia Democrats pressured Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax to resign on Monday over accusations of sexual assault, which he denies, but held off on pursuing impeachment, with the Republican speaker of the state House urging restraint. Fairfax is one of three top state Democrats engulfed by scandal this month. Governor Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring have also faced criticism after admitting they wore blackface in the 1980s. Patrick Hope, a Democratic member of Virginia's House of Delegates, said he believed Fairfax should have resigned already after two women accused him of sexual assault but added he would not move immediately on his weekend call for impeachment proceedings. Adding to the pressure, much of the lieutenant governor's staff have resigned since the second accuser came forward on Friday, according to his spokeswoman, Lauren Burke. They included his policy director and his scheduling director, as well as the executive director and a fundraiser at his political action committee, the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper reported. The accusations of racist behavior or sexual assault against the three men have rattled party leadership in a swing state that likely will play a pivotal role in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Democrats have been gaining power in the Southern state in the last few election years. Party leaders in Virginia and across the nation have called for Northam and Fairfax to resign. They have been more forgiving toward Herring, largely because he came forward on his own to admit having performed in blackface at a 1980 college party, rather than waiting for someone to accuse him. Northam and Herring are white; Fairfax is black. Hope, the white Democratic lawmaker who had called for Fairfax's impeachment, renewed his call for the lieutenant governor to resign while saying he was discussing whether impeachment was the best solution. "Fairfax should have already resigned," Hope said in a statement. "The message being sent to victims of sexual assault is chilling." He said he believed Fairfax's two accusers. The scandals may cost the Democrats their chance to take over control of the legislature in November's elections, said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. He said the scandals have eroded voters' faith in the party to put forward good candidates, and any perceived racial disparities in consequences may cause further harm. "You've got three of them in trouble, and then potentially the African-American goes and the two whites stay," he said in a telephone interview. "There could be complete justification for that, but it looks terrible." 'VOLATILE SITUATION' House Speaker Kirk Cox, the Republican who would become governor if all three Democrats resigned, said it was too soon to say whether he would support impeachment. "We need to be very careful with the high standards of impeachment," he told reporters. A majority of House members would have to vote to impeach for the proceedings to move to the Senate. A two-thirds majority in the upper chamber would be needed to remove someone from office. Northam has insisted he would not resign over a 1984 medical school yearbook picture, which showed a person in blackface next to another wearing the robes and hood of the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan. Northam denied being in that picture but admitted to dressing in blackface for a social event that same year. Blackface traces its history to 19th-century minstrel shows that mocked African-Americans, and is seen as offensive by many Americans - though its use continued in U.S. popular culture through to the early 21st century. About 39 percent of white Americans say it is at least sometimes acceptable to don blackface for a Halloween costume, while 37 percent believed it was never acceptable, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted mostly before Northam's admission and released on Monday. Only 18 percent of black Americans agreed it was at least sometimes acceptable, while 53 percent said it was never acceptable. (https://pewrsr.ch/2tgHl88) Fairfax has said sexual encounters with both women were consensual. Members of the legislature's black caucus are also seeking an investigation that does not immediately involve impeachment. "We don't know how to do that yet," Delegate Lamont Bagby, the caucus chairman, said in an interview. (Reporting by Gary Robertson, additional reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York; editing by Scott Malone, Steve Orlofsky and Jonathan Oatis) BRASILIA (Reuters) - Venezuelan opposition envoy Maria Teresa Belandria was received as her country's official ambassador in Brazil on Monday and said Brazil's government would provide all possible support to get humanitarian aid to the border. Belandria told reporters that several Brazilian government agencies would be involved in the aid operation, which would open up a second route for food and medicine to enter Venezuela after the main one in Colombia. The lawyer and international law expert was appointed Venezuelan ambassador to Brazil by opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has been recognised by dozens of countries as the head of Venezuela's legitimate government instead of leftist President Nicolas Maduro. The envoy does not have access to the Venezuelan embassy facilities in Brasilia. "I am now Venezuela's diplomatic representative. We don't need a building to be an embassy," she said at a news conference at Brazil's Foreign Ministry. Belandria met with Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo to discuss, among other matters, ways to "send food and medicine to alleviate the suffering of the Venezuelan people subjected to Maduro's illegitimate regime," the ministry said in a statement. The aid to be sent to the Brazilian state of Roraima bordering Venezuela would not only come from the United States, but from Brazil's government, private companies and other nations, she said. Asked whether the Venezuelan military would allow the aid into the country, Lester Toledo, coordinator for international humanitarian aid and an opposition state legislator, replied: "The soldiers know this is food that will go to the children." Venezuela's government has blocked the aid the United States sent to the country's border with Colombia. On Friday, Maduro ridiculed the United States for offering small amounts of assistance while maintaining sanctions that block some $10 billion of offshore assets and revenue. (Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu and Anthony Boadle; Editing by David Gregorio and Peter Cooney) venezuela nicolas maduro vladimir putin petro cryptocurrency After years of hiding behind the fig leaf of socialism and revolutionary anti-imperialist rhetoric, the embattled Venezuelan government of Nicolas Maduro has shown its true colours with a new 15 percent tax on cryptocurrency transactions that may be best described as opportunistic, if not an act of outright tyranny. Venezuelas New Cryptocurrency Tax venezuela cryptocurrency petro Source: Shutterstock At a time when Hugo Chavez successor is facing an unprecedented challenge to his legitimacy, with U.S-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido gaining more international recognition, the move underlines his governments culture of economic vandalism that has turned South Americas largest oil producer into a basket case with the worlds least usable national currency. The new policy, announced in the countrys official Gazette, issue No. 41581 quotes the Venezuelan National Superintendence of Crypto Assets and Related Activities (SUNCRIP) as saying: Read the full story on CCN.com. US negotiators were in Beijing on Monday for another round of talks on a trade deal with the clock ticking towards a March 1 deadline set by President Donald Trump. Preliminary discussions by lower-level officials were to be held, before US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin step in for the main event on Thursday and Friday. Washington suspended plans in December to increase tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports -- to 25 percent from the current 10 percent -- to give negotiators space to resolve a trade spat that has triggered fears of a global economic slowdown. A previous round of talks in Washington last month ended without a deal. Deputy trade representative Jeffrey Gerrish would lead the US delegation in preparatory meetings to begin on Monday, the White House has said. The talks will include officials from the agriculture, energy and commerce departments. Gerrish left his hotel in downtown Beijing on Monday morning without talking to the media. Mnuchin and Lighthizer will be joined by David Malpass, Trump's nominee for president of the World Bank. The Chinese delegation will be led by Vice Premier Liu He, who will be joined by central bank governor Yi Gang. Liu, China's chief trade negotiator, met last month with Trump, who announced that a final resolution of the trade dispute would depend on a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping "in the near future." But Trump said Thursday he did not expect to meet his Chinese counterpart before the trade truce expires on March 1. The Trump administration is demanding far-reaching changes from China to address commercial practices that it says are deeply unfair, including theft of American intellectual property and myriad barriers that US and other foreign companies face in the Chinese domestic market. Near Baghouz (Syria) (AFP) - Syrian fighters backed by artillery fire from a US-led coalition battled a fierce jihadist counteroffensive as they pushed to retake a last morsel of territory from the Islamic State group in an assault lasting days. A war monitor said a coalition air strike killed 16 civilians including seven children trying to flee the holdout on Monday, but the US-led alliance was not immediately available for comment. More than four years after the extremists declared a "caliphate" across large parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq, several offensives have whittled that down to a tiny scrap of land in eastern Syria. The final push to expel hundreds of diehard jihadists from that patch on the Iraq border was announced Saturday by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). On Monday the US-led coalition maintained a steady beat of bombings on the area as the SDF faced ferocious resistance. The sound of explosions echoed dozens of kilometres (miles) away and columns of dark grey smoke could be seen from SDF territory. "Heavy clashes are ongoing to pressure IS into surrendering," said Rami Abdel Rahman, chief of Britain-based monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Observatory said 12 SDF fighters and 19 jihadists were killed in the fighting on Monday. SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali said the force responded after IS launched a counterattack earlier in the day. He also said there were "dozens of SDF hostages held by IS" inside their last foothold, but denied reports of executions. US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the coalition may declare victory over IS in the region in the coming days. "Our brave warriors have liberated virtually 100 percent of ISIS (territory) in Iraq and Syria... soon it will be announced, soon, maybe over the next week, maybe less, but it will be announced we have 100 percent," he told a rally in the US city of El Paso. - French women - Story continues Backed by coalition air strikes, the SDF alliance has been battling to oust the jihadists from the eastern province of Deir Ezzor since September. Since December, tens of thousands of people, most women and children related to IS fighters, have fled the shrinking jihadist holdout into SDF territory. US-backed forces have screened the new arrivals, weeding out potential jihadists for questioning. On Monday, dozens of coalition and SDF fighters were stationed at a screening point for new arrivals from IS areas. Coalition forces stood over about 20 men who were crouching on the ground. Two French women told AFP they paid smugglers to take them out of the battered IS-held holdout of Baghouz, but Iraqi jihadists had prevented other foreigners from leaving. "They said only the Syrians and Iraqis can be smuggled out," said one of the women, who said her first name was Christelle, from the city of Bordeaux. The Observatory said 600 people including around 20 suspected jihadists fled IS areas overnight. On Saturday, the alliance had said up to 600 jihadists as well as hundreds of civilians could remain inside the IS patch of four square kilometres (one square mile). Spokesman Bali said IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the man who pronounced the cross-border "caliphate" in 2014, was not among them, and likely not in Syria. - Planned US withdrawal - At the height of their rule, IS imposed their brutal interpretation of Islamic law on a territory roughly the size of Britain. But military offensives in both countries, including by the SDF, have since retaken the vast bulk of their territory. The jihadists however retain a presence in Syria's vast Badia desert, and have claimed a series of deadly attacks in SDF-held areas. Trump in December shocked Washington's allies by announcing a full withdrawal of US troops from Syria as IS had been "beaten". But the US military warned in a report published this month that IS "could likely resurge in Syria within six to 12 months and regain limited territory" if sustained pressure is not maintained. Trump's decision to withdraw US troops has left Syria's Kurds scrambling for safeguards. A US departure makes them more vulnerable to a long threatened attack by neighbouring Turkey, which considers Kurdish fighters to be "terrorists", and dashes their dreams of autonomy. The Kurds have largely stayed out of Syria's nearly eight-year civil war, instead building their own semi-autonomous institutions in the northeast of the country. But the expected US pullout has seen them grappling to mend ties with the Damascus regime, which is against Kurdish self-rule. Syria's war has killed 360,00 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. For Immediate Release Chicago, IL February 11, 2018 Zacks.com releases the list of companies likely to issue earnings surprises. This weeks list includes Under Armour UAA, Activision Blizzard ATVI, Nike NKE, Groupon GRPN and Cisco CSCO. Earnings Growth Deceleration Details The picture emerging from the Q4 earnings season is not great, but it is not as bad either as many in the market had feared ahead of the start of this earnings season. We knew that the period of very strong growth was now behind us. But the steady negative revisions to earnings estimates for the current and coming quarters have left growth expectations for the first half of 2019 barely in positive territory. This negative revisions trend is a function of uncertainty about global economic growth, with a host of leading companies in different industries citing weakness in China, Europe and elsewhere as the driver of weak guidance. We will share the current scorecard and whats on deck this week a little later, but lets first point out the key trends that we have seen from the Q4 results through Friday, February 8th. First , growth is decelerating. This isnt a surprise, as we knew already that Q4 growth would be materially below the pace set in the first three quarters of the year. Total earnings for the 332 companies that have reported are up +13.4% from the same period last year on +7.2% higher revenues. Earnings and revenue growth for the same cohort of companies had been +24.3% and +9.7% in the preceding earnings season, respectively. The growth pace is on track to decelerate even further in the current and coming quarters, as we will show a little later. Second , companies appear to be struggling to beat consensus EPS estimates. For the 332 index members that have reported results already, 67.2% are beating EPS estimates and only 62% are beating revenue estimates. For the same cohort of companies, the proportion of positive EPS and revenue surprises was 78.6% and 60.8% in the Q3 earnings season, respectively. Story continues The proportion of these 332 index members beating both EPS and revenue estimates is 46.7%, which compares to 50.9% for the same group of companies in the preceding reporting cycle and 12-quarter average of 53.9%. The revenue beats percentage is on the weak side relative to historical periods, but the lag on the EPS beats percentage side is particularly noteworthy. The fact is that the Q4 EPS beats percentage is the lowest in more than 3 years. With Q4 positive surprises this hard to come by, one would reasonably assume that perhaps estimates had been too high. We know that wasnt the case as estimates for the quarter had fallen the most of any other recent periods. Third , estimates for 2019 Q1 and full-year 2019 are coming down in a major way, with the Q1 growth rate now in negative territory. Negative revisions to 2019 Q1 estimates are along the same lines that we saw ahead of the start of the Q4 earnings season as well. Estimates for full-year 2019 have been coming down as well. Estimates were effectively unchanged during the September quarter, but they have been on a consistent downtrend since early October. Many in the market suspect that estimates have further to drop before stabilizing. Key Earnings Reports This Week We have more than 400 companies coming out with quarterly reports this week, including 63 S&P 500 members. Tuesday, February 12th: We have 15 index members reporting results on Tuesday, of which 9 will come out before the markets open and the rest after the markets close. There is no shortage of big-name reporters today, but Under Armour will be the notable report in the morning session and Activision Blizzard after the markets close. Under Armour shares jumped following the Q3 earnings release on October 30th and even though the stock has since lost ground, it is still up big over the past year, up +57.3% vs. +31.3% gain for Nike and +5.1% gain for the S&P 500 index. Activision Blizzard and other game publishers have been struggling lately, with Epic Games Fortnight stealing their thunder. While estimates for the December quarter have been stable, the same for full-year have been steadily coming down. The stock is down -34% over the past year, lagging its industrys -25.3% decline over the same time period. Groupon is another notable company reporting after the close on Tuesday. Wednesday, February 6th: We have 21 S&P 500 members reporting results on Wednesday, with Cisco as the more prominent company reporting after the markets close. Cisco shares have outperformed the Tech sector as well as the broader market in the last 12 months, with the networking giant up +21.3% vs. +4% gain for the Zacks Tech sector. The stock typically responds in a major way to quarterly releases; it was up following the last two quarterly reports. Q4 Earnings Season Scorecard(as of Feb 8th, 2019) We now have Q4 results from 332 S&P 500 members that combined account for 78% of the indexs total market capitalization. Total earnings for these 332 index members are up +13.4% from the same period last year on +7.2% higher revenues, with 67.2% beating EPS estimates and 62% beating revenue estimates. For Q4 as a whole, combining the actual results from the 332 index members that have reported with estimates for the still-to-come 168 companies, total earnings for the S&P 500 index are expected to be up +13.7% from the same period last year on +6.2% higher revenues, which would follow the +25.7% earnings growth on +8.5% higher revenues in 2018 Q3. Earnings growth is expected to be in double digits for 8 of the 16 Zacks sectors, with Energy (+100.3% growth), Finance (+16.1%), Construction (+21.8%) and Transportation (+29.3%) as the strongest growth. Tech sector earnings are track to decelerate meaningfully in Q4, up +7.7%, after back-to-back quarters of very strong growth. Four sectors are expected to have lower earnings in Q4 relative to the year-earlier period, namely Conglomerates (-7.4% decline), Autos (-9.8%), Utilities (-7.8%) and Basic Materials (-0.7%) Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates. 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All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Under Armour, Inc. (UAA) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Bethan Simpsons unborn baby underwent pioneering surgery to repair its spine (Picture: Bethan Simpson/Facebook) An unborn baby has been removed from its mothers womb for treatment then put back in a groundbreaking operation. The procedure was carried out on Bethan Simpsons child after tests revealed it had spina bifida. Mrs Simpson, 26, a nurse from Burnham, Essex, and her husband Kieron had been given the option to terminate the pregnancy before they learned of the procedure. She became one of only a handful of British mothers to have the operation, which was carried out by a team of Belgian and UK surgeons in London. Following a routine 20-week scan, it emerged that the babys head was not the right measurement, and it was later diagnosed with spina bifida, where the childs spinal cord does not fully develop in the womb, and can affect walking ability. A scan at 20 weeks showed the babys head wasnt the right measurement (Picture: Bethan Simpson/Facebook) In a Facebook post, Mrs Simpson wrote: Our midwife made an appointment in London. Fast forward 48 hours, we were in London having scans on her head and spine. With that we were told our little girl had spina bifida. We were offered continuing pregnancy, ending pregnancy or a new option called fetal surgery fixing her before she is born. We had to do it. Our lives were such a rollercoaster for the next few weeks. MORE: Jeremy Corbyn says Labour may back another EU referendum MORE: Rare tiger killed by her new potential mate at London Zoo The operation took place 24 weeks into Mrs Simpsons pregnancy, and involved surgeons from University College Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital. They removed the baby from the womb and repaired its spinal cord before putting it back in for the remainder of the pregnancy. Mrs Simpson is only the fourth mother in the UK to undergo the procedure. She said: I had the most recognised surgeons from around the world from University College London Hospital and Belgium looking after me. Mrs Simpson had the procedure 24 weeks into her pregnancy (Picture: Bethan Simpson) We were a success. Her lesion was small and she smashed surgery like you wouldnt believe. Im fragile and sore but as long as she is doing fine that all we care about. Story continues She added: Sadly, 80% of babies in England are terminated when their parents get told their baby has this condition. Its not a death sentence. She has the same potential as every one of us. Yes, there are risks of things going wrong but please think more about spina bifida, its not what it used to be. I feel our baby kick me day in and day out, thats never changed. Shes extra special, shes part of history and our daughter has shown just how much she deserves this life. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK By William James LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May will pledge this week to give parliament another chance to voice their opinions on Brexit by Feb. 27 as she tries to buy more time to negotiate a new deal with the European Union. As the clock ticks down to Britain's scheduled exit on March 29, May is trying to persuade the EU to change a deal that was agreed between London and Brussels late last year but overwhelmingly rejected by parliament in January. May wants to win over lawmakers in her Conservative Party with changes relating to the Northern Irish border, but the EU has refused to reopen that part of the deal and instead wants May to pursue a compromise with the main opposition Labour Party by agreeing closer UK-EU ties. The impasse has left the world's fifth largest economy facing an uncertain future, rattling financial markets and businesses about the prospect of a disorderly exit from the bloc that could damage the economy. Housing minister James Brokenshire said on Sunday May would commit to giving parliament another debate on Brexit with the chance to vote on alternative options, if a deal had not yet been agreed and voted upon by then. May is already due to update parliament on her progress toward a deal on Wednesday and then on Thursday to give parliament a chance to express their opinion. The new pledge would be for a repeat of this process by Feb. 27. "That gives that sense of timetable, clarity, and purpose on what we're doing with the EU - taking that work forward and our determination to get a deal - but equally knowing that role that parliament very firmly has," Brokenshire told the BBC. Brexit minister Stephen Barclay will meet EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday to discuss changes to the part of the exit deal relating to the 'backstop', an insurance policy against the return of a hard border between EU member Ireland and British-ruled Northern Ireland. "EMERGENCY ZONE" Labour's Brexit policy chief Keir Starmer told the Sunday Times newspaper that his party would seek to use the debate in parliament this week to prevent May from waiting until the last minute to come back with a deal, and compel her to present a fresh accord for lawmakers to consider before Feb. 26. "We shouldnt be put in a position where the clock is run down and the prime minister says it's either my deal or even worse. That isnt right in terms of the respect for parliament," said Starmer. The head of business lobby group the Confederation of British Industry warned that the chances of Britain leaving the EU next month without a deal have increased and the country has now entered "the emergency zone". May will ask lawmakers on Thursday to reaffirm that they support her bid to renegotiate the backstop, a government source said. The backstop is the main obstacle to securing agreement on the terms of Britain's withdrawal from the EU. May's opponents are expected to put forward a series of alternative approaches which will be voted upon, although it is not clear yet whether any will have sufficient support to pass, and if they do, whether they will force the government to act. Labour's plan, which has yet to be published in detail, will be among the options discussed on Thursday. An opinion poll published in the Independent newspaper on Sunday showed 53 percent of British voters would support a delay in Brexit, while 33 percent would back a no-deal Brexit even it that harmed the economy. (Reporting by William James; Editing by Gareth Jones) Kiev (AFP) - Ukrainian prosecutors said Monday they had charged a high-ranking regional official with organising a deadly acid attack on a prominent anti-corruption activist that prompted widespread outrage. Kateryna Gandzyuk, who worked as an adviser to the mayor of the southern city of Kherson, was an outspoken critic of corruption in law enforcement agencies. She was attacked in July and had about a litre of acid poured on her by several attackers. The 33-year-old died in November after months of treatment, including more than 10 operations. Her murder has prompted widespread outrage, with civil society activists accusing the authorities of failing to complete the investigation or find out who ordered the attack. On Monday, less than two months before Ukrainians go to the polls to elect a president, General Prosecutor Yuriy Lutsenko pointed the finger at the head of the local council in the southern region of Kherson. Vladyslav Manger is accused of "organising the murder of Kateryna Gandzyuk," Lutsenko said on Facebook. According to the charge sheet released by Lutsenko, Manger was guided by "personal animosity" towards Gandzyuk because she opposed "illegal logging" in the region. Lutsenko's spokeswoman Larysa Sargan said Manger was accused of "intentionally and unlawfully causing the death of another person... with special cruelty and by prior agreement with a group of individuals". Speaking to AFP, Sargan said that Manger was not yet arrested. "Searches are under way in Kherson," she said. - Expelled from the party - If found guilty, the 48-year-old faces up to life in prison. Manger was a member of the Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) political party of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, a key rival of President Petro Poroshenko in the March 31 presidential election. He was expelled from the party last week. Gandzyuk's death has sparked condemnation of the government and drew renewed attention to dozens of assaults on other anti-corruption campaigners in Ukraine over recent months. Story continues In August, police detained five people in connection with the case, three of whom were placed under house arrest. In November, a former aide to a ruling party lawmaker was arrested on suspicion of being involved in the attack. Both the European Union and the United States have called the attacks on activists unacceptable and urged authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice. Fellow activists accused police and prosecutors of reluctance to investigate the case, insisting the detention of those possibly involved in the attack was made only after a wave of protests across the country. Lutsenko in November submitted a letter of resignation to Poroshenko over the affair but the Ukrainian leader refused to fire him. More than 50 attacks on anti-graft activists, environmental and human rights campaigners including five murders were recorded last year. London (AFP) - Britain on Monday announced plans for "swarm squadrons" of drones that could overwhelm enemy air defences as part of a series of plans to "enhance its lethality" after Brexit. In a hawkish speech in London, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said leaving the European Union was an opportunity for Britain "when we must strengthen our global presence". Williamson announced plans to invest A7 million (8 million euros, $9 million) in the drones, saying he expected squadrons "capable of confusing and overwhelming enemy air defences" to be ready by the end of 2019. Williamson also said Britain would spend A65 million in "offensive cyber", and bring two new naval vessels into service for operations from crisis support to conflict. Opposition parties criticised Williamson's rhetoric. "The idea that our membership of the European Union restricts us is the purest nonsense," Labour MP Chris Leslie said. "In fact the economic damage that Brexit threatens is what will most quickly weaken our forces," the anti-Brexit MP said. Britain is weeks away from its scheduled departure from the European Union and still has no firm arrangements in place. Prime Minister Theresa May's Downing Street office played down another of Williamson's suggestions, to deploy Britain's new aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, in a challenge to China in the Pacific. "The full details of her deployment will be agreed by the prime minister in due course," May's spokesman said. The spokesman said the ship would only be ready to sail in 2021 and its first operational mission would include the Mediterranean, Middle East and Pacific regions. GENEVA (Reuters) - The suspension of Nigeria's most senior judge by President Muhammadu Buhari broke international human rights standards on independence of the judiciary and the separation of powers, a U.N. expert said on Monday. Buhari, who was a military ruler in the 1980s and was voted into office in 2015, is hoping to win a new term in a presidential election scheduled to take place on Saturday. The chief justice could preside over any dispute over the election result. Nigeria's judiciary has helped resolve electoral disputes in past votes, some of which have been marred by violence and vote rigging. "International human rights standards provide that judges may be dismissed only on serious grounds of misconduct or incompetence," said Diego Garcia-Sayan, the U.N. special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers. "Any decision to suspend or remove a judge from office should be fair and should be taken by an independent authority such as a judicial council or a court," he said in a statement. Garcia-Sayan, who is mandated by the U.N. Human Rights Council to investigate legal and judicial independence, said dismissing judges without following legal procedures or offering a chance to contest the decision was incompatible with the independence of the judiciary. Buhari suspended Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen on Jan. 25 following an order by a tribunal on public officials' conduct and replaced him with Ibrahim Tanko Mohammad. But four courts superior to the tribunal had already ordered a stay of proceedings and the tribunal had previously said it lacked jurisdiction over cases involving judicial officers, Garcia-Sayan said. The U.N. statement said some of the judges and the defense lawyers involved in Onnoghen's case had been subject to serious threats, pressures and interference. (Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Angus MacSwan) By Lesley Wroughton BUDAPEST (Reuters) - The United States is still probing the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday, as U.S. lawmakers continued to demand stronger U.S. action to punish the perpetrators. "America is not covering up for a murder," Pompeo said during a visit to Hungary, adding that the United States would take more action to hold accountable all those responsible for the U.S.-based journalist's death inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October. After initially denying his death, Saudi Arabia has confirmed that its agents killed Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of the Saudi government. Riyadh denies its senior leaders were behind the killing. U.S. lawmakers, Democrats and some of Trump's fellow Republicans, have sought a strong response by Washington to Khashoggi's murder and to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The Trump administration had faced a Feb. 8 deadline to send a report to Congress on who was responsible for Khashoggi's death and whether the U.S. government would impose sanctions on those behind the killing. Ahead of the deadline, a group of Republican and Democratic senators on Thursday renewed their push to penalize Saudi Arabia, unveiling legislation to bar some arms sales and impose sanctions. President Donald Trump has resisted such legislative efforts, viewing weapons sales as an important source of U.S. jobs and standing by Saudi crown prince and Trump's ally, Mohammed bin Salman. Trump is also reluctant to disturb the strategic relationship with the kingdom, seen as an important regional counterbalance to Iran. Eleven suspects have been indicted in Saudi Arabia for Khashoggi's murder, and on Friday a top Saudi official rejected accusations that the crown prince ordered the killing. On Friday, a State Department representative said Pompeo had briefed U.S. lawmakers on the murder investigation but gave no other details. Democratic U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, on Sunday said the required report was not submitted and accused the Trump administration of complicity in covering up the killing. "This amounts to the Trump administration aiding in the cover-up of a murder," Kaine said in a statement. "America should never descend to this level of moral bankruptcy." (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; additional reporting by Joanna Plucinska, Susan Heavey and Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Grant McCool) Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Two Palestinians including a Hamas policeman suffocated to death from gas in a cross-border tunnel under Gaza's frontier with Egypt, the enclave's interior ministry said Monday. Interior ministry spokesman Iyad al-Bozum said 39-year-old major Abdelhamid al-Akar and Sabhy Abu Qarushayn, 28, "suffocated due to the inhalation of toxic gases". Civil defence crews, alerted on Sunday, retrieved the two bodies from the tunnel "after a great effort that lasted several hours", Bozum said in a statement. He did not comment on the origin of the substance, but a Palestinian security source said the Egyptian military has used gas to halt the use of illegal tunnels it finds along the borde The Egyptian army could not be re2ndached for comment Monday but in 2010 Cairo denied similar charges after the deaths of four Palestinians in a border tunnel. Tunnels have in the past been a key way for Gazans to skirt a decade-long Israeli blockade and, until recently, Egypt's closure of its crossing with the enclave. They once served as a lifeline for the cramped territory of two million people squeezed between Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea. But the passages have also been used to bring in weapons by Hamas, the enclave's Islamist rulers who have fought three wars with Israel since 2008. Egypt closed or destroyed dozens of tunnels after the overthrow of its Muslim Brotherhood President Mohammed Morsi, an ally of Hamas, in 2013, though several remain. Tensions between Egypt and Hamas have eased in recent years and many Egyptian goods are now imported in to Gaza openly through the Rafah border crossing. ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey called on China to close its internment camps for Muslims, saying the camps which reportedly hold a million ethnic Uighur people are a "great shame for humanity". Last week, rights activists urged European and Muslim nations to take the lead in establishing a U.N. investigation into China's detention and "forced indoctrination" of up to 1 million Uighurs, who speak a Turkic language, and other Muslims in Xinjiang province. "The policy of systematic assimilation against the Uighur Turks carried out by the authorities of China is a great shame for humanity," Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a statement late on Saturday. "It is no longer a secret that more than 1 million Uighur Turks incurring arbitrary arrests are subjected to torture and political brainwashing in internment camps and prisons," Aksoy said. Turkey's response follows the death in detention of Uighur poet and musician Abdurehim Heyit, which Aksoy said was a tragedy that had "reinforced the reaction of the Turkish public opinion toward serious human rights violations committed in the Xinjiang region. We expect this legitimate response to be taken into account by the Chinese authorities." "On this occasion, we invite the Chinese authorities to respect the fundamental human rights of Uighur Turks and to close the internment camps," he said. China's embassy in Ankara posted a lengthy response on its website that said Aksoy's accusations were false and urged the government to retract them. "Allegations that the Chinese government is attempting to 'eliminate' the ethnic, religious and cultural identity of Uighurs and other Muslims are completely groundless," it said. Beijing faces growing international pressure over its so-called "de-radicalization" program in its far western province. Ankara called on the international community and the U.N. secretary general to take action. China says it protects the religion and culture of its ethnic minorities and that security measures in Xinjiang are needed to counter groups that incite violence there. (Writing by Ezgi Erkoyun; Additional reporting by John Ruwitch in SHANGHAI; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle and Dale Hudson) A hint that special counsel Robert Mueller is still pursuing the question of whether there was collusion between Donald Trumps presidential campaign and Russia has emerged during a closed-door hearing. Comments by one of Mr Muellers lead prosecutors, disclosed in a transcript of the hearing in Washington last week, suggest that the special counsel continues to pursue at least one theory about a possible deal between Trump's campaign and Russia. According to the theory, while Russia was taking steps to bolster Mr Trumps candidacy, people in his orbit were discussing deals to end a dispute over Russias incursions into Ukraine. It is also thought that they sought to give Moscow relief from economic sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies. The theory was offered almost as an aside by the prosecutor, Andrew Weissmann, during a discussion of contacts between Mr Trumps former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and a longtime Russian associate, Konstantin Kilimnik. Investigators have linked Mr Kilimnik to Russian intelligence. A closer look at the transcript, released on Thursday, shows that the prosecutors have been keenly focused on discussions the two men had about a plan to end the conflict that followed Russias invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea in 2014. Persuading the United States to ease or end the US-led sanctions imposed to punish Moscow for its aggression has been a primary goal of Russian foreign policy. According to the transcript, which was heavily redacted, Mr Manafort and Mr Kilimnik repeatedly communicated about a so-called peace plan for Ukraine starting in early August 2016. At this point Mr Manafort was still running Mr Trumps campaign. This discussion continued into 2018, months after Mr Manafort had been charged by the with a litany of crimes related to his work in the country. The prosecutors claim that Mr Manafort misled them about those talks and other interactions with Mr Kilimnik. Story continues Pressed by the judge at Mondays hearing to say why Mr Manaforts alleged lies mattered, Mr Weissmann gave a broad hint about the thrust of the investigation. This goes to the larger view of what we think is going on, and what we think is the motive here, Mr Weissmann said. This goes, I think, very much to the heart of what the special counsels office is investigating. Mr Weissmanns comments suggest that the special counsels investigation is still pursuing the central question of whether there was some kind of deal between Russia and the Trump campaign. New York Times Washington (AFP) - Donald Trump pushed back Sunday at the suggestion he spends much of his work day taking it easy, as the White House kept up the hunt for the person behind an embarrassing leak of the president's schedule. According to details published last week by Axios, 60 percent of Trump's work life is categorized as "executive time," meaning unstructured time to make phone calls, read newspapers, tweet and watch television. Seeking to set the record straight, the president said such free time should be viewed as "positive, not negative." "When the term Executive Time is used, I am generally working, not relaxing," Trump tweeted. "In fact, I probably work more hours than almost any past President. "The fact is, when I took over as President, our Country was a mess," Trump continued. "Depleted Military, Endless Wars, a potential War with North Korea, V.A., High Taxes & too many Regulations, Border, Immigration & HealthCare problems, & much more. "I had no choice but to work very long hours!" added the president, who rarely has official work before 11:00 am, according to the daily guidance issued to the media by his press office. Related Video: Mick Mulvaney on President Trump's 'Executive Time' For more news videos visit Yahoo View. Quizzed about what appeared to be a rather easy typical day at the office for the world's most powerful man -- acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney also pushed back on Sunday. "That executive time is on there to allow the president to prep for the next meeting, to debrief from the previous meeting," Mulvaney told NBC's "Meet the Press." "The phone calls start at 6:30 in the morning, and they go until 11:00 at night. So I can assure you that the gentleman is working more than what's on that calendar," he said. Trump has reportedly ordered an aggressive search for the source of the leak. Speaking on "Fox News Sunday," Mulvaney said the White House was hoping to identify the culprit "this week." Donald Trump attacked Amy Klobuchar on Sunday, in a tweet that appeared to demonstrate a lack of understanding about climate change. The Democratic senator had announced that she was running for the presidency earlier that day, in a speech delivered as snow fell around her in Minneapolis. As your president, I will look you in the eye. I will tell you what I think. I will focus on getting things done. Thats what Ive done my whole life, she told a crowd of people gathered at a park along the Mississippi River. The Minnesota senator added that on her first day as president she would have the US rejoin the Paris climate agreement, which Mr Trump withdrew the country from in 2017. Well, it happened again, the president wrote on Twitter. Amy Klobuchar announced that she is running for President, talking proudly of fighting global warming while standing in a virtual blizzard of snow, ice and freezing temperatures. Bad timing. By the end of her speech she looked like a Snowman(woman)! Conflating weather and climate change is a common error and Nasa has a webpage dedicated to distingushing the two. 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 Trump has a long history of spreading incorrect information about climate change, despite the wealth of information available. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. His tweet came just three weeks after another one in which he discussed forecasts of heavy snow. Wouldnt be bad to have a little of that good old fashioned Global Warming right now, the 72-year-old said. Mr Trump also once claimed that climate change was a Chinese hoax, invented to hurt US exports. Ms Klobuchar responded to his mockery on Twitter by saying that science supported her policies. Science is on my side, she wrote, addressing the president. Looking forward to debating you about climate change (and many other issues). And I wonder how your hair would fare in a blizzard? By Devika Krishna Kumar and Laila Kearney NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. crude traders are bracing for increasing supplies at Cushing, Oklahoma, the delivery point for benchmark crude futures, as unexpected refinery issues add to inventories that are already at the highest in more than a year. Inventories at Cushing rose to 42.6 million barrels in the week to Feb. 1, the highest level since early January 2018, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said. Problems at a key Midwest refinery, along with upcoming seasonal maintenance, have traders believing supplies will rise more than expected at Cushing in coming weeks. A fire at Phillips 66's 330,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) joint-venture Wood River, Illinois, refinery and a unit closure at the Ponca City, Oklahoma, plant added to the bearish outlook for prices, traders said. The discount for front-month U.S. crude for delivery in March and futures for delivery in April widened to as much as 39 cents a barrel on Monday, the most in nearly a year and a half, reflecting expectations of supply increases at the storage hub. Increased supply makes traders less inclined to pay higher prices for near-term oil. The weakness in U.S. crude futures pushed the discount for U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) versus international benchmark Brent to the widest level in nearly two months, at $9.52 a barrel. "The outages, whether they're unplanned, or even more importantly the planned ones, are going to be mounting here, and that's going to engender a significant rise at Cushing," said John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital Management in New York. The second largest crude distillation unit (CDU) was shut by a fire on Sunday at Phillips 66's joint-venture Wood River refinery, a source familiar with plant operations said. Phillips 66 also shut the second-largest CDU at its Ponca City refinery for a planned overhaul, a source said. "It's a perfect storm of bearish information this morning for WTI," said Scott Shelton, a broker at ICAP in Durham. "Fears of tank tops will only worsen for the second quarter on this information." Story continues U.S. refiners were estimated to have about 1.8 million bpd of capacity offline in the week ending Feb. 8, increasing offline capacity by 629,000 bpd from a week earlier, research company IIR Energy said on Friday. Moreover, traders said some barrels headed for Patoka, Illinois, have been diverted to Cushing following an outage on a section of TransCanada's Keystone pipeline. "You're getting some additional flow into Cushing. That'll put pressure on WTI," one crude trader said. (Reporting by Devika Krishna Kumar and Laila Kearney in New York; editing by Grant McCool and Leslie Adler) By Richard Cowan and Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top four Democratic and Republican congressional negotiators on border security funding resumed talks on Monday, with the possibility of another partial U.S. government shutdown looming if they fail to reach a deal by a Friday deadline. The talks, which had broken down over the weekend, restarted in the U.S. Capitol just hours before a scheduled rally in the Texas border city of El Paso, where President Donald Trump will promote his promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, a proposal opposed by Democrats. An anti-wall protest will greet the Republican president, led by hometown Democrat Beto O'Rourke, the former congressman who is considering running for his party's 2020 presidential nomination after gaining national prominence last year by nearly upsetting Republican Ted Cruz in a U.S. Senate race in Texas. In Washington, the lawmakers hope to reach an agreement on Monday to allow time for the legislation to pass the House of Representatives and Senate and get Trump's signature by Friday, when funding is due to expire for the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department and several other federal agencies. Trump, who in December said he would be "proud" to shut the federal government over border security, took a different tack on Monday. "It's up to the Democrats," Trump told reporters at the White House when asked whether the government was headed toward its second shutdown of the winter. The talks stumbled over the weekend over funding for physical barriers along the border and a Democratic proposal to reduce allotted spaces in immigration detention facilities for people facing deportation. Democrats oppose the Trump administration expanding its capacity to hold more people arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents for eventual deportation. The White House and the top Republican in Congress on Monday blasted the Democratic plan, which calls for lowering an existing cap on beds at the detention facilities to 35,520 from the current 40,520 in return for giving Republicans some of the money they want for physical border barriers. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called the proposal a "poison pill" introduced into the talks by the Democrats, saying it would result in the release of thousands of illegal immigrants. 'CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC' House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, a Democrat who heads the House-Senate negotiating committee, expressed hope for a deal as she headed into the meeting. The House Appropriations Committee's top Republican, Kay Granger, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, a Republican, and that panel's top Democrat, Patrick Leahy, attended the talks, which lasted a little over an hour. Granger said some progress was made and the four would meet again later in the evening. "We had a good discussion. Its like all negotiations go. We put out what we want, what they want, we didnt finish, we will be meeting again today," she said. Trump's December demand for $5.7 billion to help construct a border wall triggered a 35-day partial government shutdown that ended last month without him getting wall funding. Trump agreed to reopen the government for three weeks to allow congressional negotiators time to find a compromise on government funding for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends on Sept. 30, to avert another shutdown on Feb. 15. Trump made a border wall one of his central 2016 campaign promises, saying it is needed to curb illegal immigration, drug trafficking and other crimes. Democrats, who assumed control of the House last month from Trump's fellow Republicans, have called a wall ineffective, expensive and immoral. Democrats generally push for less use of detention, arguing it is much cheaper to release some immigrants but require restrictions on them such as wearing ankle bracelets that track their location. Republicans want to increase the number of beds in detention facilities to enable holding more people to speed up and expand deportations. Trump, who has sought to crack down on illegal and legal immigration and has called the situation at the border a national security crisis, deployed 3,750 more U.S. troops there this month. Rebuking Trump, California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, said he would pull hundreds of the state's National Guard troops from the border. "The border 'emergency' is nothing more than a manufactured crisis - and CA's National Guard will not be part of this political theater," Newsom wrote on Twitter. New Mexico's Democratic governor made a similar move last week. (Reporting by Richard Cowan; additional reporting by Susan Cornwell and Steve Holland; writing by Doina Chiacu; editing by Will Dunham and Dan Grebler) By Panarat Thepgumpanat and Panu Wongcha-um BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's election panel on Monday disqualified the sister of the king from running for prime minister, putting an end to a stunning, short-lived candidacy by echoing King Maha Vajiralongkorn's words that royalty should be "above politics". The Election Commission released the official list of parties' candidates for prime minister without the name of Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi, 67, the king's elder sister. The list excluded Ubolratana "because every member of the royal family comes within the application of the same rule requiring the monarch to be above politics and to be politically neutral," the panel said in a statement after a meeting. The princess had accepted the nomination of the Thai Raksa Chart party, a populist movement drawn from supporters of ousted ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who has been at the center of more than a decade of turmoil in Thai politics. The March 24 elections are the first since a 2014 military coup toppled a pro-Thaksin government. Among the candidates for prime minister is the current junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, who as army chief led the coup. The panel did not mention a separate petition seeking to ban Thai Raksa Chart on the grounds that it violated election laws against using the monarchy in campaigning. Party leaders were not immediately available for comment and canceled a press conference planned for Monday. Ubolratana's surprise nomination broke with a tradition that members of the royal family stay out of politics. Thailand has been a constitutional monarchy since 1932, but the royal family wields great influence and commands the devotion of millions of Thais, with the king considered to be semi-divine. In a statement read on all Thai television stations within hours of Ubolratana's announcement as a candidate, King Vajiralongkorn said it was "inappropriate" and unconstitutional for members of the royal family to enter politics. ON EDGE The dramatic events since Friday have put Thais on edge. Riot police units were on high alert in Pichit province, north of Bangkok, where the princess was due to visit later this week, according to Matichon newspaper. Bangkok has been locked in political conflict for more than a decade - with street protests sometimes paralyzing the capital for months at a time - between supporters of Thaksin's populist brand of politics and the mostly-middle class and urban establishment who identify with the monarchy and the military. Parties loyal to Thaksin, a former telecommunications tycoon, have defeated pro-establishment parties to win every election since 2001. Each of their governments has been removed by court rulings or coups since 2006. The hashtag '#coup' was trending on Thai-language Twitter on Monday and a fake document also circulated online claiming that the junta had sacked commanders in the army, navy and air force. The rumors were false and intended to destabilize Thailand, the spokesman for the ruling junta, Colonel Winthai Suvaree, told reporters. "This is organized behavior with hope to gain something, particularly to disturb the peace of the country during this important moment," he said. The pro-Thaksin camp's bid to nominate a member of the royal family electrified the election race, but it could backfire on Thai Raksa Chart, said Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political science professor at Ubon Ratchathani University. Dissolving Thai Raksa Chart could hand more seats to military-affiliated parties or other established parties, as well as a separate youth-oriented populist party. (Additional reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat and Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Paul Tait and Clarence Fernandez) KNOXVILLE, Tenn. Microplastics, or tiny pieces of various types of plastic less than 5 millimeters long, have long been accumulating in sources of freshwater and the worlds oceans, and a new report following a 34-day swim of the Tennessee River found it is among the most plastic-polluted rivers in the world. While differing methods of measuring and reporting make direct comparisons a challenge, according to geology and hydrology professor Dr. Martin Knoll of the University of the South in Sewanee, microplastic levels in the Tennessee River are among the highest ever measured. Dr. Andreas Fath, who spent 34 days last summer swimming the 652 miles of the Tennessee River from Knoxville to Paducah, Kentucky, and his team analyzed three samples of the 12 they collected and found close to 18,000 microplastic particles per cubic meter of water in the Tennessee River. The finding was so surprising that the researchers double- and triple-checked the results, but the outcomes were the same. Microplastic levels worse compared to Europe and China Compared to Europes Rhine River, which Fath swam and analyzed in 2014, the Tennessee River shows a dramatic contrast both in terms of microplastic levels and human population in the rivers respective watersheds. Some 5 million people live in the watershed of the Tennessee River, according to a working report co-authored by Fath and Knoll, among others, compared to around 56 million people living in the Rhines watershed. Despite an order of magnitudes difference between the two populations, Fath found that microplastic levels in the Rhine amounted to just 200 particles per cubic meter, meaning that levels in the Tennessee River were some 80 times higher. A 2017 study of Chinas Yangtze River, which provides water for hundreds of millions of people living within its river basin, found that microplastic levels in the Yangtze reached nearly 9,000 particles per cubic meter, about half the levels found in the Tennessee. Story continues Knoll explained that the 2017 study only included particles between 50 and 500 micrometers, as opposed to using the 25 to 500 micrometer range that Fath used on the Rhine and Tennessee, making the results harder to compare. Still, he said it could be theorized that, because smaller particles are more numerous, the Yangtzes levels would be about on par with the Tennessees when using identical methods. More: People are pooping plastic and pollution might be to blame, pilot study suggests More: Mosquitoes are eating plastic. Why that's a big problem. Plastic bags, litter seem to be main culprits Nearly half of the microplastic particles found in the Tennessee River were made of polyethylene, according to Knoll and Faths findings, which is frequently used to make different varieties of plastic bags. Forty-eight percent of particles found in the study were identified as polyethylene, while another 16.8 percent were determined to be polypropylene, which is frequently used to make plastic packaging. Knoll said the near-uniform levels of microplastics found across the span of the Tennessee River was an indication that the particles were not coming from a single source, and he suggested plastic pollution was more likely the issue. Im really convinced that a large part of the problem stems from plastic litter, he said. Most of it is polyethylene, and thats lightweight plastic packaging. Thats the classic Walmart, Kroger shopping bag. When you buy a head of broccoli thats wrapped in plastic, its probably polyethylene. You see this stuff all over the ditches of the roadside. I think thats a big part of the problem. More: What would happen if everyone recycled? Effects on freshwater wildlife largely unknown The overwhelming abundance of microplastics in the Tennessee River is likely to have an effect on the variety of freshwater wildlife that calls the river home, Knoll said, but the scale and specifics of that impact is largely unknown. Studies on microplastic levels impacting oceanic wildlife have shown that particles frequently accumulate in the gills and stomachs of fish and that pollutants in the water can easily bind to the particles, creating what Knoll called a chemical bomb that could then be ingested. Dr. Anna George, director of the Tennessee Aquariums Conservation Institute, said the effects of microplastics on freshwater marine life are broadly understudied compared to its effects on ocean life. There also isnt as much studied on the impacts of microplastics on river wildlife as compared to ocean wildlife, but we would expect to see similar problems. Most of the concerns relate to animals ingesting the microplastics, George wrote in an email to the News Sentinel. Plastic is thought to serve as a sort of magnet for pollutants, and may bind to pollutants readily. In this case, ingesting microplastics may harm an animal if it carries toxins into the animals body. Local treatment, plastic reduction offer solutions The first step toward lowering microplastic levels is reducing plastic consumption locally, George said. To help make that happen, the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga is promoting awareness of ways to reduce plastic consumption through the aquariums In Our Hands pledge. The most important thing we can do as individuals is to reduce the amount of new plastic in our lives, she said. There are very small actions we can take, like skipping the straw, bringing our own bags to the grocery store or filling reusable bottles, that make a huge difference in the amount of plastic that is generated. Local water treatment services also provide an opportunity for communities to keep microplastics out of their water supplies by removing them from water before and after public use. Chris Thomas and Kevin Keaton, manager and assistant manager of Safety and Regulatory Services at KUB, which is Knox Countys largest water services provider, said KUBs treatment plants have to meet strict criteria for solids removal, but that the EPA and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation dont have specific guidance or regulations for sampling or analyzing microplastic levels. I would think that were achieving reduction of solids and (microplastics) being in there, but without any methods characterized by the EPA to be able to sample for microplastics and analyze microplastics, theres no ways for us to really quantify that, Thomas said. Theres a solids removal criteria that each one of those plants has to do, and those are defined in each one of those plants permits, Keaton said. We follow their guidance, the EPA and the state, on how much of those solids can remain in there. Its hard to know what in the treatment process is tied to exactly to what trends with microplastics," Thomas said. "Its so new and theres so much research thats needed on it." Follow Andrew Capps on Twitter: @JAndrewCapps This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: One of the most plastic-polluted rivers in the world is in Tennessee, and someone swam through it A teenager has told how be secretly got vaccinated against the wishes of his parents, who he claimed believed debunked anti-vaccine conspiracy theories, they read on the internet. Ethan Lindenberger, 18, appealed for help on a Reddit forum, asking which vaccines he should obtain, as he said he had never received any, because my parents are kind of stupid and dont believe in vaccines. God knows how Im still alive, he wrote. After reading the advice, and consulting with a pastor, the teenager last December walked into a department of heath office in Norwalk, Ohio, and obtained vaccines for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza and HPV. As a child he missed out on receiving the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, that most states demand children have in order to attend school, and which the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recommends is given in two doses. The United States long-standing vaccine safety programme closely and constantly monitors the safety of vaccines, it says. The teenager said he sought to try and show the information to his mother, Jill Wheeler, who had her first two children vaccinated, until she found she could opt them out. Her response was simply thats what they want you to think, he told NPR. I was just blown away that you know, the largest health organisation in the entire world would be written off with a kind of conspiracy theory-like statement like that. He said his mother was influenced by the debunked and disgraced former British doctor, Andrew Wakefield, who in the 1990s claimed there was a possible link between the MMR vaccine and childhood developmental regression and autism. The paper he co-authored was removed by The Lancet and he was found guilty of professional misconduct after a series of media exposes led to formal investigations. Mr Wakefield has since remade himself in the US, where Donald Trump is among those who believe there is a link between vaccines and autism, despite the conclusions of this own governments scientists. Mr Wakefield was among four leading anti-vaccination campaigners who met the Republican candidate at a 2016 fundraiser in Florida shortly before the election. Story continues The 62-year-old, who in 2017 was linked to an outbreak of measles among the Somali American community in Minnesota after he visited and shared his views with them, last year told The Independent: I was discredited in the eyes of those who wanted to see me discredited. In other words, those who had an interest in maintaining the status quo. Asked if he still believed there was a link, he said: Is there a real case to answer? Absolutely. Do I believe vaccines cause autism? Yes I do. Is the problem equally as large in the US? Yes it is. The vast majority of experts in the field say Mr Wakefield is wrong and point to as many as 17 studies showing no link between autism and the MMR vaccine. Neither Mr Lindenberger or his mother could be immediately contacted on Monday. She told undark.Org her sons actions felt left a slap in the face. It was like him spitting on me, saying You dont know anything, I dont trust you with anything. You dont know what youre talking about. You did make a bad decision and Im gonna go fix it, she said. The actions of Mr Lindenberger come as Washington state has declared a public emergency following an outbreak of measles in southern Clark County that has infected at least 53 people, mostly children. Another four cases have been confirmed in neighbouring Multnomah County, Oregon. Another case has been identified in King County, which includes Seattle. Both Washington and Oregon are among 17 states that permit children to go to school unvaccinated because of personal beliefs. Both state legislatures said to be considering changes to those laws. One report said one-in-four youngsters attending kindergarten in Washington, have not been vaccinated. WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Support for New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's party surged in a widely watched poll published on Monday, with the 38-year old premier seen as the most preferred person to lead the country by far. Since coming to power in 2017, Ardern's coalition government has faced several challenges including weak business confidence, emboldened unions and a slowing economy. However, missteps and scandals by the opposition National Party in recent months have helped it pull ahead of its rivals. In the latest Newshub Reid Research poll, support for Ardern's center-left Labour Party rose to 47.5 percent while the opposition party fell to 41.6 percent, a record low. The number of respondents naming Ardern as preferred prime minister also rose by 1.6 percentage points to 41.8 percent, while only 5 percent respondents chose the opposition leader, Simon Bridges. "This is, I believe, a reflection of us doing the work," Ardern told Newshub. The poll was taken from January 24 to February 2, and has a margin of error of 3.1 percent, the polling agency said. The numbers put the ruling coalition well ahead of all its rivals before the general election that is coming up next year. Ardern rocketed to global celebrity as an inspiration for women after her unexpected election win and became only the second leader to give birth while in office since Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto. While the Labour Party rose in the poll, support for its coalition partner, the nationalist New Zealand First Party, fell to 2.9 percent, which would not be enough to reach the 5 percent threshold it needs to be in parliament. Labour was cast into government in October 2017 after striking a coalition deal with New Zealand First in the country's German-style proportionate voting system. The arrangement also relied on backing from the progressive Green Party, whose support was at 5.1 percent in the latest poll. The coalition government, which brought an end to almost 10 years of National's center right rule, came to power promising to pour money into social services and housing and strike a more protectionist stance by tightening up foreign investment rules. (Reporting by Praveen Menon; Editing by Nick Macfie) Although Stonehenge may be the most famous of Europe's megaliths, it's far from the only one: There are about 35,000 of these mysterious stone structures throughout the continent. Now a new study suggests that an ancient culture that emerged from what's now the Brittany region of northwest France may have begun building these structures and monuments some 7,000 years ago. Study author Bettina Schulz Paulsson of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden said that the megalith building probably began in France and spread from there via sea routes around Europe over the next 1,000 years or so. Over an exhausting 10 years, Schulz Paulson created a "megalith evolution" using radiocarbon dating of more than 2,000 historic sites across Europe. "We have thus been able to demonstrate that the earliest megaliths originated in northwest France and spread along the sea routes of the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts in three successive principal phases," she wrote in the study. Thus, though this group of ancient French people may not have built Stonehenge, they may have inspired -- and given the idea for it -- to the people who did build it. If this is true, then the maritime skills and technology of societies like this one may have been far more advanced than previously thought, the study said. A woman dances during a fall equinox celebration at Famed Stonehenge is among the most recent megaliths constructed, likely around 2,500 B.C. Other theories have said they may have originated in the Near East or even possibly independently, but this new research appears to rule those ideas out. This demonstrates absolutely that Brittany is the origin of the European megalithic phenomenon, Michael Parker Pearson, an archaeologist and Stonehenge specialist at University College London, told Science magazine. The results were published Monday in the peer-reviewed journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stonehenge mystery solved? Prehistoric French may have inspired it and other European megaliths Wikimedia Commons Aram Bakshian Jr. Security, Americas "Twenty-first-century intelligence suffers from long-term historical amnesia." Spying through the Ages Christopher Andrew, The Secret World: A History of Intelligence (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2018), 960 pp., $40.00. One of the oddest dinner parties Ive attended took place at Washingtons plush Watergate apartment complex in the mid-1980s. Along with me, the host, a retired gentleman spook, had invited one or two other OSS/CIA alumni, a colorful British journalist and backstairs Thatcher advisor, the newly-knighted Sir Alfred Sherman and Hollywood legend Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Although I knew Sir Alfred well from numerous visits to London, I was there mainly as a friend of Fairbanks. And he was there because, in between star turns on stage and screen, Doug had done naval and intelligence work during World War II andas I had long suspectedcontinued to dabble in the dark arts as a civilian. Following a fairly good dinner and excellent wine, the party adjourned to a separate Watergate suite where our host kept his private collection of books on espionage through the ages. There were thousands of volumes, some quite rare, some already familiar to me as an occasional historical writer. It was fascinating going, sipping cognac, poring over old tomes and hearing almost as old spy lore recalled by some of the spooks who had actually been there. About the only thing missing was a comprehensive, single-volume history that pulled it all together from ancient times to living memory. Now there is one that does. Professor Christopher Andrew has produced a masterful and illuminating history of the secret side of world history. While a hefty tome, it is a masterpiece of concision, more than three thousand years of espionage and intelligence gathering covered within a single volume. Just as importantly, Andrew has a captivating, occasionally wry writing style that keeps the story moving and entertains as it informs. Story continues And its all in a good cause, since, as the author explains in his introduction: Twenty-first-century intelligence suffers from long-term historical amnesia. Early in the Cold War, the historian Sherman Kent, founding father of US intelligence analysis, complained that intelligence was the only profession without a serious literature: From my point of view this is a matter of greatest importance. As long as the discipline lacks a literature, its methods, its vocabulary, its body of doctrine, and even its fundamental theory run the risk of never reaching full maturity. It was more difficult to learn the historical lessons of intelligence than of any other profession mainly because there was so little record of most of its past experience. Thus even the brilliant scholars and mathematicians working at Bletchley Park during World War II were barely aware of the fact that [t]hree times over the previous 500 years, Britain had faced major invasion threats from the Armada of Philip II of Spain in 1588, from Napoleon at the start of the nineteenth century, and from Hitler in 1940 yet the Bletchley codebreakers who cracked Hitlers ciphers, had no idea that their predecessors had broken those of Philip II and Napoleon . . . No other wartime profession was as ignorant of its own past, he adds. It is impossible, for example, to imagine an economist who had never heard of the Industrial Revolution. Nor is it an exaggeration to maintain, as the author does, that before World War II, educated British people knew far more about intelligence operations recorded in the Bible than they did about the role of intelligence at any moment in their own history, since the Old Testament (the Jewish Tanakh) contains more references to spies than any history of Britain or of most other countries. This is even more true in the case of the United States, a very late entry in the global intelligence sweepstakes. Spain, France, Britain, the Holy Roman Empire and the long forgotten but once far-flung commercial network of the Venetian Republic, even Peter the Greats half-barbaric Russia, had all been major players long before the United States was born, much less before it became a global power with overseas possessions of its own in the decades immediately preceding World War I. But forget about Europe, the New World and Greco-Roman classical civilization. Andrews reminds us that the: first books to argue that intelligence should have a central role in war and peace were written not in classical Greece or Rome but in ancient China and the Indian subcontinent: The Art of War (Sunzi bingfa), traditionally ascribed to Confuciuss contemporary, the Chinese general Sun Tzu (c. 544-c.496 BC); and the Arthashastra, a lengthy manual on statecraft attributed to Kautilya (c. 350-c.283 BC), a senior advisor to the founder of the Mauryan dynasty in northern India. At first glance, this might seem a bit of distant, arcane historical trivia, but nothing could be further from the case: Central to the revival of interest in intelligence in twentieth-century China and India was the rediscovery, after centuries of neglect, of these two ancient works. In India today, the Arthashastra has a status similar to that of Aristotles Politics and Machiavellis The Prince in the West. Sun Tzu has been far more revered in Communist China than in any imperial dynasty since the third century AD. Even in the United States, he is more frequently quoted than any pre-twentieth-century Western writer on intelligence. Another early starter Andrew citesand some of whose militant followers are still very much a concern of the modern intelligence communitytook a sophisticated approach to intelligence while western Europe was still in its so-called Dark Ages. [T]he global leaders in intelligence operations were Muhammad and the Islamic Caliphate established in the Middle East after his death in 632. In the course of uniting the tribes of the Arabian Peninsula under the banner of Islam, Muhammad fought twenty-seven battles and instigated about fifty armed raids and [t]he Hadiths (sacred records of Muhammads words and deeds) give many instances of how, during his military campaigns, he paid close attention to intelligence ... frequently cited by Islamic extremists [today]. European spy and intelligence operations only begin to emerge in something like modern form in a few influential states in Renaissance Italy, most notably the Venetian Republic and the Vatican, both of which had far-flung global networks in the form of Venetian merchant travelers and, in the case of the Vatican, clerical agents spread throughout pre-Reformation western Europe and sometimes sent as emissaries or missionaries to non-Christian empires in Asia and Africa. With the rise of major, centralized monarchies in emerging nation states like Spain, England, France and, much later, a semi-modernized Russia and newly-united Germany and Italy, the blank spaces on the espionage map begin to fill up. In an introduction, thirty chapters and a conclusion, Andrew serves as guide and mentor on a grand tour of the secret side of history from In the Beginning: Spies of the Bible and Ancient Egypt from Moses to the Last Supper to Holy Terror: From the Cold War to 9/11. Needless to say, it is quite a ride and impossible to even begin to do justice to in a single review. It is, however, possible to give a sense of the works breadth, insight and erudition by citing a few themes, cases and examples. Thematically, the history of intelligence, like history itself, is a reminder of how often and how badly even sophisticated intelligence operations can get things wrong. In 1848, for example, as the tide of revolution swept from France to Germany, Italy, the low countries and even the seemingly unshakable Hapsburg Empire, almost everybody in power was caught sleeping. Austrian Chancellor Metternich, the architect of the post-Napoleonic restoration of monarchic legitimacy as the guiding principle for maintaining European peace and stability, didnt see the storm coming until it hit, despite the Austrian monarchy having what was probably the most pervasive and tightly structured internal intelligence and security apparatus of any European power. Although Metternich and monarchs like Prussias Frederick William IV read intelligence reports from their spies and cabinets noirs attentively, the news of the February Revolution in Paris and the enthusiasm it aroused in Vienna and Berlin took them by surprise. In March 1848 rioters forced Frederick William and his army to flee from Berlin. For several months unrespectable and unruly crowds dominated the capital. Seeing revolutionary demonstrators in front of Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna, the intellectually challenged [downright feeble-minded would be a more accurate description] Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I is said to have asked Metternich: Well, are they allowed to do this? When they continued demonstrating, Ferdinand abdicated in favour of his nephew Franz Joseph, who was to rule Austria for the next sixty-eight years. Afterwards, he wrote in his diary with evident relief, I and my dear wife heard Holy Mass . . . After that I and my dear wife packed our bags. Metternich fled from Vienna on 13 March and, after a difficult journey, found refuge from revolution in London on 20 April. London was a safe destination, Professor Andrew wryly concludes, because [d]espite a revival of Chartism in 1848, most British people believed that revolutions were only for foreigners. Not that 1848 had been the first time a sophisticated European intelligence and security system had been taken by surprise. In 1789, despite scandals, rampant agitation by paid street orators and countless demonstrations of public discontent, Frances Louis XVI and the vast state surveillance system he sat atop, proved incapable of foreseeing or coping with the mob action, fanned by anti-Bourbon provocateurs and pamphlets smearing the royal family, that resulted in the fall of the Bastille to a lawless, bloodthirsty mob. The virtually unopposed taking of the Bastillea moth-eaten relic of the old regime with a skeleton garrison and only a handful of non-political prisonerslaunched the revolution that would lead to the killing of the king, the Reign of Terror and the Napoleonic military dictatorship which kept Europe at war for a quarter century, ran up a pointless butchers bill from the Rhine to the Moskva rivers and, at the end of the day, resulted in a slightly watered-down version of the old order being restored. As a French courtier is said to have exclaimed when news of the fall of the Bastille reached the royal court at Versailles, where it was decried as a crime: It is worse than a crime. Its a blunder. Andrews book is peppered with such ironies, illustrating the tendency toward self-delusion in large but covert bureaucracies. Thus, [i]n a secret speech to a major KGB conference in May 1981, a visibly ailing Leonid Brezhnev denounced Reagans policies as a serious threat to world peace. He was followed by Yuri Andropov, who was to succeed him as General Secretary eighteen months later. To the astonishment of most of his audience, the KGB Chairman announced that, by decision of the Politburo, the KGB and GRU were for the first time to collaborate in a global intelligence operation, codenamed RYAN a newly-devised acronym for Raketno-Yadernoye Napadenie (Nuclear Missile Attack). Operation RYAN was to collect intelligence on the presumed, but non-existent, plans of the Reagan administration and its NATO allies to launch a nuclear first strike against the Soviet Union For several years, Moscow succumbed to what its ambassador in Washington, Anatoly Dobrynin, called a paranoid interpretation of Reagans policy. It was all the more paranoid since it occurred at a time when one of President Ronald Reagans top personal priorities was reaching a weapons agreement with the Soviet Union to reduce the risk of any East-West nuclear confrontation. The depth and sincerity of Reagans commitment and peaceful intentions were brought home to me when he added a handwritten insert to the speech I had been assigned to draft for him on the subject. It was a moving personal letter to Leonid Brezhnev urging him to join in an effort to reduce tensions on both sides of the Iron Curtain by mutually reducing nuclear arsenals. Unfortunately, by this time Brezhnev was in only marginally better shape than the aforementioned doddering Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria. Predictably, Andropov continued this hardline position during his own short, disease-ridden stay at the Soviet helm. So did his immediate successor, who, like Andropov, quickly succumbed to illness, leading some observers to speculate on hygienic conditions in the Kremlin after three leaders of the Soviet gerontocracy in a row suddenly succumbed to the ravages of age. Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leaderand a younger man with a reality-based view of the democratic Westreached historic agreements with Reagan, and the Russian-American thaw would continue under the well-intended, brave but overly-bibulous Boris Yeltsin, the first leader of the Russian Federation in the post-Soviet era. For better or worse, Yeltsins biggest problem was to be found not in intricacies of Russo-American relations, but at the bottom of many a bottle of vodka. As for what came after Yeltsin, despite much valuable and largely accurate analysis on the precarious state of the Russian economy, fragile democratic institutions and the even more fragile state of Boris Yeltsins liver, the CIA was caught completely unawares. Predictable or not, the emergence of Vladimir Putin, himself an ex-spook yearning for a return to the glory daysas he sees themof Russian stability at home, power abroad and better living through unquestioning obedience means that a still volatile nuclear superpower is now ruled by a more youthful, energetic clone of the late Yuri Andropov. Theres plenty more deja vu. In a bloody foreshadowing of the Soviet nightmare, Czar Ivan the Terrible created an alternative state-within-the-state in late sixteenth-century Russia. The notorious oprichniki were black-clad butchers who would massacre entire cities at their paranoid masters bidding: Ivan gave responsibility for identifying and disposing of traitors to his newly established imperial guard, the oprichniki, who, bizarrely, he liked to think of as a monastic order with himself as Father Superior. The oprichniki, though their responsibilities went beyond intelligence collection and analysis, were Russias first organized security service. Swathed in black and mounted on black horses, they must have seemed like a vision from the Apocalypse as they rode through Russia. Each had a dogs head symbolically attached to his saddle (to sniff out and attack treason) and carried a broom (to sweep away traitors). A seventeenth-century silver candlestick preserved in the museum at Alexandrovskaya Sloboda shows Ivan himself on horseback with dogs head and broom. One bad deed deserves another. Nearly four centuries later, Heinrich Himmler, who tried to set up another black-uniformed state-within-a-state inside the Third Reich, was said to have been inspired by the example of two historical precedents: Ivan the Terribles oprichniki brotherhood and a more legitimately religious fraternity, the Jesuit Order, which at its heightbefore its eighteenth-century estrangement from the Vatican (and temporary disbandment)had acted as a global secret service of sorts for the Papacy. In fairness to the Jesuits, their black uniforms were about the only thing they had in common with either the oprichniki or the Schutzstaffel. On a lighter note, Andrew shares some of the secret police keyhole-peeping that went on during the Congress of Vienna and resulted in scandalous reports that rival current tabloid journalismnot to mention a certain so-called Kremlin Dossier alleging all sorts of overseas hanky panky on the part of one D. Trump. The Vienna reports, if equally salacious, were probably a lot more accurate, compiled and reviewed by Baron Franz von Hager, the Austrian Head of Police and Censorship at the time, before being sent on to the Chancellor and the monarch. After [Foreign Secretary] Castlereaghs return to London, the British embassy in the Starhemberg Palace and the British plenipotentiarys residence were transformed, according to police reports, into combinations of brothel and pothouse, where actresses and chambermaids worked as prostitutes. Police reports on behaviour at the Russian embassy, where one of the valets was [an Austrian] agent, were even more censorious. According to a report by Agent D forwarded to Hager on 9 November, the Russians lodged at the [Hof]burg, not content with keeping it in a filthy condition, are behaving very badly and constantly bringing in girls. One officer in the Tsars entourage tried to blame Russian bad behavior on the unbelievable depravity of the female sex of the [Austrian] lower orders. More than a century later, the local Viennese, no longer blessed with a Head of Police and Censorship of their own, would once again be heard complaining about the sexual mayhem being committed by Russian members of the joint allied occupation of Austria in the years immediately after World War II. In those early postwar years, with Josef Stalin still firmly in charge in the Kremlin, murder was a routine intelligence tool applied on a massive scale. Some intended victims were luckier than others, as is attested by one of the excellent illustrations included in The Secret World. In it, a still relatively young Marshal Tito, the Yugoslav strongman who brought his country out of the Soviet orbit without renouncing Communism as a socio-economic system, is pictured with a smiling, swarthy rather oily-looking gentleman, the caption explaining that Tito (left), receives the Costa Rican envoy, Teodoro B. Castro, in 1953, unaware that Castro is a Soviet illegal (real name Iosif Grigulevich) planning his assassination a mission aborted after Stalins death. Saved by the bell. Another illustration, this one a color reproduction of an oil portrait, identifies [t]he first known transvestite spy, the flamboyant French Chevalier dEon de Beaumont (with five oclock shadow), who enjoyed his life in London so much that for some time he refused instructions to return to France. Professor Andrew enlarges on the Chevaliers curious career in his text, explaining that he was able to tie down a French pension despite his insubordination because he possessed documentary evidence of a secret plot by King Louis XV to invade England, concocted behind the backs of his government ministers by the monarchs very private, personal espionage bureau known, appropriately enough, as Le Secret du Roi (Kings Secret). Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, the celebrated (Marriage of Figaro) playwright who also moonlighted as an ancien regime espionage agent, was sent to London to cut a deal with dEon securing his permanent silence. Under terms of the resulting transaction, dEon was required to announce that he was, in fact, a woman, and agreedperhaps a little too eagerlyto dress as one for the rest of his life. On 21 November 1777, following a four-hour toilette supervised by Marie-Antoinettes dressmaker, Rose Bertin, the 49-year-old dEon was at last presented in female dress at court to Louis XVI [who had succeeded Louis XV, his grandfather (and dEons old spymaster) to the throne] and his queen. She had nothing of our sex except the petticoats and the curls, complained the vicomtesse de Fars (among others). After a fortnight at Versailles, the court ended the embarrassment by banishing dEon to the provincesWhile dEon languished in the provinces, Beaumarchais continued to combine a flamboyant career in both drama and intelligence. In May 1776, two months before the American Declaration of Independence, [he was]authorizedto found a company, at your own risk, to supply arms to the American rebels From the start, the paper firm of Rodrigue Hortalez et Compagnie was a front operation, unofficially channeling military supplies to North American forebears of the Nicaraguan Contras two centuries later. As for the cross-dressing Chevalier, while Professor Andrew leaves him languishing in the French countryside, he soon grew tired of life in the provinces, returned to England and continued to dress as a woman, even when engaging in occasional pay-to-view fencing matches, before dying in debt and obscurity. An autopsy revealed that he was, as most people had long suspected, a man. Where will it all end? Probably nowhere and never. As always, some leaders will be better at deploying their agents and evaluating their intelligence than others. The Secret World is an invaluable compendium of past experience in the field. I am confident that it will achieve well-deserved status as a classic, a learned and readable work that throws light on the shady world of intelligence and espionage andnot least of its virtuesentertains as well as informs its readers along the way. Aram Bakshian, Jr. served as an aide to Presidents Nixon, Ford and Reagan, and has written extensively on politics, history, gastronomy and the arts for American and overseas publications. Image: Wikimedia Commons Read full article By Belen Carreno and Ingrid Melander MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is considering calling a snap election for mid-April, news agency EFE said on Monday, as the government scrambles to find the support it needs to get a pivotal vote on the 2019 budget through parliament. Sanchez's ruling Socialists hold less than a quarter of the seats in the lower house, and speculation about whether it will serve a full term has swirled since it took office last summer when the conservative People's Party lost a confidence vote. He is considering calling an early election for April 14, EFE - the state news agency - cited unnamed government sources as saying. Online newspaper El Confidencial cited sources close to Sanchez as "totally" ruling out that date, but the chances of his administration serving its full term, scheduled to run until 2020, appear slim. Officials told Reuters in recent days that an early election was likely, though no date had yet been set. Socialist party Deputy Secretary General Adriana Lastra said on Monday this was a certainty if the budget vote did not pass. The government said it was focusing on getting the budget adopted and did not comment on possible early election dates. Sanchez's party has been struggling to gather enough support to pass the fiscal bill, and depends on the vote of smaller parties, including Catalan nationalists, who have said they will vote against it. Catalan separatist parties have until Wednesday to say if they maintain their objection to the budget. One government official said that speculation over early election could be a way to put pressure on them to change their mind. Polls have shown that the conservatives, centre-right and far-right, all of whom have taken a harder line on Catalonia than Sanchez, could win enough votes in a national election to govern together. But cooperation with the Socialists is unlikely to be uppermost in the separatists' minds this week. On Tuesday, 12 Catalan politicians will appear in Spain's highest court on charges of mounting a rebellion for their role in the region's independence bid in 2017, which was quashed by Madrid. Sources told Reuters over the past days that May 26 was another possible election date, to coincide with EU, regional and local polls. That option was favored by advisors to Sanchez, while senior Socialist party officials prefer an April election, the sources said. Earlier on, sources had also pointed at October as a possible date. (Additional reporting by Andres Gonzalez, Rodrigo de Miguel, Paul Day; Editing by John Stonestreet) Madrid (AFP) - Spain will give Francisco Franco's family two weeks to decide on a place to rebury the late dictator when his remains are exhumed from an opulent mausoleum, the government said Monday. Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who came to power in June, had vowed to remove Franco's remains from an imposing basilica in the Valle de los Caidos (Valley of the Fallen) near Madrid, which was built in part by political prisoners during his regime. Spain's cabinet meets on Friday and will give its final green light to the exhumation of Franco, said a government source, who refused to be named. The family will be able to appeal this at the Supreme Court, which would delay the exhumation. The source said the government would also give the family two weeks "to decide on a place for the (re) burial and, if they don't do it, the government will decide." The bid to exhume the remains of Franco, who ruled from 1939 to 1975, has run into difficulties. Franco's family wants to bury his remains in a crypt at Madrid's central Almudena Cathedral next to the royal palace. The government wants Franco's embalmed body to be relocated to a more discreet spot and has already told them this will not be possible. Sanchez is currently in a tough situation with Catalan separatist lawmakers in the national parliament ready to block his 2019 draft budget this week, a move that could lead to snap elections. BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbian opposition parties said on Monday they had started to boycott parliamentary sessions in protest against what they see as the increasingly authoritarian rule of President Aleksandar Vucic and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). Opposition parties and their backers accuse Vucic and the SNS of stifling media freedoms and carrying out attacks on political opponents and journalists in Serbia, a country seeking to join the European Union. They deny the accusations. The boycott move comes amid weekly protests by thousands of people that began in December and have spread from the capital Belgrade to a dozen other towns and cities. The protesters and opposition are also demanding Vucic's resignation and snap elections. In a statement, the opposition parties said their lawmakers would boycott plenary sessions, but would remain inside the parliament building, where they would continue to hold news conferences and briefings until their demands are met. "We are boycotting the parliament not because... they (the ruling coalition) disrespect us but because we have an obligation to the thousands who are protesting ... to demand a normal system and a normal Serbia," Sanda Raskovic Ivic, head of the centre-right Democratic Party of Serbia, told reporters. Ivic's party belongs to the Alliance for Serbia, a heterogeneous grouping of political parties, trade unions and civic groups. Vucic, a nationalist firebrand during the Balkan wars of the 1990s who has become an advocate of closer ties with the West, has said he will not bow to the protesters' demands. Last week he began touring the country to rally his own supporters. He has not indicated whether he will call snap elections for the spring. The opposition's boycott decision will not halt the work of parliament, where the SNS and its Socialist Party ally hold 160 of the 250 seats, a comfortable majority, but it could undermine the ruling coalition's credibility. According to opinion polls, Vucic and the SNS enjoy the backing of around 50 percent of voters, while the opposition parties could jointly garner around 15 percent. (Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Gareth Jones) WASHINGTON Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday sharply rejected an assertion that the Trump administration is complicit in a cover-up of the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Pompeo's remarks came after Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., accused the administration of turning a "blind eye" to evidence that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally ordered Khashoggis killing. "This amounts to the Trump Administration aiding in the cover up of a murder," Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement on Sunday. "America should never descend to this level of moral bankruptcy." The White House last week refused to comply with a congressional mandate that required the administration to determine whether the crown prince was responsible for Khashoggi's murder. The White House told senators on the Foreign Relations Committee last week that it would not make the determination infuriating lawmakers who had triggered the requirement under a provision of the Magnitsky Act, a human-rights law. The top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, also slammed the White House's refusal to comply with the law. Everyone involved in this gruesome crime must be identified and held accountable," McCaul said. "When the United States fails to lead, we compromise our integrity and abandon those pursuing justice around the world." The GOP lawmaker urged the White House to reverse could and provide the information that Congress demanded. But Democrats went further in alleging complicity by the Trump administration in helping Saudi Arabia's rulers hide their alleged role in Khashoggi's death. "If the president ignores the clear mandate of the Magnitsky Act in a case involving premeditated murder perpetrated by officials of a foreign government, the White House will share the blame for attempting to cover up the crime," Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat and also a member of the Foreign Relations panel. Story continues In this photo taken Dec. 15, 2014, Jamal Khashoggi looks on during a press conference in the Bahraini capital of Manama. Asked about the allegations from Kaine and others on Monday, Pompeo said they were "dead wrong." "Sen. Kaine is just dead wrong," Pompeo told reporters traveling with him in Budapest. "America is not covering up for a murder." He said the U.S. has taken "more action in response to the tragic murder of Jamal Khashoggi and will continue to take more action, continue our investigation," Pompeo said. "We are working diligently on that. The president has been very clear couldn't be more clear as we get additional information, we will continue to hold all of those responsible accountable." Related coverage: Jamal Khashoggi, journalists named TIME's 2018 Person of the Year Lawmakers revive push to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for Jamal Khashoggi murder This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Secretary of State Pompeo on Jamal Khashoggi: 'America is not covering up for a murder.' FONTANA, Calif. (AP) Police searching the Southern California home of an alleged motorcycle gang member uncovered a manhole that led to an underground shooting range. The Fontana Police Department said on Facebook that officers seized numerous weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition during the search Thursday night. The suspect, 45-year-old Charles McMillian, was taken into custody and booked for several counts, including illegally possessing firearms. He was released on bail. When reached at his home, McMillian said he was "a proud American" and denied he was a gang member before abruptly hanging up the phone. - 2019 Samir Hussein The Duchess of Sussex once described motherhood as being on her bucket list, the Duke of Sussex frequently confessed he would love to have children, and the rest is royally romantic history. The newlyweds, who married in Windsor last May, are just weeks away from welcoming their first child. As the nation waits for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh's eighth grandchild to arrive, please enjoy everything we know about royal baby Sussex so far. When is the Royal baby due? Though Kensington Palace have only publicly declared that the royal baby is due in the spring, six-month pregnant Meghan let slip that she is due at the end of April or early May during an engagement in Birkenhead earlier this year. The couple announced their pregnancy to family and friends at Princess Eugenies wedding in October, just days before their royal tour of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expecting their first child in the spring Credit: PA This means he or she could easily be born on the same day as their great-grandmother (yes, the Queen), who will celebrate turning 93 on April 21. Royal baby gender - girl or boy? If the couple do know the gender, they're keeping it very quiet. They recently said they'd be thrilled with a baby boy or girl. There were rumours the Duchess was planning to bring up their child gender neutral, although those rumours have been denied. Will Meghan give birth at the Lindo Wing or Frimley Park? Over the weekend, reports surfaced that Meghan may break the unofficial royal tradition of Lindo Wing births and opt for an NHS hospital in Surrey, Frimley Park, instead. The decision, a royal source has claimed, would be based on proximity to either hospital after their planned pre-birth move from Nottingham Cottage to Frogmore Cottage - just 15 miles from Frimley Park Hospital. Of course, no one outside of the family knows for sure and staff at the Lindo Wing at St Marys Hospital (in Paddington, London) have been advised not to take holiday in the spring, sparking equal speculation the Duchess plans to give birth there. Story continues The Duchess of Cambridge has given birth to all three of her children at the Lindo private maternity unit and Princess Diana gave birth to Harry there in 1984. Diana, Princess of Wales and Prince Charles leave the Lindo Wing with Prince Harry in 1984 Credit: Anwar Hussein/Getty Images) Giving birth in the Lindo Wing vs Frimley Park The 6,000-a-night Lindo Wing offers a five-star birthing experience with expectant mothers accommodated in spacious private rooms with en-suite bathrooms. Patients are invited to pick their meals from lavish a la carte menus - including a wine and champagne list - and are even offered a celebratory post-labour afternoon tea. The first night in Lindo wing costs 5,900 (for the 'normal' delivery package) and every additional night is charged at 1,175. Patients can also pay extra for a deluxe package, where the rooms are slightly bigger, which costs 6,275 for the first 24 hours and 1,550 for extra nights. Read more about the Lindo Wing here. In stark comparison, the NHS-managed Frimley Park Hospital does not offer private care to any patient in their 938 beds. It was, however, one of only three hospitals rated 'outstanding' by the Care Quality Commisaion in 2015. There are 14 labour rooms in the general ward and they handle thousands of births each year, including the births of Earl Edward and Countess Sophie of Wessex's two children as well as Chris Evans and wife Natasha Shishmanian's twins in 2018. While most women who give birth at Frimley Park leave within 12 hours, private postnatal rooms are available for 100 a night. For a little bit of 'Lindo', Meghan could also stay in one of the hospital's four birthing rooms (in The Mulberry Birth Centre), which boast a homely environment for birth without medical intervention. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave Paddington's Lindo Wing with their third child, Prince Louis in April 2018 Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images What will the royal baby be called? There is much suspense as to what the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will call their baby. The youngster will be born into the British royal family, where tradition is an intrinsic part of the Windsors' lives. If they go classic, possibilities include Alice, Mary, Elizabeth or Victoria for a girl, and Philip, Frederick, Charles, Arthur, Edward or James for a boy. Of course, the pair are also forward-thinking royals and the Duchess has her own American upbringing to draw on. Canadian-born Autumn Phillips, and husband Peter Phillips, opted for a non-traditional name for their daughter Savannah - the Queen's first great-grandchild - in 2010. In the US, the most popular name for a baby girl is Emma and Liam for a baby boy. In the UK, the most popular name for a girl born in 2017 was Olivia and, for a boy, Oliver. In short, it's anyone's guess. Where will the baby fall in the line of succession? Seventh in line, which means it's highly unlikely the child will ever be monarch. The baby will have three cousins: Prince George (a future king), Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - all of whom are further up the line of succession. It is a safe bet that the throne will stay on the Cambridge side of the family. The baby will bump Harry's uncle, the Duke of York, into eighth place in the line of succession. His daughters - Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie - will move into ninth and 10th place. Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex - the Queen's youngest son, drops out of the top 10 for the first time to 11th in line. What title will the new royal baby have? The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's baby will not be a prince nor a princess unless the Queen steps in. King George V - Harry's great great grandfather - limited titles within the royal family in 1917. This means the couple's first born, as a great-grandchild of the sovereign, is too far down the line of succession to be an HRH. George V declared that: "the grandchildren of the sons of any such Sovereign in the direct male line (save only the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales) shall have and enjoy in all occasions the style and title enjoyed by the children of Dukes of these Our Realms." The eldest son and heir apparent of a duke can use one of his father's lesser grade peerage titles by courtesy, according to Debrett's. With this in mind, a first son of Harry's would become Earl of Dumbarton - one of the subsidiary titles Harry received from the Queen on the morning of his wedding. A daughter would be Lady (first name) Mountbatten-Windsor, and any subsequent sons Lord (first name) Mounbatten-Windsor. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex during a visit to Rabat, late February 2019 Credit: PA Will the baby have dual citizenship? The Duke and Duchess could apply for their child to have dual US-UK citizenship. The Duchess is in the process of becoming a British citizen but it is not known whether she will hold dual nationality, and at present is still a US citizen. According to the American Embassy in the UK, a child born outside of the US and in wedlock to a US citizen parent and a non US citizen parent, may acquire US citizenship at birth if the US parent lived in America for five years - two of which were after the age of 14. Where will the family live? The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are due to move into Frogmore Cottage in the grounds of Windsor Castle this year. The propertym however, is still under-going extensive refurbishment. Since 2017 the couple have been living at Nottingham Cottage, in the grounds of Kensington Palace, near the Duke of Cambridge and his family. The move means they will be 20 miles away from them. Read more about Nottingham Cottage here. Will the Sussex's hire a nanny? Most likely. Harry has been close to all his nannies and it is likely he and Meghan will arrange for a nanny to care for their baby while they are on official engagements. Kate and William have the help of their full-time live-in nanny Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo. Meghan's close friend Jessica Mulroney had two nannies to help her with her twin boys and younger daughter. The couple will almost certainly call upon the help of Meghan's mother Doria Ragland who will no doubt make frequent visits to London from her Los Angeles home to visit her grandchild. Read more about what it's really like to be a royal nanny here. Who will be godparents? Loyal friends of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex look set to be asked to be godparents to the couple's first baby. Harry and Meghan are predicted to turn to their confidantes, many of whom had VIP seats in the Quire of St George's Chapel at the royal wedding last May, and whose children were their pageboys or bridesmaids. Royal infants usually have more than the standard three godparents. Prince Louis has six, future king Prince George has seven and Princess Charlotte has five. So who might be asked to be Baby Sussex's godparents? Meghan's stylist and best friend, Jessica Mulroney is expected to play an important part in the baby's life. She supported Meghan in the difficult days leading up to the wedding amid the turmoil caused by the absence of her father, Thomas Markle. Jessica Mulroney Credit: Getty Images The duchess's close friend, Benita Litt runs her own brand agency and helps others to start businesses. Meghan has spent Christmas with the Litt family in the past. She is godmother to Mrs Litt's daughters, Rylan and Remi, and also chose them to be her bridesmaids. Tennis champion Serena Williams is said to have hosted Meghan's lavish baby shower in the 57,400-a-night penthouse of the Mark Hotel in New York City. The pair have been friends since 2010. And who from Harry's side? The van Cutsems have been long-standing family pals of Harry, William and the Prince of Wales for many years. Harry might pick Major Nicholas van Cutsem, whose daughter Florence was a bridesmaid at the royal wedding and is Harry's goddaughter. Tom "Skippy" Inskip has long been considered Harry's wingman and was at his side during his partying days and Guy Pelly, dubbed the royal court jester for his wild ways could also be considered. Guy, whose family are wealthy Kent landowners, has settled down in recent years, marrying American hotel heiress Elizabeth "Lizzy" Wilson. Who will the royal baby grow up with? Baby Sussex will have an important bond with his or her cousins, growing up together with the shared experience of the upsides and downsides of being part of one of the world's most famous families. The child will be a first cousin of Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. The youngster will also have a host of second cousins - all great-grandchildren of the Queen. Days will be spent at the polo with Peter and Autumn Phillips' fun-loving children Savannah and Isla, and Zara and Mike Tindall's cheeky daughter Mia and her younger sister Lena. Princess Charlotte, Savannah Phillips, Prince George and Isla Philips at Trooping The Colour in 2018 Credit: Getty Images Europe What happened at Meghan's baby shower? Late February, Meghan embarked on a "private" five-day trip to New York without any royal aides. Though we now know the Duchess managed to enjoy many activities incognito (like having macarons at Laduree in Soho and shopping at children's boutique Bonpoint), sources told US media her solo stint would end with a baby shower just in time to call the paparazzi. The unexpectedly public event happened seemed to happens as quickly as media pens could be set up outside The Mark Hotel on New York's Upper East Side. Many deliveries - including a flat pack baby coat and buckets of flowers, including pink roses, while a flat pack baby cot - were dropped off throughout the morning before guests arrived. Abigail Spencer, the actress who played 'Scottie' alongside the Duchess in legal drama Suits, was one of the first to be photographed walking through the front door, immediately recognisable despite a beanie hat and dark glasses. Other celebrity guests arrivals include Amal Clooney, CBS news anchor Gayle King, stylist Jessica Mulroney, and Misha Nonoo (the fashion designer who reportedly set Harry and Meghan up on a blind date). Reportedly, the baby shower - which cost over 100,000 - itself was partially funded by tennis ace Serena Williams, who paid to host in it The Mark's penthouse suite. Other reported extravagances include a performance by Kanye Wests favourite harpist, a candy floss machine and 150 steaks. The Duchess rounded off her New York trip with a three and a half hour night out with her best friends, leaving her hotel just before 7pm and heading to the trendy Ralph Lauren Polo Bar. She was once again celebrating with Serena Williams and Jessica Mulroney before the women head their separate ways around 10.15pm - the Duchess returning to The Mark hotel. The Duchess is reported to be awaiting a second baby shower - thrown by her British friends - in the next few weeks. Keep up to date with the Royal family by signing up to our weekly newsletter, Your Royal Appointment. Relax. The revolution need not be dry. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York congresswoman and former bartender, has suggested a series of special cocktail recipes for those working for change. The recipes, which include one named Hard Brexit a straight shot of bathtub gin, with no imported botanicals followed an online suggestion by journalist Anand Giridharadas, who recently said the 29-year-old congresswoman had in a month changed Americas discourse about billionaires and the common good. Mr Giridharadas, author of a 2018 book about global inequality, Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World, said he suspected Ms Ocasio-Cortez may be too busy slaying dragons to volunteer her bartending skills, but I do believe she might be persuaded to submit a signature cocktail recipe. He added: It will be green, it will be new, and, at $4 before 5 p.m., it will be a deal. Ms Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, responded in style with six ideas, described as cocktails for the revolution. In addition to the Hard Brexit, she suggested: * World w/o a #GreenNewDeal: a Bitter Dark n Stormy. * Clean transport: an Aviation, but hold the creme de violette. * Bridges, Not Walls: a Mezcal Greyhound. * Paid Parental Leave: Mocktail margarita. * Policy Failure: anything w/ Goldschlag. The idea for the cocktails came as Ms Ocasio-Cortez and senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts, last week unveiled a proposal termed the Green New Deal, they say will tackle climate change, transform the economy, and create large numbers of jobs in renewable energy. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. It suggested creating a carbon neutral economy within a decade, and followed a UN-backed climate report published last year that said the effects of climate change to be irreversible and unavoidable if carbon emissions were were drastically reduced within 12 years. Even the solutions that we have considered big and bold are nowhere near the scale of the actual problem that climate change presents to us, Ms Ocasio-Cortez said. It could be part of a larger solution, but no one has actually scoped out what that larger solution would entail. And so thats really what were trying to accomplish with the Green New Deal. Representative Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.) wrote an op-ed in 2006 for Louis Farrakhans digital publication Final Call, which routinely publishes anti-Semitic content, according to a new report from freelance journalist Jeryl Bier. Tlaib argues in the op-ed, which is dated October 4, 2006 and was resurfaced by Bier, that illegal immigrants shouldnt face criminal charges or be deported for violating immigration law. Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, has long been known as an outspoken anti-Semite. In February 2006, months before Tlaibs piece was published, he accused Jews of promoting homosexuality in order to harm the African-American community. These false Jews promote the filth of Hollywood that is seeding the American people and the people of the world and bringing you down in moral strength. . . . Its the wicked Jews, the false Jews, that are promoting lesbianism, homosexuality. Its the wicked Jews, false Jews, that make it a crime for you to preach the word of God, then they call you homophobic, he said during his Saviours Day speech on February 26, 2006. Since the time of Tlaibs writing, Final Call has published numerous articles espousing anti-Semitic conspiracies with headlines such as Racist Rabbis: A Long History of Jewish Race-Haters, The Secret Relationship Between Rappers and Jews, and Solving The Mystery of Jewish Financial Success, among others. Tlaib has not published in the outlet since her initial 2006 column. Tlaib has faced significant criticism since her election over her ties to anti-Semitic Palestinian activists and her support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, which seeks to put financial pressure on Israel. In January, she attended a dinner with Palestinian activist Abbas Hamideh, who has referred to Israel as a terrorist identity and likened the states underlying ideology to that of ISIS. Additionally, one of Tlaibs top fundraisers, Maher Abdel-qader, has repeatedly espoused anti-Semitic tropes online. Abdel-qader also created the Facebook group Palestinian American Congress, which often hosts anti-Semitic discussions and which Tlaib is a member of, the Daily Caller reported last month. Story continues Tlaib has not commented on her relationship with Abdel-qader since the Callers report was published. More from National Review Athens (AFP) - He has often been lambasted as ignorant of history, but Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras trumped both his critics and the odds Friday by solving a 27-year name row with neighbouring Macedonia, one of the world's most enduring diplomatic rows. After leading his country back from the brink of bankruptcy, the 44-year-old leftist prime minister has added another feather to his cap with a diplomatic breakthrough few would have believed possible months ago. On Friday, Greek lawmakers approved a deal brokered by Tsipras and his Macedonia counterpart Zoran Zaev in June to rename Greece's northern neighbour the Republic of North Macedonia. It is an achievement that has seen both leaders nominated for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize -- even as it came at an immediate cost to Tsipras by sinking his coalition government and saw protests in both countries. The deal will end a bitter row that began in 1991 with the independence of Macedonia, which took the name of the history-rich northern Greek region that lies just across the border. In addition to normalising relations between the two countries, implementation of the agreement will open the door for Macedonia to join the European Union and NATO, hitherto blocked by Athens' veto. Critics say the agreement -- which drops Greece's objections to an official Macedonian language and identity -- opens the way for possible cultural usurpation and trade disputes. They note that just a few years back, Skopje enthusiastically sought to appropriate Alexander the Great, ancient king of Macedon and one of Greece's greatest heroes. "Your foreign policy is superficial and ignorant... you should be ashamed," main opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the government this week. - Crisis negotiator - For Tsipras -- Greece's youngest prime minister in 150 years and the first avowed atheist -- negotiating in times of crisis has almost become second nature. A former Communist and student leader, his rise through the ranks of the leftist Syriza party was swift -- secretary of the party's youth wing at 25, Athens mayoral candidate at 32, party chief at 33, parliament lawmaker at 35. Story continues Believing that he could persuade Greece's creditors to loosen the country's austerity straitjacket, Tsipras faced them head-on upon taking office in 2015. But his erratic negotiating tactics -- and posturing by his maverick first finance minister Yanis Varoufakis -- often infuriated his European peers, who accused him of gambling the country's future in the eurozone by engaging in irresponsible brinkmanship. It took German Chancellor Angela Merkel and France's former president Francois Hollande to persuade Tsipras to change course and sign on to more reforms before Greece was pushed out of the common currency. Among those who drastically revised their views on Tsipras is EU economic affairs commissioner Pierre Moscovici. The Frenchman told Le Figaro newspaper last year that he was "alarmed" when Tsipras stormed to power in 2015, a radical pledging to rip up Greece's multi-billion bailout deals. But he said he soon discovered a "bright, agile and brave person who managed to turn his people around" while transforming himself into a "responsible" leftist. - Criticism from left - An engineer by training, Tsipras was born in the suburbs of Athens in 1974, the year a seven-year army dictatorship that mercilessly persecuted leftists collapsed. He has two boys with electronics engineer Betty Baziana, whom he met in high school. They have never married, despite the country's strong conservative traditions. A lifelong fan of Che Guevara, Tsipras has named his youngest son Orfeas Ernesto after the Argentine revolutionary. But Tsipras' actions since taking office have harmed his leftist credentials and his former French ally, far-left former presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, has been scathing. "Tsipras is one of the most pathetic figures on the European political scene," the populist French leftwing leader said last year. - Legacies - Tsipras has called the Macedonia deal one of his "greatest legacies" as premier, second only to leading Greece out of the bailout era. Even so, the breakthrough weakened his hold on power. He won a confidence vote after his nationalist allies defected from the government, but there is speculation that polls planned for October could be brought forward to May or even earlier. By Dmitry Zhdannikov, Herbert Lash and Saeed Azhar LONDON/NEW YORK/DUBAI (Reuters) - When news emerged that Qatar may have unwittingly helped bail out a New York skyscraper owned by the family of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law, eyebrows were raised in Doha. Kushner, a senior White House adviser, was a close ally of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman - a key architect of a regional boycott against Qatar, which Riyadh accuses of sponsoring terrorism. Doha denies the charge. Brookfield, a global property investor in which the Qatari government has placed investments, struck a deal last year that rescued the Kushner Companies' 666 Fifth Avenue tower in Manhattan from financial straits. The bailout, in which Doha played no part and first learned about in the media, has prompted a rethink of how the gas-rich kingdom invests money abroad via its giant sovereign wealth fund, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The country has decided that the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) will aim to avoid putting money in funds or other investment vehicles it does not have full control over, according to the sources, who are familiar with the QIA's strategy. "Qatar started looking into how its name got involved into the deal and found out it was because of a fund it co-owned," said one of the sources. "So QIA ultimately triggered a strategy revamp." The QIA declined to comment. Canada's Brookfield Asset Management Inc bailed out 666 Fifth Avenue via its real estate unit Brookfield Property Partners, in which the QIA acquired a 9 percent stake five years ago. Both parent and unit declined to comment. The QIA's strategic shift was made late last year, according to the sources. It offers a rare insight into the thinking of one of the world's most secretive sovereign wealth funds. The revamp could have significant implications for the global investment scene because the QIA is one of the world's largest state investors, with more than $320 billion under management. The wealth fund has poured money into the West over the past decade, including rescuing British and Swiss banks during the 2008 financial crisis and investing in landmarks like New York's Plaza Hotel and the Savoy Hotel and Harrods store in London. QATARI BOYCOTT Kushner was chief executive of Kushner Companies when it acquired 666 Fifth Avenue in 2007 for $1.8 billion, a record at the time for a Manhattan office building. It has been a drag on his family's real estate company ever since. The debt-laden skyscraper was bailed out by Brookfield last August, when it took a 99-year lease on the property, paying the rent for 99 years upfront. Financial terms were not disclosed. The QIA bought a 9 percent stake in Brookfield Property Partners, which is known as BPY and is listed in Toronto and New York, for $1.8 billion in 2014. BPY has about $87 billion in assets, part of more than $330 billion managed by its parent Brookfield. The stake purchase by QIA was in line with its strategy to boost investments in prime U.S. property. The investment gave QIA no seat on the board of BPY. The Qatari wealth fund was not involved in the 666 Fifth Avenue deal, a source close to Brookfield Asset Management told Reuters. There was no requirement for Brookfield to inform the QIA beforehand. The rescue rankled with Doha, according to the two sources familiar with the QIA's strategy, because Kushner - married to U.S. President Trump's daughter Ivanka - had long been one of the key supporters in Washington of the Saudi crown prince, who is the king's favorite son and heir to the throne. Prince Mohammed was a prime mover in leading regional states to severing links with its neighbor Qatar and embargoing the small nation since mid-2017. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain accuse Qatar of sponsoring terrorism. Doha denies the allegation and says the other countries simply want to strip it of its sovereignty. "There is no upside in investing through funds for someone like QIA. Qatar wants full visibility into where its money goes," said the second source familiar with the QIA's strategy. He added that one of the reasons for Doha's concerns about the deal was that it might have been seen as an attempt by Qatar to influence the Trump administration, which was not the case. The QIA will not wind down existing investments with Brookfield or others, but will rather no longer invest in similar deals, according to the two sources. The source close to Brookfield said relations with the QIA were still strong. STILL GOING BIG The QIA's strategic revamp also followed a reshuffle at the top of the fund last November when its long-serving chief, Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohamed bin Saud al-Thani, was replaced by its former head of risk management, Mansour Ibrahim al-Mahmoud. Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was named QIA chairman. Qatar, whose wealth comes from the world's largest exports of liquefied gas, does not provide data on how much money it places with external fund managers. "What we have seen lately is that it has have not been placing much," said a Western fund manager who regularly sources money from wealth funds. "Either they are investing themselves or they are just sitting on a lot of cash." The Qatar shift in its approach reflects a wider trend among sovereign wealth funds to reduce reliance on external investment managers, in an attempt to keep tighter control over their money. The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, for example, said last year that 55 percent of its assets were managed by external managers in 2017, down from 60 percent the year before. Yet, even if the QIA is being more cautious in its choice of investment vehicles, there is little indication that its appetite for big international acquisitions has diminished. In December, new QIA chief Mahmoud told Reuters the fund was focusing on "classic" investments in the West such as real estate and financial institutions, and would also accelerate investment in technology and healthcare. "The instructions from the top are to go out and do big deals," said a Western banker who has held talks with Qatari officials. He said QIA's dealmaking had not stopped even during the height of the Gulf embargo, which initially forced the fund to put in about half of the $43 billion injected by public-sector firms into Qatari banks to mitigate the impact of outflows. With oil and gas prices growing over the past two years, Qatar has not departed from what it is best known for - snapping up big-name properties. In 2017, QIA pledged to ramp up its investments in Britain to 35 billion pounds ($45 billion) from 30 billion. Since then, it has spent about 1.7 billion pounds on real estate and another 1.1 billion on infrastructure in the country. In recent months, Qatar has bought New York's Plaza and London's Grosvenor House hotels. (The story is refiled to fix typo in paragraph 32.) (Additional reporting by Eric Knecht; Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by Pravin Char) TRENTON, N.J. (AP) New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy looked to put scrutiny over his administration's handling of a sexual assault allegation against a state government staffer behind him last week. But lawmakers are having none of it as they continue their probe into state employee Katie Brennan's accusations of sexual assault against a member of Murphy's campaign staff who went on to work in the administration. Some key questions and answers in this case: WHAT HAPPENED AND WHEN? Katie Brennan, who is the chief of staff at the state housing finance agency, has told The Wall Street Journal that she was sexually assaulted in April 2017 by Albert Alvarez while they both were working to get Murphy elected. The Associated Press does not usually identify people who say they were sexually assaulted unless they give permission or come forward publicly, as Brennan has. Brennan said the assault happened at her apartment and she went to the hospital and police the next morning. Alvarez has denied the allegation. The Hudson County prosecutor's office declined to bring charges in December 2017. After Murphy was inaugurated in January 2018, Brennan went to work for the housing agency, and Alvarez was hired as chief of staff at the Schools Development Authority. From December 2017 through October 2018, when the newspaper article came out, Brennan spoke to a number of Murphy's staff, including his deputy chief of staff, chief counsel, deputy chief counsel and campaign counsel about the allegation. In March and again in June, Murphy's staffers said they met with Alvarez and told him to he should leave state government. Brennan came forward after she learned Alvarez was still in government. He resigned as the news account of the allegation was about to come out. ___ WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE WORD OF THE ALLEGATION BROKE? Murphy ordered an administrative review of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act policies that govern work-related allegations. He commissioned a taxpayer-financed investigative report, and the Democrat-led Legislature empaneled a committee to investigate Murphy's handling of the matter. Story continues The state attorney general also ordered the Middlesex County prosecutor to review the criminal file since the Hudson County prosecutor announced she knew both Brennan and Alvarez, though she said that didn't affect the decision not to prosecute. The Middlesex prosecutor has since declined to bring charges, citing a lack of "credible evidence." Brennan has also sued the state and Alvarez. She says she wants an end to rules that require victims of alleged abused to maintain confidentiality during investigations, saying such practice protects the accused, not the accuser. State officials have declined to comment on the suit. The report Murphy commissioned came out last week: It concluded that Murphy's transition team moved forward too quickly with Alvarez's hiring despite the allegation against him. It didn't single anyone out for having committed wrongdoing. Lawmakers have not finished their investigation, but they criticized the Murphy report as failing to answer key questions. ___ WHAT DON'T WE KNOW YET? After seven legislative hearings and the report commissioned by the governor, it's still unclear who hired Alvarez. Lawmakers say that matters because Alvarez was offered a position in state government even though Murphy's transition team was aware of the allegations. __ DID THE GOVERNOR KNOW ABOUT THE ALLEGATIONS? Murphy says he didn't find out about allegations until The Wall Street Journal began asking questions in October. Around that time, Alvarez resigned. Neither the report nor testimony during the legislative hearing contradicted the governor's account. This week, Murphy said he wouldn't have hired Alvarez had he known about the allegation. He also said he would have fired Alvarez when he found out, if Alvarez hadn't already resigned. ___ WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Brennan's lawsuit continues. Murphy has announced policy changes, including extending state's equal employment policies to cover transition staff and those applying for jobs in the administration. He also says he backs recommendations contained in the investigative report, including requiring major party candidates for governor to begin transition processes earlier. "I can't correct history," he said last week. "I've got to pick up the pieces and move forward. The buck stops with me." Lawmakers have not concluded their investigation yet. But Democratic Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg said the committee running the probe is aiming to put in place reforms to prevent what happened in this case from happening again. Dakar (AFP) - A pro-government campaigner was killed in eastern Senegal on Monday, in the first fatality from a string of pre-election clashes between supporters of President Macky Sall and the opposition. A police official told AFP the individual was stabbed during "scuffles" between the Unity and Assembly Party (PUR), which is led by opposition leader Issa Sall, and pro-government campaigners. The body was taken to a hospital in Tamboucounda, about 400 kilometres (250 miles) east of the capital Dakar, the source said. A police source said a motorcyclist was killed by a vehicle speeding away from the scene of the stabbing. A journalists' association meanwhile said eight reporters were also injured in the violence. President Sall told an election meeting that the stabbing victim was a member of his governing Alliance for the Republic (APR) and called for "light to be shed (on the killing) so that the electoral campaign does not become a pretext for violence". Violence has buffeted Senegal ahead of presidential elections on February 24, despite appeals for calm from religious leaders. Sall urged his supporters not "to succumb to provocations" and called upon political rivals to issue similar appeals. "This is a result of a call to violence issued by certain politicians," the president said of the death, adding: "They will have to answer for their actions in court." Five human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (RADDHO), said they wanted to "remind election candidates and coalitions of their duty" to tell their supporters not to resort to violence. On Sunday at least two people were "seriously injured" in Fatick, a presidential stronghold in Senegal's centre-west, in clashes with supporters of rising opposition candidate Ousmane Sonko, local media reported. Four people, all Sonko supporters, were badly hurt on February 4 in the northern city of Saint-Louis, Sonko's campaign said. Senegal, a former French colony, is seen as a beacon of democracy and relative prosperity in West Africa. But its election campaigns are often marred by accusations of corruption, influence-peddling and misinformation. Civil rights icon and humanitarian Andrew Young will deliver the keynote address at Emory University's 174th Commencement, scheduled for Monday, May 13. Young will also receive the Presidents Medal, conferred on distinguished university guests who have enhanced the prospect of peace or enriched cultural achievement. Ambassador Young is a true American hero, says Emory President Claire E. Sterk. Im thrilled that our graduates will have the opportunity to hear from a leader who has inspired and helped so many people. He has been a trailblazing advocate for civil and human rights, and as mayor he fueled Atlantas metamorphosis into a global gateway. His leadership and his personal story serve as outstanding examples for us all. In the decades since Young helped change the course of history as a leader in the civil rights movement, he has built a legacy as a civic activist, elected official, ambassador, social entrepreneur and adviser to presidents. Today, he leads the Andrew J. Young Foundations efforts to develop and support new generations of visionary leaders who will create sustainable global approaches to economic development, poverty alleviation and the challenge of hunger. Young was a key strategist and negotiator during campaigns that led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In 1972, he was elected to represent Georgia in the U.S. Congress, becoming the first African-American representative from the Deep South since Reconstruction. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed Young to serve as United States Ambassador to the United Nations, the first African-American to serve in that role. Young was also instrumental in the building of modern Atlanta. He was elected mayor in 1981 and re-elected in 1985 with nearly 85 percent of the vote. Hartsfield International Airport, whose development he championed, made it possible for Atlanta to attract 1,100 new businesses, $70 billion in foreign direct investment and 1 million new jobs to the region during his tenure. It is now the busiest airport in the world. Young also led the successful effort to bring the 1996 Olympic Games to Atlanta. He is the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the French Legion dHonneur and has received honorary degrees from more than 100 colleges and universities, including an honorary doctor of divinity degree from Emory in 1991. Honorary degree recipients Emory will confer honorary degrees to two individuals at the commencement ceremony: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday that the U.S. is still probing the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and insisted that the investigation has been transparent. Americas not covering up for a murder. Americas taken more actions in response to the tragic murder of Jamal Khashoggi, and will continue to take more actions and continue our investigation, Pompeo told reporters during his trip to Budapest, Hungary. We are working diligently on that. The president has been very clear couldnt be more clear as we get additional information, we will continue to hold all of those responsible accountable. Khashoggi, a former adviser to the Saudi government who had become a blistering critic of the ruling royal family as a Washington Post columnist living in the U.S., was killed after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. He had entered the consulate to finalize divorce paperwork so he could marry his fiancee. A number of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have persisted in their demands that the administration confirm with certainty whether the Saudi government ordered Khashoggis killing. But last week the White House flouted a February 8 deadline set by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee asking it to do just that, sparking outrage from Congress. Over the weekend, Senator Tim Kaine, a Democratic member of the Committee, charged the administration with turning a blind eye to evidence suggesting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gave the order for the murder. This amounts to the Trump Administration aiding in the cover up of a murder, Kaine said in a Sunday statement. America should never descend to this level of moral bankruptcy. Senator Kaine is just dead wrong, Pompeo said Monday. Hes just flat-out wrong. If the president ignores the clear mandate of the Magnitsky Act in a case involving premeditated murder perpetrated by officials of a foreign government, the White House will share the blame for attempting to cover up the crime, said another Committee member, Democrat Patrick Leahy. Story continues Everyone involved in this gruesome crime must be identified and held accountable, said Representative Michael McCaul, the ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. When the United States fails to lead, we compromise our integrity and abandon those pursuing justice around the world. More from National Review By Lesley Wroughton and Gergely Szakacs BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cautioned U.S. allies on Monday against deploying equipment from Chinese telecoms giant Huawei on their soil, saying it would make it more difficult for Washington to "partner alongside them". The United States and its Western allies believe Huawei Technologies' apparatus could be used for espionage, and see its expansion into central Europe as a way to gain a foothold in the EU market. Washington is concerned in particular about the expansion of Huawei, the world's biggest maker of telecoms equipment, in Hungary and Poland. "We want to make sure we identify (to) them the opportunities and the risks of using that equipment," Pompeo told reporters during a visit to the Hungarian capital, Budapest. Hungary is the first stop in a trip by Pompeo to central Europe that also includes Slovakia and Poland and is part of what administration officials say is an effort to make up for a lack of U.S. engagement in the region that opened the door to more Chinese and Russian influence. Huawei denies engaging in intelligence work for any government. It says its technologies serve 70 percent of Hungarians and that it cooperates with most telecoms providers in Hungary, including state-owned enterprises. "We have seen this all around the world, it also makes it more difficult for America to be present," Pompeo told reporters during a stop at the U.S. embassy," referring to Huawei equipment. "If that equipment is co-located where we have important American systems, it makes it more difficult for us to partner alongside them." Pompeo announced plans for a defense cooperation agreement with Hungary, one of the European governments that is most enthusiastic about Chinese investment. But he said he had discussed "the dangers of allowing China to gain a bridgehead in Hungary" in talks with Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. Budapest's nationalist government, like Poland's largely isolated politically in the European Union, hopes to buy mid-range air defense capabilities from the United States. U.S. INTERESTS In Poland, where Pompeo is traveling to on Tuesday, the government is considering banning Huawei from participating in the development of 5G capabilities after arresting a Chinese employee of Huawei and a former Polish security official on spying allegations last month. Both men have denied wrongdoing. It is also lobbying Washington for an increased military presence on its soil. Slovakia, which Pompeo visits before Poland, is looking to buy F-16 fighter jets. Pompeo's tour includes a conference on the Middle East, hosted by Poland, where Washington hopes to build a coalition against Iran. He is also expected to voice concerns about energy ties with Moscow, and urge Hungary not to support the TurkStream pipeline, part of the Kremlin's plans to bypass Ukraine, the main transit route for Russian gas to Europe. Hungary gets most of its gas from Russia and its main domestic source of electricity is the Paks nuclear power plant where Russia's Rosatom is involved in a 12.5 billion-euro ($14 billion) expansion. Hungary's Szijjarto brushed off U.S. concerns over Russia and China, saying Budapest was fulfilling its obligations to western allies as a member of the NATO military alliance. "When it comes to cooperation with Russia or cooperation with the People's Republic of China that does not harm us being reliable as a NATO ally," he told a joint news conference with his U.S. counterpart. A EUROPEAN TRUMP Pompeo also discussed concerns over the rule of law in Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban is pressuring courts, media and non-governmental groups. Earlier in the day Pompeo met with civil society leaders at the U.S. embassy and said he would discuss their treatment directly with Orban. "So many of the concerns that are voiced are things that have happened in the absence of America being engaged," he told reporters. Szijjarto drew parallels between the Trump administration and Orban government on curbing immigration, protecting Christians around the world and support for Israel. "Hungary's government and President Donald Trump's administration represent an identical, or very similar, approaches in both general political and numerous international political issues," he said. (Editing by Justyna Pawlak, Robin Pomeroy, Peter Graff and Frances Kerry) Budapest (AFP) - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Hungary on Monday, on the first leg of a European tour, hoping that economic and defence incentives will dissuade Prime Minister Viktor Orban from getting too close to Russia. Pompeo is set to meet Orban on the one-day trip to Budapest, from where he will proceed to Slovakia, another NATO ally that has seen few recent senior US visitors. The focus of Pompeo's trip to Europe is a US-driven conference on the Middle East in Poland later this week, which has been toned down after European allies were uneasy about promoting President Donald Trump's hawkish line on Iran. Orban is one of the few European leaders to praise Trump, sharing the mogul-turned-president's antipathy for migrants and his belief in promoting a Christian cultural identity. While the previous president, Barack Obama, tended to cold-shoulder Orban, the Trump administration has taken the opposite tack, but the strategy has little to show for it so far. US officials said that Pompeo will discuss ways to increase defence and economic cooperation with Hungary. While Hungary is treaty-bound to the United States through NATO, US officials are pushing for progress on a bilateral defence cooperation agreement, which would let US forces move freely in the country. Such an agreement could prove controversial if Hungary is the stage for a US military operation. And it would be sure to irritate President Vladimir Putin, who has considered Orban his closest friend in the European Union. Putin visited Budapest twice last year, with Orban welcoming him in defiance of Western efforts to isolate him over Moscow's support to separatist insurgents in Ukraine and its 2014 annexation of Crimea. The United States has also voiced worries over Hungary's growing relationship with China, including an agreement for telecom giant Huawei to develop the country's fifth-generation mobile networks. Washington has been ramping up pressure on Huawei -- with senior executives of the company arrested in US allies Canada and Poland. Story continues It warns that China could come to dominate the next wave of technology, with grave repercussions for the protection of individual data and the safety of infrastructure. Hungary has said it has no plans to revisit the decision to award the 5G networks contract to Huawei. And critics say that Washington's concerns have as much to do with preserving US commercial dominance as with security. - Alarm at Hungary's direction - Pompeo also plans to discuss expanding exchanges between the US and Hungary to strengthen Hungarian independent media and the ability of law enforcement to crack down on corruption, officials said. The US has voiced alarm over the direction Hungary has taken in these areas recently, including a decision last year to return two Russian arms dealers home rather than to extradite them to face charges in the United States. And the prestigious Central European University last year moved its key programmes out of Hungary after the government -- rejecting direct appeals from the US ambassador -- cracked down on educational institutions considered foreign. The university was founded by George Soros, the US-Hungarian billionaire and champion of liberal values, who has been vilified by the far-right in both countries with imagery that is at times anti-Semitic. Joerg Forbrig, an expert on Central Europe at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, doubted that the Trump administration could change Orban. The European Union has for years tried to use its power of the purse to reform Orban but to no avail, with Hungary wilfully exercising its veto within the 28-member bloc. "The Hungarian government has been completely defiant to anything that the US may have wanted and there seems to be very little that anyone can do about it," Forbrig said. Montreal (AFP) - Forty-three Mexicans duped in immigration scams have been freed after being forced to work for almost nothing in Canadian hotels, police said Monday. The workers, mostly men, were lured to Canada by traffickers. Once the Mexicans paid a large sum of money, they were promised they could study in Canada, or get work visas and permanent resident status. But once in Canada, they were housed in "squalid conditions" in cities in central and eastern Ontario, and forced to work as housekeepers in hotels, Ontario Provincial Police said. "Human trafficking is modern-day slavery," OPP Deputy Commissioner Rick Barnum told reporters in Barrie. "Exploitation is the key element of this offence." Two cleaning company officials in the Barrie, Ontario area who worked with hotels there are suspected of involvement but so far have not been arrested. Human trafficking is "modern-day slavery," said Barnum. Barrie police chief Kimberly Greenwood added: "it is inconceivable that this was taking place in our community." NEW YORK (AP) With a strobe light show worthy of a seizure warning and classic statuary in clear boxes, Milan streetwear cool guy Francesco Ragazzi brought his celeb-popular Palm Angels brand to New York Fashion Week on Friday for the first time. And the reason? His explanation wasn't nearly as dramatic as his show. "A new challenge. I always start with a new challenge, and definitely New York is a great energy. I'm trying to bring my own vision here, just trying to tell my story," Ragazzi told The Associated Press before his models both men and women lined up for one last look prior to showtime. The 39-year-old Ragazzi put out a mix of tailoring in jackets and coats, some outfitted with a loop of chain. Others were a play on hunting and fishing outerwear, loaded with huge external pockets with zips. Some of the looks included a photo patch of a stag ready for a nighttime kill. "I tried to mix these two worlds and give a contrast that gives energy," said Ragazzi, also art director for the Italian brand Moncler. There was plenty of energy on his runway that exploded with beams of pulsing light showing off a David (as in Michelangelo) among his encased sculptures. As for the clothes, much of his offerings for fall and winter were true to his street roots in trainers for the feet and hoodies branded with the name of the company he started in 2015. One was emblazoned with a green alien face. Don't misunderstand. The average skateboarder kid likely can't afford these clothes. Ragazzi sells track jackets in the zone of $500 and little dresses for $600 and more. A few tiny dresses were sculpted in leather this season. But don't call them luxury. "I don't consider myself luxury," he said. "I think I'm creating, like, a desire. This is what interests me the most, you know. I'm trying to make my product look expensive, but I don't consider myself luxury." Story continues Ragazzi does consider himself driven by his celebrity fans. Before decamping Milan for New York, Ragazzi hoped New York would drop a few A-listers onto his front row. He got French Montana, the rapper Gunna he smoked throughout the show and a giddy Alexander Wang. "When I design a collection, I always think about a celebrity and a celebrity wearing the piece, so when it winds up on a celebrity, I'm happy," Ragazzi said. Pharrell had a thing or two to do with Palm Angels' buzz. Ragazzi's first aspiration was to be a fashion photographer. When he hit Los Angeles, he embraced the skate scene in a photo book published by Rizzoli in 2014. He got Pharrell to write the foreword. And away went Palm Angels. "We sort of became friends. He's a beautiful person. I was happy to stay in touch with him," he said. Ragazzi said he finds it difficult creatively to differentiate between the more established Moncler and Palm Angels. "I have a collaboration with them, so I'm very happy to have it," he said, "but I'm also growing my baby, which is Palm Angels." Paris (AFP) - A tree planted in a Paris suburb in memory of a young Jewish man who was tortured to death in 2006 has been chopped down, authorities said Monday, confirming the latest in a series of anti-Semitic acts in France. Ilan Halimi was kidnapped by a gang that demanded huge sums of money from his family, believing them to be rich because he was Jewish. After being tortured for three weeks, the 23-year-old cellphone salesman was found dumped next to a railway in the southern suburb of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois. He died while being brought to hospital. On Monday, municipal workers sent to prepare a memorial site for an annual remembrance ceremony this week discovered that a tree planted in his honour had been chopped down and a second one partly sawn through, local officials told AFP. The police are investigating the incident, which the French government's special representative on racism, anti-Semitism and discrimination, Frederic Potier, described as "ignominious". It is the latest in a series of anti-Semitic acts and attacks that have raised fears of a new wave of anti-Jewish violence in a country that is home to Europe's biggest Jewish population. Anti-Semitic acts surged by 74 percent last year, from 311 in 2017 to 541 in 2018, French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said Monday. "Anti-Semitism is spreading like poison," the visibly moved minister said near the spot where the tree was chopped down. "By attacking... Ilan Halimi's memory, it's the Republic that's being attacked," he added, vowing that the government would take action. In two separate incidents in the past two days, swastikas were drawn on Paris postboxes containing portraits of late Holocaust survivor Simone Veil and the word Juden (German for Jews) was sprayed on the window of a bagel bakery in the capital. The incident involving the postboxes was reported by artist Christian Guemy, who painted the portraits of Veil on the boxes in the city's 13th district to mark her burial last year at the Pantheon, final resting place of France's most illustrious figures. Story continues A former justice minister, Veil was a hugely respected figure whose death in 2017 caused a national outpouring of emotion. "Shame on the despicable person that disfigured my tribute to Simeon Veil, Holocaust survivor," Guemy tweeted Monday along with pictures of the boxes. Reacting to the tweet, European Affairs Minister Nathalie Loiseau expressed consternation over the "desecration". - Jihadist attacks - Meanwhile on Sunday, one of the founders of French bagel bakery chain Bagelstein said vandals had sprayed the word "Juden" in yellow paint on the window of an outlet in the Ile Saint-Louis island in central Paris. Government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux drew a line between the graffiti and an arson attack last week on the home of parliament speaker Richard Ferrand, over which the "yellow vest" protest movement has come under suspicion. But Gilles Abecassis, co-founder of Bagelstein, said he did not believe that anti-government demonstrators, some of whom have shown support for a comedian convicted of anti-Semitism, were responsible. "They wrote it in yellow but that could be for the Star of David," he said, adding that he had received thousands of messages of solidarity from around the world. In November, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe warned that France, whose pro-Nazi regime deported Jews during World War II, was "very far from being finished with anti-Semitism". In recent years, French jihadists have targeted Jews in a number of attacks. In 2011, an Islamist gunman shot dead a rabbi and three children at a Jewish school in Toulouse and in 2015 an extremist claiming allegiance to the Islamic State group killed four people at a kosher supermarket in Paris. Wall Street expects a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when Nordic American Tankers (NAT) reports results for the quarter ended December 2018. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates. The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on February 18. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower. While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise. Zacks Consensus Estimate This tanker company is expected to post quarterly loss of $0.01 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +95%. Revenues are expected to be $48.97 million, up 33.4% from the year-ago quarter. Estimate Revisions Trend The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 4.17% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period. Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Earnings Whisper Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction). The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Story continues Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only. A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP. Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell). How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Nordic American Tankers? For Nordic American Tankers, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -66.67%. On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #2. So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Nordic American Tankers will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue? Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number. For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Nordic American Tankers would post a loss of $0.11 per share when it actually produced a loss of $0.15, delivering a surprise of -36.36%. Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates just once. Bottom Line An earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss. That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Nordic American Tankers doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Arab League said on Monday there was no consensus yet among member states that may allow the reinstatement of Syria's membership which was suspended in 2011 over its crackdown on protesters at the start of the civil war. U.S.-allied Arab states including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates backed the opposition to President Bashar al-Assad for years but Damascus was able to steadily crush rebel fighters with military backing from Russia and Iran. In a big diplomatic boost for Assad, the United Arab Emirates reopened its embassy in Damascus in December, saying it aimed to normalize ties and curb risks of regional interference in Arab, Syrian affairs - an apparent reference to non-Arab Iran and Turkey. But Arab League Secretary General and former Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit, speaking during a visit to Beirut, said there was no consensus yet on Syria being allowed back into the League. "I follow this subject very closely and I do not yet observe conclusions that lead to the consensus that we are talking about and that may lead to an (Arab) foreign ministers meeting in which they announce the end of the difference and therefore call for Syria to return to occupy the seat," he said. The Arab League is due to hold a summit meeting at the end of March in Tunisia. Asked about the prospects for Syria's readmission, Aboul Gheit noted that Arab League foreign ministers were due to hold two meetings before the summit. "But the matter is not time, the matter is will. The matter is consensus among the states," he said. "For Syria to return, there must be consensus." (Writing by Tom Perry, editing by Ed Osmond) Vivian is still keeping her fans guessing on her much-anticipated wedding to her fiance Sam West. The songbird opened up to Pulse, revealing that she has since moved in with Sam West in Karen, Nairobi. She also talked about her new song, working with Nigerian artiste Omoakin, and more. What is this new love story surrounding Sugar? (Laughs) The new song is a happy song that probably describes the state of mind I am in. It is a love song with a dancehall rhythm. I am simply expressing this love feeling I am in and true to my expectation, my fans like it. You featured Omoakin from Nigeria in the song. How was it working on a collabo with a foreign artiste? Many of my songs, especially the ones I did last year, have been collabos. I love working with other artistes as this gives ones approach diversity and also opens up a new fan base. It was amazing working with Omoakin. Is the song dedicated to your fiance Sam? (Laughs) Like I said, I am in a good place in life but the song can be anyones good expression of love. I believe every girl who has a romantic affair can sing along to those lyrics. Lets just say the inspiration is real. Besides, many of my songs among them Chum Chum and Dream are a happy girls songs. I like bringing out the positive vibe. You have been releasing the songs from your Moran label. Does this mean you are producing yourself? We are working with a number of producers such as Saint P, who are not only recording me but a number of other artistes we are working with. We have some new signings, most of them female artistes. We have also been working with established artistes like Kendi and are in talks with Wahu and Nameless on working on a number of projects together. Is it true that you are running separate studios with your fiance Sam? Who owns Moran? Sam runs a radio station that is based in Nakuru. We didnt want to set up the studio in Nakuru as most of the clients like recording in Nairobi. We are running the business, both of us. Most of the times, I am the one who is taking care of the business there. Besides, it is not so far from our Karen home. Wait Karen? Does that mean you already moved in? (Laughs) Why should that be a surprise? After people do traditional weddings they are set for marriage. We live together, if that is what you want to confirm. So we are confirming that you are married? Team Mafisi should know that I am totally taken. This love is real. Are guys still hitting on you, since you are talking of Team Mafisi? Guys will always be guys. Of course there are people who are still watching with one eye (laughs). Do we hear wedding bells? Like I told you guys before, the pressure to have a wedding is there and that will happen one of these days. Our focus has been more on building the business. I also want to grow Brand Vivian having started a mentorship programme where I nurture and advise upcoming female artistes. I have also started a reading club. People know me for being real and natural and this is the kind of infusion I am making to young artistes. It is my give-back-to-society campaign. What do you love most about Sam? The fact that he is understanding and accepts me for who I am. I think that is what love is all about. He is also hardworking and focused. Is he the kind of guy who can spring a Valentines Day surprise? (Laughs) I dont really know what plans he could have but Im open to all that. Surprises are in order. Lagos (AFP) - Nigeria's ruling party on Monday hit back at the United States and other foreign allies for making "unguarded" public statements ahead of presidential polls this weekend. The US, Britain and the European Union have in recent weeks publicly warned against vote-rigging and election violence, and also expressed concern over President Muhammadu Buhari's suspension of Nigeria's top judge last month. Saturday's election will see Buhari stand for a second four-year term against former vice-president Atiku Abubakar in what is expected to be a close race. Buhari's re-election campaign spokesman Festus Keyamo called the statements from the US and others "notably off-key" and unwelcome. "Instead of encouraging our country toward credible elections, such statements undermine public confidence," Keyamo said. "It would appear that these envoys seem to have discredited the election before it has even taken place." Keyamo's comments come after a key Buhari ally, Kaduna state governor Nasir El-Rufai, said outsiders who intervened in the election "will go back in body bags". "Nobody will come to Nigeria and tell us how to run our country. We have got that independence and we are trying to run our country as decently as possible," he said. He later denied calling for violence against foreigners and instead said he only wanted Nigeria's sovereignty to be respected. Nigeria's last election in 2015 was considered free and fair, but state and local elections as well as earlier presidential polls have been marred by violence and fraud allegations. In recent weeks, tensions have risen between Buhari's All Progressives Congress (APC) and Abubakar's People's Democratic Party (PDP). The PDP has accused the government of seeking to rig the vote while the APC has said the opposition party is fomenting unrest. Last week the US State Department called for a vote "free from outside pressure and intimidation" and said anyone who incites election violence should be "held to account". Story continues The US and Britain have previously said they will impose a visa ban on anyone implicated in vote-rigging or violence. Last month, Washington, London and the European Union publicly expressed concern over Buhari's move to suspend Walter Onnoghen, the chief justice of the Supreme Court who would have ruled on any election dispute. Buhari justified the move as necessary given the judge was facing a corruption case before an oversight body. Compared to 2015, international interest in Nigeria's election has been muted as the US administration focuses on domestic issues and Britain wrestles with its impending exit from the EU. A British colony until 1960, Nigeria is an ally of both countries which are home to large Nigerian diaspora communities. Nigel Farage claims 35,000 people have pledged their support to the Brexit Party in its first 48-hours. (PA) Around 35,000 people have pledged their support to the Brexit Party, Nigel Farage has claimed. The former Ukip leader, and vice-chairman of pro-Brexit group Leave Means Leave, made the claim on Twitter on Monday. The party was recognised by the Electoral Commission on February 5, allowing it to field candidates at upcoming elections. Mr Farage said: An astonishing 35,000 people have registered as supporters of the Brexit Party in the first 48 hours, our politicians better listen. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. After the party was officially recognised Mr Farage hinted at becoming the leader. The former UKIP leader said he would stand as a candidate for the new party in Mays European Parliament elections if Brexit is delayed. He said the party, which publicly launched on January 20, has my absolutely full support. The UK is scheduled to leave the European Union on 29 March but Mr Farage said that if MPs kick the can down the road by extending Article 50, then logically we would have to fight European elections and I would certainly stand in them in those circumstances. Former UKIP economic spokesperson, Catherine Blaiklock, who founded the party, told the Daily Telegraph that a number of hundred Conservative members wanted to defect the new party and the figure was likely to rise. Mr Farage believes the Brexit Party will pull support from across the political spectrum not just the Conservative Party. (PA) However, Mr Farage said the party would gain support from across the political spectrum as people are increasingly identifying along Leave and Remain lines rather than as Conservative or Labour. He said: If the need comes for the Brexit Party to be mobilised, I think it will draw support from across the entire spectrum. I genuinely believe people would be very surprised at the support it would attract. A US newspaper has dropped the syndicated cartoon Non Sequitur after it took a shot at President Donald Trump. The Butler Eagle in Pennsylvania said it would no longer be running the strip by cartoonist Wiley Miller after spotting the rude message included in his 10 February issue. Eagle-eyed readers spotted the message scribbled in the corner of one of the cartoons panels which read: We fondly say go f*** yourself Trump. Mr Miller had teased the insult on Twitter, telling his followers to find the Easter egg from Leonardo Bear-Vinci. In an article headlined Loose lips sink strip: cartoonist fired for cure," Butler Eagle publisher and general manager Ron Vodenichar apologised for the oversight, adding that the vulgar jab had cost Mr Miller his place in the Eagle's Sunday comics. Neither the Butler Eagle nor any other newspaper that includes this strip had an opportunity to remove it even if they had discovered it before distribution, Mr Vodenichar said. We apologise that such a disgusting trick was perpetrated on the reading public. The Butler Eagle will discontinue that comic immediately. Non Sequitur is distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication and appears in more than 700 newspapers. It is not yet clear whether other publications will follow suit. Munich Security Conference (MSC) chairman Wolfgang Ischinger. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse The future of transatlantic relations, the self-assertion of the EU, and the danger of escalating great power rivalries are three main topics at this years Munich Security Conference, according to its chairman Wolfgang Ischinger. The 55th Munich Security Conference, which runs from February 15 to 17, will be attended by the German chancellor, as well as representatives from the United States, Russia, and China. The theme of this years Security Conference Report entitled The Great Puzzle: Who will pick up the pieces? is the broken world order. In his intro to the report, Ischinger writes that we are entering a new era of power competition between the US, China, and Russia accompanied by a certain leadership vacuum in what has become known as the liberal international order. At a press briefing to present the report in Berlin on Monday, Ischinger said that despite the diplomatic stress that US president Donald Trump has put on the transatlantic relationship, it was an an extraordinary, great signal that twice or even three times as many members of the American government will attend the conference as in past years. US vice president Mike Pence and acting defense secretary Patrick Shanahan are expected, as well as Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House of Representatives. Ischinger also said that the European Union was alive and kicking, but faced a pivotal year of big changes, including the EU Parliament elections, a new ECB head, and a new European Commission president. An extraordinary complex undertaking, Ischinger said. But if that is all successful, the European Union will be strengthened, not weakened, by Spring-Summer 2019. In an interview with Deutsche Welle on Friday, Ischinger pushed back against the idea that the EU was about to crumble because of Brexit. We are the strongest trading and economic bloc in the world [and] we have a lot of economic and soft power, he said. Merkel, who goes to the conference every two years, released a video message over the weekend stressing its importance. The security conference, she said, made its name in the Cold War era and talking to each other is today at least just as important as it was during the time of the Cold War. French president Emmanuel Macron recently cancelled his trip to Munich, giving rise to speculation that he was pulling out because of Germany and Frances disagreement over the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Ischinger said Monday that he had been told that Macron needed to stay home and dedicate himself to domestic affairs after the signing of the Treaty of Aachen between France and Germany last month. NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. (AP) Piecing together torn-up jailhouse letters found in dormant files involving the 1986 disappearance of a 3-year-old boy in Nevada yielded a possible confession that led to the arrest of his mother in Florida on a murder warrant, authorities said Monday. North Las Vegas Police Chief Pamela Ojeda said the key to the arrest of Amy Elizabeth Fleming emerged after the case was reopened in 2017 by detectives trying to trace the origin of a fraudulent birth certificate application in the name of the missing boy, Francillon Pierre. "What happened was totally unintentional, I'm sorry, you know that," Fleming wrote to her then-fiance, Lee Luster, while the two were jailed for several months in 1987 for obstructing the investigation, according to a police affidavit submitted to obtain a Dec. 13 warrant for Fleming's arrest. Fleming, 60, was arrested Jan. 29 at her marketing job in Boca Raton, Florida. Police said she was being transferred in custody to Nevada to face a murder charge. The child's body hasn't been found, but Ojeda and the lead detective in the case, Steven Wiese, said new witness accounts also implicate Fleming in his death. "We'd love to have the body of Francillon," Wiese said, "or DNA evidence that proves something. That's not what this case is. This is a case of a lot of little things that, put together, give us the knowledge that Amy Fleming was involved in the homicide of her child." Two witnesses whose names were blacked out in the affidavit told police they overheard Luster tell a woman in a jailhouse meeting area that "'Amy had killed the baby.'" In another letter, Fleming told Luster, "You're the only one I have left to care about. My family is not there, Yo is not there, I cannot face my friends for fear they will be implicated." The couple told police the boy, nicknamed Yo-Yo, wandered away from them at a swap meet. Story continues But investigators found no one who saw the child at the swap meet, according to the 18-page affidavit. Neighbors in the apartment complex where the couple lived said they had not seen the boy with Fleming and Lester for more than a week. Fleming, was 28 at the time and divorced from Pierre's father, who lived in Haiti and was cleared as a suspect in 1986. She was living with and later married Luster, and the couple moved to Florida in 1987, police said. Fleming and Luster had been accused months before the boy's disappearance of physically abusing him. They pleaded guilty in that case after his death and were sentenced to probation. Ojeda said investigators didn't have enough evidence at the time to seek a murder charge. Luster, now 62, has not been charged with a crime. Luster told investigators that several days before reporting the boy's disappearance, he took him camping for a couple of days at an unspecified desert location near the vast Lake Mead reservoir east of Las Vegas on the Colorado River. "Although we're saddened today that we could not bring you good news that we found Pierre alive and well, we are fortunate that we can bring some closure to those affected by this 32-year-old cold case," the police chief said. First fans complained that in the first look at Will Smiths Genie from Guy Ritchies live-action remake of Aladdin, he wasnt blue. Now, in the second look at Guy Ritchies live-action remake of Aladdin, Will Smiths Genie IS blue. Everyone happy now? Not so much. Will Smiths blue genie in Disneys live-action Aladdin (Credit: Disney) Smith is now getting the absolute ribbing of his professional career over the new trailer for the Disney movie, which gives us a brief look at just how blue he is going to be in the film. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Very blue, is the answer. And people are finding it to be a combination of hilarious and frightening. 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. 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. 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. Fans of US sitcom Arrested Development, in which character Tobias Funke persistently fails to join the Blue Man Group, found particular joy in the clip too. 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. The new trailer has showed of a tiny bit more of Ritchies vision, but judging by the general consensus, the Lock Stock director has a fair way to go before many are convinced. Starring Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott and Marwan Kenzari, its due out on May 24. Read more BAFTA 2019s snubs and surprises Letitia Wright talks depression in BAFTAs speech Andy Serkis throws accidental shade at Queen Michelle Obama, 55, showed up at the Grammys last night, to the delight of the music industrys best and brightest. The First Lady and Becoming author made a surprise appearance at the Grammy Awards ceremony, which was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. She was pictured alongside the likes of Alicia Keys, Jada Pinkett Smith, J Lo and Lady Gaga. Posting the image to her 26.8 million followers on her Instagram account, Obama who wore a sparkly two piece suit for the evening revealed she was there to support Keys, who was the host of the night. Michelle Obama pictured with Jada Pinkett Smith (far left), Alicia Keys (middle), J Lo (second to right) and Lady Gaga (far right). [Photo: Getty] Taking to the stage alongside the aforementioned group of women, Obama made a moving speech on the importance of music. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. She said: Music has always helped me tell my story and I know thats true for everybody. Whether we like country or rap or rock, music helps us share ourselves, our dignity and sorrows, our hopes and joys. Click below to see Michelle Obamas best fashion looks: It allows us to hear one another, to invite each other in. Music shows us that all of it matters: Every story within every voice, every note within every song. Is that right, ladies? Obama has gone from strength to strength since the publication of her memoir, Becoming, late last year. Last December, she delighted fans on social media, wearing a sparkly 3,000 pair of boots by Balenciaga for an interview with Sarah Jessica Parker, 53, as part of her book tour. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for non-stop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyleUK. Read more from Yahoo Style UK: Michelle Obamas best fashion moments: How to dress like a former First Lady Piers Morgan criticises Michelle Obama for trash-talking Melania Trump Michelle Obama gave her real opinion about lean in and a swear word was involved By Tyler Choi TORONTO (Reuters) - Michael Wilson, Canada's former finance minister and U.S. ambassador, who led the negotiations on the original NAFTA trade deal, has died at 81, the University of Toronto, where Wilson last served as chancellor, said on Sunday. Wilson first entered politics as a member of Parliament in the Toronto area in 1979 and served under Prime Minister Brian Mulroney as minister of finance from 1984 to 1991. He was later appointed as the minister of industry, science and technology and minister of international trade, shaping the North American Free Trade Agreement talks between Canada, Mexico and the United States. "Michael Wilson's dedicated service to Canadians - including his important work as Minister, Ambassador, and passionate advocate for mental health - will leave a lasting impact on our country," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted. Wilson left politics in 1993 for a career in business, but returned as ambassador to the United States from 2006 to 2009 under Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Wilson then served as chancellor of the University of Toronto from 2012 to 2018. University of Toronto President Meric Gertler described Wilson as a "triathlete" par excellence for his time in politics, business and volunteer work. Wilson was a mental health advocate after the death of his son Cameron from depression and suicide, and chaired the Mental Health Commission of Canada in 2015. Wilson was appointed an officer of the Order of Canada in 2003 and promoted to companion of the Order of Canada in 2010. Wilson is survived by his wife Margie and son Geoff. (Reporting by Tyler Choi; Editing by Dan Grebler) MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexico's state-run electric company is looking to renegotiate generous natural gas contracts it has with private sector firms that stipulate payments even when gas isn't being delivered. Federal Electricity Commission director Manuel Bartlett said Monday the company runs the risk of bankruptcy if it doesn't reach new terms with the companies. He said that since 2015, it has paid private sector companies 62 billion pesos ($3.2 billion) under contracts for gas delivered via pipeline to generate electricity, even when the gas isn't flowing. Several projects have been blocked by community protesters. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador expressed optimism that the contracts could be revised voluntarily, while lambasting their existence in the first place. Several of the companies involved have ties with former government officials in Mexico. "They have done juicy business under the protection of public power; they have inked unfair contracts, contracts that favor individuals," Lopez Obrador said. Lopez Obrador compared the private sector investment to a "conquest," a loaded word in Latin America that alludes to the Spanish conquistadors who laid stake to the region. "Mexico is no longer a land of conquest, this is over," he said, adding later that the private sector incursions into the energy sector were facilitated by influence peddling and government compliance. "There were no borders," he said. Bartlett listed three companies that he said enjoy payments from the company, known as the CFE, despite stalled gas lines. One of those companies, IEnova, said in a statement: "All of IEnova's natural gas transport pipelines with CFE were awarded through open, transparent, international public bid processes, according to international industry standards." The company, a unit of San Diego-based Sempra Energy, said that an IEnova pipeline that began serving CFE in May 2017 went offline the following August due to "acts of sabotage" that were reported to local and federal officials. Story continues IEnova also defended its chairman, Carlos Ruiz Sacristan, after Bartlett named him as one of several former government officials who benefited from private deals with CFE. Bartlett and Lopez Obrador blame past administrations for letting CFE infrastructure fall into disrepair while outsourcing services. Ruiz Sacristan served as communications and transport minister for six years through 2000, under President Ernesto Zedillo. "In his professional career in both the public and private sectors, he has conducted himself ethically, honestly, and transparently," IEnova said of Ruiz Sacristan. Another of the companies, TransCanada, said in a statement that its contracts were obtained through a transparent and open public bidding process. "Since the completion of our projects is clearly of mutual interest for CFE and TransCanada, we welcome the opportunity to work with the government and with the CFE to find solutions to the issues preventing completion of these projects," the statement said. The third company, Mexico's Carso Energy, also defended its contract obtained through public bidding. It said in a statement that two pipelines it built in the U.S. are already operating and that it was only the northern Mexico pipeline that had been held up by disputes with landowners. The delays were making the project more costly, it said. During an interview with Mexican news channel Milenio, former President Felipe Calderon defended the contracts, calling them common in the energy industry. "Otherwise very complicated projects couldn't be financed," he said. Such understandings protect the contractor in the case of community opposition or decisions on behalf of the client to, say, produce electricity by burning coal rather than natural gas. Luis Tellez, who was energy minister under Zedillo and communications and transport minister under Calderon, also issued a statement after Bartlett questioned his work in the energy sector, saying that he complied with Mexican law stating that public servants must refrain from working in a sector they regulated while in government for at least a year after leaving public sector positions. "Currently, I have responsibilities with companies in the sector, nearly 20 years after having been energy minister," Tellez said, adding that he has always been "conscious of the need to avoid conflicts of interest." A hedge fund-owned newspaper company that sought to acquire Gannett Co. pitched a $1.8 billion deal funded exclusively with debt during a meeting with company officials last week a move that Gannett said underscores its decision to reject the offer. Representatives from MNG Enterprises Inc., also known as Digital First Media, met with Gannett privately on Thursday. MNG framed its offer as a transaction that would amount to a merger or combination, not the acquisition proposal that MNG had previously put forth, Gannett said in a press release Monday. Since the proposed tie-up relies solely on new financing, the deal would inevitably lead to steep cost cuts to enable the combined company to pay off the new debt, said a person familiar with the talks who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. The revelations mark the latest development in a high-stakes tug-of-war for control of Gannett, which owns USA TODAY, more than 100 local media brands and digital marketing assets such as ReachLocal and SweetIQ. On Feb. 4, Gannett said its board had unanimously rejected MNG's unsolicited bid to buy the company for $12 per share, saying it was not "credible." A deal would include Gannetts existing debt, which is about $338 million, according to S&P Global. MNG followed up on Thursday by nominating six people with ties to MNG or its majority owner Alden Global Capital to Gannetts board of directors. They included Alden President Heath Freeman, MNG Executive Chairman R. Joseph Fuchs and MNG Chief Operating Officer Guy Gilmore. Proxy fight: MNG/Digital First Media launches proxy fight for seats on USA TODAY owner Gannett's board Gannett rejects offer: Gannett rejects takeover offer from MNG/Digital First Media Gannett valued too low: Digital First $1.4B Gannett value too low, cost-cutting hopes likely unrealistic: Analysts The Gannett board currently has 10 members. It will be reduced to nine after the company's next stockholder meeting, according to a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Story continues With six people on the board, MNG allies would effectively control Gannetts future. We are disappointed that at the meeting on February 7, MNG again failed to provide substantive answers to the basic questions Gannett has repeatedly raised, Gannett Chairman J. Jeffry Louis said in a statement Monday morning. Instead, MNG offered vague and generic statements that further confirmed the boards decision to reject MNGs proposal. Gannett said MNG stated during the meeting that it had neither secured financing for a potential transaction nor even reached out to potential financing sources. MNG has argued that Gannett has failed to deliver enough value for its shareholders and that its own management team has done an effective job at bolstering profits at Digital First, whose publications include The Denver Post and the Boston Herald. MNG said Monday in a statement that "Gannett grossly mischaracterized the meeting" and that it would have financing lined up within weeks. "Gannett is simply trying to distract from the fact that they have no credible path to achieve a $12 valuation on their own," MNG said. The company added, Gannett should do the right thing and resume discussions with MNG towards a transaction, or in the alternative, immediately commence a strategic review process to maximize value for all Gannett shareholders." Gannett said in its Monday press release that at least three of MNGs candidates may be legally incapable of serving on the Gannett board under applicable antitrust laws, given their roles with MNG, which is a competitor of Gannett. Other problems with MNGs proposal include the fact that 78-year-old Fuchs, one of the nominees, is older than Gannetts mandatory retirement age for directors, Gannett said. Gannett has not yet announced a date for its annual stockholder meeting, where shareholders will vote on the board nominees. Gannett shares fell 22 cents, or nearly 2 percent, to close at $10.93 on Monday. Follow USA TODAY reporter Nathan Bomey on Twitter @NathanBomey. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Meeting last week with MNG further confirms rejection of proposal, Gannett says Despite making a mark in the East African music scene, Tanzanian hitmaker Juma Jux has on several occasions missed a spot in the Coke Studio Africa platform. That has since changed following his debut on this years edition of the music show. Juma Jux talked to Buzz on his visits to Kenya, musical journey and future plans. How many times have you been in Kenya and what do you fancy about this country? I have been here five times for both media tours and to unwind. I love Kenya for its serene environment and very beautiful and kind people. Or maybe they (hosts) lead me to nice places only. (Laughs) What brings you to Kenya this time? Im here for Coke Studio recording. Ive followed up on this for a very long time to no avail. But, finally, I thank God that he has made it possible. It opens great chances for artistes in terms of opportunities, platforms and exposure. Why do you think they considered you this time? They got in touch with my team three years ago but things just didnt work out then. I think this time round Ive grown musically and theyve recognised my flair in a big way. I have also received massive support from the region. A very rare choice of music in bongo flava, why R&B? I feel that I have a great strength in R&B and not a big number have tapped into this field. I feel more comfortable with this genre than any other, so I decided to major more and feed that audience that has been thirsting for this kind of music. The secret of thriving as a musician is identifying your audience and serving it as is supposed to. What makes Jux stand out from everyone else? My brand stands out and speaks for me at all times, whether I have new music or not. My clothing line has also given me an upper hand in terms of maintaining my brand. Its big in the whole of East Africa and has continued to roll out to other countries like Nigeria and South Africa. We deal in bags, caps, T-shirts, shoes, phone cases and so on. Does music pay enough in East Africa and what remedies do you think should be made? Music is paying pretty well in East Africa and its notable through several artistes whose lives have changed drastically. Maybe we are not making as much as they make in the US but we are headed towards a safe direction; each time our artistes go overseas for performances they stake high and are received well. We shouldnt copy anything at all from other regions. Lets just be keen on quality as well concentrating on our own languages. Do you think Swahili music can get international? Absolutely. Swahili music is already international and is played on lots of international platforms. Music is a universal language that you dont have to understand its words. We all sing along to some songs whose meanings we dont understand, but they appeal to us in a big way. Most of your fans wouldnt mind knowing what the tattoo on your chest means. (Chuckles) Its basically wordings that have a strong message to my dad, who passed on eight years ago. In a summary it is to appreciate his efforts in caring for me and bringing me up in a Godly way, and that we will meet again someday. I hardly expose the tattoo, clearly since its personal and furthermore I need people to keep guessing. What have you learnt since you joined the industry professionally? Ive been active in the music scene and mainstream media for seven years but I had also tried out my luck for a whole three years prior, and theres a lot that Ive learnt within the period. Ive learnt more strengths than failures, and majoring on these strengths while correcting the mistakes. Among them is not changing with the wave. If you sing one style, dont change to another just because its trending. Jux will remain because he doesnt sound like everyone does. During nominations there is always one category where I stand out and not many artistes can compete with me on that genre. I have also learnt to trust in God and to pray hard before I make any release. Lastly, I have learnt to aim too high such that I will never get comfortable. Whats the secret to making lots of hits and do you write your own music? I believe in consistency, practice and believing in what you are able to do. I have written most of my songs which have ended up as hit songs, but I also have songwriters who write great music as well. If you have something you think will fit me Im not afraid of buying it. Does your lover understand when you act cosy with ladies in your videos? Measles outbreaks in New York and Washington state have public health officials scrambling to contain a disease that was eliminated in the United States nearly two decades ago. Washington state has declared a public emergency in the wake of an outbreak in Clark County that has infected at least 53 people, mostly children. Another four cases have been confirmed in neighboring Multnomah County, Oregon. Another case has been identified in King County, which includes Seattle. Clark County public health officials have long feared a measles outbreak could spread rapidly given the county's cluster of non-vaccinated children. Nearly one in four Clark County kindergarten students during the 2017-18 school year did not get all their immunizations, according to data from the Washington Department of Health. At three schools in the county, more than 40 percent of kindergartners did not receive all recommended shots before starting school. "When you have large numbers of unimmunized people and you introduce measles into that population, it's like putting a lighted match into a can of gasoline," said Alan Melnick, Clark County's public health director. "It will just spread pretty quickly." All but 3 states allow non-medical reasons to skip vaccines In general, Melnick said, public health departments want to immunize up to 95 percent of the population against measles to create herd immunity. Such widespread vaccination protects against the highly contagious virus, which can be spread through the air. It also protects people who are unable to get vaccinated because they have other medical conditions. State laws generally require parents of school-age children to show proof of immunization or claim an exemption before beginning school. All but three states California, Mississippi and West Virginia allow parents to reject vaccinations for non-medical reasons, such as religious or personal beliefs, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Story continues The risk is when there are large numbers of children in a single setting, such as a school or a church, who are not vaccinated. "You need a high enough vaccination rate to prevent measles from spreading," Melnick said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 79 cases of measles in the United States. Beyond Washington and Oregon, cases have been reported in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Texas. 'People dont realize how sick it can make you' The New York outbreak is the state's largest in decades, said Jill Montag, a New York State Department of Health spokeswoman. More than 200 cases have been reported in Rockland and Orange counties and four Brooklyn neighborhoods since October. The vast majority of those cases were identified last year, but some new cases continue to trickle in. There have been two dozen in Rockland and Orange counties since Jan. 1. Two Brooklyn neighborhoods have reported 3 cases in the last week. The Brooklyn cases are concentrated in the Orthodox Jewish community. The outbreak there began when a child who was not vaccinated was infected on a visit to Israel. Israel is itself experiencing a large outbreak, according to the New York City Department of Health. New York health officials have excluded thousands of unvaccinated children from 29 schools and daycare centers where other children might have been exposed to the virus. They have also launched vaccination drives. "We will continue our aggressive, multi-pronged response, until it is clear the outbreak has been contained," Montag said. There has been a surge of mostly parents seeking vaccines for their children in Clark and Multnomah counties, officials said. Dr. Paul Offit, director of the vaccine education center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said the refusal of parents to vaccinate has allowed the highly contagious disease to return. In 2015, an overseas traveler infected with measles visited Disneyland, triggering an outbreak that spread to several states and infected 147 individuals. In 2017, an outbreak among the Somali-American community in Minnesota infected 75 people, according to the CDC. "People arent scared about measles," Offit said. "It is not just that weve largely eliminated these diseases. Weve eliminated the memory of these diseases. People dont realize how sick it can make you." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A quarter of all kindergartners in Washington county arent immunized. Now theres a measles crisis By Nate Raymond BOSTON (Reuters) - Massachusetts' top court on Wednesday upheld the manslaughter conviction of a woman accused of goading her teenage boyfriend into committing suicide in 2014 with text messages and phone calls, in a case that drew national attention to cyber-bullying. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court agreed with a lower court's 2017 ruling on Michelle Carter, who prosecutors said urged her 18-year-old boyfriend, Conrad Roy, to kill himself in a parking lot about 60 miles (100 km) south of Boston. The case, the first in the state to consider manslaughter charges tied to texting, raised concerns among civil liberties advocates who said Carter was being prosecuted for her speech. But Justice Scott Kafker said the evidence supported a finding that Carter, then 17, "badgered" Roy by phone to get back into a carbon-monoxide filled truck he had stepped out of, after "constantly pressuring" him in text messages to commit suicide. "The evidence against the defendant proved that, by her wanton or reckless conduct, she caused the victim's death by suicide," Kafker wrote for the unanimous seven-member court. He rejected arguments by Carter, now 22, that her conviction violated her free speech rights under the U.S. Constitution, saying the court was not punishing her for her words alone, but for "reckless or wanton words causing death." Daniel Marx, Carter's lawyer, in a statement called the decision disappointing and said he was considering an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Roy killed himself on July 12, 2014, by filling his parked truck in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, with carbon monoxide from a generator he had hooked up to it. Prosecutors at trial presented evidence showing that Roy briefly left the vehicle after he began to be overwhelmed by the fumes, but returned after Carter, who spoke with him by phone, urged him to "get back in." That instruction was captured in a text message Carter sent to a friend. She had, in earlier text messages, encouraged Roy to "promise" to kill himself and helped him plan the event after he abandoned earlier suicide attempts. Carter, of Plainville, Massachusetts, was indicted in 2015. She opted against a jury trial, leaving her fate in the hands of Bristol County Juvenile Court Judge Lawrence Moniz, who found her guilty of involuntary manslaughter in June 2017. Moniz subsequently ordered her to serve 15 months of a 2 1/2-year sentence in prison. Her sentence was on hold while she appealed. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. On the other hand, wed be remiss not to mention that insider sales have been known to precede tough periods for a business. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Xinhua News Media Holdings Limited (HKG:309). What Is Insider Selling? Its quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required. Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. For example, a Columbia University study found that insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own companys stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers. See our latest analysis for Xinhua News Media Holdings Xinhua News Media Holdings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when Kin Ming Cheng sold HK$35m worth of shares at a price of HK$0.25 per share. That is hardly a positive sign, even though it took place above the latest price (HK$0.18). So it may not shed much light on insider confidence at current levels. Kin Ming Cheng was the only individual insider to sell over the last year. Kin Ming Cheng sold a total of 150.65m shares over the year at an average price of HK$0.25. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction! SEHK:309 Insider Trading February 11th 19 I will like Xinhua News Media Holdings better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying. Story continues Insider Ownership Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. It appears that Xinhua News Media Holdings insiders own 39% of the company, worth about HK$115m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment. So What Does This Data Suggest About Xinhua News Media Holdings Insiders? The fact that there have been no Xinhua News Media Holdings insider transactions recently certainly doesnt bother us. Its heartening that insiders own plenty of stock, but wed like to see more insider buying, since the last year of Xinhua News Media Holdings insider transactions dont fill us with confidence. Along with insider transactions, I recommend checking if Xinhua News Media Holdings is growing revenue. This free chart of historic revenue and earnings should make that easy. If you would prefer to check out another company one with potentially superior financials then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. To help readers see past the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements. The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. A man was stabbed to death in south-east London on Sunday morning (Picture: SWNS) A man had his throat slit in a London stabbing for refusing to give someone a cigarette, a shopkeeper has said. The victim, believed to be in his 30s, died after he was stabbed in the neck in Lordship Lane in East Dulwich, south-east London, shortly after 3am on Sunday. Shop workers say he was stabbed to death when he refused to give a man a cigarette. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene outside a 24-hour off-licence. The shops assistant manager, Muhammad Khan, said his cousin was working when an argument broke out inside the store. The man was stabbed at an off-licence in East Dulwich (Picture: SWNS) He said both men involved in the fight were black and in their 30s or 40s. Mr Khan said the whole incident from start to finish lasted about 20 seconds and that the knife was about six inches long. MORE: Jeremy Corbyn says Labour may back another EU referendum MORE: Rare tiger killed by her new potential mate at London Zoo He said: They had an argument about cigarettes. My cousin was here, he was manager. The guy who had the knife came in about five or six minutes after the man who got stabbed. The guy with the knife asked the other for free cigarettes, like as a favour or something. I dont know whether he knew him. They had an argument and he took out a knife. Everyone was trying to stop him. A member of staff behind the counter and other customers tried to stop him too. He said he had never seen the man with the knife before. Forensics workers at the scene of the stabbing in south-east London (Picture: SWNS) The assistant manager said the area was very quiet and they never had any trouble with customers. He added: We are always open late, but this is the first time. We have had no trouble around here its very nice, all educated and wealthy people living around here. No arrests have been made and enquiries into what happened are ongoing, the Metropolitan Police said. Formal identification and a post-mortem examination will take place in due course, the force added. Police have appealed for information. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Laverstoke (United Kingdom) (AFP) - Buffalo mozzarella made from the milk of a herd roaming the green rolling hills of southern England is hoping to dethrone the Italian original in the UK thanks to Brexit. Some 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) from Campania in southern Italy is Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire -- owned by the 1979 Formula One motor racing champion Jody Scheckter. "The difference with the Italian mozzarella is that ours is better!" the South African, 69, boasted to AFP on a tour of his farm. Come milking time, the buffaloes leave their barn, straw still stuck to their hooves, and head to the milking sheds. Their milk, rich in protein and calcium, is transformed into white balls of mozzarella which are then sold to customers including supermarket chain Waitrose, online delivery giant Ocado and Pret a Manger sandwich shops. Scheckter turned to mozzarella 10 years ago with the aim of making it "better tasting, without compromise". Nowadays he produces 150 tonnes of organic mozzarella a year on his 2,500-acre (1,000-hectare) farm. The buffalo are pampered, grazing freely in pastures filled with different types of grass and clover. In winter, they can get a massage in the barn from a giant rotating brush. Scheckter said it took a while for the British palate to adjust to the new domestic delicacy. "At the beginning, it was difficult because my mozzarella was fresh and most of the people in England had never tasted fresh mozzarella. They tried Italian mozzarella, which is five days old and starts to get soft," he said. - Switching sources - With just weeks to go before Britain leaves the European Union on March 29 and much of the country in a state of confusion, Scheckter is optimistic. Potential new clients have been in touch, assessing their options as no deal has yet been agreed between London and Brussels on keeping goods from the EU flowing. "The interest is there," said Scheckter. Story continues Around a third of the food eaten in Britain comes from the rest of the EU and the industry fears supply chain disruptions if the UK crashes out without a deal. Some companies are stockpiling, while others are changing to domestic suppliers. Tim Martin, the chairman and founder of the UK pub chain Wetherspoon, has decided to stop selling champagne and other European products in favour of British equivalents. - UK mozzarella exporter - The Azzurri restaurant group, which owns the Zizzi and ASK chains, has switched from Italian to British suppliers for the 650 tonnes of mozzarella it gets through each year. The group's restaurants are now supplied by Glanbia Cheese, one of the largest mozzarella producers in Europe, which exports from the UK to more than 30 countries worldwide. The firm has two production sites, in Wales and Northern Ireland, and announced last year that it was investing 130 million euros ($147 million) in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in the Republic of Ireland. It will be able to produce 45,000 tonnes of mozzarella a year. "We did blind taste-tests and the British mozzarella came out as a winner. It had much better texture and much creamier profile," Kathryn Turner, director of food development at Zizzi, told AFP. "It is a really good product and not just from a taste and flavour profile... It is a more local product. "Brexit always comes into consideration at the moment with daily changes. It wasn't the sole reason why we did it but it was a consideration." On Bleecker Street in Manhattan, there is Planned Parenthood, and there is also a boutique for pregnant women. According to Vogue, the store, Hatch, is arguably the first of its kind, in that it was designed specifically for pregnant shoppers: Changing rooms have a size chart to help you figure out how a garment will fit your belly a few months down the line; theres a cravings bar with candy, pickles, and ice cream; and Goldman set up a downstairs meeting space for workshops and lectures, including one on breastfeeding and another called Dudes to Dads, in which new fathers can learn how to swaddle or change a diaper. When I find myself in the neighborhood, I often wish somewhere in the middle of the road between the forceps and the ice cream there could be a perpetual meeting place, where any woman looking for a moments pause could find a respite. I think of a woman named Eleanor McCullen, who for years has stood outside Planned Parenthood in Boston with a sign offering help, hope, and love. Who doesnt want those things, whatever youre facing? Many a woman has been relieved by her presence, invited by her warm, grandmotherly smile to revisit her options, having been on her way in for an abortion. She stands out like a seat of wisdom, someone who will walk with you and she does. So much so that she and her husband have children named after them, are godparents to children who are in the world because they stepped out to extend a hand to someone who needed to be pulled out of darkness. Ive been thinking a lot about those women who get lost in our debates about abortion, and their children. The State of the Union address was a little bit of an occasion of sin for me because I couldnt get past the women in white. They seemed to care most about the fact that they are in Congress. And yet, what difference does that make? Shouldnt it be a window for a more tender politics? Instead, the Democratic party most noticeably and alarmingly appears to be doubling down on brutality. If an unborn child survives an abortion is delivered alive even then her life is not worthy of protection? The doctor governor of Virginia said as much the day before his medical-school yearbook hit the news for a blackface image. I was grateful for a moment for the connection it made between the two civil-rights movements. But, of course, that message seemed lost on most of those with the megaphones calling for his resignation. Are we resigned to such a poisonous way of life, one that is the very opposite of life-giving? Story continues Weeks after a momentary obsession about a teenager with a Make America Great Again cap and what at first glance looked to some like a smirk, can we take a moment to pause at the smirk on the face of the senior senator from New York while the president of the United States called us out on this barbarism? It should make for an examination of conscience just after the Empire State proudly codified its Abortion Capital of the Country moniker, with a governor who flaunts his extremism, presumably expecting it to be a step to higher worldly power. I understand that the women in white arent going to applaud much of anything this president does or says. But I keep thinking of a letter Pope John Paul II wrote to women, celebrating this great gift of the Creator men and women both, in unique ways. Theres this, in his letter, to all of us: Thank you, women who work! You are present and active in every area of life social, economic, cultural, artistic, and political. In this way you make an indispensable contribution to the growth of a culture which unites reason and feeling, to a model of life ever open to the sense of mystery, to the establishment of economic and political structures ever more worthy of humanity. Theres so much confusion and misery in the world today. What if women, uniting reason and feeling, were to lead a revolution of love? One that took issues that have been our most contentious and transformed them into a meeting ground where a better politics is conceived, one that considers how we can really help women and children and families with some common-ground initiatives? (You dont have to think every abortion is evil to help ease the adoption option or help kids out of foster care.) I think of issues Donald Trump brought up in his address to Congress and in his National Prayer Breakfast speech, for starters: this late-term abortion and born-alive infants monstrosity, the foster-care crisis only made worse by ideological extremism pushing faith-based partners out of being vital resources for children and families and government agencies loving in the way no bureaucracy can. These women right now could contribute to our miserable politics, or they could become trailblazers of a better politics, and while reflecting some of the moral convictions, too, of the suffragettes they sought to honor. Take a pause and consider what could be more life-giving than the current status quo of the Democratic party abortion expansion what could hatch a healthier politics for women and children and families? There are a ton of issues. A baby step would be to quit refusing to stand for a helpless survivor of abortion. And then we might survive these poisonous political seasons and come out of them renewing our commitments to life and liberty. This column is based on one available through Andrews McMeel Universals Newspaper Enterprise Association. More from National Review Vilnius (AFP) - A Saudi terror suspect held in Guantanamo has filed a lawsuit against Lithuania alleging that he was tortured at a secret CIA jail in the Baltic state, a senior government official said Monday. Mustafa al-Hawsawi, 50, has petitioned the European court that last year found Lithuania complicit in a secret CIA programme and ordered the EU member to compensate another terror suspect. "Last week, the government received the Hawsawi petition through the European Court of Human Rights," Deputy Justice Minister Irma Gudziunaite told AFP. She said Lithuania, a staunch US ally that joined both the EU and NATO in 2004, had until March 22 to submit its position. The Strasbourg-based court ruled last year that Lithuania had hosted a secret prison in 2005-2006. The court ordered Vilnius to pay 100,000 euros ($113,000) in damages to Abu Zubaydah, another Guantanamo detainee suspected of being a top Palestinian operative for Al-Qaeda. Lithuanian officials, who deny the existence of any secret CIA jails on their territory, told the court that a building on the outskirts of Vilnius suspected of being such a site was "an intelligence support centre". A pre-trial investigation into the allegations has been ongoing in Lithuania since 2015. The Baltic state says the United States has refused to answer questions from Lithuanian prosecutors or provide requested information. The ECHR ruled that fellow EU and NATO member states Poland and Romania also allowed the unlawful imprisonment of terror suspects more than a decade ago. New York (AFP) - A lawyer denied Sunday allegations by Jeff Bezos that the National Enquirer tabloid had tried to extort and blackmail him, insisting that embarrassing photographs were obtained from a "reliable" source. "It absolutely is not extortion and not blackmail," Elkan Abramowitz, who represents National Enquirer parent company American Media Inc (AMI)'s chief executive David Pecker, told ABC television's "This Week." "What happened was the story was given to the National Enquirer by a reliable source that had been given information to the National Enquirer for seven years prior to the story. It was a source that was well known to both Mr Bezos and Miss (Lauren) Sanchez." Last month, the supermarket tabloid reported that Bezos, 55, had an extramarital affair with a former news anchor, publishing a trove of private text messages. The report appeared days after Bezos and his wife MacKenzie announced their divorce. When asked if the Enquirer's source was Sanchez's brother Michael, as reported by some media outlets, Abramowitz declined to confirm. "It was a person that was known to both Bezos and Ms Sanchez," he said. "I can tell you it's not Saudi Arabia, it's not President Trump, it's not Roger Stone. But I cannot tell you who the source is." The attorney was responding to Bezos's stunning claims published on online platform Medium on Thursday. Bezos hinted he may have been targeted by pro-Trump forces in part because of coverage by The Washington Post, which he owns, of the murder of its contributor Jamal Khashoggi, strangled and dismembered by Saudi agents in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate in October. But Abramowitz insisted that the Enquirer's exchanges with Bezos, which the billionaire released in his online post, were simply journalistic negotiating practices rather than extortion. "The story was already published... it was part of a legitimate negotiation," the lawyer said. "I think both Bezos and AMI had interests in resolving their differences. Bezos didn't want another story written about him or those pictures published, AMI did not want to have the libel against them that this was inspired by the White House, inspired by Saudi Arabia or inspired by The Washington Post." CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) The Latest on Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, who is campaigning in Iowa (all times local): 3:20 p.m. Democrat Elizabeth Warren says President Donald Trump "may not even be a free person" by next year's election. The Massachusetts senator's comments came Sunday as the Democratic presidential candidate campaigned in Iowa a day after Trump renewed his criticism of her past claims of Native American heritage. In a tweet, Trump called Warren "Pocahontas" and said he would see her "on the campaign TRAIL." The White House didn't explain what the president was referring to in his tweet, though some Democrats accused him of making light of the Trail of Tears the forced removal of Cherokee and several other Native American tribes from their lands in the 1830s. Warren's campaign wouldn't say what the senator believes Trump was referencing. Warren has largely avoided talking about Trump since she began testing the waters for a campaign more than a month ago. ___ Sen. Elizabeth Warren is returning to South Carolina this week as part of a tour of early voting states following the official launch of her 2020 presidential campaign. Warren's campaign says the Massachusetts Democrat will make her first trip to Greenville on Saturday for an organizing event. She did something similar last month in the state capitol of Columbia. Warren's South Carolina swing overlaps with Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris of California, who is also eyeing the White House. Harris will be in the state on Friday and Saturday. Warren officially announced her candidacy Saturday in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and is visiting New Hampshire and Iowa this weekend. In addition to South Carolina, she is also making stops in Georgia, Nevada and California. The prices of cars in Kenya are expected to double on the back of a proposed rule that reduces the age limit of imported vehicles to five years, car importers have warned. The Kenya Auto Bazaar Association (KABA) now wants the government to scrap the plan. According to KABA Chairman John Kipchumba, reducing the age of all used imported cars from the current 8 years to 5 years by 2019, then to 3 years by 2021, is not the right policy for Kenya. This will automatically mean that a car that would cost you Sh.500,000 will now cost you at least Sh.1.2 million, said John Kipchumba. He noted that the association is willing to entirely stop the importation of commercial vehicles on condition that 100% of the vehicles are assembled locally and 40% of the components be manufactured locally as well. The industry is willing to stop the importation of the commercial vehicles but they have to prove to us that they have capacity to make the cars here, said Kipchumba. KABA argues that although the Draft National Automotive Policy is yet to be implemented, some of its recommendations are already exposing the widespread incompetence and lack of know-how in the local vehicle assembly sector. Car importers Association of Kenya (CIAK) chairman Peter Otieno also echoed KABAs sentiments saying the move will increase the price of vehicles by between Sh300,000 and Sh400,000, thus locking out many Kenyans and leading to multiple traders closing shop. For example, a Toyota Fielder that goes for Sh1.2 million will be retailing at about Sh1.7 million while a Vitz that costs Sh700,000 will cost Sh1.2 million. This will weigh heavily on Kenyans and affect our economy. Very few people will buy cars, said Mr Otieno. He added: I dont know where they will get the trillions they put in their budgets if they interfere because this is one of the fastest growing industries in this country and the government gets a lot of money from it. LAWRENCE, Mass. (AP) The Latest on Sen. Elizabeth Warren and the 2020 election (all times local): 12:45 p.m. One of Elizabeth Warren's rivals in the Democratic race for president is coming to her defense in the face of attacks by President Donald Trump's re-election campaign. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (KEER'-sten JIHL'-uh-brand) says Trump's name-calling is "irresponsible" and "unpresidential." Warren entered the 2020 race on Saturday, and Trump's campaign immediately issued a statement citing the Massachusetts senator's past claims to Native American heritage. Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale says Warren has been "exposed as a fraud by the Native Americans she impersonated and disrespected to advance her professional career." Gillibrand tells reporters in South Carolina that Warren "has been an extraordinary public servant" who "will keep fighting for Americans." The New York lawmaker says that how Trump "treats women, particularly women of color, is outrageous." ___ 12:40 p.m. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has concluded the launch of her presidential campaign at a rousing rally in her home state of Massachusetts without a mention of the controversy over her past claims to Native American identity that continue to bedevil her campaign. Warren did mention Native Americans on Saturday, as one of several groups, including Latinos and disabled Americans, whom she argues the system is "rigged" against. But she offered no further explanation in her kickoff speech about her previous identification as a race other than white. She has connected that decision to family stories she heard growing up and has apologized to Native Americans troubled by the claim. The Massachusetts Democrat joins a crowded field in her party's primary. She'll battle at least five fellow senators for the nomination and chance to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020. Story continues ___ 12:25 p.m. President Donald Trump's re-election campaign has taken quick note of Elizabeth Warren's presidential candidacy and is sharply criticizing the Massachusetts Democrat, citing her past claims to Native American heritage. Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale says in a statement that Warren has been "exposed as a fraud by the Native Americans she impersonated and disrespected to advance her professional career, and the people of Massachusetts she deceived to get elected." Warren's entry into the 2020 race on Saturday comes after she's apologized for claiming Native American identity on multiple occasions early in her career. It's a claim that's created fodder for Republicans and could overshadow her campaign. Parscale says voters "will reject her dishonest campaign and socialist ideas" that, he says, "will raise taxes, kill jobs and crush America's middle class." ___ 12:03 p.m. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has made her presidential candidacy official, kicking off her bid for the White House at a rally in the working-class town of Lawrence, Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Democrat joins a crowded field in her party's primary. She hopes that her call to fight back against a "rigged system" will resonate as she battles at least five fellow senators for the nomination and chance to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020. Warren has spent the past decade in the national spotlight, first emerging as a consumer activist during the financial crisis. ___ 12:45 a.m. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts was the first high-profile Democrat to signal interest in running for the White House in 2020, but it's now a crowded field. She's banking on a populist call to fight economic inequality, which she hopes will distinguish her and help her move past the controversy surrounding her past claims to Native American heritage. Warren has spent the past decade in the national spotlight, first emerging as a consumer activist during the financial crisis. She later led the congressional panel that oversaw the 2008 financial industry bailout. After Republicans blocked her from running the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an agency she helped create, she ran for the Senate in 2012 and unseated a GOP incumbent. She has $11 million left over from her commanding 2018 Senate re-election victory that can be used on her presidential run. L Brands, Inc. LB came out with its comparable sales (comps) results for January, wherein the metric for the four-week period ended Feb 2, 2019, declined 1%. Looking at the monthly trend, the companys comps performance appears to have lost momentum, lately. We note that comps rose 9% in November, followed by flat comps in December. The companys net sales decreased 25% to $780.1 million during the month under review from $1.04 billion reported in the prior-year period. Net sales had also dipped 1.6% in the preceding month. Moving on, Victorias Secret has been witnessing dismal comps performance for quite some time now. For the month of January, the brand saw its comps decline 1%, against 4% growth in the prior-year period. This decline can be attributed to soft performance in Lingerie and Pink brands. Also, Victorias Secret merchandise margin rate fell significantly, due to higher promotional activities to boost traffic. This specialty retailer of women's intimate and other apparel, beauty, and personal care products has been reeling under consumers changing preferences that continue to impact its Victorias Secret lingerie brand. Although the brand has been making efforts to get back on track through increased promotions in the past year, it failed to make a mark during the recent holiday season. Per sources, the company intends to close some of its Victorias Secret brand stores to focus on its core categories. Meanwhile, comps remained flat in Bath & Body Works compared with growth of 13% registered in the year-ago period. Management informed that lean inventory levels resulted in less promotional activities for the month under review. Merchandise margin rate for the brand increased on the back of less promotional activities, partly negated by expenses related to supply-chain issues. For the 13-week period ended Feb 2, comps rose 3% year over year, while net sales inched up 0.6% to $4.9 billion. Comps declined 3% year over year at Victorias Secret, while the metric improved 12% at Bath & Body Works. Meanwhile, shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have lost 28.7% in the past three months, underperforming the industrys decline of 14.6%. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Story continues Apart from L Brands; Costco COST, Zumiez ZUMZ and Buckle BKE reported sales results for January. Costco and Zumiez registered comps growth of 5.2%, and 3.5%, respectively. However, comps for Buckle declined 2.2%. Is Your Investment Advisor Fumbling Your Financial Future? See how you can more effectively safeguard your retirement with a new Special Report, 4 Warning Signs Your Investment Advisor Might Be Sabotaging Your Financial Future. Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Zumiez Inc. (ZUMZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report Buckle, Inc. (The) (BKE) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Seoul (AFP) - The agreement for a second summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un was a "remarkable breakthrough" for peace negotiations on the Korean peninsula, President Moon Jae-in said Monday, but he acknowledged doubts remained over denuclearisation. The US President and North Korean leader are due to meet in Hanoi from February 27 to 28 following their landmark first summit in Singapore last June. That meeting -- the first-ever between the leaders of the US and North Korea -- produced a vaguely-worded document in which Kim pledged to work towards "the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula". But progress has since stalled with the two sides disagreeing over it means and analysts say tangible progress on denuclearisation will be needed if the talks are to avoid being dismissed as "reality TV". With the high-stakes summit now two weeks away, Pyongyang has yet to provide any official confirmation of the meeting in the Vietnamese capital. "For us, the era of peace and prosperity on the peninsula has drawn closer," said Moon in his first comments since the summit was announced. The meeting was a "remarkable breakthrough in the peace process on the Korean peninsula", the South Korean president added. But he acknowledged there were "still many doubts about whether the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and peace process can be concluded successfully". The leaders of the two Koreas and the US have persisted in talks over the issue because of "strong confidence in the direction history should take", added Moon, who has taken on the role of middle man between Pyongyang and Washington, trying to bridge the gap on denuclearisation talks. Security allies Seoul and Washington have at times pursued divergent approaches toward Pyongyang, with the dovish South Korean leader pursuing engagement while the United States insists pressure must be maintained until the North denuclearises. But Moon expressed gratitude to both Trump and Kim for their "unprecedented, bold diplomatic efforts", saying they were "crossing a sea of deep mistrust". By John Davison NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - On a backstreet in Iraq's holy city of Najaf, Iranian pilgrims shuffle in and out of a small doorway, making a short but important detour. They have come to see where the leader of the Islamic revolution once dwelled in exile. The former home of the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who in 1979 led an uprising that ousted the Shah of Iran, is bustling with tourists on the 40th anniversary of the birth of the Islamic Republic. Escaping for a moment Najaf's crowded Shi'ite Muslim shrine nearby, they tour the humble home which is now a museum and gallery showcasing Khomeini's political and personal life. Teenagers take selfies in rooms where he studied, prayed and developed his ideas for the establishment of an Islamic state. "The house captures the spirit of Khomeini. He was not interested in money or worldly possessions - he was there to serve the people," said one visitor, 56-year-old Mohammad Javad Elahi. Khomeini's Najaf abode, where he lived for 13 years before being expelled from Iraq by Saddam Hussein in 1978, has little furniture. His private meeting room is small with only a carpet to sit on. Photos on the walls show Khomeini with his children and grandchildren, although most are iconic pictures of the uprising, including the takeover of Iran's embassy in Paris by protesters and Khomeini's arrival by plane in Tehran after the fall of the Shah. Elahi, a logistics manager from Tehran, said he saw Khomeini's legacy as an Iran that stands firm in the face of U.S. sanctions. Despite unrest over a hurt economy, sanctions had served to unite many Iranians behind their current government, he said. "We don't suffer the upheaval of some of our neighbors. Things are mostly stable," he said, referring to conflicts in Arab countries in recent years. Other visitors said they saw the Islamic republic as an improvement on the secular monarchy which it replaced. "I was 13 during the revolution. I remember the time of the Shah. He was a Western puppet the economy and politics of Iran was basically in the hands of America and its allies," said Alireza Ghorbani, a retired school teacher. "The Shah's secret service killed and tortured opposition, including clerics." 'BETTER THAN THE SHAH' The 1979 uprising deposed Western-allied Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Khomeini spent the final year of his exile in France. Khomeini's Islamic republic, and the leadership that has followed it under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have been criticized internationally for crackdowns on political opponents, including during protests over alleged election fraud in 2009 and last year over wages and complaints of corruption. Those visiting Khomeini's Najaf home, all religious tourists, said they support Iran's clerical establishment. "Most people in Iran supported the revolution," said Mohammad Kazemi, a clergyman from northwestern Tabriz. "Things are still better than before. Today I'm here to pay my respects to its leader." Khomeini went into exile in the 1960s, first to Turkey then to Najaf. The Iraqi city and Qom in Iran are the seats of the two great seminaries for Shi'ite clergy. Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani is based in Najaf. Khomeini mostly kept a low profile in Najaf, studying and lecturing, but also developed his ideas for a system of Islamic governance. Iran's influence in Iraq, which has steadily grown since the U.S. invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003, has brought with it increasing numbers of Iranian tourists and pilgrims. Hundreds of thousands visit Iraq's holy shrines at Najaf and Kerbala each year. This week, many were stopping through Khomeini's home. (Reporting by John Davison, additional reporting by Alaa Marjani, Editing by William Maclean) Madrid (AFP) - It's been a tumultuous few years for Oriol Junqueras, the Catalan professor who became vice-president of a regional government that tried to break away from Spain and who is now preparing to take centre-stage at a major trial. The paunchy politician could face 25 years in prison for his role in Catalonia's 2017 secession bid. As the main protagonist of the high-profile trial that opens Tuesday in the absence of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, who fled Spain, Junqueras is one of 12 separatist leaders in the dock. The 49-year-old is charged with rebellion and misuse of public funds. A lifelong supporter of independence, he has already spent 15 months in pre-trial custody where he has taught fellow inmates history, astronomy and Italian, according to close friend and advisor Raul Murcia. "He's become friends with a number of people who are in prison for various reasons... drug trafficking, murder, robberies," Murcia said. Junqueras appears as determined as when he was jailed in November 2017 after choosing to remain in Spain rather than escape following a failed declaration of independence. "We won't renounce any democratic and peaceful method to get a Catalan republic," the father-of-two told a gathering last month in Barcelona. He didn't speak directly to the audience, of course. A hologram of Junqueras making a speech in his pre-prison days was beamed on stage as people nearby read comments he wrote from behind bars. - Inscrutable - Born on April 11, 1969 in Barcelona, Junqueras was educated at an Italian religious school. He is a practising Catholic who speaks Spanish, Catalan, English and Italian, and once did research at the Vatican where he met the man who would later become pope Benedict XVI, says Murcia. A history professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, he was elected a European lawmaker in 2009 and picked to head the pro-independence, left-wing ERC party in 2011. Story continues The affable Junqueras, described as a "teddy bear" by opposition figure Miquel Iceta, became vice-president of Catalonia in January 2016. He was later tasked with organising the highly sensitive independence referendum, despite a court ban. Known for skirting journalists' questions, he commands loyalty but remains inscrutable. "Despite days and days of conversations with him, I still question who Oriol Junqueras really is and what his personal and political project is for Catalonia," Santi Vila, one of his former government colleagues, wrote in his book. Regardless, Junqueras was seen as the more pragmatic voice to Puigdemont's staunch idealism. Enric Millo, who was Madrid's representative in Catalonia during the 2017 crisis and had frequent dealings with Junqueras, said he had initially hoped to negotiate a solution. "He would suggest possible solutions and I would too," he recalled, adding that Junqueras told him he was in no rush to achieve independence, knowing that a precipitous move would have dramatic consequences. "But as time went by, we realised it wasn't possible. That actually Junqueras was ready to go all the way," Millo said, accusing him of being "two-faced". "He talks really well, almost like a priest... and all of a sudden when it comes to act he draws the knife." - 'Junqueras's moment' - On October 1, 2017, the independence referendum took place, marred by police violence. After that, all eyes were on whether Puigdemont would declare independence or instead call snap regional polls, a conciliatory move. According to Santi Vila's incredulous account, Junqueras the moderate did not help Puigdemont make that move and thus failed him in a "spectacular" way. It is widely believed that by then, neither Junqueras nor Puigdemont wanted to be labelled "traitors" to the independence movement by calling elections. So it was that on October 27, the majority-separatist Catalan parliament declared independence from the rest of Spain and Madrid promptly ousted the regional executive. Several days later, Puigdemont and several others fled to Belgium. Junqueras chose to remain "because of his responsibility towards fellow citizens and also a little for his family," said Murcia. Both men are now vying for leadership of the independence movement in a society split down the middle over the issue. The beginning of his trial puts Junqueras firmly in the spotlight. For Enric Juliana, deputy director of Catalonia's La Vanguardia daily, "it's Junqueras's moment". Journalist Meghan Murphy on Monday filed a lawsuit against Twitter after she was banned from the platform over tweets referring to a transgender individual by their biological sex and opining that women arent men. After a number of temporary suspensions, Twitter in November permanently locked the verified account of Murphy, a Canadian writer and self-described feminist, informing her that she had violated the platforms hateful-conduct rules. We prohibit targeting individuals with repeated slurs, tropes or other content that intends to dehumanize, degrade or reinforce negative or harmful stereotypes about a protected category, the policy reads. In late October, Twitter added targeted misgendering or deadnaming of transgender individuals to its list of prohibited behavior and applied the policy retroactively to Murphys earlier tweets. Women arent men, read an October tweet from Murphy. How are transwomen not men? What is the difference between a man and a transwoman? she wrote in another. Murphy deleted those tweets, per Twitters request, but her account was locked again, this time with no reason given, when she wrote that some of the social-media giants rules were bullsh*t. Im not allowed to say that men arent women or ask questions about the notion of transgenderism at all anymore? she tweeted. That a multi-billion dollar company is censoring basic facts and silencing people who ask questions about this dogma is insane. Her account was locked permanently a few days later when she referred to a transgender female by a male pronoun. Murphys lawsuit, filed in California court in San Francisco County, where Twitter is headquartered, accuses the company of false advertising and deceptive conduct. The big tech giants are counting on users to quietly accept their bans and not stand up for their rights, Murphys lawyers said in press release. But Murphy is fighting back against the attempts of powerful social-media conglomerates to silence her and millions of others. Story continues Murphy has long been critical of the transgender-rights movement. Treating gender as though it is either internal or a personal choice is dangerous and completely misunderstands how and why women are oppressed under patriarchy as a class of people, she told the Canadian Senate in 2017. The rights of women and girls are being pushed aside to accommodate a trend. Now were banned, were silenced, and I actually think its quite dangerous, Murphy said in December. This is the new public square, and they know it. Theyve created this platform that they say is a place for people to share ideas. More from National Review Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote to the prime minister last week (Picture: PA) Jeremy Corbyn wants the Conservatives to get their Brexit through so he can wash his hands of it, it has been reported. Last week, the Labour leader wrote a letter to prime minister Theresa May outlining five demands to secure his partys support for her deal. At the weekend, she wrote back to Mr Corbyn, and Downing Street later said it would reject any calls to remain in the customs union with the EU, as he demanded. But on Monday, ITV political editor Robert Peston reported that the original letter from Mr Corbyn to Mrs May had contained a reference to a second Brexit referendum. Prime minister Theresa May will give a Brexit update in the Commons on Tuesday (Picture: PA) Mr Peston said shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer, who drafted the original letter, was unhappy that this paragraph was later removed without his knowledge. And he said a Labour source had told him that Mr Corbyn and those closest to him are only interested in seeing through Mrs Mays Brexit so they can wash their hands of it. MORE: Jeremy Corbyn says Labour may back another EU referendum MORE: Rare tiger killed by her new potential mate at London Zoo In a Facebook post, Mr Peston said: I am told that the original draft of Corbyns letter to May, which was written by Labours shadow Brexit secretary Starmer, contained reference to the partys fallback position of a referendum. And this was struck out by Corbyns office before the letter was sent. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. But none of that means there is a deal to be done between Corbyn and May because the scale of compromise for both may well be beyond what their parties can wear and bear. To get his party on board, Corbyn would have to explain why he would be doing a deal whose effect could be to sustain the Tory government in office till 2022. I am told Starmer is not the happiest member of the front bench, to put it mildly according to multiple sources. He had agreed that the final part of Corbyns letter to May would say if you do not accept this (Brexit offer) there will be a Peoples Vote. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. A source tells me LOTO (the leader of the opposition) agreed to this. But then Keir discovered after the letter had been sent and published that the Peoples Vote para had gone. Story continues Apparently Starmers reaction has not been one of unbridled joy. And even erstwhile Corbyn loyalists are becoming grumpy at what they see as his refusal to follow the revealed will of Labour members and supporters that their should be a referendum. One said: the only interest of Corbyn and his aides is seeing a Tory Brexit through so they can wash their hands of it. Mrs May has offered further talks with Labour in an attempt to secure cross-party consensus on Brexit. Mrs Mays response to Mr Corbyns letter (Picture: PA) In her letter to Mr Corbyn, she questioned his call for a customs union with Brussels, but offered concessions in other areas and said she wanted talks between Labour and Tory teams as soon as possible. The prime minister said she wanted the Tory and Labour teams to consider alternative arrangements to the Irish backstop. But she insisted her deal already met many of the conditions he had set, without tying the UK in to a customs union arrangement which would prevent Britain from striking its own trade deals. Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer was reportedly unhappy about the removal of a reference to a second referendum in Mr Corbyns letter (Picture: PA) Mr Corbyns demand is for a customs union that gives the UK a say on future trade deals the EU might strike something Brussels appears unlikely to accept. Mrs May will give a statement to Parliament on Tuesday on the latest developments in Brexit talks. International trade secretary Liam Fox has warned that Labour proposals for a customs union with the EU are not workable. He said: The idea that you can have a customs union with the EU and at the same time, as an outside country, have an effect on EU trade policy is to not understand the EU treaties. It is very clear from the European Union that non-EU members do not have a say in EU trade policy so to pretend that you could do so is a dangerous delusion. The ghost of Ron Johnson lives on in hundreds of J.C. Penney stores, you just have to look real closely. Faux wood floors that once showcased fashionable Joe Fresh wares an edgy Canadian apparel brand brought in by Johnson now hawk run of the mill womens dresses. Shops that were built by Johnson in the home department to feature the pricey Jonathan Adler lifestyle brand a move done without much regard to cost or insight into the core J.C. Penney customer are now organized by product type. The home brands found in these physical structures are often less well known than Adler, and the price is usually 50% off. That 50% off sign is a far cry from the norm during Johnsons reign as CEO of J.C. Penney, where he famously did away with coupons and promoted a fair and square pricing scheme. Johnson came in guns blazing as CEO of J.C. Penney in November 2011. Armed with a track record of success as the architect of Apples retail stores alongside Steve Jobs, Johnson loaded up J.C. Penneys balance sheet with debt to push forward an agenda of opening hundreds of shops to cater to both higher income and younger customers. When I went to J.C. Penney, the goal was to create a new concept to really get at a younger customer. J.C. Penney was really good in the 1960s, but their customers aged and others went elsewhere, Johnson recalled in an interview with Yahoo Finance. So I had a vision to really remake the department store to be about great value everyday, about new exciting products, about an improved in-store environment. We were on that journey, but it was difficult. Anytime you make a major change, your business is going to go down before it goes up, added Johnson. A lot of people that I worked with at J.C. Penney employees and board members just werent quite comfortable that the direction I was leading with was the right one. So they decided to bring back Mike Ullman and do a U-turn. That turned out to be a tough decision, too, because they havent added any sales over the last five years. Story continues J.C. Penneys sales have largely been stagnant the past five years in 2014, sales reached $12.3 billion and are seen hitting $12 billion in 2018. The struggling retailer hasnt disclosed its full year 2018 financial results yet. When things at JCP got real bad Amidst the process of trying to create this futuristic retailer while working with very cautious veteran J.C. Penney executives and a cost conscious core shopper, Johnson sat back and watched sales absolutely fall off a cliff. The declines were stunning, almost never seen before at a publicly traded retailer. In Johnsons first full year as CEO in 2012, J.C. Penneys same-store sales crashed 25.2%. The company lost $766 million on an adjusted operating income basis. Cash flow plunged to $930 million from $1.5 billion the year before. Meanwhile, the online business was mostly neglected despite the advance of digital shopping as Johnson went all in on remodeling physical stores. Through it all, Johnsons earnings calls with Wall Street and interviews with media were supremely positive. Even by CEO standards Johnsons boasts were over the top. Some 17 months into the gig, Johnson was shown the door. Still reeling from Johnsons initiatives, J.C. Penney lost a staggering $1.2 billion on an adjusted operating income basis in 2013. J.C. Penneys stock price under Johnson: a not so flattering decline of 57%. Former J.C. Penney CEO Ron Johnson announces the new jcpenney strategy at the jcpenney launch event at Pier 57 on January 25, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for jcpenney) The return of discounts and coupons There have been three CEOs at J.C. Penney since Johnson got the boot former long-time J.C. Penney CEO Myron Ullman (brought back into stabilize J.C. Penney after Johnson), Home Depot stores executive Marvin Ellison (groomed by Ullman; left during summer 2018) and more recently, Jill Soltau. Ullman and Ellison gave it their best shot to dig J.C. Penney out of the hole Johnson put the storied department store in. When Ullman brought back coupons, sales turned around a bit as price sensitive consumers cheered. He also recruited Ellison from Home Depot to assume the CEO mantle. Ellison debuted appliances in the stores, hardwood flooring, Michael Strahan mens clothing, snazzier footwear departments and a better website experience. Sales bounced back, but hit the skids in 2018 as consumers viewed J.C. Penney as too expensive, again. Ellison also signed off on 138 store closures in 2017. Saving the beleaguered retailer Retail veteran Soltau started at J.C. Penney in October 2018 and will be tasked with, like those before her, fixing some of the issues created during Johnsons reign. Unlike when Ullman and Ellison led the company, Soltau takes over with a severely weakened balance sheet and even stronger digital competitors. Consumers are still unsure if J.C. Penney offers them the best value on a sweater or piece of luggage. Younger consumers would rather mow the lawn than spend 30 minutes walking around a two-level J.C. Penney looking for a cool outfit. Saving J.C. Penney wont be easy, and there could be no guarantee it can be done. And guess who couldnt agree more: Johnson. It depends on how they execute, Johnson said when asked if J.C. Penney would be around in five years. They are obviously going to have to reduce their store footprint somewhat. They are going to have to get customers back into the store. But they have a lot of smart people. They are going to work really hard. Its a challenge because the middle American mall is struggling. So they will work really hard at it and if they execute, they will be around in five years. Johnson stopped short of saying yes, J.C. Penney would be in business in the year 2024. He added that its important that J.C. Penney changes the customer perception of the brand. You have to get new customers, Johnson said. If you cant appeal to the young consumer, the young family, your future is going to be difficult. Johnson has since founded Enjoy, a Silicon-Valley based e-commerce platform that bids itself as the first mobile retail store available on demand. All in all, Johnson seems to be a man that has come to terms with his rocky J.C. Penney tenure. Unfortunately, that peace doesnt extend to his former employer. Brian Sozzi is an editor-at-large at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @BrianSozzi Read more: J.C. Penney deciding to stop selling appliances signals why it's dying Is J.C. Penney dying? Walmart is thinking like a tech company as its battle with Amazon heats up Rome (AFP) - Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini spoke by phone with Venezuela's Juan Guaido on Monday after meeting with an opposition delegation he sent from the crisis-hit Latin American nation, his spokesman said. Salvini, who is also deputy prime minister, had a "friendly" conversation with Guaido in which he expressed his "total support" for free elections, later saying they should happen "as soon as possible". Guaido, who heads Venezuela's opposition-controlled National Assembly, last month declared himself interim president, sparking a standoff with beleaguered President Nicolas Maduro. He has so far been recognised as Venezuela's interim president by some 50 countries, although Italy is one of the few EU states yet to do so. During the conversation, Salvini acknowledged Italy's populist government was still divided over the matter even though Rome never recognised Maduro's reelection in May 2018 following a vote which was disputed by the opposition and overseas. Salvini agreed to see the Venezuelan delegation after Guaido wrote to him requesting that they present him with details of the "action plan to relaunch democracy in Venezuela through free and fair elections". "I see it as my duty to welcome a delegation from the Venezuelan parliament which is the only legitimate entity in power at this moment given that the apparent president, Maduro, has never been recognised as such by the international community," Salvini said. The Venezuelan delegation includes a number of senior National Assembly figures such as Francisco Sucre, who heads the parliamentary foreign affairs committee, and Rodrigo Diamanti, its European representative for humanitarian aid. By Olga Yagova and Devika Krishna Kumar MOSCOW/NEW YORK (Reuters) - When the global oil trading industry gathered for its biggest annual meeting in Asia in September last year, U.S. oil producing companies came well prepared. U.S. giant Exxon Mobil and European rival Royal Dutch/Shell prepared brochures for oil buyers detailing various U.S. crude grades and why they were suitable to replace part of Asia's long-standing supplies from the Middle East, Africa and Russia. As the oil industry gathers in London this month for the annual IP Week, U.S. crude producers may have every reason to toast the success of their campaign in Europe, as well as Asia. Only a few years ago, before the hydro-fracking and shale revolution overturned the economics of U.S. oil production, the United States was the world's largest oil importer by far and prohibited exports of oil by law. Now shipments of U.S. crude into Europe have just hit a new record. January imports were 630,000 barrels per day, still - behind Russia and Iraq but above other OPEC producers including Nigeria and Libya. Higher U.S. crude exports have been helped by lower supplies of Iranian and Venezuelan crude, which Washington has put under sanctions, scaring buyers across the world. GRAPHIC: Crude oil suppliers to Europe in January 2019 - https://tmsnrt.rs/2UUtkZM In the whole of 2018, U.S. supplies to Europe doubled to 430,000 bpd, according to Refinitiv Eikon flows data. That represented 6 percent of overall imports or equal to the levels of Iranian oil imports to Europe before the United States imposed fresh sanctions on Tehran. GRAPHIC: U.S. supplies to Europe in 2017-2019 - https://tmsnrt.rs/2BmWo4Q "U.S. crude is a real headache. It puts a lot of pressure on regional light grades. In fact, prices for all grades are affected because it is such a significant extra supply," said a trader with a European trader selling Russian oil. Pressure will likely only increase as for 2019 U.S. crude oil production is expected to average 12.06 million bpd, up 1.18 million bpd from last year, according to U.S. government. Story continues Future predictions say the United States could produce as much as 15 million bpd of crude and up to 20 million bpd of total oil liquids, giving it complete self-sufficiency as it would fully cover its consumption of 18-19 million bpd. Booming U.S. production has prompted OPEC and major non-OPEC producers like Russia to slash output by 3-4 percent since 2017 to prop up prices. The pact has helped double prices to $60 per barrel but at the expense of a market share loss to U.S. firms. "Welcome to the free market," said a U.S.-based executive of an international trading firm. "Local producers either need to drop their pricing to compete or find other markets". Competition is particularly acute in northwest Europe, where Britain and the Netherlands imported 6.5 and 5.1 million tonnes of U.S. crude in 2018 respectively. GRAPHIC: U.S. supplies to Europe in 2018 - https://tmsnrt.rs/2UJfngZ BP, Litasco, Equinor, Total and ExxonMobil were among the main buyers in the Baltic replacing North Sea barrels with U.S. grades, traders say. "WTI is the new dated Brent," said a senior crude trader referring to the U.S and European benchmarks. BP takes U.S. oil to its Gelsenkirchen refinery in Germany while Poland's PKN Orlen said in January it would cut Russia's Urals purchases from Kremlin oil major Rosneft by 30 percent and partially replace it with U.S. barrels. In Britain, the main U.S. oil buyers are Essar Oil and Exxon Mobil, traders said. In the Mediterranean, buyers of U.S. barrels - Italy, Spain, France - tend to use them to replace light Caspian CPC Blend, Russia's Urals and Iranian oil, traders said. Greece's Hellenic Petroleum added WTI to its list of preferred crude options alongside Urals and CPC as did Turkey's Tupras. In Italy, U.S. oil flows to Kuwait Petroleum's Milazzo refinery and the Swiss Varo Energy's plant. WTI was by far the most popular U.S. grade among European buyers in 2018, followed by Midland Eagle Ford, Bakken and Mars. GRAPHIC: U.S. crude oil supplies to Europe by grades - https://tmsnrt.rs/2UYoQ4r As the world moves to tighter marine fuel regulations, which will increase demand for light barrels, demand for U.S. oil - which is predominantly light - will only rise. "I expect U.S. crude to become even more popular in Europe. It seems that whatever is happening to oil markets these days, the U.S. benefits," said a trader with large European major. (Editing by Vladimir Soldatkin, Dmitry Zhdannikov and David Evans) No to Phobia! Civil Platform Request Qualification of Vitaly Saparov Murder Case No to Phobia! civil platform echoes the fact of ruthless murder of the human rights defenders Vitaly Safarov, 25, and calls on the Prosecutors Office of Georgia to re-qualify the criminal case into an organized crime.We believe that the accident of September 30, 2018 once again proved increasing tendency of the hate motivated crimes in the society, in response to what the state institutions fail to compressively and effectively elaborate preventive mechanisms for the identification of crime motives and adequate punishment of perpetrators.Two persons were arrested for the murder of Safarov. Witness statements and the profile pages of the defendants in social networks allow us to assume that they are members of the Neo-Nazi group. One of the detainees was charged under the Article 376 of the Criminal Code of Georgia that refers to not reporting to police about the crime. It is noteworthy that there is evidence, which prove that the defendant participated in the murder he was beating the victim with so-called Kastet, so he actively participated in the committed crime. According to the information obtained by the lawyer, this allegation is proved by the testimonies of the eye-witnesses and the recordings of the surveillance cameras; it is also proved by the wounds on the body of the victim, which were caused by two weapons. In this light, the abovementioned defendant shall be charged for the participation in the intentional murder instead not reporting about the crime.Unfortunately, it is not the first criminal case in the recent period, when the investigation into the organized crimes is conducted with wrong qualification1. This incorrect practice, on the one hand, may be connected with the low-qualification of the representatives of the investigative bodies, including the prosecutors office of Georgia, and on the other hand, it may be caused by the lack of state will to effectively fight against organized crime.As for the second defendant, initially he was charged under Article 108 of the CCG intentional murder (without aggravating circumstances). The signatory organizations positively evaluate that the prosecutors office shared the recommendation of the human rights organizations and re-qualified the charge into the Article 109 Part II d of the CCG; namely, the investigation added aggravating circumstances to the charge: intentional murder due to racial, religious, national or ethnic intolerance.Fight against the hate motivated crimes is one of the key challenges of the state. Although the Ministry of Internal Affairs and prosecutors office commenced positive amendments for the identification of discriminative crimes and investigation, the investigation processes into complicated crimes or/and crimes with political context still fails to meet the standards of adequate and effective investigation. Moreover, the State does not have systemic policy to prevent discriminative crimes and only tries to react to incidents. Unfortunately, the Government is unable to support and strengthen the equality ideas even with statements. Weak policy of the state complicates construction of inclusive, equality-based and peace-oriented society.It is essential that in the past years we observed empowerment and radicalization tendency of various ultra-nationalist political groups. Part of them openly demonstrate violent tactics or/and violent intensions. First of all, similar groups, of course, create threats for culturally non-dominant groups (religious, ethnic minorities, migrants, and LGBTI people) and with active propagandist tools increase their marginalization. The state policy is weak and superficial with regard these groups. The state does not research social and political reasons of the creation of these groups and at the same time, it does not have systemic preventive and legal policy to fight against violent groups. Murder of Vitaly Safarov was clear demonstration of this violence and threat. Unfortunately, Vitaly Safarovs case did not become lesson learned for the law enforcement bodies and pre-condition for the adequate punishment of perpetrators.Considering the abovementioned, the Platform calls on the Tbilisi Prosecutors Office to change the qualification of the criminal case over Vitaly Safarovs intentional murder and charge both defendants for the organized crimes.Implementation of fair justice over Vitaly Safarovs case is critically important for the prevention of similar crimes, to maintain public trust towards law enforcement bodies and to protect equality and democracy ideas. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. On the other hand, wed be remiss not to mention that insider sales have been known to precede tough periods for a business. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in China Gem Holdings Limited (HKG:1191). Do Insider Transactions Matter? Its quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required. We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. For example, a Columbia University study found that insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own companys stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers. See our latest analysis for China Gem Holdings The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At China Gem Holdings Ling Zhong made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for HK$33m worth of shares at a price of HK$0.097 each. So its clear an insider wanted to take some cash off the table, even below the current price of HK$0.15. Even though it doesnt necessarily mean anything, thats certainly not a positive sign, in our book. When an insider sells below the current price, it does tend to make us wonder about the current valuation. Please note, however, that this single sale was 52.3% of Ling Zhongs stake. The only individual insider seller over the last year was Ling Zhong. Notably Ling Zhong was also the biggest buyer, having purchased HK$25m worth of shares. Story continues Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 200.14m shares worth HK$25m. But insiders sold 338.72m shares worth HK$33m. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below! SEHK:1191 Insider Trading February 11th 19 For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. Insider Ownership of China Gem Holdings I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. I reckon its a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Our data indicates that China Gem Holdings insiders own about HK$50m worth of shares (which is 8.0% of the company). We do note, however, it is possible insiders have an indirect interest through a private company or other corporate structure. We do generally prefer see higher levels of insider ownership. What Might The Insider Transactions At China Gem Holdings Tell Us? An insider sold China Gem Holdings shares recently, but they didnt buy any. Zooming out, the longer term picture doesnt give us much comfort. On the plus side, China Gem Holdings makes money, and is growing profits. While insiders do own shares, they dont own a heap, and they have been selling. So wed only buy after careful consideration. I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can find historic revenue and earnings in this detailed graph. If you would prefer to check out another company one with potentially superior financials then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. To help readers see past the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements. The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. Gemma Collins may have left the rink, but her Dancing on Ice row with Jason Gardiner is still rumbling on as he has said how glad he is that she was eliminated from the show and claimed she still hasnt apologised to him. TOWIE star Gemma Collins has been the ITV skating shows most controversial signing, arguing with judge Jason Gardiner live on air and accused of diva behaviour and missing training. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Gardiner appeared on Lorraine the morning after he and his fellow judges voted the reality star off the show, where he said he was relieved shed gone. He said: Im relieved for the other contestants who are really brilliant, that now the focus can be on their merit and how hard theyve worked. Later he added of the focus on their row: I do regret that because these other contestants have been blooming whilst all of this has been going on. Im glad that the contestants in the show now are going to have their time to shine. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The argument kicked off early in the series when during a critique, Collins accused Gardiner of having sold stories about her to the papers and continued when she later claimed on air that they had become friends, but he denied it. Gardiner explained: I didnt know who Gemma was until this series, I hadnt seen her show so I wasnt familiar with who she was. There was nothing personal until it did get personal, and she accused me of something really quite libelous. Actually, it was disturbing because she never really apologised either, so that for me shows her real character. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Gardiner is known for his Mr Nasty persona on the ice panel, but justified it by saying he was just trying to get the best out of the celebrities. He said: I know that sometimes its a bit of a slap, kiss, slap approach, but I see the potential in them and I want them to do well. We only have 10 weeks to take novices to get them to be a champion of Dancing on Ice. Thats an impossible task on paper and the only way we can do it is shake them up and say Im looking at you as an expert whos had over 35 years experience in this industry whos going to give you tips and advice on how to excel. Story continues Im honoured that I can be that person still for the show. Ive got to have an opinion that matters. I do appreciate how hard it is, Ive been on the show since day one, Ive heard every excuse in the book. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Before he shot to fame on Dancing on Ice, Gardiner was one of the original stars of UK makeover series Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, which recently relaunched its US version, and shared a shocking anecdote about his time on the show in the early Noughties. Saying he was a big fan of the new Queer Eye, he told Lorraine: We have moved on quite substantially. When we started doing it here, we would have brands that wouldnt even lend to us because it was called Queer Eye and they didnt want to have that association. Read more Gemma Collins finally voted out of Dancing on Ice Dancing on Ice in fix claims over Phillip Schofield prediction Shaman cleanses ice of bad energy for Gemma Collins The Nashville Zoo is adding a white rhinoceros a male, named "The Cheetah" to the four females currently on exhibit. The zoo hopes the rhinos will breed and increase the rhino population in the U.S. All rhinoceros species are on the endangered list of animals, with white rhinos classified as "near threatened." A few facts about rhinos: How close are they to extinction? About 30,000 rhinos of all species are left in the world, according to the International Rhino Foundation, a conservation group. White rhinos were commonly found across southern Africa but were nearly hunted to extinction in the late 19th century. Estimates vary, but preservation efforts have increased their numbers to more than 19,000. Most white rhinos live in Kenya, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The four females at the Nashville Zoo came from South Africa. Lust for horns feeds poaching frenzy A dramatic rise in poaching threatens rhinos, according to the Nashville Zoo. Rhinos are hunted for their horns, which are valued as a status symbol and for medicinal purposes in China, Vietnam and other Asian countries. Poaching isn't limited to Africa. A four-year old male white rhinoceros was shot dead in a wildlife park near Paris in March 2017 and one of its horns was taken. As a consequence, many zoos have increased security. Though modern science says they have no medical value, horns can fetch up to $30,000 per pound on the black market. Conversely, a pound of gold is worth less than $20,000. Rhino horns are not attached to their skulls. They grow from the skin. Male rhinos use their horns as threat displays or to wound others. Females use theirs to protect offspring. Horns are also used to dig for roots and below-ground water. White rhinos aren't really white White rhinos are usually gray in color. The name is believed to come from the Afrikaans word wyd, meaning wide, a description of the rhinos mouth. English speakers mistook wyd for white. There are two white rhino species, the southern and northern. Story continues Where do they live? White rhinos live on the grasslands and open savanna woodlands of Africa. They're herbivores, feeding off short grasses. They drink water twice a day if available, but can live without drinking for 4-5 days. They usually lay in mud to cool off. White rhinos move in herds, called crashes, which are mostly all female. Males are usually solitary. Rhinos are extremely near-sighted, but they have excellent hearing and can smell other animals up to a quarter-mile away. Preservation efforts continue in U.S. and Africa Conservation groups have created preservation areas in Africa where rhinos are protected from poachers. In the U.S., law enforcement agencies are cracking down on trafficking in rhino horns. Like the Nashville Zoo, a few other American zoos are attempting to breed rhinos. The gestation period can be up to 18 months, and newborn calves can weigh 80-140 lbs. SOURCES Nashville Zoo; International Rhino Foundation; savetherhino.org; World Wide Fund for Nature; asiliaafrica.com; fresnochaffezoo.org; tulsazoo.org; buffalozoo.org; peoriazoo.org; pbs.org; PHOTOS Getty Images; GRAPHICS George Petras and Karl Gelles/USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hunted for its prized horns, the white rhinoceros is being brought back from extinction Robert Kennedy Jr., left, stands with participants at a rally held in opposition to a proposed bill that would remove parents' ability to claim a philosophical exemption to opt their school-age children out of the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, on Feb. 8, at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. OLYMPIA, Wash. Amid a measles outbreak that has sickened more than 50 people in the Pacific Northwest, Washington lawmakers heard testimony Friday on a bill that would remove parents ability to claim a personal or philosophical exemption to opt their school-age children out of the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. Hundreds of people opposed to the measure lined up more than an hour before the start of the hearing before the House Health Care and Wellness Committee, many wearing stickers with the bill number, HB 1638, within a crossed out circle. The bill comes as health officials have reported at least 52 known cases in Washington state and four in Oregon. Most of the Washington cases are concentrated in Clark County, just north of Portland, Oregon. The measure is sponsored by a lawmaker from that region, Republican Rep. Paul Harris of Vancouver, and has the support of the state medical association and Gov. Jay Inslee. Inslee declared a state of emergency last month. Harris said people in his area are concerned about our community, its immunity and the community safety. The measure does allow proof of disease immunity through laboratory evidence or history of disease to substitute for immunization. More: Read Roald Dahl's heartbreaking letter on daughter's measles death Currently, the state allows school-vaccination exemptions for children at public or private schools or licensed day-care centers based on medical, religious and personal or philosophical beliefs. Unless an exemption is claimed, a child is required to be vaccinated against or show proof of acquired immunity of nearly a dozen diseases including polio, whooping cough and mumps before they can attend school or a child care center. John Wiesman, the secretary of the state Department of Health, said the effort to limit exemptions is about safe schools and protecting vulnerable children. Wiesman told the panel that compared to other outbreaks in the state in the past decade, the outbreak we are dealing with right now is larger and infecting people faster than recent history. Story continues Opponents testifying against the bill included environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who questioned safety standards around vaccines. Dr. Toni Bark speaks at a rally held in opposition to a proposed bill that would remove parents' ability to claim a philosophical exemption to opt their school-age children out of the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, on Feb. 8, at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. Susie Corgan, with Informed Choice Washington, said after the hearing that parents who are worried about their children having adverse reactions to vaccines have a right to philosophical exemptions. Where there is risk, there must be choice, and there is risk with this vaccine as there is with any other medical procedure, she said. Four percent of Washington secondary school students have non-medical vaccine exemptions, according to the state Department of Health. Of those, 3.7 percent of the exemptions are personal, with the remainder being religious exemptions. In Clark County, 6.7 percent of kindergartners had a non-medical exemption for the 2017-18 school year, according to health officials. Washington is among 17 states, including Oregon, that allow some type of non-medical exemption for vaccines for personal, moral or other beliefs, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. More: What to know about the measles outbreak, affecting over 50 in Washington anti-vaccination hot spot Legislation introduced in Washington state in 2015 that would have removed the personal or philosophical belief allowance for an exemption to childhood vaccines never made it to the House floor for a vote after it faced stiff opposition. Both the WSMA and Inslee also support a broader bill that was introduced in the Senate earlier this week. That measure, which has not yet been scheduled for a hearing, would not allow personal or philosophical exemptions to be granted for any required school vaccinations. California removed personal belief vaccine exemptions for children in both public and private schools in 2015, after a measles outbreak at Disneyland sickened 147 people and spread across the U.S. and into Canada. Vermont also abandoned its personal exemption in 2015. Follow Ashley May on Twitter: @AshleyMayTweets This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hundreds protest against Washington state vaccine bill that would require measles shots Paris (AFP) - Hotel groups in Paris on Monday hailed a new legal offensive by city authorities against home-sharing group Airbnb which is being taken to court over illegal rentals. The French government has gradually tightened controls over the San Francisco-based firm, which critics blame for reducing the number of homes available for long-term rent in central areas of Paris and driving up property prices. Under a law passed in 2018, owners are obliged to register their rentals with tax authorities and display their number on their advertisements, while property owners cannot let them for more than 120 days a year in the biggest cities. Paris city authorities filed a legal complaint last Friday demanding a fine of 12.5 million euros ($14 million) against Airbnb for 1,000 properties without a registration number that were identified by local officials. The National Group of Independent Hotelleries and Restaurants (GNI) and hotel industry lobby group AhTop hailed the move as a "strong signal" to Parisians. "By demanding the payment of 12.5 million euros, the Paris mayor's office has underlined its desire to continue the fight against the damaging effects of these platforms," they said in a statement. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo signalled on Sunday that she intended to take a tough line on the American firm, which is the market leader in online home-sharing. "I don't have anything against Parisians hiring out their homes for a few days a year to earn a bit of extra money," she told the Journal du Dimanche newspaper. "The problem is people with multiple properties who rent year-round to tourists without declaring it and the platforms are complicit and welcome them," she added. Under the 2018 legislation called the "Elan law", home-sharing platforms are liable for a fine of 12,500 euros per advert violating the registration requirement. Last September, the Paris city council member in charge of housing said he would seek an outright ban on rentals in the heart of the capital, noting that Airbnb was making the city too expensive for locals. Story continues The move to tightly regulate Airbnb echoes actions taken in other tourist hotspots in Europe like Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin and New York. Airbnb is preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) as soon as the middle of this year at a valuation estimated by analysts to be more than $30 billion. The lodging startup last year said its quarterly revenues topped $1 billion for the first time. Momentum investing is all about the idea of following a stock's recent trend, which can be in either direction. In the 'long' context, investors will essentially be "buying high, but hoping to sell even higher." And for investors following this methodology, taking advantage of trends in a stock's price is key; once a stock establishes a course, it is more than likely to continue moving in that direction. The goal is that once a stock heads down a fixed path, it will lead to timely and profitable trades. While many investors like to look for momentum in stocks, this can be very tough to define. There is a lot of debate surrounding which metrics are the best to focus on and which are poor quality indicators of future performance. The Zacks Momentum Style Score, part of the Zacks Style Scores, helps address this issue for us. Below, we take a look at Manhattan Associates (MANH), which currently has a Momentum Style Score of A. We also discuss some of the main drivers of the Momentum Style Score, like price change and earnings estimate revisions. It's also important to note that Style Scores work as a complement to the Zacks Rank, our stock rating system that has an impressive track record of outperformance. Manhattan Associates currently has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy). Our research shows that stocks rated Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and #2 (Buy) and Style Scores of A or B outperform the market over the following one-month period. You can see the current list of Zacks #1 Rank Stocks here >>> Set to Beat the Market? Let's discuss some of the components of the Momentum Style Score for MANH that show why this business software company shows promise as a solid momentum pick. A good momentum benchmark for a stock is to look at its short-term price activity, as this can reflect both current interest and if buyers or sellers currently have the upper hand. It is also useful to compare a security to its industry, as this can help investors pinpoint the top companies in a particular area. Story continues For MANH, shares are up 2.44% over the past week while the Zacks Computer - Software industry is flat over the same time period. Shares are looking quite well from a longer time frame too, as the monthly price change of 13.84% compares favorably with the industry's 5.93% performance as well. While any stock can see a spike in price, it takes a real winner to consistently outperform the market. Over the past quarter, shares of Manhattan Associates have risen 2.95%, and are up 28.24% in the last year. In comparison, the S&P 500 has only moved -3.05% and 6.96%, respectively. Investors should also take note of MANH's average 20-day trading volume. Volume is a useful item in many ways, and the 20-day average establishes a good price-to-volume baseline; a rising stock with above average volume is generally a bullish sign, whereas a declining stock on above average volume is typically bearish. Right now, MANH is averaging 476,973 shares for the last 20 days. Earnings Outlook The Zacks Momentum Style Score encompasses many things, including estimate revisions and a stock's price movement. Investors should note that earnings estimates are also significant to the Zacks Rank, and a nice path here can be promising. We have recently been noticing this with MANH. Over the past two months, 3 earnings estimates moved higher compared to none lower for the full year. These revisions helped boost MANH's consensus estimate, increasing from $1.39 to $1.44 in the past 60 days. Looking at the next fiscal year, 2 estimates have moved upwards while there have been no downward revisions in the same time period. Bottom Line Taking into account all of these elements, it should come as no surprise that MANH is a #2 (Buy) stock with a Momentum Score of A. If you've been searching for a fresh pick that's set to rise in the near-term, make sure to keep Manhattan Associates on your short list. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Manhattan Associates, Inc. (MANH) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. CAIRO (AP) An international rights group on Monday urged the United Nations to investigate alleged violations by Sudan's security forces against anti-government protesters. Sudan has been gripped by nationwide protests since Dec. 19. The demonstrations were triggered by rising prices and shortages but quickly turned to calls for autocratic President Omar al-Bashir to step down. Human Rights Watch called on the U.N. Human Rights Council to respond to the crisis at its March session. The New York-based group says it obtained video footage that shows "government forces' extreme violence and shocking abuses against protesters." "There is irrefutable evidence that Sudan is using ruthless violence and brutality against peaceful protesters and critics of the government," said Jehanne Henry, associate Africa director at HRW. "It is high time for the U.N. Human Rights Council to ramp up monitoring and reporting on the situation and to send investigators to the country at once." Authorities in Sudan have used tear gas, rubber bullets, live ammunition and batons to quell the unrest. They have imposed emergency laws and night-time curfews in some cities, and have suspended classes in schools and universities in others. They have arrested opposition leaders, doctors, journalists, lawyers and students along with some 800 protesters. Last month, authorities ordered the release of all protesters who were detained since Dec. 19. But Human Rights Watch said only 186 were reported released and that video evidence showed signs of torture on released detainees. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered Sunday in Sudan's capital and other cities calling for al-Bashir's ouster, according to an umbrella of independent professional unions which organizes the protests. Activists say at least 57 people have been killed in the protests. The government's latest tally stands at 30 killed, but figures have not been updated in days. Al-Bashir, who seized power in a military coup in 1989, insists that only elections, which he intends to run in, could bring change. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has accepted an invitation to watch the Grammy Awards with Chrissy Teigen after the US model opened her doors to the congresswoman. Teigen asked Ms Ocasio-Cortez, who represents New Yorks 14th congressional district, if she wanted to join her and Modern Family star Jess Tyler Ferguson to watch the 61st awards ceremony. Teigen tweeted: Hello my hero, do you wanna come over and watch the Grammys with us? There will be pizza. After this, she asked Ms Tyler Ferguson to tell Ms Ocasio-Cortez we are normal. The Democrat, who is the youngest ever US congresswoman, said: Yes! We can live-tweet me burning something in the kitchen. Perfect! We have extremely different strengths except I still sometimes burn things, Teigen, one of US president Donald Trumps most outspoken and cutting celebrity critics, replied. The nascent friendship prompted great excitement on social media with some asking if they could join in on the revelry. Name a better duo, Ill wait, tweeted Jules Suzdaltsev. This type of wholesome interaction is the reason why I still have twitter wow, one person wrote. This is the crossover I didnt know I needed but cant wait to witness, added another. Ms Ocasio-Cortez worked as a bartender before thrashing Democrat stalwart Joe Crowley the 10-term representative and then-fourth-ranking Democrat in the House last year. The self-avowed socialist, from the South Bronx, has worked as a waitress, childrens book publisher, community activist, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and volunteered for Bernie Sanders during his 2016 presidential campaign. She supports abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and the creation of a universal healthcare system. Already this year, she has asserted that Mr Trump is no question a racist, and beaten back a manufactured controversy over a video of her dancing while in university. Teigen is similarly critical of Mr Trump and started trolling the billionaire far before he announced his presidential bid. In 2017 she told USA Today: Ive actually been a big Donald Trump hater for a long time. If you go back, Ive been trolling him for about five to seven years now. Story continues Ive been doing this forever and I take pride in that ... I cant believe somebody could actually do this all day, every day, and still be president. If I mysteriously go missing in the next four years then thats what happened. The Grammys will be held on 10 February in Los Angeles. It will start at 5pm PST, which is 1am on Monday in the UK, and is being broadcast live on CBS from the Staples Center in the city. They are set to be hosted by Alicia Keys. Cardi B, Shawn Mendes, Janelle Monae, Red Hot Chili Peppers with Post Malone, and Miley Cyrus are scheduled to perform. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Over the past 10 years MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) has grown its dividend payouts from $0.74 to $1.68. With a market cap of US$41b, MetLife pays out 34% of its earnings, leading to a 3.9% yield. Let me elaborate on you why the stock stands out for income investors like myself. View our latest analysis for MetLife What Is A Dividend Rock Star? It is a stock that pays a stable and consistent dividend, having done so reliably for the past decade with the expectation of this continuing into the future. More specifically: Its annual yield is among the top 25% of dividend payers It has paid dividend every year without dramatically reducing payout in the past Its dividend per share amount has increased over the past It is able to pay the current rate of dividends from its earnings It has the ability to keep paying its dividends going forward High Yield And Dependable MetLifes yield sits at 3.9%, which is high for Insurance stocks. But the real reason MetLife stands out is because it has a high chance of being able to continue to pay dividend at this level for years to come, something that is quite desirable if you are looking to create a portfolio that generates a steady stream of income. NYSE:MET Historical Dividend Yield February 11th 19 If theres one type of stock you want to be reliable, its dividend stocks and their stable income-generating ability. MET has increased its DPS from $0.74 to $1.68 in the past 10 years. During this period it has not missed a payment, as one would expect for a company increasing its dividend. These are all positive signs of a great, reliable dividend stock. MetLife has a trailing twelve-month payout ratio of 34%, which means that the dividend is covered by earnings. However, going forward, analysts expect METs payout to fall to 30% of its earnings. Assuming a constant share price, this equates to a dividend yield of around 4.3%. In addition to this, EPS is also forecasted to fall to $4.91 in the upcoming year. The lower EPS on top of a lower payout ratio will lead to a fall in dividend payment moving forward. Story continues When thinking about whether a dividend is sustainable, another factor to consider is the cash flow. A company with strong cash flow, relative to earnings, can sometimes sustain a high pay out ratio. Next Steps: With MetLife producing strong dividend income for your portfolio over the past few years, you can take comfort in knowing that this stock will still continue to be a top dividend generator moving forward. However, given this is purely a dividend analysis, you should always research extensively before deciding whether or not a stock is an appropriate investment for you. I always recommend analysing the companys fundamentals and underlying business before making an investment decision. There are three essential aspects you should further examine: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for METs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for METs outlook. Valuation: What is MET worth today? Even if the stock is a cash cow, its not worth an infinite price. The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether MET is currently mispriced by the market. Other Dividend Rockstars: Are there strong dividend payers with better fundamentals out there? Check out our free list of these great stocks here. 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. Number of Tourists in Georgia up by 5.9% in January By Tea Mariamidze Georgian National Tourism Administration (GNTA) reports that 305,939 tourists visited the country in January 2019, showing an increase of 5.9% year-on-year.The most significant increase of tourists was observed from Uzbekistan (+217.1%) Israel (+132.1%) Kyrgyzstan (+112%) China (+72.8%)and Saudi Arabia (+72.7%).In addition, a positive trend was maintained from the European Union countries: Poland (+130.5%), the Czech Republic (+96%), Spain (+65.1%), Latvia (+63.5%) Germany (+46.6%) and Lithuania(+40.8%).GNTA also said that in 2018, Georgia received $3.2 billion dollars (growth + 18.4%) income, which is $498 million more compared to the same period last year.As of the I-III quarter of 2018, foreign tourism income in Georgia amounted to 2,571 million dollars (growth + 20.5%), which is 437 million more than the same year last year.According to data from I-III quarter of 2018, the share of tourism in the GDP is 7.6%. The increase compared with the previous year + is 19%.As for 2017, Georgia earned $2.7 billion (growth + 28.1%) from foreign tourism, which is $594 million dollars compared to the same period of the previous year.By 2017, the share of gross domestic product was 6.8%. The increase compared to the same period of the previous year + 11.5%.In terms of tourism, Georgia set a new record last year when it hosted 8,679,544 international travelers in 2018, showing an increase of 9.8% year-on-year (y/y). Of these travelers, 4,756,820 were tourists, which is 16.9% more compared to 2017. WASHINGTON Lawmakers were feeling hope again. After two meetings in the Capitol and set to huddle a third time, a bipartisan group of key lawmakers seemed to be chiseling away at their impasse from over the weekend. "We're talking about serious, serious, serious things and we hopefully making some progress,"Senate Appropriations Chair Richard Shelby, R-Ala., told reporters after the group met for a second time Monday. "We both agreed if we can wrap this up to do it tonight, to do it tonight, not go until tomorrow," Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the committee's top Democrat followed. He invoked the pair's long history of working together on a bipartisan basis. The two senators had been meeting with House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., and the top Republican on the committee, Kay Granger of Texas The group seeks a way out of an impasse over border security and internal enforcement four days before parts of the government are set to shut down again, absent a deal. On Sunday Shelby had said he saw a "50/50 chance" that the group could come to a deal. But Monday night he said "the odds have improved, but we still have not crystalized it." As Congress races against a Friday deadline to strike a deal or risk another government shutdown, President Donald Trump will head to El Paso for a political rally his first since the November midterm election. Trump accused Democrats of acting "irrationally" on border issues in a tweet over the weekend. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The group is part of a bipartisan, bicameral committee of appropriators selected to find a solution that can pass Congress and get support from the president before some of the government's funding lapses Friday at midnight. "I don't think Democrats or Republicans want a shutdown. One option or another, we will resolve this," Lowey said earlier in the day. Until this weekend, the biggest sticking point for the group had been how to deal with the presidents demand for a $5.7 billion wall along the southern border. During the last shutdown, Democrats refused to give him the money, saying the wall would be costly and ineffective. Story continues Last week, they explored a compromise involving some sort of structure, though the figures discussed were far less than Trumps initial request. I think that we expect that if the evidence supports the notion for enhanced fencing moving forward, that we will find some bipartisan consensus, House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries of New York said last week. The president and Shelby expressed optimism about a deal last Thursday. By Sunday, Shelby was less hopeful. I think the talks are stalled right now, Shelby said on "Fox News Sunday," adding that the disagreement centered on Democrats' demands for a cap on detentions by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Democrats said ICE routinely detains more immigrants than it needs to, imprisoning those who dont have criminal backgrounds and pose no threat to national or domestic security. Thats why they want to set a hard cap on the number of immigrants ICE detains, the goal being to force the agency to focus its resources on violent criminals. This agency needs checks and balances, so the Republicans want to get more wall money and Democrats want to get controls on ICE. This is what a negotiation looks like, said Kerri Talbot of the advocacy group Immigration Hub. Republicans said a detention cap would force the release of undocumented immigrants in custody and warned of the risk that many might not show up for scheduled hearings on whether they should be deported. Matthew Albence, deputy director of ICE, said a cap on ICE detainees would be "damaging to public safety." "We will immediately be forced to release criminal aliens sitting in our custody" if the cap is put in place, Albence said. In a tweet Monday morning, Trump accused the Democrats of a brand new demand, and he told reporters ICE was "very disrespected by the Democrats. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Later in the morning, on the Senate floor, McConnell piled on, accusing Democrats of "a poison-pill demand" at "the 11th hour." Lowey expressed surprise at McConnell's comments Monday afternoon: "I've worked with Mitch McConnell, and we've accomplished a lot together. I'm sorry that is his interpretation of where things are." House Democrats pointed out that the 16,500 cap on ICE beds has been part of the Democrats' proposal since it was first included in their opening offer Jan. 31. "How the government deals with ICE is a very important issue, and that's why the beds are so critical to this negotiation, period," Lowey said. Federal data show that violent criminals make up a minority of the immigrants in ICE detention. The most common charges against those immigrants are driving under the influence, traffic violations, drug charges and immigration violations. The Trump administration reversed an Obama-era policy of focusing its immigration enforcement efforts on undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records. Under the Obama administration, ICE agents were ordered to find and arrest specific undocumented immigrants with criminal records and to not arrest other immigrants who happened to be in the area at the time of the arrest. Trump overturned that policy, allowing ICE agents to arrest any suspects they come across during their day-to-day operations. That has led to a rapid drop in the percentage of arrested immigrants who have a criminal record. Sen. Jon Tester a member of the conference committee and a moderate Democrat from Montana said Monday that he was hopeful before the meeting between the appropriations group's leaders. "I've talked to both sides," Tester said. "I think there is a sweet spot to be found here, where both sides can claim victory." Last month, the government reopened after the longest partial government shutdown on record: 35 days. If Congress cant reach a deal that the president supports, funding for about a quarter of the government will run out and 800,000 workers could be forced to go without pay, again. White House acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said on Fox News Sunday that a shutdown was still on the table. We do not want it to come to that, but that option is still open to the president and will remain so. Contributing: Alan Gomez, John Fritze This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Government shutdown: Lawmakers near a solution to avoid shutdown as Friday deadline looms Rarely has a new movie become available at a time when the news made its subject matter timelier and more appropriate. Gosnell: The Trial of Americas Biggest Serial Killer is the true story of a doctor who went to prison for life in 2013 for stabbing several infants he had delivered alive inside his hellhole of an abortion clinic in Philadelphia. After being almost completely ignored by critics during its release last year, last week the movie went on sale in Walmart and on Amazon, where it is the No. 1 best-selling dramatic DVD. At the same time, infanticide became a key issue in major stories in Virginia and New York. Last week, Virginia governor Ralph Northam became engulfed in a controversy over whether he had appeared in his medical-school yearbook in costume, either in blackface or in the white sheet and hat of a Ku Klux Klan member. The photo came to light because a medical-school classmate of Northams was appalled at the governors candid support for a bill that would remove many restrictions on late-term abortion. While the media outrage was largely directed at his alleged racist actions 35 years ago, the abortion bill was promptly killed in committee, hours after Northam had been overly honest in describing what the bill would allow. When radio station WTOP asked the governor what would happen to a baby born alive during the last part of a pregnancy, Northam said: If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen. The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if thats what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother. A few days before Governor Northams shocking remarks, New Yorks new Democratic majorities in the state legislature stood and clapped as they passed the Reproductive Health Act, which removed restrictions on late-term abortions. The law took effect with Governor Andrew Cuomos signature on January 22. A week later, prosecutors in Queens dropped one of the criminal charges against Anthony Hobson, who stands accused of killing his girlfriend Jennifer Irigoyen, who was 20 weeks pregnant. They had initially included a charge of second-degree abortion (in addition to the murder of Irigoyen) but had to drop it because, as a spokesman for the Queens district attorney noted, the law removes abortion from the states criminal code and puts it into public-health law. Story continues Gosnell director Nick Searcy wrote at TownHall that New York has now legalized almost everything that Gosnell and his aides did in Philadelphia: Gosnell was convicted of killing breathing infants who had already been born. It is now legal in New York to kill an infant who survives an abortion. Gosnell was convicted of allowing untrained and unlicensed medical personnel to perform abortions. It is now legal in New York for non-physicians or any health professionals to perform abortions. Gosnell was convicted of performing at least 21 late-term abortions past the legal limit of 24 weeks. It is now legal in New York to terminate a pregnancy up until the due date. In New York, there is no longer any such thing as a late-term abortion. The movie about Gosnells crimes is based on a book by Irish-American journalists Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney. The screenplay is drawn almost entirely verbatim from the actual grand-jury testimony and Gosnells eventual trial. It is a horrible story, not just because Gosnell kept intact, late-stage aborted fetuses in containers but because his clinic was protected by powerful political forces that allowed him to escape detection for years, McAleer told me. The film chillingly depicts the pressure that much of society applies against people who push back against the no-restrictions abortion narrative. The prosecutor in Gosnell is warned by her boss, the district attorney: You are prosecuting an abortion doctor for murder. . . . If you try this case and lose, you can kiss any political position with the governor good-bye. Youll be the prosecutor who went after reproductive rights, and youll be a racist to boot. There is nothing that man did illegally for 30 years that protects women and children, the prosecutor replies. And you dont have to be a prolife activist to see that. Gosnell may not be a game changer in the overall abortion debate, but at a time when New York has effectively legalized late-term abortions and Virginias governor argues for sweeping away restrictions on such abortions, the film is a valuable contribution in the vital battle to have an honest conversation about infanticide. More from National Review Berlin (AFP) - Germany's Social Democrats called Monday for greater welfare spending in a shift back to their leftist roots, further straining ties with coalition partners, Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives. The Social Democrats (SPD), Germany's traditional labour party, have responded to a series of election debacles with a sweeping policy review -- including easing rules for unemployment benefits, boosting state pensions and raising the minimum wage. News portal Spiegel Online considered the change of course a deliberate SPD attempt to provoke a breakup of the year-old pact with Merkel's CDU, an alliance also known as the "GroKo" - a German reference to grand coalition. "The SPD leadership has launched Operation Exit," a Spiegel commentary said of the SPD plans to break with the more centrist policies introduced by its ex-chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. SPD chief Andrea Nahles, presenting the change of course Monday, denied any plans to implode the left-right government, saying this had been "a non-issue" in the party's deliberations. Merkel's CDU and pro-business groups quickly rejected the ideas, arguing that they breached the joint policy programme of the coalition government and would cost billions of euros. SPD deputy leader Ralf Stegner fired back in a tweet that the SPD's ideas were "scaring the class adversary". - Break with past - The SPD's new approach signals a clear break with the sweeping social welfare reforms of Schroeder, who ruled Germany from 1998 to 2005 before losing to Merkel. Schroeder's so-called Hartz reforms are credited with revitalising the German economy but also criticised for the generating the social pain that led many SPD rank-and-file to defect. With its new programme, the SPD is hoping to win back voters who drifted to the far-left Die Linke and the far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) parties. Story continues The next ballot-box test will be May's European Parliament elections, followed by three regional polls in ex-communist East Germany. With the SPD now polling well below 20 percent, Nahles has faced pressure from within the SPD, including from retired Schroeder, 74, who recently criticised her for having made "amateur's mistakes". Former party chief and foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel is also working on a comeback after being sidelined by Nahles last year. But Nahles has received support from many in the SPD for the new policy course. Youth wing leader Kevin Kuehnert, a fierce and outspoken critic of the GroKo, praised the new programme as "an important act of self-liberation" for the party. Confusion reigns in Wisconsin, where Foxconn Technology Group has been sending mixed signals as to whether it will ever build a much-promised manufacturing plant. A couple of weeks ago, the company said higher labor and production costs made the facility untenable. Within days, it reversed course and said it would build the plant. Even though the company will lose some tax incentives if it does not deliver, and in fact already has for not meeting targets, state and local leaders are understandably unnerved by recent developments after offering $4 billion worth of corporate welfare. Meanwhile, Electrolux announced last week that it will cease production at its plant in Memphis, which opened in 2014 with $150 million in financial incentives from the state, the city, and Shelby County. Memphis mayor Jim Strickland called the news disappointing and vowed to defend our investment. Good luck with that. Across the country, cities and states spend billions every year trying to either entice new companies to set up shop or persuade existing ones to stay put. They do the same with professional-sports teams. Yet even with a mountain of academic evidence showing that such corporate-welfare schemes have little to no overall positive economic impact, the politicians Republicans, Democrats, and independents alike continue falling for every outlandish promise of more jobs and an economic boost for their communities. In most cases, businesses location decisions are based on things like the availability of a qualified work force, general business climate, and quality of life. Even in cases where a business receives corporate welfare, the incentives make a difference at most one quarter of the time. More often, corporate welfare is icing on the cake for a decision that was already baked in. In 2016, Northrop Grumman raked in millions from Maryland taxpayers. Lawmakers expressed concern that the company which was already located in the state might be lured away by subsidies from other states. Story continues This happened just months after a company official told lawmakers we arent going anywhere. In New Jersey, the state comptroller just issued a scathing report on that states experiences trying to generate economic growth via corporate subsidies, saying internal controls for oversight of those projects were lacking or nonexistent. The audit sampled 48 projects that were supposedly hitting their jobs targets but found 20 percent of the jobs claims could not be corroborated. And it hit the government for not evaluating whether projects were benefiting the state economically. Those are just the problems we can all see. There are also hidden problems: less money for critical priorities like education and police; companies leaving the state when the incentives dry up; the jobs and economic activity that dont take place when other parts of the community are ignored; higher taxes for other businesses; the jobs not created at the subsidized companys competitors; and the innovations that didnt take place because the nimble start-up couldnt get off the ground in the face of the government-subsidized corporate giant. In the end, we all know who will foot the bill for the handouts and the tax breaks taxpayers, workers, and consumers. Instead of throwing tax money at corporations, lawmakers should work to make their states and cities an attractive place to live, work, and run a business. They could do that by keeping taxes and regulation at a minimum, improving their schools by increasing options for families, and not running up debt. But it is foolish for states and cities to believe they can build a solid, growing economy one taxpayer-funded corporate giveaway at a time. Its a colossal waste of money. Its time to stop the favoritism and treat all businesses the same. More from National Review The earliest moving creature ever discovered - A. El Albani / IC2MP / CNRS - Universite de Poitiers Life was creeping and crawling about the Earth 1.5 billion years earlier than previously thought, scientists have found, in a discovery which could rewrite evolution. Previously it was thought that creatures began moving properly at around 570 million years ago shortly before the Cambrian explosion which sparked the first vertebrates. Bacteria had previously flicked their tails, or flagella, to move around but no multi-cellular organisms had achieved locomotion. But fossils dating from 2.1 billion years ago have shown that cells had already started to group together to form tiny slug-like organisms which slunk through the mud of ancient sea beds in search of food. The tubular fossils were found in rocks in Gabon in west Africa by an international team including experts from Cardiff University. Dr Ernest Chi Fru, from Cardiff's School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, said: It is plausible that the organisms behind this phenomenon moved in search of nutrients and oxygen that were produced by bacteria mats on the seafloor-water interface. The results raise a number of fascinating questions about the history of life on Earth, and how and when organisms began to move. Was this a primitive biological innovation, a prelude to more perfected forms of locomotion seen around us today, or was this simply an experiment that was cut short? Fossils found in sedimentary rocks in Gabon - Scale bar: 1 cm Credit: A. El Albani / IC2MP / CNRS - Universite de Poitiers The earliest evidence for life on Earth comes from fossils of microscopic bacteria discovered in rock formations in Quebec, Canada which may date as early as 4.2 billion years ago. Bacterial life dominated until around the evolution of photosynthesis which led a build-up of oxygen, and new kinds of multicellular organisms form around 1.8 billion years ago. But it was not until the Edicaran Period, at around 570 million years ago, that creatures with complex locomotion appeared, such as kimbella, a type of mollusc which shuffled along the seabed feeding on a gooey mat of microbes. However the new findings show that basic lifeforms had learned to move far earlier with fossils discovered in the Franceville Basin, a calm and shallow ancient inland sea which existed 2.1 billion years ago in modern day Gabon. Story continues Not only do the new fossils show earliest movement but the first evidence of multi-cellular organisms, 300 million years sooner than previously recorded. And they were large enough to have been visible to the naked eye. The string-shaped fossils which range from 6mm to 170mm long, are preserved as tubular structures running through sedimentary rock in thin layers with a diameter of a few millimetres. Computer scans show what the channels look like in the rock Credit: A. El Albani & A. Mazurier / IC2MP / CNRS - Universite de Poitiers A detailed 3D analysis using a non-destructive X-ray imaging technique, alongside geometrical and chemical dating, revealed that the new fossils belong to an organism that likely spent most of its time in oxygenated waters, and was oxygen-dependent. Next to these tubular structures researchers also found fossilies carpets of microorganisms, which would have provided the grazing grounds for the multicellular organisms. Researchers believe the little worms may have operated in a similar way to how tiny groups of amoebae function today when resources become scarce, clustering together to form a type of slug which moves to find a more favourable environment. The research was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Near Baghouz (Syria) (AFP) - Two French women who fled the Islamic State group's last pocket in Syria told AFP on Monday more foreigners were trapped inside, barred from leaving by Iraqi jihadists. The Muslim converts said they paid smugglers to take them out of the battered IS-held holdout of Baghouz to territory held by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. They said "massacres" had taken place in Baghouz, where others are still trapped with "nothing to eat". "There are many French, many muhajireen (foreigners who joined IS) and others who are trying to leave but they (IS) don't let us," said one. "They said only the Syrians and Iraqis can be smuggled out," said the woman, who said her first name was Christelle, from the city of Bordeaux. She spoke to AFP from the back of a pickup truck packed with women and wailing children who would be taken to Kurdish-run prison camps in northern Syria. Her two children, one and three, were laying on her lap, but she said her husband had died. "What do I ask the French government? Just let me keep my kids. I just want my kids," she said. France has said it is considering repatriating around 130 of its nationals currently held by Kurdish authorities in Syria, but Christelle was not keen to go home. "I would prefer to return to a different country where there is more Islam. We can't practise our religion (fully) in France," she said. Like everyone else in the truck, Christelle kept her black veil on but her skeletal, dirty hands were visible. She wore a cheap-looking silver ring. She told AFP that she converted to Islam and entered Syria in 2014 "for religion". Initially happy under the group, she now felt "tricked". "Propaganda. 'Come to us, look at this beautiful life.' We were robbed," she said. - No return? - "Of course we regret it. We lost everything by coming here," adding sourly of IS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: "His family isn't being massacred in there." Story continues She said she had never seen Baghdadi or senior French jihadists Jean-Michel and Fabien Clain, all of whom are still at large. But, she claimed, the group's Iraqi leadership "left a long time ago". "Daesh is Iraqis. It's not an Islamic state, it's an Iraqi state," she said, using a Arabic acronym for IS. A second French woman who escaped and was aboard the same truck said she also hoped to keep her two remaining children with her -- but not necessarily in France. "They don't let us live our religion (to the full) in France. We have no rights. You cannot wear the niqab," she said of the full veil. She kept hers on during the interview, with only her pale blue eyes visible. Also a Muslim convert, she said she left France in 2012 because of pressure by French authorities to assimilate or leave. "So we left," she said frankly. About 10 other trucks packed with fleeing civilians were parked on a plain outside of Baghouz. Locals driving the trucks said a total of 18 foreigners were among the dozens of civilians there on Monday, including Russians, Turks, and Ukrainians. Journalists clamoured over the edges of the trucks to find non-Arabs among the fleeing civilians, shouting "France? France?" Closer to the front, coalition troops were seen standing over about two dozen men who were suspected IS fighters. MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) Nicaraguans revolted last April when the government announced it was raising payroll taxes and cutting retirement benefits to bolster a social security program hemorrhaging money. The unrest led authorities to quickly withdraw the measure, but as the protests boiled for months and broadened into demands that President Daniel Ortega leave office, security forces responded with a harsh crackdown that killed over 300 people. Hundreds more were arrested and an estimated 50,000 fled into exile. Now, with the dissident movement cowed, a new plan to cut pension payments by 30 to 40 percent and raise payroll taxes is taking effect. And economists and businesspeople are warning that it threatens to have even more severe effects for Nicaraguans and could plunge the country into deeper recession and unemployment. "This measure is absolutely much more drastic since it's not gradual but instead immediate, and it will affect the nearly 800,000 insured in the country," said Mario Arana, who was minister for development, head of the Treasury and president of Nicaragua's Central Bank during the 2001-2006 administration of Ortega's predecessor. "All sectors of the economy will be damaged," Arana said. The social security package was approved in January by a legislature dominated by Ortega's allies and took effect Feb. 1. Businesses with over 50 employees will see their social security tax payments rise from 19 percent to 22.5 percent of pay while the tax on a worker's wages will go from 6.25 percent to 7 percent. The tax on independent workers increases from 18.25 percent to 22.25 percent of income. At the same time, the tax that funds disability, age and death insurance programs is rising from 10 percent to 14 percent. That has people like Mercedez Ramirez, who owns a beauty salon in the capital of Managua, worried. Over the last decade, she has already seen her clientele plummet and had to lay off two of her four stylists. Now she doesn't know if she can afford the social security taxes for the two who remain. Story continues "This situation can't go on," Ramirez said. "If I let my employees go I'll have to close my business and then ... what will we live on? My children are out of work." Gustavo Porras, an Ortega ally who heads congress, which begins a new session Tuesday, said the change aims to "guarantee payment of all pensions and the rights of workers that were won under this government." Yet authorities have not detailed how reforms will affect the finances of the Social Security Institute. Nor have they said whether they will address administrative costs at the agency, whose budget as of November was running at a record deficit of $86 million, up 57 percent from a year earlier. Enrique Saenz, an economist and former lawmaker who left Nicaragua months ago due to his opposition to Ortega, characterizes the crisis at the institute as a problem of Ortega's own creation, blaming "fiscal mismanagement, professional incompetence and irresponsible populism." Saenz said the institute was operating with a $60 million surplus when Ortega returned to power in 2007. But over the last 12 years its administrative costs more than doubled and its payroll more than tripled to over 4,000 workers, while executive positions rose from 10 to 136, he said. The system covers 250,000 retirees, a number growing by 12 to 13 percent a year. The International Monetary Fund has been warning since 2017 that the agency's troubled finances threatened what had been relative stability in Nicaragua before the political crisis. The economy had been averaging annual GDP growth of about 4.5 percent since 2014. Despite the new tax increases, Nicaragua has not seen a repeat of last year's mass protests. And it seems unlikely to, since Ortega, a 73-year-old ex-guerrilla who was first president from 1985 to 1990, forcefully quashed the challenge to his power, including effectively outlawing opposition demonstrations since September. The Associated Press and rights groups have documented physical abuse and torture of some people taken into custody. Many others lost jobs, were expelled from universities, or suffered other reprisals for taking part in protests. "We are not in the streets because there is a state of terror in Nicaragua, because there are police and shock troops that arrest you and beat you," said Ana Margarita Vijil, leader of the dissident Sandinista Renewal Movement, which the government accuses of promoting a "terrorist coup." Still, Vijil insists there will be protests because "this type of reforms ... only aggravate the crisis." The 2018 political crisis pummeled the Central American nation's economy, particularly tourism, commerce, infrastructure and investment. About 350,000 jobs were lost, including 160,000 that paid into the social security system, and the economy contracted 4 percent, according to World Bank figures. Jose Adan Aguerri, president of the High Council of Private Enterprise, contends the new overhaul will cause more joblessness and capital flight, run businesses into bankruptcy and inflate the cost of basic goods. The council is preparing to mount a legal challenge. "Let us remember that the political cost of applying these reforms and provoking more unemployment will be on the hands of the government," Aguerri said Friday at a news conference. According to the Central Bank, about 58 percent of the workers who receive social security payments get less than $307 a month. The cost of the basic monthly food basket stood at $415 as of December. Also worried are some 82,000 Nicaraguans who are over 55 nearing the 60-year-old age at which they can retire and whose pensions stand to fall by 30 percent to 40 percent. "I turn 60 this year and plan to retire in October, but under this law I will no longer get $400 in a monthly pension but just $280," said a private accountant who insisted on speaking anonymously for fear of reprisals. (Reuters) - The 1979 revolution toppled Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, a secular monarch allied with the West, and led to the formation of an Islamic Republic headed by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, a Shi'ite cleric. These are key dates of the revolution and the rise of the Islamic Republic. 1978 Jan. 9 - Several thousand people protest in the city of Qom, a center of religious scholarship, and security forces attack, killing at least five people. Feb. 18 - Protests are held in a number of cities to commemorate the fortieth day after the death of the Qom protesters. A number of protesters are killed in Tabriz. Jun. 7 - The Shah replaces the head of the SAVAK secret police in an attempt to appease protesters. Aug. 19 - Hundreds are killed in an arson fire at the Cinema Rex in Abadan in southern Iran. Protesters and officials blame each other, kicking off another round of violence. Sept. 8 - Martial law is imposed and security forces fire on protesters in Jaleh Square in Tehran, killing at least 100 people, a day which is named "Black Friday." Oct. 3 - Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein deports influential senior opposition cleric Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini from Najaf and he settles in the Neauphle-le-Chateau suburb of Paris. Nov. 6 - After days of protests, the Shah broadcasts the message "I heard the voice of your revolution." Dec. 10-11 - Timed with a religious holiday, millions of Iranians protest around the country calling for the ousting of the Shah. Dec. 29 - Shapour Bakhtiar, a long time opposition leader, is appointed prime minister by the Shah. 1979 Jan. 4 - Bakhtiar officially becomes prime minister. Jan. 12 - Khomeini forms a Revolutionary Council to oversee the Shahs exit and transition to a new government. Jan. 16 - The Shah and his wife, Empress Farah Pahlavi, leave Tehran and fly to Aswan, Egypt. Jan. 22 - The Shah arrives in Morocco with his entourage. He spends three weeks in a palace in Marrakesh before going to the Bahamas. Story continues Feb. 1 - Khomeini returns to Iran and is greeted by millions in Tehran. Feb. 11 - Iran's general staff declares the neutrality of the armed forces and troops are ordered back to their barracks, guaranteeing the Islamic Revolution's success. Bakhtiar flees Tehran. Feb. 14 - The U.S. embassy in Tehran is attacked and overrun but the crowds eventually leave the embassy grounds. Feb. 16 - Iran's revolutionary authorities start executions of leading supporters of the Shah and kill four top generals on the rooftop of a school housing Khomeini. Mar. 5 - Iran resumes oil exports. Mar. 30 - A referendum is held and approximately 99 percent of voters support the formation of an Islamic Republic. Aug. 3 - Iranians elect members of the Assembly of Experts for Constitution to write a new constitution for the Islamic Republic. Oct. 22 - The Shah arrives in the United States for medical treatment of lymphatic cancer, a disease he has secretly battled for several years. Nov. 4 - Iranian students storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran and take 52 Americans hostage, demanding the extradition of the Shah in return for their release. Dec. 15 - The Shah leaves the United States and travels to Panama. 1980 Jan. 25 - Abolhasan Bani-Sadr is elected the first president of the Islamic Republic. Mar. 23 - The Shah leaves Panama and goes to Egypt where he is granted asylum by President Anwar al-Sadat. He receives urgent medical treatment. Jul 27 - The Shah dies in Cairo from lymphoma, aged 60. Sadat gives him a state funeral and he is buried in the Al-Rifa'i Mosque in Cairo. (Writing by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin and Babak Dehghanpisheh, Editing by William Maclean) (Reuters) - U.S. Democrats, anxious to get started on their quest to recapture the White House in 2020, are lining up to launch campaigns in what is quickly becoming a crowded field of presidential contenders. A diverse group including at least five U.S. senators will be vying for the right to challenge President Donald Trump, the likely Republican nominee, who could face a long-shot primary challenger. Here are the Democrats who have either launched campaigns or formed exploratory committees to begin raising money and hiring staff for a presidential run: CORY BOOKER - Booker, 49, a black second-term senator from New Jersey and former mayor of Newark, gained prominence in the fight over Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination. He announced his candidacy on Feb. 1, the first day of Black History Month, mentioning the impact of racial discrimination on his family and saying he would focus on creating good jobs and reforming the criminal justice system. PETE BUTTIGIEG - The mayor of South Bend, Indiana, launched his underdog campaign to become the first openly gay president on Jan. 23 with a call for a new generation of leadership to bring fresh approaches to problems. Buttigieg, 37, brushed off questions about his experience by highlighting the economic turnaround he led in his city. JULIAN CASTRO - The secretary of housing and urban development under then-President Barack Obama joined the race on Jan. 12 in his hometown of San Antonio, where he once served as mayor and a city councilman. Castro, 44, the grandson of a Mexican immigrant, is so far the only Hispanic in the field. He has used his family's personal story to criticize Trump's border policies. JOHN DELANEY - The former U.S. representative from Maryland was the first Democrat to enter the race in July 2017, long before most candidates began making their moves. Delaney, 55, has focused heavily on campaigning and organizing in Iowa, the state that kicks off the nominating fight in February 2020, making repeated trips there and visiting all 99 of its counties. TULSI GABBARD - Gabbard, 37, the first Hindu to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, announced she would run on Jan. 11. Her campaign has quickly been engulfed in controversy over her past anti-gay activism and statements, and the Hawaii congresswoman was forced to apologize. "In my past, I said and believed things that were wrong," she said. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND - An outspoken leader in the #MeToo movement against sexual assault and harassment, the senator from New York announced her candidacy on Jan. 15 on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." Gillibrand, 52, touted her rural roots in upstate New York on a subsequent trip to Iowa and said she had proven her ability to win over more conservative rural voters. KAMALA HARRIS - She announced her candidacy on the holiday honoring slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. The daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India has made a quick impact in a Democratic race that will be heavily influenced by women and minority voters. The 54-year-old, first-term senator from California reported raising $1.5 million online in the first 24 hours of her campaign and drew record ratings on a CNN televised town hall. AMY KLOBUCHAR - She was the first moderate in the crowded field vying to challenge Trump. Klobuchar, 58, gained national attention in 2018 when she sparred with Brett Kavanaugh during Senate hearings on his Supreme Court nomination. Now in her third six-year term as a senator for Minnesota, Klobuchar's campaign announcement came amid news reports that staff in her Senate office were asked to do menial tasks, making it difficult for her to hire high-level campaign strategists. ELIZABETH WARREN - The 69-year-old senator from Massachusetts, a leader of the party's liberals and fierce Wall Street critic who was instrumental in creating the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, jumped into the race with a New Year's Eve video release. On visits to states that hold early nominating contests such as Iowa and New Hampshire, she has focused on her populist economic message, promising to fight what she calls a rigged economic system that favors the wealthy. (Compiled by John Whitesides; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney) By Vladimir Soldatkin and Alex Lawler MOSCOW/LONDON (Reuters) - Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro has sought OPEC support against U.S. sanctions imposed on his country's oil industry, citing their impact on oil prices and potential risks for other members of the producer group. But a source familiar with the matter said the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, of which Venezuela is a founding member, had declined to make any formal statement. OPEC says it is concerned with oil policy, not politics. More than 40 nations including the United States, European powers and most of Latin America have recognized Maduro's rival, Juan Guaido, as the country's rightful head of state, following disputed elections last year. The request was made in a letter sent to OPEC Secretary-General Mohammad Barkindo dated Jan. 29 and seen by Reuters, a day after the United States imposed sanctions on Venezuelan state oil firm PDVSA. "Our country hopes to receive the solidarity and full support of the member countries of OPEC and its ministerial Conference, in the fight we are currently having against the illegal and arbitrary intrusion of the United States in the internal affairs of Venezuela," Maduro wrote. I seek "your firm support and collaboration to jointly denounce and face this shameless dispossession of ... important assets of one of the members of OPEC", the letter said. He wrote that OPEC should help to determine potential solutions based on "the impact that this action has on the global energy market, and the risk it represents for the other countries ... of this organization". The sanctions on Venezuela have boosted global oil prices, which were trading at around $62 a barrel on Monday. The move has disrupted shipments as more than 20 tankers loaded with Venezuelan oil have been anchored off the U.S. Gulf Coast. Still, analysts say there is ample spare capacity in other oil producers such as Saudi Arabia plus strategic reserves in consuming nations to compensate for a loss of Venezuela's exports. OPEC tends to avoid political disputes involving individual members. Last year, it declined a request from Iran for a discussion of U.S. sanctions against Tehran at a policy-setting meeting. Venezuela was once a top-three OPEC oil producer but production has been in decline for years following the collapse of the country's economy. Energy research and consulting firm Rystad sees Venezuelan production plummeting to 680,000 barrels per day (bpd) next year, from 1.34 million bpd at the end of 2018. Venezuela pumped 3 million bpd at the turn of the century. Together with Libya and Iran, Venezuela is exempt from the latest OPEC-led supply cut due to the involuntary decline in production. (Editing by Dale Hudson and Louise Heavens) By Ulf Laessing and Ayman Warfalli MARJ, Libya (Reuters) - East Libyan military forces are in talks with protesting state guards to take over the nation's largest oilfield El Sharara peacefully and pass it to the state oil firm, a commander said on Monday. The comments by Abdel-Razeq Nathouri, chief of staff of the Libyan National Army (LNA) commanded by Khalifa Haftar, may soothe fears of a battle for the 315,000 barrels-per-day field. Libya has been in turmoil since the NATO-backed toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with rival administrations and armed groups controlling different territories. The LNA began an offensive in the south last month to fight Islamist militants, Chadian opposition forces and cross-border smugglers, as well as to secure oil installations. It reached a remote pumping station, but has not moved on the main El Sharara field which a rival force of state guards seized in December demanding money. Production stopped then. "We are now in talks with the guards. In the end, Libyans mustn't fight each other," Nathouri, who is Haftar's No. 2, told Reuters at his office in the city of Marj in the Green Mountains, a 90-minute drive from main eastern city of Benghazi. He did not give details of financial negotiations with the state guards holding El Sharara, though he said their demands on salary payments and uniforms were rightful and would be met. Reuters was unable to immediately confirm the negotiations with the group at El Sharara. Tensions there and at the nearby 70,000 bpd El Feel field have risen in past days after the LNA banned flights without its permission. PLANE INTERCEPTED Nathouri said his forces would hand El Sharara over to the Tripoli-based National Oil Company (NOC) once it had control, as it did with oil ports in the center of Libya last year after expelling an armed group holding them. Players in east Libya have tried to bypass Tripoli, where an internationally-recognized government sits, and export oil direct, but the United Nations has prohibited that, deterring potential buyers. To keep oil flowing, Libya's only source of income apart from gas exports, the east has accepted to route oil exports through decade-long established channels via NOC Tripoli. On Saturday, the LNA carried out four air strikes near the El Feel oilfield, run by NOC, after a plane landed there, a field engineer said. It intercepted the plane after takeoff the next day to search it. The Tripoli government, which opposes a rival Benghazi administration backing the LNA, said the planes were evacuating wounded from a previous battle, as well as oil workers. But Nathouri said in reality the plane had transported a commander from the capital, Ali Kennah, to lead forces in the south. Kennah, however, was no threat as he had been unable to muster a force, he said. The LNA had no intentions to move on El Feel as the field was operating without security issues, Nathouri said. "We don't move on oilfields which are working normally and are under control by NOC. We only move on sites under threat of external forces," he said. Libya used to pump up to 1.6 million bpd under Gaddafi's rule, but that plunged to as low as 90,000 in 2013 due to strife and blockades at fields. Now, with El Sharara paralyzed, NOC produces around 1 million bpd, industry sources say. (Reporting by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) EL PASO Lyda Ness-Garcia listened with stunned dismay last week as President Donald Trump said her hometown was once considered one of our nation's most dangerous cities, then announced a campaign rally here to draw support for his border wall and re-election next year. On Monday, she and other activists will lead protestors in a counter rally to the presidents gathering that will include former congressman Beto ORourke, local leaders, taco trucks and teams of mariachis playing Bob Marleys Get Up, Stand Up. Their message: El Paso is safe, vibrant and open for business. People are so eager to believe the worst of us in border towns," said Ness-Garcia, a family law attorney and founder of Womens March El Paso. We are proud El Pasoans. We will show America and the world who we really are. Once again, a border community along the Texas-Mexico border finds itself at the center of a divisive national debate over immigration and border security and defending itself from perceptions of rampant criminality. Central American immigrants walk along the border fence after crossing the Rio Grande from Mexico on February 01, 2019 in El Paso, Texas. The migrants turned themselves in to U.S. Border Patrol agents, seeking political asylum. Last month, Trump traveled to McAllen, 800 miles southeast on the Texas border, to meet with officials from U.S. Customs and Border Protection amidst a government shutdown that centered on his demands for $5.7 billion to build a border wall. McAllen residents were quick to remind the world they live in a safe community with a relatively low violent crime rate, prompting one theater owner to display on his theaters marquee: "WELCOME TO MCALLEN, 7TH SAFEST CITY IN AMERICA." On Monday, the president will speak in front of several thousand supporters at the El Paso County Coliseum, located a short stroll from the U.S.-Mexico border. As in his McAllen's visit, Trumps trip to El Paso will be rife with political undertones: Its a campaign event in a strongly Democratic county, the hometown of ORourke considered a potential challenger to Trump in 2020 and just four days before another partial government shutdown could begin. Story continues A bipartisan group of lawmakers were negotiating ahead of Fridays deadline, but on Sunday, those talks appeared to stall , setting up another face-off over funding. Many here seethed at Trumps characterization of El Paso during his State of the Union address last week, when he said the border city had extremely high rates of violent crime until a border fence was installed. The peak of violent crime in El Paso at about 6,500 violent crimes per year was recorded in 1993, well before the fence was erected in 2008, and has fallen steadily since, according to an analysis by the El Paso Times. But even at its violent peak, El Paso recorded lower levels of violent crime than comparably-sized cities, such as the 22,000 violent crimes reported by the Baltimore City Police Department and 16,600 reported by police in Washington, D.C., the same year, according to the Times. The presidents remarks felt like another dagger aimed at border communities who have lived in harmony with their Mexican neighbors for generations, said state Sen. Jose Rodriguez, whose district represents El Paso. Besides the misleading perception that danger lurks in El Paso at the hands of immigrants, such comments erode trust built up over the years between local law enforcement and immigrant communities, said Rodriguez, who spent 20 years as the countys top prosecutor. As President Donald Trump prepares to visit this Texas border town, the marquee at the Cine El Rey, a 1940s-era theater-turned-music-venue, touts the fact that McAllen is ranked as one of the safest cities in the country. That cooperation helped law enforcement break up migrant smuggling rings, drive out gangs and significantly lower crime, he said. What I fear is that, with the kinds of statements Trump makes, people will conflate violence with Mexico, Rodriguez said. El Paso is a very safe community. Its just simply outrageous people like President Trump will depict us as living in a dangerous area. Falling crime stats aside, El Paso is struggling with a growing immigration crisis. The number of immigrant families apprehended by the Border Patrols El Paso Sector has soared in recent years, from 562 in fiscal year 2014 to 8,609 in fiscal year 2017 and 12,312 last fiscal year. Over Christmas, hundreds of immigrants released from federal immigration custody were dropped off at downtown bus shelters, sending churches and activist groups scrambling to assist them. Adolpho Telles, chairman of El Paso County Republican Party, said he feels the area has become safer since federal authorities erected the border fence in El Paso, limiting the streams of migrants who were crossing into the community. Shortly after Trumps State of the Union, Telles received a request from the presidents campaign for 150 volunteers to help at the rally, which he secured within two days, he said. In McAllen last month, more than 100 Trump supporters lined a busy street near the airport in a well-organized rally to welcome the president. Telles said he doesn't expect a similar pro-Trump rally to materialize in El Paso, but he hoped both sides of the divisive debate could respect the other on Monday. I hope El Paso gives the president an extremely El Paso-friendly welcome, he said. I hope the president spends more time talking about unity in the nation and I hope we as a city could show that unity. Ness-Garcia, the march organizer, said she and others are dismayed that El Paso has been the site for controversial federal immigration practices. The Trump administration launched a pilot program here for family separations before expanding the program, she said. The policy drew fierce criticism and was ultimately dropped, though it remains unclear how many children were separated from the families and are still being separated. And the Tornillo faciltiy, a tent city housing migrant youth that also later closed under withering criticism, was operated nearby. "El Paso, unfortunately, has been the testing grounds for some of the most inhumane policies of this administration," Ness-Garcia said. "Yes, there's a lot of anger, but there's allo a lot of positivity. That's what we want to focus on: being peaceful and passionate." Perception is important in a place like El Paso, the nation's 10th largest exporter and whose retail stores rely heavily on shoppers crossing over from Mexico. Local leaders are continuously fighting negative portrayals of El Paso, not just arising from Washington but from Hollywood, as well, said Jon Barela, chief executive of the Borderplex Alliance, an El-Paso-based economic development group. Movies, like Oscar-nominated "Sicario," have portrayed El Paso as struggling to rebuff the carnage spilling over from cartel violence across the border in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Trump's comments added to that perception. Thats the image we have to fight every single day, and its a false image of our area," Barela said. At Lucys Coffee Shop near downtown El Paso, diners munched on breakfast burritos and debated which of the two rallies theyd rather attend: Trumps or ORourkes. Jessica Kludt, 34, an attorney, said she was definitely going to the latter. Im hoping the Beto rally will be full and the Trump rally is empty, she said. Thats my hope. Follow Jervis on Twitter: @MrRJervis. Contributing: Alan Gomez and Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: El Paso braces for Trump rally, as another border community deflects images of unsafe city With the studio tentpoles Deadpool and Alita: Battle Angel as well as last years indie darling If Beale Street Could Talk, in which he played a corrupt cop Ed Skrein has quickly become Hollywoods go-to antagonist. But he may have gotten the most ink for a role he didnt play. In August 2017, the 35-year-old London native bowed out of the upcoming David Harbour-starring Hellboy reboot after complaints that his character, Major Ben Daimio, was being whitewashed. Daimio was Asian in the comics, and Skrein was ultimately replaced by Daniel Dae Kim (Lost, Hawaii Five-O). At the Los Angeles press day for Alita, Skrein reflected on that decision, which followed similar whitewashing controversies involving Ghost in the Shell and Doctor Strange. I had the situation there, made the right decision, felt good about that decision, and moved on, said Skrein, who first posted news of his exit on Twitter. Im of the idea of leading by example rather than shouting from the rooftops. I live by my word every day even when people cant see it, even when Im not tweeting out statements. Or even when its not profile. So it was just carry on the same. Skrein said he didnt receive any type of blowback from the films distributor, Lionsgate. He did earn public acknowledgment, though, from his replacement Kim, who praised him in an Instagram post after the pair met in London. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The studio, actually, [was] pretty amazing. They actually had been amazing before I found out [that the character was originally Asian]. And then they were gentle people afterwards. So no, its all love. It was just the right decision. Alita: Battle Angel opens Friday. Watch the trailer: Read more on Yahoo Entertainment: Samantha Jenkins was badly beaten by her former boyfriend (Picture: SWNS) A woman has spoken out after her boyfriend left her with shocking injuries while attacking her with a broom handle. Samantha Jenkins, 33, a carer from Caerphilly in Wales, was beaten by her former partner Kevin Owen while he was in a drunken rage in their flat in November 2014. He tried to gouge her eyes out with a broom handle, threw a television and an ashtray at her and tried to strangle her during the terrifying 90-minute long attack. He knocked out her two front teeth and she needed stitches in her head. At Cardiff Crown Court in July 2015, Owen was sentenced to nine years in prison for wounding with intent. Kevin Owen was sentenced to nine years in prison for beating Ms Jenkins (Picture: SWNS) However, Ms Jenkins, a mother-of-one, says she is living in fear after being told he could be released as early as this May. She says he should not be allowed back into the town. Ms Jenkins is now in another relationship with her new partner, Kyle, 32, but says she finds it difficult to trust men after the attack. Speaking about Owen, she said: I knew he wasnt exactly the one but I had no idea he would turn on me. I was fighting for my life when he attacked me I could easily have died that night. MORE: Jeremy Corbyn says Labour may back another EU referendum MORE: Rare tiger killed by her new potential mate at London Zoo What he did has left me insecure and paranoid in my new relationship, I definitely have trust issues after what Ive been through. Now hes being released Im even more terrified it isnt fair that he gets to come back to Caerphilly after what he did to me. She said Owen became jealous and controlling a few weeks into their relationship. He was always picking at me and he could be violent and aggressive hed hit me on previous occasions but it got worse and worse the longer we were together, becoming a daily occurrence. Ms Jenkins is afraid her former partner will return to the town after he is released from prison (Picture: SWNS) On the night of the attack a friend was hanging out and drinking at the flat with us when Kevin started to get jealous and argumentative. She told the friend to leave, saying she would be fine, but was unaware he was about to attack her. Story continues Id become quite numb to the abuse and didnt expect anything truly bad to happen, but something changed in him that night. He wasnt just shoving me around, he was giving it everything he had, she said. Ms Jenkins spent two days in hospital after the vicious attack (Picture: SWNS) He grabbed a mirror and hit me over the head with it, then he was on top of me and beating me with a broomstick. He was putting so much force into it that he literally snapped it in half then he started trying to gouge out my eyes with the handle. I was fighting for my life, and it lasted for well over an hour, it was endless and I had no idea if Id make it. Eventually, I spotted a piece of cracked mirror next to me on the floor and I hit him with it so hed get off. Ms Jenkins is now in a new relationship with her boyfriend, Kyle (Picture: SWNS) I grabbed my phone and ran upstairs to call the police. He was still coming at me the whole time but was bleeding heavily, so combined with how much alcohol hed drank he was a bit hazy. I even tried to get out of the bathroom window and was screaming for help, desperate for one of my neighbours to hear what was going on. Owen was arrested at the scene by police and an ambulance took Ms Jenkins to hospital. She spent two days in Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil recovering and having scans to see if any bones were broken. In court, she relived the attack by giving evidence via video link. Owen claimed he had been acting in self-defence. She was told recently that Owen is set for release in May 2019 and is frightened he will move back to Caerphilly. She said: I cant even imagine just bumping into him while Im at the shops. He shouldnt be allowed back, it just isnt fair. I still have scars from that night. Im not allowed to forget, so why should he? Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK DENVER (AP) Striking teachers on Monday picketed outside of schools and marched through Denver's streets as car horns blared in support of the latest U.S. walkout amid a swell of educator activism that has affected at least a half-dozen state over the last year. Just over half of the 4,725 teachers working in district-run schools called in absent for Denver's first strike in 25 years. Some students crossed picket lines to get to class as schools remained open with administrators and substitute teachers in classrooms. In one school, students danced and chanted in the hallways as they walked out to demonstrate to support their teachers. Other students joined hundreds of teachers and union members in a march past City Hall that held up traffic in downtown Denver. Science teacher Abraham Cespedes said Denver educators were empowered by recent teacher activism and strikes from Arizona to West Virginia. "By us doing this we finally became united," he said, marching with fellow teachers, members of other unions and students. The strike affecting about 71,000 students in the school district comes about a year after West Virginia teachers launched the national "Red4Ed" movement with a nine-day strike in which they won 5 percent pay raises. There have since been walkouts in Washington state, Arizona, Kentucky and Oklahoma, as teachers protest low pay, crowded classrooms and staffing shortages. Most recently, Los Angeles teachers went on strike last month. That walkout ended when teachers received a 6 percent raise and promises of smaller class sizes and the addition of more nurses and counselors. In Denver, the dispute is over the school district's incentive-based pay system. The city's school district gives bonuses ranging from $1,500 to $3,000 a year to teachers who work in schools with students from low-income families, in schools that are designated high priority or in positions that are considered hard to staff, such as special education or speech language pathology. Story continues The union is pushing to lower or eliminate some of those bonuses to free up more money that would be added to overall teacher pay. The district sees the disputed bonuses as key to boosting the academic performance of poor and minority students. Denver teachers say the reliance on bonuses in the district leads to high turnover, which they say hurts students, and that spending money on smaller class sizes and adding support staff, like counselors, is the best way to help disadvantaged students learn. Some teachers have become ineligible for bonuses after their schools lost their official low-income status as parts of the city undergo gentrification. The district has proposed raising starting teacher pay from $43,255 to $45,500 a year. That's $300 a year less than the union's proposal, which would add $50 million a year to teacher base pay, according to union officials. At a news conference, district Superintendent Susana Cordova said negotiations will resume on Tuesday. "It is a problem for our kids not to have their teachers in class," Cordova said. "I want to get this done now. So I'm very happy that we will be back at the table." State House Majority Leader Alec Garnett, a Democrat, said the strike underscores the need for lawmakers to fix conflicting laws that restrict state public school spending by hundreds of millions of dollars a year. "There is no quick fix to the school finance issues that the state is facing. And so if this is a way that helps bring people to the table to solve it, then that's a good thing," Garnett said. The state says a walkout will cost about $400,000 a day and would consume 1 to 2 percent of the district's annual operating budget in about a week. In encouraging both sides to come to an agreement, Gov. Jared Polis has pointed out that this money will no longer be available to help pay teachers if it is spent on the strike. The strike happened after the administration of Polis, a Democrat, decided last week not to get involved, believing the negotiating positions of administrators and teachers were not very far apart. However, Polis said the state could decide to intervene and suspend the strike for up to 180 days if the walkout drags on. The state does not have the power to impose any deal on either side. But it can try to help the union and school district reach a deal and can require them participate in a fact-finding process ___ Associated Press writers James Anderson and Kathleen Foody in Denver contributed to this report. Update 3:04p.m.: Omar apologized for her comments in a Monday afternoon tweet. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. House Democratic leaders issued a joint statement Monday calling on Representative Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) to apologize for endorsing the anti-Semitic trope that Jewish donors leverage their wealth for nefarious political purposes. Legitimate criticism of Israels policies is protected by the values of free speech and democratic debate that the United States and Israel share, read the statement, which was signed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and other Democratic leaders. But Congresswoman Omars use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israels supporters is deeply offensive. We condemn these remarks and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologize for these hurtful comments. The statement was issued in response to a tweet Omar sent Sunday, in which she suggested her colleagues support for Israel could be attributed to the financial influence of Jewish donors and groups like the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). 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. Omars comments were met with swift condemnation from lawmakers and activists on both sides of the aisle. Representative Jerry Nadler (D., N.Y.), who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, called Omars comments deeply disturbing and, in an effort to expose Omars pattern of behavior, cited a previous tweet, for which she has since apologized, accusing Israel of hypnotizing the world. It is deeply disappointing and disturbing to hear Representative Ilhan Omars (MN) choice of words in her exchange with a journalist yesterday, wherein she appears to traffic in old anti-Semitic tropes about Jews and money, Nadler said in a statement. Her words are deeply hurtful and offensive, particular as they build on previous comments she made about Jews hypnotizing the world in support of Israel another old trope born of hate-filled texts like the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Story continues Representative Eliot Engel, the Jewish chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, on which Omar sits, similarly condemned the freshman lawmaker in a Monday afternoon statement issued soon after Nadlers. I fully expect that when we disagree on the Foreign Affairs Committee, we will debate policy on the merits and never question members motives or resort to personal attacks, Engel said. Criticism of American policy toward any country is fair game, but this must be done on policy grounds. Omar was previously criticized over her ties to anti-Semitic Palestinian activists, one of whom served as a top fundraiser on her recent congressional campaign, and has expressed support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which seeks to challenge Israels occupation of the West Bank through financial pressure. More from National Review "There is no excuse nor apology that can erase this kind of insult." Photo: Renell Medrano for Gucci Renowned Harlem fashion designer and tailor Dapper Dan's relationship with Gucci through the years has been a rocky road. After gaining notoriety for knocking off the Italian house's logo in his designs throughout the '80s and '90s, the tables turned in 2017, when Alessandro Michele was taken to task for knocking off one of Dap's designs in his Cruise 2018 collection. However, all's well that ends well: Both parties made peace and began working together. Not only did Dapper Dan collaborate with Gucci on a vintage hip-hop-inspired capsule collection and lookbook, the Kering-owned luxury label underwrote his brand new studio and atelier in Harlem, also making him the face of a special tailoring campaign. As lovely of a story as this is, it might not wind up with a happy ending. Just last week, Gucci apologized for (and pulled from shelves) an $890 sweater that resembled blackface. After several days of impassioned conversation among fans on social media, the brand released a statement, saying: "Gucci deeply apologizes for the offense caused by the wool balaclava jumper ... We consider diversity to be a fundamental value to be fully upheld, respected and at the forefront of every decision we make. We are fully committed to increasing diversity throughout our organization and turning this incident into a powerful learning moment for the Gucci team and beyond." While acknowledging the misstep and the need to prioritize diversity is a step in the right direction, the situation did not sit well with Dapper Dan. On Sunday, he posted a statement of his own on Instagram, insinuating that his partnership with Gucci may be on thin ice. "I am a Black man before I am a brand," he wrote. "Another fashion house has gotten it outrageously wrong. There is no excuse nor apology that can erase this kind of insult. The CEO of Gucci has agreed to come from Italy to Harlem this week to meet with me, along with members of the community and other industry leaders. There cannot be inclusivity without accountability. I will hold everyone accountable." Story continues Gucci made a concerted effort to make things right with Dap and, seemingly, to educate themselves about both his neighborhood and his culture the last time they were at odds, but this understandably hits very close to home, and could certainly cause major issues within their business partnership. (Dapper Dan isn't alone, as other high-profile figures, including Fear of God's Jerry Lorenzo and Soulja Boy, are openly boycotting Gucci.) Whatever the outcome, this case only underscores the dire need for more inclusion and diversity in the industry, as the frequency with which fashion brands slip up in regards to racism only gets higher by the day. It's a change that needs to be implemented immediately, and hopefully Gucci will set an example for its industry peers, as it's already been known to do in other areas. Homepage photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images Want the latest fashion industry news first? Sign up for our daily newsletter. This is the moment a faulty escalator caused chaos as hundreds of people ended up crammed into a Mexican metro station. The incident took place in the Line 9 metro station in Tacubaya in the Mexican capital Mexico City during rush hour. Local media reported that the escalators in the station are equipped with a safety system which stops them from running if too many people get stuck on them on to prevent jams forming. However, the safety system had a technical malfunction and the escalator failed to stop after the people jam caused by overcrowding at the station which formed at the top. Hundreds of passengers were crammed into the Line 9 metro station in Tacubaya, Mexico City, after an escalator caused chaos causing passengers to attempt to flee. In the video, dozens of passengers can be seen on the escalator which is still running even though the one next to it has stopped as it should have when the jam started to build up. Those on the running escalator begin piling up at the top when a woman can be heard suddenly screaming. The people behind her spot the pile up at the top and begin scrambling to try and get down the escalator which does not stop running despite the jam. A woman can be seen lying on the moving escalator as it reaches the top and people on the stationary escalator work to pull others to safety. Here passengers can be seen attempting to flee the crush The view from above. The System of Collective Transport of Metro, which runs the metro service, said the accident was caused by a mechanical failure that left two people injured, but not seriously. Local media report the two people who were injured were a woman and her baby. Claudia Sheinbaum, the head of the government, told local media that they will investigate the failure and said that the government is focusing on improving the conditions on the metro system. She said that the investigation is ongoing and the escalators on the metro system will be checked soon. The company in charge of the metro service said that they would check all the escalators and lifts in order to avoid similar problems. Finish this article for as low as $1 when you purchase a day pass. Just click the sign up button to purchase. If you are already a subscriber, just click log in to continue reading. Abidjan (AFP) - Ivory Coast's President Alassane Ouattara has refused to comment on the acquittal on crimes against humanity of his predecessor Laurent Gbagbo at the International Criminal Court while insisting investigations would continue. "No reaction from me, it's an ongoing trial...," Ouattara said in an interview with Radio France International in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa where he was attending an African Union summit. But he added: "Someone must be responsible for the 3,000 deaths. I hope that justice will shine a light on that, it is what the victims are asking for." ICC judges acquitted Gbagbo and his aide Charles Ble Goude on charges stemming from a wave of violence after disputed elections in the west African nation in 2010. More than 3,000 people died on both sides of the Ivory Coast conflict after Gbagbo refused to concede defeat to Ouattara, his internationally backed rival. Gbagbo, the first former head of state to stand trial at the ICC, is currently living in Belgium under conditions pending a possible prosecution appeal following the acquittal on January 15. He had been held in the Netherlands since 2011. The ICC's unwillingness to let Gbagbo return to Ivory Coast is thought to have been linked to the country's refusal to surrender Gbagbo's first wife, Simone, despite an outstanding ICC warrant for her arrest for her role in the post-election violence. She was convicted and jailed by the courts there in 2015, but Ouattara granted her an amnesty last year along with 800 others. "We are continuing our investigations in order to establish who is responsible (for the deaths)," Ouattara said in the interview to be broadcast Monday. And he denied that any pressure had been brought to bear on the ICC to prolong the detention or trial of Gbago. "Interfering with international or national justice, this is not how I manage my country... let justice take its course," he said, refusing to discuss any possible return of Gbagbo. "Let's wait and see." Story continues - 'No problem' with Soro' - Ouattara also returned to the subject of the resignation of the speaker of the National Assembly, Guillaume Soro, who headed rebel forces during the Ivorian war, and then joined the government under Gbagbo. Soro is a member of Ouattara's Rally of Republicans (RDR) and is rumoured to have fallen out with Ouattara and possibly to have his own presidential ambitions. Ouattara said he believed there were ideological differences between the two but "no problem" between them. "I'm not a man to force anyone (to resign)... Soro believed that we did not share the same ideology. We are a social liberal party and he considers himself a Marxist. I understand that this is not compatible with his beliefs," he said, adding: "He is a young man that I consider as one on my sons. I do not rule out that he will return." Nor did Ouattara rule out Soro standing for the presidency in 2020. "It's his choice, he can do as he wishes. The constitution authorises him to do so and it is not a question of me standing in the way of his candidature...." Gbagbo's release has come at a particularly tense time in Ivory Coast. With presidential elections due next year, Ouattara has not said whether he will seek another term, and the coalition he formed with Henri Konan Bedie, his former ally against Gbagbo, has collapsed. "It's very clear, I can run if I want. There's a new constitution (since 2016)," he said. "All the legal opinions that I have consulted have confirmed it. I will announce my decision in 2020. I can take a decision up until July 28, 2020," he said. China hit back on Monday at Turkish criticism over its treatment of Uighurs and denied Ankara's claim that a renowned poet from the Muslim minority had died in custody, calling it an "absurd lie". Turkey's foreign ministry had released a statement on Saturday severely criticising China's mass detentions of its Turkic-speaking Uighurs, and claiming that poet Abdurehim Heyit had died serving an eight-year Chinese prison sentence imposed as punishment over "one of his songs". But China on Sunday released a video showing a man who identified himself as Heyit and saying that he was alive and well. "China has made solemn representations toward Turkey. We hope the relevant Turkish persons can distinguish between right and wrong and correct their mistakes," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said during a daily press briefing. She called the Turkish statement "vile" and urged Ankara to withdraw its "false accusations". "I saw his (Heyit's) video online yesterday, showing that he is not only alive but also very healthy," she said. A UN panel of experts has said that nearly one million Uighurs and other Turkic-speaking minorities had been herded into "re-education camps" in China's northwestern Xinjiang region, where most of the country's more than 10 million Uighurs live. Turkey had said China's treatment of Uighurs was "a great embarrassment for humanity" -- perhaps the strongest condemnation yet from a Muslim country. The Muslim world has been conspicuously quiet on the Uighur issue, possibly to avoid Chinese diplomatic or economic retaliation. The plight of China's Uighurs is closely followed in Turkey due to shared linguistic, cultural and religious links and the presence of tens of thousands of ethnic Uighurs there. - 'No abuse' - In its statement on Saturday, Turkey did not say how it had learned that Heyit died, but said the "tragedy has further reinforced the reaction of the Turkish public opinion towards (the) serious human rights violations" in Xinjiang. Story continues But state-controlled China Radio International (CRI) released a 26-second video on its Turkish service on Sunday. "My name is Abdurehim Heyit. Today is February 10, 2019," the man in the video says, according to the English subtitles. "I'm in the process of being investigated for allegedly violating the national laws," he added, in what appeared to be the Uighur language. Wearing a black and white sweater over a collared shirt, he said he was in "good health" and has "never been abused", according to the subtitles. AFP was unable to immediately verify the authenticity of the video or when it was shot. CRI said it was released to state media by Xinjiang's regional government. Xinjiang has come under intensifying police surveillance in recent years following repeated riots, bombings and attacks on Chinese security forces and civilians. Beijing at first denied any Xinjiang detention camps existed, but later admitted people were being sent to what it calls "vocational education centres". But critics say Uighurs are being pressured in the camps to assimilate with Chinese society and abandon religious and cultural practices that Beijing sees as potential sources of resistance. The Turkish foreign ministry statement said Uighurs were being "subjected to torture and political brainwashing in concentration centres and prisons". Hua, however, appeared to leave the door open to patching up the row, saying the two sides should endeavour to maintain "mutual trust and cooperation". By 2030-end, AI is estimated to add $15.7 trillion to global GDP. A number of U.S. companies are riding the AI wave, including the likes of Amazon.com, Inc AMZN and Microsoft Corporation MSFT. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has over and over again pointed out the use of machine learning in Amazon-like product search rankings; demand forecasting, fraud protection and warehouse fulfilment. Microsoft, in the meantime, is looking to make AI more accessible through its Azure cloud services. After all, AI in the cloud is anticipated to increase at an annualized rate of 50% through 2025. If we shift our focus from American behemoths, China is aiming to be the premier country for AI research and services, at least by 2030. A number of companies in China are already on par with their AI rivals in the United States, if not above them. Heres why investors should pay attention to Chinas AI boom and watch out for new AI players like Tencent Holdings Limited TCEHY and Alibaba Group Holding Limited BABA. Tencent Has Huge AI Data Opportunity One of the primary elements of AI is, undoubtedly, data. Needless to say, without data, the best of software and algorithms are of no use. While in the United States, Google dominates this space by collecting a wide array of user information through free services, in China, Tencent has a leading position in this area. Lest we forget, Tencents biggest service is WeChat app, which currently boasts 1 billion active users, mostly from China. The social media app helps users pay bills, provide ride-sharing services, play video games and share social media updates, to name a few. Tencent, by the way, has launched an AI-based platform, Miying back, which helps healthcare institutions diagnose cancer. At the same time, the platform helps hospitals and nursing homes analyse and manage health records. With more than 38,000 medical institutes, especially in China, using WeChat, Tencent is using data to transform and uplift the medical industry in the country. Story continues Tencents sales climbed almost 24% to RMB 80.6 billion ($11.95 billion) in the most recent quarter, while earnings per share jumped 29% to 2.44 yuan. The companys shares have popped 12.1% so far this year, higher than the Internet - Services industrys gain of 10.5%. The Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) companys expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 11.4%, higher than the industrys projected gain of 2.4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current fiscal-year earnings also rose 1.7% in the past 60 days. Alibaba A Big Player in the AI Space Investors should keep in mind that Alibaba is a dominant tech player in the Chinese market. But the e-commerce company is increasingly becoming a major player in the AI space as well. And with Chinese governments continuous initiative to make AI a key part of its future, expect Alibabas AI desires to grow along with it. Recently, Alibaba announced that its developing AI chips which will be available soon. The chip will be used by autonomous vehicles. To top it, Alibabas AI-powered robots boost the hospitality industry. The company has also established an AI customer service agent for its logistics company, Cainiao. Thus, Alibaba has a slew of AI pursuits, which should gain traction from Chinas growing AI market. In the most recent quarter, Alibabas revenues rose 41% from the year-ago quarter to RMB 117.8 billion ($17.4 billion), while sales from the companys e-commerce business went up 40% to RMB 102.84 billion ($15.25 billion). Nonetheless, these encouraging quarterly numbers, released at the end of January, have helped push the companys stock price up 22.1% on a year-to-date basis, higher than the Internet - Commerce industrys gain of 11.8%. The Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) companys expected earnings growth rate for the current and next quarters are a solid 17.6% and 18.9%, respectively. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings, by the way, increased 3.4% in the past 60 days. A Word of Caution! Like any kind of investment, China stocks do come with their own risks. There is a lot of trade-related issues between the United States and China, which may spook investors. And maybe thats one of the reasons why Baidu, Inc. BIDU, arguably, the biggest company driving the China AI boom, currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Is Your Investment Advisor Fumbling Your Financial Future? See how you can more effectively safeguard your retirement with a new Special Report, 4 Warning Signs Your Investment Advisor Might Be Sabotaging Your Financial Future. Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Baidu, Inc. (BIDU) : Free Stock Analysis Report Tencent Holding Ltd. (TCEHY) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Libreville (AFP) - A Chadian rebel group on Monday vowed to pursue its campaign against President Idriss Deby, despite suffering losses to government forces after being targeted by French air strikes. "A battle has been lost, but not the war," Youssouf Hamid, spokesman of the Union of Resistance Forces (UFR) told AFP. On Saturday, the Chadian military said it had captured more than 250 rebels, including four senior leaders, and seized more than 40 vehicles and "several hundred" weapons. The operation targeted a convoy of militants trying to cross into Chad from Libya that was also hit earlier in several French air strikes, it said. Hamid said the military's account was a "fantasy." He said "about 30" fighters who had taken shelter in a cave after the French attacks surrendered to the Chadian army "without fighting." Hamid added, "We didn't know that France would intervene. Normally, they do intelligence-gathering, which we knew about. We didn't expect them to carry out strikes." "It wasn't a fight between (UFR fighters) and the Chadian fighters. It was France which did the fighting, not Chadians," he said. The French jets, based near the Chadian capital N'Djamena, intervened at the government's request, France says. Chad, a vast and mostly desert country with more than 200 ethnic groups, has suffered repeated coups and crises since it gained independence from France in 1960. Under Deby, a former head of the armed forces, the country has taken a leading role in the fight against jihadism in the Sahel region. It is part of a West African coalition fighting the Boko Haram insurgency, and a member of the French-backed G5 Sahel anti-terror alliance, which also includes Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger. The latest incursion follows several recent air strikes by the Chadian air force against Libya-based rebels in the far north. The UFR was created in January 2009 from an alliance of eight rebel groups. It is led by Timan Erdimi, Deby's nephew, who is also a member of the Zaghawa ethnic group. In February 2008, a tripartite insurgent group, moving in from the east, reached the gates of the presidential palace in N'Djamena before being repulsed. Madrid (AFP) - As 12 Catalan separatist leaders prepare to go on trial in Madrid, Spain has been forced to defend the independence and impartiality of its courts. Catalan separatists have dismissed the high-profile trial which begins Tuesday at Spain's Supreme Court as a "farce" whose outcome is already pre-determined. Not so, says the government, which has published a thick file to show Spain's justice system is just as fair as its European counterparts, citing rankings by the European Commission, the European Court of Human Rights and Transparency International. Supreme Court President Carlos Lesmes points out that if the justice system really was not independent, the king's brother-in-law would not be in jail for corruption, nor would a court ruling have sparked a no-confidence motion that brought down the conservative government in June. "I think this will be the most important trial we've had in democracy," he told reporters before the start of the trial. "It's a challenge because there's been a big smear campaign of Spain's judiciary." - State on trial? - Spain has had a long-standing public perception that its judiciary is biased. In the EU's 2018 "Justice Scoreboard", Spain came sixth to last among 28 member states for public perception of the independence of judges and courts, behind Poland and Hungary. Despite repeated denials, the conservative government in power at the time of Catalonia's attempt to break from Spain in October 2017 and the Socialists that took power in June have each been accused of exerting pressure on judges. "It is the state which will end up in the dock," one of the main defendants on trial, former Catalan vice president Oriol Junqueras, predicted from pre-trial detention. Junqueras and 11 others are on trial for their role in the attempt to break from Spain. Separatists call them "political prisoners" who are suffering oppression of the kind experienced in Spain during Francisco Franco's 1939-75 dictatorship. Story continues - 'Unacceptable interference' - In a ruling, Spain's Supreme Court said the group were not on trial for their ideas. The majority of the defendants were "political leaders who were members of the government of an autonomous region and therefore the highest representatives of the (Spanish) state in Catalonia", it said. The government has also had to defend itself from accusations that it put pressure on judges during the criminal investigation phase. Public prosecutors accuse nine of the 12 of rebellion, which implies the use of violence -- a key charge which has divided Spanish legal experts. But the state attorney decided in November to only accuse them of the lesser crime of sedition. This has led conservative opposition parties, which take a hard line against Catalan separatism, to accuse the government of "unacceptable interference" in the case. They suspect the move was part of a bid by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's minority government to win the much-needed support in parliament of Catalan separatist parties for its 2019 budget. Justice Minister Dolores Delgado, though, said Spain's new state attorney took the decision "without the government imposing anything". - European courts - In November, a conservative senator, Ignacio Cosido, also contributed to perception that the judiciary is biased. On WhatsApp, he welcomed the promotion of Manuel Marchena -- a judge seen as close to the conservatives who will be presiding at the separatists' trial -- at the head of the Supreme Court. Cosido said it would allow the conservatives to "control" the court "behind the scenes." After the controversy this generated, Marchena gave up the promotion. Courts in Belgium, Germany and Switzerland have also contributed to doubts about Spain's legal system by refusing to extradite separatists who had escaped after the declaration of independence. A German court for instance last year refused to send former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont back to Spain on rebellion charges. A Belgian court meanwhile has agreed to consider a civil lawsuit filed by Puigdemont's lawyers against Supreme Court judge Pablo Llarena, accusing him of impartiality in the case against the Catalan separatist leaders. Spain has not publicly criticised these decisions. "Our best communication campaign will be the trial," said Lesmes. Madrid (AFP) - Far-right Spanish party Vox is on track to get a global soapbox as it takes part in the much-hyped trial of Catalan pro-independence leaders as a "popular prosecutor" -- a Spain-specific legal mechanism that has left Madrid embarrassed. Vox burst on to the political scene by winning 12 seats in southern Andalusia's regional parliament in December. The party, which vehemently opposes illegal immigration and supports the scrapping of tough laws against gender violence, also plans to send a few MEPs into the European parliament in May elections. Its involvement in the upcoming trial of Catalan separatist leaders will be as so-called "popular prosecution", a set-up which allows any citizen or organisation to be an accuser in court alongside public prosecutors. Former Catalan vice-president Oriol Junqueras, the trial's main protagonist, said this equated to "Spain's judiciary supporting a far-right campaign". "That would have been impossible in countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany or Denmark," he said last month in a written interview with Catalan radio. A high-level official at the justice ministry, who refused to be named, said for Vox to be given such a platform in a sensitive, divisive trial was a "pity", regretting that this popular prosecution can be used "with partisan intentions". According to the Supreme Court, popular prosecution has no equivalent elsewhere in Europe. In the Supreme Court where 12 Catalan leaders will be tried, lawyer Javier Ortega Smith, Vox's secretary-general, will take a seat next to the prosecutor and the state attorney. He will be able to question the defendants and witnesses after them. The popular prosecutor also has access to all files in the case and can intervene during the pre-trial court probe. The far-right party has called for 74 years in jail for Junqueras, while prosecutors and the state attorney -- which represents the state -- are asking for 25 and 12 years respectively. Story continues - 'Extraordinary showcase' - Criminal lawyer Ruben Martin de Pablos says popular prosecution has been in all Spanish constitutions for 200 years and adds that other parties use it too. "It's been useful to unveil many corruption cases," he says, or for suing former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in 1998, for instance. But we're seeing that "a new party can use it to make itself known and get an extraordinary, free showcase", he added. "The law allows it, we can't do anything apart from criticise the situation and perhaps change it in the future." Ignacio Gonzalez Vega, spokesman for the Judges for Democracy professional association, said "Vox's presence distorts what popular prosecution is because it's using it for propaganda purposes". "We criticise any political party using criminal proceedings with spurious motives," he added. But he doesn't believe this will have "undesirable consequences" and said that "an independent and impartial court will pass the sentence". Supreme Court President Carlos Lesmes said the court's judge can interrupt Vox's lawyer if he "wants to use the trial to defend his own political ideology". Still, for the justice ministry source, "parties should be excluded from the popular prosecution". But law professor Julio Perez Gil countered that that would be "completely useless" as a member of Vox could just act on their own. He is one of the few to believe that popular prosecution should simply be abolished. Hasakeh (Syria) (AFP) - A Canadian jihadist detained in Syria told AFP he has been "hung out to dry" by the Islamic State group like other foreign fighters and appealed to his government for help. Mohammad Ali, 28, was captured by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) some nine months ago while trying to flee north into Turkey with his Canadian wife and two children. He was interviewed at a detention centre in the northeastern city of Hasakeh in the presence of two members of the SDF, who are holding hundreds of foreign jihadists. Ali, who joined IS in 2014 under the nom de guerre Abu Turab al-Kanadi, said he had been interrogated by the American FBI, CIA and US defence officials, but never visited by a Canadian official. "Every time I get taken for an interrogation or an interview, I'm hoping it's with someone from the Canadian government, someone that can clarify my situation and give me a bit of hope." "Up until now, nothing," he said. "I have nowhere else to go... How can they leave me sitting here like this in limbo?" The Kurdish administration in northeastern Syria wants to send the prisoners back for trial, but governments in their countries of origin are often reluctant. Canada's foreign ministry said it had opened a communication channel with Kurdish authorities but that there was no agreement on repatriation. The Families Against Violent Extremism (FAVE) non-profit said it knew of 25 Canadians held by the SDF. - 'Exhausted' - Ali was dressed in a grey robe, matching cap and tattered black sandals. He repeatedly said he was "exhausted" and often paused for long periods before mumbling an answer. Like many other captured accused IS members, he said he joined the group to fight President Bashar al-Assad's government. He first worked in IS's lucrative oil ministry for four months because of his previous experience in Canada as an oil worker. Story continues During that time, he used a prominent Twitter account to call on others to join the jihadists, but said he was never part of IS's formal media apparatus. He spent the following three years as a fighter and trainer, but said he always refused to shoot civilians. "That's not why I came here," he said. AFP could not immediately verify the details of the account he gave of his time in the "caliphate". Ali said he began doubting his decision to join IS in late 2016, as the jihadists began to lose territory and turn against foreigners, including a Dutch friend of his who was executed by the group. "The foreigners feel they were left out, hung out to dry, they've been used and abused," he said. He paid a smuggler to take his Canadian wife, who he met under IS in Syria, and their two young girls north from Deir Ezzor province to the Turkish border. Ali said he was planning to go to the Canadian embassy in Ankara but was caught by the SDF before crossing into Turkey. - 'They will rise back up' - He said he has been unable to speak to his wife or daughters, or his family in Canada, since being detained. "All I think about is my wife and kids," he said. Hundreds of IS-affiliated men, women and children have streamed out of the group's shrinking pocket in east Syria in the past two months, but journalists and advocates have limited access to them. Ali said he was not aware of any SDF legal proceedings against him. Asked what kind of future he was most afraid of, he said he feared being handed over to Syrian regime forces. He is resigned to serving jail time at home but insisted he should not be considered in the same category as accused British IS executioners Alexanda Amon Kotey and El Shafee el-Sheikh, also held by the SDF. "Now the foreigners are trying to leave, trying to get back home," Ali told AFP. "But a lot of the Syrians and the Iraqis, they're just melting back into the population, holding down for a while, and when things start again, they will rise back up. "It doesn't really take a genius to figure this out. They have pockets in the desert, they have people intermingling with the population, acting as civilians, just biding their time." By Svea Herbst-Bayliss (Reuters) - The California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS), the second largest U.S. pension fund said on Monday it made a $250 million investment with Impactive Capital, a new activist hedge fund that expects to start trading next month. CalSTRS, which invests $215 billion on behalf of the state's educators, puts money into only a handful of hedge funds, typically favoring activists that engage with companies to help boost returns but often work behind the scenes. "Their compelling strategy aligns with our long-term investment horizon and our commitment to promoting good governance and sustainable business practices that enhance returns for our members," CalSTRS' Chief Investment Officer Christopher Ailman said about Impactive in a statement. The investment will raise the profile of Impactive, founded last year by hedge fund veterans Lauren Taylor Wolfe and Christian Asmar, and may help the pair raise capital at a time when activist funds have struggled to attract money as returns sagged. Last year, the average activist hedge fund lost an average 11 percent, according to Hedge Fund Research data. Taylor Wolfe and Asmar worked together at Blue Harbour Group, another activist hedge fund backed by CalSTRS, and plan to focus on companies' environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies in addition to pushing for better capital allocation and operations. Traditionally activists prod companies to perform better by buying back shares or spinning off underperforming divisions but a recent growing focus on ESG, like having a diverse corporate board and taking steps to cut carbon emissions, has started to resonate with investors. Impactive's Taylor Wolfe and Asmar stand out among activist hedge funds for being a woman and a Hispanic in an industry mostly run by white men. Many institutional investors are paying more attention to minority owned firms. CalSTRS is investing with Impactive for six years, roughly three times longer than the average hedge fund industry investment. This will allow Impactive to make longer-term investments in companies at a time when many hedge funds are criticized for pulling their money out too quickly, before real change can be made. "The length of the CalSTRS investment gives us the flexibility to look out into the future a little more," Taylor Wolfe said in an interview. (Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss in Boston; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) Los Angeles (AFP) - In a rebuke to President Donald Trump, the governor of California on Monday was set to sign an order to pull most of the National Guard troops deployed on the Mexico border. Governor Gavin Newsom's office said he was signing the order ahead of his State of the State speech on Tuesday. "The border 'emergency' is a manufactured crisis," according to excerpts of the speech sent to AFP by his office. "And California will not be part of this political theater." Newsom's office said most of the 360 troops deployed at the US-Mexico border will be redeployed to focus on "the actual threats" facing the western state, such as wildfires. The decision follows similar action last month by New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grusham, who ordered the withdrawal of the majority of National Guard troops at the border. Although Trump has ordered thousands of military personnel to be deployed on the southern border, the National Guard remain under the command of authorities in each state. Trump argues the troops, who are supposed to provide surveillance and assist border agents, are needed to fight illegal immigration. The troops cannot act to enforce the law or to make arrests. Newsom's predecessor, Jerry Brown, also a Democrat, last April approved the deployment of California National Guard troops but vowed they would not take part in any mission to build Trump's long-sought border wall or to enforce federal immigration laws. 20 Year of Eurozone and Gold The old continent is dying. The euro is on the brink of collapse. This is what you can often hear in the press. But is that really the case? We invite you to read our todays article about the development of the Eurozone in the last twenty years and find out what are the real prospect of the euro and what does it imply for the gold market. In December, we celebrated 40 years of market reforms in China. In January, there was another important anniversary: 20 years of the euro area. So, lets move from East Asia to Europe, analyzing the economic situation of the Eurozone and its implications for gold. After years of negotiations and preparations, the euro was launched on January 1st, 1999. Initially, the shared currency was only virtual, and the national currencies were still legal tenders used in circulation. For ordinary citizens little changed. However, the exchange rates between national currencies were locked at fixed rates against each other, while the European Central Bank took control over their monetary policy. The euro notes and coins entered the circulation three years later. The first members included Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. Greece joined the club in 2001, thought it should not have done, as it turned out later. Since then, seven more countries Slovenia, Cyprus, Malta, Slovakia Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania entered the Eurozone. At the beginning, everything was running smoothly. But then the financial crisis hit the Eurozone heavily, revealing significant defects in its architecture (the fatal flaw is that there is a currency union with the several independent fiscal policies). It was quite perverse, as the Great Recession erupted in America. However, the US with its unified fiscal and political system overcame the crisis relatively quickly. On the contrary, the Eurozone suffered a prolonged depression, as the financial crisis morphed into the sovereign debt crisis. Only when Mario Draghi famously pledged the ECB would do whatever it takes to preserve the euro, the market turmoil calmed. The truth is that the Europes monetary union is still unfinished, as there is neither a true banking union nor a capital market union. This is because the euro was the political project from the beginning, not an economic one. It was never an optimal currency area. But the idea was that the euro would push European countries toward deeper integration, making wars impossible. As economists, we are, thus, a bit skeptical of the prospects of the common currency and the whole bloc. Indeed, as the chart below shows, the Eurozone performed worse than the US. The former economy grew 31.4 percent by Q3 2018, compared to 50.5 percent for the latter. Chart 1: Real GDP growth in the Eurozone (blue line) and in the US (red line) from Q1 1999 to Q3 2018 (as an index, where Q1 1999 = 100) However, the pace of growth was also lower than in the US before the introduction of the euro. And the common currency did not prevent the whole bloc from growing (although the performance differed among the countries). Actually, the euros performance has been demonized. Its performance has not been as poor as one could expect, given the moderate growth in the GDP and all those gloomy headlines. Just look at the chart below, which presents the EUR/USD exchange rate since the creation of the euro. Chart 2: EUR/USD exchange rate from January 1999 to December 2018 As one can see, the euros value against the US dollar was initially $1.1812. From then to the end of 2018, it dropped to $1.1456, or 3 percent. Not so bad, given that fact that it is used in several economically distinct countries. What are the implications for the gold market? Quite important, as it turns out. Please look at the chart above once again. Although the correlation is not perfect, its clear that the performance of euro, which is the second widely used reserve currency in the world, is significantly linked to the gold prices. Its true that the Eurozone faces many problems, including still weak banking system or the rise in populism. But investors should acknowledge that the euro area is more robust today than it was at the start of the Greek sovereign-debt crisis (for example, the European policy makers established the rescue fund and launched the banking union). Moreover, despite the populist revolution, almost 75 percent of the Eurozones population support the euro. Even in Italy, almost 70 percent supports the common currency. And funny enough: when the risk premium increased, Italys new government also started to express more sympathy towards the euro. All this means that the euro is out of the danger zone, at least in the short run. Actually, the slowdown of the U.S. (and Chinas) expansion could push investors towards the euro-denominated assets, especially when the ECB starts finally hiking its interest rates. If that happens and the euro strengthens against the US dollar in the second half of 2019, the price of gold may go up. Thank you. If you enjoyed the above analysis and would you like to know more about the gold ETFs and their impact on gold price, we invite you to read the April Market Overview report. If you're interested in the detailed price analysis and price projections with targets, we invite you to sign up for our Gold & Silver Trading Alerts . If you're not ready to subscribe at this time, we invite you to sign up for our gold newsletter and stay up-to-date with our latest free articles. It's free and you can unsubscribe anytime. Arkadiusz Sieron Sunshine Profits Market Overview Editor Disclaimer All essays, research and information found above represent analyses and opinions of Przemyslaw Radomski, CFA and Sunshine Profits' associates only. As such, it may prove wrong and be a subject to change without notice. Opinions and analyses were based on data available to authors of respective essays at the time of writing. Although the information provided above is based on careful research and sources that are believed to be accurate, Przemyslaw Radomski, CFA and his associates do not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the data or information reported. The opinions published above are neither an offer nor a recommendation to purchase or sell any securities. Mr. Radomski is not a Registered Securities Advisor. By reading Przemyslaw Radomski's, CFA reports you fully agree that he will not be held responsible or liable for any decisions you make regarding any information provided in these reports. Investing, trading and speculation in any financial markets may involve high risk of loss. Przemyslaw Radomski, CFA, Sunshine Profits' employees and affiliates as well as members of their families may have a short or long position in any securities, including those mentioned in any of the reports or essays, and may make additional purchases and/or sales of those securities without notice. Arkadiusz Sieron Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. Investors looking for stocks in the Computer - Services sector might want to consider either CACI International (CACI) or CGI Group (GIB). But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look. Everyone has their own methods for finding great value opportunities, but our model includes pairing an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system with a strong Zacks Rank. The Zacks Rank favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits. Currently, both CACI International and CGI Group are holding a Zacks Rank of # 2 (Buy). Investors should feel comfortable knowing that both of these stocks have an improving earnings outlook since the Zacks Rank favors companies that have witnessed positive analyst estimate revisions. But this is just one piece of the puzzle for value investors. Value investors also try to analyze a wide range of traditional figures and metrics to help determine whether a company is undervalued at its current share price levels. The Value category of the Style Scores system identifies undervalued companies by looking at a number of key metrics. These include the long-favored P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that help us determine a company's fair value. CACI currently has a forward P/E ratio of 16.98, while GIB has a forward P/E of 18.94. We also note that CACI has a PEG ratio of 1.70. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. GIB currently has a PEG ratio of 2.10. Another notable valuation metric for CACI is its P/B ratio of 1.93. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, GIB has a P/B of 3.57. Story continues These metrics, and several others, help CACI earn a Value grade of A, while GIB has been given a Value grade of C. Both CACI and GIB are impressive stocks with solid earnings outlooks, but based on these valuation figures, we feel that CACI is the superior value option right now. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report CGI Group, Inc. (GIB) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Queen Elizabeth's 97-year-old husband Prince Philip has voluntarily given up his driving license after a crash last month, Buckingham Palace said on Saturday. Philip escaped without injury on Jan. 17 when the Land Rover he was driving flipped in a collision with a car close to the royals' Sandringham residence in eastern England. "After careful consideration The Duke of Edinburgh has taken the decision to voluntarily surrender his driving license," the royal palace said in a statement. The other driver, a 28-year-old woman, suffered cuts to her knee and a 45-year-old woman passenger in the car, which also had a nine-month-old baby on board, sustained a broken wrist. Witnesses said Philip pulled into a main road from a drive. Philip, who suggested low sun had affected his sight for the crash, also received a warning from police for driving without a seatbelt two days after the crash. Norfolk Police confirmed that Philip voluntarily surrendered his license to officers on Saturday. It said it would forward the license to Britain's licensing authority, the DVLA. "The investigation file for the (Jan. 17) collision has been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service for their consideration," it added. Philip retired from public life in 2017, although he still occasionally appears with his 92-year-old wife at official events. There is no legal age in Britain to stop driving, but drivers over 70 must renew their licenses every three years. Philip drove then-U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle to lunch at Windsor Castle during their state visit to Britain in 2016, prompting Obama to remark: "I have to say I have never been driven by a Duke of Edinburgh before, but I can report it was very smooth riding." The queen, a trained military driver during World War Two, is said to have shocked Saudi Arabia's late King Abdullah, then crown prince, by climbing into the driver's seat and taking him for a ride around her estate during a visit to Britain in 1998. At the time, women were banned from driving in Saudi Arabia. Outspoken yet intensely private, Philip developed a reputation for brusque comments and often headline-grabbing verbal gaffes during ceremonial events. (Reporting by Andrew Cawthorne; additional reporting by James Davey Editing by John Stonestreet and Jonathan Oatis) Negotiations to avoid another government shutdown appear to have stalled, just days before the Friday deadline. The top four negotiators on the conference committee are set to meet Monday afternoon, in an effort to restart the talks. Sen. Richard Shelby, Sen. Patrick Leahy, Rep. Kay Granger and Rep. Nita Lowey are scheduled to meet at 3:30 p.m., according to a House Appropriations Committee spokesperson. Democratic lawmakers want to put a cap on the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention beds. They say the cap will force the Trump administration to focus on arresting and deporting violent criminals, instead of undocumented immigrants who are otherwise following the law. On Friday, lawmakers were optimistic that a deal would be announced on Monday to give the full House and Senate time to send the bill to the President Trumps desk by the Feb. 15 deadline. But on Sunday, Republican Sen. Shelby, the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations committee, told Fox News talks stalled over the proposed detention bed cap. Im not confident were going to get there. Im hopeful well get there, Shelby told Fox News. Republicans argue limiting the number of immigrants ICE can detain will put Americans safety at risk. Trump tweeted about the dispute over the weekend, saying Democratic lawmakers are behaving, all of the sudden, irrationally. In a tweet on Monday the president said: The Democrats do not want us to detain, or send back, criminal aliens! This is a brand new demand. Crazy! Democratic Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, a member of the conference committee, said in a statement that the proposed cap would not allow violent criminals to be released. For far too long, the Trump administration has been tearing communities apart with its cruel immigration policies. A cap on ICE detention beds will force the Trump administration to prioritize deportation for criminals and people who pose real security threats, not law-abiding immigrants who are contributing to our country, said Roybal-Allard in the statement. Story continues Lawmakers also need to nail down funding for barriers along the border. According to a Democratic aide, negotiators were considering between $1.3 billion and $2 billion for barriers. The aide said in order to finalize funding for barriers, lawmakers need to agree on the ICE detention bed issue. Shelby told Fox News the odds of the committee agreeing on a deal were 50-50. Sen. Jon Tester, a Democratic member of the conference committee, struck a more optimistic tone in an interview with Fox News on Sunday. Nobody wants a shutdown. Nobody wants the president to use some kind of emergency powers. We just need to do our job and we can do it, he said. Every negotiation, almost every negotiation out there hits bumps in the road... but as long we we stay focused in a bipartisan way, bicameral way to get this done -- Im hopeful we can get this done. Is it a done deal? No, it isnt. And we could end up in a trainwreck. Its happened before. But I dont think anybody has an appetite for a shutdown, said Tester. The president has warned he could declare a national emergency to build his border wall, though administration officials have said he prefers a legislative solution. In television interviews over the weekend, Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said another partial shutdown is still a possibility. We do not want it to come to that. But the option is still open to the president and will remain so, said Mulvaney on Fox News. Trump is set to hold a rally in El Paso, Texas, Monday night, where he is expected to continue his pitch for the border wall. Jessica Smith is a Washington-based reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter at @JessicaASmith8. Canberra (AFP) - Australia formally signed a Aus$50 billion "strategic partnership" with France to build 12 state of the art submarines Monday, a signal of Canberra's willingness to project power across the Pacific. Prime Minister Scott Morrison hailed the "very audacious plan" at a ceremony in Canberra as "part of Australia's biggest ever peace-time investment in defence". The partnership's main pillar is a contract for France's Naval Group -- a consortium with state backing -- to build 12 attack-class submarines and has been years in the making. At roughly US$35 billion this is Australia's largest ever defence procurement project and the largest ever foreign sales deal by French shipbuilder Naval Group. The first submarine is expected to be finished in the early 2030s, starting with sea trials around the first quarter of 2031 and operational testing in late 2032. Critics say that is too late: the waters to Australia's north and east are the scene of an intense struggle between the United States, China and regional powers, who are all vying for influence. Beijing has made territorial claims to much of the South China Sea -- a marine thoroughfare that is vital to maintain the supply of ores, minerals and crude that fuel the Chinese economy. Washington fears that China is becoming increasingly assertive over those claims to display its dominance over smaller Asian nations and become the prime regional power. Australian military analysts hope the subs will allow the country to maintain a credible deterrent against possible hostile actions. Visiting French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly cosigned the agreement in a ceremony that took place in the shadow of a memorial to US forces in front of the Australian defence offices in Canberra. "It takes a lot of confidence for Australia to bet on France and a lot of confidence for France to share with Australia the capability that is so close to the core of our sovereignty and our strategic autonomy and a result of immense investment over decades," Parly said. Story continues - 'Eyeless beasts' - Under the Strategic Partnership Agreement, 12 conventionally powered submarines derived from the Naval Group Barracuda nuclear design will be constructed in a new shipyard in South Australia. Parly hailed the agreement, which was negotiated and drafted entirely in English, as a long-term partnership between Australia and France and dismissed some "whining about the lengths of the negotiations". "Behind those masses of dark steel, behind those eyeless beasts" there was friendship and a common attachment to multilateralism and the rules-based order, she said. Naval Group chairman Herve Guillou said Australia chose the French submarine design because of its endurance, long range and acoustic superiority. "We are bidding in the Netherlands today. That is one really important bid because they are looking as well for expeditionary submarines," he said, hoping the Australia contract would serve as a launchpad for contracts in other countries including India, Poland and Brazil. Guillou confirmed the first Australian submarine should be sailing in the early 2030s, the last in the early 2040s with the last decommissioned probably in the early 2080s. "We are looking at a very, very long-term partnership with Australia," he said. The agreement comprises two thick volumes with 23 schedules, with two more schedules to be added later. It sets conditions on what intellectual property Australia has access to and which it owns, and covers a range of provisions for contract termination or missed deadlines. Guillou also said an alliance with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri would permit the two companies to team up on research, development and procurement for some common projects, either bilateral or for export. "If we look at the change in the market, we need European players to unite more strongly to be able to face the new giants in this market, like CSCC in China, like OSK in Russia," he said. "We really want to take the initiative of being stronger before the others are stronger." Addis Ababa (AFP) - The African Union on Monday called for a global conference in July to try to resolve the conflict in Libya, with the aim of holding elections in October. A statement said it would like to hold "an international conference on reconciliation in Libya under the auspices of the AU and the UN" during the first half of July. It also requested the AU Commission "to take, jointly with the United Nations and the Libyan government, all the necessary measures for the organisation of presidential and legislative elections in October 2019." The AU's current chief, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, has underscored the need for "African solutions to African problems." Libya has been torn between rival administrations and a myriad of militias since the NATO-backed overthrow and killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. Chief among them are an internationally recognised Government of National Accord led by Fayez al-Sarraj in Tripoli and a parallel administration in the east loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar. The political chaos and insecurity benefits jihadist groups, which have carried out numerous attacks in recent years, including more than 20 in 2018 against institutions linked to the GNA and Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army. A diplomat at the AU summit in Addis Ababa told AFP that African leaders viewed in a very bad light what they termed as "outside interference in Africa." WASHINGTON On the day she announced her intention to run for the presidency of the United States at a rally in Minneapolis, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., faced intense headwinds in the form of reports that she has been routinely demeaning to employees in her Washington office. Those accusations, which have been countered by allegations of sexism, present the first significant challenge to the 58-year-old former prosecutor, who is the fifth woman to have entered the Democratic primary for the 2020 presidential contest. We are all tired of the shutdowns and the showdowns, the gridlock and the grandstanding, Klobuchar said on Sunday, as she announced that she would seek the Democratic nomination for the presidency. Quoting the poet Walt Whitman, she portrayed herself as a healer, a capable Midwesterner who will unite where President Trump has divided. But conversations with more than a dozen current and former staffers lead to a more complex portrait, one that is significantly at odds with the image of Midwestern nice that has coalesced around Klobuchar in recent months. While some of those who worked for her remain ferociously supportive of the senior senator from Minnesota, others allege that her record of mistreating and even abusing staff makes her as unfit for office as the man she is trying to replace. A number of former staffers both male and female describe a workplace environment governed by fear and dread, one in which Klobuchar treated her Capitol Hill staffers with cruelty and humiliation, while fixating on seemingly minor issues. A minor mistake in an internal document, for example, could lead to a multi-day affair, one former staffer said. Like other Klobuchar alumni, she described haranguing late-night phone calls and critical emails written in all caps, sometimes sent in quick succession. The former staffer said that Klobuchar has fully earned reputation as an exceptionally difficult boss independent of her gender. She added that, given the behavior that she witnessed from Klobuchar, she could not vote for her in the Democratic primary, in which the senator is expected to portray herself as a sensible Midwestern progressive who can win over independent voters. Story continues The way she treats staff is disqualifying, the former staffer said. Klobuchar has one of the highest rates of staff turnover in Congress, according to congressional research site LegiStorm. Last year, that led to Politico calling her one of the worst bosses in Congress. And though Klobuchars alleged mistreatment has been an open secret in Washington for years, it had also gone largely unmentioned in press reports. That changed last week, when HuffPost which, like Yahoo News, is part of Verizon Media published a report that said that Klobuchars reputation had hindered her in hiring a campaign manager. Sen. Amy Klobuchar announcing her run for president, Feb. 10, 2019. (Photo: Jim Mone/AP) A subsequent HuffPost report said that Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., then the chambers minority leader, rebuked Klobuchar for her behavior in 2015. This appears to not have been the first effort by Klobuchars colleagues to change her behavior, though details of an earlier such intervention were not available. Klobuchar first joined the U.S. Senate in 2007, and has raised her profile since by advancing legislation with Republican co-sponsors and garnering an ever-greater amount of media attention. BuzzFeed has also reported in recent days on what the news site described as a workplace controlled by fear, anger, and shame. Former staffers say that the reports are not only accurate, but, in fact, only the beginning. Many of those who worked for Klobuchar knew that when Klobuchar declared her intention to run for the presidency something she has longed to do for years they would be forced to decide about how much they should say about what they had witnessed while in her employ. This was coming, one former staffer said. Speaking out could lead to retribution from Klobuchar, should she be able to identify them. She has been known to grow irate at staffers who find work elsewhere, calling their new employers to have the offers rescinded. The practice, which three former staffers for Klobuchar described and one other Capitol Hill veteran confirmed, was seen as vindictive, mystifying and counterproductive. It was also a sign of how far Klobuchar would go to punish those who she thought betrayed her. One former Klobuchar staffer says she and others have been sharing a recent Washington Post column by conservative (and anti-Trump) pundit George Will in which he called her the Democrat best equipped to send the current president packing. In particular, those former staffers have found laughable and flagrantly inaccurate Wills assertion that Klobuchars temperament is her special strength. Klobuchars temperament could be her greatest weakness, according to detailed descriptions of working for the senator provided by five employees. They describe office objects thrown, sometimes directly at other people, as well as outbursts over seemingly inconsequential matters. Two former staffers who spoke to Yahoo News wondered why Klobuchar has been unable to stop a pattern of behavior that was seemingly bound to come to light sooner or later. Theres definitely something there, one former staffer said. He said that her behavior crosses the line. And while it is not uncommon for members of Congress to ask staffers to perform personal tasks outside their professional duties, veterans of Capitol Hill say that in this regard, too, Klobuchar went beyond many of her peers. One former staffer says that she asked staff to clean her house and wash dishes, as well as to help her pack for travel and make travel arrangements for her husband. Photo: Melina Mara/Pool/Washington Post Klobuchar must contend with these allegations as she begins to make her case to donors and voters whose money and attention are both fiercely contested resources. Yes, I can be tough, and, yes, I can push people, Klobuchar told members of the media after her Sunday announcement, in apparent recognition that a crisis was in the works. She also said that there are so many great stories of our staff that have been with me for years. Three female former Klobuchar employees say that while sexism remains a dismayingly potent force on Capitol Hill, it does not inform their own assessment of Klobuchar. Each of them separately said that the senators behavior was plainly abusive and went far beyond that of other senators known to be demanding and difficult. She cant hire top-tier staff, one former staffer says. Its real. The critical assessment of Klobuchar is not universally shared. In fact, a half-dozen former staffers say that they never witnessed any of the behavior that is now becoming public. I came to Capitol Hill to work hard and to get stuff done, and there is nobody that works harder or gets more done than Amy Klobuchar, former Klobuchar staffer Asal Sayas told Yahoo News. These are tough jobs and you need to be able to rise to the occasion. I learned a lot, we got a lot done and had fun along the way. Ive loved working for her, a current Klobuchar staffer told Yahoo News, calling the senator a great boss and great friend. Others described how Klobuchar could show genuine solicitude about staffers family lives or health matters. That Midwestern nice is real, said one former male staffer, alluding to the image popularly used to describe Klobuchar. He said he believes that criticism of Klobuchar stems from a subconscious, implicit bias about women. She is a tough boss, for sure, says former Klobuchar staffer Tristan Brown. But like others who remain supportive of Klobuchar, he is appreciative of her exacting standards. He says that she may be the brightest person Ive ever worked for. Certainly the savviest. Klobuchar doesnt sleep, says someone who worked for her in Minnesota, and never stops working. The former staffer meant this as praise, though also as explanation for the high turnover with which her office has been plagued. She definitely burns people out, he said. At the same time, he said that some former staffers didnt serve her well. He believed that it was these staffers who were now speaking to the press. And even some of her harshest critics praised Klobuchars intelligence and determination. The daughter of an alcoholic, she earned admission to Yale for college and, later, law school at the University of Chicago. She worked in private practice before winning election in 1998 to become the attorney for Hennepin County, which includes Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as surrounding suburbs. In response to this article, a campaign staffer for Klobuchar sent Yahoo News a transcript of her post-announcement remarks to journalists in Minneapolis. A request to her Senate office for an interview was denied; her office also did not respond to questions about the allegations. Behind the scenes, staffers worked to contain the crisis, as they tried to find out who had been behind the damaging quotes and anecdotes that have emerged thus far, say two people aware of those efforts (a primary reason for why some of those who spoke for this article wanted no identifying characteristics to be used, and others refused to be quoted at all). At the same time, they urged reporters to contact former Klobuchar staffers who were known to have a favorable assessment of the senator. The crisis is especially dangerous to Klobuchars prospects because competence and comportment are central to her case as a presidential candidate. Sometimes called the senator of small things, she has a legislative record that is bipartisan but relatively quotidian. Shell never stick her neck out on anything controversial, one former male staffer said. Photo: Gabriella Demczuk/Getty Images Others said that Klobuchars main imperative was positive press coverage, to a degree unusual even by the standards of Capitol Hill, where self-promotion and self-regard are almost seen as survival skills. Her No. 1 priority in that office was herself, a former female staffer said. Klobuchar has been a recipient of positive press for her tough but civil questioning of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, during the contentious confirmation hearings that took place last fall in the Senate Judiciary Committee. A gifted retail politician, she is popular in her native Minnesota, leading some to believe that she could repair the blue firewall that collapsed when Trump romped across the Midwest during the 2016 election. The narrative now emerging about Klobuchars alleged mistreatment of staff could be especially damaging in a crowded Democratic primary where each candidate has to make the case that he or she alone can defeat Trump. Should that narrative continue to build and it is expected to, with more Klobuchar alumni coming forward it could give Trump all the ammunition he needs for withering statements and tweets to motivate his own base and rally independent voters against Klobuchar. For some former staffers, any crisis now developing is of Klobuchars own making. If you cant treat the people closest to you with respect, one former staffer said, I dont trust you to treat the American people with respect. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Amy Klobuchar, a third-term U.S. senator from Minnesota and a former prosecutor, announced her bid for president on Sunday with a vow to heal the heart of our democracy and renew our commitment to the common good. The senator spoke at a rally in a Minneapolis park along the banks of the Mississippi River, where supporters braved a steady snowfall and temperatures hovered around 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 Celsius). Campaign aides handed out hot cider and cookies. Klobuchar, 58, joins a growing crowd in the 2020 Democratic primary field that so far includes four of her Senate colleagues, Kamala Harris of California, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. As many as a dozen other Democrats have announced campaigns or are considering joining the race. Klobuchar is entering the contest as the Democratic Partys progressive wing is fighting for dominance. Several of her competitors, including Warren and potentially Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, have been strongly embraced by the left. Across the Aisle Instead, she is likely to highlight her record of working across the aisle at times. Her voting record is that of a traditional Democrat: shes been a past supporter of middle class tax relief, Obamacare and a minimum wage hike. In 2016, she had a 100 percent voting rating from the League of Conservation Voters and an 82 percent rating with the ACLU, and just a 63 percent rating from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a 4 percent rating from the American Conservative Union. Still, in 2018, she participated in bipartisan talks on a broad immigration compromise that would have bolstered border security and shielded young undocumented immigrants from deportation, although it ultimately was defeated in the Senate. Klobuchar has pointed out that two-thirds of the bills shes sponsored have had a Republican co-sponsor, including legislation on military sexual assault and fraud against senior citizens. Story continues Earlier this month Klobuchar voted in favor of a broad Middle East policy measure that would require President Donald Trump to impose new sanctions on Syria and provides aid for Israel, which was opposed by her four Senate colleagues in the nomination race. Minnesota Nice Her high ratings at home may demonstrate electability in a general election, an asset among a Democratic base eager to defeat Trump. First elected to the Senate in 2006, Klobuchar galloped to a third term last year, thumping her Republican rival by 24 points. The margin was much larger Hillary Clintons 1.5-point victory in Minnesotas presidential race in 2016. Shes remained well-liked in Minnesota in part by laying low during many hot-button partisan fights and siding with the moderate wing of her party when theres an ideological split. But her roll-out, and her evocation of Minnesota nice a stereotype that people from her home state are typically courteous and mild-mannered hit a snag in recent days after reports that the senator has mistreated aides and asked staff to do personal chores, leading to high turnover. Huffington Post and BuzzFeed News were among the outlets that quoted former aides who werent identified. The stories also cited aides who said they didnt have that experience. A Klobuchar campaign aide said the senator loves her staff. Great Avoider? Former Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson, a Republican, once called Klobuchar the great avoider. Shes also taken criticism from the left, and once angered environmentalists with efforts to remove Minnesota wolves from the endangered species list. There are also questions about what kind of Democrat is right for what could be a bare-knuckled brawl of a 2020 general election. In the Fight Club era of American politics will Minnesota nice work? Thats the challenge Amy Klobuchar faces especially with Democratic activists in the primary, said Mary Anne Marsh, a Democratic strategist based in Boston. Klobuchar is seeking to cap an elective career that began in 1998 when she was elected to the first of two terms as top prosecuting attorney for Hennepin County, which includes Minneapolis, before being elected the first woman senator ever from the state in 2006. She has never lost an election to date and is considered the most popular statewide official in Minnesota, a traditionally Democratic state. Judiciary Committee Shes has been seen as a Democratic rising star, even though her time in an increasingly partisan Senate has yet to see her emerge as the author of grand legislation. Her name has been floated in the past as a potential Supreme Court nominee and as a possible vice presidential pick for Clinton in 2016. Klobuchar was an early backer of Clinton, and served as a fundraiser and surrogate for the former secretary of state and first lady. A member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Klobuchar was most recently in the public eye during the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, and she helped lead Democratic opposition to him and Trumps other high-court pick, Neil Gorsuch. Klobuchar has been a member of the Senate Democratic leadership team since 2015, heading up the Democratic caucuss steering committee. Shes also the top Democrat on the Senate Rules Committee, a post that had her working with Republican Chair Roy Blunt of Missouri in 2018 on legislation improving how sexual harassment complaints against lawmakers are handled. Pie Cutter Klobuchar grew up in the Minneapolis suburbs, where her father was a columnist for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Shes talked about holding some low-paying jobs as she grew up, which led her to advocate a minimum wage increase. Ive had a number of minimum wage-type jobs, as a carhop, as a highway worker and as a pie cutter, she said on the Senate floor in 2007. If there are other pie cutters in the U.S. Senate, Id like to meet them. A graduate of Yale University and the University of Chicago Law School, Klobuchar was an attorney in private practice when she got involved in an effort to require a state law to guarantee women a 48-hour hospital stay after delivering a baby. Shes said her interest came from own experience, when as a new mother she was discharged after 24 hours because her insurance wouldnt cover more. She testified before the state legislature, urging the 48-hour standard. It was approved. She later ran for Hennepin County prosecuting attorney in 1998 and was re-elected in 2002. During her time there she led a crackdown on gun crimes and secured nearly 300 homicide convictions. After eight years as county attorney, Klobuchar ran for the Senate seat being vacated by first-term Democrat Mark Dayton, who later won election as governor. She beat Republican Mark Kennedy with 58 percent of the vote, easily won a second term with 65 percent of the vote, and secured her third term in November with a comfortable 60 percent. Klobuchar in 2015 appeared to borrow from the playbook of presidential hopefuls by producing an autobiography. Her book, The Senator Next Door: A Memoir from the Heartland, detailed her rise from suburban granddaughter of immigrants to a national politician. It also chronicled challenges including her fathers struggle with alcoholism, a topic she touched on during Kavanaughs Senate hearing, and her parents divorce. Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar has announced she is running for president in 2020. Ms Klobuchar made the announcement from her home state of Minnesota, with heavy snow swirling as she spoke to supporters. As your president, I will look you in the eye, I will tell you what I think, I will focus on getting things done ... and no matter what, Ill lead from the heart, Ms Klobuchar said in Minneapolis, where she became the fifth Democratic senator to join a historically diverse field of candidates seeking to defeat Donald Trump next year. During her speech, Ms Klobuchar declared as central concerns to her campaign a list of causes often celebrated in the Democratic Party including removing money from politics, addressing climate change, expanding voting rights, and improving healthcare. We are tired of the shutdowns and the showdowns, of the gridlock and the grandstanding, Ms Klobuchar said. Our nation must be governed not by chaos but by opportunity. It is time to organise, time to galvanise, time to take back our democracy, she said as snow packed onto her hair. Mr Trump responded to Ms Klobuchars announcement by remarking on the local weather, apparently confusing it with the global climate. Well, it happened again, he wrote on Twitter. Amy Klobuchar announced that she is running for President, talking proudly of fighting global warming while standing in a virtual blizzard of snow, ice and freezing temperatures. Bad timing. By the end of her speech she looked like a Snowman(woman)! This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Ms Klobuchar became the first woman senator from Minnesota when she was first elected to the office in 2006, and had previously worked for eight years as the attorney for the states largest county, Hannepin County. While she focused on those issues that are likely to come up repeatedly during the Democratic primaries, Ms Klobuchar has taken a notably less progressive than other candidates in the burgeoning field of presidential candidates. Story continues She is publicly undecided on issues like Medicare-for-all for instance, which she has said sould be considered but has not supported outright. In general, the senator from Minnesota is considered to be something of a pragmatist in a field that is likely to be defined in part by a tilt to the left since Mr Trumps election. But while Ms Klobuchar may not appeal to that portion of the Democratic electorate, she has argued she is capable of appealing to a geographically diverse group of voters. That includes blue collar white voters in the midwest who shocked the nation in 2016 by voting for Mr Trump in several key states including Ms Klobuchars own state. Ms Klobuchar is one of the highest profile candidates to emerge from the American midwest to run for 2020, but may be joined by the likes of other candidates like Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, who would likely appeal to a similar set of voters. The Telegraph The Duke and Duchess of Sussex rejected the title Earl of Dumbarton for their son Archie because it contained the word "dumb", it has emerged. Multiple sources have told The Telegraph that both Harry and Meghan declined to use the title of Scottish nobility because they feared Archie might be bullied or attract unfortunate nicknames. The word dumb is more prevalent in the US, where is it frequently used as slang for stupid. A source said: They didnt like the idea of Archie being called the Ear Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan Monday, where he met with President Ashraf Ghani as the United States leads a push for peace talks with the Taliban. The visit comes after Washington held major talks with Taliban officials in Qatar last month that negotiators hope could herald a breakthrough in the grinding 17-year conflict. US President Donald Trump is pushing to end US involvement in Afghanistan, where 14,000 American troops are still deployed -- raising Afghan fears that Washington could exit before securing a lasting peace between the Taliban and the Kabul government. Shanahan told reporters earlier that he had no instructions from Washington to begin a withdrawal, however. "I have not been directed to step down our forces in Afghanistan," Shanahan said. "I think the presence we want in Afghanistan is what assures our homeland defence and supports regional stability." He said it was crucial Kabul, whose representatives were not at the talks in Qatar, was involved in discussions over the future of Afghanistan. "The Afghans have to decide what Afghanistan looks like in the future. It's not about the US, it's about Afghanistan," Shanahan said. "The US has significant -- significant -- investment in ensuring security, but the Afghans decide their future." Shanahan met General Scott Miller, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, to discuss the situation on the ground before visiting Camp Morehead where Americans train Afghan special forces. Later he sat down with Ghani, who has vented frustration at talks occurring without him about the future of Afghanistan and warned against rushing into a deal. "Both sides said that the peace process and the fight against terrorism will continue, and the military and security alliance between Afghanistan and US will continue until peace is achieved," the president's palace said in a statement after Ghani's meeting with Shanahan. Story continues Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special envoy leading the talks, has expressed hope of finding a deal before Afghan presidential elections scheduled for July, but has emphasised that any troop withdrawal would depend on conditions on the ground. Khalilzad is set to lead a large delegation on a six-nation tour, including Afghanistan, to boost the peace process and seek to bring all Afghan parties to the table. - 'Constructive' - The months-long push by the US to engage the Taliban has ostensibly been aimed at convincing them to negotiate with Kabul, which the insurgents consider a US puppet. Ghani spoke last week with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who also stressed the importance of the Afghan government being at the centre of the peace process. But the insurgents, who ruled Afghanistan from 1996-2001, have steadfastly refused. Instead they met directly with US negotiators in Doha last month for peace talks described by US President Donald Trump as "constructive". The US is expected to commence a second round of talks with Taliban officials on February 25 in Qatar, where they have their political office. The militants, who were toppled by US-led forces in 2001, last week held separate talks in Moscow with a senior delegation of Afghan politicians -- including chief Ghani rivals. The two-day talks were the Taliban's most significant engagement with Afghan leaders in years, and saw former president Hamid Karzai, among others, dining and praying with the insurgents -- though without the involvement of the government it was unclear what impact they will have. Ghani described the Moscow talks as "nothing more than fantasy". The Taliban have outlined their vision for Afghanistan, proposing an "inclusive Islamic system" of governance and demanding a new Islam-based constitution for the country. Both parties released a statement at the conclusion of the talks promising to advance negotiations at a later date. Shanahan was elevated from deputy defense secretary to the Pentagon's top spot January 1, after Jim Mattis quit amid long-running disagreements with President Trump. His visit to Afghanistan comes as the United Nations said it was investigating "credible" reports of Afghan civilian deaths and injuries from an airstrike over the weekend in Helmand, a Taliban stronghold. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said late Sunday it would share its findings once an inquiry into the "aerial operations" in Sangin district was completed. The Taliban are responsible for about half of civilian casualties, with the remaining deaths attributed to the Islamic State group and coalition strikes, according to a UNAMA report. But airstrikes have stepped up and the UN has warned civilians continue to pay a disproportionate price in the fighting. The US dropped 7,362 weapons during airstrikes in 2018 in Afghanistan -- approaching double the number of 2017, US Air Forces Central Command figures show. By Idrees Ali KABUL (Reuters) - Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said on Monday it was important for the Afghan government to be included in talks to end the country's 17-year war, an involvement that the Taliban has so far rejected. Shanahan, making his first trip to Afghanistan in his new role, met U.S. troops and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. He said he had so far not received any direction to reduce the nearly 14,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, but noted what he called strong U.S. security interests in the region. Ghani's government has been shut out of the peace talks between Taliban negotiators and U.S. envoys, with the hardline Islamist movement branding it a U.S. puppet. Kabul is concerned that a sharp drawdown of U.S. forces could lead to chaos in the region. "It is important that the Afghan government is involved in discussions regarding Afghanistan," Shanahan told reporters traveling with him on the previously unannounced trip. "The Afghans have to decide what Afghanistan looks like in the future. It's not about the U.S., it is about Afghanistan." Shanahan, who took over the job after Jim Mattis quit in December over policy differences with U.S. President Donald Trump, said he could not make any guarantees because U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was leading the talks. "The U.S. military has strong security interests in the region. (The) presence will evolve out of those discussions," Shanahan said. He said the aim of his trip was to get an understanding of the situation on the ground from commanders and then brief Trump on his findings. Shanahan's meeting with Ghani covered a range of defense issues important to the bilateral relationship, Pentagon spokesman Commander Sean Robertson said. That included "achieving a political settlement to the war that ensures Afghanistan is never again used as a safe haven from which terrorists can plan and launch terrorist attacks against the United States, our interests and our allies," Robertson said. U.S. officials have held several rounds of talks with the Taliban in Qatar since last year in what is widely seen as the most serious bid yet for peace in Afghanistan since the Taliban were ousted by U.S.-backed Afghan forces in late 2001. Both sides hailed progress after the latest round last month, although significant obstacles remain. Those include the involvement of the Afghan government. The next round of talks is due in Qatar on Feb. 25. Michael Kugelman, a South Asia specialist at the Woodrow Wilson Center, said Shanahan's main priority in Kabul should be to address Afghan government concerns. "The top priority of Shanahan has to be to impress upon the government that we're going to do everything we can to get you into this conversation," Kugelman said. 'LEVERAGE' Afghanistan and neighboring countries are concerned about the effect of a sudden withdrawal of U.S. forces on the region. An Afghan official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said even the suggestion of U.S. troops leaving was dangerous. "Of course it has given leverage to the Taliban, there is no question about that," the official told Reuters. Trump has offered no specifics about when he would bring home U.S. troops from Afghanistan but has said progress in negotiations with the Taliban would enable a troop reduction and a "focus on counter-terrorism". Shanahan said a withdrawal of about half the U.S. troops was not something that was being discussed. "The presence we want in Afghanistan is what assures our homeland defense and supports regional stability and then any type of sizing is done in a coordinated and disciplined manner," he said. Khalilzad said after six days of talks with the Taliban in Doha last month that the United States and the Taliban had sketched the outlines for an eventual peace accord. He has said since then there has been progress on the future of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. The Taliban have put out contradictory information on what timeline the United States has agreed to in any potential withdrawal. Most recently, a Taliban official said no timetable had been agreed with the U.S. government. U.S. officials have told Reuters that while no formal orders have been sent, the military is preparing for what a withdrawal of about half of the U.S. troops in Afghanistan would look like. Officials have expressed concern that Afghan security forces, already stretched thin, could crumble if U.S. troops leave. Shanahan met with a group of elite Afghan commandos later on Monday and backed using more resources for offensive operations by the special forces. Afghanistans special forces units suffered increasingly heavy casualties last year as the Taliban mounted major assaults on provincial centers including Ghazni and Farah in the southwest. (Reporting by Idrees Ali in Kabul; Editing by Greg Torode, Paul Tait, Nick Macfie and Frances Kerry) Douala (AFP) - Four people died when gunmen raided a hospital and burnt it to the ground in western Cameroon where anglophone separatists have been fighting troops, witnesses and a local official said Monday. The incident occurred in Kumba, a town which serves as the commercial hub for the anglophone region and which has been badly hit by the violence between separatists and Cameroon troops that began in October 2017. "Attackers killed four people and burnt down the hospital," said an administrative official in the Kumba region, confirming information from a witness. It was not immediately clear whether the victims were shot or died in the fire, nor whether they were patients at the facility. Another local source said it appeared separatists were behind the attack. The incident occurred on National Youth Day, the anniversary of the 1961 referendum which saw Cameroon's western English-speaking areas joined onto the francophone areas which had just won independence from France. Kumba lies about 70 kilometres (45 miles) north of Buea, capital of the Southwest region which along with the Northwest region is home to an anglophone minority that accounts for about a fifth of the country's population. Both areas, which were once ruled by Britain, have long complained of discrimination at the hands of the French-speaking majority and where separatists are fighting for independence. Since the start of February, at least four people have been killed in Buea, one of whom was decapitated, as separatists announced plans to disrupt the February 11 anniversary. Over the past 16 months, there have been regular clashes between troops and groups of separatists who have attacked police stations, schools and staged mass kidnappings. UN figures show around 437,000 people have been forced out of their homes by the ongoing conflict, with another 32,000 fleeing across the border to neighbouring Nigeria. Paris (AFP) - From the return to Tehran of exiled revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to the fall of the shah's last government, Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution was over in 10 days. Here are the highlights of what has become known as the 10 Days of Dawn, or Daheh Fajr in Farsi, which ended 25 centuries of monarchy and are officially celebrated in Iran every year. - Khomeini returns - On February 1, 1979 Shiite opposition leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini makes a triumphant return to Tehran after more than 14 years in exile, mostly in Iraq. Iran's last monarch, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, had fled on January 16 after months of protests against his regime. Jubilant crowds welcome Khomeini at the airport and line the road which leads to the Behesht-e-Zahra cemetery where he gives his first major address. Khomeini challenges the legitimacy of the government headed by prime minister Shapour Bakhtiar, appointed by the shah on the eve of his departure in a bid to prevent clerics from taking power. - Islamic revolution 'council' - On February 3 Khomeini announces at his first news conference that a council has been formed of key figures in the revolution movement to prepare for the establishment of an Islamic republic. A day later, in a show of support for the ayatollah while the shah's administration is still in place, there are hunger strikes within the air force. One-fifth of conscripts do not show up at their barracks. - Demonstrations, strikes - On February 6 a prime minister is appointed for a provisional revolutionary government: Mehdi Bazargan, a nationalist and Islamist engineer and long-time opponent of the shah's regime. Tehran is thus the seat of two governments: one revolutionary, the other imperial. In support of the revolutionary government, the clergy organises daily demonstrations that gather several million people. Strikes are followed in the key oil industry. On February 7 mullahs in the second city Isfahan establish a parallel authority to manage municipal affairs. Story continues On February 8 more than 1,000 soldiers in uniform march in Tehran in support of Bazargan's provisional government. - Uprising - On February 10 mutinous air force soldiers take control of eastern Tehran aided by armed civilians. The neighbourhood is cut off by barricades and sandbags and political prisoners are freed. AFP journalist Pierre-Andre Jouve describes a capital in chaos with "gatherings of demonstrators armed with clubs" and "thousands of men claiming to be 'police of the revolution' at almost all the city's major intersections". - Revolution 'completed' - On February 11 an army barracks to the northeast of Tehran is stormed by several thousand civilians and falls to Khomeini's supporters. In the late morning, the centre of the capital falls under the control of armed civilians and army deserters. The radio, controlled by Khomeini supporters, announces parliament has been dissolved. Khomeini calls on military chiefs to not stand in the way of troops rallying to the revolution. "Tehran is practically in the hands of supporters of Ayatollah Khomeini," writes AFP correspondent Patrick Meney. "At nightfall, the centre of Tehran already had the appearance of a completed revolution: it is almost time for victory parades," his report says. "Mutinous soldiers are hailed by the crowd. Army soldiers join students in revolt on campus. People who were enemies only yesterday embrace." Overnight a statement from the revolutionary government declares the "revolution having won" with the military joining the popular movement. In two days the battle has left more than 200 dead and more than 1,000 injured. With the shah's government departed, Bazargan officially takes up his post in the offices of the prime minister. The Supreme Court will soon implement the new rule allowing high-risk detainees, including arrested terrorists, to stand trial in courts from their detention facilities without the need to go to the courtrooms. Court Administrator Midas Marquez said on Monday that the SC has already adopted the resolution allowing the tele-hearing system or the use of video conferencing technology to allow the remote testimonies and appearances of those facings charges and detained in jail. Marquez, also the Courts spokesman, said the new system will be pilot-tested in Davao City Jail, where arrested members of terrorist groups Maute, Abu Sayaff and New Peoples Army are currently detained. Marquez said the necessary equipment, including laptops and monitors, had already been installed in the hearing room built inside the Davao City Jail which he personally inspected last Friday, Feb. 8. Marquez said the new tele-hearing system is part of a four-point judicial reform agenda of Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin. Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta, who was tapped as working chair of the new SC revision of rules committee, has been tasked to draft the guidelines that would govern the remote testimony and appearances of the accused from their jail cells. This is trailblazing because it can pave the way for long-distance court appearances of OFWs working abroad who have pending civil cases in the country, Peralta said, in a statement. The SC approved the latest measure upon the recommendation by the Office of the Court Administrator. Through video conference, the arrested members of Maute, Abu Sayyaf, and NPA will no longer be required to physically appear before the courts and may face trial while inside the jails.A 100-foot monopole tower with necessary equipment was built within the Davao Hall of Justice and will be connected to the three jail facilities in the city. The SC assured the public that the constitutional rights of the accused will be protected through procedural safeguards in the implementing rules. In order to ensure that the accuseds constitutional rights are adequately protected, the counsel of the accused shall be present with the accused in the same designated room in the jail facility throughout the duration of the tele-hearing, Marquez said. The pilot testing of the latest measure adopted by the Court will also apply to detainees who are diagnosed with grave and serious medical conditions in Davao. The latest measure adopted by the judiciary was approved specifically upon request of Davao City Jail Warden Supt. Grace Taculin, who cited security threats by the transportation of high-risk detainees with terrorism cases and with contagious diseases to the courts. The Bureau of Jail Management of Penology in Davao City manages three city jail facilities with an aggregate population of about 4,000 detainees. Marquez said the new measure would, later on, be implemented in other areas. The agreement for a second summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un was a "remarkable breakthrough" for peace negotiations on the Korean peninsula, President Moon Jae-in said Monday, but he acknowledged doubts remained over denuclearisation, Daily Mail reported quoting AFP. The US President and North Korean leader are due to meet in Hanoi from February 27 to 28. "For us, the era of peace and prosperity on the peninsula has drawn closer," said Moon in his first comments since the summit was announced. The meeting was a "remarkable breakthrough in the peace process on the Korean peninsula", the South Korean president added. But he acknowledged there were "still many doubts about whether the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and peace process can be concluded successfully". The leaders of the two Koreas and the US have persisted in talks over the issue because of "strong confidence in the direction history should take." But Moon expressed gratitude to both Trump and Kim for their "unprecedented, bold diplomatic efforts", saying they were "crossing a sea of deep mistrust President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos was right in his plans to change the name of the country to Maharlika instead of the Philippines. In his speech in Maguindanao, Duterte recalled how the Philippines was named. [They named it] Philippines because it was discovered by Magellan using the money of King Philip II. Thats why when the bastard arrived, he named it Philippines, Duterte said during the ceremonial distribution of 834 Certificates of Land Ownership Award to 780 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries. Actually, Marcos was right. During his time, he was really right. He wanted to change the name to Maharlika. The Republic of Maharlika because Maharlika is a Malay word and it means more of a concept of serenity and peace, he said. Nat Mariano He was right during that time. Filipinos were just jealous [calling him as a] dictator. Like me, Im a dictator. Since when have I become a dictator? the President asked. Duterte said he never ordered anyone to interfere with the lives of the people. I came here to promote peace, Duterte said.But its okay. When the time comes, lets change the name, he added. Nat Mariano According to Duterte, Magellan was the Spaniard who named the Philippines. However, Magellan named the country Las Islas de San Lazaro (St. Lazarus Islands) when he reached the islands of Homonhon in Samar on the feast day of St. Lazarus of Bethany in 1521. After the expedition of Magellan, another Spaniard named Ruy Lopez de Villalobos arrived in Samar and Leyte in 1543, naming the country Las Islas Felipinas (Philippine Islands/Islands belonging to Philip) in honor of King Philip II of Spain. In 2017, Magdalo Party-list Representative Gary Alejano filed a bill seeking the creation of a Geographic Renaming Commission to come up with a new name for the Philippines. Under House Bill No. 5867, Alejano planned to rename the country that would establish a national identity not anchored on its colonial past, stressing that the country needs to establish its own national identity. Razminfo: Azerbaijan deploys Bayraktars in Nakhchivan (PHOTOS) Armenia doctor Armen Charchyan's attorney submits urgent motion to Prosecutor General European Party of Armenia leader to Nikol Pashinyan: We need to think of strengthening our national potential Political party leader to Armenia acting PM: There are opposition forces with which we cannot imagine any step Armenia acting PM meets with Tigran Arzakantsyan Armenia doctor Armen Charchyan transferred to hospital with cardiac distress 'Armenia' bloc issues statement strictly condemning arrest of doctor Armen Charchyan Defense Minister: Turkey will not send additional troops to Afghanistan Armenian judge who ruled to remand doctor Armen Charchyan is wife of top police officer Armenian doctor Armen Charchyan's attorney says he will appeal court's decision on arrest Armenia Central Electoral Commission: Civil Contract Party's and two opposition blocs' votes increase after recount Armenia Izmirlian Medical Center Director Armen Charchyan to be held in custody for a month North Korea doesn't consider possibility of any contact with US Azerbaijani army conducting command staff military exercises at level of brigade Switzerland relaxes COVID-19 restrictions Turkey removes over 5,500 cubic meters of sea slime from Sea of Marmara Karabakh President convenes session of Board of Trustees of Shushi University of Technology France, Germany propose EU summit with Russia's Putin Armenia acting MOD, High-Tech Industry Ministry's Hayk Chobanyan discuss issues related to arms industry Rescuers remove body of man from gorge located near St. Sargis Church in Yerevan with great difficulty Armenia President: Constitution needs to be amended, our country understands presidential governance better EU intends to pay Turkey EUR 3.5 billion for refugees Putin, Aliyev discuss factors for implementation of Russia-Armenia-Azerbaijan agreements on Nagorno-Karabakh Russia FM to discuss Karabakh situation with UN High Commissioner for Refugees PACE affirms Azerbaijan's refusal to resolve problem of political prisoners Votes are being recounted in Armenia, Baku is ready to 'work with Yerevan on a big peace agreement, Jun. 23 digest Armenia acting Deputy PM on his political career in the future Armenia President: A nation with a history of genocide with Turkey needs to be very careful and have a friend Armenian NGO president: Elections in Armenia only satisfied Baku and Ankara Ambassador: UAE will carry out charity program for women in Armenia's Shirak Province Armenias Sarkissian to pay state visit to Italy Tokayev to Sarkissian: Continuing our constructive dialogue will contribute to expansion of Armenian-Kazakh cooperation Aliyev: Armenia refuses to give us maps of minefields One dollar falls below AMD 513 in Armenia Armenia acting Deputy PM on dismissals of officials due to their political views Armenian peacekeeping brigade takes part in military exercise at US military base in Germany Azerbaijan Deputy PM: Trilateral group will continue its work after Armenia's new Cabinet is formed Acting deputy PM on Armenian captives return: We have opportunity to reach mutual agreements 'Armenia' bloc member: We garnered 258 votes at polling station in Kapan, but there were no entries Bayramov: Azerbaijan is ready to work with Armenia on a big peace agreement Person suspected of firing gunshot at car of Armenian politician detained Two boys suffer electric shock in Yerevan, one dies in hospital Head of Armenia's Odzun village: I was beaten by ten people, including the governor of Lori Province ost of sea freight hits record price due to China Patriarch of All Russia to Armenia President: You conscientiously fulfill duties entrusted to you Armenia I Have Honor bloc candidate for PM says their attitude towards acting PM Pashinyan will be "mirror" Lavrov, Bayramov discuss implementation of agreements reached between Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan Armenia I Have Honor bloc candidate for PM on Artsakh issue: Right of peoples to self-determination is inalienable Artsakh government to provide one-time monetary assistance to war wounded, outpatients Armenia state-funded Public Television makes around $829,000 purchase from one person I Have Honor bloc candidate for PM: We can return Armenian captives in Azerbaijan in 2-3 days if we have power China says world chaos caused by one power Armenia I Have Honor bloc candidate for PM: I will go to parliament if decision is made that the bloc goes Judicial farce against Armenian captives continues in Azerbaijan Armenia acting premier appoints 2 new deputy governors to Ararat Province Xi Jinping attaches great importance to development of China-Armenia relations Armenia delegation member to PACE: Azerbaijan media are at forefront of spreading hatred, enmity towards Armenians 100 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Putin calls Russia contribution "decisive" in Karabakh conflict settlement process Head of Ukraine parliament friendship group with Armenia congratulates Pashinyan Armenias Pashinyan congratulates Luxembourg PM on national holiday US authorities to allocate $ 8 billion to restore airports operation after pandemic Artsakh State Minister clarifies what happened during Stepanakert rally World oil prices going up Biden administration revives plans to build new space station Newspaper: Armenia troops to be taken out from front line Newspaper: Pashinyan is PM of actually just 26.49% of Armenia voters Tarasov: Azerbaijan, Turkey cant resolve matter of road via Armenia without Armenians participation Lawyer: Armenia court on Wednesday will announce decision on motion to arrest physician Armenia Security Council Secretary: Authorities will be guided by 'remedial secession' principle to solve Karabakh issue Armenia 2nd President: Government views Hayastan All-Armenian Fund as additional source of funding Karabakh President: My visit to Armenia's Civil Contract Party office on day of elections was misinterpreted Number of 'Armenia' bloc's votes grows by 10 times after recount in Vanadzor Rally participant: Karabakh President leading confidential negotiations with head of Azerbaijan state security service Head of Armenia's Odzun village submits report to police, case to be forwarded to Special Investigation Service Gagik Tsarukyan: Prosperous Armenia Party won't be in parliament, but will still be involved in politics Belarus President congratulates Armenia's Pashinyan Opposition National-Democratic Axis Party declines offer to meet with Armenia acting PM Armenia Administrative Court renders decision on ex-deputy chief of army's General Staff French MFA: France hopes elections will provide Armenia with opportunity to solve several issues Leader of 5165 Movement Party rejects offer to meet with Armenia acting PM Armenia acting high-tech industry minister introduces Industrial City Plan to US Ambassador Armenia Central Electoral Commission: There will be vote recounting at more than 70 polling stations Armenia ex-FM on Security Council Secretary's statement on torpedoing issue of POWs' return Armenia Security Council Secretary: Exchange of mine maps and POWs may be ongoing Armenia Security Council Secretary blames ex-FM for 'torpedoing' issue of return of POWs Armenia Security Council Secretary: Negotiations over deployment of Russian border guards in Gegharkunik underway Head of Armenia's Odzun village beaten in building of regional governor's office Armenia Security Council Secretary reminds Levon Ter-Petrosyan about 1996 presidential elections More Russian peacekeepers to be deployed in Armenia, Aliyev speaks on Shushi, Jun 22 digest Armenia Security Council Secretary says former authorities are the capitulators Armen Sarkissian holds phone talks with 'Armenia' bloc's leader Robert Kocharyan Christian-Democratic Party leader to Armenia acting PM: We will support the government 2 Stepanakert residents declare hunger strike at main square of Artsakh capital Citizen's Decision Party leader to Armenia acting PM: Results of elections show that political field is not competitive Principal of school in Armenia's Metsamor and her husband are charged Robert Kocharyan: 'Armenia' bloc is the one calling the shots Holy Etchmiadzin: Acting PMs proposal for dialogue to spiritual leaders is welcome Citizen's Decision Party: No agreement reached with Armenia acting PM Iran MFA congratulates successful holding of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia But even if similar examples become more common, it seems likely that millennials will represent a disproportionately small share of them. A decade ago, before people commonly excavated each other's digital skeletons, millennials were already seemingly savvier than our elders when it came to our online lives. We took precautions like locking down our Facebook accounts - limiting the visibility of our posts to people we actually knew - and generally being self-censorious on social media. I didn't post pictures of myself at parties, for example, on the off-chance that some prospective employer really might dig them up later.Millennials are mocked for taking selfies or posting pictures of our meals, but those habits speak to our interest in crafting an image of our lives for the people who are already watching - and sometimes waiting to pounce. Already, most younger people ignore Twitter and Facebook's prompts for public disclosure ("What's happening?" "What's on your mind?"), choosing instead to interact with social media platforms in less permanent, often more private ways. The social media of more recent years is built to disappear. Snapchat and Instagram Stories (with 186 million and 400 million daily active users, respectively) are ephemeral by design: Posts on either platform are viewable for 24 hours before being deleted automatically. "The lawless state of our southern border is a threat to the safety, security, and financial well being of all Americans," Trump said. "We have a moral duty to create an immigration system that protects the lives and jobs of our citizens." Brown, who is also a Democrat, insisted when he approved the deployment that California National Guard soldiers and airmen would not assist immigration enforcement. Brown renewed the deployment order in September over objections from Democratic lawmakers who protested the Trump's administration's policy that resulted in the separation of migrant children from their parents. Newsom plans redirect 110 National Guard personnel to help prevent and suppress wildfires in preparation for the next fire season, according to his office. The rest of the 360 currently deployed at the border will be assigned to anti-drug operations. Some will stay at the border at points of entry to screen for illegal drugs. The troops on the special border assignment were gathering intelligence to intercept street drugs and man cameras at and near ports of entry, Maj. Gen. Matthew Beevers told state lawmakers at an Assembly hearing last week. "They are doing solely counter-narcotics operations," he said. All week Ill be peeking under bushes and picnic tables hoping to find one of the Kindness Rocks that are being decorated and distributed around town by St. Helena Primary School students during Kindness Week. If Im lucky enough to find one, Ill probably leave it be so that another stranger can have a serendipitous moment of discovery. But the memory of finding it would keep me warm for the rest of the day. To hear Jimmy Adams tell it, the Valley Players upcoming Farce of Habit, which opens Friday night at the Lincoln Theater, is quite a comedy. It takes place in the Ozarks at a fishing lodge called Reel Em In. he says. Theres a bunch of nuns in the barn; theres a movie star hiding out from his wife, because he doesnt want to give her any money from the book deal; an ax murderer who leaves Baby Ruth wrappers behind, and the movie stars wife, who comes looking for him. Adams plays Huddle Fisk, who has had a heart attack and ends up falling in love with the movie stars wife. The play is directed by Megan Palagi and performances are 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Feb. 15-16 and Feb. 22-23 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17 and Saturday, Feb. 23. Tickets are $20, available online and at the door. You might know Jimmy as the checker at Sunshine Foods who was named Employee of the Year two years ago. Its very funny, he says of Farce of Habit, adding, Im still laughing. His status as an Eagle Scout got him appointed to a staff position, which prevented him from being shipped off to Vietnam. He spent the rest of his three years in the Army teaching recruits how to read and working in the finance corps at Fort Bragg. Having learned the proper treatment of the American flag as a Scout, Griffith was chosen to serve on color guard during military funerals for soldiers killed in Vietnam. Once I handed a flag to a widow, and once I handed it to a mother, he said. That totally changed my attitude about the American flag. One of the greatest things that Scouting does is teach good citizenship and respect for the American flag. Upon leaving the Army, Griffith was hired to work for Ross Perots Electronic Data Systems based on, once again, his status as an Eagle Scout. Griffith went on to lead St. Helenas Troop 1 from 2007 to 2012, leading as many as 30 Scouts. The troop received the Silver Unit Achievement Award from the Mt. Diablo/Silverado Council in 2011, and Griffith earned the Unit Leader Merit Award in 2012. With the help of his wife Mary, he has also chaired the councils annual wine auction for the last few years. We can compete with the west ... Please log in to keep reading. Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. The Department of Justice on Monday gave former Bureau of Customs Commissioner, now Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director General, Isidro Lapena up to Feb. 21 to answer the complaint filed against him, in connection with the multiple-billion peso worth of shabu smuggled into the country through magnetic lifters. During the second preliminary investigation hearing of the complaints filed by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the National Bureau of Investigation, DOJs panel of investigating prosecutors led by Assistant State Prosecutor Mary Jane Sytat granted the plea of Lapenas lawyer John Telan who received a copy of the complaint for extension of time within which to answer the allegations against him. Lapena has been accused of violating the Revised Penal Code; violation of Section 3(e) of the Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; and grave misconduct in violation of the Code of Conduct for Public Officials and Employees. On the other hand, former PDEA Deputy Director Ismael Fajardo, Senior Supt. Eduardo Acierto and former Customs Deputy Commissioner Ricardo Quinto did not appear and were unable to send their representatives. Next preliminary investigation is set on Feb. 21 and another on March 4. PDEA filed the complaint last Aug. 29, 2018 and Dec. 13, 2018 while the NBI who conducted a separate investigation filed the complaint last January.In the NBI complaint, Lapena, Vener Baquiran, Zsae Carrie de Guzman, John Mar Morales, and Benjamin Cajucom are accused of having committed dereliction of duty in violation of the Revised Penal Code; violation of Section 3(e) of the Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act); and grave misconduct in violation of the Code of Conduct for Public Officials and Employees. The complainant also sought the prosecution of over 40 persons including former Intelligence Officer Jimmy Guban, Fajardo, Acierto and Quinto for RA 9165 (the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002); violation of Section 3(e) of RA 3019; and for grave misconduct. While, the PDEAs Dec. 13, 2018 complaint accused 44 respondents including Guban, Fajardo and Acierto also of importation of dangerous drugs, attempt of conspiracy, and liability of a person violating any regulation issued by the Dangerous Drugs Board. They are also accused of violating Section 3(e) of RA 3019, and for obstruction of justice in violation Presidential Decree No. 1829, Section 1(c) and the Article 208 of the Revised Penal Code. While, the PDEAs August 29, 2018 complaint accused Chan Yee Wah Albert, Zhang Quan, Vedasto Baraquel Jr., and Maria Lagrimas Catipan of possession of illegal drugs in violation of RA 9165. Yet these programs are all lumped together under the same regulatory system that was created by the 2004 Legislature thanks to a bill written and sponsored by owners of the very programs that would be regulated by the new system after these businesses spent $34,000 lobbying legislators. This system, still in place today, tasks a Private Alternative Adolescent Resident or Outdoor Program (PAARP) board with overseeing inspections, complaints and licensing. The board operates under the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, rather than a state agency that deals with child care or education. Three of the boards five members run the same programs they are charged with regulating. And programs claiming a religious affiliation are exempted even from these generous requirements. Given these realities, it comes as little surprise that inspections take place rarely or that schools are given a weeks notice beforehand. Whats more surprising is that the PAARP board has no transparency and no teeth when it comes to handling complaints. It has received some 58 complaints in the past dozen years, but according to PAARP rules, these complaints are not released to the public unless the board takes disciplinary action and it has never taken such action. The board is severely limited in its ability to require programs to follow best practices, let alone adhere to basic standards. Rifles and homes arent mixing well in Walkerville anymore, and at least one stray round hit a house recently, so theres a push to get the town included in a county no-shoot zone that covers urban Butte and outlying areas. When I was a kid, we used to walk out back and hunt rabbits and there was never an issue, but now there are several homes back there and some toward the reservoir, said Walkerville Mayor John Ries. We have had people not only within the (town) boundaries but beyond that farther north who have had deer shot on their property or they are wounded and people find the carcasses, and there are several people worried about the shooting, he said. Ries said he understands the other side, too, from people who bought property with a few acres or more who want to raise animals and shoot their guns. But the town council recently voted unanimously to be included in Buttes no-shooting zone. That requires a change to Butte-Silver Bows ordinances, a process that its commissioners oversee. It can take weeks, but the request was sent this week to a council committee to get the ball rolling. Unpaved roads and walkways and extensive mine operations all over the Hill just imagine 324 mine dumps, some huge, some small meant that storm water would likely have not just run off, it would have run off carrying plenty of dirt and debris with it. Both in the city and nearby, pretty much all the trees were gone. Summit Valleys forests, such as they were, were exploited early on for fuel in smelters, timbers in mine drifts, and wood for building construction. The land was bare. Mine tailings and sewage alike were discharged into Silver Bow Creek. Silver Bow Creek where it crosses Montana Street and flows between the historic slag walls from the Colorado Smelter was highly constricted there. Upstream, wetlands had been drained to accommodate construction of smelters on the east side of the Hill, in Meaderville and points south. The stream was already nothing like the original creek that the first prospectors in 1864 likened to a silver bow glistening in the sun. There was little to prevent mass runoff and flooding. Late May and early June 1908 were some of the wettest days in Montana history. Rain, wet snow, and snowmelt combined to produce one of the most devastating floods to ever hit the region. On May 31, a cloudburst at Columbus took out a mile of Northern Pacific track. In Butte, there was too much snow for Memorial Day services, and the parade was cancelled. On June 2, Butte received 0.9 inches of rain, part of a storm system that affected most of western Montana and disrupted train travel. On June 2, a washout at Bonita, about 30 miles east of Missoula, resulted in a train plunging off the track, killing one man. By that day, there had been no through train into Butte for 48 hours on the Northern Pacific, whose trains were stalled in Billings and at Drummond. And it continued to rain and snow. At Elk Park on June 2, the Butte Miner reported that the flat resembled a huge lake, and the Boulder River is a raging torrent. Local geologist and historian Dick Gibson has lived in Butte since 2003 and has worked as a tour guide for various organizations and museums. He can be reached at rigibson@earthlink.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 0 At a ceramics wheel in a corner of the Butte High art room, an 18-year-old boy worked to transform a hunk of brown clay into a bowl. Other students came by to speak with him, but he mostly sat in silence as he molded his piece of pottery after school hours. Its hard to describe Ive always been into art since I was little. I get a lot of enjoyment out of it, and its very calming, Clayton Heggem said, his eyes barely leaving the bowl spinning in front of him. Although Heggem said he creates art using all different kinds of mediums, ceramics is his favorite, but hes not into pottery so much as he is into creating sculptures that embody what he loves most about the outdoors and fishing. Heggem explained that his family used to live in Washington but moved to Montana when he was young so they could be closer to relatives and the outdoor recreation the Big Sky has to offer. Theres a lot of freedom with both, Heggem said about nature and art, explaining that many of his sculptures are where the two overlap. I like the creative aspect of sculpting, to be able to build with my hands. Second only to Newman as a commentator on the legitimate aims and aspirations of the university is Thorstein Veblen, author of "The Higher Learning in America: A Memorandum on the Conduct of Universities by Business Men." Writing in the early 20th century, Veblen thought that servile education, in combination with an undue emphasis on sports, had made ruinous inroads into the universitys proper sphere as a corporation for academic excellence. Even worse troubles lay ahead. He could see nothing that might prevent the universitys complete degradation to the condition of an instrument in the hands of elites concerned ultimately about recruiting status quo leaders, as if no other social and economic arrangements but the ones happily in place were to be considered. Such a university would be rife with courses and programs about leadership, but much less attention would be paid to the curricular needs for a democratic community of intelligent, resourceful, responsible and self-governing citizens. The Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem has the largest distinct population segment of grizzlies, with an estimated 1,000 bears in the mountains between Glacier National Park and Interstate 90. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in the tri-state area around Yellowstone National Park has an estimated 750 grizzlies. FWS attempted to delist the Greater Yellowstone grizzlies in 2017, but a federal court ruling last September vacated that decision. That forced FWS to delay its plans to delist the Northern Continental Divide grizzlies, which it had planned to do by the end of 2018. While the service has filed a notice of appeal, it also has the option of drafting a new delisting rule for one or both ecosystems to answer the court failings. Its time to get the courts out of the management of grizzlies, Cuffe said. The GYE (Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem) population has been through two delisting proposals at different times, and they got held up in the courts. The fear is if people keep manipulating and finding reasons to prevent delisting, especially in areas where theyve had proposals to delist, what they wind up doing is taking away respect for the Endangered Species Act. Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., got in a double dip in July 1990. Dingell, who died Thursday at age 92, was the powerful head of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., was a newcomer to the joint clean air conference committee that Dingell headed. Sherry Devlin, who was Missoulian editor from 2005 to 2015, was the environmental reporter when she wrote about a showdown between the zealous Baucus and the foot-dragging Dingell, a longtime champion of the auto industry. As reported in Congressional Quarterly, Dingell turned the word we know as balderdash into a verb in a face-to-face meeting. I wont balderdash you if you wont balderdash me, he told Baucus. Turns out politics have long made for good balderdashing (and the sun rises in the east). In 1987, Dick Manning introduced Missoula state senator Mike Halligan and his longshot bid for governor. I think if I have a chance to speak to people one on one," Halligan said. "They're going to see I'm not going to lie to them. I'm not going to balderdash them." These days, editor Kathy Best says the policy is to replace the offending word not with balderdash but with bull----. The FHA will want to know why you want an environmental assessment, especially if you need federal aid to do that, and what requirements havent been met, and whats been missed in the process with the county and their consultant, Toavs said. They have to prove an EA is in the best interest of the project, or the county could fund its own EA. The commissioners also asked if they chose to pursue a different alternative, whether theyd have to return about $1 million in federal funding already spent on the project. In addition, they wonder whether any allocated state or federal funding for the South Avenue Bridge could be diverted to address deficiencies with the Maclay Bridge. If that isnt an option, they asked if any other funding sources are available to accommodate the Maclay Bridge rehabilitation. And they asked if a statement in the 2013 Maclay Bridge Planning Study still stands, which noted Ultimately, it is the discretion of the Missoula County Commission to select an option Has Missoula County government lost any discretion since that report was issued? the commissioners wrote in their letter. Moreover, are there any sideboards on that statement, and will MDT/FHWA only fund certain alternatives but not a rehab of Maclay Bridge? The orchestra itself is taking the spotlight at the next String Orchestra of the Rockies concert. The professional ensemble, which has no conductor, performs here in Missoula and pulls from across the state and region. "Looking over the roster, I noticed that all of our players who are leading are concertmasters and principal players in different symphonies throughout Montana," said artistic director Maria Larianoff. The centerpiece of the "Ravel & Romance" concert is Quartet for Strings in F Major, written in 1903. The French composer, known for the ubiquitous "Bolero," only produced one string quartet, she said. Larinoff said the first movement is expressive; the second has interesting string effects such as pizzicato (or plucked, not bowed, strings), muted effects with eerie colors and arpeggios; the third a solo for principal violist Jennfier Smith and "foggy" sounds from moving the bow over the fingerboard; and the final an unusual 5/8 rhythm that "powers all the way to the end." The quartet was arranged for string orchestra by Barry Lieberman, a bassist and Larianoff's husband. She said he replaced some cello solos with bass solos, which will go to Bren Plummer, a Seattle musician who also teaches at the University of Montana. A Community Newsblog written by Community Members Middletown's a big place, with a lot going on. We need your help to keep your neighbors informed. Come write or just give us a tip on your news, sports, arts, politics or events at - middletowneye@gmail.com Help us to make the Middletown Eye the third eye people open every morning! Senator Aquilino Koko Pimentel III on Monday renewed his call for the immediate creation of a national level Department of Overseas Filipino Workers (DOFW). He said the government cannot ignore a substantial chunk of the population, almost one in every 11 Filipinos, is working and toiling overseas, and their welfare needs to be fully ensured and protected at all times. Were talking about scale here. Yes, we have the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), but both these government agencies are already understaffed to meet the growing number and demands of our OFWs, he said. For instance, he said OWWA has already complained in 2018 that it has just 420 staff worldwide, 300 locally and 120 abroad, addressing the concerns of 10 million OFWs. A dedicated executive department for our foreign workers is the solution, Pimentel said. The lawmaker from Mindanao also cited recent reports that the Philippines stands to lose as much as $1.5 billion worth of remittances due to the projected 10 to 15 percent decrease in the deployment of overseas Filipino workers particularly to the Middle East due to declining global oil prices. The report showed that up to 100,000 jobs for OFWs will be lost due to the precarious financial situation of Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries due to lower crude oil prices. Thats a big number, considering Saudi Arabia is the most preferred country of destination among OFWs at 25.4%, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. Other Middle East countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait follow suit at 15.3% and 6.7%, respectively.Last year, around 3,000 workers were repatriated through the OWWA. Deployment likewise declined by 10 percent due to the instability of cr ude oil prices. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has lowered the growth targets for both personal and cash remittances to three percent instead of four percent for 2019. We need a more proactive stance to stem this decline, Pimentel noted. We need a national level policy, implemented by a separate government department, that squarely addresses key employment trends and developments abroad because these have direct economic consequences back home. When foreign countries freeze hiring of skilled and unskilled workers, or when maritime agencies rationalize the hiring of our seafarers, the economic consequences are direct and immediately felt. I believe that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) can be tasked to focus exclusively on domestic employment while a separate department can handle overseas employment, Pimentel said. The creation of a separate department for OFWs was one of the campaign promises of President Rodrigo Duterte. The Mindanao-born lawmaker, for his part, filed on May 10, 2017 Senate Bill 1445, An Act Creating the Department of Overseas Filipino Workers, Defining its Powers and Functions, Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes. We urgently need this OFW Department. Deployment of workers abroad is not a temporary phenomenon. I agree that our main goal is still to provide a good employment environment here, but the fact is there are millions of Filipino workers abroad. There will always be those who will choose to work abroad, even if their numbers may dwindle or even if they will eventually come back home to retire. We should offer our modern Filipino heroes greater focus and protection than we give them at the moment, Pimentel said. Michael-in-Norfolk disclaims any and all responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, completeness, legality, reliability, operability, or availability of information or material displayed on this site and does not claim credit for any images or articles featured on this site, unless otherwise noted. All visual content is copyrighted to it's respectful owners. Information on this site may contain errors or inaccuracies, and Michael-in-Norfolk does not make warranty as to the correctness or reliability of the site's content. If you own rights to any of the images or articles, and do not wish them to appear on this site, please contact Michael-in-Norfolk via e-mail and they will be promptly removed. Michael-in-Norfolk contains links to other Internet sites. These links are provided solely as a convenience and are not endorsements of any products or services in such sites, and no information or content in such site has been endorsed or approved by this blog. Credit: CC0 Public Domain With the national abortion debate entering a new stage, a survey of U.S. obstetricians and gynecologists has found that while nearly 3 out of 4 had a patient who wanted to end a pregnancy in the past year, fewer than 1 in 4 were willing and able to perform one themselves. Among the doctors who answered questions about the procedure, 1 in 3 cited personal, religious or moral reasons for not providing abortion services. But conscientious objections to abortion were hardly the only factor influencing OB-GYNs' decisions. As reported in a study published this week by the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, 19 percent of the specialists who did not provide abortion care despite having patients who wanted it said that practical considerationsspecifically, restrictions imposed on their practice settingsmade it difficult or impossible for them to do so. And another 16 percent cited the attitudes of office staff in discouraging them from providing abortions. OB-GYNs practicing in the Northeast or West were far more likely to offer procedures or drugs to end a pregnancy than were their peers in the South or Midwest, and women doctors were more likely than men to do so. And those practicing in an urban or suburban setting were much more likely to do so than those treating patients in midsize towns, rural areas or communities with a heavy military presence. The new survey elicited reactions that underscored the centraland uncomfortablerole that physicians play in the abortion debate. In deciding whether and how to meet their patients' medical needs and preferences, the doctors who care for women and deliver their babies are buffeted by state and federal regulations, fear of physical threats and protests, negative judgments by colleagues or neighbors, and their own complicated convictions. "We have two patients: both the unborn child and the mother," said Dr. Donna Harrison, executive director of the Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians & Gynecologists. "As physicians, we've taken the Hippocratic oath," which commits physicians to "do no harm" to their patients, she said. "So we don't kill our patients." Dr. Barbara Levy, vice president for health policy at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, countered that many physicians in her specialty, like many Americans, "have different concepts of when an embryo or fetus becomes a viable life." That, she said, "is a deeply personal decision" that will influence an OB-GYN's decisions about whether and which abortion services to provide. But Levy stressed that even for those committed to offering their patients a full range of safe and legally protected abortion services, "there are barriers in place that have no medical necessity." And on a medical landscape where the lone private-practice doctor is an increasing rarity, she said, the concerns of one's colleagues, employer and institutional allies often dissuade an OB-GYN from providing abortions. The result is that many patients have limited or no access to services they want or need and are legally entitled to receive, Levy said. The new survey plumbed the attitudes of members of ACOG, a professional society with more than 58,000 members that represents roughly 90 percent of practicing OB-GYNs in the U.S. Researchers reached out to a sample of 1,000 doctors; 655 responded. It comes in the midst of a renewed drive by the Trump administration to rally support for measures restricting abortion procedures. With the arrival on the Supreme Court of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who is expected to swing the high court toward a narrower view of abortion rights, momentum is building for new limits. But the survey reveals that women's health specialists have grown more willing to aid patients intent on ending an unwanted pregnancy. In 2008, the last time ACOG asked its members about abortion, 14 percent said they had performed one in the previous year. That 24 percent said they had done so this time around marks a significant uptick. The poll also suggests that doctors' attitudes may be changing as abortions shift toward earlier pregnancy and increasingly rely on pills rather than procedures that mechanically aspirate or surgically cut a fetus from the uterus. After years of steady decline, the abortion rate among U.S. women has reached a historic low, according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. In 2014, the latest year for which reliable figures are available, 926,190 abortions were performed legally in the United States. Fully 90 percent were performed in the first trimester of pregnancy, the National Academies found. That mirrors a rise in so-called medical abortions, which can be performed outside of a hospital or clinic. These procedures involve two drugsmifepristone (long referred to as RU-486 and known commercially as Mifeprex) and misoprostolthat are taken within 70 days a woman's last menstrual period. The drugs shut off the flow of hormones necessary to sustain a pregnancy and then prompt contractions to expel the fetus. The Food and Drug Administration approved their use in 2000 with a stringent "risk management" program that limits their use. The pills can cost as much as $1,000 per procedure, and not all public or private insurers will cover those costs. In 2014, 31 percent of abortions were medical abortions, up from 6 percent in 2001, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an organization that conducts research and advocates for the expansion of sexual and reproductive health rights. A recent Guttmacher report asserted that the method "has transformed the practice of abortion care." Danco Laboratories, the sole manufacturer of mifepristone, has said that 3 million women in the United States have used the drug since 2000. Today, 14 percent of OB-GYNs offer medical abortions, the new survey found. But among OB-GYNs whose patients have asked for an abortion but who do not now offer it, 28 percent said they would offer the drugs if the FDA lifted its most onerous restrictions on their use. The FDA requires doctors wishing to provide medical abortions to register and agree to a wide range of conditions for dispensing mifespristone. The agency also mandates that mifespristone be stocked and provided in a physician's office rather than prescribed by a doctor, dispensed by a pharmacy, and taken by a woman at home. At least 17 states have added strictures that go beyond those imposed by the FDA. And at least seven states have made it a criminal act for a woman to "self-induce" abortion by taking the pills. Harrison, who treated patients for 10 years but is not now in practice, called medical abortion "a lousy way to perform an abortion. ... The only reason I can understand why it's being pushed is that it's easier for the abortion providerthey don't have to be skilled, and they can dump their failures on the emergency room." But safety has not been a widespread concern beyond organizations like Harrison's that are opposed to abortion. A report issued last year by the National Academies concluded that complications "such as hemorrhage, hospitalization, persistent pain, infection, or prolonged heavy bleeding, are rareoccurring in no more than a fraction of a percent of patients." ACOG, the American Academy of Family Physicians and other medical societies have called the FDA's "risk-management" rules medically unnecessary. The FDA's strictures on doctors offering medical abortions are being challenged in a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union. The suit says the conditions imposed by the FDA "harm and burden patients, particularly those in rural and medically underserved areas." While the FDA has not yet weighed in on the ACLU's suit, the agency has given the go-ahead to a clinical trial that will test whether pregnant women can safely and effectively end a pregnancy by collecting the two-drug regimen from a pharmacy and administering those drugs without a doctor's direct supervision. The trial, expected to be completed in July, will also assess pharmacists' attitudes about dispensing mifespristone. "Women are very interested in easier access to an abortion pill, and they don't understand why these regulations are needed," said trial leader Dr. Daniel Grossman, director of the Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health research group at the University of California, San Francisco. Grossman is also the lead author of the new study in Obstetrics & Gynecology. The survey results suggest that the proportion of OB-GYNs offering medical abortions might increase to as high as 31 percentif the FDA allowed physicians to write prescriptions for mifespristone as they do for most other drugs. At the same time, 47 percent of the specialists said that making the pills easier to provide would not change their minds about offering it to patients. Another 22 percent said they were unsure how they would proceed. "We found the current restrictions (on medication abortions) were a significant barrier" to expanding the availability of medical abortions, Grossman said. In his State of the Union speech this week, President Donald Trump called for new legislation to ban procedures in which he said "a baby (is) ripped from the mother's womb moments before birth." Yet, Grossman said, putting unnecessary constraints on the use of medication abortion drugs runs counter to the widely held view that earlier abortions are preferable. "Restrictions on accessing abortion care early in pregnancy are clearly pushing women to later and later abortions," he said. "If policy makers were serious about trying to reduce later abortions, they'd be looking at ways to improve early care. And one way to do that would be to remove these restrictions." Explore further Is the future of abortion online? 2019 Los Angeles Times Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Colorized scanning electron micrograph of Ebola virus particles (green) both budding from and attached to the surface of cells. Credit: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease A detailed analysis of blood samples from Ebola patients in Sierra Leone is providing clues about the progression of the effects of the Ebola virus in patients and potential treatment pathways. A manuscript discussing the work, led by scientists at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, was published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The findings point to a critical role for a molecular pathway that relies on the common nutrient choline, as well as the importance of cellular bodies known as microvesicles. "There's a lot more research to be donethese are preliminary results based on a small number of samples," said PNNL scientist Jennifer Kyle, first author of the paper. "We do hope these results will someday benefit patients." The results are based on the lipids, or fats, in the blood of people infected with Ebola, comparing the detailed lipid composition in patients who survived the illness to those who died and to people who were never infected. The study included blood samples from 11 patients who survived infection, nine who died, and 10 healthy volunteers. The patient samples were from people in Sierra Leone who were infected with Ebola during an outbreak from 2014 to 2016, an event that caused more than 11,000 deaths in West Africa. The recent re-emergence of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo reinforces the need for approaches to manage this disease. The team identified and quantified 423 separate molecular species of lipids, which are essential to everyday life. They serve as raw materials for our cell membranesstructures that keep our body's cells intactand as signaling molecules and energy sources. The team found major differences in "the lipidome" or collection of lipids between people who lived, who died, and who were never infected. Among the differences: Infected patients who survived had a much higher number of PC lipids (phosphatidylcholines or diacylglycerophosphocholines), and their levels increased with time as they successfully fought off the illness. Patients who died had higher levels of PS lipids (diacylglycerophosphoserines), which are known to spur cells to die. The Ebola virus relies on these molecules to replicate. Making sense of the findingsPCs and health, PS lipids and disease PC lipids, found at higher levels in survivors, are made in the livera prime target of Ebolaand are a critical component of larger molecules known as lipoproteins. A vital component of PC lipids is choline, a common nutrient. A person deficient in choline has more DNA and cell damage, impaired liver and muscle function, and other symptoms. The scientists suggested that future studies explore the possibility of nutritional choline supplementation to improve liver function in infected patients. With the PS lipidsfound in higher levels of patients who diedthe scientists noted that these molecules can spur cells to die, a process that happens in the spleen, liver and kidneys of patients, and that the virus relies on these molecules to replicate in the body. These lipids are also associated with cellular structures known as microvesicles, which can harm patients. Based on the PS findings, the team suggests that aggressive blood filtration to remove microvesicles is an option. "We have a lot of information about lipids; now we need to understand what those lipids are telling us. They have great stories to tell," said Kyle. "Lipid levels are one way of understanding exactly what a virus is doing in its environmentwhether in early Earth history, or in the body during an infection," added Kyle, who began her lipids studies as a geomicrobiologist looking for signatures of life in extreme environments. In November 2017 the same team published a study in Cell Host & Microbe that identified a handful of biomarkers which indicate the outcome of infection in patients. That work was based on the same set of blood samples, in which the virus was inactivated according to approved protocols before the samples were studied at PNNL. Explore further Scientists identify biomarkers that indicate likelihood of survival in infected patients UGA researchers Xiangyu Deng (shown) and Shaokang Zhang led a team of scientists who have trained an algorithm called Random Forest to predict certain animal sources of S. Typhimurium genomes. Credit: UGA A team of scientists led by researchers at the University of Georgia Center for Food Safety in Griffin has developed a machine-learning approach that could lead to quicker identification of the animal source of certain Salmonella outbreaks. In the research, published in the January 2019 issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Xiangyu Deng and his colleagues used more than a thousand genomes to predict the animal sources, especially livestock, of Salmonella Typhimurium. Deng, an assistant professor of food microbiology at the center, and Shaokang Zhang, a postdoctoral associate with the center, led the project, which also included experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Minnesota Department of Health and the Translational Genomics Research Institute. According to the Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System, close to 3,000 outbreaks of foodborne illness were reported in the U.S. from 2009 to 2015. Of those, 900or 30 percentwere caused by different serotypes of Salmonella, including Typhimurium, Deng said. "We had at least three outbreaks of Typhimuirum, or its close variant, in 2018. These outbreaks were linked to chicken, chicken salad and dried coconut," he said. "There are more than 2,600 serotypes of Salmonella, and Typhimurium is just one of them, but since the 1960s, about a quarter of Salmonella isolates linked to outbreaks reported to U.S. national surveillance are Typhimurium." The researchers trained the "machine," an algorithm called Random Forest, with more than 1,300 S. Typhimurium genomes with known sources. After the training, the "machine" learned how to predict certain animal sources of S. Typhimurium genomes. For this study, the scientists used Salmonella Typhimurium genomes from three major surveillance and monitoring programs: the CDC's PulseNet network; the FDA's GenomeTrakr database of sources in the United States, Europe, South America, Asia and Africa; and retail meat isolates from the FDA arm of the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System. "With so many genomes, machine learning is a natural choice to deal with all these data. We used this big collection of Typhimurium genomes as the training set to build the classifier," said Deng who was awarded the UGA Creative Research Medal in 2017 for his work in this area. "The classifier predicts the source of the Typhimurium isolate by interrogating thousands of genetic features of its genome." Overall, the system predicted the animal source of the S. Typhimurium with 83 percent accuracy. The classifier performed best in predicting poultry and swine sources, followed by bovine and wild bird sources. The machine also detects whether its prediction is precise or imprecise. When the prediction was precise, the machine was accurate about 92 percent of the time, Deng said. "We retrospectively analyzed eight of the major zoonotic outbreaks that occurred in the U.S. from 1998 to 2013," he said. "The classifier attributed seven of them to the correct livestock source." Deng says the tool has limitations; it cannot predict seafood as a source and it has difficulty predicting Salmonella strains that "jump around among different animals." "I'd call this approach a proof of concept. It will get better as more genomes from various sources become available," he said. In tweets about the study, Frank Yiannas, deputy director of the FDA, called the machine learning of whole genome sequences project "a new era of smarter food safety and epidemiology." To the average person, the success of this project means strains of Salmonella Typhimurium could be traced back to the source faster. Identifying what causes a foodborne illness outbreak is key to stopping it and preventing further illnesses. "Using our method, investigators can better link cases of the same outbreak and better match isolates from food or food processing environments to isolates from sick people," he said. "This will give investigators more confidence to implicate a specific source that is behind the outbreak." More information: Shaokang Zhang et al, Zoonotic Source Attribution of Salmonella enterica Serotype Typhimurium Using Genomic Surveillance Data, United States, Emerging Infectious Diseases (2018). Journal information: Emerging Infectious Diseases Shaokang Zhang et al, Zoonotic Source Attribution of Salmonella enterica Serotype Typhimurium Using Genomic Surveillance Data, United States,(2018). DOI: 10.3201/eid2501.180835 As marijuana legalization sweeps North America, use of the substance has been on the rise, and the public's attitude is shifting. An increasing number of people believe that "weed" is the safest recreational drug, one that carries health benefits that outweigh its risks. Those assumptions are challenged in an article and editorial published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology that examine the story of a patient who developed crushing chest pain and myocardial ischemia after consuming most of a marijuana lollipop. "Marijuana can be a useful tool for many patients, especially for pain and nausea relief. At the same time, like all other medications, it does carry risk and side effects. In a recent case, inappropriate dosing and oral consumption of marijuana by an older patient with stable cardiovascular disease resulted in distress that caused a cardiac event and subsequent reduced cardiac function," said Alexandra Saunders, MD, Dalhousie University, Internal Medicine Program and Horizon Health Network's Department of Cardiology, Saint John, NB, Canada. The case report describes a 70-year-old man with stable coronary artery disease, taking the appropriate cardiac medications, who ate most of a lollipop that was infused with 90 mg of THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) to relieve pain and aid sleep, which caused him to have a potentially-serious heart attack. He consumed a much larger dose than the 7 mg that is typically ingested by smoking a single joint or taking the 2.5 mg starting dose of dronabinol (Marinol), a synthetic THC marketed for nausea and appetite stimulation in AIDS and cancer patients. While the patient had smoked marijuana in his youth, he had not done so since the THC content of the substance had increased significantly from three percent to 12 percent. He was also not familiar with the time-delayed and extended effect of oral THC dosing. The patient's cardiac event was likely triggered by unexpected strain on his body from anxiety and fearful hallucinations caused by the unusually large amount of THC he ingested. His sympathetic nervous system was stimulated, causing increased cardiac output with tachycardia, hypertension, and catecholamine (stress hormone) release. After the psychotropic effects of the drug wore off, and his hallucinations ended, his chest pain stopped. A number of prior case reports, as well as epidemiological studies, have described the association between cannabis use and acute cardiovascular (CV) adverse events, including myocardial infarction, stroke, arrhythmias, and sudden death. "Most previous research on marijuana-induced myocardial ischemia focused mostly on younger patients and did not focus on its different formulations and potencies. As a result of widespread marijuana legalization, healthcare providers need to understand and manage cannabis use and its complications in older patients, particularly in those with cardiovascular disease," said Robert S. Stevenson, MD, Horizon Health Network, Department of Cardiology, Saint John, NB, Canada. CV toxicity of marijuana is described in an accompanying editorial. It can be viewed as a consequence of one or more the following: 1) inhalation of combustion products of marijuana; 2) direct CV effects of THC; and 3) indirect effects of THC related to acute anxiety, hallucination, and/or psychosis. Individuals who are THC-naive and are not used to taking mind-altering drugs can become highly distressed by impaired cognition and feelings of loss of control produced by THC. Extreme emotional responses in the context of THC psychiatric toxicity are associated with surges of catecholamines, which can have adverse acute CV effects. Important considerations with respect to cannabis toxicity are the pattern of use, dose, route of administration, and degree of tolerance. "The legalization of cannabis has considerable public support but also raises public health concerns," commented the editorial's author, Neal L. Benowitz, MD, Chief, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical Service, Departments of Medicine, and Biopharmaceutical Sciences; Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. "Some users may benefit from the social and medical effects, but others will be at risk for adverse health outcomes. Little information has been disseminated to patients or healthcare providers about cannabis use in older patients, and in particular those with cardiovascular disease. For better or worse, providing advice and care to such patients who are using cannabis is now necessary for the provision of optimal medical care to these patients." Explore further Many users prefer medical marijuana over prescription drugs (HealthDay)Young children with autism are more than twice as likely to have sleep problems than typical kids or those with other developmental delays, a new study reports. Several factors profoundly affect the sleep of 2- to 5-year-olds with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), said lead researcher Dr. Ann Reynolds. They are more likely to resist their bedtime, have trouble getting to sleep, suffer from anxiety regarding sleep, wake up in the middle of the night, and experience night terrors. "It was very clear that kids with features of autism have more sleep issues," said Reynolds, an associate professor of developmental pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora. "For almost all categories, there was a difference between ASD kids and the general population." It was already known that kids with autism struggle with sleep. Studies have consistently found that more than half of them and possibly as many as 4 in 5 have at least one chronic sleep problem, according to Autism Speaks. Reynolds and her team decided to delve deeper into the issue, to see which sleep problems appeared to be more affected by the symptoms of autism. They also wanted to compare kids with ASD to average children and to those who have other disorders that cause developmental delay. Researchers recruited almost 2,000 children between the ages of 2 and 5 across the United States. They included 522 kids diagnosed with ASD; 228 with developmental delay that included aspects of autism; 534 with developmental delay unrelated to autism; and 703 typical children. Parents completed a sleep habits questionnaire for all the children. Researchers tallied up the scores, and then compared how well the four groups fared at bedtime. They found that kids with ASD were more than twice as likely to have serious problems getting quality sleep as kids without autism symptoms. Kids with autism were also 45 percent more likely to have moderate sleep problems than children with other forms of developmental delay, and 75 percent more likely than typical kids. Children with symptoms of autism scored worse on nearly all aspects of sleep. Only in a couple of areassleep apnea and daytime sleepinessdid they appear to have about the same level of difficulty as other kids, Reynolds said. Autism itself can play havoc with sleep hygiene. Kids with autism can have problems transitioning from one activity to another, or may become so ramped up that they can't calm down, she said. "Sleep is a big transition," Reynolds said. "You're moving from playing or reading or whatever you're doing to falling asleep." Kids with ASD are more likely to have anxiety or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which can also affect sleep, Reynolds said. Also, those with autism might have problems with their sleep/wake cycle, suffer from seizures that disturb sleep, or have lower levels of the sleep hormone melatonin, according to Autism Speaks. "The impact on the child and the family of poor sleep is just huge," Reynolds said. "It can increase difficult behaviors during the day and decreases attention span. For kids who already have some struggles, lack of sleep can make things even more difficult. "It also has an impact on your physiologic healthobesity, insulin resistance and even immune function are influenced by poor sleep," she said. And poor sleep affects everyone in the household. "It also impacts the family, especially in these young children who, if they're up, mom and dad are up as well," Reynolds said. As each child with autism is unique, so too are their sleep problems, said Donna Murray, vice president of clinical programs and head of the Autism Treatment Network at Autism Speaks. That means parents and doctors will have to figure out the specific causes of each child's sleep problems and address them individually. "We may have a number of issues that contribute to sleep problems at the same time," Murray said. "We may have to run to some simultaneous interventions to address sleep." For example, some kids may need to take melatonin supplements under their doctor's supervision, Reynolds said. They also may need a specific calming routine prior to bedtime. "You have to take into account they may have sensory differences or more difficulty with calming," Reynolds said. "They may be more sensitive to light or noise, and things that are calming to one child may not be calming to a child with autism spectrum disorder." The new study appears in the March issue of the journal Pediatrics. Explore further Sleep program helping ADHD kids rest easier and improve quality of life More information: Autism Speaks has more about Journal information: Pediatrics Autism Speaks has more about strategies to improve sleep Copyright 2019 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Louise McCullough, M.D., Ph.D.; Lauren Fournier, M.D.; and Anjail Sharrief, M.D., M.P.H., at the ISC. Credit: UTHealth The International Stroke Conference (ISC) attracts thousands of neurologists each year to network with fellow experts and watch compelling presentations on the very latest advances in clinical care, science, and education. Joining those presentations for the first time was a rather provocative topicgender disparities among the very presenters themselves. The spotlight came in the form of research presented by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), which was itself the focus of two posters and a mini-symposium. The two studiesone looking at invited speakers and another looking at submitted and accepted abstractsrevealed a significant underrepresentation of women. "It's important to shed light on statistics like this to generate a heightened awareness of gender disparities which have been entrenched in neuroscience for many years," said Louise McCullough, MD, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Neurology, who serves as the vice chair of the programming committee for the ISC. The study on invited speakers found that less than a third of the 1,283 invited speakers at the ISC were women. "On average just 29 percent of invited speakers were women. Although it may be reflective of the field, I still find this quite staggering," said first author Lauren Fournier, MD, fellow of Vascular Neurology at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. Findings showed the proportion of female speakers was highest in nursing (86.4 percent) and lowest in neurocritical care and aneurysm (0 percent). All midlevel faculty and nurses were women, but less than a fifth (17.7 percent) of physician speakers were women, according to the study. The data also illustrated racial disparities. Women were 32.7 percent of Caucasian speakers, but only 16.7 and 12 percent of black and Hispanic speakers. The second study looked at data for first authors of submitted and accepted ISC abstracts. It showed that about a third of both submitted abstracts (36.9 percent) and accepted abstracts (36.5 percent) were by female authors. Findings also revealed the vast majority of nurses with accepted abstracts were women (93.2 percent) while about a quarter of physicians with accepted abstracts were women (27.4 percent). "The statistics illustrate how females are not submitting their science as much as males. They also show females who are participating tend to be more in specific roles," said Fournier, who was also the first author on this study. "We need to encourage more women to pursue science, take on big studies, and become faculty members in academic research." By career level, the highest proportion of women with accepted abstracts were students/trainees at 40.7 percent. "This is a positive sign, indicating greater gender balance in future years as more females enter the profession," Fournier said. "We know there's a smaller pool of women in neuroscience, but it also goes deeper. It's about having strong faculty mentors to be advocates for their work and support them in taking opportunities to develop and advance in a male-dominated field." Fournier was one of four female and four male fellows with the stroke program at McGovern Medical School. She is mentored by McCullough and Anjail Sharrief, MD, MPH, assistant professor of neurology. "Dr. McCullough and Dr. Sharrief are tremendous champions of women in science. Dr. McCullough organized a special luncheon at the conference for junior scientists and physicians like me to prepare for their career," Fournier said. "These two studies are the result of a conversation we had last summer. Dr. McCullough suggested looking at this and I jumped on it. The fact both abstracts were accepted and I presented them is promising and shows the issue is being taken seriously." "The data shows we're starting to turn a corner and I'm delighted that UTHealth is very much part of this progress as demonstrated by our stroke program fellows," McCullough said. "The International Stroke Conference is a tremendous event to learn and share different perspectives and ideas, so it's vital that women are given every opportunity to participate and fulfil their potential." Joining Fournier at the ISC was her 1-year-old son Henry. "There are other challenges facing women attending conferences like this. For instance, does it accommodate nursing mothers?" Fournier said. "My supportive husband came and was on baby duty. Dr. Sharrief, senior author of these abstracts, also brought her young son." Explore further Gender gaps in research funding are due to less favorable assessment of women, not their science (HealthDay)If you're worried that your child may suffer from a mental health condition, such as anxiety, depression or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you have plenty of company. About one in every six American kids has at least one mental health disorder, new research shows. But the study delivered even more troubling newsonly half of those children are getting treatment. The researchers also found startling differences in the number of kids being diagnosed and treated between states. For example, the statewide prevalence of kids with at least one diagnosed mental health disorder (including depression, anxiety and ADHD) varied from about 8 percent in Hawaii to 27 percent in Maine. The prevalence of children with a mental health disorder who didn't get treatment varied from 30 percent in Washington, D.C., to 72 percent in North Carolina, the findings showed. "The purpose of the study was to look at geographical differences in mental health outcomes for children and adolescents. We did not expect these findings to be this extreme," said senior study author Mark Peterson. He is an associate professor in the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Peterson said the study wasn't designed to tease out the reasons for the differences. He suggested there could be a lot of factors at play, including policy differences, socioeconomic factors, access-to-care issues or even parents' individual decisions. "We can't assume anything," he said. However, Peterson did note that the findings indicate "that there is a much larger problem, and the study highlights the need for better care for kids." For the study, the researchers culled through surveys from a nationally representative group of more than 50,000 children under 18 years of age. From this data, the investigators were able to estimate that 7.7 million children in the United States have at least one mental health disorder. Dr. Gregory Fritz, past president of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), said the finding that 16.5 percent of children have at least one mental health condition is in line with previous research. But he said there are probably more kids who haven't been diagnosed and who aren't getting any treatment, so the problem may even be underestimated. Fritz said there are a number of barriers to care. "Stigma, in its various forms, is a big barrier to care, though it's decreasing. Accessibility to treatment is another barrier. There are too few mental health professionals, and urban areas have a greater concentration of them. Insurance problems are also a barrier," he explained. Dr. Victor Fornari, director of child and adolescent psychiatry at the Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, and Cohen Children's Medical Center, New Hyde Park, N.Y., agreed that there are many barriers to care. "Firstly, parents often do not wish to accept the diagnosis in their child. Denial is a powerful force. Youth themselves, often refuse the care, and do not accept the diagnosis or the treatment. Lack of adequate mental health professionals remains a challenge," Fornari said. "Lack of health care coverage also prevents families from seeking care, although there are mental health clinics throughout the country that provide mental health care regardless of ability to pay," he added. Fritz said the AACAP actively encourages medical students to choose child and adolescent psychiatry as a specialty, but lengthy training and lower reimbursements compared to other medical specialties may explain why there aren't enough of these doctors available. He said there's a movement to have pediatricians more involved in kids' mental health diagnosis and treatment, particularly since pediatricians see children often as they're growing up. Fornari noted that there is such a program ongoing at five university medical schools in New York. "Mental health disorders are prevalent in youth and require early identification and treatment in order to optimize good outcomes for these vulnerable children and adolescents," Fornari said. Study author Peterson said that parents shouldn't feel like they don't have options. If you're concerned that your child might have a mental health condition, talk with your child's pediatrician and ask them for resources. He suggested that parents of children who have chronic health conditions might want to be more vigilant about looking for signs of mental health disorders. The findings were published online Feb. 11 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics. Explore further Parents' mental health problems increase the risk of reactive attachment disorder in children More information: Mark Peterson, Ph.D., associate professor, department of physical medicine and rehabilitation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Gregory Fritz, M.D., past president and member expert, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; Victor Fornari, M.D., director, child and adolescent psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, N.Y. and Cohen Children's Medical Center, New Hyde Park, N.Y.; Feb. 11, 2019, JAMA Pediatrics, online Mark Peterson, Ph.D., associate professor, department of physical medicine and rehabilitation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Gregory Fritz, M.D., past president and member expert, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; Victor Fornari, M.D., director, child and adolescent psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, N.Y. and Cohen Children's Medical Center, New Hyde Park, N.Y.; Feb. 11, 2019,, online The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has more information on what's normal behavior for children and teens and what's not. Journal information: JAMA Pediatrics Copyright 2019 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Part of C-reactive protein (CRP) test kit. Credit: Nutcha Charoenboon Fears around leaving infectious diseases untreated and poorly enforced antibiotic supply controls could hamper efforts to reduce the use of antibiotics in low to middle income countries, according to a new study from the University of Warwick. Published in the journal Trials and led by Dr. Marco J Haenssgen, Assistant Professor in Global Sustainable Development, the study demonstrates that contextual factors, such as local health policies, influence the results of clinical trials of medical interventions. The landmark study is one of the most detailed qualitative analyses of the context of clinical trials in antimicrobial resistance ever conducted. It calls for the routine collection of social data alongside clinical trials to help tailor the local appropriateness of clinical interventions and help researchers interpret their findings. By better recording these contextual influences, the researchers argue that interdisciplinary research collaborations between the social and medical sciences can help tackle global challenges such as drug resistance more effectively. The study analyses clinical trials in Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam with a total of 4,446 participants, that aimed to test the effectiveness of a five-minute finger-prick blood test to reduce antibiotic prescriptions for fever patients in primary healthcare. The test measured C-reactive protein levels in the participants' blood, helping healthcare workers such as nurses and doctors to decide whether the cause of the febrile illness was likely to be bacterial, in which case an antibiotic could be prescribed. The research by Dr. Haenssgen's team complemented these trials and identified differences in adherence to the results of the test in patients and clinicians, both across and within the sitesin some clinics, physicians prescribed antibiotics despite a negative test result in as much as 71% of cases. They then determined the reasons for the disparities through the analysis of nearly one million words of qualitative material from 130 interview and group discussion participants across the three countries. Pipette heads. Credit: Marco J Haenssgen They found that if antibiotics were over-abundant or if healthcare workers were worried about deadly infectious diseases they were less likely to follow the guidance provided by the biomarker test. Similarly, if long and dangerous journeys prevented patients from follow-up visits to primary health centres or if they struggled to understand the purpose of the test, then patients may be more likely to ignore the results and buy antibiotics without prescriptions from local grocery stores and pharmacies making the intervention seemingly less effective. The study further argues that such clinical trials could also exclude different parts of the relevant target population, as some people struggle with accessing healthcare and others might not consume antibiotics for fevers but, for instance, open wounds and other conditions for which the biomarker test is not currently being used. Diagnostic biomarker tests are one of the main strategies to tackle drug resistant infections, which the World Health Organization named one of the "ten threats to global health in 2019." As the World Bank warns that drug resistance could push 24 million people into poverty by 2030 and threatens the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, Nesta (a charity) is running the Longitude Prize challenge of 10m for the development of effective diagnostic solutions to help end the crisis. Lead author Dr. Marco Haenssgen said: "An example of how context affected clinical adherence relates to the strong antibiotic policies and the ways to manage patients without antibiotics in Thailand. Some doctors had a surprising oversupply of antibiotics to the extent that they almost felt they needed to prescribe to get rid of the surplus medicine. This was of course not the only way in which clinician adherence varied, but it shows how the same AMR intervention might or might not work, and how we need to tailor our interventions specifically for each country one size doesn't fit all contexts. "For researchers, more contextual data from clinical trials means that we will be able to carry out meta-analyses to identify which contextual factor (e.g. poverty, complementary health policy) matters for the successful operation of a new intervention. That would then inform a design toolkit for clinicians that can guide them in identifying appropriate interventions, or advocating for changes in policy. "The opportunity that presented itself to us in this research is rare social-medical research across three low- and middle-income countries does not just require a lot of coordination and patience, but also an open-minded research team. We were fortunate to have all in place, which enabled us to inform the tools and techniques being used to fight the superbug crisis, and to advance interdisciplinary research methodologies more broadly. This wasn't easy, but when we consider the emerging challenges to planetary health and sustainable development, interdisciplinary collaboration is the way to go." Explore further Cultural barriers to tackling the superbug crisis More information: Marco J. Haenssgen et al. How context can impact clinical trials: a multi-country qualitative case study comparison of diagnostic biomarker test interventions, Trials (2019). Marco J. Haenssgen et al. How context can impact clinical trials: a multi-country qualitative case study comparison of diagnostic biomarker test interventions,(2019). DOI: 10.1186/s13063-019-3215-9 A team of investigators from the Colorado School of Public Health at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus and the University of Colorado Boulder has identified that people living in homes with high ventilation are more likely to suffer from respiratory health issues such as asthma. The findings are published in the February issue of Environmental Research. The Colorado Home Energy Efficiency and Respiratory Health (CHEER) study evaluated the impact of air-exchange rates on respiratory health in low-income, urban homes in the cities of Denver, Aurora, Boulder, Loveland and Fort Collins. The study revealed that many homes had high ventilation rates, also known as air-exchange ratesthe rate at which outdoor air replaces indoor air within a room (median 0.54 air changes per hour; range 0.10 to 2.17). The findings show that residents in drafty homes with higher air-exchange rates were more likely to report a chronic cough, asthma and asthma-like symptoms. Notably, people in homes with the highest air-exchange rates were approximately four times more likely to report a chronic cough than people living in households with the lowest air-exchange rates. Similarly, people were two to four times more likely to report asthma or asthma-like symptoms if they lived in households with the highest ventilation rates versus the lowest. "The goal of this study was to understand the health impacts of home weatherization practices. Many of these practices focus on reducing air exchange rates between the building interior and outdoor environment," said Elizabeth Carlton, Ph.D., assistant professor in Environmental and Occupational Health at the Colorado School of Public Health. "We found people in the homes with the highest air-exchange ratesthe leakiest homeswere considerably more likely to report chronic cough, asthma or asthma-like symptoms. It is possible that in homes with high air-exchange rates, outdoor pollutants are entering the home and affecting health. If true, home-energy efficiency measures may be an effective way to protect health in areas with high pollution such as homes located near major roads." Carlton adds, "The health effects of high-exchange rates in urban areas are not well-documented, and since Americans spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, it's crucial to have a better understanding of the impact of leaky homes." While prior studies have highlighted the potential hazards of low ventilation rates in residences, this study reveals high ventilation rates in many urban-area homes and that these high air-exchange rates may have a negative impact on respiratory health. Based on the findings, the infiltration of outdoor pollutants into leaky homes, such as traffic-related pollutants, could be a significant cause of chronic respiratory issues and an array of health outcomes. The (CHEER) research is a cross-sectional study that enrolled 302 people in 216 non-smoking, low-income homes. A blower door test was conducted and the annual average air-exchange rate (AAER) was estimated for each house. Respiratory health was assessed using a structured questionnaire based on standard instruments. The researchers evaluated the association between AAER and respiratory symptoms, adjusting for relevant variants such as age, sex, location and both indoor and outdoor pollution. "This study was a one-of-a-kind opportunity to combine engineering, geography and public health expertise," said Shelly Miller, Ph.D., professor in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. "We hope that the results of our research will help rethink how we expend energy in homes for heating and cooling and how we best ventilate homes, especially in under-resourced communities that often live in polluted urban areas." Explore further Childhood asthma linked to lack of ventilation for gas stoves PBB party-list wants expanded housing program for Filipinos posted February 11, 2019 at 10:00 pm by Manila Standard February 11, 2019 at 10:00 pm Partido ng Bayan ang Bida party-list has underlined the need for an expanded government housing program which it says is affordable to the ordinary and homeless Filipinos. PBB party-list nominee Imelda Cruz said in a statement the partys goal was to help the government in expanding the socialized housing project of the administration especially the ordinary Filipinos. In a statement, Cruz said the party wanted to have an expanded housing program not only for the policemen and soldiers but for every sector of the population.She said PBB was also eyeing a legislated housing program that, she said, would benefit the ordinary people through socialized and affordable housing projects. COMMENT DISCLAIMER: Reader comments posted on this Web site are not in any way endorsed by Manila Standard. Comments are views by manilastandard.net readers who exercise their right to free expression and they do not necessarily represent or reflect the position or viewpoint of manilastandard.net. While reserving this publications right to delete comments that are deemed offensive, indecent or inconsistent with Manila Standard editorial standards, Manila Standard may not be held liable for any false information posted by readers in this comments section. Credit: CC0 Public Domain At-home DNA testing kits may be the latest fad, but according to new research by Stanford sociologists, not everyone is keen to find out whether they are related to the British royal family or a Neanderthal. In a survey of nearly 110,000 Americans, sociologists Aliya Saperstein, along with former graduate students Adam Horowitz (Ph.D. '16) and Jasmine Little (MA '17), found that people who feel most certain of their heritage are more likely to decline a free test because they believe the results would confirm what they already know even if their perception of their ancestry might not be accurate. This confidence, the sociologists learned, is shaped by several factors, including a person's racial identity and when their ancestors immigrated to the United States. In a paper published in New Genetics & Society, the sociologists find that the closer people are to the immigrant experience, the more certain people feel about their ancestry, and the less interested they are in taking a DNA ancestry test. Those who use testing services are most likely to be later-generation Americans, with self-identified white, black and multiracial Americans being the most likely to have already taken a test. Asian Americans, regardless of how many generations they are removed from immigrant ancestors, expressed the least interest. The survey was part of a larger study of American adults registered with the National Marrow Donor Program that examined race, ancestry and genetic measures to improve donor-recipient transplant matching. Explaining disinterest "Most of the debate around DNA ancestry tests has been about who is taking them and what to make of their results," said Saperstein, an associate professor of sociology at Stanford's School of Humanities and Sciences. "We wanted to come at it from the other side: Who is not taking these tests?" As part of the survey, the researchers asked whether people would be interested in taking a DNA ancestry test if it were free. A large majority 93 percent said yes, 5 percent reported already having taken an ancestry test, and fewer than 2 percent said they were not interested. However, respondents who self-identified as Asian were more than twice as likely to express disinterest, with 5 percent declining a hypothetical free test. Respondents who declined were then asked to explain why: Pre-existing ancestral certainty was among the most cited reasons. The least cited explanations were data privacy issues and skepticism about test accuracy but the researchers note, because they were working with a sample from the bone marrow program, these respondents were probably more open to sharing their biological information than others. Asian Americans were the most likely to claim ancestry certainty 1.2 to 3.9 times greater than self-identified white respondents even for Asian Americans whose relatives immigrated to the United States four or more generations ago. They were also by far the most likely to report that all four of their biological grandparents were from the same single origin. "Some people are drawn to genetic ancestry tests because they offer a story of your difference," said Saperstein. "Other people, especially those who are convinced their ancestry is homogenous, do not see the point." As one respondent said: "My family and I are all from Korea, which is comprised of only Koreans traditionally, so I know I'm 100 percent Korean." Similarly, another respondent alluded to homogeneity coming from just one part of the world as a reason for their disinterest: "My entire family including myself is from China. It is extremely unlikely that I would have any other ethnicities mixed in." Remedying missing knowledge "The history and timing of migration to the U.S. weakened family ties for some people more than others," said Horowitz, lead author of the paper, who received his Ph.D. in sociology at Stanford. "Genetic ancestry testing is marketed to relieve uncertainty," he said. For instance, said Saperstein, testing companies have appealed to black Americans who never knew their origins because of information lost in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, as well as to descendants of people who came to the United States during the height of European immigration in the 19th and early-20th centuries. And as data from the survey confirms, the appeal for DNA ancestry testing was highest among third-or-later-generation black and white Americans, who reported significantly less homogeneity and significantly more overall uncertainty about their family ancestry, said the researchers. "As each generation of European immigrants intermarried, specific ancestral attachments became more unknown, more distant and less salient," said Horowitz. Third-or-later-generation black and white Americans also expressed the most interest in taking a genetic ancestry test and were most likely to have already taken a test. The sociologists also found that multiracial respondents were significantly more likely than monoracial white respondents to have already taken a genetic ancestry test. Problems with self-sorting These differences shape who is included in genetic ancestry databases, said the researchers, noting that this has implications on what conclusions can be drawn from the data. "What was surprising were the clear patterns in who was not interested in taking an ancestry test," said Saperstein. "It implies a fair amount of selection into who is in the databases, and that affects the results that everybody receives." Some of the largest test companies offer updates of previous ancestry results as their consumer databases expand, said Saperstein. Previous test takers who are found to have homogenous ancestries are incorporated as benchmarks, with their DNA serving as the comparison group for everyone else, she said. "It is important for people to educate themselves about what genetic ancestry tests can and cannot reveal, and our results add another reason for caution," said Saperstein, whose scholarship focuses on race and methodology. "It would certainly be ironic if people who are the most certain they have homogenous ancestries are also the least likely to be represented in these databases." Explore further Genetic ancestry test users 'cherry-pick' which races to identify with More information: Adam L. Horowitz et al. Consumer (dis-)interest in genetic ancestry testing: the roles of race, immigration, and ancestral certainty, New Genetics and Society (2019). Adam L. Horowitz et al. Consumer (dis-)interest in genetic ancestry testing: the roles of race, immigration, and ancestral certainty,(2019). DOI: 10.1080/14636778.2018.1562327 Credit: CC0 Public Domain In the nation's opioid epidemic, the carnage is far from over. A new projection of opioid overdose death rates suggests that even if there is steady progress in reducing prescription narcotics abuse nationwide, the number of fatal overdoseswhich reached 47,600 in 2017will rise sharply in the coming years. By 2022, such deaths would peak at about 75,400, and begin to level off afterward, according to the forecast. That's the rosiest scenario. Under conditions that are only slightly less optimistic, the U.S. could have 81,700 opioid overdose deaths per year by 2025. If the supply of prescription painkillers stops declining and there are other setbacks, researchers predict that yearly opioid overdose deaths could rise as high as 200,000 per year by 2025. The opioid epidemic "is not finished growing," said Jagpreet Chhatwal of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, who led the research. "It's far from over. And it's far from moving in the right direction." Almost two decades after the widening use of prescription painkillers began to fuel an epidemic of addiction, opiates kill an average of 130 people a day in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The driving force of the epidemic has changed. These days, an increasing proportion of overdose victims first got hooked on street drugs like heroin. And since 2016, the explosive growth of fentanylan illicit opiate that is highly lethalhas worsened the epidemic. Meanwhile, many Americans who were first exposed to opiates by prescription have continued to misuse the drugs over many years, said Dr. Donald Burke, who studies the American drug epidemic at the University of Pittsburgh and was not involved in the new research. Until these people either are treated or die of overdoses, they form a "reservoir" of potential victims for the spiraling epidemic, he said. The new modeling effort, published Friday in the journal JAMA Network Open, finds that slowing the epidemic's upward trajectory before 2025 will require broad-based action, and more than a bit of luck. The mathematical models that suggest a leveling off of opioid deaths by 2022 requires, first, that medical and public health professionals continue to drive down the numbers of Americans who get their first taste of addiction from legitimate pharmacy prescriptions They also assume that fewer Americans will start on the path to addiction with an illicit street drug such as heroin, or that successful treatment for such addictions will surge. Finally, the scenario assumes that progress in fighting the opioid epidemic won't get blown up by some unforeseen trend, such as the appearance of a new and more lethal drug. In a market where illicit drugmakers are richly rewarded for introducing new products, narcotics such as the synthetic fentanylmore addictive or more lethal than opioids already on the marketcan appear seemingly out of nowhere. Chhatwal said reversing the surging epidemic of opioid drug deaths will not be fast and it will not be simple. "Bending the curve" will likely require a multi-pronged effort that includes limiting the supply of prescription painkillers that get into patients' hands, providing more and better treatments for the addicted, increasing the use of overdose-reversal agents like Narcan, and shutting off the flow of heroin and fentanyl pouring into the country. "None of these interventions alone will have a substantial impact," Chhatwal said. His work suggests that even if doctors and pharmacists cut off all prescriptions of narcotic pain relieversa far more radical step than is likely- overdoses would continue to mount until 2025, and possibly beyond. Burke cautioned that the study's assumptions about drug users' behavior are "at best guesswork" and that the results "must be interpreted with caution." "While it is possible that (the epidemic's) stabilization will occur sometime in the next decade, the U.S. has experienced four decades of exponentially increasing overdose deaths, so stabilization in the next two to seven years may be more of a hope than a scientific reality," he said. For Georgiy Bobashev, a biostatistician at RTI International in North Carolina, the new model leaves many questions unanswered. As health experts struggle to clarify what measures work best to avoid overdoses, studies that forecast the epidemic's growth have limited value. "But we need more modeling," said Bobashev, who was not involved in the research. "We cannot afford to wait till we get perfect data. When we have such a crisis of this magnitude, we need as much analysis and as many forward-looking models as possible." Explore further Study predicts worsening of overdose crisis, limits of focusing on prescription opioids 2019 Los Angeles Times Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (HealthDay)If you're an aging baby boomer who thinks you can handle today's potent marijuana "edibles," the case of a man who had a heart attack after eating a pot lollipop should give you pause. The 70-year-old patient had been taking heart medications and consumed roughly 90 milligrams (mg) of THC while trying to ease pain and aid sleep. That's a far greater amount than the 7 mg of THC that is typically found in a single joint. THC is the ingredient in pot that makes you high. A heart attack ensued after the man felt crushing chest pain and experienced a sudden reduction of blood flow to his heart, his Canadian doctors reported. The patient survived, noted study author Dr. Alexandra Saunders. But, "we thought this case report was important to publish because it was about a person with known heart disease and risk factors for heart disease, which is an ever-growing part of our population," Saunders said. Although the man had smoked pot when he was young, average THC counts have since risen considerably. Nor had the patient understood that the effects of edibles kick in more slowly, are more powerful and last longer, noted Saunders, who is chief resident of the department of cardiology's internal medicine program at Dalhousie University in Saint John, New Brunswick. "What we presume about this event is that the intense stress caused from his fearful hallucinations caused him to have undue stress on his heart, making his heart beat faster and blood pressure go up in such a way that his coronary arteries were not able to meet the demand for blood supply," Saunders explained. THC-prompted blood vessel inflammation may also have played a role, though Saunders said this possibility requires more research. That said, the researchers noted that the typical THC dosage in synthetic medicinal pot products specifically intended for nausea control and appetite stimulation (often as a treatment for AIDS and/or cancer) is just 2.5 mg. So, would those products have been safe? "That is the part that we do not know at present and have no guidance on," said Saunders, adding that while the researchers "assume that a smaller dose certainly would have put less of a stress on the heart, [there are] no studies or data to support this." Regardless, Saunders said that "this case brings attention to the fact that just because something is legal, does not mean it is safe and does not mean it is something that should be taken by everyone. We do not want to demonize it, we just want our older patients with heart disease to have proper guidance." Saunders encouraged consumers to familiarize themselves with the THC content of any marijuana product, and to take the form of the product into account. For example, pot lollipops are not intended to be consumed all at once, despite what many might presume. Paul Armentano, deputy director of the marijuana legalization advocacy organization called NORML, said that his organization has "long recognized that THC exposure can influence blood pressure and heart rate, particularly in more naive consumers." As a result, he said, "there may be some populations that may be vulnerable to increased risks from the use of cannabis," including adolescents, pregnant women, nursing mothers, heart disease patients and those with a personal or family history of psychiatric illness. "As with any medication, patients should consult thoroughly with their physician before deciding whether the medical use of cannabis is safe and appropriate," Armentano added. To date, Canada has only legalized marijuana leaves for recreational use, although pot edibles are scheduled for legalization later this year. In the United States, pot is banned on a federal level, although it is recreationally legal in Washington, D.C., and 10 states: Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. Medical marijuana use is legalized in 33 states, and Washington, D.C. The case report was published online Feb. 11 in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology. Explore further Potent marijuana edibles can pose a major unrecognized risk to patients with cardiovascular disease More information: Alexandra Saunders, M.D., chief resident, internal medicine program and Horizon Health Network's department of cardiology, Dalhousie University, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada; Paul Armentano, deputy director, NORML, Washington, D.C.; Feb. 11, 2019, Canadian Journal of Cardiology, online Alexandra Saunders, M.D., chief resident, internal medicine program and Horizon Health Network's department of cardiology, Dalhousie University, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada; Paul Armentano, deputy director, NORML, Washington, D.C.; Feb. 11, 2019,, online There's more about marijuana use at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Journal information: Canadian Journal of Cardiology Copyright 2019 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Credit: CC0 Public Domain An antibody-based treatment can gently and effectively eliminate diseased blood-forming stem cells in the bone marrow to prepare for the transplantation of healthy stem cells, according to a study in mice by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The researchers believe the treatment could circumvent the need to use harsh, potentially life-threatening chemotherapy or radiation to prepare people for transplant, vastly expanding the number of people who could benefit from the procedure. "There are many blood and immune disorders that could be cured by a transplant of healthy stem cells," said Judith Shizuru, MD, Ph.D., professor of medicine at Stanford. "But the pre-treatments necessary to get the healthy cells to transplant effectively are so toxic that we can't offer this option to many patients. A treatment that specifically targets only blood-forming stem cells would allow us to potentially cure people with diseases as varied as sickle cell disease, thalassemia, autoimmune disorders and other blood disorders." Shizuru is the senior author of the study, which will be published online Feb. 11 in Blood. Postdoctoral scholar Wendy Pang, MD, Ph.D., and assistant professor of pediatrics Agnieszka Czechowicz, MD, Ph.D., share lead authorship of the work. The study is one of two recently co-authored by Shizuru, Czechowicz and research associate Hye-Sook Kwon, Ph.D., indicating that an antibody targeting a protein called CD117 on the surface of blood-forming, or hematopoietic, stem cells can efficiently and safely eliminate the cells in mice and non-human primates. CD117 is a protein found on the surface of the stem cells. It regulates their growth and activity; the antibody, called SR1, binds to the protein and prevents its function. The use of antibodies against CD117 to eliminate blood-forming stem cells is based on studies conducted in the laboratory of study co-author Irving Weissman, MD, director of Stanford's Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and of the Ludwig Center for Cancer Stem Cell Research and Medicine at Stanford, and by then-graduate student Czechowicz. Ongoing clinical trial The results of these studies, including a recently published article in Blood co-authored by Kwon that showed the antibody treatment was safe in non-human primates, set the stage for a clinical trial of the antibody at Stanford and the University of California-San Francisco in children with an immune disorder called severe combined immunodeficiency. Hematopoietic stem cells are found in the bone marrow. They give rise to all the cells of the blood and immune system. Blood cancers, such as leukemia, arise when the stem cells or their progeny begin dividing uncontrollably; other genetic conditions such as sickle cell anemia or thalassemia occur when the hematopoietic stem cells generate malformed red blood cells or hemoglobin. Often the best chance for a cure for these and other diseases originating in the bone marrow is to eliminate the patient's own defective hematopoietic stem cells and replace them with healthy stem cells from a closely matched donor. But in order to do so, the patient must be able to withstand the pre-treatment, known as conditioning. Most conditioning regimens consist of a combination of chemotherapy and radiation in doses high enough to kill stem cells in the marrow. Shizuru and her colleagues studied a mouse model of a class of human diseases called myelodysplastic syndromes, or MDS. People with MDS are unable to make mature, properly functioning blood cells and the only cure is a stem cell transplant. The disease primarily affects older adults, who are more likely than younger people to have additional, complicating medical factors and who are less likely to withstand the conditioning regimen. "Many of these people are elderly and unable to qualify for a transplant," Pang said. "But there is no other cure for MDS." Because there are many different types of MDS, the patients are assigned risk levels based on disease type, blood test results and the presence or absence of specific mutations in the affected cells. According to the World Health Organization, patients with low-risk MDS have a median survival rate of 5.5 years; those with high-risk disease have a median survival of 2.2 years. SR1, the anti-CD117 antibody Pang and Czechowicz studied, recognizes CD117 on the surface of hematopoietic stem cells isolated from either healthy donors or from patients with MDS. They found that the antibody blocked the growth of both healthy and diseased stem cells in a laboratory setting. Then, the researchers investigated the effect of SR1 treatment on mice that were engineered to have a hybrid blood systems consisting of both human and mouse hematopoietic stem cells. They found in the mice that SR1 quickly and efficiently eliminated both healthy human hematopoietic stem cells and cells isolated from low-risk MDS patients. In those animals with diseased human stem cells, SR1 pre-treatment significantly improved the ability of healthy hematopoietic stem cells to engraft after transplantation. "SR1 directly targets the disease-initiating cells for elimination in the mice, even though these cells typically have a significant competitive advantage," Pang said. "This is the first antibody directed against CD117 that has been proven to clear both normal and diseased human cells from the recipient. We are very pleased with the results." Although SR1 is also able to significantly reduce the number of high-risk MDS cells from the mice, the researchers found that the effect was transient: The diseased cells eventually returned even after transplant. In such cases, it may be necessary to combine anti-CD117 treatment with other therapies to completely eliminate the diseased cells, the researchers believe. "Based on the results of this study and others, we have received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to move forward with a clinical trial for MDS patients using a version of SR1 appropriate for a trial in humans," Shizuru said. "We are very hopeful that this body of research is going to have a positive impact on patients by allowing better depletion of diseased cells and engraftment of healthy cells." Explore further New method improves transplant safety in mice More information: Wendy W. Pang et al. Anti-CD117 antibody depletes normal and myelodysplastic syndrome human hematopoietic stem cells in xenografted mice, Blood (2019). Journal information: Blood Wendy W. Pang et al. Anti-CD117 antibody depletes normal and myelodysplastic syndrome human hematopoietic stem cells in xenografted mice,(2019). dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood-2018-06-858159 A Chinese artificial intelligence programme that diagnosed childhood diseases as accurately as a doctor may soon be available to assist medical professionals An artificial intelligence (AI) programme developed in China that combs through test results, health records and even handwritten notes diagnosed childhood diseases as accurately as doctors, researchers said Monday. From the flu and asthma to life-threatening pneumonia and meningitis, the system consistently matched or out-performed primary care paediatricians, they reported in Nature Medicine. Dozens of studies in recent months have detailed how AI is revolutionising the detection of diseases including cancers, genetic disorders and Alzheimer's. AI-based technology learns and improves in a way similar to humans, but has virtually unlimited capacity for data processing and storage. "I believe that it will be able to perform most of the jobs a doctor does," senior author Kang Zhang, a researcher at the University of California, San Diego, told AFP. "But AI will never replace a doctor," he added, comparing the relationship to an autonomous car that remains under the supervision of a human driver. "It will simply allow doctors to do a better job in less time and at lower costs." The new technology, said Zhang, is the first in which AI absorbs unstructured data and "natural language" to imitate the process by which a physician figures out what's wrong with a patient. Dozens of studies have shown how artificial intelligence is revolutionising the detection of diseases such as cancer, genetic disorders, Alzheimer'sand perhaps turberculosis as in the case of this patient "It can mimic a human paediatrician to interpret and integrate all types of medical datapatient complaints, medical history, blood and imaging teststo make a diagnosis," he said. The system can be easily transferred to other languages and settings, he added. By comparing hundreds of bits of information about a single patient with a vast store of acquired knowledge, the technology unearths links that previous statistical methodsand sometimes flesh-and-blood doctorsoverlook. In the nick of time To train the proof-of-concept system, Zhang and a team of 70 scientists injected more than 100 million data points from 1.3 million pediatrics patient visits at a major referral centre in Guangzhou, China. The AI programme diagnosed respiratory infections and sinusitisa common sinus infectionwith 95 percent accuracy. More surprising, Kang said, it did as well with less common diseases: acute asthma (97 percent), bacterial meningitis and varicella (93 percent), and mononucleosis (90 percent). Such technologies may be coming in just the nick of time. "AI will never replace a doctor," said Kang Zhang at the University of California, San Diegobut it could help Philippe Bargain, head doctor at the medical centre of the Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport "The range of diseases, diagnostic testing and options for treatment has increased exponentially in recent years, rendering the decision-making process for physicians more complicated," Nature noted in a press release. Experts not involved in the research said the study is further proof of AI's expanding role in medicine. "The work has the potential to improve healthcare by assisting the clinician in making rapid and accurate diagnoses," said Duc Pham, a professor of engineering at the University of Birmingham. "The results show that, on average, the system performed better than junior doctors." "But it will not replace clinicians," he added. Machine learningwhich forms general rules from specific training examples"cannot guarantee 100 percent correct results, no matter how many training examples they use." AI-based tools for diagnosis abound, especially for interpreting machine-generated images such as MRI and CAT scans. A method unveiled last month in the United States to detect lesions that can lead to cervical cancer found pre-cancerous cells with 91 percent accuracy, compared to 69 percent for physical exams performed by doctors and 71 percent for conventional lab tests. Likewise, a cellphone app based on AI technology out-performed experienced dermatologists in distinguishing potentially cancerous skin lesions from benign ones, according to a study in the Annals of Oncology. Explore further Artificial intelligence quickly and accurately diagnoses eye diseases and pneumonia More information: Huiying Liang et al. Evaluation and accurate diagnoses of pediatric diseases using artificial intelligence, Nature Medicine (2019). Journal information: Annals of Oncology , Nature Medicine Huiying Liang et al. Evaluation and accurate diagnoses of pediatric diseases using artificial intelligence,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41591-018-0335-9 2019 AFP WASHINGTON, D.C. Washington, D.C., is a popular tourist destination at all times of year, but March through June are especially busy times for tours. People from all over the world visit our capital in the spring to see the cherry blossoms that frame the Tidal Basin in a cloud of light pink. The National Park Service explains there are more than 2,500 Yoshino cherry trees along the Tidal Basin and other parts of the city. If you are planning to travel to Washington, D.C., this spring, now is a good time to start planning and requesting tours. Information is available on my website, at https://www.crapo.senate.gov/services/visiting-dc, that includes a list of sites and tour tips. Most tours can be scheduled and conducted on your own, but some require reservations through a congressional office. You may fill out a tour request form on my website to request Capitol, White House, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Library of Congress, Supreme Court, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. Department of the Treasury tours. The White House always requires a reservation through a congressional office and opens its reservations calendar three months in advance. The White House limits the number of daily visitors. So, our chances improve significantly with more advance notice. If possible, please give more than three months notice for White House tours, and three months notice for Treasury tours. One to three months minimum notice is encouraged for Capitol and FBI tours. Similar advance notice is encouraged for Library of Congress and Bureau of Engraving and Printing for tours scheduled between April and September. TWIN FALLS The City Council will be tasked Monday to weigh in on a dispute between a city commission and two developers over who should pay for a pressurized irrigation system. A homebuilder is appealing the Improvement Reimbursement Commissions decision to reimburse another developer for constructing a pressurized irrigation system. The city of Twin Falls has agreed to reimburse developers for certain improvements that benefit subsequent developers. In November, Gerald Martens requested reimbursement from the city for improvements hed made at the Broadmoor Subdivision. The commission decided Martens was eligible to receive $35,764 for a pressurized irrigation system that benefits 118 lots purchased by Jade Development. The northern part of the 249-lot subdivision is still owned by Martens, who was the initial developer for the entire subdivision. But Jade Development appealed the commissions decision, saying Martens agreed to install the utilities at his sole expense. TWIN FALLS Gracie Christensen didnt wait to get past the front doors to start dancing. Shes good at it too. She dances freely, not hindered by any fears of looking silly. When she dances it can only be described as unadulterated fun. Its one of her three favorite things to do: she sings, blows bubbles and dances. Right now, she is showing the world that, yes, she loves to dance. Warm string lights, laughs and pop music filled the 360 Event Center as it was transformed Saturday into a place where happily ever afters seemed obtainable for a few hours. Attendees at the all-ages special needs prom wore their finest dresses and sharpest suits as they bounced from tables where their friends and families sat, posed for photos and grabbed concessions. But it was on the dance floor where everyone showed they were taking in the night. Some were taking it slow. Emma Goemmer and Jesse Carpenter were in a near dance together. Despite the high energy song playing, they stayed in their own world. The prom has been fun, Carpenter said. Its more fun since I started dancing with her. Madison officials made the unprecedented decision to spread salt on every city street Monday to break up a stubborn layer of ice still coating many roadways ahead of another winter storm. The effort was meant to melt the ice enough to give city plows enough traction to push the several new inches of snow expected to fall Monday night and Tuesday off roads. City officials made the decision to coat all streets with salt after previous efforts using a small amount of salt mixed with sand to remove ice from last weeks ice storm failed, said Streets Division Superintendent Charlie Romines. It was the hope that the salt within the sand would melt the ice, but that did not occur, he said. The unprecedented decision to salt each street in Madison was made after it became apparent the sand (and) salt mixture previously spread on residential streets was not effective in breaking through the ice layer on the roads. Officials said Monday was likely the first time all Madison streets were salted since the city instituted a policy on salting roads in the 1970s in an effort to slow a marked increase in sodium and chloride, the two components of salt, in Madison-area lakes and drinking water. But thats their decision as parents, he said, and he wasnt worried the low vaccination rate among students could make the school susceptible to an outbreak of measles. Sharon Schmeling, executive director of the Wisconsin Council of Religious & Independent Schools, said theres nothing in the major denominations ... that are against vaccination, which is usually seen as a gift from God. Utica is not a member of her group, she said. But low vaccination rates could be the fruits of independent-minded people who already show their independence by opting for an alternative to public education for their children, she said. Doug Butler, principal of Abundant Life Christian School on Madisons Southeast Side, said that when parents file personal conviction waivers to vaccine requirements with the school, we dont press as to why and it doesnt keep them from allowing their children in the school. Theres nothing in the schools religious underpinnings that would make parents suspicious of vaccines, he said, and while the school doesnt have a nurse, it does have several parents who work in health care. A consortium led by Metro Pacific Investments Corp. is expected to bag a P22-billion waste-to-energy project in Payatas, Quezon City. The local government of Quezon City did not receive other offers challenging the consortiums proposal on Feb. 4the deadline for the submission of competing bids. The Quezon City governments public-private partnership selection committee endorsed to Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista the proposal of the consortium of Metro Pacific, Covanta Energy Llc. and Macquarie Capital Ltd. A request for the Quezon City Council to grant authority to the mayor in signing the contract with the consortium is seen as the next major step. The pioneering project involves the construction of a waste treatment facility with a capacity to convert up to 3,000 metric tons a day of municipal waste into 36 megawatts of electricity. The output is twice the current electricity requirements of the local government. The concession period covers 35 years. Once the consortium is awarded the project, the development and construction will take three to four years. Metro Pacific is pursuing waste-to-energy projects in the country to address issues on solid waste management and increased demand for electricity.The infrastructure conglomerate earlier said it was looking at creating a portfolio of waste-to-energy facilities with a generating capacity of 300 MW in the coming years. It is also conducting studies for a similar waste-to-energy project in Pampanga. Metro Pacifics unit Metpower Venture Partners Holdings Inc. signed agreements to design, construct and operate biogas facilities for fresh fruits producer Dole Philippines in November 2018. The biogas facilities aim to complement Dole Philippines existing operation by processing organic fruit waste from its Surallah and Polomolok facilities in South Cotabato and harnessing renewable energy in the form of biogas. The planned biogas facilities will produce about 50,000 megawatt-hours of clean energy annually to be used by Dole Philippines for power generation and fossil fuel substitute. Metro Pacific budget P1 billion for the project. Jenniffer B. Austria Metro Pacific has investments in hospitals, power generation, toll roads, logistics and water utility. The girl disappeared from her home in Madisonville, Tennessee, on Jan. 14. According to the complaint, Rogers told investigators that he picked up the girl and drove her to Madison, where she remained until police found her at his home on Jan. 31. Mondays motion states that the home belongs to Rogers mother, who was unaware that the girl was at her home. City property records indicate the home is in the 3200 block of Basil Drive, on Madisons North Side. A preliminary hearing for Rogers is scheduled Tuesday in U.S. District Court. Rogers believes the evidence that will be elicited at the preliminary hearing will show he acted under a belief that he was acting in the minors best interest to save her from sexual abuse, the motion states. (Rogers) purpose in obtaining the video recording was to obtain evidence that was to be used against the man now charged with sexual assault against the girl. That the recording was sent by Bryan Rogers (and the minor) to the FBI is the clearest indication of his (and her) intent in possessing the recording, the motion states. The recording was not further distributed. THE FACTS: Trump is overstating it. Republican Sen. Richard Burr, who chairs the Senate intelligence committee, did tell CBS that he could not conclude there was collusion during the 2016 election based on the available evidence after his panel interviewed more than 200 witnesses and reviewed more than 300,000 pages of documents. But Burr also allowed that some questions raised during the Russia probe could occupy the committee "for the next decade." "If we write a report based upon the facts that we have, then we don't have anything that would suggest there was collusion by the Trump campaign and Russia," he said in the interview that appeared Thursday. Burr's comment was similar to what he has frequently said over the last two years. In August, for instance, Burr told The Associated Press that there is "no factual evidence today that we've received" on collusion or conspiracy between Russia and Trump's campaign, but that he's still open on the issue. Burr's comment last week was not an official declaration on behalf of the committee exonerating Trump of collusion, and the chairman suggested that its final report may not draw a conclusion. Prevention programs are a vital part of our public health system, particularly for children. Although strong programs for children exist, red tape, ignorance, and indifference stand in the way of needed services. In Wisconsin, children receiving BadgerCare Plus or Medicaid services need improved access to legally required prevention and medical treatment services. Inadequate outreach and education for parents, providers, and advocates lead to poor child health screening and treatment referral rates in Wisconsin as compared to other states. Historically, Wisconsin consistently fails to address and serve the health care needs of many vulnerable children. We can and must do better. And we will. That is why we are creating an action plan to help Wisconsins children. HealthCheck is Wisconsins name for a federal Medicaid program feature called Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment. HealthCheck provides medical, vision, hearing and dental preventative care (screenings, well-child checks), treatment, and case management services for Medicaid-eligible children up to age 21. Medically necessary treatments, services, and/or products are covered through HealthCheck Other Services even if they would not typically be covered under Wisconsin Medicaid. Examples include certain medications, mental health services, and equipment. The DNR could also borrow an additional $25 million to clean up contaminated areas of concern in the Milwaukee and St. Louis rivers, and could fund four new positions to implement new water quality standards in the basins of the Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Rock and St. Croix rivers. Evers' budget will also propose $4 million in borrowing (an increase of $300,000) to fund grants for local governments that build infrastructure to reduce stormwater runoff and $6.5 million (an increase of $350,000) to fund grants for local governments that build infrastructure to reduce water pollution. Additional funds would be available to fund studies on runoff management and to provide education and outreach for farmers. Wisconsin Conservation Voters government affairs director Jennifer Giegerich praised Evers' proposals and called for lawmakers to support them. "For conservation voters across Wisconsin, its always been clear: every person in our state must have clean, safe drinking water. Period. Its time for us to unite and solve this problem for us, for our kids, and for their kids," Giegerich said in a statement. Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less. A Christian woman acquitted of blasphemy after spending eight years on death row in Pakistan has been transferred from a secret location near the capital to another in Karachi, but is still unable to leave the country to join her daughters in Canada, a friend said Saturday. Aman Ullah, who spoke to Aasia Bibi by telephone Friday, said the 54-year-old Bibi is being held in a room in the southern port city. He said Bibi, who faces death threats by radical Islamists, is frustrated and frightened, uncertain of when she will be able to leave Pakistan. She has no indication of when she will leave they are not telling her why she cannot leave, said Ullah, who fled the country Friday after receiving threats from extremists angered by his assistance to Bibi, which began while she was on death row. Ullah has been a liaison between Bibi and European diplomats, who have sought to assist her. The Associated Press spoke to Bibi by telephone with Ullahs assistance following her October acquittal, which was upheld last month. Bibis ordeal began in 2009 when two fellow farmworkers refused to drink from the same container as a Christian woman. There was a quarrel and the two Muslim women later accused Bibi of blasphemy. The Supreme Court judges said there were widespread inconsistencies in the testimony against Bibi, who has steadfastly maintained her innocence. The acquittal should have given Bibi her freedom, but Ullah said diplomats were told that her departure from Pakistan, where she feels her life would be in danger, would come not in the short term, but in the medium term. He said Bibi told him she is locked in one room of a house. The door opens at food time only, said Ullah, and she is allowed to make phone calls in the morning and again at night. He said she usually calls her daughters. Bibis husband is with her, he said. She is living with her family and given requisite security for safety, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said in an email. He said the government was responsible for taking all possible measures to protect her and her family, adding that she is a free citizen after her release from jail and can move anywhere in Pakistan or abroad. Bibi told Ullah the security detail assigned to her refuses to explain why she is still confined. Bibis case has brought international attention to Pakistans blasphemy law, which carries an automatic death sentence for a conviction of insulting Islam. There have been widespread complaints that the law is used to settle scores and intimidate religious minorities, including Shiite Muslims. The mere suggestion of blasphemy can incite mobs to kill. After Bibis October acquittal the radical Tehreek-e-Labbaik party called its followers onto the streets, where they protested for three days demanding Bibis immediate execution as well as the death of the judges who acquitted her. The party leadership also advocated overthrowing Prime Minister Imran Khans government and incited the military against the army chief. Since then the partys leadership has been arrested along with dozens of their supporters for inciting violence. Ullah, a rights activist, first began aiding those falsely charged with blasphemy when his wife was wrongly accused, and has since helped several people gain their freedom. Bibis case brought him to the attention of religious radicals. In recent months, he has been physically assaulted, gunmen have opened fire on his home, and several religious radicals attacked his home. Ullah said he fears being attacked again or charged with blasphemy. Bibi hopes to be able to join her daughters in Canada, where they have been granted asylum. Kathy Gannon, Islamabad, AP The Senates top Democrat is introducing legislation to hold China accountable and sanction laboratories and other traffickers who export fentanyl to the United States. The bill, which will be introduced by Sen. Charles Schumer, of New York later this week, is likely to add to growing tension between the U.S. and China, days before Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will lead high-level trade talks in China. In December, China agreed to label fentanyl, the deadly synthetic opioid responsible for tens of thousands of American drug deaths annually, as a controlled substance. Schumers legislation known as the Fentanyl Sanctions Act would direct U.S. officials to publicly identify foreign opioid traffickers, would deny the traffickers visas in the U.S. and would prohibit them from doing business using American banks. The bill aims to hold accountable fentanyl manufacturers in China and other countries that illegally drugs to the U.S., Schumer said. It could also be used to target transnational gangs and cartels involved in fentanyl trafficking, as well as banks that help those organizations, he said. For years, Chinese laboratories have been cooking-up formulas of death and freely exporting lethal fentanyl across New York, and to many other places across America, where it is killing tens-of-thousands of people_and it has to stop, Schumer said in a statement to The Associated Press. The legislation would also require the U.S. to create a commission to oversee synthetic opioid trafficking, which would monitor efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking from China and Mexico and issue reports on its findings. It also provides additional funding for law enforcement agencies that are trying to combat synthetic opioid trafficking. Schumer expects the bill will receive bipartisan support, according to his spokesman, Angelo Roefaro. Schumer said the bill is necessary because Congress hasnt been provided with a signed and enforceable agreement, a solid plan or genuine commitment since China has agreed to label fentanyl a controlled substance after a meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the G-20 summit in December. U.S. officials have been pressing the Chinese government for years to take a tougher stance against fentanyl, which is 50 times more powerful than heroin. Most U.S. supply of the drug is manufactured in China. We must present China with a tough but fair consequence when it comes to the wave of fentanyl flowing into the United States, Schumer said. Preliminary data released by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in November showed that about 49,060 people died from opioid-related overdose deaths in 2017, a rise from the reported 42,249 opioid overdose deaths in 2016. Fentanyl and other related opioids, which tend to be cheaper and much more potent than heroin, remain one of the biggest concerns for federal drug agents. A bill signed by the president in the fall requires the U.S. Postal Service to screen overseas packages for fentanyl. Michael Balsamo, Washington, AP The U.S. ambassador to Canada said Saturday her country is deeply concerned about Chinas unlawful detention of two Canadians. Ambassador Kelly Craft said in a statement to The Associated Press the arrests of ex-diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor are unacceptable and urged China to end the arbitrary detentions. It is her first public comments on the cases. China detained the two Canadians on Dec. 10 in an apparent attempt to pressure Canada to release Chinese executive Meng Wanzhou, who was arrested Dec. 1 at the request of U.S. authorities. Meng is the chief financial officer of the Chinese tech giant Huawei and the daughter of its founder. The U.S. wants her extradited to face charges that she committed fraud by misleading banks about Huaweis business dealings in Iran. Craft said the U.S. Department of Justices criminal case against Meng is based solely on the evidence and the law. The United States appreciates Canadas steadfast commitment to the rule of law, she said. Craft made no mention of Chinas planned execution of a third Canadian. China re-sentenced a convicted Canadian drug smuggler to death after the Meng arrest as part of an apparent campaign of intimidation and retribution against Canada. Some analysts have said the U.S. response to Chinas arrests of the two Canadians has been muted. President Donald Trump himself has not commented on the Canadians. But U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has, saying China ought to release them. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders and the State Department have also issued statements of support. We urge China to end all forms of arbitrary and unlawful detentions and to respect the protections and freedoms of all individuals in accordance with Chinas international commitments, Craft said. Robert Bothwell, a professor at the University of Toronto, called Crafts statement tepid. It doesnt bespeak ringing support, Bothwell said. Beijing threatened grave consequences for Americas neighbor and ally after Meng was arrested at Vancouvers airport. Canada has embarked on a campaign with allies to win the release of Kovrig and Spavor and many countries have issued statements in support. The two were detained on vague allegations of engaging in activities that endanger the national security of China. They remain locked up without access to lawyers. Meng is out on bail in Canada and living in one of her two Vancouver mansions awaiting extradition proceedings. Despite the escalating frictions resulting from the detentions, trade talks between Beijing and the Trump administration remain ongoing. The U.S. has taken pains to emphasize that their trade talks are entirely separate from the U.S. case against Meng. They have been doing so since Trump said in an interview that he might be willing to drop the charges against Meng as part of a trade deal with China. Trumps comment frustrated Canadian officials who have been adamant Canada is following the rule of law and that Canada has an extradition treaty it must respect. A Canadian judge could deny the extradition request if it the charges are deemed political. The next time the U.S. asks Canada will be hard of hearing, Bothwell said. Trouble with Trump and company is that they are entirely transactional. They dont think ahead. And in this case Trumps own words will probably be enough to get the U.S. extradition request denied. AP Turkey has called Chinas treatment of its minority Uighurs a great cause of shame for humanity. In a statement Saturday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said its no longer a secret that China has arbitrarily detained more than a million Uighurs in concentration camps. He said the Turkic Muslim population faced pressure and systematic assimilation in western China. Aksoy said Turkey has shared with China its position on all levels and urged authorities to close the detention facilities and respect human rights. The minister said Turkey had also learned of the death in prison of famed Uighur musician and poet Abdurehim Heyit, who had been sentenced to eight years over one of his songs. This tragedy has further reinforced the reaction of the Turkish public opinion toward serious human rights violations committed in the Xinjiang region, Aksoy said. We expect this legitimate response to be taken into account by the Chinese authorities. We respectfully commemorate Abdurehim Heyit and all our kinsmen who lost their lives defending their Turkish and Muslim identity, Aksoy said. Heyit was a master of the dutar, a type of two-stringed instrument with a long neck that is found in Iran and throughout Central Asia. His detention was considered indicative of Chinas determination to crack down on Uighur intellectuals and cultural figures in an effort some say to eradicate a separate Uighur language and identity. Heyits death could not be independently confirmed. Chinas Embassy in Ankara called Aksoys comments completely unacceptable in a lengthy response posted on its website that defended its policies in the northwestern region of Xinjiang, the Uighur homeland. Both China and Turkey face the arduous task of fighting terrorism. We are opposed to maintaining double standards on the question of fighting terrorism, said the statement, attributed to an embassy spokesman. We hope the Turkish side will have a correct understanding of the efforts made by China to legally deploy measures to effectively fight terrorism and extremism, withdraw its false accusations and take measures to eliminate their harmful effects, it said. Beijing has intensified a security clampdown on Uighurs that was put in place after a bloody 2009 riot. Droves of Uighurs have fled, many traveling to Turkey, where the language and culture are similar to that in Xinjiang. After months of denying their existence, Chinese authorities under increasing outside pressure acknowledged the system of camps, terming them vocational training centers. They have provided little or no information on how many are interned within them and how long they are being held. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had once accused China of genocide but has since established closer diplomatic and economic relations with Beijing. AP Turkeys interior minister says the death toll from a collapsed apartment building in Istanbul has risen to 21. Minister Suleyman Soylu spoke late Saturday, saying those who made mistakes would be held accountable. The eight-story building in the citys Kartal district collapsed on Wednesday. Rescue workers remain at the site and it is unclear how many more people are missing. Thirteen people pulled from the rubble have been hospitalized and seven remain in intensive care. Chief Doctor Recep Demirhan says that two are in very serious condition, according to Turkeys official Anadolu news agency. The collapsed building had 14 apartments, 43 registered residents and three businesses. The buildings top three floors were constructed illegally, the state-run news agency Anadolu cited Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya as saying on Wednesday. Rescuers are continuing to search for people who could be trapped, state TV channel TRT News reported on Saturday. There are lots of lessons we need to learn from this incident, Erdogan said after a visit to the hospital. There are very serious problems with illegally constructed buildings and the nation needs to support the governments urban transformation initiative, he said, adding that necessary steps will be taken. The government is drawing criticism for its so-called zoning amnesty, introduced last year and running through June, which has allowed the legal registration of about 13 million irregular or illegally constructed buildings. The residents of the collapsed building in Kartal had applied for the amnesty program, which doesnt require applicants to prove their buildings are safe, the Haberturk newspaper reported on Thursday. The disaster in Kartal is a result of the governments wrong zoning policies, Emin Koramaz, chairman of the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects, said in a statement on its website on Thursday. Koramaz called for the government to immediately end the initiative, which vindicates all practices that compromise the safety of life and property. MDT/Agencies BDO Unibank Inc., the countrys biggest lender controlled by the Sy family, said Monday unit One Network Bank Inc. acquired Rural Bank of Pandi in an attempt to gain stronger presence in Bulacan and Central Luzon. BDO said in a statement Monday One Network signed an agreement with Rural Bank of Pandi Inc. to purchase the latters banking business in Bulacan. The transaction is seen to provide ONB a stronger presence in the province and fast-track its expansion in Central Luzon, one of the most progressive areas in the country, the bank said. The Andres and Santos families founded Rural Bank of Pandi in 1967 and transformed it into one of the best-performing rural banks with a strong SME presence in the province of Bulacan, where it currently has 12 branches. The transaction is still subject to closing conditions and applicable regulatory approvals, BDO said. BDO has been expanding its presence nationwide in a bid to seize growth opportunities in the regions.BDO completed the acquisition of the Mindanao-based One Network in 2015 under a share swap deal. The universal bank acquired 99.95 percent of the outstanding capital of One Network. Bank officials said earlier the acquisition of ONB expanded the regional presence of BDO in the country, particularly in its target market in the southern Philippines and opened up business lines for BDO. ONB has 98 branches focused in the Mindanao region. BDO is a full-service universal bank which provides a wide range of corporate and retail banking services. It has one of the largest distribution networks, with over 1,200 operating branches and 4,000 ATMs nationwide. It also has full-service branches in Hong Kong and Singapore as well as 23 overseas remittance and representative offices in Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East. Leading anti-apartheid campaigner Nelson Mandela has been freed from prison in South Africa after 27 years. His release follows the relaxation of apartheid laws including lifting the ban on leading black rights party the African National Congress (ANC) by South African President FW de Klerk. Mr Mandela appeared at the gates of Victor-Verster Prison in Paarl at 1614 local time an hour late with his wife Winnie. Holding her hand and dressed in a light brown suit and tie he smiled at the ecstatic crowds and punched the air in a victory salute before taking a silver BMW sedan to Cape Town, 40 miles away. People danced in the streets across the country and thousands clamored to see him at a rally in Cape Town. Doctors treated over a hundred people as police clashed with youths looting shops in various cities and townships and several people were reported shot dead. Mr Mandela, the deputy-president of the ANC, appeared on the balcony of Cape Towns City Hall to speak to the 50,000 people assembled outside at 2000 local time. He acknowledged Mr de Klerk was a man of integrity, but said: Our struggle has reached a decisive moment. Our march to freedom is irreversible. Now is the time to intensify the struggle on all fronts. To relax now would be a mistake which future generations would not forgive, he continued. As he addressed the crowd South African state television broadcast a profile of Mr Mandela including a BBC interview from 1961 which was the first time he had been shown speaking on TV. Now 71, the lawyer from the Transkei homeland was convicted of treason and sabotage in June 1964 and sentenced to life imprisonment. He spent most of his sentence on Robben Island, off Cape Town, doing hard labor. Since the 1980s he has refused numerous offers for early release from the government in Pretoria because of the conditions attached. Courtesy BBC News In context Nelson Mandela succeeded Oliver Tambo as president of the ANC later in 1991. He divorced Winnie the next year following her convictions for kidnapping and being accessory to an assault. Mr Mandela and FW de Klerk shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for their efforts to transform South African society. In the first multi-racial elections in the countrys history he was elected president and the ANC gained 252 of the 400 seats in the national assembly. He was succeeded as ANC president by Thabo Mbeki in 1997 and stepped down in favour of Mr Mbeki as national president after the 1999 elections. Mr Mandela re-married in 1998 and was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2001, aged 83. Blizzards in Tibetan areas of western China have left thousands of head of livestock dead and roads covered in up to 45 centimeters of snow, state media reported Saturday. Local authorities had sent veterinarians, medicine and animal feed to the hard-hit areas in Qinghai Provinces Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, the Xinhua News Agency reported. Villages in the area are above 5,000 meters (16,400 feet) and workers were seeking to clear roads to ensure the delivery of supplies, a task made more difficult by high winds and drifting snow. Mainly ethnic Tibetan villagers in the area depend heavily on livestock, mainly Yaks, goats and sheep, for their livelihoods and to feed their families. Harsh winters are routine in the Himalayan region that long fell within Tibets traditional borders. Snow was also expected in other parts of northern and central China over coming days, leading to some travel disruptions as millions of Chinese returned home after the past weeks Lunar New Year holiday. A Thai political party swore loyalty to the king after its stunning decision to nominate the monarchs sister as its candidate for prime minister backfired when the king called the move inappropriate and unconstitutional. The statement of fealty comes as the country ponders a whirlwind Friday in which Princess Ubolratana Mahidol broke with tradition proscribing the monarchys involvement with politics to become a candidate for the Thai Raksa Chart Party, only to have her brother, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, invalidate her action with a late night order. Thai Raksa Charts statement said the party loyally accepted the kings order and expressed deep gratitude to Ubolratana for her kindness toward the party. Ubolratana, who is active on Instagram, did not directly mention the kings order in a Saturday message, merely thanking people for their support and encouragement and insisting on her sincere desire to see Thailand progress with rights and opportunities for all its people. Thailands March 24 election will be the countrys first since a 2014 military coup put in place a junta determined to reshape the political system to eradicate the influence of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose allies have won every national election since 2001. So it was not only a shock that Ubolratana was formally entering politics, but also that she was doing so in alliance with a Thaksin-backed party. Her candidacy would have pitted her against the junta leader and current Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the preferred choice for premier of the pro-royalist military. Thaksin has been in exile since 2008, two years after was ousted by the military in a 2006 coup. Thailands establishment has spent more than a decade trying to neuter his political machine through court rulings, constitutional rewrites and other changes to the electoral system. In addition to deepening political divisions that have flared into protests and street violence, the campaign has had little success. Chin up and keep moving forward! We learn from past experiences but live for today and the future. Cheer up! Life must go on! Thaksin tweeted on Saturday. Just eight years after ousting him, the military stepped in again to remove his sisters government. Thaksin remains wildly popular with the countrys rural majority, who were drawn to his populist policies such as universal health care and rice subsidies and were willing to overlook accusations that he was enriching himself while in office. But Thaksins popularity made the countrys Bangkok-based establishment uneasy and some saw his popularity as a threat to the monarchy itself. Thaksin, who escaped from Thailand to avoid serving prison time on a conflict of interest conviction he insists was political, was generally believed to have been involved in setting up Ubolratanas candidacy. That shook the Thai royalists, who have long seen their campaign against Thaksin as way to protect the monarchy. It was widely assumed that Ubolratana, thought to be close to her brother, had at least received his approval for her action. What actually had happened behind the scenes is unlikely to become public, because the royal familys private affairs are almost never leaked. Vajiralongkorns order stressed that Thailands Constitution insists that the king and those around him stay above politics, and the principles of democratic government also put politics off-limits. It directly addressed the point that his sister was a member of the royal family even though her formal royal titles had been lifted decades ago when she married a foreigner. Her candidacy had caused great excitement, because it offered the possibility of a strong challenge to Prayuth winning his job back. Her association with the monarchy was seen as making it difficult for royalists in parliament, which picks the prime minister, to vote against her. Prayuth had been considered the front-runner, because changes in constitutional law and election rules were implemented by his government to make it difficult for political parties without military backing to capture the premiers post. Grant Peck, Bangkok, AP South Korea and the United States struck a new deal Sunday that increases Seouls contribution for the cost of the American military presence on its soil, overcoming previous failed negotiations that caused worries about their decades-long alliance. South Korea last year provided about USD830 million, covering roughly 40 percent of the cost of the deployment of 28,500 U.S. soldiers whose presence is meant to deter aggression from North Korea. President Donald Trump has pushed for South Korea to pay more. On Sunday, chief negotiators from the two countries signed a new cost-sharing plan, which requires South Korea to pay about 1.04 trillion won ($924 million) in 2019, Seouls Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The statement said the two countries reaffirmed the need for a stable U.S. military deployment amid the rapidly changing situation on the Korean Peninsula. The ministry said the U.S. assured South Korea that it is committed to the alliance and has no plans to adjust the number of its troops in South Korea. South Korea began paying for the U.S. military deployment in the early 1990s, after rebuilding its economy from the devastation of the 1950-1953 Korean War. The big U.S. military presence in South Korea is a symbol of the countries alliance, forged in blood during the war, but also a source of long-running anti-American sentiments. About 20 anti-U.S. activists rallied near the Foreign Ministry building in Seoul yesterday, chanting slogans like No more money for U.S. troops. No violence was reported. The United States government realizes that Korea does a lot for our alliance and peace and stability in the region, chief U.S. negotiator Timothy Betts said Sunday in Seoul. We are very pleased our consultations resulted in agreement that will strengthen transparency and deepen our cooperation and the alliance. The deal, which involves the spending of South Korean taxpayer money, requires parliamentary approval in South Korea, but not in the United States, according to Seouls Foreign Ministry. The allies had failed to reach a new cost-sharing plan during some 10 rounds of talks. A five-year 2014 deal that covered South Koreas payment last year expired at the end of 2018. Some conservatives in South Korea voiced concerns over a weakening alliance with the United States at the same time as negotiations with North Korea to deprive it of its nuclear weapons hit a stalemate. They said Trump might use the failed military cost-sharing negotiations as an excuse to pull back some U.S. troops in South Korea as a bargaining chip in talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump told CBS Face the Nation on Feb. 3 that he has no plans to withdraw troops from South Korea. During his election campaign, Trump suggested he could pull back troops from South Korea and Japan unless they took on greater a share of the financial burdens of supporting U.S. soldiers deployed there. South Korean media earlier reported that Trump demanded South Korea double its spending for the U.S. military deployment, before his government eventually asked for 1.13 trillion won ($1 billion). Seouls Foreign Ministry said the U.S. had called for a sharp increase in South Korean spending but didnt elaborate. Trump announced last week that he will sit down with Kim for a second summit in Vietnam in late February. Their first summit in Singapore last June resulted in Kims vague commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, a term that his propaganda machine previously used when it argued it would only denuclearize after the U.S. withdraws its troops from South Korea. Trumps top envoy for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, visited Pyongyang last week to work out details of the upcoming summit. After being briefed by Biegun about his Pyongyang trip, South Koreas presidential office said Sunday that U.S. and North Korean officials plan to meet again the week of Feb. 17 in an unidentified Asian country. The U.S. military arrived in South Korea to disarm Japan, which colonized the Korean Peninsula from 1910-45, following its World War II defeat. Most U.S. troops were withdrawn in 1949 but they returned the next year to fight alongside South Korea in the Korean War. Hyung-Jin Kim, Seoul, AP An Israeli Holocaust historian yesterday praised Finnish authorities for publishing a report concluding that the countrys volunteer battalion, which served with Nazi Germanys Waffen-SS, took part in atrocities during World War II, including participating in the mass murder of Jews. Efraim Zuroff of the Simon Wiesenthal Center lauded the determination of the National Archives of Finland to release its findings, even if it was painful and uncomfortable for Finland. He called it an example of unique and exemplary civic courage. The independent 248-page investigative report in English commissioned by the Finnish government and released Friday said 1,408 Finnish volunteers served within the SS Panzer Division Wiking during 1941-43, most of them aged between 17 and 20 years old. It is very likely that they (Finnish volunteers) participated in the killing of Jews, other civilians and prisoners of war as part of the German SS troops, said Jussi Nuorteva, director-general of the National Archives. A significant part of the studys material is based on diaries kept by 76 of the Finnish SS volunteers. Finland was invaded by Moscow in November in 1939 in what became known Finnish-Soviet Winter War. Battles lasted until March 1940, when Finland, overwhelmed and outnumbered by Soviet troops, agreed to a bitter peace treaty, losing several territories but maintaining its independence. Isolated from the rest of Europe and afraid of another Soviet attack, the small Nordic country entered into an alliance with Nazi Germany, receiving weapons and other material help from Berlin. As a part of the pact, Nazi SS chief Heinrich Himmler insisted that the Finns dispatch soldiers to the SS Wiking division similar to the volunteers it demanded from Nazi-occupied Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and elsewhere. Reluctantly, Finns complied and covertly recruited the first group of 400 SS volunteers to be sent for training. The vast majority of them had no ideological sympathies with the Nazi regime, the report said. At the beginning of the attack (on the Soviet Union), Finns were unaware of the Germans goal of eradicating the Jews, Nuorteva said. Finns were, above all, interested in fighting against the Soviet Union due to their brutal experiences in the Winter War and the nearby threat from Moscow. In this way, the starting point for Finns involvement was different compared to most other countries joining SS foreign volunteers, he said. When Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941 under Operation Barbarossa, Finnish regular army troops fought independently alongside Wehrmacht soldiers on the northeastern front. They were not under Nazi command. The Finnish SS volunteers with the SS Wiking division operated on the Eastern Front until 1943, entering deep into Ukraine. The leading Finnish military historians who undertook the probe into the countrys wartime role wrote that those Finnish troops likely witnessed shootings and other atrocities against Jews and other civilians by advancing Nazi troops. The volunteers returned to Finland in mid-1943, following the Finnish governments decision as it sensed the tide of the war had turned against the Germans. Many of the SS volunteers then served in the Finnish military until the end of the war. Eight of the Finnish SS volunteers are still alive, Nuorteva said. A copy of Fridays report was given to Paula Lehtomaki, a state secretary with the Finnish government, who said it was an valuable contribution to existing research on difficult and significant historical events in Finlands complex World War II history. We share the responsibility for ensuring that such atrocities will never be repeated, said Lehtomaki. The historical probe was launched following Zuroffs request in January 2018 to Finnish President Sauli Niinisto. Jari Tanner, Helsinki, AP Indonesia is set to make halal labeling mandatory for consumer products and services this year with the government assuming greater control of the certifying process from the Muslim-majority nations Islamic cleric council. Issuing halal certificates to consumer goods from shampoos to toothpaste and cosmetics may net the government about 22.5 trillion rupiah (USD1.6 billion) in annual revenue, said Sukoso, head of the Halal Product Guarantee Agency, known as BPJPH. The draft regulation on mandatory halal labeling is awaiting President Joko Widodos approval, he said. Indonesia is overhauling the halal certification rules as the countrys Shariah economy is set to swell to $427 billion by 2022, with halal food alone accounting for more than 50 percent, according to Bank Indonesia estimates. Under a law passed in 2014, the country will need to implement compulsory halal labeling latest by Oct. 17. Halal products and services cater to Muslims by complying with the religions tenets. The new rules also aim to usher in greater transparency in the certification process and guarantee a steady stream of revenue for the government, Sukoso said. The rules require certification for all goods and services related to food, beverage, drugs, cosmetics, chemical, biological and genetically engineered products as well as all consumer goods, he said. Once the regulation comes into force, the BPJPH will start managing halal certification requests in partnerships with the Indonesian Ulema Council the issuer of religious edicts and auditors under a so-called halal inspection agency, Sukoso said. The labeling requirement will be gradually implemented and it may take three to five years before covering most food and beverage products and five to seven years for health products, Sukoso said. We will first focus on food and beverage. If some products are still unable to meet the halal requirements, there is a period of as long as five years for the producers to fix the issues, Sukoso said. The agency also sees potential revenue from certifying unpackaged products as well as slaughterhouses, training services and sponsorship. The number of halal certificates issued last year more than doubled to 17,398 last year from a year ago as firms rushed to label their products ahead of the implementation of the law, according to Muti Arintawati, a deputy director at the cleric councils Food and Drug Analysis Agency. The government agency wants to issue at least 100,000 certificates next year and plans to boost the number of auditors to 5,000 by 2020, Sukoso said. Viriya Singgih, Bloomberg Ina Chan, Stanley Hos third wife, dismissed reports that the casino tycoon has been admitted to intensive care, as reported by several media outlets. According to Chan and Hos daughter Laurinda Ho, the 97-year old gaming magnate is in good shape and is only resting at Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital in Happy Valley, Hong Kong. Speaking to the Hong Kong press, Chan said, He is in good shape. I dont know why there were such rumors, as cited in a report issued by South China Morning Post, adding that Ho could eat and talk to family members. Chan added that Hos Lunar New Year wish was that his children would remain obedient. Touch wood! There are such rumors in the new year, said Laurinda Ho, who also met the press with her mother outside the hospital on Saturday. Chan was one of the many family members who visited Ho at the private hospital amid reports that the tycoon was suffering multi-organ failure. As previously reported, Hos fourth wife, local legislator and gaming businesswoman Angela Leong, was also spotted at the Hong Kong hospital. However, when asked about Hos condition, she denied that she was there to visit him and said that she had only gone to the hospital to handout lai sees. The health of the founder of gaming group Sociedade de Turismo e Diversoes de Macau (STDM) has become increasingly fragile in recent years, prompting disputes between his heirs for control of his many assets. In 2009, Ho fell in his apartment at Repulse Bay in Hong Kong, injuring his head and subsequently underwent brain surgery. He was discharged from hospital six months later, but had to return to hospital care in 2014. In April 2018, Ho became the latest Hong Kong billionaire after Li Ka-shing to step away from the empire he built, passing on the top roles at casino operator SJM Holdings Ltd. to his heirs, as revealed by a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange. The casino tycoon retired as chairman and executive director of SJM on June 12. He became chairman emeritus. Daisy Ho, his 53-year-old daughter, took on his roles. Angela Leong, 57, is SJMs second-largest shareholder and acts as co-chair with another executive director. While Ho hasnt been involved in operations for many years, we cant help but think that the proposed board structure is a bit messy, said JPMorgan Chase & Co.s analyst DS Kim in a note. This complicated structure, in our view, leaves room for a potential power tussle within the board, given the lack of clear control, he told Bloomberg. Kim is looking for a clearer plan, such as a single chairperson, to fine-tune SJMs corporate structure before the opening of the operators first property in Macaus key Cotai district this year. More recently, a new alliance has emerged among some of Stanley Hos 17 children in the decade-long family battle for his Macau casino empire. and eldest daughter Pansy Ho looks the likely victor. As the Times reported in January, Pansy Ho announced that she had joined up with some of her siblings and the Henry Fok Foundation, and would hold a combined 53 percent in STDM, which controls casino operator SJM Holdings Ltd. The alliance gives her the upper hand over Angela Leong, her main rival in the battle for control of Macaus original gaming company. Emirates, the worlds biggest long-haul airline, may feed its appetite for new pilots with recruits from ailing neighbor Etihad Airways and cash-strapped discounter Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, according to an internal memo from the Gulf carrier obtained by Bloomberg News. Hong Kong Airlines has also contacted Dubai-based Emirates about opportunities to temporarily transfer some cockpit crew, according to the document. Pilots at the unit of beleaguered HNA Group are Airbus SE-rated, meaning they could be trained to fly the Mideast companys A380 superjumbos. The current situation with several airlines in financial difficulty globally leaves Emirates in a good position to be sourcing and selecting good-quality pilots, the memo says. It said the airline recruited 52 pilots last month, the highest number since August 2016, and that the number of viable applications its receiving is higher than the number of candidates that can be invited. Emirates declined to comment on the communication, which was dated Jan. 29 and appeared to be a meeting report. A spokeswoman said there are sufficient pilots for current operations, though the airline will continue to welcome qualified candidates. Norwegian Air said its not uncommon for members of any companys workforce to seek opportunities elsewhere. Hong Kong Airlines couldnt be reached during the Chinese New Year holiday, while Abu Dhabi-based Etihad didnt respond to requests for comment. Emirates faces an annual hiring challenge to meet the needs of its expanding global network. President Tim Clark said last April that there would be a shortfall of 100 to 150 flight crew over 2018s busy summer travel season. According to the memo, 499 crew have been deemed eligible to join from this coming April through the end of 2019. Applications from Norwegian Air and Etihad have been spurred by redundancies at the airlines, according to the Emirates memo. Norwegian, heavily indebted after one of the fastest growth spurts in aviation history, resorted to a 3 billion kroner (USD354 million) rights issue last week after British Airways parent IAG SA walked away from a takeover bid. The Scandinavian carrier is also closing six bases and cutting routes to stem losses, proposing that pilots transfer to other locations. Etihad last June offered captains and first officers a two-year secondment, or temporary transfer, to Emirates. In January, it revealed plans to cut 50 pilot posts as it cancels jet orders and shrinks operations to stem losses. The Emirates memo said Hong Kong Air has identified a 10 percent surplus in pilot numbers. The carrier, whose debt-laden owner HNA is offloading $20 billion in assets, is being sued by a Macau-based lender for failing to pay $20 million in principal and interest, according to a court filing last month. Layan Odeh, Bloomberg Authorities have issued an update on the condition of a 31-year-old woman who was the victim of a domestic violence case in July 2018. According to the Health Bureau (SSM), the patient has been under the care of local health authorities who sent her to the Ophthalmology and Burns units at Prince Wales Hospital, Hong Kong in August 2018, in order to minimize the impact of the injuries sustained. In spite of this, her vision has been seriously compromised, although the SSM notes that she has been showing good progress in her recovery. In a statement, the bureau noted that the government has been sponsoring the womans treatment, both locally and abroad, with expenses that already amount to over MOP1.8 million. In an update on the patients medical status, SSM said that the womans burns are now healed and the patient had undergone several surgeries in Hong Kong to repair her ocular injuries, but her eyesight could not be restored to an acceptable level. At the request of the family, the patient has been discharged from hospital but continues to be treated in the outpatient clinic of the public hospital. The case has once again come to the publics attention, after the patients request for surgery in the United Kingdom was denied by SSM. Osteo-odonto- keratoprosthesis is a medical procedure to restore vision in the most severe cases of corneal and ocular surface patients. SSM notes that after a discussion with the medical board which decides on medical treatments performed abroad, this kind of surgery was not considered compatible with the type of injuries sustained by the patient, and that some surgical complications could lead to complete blindness, or even necessitate removal of the eye. Hence the bureau found it was not advisable for the patient to receive such treatment. The Social Welfare Bureau also issued a statement on the case, noting that they have been in close contact with both the family and SSM to provide assistance, namely financial support in the form of several subsidies, as well as supporting the victims six-year-old son who is housed in an institution for the time being. RM Agnes Lam calls for support of victim Lawmaker Agnes Lam organized a press conference to shed light on the victims case and call for support for the woman, whose severe injuries had been inflicted by her husband. Lam explained that the attack, performed with boiling oil and drain cleaning liquid, resulted in injuries including burns in 40 percent of her face, head and body, blindness, and loss of control of her limbs. The woman was comatose for 13 days, and has made a partial recovery after many surgeries and medical interventions. Lam also highlighted that the patients request for osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis surgery was reiterated in her last medical report in Hong Kong, where the physician in charge of her case reported that it was the only option left to restore some degree of the patients eye-sight. A man was caught on video wielding a knife while chasing two others down a street, as shown in footage posted on a social media network. The incident occurred last week, during a dispute between the three men from Vietnam who were working in Macau and sharing an apartment in the surroundings of Kiang Wu. After the brawl took the streets and the authorities were warned, an off-duty police officer eventually put an end to the disorder, stopping and detaining the man wielding the knife, TDM reported. According to the report, the man in custody had sustained a head injury which was allegedly the result of being hit with several objects thrown by the other two men who are still at large. After being treated at a public hospital, the man was discharged and delivered to authorities who charged him for at least two offenses possession of a forbidden weapon and bodily harm. The suspect was said to be working in Macau as a waiter and his case has already been forwarded to the Public Prosecutions Office, who will continue the investigation. The police continue to search for the other two men involved in the brawl. San Miguel Corp., through unit Private Infra Development Corp., will advance the payment for the unpaid portion of the properties acquired by the government in connection with the construction of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway. Our wish is for the situation to be remedied as soon as possible. We will advance the payment for the government. We understand the plight of the landowners, and also recognize the position of the government, said San Miguel president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang. But we would like to assure them that we are ready to resolve this issue and expedite payment, he added.Landowners earlier complained that the government had not fully paid them for their properties. The government said a large part of the problem stemmed from the incomplete documents submitted by claimants, resulting in delays in the review and payment process. Ang said San Miguel was coordinating with the government, through the Department of Public Works and Highways, to quickly resolve all issues and compensate the landowners. Many times you might have found the multiple casinos available in the online market but when you are going to... The total number of visitor arrivals for the 2019 Chinese New Year holiday had already exceeded last years figures, with nearly 1.4 million tourists recorded visiting the region as of yesterday afternoon. According to data issued by the Public Security Police Force, Macau received a total of 84,799 visitors on the first day, the majority of which came through the Outer Harbor. As of the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, 511,939 tourists passed through the Border Gate to visit the region. During the Golden Dragon Parade on Thursday, Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said that the number of incoming visitors had exceeded the offices expectations. Previously, the official had estimated that visitor arrivals would increase by 8 to 9 percent during the seven-day period. It seems to be attracting a lot of people, so definitely were looking for a prosperous New Year; and as far as I know in terms of the numbers weve seen so far, this has been over our expectations. So obviously, well need to see what pans out in the next few days, Fernandes told TDM on the sidelines of the event. Total mainland visitor arrivals as of Saturday totaled to 768,817, of which nearly 471,900 passed through the Border Gate. Elkins has mostly found his niche in horror. He cut the box-office smash Annabelle, The Apparition and the Flatliners remake. He also directed his own scary movie: The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia. (He thinks that title is bad, too.) He found a way to live in Omaha and work for Hollywood though sometimes hes away from home for long stretches. Hes been up in Vancouver cutting the reboot of Childs Play since September and wont be done until May. The film comes out in June. Each morning, he receives everything that was filmed the day before and goes about putting the film together. Its tough work, but also a blast. And he gets to make it back to Omaha every few weekends to see his family. Editing horror films has taught Elkins a lot about the DNA of a good scary movie. The timing of the cuts matters immensely. But like any genre, horror movies rely on the fundamentals of characters and storytelling. HUMAN TRAFFICKING: The House has passed the Put Trafficking Victims First Act (H.R. 507), sponsored by Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., to establish a working group at the Justice Department charged with recommending ways to increase the gathering of information about sex and labor trafficking in order to combat such activity. The vote, on Feb. 7, was 414 yeas to 1 nay. Senate votes CONFLICTS IN SYRIA AND AFGHANISTAN: The Senate has passed an amendment sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to the Strengthening Americas Security in the Middle East Act (S. 1). The amendment expressed the sense of the Senate that a rapid withdrawal of U.S. soldiers from Syria or Afghanistan could put at risk hard-won gains and endanger national security. The vote, on Feb. 4, was 70 yeas to 26 nays. MIDDLE EAST SECURITY: The Senate has passed the Strengthening Americas Security in the Middle East Act (S. 1), sponsored by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. The bill would authorize assistance and weapons transfers to Israel, extend a military partnership agreement with Jordan, impose sanctions on Syrias government, and take measures to protect U.S. government bodies that oppose the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel from lawsuits stemming from that opposition. Rubio said it would work to protect Israel against the threat of a multi-pronged attack against it by Hezbollah, Iran, and potentially Syria. An opponent, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said the anti-BDS provisions amounted to an effort to place limitations on the First Amendment right to boycott. The vote, on Feb. 5, was 77 yeas to 23 nays. Professor Vargas asked me to share this announcement, which I'm happy to do: The John Templeton Foundation has awarded $1.2 million dollars to the Universidad de los Andes in Bogota, Colombia for a project on Free Will, Agency, and Responsibility that aims to cultivate work on these topics, especially in Latin America. This is the biggest award the John Templeton Foundation has made to a university in Latin America. The project will bring together senior scholars with graduate students and early career scholars from throughout the Americas looking to develop expertise on these topics. It will host a series of summer seminars and will appoint two 2-year postdoctoral research positions. Review of the postdoc applications will begin March 11, so interested parties should submit soon; mid-year seminar applications are due April 24. The project is directed by Santiago Amaya (Universidad de los Andes) and Manuel Vargas (UC San Diego). More details can be found at: https://mindandaction.uniandes.edu.co/index.php/free-will-latam She continued to work, but they traveled as well, taking long road trips across the country for Moose events and more. On October 13, 1986 and June 7, 1989, Mickeys granddaughters, Lisa and Karen, were born. She was an active member of the Women of the Moose as Deputy Grand Regent from 1982-83, and participated with other organizations such as Cascade Seafarers, American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, and volunteered at The Cats Meow (Heartland Humane Society Thrift Store) for at least 15 years. Her favorite thing of all was her family, and she was excited when Karen was married to Decker Cleveland on December 16, 2016. She also loved her extended family, and loved visits from her nieces and their children. She loved to shop, to go out to eat, to do arts and crafts such as embroidery, knitting and sewing, and creating and collecting bears and dolls. She adored doing things with her daughter and granddaughters, and especially loved her special pets over the years, Clara, Sgt Tibbs, Nikki, Snookie, and Peanuts (and her great-granddogs, Captain and Addie). She also really loved to have her nails painted bright red, and never forgot a compliment! Mickey Kalinauskas went to Heaven on January 29, 2019 surrounded by her beloved family. She was 94 years old. She will be forever loved and missed by everyone who knew her. Monday, February 11, 2019 Premises liability reform bills have been introduced in the Mississippi House and Senate. In Mississippi, if a plaintiff sues for the attack of a third party on defendant's premises, the jury cannot assign a portion of fault to the third-party attacker. These bills would allow such apportionment. The bills would make additional changes: Most importantly, the bills say a property owner is exempt from a lawsuit unless someone can prove they affirmatively, with a degree of conscious decision-making, impelled the conduct of said third party. A woman who sues after being attacked in a dark parking lot without security would have to prove that the business knew about the potential harm and let it happen. They also exempt property owners from liability even if they knew about the violent nature of the third party, and doesnt allow a plaintiff to establish that there was an atmosphere of violence at a location unless there was similar violent conduct that resulted in three felony convictions on the property within the three prior years. So a nightclub where the police are called to break up fights but people arent charged and convicted of felonies could be exempt, for example, if someone was hurt there later. The Mississippi Business Journal has the story. https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/tortsprof/2019/02/ms-premises-liability-reform-bills.html NGCP starts P52-b Vis-Min cable link posted February 11, 2019 at 07:40 pm by Alena Mae S. Flores February 11, 2019 at 07:40 pm National Grid Corp. of the Philippines started initial works on the P52-billion Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project, an official said Monday. NGCP regional transmission planning manager Christian Ereno said in a TV interview the project was in the procurement stage. We are now in the procurement stage. In parallel, we are continuing to secure LGU (loal government unit) endorsement and environmental permits. Right-of-way acquisition, we have started negotiations so we can implement the project, Ereno said. Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said the agency was monitoring the construction of MVIP.We are monitoring NGCP because they gave their own deadline that by December 2020 they will be able to complete it. We want a reliable system and once we have this interconnection, we will have a sense of security, he said. NGCP earlier said it was committed to push the project and realize the interconnected transmission network within the deadline. COMMENT DISCLAIMER: Reader comments posted on this Web site are not in any way endorsed by Manila Standard. Comments are views by manilastandard.net readers who exercise their right to free expression and they do not necessarily represent or reflect the position or viewpoint of manilastandard.net. While reserving this publications right to delete comments that are deemed offensive, indecent or inconsistent with Manila Standard editorial standards, Manila Standard may not be held liable for any false information posted by readers in this comments section. WATCH: Nina Turner Discusses How 400 Years Later Racism is Still in the DNA of the United States with the Recent Virginia Scandals CNN commentator Nina Turner argues that recent blackface scandals in politics are not a result or in relation to President Trump, but that racism is in the DNA of the United States. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Michelle Obama Hits the Grammy Stage with a Group of Pop Icons ADVERTISEMENT LOS ANGELES (AP) The Grammy Awards kicked off Sunday with a group of powerful women, including Michelle Obama and Lady Gaga, describing the role of music in their lives a display that came a year after female voices were somewhat muted at the 2018 ceremony. Music has always helped me tell my story, Obama said at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Whether we like country or rap or rock, music helps us share ourselves. It allows us to hear one another. Gaga told the crowd: They said I was weird, that my look, that my choices, that my sound wouldnt work. But music told me not to listen to them. Jada Pinkett Smith and Jennifer Lopez also spoke and stood in solidary with Obama, Gaga and Alicia Keys, who is hosting the show airing on CBS. Yes, ladies, Keys said. Theres nothing better than this. Lt. Governor of Virginia Justin Fairfax Says He Wont Step Down, Plans to Impeach Him Slows Down Justin Fairfax courtesy photo RICHMOND, Va. (AP) An effort to launch the impeachment of Virginias top black elected official was set aside on Monday and Gov. Ralph Northam declared a new race and equity agenda for the rest of his tenure, saying he really believes that things happen for a reason. ADVERTISEMENT Revelations of racist behavior and allegations of sexual assault that happened years ago have engulfed Northam, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and Attorney General Mark Herring. It increasingly appears that all three will survive the immediate firestorm, but with deep wounds that threaten their political clout. Northam and Herring are still struggling to recover after acknowledging that they each once wore blackface as young men in the 1980s. When it appeared Fairfax might take over as governor, two women came forward accusing him of sexual assault in the 2000s. Fairfax vehemently denied it, calling on the FBI to investigate. Northam, for his part, said in an interview broadcast Monday on CBS This Morning that he now understands that he was born into white privilege, which is why he will dedicate his remaining tenure to policies aimed at helping his black constituents. I really believe that things happen for a reason, Northam said. I will focus on race and equity. Thats something that, for the next three years, is going to be my commitment to Virginia. And I really think we can make impactful changes. All three men are facing a reckoning over events that happened long before they took office, but its a full-blown crisis for the Democratic Party, which counts on the support of black voters and has taken an almost zero-tolerance approach to sexual misconduct in the #MeToo era. A housecleaning could be costly: The GOP already controls Virginias legislature, and if all three resign, Republican state House Speaker Kirk Cox would become Virginias governor. Democrats are still hoping to flip the General Assembly in legislative elections this year. ADVERTISEMENT Democratic Del. Patrick Hope tweeted early Monday that he got an enormous amount of sincere and thoughtful feedback from colleagues after circulating a draft of his impeachment bill, and that he sees that additional conversations need to take place before anything is filed. Lawmakers still might launch some sort of investigation of Fairfax, even if impeachment isnt immediately in the cards. Meredith Watson and Vanessa Tyson have accused him of sexual assault and offered to testify. The Associated Press generally does not name people who say they are victims of sexual assault, but both women have come forward voluntarily. Watson alleges Fairfax raped her while they were students at Duke University in 2000. Tyson, a California college professor, accused Fairfax of forcing her to perform oral sex on him at a Boston hotel in 2004. Fairfax denies ever sexually assaulting anyone. Frankly, we really want any entity with comprehensive investigative power to thoroughly look into these accusations, Fairfax spokeswoman Lauren Burke said. There needs to be verification of basic facts about these allegations. It feels like something bigger is going on here. Meanwhile, Fairfax has made it clear he wont resign. Before Donald Trump, I would say with this kind of stuff, its impossible for a person to just hang on, put their head down and ignore it, said Quentin Kidd, a political science professor at Christopher Newport University. Post-Donald Trump, I think what elected officials are willing to do has changed in some ways. So can he hang on? Certainly he can hang on. If Fairfax were to leave, its unclear who could replace him. Northam may try to appoint a Democrat, while Republicans could mount a legal challenge with the goal of getting Senate Pro Tem Steve Newman to serve as both a voting senator and temporary lieutenant governor. Herring would be next in line if both Northam and Fairfax were to leave office, and he initially made a forceful call for Northam to step down, but then he too acknowledged wearing blackface at a party in 1980, opening himself to simultaneous charges of racism, opportunism and hypocrisy. In this latest interview, Northam provided a more complete explanation of his statements that set off this whole crisis, when he reacted to the discovery of a photo on his 1984 medical school yearbook yearbook page showing one man wearing blackface next to another person in a Ku Klux Klan hood and robe. Northam initially said he was in the photo; then he denied it, while saying he did wear blackface to a dance party that same year. Northam told CBS This Morning he mistakenly took responsibility for the picture because had never seen the image before. When youre in a state of shock like I was, we dont always think as clearly as we should, said Northam, who worked for years as a pediatric neurologist before entering politics. But when I stepped back and looked at it, I just said I know its not me in the Klan outfit. And I started looking in the picture of the individual with blackface. I said thats not me either, he said. Northam told CBS its up to his fellow leaders to decide whether they want to remain on the job. He said he supports Fairfaxs call for an investigation, and as for Herring, just like me, he has grown. California Governor Newsom to Withdraw Guard Troops at Border, Affront of Trumps Description of an Immigration Crisis California Gov. Gavin Newsom / Donald Trump SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California Gov. Gavin Newsom plans Monday to withdraw several hundred National Guard troops from the states southern border with Mexico in defiance of the Trump administrations request for support from border states. ADVERTISEMENT About 100 of the 360 troops will remain deployed under Californias agreement with the federal government to focus specifically on combating transnational crime such as drug and gun smuggling, Newsom spokesman Nathan Click said. Specifically, they will be tasked with providing intelligence on transnational crime and assist with cargo dock operations and searches of commercial trucks for contraband. Newsoms move comes on the heels of New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, also a Democrat, pulling back her states troops from the U.S.-Mexico border. The two states former governors agreed to send troops to the border last April at the Trump administrations request along with Texas and Arizona. Newsoms and Grishams actions are a fresh, if symbolic, affront to President Donald Trumps description of an immigration crisis on the nations southern border. The border emergency is a manufactured crisis, and California will not be part of this political theater, Newsom plans to say in his Tuesday State of the State address, according to excerpts released by his office. Newsom will reassign roughly 110 troops to beef up Californias fire preparation efforts ahead of the next wildfire season and expand the guards counterdrug task force program. The expansion of the counterdrug task force requires approval from the U.S. Department of Defense. The original mission, approved by former California Gov. Jerry Brown, was set to end March 31. The order Newsom plans to send Monday will require the guard to immediately begin withdrawing troops but still give it until the end of March to do so. When Brown, a fellow Democrat, approved the mission in April, he said no California troops would participate in immigration-related activities. He similarly ordered the troops to focus on combating transnational crime. ADVERTISEMENT This will not be a mission to build a new wall, Brown wrote at the time in a letter to Trump administration officials. It will not be a mission to round up women and children or detain people escaping violence and seeking a better life. And the California National Guard will not be enforcing federal immigration laws. BKCAME Welcomes Ambassador Suzan Johnson Cook Pastor Mary S. Minor and the members of Brookins-Kirkland Community AME Church welcomed former United States Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom Suzan Johnson Cook as the guest preacher on Feb. 3, and she captivated the crowd with her sermon, Strengthened by the Struggle. Using Exodus 13:14-17 and 14:10-18 as her text, Johnson Cook outlined how Black American history parallels the experiences of the Israelites escape from the Egyptian pharaoh. God does some of His best work when Im in a situation, she declared. Have front-line faith! Dont be a wimp or a whiner, be a warrior! She also encouraged the audience to maintain their faith in God, despite trying circumstances and to be available to assist others on their life journey. Anything good will take time. Ministry is about helping people get to the other side, she said. ADVERTISEMENT Johnson Cook is an acclaimed theologian, author, educator and activist, who served as an advisor to former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. The founding pastor of Bronx Fellowship Christian Church, she was also the first woman elected president of the Hampton University Ministers Conference. In addition, she served as the United States Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom, appointed by Obama, from 2011 to 2013. A graduate of Emerson College, Johnson Cook received her M.A. degree from Columbia University, her Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary and her Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary. Also, she graduated from the Presidents Administrative Fellows Program at Harvard University. Brookins-Kirkland Community AME Church is located at 3719 W. Slauson Ave., in Los Angeles. To learn more, call (323) 296-5610 or visit bcamechurchla.org. Bishop L.D. Williams Former Pastor of Baptist Church of the New Covenant in Norwalk has Died Bishop L.D. Williams passed this morning according to several sources. Rest well Mr.President!!! I appreciate all you invested in my life. Rest well Bishop LD Williams. Posted by Pastor K W Tulloss on Sunday, February 10, 2019 Bishop Williams learned much from Dr. Thomas Kilgore, Pastor E.V. Hill and the Rev. Dr. Cecil Chip Murray. Hes worked closely with Bill and Hillary Clinton, strategized with the Rev. Jesse Jackson, and collaborated with U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters. He was the dedicated pastor of the Baptist Church of the New Covenant in Norwalk. He served nine years as president of the Baptist Ministers Conference of Southern California (BMC) where the organization often addressed social issues affecting disadvantaged people. ADVERTISEMENT Developing story One account. All of Google. Sign in to continue to Blogger Posted Thursday, January 17, 2019 2:12 pm On Feb. 11, 1965, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. came to MSU to deliver a speech on education. It sounds routine, but there was no such thing as a routine speech by Martin Luther King. The enriching root of education and its potent fruit, voter registration, were life and death matters in the segregated South. King was determined to recruit help. Although his responsibilities were multiplying by the day, he wedged MSU into a grueling schedule of meetings, speeches and sermons. When I picked him up at the airport, he wasnt feeling too well, MSU Professor Robert Green recalled. He was tired and had a sore throat. It was the only time I ever saw him ill. Over 50 years later, Kings sore throat was news to former Lansing Mayor David Hollister, then a teacher at Eastern High School. Spellbound by Kings oratory that day, Hollister and dozens of others volunteered to teach underserved students in the South and register people to vote. They ended up facing down KKK thugs in Mississippi that summer. That day changed my life, Hollister said. Giant Steps The speech at MSU was the last of at least three visits King made to the Lansing area. In 1954 and 1957, King came to Lansing at the request of his uncle, the Rev. Joel King, pastor of Lansings Union Baptist Church. The 1957 speech drew thousands of people to the Lansing Center. By 1965, King was a national force with his finger on the hour hand of history, but he still sweated the details. He came to MSU to kick off the first all student-run educational outreach program in the country the Student Education Program, or STEP. He made the fund-raising pitch to 4,500 students, faculty and community members at the MSU Auditorium. Green, a professor emeritus at MSU, where he was the dean of urban development, and keynote speaker at MSUs King commemoration at the Erickson Kiva Monday, remembers the day vividly. Green drove King from the Lansing airport to his office at MSU, on the second floor of Erickson Hall, and made him hot tea with lemon. Green had a lot of questions, but King didnt talk about himself. He was always turning it on you, Green said. He wanted to know about me, about my job, about MSU, how were they treating me. He asked about my kids. To his amazement, Green noticed King quicken his step, lose the cough and grow more animated on the walk from Erickson to the auditorium. He became invigorated, alive, and gave a great speech, Green said. He didnt have time to get sick. King didnt confine his remarks at MSU to the STEP program. Never one to shy from big themes, he urged the assembled students and faculty to adopt a world brotherhood perspective, denounced the notion of superior and inferior races and called for worldwide action to end segregation. King called for new civil rights legislation and name checked MSU President John A. Hannah, who was appointed chairman of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission in 1957 by President Dwight Eisenhower. In the wake of assaults and harassment, King urged action on the Civil Rights Commissions recommendation that federal staffers handle voter registration in the South. Green couldnt have refused Kings call even if he had wanted to. He got the OK from Hannah to take a leave to work for King from 1965 to 1967 as educational outreach director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Working for King wasnt a cubicle job. In tense times, Green helped King organize the 1966 March against Fear in Mississippi. His time with King was an eye-opener. He was so adamant about not being afraid to die, Green said. In Greens book, At the Crossroads of Fear and Freedom, he recalled driving in the South with King, his confidant Andrew Young and three other associates. When they stopped at a red light, a white gas station attendant recognized King in the front seat. The man walked up to the car, pulled out a gun and held it to Kings head. I love you, King replied calmly. The would-be assailant walked away. It took years for Green to wrap his head around Kings surreal serenity. Listen to his old sermons, Green said. There are a lot of them on line. King always talked about death. It was his way of purging himself of fear. When traveling, Green and Kings other associates begged him to sit in the back of the car, flanked by aides, but King resisted. He said, You guys cant protect me. John Kennedy had the Army, the Air Force and the Secret Service, and they got him. I dont have all that. When theyre ready for me theyre going to get me, and Im prepared to die. King teased his friends and associates about their solicitude. He would say, You guys are so worried about me getting shot. One day, someone will shoot at me and miss and hit one of you, Green recalled. And he started giving a mock eulogy for his good friends. Im signing up On the day King came to MSU, an unknown MSU student changed David Hollisters life by handing him a flier. The former Lansing mayor, then a teacher at Eastern High School in Lansing, made his way to the MSU campus to hear King. I was mesmerized, Hollister said. I could tell he was speaking extemporaneously. Hollister was so moved by the speech that he rushed to get near the rear exit to meet King when it was over. I shook his hand, looked in his eye and said, Im signing up, Hollister said. I didnt realize what that would mean, but it was a brief encounter, less than a minute. Hollister spent the summers of 1966 and 1968 teaching math, history and government at underserved schools in Mississippi, for no pay. Oh my God, it was life-changing, Hollister said. You can read all you want to about segregation, but we were harassed by the Klan and supporters trying to terrify both the volunteers and the students. That experience fundamentally impacted everything I did in 50 years of public service. Burning message Martin Luther King Jr. was a young Ph.D. student in theology at Boston University when his uncle first invited him to speak at Lansings Union Baptist Church on Jan. 3, 1954. Joel King, the younger brother of Martin Luther King Sr., was pastor of Union Baptist now Union Missionary Baptist Church in southwest Lansing for eight years in the 1950s. The old church building, at the corner of Logan (now Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard) and St. Joseph streets, is no longer standing. Joel King also ran, unsuccessfully, for the Lansing City Council. Starting with this comparatively lowkey appearance, Kings three Lansing visits would climb sharply in urgency and scale. Nothing so eventful on that day other than the climax of a rally for beautifying the interior of the church, Joel King wrote in his invitation to Martin Luther and Coretta King. The 1954 visit was put off until the first Sunday in March, when Joel King made a more urgent request in a second letter. I am asking that you would accept the engagement, as it would mean much to you and me, he wrote. Remember that this is a cross section of Negro and White. Usually the message is from one half hour to one hour long. Would like for you to bring them a burning message, centering around some of our present-day problems. King spoke March 7 at the morning service. That day, King was also scheduled to address the Lansing branch of the NAACP. The church has no record of the text of Kings speech, but church member LaVerne Wilson is compiling a history of Kings ties to Union Baptist, Joel King and Lansing. I found it amazing that King has all these ties to Lansing, and yet its hardly known or talked about, Wilson said. The Martin Luther King luncheon is in its 34th year, but I dont know how many people realize theres more history of Martin Luther King in Lansing. By 1957, Kings stature in the moral, spiritual and political life of the nation had grown considerably. In May of that year, King would deliver his first national address, Give Us The Ballot, at the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom in Washington, D.C. This time, Joel King had a bigger forum in mind for his nephew. I feel its time for you to come to us, he wrote Martin and Coretta King from Lansing. People of all races are continually asking about your coming. I would like to make this one of the finest programs that they have had at this huge new Civic Center Auditorium. Atomic cannon On Feb. 17, 1957, King spoke to over 3,000 people at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium of the 2-year-old Lansing Civic Center, urging a vigorous but peaceful fight against segregation. His national profile was in the ascendant. The next day, his face would appear on the cover of Time Magazine. Three days earlier, King became head of the Southern Leaders Conference, later the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Donations at the Lansing speech went to the victims of racially motivated bombings of homes and churches that had recently wracked the South, including the bombing of the home of the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth in Birmingham, Alabama, the previous December. King gave the Lansing audience a vivid description of the Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott that made national news two months earlier. They decided it was more honorable to walk in pride than ride in humiliation, he told the group. They substituted tired feet for tired souls. Headlines from Hungary were dominating the news at the time. The previous November, Soviet troops crushed a student-led revolution in Hungary, killing thousands and sending hundreds of thousands into exile. King knew that Americans were riveted by events in the Eastern bloc and watched with horror as the tanks rolled into Budapest. He admonished the crowd to remember the plight of their own African-American brothers and sisters at home. If the United States is to be a first-class nation, it can no longer have second-class citizens, King declared. It is a puzzle to us why the government of this nation cries out against Communist oppression and not against oppression of people here at home. Michigan Gov. G. Mennen Williams, a strong advocate for civil rights and racial equality, attended the speech with his wife. King said Americans would make a great move if they elected Williams president. When King was finished, Joel King invited Williams to speak. The bow-tied governor pleaded that his oratory, compared to Kings, would come off like a pop gun compared to an atomic cannon. Evergreen words Every year, when the King holiday comes around, people find the question irresistible: What would King be saying today? The question is tragically easy to answer. Chances are, anything King said 50, 60, or 70 years ago is doubly or triply relevant now. Consider this snippet from an editorial King wrote in the Morehouse College student newspaper in 1947. At this point, I often wonder whether or not education is fulfilling its purpose, King wrote. Education must enable one to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction. Robert Green heard King say such things first hand. Theres a lot of unreal stuff being said today, Green said. King would have been in the forefront now of challenging the many untruths that are being spread around the country, especially about poor people, about immigrants. King also hammered at the need for early childhood education. Thats a big deal today, Green said, but he talked about it 50 years ago making sure kids can read and process information. While in Lansing, King talked to Green about lynchings and beatings of black men who were organizing voter registration in the South. In 1965, King was preparing to lobby President Lyndon Johnson to sign voting rights legislation. Green said King would have been very upset with recent attempts to erode voting rights in several states, and would have denounced 11th-hour legislation in Wisconsin and Michigan aimed at restricting the powers of incoming Democratic officeholders. If he were alive today, he would call together black, white, Hispanic, Native American leaders, like he did for the poor peoples march, and say, This is wrong, Green said. In Greens view, recent protests by student and professional athletes like Colin Kaepernick would also have gotten King's attention. Dr. King admired Muhammad Ali because he spoke out on human rights issues and denounced the Vietnam War, Green said. He admired Ali because he was fearless inside and outside the ring. He would have been 1000 percent behind Colin Kaepernick. He would have respected him, met with him, encouraged him and supported him. The list goes on and on. Its so hard to keep up with Marin Luther King, even today, that it would almost be dispiriting, were not King so good at lifting them back up. I constantly think about him, Green said. I feel that hes there. He used to quote William Cullen Bryant a lot: Truth crushed to Earth will rise again. THE ISSUE: Among items of interest in the news in early February: ambitious efforts to repair state bridges in Lancaster County are progressing well; Sunday hunting moved a step closer to reality in Pennsylvania; and the School District of Lancaster informed parents that lead contamination was discovered at Price Elementary School. Rebuilding bridges We bang the drum regularly on this page on the crucial need to tackle infrastructure issues our county, state and nations deficient roads, bridges, public transportation, utilities and more. So a tip of our cap to the PA Rapid Bridge Replacement Project, which LNPs Junior Gonzalez described Feb. 5 as an ambitious effort to shorten the list of Lancaster Countys state bridges in need of repair. The local effort has two projects remaining on Lincoln Highway (Route 30) over Eshelmans Run in Paradise Township and on Columbia Avenue (Route 462) over Little Conestoga Creek in East Hempfield Township. The former should be done this week, while the latter is slated for May conclusion. Once those are completed, Gonzalez writes, the public-private partnership between the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and a construction and infrastructure consortium known as Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners will have replaced 30 bridges in Lancaster County since summer 2016. We applaud these efforts. Even with last summers extreme rain and flooding a curveball for any project of this type estimated completion was only pushed back from the end of 2018 to this May. Theres still work to be done, for sure. Gonzalez reports that 87 bridges about 12 percent of the 727 state bridges in Lancaster County remain structurally deficient. But we are heartened by the progress that has been made and hope there are more tangible results on the way soon. The replacement project was launched after Act 89, which raised gasoline taxes to fund infrastructure projects, became a law in 2013. Local legislators took some heat for supporting those tax increases, but we applaud them for making a tough decision that benefited the broader community. And we hope to see that gasoline tax continue to fund infrastructure needs. Sunday hunting Last week, a state Senate committee approved a bill that would allow the Pennsylvania Game Commission to open as many as 14 Sundays for big-game hunting. This is the states biggest step toward Sunday hunting in at least two decades, LNPs Ad Crable reported Feb. 7, adding that many think the momentum is swinging toward allowing Sunday hunting, as do all states bordering Pennsylvania. We remain opposed to Sunday hunting. It is a divisive issue among farmers, landowners, hunters and those who wish to use our great outdoors recreationally. Given that divisiveness, we dont see nearly enough benefits of Sunday hunting to outweigh the legitimate concerns of those who oppose it. There are six other days of the week for hunters. Crable reports, for example, that the Lancaster County Farm Bureau polled those at a meeting last August and 70 percent opposed Sunday hunting. Among the others opposed are hikers, bikers and birdwatchers who love the states beautiful woods. We need people to be safe and to be able to hike as a family, Diana Ludwig of the Lancaster Hiking Club told Crable, echoing the thoughts of many others. Moreover, as Dick Hackman, a hunter who lives in Willow Street, told Crable, Sunday is a day of rest, and it should be honored that way, and people shouldnt be out banging around on other peoples properties. State Sens. Ryan Aument and Scott Martin said in a joint statement, We look forward to hearing from our constituents on this issue and the different ideas that are being proposed. The bill would next have to be approved by the full Senate, which returns March 18. Lead contamination Water was shut off to the sinks of nine classrooms following the discovery of lead contamination at Price Elementary School in the School District of Lancaster, LNPs Jeff Hawkes reported Feb. 6. We appreciate the swift action by school officials in this case. Hawkes reports that the district received the results of lead testing at the 500-student school Feb. 4. The very next day, Hawkes writes, parents and guardians were alerted ... in a letter signed by Principal Florence Krane and school district physician Dr. Anne Marie Derrico. Students carried the letter home. The sinks in question have a water fountain attached, which is a bigger concern. The letter sent home with students stated: Only children who consumed large amounts of contaminated water would be at risk of poisoning. It is difficult to know how much, if any, water our students drank from these sinks. Parents with concerns were urged to consult their family doctor. We reiterate our stance that lead testing and immediate notification of parents when levels are found to be unsafe are the vital steps our schools must take as they address the issue of lead in water. As we wrote Jan. 30: Lead exposure can be treated, but damage done by lead poisoning is irreversible. This is why knowledge of exposure is so essential. We would also like to see the passage of a state law mandating direct disclosure of lead-testing results to parents. I feel like I have a scarlet letter on my chest! That was a common feeling among us as we walked in to the first listening session hosted last month by Bishop Ronald Gainer of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg. However, that feeling dissipated as the voices of the parishioners in attendance voices filled with hope, support and love for us and all victims echoed throughout the church. Our scarlet letter was no longer a symbol of shame but rather a powerful symbol of assurance. Out of our large family of nine children (eight girls and one boy), five of us sisters were sexually abused by the Rev. Augustine Giella when he was assigned to St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Dauphin County in the 1980s. Had the Harrisburg Diocese acted on a complaint, Giellas abuse could have been stopped. (He was permitted to retire from ministry voluntarily, was arrested on pornography and child sexual abuse charges in 1992 and died while awaiting trial.) Listening sessions started last month and will continue this month throughout the Diocese of Harrisburg. Initially intended as a forum for the bishop to hear feedback and answer questions, the listening sessions for us and many victims as well as parishioners have become refuges for healing and empowerment. While some church members still refuse to acknowledge the darkness behind the pulpit and choose to use their voices simply to win the bishops favor, we also have witnessed victims standing up and speaking out for the first time. We also heard parishioners enraged and full of disgust pleading for transparency and truth from the church. Some spoke out with questions and concerns, while others offered ideas and solutions. It was clear to us that the majority of Catholic parishioners in attendance were there because they love their church. This is their community, their family; and it is broken. But they arent giving up. They have been beaten down many times and continue to pick themselves back up, but this time something feels different. The parishioners strong and faithful voices bravely speaking out in support of victims and demanding truth at these listening sessions made us once again assured of our purpose. It has been almost six months since a Pennsylvania grand jury report outlined the widespread sexual abuse of children us included and the systematic cover-up of that abuse by senior church officials in Pennsylvania and at the Vatican. The report sent shockwaves around world. But why? Were the two previous grand jury reports covering the dioceses of Philadelphia and Altoona-Johnstown showing the magnitude and scope of these criminal and grotesque violations against children by their faithful leaders not enough for people to stand up and demand change? What about movies such as Spotlight? Maybe the abuse and cover-up were just too much to comprehend or maybe, by acknowledging their existence, we then had to acknowledge that all this happened. But the shock is wearing off and the world can no longer deny the truth on the contrary, the world is demanding it. What exactly does the truth look like? For many, the truth will hurt. But are those the ones we should be helping and protecting? For victims, the truth is justice; it is an opportunity for their voices to be heard so that the perpetrators and those who covered up their crimes are held accountable. The truth is public safety; by giving victims an opportunity to be heard, perpetrators will be identified so that fewer children will fall victim to them. The truth is healing. And the truth is always the right thing to seek. Your presence at these listening sessions matters. This op-ed was co-authored by Patty Fortney-Julius, Jeanne Fortney-Webster, Saundra Fortney-Colello, Teresa Fortney-Miller, Carolyn Fortney and Lara Fortney-McKeever. Lancaster listening session Weather permitting, the next listening session will be held Tuesday evening (Feb. 12) at 6:30 at Saint Leo the Great Parish, 2427 Marietta Ave. It is open to parishioners of the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg. Get help: Office of Attorney Generals Clergy Abuse Hotline: 888-538-8541. 24-hour sexual assault hotline: 717-392-7273 Report child abuse to ChildLine: 800-932-0313. Manheim Township commissioners will hear more testimony on the proposed 75-acre Oregon Village project Monday evening. The conditional use hearing resumes at 6 p.m. at the Manheim Township Public Library, 595 Granite Run Drive. More than 100 residents heard Joel Young, the developers planner, explain why he thinks the development meets township guidelines on Jan. 28. The developers, owners of the Oregon Dairy supermarket and restaurant, are proposing apartments, townhouses, one-story homes for older adults, a supermarket, a restaurant and banquet center, a hotel, a convenience store, shops and a bank. The developers traffic engineer was prepared to testify after Young is cross-examined by those concerned about the project. While some advocates of farmland preservation are asking the commissioners to reject the project, the developers contend it meets the zoning criteria for the Oregon Village overlay the township created in 2011. The overlay allows for housing, commercial and other uses in what is a designated village growth area. The township planning commission last month recommended approval of the project in a 3-1 vote. The ashes of Michael J. Sharp, a U.N. official and former Mennonite Central Committee worker, will be scattered on Tanzanias Mount Kilimanjaro next month. Sharp and Zaida Catalan, a Swede, were murdered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in March 2017 while investigating whether government soldiers had killed unarmed civilians, including children. From March 5-14, a group of family, friends and others plan to climb the mountain to raise funds for the Michael J. Sharp Endowed Peace and Justice Scholarship at Eastern Mennonite University, his alma mater. The scholarship was initiated shortly after Sharps death, and is currently supporting David M. Nyiringabo, a peacebuilder in DR Congo. The scholarship is designated to support Congolese peacebuilders. Sharp was MCC coordinator for the eastern DR Congo from 2012-2015 before joining the U.N. He was known for his ability to connect with rebels and convince them to abandon fighting. In an interview with National Public Radio, he said by his own count, he had persuaded at least 1,600 rebels to surrender and come home. Sharps father, John Sharp, a retired history and Bible professor at Hesston College in Kansas, is one of 11 hikers who will make the trip. Two people from Lancaster - businessman Gerry Horst and retired executive John Bomberger - also plan to take part. The hikers hope to raise $200,000 for the scholarship. Additional information about the hike can be found at emu.edu/dream-hike. John Sharp said hiking Mount Kilimanjaro was on MJs bucket list. He and two friends talked about it two summers ago, his father said by phone. The ashes will be scattered at Uhuru Peak, which stands at 19,341 feet above sea level. Lancaster clarinet player and music educator Doris Hall-Gulati won a Grammy on Sunday afternoon. Hall-Gulati, who teaches at Franklin & Marshall College and Lancaster Bible College, won a Grammy for her work on Lansing McClosky's Zealot Canticles, performed by choral group The Crossing, in the best choral performance category. Hall-Gulati is a clarinet soloist on the recording. It is Hall-Gulati's first Grammy award. The award was announced at the Grammy Premiere Ceremony, which streamed online Sunday afternoon. The ceremony includes awards and categories not included in the televised portion. Hall-Gulati is an artist-in-residence, the Sound Horizons concert series coordinator and chamber music coordinator at F&M. She also teaches at Lancaster Bible College. Jessica Beebe, an adjunct assistant professor of music and voice at F&M, was nominated in the same category with the New York-based group the Clarion Choir for "Memory Eternal." While she did not sing on the "Zealot Canticles" recording, Beebe has also worked extensively with the Crossing, the group Hall-Gulati won with. Hall-Gulati and Beebe performed together with Beebe's husband, pianist Mark Livshitz, during the the Sixth Annual Franklin & Marshall College Faculty Recital Saturday afternoon. The trio performed The Shepherd on the Rock by Franz Schubert. Zealot Canticles is based on Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinkas Twelve Canticles for the Zealot. Like Soyinkas original work, the projects official description notes that Lansings musical response is intended as a plea for peace and tolerance, while also recognizing the difference between devotion and intolerance. In an interview earlier this month with LNP, Hall-Gulati shared how her clarinet playing demonstrates this duality. Sometimes Im really surreal and Im really calming and sublime, and then all of a sudden Im screaming, Im a zealot screaming from the depths, Hall-Gulati said. You can power our reporters and help keep us independent with a donation today during our June Member drive. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe You might not know Kurt Farquhar's name, but if you've watched any TV since 1989, you've heard his music. He composed for The King of Queens, Moesha, and Sister, Sister -- and he currently has multiple shows on the air, including The Neighborhood and Black Lightning. He's written more music for TV than any other African-American composer -- both under his own name, and through his True Music production house. But when he first moved to L.A. in 1986, he ended up living on the street for a more than a year. "Everybody that lives on the streets isn't insane, isn't a drug addict," Farquhar said. "Talk to folks. I'm now hearing more stories about so-and-so and that year they spent in their car. If I had a car, that would have been me." We visited Melrose Avenue near the La Brea intersection, where Farquhar often used to sleep. Not exactly the California dream. "We're doing something crazy," he said. "We come out here from all around the country, all around the world, to think that we're going to be that one person that succeeds in music. I mean, it seemed perfectly logical to me then. But it really, it's a once in a lifetime ride, you know. And not everybody gets it. And a lot of things can happen on the way." Farquhar grew up on the South Side of Chicago. "They had created a whole music department inside a high school, and you could take music all day long -- music theory, music history," he said. "You could be in either the orchestra, the band, or choir. I had an orchestra at my disposal, to write for, as a child. And I'd write this really complex, either jazz pieces or classical pieces, and I'd just get infuriated that they couldn't play it exactly right. The teacher said, 'Kurt, these are kids!' I said, 'I'm a kid! I can do it!'" With his parents' help, Farquhar studied music at Eastern Illinois University, then went on to the National Conservatory for Music in Versailles, France. After that, his brother Ralph suggested he come out to Los Angeles. "He and his wife were going to New York. He says, 'Well, you can come and stay at our place.' So I did. And that's how I ended up in L.A. -- with 136 dollars in my pocket," Farquhar said. Farquhar made some music out here, but not much money. Then his brother fell on hard times too, and because Farquhar didn't want to admit defeat or ask his parents for help yet again, he ended up homeless, walking up and down Melrose. "My life at that point probably was a slow-moving car wreck, and just ended up... things weren't good," Farquhar said. "I just didn't understand how I could be there. I remember just thinking that, 'Oh, this wouldn't last long. This wouldn't last long.' And a year later, you're still there." I asked him how he spent his days during that long year. "I'd walk, I'd look in shops, I'd go to the park. Wander. You just wandered, a lot," Farquhar said. "There was a restaurant down here called Fellini's on Melrose, just east of Orange Drive. They had this amazing happy hour, and people used to know me for coming in there. Nobody ever thought twice about it. I'd go in there, and friends would see me and buy me a drink. These people did happy hour. I mean, hot wings, and pastas, and this-that-and-the-other. I mean, all of this food -- meatballs -- and you'd go there, and that was the primary way how I ate." Farquhar shared some of his techniques for life on the street. "The place I slept most was right around the corner on Melrose, just east of La Brea. I think it was an architectural design place. I remember it was a white building, and it had a long, long corridor that was open, before you got to the door -- it was probably like 30 feet, and it was just about 4 or 5 feet across. I would go all the way up in there, and sleep in there so that nobody saw me. I do remember that, years later, they put a gate on there -- so I'm pretty sure that had something to do with me," he said with his boisterous, infectious laugh. Another trick: "I would go to a place and act like I was going to rent an apartment. And I would always leave a window open, and then I'd come in there -- it had to be a place with carpet -- and I would come in and crawl in the window at night, and sleep on the carpet. I'd wash myself up in there in the morning, and then I'd leave. I'd always lock the window so I couldn't come back again. I'd just do it the one night, and it just made me feel better." Farquhar's brother, Ralph, had become a TV writer, and in 1989 he was working on a new comedy called Livin' Large. He told his kid brother that he should try out for the theme song. "I said, 'It pays?'" the composer recalled. "He said, 'Yeah, yeah. They'll pay you if you can get it.' And so I went out for it." Farquhar's theme song got accepted, but the show didn't get picked up. Soon after, though, he got a small record deal -- it didn't pay much or really go anywhere, but he finally got an apartment. One day he was surfing TV channels and saw that the comedy pilot for Livin' Large was airing, thanks to a writer's strike. He called up the show's producer. "Sir, I was just wondering... the show was on TV with my music. Do I get paid for that?" he recalled saying. "He said, 'Yeah. Yeah, sure.' I said, 'Well, how much would that be?' He said, 'Well, it's an end title. We probably could make a deal for about 10K.' I said, '10,000 dollars? Exactly when would I get that 10,000 dollars?'" He got it in cash -- twenties and tens. "I literally, honestly tossed it up in the air and was rolling around on it on my apartment floor," Farquhar said. "I had never seen that much money all at once in my life, and I was thinking: oh my God." Kurt Farquhar stands near where he used to be homeless -- under a billboard for a show he's now composing for, The Neighborhood. (Courtesy Kurt Farquhar) Farquhar's life started to change. "I said 'I'm gonna see what it means to go after everything, to do everything, and to be the best that I can be at this.' And that year got better. And then the next year got better," Farquhar said. "My third year in, I had a breakout year where I picked up nine different shows during that year. And from that point on, it's been a pretty interesting ride. I haven't had less than five shows in production in a given year since then." He looked around the spot on Melrose near the building where he used to sleep. "To be back here, knowing that I was walking these streets, and then to see a billboard on this same street with a show of mine [The Neighborhood] that's currently the number one new show on CBS, is... quite a journey," Farquhar said. This story is dedicated to Beth Krakower, Farquhar's publicist, who brought me this story before dying from breast cancer in September. You can power our reporters and help keep us independent with a donation today during our June Member drive. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Sidewalk shantytowns are as iconic as palm trees in California these days. Though state and local governments are finally spending big on the homelessness, they're not moving fast enough. That's the case argued by a new generation of homeless advocates in California, despite billions of dollars earmarked to address homelessness by state and local governments. As inequality increases, and encampments sprout in virtually every city statewide, some Californians are taking it upon themselves to address the pressing needs of homeless people in their neighborhoods, doing the work they think government should be doing, but isn't. They've gotten to know their homeless neighbors, and they've started pushing for the government to move faster and reconsider how it's addressing what a United Nations report in September 2018 called a "cruel and inhumane" humanitarian crisis. Though one in eight Americans is a Californian, one in four homeless Americans live in the Golden State. It's not because of an inviting climate or easy access to public aid. Stagnant wages and escalating housing costs force people to the street. California ranks 49th in the nation in housing units per capita, and about 30 percent of the state's renters spend more than half their income on housing, according to researchers at Harvard University. For these residents, the California Dream of an affordable middle-class paradise has dissolved. Hundreds of thousands flee for lower cost states. Those who can't afford to move become homeless, driving their neighbors to action. Consider the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition in Los Angeles. What started as a band of neighbors who wanted to get to know their homeless neighbors on a first name basis has grown into one of the strongest advocates for the homeless in its corner of the city, between downtown L.A., Hollywood. For the past two years, SELAH volunteers have visited the same homeless encampments every other weekend. None of the group's core volunteers are professional homeless service workers. "We wanted to give a way for neighbors who wanted to help their homeless neighbors a pathway to do that regularly," said Nithya Raman a co-founder of the organization. At first, that meant donating blankets, food, socks, and other items that homeless people need to survive outside. As volunteers returned to the same encampments week after week, they developed deeper friendships. While they try to help them navigate Los Angeles County's byzantine homeless services complex, they come face to face with the system's inability to meet the immediate needs of most people living on the street. "We realized there was a real need to not just do the outreach and get to know people and connect for services, but to advocate for more services within walking distance of most of the encampments here," said Raman. In the neighborhoods SELAH serves, there is nowhere for homeless people to go if they want to access public services. If a homeless person calls and asks where to go, they're typically referred to access points that take more than two hours to walk to. Opening, or at least helping to open, a service center somewhere in the area nearby is one of SELAH's primary goals. BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AVAILABLE Around California, Los Angeles is typically held up as a role model for how to address homelessness. Its voters approved a pair of landmark ballot measures in 2016 and 2017 that raise nearly $5 billion for homeless housing and services. Following Los Angeles, Santa Barbara County voters raised their taxes to pay for homeless services in November 2017. San Francisco voters passed Proposition C in 2018, and Santa Clara County voters re-upped a sales-tax that funds anti-homelessness programs. Alameda County and San Diego County are eyeing similar initiatives in 2020. And, voters statewide signed off last November on $6 billion of state money to subsidize the construction of housing for poor and homeless Californians. 2018 also saw direct investment by the state for the first time, after years of pawning off homelessness as a local issue. Then-Gov. Jerry Brown authorized $500 million in grants for cities and counties through the Homeless Emergency Aid Program. Now, Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing to do it again. His first budget proposal outlines another $500 million in grants for cities and counties to develop and execute local plans to address homelessness. "We want modern emergency shelters," said Newsom at his budget keynote address. "I have been a housing first person, but the severity of this crisis with the unsheltered requires urgency [and] a new version of emergency shelters" For years, the "Housing First" model is how government has conceived of treating homelessness: Give homeless people keys to a home with a door they can lock, and then work with them to get a job, healthcare, and whatever else they need after they are stably housed. The model works, but it is dependent on having housing available. That's a tall order in infamously housing short California. While tens of thousands of people are being moved from the street to permanent housing, there are hundreds of thousands in need. "We are housing people. We are getting people off the streets. But there's always an influx, and it's not an influx of people coming here from somewhere else. It's people from here who are losing their housing, and stumble, stumble, stumble, now they're on the street," said Dorit Dowler-Guerrero, another SELAH co-founder, herself a low-income housing provider. "We're doing a damn good job of getting people housed. What we are not doing a good job of is preventing people from becoming unhoused." The vast majority of homeless people in California are longtime residents deprived of housing by poverty, social isolation and misfortune. In Los Angeles County, where about 53,000 people are homeless on any given night, two-thirds of those on the street have lived in the county for more than 20 years, according to the most recent demographic survey by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. In Alameda County in 2017, every homeless person who service providers helped find housing was offset by two more who became homeless for the first time, according to the county's continuum of care. All of this has advocates clamoring for a shift in the status-quo: for local, county, and state governments to treat California's homelessness crisis more like an emergency than a problem that can be addressed by connecting homeless people to permanent housing one at a time. "The money's there, but we need the hard infrastructure," said Mel Tillekeratne, who operates a nonprofit, The Shower of Hope. His organization contracts with local governments to provide public showers in about a dozen locations around Los Angeles County. Besides operating as pop-up access points for homeless services, street-oriented services like public showers provide basic sanitary services that are otherwise unavailable to people on the street. "We need to roll out bridge housing, we need more mobile showers, we need more safe parking sites," he said. "It's disappointing that in such a progressive city there's this mentality that we can send people away to somewhere else without recognizing that these are Angelenos who were priced out of their own homes and are now on the street. We need to address homelessness in a way that meets people's needs without thinking they're going to disappear." He does this through his nonprofit by converting trailers into mobile showers, and parking them for hours at a time in service-poor parts of the Southern California. "We get a person every day who hasn't showered in a month," he said. As much money as there is floating around in the homeless services sector, Tillekeratne says it's slow to actually reach the people in need. GROWING FRUSTRATION FROM ALL SIDES Advocates aren't the only ones questioning the status-quo. Los Angeles City Controller Ron Galperin, the city's chief accountant, is asking similar questions as he watches voter approved money accumulate unspent in city accounts while encampments mushroom up. "We have to find a way to use the money more expeditiously and efficiently," said Galperin. The money he's referring to, supplied by a $1.2 billion dollar bond measure voters approved in November 2016, has largely been earmarked to build 10,000 units of supportive housing -- homes for people who in another era would have been institutionalized. But building new housing takes time. Even now, more than two years later, not one unit of housing funded by it has been completed. That has Galperin asking if the money would be better used a different way, one that more immediately addresses the humanitarian crisis on the city's streets. Galperin's office is early in the process of auditing the city's use of voter-approved money for homeless housing. He expects to complete it later in 2019. "The number one priority has to be to find a way to get people off the street, to relieve some of that suffering and the many problems that we see happening on our streets because of the crisis of homelessness." said Galperin. "Building units that we're not going to see for years and years is not working." The California Dream series is a statewide media collaboration of CALmatters, KPBS, KPCC, KQED and Capital Public Radio with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the James Irvine Foundation. You can power our reporters and help keep us independent with a donation today during our June Member drive. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe California is on track to reach a $15 minimum wage in coming years, and some cities are getting there faster than others. That means we could have early answers to a slew of familiar questions: Can raising wages too quickly hurt a city's economy? Will workers actually earn more? Or could they lose their jobs when employers either go out of business or flee to places with lower minimum wages? Two new reports looking at recent minimum wage hikes in Pasadena shed some light on these debates. Their findings suggest that workers there are making more money, employment hasn't gone down and businesses aren't going away. "I think there are indications of concern," said UCLA economist Ed Leamer, who led one of the reports. "But I wouldn't, at this point, say the minimum wage has turned out to be an inappropriate public policy." Leamer and UC Berkeley economist Michael Reich, who led the other report, will present their findings at a Pasadena city council meeting on Monday. Council members will then decide whether the city should stay on course to reach a $15 minimum wage 18 months before the state as a whole -- or if they should pump the brakes on future wage increases. Here's what the two economic reports on Pasadena's minimum wage found and what that could mean for other cities pursuing higher minimum wages. FIRST, THE BASICS: WHAT IS THE MINIMUM WAGE TODAY? Statewide, it's $12 an hour for employers with more than 25 workers. In Pasadena, it's $13.25 -- the same as the cities of Los Angeles and Santa Monica, along with some other parts of Southern California. Four years ago, California's minimum wage was $9 an hour. If Pasadena continues to follow L.A.'s lead, workers will start making $14.25 an hour this July and $15 one year later. Workers in other parts of the state won't get to $15 until 2022. (KPCC) WHY DO THESE REPORTS FOCUS ON PASADENA? Because Pasadena structured its minimum wage ordinance differently than other cities. Back when the city council first approved it, they required a kind of midway check-in. By early 2019, they planned to assess how wage hikes had affected the local economy so far, and then decide whether to keep going or revert to the lower, statewide minimum wage. That's why Pasadena commissioned the reports from these two independent economists. Leamer said the city's approach to monitoring its minimum wage is "unique, historically speaking." SO... ARE WORKERS MAKING MORE MONEY? Yes. Both studies find that on average, workers in low-wage industries like restaurants are now taking home higher pay in Pasadena. Leamer said these are only industry averages. So it's possible that some cooks, busboys or waiters are making less than they did before -- for instance, if their bosses severely reduced their hours. But Leamer said the overall trend is clear. "There's no question that workers as a group are taking home more pay as a consequence of this minimum wage," he said. A server carries drinks to diners at Green Street Restaurant in Pasadena, Feb. 7 2019. (David Wagner/KPCC) ARE WORKERS LOSING THEIR JOBS? Broadly speaking, no. Looking again at restaurants -- one of the city's largest low-wage sectors -- employment levels have not gone down in Pasadena. "I just don't see any declines here due to the Pasadena policy," said Reich. "If anything, full service restaurants are doing a little bit better than before. But these are very small differences." Leamer also finds no sign of a decline in overall restaurant employment due to wage hikes, but his report does suggest job growth in some restaurants may have flattened as a result. "You see that the number of employees in these limited service restaurants came to a halt," Leamer said. "There's no more growth in Pasadena." But Reich said it's not clear that this slowdown was caused by the minimum wage. IS PASADENA LOSING BUSINESSES? No, not overall. Reich finds there are actually more restaurants in Pasadena now than before the minimum wage increases kicked in. That doesn't mean it's been smooth sailing for business owners. Michael Hawkins, co-owner of the family-run Green Street Restaurant in Pasadena, said he's had to raise prices, reduce his staff and cut hours. "There's less people working here, and the people who are working are working less hours," Hawkins said. "I have never, ever wanted to raise prices. I just hate it. But I think it's going to have to happen again." One Pasadena restaurant worker said she has also lost hours. Sylvia said she used to work full-time in a Pasadena diner, but now she's down to about 30 hours a week. "I guess the minimum wages is going to help us, but they also cut hours," said Sylvia (we're not using her last name because she doesn't want to risk her job). "You don't work 40 hours now. You're working part time." Sylvia said she has started looking for a second job. WHAT'S AT STAKE MOVING FORWARD? This is where the two economists start to disagree. Leamer's report estimates that continuing with higher minimum wage increases would put about 1,000 restaurant jobs at risk in Pasadena. Employment levels may not have gone down yet, but he said they could in the near future. "Where is that tipping point? Which minimum wage is too high? That's the issue," Leamer said. "The only way to prevent that from happening is to monitor as that minimum wage gets higher and higher and make sure the communities that we want to help are not being harmed." Reich was skeptical about projected job loss. "If that many restaurant jobs are at risk, we would have already seen a big decline in the number of restaurant jobs all over California," Reich said. He said evidence from other cities suggests minimum wage increases in this range lead to better pay without reduction in employment. "If Pasadena stays the course," Reich said, "all the indications so far suggest the city's economy will keep growing, workers will have higher pay and employment will be very minimally affected, if at all." If Pasadena goes back to the statewide minimum wage, Reich said, employers could have a hard time retaining their best workers. Jobs just a few miles away would pay a dollar more per hour starting in July, giving workers an incentive to leave. You can power our reporters and help keep us independent with a donation today during our June Member drive. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Celebrate your singlehood with a Shred Your Ex Party or dance your cares away with The Fabulous Ladies of Fitness. For those in lurrve, there's Harold and Maude, picnicking in Grand Park and a doggy speed dating night so you can find your one true Fido. Art Los Angeles Contemporary opens and so does the Newport Beach Jazz Party. THROUGH WEDNESDAY, FEB. 20 Red Bull Music Festival: Center Channel Film Series Ukrainian Culture Center -- 4315 Melrose Ave., East Hollywood RBMF's film programming explores the intersection of sound, music and film. On Monday, Feb. 11, there are screenings of Sydney Pollack's Aretha Franklin documentary, Amazing Grace, and Wattstax, a live concert film of the 1972 Stax festival at the L.A. Coliseum. Other screenings include Ava Duvernay's first film, This is the Life (Feb. 12) and Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song by Melvin Van Peebles (Feb. 13). COST: Tickets start at $10; MORE INFO MONDAY, FEB. 11; 7:30 p.m. Artists Talk: Artists, Activism, Agency The Broad Stage -- 1310 11th St., Santa Monica Listen to what promises to be a lively conversation with Nadya Tolokonnikova, founder of the art-music collective Pussy Riot; artists Shepard Fairey, Catherine Opie and Tavares Strachan; and moderated by Jonathan T.D. Neil of Sotheby's Institute of Art. At 9 p.m., Pussy Riot takes to the stage for a live performance. (A friendly reminder: This event is in Santa Monica, not the museum in downtown L.A.) COST: $59 - $89; MORE INFO MONDAY, FEB. 11; 7 p.m. Write Club Los Angeles Chapter 83 Bootleg Theater, Bar Stage -- 2220 Beverly Blvd., Westlake Three rounds. Two writers with two opposing ideas. Seven minutes to sway the crowd. With the theme "write in the feels," the competitors are: Joshua Silverstein (AGONY) v. Wade Gasque (ECSTASY); Cat Crow (CUTTHROAT) v. Serita Robinson (HONORABLE); and Alex Stein (CAUTIOUS) v. Jane Morris (RECKLESS). The audience picks the winners and the prize money goes to the winners' favorite charities. COST: $8 - $20; MORE INFO TUESDAY, FEB. 12; 8 p.m. Kodo: Evolution Walt Disney Concert Hall -- 111 South Grand Ave., downtown L.A. The Japanese ensemble returns to L.A. with a new production that blends lyrical rhythms and the ancient art form of taiko drumming. COST: $47 - $107; MORE INFO TUESDAY, FEB. 12; 8 and 10 p.m. Dave Ross Records an Album The Echo -- 1822 W. Sunset Blvd., Echo Park The L.A. comedian records his first comedy album at his favorite music venue on Earth. Where will he rate on the laugh-o-meter? There's only one way to find out. COST: $5 - $7; MORE INFO TUESDAY, FEB. 12; 7:30 PM NEW YORK TIMES OP-ED LIVE The Orpheum Theatre -- 842 S. Broadway, Los Angeles Step into the Orpheum Theatre on February 12th for an evening of stand-up comedy, a political PowerPoint, a live advice column - and plenty of opinion. Hosted by Rachel Dry, the New York Times Op-Ed Live will offer an in-person experience with Opinion contributors Roxane Gay, Guy Branum, and Lindy West.. COST: $25 - $50; MORE INFO SPONSORED WEDNESDAY, FEB. 13; 9 p.m. Plan C The York -- 5018 York Blvd., Highland Park This new comedy show, hosted by Jamie Loftus, Ever Mainard, Maggie Maye, Atsuko Okatsuka and Irene Tu, takes place the second Wednesday of the month. The February lineup includes Eric Andre, Matt Rogers, Frankie Quinones and Rosebud Baker. COST: FREE; MORE INFO WEDNESDAY, FEB. 13; 5 p.m. Unheard LA Salon: West Hollywood Library West Hollywood Library -- 625 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood Everybody has a story. What's yours? Let KPCC help you figure it out. Our Unheard LA series explores the nuances and complexities of Southern California through first-person experiences. Spoken word? Music? Poetry? Magic? That's up to you. Before Unheard LA's third season kicks off, join past participants Janine Bailey, Cheryl Farrell and Glenn Fernandez as they discuss the submission and editing process, answer your questions and listen to your story ideas. COST: FREE; MORE INFO WEDNESDAY, FEB. 13; 8 p.m. Valentine's Eve -- Hosted by Ben Lee & Ione Skye Largo at the Coronet -- 366 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Grove The husband and wife team up to host a night of music and comedy with a lineup that includes The Sklar Brothers, Susanna Hoffs, Josh Radnor, Neil Strauss, Jenny O, Rachel Ramras, Hugh Davidson, Pete Yorn and Jill Sobule. COST: $30; MORE INFO Lucha VaVoom's Valentine's Day shows are at the Mayan for two nights of Mexican wrestling, burlesque and comedy. (Photo: Hon Hoang) WEDNESDAY, FEB. 13 - THURSDAY, FEB. 14; 8:15 p.m. Lucha VaVoom The Mayan Theater -- 1038 S. Hill St., downtown L.A. L.A.'s long-running Mexican wrestling, comedy and burlesque show entertains lovers, friends and frenemies for two Valentine's-themed shows. "Amor Prohibido" includes lucha libre-style wrestling as well as live music, comedians, mini aerialists, lowriders and hula hoopers. Special appearances by gender-bending multimedia artist Christeene, alternative model and burlesque performer Mosh and pole artist Brynn Route. Comic and host Jeff Davis delivers fly-by-night commentary. These shows are 21+. COST: $40; MORE INFO WEDNESDAY, FEB. 13; 3 - 7 p.m. Decorate Sweets for Valentine's Day Glass Lounge at the InterContinental Los Angeles Century City -- 2151 Avenue of the Stars, Century City The hotel holds a sweets-decorating event with pastry chef Gail Romulo. She'll prepare several cookies and confections for attendees to adorn. Keep the treats for yourself or give them to your Valentine. Champagne will be available for purchase for those 21+. COST: $20; MORE INFO WEDNESDAY, FEB. 13 - SUNDAY, FEB. 17 Art Los Angeles Contemporary The Barker Hangar at Santa Monica Airport -- 3021 Airport Ave., Santa Monica The international contemporary art fair showcases both next generation and established art galleries and artists. New this year at ALAC are two new sections: Moveable Types, which houses a number of independent publishers, and The Academy, which focuses on artworks from emerging galleries in a salon-style exhibition. Wednesday's opening reception runs from 6 to 9 p.m. COST: $75 for opening night, $25 - $45; MORE INFO NKLA holds a doggy speed dating night on Valentine's Day. (Photo: NKLA.org) THURSDAY, FEB. 14; 5 - 7 p.m. NKLA Doggy Speed Dating Event NKLA Pet Adoption Center -- 1845 Pontius Ave., Sawtelle Meet your canine soulmate on Valentine's Day at this speed-dating event. Once you've found "the one," take a pic in a photo booth, courtesy of Pet Portraits by Danielle Spires. All dogs (and cats) are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped and ready for their forever (or foster) home. Preview the available pets at NKLA.org. COST: $14 adoptions for select pets; MORE INFO THURSDAY, FEB. 14; 5:30 p.m. (doors) La La Land Palace Theatre -- 630 S., Broadway, downtown L.A. Street Food Cinema screens the cinematic love letter to L.A. in one of downtown's historic theaters for Valentine's Day. The venue features Seb's jazz bar with specialty cocktails, a sweethearts photo booth and music by DJ Ivy. Food trucks and vendors will be onsite. COST: $23 - $30; MORE INFO THURSDAY, FEB. 14; 9 p.m. St. Valentine's Day ASSacre Second City Hollywood -- 6560 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood Victress, an all-female comedy burlesque troupe, presents a night of comedy monologues and dance numbers for your Valentine's/Galentine's Day. Directed by Thea Lux and hosted by Katherine Biskupic, performers include Mel Forrest, Leah Frires, Joy Haven, Saliha Muttalib and Sarah O'Dwyer. COST: $10; MORE INFO THURSDAY, FEB. 14; 8 p.m. - 2 a.m. Love is a Battlefield: Valentine's Day Edition The Friend Bar -- 2611 Hyperion Ave., Los Feliz The Fabulous Ladies of Fitness (FLOF) hold a Valentine's Day dance party for those who are looking for love, recovering from it or running far away from the whole thing. The night kicks off with a Heartbreak Happy Hour at 8 p.m. featuring drinks and a soft rock soundtrack. Then, the dancing begins. There are lite rock, '80s/'90s hip-hop/R&B, singalong anthems and dance tunes of the last decade. Each song will address themes of love and heartbreak. Wear your best '80s workout fashion, jumpsuits, leotards, leather or animal prints. COST: FREE; MORE INFO THURSDAY, FEB. 14 Shred Your Ex Party Ever Bar -- 1800 Argyle Ave., Hollywood If you're flying solo for the time being or are #single4evah, the bar offers a "singles" cocktail menu for (anti)Valentine's Day. The menu includes drink offerings like single malt scotch, single barrel bourbon and single vintage mescal. The party includes live music and a paper shredder -- so bring along those old photos, letters and mementos that you've been hanging onto for way too long. COST: Varies; MORE INFO THURSDAY, FEB. 14; 2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m. Harold and Maude The Frida Cinema -- 305 E. 4th St., Santa Ana Hal Ashby's 1971 classic black comedy stars Bud Cort as Harold, a depressed teenager who's obsessed with death. At one of the many funerals he crashes, he meets Maud, a 79-year-old woman with a zest for life. Their unlikely cinematic love story has endured for nearly 50 years -- and is set to a great Cat Stevens soundtrack. COST: $7 - $10; MORE INFO THURSDAY, FEB. 14; 6 - 11 p.m. Grand Park's Lovers Rock Grand Park's Olive Court and Arthur J. Will Memorial Fountain -- 200 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. Skip the overpriced prix fixe offerings for Valentine's Day and pack a picnic for a night under the stars in the park. The night includes Dub Club DJs spinning mellow reggae tracks, a complimentary photo booth and family-friendly craft activities (for a small fee). Various food trucks will be onsite to sell sweets, desserts and treats. COST: FREE admission; MORE INFO THURSDAY, FEB. 14 - SUNDAY, FEB. 17 Newport Beach Jazz Party Newport Beach Hotel & Spa -- 900 Newport Center Dr., Newport Beach Now in its 19th year, the jazz festival opens with Jack Jones and drummer Jeff Hamilton's trio. Other artists and performers throughout the weekend include Tierney Sutton, Akiko Tsuruga, Arturo Sandoval and the Tom Scott Quintet. COST: Daily tickets start at $58; MORE INFO How are you spending your week? Let us know on Twitter @christineziemba and @LeoHasACat. In more communities today than ever, student publications are doing double-duty reporting news of schools and surrounding communities and doing both well. As a nation, and for anyone who supports a free press, that dual rule is worthy of notice, honor and support. We take note of the great work being done by journalists who happen to be students as we recognize the 50th anniversary of a major student-First Amendment decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Freedom Forum Institute, the Newseum and the Student Press Law Center are declaring 2019 the Year of the Student Journalist. As you might expect in todays world, the life of student journalists and of the student press is not without challenge and obstacle, along with great dollops of good reporting. As SPLC Executive Director Hadar Harris with whom, in full disclosure, I and my FFI colleagues are coordinating this declared Year recently wrote: Student journalists play a key role in the civic life of their community. Not only do they report on important issues in the life of a school or school district, but as the number of professional journalists has dwindled, student journalists often also fill the gap in reporting on county, state and regional issues. A bright light shining beside my bed startled me awake sometime in the night. My sleepy eyes couldnt make out what was in the light, but my mother seemed calm. Dont be afraid, she reassured me. Its Dorothy. She loves us. She wont hurt us. Mama followed the light out of my bedroom. Bob! she called (to her husband) as she walked into their bedroom. I know, Alma, my father said. I saw Dorothy too. She came in right in front of you, turned to me and disappeared through the wall by the dresser. She wants us to know that she is going to be fine. Shes with God. Several years later, Buchman writes, she herself had a near-death experience when she was severely ill. She found herself thrust into a tunnel, traveling at light speed, until she entered an area of bright light and saw a radiant figure enter through a door. I felt so much love, my heart nearly burst. I was not close enough to clearly see the face, but I knew it was Jesus. Moments later, a petite woman dressed in a flowing pale blue gown came through the door and stood next to him. Again, I strained to see who this was was it Mary, the mother of Jesus? There is growing concern in the scientific and public health community that chronic wasting disease, which is killing deer in Minnesota, Wisconsin and elsewhere, could jump to people someday. That unsettling news surfaced at a hearing Thursday at the Minnesota Capitol, where a number of experts from the University of Minnesota pressed upon lawmakers that the disease should be treated as a public health issue a major expansion of its current scope as mostly a wildlife and hunting concern. The issue is especially pressing for Minnesota, where wildlife officials are tracking the states largest outbreak of CWD yet in deer in the southeast portion of the state, including Winona County. No person is known to have gotten sick from eating or handling a CWD-infected deer. But scientists have always been wary of it because the disease is spread via extremely hardy protein molecules, known as prions, making it similar to mad cow disease, which did jump from cows to people. Mad cow disease is also fatal and without a cure. Michael Osterholm, director for the University of Minnesotas Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy who sat on a panel of experts tracking the emergence of mad cow disease, or BSE, decades ago, told lawmakers this: Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} An hour later, Christian was getting warm at the hospital, flanked by his grandma, brother and brothers girlfriend. My brother was crying, Christian said. My grandma was pissed. Christian recounts this story, in vivid and sometimes vulgar detail, a few feet from the school coordinator, Dorothy Hart. Hart hates when he swears, when he talks about drug use, but she can see far enough into Christian, into his past, to accept who he is. She knows that he bounced between his mom in California and his dad in La Crosse, as both parents grappled with substance abuse. She knows that, as a boy, he worked long hours so his family could afford groceries, and that his dad sometimes withheld food as a way to punish him. She knows that he has long struggled with his mental health, once trying to shoot himself with a .22 he had gotten for Christmas, only for the gun to jam. And she knows that he has dealt with many more trying circumstances and toxic influences dealt with them, and risen above them. Bullet Cab owner Mian Mike Ahmad and his family received support from fellow La Crosse residents. Me and my family are very grateful to the community of La Crosse for their help and support. Lets all of us stand against crime, Ahmad said. La Crosse police intend to pursue enhanced penalties for hate crimes as allowed under Wisconsin law and refer the case to the La Crosse County District Attorneys office for prosecution, authorities said. The La Crosse Police Department will not tolerate hate crimes, racism or any other cowardly act meant to alienate a member of our community. We are a diverse city with a history of acceptance. We will not allow that to change. During the initial on-site investigation, police could not find any surveillance cameras on neighboring houses or business, according to the criminal complaint. La Crosse police urge the community to help. Tips can be made anonymously and there may be a cash reward. The police department provided contact information for anonymous tips: 608-784-TIPS (8477) or online at www.lacrossecrimestoppers.com. There is also a phone app, the Crime Stoppers App P3, if people would like to submit a tip on their phone. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 7 - A nurse was captured on video assisting a "taong-grasa" who gave birth on the streets - Other people in the area also helped the woman - At one point, bystanders let out a gasp as the woman almost put her leg over her newborn son PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed! A video of a nurse assisting a "taong-grasa" who unexpectedly gave birth on the streets went viral. KAMI learned that the nurse was Dearest Ferry Lachica of Lourdes Hospital. The video uploaded on the FB page of Koalisyon Kontra Krimen showed how Ferry was in full control and handled things really well. According to the caption of the video, the "taong-grasa" unexpectedly gave birth right in front of the house of Lillia Layson in Manila last weekend. She was simply very thankful that several individuals helped the woman especially the nurse. In the video, it can be seen how Ferry took control of the situation. May people helped by providing towels, scissors and a whole lot more. 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! Many concerned bystanders were saying that they should not give the baby to the woman but should be turned over to DSWD. Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! Tricky questions: testing boys and girls of the Philippines for knowing some historical information. Who is smarter: boys or girls? Find out in the video! Source: Kami.com.ph - Public Attorneys Office chief Persida Acosta has broken her silence over measles outbreak controversy - According to Acosta, it was the Department of Healths fault and not hers - She also responded to Senator Risa Hontiveros call on her resignation PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Public Attorneys Office (PAO) head, Persida Acosta, has broken her silence regarding the on-going controversies over the measles outbreak. KAMI learned that the PAO chief has denied the allegations thrown at her. In a recent report by ABS-CBN News, Acosta said that the vaccination rates were already decreasing even before the Dengvaxia scare happened. Sila ang may kasalanan n'yan," Acosta said. She also argued if the Department of Health (DOH) has been actively promoting their vaccination programs for she has been approached by some people who want to get vaccinated. Kaya po may lumalapit na rin sa atin na nagpapatulong dahil hindi nabakunahan ang kanilang mga anak. Eh yun nagkasakit ng measles, Acosta 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! Acosta has also made it clear that they do not condemn the governments vaccination programs and that they are just against Dengvaxia. As previously reported by KAMI, Senator Risa Hontiveros has called on for the resignation of Acosta. The senator and the DOH have pointed out that the measles outbreak in some parts of Luzon and Visayas attributed to the low vaccination coverage due to the Dengvaxia scare allegedly led by Acosta. Acosta has responded to the statement of Hontiveros as reported by Manila Standard. She said, Eh bakit s'ya ba ang boss ko? According to Acosta, there were at least 100 reported killed by the Dengvaxia vaccine which is supposedly used to prevent dengue. In addition, there have been more than 70 deaths reported due to the measles outbreak according to the CNN Philippines. Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! What will Filipinos do if a 10-year-old child asks them to light his cigarette? Let us see right now. on KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel! Source: Kami.com.ph - Some public officials have aired their side regarding the incident involving a Chinese national throwing a cup of taho to a police officer - Sen. Panfilo Lacson said that the Chinese lady must be declared as an undesirable alien - Vice President Leni Robredo stated that the incident must be a wake-up call to all Filipinos PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed A Chinese national went viral for throwing a cup of taho to a cop at MRT Boni station last Saturday, February 9. KAMI learned that several lawmakers aired their side regarding the viral incident. In a tweet, Senator Panfilo Ping Lacson said that the Chinese national should be declared as both undesirable and alien. "Shes undesirable. Shes also an alien. Declare her as both," Lacson said. Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano also shared his opinion regarding the incident but blamed the government for it. "This is what happens when our government itself favors the Chinese and calls our country a 'Province of China.' Nagiging second-class citizens ang mga Pilipino at binabastos ng mga dayuhan sa sarili nating bayan," Alejano said. Hindi lamang ang ating mga mangingisda at mga sundalo sa West Philippine Sea ang nakararanas ng bullying dahil pati mismo ang ating mga kapulisan ay hindi ginagalang," 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! Vice President Leni Robredo also aired her side as reported by ABS-CBN News. According to her, the incident was not just an act to disrespect the police, but also a way of showing disrespect to the entire Philippines. She also said that the incident must serve as a wake-up call to the Filipinos. "Hindi lang pambabastos sa pulis pero pambabastos ito sa bansa natin," Robredo said. "Wake-up call iyon sa ating lahat. Ano ba talaga? Maraming reklamo na iyong mga trabahong dapat sana sa Pilipino, nabibigay pa sa Intsik. Tapos ito pa, parang kinakalinga natin sila tapos binabastos nila tayo," she added. However, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Locsin Jr. has something to say regarding Robredos statement. "Disrespects all Pinoys" That's a lotta taho, Locsin said. The Foreign Affairs chief also commented regarding the urge to deport the Chinese national. Absolutely. Charge her. But deport? Shes a student who believes enough in us to study here, Locsin said on Twitter. In a previous report by KAMI, Chinese national named Jiale Zhang, a 23-year-old fashion student, was caught throwing a cup of taho to Police Officer 1 William Cristobal for prohibiting her to enter at the MRT station due to the new security measure which bans liquids inside the train stations. The Chinese fashion designer student has been detained at the headquarters of Mandaluyong police. She will be facing charges of disobedience to a person in authority, direct assault, and unjust vexation. Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! What will Filipinos do if a 10-year-old child asks them to light his cigarette? Let us see right now. on KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel! Source: Kami.com.ph The candidate search would likely take several months, so Gruhn said the village wants to make a decision quickly on whether to proceed with Premier Solutions Group. Even if the village does not end up going with the company, Gruhn said she still hopes to hire a part-time administrator. I think its going to happen at some point, Gruhn said. I just dont know what the timetable is. Im just going to hope it happens before the end of the year. In Dover, the ideal part-time administrator candidate would be someone who could also write grants, Stratton said, because a grant-writing administrator could pay their own salary in a roundabout way. The administrator would also be a reliable point of contact for companies and state officials as Dover moves forward with exploring any potential developments or incorporation, something Stratton said he has been doing. But, he said, he cannot always make it to the meetings because Town Board positions are part-time. Its not like Im throwing my hands up and not going to be doing my chairman duties, Stratton said. I do them now, and some extra. Stratton said the town would probably do a direct hire instead of using a staffing service. MOUNT PLEASANT The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is hosting a public meeting on future construction on a portion of Highway KR, a project that is expected to include acquisition of properties and possible relocations. The section of the highway that is to be worked on is about 400 feet east of the intersection with Highway H, extends east for 2.8 miles and ends past the intersection of Highway KR and Old Green Bay Road/Taylor Avenue along the Mount Pleasant and Somers village border and the Racine/Kenosha county line. The public hearing is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28, at the Somers Village Hall, 7511 12th St. (Highway E). Interested members of the public can attend during that time to review displays and other hearing materials, ask questions, and provide testimony. The project would replace the existing two-lane rural Highway KR with a four-lane urban roadway that has two 12-foot travel lanes in each direction, divided by a median. RACINE COUNTY Vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles are making a comeback in some areas of the United States with unvaccinated populations. While most schools in Racine County have high vaccination rates for students, the numbers vary from school to school; some have rates that are significantly lower than what epidemiologists say are ideal to prevent outbreaks. Generally, the percentage of children who are fully vaccinated was slightly lower at schools in the western part of the county than at Racine Unified schools, and significantly lower at some private and parochial schools, according to information from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for the 2017-18 school year. Wisconsin requires that students receive a minimum number of immunizations at certain ages and grade levels. Students are required to receive vaccines for polio, hepatitis B, chicken pox and a combined vaccination for measles, mumps and rubella. These requirements can be waived for health reasons, because of religious beliefs or because of personal convictions. This means that a school can have a low vaccination rate, but still be compliance with the law, as long as unvaccinated students have waivers. Local rates Were close, very close to a complete Republican takeover of government, he wrote. We have not been able to pass our agenda in part because we do not have enough power. But in several posts he made clear he wasnt afraid to drift from the party line, writing if I ever find myself always agreeing with the Republican Party powers that be, then I have probably stopped thinking for myself. Even as some national and state Republicans have attempted to limit early voting and have described making Election Day a national holiday as a power grab, Hagedorn on his blog had a different take. Voting is so important and ought to be so much a part of our civic culture, that a holiday may make the most sense, Hagedorn blogged. He also argued against the influence of money in politics, and called for all contributions to candidates and political parties over $200 should be disclosed. Neubauers Democratic connection Similar political writings have not emerged for Neubauer. But her critics point to her own background as evidence she, too, has documented partisan leanings. RAYMOND Two men are facing criminal charges after one of them allegedly fired an air rifle at a house in Raymond. According to a news release from the Racine County Sheriffs Office, deputies were called to the 3500 block of 80th Street at 1:35 p.m. for a report of shots being fired at the house, resulting in damage to the windows. The residents described the vehicle that fled to the deputies and another deputy located the vehicle near the intersection of Interstate 94 and Highway 20. The four occupants of the vehicle were taken into custody. Investigators determined that the vehicles operator, 22-year-old Louis E. Johnson from Racine, had shot a CO2-powered air rifle resembling an AK-47-style rifle at the victims house. Johnson was also carrying a .38-caliber handgun on his person and had an outstanding warrant. Deputies found more than 86 grams of marijuana in the vehicle. Johnson was arrested and is being charged with recklessly endangering safety, possession with intent to deliver marijuana, carrying a concealed weapon, disorderly conduct while armed and criminal damage to property. "One's education is not complete without a study of comparative religion or the history of religion and its relationship to the advancement of civilization," wrote Justice Tom Clark for an 8-1 majority. "It certainly may be said that the Bible is worthy of study for its literary and historic qualities. Nothing we have said here indicates that such study of the Bible or of religion, when presented objectively as part of a secular program of education, may not be effected consistently with the First Amendment." The decision highlighted the line between Bible study and study of the Bible. Bible study is an examination of scripture to glean spiritual and moral truths. Given the various ways that various faith traditions interpret and emphasize the chapters and verses, it's best fit for a church setting. Study of the Bible is an interrogation of the accounts to glean cultural insights. Given the skeptical rigor of academic inquiry, it's well suited for a classroom setting. Problem is, the advocates behind these biblical-literacy bills championed by Trump, are openly trying to blur that line. The Lincoln area is in a winter weather advisory until midnight, and forecasters are calling for the possibility of both ice and snow. Lincoln had already seen light freezing drizzle Monday morning, and the National Weather Service was forecasting up to 0.1 of an inch of ice for the area, with higher amounts possible west of Seward. The Lincoln area is forecast to get 1-2 inches of snow Monday night into Tuesday morning, with higher totals forecast to the east and south. The weather service said on Twitter that "uncertainty is relatively high" when it comes to forecast snow totals, especially for extreme Southeast Nebraska, which could see 4-5 inches. The National Weather Service said "travel difficulties should be expected," especially in the afternoon and during the evening commute. Already Monday morning, westbound lanes on Old Cheney Road were temporarily shut down due to slick conditions, according to scanner traffic. The closure stretched from 70th Street to Nebraska 2. Police in Lincoln had responded to 15 crashes reported by 11 a.m. After the snow moves out Tuesday morning, the forecast calls for slightly warmer temperatures, with a high of 34 on Tuesday, 41 Wednesday and 33 Thursday. Another storm is forecast to move into the area Thursday night, bringing a chance for snow. It also will usher in much colder temperatures, with the forecast calling for a high of only 19 on Friday. 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. Matt Olberding Business reporter Matt Olberding is a Lincoln native and University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate who has been covering business for the Journal Star since 2005. Follow Matt Olberding 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 While the way Southeast Community College has taught aspiring health care professionals has changed dramatically over the last few decades, the learning spaces it uses have not. The classrooms and labs where future nurses, respiratory therapists and surgical technicians learn have been largely the same since the 1970s, even as education has become more reliant upon technology. SCC is hoping to breathe new life into its 16 health science programs with a $22.6 million building in the early construction stage at its east Lincoln campus. It will be the first new standalone building erected on the campus near 84th and O streets, said SCC President Paul Illich, and one of three projects planned for the college's three campuses. Originally part of a $369 million bond issue defeated by voters in 2016, the health science complex in Lincoln, a classroom building in Beatrice and a diesel technology building in Milford will be built within the college's existing tax levy authority, Illich added. "With the bond not passing, we're starting with a much smaller set of projects," he said. "We're still going to be able to do some significant things. The needs haven't changed at all." Later in the day, Hilgers offered an amendment to a pending bill (LB616) he had previously introduced to speed up construction in order to conform to the new agreement during a hearing before the Legislature's Transportation and Telecommunications Committee. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The newly authorized financing process would avoid the alternative of attempting to accelerate construction through the issuance of public highway bonds. The creative financing approach will allow the state to continue to "keep the promises we have made to other communities" in terms of highway construction while completing a major project that is "long, long overdue," Schneweis said. "Thank you very much for figuring this out," Beutler said. Schneweis said he expects "plenty of bids" on the accelerated project, with the prospect of some construction team efforts. A bonus of moving up the completion date is "I'll be the first governor to drive on this," Ricketts said with a smile. At the committee hearing later in the day, Schneweis said the new financing process has been approved by the state attorney general. Supporters of the South Beltway lined up at the hearing to praise the agreement, focusing on increased safety for motorists. Americas premier classical pianist, Emmanuel Ax, was on the Lied Center for Performing Arts mainstage Sunday afternoon. Ax has a long pedigree which embraces school honors at Juilliard, numerous Grammys and classical music awards. Two Brahms Rhapsodies from Opus 79 opened the recital. Decisive attacks and perfect fingering made the pieces elegant and well declaimed. The simple approach worked for the George Benjamin Piano Figures (2004). The works were created for young students. Ax spoke of the composition with admiration, then added his mastery to the artful Benjamin pieces. Extreme sensitivity was felt in the playing of Robert Schumanns Fantasiestucke, eight pieces that are intricate yet emotionally taxing. Ax navigated his way through the tuneful, wistful melodies, matching both the elegant and the decisive Schumann passages. Maurice Ravels Valses Nobles et Sentimentales followed intermission. Axs arms moved like necks of graceful swans in running through the accidentals and sweeping phrases of the Valses, all of which found perfection in flawless keyboard artistry. Timpte Inc. is celebrating its 135th year in business with one of the largest building projects David City has seen in some time. The trailer manufacturer is in the process of expanding its manufacturing plant in David City, where it has been based for more than 40 years. President/CEO Dale Jones said Timpte looked into building a new headquarters elsewhere but decided to expand its site in David City because it was the most viable option. We visited Indiana, we visited Kentucky, we visited a variety of locations where we potentially might move some of our production, and after all of that data collection and analysis we came back and said, 'were going to stay here,' Jones said. This is the best place for our product, in the heartland of the country, and were going to make a major investment into our facilities. Timpte employs about 440 people, 300 of which work out of David City. The expansion is expected to add anywhere from 30-60 new jobs. Jones said one of the concerns with hiring is the constraint of limited local housing, and David City Mayor Alan Zavodny said he agrees. 1. Comments must not be racist, misogynistic, homophobic, or otherwise bigoted. 2. Comments must not involve little more than name-calling and insulting remarks. 3. Comments must not be made by "anonymous" or "unknown". 4. Comments must not try to sneak in some free advertising for themselves (like spam). I invite anyone who wishes to comment on this blog to do so. I enjoy the comments, whether you agree with what I have said or not. But some people want to abuse the right to comment, and since this is my blog, I have decided to lay down the following rules. If your comment violates these rules, it will not be published. MATTOON -- Investigators are looking into fires Monday morning that heavily damaged two separate, vacant sections of the former U.S. Grant Motel. The Mattoon Fire Department reported in a press release that firefighters responded at 4:13 a.m. Monday to two working structure fires at the former motel, 1313 Lake Land Boulevard. Upon arrival, fire crews reported heavy flames showing through the roof of the north apartment complex and smoke coming from the southwest apartment complex. These two structure are on the south side of Olive Avenue, across the street from the former motel's main building. The on scene command requested a box alarm assignment due to multiple structures on fire. Additional personnel were needed. The Mattoon Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the Charleston Fire Department, Mattoon Police Department, Ameren Illinois and Dunns ambulance. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Fire crews worked to extinguish both fires. All apartments were vacant at the time of the fire. No injuries have been reported. The Mattoon Fire Department reported that the origin and cause of the fire is still being investigated with the assistance of the Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office. Investigators were still on scene late Monday morning. Chief Tony Nichols of the Mattoon Fire Department said the two buildings where the fires occurred Monday morning had no electrical or natural gas service. He said investigators are trying to determine if the fires were caused by vandals, squatters, or some other factor. "We are trying to look at all possibilities to see what might have happened there," Nichols said. He noted that one of the buildings that was damaged Monday morning also had been the scene of a Nov. 19 fire with an undetermined cause. U.S. Grant Motel property owner Jessy Draves, who also owns The Castle pub nearby, said he has hired a local demolition contractor to tear down the most damaged of the two buildings in the near future and haul away the debris. "I was already preparing to tear that down anyway. That fire kind of accelerated the process," Draves said. The property owner added that he is still finalizing his plans for the other former U.S. Grant Motel buildings south of Olive Avenue, but he has finished renovating the two story brick house there and plans to rent out this house. Contact Rob Stroud at (217) 238-6861. Follow him on Twitter: @TheRobStroud Love 2 Funny 2 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. CHARLESTON -- A judge now says news media will be allowed to cover a Coles County juvenile court case following his review of juvenile law. A Journal Gazette/Times-Courier reporter was prevented from attending a hearing Friday for a teenager accused of threatening fellow Charleston High School students. On Friday, Circuit Judge Jonathan Braden barred the reporter from the hearing because the attorney for the teen objected to the reporter's presence. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} However, Braden later sent a statement to the newspaper about his review of the news media access to juvenile cases. He said the news media will be allowed to attend further hearings in the case. On Monday, Braden said he hadn't anticipated news media representatives attending the hearing and relied on the attorneys' comments. State's Attorney Jesse Danley didn't take a position on the defense's motion. Braden said he read the charge to the suspect, who entered a denial to its allegations. A status hearing for the case was then scheduled for March 8, he said. The 17-year-old student was charged in juvenile court with disorderly conduct. Charleston police said he was arrested on Dec. 3 after receiving reports that he threatened to shoot other students. An investigation found that the threat was "only verbal" and there was no evidence that "the student had any real thoughts" of harming anyone, according to a news release from Charleston police. Contact Dave Fopay at (217) 238-6858. Follow him on Twitter: @FopayDave Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 MATTOON The Lake Land College Board of Trustees is scheduled tonight to hear the spring enrollment summary and vote on two campus improvement projects. The spring 2019 10th-day enrollment summary will include figures on total student headcount enrollment at Lake Land and on total-full time equivalency credit hour enrollment. Regarding the campus improvement projects, the board will consider hiring CCIMW, LLC of St. Charles, Mo. to paint campus light poles. CCIMW submitted the lowest of three bids for this painting project. The board also will consider hiring Carpet Weaver's Commercial of Champaign for $41,850 for a carpet replacement project at the West Building. Carpet will be replaced in the commons areas, several offices, and three classrooms in this building. Carpet Weaver's submitted the lowest of three bids for this carpeting project. In addition, the board will consider adding Pauly's BBQ of Arthur to the list of approved caterers for Lake Land. Tonight's board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the Board & Administration Center. A full agenda and related documents for the meeting can be viewed online at https://www.lakelandcollege.edu/board-of-trustees/agendas-board-books-minutes/ Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ARTHUR Ervin Kauffman visits Yoders Kitchen, a local homestyle restaurant, often. Sometimes he arrives alone. But I get visitors, he said. They just sit down with me. Its not difficult to find company at the popular restaurant. Yoders has built a tasty reputation for its made-from-scratch cooking and equally homey atmosphere. The restaurant recently completed renovations and keeps packing in the patrons. Located in Arthur, a small town of a little more than 2,000 people, the restaurant staff feeds people from all over Central Illinois and beyond with a full menu of comfort food favorites. Groups travel from larger cities, such as Decatur, Champaign and Mattoon, just for Yoders traditional meals. Its not uncommon to walk through the restaurant and not have anyone from Arthur sitting here, said Anna Herschberger, 51, who has owned Yoder's with her family since Aug. 1, 2002. Yoders Kitchen became a staple as an Arthur restaurant in 1994. Herschberger was one of the waitresses. Before the building became recognizable as Yoder's Kitchen, Das Huber Haus served food in the front area and held auctions in the back. Herschberger said she was hesitant when the Yoder family offered to sell her the business more than 15 years ago: Because I was working here and did have a little bit of history, I guess they felt I would be qualified to do it. Yoders Kitchen has an Amish feel the delicious smells of freshly prepared food, the murmur of friendly conversation from all those visitors and a welcoming atmosphere that says make yourself at home. Sandy Dolan of Arthur visits the Yoders Kitchen often with friends and family. Its a very friendly environment, she said. Dolan meets with friends during a weekly breakfast. Idalene Watkins of Arthur joins them, along with her daughter Nancy Snoddy when she visits from Charleston once a week. Yoders is often one of their weekly stops. I like to see people that I know, Snoddy said. The ladies agree Saturdays at Yoders will have visitors from all over the region. Its the buffet, said Betty Trout. Thats what I like best. Another draw is the gift shop located inside the restaurant. Trout said she has purchased books, clothing, picture frames. And a little bit of everything, she said. But I just enjoy looking and browsing around. In a small town, it is a great place to come to if you happen to need a gift, Watkins said. Although she said she no longer follows Amish customs, Anna Herschberger was raised in an Amish family and has kept many of the important beliefs, especially in the kitchen. My mom was an amazing cook and served meals in her home for many years, said Herschberger, who said her mom was known for serving guests on the front and back porches of her home. So when the Herschbergers built a 4,500-square-foot addition to the main restaurant two years ago, they lovingly called the new area "The Porch." Which added 85 more seats, she said. And we added a specific carry-out area and we added catering. Since the restaurant was feeding more people, the staff need more space behind the scenes. One of the favorite additions is the dish room. It was just too small, and we couldnt get our dishes done fast enough, said Derrick Herschberger, manager and Herschbergers second son. The special room has an area for dish soaking: Like a Jacuzzi, said manager and Herschbergers oldest son Daren. A power soaker and larger automatic dishwasher are part of the assembly line. In 2006, the restaurant gained its own bakery where cookies, angel food cakes and cinnamon rolls are made. And we make all of our own breads in-house, Daren Herschberger, 31, said. The Herschbergers said the goal of the additions was to make the business more welcoming to the public. When they began the renovations two years ago, they included bathroom improvements, additional dining areas and a large banquet room. We have increased our business, Anna Herschberger said. We are busier, because of it. The food, however, has remained the same. Its all home cooking, Anna Herschberger said. The staff is able to accommodate large groups without prior notice. People just walk in. They have 25 with them, and they dont call ahead, Anna Herschberger said. We have room for them. The family said the food is the draw. And the atmosphere, she said. Our waitresses and staff have been here awhile, too, Derrick Herschberger, 29, said. They get to know them. That brings them back. The Herschbergers said they do little advertising, but reputation travels pretty far. We are doing more on Facebook, Derrick Herschberger said. But its mainly word of mouth. The catering business has grown through the grapevine as well. Holidays and festivals are big business for Arthur, as well as the restaurant. The Arthur fireworks is our busiest day of the year, Herschberger said. Herschberger said she is looking forward to retiring and leaving the business to her sons someday. The two men have been fundamental in the growth of the restaurant. It's been a successful business model: Family will always be important to the Herschbergers, not only their own, but their customers' as well. Its all about family, Anna Herschberger said. Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 This blog generally follows traditional journalistic standards. It's not about opinions, though you may read one here occasionally. It's about facts that we think will be useful to rural journalists, non-rural journalists who do rural stories, and others interested in rural issues. We don't try to be provocative, so we don't generate as many comments as most blogs with the level of traffic we have, but we certainly invite comments -- and contributions, to . REPUBLICATION Iran will be a main focus, as instability in the region stems from that country. Strong reactions to the conference by the regime in Iran were expected, so it was no surprise when Tehran summoned the Polish Ambassador and publicly called for cancellation of the conference. The international community has begun to realize that the Iranian people want change and an to the alternative to this regime. Iranians are supporting the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). In fact, on the first day of the conference, a rally will be held to voice support for the NCRI led by Maryam Rajavi as the democratic alternative to the regime. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Algerian Prime Minister Sid Ahmed Ghozali, former US Senator Robert Torricelli and several Polish Members of Parliament and the Senate will also participate in rally. A press briefing will be held prior to the rally. Concerns over this regimes human rights violations at home, its export of terrorism in the region through its proxies, as well as its support for the Assad dictatorship in Syria, have drawn criticism from abroad and sparked ongoing anti-regime protests at home. The regime has increased its terrorist activities against its main opposition, the MEK and the democratic coalition of the NCRI, who they admit are the power behind the anti-regime activities. The MEK formed Resistance Units all over the country during 2018. These units maintain the pace of the protests. The protests during 2018 saw more than 10,000 people arrested including many MEK activists. State controlled media report that MEK activists have been sentenced to several years for participating in the protests. Meanwhile, the regime has launched a massive propaganda and disinformation attack to counter the MEKs growing popularity inside the country. In Warsaw, at the conference, the Iranian people who are gathered there will call for the delegates to condemn the ongoing human rights violations in Iran, and will demand a firm policy on the regime. As well, the people will urge that strong actions be taken against the regime over its terrorism outside Iran, and that the right of the Iranian people to overthrow the religious dictatorship ruling Iran be recognized and supported. Maryam Rajavis ten-point plan for a free republic base on separation of religion and state, gender equality, and a non-nuclear Iran is what the Iranian people desire, and will go far towards establishing peace in the Middle East. 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 Salvini Calls For Elimination Of Italy's Central Bank,"Prison Time For Fraudsters LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 348173 02-11-2019 02:42 AM Post: #1 Salvini Calls For Elimination Of Italy's Central Bank,"Prison Time For Fraudsters Advertisement Matteo Salvini, the outspoken head of the anti-immigrant League party, said the Bank of Italy and Consob, the countrys stock market regulator, should be "reduced to zero, more than changing one or two people, reduced to zero", or in other words eliminated, and that fraudsters who inflicted losses on Italian savers should "end up in prison for a long time." As the FT notes, this latest broadside against Italys financial establishment comes as the two parties which are increasingly at odds with each other amid speculation Salvini may hold elections to become the sole leader of Italy, prepare to run against each other in the European parliamentary elections in May, a contest widely seen as a proxy for national polls. Meanwhile, both leaders have also increased their attacks against targets including the EU and French president Emmanuel Macron. Confirming the rising animosity between the two coalition partners, the League and Five Star have openly squabbled over the future of an Alpine rail line and migration, while the two leaders repeated attacks against France which culminated with Di Maio meeting the leaders of the anti-Macron Yellow Vest moment, triggered a diplomatic crisis which last week saw Paris recall its ambassador from Rome. Saturday's latest verbal crackdown targeting of the Bank of Italy comes after central bankers issued more pessimistic economic growth forecasts for this year compared with the numbers underpinning the governments budget. As we reported last month, Italy entered into a technical recession in the second half of 2018, with the Bank of Italy cutting its GDP forecast for 2019 to 0.6% compared with a 1% forecast made by the government. At the same time, the European Commission slashed Italy's GDP forecast from 1.2% to a borderline recessionary 0.2% for the full year, hinting that Italy's budget deficit forecast will not only be missed, but could re-emerge as a focal point of renewed tensions between Rome and Brussels in the coming months. https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-02-1...fraudsters On Friday, in a moment of predictive insight, Bank of America correctly warned that the greatest threat to EPS - i.e., markets - in the next 3 years "is an acceleration of global populism via taxation, regulation & government intervention." Just one day later, this warning to the financial establishment was starkly manifest in that ground zero for Europe's populist revolt, Italy, where the country's coalition government hinted at where the global populist wave is headed next when he slammed the countrys central bank leadership and stock market regulator, escalating its attacks on establishment figures ahead of the European parliamentary vote in May.Matteo Salvini, the outspoken head of the anti-immigrant League party, said the Bank of Italy and Consob, the countrys stock market regulator, should be "reduced to zero, more than changing one or two people, reduced to zero", or in other words eliminated, and that fraudsters who inflicted losses on Italian savers should "end up in prison for a long time."As the FT notes, this latest broadside against Italys financial establishment comes as the two parties which are increasingly at odds with each other amid speculation Salvini may hold elections to become the sole leader of Italy, prepare to run against each other in the European parliamentary elections in May, a contest widely seen as a proxy for national polls. Meanwhile, both leaders have also increased their attacks against targets including the EU and French president Emmanuel Macron.Confirming the rising animosity between the two coalition partners, the League and Five Star have openly squabbled over the future of an Alpine rail line and migration, while the two leaders repeated attacks against France which culminated with Di Maio meeting the leaders of the anti-Macron Yellow Vest moment, triggered a diplomatic crisis which last week saw Paris recall its ambassador from Rome.Saturday's latest verbal crackdown targeting of the Bank of Italy comes after central bankers issued more pessimistic economic growth forecasts for this year compared with the numbers underpinning the governments budget. As we reported last month, Italy entered into a technical recession in the second half of 2018, with the Bank of Italy cutting its GDP forecast for 2019 to 0.6% compared with a 1% forecast made by the government. At the same time, the European Commission slashed Italy's GDP forecast from 1.2% to a borderline recessionary 0.2% for the full year, hinting that Italy's budget deficit forecast will not only be missed, but could re-emerge as a focal point of renewed tensions between Rome and Brussels in the coming months. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 488581 02-11-2019 03:30 AM Post: #2 RE: Salvini Calls For Elimination Of Italy's Central Bank,"Prison Time For Frauds... Bank of America is criminal filth in thousand ways and fully in in this central banking filth scam...they and anyone stupid enough to be relying in thier crimes are the only ones in danger LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 488581 02-11-2019 03:31 AM Post: #3 RE: Salvini Calls For Elimination Of Italy's Central Bank,"Prison Time For Frauds... LoP Guest Wrote: (02-11-2019 03:30 AM) Bank of America is criminal filth in thousand ways and fully in in this central banking filth scam...they and anyone stupid enough to be relying in thier crimes are the only ones in danger they all deserve execution not prison, and they all damn well know it they all deserve execution not prison, and they all damn well know it Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread During this protest against the Iranian Regime, the leader of the Iranian Resistance, Maryam Rajavi, gave an inspiring and rousing speech about the Iranian peoples uprising, which began in December 2017, and how now was the time to overthrow the Regime. Maryam Rajavi said: With the overthrow of the Shahs corrupt dictatorship and his regime of torture, his true successors, namely Khomeini and Khamenei, took over the helms. Our people faced a whirlpool of horror and darkness which they had to go through in order to achieve freedom Today, we are hopeful and we can see the signs of victory culminated in the uprisings and protests throughout the past year. Maryam Rajavi then paid tribute to those who led the anti-monarchic revolution in 1979, which was later usurped by the mullahs, and all of the Resistance members who have lost their lives in the past 40 years trying to secure the freedom promised by that revolution. She also paid tribute to those who were arrested, arbitrarily killed, or tortured to death during the Regimes crackdown on the latest uprising. Maryam Rajavi told the crowd: You convey the cries of all Iranians against tyranny and dependence. You are the voice of all Iranians who call for the overthrow of the clerical regime and demand the establishment of a republic, based on democracy and separation of religion and state. From here, we would send our warmest greetings to the protesters in Iran, to the freedom fighters of the resistance units, and the standard bearers of freedom all across the nation. Maryam Rajavi then asked the international community to respect the Iranian peoples fight for freedom and recognise their goal of liberating Iran and the world from the tyranny of the mullahs, advising that Western governments abandon their appeasement policy, which has only emboldened the mullahs and recognise the Iranian Resistance. Maryam Rajavi stressed that the international community, specifically the US and Europe, must blacklist the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) and the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), both of which are used in the mullahs terrorist schemes, but also to suppress the Iranian Resistance. If the world continues with its appeasement policy, Maryam Rajavi warns that it will prolong the suffering of the people of Iran and the Middle East, as well as increase terrorism in Europe and the US. Maryam Rajavi said: The Iranian people and Resistance do not want this regime to have any bullets, or sell any barrel of oil, or spend a single dollar of the Iranian nations wealth on suppression and terrorism. The objective of the Iranian people and their Resistance is to overthrow the regime in its entirety. The goal is freedom, democracy, and the sovereignty of our peoples republic. N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday, 11 February, began his day-long hunger strike in New Delhi to demand special status for Andhra Pradesh and fulfilment of commitments made by the Centre under the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. Today we came here all the way to protest against central government. Yesterday, Pthe M visited Andhra Pradesh, Guntur, one day before the dharna. What is the need, I am asking, the chief minister said while protesting at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan on Monday. "If you wont fulfil our demands, we know how to get them fulfilled. This is about self respect of people of Andhra Pradesh. Whenever there is an attack on our self respect, we wont tolerate it. I am warning this government and particularly the PM to stop attacking an individual." - N Chandrababu Naidu, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Shiv Sena was also represented at the TDP event by member Sanjay Raut, who reached the venue of Naidus day-long strike to lend the partys support to the protest. Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut at Andhra Pradesh CM & TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidus day-long fast in AP Bhawan, Delhi. Speaking at the protest, Naidu alleged that the BJP was building a hate campaign among the people of the country. The present Prime Minister and NDA government, they are dividing the country. They are building a hatred campaign among people. Ultimately, they want political gain, but it can't be, he said. He also said he is ready to give it back to PM if he makes personal attacks against our people. Naidu Back to Theatrics & Histrionics: Amit Shah Reacting to the anti-Modi protest and day-long hunger strike led by Naidu, BJP President Amit Shah noted in an open letter to the people of Andhra Pradesh that the CM was back to theatrics and histrionics. Calling Naidus actions a result of fearing defeat in the upcoming elections, Shah said that Naidu had made multiple U-turns and is carrying on a malicious propaganda against the Centre and BJP leadership to divert peoples attention from his failures. Saying that Naidu had gone too far by attacking PM Modi and questioning his concern about Andhra Pradesh, Shah wrote, It should be noted that the Congress never bothered about the aspirations of the people of Telangana, coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh state. Story continues Also Read: Oppn Wants To Impose Karnatakas Majboor Model in Country: Modi The Countrys PM, Not BJPs: Kejriwal Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, DMK's T Siva and TMC's Derek O' Brien at also joined the Andhra Pradesh CM and TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu's day-long fast in Delhi. I want to tell Pradhan Mantriji that he is not the BJPs PM but the prime minister for the country and the people. The way PM Modi treats governments of opposition parties in states seems like he is not the PM of India but PM of Pakistan, Kejriwal said at the protest. Derek OBrien congratulated Naidu, saying that TDP had been able to scare Modi in 2018 by bringing in a 'No Confidence Motion' in Lok Sabha. After that on 9 January 2019, the SP and the BSP came together. After that, what happened on 19 January? On that day senior leaders of 22 political parties came on the same stage, he added, referring to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjees rally in Kolkata. Explaining why he was mentioning these dates, he stated that after these incidents, BJP had found themselves a new ally the CBI. Loktantrik Janata Dal chief Sharad Yadav blamed the Modi government for unemployment, which he said were a result of demonetisation, reported PTI. The Constitution is being systematically destroyed, added former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Gegong Apang, who gave the BJP its first government in the Northeast 16 years ago. Congress leaders Anand Sharma, Ahmed Patel and Jairam Ramesh were also at the venue to express their support. Rahul Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Farooq Abdullah Join Protest Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, National Conference's Farooq Abdullah and NCP's Majeed Memon were among the political leaders who joined Naidu's protest at the Andhra Pradesh Bhawan on Monday. Lashing out at the prime minister, Abdullah said, Modi has stooped so low. He's making personal attacks against Naidu, who is doing great service for the country. "The Jammu-Srinagar highway is closed for six days. They cannot clear the 30km road, but they want to rule the country," he added. Adding his voice to the chorus of criticism, Memon alleged that the Central government was meting out step-motherly treatment to the state and the BJP was attacking Naidu because he has taken the lead in uniting rival parties against it. We will show the BJP its place in the elections. I assure you on behalf of Sharad Pawar ji, Memon stated. SP leader Yadav said he was not well but had come to endorse Naidu's stand. "Naidu is fighting the battle for the poor, the farmers and all those who are oppressed," he added. Stating that Naidu was fighting for a just cause, DMK leader Tiruchi Siva said the Modi government would be ousted in three months. Addressing the crowd, Gandhi questioned PM Modis commitment to the people of the state. Also Read: Naidu-Modi War Gets Personal, Andhra CM Questions PM on Jashodaben "I stand with the people of Andhra Pradesh. What kind of a PM is he? He did not fulfil the commitment made to the people of Andhra Pradesh. Mr Modi tells a lie wherever he goes. He has got no credibility left." - Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Manmohan Singh said that Andhras demand for special status has unanimous support from all political parties, and it should be done without any further delay, reported ANI. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, too, extended support to Naidu over his day-long hunger strike in New Delhi. Our party chief Mamata Banerjee has expressed her support towards Chandrababu Naidus hunger strike. She asked our party leader Derek O'Brien to visit Naidu at the venue of hunger strike and express solidarity. The Opposition stands united in the fight against the Modi government, a senior Trinamool Congress leader told PTI. Naidu Visits Raj Ghat Ahead of Protest Prior to starting what he calls the Dharma Porata Deeksha protest for justice Naidu paid his tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat and BR Ambedkar. The Telugu Desam Party president is expected to submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on 12 February, an official statement said. The chief minister was joined by his ministers, party MLAs, MLCs and MPs as well as members of state employee associations, social organisations and student organisations. Leader of several Opposition parties are expected to extend their solidarity to the Andhra Pradesh chief minister's protest. The TDP had walked out the BJP-led NDA last year protesting the injustice done to Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation. Not The First Hunger Strike Naidu had staged an indefinite fast at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in October 2013, demanding that if a separate state is carved out of then unified Andhra Pradesh, both should get equal justice. He was forcibly shifted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital the fifth day after his health deteriorated. Last year, the chief minister had observed fast Vijayawada on his birthday on 20 April demanding special status for the state. After quitting the NDA in March last year, the TDP had also moved a no-confidence motion in the Monsoon session of Parliament in July 2018, which was defeated. Modi-Naidu War of Words This comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Naidu locked horns and commented on each other. Narendra Modi, on Sunday, had slammed Naidu as backstabber of his uncle NT Rama Rao. He had said, You are a senior in backstabbing your uncle. Naidu responded with These remarks don.t befit the PMs chair. While addressing his party workers in Vijaywada, Naidu said What did he do with Advani? Advani saved him when Vajpayee demanded his resignation, he nurtured and mentored him, but he didnt even acknowledge his presence and exchange namaskaram. That is his culture. While saying that he doesn't attack someone personally, he said that he's forced to because Modi attacked him personally after the PMs remarks of describing Naidu as Lokesh's father. (With inputs from PTI and ANI) Also Read: Former Minister Kishore Chandra Deo Quits Congress, Could Join TDP . Read more on India by The Quint.RSS & BJPs Nehru-Netaji Cosplay: Irony Dies a Thousand DeathsChowkidar Chor Hai: Rahul Gandhi at Priyankas Maiden Roadshow . Read more on India by The Quint. Hooch tragedy: Death toll reaches 116, Adityanath speaks of 11 Feb 2019: Hooch tragedy: Death toll reaches 116, Adityanath speaks of 'conspiracy' Just as the death toll in hooch tragedy touched 116 on Sunday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath smelled a political conspiracy. Speaking to reporters on Saturday night in his turf Gorakhpur, Adityanath claimed Samajwadi Party leaders have been 'involved in such acts' in the past. Meanwhile, his government formed an SIT to investigate the case last night. Here are the details. Context: Backstory: Spurious alcohol killed 70 in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur The incident got attention last week after natives of Umahi, Salempur, and Gaganledi villages in Saharanpur district went to Haridwar for a post-death ritual. On Thursday, they consumed the illicit liquor and brought back a few packets with them. Those who drank alcohol started vomiting on Friday morning and were rushed to hospitals. At the time of press, 70 deaths were reported from Saharanpur. Fact: Separately, 36 people died in Uttarakhand While Saharanpur was worst affected by the tragedy, deaths were also reported from Kushinagar with 10 people dying in this Eastern UP town. In Uttarakhand, 36 people lost their lives. Notably, 12 in Uttarakhand and 4 in UP are said to be critical. Arrests: Police got to action, arrested two people in Uttarakhand With the grieving families demanding strict action against the perpetrators, police in both states swung to action. Uttarakhand police arrested two accused, identified as Fakira and Sonu, recently. The father-son duo told police they purchased the alcohol from Uttar Pradesh and sold it in villages of Haridwar district. They also claimed the liquor didn't have its usual color and smelled of diesel. Crackdown: Meanwhile, UP police arrested 215, filed cases against 297 Separately, in UP, police came down heavily on illegal alcohol trade. The police arrested 215 people and filed cases against 297 others. In raids carried out in different parts of the state, 9,269 liters of moonshine was seized. Story continues Meanwhile, Siddharth and Ramkrishna Tiwari, circle officers of Saharanpur and Kushinagar districts were suspended. Adityanath also announced ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh for the kin of deceased. Political turn: Opposition slams BJP, demands action against accused The tragedy took a political turn when the opposition slammed the BJP, which is the ruling party in both the states. BSP Chief Mayawati demanded a CBI probe and said excise ministers of both the states should step down. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Congress in-charge for Eastern UP, also demanded punishment against the guilty. Facing pressure from all sides, Adityanath hinted at SP's 'involvement'. Fact: Such incidents happened in the past, can't deny conspiracy: Adityanath "In the past too, such type of mischievous acts by SP leaders had come to fore. In Azamgarh, Hardoi, Kanpur and Barabanki, SP leaders were found to be involved in past hooch tragedies. We can't deny conspiracy this time too," Adityanath said on Saturday. Rebuttal: Hitting back, Akhilesh Yadav says BJP can't handle UP Not being the one to lie low, SP President Akhilesh Yadav shot back at Adityanath over his 'conspiracy claims'. He said, "The opposition has been notifying the government about such activities, but they did not act as some of its leaders are involved." Yadav also claimed such businesses can't flourish without the government's support. He said BJP should accept they can't govern UP. SIT: SIT will investigate the conspiracy angle Notably, the SIT constituted by the UP government has been specifically asked to find out if the tragedy stemmed from any conspiracy. The five-member SIT, headed by ADG (Railways) Sanjay Singhal, has been asked to submit its report in ten days. The probe team has also been directed to suggest measures to stop recurrence of such incidents, said an official spokesperson. 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. 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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/ CBI begins day-2 of questioning Rajeev Kumar: Details here 10 Feb 2019: CBI begins day-2 of questioning Rajeev Kumar: Details here After a gruelling eight hour-long questioning session on Saturday, the CBI, on Sunday, commenced questioning Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar again in the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam. Notably, former TMC MP Kunal Ghosh, who had earlier claimed Kumar's role in the scam, had also been asked to be present during the second day of the questioning session. Here's more. Kumar: Kumar is likely to be questioned on his role For those unaware, Kumar had been the head of the special investigation team (SIT) probing the Saradha chit scam before the Supreme Court transferred the case to the CBI. Ghosh, for his part, had earlier claimed that Kumar had been active in all aspects of the SIT probe, and the CBI is likely to question Kumar about Ghosh's statements. Details: The CBI will be referring to a 91-page letter For the same, the CBI will refer to a 91-page letter sent to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) by Ghosh, who was expelled by the TMC. In the letter, Ghosh had explained in detail the role of Kumar in handling the investigation into the chit fund scam after the main accused in the case, Sudipta Sen and Debjani Mukherjee, fled to Kashmir. Sen and Mukherjee were arrested in 2013. Fact: Ghosh had also implicated Mamata Banerjee's right-hand man Ghosh had also implicated former TMC and current BJP leader Mukul Roy, who was once the right-hand man of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and 12 others in the Saradha chit fund scam. CBI team: The CBI Joint Director Eastern Region is leading the team A ten-member team constituted by CBI to probe chit fund scams is questioning Kumar in Shillong. The officials, who hail from New Delhi, Bhopal, and Lucknow, were briefed about the Saradha chit fund case in detail by senior CBI officials before they headed out. The team is being led by the CBI Joint Director for the Eastern Region Pankaj Srivastava. Story continues Allegations: What the CBI has accused Kumar of In its submission to the Supreme Court, the CBI has alleged that Kumar "destroyed and tampered with" call records of those accused in the Saradha case, apart from holding back evidence. The agency has also claimed that Kumar committed offenses under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code. Kumar, however, has repeatedly denied the allegations. Controversy: Last week, a major controversy had broken out A major controversy had broken out last week when the CBI attempted to raid Kumar's residence, but the Kolkata Police stopped them. The CBI team was then briefly detained and let off. Subsequently, Mamata Banerjee began an indefinite dharna against the Center, but called it off later after the SC directed that Kumar could be questioned on "neutral" grounds, but no coercive action could be taken against him. An Army camp in Jammu and Kashmirs Uri was cordoned off in the early hours of Monday, 11 February, after security personnel detected suspicious movement in the area. The Army Artillery unit at Rajarwani detected suspicious movement around the camp and opened fired, reported news agency ANI. Army and police officials are conducting a joint search operation in the area. Two people are also being questioned about the incident. Vinay Kumar, Commanding Officer 53 Battalion CRPF told ANI that the operation is still going on. "Operation is going on. I will tell you the exact situation after assessing things on ground." - Vinay Kumar, Commanding Officer 53 Battalion CRPF to ANI In 2016, 17 soldiers and four militants were killed after militants had attacked the Rear Base of an Army unit deployed in Uri. (This is a developing story. More details are awaited.) (With inputs from ANI) . Read more on India by The Quint.RSS & BJPs Nehru-Netaji Cosplay: Irony Dies a Thousand DeathsWhats Worse Than A Heartbreak You Ask? Heres Your Answer Dearies . Read more on India by The Quint. AK AL AS AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA GU HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA PR RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VI VA WA WV WI WY IceViking strongly condemns physical attacks and harassment directed towards them. They are also often victims of the Islamic idea. This is true when it comes to the cruel and tragic treatment of Muslim women and children when it is in accord with the Koran, the example of Mohammed and Islamic law, Sharia, which may be applied regardless of where a Muslim male may find himself in the world, whether in a Muslim or non-Muslim country. However, in no way, shape or form should one judge all Muslim men because of what is in Islamic scripture and what constitutes the Islamic law, Sharia. "Race", ethnicity or basically anything that you are "merely" born with should never be a basis for bigotry and discrimination. Apostates from Islam have been executed for 1400 years in accord with the Koran and the words and actions of the Islamic prophet Mohammed and Islamic law, Sharia. They should be lovingly helped. Furthermore, approximately as many as 11,000,000 Muslims may have been killed by other Muslims since 1948. To quote the website The Religion of Peace (TROP), edited by Glen Roberts: While it may be safe to say that a true Muslim would not intentionally kill another true Muslim ( 4:92-93 ), the Quran places no such value on the life of a Muslim who is not true. Consider verse 9:73 : Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them, their abode is Hell. The Arabic for strive hard uses the same root as Jihad - and the context in this sura is holy war (see v. 86 and 91). Thus, there are two distinct classes of people that a true Muslim is to target with harshness: disbelievers and hypocrites. A disbeliever obviously refers to a non-Muslim, so a "hypocrite" must be a Muslim of some sort. In fact, hypocrites are those who say they believe, but do not act as they should. In other words, they are "Muslims", but not true Muslims. They will go to hell just as unbelievers do, and so, according to the verse, their lives matter for naught. The same sura says that a hypocrite can be recognized not just by lack of piety (reluctance to follow Sharia), but by fear of death ( 9:56 ), reluctance to fight ( 9:44-45 ) and even friendliness toward non-believers ( 9:67 ). A true Muslim would thus be a pious person who relishes martyrdom, is eager to fight, and shuns non-believers. Even the Quranic passage that warns against killing "believers" ( 4:88-94 ) is more complicated than it first appears. It never says that a true Muslim is incapable of killing another Muslim, just that it should not be done. In fact, it makes exceptions for the unintentional killing of "believers" in war and mandates the killing of "hypocrites." Verse 17:33 says, "Do not kill anyone which Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause" . The greatest cause of all is that Islam be superior ( 9:33 ), which is exactly what Islamic terrorists say is their goal. Thus believing Muslims are allowed to be collateral damage in the war on unbelievers. There is sadly a phenomena that I`ve noticed in Sweden and elsewhere of people using true facts about Islamic doctrine and history as a cover for all sorts of irrational targeting of Muslims, ranging from xenophobia and racism to verbal abuse and physical attacks. This is strongly condemned by this website and does not in any way serve serious criticism of orthodox Islam and other important work. It`s also important that one tries to express oneself in a civilized way. Words matter. In this bloggers humble opinion the root cause of the problem is the ancient doctrine of orthodox Islam. In simple terms a non-Muslim is a Kafir. " The Koran defines the kafir and kafir is not a neutral word. A kafir is not merely someone who does not agree with Islam, but a kafir is evil, disgusting, the lowest form of life." An exact quote, as stated in the writings of Dr. Bill Warner in the article "Kafir" at http://www.politicalislam.com/kafir . In the perfect Koran (Allah`s direct and literal word as revealed to Mohammed through the angel Jibril), Muslims are told 89 times to emulate Mohammed in all ways (see Koran 33:21 for instance). Mohammed`s example, the Sunna, is found in the Hadith (stories of what Mohammed said and did) and the Sira (biographies of Mohammed). Islamic law, Sharia , is directly derived from these unchanging scriptures. It is based on the Koran`s numerous commands to obey Allah and obey the Messenger, that is Mohammed (see Koran 4:59 for instance). Islam is Sharia. Sharia is Islam. It is a capital crime for Muslims to deny Sharia in any way. A Muslim is someone who submits to Islam and submitting to Islam means obeying the Sharia of Allah. Sharia law includes pronouncements for both Muslims and non-Muslims (Kafirs). Islam is a "complete way of life", a "complete code of life", a "complete system of life". Islam is not just a religion but also a comprehensive ideology. Islam is a supremacist ideology. Islam is a totalitarian and imperialistic ideology akin to Communism and Nazism. Islam is a civilization. Islamic law, Sharia, is a manual for a civilization. Islamic law, Sharia, governs every aspect of life. It has a say about every conceivable human act . Non-Muslims are morally and legally inferior in Islam. Women are morally and legally inferior in Islam. The History of Jihad: From Muhammad to ISIS by Robert Spencer is the first one-volume history of jihad in the English language and a great book on the topic. Allah guarantees Paradise to those who "kill and are killed" for him (Koran 9:111). A hadith depicts a Muslim asking Muhammad: "Instruct me as to such a deed as equals Jihad (in reward)." Muhammad replied, "I do not find such a deed." (Bukhari 4.52.44) Muhammad himself said: I have been commanded to fight against people so long as they do not declare that there is no god but Allah, and he who professed it was guaranteed the protection of his property and life on my behalf except for the right affairs rest with Allah. (Sahih Muslim 30) Freedom of speech, human rights, democracy, science and human lives are all at stake in the fight against the Islamic Jihad. Remarks: This came out in 1994, going gold in the US, UK and New Zealand. It is made from her mothers sayings. Desree is a one-hit wonder in the US, but ... 3 days ago Dr. Henk Aay, who is a senior research fellow with the Van Raalte Institute at Hope College, will present the address Chris Stoffel Overvoorde: History and Landscape Paintings of the Netherlands and America on Wednesday, Feb. 20, at 9:30 a.m. at the Holland Area Arts Council. The public is invited. Admission is free. The lecture has been scheduled in conjunction with the exhibition Seeing Through Dutch Eyes: Landscape Images of Chris Stoffel Overvoorde at the Holland Area Arts Council, and is also among the events celebrating the institutes 25th anniversary. The exhibition of scenic paintings opened on Friday, Jan. 11, and will continue through Monday, Feb. 25. Overvoorde was born in Capelle aan de IJssel in the Netherlands to two Dutch parents and immigrated to the United States when he was 22. He completed the Visual Arts program at Kendall School of Design in Grand Rapids and later attended the University of Michigan and received a BSD in 1964 and MFA in 1966. Also in 1966, he became a U.S. citizen and began teaching at Calvin College, where he served as an art professor for 31 years and as director of exhibitions for nearly 10. As an artist, he has been active as a graphic designer, painter, printmaker and as a worship environmentalist. He received his first award in 1962 and has since received more than 30 awards. He has participated in more than 100 group, juried and invitational exhibitions throughout the Midwest, and has presented more than 50 solo exhibitions in the United States, Canada and The Netherlands. In 2003 Eerdmans Publishing produced Passing The Colors, a book in which he recalls his journey as an immigrant, as a Christian and as an artist. In 2004 the Grand Rapids Art Museum installed a retrospective exhibit: Chris Stoffel Overvoorde, A Life in Art. His works are present in many public and private collections, including the Grand Rapids Art Museum and the Muskegon Museum of Art. Aay has been researching Dutch language and culture for more than 30 years. From 1982 until retiring in 2012, he taught at Calvin College, where he was a professor of geography and environmental studies. He was also the inaugural recipient, from 2006 until 2012, of the Frederik Meijer Chair in Dutch Language and Culture, with his activities including Dutch Heritage Month activities at Calvin each April for several years. His engagement with Dutch history and culture has also included several sabbaticals conducting research at the University of Groningen and the Free University in Amsterdam; conducting research at the Roosevelt Study Center in Middelburg in 2011 through a Fulbright Scholarship; and leading multiple Calvin academic programs to the Netherlands. He has written numerous articles about Dutch and Dutch-American culture and history. Aay was born in the Netherlands and immigrated to Canada with his family when he was 13. He graduated from Waterloo Lutheran University (now Wilfrid Laurier University) in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, with a bachelors degree in geography and planning in 1969, and completed his doctorate in geography at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1978. He joined the Van Raalte Institute as a visiting research fellow in 2012 and became a senior research fellow in 2013. Founded during the 1993-94 academic year, the Van Raalte Institute specializes in scholarly research and writing on immigration and the contributions of the Dutch and their descendants in the United States. The institute is also dedicated to the study of the history of all the people who have comprised the community of Holland throughout its history. The institutes anniversary events began with an open house at the colleges Theil Research Center on Tuesday, Nov. 27. In addition to the exhibition, events have included a presentation on the life and times of Mrs. Albertus (Christina) Van Raalte at Hope Colleges Winter Happening on Saturday, Jan. 26, and a revival during the same weekend of Max Bushs well-received play, Vision of a New Life, based on the writings of the Rev. A.C. Van Raalte, founder of Holland, Michigan, and co-founder of Hope College; on Saturday and Sunday. This spring will see the formal release of Provost Emeritus Dr. Jacob E. Nyenhuis monumental history, Hope College at 150. The Holland Area Arts Council is open Mondays from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesdays-Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and is closed on Sundays. The Holland Area Arts Council is located in downtown Holland at 150 E. Eighth St., between College and Columbia avenues. Last year I wrote an article on six reasons why you should have a farm website. The main reason is because your farm is a business, and every business can be found on search engines (such as Google) when people want to learn more. If you agree this is important, then you might want to know what information you should have on your website that can help build trust in your farm and the dairy industry. Here are the questions I would ask you if I was going to build your dairy farms website. You can use these as a template to build your own. Write down the basics about the farm What's the name of the farm? Why did you pick this name? Where is it located? What is/are your name/s? How did you get into farming? How long have you been farming? Do you know the history of your farm and the land? What are your future plans for the farm? Think about the products and services you provide What crops are you growing? How are you growing those crops? What excites you the most about the crops? What animals are you raising? How are you raising them? What excites you the most about your animals? What products do you produce? How are you producing them? What excites you the most about these products? Why do you farm? How does your farming help your consumer? What family values mean the most to you and why? Pretend you are giving a farm tour What would you say about these different areas on your farm? Business area Calving area Barn/Housing Cow feed Milking parlor Maternity/Hospital barn Employees How can people get in touch with you? Address Phone Email Social media connections Now I would take all of that information and divide it into different sections on the website. Combine all of this information with videos and images of the farm, the animals, the equipment, and the employees. HOMEPAGE: The farm name and who we are. Why do you farm? How does your farming help your consumer? What family values mean the most to you and why? ABOUT US PAGE: This page would address these questions: What's the name of the farm? Why did you pick that name? Where is it located? What is/are your name/s? How did you get into farming? How long have you been farming? Do you know the history of your farm and the land? Please make sure your family values are in the text. OUR COWS PAGE: What breed of cow is at your farm? How big is a dairy cow? How much milk do they produce? Where do they live? What excites you the most about them? This page could also include questions (along with your answers) that you get from consumers about the cows. OUR LAND PAGE: What crops are you growing? How are you growing those crops? How are the crops used at your farm? What do cows typically eat? How much food do they eat and how much is grown at your farm? How do you manage cow manure? What is your sustainability story? How are you handling the manure from the cows? This page could also include questions (along with your answers) that you get from consumers about the land. OUR PRODUCTS PAGE: How much milk do your cows produce? Where does that milk go? How can consumers be assured their milk is safe? What steps do you do at the farm to assure its safety? When will milk from your farm be at the store? What excites you the most about the milk you produce every day? Again, this page could include questions (along with your answers) that you get from consumers about your products. DAIRY FARM TOUR PAGE: I would encourage you to produce text or videos about each one of these different sections on the farm: Home/Business area/Family life Calving area Barn/Housing Cow Feed Milking Parlor Maternity/Hospital Barn Employees BLOG PAGE: You could also publish a blog on your website so that you can easily share farm updates or address timely issues or questions from consumers. Blogs are a great tool to effectively communicate your farms story. CONTACT US PAGE: Address Phone Email Social Media Connections If you have questions about building a website for your farm, please reach out to your local checkoff or you can ask me at don.schindler@dairy.org. If you would like to learn more about your national dairy checkoff, please join our Dairy Checkoff Facebook Group or visit dairy.org. The author is a Senior Vice President of Digital Initiatives at Dairy Management Inc. MERTZ, Ill. In a matter of seconds, Triston Walsh went from being really mad at his mom to thinking she was the best mother in the world. Julie Walsh had told the Millstadt teenager last month that she sold the 1990 Ford Bronco that belonged to his father, Nick Walsh, a Marine sergeant who was killed in Iraq 12 years ago. But she was actually conspiring with a local car dealership to have the vehicle restored for his 16th birthday. More than 100 people, including a military color guard, gathered in the Mertz Ford showroom on Saturday to see the staff present Triston with the shiny red vehicle with tan trim. They erupted in cheers when he climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine. "It just means so much to me," said Triston, who wiped away tears with his shirt sleeve. "I'm just really happy that I'm able to have a piece of my dad left with me." After the big surprise, family and friends celebrated Triston's birthday with a patriotic-themed dessert table at the dealership, which had red, white and blue stars hanging from the ceiling. Nick's official military portrait was displayed on an easel, along with his dress uniform. A sign listed all the automotive suppliers that donated parts for the restoration. "It was overwhelmingly sweet," said Julie's cousin, Karrie Vanhosser, 44, of Troy. "The look on his face was priceless. It makes me sad that his dad wasn't here to see it." Triston is a sophomore at Belleville West High School. He turned 16 on Saturday, but he won't be getting his driver's license until February. Triston was 4 years old when Nick was killed in a 2007 sniper attack in Fallujah. One of their last adventures was a road trip from Colorado to California in the Bronco, just the two of them. Triston and his brother, Tanner Walsh, now 12, had always expected to inherit the vehicle when they were old enough to drive. They were furious when it disappeared from the garage one day in December. "(Triston) said, 'Where's my dad's truck?'" said Julie, 39, a stay-at-home mom who also has two daughters. "And I was like, 'Well, kiddo, I had someone come out and look at it, and it's going to cost way too much to fix it, so I sold it, and I'm going to use the money to buy you a better car.' " Triston stormed upstairs to his room and spent the better part of two weeks giving his mother the silent treatment. In reality, Julie had contacted Mertz Ford to get an estimate on restoring the Bronco. The dealership sent a tow truck to pick it up while the boys were in school. "It was in pretty rough shape," said Service Manager Ricky Boyer, 34, of Granite City. "It was garage-kept, so it looked pretty good, but there were mechanical problems from it sitting around for so long." Boyer sprang into action. He contacted several automotive suppliers that agreed to donate parts. Mertz technicians Tim Jarrett and John McCall volunteered to work nights and weekends on the vehicle without pay. They installed a new radiator, suspension system, battery, rotors, brake pads, tires, rims and other parts. They rebuilt the intake manifold and rear differential, secured the sagging headliner and performed a tune-up. "We pretty much wanted to touch every nut and bolt on the vehicle because of its age," Boyer said. "We wanted it make sure it was safe and dependable for him." Mertz Ford is a 97-year-old family business owned by Don and Debbie Mertz. They gave their blessing to the Bronco project, as did General Manager Greg Castelli. "It started out as something small, and it just kept growing," Don said. "Everybody was chipping in, and our employees agreed to do the work on their own time. I'm so proud of them. It was all for someone who made the ultimate sacrifice." The former Julie Kilgore is a Millstadt native who met Nick in 2001 while tending bar at a Marine Corps ball in North Carolina. He was stationed at Camp Lejeune. At first, Julie slipped him a fake phone number (867-5309 from the Tommy Tutone song "Jenny"), but Nick wouldn't give up the idea of landing a date with her. He returned to the bar singing "Jenny" and begged for her real number. "He was charming, and he had this big smile," she said. "I just couldn't not give it to him." The couple fell in love and moved back to Illinois when Nick left the Marines. He worked construction, took classes at Southwestern Illinois College and joined the U.S. Navy Reserve. Then he served as a stay-at-home dad with Triston after Julie got a nursing job. The couple married in 2005, two days after Nick rejoined the Marine Corps. "He said, 'I just have this need. I just feel like this is my purpose,'" Julie said. "It was his calling to be in the military and serve his country." Nick was stationed at Camp Pendleton in California when he left for his first Iraq deployment, which lasted about six months. It was Nick's father, Jerry Walsh, who bought him the Bronco in 2006. Nick wanted a retro truck with big tires to haul his gear. He flew to Colorado to pick up the vehicle and drove it back with Triston. "They took the scenic route through the mountains because Nick wanted Triston to see it," Julie said. "They slept in the truck and had kind of a bonding experience. Nick loved what he was doing (in the military), but he felt bad about missing some of Triston's milestones." Nick left for his second Iraq deployment on April 1, 2007, about three months after Tanner was born. Julie had her last conversation with him on the morning of May 26 his time. Nick complained of not being able to sleep. He cried and talked about how much he missed his family and wanted to come home. Julie found it odd because he was always the one who was strong and upbeat, insisting that everything was going to be OK. A few hours later, Nick's reconnaissance unit reportedly had to stop on the streets of Fallujah because of a flat tire on a Humvee. When help arrived, Nick got out of the vehicle and stood in a circle with about a dozen military personnel. Then came a loud bang. "His one friend said he felt a bullet whiz by him and then he heard Nick say, 'Oh, that hurts,' and then he just fell to the ground, and everybody ran to take cover," Julie said. A sniper's bullet had hit two of Nick's arteries and punctured his lung. He was 26 when he died. The next morning, Triston was watching cartoons and Julie was feeding Tanner when two Marines in dress uniforms knocked on her door in California and delivered the tragic news. She said, "I thought, 'How can I tell his son, "Your dad is never coming home?'' ' "Triston was just so excited every time he called. He just couldn't wait. He was so attached to him." Julie and the boys lived in Chicago for two years before moving back to Millstadt in 2010 with Julie's partner, Nick O'Donnell, a history teacher at Belleville East High School. They now have two daughters, Tatum, 3, and Tinley, 8 months. The couple had to tell another little white lie on Saturday to get Triston to Mertz Ford. Supposedly, the dealership was selling a car that was suitable for him to test drive. When the family walked into the showroom, the Bronco was hidden behind a paper curtain that eventually was ripped away so the vehicle could pull forward. Triston seemed stunned and speechless. He slowly walked up to the passenger door and peeked inside. "Do you want to get in it?" his mother said. "Yeah," he answered, prompting laughter from the crowd. No one at the gathering looked happier than the Mertz staff. The Bronco's restoration had become a labor of love and an act of patriotism. Client and Community Relations Manager Amy Kern, 41, of Belleville, noted that both her grandfathers served in World War II, and one was a prisoner of war. In the past month, walking into the service department and seeing the Bronco gave her goosebumps. "This was a way of showing (Triston) that the community cares, that the country cares," she said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CHICAGO Prosecutors on Monday asked Illinois' highest court to review the less than seven year prison sentence for the white Chicago police officer who was convicted in the shooting death of black teenager Laquan McDonald. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the special prosecutor who won a murder conviction against former officer Jason Van Dyke, Kane County State's Attorney Joseph McMahon, said they believe Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan improperly applied the law last month when he sentenced Van Dyke to six years and nine months in prison. In a rare move, Raoul and McMahon filed a request with the Illinois Supreme Court seeking an order that would send the case back to Gaughan for a new sentence. "This is the first step in asking the court to declare that the trial court improperly sentenced Jason Van Dye for the murder and aggravated battery of Laquan McDonald and to order a new sentencing hearing," Attorney General Kwame Raoul said at a news conference. Monday's court filing was the latest chapter in an ongoing saga that has included massive demonstrations, the firing of the police superintendent by the mayor and the ouster of the county's top prosecutors by voters a few months later. Dashcam video of the shooting released by the city in 2015 showed Van Dyke continued to fire after the 17-year-old McDonald fell to the ground. The sentence was the first imposed on a Chicago police officer for an on-duty shooting in a half century. It followed a jury's decision in October to convict the officer of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery one count for each bullet fired into McDonald. Van Dyke's attorneys did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday but planned to hold a media availability later in the day. The central issue in the petition is an Illinois law that allows a judge to sentence a person for only the most serious crime when he is convicted of multiple crimes for what amounts to a single act. Gaughan determined that second-degree murder was the more serious crime, even though it carries a lighter sentence than aggravated battery between four and 20 years in prison versus six to 30 years in prison. Both Raoul and McMahon steered clear of saying whether they believed the sentence handed down by Gaughan was too short, but their filing sets in motion a legal battle that could ultimately result in the court forcing the judge to impose a longer sentence. In a brief he filed before sentencing, McMahon sought a sentence of at least 18 years in prison, arguing that even if the judge determined that just two of the 16 bullets that struck McDonald caused "serious bodily injury" the law clearly states that the minimum sentence had to be 18 years. Many legal experts say Gaughan was wrong and have pointed to a 2004 Illinois Supreme Court ruling in which a majority of justices concluded that aggravated battery is the more serious charge because it has a higher sentence. In fact, of the two charges, only aggravated battery with a firearm carries a mandatory prison sentence. A judge can place a person convicted on second-degree murder on probation, something that Van Dyke's attorneys sought. Prosecutors cannot directly appeal a sentence but are seeking what is called a writ of mandamus, which can result in an order from the Illinois Supreme Court telling a judge to adhere to the correct law. "This is the only way for us to challenge the legality of a sentence," McMahon told reporters Monday. Absent a new sentence and with credit for good behavior, Van Dyke will likely serve only approximately three years. In one of his first moves after taking office in January, Raoul announced he would review the sentence Gaughan had handed down just days earlier. Raoul bristled when asked Monday whether politics played a role in his decision, as was suggested by one of Van Dyke's attorneys when Raoul announced he was evaluating the case. "This is not a political question," he said. "This is a question of law." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DECATUR Wherever you're heading this morning, plan on it taking longer than usual to get there. The National Weather Service at Lincoln has issued a winter weather advisory until noon for much of the region, including Decatur, and freezing rain is likely this morning. It follows a predicted overnight frigid cocktail of minor snowfall and freezing rain and, even with ice accumulations not expected to top one-tenth of an inch, the weather service said it would be enough to make driving treacherous in places. The Monday morning commute is what were focusing on right now, weather service meteorologist James Auten said. And even though any icing or any glaze will be less than a 10th of an inch, that could be enough for untreated surfaces to get slick and create an issue. The weather service issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook warning covering the weather pattern which also alerted to a a final wave of wintry precipitation due to hit Central Illinois from Monday night into Tuesday. This wave will include rain Monday night and then switches to a mix of rain and snow for Tuesday; snowfall accumulations are pegged at an inch or less. Auten said precipitation drains away after Tuesday but is back by Thursday with rain and a high of 47 before temperatures begin another plunge towards the weekend. A mix of rain and snow is likely Friday, with a high of 41, and then snow likely again Friday night as the mercury takes a steep drop to a low of about 17. Snow is forecast as being likely for Friday night but Auten, speaking Sunday night, said he could not say how much might be in the forecast. Its too far out to tell right now, he said. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Sundays brush with snow and freezing rain saw both State Police and county police responding to several accidents linked to drivers losing control in the slippery conditions. A semitruck driver who skidded and rear-ended another vehicle on Interstate 70 in Fayette County on Sunday morning was ticketed for driving too fast for conditions, according to state police. A Decatur accident that occurred during a time of slick roads Sunday evening was still being investigated Sunday night to determine its exact cause, said Sgt. Erik Ethell with Decatur Police. Ethell said a vehicle crashed into a light pole around 5:14 p.m. in the 900 block of West Main Street and the male driver sustained injuries and was taken to Decatur Memorial Hospital. Lt. Jamie Belcher with the Macon County Sheriffs Office said the Sunday day shift had dealt with four accidents attributed to weather: two on Interstate 72, one on U.S. 36 near Harristown and on U.S. 51 near Macon. Belcher echoed the warnings about Mondays commute and urged drivers to be wary. Give yourself extra time and take it slow, he said. Reasons we can't wait for spring and summer in Decatur Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Robert Nichols is the state senator for Senate District 3. First elected in 2006, Nichols represents 19 counties, including much of East Texas and part of Montgomery County. He can be reached at 699-4988 or toll-free at (800) 959-8633. DECATUR Lynelle Smith, 62, made a pair of lavender gloves that had the look of store-bought. She knitted black lace for an ornate touch. Its no different than making a pair of socks, she said. Its kind of fun to make. Smith is one of the experienced and talented knitters at Tuesdays Knit Nite, the Decatur Area Arts Councils weekly knitting group. She has been knitting for more than 55 years. Theres not too much I cant tackle, she said. Although her work is intricate and creative, Smith does what she can to make sure newbies are comfortable and ready to learn. Just have fun with it, she said. And if you make a mistake, I always call it an enhancement of the pattern. Tonda Atchason has been the go-to person for the Knit Nite group for 15 years. The group meets on the Decatur Area Arts Councils second floor at 7 p.m. every Tuesday. Throughout their existence, they have had a steady membership of about 12 knitters. In the summertime, its more than that, Atchason said. New knitters be warned: Once you get started, you wont want to stop. I have been in a lot of womens groups, Atchason said. This is probably one of the best I have ever belonged to. Some of knitters use simple techniques in creating scarves, blankets or wash clothes. Others knit more complicated pieces, such as gloves. There are some beautiful things that people do, Atchason said. Im not one of those people. One of the group's appeals is the expertise available to knitters of all skill level. We have talented knitters, Atchason said. They will put down what they are doing to teach you to knit, show you how to knit, to help you with a pattern, to help anyway that they can. The end product is interesting, but the process in getting there is most of the fun, group members agree. The knitters work on their projects, but they use the two-hour meetings to talk about children, husbands and current events and celebrate any occasion with food. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Knit Nite is filled with women, but men are welcomed to attend as well. For example, a group of Millikin University men have joined previously. The only alteration to the meeting is the subject matter. We talk about our pets, Rebecca Robinson said. Beginners are welcome. They will need to bring needles and yarn and the desire to learn, Atchason said. Members of the Decatur Area Arts Council can attend for free. Those wanting to try out Knit Nite can for $3 a visit. The weekly meetings are designed to help encourage other knitters. They get the basics, Atchason said. But we will give you the bug. According to the knitters, the hobby can be expensive or economical. A stocking cap can be made with one skein, or ball of yarn, for less than $5. Others have created items from original patterns with $60 of yarn. You dont do these things to save money, Betty Wheatley said. And you dont do them to sell them and make money, Robinson added. You will never get paid for your time. Robinson had a stroke less than a year ago. She took a break but returned to Knit Nite recently. I come because it is a good peer group, she said. This group is the most open, the most accepting. Kathy Trusner, 67, attended her first Knit Nite in 2004. She soon learned there was more to the meetings than making a scarf and she wrapped herself in the opportunity. Its more of the camaraderie of the women, she said. This is mindless knitting. Knitting is only one of the hobbies Priscilla French uses to create interesting pieces. She also looms, crochets, paints and does Japanese braiding. She also does double-knitting, or two layer fabrics with knitting on both sides. I cant do that here, she said. With the pattern, I have to count continuously. I cant visit and count at the same time. Although French can create unique projects on her own, she prefers to attend Knit Nite. This is a good place to meet other people with my addiction, she said. You have to be with other fiber-holics. Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR Love 1 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. DECATUR A 19-year-old man was sentenced to a total of 20 years in prison Monday for the repeated rape and sexual abuse of two Decatur girls younger than 13. In an emotional sentencing hearing punctuated by sobs and cries of outrage from family members, Taylor R. Szekely pleaded guilty to the predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Macon County Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Geisler sentenced Szekely to 15 years on the predatory criminal sexual assault charge, a Class X felony, and to five years on the count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony. The sentences were the maximum allowed under a 20-year sentence cap agreed to at a plea deal approved when Szekely first admitted his guilt at a hearing Dec. 21. "But nothing I do here today can take back what has already occurred," said the judge as he passed sentence. "I am well aware of that." Defense attorney Scott Rueter called family members to testify who described Szekely as having cognitive disabilities. They said he had been seeing a therapist and was immature for his age. Szekely read a statement apologizing for what he had done and explaining that he "wants to make it right" and said he yet hoped he could become a productive citizen. Rueter suggested a sentence of 10 to 12 years would be appropriate. Victim impact statements from the girl victims and their mothers were then read to the court. One child told the judge: "Tyler deserves a lifetime in prison for what he did. He knew what he was doing was wrong but he did it anyway." The other child said: "Your Honor, my life has been changed by this; he ruined my life, I don't love myself no more; I don't want to have friends no more. I used to be happy and now I'm mad and sad." Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Over the objections of the defense, the judge allowed one of the girls' fathers to address the court. He said the court must show that "the demons will be taken care of, and they will serve time for their wrong doings." Macon County Assistant States Attorney Kate Kurtz argued for the maximum sentence. She said Szekelys cognitive issues did not affect his ability to know right from wrong, and the girls he harmed would carry the emotional damage for the rest of their lives. In addition to the prison sentence, Szekely was ordered to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. After Geisler passed sentence, factions from the victims and Szekelys families broke into a shouting confrontation in the courtroom and had to be physically separated by court security officers. They were kept apart and allowed to leave the building separately as they shouted threats and recriminations at each other. A sworn affidavit about the charges from Decatur police detective Eric Matthews described the victims as best friends who were assaulted together. One girl told police the abuse took place until a week before Szekelys arrest on July 27. The abuse was discovered when the mother of one of the girls was checking through her daughters cellphone and found disturbing Facebook Messenger conversations. Matthews said the content of the conversations led the mother to believe her child was being raped. 2019 mug shots from the Herald & Review Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. DECATUR Richard J. Rush, the man accused of repeatedly punching an employee during a dispute at his Decatur workplace, was sentenced to 24 months' probation Monday. Rush, 57, appeared in Macon County Circuit Court and pleaded guilty to a single charge of aggravated battery, a Class 3 felony. Macon County Assistant States Attorney Christina Mullison said the incident dated to 6:30 a.m. on the morning of Nov. 3 as work assignments were being handed out at construction supplies firm Goedecke. A sworn affidavit from the Macon County Sheriffs Office said Rush, described as a driver, became upset he could not work with a particular fellow driver. The affidavit described him as punching the employee handing out the assignments in the head, knocking him to the ground. When he attempted to get up, Rush punched him on the left side of his face causing him to fall again, said the affidavit, which also said Rush threatened to get a gun and kill the employee. Outlining the plea deal to the court, defense attorney Philip Tibbs was careful to point out that the man attacked by Rush was not his supervisor, even though he was the handing out the assignments, but a fellow employee. As part of his sentence, Rush was also ordered to stay away from the victim and his former workplace, perform 100 hours community service and pay $250 to have his DNA indexed in a Illinois State Police crime database. Asked for comment after the hearing, Rush said, I am happy with the sentence, and added he was glad he wasnt facing jail or prison time. The maximum sentence for aggravated battery in a public place is five years in prison. He did not wish to comment further about the incident. 2019 mug shots from the Herald & Review Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. MOUNT ZION Boy Scout Troop 43 celebrated its 75th birthday on Sunday, and paid lasting tribute to the memory of one of its shining stars. As hundreds of scouts, Scout leaders and well-wishers gathered at Troop 43s spiritual base, Mount Zion United Methodist Church, Troop Chaplain Timothy Lee announced the creation of the Logan Stephen Palmer Leadership Success Program. The program will help deserving Scouts move ahead by funding scholarships, hosting training and providing leadership opportunities in the memory of Logan S. Palmer. The 23-year-old, who earned his Eagle Scout rank with Troop 43, was one of 10 sailors killed when the USS John S. McCain guided-missile destroyer collided with a merchant tanker off Singapore on Aug. 21, 2017. Palmer will be further honored with a gold star in his memory that will become a permanent part of the Troop 43 flag. Logans star will be the first, and we also want to add stars for anyone who was in our troop and lost their life in the active armed services, Lee said. Palmers parents, Sid and Theresa, and other members of his family were in the audience Sunday, and Sid Palmer shared a tearful hug with Lee as he got up to speak and acknowledge the tribute being paid to his fallen son. Fighting back more tears, Sid Palmer said his son had reached out to have an enormous influence in his short life. The proof of that had come in all the cards, letters and gifts of condolence that had arrived to honor him from all over the world. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Echoing the Scout motto, Palmer told the audience: Just always do your best, because you never know who you are going to influence. Boy Scout Troop 43 has certainly wielded its share of influence over the lives of young men over the years. It takes its 43 number from the year it was formed, 1943, when fathers marching off to World War II wanted to create an organization that would help raise their sons right at home. Lee said the founder was Mount Zion man Michael Duggan, and its estimated that the Scout troop has touched the lives of more than 500 families over the past 75 years. Asked why he thought the troop had endured so long, the chaplain said a tried and trusted formula of taking Scouts on adventures like trips to Yellowstone and Washington, D.C. and giving them a chance to learn and master new skills, never grows old. Our key, our theme, is to build the tools people need for life, Lee said. And its worked. PHOTOS: Locals honor Palmer by planting flags from Life Foursquare Church to Harristown Cemetery Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. FORT WORTH, Texas What some people thought was a healthier alternative to smoking cigarettes has left at numerous people across the nation disfigured and burned after their electronic cigarettes exploded. Now, their attorneys have filed lawsuits targeting the manufacturers of e-cigarette batteries and the vape stores that sell them. The issue of e-cigarette safety resurfaced after 24-year-old William Brown of Fort Worth was killed last month when his e-cig exploded in his face, causing an artery in his neck to be severed. Its not known what type of device he was using, if it was modified or what company manufactured the battery. Austin-based attorney A. Craig Eiland has four open lawsuits involving injured smokers of e-cigarettes and said all four of his clients face long, hard roads to recovery. Eiland works alongside his co-counsel, Angela Nehmens of Levin Simes Abrams LLP in California. We have retained 50 cases and have filed 20 so far, Nehmens said of her firm. Five of those, including Eilands cases, are in Texas. We have clients who have lost teeth or theyve had projectile pieces of the (device) go into their neck and skin, she said. We have one gentleman who is paralyzed in part of his body because of nerve damage. The injuries in the lawsuits Eiland has filed are significant. On July 7, 2016, an e-cigarette device inside the left pants pocket of 25-year-old Michael Turner of Houston exploded. He was treated in a burn unit for second- and third-degree burns spanning from his left thigh to his calf. The battery was an Efest IMR 18650. On March 19, 2017, a man in Pearland was injured when his device exploded in his pocket, causing him to catch fire. The e-cigarette was manufactured by WISMEC USA. A Brownsville woman was injured on May 24, 2017, when her device exploded in her purse. It caused her purse, pants, undergarments and shirt to catch fire. She suffered second- and third-degree burns. That suit targets Samsung SDI, Co., which manufactured the battery. Also in May 2017, an e-cigarette being held in the pants pocket of Jeff Hause, 31, exploded, causing severe burns to his genitalia and left leg. He was hospitalized for 11 days. The battery was manufactured by LG then incorporated into a SMOK GX350 modification. Some e-cigarette modifications allow users to purchase batteries that are bigger and last longer, or tanks that hold more liquid. Electronic cigarettes arent yet regulated by the FDA and going after the battery manufacturers poses its own difficulties because theyre made abroad, Nehmens said. Samsung and LG are two major brands, she said. The batteries arent meant to be used with electronic cigarettes. Theyre very high-powered batteries that are meant to be used in power tools and things like that. We have an expert we use who has likened these to bullets. You have a bullet in your pocket that can explode at any time. Gregory Conley with the American Vaping Association said injuries from electronic cigarettes are rare when you consider that millions of adults use vapor products regularly. They are generally linked to mechanical mods, a type of product that represents a continually shrinking minority of the market. These devices contain no internal circuitry to stop fire incidences, and thus can be dangerous if used improperly, Conley said. When any lithium-ion battery-operated device is subjected to extreme conditions or used with unwrapped or damaged batteries, short circuits can occur, he said. Users of modern devices like JUUL or virtually any product that is not a mechanical mod have nothing to fear from this story, as internal safety mechanisms designed to dramatically reduce the chances of battery issues occurring have become a standard in the industry. Conley said his group supported the Cole-Bishop Amendment, which would have required the FDA to set standards for batteries used in vaping products. It didnt pass. As more cases wind through the courts and become publicized, the possibility of more lawsuits seems likely. Researchers have found more than 2,000 reports of e-cigarette explosions that caused injuries over a period of two years. A recent study, done in part by Dennis Thombs, dean of the School of Public Health at UNT Health Science Center, showed that e-cigarette injuries are widely underreported across the nation. Researchers found that there were an estimated 2,035 e-cigarette explosions and burn injuries in hospital emergency rooms from 2015 to 2017. That number was more than 40 times higher than the number of injuries reported by the FDA from 2009 to 2015. The study also found a lack of a surveillance system to track those injuries. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 It is heartbreaking that Montanas wildlife managers still allow Northern Rockies fishers to be trapped. Their dwindling population could be on the brink of extinction, but fisher were denied federal protections because authorities do not have an accurate count of these creatures. If wildlife managers do not know how many fishers remain in our state, how can they continue to allow them to be killed via trapping? The small, isolated population straddling the Montana-Idaho border will not survive if the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission does not ban this cruel practice soon. According to reports, 186 fishers were killed in traps set for other animals in Montana and Idaho between 2002 and 2016. If that many are being killed unintentionally, why would any state allow intentional trapping of this species known to be at risk? Idaho does not allow the intentional trapping of fishers, but sadly Montana does. We are falling behind our neighbor in using proven methods to preserve declining fisher populations. The Center for Biological Diversity has petitioned the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission to ban fisher trapping in the state. I support this petition. Without a ban, these important little predators may disappear from Montana forever. Michele Dieterich Hamilton Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4 You store your firearms securely with guns and ammo in separate locked storages because you are a contentious parent. But, when you take your children or grandchildren to play at other houses, how safe are they? In Montana, our gun culture means that some households believe the myth that a readily available loaded firearm is essential for a safe home and that children can be educated to stay away from these dangerous tools intended for defense. Unfortunately too often these ideas prove to be false, as medical research and news stories have demonstrated. This month, near Seattle, a 4-year-old inadvertently shot his pregnant mother with a firearm kept for self-defense. Children, especially boys, have intense interest in firearms. This media- and game-driven fascination means that firearms and children can be a deadly mix. Even in the remote possibility that a child in a home can self-regulate and avoid a dangerous weapon, visiting children may not. It is a very difficult question to ask of our fiercely self-reliant Montana neighbors. However, when you consider sending your young ones to the homes of friends, be sure to ask about firearms and firearm storage habits. Is your child or grandchild playing near a loaded firearm? John Mott Helena Love 3 Funny 7 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 4 HB 148 would mean that a proposal with strong bipartisan support, known costs and a legislative majority could have the proposal blocked by 17 senators. This is giving veto power to a very small group of legislators. It would also make it much harder to eliminate outdated or wasteful tax breaks for special interests. This is neither responsible budgeting nor functioning democracy. The supermajority required for state bonding has already prevented the passage of much-needed infrastructure bills, with bipartisan support, in the last two sessions Finally, there is no great initiative to raise Montana taxes. Our marginal income tax rate 25 years ago was 11 percent, highest in the nation along with Vermont. It is now 6.9 percent. Property taxes are reasonable. We have no sales tax. No one is going bankrupt from vehicle fees. We have a tax code with many loopholes, but that is a separate issue. If you do not trust a majority of our Legislature to address fairly any issue that arises, vote for someone else. That is the way democracy works. If HB 148 will not solve a problem, while potentially creating several, what is the real motivation behind the bill? There are groups like Americans for Tax Reform that simply oppose taxes, despite the fact that they pay for our schools, roads, parks and public safety. The law is clear: Secretary of State Corey Stapleton owes the people of Montana for misusing their taxpayer dollars to announce his next political campaign, Lindeen said. Mangan found Stapleton made four separate violations by using state facilities, equipment, supplies and personnel. Fines could have ranged from $50-$1,000 per offense. It is incumbent on individual public employees and officers, and the agencies they work for, to know the obligations that the Code of Ethics places on them while on the job, at the workplace and in the use of state resources, Mangan wrote. Public employment and service comes imbued with the public trust. The public trust requires proper use of state resources by all public servants for the good of all Montanans. According to the order and Mangan's investigation, Stapleton wrote the press release himself and used a personal email address to send it to his chief of staff, Christi Jacobsen. Jacobsen then sent it to Susan Ames, who works in the Secretary of State's office. At Stapleton's request, Ames pasted the release onto State of Montana letterhead, added her state contact information and used her state email to distribute the release to 154 members of the media. For fellow senior Evan Rankin, the sea of burgundy and white is "the classic picture of a Helena High graduation." He said he does not believe officials are listening to students who have suggested other ways to maintain that tradition without involving gender, such as alternating the two colors among individual graduates or rows of students. "The students provided many alternatives to try to preserve our unique graduation ceremony, but our voices were not heard," Rankin said. Helena High senior Grace Lawlor, who is in favor of a single color, said she believes it's time to start a new tradition at Helena High. For some students Helena High is the only place they feel safe expressing who they are. As classmates we should be supporting each other and doing our best to allow people to feel comfortable with themselves on graduation day, she said. Our administration is making a very progressive decision that is right in line with the changing times of our country." Helena High senior Regan Read said some students do not fall under either the male or female gender category, and "there are immediate and serious consequences to segregating students by gender." About Me I am a professor at Ewha Womans University, where I teach composition, research writing, and cultural issues, including the occasional graduate seminar on Gnosticism and Johannine theology and the occasional undergraduate course on European history. My doctorate is in history (U.C. Berkeley), with emphasis on religion and science. My thesis is on John's gospel and Gnosticism. I also work as one-half of a translating team with my wife, and our most significant translation is Yi Kwang-su's novel The Soil, which was funded by the Literature Translation Institute of Korea. I'm also an award-winning writer, and I recommend my novella, The Bottomless Bottle of Beer, to anyone interested. I'm originally from the Arkansas Ozarks, but my academic career -- funded through doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships (e.g., Fulbright, Naumann, Lady Davis) -- has taken me through Texas, California, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, and Israel and has landed me in Seoul, South Korea. I've also traveled to Mexico, visited much of Europe, including Moscow, and touched down briefly in a few East Asian countries. Hence: "Gypsy Scholar." View my complete profile Grand Old Partisan salutes William Pile, born this day of 1829 to an Anglo father and a Choctaw mother. The family soon moved from Indianapolis to St. Louis. He studied theology and became a Methodist preacher. Outbreak of civil war, Pile enlisted as chaplain of the 1st Missouri Light Artillery. A year later, he was appointed colonel of the 33rd Missouri Infantry. His regiment fought at Vicksburg and Mobile. He mustered out as a brigadier general. In 1866, this Young Republican won election to the U.S. House of Representatives. Pile voted for the GOP's 14th and 15th Amendments. After his term, Ulysses Grant named him governor of New Mexico. Success at restoring the territory's finances merited him the ambassadorship to Venezuela. Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ul0m5NeuSN4 Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement. Each day, his grandoldpartisan YouTube channel and Grand Old Partisan blog celebrate more than sixteen decades of Republican heritage. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states so far. He also wrote the 2005 Republican Freedom Calendar. Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision. Buy the book at Amazon See www.youtube.com/q?v=IzxKCiXc5Qc for a brief video of a Texas Republican praising Back to Basics for the Republican Party. "This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!" "Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP." "Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan." "Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before." and "one of the best books I ever read" MadhaviRS wrote: Hello, I'm an Indian applicant interested in applying to European B schools for their Jan 2020 intake. My profile is briefly as follows and would be grateful for any inputs or suggestions you may have. Age : 29 years Gender : Female Education - 5 year law from Bangalore University and professionally qualified as a Company Secretary. My CGPA is 4.0 as per MBA.com, but according to Indian standards it is only average. Work experience - (5+years) worked as a consultant with a local law firm and company secretary firm for about 2+ years. Trained to be a company secretary with a chartered accountancy firm for 1+ years. Currently working with a fortune 500 company as in house counsel and CS since 2+ years. Was promoted before1.5 years. I work with the senior management and manage the Board of Directors. My exposure has been in litigation, financial reporting, consumer and service related matters, business negotiations, Board Management, government reporting, legal compliances and all regular legal work. I also worked as a grammar consultant for a Swiz based company that taught English to non-English speakers across the world. (this was during my initial career days). I have international exposure based on the contracts I have worked on with my company,but no travel abroad (just a vacation). Volunteer Work : Taught children and assisted in teaching children of various age groups, volunteered in orphanages and children in a remote village in my state - mostly crafts and lifeskills. Volunteered to bring awareness on cancer. [I do not have certificates for most of these because I did them out of the interest I have had.] Other Interests : Trekking, Travelling, Reading, Dancing [trained], Psychology [was part of a voluntary psychology group in a local club for over 6 years], Toastmasters I'm yet to begin working on my applications and will be able to apply only for by April. I understand that my age might be a concern, but I want to do an MBA because I really think it will add value to the profile I currently have and broaden my horizons from being just a corporate lawyer+ CS. I believe it is important for me to understand the business in depth as there is a definite dependency on the decisions made by the Board/legal contracts I draft or negotiate on. Based on the above, any inputs and suggestions are welcome. Thank you. mbaMission Senior Admissions Consultant Chicago Booth Alum, 60 5-star reviews on GMAT Club Sign up for a free 30-minute consultation at https://www.mbamission.com/consult/mba-admissions/ Read our Insider's Guides to the top b-schools: http://www.mbamission.com/guides.php?category=insiders Kate RichardsonmbaMission Senior Admissions ConsultantChicago Booth Alum, 60 5-star reviews on GMAT ClubSign up for a free 30-minute consultation at https://www.mbamission.com/consult/mba-admissions/Read our Insider's Guides to the top b-schools: http://www.mbamission.com/guides.php?category=insiders Signature Read More Hello there,Thanks for sharing your profile. I'm not too worried about your age. You're not too far off from the average age, and there is no hard limit or anything. Your work background is very interesting and it sounds like you've progressed quickly. Corporate law is not the most typical pre-MBA path -- this is mostly a benefit to you as your profile will stand out more and you will bring some diversity to a class (and a helpful perspective to your classmates). There is a slight challenge though in that you need to have rock solid reasons for why you want an MBA and a really clear idea of how you will use the MBA to progress your career. That is definitely an addressable challenge with some more thinking and through articulating those reasons in your essays.Is any of your volunteer work or non-work activities current? If those are things that have lapsed, I recommend restarting at least a couple.Do you have a GMAT or GRE score yet? That is an important component of assessing your chances. With your GPA, you won't need to convert. Admissions offices will be well versed in reviewing transcripts and grades from other countries.Hope this helps and best of luck!Kate_________________ Dublin, Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Medical Aid Funding in South Africa 2019" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Medical Aid Funding: The South African medical aid funding industry provides cover to over 8.8 million beneficiaries whose gross contributions amounted to R179.8bn in 2017. The total number of registered medical schemes declined from 124 in 2006 to 80 at end-March 2018. Discovery Health is the dominant player with over 2.7 million beneficiaries or around 31% of the total domestic market and over 50% of the open medical schemes segment. The Government Employees Medical Scheme dominates the restricted medical schemes segment with a market share of 47%. Medical scheme membership remains out of the reach of over 83% of the South African population. Changes Ahead The Competition Commission's health market enquiry and the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill and the Medical Schemes Amendment Bill are set to shake up the public and private healthcare systems. The medical aid funding industry is characterised by consolidation, contracting medical scheme benefits and rising gross monthly contributions per beneficiary. The industry faces numerous challenges including slowing membership growth and rising healthcare costs. Report Coverage The Medical Aid Funding Report describes the industry, major players and recent trends. It examines the initial Competition Commission findings and new legislation and factors influencing the sector's success. It provides comprehensive profiles of 31 medical schemes and fund administrators including the major players in the private and public sector and smaller schemes such as Keyhealth and the Chartered Accountants Medical Aid Fund. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 2. Description Of The Industry 2.1. Value Chain 2.2. Geographic Position 3. Size Of The Industry 4. State Of The Industry 4.1. Local 4.1.1. Corporate Actions 4.1.2. Regulations 4.1.3. Enterprise Development and Social Economic Development 4.2. Continental 4.3. International 5. Influencing Factors 5.1. Economic Environment 5.2. Government Interventions 5.3. Input Costs 5.4. Commercial Health Insurance 5.5. Fraud 5.6. Technology, Research and Development (R&D) and Innovation 5.7. Labour Resources 5.8. Environmental Concerns 5.9. Cyclicality 6. Competition 6.1. Barriers to Entry 7. SWOT Analysis 8. Outlook 9. Industry Associations 10. References 10.1. Publications 10.2. Websites Appendix 1 - Summary Of Notable Players Major Open Medical Schemes Major Restricted Medical Schemes Major Medical Fund Administrators Appendix 2 - Registered Medical Schemes as at 31 March 2018 Profiles Of Notable Open Medical Schemes Bestmed Medical Scheme Bonitas Medical Fund Discovery Health Medical Scheme Fedhealth Medical Scheme Keyhealth Medical Scheme Medihelp Medical Scheme Medshield Medical Scheme Momentum Health Sizwe Medical Fund Profiles Of Notable Restricted Medical Schemes Anglo Medical Scheme Bankmed Medical Scheme Chartered Accountants Medical Aid Fund Government Employees Medical Scheme La-Health Medical Scheme Moto Health Care Nedgroup Medical Aid Scheme Platinum Health Medical Scheme Profmed Medical Scheme Samwu National Medical Scheme Sasolmed Medical Scheme South African Police Service Medical Scheme Transmed Medical Fund Profiles Of Notable Medical Fund Administrators Agility Holdings (RF) (Pty) Ltd Discovery Health (Pty) Ltd Medscheme Holdings (Pty) Ltd Metropolitan Health Corporate (Pty) Ltd Mmi Health (Pty) Ltd Momentum Thebe Ya Bophelo (Pty) Ltd Professional Provident Society Healthcare Administrators (Pty) Ltd Sechaba Medical Solutions (Pty) Ltd Universal Healthcare Administrators (Pty) Ltd For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/c8qfrr/medical_aid?w=12 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avrupa Minerals Ltd. (AVU:TSXV) (AVPMF:US OTC) (8AM:FRANKFURT) is pleased to report on progress at the Sesmarias drilling program on the Alvalade license in the Pyrite Belt of south Portugal. Drilling is now complete, with six holes drilled, totaling 2,498 meters. The program continues to be highly successful, accomplishing goals of better technical understanding of the Sesmarias mineralizing system and significantly enlarging it. Sampling of the drill core is ongoing, with full assay results expected by the end of February. Visual Results The drilling program successfully tested a new exploration model and concepts, with the following important results: Provided a much higher degree of predictability in location of mineralization in the immediate Sesmarias Project area, as the new model was tested successfully in all six drill holes; Enlarged the 10 Lens from 300 meters strike length to at least 600 meters long, up to 400 meters wide, and 25 meters thick (SES026 and SES027); (SES026 and SES027); Discovered the footwall feeder zone stockwork for the 8 Lens (SES028); Intercepted the edge of the 2 Lens/Horizon (SES025 and SES030); Intercepted a stockwork-stringer sulfide zone above the 10 Lens, providing evidence for a new, fourth lens/horizon, noted for now, as the 26 Horizon (SES026); Showed that mineralization is open to the east up to the bounding fault; Showed that mineralization is open to the west up to the boundary of the Devonian-age Volcano-Sedimentary (VS) host rocks for mineralization and the overlying Tertiary-age gravels and semi-consolidated sediments. This self-funded drilling program is the seventh phase of drilling to be completed by Avrupa Minerals on the Alvalade license. In addition to further targets in the immediate Sesmarias Project area, additional future drilling is anticipated for the Sesmarias-Lousal-Monte da Bela Vista District, as well as in other Avrupa-generated target areas with related Pyrite Belt-style massive sulfide targets and mineralization. The map below serves as a reminder to the potential for further discovery in the Pyrite Belt mineral system located along the Neves Corvo Trend of mineralization on the Alvalade license. Figure 1. Exploration areas prioritized along the Neves Corvo Trend (red-orange-yellow panels) on the Alvalade license is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c779e6fc-78f7-41fe-91b6-de5d64e93095. Note that there are two former producing mines in the district, located at Lousal and Caveira. Neves Corvo is located about 75 km south and southeast along the strike of the Neves Corvo Trend. Technical Discussion The recent work at the Sesmarias Project established a coherent picture of multiple, stacked lenses of massive sulfide mineralization, with at least one stockwork feeder zone. Some poorly defined faults exist which allow for the possibility of deeper targets, as well as potential, significant strike extension of the Sesmarias mineralization. The Sesmarias mineralization when combined with the existing potential of remaining massive sulfide mineralization at the nearby Lousal Mine (located less than six kilometers north of Sesmarias) and the Monte da Bela Vista stockwork mineralization (located a further two kilometers north of Lousal) makes the Sesmarias Project a key component in an evolving copper-zinc massive sulfide district on the Alvalade license. Figure 2. Plan view of Sesmarias Project drilling is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a078112b-e37c-46c0-90b0-e668dce87dab. AVU has drilled 30 holes into the target over a strike length of 1,500 meters. Present understanding of the Sesmarias Mineral Zone suggests potential for further massive sulfide mineralization for at least an additional 800-1,000 meters north of SES008 and possibly 200-300 meters to the south of SES021. Red shapes indicate map view location of known (to date) lenses and horizons, while the blue line represents the east side bounding fault. Figure 3. Schematic long section through the center axis of Sesmarias mineralization is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/553e066d-ce68-4083-ad5f-20108b66ba93. The success of the drilling program stemmed from back-away re-logging and re-interpretation of 38 Avrupa and pre-Avrupa historic drill holes in the Sesmarias Project area. The objective of the re-logging campaign was to delineate mineralized target horizons in the general stratigraphy of the Volcano-Sedimentary (VS) section of rocks that host copper-zinc massive sulfide mineralization throughout the length of the Iberian Pyrite Belt in Portugal and Spain. The re-logging campaign quickly established an increased strike length of the Sesmarias mineralized zone to at least 2.5 kilometers. The back-away re-interpretation of Sesmarias stratigraphy, utilizing quick logging of the historic drill holes and 3D modeling of all the new data, allowed the Avrupa team to predict the robustness of the 10 Lens, first noted in SES010, then subsequently intersected in SES019, SES021, and SES022. Present-phase drilling, SES026 intersected nearly 30 meters of visual massive sulfide mineralization. SES027, drilled 300 meters north of SES026, intersected stockwork sulfide mineralization and mafic intrusive rocks at the target depth, indicating the possible end of 10 Lens in the south sector of the Sesmarias system. For now, strike length of the 10 Lens, from SES021 to SES026 is 600 meters. Following is a 3D view of the 10 Lens. Figure 4. Three-dimensional (3D) view of the 10 Horizon (solid red unit) at Sesmarias, SES021 on the south and SES027 on the north, is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eb45caff-75b9-4718-a427-828a8a0de3c6. Previously, AVU interpreted the lens to be vertical, based on detailed, close-up logging of drill holes. By re-logging the rock units/layers in a back-away package, or rock-unit mode, the AVU geological team established a more predictable, flat-lying stratigraphy that has enhanced the potential of large-scale mineralization at Sesmarias. Re-interpretation of geological results in numerous pre-2018/19 drilling leads us to believe that some holes were collared on the wrong side of the bounding fault and under (or west of) the 10 Lens, thus missing the massive sulfide mineralization. Furthermore, this back-away review of the core resulted in the determination that the overall orientation of the rock layers is far closer to horizontal than previously understood. We found evidence of at least three, possibly four, potentially mineralized horizons hosting VMS-style copper-zinc sulfide mineralization. Re-logging of 38 previous drill holes showed: VS stratigraphy is not vertically oriented, but relatively horizontal, dipping 30 to 45 degrees to the east and plunging to the north. A generally north-northwest trending, steeply-oriented fault cuts stratigraphy and mineralization on the east side of the present Project area. At this time, all known massive sulfide mineralization lies on the west side of the fault. The east side is generally un-explored (with the exception of SES014 and several pre-Avrupa drill locations), yet remains a strong potential target area for further mineralization. The location of the fault is now much better known after this campaign, though basically still un-mapped north of SES008, the northernmost Avrupa drill hole. Sesmarias mineralization is open to the north for a further 500 to 1,000 meters more than previously assumed. Total strike length of potential target horizons now appears to reach +2.5 kilometers, an increase from 1.8 kilometers, as previously reported. Review of previous drilling that did not intersect massive sulfide mineralization at the south end of the Sesmarias target indicates that the holes were placed on the wrong side of the bounding fault (and directed west, or below, of the 10 lens mineralization), which had not been well-understood during earlier drilling campaigns. Target to the south appears potentially open, but modified by faulting. Avrupa Minerals Ltd. is a growth-oriented junior exploration and development company directed to discovery of mineral deposits, using a prospect generator model. The Company holds one 100%-owned, self-funded flagship project, the Alvalade VMS Project. Avrupa focuses its project generation work in politically stable and prospective regions of Europe, including Portugal, Kosovo, and Germany. For additional information, contact Avrupa Minerals Ltd. at 1-604-687-3520 or visit our website at www.avrupaminerals.com . On behalf of the Board, Paul W. Kuhn Paul W. Kuhn, President & Director This news release was prepared by Company management, who take full responsibility for its content. Paul W. Kuhn, President and CEO of Avrupa Minerals, a Licensed Professional Geologist and a Registered Member of the Society of Mining Engineers, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators. He has reviewed the technical disclosure in this release. Mr. Kuhn, the QP, has not only reviewed, but prepared and supervised the preparation or approval of the scientific and technical content in the news release. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. WOODBURY, N.Y., Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Impact Investment Firm, Vanderbilt Financial Group (VFG), is pleased to announce they have joined the United Nations Global Compact initiative a voluntary leadership platform for the development, implementation and disclosure of responsible business practices. With this announcement, VFG is proud to join thousands of other companies globally committed to taking responsible business action to create the world we all want. The UN Global Compact is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption, and to take action in support of UN goals and issues embodied in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Launched in 2000, the UN Global Compact is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world, with more than 9,500 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and more than 70 Local Networks. "In joining the UN Global Compact, Vanderbilt is making a formal commitment to upholding and actively working towards the UNs Sustainable Development Goals. This commitment along with the transparency into our business principals through the annual reporting process is just one step that we are taking to truly be the industrys only sustainably focused broker dealer and RIA. Our continued work with the UN in the entrepreneurial community allows us to inspire, educate and celebrate entrepreneurs who are solving the worlds greatest challenges with their businesses. Stephen Distante, Chief Entrepreneurial Officer of Vanderbilt Financial Group and UN Global Ambassador for the Entrepreneurs Organization Vanderbilts CEO Stephen Distante continues to open doors and foster relationships across departments at the United Nations. His work in impact and sustainability aligns directly with the mission of the SDGs and he is committed to upholding their 2030 agenda. Stephen was recently appointed as the UN Global Ambassador for the Entrepreneurs Organization (EO). EO is a global organization of influential founding entrepreneurs with over 13,000 members across 175 chapters in 54 countries. As a filmmaker and Executive Producer, Stephen also recently premiered a documentary short film Impact on September 11, 2018 at the UNs first Responsible Investing Conference. Impact (www.ImpactU.film) showcases purposeful entrepreneurship, impact investing and how the framework of the SDGs provides the tools for solving the worlds greatest challenges. Stephen believes in living a congruent life and tirelessly champions the SDGs throughout all facets of his work with Vanderbilt, EO, and his filmmaking endeavors. About Vanderbilt Financial Group: Vanderbilt Financial Group is an investment firm disrupting traditional finance by focusing on socially and environmentally responsible, ethical, and impactful investments. Vanderbilt is known as The Sustainable Broker-Dealer and RIA for their commitment to providing financial advisors and their clients with access to values-aligned investments. Headquartered in a LEED-certified Platinum building, Vanderbilts commitment to changing the world begins at home in our office and within our culture. Under the leadership of Chief Entrepreneurial Officer, Stephen Distante, Vanderbilts culture has garnered multiple awards and was most recently named Best Places to Work on Long Island for 2018. As a thought leader in the impact space, Vanderbilt Financial Group is dedicated to increasing the reach and impact of the financial services industry using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a framework. Their education platform, Impact U, provides students, advisors and investors with unique opportunities to increase their impact investing knowledge through videos, podcasts and fun interactive exercises. Vanderbilt and CEO Steve Distante recently released a documentary short film Impact, produced in partnership with InvestmentNews, which sheds light on how purposeful entrepreneurship and impactful investments can help improve the worlds greatest challenges. Interact with Impact U at www.ImpactU.me. For more information on Vanderbilt Financial Group, please visit www.joinvanderbilt.com. About the United Nations Global Compact initiative: The United Nations Global Compact is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, and to take action in support of UN goals and issues embodied in the Sustainable Development Goals. The UN Global Compact is a leadership platform for the development, implementation and disclosure of responsible corporate practices. Launched in 2000, it is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world, with more than 9,500 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and more than 70 Local Networks. www.unglobalcompact.org High-Res Photos and Interviews Available Upon Request to Jeso ONeill or Kim Wynne at marketing@vanderbitsecurities.com , 631-845-5100. Vanderbilt Financial Group is the marketing name for Vanderbilt Securities, LLC and its affiliates. Securities offered through Vanderbilt Securities, LLC Member: FINRA, SIPC Registered with MSRB Advisory Services offered through Vanderbilt Advisory Services, LLC NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES CALGARY, Alberta, Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FluroTech Ltd. (TSX-V: TEST) (OTCQB: FLURF), (FluroTech or the Company) is pleased to announce that the CompleTest was selected as the best of show for new cannabis technology by High! Canada Magazine at the recent Vancouver LIFT Expo. The award was unexpected, commented Gary Jones, VP Business Development at FluroTech. The Vancouver LIFT Expo was the first time FluroTech unveiled the CompleTest to the public. Master growers and quality assurance personnel were impressed by the live demonstrations, which reaffirmed the confidence the Company has in the technology. Feedback was positive with respect to the simplicity, speed, accuracy, and consistency of results of the product. Master growers recognized that they could affordably and accurately use the in-house testing device to select mother plants for breeding or to optimize their potency yield for a given strain. The Company believes that a fast, reliable, accurate and easy-to-use in-house testing device is required in the cannabis industry so that growers can focus on precision agriculture and optimize the potency yield of their crop, without waiting for outside quality assurance personnel or third-party lab results. Moreover, licensed producers will have data at their fingertips to ensure third-party labs are providing accurate and consistent results. The Company has launched sales of CompleTestTM and is focusing its sales efforts in Western Canada. About CompleTest CompleTest is FluroTechs flagship brand and product line. CompleTest is a portable, cost-effective, state-of-the-art cannabis testing device, able to provide fast, accurate and consistent testing results. It is designed for cultivators, dispensaries and anyone with an interest in precision agriculture to optimize potency yield and consumer safety to test the quality and safety of their cannabis products. About FluroTech (TSX-V: TEST) (OTCQB: FLURF) FluroTech is a technology and marketing company whose core business is focused on the commercialization of new technologies in the cannabis industry. FluroTechs proprietary spectroscopy-based technology allows for the testing and identification of organic and inorganic compounds contained within biological samples. Using the technology that was developed at the University of Calgary, FluroTech has developed a two-part solution comprising an instrument called the CompleTest and consumable testing kits. To learn more, visit www.FluroTech.com . Contact Information Gary Jones VP Business Development 403.650.9277 gpjones@flurotech.com Danny Dalla-Longa Chief Executive Officer 403.680.0644 danny@flurotech.com FluroTech Ltd. Alistair Ross Technology Centre Suite 111, 3553-31 Street NW Calgary, AB T2L 2K7 info@flurotech.com This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the securities laws of any state and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to or for the benefit or account of U.S. persons, absent such registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information generally refers to information about an issuers business, capital, or operations that is prospective in nature, and includes future-oriented financial information about the issuers prospective financial performance or financial position. The forward-looking information in this news release includes disclosure about the benefits of the Companys CompleTest testing device. The Company made certain material assumptions, including but not limited to prevailing market conditions and general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties to develop the forward-looking information in this news release. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Actual results may vary from the forward-looking information in this news release due to certain material risk factors. These risk factors include, but are not limited to, adverse market conditions and regulatory and other risks associated with the cannabis industry in general, and users of the CompleTest failing to achieve the anticipated benefits of the product. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material risk factors and assumptions is not exhaustive. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information in this news release, unless it is required to do so under Canadian securities legislation. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of this release. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Colonial Coal International Corp. (TSX-V: CAD) (the Company or Colonial Coal). David Austin, Colonial Coals President and CEO, is pleased to announce that the Company has engaged each of Canaccord Genuity Corp. (Canaccord Genuity) and Maxit Capital (Maxit) as the Companys financial advisors. Canaccord Genuity is a leading independent global investment bank who provides innovative corporate and advisory solutions that are tailored to helping their clients achieve a wide range of strategic and financial goals. Canaccord Genuity is also able to offer cross-border capabilities based on their global perspective and sector insights. Maxit Capital is a leading independent mining investment bank and its highly experienced team of professionals has a long track-record of success sourcing and executing on some of the largest and most complex transactions in the natural resource industry. Mr. Austin stated: We are extremely pleased to have an opportunity to work with each of Canaccord Genuity and Maxit in order to bring greater potential value to our shareholders, as we expect that Canaccord Genuitys innovative and global perspectives, coupled with Maxits specialized knowledge, will ensure that we are provided with very professional, experienced, trusted and unbiased advice in the best interests of our company going forward. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. About Colonial Coal International Corp. Colonial Coal is a publicly traded coal corporation in British Columbia that focuses primarily on coking coal projects. The northeast Coal Block of British Columbia, within which our Corporations projects are located, hosts a number of proven deposits and has been the subject of M&A activities by Anglo-American and others. Additional information can be found on the Company's website www.ccoal.ca or by viewing the Company's filings at www.sedar.com. Forward-Looking Information Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address a company's expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: risks associated with marketing and sale of securities; the need for additional financing; reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers or directors with certain other projects; and the volatility of common share price and volume. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMPANY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS NEWS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE THE COMPANY MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE SECURITIES LEGISLATION. For further information please contact: Colonial Coal International Corp. Shane Austin 604.568.4962 saustin@ccoal.ca www.ccoal.ca VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A.I.S. Resources Limited (TSX-V AIS, OTCQB: AISSF) (the Company or AIS) is pleased to announce that the lithium brine samples taken from Drill Hole 1 (DH1) at the Companys Guayatayoc Mina lithium project have been analysed by SGS, an international accredited chemistry analysis firm in Salta. The results are excellent given this hole had to be moved 150 metres east of the target zone to the Quebralenas area where we have drilling rights. We expect to receive our drilling permit for the target zone which is in the Rincondillas area within 30 days of the 28th February 2019 UGAMP meeting. Mg:Li ratio is below 8 with an average of 7.1, which means we will have a lower cost of production, in the event we reach the production stage, as we will only need 7 parts of calcium hydroxide to remove the magnesium. Lithium range is 95-106ppm. Our minimum commercial value is 187ppm in our production model. Pit G6 sampled 270ppm Li which was previously reported. Potassium and boron are both low thus the sodium sulphate input for the potassium removal and the ion exchange system to remove the boron will not be of any significance. A table accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/98621de9-cdb7-488d-befb-26a1332c9def Phil Thomas CEO said that, These results are great news given the location where we drilled was not optimal. We intersected porous green and brown clays containing salt and sand and didnt encounter any major fresh water sub-aquifers that would have collapsed the hole and contaminated it with fresh water. The lithium values are in the ball park but more important is the lithium to magnesium ratio, being sub 8 on average. This is encouraging news and we look forward to drilling Rincondillas in the target zone where the resistivity areas are sub 0.015ohm-m where we expect to encounter much higher lithium values and higher specific gravity due to lithium concentration at depth. We have four drill holes planned in the target zone with a depth of 250m each. Now that we have the lithology from DH1 it enables us to improve the accuracy of our geological model. Fig 1. The star shows the location of DH1. G1- G36 show where we have trenched and sampled and the solid yellow lines are the VES geophysics traverses. The black lines show the community boundaries. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7448ccac-7a61-4b25-899c-e3638731025f Fig 2. Is the geophysics at 100m depth. The DH1 location was moved another 50 metres to the east away from the target zone, to the 0.025 Ohm-m zone. The community boundaries are marked in red. The geophysics traverse line is in black. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/77c5e732-4565-4f17-9a97-f3d5f81e9554 Fig 3. Shows traverse 11750 or line 1 in Rincondillas area and the target zone (dark purple area) which is 150m in depth and 7 kilometres wide with a length of 5 kilometres. The target zone has a resistivity of 0.015ohm-m, lower than salt water which is 0.025 Ohm-m. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5b332a26-6d97-4fe0-8bda-683d4cec1b56 Qualified Person Phillip Thomas, BSc. Geol, MBusM, MAIG, MAIMVA, (CMV), a Qualified Person as defined under NI 43-101 regulations, has reviewed the technical information that forms the basis for this news release, and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Thomas is not independent of the Company as he is Chief Executive Officer and a shareholder. About A.I.S. Resources A.I.S. Resources Ltd. is a TSX-V listed investment issuer, was established in 1967 and is managed by experienced, highly qualified professionals who have a long track record of success in lithium exploration, production and capital markets. Through their extensive business and scientific networks, they identify and develop projects worldwide that have strong potential for growth with the objective of providing significant returns for shareholders. The Companys current activities are focused on the exploration and development of lithium brine projects in northern Argentina. On Behalf of the Board of Directors, A.I.S. Resources Limited Phillip Thomas President and CEO Contact Phillip Thomas - President and CEO E: pthomas@aisresources.com Website: www.aisresources.com Martyn Element Chairman T: 604 687-6820 E: melement@aisresources.com ADVISORY: This press release contains forward-looking statements. More particularly, this press release contains statements concerning the anticipated use of the proceeds of the Private Placement. Although the Corporation believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Corporation can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. The intended use of the proceeds of the Private Placement by the Corporation might change if the board of directors of the Corporation determines that it would be in the best interests of the Corporation to deploy the proceeds for some other purpose. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Corporation undertakes no obligations to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. TORONTO, Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Galane Gold Ltd. (Galane Gold or the Company) (TSX-V: GG; OTCQB: GGGOF) is pleased to announce that it has received the funds from its first draw down request with regards to the secured loan facility with Barak Fund SPC Limited (Barak Facility). The funds from the Barak Facility will be used to increase the processing plant capacity to 30,000 tonnes per month.(1) It will also be used for the development and first fit work required to recommence underground operations. The Company expects to produce first concentrate in April 2019 as previously announced. Galane Gold CEO, Nick Brodie commented: The drawing of the funds from Barak is in line with our internal forecast and ensures that the Galaxy project remains on track. We are still targeting at Galaxy steady state annual production to be on average 25,000 ounces of gold at cash cost per ounce of less than US$800.(2)(3) This represents only the first step of our resurrection of the Galaxy mine and we will shortly commence a study with the aim being to double production and lower the all-in cost as a result of increased economies of scale. About Galane Gold Galane Gold is an un-hedged gold producer and explorer with mining operations and exploration tenements in Botswana and South Africa. Galane Gold is a public company and its shares are quoted on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol GG and on the OTCQB under the symbol GGGOF. Galane Golds management team is comprised of senior mining professionals with extensive experience in managing mining and processing operations and large-scale exploration programmes. Galane Gold is committed to operating at world-class standards and is focused on the safety of its employees, respecting the environment, and contributing to the communities in which it operates. Notes: (1) The Company advises that it is not basing its decision to expand the throughput capacity of the Galaxy mines processing plant to 30,000 tpm on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability of production at such levels, and as a result there is increased uncertainty and there are multiple technical and economic risks of failure which are associated with producing at such plants throughput capacity. These risks, among others, include areas that are analyzed in more detail in a feasibility study, such as applying economic analysis to resources and reserves, more detailed metallurgy and a number of specialized studies in areas such as mining and recovery methods, market analysis, and environmental and community impacts. (2) Based on a technical report entitled A Technical Report on the Galaxy Gold Mine, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa which was issued January 4, 2016 with an effective date of September 1, 2015 (the Galaxy Technical Report), and was prepared by Minxcon (Pty) Ltd and approved by Daniel van Heerden, B Eng (Min.), MCom (Bus. Admin.), Pr. Eng., FSAIMM, AMMSA, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. The Galaxy Technical Report satisfies the requirements to be a pre-feasibility study. (3) Operating cash cost is a non-IFRS measure. Refer to Supplemental Information to Managements Discussion and Analysis in the Companys Managements Discussion and Analysis for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 for reconciliation to measures reported in the Companys financial statements. Cautionary Notes Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those regarding the Companys future financial position and results of operations, strategy, proposed acquisitions, plans, objectives, goals and targets, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words believe, expect, aim, intend, plan, continue, will, may, would, anticipate, estimate, forecast, predict, project, seek, should or similar expressions or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Companys expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially include, but are not limited to: the Companys dependence on two mineral projects; gold price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Companys mining activities in Botswana and South Africa; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to the Companys exploration, development and mining activities being situated in Botswana and South Africa; risks relating to reliance on the Companys management team and outside contractors; risks regarding mineral resources and reserves; the Companys inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks arising from the Companys fair value estimates with respect to the carrying amount of mineral interests; mining tax regimes; risks arising from holding derivative instruments; the Companys need to replace reserves depleted by production; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; lack of infrastructure; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; health risks in Africa; the Companys interactions with surrounding communities and artisanal miners; the Companys ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; risks related to restarting production; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; development of the Companys exploration properties into commercially viable mines; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; risks related to the market perception of junior gold companies; and litigation risk.Management provides forward-looking statements because it believes they provide useful information to investors when considering their investment objectives and cautions investors not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect subsequent information, events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law. Information of a technical and scientific nature that forms the basis of the disclosure in the press release has been approved by Kevin Crossling Pr. Sci. Nat., MAusIMM., SACNASP and Business Development Manager for Galane Gold, and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information please contact: Nick Brodie CEO, Galane Gold Ltd. + 44 7905089878 Nick.Brodie@GalaneGold.com www.GalaneGold.com VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- East Africa Metals Inc. (TSX-V: EAM) (East Africa, EAM or the Company) is pleased to provide additional information to the original announcement dated February 8, 2019 regarding the Project Financing with Tibet Huayu Mining Company. EAM can confirm the Boards of Directors for both East Africa Metals and Tibet Huayu Mining have approved the transaction. Original Release: EAM have executed a binding Letter of Intent (LOI) with Tibet Huayu Mining Co., Ltd (Tibet Huayu) for the exploration, development and operation of EAMs Ethiopian Mining Assets; the Terakimti, Mato Bula and Da Tambuk gold projects located in the Tigray National Regional State of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (Ethiopia). Tibet Huayu is a Chinese mining company with its headquarters in Lhasa, China and is publicly listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The LOI contemplates EAM transferring its equity interest in its Ethiopian subsidiary companies to Tibet Huayu and the parties entering into Joint Venture Contracts for the purpose of development and operation of EAMs Ethiopian Mining Assets. EAM owns 70% of the Harvest Mining PLC (Harvest) and 100% of the Tigray Resources Incorporated PLC (TRI). Harvest holds the Terakimti oxide gold mining license. EAMs subsidiary, TRI hosts the Mato Bula and Da Tambuk deposits (Adyabo Property) which are in the final process of mine permitting. The transaction defined in the binding LOI includes terms that in exchange for 55% interest of Harvest and 70% interest in TRI, Tibet Huayu will: Provide a cash payment of US$1.7M to EAM; Finance, develop and operate the Terakimti, Da Tambuk and Mato Bula projects. On completion of the proposed transaction: Tibet Huayu will hold the rights (interest) to 55% post tax profits/Government distributions of Harvest and hold the rights (interest) to 70% of the post tax profits/Government distributions of TRI. EAM will hold the rights (interest) to 15% post tax profits/Government distributions of Harvest and hold the rights (interest) to 30% of the post tax profits/Government distributions of TRI. Closing conditions include: Required approvals including and not limited to Board, Regulatory, and Government approvals; Execution of the definitive agreement; and EAM has received the cash payment of US$1.7M. EAM will retain the mineral rights, and all exploration obligations for the prospective targets not incorporated in the three mining licenses (EAM Mineral Resources). EAM shall give Tibet Huayu a right of first refusal of reasonable duration to acquire EAMs Mineral Resources. For consideration of the future Ethiopian Mineral Resources negotiations will be based on i) cash payment and ii) allocated % of post-tax profits of the new mineral resources. Tibet Huayu and EAM will use best efforts to finalize all conditions precedent and finalize the definitive agreement. Andrew Lee Smith, East Africas C.E.O. stated, The signing of the binding LOI with Tibet Huayu marks a significant milestone for EAM and the emerging Ethiopian Mining sector. EAMs board and management look forward to a partnership that will see mine development and exploration agendas advancing parallel with the objective to establish mining operations and grow the current resource base through diamond drilling. The key technical and base case pre-tax and post-tax metrics for each project are presented below (see news release April 30, 2018): PARAMETER(3) PROJECT Units Mato Bula Da Tambuk Terakimti (1) Mine Plan Tonnes 3,335,000 650,000 1,086,000 Grade Gold g/t 3.0 4.9 3.1 Copper % 0.26 % N/A N/A Silver g/t 0.70 2.3 22.9 Metal Recoveries Gold % 86.4 % 93.0 % 65.0 % Copper % 87.4 % N/A N/A Silver % 50.0 % 50.0 % 30.0 % Recovered Metals Gold Ozs 278,000 95,000 71,000 Copper Lbs (x000) 13,353 N/A N/A Silver Ozs 38,300 24,000 229,000 Au Eq(4) Ozs 305,000 95,000 74,000 Capital Cost US$(x000) $ 54,200 $ 34,030 $ 17,180 Sustaining Capital US$(x000) $ 5,600 $ 8,030 $ 1,720 Operating Cost Site - C1 US$/tonne $ 47.53 $ 61.85 $ 34.10 Metal Prices Gold Price US$/oz $ 1,325 $ 1,325 $ 1,325 Copper Price US$/lb $ 3.00 N/A N/A Silver Price US$/oz $ 17.00 $ 17.00 $ 17.00 PRE-TAX Cash Flow US$(x000) $ 139,710 $ 31,160 $ 29,360 NPV @8% US$(x000) $ 83,820 $ 20,670 $ 19,470 IRR % 34.1 % 37.8 % 37.4 % POST-TAX Cash Flow LOM US$ (x000) $ 97,700 $ 20,615 $ 20,890 NPV @8% US$ (x000) $ 56,660 $ 13,020 $ 13,180 IRR % 28.4 % 28.6 % 30.1 % OTHER METRICS Payback Years 3.0 1.9 2.4 C1 Op Cost US$/oz Au $ 412 $ 420 $ 465 AISC US$/oz Au $ 620 $ 642 $ 649 On behalf of the Board of Directors: Andrew Lee Smith, P.Geo., CEO For further information contact: Nick Watters, Business Development Telephone +1 (604) 488-0822 Email investors@eastafricametals.com Website www.eastafricametals.com Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "forecast", "project", "budget", "schedule", "may", "will", "could", "might", "should", indicate or variations of such words or similar words or expressions. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that have been made by East Africa as at the date of such information and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of East Africa to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: timing of receipt of approvals related to the LOI and Definitive Agreement; timing of receipt of mining permits; timing of mining development; projected heap leach recoveries ; engineering study assessments and results, metal and mineral prices; availability of capital; accuracy of East Africa's projections and estimates, including the mineral resources for the Adyabo and Harvest; estimated timing of receipt of the Adyabo mining licence applications and/or exploration licence extensions, interest and exchange rates; mineral exploration and development; accuracy of East Africa's projections and estimates, including the initial mineral resource for the Adyabo and Harvest; interest and exchange rates; competition; stock price fluctuations; availability of drilling equipment and access; actual results of current exploration activities; government regulation; political or economic developments; foreign taxation risks; environmental risks; insurance risks; capital expenditures; operating or technical difficulties in connection with development activities; personnel relations; the speculative nature of strategic metal exploration and development including the risks of diminishing quantities of grades of reserves; contests over title to properties; and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, as well as those risk factors set out in in East Africas managements discussion and analysis for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and for the year ended December 31, 2017, and East Africas listing application dated July 8, 2013 Mineral Resources which are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The contained gold, copper and silver figures shown are in situ. No assurance can be given that the estimated quantities will be produced. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to the timely closing of the financing; the timely closing of the Handeni Property definitive agreement; the price of gold, silver, copper and zinc; the demand for gold, silver, copper and zinc; the ability to carry on exploration and development activities; the timely receipt of any required approvals; the ability to obtain qualified personnel, equipment and services in a timely and cost-efficient manner; the ability to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner; the renewal or extension of exploration Licenses; the regulatory framework regarding environmental matters, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although East Africa has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. The Company does not update or revise forward looking information even if new information becomes available unless legislation requires the Company do so. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information contained herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Al Jazeera Media Network today announced a content license agreement with Bloomberg Media Distribution to enhance Al Jazeeras expanding global business coverage. Select Bloomberg content, including news stories, digital video, charts and photos, will run alongside the business and economics coverage on Al Jazeera s English-language digital properties. Commerce connects everything. It is the inextricable force behind global events. As such, our expanded focus on business and economics coverage falls squarely within our mission to deliver comprehensive, unbiased, fact-based reporting on the events impacting millions of lives in our region and around the world, said Dr. Yaser Bishr, Executive Director (EVP) of Digital Media for Al Jazeera. The new content agreement will combine Bloombergs global business coverage with Al Jazeeras expanding business and economic reporting, providing Al Jazeeras audience with added depth and context on the dynamics of global economy. In todays globalized economy, business and entrepreneurship are the pathways to self-determination and economic independence. Our expanded business coverage will bring our audience the insights and information to navigate an increasingly competitive global marketplace, said Juan Carlos Van Meek, Director of Digital Innovation & Programing for Al Jazeera. Under the terms of the deal, Al Jazeeras editors will curate select business and finance stories from Bloomberg News and publish them on Al Jazeeras English-language digital properties. Bloomberg content will supplement the already-robust offering of business coverage from Al Jazeera, an area of ongoing importance for the Doha-based network. Through an existing agreement, Al Jazeeras content is also available to subscribers of the Bloomberg Terminal, the worlds leading source of business and financial data, news and analytics. About Al Jazeera Digital Al Jazeera Digital delivers award-winning news reporting via more than 36 distinct digital properties including AlJazeera.com (English), AlJazeera.net (Arabic), AJ+ (English, Spanish, French & Arabic), ContrastVR, Jetty (audio) and more. Headquartered in Doha, Qatar, Al Jazeera Digital pioneers new and emerging storytelling techniques to give voice to the voiceless across all digital media formats, with dedicated offerings for desktop, mobile, audio, video, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and smart home. With expansive reach and offices and bureaus across the globe, Al Jazeera Digital ranks among the largest and most diverse global news operations on the planet. Media Contact digitalpress@aljazeera.net NEW YORK, Feb. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TAP Air Portugal is putting the world on sale for three days, from today through Sunday at 6:59pm ET. Every seat on every flight departing this month will be half price, to all of TAPs 89 destinations around the world. The sale fare is only available for website bookings, at www.flytap.com , and good for one-way or roundtrip travel commencing by February 28, 2019. Return dates are unrestricted. For more information, see https://www.flytap.com/campaigns/megapromo. Roundtrip economy fares to Lisbon start at $375 with no checked bags, or $405 with a checked bag. Sale fares also include up to five nights Stopover in Lisbon or Porto, en route to or from the final destination, for no additional airfare. Beyond fares, to destinations including Rome and Madrid, start from $390 roundtrip. Roundtrip fares to Lisbon in Business Class start from just $1325. Why wait for March Madness when you can fly around the world for half price in February, said David Neeleman, a major investor in TAP Air Portugal. Call your Valentine and grab some seats before they sell out! TAP is one of the worlds top 10 fastest growing airlines this year, with 71 brand new Airbus aircraft being delivered by 2025. The airline is the launch carrier for the new Airbus A330neo aircraft. TAP currently flies from New Yorks John F Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, Boston Logan and Miami International airports. This year the airline will add service from Chicago OHare, San Francisco and Washington-Dulles to Lisbon as well as new service beyond Portugal including Basel, Dublin and Tel Aviv. In December, Portugal was voted the World's Best Tourist Destination for the second consecutive year at the 25th Annual World Travel Awards. Also in 2018, Virtuoso named Portugal the Hottest Destination of the Year. About TAP Air Portugal TAP is Portugals leading airline and a member of the global airline Star Alliance since 2005. Flying since 1945, TAP celebrated its 70th anniversary on March 14, 2015, before completing its privatization process later that year, now with the Atlantic Gateway Group as private shareholders. TAPs network comprises 89 destinations in 34 countries worldwide. The airline currently operates around 2,500 weekly flights, with a modern fleet of 63 Airbus aircraft. TAP Express, the airlines regional arm, operates an additional 17 aircraft. With TAPs privatization process, it has restructured its network, launched new fare products and is renewing its medium and long-haul fleet. TAP has 71 new Airbus aircraft on order for delivery by 2025 and is launch carrier for the new Airbus A330neo. TAP Express now operates a new fleet of 8 ATR 72 and 9 Embraer 190. TAP is one of Europes most awarded airlines. Global Traveler (USA) named TAP as Best Airline in Europe from 2011 to 2018, and the World Travel Awards named TAP as both Europes Leading Airline to Africa and Europes Leading Airline to South America from 2014 2018. Previously TAP was awarded Worlds Leading Airline to Africa, in 2011 and 2012, and Worlds Leading Airline to South America from 2009 through 2012. TAPs Inflight Magazine, UP, received the World Travel Award as Europes Leading In-flight Magazine for 2015-2018. Media contact: Gareth Edmondson-Jones GEJ, Ink 917 399-9355 GEJink@gmail.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7264dcb9-922b-4eaf-adb2-7f7e1c20e758 Zahn posted a Facebook video of himself that day leaving the store on his knees. The video has been viewed more than 31. 1 million times. His Facebook post with the video has been shared by more than 360,000 people over two years. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Zahn said he returned the items he purchased that day. Some social media users pointed out signs are posted outside the store, stating electric wheelchairs cannot be taken outside. Exhibits shown in court included pictures of the electric wheelchairs and the signs posted on them. USE INDOORS ON LEVEL SURFACE ONLY, a sticker on the electric wheelchair said. DO NOT REMOVE FROM STORE. Mills Fleet Farm CEO Wayne Sales issued an apology to Zahn in a public statement in April 2017. "While use of carts in the parking lot with the uneven terrain can pose a hazard, we feel that in this instance our team member made the wrong decision," Sales said in the statement. "We apologize to the customer and to everyone who may be affected." MASON CITY | A Britt man accused of sexually assaulting a girl in Hancock County has taken a plea deal. Jeromie James Holland, 39, pleaded guilty to two counts second-degree sexual abuse, class B felonies, and two counts lascivious acts with a child permit/cause child to fondle, class C felonies, Friday afternoon during a plea-change hearing at the Cerro Gordo County Courthouse in Mason City. Holland was initially charged with 28 felonies: 14 counts of second-degree sexual abuse and 14 counts lascivious acts with a child permit/cause child to fondle in Hancock County District Court. Rape and sexual assault are charged as sexual abuse in Iowa. Each count of second-degree sexual abuse carries a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, and each lascivious acts charge carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. According to court documents, Holland, who was arrested in November, admitted to police that he sexually assaulted a girl at least 14 times from May to November and made her touch his genitals. Rami Malek poses upon his arrival Sunday at the BAFTA awards in London. FILE - In this Friday, Feb. 8, 2019, file photo, President Donald Trump waves after arriving on Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. Trump is pushing back against criticisms that a leak of his private schedule suggests he is not working hard. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File) A handful of legislative Democrats are out of sorts with Gov. Jared Polis, just a month into his inaugural honeymoon. Their complaint: The gov BY DERRICK WANDERA. President Museveni is set to host Africas heads of state to debate the politics and future of all African Union members. The high level meeting dubbed, Africa Now Conference is slated to take place between March 12 13, 2019 and it is aimed at discussing generating opportunities to address youth employment, as well as building and sustaining innovation, creating knowledge based economies and building the future of Africa. Dr Robert Mwesigwa, the chairman board of directors African Strategic Leadership Centre says activities of the conference will include the Kwame Nkrumah Annual Lecture. This meeting is held in different countries and the last one was hosted in Kigali, Rwanda. City Editor Tom Roeder is the Gazette's City Editor. In Colorado Springs since 2003, Tom has covered the military at home and overseas and has cover statehouses in Denver and Olympia, Wash. His main job, though, is being dad to two great kids. President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union address Tuesday night. Here's what Colorado's political leaders are saying about it. Lt. Col. ML Cavanaugh, PhD, is a non-resident fellow with the Modern War Institute at West Point. This essay is an unofficial expression of opinion; the views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of West Point, the Department of the Army, the Department of Defense, or any agency of the U.S. government. A woman was seriously injured near Grand Lake after driving a rented snowmobile over a 150-foot cliff. According to a Facebook post by Grand County Search and Rescue, the accident required a complicated retrieval last Saturday. The woman was hauled to the top of the ridge 150-feet above where she landed, before being transported by snowmobile to an awaiting helicopter. Grand Lake Fire Protection District and Grand County EMS were also on site to provide assistance during the rescue. The woman, 38-years old, was not immediately identified. Grand County is a popular spot for snowmobiling, particularly the Grand Lake area. Rolling hills and scenic views just miles from Rocky Mountain National Park have made this a hot spot for trail exploration. Kelly Belknap and Matilda Sandstrom accepted an invitation to speak to a graduate business class at Colorado State University last fall. Which was kind of funny for me, because I didnt go to college, says Sandstrom, 24. And it was definitely weird for her husband. Belknap had gone to the Fort Collins university but left with his bachelors degree in psychology only a few years earlier. So the couple stood nervously before students, some of whom were older than them. But none had started a company with very little ($7,000 and an Instagram). None had seen substantial growth and national acclaim in months (Forbes, Travel Channel, ABC) while also feeding tens of thousands of hungry Americans. So Belknap and Sandstrom were there to tell them how. Its all thanks to a stylish, lightweight backpack. And, yes, a noble cause. Growing up in Monument, Belknap recalls weekends volunteering at the Marian House, the local Catholic soup kitchen. Just the feeling of people coming together to help people in need, recalls the soft-spoken 27-year-old, whose thick, dark beard belies his age. It was just a great feeling. Flash forward to 2014. On his way home from college, he stopped at a coffee shop. There he met Sandstrom, whose Swedish accent and sweet smile intrigued him. She had recently moved to Colorado from her small village. Both from traveling families, they struck up a conversation about cultures and places theyd been. You know those conversations that feel like theyre, like, 10 minutes, says Sandstrom, but theyre actually like two hours? They married six months later. Soon wanderlust led them to Naples, Fla., where he worked in real estate, she in a Banana Republic. The jobs didnt thrill them. Traveling did. Thats what they saved their money for, hardly ever going out or spending on anything that could be spent on plane tickets back to Sandstroms home. And if they were going that far, they figured, why not trot to other regions? Basically, we see a plane ticket, and were like, Lets just get them and worry about the rest later, Sandstrom says. Theyve lost track of the number of countries 30-something, they say. Along the way, they got to thinking they could use better packs. Something more convenient for the plane and for touring cities and trails. But what they found was out of their price range. Heck, maybe they could make their own. That just-do-it attitude toward traveling? Kind of the same mindset of starting a business, Belknap says. Do it now, and figure out the rest later. With $3,000 from their savings and $4,000 from Belknaps parents, Adventurist Backpack Co. launched. It came with a bigger idea, inspired by the people the couple met on the streets during their travels. Belknap and Sandstrom would fill their packs with food and hand it out. Now, through a partnership with Feeding America, they provide 25 meals to food banks around the country for every $65 pack sold. In interviews, they proudly present themselves as millennials, and this is what millennials want: We want to support brands that do something good. We want to actually solve basic problems, Belknap says. We think its a companys responsibility in a capitalist society to, you know, help. Those interviews have mostly been about how these young digital natives capitalized with zero business background. They took to social media, connecting with influencers, who were happy to take a pack in exchange for a good word to their millions of followers. Free advertising. And this is what the couple has learned: Everyone wants to be a part of doing something good, Belknap says. The factory-made packs from China are shipped to the warehouse that is his parents basement. From their apartment in downtown Denver, he and Sandstrom wake at 5:30 a.m., starting at the gym and working into the evening calling and emailing current and prospective retailers, managing orders, scheduling promotional events, reaching out to media. Belknap doesnt share finances. (All I know is business owners usually say, Were a private company, we dont disclose that information. I dont know what Im supposed to say!) But Forbes last September reported the company made $50,000 with no debt in less than a year. In 2019, the couple wants to double that, providing 100,000 meals. The growth and the work with it makes us a bit anxious, Belknap says. Can they keep traveling? Theyll try, anyway. Figure out the rest later. By Ritah Kemigisa. The Speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga has asked the Executive to to respect the independence of Parliament if democratic governance is to be strengthened. Speaking ahead of the upcoming Fifth World Conference of Speakers (WCS) Kadaga said issues relating to the independence of Parliament, its responsiveness in addressing service delivery, needs of citizens should top the agenda of the conference. Sherecently criticized the Executive for postponing the debating and passing of long pending Bills, which she said speaks to an attempt to paralyze Parliamentary business. The Arua MP Mourine Osoru Osoru, who doubles as the IPU Youth President, said young people should be included in the conference deliberations. Speakers of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) member countries are also attendance. State Rep. Dave Williams, R-Colorado Springs, is at odds with fellow party members over a bill he says is driven by greedy GOP leaders. U.S. Acting Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan has arrived in Afghanistan on an unannounced visit to meet with military commanders and Afghan officials amid a heightened push by Washington for a peace deal with the Taliban. Shanahan, who arrived early on February 11, told reporters traveling with him that he will stress in talks with Afghan leaders that they will be the ones to ultimately decide their future, including the final nature of any potential peace with the Taliban. "It is important that the Afghan government is involved in discussions regarding Afghanistan," Shanahan said. "The Afghans have to decide what Afghanistan looks like in the future. It's not about the U.S. It is about Afghanistan," he added. Shanahan, who took over the job after Jim Mattis quit in December over policy differences with U.S. President Donald Trump, said he could not make any guarantees because U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was leading the talks. "The U.S. military has strong security interests in the region. [The] presence will evolve out of those discussions," Shanahan said. He said the aim of his trip was to get an understanding of the situation on the ground from commanders and then brief Trump on his findings. Shanahan also said he had no instructions from the White House to reduce the troop level in Afghanistan from the current 14,000. Reports have circulated that U.S. President Donald Trump is looking to cut about half of the force as part of efforts to reduce U.S. military involvement in the region. Trump has already said he is pulling out all 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria, where they have been aiding a Syrian Arab and Kurdish alliance fighting against the Islamic State and other insurgent groups. Shanahan's trip comes as the Afghanistan envoy Khalilzad is setting off on a visit to several key countries as part of efforts to push a U.S. peace initiative for the war-torn country. The State Department said Khalilzad would travel on February 10-28 to Belgium, Germany, Turkey, Qatar, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Khalilzad recently returned from talks with the Taliban in the Persian Gulf state of Qatar. It was not immediately clear if Shanahan and Khalilzad would be conducting joint discussions during their trips. Shanahan said in late January that he saw "some very encouraging possibilities" in Khalilzad's negotiations with the Taliban. "But we need to give them time and space," he said. Shanahan, 56, has said his priorities would include the impending U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria and countering China's military might. Shanahan is expected to attend a meeting of NATO defense chiefs in Brussels on February 13-14 and then the Munich Security Conference in Germany on February 15-17. With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has begun a five-nation European tour that administration officials say will focus on opposition to the growing influence of Russia and China in Central Europe. Pompeo arrived in Hungary on February 11 ahead of visits to Slovakia and Poland. He is set to complete his journey with stops in Brussels and Rekjaivik, Iceland, on February 15. A senior administration official said Pompeo will meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban, a vocal admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump. The official said the talks will center on efforts to bolster the security relationship, to counter Russian aggression, strengthen NATO deterrence, and "support for Ukraine." In addition, talks on air and missile defense are expected to take place, and Pompeo is likely to acknowledge Hungarys role in Afghanistan and the fight against the Islamic State (IS) insurgent group in the Middle East. The official said Pompeo will express support for civil society in Hungary and that he will meet with leaders of nongovernmental organizations. In the past, Hungary had been ranked by Freedom House as politically "free," but it was reclassified in the Freedom In The World 2019 report as "partly free" because of "sustained attacks" by Orban's Fidesz party on the media, courts, religious groups, academia, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector. The State Department said that Pompeos visit to Central Europe marks 30 years since the peoples of the region tore down the Iron Curtain to reclaim their freedom and sovereignty, choosing the path of Western democracy denied to them for decades, and solidifying that commitment by joining NATO and the European Union. The United States is committed to a strong, united, and capable transatlantic alliance rooted in the principles of common defense, democracy, and fundamental freedoms, a February 10 statement said. It said that Washington was also committed to increasing its diplomatic, military, commercial, and cultural engagement with Central Europe in order to strengthen this regions ties with the West as it faces increased pressure from Russia and China. In Poland, Pompeo will attend a conference on the Middle East on February 13-14 that is expected to focus on Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Jared Kushner, Trump's senior adviser on the Middle East and son-in-law, and Jason Greenblatt, the special U.S. envoy for international negotiations, are also expected to attend. Based on reporting by AP and AFP MURRAY A Sunday morning two-vehicle accident near Murray claimed the lives of a husband and wife from Murdock. The victims were identified as Douglas R. Erhart, 62, and Donna R. Erhart, 67, according to the Cass County Sheriffs Department. Authorities were notified at approximately 10:30 a.m. about a two-vehicle injury accident on U.S. Highway 75, just north of Nebraska Highway 1, according to Sheriff William C. Brueggemann. Cass County deputies, the Nebraska State Patrol and fire and rescue units from Murray and Plattsmouth responded to the scene. An investigation determined that a 1999 Ford Taurus, driven by Douglas Erhart, was traveling south on highway 75 when he lost control due to road conditions causing the vehicle to cross the centerline and collide with a northbound 2017 GMC Terrain Denali, driven by Karla A. Manzel, 66, of Bellevue. Erhart and his passenger, Donna Erhart, were pronounced dead at the scene. Manzel and a passenger, Elizabeth Schroeder, 69, of Mclean, Va., were transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center with non life-threatening injuries, according to Brueggemann. Seatbelts were in use at the time of the accident. Road conditions at the time of the accident are believed to be the primary factor in the accident, according to Brueggemann. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 Palm said Ferguson initially told the officer he had not shot anyone that night. Ferguson then said the victim might have shot herself. He later said he had been attempting to dry-fire the gun and said the weapon accidentally discharged. Palm said Ferguson told authorities that he tossed the gun and magazine out of the car after he left the house in Plattsmouth. Ferguson took authorities to a location where he believed he had thrown away the items. Police searched the area but were unable to locate anything. Palm said this was the basis for the charge of tampering with physical evidence. Palm said the state filed the tampering with a witness charge based on phone conversions that took place in Cass County Jail between Ferguson and a family member. He said jail officials had listened to several conversations on both Nov. 13 and 14. Palm said Ferguson was referring to the victim when he told the relative that she cannot cooperate and make sure that happens. He said similar things several times and wanted the relative to inform the victim about these statements to her face. Palm said the state was concerned about the nature of those instructions and if the victim would be negatively impacted by them. For Immediate Release Chicago, IL February 11, 2019 Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: American Airlines Group Inc. AAL, Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. ALSN, AVX Corporation AVX, CrossAmerica Partners LP CAPL and Ennis, Inc. EBF. Here are highlights from Fridays Analyst Blog: 5 Top Dividend Stocks to Brace a Dicey February Wall Street recently saw the best January in nearly 30 years. Both the S&P 500 and Dow advanced more than 7% last month, registering their biggest gains since January 1987 and January 1989, respectively. And it was widely anticipated that the positive earnings season and the Feds dovish stance will provide momentum to stocks in February. However, worries over U.S.-China trade relations and slower global economic growth laid the base for a tumultuous February. In fact, a gauge of stock market gyration, known as Wall Streets fear gauge, recently suggested that the markets are walking a tightrope. With the month expected to be rough, investing in sound dividend paying stocks seems judicious. Such stocks provide steady income and cushion ones portfolio against market risks. Whats Dragging the Market? Trade war concerns arise after National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow said at an interview with Fox Business Network that there is a long way to go before both the United States and China strike a trade agreement. He said that there was a pretty sizable distance before reaching a deal. Kudlow further said that U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchins next visit to China may possibly not result in some of the agreement even being drafted. He added that when those two gentlemen, they are very experienced folks, when they get there, well see. At the moment we have not had the papering of any of these discussions. So as I say, theyre going to be probing and continuing conversations. Story continues Trump and Chinas Xi Jinpings meeting, in fact, isnt likely before a Mar 1 deadline and the United States is expected to keep tariffs at 10% rather than increasing it to 25% as scheduled. Nonetheless, trade tensions between the United States and China are raising a lot of concern among investors. After all, tariffs do squeeze corporate profits and hamper growth. An array of weak global economic data isnt soothing investors nerves as well. Both the Bank of England (BOE) and the European Commission (EC) offered discouraging outlooks, reaffirming growing concerns about the health of Europes economy. Recently, BOE left rates unchanged and has lowered its GDP estimate for 2019 to 1.2% from the earlier 1.7%. The current level, rather, reflects the weakest growth since 2009. The EC also trimmed its forecast for 2019 Eurozone growth to 1.3%, down from the previous forecast of 1.9%. Germanys weaker-than-expected industrial data was cited to be the primary reason behind this dismal forecast. By the way, Italys high debt burden is raising questions over the health of the countrys finances. February Could Be Cruel: Buy 5 Top Dividend Stocks Now With so many concerns plaguing investors minds, dividend paying stocks are tempting options at the moment. The best dividend stocks pay out a healthy yield and have strong prospects, and are less susceptible to market gyrations. Their large customer base, sustainable business model, long track of profitability and strong liquidity allow them to offer sizable yields on a regular basis, regardless of market direction. While finding companies that offer these traits isnt easy, they do exist. To help you find these businesses, we have selected five dividend payers with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) and a VGM Score of A or B. Here V stands for Value, G for Growth and M for Momentum and the score is a weighted combination of these three metrics. Such a score allows you to eliminate the negative aspects of stocks and select winners. American Airlines Group Inc.operates as a network air carrier. The company has a Zacks Rank #2 and a VGM Score of B. American Airlines has a dividend yield of 1.09%, while its five-year average dividend yield is pegged at 0.85%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings rose 12.3% in the past 60 days. The stocks expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 30.8%, higher than the Transportation - Airline industrys projected return of 4.8%. The company has outperformed the broader industry so far this year (+12.6% vs +10.5%). Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc.designs, manufactures, and sells commercial and defense fully-automatic transmissions for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles, and medium- and heavy-tactical defense vehicles. The company has a Zacks Rank #2 and a VGM Score of A. Allison Transmission has a dividend yield of 1.24%, while its five-year average dividend yield is pegged at 1.75%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings rose 0.2% in the past 60 days. The stocks expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 73.7%, higher than the Automotive - Original Equipment industrys projected return of 4.4%. The company has outperformed the broader industry over the last one-year period (+14.7% vs -21.6%). AVX Corporationmanufactures, supplies, and resells various electronic components, interconnect devices, sensing and control devices, and related products. The company has a Zacks Rank #1 and a VGM Score of B. AVX has a dividend yield of 2.53%, while its five-year average dividend yield is pegged at 2.88%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings rose 9.7% in the past 60 days. The stocks expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 97.5%, higher than the Electronics - Miscellaneous Components industrys estimated return of 1.2%. The company has outperformed the broader industry on a year-to-date basis (+16.1% vs +13.0%). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. CrossAmerica Partners LPengages in the wholesale distribution of motor fuels, and ownership and leasing of real estate used in the retail distribution of motor fuels. The company has a Zacks Rank #2 and a VGM Score of A. CrossAmerica Partners has a dividend yield of 11.91%, while its five-year average dividend yield is pegged at 9.28%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings moved up 100% in the past 60 days. The stocks expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 150%, higher than the Oil and Gas - Refining and Marketing - Master Limited Partnerships industrys projected return of 13%. The company has outperformed the broader industry so far this year (+22.5% vs +18.1%). Ennis, Inc.designs, manufactures, and sells business forms and other business products. The company has a Zacks Rank #1 and a VGM Score of B. Ennis has a dividend yield of 4.41%, while its five-year average dividend yield is pegged at 4.26%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings rose 5% in the past 60 days. The stocks expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 13.9%, higher than the Office Supplies industrys projected return of 6.8%. The company has outperformed the broader industry over the last one-year period (+2.0% vs -7.0%). The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All Last year, it generated $8 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $47 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce ""the world's first trillionaires,"" but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early. See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >> Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report American Airlines Group Inc. (AAL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. (ALSN) : Free Stock Analysis Report AVX Corporation (AVX) : Free Stock Analysis Report CrossAmerica Partners LP (CAPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Ennis, Inc. (EBF) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research A global study by Intuit, a business and financial software company, uncovered the fact that nearly a third of small businesses are unable to either pay vendors, pay back pending loans or pay themselves or their employees. The problem: Cash flow The State of Small Business Cash Flow focused on the behaviors, attitudes and status of cash flow challenges experienced by small businesses and the self-employed. This is true despite recent tax cuts, regulatory rollbacks and other stimulus policies that have benefited small businesses. According to the study, on average U.S. small business owners are losing $43,394 annually by foregoing a project or sales due to issues created by insufficient cash flow. For many small businesses and self-employed workers who struggle with cash flow, the problem isnt that they dont have funds in the pipeline its that they dont have the funds readily available for real-time expenses. Small business billing practices need to be looked at, Intuit said. Nearly two-thirds of small business owners report that the time it takes the money to process after receiving a payment has the largest impact on their companys cash flow. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX BUSINESS APP Also, nearly a third of small businesses estimate it takes more than 30 days to get paid, by customers, clients, vendors or banks. During a slow month, businesses still need to cover expenses including overhead and labor costs thus creating cash flow woes. The State of Small Business Cash Flow was conducted by Wakefield Research in Fall 2018 and surveyed 3,000 small business owners of companies with up to 100 employees in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada and India. Related Articles (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday directing the U.S. government to prioritize artificial intelligence in its research and development spending, the White House said. The order, which comes amid concerns about Chinas ambitions to dominate the sector and the likelihood of disruption for workers as the technology automates millions of jobs, doesnt outline specific funding goals, but says it aims to ensure that AI develops in a manner that reflects U.S. values and to push training for the future workforce. Ivanka Trump and Chris Liddell, a former Microsoft Corp. chief financial officer who is now a deputy chief of staff to the president, planned to attend the signing ceremony, according to a statement the White House issued in advance. The moves occur less than a week after Trumps State of the Union address, when he said investments in cutting edge industries of the future are a necessity. The White Houses Office of Science and Technology Policy said in a statement during the speech on Feb. 5 that AI was among the industries Trump was referring to, alongside 5G broadband, advanced manufacturing and others. Tech leaders have also been pressing the administration for additional research and development funding and a more focused education strategy. In December, top tech chief executives -- including Googles Sundar Pichai, International Business Machines Corp.s Ginni Rometty and Microsofts Satya Nadella -- met with White House officials, including Ivanka Trump, on similar topics. In May, a top White House technology official, Michael Kratsios, assured participants from more than 100 companies across several sectors of the economy that the administration would pursue a hands-off regulatory approach to AI to allow it to grow unfettered. Mondays order envisions regulatory guidance to ensure the technology is trustworthy, said the White House official. Leaders from tech companies -- including Intel Corp. and IBM -- and the Consumer Technology Association applauded the order. Story continues Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, praised some aspects of the order but criticized its tone. The tone of this executive order reflects a laissez-faire approach to AI development that I worry will have the U.S. repeating the mistakes it has made in treating digital technologies as inherently positive forces, with insufficient consideration paid to their misapplication, he said. The administrations action follows moves by China to establish dominance in a technology with far-reaching implications for national security. The Chinese government has made a 10-fold increase in AI output a national priority for coming years, and many companies there are deploying machine-learning systems to update banking services, identify faces in crowds, and control drones. The order doesnt cover intellectual property protections or export controls, which the administration has sought to use to constrain China in other areas, but aims to open markets for U.S. companies. (Updates with response from tech companies ninth paragraph, Warner in 10th.) --With assistance from Alyza Sebenius. To contact the reporter on this story: Ben Brody in Washington at btenerellabr@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Sara Forden at sforden@bloomberg.net, Joshua Gallu, John Harney For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. FILE PHOTO: Crude oil storage tanks are seen from above at the Cushing oil hub, in Cushing, Oklahoma, March 24, 2016. REUTERS/Nick Oxford/File Photo By Devika Krishna Kumar and Laila Kearney NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. crude traders are bracing for increasing supplies at Cushing, Oklahoma, the delivery point for benchmark crude futures, as unexpected refinery issues add to inventories that are already at the highest in more than a year. Inventories at Cushing rose to 42.6 million barrels in the week to Feb. 1, the highest level since early January 2018, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said. Problems at a key Midwest refinery, along with upcoming seasonal maintenance, have traders believing supplies will rise more than expected at Cushing in coming weeks. A fire at Phillips 66's 330,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) joint-venture Wood River, Illinois, refinery and a unit closure at the Ponca City, Oklahoma, plant added to the bearish outlook for prices, traders said. The discount for front-month U.S. crude for delivery in March and futures for delivery in April widened to as much as 39 cents a barrel on Monday, the most in nearly a year and a half, reflecting expectations of supply increases at the storage hub. Increased supply makes traders less inclined to pay higher prices for near-term oil. The weakness in U.S. crude futures pushed the discount for U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) versus international benchmark Brent to the widest level in nearly two months, at $9.52 a barrel. "The outages, whether they're unplanned, or even more importantly the planned ones, are going to be mounting here, and that's going to engender a significant rise at Cushing," said John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital Management in New York. The second largest crude distillation unit (CDU) was shut by a fire on Sunday at Phillips 66's joint-venture Wood River refinery, a source familiar with plant operations said. Phillips 66 also shut the second-largest CDU at its Ponca City refinery for a planned overhaul, a source said. "It's a perfect storm of bearish information this morning for WTI," said Scott Shelton, a broker at ICAP in Durham. "Fears of tank tops will only worsen for the second quarter on this information." Story continues U.S. refiners were estimated to have about 1.8 million bpd of capacity offline in the week ending Feb. 8, increasing offline capacity by 629,000 bpd from a week earlier, research company IIR Energy said on Friday. Moreover, traders said some barrels headed for Patoka, Illinois, have been diverted to Cushing following an outage on a section of TransCanada's Keystone pipeline. "You're getting some additional flow into Cushing. That'll put pressure on WTI," one crude trader said. (Reporting by Devika Krishna Kumar and Laila Kearney in New York; editing by Grant McCool and Leslie Adler) (Bloomberg) -- Telenor ASA-backed mobile carrier Total Access Communication Pcl said it expects years of fierce price-cutting in Thailand to moderate as carriers turn from a focus on market share to profit ahead of huge investments to build fifth-generation networks. The competitive environment will still be tough, but I hope it will be more rational, Chief Executive Officer Alexandra Reich said in an interview in Bangkok Friday. The carriers revenue has declined for 14 consecutive quarters amid the fight for market share. While trying to lure users with lower prices, Total Access and bigger competitor Advanced Info Service Pcl have in the past few months acquired spectrum amid rising demand for data transmission. Ahead of the countrys planned sales of spectrum for 5G this year, Reich said Total Access isnt ready to commit to participating. We dont believe it makes sense to rush into any auction this year, Reich said. All of us need a clear spectrum plan to understand what is coming. Total Access was in a long-running tussle with officials over spectrum rules and in October agreed to pay 38.1 billion baht plus tax for a 15-year 900 megahertz license. In August, Total Access Communication won a single 1,800 megahertz permit for 12.5 billion baht. When it comes to building a 5G network, Reich said the company continues to work with Huawei Technologies Co., the China-based equipment maker the U.S. and others have accused of espionage, intellectual property theft and sanctions busting. We see Huawei as a very strong partner for us, she said. Looking into 5G, they are really ahead of the others. To contact the reporter on this story: Suttinee Yuvejwattana in Bangkok at suttinee1@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Sunil Jagtiani at sjagtiani@bloomberg.net, Dave McCombs For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. 1. Yes. Its important for students to stay focused throughout the year. Its a plus. 2. Yes. It would fill the learning gaps caused by COVID and would help cut youth crime. 3. No. Students and teachers deserve a summer break. Year-round school wont work. 4. No. It wouldnt work with the militarys summer PCS schedule. Its a bad idea. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say without knowing how the school calendar would work. Vote View Results FILE - This Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013, file photo, shows Electrolux's plant in Memphis, Tenn. Tennessee officials say Swedish appliance maker Electrolux isnt legally required to repay $100 million in state incentives for its soon-to-be-shuttered Memphis factory, because the states 2010 agreement with the company didnt include clawback provisions to recoup money if job thresholds arent met. Electrolux is expected to close its Memphis facility in 2020. (AP Photo/Adrian Sainz, File) NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Tennessee officials say Swedish appliance maker Electrolux isn't legally required to repay $100 million in state incentives for its soon-to-be-shuttered Memphis factory. That's because the state's 2010 agreement with Electrolux didn't include clawback provisions to recoup money if job thresholds aren't met. Accountability agreements with clawback requirements were added to state economic incentive agreements starting in 2013, economic development department spokesman Scott Harrison said. Electrolux committed to create 1,240 jobs in Memphis and last reported 1,100-plus employees in 2017, Harrison said. The company currently employs about 530. Last week, Electrolux announced plans to stop production in Memphis within two years, while investing $250 million to consolidate U.S. cooking manufacturing into its Springfield, Tennessee, facility. Electrolux's Memphis project received a $97 million grant paid in full and $2.6 million of a $3.1 million training grant, with the rest of that money to remain unpaid, Harrison said. Some of the money paid by the state helped with construction and infrastructure improvements, which could help attract a new tenant, Harrison added. "We are disappointed to hear that Electrolux will close its Memphis facility in 2020," Harrison said. "TNECD will continue to do everything we can to attract high-quality jobs to Memphis and West Tennessee." There are no state economic grant incentives for the Springfield project, Harrison said. Electrolux spokeswoman Eloise Hale said it's too early to say whether the company plans to repay any of the state money. But she said Electrolux officials "intend to meet our obligations." Republican Gov. Bill Lee called the Electrolux circumstance disappointing, and added that it underscores the importance of clawback provisions for economic incentives. "The process now for incentives is that if a company does not deliver on what is promised, then there is an ability to retrieve those funds, and I want to make sure that we do that going forward," the Republican governor told reporters Tuesday. Story continues The deal for Memphis to land Electrolux was announced in December 2010, just before Democratic former Gov. Phil Bredesen left office. In 2011, during former GOP Gov. Bill Haslam's early days, Electrolux officials threatened to terminate the project agreement if the state Legislature did not approve funding or make money available quickly enough. At the time of the deal, workers' unions and some politicians also criticized the tax breaks as too high, especially when the city was managing a tight budget. The state grants are part of more than $150 million in incentives given to the company for the plant, which opened in 2014 and makes ovens. Incentives included a 15-year property tax abatement program from Memphis and Shelby County. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris met with Electrolux on Friday and the company agreed to pay the "full taxable amount," Strickland said. The amount was not disclosed. Strickland has said that Electrolux's departure will "in no way" affect the city's determination to recruit new companies and jobs to the city. State Sen. Brian Kelsey, a lawmaker representing parts of Memphis and Shelby County, has said he sent a letter to Gov. Bill Lee expressing his concerns about the plant closing. Kelsey said he thinks the state should join Memphis and the county in recovering public incentives provided to Electrolux. "This loss for Memphis should prompt careful review of the use of taxpayer dollars for similar incentives in the future," Kelsey said in a statement Friday. ___ Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee contributed to this report. By Hyonhee Shin and Josh Smith SEOUL (Reuters) - Officials signed a short-term agreement on Sunday to boost South Korea's contribution toward the upkeep of U.S. troops on the peninsula, after a previous deal lapsed amid U.S. President Donald Trump's call for the South to pay more. About 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea, where the United States has maintained a military presence since the 1950-53 Korean War. The new deal must still be approved by South Korea's parliament, but it would boost its contribution to 1.03 trillion won ($890 million) from 960 billion won in 2018. Unlike past agreements, which lasted for five years, this one is scheduled to expire in a year, potentially forcing both sides back to the bargaining table within months. "It has been a very long process, but ultimately a very successful process," South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said at a meeting before another official from the foreign ministry initialled the agreement. While acknowledging lingering domestic criticism of the new deal and the need for parliamentary approval, Kang said the response had "been positive so far". The U.S. State Department senior adviser for security negotiations and agreements, Timothy Betts, met Kang before signing the agreement on behalf of the United States, and told her the money represented a small but important part of South Korea's support for the alliance. "The United States government realizes that South Korea does a lot for our alliance and for peace and stability in this region," he said. The allies had struggled to reach a breakthrough despite 10 rounds of talks since March, amid Trump's repeated calls for a sharp increase in South Korea's contribution. South Korean officials have said they had sought to limit its burden to $1 trillion won and make the accord valid for at least three years. A senior South Korean ruling party legislator said last month that negotiations were deadlocked after the United States made a "sudden, unacceptable" demand that Seoul pay more than 1.4 trillion won per year. Story continues But both sides worked to hammer out an agreement to minimize the impact on South Koreans working on U.S. military bases, and focus on nuclear talks ahead of a second U.S.-North Korea summit, Seoul officials said. The disagreement had raised the prospect that Trump could decide to withdraw at least some troops from South Korea, as he has in other countries like Syria. But on Sunday, South Koreas foreign ministry said in a statement that the United States had affirmed it would not be changing the scale of its troop presence. Trump said in his annual State of the Union address to the U.S. Congress on Tuesday that he would meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Feb. 27-28 in Vietnam, following their unprecedented meeting in June in Singapore. Kim Eui-kyeom, spokesman of South Koreas presidential Blue House, said on Sunday that President Moon Jae-in would discuss the upcoming summit with Trump soon and that U.S. and North Korean officials would be meeting in an unspecified Asian country next week. After the June meeting, Trump announced a halt to joint military exercises with South Korea, saying they were expensive and paid for mostly by the United States. Major joint exercises have been suspended, but some small-scale drills have continued, earning rebukes from North Korea's state media in recent months. About 70 percent of South Korea's contribution covers the salaries of some 8,700 South Korean employees who provide administrative, technical and other services for the U.S. military. Late last year, the U.S. military had warned Korean workers on its bases they might be put on leave from mid-April if no deal was agreed. (Additional reporting by Do-gyun Kim; editing by Neil Fullick and Jason Neely) Long disappointing and downtrodden, eurozone stocks and the corresponding exchange traded funds are rebounding this year. As Feb. 5, the iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF (CBOE: EZU) and the SPDR Euro STOXX 50 ETF (NYSE: FEZ) are up an average of 7 percent year-to-date. What Happened While 2019 is still in its formative stages, the starts to the year by EZU and FEZ are undoubtedly impressive following an average 2018 loss of just over 17 percent for the funds, which are two of the largest U.S.-listed eurozone ETFs. As previous eras of upside for eurozone equities have taught investors, regional risks linger and continued upside for EZU, FEZ and rival ETFs this year may not be easy to come by. Recession talk has been a familiar eurozone refrain for several years, and some data points seem to confirm that at least some of the region's economies are on the cusp of economic contraction. Why It's Important Driven initially by a slowdown in exports, eurozone growth weakened markedly through 2018, culminating in a 1.2-percent year-over-year increase in GDP in Q4, the weakest pace of expansion in almost five years, according to IHS Markit. Growth in Germany, the region's largest economy, is expected to slightly outpace that of the broader eurozone. EZU devotes 27.54 percent of its weight to German stocks. FEZ has a 27.63-percent weight to Germany. A positive effect from fiscal stimulus measures in Germany, France and Italy has also been factored in, said Markit. But even with a decent start to this year, we forecast a significant slowdown in annual eurozone GDP growth in 2019 and 2020 to 1.2 percent and 1 percent, respectively, based on our preliminary estimates for February's forecast round. France and Italy are the eurozone's second- and third-largest economies, respectively. France is by far the largest country weight in both EZU and FEZ. What's Next There is also the issue of volatility with eurozone equities and funds. In every year from 2013 to 2018, the iShares Europe ETF (NYSE: IEV), a diversified Europe fund, was less volatile than EZU and FEZ. Rising eurozone recession risk would likely prompt an uptick in equity market volatility there. Story continues The key medium-term risk to the eurozone from an external perspective is probably a hard landing for the global economy, given the unusually long U.S. economic expansion currently and policy challenges, on the fiscal side particularly. China's rebalancing is an additional concern, according to Markit. Related Links: Avoid EM Volatility With This ETF An Exciting China Sector ETF See more from Benzinga 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Feb 11 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the New York Times business pages. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. - U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Monday meant to spur the development and regulation of artificial intelligence, a technology that many experts believe will define the future of everything from consumer products to health care to warfare. https://nyti.ms/2DnjqbG - The United States and South Korea on Sunday signed an agreement on how to share the cost of U.S. military presence in South Korea, resolving a dispute between the allies before President Donald Trump's meeting this month with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. https://nyti.ms/2DnkQmw - Congressional efforts to reach a border security deal ahead of another U.S. government shutdown broke down on Sunday over Democratic demands to limit the detention of undocumented immigrants, as President Donald Trump moved more troops to the border and prepared to rally supporters in Texas on Monday. https://nyti.ms/2DuQ5w7 (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom) FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to the media at the United Nations following a Security Council meeting about the situation in Venezuela in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., January 26, 2019. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File Photo By Lesley Wroughton and Gergely Szakacs BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cautioned U.S. allies on Monday against deploying equipment from Chinese telecoms giant Huawei on their soil, saying it would make it more difficult for Washington to "partner alongside them". The United States and its Western allies believe Huawei Technologies' apparatus could be used for espionage, and see its expansion into central Europe as a way to gain a foothold in the EU market. Washington is concerned in particular about the expansion of Huawei, the world's biggest maker of telecoms equipment, in Hungary and Poland. "We want to make sure we identify (to) them the opportunities and the risks of using that equipment," Pompeo told reporters during a visit to the Hungarian capital, Budapest. Hungary is the first stop in a trip by Pompeo to central Europe that also includes Slovakia and Poland and is part of what administration officials say is an effort to make up for a lack of U.S. engagement in the region that opened the door to more Chinese and Russian influence. Huawei denies engaging in intelligence work for any government. It says its technologies serve 70 percent of Hungarians and that it cooperates with most telecoms providers in Hungary, including state-owned enterprises. "We have seen this all around the world, it also makes it more difficult for America to be present," Pompeo told reporters during a stop at the U.S. embassy," referring to Huawei equipment. "If that equipment is co-located where we have important American systems, it makes it more difficult for us to partner alongside them." Pompeo announced plans for a defence cooperation agreement with Hungary, one of the European governments that is most enthusiastic about Chinese investment. But he said he had discussed "the dangers of allowing China to gain a bridgehead in Hungary" in talks with Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. Budapest's nationalist government, like Poland's largely isolated politically in the European Union, hopes to buy mid-range air defence capabilities from the United States. Story continues U.S. INTERESTS In Poland, where Pompeo is travelling to on Tuesday, the government is considering banning Huawei from participating in the development of 5G capabilities after arresting a Chinese employee of Huawei and a former Polish security official on spying allegations last month. Both men have denied wrongdoing. It is also lobbying Washington for an increased military presence on its soil. Slovakia, which Pompeo visits before Poland, is looking to buy F-16 fighter jets. Pompeo's tour includes a conference on the Middle East, hosted by Poland, where Washington hopes to build a coalition against Iran. He is also expected to voice concerns about energy ties with Moscow, and urge Hungary not to support the TurkStream pipeline, part of the Kremlin's plans to bypass Ukraine, the main transit route for Russian gas to Europe. Hungary gets most of its gas from Russia and its main domestic source of electricity is the Paks nuclear power plant where Russia's Rosatom is involved in a 12.5 billion-euro ($14 billion) expansion. Hungary's Szijjarto brushed off U.S. concerns over Russia and China, saying Budapest was fulfilling its obligations to western allies as a member of the NATO military alliance. "When it comes to cooperation with Russia or cooperation with the People's Republic of China that does not harm us being reliable as a NATO ally," he told a joint news conference with his U.S. counterpart. A EUROPEAN TRUMP Pompeo also discussed concerns over the rule of law in Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban is pressuring courts, media and non-governmental groups. Earlier in the day Pompeo met with civil society leaders at the U.S. embassy and said he would discuss their treatment directly with Orban. "So many of the concerns that are voiced are things that have happened in the absence of America being engaged," he told reporters. Szijjarto drew parallels between the Trump administration and Orban government on curbing immigration, protecting Christians around the world and support for Israel. "Hungary's government and President Donald Trump's administration represent an identical, or very similar, approaches in both general political and numerous international political issues," he said. (Editing by Justyna Pawlak, Robin Pomeroy, Peter Graff and Frances Kerry) NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced today that eight employees from its Newport News Shipbuilding and Ingalls Shipbuilding divisions were recognized for achievements in the STEM fields during the 33rd annual Black Engineer of the Year Award STEM Global Competitiveness Conference. The conference was held last week in Washington, D.C. Christopher Belton, a lead test engineer at Newport News Shipbuilding, received the Admiral Michelle Howard Legacy Award. The award is named in honor of Howard, whose ground-breaking 35-year naval career was marked by many firsts, including becoming the first African-American woman to command a U.S. Navy ship and the first to achieve the two- and three-star ranks. In 2014, she became the first African-American and first woman to reach the rank of four-star admiral. Seven other HII employees received Modern Day Technology Leader awards, which recognize their efforts in shaping the future of engineering, science and technology. They are: Roclun Barber , test engineer, Newport News Shipbuilding David Elliot Jr., electrical engineer, Newport News Shipbuilding Eddie Ireland , electrical engineer, Newport News Shipbuilding Ashlei Owens , IT systems engineer, Newport News Shipbuilding Ronald Ryes Jr. , electrical engineer, Ingalls Shipbuilding Ernestine Thompson , test engineer manager, Newport News Shipbuilding Dominique Wilson, electrical engineer, Ingalls Shipbuilding Photos of the award-winners are available at: https://newsroom.huntingtoningalls.com/releases/beya-awards-2019 . Huntington Ingalls Industries is Americas largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry. For more than a century, HIIs Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisions in Virginia and Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder. HIIs Technical Solutions division provides a wide range of professional services through its Fleet Support, Mission Driven Innovative Solutions, Nuclear & Environmental, and Oil & Gas groups. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII employs more than 40,000 people operating both domestically and internationally. For more information, visit: Story continues HII on the web: www.huntingtoningalls.com HII on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HuntingtonIngallsIndustries HII on Twitter: twitter.com/hiindustries Contact: Duane Bourne Duane.A.Bourne@hii-co.com 757-380-3581 Former Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller speaks outside the Centre County Courthouse in 2017. (Photo: Dan Gleiter, PennLive.com) The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has suspended former Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller over conduct that included ex parte communication with judges and using a fake Facebook account to snoop on suspects. The Supreme Court entered a one-page per curiam order Feb. 8, suspending Parks Miller for one year, plus one day. The ruling follows the recommendations of the Disciplinary Board, which had significantly increased the punishment that disciplinary counsel and the three-attorney hearing panel had initially suggested. Because the suspension is for more than one year, Parks Miller will need to reapply to obtain her law license before she can go back to practicing. James Kutz of Post & Schell, who is representing Parks Miller, said it is unlikely she will seek reconsideration. "We were extremely disappointed that the Disciplinary Board rejected the recommendations of the hearing committee, who sat and heard the evidence, and further rejected the Office of Disciplinary Counsel's recommendation, both of which were three months' suspension being adequate," Kutz said. Kutz noted that, under prior counsel, Parks Miller defaulted in the case, so she was unable to contest many of the facts. The disciplinary charges Parks Miller faced stemmed from ex parte communications she had in seven matters, most of which involved retired Centre County Judge Bradley Lunsford, as well as charges stemming from the creation of a fictitious Facebook account, which made friend requests to defendants and friended the pages of several establishments suspected of selling bath salts. According to the disciplinary boards 45-page recommendation, the Facebook issue raised a novel question in Pennsylvania of whether a prosecutor violates disciplinary rules by engaging in a covert activity through the use of social media. Although the hearing committee had determined that the conduct was not a violation but only showed lack of care by Parks Miller, the Disciplinary Board said the conduct rose to the level of a violation. Parks Miller knowingly created a fake social media persona, provided access to a fake Facebook page to her staff, and indicated that the page should be used to masquerade and snoop around on Facebook, the filing said. The Facebook page created by Parks Miller and disseminated to her staff was fake, and constituted fraudulent and deceptive conduct. The board was further critical of Parks Miller for failing to obtain any ethics consults before creating the fake account and noted that a 2009 ethics opinion from the Philadelphia Bar Association Professional Guidance Committee had determined that simply concealing a highly material fact as to why contact is being made on social media could constitute an ethics violation. In her defense during the proceedings, Parks Miller argued that the Facebook page was used in an effort to curb the sale of bath salts in the county. (Bloomberg) -- Defending the incentive package to attract Amazon.com Inc.s HQ2 to New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the prospect of the tech giant bringing tens of thousands of jobs to the area was mission critical. We had a real live choice to make -- 25,000 to 40,000 jobs, many of them good paying, that New Yorkers really want and that would be available to a wide range of New Yorkers, De Blasio said in testifying to the New York State Legislatures Joint Fiscal Committees. We want to build up our tech community, so to me it was mission critical that this city get those jobs rather than other cities. After lobbying hard to win the deal, De Blasio and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo have faced a backlash from local politicians and community organizers who object to their lack of involvement in the process and $3 billion in government incentives for a company valued at close to $1 trillion while the city is facing budget cuts. Seattle-based Amazon launched a nationwide search in 2017 for a site to build a second-headquarters that would eventually employ as many as 50,000 workers. The process pitted New York against cities across the country -- a format that wasnt ideal, de Blasio noted. Amazon is planning a similar site in Arlington, Virginia. We believed that, through careful tracking of the competition, there were several other cities poised to win, he said. And we had to strike the right balance. Amazon received incentives from existing state programs that were available to any company, de Blasio said. The city didnt offer additional incentives. The jobs Amazon is expected to create in Long Island City will have a seismic impact" and yield $27.5 billion in state and city revenue over 25 years, a 9-to-1 ratio of revenue to subsidies, de Blasio said. We never had a single agreement that brought us that many jobs, he said. At the same time, the mayor acknowledged that the city has more work to do to make sure Amazon lives up to its commitments. Story continues Addressing a frequent concern of opponents -- Amazons anti-union stance -- De Blasio said construction of the headquarters will be done by union workers. Building-services jobs, like janitors, will also be filled by union members. De Blasio said the city had considered other sites before ultimately selecting Long Island City as a potential future location of Amazons 4 million-square-foot new corporate campus. It became clear during the process, however, that Amazon preferred the Queens site, on the shores of the East River across from Manhattan. The neighborhood is one that has been developing, and Amazon presented an opportunity to generate more things we care about: jobs, affordable housing, fixing our infrastructure, he said. To contact the reporters on this story: Molly Schuetz in New York at mschuetz9@bloomberg.net;Martin Z. Braun in New York at mbraun6@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Flynn McRoberts at fmcroberts1@bloomberg.net, Molly Schuetz For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. By Beth Pinsker NEW YORK, Feb 11 (Reuters) - While this year's taxapalooza is off to a slow start because of the earlier U.S. government shutdown, one thing already is clear: your refund might be a whole lot smaller than you were expecting. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released its first set of filing season statistics last week. The average refund was down 8.4 percent from the equivalent period last year, at $1,865 from $2,035. The lower refund amount is tied up in changes from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that went into effect in 2018. To match the new law, the government last year changed the amount of tax withholding it takes out of paychecks. Yet many people did not notice and adjust their withholding. So when it comes to tax time, filers may be getting back less - even if their overall tax burden was lower than the previous year. Not everyone should expect smaller refunds. Some may get worse news, and actually end up owing, particularly single taxpayers in states with high local taxes. Tynisa Gaines, an enrolled agent tax preparer based in Henrico, Virginia, has a single client who is going to owe more this year in taxes, even though he is now in a lower tax bracket. This is because he can no longer deduct as much of his state and local taxes, which results in a difference of about $5,000 more in taxable income for 2018. "He's going to be mad," Gaines said. "I haven't told him yet." HIDDEN TEXT One big change that will make refunds look different is the tax form itself. Filers used to skipping straight to line 76 to make sure their refund is correct can now find that information on line 19. The new cosmetic look of the 1040 form belies all the changes within. The redesign squishes what used to be 79 lines of information into just 22, on two half-sheets of paper. But things did not get streamlined and simplified. All of those missing lines now correspond to six new numbered schedules and several worksheets. And that is in addition to the existing alphabetical schedules (A for itemizing deductions, B for interest and dividends, etc.) Story continues "It's not a postcard, you can't mail it. It's maddening," said Jerry Gaddis, an enrolled agent tax preparer based in Winter Haven, Florida. If you are an Uber driver, for example, you used to have a simple return, with just a Schedule C for business income. This kind of return is now the most complicated, said Gaines, who is seeing 15 more pages per return, on average. You need several new additional schedules and worksheets to figure out the new 20 percent deduction for qualified business income, she added. Phyllis Jo Kubey, an enrolled agent in New York, has basically given up trying to process the changes visually. Her tax software even comes with a "1040 reconciliation worksheet," which takes everything on this year's tax form and makes it look like an old 1040. "Its easier for me to find things on the old form than to look at six different schedules," Kubey said. Kubey is especially concerned for senior citizens, who might be among the last of those who fill out the 1040 by hand. "Can you imagine if you have been doing taxes every year of your life on paper, and then all the sudden you get this? I'd go nuts," Kubey said. For taxpayers who file electronically, the new form might not have that much of an impact. A professional tax preparer will take your information the same as always and deal with the changes for you. DIY tax software will prompt you for the information needed in a similar manner to previous years, with just a few new questions. It is when the results are printed out that most people will notice the difference. Kubey decided to sidestep this by giving a copy of the old-style version to her clients with the file copy of their return. While Kubey wants them to understand the new tax system, she knows that they will have trouble comparing this year to any past years if they cannot see the information in a way that matches it up. Gaddis is doing something similar for clients - his software creates a three-year comparison in the old form's style. "I don't even show them the new 1040," Gaddis said. "They wouldn't understand it and I couldn't explain it." (Editing by Lauren Young and G Crosse) Three Indian nationals held with 360 kg hashish Police arrested three Indian nationals in possession of 360 kg hashish in Gajuri, Dhading, on Sunday. (Bloomberg) -- Just Eat Plc should merge with a rival online meal-delivery company because the board has shown that it cant find a suitable chief executive officer, according to Cat Rock Capital Management LP, which owns about 2 percent of Just Eat. The Greenwich, Connecticut-based investment firm sent an open letter to Just Eats board of directors saying it made a mistake in appointing Peter Plumb as CEO in 2017. Just Eat should use global consolidation to its advantage and a merger would deliver real value, according to Cat Rock. You basically have a situation where you can get a world-class CEO and delivery capabilities, while also potentially securing a premium valuation for shareholders, Alex Captain, founder of Cat Rock, said in a phone interview. We are very focused on ensuring the board engages in discussions to secure this outcome for shareholders. A spokesman for Just Eat said it takes communications with all of its shareholders extremely seriously, adding that its carrying out a thorough CEO appointment process and we will update the market as appropriate. Plumb stepped down last month, and Cat Rock said Just Eat has ignored two suggestions of potential replacements who have experience in online food delivery. The stock has dropped 12 percent in the past 12 months and several key executives resigned during Plumbs tenure, including former Chief Operating Officer Adrian Blair. Any new CEO will face the daunting task of rebuilding Just Eats entire management team while simultaneously attempting to execute on the companys marketplace and delivery initiatives, Cat Rock said in the letter. It is therefore increasingly clear that a merger would be the best way for Just Eat to secure the management talent and delivery expertise it needs to compete. Shares of Just Eat gained as much as 3.4 percent in London Monday. Consolidation has been heating up in the food delivery sector. Takeaway.com NV agreed to acquire the German businesses of Delivery Hero SE for approximately 930 million euros ($1 billion) in December, while Uber Technologies Inc.s bid for Roofoods Ltd.s Deliveroo stalled over a disagreement on valuation, the Financial Times reported in November. Story continues Takeaway.com and Delivery Hero have market values of about 3 billion euros and 6.5 billion euros respectively. Other industry players include GrubHub Inc., Meituan Dianping, DoorDash Inc. and Postmates Inc. Not all of those are going to be legitimate industry peers for Just Eat to negotiate with, but we do think that there are multiple logical suitors," Captain said. Cat Rock estimates that iFood and SkipTheDishes could be worth more than 2 billion pounds ($2.6 billion), while Just Eats core European business has significant upside. Jeremy Thomas, head of global equities at Sarasin & Partners LLP, a shareholder in Just Eat, said via email that his firms engagement with the company continues. "But we would make two observations," he said. "First, Cat Rock has other investments in the takeaway food platform industry whereas we are only invested in Just Eat. Second, because Just Eat has market leading positions in the majority of their markets, we see few in-market synergies from a combination with other large aggregators at this time." Cat Rock has a 4.9 percent stake in Takeaway.com, according to a filing with the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets. The firm no longer has any shares in Delivery Hero. (Updates including Cat Rocks other investments in last paragraph.) --With assistance from Joost Akkermans and William Canny. To contact the reporters on this story: Lisa Pham in London at lpham14@bloomberg.net;Thomas Mulier in Geneva at tmulier@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Eric Pfanner at epfanner1@bloomberg.net, ;Celeste Perri at cperri@bloomberg.net, Nate Lanxon For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- The lawyer for the chairman of the National Enquirers parent company said there wasnt any blackmail, extortion or political motivation involved in the fight between the tabloid and Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon. Photos and other details about Bezoss extramarital affair came from a reliable source known to Bezos -- and not from President Donald Trump, Saudi Arabia or Trump adviser Roger Stone, said Elkan Abramowitz, an attorney for David Pecker, the chairman of American Media Inc. It was a usual story that National Enquirer gets from reliable sources, Abramowitz said on ABCs This Week on Sunday. He didnt name the source. It absolutely is not extortion and not blackmail. It doesnt look that way to everyone. AMI is in a world of hurt, said Michael Pachter, an analyst with Wedbush Securities who has covered Amazon for years. In a public blog post Feb. 7, Bezos published letters from lawyers representing AMI who demanded he drop a private investigation into the company -- or else it would publish more embarrassing photographs about him. Bezos accused the National Enquirer publisher of extortion. His post referenced Peckers connections with the Saudis and suggested more would come to light. The Amazon founder, who owns the Washington Post, also appeared to be making references to his papers aggressive investigation of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, who wrote for the paper, and the seeming reluctance of the Trump administration to hold Saudis responsible despite that assessment by the intelligence community. Abramowitz suggested the letters were an attempt to resolve differences because Bezos didnt want another story about him and AMI did not want to have the libel against them that this was inspired by the White House, inspired by Saudi Arabia or inspired by the Washington Post. By emphasizing that the story about Bezos having an affair was already in the public domain, Abramowitz was in essence admitting that they were trying to extort a statement from the owner of the Washington Post, said Ted Boutrous, a partner at the Gibson Dunn law firm in Los Angeles. Thats really a significant problem for the National Enquirer. Story continues Bezos Blackmail Charge Intensifies Proxy War With Trump Pecker has gotten himself in -- and out -- of much trouble over the years. But fighting with Bezos may be a step too far. Its doubtful Bezos is willing to let the matter drop. Rather than pay hush money he certainly could afford as the worlds richest person, he said hed rather risk embarrassment of the publication of intimate messages or pictures -- including those under the belt -- than capitulate to extortion or blackmail. Bezos is probably mulling whether AMI will now be in deeper trouble with prosecutors -- or whether he will draw from his deep pockets to destroy them on his own. Or both. Cooperation Deal Federal prosecutors are reviewing the National Enquirers handling of its story about Bezos to determine whether the company violated an earlier cooperation deal with prosecutors, according to two people familiar with the matter. AMI agreed not to commit crimes as part of that deal to avoid prosecution over hush-money payments to women who claimed relationships with Trump. Michael Cohen, Trumps former lawyer, played a pivotal role in some of the payments and has pleaded guilty to related charges. Asked whether hes worried that the Bezos revelations have put the cooperation agreement in jeopardy, Abramowitz responded, absolutely not. Abramowitz also said while AMI has sought financing from the Saudis, it never obtained any, doesnt have any Saudi Arabian finance. Bezos said last month that he and his wife, MacKenzie, were divorcing, in an announcement that came just hours before the Enquirer reported that Bezos had been having a relationship with Lauren Sanchez. Bezos hired a private investigator, Gavin de Becker, to learn how the texts between Bezos and Sanchez were obtained and to determine the motives for the many unusual actions taken by the Enquirer. De Becker told The Daily Beast on Sunday that the investigation into who initially provided the texts to the National Enquirer, and why, is finished and that the results have been turned over to attorneys for referral to law enforcement. An investigation into what the National Enquirer and AMI did after they received the initial texts, that investigation is ongoing, De Becker told The Daily Beast. Someone Close Meanwhile, Abramowitz dangled a tantalizing new detail. He said Bezos did in fact know who the source of the story was. It was somebody close to both Bezos and his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez, he told ABCs George Stephanopoulos. The Daily Beast, citing multiple sources inside AMI, reported Sunday that Sanchezs brother Michael supplied the couples texts to the National Enquirer. Speculation about Michael Sanchezs involvement had been swirling since news of the affair between Bezos and Lauren Sanchez first broke. Abramowitz refused to confirm or deny speculation that the source was Bezos girlfriends brother -- a Trump supporter who is close to the recently indicted political operative Roger Stone. He reiterated that it was a legitimate offer to call off the feud for mutual benefit. Each side had something that they wanted, Abramowitz said. (Updates with Daily Beast report on Michael Sanchez.) --With assistance from Christian Berthelsen and Jennifer Jacobs. To contact the reporters on this story: Mark Niquette in Columbus at mniquette@bloomberg.net;Hailey Waller in New York at hwaller@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Sara Forden at sforden@bloomberg.net, Ian Fisher, Matthew G. Miller For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. The lawyer for the chairman of the National Enquirers parent company said there wasnt any blackmail, extortion or political motivations involved in the fight between the tabloid and Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon. Photos and other details about Bezoss extramarital affair came from a reliable source known to Bezos and not from President Donald Trump, Saudi Arabia or Trump adviser Roger Stone, said Elkan Abramowitz, an attorney for David Pecker, chairman, chief executive and president of American Media Inc. It was a usual story that National Enquirer gets from reliable sources, Abramowitz said on ABCs This Week on Sunday. He didnt name the source. In a public blog post Feb. 7, Bezos published letters from lawyers representing AMI who demanded he drop a private investigation into the company or else it would publish more embarrassing photographs about the wealthy businessman. Bezos accused the National Enquirer publisher of extortion. Bezoss post referenced Peckers connections with the Saudis and suggested more would come to light. The Amazon founder, who also owns the Washington Post, also appeared to be making references to that papers aggressive investigation of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, who wrote for the paper, and the seeming reluctance of the Trump administration to hold Saudis responsible despite that assessment by the intelligence community. It absolutely is not extortion and not blackmail, Abramowitz said. He suggested the letters were an attempt to resolve differences because Bezos didnt want another story about him and AMI did not want to have the libel against them that this was inspired by the White House, inspired by Saudi Arabia or inspired by the Washington Post, the lawyer said. A Saudi Arabian envoy, Adel al-Jubeir, said in an interview airing on CBSs Face the Nation on Sunday that the kingdom had nothing to do with the leaks to AMI and this sounds to me like a soap opera. Story continues Federal prosecutors are reviewing the National Enquirers handling of its story about Bezos to determine whether the company violated an earlier cooperation deal with prosecutors, according to two people familiar with the matter. Bezos Blackmail Charge Intensifies Proxy War With Trump AMI agreed not to commit crimes as part of that deal to avoid prosecution over hush-money payments to women who claimed relationships with Trump. Michael Cohen, Trumps former lawyer, played a pivotal role in some of the payments and has pleaded guilty to related charges. Asked whether hes worried that the Bezos revelations have put the cooperation agreement in jeopardy, Abramowitz responded, absolutely not. Abramowitz also said while AMI has sought financing from the Saudis, it never obtained any, doesnt have any Saudi Arabian finance. Bezos said last month that he and his wife, MacKenzie, were divorcing, in an announcement that came just hours before the Enquirer reported that Bezos had been having a relationship with another woman. Bezos hired a private investigator, Gavin de Becker, to learn how the texts were obtained and to determine the motives for the many unusual actions taken by the Enquirer. Photo credit: AFP - Getty Images From Popular Mechanics Iran is flying antiques. It's not the only one. After all, we've covered the travails of America's rapidly aging Air Force, such as the fact that airmen could fly and maintain the same B-52s as their grandfathers. But at least the Pentagon has new tech and new planes in the pipeline. The Iranian military is in a stickier predicament. Political isolation, combined with an unwillingness by many countries to sell Iran new equipment, means its fleet fighters bought in the mid-1970s-from the United States, no less-must fly on for the foreseeable future, with homegrown know-how the main thing keeping them airworthy. Ally to Enemy In the 1970s, Iran was a staunch ally of the United States. Ruled by the Shah and financed by oil wealth, Iran purchased huge quantities of American equipment including 166 Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II jets . Based on the F-5A/B Freedom Fighter, the Tiger II was a single-engine fighter capable of both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. A relatively low-cost, low-maintenance fighter designed for export to Americas allies, the Tiger II was similar to todays F-16 Fighting Falcon. The plane is obsolete by todays standards. The 1979 islamic revolution in Iran radically upset the countrys relationship with the United States. Following the overthrow of the Shan and the Iranian hostage crisis, Washington quickly went from ally to enemy. That presented a serious problem for the countrys military. Largely using American equipment, but regarding America as an enemy, Irans armed forces have struggled to keep the military machine going. Reverse-Engineering the Present, Cannibalizing the Past Photo credit: AFP - Getty Images The story of Irans Tiger IIs may be the most telling example. According to Aviation Week & Space Technology, the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force still operates 44 F-5Es (single seat jets) and 15 F-5Fs (two seat combat-capable trainers). In the 2000s, Irans government instructed the military, government, and even academic world to modernize the jets to a new standard to keep them flying. As a result, today Iran can build most of the parts that make up a Tiger II, but not all of them. It appears the country still has to recycle some parts from Tiger IIs no longer flying. Story continues AWST reports that Irans government coordinated a Tiger II upgrade effort that ended up involving 10 top Iranian universities, 72 privately run companies, 44 suppliers and 63 science and research foundations. Today, the Iranian Turbine Industries Organization can build its own General Electric J85-GE-21 afterburning turbojet engines, the original engine that powers the Tiger II, making 80 percent of the parts. The remaining 20 percent of parts are American-made real General Electric parts likely predating the 1979 revolution. Iran is now able to produce its own F-5F two-seater jets-mostly. The country can build almost all of the jet, with the exceptions of 5 percent of its avionics systems and 25 percent of its other components. The remaining parts are either purchased on the open market or cannibalized from non-operational Tiger IIs, of which Iran has nearly 100. The new, modernized F-5Fs have a weird, cobbled-together list of features. The jet uses both GPS and the Russian GLONASS system for navigation. While using GLONASS makes sense, given Irans hostility to the United States, the fact that the jet still has GPS is a bit puzzling. The radar set is an Iranian copy of a Chinese copy of an Italian radar. Short-range missile armament includes pre-revolution AIM-9J Sidewinders and Chinese air-to-air missiles. Iran may some day buy new fighter jets, but until the regimes political isolation ends, the countrys air force simply must make do. Read more at Aviation Week & Space Technology . ('You Might Also Like',) (Bloomberg) -- Apples new campus in Cupertino, California, is a symbol of how the company views itself as an employer: simultaneously inspiring its workers with its magnificent scale while coddling them with its four-story cafe and 100,000-square-foot fitness center. But one group of Apple contractors finds another building, six miles away on Hammerwood Avenue in Sunnyvale, to be a more apt symbol. This building is as bland as the main Apple campus is striking. From the outside, there appears to be a reception area, but its unstaffed, which makes sense given that people working in this satellite officemostly employees of Apple contractors working on Apple Mapsuse the back door. Workers say managers instructed them to walk several blocks away before calling for a ride home. Several people who worked here say its widely referred to within Apple as a black site, as in a covert ops facility. Inside the building, say former workers, they came to expect the vending machines to be understocked, and to have to wait in line to use the mens bathrooms. Architectural surprise and delight wasnt a priority here; after all, the contract workers at Hammerwood almost all leave after their assignments of 12 to 15 months are up. Its not uncommon for workers not to make it that long. According to 14 current and former contractors employed by Apex Systems, a firm that staffs the building as well as other Apple mapping offices, they operated under the constant threat of termination. It was made pretty plain to us that we were at-will employees and they would fire us at any time, says one former Hammerwood contractor, who, like most of the workers interviewed for this story, spoke on condition of anonymity because he signed a nondisclosure agreement with Apex. There was a culture of fear among the contractors which I got infected by and probably spread. Apex, not Apple, manages the workers it hires. Apple says it requires contracting firms to treat workers with dignity and respect. Following an inquiry from Bloomberg News, the company says, it conducted a surprise audit of the Hammerwood facility and found a work environment consistent with other Apple locations. Like we do with other suppliers, we will work with Apex to review their management systems, including recruiting and termination protocols, to ensure the terms and conditions of employment are transparent and clearly communicated to workers in advance, an Apple spokesperson says in a statement. Story continues Buddy Omohundro, Apexs chief services officer and general counsel, says in an email that his company strives to ensure its creating the best possible work experience. Apex provides multiple avenues for employees to raise concerns, both directly and anonymously, and to have those concerns addressed, he wrote. Apex is one tiny part of a sprawling global network of staffing firms working with Apple; it is not even the only firm staffing the facility at Hammerwood Avenue. For Apple Maps alone, workers are spread across several locations in Silicon Valley, as well as in Austin, Texas; London; the Czech Republic; and India, according to people who worked on the project. The operation involves thousands of contractors. At Hammerwood, the population has exceeded 250 at times, although the number fluctuates and Apple declined to give a current count. Places like Hammerwood undermine the mythology of Silicon Valley as a kind of industrial utopia where talented people work themselves to the bone in exchange for outsize salaries and stock options. A common perception in the Bay Area is that its only serious tech-labor issue is the high cost of living driven by the industrys obscene salaries. But many of those poorer residents work in tech, too. For decades, contractors and other contingent workers have served meals, driven buses, and cleaned toilets at tech campuses. Theyve also built circuit boards and written and tested software, all in exchange for hourly wages and little or no job security. In different forms, temporary labor as an alternative to full-time employment has grown across the U.S. economy. Companies in many industries now use staffing firms to handle work once done by full-time workers. The technology industry offers one of the starkest examples of how the groups fortunes have diverged. While companies arent required to disclose the sizes of their contingent workforces, theres ample evidence that tech companies use large numbers of contractors and temps. Last year, Bloomberg News reported that direct employees at Alphabet Inc.s Google accounted for less than half its workforce. We Want To Hear Your Story Help Bloomberg News write about what it means to be a contractor at a tech company. Please click here to tell us your story. The treatment of these workers is emerging alongside sexual harassment and military contracting as a principal target of the wave of tech worker activism thats been building over the past two years. When Google employees staged a walkout last November, many contingent workers didnt learn about it in advance because they dont have access to internal mailing lists. A month later, Googlers sent an open letter to the companys management demanding better working conditions for temporary workers, vendors, and contractors. The Apple Maps operations staffed by Apex provide a dim view of contract work, according to current and former Apex workers. Some took jobs there with the hope of landing full-time work at Applea possibility they said Apex played uponly to find the chances were small. As Apple has faced headwinds in recent months, it has further reduced the practice of converting any contract workers to full-time positions, according to a person familiar with Apples operations. Other Apex workers took the job just to put Apple on their resume. Even that benefit was tenuous. Apex managers initially distributed specific wording they could include on their LinkedIn profiles referring to their employer as Apple, via Apex Systems. Last summer, Apex said they had to remove the word Apple, describing their employer only as A Major Tech Company Via Apex Systems, according to two former employees. The restrictions were just one of many reminders of the contractors inferior status, right down to the apple design on their ID badges. For direct employees, the apples were multi-colored; contractors got what one described as sad grey. Its common for companies to distribute different badges to contractors, a practice that discontented workers across the industry have seized on as evidence of a caste system. Amber Lutsko, who worked for Apple through Apex in 2017 and 2018, described an opening-day pep talk that aimed to make her feel both honored and excluded. You work at Apple now! You have made it! she recalls being told. Youre not allowed to use the gym. The companies of Silicon Valley have created vast fortunes with far fewer employees than the corporate behemoths that came before them. In part, this is because you can replicate software infinitely in a way you cant with, say, a Model T. But the tech industry was also an early adopter of offloading core functions to contract workers. Tech was quick to embrace contractors because of rapid advancements requiring constant adjustments in the composition of the workforce, according to Louis Hyman, author of the 2018 book Temp. All those changes helped nurture Silicon Valleys ideology of flexibility and speed, first in hardware, then in software and business operations. Hyman quotes a 1993 issue of Apples internal magazine that describes the transition away from direct employees to contractors and outsourcing firms as both a predictable evolution and the future. Conflict is inevitable in a two-tiered workforce. As far back as the 1990s, Microsoft Corp. contractors challenged their employment status in court and attempted to unionize. In 2014 a group of Microsoft bug-testers won the right to bargain with their employer, a staffing agency called Lionbridge Technologies Inc. Within a few years, Lionsbridge had eliminated all their jobs. Apple, which has about 130,000 full-time employees, also accepts workers from about three dozen staffing firms, according to OnContracting, a website providing market information to staffing companies. Contracting firms work on iTunes and server infrastructure, handle customer support, and select articles for Apple News. Apex, the largest division of ASGN, a staffing company based in suburban Los Angeles, has provided Apple with a steady stream of mapping technicians, whose jobs consist of checking to make sure that Apples software is drawing roads in the right places, or responding to reports of inaccuracies in existing maps. Theyre largely in their early- to mid-20s, and have often just graduated from college. Wages are generally about $25 an hour, which some workers consider generous and others see as stingy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2017 median hourly wage for mapping technicians nationwide was $20.84, while the median per-hour rate for the same jobs in California was $30.61. Apex employees have access to health insurance, although the premiums are high enough that some people opt not to take it. Because the workforce is young, Apex workers often stay on their parents health insurance rather than figure things out on their own. Apex has also changed aspects of employment suddenly. In November, it cut the maximum amount of paid sick time employees could take annually from 48 hours to 24 hours, saying the policy would go into effect in two days, according to two current employees and an internal email viewed by Bloomberg. The email, which Apex workers received on a Thursday afternoon, inspired a rare moment of collective action. A group of over a dozen workers said they had suddenly fallen ill, and left, according to one current Apex employee who participated in the protest. At all times, Apex has provided as much paid sick leave as required by applicable law, says Omohundro, adding that the company worked to find exceptions in individual cases. Many Apex employees first heard about the company through LinkedIn. The company trawls the website for people with proficiency in skills for mapmaking like geographic information systems or geography, then messages them repeatedly. Lutsko had worked as an archaeologist and was in between jobs in 2017 when, as she describes it, she basically gave in. Theyre pretty aggressive, so it was easy to take the job, she says. At the beginning of the interview process, Apex doesnt mention the company where people will work. But the revelation can tip wavering candidates over the edge. They said it was with Applethey were super hush-hush originallyand I was like, Oh my God! says a former Apex worker who started in 2017. That will be on my resume? Bang! The secrecy just made the job seem sexier. Many Apex workers assumed discretion was required because Hammerwood had some connection to self-driving cars. Their own work turned out to be drudgery. Still, they gossiped about the mysterious group of direct Apple employees who also worked on the site. They never knew for sure what those people were up to, since they say managers at Apex kept them from communicating with Apple employees unless it was necessary to do their immediate jobs. One former Apex worker says the contractors werent allowed to use the bathrooms on the direct employees side of the building. Complaints about the bathrooms were common. Lines formed outside the mens rooms, especially around lunchtime, according to former employees. (Because the workforce was predominantly male, the womens rooms had ample capacity.) Anonymous complaints about inadequate facilities were scrawled on white boards around the office. Twice in 2017, Hammerwood workers filed complaints against Apple with the states Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Cal/OSHA. Apple told Cal/OSHA it had examined the situation and determined it was in compliance with the law. There was no mention of Apex workers being discouraged from using certain bathrooms, according to records obtained by Bloomberg News through a public records request. The agency did not pursue the issue. The working environment was uncomfortable in other ways, according to current and former contractors. Apex managers sometimes broke up unauthorized water-cooler socializing. Several workers say their managers would get notifications if their workstations were idle for too long. Being monitored like that is super dehumanizing and terrifying, says one former Apex mapping technician. If Apex seemed not to trust its workers, the feeling was mutual. They described a hiring process that was misleading in several ways. For one, Apex failed to explain the one-year assignments started with several weeks of training followed by a test, many say. Anyone who didnt pass was terminated immediately. The company recruited nationwide, so some workers showed up in California, signed leases in one of the most expensive housing markets in the country, and lost their only source of income within a matter of weeks. There are no reliable numbers on how common such firings were; Omohundro says the vast majority of employees complete their assignments. But they loomed large even for those who passed the test. Lutsko says watching colleagues suddenly lose their jobs soured her on her new employer. I couldnt handle the arbitrariness of everything, she says. The starry-eyed kids straight off the bus from Iowa thinking theyd made it in Silicon Valley straight out of college. The bait-and-switch. The, Oh you didnt make it through training, please give us your badge now. Lutsko quit before her contract was up. The LinkedIn messages from Apex recruiters persisted. This was common. Two people who Apex had fired said the company periodically pitches them on jobs. You got rid of me because of my quote-unquote performance, and every three months I get these emails, says one of them. Its insulting, honestly. Like any group of people in shared circumstance, workers at Hammerwood bonded. Several former contractors say it was fun to be around with people their own age, and say the odd atmosphere only made them closer. Because many of them were young, new to the area, and not making enough money to live on their own, they ended up pooling resources to rent apartments or houses nearby. Many people simply moved to similar contracting jobs with other tech firms once their positions at Apple end, so their homes ended up having a mixture of Facebook, Google, and Uber contractors. Several people described the geographic information systems contracting workforce almost as if it were a resource the big tech companies shared. People who left Apple would join the GIS staff at another company and find it was staffed primarily by Apex veterans. Those who left Apple often say their lives improved. Facebooks management put signs up around campus reading Contractors Are People Too, and contingent workers participated in on-campus arts and crafts activities. Google paid more than competitors and let everyone use the gym, says Nick Wilson, who worked at Apple through Apex, then worked at Facebook, and is now a contractor doing mapping work at Google. Moving between companies didnt feel like advancement, says Wilson. None of the skills I learned at Apple could be carried over, he says, adding that his managers were indifferent to any attempts by employees to distinguish themselves. There were many people who took initiative and made things, increased the efficiency. They werent rewarded in any way, he says. There were people who had abandoned any hope. Theyd come in late, leave early, and just do nothing all day. They were treated the same as everyone else. (Both Lutsko and Wilson declined to discuss the exact nature of their jobs or the building at which they worked, citing their nondisclosure agreements.) The mood at Hammerwood dimmed late last year, after the changes in benefits and after Apex suddenly fired about two dozen people, according to two current Apex employees. One described the workplace as depressing and quiet, with everyone on edge. Im afraid of being too social because they might see that as not working hard enough, he says. Apex handles all terminations in a sensitive and confidential manner, says Omohundro. The company does not share the details of employee terminations, regardless of whether they are for cause or not for cause. Activists associated with the burgeoning labor movement in the tech industry say the contracting workforce is ripe for organization, but acknowledge its been challenging to organize white-collar workers. Its a new concept, says Yana Calou, an organizer at Coworker.org. Information workers have been more reticent than security guards and cafeteria workers to confront tech companies because theyre angling for full-time work, says Calou. I think theres the tiny idea of, Ill be the exception that squeezes through. That feeling eventually wears off. One former Apex worker, a 32-year-old who lives in the maids quarters of a house with eight roommates, says years of uncertainty have left him worn out. How are you supposed to plan for your future if your job has an expiration date? he says. Hes a California native who moved to San Francisco over a decade ago, got a masters degree, and internalized Silicon Valleys brand of optimism. But that evaporated at Apples so-called black site. It sounds good when you say you work at Apple, but when youre not being paid the same amount, and youre not treated the same way, it gets old quickly, he says. I dont see why they dont just hire someone and give them a stake in the company. With assistance from Josh Eidelson and Mark Gurman Help Bloomberg News write about what it means to be a contractor at a tech company. Please click here to tell us your story. To contact the author of this story: Joshua Brustein in New York at jbrustein@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Emily Biuso at ebiuso@bloomberg.net For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. The Post's response to Traveller Assist's statement on Medium The Post stands by its reporting. Here is our response to the Medium post by Traveller Assists managing director. A March 6 hearing is set in Vancouver for Meng Wanzhou, the CFO of China tech giant Huawei, who was arrested there in December on fraud charges. The U.S. is seeking Meng's extradition, and Canada will weigh whether the charges against her merit fulfilling the request. A second case centered on Huawei's alleged theft of trade secrets from T-Mobile is set to be heard by a judge in Washington on Feb. 28. Administration officials have said President Trump may be planning a widespread ban on Huawei's equipment, much of which supports 5G internet connectivity. Two landmark cases involving the Shenzhen-based hardware giant Huawei take big steps forward in the coming weeks, as the Trump administration weighs an executive order that may further curtail the ability of American companies to use telecom equipment manufactured in China. Decisions on these matters will affect U.S.-China trade talks, which have focused heavily on issues related to alleged state-sponsored theft of intellectual property by China. Success in the Huawei court cases will also significantly affect the Trump administration's ability to persuade allies they can comfortably follow the American position on Chinese-made equipment. Weighing extradition in Canada Canada's Department of Justice is now reviewing an application by its U.S. counterpart on whether to extradite Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, daughter of founder Ren Zhengfei, on fraud charges. Prosecutors for the Eastern District of New York say Meng and Huawei committed fraud by seeking to hide payments made for equipment sold to Iran, a violation of sanctions against that country, from U.S. banks. Canada's Department of Justice has a March 1 deadline to decide whether to issue an "Authority to Proceed," a step which will provide the official go-ahead to begin hearing arguments for and against extradition. If that is issued, an extradition hearing will be scheduled by the British Columbia Supreme Court, according to a spokesperson for the Canadian Ministry of Justice. Meng's next court appearance has been scheduled for March 6, the spokesperson said. Story continues The case has proven highly fraught for Canada , leading to several diplomatic spats with China and the possibly retaliatory arrests of several Canadian citizens living and working in China . Because of this, Canada may have additional incentive to protect its own trade interests with China, making the U.S.' case for extradition even more tricky . T-Mobile case to proceed A hearing is now scheduled for Feb. 28 in Seattle's Western District Court for Huawei to answer charges it stole proprietary technology from T-Mobile, specifically the specs for a smartphone testing robot called "Tappy." Huawei has argued the case was already litigated and settled in 2017 , when a jury awarded T-Mobile $4.8 million in the matter, a fraction of the more than $400 million in damages and lost profits T-Mobile had sought. "A Seattle jury found neither damages nor willful and malicious conduct on the trade secret claim," a Huawei spokesperson said in a statement. The case is significant because the federal government has made bold claims about Huawei's alleged espionage activities for the better part of a decade. The T-Mobile case alleges a conspiracy reaching from ground-level engineers to top-level executives, which would be in line with the intelligence community's assertions about the company. Executive order on China-made equipment Huawei and another Chinese hardware maker, ZTE , have seen equipment banned for certain uses for years. But President Donald Trump is planning a new executive order for early March that would more extensively ban equipment made by these companies, an administration official confirmed to CNBC. As has been the case in other countries, such as Australia, the new ban is expected to focus on equipment meant to enable 5G, the next generation of wireless internet. The 5G standard promises to provide connections several times faster than the current standard, LTE. This comes as Trump's administration has reportedly considered recommendations from his National Security Council to nationalize its 5G efforts in order to better compete with China . "It is necessary and possible to build a secure, high-performance, world-leading 5G network platform by the end of the first term," according to a leaked Trump administration memo, which was originally reported by Axios. The proposal received sharp pushback since it would be a departure from norms in the heavily privatized telecommunications industry. The memo's author has since departed the council, according to The Washington Post . More From CNBC FILE PHOTO: The corporate logos of the state oil company PDVSA and Citgo Petroleum Corp are seen in Caracas, Venezuela April 30, 2018. REUTERS/Marco Bello/File Photo By Marianna Parraga and Deisy Buitrago (Reuters) - Venezuelan state-run oil company PDVSA is taking steps to remove at least two American executives from the board of directors of its U.S. refining subsidiary, Citgo Petroleum Corp, according to people close to the matter. Citgo is facing unprecedented challenges to its finances and management after the U.S. government last week imposed tough sanctions on Petroleos de Venezuela designed to prevent oil revenue from going to leftist President Nicolas Maduro. The United States and dozens of other nations have refused to recognize Maduro, viewing his reelection last year to another six-year term as fraudulent. Venezuela's self-proclaimed president Juan Guaido is setting up bank accounts with U.S. help that would take income accrued by Citgo, Venezuela's top foreign asset, to finance an interim government. Maduro has denounced Guaido as a U.S. puppet who is seeking to foment a coup. The board of Houston-based Citgo includes at least two U.S. citizens, Art Klein and Rick Esser, as well as Venezuelans Asdrubal Chavez, Frank Gygax, Nepmar Escalona, Simon Suarez and Alejandro Escarra, according to one of the people familiar with the matter. PDVSA and Citgo did not respond to requests for comment. Esser and Klein did not immediately reply to emails and phone calls seeking comment on their status. It was unclear if PDVSA's board has already approved the changes at Citgo's board and who would replace the American executives. Citgo also has an executive board that includes the refiner's general managers, its corporate treasurer and the controller, and other vice presidents. Esser was among a team of Citgo executives who met with U.S. officials last month in Washington amid efforts by Guaido and the U.S. government to appoint a new Citgo board of directors. Citgo operates three U.S. refineries that supply about 4 percent of total U.S. fuel production and is PDVSA's largest U.S. customer for its oil exports. Sanctions have forced Citgo and other U.S. refiners to seek crude oil supplies from other nations. Story continues Delaware-registered Citgo operates plants in Texas, Louisiana and Illinois that are capable of processing a combined 750,000 barrels per day of oil. It distributes fuel through about 5,500 independent retail stations in 29 U.S. states. Citgo, which has been owned by PDVSA for three decades, has not publicly detailed the composition of its current board since late 2017, when Asdrubal Chavez, a cousin of the late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, was nominated by Maduro to run the business unit. Asdrubal Chavez, Escalona and Escarra have been working from an office in the Bahamas since the U.S. sanctions were issued, according to the sources. On Friday, Venezuelan oil minister and PDVSA President Manuel Quevedo held a meeting with his deputy ministers and directors, one of the people said. The agenda was not revealed. (Reporting by Marianna Parraga in Mexico City, Deisy Buitrago and Corina Pons in Caracas; editing by Gary McWilliams and Leslie Adler) Something sweet? Pawan Misthan Bhandar is a Bhairahawa landmark. This local sweet shop has established a reputation for itself as the one spot everyone should visit when in the southern city. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! This article is written for those who want to get better at using price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). To keep it practical, well show how Louisiana-Pacific Corporations (NYSE:LPX) P/E ratio could help you assess the value on offer. Based on the last twelve months, Louisiana-Pacifics P/E ratio is 6.72. That means that at current prices, buyers pay $6.72 for every $1 in trailing yearly profits. View our latest analysis for Louisiana-Pacific How Do I Calculate A Price To Earnings Ratio? The formula for P/E is: Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share Earnings per Share (EPS) Or for Louisiana-Pacific: P/E of 6.72 = $23.91 $3.56 (Based on the year to September 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 $1 the company has earned over the last year. That isnt a good or a bad thing on its own, but a high P/E means that buyers have a higher opinion of the businesss prospects, relative to stocks with a lower P/E. 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. That means unless the share price increases, the P/E will reduce in a few years. A lower P/E should indicate the stock is cheap relative to others and that may attract buyers. Its nice to see that Louisiana-Pacific grew EPS by a stonking 69% in the last year. And it has bolstered its earnings per share by 47% per year over the last five years. Id therefore be a little surprised if its P/E ratio was not relatively high. How Does Louisiana-Pacifics P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers? The P/E ratio indicates whether the market has higher or lower expectations of a company. The image below shows that Louisiana-Pacific has a lower P/E than the average (8.5) P/E for companies in the forestry industry. Story continues NYSE:LPX PE PEG Gauge February 11th 19 This suggests that market participants think Louisiana-Pacific will underperform other companies in its industry. While current expectations are low, the stock could be undervalued if the situation is better than the market assumes. It is arguably worth checking if insiders are buying shares, because that might imply they believe the stock is undervalued. Remember: P/E Ratios Dont Consider The Balance Sheet The Price in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. In other words, it does not consider any debt or cash that the company may have on the balance sheet. 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. Louisiana-Pacifics Balance Sheet Louisiana-Pacific has net cash of US$633m. That should lead to a higher P/E than if it did have debt, because its strong balance sheets gives it more options. The Verdict On Louisiana-Pacifics P/E Ratio Louisiana-Pacific trades on a P/E ratio of 6.7, which is below the US market average of 16.8. It grew its EPS nicely over the last year, and the healthy balance sheet implies there is more potential for growth. The relatively low P/E ratio implies the market is pessimistic. When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. As value investor Benjamin Graham famously said, In the short run, the market is a voting machine but in the long run, it is a weighing machine. 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. The numbers came in from the IRS: Not pretty. The average tax refund this year, so far, is down 8 percent from last year. That works out to $170 less for the people who got any refund at all. Wait, it gets worse: The IRS expects 4.6 million fewer people will get money back. Four million will pay more! Lower refunds. Fewer refunds. Millions pay more. If you've watched this program, you'll know why: Tax reform did away with some tax deductions. OK we've got that. So now what happens? 1) The economy doesn't get the stimulus that it got at tax time last year. When all those big refunds went out a year ago, the economy got a bounce. It won't get much of a bounce this year. 2) The economies of Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Nevada and other low-tax states, actually get a boost. The way it works out is a million-dollar-a-year guy in those states does get a big refund? The stimulus stays! But in New Jersey, New York, California and others, it goes away. Low-tax states win big. 3) Politics: Wherever state taxes are high, President Trump becomes even less popular than he is now. The folks in New Jersey blame him for their tax trouble. Eventually, they may figure out that its their own states fault, but they're so mired in contempt for this president it may take a while. 4) The tax exodus will accelerate. Come April 15, millions of people will be doing the tax calculation and conclude its just not worth sticking around to be financially abused. When they realize that living in, say, New Jersey, it costs them tens of thousands of extra tax dollars, the moving vans will do a roaring business. 5) Will the Democrats' war on wealth be popular with wealthy people? The coastal elites are in love with Democrats voted left. Will that continue? Socialism isn't quite so much fun when its your ox thats being gored, over and over again! So lets wrap this up: Refunds down, high-tax states hurting, the tax exodus accelerating. Story continues At some point reason prevails: You can't keep bashing success. Don't expect successful people to stay put. Related Articles European markets on Friday saw sharp declines on all its major indices and stocks owing to the high level of bearish sentiment in the broad market. Disappointing macro data outcome from Germany and the European central banks reduction of growth forecast for 2019 revived concerns of a slowdown in European economic activity. This caused German 10-year government bond yields to decline and led to a widening of spread difference between major global counterparts such as Italian and American 10-year government bond yields leading to market fundamentals taking a dovish turn and influencing bearish investor sentiment. Dovish Momentum From Friday Is Likely To Inspire Dovish Price Action This caused both EURO and major stocks/indices in all European markets to take a bearish nosedive during Fridays market hours. German equity market on Friday closed with a sharp decline owing to prevalent risk-averse trading activity. Out of total 778 stocks trading in the exchange, 513 stocks closed in red while 84 closed unchanged at end of trading session. As per data on the performance of sectoral indices from Frankfurt stock exchange, stocks from Automobile, basic resources, and technology sector saw most declines with all sectoral indices closing in red for the week. All three major indices from Frankfurt exchange closed in red with DAX, MDAX & TECDAX down by 1.05%, 1.21% & 2.07% on the day. Asian markets today opened on a dovish note with all major indices and stock trading in red on dovish cues from US Wall Street. Further, weekend headlines from the US indicated that Sino-U.S. trade talks are set to resume later this week, which caused tensions surrounding trade talks to remain high as the deadline is nearing by with no signs of a trade deal between the two nations. Given investors concerns of an economic slowdown in the Euro area and declining Treasury Yields, the European market is likely to see dovish investor sentiment. However, DAX futures trading in the international market were positive ahead of the European market opening. Mixed cues from the international market suggest DAX is likely to trade range bound during todays market hours with directional cues likely to be inspired by headlines driven momentum. Story continues This article was originally posted on FX Empire More From FXEMPIRE: Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. NUS is slated to release fourth-quarter and 2018 results on Feb 13, after market close. This Utah-based personal care products company has a mixed earnings surprise history for the trailing four quarters. Lets see how things are shaping up prior to the upcoming quarterly announcement. Customers & Sales Leaders to Boost Performance Nu Skin sells and distributes products through a network of sales leaders as well as customers that are spread across 50 global markets. Notably, the top line is consistently benefitting from growth in sales leaders. Additionally, the company is focusing to empower sales leaders through improved compensation, training and technological enhancements. In this regard, it is expanding the sales compensation program, Velocity, in different countries. Moving on, Nu Skin boasts an expanding customer base that boosts growth in sales leaders as well. The company primarily relies on social media as well as well-knit product and marketing programs to expand its reach. Incidentally, customers grew approximately 9%, 8% and 7% in the trailing three quarters, respectively. Such upsides combined with effective product launches are likely to aid Nu Skins performance in the impending quarter. Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. Quote Gross Margin & Currency Woes Nu Skins gross margin has been unimpressive for a while. Gross margin slid approximately 190 basis points (bps), 180 bps and 140 bps during the third, the second and the first quarters of 2018, respectively. Such persistent declines in gross margin levels are considerable threats for the companys overall profitability. Also, unfavorable impacts from currency rates are a roadblock for the company. We note that a major share of Nu Skins revenues is sourced from international markets, thereby exposing the company to significant currency risks. In fact, the bottom line in the third quarter was hurt by foreign currency translation losses of almost 7 cents. Management earlier projected currency translations to drag earnings in 2018 by approximately 20 cents, which is a concern for the to-be-reported quarter as well. In fact, management expects fourth-quarter earnings per share in the range of $1.00-$1.07, including charges of 4 cents stemming from purchase accounting. This estimate reflects a considerable decline from earnings of $1.20 delivered the year-ago quarter. Further, management anticipates revenues in the range of $665-$685 million, compared with year-ago quarters tally of $666 million. All said, lets take a look at the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the upcoming quarter as well as the Zacks Model. Estimates for the Quarter The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter 2018 earnings is currently pegged at $1.03 per share, reflecting a decline of 14.2% from the year-ago quarters tally. Further, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the impending quarters revenues is currently pegged at $673.3 million, depicting moderate growth of 1% from the year-ago quarters reported figure. Zacks Model Our proven model does not show that Nu Skin will beat earnings estimates this quarter. A stock needs to have a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Although Nu Skin carries a Zacks Rank #3, its Earnings ESP of 0.00% makes us less confident about an earnings surprise. You may uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Stocks Poised to Beat Earnings Estimates Here are some companies you may want to consider as our model shows that they have the right combination of elements to beat earnings. Turning Point Brands, Inc TPB has Earnings ESP of +11.11% and a Zacks Rank #2. Nomad Foods Limited NOMD has an Earnings ESP of +1.45% and a Zacks Rank #2. Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings, Inc OLLI has an Earnings ESP of +0.21% and a Zacks Rank #2. Is Your Investment Advisor Fumbling Your Financial Future? See how you can more effectively safeguard your retirement with a new Special Report, 4 Warning Signs Your Investment Advisor Might Be Sabotaging Your Financial Future. Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings, Inc. (OLLI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NUS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Turning Point Brands, Inc. (TPB) : Free Stock Analysis Report Nomad Foods Limited (NOMD) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Jeff Bezos, founder and chief executive officer of Amazon.com Inc., speaks during an Economic Club of Washington discussion in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 13, 2018. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg American Media Inc.'s National Enquirer became a Twitter trend after Amazon chief executive officer accused the company of attempted extortionbut its deputy general counsel could face more serious consequences than jokes on social media, including legal action or bar discipline. Lawyers with extortion law experience were split on whether or not AMI's deputy general counsel Jon Fine, who joined the New York-based company in November and allegedly wrote two of the emails published by Bezos, could face charges. In the alleged emails he sent to the Amazon CEO, Fine outlines the terms for an agreement between AMI and Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post. Bezos' side of the deal would require him to drop an investigation of AMI's political motivations and its obtainment of personal texts between the Amazon CEO and his alleged girlfriend Lauren Sanchez. In exchange, Fine said AMI's part of the agreement would hold it from publishing personal photos allegedly sent between Bezos and Sanchez. Multiple phone calls and emails to Fine for comment have not been immediately returned. Julie Rendelman, a New York City criminal defense lawyer, said Fine could face criminal charges, citing New York law PEN 135.60, which states an individual is guilty of coercion in the second degree if he or she "compels or induces a person to engage in conduct which the latter has a legal right to abstain from" by threatening to "expose a secret or publicize an asserted fact, whether true or false, tending to subject some person to hatred, contempt or ridicule." "That seems to me, if we were talking about a New York State case, the charge that would fit that. Because obviously the argument would be that Bezos has a right to conduct or attempt to conduct an investigation into why AMI is doing what theyre doing," Rendelman said. "And their response is, they're trying to tell him to stop doing it, and in exchange, if he does not, they're going to publicize the nude photos." She said 18 USC Ch. 41 could apply on a federal level if reputation is considered a "thing of value," as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ruled it was in its 2012 United States v. Petrovic decision. Daniel Szalkiewicz, the founding partner of Daniel Szalkiewicz & Associates and another New York-based attorney familiar with extortion law, said he doesn't think Fine's alleged emails legally constitute extortion, because Fine never said, outright, that AMI would publish Bezos' photos if the CEO didn't agree to drop investigations into the company, at least in the emails Bezos publicly released. "I really dont see an implicit threat in here. I think the previous email sent by AMI's chief content officer has more of an implicit threat, clearly saying that, not only do we have these photographs, but we're going to describe them, as that will obviously cause a lot of embarrassment towards you," Szalkiewicz said of Fine's alleged email. David A. Lewis, a New York-based legal ethics attorney and a former chair of the New York City Bar Associations Professional Responsibility Committee, said Fine potentially violated a number of rules that could lead to various levels of discipline, if the allegations against him are true. He added Fine's status as an in-house lawyer assisting his client organization with its goals doesn't mean he's exempt from the state's ethics rules. Lewis cited the New York Rules of Professional Conduct's Rule 1.2, which states that lawyers must resign if their "representation would assist client conduct that is illegal or fraudulent." If AMI is found to have broken any laws in their alleged interactions with Bezos, Fine could be found to have violated this rule, among others, Lewis said. He added it's likely a committee deciding if and how to discipline Fine will factor in any previous violations, the number of violations in his latest behavior and his intent. "To the extent that a lawyer in good faith inadvertently violates a rule of professional conduct, in my experience, the Attorney Grievance Committee will be extremely reasonable into taking that into consideration," Lewis said. "However, if the lawyer is not acting in good faith, and has violated various rules of professional conduct, they should expect that the sanctions that the Attorney Grievance Committee will seek are going to be severe." Lewis said disciplinary recourse ranges from a private censure to disbarment. Read More: Jeff Bezos Alleges American Media's Deputy General Counsel Attempted To Extort Him How American Media Top Lawyer Jon Fine Got the Job (Bloomberg) -- Reddit Inc. said Monday that it raised $300 million from investors. It was one backer, in particular, that drew condemnation from members of Reddits online community. Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. was among the investors in the round, which values the link-sharing website at $3 billion. A report last week by technology website TechCrunch signaled Tencents interest. In the following days, users posted links to Reddit depicting imagery banned by Chinese censors. They include video of the Tiananmen Square protest and pictures comparing President Xi Jinping to the portly Winnie the Pooh. Reddit users swarmed several of the submissions, pushing them to the list of most popular posts. Steve Huffman, the chief executive officer of Reddit, said Tencents expertise in video games is part of what drew the two companies together. Video games are one category thats really popular on Reddit, Huffman told CNBC. Spokeswomen for Reddit and Tencent declined to comment on the outcry from users. Andreessen Horowitz, Fidelity Investments and Sequoia Capital were among the other investors in the round. Reddit has an outspoken community that has used the companys own website to protest against its actions in the past. The site has long been banned in China, according to researcher GreatFire.org. The free speech campaign by Reddit users may ensure that remains the case for some time. (Updates to show Tencent declined to comment in the fifth paragraph.) To contact the reporter on this story: Julie Verhage in New York at jverhage2@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Mark Milian at mmilian@bloomberg.net, Anne VanderMey For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. A lot of global business leaders have soured on the economy in the last year. An annual survey of more than 1,300 CEOs from around the world found a record jump in pessimism about the global economy, with nearly one in three of the leaders projecting a decline in growth. Just last year, the same survey was decidedly more optimistic, with only 5 percent predicting slower growth, according to the PwC Annual Global CEO Survey. The consulting firm released the survey results in conjunction with the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. If CEOs confidence continues to be a leading indicator, global economic growth will slow down in 2019, PwC said of the survey. Majority Of CEOs Still Anticipate Growth The 29 percent of CEOs who said they expect growth to slow is the highest percentage since 2012, when nearly half the CEOs surveyed said the economy would continue to see slower growth amid the lingering effects of the recession. Despite the shocking jump in pessimism in 2019, the percentage of CEOs still predicting increasing growth remains higher than that of leaders expecting a slowdown. Forty-two percent of the CEOs said they expect economic growth to improve this year. And while thats down from a particularly exuberant 2018 when 57 percent of CEOs predicted increased growth its still much higher than the 29 percent who were predicting increased growth as recently as 2017. Another 28 percent in this years survey said they expect the level of economic growth will remain about the same. 'A General Theme Of Hunkering Down' The report not only found broader pessimism about the worlds economic situation, but also a notable drop in confidence about the short- and medium-term revenue pictures at the CEOs' own organizations. Responses were influenced heavily by the politics of what seems to be a wave of populism moving around the world, from the rise of President Donald Trump in the United States to Brexit in the United Kingdom to anti-immigrant sentiment and populist political success on the European continent, according to PwC. Story continues "Across the survey rang a general theme of hunkering down as CEOs adapt to the strong nationalist and populist sentiment sweeping the globe, the consulting firm said. CEOs expressed strong concerns over what they perceive as the rising difficulty of conducting business, driven by trade conflicts, uncertainty and overregulation, among other worries. The release of the survey at Davos coincided with a letter that was written by billionaire investor Seth A. Klarman that was spurring lots of discussion at the forum, even though Klarman did not attend. The letter warns of rising global tensions and debt and shrinking American leadership. If there is an upside to be found in the PwC results, it may be that the situation could change dramatically and quickly, as is evidenced by how much it did so this year. Last years survey results were just the opposite, finding a record jump in optimism. The percentage of CEOs predicting slower growth jumped in every region of the world, PwC said. The highest percentage of pessimists was found in the Middle East, where 38 percent said they expect a slowdown. The least pessimistic part of the world is Africa, where only 25 percent of CEOs see a slowdown. But the most optimistic region? That would be the Asia-Pacific region, where 50 percent of CEOs expect world economic growth to improve, compared to 28 percent of CEOs in the area who expect growth to decline. Related Links: Dalio Agrees With Klarman's Warning Of Recession Risk Cleveland Fed President: No Reason to Believe Recession In Sight See more from Benzinga 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Tika R Pradhan is a senior political correspondent for the Post, covering politics, parliament, judiciary and social affairs. Pradhan joined the Post in 2016 after working at The Himalayan Times for more than a decade. (Reuters) - Aurora Cannabis Inc reported a better-than-expected quarterly revenue on Monday, as the company benefited from higher sales after Canada legalized the use of recreational cannabis in October. The company has been investing heavily amid expectations of the Canadian market opening for cannabis beverages, edibles, and concentrates, as well as expanding internationally. The company's sales in the Canadian consumer market was C$21.6 million in the second quarter, accounting for about 20 percent of all consumer sales in the country. Aurora said marijuana sales in the reported quarter rose to 6,999 kg from 1,162 kg. The Edmonton, Alberta-based company's net revenue rose to C$54.2 million ($40.75 million) from C$11.7 million in quarter, beating the C$51.84 million average of 2 analyst estimates, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. (Reporting by Shanti S Nair and Debroop Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta) Canopy Growth Corporation CGC is expected to report third-quarter fiscal 2019 results on Feb 14, after market close. In the last reported quarter, the companys loss per share of 76 cents was wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 13 cents. Lets see how things are shaping up prior to this announcement. Key Catalyst Similar to the last reported quarter; Canopy Growth is expected to gain from an expanding patient base in the Canadian medical cannabis market. Further, the launch of Spectrum Cannabis color-coded soft gels, which provide continuous and discrete dosing formats, is projected to boost the top line in the to-be-reported quarter. Canopy Growth has been actively gearing up to capture opportunities stemming from the legalization of recreational use of cannabis in Canada on Oct 17, 2018. In this regard, the company has launched pre-rolled joints which are created on an equipment set that meets the strict standards of weight per roll. Canopy Growth is also actively involved in creating its private cannabis retail channel in Canada in order to capture retail market. Canopy Growth Corporation Price and EPS Surprise Canopy Growth Corporation Price and EPS Surprise | Canopy Growth Corporation Quote Other factors that are likely to influence Canopy Growths third-quarter results are as follows: The company actively strengthens its presence in key international markets. We are upbeat about Canopy Growths successful completion of first shipment to the United states under the US Drug Enforcement Agency approval in the fiscal second quarter. The company is also going strong in Jamaica where it expects around 4.2-5 million tourists to get familiar with the brand. Backed by the success in Jamaica, Canopy Growth expects to export to another Caribbean island as well. Canopy Growth is also performing well in Latin America. With major activities being primarily headquartered in Colombia, the company is performing well in Brazil and is building its capacity in Chile. Also, in jurisdictions with established federal frameworks in Europe, Canopy Growth is involved in the production and distribution of medical cannabis. The company is also making efforts to cater to the demand in expanding throughout 2019, including owned and partner facilities in Denmark, Germany and Spain. We believe the strong geographical operations of Canopy Growth will contribute to its top line in the to-be-reported quarter. Story continues The company is also seeing increasing quantities of harvested cannabis. In the fiscal second quarter, Canopy Growth harvested 15,217 kgs. Canopy Growth has also increased total Softgel production capacity to several million per week, representing a 10-fold increase year over year. Overall, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter total revenues is pegged at $66.09 million, showing a rise of 286.7% from the prior-year quarter. Heres What Our Quantitative Model Predicts Our proven Zacks model clearly indicates that a company with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) has good chances of beating estimates if it also has a positive Earnings ESP. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Canopy Growth has a Zacks Rank #3, which increases the predictive power of ESP. However, the companys Earnings ESP of 0.00% makes surprise prediction difficult. Thus, this combination fails to show a positive surprise for the stock this reporting cycle. Stocks Worth a Look Here are a few medical stocks worth considering as they have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in their upcoming quarterly results. Masimo Corporation MASI has an Earnings ESP of +1.04% and a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Medidata Solutions, Inc. MDSO has an Earnings ESP of +0.54% and a Zacks Rank #3. Wright Medical Group N.V. WMGI has an Earnings ESP of +58.24% and a Zacks Rank #2. Is Your Investment Advisor Fumbling Your Financial Future? See how you can more effectively safeguard your retirement with a new Special Report, 4 Warning Signs Your Investment Advisor Might Be Sabotaging Your Financial Future. Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Medidata Solutions, Inc. (MDSO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Masimo Corporation (MASI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Wright Medical Group N.V. (WMGI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Canopy Growth Corporation (CGC) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Photo credit: eBay From Popular Mechanics Looking to attract the most attention possible at your next local car meet? Sure, you can buy one of the latest, greatest supercars out there. Or you can get this thing: a 1991 Toyota Crown sedan that's been converted into a hearse. Someone recently imported it from Japan, and now, it's for sale on eBay Motors. Judging by the pictures, the conversion looks to be well done, with clean cuts and good proportions. Everything behind the front seats has been replaced with some very traditional-looking architecture, which we assume stands out nicely in a parking lot. The car is right-hand drive, obviously, sending power to the rear wheels via a 2.0-liter inline-six and a five-speed manual transmission. It comes complete with the stock steel wheels, wheel covers, and factory AM radio. The black paint seems to be in good condition, as do the chrome trim pieces, navy-colored interior, and JDM-spec fender-mounted side mirrors. The seller notes some minor exterior blemishes, but nothing that calls for serious attention. It's worth mentioning the rear suspension seems a bit overwhelmed by all that extra weight. We'd probably try to beef up the springs and dampers to even everything out. The car is currently listed on eBay in St. Louis, Missouri, with a Buy It Now price of $19,750 or best offer. That's a bit more than what your average Toyota Crown brings in, but considering the rarity and all the custom work done here, it makes sense. It's hard to put a fair number on something as obscure as this, that's for sure. ('You Might Also Like',) Signs of progress in U.S.-China trade negotiations, a dovish Fed and strong labor market pushed Wall Street higher this year. But the positive trend seems to be reversing lately as the latest batch of economic data across the world has aggravated global growth slowdown concerns and dimmed the prospects of a U.S.-China deal. This is especially true as European Commission (EU) last week slashed economic growth forecast for the Eurozone, comprising 19 counties that use euro, to 1.3% from the previous projection of 1.9%. The EU cited sharp deterioration in global trade and Chinas slowdown as the economys major dampeners. Meanwhile, the Bank of England warned that the economy is on track for the weakest growth this year since the global financial crisis given Brexit uncertainty. As such, the bank cut the economic growth forecast for this year from 1.7% to 1.2% (read: Worried About European Growth? Play These 5 ETFs). Chinese factory activity contracted for the second consecutive month in January, indicating further cooling of the economy and heightened the risk of global slowdown. Further, the World Bank recently cut global growth forecast to 2.9% for this year from the previous projection of 3%, citing rising trade tension, weakening manufacturing activity and growing financial stress in emerging-market countries. The International Monetary Fund also lowered its growth forecast by 0.2 percentage points to 3.5% on account of weakness in Germany and Turkey. Also, the agency is concerned about the failure to resolve trade tensions that could further destabilize a slowing global economy. Moreover, latest report shows that U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are unlikely to meet before the Mar 1 deadline set to reach a trade deal. Weakening economies in China and Europe coupled with a looming trade tensions remains an overhang on a strong U.S. economy. Against such a backdrop, investors should focus on high-quality investing. Why Quality Investing? Quality stocks are rich in value characteristics with healthy balance sheet, high return on capital, low volatility, elevated margins, and a track record of stable or rising sales and earnings growth. These products thus reduce volatility when compared to plain vanilla funds and hold up rather well during market swings. Further, academic research shows that high-quality companies consistently deliver superior risk-adjusted returns than the broader market over the long term. Given this, we have highlighted five ETFs & stocks targeting this niche strategy. These could enjoy smooth trading and generate market-beating returns in the current market environment. ETF Picks iShares Edge MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF QUAL This fund provides exposure to large and mid-cap stocks exhibiting positive fundamentals (high return on equity, stable year-over-year earnings growth and low financial leverage) by tracking the MSCI USA Sector Neutral Quality Index. Expense Ratio: 0.15% AUM: $9.3 billion Average Daily Volume: 1.2 million shares Top Sector: Information Technology Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF SPHQ This fund tracks the S&P 500 Quality Index, a benchmark of S&P 500 stocks that have the highest-quality score based on three fundamental measures return on equity, accruals ratio and financial leverage ratio (read: Why You Should Buy High Quality ETFs for 2019). Expense Ratio: 0.15% AUM: $1.3 billion Average Daily Volume: 349,000 shares Top Sector: Information Technology Barron's 400 ETF BFOR This ETF seeks to track the performance of the rules-based and fundamentals-driven Barrons 400 Index. The benchmark uses the MarketGrader's fundamental analysis to select Americas highest-performing stocks based on growth, valuation, profitability and cash flow. Expense Ratio: 0.65% AUM: $157.5 million Average Daily Volume: 11,000 shares Top Sector: Industrials FlexShares Quality Dividend Index Fund QDF This ETF follows the Northern Trust Quality Dividend Index and maximizes exposure to quality and dividends while maintaining a beta near 1. Expense Ratio: 0.37% AUM: $1.7 billion Average Daily Volume: 130,000 shares Top Sector: Information Technology SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF QUS This fund offers exposure to stocks that have a combination of value, low volatility and quality factor strategies. This is done by tracking the MSCI USA Factor Mix A-Series Index (read: Best ETF Ideas for 2019). Expense Ratio: 0.15% AUM: $166 million Average Daily Volume: 20,000 shares Top Sector: Information Technology Stock Picks To find out the best stocks in this space, we have used the Zacks Stock Screener. The parameters include a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy), VGM Score of A or B, return on equity (ROE) of at least 10%, debt-to-equity ratio of less than 1, positive five-year historical EPS growth, double-digit current-year EPS growth, positive current-year earnings estimate revisions over the past 30 days and dividend yield of greater than 1%. The Allstate Corporation ALL This is the largest publicly held personal lines property and casualty insurer in America, serving more than 16 million households nationwide (read: Q4 Earnings Drive Insurance ETFs Higher). Zacks Rank: #2 VGM Score: B ROE: 14% Debt/Equity: 0.33 5 Year Historical EPS Growth: 8.55% Fiscal Year Earnings Growth: 14.50% Positive Earnings Estimate Revisions Over 30 Days: 0.37% Dividend Yield: 1.99% Steelcase Inc. SCS This is a designer and manufacturer of products used to create high-performance work environments. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Zacks Rank: #1 VGM Score: A ROE: 15.91% Debt/Equity: 0.34 5 Year Historical EPS Growth: 3.18% Fiscal Year Earnings Growth: 75.8% Positive Earnings Estimate Revisions Over 30 Days: 29.67% Dividend Yield: 3.23% The Progressive Corporation PGR This provides personal and commercial property-casualty insurance, and other specialty property-casualty insurance and related services primarily in the United States. Zacks Rank: #1 VGM Score: B ROE: 24.54% Debt/Equity: 0.41 5 Year Historical EPS Growth: 17.26% Fiscal Year Earnings Growth: 13.35% Positive Earnings Estimate Revisions Over 30 Days: 2.02% Dividend Yield: 3.68% Alaska Air Group Inc. ALK Alaska Air Group, through its subsidiaries, provides passengers and cargo air transportation service. Zacks Rank: #2 VGM Score: B ROE: 15.20% Debt/Equity: 0.43 5 Year Historical EPS Growth: 11.27% Fiscal Year Earnings Growth: 50.45% Positive Earnings Estimate Revisions Over 30 Days: 4.54% Dividend Yield: 1.96% Southwest Airlines Co. LUV This is a major domestic airline that provides primarily short-haul, high-frequency, point-to-point, low-fare service (read: Airlines ETF Riding High on Q4 Earnings). Zacks Rank: #2 VGM Score: A ROE: 24.56% Debt/Equity: 0.45 5 Year Historical EPS Growth: 21.16% Fiscal Year Earnings Growth: 21.23% Positive Earnings Estimate Revisions Over 30 Days: 7.33% Dividend Yield: 1.11% Bottom Line Quality ETFs and stocks often provide hedge against market volatility. Adding any of the abovementioned products to ones long-term portfolio could be a good move given their credit worthiness and soundness. Want key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox? Zacks free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week. Get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Alaska Air Group, Inc. (ALK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Steelcase Inc. (SCS) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Allstate Corporation (ALL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Last month the US Commerce Department placed Chinese tech giant Huawei and dozens of its affiliates on an "entity list" on grounds of national security Last month the US Commerce Department placed Chinese tech giant Huawei and dozens of its affiliates on an "entity list" on grounds of national security (AFP Photo/FRED DUFOUR) Global stocks mostly rose Monday as US and Chinese officials in Beijing geared up for crunch trade talks while the dollar gained on the euro for the sixth straight session. European and Asian bourses pushed higher at the start of trade talks in Beijing before a March 1 deadline that could lead to additional US tariffs if a deal is not reached. Deputy US Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish led the US side in preparatory meetings ahead of the arrival later in the week of US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The Chinese delegation will be led by Vice Premier Liu He, who will be joined by central bank Governor Yi Gang. While the two sides said they made major progress in talks last month in Washington, more recent comments have jarred financial markets, amplifying concerns about how the dispute will affect global growth. Paris and Frankfurt both gained about one percent after Shanghai and Hong Kong climbed earlier. "European stocks have rallied... as traders are hopeful about the next round of trade talks between the US and China," said CMC Markets analyst David Madden. "Given that both sides are still far apart, there is no guarantee that the discussions will be successful, and dealers' optimism might be wishful thinking." London's benchmark FTSE 100 rose after an announcement that British economic growth has slowed, weighing on the pound and lifting stocks in multinationals that have earnings in foreign currency. With Brexit looming next month, the British economy grew by 1.4 percent last year, data showed. That was the lowest level for six years, and down from 1.8 percent in 2017. US stocks finished a choppy session mixed, with the Dow dipping and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq edging higher. Adding to the anxiety over trade is uncertainty over US budget talks. Lawmakers in Washington were looking to resolve a budget impasse before Friday or risk another possible government shutdown. Story continues President Donald Trump was scheduled for a campaign-style rally appearance in Texas at which he was expected to amplify his call to build a wall along the Mexican border. - Rising dollar - The US political quagmire did not dim the dollar, which climbed again against the euro and also advanced on the pound and yen. The dollar's gains on the euro follow a series of weak economic reports last week out of the eurozone. While the US Federal Reserve has shifted to more dovish stance, other major central banks are viewed as even less likely to tighten monetary policy. "While it's not apparent today, there's a lot to be worried about over the next few weeks," said BK Asset Management's Kathy Lien, who listed US-China trade talks, Brexit, the US budget standoff and potential US tariffs on car imports as among the outstanding issues that could rock foreign exchange markets. "Each of these events pose a significant downside risk to currencies but they could also lead to be short squeezes if the unexpected happens and they are resolved positively," Lien added. - Key figures around 2200 GMT - New York - Dow: DOWN 0.2 percent at 25,053.11 (close) New York - S&P 500: UP 0.1 percent at 2,709.80 (close) New York - Nasdaq: UP 0.1 percent at 7,307.90 (close) London - FTSE 100: UP 0.8 percent at 7,129.11 (close) Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 1.0 percent at 11,014.59 (close) Paris - CAC 40: UP 1.1 percent at 5,014.47 (close) EURO STOXX 50: UP 1.0 percent at 3,165.61 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 0.7 percent at 28,143.84 (close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 1.4 percent at 2,653.90 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: Closed for a public holiday Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1279 from $1.1323 at 2200 GMT Friday Dollar/yen: UP at 110.37 yen from 109.73 Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2859 from $1.2944 Euro/pound: UP at 87.69 pence from 87.40 pence Oil - Brent Crude: DOWN 59 cents at $61.51 per barrel Oil - West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 31 cents at $52.41 per barrel burs-jmb/dg (Bloomberg) -- Walmart Inc. is big in almost every way4,755 stores, 1.5 million employees and $380 billion in revenue in the U.S. alone. But one part of the worlds largest retailer remains minuscule. We have a tiny ad business, Chief Executive Officer Doug McMillon told investors in October. It could be bigger. With about 300 million shoppers visiting its stores each month, according to Forrester Research, and millions more on its websites, Walmart draws in more people than Google, Facebook or Amazon. That audience, and the purchase data they generate, are catnip for big advertisers like Coca-Cola Co. and Kraft Heinz Co. But Walmart and other retailers historically havent done enough to convert that data into dollars, particularly online. Having watched Amazon.com Inc. build a massive advertising business, brick and mortar stores are looking to do the same. Walmart, Target Corp. and grocery chains Kroger Co. and Ahold Delhaize are quietly courting big brands with a sales pitch that goes something like this: Facebook might know what your customers like, and Google might know what they want, but only we know what they actually buy. They have a nice story to tell advertisers, says David Tiltman, head of content at WARC, an advertising analysis firm. What we see now is a more sophisticated approach to ad sales than retailers have had in the past. That push comes at a critical moment, as mainstream retailers are under attack like never before from the likes of Amazon, deep-discount chains and digital upstarts embraced by coveted millennial shoppers. Walmart and others have responded by spending billions to jazz up their own websites and build out services like home delivery, but those investments crimp earnings. The tailwinds retailers enjoyed last year from tax cuts and brisk consumer demand will dissipate in 2019, and looming Chinese tariffs could muddle the outlook further. All that uncertainty makes alternate revenue streams crucial, especially for grocers, which generate much skimpier margins than, say, fashion or luxury retailers. Kroger wants to generate $400 million in additional profit by 2020, with some of that coming from a new marketing unit that places web ads for the likes of Unilever and General Mills Inc. Targets in-house media network has hundreds of clients including Oreo cookie maker Mondelez International. Walmart has hired executives from NBC Universal and CBS to help boost its advertising business. Story continues The potential is vast: Last year U.S. ad sales hit a record $208 billion, according to researcher Magna, and for the first time ever 50 percent of that spending was online. Facebook and Google combined gobble up more than half of those digital dollars, according to data tracker eMarketer, while Amazon gets only 5.5 percent. Thats an opportunity for retailers, which already have long-standing relationships with the big consumer brands that quietly pay them millions every year for prime shelf space. Those brands are also shifting marketing dollars away from traditional ad agencies, showcased by last weeks surprise sales decline from French ad giant Publicis Groupe SA. But Walmart and its ilk will have to move fast: Amazons ad business doubled in size last year, and 97 percent of brands who advertise on Amazon find it valuable, according to a survey by Feedvisor, which sells advertising and pricing software used by Amazon sellers. Retailers have tried to capitalize on advertising before. About 20 years ago, Walmart unveiled its own in-store television network that showed product ads, movie trailers and music videos. By 2004, Walmart TV had 180 million monthly viewers, but the advent of digital media upended its channel in the same way it disrupted traditional networks.Now, retailers are paring data harvested from purchases and loyalty with analytical tools that promise advertisers bigger bang for their buck. Take Coca-Cola, which is running two campaigns right now with Peapod Digital Labs, a new entity formed by Stop & Shop owner Ahold Delhaize last year to boost its online growth. Before, Coke would have worked with a digital media company that relies on third-party data which would get us close to the pin, but not close enough, says Jim D'Isidoro, director of shopper marketing for Coca-Cola North America. Now, with Aholds data, he knows whether the ad translated into a sale among the customers he targeted.Its always been elusive to tease out the impact of the digital media we've run, he says. With Ahold, we will have a better idea of what our return on investment is, and that gives us encouragement to invest more. Cokes not alone. Many consumer product companies are looking at their marketing spending and thinking the retailers ecosystem might be a better place to spend it, says Bryan Gildenberg, chief knowledge officer at Kantar Consulting. Those in-house media networks will become a vital piece of retailers business models, Forrester predicts, as they lure clients away from established ad agencies. If that sounds far-fetched, consider Alibaba. The Chinese e-commerce giant already generates more than 60 percent of its revenue from advertising and last year acquired a stake in a digital ad firm. The path forward for many retailers will depend on creativity and realizing profits in other ways, UBS analyst Michael Lasser says. As they pursue that path, Amazons ad network will continue to blossom, however. Executives at the online giant ominously said in January that they see potential for advertising not only on Amazons sites but also potentially beyond, meaning across the entire web, in Whole Foods Market stores, and even on their ubiquitous delivery boxes. For traditional retailers, advertising is yet another front in their battle with the online giant. In an Amazon world, says Tory Gundelach, a former Target and Kroger exec whos now at Kantar Consulting, retailers have to make money beyond just selling products. To contact the author of this story: Matthew Boyle in New York at mboyle20@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Robin Ajello at rajello@bloomberg.net, Jonathan Roeder For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Nepal Students Union President Mahar resigns President of Nepali Congress aligned Nepal Students Union Nainsingh Mahar has announced his resignation from the post. By Abdul Qadir Sediqi KABUL, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday offered the Taliban the possibility of opening an office in Afghanistan but the proposal was swiftly spurned by the group that is determined to keep his government out of accelerating peace talks. Ghani has expressed alarm at the Taliban shutting his administration out of negotiations with the United States as well as recent Moscow talks with Afghan opposition politicians, and repeated earlier offers to give the group a secure official address to aid any future diplomacy between the two sides. "If the Taliban want an office, I will give it to them in Kabul, Nangarhar or Kandahar by tomorrow," Ghani said while visiting the province of Nangarhar, a hotbed of insurgent violence on the border with Pakistan. "We will bring a lasting and honourable peace to the country," he said. Nangarhar is a stronghold of the Taliban, the hardline Islamist movement that now controls or contests districts across nearly half the country, more than 17 years since they were toppled from power. Taliban officials in Moscow last week stressed the importance of a formal office among a string of demands that included the removal of Western sanctions and travel bans on Taliban members, prisoner releases and an end to "propaganda" against the group. Taliban spokesman Sohail Shahin later told Reuters that the focus was international recognition of their existing site in Doha, Qatar. On Sunday he said Ghani was trying to harm the peace efforts with his latest offer. "Our demand about having an official political office is clear, we want that our office in Doha is recognised by the international community and the United Nations," Shahin said. "By this, Ghani is trying to change the topic and harm the on-going peace efforts." Taliban negotiators are due to meet U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad for another round of talks in Qatar on Feb. 25. The talks are expected to centre around a ceasefire to end America's longest war and the withdrawal of foreign troops. Some 14,000 U.S. troops are based in Afghanistan as part of a U.S.-led NATO mission to train, assist and advise Afghan forces. Some U.S. forces also carry out counter-terrorism operations. (Additional reporting by Hameed Farzad in Kabul and Ahmad Sultan in Nangarhar; Writing By Greg Torode; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) Susie Wolff says that the current system of deciding who is eligible for a Formula 1 superlicence is holding back talented drivers such as Tatiana Calderon. Calderon has spent the last three years competing in over 50 races in the GP3 Series and this year will become the first female driver to take part in Formula 2. The 25-year-old from Bogota, Colombia recently tested with the DS Techeetah Formula E team. But despite taking part in private tests with Sauber in 2018, she's not eligible to take part in an official F1 session. Drivers need to earn 40 points under the FIA's superlicence system before teams are able to give them a chance to drive a current F1 car in test conditions. Calderon has yet to earn any superlicence points. British driver Dan Ticktum also missed out on a chance of being considered for a 2019 seat at Toro Rosso because he too lacked sufficient points under the FIA's rules. Wolff - herself a former F1 test driver with Williams, and now a Formula E team manager at Venturi - says it's putting unnecessary obstacles in the path of aspiring drivers. "F1 changed that you need points for a superlicence," Wolff told Motorsport.com. "When I was driving there wasn't the need to have points for the superlicence. Wolff - who founded the Dare To Be Different initiative in 2016 to boost the presence of women in motorsport - said it was a shame that the FIA was inadvertently making it even harder to develop the careers of female drivers like Calderon. "[It] creates another stumbling block," she explained. "Obviously she has the challenge of getting enough points in order to qualify. But I would love to see her on the grid. "I think Tatiana is doing a fantastic job," Wolff continued. "She showed by driving the Sauber that she is very capable, so I watch and hope. "I've never doubted of her ability, so I hope she keeps progressing and makes it further up," Wolff added. "Sometimes in F1 it comes down to timing, when there's a seat free and the opportunity comes." Despite the problems facing Calderon's path toward F1, Wolff said that things were getting better for women in the world of motorsport as a whole. "I have to say that I felt very welcome into the Formula E world," she reported. "I don't have any issues doing my job in the paddock. "It is still a big issue. I'm always asked about it. It was still a big issue when I took the role, but I don't really listen to that noise anymore. "There will always be questions about my gender. Those will never go away. But for me they don't have a negative impact,' Wolff insisted. "I know exactly what my job is and I'm very focused in what I want to achieve." Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers Measles infections hit decade high in Europe The number of people infected with measles in the European region in 2018 is the highest in a decade, the World Health Organization said Thursday. According to newly released data for the year, 82,596 people were infected and 72 people (children and adults) died from measles last year. Sixty-one percent of those infected were hospitalized, according to the report. The number of cases reported is "the highest this decade," WHO said in a statement, noting that the numbers are "3 times the total reported in 2017 and 15 times the record low number of people affected in 2016." The illnesses in 2018 were reported in 47 of the 53 countries that make up the WHO European region. Ninety-two percent of the cases were reported by 10 countries: Ukraine (53,218), Serbia (5,076), Israel (2,919), France (2,913), Italy (2,517), Russia (2,256), Georgia (2,203), Greece (2,193), Albania (1,466) and Romania (1,987). The United States is experiencing measles outbreaks in New York state, New York City and Washington state, which the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said began when travelers to Israel and the Ukraine returned to the US infected. "The strain D8 in Washington's outbreak matches the strain from an ongoing Eastern European outbreak. This is consistent with testing from the first known case (a child) from this outbreak in WA. All of our cases match this strain," the Washington State Department of Health said in an email. Measles is a contagious virus that spreads through the air via coughing and sneezing. Symptoms such as high fever, rash all over the body, stuffy nose and reddened eyes typically disappear without treatment within two or three weeks. Yet one or two out of every 1,000 children who get measles will die from complications, according to the CDC. The new report also found that more children in the region were vaccinated than ever before, although the total number of vaccinations was not readily available. Of note, 2017 was also a record year for vaccination coverage when 90% of coverage for the second dose of the measles vaccine was achieved for the first time ever, according to WHO. "The picture for 2018 makes it clear that the current pace of progress in raising immunization rates will be insufficient to stop measles circulation. While data indicate exceptionally high immunization coverage at regional level, they also reflect a record number affected and killed by the disease. This means that gaps at [the] local level still offer an open door to the virus," Dr. Zsuzsanna Jakab, the WHO regional director for Europe, said in a statement. The agency said it will continue working to improve vaccination rates. "We cannot achieve healthier populations globally, as promised in WHO's vision for the coming five years, if we do not work locally. We must do more and do it better to protect each and every person from diseases that can be easily avoided," Jakab said. Source: CNN Nepal, India officials agree to strengthen border security for upcoming Lok Sabha election Indian security officials have said that there could be flow of counterfeit currency across the border and the Indian criminals could make Nepal as their hideout during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Bihar state of India. March launch of nonstop Osaka service unlikely but possible The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal said it was unlikely but possible that Nepal Airlines would start flying to Osaka in March-end, indicating that the national flag carrier had many safety deficiencies to fix first. The aviation agencys statement followed Nepal Airlines announcement that it would be launching a nonstop service to Japan with its brand new Airbus A330 next month. Chandan Kumar Mandal is the environment and migration reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering labour migration and governance, as well as climate change, natural disasters, and wildlife. In a recent news, a state of emergency has been declared in a remote Russian region after the mass invasion of polar bears in human settlements of the region. Guardian reported that a team of specialists have been deployed by Russian environmental authorities to the islands located in a remote Arctic region to sedate these polar bears. The specialists will remove these polar bears from the human settlements after sedating them. However, the government decided to send specialists on the islands after officials in the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, with a population of about 3,000 people, sought help. also read A French tourist arrested for flying a drone near Myanmars parliament Guardian told that Theres never been such a mass invasion of polar bears. They have literally been chasing people, Zhigansha Musin, the head of the local administration. Alexander Minayev, the regions deputy head, added: People are scared, and afraid to leave their homes. Parents are unwilling to let their children go to school or nursery. Some video footage from the islands show the polar bears feeding on rubbish at a local dump. The residents of the island tried to scare off the polar bears using car horns and dogs, but in vain. also read Enough is enough. Our nation must be governed not from chaos but from opportunity,": Amy Klobuchar It is to be noted that polar bears are classified as an endangered species in Russia and shooting them is prohibited by law. But government officials said that they may have to cull these polar bears to ensure the safety of the local population. The officials, however, added that this would be done only after all attempts to remove the animals from island fail to yield positive results. It may be recalled that polar bears had besieged five Russian scientists for nearly two weeks at a remote weather station on Troynoy Island in 2016. The island is located in east of Novaya Zemlya. JAMMU: PDP chief and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir , Mehbooba Mufti continuing her outburst against the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre, had smashed the ruling party for its 'Hindutva' politics. Attacking the Centre, Mehbooba said that the BJP government is only interested in changing the names of monuments and old cities bearing Muslim names. She further alleged that the ruling party is only concerned with building a temple in Ayodhya. Mehbooba said that ''Monuments and old cities with Muslim names are being given Hindu names. There's a race to build the temple. Muslims are killed in the name of cow vigilantism, instead of taking action, the central government puts them in jails under NSA like in MP. Politics is being done in name of Hindutva,''. She further said ''In Pakistan, they formed an Act to save temples and want to name a forest reserve and a university after Guru Nanak ji. If you compare, you'll feel that there is some kind of exchange between our nation formed on the foundation of secularism and Pakistan formed on basis of religion,''. also read N Chandrababu Naidu began his day-long fast at the Andhra Bhawan demanding special status for his state While the PDP chief also heaped praise on Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for his government's good will gesture towards the Kartarpur Corridor. Shifting his focus to other issues, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister slammed BJP MP Harish Dwivedi for his sexist remark against Priyanka Gandhi. Priyanka was made in-charge of Uttar Pradesh east as Congress partys general secretary on January 23. also read Priyanka Gandhi Vadras released new video message, before a UP road show, Listen here On Sunday, military and civilian sources said a soldier and a local chief were killed in Boko Haram attacks in northern Adamawa state in northeast Nigeria. Fighters loyal to factional leader Abubakar Shekau attacked the town of Madagali on Saturday, leading to a two-hour gun battle with troops. "We lost a soldier in the fight. He was one of the armoured tank drivers," said a military officer, in an account supported by residents. While, Madagali is 280 kilometres (nearly 175 miles) north of the Adamawa state capital, Yola, near the border with neighbouring Borno state. The jihadists, who came in gun trucks at about 5:00 pm (1600 GMT), were forced to retreat to their enclave in the Sambisa Forest, just across the state border in Borno. also read With security vow, Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison kicks off re-election bid The two sources said "They (Boko Haram) killed a soldier in the fight and also killed the village chief of Gubla as they fled back to Sambisa," said community leader Maina Ularamu, a former administrative head of Madagali local government area. Three bodies of Boko Haram fighters were recovered after the gunbattle. On Friday three troops were killed in a Boko Haram raid on a military base near the Borno state capital, Maiduguri. Last Monday, three people were killed and homes were razed when Boko Haram fighters stormed the villages of Shuwa and Kirchina, in the Madagali area. The attacks underline the persistent threat Bono Haram poses in the region despite government and military claims the militants have been "technically defeated". Boko Haram's decade-long insurgency has killed 27,000 people and displaced some 1.8 million in northeast Nigeria alone. However, The violence has also spilt into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, creating a dire humanitarian crisis. Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari is seeking re-election next Saturday. He came to power in 2015 on a promise to defeat Boko Haram. His main opponent is Atiku Abubakar, who is from Adamawa. also read US Troops withdrawal from Syria depend on the situation: US San Francisco: Apple and Google are facing criticism from human rights activists for hosting an app that allows men in Saudi Arabia to track and control women's movements. According to a report in Insider on Friday, the app called "Absher" lets men to give women permission to travel, and also get SMS when a woman uses her passport at the border. For making the apps available on Google Play and Apple's App Store, the US-based tech giants have been accused of facilitating misogyny and helping "enforce gender apartheid." Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and a women's rights activist urged Apple and Google should reconsider hosting the app, Insider reported, adding that the two tech giants did not respond to its requests for comment. Under Saudi law, it is essential for women to have a legal "guardian" who can restrict her travel. While Absher a government service offers other functions like paying parking fines, its travel features have been targeted by activists as it makes it difficult for women to leave Saudi Arabia. "Apple and Google have rules against apps that facilitate threats and harassment," Human Rights Watch was quoted as saying. "Apps like this one can facilitate human rights abuses, including discrimination against women." Amnesty International called on Apple and Google to demand changes to the app so that it can be stopped for being used to harm women. Yasmine Mohammed, a critic of Saudi Arabia, told Insider that the companies are "facilitating the most archaic misogyny" and help the Saudi government to enforce "gender apartheid." Abdul Kareem of Kunnamangalam still vividly remembers the day he first saw his youngest daughter Noor. He was waiting outside the labour room when the doctor had called Kareem inside. Kareem was dreaming of buying brand new toys for the newborn. Though several toys belonging to his elder daughter Ayisha were lying around the house, he wanted the younger baby to play with new ones. But the doctor's expression while asking him to enter the labour room made Kareem anxious. He wondered whether something had happened to his wife Asmabi. However, another shock awaited Kareem his newborn had no forearms and a foot. "Don't worry. Do you wish to see this child again?" asked the doctor. Kareem gave a reply that changed the life and future of the baby, now a confident 17-year-old youngster named Noor Jaleela, and everyone around her. "If Bappa had said that he did not wish to see me again, I would not have existed. If I did exist, it would be as a museum piece in some lab," says the young woman. Noor's story "In lower classes, I noticed other students of my class having forearms, hands and five fingers. When I asked why I didnt have them, Ithatha (elder sister) said that they would grow gradually. Of course, I believed her and was happy," says Noor. The little girl was told that forearms and feet would develop by the time she was 10 years of age. But when that did not happen, she realized that everyone was making a fool of her. Noor began asking her parents and sister why she suffered from the disability while everyone else was normal. Then Kareem showed his daughter cuttings from old newspapers which had reports and photos of people who were more handicapped than her. He would follow it up with a query, "Are you the only such person in the world?" To which Noor would reply emphatically, "No." Kareem continued to show such reports and pictures to his daughter, which made her realize that she was better off than many other differently abled people. This thought also boosted Noors confidence. "Noor was born during the Kadalundi train disaster. I was grieving over my daughters plight when several people lost their lives in the accident. I thought over both incidents and realized that anything could happen to anybody at any time and so there was no need to waste tears over anything. From then onwards, I have only tried to make Noor the best in everything she does," continues Kareem. "My daughter attended the nursery classes at Puthiyangadi school and till Class II at St Noberta International School. After that, she went to Navajyothi School, Kunnamangalam which changed her life for the better and Noor became a happy person," says Kareem. New dreams Noor was fitted with artificial limbs at Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode. Now she walks without much difficulty. However, inside the house, Noor prefers to remove the artificial attachments and crawl on the floor. But Noor's family never dissuades her from doing anything. It is this encouragement that has now made the youngster, a Plus-Two student, the school leader of Navajyothi School. "I have deep gratitude to Elizabeth teacher for helping me achieve so much. Teacher often reminds me that I have more abilities than disabilities. She also avoids pitying with me," says Noor. In fact, she often has to face sympathetic people while travelling by bus. But they often pestered Noor with queries like, "How do you manage to write?" But when the youngster picked up the courage to reply, "How will you study in Class IV without writing," the curious enquiries stopped. "It was Elizabeth teacher who taught me to speak boldly," explains Noor. Life turns colourful One day Ayisha left her record book home. When Noor saw her sister's record, she felt that it was a colouring book and picked up a few crayons lying nearby and starting applying colours. Only after considerable damage had been done did Kareem and his wife notice what Noor was doing. However, nobody scolded her. Noor felt that it was sympathy that prevented her parents from reprimanding her, but was pleasantly surprised when they brought her drawing paper, crayons and water colour. "Why don't you draw using these?" Kareem asked her. Noor took the matter seriously and has never looked back. While in Class V, she took part in a painting competition organized for ICSC students at the all-India level. Contestants were given a picture which had to be copied. Noor's painting won the first prize and she, along with everyone else, was surprised. "But Bappa was the happiest of them all. He often tells me that the most benevolent God has given me some skills that very few people possess," says Noor. Musical pursuit The last two periods in Class VII were dedicated to extra-curricular activities. When Noor decided to learn violin during the periods, her father and mother expressed doubts. But when his daughter remained firm on her plan, Kareem bought her a small violin. Noor searched YouTube to find out how the violin is held and stumbled up on cello, another musical instrument of the violin family. Bigger than violin, cello is played by holding it between the knees. "I thought, why not play the violin like the cello?" She soon tied a bun used on the hair to her arm and fixed the bow of the violin on it. The violin was held in the reverse direction and Noor started playing. Initially it was difficult and she cut her arms. She felt severe pain too. But regular practice made things easier. The violin began emitting the sounds that I wished, says Noor. Her favourite is the song Kannai kalaimane which she loves to hear herself playing. Future plans Noor has no fancy ideas about her life, but only clear-cut goals. "I want to study well and become an English professor. Then I want to attempt the civil service exam and join IAS," she explains. To stress her point, Noor says, "If there is a will, there is a way." While waiting outside the labour room, Kareem had decided to name his baby 'Noor,' meaning 'light' in Arabic. The youngster has now proved that it was indeed the perfect choice. Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Monday announced a comprehensive SIT probe to "bring out the truth" after an audio clip he released showed state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa in a purported conversation to lure a JD (S) MLA. Kumaraswamy made the announcement in the state assembly after Speaker Ramesh Kumar suggested a special investigation team probe the episode to "establish the truth" as his name has also been dragged into the row. "Constitute an SIT to establish the truth. Give me relief in 15 days," a visibly anguished Kumar said, urging Kumaraswamy, after all members said the speaker was known for his integrity and dignity of his office should be protected. Kumaraswamy said he was also "pained" at the charge against the speaker and accepted his suggestion to form an SIT. "I seek your permission to form the SIT for a comprehensive probe to bring out the truth," he told the speaker. BJP members said the probe should be limited to the charge against the speaker as otherwise they had no trust in the government which was likely to misuse the SIT. Karnataka Assembly Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar during the Budget Session of the state assembly, in Bengaluru. IANS The speaker told Kumaraswamy that "this (SIT) should not lead to a witch-hunt. The probe should be only to establish the truth." Terming the reference to him in the audio tape as contempt of the House, Kumar said he was pained by his name being mentioned in the episode. "Whichever MLA took my name in the audio tape must step out of politics or I should be out of politics. Such a statement is a contempt of the House," Kumar told the legislators as the issue rocked the proceedings of the Budget session. The political war over charges of horse-trading had escalated in Karnataka Friday with Kumaraswamy releasing an audio clip in which Yeddyurappa is purportedly trying to lure a JD(S) MLA for destabilising the coalition government. Kumaraswamy had said that during the purported conversation Yeddyurappa had also spoken about a "Rs 50 crore offer to book" the assembly speaker to give a ruling in favour of MLAs who might resign to help the BJP. Yeddyurappa had said he would retire from politics "if it (the allegation) is proved. If I had spoken like this (about the speaker), if it is proved, I will resign as an MLA and quit politics," he had said. The purported audio tape in Kannada was said to have been recorded on February 7, between Yeddyurappa and Sharanagouda at a guest house at Devadurga in Raichur district, about 480 km from here. Yeddyurappa, however, on Sunday claimed that the audio tape was fabricated and its contents doctored though it was in his voice and accused Kumaraswamy of blackmailing him. "I met Sharanagouda at Devadurga on February 7 and discussed many things. But the content in the audio tape is fabricated and its voice doctored," Yeddyurappa told reporters at Hubballi. Recalling what transpired between him and Sharanagouda, Yeddyurappa said he would retire from politics if Kumaraswamy would prove that he told Sharangouda money (Rs 50 crore) would be given to Kumar for not invoking the anti-defection law if Kandakur joined the BJP. Congress stages walkout from LS The Congress on Monday created a ruckus in the Lok Sabha and staged a walkout over alleged attempts to poach their MLAs in Karnataka, a charge that was rejected by the Centre, calling it an "internal fight" between the ruling Congress and the JD-S. Soon after the House reassembled at noon after the first adjournment over the issue, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge read out a transcript of the taped conversation. Kharge alleged that the BJP was trying to topple the state government by horse-trading. "One MLA of my parliamentary constituency was given assurance by a top BJP leader. They are indulging in horse-trading." Senior JD-S leader and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda said the BJP had earlier launched "Operation Kamala" in 2009 also to poach Congress legislators. He demanded that the government bring a law to stop such operations. "Such incidents shouldn't happen. That year, as many as 10 ministers resigned and the government fell," he said. Rejecting the charges, Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda dubbed the allegations as "baseless". "In Karnataka, there is a big internal fight between the Congress and the JD-S. There is grouping in Congress itself. One of their MLA's was beaten by their own party colleague and was hospitalised for 10 days. Everything uttered by Kharge and Gowda is false," he said. Soon after the Minister's response, Congress members trooped near the speaker's podium and started sloganeering. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) members were already protesting in support of their demand for a Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan urged the members to return to their seats and called Congress' Veerappa Moily to speak on the budget. To this, Kharge said Moily will participate in the budget discussion but the issue raised by them was not properly addressed. In protest, the Congress members walked out of the House. Earlier, the Question Hour witnessed a washout over the same issue. New Delhi:The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the controversial deal is likely to be tabled in Parliament on Monday. Alleging conflict of interest, the Congress on Sunday CAG Rajiv Mehrishi to recuse himself from auditing the deal to purchase 36 Rafale fighter aircraft as he, as the then finance secretary, was part of the negotiations. The opposition party also said that it would be improper on the part of Mehrishi to present the report in Parliament and said that it had written to him to recuse himself. In a communique to the former bureaucrat, the Congress has alleged that the government compromised 'national interest' and 'national security' in the purchase of the 36 aircraft and said the CAG has a constitutional and statutory duty to undertake a forensic audit of all defence contracts, including the Rafale deal. "It is an act of gross impropriety for you to deal with the audit of the 36 Rafale aircraft deal on account of patent conflict of interest...You are constitutionally, legally and morally disentitled to either conduct an audit or to present a report before...Parliament. We urge upon you to recuse yourself and publicly accept the gross impropriety committed by you in initiating the audit...," it said. In its communique, the Congress has alleged that the irregularities, bungling and corruption was happening at the highest level with "your direct or indirect complicity and consent". Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said that Mehrishi was the finance secretary from October 24, 2014, to August 30, 2015, and in between Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Paris on April 10, 2015, and announced the signing of the Rafale deal. "...Finance Ministry plays an important role in these negotiations...Now it is clear that the Rafale deal happened under Rajeev Mehrishi. Now he is CAG. We met him twice on September 19 and October 4, 2018. We told him about the scam. We told him that the deal should be probed because it is corrupt. But how can he initiate a probe against himself," Sibal said. The Congress said it had, in its submissions to the CAG, listed the acts of omission and commission as well as corruption in the Rafale deal. "He obviously cannot probe decisions he took as finance secretary. He will protect himself first and then his government. There cannot be a bigger conflict of interest than this," he said. Sibal further said that he was trying to tell the people of India that the government was misleading them and how this government was being protected. Lashing out at Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Sibal said that she was protecting the prime minister rather than protecting the country. "In this country, the defence minister who is responsible for protecting the country is defending the PM only. They are saying that what happened, everything was correct, everyone else is a liar, flogging a dead horse. Then on the other hand the expose of what happened is there," he said. He further questioned why the prime minister was not answering basic questions on the deal regarding why parallel negotiations were undertaken when the defence ministry had written that such 'interventions' cannot happen. Asked what steps would the Congress take if Mehrishi presents the CAG report on the deal in Parliament, Sibal evaded a direct reply and said that the exposes on the issue will not stop here. "What action can we take? The exposes are not going to stop here. The truth will come out definitely. We are ordinary people, we cannot accuse someone without facts like the PM who levels allegations against us everyday without any facts. We are not like that. We accuse someone only when we have some proof," he said. Read more: Latest India news Nayak Paudel is a crime reporter for The Kathmandu Post. Since joining the Post in 2018, he has also written on health issues. New Delhi: The government is scheduled to table the CAG report on Rafale jet fighter deal, which has generated a massive political controversy, in Parliament Tuesday, sources said. The government's decision to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from French company Dassault has become a controversial political issue, with the main opposition party Congress levelling allegations of corruption and impropriety, and the ruling dispensation defending the move. The CAG report will be tabled Tuesday, a day before the end of the present Lok Sabha session. This is the last session of the 16th Lok Sabha as the general elections are due in April-May. Former minister and senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal Sunday alleged conflict of interest and asked the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Rajiv Mehrishi to recuse himself from auditing the deal as he was the finance secretary when the deal was negotiated. Union Minister Arun Jaitley, however, rebutted the claims of Sibal saying that the Congress was casting aspersions on the institution of CAG based on "falsehood". "Another attack on the institution of CAG by the 'institution wreckers' based on falsehood. After ten years in government former UPA ministers still don't know that finance secretary is only a designation given to the senior most secretary in the finance ministry," Jaitley said in a series of tweets Sunday. Sibal said Mehrishi was the finance secretary from October 24, 2014 to August 30, 2015 and in between Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Paris on April 10, 2015 and announced the signing of the Rafale deal. "...Finance ministry plays an important role in these negotiations...Now it is clear that the Rafale deal happened under Rajiv Mehrishi. Now he is CAG. We met him twice on September 19 and October 4, 2018. We told him about the scam. We told him that the deal should be probed because it is corrupt. But how can he initiate a probe against himself," Sibal had said. The Rafale issue was even raised before the Supreme Court, which did not find any substance in the allegations. However, the issue has continued to rock Parliament with Congress president Rahul Gandhi directly accusing the prime minister of benefiting his corporate friend Anil Ambani. The rising number of farmer suicides is indicative of the degree of distress in the Indian agriculture sector. The sector largely remains devoid of profitability due to various issues such as price slump, frequent crop failure, absence of assured water resources, and attacks of pests and diseases. The peasants are clueless on sustaining themselves in these uncertain times. This five-part series will explore the multi-dimensional crisis plaguing the countrys farm sector. Caught in a fatal debt trap A narrow, congested path from the remote village of Kurzadi in Wardha district leads to a dilapidated hut where the Petkar family lives. An elderly couple - Vachala and Anand Rao - is squatting near the smoky country hearth in their cramped kitchen, shivering in the biting cold. The look of despondency on their faces is hard to ignore. The visually-impaired woman is trying to pick dried twigs and sticks strewn all over the floor to start a fire in the hearth in order to warm themselves up. As they started talking, a flood of bitter memories came out. Their son Kawdu Petkar ended his life seven years ago after getting himself trapped in a debt cycle. He had sown cotton using the loan taken from the local cooperative bank, but the crop did not survive because of lack of rain. The drastic fall in yield and a slump in prices added to his misery. He was forced to avail more loans and borrow from his neighbours in order to meet the medical expenses of his ailing parents. Banks started issuing reminders and finally notices for recovery after he defaulted repayment. With debts mounting, he committed suicide, leaving his parents, wife and son Surendar heartbroken and reeling. Following Kawdus death, Surendar shouldered the familys responsibility, and took up cotton farming following his fathers steps. Seven years after Kawdus death, the sequence of events that drove him to suicide repeated. Deficit rainfall triggered crop loss and Surendar, unable to repay the loans availed from local banks and private lenders for purchasing cotton seeds, ended his life two years ago. Kawdu was 50 while Surendar was 30 when they took the extreme step. Now Surendars son Maroyi is looking after the family comprising his grandparents and mother Usiya. An elderly couple - Vachala and Anand Rao - at their house at Kurzadi in Maharashtra's Wardha district. The situation is grim this season as well. The proposal put forth by the Maharashtra government to end the water crisis is yet to take off. Price of raw cotton keeps sliding down. The fear of a life-time loss once again looms large over the lives of cotton growers across the region. Fighting for survival There is an old fort, known as qila in local language, which encircles the Kurzadi village. It is a redolent remnant of the localitys glorious past. The early purpose of the fort, it seems, was to defend expansive fields and settlements against marauding enemy forces. Ironically, the villagers living inside the imposing structure now are fighting a battle day-in, day-out, just to stay afloat. While walking around the village, Vasanth Rao Vakhade, a local resident, showed this reporter the houses of farmers who committed suicide owing to crop failure and debt. Among them were Anand Raos nephew Ujjwala and his neighbour Subhash Ghakde. The phenomenon of 'farmer suicide' is not confined to the regions of Wardha or Vidharba. In fact, the agrarian crisis is fairly widespread in the country. Poor peasants are forced to borrow from different sources to buy new seeds for every planting season. High costs, water scarcity and unreliable output make for a debt trap, and the poor continue to fight a losing battle. Chained to debt in life and death There has been an alarming rise in the number of farmer suicides in India of late. On average, 12,000 farmers commit suicide each year in the country, which is approximately 10 per cent of all suicides. Eighty-seven per cent of farmer suicides have occurred in seven states: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra, Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh. The problem is assuming alarming proportions in Punjab as well. The state which once sowed the seeds of the Green Revolution witnessed as many as 4,687 farmers killing themselves in the period between 1995 and 2005. In Mansa district alone, 1,134 farmers committed suicide during the 10-year period. The suicides were the result of a combination of factors including social circumstances, increase in the cost of raw materials, crop failure and poor market prices for their produce. They are born in debt, lives in debt, dies in debt and bequeaths debt. Soaring production costs There has been a three-fold increase in the production cost of wheat since 2005. Prices of seeds, fertilisers and pesticides have been on the rise forcing farmers to look at ways of cutting costs. They are also unable to rent or purchase tractors, sprinklers and other farm implements due to high costs. Using bullocks for ploughing and related activities has also become unaffordable for small and marginal farmers. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act scheme, which led to an increase in labour charges, has also compounded miseries of the country's beleaguered farmers. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), out of the 3,000 farmers who committed suicide in 2015, as many 2,474 had defaulted on loan payments. Bank loans accounted 90 per cent of their total borrowings while the remaining 10 per cent was from local moneylenders. In Maharashtra and Karnataka, two states with the highest number of farmer suicides, the number of peasants who took the extreme step after falling into a debt trap is 1,293 and 946 respectively. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), out of the 3,000 farmers who committed suicide in 2015, as many 2,474 had defaulted on loan payments. It is a fact that the Indian agriculture sector is fragile and vulnerable. It is extremely dependent on the weather. The failure of the policymakers to make a coordinated approach is undeniable. Several irrigation projects proposed in critically drought-prone areas in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka years ago have not seen the light of the day. Over the years, erratic rainfall pattern has been spelling doom for farmers. At the same time, they are reluctant to switch over to short-term drought-resistant crops. For example, not many farmers in water-scarce areas are ready to part ways with sugarcane, one of the most water-guzzling crops. Government intervention There is an overwhelming feeling that a loan waiver can solve farm distress. The massive Rs 72,000-crore Agriculture Debt Waiver and Debt Relief Scheme of the UPA government in May, 2008, is the largest relief package implemented to bail out the countrys debt-ridden farmers. In 2013, the Centre offered a special livestock sector and fisheries package for suicide-prone districts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala. In 2018, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra governments announced relief and booster packages to tackle distress in the farm sector. After the recent Assembly elections, the new governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh announced farm loan waivers. Realistically, loan waivers cannot be considered as a panacea for the agrarian distress. Farm distress is increasingly being triggered by falling prices and absence of basic infrastructure for storage and marketing, but policymakers are yet to proactively address this. (To be continued) References: Research paper on farmer suicides in India by N S Naik, data published by the National Crime Records Bureau, and media reports. An apocryphal story about Indian immigrants in the United States is about the inauguration of the first Indian American President. It was a moment of triumph for all Indians, wherever they were and there was much excitement everywhere. Sitting in the front row, decked in a Kanjeevaram saree, was the Presidents mother. She was happy and cheerful, but she did not seem as happy as the thousands of other Indians who had come to witness the historic moment. One of them thought that the lady had not quite grasped the significance of the moment. He walked up to the lady and asked why she was not as excited as everybody else was about her son becoming the President of the United States. Indeed I am happy, but his brother has done better already. He is a medical doctor! Such limited ambitions are giving way as several Indian Americans have begun to seek elected offices in the US, ranging from school boards and hospital boards, the House of Representatives and the Senate and now the White House. About 200 Indian Americans are in the fray for the elections in 2020. The announcement by Senator Kamala Harris that she is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge President Donald Trump has added a new chapter to the journey of Indian Americans to move to leadership positions in a country they adopted originally just to earn a living. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, immigrated to the US for studies from Tamil Nadu at the age of 19 and married Donald Harris, an African American, born in Jamaica. Kamala, at 54, is a US Senator today and she has made it known that she is campaigning to be the Democratic candidate for President of the United States. The announcement was not a surprise as she was considered a potential leader in the making for quite some time, particularly after she was elected to the Senate. I heard her speak at a gala event of the popular Indian educational NGO, Pratham, in New York recently, where she was introduced as someone who might reach dizzy political heights one day. To a vast audience of rich and famous Indian Americans, she spoke very much like a potential candidate for President. She was critical about President Trump, but her words were moderate and she spoke with dignity and restraint befitting a potential candidate. On that occasion, she stressed her Indian American status rather than her black credentials. She credited her Indian-American "superhero" mother for instilling in her the sense of responsibility that motivates her political career. "It was really my mother who took charge of our upbringing. She was the one most responsible for shaping us into the women we would become. And she was extraordinary," Harris wrote in her book 'The Truths We Hold: An American Journey'. She said that her late mother empowered her to take personal action to fix problems she encountered -- a theme that she says is influencing her political career. "My mother was barely five foot one, but I felt like she was six foot two. She was smart and tough and fierce and protective. She was generous, loyal, and funny. She had only two goals in life: to raise her two daughters and to end breast cancer," the Senator from California said. "She pushed us hard and with high expectations as she nurtured us. And all the while, she made Maya and me feel special, like we could do anything we wanted to if we put in the work," Harris said. (Maya is her younger sister.) Harris wrote that her mother had been raised in a household where political activism and civic leadership came naturally. Her grandmother, Rajam Gopalan, had never attended high school, but she was a skilled community organiser. She would take in women who were being abused by their husbands, and then she'd call the husbands and tell them they'd better shape up or she would take care of them. Her grandfather P V Gopalan had been part of the movement for India's independence. "Eventually, as a senior diplomat in the Indian government, he and my grandmother had spent time living in Zambia after it gained independence, helping to settle refugees," Harris said. Harris is very conscious of her black identity, which may be an asset as well as a liability. "And from both of my grandparents, my mother developed a keen political consciousness. She was conscious of history, conscious of struggle, conscious of inequities. She was born with a sense of justice imprinted on her soul," she wrote. "My mother understood very well that she was raising two black daughters. She knew that her adopted homeland would see Maya and me as black girls, and she was determined to make sure we would grow into confident, proud black women," Harris said. Her views and actions were sympathetic to the minorities, women etc. -- the issues which led to the downfall of the Democratic Party against the ultra-nationalistic Republicans who believed in white supremacy. Harris, whom Former US President Barack Obama described as a "trailblazer"is likely to make waves in the electoral scene, though her chances cannot be predicted till the other candidates emerge. David Axelrod, the former top adviser to Barack Obama, and now the director of the University of Chicagos Institute of Politics, a senior commentator for CNN, and the host of The Axe Files, said this as she held her first rally: I think Kamala Harris has had a very strong rollout. She has a theory of the case, and the theory of the case is that, if she can get through these early states and get to more diverse states, New Hampshire and Iowa not being terribly diverse if she can get through there doing reasonably well, she goes to Nevada, where she would be a strong candidate, and then South Carolina, where fifty-five per cent of the vote will be African-American. The other thing is that she understands the power of the African-American vote in the nominating process. Not only is it a big constituency in some of these major states and Southern states but it also is supersized, because, if you have congressional districts that are overwhelmingly Democratic in their performance, they get extra delegates. So this is why Hillary Clinton was able to shake off Bernie Sanders. He also said that he would not bet on a victory for Donald Trump. Another Indian candidate is not an Indian at all, but a Hindu by conviction. Tulsi Gabbard, who adopted Hinduism, claims Indian heritage and expects to gain the financial and political support from the Indian community. She has been representing Hawaiis 2nd Congressional District in the House of Representatives since 2013. Elected in 2012, she is the first Samoan-American member and the first Hindu member of the United States Congress. Gabbard served in a field medical unit of the Hawaii Army National Guard in a combat zone in Iraq from 2004 to 2005 and was later deployed in Kuwait. She previously served in the Hawaii House of Representatives from 2002 to 2004. When she was elected to the Hawaii House of Representatives at the age of 21, Gabbard was the youngest woman to be elected to a U.S. state legislature. She supports abortion rights, Medicare for All, opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership, has called for a restoration of the GlassSteagall Act, and changed her stance to support same-sex marriage in 2012. She is critical of aspects of U.S. foreign policy regarding Iraq, Libya and Syria. She opposes removing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power by force. On January 11, 2019, Gabbard announced her campaign to seek the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in 2020. The two ladies are not Indian Americans in the strict sense of the term. Harris is banking on her black constituency, but the Indian Americans are excited about her. Her Indian connection through her mother, who is a first-generation immigrant will help her win the Indian American votes. Gabbard naturally connects with the Hindu activists, but that may not take her very far. But the very fact of the emergence of these candidates adds some Indian spice to the Presidential campaign of 2020. Lucknow: Making her political debut as Congress general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi on Monday roared into Uttar Pradesh with thousands cheering as her cavalcade slowly made its way through the city during a roadshow, being seen as launch of the party's campaign in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Accompanied by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and incharge of the western region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, the beaming 47-year-old sported a kurta and a stole, and waved at the teeming party workers jostling for a glimpse. "Come, let's build a new future, new politics with me. Thank you," she said in her message to the people ahead of the visit to the state. #WATCH Congress General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh West Jyotiraditya Scindia and party President Rahul Gandhi, hold roadshow in Lucknow. pic.twitter.com/ipMSlxaJyD ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 11, 2019 When the three leaders embarked on a roughly 25-km-long roadshow, from the airport to the party headquarters, to woo voters in the Lok Sabha polls, rose petals and marigold garlands were showered at their cavalcade. As her 'rath' inched through major thoroughfares, enthusiastic people and party members took vantage positions to click a prized photo. #WATCH Congress General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh West Jyotiraditya Scindia and party President Rahul Gandhi, hold roadshow in Lucknow. pic.twitter.com/3yF6WGg9dV ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 11, 2019 Enthusiastic Congress workers took to the streets to celebrate the arrival of the two new AICC incharges, with party tricolours and hoardings all over giving the city a festive look. Since early morning, Congress workers were seen busy giving final touches to the arrangements for the roadshow, distributing food packets, tea and water to passersby. Patriotic songs were played on loudspeakers perking up the mood. Some posters showed Priyanka in 'Durga Mata' avatar riding on a lion. "Maa Durga ka roop behen Priyankaji (Sister Priyankaji is Maa Durga's incarnation) said one poster, while some others highlighted her resemblance to Indira Gandhi, her grandmother. Besides workers of other front organisations of the party, some Congress workers -- said to be members of Priyanka sena, a little known outfit -- were seen wearing pink T-shirts with her photograph. "With the Priyanka Sena at the Nehru Bhawan, Lucknow it is almost celebration here," tweeted Sushmita Dev, president of all India Mahila Congress. An enthusiastic party general secretary Shailendra Tewari has customised his car to welcome Priyanka with the banner reading, "Aa gai priyanka...baj gaya danka... brashtachar ki ab lagegi Lanka..." A day before her maiden visit to Uttar Pradesh as Congress general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi said that together with the people of the state she hopes to start a "new kind of politics" in which everyone will be a stakeholder. The two general secretaries will interact with party workers at the state Congress office in Lucknow on February 12, 13 and 14. Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Rajiv Bakshi told PTI that Priyanka Gandhi's entry into formal politics will enthuse party workers to regain lost ground in the state in the Lok Sabha polls. "This is an opportunity for the Congress to strike back in the most crucial state of the country where the organisation had all through been wanting her to plunge into active politics," he said. Priyanka Gandhi is the Congress' big hope for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections who will be shouldering the responsibility of reviving Congress fortunes, especially in the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh, say party insiders. Her entry into active politics has been at a time when the party is not only witnessing one of the most difficult times electorally but has also been sidelined by prospective allies for the 'mahagatbandhan' with the Samajwadi Party and BSP totally ignoring it in forming their alliance. Priyanka Gandhi is pitched as a big draw with her charisma and voter connect, but her 'rescue Congress' mission remains a daunting task in the state where the party has been pushed on the margins with the advent of caste based politics since the last 30 years. Though she is no stranger to such roadshows with her brother, she is seen campaigning for the first time outside the Gandhi family constituencies of Amethi and Raebareli and her political acumen and connect with the public will be at test for the first time. The last two Lok Sabha by elections in eastern Uttar Pradesh, for the Gorakhpur and Phulpur, were disastrous for the Congress. Party candidates managed to fetch only around 19,000 votes each and registered only a 2 per cent vote share in each constituency. In 2014, the Congress just managed to retain the Gandhi family constituencies of Amethi and Raebareli, as compared to the 21 it had won five years earlier. The party's voteshare also dropped by almost 50 per cent between 2009 and 2014. Eastern Uttar Pradesh, the area where Priyanka Gandhi will be active is presently the strongholds of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. UPCC general secretary Dwijendra Tripathi said making two general secretary incharges of Uttar Pradesh showed the seriousness Rahul Gandhi attaches to state. "Both are young and popular, he said. They have a certain hold over the public and have leadership qualities and a rapport with the common man." Congress leaders said Priyanka Gandhi's into active party politics will galvanise the workers, helping them take on the dual challenge posed in the state by the BJP and the SP-BSP alliance. Priyanka logs on to Twitter Earlier in the day, Priyanka joined Twitter and garnered a massive response with tens of thousands following her on the social media platform within hours. She didn't post a tweet, but followed seven people, including her brother and party chief Rahul Gandhi as well as party leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sachin Pilot, Ashok Gehlot Randeep Singh Surjewala, Ahmed Patel and the Congress's official account. Over 90,000 people followed her within hours of her joining the microblogging site. Priyanka Gandhi, 47, and Scindia, 48, took charge as AICC general secretary UP east and UP west, respectively, last week. The Congress seems to have learnt its lessons from 2014, and has been scaling up its operations on social media platforms to challenge the BJP on a front which has been the saffron party's forte. Rahul Gandhi has also been using Twitter for his attacks on the government and analysts credit his aggressive social media campaign for a turnaround of his image among the people. Read more: Latest on LS polls Kottayam: The Congress in Kerala has almost finalised its candidates' list for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, but at least a section of the party's Kottayam unit is hopeful of some last-minute drama that would land them the seat held by ally Kerala Congress (Mani). The Kottayam Lok Sabha seat has been lying vacant since June after its MP, Jose K Mani, was elected to the Rajya Sabha. Now, with Jose K Mani, son of KC(M) patriarch K M Mani, out of the fray, the party is yet to decide on who will contest from the seat. The uncertainty makes a section of Congress leaders in the district hopeful of the seat being handed over to their party. The section, which is yet to iron out differences with KC(M) following the election of the district panchayat president in May 2017, hopes that Mani-led party would opt for a safer seat leaving Kottayam to Congress. The safer seat could be Idukki or Chalakudy or Wayanad, they say. Sources in the party told Onmanorama that talks of a swap would start only at the last minute, apparently to avoid unnecessary controversies. However, it seems they are only hoping against the hope since senior leaders of the party, including former chief minister Oommen Chandy and DCC president Joshi Philip, have denied such a possibility. Jose K Mani with KM Mani The fissures between the Congress and the KC(M) originated in Kottayam after the latter won the district panchayat election in 2017 with the support of the CPM. The KC(M) went for the CPM's support since it was staying away from the Congress-led UDF that time. The KC(M) severed the ties with the Congress in 2016 following the assembly polls, alleging ill-treatment by the alliance major. However, the party returned to the UDF last year ahead of the Chengannur assembly bypoll. This also paved way for Congress' Sunny Pampady being elected as the Kottayam district panchayat president. Probable candidates The KC(M) is yet to announce its candidate in Kottayam. But the section of Congress which wishes to contest from the seat has prepared a list of probables. The Congress, if it contests from Kottayam, may field one of the four senior leaders, they say. The four are Joseph Vazhackan, Sunny Pampady, Lathika Subhash and Tomy Kallani. Joseph Vazhackan is a former MLA from Muvattupuzha constituency while Sunny Pampady, who is close to Oommen Chandy, is the current district panchayat president. Both Lathika and Tomy are former District Congress Committee presidents. Jose K Mani won from Kottayam in 2009 and 2014 defeating the CPM's Suresh Kurup and JD(S)' Mathew T Thomas. Before that Suresh Kurup had been elected from the constituency in three consecutive terms. The constituency also has a history of sending Congress veteran Ramesh Chennithala, the current opposition leader in Kerala assembly to Parliament three times. Former CM Oommen Chandy joined Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan during a march in Kottayam in 2018. No swap: Chandy Asked about the possibility of getting back Kottayam seat from KC(M), Oommen Chandy said a firm 'no'. Whatever is given to them is theirs, Chandy said. DCC president Joshi Philip also confirmed to Onmanorama that there was no formal discussion about the swap in any party forum. Read more: Latest on Lok Sabha polls Kottayam: The Indian Coffee House at the centre of the market here is set to close down as the property lease has expired. This is one of the earliest outlets of the popular chain of hotels to be established in Kerala. The management was taken to court by the owner of one of the two floors of the property as the latter wanted it vacated. The court order in favour of the property owner has forced the imminent closure of the Indian Coffee House employing 30 people. The eatery was at the centre of a busy town when it opened decades ago. Later, development pushed it to the corner of the market and four more Coffee Houses sprang up in the town. But the popularity of this old eatery has not faded with the passage of time, nor has the flavour of its popular dishes. The number of customers thronging it has not dwindled. Old-timers still make sure they have a masala dosa and tea here when they visit the market. The outlet will not be shut down, but merely transferred to another building near SH Mount, said the authorities. SH Mount is a couple of kilometers away from the current location of this hotel. Read more Kottayam News Moscow insists that the United States should fulfill its pledge to fully withdraw from Syria, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters on Monday, Trend reports referring to TASS. "We insist that the United States should fulfill its pledge and fully withdraw from Syria," he said. On December 19, 2018, US President Donald Trump ordered a full withdrawal of US troops from Syria, claiming that the Islamic State terror group (outlawed in Russia) had been defeated. About 2,000 US troops are currently deployed to Syria. According to US officials, the pullout will take 60 to 100 days. Russia has made clear to Israel that arbitrary attacks on sovereign Syrian territory should be stopped, and has not seamlessly moved past the downing of the Russian spy plane in September, Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said in an interview posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry website, Trend reports referring to The Jerusalem Post. Vershinin, who along with Alexander Lavrentiev, Russian President Vladimir Putins special envoy on Syria, visited Jerusalem last month and met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said absolutely not when asked if Moscow was ready to close its eyes to Israeli attacks in Syria even if Russians are not in the line of fire, and whether Russia has moved past the downing of its spy plane that it blamed indirectly on Israel. Just prior to their meeting in Jerusalem, Moscow censured Israel for a raid on Iranian targets that the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said killed 21 people, 12 of them believed to be members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. That raid followed Irans launching of a missile from near Damascus toward Mount Hermon, which was intercepted by an Iron Dome battery. Strikes inside Syria further destabilize the situation, Vershinin said, adding that no one should do anything in Syria that goes beyond the goals of fighting terrorism which is the justification Moscow gives for both Russian and Iranian involvement in Syria to fight Islamic State and rebel forces, and bolster Syrian President Bashar Assad. When reminded in the interview that Israel views Hezbollah as a terrorist target, Vershinin said that Moscow disagrees, and does not view the Lebanese Shia group as a terrorist organization. Netanyahu is scheduled to travel next week to Moscow for a meeting with Putin, and when announcing the visit last week, he said one of the issues to be discussed would be strengthening the deconfliction mechanism that exists between the two countries to prevent accidental engagement between the two militaries. Vershinin refused to go into details about whether the deconfliction mechanism established in 2015 changed as a result of the downing of a Russian intelligence plane in September by the Syrians, and whether Jerusalem agreed to give Moscow more notification before attacks. We naturally want the deconfliction mechanism to become more efficient, was all that he would say on the matter. Asked about the Russian claim that the Iranians have moved their forces 85 kilometers from the border with Israel something that proved to be false with the firing last month of the Iranian rocket toward Mount Hermon from near Damascus, which is less than 85 kilometers away from the border Vershinin repeated the standard Russian line that the Iranians were invited into Syria by the legitimate Syrian government to fight terrorism. This activity, he added, should not pursue other goals other than the task related to defense and counter-terrorism. Asked whether Russia is still conducting a dialogue with Iran to get them to remove their forces, Vershinin said that the Iranian partners are well aware of our principled position, which is that they should be there solely to fight terrorism. In January, the Russian Federations Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Ryabkov said in an interview with CNN that Israels security is one of Russias top priorities. When asked if this was truly the case, Vershinin replied, the security of any sovereign states in the region, including Israel and Syria, is important for us. Vershinin addressed a meeting of Fatah and Hamas representatives scheduled next week in Moscow, saying that the goal is to allow them to find a common language between themselves. He said Palestinian unity is the key to many things, and without it, there will not be progress on the Israeli-Palestinian track. We try not to dictate anything and not to impose on the Palestinians, he said. We invited them [Fatah and Hamas representatives], and they will come to talk among themselves, to try to go in the direction of restoring their unity. Australia signed a production contract with French shipbuilder Naval Group on Monday for a fleet of 12 new submarines, worth A$50 billion ($35.5 billion), ending a two-year wrangle that cast doubt over one of the worlds most lucrative defense deals. Australia selected the French builder as its preferred bidder for the fleet of submarines in 2016 ahead of other offers from Japan and Germany, Trend reported citing Reuters. However, final contracts were delayed amid domestic media reports of cost blowouts and production delays. Australia and Naval Group signed a Strategic Partnering Agreement, the overall contract to guide the construction, to end the impasse. This means we are ensuring we are at the front of the pack when it comes to the latest naval vessels and firepower, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters in Canberra. Australias 12 new submarines are at the center of its plan to significantly expand its military to protect strategic and trade interests in the Asia-Pacific region. The first of the new submarines is scheduled to be delivered in the early 2030s and the final vessel during the 2050s. Australia rejected offers from Japans Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, as well as Germanys ThyssenKrupp AG, when it accepted the French bid. Police arrested 38 Yellow Vests protesters on Saturday in Mons, the country's former prime minister, Trend reported citing Sputnik The demonstrators vandalized the house of Socialist Party (PS) leader Elio Di Rupo. According to the police, protesters threw firecrackers into his mailbox, and local police later received reinforcements from the federal forces. District headquarters dispute of Rukum (East) in constitutional bench The ongoing dispute regarding the district headquarters of Rukum (East) has been sent to the constitutional bench of the Supreme Court. The Afghan and coalition forces have killed at least 30 Taliban and ISIS Khurasan (ISIS-K) militants during their latest operations which were conducted in the past 24 hours, Trend reported citing Khaama Press. According to the informed military sources, a coalition air strike in Khugyani district of Nangarhar province killed 2 ISIS-K fighters while 7 more militants were killed during similar airstrikes conducted in Washer of Helmand and Chimtal district of Balkh province. The sources further added that a coalition air strike in Qarah Bagh district of Ghazni killed 4 Taliban fighters. The Afghan Special Forces conducted a clearance operation in Tarin Kot city of Uruzgan, killing 13 Taliban fighters and destroying 2 roadside bombs. According to the informed sources, the Afghan Special Forces conducted a raid in Marawarah district of Kunar, killing 3 Taliban fighters while 1 Taliban fighter was killed during a similar operation in Zurmat district of Paktia province. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is considering calling an early national election for April 14, state-owned news agency EFE reported on Monday citing unnamed government sources, Trend reports referring to Reuters. Spains parliament votes on Sanchezs 2019 budget proposal on Wednesday, though the ruling Socialists hold less than a quarter of the seats in the lower house and have been struggling to gather enough support to pass the bill. The government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China will impose tougher punishments on underground bankers moving money in and out of the country as fears of capital flight grow, Trend reports referring to South China Morning Post. Underground bankers trading in large amounts of foreign currencies will now be charged with the crime of operating an illegal business and risk more than five years in jail, according to a judicial notice that took effect from the start of the month. Before this, offenders were only fined. The Supreme Peoples Court and the Supreme Peoples Procuratorate issued the notice on January 31, saying the rule would apply to underground transactions that involved at least 5 million yuan (US$74,000) or resulted in a profit of 100,000 yuan. The statement also stressed that the authorities were expanding their scope from the underground channelling of money offshore to include illegal contra trading of foreign currencies. In contra trading, the money changer holds accounts inside and outside the country and tries to match the demand of buyers and sellers of different currencies, without the need for the funds to cross the border. Clients in China send an agreed amount to the bankers account in China, and the banker then remits the equivalent in foreign currency to the customers overseas accounts. The banker carries out a similar transaction with overseas clients, getting them to put money in the bankers overseas account before remitting the money to the overseas customers accounts in China. The procuratorate said illegal payments and foreign currency trading through underground banks had been on the rise in recent years. Dealers used to profit from buying low and selling high on local foreign currency black markets. Now they had shifted to illegal contra cross-border money transfers, substantial capital outflows that were unmonitored, the procuratorate said. The major business for most underground banks is now contra payments, leading to huge capital outflows and great damage to society. Its the major target of our crackdown, the procuratorate said in the notice. Chinese authorities have stepped up action to curb capital outflows in the past couple of years as individuals and companies have sought better investment opportunities overseas to counter the weak yuan and slower economic growth. That action has included a ban on domestic cryptocurrency exchanges, stricter disclosure requirements for individuals buying foreign currencies, and tighter limits on corporate investments abroad. As these routes offshore have narrowed, many have turned to the black market. The State Administration of Foreign Exchange said that in August last year a man from Henan province tried to move more than 100 million yuan overseas via illegal operators using a contra system. The man, surnamed Guo, was fined over 8 million yuan, the highest fine for an individual that year, the administration said. An Israeli drone fired four missiles near a demolished hospital and an army observation post in Syrias southern Quneitra province near the border with Israel, but there had been only material damage, the Syrian army said on Monday, Trend repots citing Reuters. An army source was quoted by state news agency SANA as saying that the Israeli enemy also hit several sites along border villages close to a 1974 demilitarized zone on the Golan frontier, which with Russian support, the Syrian army regained control from rebels last year. Asked about the reported Quneitra strikes, an Israeli military spokeswoman declined comment. State media earlier said the sites in Quneitra that were hit by Israel came from several tank artillery rounds. Residents familiar with the area said that the sites targeted fall within the strategic area known as the Triangle of Death connecting the southern Damascus countryside with Deraa and Quneitra provinces. The area is a bastion of Iranian-backed militias led by Lebanons Hezbollah group. The Israeli missile strike coincides with Tehran celebrating the 40th anniversary of the fall of the Shah and the Islamic revolution. In many cases the deployment of the militias in the area relies heavily on recruitment of local youths, according to two Western intelligence sources. They say Shiite Hezbollah group has consolidated its new front in southern Syria and entrenched Irans influence since the defeat of Sunni rebels who were once backed by Washington, Jordan and Gulf states. Israel has mounted attacks in Syria as part of its effort to counter the influence carved out there by Iran, which has supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the war that erupted in 2011. Iranian and Iran-backed groups including Lebanons Hezbollah that have deployed in Syria and now maintain a large presence in former rebel-held areas and territory regained from Islamic State militants in eastern Syria, according to regional military experts. In January, Israeli warplanes carried out a strike on what they called an Iranian arms cache in Syria. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel would ramp up its fight against Iranian-aligned forces in Syria following the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria. A senior Israeli official said in September Israel had carried out more than 200 attacks against Iranian targets in Syria in the last two years. With an election looming in April, Israel has been increasingly open about carrying out air strikes. The Arab League said on Monday there was no consensus yet among member states that may allow the reinstatement of Syrias membership which was suspended in 2011 over its crackdown on protesters at the start of the civil war, Trend reports referring to Reuters. U.S.-allied Arab states including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates backed the opposition to President Bashar al-Assad for years but Damascus was able to steadily crush rebel fighters with military backing from Russia and Iran. In a big diplomatic boost for Assad, the United Arab Emirates reopened its embassy in Damascus in December, saying it aimed to normalize ties and curb risks of regional interference in Arab, Syrian affairs - an apparent reference to non-Arab Iran and Turkey. But Arab League Secretary General and former Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit, speaking during a visit to Beirut, said there was no consensus yet on Syria being allowed back into the League. I follow this subject very closely and I do not yet observe conclusions that lead to the consensus that we are talking about and that may lead to an (Arab) foreign ministers meeting in which they announce the end of the difference and therefore call for Syria to return to occupy the seat, he said. The Arab League is due to hold a summit meeting at the end of March in Tunisia. Asked about the prospects for Syrias readmission, Aboul Gheit noted that Arab League foreign ministers were due to hold two meetings before the summit. But the matter is not time, the matter is will. The matter is consensus among the states, he said. For Syria to return, there must be consensus. Bahrain informed Israel more than two years ago that it was interested in normalizing relations, an Israeli TV station claimed Sunday, amid persistent reports that Israel has been close to establishing ties with an Arab state, Trend reports referring to The Times of Israel. According to a report on Israels Channel 13 news, Bahrains Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa held a clandestine meeting with former foreign minister Tzipi Livni on the sidelines of the 2017 Munich Security Conference. During the meeting, Khalid reportedly told Livni that the king of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, had decided to move toward normalized relations with Israel and asked her to convey the message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which she did. The report quoted unnamed senior Israeli officials. Livni refused to comment, Channel 13 said. The report did not specify why the breakthrough had not occurred. The report comes as Israel pushes to expand its ties with Arab and Muslim nations. Last month Netanyahu traveled to the Muslim African nation of Chad to announce the restoration of relations. While there, Netanyahu said that the move had the support of several unnamed Arab nations. Its a joint effort to break the wall of opposition in the Arab and Muslim world, he said. First you penetrate the Arab world, and that helps you to penetrate the Muslim countries. The big difference is that you have a clear process of normalization with the Arab world, though it is not complete and not formal, and with that you go to the [non-Arab] Muslim world. In November, Bahrain denied reports that Netanyahu was scheduled to visit the Gulf state. There is no plan for a visit of Israels prime minister, Khalid told the London-based daily A-Sharq Al-Awsat. There are no communications regarding [a visit]. The reality is nothing has happened. The Bahraini officials comment came days after Hebrew-language news sites reported that Israel was working to normalize ties with Bahrain, citing an unnamed senior official. At least one site also recently reported that officials in Jerusalem assessed that Bahrain would be the next Arab country without formal diplomatic ties with Israel to host Netanyahu. In October, the prime minister made a surprise visit to Oman and met Omani leader Sultan Qaboos bin Said in Muscat. Despite his denial of an imminent breakthrough, the top Bahraini diplomat said that if a visit for Netanyahu were planned, the Gulf country would not hesitate to announce it. Israel and Bahrain do not have diplomatic relations, but are said to have solid clandestine ties. Both countries see in Iran Hezbollahs key sponsor a strategic threat. In December, in a rare instance of public support for Israel, Khalid expressed support for Israels operation to expose and destroy Hezbollahs cross-border tunnels. Is Terrorist Hezbollahs digging of the tunnels under Lebanons border not a flagrant threat to Lebanons stability, which it shares responsibility for? Who bears responsibility when neighboring countries take upon themselves to eliminate the threat they face? he wrote on his Twitter account, in Arabic. In 2016, Bahrain and several other Gulf countries blacklisted Hezbollah as a terror group. Last May, the Bahraini foreign minister appeared to defend Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets in Syria. As long as Iran continues the current status quo of its forces and rockets operating in the region, any country including Israel has the right to defend itself by eliminating the source of danger, Khalid posted on his Twitter account at the time, hours after Israel hit Iranian assets in Syria. Arab officials rarely offer a public defense of Israel. Economy Minister Eli Cohen has said he had received an invitation to attend a technology-related conference in Bahrain later in the year. More than two decades ago, then-environmental protection minister Yossi Sarid visited Bahrain, where he met Bahraini foreign minister Mohammed bin Mubarak al-Khalifa and participated in regional talks on environmental issues. Russia and Saudi Arabia plan to boost mutual investments in tourism projects, Chief Executive Officer of Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev told reporters of Monday, Trend reports referring to TASS. "Investments from the Saudi side in Russia are going to be increased, including Russian tourism projects. The Russian-Chinese-Saudi fund will also invest in Saudi Arabias tourism supported by the Saudi state," he said. Dmitriev noted that the Saudi side is very interested in attracting Russian travelers to the country. "An average of 6 mln tourists visit Turkey (annually), and 3 mln visit Egypt. We want more (travelers) to come here," he said. "As you know the kingdom was closed for tourism. Currently it is opening opportunities, for us as well," CEO added. Militants from the Idlib de-escalation zone shelled settlements in the provinces of Aleppo and Latakia over the past 24 hours, Lieutenant General Sergei Solomatin, head of the Russian center for reconciliation of conflicting sides, told reporters, Trend reported citing TASS. "Despite the established cessation of hostilities, in the Idlib de-escalation zone, militants of illegal armed groups attacked the Kinsibba village in Latakia province and the El-Khader village in the Ilib zone during the day," he said. Solomatin also said that over the past 24 hours, the Reconciliation Center conducted two humanitarian actions in the provinces of Deir-ez-Zor and Deraa, it distributed 500 food packages sets to the residents. In the provinces of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor, local residents continue protests demanding the withdrawal of US-led coalition troops from Syria, added Solomatin. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 11 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Forces that were previously predicting the failure of the Islamic Revolution in Iran today say that Iran is an important state in the region and in the Middle East, said the Iranian ambassador to Azerbaijan Javad Jahangirzadeh Feb. 11. He was addressing the event dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. Exactly forty years ago, the Iranian people, led by Imam Khomeini, carried out a revolution. After the revolution, Iran became a powerful state in the region, the ambassador said. The ambassador added: "I wish Azerbaijan to become stronger and stronger every day." Tehran, Iran, Feb.11 Trend: Iranian Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Farhad Dejpasand has referred to the current high prices in the market, saying the government should not be blamed for the rise. "The government policy to reduce prices of basic goods was to assign official currency exchange rate to imports of basic goods, but some individuals abused this and sold the imported goods to the market for the free exchange rate," he said during a meeting with academic elites of Golestan Province, Trend reports citing IRNA. "The government will do its best to find these abusers and prevent further pressure on people," he said. Referring to the rise of meat prices, Dejpasand said that a cargo with meat has been recently seized, while its owner used the assigned official currency exchange rate (42,000 rials/USD) for imports, to sell the meat with higher rate in the free market. "The implementation of law to confront unfair trade can prevent the problems, so these tradesmen would not damage the economy for their gains," he added. He indicated reforming the consumption model is another solution for the current problems. "The annual consumption of goods in Iran is far more than the international standards, and this caused the rise of government budget, to provide these goods." Corruption everywhere One of the menacing problems that Nepal is grappling with today is corruption in its multiple modes and fashion. The entire bureaucracy, political spectrum, judicial administration, business, industry, inter-governmental organisations, educational institutions and security agencies are plagued by this pestilence in some form or the other. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Feb. 11 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov was received by Tunisian President Mohamed Beji Caid Essebsi, Trend reports with reference to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry. At the meeting, special attention was paid to the development of relations in the trade and economic sphere. The head of Tunisia offered to organize visits of government and ministerial delegations, and also initiated the creation of a joint working group to expand bilateral cooperation, the ministry said. Meredov also held talks with his counterpart from Tunisia Khemaies Jhinaoui, during which the Turkmen foreign minister discussed issues relating to the political-diplomatic, trade-economic and cultural spheres. As a result, a memorandum on political consultations and cooperation was signed between the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Tunisia Diplomatic Institute for Training and Studies. The delegation of Turkmenistan also met with Minister of Development, Investment and International Cooperation of Tunisian Republic Ziad Al Azari. The parties stated that there are ample opportunities for the implementation of relations in such areas as investment activity, industrialization, trade and agriculture. An agreement was reached on the development of a legal framework regulating relations between the two countries in the investment and tax spheres. Baku, Azerbaijan, February 11 Trend: The first nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan is a national project that can be considered a reason for pride, Trend reports with reference to the IAEA expert John Haddad. The seminar of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was held in Uzbek capital from 4 to 6 February 2019. It became the first large-scale seminar with the participation of the IAEA mission for specialists from Uzbekistan, Uzatom Agency and Rosatom State Corporation and was devoted to the topic of choosing a site for building the first nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan. You should be proud of this project and work together. No country, no department builds nuclear power plants on their own. It is important to understand that this project is important for everyone. It is necessary to coordinate the work on the project and with other departments, John Haddad, an engineer on nuclear infrastructure of the IAEA said while speaking before the participants of seminar. Another IAEA expert, Director of the Nuclear Installations Safety Division, Greg Jankowski stated that it is very important that Uzbekistan takes such a serious approach to the issue of careful selection of a site for a future nuclear power plant. The invitation of the IAEA mission to Tashkent at this stage to increase the knowledge of Uzbek specialists is a proof of Uzbekistan seriousness. I was pleased to work on this project and share information regarding site selection. This work must be carried out in the most thorough way in order to get on the right path from the very beginning. This is a guarantee that work will develop steadily and safely. This seminar allowed the IAEA experts not only to share knowledge, but also to better understand your priorities. The schedule for your first NPP construction project in Uzbekistan is very ambitious, and we are trying to help you achieve your goals, he said. The main topic of the seminar was widely revealed in another IAEA expert, Chief Nuclear Safety Specialist, Ayhan Altinyollars presentation. He noted the beginning of a large joint work on the project while speaking about the results of these three days. The IAEA has the capacity to organize detailed seminars on seismology, hydrology, metrology, geotechnical and other aspects important for the construction of nuclear power plants. During the seminar, IAEA experts presented and discussed with participants the role of nuclear safety in the nuclear power program, the IAEAs approaches to the choice of site for nuclear power plants, documents on safety standards related to site selection and assessment for nuclear power plants and environmental. aspects in this direction. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.11 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: The main determinant of Iranian oil export levels in 2019 will be the US' approach to sanctions waivers, Trend reports citing Fitch Solutions Macro Research (a unit of Fitch Group). The company experts believe that Washington's position towards Iran is rhetorically hawkish, but relatively dovish in practice - at least in regards to oil. While the US continues to espouse a zero-export policy, it has proved unwilling to pursue this at the expense of the US consumer. As such, we believe that while Washington will make downward adjustments to the waivers likely both in number and in volume - in May, the adjustments will be comparatively small, read a report from Fitch Solutions. The company expects this will send the appropriate political message, without triggering a spike in the oil price. Higher oil prices are an important issue to American voters and the Trump administration will not wish to pile further pressure on the electorate ahead of the 2020 presidential race. Ultimately, the willingness of Washington to adopt a more aggressive approach to Iranian oil trade will hinge on the looseness of the global marketplace, the level of prices, and the availability supply elsewhere to offset the losses from Iran. The view of Fitch Solutions is for a fundamental tightening in the market and a rise in oil prices in 2019, leaving the US less scope to unwind the waivers. US President Donald Trump declared Washingtons withdrawal from the nuclear deal with Iran in May 2018. Trump also announced the restoration of all sanctions against Iran, including secondary ones against other countries doing business with Iran. The United States re-introduced part of the sanctions against Iran on August 7, 2018, while the second batch of the sanctions came into effect on Nov.5, 2018. The US government has agreed to let eight countries, including South Korea and Japan, as well as India, keep buying Iranian oil after it reimposes sanctions on Tehran. The waivers have been granted for six months. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.11 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: The German Federal Government welcomes the construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), which is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor, envisaging Azerbaijani gas supply to Europe, German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy told Trend. "Azerbaijan has opened the Southern Gas Corridor for EU Member States with its natural gas supply contract via the TAP gas pipeline. But the purchase of gas lies entirely in the hands of the companies," said the ministry. Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy also talked about the prospects for German companies more active involvement in Azerbaijans oil and gas sphere. "We know that SOCAR is the main player in the Azerbaijani oil and gas sector and that Azerbaijan is pursuing an ambitious investment program in the Azerbaijani oil and gas sector over the next few years. Whether German companies will cooperate and invest in the Azerbaijani oil and gas sector is, however, entirely up to their decision. The German Federal Government has no influence on the investment decisions of German companies," said the ministry. The Federal Ministry said that for Germany in 2018 (including November), Azerbaijan was the ninth-largest supplier of crude oil. Oil imports from Azerbaijan increased compared to 2017 and amounted to 2.7 million tons (2017: 2.45 million tons), according to the ministry. The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority projects for the EU and envisages the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian region through Georgia and Turkey to Europe. The launching ceremony of the first stage of the Southern Gas Corridor was held in Baku on May 29, 2018, while opening ceremony of TANAP was held on June 12, 2018 in the Turkish city of Eskisehir. The gas from the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz field has already gone through the first segment of the Southern Gas Corridor - from the Sangachal terminal to the expanded South Caucasus Pipeline. Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) have been recently connected on the Turkish-Greek border. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Feb. 11 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: The oil and gas company Petronas from Malaysia presented a number of proposals for further cooperation to its partners in Turkmenistan, Trend reports with reference to the Turkmenistan State News Agency. The companys Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Mohd Anuar Bin Taib arrived in Ashgabat for talks. The richest Turkmen oil and gas fields offer great opportunities for investments and productive cooperation, he said at the talks with top managers of the Turkmen fuel and energy complex. He noted that Petronas is ready to continue providing advanced, highly efficient technologies in the field of exploration and development of hard-to-reach deposits on land and in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea. Representatives of the company raised the issue of possible extension of agreements with Turkmenistan and also expressed interest in the partnership in the field of petrochemistry. The development of gas processing industry is one of the important areas of cooperation between Turkmenistan and foreign investors. In the near future, projects are planned to be implemented in the country to create capacities for the production of linear low-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, methanol, liquid chlorine and sodium sulfate. Petronas has been operating in Turkmenistan for more than 22 years on the basis of a 26-year production sharing agreement of the shelf Block-1 in the Caspian Sea. During this period, Petronas has invested about $10.7 billion in the exploration, gas fields development and gas production in this territory located 80 kilometers south-west of Turkmenbashi city. The average daily production of gas condensate there is more than 3,500 tons, and the company plans to increase the volume to 4,129 tons in 2019. Petronas conducted seismic surveys, drilled several dozens of exploration, appraisal and exploitation wells. The company also prepared fields in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea for operation. Production and export of oil began in May 2006. The current oil transportation route passes through Azerbaijan. Gas production became available in 2011. A gas processing plant and a gas terminal were commissioned in the vicinity of the Kyyanly settlement. Presently, there is possibility to provide CAC-3 (Central Asia-Center) gas pipeline, passing through Russia, with gas. The company installed equipment that allows producing gas in a volume of more than 5 billion cubic meters per year and oil in a volume of 35,000-40,000 barrels per day. The unrealized Caspian Gas Pipeline, meant to run along the Caspian coast to Russia through Kazakhstan, could bring back the traditionally strong positions of Russia's Gazprom JSC in the region, and the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline, meant to run to Europe through Azerbaijan and Turkey, could also count on gas from the Caspian Sea. These projects could also allow Turkmenistan to diversify energy routes. Baku, Azerbaijan, February 11 Trend: Governor of Uzbek capital Tashkent Jakhongir Artikkhodjayev met with the leadership of the Turkish company GOSB, Trend reports with reference to the press service of city administration. GOSB representatives spoke about a concept of the techno-park. The major company is likely to deal with maintenance and support of the operation of all enterprises located in the territory under its control. Earlier it was reported that a modern industrial techno-park based on European standards, with an area of more than 100 hectares would be created in the Sergeli district of Tashkent. Gebze Organized Industrial Zone (GOSB) was established in 1985 in order to discipline the construction industry. The build and sell model which had never been implemented in Turkey was created while establishing the company. GOSB was created completely through financing of the participants without using credit with the principle of Not to Expect Everything from the Government. GOSB is the equivalent of industrial parks famous in the developed countries with the services it offers and modern infrastructure. GOSB which is preferred by the foreign capital is the first OSB which established technopark within its structure and it is located in an area of 516 hectares. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 11 By Huseyn Valiyev Trend: Raising the minimum salary may help eliminate unofficial employment in Azerbaijan, Abulfat Maharramov, director of the labor policy department of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, told reporters in Baku on Feb. 11. The employer will fail to artificially decrease the minimum threshold and will try to bring the unofficial part of the salary to the official level, he added. "Of course, in terms of the market economy, some employers pay salaries to employees below their economic capabilities, Maharramov said. But there are many companies where the minimum salary is much higher than in state organizations. The structures that deliberately indicate low salaries will have to raise them, he said. Its quite obvious that this will have a positive effect on the revenues to the state budget and on an increase in retirement benefits in the future. Moreover, this will have an impact on other sectors of the economy. One of the important aspects is that employees will receive higher retirement benefits as a result of the increase in the minimum salary in the future, Maharramov stressed. "By increasing revenues to the state budget, the state receives additional benefits for social security and to improve the well-being of its citizens," he added. On Feb. 8, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed an order on increasing the minimum monthly salary and amending the order On Increasing the Minimum Salary dated December 25, 2017. According to the order, from March 1, 2019, the minimum monthly salary will reach 180 manats. (1.7 AZN = 1 USD on Feb. 11) Follow the author on Twitter: @h_veliyev Baku, Azerbaijan, February 11 Trend: A new trading platform of Uzbek Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange (UZEX) has started to operate in Chelyabinsk (Russia), Trend reports with reference to UZEX. "The presentation of trading platform formed on the basis of Russian company Atlant, was held on February 7, 2019 at the "Business 2019: innovations in the system of support for entrepreneurs of Chelyabinsk region conference. About 400 representatives of the business community of Russian Federation participated in the event, UZEX reports. The trading platform is connected to the Electronic system of exchange trading and accepts applications from foreign clients for participation in exchange and online trading of UZEX. Entrepreneurs of Uzbekistan and Russia are free to sell and buy not only standard exchange goods, but also a wide range of other types of products through electronic trading systems of UZEX. The main advantages of trading through the sites of Uzbek Commodity Exchange are transparency of operations and settlements, direct access to reliable producers, saving time and money, as well as a guarantee of payment and delivery of goods. International trading network UZEX also covers trading points of the exchange, located in Kazakhstan, Belarus and China. Baku, Azerbaijan, February 11 Trend: Ulugbek Sayidov, First Deputy Chairman of the Board of Uzbekneftegaz, held talks with Atsushi Souda, counselor at the Japanese Embassy in Uzbekistan, Trend reports via Uzbek media. The parties noted that relations between two countries are consistently developing in many areas, including in the oil and gas sector. In particular, Uzbekneftegaz JSC has established cooperation with the Mitsui Group, Mitsubishi Corporation, Marubeni Corporation and other leading companies in the country of the Rising Sun. Sayidov stated that the deepening of investment cooperation is among the priorities today. The intensification of work with the Japanese Embassy in Uzbekistan will allow attracting Japanese investors for the joint implementation of promising investment projects. In his turn, Souda expressed interest in ongoing reforms in the country's fuel and energy sector. The establishment of the Ministry of Energy was noted and information was provided on the planned changes in the oil and gas sector of Uzbekistan. As a result of negotiations, the parties agreed to continue the dialogue and to identify priority areas for cooperation with investors and leading companies in Japan. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 11 By Matanat Nasibova - Trend: An Azerbaijani production enterprise Gamigaya Barakat Gida Mahsullari LLC, operating in the country's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, plans to export its products to the Russian market, the company told Trend. The company plans to export fruit juices and nectars. "The company has almost completed work on a new business plan, which provides for the expansion of export opportunities and production volumes. We held a series of meetings with our Russian partners and following the results of the negotiations, we came to certain agreements," the company said. Deliveries are expected to start before the end of 2019. The company's products have an ISO 9001:2008 certificate and a certificate of conformity issued by the State Committee for Standardization, Metrology and Patents of Azerbaijan. The company operates equipment manufactured in Italy, Germany and Turkey. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MatanatNasibova 25 protesting doctors arrested, released At least 25 doctors serving in different government hospitals in Kathmandu Valley were arrested while staging a protest in front of the Ministry of Health and Population on Sunday. Baku, Azerbaijan, February 11 Trend: An expert from the US can be brought in as a permanent adviser to Uzbek Ministry of Labor within the framework of the planned development of new Uzbek Labor Code, Trend reports with reference to the press service of Uzbek Foreign Ministry. Uzbek delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Tanzila Narbaeva touched upon the issue at a meeting with The US Deputy Secretary of Labor Martha Newton on February 7 in Washington. The sides discussed cooperation between the labor departments of Uzbekistan and The US on implementation of international labor standards, joint research of labor market and demographic situation of Uzbekistan and management of large databases. "These areas of cooperation are particularly relevant in the context of the development of a new Labor Code of Uzbekistan and plans for conducting a census in 2022," the report says. The US side welcomed the constructive negotiations of Uzbek delegation with the Cotton Campaign - a global coalition of human rights, labor and investment and business organizations. The parties noted that these negotiations should have a positive impact on the perception of Uzbekistans openness among the US human rights community. The delegation also held talks with Ambassador for Trafficking in Persons and the Director of The US Department of States Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, John Richmond. "The representative of the US Department of State welcomed the openness of Uzbek government to the discussion of" sensitive issues "and praised the measures taken in the country to prevent the use of child and forced labor," Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 11 By Samir Ali Trend: The Baku Grave Crimes Court continued the preparatory trial proceedings on the criminal case of the former head of the International Bank of Azerbaijan Jahangir Hajiyev, his relative Ismayil Hidayetzade, ex-MP Dunyamin Khalilov, also Jamal Hasanov, Sarkhan Rasulov, Natig Imanov, Samir Hajiyev, Tabriz Abdulhamidov, Mahir Gafarov, Sadikh Murtuzayev, Tarlan Maharramov, Fakhraddin Heybatov, Ramin Ahmadov, Fariz Muradov, Salahaddin Gadirov, Erkhan Javad, Arif Ramazanov, Navai Shirinov, Svetlana Asadullayeva, Arif Madatov, Adil Mikailov and Ramiz Karimov, Trend reports. At the trial, chaired by Judge Faig Ganiyev, the accused Natig Imanov testified. He said that in 2011 he worked at Soik Construction LLC owned by Dunyamin Khalilov. I previously worked in other companies as well, he said. In this company, our job was to construct a building with four entrances in Baku. I resettled the residents who lived in this area. We entered into sales contracts with approximately 50 families. In 2015, when the criminal case started in connection with the International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA), I was brought to the investigation. At that moment, Dunyamin Khalilov wasnt here. He came later. Imanov noted that he is accused of embezzling more than 12 million manats. I had the companys seal, he said. At the instruction of Dunyamin Khalilov, I went to the IBA. At the central branch of the bank, I was met by a man named Azer. I signed the documents prepared by him, and after that the money was transferred to the accounts of citizens from whom we bought houses. Every time I went to the bank to sign documents, 1.5 million manats were transferred. I didnt take money in cash. I only signed documents at the bank. In general, I signed documents on the transfer of 44 million manats. The judge said the materials of the criminal case reflect that Imanov took a loan of 22.450 million manats from the IBA. The accused said that during the period of work as a director in the company, he officially received a salary of 200 manats. But unofficially I received from Dunyamin Khalilov a salary of 2,000 manats, he noted. I received money in cash at the IBA. I went to the bank, took my money and signed documents. I personally informed Dunyamin Khalilov. Twelve million manats remained in the bank. Then Dunyamin Khalilov sent a man and took the money. I didnt take cash from the bank. Then, Madatov, another accused, was heard. He noted that in 2001 he founded the Abide housing complex together with family members. In order to take a loan for dismantling work, I appealed to Dunyamin Khalilov, he said. Then we agreed on 25 percent. During the work, Dunyamin Khalilov demanded me to sign the form #2 (a report on income and expenditure). Four times I objected it, because the amounts were too high. I didnt agree with him. After that, in order for the work to progress, I signed several forms #2, because the work was done by half and the people remained on the street. Madatov said that on this occasion he met twice with Jahangir Hajiyev. I was only fulfilling the orders of Dunyamin Khalilov, the accused said. The money from the bank was transferred to the accounts of 100 families. At the trial, it was announced that, according to the indictment, Madatov misappropriated 3.226 million manats of the IBA. Madatov confirmed this amount. I wouldnt say that I misappropriated, he noted. However, at that moment in the form #2, the amount was overestimated. In his testimony, Murtuzayev, another accused, said that the IBA allocated a 14 million manat loan to the Alfaline company that he headed in 2006-2007. Our company financed engineering companies, he noted. Personally, I didnt take part in financing. I just signed the documents. In 2010, I left the company. But it remained registered under my name. During the interrogation, Murtuzayev said that he received salary in the company that he led. A break was announced in the court. According to official information, during investigations there were reasonable suspicions that contracts for the purchase and sale of promissory notes in the amount of $3.4 billion and 987 million euros were concluded with some legal entities in various countries and illegal transactions were carried out by using promissory notes in 2001-2015 upon Hajiyevs instructions, who was the chairman of the Board of the International Bank of Azerbaijan. Moreover, there were reasonable suspicions that Khalilov, 20 more people, as well as other people, caused damage to the bank, misappropriating 4.7 billion manats. Moreover, Hajiyev declined to pay taxes to the budget in the amount of 1,752,000 manats from the profit of Aztorg LLC, jointly led by Hajiyev and Khalilov in 2011-2014. The Baku Grave Crimes Court previously sentenced Hajiyev to 15 years in prison, Dunyamin Khalilov to 13 years, and Ismayil Hidayetzade to 7 years in prison. Khalilovs sentence was reduced from 13 to 12 years and 9 months by a decision of the Baku Court of Appeals; Hidayetzades sentence was reduced to five years by the Supreme Court. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 11 By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend: A meeting of the Pardon Issues Commission under the President of Azerbaijan will be held on Feb. 11, Trend reports. Appeals on pardon will be considered at the meeting. In general, the commission received over 1,000 appeals. The Pardon Commission began its meetings in late January 2018 and considered more than 1,200 appeals until mid-May last year. On May 24, 2018, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed an order pardoning 634 people on the occasion of the centenary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. Under the presidential order, 607 convicts were released from the unserved part of their prison sentences. The order also released one convict with a deferred sentence and nine people serving conditional sentences. Also under the order, six persons were freed from the remainder of their correctional labor and 11 persons were freed from fines. Among the pardoned, there were 39 foreign citizens, including 11 citizens of Georgia, five citizens of China, four citizens of Russia and Iran, three citizens of Turkey and Bangladesh, two citizens of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, citizens of Uzbekistan, Cameroon, India, Afghanistan and Ukraine, as well as three stateless persons. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 11 Trend: Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) and Zafar (Victory), Public Union for support of martyrs families held a special event in memory of the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the integrity of Azerbaijan in the April 2016 battles. The commemoration meeting, which was held in the Higher Schools Congress Hall, was attended by deputies of Milli Mejlis of Azerbaijan, top managers of state organizations, members of martyrs families, mass media representatives, and the BHOS students, teachers and senior staff members. Within the meeting, an exhibition of paintings depicting those who fall for the freedom and state independence of Azerbaijan was organized in the lobby of the Congress Hall. The event started with playing the National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The participants observed a minute of silence in tribute to the memory of the servicemen of national armed forces killed in the April fighting. Opening the meeting, BHOS Rector Elmar Gasimov emphasized that remembrance of those Azerbaijanis who performed heroic acts for the sake of their motherland is a sacred duty for every citizen. In his words, the April battles became a glorious victory of Azerbaijani Army and demonstrated professionalism and high fighting spirit of Azerbaijani soldiers and officers. We shall take all necessary steps to raise young peoples awareness of the national heroes who died in order to free the enemy-occupied land. We also shall support and stand by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev who always pays special attention to the needs of the martyrs families, said the Rector. Chairperson of Zafar Public Union Sevinj Alizadeh told about importance of patriotic education of the youth. In her words, providing necessary support to the martyrs families is a moral obligation of young citizens of the country. Speaking about heroic deeds of the Azerbaijan soldiers and officers, deputies Ganira Pashayeva and Vahid Akhmedov expressed confidence that names of the heroes of the April 2016 battles would always be remembered with deep respect. Lieutenant-Colonel Elshan Garayev who was taking part in the April fighting shared his memories about his fellow servicemen and the acts of incredible bravery. In his words, they all contributed to the fight over Azerbaijani lands and were happy to gain the victory. Jeyran Akhundova, mother of Azerbaijani soldier Abdulmejid Akhundov who was killed in the April fights extended her deep gratitude to the republic leadership for constant support and attention to martyrs families. She also expressed her appreciation to the event organizers for cherishing the memory of her son and other young people who fell in the April 2016 battles. The event concluded with an art and music program dedicated to Azerbaijan, its army and national heroes. Alongside the BHOS students, well-known military radio presenter, the author of patriotic songs and chairman of Support to promotion of patriotism Public Union Shamistan Alizamanli sang popular songs from his repertoire. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 11 Trend: During the course of operational and investigative measures, Anar Alakbarov, a resident of the city of Mingachevir, was detained by the State Security Service of Azerbaijan, on charges of being suspected of state treason, Trend reports citing the information of the public relations department of the State Security Service. It was established that Alakbarov, while being in the territory of a foreign state, was recruited by secret service agents for an cooperation in exchange for financial resources in March 2016. These persons instructed Anar Alakbarov to collect information about certain citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan who have trade relations abroad, to link them under the pretext of business relations with intelligence agencies, and also to collect information about employees of intelligence agencies of Azerbaijan and representatives of embassies of specific countries operating in Azerbaijan, and the military units of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan. Anar Alakbarov took concrete steps to this end over the past period. Details added (first version posted on 13:30) Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 11 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received Former President of the Senate of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Honorary President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Chairman of Dutch-Azerbaijan Friendship Group Rene van der Linden. The sides exchanged views on the development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Netherlands in a number of areas, including agriculture, renewable energy, transport and logistics. They noted the importance of the transport infrastructure created in Azerbaijan, particularly Baku International Sea Trade Port in Alat in terms of the development of collaboration in logistics. The sides also pointed to Azerbaijan-Europe cooperation, hailing the successful development of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union. Describing Azerbaijan as a stable country, Rene van der Linden stressed the crucial significance of the country in the region. Azerbaijans contribution to ensuring energy security of Europe was pointed out, cooperation prospects were also discussed at the meeting. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 11 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Russian president's special representative on delimitation and demarcation of borders with CIS countries, Ambassador at Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry Igor Bratchikov will visit Azerbaijan, the Russian Foreign Ministry told Trend. Bratchikov will take part in the first meeting of the High Level Working Group on the implementation of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea with the participation of representatives of the Caspian countries, to be held in Baku. Baku will host the first meeting of the working group for implementation of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea on Feb. 19-20 with the participation of representatives of the Caspian countries. A number of issues concerning the Convention, as well as the results of the Fifth Summit of the Heads of the Caspian countries in Aktau, are expected to be discussed at the meeting. At the event, Azerbaijan will be represented by a delegation led by Khalaf Khalafov, chief of the Staff of the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan and the representative of Azerbaijan in the High-Level Working Group for the Caspian Sea. On Aug. 12, 2018, the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea was signed in Aktau, Kazakhstan, and the Communique of the Fifth Caspian Summit was adopted. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 11 Trend: First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva has visited a special school #268 in Nasimi district, Baku. Mehriban Aliyeva met with children and inquired about their studies. Principal Seyfaddin Mustafayev informed the first vice-president that the school was commissioned on September 11, 2017 with participation of President Aliyev. The school has 23 classrooms, including a computer room and a gym, which are supplied with all necessary teaching aids. The school enrolls 900 students who are served by 242 teachers. The school features Azerbaijani and Russian sections. Gifts were presented to children on behalf of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva then listened to childrens performance. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 11 Trend: First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva has visited the orphanage #1 in Nasimi District, Baku. Acting chief physician of the orphanage, Simuzar Topchubashova, informed the first vice-president that there are 13 children under the age of 3 at the orphanage. The building of the orphanage was built in 1930. First major repair and reconstruction work was carried out there in 2005, and then in 2014 on the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. The orphanage was inaugurated on May 10, 2015 with the participation of President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva. The bedroom, medical examination room, laboratory and gym are supplied with necessary equipment and furniture. Gifts were presented to residents of the orphanage on behalf of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 11 Trend: First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva has visited the Children's Psycho-Neurological Center in Narimanov district, Baku. Chief physician Irada Musayeva informed First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva that a total of 103 children from infancy to adolescence receive medical care at the center, which offers all conditions for accommodation, treatment and special education of children. Built in 2009 with support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the center has psychology, psychiatry, neuropathology, logopedics, pediatry, ultrasound examination and physiotherapy rooms. It treats children with autism, cerebral palsy and various forms of intellectual disabilities. First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva talked to children. First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva drew a picture together with the nine-year-old Omar. The president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation viewed the procedure for the treatment of children and showed interest in the methods used during the treatment. Children in need of special care demonstrated their skills. President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva was informed about an assembly hall built in the yard of the center. Gifts were presented to children on behalf of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. 15 gharials released into Rapti River Fifteen gharials grown at the Crocodile Breeding Centre, Kasara, have been released into the Rapti river. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.11 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Baku hopes for progress in 2019 in terms of withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijans occupied territories, Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said in an interview with The Korea Times, Trend reports. The position of my country regarding the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been repeatedly stated at the highest level within all platforms. The conflict must be resolved on the basis of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders, he said. Coming to the legal basis of the settlement, it is necessary to recall that this basis consists primarily of the four resolutions of the U.N. Security Council, a body responsible for ensuring peace and security worldwide, adopted in 1993, numerous resolutions and decisions of other international organizations, including the OSCE, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Non-Aligned Movement, NATO, the European Parliament and etc, as well as joint documents adopted in bilateral and multilateral formats. Mammadyarov noted that unfortunately, negotiations held over the years haven't yielded any results. But the recent developments taking place in Armenia, the conversations that took place between the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, as well as four meetings with my Armenian counterpart create certain grounds for advancing the negotiation process. The press statement by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs released on the latest meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Paris on Jan. 16, 2019 expressed appreciation for the ongoing efforts of the sides to maintain an environment conducive to intensive results-oriented negotiations. It stated the agreement of both sides upon the necessity of taking concrete measures to prepare the populations for peace. The statement also outlines that the sides considered next steps toward a possible summit between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in order to give a strong impulse to the dynamic of negotiations, said the foreign minister. He pointed out that Azerbaijan stands for tangible results of the negotiations, not talks for the sake of talks and this is the countrys principled position. In general, I would like to note that the current leadership of Armenia should demonstrate the political will to resolve the conflict and, in accordance with good-neighborly philosophy, act in the name of achieving peace, stability and sustainable development in the region. We hope that this year certain progress will be achieved in terms of withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and the normalization of relations between the two countries. Progress in the conflict resolution, creating conditions for peace, security and stability in the entire region, opens up opportunities primarily for economic growth in Armenia itself, said Mammadyarov. The foreign minister noted that Azerbaijan, in the same way as it ensures the safety of its citizens of different ethnic groups, in accordance with its international obligations is ready to do so with respect to its citizens of the Armenian origin in Nagorno-Karabakh and to grant them the right of high-level self-rule within the internationally recognized borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani Community of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of our country is ready to return to their homes, and this issue was again stressed in the recently released statement of the Community. Some time ago there were contacts between the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, but, unfortunately, due to the "efforts" of the previous leadership of Armenia, these contacts were interrupted. You know, it is impossible to take the land and move with it to another place. After the settlement of the conflict, of course, these two communities will have to live together. That is why it is important to promote and restore contacts between the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh, he concluded. 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 the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 9 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 25 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Feb. 11, 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. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 11 By Matanat Nasibova Trend: Sharg Ulduzu OJSC, Azerbaijans wine-making plant located in Shamkir district, is preparing to export its products to new foreign markets, head of the company Asgar Alirzayev told Trend. He said that this year the company plans to establish wine exports to India and Vietnam. "There are traditional markets in our reserve, such as Russia and China, where our alcohol products are in great demand," he noted. "We are trying to increase exports to these countries. Earlier we planned to start exports to Mongolia this year, but due to a number of reasons this question remains open. There is an interest in Azerbaijani alcoholic drinks in the Mongolian market, but there are also certain problems with logistics. We are looking for optimal variants for entering the Mongolian market, and we believe that in the mid-term we will be able to export our products to that country as well." He noted that the companys products have an international certificate ISO:22000, a certificate of conformity issued by the State Committee for Standardization, Metrology and Patents, as well as a hygiene certificate issued by the Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology of Azerbaijans Ministry of Healthcare. The company uses the latest technology. Modern German and Italian equipment is installed at the plant. Days ahead of a summit focused on Iran, the Islamic Republic's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, has dismissed it as already doomed to fail. Zarif's mentor and former Foreign Minister, Kamal Kharrazi, also cautioned participant countries at the Warsaw summit that they cannot "hide" from Tehran. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox News last month that Washington would jointly host a global summit focused on the Islamic Republic and the Middle East in Poland in February, but senior U.S. diplomats later toned down and referred to the conference as a gathering assigned to review the security situation in the Middle-East, denying that Iran will be at the top of its agenda. The international gathering is scheduled to take place in Warsaw from February 13 to 14. Speaking to Majles' (parliament) website on Sunday, February 10, Zarif reiterated that the U.S.-sponsored conference on is already a failure since its sponsors are retreating from their initial stance on the event. Earlier, Zarif had labeled the planned forum as a desperate anti-Iran circus. The Islamic Republic authorities have unanimously condemned the meeting as an "anti-Iran" gathering. However, senior U.S. officials have pointed out that conference will not have an anti-Iran agenda. "This is not an anti-Iran meeting or coalition-building exercise," a senior U.S. administration official told a January 28 telephone briefing with journalists. The February 13-14 Ministerial to Promote Peace and Stability in the Middle East will include sessions on the situation in Syria and Yemen, missile development, terrorism, illicit finance, and cybersecurity, U.S. and Polish officials have said. The U.S. official briefing journalists said on January 28, the ministerial has been focused from the start on "exploring a range of issues important to the regions security and prosperity." The official added on condition of anonymity that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will certainly discuss U.S. concerns regarding "Iran's destructive policies in the region" at the meeting while adding that it was "difficult to speak about the regions challenges without referencing Iran." U.S. envoy to the UN Jonathan Cohen had said on January 22 that the Warsaw ministerial was not aimed at demonizing or attacking Iran. Furthermore, Pompeo also stressed last month that the meeting would focus on Middle East stability and peace and freedom and security, and that includes an important element of making sure that Iran is not a destabilizing influence. The Islamic Republic authorities are particularly enraged by the fact that Tehran has not been invited to participate in the gathering. Referring to the fact, Zarif said, the conference has failed prior to its kick-off. The Secretary of the Islamic Republic's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Ali Shamkhani, has also maintained that the "anti-Tehran" conference indicated that U.S. sanctions against Iran had yielded no results. "Turning sanctions with utmost pressures into seminars and conferences means that you are empty-handed," Shamkhani told reporters in Tehran. But other high-ranking Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani have admitted that U.S. sanctions are deeply impacting Irans economy, which according to him faces its hardest challenge in forty years. During the revolution anniversary rallies and marches in Iran on Monday, a group of seminarians turned an event into an anti-Rouhani, anti-government, anti-nuclear-agreement and anti-FATF protest. The seminarians in the Shiite holy city of Qom were holding placards blaming President Hassan Rouhani and his administration of rising prices, corruption and agreeing to the 2015 nuclear deal, which they labeled as treason. One slogan wished the Rouhani administration or the president himself not to be around by the time Iranian New Year arrives on March 21. They also chanted slogans against Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, accusing him of sedition, ostensibly against the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Larijani who has been a politician loyal to Khamenei has lately been targeted by hardliners for unknown reasons. The only explanation can be the possibility of Larijani and Rouhani working together in the next presidential election in Iran. Some have speculated that Rouhani can become Supreme Leader after Khamenei while Larijani can get elected as president. There were also placards and slogans against the nuclear agreement and the international watchdog Financial Action Task Force, FATF, which has put pressure on Iran to enact legislation against money laundering and financial support for terrorism. The news agency of Irans state broadcaster reported on Sunday that the countrys Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will issue an important and strategic message to the Iranian people in the coming days. The agency adds that the message will be on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Irans 1979 revolution and the beginning of its fifth decade. There are still no details or predictions about what Khameneis message might contain or what areas of policy it might cover. It is no surprise for Khamenei to deliver a speech on the occasion of the anniversary, as he has already done in recent days, but announcing the upcoming important message in advance adds a degree of expectancy to what might prove to be a routine message aimed at justifying policies and emphasizing accomplishments. The Islamic Republic would have liked to enjoy better conditions at its 40th year of existence but U.S. sanctions have worsened the countrys economic situation, which already suffered from lack of investments, a large degree of self-made isolation and charges of corruption. The story of an 11-year-old girl, Raha, has once again set off another round of muscle flexing by ayatollahs and Shi'ite sources of emulation over the legal age for marriage. Raha, from the province of Ilam, western Iran, was recently forced to marry a 50-year-old man who already has a wife and seven children, Imam Ali Community reported on February 8, adding, "Raha was practically sold for 150 million rials (roughly $1,500)." After outcry by Iranians on social media, an official of Iran's Welfare Organization announced on February 10 that Raha has been transferred to one of its care centers. The ultraconservative elderly ayatollahs, officially called Shi'ite sources of emulation, have repeatedly insisted that when a girl reaches puberty, regardless of age, she is allowed to marry with her father's consent. But there have been a few dissenting voices. One of them is a pro-reform cleric and "unofficial" source of emulation, Grand Ayatollah Assadollah Bayat Zanjani, who has openly challenged his fellow jurists over the issue, decrying child marriage as "illegitimate and against religious principles" and therefore harmful to the religion. "Since marrying underage children is unfair, it is illegitimate", the state-run Iran Labor News Agency (ILNA) quoted Bayat Zanjani as saying. Bayat Zanjani's comments were a direct response to several officially recognized grand ayatollahs who recently asserted that underage girls reaching puberty may marry with their father's permission. Joining voices with 94-year-old Grand Ayatollah Hossein Noori Hamadani, 99-year-old Grand Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi Golpayegani went even further by saying, "Setting a legal age for girls to marry is against religious regulations since only fathers have the right to decide when to give away their daughters, regardless of their age." Another octogenarian official grand ayatollah, Jafar Sobhani, has also said that girls are permitted to marry starting at age 9. In 2018, pro-reform members of the Iranian Parliament had proposed a motion to raise the legal age of marriage for girls to 16 and for boys to 18. The motion was killed in its infancy after opposition by the official grand ayatollahs. On December 4, a prominent member of the Islamic Republic's Cultural and Social Council for Women defended child marriage, arguing that it protects girls from a life of prostitution and illegal abortions. Official grand ayatollahs in Iran are the clerics who support Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, are promoted by the state-run media, and are financially supported by the ruling establishment of the country. In contrast, "unofficial" grand ayatollahs are supported by their followers and their cash donations. As a rule, most of the "unofficial" grand ayatollahs and the Shi'ites' sources of emulation in Iran prefer to stay away from politics and cases that might pit them directly against the regime's official positions. However, the authorities and their official top clerics have not yet responded to Bayat Zanjanis comments on the age of marriage. Although little data is available on child marriage in Iran, UNICEF estimates that approximately 17 percent of girls are married before the age of 18. However, the numbers may be even higher as many families in Iran do not register births or underage marriages. According to Irans Association of Childrens Rights, the number of girls married under the age of 15 jumped from 33,383 in 2006 to 43,459 in 2009, showing a 30 percent increase over three years. The reasons cited were deepening poverty and parents apparent desire to rein in their daughters' sexuality. Iran's Civil Code stipulates that the legal age of marriage in Iran is 13 for girls and 15 for boys. However, the law allows girls as young as 9 to marry with their father's consent or the permission of a sitting judge. Insisting that Prophet Muhammad is the perfect example for all Muslims, the ultraconservative grand ayatollahs and their followers argue that he married a 6-year-old, Aisha, with whom he consummated the marriage when she was only 9. On Wednesday, February 13, at 11.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a press conference entitled "ATO veterans, volunteers, and patriots for honest and transparent election without fraud." Participating will be: Mykola Hrekov, retired officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, mayor of the now occupied town of Oleksandrivsk in Luhansk region; civil and political activist Ivan Makar, a member of parliament of the first convocation; Vyacheslav Serpokrylov, head of the public movement of ATO veterans and citizens from temporarily occupied territories; Volodymyr Shylov, former commander of the fifth unit Donetsk of the Dnipro 1 battalion; and Olha Kotsko, deputy head of the national liberation movement Pravyy Sector in Kyiv (8/5a Reitarska Street). Registration requires press accreditation. For additional info, please, call +380 66 161 8584. On Tuesday, February 12, at 12.30, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a press conference by Rector of Donetsk National Medical University Petro Kondratenko titled "Hundreds of foreign students threatened with deportation from Ukraine. Ukraine's image suffers from a scandal involving the training of foreign students at Donetsk National Medical University" (8/5a Reitarska St). Registration requires press accreditation by phone: (050)328 2036. The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will send invitations to all its member states, including Russia, to send their short-term observers (STOs) to monitor the elections in Ukraine in 2019, Thomas Rymer, spokesman for the OSCE/ODIHR, has said. "The ODIHR adheres to the same established practices and methodology for the presidential elections in Ukraine as for all of its other election observation missions. In this regard, we will send invitations to all the 56 OSCE member states to provide STOs for the [Ukraine election observation] mission (EOM)," he told the Kyiv-based Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Monday. As earlier reported, on February 6, 2019, the OSCE/ODIHR EOM's chief of staff, Ambassador Peter Tejler, said that on February 11, a team of observers will arrive in Ukraine to work on a long-term basis, and on March 30, short-term observers will come in big numbers. "Based on the findings of a needs assessment mission, we have received applications from 92 persons to work as long-term observers... The needs assessment mission recommended deploying 750 short-term observers," he said. In addition, members from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly will arrive before the election day. On February 7, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed a law banning Russian nationals and persons suggested by the Russian party to serve as official observers in the presidential, parliamentary, and local elections in Ukraine. According to the law, a citizen (subject) of a state, which is recognized by the Verkhovna Rada as an aggressor state or an occupier state cannot serve as an official observer from foreign states and international organizations. In addition, the person suggested by an aggressor state or an occupier state cannot serve as an observer. 13 injured in jeep crash Thirteen people were injured when a passenger jeep swerved off the road and fell about 100 metres in Raghuganga Rural Municipality-3 of Myagdi district on Sunday. The National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) has completed a pretrial investigation into the involvement of an international grain trader in the case of causing $60 million in damage to the State Food and Grain Corporation of Ukraine (SFGCU), NABU reported on its website. "NABU agents have found out that a representative of an international grain trader and SFGCU officials organized a corruption scheme, according to which grain owned by the state-owned company ... was delivered to Saudi Arabia. The NABU agents have proof that the representative of the international grain trader, acting via Cyprus-registered foreign firms, legalized over $40.9 million (UAH 577 million), acting in keeping with the instructions of the organizer of the scheme, who turned out to be a citizen of Hungary," NABU said. According to the information, NABU provided the suspect and the defense with access to the materials of the pretrial investigation. After review by the defense, an indictment will be drawn up for further submission to the court. NABU says it started the investigation into the SFGCU case in July 2016. The agency established that a number of persons, including the ex-chairman of the SFGCU board, were involved in the crime. According to NABU, the two suspects "have made a deal with the prosecution and compensated for the damage caused by them in the amount of $60,000." The indictment in relation to the adviser to the chairman of the SFGCU board was sent to the court in January 2018. Two more people are wanted. The government in August 2010 decided to create the State Food and Grain Corporation of Ukraine. The corporation has a chain of branches, comprised of grain storage facilities, flourmills, fodder factories and a cereals factory. The 53 subdivisions of the corporation can store a total of 3.75 million tonnes of grain, which includes the grain handling capacities of Odesa and Mykolaiv ports of some 2.5 million tonnes of grain cargo per year. Captain of Kerch-registered Nord vessel detained by Ukraine's State Border Guard Service Vladimir Gorbenko did not officially cross the Ukraine-Russia state border or the administrative border with Crimea occupied by Russia, State Border Guard Service Spokesman Oleh Slobodian has said. "We have seen reports and are studying them comprehensively. But it can be officially stated now that this citizen did not cross the border," Slobodian said. Earlier on Monday, Gorbenko, who has not contacted lawyers since the end of January 2019, gave an interview to the Moscow-based Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper, saying he is currently in Crimea. As earlier reported, on January 29, 2019, Gorbenko's brother, a resident of Melitopol in Zaporizhia region, reported his brother missing. Russian-led forces mounted nine attacks on Ukrainian troops in Donbas in the past 24 hours, with no casualties reported, the press service of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) has reported. "On February 10, the Russian occupation forces violated the cease-fire regime nine times, including three times with the use of arms prohibited by the Minsk agreements ... No casualties reported among the troops of the Ukrainian Armed Forces," the JFO staff said on Facebook on Monday morning. In the action lane of the operational-tactical grouping Pivnich (North), the Russian occupation forces opened fire from 120mm and 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various systems, heavy machine guns, and small arms at the Ukrainian positions near the towns of Avdiyivka, Krasnohorivka and Svitlodarsk. The villages of Opytne, Hnutove, Pivdenne, Krymske, and Aidar also came under fire. According to Ukrainian intelligence, on February 10, one militant was killed and two others were injured. "Since Monday midnight, Russian-led forces haven't attacked Ukrainian positions yet," the report said. Vladimir Gorbenko, the captain of the fishing vessel Nord detained by Ukrainian border guards (home port Kerch), who has not made contact with his Ukrainian lawyers since late January 2019, is in Crimea. He gave an interview to Komsomolskaya Pravda. The interview is available for viewing on the paper's website. "I did not have any restrictions on returning home.. I crossed the border legally on my Russian passport," Gorbenko said. Gorbenko's lawyer Alexander Rudenko said on February 1 that the captain was missing and contact with him was lost. He added that Gorbenko did not plan to go anywhere. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova earlier said that the ministry and the Russian embassy to Ukraine were trying to find out more about the captain's disappearance in the country where he is under investigation. On March 25, 2018, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine detained the Nord and its ten-member crew in the Sea of Azov. Its captain was accused of violating the rules for sailing to and from what Kyiv calls occupied Ukrainian territory with a view to harming the country's interests and illegal fishing on industrial scale. A court in Kherson released the captain on a personal surety. During the preliminary inquiry, Gorbenko stayed with relatives in Melitopol in the Zaporizhzhia region. On June 19, the court refused to extend the captain's obligation not to visit Crimea. The Obolonskyi District Court has been hearing the case since October 16, 2018. On January 10, the court adjourned the case to February 1. The other crewmembers have been accused of illegally crossing the Ukrainian border. Two returned to Crimea from Ukraine via Belarus in April. The other seven were swapped in October for seven fishermen from two small Ukrainian vessels, the YaMK-0041 and YaOD-2105, who were caught poaching off Crimea in August 2018. The captain of the former, Viktor Novytsky, was charged with illegal fishing by using his professional position. Last fall, Russia and Ukraine began talks over the repatriation of Gorbenko and Novytsky, Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova said in late October. Ukrainian airline SkyUp from March 2, 2019, will launch flights from Kharkiv to Sharjah (the United Arab Emirates), Kharkiv International Airport has said. Flights will be carried out by a Boeing 737-700 every Saturday, departures from Kharkiv will be 10:30 a.m. local time and from Sharjah Airport at 18:40 local time. The price of a single ticket starts from UAH 3,999 (about $150). "We see a great potential of the region, so in 2019 we are expanding our cooperation. Now we are opening a seasonal regular flight between Kharkiv and Sharjah (the UAE), and after repairs at the Dubai airport, we plan to launch a flight en route Kharkiv Dubai (the UAE) Kharkiv," SkyUp CEO Yevhen Khainatsky is quoted as saying. He also noted that the main goal of the airline is to make air travel as affordable for Ukrainians as possible. "The resumption of air services with the United Arab Emirates is long awaited by us, as we have been actively working on this issue since 2014. The UAE is one of the most popular tourist and business areas in the world. We are pleased that since March, passengers of our airport will be able to fly comfortably to the UAE by direct flights," Director General of New Systems AM, the airport's operator, Volodymyr Vasylchenko said. Kharkiv-Sharjah flights are already the second new destination after Odesa, which is being launched by the airline from Kharkiv Airport in 2019, he said. UAH 1,500 in government payoffs on average to be paid to households as part of monetization of subsidies Poroshenko Incumbent President and presidential candidate Petro Poroshenko has said that as part of the monetization of subsidies for utilities, every household in need in Ukraine will be paid UAH 1,500 in cash on average. "About 4 million households will finally be able to receive cash in March for the month of February. These payments will amount to an average of UAH 1,500 per household," Poroshenko said at the Open Dialogue public forum in Kyiv on Saturday. The president said the monetization of subsidies will be implemented in March. He also said that Ukraine should discontinue purchasing natural gas from abroad and should increase its own production instead. "We should not buy gas from Russia. We should not buy imported gas at all there should be enough Ukrainian gas. I am proud that during my presidency in the last five years Ukraine finally jumped off the Kremlin's gas needle," Poroshenko said. He also called on those in attendance not to trust some presidential candidates who promise to make gas "twice cheaper, four times cheaper, six times cheaper, or even free" because it is all "just fables." On 7 February coalition of 73 business associations, which represent more than 35 thousand of enterprises (initiated by the Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs and members of Ukrainian Business Council) presented top-10 priorities, which could be taken as a basis of the reforms program. Member of the Supervisory Board of the Ukrainian Business Council Sophia Araslanova mentions that top-10 is the consolidated position of business towards urgent reforms and this is not related to political parties or projects. Our agenda has not been drawn overnight. It is the work that me and my colleagues are doing daily for 4 years already. We believe it is a crucial step that would bring results. The plan is to incorporate top-10 into programs of future Government and Parliament. said Araslanova. According to Sophia there was no hope for quick practical gains from the current Parliament, since many of business proposals remained not implemented. First point of top-10 is introduction of exit capital tax instead of corporate profit tax. As commented by acting Executive Director of the Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs Tetiana Palamarchuk, this reform is crucial for deoffshorization of economy. The initiative on exit capital tax unties very wide range of businesses, that see positive developments and possibilities for growth in such reform. Among a few to mention is simplification of tax administration, dramatic change of business perception towards its profit, which would be invested into further development. says Palamarchuk. One more important point, according to Sophia, is reform of surveillance and control bodies: mainly introduction of personal responsibility, risk oriented approach during checks, open competition to fill the management vacancies etc. Most of all, business is concerned with pressure in course of checks. The reform of the State Fiscal Service has not been carried out. There are more than 20 control bodies and checks are usually punitive and aimed at quantity rather than quality measurements. Its not a secret that there is still such thing as fines plan, meaning that inspector even before the check already knows that an entrepreneur will be fined. And because there is no personal responsibility of inspectors, business entities cannot reimburse the expenses resulted from unlawful actions Araslanova explains. Nadiya Bedrychuk, Member of the Supervisory Board of the Ukrainian Business Council commented on one of top-10 suggestions which is better conditions for doing micro and small business. She says that even though there are some abuses with the simplified taxation system, still it must not be cancelled, since small and medium business in the entire world is the key element for pumping up the state budget. Today there was a Draft Law registered in the Parliament, which in case of adoption, would return rules on so called slipping entrepreneurs, meaning that entrepreneurs who do not obtain profits, do not pay a single social contribution fee. says Bedrychuk. According to her words, that would be a valuable development for small and medium business climate improvement in the country. Member of the Supervisory Board of the Ukrainian Business Council Oleksandr Gromyko called for urgent customs reform. As informed by Gromyko, smuggling flows to the country are huge and makes the competition of domestic and import producers at the market hardly possible. Even in Zimbabwe the goods without supporting documents are confiscated, because the state considers such goods to be stolen. We have a client from Zimbabwe and he does not believe that in Ukraine it is possible to freely move, store in warehouses and sell goods without supporting documents about origin. We need to change this approach immediately. underlined Gromyko. Ukrainian Business Council and Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs declared the willingness to communicate with all election campaign teams (both Presidential and Parliamentarian). According to Sophia Araslanova this work would be a long-term project. Business hopes that candidates will include top-10 to their programs and realize them on practice during first year of cadency in case of election win. Pashinyan receives Toivo Klaar (video) Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar. As the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia reports, Pashinyan highlighted the importance of continued development of relations with the European Union and the pursuit of a constructive dialogue in all spheres. Stressing the need for soonest possible ratification of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on the part of EU-member states, Nikol Pashinyan expressed confidence that it will give new impetus to the cooperation and will help implement multifaceted reforms in our country. The Premier emphasized that his government is determined to implement systemic reforms in the fields of democracy, human rights, freedom of speech and build a fair judicial system. In this context, he appreciated the assistance to be provided under the CEPA and the effective implementation of all relevant programs. Nikol Pashinyan pointed out with satisfaction that the European side has already provided a roadmap for implementing the Agreements provisional clauses, which will be discussed during the upcoming meetings with EU officials. Toivo Klaar noted that the EU is eager to develop and expand relations with Armenia, and expressed confidence that the bilateral cooperation will be broadened through the temporary implementation of the agreement and the enforcement of those measures envisaged by the aforementioned roadmap. The parties took the opportunity to discuss issues related to the settlement of the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict. Nikol Pashinyan reaffirmed Armenias commitment to the peaceful settlement of the conflict in the OSCE Minsk Group format, and in this context, made a point of Artsakhs involvement in the confidence-building process, including the civil society. The Premier expressed confidence that it would contribute to the formation of a constructive atmosphere in the negotiation process. Nikol Pashinyan and Toivo Claar exchanged views on other regional issues as well. Armenia: Statement by the Spokesperson on the early parliamentary elections Armenias Parliamentary Elections PRESS STATEMENT COVID19:77 new cases Armenias early parliamentary elections were competitive and well run, but polarized and marred by aggressive rhetoric, international observers say Google Ad International election observers to Armenias early parliamentary elections held press conference Drop Charges Against Rights Defender Sashik Sultanyan The Coronavirus-Related Situation in Armenia The European Union in Armenia calls all parties to contribute to a peaceful Election Day to celebrate democracy 22 ventilators to Armenia PACE to observe the early parliamentary elections in Armenia With Ucom's level up tariff plans subscribers have unlimited access to Tiktok, Spotify and Coursera PACE rapporteur welcomes Azerbaijans release of Armenian captives and Armenias handing over of mine-maps to Azerbaijan Armenia/Azerbaijan: Statement by High Representative Josep Borrell on the latest developments Pashinyan to publicly apology to Khachatryans During EURO 2020 Ucom subscribers to take part in the uMeter voting and draw USA to continue to press for the return of Armenian prisoners of war and detainees: Philip Reeker Google Ad Post-war Prospects for Nagorno-Karabakh: Crisis Groups new report Ucom-1 team was recognised the winner of the 2021 futsal tournament of the Galaxy Group of Companies: The award ceremony took place COVID 19: 11 deaths Statement of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia regarding the criminal prosecution against the Armenian prisoners of war by Azerbaijan The Coronavirus-Related Situation in Armenia UCOM introduced new level up packages of voice service President Michel has discussions with President Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Acting Prime Minister Pashinyan of Armenia COVID19:108 new cases Ucom launches "Hello, summer" offer and presents "U!hoo" kids magazine 182 hearing aids and 2 buses by benefactor Mikayel Vardanyan for students of Special Educational Complex Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group What our Homeland, Armenia and Artsakh will be like depends on us. President Armen Sarkissians message on the Republic Day Ucom Digital lab students keep on getting high-quality technical education Uniper SE entered into a Heads of Agreement with ExxonMobil Gas Marketing Europe Limited in respect of a long-term booking of a substantial share of regasification capacity in Uniper's FSRU (Floating Storage and Regasification) project Wilhelmshaven. The parties will continue their discussions in the coming months with the goal to enter into binding agreements soon. Keith Martin, Chief Commercial Officer of Uniper SE, says: "The Heads of Agreement is an important step towards the realization of the Wilhelmshaven FSRU project. The FSRU will provide LNG companies from the US, but also other countries from around the world with the opportunity to deliver LNG into the German and European market. This will increase security of supply for customers at competitive price levels. The FSRU technology allows us to realize the project fast and in the most economical way." Uniper plans to enable the FSRU at their site in Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The FSRU has a planned send-out capacity of 10 bcm/a and an LNG storage capacity of around 263,000 m. The facility could be in operation as early as the second half of 2022. The project benefits from the existing site in Wilhelmshaven where required infrastructure is already in place. Wilhelmshaven is the only German deep-water port and can be reached without any tidal constraints. In addition, the favorable location of Wilhelmshaven with regard to the existing pipeline and gas storage infrastructure supports the realization of the project. Uniper aims to develop the FSRU as a multi user facility and entertain discussions with additional counterparties that expressed serious interest in regasification capacity in the project. Uniper, as project facilitator, will continue to work closely with the relevant authorities to receive the permits for the operation of the facility and to gather interest for regasification capacity from additional market participants. In December 2018 Uniper entered into an agreement with Japanese shipowner Mitsui O.S.K Line (MOL). MOL will own, finance and operate the FSRU. The FSRU technology is commonly used in the LNG industry. Compared to an on-shore facility an FSRU can be built cheaper and faster. Risks arising during the construction period are reduced. The FSRU will be designed to allow for the use of LNG as marine fuel and onward transportation of LNG on trucks. In addition, Uniper recently concluded an agreement with Dutch Titan LNG on the development of the technical and commercial interface for small scale LNG. The FSRU Wilhelmshaven will allow for the loading of bunker barges. Further, the construction of truck loading bays is planned to allow for the onward transportation of LNG by road. Uniper is also expanding its LNG business activities in other areas: The company will be supplying up to 1 million tons of LNG from the US to southwestern Europe over the coming three years. The relevant agreements were concluded recently. Uniper is drawing on LNG export volumes from Freeport in the US. An agreement from 2015 grants Uniper the right to export approx. 0.9 million tons of LNG (on a "free-on-board" basis) from the US for a period of twenty years. Since Freeport LNG aims to start initial LNG deliveries in the second half of this year, Uniper has already begun worldwide marketing of the LNG of this agreement. Uniper has been awarded the contract from grid operator TenneT to build a gas power plant with a capacity of 300 megawatts (MW) in Irsching near Ingolstadt. Uniper will build and operate the plant. TenneT made the announcement today. Starting on October 1, 2022, the power plant will be on stand-by to serve as a "safety cushion" by supplying power in special emergency circumstances. As a "special grid facility", it will not serve the market and will instead be available on short notice any time system reliability is at risk. For policy makers it serves the goal of ensuring supply system reliability going forward. In late June 2018 TenneT, together with grid operators Amprion and TransnetBW, issued a call for bids throughout Europe for a total capacity of 1200 MW for special grid facilities pursuant to 11(3) EnWG [Energy Industry Act] without reference to any particular type of technology. 300 MW will be assigned to each of four regions in southern Germany. Grid operator TenneT has now awarded the first contract for the southern Bavarian region. Eckhardt Rummler, Uniper board member and Chief Operating Officer (COO), commented: "I am pleased that Uniper won the competition for a 'special grid facility' to assure a reliable supply of electricity. For this, we will build and operate a new gas power plant. Their high flexibility makes gas power plants ideal for balancing out the increasing share of non-controllable electricity generated from wind and solar energy. They should therefore play an important role when it comes to Germany achieving its ambitious climate goals without incurring excessive risks in supplying industry and homes with electricity. Given the anticipated stable earnings it will generate, this project is a further step in implementing our strategy to significantly increase revenue that is not dependent on the wholesale market." Uniper already operates several units at the site. The Ulrich Hartmann plant (Irsching 4, 561 MW) went into operation in 2011 and, with an efficiency rate of 60.4 percent, is one of the most efficient combined cycle facilities worldwide. Block 5 (likewise combined cycle, 846 MW) became operational in 2010 and, with its efficiency rating of 59.7 percent, is also one of the most modern combined cycle plants in Europe. Alongside Uniper, with its 50.2 percent share, N-ERGIE (25.2 percent) Mainova (15.6 percent), and ENTEGA (9 percent) also have stakes in Irsching 5. Irsching 4 and 5 are currently operated under the so-called grid reserve directive (Netzreserveverordnung). They therefore will be used only when their output is needed to maintain grid stability. The oil-fired block 3 (415 MW) was slated to be permanently shut down in 2012. Owing to the grid situation in southern Germany, the facility has been held in reserve since then for grid operator TenneT. On 25 April 2016 His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Crown Prince, Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, outlined that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 charted a roadmap for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's development and economy objectives for the next 15 years. Sustainability, conservation and efficiency are key themes of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. To support the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 goal in building a sustainable and efficient economy, Vision Invest and Etihad ESCO announced today (2/7) the establishment of a Joint Venture Company to provide fully integrated energy efficiency solutions for both the Private and Public Sectors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Shareholders Agreement for the new Joint Venture company was signed by His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD&CEO of Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA), Chairman of the Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad ESCO) and Mr. Mohammad Abunayyan, Chairman of Vision Invest (formerly ACWA Holding) at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Riyadh. On this occasion His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer said: "This agreement supports the vision of the wise leadership in both the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and contributes to achieving integration across all vital sectors through joint efforts to support national and regional goals and common interests to enhance sustainable development. We are proud to form this alliance with Vision Invest to collaborate in the field of retrofitting integrated energy efficiency solutions. We are committed to fostering cross sector collaboration and collective efforts of stakeholders to create and sustain a vibrant market for energy performance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia". "In line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad ESCO), which is owned by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) was established in 2013 to make Dubai a leading example in energy efficiency for the region and the world. The partnership with Vision Invest is a major milestone for Etihad ESCO and is in line with our strategy to bolster our regional presence and to explore business opportunities with neighboring Gulf Cooperation Council Countries and the World. It also marks Etihad ESCO's first Joint Venture outside the United Arab Emirates and we are proud that the first entry is into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We are confident that our joint efforts with Vision Invest will prove to be immensely successful, encouraging more and more Saudi organizations to adopt sustainability measures," Al Tayer added. Mr. Mohammad Abunayyan, Chairman of Vision Invest, said: "We are proud to partner with Etihad ESCO to support the energy efficiency drive in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to contribute to the achievement of the efficiency and sustainability targets set by Vision 2030 and the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program ("NIDLP"). Vision Invest through its Joint Venture Company with Etihad ESCO is well-positioned to support these objectives for the greater benefit of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia". Mr. Ali Al Jassim, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad ESCO, said: "The partnership with Vision Invest will create and sustain a vibrant market for energy performance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia .As a Super Energy Service Company, Etihad ESCO enables the energy performance contracting market in Dubai and has retrofitted over 2,000 facilities achieving average savings of between 25% and 35%, which in turn has saved in excess of 88 Gigawatts of electricity, 246 Million Imperial Gallons of Water and abated more than 407,000 Tons of Carbon Dioxide emissions ". Eng. Ibrahim Al Nassar, Chief Executive Officer of the Joint Venture Company said: "We look forward through this Joint Venture Company to capitalize on the effective experience of both of our Shareholders to deliver integrated energy efficiency solutions that provide a demonstrated value proposition to our prospective clients, thus enabling them to achieve the efficiencies required to ensure their continued competitiveness". Vision Invest is a leading Saudi Investment and Development Holding Company established in 2002 and focused on investments in Utilities, Industrial Gases, Logistics and Social Infrastructure, as well as other sectors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Dominion Energy and the Library of Virginia celebrated the achievements of seven African-American leaders during the seventh annual "Strong Men & Women in Virginia History" awards program held Thursday, Feb. 7, at the Richmond Marriott. The program honors prominent African Americans past and present who have made noteworthy and admirable contributions to the commonwealth, the nation and their professions. "These honorees have persevered through struggles and challenges to become members of the armed forces, authors, community leaders, educators, judges and politicians," said Bill Murray, senior vice president - Corporate Affairs & Communications, Dominion Energy. "They are a strong example for people who wish to serve their communities, and we are pleased to recognize them for their leadership and accomplishments." "The Library of Virginia is delighted to partner with Dominion Energy again in 2019 to make the Strong Men & Women in Virginia History program possible," said Librarian of Virginia Sandra G. Treadway. "The life stories and accomplishments of the men and women honored this year are powerful and inspirational, and it is wonderful to have this opportunity to share their contributions with a wide audience." This year's honorees are: Kwame Alexander Writer and Youth Advocate, Fairfax County Lawrence A. Davies Minister and Civic Leader, Fredericksburg Fannie W. Fitzgerald* Educator & Elementary School Supervisor, Prince William County Deanna Reed Mayor and Mentor, Harrisonburg William T. Stone* Judge and Civic Leader, Williamsburg Gladys B. West Mathematician and Educator, King George County Andrew J. White Sr. Minister and Community Activist, Petersburg *Posthumous honor Four high school student essay winners were also recognized during the ceremony. Each wrote essays, selected from over 200 entries, about what equality means to them. The winners of the 2019 Strong Men & Women in Virginia History student essay competition are: Erika Garcia Washington-Lee High School, Arlington Katherine Stenner Clover Hill High School, Chesterfield Loren Vermillion Gate City High School, Gate City William Lee Williams Granby High School, Norfolk Each student will receive an Apple MacBook Air laptop and $1,000 for their school. NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos and biographies of this year's honorees are available at http://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/strong-mw-2019. Winning student essays are available at http://edu.lva.virginia.gov/strong-men-women-in-virginia-history/student-essay-contest/student-essay-contest-winners/. Videos/photos of the event will be posted on the Dominion Energy media downloads page at https://www.dominionenergy.com/about-us/contact-us/media-downloads. About the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation Nearly 7.5 million customers in 18 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D). Through its Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, as well as EnergyShare and other programs, Dominion Energy contributed nearly $35 million in 2018 to community causes. The Foundation supports nonprofit causes that meet basic human needs, protect the environment, promote education, and encourage community vitality. Please visit www.DominionEnergy.com to learn more. About the Library of Virginia The Library of Virginia (www.lva.virginia.gov), located in historic downtown Richmond, holds the world's most extensive collection of material about the Old Dominion and has been a steward of the commonwealth's documentary and printed heritage since 1823. The story of Virginia and Virginians has been told in many ways since 1607. At the Library of Virginia it is told through more than 119 million manuscripts and nearly 2.5 million books, serials, bound periodicals, microfilm reels, newspapers and state and federal documents, each an individual tile in the vast and colorful mosaic of Virginia's experience. 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. Ukraine's Central Bank explains stronger hryvnia in winter A number of internal factors contributed to the strengthening of the hryvnia, the banker said. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Ukrainians going to spend US$53 on average on Valentine's Day Ukrainians are expected to spend UAH 340 ($13) more on the average this year than in 2018. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Ukraine imports 338,000 tonnes of citrus fruit last year Tangerines and oranges account for the largest share of the country's citrus imports. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter OPEC and its allies will meet in Vienna on April 17 and April 18 to review the pact. Oil prices fell by around 1 percent on Monday as drilling activity in the United States, the world's largest oil producer, picked up and financial markets were pulled down by trade concerns. A refinery fire in the U.S. state of Illinois, which resulted in the shutdown of a large crude distillation unit, that could cause crude demand to fall also weighed on prices, traders said, Reuters reported. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $52.09 per barrel at 0347 GMT, down 63 cents, or 1.2 percent, from their last settlement. Read alsoNaftogaz to close Hungary office International Brent crude oil futures were down 49 cents, or 0.8 percent, at $61.61 a barrel. In the United States, energy firms last week increased the number of oil rigs operating for the second time in three weeks, a weekly report by Baker Hughes said on Friday. Companies added seven oil rigs in the week to February 8, bringing the total count to 854, pointing to a further rise in U.S. crude production, which already stands at a record 11.9 million bpd. WTI prices were also weighed down by the closure of a 120,000-barrels-per-day (bpd) crude distillation unit (CDU) at Phillips 66's Wood River, Illinois, refinery following a fire on Sunday. Elsewhere, the head of Russian oil giant Rosneft, Igor Sechin, has written to the Russian President Vladimir Putin saying Moscow's deal with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to withhold output is a strategic threat and plays into the hands of the United States. The so-called OPEC+ deal has been in place since 2017, aimed at reining in a global supply overhang. It has been extended several times and, under the latest deal, participants are cutting output by 1.2 million bpd until the end of June. OPEC and its allies will meet in Vienna on April 17 and April 18 to review the pact. Loc Van Duong, 47, is held at local police station for trafficking 10 kilos of meth from Lao into Vietnam. Photo by VnExpress/Lam Son A 47-year-old man of Thanh Hoa Province carrying drugs into Vietnam from Laos was detained Monday in a border area. Police officers and border guards carrying out an anti-drug trafficking operation in Thanh Hoa's Quan Son District, which borders Laos, questioned Loc Van Duong after his actions aroused suspicion. They found he was carrying 10 kilos of methamphetamine hidden in a jute bag. Duong told the police that he was hired by an unidentified Laos man to carry the drugs from Laos into Vietnam through the border gate for VND200 million ($8,607). He is being held pending further investigation. Vietnam is a key trafficking hub for narcotics in and around the "Golden Triangle," a lawless wedge of land straddling China, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar that is the world's second largest drug producing region. Drug trafficking and consumption have persisted and worsened in Vietnam of late, despite the country having some of the worlds toughest anti-drug laws. Those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600gm of heroin or more than 2.5kg of methamphetamine face the death penalty in Vietnam. South Koreans largely optimistic about Trump-Kim summit North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and United States President Donald Trump are set to meet in Vietnam on Feb 27 and 28. Photo by AFP The results of a Realmeter poll were reported Monday by the Yonhap newspaper. The nationwide survey of 501 South Koreans found about 62.5 percent of respondents optimistic about the prospects for settling "the North Korean nuclear problem," while 35.2 percent said the summit would weaken the U.S.-South Korea alliance "without producing any tangible results on denuclearization." The report also said supporters of liberal and moderate political parties across all regions and age groups below 60 held optimistic sentiments about the summits outcome, while those who backed conservative parties were mostly negative. U.S. President Donald Trump had said in his annual State of the Union address last week that the second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would be held in Vietnam on February 27 and 28. He later confirmed Hanoi as the summit location. "I look forward to seeing Chairman Kim and advancing the cause of peace," he said. Vietnam welcomed the news, expressing confidence in its readiness to host the second Trump-Kim meeting. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has ordered careful preparations for the event. "The foreign ministry has to cooperate with other units to thoroughly organize the second summit between the U.S. and North Korea in Hanoi later this month," he said at a cabinet meeting Monday. Trump has sought to convince Kim that giving up his nuclear weapons would enable him to transform his impoverished land into a thriving country, according to The New York Times. Kim Jong-un and Trump first met last June in Singapore, where they signed a vaguely worded document in which Kim pledged to work toward the "denuclearization of the Korean peninsula." Phan Anh DWT. And he was always a serious and forthright guy. I liked him and was sorry to hear he had Walter Jones was one of the few Republican members of Congress who I was able to get to talk with me for. And he was always a serious and forthright guy. I liked him and was sorry to hear he had passed away today , on his 76th birthday. He hadn't been back to Congress since late last year. Like his father, he began his political career as a conservative Democrat. His father, also Walter Jones, served in Congress. Walter Jr, was elected to the North Carolina state House in 1982 and represented Pitt County until 1992 when he ran, unsuccessfully , to his retiring father's congressional seat. He lost the Democratic primary. Walter Jr switched parties and in 1994 was elected to a neighboring seat as a Republican, becoming the first Republican to represent an eastern North Carolina congressional seat since Reconstruction. Now his seat is firmly Republican-- R+12-- and McCain won with 56.8%, Romney with 58.5% and Trump with 60.5%. Last year he was reelected with opposition, although two right-wing extremists challenged him in the primary-- as the far right had been doing for some time, unhappy with his centrist positions, particularly in advocating the end of the Iraq war. According to ProgressivePunch, his lifetime crucial vote score was the 5th most progressive of any Republicanand he often had better scores than right-wing Blue Dog Democrats like Kyrsten Sinema (AZ), Henry Cuellar (TX), Jim Costa (CA) and Collin Peterson (MN). Boehner removed him from his place on the House Financial Services Committee for not being lockstep with the party enough. (For example, he was one of the few Republicans who supported a minimum wage-- and of raising it.) After he came out against the Iraq war, Boehner semi-secretly backed a primary opponent but Jones won anyway. I did not do what I should have done to read and find out whether Bush was telling us the truth about Saddam (Hussein) being responsible for 9/11 and having weapons of mass destruction, Jones said in a 2015 radio interview. Because I did not do my job then, I helped kill 4,000 Americans, and I will go to my grave regretting that. Jones signed more than 11,000 letters to families of dead troops since 2003, an act he told The Associated Press was penance for his vote. Jones began sending the letters after attending the 2003 funeral of Marine Sgt. Michael Bitz. I want them to know that my heart aches as their heart aches, he told the AP. ...Jones tried, without success, to get the House to debate a new war authorization as the U.S. military presence spread around the Middle East in its fight against terrorism, arguing that the 2001 authorization approved after the attacks of Sept. 11 had been used far too long, according to one letter, as justification. ...Jones served as co-chair of the Campaign Finance Reform Caucus, pushing for reforms to lessen the impact and role of large campaign contributions. He called for the repeal of the Supreme Courts decision in Citizens United, which opened the door for super PACs, and pushed for public financing of elections. Jones railed against the corrosive influence of money in politics for much of his career. The money up here is power, Jones said in a 2005 interview with McClatchy. Power is money. Its true for both sides. Thats what creates problems. Jones also worried deeply about the nations growing debt, angering some Republicans by voting against President Donald Trumps signature tax-cut bill because of its impact on the debt. He refused to vote for bills that increased the national debt. I cant do it, he told the News & Observer. My consistency is the fact that of my great concern that the debt one day of this nation will strangle the economy... We cant keep doing these things we cant pay for. UPDATE: Ted Lieu "Walter Jones was a great man and a courageous, principled public servant. I was honored to have had the opportunity to work with Walter on a number of issues, including reforming our campaign finance system; preventing the President from launching a nuclear first strike without congressional approval; and getting the US out of the horrific civil war in Yemen. Walter will be missed." Despite Trumpanzee's racist spitballs from the sidelines, Elizabeth Warren's presidential campaign launch yesterday went beautifully-- just in Lawrence, Massachusetts and then in Dover, New Hampshire. Her rally was a call to action against wealthy power brokers who "have been waging class warfare against hardworking people for decades"-- and against a political elite "bought off" and "bullied" by corporate giants, and a middle class squeezed so tight it "can barely breathe." This morning she started the day at the Veterans Memorial Building in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, followed by a rally in Iowa City at the Iowa Memorial Union at the University of Iowa late this afternoon. And this evening she'll be at the Mississippi Fairgrounds in Davenport for a more intimate roundtable discussion. Tomorrow she's off to South Carolina, followed by Georgia, Nevada and California. In a post handicapping the Iowa caucuses this morning, Tim Russo predicted she'd take 7% of the vote in the crowded field. Ouch! But, still much better than Amy Klobuchar, who he assigned 1%! "What a disgusting pig this pointless grandstanding police state-reliable Klobuchar is. Felony cover music? A crime to boycott Israel? What the living fuck. Klobuchars usefulness will be as an example of just how far establishment Dems will allow the correct genitalia to festoon themselves with authoritarian prostration before capital." Politico's Elena Schneider wasn't quite as colorful in her description of Klobuchar's Iowa prospects... but she did use the word " This morning,'s Elena Schneider wasn't quite as colorful in her description of Klobuchar's Iowa prospects... but she did use the word " horror " in the headline. If you're pitching yourself as "Minnesota nice," the whole shitshow gets derailed when Joe Biden's operative leak that you were brutally bullying your staff the day before the kick-off. Biden, who has no reason to run for president other than naked ego and ultimate careerism-- and nothing whatsoever to offer America put pathetic and dangerous back to normalcy , has the most vicious operatives on the field, spreading more poison about the other Democratic candidates than everyone else combined. The run-up to Klobuchars expected presidential campaign launch on Sunday has been sidetracked by former aides, speaking anonymously for fear of retribution, who described a toxic office environment including demeaning emails, thrown office supplies and requests for staff to perform personal chores for the senator. Its a sharp departure from the public brand that Klobuchar has built to get to this moment: a pragmatic, aw-shucks Minnesotan who gets things done and wins her state by landslide margins. Before heading off to Iowa this afternoon, she spoke in Minneapolis, with the Interstate 35 bridge over the Mississippi as the backdrop, the bridge that replaced the one that collapsed in 2007 killing 13 people. Klobuchar is very proud that she worked with Republican then-Senator Norman Coleman to get the funding, calling it an example of achieving results through bipartisan cooperation. Today she crowed "We worked across the aisle to get the federal funding and we rebuilt that I-35W bridge-- in just over a year. That's community. That's a shared story. That's ordinary people doing extraordinary things. But that sense of community is fracturing across our nation right now, worn down by the petty and vicious nature of our politics. We are all tired of the shutdowns and the putdowns, the gridlock and the grandstanding. Our nation must be governed not from chaos but from opportunity. Not by wallowing over what's wrong, but my marching inexorably toward what's right." Most reporters, though, were more interested in the charges against her for brutalizing and abusing her staff. Her "campaign has not denied any of the specific allegations detailed in recent news stories, and Democrats in the critical first caucus state of Iowa-- where Klobuchar hopes to make a splash in a crowded 2020 field-- say the senators treatment of staff has the potential to sideswipe her campaign." Its a very unfortunate way to start a presidential campaign, said Jerry Crawford, a longtime Democratic operative in Iowa. It was well-known at the insider level, but now its becoming well-known to the general public at the time shes announcing, which is problematic for her politically. Bryce Smith, the Democratic Party chairman in Dallas County, Iowa, said I dont see being a hard-ass as a boss as a bad thing. Smith noted, however, that having to take time away from stumping on why you would be the best candidate and playing defense on what happened in her past could be a problem for Klobuchar. A few candidates have to do that right now, he added. I doubt it will [affect voters] much, said one national Democratic consultant, granted anonymity to discuss the issue candidly. But does it mar her rollout and her getting support from important people, like donors and elected officials? Yes. And in the long run, thats a problem with getting voters. ...Klobuchars Senate office clearly has cycled through staff at a higher rate than most others. LegiStorm, a database service tracking the congressional workforce, found that Klobuchar had the highest staff turnover rate in the Senate from 2001 to 2016. In 2017, Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) surpassed Klobuchar on the list. Those are not the numbers Klobuchar wants to bring into focus. ...In advance of her campaign launch, Klobuchars record in the heartland has won attention in Washington, Minnesota and Iowa, where one Republican-turned-independent state senator pledged to bring 700,000 other no-party Iowans to caucus for Klobuchar after he heard her speak in December. Shes Midwestern, shes grounded, said David Johnson, who switched his party affiliation during the 2016 campaign and retired in 2018. Shes not one of those bombastic politicians. In the months leading up to her 2020 decision, Klobuchar frequently talked about the voters left behind in 2016, a playbook for Democrats focused on defeating the president in the Midwestern states that he flipped into the Republican column. Klobuchars family biography, as the granddaughter of an Iron Range miner, could also speak to some of the white, working-class voters that Democrats hope to regain from Trump. But Klobuchars path out of a primary-- dominated by flashier candidates and a left-leaning electorate-- is far from clear. She lags behind four of her Senate colleagues in campaign cash, and shes unlikely to be the only 2020 candidate running as a solutions-oriented Midwest whisperer. Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, who won reelection in a Trump state in 2018, is considering a White House campaign, and he traveled to Iowa on his Dignity of Work tour last week. Biden, if he ultimately jumps into the race, would also likely appeal to moderate Democrats and independents. That throng of other options in every lane of the Democratic primary is what could make Klobuchars staff issues so challenging. It steps on the story she is trying to tell, said Doug Thornell, a national Democratic strategist. HuffPost reported that three staffers withdrew from consideration to lead Klobuchars campaign, in part because of her work history with staff. The big danger with a story like this is that it festers and potentially undermines one of her core strengths-- that she can bring people together and that shes got a good temperament, Minnesota nice thing, Thornell said. if she picks up steam in Iowa over the next few months, thatll help her change the narrative for her. Under pressure from the other candidates' actions, way-too-centrist Klobuchar endorsed the Green New Deal this week. I'm going to bet that her campaign ends when she's unable to explain it sufficiently and sell it to her dead armadillo supporters (like David Johnson). And by the way, today, Klobuchar, who has been credibly accused of things like taking off a shoe and throwing it at a staffer and-- by a 23 male intern-- of making him clean up blood on a seat, waited until after her announcement to tell the media that "Yes, I can be tough, and yes I can push people. I have high expectations for myself, I have high expectations for the people that work for me, but I have high expectations for this country." Another presidential candidate, like the Starbucks Guy and Gillibrand, who needs a thorough psychological evaluation. A 48-year-old man accused of committing a double murder in Lebanon was arrested Sunday in Southern California, according to Linn County Sheriff Jim Yon. Yon said in a press release that Brenton Wade Richmond of Lebanon was arrested near the border with Mexico. Richmond faces two counts of aggravated murder for the deaths of Tammy Lee Hopper, 42, of Lebanon, and Erik Cody Jacobs, 48, from Independence. Yon said the Linn County Dispatch Center received a 911 call at 10:53 a.m. Saturday reporting that two people were dead in Hopper's residence on Shannon Place in Lebanon. The Linn County Major Crimes Team, consisting of the Linn County Sheriffs Office, Oregon State Police, Sweet Home Police Department and Albany Police Department, responded to the scene, where officers found the bodies of Hopper and Jacobs. Yon said in a press release that the two had been killed by "apparent homicidal violence," but released no other details. Yon said investigators worked through the night processing the crime scene and identified Richmond as a suspect. Applications have been sought for the hangmans job with President Maithripala Sirisena saying he hopes to implement the death penalty soon. The Department of Prisons has called for applications from today to recruit two new hangmen. President Maithripala Sirisena told Parliament last week that the death penalty will be implemented within two months. He said that he is determined to implement the death penalty despite some strong objections. The President said that he had sought a report on convicts sentenced to death for grave crimes related to drugs. However he said the report had been delayed. In July 2018 the then cabinet had approved a proposal by the President to implement the death sentence on repeat offenders on death row for serious drug related crimes. Last month, the Minister of Justice and Prison Reforms Thalatha Atukorale briefed the cabinet on the steps taken by the Ministry to gather information on drug convicts who are on death row. The Minister had told the cabinet that after President Maithripala Sirisena had announced in July 2018 that the death sentence will be implemented on convicts on death row for serious drug related crimes, the Justice Ministry had sought information on the convicts from the Department of Prisons. The Department of Prisons had, that same month, sent a name list of 18 convicts to the Justice Ministry. A name list on the convicts was also sent to the Attorney General in October last year. Measures to expedite capital punishment COLOMBO (News 1st) The rope to be used in the gallows has been sent to the Sri Lanka Standards Institute for inspection. The Prisons Department noted that the Institute will be inspecting whether the rope is suitable to be used for capital punishment. It was brought to the country in 2015 from Pakistan. The Department further notes that if the rope does not meet suitable standards measures would be taken to expedite the importation of another rope of suitable quality. Meanwhile, applications will be called for an executioner from today (February 11) and it will be open till the 25th of this month. These measures have been implemented to facilitate the decision made by the President to issue capital punishment on large scale drug dealers. Measures to obtain the other necessary equipment required for the process has also commenced. The initiative began following a notification of the Ministry of Prison Reforms to expedite measures to activate capital punishment. A list of 17 drug dealers inline for the death penalty was handed over to the Presidential Secretariat on the 25th of January. It was handed over upon the recommendation of the Attorney General. Colombo: Father of three sentenced to death The Colombo High Court judge Shashi Mahendran sentenced a man to death over a murder committed in 2000, today (11). Accordingly, a 57-year-old father of three from Bollegolla area in Kelaniya has been sentenced to death in this manner. On the 22nd January in 2000, a man was shot dead in Bollegolla area over an escalated personal dispute. The Attorney General filed a case against two persons with this regard to the incident. One of the defendants was declared not guilty and acquitted while the other defendant was convicted of the crime. Subsequently, the death penalty was imposed on the defendant, today. Like Duterte, Sirisena wants to restore the death penalty for drug dealers The president of Sri Lanka announces the resumption of hangings within two months. A moratorium on capital punishment had been in place since 1976. Almost 1,300 people are on death row, 48 for drug-related offences. Colombo (AsiaNews/Agencies) Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has announced the end of a 43-year moratorium on the death penalty, saying that he wants executions to restart in two months with drug dealers and traffickers first on the list of those to be hanged. By his own admission, Sirisenas decision came after a visit to the Philippines where he met Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte, who has led a brutal drug war that has so far caused about 5,000 official deaths, and the imposition of martial law in Mindanao, in the south of the country. In addition, at a recent drug prevention meeting at the Sanath Jayasuriya Stadium in Matara, the president said that the war on drugs will be carried out like the war against terrorism that led to the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elan (LTTE). Since 1976, when the moratorium was imposed, 1,299 people have been sentenced to death. In Sri Lanka, criminals in Sri Lanka are regularly given death sentences for murder, rape and drug-related crimes, but until now their punishments have been commuted to life jail. However, prison overcrowding is one of the reasons that have prompted the president to lift the moratorium on executions within two months. He told parliamentarians that the Welikada prison in Colombo has become a hotbed of the drug trade in the country. For this reason, Sirisena warned that human rights organisations [should] not to object to the move to implement the death penalty as it is done to control the drug menace and underworld activities in Sri Lanka. For several experts, resuming executions is more of an attempt by the government to show that it is still in charge. In fact, out of almost 1,300 prisoners on death row, only 48 are drug-related. Of these, 30 have appealed their sentence and are waiting for a hearing. Whilst it is true that the country has seen a rise in crime, including drug-related murders by criminal gangs, as well as sexual violence, the small number of people convicted on drug-related charges does not seem to warrant resuming executions. Instead, experts point out that, following the countrys recent political crisis, the measure seems to be aimed at regaining popularity among voters by emulating strongman Duterte. | 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 SINGAPORE The apex court on Monday (Feb 11) ruled a drug trafficker to be merely a courier, but the Singaporean man still faces the gallows as he was not given a certificate of substantive assistance by the Public Prosecutor. Delivering the three-judge Court of Appeals decision, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon disagreed with the earlier High Court ruling that Zamri Mohd Tahir had not proven he was merely a drug courier. There was no evidence to show that Zamri, 44, had resolved to do more than deliver drugs at the point of his arrest, said CJ Menon. Zamri worked for someone he referred to as Abang, and had not received any instructions on what to do with the drugs. When he was arrested on Oct 14, 2014 while trying to exit the carpark of Block 606 Clementi West Street 1 in a van driven by a friend, he had only collected and transported five bundles of heroin. The bundles were placed in a red plastic bag in the basket of a bicycle at the void deck. Zamri was found guilty of possessing not less than 40.37g of heroin, or diamorphine, for the purpose of trafficking. According to him, it was the fourth time he had helped to move drugs. The previous time, he had helped to repack drugs. For the latest batch of drugs, Zamri said he intended to do whatever Abang instructed. But the fact remained that no instructions had been given at the point of his arrest, and there was no evidence what Abangs instructions would have been, said CJ Menon, who ruled together with Judges of Appeal Judith Prakash and Tay Yong Kwang. It was, in truth, unknown and unknowable what the accused would have done after he had taken delivery of the drugs, he said. The Public Prosecutor affirmed on Nov 29 last year that he would not issue a certificate of substantive assistance to Zamri. Under changes to the law that took effect in 2013, drug traffickers may escape the death sentence if they are found to have been mere couriers, and if a certificate is issued that they substantively aided the Central Narcotics Bureau in disrupting drug trafficking activities. | 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 A man charged with the fatal shooting of five women at a bank in central Florida could face the death penalty if convicted, prosecutors have said. Zephen Xaver, 21, burst into a SunTrust bank branch in Sebring on 23 January, according to an affidavit released last month. He then made the five women inside the bank lie face down on the floor, and he fatally shot each one, the affidavit states. A sixth person, a bank employee, had been in a break room and escaped through a back door when he heard the shots around 12.30pm, police said at the time. Xaver was arrested at the bank after the shooting and was charged with five counts of first-degree premeditated murder. In an initial court appearance just after his arrest, he was ordered to be held without bond at the Highlands County Jail in Sebring, a city of about 10,000 people about 80 miles south of Orlando. Peter Mills, an assistant public defender assigned to Xavers case, declined to comment on the indictment when contacted on Friday. At a televised news conference on Friday, the state attorney for the 10th Judicial Circuit said that a grand jury had returned the decision to indict Xaver, who will be formally arraigned on 25 February on the five charges. He added that he would be seeking the death penalty. As this case moves forward, I will seek the ultimate punishment, said the state attorney, Brian Haas. He added that seeking the death penalty was appropriate considering the horror of the shooting. It was the obvious conclusion to reach, he said. While he was still inside the bank after the shooting, Xaver, who was wearing a T-shirt that bore the image of four scythe-wielding grim reapers on horseback and a bulletproof vest, called police. I have shot five people, he said, according to a police statement released on 23 January. The Sebring Police Department and the Highlands County Sheriffs Office found the gunman barricaded inside the branch. After a standoff with police negotiators, an armoured police vehicle rammed into the bank doors, and SWAT team members persuaded him to surrender, according to video footage and a statement released by authorities. The names of three of the five victims were released at news conferences last month. Police identified a customer, Cynthia Lee Watson, 65, and one of the four employees, Marisol Lopez, 55. A third victim, Ana Pinon-Williams, 37, who was also an employee, was identified by a family member separately. Relatives of the other two employees initially declined to allow their names to be publicly released, police said. But their names were later published in local media outlets and released in the indictment on Friday as Debra Cook, 54, and Jessica Montague, 31, both tellers. Last month, Chief Karl Hoglund of the Sebring police said police were still investigating the motive for what he called coldblooded murder. Commander Curtis Hart said on Friday that Xaver purchased the handgun and the ammunition used in the attack about a week before the shooting, but he declined to say where. When asked for more details about the motive and where he had purchased the gun, Mr Haas said it was too soon to reveal more. At this point, we are not able to talk about anything that he may have said, Mr Haas said. | 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 If the worth of a public policy is its ability to achieve policy objectives, then capital punishment is a failure. It hasn't been shown to deter crime. It's not cost-effective. It's unevenly applied. It needs to be abolished. Colorado abolished the death penalty in 1897 for four years, but subsequent repeal efforts have fallen short of success. In 2009 a repeal bill failed by just one vote in the Colorado Senate after passing in the House. Abolition advocates hope that 2019 is the year when Colorado can finally relegate capital punishment to history. There is growing public revulsion with the practice, its value to justice is increasingly dubious, and the political circumstances are as favorable to repeal as ever abolition-leaning Democrats control the Colorado House and Senate, the state's new attorney general, Democrat Phil Weiser, is opposed to the death penalty, and new Gov. Jared Polis, also a Democrat, has said he would sign a repeal bill. The momentum is there. Now lawmakers must follow through. Executions have become exceedingly rare in the state. The 1st execution to occur in what is now Colorado was the 1859 hanging of murderer John Stoefel at a cottonwood tree along Cherry Creek. Stoefel is one of 103 men the state has put to death. (Every person Colorado has ever executed was a male murderer.) The last execution in Colorado was that of Gary Lee Davis in 1997, and that event came 30 years after the state's previous execution. The death penalty in practice might in effect be dormant, but capital punishment is still on the books. As long as the death penalty remains viable law in Colorado, the state claims for itself the objectionable role of institutional executioner. And it's no mere abstraction: Three men today sit on Colorado's death row, and the prospect of a death sentence is an emotional and practical factor every time courts in the state take up the most heinous crimes, such as the prosecution last year of Frederick killer Christopher Watts and the Aurora theater mass murderer James Holmes. Some argue that the death penalty deters would-be killers, but the evidence just isn't there. "Research to date on the effect of capital punishment on homicide rates is not useful in determining whether the death penalty increases, decreases, or has no effect on these rates," said a 2012 report from National Research Council of The National Academies. Prominent death penalty scholar Michael L. Radelet, a professor at the University of Colorado, and co-author Traci L. Lacock wrote in 2009 that 88 % of prominent criminologists "do not believe that the death penalty is a deterrent," and there was an "overwhelming consensus ... that the death penalty does not add deterrent effects to those already achieved by long imprisonment." The New York City Bar Association in a 2017 presentation asserted that murder rates did not rise in states that abolished the death penalty. Not only does the death penalty fail to deter, it's a costly failure. In "The Death Penalty vs. Life Incarceration: A Financial Analysis," a 2016 study published in the Susquehanna University Political Review, Colorado was shown to spend about 15 % more on death row inmates than those in the general population. But that's just incarceration costs. Account for the enormous legal expenses of trying death penalty cases and the outlays skyrocket. The analysis found that in the United States each death penalty inmate costs about $1.12 million more than a general population inmate. An especially egregious defect in American death penalty cases is their susceptibility to great economic, geographic and racial disparities. A case that results in a death sentence often depends less on the underlying facts of the alleged crime than on the financial means of the defendant. Of the almost 1,400 executions that occurred in the United States between 1976 and 2015, 71 % were carried out in the South. All manner of racial imbalances can be found in capital cases: More than 3/4 of executions stem from cases involving a white victim, yet only half of murder victims in America are white. White and black inmates make up equal shares of the death row population 42 % even though the country's population is 61 % white and 13 % black. All 3 death row inmates in Colorado Nathan Dunlap, Sir Mario Owens and Robert Ray were prosecuted in Arapahoe County, and all 3 are black. The location of the county line in relation to a crime should not determine whether a defendant lives or dies, and neither should the skin color of the accused. It is implausible to think that in the United States innocent people have not been executed. Since 1973, more than 160 death row inmates have been set free because evidence showed they were innocent. "For every 10 people who have been executed since the death penalty was reinstated in the U.S., one person has been set free," notes the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. No executed inmate in the United States has been posthumously proved legally and factually innocent, but this is largely because the justice system has little incentive to expend resources on cases in which the defendant is dead. In 2011, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter took the extraordinary step of granting a posthumous unconditional pardon to Joe Arridy, who had been executed in 1939 for a murder in Pueblo. "(An) overwhelming body of evidence indicates the 23-year-old Arridy was innocent, including false and coerced confessions, the likelihood that Arridy was not in Pueblo at the time of the killing, and an admission of guilt by someone else," Ritter proclaimed. The state-sanctioned killing of an innocent person is more morally repugnant than the execution of a guilty one could be morally just. For this reason alone given that innocent people almost certainly die under a regime of capital punishment Colorado should abolish the death penalty. But the reasons are many. Colorado is among the 30 states that still permit capital punishment. Legislators this year should withdraw the state from that ignoble club. | 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 Sri Lanka: Prawn farming needs modern technology by SANJEEVI JAYASURIYA February 11,2019 | Source: Sunday Observer Sri Lankas prawn industry is a lucrative business and a good foreign exchange earner, said Chairman and Managing Director of Blue Lagoon Aquaculture (Pvt) Ltd., Mohan Fernando, a long-standing industrialist. He ventured into the prawn industry in 1996 and started breeding using mother prawns captured (wild catch) from the sea. The continuous release of cultured prawns into the surrounding water bodies and inbreeding as a consequence, caused the weakening of the wild brood stock and as a result the post larvae also became weak and more vulnerable to diseases. Growth has also slowed down triggering size variations. Fernando said that the countrys prawn industry is over four decades and it is necessary to introduce domesticated brood stock with Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) cultures as the way forward. He undertook an in-depth study of the industry and practices adopted by other countries to overcome the problems faced by the farmed prawn industry. He travelled widely to prawn farming countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and India where the industry is flourishing today. The outcome of his extensive studies spanning over five years was the conviction that Lankas prawn gene pool needs upgrading and revitalisating. To achieve this he plans to introduce SPF brood stock as he is convinced that it is the only solution to develop the prawn industry. He also used his hard earned money to fund studies for over five years to learn the technique of artificial insemination of the mother prawns, as they do not mate naturally. SPF larvae are Peneaus Monodon prawns which can and will grow to over 40 grams if SPF material is used. These sizes according to the exporter are much sought after by importers and will definitely fetch premium prices. However, in Sri Lanka there is no institution or government agency willing to contribute towards this measure. Recently, the National Aquaculture Development Authority (NAQDA) decided that this measure was needed to develop the prawn industry. NAQDA selected Mohan Fernando to implement the first SPF brood stock program as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP). He acknowledged with gratitude the assistance he received as a grant from the Agriculture Sector Modernisation Project - Value Chain Development scheme of the Ministry of Social Welfare and Primary Industries initiated by Minister of Primary Industries and Social Empowerment, Daya Gamage. This grant helped Fernando to improve infrastructure facilities in his hatchery and bring it to the requisite standards to breed SPF quality prawn larvae and the first batch of mother brood stock was imported from Thailand for breeding. It took him nearly 45 days to successfully produce the first batch of SPF Post Larvae with fast growth and negligible size variation. This positive factor should be used to develop the local prawn industry and to enable it to contribute to the economy in a big way. He hopes his pioneering effort will direct the whole industry on the correct path and contribute to increase the earning potential of the now struggling prawn farming community and increase foreign exchange earnings which will benefit the economy. Fernando said, We could export these prawns as a premium product to the international market. At present our main importers are Japan, the European Union, the USA and a few Asian countries. The prawn industry which was mostly confined and centered in the coastal belt of the Puttalam district, has now spread to Batticaloa, Mannar and Jaffna. The industry was among the top foreign exchange earners in the past. It is one of the main sources of foreign exchange in Asian countries such as India, Thailand and Vietnam. Sri Lankas prawn industry was also at the same level as these countries in the past. However, due to shortsighted policies, the industry could not be developed at the same pace as these countries. Exporters say they could earn more foreign exchange due to the quality of the prawns grown in natural water bodies in this country. Farmed tiger prawns from Sri Lanka have a unique sweet taste relished by importers and consistently fetches a higher price than our competitors. Today, the industry has to import the food needed to raise the prawns. This is done at a high cost. However, if an industry that could manufacture food for this industry is set up, it will make the whole operation more profitable. This will also save the country the foreign exchange that is now spent on the import of prawn food. Since this venture should be carried out on a large scale, government patronage at the initial stages will be useful. This industry is a high foreign exchange earner and labour intensive. With the potential for large scale employment generation it is an industry that the government should look at more carefully, he said. Pakistan: Overall exports likely to reach $27 billion February 11,2019 | Source: The International News The business community is optimistic about the countrys overall exports and expects it will reach $27 billion during the current fiscal year. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the International Maritime Seaboard Exhibition at the Federation House, United Business Group Patron S M Muneer said this is likely because of the reforms introduced by the government, which provided the export-oriented industry much-needed space. The event, organised by the E-commerce Gateway, is scheduled to start from March 5, 2019. To recall, Finance Minister Asad Umar unveiled a package of measures to boost exports and investment last month. Measures include enhanced ease of doing business, lower taxes for small and medium-sized businesses and cutting taxes on imports of industrial raw materials. Talking about maritime industry, Muneer said that Pakistan was only earning foreign exchange worth $500 million from its maritime sector, adding that if the business community was facilitated, this number could increase to $2 billion, as the businessmen would direct their resources towards profitable avenues. FPCCI President Daroo Khan said that the chamber would support the government in its endeavour to strengthen economy and urged to reactivate Marine Investment Board to develop the coast and marine tourism. He underlined the need of modern technology to develop Pakistans seafood industry and exports. FPCCI Senior Vice President Mirza Ikhtiar Baig said that conventional ways of fishing and nets needed to be replaced with the modern techniques as adopted by the rest of world. The exhibition would serve as a catalyst in the development and promotion of Pakistans maritime industry, he added. Former FPCCI president and UBG leader Khalid Tawab urged the federal government to play its due role in the development of shipping industry and reviving Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC). He underlined the need of fishermen training, improvement of storage system and upgradation of auction halls on international standards. Former Commander Pakistan Fleet Rear Admiral Arifullah Hussaini (Retd) encouraged the business community to share their vision regarding the development of shipping and fishing sector. Workers of the Hope Center proceeded to give Smith a tour of the building so he could see the variety of products and the discounted prices at which they are offered. Smith found Parkland Hope Center through his contacts in the area. I rely upon my offices, he said, to find opportunities to serve his district. Its sometimes a little bit bad in Washington, Smith said regarding the government shutdown. "We try to make it a little bit better for the public. When he left the stop in Park Hills he was going to take a tour of the district doing various things including speaking to Eagle Scouts, talking about future flooding concerns on the Mississippi, and visiting a museum for a fundraiser. "Then I'll go home on Sunday, go to church, and then on Monday I'll go back to DC." Store hours at Parkland Hope Center are Tuesday 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The store accepts cash, debit, credit and EBT. Matthew Morey is a reporter for the Daily Journal. He can be reached at 573-518-3617, or at mmorey@dailyjournalonline.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Madison County License Office is scheduled to open for business Feb. 13 at the Madison County Health Department, located at 806 W. College Street in Fredericktown. The Fredericktown License Office closed its doors Oct. 12. The owners of the contract were Ken and Debbi Lee, owners of Lee Insurance. The Lees said said they decided to not renew their contract with the Department of Revenue so they could focus on expanding their insurance business. Since the closure of the office, Madison County residents had been taking care of license office needs in surrounding counties. The next closest offices are the Farmington License Office at 103 Walker Rd. in Farmington, the Arcadia Valley License Office at 203 Maple St. B in Pilot Knob and the Perryville License Office at 624 B N. Old St. Marys Rd. in Perryville. Office hours for the new Madison County license office will be Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., closing 12:30 to 1 p.m. daily for lunch, with extended office hours on the last working day of the month until 7 p.m. The office can be reached at 573-783-2747 ext. 1006. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Days before her body was found inside a suitcase near a Connecticut road, Valerie Reyes called her mother terrified someone would kill her.'She was just really scared, very frightened,' her mother, Norma Sanchez, told CNN affiliate WABC.The 24-year-old had been living in a basement apartment in New Rochelle, New York, for some time but had recently grown anxious and even felt paranoid of being alone there.'I'm afraid someone is going to murder me,' Ms Reyes told her mother.But it's unclear why she was afraid. Ms Sanchez said her daughter didn't mention whether she was scared of anyone in particular.A group of highway workers found Ms Reyes' body stuffed into a red suitcase in the affluent town of Greenwich, Connecticut, on Tuesday, about 22 kilometres from her apartment.At least three police departments have joined the investigation but no suspects have been named. Meanwhile, her family and friends are juggling grief and their quest for justice.Missing for a weekMs Reyes went missing since the morning of January 29, police said. Neither her family nor the employees at the Barnes & Noble bookstore in Eastchester, where she had been working for nearly three years, had seen her for a few days.Several flyers with photos of Ms Reyes and her description began appearing in New York City while relatives began making pleas on social media for information about her whereabouts.'We had hope that she would come back,' one of her cousins, Angelica Reyes, told WABC. 'That's all we knew. That she was in the city, so we thought she was looking for help.'Last week, the New York Police Department's Midtown North tweeted a photo of Ms Reyes asking whether anyone had seen her.'She was last seen wearing a green coat, black jeans, and black shoes. Suffers from anxiety and depression,' police wrote.A red suitcase hid her bodyA week after Ms Reyes vanished, a group of highway workers who were on a routine sweep spotted a red suitcase in a wooded area in Greenwich.The bag was about 1-2 metres off the shoulder of a road in a quiet neighborhood. When they opened the bag, they found a woman with her hands and feet bound, authorities said.Greenwich, with a population of around 63,000, is on the Long Island Sound about 56 kms outside New York City. The affluent town is home to hedge fund and financial firms.The body was identified as that of Ms Reyes last Wednesday.The Connecticut chief medical examiner's office, which assisted in identifying Ms Reyes, had not released the cause and manner of death as of Saturday. It could take up to eight weeks before the report will be available, the office said.One of the workers, who has not been identified, was placed on paid leave for taking photos of Ms Reyes' body and the crime scene.'The victim was a daughter, a sister and a cousin of a family who is suffering a tremendous loss at this time,' First Selectman Peter J. Tesei said in a statement. 'This thoughtless and insensitive behavior by an employee is inexcusable.'Police wearing protective white suits spent several hours inside Reyes' apartment Friday, CNN affiliate WCBS reported, and were carrying paper bags when they left.Authorities urge anyone with information to call an anonymous hotline at 203-622-3333.'Sooner or later he will get caught'As the sun set last Thursday, a crowd of relatives and friends stood around a circle of candles with images of Jesus and the Virgin Mary on them.They sang hymns in Spanish and prayed the rosary at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle. Some held candles and flowers, others embraced each other and sobbed quietly.'My daughter did not deserve whatever you did to her. My daughter was pure,' Ms Sanchez said at the vigil, addressing whoever is responsible for her daughter's death.'Sooner or later he will get caught, I know it.'- By Nicole Chavez An Air New Zealand flight to Shanghai was turned back several hours into its journey after discovering it did not have permission to land in China.Flight NZ289, carrying about 270 passengers, left Auckland shortly before midnight on Saturday only to return about 8am AEDT on Sunday. It turned around several hours into the flight.'A technicality meant the particular aircraft operating this service did not have Chinese regulatory authority to land in China,' the airline said.China's foreign ministry did not make any immediate comment when contacted by Reuters. Calls to the civil aviation administration were not answered.Air New Zealand apologised to passengers and said a special service would fly them to Shanghai at 11pm (local time) on Sunday.'We know customers will be deeply disappointed and frustrated by this situation and we are very sorry for the disruption to their travel plans,' Air New Zealand said.Disgruntled passengers voiced their disapproval on social media. One posted a picture on Twitter of the on-board flight map showing the aircraft turning around over Papua New Guinea.'I've just experienced a new level of China Bad: midway through our flight from Auckland to Shanghai, the pilot informs us that Chinese authorities had not given this plane permission to land, so we needed to turn around. A permitting issue, supposedly,' the passenger commented.The same flight, NZ289, was turned back on a flight to China on August 24 last year, although an airline spokeswoman said that was due to an engineering issue, not a permitting one. Question: Regarding my posts about the terrible perversion of Torah and halacha that Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky has engineered with his prod... Important!! email - yadmoshe@gmail.com India and Norway signed a letter of Intent for establishing the India-Norway Marine Pollution Initiative. The letter of intent was signed by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India together with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. India-Norway Marine Pollution Initiative During the visit of the Norwegian Prime Ministers visit to India in January, India and Norway had agreed to work more closely on oceans by signing a MoU and establishing the India-Norway Ocean Dialogue. Both the governments had agreed to share experiences and competence, and collaborate on efforts to develop clean and healthy oceans, sustainable use of ocean resources and growth in the blue economy. The India-Norway Marine Pollution Initiative is the first Joint initiative and it takes forward the commitments made under the MoU. The Joint initiative aims to combat marine pollution, which is one of the fastest growing environmental concerns. The India-Norway Marine Pollution Initiative will support local governments in implementing sustainable waste management practices, develop systems for collecting and analyzing information about sources and scope of marine pollution and improve private sector investment. The initiative will also support beach clean-up efforts, awareness-raising campaigns and pilot project using plastic waste as fuel substitution for coal in cement production and developing frameworks for deposit schemes. Under the Safe2Say system, which started to roll out Jan. 14 but has yet to be implemented by many schools and school districts, tips go to a call center operated by the Attorney General's Office, which prioritizes and passes them on to schools, school districts or local 911 centers, depending on the nature of the call. Joe Grace, spokesman for Attorney General Josh Shapiro, said no state money will flow to districts for the program, but added that Safe2Say has a web site with materials for training that he is referring districts to access. He said the cost for operating Safe2Say for its initial year was proposed at $1.1 million. "The Legislature appropriated half of that, or $550,000, due to the program launch date of mid-January 2019 which marks the half-way point of the state's fiscal year," he said. In its first week, the statewide reporting system received 615 tips from across Pennsylvania. Crisis center analysts evaluated them and sent several hundred to local law enforcement and school officials to follow up with students, according to statement from the attorney general's office. Though Sandy Hook Promise has trained 3.5 million students and teachers in 50 states in ways to detect and report signs of potential violence, Pennsylvania is the first state to mandate the program for all of its schools. NASHVILLE, Tenn. Mourners plan to gather Monday at a memorial service in Tennessee for musician Kyle Yorlets after the frontman for the rock band Carverton was gunned down during a robbery. The service will be held at Belmont University, Yorlets alma mater, the Nashville-based band said in a statement. The band says all are welcome to come and celebrate the life of Kyle. Yorlets, 24, was fatally shot outside his home Thursday, Metropolitan Nashville police said. Five youths in a stolen pickup truck were in an alley behind Yorlets home when they spotted him outside, police said in a statement. They are accused of stealing his wallet, demanding the keys to his vehicle and shooting him when he refused. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Authorities later arrested the youths at a Nashville store and recovered two stolen, loaded pistols. The suspects ranging in age from 12 to 16 were charged with criminal homicide, and prosecutors were seeking to try them as adults. A native of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Yorlets and guitarist Michael Curry of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, formed Carverton in 2014. They moved to Nashville, with drummer Christian Ferguson and bassist Michael Wiebell joining in 2016. Yorlets graduated from Belmont in May 2017 and worked at restaurants between performances. One of her great joys was going on 2 mile walks daily with Bick and Cindy, her beloved Boston Terrier. She loved being with her grandchildren and made an oil portrait of each one. Her family grew to include thirteen great-grandchildren. Betty was a wonderful self-taught artist, good at various types of oil and acrylic painting, and truly excelled at decorative tole painting. Together she and Bick taught art and craft classes at Sarah Todd home. She worked briefly at the former Carlisle shops, Beauty Classics and Bargaintown and volunteered for many years with Meals on Wheels. She loved playing pinochle with her card club, and she really, really liked ice cream. Betty was kind to everyone she met, and had many friends and family members who felt blessed to be part of her circle. She radiated love and caring to those around her. Children and animals were drawn to her like a magnet. A sixteen year struggle with Alzheimers disease took her gradually away, but even to the end her gentle spirit shone through and she was loved by staff and fellow residents at the Sarah Todd home. The family is grateful for the wonderful care she received there. Betty would also want us to mention her sister-in-law Virginia, niece Grace Barrick, and niece Anne Tomaski, who helped the family with her care. Source: iStock/mariana_d The complications surrounding the QuadrigaCX exchange and its downfall have taken many victims: one of them is a software engineer who claims that he lost all his life savings in the fiasco. Because of him and similarly affected users, Ontario Securities Commission, the biggest securities regulator in Canada, is looking into the exchange. Tong Zou is a software engineer who moved from California to Vancouver in Canada and was looking to save on transfer fees - which cost him CAD 560,000 (USD 422,000). Speaking to Bloomberg in a phone interview, Zou said, I wasnt using [QuadrigaCX] for trading - I just wanted to move my money over to my Canadian bank account [...] What I didnt know was that my withdrawal would be pending or incomplete and it never got deposited in my bank account. Ive been waiting four months so far. He bought Bitcoin in the US and transferred it to the exchange, immediately selling it for Canadian dollars, which were supposed to be deposited into his Canadian bank account back in October. This has still not happened. I was going to use that money for a deposit on an apartment, but now I cant do that anymore, Zou said. And now Im currently searching for a job, so its kind of a bad time for me. Following the issues hed been having with the exchange and its subsequent shutdown, he has been forced to live out of an AirBnB, an online hospitality service. Zou considers himself one of the largest affected individual users, according to an affidavit he filed last week as part of the court proceedings. The total number of people affected by this turn of events is somewhere around 115,000. British Columbia Securities Commission, the provinces securities regulator, recently said they do not regulate QuadrigaCX. This has prompted the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) to start looking into the case, although their spokesperson Kristen Rose refused to tell Reuters if this was an investigation. According to Allan Goodman, co-chair of the technology group at law firm Goodmans LLP, the OSC is possibly looking into whether QuadrigaCX has breached any laws. In this case, the OSC could bring an enforcement action against the company or its officers and directors. If ultimately successful, one would suppose any monetary recovery could be used to address possible losses for customers, he said. As reported last week, a court in Canada has placed QuadrigaCX into administration, granting it 30-day protection against creditors claims. The exchange, which is Canadas largest, also appears to have major debt issues, with allegations of foul play also footed at the company. As many experts have stressed, crypto users should keep their private keys to their coins offline, e.g. in hardware wallets such as Ledger, Trezor, KeepKey and others. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram New York, February 11, 2019The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by reports that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is harassing journalists or subjecting them to invasive questioning during secondary screening when they cross into the United States. CPJ has spoken with at least eight journalists who said that U.S. border agents questioned them during secondary screenings about their reporting on a migrant caravan in Mexico. In at least six cases, the journalists said that agents asked to review photos or provide information about the migrant caravan. Separately, two journalists told CPJ they were contacted by CBP and asked to hand over video footage and submit to an interview as part of an internal investigation into potentially illegal conduct from border agents. CPJ is also aware of at least two cases where Mexican border agents denied entry to journalists who were previously questioned or photographed by CBP. The cases took place amid increased press coverage of migrant issues on the Mexico-U.S. border. Several journalists with whom CPJ spoke said that border agents harassed them or took photographs of them. A video published in the Intercept shows a border agent telling journalists they can be charged with a misdemeanor or felony for aiding and abetting individuals to enter the U.S. The video was published as part of an Intercept investigation into harassment of journalists, lawyers, and activists at the border. Custom and Border Protections apparent use of secondary screening as a pretext for questioning journalists about their reporting is akin to treating the media as informants and is a worrying sign for press freedom, said CPJ North America Program Coordinator Alexandra Ellerbeck. Journalists have a duty to protect their independence and the confidentiality of their sources. They should not be subject to questioning that goes beyond the purpose of facilitating lawful travel entry for an individual. Journalists told CPJ that the agents questions during secondary screenings often seemed more targeted at intelligence gathering. In late December, Go Nakamura, an American freelance photographer, and Bing Guan, an American student at the International Center for Photography in New York, were pulled in for secondary screening when driving into San Diego through the San Ysidro port of entry, the journalists told CPJ. Nakamura said that officials questioned them separately. Both journalists told CPJ that they were shown a photo line-up of about 20 images, including what appeared to be mug shots and surveillance photos. Guan told CPJ that he was asked to identify instigators of the caravan. Mark Abramson, an American freelance photojournalist, told CPJ that U.S. border agents searched his notebooks at the border on January 5. He said that they asked how he made his money as a freelancer and questioned him about American groups that might be helping migrants. Abramson told CPJ that the border officials made him leave his bag and phone behind when he went in for questioning. Im not an informant. My job is to inform the public, Abramson said. What if there had been sources in my notebook? It feels like protection of journalists was thrown to the wayside. Ariana Drehsler, an American San Diego-based freelance photojournalist, said she was flagged for secondary screening at least three times between late December and early January at the San Ysidro port of entry on her way to San Diego. Drehsler said that she was asked about groups working with the migrant caravan and how she made her money as a freelancer. She said that one CBP official asked if she would show them photographs, but didnt press the issue when she refused. Spanish freelance journalist Emilio Fraile said that on December 31, U.S. border agents approached a group of photojournalists along the border wall in Tijuana and repeatedly asked Where is Emilio? while shining flashlights at the group. Fraile said he was the only person in the group with that name and did not respond. He said that he believes the agents may have been trying to intimidate him. Separately, Fraile and two other Spanish freelance journalists were approached by Mexican municipal police who photographed their passports. Fraile told CPJ that the police said they were going to share the photographs with American border patrol. Customs and Border Protection told CPJ in an email on February 8 it would need to research the inquiry and would not be able to provide a comment before the publishing deadline. CPJ has previously documented how Mexican officials denied entry to at least two journalists covering the migrant caravan in January 2019. CPJs 2018 report, Nothing to Declare, looks at how secondary screenings and device searches of journalists undermine press freedom. MONDAY, Feb. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- If you're worried that your child may suffer from a mental health condition, such as anxiety, depression or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you have plenty of company. About one in every six American kids has at least one mental health disorder, new research shows. But the study delivered even more troubling news -- only half of those children are getting treatment. The researchers also found startling differences in the number of kids being diagnosed and treated between states. For example, the statewide prevalence of kids with at least one diagnosed mental health disorder (including depression, anxiety and ADHD) varied from about 8 percent in Hawaii to 27 percent in Maine. The prevalence of children with a mental health disorder who didn't get treatment varied from 30 percent in Washington, D.C., to 72 percent in North Carolina, the findings showed. "The purpose of the study was to look at geographical differences in mental health outcomes for children and adolescents. We did not expect these findings to be this extreme," said senior study author Mark Peterson. He is an associate professor in the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Peterson said the study wasn't designed to tease out the reasons for the differences. He suggested there could be a lot of factors at play, including policy differences, socioeconomic factors, access-to-care issues or even parents' individual decisions. "We can't assume anything," he said. However, Peterson did note that the findings indicate "that there is a much larger problem, and the study highlights the need for better care for kids." For the study, the researchers culled through surveys from a nationally representative group of more than 50,000 children under 18 years of age. From this data, the investigators were able to estimate that 7.7 million children in the United States have at least one mental health disorder. Dr. Gregory Fritz, past president of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), said the finding that 16.5 percent of children have at least one mental health condition is in line with previous research. But he said there are probably more kids who haven't been diagnosed and who aren't getting any treatment, so the problem may even be underestimated. Fritz said there are a number of barriers to care. "Stigma, in its various forms, is a big barrier to care, though it's decreasing. Accessibility to treatment is another barrier. There are too few mental health professionals, and urban areas have a greater concentration of them. Insurance problems are also a barrier," he explained. Dr. Victor Fornari, director of child and adolescent psychiatry at the Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, and Cohen Children's Medical Center, New Hyde Park, N.Y., agreed that there are many barriers to care. "Firstly, parents often do not wish to accept the diagnosis in their child. Denial is a powerful force. Youth themselves, often refuse the care, and do not accept the diagnosis or the treatment. Lack of adequate mental health professionals remains a challenge," Fornari said. "Lack of health care coverage also prevents families from seeking care, although there are mental health clinics throughout the country that provide mental health care regardless of ability to pay," he added. Fritz said the AACAP actively encourages medical students to choose child and adolescent psychiatry as a specialty, but lengthy training and lower reimbursements compared to other medical specialties may explain why there aren't enough of these doctors available. He said there's a movement to have pediatricians more involved in kids' mental health diagnosis and treatment, particularly since pediatricians see children often as they're growing up. Fornari noted that there is such a program ongoing at five university medical schools in New York. "Mental health disorders are prevalent in youth and require early identification and treatment in order to optimize good outcomes for these vulnerable children and adolescents," Fornari said. Study author Peterson said that parents shouldn't feel like they don't have options. If you're concerned that your child might have a mental health condition, talk with your child's pediatrician and ask them for resources. He suggested that parents of children who have chronic health conditions might want to be more vigilant about looking for signs of mental health disorders. The findings were published online Feb. 11 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics. More information The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has more information on what's normal behavior for children and teens and what's not. MONDAY, Feb. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Many studies have shown that color affects both mood and behavior. Color can help you go from sad to happy or angry to calm. When it comes to mood, there are four primary colors. Though different shades within each of the four can have different effects, some generalities exist. Red symbolizes power and strength and may even stimulate aggression. Yellow is associated with joy, hope and optimism. As "warm" colors, both red and yellow are thought to increase arousal. Green is emotionally calming and stands for harmony. Blue is the color of intellect, yet is so calming that it can lower blood pressure. As "cool" shades, both blue and green can be relaxing. Much research has found that people living in areas with more green space have better physical and mental health than those with less green space. A European study looked at the effects on city dwellers of making purposeful visits to green spaces in four cities. They found strong positive links, including better mental health and more vitality. For another study, Michigan State University researchers analyzed data from the other side of the world. They compared the effects of living with a view of the ocean or of green space on residents of Wellington, New Zealand. They found that just looking out on a pure blue ocean or sea can significantly improve distress. Views of green space did not convey the same calming effect. A possible explanation for this particular green space shortfall is that the data didn't distinguish between pristine native forests and green spaces with manmade structures like playgrounds. For those who don't have access to waterfront property, spending time in nature can still boost your mood. More information Take soothing color one step further by creating your own less-stress garden with tips from the University of Vermont Extension. Casa Cuevas Cigars has reported that this past weekend burglars broke into its Miami Warehouse and stole its entire inventory. The Miami Dade Police have begun the initial investigation into the matter. Our entire inventory of Casa Cuevas Cigars, including our core line of Connecticut, Habano and Maduro, our Habano and Maduro Limited Edition Flacos, and our new box pressed, are all gone commented company owner Luis Cuevas in a press release. Casa Cuevas Cigars has said they have enough back inventory at its factory in the Dominican Republic to restock by late next week. NBC Miami picked up on the story as well: In the interim, the company is asking anyone who is approached by someone other than a reputable retailer purporting to sell Casa Cuevas cigars to contact them immediately. Video Credit: NBC Miami I knew where I was going. I had been there once before, months ago. When I left my office on that steamy Friday during my lunch break to make a quick trip to my friends office, I knew it would be easy to find. It was her birthday and I wanted to surprise her by dropping off her gift at work. I mentally mapped out my route. I would turn right at the gas station and then take an immediate left into her building which had a beautiful, red brick wall. I got to the gas station within 10 minutes, relieved that midday traffic hadnt started to pile up yet. Then I saw it. There was no right turn at the gas station. Where the right turn should have been was a household supply store and an entrance into a mall. Huh? This made no sense. How could a road just disappear and be replaced with buildings? Most people at this point would have used GPS or a map app on their phone. But the problem was I had a conspiracy theorists aversion to having my location and movements fed into a database somewhere and paranoia about loss of privacy. I couldnt call my friend, as that would tip her off that I was coming. I remembered the general number for my friends office, dialled it on my cell and when the receptionist answered I told her my dilemma and my location. I had parked in the parking lot of the supply store. No problem, she said, Just get back to the main road and take the first left after the gas station. You mean right, dont you? That was what I remembered from last time. No. Left. I was uneasy. Left didnt make sense. I hesitated. She, understandably, became annoyed at my resistance. We were at a stalemate. Finally, she said: I dont know what else to tell you. Ok. Ok. I said finally. I gave in. I could either trust her or stay lost. Clearly, the right turn would, once again, lead be nowhere. So despite my instincts, I turned left at the gas station, then followed the directions as she gave them to me on the phone. I then drove into a narrow lane lined by squat, stone buildings and then took a right. Almost magically there was her office on the right. There was the lovely red wall. I slowly realised what had happened. The last time I came I had taken another road. A road that was right next to, and parallel to, the one I took this time. One that also had a gas station. On Friday, I was on the wrong road, at the wrong gas station, not knowing where I was. I thought about how sure I had been that I was on the right road. I was positive. I would have been looking for that right turn forever if I didnt come to the realisation that what I thought I knew must be wrong and I was totally lost. Sounds familiar? Getting Lost in Life We all feel overwhelmed at times. Other times, we believe we have it all together. After all, were adults. And a hallmark of adulthood is being independent. Being able to autonomously act. We make choices about what we do and where were going. We use the facts available to us and our best judgement in making small and big decisions. How do I handle this file at work? How will I deal with this difficult co-worker? How do I address this problem with my child or spouse? How do I let this relative or friend know how I feel about what they did or didnt do? The things we have to make decisions on are endless. Sometimes we get it wrong. And sometimes we just dont know what to do. What worked last time, doesnt work this time and before we know it, we are lost. We can no longer trust our knowledge or experience. In unfamiliar territory, we keep looking for a right turn that doesnt exist. The Bible (at Luke Chapter 15 verses 3 to 7) uses the metaphor of Jesus as a shepherd tending sheep and when one gets lost, he leaves the 99 sheep behind to seek out the missing one. He is that serious about finding lost people. Those who are Christians who have sinned or have turned away from Him and need to return to the fold; plus those who have never been a part of his flock. There is no decision, small or large, that you need to feel lost or stuck on. There is no place in your life you need to feel lost. We are like the people of Nineveh who God described as not knowing their right hand from their left (Jonah Chapter 4 verse 11). Theres a way that seems right to us, but in the end leads to destruction (Proverbs Chapter 14 verse 12) It starts by just recognising that you are lost. Admitting that you need Jesus and that He is the only one who can help you. Ask him to show you his paths (Psalm Chapter 25 verses 4-5). The next key is to listen to his voice as he guides you, follow his directions despite what you may think is best (Isaiah Chapter 30 verse 21): "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it'." Then youll end up exactly where youre supposed to be. Sharma Taylor is a corporate attorney with a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Law from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. This year, she is committed to believing for bigger things. She was the 2017 Basil Sellers International Young Writers winner in the young writer program. The young writer program is coordinated by Press Service International (PSI) in conjunction with Christian Today with over 80 young writers from Australia, New Zealand and around the world. Sharma Taylor previous articles may be viewed at: www.pressserviceinternational.org/sharma-taylor.html I recently had the privilege of attending the 57th Latvian Cultural Festival in Adelaide. This was the first time for ages I used to dance in these festivals when I was a teenager, around 50 or so years ago. In those days, the festivals were held every year in a different capital city. They kicked off with a church service (Lutheran) and had folk dance and choir performances, art exhibitions, theatre and various other things during the week between Christmas and New Year. They culminated in a New Years Eve Ball, which in my day was just a humungous excuse to get drunk. Everyone spoke Latvian and it was very rare to find a spouse who was English speaking. Much to my shame now, I pretty much rejected the culture, even though I enjoyed the dancing and the costumes. I particularly rejected the drinking part of the culture. I thought it was pointless and destructive, which put me at odds with most of the Latvians, even though in their heart of hearts they probably agreed. From exile to Diaspora Most Latvians assimilated very well. As with migrants from other countries, they were not always appreciated or embraced into the Aussie culture. There were difficulties with language and recognition of qualifications nothing different from today, really. Although refugees were accepted far more readily than they are today. Latvians were literally people in exile it was impossible to return to their homeland because of the war and foreign incursions. So they did the best they could to remain loyal to Latvia: they formed folk dancing groups and choirs, ran Saturday schools for their children to learn the language and customs, and held church services. Then in 1989, Latvians, Lithuanians and Estonians did an astonishing thing: they formed a human chain across the three nations, to protest against Soviet occupation. 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of The Baltic Way. The Soviet hold on the nations began to crumble until in 1991 Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia proclaimed their independence. From that point, Latvians who were spread around the world became Diaspora rather than being in exile. It was the culture of song and dance and language which was stubbornly maintained throughout occupation that enabled national unity and identity and ultimately resulted in independence. In Australia, the individual Latvian communities across the country came together to hold the annual Cultural Festivals. Im beginning to realize that this is a pretty rare phenomenon. Other cultures have language schools and may deliver ethnic food and dance classes but few regularly draw the whole community across the nation together. But it is diminishing There are not many Latvians in the world! Latvias population is only around 2 million (about half that of Sydney alone!). There are only a few hundred in each of the capital cities and overall about 20 000 in Australia identify themselves as Latvians. So to keep the Cultural Festivals going takes a concerted effort. Over the last few years they have been held every second year and many of the people attending are there because they married a Latvian and may not even speak the language. Their children may grow up speaking only English. The number of people participating in the dancing, choirs, theatre productions, art shows etc is diminishing. As the original Latvian immigrants pass away, the remaining Latvians will need to work harder to keep the culture alive. Unfortunately, there is also a trend of leaving Latvia itself largely due to economic migration once Latvia joined the EU. This is a disturbing trend, though you cant blame them looking for better opportunities to make a living. Ambassador at large for Diaspora, Aivars Groza, has the difficult job of keeping in touch with those who have left Latvia and to somehow keep Latvia alive. All is not lost! Would God let the Latvian culture die off in the next few generations? I feel the answer is a resounding NO. Check out the Awakening Baltija website and explore the impact of the Awakening conference in Riga last year. I believe that God, together with the stubbornness of Latvians, will not let this rich culture die out. But there still needs to be a deliberate move to maintain the things of the culture it will definitely be worth the effort! Aira Chilcott is a retired secondary school teacher with lots of science and theology under her belt. Aira is a panellist for Young Writers and indulges in reading, bushwalking, volunteering at a nature reserve and learning to play clarinet. Aira is married to Bill and they have three adult sons. Aira Chilcott's previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/aira-chilcott.html We are too good for this, Sikorski said Sunday night. If it had been me, I would have sent in a letter of resignation and walked away. We dont want to look like buffoons. I think (stepping down) would save him and the county a lot of embarrassment. This is a black eye for Chippewa County. The board is slated to vote on an ethics policy on Tuesday, and Sikorski said at the very least, Zwiefelhofer should abstain from voting on the measure. It is unclear if Bloomer officials will reprimand Zwiefelhofer. After the citation charges were filed, Bloomer city administrator Sandi Frion said that the citys Police Commission is responsible for handling any discipline of the chief. The Police Commission hasnt met to discuss any discipline, she added. Frion couldnt be reached for comment Sunday to see if a meeting will be held now that Zwiefelhofer has been convicted. Zwiefelhofer pleaded no contest to the three hunting citations on Feb. 5: improperly placing bait, possessing a deer killed without bow on an archer tag, and operating an ATV with a loaded firearm. All three are citations. As a result of the convictions, Zwiefelhofers Department of Natural Resources privileges are suspended for two years and he must pay $878 in fines and court costs. A 28-year-old rural Boyceville man was killed in a snowmobile crash Saturday night, the Dunn County Sheriffs Department said. According to a release from Sheriff Kevin Bygd, at approximately 7:30 p.m. Saturday the man was southbound on a designated snowmobile trail near the 8500 block of 870th Street in the Township of Colfax when he lost control of the snowmobile, left the trail and was ejected. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Dunn County Medical Examiners Office. His name is not being released pending notification of family members. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Dunn County Sheriffs deputies, Menomonie Fire and Rescue, Colfax Fire and Rescue, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Life Link Helicopter responded to the scene. The crash remains under investigation by deputies from the Dunn County Sheriffs Office, Dunn County Medical Examiners Office and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. In the release, Bygd encouraged all snowmobile riders to ride with caution. There were five snowmobile accidents Saturday night across the state. Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh. blogspot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. . ..Algemeiner..10 February '19..Almost fifteen years ago, the Israeli nonprofit Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR) lambasted the Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA) for demonizing Israel. It happened after the PCUSA passed a divestment resolution at its General Assembly in 2004. In addition to calling on the churchs money managers to divest from the Jewish state, the resolution portrayed Israel as singularly responsible for the suffering caused by the Arab-Israeli conflict.In response to this outrage, RHR published a letter condemning the church for failing to offer one word of criticism to the government of the Palestinian Authority despite its manifest multitude of profound sins against God and the Human Rights of Palestinians and Jews. RHR also condemned the PCUSA for ignoring the homicidal ideologies that have so sadly taken hold among some of our Palestinian neighbors.The letter closed with a call for the PCUSA to repent of its actions and to rethink its relationship with the Jewish People and their State. It was one of the most principled and unequivocal condemnations of Christian antisemitism to come down the pike since BDS became all the rage in mainline Protestant churches.The folks at RHR must have lost this letter in their archives, because these days they are defending not rebuking another Christian institution that is facilitating in the same process of demonization that the PCUSA engaged in a decade and a half ago. To make matters worse, the groups president, Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman, engaged in the same type of one-sided discourse that RHR condemned in 2004. 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. . ..Israel Hayom..11 February '19..Three and a half years have passed since the Arabs of Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem launched their wave of lone-wolf terrorist attacks, and the list of murdered Israelis is truly unspeakable. Since September 2015, 78 citizens and soldiers have been butchered with knives, killed by stones, rammed by cars or shot, all ending their lives in the same horrific manner as Ori Ansbacher this weekend.The soul cannot find peace and the State of Israel cannot find a solution.The Shin Bet and other security forces thwart hundreds of terrorist attacks, but when there's no terrorist organization pulling the strings and giving directives, Israel's sophisticated intelligence apparatuses cannot prevent the lone knife-wielding terrorist from enacting his evil deed.Only one thing hasn't been tried throughout this entire cursed period of time. Just one simple measure hasn't been implemented, among other things because of objections from the defense establishment: putting an end to terrorist salaries doled out by the Palestinian Authority.Due to the fact that our security agencies work with the PA to thwart terrorist attacks, and because the IDF and Shin Bet are concerned about the collapse of PA President Mahmoud Abbas' security forces, our own agencies incredibly have even balked at deducting the amount paid by the PA to terrorists from the taxes Israel collects on its behalf.The same defense establishment again, incredibly has dragged its feet on compiling data about the phenomenon, as required by the law passed with great effort by MKs Avi Dichter and Elazar Stern.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it must be said, is torn between the position of the defense establishment and basic common sense that demands punishing the Palestinians for this industry of murder. Although Netanyahu has routinely acknowledged the severity of the phenomenon of terrorist salaries, to this day he hasn't claimed a single shekel from Abbas because of it.Indeed, esteemed prime minister and security agency leaders after three years and dozens of murdered Israelis, the time has come to try the only leverage we have yet to apply, and that is deducting the terrorist payments from the PA's taxes.This is the bare minimum requirement if we want to stop the lone-wolf attacks. As for the PA and its security forces: If they encourage lone-wolf attacks, why is it so important for us to protect them?! This year's Winterlude festival marks a big moment for Ottawa's LGBTQ community the city's first Pride celebration held in sub-zero temperatures. Canadian Heritage teamed up with Capital Pride to organize a more inclusive festival this year, reflecting communities that typically haven't seen themselves represented in festival events before. The first weekend of Winterlude included a celebration of Indigenous cultures, culminating with a powwow at the Canadian Museum of History. The second week, meanwhile, has seen the launch of WinterPride, which kicked off Wednesday and has featured events like an ice cabaret, drag performances and an awards ceremony recognizing LGBTQ leaders. The winter version of the festival comes after Ottawa's most successful summer Pride festival, said Christian Garceau, Capital Pride's festival director one that saw more than 125,000 people take part. 'It's to give opportunities for our community to go out and attend events where they feel comfortable with themselves, where they feel it's for them.' - Christian Garceau When it comes down to it, the festival is all about uniting a community, Garceau said. "It's to give opportunities for our community to go out and attend events where they feel comfortable with themselves, where they feel it's for them," Garceau said. "Where marginalized people can really come together and celebrate without some of the hardships that they face in more mainstream situations." Saturday's events along Sparks Street encouraged families to get involved, with a ball toss, Beavertails and maple taffy, and the creation of a colourful "ice mosaic." Marking 50 years Today, on the last day of WinterPride, marchers are expected to gather on Parliament Hill to mark 50 years since the partial decriminalization of homosexuality, which occurred with the Criminal Law Amendment Act passed by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's government in 1969. Story continues Jamie Haight is the co-chair of Snow Pride, a group that was invited to participate in WinterPride. "Pierre Trudeau made that famous statement, 'We don't belong in people's bedrooms,'" Haight said. "It opened up Canada to more freedoms and that's what Canada's about." Leah Hansen/CBC Despite the celebratory atmosphere, when it comes to achieving true equality, Garceau said there's still much to be done. Sunday's march will advocate for the end of discriminatory practices that persist to this day, including the use of conversion therapy the controversial practice of counselling LGBTQ youth to become straight and a blood donation ban that affects transgender people and men who have sex with men. Men must still wait one year after having sexual contact with another man before being eligible to donate blood, a policy that has been widely criticized as discriminatory and lacking scientific merit. "It wasn't like 1969 happened and all of a sudden, all the bias and all the bigotry and all the issues went away," Garceau said. "There is still so much work to be done." The Capital Pride March will start at noon on Parliament Hill and end at Bank and Sparks streets at 1:30 p.m. Jody Wilson-Raybould has found herself at the centre of a political controversy. The former federal attorney general and justice minister has refused to comment on a report that she allegedly faced pressure from the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) to intervene in the case against Quebec construction giant SNC-Lavalin while in her former post. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau denied the allegations as false last Thursday, the same day the report was published by The Globe and Mail. Now, ethics commissioner Mario Dion has launched an investigation into the allegations. Speaking to reporters Monday in Vancouver, the prime minister said he welcomes the probe as it is extremely important for Canadians to have confidence in the justice system. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The issue of solicitor-client privilege is not a simple one, Trudeau said. He told reporters that he asked his new justice minister, David Lametti, to look into the matter of solicitor-client privilege and report back with recommendations on how to move forward. Trudeau also revealed he met with Wilson-Raybould, who reminded him of a conversation they had last fall. Thats when he told her it was entirely up to her as attorney general to decide whether to instruct the director of public prosecutions to negotiate a remediation deal with SNC-Lavalin, Trudeau said. The prime minister acknowledged that he and his team are bound by cabinet confidentiality when discussing the matter. However, Trudeau expressed his full confidence in Wilson-Raybould. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. On Sunday, the leader of the Opposition penned a letter calling on the prime minister to waive solicitor-client privilege to allow Wilson-Raybould to comment on the allegations. SNC Lavalin, a Montreal-based construction company, was charged with fraud and corruption in connection with payments to public officials in Libya under former dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The Globe and Mail report alleges Wilson-Raybould faced pressure from the PMO to seek a remediation agreement with SNC-Lavalin, which would allow the company to pay fines and avoid a trial in court. Story continues The Department of Justice posted the following information online regarding remediation agreements: A remediation agreement would hold organizations accountable for their wrongdoing and would provide an incentive to rectify their wrongdoing, while avoiding some of the negative consequences of a criminal conviction. It could help result in faster compensation to victims and protect jobs of innocent employees and investments of innocent shareholders. The new justice minister has already disputed the allegations on multiple occasions. No direction was given to my predecessor, no direction has been given to myself in regards to this decision, Lametti said in the House of Commons on Friday. Two days later, Lametti told CTV News Evan Solomon the former justice minister faced no direction and no pressure from the prime minister in the case. Wilson-Raybould has not said anything publicly about the matter, citing solicitor-client privilege. The Conservatives have questioned whether a political cover-up is going on. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer has called the allegations incredibly disturbing. This matter strikes at the very heart of our rule of law and calls into serious question the ethics and conduct at those of the highest levels in the Prime Ministers Office, Scheer said Friday. Both Scheer and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh have called for an investigation into the allegations. Conservatives and New Democrats are expected to force an emergency meeting to consider a motion calling on nine government officials to testify on what they know about this case, Scheer revealed last week. Wilson-Raybould was reassigned to Veterans Affairs during a cabinet shuffle last month, a move seen by many as a demotion. While she hasnt weighed in on the recent allegations, she did release a statement in response to the cabinet shuffle. The role of the Attorney General of Canada carries with it unique responsibilities to uphold the rule of law and the administration of justice, and as such demands a measure of principled independence, Wilson-Raybould wrote on Jan. 14. It is a pillar of our democracy that our system of justice be free from even the perception of political interference and uphold the highest levels of public confidence. Wilson-Rayboulds father, Bill Wilson, put out a statement of his own on Facebook last week where he mentioned his daughter. History will prove that she did the right thing, Wilson wrote on Feb. 7. Her DEMOTION makes sense now, UGLY POLITICAL SENSE. On Sunday, Wilson chimed in once again. JODY was demoted because she would not play ball with the Big Boys who run the Liberal Party, Wilson said on Facebook. Big industry & jobs threatened by honesty and integrity? Where have I heard this before? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau removed Veterans Affairs Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould from her top post in the justice department during a cabinet shuffle last month. Photo from The Canadian Press. Do you think the Liberals should do what is necessary to allow Wilson-Raybould to publicly address the allegations? Share your thoughts with Yahoo Canada by voting in the poll above and speaking out in the comment section below. With files from The Canadian Press By Devika Krishna Kumar NEW YORK (Reuters) - TransCanada Corp said on Monday a stretch of its Keystone crude pipeline from Nebraska to Illinois remained shut after a leak was discovered in the area of St. Louis, Missouri, last week. The cause and source of the spill have not been determined and there is no estimated timeline for a restart, TransCanada spokesman Terry Cunha said in an email. The closure affects the line that runs from Steele City, Nebraska, to Patoka, Illinois. The 590,000 barrels-per-day Keystone pipeline system is a critical artery taking Canadian crude from northern Alberta to refineries in the U.S. Midwest. TransCanada told Keystone shippers last week it was declaring force majeure on shipments affected by the shutdown, according to a notice seen by Reuters. Force majeure is a declaration that unforeseeable circumstances prevented a party from fulfilling a contract. Canadian pipelines have been running at capacity as a production surge in Alberta overwhelmed existing pipeline infrastructure, forcing the Alberta provincial government to order production cuts starting last month. Western Canadian heavy crude has attracted greater demand in recent days following U.S. sanctions against Venezuela's state oil company. The discount on Canadian heavy crude compared with U.S. light oil traded at about $11.50 per barrel on Monday, slightly wider than Friday's level of about $11 a barrel, according to Net Energy Exchange. Excavation crews worked through the weekend, but work was hampered by inclement weather, a spokesman for Missouri's Department of Natural Resources said. The total amount of oil spilled has not been determined and contractors will assess the exposed pipeline on Monday, spokesman Brian Quinn said in an email. Temperatures in the St Louis area dropped more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit below average levels over the weekend, data from weather-forecaster AccuWeather showed. TransCanada said personnel working on the cleanup of the spill affirm that the released product is controlled and there is no threat to public safety. Both TransCanada and Enbridge Inc shut their lines in the St Louis area last week as officials investigated the source of the leak. Enbridge said on Monday its Platte crude pipeline resumed normal operations on Friday evening. (Reporting by Devika Krishna Kumar in New York; Editing by David Gregorio and Matthew Lewis) Lengthy Prison Sentences For Charity Volunteer A former charity volunteer was convicted of stealing from two Hill County organizations and received lengthy prison sentences Tuesday, February 5. Pamela Alberts, 55, of Whitney, was convicted of felony theft committed while she was acting as treasurer of the Lake Whitney Ministerial Alliance (LWMA) and the Hill County Salvation Army. LWMA suffered a loss in excess of $100,000, and the Salvation Army suffered a loss of over $6,000, according to Whitney Police Department offense reports. While Alberts had not previously served prison time, she was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the LWMA theft and eight years in prison for the Salvation Army theft. Hill County District Attorney Mark Pratt, who prosecuted the cases, said that the long sentences are due to the egregious nature of the crimes against the non-profit agencies designed to aid those in need. Restitution of approximately $117,000 was also ordered by District Judge A. Lee Harris, who presided over the proceedings. Pipeline Recent events have intensified the economic and humanitarian crisis underway in the strife-torn South American nation of Venezuela. The Trump Administrations recognition of Venezuela National Assembly president Juan Gauido and latest round of sanctions, which essentially eliminate the nations oil exports to the U.S., could very well take the nation to the brink of collapse. Oil production will collapse further Prior to the introduction of the latest sanctions, Venezuelas oil production was already in free fall and by December 2018 had plummeted to 1.1 million barrels daily, which was a whopping 40% lower than the daily average for 2017. The view among industry analysts is that the deeply troubled nations oil production, which is a vital economic lifeline for the embattled Maduro regime, will collapse to under 900,000 barrels daily. This represents an almost 20% decline compared to December 2018s output and can be ascribed to the impact of the latest U.S. sanctions. These are essentially designed to stop the Maduro regime benefiting financially and receiving the proceeds of any oil sales made by state-controlled oil company PDVSA. The rapid collapse of Venezuelas petroleum industry is being hastened by skilled labour fleeing for better wages and conditions in other major oil-producing nations such as Iraq, Kuwait, and Nigeria. A significant lack of investment in Venezuelas vast oil fields and infrastructure combined with the dearth of qualified labour is causing field-decline rates to accelerate at a rapid clip, further weighing on the volume of oil produced. For those reasons, the oil-rich nations petroleum production could decline at a greater clip than anticipated. The latest sanctions will basically choke off U.S. imports of Venezuelan crude, which, for November 2018, totalled 563,000 barrels daily. This has caused many U.S. refiners to scramble for alternative sources of sour heavy crude feedstock for their operations. Story continues Most of Venezuelas production is heavy sour crude, which is a crucial feedstock for U.S. refineries, particularly on the Gulf Coast. Unless those refiners are willing to undertake costly measures to reconfigure their operations to process lighter sweeter forms of oil, then they will be forced to look elsewhere for sources of heavy oil. This will trigger greater demand and hence bolster prices for Canadian heavy crude known as Western Canadian Select (WCS) and be a boon for the oil sands industry. In fact, the announcement of the latest round of U.S. sanctions in late January 2019 lifted oil prices and caused the differential between WCS and the North American benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) to narrow. This additional demand could also make the production cuts introduced by Albertas provincial government redundant. Edmonton has already elected to reduce those cuts to 250,000 barrels daily for February and March because they raised WCS prices to a point where it has become uneconomic to ship it by rail. There were also concerns that substantially higher WCS would cause U.S. refiners to look elsewhere for heavy oil because of reduced refining margins. If Venezuelas oil exports to the U.S. are choked off, this eliminates an important source of heavy crude, making those businesses more dependent on Canadas oil sands. What does this mean for the oil sands? That bodes well for those operators like MEG Energy (TSX:MEG), which are dependent on accessing energy markets to sell the heavy crude they produce. It will also incentivize other, larger heavy oil producers like Canadian Natural Resources and Cenovus Energy to ramp up activity at their heavy oil operations after slowing production in response to weaker WCS prices. If the government-mandated production cuts are lifted or substantially eased and Canadian oil prices remain firm, then it will highly beneficial for MEG. This is because they forced the company to cap its 2019 production guidance at 90,000-92,000 barrels daily, despite its operations being capable of producing on average 100,000 barrels each day. It has also led to higher expenses per barrel of crude produced, seeing MEG forecast 2019 non-energy operating costs of $4.75-5.25 per barrel, which is around 5% greater than 2018. The ability to expand production will bolster profitability and earnings, ultimately giving MEGs market value a solid lift. More reading Fool contributor Matt Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2019 TIMER SAYING TIME FOR ACTION A prolonged slump in natural gas prices, which sees the North American Henry Hub benchmark trading around US$2.62 per million British thermal units (MMBTU), coupled with the deep discount applied to Canadian AECO gas pricing is making many domestic natural gas drillers unattractive investments. Those factors shouldnt deter investors from making contrarian investments in natural gas producers with solid balance sheets, quality assets, and the ability to access premium pricing outside Canada. One such company is Canacol Energy (TSX:CNE), which has gained 5% since the start of 2019, and there are signs of further upside ahead. Quality assets and growing production Canacol has become a leading natural gas producer in the South American nation of Colombia where it has almost 1.2 million net acres comprised of eight blocks in the Llanos, Middle Magdalena, and Lower Magdalena basins. At the end of July 2018 and after divesting the majority of its Colombian oil assets in late September 2018, Canacol had reserves of 113 barrels of oil equivalent, which was 88% weighted to natural gas. By the third quarter 2018, Canacol had grown its production to an average of almost 22,000 barrels of oil equivalent daily, which was 33% greater than for the equivalent period in 2017 and 92% weighted to natural gas. The driller expects its oil equivalent production to reach over 35,000 barrels daily by June 2019. Importantly, the completion of critical pipeline infrastructure in northern Colombia will increase the volume of natural gas that Canacol can pump to crucial local energy markets. That should see a notable uptick in sales volumes further bolstering the drillers earnings. Solid exploration upside Canacols considerable drilling success, which is estimated to be at 80%, means that its production and reserves will continue to grow at a healthy clip. The company recently completed its Nelson 13 development well located on the Esperanza block in the Lower Magdalena Valley basin, where it encountered 266 feet of net gas pay. This is the thickest formation of gas that Canacol has found on any of its blocks in the basin. Story continues Canacol has also allocated US$119 million for its 2019 capital budget, which will be funded from existing cash and cash flow generated by operations during the year. Of that, US$50 million has been allocated to fund the drilling of five exploration and three development wells, which, based on Canacols drilling success rate as well as the quality of its properties, bodes well for further discoveries and reserves growth. While these attributes along with a robust balance sheet and considerable liquidity, including US$53 million in cash at the end of the third quarter bode well for Canacols outlook, it is its ability to lock in higher-than-market prices for the natural gas it sells, which makes it a highly appealing investment. Why buy Canacol? Colombia, which was once self-sufficient, is suffering from a natural gas shortage that is so severe that it was forced to start sustained imports of liquid natural gas (LNG) in 2017. Growing demand, declining production from mature gas fields, and a dearth of new major natural gas discoveries are all responsible for triggering an expanding shortage of the fuel. This is being magnified by the crisis in Venezuela, including the implosion of that nations oil industry and deteriorating political relations between the two countries, because Colombias neighbour by mid-2017 was responsible for around 78% of all natural gas imports. Those expanding supply constraints mean that Canacol has been able to lock in very favourable pricing for the natural gas that it sells. For 2019, it estimates it will receive US$4.63 per MMBTU, which is 77% greater than the benchmark North American market price of US$2.62 and more than double the Canadian AECO price of US$1.46 per MMBTU. This gives it a handy financial advantage over North American natural gas producers and, when coupled with rising production, will give its earnings a healthy lift. More reading Fool contributor Matt Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2019 (Bloomberg) -- Europes scooter startups Tier Mobility and Voi Technology AB have held early-stage discussions to combine their operations, in response to the impact of larger U.S. rivals on the continent, according to people familiar with the discussions. The talks, which started in November, recently stalled after Voi concluded that it could continue its growth independently, one person said. All of the people asked not to be identified discussing private plans. Fredrik Hjelm, chief executive officer of Voi, said via email that "other local players" had approached the company for merger talks, but declined to comment further on the discussions. Lawrence Leuschner, co-founder and managing director of Tier, said via email Sunday that his company would "proceed with full force our standalone expansion," but added that at some point, "there will be consolidation." The European scooter industry has become quickly congested, with a host of startups springing up in quick succession. Stockholm-based Voi launched in August, and Berlins Tier and Wind Mobility followed within weeks. Flash, the company created by Delivery Hero co-founder Lukasz Gadowski and also headquartered in Germany, has small-scale operations in Portugal, Spain and Switzerland, and is planning a wider European roll-out in the spring. The arrival in Europe over the past year of U.S. rivals Lime and Bird Rides Inc. have caused local players to consider how to deal with competitors that have much deeper pockets. Both Lime and Bird have raised hundreds of millions of dollars and have been aggressively expanding across Europe. Theyre already said to be seeking hundreds of millions more in funding. Lime is already active in about 22 European cities, according to its website, a little more than a year after it announced its debut on the continent. In comparison, Flash raised 55 million euros ($62 million) during its first funding round in August, Voi announced a $50 million initial round in November. Tier has raised about $30 million, and Wind about $22 million. Story continues Aside from U.S. competition, investors in European scooter startups are concerned they will remain too fragmented to support successful fund-raises for all players, the people said. There are more than half a dozen comparably-funded players battling it out in Europe, compared to two or three frontrunners in the U.S. Potential mergers are one of the routes Europes nascent scooter industry is considering taking to fight of the U.S. giants, but theres also a fight for top talent. Voi has hired Limes Noa Khamallah to become its vice president of global strategy, while Matt Turzo left ride-hailing company Lyft Inc. to take the European chief operating officer role at Wind in November. (Adds comment from Tier in 4th paragraph.) To contact the reporter on this story: Nate Lanxon in London at nlanxon@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Giles Turner at gturner35@bloomberg.net, Anne VanderMey For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. David Koyzis is a Global Scholar with Global Scholars Canada. He is the author ofand. He taught politics for thirty years at Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. Opinion / National President ED has embarrassed our women. While being interviewed in Addis Abbaba, he told the reporter that he needs to see the graves of the murdered Zimbabweans in order to accept that the Zimbabwe National Army and police were responsible for the recent killings. The president blamed women for stage managing rape claims. There is only one rape case connected to the soldiers reported in Chitungwiza according to him. This piece seeks to advice President ED Mnangagwa to swallow his pride and apologize for the murder of 17 and rape case(s), it is very difficult for him to hide behind his finger.History has been always telling us that ZANU PF has no time to apologize for the atrocities that they committed from Gukurahundi to the August 1 2018 murders. I was thinking that forgiveness was going to be part of President ED Mnangagwa's new dispensation. It is now being confirmed that ZANU PF youths could have been responsible for the murders and rape. One of the culprits confessed that he was given uniforms for army from ZANU PF HQ. This vindicates what Jim Kunaka told the August 1 2018 commission. He told the commission that, ZANU PF has been arming youths and thugs to perpetrate violence against the opposition.It was a shock for me to learn that, President ED Mnangagwa does not know the figure of the innocent Zimbabweans murdered during the previous confrontation between ZCTU and the army/police. He offended the relatives of the victims by demanding a grave count of the murdered innocent Zimbabweans. I am confident that the president was not telling the reporter the truth. The UK government has already taken action against Zimbabwe following the murder of 17 innocent civilians. European Union (EU) has refused to remove the restrictions on Zimbabwe because of the murder of the 17 innocent civilians and the rigged elections of 2018.Actions by UK government and EU should have given our President wisdom to apologize for the murders committed by the army before the world. It is very difficult for the president to run away from the murders. The only humble solution is for the president to apologize and request for a fresh start with the international community. It is not too late for our president to apologize, he should do the right thing now.There are allegations of rape that the government of ED should take seriously. President ED accepted that there is only one rape case reported in Chitungwiza that was related to soldiers. That acceptance on its own is a reflection that cases of rape of Zimbabwean women during the disturbance may be prevalent. President ED Mnangagwa appeared to be threatening the rape victims. Majority of these women have already fled into exile and the President is threatening to bring them back to the country because of the notion that they are soiling the image of Zimbabwe abroad.There is no way these (raped women) can get fair justice in Zimbabwe because they are no longer protected by the President who is supposed to make sure that justice is delivered. It is unfortunate that our President (who is supposed to be neutral) has taken a side against the raped women. In short, the President has just intimidated the victims of rape and we should not expect fair justice out of this. There is need for President to apologize before women, I know the agony that they are going through.Don Chigumba is a mixed methods research specialist can be found on twitter @Donchigumba Opinion / Columnist Brian Maregedze is an author, historian and columnist. He can be contacted at bmaregedze@gmail.com The New Curriculum in Zimbabwe has seen students and teachers alike struggle to have access to teaching aids particularly reading material, thereby relying on internet sources. In a number of circumstances, the internet isn't adequate to address the demands set out in the syllabus. This series of Know your authors has opened avenues for me to meet and engage with some of the authors whom I share the same interests, that is, interpreting the New Curriculum as an opportunity for academic entrepreneurship rather than an impediment to learning in Zimbabwe.Wilson Zivave is the author of two books, namely, A Practical Approach to Family and Religious Studies Form 4 under Secondary Book Press in Harare. More interesting from the author is that the book is approved by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, an indicator of progress within the Family and Religious Studies (FRS) fraternity. An upcoming book from Zivave, co-authored text with Chivhenge E. and Mazuruse, M. is titled, Family and Religious studies: A dynamic guide to Indigenous religion at 'A' level under Booklove publishers in Gweru.Wilson Zivave is an exceptional author and young rising scholar in Religious Studies with vast teaching experience of the subject currently based in Masvingo province in Zimbabwe. Zivave's research interests include but not limited to Media and literature representations and religious practices, Curriculum Development and Technology, Old Testament and Contextual Concerns affecting Africa (for instance HIV-AIDS, gender, social justice and landlessness etc.) and also Old Testament prophecy (pre-classical and classical prophets).The rising thought power, Zivave is currently pursuing his PhD Studies at the University of South Africa (UNISA), the same university he attended and graduated with a Masters of Arts in Religious Studies in 2018. Zivave worked his M.A in Religious Studies titled, Gender and Power: A Feminist Critique of Hosea's Sexual Imaging in Hosea 1-3 And Its Implications for Contemporary Shona Women.In Zimbabwe, Zivave attained his B.A General at the then Masvingo State University (2003-2005) and later on B. A Honours (Special) in Religious Studies at Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) in 2011. Zivave has learning experiences from different universities and attained his Post Graduate Diploma at the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) in 2016. The 2016 research by Zivave is titled; E-Learning Pedagogy: An Assessment Of The Effectiveness Of E-Learning In The Teaching And Learning Of Religious Studies At Rural Day Secondary School-A Case Of Ndawi Secondary School In Gutu.The well experienced teacher, Zivave taught at Chikwanda High School (2006-2010) in Gutu, Masvingo province and now currently at Ndawi High School from 2010 to present. Some of his upcoming journal articles focus on examining, assessing and critically engaging with the Zimbabwe's New Curriculum in Family and Religious Studies. For example, Indigenous Religion and the stability of Marriage Institution: A critical review of Indigenous ways of reducing divorce in Zimbabwe. Above all, Zivave is a husband to wife- Shoko Angela-Billiet. Opinion / Columnist With all due respect, one must understand that the purported return of the savior was a staged coup. We, as a nation, had one goal in mind during the November 2017 period, to get rid of Mugabe and the suffering he brought on our nation. Yes, of course, it made sense. It was a moment we declared that at whatever cost, we should liberate ourselves from our own tyrannies. Injustice must end, intolerance must end, sabotage must end, suffering must end and freedom MUST be born again. We needed true freedom that the opposition parties and other independent bodies were preaching. Freedom - of speech, to associate, of the press, to demonstrate or rather the act of freely airing our grievances to the government or other institutions. Freedom from - national or native capture, national violence, torture, rape Freedom to access basics for our lives- goods, quality water, food and sanitation and health facilities. We needed freedom on our economic front and not imposition of bollars and uncalculated short-term plans on our economy, we needed freedom from corruption and corrupt officials, freedom from ZANU PF policies that indirectly promote a one party state although in public they portray multiparty democracy. We just needed the basics for a start after long years of suffering under Mugabe's regime. That little moment of laughter, not because a friend said a joke but a laughter of freedom, a smile that outshines all joy, that freedom relief, I believe Mandela felt when he was released from Robben Islands prison after 27 years of detention.That time eventually arrived, when we called enough is enough, the nation was once more united. We buried our differences. Yes, it was a good thing and we should always fight for injustice as a unit. Unfortunately, we were only visualizing the tip of the iceberg. And this tip camouflaged itself as pro-people during the coup by being among the kingpin in the success of the coup. We blindly fall in the trap of internal wars of ZANU PF. They used our anger, strength and spirit of unitedness to swiftly retire Mugabe. Now their plan, embedded in our plan, worked well. Mnangagwa returns home the hero and already declared substantive president. I say their plan because the wake of the events of November 2017 were already pre-planned and they managed to organise it in such a manner that we don't see any other possible way other than to support the move to oust Mugabe. We did not have the time to sit down and plan the future of what would be next after Mugabe. Should we call or demand a fresh start through an immediate election? It may have been a wise idea to actually institute a GNU at that very point as an interim leadership until elections. This would have given Zimbabwe a better platform to implement all outstanding issues in our constitution. Moreover, it would have been a better platform to lure investors.However, pity fell upon a well staged victim story, the story of how I escaped and how friends took care of me. The story of how I know my past guerilla path running for freedom or away from my people so that I can return as their new savior, reincarnated. The victim and savior card did not come once and disappear into the thin air but we see it when it suits him. If it was used to unify and protect citizens, then I would say play it to the outside world. Otherwise, you are showing us your true character of a coward, who wants to harvest only the cream on top of the cherry. Come on!!! Do not take us for fools. Let us build Zimbabwe and not destroying it. Building Zimbabwe is not only from the economic front but it encompasses all aspects including giving people their full constitutional rights and prioritizing on national issues and not globetrotting! Opinion / Columnist Taurai J. Pachena is a Zimbabwean political and social commentator and analyst This morning I have been experiencing slow social media connectivity, and was suddenly overcome by a disturbing sense of deja vu, as I remembered those days in January when the Zimbabwe regime shutdown the internet in the wake of violent protests that rocked the country - and the subsequent, brutal and murderous crackdown unleashed on the people by security forces.I started wondering if this cowardly regime had resorted to its newly discovered tool of repression - internet shutdown - especially, considering that recently, there had been renewed calls for another stayaway scheduled for today, 11 February 2019.However, it appears as if there is no internet shutdown today, as the connectivity speed did eventually improve.I just hope did not speak too soon!However, the few moments of eerie remembrance of those January internet shutdown days, made me question why a regime would be so frightened of social media influence - especially, when they could so easily counter with their own propaganda?Instead, of shutting down the internet as a result of the anti-government messages being sent or posted, would it not be wise for the regime to keep the internet on, so that they can also utilise it to send and post their own version of events?But, then something hit me!The reason is quite simple, but very telling - the ZANU PF regime does not have enough supporters on social media to widely carry their messages!All those messages that have been critical of the ZANU PF regime and its blatant brutality had gone viral on social media - and, there is one very vital ingredient for anything to go viral on social media...huge numbers of followers.This is one ingredient that ZANU PF does not possess, and yet the opposition has in abundance!How many of us have ever been inaudated with pro-ZANU PF messages on social media?Possibly, very few!However, I am sure most of us are flooded with anti-ZANU PF messages, jokes, pictures and videos nearly every minute, such that some of us have to switch off data connection in order to have some breathing space.Why is that?As, already alluded to, for any message to go viral on social media, there is need for huge numbers of followers.So, does it mean that ZANU PF does not have a huge support base?Certainly, not!This is a party that garnered two thirds of all parliamentary seats in last year's harmonised elections - although, the presidential election result is still contentious.So, why would a party that enjoys such a gigantic support base unable to spread their social media messages like wild fire?Should the situation not be the other way round - whereby, ZANU PF social media messages would be the ones going viral, and the opposition left standing on one leg?Should the opposition not be the ones crying foul over social media messages, and wishing the internet would be shutdown?Why would a party with a whole two thirds parliamentary majority fail to have social media dominance?Why would they be the ones who are actually crying foul - like big Goliaths being relentlessly pelted by little Davids?The answer is also quite simple, but revealing - ZANU PF support base is mainly composed of rural illiterate folk, whilst the opposition is comprised of savvy educated people.As such, social media is dominated by the opposition, whilst the ruling party sits on the sidelines whining.However, the issues go deeper than that - as this is more than just about social media.What this means cuts through the very essence of Zimbabwe as a country, and why we are always in a mess.We, as Zimbabweans travel all over the world, and there is one very disturbing question that we have always encountered - why do you guys keep electing such an incompetent party?Yes, we can answer with the usual 'rigging of elections' drivel - but, as expected, we are always told that if we had the numbers, there is no way ZANU PF would successfully rig any elections....and that is the unsavory truth!ZANU PF has the numbers behind them - but, what type of people are these who would continue voting into power a party that clearly does not give a hoot about them, abuses, brulises and even kills innocent citizens, and plunders the nation's resources till ordinary people have nothing to live on?The illiterate!The illiterate can easily be lied to and they will believe ZANU PF yarns hook, line and sinker.As they do not have access to constructive information, the majority of ZANU PF support base can believe anything, even as daft as sanctions being the source of their suffering.As a result of their illiteracy, most of ZANU PF supporters do not have real ambitions, and an offer of meagre goodies, as a few groceries, bags of seed, fertilizer and pesticide, would be more than what Santa could ever provide.Even urban ZANU PF supporters would be more than grateful to be provided finances for a small poultry 'project'.However, the savvy literate opposition supporters want more from their education!They expect to be high-earning engineers, own the latest Ferrari, a mansion in the leafy suburbs - something that the failed ZANU PF regime could never ever enable the country's economy to provide...not even in a thousand years, let alone before 2030.As such, it is easier for ZANU PF to galvanise two thirds parliamentary seats, as the majority of Zimbabweans may be 'literate' as far as reading and writing are concerned, but are not 'world literate'.The majority of Zimbabweans do not know what to demand from their government.The majority of Zimbabweans do not understand what heights they can soar - if only they had a competent government in place.The majority of Zimbabweans do not know that the president is their servant - in every sense of the word - and should please their every need, and be at their Beck and Call.Instead, Zimbabweans believe that they are answerable to the president - no wonder they call top government officials 'shefu'.They would rather sit in the blazing sun, chilling cold, or drenching rain - during a rally - whilst, the 'shefus' sit in the shade, drinking and eating....or, being made to sit in the scorching sun, just to watch a road in Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe being tarred!The president and his deputies can fly, all over the world, in hired super expensive planes - whilst, ordinary people can not even afford kombi fare to town - and that will still be 'normal' for ZANU PF supporters.They will tell you that "yes, these are 'shefus', they deserve all these comforts".Correct me if I am wrong, but these were the same people who saw nothing wrong with the White people's privileged lifestyles during Rhodesia - because, "varungu ka ava".Even during those colonial days, they are the same people who needed the educated savvy people to show them that there was everything wrong with the status quo.Of course, there are a few that have 'woken up' to the reality of ZANU PF's incompetence and callousness, but due to that same illiteracy, they can easily be intimidated - even with the most daft things like, "we can tell who you would have voted for, by using your voter registration numbers".As I appreciate that today there is, at least, internet connectivity, I can not help but feel so sad that our country is still at that stage in the evolution of global development.Zimbabwe still has a long way to go, as far as real literacy is concerned, and as such, it is up to all of us to educate all our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters on what it means to have a really progressive government.We need to pass on that knowledge on what standard of living we deserve, and should strive for.Without the majority of Zimbabweans possessing such an understanding, we will be in the doldrums of the global village for decades to come. News / National by Staff reporter President Emmerson Mnangagwa has returned home from the 32nd ordinary session of the African Union assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which took a strong stand on reforming the continental body and its organs.The President was welcomed at the Robert Mugabe International Airport by Vice President Kembo Mohadi, Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri, State Security Minister Owen Ncube, service chiefs and other government officials.At the AU Summit, Mnangagwa urged AU member states to unite in reforming the continental body by means of honouring their financial obligations and shun the donor dependency syndrome.Mnangagwa also held several meetings with fellow presidents and potential investors, as he continued with his engagement and re-engagement drive meant to attract improved foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country.Just before his departure from Ethiopia today, President Mnangagwa toured industrial parks in that country to familiarise himself with the Ethiopian industrial operations in light of his industrialisation vision through the creation of special economic zones in Zimbabwe. Itasca Chamber Of Commerce Honors Community Members The Itasca Chamber of Commerce and community leaders gathered at the HILCO Civic & Event Center for a steak dinner Monday, January 28. The evening kicked off with Mark Fehnel and the Itasca ACE Choir. The citizen of the year award went to lifetime resident Judy Offutt, who graduated from Itasca High School in 1982. She is the daughter of Bessie and Houston Barlow. She is the mother of son, Cameron and wife Kat Offutt, and daughter, Emily and husband Josh Newby. She has two grandchildren, Justin and Alley. Offutt is a member of First Presbyterian Church of Itasca as a session clerk, worship committee chairperson, administration member and serves on the Congressional Care and Outreach committees. She also serves on Itasca City Council, is the secretary of the Itasca Chamber of Commerce and is a lifetime member of the Itasca Volunteer Fire Department and a reserve member for the Itasca Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary. Offutt is a certified Wildlife Rehabilitator and cares for orphaned or wounded animals. The youth of the year plaque was awarded to Wyatt Helms for his service to his school and community. He plans to attend Hill College and then transfer to a university to pursue a degree in agriculture business. His top picks are Texas Tech, Tarleton and West Texas A&M. The Olde Towne Country Store won the Business of the Year award. Located at 102 West Main Street in Itasca, the business sells homemade goods and also offers a dining area. Les Alley finished the evening and sold items in a live auction benefiting the chamber. The event concluded with the silent auction winner announcements. National Honor Society members from Itasca ISD served the meal. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu STATEMENT BY THE SADC CHAIRPERSON, HIS EXCELLENCY DR. HAGE G. GEINGOB, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA, ON THE POLITICAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE The Consultative Meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government, held on 09 February 2019, received a briefing from His Excellency, Mr. Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, on the current political and socio-economic developments in the country. The SADC Heads of State and Government noted that since coming to power, the new Government of Zimbabwe has continued with concerted efforts to address socioeconomic challenges and transform the economy, particularly through the Zimbabwe Transitional Stabilization Programme (2018-2020), and to consolidate unity and peace in the country. This, notwithstanding, some internal groups, in particular NGOs, supported by external forces, have continued with efforts to destabilise the country. The SADC Heads of State and Government also noted that in an effort to address the economic challenges in the country, the Government recently increased fuel prices. Unfortunately, violent demonstrators rode on the back of increases in fuel prices, to implement their intention to destabilise the country. The demonstrations resulted in the destruction of property and loss of life. SADC condemns, in the strongest terms, the violence that ensued, and expresses sympathy with the affected families for the loss of their loved ones and their properties. The SADC Heads of State and Government further noted that the Government's efforts to transform the economy and bring about prosperity to the people of Zimbabwe are negatively affected by the illegal sanctions that were imposed on the country since the early 2000. SADC expresses its solidarity with the Government and the people of the Republic of Zimbabwe, and calls upon the international community to unconditionally lift all sanctions imposed on the country. The SADC Heads of State and Government also noted that the Government has commenced dialogue with all stakeholders in the country with a view to strengthening economic transformation, and calls upon all stakeholders to support the process. Dr. Hage G. Geingob President of the Republic of Namibia, and Chairperson of SADC 11 February 2019 The Southern African Development Community has call3ed upon all stakeholders in Zimbabwe to participate in the National Dialogue process that has been initiated by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.In a statement issued by SADC Chairperson Hage G. Geingob, SADC revealed that in a Consultative Meeting held on the 9th of February President Mnangagwa briefed the regional bloc on the recent developments in the country."The SADC Heads of State and Government noted that the government has dialogue with all stakeholders in the country with a view to strengthening economic transformation, and calls upon all stakeholders to support the process."SADC further said it stands in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe in fighting sanctions that were imposed by the United States of America, United Kingdom and their Western allies.Find the Full statement below: News / National by Mandla Ndlovu Losing Bulawayo South Member of Parliament Josphat Mzaca Ngulube who was arrested during the army crackdown following the #ShutdownZimbabwe protest has spoken out for the first time since he was granted bail last week.He was detained at Khami Maximum prison.Ngulube is famed for having called for all citizens of Bulawayo to engage in a massive uprising dubbed #ShutdownBulawayo on the 16th of January. However his call for protest was overtaking by a three day violent protest that commenced on the 14th of January."Arrested youths were traumatized, you can't arrest jiggies thieves and house them with D class criminals.We have recruited more criminals because what they met and were taught has changed them completely, As leaders we should think before we act!" Ngulube said.Ngulube revealed that there were arrested persons who died in remand prison due to vomiting blood."Who will be prosecuted for those who died during demonstration? Especially those who died in prison vomiting blood?"Arresting torturing killing civilians won't solve economic crisis, Zimbabwean leaders should be matured solve the problems don't persecute civilians."Ngulube and 11 others are accused of fanning and taking part in the violence that rocked the country in January.The state accuses them of burning three cars, destroying a precast wall and breaking several windows of a house belonging to ZANU PF Bulawayo provincial women's league chairperson, Eva Bitu.Ngulube who contested elections as an Independent joined the opposition Movement for Democratic Change led by Neslon Chamisa soon after the elections. News / National by Staff reporter First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa will this week meet with wives of traditional leaders to map strategies to end child abuse, girl child marriages, gender-based violence, rape cases and prostitution in rural areas, as well as promote cleanliness and food security.The initiative is at the instigation of chiefs who requested her during their November meeting to work with their wives in her ongoing efforts to reach out to marginalised communities with initiatives that empower women.The government has completed putting in place a framework that will see chiefs' wives meeting the first lady in batches.In a February 7 letter to all provincial administrators countrywide, permanent secretary in the Local Government ministry George Magosvongwe directed them to ensure that their district counterparts assist the traditional leaders' wives in compiling the number of all girls aged 18 years and below, women aged 18-40 years, those aged 40-60, as well as those aged 60 and above in demographics required by the first ladyUnder the programme, the country will be divided into regions where Auxillia will meet them to reduce the cost of travel.In that vein, the country was divided into regions 1, 2 and 3 where Mashonaland East, West and Central provinces are in region 1, while Midlands, Matabeleland North and South are in region two, and region three comprises Masvingo and Manicaland provinces.The meeting for region 1 has been scheduled for February 15 at Zimbabwe House in Harare. Every chieftainship must be represented and where the throne is vacant, send in a female representative.The move to rope in chiefs' wives into the first lady's programme was approved at a Zimbabwe House meeting held last week, attended by representatives from the ministries of Primary and Secondary Education, Public Service, Justice, Women Affairs, Home Affairs, Local Government and the Zimbabwe Republic Police.Representatives of UN Women, Econet, NetOne and She Care also attended the event.The first lady said the institution of the traditional leadership has always been central to the governance of communities in Zimbabwe.The first lady clarified she was doing this through her office and her charity, Angel of Hope Foundation.She said involvement of the chiefs' wives would be guided by the responsibilities assigned to the chiefs as enshrined in the Constitution. News / National by Staff reporter The United Nations Watch has commended activist and cleric Evan Mawarire's fight for democracy, pledging to support him as he heads for trial.The Geneva-based non-governmental organisation said it stands with the "Zimbabwean human rights hero" recently released from prison."He's being charged with attempting to subvert the government, when all he did was support peaceful protests, freedom and democracy," the statement reads.Mawarire was released on $2 000 bail after spending two weeks at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison for allegedly inciting violence during recent anti-government protests. News / National by Staff reporter The wife of the late opposition MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said Valentine's Day is a poignant time for her, struggling to deal with the pain and grief of losing her husband.Still a tall, voluptuous, imposing and graceful figure, Elizabeth Tsvangirai (nee Macheka) told the Daily News at a memorial event she hosted in honour of her late husband on Saturday that she was apprehensive at the thought of walking alone through Valentine's Day on Thursday - the day she lost her spouse.The late MDC founding leader lost his valiant battle against colon cancer on February 14 last year.He had wed Elizabeth in September 2012 after a messy fallout with his ex-wife Locadia Karimatsenga, who was much loved by the family, especially by the late opposition leader's mother.Tsvangirai's first wife Susan died in a car crash in 2009 shortly after Zimbabwe's inclusive government was sworn into power.In an interview with the Daily News, Elizabeth said the pain of letting go was hurting her, and she has had to experience the agony and heartbreak of losing her "lovely husband".On Saturday, Elizabeth handed over groceries to about 15 parents with physically-handicapped children at New Hope Foundation at a function attended by the mayoress of Harare Lydia Gomba.She told the Daily News on the side-lines of the event that it hurts to be a widow on Valentine's Day."I wish he (Tsvangirai) was here with me to celebrate Valentine's Day because we were so close - you see. We had been married for a long time and had become so used to each other that I cannot avoid thinking about what we used to do, the good old days, you see. He was a great, yet such a lovely husband," she said.Elizabeth said she will continue to reach out to comfort the needy like what her late husband did all the time."His genuine love for Zimbabweans in general was exceptional hence I have chosen this day to also share with these children," she said, adding that normally she donates in December for Christmas."It is because I wanted to honour my husband that I have chosen to hand over the little I have managed to gather this important month".Elizabeth says she is struggling to absorb the brutal fact of Tsvangirai's death at the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre in Johannesburg where the former Prime Minister of Zimbabwe passed."I have chosen this time of the year (February) because during this time last year, I would not have imagined that I would be able to stand in front of people again because of what I was going through," she told the Daily News."Tsvangirai was critically ill and we met difficulties I had never encountered before but God gave me strength until he passed on. The period made me realise that all that happens has God's purpose and that I also had a purpose on Tsvangirai's life."She declined to respond to some of the questions about her life saying she will only be able to do so after her husband's memorial in three months' time.Tsvangirai's daughter Vimbai Tsvangirai-Java posted on microblogging site Twitter that an anniversary memorial service to celebrate the life of Tsvangirai will be held on May 4, 2019 at Humanikwa Village, Buhera.Tsvangirai's death was almost overshadowed by a bitter family dispute that pitted his wife Elizabeth, with whom he had no children with, on one hand, and his children, mother and siblings on the other hand.Elizabeth - cast as a villain throughout the funeral rites - played a peripheral role, with Tsvangirai's mother at one time threatening to commit suicide if she was allowed to attend the funeral.It was the same script during Tsvangirai's last days in South Africa when the family also barred Elizabeth from visiting her husband as he battled the deadly cancer ailment.Harassed by her in-laws since the time Tsvangirai was admitted to the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre in Johannesburg, Elizabeth, now 42, almost considered suicide as a flurry of accusations were thrown her way.While in South Africa, she had to be sneaked in to see her dying husband. News / National by Staff reporter President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is in Addis Ababa for the 32nd Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly, has toured Bole Lemi Industrial Parks located on the periphery of the capital city.President Mnangagwa tours two textile firms in EthiopiaTwo of the industrial parks visited Jay Jay Textiles and Ashton Garment Manufacturers specialise in textiles and clothing mainly for the export market.The idea of industrial parks resonates with President Mnangagwa's vision of modernisation and industrialisation and creation of special economic zones across the country.The directors at the textile firms visited by the President said they are employing thousands of people.Jay Jay Textiles employs more than 4 000 workers, the majority of whom are women.More to follow..... News / National by Mandla Ndlovu Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa says ZANU PF Youths seem to be untouchable hence the failure of police to arrest them when the have been reported to be in possession of guns.Mliswa was commenting after one Shepherd Magorimbo told a court that he got a military uniform he used to terrorise residents from the Zanu PF headquarters during the recent violent protests that were followed by army crackdown of civilians."It would appear that ZANUPF youths are untouchable if they can be seen in possession of AK47s, rifles etc and yet still not arrested." Mliswa said.The police and the army have denied being responsible for the death of 17 citizens during the crackdown and blamed it on rogues soldiers and civilians who stole army and police uniforms and guns.Last month there we reports that ZANU PF Youth leader Godfrey Gomwe was arrested and found in possession of four guns after being accused of robbery and arson. It was later reported that an instruction from Vice President Constantino Chiwenga secured his release.During the Kgalema Motlanthe led commission into the 1 August killings National Patriotic Front leader Jimmy Kunaka said ZANU PF youths are usually given army and police uniforms and deployed to beat up citizens during elections and protests.President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Sunday told France24 that there was no evidence of the army and the police ever committing acts of violence, rape and extra-judicial killings.He called upon anyone with evidence to the contrary to provide it for the world to see. News / National by Staff reporter A 46-YEAR-OLD Shurugwi man was last Thursday shot dead after he was reportedly mistaken for a warthog by a farm owner.Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko confirmed the death of Godfrey Musuruvari, who died upon admission to Gweru Provincial Hospital after he was shot by Elias Mpupuni."We are investigating a case where a 46-year-old male was shot in the maize field after being mistaken for a warthog," Goko said."Circumstances are that on February 7 at Marula Farm in Shurugwi, Mpupuni received information from his brother-in-law to the effect that warthogs were in a maize field. He rushed to the fields armed with a 7mm shot gun rifle loaded with one round. Upon seeing a moving object, he suspected it to be a warthog and he shot in that direction."Upon checking the target, he discovered that he had shot Musuruvari and he was bleeding profusely." News / National by Staff reporter PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday met Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid and the two leaders discussed economic cooperation. Estonia is arguably the most digital society in the world as the former Soviet republic launched electronic governance in 1997, digital ID in 1999 and electronic tax in 2000.E-governance enabled Estonia to improve the competitiveness of the state and the well-being of its people.President Mnangagwa and President Kaljulaid met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, after attending the official opening of the 32nd Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly and two leaders had talks on bilateral cooperation and opportunities in the field of digital technologies.President Mnangagwa's closed door meeting with President Kaljulaid lasted close to an hour.President Kaljulaid described the engagement as very fruitful."First, he gave me the overall economic development of your country and we have to say it was wonderful to hear about very concrete plans and we tried to see how Estonian experience in digital development could match with what you are doing in your country. Estonia is a country where public services are fully digital. You cannot get married online but everything else in online" she said.President Kaljulaid said Estonian companies had already visited Zimbabwe to explore potential areas of investment and cooperation."Our companies have already been to your country and our ambassador as well as been to your country already looking for ways to cooperate and to develop digital services in your country. I think we found a lot of interesting information about each other's country and we agreed we need to continue to cooperate. In our case we are a small country but we have embraced digital technologies because it is just effective and productive to do things online," she said.Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Sibusiso Moyo, who also attended the meeting, said President Kaljulaid wanted to find out more information on Zimbabwe when she paid a courtesy call on President Mnangagwa."The President of Estonia made a courtesy call on His Excellency and her desire was to find out more about Zimbabwe's challenges and Zimbabwe's needs and in that regard, she was then given a very detailed background of the history of Zimbabwe's economy for the past two decades up to today."We are a country which is grappling with its economic emancipation without lines of credit and without any balance of payments support. As a result of that, she then made a commitment because they are specialists in digital services. In Estonia everything is digital. You register a baby birth, everything else automates to give a number, to give a health certificate and right across. It is integrated between the private sector and Government. They are one of the countries who have pioneered outside Bill Gates' Microsoft and also developed the other side of things which is cyber security because as you develop technologically you have got this threat of cyber. They have moved with these two simultaneously. It was a good discussion," said Minister Moyo. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu Teachers' Unions yesterday announced that they have suspended the nationwide industrial action that commenced on the 5th of February with immediate effect.In a joint statement by Zimbabwe Teachers Association and Progressive Teachers Union they said, "Our members who were on industrial action (strike) must report for work commencing Monday the 11th February 2019 and wait for further commands and direction and fully operational by Tuesday the 12th of Feb 2019."The Unions said the action to cancel the industrial action has been necessitated by their desire to engage parliament and the courts."We are motivated by the need to engage other arms of the State inter alia the Legislature and the Judiciary after realizing that the Executive has failed to address our members' needs," They said.The Unions however said they reserve the right to regroup, re-strategise, engage and prepare for other disabling and extensive forms of industrial action should their members' needs remain unattended.The teachers have been engaged in an industrial action seeking to be paid in United states Dollars or $ 1 800 Bond dollars.The government has insisted that it does not have the kind of money yet to pay teachers.Another teachers' union the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) on Friday warned other Unions not to abandon the industrial action and sell out the teachers because history will judge them harshly.Government has branded as a regime change outfit that is not committed to the plight of the teachers. Amarillo Appeals Court Grants Dixon New Trial in Sonnier Murder-for-Hire Case The decision made Wednesday in court records said Dixon, has no community ties to Lubbock County but he has strong ties to the Amarillo community. https://www.myhighplains.com/news/local-news/dr-dixon-can-post-2-million-bond-appeals-court-rules/1708134344 LUBBOCK, Texas - An appeals court said Dr. Thomas Michael Dixon can post a $2 million bond to be released from custody while his case is on appeal. UPDATE: Dr. Michael Dixon, the former Amarillo plastic surgeon convicted in the murder-for-hire of Dr. Joseph Sonnier, has been granted a new trial by the 7th District Court of Appeals in Amarillo. To read the full story click the link below https://www.lubbockonline.com The Lubbock County District Attorneys Office is asking an appellate court in Amarillo to set a $2 million appeal bond amount for Thomas Dixon after he successfully appealed his capital murder conviction in connection with a 2012 murder-for-hire plot. https://www.amarillo.com/news/20181229/lubbock-da-seeks-2-million-appeal-bond-amount-for-thomas-dixon/1 - The president met with Gates during the African Union summit - Gates has previously been involved in extensive charity projects in Africa - He is also reportedly going to open a branch of his foundation in Johannesburg PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Briefly.co.za Ramaphosa has met with Microsoft founder Bill Gates for dinner. The meeting took place in Ethiopia, at an event organised by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The president was in the country for the annual session of African Union leaders. PAY ATTENTION: Save mobile data with FreeBasics: Briefly is now available on the app The meeting may seem odd at first, but Bill Gates has actually regularly met with African leaders. In addition to his successful business ventures, Gates has also been involved in extensive charity work in Africa and specifically South Africa, including funding TB and HIV/Aids research. His foundation has given more than $15 billion to the continent. Additionally, Gates is reportedly planning to open headquarters for his foundation in Johannesburg, according to eNCA. Speaking at the AU Summit, Gates expressed his belief that even Africa's poorest regions are able to implement effective basic healthcare. He said that these simple measures would go a long way toward preventing deadly diseases. Among the measures he promoted were vaccines and increasing the availability of antibiotic drugs. While acknowledging that Africa had made significant progress in terms of providing healthcare, he pointed out that child mortality rates were still concerning, Briefly.co.za learned. READ ALSO: Nandi Madida was nearly robbed of millions: but her publishers saved her At this point it is not clear exactly what Gates and Ramaphosa discussed, but the meeting is not unusual for Ramaphosa. He has previously met with several powerful business figures in Davos and elsewhere. This has largely been part of the president's efforts to drum up foreign investment into South Africa. Enjoyed reading our story? Download BRIEFLY's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major South African news! Source: Briefly.co.za After getting stranded in the rain with a flat tyre, Hennie Muller knew he wouldn't be able to change the tyre by himself. Fortunately, three kind men came his way and gave him the help he needed - without asking for anything in return. PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed! A local man was so impressed with the kind deed of strangers that he took to social media to share his experience. Hennie Muller - a mam known for sharing positive stories on Facebook recently shared that he got stranded in the rain with his bakkie. He had a flat tyre and no hope of fixing it alone. But South Africa's spirit of Ubuntu was waiting for this, and soon 3 men came to Hennie's rescue. PAY ATTENTION: Save mobile data with FreeBasics: Briefly is now available on the app Here's what happened, in Hennie's own words: Rain, flat tyre, Steven, Shadrack and taxi man called 'Sous' lended a hand. Thank you. In the must needed rainy wet on the evening of Friday 8th Feb 19 our bakkie got a flat tyre in busy Church street. It was not a nice experience. On my own, I would not have been able to change it. Firstly two gentlemen by the name of Stephen and Shadrack started to help. It was raining hard and the three of us were trying to lift the car, by getting the jack underneath to get it high enough. Well while we were working in the dark , with one torch, trying to stop fast approaching cars, with no respect for hazards flashing ahead, another caring man appeared, with his taxi. His name is -'SOUS' . HE WANTED NO photos of him, nor any recognition or money. HE got soaking wet. Quickly the spare tyre was on the car and we could move again. New hope for SA. READ ALSO: 6 African Americans who escaped slavery and became millionaires Briefly.co.za gathered that Hennie added a few words of caution to his inspiring story: NB Everyone, please make sure that all cars have all the tools to handle. Steven and Shadrack (Image Source: Facebook/Positive Relationships in SA) Source: Facebook South Africans were touched by the kind deed of the 3 men, and applauded them on Facebook: Lindiwe Mbassa Beautiful story...gives one hope! Elsabe Blackie Thank you .. you all make me PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN!!!!!! Anja Mackillican Beautiful people of my country. We in SA are blessed with men like guys. Many blessings to everyone. Thank you. Dot Nokuthula Mazibuko Ubuntu goes a long way. Unity we stand I also was helped by an old white guy few years ago.... Enjoyed reading our story? Download BRIEFLY's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major South African news! Source: Briefly.co.za Andrea Bocelli South Africa 2019 tour has been set for April. The classic music maestro is set to bring down the stage at the Ticketpro dome in Johannesburg and at Val de Vie Estate, Paarl in Capetown. The award-winning vocalist has 15 albums under his belt and additional collaborations with pop musicians like Ed Sheeran and Dua Lipa. His operatic work is a true definition of good music in a time when quality vocals have been traded for loud instrumentals. This, therefore, makes him a rare kind, one worth spending heavily on. Image: flickr.com @ PRess Serbia Source: UGC READ ALSO: Nandi Madida shared some of her favourite and most inspiring stories Andrea Bocelli tour 2019 in South Africa will see him perform a complete 140-piece symphony orchestra and choir. This, to lovers of good music, is a performance of the century. In Johannesburg, Andrea will be performing together with the Johannesburg Festival Orchestra and the symphony choir of Johannesburg. While in Cape Town, on the other hand, he will be on stage with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir. With this said, the big question is how much are tickets for the Andrea Bocelli concert? Andrea Bocelli tour dates 2019 and venue Cape Town Andrea will be performing on 22 April 2019 at the Val de Vie Estate in Cape Town. Price of tickets Gold Hospitality Package goes for R4295 per head and comes with: Prime seated ticket in Block B (Rows 10-15), Block C (Rows 11-18) and Block D (Rows 10-15). Three-course buffet. Complimentary local bar. Fully staffed private suite facility (before, during and after the show). Gold parking nearest to the venue. Platinum hospitality goes for R4795 per head. It comes with: Ticket to a prime spot in Block B (Rows 4-9), Block C (Rows 4 11) and Block D (Rows 4-9). French champagne reception. Premium three-course buffet. Complimentary premium bar. Desserts and coffees. Access to a private suite that is completely staffed (Prior to the show, during the show and after the show)Upmarket decor and furniture. Platinum parking closest to the venue. Platinum seats go for R3995 per head. This ticket comes with: Prime seat ticket in the first 3 rows in blocks FB and FC. It, however, does not include merchandise, parking, or hospitality General seats prices are from R1140 How to arrive at the Cape Town venue The venue, Val de Vie, is a 35 minute drive from the Cape Town International Airport and a 40-minute drive from Cape Town. It is also 8 and 15 minutes drive from the towns of Paarl and Franschhoek respectively. In addition to this, you can gain entrance to the estate using three gates, that is, a 15-minute drive from Stellenbosch; via new Berg River gatehouse, and through a bridge connecting the estate to the R45 samondium. Image: commons.wikimedia.org Source: UGC READ ALSO: List of all Mafikizolo songs ranked Johannesburg Date: 18 April 2019 Venue: Ticketpro Dome Ticket prices Platinum seats: R4295 per head. This ticket comes with: Prime seated ticket in Bleacher N. Exclusive access to the Blue Wing Hospitality facility. Concert Cocktail Menu, buffet style. Premium Bar Service. Parking in block A&B. Halaal / Kosher meals available on request - contact Ticketpro Dome at 011 794 5800. Tickets and hospitality available from bigconcerts starting Friday, 25 January 2019 at 09:00. READ ALSO: MWEB ADSL packages South Africa in 2019 General seats: begin at R1140 There is no reason for you to be late or miss this historic Andrea Bocelli South Africa 2019 performance. Book your ticket early in time, and if possible, familiarize yourself with the venue. Like all concerts, make sure to bring friends with you; it is more fun that way. Source: Briefly.co.za South Africa minimum wages 2019 came to effect from 1 January 2019, setting the minimum payable wage at 20 Rands per hour. This news was received well by all, especially the workers who saw it as a liberation from a long period of historical exploitation. According to President Cyril Ramaphosa, every employer is obligated to pay his employees more than the minimum wage. Image: flickr.com Source: UGC READ ALSO: Video reveals how Prophet Bushiri heals woman: It's a miracle! What is the minimum wage for 2019? The minimum wage legislation puts the minimum national rate at R20 per hour or R3500per month (varies with the number of hours worked). This new rate will be effected gradually in the domestic work and agriculture sector, with workers pocketing R15 and R18 respectively. When did minimum wage bill become law On the second month of the year 2017, stakeholders in business, government, and labor constituted in the National Economic Development and Labor Council, signed the minimum wage agreement for the first time. This was soon followed by cabinet approval the same year. In late 2018, both the National Council of Provinces and National Assembly passed the bill, together with the Basic Conditions of Employment Amendment Bill and the Labor Relations Amendment Bill. Once all this was done, president Cyril Ramaphosa assented the bill into law on November 2018. On the following month of December, he made a public announcement, in Kliptown, Soweto that the law will come to effect on January 1, 2019. READ ALSO: Is prophet Bushiri arrested? Work and Wages Before the setting of a national minimum wage, minimum wages were set at the area level and sectoral level. It was especially common for vulnerable sectors; those where market wages were quite low or had low union density. The new national minimum wage legislation has been made to preserve the value of national minimum wage, improve the wages of lowest paid workers, support the economic policy and promote collective bargaining. This wage is a standard value, which all employers are expected to abide by. However, the minimum wage can be changed following the recommendations of the National Minimum Wage Commission, which conducts yearly review of national minimum wage and recommend adjustments. According to Section 9-A of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, BCEA, a worker who works for less than 4 hours in a day should be paid for 4hrs of work on that day. Image: flickr.com Source: UGC Supporters, critics and the government The minimum wage legislation has attracted responses from both sides of the divide. The proponents of the law applaud the move because it will mitigate inequality and encourage economic growth and development, as workers will have more disposable income. The opponents of the bill say it is a bad idea. They claim that the law will lead to increased unemployment, which is already at its record high because most employers will not be able to pay the minimum wage. READ ALSO: Police officer opened case of assault against EFF after #SONA2019 slap Even though the government admits that setting a minimum wage will not solve the income inequality crisis, it surely is a step in the right direction as far as the correction the living wage problem is concerned. Generally, national minimum wages 2019, is a blessing to all low paid workers in South Africa. It will give the low paid worker more disposable income thus allowing improving his or her living standards. Source: Briefly.co.za If you want to travel to any part of the world, you must have a visa, which is a conditional authorization from the government that permits a foreigner to enter, stay, or exit that nation. For those in South Africa, during the visa application process, it is in your best interests to know about VFS tracking in South Africa so that you can stay ahead of the process. By doing so, you will enjoy a smooth process as well as avoid some common pitfalls along the way. Image: www.vfsglobal.com Source: UGC VFS is an acronym that stands for Visa Facilitation Services. There are a number of companies to facilitate this process such as an Indian company known as VFS Global, which also handles other passport issues. Established in 2001, this private company is now, as the name suggests, in most parts of the world. So, what is the procedure for VFS tracking in South Africa? READ ALSO: UNISA payment methods and fees VFS South Africa In line with the changing South African immigration regulations, the Department of Home Affairs contracted the services of VFS Global, an external organization, in opening of Visa Application Centers across the country. These centers are located in Bloemfontein, Durban, Cape Town, Johannesburg, George, Nelspruit, Kimberly, Port Elizabeth, Mangaung, Pretoria, and Rustenburg. This move eradicated the need for applicants to submit visa applications to the Department of Home Affairs regional offices but instead encourages physically handing in of biometric data and applications at the VFS centers. Applying for South Africa Temporary Residence Visa or Permanent Residence permit? Here is how you can track your application after following the application procedure. VFS tracking South Africa Now, you have prepared your application, correctly followed the application steps, and after submission, you can track the progress of the process. Here are the simple steps for VFS South Africa tracking 2019. Visit VFS Global South Africa website. Click on the "click here" button and then enter the required reference number. You will be redirected to the page where you will be required to enter the tracking or AURN number and your last name. Image: www.vfsvisaonline.com Source: UGC 4. After feeding these details, click on submit and you will get information on your application's progress. Depending on the outcome of the application, you can collect the decision yourself, or send a representative to the Visa Facilitation Centre with the required details to collect the decision. How long does it take to get a visa in South Africa? Depending on the category of visa application, Temporary Residence Permit applicants can wait for a minimum of 8-10 weeks for the process to be carried out. On the other hand, Permanent Residence Permit applicants have to wait for 8-10 months. Since each application is evaluated individually, processing time varies. So, note that South Africa's Department of Home Affairs does not give a specific length of time to process visa applications. How long does it take to get a visa to go to South Africa? For those in other countries, there is no standard period but it all depends on the visa policies in your country. Visa costs in South Africa Image: www.vfsvisaonline.com Source: UGC How much does a South African visa cost? Different countries have different regulations as well as varying payment systems and rates. In South Africa, visa payments are done online. If you have all the supporting documents, fill the online application form and pay the mandatory pre-pay minimum amount of R1350 to secure and schedule your appointment online. This pre-payment can be made: Online through the secure online portal using a debit or credit card At the Standard Bank, you will be required to download and then complete the online generated bank receipt and then deposit the cash into the nearest Standard Bank or make an EFT payment through a secure online portal. It is important to note that after paying the amount, you can visit your online application form after three business days to schedule your appointment. For the Financially Independent Permanent Residence applicants, you will be required to pay R120 000 which should be deposited into the account of the Department of Home Affairs prior to the issuance of the permit, and the proof of payment forwarded for attention to the relevant email addresses. What are the requirements for South Africa visa? For those outside South Africa, the requirements for each country vary but there are some general things that you must have. These things include: A valid passport that has at least three clear pages. It has to have a validity of at least one month when you leave South Africa. A photocopy of the bio-data page of the passport and a professional passport size photograph Self-employed people need to have letters from their business, certificates of ownership, and registration of the business. Retired people must present proof of retirement. A completed application form A copy of a yellow fever certificate A return ticket that can be verified or something similar If you are going to work, you need a signed proof of employment from the employer. A non-refundable fee that you will be informed of during the application. The fee does not include the VFS service fee. Above are the mandatory requirements. Anything else aside from this will be unique to the type of visa you want. For those in South Africa, to get the temporary or permanent residence permit, here are the steps to follow: Complete the appropriate online form and then pay the required pre-pay fee to schedule an appointment. Have all the documents required for the application. Go with your printed online application form, appointment letter, proof of payment, valid passport or travel papers and the supporting documents to the Visa Facilitation Centre on the day of the appointment. At the centre, collect a token and wait for your turn. After the application process, you will be given an acknowledgement receipt which you should keep safe as it will be needed for you to be given the decision later on. Note that you will have to register your photograph and fingerprints at the Visa Facilitation Centre, and select whether you will personally collect the decision or send a representative. Can you travel to South Africa without a visa? This depends on the passport you have. For example, people with US passports are free to visit South Africa without a visa if they are visiting for a period of less than 90 days. Other countries that have a similar privilege to the US include the UK, Norway, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, and many more. Regardless of the type of visa, VFS tracking in South Africa should be able to assist you anytime. READ ALSO: How to calculate VAT in South Africa There you go! You now have an in-depth understanding of VFS tracking in South Africa, as well as costs and visa application processes in South Africa. You should, therefore, have an easier time with the information provided above. READ ALSO Inspiring Nelson Mandela quotes on education, leadership and life State of the nation address 2019 - key takeaways National minimum wages 2019 in South Africa Petrol price February 2019 15 best Business opportunities in South Africa to start with Source: Briefly.co.za The newest edition of Dangerous by Design on walking safety and the dangerous autoism in our road design doctrine is out, and its news is n... Intended as a discussion group, the blog has evolved to be more of a reading list of current issues affecting our county, its government and people. All reasonable comments and submissions welcomed. Email us at: bill.pysson@gmail.com REMEMBER: To view our sister blog for education issues: www.district100watchdog.blogspot.com Note: This blog contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links provide a small commission to me at no extra cost to you. Toronto police are asking the public to help them identify a woman who threw a chair from the balcony of a tall building, where it fell into traffic. From CBC News: Toronto police now say the incident took place around 10 a.m. ET on Saturday in the Harbour and York streets area where there are dozens of condo towers and that a mischief investigation was launched on Sunday morning. Police also say in a news release that the suspect threw other items from the balcony that landed near the entrance to another condo building. Sgt. Ron Boyce told Radio-Canada that police believe the condo is at 55 Bremner Blvd., and said management at the building is working with them. Police in Fontana, California were searching a suspected gang member's home when they found a manhole built into the floor. Down the ladder was a small secret underground hideout containing an arsenal, shooting range, and rather modest hang-out space. According to CNN, "interlocking rubber mats lined the ground in one area, with something resembling furniture pads or moving blankets fixed to walls, and a US flag hanging in one corner. Another area had a dirt ground and a wall lined with sandbags." "We are the champions at Hide n Seek and no manhole will help you" the police wrote on Facebook. "We strongly recommend that you put as much effort as you did in your underground cave, into becoming a productive member of society. You will thank us later for this advice." New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 77F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 77F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Teams of researchers are developing sesame seed-size neuro-implants that detect brain activity that signals depression and then deliver targeted electrical zaps to elevate your mood. It's very early days in the science and technology but recent studies suggest that we're on the path. Links to scientific papers below. Fortunately, the goal is to develop tools and a methodology more precise than the horrifically blunt "shock therapy" of last century. From Science News: DARPA, a Department of Defense research agency, is funding (Massachusetts General Hospital's research on new brain stimulation methods) plus work at UCLA on targeted brain stimulation. Now in its fifth and final year, the (DARPA) project, called SUBNETS, aims to help veterans with major depression, post-traumatic stress, anxiety and other psychiatric problems. "It is extremely frustrating for patients to not know why they feel the way they do and to not be able to correct it," Justin Sanchez, the director of DARPA's Biological Technologies Office, said in a Nov. 30 statement. "We owe them and their families better options." These next-generation systems, primarily being developed at UCSF and Massachusetts General Hospital, might ultimately deliver. After detecting altered brain activity that signals a looming problem, these devices, called closed-loop stimulators, would intervene electrically with what their inventors hope is surgical precision. In contrast to the UCSF group, Widge, who is at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and his collaborators don't focus explicitly on mood. The researchers want to avoid categorical diagnoses such as depression, which they argue can be imprecise. Major depression is not the same disease for everyone. Causes and symptoms can differ greatly from person to person. Instead of grouping people by diagnosis, Widge and his team are going after brain circuits that are involved in traits that can be measured in the lab, such as cognitive flexibility (the ability to quickly shift strategies) and emotional regulation. These brain traits can then ultimately be tied to certain brain disorders, the researchers think. Truesee's Daily Wonder Sunday, February 10, 2019 Archives Truesee presents the weird, wild, wacky and world news of the day. June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 Subscribe At the end of January I had the pleasure to speak with my friend of many years Ricardo Ball about the ongoing crisis in Venezuela. The conversation was livestreamed from the Acton Institute allowing an international audience to listen in as we discussed recent developments from the streets of Caracas. The conversation is still available for viewing on our livestream page. The tragic case of Venezuela is but one in a seemingly endless series of failures of socialism from which many at home and abroad fail to learn. At the New York Times Bret Stephens points out that the socialistic nature of Venezuelas failed economic experiment is downplayed by the mainstream media, Conspicuous by its absence in much of the mainstream news coverage of Venezuelas political crisis is the word socialism. Yes, every sensible observer agrees that Latin Americas once-richest country, sitting atop the worlds largest proven oil reserves, is an economic basket case, a humanitarian disaster, and a dictatorship whose demise cannot come soon enough. But socialist? Perish the thought. Or so goes a line of argument that insists socialisms good name shouldnt be tarred by the results of experience. On Venezuela, what youre likelier to read is that the crisis is the product of corruption, cronyism, populism, authoritarianism, resource-dependency, U.S. sanctions and trickery, even the residues of capitalism itself. Just dont mention the S-word because, you know, its working really well in Denmark. The radical left, however, has never been as calculating or circumspect. In the United Kingdom Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has a long record of praising Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduros self-styled Bolivarian socialist revolution. Here in the United States the lefts leading public intellectuals Noam Chomsky and Naomi Klein have been no less effusive in their praise. At Reason Jenipher Camino Gonzalez notes that even members of the United States Congress are not free of these delusions, Rep. Ro Kahnna (DCalif.) took a shot at Sen. Dick Durbin (DIll.) for embracing the opposition leader, calling Venezuelas situation an internal, polarized conflict. Rep. Ilhan Omar (DMinn.) took to Twitter to decry U.S. meddling, adding that Venezuelas Supreme Court, stacked with Maduro loyalists, had declared Guaidos action unconstitutional. Never mind that in 2017, that same court allowed Maduro to strip Venezuelas Congressthe only governing institution he did not then controlof its powers and set up a parallel legislature, essentially giving him dictatorial power. The Muduro regime continues to become more isolated internationally but freedom for Venezuela is far from being won. Please continue to pray for Venezuela and all Venezuelans and to demand truth and honesty in naming the source of the crisis, the fatal conceit of socialism. Animals are all over the internet in many different forms such as cute photos, memes, news stories and so on. We love these furry hair balls SO much that... 4 years ago The farm bill, the centerpiece of federal food and agricultural policy, is updated about every five years. The old farm bill expired in 2018, and a new one was approved by Congress on Dec. 20 and signed into law by President Donald Trump on Dec. 21. But then the federal government shut down for 35 days, stopping USDA from working to implement the farm bill. We plan on catching up very quickly. We dont plan on using the shutdown as an excuse (for not implementing it), Censky said. We have a big job to do as we move forward (and) well move quickly. USDA plans listening sessions to gather input on implementation, and will announce its schedule once its been determined, Censky said. Fortunately, though the new farm bill contains many changes, the revisions arent considered revolutionary or fundamental, which helps to moderate the effects of the delay in implementation, the ag officials said. This was not the time for a revolutionary farm bill, Roberts said. We needed to provide certainty and predictability. What do farmers need more than anything else? Its certainty, which this farm bill provides, Flinchbaugh said. Crockford said notice for Midwest Grain Trading, the roving buyer license, must be published weekly for two consecutive weeks in all of the daily newspapers in the state. The notice for the warehouse license only must be published in Pierce and Ramsey counties, where the Tunbridge and Rohrville facilities were located, respectively. People have 45 days after the publication of the second weekly notice to file a claim, Crockford said. Then the PSC will evaluate the claims and determine validity, and the commission will compile a report and recommendation to the court. The report to the court will includes the types of claims that would make claimants eligible for coverage under either the bond or the indemnity fund. The other thing well begin the process of is to liquidate the grain assets at Rohrville and Tunbridge, the two grain facilities, Crockford said. Weve got to collect grain samples so we understand the quality whether its damaged or undamaged get grades established and market the grain, get a couple of different bids to get the most value for that grain. In a related matter, Hanson, 21, was set to appear in court at Stanley in Mountrail County on Feb. 7, to face criminal charges for writing checks of insufficient funds. In still another related matter, farmer Roger Harstad, of Palermo, has filed a civil suit against Hanson in Eddy County for issuing an $111,000 check with insufficient funds. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4 After Becker's post, his re-election campaign raised more than $500 in online donations. Becker was re-elected in 2018 to represent Bismarck's District 7. House Majority Leader Chet Pollert, R-Carrington, said Becker's post doesn't align with Republican values, but he has freedom of speech. "Rick Becker exercised his freedom of speech. That is up to him. I didn't agree with it, but that's up to him," Pollert said Monday. The North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party condemned Becker's "repulsive" post Monday. Representative Beckers Facebook post is offensive to victims of sexual assault and violence and beneath the office he holds," Dem-NPL chair Warren Larson said in a statement. "His refusal to apologize and the fact that he is fundraising off this controversy shows his indifference to the pain sexual assault victims face every day. Becker said the photo doesn't necessarily indicate prison rape: "We don't know if it's a prison. It's a communal shower. People see something and they see what they want to see." The North Dakota Supreme Court has remanded a Bismarck man for re-sentencing for his convictions from a 2015 standoff. Former South Central District Judge Bruce Haskell sentenced Branden Lyon in March 2018 to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Lyon was convicted at trial in October 2017 of attempted murder, two counts of terrorizing and illegal possession of a firearm related to the standoff with police in October 2015 in east Bismarck. Lyon appealed on the grounds of his sentencing as improper under the habitual offender statute. The Supreme Court agreed. "Although the district court subsequently entered an amended judgment stating Lyon was a habitual offender, statutory requirements were not met and the court did not originally sentence Lyon as a habitual offender," Justice Daniel Crothers wrote in the unanimous opinion last month. Lyon is set for re-sentencing March 5 at the Burleigh County Courthouse in Bismarck before Judge Daniel Borgen. Lyon resides at the North Dakota State Penitentiary in Bismarck. Reach Jack Dura at 701-223-8482 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Bismarck Mayor Steve Bakken takes it as a compliment that a North Dakota legislator praised him as "sort of a redneck" during a House floor session last week. "I wear it as a badge of honor," Bakken said. During floor debate Friday on House Bill 1463 on allowing collective bargaining for police and professional firefighters, Rep. Jim Kasper, R-Fargo, outlined his talks with Fargo and Bismarck firefighters, who he said differed in their abilities to speak with upper management. "I said, 'Have you talked to the new mayor here in Bismarck?'" Kasper said on the House floor. "I said, 'I happen to know him and, with all due respect, he's sort of a redneck, and he is worried about people.'" Bakken, a Grand Forks native, owns a consulting firm and was previously the business development director for Larson Engineering in Bismarck. He's also a former longtime radio show host. He bested former Mayor Mike Seminary in a three-way race in June. Kasper said Monday that his comment was meant as praise and he's known Bakken for years. "He's conservative, which I like about him. He's just a no-nonsense guy," Kasper said. "He tells you what's on his mind. He doesn't beat around the bush." The bill would shift a greater portion of oil tax revenue to the tribe for oil produced on trust lands, while shifting a greater portion to the state for oil produced on fee lands. Trust lands are held by the federal government in trust for the benefit of the tribes and fee lands are private lands within the reservation. The proposal is estimated to increase tribal oil tax revenue by $33 million for 2019-21. Cook said some legislators have wanted to remove the $90 trigger, and he proposes to resolve that issue before a new tribal tax agreement is signed to prevent a change from disrupting the deal in the future. In addition, Cook said removing the trigger creates certainty in the states oil tax policy. In 2015, the MHA Nation opposed lowering the oil extraction tax and advocated unsuccessfully for the trigger to be set at $70. On Monday, Chairman Mark Fox said leaders of the MHA Nation are willing to negotiate removing the $90 trigger but want lawmakers to consider two other amendments. Avalanche safety tips Below are five key safety guidelines when riding in avalanche country: GET THE GEAR: Ensure everyone has an avalanche transceiver, shovel, and probe on their person and knows how to use them. GET THE TRAINING: Take an avalanche course. GET THE FORECAST: Make a riding plan based on the current avalanche and weather forecast. GET THE PICTURE: If you see recent avalanche activity, unstable snow exists. Riding on or underneath slopes is dangerous. GET OUT OF HARM'S WAY: One at a time on all avalanche slopes. Don't go to help your stuck friend. Dont group up in runout zones. International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Hunter Education course dates have been set for the first courses in the Glasgow area for this year. There will be a regular youth classroom course Feb. 28-March 3, and an adult online field day course on March 12. Additional youth classes will be held in late spring and summer, and several more adult field days will be offered. The youth classroom course will be held in the Quonset building at the FWP headquarters in Glasgow. For youth to be eligible to hunt and be fully certified during the 2019 season, hunters must be 12 years old by Jan. 16, 2020. Students ages 10 and 11 can take the course and hunt as an apprentice but will not be fully certified until the year they turn 12. All registrants for this event must be 10 years of age by Feb. 28. Classroom students need to pick up the Hunter Education Manual from the FWP office in Glasgow. Students are to read each chapter and complete all review sections before class on Feb. 28. If workbooks are not complete, students may not be able to continue the course. If you are as concerned as we are about Montana having the tragic distinction of being No. 1 in the nation for suicide, then you understand the need for biomedical research on mental illness. Unfortunately, changes to the Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience at Montana State University proposed by the MSU administration could shutter active research on this problem and severely limit options for neuroscience research and training in Montana. These changes will deprive Montana students of a first-rate education in neuroscience, throttle a rapidly developing Montana bioscience industry and may delay or even prevent cures for mental illness, Alzheimers disease and other neurological disorders affecting our state. Most disturbing, restructuring this highly successful and popular program is completely counter to MSUs land-grant mission because it will deprive students from ranches and small towns across Montana of the educational opportunities afforded students from urban areas like Boston or San Francisco. That is unfair, the very antithesis of our land-grant mission and a violation of our responsibilities as educators to the students who choose to attend MSU. The 28-year-old accused of hitting and killing a highway construction worker in October in Billings now faces four additional felonies. Prosecutors filed four new counts of criminal endangerment against Ethan James Anderson on Wednesday for the Oct. 24 death of 52-year-old Jeffrey Dyekman, who became pinned between Andersons truck and another truck, charges state. Anderson is accused of huffing Difluoroethane, commonly found in Dust-Off, and driving a Big Sky Steel flatbed into a construction zone on an I-90 off-ramp at South Billings Boulevard. The amended charges refer to three additional construction workers who were put in danger by Anderson crashing into a marked construction zone, sideswiping multiple vehicles in the construction zone, continuing toward multiple construction workers, the charges state. Walter Jones campaigning in Beaufort County at a rally for Pat McCroy in 2011: Above. photo by Stan Deatherage Rep. Walter Jones Jr., a Farmville Republican first elected to Congress in 1994, died Sunday on his 76th birthday. He entered hospice care roughly two weeks ago after breaking his hip.Jones' health had declined for the past several months. He missed time in the last session of Congress to be with his ailing wife. Because of his own health troubles, he hadn't cast a vote since September.He ran unopposed in the general election for his 13th term in Congress. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-1st District, issued the oath of office last month to Jones at his home.Jones gained national attention for allegedly coining the term "freedom fries" when France opposed joining the Iraq War coalition. Though he voted in 2002 to authorize the war, he later said he regretted his vote and has made several unsuccessful attempts to force a vote reauthorizing the use of force in the region.Jones also was known for his opposition to deficit spending and the national debt, voting against spending plans from Democratic and Republican presidents. He voted against President Trump's tax-cut bill and voted no on a series of measures increasing the federal debt ceiling.He's also a long-time advocate of limiting campaign spending and reforming ethics rules - causes he first championed as a Democratic member of the General Assembly from 1983-92.He ran in 1992 to succeed his deceased father, Walter Jones Sr., in a House seat the elder Jones first won in 1966. Jones lost the 1992 Democratic primary to Eva Clayton, who won the seat.Clayton lost in 1994 to Jones, who ran as a Republican, in the year the GOP took control of the House from the Democrats for the first time since the Eisenhower administration.Jones wrote more than 11,000 letters over the past 14 years to the surviving families of military members killed in action. Most of them lived and served outside the 3rd Congressional District. Even though he opposed the Iraq War and other recent overseas interventions by U.S. forces, Jones fought to protect Camp Lejeune, which is in the district, from downsizing.N.C. Republican Party Chairman Robin Hayes, who served in Congress with Jones, expressed his condolences in a statement: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released its final environmental impact statement for the Nebraska Public Power District's R-Project transmission line, related to the endangered American burying beetle habitat that lies within the project's path. With the release, the agency opens a 30-day public inspection period before making a final decision on whether to issue an incidental take permit for NPPD on the beetle. The R-Project has been controversial in the Sandhills area of the state where it is proposed because of the fear by some ranchers and other residents there that their land and livelihoods are at risk. They are concerned about the turbines and power lines projected to be placed on the grass prairie and sand dunes that cover about a quarter of the state. The 345-kilovolt transmission line would cut 225 miles through north-central Nebraska and the Sandhills. Some opponents believe the public power district could have taken a less controversial route, but detoured into the Sandhills instead to meet potential feeder lines. Gage County deputies arrested a man for failing to meet registration requirements as a sex offender. The Gage County Sheriffs Office received reports that Michael Gwynne Wood, 33, was a registered sex offender and had been staying at 1502 Scott St. since late last year, but had not reported that address to deputies as required by law. An investigator and a deputy for the sheriffs office initiated an investigation and observed Woods vehicle at the residence on several occasions, reviewed sex offender registration paperwork, and obtained witnesses for the case. On Friday morning the deputy and investigator observed Woods vehicle parked at the residence again. He then emerged from the residence, got into the vehicle and left westbound on Scott Street. According to a press release from the department, the investigator followed Woods vehicle and radioed uniformed deputies to prepare to stop the vehicle. Wood drove to Cedar Street and turned south on Cedar, then stopped his vehicle. Uniformed deputies from the Gage County Sheriffs Office then arrived in marked patrol vehicles and initiated a traffic stop. Two people were arrested Friday after a pursuit through southern Gage County. At around 7:45 p.m. a deputy with the Gage County Sheriffs Office attempted to conduct a traffic stop of a Ford Explorer in Beatrice for a traffic offense. According to a press release from the sheriffs office, the vehicle fled south on Highway 77 reaching speeds of more than 80 mph. As the vehicle entered Wymore, the Wymore Police Department deployed stop sticks which deflated three of the vehicles tires. The vehicle pulled into Wymore Express and a male passenger exited the vehicle. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} He allegedly ran towards a parked pickup and pointed a handgun, which was later identified as a pellet pistol, at the occupant of the pickup and attempted to open the locked door. The male then ran around to the passenger side and opened the door and struggled with the occupant. As the deputy sheriff approached, the man dropped the gun and raised his arms. The male refused to follow commands of the deputy. Swansea-based Lewis Pie & Pasty Co has collaborated with a local brewery and distillery to create a gin made from surplus bread. Bakery Gin is made by Coles Distillery in Llanddarog, Carmathen, using day-old bread from Lewis. The gin, which displays the slogan Made from yesterdays bread for todays gin, costs 25 a bottle. When our bakery makes bread in the middle of the night we often have to use a best guess on quantity and slightly overproduce to make sure we dont short supply our customers. This can generate waste, Lewis Pie & Pasty Co said. The bakery instead sought to put the surplus to good use with the help of Coles. The idea came to us when Lewis Bakery asked if we could do something with their waste bread so it did not go to landfill, said Marcus Coles, head distiller at Coles Distillery. We like a challenge so first we turn the bread into a beer then distil the beer into a vodka. Finally we turn it into a very delicious gin. Coles added that the bread and yeast gives the gin a unique flavour that is described as light, clean and fresh with juniper and citrus notes. Using surplus bread as the base for alcohol is becoming increasingly common as bakers look to reduce the amount of waste they are producing. In the past year alone, frozen retailer Iceland has teamed up with Tiny Rebel to create a beer made from excess bread and Marks & Spencer launched craft beer made from discarded bread crusts with the help of Adnams. Some of those things are going to ultimately remain, like the brontosaurus slide is going to be incorporated around the childrens playground, Morris said. Theres a few small pieces that will be encapsulated in time here, but most of it will go away. Approximately 30 miles south of Raptor Ranch is the Bearizona Wildlife Park, another animal-based attraction. While Raptor Ranch and Bearizona are close in proximity, Morris and Brown are not concerned about visitor competition. I think there is plenty of business here, so that doesnt bother me too much, Morris said. Theres plenty of people going through here and much like having three or four restaurants clustered together, it kind of builds promise. Raptor Ranch is a predator bird park for visitors to view birds such as falcons, eagles and owls. Instead of showing birds fly from one spot to the next, Brown said Raptor Ranch will focus on demonstrating how predator birds hunt in the wild using artificial lures. The birds are trained and handled in such a manner that they are very safe. They are not wild birds, Brown said. These are birds that have almost all been bred in captivity. NEW YORKRapper Tekashi 6ix9inein an effort to try to rehabilitate his imagejoined Dignity and Respect, a domestic violence prevention campaign launched in 2018 by adult retail chain Romantic Depot, and starred in an ad where he announced he was leaving the gang life and wanted to make himself a better person by showing women he wants to change his past behavior. While Tekashi 6ix9ine was not paid for his participation in the ad and the campaign, his efforts to showcase his growth and change have been put on hold following his arrest for federal racketeering charges. Romantic Depot does not support Daniel Hernandez aka Tekashi 6ix9ine and his past behavior in anyway whatsoever, said Romantic Depot NY stores CEO Glen B. said. A lot of our staff members including myself were very skeptical although the campaign was filmed well before 6ix9ine was being accused by her ex-girlfriend Sara of domestic violence. Many of our Romantic Depot employees were against the Tekashi 6ix9ine ad campaign, due to us having a long standing reputation of providing sexual wellness to the NY community, the marketing agency for Romantic Depot pushed for this to be launched Valentines Day week, Glen continued. The agency stated. this message by a controversial figure such as 6ix9ine, could help spread the word and start a conversation about preventing domestic violence against women and ultimately that was our goal. In response to the situation, Romantic Depot is giving free domestic violence brochures and free Valentines Day adult toys to anyone who visits one of their locations and mentions dignity and respect. To receive a Free Valentines Day Gift and a free prevent violence against women brochure, visit a Romantic Depot store inn the NYC tri-state area. Romantic Depot has locations in upper Manhattan, The Bronx, Yonkers, Elmsford, West Nyack and in Paramus and Lodi, N.J. Get a Romantic Depot Anti-Domestic Violence Campaign brochure for free at RomanticDepot.com. SAN DIEGOEye of Love is moving its products into India by introducing a popular attracting collection of pheromone sprays, roll-ons and perfumes on IMbesharam.com. IMbesharam is all about encouraging people to explore intimacy, attraction, sensuality, pleasure and love. What could be a better opportunity than Valentines Day for us to launch this unique range of never-before pheromone-based perfumes, said Raj Armani, co-founder of IMBesharam. We have brought an exciting range of options for literally everyone. You could be a student impressing your teacher, a sales manager giving sales presentation, a guy taking out his date for Valentines Day, a server in a cafe, an air-hostess on a plane, a host entertaining guestsliterally any and almost every walk of life. You just need to explore the options. Whats more is that we have special offers for Valentines Day. All you need to do is roll on the fragrance and get going with your partner, or even to find that special one next time you step out. Besharam, Indias most loved adult store is launching the exquisite range pheromone products from Eye of Love, as a Valentine special treat in India. Pairing powerful pheromones with captivating fragrances, Eye of Loves mission is to offer their customers a unique edge in all of their encountersbe impressing your date, your friends, your work colleagues and basically in every walk of life where becoming more likeable and desirable will give you an edge. Eye of Loves quality pheromones are expertly balanced with enticing scents for maximum impact. The formulations help increase confidence, boost attraction and enrich professional, personal and intimate encounters. Eye of love products include Pheromone Perfume, Massage Candles, Jewelry, lotions, and gift sets. Explore the various options and products in the collection here. Eye of Love is continuing their mission of spreading love around the globe. We are excited and looking forward to expanding the Eye of Love Collection to India, together with Raj Armani of IMbesharam.com, said owner of Eye of Love Alberto Chowaiki. We know India will be a great market, with the immense growth in dating and matchmaking apps like Tinder, Bumble and others, along with the huge amount of youth audience as well as professionals who could use that extra boost in their daily lives and interactions. We will be able to help many people by making them more noticeable, likeable and desirable. The product range is available in large packs, small roll-ons, easy to carry travel candles as well as gift sets. There are fragrances for straight couples as well for partners with LGBTQ orientations. The range of offering is specially lucrative for younger adults who want to turn heads, and make their partner desire them on their special date together. For more, visit EyeOfLove.com. SAN FRANCISCOThe Erotic Service Providers Legal, Education and Research Project announced its support of California Senator Scott Wieners proposed changes to legislation that would protect anyone reporting a serious crimesuch as sexual assault, trafficking, robbery, assault or other violent crimefrom being charged with prostitution under California Penal Code 647. This legislation has been a long time coming, said Maxine Doogan of ESPLERP. Especially in light of the recent disaster for the sex trade workers in the wake of the passing of Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, passed in April of 2018 which leaves so many vulnerable. So we applaud Senator Scott Wiener for taking this public safety issue seriously, because if they get away with victimizing us, itll embolden them to target any member of the public. The long-standing criminalization of prostitution creates an environment that is exploited by criminalsand by sexual predators who explicitly target sex workers. For example, Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer, who may have killed more than 70 women, murdered prostitutes because nobody would miss themand he knew that the police didnt care. Senator Weiners legislation was announced at a press conference this morning at the Saint James Infirmary in San Francisco. The new proposal advances womens rights. It protects all women regardless of what they do for a living or how they conduct their personal sex lives. In this age of #MeToo, we simply cannot continue to punish women for being assaulted and raped. Only one of other state, Alaska, has passed a similar version of this protection bill in 2017. This legislation will make it easier for people like Reada Wong and Veronica Monet to report violence, and encourages the police to take assaults against sex workers seriously. I was violently assaulted by a predator who targeted prostitutes in 2012, said Reada Wong. When I went to police, they were initially supportive. But when they found out that I was a prostitute, they lost interest, demeaned me, and threatened to charge me. And then, much later, when the guy was finally charged, he plead guilty. If the police and district attorney had a done their jobs when I reported the assault, the predator wouldnt have still been out there to assault other women. I was raped by a client in 2001, said Veronica Monet. I wasnt his first victim nor his last. In fact, his house had bars on all the doors and windows and there was no way to exit the premises without a key. Once inside I was trapped with a 350 pound man who was obviously capable of brutal violence. Three weeks after he raped me, he stabbed a young woman in the face when she resisted. I along with other activists were sharing information online so we knew he was a dangerous serial rapist. We knew his name, how he operated, and where he lived. But when I reported my rape to the Oakland Police Department they did nothing. In fact, they wanted to arrest me for getting raped because I admitted that I was a prostitute. After three years and after working with several womens organizations to apply pressure on then Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown to take my deposition, I was finally allowed to report this rape without threat of being arrested myself. However, the police made no attempt to contact this violent predators other victims, and he was neither questioned or apprehended. As a result, he is still out there to this day, and remains a serious threat to the safety of all women. It is for this reason that I am very pleased to support this new legislation which enables prostitutes to report rape and assault without fear of being arrested, Monet concluded. ESPLERP is a diverse community-based coalition advancing sexual privacy rights through litigation, education, and research. Contributions to support the court case can be submitted through the crowd fundraiser LitigateToEmancipate.com. Written by Mark Smotroff 6:00 am Audiophile Music Sometimes, when an artist goes back to their roots the results can be iffy. Not so the case with Zach Condons latest album as Beirut, a song cycle which sets sail from the opening grooves and soars for 44 minutes and 36 seconds. The journey effectively takes you from his native New Mexico to Oaxaca to Brooklyn, Berlin and Italy and back. On Gallipoli, the roots-return element is the presence of a beloved old Farfisa organ which graced his first two albums. But the story is more complex and wondrous so click here to visit Beiruts website which has a letter from Condon explaining everything. Indeed, moving to Berlin and recording parts of the album in Italy has given this album a fresh feel while maintaining the essence that makes Beiruts music so enticing. Trumpets, interlocking musical signatures, repetitive motifs, Latin-flavored horn charts, rich-yet-clear vocals plus dense 1967-era Brian Wilson-inspired harmonies and quirky percussion all add up to a cinematic music that genuinely sounds like nothing else in present times. At least, it sounds like nothing you might expect to hear on 21st Century commercial radio. At times Beirut feels like a time machine to an alternate universe of music that might have been played at after hours private European social club events in the early part of the pre-jazz 20th century. Organ grinder flavors, oom-pah rhythms and horns-a-plenty texturize the introspective songs as you sip Absinthe or Fernet-Branca to chase away the woes of life momentarily. Beirut could be silent film soundtrack music played by a low budget half orchestra in an aging theater or in the same breath the lounge band on the first big cruise ship after the Titanic. I came on board as a fan of Beirut not long before their third album called The Riptide was released in 2011. It was actually an earlier double-EP that I heard playing in a record store which pulled me in: March of the Zapotec / Holland. It was there I heard this expansive sound of a Mexican brass orchestra merged with a modern, clean vocal twist that bordered on Cantorial in terms of delivery. You can read my review of that album and The Riptide by clicking here. Beiruts music genuinely sounds like few other things Ive heard in the pop music world, save for perhaps Kate Bush,Tom Waits or maybe later period Marianne Faithful. The last Beirut album, No No No, was lovely interim pop release revolving around upbeat acoustic Piano and (what sounds like Fender Rhodes) Organ motifs supported by different textures such as acoustic Guitar, Cellos and sparkly Glockenspiel. The horns are still in there but they charts they play lean more toward Chicago than Los Lobos. You can read my review of that by clicking here. Gallipoli was largely recorded in the Southern Italian countryside at Sudestudio with vocals overdubs and mixing done in Berlin. Accordingly, the album has a fresh, decidedly non-American vibe underlying. If you turn up this record you can feel the rooms they were recording in. Lots of nice air there. All this contributes to the flavors of Gallipoli : For example, the 6/8 swirl of Gauze fur Zah feels in the same breath like rolling waves and country back roads. Corfu opens Side Two with a smooth groove I could easily hear Astrid Gilberto crooning over. Id love to hear Brian Wilson cover Landslide. Condons world weary voice belies his bright surface. Somehow, Beiruts music fits alongside that newish wave of modern bands who rock the higher registers. Dont expect to hear the deep resonance of Pearl Jams Eddie Vedder or Springsteen here. His vocal approach leans more towards that of Ra Ra Riot, Vampire Weekend and Fleet Foxes, in that regard. A young Billy Joel and Emitt Rhodes come to mind as well. Perhaps consider Beirut like what might happen if you sent the imaginary young half-nephew of Tom Waits on a one-way bus trip to deepest Mexico with only inner reserve and resourcefulness to make his way back home to tell his tales. Gallipoli is easily my favorite Beirut spin since The Riptide, a record which seemed to find a nice balance of worldly music flavors, melodic introspection and lighthearted pop sensibilities. Gallipoli is streaming up on Tidal in CD quality and sounds pretty nice overall, albeit quite a bit brighter and sharper edged than the richer sounding vinyl; the included 320 kbps MP3 download also has that crispy element, perhaps even more so. How this factor might impact you, Dear Listener, is that it might make Condons voice sound less appealing to you. He already has a clean pure voice so when it gets chopped down to this resolution, it loses some warmth. So keep that in mind when sampling these recordings on streaming services and such: the standard weight, quiet and well centered teal-colored vinyl version of Gallipoli sounds much bigger and warmer overall. Dare I say it sounds almost analog in flavor? While I dont know for sure, I suspect it is probably made with combination of analog and digital recording techniques. Sudestudio shows a nice 16-track two-inch tape recorder on its website, so it stands to reason that they might have used that for recording the basic tracks. Whatever the case, Gallipoli sounds lovely and the music sublime. Im very much looking forward to seeing them on their current tour. (Visited 25 times, 2 visits today) This implied that there was something about the psychology of the people of Germany, Italy and Spain that yielded dictatorships. This suggests that the rest of us are safe because we are not like them. In truth, a move toward authoritarian thinking occurs anywhere when democratic government is seriously failing. Corruption, incompetence and crime can combine with high unemployment and rapid social change to induce fear and anger to push people to find someone to blame, look for simple solutions and follow an authoritarian leader promising to fix it all and restore former greatness. Winston Churchill said, Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried. And when things are going badly, democratic restraints on power can seem to get in the way of cleaning things up. Authoritarian leaders exploit fear and anger and attack democratic safeguards. Attacking journalists, judges, opposition leaders and career government officials escalates from verbal attacks to threats to violence. As citizens of the United States, which in the words of Abraham Lincoln was conceived in liberty, we may have a special obligation to promote freedom in the world and to understand how it can be lost among our neighbors. And the psychology of authoritarianism also suggests that we are not immune to the possibility of the erosion of freedoms here at home. Dr. Victor Garlock holds a Ph.D. in psychology and is the author of "Your Genius Within: Sleep, Dream Interpretation & Hypnosis." He was a professor of psychology at Cayuga Community College for over 30 years. He currently is offering individual hypnosis sessions as well as personal counseling at The Center, a holistic health center and spa located in Auburn. For more information, call (315) 704-0319 or visit thecenter4wellness.com. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Ladies Auxiliary of Knights of Columbus Council No. 207 will host their third annual Polish/Ukrainian dinner at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 3, at the Knights, 47 Market St., Auburn. Pigs in the blanket, pierogies, kapusta, homemade kielbasa and more will be served until 3:30 p.m., or until food is sold out. Advance sale tickets are available, but payment is required by March 1. All meals sold in advance must be picked up by 3 p.m. the day of the dinner. Meals are $12. Proceeds will support local charities throughout Auburn and the surrounding areas. For more information, call (315) 730-6549. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 "We would be willing to work with them to help boost economic and job growth in our region," said Antonacci, R-Onondaga, who sent a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos urging him to consider the move. Rochester and Syracuse were part of proposals submitted during Amazon's HQ2 selection process. Rochester and Buffalo partnered to submit a proposal, while central New York created its own pitch. However, no upstate sites were included in the company's list of finalists. Last fall, Amazon selected New York City and Northern Virginia to host HQ2 sites. Now that the New York City proposal may be in jeopardy, upstate legislators highlighted the region's assets. With several colleges and universities nearby, Amazon would have access to a "rich pool of potential candidates" for its new campus, according to the lawmakers. The group of legislators also noted that there's access to transportation hubs and Rochester and Syracuse have airports and there are shovel-ready sites in the region. "Our unmatched quality of life and beautiful environment draw visitors from across the world and would certainly help Amazon in their efforts to attract top talent," Helming, R-Canandaigua, said. Today on the Eye on NY podcast: The latest Siena College poll is out. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's favorability and job performance numbers fell. Will Amazon ditch New York for another state? Cuomo is battling Senate Democrats over Amazon's proposed headquarters in Queens. SUBSCRIBE: Listen on iTunes, Google Play or PodBean. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Gov. Andrew Cuomo will meet with President Donald Trump Tuesday to discuss the impact of the cap on state and local tax deductions a provision in the 2017 federal tax law that Cuomo argues has led to a $2.3 billion reduction in the state's personal income tax receipts. Cuomo announced the meeting with Trump during a press conference in Albany Monday. The meeting, which will be held at the White House, is scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday. The $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions has been the target of much criticism from Cuomo. Before the tax law was signed by Trump in December 2017, there was no limit on deducting state and local taxes. Placing a cap on these deductions provided a method for funding key components of the tax law, including income tax reductions and a lower corporate tax rate. Cuomo believes the federal tax law punished high-tax states that tend to be more Democratic. He claimed the measure created a better tax structure in traditional Republican states. "There is no more vital long-term issue for the state from a financial point of view than SALT," Cuomo said. Cuomo revealed that he requested the meeting last week. The White House responded and the meeting was scheduled for Tuesday. Over the weekend, from Los Angeles to London, the showbiz A-list strutted their stuff on red carpets for the Grammys and Britain's Bafta film awards. Halfway between in New York, the style glitterati lined catwalks to preview the trends for next autumn and winter. The short answer? Lots of bright color and lots of sex appeal. Here are some highlights from the latest shows at New York Fashion Week, which culminates Wednesday with a presentation from Marc Jacobs: - Prabal Gurung looks home to Nepal - Gurung, who now has 10 years in the business behind him, looked home for inspiration to Nepal, where he recently spent some time. The result was a joyful, bright ready-to-wear collection -- a theme he had introduced last season after several years of more sober designs. He played with sari draping, especially in ikat and mandala-inspired prints. No monochromatics or tone-on-tone ensembles here: purple or mustard yellow and turquoise, red and pink -- women should use their imagination in Gurung's world. The designer said in his notes that he hoped to create a "multi-faceted, colorful and optimistic place where integrity, purpose, levity and love are our most celebrated virtues." - Longchamp: leather and short skirts - As more and more American designers flee New York for London, Paris or Milan, foreign fashion houses are flocking to the Big Apple to take advantage of the style vacuum. Case in point: venerable French label Longchamp, which is looking to develop its stateside presence and staged its second New York show at the weekend. The brand -- which is known for leather goods, handbags and riding gear -- has opened new stores in New York and along the US West Coast. "It's very important for us to be here," the company's vice president for retail, Olivier Cassegrain, told AFP, explaining that in Paris, the company had a hard time cracking into the jam-packed schedule of heavyweight houses. For next autumn, designer Sophie Delafontaine kept it classy but sexy -- embracing pleated short skirts, black studded leather and lots of looks in black and white. - Glamour from Christian Siriano - Even if foreign labels are rising in New York, some homegrown designers still generate buzz. Christian Siriano is one of them. From his beginnings as a winner on TV reality show "Project Runway," the 33-year-old has quickly become one of the go-to names in Hollywood. Just ask actresses Debra Messing ("Will and Grace"), Mariska Hargitay ("Law and Order: SVU"), Danielle Brooks ("Orange Is The New Black") and Christina Hendricks ("Mad Men"), who were all in the front row. Siriano is also known as a champion of diversity -- on the runway and in his designs. When no one would dress actress Leslie Jones for the "Ghostbusters" premiere, he stepped up. After a long wait to reach the show at Top of the Rock -- on the 67th floor of Rockefeller Center -- Siriano worked his magic, unveiling a series of evening gowns in silver, black, white and deep blue. Curvy model Ashley Graham closed the show in a transparent silvery confection, as the audience cheered. - 'Bill of rights' for models? - Federico Pignatelli -- the owner of Industry Model Group and Pier59 Studios, where many fashion shoots take place in New York -- wants to make sure the rights of the many models working at Fashion Week are protected. He's calling for the signing of a models' "bill of rights," which would require agencies and other industry professionals to sign clear contracts with fair and regular pay. For non-US citizens, the contract would stipulate that their visa status not be used as a weapon. Such contracts would put models "in a positon of strength, where they are paid regularly and it empowers them," he said, adding that it could also reduce possibilities for sexual harassment in the industry. But Pignatelli launched his initiative without the backing of power players like the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and he readily admits that so far, he hasn't had many takers. "They like the status quo cause it is profitable to them," he said. "But it is unfair and damaging to the models." At Prabal Gurung, autumn looks to be bright and cheerful -- an "optimistic place," as the designer said in his notes about the collection Prabal Gurung offered women a palette of bright colors for autumn-winter 2019 At Longchamp, leather, pleats and short skirts were de rigueur Curvy model Ashley Graham closes the show for Christian Siriano, a new darling of the Hollywood red carpet set Models -- seen here at the Tory Burch Fall/Winter 2019 fashion show during New York Fashion Week -- would be better protected under a so-called "bill of rights," one agency head says Nearly half of all insect species worldwide are in rapid decline and a third could disappear altogether, according to a study warning of dire consequences for crop pollination and natural food chains. "Unless we change our way of producing food, insects as a whole will go down the path of extinction in a few decades," concluded the peer-reviewed study, which is set for publication in April. The recent decline in bugs that fly, crawl, burrow and skitter across still water is part of a gathering "mass extinction," only the sixth in the last half-billion years. "We are witnessing the largest extinction event on Earth since the late Permian and Cretaceous periods," the authors noted. The Permian end-game 252 million years ago snuffed out more than 90 percent of the planet's life forms, while the abrupt finale of the Cretaceous 66 million years ago saw the demise of land dinosaurs. "We estimate the current proportion of insect species in decline -- 41 percent -- to be twice as high as that of vertebrates," or animals with a backbone, Francisco Sanchez-Bayo of the University of Sydney and Kris Wyckhuys of the University of Queensland in Australia reported. "At present, a third of all insect species are threatened with extinction." An additional one percent join their ranks every year, they estimated. Insect biomass -- sheer collective weight -- is declining annually by about 2.5 percent worldwide. "Only decisive action can avert a catastrophic collapse of nature's ecosystems," the authors cautioned. Restoring wilderness areas and a drastic reduction in the use of pesticides and chemical fertiliser are likely the best way to slow the insect loss, they said. - 'Hardly any insects left' - The study, to be published in the journal Biological Conservation, pulled together data from more than 70 datasets from across the globe, some dating back more than a century. By a large margin, habitat change -- deforestation, urbanisation, conversion to farmland -- emerged as the biggest cause of insect decline and extinction threat. Next was pollution and the widespread use of pesticides in commercial agriculture. The recent collapse, for example, of many bird species in France was traced to the use insecticides on industrial crops such as wheat, barley, corn and wine grapes. "There are hardly any insects left -- that's the number one problem," said Vincent Bretagnolle, an ecologist at Centre for Biological Studies. Experts estimate that flying insects across Europe have declined 80 percent on average, causing bird populations to drop by more than 400 million in three decades. Only a few species of insects -- mainly in the tropics -- are thought to have suffered due to climate change, while some in northern climes have expanded their range as temperatures warm. In the long run, however, scientists fear that global warming could become another major driver of insect demise. Up to now, rising concern about biodiversity loss has mostly focused on big mammals, birds and amphibians. - Dung beetles in deep - But insects comprise about two-thirds of all terrestrial species, and have been the foundation of key ecosystems since emerging almost 400 million years ago. "The essential role that insects play as food items of many vertebrates is often forgotten," the researchers said. Moles, hedgehogs, anteaters, lizards, amphibians, most bats, many birds and fish all feed on insects or depend on them for rearing their offspring. Other insects filling the void left by declining species probably cannot compensate for the sharp drop in biomass, the study said. Insects are also the world's top pollinators -- 75 percent of 115 top global food crops depend on animal pollination, including cocoa, coffee, almonds and cherries. One-in-six species of bees have gone regionally extinct somewhere in the world. Dung beetles in the Mediterranean basin have also been hit particularly hard, with more than 60 percent of species fading in numbers. The pace of insect decline appears to be the same in tropical and temperate climates, though there is far more data from North America and Europe than the rest of the world. Britain has seen a measurable decline across 60 percent of its large insect groups, or taxa, followed by North America (51 percent) and Europe as a whole (44 percent). One-in-six species of bees have gone regionally extinct somewhere in the world Charts showing declining and threatened insects and vertebrates, according to IUCN data Pollution is one of the main reasons for the decline in insect populations Experts estimate that flying insects across Europe have declined 80 percent on average Habitat change -- deforestation, urbanisation, conversion to farmland -- emerged as the biggest cause of insect decline and extinction threat Thailand's junta chief on Monday dismissed rumours of an impending coup as "fake news", as speculation ricocheted across a kingdom unsettled by the ill-fated political union between a princess and a party allied to the powerful Shinawatra clan. Conjecture has coursed through Thailand since Friday when the Thai Raksa Chart party proposed Princess Ubolratana, King Maha Vajiralongkorn's elder sister, as a candidate for premier after the March 24 election. Hours later, a royal command from the king appeared to put a pin in her unprecedented political aspirations. It said the monarchy was above politics and described his sister's candidacy as "highly inappropriate". The slapdown by an unassailable monarch - protected by some of the world's harshest royal defamation laws - who has never addressed the public in such strong terms, set off a chain reaction. A chastened Thai Raksa Chart, a key pillar in the election strategy of billionaire ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, swiftly agreed to comply with the command. Election authorities meeting Monday are expected to discuss whether the use of the princess's name was unconstitutional, a first step towards dissolving the party. Adding to the uncertainty, chatter of an impending coup against the ruling junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha and a major change in army top brass has billowed out, with the hashtag #coup trending in the top 10 in Thai Twitter. But on Monday the gruff former general, who masterminded a putsch against the government of Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin's sister, in 2014, tried to stop it short. "Rumours...? We're investigating. Fake news," he told reporters at Government House about the merits of the speculation. - Coups and plots - Thailand's generals have a penchant for coups, backroom plotting and factional struggles. They have grabbed power 12 times since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932, including against existing juntas seen to have over-stepped their mark. Prayut, a gruff ex-army chief turned junta head, has agreed to stand for premier after the election and is aided by an army-scripted constitution. But critics say he has personalised power and outstayed his welcome with a public wearied by his finger-jabbing style. The king appointed a new army chief, Apirat Kongsompong, last year from a rival faction of the army to Prayut and his junta allies. Recent days have seeded unease, with the first election in eight years now seemingly dependent on behind-the-scenes power plays by the elite. "Pls#NoMoreCoup WTF with this country," said one Twitter user, while another said "I wish we have only #election2019". Meanwhile, the fate of Thai Raksa Chart hangs in the balance. The party, a second to the Thaksin political powerhouse Pheu Thai, was expected to help the Shinawatra machine secure a majority in the 350-seat lower house. But it is under intense pressure following its bid to bring in the princess. "I think the party leader and board should take a responsibility by resigning," said Srisuwan Janya of the Association for the Protection of the Constitution, a royalist activist group, who submitted a petition to election authorities Monday calling for the party's censure. burs-apj/dhc/je Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-O-Cha, pictured here in November 2018, dismissed rumours of an impending coup as 'fake news' Srisuwan Janya from a royalist activist group called on the Thai Raksa Chart leader to resign US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo voiced hope Monday that renewed American engagement with Hungary's Viktor Orban would help steer the increasingly authoritarian leader away from Russian and Chinese influence. But Hungary's foreign minister retorted that Budapest was tired of the West's "enormous hypocrisy". Hungary, Russia's closest friend within the European Union, agreed with Pompeo to seek closer defence ties and cast itself as a natural ally for President Donald Trump's brand of nationalist politics. Pompeo had dinner with Orban on the first visit in seven years by a US secretary of state to Budapest, the first leg of his Central European tour. The US top diplomat opened his trip by meeting representatives of Hungarian civil society groups, who praised Pompeo for the show of support as their ability to promote human rights and transparency is steadily curtailed. Pompeo later told Orban's government that he would be upfront about concerns with Hungary and voiced worries about inroads of influence by both Russian President Vladimir Putin and China. "We must not let Putin drive wedges between friends in NATO," Pompeo said. "An authoritarian Russia will never be a friend to the freedom and sovereignty of smaller nations." Alluding to former president Barack Obama's cold shoulder to Orban, Pompeo said the United States had pushed Hungary into the arms of "folks who didn't share our values" and vowed to "compete for positive influence in the region". Pompeo, standing next to Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto at a joint news conference, said the US was "increasing support to help Hungary in its fight against corruption" and highlighted US help to train an independent media -- under fire from Orban. - 'Patriotic worldview' - The two countries said that they had concluded negotiations on a defence cooperation agreement -- which would let the US military operate more freely in Hungary, already a NATO ally. Szijjarto said the deal would be presented next week to a committee of the Hungarian parliament and also promised without specifics to increase Hungary's purchases of US arms. Closer defence ties are likely to irritate Putin, who visited Hungary twice last year. But Szijjarto also denounced criticism of Hungary's diplomacy, saying that the country of fewer than 10 million people was not in a position to reshape world politics. "When it comes to Russia, I told the Secretary as well, there is an enormous hypocrisy and political correctness in the European political arena," he said. He said that Hungary relied on Russia for 85 percent of its energy needs -- and noted that French President Emmanuel Macron took part in a major economic forum in Saint Petersburg last year. "We are fed up in a legitimate way that you usually portray us as having a tight relationship with Russia," he said. But Szijjarto said he was hopeful for closer relations under Trump, saying that Orban shared the US leader's "patriotic" worldview that includes curbs on migration, an emphasis on Christian identity and hostility to multilateral organisations. Just days before Pompeo's visit, Orban's office issued a statement assailing Hungarian-born US philanthropist George Soros, also a bete noire for the US right-wing, as it accused him of trying to turn Hungary into an "immigrant country". Trump has also voiced admiration for Putin, although his stance is largely rejected by the US establishment. - Concerns over Huawei - Regarding China, Szijjarto said that British and German contractors were involved in Hungary's agreement with Chinese telecom giant Huawei to build a fifth-generation mobile network. Pompeo said he had raised concerns about Huawei, whose senior officers have been arrested in US allies Canada and Poland. "If that equipment is co-located where we have important American systems, it makes it more difficult for us to partner alongside them," Pompeo said. "We want to make sure we identify (to) them the opportunities and the risks with using that equipment. And then they will get to make their decisions," he said. The United States warns that China could come to dominate the next wave of technology, with grave repercussions for the protection of individual data and the safety of infrastructure. Critics say that the United States is equally concerned about maintaining its commercial edge in technology. After Hungary, Pompeo will proceed to Slovakia, another NATO ally that has seen few recent senior US visitors. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (left) is welcomed in Budapest by Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo poses next to a picture of former president Ronald Reagan in Budapest Indonesian police have acknowledged officers terrorised a Papuan man with a live snake after a video of the incident circulated online, showing the man screaming in fear and his interrogator laughing. Police in Indonesias easternmost Papua region apologised but also attempted to justify the officers actions by saying the snake was not venomous and they had not resorted to beating the man who was suspected of theft. Human rights lawyer Veronica Koman said on Sunday the interrogation methods were torture and violated police policies as well as several laws. She said it was only the latest of several reports of police and military using snakes to terrorise Papuan detainees and symptomatic of a culture of racism against indigenous Papuans. An Indonesian officer can be seen placing the snake around the mans neck. Source: Twitter/ Veronica Koman Sam Lokon, a member of the West Papua National Committee which advocates for independence from Indonesia, was put in a cell with a snake and also beaten after being arrested in January, Ms Koman said. Police indicated the incident with the alleged thief happened recently during a crackdown on petty crime in Jayawijaya district. The spread of the video had forced police into a very rare apology, Ms Koman said, while also criticising the attempt to provide a justification. The one-minute and 20-second video shows the dark brown snake, at least two metres long, wrapped around the handcuffed suspects neck and waist, and an officer pushing its head into the mans face as he becomes increasingly hysterical. Officers appear to be asking how many times he had stolen mobile phones. The man begins to scream in fear of the giant snake. Source: Twitter/ Veronica Koman Jayawijaya police chief Tonny Ananda Swadaya said in a statement the officers had been disciplined by being given ethics training and moved to other locations. Papua provinces police spokesman said the officers involved were being questioned by an internal affairs division of the national police. We apologise for the incident, the spokesman told The Associated Press. Institutionally we do not recognise such an unprofessional method of interrogation and we guarantee that such an inhuman method will not happen again in the future. Story continues The events are likely to further inflame tensions in the region where an insurgency has simmered since the early 1960s when Indonesia took control of the western half of the island of New Guinea, formerly a Dutch colony. Police and military have carried out a sweeping crackdown on independence supporters after rebel fighters in December killed 19 people working on a construction site for the trans-Papua highway. A Polish man who is being held in a Jayawijaya prison while on trial for treason said earlier this week he had been assaulted by police officers visiting the prison as guards looked on. Do you have a story tip? Email: y7newsroom@yahoo7.com.au. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoo7s daily newsletter. Sign up here. Dozens of Turkish police blocked a march by pro-Kurdish opposition lawmakers in Istanbul on Monday that was organised in solidarity with a hunger striking MP who was released from prison last month. Security officers carrying anti-riot shields surrounded around 40 MPs and activists from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) to prevent them from walking down Istiklal Avenue in the heart of the metropolis, AFP journalists said. They were attempting to protest in support of HDP lawmaker Leyla Guven, who has been on hunger strike for nearly a hundred days calling for improvement in the prison conditions for Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan, leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). "We are here to join our voices with Leyla Guven, to lend our strength to her fight," said HDP co-leader Sezai Temelli. Protesters wearing vests bearing images of Guven tried unsuccessfully to push against the wall of police shields. After a short sit-in, they dispersed. Guven, 55, was imprisoned last year for criticising Turkey's offensive in northern Syria. She was released last month but her supporters remain worried about her health, as she continues to subsist on only sugared or salted water in an effort to pressure the Turkish government to allow Ocalan to hold regular meetings with his family members and lawyers. Ocalan, who was arrested 20 years ago, is serving a life sentence on Imrali island, close to Istanbul. His PKK is proscribed as a terrorist group by Ankara, the European Union and the United States. The authorities allowed the PKK leader to meet his brother Mehmet last month, the first visit in over two years. HDP has said over 300 prisoners are also on hunger strike in solidarity with Guven. "We will not let allow our comrades lose their lives. We have come together here to prevent that," Pervin Buldan, HDP co-leader, said. Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu had warned on Sunday that the HDP protest would be banned. Protesters wore vests bearing images of hunger striking lawmaker Leyla Guven WARNING DISTRESSING CONTENT: An Australian girl sent to the Middle East to become a child bride now plans to campaign to bring an end to the practice here. Melbourne-born Tasneem Fakhoury, 20, was told she was going on holiday for a month at the age of 14. But she was trapped for nearly four years in an abusive marriage. After her parents split, Ms Fakhoury was sent from her Meadow Heights home in Melbourne to a remote village near Tripoli in Lebanon where she was told she would visit her grandparents for a month. Tasneem Fakhoury was sent to Lebanon for an arranged marriage when she was just 14. Source: 7News There she was married to a 24-year-old man with a violent, criminal history. I was 14, all I was thinking of was the beautiful white dress and that amazing wedding Im going to get, Ms Fakhoury told 7News. Yet her dreams of a perfect wedding quickly turned into a living nightmare. Ms Fakhoury revealed her partner had a drug addiction and was abusive. You know I only hurt you because I love you and I want the best for you, that line is every violent mans line, she said. Thats when I started packing my bag, and Im like, Thats it, Im leaving. Her relationship with her husband quickly turned abusive. Source: 7News I heard this woman laughing, she was our other neighbour. Shes like to me, Love, theres no way out of here, they either kill you or break you. I would be sometimes cooking and I would the grab the knife I would stand there for five minutes. All I could see on the knife was my reflection and a lot was going through my mind is how pathetic I was. Finally Ms Fakhourys father helped her leave the country and last August she severed all ties with her husband. Documents obtained by Seven News reveal Federal Police investigated 70 cases of forced marriage between January 2017 and September 2018. They include six children aged 10 or younger, three of them just six years old. The AFP receives dozens of referrals to arranged marriages, many involving children, each year. Source: 7News Just the six months for the financial year 2018-19 weve already received 45 referrals to the AFP, the agencys National Response Operations Joanne Cameron revealed. Many underage marriages are posted online with brides much younger than Ms Fakhoury. Story continues Thats absolutely disgusting and disgraceful. A 10-year-old with like a 70-year old. Did they run out of women? she asked. Ms Fakhoury plans to write a book about her experience to raise awareness in the hope of saving other girls. He said I do before I did. Then I said I do and I wish I did not. A group of young French media executives was condemned Monday for running a macho "boys' club" that harassed female colleagues online. Their closed Facebook group "League of LOL" -- made up mostly of men in their thirties -- ridiculed women journalists for years, sometimes using pornographic memes to attack them. Women seen as feminist were the group's favourite targets. The founder of the group, journalist Vincent Glad, was suspended Monday by left-wing daily Liberation after an investigation by the newspaper's own fact-checking unit exposed its existence. The revelations also led to the suspension of the newspaper's online editor Alexandre Hervaud and his opposite number at France's trendiest music and culture magazine, Les Inrockuptibles, David Doucet. The affair is being dubbed the "French media's #MeToo", with Liberation referring to the group as a "boys' club" which bullied women online and cracked off-colour jokes about rape culture. Victims of the group recounted how the attacks and pranks had pushed one woman to quit journalism and left another suicidal. League of LOL targeted science presenter Florence Porcel, seeking to humiliate her by getting group members to pose as the producers of a prestigious television programme offering her a job, then posted the recording of the fake interview online. Other women had their heads grafted onto pornographic images. Set up in 2009, the League of LOL also had members in public relations, graphic design, and media education. It had been much less active in recent years. The head of a porn culture website, Stephen des Aulnois, stepped down Monday and suspended his Le Tag Parfait (The Perfect Tag) blog, apologising for his part in the activities of the group that gets its name from the acronym for "laugh out loud". In a separate development, Le Monde newspaper said Monday that three journalists from the French edition of the Huffington Post news site, in which Le Monde has a stake, had been fired for making "unacceptable remarks in a work context". Le Monde's editor-in-chief Jerome Fenoglio and publisher Louis Dreyfus said the three were fired over their posts on a closed Facebook page, without revealing the nature of the remarks or whether they were linked to the League of LOL. - 'I am ashamed' - Des Aulnois admitted the League of LOL was guilty of "repeated online harassment. I apologise to all those I hurt and harassed... I am also guilty of silence and inaction during all those years when I knew." Group founder Glad, who is on a freelance contract at Liberation, at first denied it was a macho crusade. "There was never an anti-feminist obsession inside the group. We make fun of everything and everybody," he insisted. But in a lengthy apology on Twitter, Glad said he was "horrified to now see my tweets from 2013 when I joked about rape culture. I am ashamed." Glad said he "had not realised until today how macho our stance was. I didn't see how our jokes were shutting down the first wave of feminists speaking out on social media. "I had the stupid reaction of many men at the time -- why are they annoying us with all this?" he added. Christophe Carron, editor of the French edition of online magazine Slate, also admitted having been a member of the group. Journalist Melanie Wanga, who said she quit Twitter for several years because of abuse, tweeted that the harassers were finally getting their comeuppance. "Imagine being a young, black woman journalist talking about blackface and apartheid and getting this stuff (racial and sexist harassment) multiplied by 20 from your 'colleagues'," she said. "You can see these harassers erasing all their dodgy tweets and talking about equality and regurgitating the work of all the feminists they attacked to buy themselves a new virginity," she added France's minister for digital affairs, Mounir Mahjoubi, described the men behind League of LOL as "losers". "It is a group of guys high on their power at being able to make fun of other people. Except that their mockery had an effect in real life," he said. Equality Minister Marlene Schiappa underscored that online harassment was outlawed, and said she was considering extending the six-year cut-off for prosecuting alleged crimes. Under the law as it stands, only law-breaking posts after 2013 could be prosecuted. tsz-sr-fg-cb/ach Iran's president on Monday insisted "enemy" plots against the country would fail as vast crowds marked 40 years since the Islamic revolution at a time of heightened tensions with the United States. "The presence of people today on the streets all over Islamic Iran... means that the enemy will never reach its evil objectives," a defiant President Hassan Rouhani told those thronging Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) Square, decrying a "conspiracy" involving Washington. Chador-clad women, militia members in camouflage fatigues and ordinary citizens marched through the capital in freezing rain to commemorate the day in February 1979 that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ended millennia of royal rule. The routes leading up to the square were packed with people as loudspeakers blared revolutionary anthems and slogans. Life-size replicas of Iranian-made cruise and ballistic missiles stood in a statement of defiance after the US last year reimposed sanctions following its withdrawal from a deal on Tehran's nuclear programme. Rouhani lambasted calls from the United States and Europe for a fresh agreement to curb Iran's missile programme. "We have not, and will not, request permission from anyone for increasing our defensive power and for building all kinds of... missiles," he told the crowd. Speaking from a flower-festooned stage overlooking the square, the president warned that Iran was now far stronger than when it faced off against Saddam Hussein's Iraq in a devastating 1980-1988 war. "Today the whole world should know that the Islamic Republic of Iran is considerably more powerful than the days of the war," Rouhani said. Seemingly reaching out to his political critics within the country, the president added: "The more we allow different ideas, beliefs and (political) factions the stronger our system will be." A pre-prepared resolution was read out ahead of his speech that proclaimed "unquestioning obedience to the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei" and called US President Donald Trump an "idiot". In a tweet written on the anniversary that he also sent out in Farsi, Trump said the revolution had been a complete failure. "40 years of corruption. 40 years of repression. 40 years of terror. The regime in Iran has produced only #40YearsofFailure," he wrote. "The long-suffering Iranian people deserve a much brighter future," the American president added. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran that this year could be the last time it celebrates the anniversary if it attacks his country. "If this regime makes the awful mistake of trying to destroy Tel Aviv and Haifa, it will not succeed," he said. "However, this would be the last anniversary of the revolution that they celebrate." The events Monday were the culmination of official celebrations called the "10 Day Dawn" that marks the period between February 1, 1979 and February 11 when Shiite cleric Khomeini retuned from exile and ousted the shah's last government. The state has played up this year's anniversary as 40 is symbolic of maturity in the Islamic tradition and the age at which Prophet Mohammed received revelations from God. But despite the official festivities today's Islamic republic faces acute economic challenges as it struggles with a mix of domestic hardships and US sanctions. - 'Support the revolution' - State television offered blanket coverage of the commemorations, showing marches in cities ranging from Abadan in southwestern Iran to Mashhad in the northeast. Banners held by marchers or hung along the streets bore slogans including "Death to America", "Death to Israel", "we will trample on America", "forty yeas of challenge, forty years of US defeats". A number of Israeli and American flags were set on fire by the crowds. An anchor on state television warned of hostile foreign media trying to downsize the participation of Iranians in the march but expressed confidence that "they would be confounded by the unprecedented level of attendance". Those who took to the streets were bullish despite the economic problems in the country, made worse by Washington's punitive measures. Former public servant Saaghi insisted that it remained paramount for Iranians to stick by the revolution. "We are here to support the revolution," the 57-year-old pensioner, who refused to give his first name, told AFP at the event in Tehran. He compared the US sanctions and economic hardships to "riding a bicycle when someone puts a stick in the wheels" but pointed to advances in other fields as more than making up for them. "On the revolution's 40th anniversary we are at the top for scientific achievements like nanotechnology or accurate missiles," he said. Cleric Hossein Firouzi told AFP Iran's revolution had achieved everything it set out to in terms of military power, political identity and scientific achievements. "Iran has changed from a backwards nation to a world power," said the 50-year-old. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani addresses crowds during a ceremony celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Islamic revolution on February 11, 2019 An Iranian girl holds a potrait of the country's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during a ceremony celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Islamic revolution in Tehran on February 11, 2019 An Iranian man poses with a cutout of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini during a ceremony celebrating the 40th anniversary of the revolution in the capital Tehran on February 11, 2019 Iranians burn an American flag during commemorations of the 40th anniversary of the Islamic revolution in the capital Tehran on February 11, 2019 Hotel groups in Paris on Monday hailed a new legal offensive by city authorities against home-sharing group Airbnb which is being taken to court over illegal rentals. The French government has gradually tightened controls over the San Francisco-based firm, which critics blame for reducing the number of homes available for long-term rent in central areas of Paris and driving up property prices. Under a law passed in 2018, owners are obliged to register their rentals with tax authorities and display their number on their advertisements, while property owners cannot let them for more than 120 days a year in the biggest cities. Paris city authorities filed a legal complaint last Friday demanding a fine of 12.5 million euros ($14 million) against Airbnb for 1,000 properties without a registration number that were identified by local officials. The National Group of Independent Hotelleries and Restaurants (GNI) and hotel industry lobby group AhTop hailed the move as a "strong signal" to Parisians. "By demanding the payment of 12.5 million euros, the Paris mayor's office has underlined its desire to continue the fight against the damaging effects of these platforms," they said in a statement. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo signalled on Sunday that she intended to take a tough line on the American firm, which is the market leader in online home-sharing. "I don't have anything against Parisians hiring out their homes for a few days a year to earn a bit of extra money," she told the Journal du Dimanche newspaper. "The problem is people with multiple properties who rent year-round to tourists without declaring it and the platforms are complicit and welcome them," she added. Under the 2018 legislation called the "Elan law", home-sharing platforms are liable for a fine of 12,500 euros per advert violating the registration requirement. Last September, the Paris city council member in charge of housing said he would seek an outright ban on rentals in the heart of the capital, noting that Airbnb was making the city too expensive for locals. The move to tightly regulate Airbnb echoes actions taken in other tourist hotspots in Europe like Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin and New York. Airbnb is preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) as soon as the middle of this year at a valuation estimated by analysts to be more than $30 billion. The lodging startup last year said its quarterly revenues topped $1 billion for the first time. France has gradually tightened controls over Airbnb, with critics blaming the US company for reducing the number of long-term rentals available in central Paris and driving up property prices Two headless bodies have been found on two separate beaches in Thailands southeast. The men were found on February 6 with a naked body found on Mae Ramphueng Beach, Rayong and the second clothed in just underwear at PMY beach about 10km away, Thai news site Sanook reports. The naked body was found with cut wounds to the neck. An English language tattoo was found on the mans wrist. Police investigating a womans head found at a jetty in Prapadaeng, Thailand. Authorities believe the find is related two headless bodies found on Thai beaches. Source: Bright TV Police believed he was dead for a week before he was found while the other had been dead for about 10 days. The Rayong district is just southeast of the popular tourist spot of Pattaya. A head believed to be a womans was found at a jetty in Prapadaeng about 20km south of Bangkok earlier in the week. The mens heads are yet to be found. Its believed all the deaths could be linked. Source: Getty Australias Federal election in May looks set to lead to a change of government. While a Labor leadership promises to tackle changes to our long-outdated negative gearing, its not all good news. Instead of boosting the volume of first-home buyers in the market, the changes could lead to a possible influx of overseas property investors, Starr Partners CEO Douglas Driscoll warns. He added that Labors aim to limit negative gearing to new apartments and house packages to soften the market for first home buyers may inadvertently push more property into the hands of overseas buyers. Labors proposal to limit negative gearing to new developments and halve the capital gains tax coincides with other recent changes in the property market: a wave of new apartments and stringent macro-prudential measures, he said. This will create an extended period of property price stagnation. If our own investors are impeded further, this is likely to lead to more competition from foreign buyers. His comments come off the back of a report released last month by Chinese international property portal Juwai.com, which named the desire to get a bargain while the market is soft as a major factor motivating Chinese buyers to Australia this year. Will Aussie homebuyers look overseas? With the proposed abolishment of negative gearing concessions likely to lead to a prolonged period of stagnation for house prices in much of Sydney, Douglas said that some Australians may even start looking to invest elsewhere, including overseas. I think we might see the emergence of savvy Australian investors learning from foreign buyers, and look to invest in property overseas themselves, he said. Although New Zealands Parliament clamped down on non-resident foreigners from buying existing homes last year, Australians among the largest purchasers of homes in New Zealand were exempt from this ban, Douglas said. Whether youre looking for a home to live in or an apartment as an investment property, its relatively easy for Australian citizens to invest in New Zealand, and it can take as little as three to four weeks to complete a house purchase. Story continues If were not careful, we could find ourselves in an unusual situation wherein we see an influx of overseas investors buying property here, while our own investors start to purchase overseas. Surely, this wouldnt be in the Governments best interest, he concluded. Make your money work with Yahoo Finances daily newsletter. Sign up here and stay on top of the latest money, news and tech news. Now read: Shares vs property: whichll make you the most money? Now read: How stressed are you? Read this flowchart to find out Now read: RBA: Australias housing downturn is a significant area of uncertainty We want to make our thoughts known. We want to have our say. We want other people to know what we think, how we feel, who we blame, why we agree, disagree, why we want to live and for what cause or status wed happily die. All writers, poets, essayists, bloggers, tweeters, Facebook champions and slanderers, regardless of nationality, proclivity, intended objective, altruistic notion, educational or inspirational motive. we write for ourselves first. LAE - Why did I write for the Crocodile Prize? I didnt. I wrote for me. We all do. Communication is a fundamental human need. Its as basic as eating, sleeping, fucking and dying. So, colleagues, get over yourselves. You are not special in the multiverse of higher-level organisms capable of accumulating and dispersing information of fundamental intellectual value or otherwise plain stupidity. Back in the bad old days, in some places, folks could find themselves dead very quickly for making marks in the sand. In todays modern-age world writers can still, by state sanction no less, be removed from their corporeal bodies simply for doing what they loved best. Whats changed? I think the United Nations recognises this, or should, as a basic human right: the right to write. So, when I was writing for myself and sharing my stuff on PNG Attitude and entering the Crocodile Prize, I was fulfilling my own fundamental need to communicate, for me mostly through my poems. Published. Job done. Its all good. So, what? Well, the what is not all about me. And its not all about you either, Keith Jackson and Phil Fitzpatrick, although I insist youre mostly to blame for egging us all on. Its not about the Crocodile Prize itself either, or the kudos and koble (moni). Its about what the Crocodile Prize represents, what it captures and nurtures, what it provides for us all now and for future generations, from the well-spring of human endeavour and creativity, desire and being. Thats the what. Its all about us as Papua New Guineans. Not Australians. Not Americans. Not Chinese. Not Kiwis or Kanaks. Not British or Germans. Not Tolais or Sepiks. Not Simbus or Centrals. Us. Papua New Guineans. Collectively. All our voices. In one book. If there is nothing about this that you find as valuable or worthy, then eat your writing pad and laptop and call them kumu na kaukau [green leaves and sweet potato]. That said, my next question is, what happened to the Crocodile Prize? One of you writers-in-the-know please communicate to the rest of us on this, please. Or just eat your kumu na kaukau. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, AMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia, Pashinyan highlighted the importance of continued development of relations with the European Union and the pursuit of a constructive dialogue in all spheres. Stressing the need for soonest possible ratification of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on the part of EU-member states, Nikol Pashinyan expressed confidence that it will give new impetus to the cooperation and will help implement multifaceted reforms in our country. The Premier emphasized that his government is determined to implement systemic reforms in the fields of democracy, human rights, freedom of speech and build a fair judicial system. In this context, he appreciated the assistance to be provided under the CEPA and the effective implementation of all relevant programs. Nikol Pashinyan pointed out with satisfaction that the European side has already provided a roadmap for implementing the Agreements provisional clauses, which will be discussed during the upcoming meetings with EU officials. Toivo Klaar noted that the EU is eager to develop and expand relations with Armenia, and expressed confidence that the bilateral cooperation will be broadened through the temporary implementation of the agreement and the enforcement of those measures envisaged by the aforementioned roadmap. The parties took the opportunity to discuss issues related to the settlement of the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict. Nikol Pashinyan reaffirmed Armenias commitment to the peaceful settlement of the conflict in the OSCE Minsk Group format, and in this context, made a point of Artsakhs involvement in the confidence-building process, including the civil society. The Premier expressed confidence that it would contribute to the formation of a constructive atmosphere in the negotiation process. Nikol Pashinyan and Toivo Claar exchanged views on other regional issues as well. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, AMENPRESS. Christian Science Monitor international periodical has published an article about Nikol Pashinyan in the context of the domestic political developments in Armenia. ARMENPRESS reports the article headlined From prison to Prime Minister starts with the description of the developments of March 1, 2008. The article notes that back in 2008 Pashinyan was one of the key figures. In 2008, after 10 people had died during political protests in the Armenian capital of Yerevan, the ruling party made Mr. Pashinyan a scapegoat for inciting mass disorder and sought to throw him in prison. He spent more than a year in hiding, occupying the top spot on the countrys most-wanted list. Eventually Pashinyan turned himself in when a general amnesty was announced for political prisoners. But despite meeting the requirements, Pashinyans name was conspicuously missing from the amnesty list, reads the article. Later Pashinyan was granted with partial amnesty. His sentence was shortened, but he did serve almost two years in prison. The periodical refers to the domestic political developments of Armenia in 2018, when Nikol Pashinyan started a march from Gyumri and reached Yerevan, taking thousands of people to the streets who protested against government corruption and a power grab by then-Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan. The protests brought the country to a halt through joyous and highly organized civil disobedience. White confetti wafted through the streets instead of tear gas. The Economist declared Armenia, with a population of a mere 3 million, the 2018 country of the year for the nonviolent transition of power. While many independent groups joined the protests, one individual harnessed all the energy of the demonstrators, united the interests of urban and rural Armenians, and embodied the desires of young and old alike. That person built a coalition so strong that after just two weeks of mass demonstrations, Mr. Sargsyan stepped down with a remarkable mea culpa. Nikol Pashinyan was right, I was wrong, Sargsyan announced via an official statement on his governments website. The article notes that the recent political developments in Armenia showed that Armenia is among the post-Soviet states where a new model of democracy was formed. The journalist, revolutionary, and opposition leader became prime minister last May. Now he faces his hardest task yet: governing, reads the article. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. Minister of transport, communication and information technologies Hakob Arshakyan on February 11 received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bulgaria to Armenia Maria Pavlova Tzotzorkova-Kaymaktchieva, the ministry told Armenpress. At the meeting the minister said Armenia and Bulgaria have all preconditions to further develop and deepen the cooperation in the field of transport, communication and high technologies, and expressed readiness to take respective actions on this path. The Ambassador thanked for the reception and touched upon the opportunities to expand the partnership, as well as introduced the minister on a number of issues relating to the preparations for the Armenian-Bulgarian inter-governmental session. She highlighted the need to include the proposals of the Armenian side to the session agenda. During the meeting the two sides also touched upon the opportunities to implement joint programs in the information and telecommunication technologies field. A number of other issues relating to the future cooperation were also discussed at the meeting. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. Two men have been arrested in suspicision of dollar counterfeiting in Yerevan, police said. The Organized Crime Department of the Armenian police said it gathered intelligence reports that fake United States dollars have been used in a currency exchange machine of a Yerevan-based bank. Police launched large scale operations and identified two suspects, who were placed under surveillance. Few days later the suspects were caught red-handed, police said. One of the suspects, Tigran Sargsyan, was caught right outside the currency exchange machine. Officers found three fake 100 dollar bills in his possession. Sargsyan and his accomplice were detained and searched. The other suspect, identified as Gevorg Ghazaryan, carried a single fake 100-dollar bill in his pocket. Police said the two suspects have exchanged eight fake 100 dollar bills earlier in February. Both suspects have been arrested amid an ongoing criminal investigation. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Ambassador to Poland Samvel Mkrtchyan on February 8 met with President (Marshal) of the Senate (upper house of the parliament) Stanisaw Karczewski, the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress. Stanisaw Karczewski congratulated the Ambassador on appointment and wished him success in his mission expressing readiness to assist. Touching upon the effective cooperation of the parliaments of the two countries, the Armenian Ambassador expressed confidence that it will acquire a new positive quality and will contribute to the development of the relations following the recent snap parliamentary elections of Armenia. Ambassador Mkrtchyan highlighted the actions aimed at developing the Armenia-EU partnership and considered important the fact that the upper and lower houses of the Polish Parliament were among the first ones to complete the ratification process of the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The President of the Polish Senate emphasized the significance of the parliamentary diplomacy in the international relations and expressed hope that the parliamentary friendship groups will continue active works for developing the bilateral ties. The two officials also discussed the jubilee events of the recent years, the unique attitude of the Polish authorities towards the 650th anniversary of the Armenian community and etc. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. The recent domestic political events, the peaceful revolution in Armenia have greatly contributed to the increase of the international awareness about the country, Mekhak Apresyan Chairman of the Armenian Tourism Federation, told a press conference in ARMENPRESS. The revolutionary processes, the peaceful rallies greatly contributed to raising awareness on Armenia. Now it is necessary to capitalize this resource and use effectively, ensure sustainable tourism by contributing to the economic development, he said, adding that this must lead to the effective management of the dynamic growth of tourism in Armenia. Mekhak Apresyan noted that, however, they must not forget about constantly increasing the service quality in line with these positive developments. We should not allow that tourist leaves our country disappointed. Quite the contrary, we need to create conditions so that tourist will leave Armenia satisfied, he said. The incoming tourist visits to Armenia in 2018 comprised 1 million 651 thousand which is an increase of 10.5% compared to 2017. Apresyan said that Georgia and Russia lead in terms of the tourist visits to Armenia. Increase in number of tourists is also noticed from the European countries. There is great interest to Armenia from China and the Arab countries. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan GYUMRI, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. The Mother See of Holy Etchmiatsin will donate apartments to 10 homeless families from Spitak and Gyumri. The project is initiated through financial assistance from dioceses. The Social Service of the Armenian Church has selected the families according to priority. The apartment are already acquired and some of the families have already moved in. Soon the church will present the families with the certificate of ownership. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Egypt to Armenia Bahaa El Din Bahgat Dessouki, the Armenian government told Armenpress. The Armenian deputy PM congratulated the Ambassador on assuming office, wishing him productive work, and expressed readiness to assist all initiatives aimed at developing the Armenian-Egyptian relations. Mher Grigoryan said the firm historical-cultural relations and the dynamically developing inter-state ties can serve a good base for further expanding the commercial cooperation. He stated that the two countries have close ties also in the fields of education, culture and tourism with a great cooperation potential. Deputy PM Grigoryan introduced the process of talks over a free trade agreement between the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Egypt and expressed hope that the signing of the agreement will contribute to deepening the bilateral cooperation. In his turn the Egyptian Ambassador thanked for the reception and stated that he will make all efforts to raise the Armenian-Egyptian inter-state relations to a new level. The officials exchanged views on the prospects and opportunities to further develop the Armenia-Egypt cooperation in different areas. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian sent a congratulatory letter to President of Iran Hassan Rouhani on the 40th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the Armenian Presidents Office told Armenpress. In the letter President Sarkissian attached importance to the preservation and development of the Armenian-Iranian stable and mutually beneficial relations. He expressed confidence that both sides will invest new efforts and resources for that purpose. Armen Sarkissian wished Hassan Rouhani good health and all the best, and peace and further prosperity to the good people of Iran. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh Masis Mayilian received the outgoing Artsakh Program Manager of the international non-government organization The HALO Trust Charles Fawle and the newly-appointed Program Manager Askanaz Hambartzumyan, the Artsakh MFA told Armenpress. Charles Fawle expressed his gratitude to the authorities of Artsakh for their cooperation and support of the activities of the organization on humanitarian demining in the territory of the Republic. He introduced Askanaz Hambartzumyan, who had replaced him on this position, to Masis Mayilian. The sides discussed a range of issues related to the activities of The HALO Trust on humanitarian demining in Artsakh, as well as the implementation of the programs scheduled for the near future. The officials expressed their satisfaction with the level of cooperation between The HALO Trust and the corresponding state structures of Artsakh. Regional Director of the organization Michael Newton also participated in the meeting. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. Nearly 8000 garbage bins are needed for completely organizing the garbage disposal process in Yerevan, the Yerevan City Hall told Armenpress. According to the observations, today there are nearly 5000 garbage bins in the capital. During a working consultation today Mayor of Yerevan Hayk Marutyan urged Sanitek to carry out consistent works to ensure the necessary number of garbage bins. The Mayor was reported that the Active Citizen online platform will serve not only for implementing this initiative, but also ensuring constant contact with the citizens in the future. This is what we need. The program, which we initiated, will launch, and in general, this platform will be a direct communication with our residents, the Yerevan Mayor said. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, AMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan participated in the New Format of State-Community Cooperation: Infrastructure Development conference on February 11 The conference was attended by governors, community leaders, representatives from local administrations and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Armenia office, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made a speech addressing the Governments priorities in the field of territorial governance and development. Welcoming the forum, the head of government noted that the socio-economic development of communities is the pledge of sustainable development of the Republic of Armenia. The Premier stressed that there are many problems accumulated in our communities, which need special care and daily work, but we should first of all identify the parameters to comply with in addressing the problems. Nikol Pashinyan first touched upon the principles of community leaders activities as state officials. In general, I do not like groupings, especially when people are characterized as members of a group or a layer. I want to say right away. I understand that the leaders of communities in Armenia are very different, they differ in the way they have gone, their worldview, biography, merits, but I have to be honest and say that the image or public perception of the average statistical community leader in my perception and imagination is as follows: What does the community leader, mayor or village mayor do the next day after being elected: a process of property redistribution begins in communities so that their offices soon turn into real estate redistribution offices? Headquarter activists and other election contributors come in the first place: they need to be given shopping areas, plots of land, and so on, let alone the community leaders themselves. We keep talking about improving the investment environment in communities, but at least my long-term journalistic and parliamentary experience has shown that the key facilities in almost every community belongs either to the community head or the deputy mayor, and so on : This is, in general, an amazing reality, not just because it is so. It is as much surprising that this approach is tolerated by the public, and every time this approach gets some sort of electoral development because every voter, every electorate and activist hopes to expand his or her property. By saying everyday effort, improved work quality, I just mean this kind of social behavior. I would like to state very clearly that this approach is unacceptable to me, to the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the people of the Republic of Armenia. And I want to state clearly that the state service cannot and should not be perceived as a business activity not only by the prime minister, by a minister, but also by MPs, as well as by the heads of community or city council members. In their activities, public officials first of all should strive to multiply the public wealth rather than their personal or group assets. And I want to state once again that such phenomena are unacceptable in the new Armenia, and there can be no continuation of such phenomena. When we talk about the fact that in cities and villages it often happens that the facilities owned by community leaders are the most successful ones, we understand that there is a second reason for that just because it is a good opportunity to avoid paying taxes, from property tax to cash registers. Here we have a very serious problem, and the problem is that the mechanisms that have worked for many years continue to operate in many cases. Unfortunately, many still believe that a couple of months or a year after the revolution we might forget about why we have gathered and everything would start again. I ask you not to cherish such vain hopes: everything will not start again, and nothing will be returned to the old. I want to say this politically and economically in all respects. Vicious practices have no future in Armenia, and the only thing that will happen is the eradication of corruption. During this time, we have given many people, perhaps everyone, even those who will not benefit from it the chance to change the reality, therefore, the law enforcement agencies should deal with such people. The staffs of mayors offices feature uncles brother, uncles uncle, the friend of an uncles friend, a friends friend, etc, who never come to work. Stop saying that there is no money in Armenia; let us use money effectively, then think about the rest. I cannot claim that everywhere and everything is exactly the same. I am just talking about the traditions and perceptions that existed and still continue in our country. I welcome all those community leaders who enjoy the confidence of their communities and who are ready to join the government in substituting the old reality with new practices. Naturally, during our activities we will do our best to support them and make their work more efficient, but I want to note that this should be a two-way process. As the next important aspect of government-community cooperation, Prime Minister Pashinyan highlighted the need for doing consistent work on environmental protection and preventing pollution. At a recent Cabinet meeting, I said that I would consider significant changes in the Republic of Armenia when we manage to clear Armenia from garbage. This is really the area where the government and local self-governing bodies should cooperate. You may know that we have initiated and on March 23 we intend to implement an unprecedented cleanup campaign in the Republic of Armenia. Of course, this is not the first time we have done a cleanup. If I am not mistaken, the government implemented the Clean Armenia program two years ago, which is a very good idea. But now we have to try not to repeat the mistakes or omissions committed during the implementation of this program. To be honest, during last years march we could see the problems triggered by improper implementation of the Clean Armenia program. We made sure that often garbage had been collected and moved somewhere away from cameras. I understand that we are short of infrastructure in this sphere, but we have to agree that this weekend should be organized properly, so that we can not shift garbage from one place to another, but we can actually achieve significant sanitation. This is a crucial objective: our government has adopted a policy of bringing Armenia to the highest ecological standards, which implies more than compatibility with environmental standards; we need to address this problem at the level of individual households, the Head of Government said. Subsequently, the Prime Minister touched upon the new order in the Governments proceedings to provide subsidies for the development of economic and social infrastructures of communities. The Government intends to allocate 10 billion drams in subsidies this year. Unfortunately, last year the local self-governance system was unable to master or submit relevant programs. We expressed readiness to allocate 10 billion or even 15 billion drams in subsidies last year, but the program was only partly implemented, and we could not reach the proposed target. Our goal is the following as the most important issue is the promotion of the investment environment and investment economic activity, we have a problem with infrastructure projects, which, of course, does not exclude other types of programs. But our primary appeal and condition is that emphasis has to be placed on infrastructure, water, irrigation, road and so on, of course, I say again, not excluding other programs aimed at activating the cultural and public life of communities. Nikol Pashinyan underscored that an important stage is being launched in the Republic of Armenia, which needs everyones personal contribution. There is no way back in the Republic of Armenia; the Republic of Armenia will go ahead and move forward at a very high pace. I urge all those community leaders who have their voters confidence to join us and build a free, powerful and happy Armenia, the Prime Minister concluded. During the conference perspectives of community economic and social infrastructures development, new procedure for subsidizing, possible support of the UN Development Program in Armenia and other agenda issues will be discussed. The governments subsidy program for the development of economic and social infrastructures in communities is a new form of community-state collaborative co-financing, which implies co-funding of some part of the cost of the program in case of a capital project submission and the governments endorsement. Considering a projects scope, peculiarities, geographical location, and its impact on the socio-economic situation of individual communities, the state will provide co-financing at the rate of 30-70% of the total cost of community infrastructure development-targeted projects. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. A bill on compensations to the victims of the 2008 March 1-2 events in Yerevan will be introduced in parliament. The March 1 events refer to the 2008 post-election unrest in Yerevan. 10 people, including two security officers, were killed in clashes. The photo above pictures an armored personnel carrier in downtown Yerevan during those days. The bill is co-authored by Vice Speaker Alen Simonyan and Vice Speaker Lena Nazaryan. A similar bill is also being prepared for compensations to victims of the 2016 July police station ambush, Simonyan said on Facebook, referring to the 2016 Yerevan hostage crisis. Simonyan also said that another bill is being prepared that will concern the law on time calculation in Armenian territory and will enable citizens to save up to 10% in electricity bills. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. With the support of Business Armenia, 32 Armenian companies will participate in the international exhibition of food and beverage, ProdExpo, in Moscow, Russia, on February 11-15. Last year, 21 Armenian companies returned from the same expedition with export contracts of 5.7 billion drams, Business Armenia told Armenpress. Armenian manufacturers will be presenting large international buyers and distributors with a wide range of products: semi-manufactured goods, fruit, vegetable, fish and meat preserves, jams, fruit vodka, brandy, liqueur, gin, wine, dairy products, cheese, dried fruits, chocolate, beer, coffee, tea, pasta, melted butter, etc. Taking into account the results of the exhibition and the interest of the manufacturers in the exhibition, Business Armenia has increased the amount of companies participating in the international exhibition this year. 32 manufacturers will represent their production, instead of 21, and the unified space will occupy 207 square meters, instead of 181 square meters, Markus Azadian, Export Team Leader at Business Armenia, said. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. The traffic department of the Georgian ministry of infrastructures told Armenias ministry of transport, communication and information technologies that on February 11, as of 10:00, the Stepantsminda-Lars highway is open for all types of vehicles, the ministry told Armenpress. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. Venezuela has commenced the largest ever military exercises in its history. President Nicolas Maduro visited the military in the countrys Miranda state to view the equipment and meet with army personnel, Periscope reported. In remarks delivered to the armed forces personnel, Maduro emphasized the need to modernize the army and involve additional resources to acquire modern armaments. The drills, called Angostura 200, are dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the Congress of Angostura that was convened by Simon Bolivar in 1819. The exercises are taking place on the background of the political tensions in the country. The US had earlier said it doesnt rule out the possibility of using military force for solving the crisis in Venezuela. Earlier President Maduro said that Angostura 200 is the most massive military exercises in the history of Venezuela. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. The ministry of emergency situations informs that on February 11, as of 09:00, some roads are closed and difficult to pass in Armenia, reports Armenpress. Vardenyats Pass is closed for trailer trucks and is difficult to pass for the remaining vehicles. Sotk-Karvachar highway is difficult to pass due to clear ice. Drivers are urged to use winter tires. The Georgian authorities inform that the Stepantsminda-Lars highway is open for all types of vehicles. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan A group of diverse but like-minded individuals, the members of ARC have come together in their common desire to fight hatred, bigotry, intolerance and violence because of the harm these antisocial behaviors cause to our society. In that effort, we will not use or sanction the use of illegal actions (such as violence or intimidation) in pursuit of our desired aims and if we learn of anyone who does use these unethical methods we will report those individuals to the authorities. Instead, we will use the guarantees found in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that ensure freedom of legal speech and expression. Now this is a must read book, written by a 17 year old teenager. You can also order through Shoppee by clicking here You can read one of the interviews do... John Dingell's Long View The Dean of the House on Congress, presidents, and representing Ann Arbor by Eve Silberman Published in April, 2014 "Look at him working the room!" an audience member marveled. Congressman John Dingell, eighty-seven, wearing a navy suit and leaning on a crutch, was moving from table to table at the Kensington Court Hotel, greeting people with hugs and handshakes. The occasion was Dingell's last annual "State of the District" speech in March. His recent announcement that he would not seek re-election made national news, because he has served for more than fifty-eight years--longer than any other member of Congress in history. Dingell has represented Ann Arbor since 2002, when a GOP-orchestrated redistricting extended his suburban Detroit district westward. After winning a primary battle with popular Ann Arbor Democrat Lynn Rivers, Dingell quickly overcame any lingering ill will with sheer hard work. "I never talked to Congressman Dingell when he didn't say, 'John, are we doing everything we can do for you and Ann Arbor?'" recalls mayor John Hieftje, who enlisted his support on everything from funding the Stadium bridges to buying hybrid buses for the AAATA. Though Dingell lives in Dearborn when not in D.C., this year alone "he's made dozens of appearances in Ann Arbor," says aide Chris Schuler. He's met with supporters of a higher minimum wage at Zingerman's, discussed the Detroit International Wildlife Refuge at the U-M School of Natural Resources and Environment, went to a Michigan Education Association legislative breakfast, attended the visitation for the late labor activist Fred Veigel, and spoke to the U-M College Democrats. Eve Silberman talked to Dingell shortly after he announced his retirement. Some of his answers have been edited for length. Observer: What did you learn about Ann Arbor that you hadn't known before? Dingell: I've represented Ann Arbor a dozen years. It's been a wonderful experience--I don't have any complaints. Every time the city had need of assistance in a project, we worked with them. Not only were they extraordinarily efficient, they worked hard [and were] pleasant to deal with. It's always been a good experience all ...continued below... around.I always found them to be people who were trying to make things better. I never had any reason to criticize them and what they were trying to do.[One major issue is] to get control of the costs of the student loans--I've got kids in the office who have bills for student loans bigger than their mortgages, their houses--explain that to me if you can.The Congress has become a very difficult place to serve. [It] started, as I recall, when [former House speaker Newt] Gingrich came in and started running against the Congress and [members] decided to get themselves elected by denouncing the Congress.We're supposed to be talking together. I don't see that being done. I think it's a bad thing--bad for the country, bad for Congress, bad for the people.It's a place where things were always happening. As a page I saw the House extend the draft by one vote [in 1941. If it had failed], that could have cost us World War II. I saw the declaration of war by the Congress.I have voted on all kinds of legislation--food and drugs, consumer protection, environmental policies, the Endangered Species Act.I helped lead the fight to save the auto industry, not once but three or four times. I've worked hard to get civil rights legislation through. I saved millions of acres of land for conservation and recreation. I built the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. I've reformed the food and drug laws to protect people from unsafe food, sometimes unsafe pharmaceuticals. I wrote the National Environmental Policy Act. I've done a lot of other things that would probably bore the daylights out of you.Only once very briefly. I did get a chance to talk to Truman many times and to every president since.That's a good question. Truman was a very, very simple, flat, ordinary human being. He was a leader who kept on his desk a sign that said "The buck stops here."Roosevelt was a man who saved this country from Communism, depression, a war people actually thought we could lose. He was a fellow who spent his time thinking not only how he was going to win the war, but win the peace. I think of the presidents I've known about, [Roosevelt and Truman] were my favorites.Senior Bush was a very special friend, and young Bush was a man who showed me a lot of personal kindnesses. But I regret to say he was one of the worst presidents we ever had.And Kennedy was a friend. If he hadn't had one problem he couldn't seem to control, he would have been a great president.[Nixon] did some very good things and some very awful things.I did, and I would always go fishing or something and get it out of my head. It's a terrible job. Look at the faces of the men who served as president and see how it ages them.Who knows? I'll figure out something. There's plenty to do. I've got a beautiful wife who's going to be elected to Congress. [Debbie Dingell immediately declared for her husband's seat.]She's very different. If you knew her well and you knew me--there are strong similarities but enormous differences.I don't feel free to discuss that, to be perfectly honest. I see things that she would rather I not comment on.We're great friends, great partners. We have a love affair that ranks with Romeo and Juliet.It's been a great life, an extraordinary life. I've seen this country change. I've seen Washington change from a hick town to a very polished town.I've had the opportunity to see the world change and the Congress change, not always for the better.That's a great question. I don't know how to answer it at this time. I hope to write [one].No, I detest it. [Originally published in April, 2014.] A week ago, I posted here supporting VA Gov Ralph Northam, comparing him favorably to the late Robert C. Byrd of WV. A day later I joined the call for him to resign after his bizarre press conference that has still left unpleasant unresolved issues such as who put that awful photo in his yearbook and why. Since then much else has come forth, and this continues. In any case it looks like Northam may hang in for at least awhile, although the situation is complicated and constantly changing, to put it mildly. What I intend to add in this post beyond the latest news is a combination of inside local information as well as, hopefully, a deeper historical perspective. Last mornings (Friday, 2/8), Washington Post top headline was that Northam would not resign soon, and late this afternoon I as an employee of the Commonwealth of VA received an email message saying he hoped we would all support him continuing to lead the state, while carefully not being too out there too much on that he would stay in office for his full term. One reason why he was not going to resign immediately, even without the recent collapse of his most immediate successors, is that until Feb. 23 the VA legislature is debating a serious budget issue. The Trump tax law has resulted in a revenue windfall for Virginia. This involves technical details I know but will not bore any readers with this. So, there is an ongoing debate in the VA legislature on what to do with this extra money, with the barely majority GOP in the legislature saying give it all to upper middle-income persons, while Northam and the Dems have proposed giving half of it to lower income people while using the other half to fund various state initiatives. If this current scandal had not appeared, I think Northam would have gotten an agreement not too far from what he wanted. Now in his weakened state, the ultimate compromise will be closer to the GOP version. For any not following the news since a week ago, both of Northams immediate successors have themselves come under unpleasant scrutiny. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax has now been seriously accused of two sexual assaults. When accused of the first he denied it and hired an attorney. The second accusation coming a few hours ago is of rape, and while earlier many were supporting him to replace Northam, this now seems to have become unlikely. I note that I never liked Fairfax. I know all these people personally, and the African American I would like to see as governor is Levar Stoney, currently Mayor of Richmond and a grad of JMU where I teach. And now the second in line to the governorship of VA, assuming that both Northam and Fairfax resign (neither of which at this point has so far remotely come close to doing so), is Attorney General Mark Herring, now in his second term, having stepped aside from running for Lt Gov to let the now seriously damaged J. Fairfax run for that. Last Thursday AG Herring revealed that he also had performed in blackface in 1980 at UVa at age 19. If Northam, Fairfax, and Herring all resign or forced out of office, then the acting governor will be the Speaker of the House, Kirk Cox, not only a Republican, but one how just gave an impassioned anti-abortion speech full of ridiculously irrelevant Biblical passages, given that there is nothing in the Bible that directly forbids abortion. As it is, it appears that all of this blew up because Northam is a pediatric neurologist, who only recently became a politician. So when Dems in the VA legislature attempted to loosen rules on late abortions, Dr. Northam got into rare and weird cases I was not aware of involving treatment of deformed fetuses and whether one born should be revived. Personally, I do not know how to deal with such extremely rare cases, although basically siding with mothers and their physicians. But Republicans cherry picking this overly specific discussion by Dr. Northam turned it into infanticide, with Trump making this charge in his SOTU. More immediately and seriously the rumor I have heard is that what triggered the revelation of that embarrassing photo in Northams yearbook came as a result of his professional testimony about this odd and rare case, which his opponents seized on, blocking any expansion of abortion rights in VA and providing fodder for Trumps ranting in his SOTU about infanticide, a false charge. But back in VA, reportedly a roommate from med school of Northam got ticked off by this medical testimony by Northam, and then leaked the story to whatever media about the yearbook photos. This set off the call that he should resign, leading us to the now unacceptable (although I read, he has hired lawyers, puke), and then the now damaged AG Herring. While so far Speaker Cox is clean, aside from being a far-right winger, the GOP majority leader of the state senate, Norman Tennant, has been accused of a half century ago being an editor of a yearbook containing racist photos. I have lived in VA for 42 years and have deep south ancestry including VA. But this matter has made me realize that for all my deep family background going back to the 1600s in VA, I was and am a damned yankee to all those born and raised here. My parents were born and raised in Deep South northern Florida, and when young I spent serious time there. This made me think I knew the South, but I now know that ultimately I was an outsider, especially given that I went not only to high school in liberal/progressive Madison, Wisconsin, where the state capitol building has a museum for the Grand Army of the Republic, the ultimate hard core of the northern Union that won the Civil War (War of Northern Aggression according to a cousin of my father that my wife from USSR/Russia met in 1987). So, a big revelation to me in the last week is how widespread this blackfacing and related racist manifestations were even into recent times. The yearbook where Northams photo appeared (Eastern Medical School of Virginia) had racist photos as recently as 2013, when the then dean just shut down the yearbooks. I have never seen a black faced performance, but now old very liberal and local friends have been surfacing with old past incidents of racist conduct. This sort of resembles post-WW II France, where many collaborated with the Nazi Vichy regime, but then later joined the anti-Nazi Resistance. Eventually this became a matter of when one turned from one side to the other, and good liberal close friends have been essentially playing postwar French fessing up to just exactly when they stopped using the n-word, much less blackfacing. The deeper history of all this is in Virginia 400 hundred years ago in 1619 when on the one hand the oldest continuing English-speaking legislative body in North America was founded, the same one (with some modifications over the centuries), that I noted above is trying to resolve the Trump tax reform with VA tax law. The other is the first arrival in what is now the USA of African slaves. Needless to say, this latter matter is on many minds and relevant to this current controversy. To make things even worse, it was in Virginia in 1705 that the crucial laws were passed fully establishing that slavery was to be of people of African descent and that those people could not marry anyone of European descent. So since then in 1860 the state had more slaves than any other, its capitol became the that of the Confederate States of America, with half the battles of the succeeding Civil War (or War of Northern Aggression according to some of my cousins of earlier generations), and then its state capital became the capital of the Confederacy. This led to half the battles of the Civil War being fought in Virginia. More recently we had the Byrd Machine supporting resistance against racial integration of public schools after Brown vs Board of Education in 1954. Eventually this was all over come. But in the private places, including many frats on many campuses until very recently, racist practices such as blackfacing persisted. And although the worst violence came from outsiders, in Charlottesville in August, 2017, we saw overt racist violence in Virginia. Eventually this has become personal. With all these revelations, very liberal friends of mine have now outed themselves as having been varying degrees of racist in the past. I now realize that while I have deep southern ancestry including high officers in the Confederate army, I was born and raised in the North. I did not see all this stuff, and I did not personally have to go through this process of personally deracializing myself, which I now realize my deep southern parents went through, my father moving from deep south racist Democratic Party affiliation when he went to math grad school in Princeton in the 30s to being a Republican, When he took us in 1963 to uber-progressive Madison, Wisconsin, well, no wonder I did not do blackface. A final bottom line is that Gov. Northams still unresolved yearbook photo has the absurd idea of possibility of a racial reconciliation to all this. I do not know why he continues to claim no knowledge of the origin or handling of this old photo of black faced white person standing next to someone wearing a KKK hooded outfit that is in his medical school yearbook. But while whatever relation it had to Gov. Northam personally, it could be interpreted in its superficial stupidity as also showing a possible racial reconciliation for the long and troubled racial history of Virginia. This now shocking photo shows a black faced man standing peacefully next to somebody wearing a KKK outfit. While indeed the obvious interpretation of those photo supports racism, another interpretation is of harmony among the races, even including the old southern racists of the KKK. Observing old Virginia friends of mine now confessing their past racist behavior and views, it seems that for them this looks sort of like the post-WW II French. After the war they were supposedly all anti-Nazi and supporters of the anti-Nazi Resistance. But, of course, many did work for the pro-Nazi Vichy regime after the German conquest of France in 1940. But then, as the Allies increased their obviously ultimate victory over that regime, more and more former collaborators with the Vichy regime would quit and join the Resistance. Eventually this game became a matter of timing ones switch from working for a ruling Vichy to an anti-Vichy/Nazi Resistance. Several of my good friends now confessing their past racist conduct have put it in these terms: it has become a matter of timing, just when did one finally stop doing these bad old behaviors? Reportedly Ralph Northam only learned two years ago that blackfacing was not socially acceptable. Whatever comes out of the current crisis in Virginia, hopefully in the future we shall have better informed and more deeply understanding leaders in Virginia and more broadly. Addendum: 2:30 PM, 2/9/19: The VA legislature has reportedly come to an agreement on its budget dispute. Apparently, the agreement tilts strongly towards what the GOP members favored due to the weakness of the Dems arising from these scandals involving their elected leaders in the state. Not surprising. Barkley Rosser Daniel Becker | February 11, 2019 1:34 pm (Theres a movie at the end!) For decades we have been hearing about the loss of industrial production through out what is called the Rust Belt. Its presented, even as recent as the prior presidential election as a relative regional problem that only began post Reagan. What gets me though is that the reporting and ultimately the politics are as if the rust belt is/was unique in their experience with the west and east coast experiencing nothing of the sort. The presentation is of the west coast Hollywood economy and now the tech economy, the east coast (namely New York/Boston) being the money economy. The south east is not considered other than Disney and orange production. The north west? Microsoft and Starbucks. Well I think it used to be lumber. Wiki notes that the rust belt is not geographic but is a term that pertains to a set of economic and social conditions. It includes the northeast which is proper in that industry started there but I have had the feeling for a few decades now that such history is forgotten and thus no longer considered when we look to understand what the hell happened to the middle class. Let me start with this fun fact. Rhode Island was the most industrialized state per capita in the nation at one point. Wiki notes that: Aldrich, as US Senator, became known as the General Manager of the United States, for his ability to set high tariffs to protect Rhode Island and American goods from foreign competition. We were where the super rich came to escape the heat and play. And then it started to die. Not just here though. Neighboring Massachusetts was hit as was Connecticut. If you ever get a chance, come visit the New Bedford Whaling museum and read about the massive industry that was there. Example, the worlds largest mill of weaving looms. Some 4000+! Whaling from that city in the later 1800s generated some $71 million per year! Not impressed? Well, using the GDP deflator its $1.480 billion per year! But it wasnt to last. Some people from the south decided to sell it as the nonunion place to be and so moved the mills. I wrote about one major player in this in 2008. He did not like the moving of jobs to China as he understood it was undercutting our labor class. The middle class. Yet, he had no problem doing the same to the north east. Democratic Senator Hollings. Hated unions to the end. (The post is still relevant today.) Ah, for the want of the old days and tariffs. Oh well. Its a new world order. But, here we are yet still again. Election time. The poor middle class. Only, the catering seems to be to those who are recently losing their industrial jobs. Recent as in only since the 1980 as if the non-northeast part of the rust belt could not have learned from the northeast. This gets me to the point: Farewell to Factory Towns? Its a documentary fill about the Sprague Capacitor Factory, a strike and what has been tried but not work as planned. Its a bit of history that I believe might just help bring together those of the heart land/rust belt with the elitists on the coasts. We really have, as part of the middle class, all had and are having the same social, economic and political experience. It is an award winning film. With a focus on North Adams, Massachusetts, the documentary raises that question for similar communities throughout the United States. Beginning in the 1970s, the film deals with the concepts of deindustrialization, the fraying of the social safety net, globalization and neoliberalism. During the same period that factory towns from Youngstown to Buffalo to North Adams were hit with factory closings and massive unemployment, government policy moved to the right and Federal and state economic and social programs, like AFDC, were cut back or ended. What were factory towns to do? Where would help come from? If not from government programs, then from where? Im posting this to add to the discussion of PGLs post regarding the Bread and Roses strike. Do take the time to watch it if only for the interest in our history. Feed tests reveal lower digestibility New seasonal feed quality test results showing the stark differences between wet and dry seasons have underlined the need for end users to measure and know what they are feeding. Sport American Korda seeks another win in LPGAs 3rd major of year Nelly Korda says she had no time to celebrate her victory at last weeks Meijer Classic because the third of five majors in 2021, the Womens PGA Championship, was right around the corner. I didnt get to, Korda said of toasting her win at the Meijer. I had to get Residents of SoHo, a former bastion of manufacturers and artists that has become a cautionary tale of gentrification, and neighboring NoHo are bracing themselves for a rezoning plan they fear will further erode the iconic areas character. Department of City Planning officials last week kicked off a series of public meetings with the community as part of a collaborative planning process. While no specific proposals are on the table yet, residents and observers anticipate that a rezoning would grant more as-of-right retail uses, easing requirements that operators of large stores request special permits, as well as the removal of a more-than-four-decade-old law that requires some former manufacturing buildings in SoHo to be reserved for working artists certified by the city. The fix is in, said Sean Sweeney, the director of SoHo Alliance, a neighborhood civic association. Accusing officials of having a preordained plan, Sweeney added, We dont want the process at all. Driving residents' resistance to the plan is the suspicion that real estate interests are driving the rezoning. Property owners have formed a group called the the Fix SoHo NoHo Coalition. The members include the some of the city's biggest landlords and developers, including Vornado Realty Trust, Aurora Capital Associates, United American Land, Himmel + Meringoff, Crown Acquisitions and Olmstead Properties. In an email to Gothamist, Jared Epstein, a coalition member who is a principal at Aurora Capital Associates, said, "The coalition came together to ensure there was a unified voicerepresenting commercial and residential property ownersadvocating to make sure the City gets it right. We look forward to working with the BID and others to create a neighborhood-wide legal framework that gives certainty and predictably to those who live and work in SoHo/NoHo." Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP), which has worked on zoning and preservation issues across neighborhoods downtown, accused the city of catering to the real estate industry. City Planning, he said, denied a request by his organization to serve on the advisory board for SoHo and NoHo's rezoning. GVSHP has previously clashed with the city on zoning issues in the East Village. "It's hard to have faith in a process guided by an entity that is excluding important stakeholders," Berman said. The depth of that feeling was made clear last Wednesday during the citys first public meeting, which became a chaotic scene as skeptical residents tried to make sense of the proceedings organized by city planning officials, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, and Council Member Margaret Chin. Residents flocked to the city's first public meeting on Soho and Noho's rezoning. (Photo courtesy of City Planning) In a "Who's on first?" scenario, residents looked to city officials to take the lead while the latter punted back to the community. As Bowery Boogie reported last week: The room was packed, hot, and facilitators were quickly overwhelmed with questions. Looking for real civic engagement, locals found themselves unwitting participants in what seemed a planning process without speakers or a clear agenda. The hand-out sheet from DCP, Chin, and Brewers office defined this plan in only the vaguest and broadest terms, and didnt contain the word zoning or rezoning. Ironically, stakeholders were implored to divulge opinions or suggestions, yet had no idea what was really at stake. Despite having become a shopping mecca, SoHo and NoHo remain mostly designated by city zoning for a range of light manufacturing and industrial uses. The last major rezoning was introduced in 1971, legalizing the residential use of about 1,000 industrial lofts, although over the years there have been additional tweaks. The current zoning allows for a fair amount of density, according to Berman, with a maximum floor-area ratio of 5, which allows for mid-rise buildings. "By most measures, it was viewed as more than sufficient to allow development and change," he said. The rules do impose restrictions when it comes to retail, however. Area retailers are not allowed to occupy spaces larger than 10,000 square feet. But over the years, retail stores, and most conspicuously, oversized retail, have managed to slip in. In some cases, it is because retailers have creatively carved out loopholes. Last year, Assemblymember Deborah Glick raised the case of Hollister in a letter to the Department of Buildings, according to the Villager. The clothing companys 37,500-square foot flagship at 600 Broadway evades the 10,000-square-foot rule by having one floor leased by Hollister, another by its parent company, Abercrombie & Fitch. American Eagle in SoHo (Alycia Kravitz / Gothamist) The more legitimate route for retailers seeking large spaces is to ask the city for special exemptions and one-off variances, which require a public approval process that ultimately winds up at the City Council. Elected officials have suggested that as among the reasons why the zoning needs to change. In a press release last month, Brewer said, As the old rules have stopped working, the area has seen a steady march of special exemptions, one-off variances, and inappropriately large retail uses." But Sweeney said residents prefer special exemptions because they grant the community more control. And while illegal uses abound, he and others have said that the answer should be better enforcement as opposed to a rezoning. The median asking price of a home in Soho is $3,375,000 and monthly median asking rent is $5,500, according to the most recent Streeteasy market report. Only Tribeca had higher asking prices. As in other parts of the city, retail vacancies abound, something property owners have blamed on the area's outdated zoning. "Big box retail has been strategically vilified by a select few," Epstein said. "Current rules are hurting small businesses, and it is street vendors operating illegally that create the largest quality of life issues in the high traffic areas of SoHo and NoHo." While asking retail rents once soared as high as $860 per square foot, they have fallen recently to around $413 per square foot amid a citywide retail slump. But some observers have viewed Soho as being a victim of high-rent blight, a phenomenon in which landlords hold out for unrealistic asking rents. For residents, greedy retail landlords are another reason to continue restricting retail uses. Aside from retail, the real estate community has also homed in on the artists-in-residence rule, a vestige of the era when artists illegally inhabited the area's manufacturing spaces. Over the years, brokers and landlords have objected to the rule as being a hurdle for investors and apartment buyers and renters. Those in favor of keeping the law intact have argued that while the rule is seldom enforced, it still serves as an important protection against eviction for longtime artists, who were granted rent regulation through the original 1982 Loft Law. Property owners have maintained that they have no desire to kick out artists. "It should simply be legal to live in SoHo whether you are an artist or not," Epstein said. He added: "Zoning must allow a free marketplace to determine what can be sustained, otherwise we will be in a situation where the neighborhood needs to be rezoned again in future years." In response to a request for comment, Brewer issued the following statement: "I've repeatedly asked for better enforcement and that will definitely be one of our issues to consider. If residents have a specific desire, they should express it during the planning process, and especially the public meetings the group is conducting. We're all ears." Similarly, a City Planning spokesperson said in a statement, "If there is one thing we know about SoHo and NoHo, its that theres a wide array of interests and goals. We saw that on full display at our first meeting. Together with Borough President Brewer and Council Member Chin, we intend to engage with everyoneresidents, arts and culture organizations, businesses and property owners, and historic preservationistsas we plan for the future of these vibrant areas." Addressing the composition of the advisory board, the spokesperson added: This inclusive 18-member advisory group has representatives from five groups that advocate directly for historic preservation, also affordable housing advocates, residents, business owners, and arts and culture organizations. As part of this engagement process, we will host a series of public meetings to ensure that all stakeholders have a voice. City Plannings next public meeting on rezoning SoHo and NoHo is scheduled for February 28, at a location to be determined. The New York legislature has historically been loath to address sexual harassment within its ranks, a problem critics attribute to a firmly entrenched boys club culture. As the #MeToo movement surfaced systemic sexual misconduct across basically every conceivable industry, however, lawmakers did pass a set of anti-harassment laws last springwithout soliciting input from the public, and without consulting the women in the Senate or Assembly. On Wednesday, roughly six months after the fact, legislators will finally hold public hearings on the matter. The hearing comes after sustained pressure from advocacy groups and women lawmakers. The eight-person (as of Monday) Sexual Harassment Working Group, made up of women who say they've experienced and/or witnessed sexual harassment while working with the men of Albany, has been pushing for a hearing since the laws passed as part of the 2018 budget last March. Cynthia Nixon has also joined, according to a press release. At the time, Governor Andrew Cuomo, Democratic Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Republican Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, and then-IDC leader Jeff Klein hashed out the policies in secretive negotiations that excluded their female colleagues. Adding insult to injury, Klein had just been publicly accused of forcibly kissing a female staffer, Erica Vladimer, a former fellow and policy analyst for the IDC, who is now also a member of the Sexual Harassment Working group. (Klein denies the allegations.) "It's time to stop putting politics over human rights," Vladimer said at a press conference in August, according to the Gotham Gazette. "The first way we can do that is with public hearings...where workers from every industrygovernment, retail, food service, hospitalitycan be heard by those we elect to legislate on our behalf and those who are appointed to enforce those protections." The laws passed last March mandated that all state contractors institute sexual harassment policies, in line with measures outlined by the State Department of Labor and the Division of Human Rights, and train their employees on them. Employers would also have to dispense with any contractual language barring employees from suing over workplace harassment, and allows for nondisclosure agreements only when the victim asks for them. Cuomo touted these as "the strongest and most comprehensive anti-sexual harassment protections in the nation," but critics contended the language left complainants vulnerable to retaliation. Launching their campaign under the hashtag, #HarassmentFreeAlbany, the working group released a set of policy recommendations to shore up protections for survivors. These include embedding stronger, clearer definitions of sex- and gender-based harassment in the state constitution; establishing and funding an independent New York State Division of Human Rights to police the enforcement of discrimination and harassment laws; and amending state law to better hold both individual employees who discriminate and their employers accountable, and keep them from covering up bad behavior. Between 2008 and 2017, New York quietly paid out $11 million to settle 84 complaints of workplace harassment, assault, and discrimination by state employees. The problem is pernicious, and solving it requires that "officials ... also hear from workers across industries," as working group members Leah Hebert and Rita Pasarell, both of whom have described their own harassment by former Assembly member Vito Lopez, wrote in a Times Union editorial in August. "Providing victims a platform to share experiences is the first step in the #MeToo revolution," they argued. "The more we talk about the harmful impact of workplace harassment and discrimination, and the failures of the systems put in place to prevent these violations and crimes, the more those around us understand what and how to change." The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, and will be streamed here. More information and the sign-up form for anyone interested in making a public statement can be found here. A working group convened by the de Blasio Administration is set to release a plan for improving school diversity on Tuesday. And student activists say theyll be looking for progress not just on whos admitted to the schools, but whats taught and whos doing the teaching. The fact of the matter is New York City is one of the most diverse places on Earth, said Obrian Rosario, 17. "But our school teachers, our school staff, our school administration do not represent the diversity as a whole. He said he has not had a teacher of color since he started in the public school system. According to a report from NYUs Research Alliance for New York City Schools, non-white men accounted for under 10 percent of teachers in recent years. Leanne Nunes, 16, said her black history lessons have focused too much on slavery and not enough on the contributions and achievements of African Americans. "I am someone that comes from a people who are proud and strong and powerful and Im powerful too, she said to cheers at a recent rally outside the Department of Education. Rosario and Nunes joined students from across the city in a week of action called Black Lives Matter At School. They demanded more teachers of color, better black history and ethnic studies courses, fewer suspensions, and more counselors in the schools than police. A DOE spokesperson said many of the improvements students want were underway. For example, the NYC Men Teach initiative is working to bring 1,000 teachers of color into city schools. Lengthy suspensions, particularly of black students, were down dramatically, while the number of counselors was up. The department has invested $23 million to help teachers make their classes more culturally responsive and fight implicit bias. he New York City school system is among the most segregated in the nation. The de Blasio administration has said increasing diversity is a priority. But some parents have sued over its plan to change admissions at the citys specialized high schools, and efforts to increase diversity on the District level have proven controversial. Chancellor Carranza has prioritized advancing equity, reducing racial disparities, and expanding culturally responsive education across New York City public schools, and weve made progress but acknowledge there is more work to do, the DOE spokesperson said in a statement. But Black Lives Matter in Schools organizer Tarilyn Little told WNYCs Jessica Gould that the city wasnt moving fast enough. "Having rallies like this holds our system accountable to their promises," she said, adding that when the diversity plan comes out students will hold the city accountable for fulfilling those promises, too. Jessica Gould is a reporter in the newsroom at WNYC. You can follow her on Twitter at @ByJessicaGould. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Tyler Diffie/Released(WASHINGTON) -- Two U.S. Navy ships sailed within 12 miles of a disputed artificial island -- claimed by China -- in the South China Sea early Monday, according to a U.S. Navy statement. The move is sure to once again draw criticism from China, which has criticized the passage of U.S. Navy ships challenging its maritime claims in the South China Sea. On February 11 (local time), guided-missile destroyers USS Spruance (DDG 111) and USS Preble (DDG 88) conducted freedom of navigation operations (FONOPS) in the South China Sea," said Commander Clay Doss, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet. "Spruance and Preble sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Spratly Islands in order to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law, said Doss. A U.S. official said the two destroyers sailed within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef, one of seven artificial islands built up by China in recent years to press their territorial claims to the island chain. By sailing within the international territorial limit of 12 nautical miles the transits stress that the waters off the seven artificial islands are international waters. The Navy carries out what are called Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPS) around the world to challenge excessive maritime claims made by countries, but the operations directed at claims made by China draw the most attention. China's Foreign Ministry routinely criticizes U.S. Navy FONOP missions in the Spratly Islands and the Paracel Islands, another island chain disputed by both China and Vietnam. Some of the transits have also resulted in close calls for the American ships. In October, the destroyer USS Decatur had to maneuver to avoid a collision with a Chinese warship that came within 45 yards of its bow. A defense official said there were no unprofessional or unsafe actions during Monday's transit by the two destroyers. Over the last five years China has rapidly built artificial islands housing significant military infrastructure on what had been low-lying reefs. The United States has criticized China for militarizing the islands by constructing long runways used by jet fighters and deploying anti-aircraft missiles. U.S. Forces operate in the Indo-Pacific region on a daily basis, including in the South China Sea," said Doss. "All operations are designed in accordance with international law and demonstrate that the United States will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows. That is true in the South China Sea as in other places around the globe. We conduct routine and regular Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPS), as we have done in the past and will continue to in the future," said the Navy spokesman. "FONOPs are not about any one country, nor are they about making political statements. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved South Africa: Mining must improve relations with communities Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has called for improved relations between mining companies and communities in which they operate. Mining companies must leave a positive legacy in areas where they operate, and positively coexist with the community, environment, and other economic sectors, said Mantashe. The Ministers comments follow from his in-loco inspection at Mineral Sands Resources Tormin mine outside Vredendal in the Western Cape on Friday. Mantashe visited the mine to check its level of compliance with environmental, social and labour plans, transformation as well as health and safety imperatives. These areas are stipulated in the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Act and the Mining Charter. Sustainable development is critical. Mining must be done in such a way as to ensure that future generations are not worse off, he said. He added that the mining industry must appreciate that the world is changing. They must respect workers and communities, and they must ensure that they comply with the mining and environmental laws of the country, he said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-02-11. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Bronx Councilmember Ruben Diaz Sr. is doubling down on his bigoted comments about the City Council being "controlled by the homosexual community," despite demands for an apology from a bevy of local elected officials, including his own son, and growing calls for his immediate resignation. The comment, made by the elder Diaz on a Spanish-language radio program on Friday, drew a flurry of condemnations from the legislative body over the weekend. In a tweet, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. said the "sentiments are antagonistic, quarrelsome and wholly unnecessary. He should apologize." The council's LGBT Caucus, Women's Caucus, and Progressive Caucus have all issued statements calling for the 75-year-old Bronx representative's immediate resignation, with a rally planned for outside City Hall on Tuesday morning. "When I was a closeted gay kid I never saw out, proud & powerful Queer people, Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer tweeted. "Had I seen that it might have stopped my suicidal thoughts then. Its partly why I ran. To see this hatred of us makes me livid. I dont want an apology. I want him to resign." But Diaz Sr. has stood by his assessment that the 51-member body is controlled by the gay community, claiming on Twitter that he was "giving them credit for the power and influence they have." He did, however, acknowledge that he "misspoke" when he said the City Council Speaker Corey Johnson was married to another man. Whats homophobic about saying that the gay community controls the nyc city council ? Im giving them credit for the power and influence they have. Rev Ruben Diaz (@revrubendiaz) February 9, 2019 After rejoining the City Council in 2017 after 15 years in the State Senate, Diaz Sr. was appointed to committees on land use, public housing, and transportation. Those committee posts may now be in jeopardy, according to the speaker, who said he is "currently reviewing all potential disciplinary scenarios." Beyond stripping him of committee posts, it's unclear how Johnson would be able to force Diaz Sr.'s resignation; a spokesperson for the body did not return Gothamist's request for comment. Diaz Sr., an ordained pentecostal minister and member of the Democratic party, has previously sparked controversy for his firebrand personality and conservative beliefsincluding his opposition to abortion and gay marriage, and recent support for convicted abuser Hiram Monserrate. Back in 2011, Diaz Sr.'s own granddaughter, Erica Diaz, accused him of outing her on television for his own political convenience. "I want him to know that every word he utters hurts his own blood," she later wrote. Confronted by the NY Post on Sunday, Diaz Sr. went so far as to suggest that Albany, too, was controlled by homosexuals, before insisting that he could not be homophobic because he voted for Corey Johnson as Council Speaker and has gay family members. He then took to Twitter to reiterate his refusal to resign, noting that "the only ones that can ask me to resign are the residents of the 18th [district]." To all of you out there who are asking me to resign. Sorry to disappoint you but You should Know that the only ones that can ask me to resign are the residents of the 18th C. D. and that will be on Nov. 2021. Thats why we have election!!!! Rev Ruben Diaz (@revrubendiaz) February 11, 2019 On Monday, State Committeewoman Amanda Farias announced that she has begun filing paperwork to challenge Diaz Sr. in 2021. The 28-year-old pro-choice and pro-marriage equality Democrat, who helped manage the Women's Caucus as a staffer to Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley, said she could "no longer stand idly by and allow this behavior to represent my community and our city." In 2017, Diaz Sr. fended off numerous primary challengers, including Farias, winning with 42 percent of less than 10,000 total votes. Farias came in second in that election, with 20.88 percent of the vote. Gothamist's attempts to reach Diaz Sr. were not successful. Those visiting the Guggenheim and the Metropolitan Museum of Art this past weekend may have had a brush with one of contemporary art's most definitive figures in personjust not in the way they might have expected. On the steps of the Met and within the Guggenheim itself, photographer Nan Goldin led the opioid crisis activist group that she founded, P.A.I.N. Sackler, in several protests. The intention was to call out the two New York City institutions for their acceptance of donations from the Sacklers, the family that owns Purdue Pharma, developers of the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin. On Saturday, the group staged a die-in inside the Guggenheim, which has reportedly received $2.49 million from the Mortimer D. Sackler Foundation. There, activists unveiled banners along the circular banistersthey read: "400,000 DEAD" and "TAKE DOWN THEIR NAME." From high above, they also sprinkled hundreds of pieces of paper, resembling OxyContin prescriptions signed by and featuring four different quotes attributed to Richard Sackler, Purdue's former president. One of the quotes, in which Sackler says to "hammer on abusers in every way possible," is part of a recent Massachusetts court filing that suggests the family had more to do with OxyContin's relentless marketing than they have long contended. 2/9 What looked like thousands of fliers began falling shortly after 6:30 pm. pic.twitter.com/cSmWo55KZV Colin Moynihan (@ColinRMoynihan) February 10, 2019 Afterwards, protesters marched south on Fifth Avenue to the Metropolitan Museum, chanting along the way. ("Shame on Sackler," was one chant, as ArtNews reports.) Five years ago, Goldin was prescribed OxyContin for tendonitis in her left wrist. She became addicted to the painkiller, after taking it as instructed. "I survived the opioid crisis. I narrowly escaped," she writes on the group's website. "I went from the darkness and ran full speed into The World. I was isolated, but I realized I wasnt alone." Goldin went to rehab for two and a half months, describing her struggle in a piece for Artforum. Afterwards, she began looking more into the roots of OxyContin, and how it had been marketed. She then realized that the drug was tied to the Sackler name, which is everywhere in the art world and beyond. The escalator at the Tate Modern, in London, is named the Sackler. Columbia has the Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology. And, as Esquire noted in a 2017 investigative report about the opioid empire, even a species of pink rose is named for one of the Sacklers. Update: In March 2018, P.A.I.N. Sackler held their first demonstration at the Met's Temple of Dendur, located within a wing of the museum named after the Sacklers. (In the 70s, Dr. Arthur Sackler, who built the family fortune through medical advertising, pledged $3.5 million for the wing, the Times reports. Sackler died in 1987, nine years before OxyContin came to the market.) There, they held a die-in, lying among pill bottles that they'd strewn throughout the space. On Saturday, Goldin announced the latest Met demonstration via Instagram. "Weve been knocking on their doors for a year and not a single museum has denounced the Sacklers, taken down their name, or publicly refused their funding," she wrote. "Times up." Update: Last month, the Met said in a statement that it was currently reevaluating future gift acceptance. "The Sackler family has been connected with The Met for more than a half century, said Daniel Weiss, the museums president and chief executive. The family is a large extended group and their support of The Met began decades before the opioid crisis. The Met is currently engaging in a further review of our detailed gift acceptance policies, and we will have more to report in due course. A Met spokesperson told Gothamist in a statement that as we have shared, the Museum is currently reviewing its gift acceptance policies. We respect the right of individuals to protest and peaceably assemble in a fashion that that does not put any art in danger or interfere with other visitors. The Guggenheim did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Dominican sisters Minerva, Maria Teresa, and Patria Mirabalactivists who were assassinated in 1960 during Rafael Trujillo's regimewere honored in a street naming ceremony in Washington Heights on Sunday. The corner of Amsterdam Avenue and West 168th Street is now named after the Mirabals, who were known as Las Mariposas (the butterflies). Ydanis Rodriguez, a New York City Council Member representing Washington Heights, Inwood, and Marble Hill wrote in the co-naming ceremony's invitation that the sisters "stand as inspirational and visionary activists for social and political justice and role models to generations of women since their untimely death." Rodriguez was joined by members of the Dominican community, including the Mirabal Sisters Cultural & Community Center, as well as Altagracia Mirabal, who is the late sister's cousin, for the ceremony that named part of Amsterdam Avenue Mirabal Sisters Way. In life, the Mirabal sisters resisted the oppressive injustices of Trujillo, who controlled communications and had critics killed. They were instrumental in forming the resistance organization Movement of the Fourteenth of June, aimed at overthrowing Trujillo, and distributed pamphlets that outlined, in detail, the numerous injustices inflicted on the Dominican people during his three decades in power. Maria Teresa and Minerva were imprisoned, then freed by Trujillo earlier in 1960 (because of international pressure, as Remezcla reports). Trujillo's henchmen murdered the three sisters in the Dominican Republic several months later, on November 25, 1960. As The New York Times notes, their deaths "paved the way for Trujillo's own assassination six months later by some of his own associates." A Long Island middle school is under fire after some teachers apparently displayed a poster featuring image of nooses with the words, "back to School necklaces," "ha ha," and "#YES." Another teacher at Roosevelt Middle School shared the triggering images with a local pastor, who posted them on Facebook. "Once that was brought to my attention and I saw the picture, we knew that we had to stand up and inform the public," Pastor Arthur Mackey Jr. told NBC News. "All were asking is after a thorough investigation, that whoever is involved in this racist image be fired." The images, which were part of a collage, have reportedly been displayed in a classroom for "months." The Roosevelt School District posted a message to its website today: The Roosevelt School District is aware of the inappropriate conduct at the Roosevelt Middle School. The Board of Education was made aware of this incident on Thursday, February 7, 2019, an investigation was immediately initiated and appropriate action taken. The Board of Education has zero tolerance for the display of racially offensive images. District administration is unable to comment further, as this is a personnel matter. You are encouraged to call the Superintendent's office at 516-345-7001 if you have any questions. Gothamist has requested comment from the superintendent's office. The district has a very diverse student population; Hempstead town supervisor Laura Gillen issued a statement citing a statistic from the National Center for Education Statistics: "The Roosevelt Middle School was comprised of approximately 45% of black or African American students and 55% of Hispanic or Latino students in the 2017-2018 school year." Gillen said, "This imagery that was on display in a Roosevelt Middle School classroom is undoubtedly racist and should not be tolerated in our Town, or any other community. The imagery is also deeply insensitive and troubling to anyone with mental health issues and those contemplating suicide." (Arthur Mackey Jr. / Facebook) "Teachers should be held to a higher standard because the leaders of tomorrow learn from the teachers of today," she added. "A clear message needs to be sent that there is simply no place in our schools and in our society for this type of racist, hateful and insensitive imagery." One local resident, Savitri Lekhram, told News 12, "That may not be what theyre trying to say. Its probably just a joke, it probably has nothing to do with African-Americans or anything. But at the same time they can still draw that connection. However, another resident, Yvette Hudson, was relieved her children are out of the school system, "I was very upset about it. I mean, if they feel that way then they're in the wrong school district." The Roosevelt Middle School website notes, "Bullying, harassment and intimidation often fueled by social media and apps are ever-present concerns in Long Island schools. New Yorks Dignity for All Students Act, implemented in schools statewide in July 2012, aimed for a zero-tolerance policy against such actions." Local schools superintendent Dr. Marnie Hazelton issued a statement saying, "In the Roosevelt Union Free School District, we take all allegations of bullying in school and on social media very seriously. All five of our schools have implemented various forms of peer intervention and peer mediation strategies to combat this issue." With reporting by Andy Mai One week after the noxious chemical smell first began tormenting riders and workers along the L line, some commuters say the stink has worsened, and is now accompanied by a thick fog and rubbing alcohol odor. Dave Kopach, a Greenpoint resident, told Gothamist that the "construction site smell" on the Bedford Avenue platform was more pungent on Monday morning than it was all last week. "There was a dusty haze throughout the station, it made me so nauseous and dizzy and gave me a headache," he said, adding that several other riders were covering their mouths and noses. "It was like a fogwhen the train lights came in you could see all of the particles in the air." Todays Bedford Avenue L train forecast: clamp lights and dust Hella Stoops (@hellastoops) February 11, 2019 News of the smell's possible evolution comes after the tunnel was closed this weekend for already-planned repair work. On Friday afternoon, the MTA and Department of Conservation issued a statement acknowledging the persistence of the odor, which has reportedly sickened several MTA workers and caused at least two riders to collapse. The agencies vowed to amp up their efforts to banish the smell by laying "additional cleaning products and absorbent material all along the tracks and at the source." (The rubbing alcohol stench, perhaps?) While the source of the fumes has not yet been confirmed, officials believe that they are likely the result of fuel oil seeping into the tunnel from an abandoned diesel tank buried in East Williamsburg, or else connected to the tens of thousands of gallons of oil that Exxon dumped into the area throughout the 20th century. Neither the MTA nor the DEC responded to inquiries about the smell's possible evolution on Monday. Meanwhile, some Williamsburg residents say the fumes have infiltrated their homes. Tracey Madaj, who lives above the L train between Lorimer and Bedford Avenues, told Gothamist that the smell entered her apartment last Wednesday, and has still not dissipated as of this morning. She believes the odor may be giving her headaches and affecting her appetite, and says she's worried about its effect on her 5-year-old child. Her emails to the New York City Department of Environmental Protection have not been returned, she said. Living under these conditions and not getting answers starts to become maddening," Madaj added. On Monday afternoon, a person who answered the phone at Councilmember Stephen Levin's office said they'd received numerous calls and emails from residents concerned that the noxious smell had contaminated their apartments. The aide speculated that it may have something to do with the industrial fans the MTA had set up along the odor zone to get ride of the smell. "It's like the MTA can't win," he said. Councilmember Levin, whose district includes the Bedford Avenue stop of the L, called last week for the MTA to replace L train service with shuttle buses until the issue is resolved. His position on that has not changed, according to an aide. UPDATE: A spokesperson for the MTA has sent us the following statement: The safety of our customers and employees is our number one priority. We havent observed any persistent dust conditions at the Bedford Ave station and indications from customer and employee reports are that the odor in the stations is dissipating, while air quality readings consistently have remained well within applicable safety guidelines. We appreciate the patience of our neighbors and customers and, as the situation has improved, we will be able to shut off some of the fans this evening. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and take further action as we are able. As of Tuesday morning, the authority had still not confirmed the source of the smell. FRANKLIN, Tenn., Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Recording Academy has announced winners for the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards. Artists, engineers, producers, and composers from Naxos, Avie Records, Innova, Mack Avenue Records, and Pentatone were honored with five awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. From the Naxos American Classics label, the Best Classical Compendium award went to Fuchs: Piano Concerto Spiritualist; Poems Of Life; Glacier; Rush with conductor JoAnn Falletta and producer Tim Handley. This remarkable release of works by composer Kenneth Fuchs features three new concertos and an orchestral song cycle. Fuchs, Falletta, and the London Symphony Orchestra have maintained a 15-year recording relationship as well as a long-standing working relationship with Naxos that is celebrated with this GRAMMY win. Artist and GRAMMY Award presenter, Cecile McLorin Salvant, took home her second award with Best Jazz Vocal Album for The Window on Mack Avenue Records. Performed by the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra with soloists Sasha Cooke, Jessica E. Jones, Edward Parks, Garrett Sorenson, Wei Wu, conducted by Michael Christie, and produced by Elizabeth Ostrow, Bates: The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs garnered the award for Best Opera Recording on Pentatone. Best Choral Performance was awarded to conductor Donald Nally, instrumentalists Rebecca Harris, Arlen Hlusko, Lorenzo Raval, Mandy Wolman, and voices of The Crossing for McLoskey: Zealot Canticles on Innova. Karim Sulayman, conductor Jeannette Sorrell, and Apollos Fire triumphed with a Best Classical Solo Vocal win for Songs of Orpheus Monteverdi, Caccini, DIndia, Landi on Avie Records. Special recognition went to producers David Frost, Elizabeth Ostrow, Judith Sherman, Dirk Sobotka, along with Producer of the Year Classical winner, Blanton Alspaugh, all whose bodies of work include recordings from the Naxos of America distributed-label family. Mark Jenkins, CEO of Naxos of America, provided comment on the 61st GRAMMY Awards: The entire Naxos community congratulates the winners of this years Grammy awards in all categories, not only those on our own Naxos label, but those of our third-party partner labels, whom we proudly distribute and represent. These winners represent the best of the genres, composers, performers and technical artists that Naxos brings to the attention of the listening world. The variety of musical creativity found in todays award winners and nominees demonstrate evidence of an ever-diversifying musical marketplace, reflecting the evolving eclectic tastes of the modern listener. We celebrate their artistry, hard work, perseverance, and their collaborative efforts that come to fruition through their recognition as GRAMMY winners. Headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee, Naxos of America is the leading independent classical music distributor in the U.S. and Canada. Specializing in state-of-the-art distribution, marketing, and promotion, Naxos of America distributes nearly 110,000 SKUs to traditional brick and mortar retail, as well as offering a comprehensive suite of services tailored to consumer direct fulfillment. Naxos of America is also one of the worlds largest digital distributors of independent classical music and video, supplying a catalog of over 1.8 million tracks and 80,000 albums to hundreds of digital platforms and mobile outlets around the globe. Naxos of America offers marketing, publicity, physical and digital e-commerce services, licensing opportunities, streaming services, sales support, and customer service for all new releases and active catalog titles of Naxos Records and nearly 1,000 distributed labels. http://naxosusa.com . 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!) MONTREAL, Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tamino Minerals, Inc. ("Tamino" or the "Company") (OTC Markets: TINO) February 11, 2019, the Company has prepared a Geologic Report on its El Volcan Property. The company is currently working on the logistical aspects required to implement the Geologic Report. This will enable the company to finalize an audit as it does have access to a Property of Merit. Now that the company has expanded into Canada we have solidified for several years, as we have been mentioning to our shareholders and investors that we plan to list in the TSX-V Exchange. Our company will continue to acquire claims within the area and extend its current position. The company will make further announcements on its other project as progress is made. TAMINO MINERALS, INC. TAMINO MINERALS INC. is exploring for high-grade gold deposits within a prolific gold producing geologic state, Sonora and has begin exploration of a couple in the Kenora Mining District in the Province of Ontario. On behalf of the Board, Pedro Villagran-Garcia, President & CEO Tamino Minerals, Inc. For further information, please contact the Company at 1-971-285-4570 or by email at info@taminominerals.ca Forward Looking Statements Certain information contained in this press release, including any information as to our strategy, plans or future financial or operating performance and other statements that express management's expectations or estimates of future performance, constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "expect," "will," "anticipate," "contemplate," "target," "plan," "continue," "budget," "may," "intend," "estimate," "project" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Our actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation those set forth as "Risk Factors" in our filings with the SEC which can be found at www.sec.gov. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. The Chairman of the political council of "Opposition Platform - For Life" was a guest in "Maga" TV program on 112 Ukraine On February 9, Viktor Medvedchuk, the Chairman of the political council of "Opposition Platform - For Life" gave an interview in Maga program on 112 Ukraine. Medvedchuk pointed out his position: "My views are principled and consistent in the part of Ukraines todays borders, this is a territory that was once artificially created. If we trace the history of the X-XI centuries, there were 7-8 different states on the territory of modern Ukraine from Kievan Rus, the Golden Horde, Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Kingdom of Poland, the Ottoman Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Russian empire, and the Soviet Union". Besides, the politician commented on the use of Ukrainian: "I use the Ukrainian language very often, I speak it. Today I am back in politics and as Opposition platform - For life chairman, and when I try to bring to the people my point of view or ideology of our party, I speak Russian". As we reported earlier, Viktor Medvedchuk, the politician and the head of 'Ukrainsky Vybir' (Ukrainian Choice) political party faces prosecution in Ukraine. Ukraines Prosecutor General's Office opened the case against him in state treason and encroachment on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. The basis for the criminal proceeding is an application of the Ukrainian MP from the Peoples Front political party. The criminal case opened against the politician for his proposals on settlement of the military conflict in Donbas by granting the region with autonomy and capturing that in the Constitution of Ukraine. Medvedchuk voiced the proposals at the All-Ukrainian Congress of the party on January 29. Open source Ukraines Embassy to Italy condemned opening of the so-called DPRs (Donetsk People's Republic, - ed.) representation in Verona and sent a protest note to Italys Foreign Ministry, requests to prefecture and questorship of Verona, as the service reported on Facebook. The Embassy protested against anti-Ukrainian provocations directed at undermining of the pan-European position in support of Ukraines territorial integrity. The legal status of this representation is being defined. Ukrainian community in Italy and many Italian partners of Ukraine, who support our state, are outraged by another anti-Ukrainian rally of the local pro-Russian politicians of Verona. Those who know Zoccatelli, the leader of this fake representation were not surprised he took part in this rally: he was the leader of the Regional Committee for Independence Veneto, and since the beginning of Russias aggression in Ukraine, he became an ardent promoter of the links with temporary occupied Donbas, the Foreign Ministry reported. Earlier, it was reported that the so-called representative office of the Donetsk People's Republic was opened in Italian Verona. Zoccatelli said that he personally repeatedly visited the "conflict zone." "Our task will be to disseminate truthful information about what is happening in Donbas, which is still ignored by the official media. Our goal is to draw public attention to the problem that remains unresolved. We regularly send our delegations there, including with the participation of the Italian politicians," he said. The Ukrainian activist and former advisor of Kherson mayor deceased in November after suffering extreme chemical burns Head of Kherson regional council Vladyslav Manger is now the suspect in organizing the murder of Kateryna Handziuk, the ex-counselor to Kherson mayor. Yuriy Lutsenko, Prosecutor General of Ukraine posted that on Facebook on February 11. Earlier, Ukraines Security Service put a crime boss Olexiy Levin (Moskalenko) on a wanted list under suspicion of organizing the murder of Kherson Mayors Advisor Kateryna Handziuk, as the Interior Ministry reported. According to the list of wanted people, Levin is suspected under Article No. 115 of Ukraines Criminal Code (Organization of ordered murder committed by a group of people with violence). The court permitted to arrest the suspect. Related: Contractor of Handziuks murder to be named when theres enough evidence, - Lutsenko Levin disappeared off the grid of the law enforcers on August 19, 2018. On November 4, it became known that Kateryna Handziuk died at age of 34. She was doused with sulphuric acid in July this year. According to preliminary information, her death was caused by blood clot's detachment. Besides, the doctors specified the cause for the death of Handziuk was specified. It was due to multiple organ failure and chemical burns. Handiuk's murder evoked a huge public outrage, with people demanding to find the orderer of the murder of the reform-driven activist. Related: Handziuk's murder: Security Service puts crime boss Levin on wanted list The Prosecutor General Lutsenko has announced a court session on the choosing of the restrictive measure for a suspect Vladyslav Manger, the Head of Kherson Regional State Administration Open source The Prosecutor Generals Office will request an arrest of Vladyslav Manger, the Head of Kherson Regional State Administration, as 112 Ukraine reported citing Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko. The prosecutors office will request his arrest as it is the only restrictive measure during the pretrial investigation provided by the law, Lutsenko said. He reported that Manger signed the handed suspicion in the organization of the murder of advisor of Kherson Mayor Kateryna Handziuk. He participates in the investigative actions in Kherson now. The court session on the choosing of the restrictive measure for him will take place soon, the prosecutor general said. Yuriy Lutsenko emphasized that Manger cannot be detained now due to the amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code and he should be invited to the court for the choosing of the restrictive measure. Thanks to the amended Criminal Procedure Code at the time of Yanukovych, even after the provision of the suspicion in the commitment of the murder, we have no rights to detain Mr. Manger. But we can invite him to Pechersk Court for the choosing of the restrictive measure. We assumed all possible security measures within the current legislation and I am sure that Mr. Manger will be at Pechersk Court with his lawyers and the court will choose compulsory restrictive measure, Lutsenko said. On February 11, Vladyslav Manger, the Head of Kherson Regional State Administration was served with charge papers in Handziuks murder. In his turn, Manger said that he would not escape from the country due to suspicion of organizing murder of Handziuk. On November 4, it became known that Kateryna Handziuk died at age of 34. She was doused with sulphuric acid in July this year. According to preliminary information, her death was caused by blood clot's detachment. Related: Handziuk's murder: Security Service puts crime boss Levin on wanted list Besides, the doctors specified the cause for the death of Handziuk was specified. It was due to multiple organ failure and chemical burns. Handiuk's murder evoked a huge public outrage, with people demanding to find the orderer of the murder of the activist. Related video: The Interior Ministry of Ukraine possesses information that subversive groups may work in the east of Ukraine Ivan Stoiko, the Advisor of Interior Minister of Ukraine Radio Liberty The National Police will send the additional units to the eastern regions of Ukraine during the holding of the elections to prevent the provocations as there is information about the possible activity of the subversive groups, as 112 Ukraine reported citing Advisor of Interior Minister Ivan Stoiko. Concerning the east of Ukraine, Joint Forces Operation, we work there along with the Central Election Commission on which polling stations to work there. The border guards work clearly there because there are provocative moments; we understand that the subversive groups can be there. I want to assure that according to the calculations, we do not have enough forces in a few regions. We will send the additional forces to particular regions, including the east of Ukraine, where the Joint Forces Operation takes place, Stoiko noted. According to him, all the territories will be provided with the law enforcers and additional security forces. The election campaign has officially started on December 31, 2018. Registration of the candidates would last until February 4, 2019, and on February 9, the final list of presidential candidates will appear. The candidates would be able to withdraw his candidacy until March 7, 2019. Central Election Commission of Ukraine closed all polling station in Russia, particularly, Moscow, Rostov-on-Don, Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk. On February 7, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine prohibited observers from the Russian Federation to participate in the election process in Ukraine. Related video: The information about all registered international observers was included in the database of the Border Guard Service new rules concerning observing process during elections Open source Border guards would check the international observers before letting them enter Ukraine. Only accredited observers would be allowed to enter the country, as Oleg Slobodyan, the Spokesperson of Ukraines Border Guard Service, said, UNN reported. He stated that the border guards were cooperating with the Central Election Commission (CEC) and Security Service to inspect the international observers during the elections. The observers whose accreditation was confirmed by the commission would be allowed to enter Ukraine. The information about all registered international observers was included in the database of the Border Guard Service. The border guards would be able to check all the necessary information and find out whether the person who introduced him/herself as an observer had accreditation in the Central Election Commission. Slobodyan adds that the service would not make separate lanes and separate directions for the observers. Within a long-term mission of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), two Russian observers would head to Kyiv to observe the Ukrainian presidential campaign on February 11 - Yelizaveta Borisova from the Russian Public Institute of Electoral Law and Khristina Bogdanova from the Institute of Public Electoral Diplomacy. The Verkhovna Rada registered the bill No.9524 which calls for ruling out the participation of the observers from the aggressor state in the presidential and parliamentary elections in Ukraine. ODIHR offered to include two citizens of Russia to the list of the mission on the observation of the Ukrainian presidential elections on 31 March 2019, despite the conditions declared by Ukraine. The election campaign has officially started on December 31, 2018. Registration of the candidates was closed on February 4, 2019, and on February 9, the final list of presidential candidates is expected to appear. The candidates would be able to withdraw their candidacy until March 7, 2019. Earlier, it was reported that Volodymyr Gorbenko was noticed in Crimea Volodymyr Gorbenko, the captain of "Nord" ship, detained by the Ukrainian border guards Open source The captain of Nord boat, detained by the Ukrainian border guards, Volodymyr Gorbenko. did not cross Ukrainian-Russia border, he also did not cross the border with annexed Crimea, as Oleg Slobodyan, the Spokesperson of Ukraines State Border Guard Service, told in an interview for Interfax-Ukraine. We saw this information (about Gorbenkos presence in Crimea), we are observing it in detail. For now, we can officially state that this citizen did not cross the controlled border with Russia and the administrative border with occupied Crimea, Slobodyan confirmed. Earlier, the Ukrainian border guards arrested fishing vessel-violator under the Russian flag in the Sea of Azov on March 25, 2019. The Nord vessel was stopped 15 miles from the Obytichna sandspit. The inspection defined that the vessel was registered in the temporarily occupied Crimea. Besides, the members of the crew violated the order of the exit from the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine. All of them had the so-called 'Russian passports', issued in Kerch. The court arrested the vessel. Ukrainian border guards detained Volodymyr Horbenko on April 4. The seaman is currently on the wanted list in Ukraine. French English Paris, 11th February 2019 Q4 2018 and FY 2018 Net Sales Top-line decrease in France and the Americas partially offset by growth in Poland Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits (Euronext: MBWS) today announced its non-audited net sales for Q4 2018, covering the reporting period from 1st October to 31st December 2018, and full-year 2018. Q4 2018 Net sales The Groups consolidated non-audited Q4 2018 net sales totaled 99.5m[1], a -6.2%[2] decrease compared to Q4 2017. The Branded Business accounted for 58.3% of total net sales, marking a sequential improvement in consolidated revenue mix versus the Branded Business accounting for 49.7% of net sales in Q3 2018. Q4 2018 net sales, by cluster In m IFRS 15 Q4 2017 restated1 Organic Growth Forex impact Q4 2018 Organic Growth (excl.foreign exchange impact) Reported growth (incl.foreign exchange impact) Branded Business 63.8 -6.1 0.3 58.0 -9.6% -9.1% WEMEA 35.3 -3.5 0.1 31.9 -10.0% -9.6% France 28.4 -4.1 0.0 24.3 -14.6% -14.6% Rest of cluster 6.9 0.6 0.1 7.6 8.5% 10.7% CEE 16.6 2.5 0.3 19.4 15.1% 17.2% Poland 8.5 1.5 0.3 10.3 17.1% 21.0% Rest of cluster 8.0 1.1 0.0 9.1 13.1% 13.1% Americas 10.1 -4.5 -0.2 5.4 -44.3% -45.9% Asia Pacific 1.8 -0.6 0.0 1.2 -34.0% -34.1% Other Businesses 40.9 -0.3 0.9 41.5 -0.8% 1.3% Sobieski Trade 24.7 0.7 0.9 26.3 2.8% 6.3% Private Label 16.2 -1.0 0.0 15.2 -6.3% -6.3% TOTAL MBWS 104.7 -6.4 1.2 99.5 -6.2% -5.0% Western Europe, Middle East and Africa (WEMEA): Sales declined in France, partially offset by growth in the rest of the cluster In France, Q4 2018 net sales totaled 24.3m, a -14.6% decrease compared to the previous year. Revenue was affected by the decline in sales evident across the overall spirits sector in France since the first half of 2018, and further exacerbated by the social movements in November and December, which have affected most consumer goods categories. In Q4 2018, the value of the spirits market decreased by -3.0%[3], with MBWS main categories continuing to underperform the overall sector. The value of the vodka sector declined -6.1%3, Scotch whisky decreased -3.4%3, and flavored wines decreased -6.5%[4]. The Groups net sales underperformance during the quarter is due primarily to a decrease in volumes, attributable to a lower level of promotions carried out by MBWS, in contrast to intense promotional activity by competitors, particularly in the scotch whisky and vodka categories. The sparse availability of 2017 vintage rose also had a negative impact on MBWS Q4 net sales. In the rest of the WEMEA cluster, net sales grew to 7.6m, a +8.5% increase compared to last year. This result was driven by solid sales growth in Spain, reflecting the positive impact of a double-digit price increase, which has been well-accepted by the market. Central and Eastern Europe (CEE): Double-digit top-line growth in Poland, and a return to growth in the rest of the cluster In Poland, Q4 2018 net sales grew +17.1% versus Q4 2017, to 10.3m, providing evidence of the progressive recovery from the proactive destocking in H1 2018. Sales growth in Poland was driven by a net sales increase in the modern trade, and by the gradually accelerating execution of distribution agreements signed in the second half of 2018. In Lancut, final testing is being carried out and most of the required authorizations were recently obtained. Operations at the new distillery are scheduled to begin in the coming weeks. In the rest of the CEE cluster, Q4 2018 net sales reached 9.1m, an increase of +13.1%, marking a return to growth. Sales growth in Lithuania reflects the full impact of pricing increases taken earlier in the year, and the restrictive but consistent regulatory environment regarding the sale of alcohol since the second half of 2017. Sales activity in Bulgaria also generated solid growth. Americas: Sales decrease due to ongoing destocking and pricing pressure In the Americas cluster, net sales totaled 5.4m. As anticipated and previously mentioned, in the United States top-line decreased sharply with continued destocking of Sobieski in some regional markets into Q4 2018. Consequently, net sales in the cluster were down -44.3% as compared to Q4 2017 (with a challenging comparable base of +10.8%). Additionally, pricing pressure accelerated in the US vodka market over the holiday season, with overall pricing in the category moving downward, and a consequent negative impact on Sobieskis net sales. A top-line decrease in Brazil, due primarily to a challenging comparable base, also contributed to the overall sales decline in the Americas cluster during this reporting period. Asia Pacific Net sales in the Asia Pacific cluster totaled 1.2m in Q4 2018, a decrease of -34.0% versus last year off of a low base, and in-line with Q3 2018 net sales. In Asia, the distribution agreements in place have not enabled the Group to meet its objectives. The new strategic plan will put forth a new approach to the route-to-market in this cluster. Other Businesses Net sales for Other Businesses in Q4 2018 totaled 41.5m, a decrease of -0.8%. The dynamics evident in the third quarter of 2018 continued, with net sales at Sobieski Trade growing +2.8%, while a decrease in private label wine led to an overall -6.3% sales decrease in the Private Label business. Events after year-end 2018 Principal Option of the agreement between MBWS and COFEPP approved by a large majority of shareholders; French Financial Markets Authority (AMF) authorization granted The Principal Option of the agreement between MBWS and COFEPP, presented at the AGM on 31 January 2019, was approved by 89% of voting shareholders (with COFEPP excluded from the vote). This option is based on the agreement of 21 December 2018 between MBWS and COFEPP (as modified by an addendum on 30 January 2019) for a Reserved Capital Increase (RCI) and subsequent free stock warrant program for all shareholders. The capital increase should provide a minimum of 45m in new money to MBWS. As set out under the terms of the agreement between Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits and COFEPP, a 25m bridge loan was granted by COFEPP to MBWS on 4 February 2019. This loan will be repaid to COFEPP by an offsetting receivable within the framework of the COFEPP Reserved Capital Increase that is expected to take place at the end of February. This operation is subject to COFEPP obtaining an exemption by the French Financial Markets Authority (AMF). The required exemption was granted on 5 February 2019. The operation is also subject to prior authorization of the anti-trust authorities in Poland. This authorization was obtained today. The operation is additionally subject to the authorization from the French anti-trust authorities under conditions considered acceptable by COFEPP; this decision is expected to be received by the end of the February 2019. Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits produces and sells a range of wine and spirits across four geographic clusters: Western Europe, Middle East & Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. MBWS has distinguished itself for its know-how, the range of its brands, and a long tradition and history of innovation. From the inception of Maison Marie Brizard in Bordeaux, France in 1755, to the launch of Fruits and Wine in 2010, MBWS has successfully developed and adapted its brands to make them contemporary while respecting their origins. MBWS is committed to providing value by offering its customers bold, trustworthy, flavorful and experiential brands. The company has a broad portfolio of leading brands in their respective market segments, most notably William Peel scotch whisky, Sobieski vodka, Krupnik vodka, Fruits and Wine flavored wine, Marie Brizard liqueurs and Cognac Gautier. MBWS is listed on the regulated market of Euronext Paris, Compartment B (ISIN code FR0000060873, ticker MBWS) and is included in the EnterNext PEA-PME 150 index, among others. Investor Contact Raquel Lizarraga raquel.lizarraga@mbws.com Tel : +33 1 43 91 50 Press Contact Simon Zaks, Image Sept szaks@image7.fr Tel : +33 1 53 70 74 63 ANNEX Full Year 2018 net sales, by cluster (IFRS 15) In m IFRS 15 FY 2017 restated Organic Growth Forex impact FY 2018 Organic Growth (excl.foreign exchange impact) Reported Growth (incl.foreign exchange impact) Branded Business 230.7 -34.2 -0.7 195.8 -14.8% -15.1% WEMEA 131.7 -13.5 0.1 118.4 -10.3% -10.2% France 108.9 -12.1 0.0 96.9 -11.1% -11.1% Rest of cluster 22.8 -1.5 0.1 21.5 -6.4% -5.8% CEE 69.0 -12.1 0.4 57.3 -17.5% -16.9% Poland 39.8 -11.2 0.4 29.0 -28.2% -27.2% Rest of cluster 29.2 -0.9 0.0 28.3 -3.0% -3.0% Americas 25.6 -7.3 -1.2 17.0 -28.6% -33.5% Asia Pacific 4.4 -1.3 0.0 3.1 -29.2% -29.4% Other Businesses 184.1 8.0 1.2 193.3 4.4% 5.0% Sobieski Trade 100.2 6.1 1.2 107.5 6.1% 7.3% Private Label 83.9 1.9 0.0 85.8 2.3% 2.3% TOTAL MBWS 414.7 -26.2 0.5 389.0 -6.3% -6.2% [1] The IFRS 15 Accounting Standard regarding Revenue from contracts with customers has been in effect since 1st January 2018. Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits has thus published its 2017 and 2018 quarterly and full-year net sales according to this accounting standard. [2] All growth rates mentioned in this press release are calculated at constant exchange rates on a like-for-like basis, unless otherwise stated. The figures provided at a constant exchange rate are calculated by applying the exchange rate from the year-ago period to the net sales figure of the current reporting period. [3] Source: Nielsen, P11 P13, in value [4] Source: IRI, P11 P13, in value Attachment Vladyslav Manger said he would not escape from the country Vladyslav Manger, the Chairman of Kherson Regional Council Kherson Visti The Chairman of Kherson Regional Council Vladyslav Manger said he would not escape from the country due to suspicion of organizing murder of Kherson Mayor Advisor Kateryna Handziuk, as he said on air of 112 Ukraine. I didnt know Kateryna, I didnt have any ties with her. Someone needs those ties, which certain political forces inform about in media. I can tell all the viewers and all the people that I didnt know ties person and we never communicated about work or for political purposes, Manger said. He stated he was ready to answer all the questions of the investigators. I am open for investigation, I am not going to escape, he added. February 11, Vladyslav Manger, Governor of the Kherson region, was served with charge papers in Handziuks murder. Earlier, Andriy Lysenko, the Spokesperson of Ukraines Prosecutor General Office, said that Manger is in Kherson. Earlier, Ukraines Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko stated that the Head of Kherson Regional Council Manger was served with charge papers concerning organizing the murder of Handziuk. On November 4, it became known that Kateryna Handziuk died at age of 34. She was doused with sulphuric acid in July this year. According to preliminary information, her death was caused by blood clot's detachment. Besides, the doctors specified the cause for the death of Handziuk was specified. It was due to multiple organ failure and chemical burns. Handiuk's murder evoked a huge public outrage, with people demanding to find the orderer of the murder of the activist. Prosecutor General Lutsenko stated that the Governor of the Kherson region Manger was served with charge papers concerning organizing the murder of Handziuk Yevhen Ryshchuk, Deputy Head of Kherson Regional State Administration Kherson Online Yevhen Ryshchuk, Deputy Head of Kherson Regional State Administration, was dismissed from his post during the investigation of the murder of ex-Kherson Mayor Advisor Kateryna Handziuk, as Andriy Hordeyev, the Head of the administration, reported on Facebook. I have approved Yevhen Ryshchuks statement on temporary removal during the investigation of Handziuks murder, he wrote. Earlier, Ukraines Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko stated that the Head of Kherson Regional Council Manger was served with charge papers concerning organizing the murder of Handziuk. On November 4, it became known that Kateryna Handziuk died at age of 34. She was doused with sulphuric acid in July this year. According to preliminary information, her death was caused by blood clot's detachment. Related: Grief used for political manipulations, - Kherson Administration Head on Handziuk's case Besides, the doctors specified the cause for the death of Handziuk was specified. It was due to multiple organ failure and chemical burns. Handiuk's murder evoked a huge public outrage, with people demanding to find the orderer of the murder of the activist. Open source The authorities plan to forbid the children, who have not been vaccinated in Mukachevo, Zakarpattya region, southwestern Ukraine, to visit educational institutions. The press service of the Mukachevo City Council reports this. Such a decision was taken due to the measles outbreak and the complications after the disease. The decision comes into force next week. The City Council suggests not to allow children, who have not been vaccinated, to go to schools, kindergartens, out-of-school childrens institutions, and art schools. Besides, the children will be allowed to visit those place if they provide schools with the document from the health center that proves they are vaccinated," the report said. According to the Council, there are enough vaccines for everyone, so parents of the unvaccinated children should go to their family doctors or to the Primary Health Centers. Earlier, February 9, Serhiy Butenko, a student of the National Medical University of Vinnytsia, died from complications caused by measles. The outbreak of measles was spotted among the personnel of the National Guard of Ukraine, assigned to the Vinnytsia military unit. The first case of the sickness of measles was spotted before the New Year and now, the number of the diseased increased be several dozens. The National Guard does not have a specialized medical unit so the soldiers are hospitalized to the city hospital. Four soldiers receive the treatment at Khmelnytsky District Hospital. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Arsen Avakov commented on Facebook the clashes between the law enforcement and the far right near the Podil police department in Kyiv. Political candidates? You claim you all are honest and perfect, but you provoke clashes between officers and then you pay them dirty money for that. But we see respectful, honored politicians in public every day, although they order the law enforcement to act in a very bad way, the Minister wrote. He invoked politicians to stop and to strike a compromise on how to compete with each other fairly. Those people are always around, they greet you, smile to you and then they order fighters to affront their opponents, to throw firecrackers into the crowd of hundreds of people, to lie and to fuel hatred among society," Avakov said. According to Avakov, in four different cities brilliant green have been seized from different sorts of provocateurs over one day. As we reported earlier, the police officers issued orders to release previously detained far-right attackers. The reason was the absence of enough pieces of evidence that could prove those people committed a crime. The State Investigation Bureau (SIB) opened criminal proceedings after numerous accusations against the police in beating the far right near the office in Kyiv. The law enforcement officers detained people who stormed the police department in Kyiv and fought with the police, the Kyiv police reported on Facebook. The law enforcement officers saw a group of people with covered faces and chevrons of far-right C14 organization, included in the American terrorist base, on Kontraktova Square, Kyiv downtown, where the meeting of president's candidate Yulia Tymoshenko was taking place. They brought rubber-bullet handguns, Teren 4 pepper spray (carrying of which requires special permission) and knives. The police detained them and took them to the police station. Soon the detainees were released, but the other far-right came to storm the police station and fought with law enforcement officers. As a result of the brawl, three police officers hospitalized with injuries. C14, the Ukrainian far-right organization, is regularly involved in numerous attacks against civilians, students, journalists, lawyers, social activists, foreigners, minorities, LGBT activists, they often conduct hate crimes and often go unpunished. The organization's leader Yevhen Karas acknowledged the cooperation of Ukraine's Security Service. C14, which has taken part over the spring in brutal anti-Roma raids with hammers, has recently been a recipient of Ministry of Youth and Sport grants totalling at least $14,000. Founded in 2010, C14 is named after the 14-word slogan We must secure the existence of our people and a future for White Children of American Nazi David Lane. According to Prosecutor General Lutsenko, Ryshchuk could be involved in corruption, but not in organizing this murder The Prosecutor Generals Office doesnt have proofs that Andriy Hordeyev, the Head of the Kherson Regional State Administration, and Yevhen Ryshchuk, Deputy Head of Kherson Regional State Administration, are involved in Handziuk's murder, as Ukraines Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko said on air of 112 Ukraine. I have not got any information yet that could prove Andriy Hordeyev is guilty in murdering Handziuk. No facts, no testimonies have we heard. Concerning Ryshchuk, the investigation group found out several facts that can prove his possible corruption activity as well as burning woodlands (Handziuk was fighting against this), Lutsenko said. According to the Prosecutor General, if they get enough pieces of evidence, Ryshchuk will be recognized as a suspect. I would like to outline that we do not have the information on Mangers plan and other perpetrators of the Handziuk's murder, the Prosecutor General added. Lutsenko also commented on the claim accusing Hordeyev and Ryshchuk by Handziuk Viktor, the father of Kateryna Handziuk. The investigation group is working on the claim. I am intended to meet with him as soon as possible in order to give the information, which I found out and cannot announce it yet, I will also try to get some new testimonies from him, - The Prosecutor General said. Earlier, the Chairman of Kherson Regional Council Vladyslav Manger said he would not escape from the country due to suspicion of organizing the murder of Kherson Mayor Advisor Kateryna Handziuk Ukraines Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko stated that the Head of Kherson Regional Council Mangera was served with charge papers concerning organizing the murder of Handziuk. On November 4, it became known that Kateryna Handziuk died at age of 34. She was doused with sulphuric acid in July this year. According to preliminary information, her death was caused by blood clot's detachment. Besides, the doctors specified the cause for the death of Handziuk was specified. It was due to multiple organ failure and chemical burns. Handiuk's murder evoked a huge public outrage, with people demanding to find the orderer of the murder of the reform-driven activist. The cause of the tragedy was a human fault In the Italian city of Genoa, the Morandi Bridge is being dismantled after the collapse, due to which 43 persons died, AFP reports. Giuseppe Conte, Prime Minister of Italy to arrive at the bridge Morandi in Genoa, which the workers started to dismantle only in six months after the tragic bridge collapse. There were 43 victims, the report said. Earlier, on August 14 a bridge collapsed in the Italian Genoa, latest reports informed about 42 victims. At first, it was reported that the bridge collapsed because of the slacking of the load carrying structures. Later, the Prosecutor Francesco Gozzi stated that humans mistake led to the incident. PM Giuseppe Conte has declared a state of emergency in Genoa region because of the bridge collapse. Later, the Ukrainian consular office in Milan reported that only two Ukrainian citizens suffered as a result of the collapse. The production team of 'Mr. Jones' film participated in Berlinale. Before the film was premiered, they called on the Russian government to release political prisoner Oleg Sentsov, who currently serves time at a penal colony in Labytnangi, northern Russia. Ukrinform news agency reported that. 'Watching this movie today, I thought of our colleague Oleg Sentsov, the Ukrainian director, and his compatriots, political prisoners kept in Russia. We thought of them when working on this film. We will not forget them', director Agnieszka Holland said. Before the film was screened, the team held a flash mob right at the red carpet of the festival, holding 'FreeSentsov' and 'Freedom of speech is not a crime' banners, as well a Sentsov's images. Ukrainian activists joined the action. "Mr. Jones" tells the little-known story of Gareth Jones, a young British journalist who traveled to the Soviet Union in 1933. He wanted to tell the world about the appalling reality of the communist regime, Stalin and the government-induced famine in Ukraine. His efforts are frustrated not just by the Soviet censors, but other Western journalists ignored him as well. Jones story helped to inspire George Orwell on creating the novel Animal Farm. The overall number of devices currently makes 50; they are scattered all over the country Open source New TruCam radars started working in Ukraine on February 11. Oleksiy Biloshytsky, the first deputy of the Patrol Police Department posted that on Facebook in advance, warning the drivers that the devices would start working this Monday. Previously, there were 30 devices working across Ukraine. Now that there are 20 more, the overall amount makes 50. Biloshytsky added that the standards of road safety remain unchanged. Previously, the police released the map with the sections where the TruCam radars are used. The sections have warning and patrol cars set there. These radars were not used in Ukraine for four years; in October 2018, they were brought back to service. The police spot violations of road traffic with such devices developed by NASA. TruCam allows measuring the speed using the laser beam on the distance up to 1,200 meters. The speed makes up to 3 frames per second; it has GPS-tracker set, so the device can track the coordinates. The units of the Army Corps of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation in annexed Crimea were put on alert within the holding of the company tactical drills as Interfax reported citing official representative of the fleet Alexey Rulev. The units of the Army Corps of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation were put on alert within the beginning of the holding of the bilateral company tactical drills at Angarsky firing range in Crimea, Rulev said. According to the scenario of the drills, the units of the coast guard should work out tasks on the capture and defense of the sea coast with the fulfillment of the practical artillery attacks. About 500 people, 100 military hardware and aircraft involved in the drills. As we reported, Russia held the missile drills in occupied Crimea to test the anti-ship coastal missile complex Bal. Crimea was annexed by Russia after the illegal referendum held on the peninsula in March 2014. Earlier, the Russian military captured all strategic military objects and buildings of the key authoritative bodies. Neither Ukraine nor the rest of the civilized countries recognized the results of the referendum. A number of the European and the world countries, including Ukraine, imposed the economic sanctions against Russia. Gavin Williamson, British Defence Minister AFP British Defence Minister Gavin Williamson said Russia should pay a high price for its provocative behavior, as Reuters reported. NATO has to develop opportunities to deal with the provocations Russia carries out against us. Such action from Russia must come at a cost, the Minister said. To talk but fail to act risks our nation being seen as little more than a paper tiger, he added. It was noted that Crimeas annexation, interference in the U.S. elections and Skripals case are the issues which make relationships with Russia tense. Since December 7, 2019, the UK has suspended the issuance of investor visas (category Tier 1) for Russians. The authorities explain this with measures to fight the laundering of "dirty" money. according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the UK spends around 36 billion pounds (46.45 billion USD) per year on defense, which is the seventh largest sum globally. SANDY, Utah, Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mountain America Credit Unions 2019 scholarship program is now underway, with a total of six scholarships being offered to credit union members and their families. The scholarships are awarded based on a students career aspirations and community involvement. Mountain America is honored to support our members in their educational and vocational training pursuits. These scholarship opportunities help members elevate service-minded causes, pursue their career aspirations and ultimately enrich our communities, notes Sharon Cook, chief marketing officer at Mountain America. Mountain America Scholarship Mountain America awards $2,000 each to three winners of the Mountain America Scholarship, which is available for Mountain America Credit Union members or their families. One scholarship is awarded in each of the following categories: community and social service, finance, and technology and trades majors. Applications are now available on macu.com/scholarships. Applications must be completed by the student and submitted to Mountain America by April 26, 2019. Mountain America Scholarship winners will be notified and their names announced on the company website by June 9, 2019. Presentation of the scholarship awards will be held in June. Utah Public Employees Association Scholarship Mountain America also offers three $1,000 scholarships as part of the Utah Public Employees Association (UPEA) Scholarship Program. This scholarship is available for those who are Mountain America and UPEA members or their dependents who live in Utah. UPEA Scholarship applications are now available on macu.com/scholarships and upea.net. Applications must be completed and submitted to UPEA by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 1, 2019. Scholarships will be awarded on Thursday, March 28, 2019, at the UPEA General Council recognition dinner in downtown Salt Lake City at the Sheraton Hotel. Laszlo Balogh/Getty images(WASHINGTON) -- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pushed back against bipartisan chorus of critics on Capitol Hill who have accused the Trump administration of protecting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his alleged role in the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. "America is not covering up for a murder," Pompeo told reporters in Budapest, Hungary on Monday. That charge, from lawmakers like Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., came after the Trump administration missed the deadline for an investigation that Congress triggered in October into the crown prince's role. Kaine, who represents Virginia, where Khashoggi was living when he was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, said the administration was "aiding in the cover up of a murder." "Sen. Kaine's just dead wrong," Pompeo said. "He's just -- he's flat-out wrong. I like Sen. Kaine, I have a lot of respect for Sen Kaine. Sen. Kaine's just dead wrong." He continued, "America's taken more action in response to the tragic murder of Jamal Khashoggi and will continue to take more action. The president's been very clear -- couldn't have been more clear: As we get additional information, we'll continue to hold all those responsible accountable." While Pompeo said the U.S. would await "additional information," Republicans and Democrats in Congress say the evidence already shows that the prince, sometimes known by his initials "MBS," ordered the murder. To date, the administration has sanctioned 17 Saudi officials and issued visa bans or revocations for them and four others, all of whom have been implicated by the Saudi government itself. The kingdom says that the murder plot was a rogue operation ordered by the deputy intelligence chief and with no knowledge of the crown prince. "We know that the crown prince did not order this. We know that this was a rogue operation," Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al Jubeir said Friday, adding, "These things happen. Mistakes happen." A senior State Department official told reporters last month that the Saudi investigation and legal process had "not yet hit that threshold of credibility and accountability." But keeping sanctions limited to the same Saudi officials who have been implicated by their government has appeared to be an endorsement of the kingdom's narrative. President Donald Trump issued a statement in November that said MBS's role may never be known, and Pompeo and other top administration officials have said there is no "direct evidence" or "smoking gun" implicating the crown prince, who is next in line and considered the real power behind his father King Salman's throne. In October, Sens. Bob Corker and Bob Menendez, the top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, ordered the Trump administration to investigate who was responsible for Khashoggi's death and provide a report to Congress in 120 days. They triggered the investigation under the Global Magnitsky Act, which allows the White House to sanction foreign leaders for human rights abuses or corruption. One month later, after those 17 Saudi officials were sanctioned, they followed up with a second letter, demanding an investigation specifically into Prince Mohammed's role and requiring an answer within the original 120-day deadline. When that deadline came last Friday, Pompeo instead provided a letter to Congressional leaders that said the same as the administration has for months -- they have taken action and will do so if more information comes to light. "We will continue to use relevant authorities as appropriate to promote accountability for the murder of Mr. Khashoggi and impose tangible and significant consequences on those responsible," Pompeo wrote in one letter, obtained by ABC News. But he makes no mention of the crown prince, infuriating members of Congress -- even top Republicans. "I am deeply troubled by the letter I received from the administration regarding the brutal murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi," said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "I call on the administration to immediately comply with the requirements of the law, and to provide Congress with the information required." The administration argues, however, that the law gives the executive branch discretion, pointing to the statement then-President Barack Obama issued when he signed the Global Magnitsky Act into law. "Consistent with the constitutional separation of powers, which limit the Congress's ability to dictate how the executive branch executes the law, I will maintain my discretion to decline to act on such requests when appropriate," Obama said at the time. That's something that Senate Democrats say they disagree with. "The president has no discretion here. He's either complying with the law or breaking it," said Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats communications director Juan Pachon. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Open source The Hungarian Prosecutors Office has opened 370 cases against people from Ukraine under suspicion in the illegal Hungarian citizenship, 156 people were served charges as of January 28. Prosecutor General of Hungary Peter Polt made such a statement, as 24.hu reported. At the moment, 60 investigations take place, 32 cases are at the initial stage. The court decisions were made upon 108 cases; two of them are not final. The issue is about the issuance of Hungarian citizenship without the knowledge of the language in the majority of cases. However, there was an example, when a shell person, who spoke Hungarian came to the consulate but the citizenship was provided to another person. Moreover, the false data about the residential address was put on the official register. Earlier, Hungarian political force Democratic coalition requested prosecutors office to provide information about people from Ukraine, who illegally live in the country. It was emphasized that such Ukrainians can influence the results of the elections. Earlier, Ukrinfrom published a video where a few Ukrainians receive Hungarian passports and owe allegiance to Hungry in the Consulate in Berehove, Zakarpattia region. The Hungarian diplomat recommended not to inform the Ukrainian authorities about receiving the new documents. Yuriy Lutsenko, Prosecutor General, claimed that Ukraine's Security Service investigated this case; however, the service denied this. Tamas Menczer, Hungarys Foreign Minister Spokesperson, later reported that Hungary did not intend to withdraw its consul from Berehove due to the scandalous video about the issuance of Hungarian passports to the Ukrainians. In its turn, Ukraine claimed that in case, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary does not withdraw their consul from Berehove, and then Ukraine will offer him to abandon the territory. The report of Savchenko's lawyers on transferring the case to the court in Kyiv was denied The Supreme Court of Ukraine approves the prosecutors report on transferring the case of MP Nadia Savchenko and ex-Head of Officer Corps Centre of the POW Release Volodymyr Ruban to Chernihiv court, as 112 Ukraine correspondent reports. At the same time, the court did not approve the report of Savchenko's lawyers on transferring the case to the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv. According to the correspondent, todays hearing has lasted for five hours. Both defendants and six lawyers of Nadia Savchenko were present at the hearing. The only lawyer of Volodymyr Ruban did not come to the hearing. As we reported earlier, Savchenko took a polygraph testing. The Security Service of Ukraine claimed that the psychological forensic examination with the use of the polygraph of MP Nadiya Savchenko confirmed her intentions of committing the coup d'etat, particularly the commitment of the terrorist act in the governmental quarter and the Ukrainian Parliament. December 13, Kyiv Court postponed the consideration of Savchenkos case due to her bad state of health. Savchenko stated that she had partial loss of hearing and vision. On January 26, the delegates to the congress unanimously supported the candidacy of Nadiya for the presidency of Ukraine. According to her, the monetary contribution for the participation of Savchenko in the presidential elections of Ukraine is collected from the funds of party members and people who support it, including from abroad, for example, from the United States. Lawyer, in turn, reports that he lost contact with the defendant who never got in touch with him since January 26 Volodymyr Horbenko, the captain of Nord vessel, which was arrested in Ukraine, reportedly came back to the Russian-occupied Crimea. That's what his mother said as quoted by RIA Novosti. 'My son's home. He arrived on Saturday; he feels fine,' she said, adding that Horbenko is actually in Kerch. The sailor himself said that he crossed the administrative border with Crimea, using the Russian passport. 'There were no restrictions for me to return home', he said. Earlier, on January 29, Volodymyr Horbenko's brother turned to the police and filed the appeal, stating that Volodymyr got missing. Lawyer Maksym Mohylnytsky, in turn, reports that he lost contact with the defendant who never got in touch with him since January 26. Earlier, the Ukrainian border guards arrested fishing vessel-violator under the Russian flag in the Sea of Azov on March 25. The Nord vessel was stopped 15 miles from the Obytichna sandspit. The inspection defined that the vessel was registered in the temporarily occupied Crimea. Besides, the members of the crew violated the order of the exit from the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine. All of them had the so-called 'Russian passports', issued in Kerch. Later, the court arrested the arrested vessel. Ukrainian border guards detained Volodymyr Horbenko on April 4. The seaman is currently on the wanted list in Ukraine. Open source In November 2018, Russia captured three Ukrainian Navy vessels and imprisoned two dozen crew members in the Sea of Azov, which treaties safeguard for both countries. Yet international disapproval of the aggression against Ukraineonly the most recent in Russias five-year assault on the countrywas tempered by the knee-jerk response of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. Poroshenko called for the nationwide imposition of martial law the next day, which seemed to confirm the dire reputation of the countrys democracy. To many observers, Poroshenkos request seemed less aimed at shoring up Ukraines military than exploiting its fragile institutions to ensure his own re-election in a vote scheduled for March 31. It was cited as the latest evidence for the common belief that Ukraine is really no better nor different than authoritarian Russia and thus not worth the democratic worlds concern. More instructive than Poroshenkos proposal, however, was what happened next. The Ukrainian parliament refused to rubber stamp the martial law request, instead passing a much watered-down version designed to last only 30 days. The parliament also twisted Poroshenkos arm, forcing him to publicly commit to holding the election on schedule. Ukraines reputation in the West largely remains that of a basket casea country whose desire to integrate with the West, and specifically the European Union, far outpaces its reality. That reputation is wrong. Ukraine isnt a failing state or a hopeless Potemkin democracyits a country, though war-torn, firmly on the path of making good on the 2014 Maidan Revolution and, under reasonable conditions, succeeding as a European country in good standing. To be sure, Ukraine is beset by a variety of problems. State institutions remain hampered by inefficiency and corruption, much of the population remains preoccupied by nationalist fantasies of outright victory in the ongoing border war with Russia, and hardly anyone believes in Poroshenkos democratic bona fides. And yet Ukraines steady progress and growing momentum toward democracy are irrefutable. In the five years since its revolution, Ukraines accomplishments rival those made by any of the Central Europeans in the same time span since 1990. They are even more impressive given the countrys partial occupation by the Russian military in Crimea. Ukraine has made notable strides in its fight against corruption, its most formidable scourge and a key instigator of the 2014 Maidan protests. The deeply rooted problem persists, but Ukraines reformers have been relentless and creative in combatting it. Parliament has passed new legislation and designed independent institutions to combat corruption. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the High Anti-Corruption Court, for example, should be operational by spring. NABU and the court are essentially parallel structures that will pursue corruption cases outside of normal judicial channels. (Ukrainian prosecutorial offices are notorious for their own corruption and for blocking anti-corruption cases.) Run by the indefatigable Artem Sytnyk, NABU has 635 cases under investigation, 176 cases in court, and 25 convictions. The biggest fish are all still at large, but Sytnyk is optimistic that Ukraines high court, with independently vetted and chosen judges, will break the logjam NABU faces in the national court system. The Ukrainian parliament has also passed ambitious reforms in health care, environmental protection, and tax law, while cleaning up the state-owned gas company, shutting down sham banking schemes, and creating a transparent electronic system for state procurement. A Ukrainian think tank calculates that just the gas sector and tax reforms have saved the state $6 billion, nearly 6 percent of GDP. These focused efforts are even more remarkable considering that Ukraine is under nonstop assault by its nuclear-armed superpower of a neighbor, militarily on its eastern borderlands but also in a propaganda war engineered in Moscow to paint the country as a failed and illegitimate state. The Sea of Azov now constitutes another front, and there is no sign that Russia is stopping there. Among the most promising aspect of Ukraines reform efforts is the way they have been guided and shaped by the countrys tenacious civil society groups. Hundreds of activist groups, the true heirs of the Maidan revolution, have leveraged the political space afforded by the uprising. Their focus is on setting an example through direct action as much as it is pressuring politicians to pass legislation. Its such civil society groups that are relentlessly caring for veterans, defending human rights, promoting womens issues, pursuing war criminals, and supporting other causes that Western liberals are committed to supporting in their own countries. A significant part of post-Maidan civil society is also the independent media that have been instrumental in uncovering top-level corruption cases. Despite the many odds stacked against it, Ukraines democracy has proven its resilience. Although Poroshenko would clearly prefer to rule with a firm hand with the oligarchy at his back, he has been consistently checked by parliament, as the martial law vote shows, and he is in no way certain to triumph again come March. The presidential contest, and the accompanying parliamentary elections, are wide open. The familiar faces of Poroshenko and the veteran politico Yulia Tymoshenkoand their partiesmay lead by a hair in most polls, but there is fierce campaigning underway, and about 30 percent of Ukrainians say they havent made up their minds. Ukrainian ultranationalists are a potential threat to the democracy, but a modest one at present: The right-radical party Right Sector doesnt even capture 1 percent in current polls. On the streets, they can still be an intimidating presence, but they influence Ukrainian politics much less forcefully than many of their ideological peers in Western Europe affect their own countries. Ukraines most committed activists dont simply care about their countrys futurethey also identify with the international institutions most involved with it. Ukrainians largely understand that their progress would have been impossible without the helping hand of the EU and the International Monetary Fund, which have stood by the country even when many of their member states have wavered. When I recently asked members of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, one of Ukraines leading nongovernmental organizations, who its most dependable political ally in Ukrainian politics was, the activist Vitaliy Shabunin responded, the IMF. Thats precisely because Ukraines international creditors have applied the necessary pressure to persuade the country to pass its hardest-hitting anti-corruption laws. Ukraines steady, but unfinished progress is reason enough for the EU to push it along its path toward deeper integration with the continent. The prospect of sealing the EU Association Agreementthe very pact that, when dumped by then-President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014, sparked the Euromaidan protests in the first placewill inspire further democratic reforms by promising deeper political and economic ties in exchange. Ukrainians are already benefiting from visa-free travel to EU member states, and trade between the EU and Ukraine increased by 24 percent in 2017. Yet, unconscionably, the EU holds out on offering the country prospective candidate status and wavers even in its diplomatic support for Ukraine. Surely, this is in part motivated by the fear of becoming entangled in Ukraines conflict with Russia. But its important for the West to remember that Russias depredations against Ukraine are a response to the Maidan revolution and a democratic Ukraine; for Europe to back away from Ukraine is to disown its own principles. In that sense, Europe is already involved in this conflictand it cant afford to lose if it hopes to check Putins expansionist fantasies in the future. In 2014 and 2015, Ukrainians rejected the authoritarian post-Soviet politics that endure in Russia, Belarus, and elsewhere, and even today in some EU member countries. As long as Ukrainians are courageous enough to insist on liberal values in the face of Russian aggression and domestic spoilers, the West should prove itself worthy and accept Ukraine as one of its own. Read the original text here. Open source North Macedonia signed up this week to become the 30th member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. This latest addition to the defense pact, more than any previous one, raises the question of what membership of the alliance really means. Fox Newss Tucker Carlson has argued that it makes no sense for Americans to die for Montenegro or the Baltic States, even though Article Five of the North Atlantic Treaty requires the U.S. to come to the two countries aid if they are ever attacked. Asked by Carlson about Montenegro, President Donald Trump expressed a worry that its strong, aggressive people could get the U.S. into trouble. But Carlsons position is too extreme: the previous waves of NATO expansion in the Baltic states, and then the Balkans, made strategic sense for the U.S. as long as it viewed Russia as a long-term adversary. The first round of new members dramatically constrained Russias ability to threaten Western Europe militarily. Even if Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania cant defend themselves, they increase the cost of attacking for Russia. Now that the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty is dead, NATOs eastern European members will be especially important: In the event of a major escalation with Russia, missiles capable of hitting any city in the west of Russia within seconds could be placed there. In the Balkans, the logic is different. Yugoslavia was where NATO fought its first war, and it makes sense to consolidate its presence there to prevent a resurgence of fighting. If Serbia, with Russian help, ever made another bid for dominance in the region, Croatias membership would be a powerful counterbalance. Montenegro was worth taking in for the same reason even if its membership was more likely dictated by fears of a Russian takeover of the small Balkan state following what the authorities described as a failed Kremlin-backed coup in 2016. Im being generous here. Russias influence in the Balkans is exaggerated and is more a matter of tradition, wishful thinking and opportunism than any strategy with specific long-term goals. In the case of North Macedonia, no reasonable degree of Russian alarmism would justify NATO expansion. Russia has objected to the countrys membership and tried to encourage nationalists to hinder it. But there are no political forces in North Macedonia that favor an alliance with Russia. Even the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, which has flirted with Putin at times, has long backed membership of NATO and the European Union. Unlike Montenegro, the country has only a small Russian diaspora and enjoys little Russian investment. The influence of Turkey still a NATO ally is much stronger. Its hard, if not impossible, to make any kind of geo-strategic case for North Macedonias NATO membership. The country didnt play a major role in the Balkans conflict. It is tiny, landlocked and resource-poor. Prime Minister Zoran Zaevs government hasnt even tried to make the case. Its interested in a NATO membership less as a security guarantee than as a de facto prerequisite for EU membership. All the former-communist EU members joined NATO before the bloc. Theres no formal requirement to join NATO before the EU, and Serbia, at least for now, is keen on being part of the EU but not NATO. But it remains the blocs effective security pillar despite all the recent talk of an EU military. North Macedonia has no interest in challenging this convention: Its economic future depends on moving fast along the European path. For the U.S., which provides the security umbrella for NATO countries, North Macedonia looks to be just another freeloader. Its military spending will amount to 1.19 percent of gross domestic product this year roughly the same level as in Germany, which Trump has repeatedly upbraided for its pacifism. In absolute terms, its a pittance, some $153 million in 2019 for a military with about 8,000 active personnel. NATO gains nothing by taking it in and stretching the umbrella a little more. The alliance isnt losing much, either. Once can hardly see Russia, or anyone else, attacking Montenegro or North Macedonia. But the U.S. does need to consider what it gets out of an alliance with an increasing number of small members primarily interested using it as a step on the way to EU accession. It doesnt necessarily make sense for the alliance to welcome new members simply because Russia doesnt want them to join: The Kremlin is, on principle, against any kind of NATO expansion. If the U.S. really wants to get its European partners to spend 2 percent or more of their GDP on defense, that goal wont ever be accomplished by accepting more countries that dont. Read the original text at Bloomberg Opinion. Balukh is a "prisoner of the Kremlin," one of the many Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars who oppose Moscows occupation of Crimea Birthdays are typically lavish affairs in Ukraine. But not for Volodymyr Balukh, who will spend his third birthday in prison for the simple act of displaying a Ukrainian flag in Crimea. On February 8, the Ukrainian farmer turns 48. His case shows how Moscow harshly punishes Ukrainians in Crimea who have the temerity to protest against the Kremlins illegal annexation of the peninsula. Balukh is a "prisoner of the Kremlin," one of the many Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars who oppose Moscows occupation of Crimea. In December 2013, he first raised the Ukrainian flag over his house in the Crimean village of Serebrianka in support of the Euromaidan in Kyiv. When Crimea was annexed in March 2014, Ukrainians who did not flee were forced to give up their passports and assume Russian citizenship. Balukh refused, keeping his Ukrainian passport. The Ukrainian flag on his house stayed as well. First, only Vitaliy Stepaniuk, the head of the village council, tried and failed to persuade him to remove it. Eventually, the Russian FSB arrived and a string of arrests ensued. Over the course of 2014, Balukh was arrested several times for disobeying police orders. In April 2015, FSB officers searched Balukhs house and tore down the Ukrainian flag. They had no real reason for the search, so they fabricated a case of missing tractor parts and accused Balukh of stealing them. During the search, investigators found a Pravyi Sector flag. (Pravyi Sector is a Ukrainian nationalist organisation that led the right wing of Euromaidan.) This find only cemented their belief that Balukh is dangerous. Timeline of Balukh's imprisonment Atlantic Council Six months later, the Russians came back. After searching Balukhs house again, they dragged him to the street and beat him up. The investigators also took his passport, drivers license, and some personal belongings. Balukh was arrested for ten days and accused of insulting a representative of authority. Ultimately, he was sentenced to 320 hours of community service in February 2016. When he refused to comply, the sentence was changed to forty days in prison. Many people would have given up, but not Balukh. In November 2016, he hung a plaque with the inscription Street of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred on his house. This plaque commemorated those who were killed on the Euromaidan in January-February 2014. Once again, the head of the village council told the Ukrainian farmer to take the plaque down immediately. Balukh ignored him. The FSB response soon followed: on December 8, 2016, the FSB searched his house again. By this time, his case had escalated up the FSB chain of command; this search was initiated by FSB Crimea chief Viktor Palagin himself. FSB investigators found 70 rounds for a Kalashnikov gun, 19 cartridges, and 5 pieces of TNT in the attic of Balukhs common law wife, so he was arrested and charged with illegally storing ammunition and explosives. Balukh was detained immediately. At the pretrial detention center, Balukh complained about heart problems caused by the stale air in his cell, a lack of access to medication, and inadequate nutrition. His lawyers also filed complaints that the head of the pre-trial detention center beat him for identifying as Ukrainian. I would not want my offspring, or the future children of Ukraine to ever accuse me of being frightened, or allowing myself a moment of weakness, Balukh said in his final statement during his trial in August 2017. Balukh refused to plead guilty, and his lawyers have found several inconsistencies in the evidence presented by prosecutors. Taras Omelchenko, Balukhs lawyer, noted there was no definitive proof that the ammunition and explosives ever belonged to him. Nevertheless, the Rozdolnensky District Court sentenced Balukh to three years and seven months in jail and fined him 10,000 roubles (approximately $150). On March 19, 2018, Balukh began a hunger strike to protest. This continued for 205 days. Ukrainian doctors were never allowed anywhere near him. Meanwhile, Balukh was charged with another offense: disrupting the work of the pre-trial detention center. In July 2018, he was convicted for the second time and sentenced to another five years. In October 2018, the sentence was reduced by one month, and Balukh was transferred to a penal colony in Kerch. After Balukhs lawyers failed to persuade a judge to grant him early release in January 2019, it seems Balukh will serve his term. Akhtem Chiygoz, the deputy head of Crimean Tatar Majlis who has been a political prisoner himself, recently spoke to him. Balukh is aware there is no rule of law in Russia, so he was not surprised that the court denied his early release. He will not plead guilty. According to Russian criminal law, a convict has to plead guilty first, and only then he would be able to submit plea for pardon. Balukh wont do this, Chiygoz told Krym.Realii. Balukh does not face Russias cruel repression alone; hes got support from his lawyers, civil activists, and the clergy. However, he also needs the support and attention of the international community now. Read the original text at Atlantic Council. Related video: Germany alone will decide whether to enforce EU law on its new gas pipeline with Russia Germany alone will decide whether to enforce EU law on its new gas pipeline with Russia, after France caved in during last-minute talks on the issue. The legal regime to be imposed on the pipeline, called Nord Stream 2, will come from the "territory and territorial sea of the member state [Germany] where the first interconnection point is located", EU diplomats agreed in Brussels on Friday (8 February). Previous wording of the new law on offshore pipelines had said EU single market rules had to be applied on the "territorial sea of the member states". The redacted wording meant European laws would have automatically covered all offshore pipelines in EU seas. That would have forced Russian firm Gazprom to surrender its monopoly on Nord Stream 2, destabilising the project's business model. It would also have legally barred Russia from using it to impose gas cut-offs on Western states, such as Poland and Ukraine, in its neighbourhood. Leaving Germany the option whether to impose the EU laws on Nord Stream 2 might see Gazprom keep its monopoly. But a spokesman for French president Emmanuel Macron said Friday's compromise still meant there was "European control". "The dependence on Russian gas worries us. For that reason, it is important to us to ensure European control so that this dependence does not increase," he said in Paris. "There is no French-German crisis," he added. "Regarding the gas directive, we have reached an agreement and this was possible because Germany and France worked closely together," German chancellor Angela Merkel said the same day in Berlin. The compromise was a climb-down for France, which had indicated on Thursday that it would back the tougher wording on automatic EU rules on offshore pipes. "The deal received broad consensus," an EU diplomat said, amid preparations to start talks on the final version of the gas law with MEPs. Opponents of Nord Stream 2 include most eastern EU countries, the Nordic states, and the UK. Some among them were happy about the Franco-German compromise despite its softer wording. The new gas directive still gave the EU commission a bigger say in areas other than Nord Stream 2, for instance, on future gas contracts between member states and non-EU countries such as Russia. Friday's deal also meant the directive was finally moving toward adoption, after France and Germany had blocked it since November 2017. "For a long time, the positions were quite diverse. Now that there's a compromise, this will one way or another reinforce the commission's [oversight] role," a diplomat from one anti-Nord Stream 2 EU country said. The deal "allowed some [German] autonomy or specific national interests to be taken into account" on Nord Stream 2, he noted. But it was "too early" to judge how Germany would wield its privilege, the EU diplomat added, amid divisions on the pipeline in Merkel's government. Nord Stream 2 is to concentrate 70 percent of Russian gas sales to the EU in Germany. Its opponents, including the US, say Russia has a track record of using gas-cut offs to "blackmail" its neighbours. They also say it might embolden Russian aggression in east Ukraine, which Russia invaded in 2014, by making Ukraine's EU gas transit pipelines obsolete. "If we want to have more strategic autonomy in this environment, then why should we make an exception on energy security?," the Nord Stream 2-critical EU diplomat said. EU leaders recently agreed to aim for "strategic autonomy" in foreign policy and military terms, amid Franco-German plans for joint EU armed forces. The US has threatened to impose sanctions on Anglo-Dutch, Austrian, French, and German energy firms who co-financed Nord Stream 2. It has also posted troops as part of a Nato battalion to Poland to deter Russian aggression in wider Europe. Read the original text at euobserver. EU ambassadors have agreed to toughen regulations on a controversial gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, but they have decided not to back plans that might threaten its completion Open source Work on the 1,225km (760-mile) Nord Stream 2 pipeline under the Baltic Sea is set to end this year, but it has angered several EU countries. The EU wants to bring pipelines coming into the bloc under its energy rules. But Germany feared that would make the new pipeline uneconomic and unviable. In the end 27 of the bloc's 28 ambassadors reportedly agreed to a Franco-German compromise. France said it was delighted that Germany had agreed to place Nord Stream "under European control", and in return Germany is likely to remain as lead negotiator on the project. German Chancellor Angela Merkel also praised the deal. What are the worries with Nord Stream 2? Russia currently supplies around 40% of the EU's gas supplies, just ahead of Norway, which is not in the EU but takes part in the bloc's single market. The new pipeline would increase the amount going under the Baltic to 55bn cubic metres a year. For years, the 28-member bloc has been concerned about reliance on Russian gas. BBC News Poland has warned that Russia could use Nord Stream 2 to harm Europe's energy security, and US President Donald Trump even accused Germany of being a "captive" of Russia because of it. Nord Stream 2 will not only increase Russia's supply, it also means that, along with its TurkStream project, Russia will be able to bypass Ukrainian pipelines. The loss of transit fees would hit Ukraine's economy hard. The EU is also trying to look beyond Russian gas - to imports of US liquified natural gas (LNG) and new pipelines, such as a planned Norway-Poland pipeline via Denmark, that would supply Sweden and other neighbouring states. Why is Germany backing the new pipeline? German businesses have invested heavily in Nord Stream 2 and former Chancellor, Gerhard Schroder is running the project. As well as Germany's Uniper and BASF's Wintershall unit, other European companies have stakes too, including Anglo-Dutch Shell, OMV of Austria and Engie of France. Chancellor Angela Merkel tried to assure Central and Eastern European states on Thursday that the pipeline would not make Germany reliant on Russia for energy. "Germany will expand its network of gas terminals in regards to liquified gas. Meaning, for gas we do not want to be at all dependent on Russia alone," she said. Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow hoped the disagreement would be sorted out. "We still believe that this project is beneficial to both the European gas consumers' interests and to Russian Federation as gas supplier," he said. What is in the EU deal? Ultimately it came down to a compromise struck between France and Germany, a day after the French government had announced it was withdrawing its support for Germany. A key part of the deal, according to French diplomats, is that Nord Stream 2 is not threatened as a project but now faces stricter controls and maybe revision too. A big priority for the EU is to increase competition. So, instead of having a patchwork of different agreements for pipelines entering the bloc, they would have to come under the EU's rules for the internal energy market. Those rules include separation of ownership of the pipes from the supplier - known as unbundling. With Nord Stream 2, Russia's Gazprom controls both. However, under the deal, the rules apply from the "territory and territorial sea of the member state where the first interconnection point is located". In the case of Nord Stream 2 it seems unlikely those rules would cover the pipeline under the Baltic Sea before it reaches the interconnector network. Any changes required to the project would also be renegotiated by Germany. The text may still change as it will now go to the European Parliament, where many MEPs have concerns about dependence on Russian gas. Read the original text at BBC News. Dublin, Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Europe Cross-Border B2C E-Commerce 2018" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Europe Cross-Border B2C E-Commerce 2018, provides detailed information on the continued growth of cross-border online shopping in 20 countries of Europe. The share of online shoppers in Europe making purchases cross-border increased by more than 10 percentage points over the past 5 years, reaching more than four in ten digital buyers in the EU, and above 50% of the overall region's online shoppers, according to data cited in the report. The main motives for buying from out-of-country sellers included finding better deals and products or brands not available at domestic shops. At the same time, payment security and lack of clarity regarding total costs of fees and duties were the top two concerns of Europe's online shoppers when buying cross-border. Fashion and electronics were the leading product categories bought online by Europe's cross-border shoppers last year. Books and other media products shared the third rank with cosmetics and perfumes, with some variance among the countries covered in the report. Also the top destinations for cross-border online shopping varied by country, with China, the UK, the USA and Germany named most frequently as the countries purchased from. Although large international players such as Alibaba, Amazon, eBay and Wish are among the main beneficiaries of the cross-border E-Commerce growth, smaller European companies are also grasping the benefits of online exports. According to a survey of EU companies cited in the report, the share of E-Commerce enterprises selling cross-border within the region was relatively consistent across the company sizes, with only a one percentage point difference in cross-border E-Commerce sales penetration between small and large online sellers. Online shoppers in Europe increasingly purchase outside home nation The lure of products not available through domestic sources or a price advantage elsewhere has led to a double-digit increase of cross-border online shopping over the past five years. The report indicates that while security of payments information and question of duties involved remain as concerns, nearly half of Europe's online shoppers have made a cross-border purchase. China and USA among top destinations of Europe's online shoppers The leading destination for cross-border purchases varies by country, but overall, the online merchants based in China, the USA, UK and Germany received the most traffic, with Alibaba, Amazon, eBay and Wish as popular portals. The top items purchased cross-border in Europe were apparel and electronics, with books or other media tied with cosmetics/fragrances for third place, according to sources cited in the report. European online sellers also join in cross-border E-Commerce Europe-based online merchants of all sizes also have recognized the potential of cross-border sales and attempt to limit the dominance of the global giants of E-Commerce. A survey of online sellers in the EU summarized in the report shows that cross-border sales penetration is essentially the same for large and small enterprises. Questions Answered in this Report How many online shoppers in Europe buy cross-border? What are the top product categories in European cross-border E-Commerce? Where do Europe's cross-border digital buyers shop at? What are the main drivers of the cross-border E-Commerce sales growth in Europe? Which European countries are leading in the cross-border online shopping trend? Companies Mentioned ASOS PLC Alibaba Group Holding Ltd Amazon.com Inc Wish Inc. eBay Inc For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/dl84kd/europe?w=12 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. English French RICHMOND HILL, Ontario, Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lysander Funds Limited (Lysander) today announced its intention to wind up Lysander-Roundtable Low Volatility Equity Fund (the Fund), effective on or about April 30, 2019 (the Wind-Up Date). Effective today, the Fund will no longer accept any purchases, including purchases under systematic purchase programs. Investors may redeem or switch their Fund units prior to the Wind-Up Date. Investors who remain in the Fund as of the close of business on the Wind-Up Date will have their units redeemed and will receive cash as the redemption proceeds for such units. Lysander will waive any short-term trading fees for switches or redemptions of Fund units. Lysander encourages investors to consult with their investment advisors to discuss their investment options and to understand the financial and tax implications associated with redeeming or switching their Fund units and the wind-up of the Fund. ______________________________________________________________________________ Lysander is the trustee and investment fund manager of the Fund. The head office of Lysander is located at 100 York Blvd., Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 1J8. For further information on Lysander, please visit www.lysanderfunds.com, email manager@lysanderfunds.com or you can reach Lysander at 1-877-308-6979. Richard Usher-Jones President Lysander Funds Limited Tel. No. 416-640-4275 Fax No. 905-764-0000 Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Euro 2020, gafe socante in ultima zi a grupelor: Prunea al ungurilor si tragicomedia slovaca VIDEO Dupa 12 zile la rand cu meciuri, Euro 2020 ia o pauza. Pana sambata, cand incep confruntarile din optimi. Iar aceasta pauza ne ofera timp sa digeram mai bine ceea ce s-a intamplat, miercuri [citeste mai departe] Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-12 07:08:27|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close STOCKHOLM, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Municipalities in Sweden are actively working to prepare for the harsh realities of climate change, Swedish Television (SVT) reported on Monday. "The consequences of climate change are very concrete for us. They do not exist in the distant future, it is already happening now. We are continually affected by high sea levels and we see that this is happening more and more often", Anna Moller, an expert at Vellinge Municipality, told SVT. Vellinge municipality in Skane, south of Sweden, is predicted to face the highest sea level rise in Sweden, provided that greenhouse gas emissions do not decrease. According to calculations made by the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, the sea level in Skanor, which is located in Vellinge municipality, may rise 78 cm by 2100. The local authorities plan to prepare for this eventuality by building a 21-km long embankment to protect buildings and people from flooding. Though Vellinge will be the worst affected, they are by no means the only municipality that is preparing for rising sea levels. "Almost all municipalities that are located on a river, a lake or a sea in Sweden are actively working on these issues. There is much greater awareness today than there was just ten years ago", Emma Bonnevier from the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions told SVT. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-12 07:03:25|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday, launching an initiative to ensure the country's leadership in Artificial Intelligence (AI). This technology-promoting initiative at national level calls for protecting the advantage of the United States in AI "against strategic competitors and foreign adversaries," but without specifying its competitors or adversaries. "Continued American leadership in Artificial Intelligence is of paramount importance to maintaining the economic and national security of the United States," Trump said. The initiative proposes a multi-pronged approach to accelerating its leadership in AI, including investment, data-sharing, standard-setting and personnel training. However, it stresses an "international engagement" instead of the international cooperation most AI researchers and industrialists call on. It urges other countries to open markets for American AI industries while ensuring the technology developed in a manner consistent with American values and interests. The initiative also allows federal agencies to offer more data, models, and computing resources to the country's AI researchers and industries. "We cannot sit idly by and presume that our leadership is guaranteed," according to a statement released by White House on Monday. Credits: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/ Jefferson Beck WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- An international team led by French geologists uncovered the oldest fossilized traces of life's ability to move, tracing back to 2.1 billion years. The study published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that certain multicellular organisms in a primitive marine ecosystem in a fossil deposit in Gabon were sophisticated enough to move through its mud, rich in organic matter. Located in Africa's Franceville Basin, the deposit produced the oldest existing fossils of multicellular organisms that could move, which was more than 1.5 billion years earlier than previously thought. The previous remnants were dated to 570 million years ago, an estimate that appeared to be confirmed by the molecular clock, according to the study. The researchers used a non-destructive imaging technique called X-ray computed micro-tomography to analyzed the fossil, and found a tubular structures, with generally consistent diameter of a few millimeters, running through fine layers of sedimentary rock. Geometrical and chemical analysis revealed that they were biological in origin and appeared at the same time the sediment was deposited. The traces are located next to fossilized microbial biofilms, and those biofilms formed carpets between the superficial sedimentary layers. The researchers suggested that the organisms moved in search of nutritive elements and the dioxygen, both produced by cyanobacteria. They showed that this biodiversity co-occurred with a peak in dioxygenation of the atmosphere, and developed in a calm and shallow marine environment. It is known that aerobic life has evolved from single-celled bacteria species to complex eukaryotic organisms, depending on the oxidizing power of dioxygen in some metabolic pathways. The scientists could not describe the exact shape of those living elements, but they speculated that they might be similar to colonial amoebae, clustering together to form a type of slug to forage food when resources become scarce. The evidence of mobility found in rock that is 2.1 billion years old raised new questions about the history of life, according to the study. They wondered whether this biological innovation was a prelude to more perfected forms of movement, or an experiment cut short by the drastic drop in atmospheric oxygen occurring about 2.08 billion years ago. Conversion deepens MariMeds Hemp CBD market commitment MariMed financials to report its proportional equity share of GenCannas earnings NORWOOD, MA, Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MariMed Inc. (OTCQB: MRMD), one of the largest multi-state cannabis operators in the U.S., announced today that pursuant to its November 2018 agreement with GenCanna Global USA, Inc., a recognized innovator and cultivator of industrial hemp, MariMed has converted its initial $30 million purchase of debentures into GenCanna common stock. Bob Fireman, CEO of MariMed, noted, In less than three months, MariMed and GenCanna have demonstrated that MariMeds investment and our strategic alliance was a wise one for both companies, and a boost for the industrial hemp industry in the US with the following: GenCanna announced its fourth hemp processing facility, a $40 million project in West Kentucky; MariMed confirmed its long-term commitment to GenCanna and hemp-derived CBD by announcing the formation of MariMed Hemp, Inc.; and GenCanna announced a genetic breakthrough achieved in partnership with The University of Kentucky research - a patentable 0.0 percent THC hemp genetic. Fireman concluded, MariMed will continue to be a source of capital and experience for GenCanna as it looks to expand its hemp cultivation to more than 10,000 acres, as well as to develop new facilities to process the biomass. In return, GenCanna will provide MariMed Hemp with a dedicated supply of the finest GMP-quality CBD for new brands of CBD products to be introduced by MariMed Hemp. We are delighted that MariMed has converted its debentures into equity in our company, commented Steve Bevan, President of GenCanna. They are a great strategic partner and this conversion further aligns our shared interests. Our industry is growing rapidly. With strong partners like MariMed, we are confident we can extend our leadership position and set new standards for our products and services. This conversion transaction is expected to have a positive impact on MariMed Inc.s net income as it will be reporting its proportional equity share of GenCannas earnings. Impact will be first reported in MariMeds first quarter 10-Q filing for the quarter ending March 31, 2019. About MariMed Inc. MariMed, Inc. is dedicated to the effective application of cannabis derivatives to human health and wellness. The company offers a full range of cannabis products, operates state of the art medical and adult-use cannabis dispensaries in six states, and has recently announced the formation of a separate division, MariMed Hemp, focused on the development of industrial hemp-derived CBD products. In late 2018, the Company announced a $30MM investment in Kentucky-based GenCanna, a recognized genetic innovator in industrial hemp. Across its branded products, MariMed is in the forefront of precision dosed branded products for the treatment of specific medical symptoms. MariMed currently distributes its branded products in select states and is expanding licensing and distribution to numerous additional markets encompassing thousands of dispensaries. For additional information, visit www.MariMedAdvisors.com . Search MariMed and post on social media with the hash tag #MedicatedByMariMed: Twitter: @MariMedInc Facebook: @MariMedInc Instagram: MariMedInc YouTube: MariMedInc Forward Looking Statements: This release contains certain forward-looking statements and information relating to MariMed Inc. that is based on the beliefs of MariMed Inc.s management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events including estimates and projections about its business based on certain assumptions of its management, including those described in this Release. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risk and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, including, among other factors, changes in demand for the Company's services and products, changes in the law and its enforcement and changes in the economic environment. Additional risk factors are included in the Company's public filings with the SEC. Should one or more of these underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as "hoped," "anticipated," "believed," "planned, "estimated," "preparing," "potential," "expected," looks or words of a similar nature. The Company does not intend to update these forward-looking statements. None of the content of any of the websites referred to herein (even if a link is provided for your convenience) is incorporated into this release and the Company assumes no responsibility for any of such content. Media: Julie Shepherd, Accentuate PR Julie@accentuatepr.com 847-275-3643 Investors: Jon Levine, CFO, MariMed info@MariMedAdvisors.com 781-559-8713 ### A United Nations peacekeeping soldier provides security during a food aid delivery by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and world food program in the village of Makunzi Wali, Central African Republic, April 27, 2017. (REUTERS Photo) UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Monday said that several actions can be taken to improve the UN peacekeeping operations. Speaking at a plenary meeting of the Special Committee on peacekeeping operations, Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, said that the UN peacekeeping operations are facing new challenges while playing an important role in maintaining international peace and security. To improve the management of peacekeeping operations, the UN Secretariat should optimize its logistical support mechanisms, strengthen training during deployment, and enhance the capacity to deal with complex situations, said the Chinese envoy. According to Wu, the Secretariat's new peace and security architecture and management structure are operational now, and the new structures are expected to be effective on integration of resources, improve service management and operational efficiency. "More attentions should be paid to the safety of peacekeepers," he said. Wu said that security risks and casualties among peacekeepers were on the rise, the Secretariat and the missions should formulate security rules in an integrated manner, strengthen information collection and sharing, ensure that security equipment and measures are in place, and strengthen medical ambulance capacity effectively. Wu also said that the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations have to be strictly abided by, as well as the basic principles of peacekeeping operations. "Principles such as sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs and peaceful settlement of disputes, should always be observed, " Wu said, adding that in order to carry out their work smoothly, these are the prerequisite and guarantee for peacekeeping operations to win the trust of the member states. Wu also highlighted the importance of political settlement, saying that it is the "core element of UN peacekeeping operations. "Political priorities should permeate all phases of operations. Clear, viable and focused mandates should be made for peacekeeping missions, and continuous adjustments of priorities need to be undertaken at all stages in response to dynamic needs," said the Chinese envoy. Concluding his statement, the Chinese envoy pledged that China is ready to continue to work with the vast number of member states to further improve the UN peacekeeping system and to maintain international peace and security. "China is a staunch supporter and participant in UN peacekeeping operations, a major troop contributor and the second largest contributor to peacekeeping assessments," Wu added. Today, China has some 2,500 peacekeepers serving in eight UN peacekeeping operations, Wu said, adding that 8,000 troops to the UN peacekeeping standby force have been formed by China, who have done their registrations with the UN peacekeeping standby mechanism. Some of them have already reached the level of rapid deployment. Ever since its establishment, the China-UN Peace and Development Trust Fund has made strengthening African peacekeeping capacity-building a priority area. More than 200 trainees were received in the eight batches of projects which launched in 2018. China will continue to provide gratis military assistance to the AU to carry out independent peace activities, he added. Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hands with his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan during a meeting in Istanbul, Turkey November 19, 2018. MOSCOW, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on Monday criticized the European Union for its "dual approaches" to Iran. "The EU must rise above its dual approaches when they try not to annoy the Americans, and to do something so that Iran sees real efforts, and to make the right choice by deciding in favor of real cooperation," RIA Novosti news agency quoted Ryabkov as saying. Speaking to reporters after a reception in Iran's embassy in Moscow, Ryabkov said that the EU and a number of its members have applied sanctions to Iran against the rules of international law and UN Security Council's resolutions. He said that the demands of European countries to reduce or close the Iranian missile program resulted from their "desire to please the Americans." Russia finds it unacceptable and will explain the "fallacy and harmfulness" of such a course at a meeting of the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) expected in March, he said. The commission restricts Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for the easing of the sanctions on the Islamic republic. Meanwhile, Ryabkov recalled that European countries have taken certain steps to create conditions for normal economic cooperation with Iran, including the INSTEX mechanism. Last week, the EU announced the setting up of INSTEX (Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges) by Britain, Germany and France to secure trade with Iran and skirt U.S. anti-Iran sanctions after Washington pulled out of the 2015 landmark Iranian nuclear deal last May. "Our position, if described briefly and concisely, can be reduced to a phrase that something is better than nothing," Ryabkov said. On the other hand, he noted that the authors of this mechanism could not ensure its opening for third countries, first of all, for Russia and others who are interested in legal cooperation with Iran. Russia will seek full-fledged participation in the activities of this mechanism and continue relevant efforts in direct contacts with the countries concerned, Ryabkov added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-12 05:17:56|Editor: yan Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. social media site Reddit Inc. said Monday it has raised 300 million U.S. dollars in Series D round led by China's internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd., which pushed the company's market valuation to 3 billion dollars. Reddit CEO Steve Huffman told CNBC news outlet that Tencent invested 150 million dollars in the latest round of fundraising, along with other investors. Huffman said Tencent has invested in lots of video games companies, and video games are a popular category on Reddit, a social news and media aggregation company based in San Francisco, Northern California. Tencent is a new investor in Reddit's most recent funding round. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (C) reacts surrounded by supporters at the end of a meeting in Kiev on January 29, 2019. (AFP PHOTO) KIEV, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine is set to hold presidential elections on March 31 with a record number of 44 candidates, the country's Central Electoral Commission said Friday. The number is more than double the 21 candidates of the 2014 elections, and a fierce competition is predicted while a second round looks inevitable, analysts said. The incumbent President Petro Poroshenko is seeking re-election, promising the continuation of reforms, improved living standards and restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity through political and diplomatic means. He is joined on the ballot by an array of other politicians, public figures, celebrities and businessmen, whose campaign promises are very similar. People walk past a campaign poster of the Ukrainian presidential candidate Serhiy Taruta reading the slogan "Taruta runs for president, the country will start working again", in Kiev, on February 4, 2019. (AFP PHOTO) The large number of contenders, the similarity of their election programs, and the high level of distrust in the candidates create little chances for the elections to conclude in a single round, according to experts and observers. Recent opinion polls indicate that none of the presidential hopefuls has an approval rating of more than 21 percent, while over 50 percent of the votes is required to win in the first round. "I anticipate two rounds of the elections," Dmytro Sinchenko, head of the non-governmental organization Association of Political Sciences, told Xinhua. According to some forecasts, Poroshenko and opposition politician Yulia Tymoshenko have a good chance of making it to the second round, while some experts name actor Volodymyr Zelensky as another hopeful. Poroshenko, who took charge of Ukraine in June 2014, has a "very high" chance to be re-elected, Igor Solovey, an international observer with local online media outlet LB.ua, told Xinhua. "International support also plays into Poroshenko's hands -- the U.S., the EU and other European countries would like to see him as the next president," he said. Supporters greet former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko (C) after she submitted documents to the Ukraine's Central Electoral Commission in Kiev, on January 23, 2019. (AFP PHOTO) Tymoshenko, a veteran politician who had served as Ukrainian prime minister between 2005 and 2010, is viewed as the strongest challenger to the incumbent president. Local analysts believe that Tymoshenko who had previously two unsuccessful attempts to take presidency -- in 2010 and in 2014, has learned the lessons of her past defeats and will stick to the tactics of defending the interests of the "ordinary people" who are dissatisfied with the current government. "Tymoshenko took into account the mistakes of past campaigns and now she is aiming to maximize her electoral resources, including at the expense of direct competitors," Liliya Brudnytska, an analyst at the center of structural political science Vybir, told Xinhua. Tymoshenko pledged that, if she wins, she will increase average wages and pensions by more than threefold, reduce gas prices for households and make access to loans much easier. A picture taken on February 8, 2019 shows people walking by placards depicting Ukrainian entertainer and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky and oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyi, looking out from his back, and reading 'Servant of oligarch, doll of oligarch' is seen glued prior to Zelensky performance in western Ukrainian city of Lviv on February 8, 2019. (AFP PHOTO) Zelensky, the newcomer in Ukrainian politics, has surprisingly taken the lead in some recent opinion polls. However, analysts point to his relative lack of political experience and other factors as challenges to overcome. "His electorate is urban youth, who usually do not go to the polls," said political expert Taras Zagorodniy, adding that "Zelensky is a television project and nobody yet has won the election through the television." Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-12 04:07:39|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Monday said that several actions can be taken to improve the UN peacekeeping operations. Speaking at a plenary meeting of the Special Committee on peacekeeping operations, Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, said that the UN peacekeeping operations are facing new challenges while playing an important role in maintaining international peace and security. To improve the management of peacekeeping operations, the UN Secretariat should optimize its logistical support mechanisms, strengthen training during deployment, and enhance the capacity to deal with complex situations, said the Chinese envoy. According to Wu, the Secretariat's new peace and security architecture and management structure are operational now, and the new structures are expected to be effective on integration of resources, improve service management and operational efficiency. "More attentions should be paid to the safety of peacekeepers," he said. Wu said that security risks and casualties among peacekeepers were on the rise, the Secretariat and the missions should formulate security rules in an integrated manner, strengthen information collection and sharing, ensure that security equipment and measures are in place, and strengthen medical ambulance capacity effectively. Wu also said that the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations have to be strictly abided by, as well as the basic principles of peacekeeping operations. "Principles such as sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs and peaceful settlement of disputes, should always be observed, " Wu said, adding that in order to carry out their work smoothly, these are the prerequisite and guarantee for peacekeeping operations to win the trust of the member states. Wu also highlighted the importance of political settlement, saying that it is the "core element of UN peacekeeping operations. "Political priorities should permeate all phases of operations. Clear, viable and focused mandates should be made for peacekeeping missions, and continuous adjustments of priorities need to be undertaken at all stages in response to dynamic needs," said the Chinese envoy. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-12 04:02:38|Editor: yan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- With ISIL's defeat in Syria, Indonesia has observed the shifting to the region, among others, of its propaganda, radicalization and recruitment, a senior Indonesian diplomat said Monday. Dian Triansyah Djani, permanent representative of Indonesia to the United Nations, was speaking at a United Nations Security Council meeting on the threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. "We also continue to be concerned about the threat of returning, relocating or released Foreign Terrorist Fighters to various regions and countries," Djani said. One of the most alarming trends is the recruitment and radicalization of women and children, especially those who are well educated and come from middle class backgrounds, he said. "It is also our assessment that terrorist planning and logistics are shifting towards high tech, cyber activities, including online transactions, online fraud, social-media fund raising, crowd-funding and donations," he said. Indonesia again condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, no matter its origins or motivations, he added. "No justification is good enough, and we again express our objection to any attempts to link this menace to any specific religion, nationality, people or civilization," the Indonesian diplomat said. The Indonesian diplomat stressed the importance of adaptive capabilities to the increasing dynamic and complex challenges. "Given the nature of the challenge, we need to be not only decisive in our policies, but also innovative and practical in our approach," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-12 03:12:25|Editor: yan Video Player Close MUSCAT, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The international conference dubbed "Ocean Economy and Future Technology" kicked off on Monday in Oman with around 900 participants and 80 exhibitors from 30 countries. The conference discussed trends related to the future of the ocean economy, focusing on oceanography, concepts and international case studies. It also examined future ocean technologies with emphasis on operational enhancements, emerging oceanology business opportunities, regulatory challenges and the impact on current and future careers. Addressing the opening session of the conference, Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani, secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, said that the conference was unique and Oman was the first Arab country to host the region. Peter Thomson, UN secretary-general's special envoy for the ocean, said in his speech that the conference was a platform for discussing topics related to science and technology diplomacy and, in commercial terms, a good business opportunity for investors. The conference will continue on Tuesday and Wednesday, focusing on themes such as ocean sustainable development, technology and innovation as well as investment in the ocean economy. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-12 01:52:03|Editor: WX Video Player Close KIEV, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Next month's presidential election in Ukraine will be held amid heightened security measures, the country's Interior Ministry said on Monday. According to preliminary estimates, between 60,000 and 62,000 law enforcement officers will be deployed across the Eastern European country to ensure the smooth run of the voting process, the ministry said in a statement. In particular, officers of the National Police, the National Guard and the State Border Guard Service will patrol the polling stations, the statement said. Special attention will be paid to security in the conflict-hit area in eastern Ukraine, it said. Ukraine is set to hold the presidential election on March 31 with a record number of 44 candidates. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-12 01:16:51|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close by Dana Halawi BEIRUT, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Political analysts agreed that the visit of the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to Lebanon aimed to convey a message to the West that Iran has political weight in Lebanon. "The Iranians are under pressure ... and they want to make sure that preeminence in Lebanon through Hezbollah will continue," Hilal Kashan, chair of the Political Studies Department at the American University of Beirut, told Xinhua. Khashan said that Zarif is in Beirut to make sure that Iran will continue to have the upper hand in the Lebanese scene through Hezbollah. "This is why the Iranians are proposing to provide arms to Lebanon and try to resolve the electricity problem in the country," he said. Khashan added that Tehran is also aware that the Israeli military exercises near the borders with Lebanon are meant to send a clear message to Iran that Israel will not allow it to prevail in Syria and Lebanon. "I do not see a war coming in the foreseeable future but the Israelis want to exert pressure on Iran and they really want the government in Tehran to have a severe domestic crisis," Khashan said. Rajeh Khoury, political commentator and columnist, told Xinhua that the Iranian foreign minister's visit to Lebanon aims to convey a message to the west that Iranians have the power to extend from Iran to Lebanon, Iraq and Syria. "Iranians want to prove that they have a political weight in the Lebanese scene since Hezbollah was capable of obtaining a good representation in the new government," Khoury said. According to Khoury, this visit came at a very hard time for Iran as a result of the sanctions imposed by the United States. Khoury added that Iranian ties with Europe are not very favorable as well since Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday attacked Europe by saying that it "cannot be trusted," a week after the EU launched a trade mechanism to bypass U.S. sanctions on Tehran. "These days, there's talk of the Europeans and their proposals. My advice is that they shouldn't be trusted, just like the Americans," Khamenei said. Analysts interviewed by Xinhua agreed as well that Lebanon cannot accept Iran's help because this would impact the country's ties with the U.S. and the West in general. "It is true that Iran controls Lebanon through Hezbollah but the Lebanese army has very strong ties with the U.S. administration and it will never accept Iranian weapons," Khashan said. He added that Iranian weapons are of low quality and they do not fit the requirements of the Lebanese military. Khashan added that the two main providers of military hardware to the Lebanese army are the U.S. and Britain. "If the Lebanese government receives any Iranian equipment, the U.S. will never provide again weapons to the Lebanese army," he said. The U.S. is the biggest provider of military aid to Lebanon, as the Lebanese army has received a total of 1.5 billion U.S. dollars in military aid since the 2006 war with Israel. Khashan added that Zarif's visit to Lebanon will not make any difference. "He came to Beirut with an agenda that does not differ from previous agendas which did not prevail in the past. I do not see why his current visit to Beirut which is one of the many visits will make a difference," he said. Khoury said that Zarif's visit won't benefit for Lebanon because Lebanon is tied economically to the Western financial system. "Lebanon cannot respond positive to Iran's offers in electricity or any other field," he said. Khoury said that Lebanon is keen on preserving good ties with Iran, yet it cannot go into very deep relations with this country because any improvement in bilateral relations is bad for Lebanon's interests with the Americans and Europeans. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-12 01:06:49|Editor: yan Video Player Close ISTANBUL, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- At least four people were injured when a military helicopter crashed during an emergency landing in a park located inside a residential area in Istanbul, Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya announced. Yerlikaya tweeted that four military personnel were pulled out from the wreckage and rushed to a nearby hospital. The cause of the incident, which occurred in the Cekmekoy district on the Asian side of the city, is not immediately known. CALGARY, Alberta, Feb. 10, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Founders Advantage Capital Corp. (TSX-V: FCF) (the Corporation) reports that its investee Dominion Lending Centres Inc. (DLC) has received a statement of claim (the Claim) filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice by two individual plaintiffs (the Plaintiffs). The Plaintiffs are seeking certification of the Claim under the Class Proceedings Act (Ontario) and are seeking an order for damages of $800 million. The Claim relates to a product called Mortgage Protection Plan (MPP), mortgage creditor insurance underwritten by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company (Manulife), formerly administered by Benesure Canada Inc. (Benesure), and offered through Credit Security Insurance Agency Inc. (CSIA). The Claim alleges that Benesure is an unlicensed insurer and that DLC is liable for distributing the MPP product through the DLC network. Benesure, Manulife and other parties were subject to a BC class action lawsuit in 2013 relating to the MPP product which failed to be certified in 2016. DLC is contractually indemnified from Benesure, Manulife and CSIA for any costs, expenses, damages or liability arising from the offering of MPP through the DLC network of brokers. Lastly, we note that the Superintendent of Financial Institutions in British Columbia did investigate the practices and procedures of Benesure and Manulife with respect to the sale of MPP in British Columbia through mortgage brokers in 2013/2014. The Settlement Agreement and Consent Order from such investigation includes the following: the Superintendent, after investigation, is not aware of any harm to policyholders, and the Companies advise and confirm that the insurance coverages issued by the Companies under the MPP program continue to be valid and in effect. Gary Mauris, President of DLC commented: We consider this claim to be frivolous and entirely without merit and we intend on launching a vigorous defense. Unfortunately, when you are the largest player in your sector, you become a target for these types of nuisance claims. We are comfortable with both our legal position relating to the Claim and our contractual indemnity from Benesure, Manulife and CSIA. The Corporation's Common Shares are listed on the TSXV under the symbol FCF. For further information please refer to the Corporation's website at www.advantagecapital.ca. Contact information for the Corporation is as follows: James Bell President and Chief Executive Officer 403-455-2218 jbell@advantagecapital.ca Amar Leekha Sr. Vice-President, Capital Markets 403-455-6671 aleekha@advantagecapital.ca NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-12 01:06:48|Editor: yan Video Player Close MOGADISHU, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) military commanders began a four-day meeting in Mogadishu on Monday to develop a comprehensive plan that will guide their exit strategy. AMISOM deputy head Simon Mulongo said the plan will identify activities and operations to be implemented under the new concept of operations (CONOPS) and also lay out a timeframe and logistical support needed to implement the activities. "We need to make do with the little resources we have and implement the new CONOPS to help AMISOM fulfill its mandate of securing Somalia," Mulongo told the official opening of the conference in a statement. The new CONOPS, which is the framework for AMISOM's exit strategy, will guide the AU mission's military activities and operations for the 2018-2021 period. The meeting brings together sector commanders who lead military contingents from troop-contributing countries to AMISOM, representatives from the Somali National Army, the United Nations and other partners. Mulongo urged the commanders to come up with realistic operation plans that will ensure the key CONOPS requirements are successfully implemented. The meeting came as AMISOM is expected to draw down its troops by 1,000 by the Feb. 28, in line with a July 2018 UN Security Council resolution. According to the resolution, AMISOM will need to reduce the level of uniformed personnel to 20,626 by Feb. 28, 2019, without "any further delay." Under the new CONOPS, several forward operating bases (FOBs) are likely to be reconfigured and others folded up, as troop numbers reduce, said the AU mission. However, AMISOM made an assurance that the changes will be undertaken with utmost consideration of the safety and security of populations living in the regions where the FOBs are situated. Tigabu Yilma Wondimhunegn, AMISOM force commander, said they will focus on conducting targeted offensive operations against al-Shabab to degrade its capability, deny them freedom of action and movement and secure friendly forces in order to implement the CONOPS effectively. The CONOPS marks the final phase of the AU mission's transition and its eventual exit from Somalia. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-12 01:01:48|Editor: yan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- A senior UN counter-terrorism official on Monday warned against complacency over the defeat of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group. Despite recent successes against the IS and its affiliates, the threat posed by returning and relocating fighters, as well as from individuals inspired by them, remains high and has a global reach, Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of UN Counter-Terrorism Office, told the Security Council. "I would therefore emphasize (that) the recent ISIL losses should not lead to complacency at any level," said Voronkov, using the initials of another name for the group: the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Briefing the Security Council on a report of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the threat posed by the IS to international peace and security, Voronkov called for "a well-coordinated multilateral response" to address the challenge. "The threat of terrorism is a global challenge. It has grown in magnitude and impact over the last several decades. It does not recognize any geographical or perceived borders. Given the complexity, it is only through a well-coordinated multilateral response that we can address this challenge." Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-12 00:26:42|Editor: yan Video Player Close JAKARTA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian authorities on Monday demanded completion of DNA examination over remains of the Philippines' church bombers to determine their identification as joint investigation into the case is underway in the latter country. Indonesia Police Headquarters Spokesperson Dedy Prasetyo said that unless correct DNA data on the bombers is resulted from the joint examination, it cannot be concluded those bombers were originated from Indonesia. The Philippines Home Affairs Minister Eduardo Ano said on Feb. 1 that bombers of the church in Jolo Island were Indonesian husband and wife. "The DNA has yet to be found. Our team is still there," Prasetyo said in his office. Indonesia has sent personnel from police's anti-terror squad of Densus 88, Indonesian Intelligence Agency (BIN), government's Anti-terror Desk (BNPT) and foreign affairs ministry to join their Philippines counterparts to carry out the joint investigation into the case, he added. Cited the latest information he obtained related to the investigation, Prasetyo said that the joint investigators are facing difficulties to retrieve the DNA tissue as remains of the two bombers were severely broken apart into pieces due to high explosive blast. Matching the DNA with apparent relatives of the DNA owners is another problem that could face the investigation, he said. "The investigation is still underway at present," he added. Indonesian foreign minister stated earlier that Indonesia is still expecting results of the investigation carried out entirely in the Philippines. The bombing in the church located in stronghold area of the Philippines' radical group Abu Sayyaf has claimed 22 lives, reports said. Five members of Abu Sayyaf group have surrendered themselves to local authorities after the attack as investigation against them is progressing at the moment. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-12 00:26:42|Editor: yan Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- A Tanzanian businessman, Reginald Mengi, said on Monday one of his companies has teamed up with health experts from across the globe to set up the first stem cell research center in the country. Mengi told an international conference on genomic and proteomic and medical innovation that the center will be constructed by IPP Research, Technology and Innovation Limited, one of his companies operating under the IPP Group of Companies. "The center is expected to house a state-of-the art laboratory which at the same time will be used as a treatment center for genetic and metabolic diseases," he told the conference in Tanzania's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam. The conference was attended by experts from countries such as Egypt, Vietnam, Thailand, the United States, and Nigeria. Mengi said a proposal for the licensing of the center is awaiting approval of the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR). Deputy Minister for Health Faustine Ndungulile commended Mengi for coming up with the idea to establish the center, saying the government will fully support him. Ndungulile has reportedly directed NIMR officials to fast-track the approval process. Mengi said construction of the research center is scheduled to start early next month. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-12 00:21:41|Editor: yan Video Player Close Iranian soldiers attend a large gathering on the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution at Azadi Square in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 11, 2019. On Monday, hundreds of thousands of Iranians attended nationwide rallies to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz) TEHRAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- A senior commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said on Monday that the U.S. and its allies must leave the region, Press TV reported. "The enemy should not ask us to leave the region. They themselves must leave the region," Brigadier General Hossein Salami, the IRGC's second-in-command, was quoted as saying. "They want Iran to leave the region to clear the way for their dominance and allow them once again to control our borders to be able to create problems for the Iran," Salami said. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in January threatened to "expel" all Iranian forces from Syria. Iran has insisted that its military presence in Syria is an advisory mission at the request of the Syrian government. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-12 00:16:39|Editor: yan Video Player Close WINDHOEK, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- A total of 57 rhinos and 26 elephants were poached in Namibia in 2018, Minister of Environment and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta said Monday in Windhoek. He said 120 suspected poachers were arrest last year. Shifeta said his ministry has called for harsher punishments for those found guilty of poaching. The minister said rhino poaching happened at rhino custodian farms and private farms and no that poaching was recorded in the national parks. He said one rhino was reported poached so far this year. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-12 00:16:39|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close CHICAGO, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Over 30,000 people crowded the streets in Chicago's Chinatown on Sunday evening to watch the annual Chinese New Year Parade, amid a light snowfall. The parade featured 61 bands, 18 floats, as well as a lion and dragon dance. Several participants wore pig-style hats in celebration of the Spring Festival, which heralds in the Chinese New Year. The year 2019 is the Year of the Pig on the lunar calendar. Megan Brandt, a participant in the parade, said she was attending the event for a fifth year in a row. Speaking at the celebration, Liu Jun, acting Chinese Consul General in Chicago, wished every one good luck and happiness in the year ahead. The snow is seen as a harbinger of a good year in Chinese culture, Liu said. Chicago has been hosting annual celebrations of Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, for the last six years. Apart from the parade on Sunday, other Chinese New Year-themed celebrations have been organized in Chicago over the past two weeks by the Chicago Cultural Center, the Chicago Symphony Center and the Art Institute of Chicago. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-12 00:01:33|Editor: yan Video Player Close BERLIN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Sales of German carmaker Daimler's core brand Mercedes-Benz vehicles decreased by 6.7 percent in January compared to the previous month to a total of 180,539 cars sold, Daimler company figures published on Monday show. Deliveries to China, on the other hand, rose by 4.8 percent. The main contributors to this growth were the long-wheelbase versions of the C-Class and E-Class sedans, both of which recorded double-digit growth rates in China. "We are satisfied with the sales development in China. In January, for the first time we delivered more than 70,000 vehicles to the Chinese market in one month, marking a highly successful start of the year," a Daimler press representative told Xinhua on Monday. Nevertheless, Mercedes-Benz started the year 2019 with the "second best January ever," remarked Britta Seeger, member of the Daimler AG Board of Management. The decline in sales was mainly due to model changes in the high-volume SUV and compact car segments, according to Daimler. In particular, the discontinuation of the B-Class, CLA and GLE models, each with a double-digit decline, had an "impact on total sales worldwide". The company expects model changes to continue to impact Mercedes-Benz car deliveries during the first quarter of 2019, while "exogenous challenges and geopolitical risks" are highly likely to characterize the year 2019 as a whole. Nevertheless, Mercedes-Benz expects a slight increase in sales for 2019. In Daimler's domestic market Germany, sales of Mercedes-Benz cars fell particularly sharply, by 11.9 percent. Similarly, sales in the United States also decreased by 11.1 percent. Investors were not enthusiastic about the January sales figures of the DAX-listed carmaker. The price for Daimler shares initially fell by more than 1 percent to well below 48 euros (about 54.14 U.S. dollars) but has recovered since. On Monday, the U.S. bank JPMorgan lowered its price target for Daimler from 77 to 69 euros and left the company's rating at "overweight". Analyst Jose Asumendi explained that a conglomerate discount of 10 percent had led to the lower price target. (one euro currently equals to 1.13 U.S. dollars) File Photo: A U.S. Border Patrol agent stands in front of the border fence that divides the U.S. and Mexico in San Diego, California, the United States, Nov. 17, 2018. (Xinhua/Zhao Hanrong) WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. bipartisan negotiations over funding a border wall with Mexico have hit a new hurdle only days before the deadline of a renewed partial shutdown of the U.S. federal government falls on Friday. Mick Mulvaney, acting White House chief of staff, convened a bipartisan group of lawmakers at Camp David, the presidential retreat in northern Maryland, over the weekend so that Democrats and Republicans could seize the time to resolve the long-running divergence. "I think the talks are stalled right now," Richard Shelby, the Senate's top Republican negotiator, said on "Fox News Sunday." The Alabama senator put the chance of a deal at "50-50," warning that "the specter of a shutdown is always out there." Democrats said Saturday they wanted to reduce the number of beds that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement uses to detain immigrants from 38,000 to 16,000, according to an administration official, cited by The Hill. A House Democratic aide told the newspaper that the proposal would "force the Trump administration to prioritize arresting and deporting serious criminals, not law-abiding immigrants." U.S. President Donald Trump accused Democratic negotiators of "behaving, all of a sudden, irrationally" in a tweet Sunday. "Not only are they unwilling to give dollars for the obviously needed Wall... but they don't even want to take muderers (sic) into custody! What's going on?" he said. Mulvaney admitted Sunday that a shutdown is still on the table, while accusing Democrats of not presenting a consistent offer. File Photo: People hold placards during a rally to protest against the partial government shutdown at Federal Plaza in Chicago, the United States, on Jan. 18, 2019. Dozens of federal employees and activists gathered here to protest against the ongoing partial government shutdown, which is now the longest in U.S. history. (Xinhua/Wang Ping) "Is a shutdown entirely off the table? The answer is no," Mulvaney said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "I've heard that there may be a deal with as much as 2.1 or 2.5 billion U.S. dollars for a border fence, then I hear there may be 0 dollars or as little as 800 million dollars for the border fence," he said. Trump has requested 5.7 billion U.S. dollars for building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, a plank of his 2016 presidential campaign, which he has argued is essential to beefing up border security and curbing crime. Democrats have rejected the idea of a border wall, slamming it as expensive, ineffective and "immoral," and called the proposal Trump's "political theater" to fire up his base, while they prefer the use of technology like drones and sensors in strengthening border security. The lack of agreement between the White House and Congressional Democrats over whether to fund the border wall had caused a historic 35-day partial government shutdown, which ended in late January. Trump agreed to fund the government for three weeks to allow for negotiations. Senator Jon Tester, a leading Democratic negotiator, insisted the back-and-forth was part of the negotiation process. "Negotiations seldom go smooth all the way through. It's give and take, it's compromise," the Montana senator said on "Fox News Sunday." He also said he is "hopeful" the negotiators on the 17-member committee can come to an agreement. Senator Chris Murphy said his Democratic colleagues are not in favor of giving Trump more than 2 billion dollars for border barriers in 2019. "The problem now is that we've only got about 7 months left on the fiscal year. So I don't think the president can actually spend much more than two billion dollars," he said during an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union." "But of course we're willing to compromise, of course we're willing to put more money into border security. I'll be interested to see what the compromise looks like before I commit to voting for or against it," the Connecticut senator added. The White House, meanwhile, is reviewing back-up plans for funding Trump's desired border wall. Mulvaney said the president is likely to reprogram federal money with whatever money Congress appropriates, or has already appropriated. "We'll take as much money as you can give us and then we'll go off and find the money someplace else, legally, in order to secure that southern barrier, but this is going to get built with or without Congress," he said on "Fox News Sunday." The acting chief of staff also said Trump reserves the right to declare a national emergency if he needs extra resources. Such a declaration would enable Trump to bypass congressional approval and redirect funds already allocated by Congress for other purposes to the border wall, but is set to draw political backlash and court challenges and risks GOP unity. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 23:46:28|Editor: yan Video Player Close WINDHOEK, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Namibia on Monday joined South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana in calling for the removal of a ban on ivory trade, according to a statement released by the country's Ministry of Environment and Tourism. The three countries that account for 61 percent of the elephant population in Africa prepared a joint petition to be presented at the forthcoming Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Sri Lanka in four months. "CITES has acted as an inhibitor and not an enabler of progress. The conference of the parties has repeatedly discounted the importance of the southern African elephant population and its conservation needs against other regions in Africa," according to the petition signed by the environment ministers of the three countries. An end to the ban on ivory sale will give the three countries an opportunity to offload their ivory stockpiles that have been shelved for more than five years, they said. The countries also argue that they have laid strong modalities through establishment of conservancies that ensure that proceeds of sales from ivory benefit inhabitants in the conservancies financially and also through developmental projects. "The proponents can no longer accept that their working conservation models are undermined" by an international organization "that ostensibly recognizes that people and states are and should be the best protectors of their wild life," the petition said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 23:41:25|Editor: yan Video Player Close BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Road fatalities in Brunei went down by 44 percent as the government worked with the private sector to promote safe driving in 2017-2018, said a senior government official here on Sunday. According to local daily the Borneo Bulletin, Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Abdul Mutalib attributed the decrease to the Brunei National Road Safety Council's active involvement with the private sector and non-government organisations in 2017-2018. The ministry was also employing a "whole of nation" approach for safety initiatives, the Bulletin reported. "We hope to maintain and even improve on this with a whole-of-nation approach, which we do on a constant basis through a series of awareness programmes and enforcement through our enforcement agencies," Abdul Mutalib was quoted as saying. The report said the minister also pointed out the ministry's objectives in maintaining a level of safety, assurance and wellbeing to those travelling by road, air and sea. The minister told the Bulletin that his ministry has been experiencing restructuring and re-strategising in terms of its functions, ever since its name change to the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications last December. "We have expanded our scope of functions and are now focusing on the transport sector, which covers land, aviation and maritime...At the same time we will also be focusing on info-communications, postal services, broadcasting, e-services, e-governance and cyber-related matters," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 23:26:18|Editor: yan Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Defense Minister Gen. Tea Banh will meet with his Thai counterpart Gen. Prawit Wongsuwon this week to discuss cooperation along their border, according to a defense ministry statement on Monday. The two ministers will meet at the 14th General Border Committee Meeting, to be held on Wednesday and Thursday in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, the statement said. "Both sides will hold talks, focusing mainly on strengthening and enhancing good ties and cooperation between the two countries' armies, especially in maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development along the border," it said. The statement added that the annual meeting would also be a good opportunity for the two ministers to work together to resolve challenging issues along the border for the interests of the two countries and peoples. Cambodia shares more than 800 km border with Thailand to the north and west. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 23:21:17|Editor: yan Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's Chief of Defense Forces (CDF), General Venance Mabeyo, said on Monday the army has reinforced efforts aimed at ending the brutal killings of children in the country's southern region of Njombe. General Mabeyo held closed door talks with members of the Njombe region defense and security committee on how to contain the killings. "We need to end the killings of children as a matter of urgency," the army chief told a news conference after the meeting. The talks were also attended by members of a special force that has been deployed in the region to investigate and arrest the mastermind of the killings associated with superstitious beliefs. Mabeyo said the killings have tarnished the image of Njombe to the rest of Tanzania and beyond. He said since the information about the brutal killings of innocent children has spread the length and breadth of Tanzania and beyond, it has sent shivers down the spines of some Tanzanians. "Some people have been intimidated within and beyond our borders. This is why we have decided to bring a special team of experts that works with regional authorities in ending the killings," he said. Mabeyo called for calm among Njombe residents as authorities investigated the root cause of the killings and brought the culprits to book. "There is no reason to panic. This is not yet a national issue because it involves individual families and the reasons behind the killings are typical family matters," he said. Authorities have confirmed that at least 10 children have been killed in Njombe in a period of one month and that the killers were also chopping off the children's reproductive and respiratory organs, linking the killings to superstitious beliefs. Home Affairs Minister Kangi Lugola told Parliament last week that at least 29 people, including businessmen and some traditional healers, had been arrested in connection with the killings. The United Nations office in Tanzania has condemned the attack and murder of the children, saying children have a fundamental right to be safe and be protected from violence so that they can enjoy their childhood and reach their full potential. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 22:51:02|Editor: yan Video Player Close WINDHOEK, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's Drug Law Enforcement Unit confiscated illicit drugs worth some 9.5 million Namibian dollars (700,000 U.S. dollars) from October 2018 to January 2019. A statement availed Monday from Namibian Police spokesperson Deputy Commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi said that 423 suspects have been arrested, 313 of those Namibian nationals. Drugs that were confiscated range from mandrax, cocaine powder, as well as crack cocaine, while in December 2018 police confiscated 480,481 kilograms of cannabis. Over the years, Namibia had been considered as a transit country for drugs, but recent figures, according to Kanguatjivi, suggested that Namibia had transitioned into a consuming nation. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 22:46:01|Editor: yan Video Player Close YAOUNDE, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- At least four patients were killed early Monday when fire razed a hospital in Southwest, one of Cameroon's two war-ton English-speaking regions, Army Rescue Unit said. "Apart from the four people, five cars were burnt and significant equipment destroyed. Suffering patients are now stranded," an army official in the rescue mission who asked not to be named told Xinhua. The army is yet to issue an official statement over the cause of the fire. Armed separatists are seeking to secede from French-majority Cameroon and create a new nation called "Ambazonia." According to the United Nations, more than 430,000 people have been displaced internally since the separatists started clashing with government forces in 2017. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 22:25:57|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close By Xinhua writer Wang Zichen BRUSSELS, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Putting an end to the confusion over whether the world's leading mobile communications industry body has ever contemplated a ban on products of Chinese tech giant Huawei, GSMA told Xinhua that it has neither the willingness nor the power to ban any equipment provider. GSMA, or GSM Association, was formed as "Groupe Speciale Mobile (GSM)" in 1982 by the Confederation of European Posts and Telecommunications to design a pan-European mobile technology. The body now represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting more than 750 operators with over 350 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, and produces industry events such as the Mobile World Congress (MWC) annually in Barcelona and other cities. On Feb. 2, the Reuters news agency released an "exclusive" news story "Mobile network operator's body GSMA considers crisis meeting over Huawei". But the wording of the Reuters story has led to some confusion, with some English- and Chinese-language media outlets reporting, based solely on the Reuters piece, that GSMA was recommending a ban of Huawei products. For example, the English-language Taiwan News reported on Feb. 3 that "Mobile network trade body GSMA is encouraging its members to discuss initiating a de facto ban on Huawei 5G equipment in the European Union amid security concerns." The story is still available online on Monday Feb. 11. In the Chinese-language mediasphere, there is also similar misinformation. The Chinese-language website of the Voice of America published a story titled "GSMA recommends EU to comprehensively ban Huawei products". The report has since been deleted from the VOA website. "The original Reuters report suggested that the GSMA were seeking to ban Huawei - which is incorrect," Gareth Davies, director of GSMA's Public Relations, told Xinhua via email on Sunday night. GSMA then contacted Reuters and asked them to amend the report, Davies told Xinhua. Asked by Xinhua if "GSMA has neither the willingness nor the power to ban any equipment provider," Davies replied, "Correct." "The GSMA represents the interests of the mobile industry globally. We are closely monitoring how restrictions on the use of some manufacturers' products will affect the global mobile ecosystem. We support scale, innovation and competition in our industry in order to ensure that individuals, businesses and governments continue to benefit from advances in mobile and other digital technologies," Davies wrote. As for the "crisis meeting over Huawei", as reported by Reuters, Davies told Xinhua the agenda of the meeting was still not decided, adding "the meeting occurs every year at MWC and is for our mobile operator board members." The GSMA Board has 26 members bringing together the largest operator groups and members from smaller independent operators with global representation. Members include executives of big-name carriers such as Orange, Deutsche Telekom, Verizon and Chinese carriers. "I can't confirm what will be discussed at the meeting as it hasn't been agreed," Davies said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 22:20:56|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close NAIROBI, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- More than 300 personnel working for Kenya's specialized health agencies on Monday kicked off strike over poor remuneration and unfriendly working conditions. The medical personnel working for four specialized agencies include port health services, National Spinal Injury Referral Hospital, Blood Transfusion Center and national mental hospital downed tools. Senior official from the umbrella organization for nurses said the strike by specialized health workers will continue until there is full implementation of a collective bargaining agreement signed with the national government in 2017. Maureen Nzioka, secretary of Nairobi branch of the Kenya National Union of Nurses, said specialized health workers are ready for dialogue with their employer to end stalemate over better terms of service like salaries, allowances and promotions. "We are open to fruitful talks with the Ministry of Health to iron out disagreements over slow pace of implementation of a collective bargaining agreement signed more than two years ago to award us better salaries, house and commuter allowances," said Nzioka. She said that a review of terms of service to reflect global best practices is key to boosting the morale of health workers stationed at strategic facilities like ports of entry and blood transfusion center. "Our members provide essential healthcare services and are only appealing for recognition through regular promotions, trainings and a raise on allowances," said Nzioka. The strike by specialized health workers who are employed by the national government threatened to paralyze critical services like blood transfusion, vaccination at the ports of entry as well as management of mentally ill patients. Local media reported that mentally ill patients at the national mental hospital in Nairobi were in limbo as caregivers kept off the facility. Imelda Achieng', a nurse at the Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital that caters for patients with mental disorders, said that absence of caregivers could have spillover effect on neighboring settlements. "It is not our wish to have mentally sick individuals run amok and threaten peace in neighboring suburbs due to absence of nurses and other caregivers," said Achieng'. "The standoff with the employer should end amicably to enable us to attend to mentally disturbed individuals under our care," she added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 22:20:55|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Joint Operations Command announced on Monday to have freed six Yazidi women and their six children kidnapped by the Islamic State (IS) militants near Mosul, some 400 km north of Iraq's capital Baghdad. "Iraq's security forces freed six women and their six children abducted by IS terrorists from Mosul," Yahya Rasoul, spokesman of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command, said in a statement. "A joint force acted on intelligence reports and launched an operation to free the abducted women and children, and later escorted them to safety in the Yazidi town of Sinjar, some 120 km west of Mosul," Rasoul added. In December 2017, Iraq declared full liberation from the IS after the security forces and the paramilitary Hashd Shaabi units, backed by the anti-IS international coalition, recaptured all areas once seized by the extremist group. However, IS remnants have since melted in urban areas or resorted to deserts and rugged areas as safe havens, carrying out guerilla attacks from time to time against the security forces and civilians. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 22:15:54|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- African leaders are expected to come up with concrete results as the African continent tries to tackle migration and forced displacement, an official told Xinhua on Monday. "I do expect concrete results from this gathering," Emmanuel Nnadozie, executive secretary of the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), the AU's specialized agency for capacity development, told Xinhua in an interview on Monday. The ACBF executive secretary made the remarks as African leaders, under the umbrella of the AU, embarked on finding lasting solutions to the continent's migration and refugee crisis as part of the ongoing 32nd ordinary session of the assembly of the AU. The two-day summit, which started on Sunday at the AU headquarters in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, is held under the theme "Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced People (IDPs): Towards Durable Solutions to Forced displacement in Africa." "This is the first time that at this level the AU assembly of heads of state are really paying attention to this very important issue of refugees, internally displaced people, returnees and migrants," Nnadozie said. According to Nnadozie, preventing conflicts before they happen and policy measures to respond to the involuntary movement of Africans, particularly the most vulnerable women and children, would also be among the most important areas of discussion as African leaders gather. "One does not expect that there will be results immediately, but the most important thing is that the attention that they have brought to focus on this important issue and the awareness they are creating about the plight of people who are suffering from conflicts and natural disasters," he added. Mobilization of resources and people so as to support those who are affected by conflicts, including interventions in the provision of security protection as refugees and IDPs relocate, would also be top on the agenda, Nnadozie said. According to figures from the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, the sub-Saharan Africa region hosts more than 26 percent of the world's refugee population. The number has soared in recent years, partly due to ongoing crises in the Central African Republic, Nigeria, South Sudan, as well as new conflicts that have erupted in Burundi and Yemen, the UNHCR said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 22:10:51|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close DAMASCUS, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic State (IS) group on Monday launched a counter-offensive against the U.S.-led forces in eastern Syria with suicide bombers, a war monitor reported. The IS militants unleashed their counter-attack with three suicide bombers, targeting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the U.S.-led coalition in the eastern Euphrates River region, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The IS militants are trying to protect the last three sq km they control in the eastern Euphrates region against the attacks of the U.S.-backed SDF, according to the UK-based watchdog group. This comes amid ongoing clashes between the SDF and the IS coupled with shelling and airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition against the IS positions. A total of 13 IS militants and six SDF fighters have been killed during the counter-offensive. On Saturday, the U.S.-backed SDF started on the final stage of attacks against the IS in the eastern Euphrates River region in eastern Syria. Following the evacuation of over 20,000 civilians from the town of Baghouz in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zour, the SDF started on Saturday night the operation against the remaining IS-held pocket in the eastern Euphrates region, according to Mustafa Balli, the head of the SDF media office. Balli said that the battle aims to eliminate the last IS militants in the town of Baghouz. After losing the four sq km, the IS will still control 4,000 sq km in the Syrian desert in eastern Syria. The U.S.-backed SDF have been on a crushing offensive to root out IS from the eastern Euphrates region since last September. The SDF managed, with the help of the U.S., to defeat IS in much of the areas it had controlled in the eastern Euphrates area. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said over 37,000 civilians, including tens of IS militants, have fled the last IS-held pocket to areas controlled by the SDF in the eastern Euphrates area since last December. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 22:05:48|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close MUMBAI, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- India's popular film actress Rani Mukerji said she was looking forward to Indo-China co-production in film industry. "I am actually very keen to do Indo-China co-production where I can be part of Chinese film or Chinese actors can be part of Indian film, " she told Xinhua in a recent interview. Feeling happy and honored for the release of her film in China and expressing willingness to work with Indo-China co-produced film, she said "Chinese audience watching Hichki in Hindi with Chinese subtitle were reacting like any Indian fans would because they were connecting with the story, they were connected with the emotions." "You realize that you don't have to know the language to connect with the film, you can connect with the emotions, you can connect with the story. I think that's what makes movie so so special... If the emotions are universal it can connect anywhere." Hichki, a 2018 Indian Hindi comedy-drama film, which is an adaptation of the autobiography "Front Of The Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me The Teacher I Never Had." In the movie, Mukerji played a leading role of an aspiring teacher having Tourette Syndrome, who must prove herself by educating a group of underprivileged students. Since Bollywood star Aamir Khan's film "Dangal" released in China in 2017, one thing has become increasingly clear that more and more Indian movies have an easier way to travel to China. "Hichki," Mukerji's first film released after a four-year hiatus is one of them. Produced on a limited budget of 12 crore Indian rupees (1.7 million U.S. dollars), the film has grossed 239.79 crore Indian rupees (36 million dollars) worldwide, the majority of which came from China. It was one of the top seven highest-grossing Bollywood films of 2018 reportedly. To see Chinese people connect to the story the way an Indian audience would do was phenomenal and amazing, Mukerji told Xinhua News Agency. "For me being in China and getting the love from the Chinese people, for me there is nothing bigger than that, " Mukerji said. Known for her work in Hindi films, Mukerji, born in 1978, is one of the country's most popular actresses and has received many awards, including seven Filmfare Awards. Her roles have been cited in media as a significant departure from previous screen portrayals of Indian women. In addition to acting in films, Mukerji is involved with several humanitarian causes and is vocal about issues faced by women and children. At the very beginning of the interview, Rani expressed her best wishes to all the Chinese people. "I would like to wish all the Chinese people a very very happy new year and very prosperous new year and I hope everybody of you having a great time with the family," she said. "Wo ai ni," she ended her wishes in Chinese, which means "I love you" in English, blew a kiss to the camera. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 22:05:46|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close by Eric J. Lyman ROME, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The political shoving match between Italy and France may have dragged relations between the countries to new lows after France recalled its ambassador in Italy. This week it could reach new heights by killing a rescue deal for Italy's flagship airline. Ties between Italy and France have been eroding ever since the installation of the government of Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte more than eight months ago. The countries have clashed over migrant policy, European Union (EU) rules on government deficits, and even about how to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the death of Renaissance maestro Leonardo Da Vinci. France recalled Ambassador Christian Masset after Luigi Di Maio, Italy's deputy prime minister, publicly sided with protesters calling for the ouster of French President Emmanuel Macron. Now, Air France is reconsidering its role in an elaborate rescue plan for Alitalia, Italy's beleaguered national airline. Air France and its Dutch partner KLM were key parts of a much-heralded bailout plan for Alitalia centered around U.S. air carrier Delta and Ferrovie dello Stato, Italy's national rail operator. Now the plan's future is in doubt, after Air France and KLM missed a deadline for presenting a formal commitment document to Ferrovie dello Stato, the only Italian entity involved in the scheme. Italian and French media both said that the ongoing political clash between Rome and Paris was the main culprit behind Air France's hesitation. "If true, this makes Alitalia's situation much more difficult to resolve," University of Birmingham political scientist and commentator on Italy-related topics Daniele Albertazzi said via social media. Di Maio, who sparked the most serious part of the political row with his support of the French anti-government "gilet jaune" (yellow vest) protesters, brushed aside concerns about the troubled Alitalia plan. "Air France's enthusiasm has not cooled," Di Maio said to reporters while on a visit to Abruzzo last week. At least initial signals indicate Di Maio could be wrong. While there is no official word on the deal from Air France, what had been an intense schedule of negotiations has stopped since the start of last week. Meanwhile, media reports from Monday indicate that Delta, which would have been the lead partner in the deal involving Air France, is now in talks with discount air carrier Easy Jet, which could take the place of Air France and KLM in an agreement that would still include the participation of Ferrovie dello Stato. Easy Jet and German flagship air carrier Lufthansa have each expressed interest in acquiring control of Alitalia on their own. But those deals had been considered less interesting because that would require deeper layoffs and other cutbacks than the deal including Air France. For his part, Lucio Cillis, author of the book "Tutto quello che avresti voluto sapere su Alitalia" (Everything you wanted to know about Alitalia), said he believes the Air France deal may not be dead. "If Delta really wants the deal, remember that Delta owns 9 percent of Air France," Cillis told Xinhua. "Even for Air France, business is business. If a deal for Alitalia made business sense before, it will still make business sense now, even if the political tensions have changed." Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 22:05:45|Editor: mmm Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, chairman of the Central Military Commission, has signed an order to release a trial regulation on the supervision of military training, the first of its kind in the country. The regulation, which will take effect on March 1, 2019, focuses on improving the combat readiness of the People's Liberation Army. The regulation formulates measures to rectify practices that are inconsistent with the requirements of actual combats. It also details the criteria for identifying malpractices and discipline violations during military training. The regulation also clearly states the responsibilities, power and priorities of military training supervision and regularizes the methods and procedures for carrying out such work. The regulation is expected to consolidate the strategic role of military training under the new circumstances, strengthen the management of military training, and deepen military training under combat conditions. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 22:00:43|Editor: mmm Video Player Close NAIROBI, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese investors could play an instrumental role in making Kenya a regional manufacturing hub, a Kenyan industry lobby said on Monday. Mucai Kunyiha, vice chairman of Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), told journalists in Nairobi that local manufacturers have been losing market share in the East and Central Africa due to uncompetitiveness. "Tapping into Chinese manufacturing technology and finance is one of the strategies that we will pursue to ensure Kenyan products remain marketable both regionally and internationally," said Kunyiha. Kunyiha added that Kenyan industrialists are keen to form joint ventures with Chinese manufacturers so as to produce goods for both domestic and international markets. He noted that some Kenyan manufacturers have already licensed Chinese technology to produce high quality products locally. He observed that Kenya was once the major source of manufactured goods to the East African Community bloc. The industrialist revealed that exports especially of manufactured products to Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi have been on a declining trend in the past five years due to competition from low-cost producing nations. According to the lobby, so far over 300 Chinese factories are operational in the country in diverse fields such as motor bike assembly, ceramics and sanitary towels sectors. Kunyiha said that the Chinese operations have created thousands of employment opportunities and have also engaged local suppliers which have boosted the economy. He revealed that Kenyan manufacturers also are seeking to identify niche products that they can sell to the vast Chinese market. "We can boost our exports to China by focusing on areas we have a comparative advantage such as genuine African jewelry," he added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 21:57:05|Editor: mmm Video Player Close People fly sky lanterns during the Chinese New Year celebration in Druskininkai, Lithuania, on Feb. 9, 2019. The Chinese New Year was celebrated on Saturday at the famous Lithuanian spa town of Druskininkai, with exhibitions, music, tea ceremony and Kung Fu show. The Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, fell on Feb. 5 this year. In China, celebrations begin about a week in advance and end with the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the new year. It is an occasion for family members to reunite, bid farewell to the past year and celebrate the advent of a new spring, with its promise of renewal and hope. (Xinhua/Guo Mingfang) Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 21:45:41|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. bipartisan negotiations over funding a border wall with Mexico have hit a new hurdle only days before the deadline of a renewed partial shutdown of the U.S. federal government falls on Friday. Mick Mulvaney, acting White House chief of staff, convened a bipartisan group of lawmakers at Camp David, the presidential retreat in northern Maryland, over the weekend so that Democrats and Republicans could seize the time to resolve the long-running divergence. "I think the talks are stalled right now," Richard Shelby, the Senate's top Republican negotiator, said on "Fox News Sunday." The Alabama senator put the chance of a deal at "50-50," warning that "the specter of a shutdown is always out there." Democrats said Saturday they wanted to reduce the number of beds that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement uses to detain immigrants from 38,000 to 16,000, according to an administration official, cited by The Hill. A House Democratic aide told the newspaper that the proposal would "force the Trump administration to prioritize arresting and deporting serious criminals, not law-abiding immigrants." U.S. President Donald Trump accused Democratic negotiators of "behaving, all of a sudden, irrationally" in a tweet Sunday. "Not only are they unwilling to give dollars for the obviously needed Wall... but they don't even want to take muderers (sic) into custody! What's going on?" he said. Mulvaney admitted Sunday that a shutdown is still on the table, while accusing Democrats of not presenting a consistent offer. "Is a shutdown entirely off the table? The answer is no," Mulvaney said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "I've heard that there may be a deal with as much as 2.1 or 2.5 billion U.S. dollars for a border fence, then I hear there may be 0 dollars or as little as 800 million dollars for the border fence," he said. Trump has requested 5.7 billion U.S. dollars for building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, a plank of his 2016 presidential campaign, which he has argued is essential to beefing up border security and curbing crime. Democrats have rejected the idea of a border wall, slamming it as expensive, ineffective and "immoral," and called the proposal Trump's "political theater" to fire up his base, while they prefer the use of technology like drones and sensors in strengthening border security. The lack of agreement between the White House and Congressional Democrats over whether to fund the border wall had caused a historic 35-day partial government shutdown, which ended in late January. Trump agreed to fund the government for three weeks to allow for negotiations. Senator Jon Tester, a leading Democratic negotiator, insisted the back-and-forth was part of the negotiation process. "Negotiations seldom go smooth all the way through. It's give and take, it's compromise," the Montana senator said on "Fox News Sunday." He also said he is "hopeful" the negotiators on the 17-member committee can come to an agreement. Senator Chris Murphy said his Democratic colleagues are not in favor of giving Trump more than 2 billion dollars for border barriers in 2019. "The problem now is that we've only got about 7 months left on the fiscal year. So I don't think the president can actually spend much more than two billion dollars," he said during an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union." "But of course we're willing to compromise, of course we're willing to put more money into border security. I'll be interested to see what the compromise looks like before I commit to voting for or against it," the Connecticut senator added. The White House, meanwhile, is reviewing back-up plans for funding Trump's desired border wall. Mulvaney said the president is likely to reprogram federal money with whatever money Congress appropriates, or has already appropriated. "We'll take as much money as you can give us and then we'll go off and find the money someplace else, legally, in order to secure that southern barrier, but this is going to get built with or without Congress," he said on "Fox News Sunday." The acting chief of staff also said Trump reserves the right to declare a national emergency if he needs extra resources. Such a declaration would enable Trump to bypass congressional approval and redirect funds already allocated by Congress for other purposes to the border wall, but is set to draw political backlash and court challenges and risks GOP unity. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 21:45:40|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close RAMALLAH, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said on Monday that the United States is exerting pressures on Arab states to stop their financial aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA). In a statement released by the official Palestinian radio station Voice of Palestine, al-Maliki said the Palestinians are looking into ways to legally pursue the cases against the U.S. "illegal steps to impose a financial blockade on the Palestinian people." The Palestinians are seeking alternative financial sources in order to "respond to the U.S. government's punitive measures," he added. The Palestinians are considering resorting to the UN General Assembly and international legal organizations against Israel's intention to deduct money allocated to families of Palestinian prisoners and those slain by Israeli forces out of PA's tax revenues collected by Israeli authorities, the minister noted. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that his government is going to approve next week the law to deduct PA's financial allocations out of its tax revenues, according to the Israeli public radio. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party accused Israel and the United States of "tightening the financial blockade" against the PA, after the PA rejected the U.S.-proposed Middle East peace plan. The Palestinians declared its boycott of the U.S. government since it recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moved its embassy in Israel to the holy city. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 21:45:39|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The number of migratory birds from Siberia to Pakistan has declined 70 percent this winter, mainly due to climatic change and human activities, local reports said on Monday. The harsh winter in Russia forces birds to leave their home in search of warmer places, and Pakistan is one of such destinations where these birds including some rare species stop by. The migratory birds arrive in Pakistan at the end of August every year via Afghanistan, and leave in February. They all move back to their native lands by March. Pakistan has 19 sites where birds land, 10 of which are located in south Sindh province. The migratory birds temporarily stop in Thatta, Rann of Kutch and Thar coastal areas of Sindh, from where they gradually spread to other lakes, Express Tribune reported. Quoting World Wildlife Fund Technical advisor Moazzam Khan, the paper said that less rainfall, dried up water passages and the changing of locations are the major reasons for the decline on the guest birds. Apart from them, water in some of the lakes near the coastal area has turned saline due to intrusion of sea water, drastically affecting the quality of life of marine animals and plants, and causing the number of migratory birds visiting the lakes to decline. Human activities, including land reclamation and deforestation, and indirect human influences, such as climate change and fragmentation and degradation of habitats, are also the causes of decline in the number of migratory birds. Besides, unchecked hunting and netting have caused irreparable losses to bird populations, the report added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 21:40:38|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close PARIS, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- An employee of Loomis, a cash handling company, stole around 3 million euros (3.39 million U.S. dollars) in cash, which he was supposed to deliver in Aubervilliers, northeastern Paris, a local newspaper reported on Monday. In the early morning, the driver of an armored van sped away in his vehicle "loaded with money" after he dropped two of his colleagues off to deliver cash at a distribution point in the capital's suburb, according to Le Parisien newspaper. Later, the van was found empty a few blocks away, it said. The report said that the 28-year-old driver made away with an estimated 3 million euros. He was still at large Monday afternoon. Paris police are investigating the incident. (1 euro = 1.13 U.S. dollars) Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 21:35:36|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) said on Monday plans were underway to build a dry port in the east African nation's northern tourist city of Arusha to serve importers and exporters in the northern regions and neighboring countries. Percival Salama, TPA's Tanga Port Manager, said Arusha will be the delivery point that will also be able to serve customers from member countries of the East African Community (EAC). "Plans to build the port are now in an advanced stage," Salama told a meeting with a delegation of Arusha and Kilimanjaro customers of the Tanga port. Salama told the customers who were impressed with the improvements of the Tanga port operations that the Arusha Regional Commissioner, Mrisho Gambo, has made available up to 1,000 hectares of land in region Arusha for the construction of the port. Salama said the authority will start by developing 500 hectares for the construction of the dry port which was aimed at reaching close to customers. "We hope that the current rehabilitation of Tanga - Arusha Railway line will be an added advantage for the improvement of the port's services to its customers in the northern Tanzanian regions," he said. He said the authority has undertaken a number of improvements aiming at, among other things, increasing its handling capacity from the current 750,000 tonnes to two million tonnes in 10 years. The improvements include investing in modern cargo handling equipment and a modern security patrol boat, said Salama. Salama said improvements in the port have not only increased the port's capacity, but also have reduced cargo clearance time to within 48 hours. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 21:33:19|Editor: mmm Video Player Close An applicant views job advertisements at a job market in Rugao, east China's Jiangsu Province, Feb. 11, 2019. Many applicants started searching for jobs at the job market on Monday, the first workday after Spring Festival holiday. (Xinhua/Wu Shujian) Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 21:25:34|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close DUBAI, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister of Energy Suhail Al Mazroui said on Monday that he expected the oil market to reach balance in the first quarter of 2019. Mazroui told Al Arabiya news channel that he was satisfied with the agreement on supply cuts by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). OPEC, Russia and other non-OPEC producers agreed last December to reduce oil supply by 1.2 million barrels per day starting from Jan. 1. Some OPEC members, such as Libya and Venezuela, as well as Iran which suffers sanctions from the United States, have suffered from output decrease caused by political turmoil. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 21:05:30|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BEIRUT, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- A World Bank delegation said on Monday that the institution wants to launch a program of 400 million U.S. dollars spanning five years in Lebanon to create job opportunities for the youths. The World Bank's proposal came during a meeting between its delegation and Lebanese Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Choucair, according to a statement issued by the minister's office. The World Bank called upon Lebanon to support the program by approving it in the Council of Ministers, the statement said. For his part, Choucair emphasized the importance of such projects in curbing unemployment among the Lebanese. Lebanese President Michel Aoun said last year that the unemployment rate in Lebanon has soared to a staggering 46 percent and attributed the high figure to the "grave economic situation and presence of Syrian refugees." Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 20:25:17|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's small-scale miners on Monday thanked President John Magufuli after Parliament last week endorsed a bill designed to reduce taxes imposed on mining. "We thank President Magufuli on behalf of more than 6 million small scale miners across Tanzania for the recent mining taxation amendments approved by Parliament last week," said John Bina, president of the Federation of Miners Association of Tanzania (FEMATA). "The government has responded to our requests by at least 90 percent," said Bina in an interview with Xinhua. He added that FEMATA has planned to hold country-wide demonstrations later this week to thank President Magufuli for pioneering the changes. The demonstrations to be conducted by all small-scale miners will be held at national level in Kahama district, Shinyanga region, said Bina. On Saturday, Tanzanian Parliament endorsed a bill designed to remove payment of withholding tax of 5 percent by small-scale miners in the nation. The bill was tabled in the National Assembly by Attorney General Adelardus Kilangi following a recent directive by President Magufuli to waive nuisance taxes imposed on small-scale miners. Minister for Minerals Dotto Biteko said the amendments came as an outcome of a meeting last month between Magufuli and small-scale miners in the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam. "This is a clear indication that our government is prioritizing the voices of its people," Biteko told the House in the capital, Dodoma, when debating the bill. During his meeting with miners, businesspeople and other stakeholders on Jan. 22, Magufuli said it was high time tax regimes imposed on the mining sector were relaxed in order to encourage miners to pay tax and reduce chances of tax evasion. The current taxes imposed on miners are "unacceptably high," the president said, adding that he would wish to see the taxes revised down in Parliament. Bina said miners were forced to shoulder the burden of taxes, including 18 percent of their annual turnovers as value added tax, a royalty of 6 percent, a 5 percent withholding tax, inspection and clearance fee of 1 percent and service levy. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 20:20:15|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BEIRUT, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The visiting Arab League secretary general said on Monday that there is no consensus yet among Arab countries on Syria's return to the Arab bloc, an online independent newspaper reported. "There are talks behind the scenes ... but there are no indicators signalling that the dispute has ended in this regard," Ahmed Aboul-Gheit was quoted as saying by Elnashra. "The return of Syria to the Arab League is tied to a political solution in the country," he said. Aboul-Gheit made the remarks during his meeting with Lebanese President Michel Aoun to extend him the invitation to the EU-Arab Summit scheduled for later this month in Egypt's resort city of Sharm El Sheikh. The Arab League froze Syria's membership in 2011 citing its government's failure to stop violence against civilian protesters. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 20:15:14|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close SOFIA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian authorities have shut down 15 websites selling fake goods with logos of world famous brands and arrested two suspects, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement on Monday. During the operation, which was conducted on Thursday in the city of Varna on the Black Sea coast, the authorities searched five addresses and seized computers, large amounts of money, over 9,500 men's and women's perfumes of 30 leading world brands, some 300 pairs of sneakers, and over 600 pairs of sunglasses, the statement said. One of the suspects was detained in an office of a courier company when he was trying to send 117 shipments purchased through these websites, it said. The evidence gathered so far indicated that the 15 websites were aimed at customers in Bulgaria, Greece and Romania. One of the websites had over 43,000 registered users and made up more than 25,000 perfume sales, the statement said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 20:10:13|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close NAIROBI, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Protection of senior citizens displaced by conflicts and natural calamities in Africa should be prioritized by governments as part of efforts to promote the continent's socioeconomic transformation agenda, campaigners said on Monday. HelpAge International said in a statement released in Nairobi that governments and humanitarian actors have obligations to strengthen social safety nets for elderly refugees. "Governments have within their jurisdiction the power to uphold human rights for older people in migration and dismantle any specific barriers that older people face to access protection and access services within humanitarian response," said Roseline Kihumba, HelpAge International's Africa regional policies coordinator. The 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union is taking place in Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa under the theme of "the year of refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons: towards durable solution to forced displacement in Africa." African leaders, heads of multilateral agencies, industry executives and campaigners attending the meeting are expected to adopt sweeping resolutions to ease the continent's refugee burden. According to UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the number of people who fled their homes due to conflicts in Africa reached 18.4 million by the end of 2017. Campaigners regretted that elderly persons have borne the brunt of forced migration in the sub-Saharan African region linked to civil strife and natural calamities. Kihumba said that displaced persons who are advanced in age are at higher risk of starvation, physical abuse, neglect and life threatening ailments. She called on African states to speed up ratification of global and regional treaties that advance protection of the rights of older people in emergency settings. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 20:05:11|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- African officials have hailed the Sino-Africa partnership and cooperation in different areas and under the leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has sent a congratulatory message to the ongoing 32nd African Union summit here. In his congratulatory message, President Xi expressed China's commitment and keen interest to cooperate with Africa, promoting the alignment of the joint construction of the Belt and Road with the implementation of global and regional development agendas as well as other development strategies of African countries. Younouss Djibrine, Secretary General of Pan-African Postal Union (a specialized agency of AU), told Xinhua that African leaders meet with the Chinese president continuously to further strengthen the "very strong" cooperation forged between China and Africa on a win-win basis. The Sino-Africa cooperation under the framework of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which primarily focuses on infrastructure development and connectivity, is pivotal for Africa's development and cooperation also in other sectors, especially postal and logistics services, Djibrine noted. "Every year, or two years, our heads of states visit the President of China because China is providing a lot of cooperation, investment coming here in Africa to develop our infrastructure; infrastructure is the weakest part of our African development. We need infrastructure to fast-track our development," he said. "We are the postal sector, we have major expectation on that modernization of infrastructure, it can assist also fast-track our development," he said, adding that postal service as a supply chain requires good roads and connectivity to effectively and efficiently facilitate transportation and delivery of merchandise, thereby facilitating import-export activities. Speaking at the opening of the 32nd AU summit on Sunday, Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairperson of the AU Commission, hailed the AU-China cooperation as "unprecedentedly dynamic." Reiterating that the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in September 2018 was remarkably successful, the Chairperson said the opening of an AU office in Beijing would obviously strengthen the multifarious and fruitful partnership forged between the two sides. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 20:00:09|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close HANOI, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- At the invitation of Foreign Minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Ri Yong Ho, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh will pay an official visit to the DPRK on Feb. 12-14. The statement was posted on Monday on the website of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Vietnam welcomes the second summit between the top leaders of the United States and the DPRK slated for Feb. 27-28 in Vietnam, Le Thi Thu Hang, spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Feb. 6. "Vietnam strongly supports dialogues to maintain peace, security and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Vietnam is ready to make active contribution to and cooperate with relevant sides to ensure the success for the second U.S.-DPRK summit, thus helping realize the above-mentioned goal," she said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 20:00:09|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close SANAA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The UN Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths arrived in Yemen's rebel-held capital Sanaa on Monday to push for peace in the war-torn country. This was Griffiths' fourth trip to Sanaa in fewer than two months in his attempts to push forward the implementation of Stockholm Agreement focusing on Yemen's Red sea port city of Hodeidah, the lifeline of Yemen's most commercial imports and humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, Michael Anker Lollesgaard, head of the UN cease-fire monitor team, also arrived in Sanaa from the government-controlled southern port city of Aden to join Griffiths in his talks with the rebels. The Stockholm Agreement calls for the prisoner exchange between the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels, a cease-fire and demilitarized zone in Hodeidah and the formation of a committee over the city of Taiz. The cease-fire deal went into force on Dec. 18, 2018. However, both rival forces have blamed each other for violating the cease-fire. The UN has said the discussions have been stalled because of different interpretations of the Stockholm Agreement over which side would control key points of Hodeidah during a partial cease-fire. Lollesgaard, who chair a team of representatives from both the government and Houthis in Hodeidah, tabled last week a new plan for the withdrawal of rival forces from the port city and its surrounding positions, according to a UN statement. The government representatives agreed to Lollesgaard's plan but Houthi rejected part of it, according to both government and Houthi media outlets. Over the prisoner swap deal being negotiated in Jordan's capital Amman, the government side presses for the release of all war prisoners, while the Houthis want the release to be implemented in stages. Saudi Arabia has been leading an Arab military coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015 to support the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after the Houthi rebels forced him into exile and seized much of the country's north, including Sanaa and Hodeidah. The four-year war has killed more than 10,000 people, mostly civilians, displaced 3 million others and pushed the country to the brink of famine, according to the UN aid agencies. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 19:45:05|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TEHRAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that his people will unite to tackle problems created by powers such as the United States. Iran will not allow the United States to achieve its ends by exerting sanction pressures against the country and creating challenges for Iran in the region, Rouhani told a large gathering at Azadi Square in Iran's capital Tehran on the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. "Today, we are facing the cruel enemy's psychological, propagandistic and economic war against the country," Rouhani said. Iran will emerge victorious against the sanctions of the United States and "we will not allow the United States to succeed," he added. Over the past year, the U.S. officials vowed, on a number of occasions, to overthrow Iran, but it did not happen and will never happen, said Rouhani. "Our condition in Iran is much better than they thought," the Iranian president stressed. Last November, the United States announced re-imposition of full sanctions on Iran covering its oil exports and banking sectors, months after Washington's exit from the 2015 landmark Iranian nuclear deal. Rouhani also touched upon his country's support to some regional countries, saying its helps have aborted the enemies' plots. "With Iran's support to Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and Yemen, the enemies could not succeed in their plots," Rouhani told the rally. Some non-regional powers are planning to leave the region for the same reason, he said, alluding to the recent U.S. decision to pull its forces out of Syria. "Iran is the only state which can help the regional countries," he said, emphasizing that "without Iran, the prospect of success for any plan in the region is dim." On Monday, hundreds of thousands of Iranians attended nationwide rallies to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution. The rallies in the Iranian cities were coupled with anti-U.S. sentiments reflected in the slogans. In the capital Tehran, people swarmed to the streets, chanting anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli slogans and carrying images of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, late founder of the Islamic republic, and his successor and the incumbent supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This year's demonstrations come against the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal and re-imposition of tough sanctions on the country. Iran also displayed a number of its ballistic missiles on the streets leading to Azadi Square despite western calls on Iran to halt development of its controversial missile program. "To build diverse missiles ... we have not sought and will not seek the permission of anybody," Rouhani said. The advancements in military power of Iran over the past 40 years, particularly during the past five years, have astonished the world, the Iranian president noted. "We will continue to promote our military power," he concluded. The 1979 Revolution in Iran toppled the U.S.-backed Shah regime of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, an event seen as a turning point in Iran's history. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 19:39:58|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LONDON, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May and the Opposition Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn are set to hold more talks over Brexit amid speculation that the government would soften its stance on Customs Union. May struck a conciliatory tone in her response to a letter from Corbyn, which set out his five demands for a Brexit deal. In the letter published by the local media Monday, May said she wanted the two parties to discuss "alternative arrangements" to the Irish backstop, a commitment to avoid a hard border. Labor has not responded to May's letter. There remains a divide over the customs union, even though May did not reject any of his conditions outright in the letter. Local analysts said May's language is more nuanced, even though privately her aides insist there can be no question of accepting a permanent customs union. In his earlier letter, Corbyn urged a "permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union" with the European Union (EU) to be introduced to the deal, with the same external tariff. He said it would give Britain a say on any future trade deals that the EU may strike. No date has been set for the next meeting, but May said in the letter that she looked forward to the two parties meeting as soon as possible. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 18:54:47|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Calling China a "connectivity powerhouse," U.S. expert on China David Lampton said the rail lines being built to link China and Southeast Asia is a "win-winism." "It's true the world needs more infrastructure," Lampton, research scholar at Stanford University's Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, said in a recent interview with Xinhua. Lampton's current book project is focused on China and Southeast Asia's efforts to build high speed- and conventional rail lines between southern China and several continental Southeast Asian neighbors, as well as the island country of Singapore. His work involves interviews and field research in eight countries. "Build roads and economic growth will follow, so people who believe that tend to believe infrastructure development is a 'win-winism,'" said Lampton, also Hyman Professor of China Studies and director of the China Studies Program at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Having accompanied American public and private sector leaders to China, and Chinese leaders to the United States, Lampton has long-time experience on the front lines of efforts to foster constructive U.S.-China engagement. Over the past decades, China has been continuously developing its transportation infrastructure, he said. The country saw an expanding high-speed railway network over the years, with a total length of 29,000 km by the end of 2018, accounting for more than two-thirds of the world's total high-speed railway, according to China's top railway operator China Railway. China will play a bigger role in a more multilateral world, reflected in the new institutions initiated by China, like the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, said Lampton. Furthermore, Southeast Asian countries have huge populations that frequently travel from one point to another and therefore need investments in transportation infrastructure, he said. "China can accelerate the growth rates," said Lampton. "We have people rapidly moving into the middle-class, and what's good for them economically would be good for us." Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 18:49:46|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The 2019 Spring Festival holiday from Feb. 4 to 10 saw fewer criminal cases and traffic accidents compared with last year, according to China's Ministry of Public Security Monday. Criminal cases received by police across the country during the holiday went down 11.5 percent from that of the 2018 Spring Festival holiday, along with 42.3 percent fewer traffic accidents involving casualties, the ministry said in a press release. The 2,405 large-scale public events held in the holiday concluded safely and orderly, and the order at key tourist sites was well maintained. During the week-long holiday, police departments have intensified patrol at key places, including tourist attractions, railway stations and sites of major public activities, and enhanced their crackdown on criminal activities such as gambling and telecom fraud. Traffic police dispatched a daily average of 170,000 officers and more than 60,000 vehicles to cope with the holiday travel rush. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 18:29:41|Editor: mmm Video Player Close WINDHOEK, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Namibian is making steady progress in combating the effects of climate change despite the challenge of lacking financial resources, an official said on Monday. Speaking to Xinhua, Namibian Minister of Environment and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta said his country takes the issue of climate change with seriousness and has established in a cross-sectorial National Climate Change Committee (NCCC) to oversee all climate change related activities in the country. "To be frank with you, resources are not enough at all. However, as country we are doing our level best to mobilize funding both at home and through multilateral climate financing windows," Shifeta said. The Minister also added that they have secured funding of 1 billion Namibian dollars (74 million U.S. dollars) from the multilateral funding system, mostly from the Green Climate Fund, the Global Environmental Facility, the Special Climate Fund and the Adaptation Fund to drive their quest for combating climate change. An upbeat Shifeta said other crucial milestones achieved by Namibia include Cabinet approval of the National Policy on Climate Change in 2011 and the National Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, which set out the country direction towards addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation. "Policy implementation is a process in itself. Namibia continues to implement its climate change policy that was established in (2011) together with its implementation strategies (2013-2020) to address medium and longer-term climate changes impacts that are projected," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 18:19:38|Editor: mmm Video Player Close YANGON, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Search and rescue works have been underway for the missing in a vessel capsizal near a lighthouse in Manaung, Myanmar's Rakhine state, Rakhine State Fire Department said on Monday. With estimated 25 people on board, the vessel named "Sin Pyaung", on a trip for repair, arrived at the Lapatkyun Lighthouse on Friday, 6.4 km from Zidaw beach. It capsized on Monday at 4:30 a.m. local time as it leaned when berthing, an official of Rakhine State Fire Department told Xinhua. Two bodies were found with seven others alive and search for the remaining missing people has been underway, the son of a missing person said. "The capsizal took place within three minutes as it leaned. I have not found my father until now. Search is continuing", the son said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 18:14:38|Editor: mmm Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, will travel to Germany to attend the 55th Munich Security Conference (MSC) from Friday to Sunday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying announced Monday. Yang, also director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, will attend the conference at the invitation of the MSC Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger, Hua said in the announcement. Iranian demonstrators take part in a rally marking the 34th anniversary of the seizure of the U.S. Embassy outside the former U.S. embassy in downtown Tehran, capital of Iran, on Nov. 4, 2013. (Xinhua File photo) TEHRAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that his country's support to some regional countries has helped abort the enemies' plots. "With Iran's support to Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and Yemen, the enemies could not succeed in their plots," Rouhani told a large gathering at Azadi Square in Iran's capital Tehran on the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. Some non-regional powers are planning to leave the region for the same reason, he said, alluding to the recent U.S. decision to pull its forces out of Syria. "The advancements in military power of Iran over the past 40 years, particularly during the past five years, have astonished the world," the Iranian president noted. Hundreds of thousands of Iranians attended nationwide rallies on Monday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, which toppled the U.S.-backed Shah regime of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, an event seen as a turning point in Iran's history. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 17:59:34|Editor: mmm Video Player Close JINAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Lyu Zhenbo was once a famous farmer in his village for making the straightest rows, but now he fails to compete with the guiding system equipped on modern agricultural machines. "I used to farm with cattle," the 57-year-old farmer from a village in east China's Shandong Province said. "The days of toiling on the land have gone." "Handling a combine is just like driving a car," Lyu said. "Farming has become much easier with the help of machines." For Lyu, farming has become easier and more enjoyable than he ever could have expected since he bought his first walking tractor 40 years ago. "With a walking tractor, plowing and sowing seemed not so tiring," Lyu said. He is surprised how agricultural machines have changed his life. The production and living standards of China's farmers have undergone a huge change, especially over the past 40 years. The hardship of farmers has been largely eased and outdated agricultural tools such as plows and sickles have started to become memories. In the Agricultural Memory Museum in Caoxian County, more than 100 traditional agricultural tools are exhibited including a wooden plow which dates back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). "It is a typical Chinese agricultural tool, invented in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) and used for irrigation," said Pan Lujian, curator of the museum, introducing a water wheel to visitors. In the 1980s, agricultural mechanization gained its momentum in China and farming came to be more productive than ever with machines that plowed the ground, planted seeds and performed other tasks becoming everyday tools for more and more farmers. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China currently has more than 2,500 agricultural machinery enterprises, and its mechanization rate for crop cultivation and harvesting exceeded 67 percent in 2018. The country's agricultural production is now mainly done by farming machines, replacing the previous manual labor. An Uber-like mobile APP developed by Lovol Heavy Industry Co. Ltd., a major agricultural machinery enterprise in China, has enabled farmers to use rental machinery. "It's like hailing a taxi. My son taught me how to use new farming technologies like this," said Lyu whose son used to work in a city but has come back to help his family with farming. Lyu said an increasing number of young people come back to help their families with knowledge and passion, for the development of agricultural machinery has made farming no longer a toil. According to Liang Qirong, Party chief of Lovol Heavy Industry, China's agricultural machinery sector is "big but not strong," and moving toward high-quality development to improve competitiveness in the whole industrial cluster. Agricultural machinery industry is developing fast and exemplifies the development of agriculture, rural areas and the livelihood of farmers in China, according to Zhang Qingjin, director of the Institute of Agricultural Development of Shandong Academy of Social Sciences. Lyu said farming had become easier as agricultural mechanization rate rose. He hopes his son will take over the farming business and enjoy being a farmer in the future. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 17:39:29|Editor: mmm Video Player Close MACAO, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Macao welcomed over 1.21 million visitor arrivals during the Spring Festival holiday, up 26.6 percent over the corresponding period of last year, the special administrative region's tourism office said Monday. Macao Government Tourism Office said during the Spring Festival holiday from Feb. 4 to Feb. 10, a total of 1,213,487 visitor arrivals were recorded in Macao. The day of Feb. 7 saw the highest number of arrivals, with 226,874 arrivals recorded, up 22.6 percent year-on-year. The tourism office said the surge in visitor arrivals was attributed mainly to different favorable factors such as the diversity of spectacular events and festivals, the launch of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, as well as the pleasant weather. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 17:29:28|Editor: mmm Video Player Close TEHRAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that the U.S. economic war against his country will not achieve its ends. "Today, we are facing the cruel enemy's psychological, propagandistic and economic war against the country," Rouhani told a large gathering at Azadi Square in Iran's capital Tehran on the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. "However, we will tackle theses problems with unity and solidarity," he said. Iran will emerge victorious against the sanctions of the United States, the Iranian president stressed. Last November, the United States announced re-imposition of full sanctions on Iran covering its oil exports and banking sectors, months after Washington's exit from the 2015 landmark Iranian nuclear deal. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 17:04:22|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close A vendor makes Chinese pancakes during an international day at Old Bus Depot Markets in Canberra, Australia, on Feb. 10, 2019. The old bus depot in Kingston of Australia's capital Canberra stopped housing buses more than three decades ago. On each Sunday, however, it is still bustling with visitors. It is now the Old Bus Depot Markets, one of the most popular markets in Australia. After the Chinese Lunar New Year, it witnessed an international day that brought visitors to different cultures. (Xinhua/Pan Xiangyue) CANBERRA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The old bus depot in Kingston of Australia's capital Canberra stopped housing buses more than three decades ago. On each Sunday, however, it is still bustling with visitors. It is now the Old Bus Depot Markets, one of the most popular markets in Australia. After the Chinese Lunar New Year, it witnessed an international day that brought visitors to different cultures. Baba Alhadji was the owner of a handmade West African mud cloth stall, with colorful fabrics of different sizes and patterns sold there. "The paint, from leaves and bark, was mixed in mud for the coloring," he said. Janice Nelson was embroidering handkerchiefs. At 83, she has been in the market for more than 10 years. While such hand-embroidered handkerchiefs are rarely seen nowadays, her products with initial letters and typical Australian animals attracted lots of visitors. "Usually it takes an hour or one and a half hours to finish one handkerchief," she said. Last year, she made 2,000. Chinese elements are surely indispensable at the market. Wu Bo's stall sells Chinese paintings and calligraphy, which are made by her father. She came to the market last year. "Local buyers like the colorful paintings," she said. "The plum blossom paintings sell well and they also like the lotus and fish one, because they said the fish could bring good luck." "The products sold in the markets were mostly unique and hard to find elsewhere," said Sally Liu, managing director of the market. That is why the market was founded in 1994, when two Canberra women, Diane Hinds and Morna Whiting, had the idea of opening a weekly market in Australia's capital. "At that time there were only some 20 stallholders, whom they managed to find with their relations," Liu said. At present, the old depot is home to 120 regular stalls. There are also casual stalls, with about 4,000 registered in the system. The market have won many Australian tourism awards. Last Sunday was close to China's Lunar New Year. Celebrations were held in the market with traditional dragon and lion dance. When the performers, some were Chinese and some not, entered, a large crowd applauded and took photos. Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Andrew Barr was also at the site on Sunday. In an interview with Xinhua he said Happy Chinese New Year to the Chinese people. "We hope this will be a wonderful year for Canberra, for all Chinese Australian living in Canberra, and for stronger relations between Canberra and Beijing, and Australia and China," he said. He plans to lead an ACT delegation to China later this year, noting that the Chinese community is an important part in Canberra. "Mandarin is the second most spoken language in Canberra after English," he said. "And we have very strong ties to China. Canberra and Beijing are sister cities. We will celebrate 20 years of sister city relations next year." Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 15:44:05|Editor: mmm Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- More Chinese traveled by air during the just-concluded week-long Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, official data showed Monday. A total of 12.59 million air passenger trips were made from Feb. 4 to 10, up 10.6 percent from last year's holiday, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). Around 111,000 flights were dispatched during the period, up 6 percent year on year. Popular tourist destinations like Haikou, Lijiang, and Harbin saw busy airports. The national travel rush peaked on Feb. 10 with daily air trips reaching a historic high of 2.03 million, according to the CAAC. From Jan. 21 to Feb. 10, air travelers in China made 37.46 million trips, up 10.4 percent from the Spring Festival travel rush last year. During the 40-day travel rush from Jan. 21 to March 1, air travelers are expected to make 73 million trips, up 12 percent year on year, the CAAC said. Traveling by air has become increasingly popular in China thanks to expanding air networks and rising household income. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 15:44:03|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TEHRAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of thousands of Iranians attended nationwide rallies on Monday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution. The rallies in the Iranian cities were coupled with anti-U.S. sentiments reflected in the slogans. In the capital Tehran, people swarmed to the streets, chanting anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli slogans and carrying images of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, late founder of the Islamic republic, and his successor and the incumbent supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This year's demonstrations come against the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal last May and re-imposition of tough sanctions on the country later. Khamenei had called for a "glorious" and mass turnout to mark the anniversary of the revolution and condemn the "hostile" moves of the United States against the Islamic republic. The 1979 Revolution in Iran toppled the U.S.-backed Shah regime of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and brought the country under the leadership of Khomeini, an event seen as a turning point in Iran's history. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 15:33:57|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. media reported on Sunday that a top commander has said that the United States would likely start to withdraw its troops from Syria in weeks. General Joseph Votel, the chief commander of U.S. Central Command overseeing troops in the Middle East and Afghanistan, made the remarks while speaking to the media on a military airplane heading to the region. "Probably weeks. But again, it will all be driven by the situation on the ground," he was quoted by The New York Times as saying. "In terms of the withdrawal ... I think we're right on track with where we wanted to be." "Moving people is easier than moving equipment and so what we're trying to do right now is again (to) kind of clear out those materials, that equipment, that we do not need," he added, warning however that the exact timing is still not settled. Votel told the media that the overall U.S. troops' number in Iraq "is going to remain more or less steady." CNN reported that Votel, who is retiring, is on a two-week "farewell tour." He was also reportedly going to meet key foreign military and government leaders in the region "to thank them for their support for the U.S.-led coalition" and "find ways to reassure SDF commanders in his final weeks in office that the United States is not abandoning them." The U.S.-led multinational coalition has been engaged in an operation to drive out the Islamic State (IS) militants from their last stronghold in the eastern Euphrates region in eastern Syria. In December, however, Trump announced his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, citing that the local IS force has been largely defeated. Nevertheless, several bombs have been detonated in Syria since then, claiming lives of several U.S. soldiers and local militants. Former U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis also resigned shortly after Trump's withdrawal decision. Votel said on Tuesday that despite the progress of the multinational campaign against the IS in Syria, "it is important to understand that ... the fight against IS and violent extremists is not over and our mission has not changed." Noting that some remaining IS fighters have "dispersed" and "gone to ground," he said the IS forces have the ability of "coming back together." When asked whether he was asked for his advice about a Syria withdrawal before Trump announced his decision last year, Votel said that "I was not consulted." Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 14:48:47|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close SHANGHAI, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai saw robust tourism consumption during the Spring Festival holiday, the latest figures show. According to China UMS, more than 6.6 billion yuan (around 980 million U.S. dollars) was spent by tourists to Shanghai during the week-long holiday ending Sunday, accounting for 37.3 percent of the total consumption in the city. Over 40 percent of spendings were made by tourists from neighboring Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. During the holiday, outbound tourists from Shanghai spent more than 11.1 billion yuan on domestic travel, heading to places such as Suzhou, Hangzhou and Nanjing, according to China UMS. Meanwhile, a report jointly released by the China Tourism Academy and China UMS showed that traveling during the Spring Festival holiday has become a new custom. The per capita tourism consumption in Shanghai during the holiday ranked first in the country. According to a sampling survey of 380 retail and catering enterprises conducted by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, their sales rose 8.1 percent year on year during the holiday, signifying robust consumption. The Spring Festival, Chinese Lunar New Year, is traditionally a time for family gatherings in China. It fell on Feb. 5 this year. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 13:23:33|Editor: mym Video Player Close CANBERRA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government has signed a key contract with French shipbuilder Naval Group for the nation's Future Submarine program. The 50-billion-Australian-dollar (35.5 billion U.S. dollars) contract will see Naval Group design and build 12 new attack class submarines for the Australian Navy, with the first to be battle-ready as early as 2034. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Defence Minister Christopher Pyne met with French Defense Minister Florence Parly in Canberra on Monday to sign the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) to guide the project, almost three years after Naval Group, formerly known as DCNS, was selected to build the submarines. Pyne, who has repeatedly denied that the project has been set back by protracted SPA negotiations, saying the signing was a "defining moment" for Australia. "The submarines will help protect Australia's security and prosperity for decades to come and also deepen the defence relationship between Australia and France," he said in a joint media release with Morrison and Defence Industry Minister Steven Ciobo. "Our government is committed to maximising local industry involvement in the program to ensure Australians get the most out of this important national investment." The program has been plagued by controversy since the French company had won the contract despite German and Japanese companies making considerably cheaper bids. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in December 2018 reported that Naval Group had made "unprecedented" requests during SPA negotiations, including asking for a 25 percent cost blowout allowance and a two-year extension. Pyne strenuously rejected the report at the time. U.S. giant Lockheed Martin has been chosen to design and fit the new fleet's weapon systems. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 12:58:29|Editor: zh Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people were killed and 11 others injured in road accidents in Mongolia during the Lunar New Year holiday, known locally as the "White Moon," local media reported Monday. A total of nine serious road accidents occurred across the country throughout the Lunar New Year celebrations on Feb. 4-8, the news website ikon.mn quoted the National Police Agency as saying. Over-speeding, unpermitted overtaking and driver fatigue were the main causes of the accidents, the report said. Mongolians celebrate the "White Moon festival" with new clothes, family feasts and good wishes. The festival symbolizes the start of spring and the end of a harsh winter. It is also regarded as a traditional holiday to pay respect to the seniors. Many people travel to the countryside to visit their parents, grandparents and other senior relatives during the festival. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 12:03:22|Editor: zh Video Player Close CANBERRA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government has begun the parliamentary year trailing the opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP), according to a leading opinion poll. The latest Newspoll, released on Monday, revealed that the governing Liberal-National Party coalition (LNP) trails the ALP 47-53 on a two-party preferred basis ahead of parliament resuming for the year on Tuesday. Australia will go to general election in May. According the poll, the LNP can expect to receive 37 percent of primary votes at the election compared to 39 percent for Labor. But Prime Minister Scott Morrison remained Australia's preferred leader with 44 percent of respondents picking the incumbent as their preferred prime minister compared to 35 percent for ALP leader Bill Shorten. The poll of 1,567 voters was taken as the two major parties escalate debates over contrasting tax and border security policies. It found that 44 percent of voters were opposed to Labor's plan to abolish franking credit refunds for retirees, which the party says will increase tax revenue by more than 55 billion Australian dollars (39 billion U.S. dollars) over a decade, while 35 percent were in favor. "The election is sometime in May. There are a lot of conversations to be had between now and then with the Australian people," Finance Minister Mathias Cormann told News Corp Australia on Monday. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 12:03:21|Editor: zh Video Player Close HANOI, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam is likely to make tra fish export turnovers of 2.4 billion U.S. dollars this year, up from 2.3 billion U.S. dollars last year, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers said on Monday. The turnovers are achievable due to many positive factors, including China's increasing demand for tra fish and lower tariffs in European markets, according to the association. Last year, the United States was Vietnam's largest importer of tra fish with 549 million U.S. dollars, up 60 percent on-year, followed by China with 529 million U.S. dollars, up 29 percent, and the European Union with 244 million U.S. dollars, up 20 percent, said the association. Vietnam earned over 8.8 billion U.S. dollars from exporting seafood in 2018, mainly prawns and catfish, posting a year-on-year increase of 6.3 percent, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call(WASHINGTON) -- In an extraordinary rebuke, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other House Democratic leaders on Monday called on Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, one of the first Muslim members of Congress, to apologize for comments she made on Twitter that they called "anti-Semitic." Anti-Semitism must be called out, confronted and condemned whenever it is encountered, without exception," Pelosi said in a statement, joined by Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Lujan, Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries and Caucus Vice Chair Katherine Clark. We are and will always be strong supporters of Israel in Congress because we understand that our support is based on shared values and strategic interests. Legitimate criticism of Israels policies is protected by the values of free speech and democratic debate that the United States and Israel share," the statement continued. "But Congresswoman Omars use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israels supporters is deeply offensive. We condemn these remarks and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologize for these hurtful comments," they said. "As Democrats and as Americans, the entire Congress must be fully engaged in denouncing and rejecting all forms of hatred, racism, prejudice and discrimination wherever they are encountered, the statement reads. Pelosi also tweeted that she had spoken with Omar, saying "Congresswoman Omar and I agreed that we must use this moment to move forward as we reject anti-Semitism in all forms." In our conversation today, Congresswoman Omar and I agreed that we must use this moment to move forward as we reject anti-Semitism in all forms. https://t.co/UpZA3DNgQs pic.twitter.com/1Z6rH65e3M Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) February 11, 2019 Shortly afterward, Omar tweeted, in part, that "My intention is never to offend my constituents or Jewish Americans as a whole. We have to always be willing to step back and think about criticism, just as I expect people to hear me when others attack me for my identity. That is why I unequivocally apologize." Listening and learning, but standing strong pic.twitter.com/7TSroSf8h1 Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) February 11, 2019 Omar, of Minnesota, has previously been accused by Republicans of anti-Semitism for her comments about Israel, and her weekend comments caused a growing number of Democrats to join in criticizing her social media posts. On Sunday, Omar replied to a Twitter message from journalist Glenn Greenwald by suggesting that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, and other members of Congress, support Israel because they get campaign donations from pro-Israel groups and individuals. It's all about the Benjamins baby https://t.co/KatcXJnZLV Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) February 10, 2019 In the tweet, Omar appeared to be using a common way of referring to $100 bills which feature Benjamin Franklin -- or even playing off a line from Its All About the Benjamins, a 1997 song from rapper Puff Daddy featuring the Notorious B.I.G., Lil Kim and the Lox. She also tweeted AIPAC! a clear reference to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the prominent advocacy organization that has spent millions lobbying for pro-Israel legislation and sponsor trips to Israel for members of Congress. In 2018, AIPAC spent a total of $3.5 million on lobbying, including more than $883,000 spent just in the last three months of 2018. On Sunday night, Rep. Max Rose, D-N.Y., a Jewish freshman congressman, called Omars comments deeply hurtful to Jews. Congresswoman Omars statements are deeply hurtful to Jews, including myself. pic.twitter.com/u3f2JHESFA Max Rose (@MaxRose4NY) February 11, 2019 On Monday, Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, called Omars comments deeply hurtful and offensive, while Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Elaine Luria, D-Va., who are Jewish, began circulating a letter calling on Democratic leaders to take swift action to condemn the comments. We cannot remain silent in the face of hateful speech or actions, they wrote in the letter, which doesnt mention Omar by name but references recent rhetoric from certain members within our Caucus. That is why we have an obligation to speak out against antisemitism and to vigorously confront those who traffic in these harmful tropes and smears. On Monday, the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish organization that combats antisemitism around the world, also pushed Democratic leaders to take action after Omar's comments. Omar, along with Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., another Muslim woman and freshman Democrat, have been outspoken critics of Israel and the countrys treatment of Palestinians, articulating a growing sentiment among progressives that has put them at odds with longstanding American foreign policy consensus on Israel and deep bipartisan support for Israel in Washington and on Capitol Hill. Republicans, who have been quick to criticize the two Democratic women, have also grappled with charges of anti-Semitism. President Donald Trump was accused of anti-Semitism during the 2016 presidential campaign after he retweeted an image of Hillary Clinton and a six-pointed star similar to a Jewish star that read Most Corrupt Candidate Ever! superimposed on a graphic of money. The president eventually deleted the image and replaced it with a similar graphic without the star. And ahead of the midterm elections, McCarthy, then the majority leader of the House, posted and subsequently deleted a tweet that said Republicans cannot allow George Soros, Michael Bloomberg and Tom Steyer three Jewish Democratic billionaire donors to buy the election. Rep. Eliot Engel, the Democratic chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on which Omar serves, also criticized her comments in a statement Monday but made no mention of removing her assignment. "I fully expect that when we disagree on the Foreign Affairs Committee, we will debate policy on the merits and never question members motives or resort to personal attacks," he wrote. "Criticism of American policy toward any country is fair game, but this must be done on policy grounds." House Minority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise, House GOP Conference Chair Rep. Liz Cheney, among others, have called for Omar to be taken off the Foreign Affairs Committee. Omar appeared to defend her comments on Twitter later Sunday night in a response to a message from Chelsea Clinton, former President Bill Clinton's daughter. Chelsea - I would be happy to talk. We must call out smears from the GOP and their allies. And I believe we can do that without criticizing people for their faith. I look forward to building an inclusive movement for justice with you. https://t.co/EGA9NQfBCi Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) February 11, 2019 Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Tourists walk past the Chinese information desk after their arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, Feb. 1, 2019. (Xinhua/Sunil Sharma) KATHMANDU, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Escape from congestion, cold and crowd, celebrate your new year in Nepal where summer is cool and winter is warm. It is the message that Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) conveyed to the Chinese people during the ongoing holiday of Chinese Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival. As China has emerged as second largest source market for Nepal's tourism sector in the recent years after India, the Himalayan country is making every effort to bring in Chinese visitors. "Many activities are being organized on the occasion of Chinese New Year in Nepal in cities like capital Kathmandu and western tourism city Pokhara," Deepak Raj Joshi, chief executive officer of NTB told Xinhua last week. Chinese Spring Festival began on Feb. 5 and the Chinese people travel to different destinations during the week-long holiday as a large number of people choose Nepal. Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan are common destinations for most of the Chinese tourists visiting Nepal during the Spring Festival. Chinese airlines have reported almost full occupancy while Nepal's travel trade sector has also reported a surge in Chinese visitors during the Spring Festival. Rashika Shrestha, sales and reservation supervisor at China Eastern Airlines Office in Kathmandu, told Xinhua on Sunday that the China Eastern has occupancy remained almost full in the recent days. During the festival season, Nepali travel sector has a busy schedule managing the Chinese tourists. Kishor Raj Pandey, chairman of Saathi Travel, has been organizing trips for seven groups of Chinese tourists, each consisting of around 15 people. "We organize trips for maximum 3-4 groups in normal days in a week. We are now dealing with seven groups this week as more Chinese visitors came to Nepal during the New Year holidays," Pandey told Xinhua. Saathi is a pioneer travel agency in bringing in Chinese tourists since early years of this century. Similar is the experience of Shuang Qi Tour Pvt. Ltd, a tour agency dealing with Chinese tourists in Nepal. "Normally, we deal with 400-500 Chinese visitors in a month. We are organizing trips for around 500 visitors in a week-long holiday of this Spring Festival," Bishwesh Shrestha, managing director of Shuang Qi Tour, told Xinhua last week. SNT Holidays, another travel agency, has also witnessed upswing in Chinese visitors for the New Year. "More Chinese tourists have come to Nepal this Spring Festival. We are seeing surge in arrivals of individual visitors compared to those who come in a group this time around," said Sri Ram Thapa, managing director of the company. Nepal's travel trade sector has been organizing the welcome ceremonies and handing out greeting cards and gifts for the Chinese visitors coming to Nepal during the New Year. Hotel Annapurna, a five-star hotel in Kathmandu, has also prepared special menu targeting the Spring Festival. According to hotel officials, around five percent of the rooms have been occupied by Chinese tourists currently. "Although occupancy from Chinese visitors is not so high, they are all high-end visitors," Atma Khanal, sales executive at the Hotel. Although arrivals of Chinese tourists have grown during the Spring Festival, Nepali travel trade sector believes that number could grow even higher if the airfare for Chinese visitors coming to Nepal becomes cheaper. "Chinese tourists complain about high airfare although travel package within Nepal is relatively cheap," said Thapa. Therefore, Nepali travel industry officials insisted that there should be more competition among the airlines connecting Nepal and Chinese cities. As Nepal celebrated arrivals of over 1 million foreign tourists in a year for the first time in 2018, a record 153,602 Chinese tourists visited the country in that year, a rise of 46.8 percent compared to 2017. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 10:53:06|Editor: mym Video Player Close by Rene Quenallata Paredes LA PAZ, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Strategic public-private partnerships (PPP) between producers and the government in Bolivia aim to diversify and expand exports to China. In December 2018, Bolivia exported quinoa to China for the first time as part of a bilateral agreement to ease trade in the grain, a development that inspired the PPP initiatives, according to Nelson Perez, president of the National Quinoa Producers Association (Anapqui). Last year, Bolivia exported more than 33,000 tons of quinoa to traditional and new markets, such as Europe, the United States and China, the International Quinoa Center (CIQ) reported. Quinoa output nationwide has been on the rise, up from 66,792 tons in 2017 to 70,763 tons in 2018. But new access to China's market is motivating producers to plan for bigger yields. A total of 15 companies have been authorized to sell the grain to China after meeting stringent sanitary regulations. Bolivia's soy sector is also preparing to export to China following the signing of a bilateral agreement between the two countries, said Jaime Hernandez, general manager of the Wheat and Oilseeds Producers Association (Anapo). In 2018, Bolivia exported 70 percent of the 2.7 million tons of soy. This year, producers hope to expand production with the help of the government to increase exports. Javier Landivar, general manager of the Cattle-ranchers Federation of Santa Cruz (Fegasacruz), said that Chinese technicians will travel to Bolivia this month to inspect the beef production process before approving its import. "It is an important commitment we meat producers have made and we hope to get the green light to begin this product's historic export" to China, he added. Bolivia's Minister of Rural Development Cesar Cocarico said that this South American country has worked in recent years to gain access to China's market, especially for agricultural goods. In 2018, the two countries signed "very positive" sanitary agreements which paved the way for quinoa, coffee and soy exports to China, and in the coming months, similar agreements are to be signed for beef and chia seeds among other goods, the minister added. "We have also participated in international events (fairs) promoted by China with encouraging results," Cocarico said. "We are outlining negotiations for other products." Bolivia took part in the first ever China International Import Expo held in Shanghai in November last year, demonstrating its top products for the Asian consumer market. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 10:27:58|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close NEW YORK, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Young Chinese fashion designer Lan Yu's namesake brand LANYU displayed its fall/winter 2019 collection at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) on Sunday, highlighting ready-to-wear dresses and delicate denim wear. Themed Les Fees de LAN, the show involved 50 looks, covering dresses, suits, tops and other outfits. It was the sixth time that the brand participated in the NYFW since 2016. Staples of this season's collection include bright-colored, ornate evening dresses, as well as denim wear decorated with fine embroidery and beading. Another feature of the show was a white silk Chinese suit with a painting of mountains and waters, which was also the only handicraft work on display, as the painting was made with Su Xiu, or Suzhou embroidery. Su Xiu is a traditional Chinese craft widely known for a complex variety of stitches and nature-themed beautiful patterns. The new collection was inspired from the fairies depicted in literature and movies, including the Blue Fairy in the Disney animated film Pinocchio, Thinker Bell in a namesake Disney animated film, and the Wicked Fairy in the tale of Sleeping Beauty. To the designer and her team, those elements evoked their imagination on a world of freedom without limitation and boundaries. The collection was also designed for Lan Yu's fans around the world, as they dubbed themselves as "blue fairies," because "Lan" in Chinese is a homophone of blue, Chen Jiyuan, CEO of Lanyu Couture New York, told Xinhua. As one of China's new generation of designers, Lan Yu incorporates traditional Suzhou embroidery with haute couture, which is renowned for its elegant, intricate style and photo-realistic quality. Founded in 2005, the brand LANYU has specialized in haute couture, ready-to-wear attire and accessories, as well as bridal collections, which has enjoyed high popularity among Chinese celebrities. So far, the designer has run offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Paris, and New York. Overseas business of the brand focuses on retail both at brick-and-mortar showrooms and on its website, as well as rental of wedding dresses. "Our sales in New York has doubled in 2018 (compared with the previous year)," Chen said, adding that they are currently working to build collaboration with local boutiques and e-commerce platforms. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 10:07:53|Editor: mym Video Player Close YANGON, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities have seized six tons of illegally harvested teak timbers in Taikkyi, Yangon region, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Monday. According to the Forest Department, the six tons of rough-sawn teak timbers, owned by Myanmar businessmen, were confiscated on Saturday by a combined team of police and forest departmental officials when they stopped and searched a six-wheeled truck loaded with the timber bound for Taikkyi from Tharyawaddy. However, the driver and the co-driver fled the scene. Police have opened a case against them and investigation is underway. Myanmar authorities have been making concerted efforts to clamp down on illegal timber trade. In late January, Myanmar forest authorities also seized 63 tons of illegally harvested timbers from a forest reserve, Phyukon, in southern Bago region where illegal logging often occurs although the authorities outlawed all logging operation in Bago Yoma mountain range for a 10-year period starting from 2016. In last December last year, some illegal teak logs, laden by 16 boats, were also seized by local authorities in Singu township, Mandalay region when a regular search operation was conducted along the Ayeyawaddy River. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 09:47:46|Editor: mym Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Flamengo legend Zico criticized the Brazilian club's administration on Sunday for its management of the unlicensed facility where a fire claimed the lives of 10 youth academy players. According to the Rio de Janeiro city government, Flamengo received 31 fines - 21 of which were not paid - for permit irregularities related to the Ninho do Urubu training ground in Rio's west. The center's dormitory, which caught fire as 20 teenagers slept on February 8, was registered as a parking lot, according to city officials. "If you're fined 30 times, you can't carry on as if nothing is wrong. Something has to be done," Zico told Brazil's SporTV. The 65-year-old former Brazil playmaker said the makeshift containers destroyed in the blaze were not suitable to be used as sleeping quarters. "The youth academy needs planning in all areas so that tragedies like this don't happen," said Zico, who is currently the technical director of Kashima Antlers in Japan. Zico's comments came as the first funerals for the fire's victims were held on Sunday. Flamengo issued a statement early in the day in which it said air conditioners inside the complex were inspected on February 5. On Saturday, club CEO Reinaldo Belotti said the tragedy could have been caused by power surges resulting from wild storms that hit Rio de Janeiro a day earlier. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 08:17:29|Editor: mym Video Player Close SUVA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Former President of Fiji Ratu Epeli Nailatikau was elected the country's parliament speaker on Monday. Nailatikau, president of Fiji from 2009 to 2015, won 30 votes, against 21 by his opponent Tayna Waqanika, a lawyer. Speaking in the parliament, Nailatikau said he was there to serve the people of Fiji through the elected members of parliament. He has had a long career in the military, diplomatic service, and the government. From 2001 to 2006 he served as speaker of the House of Representatives. Meanwhile, Fiji's assistant Minister for Women, Veena Bhatnagar maintained her role as deputy speaker of the House. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 08:19:17|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close People watch Tai Chi performance during a gala celebrating the Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year, in Frankfurt, Germany, on Feb. 10, 2019. (Xinhua/Lu Yang) Chinese designer Wang Tao, works at her makeshift office for New York Fashion Week in New York, the United States, Feb. 7, 2019. (Wang Ying/Xinhua) by Xinhua writers Wang Wen, Guo Peiran NEW YORK, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- For Chinese designer Wang Tao, attending the New York Fashion Week is not merely a gold-plating journey or an over-commercialized showcase in front of a crowd of buyers and influencers, but a center stage where she could truly set a global fashion trend. Wang debuted her latest collection "eternity" on Saturday at Spring Studios, where 40 new looks embodying her signature note of sophisticated minimalism sent out a clear message: women can be feminine and powerful at the same time. ATTITUDE SAYS IT ALL "Beauty is all about attitude," said Wang, talking about her muses for the new collection. Renowned American model Lauren Hutton, who rose to fame in the 1970s, symbolizes the handsome and unconventional beauty to Wang. The designer found Hutton especially attractive because the latter refused to narrow the gap between her teeth as others demanded. "She is not afraid of being who she is and that to me is very beautiful," said Wang. Inspired by Hutton's dressing style, Wang introduced wool hats and wide-leg pants to her collection. Another inspiration came from U.S. President Donald Trump's younger daughter Tiffany, who has a totally different style and always looks feminine, sexy and bright, said Wang. To add vibrancy to the otherwise rather professional looks for career women, Wang coupled asymmetric mini skirts with jackets. By accentuating high-waist cut and shorten the skirts, she creates a look that focuses on long legs and feels younger and sexy. While Hutton and the young Trump have little in common in their dress styles, both are confident and courageous, said Wang. "By combining the two styles stretching over half a decade, I want to encourage women to express themselves," Wang said, adding that beauty is not about time, age and nationality. Models present creations of Taoray Wang by Chinese designer Wang Tao during the New York Fashion Week in New York, the United States, Feb. 9, 2019. (Wang Ying/Xinhua) CONTRAST AND UNITY Wang, known for her flair in using basic colors such as grey, white and black to create elegant and confident looks for career women, added different shades of yellow and blue to create more warm, bright and energetic looks. "Sand and salt water are two distinct substances but together they make beautiful beaches," said Wang, who explained that she always enjoys taking on the challenge of playing with contrasting ideas. The dichotomy of femininity and power is one set of ideas she explores since the launch of her namesake brand Taoray Wang. "People think smart women can't be too pretty. That's wrong. I want to change that," said Wang. Now often hailed as the "queen of the suit," Wang started out her career making suits for men. When she turned to women's suits, she tried to add details on waist and sleeves which later became her signature. The designer often adds a belt or pleated girdle to the suit to emphasize the body curve, and uses slit sleeves and big cuffs to give jackets a feminine touch. In the latest collection, Wang introduces coats with slit sleeves that allow customers to wear them easily over the suit without having to worry about how to squeeze jacket sleeves in. "Career women have busy schedules and my clothes allow them to 'grab and go' while still being glamorous," said Wang. Models present creations of Taoray Wang by Chinese designer Wang Tao during the New York Fashion Week in New York, the United States, Feb. 9, 2019. (Wang Ying/Xinhua) EAST MEETS WEST The theme of "East meets West" is a recurrent topic for Wang, as media would always ask the Asian-born and Asian-trained designer what she did to break into the Western market. Wang, who studied fashion in Japan after graduating with a degree in history in Shanghai, has a diverse background and a global point of view. Having worked as a fashion designer in Japan, Britain and China, Wang said the pursuit of beauty is beyond boundary. The designer never deliberately adds Chinese elements in her designs but Chinese culture is deeply rooted in her, as it can be seen from the tailoring and the colors she uses. Silk is Wang's top choice when making jack linings because Chinese women always focus on the texture of a piece of clothing. The smooth, soft texture is well-received by her customers across the world. Also for the jacket lining, Wang almost always uses emerald green or magenta, colors that have been popular among Chinese people for a long time. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 07:12:22|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close LONDON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Sergio Aguero scored a record-equalling hat-trick as Manchester City thrashed Chelsea 6-0 at Etihad Stadium on Sunday to return to the top of the Premier League. The defending champions were ahead 4-0 just 25 minutes into the first half. Sterling opened the scoring in the fourth minute before Aguero unleashed a curling shot into the top right-hand corner from 25 yards. Only six minutes later, Aguero followed the path of Ross Barkley's poor header back towards his own goal and span to knock the ball past Kepa Arrizabalaga to make it 3-0. That made Aguero City's all-time leading goal-scorer with 159, passing Tom Johnson and Eric Brook who had sat there for more than 80 years. In the 25th minute, Chelsea were 4-0 through Ilkay Gundogan's low shot from the edge of the box after Sterling's pass to Aguero had been poorly cleared by Antonio Rudiger. Aguero completed his 15th hat-trick for City in the 56th minute, when he coolly rolled home a penalty earned by Sterling after he had been tackled by Cesar Azpilicueta. It was also Aguero's 11th Premier League hat-trick, level with former Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer in pole position. Sterling sealed the victory by scoring his second from the close range in the 80th minute, handing Chelsea their biggest loss since they was defeated 7-0 by Nottingham Forest in 1991. City, who have played one more game, overtook Liverpool on goal difference to return to the top of the Premier League. "It was one of our best performances at home this season," City manager Pep Guardiola said. "We played really well, Sergio scored an incredible goal, but it wasn't easy, we defended deeper like never before. "Six goals against Chelsea is not easy." Liverpool will play their game in hand at Manchester United on Feb. 24, when City take on Chelsea in the League Cup final. Tottenham secured the third place with a 3-1 victory over Leicester City at Wembley, moving back to within five points of the top and nine clear of fourth placed Manchester United. Davinson Sanchez scored his first goal for Spurs before Hugo Lloris saved Jamie Vardy's 60th-minute penalty in what was the striker's first touch of the ball having just come off the bench. Christian Eriksen then doubled the lead three minutes later but Leicester did pull one back through Vardy with 14 minutes remaining. Son Heung-Min made it 3-1 in stoppage time. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 07:12:21|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close PARIS, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Six nations shared seven gold medals on offer in the second day of the 2019 International Judo Federation (IJF) Paris Grand Slam here on Sunday. Chen Fei won the only medal for China with her women's -78kg bronze. She lost the semifinal against German judoka Luise Malzahn after accumulating three penalties for disqualification. Then Chen regrouped herself before winning the repechage against Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown of Britain through six and a half minutes of added time to pocket the bronze. "Generally speaking, I'm satisfied with my performance in other matches, but the semifinal loss still has left a little pity for me," Chen told Xinhua. "I can learn a lot from the loss. Many things remain to be corrected in future trainings," she added. Frenchwoman Madeleine Malonga defeated Malzahn in the final. Other Chinese judokas failed on their attempts to win medals. The 2017 winner Cheng Xunzhao was eliminated in men's -90kg first round by local favorite Alexis Mathieu. The category's glory went to South Korean Gwak Dong-han. His compatriot Kim Sung-min added another in men's +100kg. Japanese judokas built on their momentum of bagging four golds in opening day as Yoko Ono triumphed in women's -70kg. Japan won five of 14 gold medals in total in the French capital this year. Also on Sunday, Germany's Dominic Ressel won the men's -81kg, Varlam Liparteliani of Georgia tasted men's -100kg gold, and women's +78kg title went to Idalys Oritz of Cuba. The two-day 2019 IJF Paris Grand Slam has attracted 570 competitors from 97 countries and regions. The next stop of IJF Grand Slams will be held in Dusseldorf, Germany from Feb. 22-24. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 06:47:18|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close Chinese designer Wang Tao, works at her makeshift office for New York Fashion Week in New York, the United States, Feb. 7, 2019. For Chinese designer Wang Tao, attending the New York Fashion Week is not merely a gold-plating journey or an over-commercialized showcase in front of a crowd of buyers and influencers, but a center stage where she could truly set a global fashion trend. Wang debuted her latest collection "eternity" on Saturday at Spring Studios, where 40 new looks embodying her signature note of sophisticated minimalism sent out a clear message: women can be feminine and powerful at the same time. TO GO WITH Feature: Chinese designer Wang Tao seeks to revamp women's fashion attitude (Xinhua/Wang Ying) by Xinhua writers Wang Wen, Guo Peiran NEW YORK, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- For Chinese designer Wang Tao, attending the New York Fashion Week is not merely a gold-plating journey or an over-commercialized showcase in front of a crowd of buyers and influencers, but a center stage where she could truly set a global fashion trend. Wang debuted her latest collection "eternity" on Saturday at Spring Studios, where 40 new looks embodying her signature note of sophisticated minimalism sent out a clear message: women can be feminine and powerful at the same time. ATTITUDE SAYS IT ALL "Beauty is all about attitude," said Wang, talking about her muses for the new collection. Renowned American model Lauren Hutton, who rose to fame in the 1970s, symbolizes the handsome and unconventional beauty to Wang. The designer found Hutton especially attractive because the latter refused to narrow the gap between her teeth as others demanded. "She is not afraid of being who she is and that to me is very beautiful," said Wang. Inspired by Hutton's dressing style, Wang introduced wool hats and wide-leg pants to her collection. Another inspiration came from U.S. President Donald Trump's younger daughter Tiffany, who has a totally different style and always looks feminine, sexy and bright, said Wang. To add vibrancy to the otherwise rather professional looks for career women, Wang coupled asymmetric mini skirts with jackets. By accentuating high-waist cut and shorten the skirts, she creates a look that focuses on long legs and feels younger and sexy. While Hutton and the young Trump have little in common in their dress styles, both are confident and courageous, said Wang. "By combining the two styles stretching over half a decade, I want to encourage women to express themselves," Wang said, adding that beauty is not about time, age and nationality. CONTRAST AND UNITY Wang, known for her flair in using basic colors such as grey, white and black to create elegant and confident looks for career women, added different shades of yellow and blue to create more warm, bright and energetic looks. "Sand and salt water are two distinct substances but together they make beautiful beaches," said Wang, who explained that she always enjoys taking on the challenge of playing with contrasting ideas. The dichotomy of femininity and power is one set of ideas she explores since the launch of her namesake brand Taoray Wang. "People think smart women can't be too pretty. That's wrong. I want to change that," said Wang. Now often hailed as the "queen of the suit," Wang started out her career making suits for men. When she turned to women's suits, she tried to add details on waist and sleeves which later became her signature. The designer often adds a belt or pleated girdle to the suit to emphasize the body curve, and uses slit sleeves and big cuffs to give jackets a feminine touch. In the latest collection, Wang introduces coats with slit sleeves that allow customers to wear them easily over the suit without having to worry about how to squeeze jacket sleeves in. "Career women have busy schedules and my clothes allow them to 'grab and go' while still being glamorous," said Wang. EAST MEETS WEST The theme of "East meets West" is a recurrent topic for Wang, as media would always ask the Asian-born and Asian-trained designer what she did to break into the Western market. Wang, who studied fashion in Japan after graduating with a degree in history in Shanghai, has a diverse background and a global point of view. Having worked as a fashion designer in Japan, Britain and China, Wang said the pursuit of beauty is beyond boundary. The designer never deliberately adds Chinese elements in her designs but Chinese culture is deeply rooted in her, as it can be seen from the tailoring and the colors she uses. Silk is Wang's top choice when making jack linings because Chinese women always focus on the texture of a piece of clothing. The smooth, soft texture is well-received by her customers across the world. Also for the jacket lining, Wang almost always uses emerald green or magenta, colors that have been popular among Chinese people for a long time. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 06:32:15|Editor: yan Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 10 -- San Francisco Bay Area, a popular site for Chinese investors, continues to attract Chinese home buyers who have turned to new, lower-priced tiers, said Bei Qin, a realtor based in Cupertino of California, on Sunday. "Traditionally, Chinese buyers have been buying higher-end homes all in cash, but these days they're increasingly searching for lower-priced properties," she said. Qin noted that more middle-class buyers from China are getting into the market and using mortgages much more often to finance such purchases. Several lenders in the San Francisco Bay Area now specifically cater to this demand of Chinese buyers, she added. For the sixth consecutive year, China exceeded other countries in both the number of units and the U.S. dollar volume of residential housing in the United States. They bought an estimated 30.4 billion dollars worth of residential property, according to the 2018 report of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The international buyers typically buy more expensive properties than the average existing home. The median price of a home sold to a Chinese buyer in the United States was 439,100 dollars (about 3 million yuan) last year, compared to 530,000 dollars in 2017, according to NAR. In the San Francisco Bay Area, a lower-priced condominium could cost 500,000 dollars, said Qin, who runs a real estate company called ACEQ in Cupertino city in Santa Clara County, Northern California. In Cupertino, which is home to the headquarters of Apple Inc., a single-family house costs at least 2 million dollars, she said. "Traditionally, wealthy people, such as corporate executives, come here to invest in expensive properties; these days we see more parents buying homes for their children who study or work here," said Qin, who has nearly 20 years of experience in the Bay Area real estate. Her observation echoes an NAR survey which found among the top five purchasing countries, Chinese buyers were the most likely to purchase a house for student housing. While she receives more inquiries from Chinese middle-class buyers, Qin said the number of Chinese buyers dropped last year. "In the past we had two out of 10 clients from China; now only one out of 20 is from China," she said. California, especially the Bay Area, will continue to be the favorite among Chinese home buyers, said Kangni Yuan, regional sales manager of ACE Capital Group, a real estate firm based in San Mateo County, about 32 km south of San Francisco. "Several factors play a role, such as the economic growth in the state, the good weather, the convenient air transportation and the large concentration of Chinese communities," she said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 03:46:50|Editor: yan Video Player Close WINDHOEK, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Hage Geingob, president of Namibia and chairperson of Southern African Development Community (SADC), on Sunday attacked the countries that sought to interfere in the affairs and sovereignty of the Republic of Venezuela. A statement released by the presidency on Sunday said countries had sought to undermine a democratically elected government of Venezuela. "In particular, these countries have sought to undermine a democratically elected government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela led by president Nicolas Maduro Moros by proclaiming Juan Guaido Marquez as Interim-President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela," the statement said. "SADC condemns such violations of the principles of international law, especially, the respect for sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states," he said. He further noted that the people of the Republic of Venezuela had expressed their political choices through parliamentary elections and presidential elections held in December 2015 and May 2018 respectively and "urges the international community and all stakeholders to respect the outcomes of these elections." Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 02:46:38|Editor: yan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Benedict Okey Oramah, the president and chairperson of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximabank), on Sunday said the bank planned to disperse about 85 billion U.S. dollars in support of intra-African trade until 2021. Speaking during a press conference on the sidelines of the ongoing 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, Oramah said the move is crucial to achieving African economic integration. "We already are in the process of launching the pan-African payment and settlement platform that will enable intra-African payment in local currency. We expect the pilot program to come to effect by May 2019," said Oramah. The Afreximbank president also said the bank is working with the AU to provide a state-of-the-art trade information web portal that will complement existing business initiatives by providing up-to-date economic information. Afreximbank is a leading Pan-African multilateral financial institution devoted to financing and promoting intra- and extra-African trade. The Cairo-headquartered bank has provided credit facilities totaling some 35 billion U.S. dollars to African business firms since its inception in 1993. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 02:31:36|Editor: yan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, has extolled the partnership between the 55-member pan-African bloc and China in different arenas. The AU Commission chief made the remarks at the opening of the 32nd AU summit on Sunday in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, with the attendance of African leaders, foreign diplomats, and other prominent personalities. Speaking of the AU-China partnership, Mahamat said that the two sides have been enjoying unprecedentedly dynamic partnership in various areas. The successful Forum of China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit in Beijing in September 2018 demonstrated "the unprecedented dynamism" of the partnership between the two sides, he said. In September 2018, AU officially launched the AU representational office in Beijing, he recalled, indicating that it would further strengthen the partnership. "The remarkable success of FOCAC held in Beijing in September 2018 illustrates the unprecedented dynamism of our partnership," Mahamat said. "The opening of an AU office in Beijing will obviously strengthen this multifarious and fruitful partnership, including the strategic dialogue between the AU Commission and the People's Republic of China," he added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 02:26:35|Editor: yan Video Player Close HELSINKI, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- An European Commission official is concerned with the state of the nuclear energy industry in the European Union (EU) area and has deplored the lack of interest from Western investors, Finnish national radio Yle reported on Sunday. Massimo Garribba, Director of Nuclear Energy, Safety and ITER (an international nuclear fusion research and engineering megaproject) at European Commission's Directorate-General for Energy, said in an interview with Yle that investors in western countries are cautious as the risk levels in major projects are high. He noted that the schedules and cost estimates have repeatedly been changed in previous projects. Europe would need dozens of new nuclear power plants to offset emissions and the estimated need for investments is 400 billion euros (about 453.4 billion U.S. dollars). At the same time, solar and wind power production is becoming cheaper, he added. According to current plans, some 15 percent of electricity in the EU area is to be produced with nuclear energy in 2050. This is ten percentage points less than the current level of 25 percent, but the total output would be 2.5 times more than the present level. Most of the current nuclear power plants in the EU area will be deactivated by 2050. Asked whether the vision of the commission is realistic, Garribba admitted that market situation looks difficult. While the construction of nuclear power plants has become costlier, the production costs of solar and wind power have declined sharply. Antti Koistinen, a Yle writer of economic affairs, noted that the rise of wind power has impacted the profitability of nuclear power. Here in the Nordic area the increasing availability of wind power has brought down the wholesale prices of electricity, he noted. Garribba believes that the position of nuclear power will be eased through the new energy legislative framework -- the Clean Energy for All Europeans package - to take effect this year. As a result of the changes taking place in the emissions trade, the price of emission rights has increased and this has made the price of electricity higher, he said. Garribba did not take a stand as to whether new nuclear power plans in the future would need a price guarantee for the electricity they would produce. He reminded though that the operational life time of new nuclear power plants would be 60 years at least and it is essential for the investors to have long term confidence that there is demand for emission-free electricity. "Political commitment to zero emissions is the largest single factor," Garribba said, urging the nuclear industry to "change gear" and move from the operation of current facilities to planning new ones. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 01:41:26|Editor: mym Video Player Close Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (2nd L) meets with Lebanese officials in the Iranian Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, on Feb. 10, 2019. Zarif arrived in Lebanon on Sunday for a two-day official visit to meet with Lebanese officials and informed them about Iran's readiness to help Lebanon on all levels. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich) BEIRUT, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mahmoud Komati said Sunday that Lebanon decides to accept support from any country which is willing to help, including Iran, local media reported. "The Lebanese government is ready to show positivity in solving people's issues. We should appreciate Iran's offer to help Lebanon without imposing any conditions," Komati was quoted as saying by Elnashra, an independent online newspaper. Komati's remarks came during a press conference following his meeting with national political parties and Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif at the Iranian Embassy in Lebanon. Zarif arrived in Lebanon on Sunday for a two-day official visit to meet with Lebanese officials and informed them about Iran's readiness to help Lebanon on all levels. Zarif said that Iran is ready to provide all the needed help to the Lebanese Army if Lebanon is willing to accept this support. Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah declared few days ago that he is willing to ask Iran to provide the Lebanese Army with weapons, noting that Tehran can easily solve Lebanon's electricity problem and transform in Lebanon's pharmaceutical industry that would help slash the medical bill for citizens. Meanwhile, Hezbollah lawmaker Nawaf Moussawi called upon the health minister who represents Hezbollah in the new government to be positive about the help offered by Iran in the medical field. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-11 01:16:23|Editor: zh Video Player Close Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban delivers his annual speech in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb. 10, 2019. Viktor Orban announced here on Sunday in his annual speech a bold seven-point action plan on helping families with children in order to tackle population decline. (Xinhua/Attila Volgyi) BUDAPEST, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced here on Sunday in his annual speech a bold seven-point action plan on helping families with children in order to tackle population decline. According to Orban, whose speech has been broadcast by public television channel M1, the first point of his plan is to support young couples, with each woman under 40 years old to receive a loan of 10 million forints (around 35,000 U.S. dollars). After giving birth to three children, the loan would not have to be paid back, and would become a non-refundable support. The second point aims to expand the beneficiary state-credit scheme set up by the government to help young couples acquire their first apartment. The third point deals with mortgages. The government vows to pay one million forints of the parents' mortgage after the birth of a second child, and 4 million forints after the birth of a third child. The fourth point might be the biggest incentive for larger families. Women giving birth to four children will be exempted for life from the payment of personal income taxes. Orban also announced to launch a large family car purchase program. Accordingly, the government will give 2.5 million forints as a non-refundable grant to new 7-seat cars for families with at least three children. In order to help moms get back to the labor market, Orban promised 21,000 new places in nurseries in the coming three years. Thus, from 2022 onwards, all parents would be able to bring their children to the nursery. In his last point, Orban presented a child support subsidy payable for grandparents, encouraging them to help families in raising the children. The demographic decline of Hungary, with its population dropping below the psychological threshold of 10 million people a few years ago and decreasing each year by several tens of thousands, is the main challenge for the head of government, who was elected last April to the third term in power. Orban also praised Hungary's economic growth and performance. "Our national pride also has an economic foundation: Hungary is only at the 88th place among the world's countries in terms of population, but the 34th in terms of exports." "In order to catch up with Western Europe, our economic growth has to surpass that of the EU (European Union) average by at least 2 percent each year," he added. Hungary's gross domestic product in 2018 will be published in March, but experts already know from preliminary figures that it will be comfortably over 4 percent. The prime minister also touched upon migration, which his government is fiercely opposed to. "We see the emergence of a Christian-Muslim world in immigrant countries with a constantly shrinking Christian ratio. However, we Central Europeans still have our own future." Orban repeatedly declared that division in the 28-member EU is increasing over migration-related issues.(1 U.S. dollar = 281.63 HUF) Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced her presidential bid at a snowy, freezing outdoor event on Sunday, vaulting the three-term senator from Minnesota into the crowded field of Democrats angling to take on President Donald Trump in 2020. Standing in the snow in Minneapolis, she said, "On an island in the middle of the mighty Mississippi, in our nation's heartland, at a time when we must heal the heart of our democracy and renew our commitment to the common good, I stand before you as the granddaughter of an iron ore miner, the daughter of a teacher and a newspaperman, the first woman elected to the United States Senate from the State of Minnesota, to announce my candidacy for President of the United States." "That sense of community is fracturing across our nation right now, worn down by the petty and vicious nature of our politics. We are all tired of the shutdowns and the showdowns, the gridlock and the grandstanding," she told supporters who gathered on Boom Island, a park that juts into the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, to witness the moment. "Today we say enough is enough. Our nation must be governed not from chaos but from opportunity," she said. "Not by wallowing over what's wrong, but by marching inexorably toward what's right." In her speech, Klobuchar also took a swipe at officials in Washington, promising that her honesty will set her apart from them. "I promise you this: As your President, I will look you in the eye. I will tell you what I think. I will focus on getting things done. That's what I've done my whole life. And no matter what, I'll lead from the heart," she said. "Let me be blunt: for too long leaders in Washington have sat on the sidelines while others try to figure out what to do about our changing economy and its impact on our lives, what to do about the disruptive nature of new technologies, income inequality, the political and geographic divides, the changing climate, the tumult in our world. For a moment, let's stop seeing those obstacles as obstacles on our path. Let's see those obstacles as our path." The senator also went after Trump without mentioning him by name, criticizing the President's foreign policy and use of Twitter. "We need to stand strong and consistently with our allies. We need to be clear in our purpose. We must respect our front line troops, diplomats and intelligence officers... who are out there every day risking their lives for us ... they deserve better than foreign policy by tweet," she said. "The people from the Heartland believe in hard work, telling it like it is, and getting things done," Klobuchar says in the invite to her event. "That's true in Minnesota where I grew up, and that's true across the border in Iowa. We have a lot to get done in the days, weeks, and months ahead." Klobuchar's speech on Sunday will lean heavily into her Minnesota roots, including the grit that it takes to draw people to a political event in sub-freezing weather. "I'm asking you to join us on this campaign. It's a homegrown one. I don't have a political machine. I don't come from money," Klobuchar will say according to excerpts of her prepared remarks. "But what I do have is this: I have grit. I have family. I have friends. I have neighbors. I have all of you who are willing to come out in the middle of the winter, all of you who took the time to watch us today, all of you who are willing to stand up and say people matter." Minneapolis and the nearby Mississippi River will also play a central role in Klobuchar's speech, according to an adviser. "There is quite a bit of, a lot of meaning behind where she is doing this," the adviser said. Klobuchar will be "thinking about how the Mississippi starts in Northern Minnesota and how it runs through the heartland and will talk about how this connects our country in so many ways." Klobuchar will say, "The Mississippi River... all our rivers connect us... to one another. To our shared story. For that is how this country was founded, with patriots who saw more that united them than divided them." Klobuchar's desire to run as a Minnesotan and Midwesterner was on full display Sunday as snow blanketed the ground for her outdoor announcement. The weather was forecast to be 15 degrees and snowy when the senator hits the stage. Snow blowers cleared the stage multiple times before the event and volunteers were frantically working to shovel walkways for people. The skyline of Minneapolis was barely visible behind the stage and the banks of the freezing Mississippi River are covered in snow. Klobuchar's team ordered 100 gallons of hot cocoa and 100 gallons of apple cider to prepare for the event and volunteers handed out small American flags and packs of Little Hotties hand warmers as people entered the park. "It just truly represents Minnesota," said Renee Anderson, a 22-year old from Bloomington. "If somebody doesn't want to come to an event that is outside in Minnesota, do they really live here? Are they really excited?" Scott Herzog, a 50-year-old manufacturer from West St. Paul, said the same as he stood in front of the stage two hours before the event starts: "This is true Minnesota: Snow and Amy Klobuchar." Klobuchar will follow up her event in Minnesota with a trip to Iowa on February 21, where she will speak at the Ankeny Area Democrats Winter Banquet and Fundraiser. Klobuchar's presidential aspirations have not been a secret to many in her home state and around Washington. "She's going to do it," former Vice President Walter Mondale told KFGO on Thursday. "I'm very positive that she will run and announce on Sunday. I think she's got a real shot here." Klobuchar told reporters in early January that she was "getting close to a decision" about running for president in 2020. "I'm continuing to talk to people about it," she said. She told CNN in late December 2018 that it was a "big decision" because there are "a lot of different people running." "I think you want voices from places where Donald Trump did very well," she said. "My state, for instance, he almost won in 2016, and we came roaring back in 2018. I was leading the ticket, and I believe you need people that will go not just where it's comfortable, but where it's uncomfortable and be willing to work with other people that you don't always agree with for the betterment of this country." A Klobuchar run, according to people who have talked to her about the prospect, would cast the senator as a deal maker who is able to get things done when things need to get done. She will cast herself as the granddaughter of rural America, someone whose life was helped by a grandfather who saved money in a coffee can to send her father, who would go on to become a journalist, to college. Klobuchar's team believes there is an opening in the Democratic primary for someone who is able to relate to voters in Iowa because of her local ties, but is also able to talk to Democrats eager to beat Trump in 2020 as well as win back Trump voters. That is where Democrats believe Klobuchar's electoral record will factor in: The senator has consistently overperformed against other Democrats in Minnesota, winning her three terms in office by an average of 26 percentage points. Klobuchar won re-election in 2018 with 60% of the vote visiting all 87 Minnesota counties during the campaign, including 42 that went for Trump in 2016. This win helped burnish Klobuchar's credibility with rural and lean Republican voters and will likely be the backbone of her campaign. "She could surprise pundits here," said Matt Paul, Hillary Clinton's Iowa state director during the 2016 caucus. "She's a neighbor, has long been working to elect Democrats in Iowa and established herself as a Democrat who gets things done." Klobuchar has a liberal voting record but is not considered as liberal as other candidates running for president or considering a 2020 run. Klobuchar does not support abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency or Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' Medicare-for-All bill -- instead pushing to lower the age where people are allowed to buy into the government health care program. Some Democrats question whether her more moderate voting record -- she supported, for example, Trump's nominations of Wilbur Ross, Mike Pompeo and John Kelly and a host of other nominees -- is left enough to succeed in a Democratic primary. According to FiveThirtyEight's congressional vote tracker, Klobuchar voted with Trump's interests 31% of the time since he took office. Born in Plymouth, Minnesota, Klobuchar returned to her home state after attending Yale University and getting her law degree at the University of Chicago. She began her career in private practice before being elected narrowly as Hennepin County attorney in 1998. She was reelected with no competition in 2002. Copyright 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved. LEON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - On Sunday, Tallahassee community members learned about the history of African American literature in honor of Black History month. The traditional community read-in is about celebrating black literature and learning about how it impacts society, but it also encourages you to pick up a good book. The goal was to shine light on African American authors and encourage diversity. That's why dozens of children and adults, including Vivian Wilson, wanted to be a part of it. "I love reading African American books. I love reading our African American poets,' said Wilson. And on Sunday she read poems from her favorite writer, Maya Angelou Wilson chose the poems to send a message of unity and understanding. "We need help. We need each other and we can reach out and touch somebody's hand. Make this world a better place like Maya Angelou would've wanted and all the other African American writers," said Wilson. Wilson says there is something special about getting wrapped up in a story that can touch so many people lives. All while celebrating the past. This event had been a community tradition for more than 15 years. Wrexham Enterprise Hub supports over 170 individual in its first eight months This article is old - Published: Monday, Feb 11th, 2019 Wrexhams Enterprise Hub is celebrating a successful first eight months after playing host to over thirty events and workshops and supporting more than 170 individuals and businesses since opening. The Wrexham Enterprise Hub was officially launched by Economy and Transport Secretary Ken Skates in May 2018 and is located in the old Iceland building on Queens Square. The pilot for four other regional hubs, it is building a community of entrepreneurs who are already boosting the local economy. As well as providing a home for startups and freelancers, the Hub has also held several events, ranging from tech-focussed days such as the Google Garage workshop and the Darganfod Science Festival, through to large-scale showcases such as the Pitch@Palace event in July. The hub also hosts a Five to Nine Club for individuals who have an idea but are not yet able to give up the nine-to-five, and an Accelerator programme that fast-tracks potential high-growth businesses. In its first eight months of supporting start-ups the Hub has: Over 70 full-time members. Supported more than 170 individuals and businesses. Guided 45 businesses through its 5-9 club. Fast-tracked 7 businesses through its Accelerator programme. Run 24 workshops with 156 businesses and individuals attending. Held 48 surgeries with more than 6 commercial partners including Natwest and the Development Bank of Wales. Welcomed more than 570 people through its 7 showcase events. One of the Wrexham businesses that has based themselves at the Hub is adventure skin-care for families company, Toddle. The company was founded by Royal Air Force Officer Hannah Saunders in 2017 after she looking for a way to share her passion for the outdoors after becoming a new mother. Hannah found that many of the products available for children were not suitable for the practical challenges of outdoor activities, and so created Toddle to meet the needs of outgoing families. The business has products ranging from lip balm to sun cream and is marketed towards active, outdoor-adventure-seeking families. Toddle has hit the ground running, winning the Pitch It Wales competition and netting 100,000 of investment. Hannah has also been invited to pitch to several national stores and talks are ongoing to having her products sold within the reputable high street outlets. Speaking about the help shes received, Hannah said: The Hub is a great place to meet business associates and potential clients, and its relaxed but professional environment is the perfect mix for us. Its also great to have other businesses based there to bounce ideas off, something you just dont get at home or in a private office. After nine years in the armed forces, I left with a lot of confidence and transferable skills, but little in the way of experience or connections. The Hub and the Accelerator programme provided me with both those things in spades and everyone at Toddle is incredibly excited about the future. Community Manager at the Hub, Carl Turner said that he was proud with what the team had accomplished so far: In what feels more like eight-weeks than eight-months the Hub has made a good start establishing itself within the business community in Wrexham and surrounding areas. Weve made some incredible connections and have forged strong relationships with local stakeholders such as Glyndwr University, the Department for Work and Pension, Ty Pawb, UnDegUn, and the Centre of Excellence in Mobile and Emerging Technologies. Weve also always endeavoured to support local businesses, which is why all our events have been catered by local companies including Plat Bach, Bank St Coffee, La Baguette and the Custodial Pie Corporation. This is just the beginning for the Hub, and weve still got a lot of work to do. But with the connections and partnerships weve already made, and the businesses that have already begun to flourish, were confident our team can continue to make a difference in Wrexham. Were excited for the future of the Hub and look forward to meeting and founding more start-ups into the new year and beyond. Do you fancy spending a night locked in prison to help raise money for charity? This article is old - Published: Monday, Feb 11th, 2019 Tenovus Cancer Care is holding its first Prison Lock Up in North Wales to help raise funds for cancer patients and their families in the community. Wales leading cancer charity is looking for brave individuals and teams to spend the evening behind bars at Mold Police Station on Saturday 9th March and raise bail to be set free. North Wales Police Chief Constable Carl Foulkes is set to take part and will get to experience what its like for prisoners on the wrong side of the bars. Chief Constable Foulkes said: Being on the other side of the cell door will definitely be a new experience for me. I look forward to meeting my fellow prisoners and encourage anyone interested to get involved. As well as raising money for a worthwhile cause, you will also have the unique opportunity to experience life behind bars- and will realise why you dont want to make it a regular occurrence! Prisoners will have their finger prints and mug shots taken, be given prison clothing to wear and have all home comforts taken from them, including their mobile phones. They will be locked up in the cells from 5pm until midnight. However, they may be released early for hitting their fundraising target and for good behaviour. They will be fed prison microwaved food, be put through their paces through vigorous exercise in the dingy yard and will be questioned by the team at the station for made-up charges. It will be up to the individuals to entertain themselves until their release, however, all participants will be moved around the cells so will get to meet the other prisoners throughout the evening. Debbie Rowley, Tenovus Cancer Care Regional Fundraising Manager North Wales, said: I cant wait to bring the lock up event to North Wales. Its a fun event and the money raised really will make a difference to the lives of cancer patients and their loved ones in the community. We all know someone who should spend some time behind bars for their sins, maybe they dont make enough tea in the office, or sing too loudly in the car, so get your nominations in or sign up yourself if you fancy the challenge! The money raised through this event will help keep the charitys services running. This means that the charitys Cancer Support Advisors can continue to offer free financial advice, its Sing with Us Choirs can continue to provide support with a difference and nurses are just a phone call away, 365 days a year, for anyone affected by cancer. Please visit https://www.tenovuscancercare.org.uk/lockup to sign up. Alternatively for more information contact Debbie Rowley, debbie.rowley@tenovuscancercare.org.uk Cut to the bone? Wales Governance Centre releases report into impact of austerity on Welsh councils This article is old - Published: Monday, Feb 11th, 2019 A new report exploring the impact of austerity on Welsh councils has been published. The Wales Fiscal Analysis new research body within Cardiff Universitys Wales Governance Centre undertakes authoritative and independent research into the public finances, taxation and public expenditures of Wales. The report contains analysis of nearly a decade of austerity noting that it has significantly changed the financing and spending patterns of local authorities in Wales. It continues onto say that the overarching trend in Welsh fiscal policy over the past 10 years has been a shift towards local taxation with grant funding from the Welsh Government falling nearly a fifth in real terms from 2009-2010. Locally we have documented the debates over budget cuts and council tax rises, with a stark change in messaging from the council where previously we had grief for directly referring to cuts instead of using softer buzzwords of reshaping. However the new Chief Executive, Ian Bancroft now bluntly says there is no money in the bank for 2021. The report from Wales Governance Centre notes that the increase in council tax and other locally sourced revenue has not offset the fall in grants and net current spending on local services has been cut by over 10% per person in real terms. Their findings state: The spending areas that have been most severely affected by these cuts are planning and economic development, libraries, culture and heritage, as well as roads and transport. Even in the two better-protected areas of spending, social services and education, spending has struggled to keep up with increasing demand and costs. Spending on older adults social care per person over the age of 65 has fallen by 14.8%, while increasing numbers of primary school pupils has meant spending per pupil has fallen. The sharp increase in the number of children in care in Wales and the consequent rise in spending on childrens and families services is another example of demand pressures. Up the road in Flintshire councillors decided to get on a bus to lobby Welsh Government directly, locally Cllr Jenkins wanted a double digit rise and other councils around Wales have seen larger than palatable council tax rises. The report says their analysis indicates that large increases in council tax levels can be expected and spending on some services being cut again in real terms. When the local council funding settlement was unveiled there was lots of criticism levelled at Welsh Government from the Guildhall. At the time we asked local Assembly Member Lesley Griffiths her thoughts (read them here), where she noted: It is fair to say the Welsh Government prioritised health spending over local government. |This is an example of the difficult decisions that have to be made due to the Tory UK Governments ongoing pursuit of austerity. The new report comments on the Welsh Government policy and makes a council tax prediction: While the Welsh Government budget is set to grow over the next five years committing to increase NHS spending at the same rate as the planned increases in England would likely mean central government support for local authorities continuing to fall in real terms. To avoid making further deep cuts to unprotected areas or cutting education and social services, our projections suggest local authorities will need to keep increasing Council Tax rapidly over coming years. Local authority cuts are also detailed in terms of the reduction of staffing in a stark stat that notes over the last eight years 8,100 local government jobs have been lost in Wales, more than the combined workforce of Tata Steel, Admiral, Airbus, Transport for Wales, Ford, S.A. Brain and the Principality Building Society. With new taxation powers being placed in Cardiff Bay the report looks at possible implications and have modelled some scenarios: In contrast with the first two decades of devolution, form 2019-20 the Welsh Government will also be able to use its tax policy levers to significantly affect the size of its budget. An increase in Income Tax rates in Wales would raise additional revenue to spend on public services. By 2023-24, a 1p increase in the basic rate would raise a similar amount of revenue as an additional 2 percentage points increase to Council Tax levels each year. However, the distributional impact of this extra tax burden in each case is likely to be very different. Council Tax increases would tend to take a higher share of income from poorer households. On the other hand, given the relatively high personal allowance threshold, increases to the basic rate of Income Tax would take a larger share of income from higher-earning individuals. On a local level the debate is a message often mentioned by senior councillors over taxation and spending, and the new report also speaks of wider debate on the topic; although nothing is offered in how that takes place aside from the usual ballot box and consultation sessions that see small percentages of people actually taking part. The report states: The Welsh Government therefore faces a political decision over the use of its new fiscal powers and its existing powers over local authority budgets and taxation. It is important that policy over coming years considers devolved and local taxes jointly, and that a debate takes place over the best way to raise revenue from the Welsh tax base to pay for Welsh public services. The focus of the report is on the effects of austerity and if that were not to continue the outcomes could be different. Locally we have previously asked the most senior conservative councillor about that topic shortly after Prime Minister May indicated austerity is over. We asked Cllr Hugh Jones if he saw a corner being turned in the near future with things due to get brighter for public finances when he was discussing council budget cuts and council tax rises. Cllr Jones told us: I think given all the circumstances and given the economic crash suffered we in 2007 the overall management of the UK economy has been sound in terms of the fact we have the highest level of employment we have ever had. You dont need me to tell you that, as that is what the party will tell you, we have got the highest number of people in work we have ever had. Yes as part of that austerity local authorities have had to carry a burden. Local authorities in the UK that are directly funded will tell you that. My personal view is the time has come for austerity to be over, I think there is some evidence of that in terms of settlements for our emergency services and NHS settlements. I think the time is right to be looking forward to a brighter future. The report also includes several interesting tables and data visualisations, including this pair of maps that we have chosen to include below. You can read the full report here. Councillors to examine implications of Brexit on Wrexham 57 hours before current Brexit date This article is old - Published: Monday, Feb 11th, 2019 Councillors will be probing how prepared Wrexham is for Brexit only hours before it takes place, with their recommendation being put to the Executive Board, who will only meet after Brexit has taken place. The forward work programme for the Customers, Performance, Resources and Governance Scrutiny Committee has an item for Wednesday 27th of March titled Council Preparations for Brexit. Currently the UK Government say Brexit will be taking place a couple of days later on Friday 29th of March. Detail of the discussion for the Committee is described as: To consider a position statement on the possible implications of Brexit on the Council and its communities and details of preparations underway to address these. The expected outcome is To ensure risks to the Authority and Wrexhams communities are managed. It is unclear if the two days after the meeting will allow any identified risks to be managed in time, or why it has taken until that late in the day to examine preparedness. Due to the nature of meetings and documents at Wrexham Council it is likely the public will be aware of the documents being prepared for councillors around the 20th, however they were initially requested to be prepared in November for the March meeting. In August we asked Wrexham Council what plans it was making for Brexit, as the first reports were emerging that some authorities were expecting disruption and were told they would be working alongside the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) as Wrexham could not be considered in isolation. The WLGA announced they were offering a Brexit Transition Support Programme for Welsh local authorities thanks to 150k from the Welsh Governments EU Transition Fund. That was to pay for organisation of events (national and regional), the production of toolkits and other resources, and the commissioning of research. One of the most recent WLGA Brexit updates we can spot dates from the 25th of January and gives details of a Partnership Council meeting. The meeting discussed feedback from Local Resilience Fora with the meeting told Each LRF has submitted a list of what it sees as key civil contingency risks, and these have been collated. Issues such as dealing with potential disruption to supplies were common to all of the lists. Existing emergency plans will need to be reviewed and it was noted that disruption could be for a longer period than other types of emergency which are generally for a relatively short period. If the relevant fora for Wrexham or North Wales is the North Wales Local Resilience Forum here their latest news is from 2015 and their site has no mention of Brexit, adding to the dearth of public information on the local preparedness. ThePartnership Council meeting update goes on to explain All authorities have been undertaking preparatory work, assessing potential risks and some have had detailed reports to their Cabinets. Locally we have not seen any public Brexit related risk assessments, let alone detailed reports. There could of course be Part 2 secret meeting updates, however usually an agenda item name would point to to the topic at least, again there has been nothing we have seen. We are told by some councillors no workshops have taken place, nor information reports have been circulated, with the situation described by one when we enquired as ostrich syndrome. Wrexham Council would be encompassed in the comment in the meeting report update, All LAs are struggling though because of the uncertainty and the lack of capacity to allocate officer time to work on the subject, along with a note that 1m of funding would be required across all councils in Wales to help create a post per council to deal with Brexit. The obligatory public sector better communications note is included, The importance of good, consistent communications was discussed. The impact social media will have been noted (e.g. in potentially inflating concerns over shortages of certain supplies). Currently @WrexhamCBC has mentioned Brexit once, in June 2018 however it is possible that the traditional welsh council communication methods of conveying important information to the public via printed notices in the back pages of random editions of perpetually less read newspapers has take place. When the Scrutiny Committee meets they could follow this helpful Brexit guide from the WLGA that gives pointers to what type of questions they could be asking: Has a contingency plan been prepared for how Brexit scenarios could play out locally? Have service-specific assessments been undertaken? Are business continuity plans in place (e.g. has the potential for disruption to business-critical supply chains been assessed?) What is being done in terms of communications (internally and externally)? What plans have been made via the Public Service Board or with local public service providers and partners? Have impact assessments been undertaken on the local economy? If so, what plans are in place in response? Councillors will be likely be asked to form up their own recommendations after the meeting to put to the Executive Board meeting, which itself will take place after the current Brexit date. The in / out Referendum saw 41,544 Wrexham people voting to leave the EU and 28,822 voting to remain part of it with a whopping 71.6% turnout. Chinese designer Wang Tao works at her makeshift office for New York Fashion Week in New York, the United States, Feb. 7, 2019. [Xinhua/Wang Ying] Chinese fashion designer Wang Tao on Saturday presented her Fall/Winter 2019 collection at the ongoing New York Fashion Week, expressing her idea of eternal beauty with the usual power tailoring. The collection is inspired by two women who are in different generation groups and dress in distinct styles, Wang said on the sidelines of her namesake brand Taoray Wang's runway show. While American model Lauren Hutton symbolizes handsome and unconventional beauty in 1970s, U.S. President Donald Trump's younger daughter Tiffany is representative of millennials' favorite feminine and sexy look, she said. "True beauty is timeless," said Wang. To combine the two different styles in one collection, Wang introduces wool hats and wide-leg pants that were popular in 1970s, and asymmetric mini skirts loved by younger generation into the looks. Wang, known for her flair in using basic colors such as grey, white and black to create elegant and confident looks for career women, added different shades of yellow and blue to create more warm, bright and energetic looks. Trump, wearing a velvet dress in night blue and purple tones combined with black from the newest collection, said Wang's designs are always evolving and that the designer is able to add something special each time she comes to New York Fashion Week. Amy Zhang, partner and portfolio manager of Fred Alger Management, said "feminine and strong" is Taoray Wang's signature style and that every piece could be worn to the office. Zhang, a long-time client of Wang, was wearing a black Taoray Wang dress with pink waist detail from last season. She said the combination of black and pink and the use of the belt made her look both elegant and powerful. Wang, a graduate of East China Normal University in Shanghai, has grown from an aspiring designer to one of Asia's most successful female entrepreneurs. Since her brand made its debut in the fall of 2014, she has become a regular at the New York Fashion Week. Held in February and September, the semi-annual event is one of the four major fashion weeks in the world, collectively known as the "Big Four," along with the Paris, London and Milan fashion weeks. Chinese designer Wang Tao works at her makeshift office for New York Fashion Week in New York, the United States, Feb. 7, 2019. [Xinhua/Wang Ying] Models present creations of Taoray Wang by Chinese designer Wang Tao during the New York Fashion Week in New York, the United States, Feb. 9, 2019. [Xinhua/Wang Ying] (Source: Xinhua) Passengers check in at Zhengzhoudong Railway Station in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province, Feb. 10, 2019. China witnessed a nationwide Spring Festival travel rush on Sunday when people started to return to work places from hometowns after family gatherings as the Spring Festival holiday came to an end. [Xinhua / Feng Dapeng] Railway traffic peaked Sunday with millions of Chinese returning to work as the week-long Spring Festival holiday ends. Sunday is expected to see 12.52 million railway trips, up 3.3 percent, and the traffic peak since the Chinese New Year travel rush began about two weeks ago, according to the China Railway Corporation. About 11.11 million railway trips were made Saturday, up 4 percent year on year. Rain and snowy weather hit many regions in China during the weekend, partly shifting traffic of other means of transport to the railway. Hundreds of millions of Chinese go back to their hometowns to celebrate the Chinese New Year, creating an annual travel rush around the festival that often puts the transport system to the test. This year's Spring Festival travel rush started from Jan. 21 and will last till March 1, with railway trips expected to hit 413 million in total, up 8.3 percent. Passengers are seen at waiting room at Guiyangbei Railway Station in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 10, 2019. [Xinhua / Liu Xu] Passengers leave the platform after arriving at Fuzhou Railway Station in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Feb. 10, 2019. [Xinhua / Lin Shanchuan] (Source: Xinhua) Wu Lingshu, who was born in 1988 in Qidong, is the Nantong municipal-level inheritor of the craft of creating calico. She is deputy curator of the Nantong Calico Museum and director of the Nantong Calico Research Center (affiliated with Nantong University). During the past several decades, she has collected nearly 1,000 calico items created by folk artists. In recent years, several of her works have earned her the Mountain Flower Award, the top prize for China's folk arts. Nantong, a city in East China's Jiangsu Province, is renowned for its production of blue calico with white patterns (also referred to as white calico with blue patterns). The patterns on the cloth embody the city's distinct cultural features, and its rich historical and cultural messages. In 2006, China added the craft of creating Nantong's calico to the list of the country's items of intangible cultural heritage. During the past several decades, Wu Yuanxin, a craftsman in Qidong, a county-level city under the jurisdiction of Nantong, and his family members have made great contributions to the promotion of the traditional craft. In particular, Wu Lingshu, Wu Yuanxin's daughter, has exerted every effort to study the traditional craft, and to improve her craft-making skills. Records indicate the craft of creating Nantong's calico dates back more than 2,000 years. The craft originated during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), and it reached the height of its popularity during the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties. In the past, almost all of the families in cities in Jiangsu and Zhejiang (in East China) provinces created calico. The residents used the cloth to make quilts' covers, pillowcases, curtains, scarves, clothes and other items. As the machine-made cloth and foreign dye have sold well at home since the Republic of China (1912-1949), the handmade calico has been almost eliminated by the market. Nantong has been one of China's few production areas of calico. To make the calico, craftsmen must complete complicated procedures including spinning yarn, weaving cloth, cutting blocks (for dyeing the cloth), printing patterns on the calico and using the sap of Indigowoad Root to dye the cloth by hand. The patterns, which convey blessings for happiness and good luck, embody people's desire to enjoy the good life. In addition to characters and plants, auspicious patterns, such as a dragon and a phoenix, are printed on the cloth to represent prosperity and good luck. Other patterns include mandarin ducks, playing on water, to symbolize a devoted couple living in peace and harmony, and cranes under pine trees, to symbolize longevity. Wu Lingshu was born into a family of craftspeople in Qidong. "My father is curator of the Nantong Calico Museum. My mother was good at making embroideries. My grandma was an expert in weaving calico, and my grandpa was good at dyeing calico and printing patterns on it. For generations, our family has grown cotton, woven and dyed calico and printed patterns on it," says Wu Lingshu. Wu Lingshu remembers when she was a little girl and Wu Yuanxin took her to Shanghai during one of his business trips. After she noticed her father was absorbed in the calico, Wu Lingshu asked him if the calico was his son. Wu Yuanxin replied smilingly, "The cloth is your grandpa's grandpa." During her childhood and adolescence, Wu Lingshu spent much time in her father's museum. She witnessed how the small showroom developed into an exhibition center, with a dye house, and how it eventually became one of China's few museums of the calico-making craft. Wu Lingshu began studying, with Wu Yuanxin, how to paint when she was a little girl. When she studied in a primary school, she often helped her parents share information about calico to the museum's visitors. In 2006, Wu Lingshu was admitted to the School of Design and Arts, under Beijing Institute of Technology. During her first year at the university, she used Nantong's calico to design and create a tablecloth. In 2008, Wu Lingshu went to Seoul, capital of the Republic of Korea, to study art design at Konkuk University. She read many books on the traditional Chinese craft of creating calico. Impressed by local people's enthusiasm for promoting the traditional craft, Wu Lingshu decided to do her bit to revive the craft of creating Nantong's calico. In 2010, Wu Lingshu was admitted to the Chinese National Academy of Arts, China's only arts-related scientific research institute at the State level. After she completed her first-year postgraduate program on art design at the academy, she returned to Nantong to work as a part-time craftswoman with her father's museum. Since then, she has immersed herself in the blue-and-white world day in and day out. "Compared with machine-made cloth, our calico is softer, and our handmade products are the result of craftspeople's wisdom," says Wu Lingshu. "For years, my father has led his employees in collecting calico items created by folk artists, inheriting the calico-making craft and innovating the technical skills used to make the calico." In recent years, she has put a lot of effort into improving and innovating techniques used to create calico, to add beauty to her artworks. She has had several treatises published on the craft. In addition, she has provided, free of charge, lectures to university students in different regions of the country, to help the youngsters better understand the beauty of the art. (Source: Women of China English Monthly November 2018 issue) The World Bank needs deep reforms to reflect a changing world order The sudden resignation of World Bank President Jim Yong Kim has rekindled debate about leadership succession and the mission of the institution. The sudden resignation of World Bank President Jim Yong Kim has rekindled debate about leadership succession and the mission of the international financial institution. US president Donald Trump has nominated his preferred candidate, David Malpass, who is known for his sharp criticisms of the World Bank during his tenure as under-Secretary for International Affairs at the Treasury Department. Malpass is also known for his hostile attitude towards China and for being an advocate of protectionist policies. By nominating Malpass, Trump continues the tradition of having an American lead the multilateral body. This is an outmoded tradition that does not take into account significant changes in the global distribution of power. In particular, theres been the notable rise of emerging countries such as China. Given the substantial changes in the profiles of major economic actors, there is a need to rethink the purpose and focus of the World Bank and other multilateral institutions. The World Bank has an important role to play in the developing world. It could do much more if the US relaxed its grip on the institution. The leadership succession debate should not be merely fixated on personalities. Instead, it should be used to create space for reflection on the purpose of the multilateral body, the substantive role it should play in the future, the need to strengthen inclusive multilateralism, and the actions needed to bolster the position of emerging economies and developing countries. Deep reforms of the World Bank are necessary as part of rethinking the current world order, and giving rising powers and developing countries a meaningful voice in this institution. The history The World Bank was established in 1944. It was an initiative of the US, supported by other Western powers. It was created to lead post-World War II reconstruction and development in Europe, a role that it later played in developing countries. Historically, the World Bank has been led by an American, while the International Monetary Fund has been headed by a European. This is the function of a gentlemens agreement forged by Western powers in the post-war period. The agreement has prevented candidates from other world regions taking leadership roles. In a previous race for leadership of the World Bank, for example, the former Minister of Finance in Nigeria Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala wasnt selected. This was despite her superior credentials in the highest government echelons, in the World Bank where she previously held senior posts, and in the wider development community. Okonjo-Iweala vied for the position with Kim, former President Barack Obamas nominee. Following Kims nomination and appointment, concerns were raised about his qualifications and suitability for the job. It made a mockery of the World Banks commitment to an open, merit-based and transparent selection process. The selection process is anything but merit-based. The US has used its leadership of the World Bank to project its power and interests. Although the attitude and positioning of the World Bank has changed over the years, the institution still carries the will of the US. In recent years, the World Bank has gone through an existential crisis, with morale at an all-time low under Kims stewardship. Redefining its role The World Bank has also proved unable to redefine its purpose as a lending and developmental institution in light of the emergence of non-traditional lenders such as China. Four years ago Beijing established its own infrastructure bank, the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). It is a multilateral development bank that focuses on infrastructure financing, exactly the sort of work the World Bank does. Threatened by Chinas foray into infrastructure financing, the US has attempted to persuade its allies including Australia, Germany, France, and Britain not to participate in the AIIB. Many defied the US out of self-interest and in recognition of Chinas growing global economic clout. The US seems to be strengthening its sway over the World Bank. It appears to be intent on turning the institution into a geopolitical trench to undercut Chinas rising global influence. For example, the Trump administration has expressed misgivings about the World Bank providing loans to China. Americas blinkered approach overlooks the fact that the World Banks involvement in China provides the US with a channel for policy influence in that country. Potentially, this could keep China entrenched as a key stakeholder, rather than as a spoiler, within the liberal world order. Antagonising China could backfire and push the country away from the US-led world order. It could result in China creating its own set of alliances and institutions in ways reminiscent of the Cold War tensions between the US and Russia in the aftermath of World War 2. If the US was a confident power and serious about its commitment to strengthen multilateral institutions, it would not treat organisations such as the World Bank as if they were an extension of its government agencies. Urgent need for action Failure to adapt to the changing world order could see rising powers going their own way. Such a development would signify the emergence of multipolarity without multilateralism, and create a climate of conflicting interests and values among a diverse group of countries. To ensure this doesnt happen, reform of institutions like the World Bank is necessary. Such a process should begin with having a head of the body who doesnt come from the US and who is selected on merit. That would signal an important departure from the past. The World Bank needs a transformative leader who can refocus the institution to work with new generation multilateral development banks, development finance institutions, and other state-backed financing instruments in developing countries. All this is necessary to tackle long-standing infrastructure and other development challenges in the developing world. Malpass belongs to the old order and is ill-equipped to undertake such a task. Mzukisi Qobo, Associate Professor: International Business & Strategy, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand and Mills Soko, Professor: International Business & Strategy, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Grimes: Man Can't Use 'Trump' Nickname on Ballot By The Associated Press FRANKFORT - A Republican candidate who took the nickname "Trump" is vowing to fight to put it on Kentucky's ballot after the state's chief election official determined it was an "improper attempt" to gain an advantage in a state where the president remains popular.Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes' office said Friday that Carl Nett's name will be certified to appear on the spring primary ballot without the Trump nickname.Nett is among four Republicans running for secretary of state this year. Four Democrats are also seeking the office, but Grimes, a Democrat, cannot seek re-election because of term limits.Grimes' office said in a statement that it determined that Nett offered "this so-called nickname in an improper attempt to gain an advantage on the ballot."Nett lambasted the decision on social media, calling it "an attempt to pick winners & losers" in a Republican primary. In a phone interview earlier Friday, Nett said he was prepared to "exhaust any and all legal remedies" to have his nickname appear on the ballot.Kentucky law allows candidates to have a nickname printed on the ballot, but only if they submit an affidavit under oath attesting it is their real nickname and they are not using it to "gain an advantage on the ballot."Republican Donald Trump won Kentucky by nearly 30 percentage points in 2016 on his way to the White House, winning all but two of the state's 120 counties.Nett's affidavit, which was signed by several other people, says he was such an enthusiastic early supporter of Trump's presidential campaign that "establishment Republicans" began calling him "Trump" derisively. Since then, Nett said he has embraced the nickname to the point that people who attend Republican events often yell "Trump!" when he enters the room.Michael Adams, another Republican candidate for secretary of state, wrote to Grimes last month urging her to use her discretion under law to keep Nett's Trump nickname off the ballot.Reacting to Grimes' decision Friday, Adams said: "Kentucky law prohibits use of a 'spurious' nickname 'to gain an advantage on the ballot.' No candidate running to be our chief election official should attempt a fraud upon the voters."Nett denounced it as an "11th hour ruling," and said he was not given an opportunity to respond to the "unilateral decision to remove my legitimate, bona fide nickname from the ballot."On Monday, Grimes will certify candidates' names for the printing of the primary election ballot. The state's Republican and Democratic primaries are May 21. Nineteen-year-old Ernest Atwood Jr., of Princeton was already in Hopkins County Jail on Tuesday, but has now been charged with murder in the death of Lisa Pace of Eddyville. PHOTO:Kentucky State Police, Courtesy Princeton Man Gets 65 Years For Relative's Murder By West Kentucky Star Staff EDDYVILLE - A Princeton man who pleaded guilty last month to a murder charge in the death of an Eddyville woman will spend the next 65 years of his life behind bars.Court records show Judge C.A. "Woody" Woodall denied 20-year-old Ernest Atwood's motion on Friday to withdraw his previous guilty plea in the May 2017 shooting death of 51-year-old Lisa Pace.Woodall sentenced Atwood to 65 years in prison.Police said Atwood told them he shot Pace following an argument over pills. Atwood and Pace were distant relatives.On the Net: Graves Inmate Charged with Promoting Contraband By West Kentucky Star Staff GRAVES COUNTY - A man already jailed in Graves County is facing a new charge. According to Graves County Jailer George Workman, jailers were conducting a spot check on a cell inside the jail Friday night when they found several items of paraphernalia inside the cell. The items included lighters, extra mats for bunks, extra blankets, a metal shower curtain rod that had been modified into a weapon and a homemade tattoo gun with ink. Workman said an investigation was conducted and the items were found to belong to an inmate by the name of Brian Howard. Howard was charged with promoting contraband. Howard was serving time on charges of failure to comply with the sex offender registry, fleeing and evading police and resisting arrest. Double-Murder Suspect Arraigned in Calloway County By West Kentucky Star Staff MURRAY - The man charged with the murder of two women Thursday night in Murray appeared in court on Monday.According to the Calloway Circuit Court Clerk, 51-year-old Shannon Scott was arraigned and bond remains at $2 million.The judge scheduled a preliminary hearing for 9:30 am on February 20.However, the next Calloway County Grand Jury is set to convene on Friday, and they could hear the case against Scott. For now, he's charged with two counts of murder, and one count each of first-degree burglary, tampering with physical evidence and animal cruelty.Police say Scott forced his way into the home on Catalina Drive where his girlfriend, 37-year-old Tera Todd, lived with and took care of 77-year-old Evelyn Scott. Police told KFVS-TV that it appears Shannon Scott stabbed Todd several times, then slit Evelyn Scott's throat and strangled a small dog that belonged to one of the women.Todd reportedly fled the home and went for help at a neighbor's home, but collapsed near their garage. Police were called to the scene when she was discovered, and when they went next door they found Evelyn Scott dead, and Shannon Scott in the bathroom with blood on his hands.Shannon and Evelyn Scott are not related, according to police. Crash in Mayfield Leaves Man Injured, Arrested By West Kentucky Star Staff MAYFIELD - A man faces drug and DUI charges following a crash in Mayfield. The Mayfield Police Department says 33-year-old Jason T. Blythe, of Mayfield, was driving south on Paducah Road when he crashed his car into a utility pole at the entrance to Pocket's Shell. Blythe was taken to Jackson Purchase Medical Center for treatment of his injuries. Blythe was charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs, criminal mischief, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was lodged in the Graves County Jail. Rollover Crash Injures Two; Driver Cited By West Kentucky Star Staff MCCRACKEN COUNTY - Two people were injured and the driver cited following a single-vehicle crash in McCracken County Sunday night.According to the McCracken County Sheriff's Office, the wreck happened at approximately 11:15 pm in the 6600 block of Kentucky Dam Road. Deputies said the vehicle of 29-year-old Aaron Laffoon, of Calvert City hydroplaned, and crossed over the oncoming lane. The vehicle struck a tree and rolled over. After crossing several yards, the vehicle came to rest right side up. A passenger, 30-year-old Robyn Green-Laffoon, also of Calvert City, had to be removed from the vehicle by mechanical means. Both were transported to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries. Deputies said weather and alcohol are believed to be contributing factors in the crash. Aaron Laffoon was issued a citation for failure to maintain required insurance. Police say additional charges are pending. Crash on Clarks River Bridge Kills One Driver By West Kentucky Star Staff MCCRACKEN COUNTY - One driver was killed and another was taken to an out-of-state hospital after a crash Monday morning on the the Clarks River Bridge.The McCracken County Sheriff's Department says they responded to Benton Road just after 7:30 am. Their preliminary investigation shows that a vehicle driven by 23-year-old Tanner Howard of Paducah drifted across the center line and into the path of a vehicle driven by 63-year-old Sandra Cash of Paducah, and a head-on collision occurred.Howard was pronounced dead at the scene, and Cash was taken to Mercy Health-Lourdes Hospital, then transferred to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville for further treatment.The road remained closed for about three hours while responders were on the scene and a crash reconstruction investigation was conducted.The sheriffs office was assisted on scene by Reidland-Farley Fire Department, McCracken County DES, Mercy Ambulance Service, McCracken County Coroners Office, and Speedys Wrecker Service.Original Story:A McCracken County highway blocked due to a fatal crash Monday morning has reopened.The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says both lanes of KY 284/Old Benton Rd were blocked at the Clarks River Bridge due to a fatal multi-vehicle crash during the early morning hours. The McCracken County Sheriff's Department reopened the road shortly before 11 a.m.The road remained closed for several hours while responders worked the crash scene and a crash reconstruction investigation was conducted.Authorities have not yet released any more details about the accident. Fort Polk, LA (71446) Today A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. A few passing clouds. Low 74F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. A few passing clouds. Low 74F. Winds light and variable. February 8th, 2019 - Saint Etienne, France Indie French developer COWCAT is pleased to announce that "Riddled Corpses EX" is coming to Nintendo Switch! This old school twin-stick shooter will be available in America and Europe on the Nintendo E-Shop on March 2nd, 2019 for a recommended price of 9,99 . Pre-order is available right now! Trailer : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYKisPJszWk Nintendo Switch features : Joy-Con and Pro Controller supported Coop play possible with a single joycon for each player TV and handheld modes 17 in-game achievements to unlock Riddled Corpses EX is a twin-stick shooter reminiscent of 80/90's arcade games with fast action and fun gameplay. This is a remaster by COWCAT of Diabolical Mind's first game exclusively for consoles. The new version features many improvements, including 60 FPS, a whole new story mode with cutscenes, a clearer interface, much less grinding, characters with stats, new enemies AI, a new soundtrack... It features old-school gameplay, pixel art and quality chiptune music. ### Contact information : ----------------------- COWCAT is a one-man company owned by Fabrice Breton. Official site : http://www.cowcatgames.com/ Email : [email protected] BECKY FLETCHER is a Editor in Chief for The Vidette. Contact her at rlflet1@ilstu.edu Followe on Twitter at @becky__fletcher IF YOU SUPPORT THE VIDETTE MISSION of providing a training laboratory for Illinois State University student journalists to learn and sharpen viable, valuable and marketable skills in all phases of print and digital media, please consider contributing to this most important cause. Thank you. ANDREW DOUGHERTY is News Editor for The Vidette. Contact him at vidette_addough@ilstu.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @addough IF YOU SUPPORT THE VIDETTE MISSION of providing a training laboratory for Illinois State University student journalists to learn and sharpen viable, valuable and marketable skills in all phases of print and digital media, please consider contributing to this most important cause. Thank you. MIKE SMITH is a News Reporter for The Vidette. He can be reached at msmit13@ilstu.edu. Follow him on Twitter @Agora_180 IF YOU SUPPORT THE VIDETTE MISSION of providing a training laboratory for Illinois State University student journalists to learn and sharpen viable, valuable and marketable skills in all phases of print and digital media, please consider contributing to this most important cause. Thank you. JASMYNE LEE is a News Reporter for The Vidette. She can be contacted at jslee16@ilstu.edu IF YOU SUPPORT THE VIDETTE MISSION of providing a training laboratory for Illinois State University student journalists to learn and sharpen viable, valuable and marketable skills in all phases of print and digital media, please consider contributing to this most important cause. Thank you. UW Counseling Honor Society to Develop Training for Rural Mental Health Practitioners The University of Wyomings Mu Nu Tau chapter of Chi Sigma Iota International, the honor society for professional counselors, recently was awarded a statewide regional networking grant from the organization, in partnership with the chapter at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). The chapters will work together to develop a series of webinars that will allow counseling practitioners in rural areas to continue their training and education after completing their graduate programs. This is the second year the UW and UNC chapters have been awarded the grant. The foundations of the partnership were laid last year, when the UNC chapter approached UW, home of the highly regarded Rocky Mountain Center of Play Therapy Studies, to collaborate on a play therapy workshop in Colorado. UW obliged, and several counseling students participated in the event. The workshop was a success, but many counselors across Wyoming and Colorado who are based in rural areas far from the UNC campus were unable to benefit from training. The distance and cost associated with continuing education can make it challenging for rural mental health professionals to expand the clinical services they provide to their clients. In comparison to practitioners in urban areas, rural practitioners experience less funding and resources for professional development. Thus, many practitioners cannot afford to travel to bigger trainings and conferences, says Alanna E. Pengilly, of Watertown, S.D., a masters degree student in the community health mental counseling program at UW. We want to offer an affordable alternative that provides relevant professional development to increase representation and diversity in professional development for practitioners in rural areas. To help alleviate the hindrance of distance, the UW and UNC chapters explored options to provide training that would be more accessible to individuals located in rural areas. The team decided webinars would be the best way to maximize its reach and offer training to as many mental health professionals as possible. Our state counseling organization conducted a statewide needs assessment about what support mental health professionals in Wyoming need. Overwhelmingly, they requested more web-based training available across the state, says Amanda DeDiego, assistant professor in the UW College of Educations School of Counseling, Leadership, Advocacy and Design, and faculty adviser to UWs Chi Sigma Iota International chapter. In response to this need, we are partnering with UNC to offer a series of webinars focused on issues relevant to counselors working in rural areas. Students in each chapter will work in conjunction with the Wyoming Counseling Association and Colorado Counseling Association to ensure practitioners are able to use the webinar trainings for licensure and National Board for Certified Counselors continuing education. They plan to develop two webinars that focus on relevant topics for rural mental health practitioners, such as trauma, crisis, substance use, clinical supervision and ethics. The UW and UNC chapters will work separately to develop one webinar each. Continued training is necessary for counselors and other mental health professionals, as the field is ever-evolving. The students hope the webinars will negate these barriers and empower rural mental health professionals to provide critical services to their clients. The field of counseling continues to change as new research is being published and more knowledge is learned about humans, especially around diversity and social justice, says Michelle Saltis, a counselor education and supervision doctoral student at UNC. It is imperative for counselors to stay up to date about the latest best practices, treatment methods, ethics and overall ways to be inclusive and address diversity and social justice. An additional benefit of the webinars is that the participants will gain new connections to a support system of peers who experience similar struggles in their rural practices. Counselors in rural communities can feel isolated, DeDiego says. I hope that, through these webinars, counselors are able to get critical training that will help better inform their practice with community members, and also hear that they are not alone -- and that the professional community values their work and the important role they play in our state. The team of students hopes to have the webinars completed and ready to offer to practitioners in late spring. The goal is to be able to offer the trainings for $25 or less to make them accessible to as many mental health professionals as possible. If you are a rural mental health professional interested in participating in the webinars to gain new skills, contact DeDiego via email at adediego@uwyo.edu. Activism 101 Panel Discussion at UW Feb. 19 The University of Wyomings Service, Leadership and Community Engagement (SLCE) office and the Good Mule Project will host an Activism 101 panel discussion Tuesday, Feb. 19, at 5 p.m. in the Wyoming Union West Ballroom. The event is free and open to UW students, staff and faculty. Social justice activists working on a variety of issues will talk about different ways students can get involved in the community. For more information about the Good Mule Project, visit www.uwyo.edu/union/slce/community-engagement/good-mule-project.html. For more information about SLCE, visit www.uwyo.edu/union/slce/, like the SLCEs Facebook page, or follow SLCE on Twitter and Instagram @uwyoslce. (Feb. 11, 2019) -- To cultivate a zero-tolerance environment for all forms of sexual assault and misconduct at UTSA, President Taylor Eighmy today announced the Presidents Initiative on Preventing Sexual Assault and Misconduct. Building on several past initiatives that led to the creation of the UTSA Office of Student Advocacy, Violence Prevention and Empowerment last year, this new initiative framework elevates university-wide efforts to foster a campus environment that is safe for all Roadrunners to study, work and live. Led by Interim Dean of Students LT Robinson, the Presidents Initiative on Preventing Sexual Assault and Misconduct is a wide-ranging endeavor with task forces designated to tackle various aspects of this critical work. At the outset, they include: Programming and Outreach Students, faculty and staff members on the Violence Prevention Action Team are already working to create a new slate of programs for the campus community. These include enhanced Orientation programming for incoming students and a peer educators cohort, among others. To support this work, UTSA has joined with 37 other colleges and universities in the Culture of Respect Collective, a rigorous two-year program designed to help institutions improve their approaches to addressing sexual violence on their campuses. Students, faculty and staff members on the Violence Prevention Action Team are already working to create a new slate of programs for the campus community. These include enhanced Orientation programming for incoming students and a peer educators cohort, among others. To support this work, UTSA has joined with 37 other colleges and universities in the Culture of Respect Collective, a rigorous two-year program designed to help institutions improve their approaches to addressing sexual violence on their campuses. Training and Development This task force will develop an expansive set of sexual assault/misconduct educational opportunities for UTSA students, faculty and staff. Existing campus trainings will be reviewedand new ones exploredto identify the most effective ways to equip Roadrunners with tools for prevention and bystander intervention. Continuing to develop an understanding of these issues is fundamental to becoming a more inclusive, welcoming and safe campus. This task force will develop an expansive set of sexual assault/misconduct educational opportunities for UTSA students, faculty and staff. Existing campus trainings will be reviewedand new ones exploredto identify the most effective ways to equip Roadrunners with tools for prevention and bystander intervention. Continuing to develop an understanding of these issues is fundamental to becoming a more inclusive, welcoming and safe campus. Data Governance and Reporting Several units across the university collect information on sexual assault and misconduct incidents to fulfill various legal requirements for reporting. This task force will connect these efforts through a data governance structure to improve clarity, consistency and transparency, allowing the university to better quantify trends and track progress. An initiative steering committee will create additional pathways for institutional systemic and culture change. A critical part of its work will be to evolve this initiative by creating action plans based on the findings of a forthcoming Title IX Office external review and sexual assault allegations investigation. These reports will inform the work of Suzanne Patrick, the new UTSA director of Equal Opportunity Services and Title IX Coordinator. Both reports will be shared with the campus community when they are complete, and the findings and recommendations will be addressed as soon as possible. Additionally, imminent changes on the national and state levelsincluding the U.S. Department of Educations proposed Title IX reforms and the 20 bills addressing sexual assault filed by Texas State lawmakersmay call for further action plans. This is not easy work, and culture change does not happen overnight. But I am highly encouraged by the unwavering commitment of UTSAs leadership, by the work that is already underway and by the students, faculty and staff who have raised their voices in support of tackling these issues head-on, said Eighmy. I believe wholeheartedly in UTSAs ability to serve as a model learning community, where our core values of respect, integrity and inclusivity are evident in everything we do, and where every individual has the opportunity to thrive. The summit will include a community engaged poster session where UTSA students and faculty will showcase their community-engaged projects. (Feb. 11, 2019) -- UTSA students, faculty and staff will join members of the San Antonio community to explore civic engagement ideas during the fourth annual Civic Engagement Summit. Hosted by the UTSA Center for Civic Engagement, the free summit runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 12 in the H-E-B Student Union Ballrooms (HSU 1.104/1.106) on the UTSA Main Campus and includes panel discussions, workshops and dialogue about San Antonios and UTSAs civic engagement impact. The 2019 Annual Civic Engagement Summit fosters a creative space for dialogue, capacity building and the strengthening of community partnerships for collective design and impact. This years theme is Transforming my Empowerment into Community Action. Speakers will share their experiences of working in the public sector. >> Register for the summit Preparing tomorrows civic leaders is a priority for UTSA as it strives to be an exemplary urban serving university of excellence in support of President Taylor Eighmys vision for UTSA. Working with the community can better prepare our students to be the civic leaders of tomorrow, and creates the opportunity for them to weave their educational experience at UTSA with experiential community-engaged learning experiences, said Heather Shipley, vice provost for academic affairs and dean of University College. The summit will open with a panel discussion from members of local organizations that are making a difference in the community. Panelists include 2019 San Antonio Peace Laurette Patricia Castillo, P.E.A.C.E. Initiative; Brad Mayhar, Salvation Army; Graciela Sanchez, Esperanza Peace and Justice Center; and Pamela Riles, The DoSeum. Morning workshops will highlight topics in civic engagement such as Compassionate San Antonios How to Engage without Disengaging. UTSA College of Public Policy alumnus Drew Galloway 14, and Honors College alumnus Raven Douglas 18 from MOVE Texas will lead From URL to IRL: Transforming Digital Engagement to Impactful Community Engagement. The afternoon panel will feature UTSA students and alumni discussing how UTSA is Building the Next Generation of Community Leaders. Other summit features include: The Young Nonprofit Professionals panel, Using Your Story to Change the World SA Rises discussion, The Power of Civic Engagement in our Schools. UTSA Dreamers Resource Center Assistant Director Courtney Balderas-Jacob presentation on campus programming and discuss ways to get involved with the center presentation on campus programming and discuss ways to get involved with the center UTSA communications student Jareed Max Edmons workshop on the importance of oral history and community engagement. Those interested in participating in a CivicTech focus group can attend a CityFlag session led by co-founder Alberto Gomez. He is part of the team that developed the City of San Antonio 311SA application that connects residents with city departments to report non-emergency issues and promotes civic engagement using technology. Rogelio Saenz, endowed professorship in the UTSA College of Public Policy, will moderate the Civic Engagement Summit luncheon with featured keynote speaker Jordana Barton, a champion in the area of community development finance, financial literacy and digital inclusion. Barton is the senior advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and the recipient of the Federal Policy Champion Award by the Coalition for Local Internet Choice and the Community Broadband Hero of the Year. The summit will also include a community engaged poster session where UTSA students and faculty will showcase their community-engaged projects. To celebrate the universitys 50th anniversary, UTSA Libraries will host an exhibit to share iconic civic moments of the past 50 years in the H-E-B Student Union Galleria located outside the ballroom doors. UTSA students serve more than 10,000 community impact hours a year in a wide variety of causes such as community building, working with children and youth services, advocacy, education, poverty, food insecurity and other areas. The 2021 USA Cycling Professional Road National Championships came to Knoxville on Father's Day weekend. This is the fourth year for Knoxville to host the U.S. Pro Road and Individual Time Trial Championships and the third year to host the U.S. Pro Criterium Championships. UTs Clarence Brown Theatre is currently putting on a production of the future history drama King Charles III. The play follows Prince Charles of Wales reign after the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the troubles he encounters while dealing with the potential passing of a new bill. 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 Miller County, Missouri Sheriff's Office(COLUMBIA, Mo.) -- Police charged a jail nurse in Missouri with murder after she allegedly poisoned her husband and tried to cover it up by setting their home on fire -- all in a bid to marry an inmate. Amy Murray was arrested on Thursday in connection with the December death of her husband, Joshua Murray, who she allegedly set on fire and poisoned with antifreeze, according to a probable cause statement. She allegedly set the couple's bedroom on fire and left with her 11-year-old son and dogs to go to McDonald's, according to the statement. As an alibi, Murray said she found the house on fire when she returned and the smoke was too heavy for her to go inside, according to a probable cause statement. Police said the fire was set intentionally and autopsy results indicated that Joshua Murray died before the fire began, according to the Miller County Sheriff's Office. Miller County Sheriff Louie Gregoire said they didn't believe the suspect's story. "It looked suspicious. The sheriff's office detectives came in with the fire marshal's office department and started investigating it and continued from their," Gregoire told Columbia ABC affiliate KMIZ-TV. "Basically what held up is we were waiting for the autopsy report." After investigating the incident, police discovered that Amy Murray, a nurse at a correctional center in Jefferson City, Missouri, had an intimate relationship with an inmate, who she planned to marry, according to recorded phone conversations. "During the phone calls, Amy Murray talks about not wanting to be around her husband, Joshua Murray, and was wanting a divorce from him," the probable cause statement. "Amy Murray talks about wanting Joshua Murray to come home from Nebraska and she is tired of being around him." She also mentioned that the two could now get married because her husband was dead, the statement said. The Miller County Sheriff's Office charged Amy Murray with first-degree murder, second-degree arson, tampering with physical evidence and armed criminal action. She was released on a $750,000 bond from the Miller County Adult Detention Center in Tuscumbia, Missouri. She's scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 13. Her attorney did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved New Delhi, Feb 8 (UNI) India and Bangladesh on Friday agreed on the need to 'expedite' safe and sustainable repatriation of the displaced Rohingyas from Rakhine state of Myanmar. The broad agreement to this effect was arrived at the 5th Joint Consultative Commission meeting between two foreign Ministers Sushma Swaraj and her visiting Bangladeshi counterpart A K Abdul Momen. At the meeting held here, External Affairs Minister Ms Swaraj expressed appreciation for the humanitarian gesture shown by Bangladesh in "supporting a large number of displaced persons" from the Rakhine region of Myanmar and "assured" the Foreign Minister of Indias continued support for safe, speedy and sustainable return of the displaced persons to Myanmar. According to a joint press release here, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Mr Momen conveyed the gratitude of Government of Bangladesh for the humanitarian assistance provided by India in four tranches since September 2017 to help meet the requirements of the displaced persons from Myanmar. "The two Ministers agreed on the need to expedite safe and sustainable repatriation of the displaced people from Rakhine State of Myanmar," the release said. During the meeting, the Ministers discussed the gamut of bilateral issues of mutual interest. They reviewed ongoing cooperation including the implementation of decisions taken during the visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, as well as at the last meeting of Joint Consultative Commission meet in October 2017, in Dhaka. The Ministers expressed satisfaction that both countries are working closer "than ever before" in every sector, from security and border management to mutually-beneficial trade and investment flows, power and energy, river water sharing, development partnership, transport connectivity, culture, people-to-people contacts. Both the leaders welcomed the fact that the relationship was now broadening to include new and high technology areas for partnership, such as space, nuclear energy, IT and electronics. In particular, both the ministers desired that partnership-building efforts should be enhanced in a manner commensurate with commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's Liberation. Three MoUs or Agreements were inked to further strengthen the existing multifaceted cooperation between the two countries. Thet were - MoU on mid-career training of 1800 Bangladesh civil servants,; MoU between AYUSH and the Ministry of Health of Bangladesh on cooperation in the field of medicinal plants and an MoU between Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of India. An MoU was also signed between Hiranandani Group and Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority to facilitate investments in the Indian Economic Zone at port Mongla in Bangladesh. UNI DEVN RSA 1625 More than 150 Myanmar Buddhists take shelter at Bangladesh border Dhaka, Feb 11 (UNI) More than 150 Buddhists from Myanmar have taken shelter in tents along the zero line of the border with Bangladeshs hilly district Bandarban. The displaced people, including women and children, gathered near Choikhyong Parha of the Bangladesh side on Feb 4, according to local journalist Shwai Hla Sein Marma. The people from Rakhine, Khumi and Khao ethnic groups are being given food by those of Bom in Bangladesh. They say they have fled fighting between the Myanmar security forces and rebels of Arakan Army group in Chin and Rakhine states, bdnews24.com reported. Once upon a time, there was a legion of noble innovators in the Arab states. They faced many challenges, such as how to provide services for everyone across their lands, how to prevent conflict, and how to use new and emerging tools and technologies not to isolate, but to bring everyone together. Every day, these innovators saddled up their horses and journeyed forth to slay these dragons. They explored new paths, they experimented with new strategies, and made new alliances. Along the way, they met people from all walks of life and from the farthest reaches of their lands, and discovered many new and unexpected ways of defeating these monsters. Our innovators lamented the fact that the stories of their adventures were not being shared. Not because they wanted glory, but because they very much wanted those who followed after them to learn from their hard-fought battles and not to make the same mistakes they had made. They ruminated: When we began our journeys, how did we know which way to go? How did we find the courage to blaze new trails? From those who came before us, of course. So, they thought; "should we draw a map covering all the paths we have discovered? Should we have the town crier share our journeys?" No, they thought; "we should tell our own stories". And so it was decreed. Tapping a rich tradition The Arab states have a rich tradition of storytelling as a form of communication, for sharing knowledge, and instilling culture. There is a strong history of storytellers, or hakawatys recounting tales of legends, kings, warriors, and heroes from noble families. The UNDP Innovation team is giving this a modern twist with a new podcast, the Colour of Innovation. It tells the stories of contemporary innovation champions in their quest for approaching development differently. Through a six-episode series, you will hear about these modern-day champions and the dragons they are facing, the paths they are taking, and the tools they are using. You will hear from, for example, Khaled in Yemen, telling us how he designed a filter that's making clean water accessible and affordable. You will hear from Leila in Lebanon who is using a popular messaging platform to better understand and respond to tensions between communities. By returning to the tradition of storytelling, UNDP aims to document the journeys of innovators, outlining their detours, derailments and dead ends, along with their lessons, insights and successes. Leading the way With openness and sharing, we aim to take innovation from a buzzword to a tangible and accessible strategy for others to pursue. We hope that these stories will encourage others to follow a similar path or inspire them to create their own paths, sparked by experiences of innovators all across our region. Just because we have new technologies doesnt mean we have to eliminate traditional methods. The podcast presents an example of how innovation can be understood from different angles and how we can experiment with format and delivery to appeal to the new heroes and leaders who will win the battles of the future. Colour of Innovation will be available in English and Arabic on all major podcasting platforms. Subscribe on iTunes, GooglePlay, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. This link will take you to UNDPs "Colour of Innovation" YouTube page, where you will find short videos of colleagues, partners and some unusual suspects talking about what the colour of innovation is, or could be! Create your own video and send these to your networks or to us at innovator.support@undp.org and we'll make sure to include it on our page. We thank UNDP offices in Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan, Tunisia, and Yemen for contributions from colleagues and partners,and for your continuing dedication to doing development differently and telling stories about it! We also thank our partner, Sowt Podcasting, a new podcasting platform for the Arab world, for producing the series. A sign displays the former name Feb. 7 of the newly renamed Margaret Clark Hall. Weekly Corporate Event Highlights Staying on top of corporate events is critical for any investment firm. Here are the selected events from Wall Street Horizon impacting the most widely held securities scheduled for this week. Mon 2/11/2019 Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS): Presenting at Credit Suisse 20th Annual Financials Services Forum 2019 SAP SE (SAP_DE): EPM Leadership Summit 2019 Airbus SE (AIR_NL): Presenting at Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance (PNAA) Conference 2019 Strauss Group Ltd. (STRS_IL): Shareholder Meeting Tue 2/12/2019 Kering SA (KER_FR): CONFIRMED Next Earnings Date for H2 2018 Schlumberger Ltd (SLB): Ex Date for Quarterly dividend of $0.500 Alphabet Inc. CL C (GOOG): Presenting at Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference 2019 Wed 2/13/2019 CSL Ltd. (CSL_AU): CONFIRMED Next Earnings Date for H1 2019 Charles Schwab Corp. (SCHW): Ex Date for Quarterly dividend of $0.170 Union Pacific Corp. (UNP): Presenting at Stifel Transportation and Logistics Conference 2019 Thu 2/14/2019 Eni SPA (E): Board of Directors Meeting Nestle S.A. (NESN_CH): CONFIRMED Next Earnings Date for H2 2018 Royal Dutch Shell Class A (RDSA_GB): Ex Date for Quarterly dividend of $0.470 Novartis (NOVN_CH): Presenting at Guggenheim Healthcare Talks Idea Forum Oncology Day The Coca-Cola Company (KO): The Coca-Cola Company Conference Call to address Financial Modeling-Related Questions Fri 2/15/2019 Electricite de France SA (EDF_FR): CONFIRMED Next Earnings Date for H2 2018 (-): US-DWH - Double Witching Hour - US Options For more information on related topics, visit the following channels: For the 14th consecutive year, the Spring of Culture Festival returns in a new cultural season full of activities that cater to various tastes, interests and age groups and underscore Bahrains position as a leading regional and global cultural hub. Details of this seasons agenda were announced at a joint press conference organised on February 11 in Al-Hidaya Al-Khalifiya School in Muharraq by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA), Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research (SECCR), in collaboration with Albareh Art Gallery and La Fontaine Centre for Contemporary Art. The latest season of the festival comes as part of BACAs year-long celebrations of Bahrains achievements under the slogan From Jubilee to Another- A Year of Celebrations. Attending the press conference were BACA president Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa and EDB CEO Khalid Al-Rumaihi, as well as several diplomats and ambassadors, festival sponsors, cultural personalities and media members. Speaking on the occasion, Shaikha Mai said: We announce the 14th edition of the Spring of Culture from Al-Hidaya Al-Khalifiya School, a beacon which reflects Bahrains social, economic and cultural advancements. The school is one of the landmarks of this years celebrations of our national achievements under the slogan From One Jubilee to Another- A Year of Celebrations, as this year marks its 100th anniversary, she added. She went on to note that the festival, which runs for more than two months, is a continuation of the nations journey of cultural achievements and meeting of civilizations, with a full-fledged and diverse schedule of literary, musical, artistic, and theatrical activities. Expressing his appreciation for the efforts of the public and private sector sponsors of the Spring of Culture Festival, Al Rumaihi said: The rise in sponsorship of the Spring of Culture festival year after year reflects the keenness of all stakeholders to establish Bahrain as a regional and global cultural centre. Over its past editions, the two-month festival has consolidated its reputation as an important cultural gathering that brings events and personalities from all over the world to Bahrain and enriches the local cultural movement. Gold Sponsors of the 2019 Spring of Culture include GFH Financial Group, National Bank of Bahrain and Tamkeen and Batelco, while Silver Sponsors include Alba, Bahrain Airport Company, Bahrain Duty Free, Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait, and Huawei, and supported by Gulf Air. Also, special thanks to the embassies of Italy, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany and Egypt who are taking part in the program. As is in every year, the Spring of Cultural programme of activities that will be hosted by a broad range of local cultural, historical and architectural landmarks will commence on February 25 in conjunction with Arab Tourism Day, an occasion which was adopted when Manama was the Capital of Arab Tourism in 2013 to mark the birthday of the great Arab traveller Ibn Battuta. Exhibitions This year's festival season features numerous art exhibitions, starting with the 45th Bahrain Fine Arts Exhibition which takes place at the Arena Tent at the Ritz Carlton Bahrain Hotel in Manama and highlights the works of various Bahraini and expat artists in the kingdom until March 30. The Bahrain National Museum meanwhile will host three exhibitions: "Design Crossroads: The Jewellery of Saudi Arabia", the "Golden Jubilee Celebration of Bahraini Diplomacy" and the "Bahrain National Museum: A 30th Anniversary Retrospective" which will conclude on April 3, April 13 and May 15, respectively. The Memory of the Place - Bin Matar House will host the exhibition "CERN in Bahrain", a showcase of the wonderful world of physics and secrets of the universe that runs until May 8. From February 19 to March 9, Albareh Art Gallery will host the fine arts exhibition "Nostalgia" highlighting the glass creations of Artist Jamal Al-Yousif that reflect the "subconscious warmth that one feels from nostalgia". "Pathways" by the Artist Rasmi Al-Khafaji, from March 1231, features monochromatic watercolours that reveal the final hitherto unknown outcomes of the painting process. From March 330, The Art Centre will host "Noor", an exhibition by Artist Marwa Rashid Al Khalifa that takes the public on a journey of her incredible paintings, photography and light installations. The La Fontaine Centre presents the Turkish exhibition "Spark!" from March 16 to April 15 which displays the works of Ali Abayoglu, an artist who sees beauty in what others deem to be rubbish and transforms these objects into charming and vibrant artworks using mundane materials. The Bahrain National Theatre will host an exhibition of its own from March 7 to May 5 that allows audiences to witness the beauty of the traditional Korean costume known as the Hanbok. Studio 244, a joint initiative between the Supreme Council for the Environment and BACA will transform Arad Bay Protected Area and Park into an open space for multiple activities. Music, Song and Shows The Spring of Culture Festival is replete with song, music and theatre performances, including Scheherazade at the Bahrain National Theatre on February 25, a Russian ballet inspired by the tales of 1,001 Nights and first performed by one of the most influential ballet groups of the 20th century. The Bahrain Theatre will also host a musical evening Alongside You honouring the journey of the Bahraini icon Khalid Al Shaikh featuring the Bahrain Music Band and led by maestro Khalifa Zaiman, as well as a performance of Don Giovanni and the music of maestro Rene Jacobs performed by the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Bahraini folk music is also very much present in this edition of the festival, where, starting from February 28, the Mohammed Bin Fares Hall for Fan Al-Sout in Muharraq will host the Mohammed Bin Fares Band in weekly evening concerts held every Thursday that highlight the song heritage of diving, pearls, weddings and happy occasions. Dar Al-Riffa will also highlight the areas local heritage on March 2, 16, 30 and April 13 and 27, while Dar Al-Muharraq will celebrate the various chants of the unique fjiri musical genre on March 9 and 23 and April 6 and 20. The Cultural Hall, in turn, is set to host a multicultural series of live performances, including a taste of quintessential Italian sounds by the Hathor Plectrum Quartet and tenor Aldo Gallone on March 14, while the Miyabi Ensemble showcases Japans signature Taiko drums and other traditional instruments such as the shinobue in two concerts on March 3 and 4. All performances will take place at 8:00 pm. In addition, the Cultural Hall will host a journey through the traditions of Azeri, Kurdish, Syrian and Armenian music by the Haidouti Orkestar on March 7. Then on March 14, Germanys Arcis Saxophon Quartet pays tribute to the great masters of music, followed by Ahmed Effat will pay homage to Abdel Halim Hafez on March 21 accompanied by the Arabic Music Ensemble. The Cultural Hall concert series continues with American pianist Steven Lin on March 22 and his virtuoso performance of classic works of masters such as Beethoven, Liszt and Schumann. On March 29, Scott Booth presents his unique style of complex rhythms on the six-string guitar. Finally, on April 2, audience will be treated to an audio-visual feast by Korean fusion band Queens unique blend of traditional and contemporary elements. At the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research, young Azerbaijani Artist Ghochag Askarov will perform alongside three musicians a showcase of Azerbaijans Sufi music, while artist Macadi Nahhas will sing select classics that highlight Arab and Oriental music heritage. The festival also features a series of concerts organised by the Economic Development Board that will be held at purpose-built open-air theatre in Bahrain Bay headlined by several Bahraini, Arab and international artists. The line-up includes Majid Al Muhandis and Sherine Abdel-Wahab (March 14), Playing for Change Band concert (March 16), "Mr. Adam" performed by Almaty Symphony Orchestra (March 22 and 23), and many others. The Bahrain Fort also has a share in this years festival as it hosts the interactive "Sound and Light" display every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday to shed light on the history of the ancient site from the Dilmun civilization to today. La Fontaine Centre will also host a music and dance show of its own entitled "Tango Dancing" on March 15. Literary, intellectual, and cultural lectures The Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research will lead the slate of literary and intellectual events of the festival. The programme includes lectures by Jihad Al-Zein on the transformations of Arab political culture (February 26), Dr. Amal Moussa of Tunisia on political Islam and the issue of gender equality (March 18), Lebanese TV host Giselle Khoury on the freedom of expression and the status of media in the Arab world (March 25), and more. Abdullah Al Zayed House for Bahraini Press Heritage hosts a number of lectures as well, including Olfa Al-Oueslati from Tunisia to talk about her experience in the media world (April 22). Dr Dheya Al Kaabi will present a lecture at Al-Khalifiya Library in Muharraq on the book Belated Travelers by Ali Behdad (March 13). In addition to literature, the festival will shed light on poetry, with the Ebrahim Al-Arrayed House of Poetry hosting readings by Moroccan poet Abdulrahim Al-Khassar (March 11), entitled "I Banged the Drums to Sing and War Broke Out and Kuwaiti poet Abdullah Al-Failakawi (April 8) entitled Prayers from the Heart". At Bab Al-Bahrain, BACA will continue the weekly Thursday events of 5 PM at Bab, offering visitors a variety of family-friendly activities that reflect the dynamics of the locale and its historical value. The Spring of Culture Festival will also witness the inauguration of "Manama of Al-Gosaibi", a project by the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research to preserve the legacy of Ghazi Al-Gosaibi in a heritage house adorned with beautiful traditional architectural features. Cinephiles will not feel left out either, with a full program of events highlighting the art of filmmaking, including the Japanese Film Festival at the Bahrain National Museum (March 6, 13, 20 and 27) at 7:00 pm. The documentary film Finding Vivian Maier on April 6 will be shown at Memory of the Place - Bin Matar House, while Qalat al Bahrain Site Museum will show Safar Barlik on classic Arabic movie night on April 11. In conjunction, the Spring Culture Festival features several educational tours that illuminate various aspects of Bahrains ancient heritage, including a morning tour on March 2 in which the public will have an opportunity to explore the farms of northern Bahrain and learn about the local agriculture and traditional farming methods. On March 16, a walkathon will explore the landmarks along the Pearling Path, Bahrains second Unesco World Heritage Site, followed by a tour on April 20 of long-used fisheries locations in which participants will learn how to make traditional traps from readily available natural materials around the Bahrain Fort. As for panel discussions and talks, Bin Matar House will host the latest of its Majlis Talk series on March 16 with Artist Camille Zakharia to delve into the topic of artists books. On March 26, the Bahrain National Museum will host a forum and book launch focusing on the experience of artist Khalid Al-Shaikh's, followed on April 16 by a panel discussion to mark the launch of the Food is Culture 4 book. Bin Matar House will also host a public event on April 27 in which attendees will spend the day discovering various photographic techniques. The 14th Spring of Culture Festival programme also features a fair share of international conferences and meetings, including the 7th Annual Coordination Meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage at the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH) on April 28 to highlight historical urban landscape of the world's cultural heritage. ARC-WH will moreover organise a series of events from March 24 to 28 entitled A Conversation on Hawar: Preservation and Development. BACA, meanwhile, will hold a press conference on April 8 to give an update on the participation of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the Expo 2020 Dubai. Workshops, social responsibility, and talent development The Spring of Culture Festival will present a series of workshops in various artistic fields with the support of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, the Economic Development Board, the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research. The workshops will offer learning opportunities designed to promote talents in various cultural disciplines. Various workshops on music will be held at the Flexible Theatre at the Bahrain National Theatre, which will be conducted by young talented Bahraini Artists. Full details on the workshops and how to register can be found on the festivals website www.springofculture.org. Street Theatre shows The Spring of Culture Festival will present a number of Street Theatre shows that are free for the public. The shows will be performed by international performers in different venues around the kingdom. The calendar includes "Hot Potato Band" from Australia, "Ghana Acrobatics" from Ghana, "Sulky M1" from the Netherlands and The Great Wolynski from Argentina. As part of the Festivals commitment to contributing to the needs of the local community in the development of Bahraini talents in various technical fields, the Spring of Culture Community Programme, sponsored by the Economic Development Board, continues its efforts to organize several workshops for various governmental and social institutions in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, the National Bank of Bahrain Rehabilitation Home for Disabled. The public will also have the opportunity to participate in the numerous youth-oriented educational programmes and workshops held throughout the festival which are designed to develop their skills in music, art and traditional crafts. Full details of these workshops and all festival events are available on the festival website (www.springofculture.org). - TradeArabia News Service SalamAir, Oman's budget carrier, recently celebrated two years of affordable travel to a growing range of exciting destinations. Captain Mohamed Ahmed, CEO of SalamAir, said: Our success so far has been built on the promise of offering a different proposition to travellers locally and regionally. We have been focused on providing guests with affordable, flexible and rewarding travel options across our expanding network. We have also been focused on optimising our operations, while looking into the future by investing in one of the most in-demand aircraft, the A320neos, a model that promises to improve our passenger experience and efficiency. With the first one already delivered and flying, we will be adding five more A320neo taking our fleet size to nine comparing to three when we started two years ago. Since its inaugural flight from Salalah to Muscat on January 30, 2017, SalamAir has carried over 1.4 million passengers. The airline enjoyed a steady rise in passenger footfall powered by its expanding route network currently standing at 14 destinations, competitive price offers, as well as the customer-centric loyalty programme More on Air to meet the increased demand for affordable travel options around the region. The programme rewards guests with a one-way airline ticket in exchange for 10 boarding passes collected within a year. This stands in addition to its three easy fare options: Light, Friendly and Flexi; as well as the fairly-priced menu of extras, such as extra luggage allowance, seat selection and priority check-in options. The airline continues enticing different pallets after recently introducing a new meal menu onboard. With the arrival of the new fleet, we will open up new destinations, some of which will be the first time connecting through direct flights to Muscat like Alexandria in Egypt, plus some summer unique destinations. We will connect the rest of the GCC and increase the frequencies in many of our current destinations where we have seen increased demand, said Captain Ahmed. - TradeArabia News Service Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday (February 10) launched mega tourism projects in Al Ula region of the kingdom, including a resort designed by renowned French architect Jean Nouvel and a nature reserve, both called Sharaan. The first-of-its-kind sustainable resort project is part of the kingdom's mega plan to transform the home of ancient civilizations into a destination for visitors from around the world, reported Arab News. Prince Mohammed laid the foundation stone last night to announce the official inauguration of the ancient city as a world destination, it added. The resort, to be located in a valley deep inside the 925-sq-km Sharaan Nature Reserve, will boast several key amenities include residential estates, a summit centre, a spa and restaurants, said the report. Nouvel, who designed Louvre Abu Dhabi, will be in charge of the upcoming resort in the mountains of Al Ula, it stated. The full design work will be completed by the year-end and the construction will start early 2020 with a completion date of 2023, it added. Both take their names Sharaan from the surrounding canyon with its ancient rock formations. The reserve will conserve and restore the regions natural desert habitats, including the Arabian leopard, with the help of local rangers trained by international experts, said the Arab News report. Al Ula is home to spectacular sandstone rock formations and the archaeological site of Madain Saleh, the largest Nabatean settlement south of Petra that contains the ancient civilizations rock tombs with their carved facades, it stated. In 2008, it was designated as Saudi Arabias first Unesco World Heritage site, it added. DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, today announced it replaced 2018 production through additions to reserves, marking the second consecutive year in which the company's replacement of proven reserves reached or exceeded 100 percent of production. "DNO's stellar record of reserves replacement through the drill bit is a result of stepped up spending on our portfolio of quality assets coupled with rapid-fire execution," said Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani, DNO's executive chairman. "And the barrels we continue to add are among the lowest cost in the industry, anywhere," he expounded. Yearend 2018 Company Working Interest (CWI) proven (1P) reserves stood at 240 million barrels of oil (MMbbls), unchanged from yearend 2017 after adjusting for production and technical revisions. On a CWI proven and probable (2P) reserves basis, DNO replaced 98 percent of its 2018 production, exiting the year with CWI 2P reserves of 376 MMbbls (384 MMbbls in 2017). At 2018 production rates, DNO's 1P reserves life is 8.2 years and its 2P reserves life is 12.9 years. Significantly, the company's 1P reserves replacement ratio (RRR) has reached or exceeded 100 percent in eight of the past 10 years. On a gross basis, at the Tawke licence in the Kurdistan region of Iraq containing the Tawke and Peshkabir fields, year-end 2018 1P reserves stood at 348 MMbbls, unchanged from 2017 after adjusting for production of 41 MMbbls and upward technical revisions of 41 MMbbls. Tawke license 2P reserves stood at 502 MMbbls (513 MMbbls in 2017) and proven, probable and possible (3P) reserves at 697 MMbbls (880 MMbbls in 2017). Broken down by field, Tawke field gross 1P reserves stood at 294 MMbbls (335 MMbbls in 2017), 2P reserves at 376 MMbbls (438 MMbbls in 2017) and 3P reserves at 477 MMbbls (588 MMbbls in 2017). Peshkabir field gross 1P reserves stood 54 MMbbls (13 MMbbls in 2017), 2P reserves at 126 MMbbls (75 MMbbls in 2017) and 3P reserves at 220 MMbbls (292 MMbbls in 2017). International petroleum consultants DeGolyer and MacNaughton carried out the annual independent assessment of the Tawke licence. The company internally assessed the remaining licenses in its portfolio. - TradeArabia News Service Sunna Design, a leader in solar energy management for autonomous and connected applications, has partnered with Masdar City, in Abu Dhabi, for a 12-month pilot scheme to undergo weather endurance monitoring. This announcement come following their win last year, at the Zayed Sustainability Prizes 10th annual awards ceremony (formerly Zayed Future Energy Prize). Based in France, Sunna Design in the last week of January, had installed eight solar streetlights near Masdar Citys Eco-Villa development. The monitoring period is intended to further demonstrate confidence in their long-term performance and durability, said the company in a statement. The WiFi connectivity within each streetlight will enable the data and performance of each unit to be monitored remotely, from the companys head office in Blanchefort, France. The model was a key factor in the company receiving the 2018 Prize and, after the conclusion of this pilot project, the aim will be to have further demonstrated the effectiveness and longevity of this solar-powered lighting solution to more countries and regions that endure extreme heat, it stated. Commenting on the project, Chairman and Founder Thomas Samuel, said: "Sunna Design is extremely proud to partner with Masdar City for this pilot project, showcasing our best-in-class solar street lights in the GCCs leading, purpose-built, low carbon community." "The iSSL Maxi 4 is our best-selling road lighting product and with our latest battery and electronics patented technology is designed to operate for 10 years without technical maintenance," he stated. "The 12-month pilot project is part of Sunna Designs commitment to ongoing research and development and a desire to always be improving our technologies and products for our customers," he noted. Sunna pointed out that it had implemented several projects with private sector and government stakeholders, across the GCC, and that momentum had only accelerated after winning the Prize, in 2018. In turn, Dr Lamya Fawwaz, the director of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, said: "As a previous winner of the Prize, we are delighted to be supporting Sunna Design and its partnership with Abu Dhabis flagship low-carbon community, Masdar City, as they conduct tests on one of its novel solar-powered streetlights." "The partnership reflects the commitment these organisations, and the Prize, share for expanding clean energy access," noted Dr Fawwaz. Yousef Baselaib, the executive director of Masdar City, said: "Around a third of Masdar Citys electricity needs are provided by solar power and, from a smart city perspective, we recognise that data collection enables a greater understanding of how best to integrate renewable energy solutions into infrastructure and community developments." Following the evolution of the Zayed Future Energy Prize into the Zayed Sustainability Prize, in 2018, the recent annual awards ceremony, in January, now includes categories in Health, Food, Energy, Water, and Global High Schools, stated Dr Fawwaz. This broadening recognition of sustainability solutions, alongside energy, demonstrates the Prizes now closer alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals as well as supporting the UAEs governments National Agenda 2021. Submissions for the 2020 Zayed Sustainability Prize are now open and will run from January 30 to May 30.-TradeArabia News Service Nexans, a leading provider of cabling systems and services and an industry leader in umbilicals, will showcase its latest innovations at the EGYPS 2019 exhibition and conference in Cairo, Egypt. The three-day event concludes on Wednesday (February 13), at the Egypt International Exhibition Center. Through several umbilical deliveries in East Mediterranean, Nexans has confirmed its role as a trusted and committed partner in the in the oil and gas industry. This has also recently been confirmed by a recent award of three new umbilical projects in the area, said a company statement. Nexans track record of long tie-backs and deep water applications have been key criterias when being awarded the recent contracts. Jens Kristian Gulbransen, business development manager oil and gas Nexans Subsea & Land Systems, said: We are committed to supporting the East Mediterranean region in exploring the great potential of the energy business. Over the years, we have supplied umbilical solutions to numerous major projects in the area, including for the West Nile Delta project, he added. TradeArabia News Service Middle East Global Advisors, a leading financial intelligence platform, will convene the 14th edition of its annual World Takaful & InsurTech Conference (WTIC) in April in Dubai, UAE. The event, organised in strategic partnership with the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and supported by the Insurance Authority (IA) and the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre (DIEDC) will be held on April 1 and 2 at Address Dubai Mall Hotel. In order to capture the industry transformation and trends across the global insurance landscape, the annual World Takaful Conference has been repositioned as the 14th Annual World Takaful & InsurTech Conference (WTIC 2019) and will spearhead a series of discussions centred around the theme of Reinforcing Customer Engagement and Operational Agility through Digital Transformation. Ehsan Abbas, chairman of Middle East Global Advisors, said: While the Takaful industry grew by a CAGR of 6 per cent by 2017, it remains relatively untapped at $46 billion, accounting for just 2 per cent of total Islamic finance assets, signifying that there lie key opportunities for the sector to grow. As the insurance ecosystem is witnessing transformation and innovation at an incredible pace, leveraging technology to achieve cost efficiency and productivity is of utmost importance. It is with great pleasure that we announce the 14th edition of the World Takaful & InsurTech Conference that offers an unmatched opportunity for dialogue and interaction among leading minds from Takaful, Conventional Insurance and InsurTech, and aims to serve as a catalyst for the transformation of the entire insurance ecosystem. Ebrahim Obaid Al Zaabi, director general of the Insurance Authority (IA), stated that the early foresight of the global market developments, the rapid technological changes and modern technological systems will greatly help overcome the challenges and turn them into opportunities for evolving the world Takaful industry and leading it towards a better future. He stressed that the Insurance Authority pays special attention to the Takaful insurance sector by enhancing its vital role in insurance of persons, property and liabilities hand in hand with the traditional insurance sector. While the Takaful industry accounts for just 2 per cent of total Islamic finance assets, making it the smallest contributor to the Islamic finance industry, there is a strong trend of consolidation within the industry. Saudi Arabia takes the top spot in terms of total takaful assets. Other countries that dominate the global market include Iran & Bangladesh (Islamic Finance Development Report 2018). Takaful has also seen a growing presence in Western countries, specifically with the London market working on developing an ideal framework for Islamic insurance. WTIC 2019 will also see an exclusive address by Dave Matcham, chief executive, International Underwriting Association of London (IUA), on embracing innovation and technology in the Insurance industry to achieve industry-wide transformation. Matcham, said: Following the launch of a set of guiding principles for the trading of commercial (re) Takaful business, there is a growing expectation and optimism that more opportunities will present themselves to London market carriers. By leveraging the unique infrastructure for commercial business within the market, both Lloyds syndicates and companies operating in the London market are evaluating these opportunities through existing or new trading entities in discussion with key Islamic clients and stakeholders. During his exclusive one-on-one interview at WTIC, Zia Zaman, one of the most notable figures in insurance innovations will discuss MetLife Asias experimental product - Vitana, the worlds first automated insurance solution that offers pregnant women claimless financial protection using blockchain technology, in case of gestational diabetes, a condition affecting up to one in five expectant mothers in Singapore. Vitana also offers customers improved data security as it performs parametric underwriting on the customers mobile device, meaning the insurance company does not require access to the underlying medical data to confirm insurability. The 14th edition of the conference will see unique innovations in the form of an Innovative Insurer Showcase Session whereby attendees can explore transformative solutions by way of insurance products, services and technologies, an Exclusive Takaful Workshop to explore the nuances and foundation of traditional Takaful conducted by the regions renowned Shariah scholars, Regulators Rendezvous whereby insurance regulators from GCC & Asia will share the best regulatory mandates and practices for the industry to unleash its full potential whilst maintaining compliance and an Insightful Audit Session on IFRS17, among others. The forum has also proven itself to be an ideal launching pad for financial intelligence reports. Last years edition saw the launch of the groundbreaking Milliman Monitor, equipping Takaful leaders in the regulatory, demographical and technological landscape to take stock of the key industry trends and explore factors that are critical to their organizations success. TradeArabia News Service Bahrain-based Investcorp, a global leader in alternative investment products, said it has acquired a controlling stake in Revature, a US-based leading technology talent development company. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Revature, one of the largest employers of university graduates in the US, offers no-cost coding immersion programs that are the first in the industry to address the growing technology skills gap. Revatures unique model provides turn-key talent acquisition services for its Fortune 500 and consulting clients. For customers, Revature recruits, develops and deploys enterprise-ready technology talent that enables these corporates to succeed. For university graduates, Revature provides coding immersion programs that offer pathways to building careers as technology professionals. Software engineers trained by Revature go on to work at leading companies across the globe. The company is based in Reston, Virginia, but serves clients and candidates across the country. Revature has also built academic partnerships with top universities including Arizona State University, the City University of New York, the University of South Florida, the University of Texas at Arlington, George Mason University and West Virginia University. Investcorp has so far been very successful in the investments made in the education and IT staffing sectors. Through our prior investments in US companies we have built a strong knowledge base and solid understanding on the demand drivers and this is why we see great potential with a company like Revature, said Hazem Ben-Gacem, Co-CEO of Investcorp. Revature has achieved tremendous progress over the last several years and we look forward to support its healthy growth trajectory. Yusef Al Yusef, Investcorps managing director in Kuwait and Abu Dhabi, said: Part of investing in any company is believing in its mission, and we are firm believers in Revatures mission of empowering the next generation of technology professionals, which has redefined this business. In such a fast-paced sector, we are excited to support Revatures remarkable growth and help further expand its Fortune 500 client base. For our clients, this is another unique exposure to a niche industry that has a very promising outlook. Investcorp has a strong history of investing in the education and information technology staffing industries, through past investments such as Nobel Learning Communities and PRO Unlimited. More broadly, Investcorps past and present portfolio includes more than 150 investments totalling over $36 billion in transaction value. TradeArabia News Service The UK enjoys strong trading relations with GCC countries and is looking forward to have a free trade agreement with the bloc in the right time, the UK Secretary of State for International Trade, was quoted as saying in a media report. Rt Hon Liam Fox added that the World Government Summit is very indicative of the UAE getting increasingly outward looking, reported Emirates news agency Wam. "It is yet a new enforcement use of the Papal visit which I think has sent a very strong message about tolerance. And this Summit comes to send a very good message about governance and the importance of good governance," Rt Hon Liam Fox told Wam, on the sidelines of the 7th World Government Summit in Dubai. Fox underlined the central importance the UK is paying to its relations with the UAE in particular and the GCC region in general, particularly after Brexit, refuting all claims that the Brexit may have a negative impact on the investment environment in Britain. "Notwithstanding the political issues surrounding Brexit, last year we have a 20 percent increase in FDI only behind China and US and ahead of any other EU country. This is because our fundamentals are very strong and we have the highest level of employment we have ever had. There is a lot of confidence in the UK economy and we are going to continue to find more partners around the world," the minister said. Fox noted that UAE is a key partner for UK: "We need to have a deeper strategic relationship. It should not only be about selling and buying but about being partners. "We are looking forward to addressing the common problems and having collective solutions. We are looking forward to having effective partnerships in areas of InfoTech, AI and life sciences as well as making use of UK expertise in education, skills and vocational training." He added that there is a room for further improvement in relations in areas like services, manufacturing, Fintech. "We dont see it as a transactional economic activity but rather as a partnership for the future. We dont see the UAE as a single country but rather as a bridge to a wider market, he said. On the global scene, the minister attributed that current downgraded global growth rates to the economic slowdown in China. "Chinese imports fell by 8 percent in the last quarter, which has had a big impact on the exports of other world countries like Germany for example. The trade tension between China and US has a big impact. We need to improve the trading environment Global economy is facing headwinds this year that it did not face last year. In a very inter-dependent economy, one shock in one part is going to affect other parts of the world, he added. Dave DeFloria, right, the newest member of the DiMartino Ice Team, works on his submission in Saturdays 30 minute ice carving competition. As this was his first time competing, he received some advice and guidance from the companys president, Ernie DiMartino. MBABANE Is a well-known political activist linked to the political party which is allegedly responsible for the graffiti which decorated several walls in the capital city recently? The paintings bear the acronym EFDC, which the police have said stood for the Economic Forum for Democratic Change. Coincidentally, the progressive, George Hleta, visited the Times of Swaziland offices in December last year and said he had come to request the newspaper to publish an article about a new party he and other individuals had formed whose name was similar to the EFDC. He introduced it as one whose aim was to be an umbrella body for all political parties in the country. Hleta is the same man whose picture, where he was being throttled by members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service, was splashed on this newspapers front page and further trended on various online pages of international human rights organisations. Blockade This happened in April 2007 during a blockade staged by progressives, including those from South Africa, at the Ngwenya Border Gate. Hleta visited this publications offices on December 28, 2018, where he explained that the new party was to be launched in January this year. In a recorded interview conducted by this reporter, he stated that the forum was to ensure unity among political parties. We have seen that some of the local parties have been taking decisions wrongly so we felt if we had one umbrella body, it would lead to progress, he said. It should be noted that Hleta has for years been part of the struggle and participated in most progressive marches, especially those organised by parties such as the Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO). This reporter asked him if the new forum would not in any way be in conflict with the mission of PUDEMO, to which he responded and said it would not be the case. Ours is to strengthen the already existing parties by unitising the ideas they have. We are not here to disrupt PUDEMO and other parties but we want to strengthen the struggle, he said. Interestingly, the police have alleged that the EFDC was a new organisation formed by defector members of PUDEMO, something which the partys executive vehemently denied. During the interview, the progressive alleged that he was a staunch member of the party. I am fully hearted when it comes to PUDEMO. When you talk of that party, you refer to me. The others come after, be boasted. However, after the interview, this reporter contacted one of the executive members of PUDEMO to ascertain if they knew Hleta. The executive member, who was asked through WhatsApp, said he had no knowledge of the man. Recollection I have no recollection of him at all. We are too many and it is impossible to remember each and every member, he said. Elaborating on the new organisation, Hleta stated that it was going to be driven by the ideas of the various parties and would represent them fully. He said they had noted that there were many issues that existing parties did not address. We have seen that elders in our parties sometimes become biased and go slow whenever it comes to ideas for change. There is something lacking in the leaders of the parties we currently have. The best way to solve that is to form this forum which will collect the different ideas and have one solid mind, he said. He said they were preparing for a congress where the party was to be formally launched and introduced to the world plus have its mission outlined. The congress, according to the man, was where an executive was going to be elected to lead the party. Forum PIGGS PEAK Barely a week after police officers under the Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Unit visited Mhlatane High School, a teacher was allegedly caught half naked with a pupil. The name of the teacher will not be revealed since he has not been formally charged or appeared before court. This publication has, however, established that the girl concerned is about 20 years old and that she is doing one of the upper grades at the school. It is alleged the duo was found in a compromising position and partly naked. The alleged incident is said to have happened last Sunday while three days prior, police officer Ntsikie Dlamini visited the school accompanied by other officers to educate both teachers and pupils about the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act. Ntsikie had been invited to the school which had held a Motivation Week since last week Monday. It is alleged that on the day of the incident, the teacher and the pupil were found, some of the teachers within the teachers quarters compound were not happy after allegedly seeing the girl entering the house. The teachers are said to have been particularly furious, especially because police officers had earlier visited the school to condemn such acts. They called the police to see for themselves, said some of the teachers asking not to be mentioned. Police officers are said to have rushed to the house only to find the said teacher allegedly with the pupil. The pupil as well as the teacher were both taken in for questioning but the teacher was not arrested or formally charged. It is alleged the pupil was also taken to the hospital as is the norm with cases relating to sexual offences. The details will not be mentioned as this could form part of court evidence should the matter reach that stage. confirmed Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati when reached for comment, confirmed the incident. She said the teacher had not been charged because the matter was still under investigation to determine the exact charge that would apply. Mhlatane High School will investigate the matter relating to the teacher who was allegedly caught half naked in his house with a pupil. Dr Mandla Dlamini, the Head teacher at the school, when reached for comment, said he was not aware of the matter at the time. He, however, said he would have to investigate on Tuesday (today). Meanwhile, the Regional Education Officer Langwenya said she was not aware of the matter. However, speaking generally, Langwenya said the Ministry of Education and Training treated such cases the same regardless of whether the pupil was below or above 20 years. MBABANE As the conduct of members of the public, notably men, continues to fuel the sting of the SODV Act, cases of behaviour that offends this law are coming thick and fast to the courts. Last Friday alone, Judge Nkululeko Hlophe dealt with at least eight separate bail applications of suspects who had been charged under the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act. The suspects are grown men who are alleged to have had sexual intercourse with minors. The suspects included pupils who allegedly had sexual relations with girls who were not capable in law to consent to the act. One of the suspects is Mdabede John Mamba (26) of Ncandweni under Chief Ntunja, who told the court that he is a sugar cane cutter and he is deaf.He is alleged to have attempted to have unlawful sexual intercourse with *Thoko at Zonke in the Lubombo Region. Mamba allegedly committed the offence on September 15, 2018. The court granted him bail fixed at E15 000 and he was ordered to pay E2 000 in cash and provide surety for the balance. Bail The court granted Austin Magongo (22) of Nkonjaneni under Chief Mnikwa the same amount of bail. Magongo is alleged to have had unlawful sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old minor. In his application for bail, Magongo told the court that the minor informed him that she was 19 years old. He said he was in a love relationship with the minor and he admitted to having sexual intercourse with her. He also told the court that he would plead guilty during trial on June 27, 2019. Judge Hlophe heard another application for bail which was filed by a 20-year-old Form II pupil who attends school in one of the schools in Manzini. The pupil is alleged to have had sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old girl whom he also allegedly impregnated. He informed the court that he wished to continue with his education. The pupil undertook to adhere to his bail conditions. The court granted him E15 000 bail and ordered that he pays E2 000 in cash and the balance to be in the form of surety. Another Form II pupil, who is aged 20, and attends school in the Shiselweni Region, was also charged under the same Act. MBABANE Disappointed! The above word perfectly describes the feeling of public sector unions (PSAs) following that the Speech from the Throne delivered on Friday by His Majesty King Mswati III did not meet their expectations. With the PSAs currently at loggerheads with government over the cost-of-living adjustment (CoLA), and other issues related to their welfare, the expectation was that the speech would bring good news to them. The PSAs are: the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU), National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU) and Swaziland National Association of Government Accounting Personnel (SNAGAP). When delivering the Speech from The Throne last Friday, His Majesty King Mswati III emphasised on how hard decisions would have to be taken as a means of ensuring that the countrys economy recovered. He mentioned that there was a need to take very stiff measures and concerted efforts to curtail expenditure, while vigorously exploring avenues through which government revenue could be enhanced. The head of State noted that job creation was one of the challenges faced by the country together with unemployment, poverty, sustainable economic development, provision of quality health services, education and social welfare for the whole nation. He emphasied that government remained committed to job creation. Elderly In summary, the speech touched on climate change, HIV and AIDS, elderly people, international relations, ICT development, agro-processing and boosting tourism. There was nowhere where civil servants were mentioned. In an interview with SNAT Secretary General Sikelela Dlamini, he first spoke in jest, saying he was not sure whether the issue of their welfare was omitted by the media in their reports or that it was just not included in the Speech from The Throne. Dlamini said if indeed it was not mentioned during the official opening of Parliament, then it was unfortunate. MBUTFU The pronouncement by government that pupils who do not have Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) will now be registered in schools, will surely be sweet music to the ears of hundreds of pupils who had dropped out due to lack of PINs. This publication has gathered that hundreds of pupils in Lubombo, especially those in rural areas, were no longer attending school because they did not have PINs, which are a basic requirement for registering for enrolment in primary schools. It was gathered that some of those who dropped out were now in the second level (Grade II) but they were forced to drop out just a week into the commencement of the current academic year. In some of the schools, this publication understands, administrators made it clear at the start of this academic year that all pupils without PINs would have to stop attending lessons. Also, aspiring pupils, who did not have PINs but had provisionally been granted spaces, were also not admitted. The reasons head teachers kicked out pupils without PINs is that government does not pay free primary education (FPE) grants for improperly registered pupils, said a school administrator. However, many head teachers this publication contacted, denied kicking out pupils without PINs, only stating that the pupils had opted to drop out because they were not given stationery. Some parents, however, confirmed that their children were sent home to get PINs and that they would not be allowed in class without producing birth certificates. Fikile Mabuyakhulu of Mbutfu, said her son was allowed to attend classes last year, even though he did not have a PIN. Certificate However, this academic year, her son was told he could not continue with classes without producing a PIN, she said. The head teacher called me last Thursday and asked that I bring a certificate for my son, who is now in Grade II. I explained that he still did not have a certificate and after some days, he (son) came home and told me that they had sent him to fetch the certificate, said Mabuyakhulu, whose son goes to Bekezela Primary School. Mbutfu is a rural community which lies along Eswatini border with neighbouring South Africa. In this area, there are quite a number of pupils who have dropped out of school because they do not have PINs. PIGGS PEAK A night out ended badly for Gugu Dlamini, who instead of spending a night at her house, ended up being hospitalised. Dlamini alleged she was assaulted by two police officers who are said to have taken turns kicking her as she fell onto the ground near a road. She alleged that the incident happened in the early hours of yesterday when she was returning to her house. The police officers are alleged to have hit her all over her body, according to a statement she gave to medical personnel at the Piggs Peak Government Hospital where she was treated. Dlamini alleged that she had been communicating with a friend she was supposed to meet at a certain junction. Alcohol She alleged that when she met up with the said man, police officers also arrived and noticed that she was carrying alcohol. Dlamini further alleged the police officers then took away the alcohol and this resulted in an argument. She alleged that she could not recall what happened then but that the last words she remembers was kudala sikufuna, meaning we have been looking for you. A scuffle is alleged to have ensued during the argument, with the police officers allegedly hitting her all over her body as she fell to the tarmac. Dlamini said the man whom she was with at the time, tried to intervene but each time he held on to one of the police officers, the other continued to beat her up. She further alleged that there were four police officers in total but that only two alighted from the vehicle to assault her. Dlamini further alleged that the police officers left her unconscious and reportedly returned to the police station. She claimed to be unaware why the police had a vendetta against her to the point of assaulting her. The people who saw me lying on the ground then called an ambulance which quickly arrived, said Dlamini. Unconscious She said she was then taken to the hospital in an unconscious state but when she arrived there, nurses wanted a police report. Her friends are said to have gone to the police station but they claimed that they were not assisted until they sought assistance from the station commander. Recover your password. A password will be e-mailed to you. Posted Monday, February 11, 2019 5:56 am Becky McCray, a Rural business consultant, sees a lot of promise in Woodlands future. From seeing the trees and planter boxes downtown to hearing from locals who are looking for ways to make their city better, she spoke encouragingly of the potential the city has. Its obvious that there are people in this town that care, McCray said while standing among several Woodlanders at Luckman Coffee Company. The Oklahoman cattle rancher, former liquor store owner and current consultant for rural economic development has offered advice nationwide for cities like Woodland on how small businesses can help drive success. McCrays itinerary included a stroll through downtown Woodland, the conversation at Luckman as well as a stop by the weekly Woodland Chamber of Commerce meeting at the Oak Tree Restaurant. She was there as part of a larger tour across Cowlitz Countys cities put on by the Cowlitz Economic Development Council, culminating in her keynote address at the councils annual gathering on Thursday. Though looking at the future of a city can seem like a broad task to tackle, through her conversation McCray stressed small steps toward building a thriving economy. While those focused on economic development talk about the business pipeline and big projects that come through that metaphorical infrastructure, McCray instead stressed a focus on the person on the card table during a seasonal bazaar the start of an entrepreneurial experiment. McCray gave an example found in Washington, Iowa, a city with a comparable population to Woodland. A building there had been turned into The Village a collection of boutique-sized shops in one space allowing for a smaller investment from the respective businesses while still having a spot downtown. McCray didnt like to suggest any particular kinds of business to the places she visits, explaining that locals would have to bring in what they themselves wanted. The model of starting small and frequent could also improve chances of success. If you have a dozen little experiments start then you are far more likely to find the one that works best than I will find by visiting for just the morning, she said. Experimentation gives you a chance to explore who you are and who you are becoming without having to commit that thats definitely who you are going to be, McCray said, adding that sometimes the big-picture planning at the level of city government can get the message wrong. Endeavors like The Village also worked to create community spaces, which McCray said could go beyond the businesses themselves to events like a kids activity day or a potluck at Horseshoe Lake Park. She was particularly drawn to how the park was anchoring the end of the downtown strip. The ultimate goal is to make the kind of place where people want to linger and be part of the community, because the community happens when people talk to each other and weve got to get them all in one place so they talk, McCray said. Revitalizing small-town downtown isnt strictly about having more things to sell, as McCray touched on art projects. During her tour she saw plenty of areas where artwork and more color could go, explaining that works could be full-blown installations or more temporary, ninja projects put up more on a whim of local creative minds and as a (hopefully) pleasant surprise for residents. Woodland Community Development Director Travis Goddard doesnt want artwork in Woodland to be strictly put up under the cover of night. During McCrays visit some of her ideas brought to his mind sections of city code that would need a change to help foster more art and gatherings exemptions on permits for public art, or changing regulations on food carts to allow them to easily set up at community gatherings. To help with the city getting up to speed on implementing some of McCrays ideas, Goddard noted that the city council recently approved the creation of an associate planner position that will shift some of the permit processing he currently undertakes in order to have some of those interesting discussions about what the city could do. The citys job would be more getting out of the way of residents own ideas than implementing any new, grand plans, which is something the Community Development head can appreciate. Some of her ideas are a little radical, but shes not asking the city to do them, shes asking the citizens, Goddard said. Posted Monday, February 11, 2019 5:57 am State Rep. Vicki Kraft, R-Vancouver, is seeking to fund a look at a third bridge over the Columbia River with a bill she has introduced this legislative session. House Bill 1835 would provide $300,000 for the Washington State Legislature Joint Transportation Committee to hire a consultant to look at options for an additional crossing to the west of Interstate 5, according to a statement from House Republicans. Krafts bill would have a report due by the end of the year featuring high-level conceptual designs and cost estimates for each. Kraft, who was elected for a second term in November, reasoned that new access over the Columbia River was a preferred option to what many other Southwest Washington lawmakers were looking at replacement of the aging Interstate 5 bridge. In the statement, she said that bottlenecks on the Oregon side would prevent any real congestion relief from such a replacement. You could spend millions to expand lanes on an I-5 bridge replacement, but the traffic is still going to back up on them because of the bottleneck in Oregon. After all that taxpayer money is spent, the outcome is the same bumper-to-bumper traffic, Kraft said. We need to have a much more effective plan that helps commuters to get to and from work more quickly, and keeps our freight moving to facilitate statewide commerce for our farmers, manufacturers and distributors. Kraft has opposed a push for mass transit including light rail on any Interstate 5 replacement, something that has been accepted by other local lawmakers and Gov. Jay Inslee at varying levels. Inslee has said light rail is a must in order for Oregon to pay their share. The voters of Clark County have opposed mass transit on the ballot as recently as 2013. Elected officials must listen to and respond in accordance with the voters wishes, Kraft wrote in a letter to Inslee in December. Krafts bill has been referred to the House Transportation Committee. A hearing for it had not been scheduled as of press deadline. With the development of new technologies in the area of AI, many companies are jumping into the field with both eyes wide open. It is very possible that artificial intelligent androids will work alongside their human companions in the future. They will not only work in the same office or building but also independently in their own home. Artificial intelligence has opened up many doors in the past and looks to continue that pace in the future. There are several reasons as to why companies such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Cisco, IBM and others are all jumping into the pool Image Credit: Doug Costa for the National Marine Sanctuaries Media Library from Wikipedia The Spiny Dogfish Shark or Squalus Acanthias is considered critically endangered in North America, and endangered in Europe. In 2010,reported that the species was to be removed from the menu in fish and chips shops, due to concern that the species was under threat. However, resutls from thisshow that this meat is still being sold. The fish tested was being sold under misleading names, such as flake, rock, huss and rock salmon, but it has now been revealed, through DNA barcoding techniques, that the meat comes from the globally threatened spiny dogfish shark species. The study, which was published on the 31st January, has brought to light the issue of labelling specificity in the UK. Product labels are not required to be as specific in the UK as they are in other European countries. Therefore, shark meat can be sold under umbrella names like flake, huss and rock, which mislead the consumer, leaving them unaware of what they are actually purchasing., the first author of the study, argues that its almost impossible for consumers to know what they are buying we should adopt more precise labelling here in the UK.Researchers also found endangered shark fins for sale at a British wholesaler. The fins were taken from the globally endangered species, the scalloped hammerheads as well as the shortfin mako and the smalleye hammerhead. The wholesaler, depsite being unaware which species the fins had been sourced from, continued to sell them to unsuspecting customers. Despite scalloped hammerheads being subject to strict import regulations, they had still managed to reach the wholesaler without any correct labelling., a senior author on the study stated that "the discovery of endangered hammerhead sharks highlights how widespread the sale of declining species really is even reaching Europe and the UK". Image Credit: India's Endangered. Endangered Animals Sharks Andy Murch for Predators in Peril According to the, between'global trade data show the trade in shark meat expanding steadily over the last decade or so, and the latest FAO official figure...represents an increase of 42 percent by volume'. Sarah Fowler, trustee for the British organisation, revealed that experts agree that sharks and their relatives face a far higher risk of extinction than most other vertebrates. We now believe that a quarter of all sharks, skates and rays are threatened". This is a result of their lower reproductive rates. Sharks tend to produce fewer eggs than other fish and take a much longer time to reach sexual maturity. As a result they face a much higher risks of extinction and it is therefore vital that efforts are made to protect them. As consumers it is crucial that we enquire about the sourcing of the fish we consume, as well as making a conscious effort not to purchase fish where the origin is uncertain. The real issue here is that endangered species are being unknowingly sold to consumers. This misleading and deceitful practice needs to be stopped with all meat, not just shark meat. According to, nearly 100 million sharks are killed every year. If we do not make more of an effort to protect them it is estimated that within a few decades many species could have reached extinction. Salida, CO (81201) Today Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Welcome back pirates! As you make your return to campus The East Carolinian has created a forum that centers around topics within the community where readers can express their experiences and concerns. With the new guidelines set in place by East Carolina University do you feel as these precautions will keep you safe? Survey President Joe Biden had a three-hour talk with Russian Premier Vladimir Putin in Geneva on June 16, said he laid down some red lines Russia had darned well not cross and that it was his hope this guy he once called a killer does not want another Cold War. What to know about vaccine verification at WVU: Were going to rely on the honor system TIM IRELAND/AFP/Getty Images The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge gussied up on Sunday and headed to the BAFTAs and Kate brought a couple of very royal pieces of jewelry along with her. TIM IRELAND/AFP/Getty Images The Duke of Cambridge has been the President of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts since 2010, and the couple have attended BAFTA events throughout their marriage. Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Kate accessorized her white gown with diamonds and pearls with royal heritage. Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images These diamond and pearl statement earrings may look familiar. Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images The stud portion of the earring is intricate, featuring a horseshoe set with baguette diamonds, with a leafy portion wrapping over and around it. A pearl drop is suspended from the diamond portion. Pool/Liaison The earrings belonged to Kates mother-in-law, the late Diana, Princess of Wales. Youll note, however, that the pearl drop that Diana wore with the earrings is different from the one Kate wore to the BAFTAs. Dianas pearl is rounder and is set differently. JACQUES DEMARTHON/AFP/Getty Images I think the pearl drop Kate wears may come from another pair of Dianas earrings: her ruby and diamond earrings, which she wore with a pearl drop and with a ruby and diamond tassel pendant. (Without a good hi-res version of photos where Diana wears the earrings, its difficult to say for certain Kates could be another drop altogether.) KEVIN LARKIN/AFP/Getty Images The all-diamond and pearl drop earrings were one of Dianas favorite pairs of earrings in the 1990s. Above, she wears the earrings for a charity gala at the Departmental Auditorium in Washington in October 1990. (Shes also wearing the diamond and pearl bracelet that is now worn by Kate.) Pool/Liaison One extremely memorable appearance in the earrings came in December 1995, when she accepted the United Cerebral Palsy Humanitarian Award in New York. POOL/AFP/Getty Images She also famously wore the earrings with a blue one-shoulder gown in Sydney for a fundraising dinner for the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute in October 1996. Youll note that shes also wearing pieces from her aquamarine collection, including the aquamarine ring now worn by the Duchess of Sussex. JAMAL WILSON/AFP/Getty Images And here, Diana wears the earrings in June 1997 for an American Red Cross gala at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington in honor of victims of landmines. Diana also wore the stud portion of the earrings without the pearl drop. She chose that configuration to see Swan Lake at the Royal Albert Hall in June 1997. TIM IRELAND/AFP/Getty Images Along with Dianas earrings, Kate wore the Diamond Quatrefoil Bracelet on loan to her from the Queen. We first saw Kate wear the bracelet in November 2017. 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. APHispanic from Washington: The European Space Agency said Wednesday that it is "stunned" by the number of applicants more than 20,000 who hope to be the next generation of space travelers. Among them are more women than before and some STR/AFP/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- For the very first time, alleged Russian agent Maria Butina can be heard telling her side of the story. In a series of recorded conversations with journalist James Bamford, whose several-thousand-word defense of Butina titled "The Spy Who Wasn't" appears in this month's issue of The New Republic, the 30-year-old Russian gun-rights activist denied the U.S. government's salacious allegations against her. "Truth is my best defender here," Butina told Bamford, who shared some of his recordings with ABC News. "If I would be the Russian spy, you would never see me in public. I mean, I would be the most unseen person on Earth." Butina's arrest in July sparked international headlines. Federal prosecutors accused the gun-loving graduate student of being a Kremlin agent, ensnaring Paul Erickson, a 56-year-old conservative political operative, in a "duplicitous relationship," and using him for cover and connections as she developed an influence operation designed to infiltrate powerful political organizations like the National Rifle Association and "advance the agenda of the Russian Federation." In December, Butina reached a deal with prosecutors, agreeing to plead guilty to charges of conspiracy and cooperate with federal, state and local authorities in any ongoing investigations. Bamford, best-known as a longtime chronicler of the National Security Agency, met Butina before her arrest and spent time with her during her last few months of freedom. As scrutiny of her activities increased, Bamford began recording their conversations. "We had a number of long interviews," Bamford told ABC News, "but one time she just never showed up. The next day she apologized and said the FBI had raided her apartment." Since her arrest, Butina has been held in jail in Alexandria, Virginia, where she continued to speak to Bamford over the phone in collect calls she said were rare instances of person-to-person communication. "I eat in my cell, I exercise in my cell, I read, I sleep, I do everything," Butina told Bamford. "I am locked for 22 hours. I get two hours at night to do everything including shower." In his lengthy piece for The New Republic, Bamford is highly critical of both the government's case against Butina and the media's coverage of it. He describes her as "the perfect scapegoat" amid the "anti-Russian fervor" driven by special counsel Robert Mueller's ongoing investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. "The government's case against Butina is extremely flimsy and appears to have been driven largely by a desire for publicity," Bamford writes. "Despite the lack of evidence against Butina, however, prosecutors -- abetted by an uncritical media willing to buy into the idea of a Russian agent infiltrating conservative political circles -- were intent on getting a win. In the context of the Mueller investigation, and in the environment that arose after Trump's election, an idealistic young Russian meeting with influential American political figures sounded enough like a spy to move forward." Bamford cites, as his primary example of what he deemed "prosecutorial misconduct," the government's headline-making claim that Butina had offered someone sex in exchange for access to a political organization. The explosive allegation drew a sustained and vocal response from Butina defense attorney Robert Driscoll, and prosecutors ultimately were forced to admit they had made a mistake, drawing the ire of the judge. Butina told Bamford the allegation was devastating both for her and her family back in Russia. "Me being called a whore ... it's very hard. It's just so much pain for the family," Butina said. "I care about my reputation." A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, which is handling the case, declined to comment because the case is pending. But according to John Cohen, who once oversaw all counterintelligence activities at the Department of Homeland Security and is now an ABC News contributor, Bamford's central claim that the government lacks evidence of wrongdoing by Butina might be mistaken. The primary objective in counterintelligence investigations, Cohen said, is often not to obtain a conviction, but rather to obtain information that can be leveraged elsewhere. In situations where information has been obtained using highly sensitive collection sources and methods, investigators have to make a choice whether using it in a prosecution would risk their discovery. "There could be information that investigators were aware of but aren't using as part of a prosecution because they don't want to disclose how they got the information and compromise future collection activities," Cohen said. "So to the public it might appear that the only illegal activity was contained in the indictment, but in counterintelligence cases, that's very often not the case." Butina's future remains unclear. Her boyfriend, Erickson, was indicted last week on fraud charges in an unrelated case in South Dakota, and he reportedly remains the target of an ongoing federal investigation in Washington related to his activities with Butina. A status conference in Butina's case scheduled for this week was delayed until the end of the month, with her ongoing cooperation cited. According to Butina's attorney, the case, or at least Butina's role in it, soon could reach its conclusion. "We remain optimistic the parties will be in a position to set a sentencing date at the next status conference," Driscoll told ABC News. "We will request a time-served sentence, so if the judge agrees, she could be home shortly after sentencing." Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! New fleet performance management offering created StormGeo and DNV GL have signed an agreement to consolidate their fleet performance solutions under one banner. This agreement will combine DNV GLs ECO Insight and Navigator Insight solutions with StormGeos FleetDSS and ship reporting solutions. The combination of these solutions will result in a new offering to the global shipping industry that will be able to provide a complete fleet performance portfolio, including route advisory, navigation and planning, and fleet performance management services. Fleet performance centres, delivery, product development, and sales will be managed by StormGeo. The result is a combined fleet of more than 12,000 vessels that will receive a daily service from StormGeo in route advisory, weather intelligence, navigation and planning or fleet performance. Partnering with DNV GL enables us to accelerate the development of our fleet performance management offering by pooling the competence, software, and insight of both companies, said Per-Olof Schroeder, CEO, StormGeo. Bringing these solutions together will give our clients even more ways to enhance the safety, efficiency, and transparency of their operations. Finally, it builds on our vision of establishing StormGeo as the leading provider of performance management solutions to the shipping industry. This consolidation was claimed to have created the largest vessel performance data set and developer team in shipping, providing analytics that give customers even better data to enhance their operational decision making. The existing services will be maintained and strengthened within StormGeo, with all solutions brought together in the back-end, using an improved data infrastructure. DNV GL will retain a strong connection to the new solution through the 26.4% share in StormGeo held since 2014, as well as continuing technical support to ECO Insight customers. Users will also able to share data through DNV GLs open industry platform - Veracity. Since its introduction in 2014, ECO Insight has grown into the largest performance solution in shipping, with installations on more than 2,000 vessels. In addition, already 22 industry partners connect their data and analytics to the solution, said Trond Hodne, DNV GL Senior Vice President Maritime. ECO Insight has already been an outstanding success, and by combining it with StormGeos services, we believe we can offer our customers a solution that not only gives broader functionality but taps into a richer data set. This will give our customers new and exciting services and insights to boost their competitiveness. We look forward to seeing ECO Insight going on to further success as part of StormGeo. The agreement is still subject to the fulfilment of certain customary closing conditions. The partners expect that the transaction will close no later than March, 2019. Greece remains top in shipping asset value According to the annual research undertaken by VesselsValue, the Greek fleet has increased its total value by over $5 bill in just 12 months. VesselsValue analyses the fleet by country of owner domicile each January to produce its Top 10 listing. Greece showed the second biggest increase in value for any of the top shipping nations reviewed by the research company as of January, 2019 and puts in top spot. The total asset value of the Greek owned fleet was over $100 bill. The increase comes from growth in LNGC ordering and tanker values rising. Greece has moved into pole position as owning the highest valued LNG fleet in the world, up from $13 bill at the start of 2018 to $18.4 bill. This put Greek owners ahead of Japan, whose fleet came in second at $15.2 bill. Greeces biggest loss was in the MODU sector, due to George Economous drill ship sell off and lower asset values overall, which have depressed the net value. Japan remained in second place of VesselsValues top owning countries. The rebound in bulker values was the largest boost to the end of year fleet valuation, followed by tankers and LNGCs. It is interesting to note that Japanese- based companies saw the largest addition of value from LPG carriers, a segment in which many other nations saw an erosion of value. Coming in at No 3 was China, which saw the largest increase in value for any of the top 10 highest valued fleets. An additional $6.3 bill has been added, bringing the total fleet value up to just over $90 bill. At the same time, the Chinese suffered the largest drop in total container fleet value. Continuing the trend from last year, China has increase its standing from third to second place for the most vessels on order award. Singaporean owners have jumped up a notch into fourth place, increasing fleet value by $3.1 bill. Singapore now sits comfortably above the US and Norway. The majority of the increase comes from containership growth, most notably attracting the Japanese container liner operation ONE to locate to Singapore. At number five is Norway, due to its pole position as the number one home for offshore assets. Over $20 bill in assets puts it above US-based owners, who clock in at almost $17 bill. The country also maintained a sizeable presence in the tanker markets. US exposure to the offshore markets, which have suffered further asset value declines, has knocked the nation down to sixth place in terms of corporate ownership. One major contributing factor to their declining asset value is that the country has the highest number of offshore vessels aged 15 years and older. This percentage of old, potential scrap candidates had a negative effect on overall asset value. Down in seventh place, Germanys fleet continued to contract year-on-year, with the majority of last years woes coming from containerships. Dropping a further $1.7 bill, Germanys container fleet continued to shrink from high sales and demolition activity. It was a very positive year for South Korean owners, who have increased their fleet value by over $5 bill in the three largest markets of bulkers, tankers and containerships, which moved the country into eighth place. One interesting trend was the decline in LNGC asset values held by South Korean owners, which was in part due to the removal of some older, steam powered units from service. Meanwhile, the UK slipped down a place to ninth. The ownership by segment is diverse, and no one market decline is responsible for the drop. There could be some risk aversion ahead of the countrys planned exit from the EU that is driving investment to other areas. Last in 10th place, the Danish fleet is heavily dependent on the container markets, but this segment saw little volatility, adding modestly to the net value. However, weakness in clean tanker asset values dragged down the total value of the fleet. EU Adopts Proposal to Harmonize MRV with IMOs System On 4th February, 2019, the European Commission (EC) adopted a proposal to revise the EU system for monitoring, reporting and verification (EU MRV) of CO2 emissions from shipping. The system will be revised to enable the EU to take account of the global data collection system for ships fuel consumption established by the IMO. Specifically, the proposal aims to implement the two systems while preserving the objectives of the current EU legislation. By streamlining some aspects of the two MRV systems, such as specific definitions or monitoring parameters, the proposal aims at reducing the administrative burden and associated costs for shipowners/operators having to report under both systems, the EC said. By harmonising its MRV system with the IMOs system, the EU will still require ships registered outside the EU to report their data. The commissions proposal also maintains other key elements of the EUs MRV, such as reporting data showing ships air pollution in ports. Shippers need to be able to identify the most efficient ships to cut their fuel costs and climate impact. The EUs system provides this high quality data which will also influence the ambition and the effectiveness of climate measures in the shipping sector. Without accurate data collection, the reduction measures wont be worth the paper they are written on, Faig Abbasov, Shipping Officer at the NGO Transport & Environment, commented. However, the EC yielded to pressure to remove the obligation on ships to collect and report cargo data essential for analysing the real-world performance of ships. The IMO system exempts shipping companies from collecting data about their cargo. Despite the positive decisions on flag neutrality and transparency, it is regrettable that the commission caved in to pressure to remove the collection of cargo data within the EU. Without cargo data, the market would not be able to differentiate an empty ship from an efficient one and thus there would be little incentive to improve ships efficiency, lower emissions and reduce transport costs, Abbasov explained. African exports hit by increasing US crude production The African oil industry has seen significant changes in recent years, as one of the primary export markets, the US, has ramped up oil production and, as a result, has reduced imports from Africa dramatically. For example, in 2008, the US bought 40% of West African exports, Poten & Partners said in a comment piece. According to the IEA, Africa produces about 7.25 mill barrels per day, predominantly in West and North Africa. The largest producers are OPEC members Nigeria and Angola, with daily output of 1.66 mill barrels and 1.48 mill barrels per day, respectively. Nigerian production has been volatile in recent years, due to frequent militant attacks on oil infrastructure since the presidential amnesty programme stopped in 2016, declining to 1.31 mill barrels in March, 2017 from about 1.9 mill barrels per day in early 2014.By December, 2018, production had recovered to about 1.66 mill barrels and it is expected to grow further this year. The Egina offshore oil field, operated by French oil major Total, started production in January and is estimated to reach 200,000 barrels per day later this year. Oil production in Angola, the second largest producer in Africa, has declined gradually over the last two years from about 1.7 mill barrels to 1.5 mill barrels per day in December,2018 due to its ageing oil fields and the country has failed to attract new investment. According to the Angolan government, production could fall to 1 mill barrels by 2023 without new capital. The government is taking steps to make the country more attractive for foreign investors. However, it is likely that production will continue to decline, at least initially. West Africa also has several smaller producers, such as Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana and Congo. The IEA expects production in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, a recent addition to OPEC, to continue to slide. Gabons oil industry faces additional uncertainty because of a coup attempt last month. Production in Ghana and Congo is expected to increase, but the volumes of these smaller producers are too small to offset the developments in Nigeria and Angola. As US production increased, more West African oil has moved to Asia. Shipment data indicated that in 2018 Asian destinations accounted for 54% of West African exports, compared to only 44% in 2014. As a result, VLCCs have increased their market share relative to Suezmaxes in West African exports. While West Africa represents the majority of African production, changes in North Africa also have a significant impact on the tanker market. Algeria and Libya remain significant producers and exporters, each producing slightly more than 1 mill barrels per day. Algerian output is more or less steady, but Libyan production and exports have started to come back from their collapse during the revolution that ousted long-term leader Gaddafi in 2011. Libyas production has doubled over the last two years, although occasional eruptions of fighting still affect production and export capacity.The largest oil field in Libya remains closed after local fighters captured it last December, reducing exports by about 0.3 mill barrels in January. Production is likely to remain volatile. North African exports have increased significantly, due to the recovery of Libyan production and exports. About 40% of the total exports remain in the Mediterranean, which is down from over 50% as recently as 2016. Asia has been a notable growth destination, especially China, which has bought increasing volumes from Libya. Some 90% of these cargoes are lifted on Suezmaxes. Exports to NW Europe have also increased, especially to the UK, offsetting reduced exports to Canada. The majority of the crude oil from Africa is low sulfur (sweet) and this type of oil will become increasingly desirable in the coming years, as IMO 2020 will force the majority of the shipping industry to switch to low sulfur bunker fuels. Growing markets in Asia will be the primary destinations for these volumes and we expect that VLCCs and Suezmaxes will benefit the most from any additional tonne/miles, Poten concluded. 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. There was wide-ranging criticism this week on all sides of the political spectrum after the decision by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to agree to a third party sitting in on any future cross-party talks over the political future of Catalonia. Even within Sanchez's own party, the Socialist PSOE, there was disagreement over the move, and right-of-centre political parties announced a protest march in a bid to "throw out" the prime minister. The move to use an intermediary, described in Spanish as a ''relator'', rapporteur or notetaker, is viewed by opponents as validating part of the Catalan secessionists' argument that they are equal to central government and also implying that Madrid isn't able to sort out internal political problems on its own. It is being widely seen as well as a concession to separatist parties who have demanded a powerful international mediator for talks on Catalonia's future. The PSOE needs the support of their MPs in the national Congreso to approve Spain's 2019 budget in a vote due next week. The government sought to play down its move this week as it was pointed out that former prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, has also used intermediaries in Catalonia in the past. Supporters of Pedro Sanchez said his strategy was meant to be less confrontational than his predecessor's. But critics, even in the PSOE, claimed that the policy could force a no-confidence vote and usher in a hard-line right-wing government, which could increase pro-independence support in Catalonia. List of 21 demands This week the Catalan regional government released a list of 21 demands they had given to Sanchez last December, piling extra pressure on the PM for not having made it public himself at the time. Top of the wishlist is recognition by Madrid of the right of Catalonia to self-determination. The PP, Ciudadanos and Vox parties have called a march for Sunday in Madrid under the slogan, 'A united Spain. Elections now'. The trial of separatist leaders arrested in 2017 is due to start next Tuesday, 12 February, in Madrid, further adding to the political tension with Catalonia. Some of the best international artists on the Costa del Sol showed off paintings, sculptures, photography, stained glass, textiles and bronze sculptures at an exhibition organised by the Arts Society of Benahavis last Sunday. More information : www.theartssocietybenahavis.com More than 500 art lovers attended the seventh annual event, supported by Benahavis town hall and wealth management advisors Blevins Franks, at the Gran Hotel in Benahavis. During the five-hour event there were also performances by the local Spanish band Devils in the Sky and a ballet display by the Marbella Performance College. Jane Norrie, one of the judges of the young artist competition, told SUR in English: "It was fantastic because all day there were throngs of people and there was such a happy atmosphere. It certainly put Benahavis on the map for the day. "One thing we are particularly proud of is that this is a British organised event but includes many Spanish people too." The free exhibition also featured a young artists' competition, a start-a-novel competition and a children's workshop. Jane, who is originally from Edinburgh, and has lived in Spain for 20 years, added: "The 30 artist stands were the core of the event, but another highlight was the young artist competition. We had 24 artists from three local schools taking part. "The Devils in the Sky were great too; they did two sessions so the whole of Benahavis must have heard them." The winners of the young artist competition were: Alexsander Khrol, 11, from Swans International School, who took first place and won 150 euros; Sean Cronin, 13, from Laude International College, who finished in second place, winning 100 euros; and Poppy Frost, from the British International School of Marbella, who came third and claimed 50 euros. Local writers were also represented at the Writers Wall, with visitors taking part in the Start-a-Novel Competition. Former SUR in English editor Liz Parry and Arts Society Europe representative Jo Ward judged the competition and awarded a bottle of wine to the winner, Gillespie Robertson. The Arts Society Benahavis was established in 2012 and is one of more than 385 local societies worldwide that are members of The Arts Society. The group hopes to further the enjoyment, knowledge and awareness of the arts and to stimulate interest in the cultural heritage of Spain. Based upon new historical evidence, the lecture on the Costa del Sol next week by Neil Faulkner (London, 1958) promises to be a fascinating uncovering of the real man behind the legend of Lawrence of Arabia. Faulkner's interest in T. E.Lawrence was sparked during a 10-year-long archaeological project looking for evidence related to the Arab Revolt in the deserts of southern Jordan. Lawrences war memoir, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, was the most detailed record of the revolt, so our project meant that we inevitably had to have a very serious engagement with the biography, the character, the role and indeed the controversy surrounding Lawrence. Ive indirectly become a sort of Lawrence specialist, as a consequence of our archaeological project, Faulkner tells SUR in English in a telephone interview prior to his trip to southern Spain. After the First World War, Lawrences story became something of a legend, made concrete in 1962 with the release of Lawrence of Arabia, David Leans Oscar-winning historical drama. However, Lawrences celebrity is surrounded by controversy, which according to Faulkner has existed since 1919. There were those who saw him as a sort of military genius who played a major role in the outcome of First World War in the Middle East and those who think of him as a serial liar, says the archaeologist. Based upon his findings in Jordan, Faulkners team were able to draw a conclusion which could perhaps bring some answers to this century-old debate. Hes keeping quiet for now, promising a big reveal during the upcoming lecture in Benahavis. We certainly came to a definite view as to whether The Seven Pillars of Wisdom can be considered to be a reliable account, he says. The story of T. E. Lawrence continues to be relevant to this day. Faulkner explains that Lawrence internalised the remaining Middle East conflict post-war, something from which he never properly recovered. Lawrence was broken by the war, primarily as a consequence of his sense that the Arabs had been betrayed by the British. The British had effectively promised the leaders of the Arab Revolt a united independent Arab state in the Middle East, if the Ottoman Empire was defeated, which obviously it was, he explains. Faulkner continues, However, after the war, a secret agreement between the British, the French and the Russians meant that the Middle East was actually divided between the imperial powers. Over time, as the various states of the Middle East got their independence, those artificial borders that had been created were fossilised and are largely unchanged to this day. The archaeologist states that what the imperial powers did between 1916 and 1921 continues to impact the Middle East of today. The region is extremely dysfunctional in terms of where the boundaries are and what the nation state entities are. We can see whats happened in Iraq and whats happened in Syria - the whole thing sort of implodes into sectarian warfare. The Lawrence lecture SpeakerNeil Faulkner. VenueBenahavis Town Hall. Date and time24 April, 6.30pm. Fee12 euros with complimentary glass of wine. The title of David Fromkins 1989 account captures it for Faulkner: They imposed a peace to end all peace. What was done after the war has shaped the Middle East for 100 years. This modern-day connection is what makes Lawrence such a fascinating point of study for this archaeologist. In some respects, Faulkner himself must identify with T. E. Lawrence. Both are scholars, academics and archaeologists whose work has brought them to the same part of the world. He was somebody who was very up for it. He took himself out to the Middle East to collect information for an undergraduate dissertation on crusader castles in 1909. He then went back there after graduating to work as an excavator. Thats the kind of thing that I can identify with very strongly. However, as an anti-imperialist, Faulkner considers Lawrence to have been too trusting. He viewed the British Empire through rose-tinted glasses. I think he was extremely naive about their potential benevolence. The British Empire wasnt some cross between the National Trust and the United Nations, it was a rapacious system of exploitation. He puts it down to Lawrences background and the political influences that he came under. Ultimately, Faulkner believes that Lawrence was subject to ideological conditioning. He was never able to break away and see the underlying purpose of the British Empire or the reactionary nature of the leadership of the Arab Revolt. Although hes a regular lecturer for the Arts Society, this upcoming trip to Spain is of particular interest to Faulkner. Im going to take advantage of my time there. The lecture is on Tuesday, but Im coming on Saturday with three mates and were going to be doing some field work in Almeria. Lawrence viewed the British Empire through rose-tinted glasses Most know that Almeria was a top Spaghetti Western filming location. Perhaps lesser known is that it was also the setting for a large portion of David Leans Lawrence of Arabia. We are going to go to the site of the town of Aqaba, and well try to find where they built the railway line for the famous train ambush scene. As Faulkner puts it, what hes now interested in is the archaeology of cinema. Faulkner is clearly passionate;his views are both fierce and incredibly well considered. Sparks will fly this Tuesday alongside insights over fifteen years in the making. Yes, Rep. Maxine Waters did call some Republicans scumbags but she was referring to the current Cabinet in office. He failed to mention President Trumps tweet describing Waters as an extraordinarily low IQ person. In Ilhan Omars tweet, it stated Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel. Nowhere in her tweet does she mention harm to Israel as stated in your letter. Convicted felons cant own firearms, serve on juries or hold public office unless their rights are restored by the state. They may be barred from serving in the military or getting a security clearance. Theyll likely find it harder to get a job or find housing. They may have to wait years before getting a professional license from the state. Non-citizens are more likely to be deported. One way the organization has made a mark on Congress is through expense-paid travel junkets to Israel, which are paid for by an affiliated nonprofit that does not have to disclose its donors. The popular weeklong excursions for members of Congress, their families and some senior staff can cost upward of $12,000 per person and are intended to "educate political leaders and influencers about the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship through firsthand experiences." Jurors chosen beginning Monday will decide the fate of 50-year-old Philip Esformes, who operated a network of 30 nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Florida. Prosecutors say Esformes and other conspirators referred thousands of Medicare patients to their facilities even if they didn't qualify for services. But investigators dont think Francillon ever went to the swap meet with his mom and stepdad that day. Witnesses there said they never saw the little boy, nicknamed Yo-Yo, with the adults. And neighbors told police the youngster hadnt been seen for weeks. Lambert and Smith told detectives they did not know what was in the packages they picked up, and it is unclear if the three men arrested were the ones that made the phone calls, based on police reports. Maybe the croc just wanted to get some sun while cooling off for a bit? Thats how Tomas Weekes described it on Facebook: best of both worlds cool on the bottom while sun tanning on top. RED FLAG LAW: Florida became the sixth state to pass a red flag law, empowering law enforcement with court approval to take guns from people exhibiting violent behavior. Before the law passed, a violent person had to be adjudicated mentally ill by the courts in order to lose his or her weapons. After the Parkland shooting, the idea caught on. Besides Florida, seven other states and Washington, D.C., passed red flag laws in 2018. In Congress, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, refiled a bill in January that would provide a financial incentive to states that pass red flag laws. A bill (SB 764) filed in January by state Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boynton Beach, would expand Floridas new law to allow family members to petition the courts for gun removal. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said 1,202 active protection orders some temporary and some permanent were issued statewide. At the Broward Sheriffs Office alone, risk-protection orders were used 96 times in less than a year. The language on the scooters is legally incorrect and something that obviously creates confusion and misinformation as it pertains to their use in Fort Lauderdale, Boileau said in an email response to the South Florida Sun Sentinel. The language will have to change and this is just one of the issues that will be addressed with the scooter companies. : , , //. 1944 . . , , (1993-1995 .). , . . : , ? : , . , . , , , . , - , , 1 2007 . : - 1 2007 ., ? : , . , , -, , 2004 ., . - ? - , - 1 2007 ., . , - , - . : - , ? ? : , , , . , , 2005 . . , . , , , , . , , . , , , . , - , . , , . , , . , , . : , ? : . , : , . , , . , . , , . . , , , , , , - . , , 25-, 2007 - 27- - . , -. , - , , , , . , , , , , 25- , , - , .. - , , , .. , , , . , - , , - , 27-. , , 27- - . , , . 25-, . , . By 11:15 a.m., President Hassan Rouhani took the stage at the Freedom Monument and spoke to the energetic crowd for roughly 45 minutes. He praised the accomplishments of the Islamic Republic and said the country was stronger and life was better than under the shahs monarchy. It turns out Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner arent the only ones moving to the ultraexclusive Billionaires Bunker near Miami. According to Page Six, Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen are the latest couple to have purchased a slice of Indian Creek Island, for a cool $17 million. Were thrilled to welcome AJ and Danielle to the CBS12 News family and enhance our in-depth coverage of stories that impact the South Florida community, said Adam Henning, the stations news director. With their combined 16 years of experience in journalism, both women demonstrate tremendous talent and drive for uncovering hidden truths, and we look forward to the meaningful work they will produce. Get the most out of your business down-time by attending a workshop or networking. Learn more about your industry, or the business of others, to see where you fit in and find new opportunities. Visit southflorida.com/submitevents to view and to submit, your business events. Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money. Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists. Ashtabula, OH (44004) Today Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 58F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 58F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. At a stroke British Prime Minister Ted Heath dropped the New Zealanders, who had stood by the UK in good times and bad, in favour of helping create a more stable Europe, where young lives were no longer lost in Flanders Fields or on Normandy beaches. Addressing the Northern Ireland British Blue Cattle Club guest speaker Alex Thompson recalled how this impacted on Kiwi farmers. The whole rural economy went into free fall and eventually all government support was ended. The country simply could not afford farm subsidies. Becoming efficient, competitive and innovative was the only way to survive, noted Alex who farms on Islandmagee and visits his daughter and her Kiwi husband on their New Zealand beef and sheep farm. Some NZ farmers did not survive the sudden end of government support and easy access to the 60 million consumers of the UK. But today this Pacific nation of four million has one of the most successful agri food sectors in the world. One can visit an ultra efficient 2,000 acre beef and sheep unit that has less capital tied up in machinery and concrete than a 100 acre holding in Ulster. Looking ahead Alex hopes farmers in the UK, most of whom voted for Brexit, can prove equally adept at meeting changing circumstances if they loose access to the European mainland market. Brexit will certainly see the end of CAP style support for farming as the cabinet are planning for low cost food imports to reduce the risk of civil unrest. NZ farmers now export to the booming economies of SE Asia, but fear a bad Brexit will disrupt world trade if it results in damage to the economies of the current 28 EU members, especially our own. In the past NZ, as a small nation, has been bullied in trade deals by large nations and power blocks not least the USA. They fret that this may happen again? In all the Westhall herd of Mary Fotheringham, along with the husband and wife team of Robert & Hazel McNee, had a tremendous days trading that saw them sell all of their pen of five bulls to gross 38,500gns at a mighty average of 7,700gns. Leading the way was the June 2017 born Westhall Norris who earlier in the day had been placed as Reserve Junior Champion by the pre sale show judge, and noted commercial and pedigree breeder James Thomson, Hilton of Beath, Kelty, Fife. This bull is by the homebred herd sire Westhall Jammy, a Newhouse Glamis son whose pedigree features Newhouse Teak a top breeding female in the Newhouse herd. Westhall Norris, who is out of Westhall Freespirit was purchased for the sizeable commercial enterprise of D Walker & Sons, Camregan Farm, Girvan, Ayrshire. The 11,500gns top price was also the top sale price achieved by the 80 pedigree cow Westhall herd to date. From what was his first crop of calves at sale, Westhall Jammy featured as the sire of the top two prices. In addition to his pedigree calves, commercial progeny from this bull have been showing tremendous carcase traits in length and yield when hanging up. Taking the second top price of 11,000gns was the first prize winner in class four in the shape of Westhall Nathan. Full of breeding this May 2017 born bull is another Westhall Jammy son and is out of Westhall Hlame who has herself previously bred the 11,000gns Westhall Landman. Purchasing Westhall Nathan was the noted commercial producer Peter Alexander, Mains of Mause, Blairgowrie. Mr Alexander, who runs one of the largest Limousin commercial herds in the UK, bought four Limousin bulls through the sale. Both of the Westhall top priced bulls featured strong performance figures for a combination of calving ease, growth and carcase traits and this was a trend continued through the sale. Commenting, British Limousin Cattle Society Chief Executive Iain Kerr said: There was a solid demand for the bulls forward and a very healthy 80% clearance rate reflects that. It was clear that buyers had set budgets to work to and picked the bulls meeting their criteria. Bulls with the genetics and performance figures for easy calving, growth, weight for age, and age to slaughter were in demand and sold very well. The breed now moves on to Carlisle within the next fortnight where there will be another 200 Limousin bulls catalogued. The judge on the day, James Thomson, commended the breeders for the show of bulls forward and said: It was a tremendous show of commercial bulls offering a lot of choice for buyers. The bulls had plenty of size and scale and were well muscled carrying good flesh. Selling at 9000gns was the stylish Reserve Supreme & Intermediate Champion, Anside Nemesis from the Irvine family at Braehead Farm, Drummuir, Keith. The first prize winner in class six this was another bull with a strong and proven pedigree. Sired by the herds prolific stock bull Powerful Irish, this June 2017 born calf is out of Bailea Cadee who herself has bred many of the herds show heifers at the Royal Highland. Again with a strong set of performance figures, Anside Nemesis was bought by A Kennedy & Son, Seggarsdean, Haddington. The Anside herd stock sire Powerful Irish has bred bulls up to 13,000gns, and to an average of over 7000 for some thirty plus bulls sold. In May 2018 the Powerful Irish sired Anside Magneto topped the Stirling Limousin sale at 12,000gns. Messrs J R MacGregor, Dyke Farm, Milton of Campsie, Glasgow, made 7200gns when selling the April 2017 born Dyke Nilegod. Another with good all round figures including growth and carcase traits, this bull is by Dyke Gandalf, a Fieldson Alfy son, and is out of the thirteen year old cow Dyke Amazon. Taking this bull home was J&J Wylie, Knockhouse Farm, Crossford, Dunfermline. Another from the MacGregors, Dyke Nero, made 6500gns and was purchased by R Easson & Son, Barns of Airlie, Kirriemuir, Tayside. A first prize-winner from the second class this April 2017 bull is by Netherhall Gilbert, a Haltcliffe DJ son, and is out of Dyke Glam. Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) February 11, 2019 (SPS) - President of the Republic, Secretary-General of the POLISARIO Front, Brahim Ghali, on Sunday held official talks with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. The talks centered on the United Nations-led peace process in Western Sahara in the context of the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy, Horst Koehler, to find a just and lasting solution to the conflict on the basis of international legitimacy. The President of the Republic reiterated the full cooperation of the Sahrawi authorities with the United Nations in order to reach a just and lasting solution to the issue of decolonization of Western Sahara on the basis of the application of international legitimacy and respect for the inalienable right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination and independence in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations and the African Union. For his part, the UN Secretary-General stressed his full support for his personal envoy to advance the UN-led political process towards finding a solution to the long-running conflict in Western Sahara. It should be recalled that the African Union had called upon the two member States, the Sahrawi Republic and the Kingdom of Morocco, to engage in direct and unconditional negotiations to resolve this African conflict. (SPS) 062/SPS/TRA Interview with Obama Adviser Ben Rhodes 'Trump Is Just Tearing Things Down' Ben Rhodes was a key adviser in the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama. With his memoir now being published in German, DER SPIEGEL spoke with him about the Donald Trump presidency, America's diminished role in the world and Obama's Middle East policy. , . - ... With Vietnam, Liberty Media is getting its first experience of creating a race from scratch, but F1 CEO Chase Carey insists the event isn't "a completely different animal". Formula 1 will be heading to Hanoi in 2020, a city which holds great potential according to Liberty Media, but one which is also seen by fans as an exotic destination in a country with zero motorsport heritage. Beyond the debate on the merits of venturing into new territories, Vietnam marks the first time Liberty Media is building an F1 event from the ground up. While challenging, the endeavor also offers a series of benefits according to Grand Prix racing's boss. "Certainly being involved with Vietnam from day one enabled us to engage in a way that we hadnt had the opportunity [before], on laying out the track and creating the race and event," said Carey in an interview with Sky Sports. "It is a city race so that always has more dynamics, in terms of what a track is going to look like. "When you have a track thats already built a fair amount of the race is pre-determined. When you are putting it in a city you are creating a lot of it from scratch and from what exists. "It did enable us to be more deeply involved in creating a race that we think will be a great race for fans in a place that will be a great experience for fans, the spectacle beyond the race, in a place that we think will capture their imagination. "I dont think its a completely different animal." Following a recent outcry by the sixteen members of the Formula One Promoters Association who publicly expressed concerns about how Liberty Media is managing F1, Carey sought to play down the grievances, insisting that promoters would all be dealt with by F1 with an equal amount of commitment. "Our goal is to work with every race that we have to make sure that whether its the race itself or the experience around the race, or the engagement with our partner, maximises the opportunity," he said. "Realistically, were working with all the races, we have to make sure the races are everything they can be. "Every time somebody says this track isnt great for passing, my reaction is that we ought to make it good for passing. And if theres an issue we ought to try and fix it." Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers Spain joins France, Germany on new combat fighter Madrid, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2019 Spain will join a Franco-German project to build a new fighter plane to replace the Eurofighter and Rafale, the defence ministry said Monday. Defence Minister Margarita Robles will sign a letter of intent with her French and German counterparts on Thursday on the margins of a NATO meeting in Brussels, a spokesperson said. The project launched in July 2017 is known as the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), which in addition to a new combat aircraft also plans to include drones and cruise missiles. The new fighter jet will replace the Eurofighter which is assembled in Germany, Britain, Spain and Italy, and the French Rafale around 2040. It will compete with the US F-35 or its successor. A first contract worth 65 million euros was awarded to Airbus and Dassault Aviation in February to develop the design of the combat system. Spain, where Airbus's military transport planes are assembled, had sent a letter in December to Paris and Berlin asking to be associated with the project. The FCAS has a rival -- Britain's Tempest project which has been awarded to BAE Systems, and which Italy and the Netherlands have also joined. In a December statement, Spain's defence ministry said it was "convinced that the two programmes would end up merging, given the huge investment needed in their development." du-pmr/mbx/jh DASSAULT AVIATION AIRBUS GROUP Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan meets Afghan president in Kabul Kabul, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2019 Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan Monday, where he met with President Ashraf Ghani as the United States leads a push for peace talks with the Taliban. The visit comes after Washington held major talks with Taliban officials in Qatar last month that negotiators hope could herald a breakthrough in the grinding 17-year conflict. US President Donald Trump is pushing to end US involvement in Afghanistan, where 14,000 American troops are still deployed -- raising Afghan fears that Washington could exit before securing a lasting peace between the Taliban and the Kabul government. Shanahan told reporters earlier that he had no instructions from Washington to begin a withdrawal, however. "I have not been directed to step down our forces in Afghanistan," Shanahan said. "I think the presence we want in Afghanistan is what assures our homeland defence and supports regional stability." He said it was crucial Kabul, whose representatives were not at the talks in Qatar, was involved in discussions over the future of Afghanistan. "The Afghans have to decide what Afghanistan looks like in the future. It's not about the US, it's about Afghanistan," Shanahan said. "The US has significant -- significant -- investment in ensuring security, but the Afghans decide their future." Shanahan met General Scott Miller, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, to discuss the situation on the ground before visiting Camp Morehead where Americans train Afghan special forces. Later he sat down with Ghani, who has vented frustration at talks occurring without him about the future of Afghanistan and warned against rushing into a deal. "Both sides said that the peace process and the fight against terrorism will continue, and the military and security alliance between Afghanistan and US will continue until peace is achieved," the president's palace said in a statement after Ghani's meeting with Shanahan. Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special envoy leading the talks, has expressed hope of finding a deal before Afghan presidential elections scheduled for July, but has emphasised that any troop withdrawal would depend on conditions on the ground. Khalilzad is set to lead a large delegation on a six-nation tour, including Afghanistan, to boost the peace process and seek to bring all Afghan parties to the table. - 'Constructive' - The months-long push by the US to engage the Taliban has ostensibly been aimed at convincing them to negotiate with Kabul, which the insurgents consider a US puppet. Ghani spoke last week with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who also stressed the importance of the Afghan government being at the centre of the peace process. But the insurgents, who ruled Afghanistan from 1996-2001, have steadfastly refused. Instead they met directly with US negotiators in Doha last month for peace talks described by US President Donald Trump as "constructive". The US is expected to commence a second round of talks with Taliban officials on February 25 in Qatar, where they have their political office. The militants, who were toppled by US-led forces in 2001, last week held separate talks in Moscow with a senior delegation of Afghan politicians -- including chief Ghani rivals. The two-day talks were the Taliban's most significant engagement with Afghan leaders in years, and saw former president Hamid Karzai, among others, dining and praying with the insurgents -- though without the involvement of the government it was unclear what impact they will have. Ghani described the Moscow talks as "nothing more than fantasy". The Taliban have outlined their vision for Afghanistan, proposing an "inclusive Islamic system" of governance and demanding a new Islam-based constitution for the country. Both parties released a statement at the conclusion of the talks promising to advance negotiations at a later date. Shanahan was elevated from deputy defense secretary to the Pentagon's top spot January 1, after Jim Mattis quit amid long-running disagreements with President Trump. His visit to Afghanistan comes as the United Nations said it was investigating "credible" reports of Afghan civilian deaths and injuries from an airstrike over the weekend in Helmand, a Taliban stronghold. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said late Sunday it would share its findings once an inquiry into the "aerial operations" in Sangin district was completed. The Taliban are responsible for about half of civilian casualties, with the remaining deaths attributed to the Islamic State group and coalition strikes, according to a UNAMA report. But airstrikes have stepped up and the UN has warned civilians continue to pay a disproportionate price in the fighting. The US dropped 7,362 weapons during airstrikes in 2018 in Afghanistan -- approaching double the number of 2017, US Air Forces Central Command figures show. 7 children among 16 killed in strike on IS Syria holdout: monitor Beirut, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2019 US-led coalition air strikes on the last jihadist pocket in Syria on Monday killed 16 civilians, including at least seven children, a war monitor said. Eight women and one elderly man were also among the civilians killed while trying to flee towards the Iraqi border, said Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The coalition was not immediately available for comment, but has repeatedly said it does its utmost to avoid targeting civilians. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Saturday announced the final push to expel hundreds of diehard jihadists from their last patch of territory in eastern Syria on the Iraq border. The SDF estimates that up to 600 IS fighters could still remain inside, most of them foreigners. Nineteen IS fighters were killed in clashes with the SDF on Monday, the monitor said. The Kurdish-led force lost nine fighters during battles with jihadists, the Observatory said. The SDF does not usually divulge casualty figures until weeks or months later. Chad rebel group vows to fight on after losses Libreville, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2019 A Chadian rebel group on Monday vowed to pursue its campaign against President Idriss Deby, despite suffering losses to government forces after being targeted by French air strikes. "A battle has been lost, but not the war," Youssouf Hamid, spokesman of the Union of Resistance Forces (UFR) told AFP. On Saturday, the Chadian military said it had captured more than 250 rebels, including four senior leaders, and seized more than 40 vehicles and "several hundred" weapons. The operation targeted a convoy of militants trying to cross into Chad from Libya that was also hit earlier in several French air strikes, it said. Hamid said the military's account was a "fantasy." He said "about 30" fighters who had taken shelter in a cave after the French attacks surrendered to the Chadian army "without fighting." Hamid added, "We didn't know that France would intervene. Normally, they do intelligence-gathering, which we knew about. We didn't expect them to carry out strikes." "It wasn't a fight between (UFR fighters) and the Chadian fighters. It was France which did the fighting, not Chadians," he said. The French jets, based near the Chadian capital N'Djamena, intervened at the government's request, France says. Chad, a vast and mostly desert country with more than 200 ethnic groups, has suffered repeated coups and crises since it gained independence from France in 1960. Under Deby, a former head of the armed forces, the country has taken a leading role in the fight against jihadism in the Sahel region. It is part of a West African coalition fighting the Boko Haram insurgency, and a member of the French-backed G5 Sahel anti-terror alliance, which also includes Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger. The latest incursion follows several recent air strikes by the Chadian air force against Libya-based rebels in the far north. The UFR was created in January 2009 from an alliance of eight rebel groups. It is led by Timan Erdimi, Deby's nephew, who is also a member of the Zaghawa ethnic group. In February 2008, a tripartite insurgent group, moving in from the east, reached the gates of the presidential palace in N'Djamena before being repulsed. Singapore defends conscription after string of deaths Singapore, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2019 Singapore on Monday defended the city-state's system of conscription after the recent deaths of four servicemen, including a popular young actor, sparked widespread criticism. As a tiny state surrounded by bigger neighbours, Singapore's founding leaders decided to rely on conscription as a major plank of its defence strategy after the country gained independence in 1965. Male Singaporean citizens and permanent residents must undergo two years of national service upon turning 18, either in the military, the police or the emergency services. They are also regularly called up for further training in the following years. But some have called for the conscription system to be changed following the deaths of four servicemen -- three doing their initial two years of service, and a fourth doing reservist training -- in a spate of mishaps over the past 17 months. The case that sparked the greatest controversy was the death of Aloysius Pang, a 28-year-old actor, who suffered fatal injuries while repairing artillery as he participated in exercises in New Zealand last month as part of compulsory reservist training. "Stop exploiting our young men in the name of national defense," wrote social media user CJ Leo below an article on the current system. "A full time armed forces will do the job more effectively." In a statement to parliament Monday, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen insisted that Singapore "must never give up on national service, that forms the backbone of our SAF (Singapore Armed Forces) for national defence". Ng apologised for the deaths and said the SAF and defence ministry were putting in place additional safety measures. But he also urged Singaporeans not to overlook the reason why males citizens had to undergo military training -- to protect the country. "Without NSmen (national servicemen), we cannot have the SAF or the home team that can deter terrorists from attacking Changi Airport (Singapore's main airport)... or harming innocent civilians in shopping malls, in crowded places," he said. "Without the NSmen and the SAF, potential aggressors will not shy away from simply marching into and occupying today's affluent Singapore as Iraq did to Kuwait," he added. Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan arrives in Afghanistan Kabul, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2019 Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan arrived in Afghanistan on an unannounced visit Monday as the United States leads a push for peace talks with the Taliban. Shanahan will meet President Ashraf Ghani, who has warned against rushing into a deal after Washington held major talks with Taliban officials in Qatar last month that negotiators hope could herald a breakthrough in the grinding 17-year conflict. President Trump is pushing to end US involvement in Afghanistan, where 14,000 American troops are still deployed, raising fears in Afghanistan that the US could exit before securing a lasting peace between the Taliban and the Kabul government. Shanahan, who is also due to meet General Scott Miller, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, told reporters aboard his flight to Kabul that he had no instructions from Washington to begin a withdrawal, however. "I have not been directed to step down our forces in Afghanistan," Shanahan said. "I think the presence we want in Afghanistan is what assures our homeland defence and supports regional stability." He said it was crucial Kabul, whose representatives were not at the talks in Qatar, was involved in discussions over the future of Afghanistan. "The Afghans have to decide what Afghanistan looks like in the future. It's not about the US, it's about Afghanistan," Shanahan said. "The US has significant -- significant -- investment in ensuring security, but the Afghans decide their future." Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special envoy leading the talks, has expressed hope at finding a deal before Afghan presidential elections scheduled for July, but has emphasised that any troop withdrawal would depend on conditions on the ground. Khalilzad is set to lead a large delegation on a six-nation tour, including Afghanistan, to boost the peace process and seek to bring all Afghan parties to the table. - 'Constructive' - The months-long push by the US to engage the Taliban has ostensibly been aimed at convincing them to negotiate with Kabul, which the insurgents consider a US puppet. Ghani spoke last week with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who also stressed the importance of the Afghan government being at the centre of the peace process. But the insurgents, who ruled Afghanistan from 1996-2001, have steadfastly refused. Instead they met directly with US negotiators in Doha last month for peace talks described by US President Donald Trump as "constructive". The US is expected to commence a second round of talks with Taliban officials on February 25 in Qatar, where they have their political office. The militants, who were toppled by US-led forces in 2001, last week held separate talks in Moscow with a senior delegation of Afghan politicians -- including chief Ghani rivals. The two-day talks were the Taliban's most significant engagement with Afghan leaders in years, and saw former president Hamid Karzai, among others, dining and praying with the insurgents -- though without the involvement of the government it was unclear what impact they will have. Ghani -- who has vented frustration as his friends and enemies were pictured negotiating the future of his country -- has described the Moscow talks as "nothing more than fantasy". The Taliban have outlined their vision for Afghanistan, proposing an "inclusive Islamic system" of governance and demanding a new Islam-based constitution for the country. Both parties released a statement at the conclusion of the talks promising to advance negotiations at a later date. Australia signs massive sub deal with French firm Canberra, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2019 Australia formally signed a $50 billion "strategic partnership" with France to build 12 state of the art submarines Monday, a signal of Canberra's willingness to project power across the Pacific. Prime Minister Scott Morrison hailed the "very audacious plan" at a ceremony in Canberra as "part of Australia's biggest ever peace-time investment in defence". The partnership's main pillar is a contract for France's Naval Group -- a consortium with state backing -- to build 12 attack-class submarines and has been years in the making. It is Australia's largest ever defence procurement project and the largest ever foreign sales deal by French shipbuilder Naval Group. The first submarine is expected to be finished in the early 2030s. Critics say that is too late: the waters to Australia's north and east are the scene of an intense struggle between the United States, China and regional powers, who are all vying for influence. Beijing has made territorial claims to much of the South China Sea -- a marine thoroughfare that is vital to maintain the supply of ores, minerals and crude that fuel the Chinese economy. Washington fears that China is becoming increasingly assertive over those claims to display its dominance over smaller Asian nations and become the prime regional power. Australian military analysts hope the subs will allow the country to maintain a credible deterrent against possible hostile actions. Visiting French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly signed the agreement for Paris in a ceremony that took place in the shadow of a memorial to US forces in front of the Australian defence offices in Canberra. "It takes a lot of confidence for Australia to bet on France and a lot of confidence for France to share with Australia the capability that is so close to the core of our sovereignty and our strategic autonomy and a result of immense investment over decades," Parly said. - 'Eyeless beasts' - Under the Strategic Partnership Agreement, 12 conventionally powered submarines derived from the Naval Group Barracuda nuclear design will be constructed in a new shipyard in South Australia. Parly hailed the agreement as a long-term partnership between Australia and France and dismissed some "whining about the lengths of the negotiations". "Behind those masses of dark steel, behind those eyeless beasts" there was friendship, a commonality of interest, a vision of values in the region, a common attachment to multilateralism and the rules-based order, she said. Naval Group chairman Herve Guillou said Australia chose the French submarine design because of its endurance, long range and acoustic superiority. "We are bidding in the Netherlands today. That is one really important bid because they are looking as well for expeditionary submarines," he said, hoping the Australia contract would serve as a launchpad. "It also gives credibility to other bids but on smaller submarines like India, Poland, Brazil and so on." Guillou confirmed the first Australian submarine should be sailing in the early 2030s, the last in the early 2040s with the last decommissioned probably in the early 2080s. "We are looking at a very, very long-term partnership with Australia," he said. Guillou also said an alliance with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri would permit the two companies to team up for research and development and procurement for some common projects, either bilateral or for export. "If we look at the change in the market, we need European players to unite more strongly to be able to face the new giants in this market, like CSCC in China, like OSK in Russia," he said. "We really want to take the initiative of being stronger before the others are stronger." str-arb/dm/mtp Fincantieri Have a story idea or tip about something happening in the East Village? Or maybe a photo? Or several photos? Or video! We'd love to hear about it. Or see it. Or something. Please go here to submit a tip. By the way Here, you'll find things that you may or may not be interested in about the East Village and other parts of New York City. Appreciating what's here while it's still here. Remembering what's no longer here. Wishing some things weren't here that are here. Australia signs massive sub deal with French firm Canberra, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2019 Australia formally signed a $50 billion contract with France to build 12 state of the art submarines Monday, a signal of the country's willingness to project power across the Pacific. Prime Minister Scott Morrison hailed the "very audacious plan" at a ceremony in Canberra as "part of Australia's biggest ever peace-time investment in defence". The contract for 12 attack-class submarines is with France's Naval Group, a consortium with state backing, and has been years in the making. The first submarine is expected to be finished in the early 2030s. Critics say that is too late: the waters to Australia's north and east are the scene of an intense struggle between the United States, China and regional powers, who are all vying for influence. Beijing has made territorial claims to much of the South China Sea -- a marine thoroughfare that is vital to maintain the supply of ores, minerals and crude that fuel the Chinese economy. Washington fears that China is becoming increasingly assertive over its territorial claims to display its dominance over smaller Asian nations and cement its role as the prime regional power. Australian military analysts hope the subs will allow the country to maintain a credible deterrent against possible hostile actions. British Pathe TV Reboots SVOD with StreamAMG Renowned media company and classic movie archive owner British Pathe has partnered with StreamAMG to reboot its SVOD service British Pathe TV, this time featuring full analytics and an improved payment management platform. First launched in 2016 and now costing 5.99 (US $7.77) a month, the OTT service is available worldwide, featuring classic movies and full-length documentaries. The company says it wanted greater in-house control and transparency of its video solution with full analytics and is achieving that with StreamAMG products. Media Platform is StreamAMGs online video platform, hosted in Europe and built on Kalturas Community Edition (CE) codebase. The codebase is hosted on Amazon AWS infrastructure with auto-scaling and delivered via Akamai and CloudFront CDNs. It includes StreamAMGs HTLM5 player suitable for desktop, mobile and connected devices. Cloud Pay, described as a comprehensive payment and user management platform, integrates video data into user retention recommendations and adds rule creation, package creation, CRM, reporting, and anti-churn mechanisms. British Pathe TV says it is now seeking affiliate marketing partners to help the service reach its target audiences. StreamAMGs Media Platform gives British Pathe TV what it needs to grow and to solidify itself as the specialist alternative to the mainstream broadcast channels, said Alastair White, CEO of British Pathe in a press statement. We now have the tools to build a stronger relationship with history buffs, royal watchers, cinema aficionados, train enthusiasts, and other specialist audiences that conventional services are failing to cater for. British Pathe runs a successful footage licensing business including representing the Reuters historical collection. British Pathe TV complements the existing British Pathe newsreel archive, which remains free-to-view on its separate website. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Related Articles Medford, NJ (08055) Today Mainly clear. Low 52F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low 52F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Nancy Madsen has written for newspapers in Watertown, N.Y., and Mankato, as well as for PolitiFact Virginia at the Richmond Times-Dispatch in Richmond, Va. Nancy is a graduate of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill., and Syracuse University in Syracuse, N.Y. You are the owner of this article. John Shearer/Getty Images via ABCNicki Minaj is pulling the plug on her upcoming BET Experience performance, following a now-deleted tweet in which the network poked fun at her. In the BET tweet, captured online, the network shared a link to its write-up of Cardi B's historic Grammy win. In the post, they added a snarky caption which read, "Meanwhile, Nicki Minaj is being dragged by her lacefront." On Monday, Minaj responded with an important message of her own. "Young Money will no longer be apart of the BET Experience or award show," Minaj tweeted. "Summer Tour dates dropping soon." Minaj was set to headline the concert series, which takes place June 20-22, prior to the BET Awards on June 23. Cardi B is scheduled to perform at the June 22 concert. As previously noted, after BET's tweet, fans were quick to call out the network for being disrespectful. And Minaj seemingly agreed, retweeting fans' reaction to BET's indiscretion. "'The most disrespected person in America is the black woman.' Whew chile, Malcolm X never lied," she quoted from one of her fans. After telling one fan to get a refund on their tickets for her performance, Minaj tagged the network, writing "Meanwhile, BET is being dragged by their lace front." No word on if BET will be able to make amends with the rapper. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. 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Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao announced here on Saturday that a comprehensive master plan would be prepared for converting Hyderabad into a truly global city. Hyderabad is growing rapidly adding 5-6 lakh people to its population every year. People from various parts of the state and also other states were migrating to the city as it offers the best facilities and employment opportunities, said KCR, as Rao is popularly known. If the city was not developed as per the demands and aspirations of the increasing population, the life in the city could become miserable, he added. The Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) will prepare the draft plan in three months in consultation with a team of national and international experts. At a high-level meeting with officials, the Chief Minister said expert panels would be set up to implement the master plan and required funds would be made available. KCR suggested that for better planning, the city should be divided into three parts -- the city within Outer Ring Road (ORR), beyond ORR and within the proposed Regional Ring Road. "There are enough traffic problems. The population is likely to increase multifold and it is possible that the situation may slip out of our hands," the Chief Minister said. Industrial estates that are not in use will be converted into green areas and parks. He said 1,50,000 acres of forest blocks in and around Hyderabad should be rejuvenated. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by EIL and Mongol Refinery State Owned LLC in the presence of Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on the sidelines of the Petrotech 2019 that got underway at Greater Noida in the national capital region (NCR) on Sunday. New Delhi: Engineers India Ltd (EIL) on Sunday signed a project management consultancy contract for 1.5 million tonne greenfield refinery in Mongolia. "India extended a $1 billion line of credit to Mongolia during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015. The refinery is being built using that line of credit," Pradhan said. "It marks a new height in bilateral relations," he said. EIL has done a detailed feasibility study for the project, Pradhan added. The two defence corridors are expected to generate 3.5 lakh jobs2.5 lakh in Uttar Pradesh and one lakh in Tamil Nadu at various stages of the supply chain, said Sitharaman in a Facebook post. The defence corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu will generate 3.5 lakh jobs at their various stages of supply chain, said Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday. According to her, investments worth Rs 3,200 crore have already been announced for Tamil Nadu defence corridor, while a defence investors cell has been set up to ensure speedy development of the corridor in Uttar Pradesh. Talking about improving ease of doing business in the country, she said: India has made a significant jump of 65 places, from 142 in 2014 to 77 in 2018 in the global Ease of Doing Business Rankings in the last four years. Defence Minister Sitharaman attributed Indias improving business milieu to the mantra of Reform, Perform and Transform. Make in India, the big-ticket policy launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will turn the nation into a manufacturing hub, she said. NDA government has promoted the Make in India, especially in defence sector to invigorate the indigenous industry, she said. The steps to reduce the burden on imports and make India an important player in the global supply chain are already showing great results at the ground level, she said. A comprehensive approach has been adopted where policy changes and on-ground programmes have simultaneous been implemented with a long term vision to convert India from a defence importer into a defence exporter, she said. The Defence Procurement Policy 2016 has introduced many changes that focus on giving priority to the procurements from Indian manufacturers and service providers. Accordingly, the Central government has taken steps to develop infrastructure and build capacity in various locations across the nation. Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu defence industrial corridors, as announced by the Finance Minister in his 2018 Budget speech, have been landmark decisions in that direction, she said. The purpose of the corridor is to revive the Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and encourage Micro Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) to work closely with PSUs for defence indigenisation. Small businessmen often complain that they still run from pillar to post and wait for days to test components and get them certified before they supply to the assembling units. Defence corridor attempts to change this status quo and encourage private players to venture into the defence sector, said Sitharaman. New Delhi: Britain is set to leave the European Union on March 29 and concerns remain across the globe with the financial markets already jittery over the possibility of a no-deal Brexit. For India, experts say, Brexit might have a short-term adverse impact but benefits lie in the long run. So far, Brexit talks between England and the EU have not been fruitful and there are concerns that Britain might have to leave the Union without a deal which may have severe economic impact including a recession in England. "..if there is Brexit without a deal then there could be short-term disruption while in the long run, it makes the UK less dependent on the EU giving countries like India an opportunity to negotiate directly with the UK," said Mayuresh Joshi, Fund Manager Angel Broking. An RBI report published earlier this month had also noted that the "the likelihood of Brexit in March 2019 could offer opportunities for Indian exporters if bilateral trade agreements are renegotiated". Earlier, last year the Bank of England had warned that a no-deal Brexit could send the pound plunging and trigger a worse recession than the financial crisis. Explaining its impact on the domestic currency, Anindya Banerjee of Kotak Securities said that the no-deal Brexit will have a negative effect on the UK first, it will impact Europe, US, and the emerging markets subsequently. "An actual no-deal Brexit will impact the rupee only because of the outcome" but if the sell-off continues in pound, the rupee will ramain unaffacted. There is considerable confusion with respect to Brexit said Gaurang Somaiya of Motilal Oswal but as far as the Indian currency is concerned the impact will be short-term adding that the uncertainty around Brexit is already affecting the currency market. Brexit has been indentified as a major headwind owing to the strong investment relationship as highlighted by Shaktikanta Das, RBI governor earlier this month, "Brexit is a factor that has repercussions for India's external sector. There are consequential policy challenges for India which enjoys strong trade and investment relations with the UK and the EU." Pointing out India's strong trade relationship with the UK, Mayuresh Joshi commented that Britain is among the top trading partners for India both in terms of inbound and outbound trade. In pure trade terms, UK ranks 12th in a trade with India but it is important because the UK is one of the seven large nations with whom India runs a trade surplus. "The Tata Group has already emerged as the largest employer in the UK through its stake in Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). The UK also happens to be a very large market for India's software exports," says Josi. "While the US continues to be the major partner for India by a margin, UK and the EU region collectively account for nearly 30 per cent of India'' IT exports and UK apparently is the next big market in terms of exports of pharmaceutical products from India," Joshi added. "Even in terms of FDI, India is the third largest FDI investor in the UK and which is also the the third largest FDI investor in India. The relationship is largely symbiotic." According to a research note by Kotak, "Our checks indicate that clients are budgeting for a year of a slowdown" owing to various factors like external headwinds emanating from a slowdown in the US, uncertainty around Brexit and trade wars. Experts said that prominent Indian companies have invested in the Auto and steel sector and the presence is also evident in the IT and pharma sector. Indian auto ancillary companies are major suppliers to auto companies across Europe. Apart from auto and steel where Indian companies have invested in UK, there is a reverse flow from the UK into sectors like healthcare, agritech, food, and beverages. "Brexit with a deal will disrupt all these flows in the short run but will be value accretive for India in the long run," said Mayuresh Joshi, Fund Manager Angel Broking. "The impact of a no-deal Brexit may have catastrophic implications for not just the European heartland, but for the wider developing world in general," said Natasha Mudhar, Advisory Board Member at the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC). In a recent survey said Mudhar German Development Institute found, the impact of a no-deal Brexit can push nearly 1.7 million people from developing countries into poverty. trade and investments. (Ravi Dutta Mishra can be reached at ravidutta.m@ians.in) South Port says it will work with New Zealand Aluminium Smelters this year to see if it can provide additional services for the extra production expected from Tiwai Point. The aluminium smelter is Bluff ports biggest customer, accounting for about a third of all its cargo last year. In December the plant formally re-opened its fourth pot line after a six-year break. South Port chief executive Nigel Gear says that new capacity should increase the smelters use of imported alumina by about 60,000 tonnes a year, and its exports of aluminium by about 30,000 tonnes. Over the coming year, South Port will be working with NZAS to determine whether there are additional services the port can provide to handle and/or pack any of this finished cargo into containers for export through Bluff, he said. South Port yesterday reported a 1 percent increase in first-half cargo to 1.77 million tonnes. Revenue for the six months ended Dec. 31 climbed 7.4 percent to $20.9 million, benefiting from a good mix of cargo but also aided by a strong performance from the firms warehousing division and increased marine activity. Net profit fell about 7 percent to $4.55 million, reflecting increased spending on infrastructure and maintenance, the company said. The five-yearly dry-docking of the tug Hauroko in August had cost about $838,000, it noted. South Port, like many of the countrys ports, is facing increased expenditure to meet a jump in freight volumes, particularly logs. In October the company warned that that spending could see current year profit fall about 10 percent compared with the record $9.66 million reported for the June 2018 year. Based on all known factors at the date of its 2019 interim result, South Port estimates full-year earnings should fall in the range of $8.60 million to $8.90 million, chair Rex Chapman said yesterday. The company will pay a 7.5 cent interim dividend on March 6, unchanged from a year earlier. A full-year result within the forecast range will see total dividends for the year kept at 26 cents, consistent with the past three years, Chapman said. South Port made its earlier profit warning just as trade tensions between the US and China were increasing, and when the outlook for the current dairy season pay-out was much lower. Gear noted that New Zealand dairy supply has increased this season and the firm handled its first exports from Mataura Valley Milk in November. Log volumes, which reached a record 671,000 tonnes last year, are similar to last season but shipments to India have slowed, he said. Volumes have also been impacted by poor ground conditions in certain areas within Southland affecting the ability of logging crews to harvest their forestry blocks, Gear said. These two factors are expected to lead to a reduction in throughput by year-end of approximately 10 percent compared with last season. Log and wood chip exports exceeded a million tonnes last year, and became the largest contributor to the ports volumes and profitability for the first time. Gear said the 13,500 square-metre paved log storage area on the Island Harbour has been operating for nine months, improving utilisation and safety. Container volumes in the period were about 10 percent higher than a year earlier, while expectations of dry conditions had seen an additional 22,000 tonnes of stock feed imported in the period. Fertiliser volumes, down 34,000 tonnes from a year earlier, should be only slightly down by year-end, the company said. Meat, fish and dairy volumes handled and packed in the firms cold stores increased during the period, Gear said. New exports of containerised medium density fibreboard, handled and packed in the intermodal freight centre in Invercargill, also contributed to the result, the company said. Gear said the centre, established three years ago and served by rail, is now taking about 7,000 trucks off the regions roads annually. South Port shares ended Monday at $6.50, up 8.2 percent in the past year. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: Westpac Banking Corporation (NZX: WBC) Confirms It Is Retaining Westpac New Zealand Ltd 24th June 2021 Morning Report 23rd June 2021 Morning Report 22nd June 2021 Morning Report 21st June 2021 Morning Report Infratil Limited (NZX: IFT) TPW Announces Conditional Sale of Its Retail Business Trustpower Limited (NZX: TPW) Announces Conditional Sale of Its Retail Business Mercury NZ Limited (NZX: MCY) Agrees to Acquire Trustpower's Retail Business Precinct Properties New Zealand Limited (NZX: PCT) $250m Equity Raise to Fund Wellington Acquisitions 17th June 2021 Morning Report JB Hi-Fi's New Zealand unit is back in profit, and the company has raised its guidance for sales this side of the Tasman. The discount consumer electronics retailer generated earnings before interest and tax of $1.1 million in the six months ended Dec. 31 - up from from zero a year earlier. Sales rose 5.8 percent to $131.8 million. JB Hi-Fi forecasts New Zealand revenue of $240 million in the year ending June 30, up from a previous forecast of $220 million. The retailer closed a loss-making store in New Zealand in the period and has appointed a new managing director - Cherie Kerrison - to help focus the drive for profitability. JB Hi-Fi started repositioning the Kiwi business in 2016, pulling out of whiteware retailing, which wasn't making money. "We are encouraged by the improved performance in New Zealand, particularly the strong comparable sales growth," group chief executive Richard Murray said in a statement. The retailer's New Zealand comparable sales were up almost 13 percent in the period, with communications, games hardware, fitness, and accessories singled out as areas of strong growth. That helped shrink its cost of doing business to 15.66 percent from 16.31 percent a year earlier. Online sales jumped 65 percent to $7.9 million in the half, accounting for 6.9 percent of New Zealand revenue. Since the start of the year, New Zealand sales fell 1.8 percent, although comparable sales were up 4.1 percent. The chain doesn't expect to close any of its 14 New Zealand stores in the current period. Retailers have generally complained about a lacklustre Christmas and New Year trading period, although Briscoe Group - which sells homeware and sporting goods - today reported 5.1 percent same-store sales growth in the three months ended Jan. 27. JB Hi-Fi's group sales rose 4.8 percent to A$3.8 billion in the half, for a 5.5 percent increase in net profit to A$160.1 million. The board declared an interim dividend of 91 Australian cents per share, payable on March 8 with a Feb. 22 record date. The group expects to report annual revenue of A$7.4 billion and a net profit of $237-245 million, an increase of 1.6-5.1 percent from a year earlier. The ASX-listed shares were recently up 2.4 percent at A$23.13, (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: Westpac Banking Corporation (NZX: WBC) Confirms It Is Retaining Westpac New Zealand Ltd 24th June 2021 Morning Report 23rd June 2021 Morning Report 22nd June 2021 Morning Report 21st June 2021 Morning Report Infratil Limited (NZX: IFT) TPW Announces Conditional Sale of Its Retail Business Trustpower Limited (NZX: TPW) Announces Conditional Sale of Its Retail Business Mercury NZ Limited (NZX: MCY) Agrees to Acquire Trustpower's Retail Business Precinct Properties New Zealand Limited (NZX: PCT) $250m Equity Raise to Fund Wellington Acquisitions 17th June 2021 Morning Report Press Release February 11, 2019 Congress ratifies measure institutionalizing student fare discount A measure institutionalizing cheaper fare for students is now a signature away to becoming a law. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives ratified the bicameral conference report harmonizing the disagreeing provisions of Senate Bill No. 1597 and House Bill 8885, or the "Student Fare Discount Act" before Congress adjourned last week. The measure institutionalizes the grant of 20 percent fare discounts to students on all land, air and water transportation, even during weekends and holidays. Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, principal author of the measure, said it will strengthen the mandate for student discounts on transport fares. SBN 1597, contained in Committee Report 166, is in substitution of SB Nos. 662, 945 and 1226 authored by Aquino, Sen. Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara, who sponsored the measure, and Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, respectively. Sen. Francis Escudero steered the passage of the measure as chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture. The counterpart measure at the House of Representatives is authored by Rep. Alfred Vargas (5th District, Quezon City). Currently, the privilege is being enforced by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) through a memorandum circular it issued in October 2017 stating that students can avail of the 20-percent discount from Monday to Sunday, including summer breaks, legal and special holidays. Once the bill is enacted into law, all Filipino students - from elementary to college, as well as those enrolled in technical-vocational schools - would be entitled to a 20 percent discount in buses, jeepneys, taxis, tricycle, transport network vehicle services or TNVS, MRT, LRT, as well as airline and passenger ships. Specifically excluded are those enrolled in dancing and driving schools, short-term courses of seminar type, and post-graduate studies (those taking up medicine, law, masteral, doctoral degrees and the like), the measure stated. Students who will travel abroad, either by plane or passenger ship, for education, training and competition shall be exempt from the payment of travel tax "upon proper showing of proof or documentation of intended purpose," the measure also stated. Students who will be refused from availing of the privilege may file their complaints with the LTFRB for land transportation utilities; Maritime Industry Authority (for sea/water transportation utilities); and Civil Aeronautics Board (for air transportation utilities). Failure to provide the fare discount is a franchise violation that carries the following penalties: a fine of P5,000 for the first offense, P10,000 and their vehicles impounded for one month for the second offense, and P15,000 and cancellation of franchise or Certificate of Public Convenience for the third offense. For water transportation utilities, a fine ranging from P10,000 to P50,000 and warning for the first offense; P20,000 to P60,000 and suspension of operation of the ship for at least 30 days for the second offense; and P30,000 to P70,000 and suspension of operation of the ship for the third offense. For air transportation utilities, P50,000 to P100,000 for the first offense; P100,000 to P150,000 and a warning for the second offense; and P150,000 to P200,000 and other sanctions as may be determined by the CAB for the third and subsequent offenses. Press Release February 11, 2019 Koko: We need a department for OFWs Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III today reiterated his call for the immediate creation of a national level Department of Overseas Filipino Workers (DOFW), stating that the government cannot ignore the fact that a substantial chunk of the population, almost one in every 11 Filipinos, is working and toiling overseas, and their welfare needs to be fully ensured and protected at all times. "We're talking about scale here. Yes, we have the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), but both these government agencies are already understaffed to meet the growing number and demands of our OFWs." "For instance, OWWA has already complained in 2018 that it has just 420 staff worldwide, 300 locally and 120 abroad, addressing the concerns of 10 million OFWs. A dedicated executive department for our foreign workers is the solution," Pimentel observed. The lawmaker from Mindanao also cited recent reports that the Philippines stands to lose as much as $1.5 billion worth of remittances due to the projected 10 to 15 percent decrease in the deployment of overseas Filipino workers particularly to the Middle East due to declining global oil prices. The report showed that up to 100,000 jobs for OFWs will be lost due to the precarious financial situation of Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries due to lower crude oil prices. "That's a big number, considering Saudi Arabia is the most preferred country of destination among OFWs at 25.4%, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. Other Middle East countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait follow suit at 15.3% and 6.7%, respectively." Last year, around 3,000 workers were repatriated through the OWWA. Deployment likewise declined by 10 percent due to the instability of crude oil prices. "The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has lowered the growth targets for both personal and cash remittances to three percent instead of four percent for 2019. We need a more proactive stance to stem this decline," Pimentel noted. "We need a national level policy, implemented by a separate government department, that squarely addresses key employment trends and developments abroad because these have direct economic consequences back home. When foreign countries freeze hiring of skilled and unskilled workers, or when maritime agencies rationalize the hiring of our seafarers, the economic consequences are direct and immediately felt." "I believe that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) can be tasked to focus exclusively on domestic employment while a separate department can handle overseas employment," Pimentel stressed. The creation of a separate department for OFWs was one of the campaign promises of President Rodrigo Duterte. The Mindanao-born lawmaker, for his part, filed on May 10, 2017 Senate Bill 1445, "An Act Creating the Department of Overseas Filipino Workers, Defining its Powers and Functions, Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes." "We urgently need this OFW Department. Deployment of workers abroad is not a temporary phenomenon. I agree that our main goal is still to provide a good employment environment here, but the fact is there are millions of Filipino workers abroad. There will always be those who will choose to work abroad, even if their numbers may dwindle or even if they will eventually come back home to retire. We should offer our modern Filipino heroes greater focus and protection than we give them at the moment," Pimentel said. Press Release February 11, 2019 Otso Diretso to focus on easing life for Filipino family: Sen. Kiko Otso Diretso senatorial candidates will focus on easing the life of the Filipino family, Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said Monday, eve of the start of the 90-day national campaign period. The Otso Diretso senatorial candidates Gary Alejano, Bam Aquino, Chel Diokno, Samira Gutoc, Pilo Hilbay, Romy Macalintal, Mar Roxas, and Erin Tanada based their legislative agenda on the people's hopes and fears from the nationwide face-to-face listening Project Makinig. They themselves knocked on doors and talked to ordinary folk all over the country, said Pangilinan, Otso Diretso campaign manager. "Itong ating mga kandidato ay matagal nang naglilingkod sa bayan, may angking galing sa serbisyo, at di matatawaran ang paninindigan," he said, adding that voting for the right people will result in the real change that the Filipino people need: affordable, available, and accessible food, education, and health services, as well as decent jobs. "Our campaign would be uphill as most of them are relatively unknown in the national stage. Pero nasisiguro ko na pag nakilala sila ng ating mga kababayan, pipiliin sila para maging mga lingkod-bayan sa senado," Pangilinan said. Pangilinan, who himself ran a difficult independent but successful run in 2007, said the people would be key in the victory for the Otso Diretso candidates through Makinig 2.0. Taking off from the 10-week Project Makinig late last year, Makinig 2.0 is the face-to-face, volunteer-driven persuasion campaign for the highly qualified Otso Diretso senatorial candidates for the May 2019 elections. He noted how the first phase of Project Makinig was able to mobilize 9,800 volunteers to talk to 116,000 people about the latter's hopes and fears for themselves, their family, and the country. "Makinig 2.0 is our version of People Power, empowering ordinary citizens so that they are able to make the right choice for senators and empowering them to campaign for these choices," said Pangilinan, who is not running for re-election. "This campaign strategy of going house-to-house is a game-changer. It has not been done on a national scale," he added. Part of the result of Project Makinig is a list of laws that Otso Diretso candidates will pursue when they win. These will be revealed in the press conference that will kick off the national campaign with the launch of Makinig 2.0 in Caloocan City on February 12, Tuesday. Unlike resource-rich traditional politicians who will launch their electoral campaigns through a massive proclamation rallies, the Otso Diretso candidates will start their campaign going back to the people, sharing each other's stories. Press Release February 11, 2019 GORDON CALLS FOR DEPORTATION OF CHINESE NATIONAL WHO FIGURED IN THE MRT TAHO-THROWING INCIDENT Senator Richard J. Gordon is calling for the deportation of a Chinese national who threw a plastic cup of taho at a police officer at the Boni Station of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT). Gordon, chairman of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights, said the Bureau of Immigration should immediately start deportation proceedings against Jiale Zhang for her failure to respect the country's rules and laws. "The Chinese passenger should be deported. The Chinese nationals here and all other foreign nationals staying in our country should respect our rules and laws. They should not flout our rules and they should also respect the officials who are implementing our laws. China, as our nearest neighbor in Asia, should advise its nationals about complying with the rules and laws of our country and respecting persons in authority here," he said. As a precaution following the twin bombings in a cathedral in Jolo, Sulu, the Department of Transportation has been stringent in implementing its no liquid policy inside the MRT and the Light Rail Transit (LRT). Reports said the 23-year-old Chinese national was about to board the MRT-3 on Saturday at 8:30 in the morning when Police Officer 1 William Cristobal reminded her of the policy, and asked her to finish her drink first before entering. That's when Zhang threw her plastic cup of taho at Cristobal. Zhang was apprehended and brought to the Mandaluyong Police Community Precinct 5 near the Boni MRT station. Press Release February 11, 2019 Gatchalian seeks institutionalization of community-based monitoring system vs. poverty Senator Win Gatchalian is pushing to institutionalize a system that will best equip policymakers and program implementers with reliable and evidence-based information in their fight against poverty in their respective communities. Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, recently filed Senate Bill No. 2184 or the "Community-Based Monitoring System Act," which seeks to institutionalize a system that will generate critical data required for more comprehensive poverty analysis and needs prioritization, design of appropriate policies and interventions, targeting of beneficiaries, and monitoring of impacts over time. The lawmaker said he believes the measure will be of great help in stamping out poverty in the country by formulating and executing programs that are truly responsive to the needs of the people. "To date, various ways of collecting household-level information at the local level have been implemented and used by policymakers and program implementers in the Philippines, but a community-based monitoring system has not yet been institutionalized. The aim of this system is to reduce wastage by the normal shot-gun approach in poverty alleviation programs," Gatchalian said. "To effectively wage a successful battle against poverty, it is important for policymakers and program implementers to be equipped with reliable and evidence-based information at the local level that can be used for tracking the impact of macroeconomic reforms and various policy shocks," he added. In a nutshell, SBN 2184 paves the way for the establishment of Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) in every city and municipal planning office "as an economic and social tool towards the formulation and implementation of poverty alleviation and development programs at the local level." Each city or municipal planning office shall have a statistician, whose primary function is data collection, preservation, and safekeeping of the data retained at the city or the municipal level. The bill mandates that LGUs conduct regular and synchronized data collection every three years. They are also enjoined "to collect data at shorter intervals and at their own expense for purposes peculiarly useful to them." Moreover, the measure paves the way for the creation of a CBMS Council, composed of the Philippines Statistics Authority, Department of Interior and Local Government, and Department of Information and Communications Technology in order to achieve secure and efficient data sharing arrangements between and among concerned municipalities and national government agencies. A joint Congressional Oversight Committee, composed of fourteen members from the Senate and House of Representatives, will also be created to review the implementation of the Act. "In so doing, policymakers and program implementers will have a comprehensive picture of the different dimensions of poverty at a particular point in time, and will be able to identify and implement appropriate interventions," Gatchalian said. "This can also improve local governance, ensure community participation, and promote transparency and evidence-based decision-making," he added. Press Release February 11, 2019 De Lima gives Duterte '#Not-Safe-For-Filipino-Children' rating Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has urged the Filipino people to save children from being misled into Mr. Dutete's crass leadership style exemplified by his penchant for vulgar language, sexist remarks and bullying tactics without any qualms. De Lima, a human rights and social justice champion, said Mr. Duterte has exposed Filipino children to his sick mind, perverted morality and remorseless admission of the crimes and abuses he bragged about, notably when he was still a mayor of Davao City. "This is the time to save the children. This is the time to call him out each time he does or says something wrong, abnormal or outrightly evil. If we don't, we will be raising a whole generation of Filipino children whose moral compass will be as twisted as his," she said. "This is the time to establish a #NSFFC - Not Safe For Filipino Children - rating, which warns parents and adults to protect impressionable eyes and ears from being exposed and traumatized whenever he appears and speaks on television," she added. Mr. Duterte has been pushing his allies in the Upper and Lower Houses of Congress to speed up the passage into law of a measure seeking to lower the minimum age of criminal liability for delinquent children. However, civil society groups, child rights advocates and experts have cautioned the Duterte administration against espousing the proposed legislative measure which would unnecessarily expose children to the gaps in the country's juvenile justice system. The former justice secretary pointed out that the Filipino public should make a stand and speak out against Mr. Duterte's bad examples because his continued abuse of power might further distort the Filipino children's sense of right and wrong. "He (Duterte) boasted about personally killing people; he spoke of raping women, shooting them in the vagina, and of killing priests; and raves like a madman when he rants about his critics," she noted. De Lima directed her call to parents, adults, educators, community leaders and all other self-respecting Filipinos as she shared her reflection about her second year of unjust detention in her recent Dispatch from Crame No. 460. "We are a God-fearing people, known for our generosity and hospitality, our respect for our elders, our Bayanihan spirit, and our capacity to find good amidst all the tragedies that befall us," she said. "We are bright-spirited people. Yet here comes this weak-minded man, posing like a dictator, attempting to transform us into hate-filled fear-mongers, who will bully the weak just to prove how 'strong' we are," she added. According to the lady Senator from Bicol, Mr. Duterte should be immediately called out whenever and wherever he uses foul languages, cracks sexist jokes and remarks, and bullies his critics and dissenters. "Rody Duterte and his foul mouth and mind is just like drugs. He destroys from without and from within. He destroys the bodies of Filipinos through the killings, and he destroys Filipino minds through his dangerous speech and depraved mind," she said. De Lima, considered by several international groups as a prisoner of conscience, said she hopes that like her, the Filipino people would not grow tired of speaking out against the menace that Mr. Duterte has been brought to the nation and its people. "Pasensya po, pero hindi iyon ang kailangan ng bayan natin ngayon. Kawawa ang bayan kung mananahimik lang tayo at hahayaang maghasik ng lagim si Rody Duterte," she added. On February 24, De Lima will mark her second year of unjust detention over the trumped-up illegal drug charges that were all based on perjured testimonies of convicted criminals and manufactured evidence. Top level officials will lead the opening Congress sessions with H.E. Dr. Nabel bin Mohammed Al Amudi, Minister of Transport of Saudi Arabia, to deliver the keynote ministerial opening address, while H.E. Eng. Saad bin Abdulaziz Alkhalb, President of the Saudi Ports Authority (MAWANI), and Eng. Abdullah Aldubaikhi, CEO of Bahri will give speeches on the regulatory and maritime industry before the participants. Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) is delighted to announce our patronage for the 2nd Saudi Maritime Congress which will be a unique platform and meeting place for the leading decision makers and maritime industry experts from the region as well as from across the maritime world, - said Abdulaziz Abdulhimed Alrayes, Marketing and Corporate Communication Director. Saudi Ports serves the largest economy in the region and, though Mawani has various infra and supra structural programs underway and currently planned, we see the Saudi Maritime Congress as a very important platform which enables us to pace with the goals of Vision 2030. The Congress which is being held for the 2nd time, will provide key insights to the booming shipping and logistics sector considering the major transformation initiatives launched by Saudi Government under the Saudi Vision 2030. The logistics sector is one of the key economic pillars which will pave the way for further economic diversification in the Kingdom, unlocking huge potentials valued at $18bn. Among the latest major initiatives that aim to boost the sector include the development of a foreign investment program under the aegis of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) to allow shipping agents to own and operate independently through a foreign investment license. The license which will be valid for five years can be obtained from the Saudi Ports Authority before it can start operations. The scheme is in line with countrys privatization plan, as shipping agencies previously can only provide services if it is a 100 per cent-owned Saudi company or by a local investor. Several other measures are being undertaken by the government to facilitate trade including the 24-hour customs clearance for incoming cargo, which previously took 10 to 14 days to clear. It is also investing heavily in the construction of transportation infrastructure such as the Saudi Rail-Roads Expansion, the East-to-West Land Bridge, and with key investments from the private sector to the upgrade of strategic ports Jeddah Islamic Port and Dammam Port. Chris Hayman, Chairman of Seatrade, the organizer of the event, said: The Saudi Vision 2030 programme will have major consequences for trade and transport infrastructure in the Kingdom and provides multiple opportunities for national and international companies. We feel that the Saudi Maritime Congress 2019 will provide for all stakeholders an exceptional chance to understand the scale and nature of this exciting programme, and to contribute to the discussion on how it will unfold. The keynote session will enlighten the participants on the main features of the Saudi transformation plan to address the following: growing contribution from the private sector to the national economy; foreign direct investment opportunities in the Kingdom; increasing employment opportunities for Saudi Arabias growing young demographic and the goal of nationalization through Nitaqat; and further integration of the Kingdom into the regional and global economies as a hub connecting three continents. Other key areas which will be highlighted through panel discussions during the two day conference include maritime infrastructure investments, sustainability regulations, offshore marine, and automation and smart technologies. The Saudi Maritime Congress takes place from 11 to 12 March 2019 at the Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh, Kingdom Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. For more information, please visit www.saudimaritimecongress.com The work will be carried out onboard the general cargo vessel Hagland Captain, and it will be the first project of its kind in short-sea shipping applications, Wartsila announced. Wartsila said installation of a Wartsila battery hybrid propulsion solution will significantly enhance the ships environmental performance by reducing its emissions, fuel consumption, and noise. The solution includes a shore power connection to provide power for loading/unloading operations and for battery charging, a new reduction gear with power take-off and power take-in technology, and a Wartsila NOx Reducer (NOR). It is estimated that the total reduction in NOx emissions after the retrofit could be as much as 80-9%, while overall fuel cost savings are expected to be in the range of 5-10%. The battery capacity will be sufficient to sail in and out of harbour on electric power for approximately 30 minutes, which will reduce noise and pollution levels in the vicinity of the harbour. Read more: Wartsilas Marco Ryan on digitalisation, collaboration and pragmatic solutions The project is a response to an agreement between Hagland Shipping and NOAH, the Norwegian environment and resource company, whereby the shipping of materials to the Norwegian island of Langyain is required to be via environmentally sound vessels. Environmental considerations are increasingly important for fleet owners around the world. The need for the latest smart marine technologies has been seen for some time already in deep sea shipping, and this project is evidence that the need also exists in short-sea transportation, said Paul Kohle, director, sales and sales support, asset management services, Wartsila Marine. Wartsila is responding to these developments with its Smart Marine Ecosystem approach, which through the use of high levels of digitalisation and connectivity, is creating greater efficiencies, increased safety, and more sustainable solutions, Kohle said. The reason given was that Seabornes backer, Arklow Shipping of Ireland, had walked away from the deal a claim that has been flatly denied to Seatrade Maritime News, of which more below. To recap, the Seabourne contract was one of three totalling 108m announced in December, designed to spread the freight load away from Dover-Calais in the event of a no deal Brexit that risks causing severe congestion around Dover for up to six months, the UK government warned. Other awardees were Denmarks DFDS and Frances Brittany Ferries, expected to run extra services into the south coast ports of Portsmouth, Plymouth and Poole, and east coast ports of Felixstowe and Immingham respectively. No ferries, no staff But it was immediately revealed to much amusement in the British press that Seaborne Freight had no ferries, no staff and that its T&C were copied from a fast food delivery website. Also, severe doubts surround whether the infrastructure at either Ramsgate or Ostend could be ready in time to begin service from end-March as promised The UK Transport secretary Chris Grayling defended the decision, however, claiming that all due diligence had been conducted before the award. Given the highly charged political atmosphere surrounding Brexit, others speculated that the contract may have been given Seaborne to ensure at least one British company was seen to benefit from this Brexit dividend. Hence the general surprise - and no small derision - at this weekends announcement that the Seaborne award had now been cancelled, leading to multiple calls for Grayling to resign for reasons of incompetence. A DfT spokeswoman was reported to have said: "Following the decision of Seaborne Freight's backer, Arklow Shipping, to step back from the deal, it became clear Seaborne would not reach its contractual requirements with the government. We have therefore decided to terminate our agreement. An Irish connection? Arklow Shipping Fair enough, you might say - despite the irony that this supposedly UK company was in fact dependent on backing from an Irish-based company - a 150-year-old, family-run shipbuilding-turned-shipowning business which today operates around 50 Irish- and Dutch-flagged small bulkers. However, reliable sources close to Arklow Shipping stated categorically to Seatrade Maritime News today that "no agreement was in place" with Seaborne Freight, and while there had been discussions with the company, Arklow had never spoken with either the DfT nor the ports concerned over any possible operational service. And so this maritime metaphor of Britains botched Brexit plans concludes for the moment at least. It also illustrates the UKs thankless task of trying, in the words of one commentator, to unscramble the eggs of an omelette it has been cooking with the EU these past 40 years and more. On the afternoon of 9 February, the bulk carrier Pireas and Malaysian vessel Polaris collided within Singapore port limits off Tuas to the west, according to a statement by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). Malaysias ministry of foreign affairs, however, said the collision happened in Malaysian territorial waters. Pireas was on its way from Singapore to its next port of call at Malaysias Tanjung Pelepas when the accident took place. MPA is deeply concerned that the presence of the unauthorised vessels in our port limits can cause confusion for the international shipping community and threaten navigational safety in our waters, MPA said. Malaysias foreign affairs stated: Malaysia is committed to take appropriate measures to safeguard its territorial integrity, interests and safe navigation of vessels. The Malaysia government vessel Polaris was reported to have stayed in the disputed territorial waters since December 2018, after the sea border dispute between the two countries started on 25 October 2018 when Malaysia announced changes to its Johor Bahru port limits, extending them towards Tuas. On 6 December, Singapore responded by extending its port limits, saying that Malaysian government vessels have repeatedly intruded Singapores territorial waters. The collision between Pireas and Malaysian government vessel Polaris took place in Singapore territorial waters off Tuas, and in an area that goes beyond Malaysias territorial claim of 1979, which Singapore has never recognised. Singapore reiterates its call for Malaysia to withdraw its vessels from the area, as the persistent presence of its vessels clearly poses a threat to safety of navigation in the area. As we have said previously, Malaysia will be responsible for any untoward situations on the ground that arise from continued deployment of its vessels into this area, Singapores foreign affairs ministry stated. The collision has no reported injuries or oil leakage. The bulk carrier Pireas has proceeded with its journey to Tanjung Pelepas as the collision was not considered a very serious accident under the IMO Marine Casualty Investigation Code, according to MPA. The Greek vessel and its crew, however, have been detained by Malaysias Marine Department for investigation, according to Malaysias ministry of foreign affairs. Citing a failure to meet its financial projections based on lower than expected vessel calls at Kingston, the tugboat operating company, said it was raising fees in accordance with rights derived under the 10-year concession agreement which it signed with the Port Authority of Jamaica last year, to provide harbour towage services in Kingston from June 2018. The concession agreement allows Ocean Towing sole rights to operate tugboat services at the Port of Kingston. The announced increases in towage and waiting time rates are in the order of 21% while the fuel surcharge will rise 12.6%. The notice of the increases, which is expected to take effect on 1 February 2019, was circulated to shipping line representatives in Jamaica between 31 January and 7 February with a dateline of 31 January 2019. In effect, therefore, the increase took effect one day after the letter was written but in some cases the notice was received after the effective date of the increase, said the Shipping Association of Jamaica in a statement. The shipping lines argue that the custom in Kingston is that the operator of towing services meet with the users of its services and negotiate increases in rates. There are also questions as to how the Concession Agreement allows the provider to increase rates before a full year of operation. Last year, Lines took issue with its issuing of invoices which reflected charges unsupported by details of the services for which the company was billing. Korea was overtaken by Mexico last year in terms of car production volume and fell to the No. 7 spot, partly because many Korean carmakers have moved production overseas. Korea ceded its nominal ranking among the world's top five automakers to India in 2016 and has now fallen one more notch. It was the only one among the world's top 10 car-producing countries to see an annual output decline for three straight years. The Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association said Sunday that Korea's 2018 output stood at 4.03 million vehicles, down 2.1 percent compared to 2017. Over the same period, Mexico's production volume rose one percent to 4.07 million. Mexico and India boast high productivity rates compared to wages and are powering on to strengthen their status as key global automobile production bases, which is why Korean carmakers have fled there. Last year, Hyundai's plant in India saw output surpass 700,000 units for the first time, while output at subsidiary Kia's Mexican plant rose 33 percent to 294,600 last year. A KAMA staffer attributed Korea's declining ranking to the confrontational relationship between labor and management plus a chronic high labor cost and low efficiency at assembly lines. The closure of a GM Korea plant in Gunsan and sluggish automobile sales both at home and abroad also played their part. There are fears that Korea's total vehicle output may decline below 4 million units this year. It peaked at 4.56 million in 2015, only to fall to 4.23 million in 2016 and 4.12 million in 2017. As a result, Korea's exports have fallen for six years after reaching 3.17 million in 2012 and dropped to 2.45 million in 2018. Kim Jun-gyu at KAMA, said, "Domestic production facilities are continuously losing competitiveness, while the advantage of export prices is also eroding." Meanwhile, China ranked at the top in terms of automobile output last year, although total output declined for the first time in 28 years. Launch team Capt. Laakkonen will command the Oct. 20 inaugural voyage in Europe and remain at the helm as the 143,700gt ship operates a series of Mediterranean cruises before crossing to the Caribbean. Laakkonen will be joined at the launch by Chief Engineer Fabio Braccelli, Hotel General Manager Terri Cybuliak and Staff Capt. Giovanni Cardile. Capt. Michele Tuvo, Chief Engineer Mladen Ratkovic, Hotel General Manager Richard Harry and Staff Capt. Brian Whelan complete the leadership team. Tuvo will be present at a Feb. 14 ceremony at Fincantieri's Monfalcone yard to mark the ship's recent float-out. Captains Laakkonen joined Princess in 2001, and first served as captain aboard Pacific Dawn in 2013. He has since commanded Pacific Pearl, Crown Princess, Island Princess, Caribbean Princess, Coral Princess, Golden Princess and Sapphire Princess. A native of Kotka, Finland, he began his career in the Finnish navy in 1991. He graduated as a master mariner from Maritime College in Rauma, Finland, in 1991. Tuvo signed on with Princess in 2000 as a third officer aboard Sun Princess. He worked his way up through the ranks on Sea Princess, Grand Princess, Golden Princess, Dawn Princess, Sapphire Princess, Diamond Princess, Emerald Princess, Star Princess, Coral Princess and Island Princess. He served his first command on Star Princess. Tuvo, who hails from Levanto, Italy, completed naval college and served on container ships prior to Princess. Chief engineers Chief Engineer Braccelli joined the line in 1990 and spent his first contract as chief aboard Sun Princess. He has since sailed as chief on Sapphire Princess, Caribbean Princess, Pacific Princess and Royal Princess and has been part of the Royal Princess crew since 2013. Braccelli lives in Cerri di Arcola, Italy. Chief Engineer Ratkovic has sailed with Princess since 2003. He was promoted to chief on Pacific Princess in 2014 and has since served aboard Ocean Princess, Star Princess and Sea Princess. Ratkovic lives in Zadar, Croatia. Hotel general managers Hotel GM Cybuliak joined Princess in 1998 as a junior assistant purser on the original Crown Princess. Progressing through the ranks, she has traveled to all seven continents with Princess. Cybuliak hails from White Rock, BC, south of Vancouver. Hotel GM Harry signed on with the line in 1988 as a front desk receptionist and worked on the original Sky Princess in 1989. He has been part of the newbuild teams for five Princess ships. Harry was born in Farnborough, England, and now resides in Bristol. Staff captains Staff Capt. Cardile has been with Princess since 2005 and advanced through the ranks to become staff captain for Regal Princess in 2014. He has also served as staff captain on Sea Princess, Emerald Princess and Ruby Princess. Born in Messina, Sicily, he followed the family seafaring tradition and joined the merchant navy as a deck cadet. Then, after service in the Italian navy, he worked on tanker and cargo ships. Staff Capt. Whelan started his cadetship with Princess in 2000. He advanced, and worked in the head office, before becoming staff captain. Born and raised in Galway, Ireland, Whelan's interest in cruise ships started with some early family cruises, including aboard Canberra. The UN Security Council has granted relatively generous exemptions from sanctions for humanitarian aid to North Korea. This may be a deliberate step on the part of the U.S., a permanent member, to entice North Korea into giving up its nuclear program. The UNSC has approved exemptions to North Korea sanctions on a total of eight occasions in just over a month, according to Voice of America on Saturday. They included a UNICEF delivery of medical goods to fight tuberculosis and malaria and the Swiss Foreign Ministry's clean drinking water and sanitation program. During the whole of last year, exemptions were made on only 17 occasions. But now exemptions seem to be coming faster as well as U.S.-North Korea denuclearization talks resumed. Last year, it took about two months for UNICEF to get approval for a humanitarian project, but this year the International Federation of Red Cross applied for an exemption for delivery of medical equipment on Jan. 16 and got approval on Jan. 31. After a working-group meeting in Seoul last December, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun said he would discuss with U.S. aid groups a more secure way of appropriate aid to the North, even as sanctions remain firmly in place. Seoul and Washington have finally concluded negotiations on sharing the upkeep cost of U.S. troops here, putting South Korea's share at W1.039 trillion for this year, up 8.2 percent from last year (US$1=W1,126). The one-year deal exceeds the W1 trillion mark for the first time. Top negotiators Chang Won-sam and Timothy Betts initialed the Special Measures Agreement at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul on Sunday. The two sides took a dozen rounds of negotiations since March last year to arrive at a compromise that heavily favors the American side. Washington wanted a one-year deal with Seoul's share at about W1.12 trillion (US$1 billion), but Seoul wanted a deal effective for three to five years at W999.9 billion per year. In the end Seoul climbed down on the duration for a small discount, but it will not be long before yet another deal has to be negotiated for next year. The deal will be formally signed once it is approved by the Cabinet and the president. It must then be ratified by the National Assembly to go into effect. Still, there was some relief that the deal was concluded before the U.S.-North Korea summit, where American troop reductions will be off the table for now. Prof. Park Won-gon of Handong Global University said, "The two countries have now resolved a pressing issue that could have posed a burden on the alliance ahead of the second U.S.-North Korea summit. But a one-year agreement is a big drag on Seoul." In the first half of the year, Seoul will have to begin fresh rounds of negotiations for next year and beyond, and the Trump administration will highly likely to demand more money ahead of the U.S. presidential election. Warrenton, VA -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/11/2019 -- RevBuilders, a digital marketing company, reminds brands to opt out of Google Ad experts to maintain control of their online advertising campaigns. In late January 2019, Google announced a new service for companies that use Google Ads. The announcement comes on the heels of numerous other additions to Google advertising services in 2018 and early 2019, most of them aimed at automated marketing. The goal, says Google, is to take the tedium of advertising off brand shoulders so companies can spend more time on customer service and other integral tasks. While the digital marketing experts at RevBuilders don't think automation is a bad thing and they do provide services that help companies concentrate on what matters the SEO team says brands should consider carefully before allowing Google reps to make active decisions on their accounts. Machines have always made small tweaks to Google ads and accounts; it's part of what makes the platform so powerful for advertisers. Carefully coded artificial intelligence carries out a lot of the small tasks that get ads and other content in front of the right users. But RevBuilders CEO Scot Small points out that this new update means people are going to be making decisions on your account. Those decisions may be heavily backed by Google's data and machine learning process, but human hands will be mixing in, and they're hands that answer to Google, not you. RevBuilders notes that the addition of Google Ads experts may be welcomed by inundated small and mid-size businesses that can't keep up with marketing needs and data. "But you don't have to turn to Google for that help," says Small. "There are SEO companies willing to help that will learn your business and champion your message. Google may be helpful, but it's not going to do that." Businesses that want to be found online can contact RevBuilders for more information about caring, customer-centric online marketing services. For more information , please visit https://www.revbuilders.com/ U.S. website NK News reported Friday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un owns a Mercedes-Maybach S600 luxury sedan even though international sanctions ban the export of luxury goods to his country. The car was identified as Kim was being driven to a ceremony congratulating a delegation of North Korean musicians and performers after a visit to China. A Mercedes-Maybach believed to be North Korea leader Kim Jong-uns new car is shown in this video grab from [North] Korean Central Television on Friday. "Close-up pictures of the rear-door bodywork showed layering inconsistent with the standard edition of the vehicle, available since February 2015, suggesting Kim may have opted for the exclusive and heavily-armored 'Guard' model," the website added. A normal Maybach already costs around US$420,000, but the price tag is much higher for armored versions. NK News said this is a "blatant violation of [UN Security Council] sanctions not only by North Korea but also almost certainly by Mercedes." North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (center) along with his wife Ri Sol-ju (left) and his top aide Choe Ryong-hae reacts at a musical performance in celebration of the anniversary of the founding of the North Korean People's Army in Pyongyang on Friday in this grab from [North] Korean Central Television. Meanwhile, Kim invited top military officials to Workers Party headquarters on Friday to mark the 71st anniversary of the North Korean People's Army by watching a musical performance. His wife Ri Sol-ju was also present. Lewis Center, OH -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/11/2019 -- Dr. Bill Lay, eye doctor at Professional Visioncare's offices in Lewis Center, Johnstown, and Westerville, OH, will soon be joining CrossEyed Missions on a trip to Haiti. There, he will help provide over 1,500 Haitians with eye exams, eyeglasses, and sunwear. Dr. Lay's participation in CrossEyed Mission's journey is not the only way that Professional Visioncare will be partnering with this sight-giving charity. The popular optometry practice will also be sponsoring an eye exam in Haiti to match every eye exam that their eye doctors perform in Ohio. In addition, everyone who wants to contribute to the goal of improving eye care for Haitians is invited to drop off their old sunglasses at any Professional Visioncare office. Dr. Lay will bring the sunwear to Haiti for distribution. To show appreciation for everyone who gives a pair, donors will receive a $50 discount on non-prescription sunwear and a $100 discount on prescription sunglasses in all of Professional Visioncare's optical stores. "Everyone deserves to see the world as clearly as possible, no matter where they live," says Dr. Bill Lay. "I am excited to join CrossEyed Missions and share my professional experience and our patients' sunglasses donations with the people of Haiti. I look forward to bringing the gift of sight to as many needy Haitians as possible." CrossedEyed Missions was established as a non-profit charity dedicated to enhancing vision for all people from young children to senior adults who do not have access to quality eye care. Since the start of these missions, the volunteer eye doctors have provided thousands of eye exams and distributed thousands of pairs of eyeglasses, all free of charge. With no boundaries, CrossEyed Missions has journeyed to many needy regions, including Bolivia, Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti, and Peru. Until CrossEyed Missions came to visit, there were whole neighborhoods in these countries where the citizens were not able to focus on their surrounding landscapes or clearly see the faces of their families. The upcoming February mission will travel to Saint-Marc, a historic seaport city in the Artibonite Department of Haiti. Even though the Greater Saint-Marc area is the fourth largest urban area in Haiti, it ranks very poorly in terms of medical services. Approximately 60% of the local population lives outside of town in the communal section where there is a lack of electricity, drainage systems, and potable water. Quality healthcare, such as basic eye exams and vision correction treatment is almost nonexistent. About Dr. Bill Lay Dr. Bill Lay is a distinguished member of the Professional Visioncare team. He is a member of the American Optometric Association, Past President of the OOA, and served as past governor of the Central Ohio Optometric Association. He has spent 21 years as a Session member at Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church. Dr. Lay was named the 2001 Young Optometrist of the Year for the state of Ohio and he received the National Young Optometrist of the Year Award in 2002. He also received the National InfantSee Award in 2007 for his promotion of the importance of eye care for infants. He is no stranger to giving his expertise generously to those who need it, having traveled in 1991 to provide eye care to the people of Sierra Leone, West Africa. Professional Visioncare is proud to have Dr. Lay take part in the upcoming CrossEyed Missions trip to Haiti. Contact: Professional VisionCare - 185 S State St, Westerville, OH , 43081; Ph: 614-678-5989 https://professionalvcinc.com/hours-directions/westerville/ Professional VisionCare - 703 W Coshocton St, Johnstown, OH, 43031; Ph: 740-200-4244 https://professionalvcinc.com/hours-directions/johnstown/ Lewis Center - 7100 Graphics Way Suite 3200, Lewis Center, OH, 43035; Ph: 614-808-8442 https://professionalvcinc.com/lewis-center-ohio/ Myrtle Beach, SC -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/11/2019 -- MyrtleBeachPetFriendlyRental.com, a leading holiday rental property provider in South Carolina, has revealed that new properties for rent are now available around the Myrtle Beach area. The real estate firm notes that listings for these rentals are on its website and interested holidaymakers can view them anytime. The company believes that the rentals will meet the needs of most people but has also maintained that it's ready to help anyone find what they are looking for. Myrtle Beach is one of the most popular holiday destinations in South Carolina. However, for holidaymakers who want to spend some time there, finding the right Myrtle Beach South Carolina vacation accommodation can be a big challenge. But MyrtleBeachPetFriendlyRental.com feels that it's doing a very good job in dealing with this. The real estate firm has dedicated a lot of resources over the last few years to find a wide range of rental properties in the area. These properties have provided ample accommodation options for holidaymakers travelling with their pets as well. MyrtleBeachPetFriendlyRental.com says that the new rental properties now available are not any different. They are spacious, classy, pet-friendly, and most importantly, very affordable. It's not the first time that the company is offering these types of Myrtle Beach vacation house rentals. In fact, this has remained a major specialty for MyrtleBeachPetFriendlyRental.com over the last few years. The company has made it clear time and again that it intends to keep up this good work saying that its biggest goal is to facilitate access to the best rental accommodation options in Myrtle Beach for all types of clients. MyrtleBeachPetFriendlyRental.com has also said that there are additional listings too on its website for other existing properties that may be of interest to any client. The company is urging holidaymakers who take the time to view these new properties to also peruse through the website and view other Myrtle Beach vacation rentals available. Accommodation is perhaps the most important thing in any vacation and it's the reason why a lot of people pay too much attention to it. After all, if you're going to spend a few days somewhere it's only fair to stay in a decent facility that's priced within your budget. Well, this is exactly what MyrtleBeachPetFriendlyRental.com offers and the company is confident that the new listings on its website will attract both luxury and budget clients. In case you need to know more about the properties, their features, and how much they are going for, you can feel free to visit the company on their website. About MyrtleBeachPetFriendlyRental.com MyrtleBeachPetFriendlyRental.com is a leading real estate firm that offers vacation rentals in Myrtle Beach, SC. The company has been doing this for years and remains one of the leading firms in this niche. Whether you're looking for a luxurious pet-friendly rental or a simple and affordable option, this is the company to work with. The diversity of rental properties available is simply outstanding. Get more info at myrtlebeachpetfriendlyrental.com today. Contact Us :- John Mayer Myrtle Beach Pet Friendly Rentals rentals@mbpfr.com Myrtle Beach SC USA 843-222-5555 Sellbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/11/2019 -- Metalworking Fluids Market growth was more than USD 10 billion in 2017 and forecast to exceed USD 15 billion by 2025. Metalworking Fluid Market will witness 4.7% CAGR during the 2018-2025; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc. Asia Pacific accounted for a major chunk of global metalworking fluids market in 2017 and shall continue to remain in same position by 2025. Increasing product manufacturers focus in setting up production facilities in Asian countries including China and India on account of low initial investment and minimum labor charges, has resulted in reduced product prices. Also, subsidies for specific industries, tax breaks and export-oriented growth policies in countries including China, Japan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, etc., has grabbed attention of multi-national across the globe. Additionally, the regional market is comparatively irregulated, which shall be eventually fueling metalworking fluids demand across the region in the coming years. Request for a sample copy of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/1108 India & China to emerge as global investment hubs The flourishing aerospace & automotive industry in the Asia Pacific region has given rise to escalating demand for metalworking fluids in the region. China has emerged as one of the strongest investment grounds, being the world's second largest economy, biggest exporter of goods, and the largest manufacturing hub. The country is also touted to be the fastest growing consumer market and the first but one importer of goods. These factors, in tandem with increased focus on sustainability and product quality have profoundly influenced the manufacturing, metal fabrication, and transportation segments in China, which in turn have set the ground lucrative for metalworking fluids market. India too has been following similar growth patterns that have resulted into steady influx of capital in the regional metalworking fluids industry. Substantial changes in tax break and direct foreign investment policies coupled with cost-effective land & labor costs have grabbed the attention of several multinational companies, encouraging them to set up their manufacturing units in this region. Backed by such strong growth factors the regional MWF market is certain to witness phenomenal product demand in the ensuing years. Company Profile : 1. Apar Industries Limited 2. Castrol 3. Chevron Phillips Chemical Company 4. Chem Arrow Corporation 5. ExxonMobil 6. Fuchs Lubricants Co. 7. Houghton International 8. LUKOIL 9. The Lubrizol Corporation 10. Total 11. Quaker Chemical Corporation 12. The Dow Chemical Company 13. Master Chemical Corporation 14. Milacron 15. Henkel 16. INFINEUM INTERNATIONAL LIMITED 17. Afton Chemical 18. Chemetall 19. PPG Industries 20. Shell 21. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited 22. Indian Oil Corporation Limited 23. SINOPEC 24. Suzhou Direction Chemical Co., Ltd. 25. Nihon Parkerizing Co Ltd 26. Yushiro Chemical Industry Co Ltd 27. Francool Technology Co., Ltd. 28. Daido Metal Company Ltd 29. Blaser Swisslube 30. Idemitsu Kosan Co.,Ltd. 31. Oemeta - The Coo!ant Company 32. Petrofer Chemie HR Fischer GmbH + Co. KG 33. PT.Pertamina (Persero) Increasing adoption of electric vehicles and digitalization of automobiles pose a major threat to product demand over the forecast timeframe. Moreover, increasing hazardous waste has polluted natural resources to a major extent. This may hamper the metalworking fluids Market during the forecast time period. Furthermore, petroleum-based metalworking fluids are non-biodegradable due to which they pose a health risk to the workers, which are working in the industry for a long duration. Stringent environmental regulations have hampered metalworking fluids demand in past few years. Make an inquiry for buying this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1108 Soluble oil had a major market share in metalworking fluids market in 2017 and will remain market leading product segment over the forecast timeframe followed by semi-synthetic fluids. Synthetic fluids acceptance in the aerospace industry is increasing which can be attributed to the product?s high resistance to corrosion & rust and non-flammability at higher temperatures. Synthetic fluids are likely to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. In application segment, removal oil had the largest market share in 2017 and is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR in the coming years. Forming fluid was the second largest application segment in MWF market and anticipated to grow with a prominent CAGR over the forecast timeframe due to increasing forming fluid usage in automobile and steel industry. Owing to the robust growth in manufacturing and automobile sector, Asia Pacific led the global MWF market in 2017. Asia Pacific will remain the market leader by 2025 followed by Europe. MEA shall have second highest CAGR after Asia Pacific due to rapid industrialization and increasing disposable income of consumers in this region. Moreover, environment regulations in MEA are lenient compared to other regions which will further boost the product demand in the near future. Major multinational giants and some medium size companies are working in the metalworking fluids industry. Major players operating in the metalworking fluids industry includes Lubrizol Corporation, Total, DowDuPont, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Apar Industries Limited, Henkel, Castrol Limited, Sinopec, PPG Industries, and Royal Dutch Shell PLC. The industry witness?s strategic mergers and acquisitions by major players to retain their business share across the value chain. For instance, in April 2018, Italmatch Chemicals signed an agreement to acquire Afton Chemicals Corp?s MWF business. Afton Chemicals is a wholly owned subsidiary of NewMarket Corp. This transaction is expected to be closed by the end of May 2018. Italmatch Chemicals will acquire the entire business and assets related to MWF in Bedford Park, U.S. About Global Market Insights Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology. Contact Us: Arun Hegde Corporate Sales, USA Global Market Insights, Inc. Phone: 1-302-846-7766 Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688 Email: sales@gminsights.com Web: https://www.gminsights.com Blog: http://headlinenewsnation.com Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/11/2019 -- Home healthcare represents use of medical devices and community based services to support patients suffering from chronic diseases. Currently, the Home Healthcare Market is moving towards a precision-based model of personal care. Home-based medical devices and services play an important role in providing personal care to patients in managing variety of disease conditions such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and blood pressure. Increasing patient population with chronic diseases such as diabetes, blood pressure, cardiovascular conditions and respiratory diseases globally (including Latin America) would drive the demand for home-based medical devices and services. These diseases require continuous monitoring, and thus involve high cost due to repeated visits to healthcare centers that inflate medical expenses. Thus, home healthcare devices and services are being rapidly adopted by consumers to measure parameters on a regular basis and to cut down medical costs. The Latin America home healthcare market is estimated to be USD 9,796.8 million in 2013 and is expected to reach USD 17,550.0 million by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 8.7% from 2014 to 2020. Latin America home healthcare market is mainly segmented into device types and services. Latin America home healthcare device segment is considered to be the largest segment and is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period from 2014 to 2020. This growth was mainly attributed to high acceptance of medical devices coupled with technological advancements (introduction of automated and portable devices) to fuel the growth of the home healthcare devices market in Latin America. The market of ventilators and CPAP devices segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR of 11.4% from 2014 to 2020. The mobility assist devices segment is further categorized into wheelchairs, cranes and crutches and other home mobility assist devices. Latin America home healthcare market, by services is segmented as rehabilitation services, intuition therapy services, telehealth and telemedicine services, respiratory therapy services and unskilled home healthcare services. The Latin American market of unskilled home healthcare services accounted for the largest market share i.e. more than 45% of total Latin American home healthcare services market in 2013. The telehealth and telemedicine services segment is estimated to grow at the highest growth rate from 2014 to 2020. Request to View Sample of Report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=3020 Latin America home healthcare market, by geography is segmented as Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina and others. Brazil contributed for the largest share, i.e. around 35%, in 2013 of the Latin America home healthcare market. Increasing healthcare awareness and rising healthcare expenditure on chronic diseases in Brazil drive the market of home healthcare in Brazil. Mexico contributed the second largest share i.e. over 25% of the total market in 2013 and is expected to witness fastest growth during the study period. High prevalence of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases and increasing healthcare investment by the Government of Mexico will support the growth of home healthcare in Mexico. The growth of home healthcare market in Argentina and Colombia is mainly attributed to the introduction of new technologies coupled with new product launch by key companies. Some of the prominent players in the Latin America home healthcare market are Omron Healthcare, Inc., Phillips Healthcare, Medtronic, Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Praxair Technologies, Inc., Teleflex Corporation, Bayer Healthcare, ResMed, Inc., GE Healthcare, Cardinal Health, Gentiva Health Services, Inc., Invacare Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories and others. Request to View Brochure of Report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=3020 Ann Arbor, MI -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/11/2019 -- Intagent is a renowned company based in Michigan. The company is competent in website design and creation for real estate agents. The company is known to help real estate agents get into the industry in style. It has a well-built and passionate team of experts. It is through them that the company is able to offer real solutions to their clients regarding acquiring, as well as managing their customers. When asked how the company has been able to stay afloat, the company's spokesperson said, "Since the start, our team has been trained to be professional. This is our core operational principle. With this, our clients are able to receive equal treatment while seeking our services such as real estate agent websites. Our team is also able to offer the best to every client who seeks our services. This has gone a long way to ensure that our clients are confident in our services. Every client is sure to get the best we have even those who are just starting." Intagent seems to be the real estate agents' partner. This is in the sense that the company seeks to address their needs in totality. This is well brought out by taking a look at the kind of websites the company creates for their clients. The features that they include are those that promote their clients' business. They give them websites that have a great potential to take the real estate agents' business to greater heights. One can easily conclude that they are the Real estate website designers to look for in Michigan. The spokesperson further said, "We chose to raise our standards up above the rest. The only way we could achieve this is by being on point in terms of technology upgrades. We can only offer what we have. Hence, the need to have our team get refresher trainings every now and then. This keeps them abreast with the upcoming trends in the industry. This helps them offer real estate web design that possess features that are up to date. This way, we are able to place our clients at a better place in their business. They can effectively compete with other real estate agents using our modern tools and features in their websites." Intagent seems to offer all around support to their clients' business venture. This can be exemplified by their special tools such as DesignPro series. This provides a powerful website that is rich in features. This enables one to take advantage of online marketing, listing homes online as well as customer relationship tools. About Intagent Intagent is a company that looks into the needs of real estate agents by creating websites for them. The company's goal is to offer their clients the most advanced and easy to use real estate website. Contact Details Address: 1872 Stonebridge Dr S, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 Tel: (800) 209-0740 Website: https://www.intagent.com Harrisburg, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/11/2019 -- The Cashmere Market report is a collection of pragmatic information, quantitative and qualitative estimation by industry experts, the contribution from industry connoisseurs and industry accomplices across the value chain. Furthermore, the report also provides the qualitative results of diverse market factors on its geographies and segments. Cashmere is grown in the goat epidermis, covered in the root of the goat coarse hair, grow out in winter, to resist the cold, fall off when the spring coming, adapt to the climate naturally, belong to rare special animal fiber. Cashmere industry has growth in Europe market. Currently, Europe market mainly imports pure cashmere from China and Mongolia. The main market players are Gobi, GOYO, Cashmere Holding, Erdos Group, Kingdeer, Viction Cashmere and Dongrong Group, etc. The Europe sales of Pure Cashmere will increase to 2309.95 MT in 2017 from 2349.13 MT in 2012. As for consumption, Italy and UK are the mainly consumption regions due to the bigger demand of downstream applications. In 2016, these two regions occupied 97.25% of the Europe consumption volume in total. In addition, this report discusses the key drivers influencing market growth, opportunities, the challenges and the risks faced by key players and the market as a whole. It also analyzes key emerging trends and their impact on present and future development. Get free sample copy of this report before purchase at: https://www.marketinsightsreports.com/reports/02061084059/global-cashmere-market-research-report-2019/inquiry?source=releasewire&Mode=12 The prominent players in the global Cashmere market are: Gobi, GOYO, Cashmere Holding, Sor Cashmere, Erdos Group, Kingdeer, Viction Cashmere, Dongrong Group and Other. This report studies the global market size of Cashmere in key regions like North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Central & South America and Middle East & Africa, focuses on the consumption of Cashmere in these regions. Cashmere Global Market Report from Market Insights Reports covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market.The market characteristics section of the report defines and explains the market.The market size section gives the market revenues, covering both the historic growth of the market and forecasting the future. Drivers and restraints look at the external factors influencing the growth of the market.Market segmentations break down the key sub sectors which make up the market. Market segment by Types Tianshan Wool White Cashmere Cyan Cashmere Purple Cashmere Others Market segment by Applications Cashmere Clothing Cashmere Accessory Cashmere Home Textiles Get full access to this report at: https://www.marketinsightsreports.com/reports/02061084059/global-cashmere-market-research-report-2019?source=releasewire&Mode=12 Competitive landscape gives a description of the competitive nature of the market, market shares, and a description of the leading companies. Key financial deals which have shaped the market in the last five years are identified.The trends and strategies section highlights the likely future developments in the market and suggests approaches. Following are major Table of Content of Cashmere Industry: - Cashmere Market Sales Overview. - Cashmere Market Sales Competition by Manufacturers. - Cashmere Market Sales Analysis by Region. - Cashmere Market Sales Analysis by Type. - Cashmere Market Analysis by Application. - Cashmere Market -Manufacturers Analysis. The research includes historic data from 2014 to 2018 and forecasts until 2025 which makes the reports an invaluable resource for industry executives, marketing, sales and product managers, consultants, analysts, and other people looking for key industry data in readily accessible documents with clearly presented tables and graphs. Contact US: Irfan Tamboli (Head of Sales) Market Insights Reports Phone: + 1704 266 3234 | Mob: +91-750-707-8687 sales@marketinsightsreports.com | irfan@marketinsightsreports.com New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/11/2019 -- This report researches the worldwide Petroleum Needle Coke market size (value, capacity, production and consumption) in key regions like North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (China, Japan) and other regions. This study categorizes the global Petroleum Needle Coke breakdown data by manufacturers, region, type and application, also analyzes the market status, market share, growth rate, future trends, market drivers, opportunities and challenges, risks and entry barriers, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis. KNOW MORE WITH SAMPLE STUDY @ https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1915814&type=S Petroleum needle coke is a needle-shaped carbon material produced by heating raw petroleum coke (a solid carbon derived from cracking of heavy oil), and is mainly used as the aggregate of artificial graphite electrodes in electric arc furnaces for the iron manufacturing industry. According to the raw material difference, needle coke is divided into petroleum-based and coal-based. Globally, conocoPhillips is the biggest manufacturer of petroleum-based needle coke and C-Chem is the biggest manufacturer of coal-based needle coke. In China, there are only two petroleum needle coke manufacturers in China, including CNPC Jinzhou Petrochemical and Shandong Yida New Material. Shandong Yida New Material started production since August 8th, 2017. Production base of those two suppliers are separately in Liaoning and Shandong province. Petroleum needle coke is mainly used in ultra-high power electrode and special carbon materials for steel industry. Ultra-high power electrode is the largest consumption field with consumption amount of 54.3 K MT in 2017. Also, there is no substitute in this application field. Global Petroleum Needle Coke market size will increase to xx Million US$ by 2025, from xx Million US$ in 2017, at a CAGR of xx% during the forecast period. In this study, 2017 has been considered as the base year and 2018 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Petroleum Needle Coke. This report focuses on the top manufacturers' Petroleum Needle Coke capacity, production, value, price and market share of Petroleum Needle Coke in global market. The following manufacturers are covered in this report: CNPC Jinzhou Petrochemical Shandong Yida New Material Petroleum Needle Coke Breakdown Data by Type High-Sulfur Petroleum Needle Coke Middle-Sulfur Petroleum Needle Coke Low-Sulfur Petroleum Needle Coke Petroleum Needle Coke Breakdown Data by Application Ultra High Power Electrode Special Carbon Materials Others Petroleum Needle Coke Production Breakdown Data by Region United States Europe China Japan Other Regions Interested in report: Please follow the below the links to meet your requirements; https://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-petroleum-needle-coke-market-insights-forecast-to-2025.htm The study objectives are: To analyze and research the global Petroleum Needle Coke capacity, production, value, consumption, status and forecast; To focus on the key Petroleum Needle Coke manufacturers and study the capacity, production, value, market share and development plans in next few years. To focuses on the global key manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the market competition landscape, SWOT analysis. To define, describe and forecast the market by type, application and region. To analyze the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks. To identify significant trends and factors driving or inhibiting the market growth. To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments. To strategically analyze each submarket with respect to individual growth trend and their contribution to the market. To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market. To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies. In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Petroleum Needle Coke : History Year: 2013-2017 Base Year: 2017 Estimated Year: 2018 Forecast Year 2018 to 2025 For the data information by region, company, type and application, 2017 is considered as the base year. Whenever data information was unavailable for the base year, the prior year has been considered. Key Stakeholders Petroleum Needle Coke Manufacturers Petroleum Needle Coke Distributors/Traders/Wholesalers Petroleum Needle Coke Subcomponent Manufacturers Industry Association Downstream Vendors About QYResearchReports.com QYResearchReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYResearchReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market. Contact Us: Brooklyn, NY 11230 United States Toll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA) Tel: +1-518-621-2074 Follow Us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/qyresearchreports-com Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com Selbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/11/2019 -- Food sterilization device is aimed at food raw materials and processed products. Through sterilization and sterilization of microorganisms, the main factors causing food deterioration, the food quality can be stabilized, the shelf life of food can be effectively prolonged, and the number of harmful bacteria in food can be reduced, and the intake of live bacteria can be avoided to cause human body (usually intestine). Tract infection or bacterial toxin produced in food in advance causes human poisoning. Request a sample of this premium report at: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/1444684/ The competitive landscape of the Food Sterilization Devices market profiles the key players participating in the global business space. These include as JBT Corporation, B?hler, Ventilex, Surdry, Cosmed Group, Steriflow, Allpax, Hisaka, Systec, De Lama, Raphanel, Sun Sterifaab and Industrial Sonomecanics. The report also details the market positioning, strategies, and revenue procured by each of these manufacturers. The industry is analyzed in terms of products, applications, regions, and the key manufacturers holding a prominent share of the global revenue. The product landscape of the Food Sterilization Devices market comprises as Heat, Steam, Radiation, Chemical, Filtration and Others. Each product has been analyzed in terms of its production, capacity, and consumption. The report further details the market share to be procured by each of these products over the coming years. In terms of end-user or applications, the report is segmented into Spices, Seasonings, And Herbs, Cereals & Pulses, Meat, Poultry & Seafood, Dairy Products, Fruits & Vegetables, Dried Fruits & Nuts, Beverages and Others. A detailed analysis of the contribution of these application segments to the overall market revenue and volume has been included in the report. The regional segmentation of the report includes United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India, Central & South America. Detailing the consumption and production rate of Food Sterilization Devices in these regions, the report outlines the growth curve of this industry in terms of market volume and share over 2018-2025. Request a discount on standard prices of this premium report at: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/1444684/ The study objectives of this report are: To analyze and study the global Food Sterilization Devices capacity, production, value, consumption, status (2013-2017) and forecast (2018-2025); Focuses on the key Food Sterilization Devices manufacturers, to study the capacity, production, value, market share and development plans in future. Focuses on the global key manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the market competition landscape, SWOT analysis. To define, describe and forecast the market by type, application and region. To analyze the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks. To identify significant trends and factors driving or inhibiting the market growth. To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments. To strategically analyze each submarket with respect to individual growth trend and their contribution to the market To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies. In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Food Sterilization Devices are as follows: History Year: 2013-2017 Base Year: 2017 Estimated Year: 2018 Forecast Year 2018 to 2025 For the data information by region, company, type and application, 2017 is considered as the base year. Whenever data information was unavailable for the base year, the prior year has been considered. Key Stakeholders Food Sterilization Devices Manufacturers Food Sterilization Devices Distributors/Traders/Wholesalers Food Sterilization Devices Subcomponent Manufacturers Industry Association Downstream Vendors Table of Contents: 1 Food Sterilization Devices Market Overview 1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Food Sterilization Devices 1.2 Food Sterilization Devices Segment by Type (Product Category) 1.2.1 Global Food Sterilization Devices Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2013-2025) 1.2.2 Global Food Sterilization Devices Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 2017 1.2.3 Heat 1.2.3 Steam 1.2.5 Radiation 1.2.6 Chemical 1.2.7 Filtration Others 1.3 Global Food Sterilization Devices Segment by Application 1.3.1 Food Sterilization Devices Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2013-2025) 1.3.2 Spices, Seasonings, And Herbs 1.3.3 Cereals & Pulses 1.3.4 Meat, Poultry & Seafood 1.3.5 Dairy Products 1.3.6 Fruits & Vegetables 1.3.7 Dried Fruits & Nuts 1.3.8 Beverages 1.3.9 Others 1.4 Global Food Sterilization Devices Market by Region (2013-2025) 1.4.1 Global Food Sterilization Devices Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2013-2025) 1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2013-2025) 1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2013-2025) 1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2013-2025) 1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2013-2025) 1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2013-2025) 1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2013-2025) 1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Food Sterilization Devices (2013-2025) 1.5.1 Global Food Sterilization Devices Revenue Status and Outlook (2013-2025) 1.5.2 Global Food Sterilization Devices Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2013-2025) For more information on this report at: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-food-sterilization-devices-market-research-report-2019/?utm_source=releasewire.com-SP Related Report: Global Analog Cheese Market Growth 2019-2024 Cheese analogues (more widely known as cheese alternatives) are products used as culinary replacements for cheese. These include Analog Cheeses as well as some dairy products. The global Analog Cheese industry has a rather high dispersion. The major manufacturers are concentrated in USA and Europe, such as Follow Your Heart, Daiya, Tofutti, Heidi Ho. https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-analog-cheese-market-growth-2019-2024?utm_source=releasewire.comRR-SP About Market Study Report Market study report LLC allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management. Contact Us: Market Study Report LLC 4 North Main Street, Selbyville, Delaware 19975 USA Phone: 1-302-273-0910 US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150 Email: sales@marketstudyreport.com Website: https://www.marketstudyreport.com Blog: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/blog/ Harrisburg, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/11/2019 -- The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the Foam Floor Tiles market and contains qualitative and quantitative insights, historical and forecasted data, competitor and regional analysis from 2014 to 2025. The research report provides analysis and information according to categories such as market segments, geographies, types and applications. Request a Free Sample Report before Purchase: https://www.marketinsightsreports.com/reports/0515511780/global-foam-floor-tiles-market-professional-survey-report-2018/inquiry?source=releasewire&Mode=11 The report covers the profiles of major players in the global Foam Floor Tiles market such as: Nantong Meitoku(China), John Lewis(UK), Skip Hop(US), Rubber Flooring Inc(US), Norsk(US), SoftTiles(US), Uline(US), Menard(US). Foam Floor Tiles Market, by Types: 30*30cm 60*60cm Other Size Foam Floor Tiles Market, by Applications: Baby Use Family Use Commerical Use Geographically, this report studies the top producers and consumers, focuses on product capacity, production, value, consumption, market share and growth opportunity in these key regions, covering North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East & Africa. Several important Key questions answer covered in this Foam Floor Tiles market research report: - What is status of Foam Floor Tiles Market? -This Overview Includes Analysis of Scope, Prospect, Growth trend, Sales by regions, manufacturers, types and applications. - What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing its growth? - What is Foam Floor Tiles Market forecasts (2019-2025)? Considering Sales, Revenue, Growth rate, Price and Trends for Regions, Types and Applications? - Who Are Foam Floor Tiles Market Key Manufacturers? - What will be the market size and the growth rate in 2025? -What are the key factors driving the global Foam Floor Tiles market? - What are the key outcomes of the distinct analysis of the world Foam Floor Tiles Market-Analysis done by considering prime elements? Browse Full Report: https://www.marketinsightsreports.com/reports/0515511780/global-foam-floor-tiles-market-professional-survey-report-2018?source=releasewire&Mode=11 The research includes historic data from 2014 to 2018 and forecasts until 2025 which makes the reports an invaluable resource for industry executives, marketing, sales and product managers, consultants, analysts, and other people looking for key industry data in readily accessible documents with clearly presented tables and graphs. The study comprises a mix of data pertaining to the key restraints, drivers, competitive landscape, regulatory forces, key strategies implemented by the key players, and opportunities, expected to have a profound impact on the scope of growth of the market. A detailed analysis of these factors allows the report to present a reliable forecast regarding the future growth dynamics of the Foam Floor Tiles market. About MarketInsightsReports MarketInsightsReports provides syndicated Market research reports to industries, organizations or even individuals with an aim of helping them in their decision making process. MarketInsightsReports has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. Contact US: Irfan Tamboli (Head of Sales) Market Insights Reports Phone: + 1704 266 3234 | Mob: +91-750-707-8687 sales@marketinsightsreports.com | irfan@marketinsightsreports.com Connect with us On: https://www.linkedin.com/company/13411016/ https://www.facebook.com/Marketinsightsreports/ https://twitter.com/MIRresearch/ Draper, UT -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/11/2019 -- EDsmart's ranking of the best accredited nonprofit online colleges is the most comprehensive and well-rounded to date. The ranking includes only fully accredited nonprofit online universities. The EDsmart 2019 ranking for the Top 10 Accredited Nonprofit Online Colleges finds the University of Delaware in the top spot with a score of 100. Purdue University-Main Campus and Florida State University round out the top three. "The schools that made our list not only offer affordable opportunities for online degrees, they also stand as examples of commitment to their students," said Tyson Stevens, Managing Editor at EDsmart. "Prospective students can choose from a range of options to continue their education. The best nonprofit online colleges rankings and data are a great starting point for applicants to find the program that's the best fit for them academically and financially. In addition, most of these schools offer additional financial aid by way of scholarships, fellowships, and loans." Schools that made the top 10 list include (in alphabetical order): Arizona State University Florida State University Georgetown University Norwich University Purdue University - Main Campus Saint Joseph's University Seton Hall University University of Dayton University of Delaware EDsmart brings together information about and data for the top 67 non-profit online colleges ranked based on their financial aid, retention rate, graduation rate and average net price along with 20-year Net ROI. The rankings and data were produced for EDsmart, a leading higher education research organization. All evaluated data was gathered from IPEDs, U.S. Dept. of Higher Education, school websites, and other reputable sources. University response to EDsmart rankings has been very positive. Sharing the rankings on their websites and via social media has helped schools attract new students and excite existing students and alumni. The rankings have been published at https://www.edsmart.org/best-non-profit-online-colleges/ About EDsmart EDsmart reviews publicly available data to produce independent ranking assessments of various educational programs, in addition to student guides and resources. The site is regularly updated by a committed team of writers and researchers, who produce college rankings and resources that help prospective and current college students get into, pay for, and thrive at the college of their choice. Media Contact Company Name: EDsmart Contact Person: Tyson Stevens Email: tstevens@edsmart.org Phone: (707) 595-0736 City: Draper State: UT Country: United States U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will meet in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi at the end of this month, Trump announced last Friday. "My representatives have just left North Korea after a very productive meeting and an agreed upon time and date for the second summit with Kim Jong-un," he tweeted. "It will take place in Hanoi, Vietnam, on [Feb.] 27 & 28. I look forward to seeing [Kim] and advancing the cause of peace!" North Korea had favored Hanoi instead of the resort city of Da Nang, which the U.S. preferred, because its embassy is located there, making it easier to provide logistical support in terms of security and protocol. There is also some symbolic value since Kim's grandfather Kim Il-sung visited Hanoi in 1958 and 1964 to meet with then North Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh. Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/11/2019 -- Chromatography resins are used in purification and separation of proteins and other bio-molecules in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, food manufacturing, and environmental analysis. Chromatography resins are of three types, viz., synthetic, natural and inorganic media. Natural and synthetic resins are preferred over inorganic media. Chromatography resins are used in affinity, mixed-mode, ion-exchange, hydrophobic interaction and size exclusion techniques. In terms of revenues, Protein A resins accounted for the highest share of the market. The main driver for the chromatography resins market is huge demand for monoclonal antibodies. Huge demand for monoclonal bodies is on account of the number of growing critical diseases resulting in these types of therapeutics to swiftly gain significance. Biotechnology & pharmaceutical are the leading end-users for chromatography resins and are likely to gain more importance in near future. Food manufacturing was second-largest end-user application for chromatography resins. Chromatography resins are also used in industrial applications, genetic engineering and drug recovery. However, presence of stringent regulations regarding manufacture and usage of this product is expected to hamper the growth of the market over the next few years. Research & development in chromatography resin for various applications is expected to open new opportunities for the growth of the market. Request Sample Report@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-274 In technology terms, ion-exchange chromatography had the highest consumption in past few years. Though, affinity chromatography resins hold the key share of the revenue. This is mainly due to the higher selling costs associated with affinity resins. Demand for chromatography resins was highest in North America. However, there is huge demand for chromatography resins from Asia Pacific region due to the growing pharmaceutical industry, particularly in India, China and South Korea. Additionally, the emergence of CMOs and CROs is driving the chromatography resins market in Asia Pacific region. Europe is expected to show steady growth over the forecast period. Some of the key players in the chromatography resins market are Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc., GE Healthcare Life Sciences, Tosoh Corporation, Merck KGaA, Life Technologies Corporation and Pall Corporation among others. Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-274 China's foreign ministry expressed anger on Monday over two U.S. warships entering the South China Sea. The two warships entered China's territorial seas around the Nansha Islands without permission from the Chinese government, ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a daily news briefing. The Chinese side immediately conducted verification and identification on the U.S. ships and warned them to leave, said the spokeswoman. The relevant action by the U.S. side infringed upon China's sovereignty, and undermined the peace, security, and order of the relevant waters, Hua said, adding that China will continue to take necessary measures to safeguard itself. China firmly opposed the relevant action and urged the U.S. to immediately stop its provocations, Hua stressed. Motortion/iStock(NEW YORK) -- The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the second largest in history and the worst the country has ever seen. At least 811 people have reported symptoms of hemorrhagic fever in the Central African nation's eastern provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, which share borders with South Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda. Among those patients, 750 have tested positive for Ebola virus disease, according to a daily bulletin from the country's health ministry on Sunday night. There have been 510 deaths thus far, including 449 people who died from confirmed cases of Ebola. The other deaths are from probable cases of Ebola. "No other epidemic in the world has been as complex as the one we are currently experiencing," the country's health minister, Dr. Oly Ilunga Kalenga, said in a statement Nov. 9. The rising number of cases in the ongoing epidemic has far exceeded that of the 2000 outbreak in Uganda, making it second only to the 2014-2016 outbreak in multiple West African nations that infected more than 28,000 people, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The World Health Organization (WHO), the global health arm of the United Nations, has deemed the risk of transmission in the current outbreak "very high" at the national and regional levels, while the risk globally remains low. Still, the organization concluded in October that the outbreak does not yet meet the criteria for an international public health emergency -- a proclamation that would have mobilized more resources and garnered global attention. Here is what you need to know about the deadly virus. What is Ebola? The Ebola virus is described as a group of viruses that cause a deadly kind of hemorrhagic fever. The term "hemorrhagic fever" means it causes bleeding inside and outside the body. The virus has a long incubation period of approximately eight to 21 days. Early symptoms include fever, muscle weakness, sore throat and headaches. As the disease progresses, the virus can impair kidney and liver function and lead to external and internal bleeding. It's one of the most deadly viruses on Earth with a fatality rate that can reach between approximately 50 to 90 percent. There is no cure. The WHO has received approval to administer an experimental Ebola vaccine, using a "ring vaccination" approach, around the epicenter of the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. More than 77,000 people, including children as well as health and frontline workers, have been vaccinated in the outbreak zone since Aug. 8, according to the country's health ministry. The vaccine, which was developed by American pharmaceutical company Merck, has proved effective against the country's previous outbreak in the western province of Equateur. How is it transmitted? The virus is transmitted through contact with blood or secretions from an infected person, either directly or through contaminated surfaces, needles or medical equipment. A patient is not contagious until they start showing signs of the disease. Thankfully, the virus is not airborne, which means a person cannot get the disease simply by breathing the same air as an infected patient. Where have people been infected? In this current outbreak, people have been infected in North Kivu and Ituri, which are among the most populous provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and share borders with Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan. Those two provinces are awash with conflict and insecurity, particularly in the mineral-rich borderlands where militia activity has surged in the past year, all of which complicates the response to the outbreak. There is also misinformation and community mistrust of the medical response, partly due to the security situation, and some residents delay seeking care or avoid follow-up. Ebola is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is the 10th outbreak the country has seen since 1976, the year that scientists first identified the deadly virus in the small northern village Yambuku near the eponymous Ebola River. This outbreak in the country's eastern region was announced Aug. 1, just days after another outbreak in the western part of the country that killed 33 people (including 17 who had confirmed cases of Ebola) was declared over. Where did the virus come from? The dangerous virus gets its name from the Ebola River in northern Democratic Republic of the Congo, which was near the site of one of the first outbreaks. The virus was first reported in 1976 in two almost simultaneous outbreaks in areas that are now South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The outbreaks killed 151 and 280 people, respectively. Certain bats living in tropical African forests are thought to be the natural hosts of the disease. The initial transmission of an outbreak usually results from a wild animal infecting a human, according to the WHO. Once the disease infects a person, it is easily transmissible between people in close contact. An outbreak that began in the West African nation of Guinea in March 2014, and soon spread to neighboring Liberia and Sierra Leone, was the largest in history, infecting 28,652 people and causing 11,325 deaths. The outbreak, which the WHO deemed a public health emergency of international concern, was declared over in June 2016. Who is at risk? The virus is not airborne, which means those in close contact can be infected and are most at risk. A person sitting next to an infected person, even if they are contagious, is not extremely likely to be infected. However, health workers and caregivers of the sick are particularly at risk because they work in close contact with infected patients during the final stages of the disease, when the virus can cause internal and external bleeding. In the current outbreak alone, 67 health workers have been infected so far and at least 22 of them have died, according to the WHO. There are also a high number of young children infected in the current outbreak. Children, who are at greater risk than adults of dying from Ebola, account for more than one-third of all the cases, while one in 10 Ebola patients is a child under the age of 5, according to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund. "We are deeply concerned by the growing number of children confirmed to have contracted Ebola," Marie-Pierre Poirier, UNICEF's regional director for West and Central Africa who returned this week from Beni, said in a Dec. 12 statement. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. 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. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Crime, poverty and unemployment are the common threads in new rankings released this week of the worst places to live in the U.S., and four cities in Florida made the list. The financial website 24/7 Wall St. measured 25 factors in four categories: affordability, economy, quality of life and community. The authors noted that while there is no such thing as the perfect city, the United States is full of places with few, if any, strengths. Most of the cities are located in the South and the West, along with several in Michigan. Detroit was the only large city, described as a shadow of its former self. Advertisement Big cities didnt make the list, for the most part, because factors such as access to cultural amenities and public transit were taken into account. The worst city in the rankings was Mendota, California, where just shy of half the population lives below the poverty level. Heres a look at the four Florida cities in the rankings: 50. Beverly Hills Population: 9,144 Poverty rate: 32.9% (top 10%) 2017 violent crimes per 100,000 people: N/A Median home value: $63,400 (bottom 10%) Beverly Hills is one of the poorest cities in Florida and worlds away from its namesake counterpart in California. Meager incomes and low property values landed this small community in Citrus County on the list. 36. Belle Glade Population: 19,175 Poverty rate: 39.1% (top 10%) 2017 violent crimes per 100,000 people: 1,234 (top 10%) Median home value: $111,400 (bottom 25%) Low wages combined with a high cost of living are part of the reason this city on the shores of Lake Okeechobee in Palm Beach County made the rankings. A field worker carries stakes used in growing tomatoes at Pacific Tomato Growers in Immokalee at the end of the tomato growing season in this file photo from Wednesday, May 6, 2015. (Taimy Alvarez / Sun Sentinel file) 31. Immokalee Population: 25,686 Poverty rate: 43.4% (top 10%) 2017 violent crimes per 100,000 people: N/A Median home value: $99,700 (bottom 25%) The cost of living is high, and people who live in this Collier County community dont earn much money. Thats a stark contrast with nearby Naples, where six-figure household incomes are typical. 2. Florida City Population: 12,149 Poverty rate: 41.2% (top 10%) 2017 violent crimes per 100,000 people: 2,276 (top 10%) Median home value: $110,800 (bottom 25%) The crime and poverty rates in this city south of Miami are staggering. Advertisement Read the full report Learn more about the methodology @danwine on Twitter or email dwine@orlandosentinel.com Please consider supporting local journalism by purchasing a digital subscription to the Orlando Sentinel. Advertisement Video: Drawn to America - episode 6 U-T editorial cartoonist Steve Breen is going to Tijuana to get a clearer picture of why thousands of migrants would travel thousands of miles in a caravan to seek asylum in the United States. Read about the series here. California Gov. Gavin Newsom followed the lead of New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham Monday, and announced he would pull a majority of National Guard troops from the U.S.-Mexico border. Newsom and his New Mexico counterpart have both been in office about a month and are overturning the previous governors decision in their respective state. The Republican governors of Arizona and Texas the other two states on the border of Mexico are not moving any National Guard troops away. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey support President Donald Trumps deployment of National Guard troops along the border. Both were sworn into office in 2015. Lujan Grisham is a Democrat who took over for a Republican, Susana Martinez, after the 2018 election. Newsom took over for fellow Democrat Jerry Brown, but after talking it over with advisers, decided to pull back about 260 of the 360 National Guards troops Brown had sent to the border. Newsom called Trumps persistent rhetoric about an immigrant invasion political theater and a manufactured crisis. Advertisement Newsom said he wants to refocus the work of the National Guard troops at the border on the real threats facing California, which he described as wildfires and transnational criminal gangs running guns and drugs across the border. He said in a newly redefined scope of work, National Guard troops would no longer work in dispatch or surveillance roles that had them tangentially involved in the detention of immigrants. The border emergency is nothing more than a manufactured crisis and CAs National Guard will not be part of this political theater. https://t.co/cKbht1mtOe Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) February 11, 2019 Here are some of the key events of the latest National Guard deployment at the border since it was announced in 2018. April 4 Trump orders National Guard to border Citing a law that allows the president to request the support of the National Guard, Trump asked his secretary of defense to help the Department of Homeland Security stop the flow of deadly drugs and other contraband, gang members and other criminals, and illegal aliens into this country. The situation at the border has now reached a point of crisis, Trumps memorandum said. The lawlessness that continues at our southern border is fundamentally incompatible with the safety, security, and sovereignty of the American people. My administration has no choice but to act. Trumps action did require the support of the four border state governors, however. Some people wondered at the time whether Trump had the authority to make the request, but he wasnt the first president to take such an action. Both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama deployed the National Guard at the border to fight illegal immigration and drug trafficking. April 6 Texas, Arizona and New Mexico take action In the first deployment, the Republican governors of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas agreed to send about 1,600 National Guard members to the border, with plans to send more in future weeks and months. Texas was the first state to deploy a contingent that same day, on a Friday. Advertisement At the time, up to 4,000 troops had been authorized to deploy to the border. Their stated mission included help with aviation, engineering, surveillance, communications, vehicle maintenance and logistical support, according to the Pentagon. April 9 Arizona troops begin arriving at the border Arizona became the second state to send National Guard troops to the border on April 9 (a Monday). At that time, New Mexico was announcing it would send troops later in the week, and a deployment was still under consideration in California. April 11 California agrees to send National Guard Gov. Jerry Brown was the last of the bordering states with Mexico to agree to send National Guard troops to the border. He did so with the caveat that they would not in any way enforce federal immigration law. He added 400 National Guard members to the 250 already working on transnational crime in the state, including 55 already at the border. RELATED: Gov. Brown approves adding 400 National Guard to border security efforts Advertisement Your funding for new staffing will allow the Guard to do what it does best: support operations targeting transnational criminal gangs, human traffickers and illegal firearm and drug smugglers along the border, the coast and throughout the state, Brown said. Oct. 29 Active duty military troops bolster efforts In the final stages of the 2018 mid-term elections, Trump and the Defense Department announced that more than 5,000 active-duty military troops would head to the Southern border. Sept. 28 California National Guard time extended Gov. Brown announced that the National Guard deployment to help with border security will be extended for another six months through March. At the time, about 400 troops were stationed along the border, with 250 in San Diego and El Centro combined. Jan. 14 Active duty troops to stay through September The Department of Defense announced that military troops would continue to assist the National Guard and the Department of Homeland Security at the southern border through September. Their duties were to include hardening ports of entry to mobile surveillance and detection, as well as concertina wire emplacement between ports of entry. Advertisement Feb. 5 New Mexico rebuffs Trump on National Guard Just before the presidents State of the Union address, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a newly-elected Democrat, announced she would be pulling back most of the states National Guard presence along the border. New Mexico will not take part in the presidents charade of border fear-mongering by misusing our diligent National Guard troops, Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, said of the 118 who were there. Feb. 11 California also reconsiders National Guard Ahead of his State of the State address, newly elected California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said he would be pulling back most of the 360 or so National Guard troops helping at the southern border. He said he wanted to negotiate a deal with the federal government so that it would pay to station about 100 National Guard troops along the border. The border emergency is a manufactured crisis, an excerpt of his planned Tuesday speech showed. This is our answer to the White House: No more division, xenophobia or nativism. Advertisement You can watch the governors press conference on his announcement below. Were live with @GavinNewsom as he discusses moving @theCAguard personnel from the border & redeploying them to focus on the actual threats California faces, not the White Houses manufactured crisis. #CaliforniaForAll https://t.co/bcd5KJB0xB Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) February 11, 2019 Subscribe to The Conversation podcast The Conversation with Abby & Luis is a podcast that slows down the news cycle to make sense of issues and stories that matter to listeners in San Diego and beyond. We talk to news makers, experts and others to offer interesting, in-depth conversations that will keep you up to date and informed. Check out some of our most recent episodes below, or subscribe on Apple or Stitcher. Advertisement Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @abbyhamblin Sen. Amy Klobuchar doesnt have much star power in a Democratic primary packed with it. She cant compete with several of the other presidential hopefuls in social media presence, fundraising aptitude, or even ability to fire up the base with big, ambitious policy plans. But the Minnesota pragmatist who joined the race Sunday brings with her a different asset: the promise of credibility with Midwesterners like those who soured on the Democratic Party in 2016 and could prove crucial in determining whether President Trump gets reelected. I dont have a political machine. I dont come from money. But what I do have is this: I have grit, Klobuchar declared as a persistent snowfall pelted down on the rostrum at her outdoor announcement rally in a park along the Mississippi River near downtown Minneapolis. Temperatures stood in the mid-teens, made colder-feeling by a stiff breeze as she spoke, her voice occasionally stuttering from the cold. We are tired of the shutdowns and the showdowns, the gridlock and the grandstanding, she said. Today, we say enough is enough. Advertisement The fifth senator and the sixth woman to enter the rapidly growing Democratic field, the 58-year-old former prosecutor and three-term senator enters the race an unknown to many voters outside her native state. A veteran lawmaker, Klobuchar is more a behind-the-scenes deal maker than soapbox orator. Whos in the race, and whos still on the fence? Klobuchars congressional calling has been bipartisan coalition building in the dwindling number of policy areas where that remains possible, focusing on consumer protection, agriculture and other topics that dont often grab national headlines. She offered a taste of that in her announcement, talking of issues such as digital privacy and worker training initiatives that have been largely eclipsed in other candidates speeches. And although she also hit many of the same themes as other Democrats expanded access to healthcare, for example, and stronger action against climate change she avoided the language that several of her rivals have used to appeal to activists on the partys left. She said, for example, that the country needs to invest in green jobs and infrastructure but did not utter the words Green New Deal that many progressives use. Similarly, she called for getting to universal healthcare but did not endorse Medicare for all, which has become a litmus test for some Democrats. In the Senate, she has supported a more modest overhaul of the healthcare system and has focused her energy on efforts to lower the cost of prescription drugs. Klobuchar landed in the national spotlight during the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh, keeping her cool as he lashed out at her when she asked whether his drinking might have affected his memory of the night Christine Blasey Ford says he sexually assaulted her. Kavanaughs condescending response asking whether the senator had ever blacked out from drinking was a galvanizing moment for opponents of the nomination. He later apologized. Advertisement The buzz about Klobuchars potential to break out as an alternative to better-known coastal Democratic presidential contenders began to increase after that hearing. It intensified with her commanding reelection victory in November, when she cruised to victory with 60% of the vote in a state Trump almost put in the Republican column in 2016. Klobuchar won many of the rural counties Trump carried. A poll in October by the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Minnesota Public Radio found her with a 57% approval rating in her home state -- nearly double Trumps. Hers was an impressive showing at a time Democratic senators in states Trump carried failed to win reelection. Also impressive is the senators skill at projecting an image on the stump and on the Senate floor as Minnesota Nice self-deprecating, folksy, relatable. The announcement for her launch rally promised hot cocoa would be served, offsetting the subfreezing Minneapolis winter temperature. Advertisement Her reputation among Capitol Hill denizens is different. The senator churns through staff at a rate few lawmakers match, and the Capitol is littered with stories of people who have fled her office, several of which have been grist for critical articles in recent days. Asked by reporters after her speech about the issue, Klobuchar said she had high expectations for myself. I have high expectations for the people who work for me. But I have high expectations for this country, and thats what we need. For now, Klobuchar has the Midwestern label mostly to herself in the Democratic field. She could find her lane crowded, however, if another Democrat whose reelection was arguably even more meaningful to Democrats than her own joins the race. Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, who is mulling a presidential run, was reelected in a state Trump won, albeit with a victory significantly less sweeping than Klobuchars. Advertisement The two senators are very different politicians: Brown is a vocal union supporter whose political message is focused on the dignity of work, while Klobuchar takes a more moderate stance, both rhetorically and in her votes on some issues. But they would be selling primary voters a similar path to winning back the White House through the industrial Midwest. Regardless of who else joins what is expected to be a crowded field, Klobuchar will likely run as a fence mender, not a firebrand. I will focus on getting things done, she said in Sundays speech. Her candidacy highlights the challenge Democrats face in trying to address the anxieties of white, working-class voters while aggressively pursuing racial-justice issues and the big-ticket progressive policies that energize activists in the partys coastal strongholds. Advertisement Whether Democrats can be convinced Klobuchar-style moderation is a better path to the White House than unyielding embrace of the anti-Trump resistance will become clearer as the campaign wears on. As the other presidential hopefuls in the Senate Sens. Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand and Cory Booker boast that roughly five or more out of every six votes they cast on legislation went against Trump, Klobuchar, according to statistics compiled by FiveThirtyEight, has voted with the president nearly a third of the time. Two dozen bills with her name on them were signed by Trump in the last Congress, a point of pride for the Minnesotan. The issues involved were as varied as opioid addiction, water infrastructure and elder abuse. That bipartisanship has won her plaudits from Republican colleagues and a dose of derision from critics who accuse her of spending too much time sweating the small stuff, building her career in Washington around playing small ball. Advertisement Yet in this chaotic political era when voters are unnerved by the chronic instability and dysfunction in Washington, Klobuchar will aim to stake out a place for herself in the race as a reassuring, steady hand who can build consensus and steer the federal government away from crisis. More stories from Evan Halper evan.halper@latimes.com | Twitter: @evanhalper China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, anchors at a military port. (Photo source: www.mod.gov.cn) Media reports on China's decision to sell its only at-service aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, to Pakistan "in order to compete with India" are unrealistic, military analysts told the Global Times. Pakistan-based news outlet The Nation cited Chinese and Russian media as reporting on Saturday that "the Chinese government has decided to sell its first and only aircraft carrier to Pakistan, "for a yet-undetermined price in order to upgrade the Pakistan Navy's capabilities." Such a move will make the Pakistan Navy more competitive against rival India, which has an operational aircraft carrier, the report said, while alleging such a deal will take place after the Liaoning undergoes a "large-scale upgrade." However, the Chinese government has never disclosed any plan regarding such a deal, and the Global Times reporter also could not find the alleged Chinese media report. An RT report on the topic, which was cited by The Nation, most likely can be traced to an earlier report by the US defense website navyrecognition.com on February 5, which claims that an official media report disclosed such a deal. The US website also outlines a schedule for such a deal, saying that as the Liaoning, which was commissioned into the China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy in September 2012, will serve for about 18 years, and while Pakistan's Gwadar and Karachi have already been described by Chinese Navy strategists as a "logistics base" and "PLA Navy base," respectively, this does mean that the carrier could be sold to Pakistan by 2020. It is a groundless allegation and complete falsehood, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and commentator, told the Global Times on Monday, referring to the reports. As China's first-ever aircraft carrier, the Liaoning acts as both training vessel and combat warship, that there is a zero possibility of reselling it, and China does not have spare carriers to sell to Pakistan, Song noted. The Liaoning is the only Chinese aircraft carrier in active service, and the country's first domestically developed carrier, known as the Type-001 A, is still undergoing sea trials. Although it has been widely speculated that China will have at least five aircraft carriers, including two nuclear-powered ones by 2030-2035, China's Ministry of National Defense has not yet revealed a plan for future carriers. Ministry spokesperson Ren Guoqiang said at a press conference in November 2018 that the development of China's aircraft carriers will be based on the country's overall plan. Song added that "such reports have no credibility even judging from Pakistan's perspective, as the country's navy pursues an onshore defense strategy, which means it does not need a carrier. And its defense budget cannot afford an aircraft carrier or maintain one. Pakistan's main focus is to maintain its own strategic nuclear capabilities rather than to promote the improvement of conventional capabilities, especially the improvement of offshore capabilities. [Buying China's carrier] does not meet the actual needs of Pakistan, Song said. A large construction truck came down a steep road and plowed into a Santee home Monday morning, causing significant structural damage but no serious injuries, a fire official said. No one was home when crash happened, shortly after 9 a.m. on Padre Lane off Ellsworth Lane, Battalion Chief Justin Matsushita of the Santee Fire Department told OnScene TV. The area is several blocks south of Prospect Avenue. The battalion chief said the truck came down the hill at pretty much full speed then tore into the home, ending up deep inside. Although there is significant damage to the house we are just thankful that no one got hurt, Matsushita said. Advertisement Video footage shows the truck completely inside the home. It actually is holding up the structure for the most part right now, Matsushita said. Our concern at this point is that when we pull the truck out, whats going to happen to the structure? Its likely that we are not going to be able to do enough shoring to completely make it so its not going to collapse to some degree. Fire crews were working with a building inspector to figure out how best to remove the vehicle. teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com (760) 529-4945 Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT A fire damaged a Rancho Bernardo home and displaced two people and a dog today, a fire official said. The fire started just after 11 a.m. in the garage of a home on Avenida Nobleza, in a neighborhood between Bernardo Heights Parkway and Interstate 15, according to information from the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. By the time firefighters got to the home, the garage was engulfed in flames and was also spreading to an attic area, according to Battalion Chief Rick Ballard. After an extended battle with the flames, crews were able to start clearing the scene around 1 p.m. No one was injured. Advertisement The Red Cross was helping to find shelter for the two people who lived at the house, as well as their dog, Ballard said. Investigators were working to determine the cause of the fire. A damage estimate wasnt immediately available. Twitter: @LAWinkley (619) 293-1546 lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com A fight that was possibly gang-related broke out at a quinceanera in City Heights late Saturday, leaving four people injured, including three who suffered stab wounds, San Diego police said. The incident began about 11:45 p.m. when a group of uninvited males showed up and started harassing girls at the party, which took place at a venue at 42nd Street and El Cajon Boulevard, police Sgt. Michael Tansey said. Other people at the celebration confronted the party crashers and a fight erupted. A 16-year-old boy was hit in the mouth with an unknown weapon and three men, ages 18, 22 and 25, were stabbed, Tansey said. The victims were all guests at the event. Advertisement The suspects ran off, and another party attendee hopped in a car and tried to follow them. One member of the fleeing group shot at the vehicle, hitting it. Police do not believe anyone was injured in the shooting. The victims were taken to hospitals with injuries not believed to be life-threatening. They were not able to provide descriptions of the suspects, Tansey said. Gang detectives are investigating the incident, police said. Twitter: @LAWinkley (619) 293-1546 Advertisement lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com A man who allegedly stabbed another man in the chest in an El Cajon alley early Sunday was later booked into jail on suspicion of murder, police said. The victims wife told officers that she, her husband and another man were in a vehicle near the Walmart on North Second Street when her husband got into a fight with a third man in the alley, El Cajon police Lt. Walt Miller said. The assailant stabbed the victim at least one time in the chest, Miller said. The wife and the other man in the vehicle drove the injured man to a hospital where he died. El Cajon officers were able to get a description of the suspect and an officer patrolling near Wells Park located and arrested him about 9:30 a.m. Advertisement Its unclear if the people involved in the incident knew each other. Neither the victim nor the suspect was identified pending further investigative follow-up, Miller said. Twitter: @LAWinkley (619) 293-1546 lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com San Diego police are searching for a man who fired gunshots into a downtown nightclub last month and multiple law enforcement sources said the shooter allegedly has ties to the Arellano Felix cartel, a Mexican drug cartel based in Tijuana. The shooting occurred around 2 a.m. on Jan. 28 at Sidebar on Market Street and police have identified the suspect as 29-year-old Abel Gomez, who they said fired five to six gunshots before fleeing. He is wanted for assault with a deadly weapon, said Capt. Mike Holden with the San Diego Police Department. We have been unable to locate him. The man fired the rounds into the ground of the nightclub after a scuffle over a woman, witnesses said. Almost the entire incident was captured on surveillance video, according to police and a representative of the club. Advertisement Police said Gomez ran away but left shell casings from the gunfire. A representative of Sidebar, located near Market and Sixth Avenue, said the nightclub was already closing up for the night when the shooting occurred. There were only a handful of people left in the business, the lights were on and the music had been turned off for the night, she said. A witness said Gomez slapped a woman on the behind, and then another man then stepped in to stop Gomez from touching the woman or grabbing her again. Thats when Gomez pulled out a firearm and fired off the rounds, the person said. Holden declined to release the suspects picture. We dont think hes a threat to the public, Holden said. Several people said it did not appear Gomez was trying to shoot anyone but rather scare away the last few remaining club patrons. Security guards stepped in to restrain Gomez, but when they called police, he managed to get away, the bars representative said. One person said Gomez pointed the firearm at the crotch of a security guard. Several people were running outside and several people were outside the club when the call came into us, Holden said. Advertisement The Arellano Felix cartel has been severely crippled since 2006 when it essentially lost a war with the Sinaloa cartel of Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, now on trial in New York. Federal law enforcement officers on both sides of the border have been giving news conferences declaring the Arellano Felix cartel finished since 2002, but some believe it remains active. Thousands of people took to the streets of Irans capital on Monday to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, which ousted a secular, pro-American monarchy and replaced it with an anti-Western theocracy. Despite rainy weather, people of all ages swarmed Tehrans Azadi Square and as in previous years, this years demonstration took on a festival-like atmosphere. Children were entertained with music, and some people carried effigies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Trump while others chanted Death to America, Death to Saudi Arabia and burned U.S. and Israeli flags. Although all those are common tropes in the annual commemorations, in many ways this years rally was filled with more energy and was larger than in previous years. Advertisement The 40th anniversary comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the Trump administration have escalated. In 2018, Washington reimposed tough economic sanctions on Iran that make it more difficult for other countries to do business with Tehran and called on the international community to force the Islamic Republic to concede to a dozen political and military demands. Forty years ago, a key battle in Irans Islamic Revolution claimed the life of Joe Alex Morris Jr. of the Los Angeles Times Mohammad Zarei, a 42-year-old civil servant, carried an effigy of Trump accompanied by a sign that read: I am Trump and I do not honor my commitments a reference to Trumps withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. Zarei said he joined Mondays protest to demonstrate how Iranians have survived despite sanctions imposed by the U.S. We are self-reliant, he said. We have survived all these years. Trump hit back against Iranian attacks with a tweet alleging that the Islamic Revolution had brought 40 years of failure. 40 years of corruption. 40 years of repression. 40 years of terror. The regime in Iran has produced only #40YearsofFailure. The long-suffering Iranian people deserve a much brighter future. pic.twitter.com/bA8YGsw9LA Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2019 Maryam Hydari, 50, attended Mondays demonstration wrapped in a full-length black chador. Holding the hands of her two children, she said life has improved for her under the theocracy and is better than it was under Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi. Advertisement Forty years ago we rose against the oppression and dictatorship of the shah and now we have freedom and independence, Hydari said. By 11:15 a.m., President Hassan Rouhani took the stage at the Freedom Monument and spoke to the energetic crowd for roughly 45 minutes. He praised the accomplishments of the Islamic Republic and said the country was stronger and life was better than under the shahs monarchy. Now more than 85% of our weapons are manufactured by domestic factories, Rouhani told the crowd. Before the revolution, 95% of the weapons were imported. Defying the Trump administration, Rouhani also said that Iran does not need permission to manufacture missiles. Everyone in the world must know that our military might is astonishing, he said. Especially in the past five years we have advanced remarkably in military power. Advertisement Over the past decade, Iran has frequently test-fired and displayed missiles. Officials in Washington claim that launching such missiles defies a United Nations Security Council resolution that calls on Iran to avoid any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. Tehran insists its satellite launches and rocket tests do not have a military component. Congress has considered reimposing sanctions if Iran continues firing ballistic missiles. Some Iranians who chose not to participate in Mondays festivities highlighted their increasing frustration with the ruling establishment and said their lives have become more difficult during the last four decades. Advertisement In a survey released by IranPoll, a public-opinion research firm based in Canada, 60% of the Iranians surveyed blame Irans economic crisis on the governments mismanagement and corruption. For them, Mondays commemoration was a reminder of the promises that the theocracy failed to keep. Ali Shoja was 12 during the revolution. She recalls it as a hopeful time when she believed her life would improve. But Shoja, now a 52-year-old bookkeeper in Tehran, said she struggles to make a living. We have been suffering backwardness, rather than progress, she said. I am as needy as I was before the revolution. Advertisement Shoja places responsibility on the government, which in recent years has been undergoing a power struggle between Rouhanis reform-minded administration and conservative hard-liners who are becoming increasingly alarmed by Western influence. I wish Iran and America would normalize their relations, she said. Increased pressure from the Trump administration coupled with economic mismanagement and government corruption has also exacerbated Irans economic issues. Reza Shaygan, a 67-year-old retired teacher, said hes fed up. He said he has wasted his time waiting for reform. Advertisement My life in the past 40 years has been full of anxiety and worries about what would happen next week or next month, he said. Special correspondent Mostaghim reported from Tehran and Times staff writer Etehad from Los Angeles. Egypts parliament has accelerated its push to adopt constitutional amendments that would give President Abdel Fattah Sisi greater power and could keep him in office until 2034, a move that opposition parties and some lawmakers have vowed to fight, though their chances of success appear slim. The proposed changes to the 2014 constitution go against modern democratic principles, said Talaat Khalil, one of a small group of lawmakers who have publicly rejected the amendments. The focus, said Mohamed Anwar Sadat, nephew and namesake of the former assassinated president and also leader of the Reform and Development Party, should be on fully implementing the constitution, not changing it. A parliamentary committee last week hastily approved a broad package of proposals that had been submitted to the speaker just two days earlier while the House of Representatives is expected to cast a provisional vote later this week. Further changes could then be made before the parliament, which is stuffed with Sisi supporters, takes a final vote. It takes a two-thirds vote by the parliament to put the matter to a public vote. Advertisement The initiatives would extend presidential terms from four to six years. Though Sisi is due to complete his second and final term in 2022, the proposal would allow him to continue to govern for an additional 12 years. The proposed constitutional changes would also strengthen the presidents control over the judiciary and firmly embed the military in state affairs by handing it the power to protect the constitution and democracy. Egyptian parliament meets in 2012. (Khaled Elfiqi / EPA/Shutterstock) For many, the amendments are a clear power grab by Sisi, who led the military overthrow of Egypts first democratically elected president, the Muslim Brotherhoods Mohamed Morsi, a year before becoming president in 2014. Sisis crackdown on activism and dissent has been so fierce that much of his opposition has vanished, and what remains is greatly weakened. Still, some have vowed to resist. A small parliamentary bloc of leftist lawmakers Monday denounced the proposed amendments, arguing they betrayed the key gains of the Arab Spring uprising in 2011, when the nearly 30-year military dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak was toppled by popular protests. Khalil, who is a member of the leftist bloc, said that all its 16 members opposed the proposals, though the independent news website Mada Masr has reported some defections. Its unclear how many other members of parliament intend to oppose the proposals. At least four other parties with 13 representatives between them in parliament have officially objected to the amendment, though one of the groups is divided. Advertisement There are, for sure, more members who oppose and havent come out in opposition yet, said Khalil. Still, its highly unlikely he will get the numbers needed to block the proposals in the 596-seat assembly. Eleven opposition parties came together last week as the Union to Defend the Constitution to challenge the proposals. The union also includes lawmakers, political and media figures and university professors. Tens of thousands of demonstrators gather outside the presidential palace in Cairo calling for the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi in 2013. (Mahmud Khaled / AFP/Getty Images) Among other things, the group is exploring whether the amendments can be challenged in court, said Sadat, one of the coalition members. Advertisement But with the political machinery and mainstream media firmly under the governments thumb, some question whether its even worth the effort to mount a challenge. Political parties are weak and scattered, there are no real politicians, said Sadat. Yes this is true, but we should not give up. Sadat said its no secret that the army is the real power in Egypt and that the judiciary has little independence. But to have it in the constitution loud and clear, this is too much you know, he added. On social media, the Arabic hashtag for No to constitutional amendments was trending the day the proposals were introduced in parliament, enabling Egyptians to voice their own opposition. But for ordinary Egyptians, it seems there is now a great deal of apathy with respect to politics, said Michael Hanna, an Egypt expert at the Century Foundation, a New York think tank. Advertisement Many have simply vacated the political arena, more concerned with immediate needs and disillusioned with the potential of politics to impact their lives in any positive sense, he said. Salma Islam is a special correspondent When James Cordero crossed back into the United States from Tijuana on Christmas Eve, he thought he would be making a quick run to his car to get the rest of the donated toys he planned to bring back across to a migrant shelter. Instead, Cordero, a U.S. citizen, spent more than two hours in an interrogation room in secondary inspection at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, where Customs and Border Protection officials questioned him about the caravan that arrived in Tijuana in November. They asked about leaders and the overall mood at the shelter. I dont know, James recalled telling the officials. My Spanish sucks. Im just bringing donations. Then they showed him photos, asking him if he saw anyone he could identify. He didnt know anyone on the first two pages. Advertisement Then the officers showed him a third page. Cordero, who volunteers with Border Angels, saw several people he recognized, including members of Pueblo Sin Fronteras, a volunteer group that helped escort the caravan once it crossed into Mexico. Cordero soon learned from other advocates and volunteers that he was not the only one who had been stopped and interrogated about his interactions with migrants in Tijuana. At least a couple dozen others freelance photojournalists, advocates and volunteers had all spent time in secondary, many on multiple occasions. Most, but not all, had been present when some members of the caravan were trying to cross the border illegally, many during an incident on New Years Eve that resulted in U.S. officials firing tear gas south. Many who know they are flagged now think twice before crossing the border, recognizing they will have to give up time and information each time they head to the U.S. They wonder whether CBPs intelligence gathering might be meant to intimidate them or prevent them from doing the work they had been doing south of the border. CBP declined to comment on the record. Exactly how much authority border officials have to search and interrogate versus how much civil rights protect individuals passing through is still being litigated in court, particularly when it comes to cellphone and laptop searches. Its a very tricky area of law because its developing, and were seeing a highly aggressive series of behaviors, said Mitra Ebadolahi, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union in San Diego. The way journalists and humanitarian activists described being targeted by CBP could be infringing on their constitutional rights under the First Amendment, she said. Advertisement Rodrigo, a volunteer and photographer who didnt want his last name used because he worried about retaliation from CBP, said he hasnt gone back to Tijuana since he was stopped at the border. Im very intimidated at the moment, said Rodrigo, who is also a U.S. citizen. I dont feel safe going across the border. I really dont. Like many of the other volunteers who have been targeted, he was present at the border in the early hours of New Years Day when U.S. border officials fired tear gas at a group of about 150 migrants who were trying to cross illegally. He heard about the incident after the first round of tear gas was launched and headed to the stretch of highway to document. He made it in time to see another round of tear gas, he said. Advertisement (CBP said shortly after the incident that some migrants threw rocks at them before they launched the tear gas canisters. A journalist who witnessed the event reported that he only saw rocks thrown after the first rounds of tear gas.) When Rodrigo was questioned, officials asked him about what happened that night, he said. Jake Harris, another U.S. citizen who headed to Tijuana in November to help the arriving migrants, has also been questioned about his involvement with the caravan and what happened on New Years. He said he saw the group at the border as he was passing on the highway that night and decided to stop and film it as part of his work with Indigenous Life Movement, an independent media group. Advertisement Hes been sent to secondary seven times, every time hes crossed the border since the beginning of January. It hasnt stopped Harris from crossing the border, but he doesnt go nearly as often as he used to. Its always the same questions, Harris said. They ask about people who mightve encouraged or aided migrants crossing illegally. They ask about what hes doing in Tijuana and why he wants to help asylum seekers. They ask who hes working with and whether he thinks what hes doing will really make a difference. At one point, they also asked if he participated in the Standing Rock protests over the Dakota Access Pipeline. Several others who have been interrogated reported being asked the same question. Advertisement The first time he went to secondary, Harris was in his car. The wait in secondary took a couple of hours. He has only crossed on foot since then, where the wait in secondary has been about 30 minutes. Crossing without his car makes traveling around San Diego to run errands difficult and more expensive because he has to Uber, Harris said. The most recent time, when he crossed on Friday, the day an article about secondary interrogations related to the caravan came out in The Intercept, he was held for about 10 or 15 minutes. Doug McLean, who, along with Harris, documents and witnesses events for Indigenous Life Movement as a volunteer citizen journalist, was also sent to secondary twice in January and interrogated about the New Years incident. Advertisement The first time, my heart was racing, recalled McLean, a U.S. and Australia dual citizen. McLean wasnt even in Tijuana during the holiday, he said. He was with his parents in New Jersey. As part of his volunteer film work, he had live-streamed a video of a woman climbing over the border barrier before the holidays, he said. A number of photojournalists, mostly freelancers, who captured footage of migrants crossing over the border barrier have also been flagged for questioning. Advertisement Among them is Kitra Cahana, who was also denied entry to Mexico when she tried to return to cover the new caravan that was crossing from Guatemala. Cahana, a U.S. and Canada dual citizen whose work from Tijuana has appeared in The New York Times, the German newspaper Zeit and LObs magazine, photographed the group at the border on New Years and was hit by some kind of pellet fired by CBP, she said. She documented people trying to cross illegally to request asylum on several other occasions, and she believes that CBP photographed her from across the border at least twice while she was doing her work. After Mexico sent her back to Detroit, one of the officials in the airports secondary inspection asked her if shed had a run in with Mexican authorities on the border around Christmas. Cahana recalled Mexican police stopping her and several other photographers to see their IDs. The police ended up taking pictures of their passports. Advertisement Two U.S. citizen attorneys working with Tijuana-based Al Otro Lado to provide legal support to migrants, including caravan members, were also recently denied entry to Mexico. Alexandra Ellerbeck, North America Program Coordinator with the Committee to Protect Journalists, said shes aware of about a dozen journalists who have been questioned in secondary about the caravan. Its a huge problem because youre in such a coercive setting when youre being pulled into secondary, Ellerbeck said. Its not the first time shes heard about CBP trying to mine journalists particularly those who cover the Middle East for information when they enter the country. But the trend at San Ysidro stands out because of how many have been questioned at the same port of entry in the same time frame. Advertisement They should not be asking journalists to act as informants, Ellerbeck said. The whole enterprise of journalism is based on a journalists ability to protect information or protect sources. Six members of Pueblo Sin Fronteras, the group that Cordero saw pictures of when he was interrogated, have also been sent to secondary, according to Alex Mensing, who volunteers with the group. All six are U.S. citizens. For some of them, the screenings began when a different migrant caravan that the group helped arrived back in the spring of 2018, Mensing said. Pueblos Sin Fronteras noticed that visits to secondary became more intense in recent months, Mensing said. One member, Jeff Valenzuela, was handcuffed to a bench twice when crossing the border, Mensing said. Advertisement Mensing has chosen to stay in Mexico rather than deal with more interrogations. Im not going to cross until I absolutely have to, Mensing said. He said its important to look at the interrogations with the context of rhetoric used to describe the caravans and the people who help them. Its really clear the U.S. government is trying to criminalize what we do, criminalize humanitarian aid and criminalize working with Central American migrants, Mensing said. Its designed to discourage people from doing something which should be completely normal which is helping people fleeing violence and speaking out against the conditions that made them flee in the first place. Advertisement Cordero was not in Tijuana for New Years, nor has he photographed migrants at the border barrier. He believes that hes been targeted for secondary screenings in part because of an Instagram post he made criticizing CBPs decision to fire tear gas on caravan members the Sunday after Thanksgiving when they marched to the border. Cordero was on the north side of the border by the Las Americas Premium Outlets when the caravan marched from its camp in Tijuanas Zona Norte. From the parking lot behind the shopping mall, he witnessed the exchange between the migrants and U.S. officials. He described what he saw, migrants at the fence asking for water and someone from the north-side crowd tossing them a bottle. He snapped a photo of a CBP official who turned his weapon away from the border and pointed it at the crowd watching from the parking lot. Advertisement This was just an overreach and scare tactic by a group of government employees trying to feel tough, Cordero wrote. Theyre a joke, and deserve the respect they give the people. Someone who appeared to be the officer in the photo, as well as people who said they were the officers family members, argued with Cordero over Instagram about the days events and asked him to take down the photo or block out the mans name on his uniform. Cordero refused. Though Cordero had been going to Tijuana as a volunteer about three times a month, he didnt go for all of January because he worried about how long it would take to come back. When he crossed for the first time in more than a month on Sunday, he was able to return to the U.S. without incident. Advertisement He wondered whether others had experienced a similar change since The Intercepts article came out Friday. Getting through without issue one time doesnt make him think it wont happen again, he said. Hes still going to plan extra time when he crosses in case he gets interrogated. Im not going to treat it like Ive got a hall pass now, he said. I will probably come down real soon and test it out again. Advertisement Immigration Videos On Now New developments in family separation case 9:53 On Now A San Diego woman volunteered as a medic in Texas helping migrant families 2:35 On Now Immigration policy protests in Carlsbad nearly cancelled after permit issue 1:38 On Now When children are separated from their parents at the border, here is where they go next On Now Prospects of a deal for 'Dreamers' may hinge on separating Trump from hard-liners on his staff On Now What is DACA? On Now Border wall prototype contractors selected On Now Video: Ukrainian boxer wins asylum in U.S. On Now 30 apprehended after Border Patrol agents discover tunnel On Now Video: Kurdish diaspora prepare to vote on independence Follow me on Facebook for live updates about immigration news kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com, @bgirledukate on Twitter After the Camp fire destroyed their home in Paradise, Calif., last November, Anastasia Skinner, 26, her husband and their three young children left their community and moved in with a relative in Nevada. But the schools there didnt offer two of her special-needs children the care they required. So it was welcome news when Skinner, who was pregnant when she fled the fire, heard that officials were allowing residents to move back and live on their fire-scarred properties in temporary dwellings. With the insurance money they collected, Skinner and her husband purchased a used RV for $10,000 and headed back to Paradise. For about a month, they made a home of their small RV. Money was tight, and they spent more on water, propane and gas than what they paid for the monthly mortgage on their now-destroyed house of six years. But, unlike thousands of others, at least the Skinners had a home. Then Paradise and Butte County officials changed their minds. Advertisement After the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced last month that $1.7 billion in federal aid was in jeopardy if the city and county continued to allow residents to live on blackened and toxic land, officials passed an ordinance that reversed their initial decision to allow people to move back to burn areas. That meant at least 130 people with so-called utility pull permits, which allow for a utility hookup, would be displaced once again. Skinner is one of potentially hundreds of more residents who are uncounted because they do not have such permits. Were in a lot of trouble, Skinner said after hearing the news. Were worried about losing our children at this point. Our family is what we have left. It feels like were losing everything. The Camp fire, which began Nov. 8, destroyed nearly 19,000 structures, killed 86 people and leveled much of Paradise, a sleepy town of 27,000 nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. The fire is the deadliest on record in California. Some argue that displacing residents a second time from their community was entirely preventable and that the decision was the result of poor governance by local, state and federal leaders. Poor communication continues to plague the town, exasperating those who are now being asked to leave. Many residents spent thousands of dollars purchasing RVs and mobile homes so they could return, leaving them short on cash to spend on moving out. The housing shortage caused by the Camp fire also continues to be a major obstacle for some, and many RV parks are full. Nov. 11, three days after the Camp fire broke out, a county public health official issued an advisory warning people that the debris left from the fire may contain high levels of lead, mercury, dioxin, arsenic and other carcinogens or radioactive materials. Skinner said she knows of the risks but, like many others, had no other options. Butte County and Paradise knew it too, but in a state of desperation after the fire, officials decided it would be best to give residents the chance to gain their livelihoods again. It was a decision made with the best of intentions, officials said. Advertisement Much of the town of Paradise was destroyed by the Camp fire last year. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) In December, Paradise and Butte County each passed ordinances allowing residents to move back to their burned properties. The county required residents to have a 1-acre property and station themselves at least 100 feet away from fire debris. They also had to leave the property if cleaning crews were on site. FEMA and the California Office of Emergency Services were aware of the ordinances and the public health officials advisory. They did not protest or threaten to cut funding at that time, so Butte County and Paradise began issuing utility pull permits, said Casey Hatcher, a spokeswoman for Butte County. Skinner and her husband, Daniel Skinner, who works from home as a county employee, spend the day with their children. Zayde, 7, has autism and gets urges to run suddenly, requiring keen supervision. Zeth, 8, has a brain tumor and ADHD. Their youngest, 2-month-old Zoel, was named after a paramedic that helped Anastasia Skinner evacuate as the wildfire roared through the town. Advertisement Every morning, Skinner, accompanied by her other three children, drives Zayde to school in Chico. She stops by a water filling machine to fill up four or five gallons of water and purchase propane and gasoline when needed. After breakfast, Skinner and her children spend the day studying, watching movies or visiting a park nearby. In the afternoon, they get ready to pick up Zayde from school. It is a difficult and uncomfortable life compared with what the family enjoyed before. Skinner was an active mother. She was a frequent volunteer and was attentive to the needs of her children. We were self-sufficient, she said. They were well taken care of. In late January, the Paradise City Council was scheduled to discuss amendments to its first ordinance allowing residents back, because some complained that the rules were confusing. An RV wasnt allowed to be within 100 feet of debris on a burned property, but standing homes were OK being 10 feet away. Advertisement Then FEMA suddenly asked local officials to pull the agenda item. At the time, a FEMA representative was in town. But Jan. 24, FEMA coordinating officer David Samaniego wrote a letter to the California Office of Emergency Services expressing concern about the RVs. It referenced the health advisory issued in November. Butte County and Paradise allowing its residents to re-occupy their property prior to fire debris and hazardous materials being removed is in contrast to Dr. Millers warning, Samaniego wrote. This action may impact the justification for disaster relief and federal reimbursement of those costs. The town of Paradise called an emergency meeting Feb. 4, an emotional 1-hour session that fueled residents disappointment. But it was clear there was nothing to be done. Advertisement This meeting tore at me and Im still pissed about it by far the most emotional, Councilman Michael Zuccolillo wrote in a Facebook post. I felt as if we had a financial gun to our heads. Local leaders and residents were left to wonder, why didnt FEMA step in sooner and avoid the ensuing crisis? Wheres the FEMA boss? one resident asked during the Feb. 4 meeting. Where is he? Hes not at this meeting. In an interview with the Chico Enterprise-Record, Butte County Supervisor Doug Teeter said a FEMA representative was consulted when the decision was made to let residents return to their properties, and he was fine with it. Advertisement Its pretty rotten that we worked with one representative, he said, and another comes and changes the action. Ken Higginbotham, spokesman for FEMA, said the agencys job is to simply pay the bill, not act as police for local officials failing to enforce rules. The people that are maneuvering this or administering this program are from the county of Butte and the town of Paradise, he said. We just pick up the tab. But in order to provide federal funding they have to adhere to federal regulation. We are here to protect taxpayer dollars. Your taxpayer dollars. Higginbotham initially cited violations in federal requirements as the reason FEMA officials stepped in. He later conceded that actions taken by federal, local and state officials in good faith possibly went a little too far. Advertisement But we cant dwell on that, Higginbotham said. There is no one to blame. Since last week, Skinner and her family have searched desperately for a place to go. They have traveled near the Oregon border several times hunting for properties. They have searched all RV parks in the area, most of which they cannot afford. And their 50 pound golden retriever-Labrador therapy dog, Hunny, isnt welcomed everywhere. No matter where they go, Skinner laments, they have to leave the town their family has lived in for six generations. Butte County has distributed a list of housing alternatives and worked with property owners and churches to establish temporary RV parks. Advertisement FEMA had already been working to find RV parks for Paradise and Magalia residents before the ordinance reversal. The Chico City Council met last week to discuss a proposal that would allow FEMA to sign a one-year lease for the Hegan Lane Business Park. Skinner learned Friday that the owner of a dance studio her daughter attends is lending the lot to displaced RV residents. Shes working to secure a spot there. But theres no guarantee, given the demand. Dejected, Skinner said she blames local officials for letting the disaster happen. They made this situation that was already bad a million times worse, she said, with no solutions. Advertisement alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com Twitter: @r_valejandra A 20-year-old man who went missing while riding a jet ski toward Catalina Island died Sunday night after rescue crews pulled him from the ocean following an hours-long search. The man, identified as Jean Carlos Cheryl, was listed in critical condition when crews found him in the waters off Long Beach about 7:45 p.m., according to the U.S. Coast Guard. For the record: This article identifies the jet skier who died off Long Beach as Jean Carlos Cheryl. His name is Jean Carlos Chery. Authorities had been searching for Cheryl since about 10:50 a.m. when his friend reported him missing. He was last seen in Long Beach about an hour earlier and was expected to arrive in Catalina Island later in the day, the Coast Guard said. A helicopter crew found the red-and-white Yamaha jet ski that Cheryl had been riding about 2 p.m. near Long Beach, but he was not with the watercraft. Advertisement Officials found Cheryl hours later, pulled him from the water and flew him to the Long Beach Airport. He was taken by ambulance to Long Beach Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @Hannahnfry By Ma Yichong, Fei Xiaoxi KHARTOUM, Feb. 11 (ChinaMil) -- Chinas 2nd peacekeeping helicopter detachment to Darfur, Sudan successfully transported two seriously wounded Sudanese residents for life-saving treatment on Thursday morning, local time. This is the second emergency medical rescue mission conducted by the peacekeeping helicopter detachment since its deployment. It is reported that the duty room of the Chinese peacekeeping helicopter detachment received a phone call on Wednesday morning regarding a serious car accident in a small town located in central Darfur, where two local residents were seriously injured. The combat readiness team responsible for medical backup mission rushed on board and completed the take-off preparation within 20 minutes before flying to the town. The Chinese helicopter overcame air convection and safely arrived at the United Nations tertiary hospital in Kabkabiya, North Darfur. The attending physician complimented that, "China's peacekeeping helicopter detachment is a trustworthy partner. Their immediate action has won precious time to save the lives of the wounded." Zhou Kai, captain of the Chinese peacekeeping helicopter detachment, said the detachment always adheres to their oath of "fulfilling peacekeeping mission and safeguarding world peace" with actions. An appeals court upheld the conviction of former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca on Monday, clearing the way for the once powerful but now ailing law enforcement figure to spend years in prison for obstructing justice and lying to federal authorities. Baca, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, faces a three-year prison sentence after a jury found he helped orchestrate a scheme to interfere with an FBI investigation into abuses in county jails and later lied to prosecutors about his role. Attorneys for Baca, 76, appealed the 2017 verdict, arguing it had been tainted by rulings U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson had made during the trial and so should be reversed. Among several alleged errors, they focused on Andersons decision to bar the jury from hearing testimony about Bacas illness and about a conversation he had with an aide about the FBIs investigation. Either piece of information, the defense team said, could have helped sway the jury in Bacas favor. But the three-judge panel from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected those claims in a seven-page decision, finding the trial was fair and the conviction legally sound. Advertisement Calling the case that prosecutors had mounted fair and thorough, U.S. Atty. Nick Hanna said in a statement the ruling confirms the principle that no one is above the law. Instead of cooperating with a federal investigation that ultimately was concerned about improving conditions in the county jails, Mr. Baca chose to obstruct and then lie to federal authorities, Hanna said. With only a few longshot options remaining, Bacas attorney, Nathan Hochman, said he plans to ask for another hearing in front of a larger panel of judges from the 9th Circuit. The court, however, grants only a small number of these rehearings each year. If Bacas request is denied or he loses again, he could ask the U.S. Supreme Court to hear his case. We disagree completely with the skimpy analysis and erroneous conclusions reached by the court, Hochman said in a statement, criticizing the judges for the brief explanations they gave for their legal findings in the ruling. Baca is expected to remain out of prison at least until the appeals court decides whether to grant him a second hearing. If it declines to do so, the case would likely be sent back to Anderson, who could then order Baca to begin his sentence. During his 14 years heading one of the nations largest police agencies, Baca established himself as a prominent, if eccentric, voice in law enforcement who pushed progressive ideals on policing, but struggled to put thoughts into action and failed to keep many of the departments deep-seated problems from worsening on his watch. Baca stepped down in 2014 amid increasing controversy and later was indicted on charges stemming from the plot to thwart an FBI investigation into abuses by deputies working in the countys jails. He was the last in a group of Sheriffs Department deputies and commanders to be accused of playing a role in the 2011 scandal, which involved hiding an inmate who was an FBI informant and threatening to arrest the agent who was leading the investigation. All 10 of the people who faced charges in the case either pleaded guilty or were convicted. Baca initially tried to plead guilty in a deal with prosecutors, but Anderson rejected it as too lenient and signaled he would impose a stiffer prison sentence than was called for in the agreement. Baca nearly won an acquittal when all but one member of a jury wanted to find him not guilty. With the lone juror unwilling to budge, Anderson declared a mistrial. Advertisement For the second trial, however, prosecutors revamped their case and Anderson issued a string of rulings that hamstrung the defense. He ruled that a respected geriatrician would not be allowed to testify that Bacas memory could already have been affected by Alzheimers in 2013, when he made false statements about the obstruction scheme in an interview with prosecutors. When the case was heard by the appeals court in November, an attorney for Baca argued Andersons ruling had denied the former sheriff a crucial line of defense. The judges appeared skeptical, asking why Bacas lawyer at trial hadnt tried a different tack that would have informed the jury of the Alzheimers diagnosis without relying on the doctors testimony. A prosecutor from the U.S. attorneys office told the judges Anderson was right to block the testimony, saying it would have been speculative and risked a verdict based on sympathy instead of evidence. In their ruling, the judges dispatched the Alzheimers argument in short order. Agreeing with the government that the doctors testimony would have been rooted in conjecture and possibly confusing to the jury, the judges found the district court did not abuse its discretion. Advertisement They also rejected a claim by Bacas legal team that Anderson had been wrong to rule that Bacas comment to a senior aide who cautioned him not to interfere with the federal investigation was hearsay and would not be heard by the jury. Bacas response to the aide that he believed that FBI agents were violating state laws and needed to be stopped was evidence that the former sheriff did not have corrupt intent to obstruct the investigation and should have been heard, Bacas lawyers argued. The panel of judges found Hochman had failed to raise the issue with Anderson during the trial, but concluded nonetheless Bacas rights had not been infringed since the jury had heard of other instances in which the former Sheriff had expressed this belief. The judges were equally unconvinced by several other arguments, including that Anderson declared a mistrial prematurely in the first trial and gave jurors improper instructions before they began deliberating. Advertisement Hochman declined to comment about Bacas health and how much his cognitive abilities have deteriorated, if at all, in the 20 months since he was sentenced. In a recommendation to Anderson before the judge delivered his sentence, prosecutors asked that Baca be sentenced to two years in prison considerably less than what was called for in federal sentencing guidelines. His diagnosis with Alzheimers and medical experts expectation that his mind will have deteriorated badly within a few years were legitimate mitigating factors in determining his punishment, they wrote. Hochman argued the inevitable toll from Alzheimers was a reason to spare him prison altogether. This diagnosis is a sentence of its own. It is a sentence that will leave him a mere shell of his former self and one that will rob him of the memories of his life, he wrote in a court filing. Advertisement But Anderson rejected out of hand the idea that Baca should avoid time in prison. He acknowledged Bacas lengthy record as a public servant, but said it made his crimes more perplexing. Mr. Bacas criminal conduct is so at odds with the public image he carefully crafted, Anderson said. Like old B-movies, you seem to have your own version of the good cop/bad cop routine ... that allowed you to keep your hands clean but did not make you any less culpable. joel.rubin@latimes.com Follow @joelrubin on Twitter Its 4:30 in the morning, and Anthony Guardian has a problem: His cooking oil is frozen. Hes getting ready for the 19th edition of the Worlds Largest Matanza, an annual fiesta in the small city of Belen, N.M., that celebrates the states historic nose-to-tail hog-slaughtering festivals. Sixteen teams from across the state will gather in Eagle Park on this chilly late January day to feed traditional New Mexican matanza dishes carne adovada, chicharrones, carnitas, red chile and more to an estimated 9,500 attendees wholl pay $15 for all they can eat. Guardian and his squad, the Rio Grande Matanzeros, are the reigning Peoples Choice winners and are aiming for Grand Champions this year. But right now, in windy 20-degree weather and with only generator-powered floodlights for illumination, the 43-year-old is scrambling. The Matanzeros are busy chopping mesquite wood or laying out knives and ingredients to tackle the 12-hour day ahead of them. So he jukes around the pit fires, propane gas tanks, cauldrons, smokers and skillets behind the team tent and searches for a solution. Advertisement A lamp I need a heating lamp! Guardian shouts. Someone finds two and places them around the jugs of cooking oil. We gotta get the advantage, he says in a gravelly voice. Hes dressed in two jackets, overalls, a cowboy hat topped by a rattlesnake, and python-skin boots, a dagger around his neck. Were always the first team putting out food, and the last. Benjamin Valencia, center, looks on as the Rio Grande Matanzeros break down a pig. (Gustavo Arellano / Los Angeles Times) He looks around. No other team has yet arrived. By the time they start cooking, he cracks, itll be noon! Towns in the Land of Enchantment have held matanzas for centuries, ever since Spanish settlers brought the tradition from Europe. These all-day affairs see men and women break down pigs and use every part, from the blood to the bung. In the United States, only Cajun boucheries can compare in terms of a communal feast to revere the animal and to express gratitude by pigging out. This is what our people live and breathe, says Kevin Otero, program director for KANW-FM 89.1, an Albuquerque NPR station that specializes in New Mexican cultural programming. Families would have matanzas every weekend. Its not like that anymore. As agricultural traditions fade across the country, the decline particularly stings in New Mexico, a state where many residents proudly trace their lineage back to the conquistadors and grumble at Americans who view the state only as a land of turquoise and Breaking Bad. Carne adovada is one of the traditional dishes at a matanza, a traditional New Mexican pig slaughter. (Gustavo Arellano / Los Angeles Times) Advertisement Its heritage, its community, its ritual, its economics, its culinary, its celebration, says Tey Marianna Nunn, visual arts program director at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque. It really is a performance art form. Knowing its drawing power, the Hispano Chamber of Valencia County started what evolved into the Worlds Largest Matanza in 2000 as a fundraiser for high school students. We can have a banquet, says current board secretary Rita Garcia, but isnt a matanza more fun? New Mexican music legends such as Al Hurricane made regular appearances to play the states unique sound, a horn-heavy genre in which the band can go from Brown-Eyed Girl to a Los Tigres del Norte classic and not miss a beat, mess up an accent or lose the dance floor. Advertisement Alexis Guardian stirs chicharrones at the Worlds Largest Matanza, held Jan. 26 in Belen, N.M. (Gustavo Arellano / Los Angeles Times) The sun is beginning to rise, just in time for the first snack of the day: pork sausage stuffed with cheese and sour cream, enveloped in red chile hash browns. Meanwhile, Guardian works on his liver dish, mincing pre-marinated lumps alongside bell peppers, purple onions and shredded carrots. He puts everything into egg roll paper and fries the results. Next up are lonjas, fatback that will be fried into chicharrones. Advertisement Guardian has a torn rotator cuff, so helping him stir the chicharrones is his 20-year-old daughter, Alexis. She has accompanied him to matanzas most of her life, so she knows the procedure: Wait for the raw pork to cook to the point that it jiggles, then flip it with a massive paddle from the edge of the cauldron to the bottom. Repeat. Its fun, she says. I might be the last generation that cares. But hopefully not. Strips of lonjas (fatback) hang before they get turned into chicharrones. (Gustavo Arellano / Los Angeles Times) Crowds flock into Eagle Park once the gates open at 7 a.m. Mesquite smoke spreads across the park, along with the smell of fried, smoked and cooked pork. Benjamin Valencia, who was previously tasked to observe his father and uncle lead the butchering, has a new job: Hes wearing a pig mask and welcomes people to the Matanzero booth. Advertisement Lines form so people can gorge on breakfast: spicy red chile pancakes, red chile flecked with pork, and breakfast burritos, among other items. All the teams are now chopping and cooking save for one. In an embankment that overlooks the field where the Worlds Largest Matanza is happening, brothers Bruce and Steve Gallegos wait for a 55-gallon oil drum filled with water to boil. Theyre the last team allowed to fully butcher a pig at the event, an honor that Steve cracks went to them because doing it the old way is hard and were old. A 275-pound pig ready to be broken down at the Worlds Largest Matanza. (Gustavo Arellano / Los Angeles Times) Before them is a 275-pound sow on a table, its hooves up in the air, its tongue sticking out. Congealed blood hangs from its snout; a hole on the side of its neck is where the pig was stabbed earlier that morning. (Although matanzas historically involved killing the animal on site, teams competing in the Worlds Largest Matanza use pigs already slaughtered.) Advertisement Teams at the Worlds Largest Matanza broke down full pigs until 2012, when USDA officials required them to work with pre-prepped pigs from a facility approved by the government agency because the Matanza served food to the public for a fee and the feds argued that meant the event was now under their jurisdiction. Its great now, but it was a better event back then, one Chamber member said. A crowd gathers around the Gallegos booth, staring at the prone pig. Oh wow, thats creepy! a young boy says. Older people immediately begin to share stories about past matanzas, along with hog-killing tips: whether you stun the pig with the blunt edge of the axe, or the blade. Whether you kill it with a bullet two inches above the eye, or behind the head. Whether you bleed it out with a stab to the heart, or to the jugular. Advertisement Ronnie Bonney drove nearly four hours from Clovis so his wife could see her first matanza. The Matanzeros strain out lard from chicharrones. (Gustavo Arellano / Los Angeles Times) Shes not matanza, he roars. Shes Albertsons! A group of five men assist Steve Gallegos by grabbing gunny sacks and spreading them over the pig. Someone pours scalding water over it. After a short wait, the men begin to shave off the bristles. Advertisement Gallegos cuts off the feet, then puts them on a grill. After the pig is shaved to his liking, he makes a deep slit into its chest and cracks it open. The crowd whips out smartphones. Gallegos first pulls out the liver and heart and hands them off to his butchers. He then cuts around the intestines, taking care to not nick the bloated, purple sacs lest their contents spill out and spoil everything. Anthony Guardian of Rio Grande Matanzeros doing his best Salt Bae impression over chicharrones. (Gustavo Arellano / Los Angeles Times) The Worlds Largest Matanza unfolds without any hitches, with attendees including military veterans, motorcycle club members and DEA agents. The temperature never exceeds 50 degrees, but no one seems to mind. The bands blast through their sets, with an announcer urging attendees to dance off those chicharrones. Advertisement By early afternoon, only a couple hundred people remain, mostly teams and their friends and family waiting to hear the winners in 10 categories such as carnitas, bizcochitos (an anise-flavored sugar cookie) and the Iron Pig, in which teams were tasked with cooking pork alongside a surprise ingredient: polenta. (Maybe its not an exotic ingredient in Southern California, says the head of judging. But it is around here.) An eater holds plates of carne adovada and enchiladas at the Worlds Largest Matanza, an all-day festival celebrating New Mexicos hog-slaughtering traditions. (Gustavo Arellano / Los Angeles Times) Before the winners are announced, a Hispano Chamber member reveals the most important stats for the day: 43 pigs cooked, 300 gallons of chile used, 22,000 tortillas handed out and tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships raised. The Rio Grande Matanzeros dominate. Guardian wins first place for his liver and Iron Pig entrees; his mothers red chile recipe earns third. Two other team members get first and third in the tortilla category, and the Matanzeros win the Peoples Choice once more. Advertisement But the Grand Champion title eludes the 20-person team yet again: The winner is one of the main sponsors of the Matanza. The Rio Grande Matanzeros in front of their booth, along with their trophies; Guardian is kneeling at center. (Gustavo Arellano / Los Angeles Times) I dont know what more we can do, Guardian says. He takes off his sunglasses to wipe away tears. I cant ask anything more of our team. We just gotta keep going. The other Matanzeros, though, are ecstatic. They gather for a team photo as Guardian gathers his composure. He puts on his sunglasses again and smiles. Advertisement As long as Im able to, he says, Ill be doing matanzas until God calls me home. gustavo.arellano@latimes.com Twitter: @GustavoArellano A Pop Art-inspired mural pays tribute to the history of the neighborhood and aviation in its unique location in Little Italy. The three-story painting by the two-man artist collective CYRCLE titled Before the Horizon, Beyond the Sea depicts a young woman wearing an aviators cap looking upward toward the sky. A small biplane flies off in the distance, mirroring the jumbo airliners that continually fly just north of its location. The Portuguese and Italian text Prima dellorizzonte (Before the horizon) and Alem da Costa (Beyond the sea) are written on the mural and follow the path of the plane, much like the tail of a kite. According to the artists David Leavitt and David Torres, the artists of CYRCLE, this text references the influence of the early immigrant inhabitants of the area, as well as the thematic notion of simultaneously looking back at history and looking forward toward the future. CYRCLE typically uses creative typefaces, bright colors and imagery that touches upon the human condition. They have an exuberant range of methods depending on the client or location, but all of their styles are more akin to music albums and concert posters. They exude fun even when the subject matter is serious. The image of the female pilot in the Little Italy mural is a reference to a 1940 war-time image by Nicholas Murray (1882-1965), who was best known as a portrait photographer. However, the Ben Day dots used throughout the image as well as the murals coloration reference commercial printing techniques typically utilized in comic books and newspapers during the mid-century era. At one-time a practical method, its instead used to reference the past and symbolize the role of the murals female subject. One cannot ignore the obvious nods to Pop artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein through the application of large swaths of color and the advertisement-like aesthetic of the image. Advertisement CYRCLE continues their heavy use of symbols throughout the composition, including images of tuna and a fishing net that floats in the sky. The artists mentioned that more than 6,000 Italian and Portuguese immigrant families worked to build San Diego into a center of the worlds tuna fishing and canning industries. These symbols help the integrity of the mural, which could be criticized as decoration for luxury condos, but instead stays true to the concept that murals should reflect the ethos of the neighborhoods where they reside. The uplifting spirit of the image continues with an antique Italian tarot card that the woman holds above her head. The gesture seems to protect her vision yet also reveals the symbol of the sun, an image that represents optimism and fulfillment. Adding a unique spark and a historic nod to San Diego, CYRCLE checks all the boxes for making a mural meaningful. Daichendt, Dean of the Colleges and a professor of art history at Point Loma Nazarene University, is a freelance writer. Three years ago, San Diego Theatre Week launched with an idea modeled after the popular Restaurant Week: Offer special deals to bring people through the doors and, with luck, turn them into repeat visitors. Now, as it gets ready to launch its fourth edition this Thursday, Theatre Week a project of the nonprofit San Diego Performing Arts League has continued to refine and simplify its cultural tasting menu. Where once the PAL left it up to participating arts groups to set their own discounts and inducements which led to a wide variation in the appeal of those deals now the organizations are asked to offer a standard 20 percent (or more) off, with tickets sold at three price levels: $15, $30 and $45. And as PAL vice president and executive director Gary Kramer is quick to point out, it cant be for the worst seats in the house. Advertisement Kramer notes that the idea is to get people into your theater and show them the quality of the shows we do here, and have them have such a great time that they come back. We want the experience to be good from start to finish, and we try to instill that with all the participating (organizations) in Theatre Week. Wandachristine, Zakiya Young, Ramona Keller, Cherene Snow and Olivia Washington in the Old Globes Familiar. (J.T. MacMillan) Theatre Weeks name is actually slightly misleading: The event runs a full 11 days (through Feb. 24), with tickets also available for a few events that begin beyond those dates. And its not just theater, either: There are seats available for dance and comedy events as well. (One of the participants is National Comedy Theatre, where Kramer is founder and artistic director.) About two dozen events are part of 2019s Theatre Week, somewhat fewer than last year. Kramer says some unavoidable scheduling factors are involved; for example, La Jolla Playhouse has been a key past participant but is about to open the hugely anticipated new musical Diana, for which tickets (discounted or otherwise) are likely to be scarce. While thousands of tickets are sold for shows around the county during each Theatre Week, Kramer acknowledges that theres room to grow, and hes still hoping it catches fire a little bit. San Diego Theatre Week When: Feb. 14-24 Advertisement Where: Performing-arts venues around San Diego County Tickets: $15-$45 Phone: (858) 437-9850 Online: sandiegotheatreweek.com Advertisement Theatre Week Lineup Here are the shows that have Theatre Week ticket discounts available, by price level. Check individual entries for details, and keep an eye out for possible additions. $15 Aubergine, San Diego Rep Frankie & Johnny in the Clair de Lune, OnStage Playhouse Advertisement Guys and Dolls, Coronado Playhouse Mainstage Show, National Comedy Theatre Ritmos Latinos: Que Bonito Amor, San Diego Ballet at the Lyceum Theatre A Permanent Image, Point Loma Playhouse Advertisement A Boy and a Girl / Quibbling Siblings, Patio Playhouse Bojos Place, Community Actors Theatre Fuddy Meers, Trinity Theatre A scene from Smokey Joes Cafe at New Village Arts. (Daren Scott) Advertisement $30 A Jewel in the Crown City, Lambs Players Theatre Smokey Joes Cafe, New Village Arts The Hour of Great Mercy, Diversionary Theatre Advertisement Beyond Babel, Beyond Babel Theatre Dancing Lessons, Scripps Ranch Theatre Augustin Hadelich Returns, San Diego Symphony Gabriel, North Coast Rep Advertisement Michael Feinstein Sings Sinatra, San Diego Symphony at Copley Symphony Hall Nellie McKay performs The Big Molinsky: Considering Joan Rivers, Lawrence Family JCCs Garfield Theatre $45 Beyond Babel, Beyond Babel Theatre Advertisement Marie & Rosetta, Cygnet Theatre Familiar, Old Globe Theatre Starting or continuing after Theatre Week $15 Moana Jr., San Diego Junior Theatre Advertisement Madagascar Jr., J*Company Youth Theatre $30 Dancing Lessons, Oceanside Theatre Advertisement jim.hebert@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @jimhebert Women returned at the Grammys on Sunday as female acts won album of the year and best new artist, while rap also triumphed, with Childish Gambinos This Is America becoming the first rap-based song to win record and song of the year. Kacey Musgraves Golden Hour picked up album of the year, and Dua Lipa won best new artist. I dont even know what to say, Musgraves said. I am very thankful. Winning doesnt make my album any better than anybody else in that category. Gambino was the nights big winner, picking up four honors, including best music video and best rap/sung performance. Advertisement Drake surprised the music world when he emerged on stage to accept the best rap song trophy but told the room of musicians that winning awards isnt necessary if you have real fans attending your concerts and singing your songs. Grammys 2019: Full list of winners Drake, who rarely attends awards shows, won the honor for his massive hit Gods Plan. Youve already won if you have people who are singing your songs word for word, if youre a hero in your hometown. Look, if there are people who have regular jobs who are coming out in the rain and the snow, spending their hard-earned money to buy tickets to come to your shows, you dont need this right here. I promise you. You already won, he said at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. He tried to continue speaking but was cut off as the ceremony suddenly went to a commercial. Rap has endured a longtime losing streak at the Grammys. The last time a rapper won album of the year was in 2004, with Outkast. Only a handful of rappers have won best new artist. Cardi B made history as the first solo female to win best rap album (Lauryn Hill won as a member of the Fugees at the 1997 Grammys). She was shaking onstage as she tried to give a thank-you speech with her rapper-husband Offset holding her arm. Advertisement The nerves are so bad. Maybe I need to start smoking weed, she said as the audience laughed. I just want to say thank you everybody that was involved ... I want to thank my daughter. The Grammys kicked off with a group of powerful women, including Michelle Obama and Lady Gaga, describing the role of music in their lives a display that came a year after female voices were somewhat muted at the 2018 ceremony. Music has always helped me tell my story, said Obama, who surprised the audience with her appearance. Whether we like country or rap or rock, music helps us share ourselves. It allows us to hear one another. Gaga told the crowd: They said I was weird, that my look, that my choices, that my sound wouldnt work. But music told me not to listen to them. Advertisement Jada Pinkett Smith and Jennifer Lopez also spoke and stood in solidary with Obama, Gaga and Alicia Keys, who is hosting the show airing on CBS. Yes, ladies, Keys said. Theres nothing better than this. The opening contrasted with last years Grammys, where male acts dominated in nominations and the only woman competing for the top award, Lorde, didnt get a chance to perform onstage. But this year, Gaga, Brandi Carlile and Kacey Musgraves won three Grammys each. Advertisement 1 / 25 The Los Angeles Times Image section examines the red-carpet looks at the 2019 Grammy Awards. Some are beautiful showstoppers; others are jaw-droppers. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 25 Bebe Rexha found the right fit in this voluminous chiffon cherry red gown featuring multi-layered ruffles and deep plunging neckline by Monsoori as she arrives. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 25 Miley Cyrus is pure glam in Muglers pre-fall 2019 oversized black jacket with fitted and flared trousers as she arrives. Grounding the look are custom shoes emblazoned with a single gold metal M and C. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) 4 / 25 Dua Lipa goes for a sleek look with her silver and blue metallic gown by Versace. The backless frock and its luxe fabric layering down into a train definitely lands her on our show-stopping red-carpet list at the 61st Grammys. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 25 St. Vincent brings her avante garde style to the Grammy red carpet in a floral one piece coupled with a caped train from Giambattista Valli Couture (with Giuseppe Zanotti shoes). (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 25 Smokey Robinson shows the younger generation what style cred looks like in a red silk jacket with black pockets. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 25 Mark Ronson (in a black-and-white double-breasted jacket by Celine by Hedi Slimane), Lady Gaga (in Celine), Andrew Wyatt and Anthony Rossomando win our showstoppers award for the most stylish grouping of stars. (Jordan Strauss / Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) 8 / 25 Quincy was definitely a standout among the men in a printed graphic lettering jacquard jacket, matching trousers and a mandarin collar jacquard printed dress shirt from the fall/winter 2019 Ermenegildo Zegna XXX collection. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The Recording Academy) 9 / 25 Beck is dapper in a navy checkered Gucci blazer and trousers on the Grammys red carpet in Los Angeles. (Valerie Macon / AFP/Getty Images) 10 / 25 Cardi B might have Diet Prada posting away on Instagram as she mines the archive of Thierry Mugler in this show-stopping, over-the-top gown from the labels fall 1995 couture collection at the 61st Grammys on Sunday in Los Angeles. This look definitely will ensure her a place among the most-talked about of the nights red carpet. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 25 It couple Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez strike a pose she in a straight-from-the-runway embroidered Ralph & Russo gown with a matching wide-brimmed hat -- as they arrive at the 61st Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 25 Lady Gaga takes a break from her silver-screen red-carpet duties for Grammy night. For musics big night Gaga, an Academy Award nominee, stuns on the Grammys red carpet in a hand-embroidered silver sequined gown with pearls and side ruching by Celine by Hedi Slimane. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 25 For the Grammys, H.E.R. ends up on our showstoppers list thanks to a custom Coach embellished purple jacquard jumpsuit with more than 25 types of crystals and paillettes, which, according to press materials, were hand-applied by eight artisans in the brands New York atelier. (Nina Prommer / EPA/Shutterstock) 14 / 25 Jon Batiste, bandleader and musical director for The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, looks ready to strike it up at the Grammy Awards with this fresh nod to marching band fashion. Here hes wearing a blue band jacket, black turtleneck, moto pants and Chelsea boots from Coachs spring 2019 collection. (Neilson Barnard / Getty Images for The Recording Academy) 15 / 25 Margo Price proves her star power in this feminine yet powerful Kimberly Parker Atelier gown with a V-neck and a thigh-high slit at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday. (Rich Fury/Getty Images) 16 / 25 Kacey Musgraves is pure elegance in a baby pink tulle Valentino Couture gown with a red sash and a chic fan detail. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 25 Camilla Cabello dons a sequined, floor-length Armani Prive showstopper with a dramatic open back. (Neilson Barnard / Getty Images) 18 / 25 Leon Bridges represents his home state in this head-to-toe homage to Texas from New York designer Bode. His look also contains shout-outs to Ford Motor Co., being single and more. (Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images) 19 / 25 Katy Perry looks like a slave to the rhythm in an extra plus plus Balmain gown. We cant decide if this confection resembles a pink lightbulb or an elongated cupcake. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 25 Janelle Monae gets credit for dropping one of the most interesting albums of 2018, but this hyper-plunging V-neck look with power shoulders from Jean Paul Gaultier seems overly 80s. It might be a bit too Dominique Deveraux-Alexis Carrington from the old Dynasty for its own good. Then again, it was a night of 80s-inspired fashion worn by many stars. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 25 Kylie Jenner shows more of the giant shoulder detailing often seen during much of the 61st Grammys. Here, shes in a pink Balmain haute couture jumpsuit, but, as with the others, we were not amused with this overdone look. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 25 Heidi Klum might have hit the 80s cocktail cart a little too hard on Sunday for the Grammys in Los Angeles. Klum, often a red-carpet-fashion favorite, opted for a winged look that reminded us of something left over from a Victorias Secret Angels closet. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 25 Charlie Puth has us wondering what went wrong in an ill-fitting cognac kid mohair double-breasted suit by Prada as he arrives Sunday at the 61st Grammys in Los Angeles. (Jordan Strauss / Invision/AP) 24 / 25 Ricky Rebel apparently went to the same sartorial shop as Joy Villa. Escorting Villa to the Grammys, he wore a jacket that recalls a gown Villa wore to the Grammys in 2017. For her part, Villa dressed this year as a border wall. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 25 Joy Villa makes her political leanings known once again on the Grammys red carpet this time in what appears to be a reference to President Trumps desire to build a border wall between the United States and Mexico. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Carlile took three honors in the Americana category and will compete for the three biggest awards during the live show: album, song and record of the year. Gaga also won three, including best pop duo/group performance, a win she shared with Bradley Cooper. Gaga, now a nine-time Grammy winner, won best pop solo performance for Joanne, while hit Shallow, from A Star is Born, was named best song written for visual media. The song is nominated for an Oscar and also won at the Golden Globes, the Critics Choice Movie Awards and the Satellite Awards. Advertisement Women have a strong presence in the top categories. Five of the eight album-of-the-year nominees were women, including Carliles By the Way, I Forgive You, Janelle Monaes Dirty Computer, Cardi Bs Invasion of Privacy and H.E.R.'s self-titled album are also in contention. When asked about the lack of women in the top categories at the 2018 Grammys, Recording Academy CEO Neil Portnow said women need to step up. He later acknowledged that it was a poor choice of words, and his much-criticized remarks forced the academy to launch a new task force focused on inclusion and diversity. Portnow, who didnt seek a renewal on his contract which ends this year, seemed to address his words from last year during Sundays show. This past year Ive been reminded that if coming face to face with an issue opens your eyes wide enough, it makes you more committed than ever to help address those issues. The need for social change has been the hallmark of the American experience, from the founding of our country to the complex times we live in today, he said. Advertisement British singer Dua Lipa alluded to Portnows 2018 words when she won best new artist. I guess this year weve really stepped up, she said after telling the audience she was was grateful to be nominated alongside so many female performers. Six of the best-new-artist nominees were women, including H.E.R., Chloe x Halle, Margo Price, Bebe Rexha and Jorja Smith. Musgraves picked up best country album for Golden Hour, best country solo performance for Butterflies and best country song for Space Cowboy. I never dreamed that this record would be met with such love, she said onstage. Advertisement She also gave a shout-out to her husband in the audience, saying she wouldnt have been able to make the album if he didnt open my heart like you did. 1 / 91 Cardi B poses during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 91 Cardi B shows off her dress during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 91 Alex Rodriguez, left, and Jennifer Lopez during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 91 Lady Gaga during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 91 Jennifer Lopez and Lady Gaga during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 91 H.E.R. brings purple to the red carpet during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 91 Andra Day hits the red carpet during arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 91 Weird Al Yankovic strikes a pose during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 91 Lauren London arrives at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 91 Little Big Town during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 91 Fred Armisen and Natasha Leon interact with photographers on the red carpet during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 91 Fantasia Barrino during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 91 Frances Glandney, left, and Smokey Robinson during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 91 Brandi Carlile and Catherine Shepard hit the carpet for during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 91 Kacey Musgraves during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 91 George and Carlon Clinton during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 91 Dua Lipa receives assistance while on the red carpet for the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 91 St. Vincent during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 91 Meghan Trainor during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 91 Tracee Ellis Ross hits the red carpet at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 91 Chaka Khan and her fan pose during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 91 Chris Stapleton and wife Morgane arrive to the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 91 Zedd waits as hes photographed on the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 91 Ashanti on the red carpet at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 91 Grammys host Alicia Keys with husband Swizz Beatz during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 91 Janelle Monae during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 91 Lele Pons during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 91 Anna Kendrick and Katy Perry color the red carpet pink at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 91 Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez arrive at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 91 Jada Pinkett Smith hits the red carpet at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 91 Toni Braxton at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 91 Bebe Rexha makes a red carpet match at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 91 James Blake and Jameela Jamil during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 91 Shawn Mendes during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 91 Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 91 Producer Jimmy Jam Harris and his signature shades at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 91 Leon Bridges braves the red carpet in mustard during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 91 Questlove smiles on the red carpet at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 91 Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott arrive for the 61st Grammy Awards. (Valeries Macon / AFP/Getty Images) 40 / 91 Rhonda Ross and Raif-Henok Emmanuel Kendrick during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 91 Grammy-winner (pre-telecast) Tori Kelly poses during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 91 Major gets air during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 91 Weezer in pastel pose during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 91 Lee Ann Womack arrives for the 61st Grammy Awards ceremony at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Nina Prommer / EPA-EFE/REX) 45 / 91 Jay Rock rocks a white outfit during arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 91 TV personality Jeannie Mai shows off her outfit during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 91 Lilly Singh during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 91 Ian Fitchuk and Teddy Walton during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 91 Nominee Seun Kuti with a guest during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 91 Zuri Hall during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 91 Fatoumata Diawara adds a splash of color to the red carpet during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 91 Fever 333 brings its black-and-white branding to the red carpet during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 53 / 91 Fallout Boys arive at the 61st Grammy Awards red carpet. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 54 / 91 Xavier Dphrepaulezz, aka Fantastic Negrito, during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 55 / 91 Sibley Scoles is all smiles during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 56 / 91 LOS ANGELES, CA - February 10, 2019 Calvin Simon during the arrivals at the 61st GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, CA. Sunday, February 10, 2019. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 57 / 91 Tanka Ray during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 58 / 91 Lorry Cook, Linus Wyrsch, Lucy Kalantari and Rich Kulsar of Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats arrive at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 59 / 91 Jaclyn Matfus and Ben Harper hit the red carpet during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 60 / 91 Singer/songwriter Nicole Galyon hits the red carpet during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 61 / 91 Tamara Dhia faces photographers during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 62 / 91 Renee Bargh during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 63 / 91 Rashida Jones and Alan Hicks during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 64 / 91 DJ Walshy Fire, left, and DJ Diplo of Major Lazer arrive for the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 65 / 91 Ricky Rebel makes a statement at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 66 / 91 Etana at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 67 / 91 Christopher, Toni and Vicky Cornell during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 68 / 91 Pop/rap artist Mimi Saballa during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 69 / 91 Musical group Bring Me the Horizon (Oliver Sykes, Jordan Fish, Lee Malia, Matthew Nicholls, Matt Kean, Curtis Ward, Jona Weinhofen) during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 70 / 91 Brothers Osborne arrive for the 61st Grammy Awards ceremony at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Nina Prommer / EPA/Shutterstock) 71 / 91 Jason Evigan and his guest during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 72 / 91 Koryn Hawthorne during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 73 / 91 Argentine composer, producer and singer Claudia Brant on the red carpet at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 74 / 91 Justin Love during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 75 / 91 Jason Crabb and his daughter Ashleigh are all smiles on the red carpet at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 76 / 91 Phillip Boykin and Felicia Richardson Boykin during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 77 / 91 Eve attends the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Neilson Barnard / Getty Images for The Recording Academy) 78 / 91 Rapper Tierra Whack arrives for the 61st Grammy Awards pre-telecast show in Los Angeles. (Valerie Macon / AFP/Getty Images) 79 / 91 Catalina Garcia and Santiago Prieto of Monsieur Perine during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 80 / 91 Sister Sadie, which includes Dale Ann Bradley (guitar/vocals), Deanie Richardson (fiddle), Gena Britt (banjo/vocals), Tina Adair (mandolin/vocals) and Beth Lawrence (acoustic bass), arrive at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 81 / 91 Alice Rigney Oswalt and Patton Oswalt during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 82 / 91 Michael Graves, Bill Ferris, Steven Ledbetter and April Ledbetter during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 83 / 91 Kris Johnson and Lula Fall during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 84 / 91 Nominees Annie Stoll and Megan Foley during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 85 / 91 David Buchbinder during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 86 / 91 Karim Sulayman during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 87 / 91 Dave Cobb, left, and Ledja Cobb during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 88 / 91 Joshua Henry during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 89 / 91 Philip Boykin and Felicia Richardson Boykin during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 90 / 91 TV personality Donna Farizan during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 91 / 91 Actress and singer Merle Dandridge hits the red carpet during the arrivals at the 61st Grammy Awards. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Musgraves performed Rainbow from Golden Hour during the show, and hit the stage for a second time to honor Dolly Parton. Musgraves and Katy Perry joined forces for Here You Come Again, later joined by Parton herself. The icon sang a duet version of Jolene with Miley Cyrus, who often covers the classic song. But the country music icon truly shined when she sang Red Shoes, with country foursome Little Big Town providing background vocals. Yolanda Adams, Fantasia and Andra Day teamed up for stirring performance of "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman in honor Aretha Franklin, who died last year. Advertisement Diana Ross earned a standing ovation when she emerged onstage in a bright red dress to perform Reach Out and Touch (Somebodys Hand) and The Best Years of My Life. She celebrated her 75th birthday early with the performance, saying afterward, Happy birthday to me! Her actual birthday is March 26. R&B singer H.E.R., who won best R&B performance for Best Part with Daniel Caesar, stunned as she played her guitar and sang. Chloe x Halle impressed when they sang Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flacks Where Is the Love. Monae grooved onstage during Make Me Feel, backed by several dancers. Post Malone performed with Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Cardi B grinded onstage during her latest single, Money. Ariana Grande won her first Grammy in the same week that she publicly blasted Grammys producer Ken Ehrlich and accused him of lying about why she was no longer performing at the show. Tori Kelly and Lauren Daigle won two awards each. Beyonce, Jay-Z, Ella Mai, Pharrell Williams, Hugh Jackman, Stingy, Shaggy, Dave Chappelle, Weird Al Yankovic, the late Chris Cornell, Greta Van Fleet and even former President Jimmy Carter also picked up early awards ahead of the live show. Advertisement There was a tie for best rap performance, and Drake was surprisingly not one of the winners. Drakes Nice for What lost to Anderson Paaks Bubblin and Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future and James Blakes Kings Dead, from the Black Panther soundtrack. Beck was a double winner during the pre-telecast, taking home best alternative music album and best engineered album (non-classical) for Colors. Emily Lazar, one of the engineers who worked on the album and won alongside Beck, was the first female mastering engineer to win in the latter category. MORE COVERAGE: 9 moments from the Grammys: Women rule, from Dolly Parton to Janelle Monae Was this years Grammys the beginning of the end for a white, male music industry? Advertisement Pro-Trump singer flaunts Build the Wall dress at Grammys Ariana Grande a no-show despite winning first Grammy Award What Chris Cornells kids said in accepting a Grammy for their dad Michelle Obamas Grammys surprise appearance kicks off ceremony with a standing ovation In the world of independent book stores, South Parks Book Catapult was a rare success story until last month, when it all came crashing down. On Jan. 27, the shops co-owner Seth Marko underwent open heart surgery to repair a life-threatening issue with his aorta. His wife and business partner, Jennifer Powell stayed by his side. At the same time, their sole full-time employee, Vanessa Diaz, was sidelined by the avian flu. No one was left to run the business. So Book Catapult closed until Jan. 30, when it re-opened, staffed by unpaid employees of other book stores. Advertisement Ever since, volunteers have been greeting customers, making recommendations, ringing up sales for a rival. Some have even provided childcare for the couples 3-year-old daughter. Im just overwhelmed, Powell said. Everybody has helped us. Third places Libraries could be filled with stories predicting the death of the independent book store. Warehouse-like chain stores, like Barnes & Noble, have siphoned off customers. Online vendors like Amazon offer overnight delivery of the latest best sellers. Across the country, shops have closed by the thousands. San Diegos casualties include downtowns Wahrenbrocks; Hillcrests Fifth Avenue Books; and numerous outposts in Normal Heights, from paperback peddler Safari to the macabre Grounds for Murder. Coronados Bay Books, South Countys last indy, has lost its lease in Coronado and is struggling to survive. For awhile, statistics seemed to support this tale of woe. In 1989, there were about 3,900 book stores in the U.S. And we were just shy of 1,400 by 2008, said John Evans, co-owner of Los Angeles DIESEL, A Bookstore. Some if it was generational, as people who opened bookstores in the 60s and 70s retired. A lot of it was due to the big chains and the effect of Amazon. Since 2008, though, the trend has reversed. The American Booksellers Association reports there are now 2,470 stores, meaning more than 1,000 have debuted in the past decade. Advertisement A lot of these are small neighborhood book stores, Evans said, which everyone wants or people who are readers want. At their best, such shops are third places, treasured spots outside the home and the workplace that offer a sense of belonging. Owners and staff know the community and their customers, catering to local tastes. Seths an incredible curator of books, said Aaryn Belfer, a Book Catapult customer. They are very mindful to bring in books for all people, all cultures. While Barnes & Noble may tout the latest James Patterson bestseller, Book Catapult promotes first-time authors (Johannes Lichtman will visit the shop to discuss his debut novel, Such Good Work, Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.) and local writers (San Diegos Robin Kardon, author of Flygirl, is on the Catapult calendar for Feb. 22). Advertisement Scott Ehrig-Burgess , the manager of the Library Shop at San Diegos central library, is a friend of the Book Catapults owners. When he learned of Markos operation, he called Powell. This is not something you need to worry about, he told her, referring to running a business. Just make sure Seth gets better and be by his side. Then Ehrig-Burgess made some calls. In short order, he had a long list of volunteer staffers: Julie Slavinsky, director of events at Warwicks, the La Jolla book store; Marianne Reiner, owner of Ocean Beachs new book shop, Run For Cover; Tracy Rutherford, a former Warwicks employee; even Evans and Alison Reid, co-owners of L.A.s DIESEL. All agreed to work shifts at Book Catapult. Advertisement Others, including Kristi Ehrig-Burgess, Scotts wife, helped care for the couples young daughter. Why assist a business rival? Technically we are competitors, Slavinsky said. But its such a close community. Were all people and were all friends. Wheeled away Marko, 43, is a familiar figure in the book trade, having worked for Warwicks and UC San Diegos book store. Even now, Book Catapult is a sideline hes a full-time sales representative for Ingram Publisher Services, selling books to book stores. Advertisement Hes an important part of Southern California book selling, DIESELs Evans said. Hes just a great guy. The week of Jan. 22, he, Powell and Diaz attended an American Booksellers Association convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They were preparing to fly back to San Diego that Friday when Marko complained of chest pains. Tests run at an urgent care facility in Albuquerque didnt show anything alarming. Marko was cleared to fly home that Saturday, but ordered to see his own doctor. On Sunday, he did. More tests were run, and then a CT scan revealed something lethal. His aorta, the artery on top of the hearts left ventricle, was failing. Advertisement I was at the store, Powell said. Seth calls from the hospital. He said, They told me its probably a good idea for you to get up here. She closed the shop, found someone to care for the couples daughter, and raced to UC San Diegos Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center. The surgical team was assembled, Marko was prepped and Powell was trying to stay calm. Seth reassured me he was coming back, she said, and then they wheeled him away. That was around 4:30 p.m. He was out of surgery by 1:30 a.m. Everything had gone well and his prognosis is excellent. Still, hell need at least six weeks of rest. Advertisement We are fortunate, Powell said. Both Seths mom and my dad have been able to come here. That will enable me to get back to the store next week, maybe part time. Whenever. Theres no rush. Well chip in as long as we need to, said Warwicks Slavinsky. I want to help Except for Monday, when the Book Catapult is normally closed, the shop stayed open every day last week. Still, its not quite business as usual. Advertisement Belfer, one of the few non-book store veterans taking a shift, made some rookie mistakes. I tried not to give away too much free stuff, said the San Diego CityBeat columnist. It took awhile to learn how to properly run the credit card machine. Diaz recovered sufficiently to return to work on Thursday, while Scott Ehrig-Burgess continues to schedule volunteers. Rutherford has been picking up regular four-hour shifts. On Friday, Reiner abandoned her fledgling shop in Ocean Beach to staff Book Catapult. DIESELs Evans and Reid drove down from L.A. to work there over the weekend. Advertisement Customers have returned and the phone rings with some frequency. Often, these are calls from friends and strangers, eager to pitch in. How often does a business open and within a year and two months you have people coming in off the street saying, I want to help? Belfer asked. That doesnt sound like a common occurrence. In fact, it sounds like something youd read in a book. As a crew of firefighters from National City rushed in an engine to a house that was fully engulfed in flames last April, a dispatcher alerted them to a concerning report: a 911 caller heard screams coming from inside the garage. We knew we were going to go right into rescue mode, said National City fire Capt. Derek Jones, who was part of the crew that responded to the fire in the outlying Paradise Hills neighborhood of San Diego, just east of National City. Your heart starts pumping, but you know what you trained for, Jones said. You know what to do. That night, Jones and fellow National City firefighter Nick Black would enter the house, which was filled with smoke and cluttered with personal items, and help carry out two residents, saving the life of one of the men. The second resident died at a hospital. Advertisement Jones and Black were recognized Feb. 5 by the National City Fire Department and City Council for putting themselves in harms way to rescue the two residents trapped in the house. They received a Life-Saving Award, a recognition the city has given to employees and residents an estimated 12 times since 1971. National City fire Capt. Derek Jones (second from left) and firefighter Nick Black (second from right) received a Life-Saving Award from the National City Fire Department and City Council. (David Hernandez/Union-Tribune) Jones, a 29-year veteran, and Black, who has been with the department for four years, said they didnt think twice about the dangers. They gave credit to the amount of training National City firefighters go through, saying training and instincts took over that night. We were just going through that playbook in our head, Black said. The first report about the fire on Calle Cumbre was called in about 10:30 p.m. When Jones, Black and fellow engineer Jeff Bogle arrived in Engine 31, the front of the house was engulfed in flames, which were shooting out the front door and windows. Everything was blown out, Jones said. It looked very bad. Once firefighters got a handle on the flames, it was go time. Jones, Black and two San Diego Fire-Rescue firefighters used a Halligan bar to pry open the metal security screen and front door. Advertisement Inside they pushed past heat and smoke, using a fire hose to douse the interior as they went in deeper to search for the residents. There was zero visibility, Jones said. They encountered lots of furniture and knee-high stacks of personal items including newspapers and clothing clutter that left no clear pathway inside the house, San Diego Battalion Chief Rick Ballard told a freelance reporter that night. We started to walk over stuff, Black said. Advertisement Jones added: We were basically crawling over furniture to locate the victims. At times, they used whatever you could put your hands on to not fall over, Black said. The first resident was found lying in a hallway near a bedroom door. He appeared to be unconscious. We were pretty sure he was dead, Jones said. Advertisement Black and a San Diego firefighter carried the man to a waiting gurney outside, at one point tripping over clutter. As they fell, Black noticed the man taking a small breath. Thats when we knew he was still alive and (we) needed to pick up the pace a bit, Black said. Seconds later, Black hopped on an ambulance and went with paramedics and the victim to UC San Diegos burn center. The man would survive. Meanwhile, Jones and a San Diego fire captain went back inside the house to rescue the second resident, who was found behind a couch in the living room under a bookshelf that had apparently fallen on him. He, too, appeared to be unconscious. Advertisement He was carried out to the front yard, where firefighters and paramedics started CPR before taking him to UCSDs burn center. He died not long after midnight. The man was later identified as Alex Ballisteros, an accomplished artist who served in the Air Force, according to family members who spoke with NBC7. Neighbors said the residents cats also died in the fire, which fire investigators determined was accidental in nature. The cause, however, was undetermined. Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com Advertisement Phone: (619) 293-1876 Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez The South Bays only independent bookstore has a lifeline. Bay Books of Coronado was set to close at the end of February, but the closure of a novelty T-shirt store called Bullshirt gave the bookstore a fighting chance, said owner Angelica Ayala Muller. We were ready to close, Muller said. Bay Books has the option of moving to the now-vacant T-shirt store. But to make the business work, it needs permission from the city to sell coffee and pastries in the new location. Advertisement The viability of the business and the future of the South Bays only independent bookstore rests on its ability to sell drinks and snacks, Muller said. We need that to cover the new rents, she said. Its critical for us to receive the councils support. The long-term future of Bay Books in Coronado came into doubt when developer Bruce Kleege bought almost an entire block of Orange Avenue between Tenth Street and C Avenue. Kleeges vision for the block includes replacing vacant space that previously served as vehicle storage for a garage with a usable open-air space that features a canopy for shade, outdoor seating and access to restaurants and parking. The vision also includes quality restaurants that will attract people from all over San Diego to Coronado. To execute this vision, and make room for the new businesses, some long-time businesses on the block had to go. Since Kleege bought the property in 2017, a surf shop, towing garage, Mexican restaurant, and a gift shop on that block closed. Bay Books thought theyd be next. The business runs on tight margins and couldnt absorb a rent increase. Muller negotiated with Kleege, offering to split the 4,500-square-foot space in half and keep the bookstore in one half. But the rent for the front half of the building, the side that faces Orange Avenue, was too high. Moving to the back also wasnt an option because the business wouldnt survive without the foot traffic, Muller said. Advertisement By October, Bay Books stopped ordering new books. They didnt want to spend the money without knowing whether theyd still have a business. Since then, the bookstore has been reduced to 30 percent of what it used to be both in terms of books on shelves and physical space that the store occupies. The store makes money. Theyve survived threats from national bookstores, online retailers and Amazon by diversifying their revenue streams. Instead of simply selling books, they sell magazines and gifts. But this obstacle was too much. At least it seemed that way a couple of weeks ago. Muller planned to close the store at the end of February when Kleege called to tell her that Bullshirt, which is on the same block, is closing. Advertisement Ive been fighting like crazy and then this happened, she said. They called me and said, its available; do you want it? Although the Bullshirt opening gave Bay Books a lifeline, it is not out of the woods yet. To make the business work, Muller needs to sell coffee and pastries in the store. Bay Books currently has a coffee cart outside, which has a steady stream of loyal customers who drink coffee while sitting on tables outside the bookstore. Muller said she needs the city to give her special permission to have a similar setup if Bay Books moves down the block. Advertisement During Tuesdays City Council meeting, Muller asked the mayor and council to give her permission to serve coffee and pastries in the store. After the meeting, Mayor Richard Bailey said he is interested in helping but could not say anything specific because Muller has not submitted any formal plans or requests to the city. As of right now, the council has not received any official request, but we are committed to working with Bay Books, he said. We are open to considering any proposals by the landlord and by Bay Books and hopefully we can find a resolution that is compliant with our standards. Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter I am always looking for the skeleton keys to unlock the kingdom of entrepreneurship. I am not proud and will shamelessly lift from the best of the best when I find them - (ideas only and always give credit). So please meet James Currier, managing partner at NFX, a venture firm in Silicon Valley. Currier has synthesized what he thinks are the core habits of world class startups, and I would like to share some of them with you. Currier starts simple. Nail the basics and cultivate the right habits. As to the basics, I am always astounded when entrepreneurs come in to meet with me, and the most rudimentary elements (corporate structure, stock, vesting, options, financing, lawyer etc.) are wrong. I recently had this experience (no names). What angered me is this. In our little burg, there are 397 mentors, advisors, incubators, lawyers and consultants available ad nauseam. How is it that these decent and good entrepreneurs never got the correct basic advice? Currier talks about having flexible curiosity, and then be willing to morph and marry it to flexible passion. We all know about the pivot embrace it early, dont wait for it to be imposed on you. Always keep testing and looking and probing. You know what you know, but it is what you dont know that you dont know that might prove to be the most profitable. Recently, I was on a board and I told the management team in June 2018 that a hurricane was coming in December and that they should buy some lumber immediately to board up the windows in their house. They disagreed and thought it would be sunny in December. It turned out that they were wrong, and the rain is now coming in buckets. The CEO told me, You know, you were right. Hey, a board member does not want to be right. He wants to be listened to. There is no benefit in having to get a bucket and bail. Advertisement Currier talks about finding the white-hot center. What he means by that is in every market you are targeting, there will be an irregularity. That is where you can find early, hungry customers, whom Currier calls non-utilizers -- people who werent using anything before to solve their problem and now find that your stuff is transformative for their needs. Instead of trying to unseat a competitor, take a look in the pond where no one is fishing. There are hungry fish in that pond. Catch those first and then head out to the ocean and catch even bigger ones. Currier tells his CEOs to learn how to tell a compelling story. I love this, I believe this and I teach this. You are an actor on a stage. Learn to be Laurence Olivier (I know this dates me). Further, a great story also drives up your own motivation. You can change the story. It is the Knute Rockne effect. Currier says storytelling should be your #1 superpower as a CEO. I have a client who is brilliant. He can tell his story, and he can move the room, making simple the most complex biotechnical whoop de do. What he cannot do is close. So I am going to modify Currier a bit by adding that the next skill right behind telling the story is show me the money. Currier quotes a lesson from Dennis Hightower, at that time the head of Disney International. Hightower is quizzing Currier about why he wasnt doing something in particular, and Currier launches into the pros and cons of the various permutations and combinations available that might influence the decision. Hightower replied You know there are 13 ways of doing anything, 11 of them will work. Just pick one and do it. I believe in Occams razor, which says the simplest answer is usually the correct answer. Dont over analyze it; just hit the putt. Finally, I love Curriers embrace of speed. He sees a startup as an X-wing fighter from Star Wars. Speed is your No. 1Occams Razor advantage, full throttle. You could beat a grandmaster at chess if you could move twice every time he moved once. There is no magic bullet for success, but there are lots of weapons you can use. Rule No. 595: Never tell me the odds Han Solo Advertisement Business Neil Senturia, a serial entrepreneur who invests in early-stage technology companies, writes weekly about entrepreneurship in San Diego. Please email ideas to Neil at neil@blackbirdv.com. Common childhood diseases as well as dangerous conditions can be diagnosed with an artificial intelligence system just about as accurately as an experienced pediatrician, scientists in San Diego and China report Monday. The AI system processes large amounts of data from electronic health records, and also finds disease associations not previously identified, according to a study led by Kang Zhang, founding director of the Institute for Genomic Medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine. The work shows an across-the-board usefulness. Previous medical AI efforts were often focused on one disease or related conditions. For example, a study published in February of last year, also led by Zhang, was designed to screen patients who may have potentially blinding retinal diseases. The AI system interpreted data from more than 1.3 million pediatric visits to a health care referral center in Guangzhou, China. Results were compared to a doctors initial diagnosis. It not only performed well in diagnosing common ailments, but also dangerous conditions such as bacterial meningitis, the study said. Advertisement For example, it achieved 85 percent accuracy with gastrointestinal diseases and 93 percent for bacterial meningitis. This can be useful for identifying patients who urgently need treatment. Although this impact may be most evident in areas where healthcare providers are in relative shortage, the benefits of such an AI system are likely to be universal, said the study, published in Nature Medicine. It can be found at https://j.mp/aichildmed. The study demonstrates the growing usefulness of artificial intelligence in medicine, said Giorgio Quer, Director, Artificial Intelligence at Scripps Research Translational Institute. While the system in this paper cant yet outperform an experienced physician, it could assist junior physicians, he said by email. An interesting application of this system - that would require new data and that should be clinically validated - would be in the emergency department, Quer said. This system could potentially analyze vital signs, basic history and notes from a physical examination by a nurse to help in the prioritization of patients who should be seen first by a physician. The AI system was trained on manually annotated information. Once trained, it was set loose on patient data in the electronic health records, including symptoms, physical exams and results of lab tests. The system used natural language processing methods to extract pertinent data from doctors notes. It proceeded toward a diagnosis with a question-and-answer format just like doctors use. Examples of questions are Is patient having a fever? and Is the patient coughing? the study said. Advertisement Aside from identifying patients who need immediate attention, the study said the AI system might even be able to pick out patients who dont need a doctors evaluation at that time. These patients can be referred to routine followup care at a later date. This diagnostic prediction would help to ensure that physicians time is dedicated to the patients with the highest and/or most urgent needs, the study said. The study also included researchers from VA Healthcare System in San Diego; Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Hangzhou YITU Healthcare Technology Co. Ltd, Hangzhou, China; Guangzhou Kangrui Co. Ltd, Guangzhou, China; and Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, China. Study funders included the National Key Research and Development Program of China; National Natural Science Foundation of China; Guangzhou Women and Childrens Medical Center, Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory. Advertisement Related reading Evaluation and accurate diagnoses of pediatric diseases using artificial intelligence Serious eye diseases accurately diagnosed through artificial intelligence S.D. researchers find better way to grow neural stem cells Advertisement Science Playlist On Now In a first, scientists rid human embryos of a potentially fatal gene mutation by editing their DNA On Now Space station flyovers visible from San Diego this week 0:55 On Now UCSD's 'ghost drivers' begin testing people's reaction seemingly empty cars 1:29 On Now 10 interesting facts about Mars On Now Kids can add years to your life On Now LA 90: SpaceX launches recycled rocket On Now Big passions, big giving: Malin Burnham 2:30 On Now Big passions, big giving: Darlene Shiley 2:40 On Now Big passions, big giving: Joan and Irwin Jacobs 2:45 On Now Ocean temperatures warming at rapid rate, study finds bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1020 Source: Pakistan Today BEIJING: Chinese ships participated in Pakistans multinational naval exercise in a big way, demonstrating their long-term cooperative partnership in the maritime sector. Chinese media extensively reported Pakistans naval drills held for AMAN 19, highlighting the significance of the event, in pushing forward the two countries joint collaboration in strengthening their defence capabilities. China Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy) was most prominent in the sixth Pakistan-led multinational maritime naval drills that were participated by navies and observers from 46 countries. The PLA Navy has participated in all previous AMAN exercises. A commander of the PLA Navy who requested anonymity said that this time, the PLA Navy sent two warships from the 998 Fleet to participate in the exercise, which consists of a Kunlunshan amphibious transport dock and the supply ship Luomahu. The two Chinese warships and more than 500 Chinese naval soldiers were engaged in joint exercises, which included anti-piracy exercises and maritime interception. The exercises provided not only medium security challenges but also enhanced interoperability among navies at different levels of technological power to come together and secure a safe and sustainable maritime environment, said Chinese media quoting Chief of the Pakistani Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, who also thanked all participants who have traveled great distances in pursuit of peace. The concept of the exercises was to develop responses, tactics, techniques and procedures (RTTPs) against non-traditional threats through tactical warfare planning, according to the Pakistan Navy. Starting in 2007, AMAN exercise has regularly been conducted every two years (AMAN 15 was not held in 2015 due to some operational commitments of the Pakistan Navy). This years edition was scheduled from February 8 to 12, where over 45 countries are participating with ships and observers. The exercises had two major phases: harbour and sea phases. Harbour activities include seminars, discussions and demonstrations. A three-day international maritime conference also held on the topic Global geopolitics in transition and rethinking maritime dynamics in the Indian Ocean region. Maritime activities included high-end warfare serials at sea, such as naval gunfire, anti-piracy, operations, combined anti-submarine exercises, communications, boarding and air defence. Think a minute Ben Banneker was a respected African-American scholar who became a brilliant mathematician, designer and engineer. In fact, Ben was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of State to a top team of engineers to design the master plan for a modern city. The group of international engineers was led by French architect Charles LEnfant, whose grand plan was to be used for this modern masterpiece that included both artistic beauty and the latest technology in transportation and communication. Unfortunately, for this genius architect LEnfant, he soon was accused of trying to control the plan for his own purposes. So before the land had even been surveyed, the chief engineer and architect returned to France, taking the governments plans with him. With their city plans now gone, the U.S. Secretary of State called an emergency meeting of all the city commissioners and engineers, including Ben Banneker. In the meeting, Ben shocked them all by assuring them that he had thoroughly studied LEnfants maps and plans and Ben was quite certain he could remember every detail. At first, the committee did not believe that anyone could keep in their mind all the complex designs and drawings of an entire large city! To memorize the architectural details of just one building would be amazing enough. But Ben began to precisely draw all of the original plans he still had in his mind and that beautiful modern city was built entirely from Bens memory, which Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, who later became the president, had trusted. In fact, you may have even visited this city. For the plans that Ben Banneker carried in his mind were for Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. Did you know that your Maker has a brilliant and beautiful master plan for your life? Hes just been waiting for you to come home to Him, so with His help you can start thinking and living His way every day. Once and for all, wont you ask Jesus to take full charge and begin changing your mind and heart? Then, you can start living the true, good life and plan that He custom designed for you. Just think a minute Samoa Best Dance crew finalists, Re:present is set to fly to China on a fully funded four weeks trip for dance training, later this year. This was confirmed by the crews co-captain Chrioni Posini who said the training would focus of gymnastics and other aspects of developing their talents. Speaking to the Samoa Observer, Ms. Posini said the idea of having an all-female crew was originally former Miss Samoa Priscilla Olano-Ah Youngs idea. Hip-hop is quite a hushed topic of activity when it comes to females in our community, and we felt it was a good time to step up and show that girls are just as talented as boys in this area of performing arts, she said. The all-female hip hop dance crew includes Crew Captain and Mentor Priscilla Olano Ah Young, Anastacia Ioane, Babette Tunupopo, Bessie Tuiletufuga, Chrioni Posini, Eseta Uili, Todah Eniata and Tepora Ioane. In an industry dominated by males, the crew formed to not only stand for female dancing talents in Samoa but also promote women empowerment among other things. Being an all-female crew is amazing and being the only all-female crew in Samoa within the SBDC Competition was very thrilling, also challenging as it is a male dominated event. However what really put us at ease was our aim in coming into the competition and it was nice to be set in a space together with the male crews and not be objectified or looked down upon, she smiled. The group isnt just about hip-hop routines and aiming to fight for the Samoas Best Dance Crew title. We also stand for women empowerment, theres so much female [hip hop] talent in Samoa and we look to be an example for those who shy away from opportunity. Who may be afraid of judgement and negative feedback, a lot of us also were quite shy and closed off but being around the right people of influence and encouragement weve been able to grow and build self-confidence and unity so we want other girls to also realize their potential and believe in possibility, she told Sunday Samoan. Also, being together as an all-female crew allowed them to build strong relationships and show kindness and encouragement but it was not always the case. When we first started the crew we had many differences, it was with more effort and openness that we were able to understand one another and commit as a crew and also as a family. Each of us have our own story, our own issues and challenges we face so coming together through the one thing we have most in common, dance. And by putting all that energy together it really inspired us bringing us to this one common goal to be a positive representation of what girls are capable of rather than the restrictions that bind them, said Ms. Posini. There is so much we can all contribute as a community and nationwide towards not only our female dancers but local talents. The main barrier that discourages or holds our youth back especially females from embracing their talent and getting out there is restriction and disbelief from families and village communities. The co-captain also mentioned the benefits of coming together which has helped them emotionally, mentally and spiritually by using dance as a strong form of expression. Theres only so much a human being can take and life is ever changing, times are difficult, theres a great number of inconvenient incidents and bad things happening to our generation. If anything at this stage as youths we really need a good support system and positive space to breathe and be more open with ourselves and others, she explained. Development wise the crew spent a lot of effort and long hours of training with fitness, skill work and technique while upholding the value of their upbringing. We like to keep a good balance of feminine and masculine movement but nothing that discourages the name we carry as an all female crew, which may diminish our value and what we stand for. As young pacific islanders we are mindful of our peoples expectations of us as tamaitai Samoa and we do strongly respect our culture and morals so we always try to keep our dance movements sensible yet still entertaining and powerful, she said. The crew looks forward to seeing more all-female crews stepping up to show case female hip hop talent in our small island nation and breaking the traditional views on young women. It would be great to have something more female based involving dance particularly hip-hop. As we return we look towards preparing to perform for SPG held here in Samoa and maybe get more into holding workshops and along with those plans already in a making we are happy and feel very fortunate and excited for more to come in the year ahead. The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) celebrated International Day for Girls in Science yesterday. They were joined by representatives from the Young Women Christian Association and students from the Vaivase Primary and Samoa Primary Schools. Encouraging and inspirational presentations were delivered by various women who work for SPREP, and highlighted the numerous career paths one can obtain from studying science. Convened at the SPREP headquarters at Vailima, participants were encouraged to think outside of the box in order to break into male dominated fields such as marine science, oceanography, climatology and science. Speaking to Samoa Observer, SPREP outreach support officer, Angelica Salele-Sefo said the event was to cater the need for something different on the International Day For Women and Girls In Science. Working with YWCA because of the work they do with young women, we approached a few female officers working at SPREP aiming for a pacific islander sense whether theyre from Samoa or not. We wanted to [kind of] have that sense of representation for the girls today so they can see themselves in the women that are working here at SPREP, she said. Ms. Salele-Sefo also stressed on the importance of passing the torch to the next generation and facing challenges rather than chickening out For us, not a lot of us have pursued a degree in science or careers in science and for me personally its a regret that I have because I chickened out on my science subjects in year 12 even though I topped it since year nine. But rather took arts because I was really good at history; I played on my strengths rather than facing my weaknesses. Just because I sucked at Math doesnt mean that I cant continue something that I love, she explained. Maralisa Enosa of Samoa Primary School told Samoa Observer that it is important to celebrate such days for women. I really enjoyed the International day for women and girls in Science because in science related subjects there arent that many females because they are believed theyre not that qualified. So encouraging women to take science courses is important because women can also be very useful to the environment along with men, not just men because its not just men that are really smart, she said. The Samoa Primary head girl dreams to follow her forefathers career paths in science as a doctor in the future. Ever since I was young I always wanted to be a doctor because my dad was a doctor and his dad was a doctor and so Ive always been interested with doctor stuff; playing with my dads equipment when I go to the clinic. Women should just pursue what they want to do even if its science and people are telling them they cant do it. They should just ignore that and carry on pursuing their dreams, she said. The Samoa Agriculture Competitiveness Enhancement Project (SACEP) has come under the radar of the Audit Office. The Audit Office has expressed concern at misleading information provided for payments which were made for projects that didnt exist or were incomplete. Other issues cited include SACEP staff or immediate family members listed as beneficiaries of the programme. This was highlighted in the Auditor Report on the SACEP for the period July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2018. The project is funded by the World Bank and is overseen by the Ministry of Agriculture of Fisheries and is mandated to support fruit and vegetable growers and livestock producers to improve their productivity and take greater advantage of market opportunities. The report was submitted to the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture in the form of a management letter, where the issues are outlined and the management was asked to respond accordingly. According to the report, the pre-finance expenditure by the Samoa Government for the SACEP for financial year 2017-2018 amounts to $3.28 million. Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Chief Executive Officer, Tilafono David Hunter, declined to comment when questions were emailed to him. I take it you have a copy of the incomplete Auditor report (management letter) from your sources in Government. Our management responses to be included in the same to clarify and elaborate on the Auditor's findings will be discussed with Ministry of Finance and Audit Office next week before the report is finalised and subjected to normal Government processes. Until then, I cannot answer your questions, he said. The Auditors have categorised the project high risk noting that from their review and analysis of the matching grant programme they found some highly important misleading information, where the payout was released under this project. This misleading information was verified and confirmed by our site visit in Savaii. The monitoring of this project is extremely terrible convey for releasing of last tranche but the project is incomplete or it does not exist. Misleading information of photos on the files to release payments is very unacceptable practice and a direct violation of grant terms. The report cited four families from Falelima, Satupaitea and Iva. For a cattle farmer, there were photos shown of a fence however upon visit there is no cattle fence. However, payment was released based on false misleading photos inside the file, this is an unsuccessful project. The Audit Report cited three other farmers who received funds, yet did not utilize what the funds were allocated for. The Auditors recommended a more vigilant assessment of information provided to claim payments and that on sight for confirmation of these information should be on a regular basis. Providing false information to claim payments should face severe penalties for the committed party. It is against regulations to provide false information to receive grants and at the same time the Ministry should have assesses this information with example site visits to confirm its truth before committing payments, says the Auditors Report. Regarding the issue of conflict of interest, the Auditors pointed out the list of beneficiaries of S.A.C.E.P. and they conducted a full site visit to all of their projects. It was during these visits and review of the given list we noted one S.A.C.E.P. employee as one of the beneficiaries under the cattle farm category. She is employed at the time as project officer for S.A.C.E.P. and therefore presents an absolute conflict of interest. She risks her position in the Ministry to accommodate and applying under the project. Also in the same list another beneficiary is the father of the portfolio manager for S.A.C.E.P. This is also a risk of position in the Ministry to benefit his own interest or that of his immediate relative which also presents a definite conflict of interest. The Auditors recommended that M.A.F. should ensure their employees are aware of their Conflict of Interest Policy to disclose any and all conflicts that may arise. It should be made clear those conflicts of interest that go undeclared means that code of conduct for public servant is breached. Other issues highlighted by the Auditors are the beneficiaries who are non-compliance with requirements of the grant such as lost receipts and using items bought from grants for personal use, among others issues. Malele Paulo better known as King Faipopo is keeping his faith in God as he waits for his Court appearance next month. He was at the Court House in Mulinuu yesterday to support the Samoa Solidarity International Group (S.S.I.G) lawsuit before the Supreme Court. He said he is not worried about the allegations of defamation filed by Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi against him. I still keep my faith in God, he said. Before I came (to Samoa) there is nothing that will stop me from coming (to Samoa). Make sure you guys believe that there is a God serving his people, and we do the right thing and God will not leave me alone. His lawyer Unasa Iuni Sapolu confirmed that Mr. Paulo will appear in the District Court on March 5, and added that she will seek verification of bail for Mr. Paulo if he can leave the country to go back to work in Australia, and return for his court appearance. One of Mr. Paulos bail condition is that he surrenders his passport and to sign with the Police station every Friday. He was released last week to attend his mothers funeral after he spent Friday in Police custody. Mr. Paulo who lives in Australia and holds a New Zealand passport arrived in Samoa on Thursday. Because of public interest and media enquiries received, the Samoa Police Service (SPS) can confirm that a Mr Malele Atofu Paulo (m) 45 years of Vailoa Aleipata has been charged pursuant to section 117A of the Crime Ac with making false Statements with the intention of causing harm to a member of our Samoan communities' reputation, by defaming them, a Police statement said. Police investigations started in August 2018 when a complaint was filed by Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi with police in relation to alleged defamatory statements, made by the defendant. The Police said Mr. Paulo had publicly said that the complainant, committed murder, corruption, theft, gun smuggling and other statements that are strongly denied by the complainant. If convicted the defendant is liable to a fine not exceeding 175 penalty units or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months per charge. The Police also used the opportunity to issue a warning about the abuse of social media. The damage that defamatory statements on social media outlets and cyber bullying has done to several members of the community is a matter that these laws are designed to address, the statement said. Where complaints are laid with the police, we will do our best to assist those being victimised on social media platforms by any false statements. Two British tourists say Samoas roads are in atrocious condition, and it ruined the warm welcome they received at the airport upon their arrival. Gordon and Christine Blair, who are both in the 60s and are spending their gap year travelling around the world, said they were shocked at the road conditions in Samoa. It was a shock when you come out of the airport, not because of the way people live and the fales, but because of the roads, said Christine. The roads are just so bad, it creates the wrong impression I think, because I think the airport is just nice and air conditioned and there were people singing in the airport and it was just really nice and really friendly. Gordon added: First impressions really really count and youve just come out of the international airport, and we thought what have we done coming here, but that was just our first impression. The absence of tourist-packaged information such as brochures in places like the museum also irked the couple, who said the tourism office can do better. Weve done some sightseeing but one thing is the tourism office doesnt really push forward, they dont market the tourism sector well enough, they really could be better, they said. We also went to the Museum of Samoa and theres no leaflet about it in the museum, which is a shame because it was great, because then we picked up far more information. We only went there because our drivers niece is there. Also wherever we go, every shop or every person you meet they always give you a snippet of something which is fine and so good, Gordon said. The couple has visited the Samoa Tourism Cultural Village and said it was a great experience. They also checked out a German memorial, the Parliament, and the District Court and Supreme Court precinct but found it strange that they couldnt catch a bus. We started out at the hotel and then went up to the coast to see the German memorial and Parliament building, the law courts where no buses go which was strange. How do people get to work if you havent got a car? Despite the hiccups, they enjoyed the slow pace of life in Samoa and have vowed to return but this time more prepared to deal with the countrys many challenges. We wanted the Samoa experience not the Sheraton big hotels because can do that anytime. But what we wanted was something true to life with the Samoan people, which weve got. Id come back, now that we know what to expect. Now that were here and we know, so when we come back, well do it differently because we know now and you dont know it until youve been, they said. Samoa Shipping Corporation yesterday advised services between Upolu and Savaii were cancelled due to bad weather. The cancellation went ahead despite the Samoa Meteorology Service saying Tropical Cyclone Neil had been downgraded. Scientific Officer with the Samoa Meteorology Service, Annie Maua, told Samoa Observer in an interview that Tropical Cyclone Neil has dissipated. But she said their advisory for heavy rain, flooding, winds and advisory for small crafts and fishing alias is still in effect. There is an active convergence zone creating gusty winds and rainfalls, she added. According to the Samoa Meteorology Service, Severe Weather Information (no3) for Tropical Depression 08F the systems potential to develop into a TC in the next 24-28 hours is moderate and is expected to maintain its southward movement from the current position. An active convergence zone which links to TD 08F will continue to affect the group from time to time with showers of rain, gusty winds and high swells within the now-cast period, stated the Met Office. The system however will not pose a direct threat to Samoa. The next Severe Weather Information for TD08F was issued today at 5am. The Samoa Shipping Corporation Ltd issued a notice yesterday that due to bad weather conditions the normal trips for yesterday have been cancelled and if weather conditions persist services will continue to be closed until further notice. However, if there is any change in weather situation and there is a chance that sailing will be safe to continue you will all be informed, it stated. We thank you for your patience and understanding regarding the situation. We apologise for any inconvenience caused due to these changes. The former Head of State, Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi and the Asian Development Bank (A.D.B.) have been named as the two new respondents to the Samoa Solidarity International Group (S.S.I.G.) $5 million lawsuit. The other respondents include: the Office of the Prime Minister, Attorney General, former Attorney General Aumua Ming Leung Wai, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (M.N.R.E) and the Samoa Land Corporation (S.L.C). Chief Justice, His Honour Patu Tiavaasue Falefatu Sapolu, presided over the civil mention in the Supreme Court yesterday. Lawyer Tafaialagi Peniamina of the Attorney Generals Office represented the Office of the Prime Minister, the Attorney General, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (M.N.R.E) and the Samoa Land Corporation (S.L.C). While Muriel Lui represented Aumua Ming Leung Wai, and Unasa Iuni Sapolu represented the S.S.I.G.. Ms. Peniamina told the Court that there are two new defendants in the matter, defendant sixth and defendant seventh. Chief Justice Patu said there should be a motion to joint defendants (defendant - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7). He adjourned the matter on February 25 for re-mention for applicant to file and serve motion for joint. Secondly for the first, second, fourth and fifth respondents to file and serve a motion for security for cost, he said. Finally for the third respondent to file strike out motion to the amended statement of claim. It was during the former Head of State tenure that the Lands and Titles Registration Act 2008 was passed and signed into law by Tui Atua. On the other hand, A.D.B and the Samoa Government were criticised for promoting the economic use of customary land as a result of Asian Development Banks technical assistance initiative for Samoa. Before Court proceedings began an elderly man a supporter of the S.S.I.G. took photos inside the Court. A police officer then informed him and others inside the Court room that this was not allowed. The court room was packed with supporters of S.S.I.G filling up the benches and others standing during the civil mention. The lawsuit by the S.S.I.G. is questioning the legality and the constitutionality of the Land Titles Registration Act 2008. The plaintiffs are asking the Court to void the Land Titles Registration Act 2008, any and all customary land leases be returned to their original and traditional state of ownership prior to 2008, all customary land owners be returned their rightful ownership status immediately, and others occupying the said land be legally removed. The six causes of action outlined in the S.S.I.G. claim are that the Government is in violation of Article 102 of the Constitution by implementing, authorising, passing and enforcing Land Titles Registration Act 2008 which they allege alienates the traditional landowners and removes their legal rights to their customary land. Another cause of action highlighted in the claim is that Article 109 of the Constitution was allegedly violated by the defendants in passing a law that allows the alienation of customary land without satisfying the requirement for a referendum vote before submitting the said amendment of the Constitution to the Head of States signature. The third cause of action is that the Government passed the Land Titles Registration Act 2008 and enforced it for 10 years, thereby allegedly violating Article 2, which states that the Constitution shall be the supreme law of Samoa and also the Government violated Article 14 pertaining to rights relating to property. The fourth cause of action is freedom from discriminatory legislation where the Government passed the Land Titles Registration Act 2008 and enforcing the arbitrary elimination of customary land ownership rights based on the availability of space on a registration document and by selecting owners based on their matai privilege as sao of the family is in violation of Article 15. The last cause of action is that the defendants in their roles from time of drafting and passing the Land Titles Registration Act 2008 to drafting and passing Land Titles Registration Act 2015 to permitting the Bill in 2017 before parliament have all conducted themselves with either recklessness or gross negligence to the Samoa Constitution. Lets see. The story titled Govt. law to legalise 18 year olds to sell alcohol published on the front page of the Samoa Observer last Friday immediately raised the alarm bells. Coming at a time when the leaders of this country are struggling to find answers to countless alcohol-related problems, including the needless loss of lives, the story definitely struck a sore point with many members of the public. And rightly so. Who wouldnt be concerned? Now lets try and be rational about this. While the Government has a point when it comes to the idea of job creation since thats one thing the young people of this country need so badly the idea that the only thing they can conjure up in response to this need is alcohol-related jobs, is both negligent and irresponsible. We dont allow children to play with guns because there are so many risks involved including death. Why then should we even consider the possibility of teenagers selling alcohol? If this proposed law is passed, why dont we just allow them to do anything they want? Why dont we just legalise them to sell sex and other things? We say this with the utmost respect because this is the path we are heading. Indeed, of a hundred things this Government could have thought of to create jobs and it comes down to kids selling alcohol? Have any of these leaders been observing whats been happening in Samoa lately in terms of alcohol? In case they hadnt noticed, all they needed to do was listen to Gagaifomauga No. 3 Member of Parliament, Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao, during the last Parliament session. If you look at the statistics, of about two thousand cases handled by the Police, about 90 per cent would be alcohol-related, resulting in death, death, death, Laauli told Parliament. The question is why have people become such bad drunks? People are going wild when theyre drunk. Ironically, Laauli made the point during the second reading of the Alcohol Control Bill 2018 which ironically sets out to reduce the demand for and consumption of alcohol, and to minimise the harmful effects from the abuse of alcohol. The former Speaker of Parliament did not mince words. This is the number one killer in the country right now. The impact on innocent members of the public caused by drunks, who roam around carelessly on the streets and create problems is enormous. Your Honour, if you look at the products being produced here, I can tell you they are not good. Please consider whats being produced, the percentage is way too high that people have become drunks to the point where they dont have brains. So much to the point when they want to commit murder, they just kill people, not one but two or three at the same time. Whats happened is that (alcohol consumption) is out of control. Did anybody listen to Laauli? Do they care about what he said? In must be said that in this instance, Laauli is right on the money. Everyone in this country should be paying attention with the idea of doing something about it. In Samoa today, we are dealing with so many social problems among them violence in general and domestic violence. The role of alcohol in these incidents cannot be denied. This is why the idea that the Government is working on a law to enable 18-year-olds to sell alcohol as a form of employment is absolutely ridiculous. Interestingly enough, according to the Minister of Revenue, Tialavea Tionisio Hunt, when he was asked if it was a good idea allowing 18-year-olds to be exposed to and selling liquor given the increasing number of incidents relating to the abuse of alcohol the Minister said it is a source of income for the teenager and their families. Most of our kids are out school at the age of 18 years so where are they going to go? So we allow them as long as theres someone supervising them, like the owner of the bar who has to be there or someone has to be inside the bar who is 21 years old or above, the Minister said. So it is a job opportunity for them, otherwise we will have so many kids who dont go to school, dropouts having no jobs to turn to. Well heres some news for the Minister. This is already happening in Samoa. We already have so many unemployed able-bodied men and women loafing the streets of Apia getting up to no good. Many of them end up in Tafaigata Prison for one crime or another. We appreciate the thought that the Minister and the Government are putting into the issue of job creation. But they have to do a lot better than encouraging our young people to go out and sell alcohol. We have said it before and we will say it again. Samoas economy needs a strong foundation to solidify this countrys development. Such a base can only be grounded by a sound, export-driven strategy. Without a doubt our dependence on aid and remittances is the central root of our problem. What do you think? Write and share your thoughts with us. Have a wonderful Tuesday Samoa, God bless! SEOUL, South Korea (AP) When President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un first met in Singapore last year, there was pomp, there was circumstance, but there wasn't much substance. Before they meet again in Vietnam on Feb. 27-28, there's growing pressure that they forge a deal that puts them closer to ending the North Korean nuclear weapons threat. But what could that look like? Kim may be willing to dismantle his main nuclear complex. The U.S. may be willing to cough up concessions, maybe remove some sanctions. The question, however, is whether what's on offer will be enough for the other side. Here's a look at what each side could be looking for as Trump and Kim try to settle a problem that has bedeviled generations of policymakers. ___ DESTROYING A NUKE COMPLEX The North's Yongbyon (sometimes spelled Nyongbyon) nuclear complex, located about 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Pyongyang, has facilities that produce both plutonium and uranium, two key ingredients in nuclear weapons. North Korea's state media have called the complex of a reported 390 buildings "the heart of our nuclear program." After a September meeting with Kim, South Korean President Moon Jae-in told reporters that Kim promised to dismantle the complex if the United States takes unspecified corresponding steps. Stephen Biegun, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, recently said that Kim also committed to the dismantlement and destruction of North Korea's plutonium and uranium enrichment facilities when he met visiting Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last October. Since fresh diplomatic efforts began last year, the North has suspended nuclear and missile tests and dismantled its nuclear testing site and parts of its long-range rocket launch facility. But destroying the Yonbgyon complex would be Kim's biggest disarmament step yet and would signal his resolve to move forward in negotiations with Trump. There is worry among some, however, that the complex's destruction won't completely dispel widespread skepticism about North Korea denuclearization commitments. It would still have an estimated arsenal of as many as 70 nuclear weapons and more than 1,000 ballistic missiles. North Korea is also believed to be running multiple undisclosed uranium-enrichment facilities. "We could call (Yongbyon's destruction) a half-deal or a small-deal," said Nam Sung-wook, a professor at Korea University and a former president of the Institute for National Security Strategy, a think tank affiliated with South Korea's main spy agency. "It's really an incomplete denuclearization step" that matches past tactics meant to slow disarmament steps so it can win a series of concessions. ___ U.S. REWARDS To get the North to commit to destroying the Yongbyon complex, some experts say Trump needs to make important concessions. Those would likely need to include jointly declaring an end of the 1950-53 Korean War, opening a liaison office in Pyongyang, allowing North Korea to restart some economic projects with South Korea and possibly easing some sanctions on the North. Kim may most want sanctions relief to revive his country's dilapidated economy and bolster his family's dynastic rule. "For North Korea, abandoning the Yongbyon complex is a fairly big (negotiating) card ... so the North will likely try to win some economic benefits," said Chon Hyun-joon, president of the Institute of Northeast Asia Peace Cooperation Studies in South Korea. At the Singapore summit, Kim and Trump agreed to establish new relations between their countries and build a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. But they didn't elaborate on how to pursue those goals. North Korea has since complained about the lack of action by the United States, saying it already took disarmament steps, and returned American detainees and the remains of American war dead. The U.S. for its part suspended some of its military drills with South Korea, a concession to North Korea, which calls the exercises dress rehearsal for invasion. Kim and Moon agreed at the first of their three summits in 2018 to settle an end-of-war declaration. Moon said last month it could ease mutual hostility between Washington and Pyongyang, and accelerate North Korea's denuclearization. But some worry that a declaration ending the Korean War, which was stopped by an armistice and has yet to be replaced with a peace treaty, might provide North Korea with a stronger basis to call for the withdrawal of 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea. In his New Year's address, Kim also said he was ready to resume operations at a jointly run factory park in the North Korean border town of Kaesong and restart South Korean tours to the North's Diamond Mountain resort. Those are two of the now-dormant inter-Korean projects that supplied badly needed foreign currency for the impoverished North. ___ A BREAKTHROUGH? To make the Vietnam summit a blockbuster, Trump will likely need more than Yongbyon. A bigger deal would see a detailed accounting of North Korea's nuclear assets, and possibly shipping some North Korean nuclear bombs or long-range missiles out of the country for disabling. That would be costly. North Korea would likely demand a drastic easing of sanctions and a resumption of exports of coal and other mineral resources. A North Korean declaration of its nuclear program would provide invaluable information, if verified by U.S. intelligence, to Washington and others. It would offer looks at hidden nuclear fuel facilities and missile deployments, which is why Pyongyang has been reluctant to provide it. According to South Korean and other assessments, Yongbyon alone is estimated to have 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of weaponized plutonium, enough for six to 10 bombs, and a highly enriched uranium inventory of 250 to 500 kilograms (550 to 1,100 pounds), sufficient for 25 to 30 nuclear devices. Undisclosed uranium enrichment facilities would up the stockpile. Because of the difficulty involved, Trump may want to focus on the North's long-range missiles, which could, when perfected, pose a direct threat to the U.S. mainland. But such a partial deal would rattle many in South Korea and Japan, which are well within striking distance of North Korea's short- and medium-range missiles. If lower level officials can't lay the ground for a bigger deal ahead of the summit, the Kim-Trump meeting could be cancelled, said Lim Eul Chul, a professor at South Korea's Kyungnam University who has advised the Moon government on North Korea-related policies. The sixth Pakistan-led multinational maritime naval drills, Aman 19, kicked off on Friday at the Pakistan Navy Dockyard in Karachi with a colorful flag hoisting ceremony, with navies and observers from 46 countries including China, Russia and the US participating in the five-day exercise. China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy), which has participated in all previous Aman exercises, arrived at the Karachi Navy Dockyard on Thursday. A commander of the PLA Navy who requested anonymity said the PLA Navy sent two warships from the 998 Fleet to participate in the exercise, which consists of a Kunlunshan amphibious transport dock and the supply ship Luomahu. The two Chinese warships and more than 500 Chinese naval soldiers will engage in joint exercises, which include anti-piracy exercises and maritime interception. The exercises "provide not only medium security challenges but also enhance interoperability among navies at different levels of technological power to come together and secure a safe and sustainable maritime environment," Chief of the Pakistani Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi said during the opening ceremony. "I look forward to successful and rewarding exercises and thank all the participants who have traveled great distances to be our worthy guests and invaluable partners in pursuit of peace," the naval chief said. The concept of the exercises is to develop responses, tactics, techniques and procedures (RTTPs) against non-traditional threats through tactical warfare planning, according to the Pakistan Navy. Pakistan Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi welcomed the navies of participating nations for a common resolve of "Together for Peace." "While we talk of operating together, let us be mindful of the threats and challenges that we face at sea. These range from piracy to terrorism to climate change," the admiral said. Ahead of the opening ceremony, armed guards were visible on the streets to secure the area. Starting 2007, Exercise Aman has regularly been conducted every two years (the Aman 15 was not held in 2015 due to some operational commitments of the Pakistan Navy). This year's edition is scheduled from February 8 to 12, where over 45 countries are participating with ships and observers. The exercises have two major phases: harbor and sea phases. Harbor activities include seminars, discussions and demonstrations. A three-day international maritime conference will also be held on the topic, "Global geopolitics in transition and rethinking maritime dynamics in the Indian Ocean region." Maritime activities include high-end warfare serials at sea, such as naval gunfire, anti-piracy, operations, combined anti-submarine exercises, communications, boarding and air defense. The Pakistan Navy has 60 warships, including four F-22P frigates from China, according to Rashid Nazir Choudhary, a Pakistan Navy commander. Four more advanced warships are under construction and will be delivered by 2021, he said. The recent arrest and charging of King Faipopo when he flew into Samoa for his mothers funeral has triggered a lot of public debate. Our reporter Soli Wilson meets members of the public to get their views on the issue. Ekeroma Tasi, 32, Satapuala They need to let King Faipopo go finish what he initially came for. Those are his last moments with his mother let him go. Let him finish before you touch him and do anything, and if you are going to do something, do it the proper way. I hope he wins his cases or gets the most minimum sentencing because King Faipopo was a voice for the voiceless. Tulasunui Misa, 57, Malie The Prime Minister is the father figure of our country and he has been saying ugly words towards our PM which means he should be charged and arrested. Hes violated the law. I have always known he was saying bad things towards our PM and finally hes charged so thats a good thing. This is why we have so many problems its because some people have no respect. Ioane Talosaga, 23, Vaoala Now we have seen that King Faipopo is charged and arrested I think this is not right. We shouldnt have done this. We should have gone through the right way. Why isnt there a court case first before arresting him? Do they have solid grounds? Everything has to be done the proper way. I am with King Faipopo on this one. Sao Auapaau, 45, Sinamoga I accept what the Police have done to lock him up and charge him. Hes been talking trash and so he deserves what he got. I agree with the charges because the PM is our leader and he put our whole country in shame, when he decided to talk against our PM, who led Samoa to be at a great level like where we are right now. Sharlene Lemisio, 21, Alafua He was too much anyway, he deserves it. They need to charge him for saying too many things about the PM. I feel sorry for his mother and the reason why he came to Samoa, but he has to be charged. He shouldnt have done that to the Prime Minister, of all places he did it on such a public platform. Disgracing not only our PM but also the whole country. Liz Tui, 42, Moamoa I agree with the arresting of King Faipopo. Weve all heard what he had to say about our PM, its not something you say to a leader of a country. He needs to go attend his mothers funeral and then come and face the music with the charges and maybe have a one-on-one with the PM himself. But if anything, he deserves to be charged. With Samoa now a little over a week into the nationwide ban on single-use plastic bags and straws, many are left wondering just what the future of Samoa will bring. With many still a little skeptical towards the move to phase out single-use plastics, it is understandable that many are feeling uneasy because, well, big changes do bring with it much uncertainty. How will we cope with no plastic after using it for so long? What alternatives are available for us and the private sector? How will this affect our cost of living? And so on. These are only a few, rightfully asked, questions tossed around official and social media platforms. But before our sceptical few band together and grab pitchforks, lets take a small trip around the world to see just how our fellow plastic-ban nations are faring with their decision. First stop, Kenya! Kenya imposed a drastic ban on plastic bags on the 28th August 2017 where a tough penalty fine of USD$40,000 (About SAT105,000), or up to four years of imprisonment, was given to anyone caught producing, selling, or even carrying a plastic bag. Although there would have been much skepticism in Kenya during the early periods of the ban, the Guardian reported that, only eight months into the ban, Kenyas waterways are clearer and the food chain is less contaminated with plastic along with other environmental and social improvements. According to Kenyas Enforcement Director of the National Environment Management Authority, David Ongare, who was also quoted in the above-mentioned article published by the Guardian, there have been so many benefits due to the ban. Our streets are generally cleaner which has brought with it a general feel-good factor, he said in the article. You no longer see carrier bags flying around when its windy. Waterways are less obstructed. Fishermen on the coast and Lake Victoria are seeing fewer bags entangled in their nets. Ongare also explained that they used to find plastic in the guts of roughly three out of every ten animals taken to slaughter (30 per cent of animals with plastic in their guts) this has gone down to one (now 10 per cent of animals with plastic in guts). Similarly, due to much of our plastic waste ending up in our oceans, many studies have found micro-plastic particles in a diverse range of marine life such as fish, seabirds, turtles, whales, dolphins and corals so terrestrial livestock arent the only ones affected in this way. Now lets bring our travels a little closer to home. Next stop, Australia! The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) banned plastic bag usage back in 2011, with many other territories also joining in more recently. According to the ACT online site, due to the ban, there was an overall reduction in the volume of plastic bag waste going to landfill by around one-third. This was attributed to a behavioral change by shoppers reducing plastic bag use. There are many other places with similar plastic-ban success stories. These include a handful of states in the USA, Karnataka-India, Chile, United Kingdom and China with more planning to join soon, such as New Zealand. Our fellow Pacific Island nations have also been proactive, for instance, Marshall Islands, Vanuatu and Niue have made similar bans in their own island nations and have been doing well since. Many other Island nations plan to join them soon. Fiji is one Island nation who recently announced their plastic-ban plans to be imposed by the year 2020, strengthening action following on from their current nationwide plastic levy initiative that has been running for some time now. Now our journey brings us back home to Samoa. Although our island does not generate significant plastic waste, when compared to much larger nations, our plastic waste still contributes to the degradation of our environment, resulting in adverse effects on our wellbeing. The Director General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), Leota Kosi Latu, added that SPREP would like to congratulate the Government and people of Samoa on taking initiative in banning single-use plastic bags and straws. It is a continuing show of Pacific leadership and commitment to addressing the problem of plastic pollution and marine litter. Leota continued to add that a survey in Samoa on waste composition and clean-up data in 2016 found that 56 per cent of litter collected was plastic and that 75 per cent of these plastics can be classified as single used plastics. Furthermore, a survey on waste generation and composition of waste that ends up at the Tafaigata landfill that was done in 2011 and 2017 clearly emphasized the significant increase in wastes from 26,000 tons per annum in 2011 to 32,850 tons per annum in 2017. A significant increase of 21 per cent waste generation within six years with about 27 per cent of the waste generated being plastic. It was estimated that about 9000 tons of plastic is generated in one year. This data amount is significant and canvasses the degree of pollution caused by plastics. As Leota points out, we are doing our bit, and as we move forward, it reminds me of a quote from a wise scholar that we dont have to get it perfect right away Dont let the perfect be the enemy of the good, adds Conservation International Pacific Island Marine Programme Director, Schannel van Dijken. This first step in banning plastic is not going be perfect. Its a great first step and as we know it will develop, grow, and continue to have more positive impact on our lives and environment. People are already starting to change their behavior, and I love walking into stores and seeing people walk in with their own re-usable bags. Well done Samoa, well done to the Government of Samoa, well done SPREP, and well done to all the other organizations that have helped bring rubbish and waste to the forefront of our minds such as ProGreen Samoa and other youth groups, and all the partners in the Vaa based environmental education Guardians campaign - Youth Climate Action network, Samoa Conservation Society and the Samoa Voyaging Society. Its through everyone and every group working together in Samoa that we can instigate such long lasting change. So, looking at these success stories around the world (more success stories can be found online) and with so many places also planning to ban plastic, Samoa has nothing to worry about regarding the plastic ban. If anything, this is a great first step towards beating plastic and we can all look forward to a cleaner Samoa with a more feel-good atmosphere. And we can also look forward to fewer micro-plastic-filled livestock and fish to eat if we dont like eating plastic in our food, I am sure marine and terrestrial animals dont either. So, support the ban and lets beat plastic together Samoa! Protest rally in Dheala denounces Saudi aggression war crimes [11/February/2019] DHEALA, Feb. 11 (Saba) A protest rally was on Monday held by dozens of Yemeni women in Dheala province to condemn the Saudi-led aggression's war crimes and violation in Yemen. In the rally, the participants delivered several speeches expressing the Yemeni woman's role in defend the homeland and backing the army with theirs sons to confront the coalition in the battle fronts. The rally criticized the international community's silence towards the coalition crimes against the Yemeni people from women and children, hailing the achievements and triumphs of the army in various fronts. saba Eight Saudi soldiers killed in Jizan [11/February/2019] JIZAN, Feb. 11 (Saba) - Eight Saudi soldiers were killed on Monday in an ambush in Jizan province, a military official told Saba. The ambush was carried out by the army's units against the soldiers in al-Madafan area, the official added. Since March 26, 2015, the Saudi-led coalition have intervened in Yemen's sovereignty and internal affairs, and waged a military operation against the Yemeni army and people in flagrant violations of the international conventions. saba PM reviews with Acting Speaker of Shura Council integrative relations towards priority issues [11/February/2019] SANAA, Feb. 11 (Saba) - Prime Minister Dr. Abdulaziz bin Habtoor on Sunday discussed with the Acting Speaker of the Shura Council Mohammed Al-Aidarous the nature of complementary relations towards the issues of common priority related to the challenges of the current situation. The meeting dealt with the Shura Council's plan for the current year and the related topics related to government activity, especially those related to the repercussions of the aggression and the continuous Saudi-American siege against the Yemeni people for nearly four years. Al-Aidarous explained the activities carried out by the Shura Council, whether in the framework of his routine work sessions or through his field trips, especially to the camps for the displaced. He pointed to the recommendations reached by the Council in the context of its discussion of the tax and monetary aspects, as well as the results of the visit of a number of its members to the city of Hodeidah. He said that the Council's plan for the past year is full of achievements despite the difficulties faced. The Acting Speaker of the Shura Council pointed out that the Council, within the framework of the implementation of its internal regulations, reshaped its specialized committees and elected its presidents. He stressed that the Council is currently preparing its comments on the development of the national vision to further develop the structure of the modern state of Yemen. In his turn, the Prime Minister noted the vital role played by the Shura Council as a constitutional institution ins supporting the government with its valuable recommendations based on the experience of its members who are involved in institutional work. He stressed that the government looks very appreciative to the Council and its important recommendations related to governmental institutional activity. He pointed out that the government will not hesitate to play any supporting role of the Council and its plan for the current year. AA Saba The year 2019 is special for China-US ties. On January 1, 1979, China and the US established formal diplomatic ties. There is an old saying in China that "at 40, one should be no longer confused". It means at 40, we can figure out many things. However, when US-China relations enter the 40th year, it seems far from being "no longer confused". Over the past year, bilateral relations have seen crests and troughs. The trade war was like a raging fire. Voices like "decouple", "new Cold War", "Thucydides Trap" have become shriller. Both countries are facing a tough moment. Once again, Beijing and Washington need to determine the direction of their bilateral ties. "Consider the past and you shall know the future" goes another saying in China. Reviewing the past helps us know the future. Looking back at the 40 years' of China-US relationship, although bilateral ties have been choppy, there has been historic progress. 40 years ago, the number of visits between the two states was only several thousand annually, but in 2017 it exceeded 5.3 million. Four decades ago, the bilateral trade volume stood at less than $2.5 billion. However, in 2017, it hit over $580 billion. Investment between the two nations increased from nearly zero in 1979 to over $230 billion in 2017. Over the 40 years, Beijing and Washington have cooperated bilaterally, regionally and internationally from solving regional issues to fighting terrorism, from dealing with international financial crisis to promoting global economic issues. Over time, bilateral relations have also seen setbacks. There have been four incidents that have affected ties over decades. The first one took place between 1989 and 1991, when US-led countries slapped sanctions on China, including the suspension of high-level contact and military communication between the two states. Afterward, more than 20 nations followed the US to crack down on China. Hence, bilateral relations cratered??? since 1972. The crisis across the Taiwan Straits from 1995 to 1996 was the second one. In May 1995, the US government approved then Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui's visit to Cornell University in the US. To counter Taiwan independence forces, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) launched military exercises and missile tests near Taiwan waters in July and August 1995 and March 1996. During the second exercise, Washington warships USS Independence and USS Nimitz sailed into Taiwan Straits. The third crisis was a missile attack on the Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia by US-led NATO on May 7, 1999, triggering the Chinese people's fury. China-US aircraft collision in 2001 was the fourth one in which a US Navy EP-3 reconnaissance plane and a PLAnaval F-8 fighter collided killing Chinese pilot Wang Wei. The US plane landed at Lingshui airport on Hainan Island without China's permission. The four incidents had a huge impact on bilateral ties, bringing them to a tearing point. However, these crises prompted leaders of both countries to invest plenty of time and energy to address these issues by ramping up communication between the two governments and enhancing mutual understanding, restoring normalcy in ties. Experience can offer lessons for fluctuating China-US relations. First, both countries need to seek mutual interest. Positive China-US ties began with common geopolitical requirements. After the Cold War, both nations agreed to strengthen economic and trade cooperation as globalization dawned. Although the two countries are involved in a trade dispute, there is still room to expand economic and trade ties. There is much more to China-US ties than the trade dispute. Additionally, the two have consistently sought common interest in preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, dealing with financial crises and climate change. These have contributed to the development of relations. Second, as ties are complicated and so are domestic realities, the heads of the two states should play a leading role in dealing with ties. Third, the two governments are supposed to explore institutional links. China and the US are two great powers with diverse social systems, ideologies, cultures and traditions. It is normal that conflicts and problems between the two exist. The key is how to manage them, so that they do not hurt relations. Effective communication between the two governments is one way of coping with it. Finally, social communication between the countries should be expanded. Crises lead to erosion of Washington-Beijing ties, while tackling them not only controls them, but also enables both sides to become more familiar with each other and more aware of the intentions of both sides. With competitive relations, crises and controlling them may be a common course bilateral ties take. Therefore, we need to prepare mentally for such eventualities. 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As the company's President, Patrick J. Kelly explains, "From the internet to telecommunication advancements, social media to smart phones, I've watched how technological innovation has made it easier to do business. [] Kelly Insurance has always welcomed technology when it can be utilized to improve [our clients'] experience." Especially in the high-tech Information Age, it is this personal touch that distinguishes Kelly Insurance's customer service, making it the insurance agency of choice for people in Limerick, Collegeville, Skippack, and surrounding areas. While some services can be automated, which may save customers time when dealing with insurance claims, truly exceptional customer service demands the dedication of well-trained, qualified staff. These Kelly Insurance professionals personally respond to customers' inquiries with clear explanations and expert advice, reassuring them in difficult situations. The company's loyal customers appreciate Kelly Insurance's knowledge and commitment. As one customer of over twenty years stated, "I cannot say enough about the level of service and advice that they provided on recommending the appropriate insurance coverage for our properties and cars, but also how they provide guidance and assistance in those times that we have suffered damage." Already midway through its fourth decade of service, Kelly Insurance continues to be the leading homeowners, business, and auto insurance resource for people in Limerick, Skippack, Collegeville, Royersford, and Phoenixville. Kelly Insurance's devotion to the citizens of southeastern Pennsylvania is evidenced by its phenomenal customer service, which continues to attract new customers while ensuring the satisfaction of long-term patrons. For more information on Kelly Insurance Group's Policies, please visit their site https://www.kellyins.com/ About Kelly Insurance Agency In business since 1984, Kelly Insurance Agency offers personal and commercial insurance in Skippack, Royersford, Phoenixville, Collegeville, and Limerick, Pennsylvania. About 50 Russian children still in Iraqi prison ombudsman Kuznetsova RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 11:33 11/02/2019 MOSCOW, February 11 (RAPSI) Nearly 50 Russian children are still in an Iraqi prison, Russias child rights ombudsman Anna Kuznetsova wrote Monday on her Instagram page. The children are expected to be returned to Russia soon, the statement reads. Earlier, the Emergency Ministry s charter flight transported 27 minors along with their convicted or prosecuted mothers from a Baghdad prison to Moscow. In late December, 30 other children aged from 3 to 5 were released from the prison in Baghdad and came back to Russia with the participation of doctors, psychologists, rescuers and employees of the federal ombudsmans office. Prosecutor demands suspended sentence for ex-school principal accused of extortion RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 16:33 11/02/2019 MOSCOW, February 11 (RAPSI) A prosecutor has asked a court in Elista, a city in the southern part of Russia and the capital of the Kalmykia Republic, to pass a 2-year suspended sentence and a 1-year probation on ex-school principal Marina Gederim charged with abuse of authority by extortion, the victims lawyer Vitaly Zubenko has told RAPSI. However, one of the victims, Larisa Yakupova believes Gederim must be also prohibited from practicing the profession, the attorney has added. In August 2018, a court in Kalmykia acquitted Gederim in this case while prosecutors sought a 2-year suspended sentence for her. Prosecutors and victims have appealed the acquittal. In October, the republican Supreme Court overturned the ruling and ordered retrial. Earlier, victim Larisa Yakupova complained that the school authorities demanded money from parents for various needs including buying new school furniture and schoolbooks. According to Zubenko, in 2017, Gederim asked parents of first-grade pupils to buy the furniture masquerading as voluntary donation. Detention of convicted businessman Mikhalchenko as part of new case upheld RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 14:59 11/02/2019 MOSCOW, February 11 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court on Monday upheld a lower courts ruling to hold CEO of Forum Holding Company Dmitry Mikhalchenko convicted of alcohol trafficking in detention until March 21 as part of a new case against him, RAPSI reports from the courtroom. The court thus refused to release the businessman from jail, in particular on a 50-million-ruble bail, as requested by defense. Mikhalchenko is suspected of organizing a criminal group and embezzlement. On December 28, the Basmanny District Court of Moscow found Mikhalchenko guilty of alcohol smuggling and sentenced him to 4 years and 7 months in prison. However, the term is to expire on April 19. Two other defendants in the alcohol smuggling case, Boris Korevsky and Alexey Mishchenko, were also convicted. Korevsky was given 5 years behind bars, Mishchenko received a 3-year suspended sentence. Mikhalchenko was arrested and detained in late March 2016. Investigators claimed that he had organized trafficking of alcoholic products from countries of the European Union. According to the prosecution, in 2015, the products were bought in European shops, collected in the port of Hamburg and then smuggled into Russia. The caused damage was estimated at more than 61 million rubles (about $1 million). Forum Holding Company established in 2011 is one of the largest multibusiness companies in Saint-Petersburg. The company has united several dozens of the citys enterprises and organizations. Forum Holding consists of industrial enterprises, such as "Spinning Mill named after S.M. Kirov", the oldest textile industry enterprise in Russia, "Izmeron" factory, one of technological leaders of Russias downhole equipment market, according to the companys website. Sentence of four defendants in $20 mln cosmodrome embezzlement case to be reviewed RIA Novosti, Sergey Mamontov 13:57 11/02/2019 MOSCOW, February 11 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Courts Presidium on Monday overturned a ruling mitigating sentence of four defendants in a case over 1.3-billion-ruble embezzlement (about $20 million) during the Vostochny Cosmodrome construction, the courts press service told RAPSI. The court therefore granted a cassation appeal filed by prosecution and sent the case back to an appeals court for reconsideration. In February 2018, the Simonovsky District Court of Moscow sentenced Degtyareva to 4.5 years in prison; her father Sergey Degtyarev, who is believed to be the real owner of the company, received an 8-year prison term; ex-VVCC managers Alexander Bazankov and Murat Matuyev were given 6 and 5.5 years in prison respectively. Additionally, Degtyareva, Bazankov and Matuyev were fined 1 million rubles (about $15,200) each, and Sergey Degtyarev was fined 1.5 million rubles (about $23,000). In October, the Moscow City Court mitigated sentence of Degtyarev to 5 years and 2 months. His daughters sentence was reduced 3 years and 10 months; terms of Bazankov and Matuyev were decreased to 4 years and 10 months. The court also reduced fines imposed on the defendants. Moreover, Degtyareva was released in court after recalculation of her sentence in accordance with recent amendments to Russian legislation. Investigators claimed that in 2014, managers of Volga-Vyatka construction company (VVCC), a subcontractor for construction of roads to Vostochny Cosmodrome, received 300 million rubles ($4.5 million) as a down payment and expended the money for other purposes. Moreover, they channeled the public money to affiliated firms and individuals at a charge. According to the indictment, the total damage caused by the defendants was estimated at over 1.3 billion rubles. The construction of the space center, due to become Russia's main launch site, began in 2012. The first launch vehicle operation was carried out on April 28, 2016. Dozens of cases over embezzlement during the construction of Vostochny Cosmodrome have been launched in several Russian regions. If you are not redirected automatically, please follow this link Join Us In Celebrating Our 39th Anniversary! We are celebrating the Queens Gazettes 39th anniversary but unlike Jack Benny who was eternally 39, we look forward to hitting 40, and many,... We Are So Excited To Begin Summertime! We are looking forward to that bohemian, sensual existence, being out in the sunshine, at the parks and beaches, and also dining outside because we... Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Certainly, one race or sex is not superior to another. To ignore systemic oppression and its impact on the past and present policies, however, is to put ones head into the sand. I was struck by the fact that even recently, most white Americans were unaware of the Tulsa Race Massacre of June 1, 1921 when mobs of white residents attacked black residents and destroyed homes and businesses in the Greenwood district in Tulsa. Thirty-five plus square blocks of the neighborhood at the time the wealthiest black community in the United States, known as Black Wall Street was decimated, with up to 300 people dead. Ten thousand black people were left homeless and property damage of black businesses and homes was an estimated at $1.5 million in 1921 dollars. It is precisely the omission of this kind of event in local, state, and national histories that establishes the need to examine systemic problems. Arlene Violet on critical race theory. She is a Republican who served as RI Attorney General 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. Roth ready to take charge of Perryville football The excitement for Brent Roth is off the charts as he acclimates himself to his new position. Roth will enter into his dream job next fall when he takes over as the new head coach of Indians basketball continues improvement If a person were to ask St. Vincent boys basketball coach Bruce Valleroy how exactly his teams summer has been going, he couldnt have asked for a better start. St. Vincent participated Michigan Department of Environmental Quality(OSCADA, Mich.) -- On a December morning two years ago, Anthony Spaniola's wife looked out the window of their lakefront cabin in the northern Michigan town of Oscada and told him it had snowed. But the foam whipping around his property in the wind wasn't snow. Spaniola would later learn it was actually a chemical-laced substance that had formed on the surface of nearby Van Etten Lake. After testing the foam, state officials ultimately confirmed a connection to chemical compounds once used at a nearby Air Force base to extinguish jet-fuel fires. Spaniola and his neighbors initially were told the foam was safe, but a month later were warned to steer clear and keep their pets and kids away from it. He sent pictures to local reporters and began reading about chemical compounds referred to as "PFAS" linked to health risks by some experts. Spaniola has since concluded the contamination wasn't an isolated incident. "As I'm coming to the realization that this is a massive, widespread problem, they're just coming back matter-of-factly like, 'Yeah, you're right," he said of state officials. Oscoda, and Michigan, are not unique. Communities around the country have discovered high levels of PFAS chemicals from military bases or manufacturing sites in water tested over the last few years. The Environmental Protection Agency, which under President Donald Trump has rolled back a significant number of federal regulations, is expected to soon release a new national plan to address PFAS. Whereas Trump officials often speak of government overreach and burdensome regulations, several members of Congress have said that if the EPA doesn't set stricter limits on manufacturing chemicals like PFAS, they will push for legislation that will. The issue is so contentious that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has threatened to stall acting EPA chief Andrew Wheeler's nomination to become administrator if the agency doesn't do more. Communities in Schumer's home state of New York are also dealing with high levels of PFAS contamination. "We have one more chance to get the federal government to take a look and put out regulations about PFOA and PFOS, but the signs don't look good," Schumer said at a press conference last week. "I met with the nominee, Mr. Wheeler, and I asked him to put out these regulations, and he said he's not sure he would do it." The EPA has said previously it could change the official designation of some types of PFAS chemicals to "hazardous," triggering more requirements to clean them up. But more recently, Wheeler has said he could not commit to setting mandatory limits on the chemicals when it comes to drinking water. How a scenic lake community became contaminated PFAS, which stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, can refer to hundreds of chemicals, including the kind linked to the foam on Van Etten Lake -- PFOS and PFOA. In addition to military firefighting foam, which is still used today, PFAS chemicals are used in a variety of household items like carpets, nonstick cookware and food packaging. The chemicals are so common that recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show almost everyone in the U.S. has a measurable amount of the chemicals in their blood. In Oscoda, authorities tracked the contamination of Van Etten Lake to Wurtsmith Air Force Base, which closed in 1993. The base, like many other Air Force installations, used a specialized foam to put out fires. PFOS and PFOA in that foam infiltrated drinking water wells on the base, leached into the groundwater and spread to a 8-mile plume that contaminated a nearby marsh, the Au Sable River, Van Etten Lake and Lake Huron, a source of drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people. Michigan began testing the Air Force base for PFAS and related chemicals in 2010. Two years later, a state environmental agency scientist warned of contamination, but most state and local officials were unaware of the findings until 2017, according to the state auditor's office. Property near Oscoda, including Spaniola's cabin, eventually was classified as inhabiting a "zone of concern" over the chemical plume in October 2016. It wasn't until 2017 -- seven years after the base testing and after a group of high school students visiting Van Etten Lake reported seeing the strange foam -- that a Michigan task force was flown in and authorities expanded testing to nearby bodies of water. Residents concerned Residents are still being advised not to eat fish from the Au Sable River or eat deer hunted in the area because of concerns linked to PFAS contamination. Those restrictions are tough in a town like Oscoda, where locals work as lifeguards in the summer and eat fish caught in the Au Sable River. Seasonal visitors and outdoor activities like hunting and fishing are part of the local economy. Meanwhile, recent research shows exposure to PFAS can contribute to immune system disorders and, at higher levels, to kidney disease, thyroid problems and even some kinds of cancer. The science around this class of chemicals isn't advanced enough to link exposure to a diagnosis of a specific health problem, but toxicologist Richard DeGrandchamp said there is enough evidence to justify residents' concerns. "For this particular group of compounds, they insidiously attack the immune system," said DeGrandchamp, who teaches toxicology and epidemiology at the University of Colorado and co-authored the 2012 report about the problems in Michigan. "And, unfortunately, many of our children living in the U.S. right now probably have immunocompromised immune systems." Cathy Wusterbarth, who helped form an advocacy group called Need Our Water, or NOW, said she worked as a lifeguard on the lake for years when she was younger and also worked on the water as a civilian employee for the Air Force. Wusterbarth said she was diagnosed with breast cancer and rheumatoid arthritis the same year, when she was 28 -- conditions she thinks are due to her exposure to PFAS-related chemicals. Wusterbarth recently attended the State of the Union as a guest of Rep. Dan Kildee, who represents Oscoda and Flint, in a bid to bring attention to the contamination. Kildee recently launched a PFAS task force to help inform members of Congress about the problem. "We want to be a catalyst for change and to help educate," Wusterbarth told ABC News. Spaniola said he, too, blames his health problems on the contamination, even if he can't prove it definitively. He said he was diagnosed with celiac disease when he was 50 and his wife has thyroid issues that the couple attributes to exposure to the chemicals. He also said both their dogs died within a year of each other, which he called suspicious. "When those dogs go up to Oscoda, they jump in the lake and they drink like crazy from the lake," he said. "Do I think PFAS had something to do with it? Absolutely, no doubt in my mind." Mark Correll, the Air Force official in charge of environmental cleanups, said he understands the frustration from residents who fear they were exposed through other sources. "They are not unjustified in being concerned, [because] we don't know what the health effects of PFOS and PFOA are," said Correll, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for Environment, Safety and Infrastructure. The response The Air Force first installed equipment to prevent contamination from spreading in 2015 and has since worked to upgrade systems that filter other kinds of contamination from the base to also handle PFOS and PFOA. Air Force officials said they've tested private wells and public drinking water systems in the area and that no one is being exposed to PFOS or PFOA through drinking water. Only one well tested above the EPA recommendations at the time, and the Air Force has since connected that property to a public drinking water supply. Officials from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality said they blame the Air Force for not doing more to prevent contamination. Spokesman Scott Dean said in a statement to ABC News that officials are working aggressively to hold the Air Force accountable. The office's aim "is to see these violation notices and the actions ordered result in a full remedy for the people of Oscoda," Dean wrote. But the Air Force officials said they're still going through a federal dispute resolution process with the state, and the state can't accuse them of violating cleanup requirements while that process is still ongoing. They also said that since the Department of Defense is required to follow federal law in most cases, they can't follow the Michigan state law unless Congress specifically waives the federal requirement. The EPA sets a recommended drinking water limit for PFAS chemicals, which isn't enforceable, and the agency doesn't have any rules on the books when the chemicals are detected in groundwater or surface water like the lake. Correll said going forward that the Department of Defense wants to emphasize PFAS response needs a "whole of government response" from the national government, including addressing health effects and looking at other ways people are exposed such as through the food supply. "Our view is that we have a responsibility but at the same time this is a much bigger problem," he said. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved Vice-Admiral Mark Norman arrives at the courthouse in Ottawa, Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019. Norman's legal team is pointing to several discussions between the Crown and top government lawyers about "trial strategy" as proof of political interference.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Forbes Africa executive Peace Hyde spoke to Fox Radio for her in transforming impoverished communities through her Aim Higher Africa platform. The British/Ghanaian media entrepreneur and founder of education not for profit, Aim Higher Africa has been featured on leading US news platform Fox News for her transformative work in empowering unemployed youths and building grassroots entrepreneurs in Africa. Peace Hyde who is one of only 200 visionary leaders selected to be part of the inaugural class of the 2018 Obama Foundation Leaders Africa program, has continued to push for the rights of street children to get formal education as well as providing support to impoverished communities and families across Ghana and Nigeria. Hyde who also heads up the Forbes Africa digital media and partnerships arm as well as the editorial head for the west Africa region has over the years been celebrated globally for her outstanding contribution to the lives of communities with various nominations including the prestigious Discovery young Health Journalist of the year Award as well as being inducted into the 2017 and 2018 Untied Nations Most Influential People of African Decent list. Aim Higher Africa has over the past 5 years delivered its proprietary MRDT curriculum program to millions of students across the continent in a bid to transform limiting mind-set, break down negative barriers and empower students with design thinking skills with a focus of helping them to identify opportunities within their community that creates long term scalable and sustainable impact. The program was launched in Aim Higher Africas newly opened skills acquisition center in Yaba where students are enrolled in a 6-week intensive vocational and digital skills program after which successful graduates with innovative socially focused business plans, receive an interest free start up loan to transform their dreams into reality. Watch Peace Hyde on Fox Radio below: 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 On Sunday, President Buhari vowed that the forthcoming 2019 presidential election would be the last he would contest. Speaking at a meeting with the royal fathers in the Government House, Buhari promised not to abuse the constitution, noting that he would stop contesting after this coming election. He said the 2019 election would be the fifth time he is contesting for Presidency after he ran for the office of the president under All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), in 2003 and 2007 and failed. He changed to Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), in 2011 and equally failed. But in 2015 when he changed to APC, he won and took the mantle of leadership from Ex-president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. In a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the president charged traditional rulers to do more in curbing banditry and kidnapping in their communities, saying that he felt disappointed that people close to some of them were found to have a hand in such criminality. His words, We are determined to defend the nation and its people. We are disappointed with some of the things going on. You are responsible for the security of your neighborhood. Being close to your people, you know them. You are still relevant. I am sorry this has extended to some of your families. President Buhari said he was contesting this election as his fifth and the last, because as he noted, a second term is what the constitution allows, and I will not abuse the constitution. Source: LIB 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 Eastern Regional Executives of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has organized a two days retreat for the Municipal and District Chief Executives in the municipality. The retreat was held at Achiase Jungle Warfare School, St. Anthony Barracks on Friday, 8th February, 2019. In a statement, the Retreat was organized to equip the MDCEs with physical fitness, Mental Alertness and Team Building at Jungle Warfare School, Seth Anthony Barracks. The outcome of this all important retreat is to help the MDCEs who are also, the Chairpersons of their District and Municipal Security Committees to build a stronger team spirit in order to improve workers engagement and build stronger teamwork in their workplaces. Read full statement below On Friday, 8th February, 2019, a retreat was organized for the Municipal and District Chief Executives of the Eastern Region at Achiase Jungle Warfare School, St. Anthony Barracks. The 2- Day Retreat was organized to equip the MDCEs with physical fitness, Mental Alertness and Team Building at Jungle Warfare School, Seth Anthony Barracks. The outcome of this all important retreat is to help the MDCEs who are also, the Chairpersons of their District and Municipal Security Committees to build a stronger team spirit in order to improve workers engagement and build stronger teamwork in their workplaces. Certificates of participation were presented to the Municipal and District Chief Executives after the retreat. The MDCEs donated one hundred bags of cement to fast track the process of constructing a Hostel Facility for the Jungle Warfare School as part of their corporate social responsibilities. The party therefore, finds it preposterous as to how and why NDC Executives in the Eastern Region will display their ignoramus tendencies in this regard. For the information of the ignorance NDC Eastern Regional Executives, the Achiase Jungle Warfare School runs Capacity Building Workshops in physical Endurance for the MMDAs and the general public who require their services. Additionally, the institution opens its doors to the public for visitation as part of its efforts of building good community relationship. It is important to note that similar retreats have been organized by Achiase Jungle Warfare School for a good number of people including Journalists from the Multimedia Group and other Members of the Ghana Journalists Association. This is public knowledge events and one expects NDC to be aware of this. We are NOT surprised because NDC Executives at their National, Regional, Constituency and Branch levels are made up of dyslexics and so have difficulties reading to comprehend issues of such nature so will write anything. Indeed, the NDC Executives in the Eastern Region by their release signed by their incompetent and inept Regional Communications Officer, have put themselves once again to the public ridicule. Be as it may, the NDC flagbearer Hopeful and the Former President John Mahama declared that when it comes to "UNLEASHING POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN GHANA, NO POLITICAL PARTY CAN MATCH THE NDC". Again, the people of Ghana are aware that the declaration of "WAR in 2020 ELECTIONS" by Mr. Mahama was made for and on behalf of the NDC so it comes to us as a shock as to why the Eastern Regional Executives of the NDC will cry over a physical exercise of our hardworking MDCEs and other Journalists in the Region. We, the Eastern Regional Executives of the New Patriotic Party, believe that the people of Ghana are pleased with the achievements of the President, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo in the areas of Free Senior High schools, introduction of NEIP, One District One Factory, Planting for Food and Jobs, Digitization of the economy, Mobile Money interoperability, Reduction in Electricity, Digital Address System, Creation of New Regions, Stamping out of Corruption through wanton sole sourcing, Restoration of the Teacher and Nursing Trainees Allowances, IPEP, Reviving the Railway sector, NABCO, Restructuring of the Technical and Vocational Education system, massive road projects, etc. which is bringing respite to Ghanaians and for that matter the people of the Eastern Region. The Eastern Regional Executives of the New Patriotic Party is reminding NDC and Mr. "John Unleashing Political Violence Mahama" that the numerous scandals that engulfed his NDC government from 2009 to 2016 such as the WAYOMI Scandal, BUS BRANDING, GYEEDA, NCA CHOP CHOP, SADA Scandals, SSNIT IT Thievery, COCOBOD Stealing, Inflated Contracts prices, etc are fresh in our minds. Ghanaians cannot also, forget the "DUMSOR" which was throughout the reign of Mr. Mahama as the President, destroyed lots of businesses and brought untold hardships to Ghanaians. We, the New Patriotic Party in the Eastern Region wish to assure the general public that our leader and the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo is focused on his developmental agenda for the country unlike the leader of the NDC John Violence Mahama who is engaging thugs to spill the blood of innocent Ghanaians in 2020. That, we in the NPP are NOT party to. Signed: DAVID PRAH EASTERN REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, NPP 0243536617 Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/Peacefmonline/[email protected] 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 General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, Rev. Dr. Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong has admonished Ghanaians to boycott the 2020 General Elections if vigilante groups are not banned. According to him no one should go out and vote if the NPP and NDC continue their 'All-die-be-die' and 'Boot-for-Boot' businesses. Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he expressed disappointment in the government for tolerating such illegality and feared Ghana will be plunged into chaos if such groups affiliated to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) are not disbanded. Ghana is sitting on a time bomb since NDC and NPP are still using vigilante groups . . . because they are both beneficiaries therefore using them to their own advantage. What happened to President Akufo-Addos slogan (The battle is the Lords) adding it would have been better if former president Mahama didn't make his 'boot-for-boot' comment . . . please in 2020 elections lets allow Ghanas democracy to work, he bemoand. He blamed the NDC and NPP for giving legitimacy to such hoodlums to perpetrate violence during elections. His comment follows the violence in the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-elections which led to about 17 sustaining gunshot wounds and a Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George assaulted. The task force, masked and heavily armed, stormed a polling station at La-Bawalashie and shot at persons engaged in the electoral process. It is not yet known what may have prompted the armed security personnel to shoot and injure at least six persons, but police have launched a full-scale investigation. Government has also set up a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the incident - A former Commissioner at the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Justice Emile Short is the Chairperson of the Commission while former Dean of the Faculty of Law of GIMPA and private legal practitioner, Mr. Ernest Kofi Abotsi has been appointed as Secretary to the Commission. Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/Peacefmonline/[email protected] 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 Ghana media houses are expected to be neutral. Even in cases where they are owned by known politicians and popular partisan figures, we expect their media organisations and journalists to exhibit some neutrality and the highest levels of professionalism. But the General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress, (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketia thinks otherwise, and has accused some media houses, especially the Multimedia Group, of dancing to tunes of the ruling NPP government. He accuses them of intentionally refusing to air the "Aagbe Wo" demonstration held last week at Accra According to him, Multimedia ceased transmission on all their TV stations refusing to cover Aagbo Wo because of NPP's munipulations. Speaking on Okay FMs "Ade Akye Abia" programme, he accused the government of being afraid of the massive turn out hence that unfortunate decision. "They have created a platform and that platform asked them to boycott broadcast of our demonstration...to create the impression the turn-out was low....most of the things happening in the country they are behind them," he stressed. Source: Josephine Acheampomaa / [email protected] 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 An Accra Circuit Court on Monday remanded two persons for allegedly defrauding a policewoman of GH60,000 under the pretext of clearing her two vehicles from the port for her. Foster Afomale, a mechanic, was charged with obtaining electronic payment falsely and defrauding by false pretence whilst Kwaku Agbetor, a mason and Togolese was charged with abetment of crime. Their pleas were not taken as prosecution prayed for time to do further investigation. They will return to court on February 18. Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Emmanuel Nyamekye told the Court presided over by Mrs Ruby Naa Aryeetey that the complainant, Florence Antwi is a Police officer stationed at the Kotoka International Airport. According to ASP Nyamekye, in October 2018, Madam Antwi received a text message from a US sim number by which the sender introduced himself as one Captain Richmond Tawiah, a Ghanaian military officer on a UN mission to the United States. The Prosecution said the complainant and the alleged military officer became friends and exchanged messages and pictures. He said the said military man shared his desire of buying himself a car and another one for her. The Prosecution said the complainant showed interest and the alleged officer sent pictures of some cars to her which made her believe that he had bought those cars. ASP Nyamekye said the alleged military man proceeded by sending the contact of a supposed clearing agent, who the complainant contacted. The suposed clearing agent asked the complainant to pay GH60,000 for that purpose. He said a GCB account bearing the name of Agbetor was given to her and she deposited the amount for clearing the cars after conferring with the said military man. The prosecution said after the money was deposited, the phone lines of both the soldier as well as the agent, were blocked and the cars too were not sent to her. ASP Nyamekye said when the 'pictures' of the soldier were used to trace him at Burma camp, the real Captain Randy Tawiah showed up but denied taking part in the scheme and revealed that other ladies have also fallen victim to such scams with the perpetrators using his pictures. He said investigations revealed that the pictures were downloaded from his Facebook wall to perpetuate the crime. The prosecution said on January 14, this year, the suspects were arrested and in their statements, Afomale claimed he received a message alert when the money was deposited so he called Agbetor who came to Aflao to withdraw the money for him, for which he gave Agbetor Gh1,500 as his fee. The Prosecution said Afomale claimed he transferred the money via mobile money to one Daniel Dumenu, the brain behind the crime who is currently serving a jail-term at the Ankaful Prisons. Source: graphic.com.gh 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 Mr Joseph Amoah, the Ghana Shippers Council Committee Chairman of the Ashanti Region, has applauded government for introducing the paperless system at the countrys port. He said it has been an enormous help to relieve shippers of import duty hassles. Mr Amoah said the current system which facilitated electronic payments, has minimized the drudgery of cumbersome bureaucracy - human interface and paper movements. Better still, the cost-saving system has also reduced corruption at the port as well as enhanced faster and a more accurate duty payables, he said. Mr Amoah said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency during its annual get-together held over the weekend. He said the new system allowed shippers to clear their goods in a matter of four hours unlike the old system, which took a week or more. The Chairman said the systems proactive check and balance procedures has ensured well-coordinated periodic checks by officers and made it more formidable. He called on relevant authorities and stakeholders, to intensify education on paperless transition. The paperless system, he said, is an operating system in which all relevant information are captured on a database for easy access and tracking, thus reducing the use of paper significantly. 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 The policeman who allegedly beat up a woman at the Shiashie branch of Midland Savings and Loans Limited, Lance Corporal Frederick Amanor Godzi, aka Skalla, has been discharged by the Accra Circuit Court. Godzi was charged with assault for allegedly beating Ms Patience Osafo, a customer of Midland, on its premises on July 19, 2018, when she went there to withdraw her money. Also set free by the court are the three officials of Midland who were standing trial for allegedly aiding Godzi to assault Ms Osafo. They are Jocelyn Kukua-Fakah, the Operations Manager, Shirley Portia Anaman, Customer Service Officer, and Prince Ayensu, a driver. Checks by the Daily Graphic revealed that the four accused were discharged by the court, presided over by Ms Cecilia Dapaah Mireku, in December 2018. The court discharged the accused due to the lack of interest in the trial by Ms Osafo. She is said to have failed to appear before the court to testify. She also failed to avail herself to help the police with investigations. Godzi was captured in a video that subsequently went viral assaulting 36-year-old Ms Osafo, who was carrying a baby and had gone to the Shiashie branch of Midland Savings and Loans to withdraw part of her GHS270 savings. Members of the public expressed outrage over the incident and subsequently the policeman was arrested and interdicted, while investigations into the case began. Compensation It is not clear why Ms Osafo showed no interest in the trial, but even before the court discharged L/Corporal Godzi, his counsel had begged the court to allow an out-of-court settlement on the basis that the charge of assault levelled against his client was not a felony but a misdemeanour. Also, a few days after the incident, Ms Osafos lawyers and Midland Savings and Loans reached a compensation agreement. One of her lawyers, Samson Lardi Anyenini, revealed that the savings and loans company had offered her a generous deal for her ordeal. VIDEO= Source: graphic.com.gh 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 A Nigerian soldier who was due to get married this Friday February 1st, has died in a recent attack by Boko Haram members. According to his friends who are mourning on social media, Isa who killed in the recent Boko Haram attack in Buni Yadi, Yobe state. Himself and his bride-to-be recently had their pre-wedding photos released and were anticipating their big day. Sadly, that would never happen as his life was cut short while prosecuting the war against the sect members. May his soul rest in peace, Amen. 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 National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) on Febuary 8th, 2019 participated in the 2nd Ghanaian-Hungarian Agriculture Forum held at the Embassy of Hungary. In a statement, "The Union engaged the professor and all stakeholders available on how best the Union can collaborate with the Szen Isatvan University, Hungary to secure scholarship opportunities for students interested in studying there." Read Full Statement Below The National Union of Ghana Students represented by Kobby Otchere Marfo, Eric Asante Guggisberg and Micheal Ofori; Press and Information Secretary, Financial Controller and Treasurer respectively on February 8, 2019, participated in the 2nd Ghanaian-Hungarian Agricultural Forum at the Embassy of Hungary. The forum was held in commemoration of the visit of Prof. Erika Micheli, Head of Doctoral School of Environmental Sciences, Szen Istvan University, Hungary and Researchers from the Hungarian Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre (NARIC) to Ghana. It was a platform for NUGS to engage the professor in possibilities on educational and research cooperation for Ghanaian students studying Environmental Science, Agriculture and its related courses to help strengthen the agricultural sector of our nation, Ghana. The Union engaged the professor and all stakeholders available on how best the Union can collaborate with the Szen Isatvan University, Hungary to secure scholarship opportunities for students interested in studying there. NUGS is ever committed in ensuring that Ghanaian students access all the necessary opportunities in their academic and social life. Thank You Signed Kobby Otchere Marfo Press & Information Secretary, NUGS 0240852651 Tinkaro Asare Osei President ,NUGS 0543253243 Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/Peacefmonline/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has admonished African leaders to strengthen their commitment and scale up the momentum in the implementation of the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We have to implement the SDGs with great gusto, he told his peers. Addressing African leaders on the sidelines of the ongoing African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, yesterday, he said: We have the capacities, creativity, knowledge and resources to lead the world in the implementation of the SDGs. So let us be up and doing. The SDGs are about hope and they are investments for our future the future of our youth and that of generations yet unborn. He said the implementation of the SDGs was the best way to guarantee progress for the people, adding that posterity will be the judge of our determination and resolve. President Akufo-Addo was joined by the Prime Minister of Norway, Erna Solberg, who is the co-Chair of the UN SDGs, to address the African leaders. Aspirations The President noted that when the Founding Fathers of the then Organisation of Africa Unity (OAU), which metamorphosed into the AU, met in Addis Ababa in 1963 to adopt the OAU Charter, their overarching aspirations were the attainment of freedom, equality, justice and dignity and the economic transformation of the African continent, driven by the continents immense natural and human resources. Today, those aspirations are embodied both in the 2030 UN SDGs and in the AUs Agenda 2063, he added. Agenda of SDGs With the global community collectively adopting the noble agenda of the SDGs as a framework to tackle the many challenges that currently confronted the world, he said, he was convinced that 17 SDGs present our generation with a great opportunity to fight inequality on all fronts, wipe out extreme poverty, tackle the issues of climate change, reverse the degradation and unsustainable use of our environmental and marine resources, transform our economies and bring enhanced prosperity to our peoples. The strong degree of convergence between the SDGs and Agenda 2063 makes it imperative that we leverage implementation of the SDGs to achieve the goals and objectives of our Agenda 2063. With the substantial progress that our continent is making on many fronts, I stand firmly with those who say that this is Africas moment, he added. However, in order to fully capture the ambitions of the African people, he urged African leaders to take advantage of the opportunities that the SDGs presented. President Akufo-Addo recalled that the SDGs took inspiration from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were instigated by the bold vision of one of the continents most illustrious sons, the former UN Secretary-General, the late Kofi Annan. He noted that success in the implementation of the SDGs is exactly what Kofi Annan would have wished. Source: Daily Graphic 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 Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has praised the legacy and achievements of the celebrated Ghanaian Industrialist Dr. Mrs Esther Ocloo and urged young entrepreneurs to emulate her can do spirit. According to Mr Nkrumah, work of Dr. Ocloo should serve as an inspiration to a generation of industrialists and spur innovation and productivity. Mr. Nkrumah was delivering the key note address at a ceremony in Accra to launch activities marking the centenary celebration of the life of Dr. Mrs Esther Ocloo who died in 2002 on the theme honoring a legend of her time. He said the late renowned industrialist dedicated her life in helping others especially women and gave many the hope that they to can succeed. The AGI is a befitting living tribute to her legacy but it will be important to institutionalise her vision and the values that she stood for so that the next generation of industrialists here in Ghana can learn from it he added. The Minister said like Dr. Ocloo, many young people can also take up the challenge and make major contributions to the development of the country. We live in a time when increasingly the role of the everyday citizen is downplayed and for every matter that comes up officialdom or government is looked to for solutions. But there is a lot of room for the everyday Ghanaian to make major contribution like she did to the development of our nation he noted. The Ofoase Ayirebi legislator charged the media to make time to highlight her success story, legacy and promote how todays young business community can learn from it. Dr. Mrs Esther Ocloo Dr. Mrs Esther Ocloo pioneering work in the development of the indigenous industrial sector in the country led to her establishing Nkulenu Industries as the first food processing factory in the then Gold Coast in 1942 which inspired many to do same. Thirty decades later she introduced Ghanaian foods through her industrious drive onto the International Market and paved way for the export of several other Ghanaian food brands. Her work led to the establishment of the Federation of Ghana Industries in 1958, now the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) to advocate for research on and to promote businesses in Ghana. In 1988, Dr. Esther Ocloo co-founded Aid to Artisans Ghana to promote and support the development of handicrafts in Ghana for export thus helping to create employment and increase incomes of various artisans. When she departed to her maker in March 2002, the government then, headed by President John Agyekum Kufuor honoured her with a state burial. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007 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 An Accra Circuit Court on Monday remanded two persons for allegedly defrauding a policewoman of GHC60,000.00 under the pretext of clearing her two vehicles from the port for her. Foster Afomale was charged with obtaining electronic payment falsely and defrauding by false pretence whilst Kwaku Agbetor, a Togolese was charged with abetment of crime. Their pleas were not taken as prosecution prayed for time to do further investigations. They are to reappear on February 18. Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Emmanuel Nyamekye told the Court presided over by Mrs Ruby Naa Aryeetey that Afomale is a mechanic and Agbetor a mason. He said the complainant in the case, Florence Antwi is a Police officer, stationed at the Kotoka International Airport. Afomale lived at Kwabenya in Accra. ASP Nyamekye said in October 2018, Madam Antwi received a text message from a US sim number of which the sender introduced himself as one Captain Richmond Tawiah, a Ghanaian military officer on a UN mission to the United States. The Prosecution said the complainant and the alleged military officer became friends and exchanged messages and pictures. He said the said military man shared his desire of buying himself a car and another one for her since cars were cheaper in the US compared to Ghana. The Prosecution said complainant showed interest and the alleged officer sent pictures of some cars to her which made her believe that he had bought those cars. ASP Nyamekye said the alleged military man proceeded by sending the contact of a supposed clearing agent, who the complainant contacted. The Prosecution said the alleged clearing agent asked the complainant to pay GHC60,000.00 for that purpose. He said a GCB account number bearing the name of Agbetor was given to her and she deposited the amount for clearing the cars after conferring with the said military man. The Prosecution said, after the money was deposited, the phone lines of both the soldier as well as the agent, were blocked and the cars too were not sent to her. ASP Nyamekye said when the said pictures of the soldier were used to trace him at Burma camp, the real Captain Randy Tawiah showed up but denied taking part in the scheme and revealed that other ladies have also fallen victim to such scams with the perpetrators using his pictures. He said investigations revealed that the pictures were downloaded from his Facebook wall to perpetuate the crime. The Prosecution said on January 14, this year, the two were arrested; one in Togo, the other in Ghana. 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 Mr I.K. Gyasi, a retired educationist, has advised the Ghana Education Service (GES) and government to scrap the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) if there would not be any cutoff point for students who are entering second cycle institutions in Ghana. According to the veteran educationist, the BECE basically determines how many students qualify to enter second cycle institutions, but, since there is no cutoff point for students who benefit from the Free Senior High School (SHS) and get admitted into these schools, it would not be out of place for the GES to scrap the BECE. Mr Gyasi, who spoke to The Chronicle in an interview over a wide range of issues, said what is currently at play is the open-ended examination, in which students take the examination and enroll into the second cycle schools, and expressed his dissatisfaction in the face of the inherent expenses and time wasting. I am not happy about the open-ended examination. If that is the case, then spare us the expenses and energy, he bemoaned. He explained that he does not abhor the Free SHS policy, which makes every child have access to education, but indicated that there was no need for the BECE, if every student had to qualify to SHS. Referring to the backgrounds of all time greatest boxer and politician respectively, Mohammed Ali and Winston Churchill, to buttress a point, Mr. Gyasi stressed that everyone has a God-given talent which should be developed, and not necessarily pass through the SHS. The former columnist of The Chronicle expressed worry that, as a country, we do not have a school of art, music and others to provide opportunities for people to develop their talents. He said it should not be the end of the world for a child who does not go to school, but rather there must be an opportunity for the child to develop his or her talent. Mr Gyasi questioned the reason why someone who wants to undertake pastry making should go to the SHS and read Home Economics. He mentioned that a contemporary Ghanaian student should be able to read, write and have arithmetic literacy, which, according to him, should be the basic education everyone Ghanaian child should acquire. Mr Gyasi, a former Headmaster of T.I. Ahmadiyya School (AMASS), also took a swipe against the GES stance on collection of Parent Teachers Association (PTA) dues. The GES recently directed that the levying of PTA dues must stop, but the retired educationist has asked the GES not to demonise PTAs, since they have done a yeomans job in developing schools in Ghana. He argued that had it not been for the PTAs, many SHSs would have collapsed, and said during his days at AMASS, the PTA had to bail the school by building a dormitory for the students, when the need arose. He noted that there are instances where PTA levies go into the provision of furniture. Had it not been for PTAs, some schools would have collapsed, if they had not supported the government in the running of the schools, especially, at times when governments subvention delayed, he said. The retired educationist admonished the government to be careful with the PTA issue, so that they dont later tell Ghanaians that the government alone cannot develop the schools. He further cautioned that criticising the directive should not be construed to mean an anti-government stance. On the ban of corporal punishment, Mr Gyasi expressed his disapproval, saying caning should be part of the correction methods and must be standard. He questioned what mechanism should be used in instilling fear in students following the ban on corporal punishment by the GES, criticising the impact of foreign cultures on us. Mr. Gyasi emphasised that corporal punishment should be controlled to avoid excesses by some teachers. Source: The Chronicle 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 Feature: Where is Paul Afoko? Politics is a tricky game, one day you are up and there and think the whole world is under your feet, another you vanish into nothingness. Once upon a time, the embattled former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), made the headlines. He was the hottest and the biggest selling ticket in town. You miss his story and you lose readership and all that comes with it. The contest that led to his election as the National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was marred with allegations and counter-allegations. He was almost disqualified when some faceless individuals sent a petition to the party, about what he is alleged to have done some times back in the United Kingdom. He scaled that hurdle, and was later to be rumoured to be against the candidature of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. This allegation gained currency, when the party assembled in Tamale, the Northern regional capital for its national delegates congress. As faith, would have it, Paul Afoko won, despite all the mudslinging, treachery, betrayal that trailed his campaign, but his woes was just beginning. His first decision as the National Chairman, was met with resistance and bloodshed, it was perhaps the first dose the country had of the activities of NPP thugs, who have been co-opted into the national security to terrorise innocent Ghanaians, as witnessed in the by-election in Ayawaso West Wuogon. Paul Afoko and the new executives, including the General Secretary, Kwabena Agyei Agyapong, decided to change the security men at the party headquarters. This decision was met with resistance and what happened, they say the rest is history. He and his new too known executives, after this failed attempt, make another bold move by relieving the partys Director of Finance and Administration, the late Opare Hammond of his post, the deputy Communications Director Perry Okudzeto, was also asked to proceed on leave. After the gruesome murder of the Upper East regional chairman of the NPP, Adams Mahama, Paul Afoko, and Kwabena Agyapong, were prevented from having access to their office. The same monster the Invisible Force, were behind this move. The two were accused of masterminding the killing of Adams Mahama. It took the intervention of Nana Akufo-Addo, who was the presidential candidate before the two were allowed access to their offices. The problems kept compounding to the extent that, discussions at party meetings, were in the media the next morning, with even sitting positions of all who attended. Former president John Agyekum Kufuor, got worried about the turn of events and so called for a truce. In attendance at the meeting were prominent Ghanaians, including some men of God. Some of the people who present to broker the peace at President Kufuors house, were Rev Prof Emmanuel Martey, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Bishop Charles Palmer Buckle and Pastor Mensa Otabil, among others. This noble and well intentioned move of the former president was short-lived, as the parties left the place more determined to do each other in than ever. The final plot was finally hatched and so on October 23, 2015, the Communications Director of the NPP, Nana Akomea at a press conference at NPP National Headquarters in Asylum Down, Accra, announced the suspension of Paul Afoko. This was the final nail on the coffin of a man, who never got the chance to enjoy his position, all because he was perceived to be anti-Nana Addo. As it was from the beginning, he took his case to the court of public opinion through the media. He fought, bought airtime, pages in newspapers, and eventually the case ended in court. The court agreed with the decision of the National Executive Committee (NEC) which considered the report of the National Disciplinary Committee. Many people, had thought that, when the dust settled and Paul Afoko ate a humble pie, after the victory of the NPP and Nana Addo in the 2016 election, he was going to be given at least a Board to chair, but no. The Akufo-Addo, we knew yesterday, is still the Akufo-Addo to today and will be tomorrow. He never forgives. Paul Afoko was last seen at the 80th birthday celebration of former president Kufuor. A picture of him and president Akuo-Addo, shaking hands went viral. This is their first meeting in three years, President Akufo-Addo, is reported to have said Mr Chairman, how are you doing? To which Paul Afoko, responded Mr President, I am ok. I hear of you everyday. Paul Afoko, is no stranger to controversy, at the University of Ghana, Legon, when 17 people contested to leave the NPP for election 2008, he was accused of bribing delegates to vote for the current Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kwawdo Kyeremanten. This perhaps marked the beginning of Afokos problem with Nana Addo. His fate was sealed before he was even elected as Chairman of the party. Source: The Herald 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 Telecommunication companies are considering legal action against individuals, groups and companies whose activities result in fibre cuts. This has become necessary because engagements with the National Engineering Co-ordinating Team to sanitise work around the right of ways and road reservation corridors have not yielded results as telecoms cables and infrastructure continue to suffer great damage. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Telecoms Chamber, Ign. Kenneth Ashigbey lamented the service loss to customers, the incalculable damage to industry reputation, and revenue loss to the state and mobile network providers. He decried the worrying trend, which, he explained, spikes operational costs of the network operators, reduces last mile connectivity and rural expansion projects, not forgetting the effect on the security of the Ghanaian citizen, who requires uninterrupted telecommunications services. Perpetrators of fibre cuts Fibre optic cables laid with all requisite fees paid to mandated authorities continue to suffer persistent cuts from road constructions and other private development activities such as property developers, farming activities, other utility providers, etc., despite engagements with the National Engineering Co-ordinating Team to sanitise work around the right of ways and road reservation corridors, he emphasised. Sharp rise in fibre cuts Statistics compiled by the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications show a sharp rise in incessant fibre cuts, which is responsible for poor quality of service, as well as imposing huge financial burden on service providers. Negative impact of fibre cuts The fibre cuts create network challenges such as call drops, speech mutation, calls not going through and poor voice signals, as well as degrades user service quality and experience. This negative development also spikes operational costs of the network operators, reduces last mile connectivity and rural expansion projects, not forgetting the effect on the security of the Ghanaian citizen, who requires uninterrupted telecommunications services. Fibre cuts rise exponentially According to data from Telcos Chamber, the number of cuts is going up exponentially. 30% rise in fibre cuts in Jan 2019 For example, the number of cuts recorded in January 2018 was 203, but this number jumped by over 30% in January 2019. Repairs cost $16m in 2015 The data revealed that it cost over $16 million to repair the damages in 2015. $400,000 monthly cost of repairs in 2015 This put the monthly average cost of repairs to about $400,000 in 2015. Repairs cost $700,000 in Jan 2019 However, the statistics revealed that in January 2019, over $700,000 was spent on repair of damages due to fibre cuts. Repair costs almost doubled This means that the monthly average cost of repairs has almost doubled in January 2019, compared to the 2015 monthly average figure. Downtime worsens The statistics also established that the average time for restoring the cuts and the downtimes are also increasing, making the cost in terms of reputation and loss of revenue incalculable. Telcos key to development Mobile telecommunications services are fundamental to the effective functioning of the state as they are critical to national security, as well as economic and social activities. However, despite the clear importance of this service, and with its immense infrastructure and meshed networks built to support the deployment of the service, mobile network operators continue to suffer fibre cuts, which disrupts service quality and interrupts the network. NCA imposes GH34 fines on telcos in 2019 Last month, industry regulator, the National Communications Authority (NCA) imposed fines totalling GH34 million (GH34,065,000) on the four telecommunication companies for poor quality of service AirtelTigo picked up the heftiest fine of GH11.6 million (GH11,635,000). All other telcos also received sanctions, with Glo being fined GH4.4 million (GH4,460,000); MTN fined GH9 million (GH9,080,000); and Vodafone receiving a GH9.8 million (GH8,890,000) fine. The companies are in court challenging the fines. NCA imposes $7m fine in 2018 In November 2018, four telecommunication firms were fined $7 million for poor services. The fine imposed by Ghanas National Communication Authority affects MTN AirtelTigo, Glo and Vodafone. The regulator justified the fines on grounds of non-compliance with various quality service requirements. AirtelTigo received the highest fine of $2.4 million, followed by MTN with $1.8 million fine. Vodafone was fined a little over $1.6 million while Glo was fined $828,000. Source: The Finder 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 Iranian FM Zarif Says U.S. Sponsored Warsaw Gathering Already 'Doomed' 02/11/19 Source: Radio Farda Days ahead of a summit focused on Iran, the Islamic Republic's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, has dismissed it as already doomed to fail. Zarif's mentor and former Foreign Minister, Kamal Kharrazi, also cautioned participant countries at the Warsaw summit that they cannot "hide" from Tehran. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (photo by Islamic Republic News Agency) U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox News last month that Washington would jointly host a global summit focused on the Islamic Republic and the Middle East in Poland in February, but senior U.S. diplomats later toned down and referred to the conference as a gathering assigned to review the security situation in the Middle-East, denying that Iran will be at the top of its agenda. The international gathering is scheduled to take place in Warsaw from February 13 to 14. Speaking to Majles' (parliament) website on Sunday, February 10, Zarif reiterated that the U.S.-sponsored conference on is already a failure since its sponsors are retreating from their initial stance on the event. Earlier, Zarif had labeled the planned forum as a "desperate anti-Iran circus." The Islamic Republic authorities have unanimously condemned the meeting as an "anti-Iran" gathering. However, senior U.S. officials have pointed out that conference will not have an anti-Iran agenda. "This is not an anti-Iran meeting or coalition-building exercise," a senior U.S. administration official told a January 28 telephone briefing with journalists. The February 13-14 Ministerial to Promote Peace and Stability in the Middle East will include sessions on the situation in Syria and Yemen, missile development, terrorism, illicit finance, and cybersecurity, U.S. and Polish officials have said. The U.S. official briefing journalists said on January 28, the ministerial has been focused from the start on "exploring a range of issues important to the region's security and prosperity." The official added on condition of anonymity that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will certainly discuss U.S. concerns regarding "Iran's destructive policies in the region" at the meeting while adding that it was "difficult to speak about the region's challenges without referencing Iran." U.S. envoy to the UN Jonathan Cohen had said on January 22 that the Warsaw ministerial was not aimed at demonizing or attacking Iran. Furthermore, Pompeo also stressed last month that the meeting would "focus on Middle East stability and peace and freedom and security, and that includes an important element of making sure that Iran is not a destabilizing influence." The Islamic Republic authorities are particularly enraged by the fact that Tehran has not been invited to participate in the gathering. Referring to the fact, Zarif said, the conference has failed prior to its kick-off. The Secretary of the Islamic Republic's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Ali Shamkhani, has also maintained that the "anti-Tehran" conference indicated that U.S. sanctions against Iran had yielded no results. "Turning sanctions with utmost pressures into seminars and conferences means that you are empty-handed," Shamkhani told reporters in Tehran. But other high-ranking Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani have admitted that U.S. sanctions are deeply impacting Iran's economy, which according to him faces its hardest challenge in forty years. "Ten Years is Enough:" Mother of Canadian Resident Imprisoned in Iran Seeks Pardon 02/11/19 Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran The mother of Saeed Malekpour, a Canadian resident imprisoned in Iran since 2008, sent a letter to Tehran Prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi on February 1, 2019, requesting that Malekpour be included in a mass pardon of prisoners that may happen in March. Saeed Malekpour "Saeed does not have a father so I guess I am his father and mother," wrote Akram Esmailzadeh. "He, after God, is the one I depend on and yet for the past ten years he has been in the bowels of a prison instead of his mother's arms." "Whatever crime he may have committed... ten years is enough," she said. Esmailzadeh added: "You claim to be a public defender. Give him a taste of Islamic mercy now that the honorable judiciary chief has promised an unprecedented general amnesty. Agree to recommending his name to the Pardoning Committee so that his name would be added to the amnesty list on the 40th anniversary of the revolution." Arrested in 2008 by agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) during a visit to Iran in 2008, Malekpour is serving a life sentence for allegedly creating an online pornographic network. The 43-year-old computer programmer and web developer was charged with "insulting the sacred" and sentenced to death by a Revolutionary Court in September 2010. Upon appeal the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in August 2013. "Think about a mother with failing feet who needs her son's help," Esmailzadeh wrote. "Every moment of his absence has felt life a year and in all these years he has not been granted any furlough." Furlough, temporary leave typically granted to prisoners in Iran for a variety of familial, holiday, and medical reasons, is routinely denied to political prisoners as a form of additional punishment. "I am convinced that Islamic mercy is different than this," said Esmailzadeh in her letter addressing the Tehran prosecutor. "As a mother, I am expecting real Islamic mercy from you and the state, considering that all the authorities have confirmed my son's good behavior in prison." On February 4, 2019, Judiciary Chief Sadegh Larijani confirmed earlier reports of a general amnesty and said Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would pardon 50,000 prisoners on February 11 in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Malekpour's mother concluded her letter to the prosecutor by writing, "I am asking you to grant my son furlough and pardon him after 10 years. Please take the steps you see fit to make it happen and you will always be in my prayers." On October 19, 2018, Malekpour was rushed from Tehran's Evin Prison to a hospital after experiencing what was "later diagnosed by hospital staff as a heart attack," his sister, Maryam Malekpour, told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) at the time. "Saeed Malekpour has already spent the prime of his life in an Iranian prison where he has developed serious medical issues," said CHRI's Executive Director Hadi Ghaemi in an October 2018 press release. "This peaceful, young man should be immediately released so that his medical problems can be addressed," said Ghaemi. Family of Late Conservationist Kavous Seyed-Emami Petitions Iran to Respond to State TV Smears 02/11/19 Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran Widow Remains Barred From Leaving Country Despite Expired Travel Ban Ramin Seyed-Emami with his late father Kavous & mother Maryam Mombeini One year after his father's suspicious death in Tehran's Evin Prison, Ramin Seyed-Emami has filed a petition to respond to the unsubstantiated reports about his father broadcast by Iran's main state-run broadcasting organization. He is also calling on the judiciary to release his mother, who remains barred from leaving the Islamic Republic despite the expiration of the travel ban that was imposed on her in December 2018. "We only want to exercise our constitutional right to defend ourselves against accusations made against our father," Ramin said in a phone interview with the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) on February 7, 2019. "We are not a political family. We just want clarification on why our father was arrested and why he died," added Seyed-Emami, an Iranian Canadian dual national who relocated from his home in Tehran in March 2018 to Vancouver, BC, after being repeatedly threatened by security agents. "The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting has to be accountable for slandering him," he added. The managing director of the Persian Heritage Wildlife Foundation (PHWF), Iranian Canadian sociologist Kavous Seyed-Emami (Ramin's father) was among nine conservationists arrested by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC's) Intelligence Organization in Iran in late January 2018 under trumped-up espionage charges. His death, which occurred while he was being held virtually incommunicado for interrogations in Evin Prison, was reported to his wife as a "suicide" on February 9, 2018, after security agents interrogated her. No final autopsy report was made public but a preliminary State Medical Examiner's report did show evidence of an injection on his skin as well as "bruises on different parts of the body," according to one of the Tehran-based lawyers representing the family. Iran's State Prisons Organization and the judiciary to which it responds, as well as prison officials, are responsible for the health and wellbeing of detainees. But one year after Seyed-Emami's death, no one has been charged, prosecuted or held accountable. Iran has also ignored international calls for an independent and impartial investigation into Seyed-Emami's death, for his wife to be allowed to leave Iran, and for his colleagues to be given a fair trial. Instead, for the past 12 months Tehran Prosecutor Abbas Jafari-Dolatabadi has been working on a case against Seyed-Emami's detained PWHF colleagues based in part on false "confessions" despite three major state agencies contesting accusations that they committed espionage. Iran Bars Grieving Widow From Leaving, Runs Smear Campaign on State TV Ramin Seyed-Emami and his brother, Mehran, were able to leave Tehran on March 8, 2018, but their mother, Maryam Mombeini was blocked from boarding the plane with them at the last minute. Security agents confiscated her passport and barred her from leaving the country. They also interrogatedthe grieving widow and raided her home after her two sons were gone. "We want the travel ban on our mother to be lifted so that she can come to live with us," said Ramin Seyed-Emami, adding, "We want to live in peace when we go back to Iran when all of this is over." He told CHRI he had submitted a letter via his lawyer in Tehran to Branch 9 of Iran's Culture and Media Court requesting that the IRIB be ordered to allow him to respond to the "20:30" state-run news program that aired the unsubstantiated accusations on February 13, 2018. Iran's government-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) has a long history of parading Iran's critics and their family members on national TV, where they are forced to make so-called "confessions" or public statements meant to discredit them and their causes. Human rights groups have documented several instances in which dissidents, activists, and journalists were featured in pseudo-documentary videos intended to "prove" their "guilt," though they apparently did not appear willingly. "In the letter, we asked for the enforcement of Article 22 of the Constitution and Article 30 of the IRIB's Governing Regulations," he said. "By law, the IRIB must allow us to appear on air for free to give a response and respond to the accusations against our father," Seyed-Emami added. "To this day, we have no idea what happened to our father," he said. "We have not been presented with any evidence or document to show he and the others broke the law." "The PHWF was a known legal institution whose activities were under the supervision of the government and the Department of the Environment," he added. "We really don't know the reason why it was shut down and the staff were arrested." Seyed-Emami continued: "If there was any evidence to show they were guilty, surely the Supreme National Security Council and the DOE would have taken action but both have declared that they were not spies. Instead of clarifying the issues, some of [Iran's state] news outlets have been deceiving the public during the past year." "Those who incarcerated my father are the ones responsible for his death. They held him without evidence," Seyed-Emami said. "They were negligent in safeguarding his life." Iranian judicial officials have not publicly explained why they barred Seyed-Emami's widow from leaving the country or why the ban remains in place despite having officially expired. Family members of detainees held under politically motivated charges in Iran are routinely threatened and pressured by state agencies not to speak publicly about the cases. "The authorities have said that the [travel] ban on Ms. Mombeini expired on December 22, 2018, but she is still not allowed to leave the country until the ban is rescinded by the judiciary's security office because they are the ones who issued it," Abuzar Nasrollahi, Mombeini's lawyer, told the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency on February 6. 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. Palm Angels, the Italian fashion brand led by Francesco Ragazzi, made its NYFW debut on Saturday. On a runway illuminated by a pulsing strobe light show and decked with a collection of imitated Grecian statues propped inside clear glass cubes, Ragazzi showcased a sleeker version of his creative ambitions. The brand's fall 2019 collection strayed away from the branded tracksuits and loose-fitting streetwear for which they're known. Instead, Ragazzi sent tailored leather and utilitarian motifs down the runway, signaling a notable shift towards sartorial elegance. Ragazzi's decision to hold his show in New York wasn't motivated by location he knew he wanted to make an aesthetic transition. "I wanted to move away from streetwear here; the brand has to grow," Ragazzi told Vogue. "I wanted to bring it to New York but I didn't want to give New York something that it already had." The collection drew inspiration from classic uniforms while integrating the utilitarian pockets and camouflage print often seen on hunting and fishing outerwear. As a visual juxtaposition, the designer also incorporated pocket chains and cutoff blazers into the lineup, infusing a punk iteration into classic menswear references. The women's pieces cohesively trotted along the same aesthetic line. In addition to the referential use of beige, Ragazzi included bright colored pants, light textiles and tie-dye hoodies into the centrally dark color scheme. Palm Angels was promptly dubbed a fashion trailblazer following their 2014 debut. Applauded for their use of cultural references and strategic branding, the thematic range the brand has explored has attracted individuals across the industry. This appeal translated into the guest list at the Palm Angels fashion week party at 1 Oak on Saturday drawing industry notables like Luka Sabbat, Slick Woods and Imaan Hammam to the celebration. Incorporating life-size ponies, trolls, and Ninja Turtles, Norwegian artist Anja Carr explores how images manipulate the conscious mind when a picture supersedes a once-held memory, or when images create their own memories that didn't exist before appearing on our feeds. At first evoking childhood nostalgia, Carr's fusion of performance, sculpture, and photography is, once you take a second look, often unsettling; something is always warped in translation. "In the process of making these objects flat and fitting in a frame like a photograph they become deformed and blend into each other," Carr explains. "They are traces of my performances, but in a way I wipe out the original stories they were part of, like images sometimes replace our memories. I think seeing so many tiny fragments of stories in our web-dominated reality makes us confused sometimes. I wonder how it affects us to see so much of the world through images flat surfaces and how it deforms our sense of reality." Ahead of a packed 2019 calendar shows in New York and LA, a performance tour of Japan, solo exhibits in Lillehammer and Bergen, Norway, a group show in Moscow late in the year, plus the managing of PINK CUBE, a nomadic exhibition space PAPER caught up with Anja Carr to learn more about her past and future work. Can you tell us more about your background as an artist? I know you started in photography at a young age, and during your studies in Bergen, Berlin, and Oslo, you branched out into other media. What drives you to keep exploring? How would you describe your work now? Most of my work is still connected to photography or the role of images today even when the media is not photography. One of my series from 2018, Flattering Flat (personal belongings), consists of costumes from my performances and personal belongings squeezed into self-made aluminum frames... With this series I am trying to find out what a picture actually is, or where the limits are. For the last six years I've also worked with a photo-series documenting performances in my self-made costumes, that are almost like sculptures, sometimes with just my face sticking out... One of those performances took place at Fotogalleriet in Oslo in 2017, where I tried to be a sea-anemone, holding different everyday objects in my tentacles: a phone, a shampoo bottle, a toilet brush, etc. I was thinking about all the plastic waste that end up in their little world deep down there in the darkness. Sometimes I feel a bit like these tiny, pink creatures, trying to face those big issues and in the same time struggling to grasp all the impressions we get through the eternal feeds on our phones, that so often interrupt us, as we try to juggle it all. It's been eight years since you founded PINK CUBE in Oslo. How do you feel today about its original mission of gender equity for artists? Has the space contributed to that mission as you'd hoped and is there still work to do? I have set up 22 exhibitions in the pink space, always with two artists or artist groups, so at least I've tried and just spreading the message has an effect too, I suppose. There is definitely a long way to go still a very recent report shows that male artists account for 94 percent of sales revenues in the Norwegian secondary market in 2017. But in general at least here in Norway people seem to be more aware of the problem now than when I started PINK CUBE back in 2011. Like UKS in Oslo, where all of last year's solo exhibitions were by female artists. The overall effect of this warped photograph is so unsettling, and the aesthetically happy elements don't subdue but instead contribute to that disturbing feeling. Can you elaborate on this work? It's also a reflection on how much we see the world through flat surfaces these days, which I mentioned in relation to my framed costumes that was part of the same show. I invited six different artist-colleagues to be my models for this 2018-series and this is Constance Tenvik. The objects attached to the wall-sculptures remind me of their work and personality, so it's a kind of a collage of portraits. I am fascinated with how the big amount of images we see when spying on people online creates a picture of them in our heads. We think we know them better and forget that Internet shows no truth. Three portraits of each person were printed in 1:1 size on PVC the material often used for big banners with smiling faces in the advertising industry. There's something quite grotesque in the way we all tend to be our own cover-girls nowadays! Cut out from the background the images were sewn together by hand. Again, there's a deformation going on. Instead of making costumes and objects flat, this is the opposite my attempt to make photographs three-dimensional. A failed translation I suppose images are never the same as reality. Even though we know this all too well, we still tend to believe in them. I realize each work has its own specific purpose, but can you speak generally to the reason for incorporating child-like references, then distorting them somehow? What does it mean for you? Does your own childhood influence these works in any way? I find the toy-industry quite disturbing how the toys are still divided so much in girls' toys and boys' toys, and I like to challenge that. Also, it's a good excuse to work with bright colors it makes me happy and I think it would be silly to only work with things you are disturbed by when you do it for a living. The ambivalence connected to grownups and toys is quite fascinating distinctions between the child and the adult spheres are sometimes quite fabricated, I think! My pony sculptures in actual pony-size became a selfie-hit on Instagram in 2017 when displayed at The National Art Exhibition; they refer to the subculture of bronies adult, mostly male fans of these toys, originally meant for young girls. I like how online forums make it so much easier for narrow groups like this to grow big, which the brony culture definitely has in the last few years. All of the children's figures that I make my own versions of were figures I knew as a child, and I think it's interesting to try and translate them into my adult life. I've noticed a lot of anthropomorphic characters in your works. Can you tell us more about why you tend to incorporate them? So many of the characters from the toy-industry are anthropomorphic animals so, again, it's the fabricated distinctions between the child and the adult spheres and the toy industry's disturbing gender roles I'm investigating. In one performance my hybrid of Donald and Daisy Duck attempted to start a tiny, electric toy car but I was way too heavy and shared flyers with the texts, "Boys Don't Cry" and "Ducks Don't Fly." I am fascinated by the fact that these Disney characters only have jackets and shoes and no clothes on the lower parts of their bodies, and how most children's dolls usually don't have genitals, which looks very strange. So my character's had genitals: a white strap-on, almost invisible in all the white feathers of my costume. What can you share about your solo exhibition at Ghost Gallery in Brooklyn? It will happen later this year, as Ghost Gallery is first going to open a brand new space in Los Angeles in April, and I'm happy to be part of their first exhibition there as well it will probably be quite a packed group show! For the show I will create a new photo series that will explore food as a material, something I keep coming back to... I think it's so fascinating with all the food pictures people post online. Why do we have the need to share the food we eat through images? It's like another form of selfie: "Look what I'm about to put in my mouth!" Food is so perishable, perhaps that's why we need to capture it before it disappears. Any other plans in the works? I will do a solo exhibition at Bergen Kjtt in Bergen the second largest city in Norway, where I grew up. I haven't had a solo show there for six years, and the building is a former meat factory, which coincidentally relates to some of my work, like when I use bacon as material for sculptures. I think I need to further explore meat-based materials for this exhibition somehow. I'm also participating in a group show at Triumph Gallery in Moscow, A perfect shelter, in December, curated by Marina Bobyleva. There will be a new performance tour as well I'll travel with the same group as the US tour in 2015, when we did individual performances in NYC and Miami. This time we're going to Japan! In June I have three exhibitions coming up in three very special and different venues one in Norway and two in Slovenia. The first one is a solo exhibition at Oppland Art Center in Lillehammer, Norway where I will make a site-specific installation in a "glass room" that looks like a cage. And I'll take part in a group exhibition titled Instinct in the big Cankarjev dom, the largest cultural institution in Slovenia in the capital Ljubljana. Eat This! is the title of the third one, with the same curator, taking place in a former peep show with its original interior intact Racka Gallery in Celje. UPM Raflatac Opens New Slitting and Distribution Terminal in Johannesburg, South Africa (left to right): Shaun Johnson, Director, EMEIA Service & Logistics, Rui Nozes, Adviser, financial affairs, trade policy, public diplomacy, communications, Embassy of Finland, Pretoria and Ralph Bhengu, Country Sales Manager, South Africa. Feb. 11, 2019 (Press Release) - UPM Raflatac, one of the world's leading suppliers of self-adhesive label stock, has opened a new slitting and distribution terminal in Johannesburg, South Africa. Operational since December 2018, the new Johannesburg terminal will supply innovative and sustainable paper, film and specials products to label converters in Sub-Saharan Africa. The grand opening of the new terminal was celebrated on February 7, 2019 with over 100 participants from around South Africa and the neighbouring countries, including customers and local trade media. Johannesburg is the largest market area with highest growth potential in the region. Located in Germiston, the new terminal features both one and two-metre-wide slitting capabilities. The introduction of two metre wide slitting capability enhances UPM Raflatac's service offer range to be able to provide even more MEGA (net width) services. The new Johannesburg terminal is part of UPM Raflatac's program to improve, adjust and consolidate the company's operational and service platform in South Africa. Following the completion of the new terminal, the former Johannesburg and Durban terminal operations were relocated to the new facility, while Durban sales office was relocated to a new address in Durban. In addition to the new Johannesburg terminal and the sales office in Durban, UPM Raflatac has terminal operations in Cape Town. With the new terminal, we will be better able to meet the customer and market expectations for high quality products with enhanced service. It improves our competitiveness and thus better positions UPM Raflatac as a leading label supplier in South Africa and Africa, says Ralph Bhengu, Country Sales Manager for UPM Raflatac South Africa. UPM Raflatac develops and manufactures high-quality, high-performance self-adhesive label materials for product and information labeling. To learn more, plaes visit: www.upmraflatac.com . SOURCE: UPM Raflatac Morning Briefing: Virginia Is Still a Disaster, and Donald Trump Is Not Just a Racist, but a Lazy Racist By Dustin Rowles | Politics | February 11, 2019 | Virginia continues to be a mess. Ralph Northam continues to refuse to resign, and I suspect thats the way it will stay. Ironically, the fact that there are others who wore blackface in their pasts probably helped take the heat off of Northam. However, his whole Theres no better person to [heal Virginia] than a doctor, is a huge crock of shit. Hes not suturing Virginia. Hes not performing surgery on Virginia. A better analogy would be, Theres no better person to heal Virginia than an ignorant, racist white man trying to save his ass by actually learning and implementing policies designed to help save my ass because the alternative may be an ignorant, racist white Republican with no incentive to learn or improve to save his ass. Dude also stepped in it again this morning by confusing slavery for indentured servitude on CBS: We are now at the 400-year anniversary just 90 miles from here in 1619, the first indentured servants from Africa landed on our shores in Old Point Comfort, what we call now Fort Monroe He had to be corrected by Gayle King, who reminded him that it was not indentured servitude, but slavery. In Northams defense, education where it concerns race is not exactly stellar in the South. To my recollection, we mostly skipped over slavery and jumped straight to the Civil War, where we learned that it wasnt really about slavery, while the Civil Rights era was usually saved for the end of the school year, if there was any time left over after World War II, which is to say, we covered it over the last week after exams were done and students were already checked out for the summer. The situation with the Lt. Governor is not any better. A second accuser has come forward, alleging that Justin Fairfax raped her while they were students at Duke University. Over the weekend, there was talk of bringing articles of impeachment against Fairfax, but the state legislature has reportedly backed off of that this morning, for fear of Virginia Democrats looking even more racist for impeaching the Black Lt. Governor for sexual assault but not the White Governor for blackface. This is not a particularly good look, either, because now theyre giving an accused rapist a free pass so as not to appear more racist than they already are. If there was ever more proof that a three-party system were needed, its in Virginia, where there has to be a lot of voters thinking, None of the above right now. If blackface and sexual assault werent bad enough, the President of the United States is also cracking jokes about Native American genocide, referring to the Trail of Tears in a tweet about Elizabeth Warren. Today Elizabeth Warren, sometimes referred to by me as Pocahontas, joined the race for President. Will she run as our first Native American presidential candidate, or has she decided that after 32 years, this is not playing so well anymore? See you on the campaign TRAIL, Liz! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2019 Don Jr. also weighs in. oh my god pic.twitter.com/Rz6TqIxBgo Ashley Feinberg (@ashleyfeinberg) February 9, 2019 Its days like these when I wish we had a go f*ck yourself font with which to write entire posts. If that wasnt awful enough, for some reason, Rob Lowe decided to join the fray, too, with a now-deleted tweet. What the hell is wrong with these people that they think they can so casually make jokes at the expense of Native Americans, and the mass murder of Native Americans? The President also continues to mistake weather for climate. Well, it happened again. Amy Klobuchar announced that she is running for President, talking proudly of fighting global warming while standing in a virtual blizzard of snow, ice and freezing temperatures. Bad timing. By the end of her speech she looked like a Snowman(woman)! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 10, 2019 Also, since Axios released Trumps public schedule revealing that he spends over 60 percent of his day engaging in Executive Time (watching TV and tweeting), Trump has gotten spectacularly defensive about how little he works. The media was able to get my work schedule, something very easy to do, but it should have been reported as a positive, not negative. When the term Executive Time is used, I am generally working, not relaxing. In fact, I probably work more hours than almost any past President.. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 10, 2019 No president ever worked harder than me (cleaning up the mess I inherited)! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2019 And this is a pretty accurate reflection of the Trump Presidency. Fact checkers have become Fake News. @JesseBWatters So True! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2019 The BAFTAs 2019: 'The Favourite' Takes Home Seven Awards; Surprise Win for Rachel Weisz | Arrogant Mansplainer Gets Dragged On Twitter For Mansplaining Vulvas Dustin is the founder and co-owner of Pajiba. You may email him here, follow him on Twitter, or listen to his weekly TV podcast, Podjiba. Header Image Source: Getty Images 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. Do you appreciate the work we do as the only independent media outlet dedicated to serving OU students, faculty, staff and alumni on campus and around the world for more than 100 years? Then consider helping fund our endeavors. Around the world, communities are grappling with what journalism is worth and how to fund the civic good that robust news organizations can generate. We believe The OU Daily and Crimson Quarterly magazine provide real value to this community both now by covering OU, and tomorrow by helping launch the careers of media professionals. If youre able, please SUPPORT US TODAY FOR AS LITTLE AS $1. You can make a one-time donation or a recurring pledge. Jaclyn Schildkraut of the SUNY Oswego criminal justice faculty co-authored Columbine, 20 Years Later and Beyond: Lessons from Tragedy, recently published by Praeger. On the screen is a quote on the Wall of Healing at the Columbine Memorial, which asks what the world has learned since a main theme of the book. Oswego, NY (13126) Today Clear skies. Low around 55F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low around 55F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. In this Jan. 30, 2019 file photo signs posted at The Vancouver Clinic in Vancouver, Wash., warn patients and visitors of a measles outbreak. A measles outbreak near Portland, Ore., has revived a bitter debate over so-called personal belief exemptions to childhood vaccinations. Four percent of Washington secondary school students have non-medical vaccine exemptions. Jazz bassist Ian Stewart will perform with members of Cayuga Community Colleges faculty on Monday, Feb. 11, at 11 a.m. in Room M157 at Cayugas Auburn Campus. The concert is free and open to the public. The new residents arent newborns. They are both 11-year-old males who have been living in other habitats before arriving in Wild Arctic tanks on Saturday. Joining the pod are Oliver, who comes from the SeaWorld theme park in San Antonio, and Grayson, formerly of the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. Its a new character. I hadnt met this one yet, Keyes said. I thought he was really funny, and I think hes really different. It kind of fits with Universals humor. I mean, could you imagine this at Disney? David Leavitt, writing on the Central Florida 100 op-ed page Feb. 10, thinks the tax-incentive program for the film industry is all about Hollywood glitz and glamour, and a losing endeavor. It's actually more about keeping jobs for skilled residents here in Florida, both actors and production personnel, and also about utilizing ancillary businesses that service film production -- catering, equipment suppliers, accommodations, restaurants, etc. Not too long ago Disney/MGM Studios (now Disneys Hollywood Studios), Universal Studios and even smaller independent facilities had year-long employment for talented production personnel, many of whom have since moved to Georgia where they can practice their professions. And, of course, spend their money. If filming were encouraged in Florida those who earn here would buy here, just as they presently do in Georgia and other states that encourage film production, benefiting local merchants and generating tax revenue as well. In his first month in office, hes surprised many by his moves on the environment and medical marijuana, and shown hes open to some criminal justice reform ideas. In all those issues, theres a generational divide within the Republican Party, with the younger set not as tied to conservative rhetoric on drugs and crime and more aware of the effects of climate change. Omphroy, 40, a freshman representative from Lauderdale Lakes, wrote that Smith approached me in a threatening and aggressive manner as I sat at the table with others. I was uncomfortable as [he] kneeled directly in front of my legs, at which point I was forced to readjust myself due to my attire, which was a dress and leggings. Yes, they took good care of me, including Mr. Bailey and all of them, Williams says. But at the end of the day, when they went home and the sun went down, I don't know nobody to call. I had no connection. The only time that, you know, I feel a part of anything was when I left the house and came downtown. The units belonged to Philip Cowherd, who was one of the largest landowners in Parramore. Cowherd couldnt be reached for comment on the sale, which comes as Central Florida battles an affordable-housing shortage. More than 40,000 names are on waiting lists for rental assistance in Orlando. A study released last week by the United Ways of Florida indicated that about 46 percent of families in Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Lake counties struggle to meet basic needs. I could hear them for a few blocks before they actually passed me, said Mieszkowski, 28 of Orlando. At one point a group of 10 or so came zooming by, way past the speed limit Its only a matter of time before one of these people causes an accident. The agreement secures Pecker's testimony in any future cases stemming from the hush-money payments, and winning a criminal case over the Bezos matter would be far from clear-cut, Rodgers said. The company could say it was relying on the advice of its counsel or even cite First Amendment protections, she said. So last year, Solomon, a member of the society for the past four years and a history buff, offered to delve into the areas black heritage and see what she could find. The result is a new, much improved African-American exhibit that pays tribute to the areas first black settlers and their continuing influences in the communities of Lady Lake, as well as Cherry Lake off County Road 466, and Royal, outside Wildwood in Sumter County. "Orlando Sentinel Now" is a midday news show features the top news and quirky stories of the day. The show airs weekdays at noon on Facebook and OrlandoSentinel.com. You can join the conversation by commenting and taking polls. The woman told deputies she was on her way to pick up a paycheck from work when Andrillon-Torres pulled his Hyundai Elantra in front of her, according to arrest records. Andrillon and Vega-Lopez got out of the Hyundai and pulled the woman into the back seat by her hair, records show. The law, which passed in 2011 and spurred legal challenges from doctors, sought to prevent physicians and other health-care providers from asking patients about guns and entering the information into medical records. "You've already won if you have people who are singing your songs word for word, if you're a hero in your hometown. Look, if there are people who have regular jobs who are coming out in the rain and the snow, spending their hard-earned money to buy tickets to come to your shows, you don't need this right here. I promise you. You already won," he said at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. In addition, the company has applied to the FDIC and Florida Office of Financial Regulation for authorization to open two Central Florida branches at 1601 S. Orange Ave. in Orlando and 21 E. Third St. in Apopka in the first quarter of this year. Ultimately the (Florida) Office of Medical Marijuana Use has not functioned the way that people expected and its hard to say why, Blau said. But it seems like there is now a great deal of pressure from the governors office on the Legislature and the agencies making the rules. I would think we may see some changes very soon. Corvallis, OR (97331) Today Clear to partly cloudy. Low 51F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low 51F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. The internet has become an essential back up system for thousands of pieces of historical art, science, and literature, and also for a specialized kind of text incorporating them all in degrees: the illustrated natural science book, from the golden ages of book illustration and philosophical naturalism in Europe and the Americas. Weve seen some fine digital reproductions of the illustrated Nomenclature of Colors by Abraham Gottlob Werner, for examplea book that accompanied Darwin on his Beagle voyage. The same source has also brought us a wonderfully illustrated, influential 1847 edition of Euclids Elements, with a semaphore-like design that color-codes and delineates each axiom. And weve seen Emily Noyes Vanderpoels 1903 Color Problems: a Practical Manual for the Lay Student of Color come online (and back in print), a study whose ideas would later show up in the work of modern minimalists like Josef Albers. Above and below, you can see just a fraction of the illustrations from another example of a remarkable illustrated scientific book, also by a woman on the edge of being forgotten: Nancy Anne Kingsbury Wollstonecrafts 1826 Specimens of the Plants and Fruits of the Island of Cuba. This study of Cuban plant life might never have seen the light of day were it not for the new online edition from the HathiTrust digital library, by way of Cornell Universitys Library Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, notes Atlas Obscura. The book is notable for more than its obscurity, however. It is, says scholar of Cuban history and culture Emilio Cueto, the most important corpus of plant illustrations in Cubas colonial history. Its author first began work when she moved to the island after her husband, Charles Wollstonecraft (brother of Mary and uncle of Mary Shelley) died in 1817. She began documenting the plant life in the region of Matanzas through the 1820s. That research became Specimens of the Plants and Fruits of the Island of Cuba, a meticulous study, full of Wollstonecrafts vibrant, striking watercolors. After making several attempts at publication, she died in 1828, and the manuscript never appeared in public. Now, almost two centuries later, all three volumes are available to read online and download in PDF. They had been dormant at the Cornell University Library, and few people knew very much about them. Cueto, the scholar most familiar with the manuscripts place in history, had himself searched for it for 20 years before finding it hidden away at Cornell in 2018. Now it is freely available to anyone and everyone online, part of an expanding, shared online archive of fascinating works by non-professional scientists and mathematicians whose work was painstakingly interpreted by artists for the benefit of a lay readership. In the case of Wollstonecraft, as with Goethe and many other contemporary scholar-artists, we have the two in one. View and download her 220-page work, with its 121 illustrated plates at the HathiTrust Digital Library. via Cornell/Atlas Obscura Related Content: A Visionary 115-Year-Old Color Theory Manual Returns to Print: Emily Noyes Vanderpoels Color Problems Explore an Interactive Version of The Wall of Birds, a 2,500 Square-Foot Mural That Documents the Evolution of Birds Over 375 Million Years Two Million Wondrous Nature Illustrations Put Online by The Biodiversity Heritage Library Wagashi: Peruse a Digitized, Centuries-Old Catalogue of Traditional Japanese Candies Josh Jones is a writer and musician based in Durham, NC. Follow him at @jdmagness 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. Yes. I would be the first in line. No. I don't trust that a vaccine will be safe. I plan to, but I want to wait to see effects of first doses. Not sure. Vote View Results Miss Black OSU 2019 Aundrea Jackson waves to the crowd after she was crowned Miss Black OSU 2019 during the Miss Black OSU 2019 competition Saturday in the Student Union Theater. Nothing speaks more of the biases of the Western press than what occurred during the joint press conference held by Presidents Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi and Emmanuel Macron following the latters recent visit to Cairo. French journalists homed in on a single subject: human rights. Naturally, questions on the state of human rights in Egypt, or for that matter in France, the US, the UK or any other country, are perfectly legitimate and should be answered. But the fact that attending French journalists ignored other sensitive issues that were discussed during this visit, as well as the important agreements that were signed during this occasion, invites one to question the objectivity and professionalism of the French press. Al-Sisi and Macron discussed a number of issues of concern to peoples of both countries who would have expected the journalists at that press conference to probe for further details. For example, is it true that there is a new deal for the sale of more Rafale fighter planes to Egypt? Is it true that some of the parts of these planes are manufactured in the US? These are only some of the questions on which people might have wanted some clarification during the press conference, but the journalists never posed them. I, for one, thought it odd that some parts of the Rafale war planes might be manufactured in the US, so I asked Gilles Douet, a senior engineer with Contrack FM in Egypt, whether it was true. He told me that, for the most part, the airplane industry is internationalised. The famous US Boeing passenger planes, he said, are assembled from parts made in virtually all countries in the world working in this field. There remains the question as to the abovementioned Rafale deal. Was it or was it not concluded during this visit? Is it true that Washington put the brakes on it? Forty agreements in different fields, worth a total of more than 1.5 billion euros, were signed during the French presidents visit. At the same time, some major French firms announced plans to increase their investments in diverse fields in Egypt soon. Egyptian newspapers reported that Agnes Pannier-Runacher, secretary of state at the French Ministry of Economy and Finance, affirmed that Egypt had succeeded in furnishing the right climate to attract foreign investors, adding that there are currently 160 French firms operating in Egypt with investments of up to five billion euros. Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry Amr Nassar said that Egyptian exports to France from January to November last year came to around 560 million euros, which was seven per cent higher than the volume of exports during the same period the previous year. Egypt imported more than 1.5 billion of French goods last year, meaning that the volume of trade between the two countries came to over two billion euros in 2018. Was such a volume of bilateral trade not worthy of the interest of the journalists at the joint press conference? As for the question of human rights, the journalists focus on it was disproportionate to the amount of attention given to it during the presidents talks. In an interview with LOpinion, Sebastien Laye, a French economic expert at the Thomas More Institute, advised Macron to be prudent and not embarrass his Egyptian hosts when broaching certain subjects that some quarters in France were eager to push. It was counterproductive to meddle in the domestic policies of a country of Egypts status and influence in the region. He also observed that France was not in a position to lecture others on governance. After three revolutions and the establishment of five republics, French democracy is still deficient. Jean-Luc Melenchon, a French politician who competed against Macron in the last presidential elections in France, lashed out the French governments handling of the French yellow vests or Gilets Jaunes demonstrations, criticising both its approach to crisis management and human rights violations. Noting that 1,800 demonstrators as well as a thousand police have been wounded during the past 12 weeks and that 11 protesters have been killed by police bullets, he said, This is the worst toll ever seen in the last 60 years from government crackdowns on mass demonstrations and strikes. Macron responded calmly and sensibly to the human rights related questions posed to him during the joint press conference. The same applies to Al-Sisi, who explained that human rights are not restricted to freedom of expression alone. The panoply of rights mentioned in the International Declaration of Human Rights cannot be reduced to just a single right which then is made the sole criterion for judging whether or not a country respects human rights. The president proceeded to enumerate the Egyptian governments accomplishments in this domain. For example, healthcare is a human right. Whereas in the past, government hospitals treated 10,000 people a year, today they treat 10,000 people a month. In addition, the governments campaign to fight Hepatitis C is the most successful such campaign in the world. Decent housing, too, is a human right. Al-Sisi told reporters that Egypt recently enabled 250,000 families to move from slums to properly equipped and furnished flats. I scoured the French newspapers for this information but could not find it. *This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly We send more people to prison for technical parole violations than any other state but Illinois. For every 10 people who successfully complete parole in New York, nine are sent back to prison, usually for technical violations. This amounts to a parole failure rate of 47%, almost twice as bad as the national average of 28%. Soon after we filed our lawsuit, the Cuomo administration said that they agree that the legal exclusion of farmworkers from this labor law violates the state Constitution. Since then, the administration has refused to defend the law in court. While I appreciate that the governor sees the injustice of this law, I believe he must do more. Franklin Square, L.I.: I arrived at the federal Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday to visit my son who is an inmate there. There were barricades surrounding the front of the building. The forms were given out at 4:45 by a guard in full riot gear. We filled them out and returned them, then waited for our names to be called (visiting is from 5 to 8). All the families were there in this little enclosure, freezing with no word. My son went up to the guard twice to ask what was the holdup; he was told the count was off. I dont know what that means but we waited. At 6:15, with no one being called inside, we finally left. I dont know if it was in retaliation for the protest over the weekend but it was a disgrace. I never got to see my son. We traveled an hour and a half from Long Island. Theresa Meoni The New York Civil Liberties Union lawyers for fired field hand Crispin Hernandez, whose words appear on these pages, correctly interpret the state Constitutions Bill of Rights to mean what it says: that employees shall have the right to organize and to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, because the labor of human beings is not a commodity nor an article of commerce and shall never be so considered or construed. One of the enduring shames of New York is that its laws, rare in the union, let prosecutors hide evidence from defendants until the eve of trial, which effectively means the 98% of defendants statewide who plead guilty on felony arrests do so with precious little knowledge of the case against them. We are devastated to announce the tragic passing of our sweet Mama Bear Laurie Holt this morning, the family said. She had a gigantic heart and we will miss her dearly. We ask for privacy as we mourn her passing and will provide more details on funeral arrangements as soon as possible. The governor has an interesting dilemma in that these guys are showing independence and will have many of is appointees to confirm, said one observer. He has a lot more nominees that go before the Senate than vice versa. It will be fascinating to watch that play out. Some 48% of voters believe Democratic control of the both houses of the Legislature and the governors mansion will keep New York on the right track for the next two years. Just 41% of voters say Albany is moving in the wrong direction. Cuomo vetoed legislation in 2016 that would have protected the jobs and benefits regardless of which companies won contracts for busing city kids to school. In doing so, he cited a 2011 decision by the state Court of Appeals that the protection provisions crimped competition and were costly for the city. Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched a number of toursim megaprojects in the ancient desert city of Al-Ula on Sunday, with the aim of turning the site into a global tourism destination. The projects include the Sharaan Nature Reserve and the Global Fund for the Arabian Leopard. Minister of Culture and Governor of the Royal Commission for Al-Ula Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan has stated that the beautiful canyon area of Sharaan is now a designated nature reserve, setting a new standard in the region for re-balancing ecosystems and reflecting Saudi Arabias commitment to protecting the natural environment of al-Ula. "The Sharaan Nature Reserve initiative includes the establishment of a global fund for the protection and reproduction of the Arabian leopard, he added. Backed by billions of dollars in state-led investment and a French cultural partnership, the authorities say Al-Ula and its majestic rock-hewn tombs of Madain Saleh could eventually attract millions of visitors, local and foreign alike. Rehabilitating the natural habitat and reintroducing endangered species into a nature reserve has immense impact on the biodiversity of the region," stated the head of nature at the royal commission Muhammad Sulayem. "Were excited to be working with global experts, our adept team at the Royal Commission for Al-Ula, and the community of Al-Ula to restore Sharaans natural ecosystem, he added. According to Reuters, many Saudis believe that the area is haunted by jinn, and folk beliefs about the site can be traced back to a hadith of the Prophet Mohammad, warning Muslims not to enter "unless you are crying ... lest you suffer the affliction" of its people, said to have perished for their sins. While some religious scholars contest the interpretation of the passage, Saudi state-backed clerics had referenced it for years. In 2012, one of them ruled that Al-Ula should be opened to the public, but even years later a school in the area was temporarily closed after students sighted jinn, local media reported. 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: New therapeutic target found for aggressive pediatric cancers with few treatment options Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that malignant rhabdoid tumors (MRT), a rare pediatric cancer without effective treatments, may be sensitive to drugs that block the cancer cell's ability to dispose of misfolded proteins. The findings provide a much-needed therapeutic target for these and other cancers caused by mutations in the SMARCB1 gene. Based on these findings, published today in Cancer Cell, the researchers now are leading a Phase II clinical trial to investigate this approach in renal medullary carcinoma (RMC), a related adolescent cancer also characterized by SMARCB1 mutations. Malignant rhabdoid tumors are aggressive pediatric cancers that generally manifest in children in the first year of life, explains Giannicola Genovese, M.D., assistant professor of Genitourinary Medical Oncology and corresponding author on the study. "It's somewhat fortunate that these are very rare cancers. With current treatments, the prognosis is ominous - just about one year," said Genovese. "It's an orphan disease, meaning it has no targeted treatments available. The current options include high-dose chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, which can cause significant developmental and neurological effects and increase the risk for secondary cancers later in life." Driven to answer the unmet needs for patients with MRT and other cancers caused by SMARCB1 mutations, the researchers developed a mouse model of MRT to study the disease biology and uncover vulnerabilities. The researchers created a mosaic mouse model, meaning only a subset of cells carried the mutation, to study the loss of SMARCB1 in specific cells and tissues in the mice. "Using an embryonic mosaic approach, we were able to overcome current limitations in technology and create a model that faithfully mimics features of human MRT," said Alessandro Carugo, Ph.D., institute research scientist at the Institute for Applied Cancer Science (IACS). "We demonstrated, in our model, that SMARCB1-deficient cells are characterized by dysregulation of protein synthesis and disposal, causing them to be loaded with misfolded protein aggregates." Excess or misfolded proteins can be toxic to the cell, so the unfolded protein response (UPR) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response pathways are normally activated to clear protein waste. However, with loss of SMARCB1, these pathways were hijacked and incorrectly activated to account for protein accumulation in malignant cells. The researchers also discovered that the cancer cells were able to survive this buildup through the activity of p53, a tumor suppressor that normally acts to block tumor growth. In contrast, SMARCB1-deficient cells appear to activate p53 for a survival advantage and, in fact, may benefit from chemotherapy treatments, which further stimulate p53 activity. "TP53 is the most frequently mutated gene in cancer, but it does not appear to be mutated in MRT," said Carugo. "We were excited to learn that, here, it's functional because the cells need p53 to counterbalance the protein accumulation associated with SMARCB1 loss." Recognizing the mis-regulated protein pathways as a potential vulnerability, the researchers leveraged the capabilities of MD Anderson's Therapeutics Discovery platforms, including IACS, to design a drug combination to test this hypothesis. The Therapeutics Discovery division is a unique group of clinicians, researchers and drug discovery scientists working to develop innovative treatment options, inspired by the needs of patients and guided by the expertise of MD Anderson physicians. The researchers targeted two mechanisms important for clearing protein waste, known as autophagy and proteasome degradation. Blocking these in the mouse model led to complete tumor regression, and the results were further confirmed in mouse transplants and cell lines derived from human MRT. The findings of this study led the researchers to initiate a Phase II clinical trial testing a proteasome inhibitor in combination with chemotherapy for patients with RMC. This rare form of kidney cancer, also driven by SMARCB1 mutations, affects adolescents and young adults, primarily African Americans with the sickle-cell trait. The trial also is available for adolescents and adults who develop MRT in their kidney. "This is the first trial designed specifically for SMARCB1-mutant RMC. These are rare cancers that don't respond to the standard of care for other kidney cancers," said Genovese. "There is a need for new therapies for treating these patients. I think we've developed a good platform for discovery, to provide options for these patients and hope for the families as well." The researchers are working to expand the trial in the future to include pediatric MRT and other SMARCB1-related cancers. In addition, the Therapeutics Discovery team will continue to investigate new medicines that may benefit these patients in the future. ### Genovese is corresponding author of the study together with Nizar Tannir, M.D., professor of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, and Giulio F. Draetta, M.D., Ph.D., chief science officer ad interim and senior vice president of Therapeutics Discovery. A complete list of authors involved with the study can be found with the full article. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by the Conquer Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award, the Kidney Cancer Association Young Investigator Award, the Sheikh Ahmed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, the Italian Foundation for Cancer Research and Italian Association for Cancer Research (FIRC-AIRC), the Ransom Horne, Jr. Professorship for Cancer Research, the Barbara Massie Memorial Fund and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (RP170722). This story has been published on: 2019-02-11. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Weve been trying to avoid getting too granular with taking apart the video, he said. Our approach was to try to make something that felt like all the things. Its not just about the injustice or the tragedy, but its also, theres an ironic feel to the track, and you know theres joy in there. We were just trying to capture the tone of the song. It takes a big team to make a song like that, and it took us three years to work on (This is America), he said. It felt like everyone was there in the room except for 21 Savage. It was very unfortunate, Goransson said. After the students explained the bills intent and their desire for her to support it, Hutchings allegedly said, If my sexual orientation was to have sex with all of the men in there and I had sex with all of the women in there and then they brought their children and I had sex with all of them and then brought their dogs in and I had sex with them, should I be protected for my sexual orientation? It is with great sadness that we inform you of (confirm the) the passing of Elizabeth Betsy Abelson, Stuarts employer Ora Inc. said in the statement Saturday night. The family appreciates your respect and distance as they grieve Betsys passing and cherish the memories they made and the life she lived. This imagery that was on display in a Roosevelt Middle School classroom is undoubtedly racist and should not be tolerated in our Town, or any other community, said Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen in the statement, which also noted inclusion of the hash tag YES and the words Ha-Ha. The imagery is also deeply insensitive and troubling to anyone with mental health issues and those contemplating suicide. What happened was the story was given to the National Enquirer by a reliable source that had given information to the National Enquirer for seven years prior to this story. It was a source that was well known both to Mr. Bezos and Ms. Sanchez. Insects do all kinds of tasks and serve purposes that may not be directly visible or thought about by humans like returning nutrients to the earth, serving as the base of the food chain for other animals and some humans, MacNeal said. The storm, which is expected to bring dangerously high winds, is rapidly moving south and approaching Kaui. The storm is expected to come closest to the Hawaiian Islands sometime Sunday before shifting to an easterly path early Monday. The Newport News Police Department reported Smallwoods projector was left on his porch when he was taken into custody. He was reportedly booked for obscene sexual display and obstruction of justice. Authorities say she fled the home with her 11-year-old son and her dogs after setting the fire, according to probable cause documents obtained by local news outlets. She told investigators that when she returned to the home there was too much smoke for her to go inside. Egypts embassy in Amsterdam has received a limestone statue from the First Intermediate Period which was stolen and smuggled out of the country in the 1990s. Shaaban Abdel Gawad, supervisor general of the Antiquities Repatriation Department at the Ministry of Antiquities, told Ahram Online that the statue was first noticed by the department in March 2018 when it was put on display at an art exhibition hall in Holland. The department immediately reported the incident to Egypts Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who contacted the Dutch police and concerned authorities in Holland to confiscate the statue and inform the hall and the owner of the statue that it was a stolen artefact. Abdel Gawad said that the Dutch authorities had handed the statue over to Egypts embassy in Amsterdam and it will return to its homeland soon. The statue is carved of limestone, he continued, and was uncovered via illegal excavation carried out in 1990s at the Saqqara necropolis. It depicts a top official named Nekaw-Ptah in a standing posture and wearing a short wig. It also bears hieroglyphic text showing the name of its owner and the date when he lived. Short link: In another message, Carter wrote, I think your parents know you're in a really bad place. I'm not saying they want you to do it, but I honestly feel like they can except it. They know there's nothing they can do, they've tried helping, everyone's tried." He pulled the trigger first, and the gun did not go off. Nothing happened when Alix pulled the trigger, but she was fatally shot in the chest after she handed the gun back to Hendren. Klevis Vulaj whos also under investigation in a 2017 assault on a transgender woman and Veton Balidemaj left a club on W. 47th St. and 11th Ave. around 3:30 a.m. Saturday, and tried to cut through the construction site a block away when they confronted the worker, police sources said. The city and parts of Long Island are under a winter weather advisory that calls for 2 to 4 inches of snow and winds blowing as high as 35 mph, according to the National Weather Service, with temperatures in the mid-30s. As a mother, Im asking for a favor to all fathers, mothers, brothers, friends who have lost their loved ones in the same way I lost my son to join us so that (drivers) dont play with the law, they dont play with peoples lives, Gloria Alvarado, Guerreros mother, said following the hearing. Williams says she became a police officer because of what happened to Ramsey and to one of her brothers, who she said had also been wrongly convicted. I always wanted to know what gave them the authority to do what they did, she said. I took pride in the job and gave it a different spin and I now actually encourage people to go into the NYPD. They managed to escape with the gun and more than $1,000 of Abdelhakims hard-earned cash. While he was not injured in the fracas, the experience took a mental toll. He has since moved his stall to a location about three miles away and works during the daytime out of fear of being robbed again. I will be residing with 4 different families in 4 different public housing properties each week, Patton posted to Facebook Sunday. I have my own inflatable bed, towel, portable chargers and will be purchasing all groceries for the family for the duration, so not to generate any undue expenses." Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned US allies on Monday against deploying equipment from Chinese telecoms gear manufacturer Huawei on their soil, saying it would make it more difficult for Washington to "partner alongside them". The United States and its Western allies believe Huawei Technologies' apparatus could be used for espionage, and see its expansion into central Europe as a way to gain a foothold in the EU market. "We want to make sure we identify (to) them the opportunities and the risks of using that equipment," Pompeo told reporters during a visit to the Hungarian capital, Budapest. Hungary is the first stop in Pompeo's trip to central Europe that also includes Slovakia and Poland, part of an effort to make up for a lack of US engagement in the region that opened the door to more Chinese and Russian influence, administration officials say. Washington is concerned in particular about the expansion of China's Huawei, the world's biggest maker of telecoms equipment, in Hungary and Poland. Huawei denies engaging in intelligence work for any government. It says its technologies serve 70 percent of Hungarians and that it cooperates with most telecoms providers in Hungary, including state-owned enterprises. "We have seen this all around the world, it also makes it more difficult for America to be present," Pompeo said. "If that equipment is co-located where we have important American systems, it makes it more difficult for us to partner alongside them." Pompeo announced plans for a defence cooperation agreement with Hungary, one of the most enthusiastic European governments about Chinese investment. But he said he had discussed "the dangers of allowing China to gain a bridgehead in Hungary" in talks with Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. Budapest's nationalist government, like Poland's largely isolated politically in the European Union, hopes to buy mid-range air defence capabilities from the United States. US Interests In Poland, where Pompeo is travelling to on Tuesday, the government is considering banning Huawei from participating in the development of 5G capabilities after arresting a Chinese employee of Huawei and a former Polish security official on spying allegations last month. Both men have denied wrongdoing. It is also lobbying Washington for an increased military presence on its soil. Slovakia, which Pompeo visits before Poland, is looking to buy F-16 fighter jets. Pompeo's tour includes a conference on the Middle East, hosted by Poland, where Washington hopes to build a coalition against Iran. He is also expected to voice concerns about energy ties with Moscow, and urge Hungary not to support the TurkStream pipeline, part of the Kremlin's plans to bypass Ukraine, the main transit route for Russian gas to Europe. Hungary gets most of its gas from Russia and its main domestic source of electricity is the Paks nuclear power plant where Russia's Rosatom is involved in a 12.5 billion-euro ($14 billion) expansion. It is also one of the EU states that benefit most from Chinese investment. Hungary's Szijjarto brushed off US concerns, saying Budapest was fullfilling its obligations to western allies as a member of the NATO military alliance. "When it comes to cooperation with Russia or cooperation with the People's Republic of China that does not harm us being reliable as a NATO ally," he told a joint news conference with the US counterpart. Pompeo discussed international concerns over the rule of law in Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban is pressuring courts, media and non-governmental groups, during meetings in Budapest. "So many of the concerns that are voiced are things that have happened in the absence of America being engaged," he told reporters. Short link: Adam Cook is a general assignment reporter and covers the Walker-Catoosa County area. He has been a reporter since 2009. He can be reached at The Catoosa County News office at 706-935-2621 and by email at acook@npco.com. Spain will join a Franco-German project to build a new fighter plane to replace the Eurofighter and Rafale, the defence ministry said Monday. Defence Minister Margarita Robles will sign a letter of intent with her French and German counterparts on Thursday on the margins of a NATO meeting in Brussels, a spokesperson said. The project launched in July 2017 is known as the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), which in addition to a new combat aircraft also plans to include drones and cruise missiles. The new fighter jet will replace the Eurofighter which is assembled in Germany, Britain, Spain and Italy, and the French Rafale around 2040. It will compete with the US F-35 or its successor. A first contract worth 65 million euros was awarded to Airbus and Dassault Aviation in February to develop the design of the combat system. Spain, where Airbus's military transport planes are assembled, had sent a letter in December to Paris and Berlin asking to be associated with the project. The FCAS has a rival -- Britain's Tempest project which has been awarded to BAE Systems, and which Italy and the Netherlands have also joined. In a December statement, Spain's defence ministry said it was "convinced that the two programmes would end up merging, given the huge investment needed in their development." Short link: Festus Keyamo, spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari reelection campaign, says the United States has displayed its double standard... Festus Keyamo, spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari reelection campaign, says the United States has displayed its double standard for the world to see. Keyamo said this in reaction to a statement credited to Stuart Symington, US ambassador to Nigeria. Symington had warned public officials not to obey illegal directives issued in the name of the president, saying any politician whose utterances incite people to violence would be held to account for the crime. But Keyamo said Symingtons utterances reeks of impartiality and plans to prevent Nigerians from exercising their rights to free speech. We are deeply concerned about many of the expressions of the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador W. Stuart Symington and other Western Diplomats which have been directed towards Nigerias upcoming elections, the statement read. The continued warnings about flawed elections is capable of casting an unwarranted cloud over the process. Instead of encouraging our country toward credible elections, such statements undermine public confidence. It would appear that these envoys seem to have discredited the election before it has even taken place. He accused the US ambassador of trespassing and interfering in our electoral process. Below is his full statement: We are deeply concerned about many of the expressions of the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador W. Stuart Symington and other Western Diplomats which have been directed towards Nigerias upcoming elections. Whilst we laud and whole-heartedly welcome their interests in the elections, many of these expressions have been notably off- key. The continued warnings about flawed elections is capable of casting an unwarranted cloud over the process. Instead of encouraging our country toward credible elections, such statements undermine public confidence. It would appear that these envoys seem to have discredited the election before it has even taken place. We truly hope some of the statements attributed to these diplomats are inaccurate. For instance, the Premium News reported that Ambassador W. Stuart Symington threatened to hold to account anyone whose speech, no matter the motivation of that speech, engendered hatred. We all agree that any speech willfully intended to trigger violence is condemnable. However, in condemning other forms of political speech, the American envoy overstepped his ambassadorial brief. For instance, the American Ambassador was reported to have condemned a situation where a candidate says that his opponents political and economic policies are abhorrent and dangerous to the greater welfare of the people and calls on the citizens to hate and reject such policies. In our view, this is a correct statement because it is the duty of the candidate to tell the people these truths to protect the nation from subsequent calamity. But Ambassador Symington says his country would punish such necessary political speeches. For us it is significant to note that such strong political speeches are not unlawful in the United States, but Ambassador Symington is seeking to penalize such speeches by Nigerians. He seeks to shrink our ambit of free speech so that we may behave in accordance with their vision of well-behaved Africans, rather than in consonance with our vision of our own democracy, no matter how tumultuous and dramatic we may be. It would appear that his position seeks to prohibit forms of expression integral to our political discourse. These forms of expression have time and time again been adjudged to be constitutionally-protected speeches by the United States Supreme Court. However, Ambassador Symington intentionally issued his threats to place a chilling effect on speeches in Nigeria that, if uttered in America, would be constitutionally protected. Unfounded allegations and threats to penalize people for constitutionally-protected free speech is improper interference in our internal affairs. Sadly, what Ambassador Symington and some other western diplomats are doing border on the improper. We take the view that the constant statements by Ambassador Symington and the other diplomats are implicit attacks against the government of Nigeria. These statements imply the Nigerian government is inclined to rig the election in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari. This is unfair and unacceptable to us. President Muhammadu Buhari has never been accused of electoral malpractice all his life. However, in contrast, former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar publicly boasted a few months ago that he rigged the 2003 election in the Southwest States. Here, we have an open confession of blatant electoral malfeasance by the PDP candidate. But in all of these, there seem to be no concern by Ambassador Symington and other diplomats about this well-acknowledged proclivity of the main opposition. We expected that such open confession to rigging in the past would have drawn condemnation from the United States. Rather what we witnessed recently was the ignoble act of giving such a self-confessed rigger with a decade-old indictment in America for corruption hanging over his head a special status to enter the U.S for a few days. Such is the double standard that America now displays for the whole world to see. It is unfortunate that most of these countries that sermonize about free and fair elections have ugly histories of denial of voting right to people because of their colour and are still facing many challenges with their electoral systems till date. The continued reference and praise of the 2015 election by Ambassador Symington clearly shows he needs further briefing about the Nigerian situation. For his information, the 2015 presidential election, at the end of the day, produced the correct outcome, but with flawed figures in many areas. Though they lost, the figures attributed to the PDP were inflated in many places, especially in the South South, to save the face of the past President and to reduce the margin of his defeat. President Buhari is determined to improve on the 2015 elections and so it cannot even be our benchmark. An American ambassador has a great responsibility in representing the strongest economic and military power in the world. His comments carry weight because of the status of his nation. This means his comments should reflect a deep knowledge of the subject. Sadly, Ambassador Symington has not shown the deep knowledge of Nigerian situation. The impression he creates by constantly harping on suspected government interference with the electoral process is that President Buhari cannot win without tipping the results. He seems to be saying that only a PDP victory will be evidence of a fair election. Again, he is in great error. From all of the information at our disposal, President Buhari can and should win a free and fair election. However, it appears to us that Ambassador Symington is substituting his subjective conclusions for the sovereign will of the Nigerian people. In doing so, he has abandoned the impartiality of a true envoy and has trespassed into interfering in our electoral process. Instead of encouraging free and fair elections, these judgmental statements and threats only cast an unnecessary pall over the elections and the nation. This is an international disservice and not international diplomacy. The days of unquestioned condescension to Western powers are long gone and we are not prepared at this time in Nigeria to recede to that era. Nigerians will define Nigerias democracy. We shall hold fair and just elections, not because of scolding by diplomats, but because we have sufficient intelligence and morality to do what is right for ourselves. If Ambassador Symington has familiarized himself with Nigerias history from 1999 till date, he would have realized that those in the main opposition are being haunted by their past: they think President Buhari would behave exactly like they did all these years when they consistently rigged elections and denied Nigerians the right to choose their leaders If Ambassador Symington truly intends to be impartial, his statements should acknowledge that both Government and Opposition (particularly in States where the opposition have Governors in place) must respect the process and refrain from rigging. We expect him to counsel both governing party and the Opposition from any form of electoral malpractice. After all, it is not only Governments at the center that rig elections. Elections can also be rigged in opposition-controlled areas. It is not too late for Ambassador Symington to repair the damage of his uninformed statements. He needs to speak as an impartial envoy instead of a person who appears to have prejudged the quality of the process and the outcome. Until he attains that level of informed impartiality, whatever good he seeks is better achieved by his silence than by tendentious utterances. The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, on Monday described the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, as a ... The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, on Monday described the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, as a traitor and a backstabber. Tinubu, who is a former governor of Lagos State, made the remark while speaking during the APC presidential campaign rally in Ilorin, Kwara State. He also urged people of the state to vote out Saraki, who he described as an emperor. According to him: Its been long they have been stealing your money and who has been doing it? its Bukola. We are here to fight Bukola, we are here to quarrel Bukola, he is a traitor and backstabber, we must not allow him steal our votes. This is the celebration of your freedom, the emperor that did exist here for several years now. Tinubu also lectured people of the state on how to vote out the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Saraki. Use your index finger to thumb print and for women dont apply Larlie on your finger on that day because they will say you have voted. If you thump print and it doesnt work, try again, insist on voting. Use your index finger touch the link then thumb print close to the broom on the ballot paper. The Kogi state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has again raised alarm over alleged plans by the police to assassinate ... The Kogi state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has again raised alarm over alleged plans by the police to assassinate Senator Dino Melaye. Usman Okai, spokesman of the chapter, disclosed this in a statement on Monday. Okai claimed that the police are working on the alleged order of Yahaya Bello, the state governor, to invade Melayes Abuja residence. Okai further called on Mohammed Adamu, acting inspector-general of police, to prevail on the police and the state government to desist from this wicked plans. The statement read: There are plans to invade the country home of Senato Dino Melaye, shoot sporadically at the house in an attempt to assassinate him We have it on good authority from a reliable source privy to the plan that O/c SARS Abubakar Babagana and O/c Mopol Mohammed Sani are allegedly mandated to carry out this undemocratic plans between tonight 10th February and tomorrow. We in the PPCC therefore call on the Inspector General of Police to call his men to order and to also use this opportunity to inform the general public especially the good people of Kogi West Senatorial District of this wicked plans and to resist such movies. The PPCC notes that the fortune of the party in the coming election has continued to soar on a daily basis, said no amount of intimidation would change the minds of the peoples rejection of the APC led administration and for all its candidates in Kogi state. Ibikunle Amosun, governor of Ogun state, failed in his bid to restore normalcy at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, Ogun state, on M... Ibikunle Amosun, governor of Ogun state, failed in his bid to restore normalcy at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, Ogun state, on Monday. An unruly crowd had disrupted the presidential rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC), forcing security operatives to form a ring around President Muhammadu Buhari. Trouble started after Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the party, introduced Dapo Abiodun, gubernatorial candidate of the APC in the state. Shouts of Ole! Ole! Ole! rented the air as the angry mob pelted Oshiomhole with stones. The APC national chairman ended his speech abruptly and handed over the microphone to Abike Dabiri, a presidential aide, who anchored the programme. Dabiri had introduced Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo as the next speaker but before then Amosun took to the podium to appeal to the aggrieved persons in the crowd. I beg you in the name of God this is what they want to happen Please dont disgrace me here, he said in Yoruba. Our father is here, please dont disgrace me. I beg you in the name of God, please dont disgrace me before our father We have laboured this hard. I am appealing to you. Please, leave. I beg you in the name of God, please leave. I beg you. I am begging. Amosun had lost out in his bid to secure the APC gubernatorial ticket for Adekunle Akinlade, a serving member of the house of representatives. The governor had accused Oshiomhole and some APC leaders of working against the interest of the state through the emergence of Abiodun, whom he vowed not to hand over to. Trucks and tankers parked on Lagos bridges and roads have returned barely 48 hours after the All Progressive Congress (APC) held its p... parked on Lagos bridges and roads have returned barely 48 hours after the All Progressive Congress (APC) held its presidential rally in the state. Trucks and tankersparked on Lagos bridges and roads have returned barely 48 hours after the All Progressive Congress (APC) held its presidential rally in the state. The trucks were taken off the roads ahead of President Muhammadu Buharis visit to Lagos. Lagosians had reacted to the clearing of the trucks saying may they never return again but unfortunately they are back and so is traffic. Below are pictures taken across different locations on Monday: Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo on Sunday said Nigeria cannot afford to allow looters and corrupt elements to return to power, u... Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo on Sunday said Nigeria cannot afford to allow looters and corrupt elements to return to power, urging electorates to vote massively on February 16 for consolidation of the rebuilding process being championed by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Oloja of Epe, Oba Kamorudeen Animashaun as part of the next level engagement to the ancient town, Osinbajo said Nigerians should not be deceived by the very people who looted the country dry and now seeking to return to power. He said several initiatives being implemented by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government to create jobs such as N-Power, TraderMoni and Markey Money, among others, as well as provision of critical infrastructure were prevented in the past due to corruption, and that it was important to let Nigerians know that the forthcoming polls should be about voting for continuation of the dividends of democracy. According to him, At the next level government, aside from all these initiatives, we also want to establish Entrepreneur Bank and Peoples Money Bank to complement the Bank of Industry. What we have realized is that we need to create several avenues for people to access funds to set up their businesses, and thereby create opportunities for more jobs. Already, we are in partnership with the Africa Development Bank (AFDB) to invest $500 million in creating jobs. Take for example, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway; it did not take them three years when it was constructed but for 16 years, the PDP government could not fix it and they were budgeting money for the road every year. The APC government is now doing it with the right funding, the same thing with several rail projects across the country. While commending Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for the massive infrastructural renewal embarked upon by his administration in the Epe division, the Vice President assured that serious attention would be given to remaining roads connecting Lagos to Ogun State to facilitate ease of movement and boost commerce. I have to thank our Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode who has shown a pattern of serious hard work. I have been here a couple of times with the Governor to see the infrastructural renewal ongoing here and I have to thank God for helping him to achieve this much for Epe. There is nothing we see here that is not good. Every of his project here is good and commendable, Osinbajo said. Also speaking, Governor Ambode, who embarked on door-to-door campaign with the VP in Epe, urged residents to troop out on election day and vote massively for all APC candidates. You know where my heart is. For me, it is four plus four. So, on February 16, it shall be APC all the way from Presidency to Senate and House of Representatives. Whatever you want to do because of me, just know that it is APC all the way from top to bottom, Governor Ambode said. The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has lambasted the governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, for usin... The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has lambasted the governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, for using his position to campaign for someone he (Kanu) described as Jubril Al Sudani Kanu also pointed out that the reason for his call for the boycott of the 2019 polls was not in line with the claims making the rounds of him supporting the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. The IPOB leader said this in a live radio broadcast from London on Sunday. Nnamdi Kanu said, Now let us consider those asking us to vote. We will remember when Restructuring was the rage. Even Kadira Ahmed came to my house to interview me for a special edition of The Core program for Channels TV. This was before the combined Nigerian Army and Air Force came to my house to kill and bomb my village at the behest of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Igbo Governors and other political errand boys in Lagos and Abuja. When I say how they are, they say I dont respect them but I want the world to know tonight that our decision to boycott the elections predates the emergence of Atiku and Obi. Nigeria to my knowledge is the only geographical expression I know where supposed human beings have steadfastly refused to reason. At the height of the restructuring debate, elder statesmen gathered from far and wide to endorse IPOBs stance that if nothing substantial happens on the restructuring from that they were going to boycott this same elections. Here are some of the ways ZOO newspapers carried it: At this point I would like every listener and those of you here with any internet accessible device to please Google search NO RESTRUCTURING NO ELECTION The question we must all ask is this, if Anambra boycott was not effective, why did they initially opt for boycott of 2019 polls. There are those born outside our sacred land in the backstreets of squalid towns like Lagos, Kanon and heaven knows where else. They were raised in ignorance and brought up in stupidity, oblivious to our way of life. They are the e-rats saying I am working for APC because I merely reiterated what I had been saying since 2014 that Biafrans will boycott the elections. Our boycott started as far back as when Atiku was still an APC member campaigning for the election of the dead Buhari. Where were these people in 2014 when we started our boycott of Nigeria elections campaign or have they forgotten? I was instrumental in the election of Peter Obi as the governor of Anambra State. I used Radio Biafra to campaign for Willie Obiano against Nigige because we felt APGA represented the interest of the people. Today Obiano is a monumental disappointment and using that supposedly hallowed platform to campaign for Jubril Al-Sudani. My stand on election boycott predates most of these newly recruited PDP e-rats but sadly Nigerian newspapers would not correct. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday denied Washington was "covering up" the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and promised further action. "America is not covering up for a murder," Pompeo told reporters in Budapest when asked about criticism by a senior Democrat. The remarks came after US President Donald Trump missed a Congress deadline to determine who ordered Khashoggi's assassination. * This story was edited by Ahram Online. Short link: Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has blasted the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for attacking him ove... Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has blasted the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for attacking him over his claim that Atiku Abubakar was from Cameroon. Nnamdi Kanu also insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari was dead and has been replaced with Jubril al Sudani fron Sudan. He maintained that he was not for any political party, describing anyone thinking otherwise as twisted, perverted and ignorant. Kanu stated that every political party in the zoo are all Fulani owned. Fulani conquered Hausa and Hausa helped them to conquer parts of Yorubaland as such, we IPOB dont have any business in zoo presidential elections. When I said Buhari was dead and replaced by a double, an imposter, Jubril al-Sudani from Sudan, Lai Mohammed and APC machinery said Nnamdi Kanu has been bought over by PDP, he is working for the opposition and has been paid millions of dollars to disparage and smear the name of Mohammadu Buhari and ridicule Nigeria in the eyes of international countries. Now that I have said the simple verifiable truth that Atiku Abubakar is a Cameroonian by birth but became a Nigerian by Choice (Referendum), PDP are up in arms saying Nnamdi Kanu signed a pact with the APC led Federal Government and is working for APC to deplete the votes of South East whilst hes far away in London. These PDP e-rats and their Alimajiri APC counterparts remind me of the stupefying ignorance of Jihadists all over the world. When you catch them perpetrating their usual atrocity they tell you its Israel and the West sponsoring terror attacks against their own citizens. They never confront the truth starring them in the face. How twisted, perverted and ignorant they are. It was this same Atiku they are dying for today that joined the same late Buhari they want IPOB to vote out to chase Jonathan out of Aso Rock. How many times will a Fulani rule Nigeria? How many times will people allow Fulani only presidential candidates? What type of god created these PDP e-rats? I asked a question on my page which nobody has been able to answer to date. What do you think other Nigerians will say, especially Yoruba, if Apapa Wharf and Tin Can Island were shut down and every maritime trade moved to Calabar and Igweocha? Do you think Fulani caliphate will allow another ethnic group to rule Nigeria the same number of years as themselves? What did these e-rats do when IPOB was labelled a terrorist group or you have all forgotten? Our boycott started since 2014 when Atiku joined Buhari in APC to humiliate Jonathan out of office. If this wretched band of e-rats werent able to remove certificateless dead Buhari, what can they do to IPOB. We shall teach them a lesson they will never forget. They came to fight IPOB because I spoke the truth. If they invest all the money they stole while in government in a media war against IPOB, they will end up losing it. If the might of the Nigerian state and international media conspiracy could not defeat IPOB, how much less this band of self loathing reprobates. The federal government has described reports in the social media that Leah Sharibu, the abducted Dapchi schoolgirl, has died in captivit... The federal government has described reports in the social media that Leah Sharibu, the abducted Dapchi schoolgirl, has died in captivity as fake news. Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement issued to journalists on Sunday said the report is absolutely fake news. There is nothing like that. He said the rumour, which surfaced just a few days to the presidential election, is another ploy by the political opposition to tarnish the image of the administration and exploit primordial sentiments ahead of the polls. I think its part of the oppositions strategies to throw everything at the administration and at the President. I think every day they are realizing the hopelessness of their position. Every day they are amazed by the support Mr. President is receiving from every part of the country and they have decided that they are going to spread falsehood, inflame passion and make this election a Muslim-Christian affair or North-South affair, but people are not listening to them, the minister said. Speaking on the Mondays presidential campaign rally in Ilorin, he said the All Progressives Congress (APC) has put everything in place to ensure that the visit of President Buhari is a huge success. He said the crowd that will come out to receive the President will be organic as the party does not engage in renting crowds. Mohammed appealed to security agencies to create a level playing field for all the contestants in the election to allow the people to freely exercise their franchise. He also described the protest in some circles over the redeployment of police commissioners as the handiwork of the opposition, which is working to discredit the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission. President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday despatched a team to Jalingo, Taraba State, to condole with the government and people of the state ... President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday despatched a team to Jalingo, Taraba State, to condole with the government and people of the state over the loss of lives at his campaign rally last week. The team, led by Mr Boss Gida Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), included Governor of Adamawa, Mohammed Umaru Jibrilla; Senator Ali Ndume; Mallam Mohammed Bello, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT); Dr Ali Isa Pantami, Director-General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA); and Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity. Senator Yusuf A. Yusuf, a Taraba stakeholder, also joined the team. At the Taraba Government House, where the team was received by Governor Darius Ishaku, Mr Boss Mustapha, speaking on behalf of the President, lamented the sad loss of eight people during and after the rally, saying they did not die in vain. Responding, Governor Ishaku expressed sincere gratitude and thanks to Mr President for promptly sending a delegation to condole with us, adding that the people of Taraba were grateful for the show of concern. An official letter of condolence personally signed by the President was presented to the governor by the SGF. At the palace of the Emir of Muri, Alhaji Abbas Tafida, the leader of the delegation condoled with the monarch and the people on behalf of the President, praying that God will give them the fortitude to bear the loss. Security operatives shielded President Muhammadu Buhari during an outbreak of violence at the presidential rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun state on Monday. The president could not end his speech at the MKO Abiola International Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, where there was a mammoth crowd. The rally was brought to an abrupt end after Buhari raised the hand of Dapo Abiodun, the APC governorship candidate in the state. Immediately, the president raised Abioduns hand, some aggrieved persons threw objects towards his direction, forcing security operatives to form a ring around him. The aggrieved persons had earlier pelted Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the ruling party, with stones and chased supporters of Abiodun from the stadium. Before the arrival of the president, suspected thugs destroyed the publicity materials bearing Abioduns name and pictures. They also attacked supports of the governorship candidate who wore yellow T-shirts branded in his name. Ibikunle Amosun, governor of the state, had lost out in his bid to secure the APC gubernatorial ticket for Adekunle Akinlade, a serving member of the house of representatives. The governor had accused Oshiomhole and some APC leaders of working against the interest of the state through the emergence of Abiodun. He also vowed not to hand over to Abiodun. Shortly after, Akinlade defected to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Amosun said he was not against his action. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will reprint all the permanent voter cards (PVCs) burnt in its office in ... The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will reprint all the permanent voter cards (PVCs) burnt in its office in Quaan Pan local government area of Plateau state. It also said it has reprinted all the ones burnt in its office in Isiala Ngwa south local government area in Abia state, and delivered them for collection. The two INEC offices were burnt in the space of one week. While that of Abia was set ablaze by aggrieved persons, a drunk security man was said to have caused the fire outbreak in Plateau. In a statement, INEC said while 2979 PVCs were burnt in Abia, the fire incident in Plateau affected 5987 uncollected PVCs, 380 voting cubicles, 755 ballot boxes, 14 generators, election forms and official stamps. It said it has notified the inspector-general of police about the development and has also directed the resident electoral commissioner for Plateau to open a register for all those in the affected area who approach the commission to collect their PVCs within the specified period. The Commission will print the PVCs and make them available for collection in good time before the elections, INEC said in the statement signed by Festus airman, information and voter education committee, the statement read. The Commission will proceed as planned in the affected Local Government Areas and all the burnt materials will be replaced in good time and as such will not affect the conduct of the elections. All relevant security agencies have been requested to arrest and bring to justice, persons or groups involved in the attacks on the offices of the Commission. POLICE ORDER TIGHT SECURITY AROUND INEC FACILITIES Meanwhile, Mohammed Adamu, the inspector-general of police, has ordered security beefed-up around INEC facilities in all the states. A statement from Frank Mba, police spokesman, read: The Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu NPM, mni has ordered a comprehensive water-tight and round-the-clock security for all INEC offices and facilities nationwide. Consequently, Command Commissioners of Police in the thirty six states of the Federation and FCT have been directed to put in place adequate, functional and purposeful security arrangements aimed at protecting all INEC offices and materials from all forms of crimes and mischief- before, during and after the elections. An appeal court panel has withdrawn from a case challenging the verdict of a lower court on the All Progressives Congress (APC) primar... An appeal court panel has withdrawn from a case challenging the verdict of a lower court on the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary poll in Zamfara state. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the APC in Zamfara will not field candidates because its inability to hold a successful primary election. But two high courts gave different judgments on the matter. While the Abuja federal high court upheld INECs decision rejecting APC candidates in the state, a high court in Zamfara ordered the electoral commission to accept the candidates of the faction of Abdulaziz Yari, governor of the state. Kabir Marafa, serving senator and governorship aspirant, had appealed the judgement. At the court on Monday, Muhammad Nuhu, counsel to Marafa, alleged that the three-man panel had received a bribe of $3 million. Nuhu said that had made made them lose confidence in the panel. The lawyer asked the appeal court president to constitute a new panel that will entertain the matter. My client is not comfortable with them and urge the president of the court of appeal to constitute a new panel to entertain the case, he said. Following the allegation made by Marafas lawyer, Ahmed Belgori, head of the panel, disqualified himself and his colleagues. Yari whose preferred candidate is Muktar Idris, finance commissioner, has threatened that election will not hold in the state if APC candidates are not allowed to participate. and six other aspirants have asked the National Judicial Council (NJC) to intervene in the appeal of Yari seeking to enforce the judgement of the Zamfara high court. Marafa, Mansur Dan-Ali, defence minister;and six other aspirants have asked the National Judicial Council (NJC) to intervene in the appeal of Yari seeking to enforce the judgement of the Zamfara high court. The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has provided proof on his claims that the presidential candidate o... The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has provided proof on his claims that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is from Cameroon. Nnamdi Kanu was asked by some Nigerians to give meaning to his recent claim about Atiku by showing proofs. In a radio broadcast from London, the United Kingdom on Sunday night, Kanu clarified his comments, insisting that Atiku was originally from Cameroon but a product of 1961 referendum. According to him, Let me make it very clear that my reference to Atiku being born a Camerounian has nothing to do with his suitability to contest the office of the presidency of Nigeria because that is the business of Nigerians, I am a Biafran. I was merely referencing the 1961 referendum that brought his part of Adamawa into Nigeria as a valid example that referendum is not an alien concept in Nigeria. Before we proceed any further tonight, I want those of you with Internet acmes to please go to Google and search for 1961 Referendum Nigeria. The following are the results you will get: 1961 British Cameroons referendum Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1961_British_Cameroons_referendum A senior Russian diplomat says Venezuela hasn't asked Russia for military assistance amid the South American country's political crisis. Alexander Shchetinin, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Latin America department, said Monday that Moscow hasn't received any such request from Caracas, according to Russian news reports. Asked to compare the situation in Venezuela to Syria, where Russia has waged a military campaign to shore up President Bashar Assad's government, Shchetinin said "there is a big difference'' between Syria and Venezuela but wouldn't elaborate. At the same time, the Russian diplomat strongly warned the U.S. against making calls on the Venezuelan military to drop support for President Nicolas Maduro, saying it represented an "unthinkable meddling into foreign affairs of a sovereign nation.'' Short link: 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. Lebanon said Monday it will not take part in a Middle East conference in Poland this week that is widely seen as an effort to isolate Iran. Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil made the announcement during a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, who is on a two-day visit to the Mediterranean country. The two-day Warsaw conference begins Wednesday and will be co-hosted by the US Some 80 countries have been invited, including Israel. Iran, which was not invited, has denounced the conference as a US-led anti-Iran ``circus.'' Lebanon has been following a policy of disassociation from regional conflicts. Iran enjoys wide influence in the country through the Hezbollah militant group, which along with allied parties holds a majority in parliament. Lebanon is technically at war with Israel, and Lebanese officials avoid conferences where Israelis are present. Later Monday, Zarif met Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and discussed the latest developments in Lebanon and the region, the group's Al-Manar TV said. Zarif reiterated during his news conference with Bassil his country's readiness to offer Iranian military assistance to the US-backed Lebanese army, adding that it is up to the Lebanese to choose what they want. Some Lebanese politicians have expressed reservations over the offer from Iran, which is under US sanctions. They fear Western nations may punish Lebanon if it accepts arms from Tehran. Iran has also offered to help improve Lebanon's crumbling power sector. ``I want to confirm again that the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to cooperate with the Lebanese government and the Lebanese army in any field they see suitable,'' Zarif said. ``We don't want to embarrass anyone in Lebanon through the cooperation with the Islamic Republic,'' he said, adding that there is no international law that bans Iran from cooperating with any country. Zarif also said Iran would also help Lebanon with its refugee crisis. Some 1 million Syrian refugees have fled to neighboring Lebanon since the civil war broke out eight years ago. * This story was edited by Ahram Online. Short link: Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 59F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 59F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. (Newser) A Massachusetts woman who sent her suicidal boyfriend a barrage of text messages urging him to kill himself was jailed Monday on an involuntary manslaughter conviction nearly five years after he died in a truck filled with toxic gas, the AP reports. Michelle Carter was sentenced to 15 months in jail in 2017 for her role in the death of Conrad Roy III, but the judge allowed her to remain free while she appealed in state court. Massachusetts' highest court upheld her conviction last week, saying her actions caused Roy's death. A lawyer for Carter had argued the 22-year-old should stay out of jail while her defense team takes her case to the US Supreme Court. Her attorneys said in court documents that she has no prior criminal record, hasn't tried to flee, and has been receiving mental health treatment. But a judge ruled Monday that she should start her sentence. story continues below Earlier in the day, Massachusetts' highest court denied an emergency motion filed by her lawyers to keep her out of jail. Carter showed no discernible emotion as she was taken into custody, though her shoulders sagged as she stood and prepared to be led away. Roy's aunt expressed relief Monday, saying his family believes justice had been served even though the case had been a long and difficult ordeal for them. "We hope that no one else ever has to feel this pain," Becky Maki said. "His life mattered." An attorney for Carter vowed to continue to appeal. "Make no mistake, this legal fight is not over," Joe Cataldo said. Carter was 17 when Roy, 18, took his own life in Fairhaven, a town on Massachusetts' south coast in July 2014. In dozens of text messages revealed during her sensational trial, Carter pushed Roy to end his life and chastised him when he hesitated. (Much more on the case here.) (Newser) As far as rebukes go, Politico called it "extraordinary"; Vox went with "remarkable." The House Democratic leadership on Monday called on one of their party's ownMinnesota Rep. Ilhan Omarto apologize for her "deeply offensive ... use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israels supporters." The leadership's statement continued: "We condemn these remarks and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologize for these hurtful comments." The Washington Post reports that Omar posted two tweets Sunday night that were seen as feeding into the "tired stereotype that Jews control politics with money." The timeline: A report came out on Sunday indicating GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, who had punished Rep. Steve King after offensive remarks, was going to ask the Dems to do the same to Omar and Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib due to anti-Semitic views. story continues below Journalist Glenn Greenwald tweeted in response to the report, and Omar weighed in on his tweet, writing "it's all about the Benjamins," suggesting Republicans are supporting Israel in exchange for campaign donations. When she was asked on Twitter where the funds were coming from, she replied, "AIPAC!" (the American Israel Public Affairs Committee). Vox provides deep background and analysis, and shares this take: "Whether or not one takes McCarthys complaints seriously, he has correctly identified a potentially explosive issue that is very well-calibrated to the specific goal of getting Democrats to fight with each other about a topic most Americans probably dont care very much about." Omar did tweet a statemement Monday saying, among other things, "I unequivocally apologize," but she added that she stands behind her criticism of "the problematic role of lobbyists in our politics," including AIPAC. (Omar made history when she was sworn in.) (Newser) A horrific story out of metro Detroit, where a man fell into a vat of sulfuric acid Saturday and died. The 54-year-old man fell at a Michigan Seamless Tube facility in South Lyon and was injured, dying later at a hospital, WXYZ reports. It's not clear what caused him to fall or how long he was in the tank; a coworker ultimately pulled him out. The company says a "comprehensive investigation of the accident" is being conducted in cooperation with the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Police say the highly corrosive chemical was at least 160 degrees when the man fell in, ClickOnDetroit reports. MST is a manufacturer of pipe and tube, MLive reports. (A sulfuric acid attack allegedly led a man to take his own life.) (Newser) Ever since racy texts between Jeff Bezos and mistress Lauren Sanchez turned up in the National Enquirer, a big unanswered question has been the identity of the leaker. The Daily Beast now quotes multiple sources within Enquirer parent company AMI to point the finger at Michael Sanchez, brother of Bezos' mistress. Michael Sanchez has been a prime suspect since the scandal erupted, partly because of his support of President Trump and ties to Trump associates including Roger Stone. (AMI chief David Pecker is a longtime Trump ally.) However, Michael Sanchez has denied any role in the scandal. story continues below AMI refuses to identify the leaker, with company attorney Elkan Abramowitz saying Sunday only that "it was a source that was well-known to both Mr. Bezos and Ms. Sanchez." The Daily Beast story doesn't say how Michael Sanchez would have obtained the texts or why, though the story suggests AMI did the story for political purposes. "Documents ... show that Michael Sanchez believed the Enquirer pursued its story about Bezos with 'President Trump's knowledge and appreciation,'" per the DB. (All this comes days after Bezos accused Pecker of blackmail.) (Newser) It's not the legacy Rep. Walter Jones would have wanted. But coverage of the longtime North Carolina congressman's death on Sunday is reminding the world that he helped make "freedom fries" a thing. Back in 2003, Jones received a letter from a constituent who owned a diner and had renamed his fries as a way to snub Francethe French had just announced their opposition to the US-led invasion in Iraq, reports the Washington Post. Jones would say later that he didn't quite know what to do with the constituent's suggestion to rename America's fries, and he forwarded the letter to Rep. Robert Ney, who had oversight over the House cafeteria. Ney loved the idea and renamed the cafeteria's fries, and the move instantly gained international attention when the lawmakers held a joint press conference. story continues below Jones himself staunchly supported the Iraqi invasion, but he soon came to regret it and "made it his mission to atone for his vote," per the Raleigh News & Observer. I did not do what I should have done to read and find out whether Bush was telling us the truth about Saddam (Hussein) being responsible for 9/11 and having weapons of mass destruction, Jones said in 2015. Because I did not do my job then, I helped kill 4,000 Americans, and I will go to my grave regretting that. Jones became one of the first Republicans to reverse his support of the war, reports the AP, which notes that the move was especially newsworthy because the Marines' Camp Lejuene is in his district. (Jones signed more than 11,000 letters to families of dead troops.) The Russian and Turkish defense ministers are meeting in Ankara to coordinate their next moves on Syria. Sergei Shoigu said at the start of Monday's meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar that they need to solve a few remaining issues ahead of Thursday's meeting of the presidents of Russia, Turkey and Iran in Sochi. Akar hailed the talks as an ``important contribution to the peace and stability of the region.'' Russia and Turkey share a strong opposition to the US military presence in Syria and are coordinating ahead of the planned withdrawal of American troops. Iran and Russia are close allies of Syrian President Bashar Assad, while Turkey supports the opposition. The three have arranged local truces in different parts of the war-torn country in recent years. Short link: (Newser) California Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to withdraw several hundred National Guard troops Monday from the state's southern border with Mexico in defiance of the Trump administration's request for support from border states. About 100 of the 360 troops will remain deployed under California's agreement with the federal government to focus specifically on combating transnational crime such as drug and gun smuggling, Newsom spokesman Nathan Click says. Specifically, they will be tasked with providing intelligence on transnational crime and assist with cargo dock operations and searches of commercial trucks for contraband. Around 110 troops will be reassigned to beef up California's fire preparation efforts. story continues below Newsom's move comes on the heels of New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, also a Democrat, pulling back her state's troops from the US-Mexico border. The former governors of the two states agreed to send troops to the border last April at the Trump administration's request along with Texas and Arizona, which still have troops at the border. Newsom's and Grisham's actions are a fresh, if symbolic, affront to President Trump's description of a crisis at the border, the AP reports. "The border 'emergency' is a manufactured crisis, and California will not be part of this political theater," Newsom plans to say in his Tuesday State of the State address, according to excerpts released by his office. (Read more US-Mexico border stories.) (Newser) President Trump says the leak of his daily schedules "should have been reported as a positive, not negative"because it shows just how hard he is working. The leak showed that around 60% of Trump's workday is unstructured "executive time," but the president says that time involves hard work, USA Today reports. "When the term Executive Time is used, I am generally working, not relaxing," Trump tweeted Sunday. "In fact, I probably work more hours than almost any past President." He added: "The fact is, when I took over as President, our Country was a mess. Depleted Military, Endless Wars, a potential War with North Korea, V.A., High Taxes & too many Regulations, Border, Immigration & HealthCare problems, & much more. I had no choice but to work very long hours!" story continues below Sources have said what the schedules describe as "executive time" often includes time at the White House residence spent tweeting and watching Fox News. But while Trump describes the leak as a positive, White House secretary Madeleine Westerhout calls it a "disgraceful breach of trust to leak schedules" and the White House has reportedly launched an investigation to find the leaker. But despite the probe, more Trump schedules have been leaked, the Huffington Post reports. Documents provided to Axios show that "executive time" took up about 50% of Trump's workdays last week. Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said Sunday that he hopes to know this week who leaked the schedules. He said around 400 people had access to the version that was leaked. (Read more President Trump stories.) (Newser) Sen. Elizabeth Warren wants to be the Democratic nominee in 2020and she's not sure who her Republican opponent will be. She told a campaign event in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Sunday that every day brought "a racist tweet, a hateful tweetsomething really dark and ugly" from the president and wondered if it was worth chasing after them every day, Politico reports. "Heres what bothers me. By the time we get to 2020, Donald Trump may not even be president," she said. "In fact, he may not even be a free person." A day earlier, when Warren confirmed her 2020 White House bid, Trump once again mocked her as "Pocahontas" with a tweet that some said invoked the 19th-century "Trail of Tears." story continues below When asked about her remarks hours later, Warren cited the number of Trump investigations, the New York Times reports. "It's no longer just the Mueller investigation," she said. "They're everywhere and these are serious investigations, so we'll see what happens." The Times reports that fellow 2020 hopeful Sen. Cory Booker said while campaigning in Iowa on Saturday that he's not sure Trump will be the nominee, but if he is, "you will see the toughest, strongest person standing against him." Trump, meanwhile, mocked Sen. Amy Klobuchar after she entered the race Sunday. He tweeted that it was "bad timing" for her to have talked about fighting global warming while standing in a "virtual blizzard." "By the end of her speech she looked like a Snowman(woman)!" he said. (Beto O'Rourke says he'll decide if he's running for president by the end of the month.) (Newser) The National Enquirer committed neither extortion nor blackmail by threatening to publish intimate photos of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, an attorney for the head of the tabloid's parent company said Sunday. Elkan Abramowitz, an attorney for American Media Inc. chief executive David Pecker, said on Sunday a "reliable source" well-known to Bezos and his mistress provided the story about the billionaire's extramarital affair, the AP reports. Bezos has said AMI threatened to publish the explicit photos of him unless he stopped investigating how the Enquirer obtained his private exchanges with his mistress, former TV anchor Lauren Sanchez, and publicly declare that the Enquirer's coverage of him was not politically motivated. Bezos also owns the Washington Post. story continues below During an interview with ABC's This Week, Abramowitz defended the tabloid's handling of the situation as part of a standard legal negotiation. "I think both Bezos and AMI had interests in resolving their interests," Abramowitz said. "It's absolutely not a crime to ask somebody to simply tell the truth. Tell the truth that this was not politically motivated, and we will print no more stories." Sources say Bezos' personal investigators have focused on Sanchez's brother. Michael Sanchez is his sister's manager, a Trump supporter, and an acquaintance of Trump allies Roger Stone and Carter Page. Abramowitz would not comment when asked whether Michael Sanchez was the Enquirer's source but said that "Bezos and Ms. Sanchez knew who the source was." (Saudi Arabia says it had nothing to do with it, though Bezos has suggested otherwise.) (Newser) Americans aren't just returning to the moon for the first time since 1972they're going to stay there. So says NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine in a bold essay that envisions astronauts exploring the moon with new technology and using the lunar surface as a base to explore Mars and other destinations, Sky News reports. "That's the mandate weve been given by President Donald Trump and a supportive bipartisan Congress," he writes at Ozy. "This is an exciting time to be leading America's space program." story continues below The plan hinges on a new orbiting outpost called the Lunar Gateway that would allow astronauts to reach the moon and return at will. For now, NASA is discussing the Gateway and commercial cargo moon deliveries with nine US companies. The plan: set foot on the lunar surface within a decade. "This time, when we go to the moon, we will stay," Bridenstine writes. In related news, NASA has confirmed that China indeed landed a robotic mission on the moon's far sidethe first-ever lunar mission to do so, per Science Alert. Photos were posted on a blog devoted to the NASA spacecraft that snapped pics of the Chinese mission. (Read more NASA stories.) (Newser) Two Texas newspapers are out with an investigation into the Southern Baptist church that reveals a long pattern of sexual abuse by church leaders, workers, and volunteers. The Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News found that 380 peopleeveryone from ministers to youth pastors to Sunday school teachers to church volunteershave been accused of sexual misconduct since 1998. About 200 were convicted or accepted plea deals, with many cases still pending. Almost 100 are in prison and a larger number are now registered sex offenders. The most jarring paragraph: "They left behind more than 700 victims, many of them shunned by their churches, left to themselves to rebuild their lives. Some were urged to forgive their abusers or to get abortions." story continues below Top church leaders are promising reform. "This is nothing short of a scandal and a crisis," tweeted Southern Baptist Convention leader Russell Moore. "There should be no tolerance for, or covering up of, sexual abuse of the vulnerable ever, especially within the church of Jesus Christ." The first part of the three-part investigation includes interviews with victims, including a woman who says she was sexually abused by her pastor near Dallas for years, beginning at age 14. Years later, as an adult, Debbie Vasquez traveled to the church's annual convention to make a formal plea for reforms. That was in 2008, and nearly all of the proposed reforms were rejected. Click to read the first part. (Read more Southern Baptist stories.) 'Height Is Power,' and So Statue of Roosevelt Will Go Saudi authorities do not know where dissident Jamal Khashoggi's body is despite having in custody the Saudi team that murdered him, the kingdom's foreign minister said in an interview broadcast Sunday. The journalist was dismembered after his murder October 2 in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul but his remains have yet to be found. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said the murder was carried out by Saudi officials "acting outside their scope of authority" and that 11 people have been charged with the crime. But asked where Khashoggi's body is, he told CBS's "Face the Nation," "We don't know." Jubeir said the public prosecutor responsible for the case had sought evidence from Turkey but had received no response. Questioned why those in custody couldn't tell them where the body was, Jubeir responded: "We are still investigating." "We have now a number of possibilities and we're asking them what they did with the body, and I think this investigation is ongoing, and I would expect that eventually we will find the truth," he said. A New York Times report Friday said the CIA had intercepted communications of the crown prince telling a top aide in 2017 that he would go after Khashoggi "with a bullet" if the journalist did not return to Saudi Arabia. "I'm not going to comment on reports based on anonymous sources," Jubeir told CBS. "The crown prince, we know, did not order this. This was not a government-sanctioned operation," he said. * This story was edited by Ahram Online. Short link: What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 574-583-5121 or email cgrace@thehj.com. Egypt's Defence Minister Mohamed Zaki discussed military cooperation and the exchange of military expertise with commander of the US Central Command General Joseph Votel in a meeting in Cairo on Monday, the Egyptian Armed Forces said in a statement. Zaki and Votel also discussed recent developments in the Middle East regarding the war on terrorism. Minister Zaki stressed the depth of strategic relations and coordination between the Egyptian Armed Forces and the US army. General Votel expressed the US' keenness to support the strategic partnership and coordination between the militaries of the two countries. Votel added that he hopes to see more cooperation between the two countries to help them achieve their common interests. On Monday, Egypt's army Chief-of-Staff Mohamed Farid met with Votel and a delegation of US military officials, where they discussed the latest developments in the Middle East. Search Keywords: Short link: The late submission of Request for Inspection & Survey Checking (RISC) forms for works relating to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridges link road does not involve quality issues, the Highways Department said. The department added that before the bridge opened to traffic, it was confirmed that the works were carried out according to contract requirements, and the works technical and safety requirements were met. Responding to media enquiries today, the department said the project concerned is the Hong Kong Link Road section between Scenic Hill and Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities, with Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Limited as the engineering consultant and China State Construction Engineering (Hong Kong) Limited the main contractor. The department said in end-July last year, the engineering consultants resident site staff reported that the contractor had not submitted over 10,000 RISC forms in time according to contract requirements. This accounted for about 28% of such required forms. At the departments request, the resident site staff filed site construction records in last August. Such records were then scrutinised by an independent consultant appointed by the department. The independent consultant found the resident site staff were able to provide ample evidence in a short time, showing the engineering consultant had all along kept systematically a large number of photo records. The staff interviewed were familiar with details of the supervision works. During the scrutiny, no forgery of documents was found, the department added. It also said according to contract requirements, the contractor filed the concerned RSIC forms with the dates indicating when the forms were signed - instead of the construction dates - to show they were submitted late. The department has reflected in quarterly reports the unsatisfactory performances of the engineering consultant and the contractor, and urged them to improve. A Social Welfare Department subsidy scheme to support the employment of the disabled will open for applications all year round from tomorrow. The Support Programme for Employees with Disabilities, launched in 2013, gives employers a one-off subsidy of up to $20,000 for each disabled staff to buy assistive devices or modify workplace. A grant of up to $40,000 may be considered for cases where the price of a single assistive device and its essential accessories exceeds $20,000. The subsidy can be used on a wide range of assistive devices and modifications, including computer accessories or adaptive equipment, optical magnifying devices, hearing and assistive devices, Braille products and handrails. Employers may send their application forms together with the required documents to the department through the referring organisations. Each applicant may submit more than one application. Click here for details. One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. By AFP WASHINGTON: Riyadh does not know the location of dissident Jamal Khashoggi's body, despite having detained the Saudi team that murdered him, a high-ranking foreign affairs official in the kingdom said in an interview broadcast Sunday. The dissident journalist was dismembered after his murder October 2 in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul but his remains have yet to be found. Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, said the murder was carried out by Saudi officials "acting outside their scope of authority" and that 11 people have been charged with the crime. But asked where Khashoggi's body is, he told CBS's "Face the Nation," "We don't know." Jubeir said the public prosecutor responsible for the case had sought evidence from Turkey but had received no response. Questioned why those in custody couldn't tell them where the body was, Jubeir responded: "We are still investigating." "We have now a number of possibilities and we're asking them what they did with the body, and I think this investigation is ongoing, and I would expect that eventually we will find the truth," he said. Jubeir was interviewed Friday, the same day President Donald Trump ignored a congressional deadline for reporting on who assassinated Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post who had been openly critical of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The CIA has concluded the Saudi operation was likely directed by the powerful crown prince, but the White House has sidestepped that finding amid strenuous denials by Riyadh, a key US ally. On Friday, The New York Times said the CIA had intercepted communications of the crown prince telling a top aide in 2017 that he would go after Khashoggi "with a bullet" if the journalist did not return to Saudi Arabia. "I'm not going to comment on reports based on anonymous sources," Jubeir said. "The crown prince, we know, did not order this. This was not a government-sanctioned operation." An Egyptian criminal court has sentenced three police officers to three years in prison for beating to death a citizen inside a police station in Upper Egypt's Sohag governorate in 2016. The court sentenced the head of the Tahta police station's investigations unit, the unit's deputy and the chief of the inspection unit of northern Sohag. The court also sentenced a Sohag Health Department employee to one year in prison and relieved him of duty for two years for forging the medical report of the victim. The verdict is subject to appeal. The case dates back to 2016, when the defendants were referred to criminal court over charges of beating the victim to death in an attempt to coerce a confession in a murder case. Short link: Virginia Tech investigates how Honduran youth respond to crime and violence Unemployment, poverty, and violence have driven many Honduran youth to the U.S. and Mexico borders in search of a better life. They may reject agriculture -- a primary livelihood for many rural Hondurans - as unrewarding, choosing to leave their country or turn to an illicit trade. Virginia Tech will shed more light on the paths that Honduran youth face and the decisions they make. A team of researchers led by Virginia Tech will examine the connections between: Changing livelihoods in rural areas considering environmental factors. Youth views of career opportunities. Youth pathways into crime and violence. The one-year study, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will help identify the ways young people respond to violence, such as the choice to migrate rather than pursue a job, studies, or a career in agriculture. "Our study will examine a range of threats that Hondurans face, from the lack of educational opportunities to inflated food prices and climate change effects," said Rebecca Williams, who works for Virginia Tech as the study's principal investigator. "We plan to speak firsthand with youth to get a better understanding of what they want and what they need in order to live productive and resilient lives." Williams said that understanding the reasons behind young people's choices will help researchers develop "approaches that help them improve their lives." Referring to gang participation, violence, and poverty, Van Crowder, executive director of the Center for International Research, Education, and Development, said migration is "at the forefront as a perceived coping and survival strategy for youth. It is important to understand these 'push factors,' and the study will help do this." The center will manage the Rural Livelihood and Violence Study under a $200,000 grant. Information gained is expected to inform the design of programs for youth. Williams and her Honduran counterparts will carry out interviews and surveys with students ages 10 to 27 and community members. Student interviews will focus on violence, self-esteem, and sense of community. The surveys will gauge perceptions in three areas: Agriculture and other rural livelihoods. Impacts of climate change on agricultural productivity. Perceptions of violence and migration. Williams, a gender expert with a focus on agricultural and indigenous communities, studies the connections between violence, masculinity, and food security. The center, part of Outreach and International Affairs, has a record of managing USAID projects focused on building capacity and improving opportunities for youth, including the Innovation for Agricultural Training and Education project, the Youth in Agriculture project in Senegal, and the Catalyzing Afghan Agricultural Innovation project. ### This story has been published on: 2019-02-11. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. By ANI NEW DELHI: After PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Monday lauded Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for sharing his ideas of developing a nation at the Dubai Summit recently. "I agree what Imran Khan said in Dubai. He said that in order to develop a country there is a need to uplift all sections of the society rather than a particular class," Abdullah said. A day earlier, Mehbooba too had hailed Khan's decision for announcing to rename Baloki Forest Reserve in Pakistan after Guru Nanak, the Sikh community's holy figure and expressed his wish to build a university in his name. Continuing with his appreciation to what the Pakistan Prime Minister said at the Dubai Summit, Abdullah noted, "This government (BJP) has failed to develop the country after coming to power in 2014. They are not able to fulfil their promises". ALSO READ | Pakistan has Mecca, Medina for Sikhs: Imran Khan in Dubai "The government claims that each and every village of India now has electricity. I urge you all to please visit my state. We don't have electricity in the major cities, forget about the villages," added the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Commenting on the closure of roads and highways in his state due to heavy snowfall, Abdullah told media: "Till now, they are not able to build a road of 30 kilometres but have promised us the moon. They have also rationalised petrol and diesel in the valley. The road from Ramban to Banihal has been closed for six days. If the situation continues to prevail, people might not get vegetables also. This government totally failed to fulfil their promises." "When Mehbooba Mufti came to power, they promised allocation to the tune of Rs 80,000 crore but in reality disbursed only Rs 10,000 crore. They can only lay foundation stones to appease the voters before the elections," he added. In his concluding remarks, Abdullah accused the BJP of doing vote-bank politics. He said, "In order to win the elections, the BJP is creating divides among Muslims, Hindus as the elections are just round the corner. By PTI COX'S BAZAR: Bangladesh security forces stopped 22 Rohingya Muslims from being smuggled to Malaysia by boat, officials said Monday, the second group in three days prevented from leaving squalid refugee camps. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) forces found 11 women, 10 children and a man at a village on the Bay of Bengal coast, near the border with Myanmar, on Sunday. The 22 had paid traffickers up to $1,200 each to get a place on a small boat for the dangerous journey, a BGB officer said. The people smugglers fled before security forces arrived. About 740,000 of the Muslim minority fled Myanmar for Bangladesh after a military clampdown in the Buddhist-majority nation in August 2017. ALSO READ | Seven Assam-bound Rohingya Muslim children detained in Tripura There were already 300,000 Rohingya already in Bangladesh where they are largely confined to the overflowing camps. "The traffickers took whatever they could from the refugees," Lieutenant Colonel Asadud Zaman Chowdhury, BGB chief for the town of Teknaf, told AFP. He added that it was possible many of the young women would have ended up in "forced prostitution". It is the fourth time since November that Rohingya have been intercepted attempting to get a boat to Muslim-majority Malaysia. IN PHOTOS | A peek into the lives of the Rohingyas of Hyderabad On Friday, border guards stopped 30 Rohingya from boarding a boat and sent them back to their camps. Authorities fear that more Rohingya will try to take boats to Malaysia while the Bay of Bengal is calm up until the end of March. Bangladesh's refugee commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam said "an internationally organised racket" was preying on desperation in the Rohingya camps. "The refugees are lured by false promises. They simply don't have any idea how dangerous these sea journeys can be," he told AFP. People smugglers sent tens of thousands of Rohingya from the camps to Malaysia before Bangladesh launched a crackdown in 2015. By PTI HYDERABAD: A sex determination racket has been busted near here and a doctor arrested in this connection, police said Sunday. A team comprising health and police officials carried out a decoy operation at a private scanning centre in Ibrahimpatnam on January 8 and arrested a doctor for allegedly conducting prenatal sex determination examination with the help of a mediator, they said. Based on credible information that prenatal sex determination tests were conducted illegally on pregnant ladies at the scanning centre, a 6-month pregnant woman was taken for sex determination test, as a decoy, to the centre, they added. The doctor took Rs 7,000 for sex determination and disclosed the gender of the unborn baby, police said adding he was apprehended. By Express News Service THANJAVUR: Forty-two people, including three policewomen and a male constable, were injured in a jallikattu held at Tirukkanupatti village on Sunday. During the event, one bull came out of the vaadivasal and suddenly took a U-turn, hitting four police personnel, three of them women, who were on duty at the entrance. All the four were rushed to the hospital. Besides the police personnel, 38 people, including bull tamers and owners, were also injured. The jallikkattu, organised as part of St Antonys Pongal festival, was flagged off by Rajya Sabha member R Vaithilingam. Member of Parliament K Parasuraman, District Collector A Annadurai; DIG J Loganathan, SP SS Mageswaran, and RDO C Suresh were also present at the annual event. As many as 752 bulls and 302 bull tamers from Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Pudukkottai, Tiruchy and Madurai districts had registered. Of the registered bulls, 654 bulls went out of the vaadivasal and 254 bull tamers participated. Of the injured, eight people were admitted to the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital.The successful tamers and the owners of the bulls that could not be tamed were given various prizes, including motorcycles, gold rings, bicycles, almirahs, cots and silk sarees. Dhinesh Kallungal By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Although foreign tourists who arrive in Gods Own Country cover almost all famous tourist destinations, including Alappuzha and Idukki, their spending pattern shows Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram together accounted for 76 per cent of the total forex earning in the state in 2018 and only 24 per cent was accounted by the rest of all the destinations across the 12 districts. Kerala netted a total foreign exchange earnings (FEE) amounting to Rs 8,764.46 crore in 2018. Of this, Ernakulam constituted the highest FEE of Rs 3,902.37 crore (45 pc of total FEE of tourism sector). The total FEE from Thiruvananthapuram was Rs 2,793.97 crore (31 pc of total FEE). Together, both districts accounted for 76 per cent of the total FEE amounting to Rs 6,642.34 crore. Alappuzha came third with Rs 763.58 crore, followed by Idukki (Rs 358.39 crore) and Kottayam (Rs 346.03 crore). Malabar altogether netted an FEE of Rs 453.57 crore with a split of Kozhikode having the highest FEE of Rs 146.99 crore followed by Malappuram (Rs 140.77 crore), Wayanad (Rs 92.79 crore), Kannur (Rs 40.07 crore) and Kasargod (Rs 32.95 crore), indicating north Kerala has a lot to go to become a major tourist hub for foreign tourists. Among the countries, the UK constituted the highest number of foreign tourists in 2018 with 2.01 lakh of the total 10.96 lakh foreigners who visited Kerala. The US came second with 96,522 tourists followed by France (87,200) and Germany (66,194). Among the countries, West Asian nations continued their slide with Saudi Arabia leading the table with a drop of 24.51 per cent (highest in terms of number of tourists) followed by the Sultanate of Oman, the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain. E M Najeeb, south India regional chairman of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), told Express there was no need to bother about the skewed spending pattern of foreigners in Kerala. Since Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram are the main gateways to Kerala, these two destinations account for the majority of the spending of foreigners. Although foreigners are interested to visit sce nic spots across the state, their main shopping and accommodation are still city-based, he said. The industry experts are of the view the state would seriously take measures to woo back the West Asia tourists, who are one of the major revenue sources. Similarly, the Tourism Department should market destination Kerala outside its traditional markets. For instance, Chinese tourists are a major revenue source of Far East tourism destinations. But it is hard to believe whether they would know of a state like Kerala in India which is ruled by the Communists. Kerala netted a total foreign exchange earning (FEE) amounting to Rs 8,764.46 crore in 2018. Of this, Ernakulam constituted the highest FEE of Rs 3,902.37 crore (45 pc of total FEE of tourism sector). The total FEE from Thiruvananthapuram was Rs 2,793.97 crore (31 per cent of total FEE). By PTI BENGALURU: Cracking the whip, the Congress Monday sought disqualification of four rebel MLAs under the Anti-Defection law after they repeatedly remained defiant, skipping the assembly session and legislature party meetings. The Congress petitioned the Assembly speaker Ramesh Kumar, seeking action against lawmakers Ramesh Jarkiholi, Umesh Jadhav, Mahesh Kumathali and B Nagendra weeks after giving them warnings to mend their ways and fall in line. Congress Legislature Party leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah met the Speaker and gave him a letter along with supporting documents to disqualify the four MLAs. ALSO READ: Siddaramaiah tells missing MLAs to either fall in line or be disqualified Siddaramaiah, who also heads the JDS-Congress coordination committee, was accompanied by deputy chief minister Dr G Parameshwara and Congress state president Dinesh Gundu Rao. Later, Rao tweeted, "@siddaramaiah and myself have petitioned the Hon'ble Speaker, to disqualify 4 of our MLAs under the rules of the anti-defection law." Despite repeated notices & issuing of whips they have been found to be in violation by their continued absence. The four MLAs skipped the CLP meeting on January 18, which was meant to be a show of strength in the backdrop of BJP's alleged bid to topple the coalition government, and another CLP meet Friday last despite a whip. They were also among those absent from the assembly since the budget session began Wednesday last. Jarkiholi was upset after he was dropped in the ministry rejig on December 22. The errant MLAs were earlier given notices, seeking an explanation for their conduct. Another Congress MLA J N Ganesh, who was reportedly on the BJP's radar for desertion, is absconding ever since he allegedly assaulted fellow lawmaker Anand Singh during a brawl at a resort recently. Two independent MLAs have already announced withdrawal of their support to the coalition government and backed BJP. A possible disqualification of the four MLAs might deepen the crisis for the ruling coalition as in that event, it would be hanging by the thread with its strength just above the half way mark of 113 by one seat. With the two Independent MLAs withdrawing support, the ruling coalition now enjoys the backing of 118 MLAs in the 224-member house, where the BJP's strength is 104. By Express News Service MANDYA: A 65-year-old woman was allegedly disrobed and beaten up, by four persons a family including a woman, outside her house at Mardipura in Dudda hobli in the district recently. The woman had to face the wrath of the accused for the simmering land dispute between them that erupted especially after she bought a piece of land belonging to one of the accused persons. In her complaint to Shivalli police, Sanna Bettamma, wife of late Ningaiah, the victim has alleged that Swamy and his wife Gowramma and their children Madhukumar and Manu also from the same village, assaulted her after tying her to a pole outside the house. They were infuriated for tilling a piece of land 0.10.1/4 gunta (survey no 14/1 at Narasipurada Koppal, Dudda hobli) which she had purchased from their relative Boramma for Rs 50,000 and was also registered in July 2008. Narrating the ordeal she went trough on February 7, Sanna Bettamma said: I was on foot near my house when Swamy and three others stopped me only to question about taking up agricultural activities in the said land. When I reminded them about giving Rs 50,000 through the village elders towards buying the property, Swamy who was already drunk pulled off my saree and tied me to a pole. He also tore my jacket only to insult me in public. He later hit me with a stone on my forehead and shoulder, while Madhukumar assaulted with a club. Gowramma hurled abuses and Manu kicked on my abdomen. Sanna Bettamma, who was treated as an outpatient at the hospital, provided a copy of the same along with the documents related to the land. By PTI Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu launched into a tirade against the BJP-led central government, alleging Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not following 'raj dharma' by denying the state special status. Naidu, who began a day-long fast at the Andhra Bhavan demanding that the Centre fulfil all promises made during AP's bifurcation in 2014, warned that Modi would be given a befitting answer if he made personal attacks against the people of his state. "(Former PM) Atal Bihari Vajpayee said 'raj dharma' was not followed in Gujarat (during the 2002 riots). Now, 'raj dharma' is not being followed in the case of Andhra Pradesh. We have been denied what is rightfully ours," Naidu said. He alleged the central government did grave injustice to Andhra and it would have "repercussions on national unity". READ | Mamata extends support to Chandrababu Naidu's one-day fast at Delhi "On behalf of five crore people, I'm warning this government. I came here to remind you of the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act," Naidu said. "I am warning you. Don't make personal attacks against me and my people. It's unwarranted. I am just doing my duty as the head of my state. We are only demanding what we were promised," he said, adding if somebody "attacks our self respect, we will not tolerate it". The TDP chief said the party was denied permission to stage a protest in Parliament premises. "So, we came here". Chandrababu Naidu is observing fast from 8 a.m to 8 p.m. on Monday and will submit a memorandum to the President on Tuesday. A number of Opposition party leaders - including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal - are expected to extend their support to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief's fast at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan. All arrangements have been made for the event at AP Bhavan and accommodation is being provided for 509 TDP leaders, including ministers, MLAs and 6,500 others who are expected to participate in the protest. Before beginning the fast, Naidu offered tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat and to B R Ambedkar at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan. Naidus deeksha in Delhi came in for sharp criticism from Modi, who said the AP CM is going to pose for photographs in the national capital at the expense of taxpayers. The State government, which is holding the deeksha on an official note to express resentment against the alleged indifferent attitude of Centre towards State, is reportedly spending around Rs 10 crore for the Delhi deeksha. Naidu, on his birthday, staged his first Dharma Porata Deeksha seeking Special Category Status to the State in Vijayawada on April 20, 2018. Since then, he staged such deekshas 11 times at different places across the State. Naidu, through the deeksha, is not only raising the issue of SCS but also making a pitch against the Modi governments intervention in the affairs of the State government and using Central investigating agencies such as IT, CBI, ED and others to target Opposition parties. (With inputs from ENS) By PTI NEW DELHI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's daylong fast demanding special status for his state on Monday became a rallying point for the opposition, which got together for the second time in less than a month to present a united front against the government. Bringing state issues on a central stage, a series of opposition leaders made a beeline for Andhra Bhavan, where Naidu staged his protest. Those who met Naidu included former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Conference chairperson Farooq Abdullah, NCP's Majeed Memon, Trinamool Congress' Derek O' Brien, DMK's Tiruchi Siva, Loktantrik Janata Dal's Sharad Yadav, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav. The last time the parties came together the same way was on January 19, when 22 opposition parties supported West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her agitation against the CBI's alleged misconduct. The TDP president is demanding that the Centre fulfil promises made during Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation in 2014 and alleges that Modi was not following 'raj dharma' by denying the state special status. READ HERE | PM Modi stole from Andhra people and gave it to Anil Ambani: Rahul Gandhi at Chandrababu Naidu's dharna "The prime minister has stolen from the people from Andhra Pradesh and he has given that money to Anil Ambani. That is the fact of the matter," Gandhi alleged at the protest venue in an apparent reference to the Rafale fighter jet deal with France. The government and Ambani have rejected Gandhi's allegations of corruption in the deal. O'Brien recalled Modi's speech in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday and said he didn't talk about development or special category status but "started a personal attack". "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others. BC is before chaiwala and AD is after dhoka. Modi has lost all his allies and formed a new ally in CBI," he alleged. Samajwadi Party's Mulayam Singh Yadav, Dharmendra Yadav, TMC's MP Derek O'Brien, DMK leader Tiruchi Siva, Sharad Yadav and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh join hands with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. (Photo | PTI) The PM in his rally had remarked that Naidu was a senior, but only in losing elections, switching alliances and ditching his father-in-law, N T Rama Rao. Lashing out at the prime minister, Abdullah said, "Modi has stooped so low. He's making personal attacks against Naidu, who is doing great service for the country. The Jammu-Srinagar highway is closed for six days. They cannot clear the 30km road, but they want to rule the country," he added. Adding his voice to the chorus of criticism, Memon alleged that the Central government was meting out step-motherly treatment to the state and the BJP was attacking Naidu because he has taken the lead in uniting rival parties against it. "We will show the BJP its place in the elections. I assure you on behalf of Sharad Pawar ji, Memon stated. SP leader, Yadav said he was not well but had come to show endorse Naidu's stand. "Naidu is fighting the battle for the poor, the farmers and all those who are oppressed," he added. ALSO READ: PM Narendra Modi rips into baap-beta sarkar; CM N Chandrababu Naidu hits back Stating that Naidu was fighting for a just cause, DMK leader Siva said the Modi government would be ousted in three months. "The powers of the state are being encroached upon, the rights of the minorities are being violated." The TDP had walked out the BJP-led NDA last year protesting the "injustice" done to Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation. Loktantrik Janata Dal chief Sharad Yadav blamed the Modi government for unemployment, joblessness which he said were a result of demonetization. The Constitution is being systematically destroyed, added former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Gegong Apang, who gave the BJP its first government in the Northeast 16 years ago. Congress leaders Anand Sharma, Ahmed Patel and Jairam Ramesh were also at the venue to express their support. Live from my day-long hunger strike against the central government, New Delhi. #DharmaPorataDeeksha #APDemandsJusti https://t.co/YGcWFQPP63 N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) February 11, 2019 Kejriwal hit out at the prime minister over the alleged mistreatment meted out to states being run by governments of opposition parties. "One may have voted for any party but after elections, whoever wins and becomes the CM, is the CM of the entire state and not of a particular party. Similarly, when one becomes the PM, then he is the PM of the entire country, not just one party. The way PM Modi treats governments of opposition parties in states, he behaves like he is not the PM of India but PM of Pakistan," Kejriwal said. Naidu's 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice), which began at 8 am, is likely to end at around 8 pm. He will also submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on February 12. Naidu paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat and also to the Ambedkar Statue at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan before sitting on the hunger strike. In a first of its kind meeting on Monday, the parliament speakers of Egypt, Greece and Cyprus discussed issues directly related to the interests of their three countries. Egypt parliament Speaker Ali Abdel-Aal said in a word before the meeting in Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, that he is happy that relations between the three Mediterranean countries are rapidly growing. "This meeting comes to give support to the summit meetings which the leaders of the three countries have held six times since 2014," said Abdel-Aal. According to Abdel-Aal, Egypt, Greece and Cyprus have always been keen to coordinate on economic and security conditions in the Mediterranean Sea and in the Middle East region in general. "The three countries want to build a strong regional bloc that can stand up to terrorist movements espousing extremist ideologies and stem the tide of illegal migration, which have become a threat to the security in the East Mediterranean," said Abdel-Aal. "As you see, the cooperation among our three countries is no longer confined to discoveries of natural gas and the demarcation of maritime borders, and that we now aim to create an effective regional bloc that can fight forces which aim to destabilise our countries." Abdel-Aal said that the meeting focused on three important sectors: energy, tourism, and culture and education. "In the area of energy, all know that the East Mediterranean has in recent years seen enormous discoveries of natural gas, particularly the Egyptian Zohr field, which has reserves initially estimated at 30 trillion cubic metres," said Abdel-Aal. "The three countries will also move to connect their electricity grids, and a memorandum of understanding in this respect has been signed by Egypt's Holding Company for Electricity and the Euro-Africa Interconnector Company to connect the electricity grids between Egypt and Cyprus in a first stage, and then Greece via Crete Island in a second stage." Abdel-Aal said that connecting the electricity grids of Egypt, Cyprus and Greece will help boost development in the three countries and secure their energy needs for many years to come. On tourism, Abdel-Aal said the meeting stressed the need for Egypt, Cyprus and Greece to boost their investments in this sector. "We talked about the necessity of operating maritime tours between the three countries, encouraging medical tourism, and reinforcing the ties of friendship among our peoples," said Abdel-Aal. Abdel-Aal said that Egypt, Greece and Cyprus are the result of ancient civilisations and all are very rich in cultural and architectural heritage. "We discussed how to boost our cultural cooperation and fighting the illegal trade in antiquities," said Abdel-Aal. On education, Abdel-Aal said that the meetings stressed the importance of implementing agreements between universities in the three countries. "We also probed the possibility of teaching Arabic in Cypriot schools," said Abdel-Aal. Search Keywords: Short link: Aishik Chanda By Express News Service KOLKATA: A day after Trinamool Congress founder turned BJP leader Mukul Roy and three other alleged BJP workers were booked for the murder of Satyajit Biswas, TMC MLA from Krishnaganj in Nadia in West Bengal; TMC Youth president, Diamond Harbour MP and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee visited the family of Biswas and promised to drag Mukul Roy and others to jail if proven guilty. Without naming Mukul Roy, TMC apparent heir Abhishek Banerjee said: "If someone is thinking he will conspire the murder of Satyajit Biswas and get saved by hanging on to the pyjamas of Delhi leaders, I assure that if and when proven guilty, we will hold him by his collar and drag him to jail." The junior Banerjee alleged that other accused Sujit Mondal and Kartik Mondal are BJP workers and ruled out TMC infighting behind the murder. Food and supplies minister Jyotipriya Mullick and Bangaon MP and Matua leader Mamata Thakur also blamed BJP for the murder during their visit to Krishnaganj on Monday. "Satyajit had materialised two major rallies in the region after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Thakurnagar on February 2. So, he was killed to set a precedent because he was a TMC MLA and an influential Matua leader," Mamata Thakur said. Matuas make up a large section of the state's 30 per cent Dalits and are considered a solid voting bloc capable of influencing election results in a large number of Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha seats. Both BJP and TMC are vying for their votes. Hitting out at Mukul Roy, Jyotipriya Mullick said: "The BJP leader on whose direction Satyajit was killed has been identified and investigation is on to go to the root of the conspiracy." On the other hand, Matua Mahasangh activists blockaded train services in busy Bongaon-Sealdah and Gede-Sealdah railway lines of Eastern Railway in protest against the killing of the TMC MLA. Meanwhile, two days after Satyajit Biswas's murder, a TMC leader in Purba Medinipur who was allegedly involved in the ruckus during BJP President Amit Shah's rally in Kanthi last month was found dead in Dadpur in Hooghly district on Monday morning. TMC president of three Gram Panchayat Samitis in Kanthi, Ritesh Roy, who was close to transport minister and Purba and Paschim Medinipur and Jhragram districts TMC strongman Suvendu Adhikari, had been missing since February 7. His wife Mahua Roy stated that before his disappearance, the TMC leader left his house at Chandberia village in Purba Medinipur district on February 7 saying he was going to Kolaghat in the same district but called at 9 pm in the night saying he was off to Malda with a friend. However, his phone was found switched off since then after which family filed a missing diary at Marishda police station on February 9. A deep black mark has been found around the neck of the deceased, leading police to suspect that he might have asphyxiated to death using a rope. The TMC leader's dead body has been sent for autopsy. While TMC has pointed the finger at BJP, the saffron party has put the blame on TMC's infighting. "BJP has conspired to kill him," said Purba Medinipur TMC secretary Kanishka Panda. Refuting his allegations, BJP Kanthi mandal chief Mahesh Sur said: "BJP has never done and would never do such a thing. This might be a conspiracy of TMC leaders in Kanthi or a case of TMC infighting." By Express News Service MUMBAI: Mocking Maharashtra Chief Minister over his remarks at a party function that the BJP would win 43 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the Shiv Sena on Monday said that the claims are hollow as the state is facing a grim situation on several fronts and the alliance talks with Shiv Sena are still hanging fire. In an editorial in party mouthpiece Samaana, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray even blamed the BJP for non-conformity over the alliance between the two parties and said that attempt is being made to advance the politics even while the state is in the doldrums. On Saturday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had claimed, in presence of party president Amit Shah, that their party would win 43 seats, one more than in 2014, in the Lok Sabha polls in the state. The BJP had been advocating a pre-poll alliance with the Shiv Sena in the state and Shiv Sena had been giving it a cold shoulder. However, Fadnavis' claim of winning 43 seats appears to have hit the Shiv Sena where it hurts. "Everybody loves power. But, it is not good to be always under its spell. They want to win 43 out of 48. They are least bothered about the state, about people. They have been talking of toppling this and that nowadays. God forbid tomorrow one might hear these people have started toppling their own buddies. However, even after that, they would keep ruling the state as their mind and intellect have frozen," the editorial in Saamana on Monday said. The editorial also enumerated a number of political mistakes committed by the BJP in the state in an attempt to show that the claims of winning 43 seats were hollow. "The BJP-led government tried to crush the agitation of farmers' daughters in Ahmednagar. There are no good returns for onion growers and milk producers. Teachers are agitating over their demand for filling 24,000 vacant posts in government-run schools, while over 1,000 children have died in state-run shelter homes in last four years," the editorial said in support of the argument. "With the help of EVM, they can win 48 in the state and even 548 in Lok Sabha. The lotus can bloom even in London and the US. However, they don't have face to answer why the lotus of Ram Mandir hasn't blossomed in Ayodhya," the editorial added. Fayaz Wani By Express News Service SRINAGAR: The town of Kargil and adjoining areas observed a shutdown on Monday to protest the Jammu and Kashmir governments decision to set up the headquarters of the newly-created Ladakh division in Leh. The residents of Kargil are demanding rotation of division headquarters for six months between Kargil and Leh. The Ladakh region comprises two districts Leh and Kargil. Last week, the Governor administration had created a separate division for Ladakh and split it from Kashmir. They decided to set up the Ladakh division headquarters permanently in Leh. Cutting across party lines, politicians, including J&K Legislative Council chairman Haji Anayat Ali and ex-legislators joined hands to press for rotation of division headquarters. The politicians and civil society members of Kargil have warned that in case their demand was not accepted, they would resign en masse. All shops and business establishments in Kargil remained closed amid the shutdown, called by Coordination Committee for Civil Disobedience (CCCD), while public transport remained off the roads. A protest rally was taken from Karbala Complex, Residency Road, Jammu till the Press Club. The rally, attended by a few hundred men and women from Kargil, was led by Haji Anayat Ali and CEC LAHDC Kargil Feroz Ahmad Khan. Keeping all offices in Leh is discrimination. We will not allow it, the protestors said. Our demand is for equal share for Ladakh. We will refuse to be part of the newly created Ladakh division unless there is six-month rotation. The CCDC also warned of launching a civil disobedience movement if the administration does not reconsider its decision and allows rotation of divisional headquarters. By IANS NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has held that a consensual sexual relationship between live-in partners would not amount to rape in some cases such as when the man, due to adverse circumstances beyond his control, does not marry the woman. "The acknowledged consensual relationship between the parties would not constitute an offence under Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code," said the bench of Justice A. K. Sikri and Justice S. Abdul Nazeer in a recent judgment. "There may be a case where where the prosecutrix agrees to have sexual intercourse on account of her love and passion for the accused and not solely on account of misconception created by accused, or where an accused on account of circumstance which he could not have foreseen or which were beyond his control, was unable to marry her despite having every intention to do so. Such cases must be treated differently," the bench said. The court said this while quashing an FIR lodged against a doctor by a Maharashtra based nurse who were, for quite some time, in a live-in relationship. Pointing to clear distinction between rape and consensual sex between live-in partners, the court said, "The courts, in such cases must very carefully examine whether the complainant had actually wanted to marry the victim or had mala fide motives and had made a false promise to this effect only to satisfy his lust, as the later falls within the ambit of cheating or deception." Sana Shakil By Express News Service NEW DELHI: In a big gesture for Shia Muslims ahead of the general elections, the Narendra Modi government has decided to launch a direct Air India flight to the holy city of Najaf in Iraq. Najaf is renowned as the site of the tomb of Caliph 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, who is revered by all Muslims but is considered to be the first Imam of the Shias. The loss-making airline will operate the flight from Lucknow on Mondays and Thursdays and the inaugural flight will be flagged off by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday. The five-hour long flight with a stopover in Delhi will have an approximate passenger footfall of 300 people, sources said, adding that the scheduled departure and arrival of the flight will be 10.50 am and 5 pm respectively. Sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the flight is being started keeping in view "minority sentiments" and pending demands from the community. They added that the project got a special push from Singh, who is also BJPs MP from Lucknow. The capital city of Uttar Pradesh has a sizeable population of Shias. Roughly, Shias constitute 10-13 per cent of the total Muslim population in India and have traditionally been perceived to be warm towards the BJP. The only Muslim minister in Modi's cabinet, Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, is also a Shia. Besides Lucknow, other cities where Shias are in significant numbers Hyderabad, Kochi, Mumbai, Surat and Ahmedabad. A senior official in MHA said, Najaf has a lot of significance among Muslims. There is an annual pilgrimage that takes place to the holy city every year. There have been complaints from Indian Muslims regarding poor connectivity to Najaf. The project had been pending for around six months but the government decided to fast-track it considering minority sentiments." By PTI JAIPUR: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrived here on a chartered plane on Monday evening to meet her husband Robert Vadra, who is scheduled to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a probe into an alleged land scam in Rajasthan's border town of Bikaner. According to airport authorities, Priyanka left the airport under tight security for the hotel where her husband had reached earlier in the day. Earlier on Monday, Priyanka made her debut in Uttar Pradesh's political arena as Congress general secretary with a grand road show in Lucknow. ALSO READ: Congress workers, analysts, husband and BJP, Priyanka Gandhi under watchful gaze of many Priyanka had on last Wednesday strongly come out in support of her husband, whom she had dropped off at the Enforcement Directorate's office in Delhi on the first day of his questioning in another case. "He is my husband, he is my family...I support my family," she had said when asked whether she was sending a message by dropping off her husband. Congress mega roadshow HIGHLIGHTS | 'Chowkidar' PM failed to provide jobs to UP youth, says Rahul Gandhi Vadra is scheduled to make a fresh appearance before the Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday in Jaipur in connection with a probe into an alleged land scam in Bikaner. Vadra's mother Maureen is also likely to appear before the central probe agency at about 10 AM at its zonal office on Bhawani Singh Road in Jaipur. The duo landed at Jaipur airport on Monday noon. This will be the fourth time that Vadra appears before the agency. By PTI NEW DELHI: Robert Vadra, Congress President Rahul Gandhi's brother-in-law, is expected to make a fresh appearance before the Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday in Jaipur in connection with a probe into an alleged land scam in the Rajasthan's border town of Bikaner, officials said Monday. Vadra's mother Maureen is also likely to appear before the central probe agency at about 10 AM at its zonal office on Bhawani Singh Road in Jaipur Tuesday. The duo landed at Jaipur airport on Monday noon. This will be the fourth time that Vadra appears before the agency. On last three occasions he appeared before the ED in Delhi in connection with a money laundering probe against him for his alleged role in procuring assets abroad in an alleged illegal manner. The Tuesday's appearance before the ED in Jaipur is directed by the Rajasthan High Court which asked Vadra and his mother to cooperate with the agency after they approached it seeking directions that no coercive action is taken against them by the agency. Officials said the investigating officer (IO) of the case will record the statement of Vadra and his mother under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency has grilled Vadra for about 24 hours over three sessions last week in the national capital. In the Bikaner case, the agency had summoned Vadra thrice but he failed to appear and later approached the court. The ED had registered a criminal case in connection with the deal in 2015, taking cognisance of a clutch of FIRs and chargesheets filed by the Rajasthan police after the tehsildar of Bikaner complained about alleged forgery in the allotment of land in the area, considered sensitive due to its proximity to the Indo-Pak border. READ: Truth will always prevail: Robert Vadra on ED questioning about money laundering allegations The ED, it is understood, wants to question Vadra about the operations of a firm -- Ms Skylight Hospitality Private Limited -- allegedly linked to him, which had purchased land in the area. It also wants to confront Vadra with the statements of those said to be linked to him. The agency was also probing the role of a big steel firm that gave loans to a company that bought the land from firms linked to Vadra at a very inflated price, official sources said. The agency, in the past, had also raided the premises of people linked to Vadra, like Mahesh Nagar and a few others. In December 2017, the ED had arrested Ashok Kumar, a close associate of Nagar, and another person, Jaiprakash Bagarwa. Nagar is said to be associated with Ms Skylight Hospitality Private Limited, the firm with alleged links to Vadra. The ED had searched the premises of both Kumar and Nagar in April 2017. Nagar was the "authorised representative" in four cases of land purchase in Bikaner. Kumar, the agency alleged, had purchased land in the same area, using the "power of attorney" of others. ALSO READ: I stand by my family: Priyanka Gandhi after dropping off husband Robert Vadra at ED office The ED probe in the case is related to the purchase of a land measuring 275 bigha allegedly by the company in Bikaner's Kolayat area a few years ago. The agency has also attached assets worth Rs 1.18 crore of government officials and others in connection with the case under the provisions of the PMLA. The ED, in the past, had also issued notices to the firm and obtained certain documents from it. The agency, however, has not mentioned Vadra's name in its FIR filed under the PMLA. The FIR names some Rajasthan government officials and the "land mafia". Vadra had earlier denied any wrongdoing in connection with the land deal and the Congress had claimed that the case was a result of "sheer political vendetta". The Rajasthan government had, in January 2015, cancelled the mutations (transfer of land) of 374. 44 hectares of land, after the land department claimed to have found that the allotments were made in the names of "illegal private persons". The tehsildar had said in his complaint that the government land in 34 villages of Bikaner, to be used for expanding the Army's firing range in the area, was "grabbed" by the land mafia with the help of "forged and fabricated documents", in connivance with government officials. The ED suspects that a huge amount of money was laundered in the case as people bought land at cheap rates through forged documents. The state government had, while cancelling the mutations, said those were not issued by the Commissioner, Colonisation, Bikaner. Fayaz Wani By Express News Service SRINAGAR: A PhD scholar was among five militants of Hizbul Mujahideen killed in a gunfight with security forces in south Kashmir's Kulgam district on Sunday. The PhD scholar was identified by the police as Waseem Bashir Rather alias Zeeshan who had joined militant ranks on May 23, 2018, after his close friend was killed in a gunfight with security forces last November. Waseem is the third PhD scholar to be killed in an encounter in J&K after Manan Wani, who was killed last November, and Sabzar. A police official said, units of the police, CRPF and Army launched a joint cordon and search operation in a village in the wee hours of Sunday following specific inputs about the presence of militants in Kellam area of Devsar in Kulgam. As the searches were being conducted, the units suddenly came under heavy fire, forcing the security forces to get into an exchange, which last over four hours. At the end of the encounter, five Hizbul Mujahideen members were found dead. Apart from Rather, the deceased terrorists were identified as Zahid Parray, Idrees Ahmad Bhat, Aaqib Nazir and Parvaiz Bhat, all local militants, police added. As the gunfight started, youth of the village took to the roads and attempted to march towards the encounter site. However, they were intercepted by the security personnel, who fired pellets and tear gas shells to disperse them. The youths, however, began pelting the troops with stones. At least a dozen protestors sustained injuries and were evacuated to nearby hospital, which referred two of them to Srinagar hospital for specialised treatment. The authorities suspended mobile internet service in the area as a precautionary measure. Meanwhile, 11 people, including seven security personnel, were injured in a grenade attack by militants at Lal Chowk area. The militants hurled the grenade at the security personnel near Palladium Cinema at Lal Chowk around 6.45 pm, resulting in injuries to 11 people, a police spokesperson said. "Four policemen, three CRPF personnel and four civilians were injured in the terror attack," he said. The wounded include two women and the injured were taken to a hospital, where their condition was stated to be stable, the police spokesperson said. Police have registered a case in this regard and an investigation is underway, he said. Sana Shakil By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Only 48 of the total 5,407 families of Bru refugees have been repatriated to Mizoram from Tripura following the signing of a four-corner agreement between Centre, refugee leaders and governments of Mizoram and Tripura last year. According to the original agreement signed in July 2018, 5,407 Bru families were to return to Mizoram by September. In January, the centre extended the deadline of repatriation till March 31. Over 37,000 Brus had fled Mizoram after ethnic clashes in 1997. A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs found out the law repatriation rate and has expressed concern over the matter. In a report submitted to the Rajya Sabha last week, the panel said, "The Committee expresses its concern over the abysmally low number of families repatriated, and, as against the targeted 5407 families, only 48 families (less than 1%), could be repatriated to the State of Mizoram. The committee, however, expresses its satisfaction over the increase in monetary assistance." The committee, headed by former Union Home Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, said that the government must develop a conducive environment by initiating dialogue with stakeholders "for peaceful assimilation of the Brus in Mizoram". It said that the government "must expedite" repatriation of Brus. The panel was also anguished with the government not responding to its earlier recommendation of reviewing the "poor living conditions in the six relief camps" in Tripura where Brus have been residing after their exodus from Mizoram. "The Ministry of Home Affairs has also not provided the details of action taken by government or the actions which have been contemplated by the Government, for improving the living conditions. The committee, therefore, reiterates its earlier recommendation. and desires that a comprehensive and early action taken report be provided to the Committee for its perusal," read the report. Central government started eighth phase of repatriation (since the exodus) for Bru migrants from August 25 2018, as per the four-corner agreement. However, the repatriation package offered to them was rejected by most refugees, who termed it "insufficient". The centre announced that each family will be given Rs 4 lakh as one-time financial assistance, Rs 5,000 cash assistance per month for two years, Rs 1.5 lakh to build a house, and free ration for two years. By UNI SRINAGAR: Normal life was on Monday affected in Kashmir valley, including this summer capital, owing to a strike called by separatists on the death anniversary of JKLF founder Mohammad Maqbool Bhat, who was hanged and later buried in Delhi's Tihar jail on this day in 1984. Meanwhile, restrictions have been imposed in downtown and parts of the civil line as a precautionary measure to prevent any demonstration. Shops and business establishments were closed though a good number of public and private vehicles were seen plying on roads in restriction-free areas in the city. All the roads leading to Gantaghar and historic Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital, had been barricaded and the people were being directed to take alternate MA road. ALSO READ: Strike cripples life in Kashmir on Afzal Guru's sixth death anniversary Business activities were paralysed in main business hubs of Hari Singh High Street (HSHS), Batmaloo, Dalgate, Regal Chowk, Moulana Azad road, Residency road and Mahraj Bazar. Additional security forces, wearing bullet proof jackets and holding weapons and lathis in their hands, were seen patrolling the streets in Srinagar areas to prevent any untoward incident. All the gates of Jamia Masjid, stronghold of chairman of moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq, are locked since this morning. A large number of security forces and state police personnel have been deployed in the Jamia market and outside the worship place to prevent people from entering there. READ: Five HM, LeT militants killed in encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam A report from Baramulla said life was crippled in this and other north Kashmir towns and tehsil headquarters, where shops were closed and traffic was off the road in support of the strike. Additional security forces have been deployed in entire north Kashmir to prevent any law and order problem. Life also came to a grinding halt in central Kashmir districts of Budgam and Ganderbal in support of the strike called by separatists. Hundreds of security forces and state police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order in major towns and tehsil headquarters in south Kashmir districts of Kulgam, Pulwama, Anantnag and Shopian, where business and other activities were paralysed and traffic was off the roads in support of the strike. Four people were killed and nine others injured in a collision between a heavy transport vehicle and a minibus on the Alexandria-Cairo road. Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health in Alexandria Mohammed Abu-Suleiman said that five ambulances had been sent to the site and that four people who had died were transferred to Kom Dikka morgue. Nine patients were transferred to Amriya General Hospital for treatment . Abu-Suleiman explained that CT scans were performed on those injured and found that the injuries ranged from bruises to fractures on the face and concussion. Last week, three people were killed and 19 others injured after two buses collided on a highway in Tur Sinai, South Sinai, while heading to Sharm El-Sheikh city, Red Sea. Deadly road accidents take place on a near daily basis in Egypt, which is notorious for poor road safety, badly maintained infrastructure, and loosely enforced traffic regulations. The country's official statistics agency said in April that more than 11,000 road accidents took place in Egypt in 2017, down from around 15,000 accidents in the previous year. Short link: By Express News Service MUMBAI: The family members of a man killed in an alleged encounter with the Solapur Police on Sunday claim that he was killed for money. Vinayak Kale was shot dead during an operation of the police against an inter-state diesel smuggling gang in the south Maharashtra district. According to the police, Kale and associates were intercepted by the authorities while they were travelling in a car laden with weapons at Ulegaon, some 400 km from Mumbai. Three policemen including Solapur taluka police station in-charge Vijay Patil were hurt during the encounter, said an officer. However, Kales family members demanded a thorough inquiry into the incident. According to them, Kale had finished his schooling and was preparing to appear for police recruitment tests. They said the police was demanding money from him and killed him for failing to pony up. There are marks of being severely thrashed on Vinayaks body. Hence, the case needs to be thoroughly investigated, the relatives have said. The police, however, said Vinayak had three registered cases against him. However, the case will be investigated as per the National Human Rights Commission guidelines, SP Manoj Patil said. MAYANK SINGH By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Giving a boost to the strategic lift capability of the Indian Air Force, four heavy-lift helicopters arrived in India on Sunday. The Twin rotor Chinook Helicopters reached Mundra port, Gujarat where they will be first assembled before being sent to Chandigarh for their formal induction into the force later this year. As per contract signed in September 2015 with M/s Boeing, USA, 15 Chinook double rotor helicopters worth Rs 8000 crore will be delivered to the Indian Air Force. Chandigarh will be their permanent location from where they will operate. The Chinooks will be part of the Chandigarh based 126 Flight which currently operates the MI 26 heavy lift helicopters made in Russia. The Boeing in its press release said, The CH-47F (I) Chinook is an advanced multi-mission helicopter that will provide the Indian armed forces with unmatched strategic airlift capability across the full spectrum of combat and humanitarian missions. The helicopter can lift about 10 tons of load which includes troops, artillery guns, light armoured vehicles, ammunition, supplies and battlefield equipment. Apart from the US forces, 18 other defence forces use Chinook. The US has become a major defence supplier to India in recent years with the defence manufacturers Lockheed Martin and Boeing supplying equipment to all the three services if India. By PTI NAGPUR: Mohammad Hanif Syed, one of the three convicts sentenced to death in the 2003 Mumbai twin bomb blasts and currently lodged in the Nagpur Central Jail, died at a hospital, a prison officer said Sunday. Syed's health suddenly deteriorated Saturday evening, following which he was shifted to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) where he died one and half hours after admission, Jail Superintendent Rani Bhosle told PTI Sunday night. "The exact cause of his death will be known after post-mortem which will be conducted Monday in the presence of his relatives who have arrived in the city Sunday," she said, adding that Syed's body will be handed over to his relatives after autopsy. As per preliminary information and symptoms, he could have died of a cardiac arrest, Bhosle said. Syed, his wife Fehmida and third conspirator Ashrat Ansari were convicted by a POTA (Prevention of Terrorist Activity) court in 2009 of planting powerful bombs in two taxis which exploded at the iconic Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar on August 25, 2003, leaving 52 people dead and 244 injured. Syed was shifted to the Nagpur Central Jail from Yerwada jail in 2012, after the Bombay high court upheld his death sentence. The Lashkar-e-Toiba's role in the twin blasts was revealed by an accused-turned-approver. It was for the first time that the LeT had used a family to carry out bomb blasts in the country. By PTI GUWAHATI: Former Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha Sunday claimed all the economical data, including the growth figures, are being "manipulated" by the BJP-led Central government to give a "false impression" of development. Delivering a lecture on 'State of the Nation and the way forward' here, Sinha, who had quit the BJP last year, referred to the recent resignation of two members of the National Statistical Commission and the issue of data's authenticity. "In 2017, I said that it was difficult to trust government data. I am telling you with all sense of responsibility that I can command, that this is the first government in India which is manipulating data. No government did this earlier. This government is doing it continuously. ALSO READ: Yashwant Sinha throws hat for PM's post, says he is closest person to deliver on job creation, build infrastructure "All the current economical data are manipulated. The country is not growing at 7.5 per cent, it is not the fastest growing economy in the world. Own (NDA) data are revised upward and UPA's data were revised downward," he said. During demonetisation period also, data were "fudged" and the country's growth data was revised at 8.2 per cent, Sinha claimed. He mentioned about writing an article in September 2017 on the country's economical aspects, after which the government tried to deviate the topic by presenting it as a personal conflict between him and his son, who is also a minister in the Narendra Modi-government. "The Prime Minister brought in Mahabharata and said that some people are cunning and always spoke depressing things. But I said I would not deviate from the topic, would not make it personal issue between father-son and would continue to raise the actual matter. ALSO READ: Modi government playing mischief with developmental statistics, says Yashwant Sinha "Quoting Mahabharata, I said that only two brothers of Kauravas are known -- Duryodhan and Dusshashana. Nobody knows who is the third in Kauravas. At most, people talk about Shakuni Mama. Today, BJP's situation is like Kauravas -- nobody knows who is the third person," Sinha said without naming anyone. The former Union Minister attacked the Prime Minister several times without taking his name for a single time and said that he (PM) "does not believe in democracy". "The democracy is not only about numbers. The essence of democracy is about consensus. The days of Parliament sessions were decreasing, the PM does not sit in the House and he does not reach out to the opposition. The whole session wash out. Why?" he asked. Sinha also said that media is worst affected among all institutes during the present Central government with a "fear environment" everywhere. "Voices are not heard, it is suppressed. In Delhi, it is said that daily instructions go from BJP on what to publish or telecast. The biggest problem is that the fourth pillar of the democracy has just collapsed. It is playing a big role in weakening our democracy," he added. ALSO RAED: PM Modi obsessed with creating history everyday, says Yashwant Sinha Talking about RBI's former Governor Urjit Patel's resignation, Sinha said: "I don't think the last word has been said about Patel's resignation. One day when it will be opened, the truth will shock everyone. I know some information, but I don't want to share it today with you because it may be termed an irresponsible statement." He also attacked the prime minister on his alleged unilateral style of functioning saying that the Home Minister, the Defence Minister, the Finance Minister or the External Affairs Minister are "never consulted" before any important decision. "Election Commission has also been influenced on occasions. It is not like that EVM cannot be hacked. We read that it malfunctions. If it malfunctions, then it can also be done manually. So why don't we calculate the paper trails of VVPAT? Parties are demanding that 50 per cent of paper trails be counted. I also don't understand why EC is so adamant," Sinha said. On announcing various schemes in the interim Union budget, the former Finance Minister said that the Constitution was "violated" by doing so. Stating that the CBI's credibility is at stake, Sinha said: "People in the country are disturbed. They are concerned with many issues. They are looking for a path of rescue. It is our duty to help people find that path. By PTI NEW DELHI: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was the cynosure of many eyes on Monday -- the thousands walking alongside during her debut road show in Uttar Pradesh as Congress general secretary and the many analysts looking for political nuance but also her husband who asked people to "keep her safe". The lines between politics and family and public and personal seemed to have blurred for the Congress leader and mother of two, who also found herself at the centre of a debate with a BJP MP's comments on her choice of clothes being slammed as sexist and misogynistic. Congress mega roadshow HIGHLIGHTS | 'Chowkidar' PM failed to provide jobs to UP youth, says Rahul Gandhi "Priyanka Gandhi wears jeans and top in Delhi but when she comes to rural areas she is clad in a sari and wears sindoor," Harish Dwivedi, BJP MP from Basti in Uttar Pradesh, told reporters in his constituency on Sunday night. Congress leader M Veerappa Moily and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti were among those who criticised him for his anti-women remarks. Congress President @RahulGandhi GS Incharges UP East & West @priyankagandhi & @JM_Scindia greet the thousands of well wishers gathered along the path of their roadshow in Lucknow. #NayiUmeedNayaDesh pic.twitter.com/BvDyDjLSAX Congress (@INCIndia) February 11, 2019 The sexist and inappropriate remarks reflect a "patriarchal and misogynistic mindset", Moily said on Twitter. What a woman chooses to wear is nobody's business but her own, added Mehbooba. "Sadly even in todays modern world, patriarchy plus brazen sexism always raises its ugly head & is normalised," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister tweeted. Monday was also the day Priyanka Gandhi joined the microblogging site, getting tens of thousands of followers within hours of logging in. Dwivedi's widely reported comment was perhaps part of the "vindictive and vicious" political atmosphere that her husband Robert Vadra warned her against in an emotional Facebook post on Monday. As Priyanka Gandhi, 47, travelled slowly through the streets of Lucknow with her brother and Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party colleague Jyotiradiya Scindia, Vadra sent her his best wishes. "Please keep her safe," Vadra said, doffing his hat to his "best friend" over the years. "My Best wishes to you P, on your new journey of working in Uttar Pradesh and serving the people of India. You have been my best friend, a perfect wife, and the best mother to our children," Vadra said. "There is a very vindictive and vicious political atmosphere. But I know, it's her duty to serve the people and now we hand her to the people of India. Please keep her safe," he added. Priyanka Gandhi, who married Vadra in 1997, last week came out in strong support of her husband, dropping him off at the Enforcement Directorate office for his first day of questioning in connection with a money-laundering probe. "He is my husband, he is my family," she said in her unambiguous message of solidarity. In Lucknow on Monday, crowds jostled with each other to catch a glimpse of the woman who many old timers said carried the stamp of her grandmother Indira Gandhi. Though Priyanka Gandhi has often campaigned for her mother Sonia Gandhi and brother Rahul Gandhi in the state, this was the first time that she was there as Congress general secretary and most couldn't get enough of her. As her 'rath' inched through major thoroughfares, enthusiastic people and party members took vantage positions to click a pic. Party tricolours and hoardings all over gave the city a festive look. Some posters showed Priyanka Gandhi in a 'Durga Mata' avatar riding a lion. "Maa Durga ka roop behen Priyankaji" (Sister Priyankaji is Maa Durga's incarnation) said one poster, while some others highlighted her resemblance to Indira Gandhi. Besides workers of other front organisations of the party, some Congress workers -- said to be members of Priyanka Sena, a little known outfit -- were seen wearing pink T-shirts with her photograph. "With the Priyanka Sena at the Nehru Bhawan, Lucknow it is almost celebration here," tweeted Sushmita Dev, president of the All India Mahila Congress. Anand ST Das By Express News Service PATNA: Bihars economy grew at 11.3 per cent in 2017-18, up from 9.9 per cent a year before, making it the state with the highest growth rate in the country, said the economic survey report tabled in the state legislature on Monday. Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, who also holds the finance portfolio, said Bihar achieved the high growth rate of 11.3 per cent while the national economy grew at about 7 per cent between 2016 and 2018. The state achieved significant development in all major areas of the economy in the past one year and set examples in fiscal management, he said after presenting the survey report for 2018-19 on the opening day of the budget session. Bihars GSDP in 2017-18 was Rs 4,87,628 crore at current prices and Rs 3,61,504 crore at constant (2011-12) prices, said the report. The resulting per capita GSDP in the same period was Rs 42,242 at current prices and Rs 31,316 at constant prices. Bihar has been a revenue-surplus state for over a decade. This increase was more than double between 2013-14 and 2017-18, rising from Rs 6,441 crore to Rs 14,823 crore, its highest level so far, said Modi, who will present the state budget in the legislature on Tuesday. The state governments primary deficit came down from Rs 8,289 crore in 2016-17 to Rs 5,251 crore in 2017-18. As a result, the gross fiscal deficit also came down from Rs 16,480 crore in 2016-17 to Rs 14,305 crore in 2017-18, which was 2.9 per cent of GSDP in 2017-18 and well within the FRBMA limit of 3 per cent. Bihars own tax revenue went up to Rs 23,742 crore in 2017-18 from Rs 19,961 crore in 2013-14 and the non-tax revenue grew to Rs 3,507 crore from Rs 1,545 crore during the same period, said the survey report. The states share in central taxes increased from Rs 34,829 crore to Rs 65,083 crore and grants-in-aid went up to Rs 25,720 crore from Rs 12,584 crore during the same period. Between 2013-14 and 2017-18, the states total revenue registered an increase of 70.4 per cent to reach 1,17,447 crore, up from Rs 68,919 crore. During this period, the developmental revenue expenditure increased by 80 per cent. Governor Lalji Tandon addressed a joint session of both Houses of the state legislature and praised the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government for its multi-pronged focus on development. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi and Leader of opposition in the Legislative Council Rabri Devi were present during the joint sitting. Tejashwi Yadav, Leader of opposition in the Assembly, remained absent from the House on the first day of the 10-day Budget session due to a fever. By PTI NEW DELHI: A day before her maiden visit to Uttar Pradesh as Congress general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that together with the people of the state she hopes to start a "new kind of politics" in which everyone will be a stakeholder. Priyanka and Jyotiraditya Scindia will arrive in Lucknow Monday on their first trip to the state after being appointed the Congress general secretary in-charges of eastern and western UP respectively. They will be accompanied by Congress president Rahul Gandhi -- all three visiting the crucial state for the first time after the appointments announced last month. ALSO READ: Priyanka Gandhi fever grips Lucknow as UP Congress readies itself for mega Monday roadshow "I am coming tomorrow to Lucknow to meet all of you. I have hope in my heart that together we will start a new kind of politics, a politics in which all of you will be stakeholders -- my young friends, my sisters and even the weakest person, all their voices will be heard," said Gandhi through the Congress's Shakti App. Congress workers are planning a roadshow when the three leaders travel from the airport to the party's state headquarter. The party in Uttar Pradesh is seeing the visit as the virtual launch of the Congress campaign in the state, ahead of the coming Lok Sabha elections. "Come, let's build a new future, new politics with me. Thank you," she said in her message to the people ahead of the visit to the state. Scindia, in his message, said: "Tomorrow I am coming to be with you. The youth of Uttar Pradesh need a roadmap for the future and the state needs change." "Come align with us and bring change to Uttar Pradesh," he said. The two general secretaries will interact with party workers at the state Congress office in Lucknow on February 12, 13 and 14, while Rahul Gandhi is likely to return the same day. By Express News Service RANCHI: In yet another incident of acid attack in Ranchi, a man on a motorcycle allegedly threw acid on a school teacher while she was on her way to home after attending the Saraswati Puja in her school at around 2:30 pm on Sunday. Police said that the teacher was already having a dispute with the accused and had lodged a written complaint against him at Daily Market Police Station in Ranchi. "The lady Mandavi Priya, 30, who teaches at Calcutta Public School near Ormanhi in Ranchi, was attacked with acid near Booty More when she was on her way to home on auto rickshaw after attending Saraswati Puja in the school this afternoon at around 2:30 pm," said Ranchi SP (City) Sujata Kumari Veenapani. Now, she is out of danger and has received minor injuries on her legs and hands and is undergoing treatment at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi, she added. "The accused has been identified as Shravan Kumar against whom she had already lodged a complaint at Daily Market Police Station following a dispute on some trivial issue," said the SP. Though, the dispute was resolved with the intervention of police, Kumar had been giving life threats to the school teacher, she added. Since Kumar is still on the run, Police has started a hunt for him by raiding the probable locations of his hiding. By PTI NEW DELHI: IndiGo has cancelled scores of flights in two days and will not be operating around 32 flights on Monday following shortage of pilots, a source said. The country's largest airline has cancelled flights from IndiGo's fromn Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, the source in the aviation industry said. Many flights have been cancelled by the airline since Saturday. The carrier cancelled around 15 flights on Saturday and around seven on Sunday, officials at the Delhi airport said. ALSO READ: IndiGo continues to cancel multiple flights, three days after hailstorm lashed north India "The airline has been facing problems in crew management. Therefore, these flights - which had to depart from Delhi yesterday and today were cancelled," one of the airport officials said. In a statement, IndiGo said that due to a severe hailstorm in North India on February 7, 11 IndiGo flights were diverted and that disrupted operations across our network the following day. "As part of recovering our schedule, positioning of the crew and aircraft had to be readjusted. As a result, a number of flights were cancelled. We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers," IndiGo said. Officials at Bengaluru airport officials said that around 16 flights of the airline were cancelled on Sunday. "The airline is facing shortage of commanders and pilots and this is forcing the airline to cancel flights from across stations," the source told PTI. "As of now 32 flights from across the network have been cancelled for Monday by the carrier," the source said. A second query sent to IndiGo seeking its response on the cancellation of 32 flights for Monday due to pilots shortage did not elicit any immediate response. Operations at the Delhi airport saw massive disruption on February 7 as a total of 36 flights were diverted due to severe rain and hailstorm in the national capital. By PTI JAMMU: Over 180 passengers, mostly the GATE aspirants, were Sunday airlifted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) from Jammu to Srinagar, a defence spokesman said. The IAF launched special sorties of C17 Globemaster over the past two days, airlifting a total of 538 persons, including 319 Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) aspirants, between the twin capitals on Friday and Saturday, he said. "The IAF again came into assistance of 186 passengers including 170 students who were again airlifted from Jammu to Srinagar after appearing in the GATE examination," the spokesman said. He said the students quoted it as a "lifetime memorable exam" for them and will be remembered forever. "The students were very relieved as they could appear only because of a timely and humanitarian assistance from the armed forces. All of them were very appreciative and thankful for this humanitarian concern of the armed forces along with guarding the frontiers at all times," the spokesman said. Among others who were airlifted included children, he said. Meanwhile, 28 stranded people, including three critically-ill women, were airlifted from snow-bound areas of Kishtwar in various sorties by Pawan Hans helicopter, officials said. Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar, Angrez Singh Rana personally monitored the operations, they said, adding the district administration had sought the chopper services to airlift critically-ill patients from far-flung snowbound areas including Marwah, Warwan and Dachhan. On Saturday, the district administration had airlifted three patients from Kishtwar to Jammu. Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said his country's 2019 chairmanship of the African Union underlined Cairo's close ties with African countries. Speaking to Extra News TV channel on Sunday, the minister hailed June 30 uprising and efforts exerted by the Egyptian people to preserve security, stability and economic progress. He described an AU decision to suspend Egypt's membership following the uprising as a "very sad moment". In just one year, Egypt succeeded in convincing the brothers in Africa that the country had witnessed a popular uprising that was seeking change in a clear democratic framework, Shoukry said. The minister reiterated that the 2019 chairmanship matches Egypt's political approach under President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to focus on the African continent. He explained that much attention was paid to Libya, whose situations have direct impact on Africa, in general, and neighboring countries, in particular, in terms of terrorism spread. Egypt seeks to bring about security and stability in Libya in cooperation with all parties, Shoukry stressed. Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia agreed to hold a meeting in Cairo on February 20, gathering their foreign and irrigation ministers, after negotiations have stalled for nine months. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, his Sudanese counterpart Omar al Bashir and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed reaffirmed the principles established in the March 15, 2015 Agreement of Principles, which stipulated that Egypt's water interests and Ethiopia's development rights will not be be harmed, Shoukry said. Any technical consultations should confirm and reinforce these principles, he added. The three parties did not come up with a unified vision on ways to deal with the issue of filling the dam, operating the reservoir and mechanism for verifying available water resources. All this issues are under in-depth technical studies, the minister said. Sometimes there are differences in vision and interpretation of these matters. Egypt proposed that this task be entrusted to a neutral body such as the World Bank or any other entity, he added. Shoukry affirmed that Egypt believes that this technical issues should not be politicized, stressing Cairo's determination to reach solutions that satisfy all parties. He hailed Egypt's close ties with Sudan and their coordination on the Ethiopian dam negotiations. Egypt was one of the first countries to sign the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement aiming to increase pan-African trade volume, the minister said. On the refugee crisis, Shoukry stressed the need to find appropriate mechanisms to curb the phenomenon. He pointed out that the main reasons for the crisis is the spread of conflicts in Africa, which caused the displacement of large numbers of people in African countries to escape the armed conflicts, economic deterioration, security conditions and the spread of terrorism. Solutions come only with a comprehensive vision of how to resolve these conflicts, Shoukry said. He added that development efforts can solve the crisis of displaced people on the African continent. The foreign minister voiced concern about the Turkish role in some African countries, especially Libya. Short link: Online Desk By Newly appointed Congress general secretary and in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched her partys Mission Uttar Pradesh on Monday with a roadshow. It began from Chaudhary Charan Singh airport to UPCC office, passing through the crowded streets of Lucknow with the entire route replete with posters of the party's new general secretary and her brother Rahul Gandhi, the party president. Hundreds of Congress workers, carrying party flags and shouting pro-Gandhis slogans, swarmed the roads. Taking a mini halt at Lal Bagh crossing, Rahul, flanked by Jyotiraditya Scindia reiterated his resolve to play on the front foot. "Our main goal is to bring a Congress government to power in UP in 2022, he claimed. He added that Congress wanted to bring an impartial government in UP meant for the farmers, youth, women and deprived sections. (With Inputs from Agencies) By PTI WASHINGTON: With marijuana being legalised across North America, there is a changing perception that sees people believing that weed is the safest recreational drug. However, those assumptions are now challenged in an article in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology that examine the story of a patient who developed chest pain and myocardial ischemia after consuming most of a marijuana lollipop. Speaking about it, expert Alexandra Saunders said, Marijuana can be a useful tool for many patients, especially for pain and nausea relief. At the same time, like all other medications, it does carry risk and side effects. In a recent case, inappropriate dosing and oral consumption of marijuana by an older patient with stable cardiovascular disease resulted in distress that caused a cardiac event and subsequent reduced cardiac function. ALSO READ | Canada: After South Korea, Japan, China latest to warn its citizens against marijuana According to the report, a 70-year-old man with stable coronary artery disease, taking appropriate cardiac medications at most of a lollipop infused with 90 mg of THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) to relieve pain and help sleep. However, it led him to have a potentially serious heart attack. He consumed a much larger dose than the 7 mg that is typically ingested by smoking a single joint or taking the 2.5 mg starting dose of dronabinol (Marinol), a synthetic THC marketed for nausea and appetite stimulation in AIDS and cancer patients. While the patient had smoked marijuana in his youth, he had not done so since the THC content of the substance had increased significantly from three percent to 12 per cent. He was also not familiar with the time-delayed and extended effect of oral THC dosing. The cardiac event was likely triggered by unexpected strain on his body from anxiety and fearful hallucinations caused by the unusually large amount of THC he ingested. After the psychotropic effects of the drug wore off, and his hallucinations ended, his chest pain stopped. ALSO READ | Israel to allow medical marijuana exports Notably, a number of earlier case reports have described the association between cannabis use and acute cardiovascular (CV) adverse events, including myocardial infarction, stroke, arrhythmias, and sudden death. Speaking about it, the editorial author Neal L. Benowitz said, The legalisation of cannabis has considerable public support but also raises public health concerns. Benowitz added, "Some users may benefit from the social and medical effects, but others will be at risk for adverse health outcomes. Little information has been disseminated to patients or healthcare providers about cannabis use in older patients, and in particular those with cardiovascular disease. For better or worse, providing advice and care to such patients who are using cannabis is now necessary for the provision of optimal medical care to these patients." Madhavi S Mahadevan By Express News Service The Hungryalists: The Poets Who Sparked a Revolution By: Maitreyee Bhattacharjee Chowdhury Publisher: Penguin Viking Pages: 272; Price: `599 Oh, Ill die! Ill die! Ill die! My skin is in blazing furore I do not know what Ill do, where Ill go, Oh Im sick Ill kick all Arts in the butt and go away, Shubha. Thus begins Malay Roy Choudhurys Bengali poem Prachanda Boidyutik Chhutar (Stark Electric Jesus). Appearing in a pamphlet in 1964, its publication resulted in arrest warrants being issued against the poet and 11 others, members of a Kolkata-based poets collectivethe Hungry Generation. And the charges? Conspiracy against the state and literary obscenity. Who were these radicals, where did they come from and what happened to them is the substance of Maitreyee Bhattacharjee Chowdhurys non-fiction book, The Hungryalists: The Poets Who Sparked a Revolution. Well-researched, it draws on journals, memoirs, photographs, interviews and personal conversations with brothers Malay and Samir, part of movements founding quartet (the other two being Shakti Chatterjee and the Dalit poet Haradhan Dhara aka Debi Roy). Following a loose timeline, the author dispenses with the notion of unity: anecdotes, sketches and generalisations abound, sometimes befuddling the reader by their randomness. However, the mood music of the ageintense, rebellious, raucouscomes through clearly. Though homegrown, the Hungryalists were part of a global wave of insurrectionist poetry that had earlier seen the rise of Beatdom in the United States. Calling the Beats and the Hungryalists co-travellers, the author writes, These poets/ writers rejected standards of literature, introduced new societal norms, shunned mercenaries of culture and even spawned a new drug subculture. Solidarity between the movements was enabled when prominent Beat poets such as Gary Snyder and his wife Joanne Kyger, Allen Howl Ginsberg and his lover Peter Orlovsky travelled to India and associated with the Hungryalists. Though the two movements had similarities as sociocultural forces, the book elucidates the completely different circumstances that fashioned the Hungryalists poetics. The post-Partition decade of the 50s saw rapid changes in Bengali society: a flood of refugees, homelessness, food shortages, rising unemployment, the stench and anger of rampant poverty. It was an all-encompassing rootlessness unrepresented in the prosaic literary writing of the periodwhat Malay Roy Choudhury called the blankety-blank school of modern poetry. The Hungryalists wanted more: a new lexis, a new literary space, a wider audience. Above all, a shake-up. Their agenda was to introduce chaos and a disintegration in writing that rendered it conventionally meaningless, and take advantage of the shock it created, thereby introducing the ideas they wanted to talk about. Raw emotions needed raw language: obscenity became a moral weapon. Viewing poetry as an oral tradition, they held public readings in Howrah railway station, College Street Coffee House, Khalasitola bar and the grave of the long-dead Michael Madhusudan Duttwhom the Hungryalists idolised. Co-authorship and collaboration being a feature of their identity, they met regularly at addas. Another commonality was penury: public loos, empty offices and renting space on terraces with other homeless formed their sleeping arrangements. Despite their travails they persisted with their poetry. The literati were unamused; repercussions followed in the form of police raids, handcuffs, a trial and betrayals. Nevertheless, the subaltern had found a voice that has lasted. While the Beats are well-documented, the Hungryalists are not. This book is a worthy attempt to fill the gap. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a move to generate awareness among children, the Social Justice Department under the 'Bhadram' scheme will impart a two-day awareness session in fifty schools in the state. The event will be held on February 13 and 14 and will focus on child rights and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. A special team has been created consisting security project coordinators, voluntary organisers and 'Sarana Balyam' rescue members. According to the officials of the Social Justice Department, it's been organised in the wake of the increasing number of child abuses being reported across the state. "Violence including mental and sexual harrasment against children is on the rise. The focus is to make them feel more comfortable in the school, home and public places. Children should not be ignored or humiliated and they need to be taken care of emotionally and mentally, said Bindhu KK, joint secretary, Social Justice Department. A special resource team headed by two members will conduct the classes. Resource team members are selected on the basis of their potential to guide students and provide them with the right information regarding child rights. "Children will be provided with a platform where they can open up about their past incidents on sexual assault or mental torture. All types of harassment including verbal abuse, which destroy their mental equilibrium can cause long-term difficulties in behavioural development. We will be teaching them to raise their voice against harassment," said an official in charge, Social Justice Department. One of the key focus areas is depression among school children.A recent report by the World Health Organisation shows that India is the sixth most depressed country in the world. One out of every five children in the age group of twelve to nineteen in Kerala suffer from psychological distress,it stated. The suicidal tendency among children is on the rise. Prevalence of physical abuse Studies conducted in 2018 by the Indian Psychiatric Society across the state have revealed the prevalence of physical abuse (75 per cent), emotional abuse (85 per cent) and sexual abuse (21 per cent) among school-going adolescents. Arun M By Express News Service KOCHI: Three different crimes. Three different locations. Three different timelines. But, there is something common for all three; they are yet to be solved. While the police grope in the dark in these high profile cases, these crimes unravel the dark belly of the city. Kochi Express takes a look at the three sensational cases which highlights the sheer incapability of the investigating team. Munambam human trafficking Even after a month, there seems to be no headway into the alleged human tracking at Munambam. While the police say the probe is in the right direction, they are clueless about the Daya Matha II fishing boat and its occupants. "The inquiry is proceeding in the right direction, but we cannot divulge the details at this point as it will affect the investigation," said an officer. It is learnt the probe is based on the statements given by the relatives of those who reportedly set sail from Munambam. A special team headed by Aluva SP M J Sojan is conducting the inquiry. Illus Express The SIT had interrogated Anil Kumar, co-owner of the boat who hails from Thiruvananthapuram, Prabhu Dandapani and Ravi Sanoop, both Tamil Nadu natives, who are now in police custody, with regard to the case. Officers said Anil Kumar purchased the fishing boat while the other two brought people from New Delhi for the illegal migration. Sreekanthan, another owner of the boat and the key accused, remains at large. The accused were arrested under the Indian Passport Act, Foreigners Act, Emigration Act and Sections 120 (B), 109, 468 and 471 of the IPC. The recovery of 13 bags found abandoned at the boatyard near Maliankara and six from the Cherai beachside had triggered suspicion of around 80 people, who came from New Delhi, being ferried to a foreign coast by a fishing boat from the Munambam coast. Leena Maria's beauty Parlour firing case The investigation team is still in search of concrete evidence to establish the involvement of Mumbai underworld don Ravi Poojari behind the incident. Though the police have lodged an FIR in the case, the gangster, who was arrested from Senegal recently, has not been arraigned as accused so far. The investigators can name Poojari as an accused and file an FIR before the court only if there is concrete evidence. The internet phone calls reportedly made by the gangster to the actress and to the office of a vernacular television news channel are the only two incidents which throw light on the involvement of Poojari in the incident. The examination of the veracity of the audio clippings is still underway. The officers hope to receive concrete clues in the ongoing inquiry.Meanwhile, the sleuths have officially communicated with the Central Intelligence Bureau seeking Poojari's interrogation. The proceedings by the central agencies for the extradition of Ravi Poojari are underway. In this circumstance, the Crime Branch team has requested the consider including the shooting incident onto the case file. Interrogation of Ravi Poojari will be possible only if the case is included in the records. It was on December 15 that two bike-borne masked men opened fire to the Nail Artistry owned by the actor in Kadavantra and left the spot leaving a paper on which the name of Ravi Poojari was written on it. Even after about two months, the two miscreants who fired the gunshots are yet to be identified. POCSO against 'high profile' grandfather The police are playing hide-and-seek in a case wherein a petition is filed against an elderly man for sexually abusing his three-year-old granddaughter. The police haven't even recorded the statements of the victim. Interestingly, even the name of the accused is not mentioned in the FIR though his complete address and the place of occurrence of the crime is recorded. It is learnt that the accused is a high-profile individual holding a high post in the judicial service. Currently, the case is being probed by Infopark CI Radhamani P K. Earlier, the special branch had submitted a report before the Chief Minister's office on the status of the inquiry. The CMO intervened in the case after hearing about the complaint. Following this, the case was handed over to Infopark CI from Ernakulam North Police station where the FIR was lodged. As per the statement of the paediatrician who examined the child after her parents took her for treatment, the FIR was lodged on January 16 after invoking sections 7 and 8 of POCSO Act. The FIR mention the age of the grandfather as 59. The child was later examined by two other doctors, who also recorded that there are no signs of sexual abuse on the child. The parents and the child have left for Dubai since. Hence the police could not record their detailed statement. Trafficking The recovery of 13 bags found abandoned at the boatyard near Maliankara and six from the Cherai beachside had triggered suspicion of around 80 people, who came from New Delhi, being ferried to a foreign coast by a fishing boat from the Munambam coast. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be joined by his West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh counterparts Mamata Banerjee and N Chandrababu Naidu on February 13 in a show of strength in the national capital against the NDA government. Kejriwals Aam Aadmi Party is hosting the Tanashahi Hatao, Desh Bachao (Remove Dictatorship, Save Country) rally will be organised at Jantar Mantar. Tanashahi Hatao, Desh Bachao rally will be organised at Jantar Mantar on February 13. All opposition leaders will attend this rally against the Modi government, senior AAP leader Gopal Rai said. It (the rally) will be attended by all those who had attended Mamata Banerjees Kolkata rally last month. Kejriwal along with former NDA minister Arun Shourie and BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha were a part of the rally in Bengal. However, sources in the AAP said, the Congress is unlikely to participate in the rally that will be attended by Naidu and other opposition leaders. Incidentally, Naidu will launch a day-long protest, Dharma Porata Deeksha, at the Andhra Bhavan on Monday in Delhi. On February 4, the Andhra chief minister had met Kejriwal when he arrived in Delhi and addressed a joint Press conference with other opposition leaders in support of Mamata at the height of the CBI versus Bengal Police controversy. With the Lok Sabha elections just months away, the AAP backed opposition rally is expected to provide another platform for the opposition leaders to meet together and firm up a Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) to challenge the NDA. Meanwhile, Kejriwal in Delhi while inaugurating a six lane flyover in Shastri Park area of Delhi called on to the people to support any party which can defeat Modi in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Go and vote for any party that you see can defeat the BJP in a particular area....In Bengal, you support Mamata Banarjee and support Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra. You should vote for Mayawati-Akhilesh in Uttar Pradesh and the AAP in Delhi because the Congress cannot defeat the BJP in Delhi, said Kejriwal. He also said voters should not get confused on who would be the prime minister. I think neither Rahul Gandhi nor PM Modi will be prime minister, someone else would be, he said, hinting a leader from a regional party could become the next prime minister. Egypt's tourism is in constant improvement with a growing number of tourists from Western, Arab and Asian states, expecting more Chinese visitors in the coming seasons, Egyptian Tourism Minister Rania el Mashat said. "We had a leap in tourism in 2017 and a large boom in 2018, when Egypt was visited by renowned foreign figures," the minister said in an interview with the Chinese news agency Xinhua in Minya province, south of the capital Cairo. Tourism brought Egypt about 13 billion US dollars in revenues in 2010 alone, when some 14.7 million tourists visited the country. After that, the tourism sector has been suffering recession in Egypt over the past few years due to political turmoil and relevant security challenges that resulted from the ouster of two heads of state in 2011 and 2013. It further deteriorated after a plane crash in Sinai killing over 200 people, mostly Russians, in October 2015, and another tragic crash of an EgyptAir flight killing all 66 people on board, including 15 French nationals, in May 2016. "Tourism in Egypt started to recover and overcome the consequences of the Russian plane crash, and many countries started to resume its suspended flights to Egyptian airports," Mashat said. Moscow has already resumed direct flights to Cairo airport in April 2018 while flights to other Egyptian cities, including the popular Red Sea resorts of Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada, will be resumed "soon," according to Russian President Vladimir Putin following talks with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El Sisi in Russia's Sochi in October 2018. "Many other countries increased their flights to Egyptian airports such as Serbia, which has 11 new flights to Hurghada," the minister emphasized. On the other hand, Chinese Sichuan Airlines launched a direct flight to Cairo airport for the first time in late October 2018. Egypt also opened in late January its new Sphinx International Airport, about 12 km away from the Great Pyramids of Giza, linking tourist destinations northern and southern the country via domestic flights. "In the tourism ministry, we have launched a flight promotion program in early November 2018, which urged some cities abroad to open new airlines with Egyptian airports," the minister explained. Mashat said that her ministry holds regular discussions with tourist companies and travel agents to find out new means of attracting more tourists to the monument-rich most populous Arab country. The tourism ministry keeps an eye on the archeological discoveries announced by the antiquities ministry to add new destinations to Egypt's tourism map. Last week, Mashat attended the announcement of the discovery of more than 40 mummies in ancient tombs in Minya. "Cultural tourism is very important and unique in Egypt," Mashat said. "Inviting foreign diplomats and media channels to such discoveries is meant to introduce and promote new attractions in Egypt to the world, such as Minya province that was not very well-known despite its attractive sites," she said. "We have a 'destination branding' as part of our promotion program, introducing a variety of tourist destinations in Egypt to foreign visitors in cooperation with the ministry of antiquities," Mashat added. The minister said that the upcoming opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in 2020, which will be the biggest in the world to display the artifacts of one civilization, is a key part of the tourism ministry's promotion plan. "I would like firstly to wish all Chinese people a happy Chinese New Year, and it was the first time in Egypt to light up Cairo's Saladin Citadel in red in celebration of the Chinese Spring Festival and the Chinese New Year," the minister said. She continued that the tourism ministry eyes more Chinese tourists to visit Egypt in the near future in the light of the fast growing relations between the two countries. "We attach importance to Chinese tourists and Egypt has a comprehensive strategic partnership with China," Mashat said, noting that China was among the first countries visited by Sisi after he came to office. Mashat stressed the fruitful cooperation between her ministry and the Chinese Cultural Center in Cairo in various areas including training and learning from the Chinese expertise. Among the joint activities is that a group of Chinese chefs will visit Egypt next month to teach their Egyptian counterparts how to cook Chinese dishes, according to the minister. She noted that the Chinese people have their own means of social media and her ministry will address through their own channels "to make sure the message will reach every Chinese citizen in different regions." "We have many other projects of cooperation with the Chinese Cultural Center in Cairo including the promotion of Egyptian tourist destinations in Chinese language," the minister told Xinhua. Short link: This new design series consists of three limited editions. The two Urushi dial executions are in 18k rose gold cases and are editions of just 150 while the third, with its blue Mt. Iwate pattern dial, is in stainless steel and is an edition of 1,500. All three are available from March, 2019. In addition, a fourth creation, with an 18k yellow gold case, will be added to the permanent Grand Seiko collection in July. This series will be available at Grand Seiko and Seiko Boutiques and selected retail partners worldwide. Urushi lacquer dial Ref. SBGK002 and blue Mt. Iwate pattern dial Ref. SBGK005 Grand Seiko Caliber 9S63 Caliber 9S63 is a significant addition to the ever growing Grand Seiko family of movements. It has been eight years since the last manual-winding mechanical caliber in Grand Seiko and it has been worth the wait. Caliber 9S63 offers a small seconds hand at 9 oclock and a power reserve indicator at 3 oclock. Easy to read, these sub-dials are also discreetly unobtrusive and allow the eye to enjoy the beauty of the Urushi lacquer of which the dial is made. Caliber 9S63 has a power reserve of 72 hours and delivers an accuracy rate of +5 to -3 seconds a day. The blue lion mark and tempered screws can be seen through the sapphire case back of SBGK005 Grand Seiko Two traditions of craftsmanship In this new Urushi dialed creation, which is available in two versions, two traditions of Japanese craftsmanship come together. The cases are polished by a special Zaratsu method created to accentuate the beauty of the curved surfaces. The dials and the sapphire crystals are also curved to give the watches a classic look. The minute and power reserve indicator hands are bent so that they follow exactly the domed contour of the dials. The dials also showcase a second form of Japanese craftsmanship, Urushi lacquer. The amber color dial is made from a transparent and long lasting Urushi that comes from trees grown in and around the town of Joboji that lies under Mt. Iwate, the mountain that dominates the skyline above the Shizukuishi Watch Studio. Through the amber colored Suki-urushi lacquer can be seen the subtle Mt. Iwate pattern that reveals the watchmakers pride in the natural beauty that surrounds their home. The black dial uses the same lacquer mixed with iron to give it its distinctive deep jet black color. Urushi lacquer dial Ref. SBGK004 and 18k yellow gold case SBGK006 Grand Seiko The hour markers and the GS letters are decorated with the traditional Maki-e technique by Urushi master Isshu Tamura. Through the application of layer after layer of lacquer, these markers are given a three dimensional profile and a delicate yet strong presence on the dial. Tamura then applies the powder, either 24k gold or platinum, and then polishes them by hand using his own special tools to give Maki-e its delicately shimmering appearance. Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk! You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details. In order for a watch to be considered as a divers watch in accordance with the ISO 6425 standard that governs the appellation, it needs to be water resistant to at least 100 metres (and tested to a pressure that is 125% of this figure). Most divers watches offer water resistance of 300 metres, which is sufficient for most uses. There is, however, a form of diving that has been pushing the boundaries for over twenty years, where man is already nearing the limits of such watches resistance. Freediving pitches man alone against the depths. The quest is simply to dive the deepest, or hold ones breath the longest. Umberto Pelizzari has established a number of records in various freediving disciplines, including no limits absolute, where the diver descends with the aid of a sledge and resurfaces with the help of an inflated balloon, static freedive (or static apnea), where the diver merely holds their breath for as long as possible and static freedive with oxygen. The numbers behind these records are almost beyond the comprehension of the average person: 150 metres depth, eight minutes for static apnea and nearly twenty minutes for static apnea with oxygen (the diver breathes pure oxygen before the record attempt). The sport has developed almost exponentially since Pelizzari set his first static apnea record of 5 minutes and 33 seconds back in 1988. Umberto Pelizzari Pelizzari was a close friend and student of Jacques Mayol, one of the pioneers of freediving and star of the French film Le Grand Bleu. Mayol summed up the difference between scuba diving and freediving succinctly to Pelizzari: The scuba diver dives to look around, the freediver dives to look inside. The Italian freediving legend has teamed up with Franck Dubarry to serve as ambassador for the brands new collection of diver watches. Like the existing collections by Franck Dubarry, the new watches share the distinctive codes of the brand, with an ergonomic case with integrated strap. The case is available in Damascus steel or black PVD stainless steel. As divers watches, they are of course water resistant to 300 metres and have a unidirectional rotating bezel in steel or carbon with luminescent markers to record immersion times. The dial uses an innovative new material called Neoralithe, which is developed in Switzerland and made from resin that is thermally treated in a vacuum. A range of pigments can be added to give this material innumerable colours and it can be filled with SuperLuminova to assist visibility in low-light conditions. Much like case metals, Neoralithe can be brushed, polished or sandblasted, allowing for a number of finishing options. The Franck Dubarry Diver is completed with an Elastogator strap, a combination of rubber and an alligator imprint rubber insert. It is powered by the Dubois-Depraz 14580 calibre self-winding movement, which offers a 44-hour power reserve as well as a rather distinctive double-disc date indication at 12 oclock with laser-cut date wheels. Today's Headlines Would you like to receive our daily news? Sign up today! Breaking news Sign up for breaking news alerts from morning-times.com!!! Week in Sports Get a weekly local sports round-up from www.morning-times.com every Saturday morning!!! Mora, MN (55051) Today Mainly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Mainly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close 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 HA NOI The domestic dairy industry will face competitive pressure this year due to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), according to a report of the Rong Viet Securities Company (VDSC). The VDSC believes that Viet Nams dairy brands will face fierce competition from foreign brands because when the CPTPP came into effect in Viet Nam on January 14, import tariffs on dairy products from New Zealand, Singapore and Japan were cut to zero, making these product lines more competitive. In addition, local consumers are more concerned about their own health and have improved awareness of nutritional products so they have become more demanding. They now prefer high-quality, organic milk products as well as those from walnuts and macadamia nuts. Meanwhile, demand for reconstituted milk has decreased, according to the report. This is also the current consumption trend in developed markets like the US and the European Union (EU). However, the current high-end product line still accounts for just a small proportion of the total milk supply in Viet Nam. As much as 70 per cent of milk on the domestic market is traditional reconstituted milk with much lower nutritional value than fresh milk. The ndh.vn website quoted the VDSC report as saying that dairy companies will take a long time to change product structures to follow market demand. It said the long-term growth trend of the dairy industry is still positive. Milk consumption per capita in Viet Nam is still at low of 26 litres per person per year compared to other countries in the region, such as 35 litres in Thailand and 45 litres in Singapore. At the same time, other factors such as the large, young, quickly growing population and increasing incomes of the middle class will promote demand for milk in the long term. To meet higher future demand, dairy processing enterprises in Viet Nam have expanded dairy farms to increase milk supplies. However, according to the VDSC report, companies from New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia and Japan also want to access Vietnamese milk market, reported vneconomy.vn. Under CPTPP, Japan will have more access to Viet Nams dairy market in the coming years. Recently, Japanese Asahi Group has co-operated with NutiFood, a Vietnamese food and nutrition company, to set up a join venture in January that will bring Japanese nutrition products to Vietnamese children. Shoyama Katsuo, chairman of Asahi Group Foods, said Viet Nam is a potential market so his group plans to bring more its products to the local market under this joint venture. Other global dairy brands that entered Viet Nams market many years ago such as Abbott, Friesland Campina, Mead Johnson, Nestle and some small milk brands, have promoted investment in marketing, research and development of new products for the local market. At present, Vinamilk leads in market share at about 27 per cent while Abbott is second with 17 per cent, followed by Friesland Campina with 12 per cent. VNS 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. [February 10, 2019] Japan Rock Band CHAI Partners with PicsArt, #1 Photo & Video-Editing App, to Creatively Engage with Fans CHAI joins Gwen Stefani, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Maroon 5, and other music artists embracing PicsArt's mobile-native, creative community to launch fan art challenges SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- PicsArt , the world's largest creative platform and social editing app, today announced that it has partnered with Japanese rock band CHAI to launch a fan art challenge that asks fans to redefine the traditional concept of "Kawaii" ("cute" in Japanese). CHAI is the latest band to join other marquee music artists including Gwen Stefani , Thirty Seconds to Mars , Maroon 5 , DJ Snake and more who recognize PicsArt as a massive obile platform to reach millions of millennial and Gen-Z creators. CHAI, a rock band that originated in Tokyo, is launching a PicsArt edit challenge encouraging fans to "remix" their album images to redefine the concept of "Kawaii." CHAI defines themselves and their music as "Neo-Kawaii" (meaning "new-cute" in Japanese) and are aiming to break free from the conventional Japanese beauty standards of 'long legs, pale skin, and big eyes.' To promote this movement, CHAI will run an image challenge on PicsArt using creative, original, "Neo-Kawaii" edits, including use of PicsArt's stickers, image assets, photo-enhancing brushes, edit tools, and more. "Today's social media landscape offers artists unprecedented ways to communicate directly with fans; artists now want to go even further by enabling fans to join the process of creative self-expression," said Tammy H. Nam, COO of PicsArt. "CHAI acknowledges PicsArt as a true 'fandom app,' helping its global audience of young, socially savvy users create, share, and spread content that expresses their love for specific artists or bands. Fans can be fully creative, collaborate with a like-minded community, and engage directly with the artist, all in one place." The CHAI fan art challenge kicks off today and runs for one week, ending on February 18. Since late 2017, PicsArt has hosted dozens of fan art challenges for musicians and brands , including MTV, Swarovski, Capital Cities, Lindsey Stirling and more, which have generated hundreds of thousands of fan art submissions from the PicsArt community and hundreds of millions of social impressions on and off PicsArt. About PicsArt PicsArt is the world's largest creative platform, powered by more than 130 million monthly active users and influencers. Every month, the PicsArt community creates, remixes, and shares nearly one billion images and videos, making it the largest open-source content collection of its kind, with free-to-edit photos, images, stickers, and more. PicsArt is available in 30 languages for free and as a subscription on iOS, Android, and Windows devices. Headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Armenia, Los Angeles, Beijing, and Moscow, PicsArt is backed by Sequoia Capital, DCM Ventures, Insight Venture Partners, and Siguler Guff and Company. Download the app now or visit PicsArt.com or Picsart.com/brands/ for more information. Contact Info: Kristin Tinsley Director of Communications, PicsArt press@picsart.com PicsArt Press Kit Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/800051/PicsArt_Logo.jpg SOURCE PicsArt [ Back To www.mobilitytechzone.com\LTE's Homepage ] 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. Vietnam is targeting 2.4 billion USD from tra fish exports in this year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Tran Dinh Luan, deputy head of the Aquaculture General Department under the ministry, said the goal is totally within reach as all of Vietnams processing plants have reached the standard set by tough markets like the US, Japan and the EU. However, the official said, the focus will be on the deep processing and the further added value. Experts also echoed Luans view, arguing that the US-China trade war will have positive effects on a number of exports. As a result, the export of tra fish will enjoy more chances thanks to the demand increase in China. Besides, when the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement is signed and brought into effect, the tax on this product will be reduced to zero percent in short periods of time. However, they also warned of the hurdles for the export of tra fish, including the programmes in Europe and America on the import control. Regarding the improvement of the quality of the tra fish for export, the General Department are joining hands with enterprises in the building of the trademark for the products and the processing to have more added value. To do this, the industry needs to increase investment, apply science and technology to the processing, as well as make the best use of the materials available. Tra fish exports brought back a record of 2.26 billion USD last year, an increase of 26.4 percent compared to a year earlier.-VNA Burley, ID (83318) Today Some clouds. Low 59F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low 59F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. 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. Photo by Wang Qiyou In recent years, people of Dong ethnic group in Tongdao Dong Autonomous County of Huaihua in central Chinas Hunan Province have been bringing people a Chinese herbal tea with red packaging as the main present for major events, Economic View app reported on Feb.9. With the improvement in peoples living standards, these Dong people have included healthy and fashionable products with festive packaging on their gift list for festivals and significant events like huimen, when a bride returns to her mothers home on the third day of the wedding ceremony, accompanied by the bridegrooms families, neighbors, and even all the fellow villagers with gifts. Jiaduobao, a Chinese herbal tea in a festive red can is in favor with the Dong people in Tongdao Dong Autonomous County as they prepare gifts for huimen, an important rite that is usually no less grand than the wedding ceremony when a huge number of gifts such as liquor, pork, rice, and fish are prepared by the bridegrooms family for the brides first visit to her mothers home after wedding. The Chinese name Jiaduobao sounds comparable to the Chinese phrases meaning many children, great blessings and joy when pronounced in the local language of Dong people, which adds an air of festivity by the packaging in the red color that symbolizes prosperity. (By Hong Yang ) 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. Customers should have known the Kutztown company could be on the verge of going out of business. Making a long-term commitment by purchasing many tickets in advance wouldnt have been wise. But even the most cautious riders couldnt have anticipated the doors would close with no warning at all, in the middle of a business day. Emails from the company also make clear that the Sacklers, especially former Purdue president Richard Sackler, son of the company's founder, were intensely involved with the marketing operations, so much so that it irritated the sales team. Staff often advised each other, according to the court document, to "avoid as much e mail with dr. r as you can." The former president was so intent on pushing its product that he allegedly suggested Purdue drop its health-insurance provider after it dropped OxyContin from its list of covered drugs and replaced it with another from a competitor promoting lower doses of opioids. Giordanos family required weeks of round-the-clock protection from the Northampton County Sheriffs Department after Large went into hiding. Giordanos mother, who lived nearby, had to move out of state for her safety. His sister, who also lives in the area, had to hire a security detail. While Giordano signed up for the good and bad of being a judge when he ran for office, his family should not have had to fear for their lives, he said. In a 48-1 vote last week, the Senate gave final approval, on Senate Bill 9, to adopt the Eastern hellbender as its own. No other state has it listed as one of its official mascots despite its range and a natural ability to detect water pollution in its habit, according to the bill. There can be deadly consequences when drivers speed through construction zones. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reported that since its creation in 1970, 88 of its employees have died in accidents in construction zones. The most recent fatality was in February 2018 when a 45-year-old man was placing flares on Interstate 99 in Blair County. Others employees have suffered serious, life-altering injuries in construction zone accidents. Another 30 Pennsylvania Turnpike employees have died over the years in accidents. The robbery happened about 11:51 a.m. at the Fleetwood Bank at 15300 Kutztown Road in Maxatawny Township, according to state police spokesman David Beohm. The robber fled with an unknown amount of money and was last seen walking south on South Kemp Road. Despite her tough-as-nails demeanor, Virginia had a soft side. Mattes said she was active at St. Jane Frances Church in a "prayer chain," a group that met occasionally to pray for people in need, for as long as her health allowed. According to neighbors, Virginia had been in and out of the hospital for years and entered hospice care within the past six months or so. After midnight, a full commercial vehicle ban will take effect on Interstate 70 in Fulton County (from the Maryland state line to the Turnpike) and on Interstate 99 from Interstate 80 to the Turnpike. Also after midnight, the following vehicles will be prohibited on the Pennsylvania Turnpike from New Stanton east to Carlisle, the Turnpike will prohibit: We enjoyed many successful years, made many friends, and have been recognized in numerous publications all thanks to our loyal customers, a message on Perfectly Franks website reads. To celebrate our 10 year anniversary, we decided to rebrand and individualize with a new name and fresh look. Although the name and appearance has changed, the owner, quality, and customer appreciation remains. Tourists visit Pingyao, a tourist attraction in north China's Shanxi Province, Feb. 10, 2019. China's domestic tourism revenue gained 513.9 billion yuan (about 76.21 billion U.S. dollars) during the week-long Spring Festival holiday that ends Sunday, an annual increase of 8.2 percent, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. A total of 415 million trips were made across the country during the holiday, rising by 7.6 percent year on year, according to the ministry. Traditional culture was one of the travelers' favorites during the holiday, as a survey by an institution under the ministry showed that about 40 percent of the travelers had visited museums on their trips. During the Spring Festival holiday last year, 386 million trips were made domestically, contributing to an increase of 475 billion yuan in China's travel revenue. (Xinhua/Liang Shengren) China's domestic tourism revenue gained 513.9 billion yuan (about 76.21 billion U.S. dollars) during the week-long Spring Festival holiday that ends Sunday, an annual increase of 8.2 percent, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. A total of 415 million trips were made across the country during the holiday, rising by 7.6 percent year on year, according to the ministry. Traditional culture was one of the travelers' favorites during the holiday, as a survey by an institution under the ministry showed that about 40 percent of the travelers had visited museums on their trips. During the Spring Festival holiday last year, 386 million trips were made domestically, contributing to an increase of 475 billion yuan in China's travel revenue. WVU researcher earns NSF grant to reconstruct Southern Hemisphere 2,000-year climate history MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Shifting storm tracks and warming climate have marred countries south of the equator, particularly Australia, in recent decades with drought-like conditions and less rainfall. To gain a more comprehensive understanding of this pattern, a West Virginia University geographer and her research team will study the movement of a westerly wind belt circling Antarctica that influences Southern Hemisphere climate, carbon and heat uptake and Antarctic ice melt. The National Science Foundation awarded a three-year, $219,263-grant to Amy Hessl, professor in the Department of Geology and Geography, to reconstruct the history of this wind belt, called the Southern Annular Mode, over the last 2,000 years. In order to achieve that, Hessl and her team will break down data from two of nature's simple wonders: trees and ice. The project will utilize data from King Billy pine trees, a coniferous species native to southern Tasmania, Australia, in addition to two East Antarctic ice cores, which are samples of ice taken from ice sheets or glaciers. Ice cores can contain ice up to hundreds of thousands of years old. "By examining tree rings from these rare conifers that only occur in Tasmania, combined with ice core records from Antarctica, we can see how the SAM might have changed over the last couple thousand years," Hessl said. The SAM is the leading mode of climate variability in the middle to high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere. The SAM can be described as having two phases - positive and negative. A positive phase sees westerly winds contracting toward Antarctica, resulting in dry climate conditions. To the contrary, a negative phase occurs when the westerly winds expand toward the equator, leading to increased storms and rain. "The SAM has been changing over the last several decades to a more positive state, meaning that the position and strength of those winds have moved to higher latitudes and that affects the climate in places like southern Australia, southern Africa and southern South America," Hessl said. "The purpose of this project is to understand what contributes to the variability in the SAM and what causes it to change its position." This positive pattern is believed to be linked to an uptick in wildfires on Southern Hemisphere continents in recent years. Upwelling in the oceans may also be attributed to changes in the SAM, Hessl said. Upwelling occurs when the deep, cold water rises toward the surface, replacing the warmer surface water. By analyzing tree ring data situated at the northern tip of the SAM in Tasmania and ice cores from Antarctica, from the opposite, southern part of the SAM, researchers hope to hit a sweet spot by bookending the movement of the phenomenon in latitude. Through tree ring research, Hessl can assess how the trees responded to the environmental conditions in Tasmania over the years. That particular species, Billy King pine, was chosen because of its longevity and preservation qualities. It comes from the same family of trees as Eastern red cedar, found in West Virginia, which Hessl has studied, and the giant sequoia and redwoods. "These trees can live up to 1,000 years old and they can stand dead for another 1,000 years in the environment," Hessl said, "so you can extract 2,000 years of tree ring records from those trees." In her previous research, Hessl has reconstructed climate histories dating back to the first millennium in Mongolia. She also helped validate the accuracy of tree ring data. Joining Hessl on the project are Tessa Vance, University of Tasmania; Kathy Allen, University of Melbourne; and Kevin Anchukaitis, University of Arizona. She also plans to involve undergraduate and graduate WVU students on the project. The research team is aiming to conduct field data collection in Tasmania in December and January of 2020. But the research has been ongoing, Hessl said, dating back to 2014 when Allen first suggested the research topic at a conference in Australia. In 2018, she spent time in Australia as a Fulbright Scholar to study the Southern Hemisphere's climate history. "The real benefit of this (NSF) award is that we can continue collaborating with Australian scientists," Hessl said. "We are scientists living in opposite hemispheres coming together to solve and understand a global issue." Though the project is focused on the Southern Hemisphere, Hessl said any outcomes can relate to the Northern Hemisphere, as well. "We just had a polar vortex and we're seeing increased variability in the Northern Hemisphere's climate," she said. "Our weather vacillates radically between really cold and really warm. That phenomenon is not happening in the Southern Hemisphere, so those are contrasts we can look at and try to understand our own changing climate." ### This story has been published on: 2019-02-11. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. South Africa: Local companies urged to embrace partnerships with Germany South African Ambassador to Germany Stone Sizani has urged local companies to embrace partnerships with their German counterparts. The European Union (EU), as a neighbour continent to Africa, is working on a deal that would establish a Free Trade Agreement with Africa and South Africa in particular, precisely because we are in the same time-zone. The Germans insist every day that partnerships between South Africa and Germany are of high necessity for German companies. That is why they are pumping lots of resources in supporting skills development and supporting the growth of company-to-company partnerships between German and South African companies, Sizani said on Friday. He was speaking on the last day of the Fruit Logistica Trade Fair that was held in the capital Berlin. Local companies participated in the trade fair through the Department of Trade and Industry (dti). The Ambassadors comments follow on the European Commission President Jean-Claude Junckers September 2018 calls for the EU to offer a free trade agreement to the African continent. Sizani, who visited the South African pavilion at the three-day fair, encouraged local companies to seize partnerships with their German counterparts, especially when introducing South African-made goods and services in the European market. They will put a lot of resources in ensuring that all compliance rules that we have to meet in order to get to the EU market are available to South African companies, he said. Sizani urged local companies who require help to approach the embassy. We have created an infrastructure which allows the embassy to have access to key German industry associations. We speak with them on a regular basis so that we can advise our companies on possible problems and regulations to abide by, he said. Over 630 German companies are invested in South Africa. The trade fair is regarded as the worlds leading international fair for the fresh fruit and vegetable industry. At last years event the South African pavilion raked in more than R372 million in export sales, while also securing almost 100 trade leads. - SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-02-11. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.